Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Indian Ocean Dipole Response to Global Warming: Analysis of Ocean–Atmospheric Feedbacks in a Coupled Model*

Abstract Low-frequency modulation and change under global warming of the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) mode are investigated with a pair of multicentury integrations of a coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model: one under constant climate forcing and one forced by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. In the unforced simulation, there is significant decadal and multidecadal modulation of the IOD variance. The mean thermocline depth in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean (EEIO) is important for the slow modulation, skewness, and ENSO correlation of the IOD. With a shoaling (deepening) of the EEIO thermocline, the thermocline feedback strengthens, and this leads to an increase in IOD variance, a reduction of the negative skewness of the IOD, and a weakening of the IOD–ENSO correlation. In response to increasing greenhouse gases, a weakening of the Walker circulation leads to easterly wind anomalies in the equatorial Indian Ocean; the oceanic response to weakened circulation is a thermocline shoal.
Identification of a membrane-binding domain within the amino-terminal region of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Gag protein which interacts with acidic phospholipids

Retroviral Gag proteins are targeted to the plasma membrane, where they play the central role in virion formation. Several studies have suggested that the membrane-binding signal is contained within the amino-terminal matrix sequence; however, the precise location has never been determined for the Gag protein of any retrovirus. In this report, we show that the first 31 residues of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Gag protein can function independently as a membrane-targeting domain when fused to heterologous proteins. A bipartite membrane-targeting motif was identified, consisting of the myristylated N-terminal 14 amino acids and a highly basic region that binds acidic phospholipids. Replacement of the N-terminal membrane-targeting domain of pp60v-src with that of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Gag elicits efficient membrane binding and a transforming phenotype. Removal of myristate or the basic region results in decreased membrane binding of Gag-Src chimeras in vitro and impaired virion formation by Pr55gag in vivo. We propose that the N-terminal Gag sequence functions as a targeting signal to direct interaction with acidic phospholipids on the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane.
Effective ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells using osteoblast‐differentiated mesenchymal stem cells is CXCL12 dependent

Effective ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is a prerequisite for HSC transplantation. Growth and maintenance of HSC is dependent on cytokine and niche factors. We investigated whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or osteogenic cytokine‐differentiated MSCs play a role in HSC expansion. We used the human HM3.B10 (B10) MSC cell line and the osteoblast‐differentiated B10 (Ost‐B10) as a feeder layer and examined ex vivo expansion of CD34+CD38− HSCs obtained from peripheral blood (PB) and cord blood (CB) with or without several growth cytokines. Both undifferentiated B10 and Ost‐B10 cells exhibited similar effects on total HSC expansion; however, Ost‐B10 demonstrated a higher potency in CD34+CD38− cell‐specific proliferation in the presence of cytokines compared to undifferentiated B10 HSCs. Colony‐forming cell assay and long‐term culture initiating cell assay revealed that Ost‐B10 displayed multipotent differentiation and enabled long‐term ex vivo culture of HSCs. We next examined the relationship between HSC expansion and the presence of various chemokines. CXCL4 and CXCL12 expression were increased in Ost‐B10 cells compared with the B10 cells. CD34+CD38− cells were significantly increased with CXCL12, but not CXCL4 treatment. siRNA inhibition of CXCL12 decreased CXCL12 secretion in both B10 and Ost‐B10, whereas expansion of CD34+CD38− cells was decreased in Ost‐B10 alone. These results demonstrated that ex vivo expansion of HSCs may be highly effective through osteoblast‐differentiated MSCs acting as a feeder layer, and likely operates through the CXCL12 chemokines signaling pathway.
Simultaneous image fusion and denoising with adaptive sparse representation

In this study, a novel adaptive sparse representation (ASR) model is presented for simultaneous image fusion and denoising. As a powerful signal modelling technique, sparse representation (SR) has been successfully employed in many image processing applications such as denoising and fusion. In traditional SR-based applications, a highly redundant dictionary is always needed to satisfy signal reconstruction requirement since the structures vary significantly across different image patches. However, it may result in potential visual artefacts as well as high computational cost. In the proposed ASR model, instead of learning a single redundant dictionary, a set of more compact sub-dictionaries are learned from numerous high-quality image patches which have been pre-classified into several corresponding categories based on their gradient information. At the fusion and denoising processes, one of the sub-dictionaries is adaptively selected for a given set of source image patches. Experimental results on multi-focus and multi-modal image sets demonstrate that the ASR-based fusion method can outperform the conventional SR-based method in terms of both visual quality and objective assessment.
Urine-based screening of adolescents in detention to guide treatment for gonococcal and chlamydial infections. Translating research into intervention.

