Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Educational and informational strategies to reduce pesticide risks. Council on Scientific Affairs.

BACKGROUND In 1993, the American Medical Association (AMA) requested its Council on Scientific Affairs to investigate issues and concerns related to (1) improving public notification of pesticide applications and (2) improving educational programs for commercial and farm pesticide applicators and increasing enforcement of licensing examination requirements. This report was presented at the 1994 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates as Report 4 of the Council on Scientific Affairs. METHODS Information for the report was derived from published literature and from personal communications with state and federal regulatory officials, physicians, and representatives of pest control, lawn care, and farm organizations. Some information about state certification and training programs was obtained from telephone conversations with pesticide applicator training program coordinators from California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. These states were selected because they contain large agricultural or urban populations that are likely to require the services of trained professional pesticide applicators. RESULTS Current surveillance systems are inadequate to characterize potential exposure problems related either to pesticide usage or to pesticide related illnesses. The effectiveness of applicator certification and training programs and public notification programs could not be determined because of a lack of federal and state survey data for making useful assessments. CONCLUSIONS Considering current data gaps, it is prudent for homeowners, farmers, and workers to limit pesticide exposures to themselves and others.
Occurrence of Tyrosinase in Horse and Fish Melanomas

Summary 1. A crude extract with marked tyrosinase activity has been prepared from melanomas of the horse and certain species of hybrid fish. These extracts catalyzed the oxidation of both tyrosine and dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (dopa) to melanin. In addition. dopa has a catalytic role in the enzymatic oxidation of tyrosine by these extracts. 2. Diethyldithiocarbamate, a substance with strong affinity for copper, produces a marked inhibition of the enzymatic reaction. This inhibition is reversed by cupric ions in the case of the horse melanoma extracts. This reversal is not obtained with other metals. 3. The enzymatic activity of horse melanoma extracts appears to be associated with cellular particulate matter, which is larger than that found in mouse melanoma extracts. 4. The biochemical properties of the tyrosinase preparations from the horse and fish melanomas are similar to the properties of the preparation obtained from mouse melanoma.
An Enhanced Residue Modular Multiplier for Cryptography

: This paper presents an implementation of VLSI architecture for Dual Field Residue Arithmetic modular multiplier with less delay based on finite field arithmetic to support all public key cryptographic applications. A new method for incorporating Residue Number System (RNS) and Polynomial Residue Number system (PRNS) in modular multiplication is derived and then implemented VLSI Architecture for dual field residue arithmetic modular multiplier with less delay . This architecture supports the conversions, modular multiplication for polynomials and integers and modular exponentiation in same hardware. This architecture has a carry save adders (CSAs) and parallel prefix adders in MAC units to speed up the large integer arithmetic operations over GF(P) and GF(2 n ),hence this reduces the delay up to 10 percent.
Rickettsia spp. and Coinfections with Other Pathogenic Microorganisms in Hard Ticks from Northern Germany

ABSTRACT Rickettsia species are the causative agent of different forms of spotted fever and thus, monitored in a number of prevalence studies. The current study examined the status of ticks from the city of Hanover, Northern Germany, regarding the presence of Rickettsia spp. and coinfections with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. In total, 1,089 questing Ixodes ricinus L. ticks were analyzed using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. A duplex quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction for simultaneous detection of Rickettsia spp. and Ixodes spp. -DNA as positive control for successful DNA-isolation was established. Rickettsia spp. were detected in 363 (33.3%) of the 1,089 investigated ticks. Quantification of Rickettsia showed that larvae contained up to 50,000 bacteria, nymphs up to 85 million and adults up to 200 million per tick. Species differentiation was possible in 178 out of 363 Rickettsia positive samples and resulted in a predominant occurrence of R. helvetica (98.9%, 176/178), whereas R. monacensis was rarely found (1.1%, 2/178). Besides detection of Rickettsia, positive ticks were compared with results from previous studies to examine coinfections with B. burgdorferi sl and A. phagocytophilum. The resulting coinfection rates were 9.1% (99/1,089) for B. burgdorferi sl and 2.8% (11/391) for A. phagocytophilum. Triple-infection with Rickettsia spp. , B. burgdorferi sl, and A. phagocytophilum occurred in 5 (1.3%) out of 391 ticks. The current study is the first presenting quantitative data concerning the load of Ixodes ticks with Rickettsia individuals.
Recognition of 2-d shapes inspired by the human visual system

