Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Type I and III collagen protein precursors and mRNA in the developing human lung

Extracellular matrix proteins have a prominent role in both ontogenesis and fibrogenesis in the human lung. The aim of this study was to analyse the expression of newly formed precursor proteins and mRNA of collagen types I and III in developing human lung tissues from 12 to 40 weeks of gestation, and also in neonatal disorders such as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Lung tissues were obtained at autopsy from 60 non‐malformed cases. All tissues were analysed by immunohistochemistry and 24 were also investigated by mRNA in situ hybridization. The precursor proteins and mRNA of both collagens were expressed in abundance in pulmonary arteries and veins during all developmental periods. In RDS and BPD, precursor proteins and mRNAs of both collagen types were increased within alveolar walls. The cells in these locations showed α‐smooth muscle actin, vimentin, and variable desmin immunoreactivity. Collagen I and III precursor proteins and mRNA were also observed in pleura, bronchi, bronchioles, and around chondrocytes during all developmental periods and in diseased lung. In conclusion, collagens I and III were expressed in a similar way in and around various cell types in the developing lung and their expression was increased within alveolar walls in RDS and BPD. Myofibroblast‐type cells appeared to produce mRNA for both types of collagen in alveoli. Copyright © 2004 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Object Ensemble Processing in Human Anterior-Medial Ventral Visual Cortex

Our visual system can extract summary statistics from large collections of similar objects without forming detailed representations of the individual objects in the ensemble. Such object ensemble representation is adaptive and allows us to overcome the capacity limitation associated with representing specific objects. Surprisingly, little is known about the neural mechanisms supporting such object ensemble representation. Here we showed human observers identical photographs of the same object ensemble, different photographs depicting the same ensemble, or different photographs depicting different ensembles. We observed fMRI adaptation in anterior-medial ventral visual cortex whenever object ensemble statistics repeated, even when local image features differed across photographs. Interestingly, such object ensemble processing is closely related to texture and scene processing in the brain. In contrast, the lateral occipital area, a region involved in object–shape processing, showed adaptation only when identical photographs were repeated. These results provide the first step toward understanding the neural underpinnings of real-world object ensemble representation.
A Nano-Watt MOS-Only Voltage Reference With High-Slope PTAT Voltage Generators

This brief presents an MOS-only voltage reference circuit with high-slope proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) voltage generators for ultra-low-power applications. Biased by a nano-ampere current reference circuit, the PTAT voltage generator is realized by an asymmetrical differential cell with two additional cross-coupled nMOS/pMOS pairs, which enhance the slope of the PTAT voltage remarkably. As a result, only two cascaded PTAT stages are used to compensate the complementary-to-absolute-temperature voltage generated directly by a diode-connected nMOS in the current reference circuit. Therefore, much power and chip area can be saved. A trimming circuit is also adopted to compensate the process-related reference voltage variations. The experimental results of the proposed reference circuit fabricated in a 0.18-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ {\mu }$ </tex-math></inline-formula> m standard CMOS process demonstrate that the circuit could operate under a minimum supply voltage of 1 V, and generate a reference voltage of 756 mV with temperature coefficient of 74 and 49.6 ppm/°C under 1-V and 1.8-V power supply, respectively. The proposed circuit consumes only 23 nA under a 1-V power supply, and the active area is only 95 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ {\mu }\text{m}\,\, {\times } \,\, 170 ~{\mu }\text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.
Photocatalytic asphalt pavement: the physicochemical and rheological impact of TiO2 nano/microparticles and ZnO microparticles onto the bitumen

A cost-effective solution to provide asphalt pavements with the photocatalytic property was addressed for the first time, based on the combination of low percentages of two semiconductors, TiO2 and ZnO. Two photocatalytic techniques – spray deposition and bitumen modification – were used. With the former, the chemical properties were evaluated by FTIR after spraying the bitumen samples with two aqueous solutions, one with acid PH and another alkaline, of nano-TiO2. The solution with less chemical impact was the alkaline one. With the latter, Penetration, Softening Point, Mass Loss, Dynamic Viscosity, Complex moduli and Performance Grade, after the modification by TiO2 nano/microparticles and ZnO microparticles, were analysed with two levels of ageing produced by the RTFOT. TiO2 nano/microparticles and ZnO microparticles conducted to softer bitumens and better results of short-term ageing resistance and did not cause any deterioration to the bitumen before or after either short- or long-term ageing.
Avoidance of copper contamination by field populations of Daphnia longispina

