Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Designing for the user

D e s i g n i n g f o r t h e U s e r Four years ago, work began on the first major overhaul of Inspire® (Starkey Hearing Technologies’ hearing aid fitting software) in nearly a decade. Starkey Hearing Technologies’ customers had become accustomed to the look of and processes within the program, but the layout of controls, as well as the overall design of the user interface, had become dated. In addition, the background structure of the software didn’t allow for the flexibility that was required to accommodate a new generation of hearing devices and software features. As technology progressed, the limitations of the software architecture had created roadblocks to further development. With the planned effort to update Inspire, it was important to establish goals that would address challenges and improve the user experience along the way. It was essential to step back and gather input from customers on what was working well and what areas needed improvement. Careful consideration had to be taken as new features were being incorporated into the Inspire workflows. A revised look and feel would better align Inspire with the design of other Starkey Hearing Technologies’ platforms. Overall, Starkey Hearing Technologies wanted to improve the existing product, but not depart from what was familiar — a fresh coat of paint and some rewiring, without rearranging all the furniture. Designing for the User
Sensing with Superconducting Point Contacts

Superconducting point contacts have been used for measuring magnetic polarizations, identifying magnetic impurities, electronic structures, and even the vibrational modes of small molecules. Due to intrinsically small energy scale in the subgap structures of the supercurrent determined by the size of the superconducting energy gap, superconductors provide ultrahigh sensitivities for high resolution spectroscopies. The so-called Andreev reflection process between normal metal and superconductor carries complex and rich information which can be utilized as powerful sensor when fully exploited. In this review, we would discuss recent experimental and theoretical developments in the supercurrent transport through superconducting point contacts and their relevance to sensing applications, and we would highlight their current issues and potentials. A true utilization of the method based on Andreev reflection analysis opens up possibilities for a new class of ultrasensitive sensors.
Automatic tie elements detection for laser scanner strip adjustment

Measurements with airborne laser scanners are performed in strips, usually with multiple length strips and a few cross strips. Due to i) wrong or inaccurate calibration of the entire measurement system and due to ii) the limited accuracy of the exterior orientation determination with GPS and IMU and systematic errors of these devices, adjacent strips can show discrepancies in their overlap. For removing these discrepancies strip adjustment algorithms require quantification on these offsets at various locations within the overlapping zones. We present a general method for determining these discrepancies automatically based on segmentation of the overlap. A method to determine the accuracy of these discrepancy observations is demonstrated as well. In the examples we reconstruct mean offsets between neighbouring strips of a few centimetres, which, also show substantial variation along the strip axis. The accuracy of this discrepancy observations is in the order of 2cm. The method developed for discrepancy determination can be applied to height or full 3D strip adjustment. It can be used for approaches using the original measurements, the coordinates of the measured points, or only the offsets between surfaces.
Operative mortality with coronary artery bypass graft: where do we stand in 2015?

Purpose of review Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has evolved and become much safer since its inception. This article outlines recent strategies in optimizing CABG mortality. Recent findings Improving operative mortality around CABG relates to five components. These include the role of relevant quality indicators; improved CABG techniques, such as multiple arterial grafting with less manipulation of the aorta; improvements in cardiopulmonary bypass; refinements in cardiac anaesthesia along with postoperative care; and the development of centres of excellence. Summary The development of advanced surgical revascularization techniques raises the question as to whether CABG expertise should be considered a sub-specialty of cardiac surgery. An expert CABG surgeon should be able to appropriately utilize several different revascularization techniques to adjust the operation to the patient, rather than the contrary.
Aphidicolin inhibition of the production of replicative-form DNA during bovine parvovirus infection