This paper presents a new method suitable for shape recognition, inspired by the Primary Visual Cortex of the Human Visual System. It extracts a description for 2-dimensional shapes with a closed contour, regardless of their size, rotation and position, with low computational cost. The paper introduces a new computational approach to the modeling of the hypercolumns of the Primary Visual Cortex, which requires significantly less computational burden and which is highly parallel. A new shape descriptor based on the relative angles of an object is also proposed. It produces close results for different shapes of the same object, it is proportion-flexible and it can identify distorted shapes correctly. Experimental results prove that the method is adequate for shape-based image retrieval and classification, as well as for efficiently storage of edges and line drawings.
The pathological evolution of multiple sclerosis

The new technique of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR) has been found to have particular value in the study of the evolution of the plaque of multiple sclerosis. Particularly when combined with gadolinium enhancement, the method not only shows very dramatically the waxing and waning of the plaque with time, it also demonstrates with remarkable clarity the important role of changes in vascular permeability in the pathological process. In this Annotation the ability of this technique to throw new light on the process of plaque formation and evaluation is critically assessed. In addition, the role of changing fluid content of the extra cellular spaces of the CNS in influencing interpretation of the more conventional clinical and electrophysiological findings is discussed. While the method of NMR analysis does not yet show us how the plaque is initiated, it is suggested that future studies with these new techniques in the living subject may well lead us to rational therapeutic approaches based on pathogen tic mechanisms.
The effect of sol-gel composition ratio on phase transformation of titanium dioxide under CO2 laser annealing

The sol-gel solution was mixed by tetraisopropyl orthotitanate (TTIP), acetonylacetone, distilled water and alcohol at various molar ratios and coated on p-type silicon substructure for titanium oxide formation. Then the CO2 laser annealing in air at powers of 0.5, 1.5 and 3.0 W in the defocus mode was performed on the coatings for studying crystallization of titanium oxide. The microstructure and phase transformation of titanium dioxide were examined by X-ray diffraction pattern. Increasing TTIP concentration and decreasing laser power were favorable for anatase phase formation. The grain size of titanium dioxide calculated using Scherrer's formula was between 10 and 32 nm, which increased with increasing laser power. The ANSYS simulation was employed to calculate temperature distribution of films to correlate with phase transformation of titanium dioxide. This sol-gel processing combined with CO2 laser annealing had advantages of low cost, controllable titanium dioxide phase, selective area annealing, large area fabrication and easy operating at room temperature.
Mechanism of Diastolic Stiffening of the Failing Myocardium and Its Prevention by Angiotensin Receptor and Calcium Channel Blockers

Objective: To investigate the mechanism responsible for the increased cardiac stiffness associated with hypertensive heart failure in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats and the effects of treatment with the combination of a calcium channel blocker [azelnidipine (AZE)] and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker [olmesartan (OLM)]. Methods: DS rats fed a high-salt diet from 7 weeks of age were treated (or not) from 12 to 19 weeks of age with the vasodilator hydralazine, OLM plus AZE, or the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor apocynin. Rats fed a low-salt diet served as controls. Results: Treatment with OLM plus AZE attenuated changes in the expression of collagen isoforms and a decrease in the ratio of elastin to collagen in the left ventricle and prevented the increase in myocardial stiffness and diastolic dysfunction in DS rats in a manner independent of the hypotensive effect of these drugs. Such treatment also inhibited the expression and activation of elastolytic proteases (including cathepsins S and K and metalloproteinases-2, -9, and -12), NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production, and inflammatory changes in the failing myocardium. All these effects were mimicked by treatment with apocynin. Conclusions: The changes in collagen isoform expression and the decrease in the elastin to collagen ratio in the failing myocardium likely account for the increase in diastolic stiffness in this model of hypertensive heart failure. Administration of angiotensin receptor and calcium channel blockers prevented these changes in a manner independent of the hypotensive effect of these drugs by inhibiting the increase in elastolytic activity induced by activation of NADPH oxidase.
Evolutionary genomics of epidemic visceral leishmaniasis in the Indian subcontinent

