Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mating systems and protein–protein interactions determine evolutionary rates of primate sperm proteins

To assess the relative impact of functional constraint and post-mating sexual selection on sequence evolution of reproductive proteins, we examined 169 primate sperm proteins. In order to recognize potential genome-wide trends, we additionally analysed a sample of altogether 318 non-reproductive (brain and postsynaptic) proteins. Based on cDNAs of eight primate species (Anthropoidea), we observed that pre-mating sperm proteins engaged in sperm composition and assembly show significantly lower incidence of site-specific positive selection and overall lower non-synonymous to synonymous substitution rates (dN/dS) across sites as compared with post-mating sperm proteins involved in capacitation, hyperactivation, acrosome reaction and fertilization. Moreover, database screening revealed overall more intracellular protein interaction partners in pre-mating than in post-mating sperm proteins. Finally, post-mating sperm proteins evolved at significantly higher evolutionary rates than pre-mating sperm and non-reproductive proteins on the branches to multi-male breeding species, while no such increase was observed on the branches to unimale and monogamous species. We conclude that less protein–protein interactions of post-mating sperm proteins account for lowered functional constraint, allowing for stronger impact of post-mating sexual selection, while the opposite holds true for pre-mating sperm proteins. This pattern is particularly strong in multi-male breeding species showing high female promiscuity.
Hydrothermal circulation within topographically rough basaltic basement on the Juan de Fuca Ridge flank

We use coupled heat and mass transport models to investigate the basement permeability distribution and hydrothermal circulation patterns in an area with large basement relief below flat seafloor on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. If heat transport around Ocean Drilling Program Sites 1026 and 1027 were purely conductive, the top of basement at Site 1027 (below ∼600 m of sediment) would be ∼50°C warmer than at Site 1026 (below ∼250 m of sediment), but the top of basement in this area is nearly isothermal. Vigorous fluid circulation in hydrothermal (uppermost) basement is required in order to maintain a near isothermal sediment‐basement contact. We estimate the magnitude of hydrothermal basement permeability, test the reliability of conductive‐proxy models used to estimate basement permeability for this setting, and examine the evolution of the hydrothermal circulation system as sediment accumulates. We find hydrothermal basement permeabilities ≥10−10 m2 are required for the top of basement near Sites 1026 and 1027 to be nearly isothermal, consistent with results from the conductive‐proxy models. Modelled fluid circulation in the direction that allows both the observed sign of temperature difference between Sites 1026 and 1027 (warmer in the basement high) and a close approximation of the observed relative basement pressures is only achieved with a heterogeneous permeability distribution, connected high permeability conduits hosted within low permeability rock. This suggests that ridge flank hydrothermal circulation in this setting occurs dominantly within narrow zones of elevated permeability, consistent with observed, scale‐dependent variations in permeability in this region, and conceptual models of heterogeneous hydrogeologic systems in general.
Detection of a large massive circumstellar disk around a high-mass young stellar object in the Carina Nebula

Context. The characterization of circumstellar disks around young stellar objects can provide important information about the process of star formation and the possible formation of planetary systems. Aims. We investigate the spatial structure and the spectral energy distribution of a newly discovered edge-on circumstellar disk around an optically invisible young stellar object that is embedded in a dark cloud in the Carina Nebula. Methods. The disk object was serendipitously discovered in our deep near-IR imaging survey of the Carina Nebula obtained with HAWK-I at the ESO VLT. Whereas the object was detected as an apparently point-like source in earlier infrared observations, only the superb image quality (FWHM ≈ 0.5 �� ) of the HAWK-I data could reveal, for the first time, the peculiar morphology of the object. It consists of a very red point-like central source that is surrounded by a roughly spherical nebula, which is intersected by a remarkable dark lane through the center. We construct the spectral energy distribution of the object from 1 μm to 870 μm and perform a detailed radiative transfer modeling of the spectral energy distribution and the source morphology. Results. The observed object morphology in the near-IR images clearly suggests a young stellar object that is embedded in an extended, roughly spherical envelope and surrounded by a large circumstellar disk with a diameter of ≈5500 AU that is seen nearly edge-on. The radiative transfer modeling shows that the central object is highly luminous and thus must be a massive young stellar object, most likely in the range 10−15 M� . The circumstellar disk has a mass of about 2 M� . Conclusions. The disk object in Carina is one of the most massive young stellar objects for which a circumstellar disk has been detected so far. The size and mass of the disk are very large compared to the corresponding values found for most other similar
Colors, Magnitudes, and Velocity Dispersions in Early-Type Galaxies: Implications for Galaxy Ages and Metallicities

