Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exome Array Analysis of Nuclear Lens Opacity

ABSTRACT Purpose: Nuclear cataract is the most common subtype of age-related cataract, the leading cause of blindness worldwide. It results from advanced nuclear sclerosis, or opacity in the center of the optic lens, and is affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors, including smoking. We sought to understand the genetic factors associated with nuclear sclerosis through interrogation of rare and low frequency coding variants using exome array data. Methods: We analyzed Illumina Human Exome Array data for 1,488 participants of European ancestry in the Beaver Dam Eye Study who were without cataract surgery for association with nuclear sclerosis grade, controlling for age and sex. We performed single-variant regression analysis for 32,138 variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) ≥0.003. In addition, gene-based analysis of 11,844 genes containing at least two variants with MAF < 0.05 was performed using a gene-based unified burden and non-burden sequence kernel association test (SKAT-O). Additionally, both single-variant and gene-based analyses were analyzed stratified by smoking status. Results: No single-variant test was statistically significant after Bonferroni correction (p < 1.6 × 10–6; top single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): rs144458991, p = 2.83 × 10–5). Gene-based tests were suggestively associated with the gene RNF149 overall (p = 8.29 × 10–6) and among never smokers (N = 790, p = 2.67 × 10–6). Conclusions: This study did not find a significant genetic association with nuclear sclerosis, the possible association with the RNF149 gene highlights a potential candidate gene for future studies that aim to understand the genetic architecture of nuclear sclerosis.
True Material Limit of Power Devices—Applied to 2-D Superjunction MOSFET

Predictions on limits of silicon in power devices have failed spectacularly in the past, but in spite of that, the theory that generated them is still used today and adapted for wide bandgap materials to justify their superior standing against silicon. The superjunction (SJ) MOSFET was the first device to break by more than one order of magnitude the so-called “limit of silicon” above 600 V. The current theory of SJ seems, however, to define a new technology-based limit rather than a material-based only limit. This implies that by scaling down the dimensions, in particular the cell pitch, the on-state resistances can continually decrease by several orders of magnitude, without a boundary. This paper shows that the downscaling of the cell dimensions cannot happen indefinitely and there is a material-dependent intrinsic limit for any power device, which no longer is limited by the geometry or the technology available. Using an analytical approach, and backed up by advanced numerical simulations, we show that the minimum cell pitch is <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.18~\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> for silicon and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.05~\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> for 4H silicon carbide, and further reduction in the cell pitch would result in an increase in the specific resistance. Finally, a new figure of merit for an SJ MOSFET based on a rigorous 2-D analysis is defined.
Carotid body tumors: A report of three cases and current literature review

Carotid body tumors are rare, slow-growing, hypervascular neuroendocrine tumors. Although these tumors are benign neoplasm, they also have a tendency to malignant transformation. Complete surgical excision is the gold standard therapeutic modality for the treatment of carotid body tumors. Early surgical removal is recommended to prevent the development of larger and more advanced tumors, which are associated with higher morbidity and mortality. In this report, we presented three cases of carotid body tumor which were successfully treated with complete surgical excision, and reviewed the current literature. Furthermore, it was emphasized the necessity of early surgical management regardless of patient age and tumor size. Correspondence to: Dr. Ahmet Yuksel, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Bursa State Hospital, Tophane Street, 16041, Bursa, Turkey, Tel: +90-505-8460753; Fax: +90-224-2132993; E-mail: ahmetyuksel1982@mynet.com
Searching Similar Books Based on Student’s Preference for Personalized Education

Personalized education aims to give students a personalized learning schedule according to students’ backgrounds and preferences, and the required learning resources for learning are personalized. On-line bookstore allows students to collect learning recourses on-line through Internet, but the problem of information overload plagues students since it is difficult to find the suitable books with the data becoming diverse and massive. Similarity search aims to find the similar objects to a given query, which can be regarded as a promising solution to the problem of information overload. However, the existing similarity search approaches limit the query into only one object, the students cannot express their preferences personally. In this paper, we proposed a personalized similarity search framework, towards finding the similar books based on student’s preference for personalized education. We build the student-book network based on the students’ ratings for books, and use SimRank to measure the similarities between books according to the student-book network. For satisfying student’s personalized query preference, we allow student to express query with multi-books. A personalized similarity measure is proposed for measuring the similarity between query and candidate book by combining the similarities between books. Experiments on Amazon dataset demonstrate that, when the number of input books are not limited into one, the returned rankings are more consistent with students’ query intentions.
The HY5-PIF Regulatory Module Coordinates Light and Temperature Control of Photosynthetic Gene Transcription