OBJECTIVES To determine the utility of urine-based ligase chain reaction assays for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis in (1) the acceptability of such testing to adolescent detainees, (2) the potential use of these tests for identifying asymptomatic infections, and (3) the effectiveness of this approach for ensuring treatment of infected adolescents. DESIGN Cross-sectional screening and verification of treatment for infected cases. SUBJECTS Adolescents admitted to a short-term juvenile detention center. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Neisseria gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis infection rates, and timing and location of treatment for infected patients. RESULTS Refusal rate was 1.5%. Of 263 participants, 46 (17.5%) were female subjects. Chlamydia trachomatis infections were identified in 28.3% of the female and 8.8% of the male subjects. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections were present in 13.1% of the female and 2.8% of the male subjects. Overall, 37 participants (14%) were positive for N gonorrhoeae, C trachomatis, or both, only one of whom had symptoms. Almost 70% (25/36) of asymptomatic infected subjects were treated within 28 days of screening. A treatment was documented in 36 of the 37 infected youth, including 20 who were followed up and treated after release from the detention center, by 6 months after testing. CONCLUSION Urine ligase chain reaction tests were effective for identifying and guiding treatment of unsuspected N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis infections in teenagers admitted to a short-term detention center where traditional swab specimens may be difficult to obtain.
The Relative Ability of Cell-free Fractions of the Iransplantable Human Tumor

In a recent paper (31) it was reported that cytotoxins for the transplantable human tumor, H.Ep. #3, were detected in the sera and associated with the lymphoid cells of rats immunized with either whole or disintegrated cells of this neo plasm. Such cytotoxins for H.Ep. #3, though pres ent, were less potent in rats immunized with other transplantable human tumors or with normal hu man liver and/or spleen. There was thus an indi cation that some specific as well as general antihuman effect was present. Cytotoxins were not found in the sera or cells from normal rats or asso ciated with kidney, liver, or muscle tissue from immunized hosts. The present paper is concerned with an attempt to localize the substance or substances in the H.Ep. #3 cell that caused a production of the cyto toxins described. The tumor cells were fractionat ed into either four or five separate components by differential centrifugation and the various frac tions employed separately for immunization of normal rats. Sera and lymphoid cells as well as kidney tissue obtained from animals so treated were tested in vitro against a standard suspension of H.Ep. #3 cells incubated at 37Â° C. for 1 hour. Such test material was then implanted subcutaneously into hosts conditioned with x-radiation and cortisone,1 and any growth obtained was examined and charted. It was learned that neither the nuclei nor mitochondria (fractions I and HA) were po tent antigens for the production of sera or lymph oid cells which were cytotoxic for H.Ep. #3. The
The Role of Instant Messaging on Task Performance and Level of Arousal

Despite being an informal, collaborative way to communicate, Instant Messaging (IM) remains a pervasive tool. Repeated discrete messages can be unwelcome, and the current technology does not allow for situation awareness information about the recipient of the messages. Therefore, concerns are that IM might be disruptive enough to impair performance on concurrent tasks. In this experiment, subjects were exposed to six different scenarii of an Air Traffic Control simulation game while answering instant messages. Each scenario combined two levels of workload (low and high) and three levels of flow of IM (none, low, high). Performance and time to respond were recorded, as well as skin conductivity, physiological parameter linked with level of arousal. Workload and flow of IM where shown to reduce performance. Whereas gender does not have a global influence on score, women are less robust to IM interruptions, especially under high pressure. As expected, time delay was inversely correlated to score. It also turned out that IM modified the skin conductivity response component associated with mood and overall emotional state. IM and workload have a significant impact on subjects' anxiety, which is also correlated positively with time delay and inversely to score. These results call for a better design of chat interface and a better management of instant messaging.
The use of virtual reality in studying complex interventions in our every-day food environment.

© 2012 Waterlander et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The Use of Virtual Reality in Studying Complex Interventions in Our Every-Day Food Environment
Is Deep Learning Really Necessary for Word Embeddings

