Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of the Outer Lindblad Resonance of the Galactic Bar on the Local Stellar Velocity Distribution

Hydrodynamic modeling of the inner Galaxy suggests that the radius of the outer Lindblad resonance (OLR) of the Galactic bar lies in the vicinity of the Sun. How does this resonance affect the distribution function in the outer parts of a barred disk, and can we identify any effect of the resonance in the velocity distribution actually observed in the solar neighborhood? To answer these questions, detailed simulations of the velocity distribution, f(v), in the outer parts of an exponential stellar disk with nearly flat rotation curve and a rotating central bar have been performed. For a model resembling the old stellar disk, the OLR causes a distinct feature in f(v) over a significant fraction of the outer disk. For positions up to 2 kpc outside the OLR radius and at bar angles of ∼10°–70°, this feature takes the form of a bimodality between the dominant mode of low-velocity stars centered on the local standard of rest (LSR) and a secondary mode of stars predominantly moving outward and rotating more slowly than the LSR. Such a bimodality is indeed present in f(v) inferred from the Hipparcos data for late-type stars in the solar neighborhood. If one interprets this observed bimodality as induced by the OLR—and there are hardly any viable alternatives—then one is forced to deduce that the OLR radius is slightly smaller than R0. Moreover, by a quantitative comparison of the observed with the simulated distributions, one finds that the pattern speed of the bar is 1.85 ± 0.15 times the local circular frequency, where the error is dominated by the uncertainty in bar angle and local circular speed. Also, other, less prominent but still significant, features in the observed f(v) resemble properties of the simulated velocity distributions, in particular a ripple caused by orbits trapped in the outer 1:1 resonance.
Expression of M type 12 protein by a group A streptococcus exhibits phaselike variation: evidence for coregulation of colony opacity determinants and M protein

Three major categories of colony opacity were observed for natural variants of the M type 12 (M12) group A streptococcus strain CS24. Colony opacity variants that switched between two alternative categories at significantly high frequencies were identified and are referred to as switching between more opaque (Op+) and less opaque (Op-) phenotypes. Twenty lineages of such variants were derived for analysis and were assessed for resistance to phagocytosis, acid-extractable M12 antigen, and M12 mRNA, criteria which define the M protein-positive phenotype (M+). Transition from the M+ to the M protein-negative phenotype (M-) correlated with a change from Op+ to Op-. Reversion to the Op+ phenotype was accompanied by reversion to the M+ state in all variants except one and occurred at a higher frequency than the forward M+ to M- switch. These data demonstrate the existence of M12 protein phaselike switching in the group A streptococcus strain CS24. The discovery of an Op+ M- revertant confirmed that colony opacity and M protein can be expressed independently and are distinct gene products. We suggest that coregulation of colony opacity and M protein expression accounts for their association among descendents of strain CS24. Southern blot hybridization analyses of digested genomic DNA from 27 M- variants and 15 M+ revertants were performed with DNA probes containing M12 protein and adjacent upstream sequences. DNA deletions were identified only in two stable M- variants, approximately 1.3 and 1.4 kilobases upstream from the M12 gene, respectively, whereas all unstable M- variants lacked detectable rearrangements. This suggests that deletions within or adjacent to the structural gene are unlikely to be responsible for the reversible switch in M protein expression. However, the association with the stable M- phenotype and the location of these deletions, as well as two other deletions, approximately 0.5 kilobase upstream from the M12 promoter in two previously described variants of strain CS24 suggests that a second gene product is required for full expression of M12 protein synthesis in this strain.
Determination of legitimate speakers of English in ESL discourse: social-cultural aspects of selected issues – power, subjectivity and equality

In an English-speaking country, non-native adult English speakers have many opportunities to engage in ESL discourse with native English speakers, especially in the form of oral communication. However, non-native adult English speakers in general possess less English linguistic capital (a type of cultural capital) (Bourdieu, 1986) than native English speakers, which can cause communication inequality that eventually may impede communication flow and efficiency as well as participatory motivation. The purpose of the study was to explore non-native adult English speakers’ perspectives regarding participatory legitimacy in the U.S. ESL discourse. Participatory legitimacy is thought to emerge from the underlying power relationships between native and nonnative English speakers in the scope of discursive proficiency and socio-cultural status. The study, based upon a case study of six non-native adult English speakers of varied ethnicities and linguistic backgrounds, analyzed the interaction dynamics of the participating non-native adult English speakers with native English speakers. The major data set was collected from semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and participatory observations of communicative activities both inside and outside an adult ESL classroom. It should be noted that the outside observations were viewed as supplementary.
Adding QoS protection in order to enhance MPLS QoS routing

In this paper, a method for enhancing current QoS routing methods by means of QoS protection is presented. In an MPLS network, the segments (links) to be protected are predefined and an LSP request involves, apart from establishing a working path, creating a specific type of backup path (local, reverse or global). Different QoS parameters, such as network load balancing, resource optimization and minimization of LSP request rejection should be considered. QoS protection is defined as a function of QoS parameters, such as packet loss, restoration time, and resource optimization. A framework to add QoS protection to many of the current QoS routing algorithms is introduced. A backup decision module to select the most suitable protection method is formulated and different case studies are analyzed.
Comment: Response to an article by Hamilton et al. on 'Effects of colony stimulating factor-1 on human extravillous trophoblast growth and invasion'.

