Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Host plant and latitude‐related diapause variation in Rhagoletis pomonella: a test for multifaceted life history adaptation on different stages of diapause development

Variation in the overwintering pupal diapause of Rhagoletis pomonella appears to adapt sympatric populations of the fly to seasonal differences in the fruiting times of their host plants, generating ecological reproductive isolation. Here, we investigate what aspects of diapause development are differentially affected (1) by comparing the propensities of apple vs. hawthorn‐infesting host races of R. pomonella to forgo an initially deep diapause and directly develop into adults, and (2) by determining the chronological order that R. pomonella races and sibling species break diapause and eclose when reared under standardized environmental conditions. The results imply that factors affecting initial diapause depth (and/or differential mortality during the prewintering period) and those determining the timing of diapause termination or rates of post‐diapause development are both under differential selection and are to some degree genetically uncoupled in flies. The modular nature of diapause life history adaptation in Rhagoletis suggests that phenology may involve multiple genetic changes and represent a stronger ecological barrier separating phytophagous specialists than is generally appreciated.
Some Limits to Software Estimation

Algorithmic (KCS) complexity results can be interpreted as indicating some limits to software estimation. While these limits are abstract they nevertheless contradict enthusiastic claims occasionally made by commercial software estimation advocates. Specifically, if it is accepted that algorithmic complexity is an appropriate definition of the complexity of a programming project, then claims of purely objective estimation of project complexity, development time, and programmer productivity are necessarily incorrect.
Physical Methods for Intracellular Delivery

Effective intracellular delivery is a significant impediment to research and therapeutic applications at all processing scales. Physical delivery methods have long demonstrated the ability to deliver cargo molecules directly to the cytoplasm or nucleus, and the mechanisms underlying the most common approaches (microinjection, electroporation, and sonoporation) have been extensively investigated. In this review, we discuss established approaches, as well as emerging techniques (magnetofection, optoinjection, and combined modalities). In addition to operating principles and implementation strategies, we address applicability and limitations of various in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo platforms. Importantly, we perform critical assessments regarding (1) treatment efficacy with diverse cell types and delivered cargo molecules, (2) suitability to different processing scales (from single cell to large populations), (3) suitability for automation/integration with existing workflows, and (4) multiplexing potential and flexibility/adaptability to enable rapid changeover between treatments of varied cell types. Existing techniques typically fall short in one or more of these criteria; however, introduction of micro-/nanotechnology concepts, as well as synergistic coupling of complementary method(s), can improve performance and applicability of a particular approach, overcoming barriers to practical implementation. For this reason, we emphasize these strategies in examining recent advances in development of delivery systems.
Liquid facets-Related (lqfR) Is Required for Egg Chamber Morphogenesis during Drosophila Oogenesis

Clathrin interactor 1 [CLINT1] (also called enthoprotin/EpsinR) is an Epsin N-terminal homology (ENTH) domain-containing adaptor protein that functions in anterograde and retrograde clathrin-mediated trafficking between the trans-Golgi network and the endosome. Removal of both Saccharomyces cerevisiae homologs, Ent3p and Ent5p, result in yeast that are viable, but that display a cold-sensitive growth phenotype and mistrafficking of various vacuolar proteins. Similarly, either knock-down or overexpression of vertebrate CLINT1 in cell culture causes mistrafficking of proteins. Here, we have characterized Drosophila CLINT1, liquid-facets Related (lqfR). LqfR is ubiquitously expressed throughout development and is localized to the Golgi and endosome. Strong hypomorphic mutants generated by imprecise P-element excision exhibit extra macrochaetae, rough eyes and are female sterile. Although essentially no eggs are laid, the ovaries do contain late-stage egg chambers that exhibit abnormal morphology. Germline clones reveal that LqfR expression in the somatic follicle cells is sufficient to rescue the oogenesis defects. Clones of mutant lqfR follicle cells have a decreased cell size consistent with a downregulation of Akt1. We find that while total Akt1 levels are increased there is also a significant decrease in activated phosphorylated Akt1. Taken together, these results show that LqfR function is required to regulate follicle cell size and signaling during Drosophila oogenesis.
Guidelines on the insertion and management of central venous access devices in adults

Central venous access devices are used in many branched of medicine where venous access is required for either long‐term or a short‐term care. These guidelines review the types of access devices available and make a number of major recommendations. Their respective advantages and disadvantages in various clinical settings are outlined. Patient care prior to, and immediately following insertion is discussed in the context of possible complications and how these are best avoided. There is a section addressing long‐term care of in‐dwelling devices. Techniques of insertion and removal are reviewed and management of the problems which are most likely to occur following insertion including infection, misplacement and thrombosis are discussed. Care of patients with coagulopathies is addressed and there is a section addressing catheter‐related problems.
Can Patients Receiving Opioid Maintenance Therapy Safely Drive? A Systematic Review of Epidemiological and Experimental Studies on Driving Ability With a Focus on Concomitant Methadone or Buprenorphine Administration

