Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toxicity of chlorpyrifos to the early life history stages of eastern rainbowfish Melanotaenia splendida splendida (Peters 1866) in tropical Australia

Various life history stages of the eastern rainbowfish Melanotaenia splendida splendida were exposed to the organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos at different temperatures and under different exposure regimes. Chlorpyrifos was found to be highly toxic to all stages of M. s. splendida and became significantly more toxic to embryonic and larval fish as the temperature of the exposure increased. The toxicity of chlorpyrifos was found to be different for each of the various life history stages tested, with the LC50 values increasing from 0.02 mg chlorpyrifos L−1, for eggs and sperm exposed prior to fertilization, to 2.02 mg chlorpyrifos L−1, for eggs exposed after fertilization and hardening of the chorion. Sublethal early life stage (ELS) tests revealed that larval length and otolith perimeter were the most sensitive indicators of stress, with significant differences from the controls at chlorpyrifos concentrations as low as 0.006 mg L−1. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 18: 418–427, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/tox.
RNA Libraries and RNA Recognition a

Random RNA libraries, consisting of > 10(13) unique sequences, contain molecules capable of specifically binding small molecule and protein ligands by noncovalent interaction. Successive steps of affinity purification and amplification allow the propagation and eventual isolation of specific binding molecules, called aptamers. Although protein- and small-molecule-binding aptamers have been characterized previously, selection of RNA aptamers capable of binding nucleic acids has previously yielded only molecules capable of Watson-Crick base pairing to the nucleic acid ligand used for selection. On the other hand, it is known from studies on catalytic and other RNAs that both inter- and intramolecular RNA-RNA interaction can occur by non-Watson-Crick means. We have therefore incorporated a strategy to obviate the possibility of Watson-Crick interaction into a selection scheme for the isolation of RNA-recognizing aptamers. The aptamers so isolated do not show extensive Watson-Crick complementarity with the RNA ligand used for the selection, thereby validating the selection strategy. Curiously, all of the aptamers characterized contain several oligo-G stretches bounded by U residues. This sequence motif, which occurs as DNA in telomeres (chromosome ends) may therefore be a general RNA-RNA interaction motif. An additional sequence motif is apparently superimposed on this background structure.
Comparison of deal grove model growth rate with dry thermal oxidation process for ultra-thin silicon dioxide film

The capability to grow the manufacturing grade ultra-thin dielectrics hold the key to the continuous miniaturization of semiconductor devices. While the thermally grown SiO2 has been used as a gate dielectric ever since the decades of silicon device began, it appears that the electrical and physical properties of pure SiO2 are not good enough to provide acceptable performance for ultra-thin gate dielectric film. There are many available methods to control the growth of the ultra-thin film. In this paper, we control the growth rate of dry thermal oxidation by incorporating nitrogen gas during the process. The Deal Grove model is universally accepted as the physical model to describe the thermal oxidation process. However, at the initial oxidation stage, this model cannot predict the process satisfactorily. The incorporated nitrogen will neutralize the growth sites at the oxide-silicon interface, which significantly slows down the oxidation process when N2 gas is used as an oxidizing ambient. It would also affect the linear rate constant for the Deal Grove equation where, linear rate (B/A) is the reaction at the Si/SiO2 regent that depend on the oxygen and nitrogen gases. The result was compared with the calculated growth rate, which based on the Deal-Grove model to investigate their correlation. Where for the result, it shows that the linear rate constant (B/A) of deal grove model for the dry oxidation of thickness <;25nm, the deal grove model are not accurate, linear rate (B/A) response we're becoming less this is because the deal grove model can't predict the initial stage of the dry oxidation growth.
Structure of tRNA pseudouridine synthase TruB and its RNA complex: RNA recognition through a combination of rigid docking and induced fit