We present an analysis of the color–magnitude–velocity dispersion relation for a sample of 39,320 early-type galaxies within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We demonstrate that the color-magnitude relation is entirely a consequence of the fact that both the luminosities and colors of these galaxies are correlated with stellar velocity dispersions. Previous studies of the color-magnitude relation over a range of redshifts suggest that the luminosity of an early-type galaxy is an indicator of its metallicity, whereas residuals in color from the relation are indicators of the luminosity-weighted age of its stars. We show that this, when combined with our finding that velocity dispersion plays a crucial role, has a number of interesting implications. First, galaxies with large velocity dispersions tend to be older (i.e., they scatter redward of the color-magnitude relation). Similarly, galaxies with large dynamical mass estimates also tend to be older. In addition, at fixed luminosity galaxies that are smaller or have larger velocity dispersions or are more massive tend to be older. Second, models in which galaxies with the largest velocity dispersions are also the most metal-poor are difficult to reconcile with our data. However, at fixed velocity dispersion galaxies have a range of ages and metallicities: the older galaxies have smaller metallicities and vice versa. Finally, a plot of velocity dispersion versus luminosity can be used as an age indicator: lines of constant age run parallel to the correlation between velocity dispersion and luminosity.
Lipoxygenase Pathway Mediates Increases of Airway Resistance and Lung Inflation Induced by Exposure to Nanotitanium Dioxide in Rats

Nanotitanium dioxide particle (nTiO2) inhalation has been reported to induce lung parenchymal injury. After inhalation of nTiO2, we monitored changes in 5-lipoxygenase, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in rat lung tissue. Lung function parameters include specific airway resistance (SRaw), peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), functional residual capacity (FRC), and lung compliance (Cchord); blood white blood cell count (WBC), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH); and lung lavage leukotriene C4, interleukin 6 (IL6), tumor necrotic factor α (TNFα), hydroxyl radicals, and NO. Leukotriene receptor antagonist MK571 and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor MK886 were used for pharmacologic intervention. Compared to control, nTiO2 exposure induced near 5-fold increase in 5-lipoxygenase mRNA expression in lung tissue. iNOS mRNA increased while eNOS mRNA decreased. Lavage leukotriene C4; IL6; TNFα; NO; hydroxyl radicals; and blood WBC, NO, hydrogen peroxide, and LDH levels rose. Obstructive ventilatory insufficiency was observed. MK571 and MK886 both attenuated the systemic inflammation and lung function changes. We conclude that inhaled nTiO2 induces systemic inflammation, cytokine release, and oxidative and nitrosative stress in the lung. The lipoxygenase pathway products, mediated by oxygen radicals and WBC, play a critical role in the obstructive ventilatory insufficiency induced by nTiO2.
Changing Trends in Sulfur Emissions in Asia : Implications for Acid Deposition , Air Pollution , and Climate

G R E G O R Y R . C A R M I C H A E L , * , † D A V I D G . S T R E E T S , ‡ G I U S E P P E C A L O R I , † M A R K U S A M A N N , § M A R K Z . J A C O B S O N , | J A M E S H A N S E N , ⊥ A N D H I R O M A S A U E D A # Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, Decision and Information Sciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, New York, and Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
Adaptive frame length control for improving wireless link throughput, range, and energy efficiency

Wireless network links are characterized by rapidly time varying channel conditions and battery energy limitations at the wireless mobile user nodes. Therefore static link control techniques that make sense in comparatively well behaved wired links do not necessarily apply to wireless links. New adaptive link layer control techniques are needed to provide robust and energy efficient operation even in the presence of orders of magnitude variations in bit error rates and other radio channel conditions. For example, research has advocated adaptive link layer techniques such as adaptive error control, channel state dependent protocols, and variable spreading gain. We explore dynamic sizing of the MAC layer frame, the atomic unit that is sent through the radio channel. A trade-off exists between the desire to reduce the header and physical layer overhead by making frames large, and the need to reduce frame error rates in the noisy channel by using small frame lengths. Clearly the optimum depends on the channel conditions. Through analysis supported by physical measurements with Lucent's WaveLAN radio we show that adaptive sizing of the MAC layer frame in the presence of varying channel noise indeed has a large impact on the user seen throughput (goodput). In addition, we show how that adaptive frame length control can be exploited to improve the energy efficiency for a desired level of goodput, and to extend the usable radio range with graceful throughput degradation. We describe the implementation of the adaptive MAC frame length control mechanism in combination with adaptive hybrid FEC/ARQ error control in a reconfigurable wireless link layer packet processing architecture for a low-power adaptive wireless multimedia node.
Childless by choice

