Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A model of growth in altricial birds based on changes in water content of the tissues

Ricklefs (1969b, 1973, 1979) has proposed that the key to understanding the variation in growth rate among birds lies in physiological constraints, principally changes in developmental maturity of tissues. To examine this hypothesis I have developed a simple mathematical model of growth based on changes of water index (water weight/lean dry weight) as an indicator of the level of maturity. The growth curves obtained from the model are S-shaped and for altricial species they fit changes in body weight as well as Richards growth curve does. They can also describe weight recession in growing nestlings, which occurs prior to fledging. Values of parameters used in the model are consistent with values computed on the basis of experimental results. Thus these parameters are biologically relevant. Results obtained in the present paper supports Ricklef's suggestion that physiological constraints limit growth rate. Hence these results support the suggestion that growth rate is maximized. The relevance of water index and water fraction (water weight/lean wet weight) as indices of maturity is also considered.
The Micrograft Concept for Wound Healing: Strategies and Applications

The standard of care for wound coverage is to use an autologous skin graft. However, large or chronic wounds become an exceptionally challenging problem especially when donor sites are limited. It is important that the clinician be aware of various treatment modalities for wound care and incorporate those methods appropriately in the proper clinical context. This report reviews an alternative to traditional meshed skin grafting for wound coverage: micrografting. The physiological concept of micrografting, along with historical context, and the evolution of the technique are discussed, as well as studies needed for micrograft characterization and future applications of the technique.
Acyl-Lipid Metabolism

Acyl lipids in Arabidopsis and all other plants have a myriad of diverse functions. These include providing the core diffusion barrier of the membranes that separates cells and subcellular organelles. This function alone involves more than 10 membrane lipid classes, including the phospholipids, galactolipids, and sphingolipids, and within each class the variations in acyl chain composition expand the number of structures to several hundred possible molecular species. Acyl lipids in the form of triacylglycerol account for 35% of the weight of Arabidopsis seeds and represent their major form of carbon and energy storage. A layer of cutin and cuticular waxes that restricts the loss of water and provides protection from invasions by pathogens and other stresses covers the entire aerial surface of Arabidopsis. Similar functions are provided by suberin and its associated waxes that are localized in roots, seed coats, and abscission zones and are produced in response to wounding. This chapter focuses on the metabolic pathways that are associated with the biosynthesis and degradation of the acyl lipids mentioned above. These pathways, enzymes, and genes are also presented in detail in an associated website (ARALIP: http://aralip.plantbiology.msu.edu/). Protocols and methods used for analysis of Arabidopsis lipids are provided. Finally, a detailed summary of the composition of Arabidopsis lipids is provided in three figures and 15 tables.
Genes, Germs, and Schizophrenia: An Evolutionary Perspective

Literature on schizophrenia and other mental illnesses has emphasized the compatibility of evidence with genetic causation without adequately considering alternative hypotheses of disease causation. Although some studies from the mid-20th century reported associations between certain pathogens and schizophrenia, only recently has the possibility of infectious causation of schizophrenia again become an active focus of research. Infectious causation of schizophrenia is still, however, generally regarded as less well demonstrated than genetic causation. This article evaluates the evidence that has been used to support genetic and infectious causation. Our consideration of infectious causation focuses on the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii but also assesses other pathogens that may contribute to the development of some of the illnesses currently categorized as schizophrenia. Although evidence generally accepted as demonstrating genetic causation can be readily explained by hypotheses of infectious causation, some of the evidence implicating infectious causation cannot be similarly explained by genetic causation. This asymmetry indicates that a scientific approach to the causation of schizophrenia needs to put a greater emphasis on tests that distinguish hypotheses of genetic causation from those of infectious causation.
Technology Assessment of Periodic Health Examinations for School Children in Japan