Leishmania donovani causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the second most deadly vector-borne parasitic disease. A recent epidemic in the Indian subcontinent (ISC) caused up to 80% of global VL and over 30,000 deaths per year. Resistance against antimonial drugs has probably been a contributing factor in the persistence of this epidemic. Here we use whole genome sequences from 204 clinical isolates to track the evolution and epidemiology of L. donovani from the ISC. We identify independent radiations that have emerged since a bottleneck coincident with 1960s DDT spraying campaigns. A genetically distinct population frequently resistant to antimonials has a two base-pair insertion in the aquaglyceroporin gene LdAQP1 that prevents the transport of trivalent antimonials. We find evidence of genetic exchange between ISC populations, and show that the mutation in LdAQP1 has spread by recombination. Our results reveal the complexity of L. donovani evolution in the ISC in response to drug treatment. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.12613. 001
A genomewide association study for average daily gain in Italian Large White pigs.

Average daily gain is an important target trait in pig breeding programs. In this study we performed a genomewide association study for ADG in Italian Large White pigs using a selective genotyping approach. Two extreme and divergent groups of Italian Large White pigs (number 190 + 190) were selected among a population of about 10,000 performance tested gilts (EBV for ADG in the 2 groups were -30 ± 14 g and 81 ± 12 g, respectively) and genotyped with the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip. Association analysis was performed treating the pigs of the 2 extreme groups as cases and controls after correction for family-based stratification. A total of 127 SNP resulted significantly associated with ADG (P nominal value [P(raw)] < 2.0 × 10(-7), P < 0.01 Bonferroni corrected [P(Bonferroni)] < 0.01, false discovery rate < 7.76 × 10(-5)). Another 102 SNP were suggestively associated with the target trait (P(raw) between 2.0 × 10(-7) and 2.02 × 10(-6), P(Bonferroni) < 0.10, false discovery rate < 4.19 × 10(-4)). These SNP were located on all autosomes and on porcine chromosome (SSC) X. The largest number of SNP within this list was on SSC5 (n = 42), SSC7 (34), SSC6 (30), SSC4 (23), and SSC16 (16). These chromosomes were richer in significant or suggestively significant markers than expected (P < 0.001). A quite high number of these SNP (n = 23) were associated with backfat thickness in a previous genomewide association study performed in the same pig population, confirming the negative correlation between the 2 traits. Two or more SNP targeted the same gene: IGSF3 and HS2ST1 (SSC4), OTOGL (SSC5), FTO region (SSC6), and MYLK4 and MCUR1 (SSC7). Other regions that were associated with ADG in previous candidate gene studies (e.g., MC4R on SSC1, IGF2 and LDHA on SSC2, MUC4 on SSC13) 1) included markers with P(raw) < 0.01 that, however, did not pass the stringent threshold of significance adopted in this study or 2) could not be tested because not assigned to the Sscrofa10.2 genome version. Functional annotation of the significant regions using Gene Ontology suggested that many and complex processes at different levels are involved in affecting ADG, indicating the complexity of the genetic factors controlling this ultimate phenotype. The obtained results may contribute to understand the genetic mechanisms determining ADG that could open new perspectives to improve selection efficiency in this breed.
Recognising One's Own Motor Actions through Sound: The Role of Temporal Factors

It has been shown that humans are able to recognise their own movement. While visual cues have been amply studied, the contribution of auditory cues is not clear. Our aim was to investigate the role of temporal auditory cues in the identification of one's own or others' performance in a complex movement—a golf swing. We investigated whether golfers are able to discriminate between the sounds associated with their own swings and other golfers' swings, by using the relative timing and the overall duration of the movement. The sounds produced by the participants performing 65 m shots have been recorded and used to create the stimuli. The experimental conditions were: participants' swing sounds and the sounds of other golfers having equal both relative timing and overall duration, equal relative timing but different overall duration, different relative timing but equal overall duration, and both different relative timing and overall duration. The task of the participants was to say whether each sound corresponded or did not correspond to their own swing. Results show that golfers are able to recognise their own movements, but they also recognise as their own the sound produced by other athletes having equal both relative timing and overall duration.
The odd couple: Margaret Archer, Anthony Giddens and British social theory.