This study examines a set of determinants which have been delineated in the literature as being paramount for describing those who voluntarily choose to remain childless. The Canadian Fertility Survey (T.R. Balakrishnan K. Krotki and E. Lapierre-Adamcyk 1984) is used as the data source for it contains one of the most complete fertility histories ever gathered on a national level in Canada. Two models using demographic socioeconomic and attitudinal variables were set up in order to differentiate the voluntarily childless women from the women with children. The findings from discriminant analysis indicate that attitudes toward children over and above the demographic and socioeconomic variables play a key role in discriminating between both groups. Contrary to the literature however place of birth residence religiosity birth order and number of children by mother did not serve to differentiate the membership groups in either model. This leads one to question their effectiveness as determinants of voluntary childlessness. (authors)
Status Incentives

When economists study incentives in organizations, the main focus has been on using monetary payments in exchange for performance on speci c measurable dimensions. But organizations use a wide variety of means to motivate their workers. One such method which has not been studied much to date, is the explicit creation of status rewards attached to good performance.1 Under such schemes, an agent is given a positional good  such as a job title or a medal  whose value comes from its scarcity. Some organizations, such as the military, make extensive use of medals as status rewards rather making cash payments. Academia too is awash with job titles, fellowships and prizes whose value is mostly symbolic but which convey status on their recipients. In this paper, we consider the role of such status awards as an incentive device. We allow a principal to reward an agent for good performance in conventional terms (i.e. with money) and/or by giving him a positional good. We suppose that the latter has a zero marginal cost. (We have in mind rewards like employee of the month or full professor or vice president.) To the extent that the positional good is valued, the organization is exploiting a preference for status to motivate agents. However, the extent of the status conveyed depends on how scarce the reward is and requires a well-de ned rule which rewards only the deserving. The paper studies a model with moral hazard and limited liability which limits the ability of an organization to achieve its desired effort level using monetary incentives. Beside the standard problems that stem from this, we also add the possibility that desired output is hard to measure. Speci cally, even if the nal output is observable, we assume that it is not veri able. The principal needs to condition rewards on
Improved retrieval of direct and diffuse downwelling surface shortwave flux in cloudless atmosphere using dynamic estimates of aerosol content and type: application to the LSA-SAF project

Abstract. Downwelling surface shortwave flux (DSSF) is a key parameter to addressing many climate, meteorological, and solar energy issues. Under clear sky conditions, DSSF is particularly sensitive to the variability both in time and space of the aerosol load and chemical composition. Hitherto, this dependence has not been properly addressed by the Satellite Application Facility on Land Surface Analysis (LSA-SAF), which operationally disseminates instantaneous DSSF products over the continents since 2005 considering constant aerosol conditions. In the present study, an efficient method is proposed for DSSF retrieval that will overcome the limitations of the current LSA-SAF product. This method referred to as SIRAMix (Surface Incident Radiation estimation using Aerosol Mixtures) is based upon an accurate physical parameterization coupled with a radiative transfer-based look up table of aerosol properties. SIRAMix considers a tropospheric layer composed of several major aerosol species that are conveniently mixed to reproduce real aerosol conditions as best as possible. This feature of SIRAMix allows it to provide not only accurate estimates of global DSSF but also the direct and diffuse DSSF components, which are crucial radiative terms in many climatological applications. The implementation of SIRAMix is tested in the present article using atmospheric analyses from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). DSSF estimates provided by SIRAMix are compared against instantaneous DSSF measurements taken at several ground stations belonging to several radiation measurement networks. Results show an average root mean square error (RMSE) of 23.6, 59.1, and 44.9 W m−2 for global, direct, and diffuse DSSF, respectively. These scores decrease the average RMSE obtained for the current LSA-SAF product by 18.6%, which only provides global DSSF for the time being, and, to a lesser extent, for the state of the art in the matter of DSSF retrieval (RMSE decrease of 10.9, 6.5, and 19.1% for global, direct, and diffuse DSSF with regard to the McClear algorithm). The main limitation of the proposed approach is its high sensitivity to the quality of the ECMWF aerosol inputs, which is proved to be sufficiently accurate for reanalyses but not for forecast data. Given the proximity of DSSF retrieval to the modeling of the atmospheric direct effect, SIRAMix is also able to quantify the direct radiative forcing at the surface due to a given atmospheric component (e.g., gases or aerosols).
Meta-stable dynamical supersymmetry breaking near points of enhanced symmetry

We construct a model with long-lived metastable vacua in which all the relevant parameters, including the supersymmetry breaking scale, are generated dynamically by dimensional transmutation. Our model consists of two sectors coupled by a singlet and combines dynamical supersymmetry breaking with an O'Raifeartaigh mechanism in terms of confined variables. The metastable vacua appear along a pseudo-runaway direction near a point of enhanced symmetry as a result of a balance between non-perturbative and perturbative quantum effects. We show that metastable supersymmetry breaking is a rather generic feature near certain enhanced symmetry points of gauge theory moduli spaces.
Examining the feasibility of magnetic source MRI by studying f MRI acquisition and analysis strategies