Almost all terrestrial and aquatic assays that are accepted as standardized, or that have been proposed, involve the exposure of confined organisms to toxicants. If avoidance (sensu evasion, displacement) of contaminants occurs in real situations, then bioassays involving forced exposure severely underestimate pernicious effects of contamination. Two main objectives were achieved in this study: To verify the occurrence of avoidance of copper by cladocerans; to determine the association between avoidance and other toxicity endpoints (lethality and feeding depression), and therefore, to ascertain if fully acclimated individuals from a reference field population exhibited a genetically determined avoidance markedly different from those belonging to a historically metal‐stressed population. Twelve cloned lineages of the cladoceran Daphnia longispina, collected from two field populations, were selected according to their lethal sensitivity to copper and acclimated to controlled conditions for more than 30 generations. A 1.1‐m test chamber with five compartments was built, allowing the establishment of a dissolved toxicant gradient and the free movement of individuals. In the absence of any toxicant, juveniles from each cloned lineage distributed themselves randomly along the test chamber and furthermore, no significant differences were observed between the two replicates, attesting the repeatability of this novel assay. All lineages showed significant avoidance to copper when exposed to a gradient from 3 to 87 μg/L. The most sensitive lineages to lethal levels of copper began avoiding this metal earlier than resistant ones. An intense association was observed between other endpoints and avoidance; furthermore, avoidance was determined to be much more sensitive than lethality. Therefore, avoidance assays should be recommended as a complementary tool in ecological risk assessments and effluent biomonitoring because such assays can provide cost‐effective and ecologically relevant information.
Crumb Rubber and Silica Fume Inclusions in Pervious Concrete Pavement Systems: Evaluation of Hydrological, Functional, and Structural Properties

The main objective of this research study was to comprehensively investigate the hydrological, functional, and structural characteristics of 21 pervious concrete (PC) mixtures encompassing four dosages of crumb rubber (CR), four proportions of silica fume (SF) contents, and three distinct aggregate gradations. A total of 126 PC cylindrical specimens were available to measure density, porosity, permeability, abrasion resistance, and compressive strength properties. The inclusions of CR and SF in the PC enhanced the compressive strength and abrasion resistance compared to the control unmodified PC specimens. However, CR-modified PC showed reduced permeability because of a decrease in the porosity of those mixes. Nonetheless, the study results did not reach any optimum values of CR or SF replacement and indicated that there is more scope to replace the coarse aggregate with CR and cement with SF so as to identify the optimum dosages of these two modifiers in future. The use of CR in PC as a partial replacement of aggregate can become a potential way of conserving the natural aggregates that are becoming scarce. Furthermore, SF can be used as a partial replacement for cement that will eventually reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cement production, thus being able to achieve the significant use of renewable resources in producing green pavement systems.
Underwater acoustic imaging

Underwater acoustic imaging systems are useful in providing underwater observation and inspection capabilities whenever optical systems cannot. Underwater acoustic imaging is a part of the larger field of acoustic imaging, and as such, has its own peculiarities and attributes as compared with the rest of the acoustic imaging field. In this report, the general characteristics of underwater acoustic imaging are presented. Three basic techniques of acoustic imaging that are appropriate for underwater imaging are discussed (focused, beamformed, and holographic) and examples of each of them are described. Then the limitations and promise for the future in underwater acoustic imaging are explored.
Checkpoint Regulation of Replication Dynamics in UV-Irradiated Human Cells