We wish to comment on the article by Hamilton et al. 1998. Table 1 shows the similarities and differences between the observations made in the two papers (Lewis et al. 1996, Hamilton et al. 1998) which have investigated the roles of colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) and its receptor (c-fms) in human extravillous cytotrophoblast (EVCT). Both types of EVCT show the components of a CSF-1/ c-fms autocrine loop, and it is clear that there is no role for CSF-1 in controlling EVCT invasion (Table 1). However, in primary cells (designated EVT), CSF-1 was a positive regulator of cell proliferation (Hamilton et al. 1998), whereas in immortalised TCL-1 cells (and in BeWo choriocarcinoma) CSF-1 appeared to be an inhibitor of such proliferation (Lewis et al. 1996). There are a number of factors which may contribute to this difference in the data obtained, but we must firstly point out that Hamilton et al. have not reported our previous data accurately. In the last paragraph of the discussion they state ‘‘. those cells (TCL-1 cells) also exhibited an autocrine CSF-1 loop which enhanced proliferation. ’’ This is the opposite of what we reported (Lewis et al. 1996), that ‘‘Proliferation of TCL-1 cells . was elevated in response to treatment with a CSF-1 neutralising antibody. ’’ (abstract). We therefore suggested that CSF-1 may be a differentiation or maturation factor which suppresses the proliferation of trophoblasts (Aplin 1991). Possible explanations for the differences in effects of CSF-1 include the following: (1) EVT were obtained by culture of adherent cells and explants from minced first trimester villi (Hamilton et al. 1998), whereas TCL-1 were from chorionic membranes and immortalised with the SV40 large-T antigen (Lewis et al. 1996). There may be a change in trophoblast response to CSF-1 depending on gestational age, intrauterine location or, as described by Hamilton et al., the fact that TCL-1 were immortalised. (2) TCL-1 cells did not respond to CSF-1, and the levels of CSF-1 released were sufficient to saturate the c-fms receptor (Lewis et al. 1996). The release of CSF-1 from EVT cells was not quantified, but the response of the cells to CSF-1 in vitro suggested that the receptor would not be saturated. The quantity of CSF-1 needed (62·5 ng/ml, or 2750 nM) is higher than the accepted affinity of the c-fms receptor (230 nM). (3) The proliferation indices of the cells seem to differ markedly. In serum-free medium, EVT incorporated 400–1000 c.p.m. /6 h (Hamilton et al. 1998). TCL-1 cells incorporated about 300 000 dpm/h (our unpublished data), a rate substantially greater. The EVT cells were examined on day 5 of culture, in contrast to TCL-1 cells
The Religion of Yesterday, the Atheism of Today, and the Philosophy of the Future Ontological Anti-Realism, Lightweight Realism, and Buddhism as the Middle Path

Given the contemporary trend in favour of austerer ontological commitments, it would appear that Buddhism as a religion would have renewed relevance in the ontological debate concerning what exists. In what follows, I will argue that the ontological anti-realism of Madhyamaka Buddhism shares enough family resemblances with the lightweight realism of scientific naturalism to warrant a new look in, particularly in resolving ontological stalemates in the debate between the
Efficient dispersal of information for security, load balancing, and fault tolerance

An Information Dispersal Algorithm (IDA) is developed that breaks a file <italic>F</italic> of length <italic>L</italic> = ↿ <italic>F</italic>↾ into <italic>n</italic> pieces <italic>F<subscrpt>i</subscrpt></italic>, l ≤ <italic>i</italic> ≤ <italic>n</italic>, each of length ↿<italic>F<subscrpt>i</subscrpt></italic>↾ = <italic>L</italic>/<italic>m</italic>, so that every <italic>m</italic> pieces suffice for reconstructing <italic>F</italic>. Dispersal and reconstruction are computationally efficient. The sum of the lengths ↿<italic>F</italic><subscrpt>i</subscrpt>↾ is (<italic>n</italic>/<italic>m</italic>) · <italic>L</italic>. Since <italic>n</italic>/<italic>m</italic> can be chosen to be close to l, the IDA is space efficient. IDA has numerous applications to secure and reliable storage of information in computer networks and even on single disks, to fault-tolerant and efficient transmission of information in networks, and to communications between processors in parallel computers. For the latter problem provably time-efficient and highly fault-tolerant routing on the <italic>n</italic>-cube is achieved, using just constant size buffers.
Promoting clinically effective practice: general practitioners' awareness of sources of research evidence.

