Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Signals embedded in the radial velocity noise - Periodic variations in the τ Ceti velocities

Context. The abilities of radial velocity exoplanet surveys to detect the lowest-mass extra-solar planets are currently limited by a combination of instrument precision, lack of data, and 'jitter'. Jitter is a general term for any unknown features in the noise, and reflects a lack of detailed knowledge of stellar physics (asteroseismology, starspots, magnetic cycles, granulation, and other stellar surface phenomena), as well as the possible underestimation of instrument noise. Aims. We study an extensive set of radial velocities for the star HD 10700 (τ Ceti) to determine the properties of the jitter arising from stellar surface inhomogeneities, activity, and telescope-instrument systems, and perform a comprehensive search for planetary signals in the radial velocities. Methods. We performed Bayesian comparisons of statistical models describing the radial velocity data to quantify the number of significant signals and the magnitude and properties of the excess noise in the data. We reached our goal by adding artificial signals to the 'flat' radial velocity data of HD 10700 and by seeing which one of our statistical noise models receives the greatest posterior probabilities while still being able to extract the artificial signals correctly from the data. We utilised various noise components to assess properties of the noise in the data and analyse the HARPS, AAPS, and HIRES data for HD 10700 to quantify these properties and search for previously unknown low-amplitude Keplerian signals. Results. According to our analyses, moving average components with an exponential decay with a timescale from a few hours to few days, and Gaussian white noise explains the jitter the best for all three data sets. Fitting the corresponding noise parameters results in significant improvements of the statistical models and enables the detection of very weak signals with amplitudes below 1 m s-1 level in our numerical experiments. We detect significant periodicities that have no activity-induced counterparts in the combined radial velocities. Three of these signals can be seen in the HARPS data alone, and a further two can be inferred by utilising the AAPS and Keck data. These periodicities could be interpreted as corresponding to planets on dynamically stable close-circular orbits with periods of 13.9, 35.4, 94, 168, and 640 days and minimum masses of 2.0, 3.1, 3.6, 4.3, and 6.6 M⊕, respectively.
Force platform analysis in clinically healthy Rottweilers: comparison with Labrador Retrievers.

OBJECTIVE To (1) report ground reaction forces for healthy Rottweilers at a trot and (2) compare force platform data with values obtained for healthy Labradors. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, clinical study. ANIMALS Adult Rottweilers (n=9) and Labrador Retrievers (12) without orthopedic abnormalities. METHODS Dogs were trotted over a force platform at controlled speed and acceleration. Peak vertical and craniocaudal forces, associated impulses, stance time, rising, and falling slopes were analyzed and forces, impulses, and slopes were expressed as percentages of body weight. The effects of weight and anatomic measurements on force platform values were re-evaluated with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). RESULTS In Rottweilers, peak vertical forces in thoracic limbs were significantly lower and vertical impulses in thoracic and pelvic limbs were significantly higher than in Labradors. Rising and falling slopes in thoracic and pelvic limbs were significantly smaller in Rottweilers. Body weight and anatomic measurements were significantly larger in Rottweilers. After removing the effect of relative velocity, functional limb length, and body weight by using ANCOVA, there were no significant differences between breeds. CONCLUSIONS Ground reaction forces were significantly different between Rottweilers and Labradors when using standard methods of normalization. Based on ANCOVA differences were attributable to difference in conformation and body weight between breeds. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Conformation and body weight have a significant influence on force platform values and this may cause bias when study results are compared.
Arabidopsis Response Regulators ARR3 and ARR4 Play Cytokinin-Independent Roles in the Control of Circadian Period[W]