In 1982, the British Journal of Sociology published an important article by Margaret Archer, ‘Morphogenesis versus Structuration: on combining structure and action’ (2010 [l982]), which had an impact at the time and remains widely cited to this day. It was also Archer’s first statement of what would become her major contribution to social theory. The article was the germ from which three monographs (Culture and Agency (1988), Reality Social Theory (1995) and Being Human (2000)) playfully entitled ‘The Archers’ by her readers, developed. In those works, she laid out what she initially described as her morphogenetic approach but later, under the influence of Roy Bhaskar, re-named as critical realism. Reading the article again in 2009, its continued prominence is obvious. Towards the end of the 1970s, Anthony Giddens had established himself as a major figure in British sociology. Decisively, he introduced strands of continental philosophy into British sociology and by the early 1980s had developed a distinctive theoretical approach, structuration theory. While sociology remains indebted to Giddens for his Europeanization of the discipline, structuration theory raised many problems. Structuration theory sought to unite functionalist and interactive traditions in a single theoretical framework which would explain social reproduction without derogating the lay actor (Giddens 1979: 71). To that end, Giddens proposed three fundamental concepts; system, structure and structuration. For Giddens, the social system, as an institutional reality is reproduced or changed in coherent ways because individual action is always already patterned by ‘structure’; a virtual order of differences or rules. Accordingly, when individuals instantiate structure into practice, they simultaneously affirm not only the structure of rules but also the system itself; there is a ‘duality of structure’ (Giddens 1984: 19). Structuration referred to the active process by which individuals, informed by (virtual) structure, acted in
Extended Boost Active-Switched-Capacitor/Switched-Inductor Quasi-Z-Source Inverters

This paper proposes a new topology named the active-switched-capacitor/switched-inductor quasi-Z -source inverter (ASC/SL-qZSI), which is based on a traditional qZSI topology. Compared to other qZSI-based topologies under the same operating conditions, the proposed ASC/SL-qZSI provides higher boost ability, requires fewer passive components such as inductors and capacitors, and achieves lower voltage stress across the switching devices of the main inverter. Another advantage of the topology is its expandability. If a higher boosting rate is required, additional cells can easily be cascaded at the impedance network by adding one inductor and three diodes. Both the simulation studies and the experimental results obtained from a prototype built in the laboratory validate proper operation and performance of the proposed ASC/SL-qZSI.
A CMOS 13-b cyclic RSD A/D converter

A 13-b CMOS cyclic A/D converter that does not need trimming nor digital calibration is presented. The effects associated with the error on the gain factor 2 as well as the offset errors are corrected by taking full advantage of the redundant signed digit (RSD) principle. The gain error resulting from mismatches among switched capacitors is corrected by a novel strategy that implements an exact multiplication by four after two cycles. As a result, offset errors do not affect the integral or the differential linearities from the RSD algorithm. The remaining overall shift caused by offsets is reduced under the LSB level by a proper choice of capacitor switching sequence. The converter achieves 1/2 LSB integral and differential linearity at 25 kS/s; harmonic distortion is less than -83 dB. Chip area is 2.9 mm2 in a standard CMOS 3-mu-m technology, including control logic and the serial-to-parallel output shift register. Power consumption is 45 mW under +/-5-V supplies.
Neurotrophins and their receptors in satellite glial cells following nerve injury