Objective: To perform a systematic review of the present scientific literature on the treatment with methadone or buprenorphine related to (1) traffic accident risk in epidemiological studies and (2) their effects on cognitive and psychomotor functions of relevance to driving in experimental studies. Methods: Searches for corresponding literature were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO throughout March and June of 2010. The search strategy consisted of words colligated to accident risk and culpability, in addition to cognitive and psychomotor functions of relevance to driving, all in relation to methadone or buprenorphine administration. In total, 59 studies were included. Results: Early epidemiological studies found no substantial difference in motor vehicle accident risk between methadone maintenance therapy patients (MMPs) and control groups. However, more recent studies have found an increased risk of traffic accident involvement for both MMPs and buprenorphine maintenance therapy patients (BMPs). In experimental studies, impairments of cognitive and psychomotor functions have been observed among both MMPs and BMPs when compared to control groups. When comparing MMPs with BMPs, the latter appeared to be less impaired than MMPs, but this difference may be unrelated to the maintenance therapy. Further impairments have been observed among MMPs after single doses, after an additional versus regular daily dosing, in multiple versus single dosing, and after long-term treatment compared to baseline levels. All studies showed impairments among opioid-naïve subjects after the administration of a comparatively low and single dose of either methadone or buprenorphine. Conclusions: Both methadone and buprenorphine were confirmed as having impairing potentials in opioid-naïve subjects. At least some opioid maintenance therapy patients are observed having only slight impairments of relevance to driving. Knowing this when approaching the question of ability to drive, an individual evaluation of the driving performance, pertaining to the opioid maintained patient, may be the most useful and conclusive procedure. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Traffic Injury Prevention to view the supplemental file.
Improvements of task performance in daily life after acquired brain injury using commonly available everyday technology

Purpose. To investigate how individualised occupation-based interventions with commonly available everyday technology (ET) can compensate for perceived difficulties with daily life tasks after an aquired brain injury (ABI) and improve satisfaction with occupational performance. Method. This intervention study was designed as a multiple case study according to Yin. Ten men and women with an ABI (traumatic or non-traumatic) participated. Data were collected through interviews, observations and field notes before and after the intervention and at follow-up (on average 11 weeks afterwards). The interventions focused on enabling each participant's prioritised goals related to task performance in daily life. Results. All participants achieved all their goals by learning to use both new functions in their own familiar ET and new ET. The participant's perceived difficulties in occupational performance decreased and their satisfaction with occupational performance increased with the use of ET. Conclusions. An individualised intervention process, involving the use of own familiar ET or ET off-the-shelf, has the potential to compensate for perceived difficulties following an ABI and improve satisfaction with occupational performance in daily life.
Association Between a Functional Variant of the KLOTHO Gene and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Stroke, and Longevity

We previously identified a functional variant of KLOTHO, termed KL-VS, that is associated with human aging and early-onset occult coronary artery disease. Here, we determine whether the KL-VS allele influences cardiovascular disease risk factors, cardiovascular events, and ultimately, mortality. A total of 525 Ashkenazi Jews composed of 216 probands (age ≥95 years) and 309 unrelated individuals (ages 51 to 94) were genotyped for the KL-VS allele. In concordance with our previous data in Czech individuals (age ≥79; P<0.01), a heterozygous advantage for longevity was observed for individuals ≥79 years of age (P<0.004). Combined analysis indicates a 1.57-fold (95% CI, 1.23 to 1.98) increased odds ratio (OR) for 5-year survival in two independent populations (P<0.0002). Cardiovascular disease risk factors were assessed through multivariate regression analysis, demonstrating that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; P<0.05) and systolic blood pressure (SBP; P<0.008) are associated with KL-VS genotype. History of vascular events was analyzed using logistic regression, indicating that after adjustment for traditional risk factors, heterozygous individuals were at significantly lower risk for stroke than wild-type individuals (OR, 5.88; 95% CI, 1.18 to 29.41), whereas homozygous KL-VS individuals had the highest risk (OR, 30.65; 95% CI, 2.55 to 368.00). Similarly, prospective analysis of mortality in probands using Cox regression indicates that wild-type individuals have a 2.15-fold (95% CI, 1.18 to 3.91) and homozygous KL-VS individuals a 4.49-fold (95% CI, 1.35 to 14.97) increase in relative risk for mortality after adjusting for potential confounders. Thus, cross-sectional and prospective studies confirm a genetic model in which the KL-VS allele confers a heterozygous advantage in conjunction with a marked homozygous disadvantage for HDL-C levels, SBP, stroke, and longevity.
Protein depletion in Thai patients with hip fractures.