Light and temperature are potent environmental signals used to synchronize the circadian oscillator with external time and photoperiod. Phytochrome and cryptochrome photoreceptors integrate light quantity and quality to modulate the pace and phase of the clock. PHYTOCHROME B (phyB) controls period length in red light as well as the phase of the clock in white light. phyB interacts with ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR4 (ARR4) in a light-dependent manner. Accordingly, we tested ARR4 and other members of the type-A ARR family for roles in clock function and show that ARR4 and its closest relative, ARR3, act redundantly in the Arabidopsis thaliana circadian system. Loss of ARR3 and ARR4 lengthens the period of the clock even in the absence of light, demonstrating that they do so independently of active phyB. In addition, in white light, arr3,4 mutants show a leading phase similar to phyB mutants, suggesting that circadian light input is modulated by the interaction of phyB with ARR4. Although type-A ARRs are involved in cytokinin signaling, the circadian defects appear to be independent of cytokinin, as exogenous cytokinin affects the phase but not the period of the clock. Therefore, ARR3 and ARR4 are critical for proper circadian period and define an additional level of regulation of the circadian clock in Arabidopsis.
Access to facility delivery and caesarean section in north-central Liberia: a cross-sectional community-based study

Objective Rural north-central Liberia has one of the world's highest maternal mortality ratios. We studied health facility birthing service utilisation and the motives of women seeking or not seeking facility-based care in north-central Liberia. Design Cross-sectional community-based structured interviews and health facility medical record review. Setting A regional hospital and the surrounding communities in rural north-central Liberia. Participants A convenience sample of 307 women between 15 and 49 years participated in structured interviews. 1031 deliveries performed in the regional hospital were included in the record review. Primary outcomes Delivery within a health facility and caesarean delivery rates were used as indicators of direct utilisation of care and as markers of availability of maternal health services. Results Of 280 interview respondents with a prior childbirth, only 47 (16.8%) delivered their last child in a health facility. Women who did not use formal services cited cost, sudden labour and family tradition or religion as their principal reasons for home delivery. At the regional hospital, the caesarean delivery rate was 35.5%. Conclusions There is an enormous unmet need for maternal health services in north-central Liberia. Greater outreach and referral services as well as community-based education among women, family members and traditional midwives are vital to improve the timely utilisation of care.
Survey of pregnancy outcome in preterm premature rupture of membranes with amniotic fluid index <5 and ≥5.

OBJECTIVES Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is among the most important causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to survey the pregnancy outcomes in preterm premature rupture of membranes with an amniotic fluid index of <5 and >5. METHODS This prospective cohort study was performed on 137 pregnant women complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) with a gestational age of 28-34 weeks during October 2006 to October 2008. The patients were divided in two groups according to their amniotic fluid index; AFI<5 (77cases), AFI≥5 (60cases). The Chi-squared test for qualitative variables and T-student test for quantitative variables were used to analyze the results. RESULTS The results showed that there was no significant difference in terms of the number of pregnancies, gestational age at rupture of membranes and birthweight between the two groups. However, the results demonstrated that the patients with AFI<5 exhibited a significantly shorter latency period (p=0.049), a higher rate of cesarean due to fetal distress (p=0.008), a lower neonatal Apgar score in the first minute (p=0.0127) and a higher rate of neonatal death during the first week (p=0.045). CONCLUSION Overall, PPROM with oligohydroamnios is associated with shorter latency, higher rate of C/S, higher rate of early neonatal death and lower neonatal Apgar.
Regulatory Properties of the NH2- and COOH-terminal Domains of Troponin T

The contraction of skeletal muscle is regulated by Ca2+ binding to troponin C, which results in an internal reorganization of the interactions within the troponin-tropomyosin complex. Troponin T is necessary for Ca2+-dependent inhibition and activation of actomyosin. Troponin T consists of an extended NH2-terminal domain that interacts with tropomyosin and a globular COOH-terminal domain that interacts with tropomyosin, troponin I, and troponin C. In this study we used recombinant troponin T and troponin I fragments to delimit further the structural and regulatory interactions with the thin filament. Our results show the following: (i) the NH2-terminal region of troponin T activates the actomyosin ATPase in the presence of tropomyosin; (ii) the interaction of the globular domain of troponin T with the thin filament blocks ATPase activation in the absence of Ca2+; and (iii) the COOH-terminal region of the globular domain anchors the troponin C-troponin I binary complex to troponin T through a direct Ca2+-independent interaction with the NH2-terminal region of troponin I. This interaction is required for Ca2+-dependent activation of the actomyosin ATPase activity. Based on these results we propose a refined model for the troponin complex and its interaction with the thin filament.
Free vascularized fibula grafts for salvage of failed oncologic long bone reconstruction and pathologic fractures