Examining the feasibility of magnetic source MRI by studying fMRI acquisition and analysis strategies. " PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) thesis, ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation could not be completed without contributions from a number of people. I would first like to thank my advisor Dr. Jinhu Xiong for his invaluable guidance which will stay with me regardless of where my career takes me. I would like to thank for their help and guidance as members of my PhD committee. Last but not least, I would like to thank Marla Kleingartner and Autumn Craig for their help in acquiring data. iii ABSTRACT Magnetic source magnetic resonance imaging (msMRI) is an fMRI technique that has been under development for direct detection of neuronal magnetic fields to map brain activity and has been shown to be experimentally detectable using conventional means, but there is debate on the detection of the msMRI signal since it can be only a 0.2% change. Detection of its temporal characteristics has yet to be reported and may strengthen the case for msMRI detection. The temporal characteristics of the detected msMRI signal were examined in this work, but it was found that the sensitivity of conventional analysis techniques are low within the context of msMRI, preventing consistent msMRI signal detection and analysis of its temporal characteristics. Examination of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast contamination and application of mean-shift clustering (MSC) to fMRI analysis were performed to look into the possibility of improving the low sensitivity. fMRI analysis is commonly performed with cross correlation analysis (CCA) and techniques based on the General Linear Model (GLM), but both CCA and GLM techniques typically perform calculations on a per-voxel basis and do not consider relationships neighboring voxels may have. MSC is a technique to consider for this purpose and shows improved activation detection for both simulated and real BOLD fMRI data. To consider the issue of BOLD contamination, the hemodynamic response over time was examined using repeated median nerve stimulation. On average, the results show the BOLD signal is not detectable after the second fMRI run. The results are consistent with previous hemodynamic habituation effect studies with other types of stimulation, but they do not completely agree with iv findings of evoked potential studies. Overall, this work shows that the low detection sensitivity may be able to be addressed with the purpose of furthering msMRI research. Figure 1: Representation of the reported neuronal …
On the Moments of Aggregate Discounted Claims with Dependence Introduced by a FGM Copula

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the computation of the moments of the compound Poisson sums with discounted claims when introducing dependence between the interclaim time and the subsequent claim size. The dependence structure between the two random variables is defined by a Farlie-Gumbel-Morgenstern copula. Assuming that the claim distribution has finite moments, we give expressions for the first and the second moments and then we obtain a general formula for any mth order moment. The results are illustrated with applications to premium calculation and approximations based on moment matching methods.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Development and Preliminary Evaluation of an Integrated Treatment Targeting Parenting and Depressive Symptoms in Mothers of Children With Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder

Development and Preliminary Evaluation of an Integrated Treatment Targeting Parenting and Depressive Symptoms in Mothers of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Andrea Chronis-Tuscano, Tana L. Clarke, Kelly A. O'Brien, Veronica L. Raggi, Yamalis Diaz, Abigail D. Mintz, Mary E. Rooney, Laura A. Knight, Karen E. Seymour, Sharon R. Thomas, John Seeley, Derek Kosty, and Peter Lewinsohn Online First Publication, March 11, 2013. doi: 10.1037/a0032112
Automatic Bayesian Classification of Healthy Controls, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia Using Intrinsic Connectivity Maps From fMRI Data

We present a method for supervised, automatic, and reliable classification of healthy controls, patients with bipolar disorder, and patients with schizophrenia using brain imaging data. The method uses four supervised classification learning machines trained with a stochastic gradient learning rule based on the minimization of Kullback-Leibler divergence and an optimal model complexity search through posterior probability estimation. Prior to classification, given the high dimensionality of functional MRI (fMRI) data, a dimension reduction stage comprising two steps is performed: first, a one-sample univariate t-test mean-difference Tscore approach is used to reduce the number of significant discriminative functional activated voxels, and then singular value decomposition is performed to further reduce the dimension of the input patterns to a number comparable to the limited number of subjects available for each of the three classes. Experimental results using functional brain imaging (fMRI) data include receiver operation characteristic curves for the three-way classifier with area under curve values around 0.82, 0.89, and 0.90 for healthy control versus nonhealthy, bipolar disorder versus nonbipolar, and schizophrenia patients versus nonschizophrenia binary problems, respectively. The average three-way correct classification rate (CCR) is in the range of 70%-72%, for the test set, remaining close to the estimated Bayesian optimal CCR theoretical upper bound of about 80% , estimated from the one nearest-neighbor classifier over the same data.