Abstract In Japan, preventive health services have been heavily concentrated in mass screening. This prioritization is also true in the field of school health. Annual mass health screenings have been provided to 21.3 million children from kindergarten to university level under the School Health Law. In 1973, periodic health examinations were extended to include screenings for renal and heart diseases. This extensive screening program has been introduced without any evidence supporting its effectiveness. Although available data relative to these screenings in Japan were examined, neither the efficacy of the tests nor the effectiveness of the screenings were observed. Moreover, costs for the tests during the initial phase amounted to US $120 million and $65 million, respectively.
Personal and Family Factors Associated With Quality of Life in Adolescents With Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Quality of life is an important criterion for assessing outcomes of treatment in chronic illness related to psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors that influence quality of life in adolescents with IDDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Self-reports were obtained from 52 adolescents (age 13-20 years, mean 16.1 ± 1.9 [mean ± SD], diabetes duration 8.2 ± 3.4 years, 49% female) using the following scales: Diabetes Quality of Life for Youths, Children's Depression Inventory, Issues in Coping with Diabetes, Diabetes Family Behavior Scale, Family Adaptability and Cohesion, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes, and the Adolescent Coping Orientation. Metabolic control was measured by HbA1c. RESULTS Teenagers whose diabetes had the greater impact (R2 = 0.48) and were less satisfied (R2 = 0.45) felt that management was more difficult (r = 0.56) and that diabetes was more upsetting (r = 0.63). They also used fewer rebellion strategies for coping (r = −0.44), had lower diabetes self-efficacy (r = −0.36), and had more depressive symptoms (r = 0.61). Higher impact was also associated with higher family warmth and caring (r = −0.54) and lower family adaptability (r = −0.42). Teenagers who were more worried (R2 = 0.37) about their diabetes felt that management was more difficult (r = 0.40) and that diabetes was more upsetting (r = 0.58), and they used less rebellion (r = −0.49) and more ventilation (r = 0.42) to cope, had lower diabetes (r = −0.40) and medical (r = −0.30) self-efficacy, were more depressed (r = 0.55), and their families were less warm and caring (r = −0.33). HbA1c levels were not associated with quality of life or any other psychosocial factors except in teenagers who perceived their families as providing more guidance and control. These teenagers had lower HbA1c values than those whose families were less involved. CONCLUSIONS Even teenagers who are successfully achieving HbA1c goals of therapy may perceive diabetes as having a negative impact on their lives, be depressed, and find diabetes difficult to manage. Diabetes treatment teams need to pay equal attention to the psychosocial needs to the quiet, nonrebellious teen with well-controlled diabetes from a supportive family as they do to the rebellious adolescent with poorly controlled diabetes.
HDL Apolipoprotein A-I Attenuates Oxidative Modification of Low Density Lipoprotein: Studies in Transgenic Mice

Epidemiological evidence suggests that plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is protective against coronary artery disease, whereas oxidatively modified low density lipoprotein is atherogenic. Human apolipoprotein A-I transgenic mice with overexpression of the human apolipoprotein A-I gene have increased plasma levels of apolipoprotein A-I and HDL-cholesterol. We analyzed LDL oxidation by determination of LDL associated malondialdehyde, peroxides and conjugated dienes. The present study demonstrates that HDL from both normal and human apolipoprotein A-I transgenic mice at similar concentrations inhibits LDL (protein concentration 500 mg/l) lipid peroxidation, but the effect of the human apolipoprotein A-I transgenic mice HDL was two-fold greater than that of HDL derived from normal mice. In addition, the electrophoretic mobility of oxidatively modified LDL was reduced about two-fold in the presence of human apolipoprotein A-I transgenic mice HDL than that obtained in the presence of normal mice HDL. We thus suggest that human apolipoprotein A-I possesses antioxidant properties which might neutralize LDL lipid peroxidation. This may underline the mechanism responsible for the lower prevalence of atherosclerosis in subjects with high plasma levels of HDL and apolipoprotein A-I.
Crystal Structures of Epothilone D-bound, Epothilone B-bound, and Substrate-free Forms of Cytochrome P450epoK*

Epothilones are potential anticancer drugs that stabilize microtubules by binding to tubulin in a manner similar to paclitaxel. Cytochrome P450epoK (P450epoK), a heme containing monooxygenase involved in epothilone biosynthesis in the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum, catalyzes the epoxidation of epothilones C and D into epothilones A and B, respectively. The 2.10-, 1.93-, and 2.65-Å crystal structures reported here for the epothilone D-bound, epothilone B-bound, and substrate-free forms, respectively, are the first crystal structures of an epothilone-binding protein. Although the substrate for P450epoK is the largest of a P450 whose x-ray structure is known, the structural changes along with substrate binding or product release are very minor and the overall fold is similar to other P450s. The epothilones are positioned with the macrolide ring roughly perpendicular to the heme plane and I helix, and the thiazole moiety provides key interactions that very likely are critical in determining substrate specificity. Interestingly, there are strong parallels between the epothilone/P450epoK and paclitaxel/tubulin interactions. Based on structural similarities, a plausible epothilone tubulin-binding mode is proposed.
A systematic analysis of TCA Escherichia coli mutants reveals suitable genetic backgrounds for enhanced hydrogen and ethanol production using glycerol as main carbon source