OBJECTIVE Study the prevalence of protein depletion and determine the effect of protein depletion on postoperative complications. MATERIAL AND METHOD A retrospective study was performed in 255 Thai elderly patients who had been admitted to Siriraj Hospital because of a fracture of the hip. The level of albumin was the parameter used to determine the degree of protein depletion. The effects of protein depletion that were examined were the length of hospital stay and the development of complications. RESULTS Ninety-seven patients (44.5%) in the study group were in a protein-depleted state during the period of hospitalization. The patients who were protein-depleted had a higher prevalence of complications and tended to stay in the hospital longer, compared with the nonprotein-depleted patients. CONCLUSION Thai elderly patients who sustain the trauma of a fracture of the hip should be managed appropriately for the intake of nutrients during the hospitalized period to improve their health status.
Wideband Dual-Polarized and Dual-Monopulse Compact Array for SAR System Integration Applications

A wideband dual-polarized and dual-monopulse array with highly self-compact configuration is proposed for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) applications. To investigate the monopulse performances, a monopulse comparator network integrated with a 16 × 32 antenna array is designed to form a complete monopulse array. In order to realize the complicated monopulse array and avoid the disadvantages from conventional machining methods in manufacturing waveguide structures, a 3-D metal-direct-printing technique is adopted in this work to obtain better mechanical and electrical performances. Experimental results show that the monopulse array can operate in a wide bandwidth of 12.5% in the Ku-band. Port isolation and polarization isolation better than 30 and 45 dB are achieved, respectively. Furthermore, satisfactory monopulse performances in sumand difference-patterns are also obtained in the wideband. In particular, a high efficiency of 95% is achieved at the center frequency of the sum-patterns, validating the design feasibility and merit of the 3-D printing technique in SAR applications.
Dynamic and Contextual Information in HMM Modeling for Handwritten Word Recognition

This study aims at building an efficient word recognition system resulting from the combination of three handwriting recognizers. The main component of this combined system is an HMM-based recognizer which considers dynamic and contextual information for a better modeling of writing units. For modeling the contextual units, a state-tying process based on decision tree clustering is introduced. Decision trees are built according to a set of expert-based questions on how characters are written. Questions are divided into global questions, yielding larger clusters, and precise questions, yielding smaller ones. Such clustering enables us to reduce the total number of models and Gaussians densities by 10. We then apply this modeling to the recognition of handwritten words. Experiments are conducted on three publicly available databases based on Latin or Arabic languages: Rimes, IAM, and OpenHart. The results obtained show that contextual information embedded with dynamic modeling significantly improves recognition.
Temporally Dissociable Mechanisms of Self-Control: Early Attentional Filtering Versus Late Value Modulation

Optimal decision-making often requires exercising self-control. A growing fMRI literature has implicated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) in successful self-control, but due to the limitations inherent in BOLD measures of brain activity, the neurocomputational role of this region has not been resolved. Here we exploit the high temporal resolution and whole-brain coverage of event-related potentials (ERPs) to test the hypothesis that dlPFC affects dietary self-control through two different mechanisms: attentional filtering and value modulation. Whereas attentional filtering of sensory input should occur early in the decision process, value modulation should occur later on, after the computation of stimulus values begins. Hungry human subjects were asked to make food choices while we measured neural activity using ERP in a natural condition, in which they responded freely and did not exhibit a tendency to regulate their diet, and in a self-control condition, in which they were given a financial incentive to lose weight. We then measured various neural markers associated with the attentional filtering and value modulation mechanisms across the decision period to test for changes in neural activity during the exercise of self-control. Consistent with the hypothesis, we found evidence for top-down attentional filtering early on in the decision period (150–200 ms poststimulus onset) as well as evidence for value modulation later in the process (450–650 ms poststimulus onset). We also found evidence that dlPFC plays a role in the deployment of both mechanisms.
Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) Standards in the United States

Wireless vehicular communication has the potential to enable a host of new applications, the most important of which are a class of safety applications that can prevent collisions and save thousands of lives. The automotive industry is working to develop the dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) technology, for use in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-roadside communication. The effectiveness of this technology is highly dependent on cooperative standards for interoperability. This paper explains the content and status of the DSRC standards being developed for deployment in the United States. Included in the discussion are the IEEE 802.11p amendment for wireless access in vehicular environments (WAVE), the IEEE 1609.2, 1609.3, and 1609.4 standards for Security, Network Services and Multi-Channel Operation, the SAE J2735 Message Set Dictionary, and the emerging SAE J2945.1 Communication Minimum Performance Requirements standard. The paper shows how these standards fit together to provide a comprehensive solution for DSRC. Most of the key standards are either recently published or expected to be completed in the coming year. A reader will gain a thorough understanding of DSRC technology for vehicular communication, including insights into why specific technical solutions are being adopted, and key challenges remaining for successful DSRC deployment. The U.S. Department of Transportation is planning to decide in 2013 whether to require DSRC equipment in new vehicles.
A Production–Inventory Problem for an Energy Buy-Back Program

This paper considers a production-inventory problem in which the manufacturer participates in an energy buy-back program, which offers probabilistic opportunities with rewards for not using electricity. That is, the manufacturer will get paid for stopping production to save on electricity. The amount rewarded in a period will depend on the electricity market condition at that time. The market condition in any given period is represented by states: normal (i.e., nonpeak), peak type , peak type , and the reward amount in the period will be, and, respectively. The occurrence of each state in a period is dictated by a known probability distribution. The objective is to determine from the manufacturer's perspective, whether to take such an offer when it arises. Under a mild assumption, we show that in the normal market condition, the production decision is partly a base-stock policy, whereas under peak type condition, the manufacturer, upon accepting the offer, produces according to an policy, where. The numerical experiment demonstrates that the cost savings due to buy-backs can be substantial. It also shows that the always-participating strategy (i.e., the firm shuts down production whenever the buy-back program is activated) can perform much worse than the never-participating strategy.
Comparative study of three diagnostic approaches (FISH, STRs and MLPA) in 30 patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is commonly diagnosed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with commercial probes. The chromosomal breakpoints and deletion size are subsequently characterized by short tandem repeat (STR) segregation tests or by further FISH probes. Recently, a multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA) single tube assay was developed to detect deletions of the 22q11.2 region and other chromosomal regions associated with DiGeorge/velocardiofacial syndrome. We have compared the results of these three techniques in a group of 30 patients affected with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. MLPA correctly called all patients who had been previously diagnosed by FISH. The MLPA results were concordant in all patients with the STR analysis in respect to deletion size. Furthermore, this novel technique resolved seven cases that were undetermined by STR analysis. These results confirm the efficiency of MLPA as a rapid, reliable, economical, high‐throughput method for the diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.
Heterologous Prime-Boost Vaccination Using an AS03B-Adjuvanted Influenza A(H5N1) Vaccine in Infants and Children <3 Years of Age

Abstract Background. Protecting young children from pandemic influenza should also reduce transmission to susceptible adults, including pregnant women. Methods. An open study assessed immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a heterologous booster dose of A/turkey/Turkey/1/2005(H5N1)-AS03B (AS03B is an Adjuvant System containing α-tocopherol and squalene in an oil-in-water emulsion [5.93 mg tocopherol]) in infants and children aged 6 to < 36 months that was given 6 months following 2-dose primary vaccination with A/Indonesia/05/2005(H5N1)-AS03B. Vaccines contained 1.9 µg of hemagglutinin antigen and AS03B. Hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) responses, microneutralization titers, and antineuraminidase antibody levels were assessed for 6 months following the booster vaccination. Results. For each age stratum (defined on the basis of the subject's age at first vaccination as 6 to < 12 months, 12 to < 24 months, and 24 to < 36 months) and overall (n = 113), European influenza vaccine licensure criteria were fulfilled for responses to A/turkey/Turkey/1/2005(H5N1) 10 days following the booster vaccination. Local pain and fever increased with consecutive doses. Anamnestic immune responses were demonstrated for HI, neutralizing, and antineuraminidase antibodies against vaccine-homologous/heterologous strains. Antibody responses to vaccine-homologous/heterologous strains persisted in all children 6 months following the booster vaccination. Conclusions. Prevaccination of young children with a clade 2 strain influenza A(H5N1) AS03-adjuvanted vaccine followed by heterologous booster vaccination boosted immune responses to the homologous strain and a related clade, with persistence for at least 6 months. The results support a prime-boost vaccination approach in young children for pandemic influenza preparedness. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT01323946.
NUMERICAL MODELING OF FLOW IN GASDYNAMIC RESONATOR AND MODEL VALIDATION BY RESULTS OF PULSE ENGINE TESTS

Pulse engines attract growing interest due to possibility of aeroengine performance improvement based on change-over from the heatsupply-at-constant-pressure cycle to the periodic heat-supply-at-constant-volume cycle. One of the possible realizations of this concept is an excitation of high-frequency oscillations in a gasdynamic resonator that is periodically filled with a specially prepared air-fuel mixture. This work is devoted to the development of the mathematical and numerical model of fluid dynamics in such resonator. Comparison of obtained numerical simulation results with the results of experiments involving the pulse demonstrator engine is presented.