Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SA gene and blood pressure cosegregation using Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

Based on the published cDNA base sequence for the (anonymous) SA gene, a polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) product from the SA gene was obtained from a Dahl salt-sensitive rat kidney cDNA library. Compared to the published sequence, this product had a 102 base pair insert in the 3' end of the cDNA, probably as the result of alternate mRNA splicing. A StuI restriction fragment length polymorphism detected three alleles among various rat strains using this PCR SA gene probe. Alleles at the SA locus strongly cosegregated with blood pressure (P = .0012) in a salt-fed F2 population derived from crossing Dahl S and Lewis rats. In contrast, a cosegregation analysis of blood pressure and SA alleles in salt-fed F2 rats derived from a Dahl S x Wistar-Kyoto cross gave a negative cosegregation result. It is concluded that in certain genetic backgrounds the SA gene (or a closely linked gene) can contribute a significant component of genetic hypertension.
Normalization of acquired QT prolongation in humans by intravenous potassium.

BACKGROUND QT interval prolongation and dispersion have been implicated in serious arrhythmias in congestive heart failure (CHF) and the congenital and drug-induced long-QT syndromes (LQTS). In a subset of the congenital LQTS, infusion of potassium can correct QT abnormalities, consistent with in vitro increases in outward currents such as I(Kr) or I(Kl) when extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]o) is increased. Furthermore, increasing [K+]o decreases the potency of I(Kr)-blocking drugs in vitro. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that increasing [K+]o corrects QT abnormalities in CHF and in subjects treated with quinidine. METHODS AND RESULTS KCl (maximum, 40 mEq) was infused into (1) 12 healthy subjects treated with quinidine sulfate (5 doses of 300 mg/5 h) or placebo and (2) 8 CHF patients and age-matched normal control subjects. Mean [K+] increased from 4 to 4.2 mEq/L to 4.7 to 5.2 mEq/L. Potassium infusion significantly reversed QTUc prolongation, especially in the precordial leads (quinidine, 590+/-79 to 479+/-35 [+/-SD] ms(1/2), P<. 001; CHF, 521+/-110 to 431+/-47 ms(1/2), P<. 05). There was no effect in either control group. Similarly, potassium decreased QTUc dispersion (quinidine, 210+/-62 to 130+/-75 ms(1/2), P<. 01; CHF, 132+/-68 to 84+/-35 ms(1/2), P=. 07) and was without effect in the control subjects. QT morphological abnormalities, including U waves and bifid T waves, were reversed by potassium. CONCLUSIONS Potentially arrhythmogenic QT abnormalities during quinidine treatment and in CHF can be nearly normalized by modest elevation of serum potassium.
The study on stability and reliability of the nuclear detector

Because of measurement environment and its own performance defect, the poor stability of nuclear radiation detector used on portable nuclear instrument leads to spectrum drift and decrease of energy resolution, which causes reduction of the detect efficiency. This results in lower measurement precision and accuracy of the system. Generally, the stabilization method based on hardware and software was applied. It is difficult to solve the problem about Spectrum drift caused by multiple factors. To slove the nonlinear problems caused by interference source, Multi-sensor Data Fusion Technique is adopt to design the intelligent nuclear detector with the Self-compensation Technique. It shows that the results of the project can improve the stability and reliability of the fieldwork measurement in system of the nuclear instruments. Except that it will improve the adaptive ability of the nuclear instruments to measuring environment.
Using Online Exercises and Patient Simulation to Improve Students' Clinical Decision‐Making