At any moment during S phase, regions of genomic DNA are in various stages of replication (i.e. initiation, chain elongation, and termination). These stages may be differentially inhibited after treatment with various carcinogens that damage DNA such as UV. We used visualization of active replication units in combed DNA fibers, in combination with quantitative analyses of the size distributions of nascent DNA, to evaluate the role of S-checkpoint proteins in UV-induced inhibition of DNA replication. When HeLa cells were exposed to a low fluence (1 J/m2) of 254 nm UV light (UVC), new initiation events were severely inhibited (5-6-fold reduction). A larger fluence of UVC (10 J/m2) resulted in stronger inhibition of the overall rate of DNA synthesis without decreasing further the frequency of replicon initiation events. Incubation of HeLa cells with caffeine and knockdown of ATR or Chk1 kinases reversed the UVC-induced inhibition of initiation of new replicons. These findings illustrate the concordance of data derived from different experimental approaches, thus strengthening the evidence that the activation of the intra-S checkpoint by UVC is dependent on the ATR and Chk1 kinases.
Nasopharyngeal Carriage of Antimicrobial-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae among Young Children Attending 79 Kindergartens and Day Care Centers in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Resistance to penicillin and multiple antimicrobial agents amongStreptococcus pneumoniae strains is becoming an increasing problem worldwide and in Asia. To determine the prevalence of carriage of S. pneumoniae isolates not susceptible to penicillin in young children, we obtained nasopharyngeal swab specimens from 1,978 children (ages, 2 to 6 years) attending 79 day care centers or kindergartens. Three hundred eighty-three strains of S. pneumoniae were isolated from these children. Fifty-eight percent of these isolates had reduced susceptibility to penicillin, 123 (32.1%) were intermediate, and 100 (26.1%) were resistant. A very high penicillin MIC (4 μg/ml) was found in 3.3% of the isolates. The isolates also demonstrated high rates of resistance to other antimicrobial agents (51.2% to cefaclor, 50.2% to cefuroxime, 42.8% to cefotaxime, 80.7% to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 77% to erythromycin, 60% to clindamycin, and 33.7% to chloramphenicol). No isolate was resistant to fluoroquinolone. Multidrug resistance (not susceptible to the β-lactams and three or more other classes) was found in 39.4% of the isolates. Risk factors for the carriage of S. pneumoniae not susceptible to penicillin were multiple physician visits in the preceding 3 months and use of antimicrobial agents by the individual or by household members in the preceding 3 months. In the logistic regression analysis, only the use of antimicrobial agents in the preceding 3 months was an independent risk factor (P = 0.004; odds ratio, 2; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 3.2). This study demonstrated the high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae in healthy young children in the community in Hong Kong.
Power Device Loss Analysis of a High-Voltage High-Power Dual Active Bridge DC-DC Converter

The insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) offers low conduction loss and improved performance and, hence, is a potential candidate for high-current and high-voltage power electronic applications. This chapter presents the power loss estimation of IGBTs as employed in a high-voltage high-power dual active bridge (DAB) DC-DC converter. The mathematical models of the device currents are derived, and the power loss prediction is clearly explained using the mathematical models. There are many parameters to consider when selecting an appropriate power device for a given application. This chapter highlights the step-by-step procedure for selecting suitable IGBTs for a 20 kW, 540/125 V, 20 kHz DAB converter designed for aerospace energy storage systems. Experimental results are given to demonstrate the device performance at 540 V, 80 A operation of high-voltage IGBTs and 125 V, 300 A operation of low-voltage IGBTs and thus validate the selection procedure presented.
In vivo and in vitro ob gene expression and leptin secretion in rat adipocytes: evidence for a regional specific regulation by sex steroid hormones.

As a sexual dimorphism appears in plasma leptin levels, the aim of the present study was to investigate, in vivo and in vitro, the influence of sex steroid hormones on ob messenger RNA (mRNA) and leptin expressions in rat fat cells from various anatomical localizations. In male rats, castration resulted in a modulation of ob gene mRNA expression which was increased by 2-fold in perirenal and half-reduced in sc adipocytes. Moreover, in isolated fat cells from both perirenal and sc fat depots, ob gene mRNA expression was reduced by 20% after a 24-h in vitro exposure to dihydrotestosterone (10−8 m). This effect of dihydrotestosterone on ob mRNA was prevented by exposure to the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate and also by actinomycin D. In contrast, leptin secretion from both perirenal and sc adipocytes was unchanged after 24 h exposure to dihydrotestosterone. In female rats, ovariectomy induced a 25% decrease in ob gene mRNA expression in perirenal fat cells. In vitro studies revealed that a 24-h exposure to.
Peroxisome assembly in yeast

Peroxisomes are essential organelles that may be involved in various functions, dependent on organism, cell type, developmental stage of the cell, and the environment. Until recently, peroxisomes were viewed as a class of static organelles that developed by growth and fission from pre‐existing organelles. Recent observations have challenged this view by providing evidence that peroxisomes may be part of the endomembrane system and constitute a highly dynamic population of organelles that arises and is removed upon environmental demands. Additionally, evidence is now accumulating that peroxisomes may arise by alternative methods. This review summarizes relevant recent data on this subject. In addition, the progress in the understanding of the principles of the peroxisomal matrix protein import machinery is discussed. Microsc. Res. Tech. 61:139–150, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Heart disease and stroke statistics--2006 update: a report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee.

