Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Incubation Temperature on the Hatching Success of Arctic Char Eggs

Abstract Samples of eggs from 18 families and from three groups of mixed families of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) were incubated at 3°C or 6°C to determine if incubation temperatures affected hatching success and early juvenile survival. Mean (±SID) hatching success was 47 ± 30% in 6°C family samples and 65 ± 30% in 3°C samples. Hatching success was significantly greater at 3°C than at 6°C in 15 out of 18 families (paired t-test over families, P = 0.0014). After hatching, survival to 90 d at 9°C was 59 ± 22% for juveniles that had been incubated at 6°C and 76 ± 17% for juveniles incubated at 3°C. Survival was significantly higher at 3°C than at 6°C in 11 of 15 families measured (paired t-test, P = 0.0050). Time to hatching was 130 ± 6 d at 6°C and 156 ± 12 d at 3°C. In view of the strong effects of temperature on egg viability, the importance of cold temperatures for other life stages merits further investigation.
Relationships among problematic North American stagnicoline snails (Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae) reinvestigated using nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences

The taxonomic relationships among four stagnicoline snail species from North America were reassessed by analysing nucleotide sequences from their nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Three of the species (Stagnicola catascopium, Stagnicola emarginata, and Stagnicola elodes) are representatives of the subgenus Stagnicola s.str. from the northern U.S.A. and the fourth is a closely related Canadian species (Stagnicola caperata) belonging to the subge? us Hinkleyia. Members of the two subgenera differed considerably in their ITS sequences, demonstrating the usefulness of these sequences for distinguishing species from closely related lymnaeid subgenera. In contrast, ITS sequences for the three members of the subgenus Stagnicola s.str. were very similar, which supports an earlier view that they may not be separate species. RCsumC : Les relations taxonomiques de quatre espkces de gastropodes stagnicolinks nord-amkricains ont kt6 rkexaminkes par analyse des skquences de nuclkotides dans la rkgion des espaceurs des gknes nuclkaires ribosomaux (rkgion ITS). Trois des espkces (Stagnicola catascopium, Stagnicola emarginata et Stagnicola elodes) ktaient des reprksentants du sous-genre Stagnicola s.str. du nord des ~tats-~nis et la quatrikme (Stagnicola caperata), une espkce canadienne trks apparentke appartenant au sous-genre Hinkleyia. Les espkces des deux sous-genres avaient des skquences ITS trks distinctes, ce qui dkmontre I'utilitk de ces sequences pour distinguer les espkces de ces sous-genres trks apparentks de Lymnaeidae. En revanche, les skquences ITS des trois espkces du sous-genre Stagnicola s.str. ktaient trks semblables, ce qui appuie I'hypothese avancke prkckdemment selon laquelle il ne s'agit peut-etre pas d'espkces distinctes. (Traduit par la Rkdaction)
A Mixture of Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium Chlorides as a Partial Replacement of Sodium Chloride in Dry Fermented Sausages

A mixture of 1.00% NaCl, 0.55% KCl, 0.23% MgCl2, and 0.46% CaCl2 was used to replace the NaCl in dry fermented sausages. Sodium content decreased from 1.88 in the control (made with 2.6% of NaCl) to 0.91 g/100 g in the modified products. The increases in potassium, magnesium, and calcium were from 0.55 to 1.11 g of K/100 g, from 25.60 to 182.00 mg of Mg/100 g, and from 82.60 to 182.90 mg of Ca/100 g. The mixture of salts gave rise to a greater acidification and water activity. No effects were found in the lactic acid bacteria counts but a decrease of Micrococcaceae was observed. Furthermore a decrease in nitroso heme pigments was found in the final products made with this mixture of salts. Sensorial acceptability was lower mainly due to the lower salty taste. Keywords: Fermented sausages; salt substitution; chloride salts; nutritional advantages
Primary Adrenal Leiomyosarcoma: Clinical, Radiological, and Histopathological Characteristics

Abstract Primary adrenal leiomyosarcoma (PAL) is a rare, high-grade proliferating mesenchymal tumor with a considerable risk of metastasis, deriving from the smooth muscle wall of a central adrenal vein, or its tributaries. Roughly 40 patients with PAL have been reported in the literature. Herein, we present 3 patients with incidentally discovered PAL, along with an overview of the current knowledge on the clinical, radiological, and histopathological characteristics of PAL.
Estimation of injury costs: financial damage of English Premier League teams’ underachievement due to injuries