ABSTRACT Faced with increasingly complex clinical situations, nurses must respond with accurate clinical judgment. But del Bueno (2005) reports that only 35 percent of new graduate nurses exhibit entry‐level expectations of the necessary critical‐thinking skills. Croskerry (2003) argues that clinicians' education should be directed at developing cognitive strategies that reduce errors in clinical decision‐making. A challenge for nurse educators is finding activities to help students analyze their thinking as they address clinical problems. The author describes an assignment, given to third‐year baccalaureate students, that used both online learning and high‐fidelity patient simulation. Through discussions with instructors and peers, as well as personal reflection, students gained insight into both their sound and faulty critical thinking and clinical decisions.
Statin Treatment May be Beneficial to Both the Kidneys and the Heart

ciation with eGFR (3), are independent predictors of CHD recurrent events. Atorvastatin treatment significantly reduced serum uric acid levels in CHD patients, thus offsetting an additional factor associated with CHD risk [HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.78 – 0.96, p = 0.03 for every 0.5 mg/dL (30 μmol/L) reduction]. Moreover, among CHD patients included in GREACE, those with metabolic syndrome benefited more from statin treatment (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70 – 0.93, p < 0.001 for every 5% increase in eGFR in multivariate analysis) in comparison with those without metabolic syndrome (4). These findings suggest that renal and cardiovascular disease may progress in parallel. Statin treatment, preferably implemented in the early stages of chronic kidney disease, may be beneficial for both the kidneys and the heart.
Age-related distribution of cones and ON-bipolar cells in the rd mouse retina.

PURPOSE Retinal dystrophic (rd) mice lose most of their rod photoreceptors within the first three weeks after birth. We determined the age-related distribution of peanut agglutinin lectin (PNA)-labeled cones during the first 12 months of age. We also investigated whether the density of ON-bipolar cells expressing L7 protein was affected by their loss of photoreceptor inputs. METHODS rd mice were selected from a transgenic strain which expresses an L7-beta-galactosidase fusion gene localized to ON-bipolar cells. Cones were stained with PNA and ON-bipolar cells with bluo-gal (halogenated indolyl-beta-D-galactoside). Retinas were flat-mounted and observed at 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months of age. RESULTS PNA-labeled cones are distributed unevenly across the retina at 1 month postnatal. Their concentration decreases first in the central and far peripheral retina, leaving a ring of labeled cells in the midperipheral region. At 3 months, a larger patch of cones remains in the supero-temporal midperipheral region and a smaller patch in the infero-nasal retina. By 6 months, few cones remain in the infero-nasal retina; by 1 year approximately 100 cones remain in the entire retina, localized to the superior midperipheral region. ON-bipolar cells appear evenly distributed at 1 month. By 2-3 months, relatively more bluo-gal staining is seen in the midperipheral regions underlying dense cone populations. At 6-12 months, bluo-gal label is distributed in a spotty pattern with little or no staining seen in areas of apparent neovascularization. CONCLUSIONS (1) PNA-labeling of cones in the rd retina deteriorates in a distinct spatial pattern with the longest cone survival in the midperipheral superior retina. (2) ON-bipolar cells are more densely labeled in regions of high cone density during the early months of cone degeneration and, in later stages, show relative decreases in regions of apparent neovascularization.
Study of initial population in evolutionary programming

This paper presents a method of generating the initial population of evolutionary programming (EP) for continuous global optimization by using a quasi-random sequence (QRS). instead of a pseudo-random sequence (PRS). The initialized population generated is much more evenly distributed. which can avoid causing rapid clustering around an arbitrary local optimum, and leads to a more reliable solution. The expected number of generations to find the global optimum by EP based on a QRS initialized population is shown theoretically to be less than that based on a PRS initialization population. Numerical test results confirm this advantage.
A nanodosimetric model of radiation-induced clustered DNA damage yields

We present a nanodosimetric model for predicting the yield of double strand breaks (DSBs) and non-DSB clustered damages induced in irradiated DNA. The model uses experimental ionization cluster size distributions measured in a gas model by an ion counting nanodosimeter or, alternatively, distributions simulated by a Monte Carlo track structure code developed to simulate the nanodosimeter. The model is based on a straightforward combinatorial approach translating ionizations, as measured or simulated in a sensitive gas volume, to lesions in a DNA segment of one–two helical turns considered equivalent to the sensitive volume of the nanodosimeter. The two model parameters, corresponding to the probability that a single ion detected by the nanodosimeter corresponds to a single strand break or a single lesion (strand break or base damage) in the equivalent DNA segment, were tuned by fitting the model-predicted yields to previously measured double-strand break and double-strand lesion yields in plasmid DNA irradiated with protons and helium nuclei. Model predictions were also compared to both yield data simulated by the PARTRAC code for protons of a wide range of different energies and experimental DSB and non-DSB clustered DNA damage yield data from the literature. The applicability and limitations of this model in predicting the LET dependence of clustered DNA damage yields are discussed.
A note on the detection of an Ada compiler bug while debugging an Anna program

