Estradiol and testosterone levels in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy - A possible signal for hepatic regeneration?

In five adult male patients undergoing a 40-60% partial hepatectomy, serum sex hormone levels before and after hepatic resection were determined. Blood was drawn immediately prior to each surgical procedure and at specified time points postoperatively. Compared to hormone levels found prior to surgery, following major hepatic resection, estradiol levels increase at 24 and 48 hr, while testosterone levels decline, being significantly reduced at 96 and 144 hr. These data demonstrate that adult males who undergo a 40-60% partial hepatectomy experience alterations in their sex hormone levels similar to those observed in male rats following a 70% hepatectomy. These changes in sex hormone levels have been associated in animals with an alteration of the sex hormone receptor status of the liver that is thought to participate in the initiation of the regenerative response. These studies suggest, but do not prove, that in man, as in the case of the rat, sex hormones may participate in the initiation of or at least modulate in part the regenerative response that occurs following a major hepatic resection. © 1989 Plenum Publishing Corporation

Origins, diversity and naturalization of Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) in California

Eucalyptus globulus is native to southeastern Australia, including the island of Tasmania, but is one of the most widely grown hardwood forestry species in the world and is naturalized on several continents. We studied its naturalization in California, where the species has been planted for over 150 years. We sampled 70 E. globulus trees from 53 locations spanning the entire range of the species in California to quantify the genetic variation present and test whether particular genotypes or native origin affect variation in naturalization among locations. Diversity and native affinities were determined based on six nuclear microsatellite markers and sequences from a highly variable chloroplast DNA region (JLA+). The likely native origin was determined by DNA-based comparison with a range-wide native stand collection. Most of California’s E. globulus originated from eastern Tasmania. Genetic diversity in California is greatly reduced compared with that of the native Australian population, with a single chloroplast haplotype occurring in 66% of the Californian samples. Throughout California, the degree of E. globulus naturalization varies widely but was not associated with genotype or native origin of the trees, arguing that factors such as local climate and disturbance are more important than pre-introduction evolutionary history

O assassinato de Marielle Franco e os algoritmos racistas: dimensões aplicadas da teoria crítica da organização do conhecimento

Focusing on a critical theory of the knowledge organization (KO), unfolding the studies like those of Martínez-Ávila, Daniel; Semidao, R .; Ferreira, M. (2016) and Olson (2006), the empirical plan of the research is related to the comments produced after the murder of the deputy of Rio de Janeiro City, Marielle Franco, and the driver Anderson Gomes, in March 2018. We have tried to deepen the studies already carried out (Saldanha, Silva, Lima, Garcês, Romeiro, 2018) in the territory of the meta-discursive corpus produced on the basis of what we have been working under the notion of ordinary organization of socially oppressed knowledge about crime, with a focus on Marielle's female political presence. The research dialogues with the questioning of the power of language and the role of the KO in the contemporary production of the vocabularies of evil. Like Capurro (2019), the approach to the thinking of the philosopher Hannah Arendt (1999, 2007), within the framework of the reflection on the evil in expansion in the society and its forms (in our case, structurally originating from and oriented to the language) of trivialization. For this current stage of research, we discuss the condition of citizenship in the global digital world and the dilemma (also essentially linguistic) of the algorithms, as well as the power of a robotic ethos that interests critically the KO. The condition of the racist and ethical algorithms of robots is debated from the Ertzcheid (2017) thinking, pointing out online search engines present racist stereotypes and hate speech. From the context of the murder, we direct our scientific look at the discursive production on Marielle Franco established in electronic publications after the first news of the crime. The course allowed us to demonstrate the critical panorama of folk approaches and the need to build a look based on the constant revision of the ethical positions of language construction and its reproduction in and for the web. The corpus demonstrated the role of robots in the massive reproduction of misinformation. With this reflection, the development of critical theories in KO, falls here on the dilemma of a global digital citizenship and the evil represented by algorithms, machines of reproduction of the paths that distance us from the minimum conditions of human dignity. The Marielle case is emblematic in this sense, given that the cruelty involved in the whole process is not enough, it is perceived that its murder is long and continuous, influenced by a robotics of evil and by the continuous algorithmic manipulation. The case reveals precisely the tragic dynamics of the modes of production, organization, representation of knowledge on the web and the emergency role of the constitution of critical theories of knowledge organization

Polynomial algorithms for the Maximal Pairing Problem: efficient phylogenetic targeting on arbitrary trees