Background In individual sports, the effect that injuries have on an athlete’s performance, success and financial profit is implicit. In contrast, the effect of a single player’s injury or one player’s absence in team sports is much more difficult to quantify, both from the performance perspective and the financial perspective. Objectives In this study, we attempted to estimate the effect of injuries on the performance of football teams from the English Premier League (EPL), and the financial implications derived from this effect. Methods Our analysis is based on data regarding game results, injuries and estimations of the players’ financial value for the 2012–2013 through the 2016–2017 seasons. Results We found a statistically significant relationship (r=−0.46, 95% CI −0.6 to 0.28, p=0.001) between the number of days out due to injuries suffered by team members during a season and the place difference between their actual and expected finish in the EPL table (according to overall player value). Moreover, we can interpolate that approximately 136 days out due to injury causes a team the loss of one league point, and that approximately 271 days out due to injury costs a team one place in the table. This interpolation formula is used as a heuristic model, and given the relationship specified above accounts for a significant portion of the variance in league placement (21%), the remaining variance is related to other factors. Calculating the costs of wage bills and prize money, we estimate that an EPL team loses an average of £45 million sterling due to injury-related decrement in performance per season. Conclusion Professional football clubs have a strong economic incentive to invest in injury prevention and rehabilitation programmes.
The Pine Snake of New Jersey

IN the " pines " of southern New Jersey, which probably is the northern limit of the species, is a notable serpent, reputed to attain the great length of nearly twelve feet, and whose body is then, in common parlance, " as thick as your arm," or in more moderate speech, from three and a half to four inches in diameter. Not that the writer has seen any of such dimensions, but he gives what may be called the mean of popular observations. This reptile has a shiny coat of a soft creamy white, upon which is laid, much in the Dolly Varden mode, showy mottlings or blotches, which, beginning at the neck, are of an intensely dark brown or chocolate color, but which toward the tail lighten up into a pale bright chestnut. Such is the pine snake; and its habitat and traits are well expressed in the beautifully significant name which science has given it Pituoplhis melanoleucus, which literally means, " the black and white serpent of the pines. " If one consider the formidable size it is said to reach, together with its notably harmless nature, and the splendid adornings of its scaly armature, distinguished mention must be made of this reptile, as the most remarkable serpent of the Eastern States. The first time I saw the pine snake alive was eighteen years ago. I was oln the steamboat going from Keyport to New York. It was the berry season, and persons from the pines were on
Synergism between plant viruses: a mathematical analysis of the epidemiological implications

Many virus diseases of plants are caused by a synergistic interaction between viruses within the host plant. Such synergism can induce symptoms more severe than would be caused by additive effects. In a synergistic interaction, the virus titre of both, one, or neither virus may be enhanced and, as a consequence, the rate of disease spread may be affected. An epidemiological model was developed in which transmission and loss rates were attributed to the different virus infection possibilities. Sharing the same host population implies competition, and this imposes an increased constraint on the survival of both viruses. It was shown that, in order to ensure virus survival in a mixed infection, the basic reproductive number should exceed a critical value which is larger than unity (R0 > Rc > 1). Here R0 is used in the same sense as in the absence of superinfection. Increased virulence (equivalent to disease severity) in dually infected plants decreases the opportunities for both viruses to coexist, while increased virus transmission from dually infected plants increases such opportunities. The net effect of increased virulence and increased virus transmission on virus persistence was neutral if synergism caused the same proportional effect on both. Total host abundance was, however, reduced. The opportunity for virus persistence was increased if the enhancement of transmission exceeded that of virulence. Indeed, by this mechanism a virus which was nonviable alone could invade and persist in a chronic epidemic of another virus. Where the effect on virulence is greater than that on transmission, the viruses are likely to exclude each other, especially when the transmission rates of both viruses have intermediate values. In such cases, the final outcome is determined by both the parameter values and the initial state.
Genetic Diversity and Low Stratification of the Population of the United Arab Emirates