RNA pseudouridine synthase, TruB, catalyzes pseudouridine formation at U55 in tRNA. This posttranscriptional modification is almost universally conserved and occurs in the T arm of most tRNAs. We determined the crystal structure of Escherichia coli TruB apo enzyme, as well as the structure of Thermotoga maritima TruB in complex with RNA. Comparison of the RNA-free and -bound forms of TruB reveals that this enzyme undergoes significant conformational changes on binding to its substrate. These conformational changes include the ordering of the “thumb loop,” which binds right into the RNA hairpin loop, and a 10° hinge movement of the C-terminal domain. Along with the result of docking experiments performed on apo TruB, we conclude that TruB recognizes its RNA substrate through a combination of rigid docking and induced fit, with TruB first rigidly binding to its target and then maximizing the interaction by induced fit.
Problems in Distribution of Scientific Knowledge: Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices and Drug Catalogs

Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) are a popular method of contraception worldwide. However, some serious problems have been associated with them. Finland has developed and now manufactures and exports IUDs. Therefore, drug control and the quality of drug information existing in Finland are significant for other countries, as well. This study analyzes the information in the Finnish commercial drug catalog on copper-releasing IUDs and compares it with the scientific literature, the instructions from the licensing authority, and material in its U.S. counterpart, during the last two decades. The results indicate that the distribution of scientific knowledge to the drug catalogs has often been slow. In the early 1980s Finnish manufacturers did not give any practical information on their products, and then and later the Finnish catalog was less comprehensive than the U.S. catalog. The variations in the control system in different nations were reflected in the contents of the Finnish catalog. For practitioners, drug catalogs are important sources of medical information. The results of this study demonstrate (1) that more attention should be paid to the contents of these catalogs, and (2) the continuous need for up-to-date, unbiased drug information.
Microinteraction Ecological Momentary Assessment Response Rates

Mobile-based ecological-momentary-assessment (EMA) is an in-situ measurement methodology where an electronic device prompts a person to answer questions of research interest. EMA has a key limitation: interruption burden. Microinteraction-EMA(µEMA) may reduce burden without sacrificing high temporal density of measurement. In µEMA, all EMA prompts can be answered with ‘at a glance' microinteractions. In a prior 4-week pilot study comparing standard EMA delivered on a phone (phone-EMA) vs. µEMA delivered on a smartwatch (watch-µEMA), watch-µEMA demonstrated higher response rates and lower perceived burden than phone-EMA, even when the watch-µEMA interruption rate was 8 times more than phone-EMA. A new 4-week dataset was gathered on smartwatch-based EMA (i.e., watch-EMA with 6 back-to-back, multiple-choice questions on a watch) to compare whether the high response rates of watch-µEMA previously observed were a result of using microinteractions, or due to the novelty and accessibility of the smartwatch. No statistically significant differences in compliance, completion, and first-prompt response rates were observed between phone-EMA and watch-EMA. However, watch-µEMA response rates were significantly higher than watch-EMA. This pilot suggests that (1) the high compliance and low burden previously observed in watch-µEMA is likely due to the microinteraction question technique, not simply the use of the watch versus the phone, and that (2) compliance with traditional EMA (with long surveys) may not improve simply by moving survey delivery from the phone to a smartwatch.
Interleukin-6 exacerbates glomerulonephritis in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice.

The ability of interleukin-6 (IL-6) to modulate immune parameters and mesangial cell function suggests a role for this cytokine in the development of autoimmune glomerulonephritis. This hypothesis was tested in 6-month-old female (NZB x NZW)F1 mice that were administered recombinant human IL-6 (rhIL-6) (50 and 250 micrograms/kg s.c.) for 12 weeks, resulting in an accelerated and severe form of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with marked upregulation of mesangial major histocompatibility complex class II antigen and glomerular ICAM-1 expression. To distinguish direct effects of rhIL-6 on the renal mesangium from those mediated through the immune system, (NZB x NZW)F1 mice were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin. Immunosuppression by cyclosporin inhibited the development of glomerulonephritis, decreased class II antigen expression, and abrogated IL-6-mediated effects. Administration of neutralizing anti-IL-6 antibody had no effect on the spontaneous development of glomerulonephritis in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice. This finding, together with undetectable IL-6 serum levels, makes a pathogenetic role of endogenously produced IL-6 in this disease model unlikely. In contrast to (NZB x NZW)F1 mice, parental NZW or BALB/c mice given high doses of rhIL-6 (500 micrograms/kg) or recombinant murine IL-6 (100 micrograms/kg) daily for 4 weeks failed to develop morphological or biochemical evidence of glomerulonephritis. Induction of acute phase proteins, anemia, thrombocytosis, and induction of renal class II antigen confirmed the biological activity of IL-6 in these mice. In conclusion, while non-nephritogenic in normal mice, IL-6 accelerates the development of the genetically determined glomerulonephritis of (NZB x NZW)F1 mice through effects mediated by a modulated immune system. Since neutralizing IL-6 antibody treatment did not prevent the development of glomerulonephritis, it is unlikely that increased IL-6 production plays a role in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.
Bovine Tuberculosis in Michigan Wildlife and Livestock