1 Introduction Anna [LvHKO84,LvH85] is a specification language designed for specifying Ada [Ada83] programs. Anna specifications provide formal, high-level descriptions of Ada programs. Anna, and for that manner any other specification language, has a variety of uses amongst which are formal documentation, rapid prototyping, program verification, runtime testing and the creation of self-checking software. This note illustrates the effectiveness of using formal specifications to debug programs and more specifically the use of Anna in developing and maintaining Ada programs. It reports an experiment in which an Anna program was being tested for consistency with its specifications. An inconsistency was discovered using the Anna tools. The formal analysis used to determine the cause of the error in the user program resulted in showing that the validated Ada compiler 1 (used in this experiment) was the culprit. The note also demonstrates the weaknesses of the current Ada compiler validation approaches. Many bugs in Ada compilers are beyond the capacity of validation suites and hence most validated Ada compilers still contain bugs. Unless formal methods are introduced , such bugs will continue to exist. Section 2 gives a brief overview of Anna 2, and also explains briefly the Anna Consistency Checking System. Section 3 introduces and explains the Anna program which revealed the compiler bug. Section 4 describes the main features of the process of debugging programs using formal specifications and then explains how this process was used in detecting the Ada compiler bug. Section 5 concludes this note.
Using knowledge-based systems for entrepreneurial new venture analysis

The development of a prototype knowledge-based system (KBS) for analyzing an entrepreneurial venture into the accounting field is described. The discussion covers: (1) studying the situation to be prototyped, and (2) documenting the prototype system. This study is limited to the development of a system which assists in deciding whether or not to enter a specific new service venture alone, by estimating the likelihood of success. <<ETX>>
LSPB Trajectory Planning Using Quadratic Splines

In this paper a new method of generating trajectories for the manipulator of industrial robots is proposed. The focus of the algorithm lies on simple integration into existing systems and compatibility with the robot interfaces of the manufacturers. The trajectory of the robot manipulator is described by a quadratic spline in joint space, which is used to compute the pseudo-way-points and blend radii of linear segments with parabolic blends trajectory (LSPB-trajectory). Several trajectory algorithms have been developed so far, however, to our knowledge, none of them combines the following important properties: The specified way-points are not approximated but interpolated and the computed trajectory respects the maximum joint velocities and accelerations. Additionally the geometrical tangents of the trajectory at the way-points are specified in order to obtain more control of the movement of the robot.
Is Being Good Better Than Being Cheap, Or Is Being Cheap Better Than Being Good?

An assumption in the literature on defensive customer retention strategies is that customers who receive poor service quality from their current supplier are more inclined to switch to an attacking supplier. However, what to communicate to trigger switching from existing supplier to a new, previously unknown supplier is less known in this literature. This paper investigates how attacking firms can design persuasive advertising messages aiming to capture competitors' customers. In a 2 x 2 factorial experiment we find that economic advertising appeals are more persuasive than appeals stressing service quality for subjects currently receiving poor service quality. For customers who perceived service quality to be satisfactory, there was no difference in persuasiveness between the different appeals.
Sustainable Energy and the Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana

The chronic shortage of petroleum fuels, especially gasoline and LPG, and the prolonged and indiscriminate power outages coupled with the recent increment in fuel prices appear to be taking their toll on Ghanaian businesses; hence, some have questioned the degree of security, reliability, and long-term sustainability of the country’s energy need. The chapter assesses the impact of the recent power outages on the growth and profitability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The study employed a survey design consisting of structured questionnaires involving a total of 190 SMEs across the country. An eight item Likert scale used to assess the impact of the energy crisis on three key measures of business growth revealed a strong positive correlation between the power outages and reduced profitability but a weak correlation with business expansion by way of market development and a statistically insignificant relationship between the power outages and growth in number of employees.
Cell-wall studies in the Chlorophyceae. I. A general survey of submicroscopic structure in filamentous species

The paper constitutes a survey of the fine structure of the walls in about sixty species of filamentous green algae, as revealed chiefly by the methods of X -ray analysis. With some species use has also been made of the polarizing microscope and of staining reactions. I t is known that wall constituents in the algae are very variable, and one aim of the investigation has been to systematize this variation. The chief aim has been, however, to attempt to delimit the range of types which show the ‘crossed fibrillar’ structure typical of Valonia. It has been found possible, on the basis of wall characters, to divide the algae investigated into three rather ill-defined groups, as follows: Group 1. The algae of this group contain native cellulose (cellulose I) as a major skeletal substance. The cellulose is highly crystalline and shows the ‘crossed fibrillar’ organization. Members of this group are found only in the Cladophorales, and in a few members of the Siphonales. Group 2. The skeletal substance of the walls in this group possess intermolecular spacings which approximate to those of mercerized cellulose (cellulose II). There is some evidence that, in some cases at least, the substance is not mercerized cellulose but some cellulose derivative. It is poorly crystalline and normally in random orientation. The large bulk of the algae fall into this group, which includes the Spongomorpha section of Cladophora. Group 3. This is a small, heterogeneous collection of algae in which the skeletal substance either is not cellulose in any known form, or shows abnormalities, in what otherwise might be an X-ray diagram of cellulose, which make identification difficult. Prominent among the latter may be mentioned Spirogyra and Vaucheria. It is suggested that wall studies of this kind would repay consideration by taxonomists, particularly as regards the status of the Cladophorales,
Bushmeat Hunting, Wildlife Declines, and Fish Supply in West Africa

The multibillion-dollar trade in bushmeat is among the most immediate threats to the persistence of tropical vertebrates, but our understanding of its underlying drivers and effects on human welfare is limited by a lack of empirical data. We used 30 years of data from Ghana to link mammal declines to the bushmeat trade and to spatial and temporal changes in the availability of fish. We show that years of poor fish supply coincided with increased hunting in nature reserves and sharp declines in biomass of 41 wildlife species. Local market data provide evidence of a direct link between fish supply and subsequent bushmeat demand in villages and show bushmeat's role as a dietary staple in the region. Our results emphasize the urgent need to develop cheap protein alternatives to bushmeat and to improve fisheries management by foreign and domestic fleets to avert extinctions of tropical wildlife.
Studies on the process optimization of begonia and wild jujube complex wine

In this study, we tried to utilize begonia and wild jujube as the raw material to produce fruit wine. Grape wine active dry yeast was used for fermentation. The effects of initial sugar content, inoculation concentration of yeast, fermentation temperature and pH were investigated. Fermentation conditions were optimized by orthogonal test. The resulted optimum fermentation conditions were as the following: initial sugar content: 18%, fermentation temperature: 26°C, pH value: 5.0, and inoculum concentration of dry yeast: 0.5%. The produced wine was amber, clear and transparent, fresh begonia and jujube fruit aroma, and had mellow and harmonious taste. Its alcohol content was 12.0% vol, vc content was 450 mg/L, total acid were 5.0 g/L and the content of residual sugar was 1.4 g/L.
Three-Dimensional Hybrid Integration Technology of CMOS, MEMS, and Photonics Circuits for Optoelectronic Heterogeneous Integrated Systems