BACKGROUND Practitioners are being encouraged to base their clinical practice on research evidence. In order to do this, they must be aware of and use the sources of evidence. METHODS A questionnaire survey was undertaken to establish GPs' awareness of research evidence in their clinical practice and, in fundholding practices, its influence on purchasing plans. Questionnaires were sent to 360 lead fundholders in North Thames Region and 440 of a random sample of the remaining general practitioners in the region for comparison. RESULTS Questionnaires were returned by 62% of lead fundholders and 63% of GPs in the random sample. There was limited use of the electronic sources of clinical effectiveness. There was greater reported awareness of published sources of research evidence and fundholding GPs were significantly more likely to have referred to publications summarizing research evidence. CONCLUSIONS GPs seem to make more use of published clinical effectiveness sources than the electronic databases. Consequently, they need educational and technical support if they are to make full use of the available sources of research evidence available in other media.
Food Fixations

Abstract In this article, I engage the culturally prevalent contemporary discourse in the United States around “good” foods—broadly understood as whole, organic, slow and local—within the broader political economic context of the current economic crisis, specifically as it relates to class. A commonplace in both coverage and public understanding of that crisis is that it has decimated the middle class. Although a number of problematic assumptions inform this commonplace, I contend that the contemporary discourse around “good” foods is a prominent way in which class is rhetorically recreated and reconfigured, specifically to the end of remaking the myth of the middle class.
Circadian Variation in the Standing Broad Jump

Circadian rhythms are thought to influence performance, effects being closely related to changes in body temperature (1) . Although some studies have focused on sports performance such as 100-m and 400-m swims ( I ) , there is little information on circadian variation in brief explosive actions. The present aim was ro investigate circadian variation in performing a standing broad jump and its relation to the rhythm in body temperature. Subjects were 12 athletic males, aged 18 to 22 yr. The jump was performed at six times of day, 0200, 0600, 1000, 1400, 1800, and 2200 hr. For each subject measurement was distributed over 2 wk. Two warm-up jumps preceded six trials at each time point, the mean being recorded. Rectal temperature was measured at rest before resting. Data were examined for rhythmicity using cosinor analysis. The broad jump values ( M +_ SD) at the six times of day were 222 ( f 2 0 ) , 216 (&18), 222 ( f 2 0 ) , 229 (f 17) , 228 ( f 2 0 ) , and 228 ( f 22) cm. These results did not provide a significant cosine fit ( p > 0.05). When the subjects' effect was removed by expressing observations i n t e r m of difference from the trough value, the result of cosinor analysis was significant ( p < 0.01). The peak of the cosine function was at 17:45 hr. , the amplirude (mean to peak change) being 7.6 cm. This time was close to the crest in rectal temperature, calculated from cosinor analysis at 18:11 hours ( p < 0.0001). The amplitude of the temperature rhythm was 0.4"C about a mean of 37.2"C. The mean ("SD) values were 37.1 ( f 0.4), 36.75 (&0.3), 37.1 (&O.5), 37.5 (+-0.4), 37.55 (&0.4), and 37.5 (&0.3) "C at the six times of measurement. Results offer evidence that explosive muscular efforc is influenced by time of day. The amplitude of the rhythm in the distance jumped was about 3%. Although small, it might be important when brief maximal efforc is called for early in the day. The performance curve was relatively flat through the later part of the day, in contrast to the smooth sinusoidal form of the temperature rhythm. This suggests that the links berween jumping performance and body temperatwe may not be causal.
The Protective Role of Religious Involvement in African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents’ Experiences of Racial Discrimination

For many Black adolescents, racial discrimination increases the risk of developing adverse psychological outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the interrelationships among religious involvement, racial discrimination, and psychological outcomes among a nationally representative sample of African American adolescents and Caribbean Black adolescents from the National Survey of American Life. Multiple regression models were used to determine the interactive effects of religious involvement and racial discrimination experiences on Black adolescents’ psychological outcomes. Findings indicate that religious involvement was a protective factor for Caribbean Black adolescents but not African American youth. The implications of these findings underscore the varied roles of religious involvement for African American and Caribbean Black adolescents.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates from community acquired infections in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asian low and middle income countries

Objective Antimicrobial resistance has arisen across the globe in both nosocomial and community settings as a consequence of widespread antibiotic consumption. Poor availability of laboratory diagnosis means that resistance frequently goes unrecognised and may only be detected as clinical treatment failure. In this review, we provide an overview of the reported susceptibility of common community acquired bacterial pathogens in Sub‐Saharan Africa and Asia to the antibiotics that are most widely used in these areas.
Palatal positioning of implants in severely atrophic edentulous maxillae: five-year cross-sectional retrospective follow-up study.