Since parvoviruses apparently do not possess a DNA polymerase activity, one or more of the host cell DNA polymerases must be responsible for replicating the single-stranded DNA genome. We have focused on determining which polymerase, alpha, beta, or gamma (pol alpha, pol beta, or pol gamma, respectively), is responsible for the first step in bovine parvoviral DNA replication: conversion of the single-stranded DNA genome to a parental replicative form (RF). In this study, we used aphidicolin, a specific inhibitor of DNA pol alpha, to assay for the requirement of pol alpha activity in parental RF formation in vivo. Synchronized cell cultures were infected with bovine parvovirus with or without aphidicolin, and the products of viral replication were separated on agarose gels and identified by Southern blot analysis. We found that complete inhibition of viral DNA synthesis resulted when 20 microM aphidicolin was present throughout the infection. In addition, viral DNA synthesis was inhibited by as little as 1 microM aphidicolin, whereas lower concentrations (0.1 and 0.01 microM) resulted in partial inhibition of the replication process. Using 32P-labeled bovine parvovirus as the input virus we differentiated parental RF from daughter RF and progeny DNA synthesis. We conclude that DNA pol alpha is required for the production of RF during bovine parvovirus replication in vivo and that this requirement is most likely for the conversion of bovine parvovirus input single-stranded DNA to parental RF. These results do not rule out a possible role for DNA pol gamma in the first step, nor do they rule out a role for pol alpha or pol gamma in later stages of the replication cycle.
Ankle muscle strength discriminates fallers from non-fallers

It is well known that center of pressure (CoP) displacement correlates negatively with the maximal isometric torque (MIT) of ankle muscles. This relationship has never been investigated in elderly fallers (EF). The purpose of this study was thus to analyze the relationship between the MIT of ankle muscles and CoP displacement in upright stance in a sample aged between 18 and 90 years old that included EF. The aim was to identify a threshold of torque below which balance is compromised. The MIT of Plantar flexors (PFs) and dorsal flexors (DFs) and CoP were measured in 90 volunteers: 21 healthy young adults (YA) (age: 24.1 ± 5.0), 12 healthy middle-aged adults (MAA) (age: 50.2 ± 4.5), 27 healthy elderly non-fallers (ENF) (age: 75.5 ± 7.0) and 30 EF (age: 78.8 ± 6.7). The MIT of PF and DF were summed to obtain the overall maximal ankle muscle strength. Body weight and height were used to normalize MIT (nMIT) and CoP (nCoP), respectively. nCoP correlated negatively with nMIT. 90% of EF generated an nMIT <3.1 N·m·kg−1, whereas 85% of non-fallers generated an nMIT >3.1 N·m·kg−1. The relationship between nMIT and nCoP implies that ankle muscle weakness contributes to increased postural instability and the risk of falling. We observed that below the threshold of 3.1 N·m·kg−1, postural stability was dramatically diminished and balance was compromised. Our results suggest that measuring ankle torque could be used in routine clinical practice to identify potential fallers.
Effects of CO2 and their modulation by light in the life‐cycle stages of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi

The effects of ocean acidification on the life‐cycle stages of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi and their modulation by light were examined. Calcifying diploid and noncalcifying haploid cells (Roscoff culture collection strains 1216 and 1217) were acclimated to present‐day and elevated CO2 partial pressures (PCO2; 38.5 vs. 101.3 Pa, i.e., 380 vs. 1000 µatm) under low and high light (50 vs. 300 µmol photons m−2 s−1). Growth rates as well as cellular quotas and production rates of C and N were measured. Sources of inorganic C for biomass buildup were determined using a 14C disequilibrium assay. Photosynthetic O2 evolution was measured as a function of dissolved inorganic C and light by means of membrane‐inlet mass spectrometry. The diploid stage responded to elevated PCO2 by shunting resources from the production of particulate inorganic C toward organic C yet keeping the production of total particulate C constant. As the effect of ocean acidification was stronger under low light, the diploid stage might be less affected by increased acidity when energy availability is high. The haploid stage maintained elemental composition and production rates under elevated PCO2. Although both life‐cycle stages involve different ways of dealing with elevated PCO2, the responses were generally modulated by energy availability, being typically most pronounced under low light. Additionally, PCO2 responses resembled those induced by high irradiances, indicating that ocean acidification affects the interplay between energy‐generating processes (photosynthetic light reactions) and processes competing for energy (biomass buildup and calcification). A conceptual model is put forward explaining why the magnitude of single responses is determined by energy availability.
Bone Origin of the Serum Complex of Calcium, Phosphate, Fetuin, and Matrix Gla Protein: Biochemical Evidence for the Cancellous Bone‐Remodeling Compartment