We have developed a new 3-D hybrid integration technology of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and photonics circuits for optoelectronic heterogeneous integrated systems. We have overcome the fabrication difficulties of optoelectromechanical and microfluidics hybrid integration. In order to verify the applied 3-D hybrid integration technology, we fabricated a 3-D optoelectronic multichip module composed of large-scale integration (LSI), MEMS, and photonics devices. The electrical chips of amplitude-shift keying (ASK) LSI, passive, and pressure-sensing MEMS were mounted onto an electrical Si interposer with through-silicon vias (TSVs) and microfluidic channels. Photonics chips of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and photodiodes were embedded into an optical Si interposer with TSVs. The electrical and optical interposers were precisely bonded together to form a 3-D optoelectronic multichip module. The photonics and electrical devices could communicate via TSVs. The photonics devices could be connected via an optical waveguide formed onto the optical interposer. Microfluidic channels were formed into the interposer by a wafer-direct bonding technique for heat sinking from high-power LSIs. In this paper, we evaluated the basic functions of individual chips of LSI, MEMS, and photonics devices as they were integrated into the 3-D optoelectronic multichip module to verify the applied 3-D hybrid integration technology. LSI, passive, MEMS, and photonics devices were successfully implemented. The 3-D hybrid integration technology is capable of providing a powerful solution for realizing optoelectronic heterogeneous integrated systems.
The incudo-malleal joint

THE primary function of the middle ear is to transmit vibrations in air to the perilymph of the cochlea. The acoustic impedance matching system of the middle ear, achieved by the hydraulic transformer mechanism and the lever action of the ossicles, represents the acoustic component of the middle ear. The second function of the middle ear, too often overlooked, is the 'buffering' matching system of the middle ear, determined by its mechanical components. Even with a variation in the order of magnitude of 10^, both matching systems are too often mixed and confused. The aim of this paper is to establish clearly the essential role played by the mechanical components of the middle ear, of which the incudomalleal articulation appears to be the main part. Since Helmholtz's basic publication'The sensation of Tone', published in 1863, our knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the middle ear has remained relatively unchanged and little has been added to the original information provided by such authors as Eolitzer (1884), Toynbee (1865), von Bekesy (1960), and Wever and Lawrence (1954). Surprisingly, many errors and imperfections have appeared systematically in the literature over the years; even more surprisingly anatomical-physiological descriptions, which were previously accurate, have been disregarded. This is particularly true for some parts of the middle ear. for example, the incudo-malleal joint which, though thoroughly studied by Helmholtz, Pappenheim, Kobrak and others, has generally been disregarded in modern literature. Authors such as Dahmann (1930) and Frank (1923) suggested a functional role for this articulation, in contrast to Barany (1910) and von Bekesy (1939) who regarded the incudo-malleal block as a rigid body, without acknowledging its articular movement Consequently this latter opinion has been generally accepted. This paper attempts to bring together some old, and more recent, information concerning the anatomy and physiology of this articulation.
R&D, Foreign technology and technical efficiency in developing countries

This study investigates the relationship between firms’ innovation activities and efficiency in manufacturing firms in developing countries. We examine whether innovation activities including internal research and development (RD the relation between adoption of foreign technology and technical efficiency is negative and lastly, internal R&D in combination with the adoption of foreign technology have a positive effect on technical efficiency. We use cross-sectional firm level survey data from the 2013 World Bank Enterprise Survey and the linked 2014 Innovation Follow-up Survey for examining the effect of innovation activities on firms’ technical efficiency. We test our hypothesis using cross-sectional stochastic frontier analysis. We find that internal R&D has a negative and significant effect on technical efficiency. Adoption of foreign technology on the other hand does not have a significant effect on technical efficiency. Nevertheless, the combination of internal R&D and adoption of foreign technology has a negative and significant effect on technical efficiency. We conclude that internal R&D may have dynamic effects on technical efficiency. Furthermore, efficiency may be observed in firms conducting internal R&D but results in relative inefficiency for firms not conducting R&D giving rise to overall inefficiency in the manufacturing industry. Lastly, low rates of human capital hamper R&D activity and the adoption of foreign technology in manufacturing firms in developing countries.