Abstract: Since 1994, the state of Michigan has recognized a problem with bovine tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, in wild white‐tailed deer from a 12‐county area in northeastern Lower Michigan. A total of 65,000 free‐ranging deer have been tested, and 340 have been found to be positive for M. bovis. The disease has been found in other wildlife species, and, in 1998, in domestic cattle, where to date 13 beef cattle and 2 dairy cattle herds have been diagnosed with bovine TB. Unfortunately, the situation is unique in that there have never been reports of self‐sustaining bovine TB in a wild, free‐ranging cervid population in North America. Scientists, biologists, epidemiologists, and veterinarians who have studied this situation have concluded that the most logical theory is that high deer densities and the focal concentration caused by baiting (the practice of hunting deer over feed) and feeding are the factors most likely responsible for the establishment of self‐sustaining TB in free‐ranging Michigan deer. Baiting and feeding have been banned since 1998 in counties where the disease has been found. In addition, the deer herd has been reduced by 50% in the endemic area with the use of unlimited antlerless permits. The measures of apparent TB prevalence have been decreased by half since 1997, providing hopeful preliminary evidence that eradication strategies are succeeding.
The Influence of Trust on Teachers' Inclination to Exercise Informal Leadership

This research focuses on the role that trust and its component facets competence, benevolence, openness, reliability and honesty (Tschannen-Moran, 2004) play in affecting teachers’ inclination to exercise informal leadership. Teachers in the elementary sections of three elite urban independent schools in Ontario nominated colleagues as informal teacher leaders in their schools and a total of nine teachers, who received multiple nominations, were selected for interview. The interviews unexpectedly revealed two distinct experience-based groupings of informal teacher leaders, with the members of the two groups exhibiting distinctive leadership behaviours. Trust was an important factor affecting all of the teacher leaders’ inclination to exercise informal leadership, but the two experience-based groups revealed different patterns of emphasis for the trust facets (for example, the less-experienced leaders highlighted benevolence above all other facets while the more-experienced teachers considered openness to be the most important). The findings have implications for the ways in which schools can promote the exercise of informal leadership.
A Disscussion on the Overlapping in Fuzzy Production Rule Reasoning

When the fuzzy production rules (FPRs) are used for knowledge representation in rule-based system, overlapping exists among these rule sets corresponding to different classes. Each of the rule sets is composed of the rules which have the same consequence. In order to model and handle this kind of overlapping, this paper proposes a nonnegative non-additive set function and provides a new algorithm with respect to the new set function for rule-based system based on possibility measure and necessity measure, instead of assigning maximum similarity measure of sets of FPRs as the reasoning result. Experimental results on a number of selected databases show that handling overlapping in FPRs in this way can improve the reasoning accuracy and strengthen the reasoning capability of rule-based system
Heart rate and heart rate variability in subjectively reported insomnia

According to epidemiological studies, insomnia is associated with cardiovascular mortality. However, it is yet to be determined whether this link is mediated by known cardiovascular risk factors. The current study aimed at investigating the association between primary insomnia, defined as subjectively reported sleep disturbance in the absence of any other pathology or substance intake, and alterations in polysomnographically determined nocturnal heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). A total of 4 581 nocturnal short‐term electrocardiographic recordings (5 min each) from 104 participants (58 with primary insomnia, 46 healthy controls) were evaluated for HR as well as for time and frequency domain measures of HRV. In the primary insomnia group, we found a lower wake‐to‐sleep HR reduction and a lower standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN) compared to healthy controls. However, between‐group differences in resting HR were not found, and previous results of an increase in sympathovagal balance and a decrease in parasympathetic nocturnal activity in objectively determined insomnia could not be confirmed in our sample of self‐report insomnia patients. When restricting our analyses to insomnia patients with objectively determined short sleep duration, we found reduced parasympathetic activity as indicated by decreased high frequency power of HRV, as well as decreased root mean square of successive RRI differences (RMSSD) and percentage of successive RRIs that differ by more than 50 ms (pNN50) values. A lower wake‐to‐sleep HR reduction and alterations in HRV variables might, at least partially, mediate the increased rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality observed in insomnia patients.
SpeeDO : Parallelizing Stochastic Gradient Descent for Deep Convolutional Neural Network

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have achieved breakthrough results on many machine learning tasks. However, training CNNs is computationally intensive. When the size of training data is large and the depth of CNNs is high, as typically required for attaining high classification accuracy, training a model can take days and even weeks. In this work, we propose SpeeDO (for Open DEEP learning System in backward order). SpeeDO uses off-the-shelf hardwares to speed up CNN training, aiming to achieve two goals. First, parallelizing stochastic gradient descent (SGD) on a GPU cluster with off-the-shelf hardwares improves deployability and cost effectiveness. Second, such a widely deployable hardware configuration can serve as a benchmark on which software algorithmic approaches can be evaluated and improved. Our experiments compared representative SGD parallel schemes and identified bottlenecks where overhead can be further reduced.
Modulation of Polymorphonuclear Cell Interleukin-8 Secretion by Human Monoclonal Antibodies to Type 8 Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide

ABSTRACT Pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PS) vaccines induce type-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA. Type-specific IgG to the PS is sufficient to confer protection against the homologous serotype of the pneumococcus, but the efficacies of type-specific IgM and IgA are less well understood. We examined the in vitro activities and efficacies in mice of two human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to type 8 PS, NAD (IgA) and D11 (IgM). MAb-mediated opsonophagocytic killing was evaluated after coculture of type 8 pneumococci with human polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs), type-specific or control MAbs, and human complement sources. The effects of the MAbs on PMN interleukin-8 (IL-8) and IL-6 secretion were determined in supernatants from cocultures containing pneumococci and PMNs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MAb efficacy was determined in an intratracheal model of type 8 infection in mice with classical complement pathway deficiency. Both MAbs were protective in 100% of infected mice. Neither MAb promoted a significant amount of killing of type 8 pneumococci compared to its isotype control MAb. Both type-specific MAbs mediated complement-dependent modulation of PMN IL-8 secretion, with increased secretion at effector/target (E:T) ratios of 500:1 and 50:1 and reduced secretion at 1:5. Trypan blue staining revealed that PMNs cocultured with D11 were less viable at an E:T ratio of 1:5 than PMNs cocultured with the control MAb. PMN IL-6 secretion was increased by both type-specific and control MAbs. These results suggest that certain type-specific IgM and IgAs might contribute to host defense by modulation of the inflammatory response to pneumococci.
Cross-sectional assessment of ELISA reactivity in leprosy patients, contacts, and normal population using the semisynthetic antigen natural disaccharide octyl bovine serum albumin (ND-O-BSA) in Cebu, The Philippines.