We previously described the discovery of a fetuin‐matrix Gla protein (MGP)‐mineral complex in the serum of rats treated with the bone‐active bisphosphonate etidronate and showed that the appearance of this complex in serum correlates with the inhibition of bone mineralization by etidronate. In this study we show that the inhibition of bone resorption by treatment with the hormone calcitonin, the cytokine osteoprotegerin, or the drug alendronate, completely inhibits the generation of the fetuin‐mineral complex in response to etidronate injection. These observations can be explained best by the bone‐remodeling compartment (BRC), a cancellous bone compartment in which the concentrations of calcium and phosphate are determined directly by the combined actions of the osteoclast and the osteoblast. When bone mineralization is acutely inhibited by etidronate, the BRC model predicts that the continuing action of osteoclasts will cause a sharp rise in the concentrations of calcium and phosphate in the aqueous solution of the BRC with the consequent spontaneous formation of calcium phosphate crystal nuclei in which growth then would be arrested by formation of a complex with fetuin. When the inhibition of bone resorption by calcitonin, osteoprotegerin, or alendronate is combined with the acute inhibition of bone mineralization with etidronate, the BRC model correctly predicts that there will no longer be a sharp rise in calcium and phosphate, and, therefore, there will no longer be the formation of the fetuin‐mineral complex. The vascular nature of the BRC is supported by the observations that the fetuin component of the fetuin‐mineral complex is derived from plasma fetuin and that the fetuin mineral complex appears in plasma within minutes of the inhibition of bone mineralization with etidronate.
Kinesin-73 Is a Processive Motor That Localizes to Rab5-containing Organelles*

Drosophila Kinesin-73 (Khc-73), which plays a role in mitotic spindle polarity in neuroblasts, is a metazoan-specific member of the Kinesin-3 family of motors, which includes mammalian KIF1A and Caenorhabditis elegans Unc-104. The mechanism of Kinesin-3 motors has been controversial because some studies have reported that they transport cargo as monomers whereas other studies have suggested a dimer mechanism. Here, we have performed single-molecule motility and cell biological studies of Khc-73. We find that constructs containing the motor and the conserved short stretches of putative coiled-coil-forming regions are predominantly monomeric in vitro, but that dimerization allows for fast, processive movement and high force production (7 piconewtons). In Drosophila cell lines, we present evidence that Khc-73 can dimerize in vivo. We also show that Khc-73 is recruited specifically to Rab5-containing endosomes through its “tail” domain. Our results suggest that the N-terminal half of Khc-73 can undergo a monomer-dimer transition to produce a fast processive motor and that its C-terminal half possesses a specific Rab5-vesicle binding domain.
Transparency of Information and Coordination in Economies with Investment Complementarities

How do public and private information affect equilibrium allocations and social welfare in economies with investment complementarities? And what is the optimal transparency in the information conveyed, for example, by economic statistics, policy announcements, or news in the media? We first consider an environment where the complementarities are weak so that the equilibrium is unique no matter the structure of information. An increase in the precision of public information may have the perverse effect of increasing aggregate volatility. Nevertheless, as long as there is no value to lotteries, welfare unambiguously increases with an increase in either the relative or the absolute precision of public information. Hence, full transparency is optimal. This is because more transparency facilitates more effective coordination, which is valuable from a social perspective. On the other hand, when complementarities are strong enough that multiple equilibria are possible, more transparency permits the market to coordinate more effectively on either the bad or the good equilibrium. In this case, constructive ambiguity becomes optimal if there is a high risk that more transparency will lead to coordination failures.
Disease And Empire: The Health Of European Troops In The Conquest Of Africa