With high consanguinity rates on the Arabian Peninsula, it would not have been unexpected if the population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was shown to be relatively homogenous. However, this study of 1000 UAE nationals provided a contrasting perspective, one of a relatively heterogeneous population. Located at the apex of Europe, Asia, and Africa, the observed diversity could be explained by a plethora of migration patterns since the first Out-of-Africa movement. A strategy to explore the extent of genetic variation of the population of the UAE is presented. The first step involved a comprehensive population stratification study that was instructive for subsequent whole genome sequencing (WGS) of suitable representatives (which is described elsewhere). When these UAE data were compared to previous smaller studies from the region, the findings were consistent with a population that is a diverse and admixed group of people. However, rather than sharp and distinctive clusters, cluster analysis reveals low levels of stratification throughout the population. UAE emirates exhibit high within-Emirate-distance/among-Emirate distance ratios. Supervised admixture analysis showed a continuous gradient of ancestral populations, suggesting that admixture on the south eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula occurred gradually. When visualized using a unique technique that combined admixture ratios and principal component analysis (PCA), unappreciated diversity was revealed while mitigating projection bias of conventional PCA. We observe low population stratification in the UAE in terms of homozygosity versus separation cluster coefficients. This holds for the UAE in a global context as well as for isolated cluster analysis of the Emirati birthplaces. However, the subtle clustering observed in the Emirates reflects geographic proximity and historic migration events. The analytical strategy used here highlights the complementary nature of data from genotype array and WGS for anthropological studies. Specifically, genotype array data were instructive to select representative subjects for WGS. Furthermore, from the 2.3 million allele frequencies obtained from genotype arrays, we identified 46,481 loci with allele frequencies that were significantly different with respect to other world populations. This comparison of allele frequencies facilitates variant prioritization in common diseases. In addition, these loci bear great potential as biomarkers in anthropological and forensic studies.
The Dichotomous Responses Driven by β-Defensins

Defensins are short, rapidly evolving, cationic antimicrobial host defence peptides with a repertoire of functions, still incompletely realised, that extends beyond direct microbial killing. They are released or secreted at epithelial surfaces, and in some cases, from immune cells in response to infection and inflammation. Defensins have been described as endogenous alarmins, alerting the body to danger and responding to inflammatory signals by promoting both local innate and adaptive systemic immune responses. However, there is now increasing evidence that they exert variable control on the response to danger; creating a dichotomous response that can suppress inflammation in some circumstances but exacerbate the response to danger and damage in others and, at higher levels, lead to a cytotoxic effect. Focussing in this review on human β-defensins, we discuss the evidence for their functions as proinflammatory, immune activators amplifying the response to infection or damage signals and/or as mediators of resolution of damage, contributing to a return to homeostasis. Finally, we consider their involvement in the development of autoimmune diseases.
Clinical Characteristic Analysis of Seven Children With Bickerstaff Brainstem Encephalitis in China

Objective: To summarize the clinical, electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and immunological characteristics of seven cases of Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) in China and to determine whether certain clinical features suggestive of BBE can facilitate diagnosis and treatment. Patients and Methods: The clinical data of seven BBE patients treated at the Children's Hospital of Fudan University between 2016 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of the BBE patients were studied. Results: The seven patients in this study included four females and three males, and the median age at diagnosis was 5.3 years (interquartile range: 3.0–7.1 years). All seven patients had an acute onset with a preinfection history. Seven cases of acute extraocular paralysis, ataxia, and an impaired level of consciousness, two cases of tendon hyperreflexia, one case of positive pathology, and five cases of cranial nerve involvement (the facial nerve and oculomotor nerve) were noted. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination of five patients showed albuminocytologic dissociation. Electromyography (EMG) was used to examine seven patients; the results were normal in four patients, showed axonal involvement in two patients, and showed demyelination in one patient. The head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results of all seven patients were normal. Electroencephalogram (EEG) background activity in the five monitored patients was slowed down. Seven patients underwent serum antibody testing, three of whom were positive for anti-GQ1b antibody, while one was positive for anti-GM1 antibody. Three patients received glucocorticoid combined with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy, and four received only IVIG therapy. One patient required a nasal catheter for oxygen during the disease course, and left upper limb muscle dysfunction (grade III muscle strength of the left upper limb) was observed during the 6-month follow-up. The other six patients had a good prognosis and no dysfunction. Conclusion: Our study identified clinical, imaging, and treatment characteristics that may have prognostic value for pediatric BBE. The positive rate of head MRI was low, the positive rate of serum anti-GQ1b ganglioside antibody was low, and the therapeutic effect of IVIG therapy was good.
Credence in the Organization’s Ability to Respond to Change – Implications on Work Engagement and Job Satisfaction in the Church of Sweden

As part of society, religious organizations are exposed to contextual conditions and challenges. However, adapting to external conditions is an act of balance since too much compromising may risk having a negative effect on employees’ perception of organizational authenticity and, in turn, employees’ well-being and attitudes toward work. In this study, we examined how specific characteristics of the work, in terms of job demands (role conflict and emotional demands) and job resources (influence at work and social community at work), as well as employees’ credence in the organization’s ability to respond to change, relate to employee well-being within the Church of Sweden. In total 2,112 employees (58% participation rate) answered a web-based survey. The results of regression analyses showed that job resources and credence in the organization’s ability to respond to change provided a clear contribution to the explanation of variance in work engagement and, especially, job satisfaction. However, the contribution of job demands was less clear. Moreover, to further the understanding of the association between employees’ credence in the organization’s ability to respond to change and employee well-being, the mediating effect of job resources was tested. The results showed that the association between credence and well-being is in part mediated by job resources. In sum, the study demonstrate that employees’ credence in the organization’s ability to respond to change is important to consider for understanding employee well-being within religious organizations. In conclusion, our study suggest that organizations that are built up on strong values and institutionalized beliefs, such as religious and faith-based organizations, need to tread carefully in the process of adapting to conformal pressure for change. This, since the actions and choices of the organization are important for employees’ credence in the organization and, in turn, employee well-being. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Threat of an influenza panzooty: a review based on conservation medicine

Among reemerging illnesses, influenza constitutes one of the main concerns. The avian influenza has recently demonstrated the strong transmission capacity of the etiological agent -a virus from the Orthomyxoviridae family - associated to high pathogenic manifestations of the illness. The strong mutation capacity of this virus, through different hosts, reveals how important integrated actions aiming at monitoring its presence in different species are. The swine infection represents an additional concern not only in relation to that species but also in relation to the possibility of the virus to mutate and adapt to humans. The elements that determine the pathogenicity of the various viral subtypes must be well understood, for the tools used to control the illness - such as vaccination - may promote viral mutation and thus render the control even more difficult instead of favoring it. The present review aims at characterizing various components involved in the virus maintenance in different species as well as the determinant elements involved in its evolution, from the point of view of Conservation Medicine, which is the branch of science that deals exactly with the interaction among the environment, human beings, and animals, thus creating a holistic vision not only of the problem but also of the coherent and effective actions involved in their solution.
Precise and Efficient Analysis of Context-Sensitive Cache Conflict Sets

Bounding the Worst-Case Execution Time (WCET) of real-time software requires precise knowledge about the reachable program and hardware states that might be observed at runtime. The analysis of precise cache states is particularly important and challenging. Due to the high cost of cache misses the analysis precision may have an important impact on the obtainable WCET bounds, while the large state space of the cache's history leads to high analysis complexity. This work explores the use of cache summaries in order to optimize the computation of precise cache states. These cache summaries allow us to pre-compute the impact of executing a portion of a program, typically a function, on the cache state. This allows us, for instance, to skip the analysis of entire functions (including nested function calls) when the cache states within these functions are not relevant for the classification of memory accesses into hits/misses. Furthermore, the summaries can be extended to efficiently compute fully context-sensitive cache states. The summaries then not only allow to derive typical cache hit/miss classifications, but also provide fully context-sensitive cache persistence information.
Repurposing the orphan drug nitisinone to control the transmission of African trypanosomiasis

Tsetse transmit African trypanosomiasis, which is a disease fatal to both humans and animals. A vaccine to protect against this disease does not exist so transmission control relies on eliminating tsetse populations. Although neurotoxic insecticides are the gold standard for insect control, they negatively impact the environment and reduce insect pollinator species. Here we present a promising, environment-friendly alternative that targets insect tyrosine metabolism pathway. A bloodmeal contains high levels of tyrosine, which is toxic to haematophagous insects if it is not degraded. RNAi silencing of either the first two enzymes in the tyrosine degradation pathway (TAT and HPPD) was lethal to tsetse. Furthermore, nitisinone (NTBC), an FDA-approved tyrosine catabolism inhibitor, killed tsetse regardless if the drug was orally or topically applied. However, it did not affect bumblebee survival. A mathematical model shows that NTBC could reduce the transmission of African trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa, thus accelerating current elimination programmes.
Quantitative fluorescence lifetime imaging uncovers a novel role for KCC2 chloride transport in dendritic microdomains

Intracellular chloride ion ([Cl−]i) homeostasis is critical for synaptic neurotransmission yet variations in subcellular domains are poorly understood owing to difficulties in obtaining quantitative, high-resolution measurements of dendritic [Cl−]i. We combined whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology with simultaneous fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of the Cl− dye MQAE to quantitatively map dendritic Cl− levels in normal or pathological conditions. FLIM-based [Cl−]i estimates were corroborated by Rubi-GABA uncaging to measured EGABA. Low baseline [Cl-]i in dendrites required Cl− efflux via the K+-Cl− cotransporter KCC2 (SLC12A5). In contrast, pathological NMDA application generated spatially heterogeneous subdomains of high [Cl−]i that created dendritic blebs, a signature of ischemic stroke. These discrete regions of high [Cl−]i were caused by reversed KCC2 transport. Therefore monitoring [Cl−]i microdomains with a new high resolution FLIM-based technique identified novel roles for KCC2-dependent chloride transport to generate dendritic microdomains with implications for disease.