The ability to interpret daily and seasonal alterations in light and temperature signals is essential for plant survival. This is particularly important during seedling establishment when the phytochrome photoreceptors activate photosynthetic pigment production for photoautotrophic growth. Phytochromes accomplish this partly through the suppression of PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs), negative regulators of chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis. While the bZIP transcription factor LONG HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), a potent PIF antagonist, promotes photosynthetic pigment accumulation in response to light. Here we demonstrate that by directly targeting a common promoter cis-element (G-box), HY5 and PIFs form a dynamic activation-suppression transcriptional module responsive to light and temperature cues. This antagonistic regulatory module provides a simple, direct mechanism through which environmental change can redirect transcriptional control of genes required for photosynthesis and photoprotection. In the regulation of photopigment biosynthesis genes, HY5 and PIFs do not operate alone, but with the circadian clock. However, sudden changes in light or temperature conditions can trigger changes in HY5 and PIFs abundance that adjust the expression of common target genes to optimise photosynthetic performance and growth.
Dietary Lactobacillus acidophilus positively influences growth performance, gut morphology, and gut microbiology in rurally reared chickens

Abstract In a market undergoing constant evolution, the production of chicken meat that consumers would perceive as “natural” and “animal friendly” is crucial. The use of probiotics in rurally reared chickens could represent a major opportunity to achieve mutual benefit for both the industry and consumers. A total of 264 male Kabir chicks were randomly distributed to one of 2 dietary treatments: the L group received a commercial feed supplemented with 2.0 g/100 kg of Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL, while the C group received the same basal diet without the additive. To assess the effects of probiotic supplementation in the chickens’ diet, productive performance was evaluated at d 21 and 42, whereas microbiological analyses of the intestinal content and intestinal histology and morphometry were performed at the end of the trial (d 42). At d 21 and 42, L birds showed better (P < 0.001) performance in terms of body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio. Enterococci, staphylococci, and Escherichia coli populations were not influenced by dietary treatment. On the contrary, Lactobacillus population increased (P = 0.032) in the L group. Furthermore, a tendency (P = 0.069) was observed for the coliforms to be influenced by diet, with lower values in the L group in comparison to the C group. Histological techniques revealed that the number of goblet cell containing neutral mucins was lower in the C group. Morphometric evaluations demonstrated that the probiotic supplementation increased the height of the mucosal layer by improving (P = 0.040) villus height, while crypt depth was unaffected. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study demonstrate that it is possible to use Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL (CECT 4529) in rurally reared chicken breeds with positive effects on performance and gut health.
Development of reaching during mid-childhood from a Developmental Systems perspective

Inspired by the Developmental Systems perspective, we studied the development of reaching during mid-childhood (5–10 years of age) not just at the performance level (i.e., endpoint movements), as commonly done in earlier studies, but also at the joint angle level. Because the endpoint position (i.e., the tip of the index finger) at the reaching target can be achieved with multiple joint angle combinations, we partitioned variability in joint angles over trials into variability that does not (goal-equivalent variability, GEV) and that does (non-goal-equivalent variability, NGEV) influence the endpoint position, using the Uncontrolled Manifold method. Quantifying this structure in joint angle variability allowed us to examine whether and how spatial variability of the endpoint at the reaching target is related to variability in joint angles and how this changes over development. 6-, 8- and 10-year-old children and young adults performed reaching movements to a target with the index finger. Polynomial trend analysis revealed a linear and a quadratic decreasing trend for the variable error. Linear decreasing and cubic trends were found for joint angle standard deviations at movement end. GEV and NGEV decreased gradually with age, but interestingly, the decrease of GEV was steeper than the decrease of NGEV, showing that the different parts of the joint angle variability changed differently over age. We interpreted these changes in the structure of variability as indicating changes over age in exploration for synergies (a family of task solutions), a concept that links the performance level with the joint angle level. Our results suggest changes in the search for synergies during mid-childhood development.
What explains patterns of species richness? The relative importance of climatic‐niche evolution, morphological evolution, and ecological limits in salamanders