Background: The Maximal Pairing Problem (MPP) is the prototype of a class of combinatorial optimization problems that are of considerable interest in bioinformatics: Given an arbitrary phylogenetic tree T and weights ωxy for the paths between any two pairs of leaves (x, y), what is the collection of edge-disjoint paths between pairs of leaves that maximizes the total weight? Special cases of the MPP for binary trees and equal weights have been described previously; algorithms to solve the general MPP are still missing, however. Results: We describe a relatively simple dynamic programming algorithm for the special case of binary trees. We then show that the general case of multifurcating trees can be treated by interleaving solutions to certain auxiliary Maximum Weighted Matching problems with an extension of this dynamic programming approach, resulting in an overall polynomial-time solution of complexity (n^4 log n) w.r.t. the number n of leaves. The source code of a C implementation can be obtained under the GNU Public License from http://www.bioinf.uni-leipzig.de/Software/Targeting. For binary trees, we furthermore discuss several constrained variants of the MPP as well as a partition function approach to the probabilistic version of the MPP. Conclusions: The algorithms introduced here make it possible to solve the MPP also for large trees with high-degree vertices. This has practical relevance in the field of comparative phylogenetics and, for example, in the context of phylogenetic targeting, i.e., data collection with resource limitations.Human Evolutionary Biolog

Extrapolation for Time-Series and Cross-Sectional Data

Extrapolation methods are reliable, objective, inexpensive, quick, and easily automated. As a result, they are widely used, especially for inventory and production forecasts, for operational planning for up to two years ahead, and for long-term forecasts in some situations, such as population forecasting. This paper provides principles for selecting and preparing data, making seasonal adjustments, extrapolating, assessing uncertainty, and identifying when to use extrapolation. The principles are based on received wisdom (i.e., experts’ commonly held opinions) and on empirical studies. Some of the more important principles are:• In selecting and preparing data, use all relevant data and adjust the data for important events that occurred in the past.• Make seasonal adjustments only when seasonal effects are expected and only if there is good evidence by which to measure them.• In extrapolating, use simple functional forms. Weight the most recent data heavily if there are small measurement errors, stable series, and short forecast horizons. Domain knowledge and forecasting expertise can help to select effective extrapolation procedures. When there is uncertainty, be conservative in forecasting trends. Update extrapolation models as new data are received.• To assess uncertainty, make empirical estimates to establish prediction intervals.• Use pure extrapolation when many forecasts are required, little is known about the situation, the situation is stable, and expert forecasts might be biased

Efeito do extrato aquoso de Sida cordifolia na regeneração hepática após hepatectomia parcial

Introdução: O uso de plantas medicinais para o tratamento de patologias humanas tem aumentado em todo mundo. Muitas delas são usadas por administração oral, e após a absorção podem afetar muitos órgãos. Objetivo: Esse estudo, tem como objetivo verificar o efeito do extrato aquoso de Sida cordifolia, popularmente conhecida no Brasil como “malva-branca”, na regeneração hepática. Métodos: Vinte ratos foram divididos em 4 grupos: controle, Sida 100, Sida 200 e Sida 400. Os animais foram submetidos a administração oral de água destilada, 100, 200 e 400 mg/kg de extrato aquoso de Sida cordifolia, respectivamente. Imediatamente após, foi realizada hepatectomia parcial 67%. Vinte quatro horas após, os fígados foram removidos. A regeneração hepática foi avaliada por imunohistoquímica (PCNA), usando o anticorpo monoclonal PC-10. Resultados: Os grupos Sida100 e Sida200 mostraram índices de regeneração hepática maiores que o grupo controle (p<0.001 e p<0.05, respectivamente). Conclusão: O extrato aquoso de Sida cordifolia estimula a regeneração hepática após hepatectomia parcial a 67% em ratos. _________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT: Purpose: The use of medicinal plants for the treatment of human diseases has increased worldwide. Many of them are used by oral administration and, after absorption, may affect many organs. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the effects of the aqueous extract of Sida cordifolia leaves, popularly known in Brazil as “malva-branca”, on liver regeneration. Methods: Twenty rats were divided into four groups: control, Sida100, Sida200 and Sida400 groups. All animals were submitted to oral administration of distilled water, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the aqueous extract of Sida cordifolia, respectively. Immediately after this, they underwent 67% partial hepatectomy. Twenty four hours later, their livers were removed. Hepatic regeneration was assessed by immunohistochemical staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) using the PC-10 monoclonal antibody. Results: Sida100 and Sida200 groups disclosed higher liver regeneration indices than control group (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Sida cordifolia stimulates liver regeneration after 67% partial hepatectomy in rats