Vascularized bone grafts, particularly the free fibula transfer, have incited revolutionary changes in the field of skeletal reconstruction. In no place has this been more evident than in oncologic reconstruction. The free vascularized fibula graft has been used to good effect for primary long‐bone reconstruction, long‐bone allograft complication salvage, and pathologic fracture salvage of the long bones. Although many of these procedures often entail significant complications, limb salvage has been made possible in a majority of patients using transfers of free vascularized fibula grafts. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the technique of onlay free vascularized fibula grafts for salvage of allograft complications and pathologic fractures of the long bones. This will be accomplished by reviewing the problem of allograft complications and pathologic fractures, the current treatment modalities available, the outcomes of these treatments, and future directions of treatment for this particular problem. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2009.
Keck LWS Images of the Compact Nebula around RY Scuti in the Thermal Infrared

We report new 3 to 20 μm Keck Telescope images of the massive eclipsing binary RY Scuti with ~0. ″25 spatial resolution. These images show complex structure near the diffraction limit of the 10 m telescope in a nebula less than 2'' across. The limb-brightened structure is consistent with optically thin emission from a circumstellar torus. At 3 to 5 μm, the extended emission is predominantly scattered photospheric light from the central stars. The 8.9, 11.7, 12.5, and 18.7 μm images are dominated by thermal emission from warm carbon and silicate dust in the outer regions of the torus. The new observations are consistent with the geometric models previously proposed by Gehrz et al. and Smith et al. to explain the structures observed in the circumstellar environment of RY Scuti. For example, the inside of the torus is ionized by the central star and shows strong emission from [Ne II] at 12.8 μm. Double-ring structure similar to that seen in Hubble Space Telescope images is partly resolved at the limb-brightened edges of the torus in the new mid-infrared continuum images, and the new IR images are consistent with two parallel dust rings adjacent to the ionized gas rings and farther from the star. The new mid-infrared images at 8.9, 11.7, and 12.5 μm show faint emission from a thin disk outside the previously detected torus. We estimate a dust mass in the torus of 1.4 × 10-6 M☉ and a neon abundance in the ionized gas of nNe/nH ≳ 1.77 × 10-4 from the 12.8 μm [Ne II] emission.
Clotrimazole Drug Resistance in Candida glabrata Clinical Isolates Correlates with Increased Expression of the Drug:H+ Antiporters CgAqr1, CgTpo1_1, CgTpo3, and CgQdr2

For years, antifungal drug resistance in Candida species has been associated to the expression of ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) multidrug transporters. More recently, a few drug eﬄux pumps from the Drug:H+ Antiporter (DHA) family have also been shown to play a role in this process, although to date only the Candida albicans Mdr1 transporter has been demonstrated to be relevant in the clinical acquisition of antifungal drug resistance. This work provides evidence to suggest the involvement of the C. glabrata DHA transporters CgAqr1, CgQdr2, CgTpo1_1, and CgTpo3 in the clinical acquisition of clotrimazole drug resistance. A screening for azole drug resistance in 138 C. glabrata clinical isolates, from patients attending two major Hospitals in Portugal, was performed. Based on this screening, 10 clotrimazole susceptible and 10 clotrimazole resistant isolates were selected for further analysis. The transcript levels of CgAQR1, CgQDR2, CgTPO1_1, and CgTPO3 were found to be significantly up-regulated in resistant isolates when compared to the susceptible ones, with a level of correlation that was found to be similar to that of CgCDR2, an ABC gene known to be involved in the clinical acquisition of resistance. As a proof-of-concept experiment, the CgTPO3 gene was deleted in an azole resistant C. glabrata isolate, exhibiting high levels of expression of this gene. The deletion of CgTPO3 in this isolate was found to lead to decreased resistance to clotrimazole and fluconazole, and increased accumulation of azole drugs, thus suggesting the involvement of this transporter in the manifestation of azole resistance.
Static, Dynamic, and Free Vibration Analysis of Functionally Graded Piezoelectric Panels Using Finite Element Method