Abstract A major goal of evolutionary biology and ecology is to understand why species richness varies among clades. Previous studies have suggested that variation in richness among clades might be related to variation in rates of morphological evolution among clades (e.g., body size and shape). Other studies have suggested that richness patterns might be related to variation in rates of climatic‐niche evolution. However, few studies, if any, have tested the relative importance of these variables in explaining patterns of richness among clades. Here, we test their relative importance among major clades of Plethodontidae, the most species‐rich family of salamanders. Earlier studies have suggested that climatic‐niche evolution explains patterns of diversification among plethodontid clades, whereas rates of morphological evolution do not. A subsequent study stated that rates of morphological evolution instead explained patterns of species richness among plethodontid clades (along with “ecological limits” on richness of clades, leading to saturation of clades with species, given limited resources). However, they did not consider climatic‐niche evolution. Using phylogenetic multiple regression, we show that rates of climatic‐niche evolution explain most variation in richness among plethodontid clades, whereas rates of morphological evolution do not. We find little evidence that ecological limits explain patterns of richness among plethodontid clades. We also test whether rates of morphological and climatic‐niche evolution are correlated, and find that they are not. Overall, our results help explain richness patterns in a major amphibian group and provide possibly the first test of the relative importance of climatic niches and morphological evolution in explaining diversity patterns.
Bevacizumab in the Treatment of Cervical Cancer – Current Evidence and Next Steps

Despite the introduction of screening and, latterly, vaccination programmes in the developed world, cervical cancer remains a significant global health problem. For those diagnosed with advanced or recurrent disease, even within resource-rich communities, prognosis remains poor with an overall survival (OS) of just over 12 months. New therapeutic interventions are urgently required. Advances in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying tumour growth and the downstream effects of human papilloma virus infection identified angiogenesis as a rational target for therapeutic intervention in cervical cancer. Anti-angiogenic agents showed promising activity in early-phase clinical trials culminating in a randomised phase III study of the humanised monoclonal antibody to vascular endothelial growth factor, bevacizumab, in combination with chemotherapy. This pivotal study, the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) protocol 240, met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a significant improvement in OS. Bevacizumab became the first targeted agent to be granted regulatory approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for use alongside chemotherapy in adults with persistent, recurrent or metastatic carcinoma of the cervix. This review outlines the rationale for targeting angiogenesis in cervical cancer focusing on the current indications for the use of bevacizumab in this disease and future directions.
An interspecific comparison of foraging range and nest density of four bumblebee (Bombus) species

Bumblebees are major pollinators of crops and wildflowers in northern temperate regions. Knowledge of their ecology is vital for the design of effective management and conservation strategies but key aspects remain poorly understood. Here we employed microsatellite markers to estimate and compare foraging range and nest density among four UK species: Bombus terrestris, Bombus pascuorum, Bombus lapidarius, and Bombus pratorum. Workers were sampled along a 1.5‐km linear transect across arable farmland. Eight or nine polymorphic microsatellite markers were then used to identify putative sisters. In accordance with previous studies, minimum estimated maximum foraging range was greatest for B. terrestris (758 m) and least for B. pascuorum (449 m). The estimate for B. lapidarius was similar to B. pascuorum (450 m), while that of B. pratorum was intermediate (674 m). Since the area of forage available to bees increases as the square of foraging range, these differences correspond to a threefold variation in the area used by bumblebee nests of different species. Possible explanations for these differences are discussed. Estimates for nest density at the times of sampling were 29, 68, 117, and 26/km2 for B. terrestris, B. pascuorum, B. lapidarius and B. pratorum, respectively. These data suggest that even among the most common British bumblebee species, significant differences in fundamental aspects of their ecology exist, a finding that should be reflected in management and conservation strategies.
Serum cytokine profiles in patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria: a comparison between those who presented with and without hyperpyrexia.