Biodiesel has emerged as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels; however, the low price of glycerol feed‐stocks generated from the biodiesel industry has become a burden to this industry. A feasible alternative is the microbial biotransformation of waste glycerol to hydrogen and ethanol. Escherichia coli, a microorganism commonly used for metabolic engineering, is able to biotransform glycerol into these products. Nevertheless, the wild type strain yields can be improved by rewiring the carbon flux to the desired products by genetic engineering. Due to the importance of the central carbon metabolism in hydrogen and ethanol synthesis, E. coli single null mutant strains for enzymes of the TCA cycle and other related reactions were studied in this work. These strains were grown anaerobically in a glycerol‐based medium and the concentrations of ethanol, glycerol, succinate and hydrogen were analysed by HPLC and GC. It was found that the reductive branch is the more relevant pathway for the aim of this work, with malate playing a central role. It was also found that the putative C4‐transporter dcuD mutant improved the target product yields. These results will contribute to reveal novel metabolic engineering strategies for improving hydrogen and ethanol production by E. coli.
Upper limb neurorehabilitation in patients with stroke using haptic device system: Reciprocal bi-articular muscle activities reflect as a result of improved circle-drawing smoothness

Purpose. Muscular co-contraction resulted in corrected elbow and shoulder joint stiffness; however, this correction neither ameliorated endpoint oscillation nor assisted in the execution of smooth two-joint arm movements. We hypothesised that the reacquisition of smooth arm movements became synonymous with the restoration of time-domain reciprocal electromyographic (EMG) activities in biarticular arm muscles. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the restored reciprocal EMG activities in biarticular arm muscles reflected improved smooth motor performance in patients with stroke after 10 days of two-joint arm-movement training. Methods. Three male patients with sub-acute stroke with left-arm paralysis performed circle-drawing tasks using a haptic device system for upper limb neuromuscular rehabilitation. Results. After the training, the movement velocities and achievement periods increased with the enhancement of the reciprocal EMG activities in biarticular arm muscles, and there was less jerkness in movement after training for the same duration. Conclusions. Patients with stroke could achieve smooth motor performance with the restoration of the reciprocal EMG activities in biarticular arm muscles. Therefore, the reciprocal EMG activities in biarticular arm muscles in response to circle drawing would be an index for the progressive improvements of smooth motor functions in the upper limbs.
Adaptive Pole Assignment Control for Generic Elastic Hypersonic Vehicle

This paper uses robust pole assignment method to design an adaptive velocity and altitude tracking control algorithm for the longitudinal model of a wave rider configuration air-breathing hypersonic vehicle, which has strong coupling between structure, propulsion and aerodynamics. Base on the elastic hypersonic vehicle model CSUAL_GHV, the simulations using adaptive robust pole assignment control method and adaptive non-robust pole assignment control method are carried out respectively. The results show that, compared with the non-robust pole assignment control method, control system using adaptive robust pole assignment control method not only achieves the velocity and altitude tracking goal with tracking error less than 1%, but also the vibration motion of the hypersonic vehicle is suppressed sufficiently.  Air-breathing hypersonic vehicle is a kind of aircraft flying in the near space atmosphere, which is powered by scramjet and flying faster than 5 Mach. Because of its high speed, the hypersonic vehicle can be used as a military rapid combat platform as well as a fast civilian global transportation, and thus have received much attention. The last successful flight test of the U.S. X-51A "Waverider" hypersonic vehicle indicates that the hypersonic flight technology has been developed gradually from the experimental stage to the practical stage. Due to the use of airframe/engine integration design technology, the hypersonic vehicle exhibits strong coupling between structural, propulsion and aerodynamics. The hypersonic
Comparison of sexual behaviors, unprotected sex, and substance use between two independent cohorts of gay and bisexual men

ObjectiveTo compare demographic characteristics, sexual practices, unprotected receptive and insertive anal intercourse, substance use and rates of HIV-1 seroconversion between two prospective cohorts of HIV-negative men who have sex with men. DesignComparative analysis of two independent cohorts. MethodsBetween May 1995 and April 1996, 235 HIV-negative Vanguard Project (VP) participants were enrolled and between January and December 1985, 263 HIV-negative participants in the Vancouver Lymphadenopathy AIDS Study (VLAS) completed a follow-up visit. The VP participants were compared with VLAS participants with respect to self-reported demographic variables, sexual behaviors, unprotected sex, substance use and rates of HIV-1 seroconversion during follow-up. ResultsIn comparison with the VLAS participants the VP participants were younger (median age, 26 versus 34 years; P < 0.001), more likely to be non-Caucasian (75 versus 97%; P < 0.001), and were less likely to have attended university/college (35 versus 46%; P = 0.014). The VP participants reported a higher mean number of male sex partners in the previous year (15 versus 12; P = 0.026) and a higher mean number of regular partners (1.7 versus 0.6; P < 0.001). The VP participants were more likely to report engaging in receptive (92 versus 60%; P < 0.001) and insertive (90 versus 69%; P < 0.001) anal intercourse with regular partners and receptive anal intercourse with casual partners (62 versus 38%; P < 0.001). The VLAS participants were more likely to report never using condoms during insertive and receptive anal intercourse with both regular and casual partners. The VP participants were less likely to report using nitrite inhalants (34 versus 43%; P = 0.033), but more likely to report the use of cocaine (30 versus 8%; P < 0.001), LSD (21 versus 3%; P < 0.001), amphetamine (11 versus 1%; P < 0.001), heroin (3 versus 0%; P = 0.010) and methyldiamphetamine (17 versus 10%; P = 0.034). The VLAS participants were nine times more likely to report high-risk sexual behavior, after controlling for differences in age, ethnicity, substance use, and method of recruitment between cohort members. After adjustment for differences in demographics, sexual behaviors, and level of substance use, the risk ratio for seroconversion among VLAS participants remained significantly elevated compared with VP participants. ConclusionThese data provide evidence that men who have sex with men who were enrolled in the VP were more sexually active than their VLAS counterparts were 10 years ago as measured by self-reported numbers of regular and casual partners and frequency of anal intercourse with these partners. However, condom use appears to be significantly higher among VP participants, which has contributed to a lower rate of HIV-1 infection.
A Study on RMB as an International Currency