Preface 1. The West African disease background 2. The march to Magdala 3. The march to Kumasi 4. Conquest in the West African tropics, 1879-1900 5. Typhoid fever and the garrison of Egypt, 1882-1914 6. The typhoid campaigns: Northeastern Africa in the 1880s 7. The last campaigns in Eastern Africa: Madagascar and Omdurman, 1895-8 8. The Anglo-Boer War 9. Retrospect.
MALAT1 Modulates TGF-β1-Induced Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition through Downregulation of miR-145

Background/Aims: Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) plays significant roles under various pathological conditions including cardiovascular diseases, fibrosis, and cancer. EndMT of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) contributes to neointimal hyperplasia following cell therapy Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that promotes metastasis and cancer. MicroRNA-145 (miR-145) is a tumor suppressor that has been reported to inhibit SMAD3-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the role of MALAT1 and miR-145 in EndMT of human circulating EPCs induced by transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1). Methods: Human circulating EPCs were isolated and characterized by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Expression levels of EndMT markers were assessed by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression was measured by cell immunofluorescence staining. The regulatory relationship between MALAT1 and miR-145 and its target genes, TGFBR2 (TGFβ receptortype II) and SMAD3 (mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3) was analyzed using the luciferase reporter assay. Results: We found that EndMT of EPCs induced by TGF-β1 is accompanied by increased MALAT1 expression and decreased miR-145 expression, and MALAT1 and miR-145 directly bind and reciprocally repress each other in these cells. Dual-Luciferase Reporter assay indicated that miR-145 inhibits TGF-β1-induced EndMT by directly targeting TGFBR2 and SMAD3. Conclusions: MALAT1 modulates TGF-β1-induced EndMT of EPCs through regulation of TGFBR2 and SMAD3 via miR-145. Thus, the MALAT1-miR-145-TGFBR2/SMAD3 signaling pathway plays a key role in TGF-β1-induced EndMT.
Recent Discussion Papers from the ‘ Future of Trade Unions in Modern Britain ’ Programme Centre for Economic Performance

In this paper we demonstrate that there is a substantial union representation gap in the United States. We arrive at this conclusion by comparing Canadian and American worker responses to questions relating to desired union representation. We find that a majority of the gap in union density between Canada and the US is a function of greater frustrated demand on the part of American workers. We then estimate potential union density rates for the United States and Canada and find that, given current levels of union membership in both countries, if effective demand for unionisation among non-union workers were realised, then this would imply equivalently higher rates of unionisation (37 and 36 percent in the US and Canada respectively). These results cast some doubt on the view that even minor reforms to labour legislation in the US, to bring them in line with those in most Canadian jurisdictions, would do nothing to improve the rate of organising success in the United States. The results also have implications for countries such as Britain who have recently moved closer to a WagnerAct model of statutory recognition. This paper was produced under the ‘Future of Trade Unions in Modern Britain’ Programme supported by the Leverhulme Trust. The Centre for Economic Performance acknowledges with thanks, the generosity of the Trust. For more information concerning this Programme please e-mail future_of_unions@lse.ac. uk Frustrated Demand for Unionisation: the Case of the United States and Canada Revisited Rafael Gomez, Seymour Martin Lipset and Noah Meltz
Cultivation-Based and Molecular Assessment of Bacterial Diversity in the Rhizosheath of Wheat under Different Crop Rotations