Word embeddings resulting from neural language models have been shown to be successful for a large variety of NLP tasks. However, such architecture might be difficult to train and time-consuming. Instead, we propose to drastically sim- plify the word embeddings computation through a Hellinger PCA of the word co-occurence matrix. We compare those new word embeddings with some well- known embeddings on NER and movie review tasks and show that we can reach similar or even better performance. Although deep learning is not really necessary for generating good word embeddings, we show that it can provide an easy way to adapt embeddings to specific tasks.
Diagnostic Algorithm in the Management of Acute Febrile Abdomen in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Background Acute febrile abdomen represents a diagnostic challenge in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Although criteria have been proposed for cyst infection (CyI) and hemorrhage (CyH), there is a lack of comparative assessments. Furthermore, distinguishing cystic from non-cystic complications remains problematic. Design ADPKD patients presenting with abdominal pain and/or fever between 01/2005 and 06/2015 were retrospectively identified in a systematic computerized billing database. CyH was defined as spontaneous intracystic density above 50 Hounsfield units on computed tomography (CT). CyI was definite if confirmed by cyst puncture, and probable if 4 criteria were met: 3-day fever, loin/liver tenderness, C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels >50mg/L and no CT evidence for CyH. Other episodes were grouped as inflammation of unknown origin (IUO). Results Among a cohort of 173 ADPKD patients, 101 presented with 205 episodes of abdominal pain (n = 172) and/or fever (n = 33). 20 patients experienced 30 CyH, whereas 16 presented 23 episodes of definite (n = 11) or probable (n = 12) CyI. 35 IUO were observed in 31 patients. Clinically, fever was observed in 7% vs. 100% vs. 66% of CyH, CyI and IUO, respectively. Biologically, CRP cut-off at 70 mg/dl showed 92% sensitivity and 81% specificity in CyI diagnosis. Urine or blood cultures remained sterile in >90% of CyH, but were contributive in 53.4% of CyI and IUO, with a 74.2% prevalence for E. coli. Radiologically, ultrasounds, CT and magnetic resonance diagnosed CyI in 2.6%, 20% and 16.7% of cases, respectively. 18F-FDG positron-emission tomography (PET)/CT was done within a median period of 7 days post antibiotics, and significantly changed patient management in 71.4%. Conclusions This retrospective single-center series underscores the usefulness of clinical–fever–and biological–CRP–parameters, but emphasizes the limitations of bacteriological and radiological investigations in cases of acute febrile abdomen in ADPKD patients. 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging may be helpful in such condition.
Inhibition of IKK&bgr; in Enterocytes Exacerbates Sepsis-Induced Intestinal Injury and Worsens Mortality

Objectives:Nuclear factor-&kgr;B is a critical regulator of cell-survival genes and the host inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of enterocyte-specific NF-kB in sepsis through selective ablation of IkB kinase. Design:Prospective, randomized controlled study. Setting:Animal laboratories in university medical centers. Subjects and Interventions:Mice lacking functional NF-kB in their intestinal epithelium (Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr;) and wild-type mice were subjected to sham laparotomy or cecal ligation and puncture. Animals were killed at 24 hours or followed 7 days for survival. Measurements and Main Results:Septic wild-type mice had decreased villus length compared with sham mice, whereas villus atrophy was further exacerbated in septic Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice. Sepsis induced an increase in intestinal epithelial apoptosis compared with sham mice, which was further exacerbated in Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice. Sepsis induced intestinal hyperpermeability in wild-type mice compared with sham mice, which was further exacerbated in septic Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice. This was associated with increased intestinal expression of claudin-2 in septic wild-type mice, which was further increased in septic Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice. Both, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were increased in serum following cecal ligation and puncture, and interleukin 10 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels were higher in septic Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice than in septic wild-type mice. All septic mice were bacteremic, but no differences in bacterial load were identified between wild-type and Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice. To determine the functional significance of these results, animals were followed for survival. Septic wild-type mice had lower mortality than septic Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice (47% vs 80%, p < 0.05). Antitumor necrosis factor administration decreased intestinal apoptosis, permeability, and mortality in wild-type septic mice, and a similar improvement in intestinal integrity and survival were seen when antitumor necrosis factor was given to Vil-Cre/Ikk&bgr;f/&Dgr; mice. Conclusions:Enterocyte-specific NF-kB has a beneficial role in sepsis by partially preventing sepsis-induced increases in apoptosis and permeability, which are associated with worsening mortality.
Users and utilization patterns of over-the-counter acid inhibitors and antacids in The Netherlands

Objective. General practitioners (GPs) are the first-line physicians who are consulted for upper digestive symptoms. Persons with symptoms may, however, prefer to buy acid inhibitors or antacids in drugstores or pharmacies and bypass a GP. The aim of this work was to study users, reasons for use, and utilization patterns of over-the-counter (OTC) acid inhibitors and antacids in The Netherlands. We also studied factors that were associated with the substitution of OTC acid inhibitors or antacid use for consultation with a GP. Material and methods. From July 2005 to January 2006, persons buying OTC acid inhibitors or antacids in 12 pharmacies and 4 drugstores were asked to complete a questionnaire. A total of 82/160 (51%) questionnaires were returned. Results. Heartburn was the main symptom for buying an acid inhibitor or antacid. Seventy-one (87%) participants substituted OTC drug use for a GP consultation. The most commonly reported reason was the belief that symptoms were not serious enough to seek medical care. Exploratory analyses showed that substitution was less common in participants with comorbidity, a history of upper gastrointestinal disorder, use of an acid inhibitor or antacid previously prescribed by a physician, alarm symptoms (such as pain and nausea), and with being symptomatic for >4 days/week. Conclusions. Although the reasons for substitution of OTC acid inhibitor or antacid use for a GP consultation in The Netherlands do not suggest an a priori increased risk of an underlying serious disorder, it may be advisable for staff in drugstores and pharmacies to provide users with information on appropriate use and when to consult a GP.
A New Efficient GA-Benders' Decomposition Method: For Power Generation Expansion Planning With Emission Controls