In this article, analysis of the static bending, free vibration, and dynamic response of functionally graded piezoelectric panels have been carried out by finite element method under different sets of mechanical, thermal, and electrical loadings. The temperature field is assumed to be of uniform distribution over the panel surface and through the thickness of panel. The governing equations are obtained using potential energy and Hamilton’s principle based on the first-order shear deformation theory that includes thermo-piezoelectric effects. The finite element model is derived on the basis of constitutive equation of piezoelectric material accounting for coupling between elasticity and electric effect by four node elements. The present finite element is modeled with displacement components and electric potential as nodal degrees of freedom. The temperature field is calculated by post-computation through constitutive equation. Results are presented for two constituent FGPM panels under different mechanical boundary conditions. Numerical results for PZT-4/PZT-5H panels are given in both dimensionless tabular and graphical forms. Effects of material composition and boundary conditions on static bending, free vibration, and dynamic response are also studied. The numerical results obtained by the present model are in good agreement with the available solutions reported in the literature.
DECLARE: Full Support for Loosely-Structured Processes

Traditional workflow management systems (WFMSs) are not flexible enough to support loosely-structured processes. Furthermore, flexibility in contemporary WFMSs usually comes at a certain cost, such as lack of support for users, lack of methods for model analysis, lack of methods for analysis of past executions, etc. DECLARE is a proto-type of a WFMS that uses a constraint-based process modeling language for the development of declarative models describing loosely-structured processes. In this paper we show how DECLARE can support loosely-structured processes without sacrificing important WFMSs features like user support, model verification, analysis of past executions, changing models at run-time, etc.
Algorithms for scalable synchronization on shared-memory multiprocessors

Busy-wait techniques are heavily used for mutual exclusion andbarrier synchronization in shared-memory parallel programs.Unfortunately, typical implementations of busy-waiting tend to producelarge amounts of memory and interconnect contention, introducingperformance bottlenecks that become markedly more pronounced asapplications scale. We argue that this problem is not fundamental, andthat one can in fact construct busy-wait synchronization algorithms thatinduce no memory or interconnect contention. The key to these algorithmsis for every processor to spin on separatelocally-accessible flag variables,and for some other processor to terminate the spin with a single remotewrite operation at an appropriate time. Flag variables may be locally-accessible as a result of coherent caching, or by virtue ofallocation in the local portion of physically distributed sharedmemory. We present a new scalable algorithm for spin locks that generates 0(1) remote references per lockacquisition, independent of the number of processors attempting toacquire the lock. Our algorithm provides reasonable latency in theabsence of contention, requires only a constant amount of space perlock, and requires no hardware support other than a swap-with-memoryinstruction. We also present a new scalable barrier algorithm thatgenerates 0(1) remote references perprocessor reaching the barrier, and observe that two previously-knownbarriers can likewise be cast in a form that spins only onlocally-accessible flag variables. None of these barrier algorithmsrequires hardware support beyond the usual atomicity of memory reads andwrites. We compare the performance of our scalable algorithms with othersoftware approaches to busy-wait synchronization on both a SequentSymmetry and a BBN Butterfly. Our principal conclusion is thatcontention due to synchronization need not be a problemin large-scale shared-memory multiprocessors. Theexistence of scalable algorithms greatly weakens the case for costlyspecial-purpose hardware support for synchronization, and provides acase against so-called “dance hall” architectures, in whichshared memory locations are equally far from all processors. —From the Authors' Abstract
Is there a BMI Threshold Value Associated with a Lower Physical Capacity in Well-Functioning Older Adults? The Quebec Longitudinal Study