A field study was conducted to compare the formationand bacterial communities of rhizosheaths of wheat grown under wheat-cotton and wheat-rice rotation and to study the effects of bacterial inoculation on plant growth. Inoculation of Azospirillum sp. WS-1 and Bacillus sp. T-34 to wheat plants increased root length, root and shoot dry weight and dry weight of rhizosheathsoil when compared to non-inoculated control plants, and under both crop rotations. Comparing both crop rotations, root length, root and shoot dry weight and dry weight of soil attached with roots were higher under wheat-cotton rotation. Organic acids (citric acid, malic acid, acetic acid and oxalic acid) were detected in rhizosheaths from both rotations, with malic acid being most abundant with 24.8±2 and 21.3±1.5 μg g-1 dry soil in wheat-cotton and wheat-rice rotation, respectively. Two sugars (sucrose, glucose) were detected in wheat rhizosheath under both rotations, with highest concentrations of sucrose (4.08±0.5 μg g-1and 7.36±1.0 μg g-1) and glucose (3.12±0.5 μg g-1 and 3.01± μg g-1) being detected in rhizosheaths of non-inoculated control plants under both rotations. Diversity of rhizosheath-associated bacteria was evaluated by cultivation, as well as by 454-pyrosequencing of PCR-tagged 16S rRNA gene amplicons. A total of 14 and 12 bacterial isolates predominantly belonging to the genera Arthrobacter, Azospirillum, Bacillus, Enterobacter and Pseudomonaswere obtained from the rhizosheath of wheat grown under wheat-cotton and wheat-rice rotation, respectively. Analysis of pyrosequencing data revealed Proteobacteria, Bacteriodetes and Verrucomicrobia as the most abundant phyla in wheat-rice rotation, whereas Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes and Cyanobacteria were predominant in wheat-cotton rotation. From a total of 46,971 sequences, 10.9% showed ≥97% similarity with 16S rRNA genes of 32 genera previously shown to include isolates with plant growth promoting activity (nitrogen fixation, phosphate-solubilization, IAA production). Among these, the most predominant genera were Arthrobacter, Azoarcus, Azospirillum, Bacillus, Cyanobacterium, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas and Rhizobium.
Androgen-Regulated and Highly Tumorigenic Human Prostate Cancer Cell Line Established from a Transplantable Primary CWR22 Tumor

Purpose: One of the major obstacles in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the transition of prostate cancer growth from androgen dependency to a hormone-refractory state is the lack of androgen-regulated and tumorigenic human prostate cancer cell lines. Experimental Design: We have established and characterized a new human prostate cancer cell line, CWR22Pc, derived from the primary CWR22 human prostate xenograft tumors. Results: The growth of CWR22Pc cells is induced markedly by dihydrotestosterone, and CWR22Pc cells express high levels of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Importantly, PSA expression in CWR22Pc cells is regulated by androgens. Stat5a/b, Stat3, Akt, and mitogen-activated protein kinase were constitutively active or cytokine inducible in CWR22Pc cells. The AR in CWR22Pc cells contains the H874Y mutation, but not the exon 3 duplication or other mutations. When inoculated subcutaneously into dihydrotestosterone-supplemented castrated nude mice, large tumors formed rapidly in 20 of 20 mice, whereas no tumors developed in mice without circulating dihydrotestosterone. Moreover, the serum PSA levels correlated with the tumor volumes. When androgens were withdrawn from the CWR22Pc tumors grown in nude mice, the tumors initially shrank but regrew back as androgen-independent tumors. Conclusions: This androgen-regulated and tumorigenic human prostate cancer cell line provides a valuable tool for studies on androgen regulation of prostate cancer cells and on the molecular mechanisms taking place in growth promotion of prostate cancer when androgens are withdrawn from the growth environment. CWR22Pc cells also provide a model system for studies on the regulation of transcriptional activity of mutated H874YAR in a prostate cancer cell context.
Hip fracture incidence among elderly Hispanics.

OBJECTIVES This study estimated hip fracture incidence for elderly Hispanics in the United States. METHODS A cohort of Spanish-surnamed 1992 Medicare enrollees was followed for 2 years. Hip fractures were identified by inpatient diagnostic code. RESULTS For Hispanic women, the national age-adjusted hip fracture rate was 7.3 per 1000 person-years; for men, the rate was 3.3. Rates varied markedly, with higher rates for the predominantly Mexican-American southwestern states than for Puerto Ricans. CONCLUSIONS Nationally, the Hispanic population is at intermediate risk of hip fracture between Blacks and Whites, but geographic variation suggests that Mexican Americans are at higher risk than Puerto Ricans.