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where damage resulting from mechanical or pathological mechanisms is inflicted on nerves within the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Physical injury is the most common cause and may result in nerves being partially or completely severed, crushed, compressed or stretched. Other causes include metabolic or endocrine disorders, with e.g., 50-60% of people with diabetes eventually suffering from various peripheral neuropathies. In contrast to the central nervous system (CNS), the PNS possesses a unique ability to regenerate. However, despite the considerable capacity for regrowth upon injury, PNS regeneration is far from complete and functional recovery rarely returns to pre-injury levels. Furthermore, induced neuropathic pain is often permanent and complex to control, and the common consequence of nerve injury is thus a significant impact on quality of life and daily activities.
Histochemical and Immunoelectron Microscopic Localization of Proteoglycans in Calcified Cartilage of Rat Epiphyseal Growth Plate

Localization and ultrastructure of proteoglycans during endochondral calcification or mineralization in the rat epiphyseal growth plate cartilage were investigated histochemically and by immunoelectron microscopy, using ruthenium hexammine trichloride and/or mouse monoclonal antibody (2-B-6) which recognizes chondroitin-4-sulphated glycosaminoglycans. The gold particles of the second antibodies were distributed solitarily, lineally or in small clusters in calcified cartilage as well as in the surrounding non-calcified matrix. The labelled matrix glycosaminoglycans in the longitudinal septa increased from the proliferative to the upper hypertrophic zones and remained constant in calcified cartilage. After fixation with ruthenium hexammine trichloride, matrix proteoglycans precipitated and were observed as a reticular network of strands. Immunogold-labelled antibodies for the demonstration of the glycosaminoglycans were localized on these strands. Proteoglycans in calcified cartilage were observed as a network of fine-filamentous structures after ruthenium hexammine trichloride, showing their non-precipitated native state. Immunostaining for chondroitin-4-sulphate indicated that there was no change in the concentration of glycosaminoglycans on the small calcified nodules in the areas where calcification was just beginning.
A Foreign Body Aspiration Showing Migration and Penetration: Hordeum Murinum

DOI: 10.4328/JCAM.560 Received: 24.12. 2010 Accepted: 07.01. 2011 Printed: 01.10. 2012 J Clin Anal Med 2012;3(4): 454-6 Corresponding Author: Fuat Sayır, Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Araştırma Hastanesi Göğüs Cerrahisi Anabilim Dalı, Van, Türkiye. T. :+90 4322150473 F. : +90 4322168352 E-Mail: sayirfuat@yahoo.com Özet Yabancı cisim aspirasyonu çocukluk çağında morbidite ve mortalitenin önemli bir sebebidir. Trakeobronşial yabancı cisim aspirasyonları içerisinde oldukça nadir rastlanan Pisipisi otu atipik bir kliniğe sahiptir. Bronşial sistemdeki geç kalınmış olgularda kaçınılmaz olarak bronşektazi ve akciğer parankim destrüksiyonu gibi cerrahi gerektiren sekellere yol açabilir. İlerleyici özelliğinden dolayı bronkoskopik olarak çıkarılması güç olan Pisipisi otu ilginç klinik tablolara neden olabilir. Bu çalışmada da erken dönemde hemoptiziye yol açması ile tespit edilen ve negatif bronkoskopi sonucu torakotomi ile çıkarılabilen Pisipisi otu aspirasyon olgusu sunulmuştur.
An Improved Preprocessing Algorithm for the Rational Objective Function Problem with Fixed Scale Subset

Motivated by the results of rational objective functions on spanning tree, assignment and cycle cover problems, etc. We consider rational objective functions with fixed scale subset problems which includes spanning tree,assignment and cycle cover problems. We design a preprocessing algorithm for it,and prove that our algorithm improves the result of N.Megiddo and the result of M.Shigeno, Y. Saruwatari, T. Matsui on computing complexities, respectively.
Incorporación de un eje externo en robots manipuladores: Análisis de redundancia

This paper proposes a mathematical model that, based on the model of a manipulator, is extended to represent the incorporation of an additional external rotating axis. This incorporation leads to a redundant system (robot+external axis) given that it has more degrees of freedom than those needed to perform certain tasks. In the new system, and using an expanded Jacobian, three typical algorithms for redundant robots are tested and the results are presented. These results are useful to benchmark the performance of each algorithm.