this paper assesses the potential significance of the RMB as an international currency by drawing on the experiences of the other major currencies. Based on the work of Chinn and Jerrfey (2005), we first estimate an empirical relationship between currency shares of reserve holdings and main determinants. Using the empirical results we do a simulation about the potential share of the RMB in the total world reserves if it were to become fully convertible today under three different cases, the results suggest that the RMB's potential as a reserve currency would be very large.
Creating a Competitive Advantage by Occupying Critical Position: Analysis of the Tourism Academy Network in Taiwan

This study analyzed the relationship between the critical network position and knowledge creation at the individual level. The hypothesis was tested among a sample of 109 tourism research scholars from 24 universities with tourism management departments. The majority of these universities are located in northern, middle, or southern Taiwan. The analyses tracked 466 scholars’ publications, 651 applications for research funding, and 675 coauthorships between 1993 and 2012. The results revealed trade-offs and nonlinear relationships between the critical position and the quality/quantity of knowledge created. Furthermore, research funding played important moderating roles, as it positively moderated the association between critical position and knowledge quality but negatively moderated knowledge quantity.
Evidence for the involvement of 3-oxo-delta 4 intermediates in ecdysteroid biosynthesis.

Although the involvement of 3-oxo-delta 4 compounds as intermediates in arthropod ecdysteroid biosynthesis has been postulated for a long time, it has not yet been directly demonstrated. In the present study, 3-oxo-delta 4-steroids have been synthesized and incubated in vitro with dissociated moulting gland cells from the crab Carcinus maenas. The tritiated compounds were converted into 3-dehydroecdysone, ecdysone and/or 25-deoxyecdysone, i.e. final ecdysteroids. This means that the 3-oxo-delta 4 compounds had undergone a 5 beta-reduction, to give the 5 beta-conformation of ecdysteroids. Our results suggest that the 3-oxo-delta 4-steroid 4,7-cholestadien-14 alpha-ol-3,6-dione may be an intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway. The 5 beta-reduction reaction involves a cytosolic enzyme which requires NADPH as electron donor and seems specific for 3-oxo-delta 4 substrates. This reaction was the most active in crab Y-organs, as compared with other tissues. The characteristics of the 5 beta-reductase (subcellular localization, substrate and cofactor requirements) appear similar to those of the vertebrate 3-oxo-delta 4-steroid 5 beta-reductase involved in steroid hormone catabolism and bile acid biosynthesis.
Extracellular Adenosine, Inosine, Hypoxanthine, and Xanthine in Relation to Tissue Nucleotides and Purines in Rat Striatum During Transient Ischemia

Abstract: Extracellular (EC) adenosine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and inosine concentrations were monitored in vivo in the striatum during steady state, 15 min of complete brain ischemia, and 4 h of reflow and compared with purine and nucleotide levels in the tissue. Ischemia was induced by three‐vessel occlusion combined with hypotension (50 mm Hg) in male Sprague‐Dawley rats. EC purines were sampled by microdialysis, and tissue adenine nudeotides and purine catabolites were extracted from the in situ frozen brain at the end of the experiment. ATP, ADP, and AMP were analyzed with enzymatic fluorometric techniques, and adenosine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and inosine with a modified HPLC system. Ischemia depleted tissue ATP, whereas AMP, adenosine, hypoxanthine, and inosine accumulated. In parallel, adenosine, hypoxanthine, and inosine levels increased in the EC compartment. Adenosine reached an EC concentration of 40 μM after 15 min of ischemia. Levels of tissue nucleotides and purines normalized on reflow. However, xanthine levels increased transiently (sevenfold). In the EC compartment, adenosine, inosine, and hypoxanthine contents normalized slowly on reflow, whereas the xanthine content increased. The high EC levels of adenosine during ischemia may turn off spontaneous neuronal firing, counteract excitotoxicity, and inhibit ischemic calcium uptake, thereby exerting neuroprotective effects.