PURPOSE To evaluate the 5-year outcome of a previously reported case series of patients with severely atrophic maxillae treated with palatally positioned implants and fixed full-arch rehabilitations. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective cross-sectional clinical study of patients treated between January 2000 and January 2004 with palatally positioned implants was carried out. The parameters evaluated at the 5-year follow-up visit were: implant success rate, peri-implant soft-tissue conditions, biological and prosthetic post-loading complications, radiographic peri-implant marginal bone loss, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS A total of 33 patients with 151 palatally positioned implants were included in the study; 15 patients had received cemented prostheses and 18 had received screwed full-arch prostheses. The success rate for palatally positioned implants after 5 years was 98.7%. Average peri-implant mucosa retraction was 0.39 ± 0.94 mm and the average probing depth was 2.89 ± 0.77 mm. Plaque Index was 0 in 63.1% of the implants, 1 in 18.8%, 2 in 8.7%, and 3 in 9.4%. The modified Bleeding Index was 0 in 71.1%, 1 in 14.1%, and 2 in 14.8%. Mucositis was found in 5.2% of the implants and none had peri-implantitis. Prosthetic complications occurred in 12.1% of the cases. Average peri-implant marginal bone loss was 1.03 ± 1.28 mm. General patient satisfaction averaged 8.2 ± 1.8 according to a 10-point visual analog scale, and good quality of life was reported by most patients. CONCLUSIONS Palatally positioned implants were found to be an adequate treatment for patients with severely atrophic maxillae. A high implant success rate, good peri-implant soft tissue stability, low marginal bone loss, high patient satisfaction and few complications were registered.
Position of UNC-13 in the active zone regulates synaptic vesicle release probability and release kinetics

The presynaptic active zone proteins UNC-13/Munc13s are essential for synaptic vesicle (SV) exocytosis by directly interacting with SV fusion apparatus. An open question is how their association with active zones, hence their position to Ca2+ entry sites, regulates SV release. The N-termini of major UNC-13/Munc13 isoforms contain a non-calcium binding C2A domain that mediates protein homo- or hetero-meric interactions. Here, we show that the C2A domain of Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-13 regulates release probability of evoked release and its precise active zone localization. Kinetics analysis of SV release supports that the proximity of UNC-13 to Ca2+ entry sites, mediated by the C2A-domain containing N-terminus, is critical for accelerating neurotransmitter release. Additionally, the C2A domain is specifically required for spontaneous release. These data reveal multiple roles of UNC-13 C2A domain, and suggest that spontaneous release and the fast phase of evoked release may involve a common pool of SVs at the active zone. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.01180. 001
Review of a 13-year single-center experience with minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass as the primary surgical treatment of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, we review our experience with 1768 minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) operations. The focus is on long-term outcome with more than 10 years of follow-up. METHODS All patients undergoing standard MIDCAB between 1996 and 2009 were included. For all 1768 patients, pre-, intra-, and postoperative data could be completed. Long-term follow-up information about health status, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), and freedom from angina was collected annually via questionnaire or personal contact. Five-year follow-up is available for 1313 patients, and 10-year-follow-up is available for 748 patients. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors for long-term outcome. RESULTS Mean age was 63.4 ± 10.8 years, mean ejection fraction was 60.0% ± 14.2%, and perioperative mortality risk calculated by logistic EuroSCORE was 3.8 ± 6.2%. In 31 patients (1.75%) intraoperative conversion to sternotomy was necessary. Early postoperative mortality was 0.8% (15 patients); 0.4% (7 patients) had a perioperative stroke. Seven hundred twelve patients received routine postoperative angiogram, showing 95.5% early graft patency. Short-term target vessel reintervention was needed in 59 patients (3.3%) (11 percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)/stent, 48 re-operation). Kaplan-Meyer analysis revealed a 5-year survival rate of 88.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 86.6% to 89.9%) and a 10-year-survival rate of 76.6% (95% CI, 73.5% to 78.7%). The freedom from MACCE and angina after 5 and 10 years was 85.3% (95% CI, 83.5% to 87.1%) and 70.9% (95% CI, 68.1% to 73.7%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS MIDCAB is a safe operation with low postoperative mortality and morbidity. With excellent short-term and long-term results, it is a very good alternative compared to both percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and conventional surgery.