The power generation expansion planning (PGEP) problem is a large-scale mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem cited as one of the most complex optimization problems. In this paper, an application of a new efficient methodology for solving the power generation expansion planning problem is presented. A comprehensive planning production simulation model is introduced toward formulating into an MINLP model. The model evaluates the most economical investment planning for additional thermal power generating units of the optimal mix for long-term power generation expansion planning with emission controls, regarding to the incorporated environmental costs, subject to the integrated requirements of power demands, power capacities, loss of load probability (LOLP) levels, locations, and environmental limitations for emission controls. A GA-heuristic-based method called GA-Benders' decomposition (GA-BD) is proposed for solving this complex problem. Finally, an application of the proposed GA-BD method is discussed and concluded.
The Role of Lutein in Eye-Related Disease

The lens and retina of the human eye are exposed constantly to light and oxygen. In situ phototransduction and oxidative phosphorylation within photoreceptors produces a high level of phototoxic and oxidative related stress. Within the eye, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are present in high concentrations in contrast to other human tissues. We discuss the role of lutein and zeaxanthin in ameliorating light and oxygen damage, and preventing age-related cellular and tissue deterioration in the eye. Epidemiologic research shows an inverse association between levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in eye tissues and age related degenerative diseases such as macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. We examine the role of these carotenoids as blockers of blue-light damage and quenchers of oxygen free radicals. This article provides a review of possible mechanisms of lutein action at a cellular and molecular level. Our review offers insight into current clinical trials and experimental animal studies involving lutein, and possible role of nutritional intervention in common ocular diseases that cause blindness.
Thalamocortical dysconnectivity in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE The thalamus and cerebral cortex are connected via topographically organized, reciprocal connections. Previous studies have revealed thalamic abnormalities in schizophrenia; however, it is not known whether thalamocortical networks are differentially affected in the disorder. To explore this possibility, the authors examined functional connectivity in intrinsic low-frequency blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal fluctuations between major divisions of the cortex and thalamus using resting-state functional MRI (fMRI). METHOD Seventy-seven healthy subjects and 62 patients with schizophrenia underwent resting-state fMRI. To identify functional subdivisions of the thalamus, the authors parceled the cortex into six regions of interest: the prefrontal cortex, motor cortex/supplementary motor area, somatosensory cortex, temporal lobe, posterior parietal cortex, and occipital lobe. Mean BOLD time series were extracted for each region of interest and entered into a seed-based functional connectivity analysis. RESULTS Consistent with previous reports, activity in distinct cortical areas correlated with specific, largely nonoverlapping regions of the thalamus in both healthy comparison subjects and schizophrenia patients. Direct comparison between groups revealed reduced prefrontal-thalamic connectivity and increased motor/somatosensory-thalamic connectivity in schizophrenia. The changes in connectivity were unrelated to local gray matter content within the thalamus and to antipsychotic medication dosage. No differences were observed in temporal, posterior parietal, or occipital cortex connectivity with the thalamus. CONCLUSIONS These findings establish differential abnormalities of thalamocortical networks in schizophrenia. The etiology of schizophrenia may disrupt the development of prefrontal-thalamic connectivity and refinement of somatomotor connectivity with the thalamus that occurs during brain maturation.
Oral Administration of EC-12 Increases the Baseline Gene Expression of Antiviral Cytokine Genes, IFN-γ and TNF-α, in Splenocytes and Mesenteric Lymph Node Cells of Weaning Piglets

Weaning piglets are continuously exposed to various viruses. The antiviral effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been confirmed mainly in humans and mice, while few studies have been conducted in livestock. In this study, we evaluated the effect of oral administration of Enterococcus faecalis strain EC-12 (EC-12) on the gene expressions of antiviral cytokines in weaning piglets. Piglets were allocated to the EC-12-administered group (E group) and the no-treatment control group (C group). The small intestinal tissue, the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) cells and the splenocytes were collected from the piglets. The tissue and cells were co-cultured with a live vaccine of porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus or EC-12. After the incubation, the gene expressions of IFN-γ and TNF-α in the tissue and cells were evaluated. The gene expressions of IFN-γ in the MLN cells and TNF-α in the splenocytes were significantly higher in the E group than in the C group. However, the increase in the gene expression of antiviral cytokines was observed independently of the antigen treatments. The results of the present study suggest that oral administration of EC-12 did not increase the response of immune cells to specific viral antigens but increased the baseline gene expression of antiviral cytokines.