Serum cytokine profiles in patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria who presented with and without hyperpyrexia were compared by a retrospective review of the medical records of the consecutive patients seen at the military hospitals near the demilitarized zone in the Republic of Korea from April 2000 through October 2001. Of 162 male patients studied, 120 (86.4%) presented with hyperpyrexia (i.e., an axillary temperature > or = 40 degrees C). The mean +/- SEM ages of the patients with and without hyperpyrexia were 21.5 +/- 0.14 and 21.9 +/- 0.39 years, respectively (P = 0.33). The mean +/- SEM concentrations of serum interleukin (IL)-6 (379.7 +/- 44.1 pg/mL versus 105.4 +/- 26.8 pg/mL; P = 0.002), IL-10 (583.4 +/- 58.2 pg/mL versus 142.4 +/- 39.7 pg/mL; P = 0.0001), and interferon-gamma (312.6 +/- 33.9 pg/mL versus 112.9 +/- 27.1 pg/mL; P = 0.0001) were significantly higher in patients with hyperpyrexia compared with those without hyperpyrexia. The mean +/- SEM concentrations of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha were 155.5 +/- 54.5 pg/mL and 109.9 +/- 29.3 pg/mL (P = 0.27) in patients who presented with and without hyperpyrexia, respectively. Further studies are needed to examine whether serum concentrations of these cytokines also parallel their concentrations at the tissue sites of their production and action.
Repair or replacement of defective restorations by dentists in The Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

BACKGROUND The authors aimed to determine whether dentists in practices belonging to The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) were more likely to repair or to replace a restoration that they diagnosed as defective; to quantify dentists' specific reasons for repairing or replacing restorations; and to test the hypothesis that certain dentist-, patient- and restoration-related variables are associated with the decision between repairing and replacing restorations. METHODS This cross-sectional study had a consecutive patient and restoration recruitment design. Practitioner-investigators (P-Is) recorded data for consecutively seen restorations in permanent teeth that needed repair or replacement. The DPBRN is a consortium of dental practitioners and dental organizations in the United States and Scandinavia. The collected data included the primary reason for repair or replacement, tooth surface or surfaces involved, restorative materials used and patients' demographic information. RESULTS P-Is collected data regarding 9,484 restorations from 7,502 patients in 197 practices. Seventy-five percent (7,073) of restorations were replaced and 25 percent (2,411) repaired. Secondary caries was the main reason (43 percent, n = 4,124) for treatment. Factors associated with a greater likelihood of repairing versus replacing restorations (P < .05) included having graduated from dental school more recently, practicing in a large group practice, being the dentist who placed the original restoration, patient's being of an older age, the original restorative material's being something other than amalgam, restoration of a molar and the original restoration's involving fewer tooth surfaces. CONCLUSIONS DPBRN dentists were more likely to replace than to repair restorations. Secondary caries was the most common reason for repairing or replacing restorations. Certain dentist-, patient- and restoration-related variables were associated with the repair-or-replace decision. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The selection of minimally invasive treatment for an existing restoration is critical, as it may affect the longevity of the tooth.
Emoji as Emotion Tags for Tweets

In many natural language processing tasks, supervised machine learning approaches have proved most effective, and substantial effort has been made into collecting and annotating corpora for building such models. Emotion detection from text is no exception; however, research in this area is in its relative infancy, and few emotion annotated corpora exist to date. A further issue regarding the development of emotion annotated corpora is the difﬁculty of the annotation task and resulting inconsistencies in human annotations. One approach to address these problems is to use self-annotated data, using explicit indications of emotions included by the author of the data in question. We present a study of the use of unicode emoji as self-annotation of a Twitter user’s emotional state. Emoji are found to be used far more extensively than hash tags and we argue that they present a more faithful representation of a user’s emotional state. A substantial set of tweets containing emotion indicative emoji are collected and a sample annotated for emotions. The accuracy and utility of emoji as emotion labels are evaluated directly (with respect to annotations) and through trained statistical models. Results are cautiously optimistic and suggest further study of emotji usage.
Optimizing energy consumption and user experience in a mobile video streaming scenario

When a smartphone receives data via a mobile network, client-side energy consumption depends — among others — on the available bandwidth, which typically varies while traveling. Based on this observation, we firstly design and analyze a generic dynamic programming approach — solely at the application layer/at client's side — that can be used to optimize various target values w.r. t. mobile video streaming, and secondly develop concrete variants of our general approach in order to optimize energy consumption and user experience using historic data to make assumptions on the available bandwidths along a planned journey. We are able to compute all schedules that lead to Pareto-optimal solutions in quadratic time. Applying our approach to the real-world scenario of train rides provokes several challenges, mainly due to the facts that trains usually do not keep schedules to the split second and that the available bandwidth at one particular client may be significantly smaller during rush hour than during other times of day. We tackle these challenges by employing our own simulation environment to analyze the dependencies on the time of day and to optimize various robustness parameters. In extensive real-world experiments — spending more than 200 hours in local trains — we demonstrate that it is feasible to simultaneously improve the user experience and to save communication energy.