Objective: Identify a body mass index (BMI) threshold above which physical capacity would be significantly affected. Methods: This study included 904 physically independent older individuals aged between 67 and 84 years old. Measures were: BMI, physical capacity score (PCS) computed according to five lower extremity physical tests, sum of reported chronic conditions and physical activity level. Results: When subjects were divided in 10 BMI groups, no clear threshold was identified in men since the PCS was only significantly decreased in the heaviest group, which correspond to a BMI of >34.5 kg/m 2 . In women, a BMI of 30.5 kg/m 2 was identified as the threshold above which the PCS was significantly decreased compared with the reference group. Discussion: Although no clear BMI threshold was identify in older men, a BMI of 30.5 kg/m 2 in women was associated with a significantly lower physical capacity.
Central Role of Tumor-Associated CD8+ T Effector/Memory Cells in Restoring Systemic Antitumor Immunity1

Sustained delivery of IL-12 and GM-CSF to tumors induces the activation of tumor-resident CD8+ T effector/memory cells (Tem) followed by cytotoxic CD8+ T effector cell expansion. To determine whether the secondary effectors expanded from tumor-associated Tem or were primed de novo, activation kinetics of tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) CD8+ T cells were analyzed. Treatment promoted a 4-fold increase in the numbers of TDLN CD8+ T cells displaying a CD69+CCR5+CD62L− periphery-homing effector phenotype by day 4 posttherapy. Pulse labeling of tumor and TDLN T cells with BrdU confirmed that proliferation occurred exclusively within the draining lymph nodes between days 1 and 4 with subsequent migration of primed CD8+ T effectors to tumors on day 7. Day 4 CD8+ T effector cells preferentially homed to and lysed experimental, but not control, tumors, establishing tumor specificity. To determine whether the secondary CD8+ T effector cell response was dependent on activation of tumor-resident CD8+ Tem, mice that were selectively depleted of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells were treated and monitored for T effector priming. In the absence of tumor-resident CD8+ Tem, T effector cell expansion was completely abrogated in the TDLN, revealing that restoration of CD8+ Tem function was critical to the induction of secondary T effectors. T cell priming failed to occur in IFN-γ or perforin knockout mice, demonstrating that the requirement for Tem activation was associated with induction of Tem cytotoxicity. These data confirm that intratumoral IL-12 plus GM-CSF induces de novo priming of tumor-specific CD8+ T effector cells in the TDLN and establish the critical role of preexisting intratumoral CD8+ Tem in driving this process.
Modelling and Estimation of Correlated MIMO-OFDM Fading Channels

This paper presents a general reduced-rank channel model and a corresponding low-complexity estimation scheme for wideband spatial-correlated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. We focus on orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) based systems. The proposed reduced-rank model is useful for many post-channel-estimation applications such as channel state information (CSI) feedback, precoder design and user/channel selection. Our work is an extension of an earlier investigation on narrowband MIMO channels. Like the narrowband case, the proposed wide channel estimator also offer the advantage of rendering both channel coefficients and mean angle of departure (AoD) simultaneously. BY exploiting the time, frequency, and spatial correlations of the channel and with continuous-type pilot symbols, we found that, even with as high as a compression ratio of 1\%, our channel estimator is capable of maintaining an acceptable mean squared errors (MSE) in highly correlated environments. Both mathematical analysis and computer simulation, based on some industry-approved standard channel models, indicate that our algorithm outperform the conventional least-square estimator within most range of interest.
Reinforcement of Glass Ionomer Cement: Incorporating with Silk Fiber

Mina Bahrami-Abadi1, Masoumeh Khaghani1, Ahmad Monshi2, Ali Doostmohammadi3, Sara Alizadeh1,* 1 Young Researchers and Elite Club, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran 2 Advanced Materials Research Center, Faculty of Materials Engineering, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran 3 Materials Department, Engineering faculty, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran