Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Colored Fractional Anisotropy Mapping of the Ventralis Intermedius Nucleus of the Thalamus

BACKGROUND The ventralis intermedius (VIM) nucleus of the thalamus is the primary surgical target for treatment of tremor. Most centers rely on indirect targeting based on atlas-defined coordinates rather than patient-specific anatomy, making intraoperative physiological mapping critical. Detailed identification of this target based on patient-specific anatomic features can help optimize the surgical treatment of tremor. OBJECTIVE To study colored fractional anisotropic images and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography to identify characteristic magnetic resonance appearances of the VIM nucleus. METHODS Four patients undergoing stereotactic surgery for essential tremor (ET) were retrospectively studied with analysis of magnetic resonance imaging-based colored fractional anisotropy (FA) images and fiber tractography. All were scanned with a 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging unit, and all sequences were obtained before frame placement. Because the goal of this study was to identify the DTI characteristics of physiologically defined VIM nucleus, we selected and studied patients who had undergone DTI and had efficacious tremor control with intraoperative microlesioning effect and tremor reduction with less than 2.0-V stimulation. RESULTS Analysis of color FA maps, which graphically illustrate fiber directionality, revealed consistent anatomic patterns. The region of the VIM nucleus can be seen as an intermediate region where there is a characteristic transition of color. Presumptive VIM nucleus interconnectivity with sensorimotor cortex and cerebellum was identified via the internal capsule and the superior cerebellar peduncle, respectively. FA maps could also be used to distinguish segments of gray matter, white matter, and gray-white matter boundaries. CONCLUSION Analysis of DTI and FA maps on widely available 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging yields clear identification of various structures key to neurosurgical targeting. Prospective evaluation of integrating DTI into neurosurgical planning may be warranted. ABBREVIATIONS DBS: deep brain stimulation DTI: diffusion tensor imaging FA: fractional anisotropy PILC: posterior limb of the internal capsule VIM: ventralis intermedius
Proper Motions of Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies from Hubble Space Telescope Imaging. III. Measurement for Ursa Minor

This article presents a measurement of the proper motion of the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy determined from images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope in two distinct fields. Each field contains a quasi-stellar object that serves as the "reference point. " The measured proper motion for Ursa Minor, expressed in the equatorial coordinate system, is (μα, μδ) = (-50 ± 17, 22 ± 16) mas century-1. Removing the contributions of the solar motion and the motion of the local standard of rest yields the proper motion in the Galactic rest frame: (μ, μ) = (-8 ± 17, 38 ± 16) mas century-1. The implied space velocity with respect to the Galactic center has a radial component of Vr = -75 ± 44 km s-1 and a tangential component of Vt = 144 ± 50 km s-1. Integrating the motion of Ursa Minor in a realistic potential for the Milky Way produces orbital elements. The perigalacticon and apogalacticon are 40 (10, 76) and 89 (78, 160) kpc, respectively, where the values in the parentheses represent the 95% confidence intervals derived from Monte Carlo experiments. The eccentricity of the orbit is 0.39 (0.09, 0.79), and the orbital period is 1.5 (1.1, 2.7) Gyr. The orbit is retrograde and inclined by 124° (94°, 136°) to the Galactic plane. Ursa Minor is not a likely member of a proposed stream of galaxies on similar orbits around the Milky Way, nor is the plane of its orbit coincident with a recently proposed planar alignment of galaxies around the Milky Way. Comparing the orbits of Ursa Minor and Carina shows no reason for the different star formation histories of these two galaxies. Ursa Minor must contain dark matter to have a high probability of having survived disruption by the Galactic tidal force until the present.
Possible mechanisms explaining the tendency towards interstitial fibrosis in aristolochic acid-induced acute tubular necrosis.

BACKGROUND We explored possible mechanisms responsible for the inability of plerosis and the tendency towards fibrosis in aristolochic acid-induced acute tubular necrosis (AA-ATN). METHODS Renal biopsy tissues from eight AA-ATN cases were examined. Tubulointerstitial injury was semiquantitatively assessed. Immunohistochemical steptavidin-peroxide (SP) methods were used to determine the expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), epidermal growth factor (EGF), alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)), connecting tissue growth factor (CTGF), fibronectin (FN), collagen III (Col-III), collagen IV (Col-IV), factor VIII-related antigen (VIII-Ag) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Ultramicrostructure of endothelial cells and basement membrane of peritubular capillaries (PTC) and glomerular capillaries was detected by electron microscopy. These data were compared with that of 9 cases of antibiotic-induced ATN (a-ATN) and 10 cases of minor mesangioproliferative non-IgA glomerulonephritis, which served as a control group. RESULTS In AA-ATN, almost no renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC) were PCNA-positive (0.01 +/- 0.02%), and EGF expression was considerably decreased (9.55 +/- 7.22%). This was in contrast with the highly active tubular proliferation (PCNA-positive RTEC 47.25 +/- 19.33%, P < 0.05) and increased EGF expression in a-ATN (64.38 +/- 19.22%, P < 0.05). The expression of alpha-SMA in the tubulointerstitium, the number of interstitial TGF-beta(1)-positive cells and the CTGF-positive interstitial area were all increased in both a-ATN and AA-ATN, with no obvious differences between the two groups. With respect to extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, FN, Col-III and Col-IV were detected only in the interstitium of AA-ATN. PTC lumina were decreased in size and misshapen in the AA-ATN group. Also in AA-ATN, the luminal wall was partially disrupted, endothelial cells were swollen and vacuoles and granules were found in the cell plasma. Parts of the endothelial cells were detached from the tubular basement membrane. CONCLUSION The strong ability for RTEC repair after acute injury was severely diminished in AA-ATN, and this effect may be partly due to reduced EGF expression. Anti-fibrosis mechanisms may also be impaired in AA-ATN, since both a-ATN and AA-ATN had increased expression of TGF-beta(1) and CTGF, whereas only the latter group showed ECM deposition. Injury and loss of PTC occurred in AA-ATN, and this may contribute to tubulointerstitial damage, the inability of plerosis and the tendency towards fibrosis in this disease.
Thermal Impedance Monitoring during Power Cycling Tests

In this publication a new method of thermal impedance analysis of power modules is presented. It en& able s a distinction of different failure mechanisms within the heat flow path by electrical measurement during power cycling tests. With measurement and evaluation of the thermal impedance Zth the degra& dati on can be located within chip solder layer, system solder layer and thermal interface material. 1 Motivation Reliability of power modules at power and thermal cycling load is determined by the deterioration of the heat flow path between die and heat sink or coolant. Up today during accelerated reliability tests this failure is detected by increase of the online measured quasi steady&state thermal resistance R th. Ther eby the increased Rth is caused by degradations in different layers of the heat flow path of the modu le between junction and reference temperature point, usually the case or heat sink temperature. By standard the failure criterion is a 20% increase of the initial value. The monitored trend of the Rth does not provide any information which layer degraded. Further, due to noisy measurement data, low variations of the thermal resistance caused by the deterioration of materials remain undetected. Therefore the failure analyses are performed subsequently with Scanning Acoustic Microscopy, X&ray or metallographic preparation to obtain more detailed information about the aging status of the power module. These analyses are time&consuming, several of them destructive and do not always deliver convincing analysis results. The monitoring of thermal impedance parameters promises a simpler and faster non&destructive analysis method for power modules during reliability tests.
Characterization of the Floral Transcriptome of Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) at Different Flowering Developmental Stages by Transcriptome Sequencing and RNA-Seq Analysis

Background As an arborescent and perennial plant, Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houzeau, synonym Phyllostachys heterocycla Carrière) is characterized by its infrequent sexual reproduction with flowering intervals ranging from several to more than a hundred years. However, little bamboo genomic research has been conducted on this due to a variety of reasons. Here, for the first time, we investigated the transcriptome of developing flowers in Moso bamboo by using high-throughput Illumina GAII sequencing and mapping short reads to the Moso bamboo genome and reference genes. We performed RNA-seq analysis on four important stages of flower development, and obtained extensive gene and transcript abundance data for the floral transcriptome of this key bamboo species. Results We constructed a cDNA library using equal amounts of RNA from Moso bamboo leaf samples from non-flowering plants (CK) and mixed flower samples (F) of four flower development stages. We generated more than 67 million reads from each of the CK and F samples. About 70% of the reads could be uniquely mapped to the Moso bamboo genome and the reference genes. Genes detected at each stage were categorized to putative functional categories based on their expression patterns. The analysis of RNA-seq data of bamboo flowering tissues at different developmental stages reveals key gene expression properties during the flower development of bamboo. Conclusion We showed that a combination of transcriptome sequencing and RNA-seq analysis was a powerful approach to identifying candidate genes related to floral transition and flower development in bamboo species. The results give a better insight into the mechanisms of Moso bamboo flowering and ageing. This transcriptomic data also provides an important gene resource for improving breeding for Moso bamboo.
Occupancy monitoring using environmental & context sensors and a hierarchical analysis framework

Saving energy in residential and commercial buildings is of great interest due to diminishing resources. Heating ventilation and air conditioning systems, and electric lighting are responsible for a significant share of energy usage, which makes it desirable to optimise their operations while maintaining user comfort. Such optimisation requires accurate occupancy estimations. In contrast to current, often invasive or unreliable methods we present an approach for accurate occupancy estimation using a wireless sensor network (WSN) that only collects non-sensitive data and a novel, hierarchical analysis method. We integrate potentially uncertain contextual information to produce occupancy estimates at different levels of granularity and provide confidence measures for effective building management. We evaluate our framework in real-world deployments and demonstrate its effectiveness and accuracy for occupancy monitoring in both low- and high-traffic area scenarios. Furthermore, we show how the system is used for analysing historical data and identify effective room misuse and thus a potential for energy saving.
The Membrane-Bound H+-ATPase Complex Is Essential for Growth of Lactococcus lactis

ABSTRACT The eight genes which encode the (F1Fo) H+-ATPase in Lactococcus lactis subsp.cremoris MG1363 were cloned and sequenced. The genes were organized in an operon with the gene order atpEBFHAGDC; i.e., the order of atpE and atpB is reversed with respect to the more typical bacterial organization. The deduced amino acid sequences of the corresponding H+-ATPase subunits showed significant homology with the subunits from other organisms. Results of Northern blot analysis showed a transcript at approximately 7 kb, which corresponds to the size of theatp operon. The transcription initiation site was mapped by primer extension and coincided with a standard promoter sequence. In order to analyze the importance of the H+-ATPase forL. lactis physiology, a mutant strain was constructed in which the original atp promoter on the chromosome was replaced with an inducible nisin promoter. When grown on GM17 plates the resulting strain was completely dependent on the presence of nisin for growth. These data demonstrate that the H+-ATPase is essential for growth of L. lactis under these conditions.
Meth Matters: Report on Methamphetamine Users In Five Western Cities: (498462006-001)

Findings and conclusions of the research reported here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Acknowledgments Many individuals contributed to this project and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) gratefully recognizes their efforts. We commend Jeremy Travis, Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), for his willingness to provide the resources and thereby acknowledge that drug use is regional and that methamphetamine is a serious problem in parts of the country. Jack Riley, NIJ Program Monitor and Director of the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program, is appreciated as well for his support and thoughtful comments. Ann Marie Rocheleau of BOTEC Analysis, Inc., assisted in the design of the instrument and the development of questions. The project could not have taken place without the support and cooperation of the following ADAM Site Directors in the participating cities. We are grateful to Doug Anglin and Kiku Annon at UCLA. Diane Wiscarson in Portland and Barbara Zugor in Phoenix provided thoughtful comments during the design of the interview and review of findings. We appreciate the assistance of the following ADAM staff in San Jose: Cathy Casey, Linda Ramus, and Martha Wilson. We also would like to thank the members of the San Diego Meth Advisory Group, individuals who can tell the "meth story" and who helped us interpret our findings. The study would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of the ADAM interviewers; their work is admired and gratefully acknowledged. We also are appreciative of the arrestees who volunteered to share their experiences with meth. Finally, several staff in the SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Division contributed to the preparation and production of this report. Their contributions are significant and worthy of note:
Connection between the arcuate nucleus and the posterior lobe of the hypophysis. An angiotensin II immunohistochemical study in rats

SUMMARY The aim of this study was to perform an immunohistochemical study of the angiotensinergic pathway from the arcuate nucleus (AN) to the posterior lobe of the hypophysis (PLH) of 10week-old matched normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), using our own policlonal antibody raised in mice against Angiotensin II (mouseantiangiotensin II, MAAII). Cells and fibers in the rostroventral and dorsocaudal parts of the AN, the internal zone of the median eminence and PLH showed immunoreactive material for antiangiotensin II. Angiontensin II fibers originating in the anteroventral part of the AN, crossing median eminence (ME) and infundibular stem and arriving at the PLH were also observed.
Functional Vascular Smooth Muscle-like Cells Derived from Adult Mouse Uterine Mesothelial Cells

In mammalian visceral organs, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) originate from an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of embryonic mesothelial cells (MCs). The ability of adult MCs to recapitulate EMT and to acquire smooth muscle (SM) markers upon provasculogenic culture suggested they might retain embryonic vasculogenic differentiation potential. However, it remains unknown whether adult MCs-derived SM-like cells may acquire specific vascular SM lineage markers and the functionality of differentiated contractile VSMCs. Here, we describe how a gentle trypsinization of adult mouse uterine cords could selectively detach their outermost uterine mesothelial layer cells. As other MCs; uterine MCs (UtMCs) uniformly expressed the epithelial markers β-catenin, ZO-1, E-cadherin, CD54, CD29, and CK18. When cultured in a modified SM differentiation media (SMDM) UtMCs initiated a loss of epithelial characteristics and gained markers expression of EMT (Twist, Snail, and Slug), stem and progenitor (Nanog, Sox2, C-kit, Gata-4, Isl-1, and nestin), SM (α-SMA, calponin, caldesmon, SM22α, desmin, SM-MHC, and smoothelin-B) and cardiac (BMP2, BMP4, ACTC1, sACTN, cTnI, cTnT, ANF, Cx43, and MLC2a). UtMCs repeatedly subcultured in SMDM acquired differentiated VSM-like characteristics and expressed smoothelin-B in the typical stress-fiber pattern expression of contractile VSMCs. Relevantly, UtMCs-derived VSM-like cells could generate “mechanical force” to compact collagen lattices and displayed in diverse degree voltage (K+) and receptor (endothelin-1, oxytocin, norepinephrine, carbachol and vasopressin)-induced [Ca2+]i rises and contraction. Thus, we show for the first time that UtMCs could recapitulate in vitro differentiative events of early cardiovascular differentiation and transdifferentiate in cells exhibiting molecular and functional characteristics of VSMCs.
Option Pricing with Selfsimilar Additive Processes

The use of time-inhomogeneous additive processes in option pricing has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the ability of these models to adequately price across both strike and maturity with relatively few parameters. In this paper we use the property of selfsimilarity to construct two classes of models whose time one distributions agree with those of prespecified Levy processes. The pricing errors of these models are assessed for the case of Standard and Poor’s 500 index options from the year 2005. We find that both classes of models show dramatic improvement in pricing error over their associated Levy processes. Furthermore, with regard to the average of the pricing errors over the quote dates studied, one such model yields a mean pricing error significantly less than that implied by the bid-ask
Building Efficiency and Sustainability in the Tropics ( SinBerBEST ) Title Social Game for Building Energy Efficiency : Incentive Design Permalink

We present analysis and results of a social game encouraging energy efficient behavior in occupants by distributing points which determine the likelihood of winning in a lottery. We estimate occupants utilities and formulate the interaction between the building manager and the occupants as a reversed Stackelberg game in which there are multiple followers that play in a non-cooperative game. The estimated utilities are used for determining the occupant behavior in the non-cooperative game. Due to nonconvexities and complexity of the problem, in particular the size of the joint distribution across the states of the occupants, we solve the resulting the bilevel optimization problem using a particle swarm optimization method. Drawing from the distribution across player states, we compute the Nash equilibrium of the game using the resulting leader choice. We show that the behavior of the agents under the leader choice results in greater utility for the leader.
Towards a unified account of resultative constructions in Korean

This paper discusses predicative resultative constructions in Korean and argues that they are actually a kind of clausal resultative construction (see the two types of resultatives in Wechsler and Noh, 2001). In particular, I propose the following hypotheses: (i) the resultative predicate, X-key, is morphosyntactically an adverb rather than an adjective, (ii) X-key forms a fully saturated clause (i.e., result clause) (sometimes with the predication subject omitted), and (iii) the result clause is a complement of the main verb in a resultative sentence. Based on these properties, a unified analysis of the resultative constructions is formalized in Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG) (Pollard and Sag, 1994; Sag et al., 2003).
Effect of sex, stage of reproduction, season and mate removal on prolactin in dark-eyed juncos

Prolactin has been associated with incubation and brooding in passerine birds, but its possible association with other parental behaviors remains unclear. We measured plasma concentrations of prolactin (prl) in Dark-eyed Juncos (Bunco hyemalis), a species in which only females incubate and brood but both sexes feed nestlings. Breeding males and females were bled at the time their eggs hatched, and half the males were taken from their territories. Females and the remaining males were bled again when their young left the nest. Removed males were quickly replaced by new males, some of which we caught and bled. Replacement males courted the females but rarely fed their predecessors’ young. Removed males were held in an aviary and bled again in late summer. Prl concentrations were higher in females than males, both at hatching and at nest leaving. Female prl was higher at hatching than at nest leaving and did not vary seasonally. Male prl was higher at hatching than at nest leaving and higher earlier in the season than later. Rearing young alone had no detectable effect on prl in females. Prl of replacement males was lower than that of fathers at hatching but not at nest leaving. Prl in removed males in the aviary was lower than in fathers at hatching but not at nest leaving. These patterns of prl secretion resemble those in other species that raise more than one brood per season and in which females provide the bulk of parental care. In addition, prl may be associated with male parental behavior in juncos.
Production, perception, and communicative goals of American newscaster speech

Abstract Listeners often have the intuition that the speech of broadcast news reporters somehow ‘sounds different’; previous literature supports this observation and has described some distinctive aspects of newscaster register. This article presents two studies further describing the characteristic properties and functions of American English newscaster speech, focusing specifically on prosody. In the first, we investigate the production of newscaster speech. We describe the measurable differences in pitch, speed, intensity, and melodic features between newscaster and conversational speech, and connect those traits to perceptions of authority, credibility, charisma, and related characteristics. In the second, we investigate the perception of newscaster speech. Our experiments demonstrate that listeners can distinguish newscaster from conversational speech given only prosodic information, and that they use a subset of the newscasters’ distinguishing features to do so. (News, prosody, discourse registers, speech perception, credibility, authority)*