1. About These Statistics 2. Cardiovascular Diseases 3. Coronary Heart Disease, Acute Coronary Syndrome and Angina Pectoris 4. Stroke and Stroke in Children 5. High Blood Pressure (and End-Stage Renal Disease) 6. Congenital Cardiovascular Defects 7. Heart Failure 8. Other Cardiovascular Diseases 9. Risk Factors 10. Metabolic Syndrome 11. Nutrition 12. Quality of Care 13. Medical Procedures 14. Economic Cost of Cardiovascular Diseases 15. At-a-Glance Summary Tables 16. Glossary and Abbreviation Guide 17. Acknowledgment 18. References Appendix I: List of Statistical Fact Sheets. URL: http://www.americanheart. org/presenter.jhtml? identifier=2007 The American Heart Association works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (CDC/NCHS), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and other government agencies to derive the annual statistics in this update. This section describes the most important sources we use. For more details and an alphabetical list of abbreviations, see the Glossary and Abbreviation Guide. All statistics are for the most recent year available. Prevalence, mortality and hospitalizations are computed for 2003 unless otherwise noted. Mortality as an underlying or contributing cause of death is for 2002. Economic cost estimates are for 2006. Due to late release of data, some disease mortality are not updated to 2003. Mortality for 2003 are underlying preliminary data, obtained from the NCHS publication National Vital Statistics Report: Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2003 (NVSR, 2005;53:15) and from unpublished tabulations furnished by Robert Anderson of NCHS. US and state death rates and prevalence rates are age-adjusted per 100 000 population (unless otherwise specified) using the 2000 …
Conservation Development Practices, Extent, and Land‐Use Effects in the United States

Abstract: Conservation development projects combine real‐estate development with conservation of land and other natural resources. Thousands of such projects have been conducted in the United States and other countries through the involvement of private developers, landowners, land trusts, and government agencies. Previous research has demonstrated the potential value of conservation development for conserving species, ecological functions, and other resource values on private lands, especially when traditional sources of conservation funding are not available. Nevertheless, the aggregate extent and effects of conservation development were previously unknown. To address this gap, we estimated the extent and trends of conservation development in the United States and characterized its key attributes to understand its aggregate contribution to land‐conservation and growth‐management objectives. We interviewed representatives from land trusts, planning agencies, and development companies, searched the Internet for conservation development projects and programs, and compiled existing databases of conservation development projects. We collected data on 3884 projects encompassing 1.38 million ha. About 43% of the projects targeted the conservation of specific plant or animal species or ecological communities of conservation concern; 84% targeted the protection of native ecosystems representative of the project area; and 42% provided buffers to existing protected areas. The percentage of protected land in conservation development projects ranged from <40% to >99%, and the effects of these projects on natural resources differed widely. We estimate that conservation development projects have protected roughly 4 million ha of land in the United States and account for about 25% of private‐land conservation activity nationwide.
Catchments as space-time filters – a joint spatio-temporal geostatistical analysis of runoff and precipitation

Abstract. In this paper catchments are conceptualised as linear space-time filters. Catchment area A is interpreted as the spatial support and the catchment response time T is interpreted as the temporal support of the runoff measurements. These two supports are related by T~Aκ which embodies the space-time connections of the rainfall-runoff process from a geostatistical perspective. To test the framework, spatio-temporal variograms are estimated from about 30 years of quarter hourly precipitation and runoff data from about 500 catchments in Austria. In a first step, spatio-temporal variogram models are fitted to the sample variograms for three catchment size classes independently. In a second step, variograms are fitted to all three catchment size classes jointly by estimating the parameters of a point/instantaneous spatio-temporal variogram model and aggregating (regularising) it to the spatial and temporal scales of the catchments. The exponential, Cressie-Huang and product-sum variogram models give good fits to the sample variograms of runoff with dimensionless errors ranging from 0.02 to 0.03, and the model parameters are plausible. This indicates that the first order effects of the spatio-temporal variability of runoff are indeed captured by conceptualising catchments as linear space-time filters. The scaling exponent κ is found to vary between 0.3 and 0.4 for different variogram models.
Demographic differences in how students navigate through MOOCs

The current generation of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) attract a diverse student audience from all age groups and over 196 countries around the world. Researchers, educators, and the general public have recently become interested in how the learning experience in MOOCs differs from that in traditional courses. A major component of the learning experience is how students navigate through course content. This paper presents an empirical study of how students navigate through MOOCs, and is, to our knowledge, the first to investigate how navigation strategies differ by demographics such as age and country of origin. We performed data analysis on the activities of 140,546 students in four edX MOOCs and found that certificate earners skip on average 22% of the course content, that they frequently employ non-linear navigation by jumping backward to earlier lecture sequences, and that older students and those from countries with lower student-teacher ratios are more comprehensive and non-linear when navigating through the course. From these findings, we suggest design recommendations such as for MOOC platforms to develop more detailed forms of certification that incentivize students to deeply engage with the content rather than just doing the minimum necessary to earn a passing grade. Finally, to enable other researchers to reproduce and build upon our findings, we have made our data set and analysis scripts publicly available.