An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using natural disaccharide octyl bovine serum albumin (ND-O-BSA) as antigen was used in testing leprosy patients, contacts and a normal population in Cebu, The Philippines, from 1985 to 1989. A total of 1413 persons were studied. The results suggested that ELISA reactivity and the bacterial index (BI) correlate in a general way. In multibacillary (MB) leprosy, positivity ranges from 54.2% to 92.3% among patients with a BI of < 2+ to > 4+ on the Ridley scale, with an overall average of 84.5%. Paucibacillary (PB) leprosy patients have a low degree of reactivity, with only 15.0% ELISA positive. The test is more efficient in detecting MB than PB leprosy. The contacts of MB leprosy showed 6.5% positivity; contacts of PB leprosy, 7.0% positivity. The normal population showed 1.7% positive ELISA or 17 per thousand population, which is very much less than that of the household contacts. However, because the normal population is a much larger population than the household contact population in a community, more new leprosy cases would emanate from it. Leprosy workers are concerned about the transmission of the disease to household contacts. However, for the reason stated above, we should be more concerned with the silent spread of the disease to the normal population in the community. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A COORDENAÇÃO FEDERATIVA NO BRASIL

A estrutura federativa é um dos balizadores mais importantes do processo político no Brasil. Ela tem afetado a dinâmica partidário-eleitoral, o desenho das políticas sociais e o processo de reforma do Estado. Além de sua destacada influência, a Federação vem passando por intensas modificações desde a redemocratização do país. É possível dizer, tendo como base a experiência comparada recente, que o federalismo brasileiro é atualmente um dos casos mais ricos e complexos entre os sistemas federais existentes. Diante de tudo isso, cresce o número de pesquisas sobre o assunto, de estudiosos brasileiros e estrangeiros. Embora estes trabalhos comportem abordagens de campos científicos diferentes, diversidades de temas e divergências de interpretação, há um elemento comum à maioria deles. Grosso modo, os estudos sobre o federalismo brasileiro privilegiam a análise do embate, hoje e ao longo da história, entre o Governo Federal e os entes subnacionais, por meio de suas elites políticas e estruturas de poder. As oposições descentralização versus centralização (ou recentralização) e o poder dos governadores frente à força das instâncias nacionais – os partidos e/ou o presidente – dominam boa parte do debate. Este foco analítico é uma peça-chave na investigação das relações intergovernamentais, mas ele não esgota o seu entendimento e, pior, não leva sozinho à compreensão do funcionamento dos sistemas federais. É preciso acrescentar outro vetor analítico, pouco explorado no Brasil, bem como no estudo de outros países. Trata-se da análise do problema da coordenação intergovernamental, isto é, das formas de integração, compartilhamento e decisão
Carvedilol produces dose-related improvements in left ventricular function and survival in subjects with chronic heart failure. MOCHA Investigators.

BACKGROUND We conducted a multicenter, placebo-controlled trial designed to establish the efficacy and safety of carvedilol, a "third-generation" beta -blocking agent with vasodilator properties, in chronic heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS Three hundred forty-five subjects with mild to moderate, stable chronic heart failure were randomized to receive treatment with placebo, 6.25 mg BID carvedilol (low-dose group), 12.5 mg BID carvedilol (medium-dose group), or 25 mg BID carvedilol (high-dose group). After a 2- to 4-week up-titration period, subjects remained on study medication for a period of 6 months. The primary efficacy parameter was submaximal exercise measured by two different techniques, the 6-minute corridor walk test and the 9-minute self-powered treadmill test. Carvedilol had no detectable effect on submaximal exercise as measured by either technique. However, carvedilol was associated with dose-related improvements in LV function (by 5, 6, and 8 ejection fraction [EF] units in the low-, medium-, and high-dose carvedilol groups, respectively, compared with 2 EF units with placebo, P < .001 for linear dose response) and survival (respective crude mortality rates of 6.0%, 6.7%, and 1.1% with increasing doses of carvedilol compared with 15.5% in the placebo group, P < .001). When the three carvedilol groups were combined, the all-cause actuarial mortality risk was lowered by 73% in carvedilol-treated subjects (P < .001). Carvedilol also lowered the hospitalization rate (by 58% to 64%, P = .01) and was generally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS In subjects with mild to moderate heart failure from systolic dysfunction, carvedilol produced dose-related improvements in LV function and dose-related reductions in mortality and hospitalization rate.