Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endemic Asian Chytrid Strain Infection in Threatened and Endemic Anurans of the Northern Western Ghats, India

The Western Ghats of India harbors a rich diversity of amphibians with more than 77% species endemic to this region. At least 42% of the endemic species are threatened due to several anthropogenic stressors. However, information on amphibian diseases and their impacts on amphibian populations in this region are scarce. We report the occurrence of Batrachochytridium dendrobatidis (Bd), an epidermal aquatic fungal pathogen that causes chytridiomycosis in amphibians, from the Western Ghats. In the current study we detected the occurrence of a native Asian Bd strain from three endemic and threatened species of anurans, Bombay Night Frog Nyctibatrachus humayuni, Leith's Leaping Frog Indirana leithii and Bombay Bubble Nest Frog Raorchestes bombayensis, for the first time from the northern Western Ghats of India based on diagnostic nested PCR, quantitative PCR, DNA sequencing and histopathology. While, the Bd infected I. leithii and R. bombayensis did not show any external symptoms, N. humayuni showed lesions on the skin, browning of skin and sloughing. Sequencing of Bd 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and the ITS1 and ITS2 regions, revealed that the current Bd strain is related to a haplotype endemic to Asia. Our findings confirm the presence of Bd in northern Western Ghats and the affected amphibians may or may not show detectable clinical symptoms. We suggest that the significance of diseases as potential threat to amphibian populations of the Western Ghats needs to be highlighted from the conservation point of view.
TÜKENMİŞLİK VE TÜKENMİŞLİĞİ ETKİLEYEN ÖRGÜTSEL FAKTÖRLERİN ANALİZİNE İLİŞKİN AKADEMİK PERSONEL ÜZERİNDE BİR UYGULAMA

Burnout that can be defined as exhaustion of energy, power or sources caused by excessive demands; a progressing stress process; and the loss of idealizm, has becomed an important study field as its negative effects have been understood on human and organizations. In this paper, the burnout levels of academic staff, the difference of burnout levels as to demografic variables and academic status, and finally the organizational factors that effect burnout are determined.
Co-transcriptional nuclear actin dynamics

Actin is a key player for nuclear structure and function regulating both chromosome organization and gene activity. In the cell nucleus actin interacts with many different proteins. Among these proteins several studies have identified classical nuclear factors involved in chromatin structure and function, transcription and RNA processing as well as proteins that are normally involved in controlling the actin cytoskeleton. These discoveries have raised the possibility that nuclear actin performs its multi task activities through tight interactions with different sets of proteins. This high degree of promiscuity in the spectrum of protein-to-protein interactions correlates well with the conformational plasticity of actin and the ability to undergo regulated changes in its polymerization states. Several of the factors involved in controlling head-to-tail actin polymerization have been shown to be in the nucleus where they seem to regulate gene activity. By focusing on the multiple tasks performed by actin and actin-binding proteins, possible models of how actin dynamics controls the different phases of the RNA polymerase II transcription cycle are being identified.
An XMM-Newton view of M101 - II. Global X-ray source properties

We present the global X-ray properties of the point source population in the grand-design spiral galaxy M101, as seen with XMM‐Newton. 108 X-ray sources are detected within the D25 ellipse of M101, of which ∼24 are estimated to be background galaxies. Multiwavelength cross-correlations show that 20 sources are coincident with H II regions and/or supernova remnants (SNRs), seven have identified/candidate background galaxy counterparts, six are coincident with foreground stars and one has a radio counterpart. While the spectral and timing properties of the brightest sources were presented by Jenkins et al., here we apply an X-ray colour classification scheme to split the entire source population into different types, i.e. X-ray binaries (XRBs), SNRs, absorbed sources, background sources and supersoft sources (SSSs). Approximately 60 per cent of the population can be classified as XRBs, although there is source contamination from background active galactic nuclei (AGN) in this category as they have similar spectral shapes in the X-ray regime. 15 sources have X-ray colours consistent with SNRs, three of which correlate with known SNR/H II radio sources. Another two are promising new candidates for SNRs, one is unidentified, and the remainder are a mixture of foreground stars, bright soft XRBs and AGN candidates. We also detect 14 candidate SSSs, with significant detections in the softest X-ray band (0.3‐1 keV) only. 16 sources display short-term variability during the XMM‐Newton observation, twelve of which fall into the XRB category, giving additional evidence of their accreting nature. Using archival Chandra and ROSAT High Resolution Imager data, we find that ∼40 per cent of the XMM sources show long-term variability over a baseline of up to ∼10 yr, and eight sources display potential transient behaviour between observations. Sources with significant flux variations between the XMM and Chandra observations show a mixture of softening and hardening with increasing luminosity. The spectral and timing properties of the sources coincident with M101 confirm that its X-ray source population is dominated by accreting XRBs.
The functional significance of cortical reorganization and the parallel development of CI therapy

For the nineteenth and the better part of the twentieth centuries two correlative beliefs were strongly held by almost all neuroscientists and practitioners in the field of neurorehabilitation. The first was that after maturity the adult CNS was hardwired and fixed, and second that in the chronic phase after CNS injury no substantial recovery of function could take place no matter what intervention was employed. However, in the last part of the twentieth century evidence began to accumulate that neither belief was correct. First, in the 1960s and 1970s, in research with primates given a surgical abolition of somatic sensation from a single forelimb, which rendered the extremity useless, it was found that behavioral techniques could convert the limb into an extremity that could be used extensively. Beginning in the late 1980s, the techniques employed with deafferented monkeys were translated into a rehabilitation treatment, termed Constraint Induced Movement therapy or CI therapy, for substantially improving the motor deficit in humans of the upper and lower extremities in the chronic phase after stroke. CI therapy has been applied successfully to other types of damage to the CNS such as traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury, and it has also been used to improve function in focal hand dystonia and for aphasia after stroke. As this work was proceeding, it was being shown during the 1980s and 1990s that sustained modulation of afferent input could alter the structure of the CNS and that this topographic reorganization could have relevance to the function of the individual. The alteration in these once fundamental beliefs has given rise to important recent developments in neuroscience and neurorehabilitation and holds promise for further increasing our understanding of CNS function and extending the boundaries of what is possible in neurorehabilitation.
Bilateral trade elasticities : Sweden versus her trade partners

This study explores the long-run bilateral trade elasticities between Sweden and its six major trading partners for the period 1960-1999. Tests for unit roots and cointegration in a panel perspective are conducted. The estimated cross sectional trade elasticities show that trade is highly sensitive to changes in income but less sensitive to real exchange rate fluctuations. The bilateral trade elasticities disclose that the Marshall-Lerner condition is not satisfied (except for Germany) and real depreciation of the Swedish currency has less favorable impact on the trade balance. The policy implications of our findings are also discussed.
Secondary structure, orientation, and oligomerization of phospholemman, a cardiac transmembrane protein

Human phospholemman (PLM) is a 72‐residue protein, which is expressed at high density in the cardiac plasma membrane and in various other tissues. It forms ion channels selective for K+, Cl−, and taurine in lipid bilayers and colocalizes with the Na+/K+‐ATPase and the Na+/Ca2+‐exchanger, which may suggest a role in the regulation of cell volume. Here we present the first structural data based on synthetic peptides representing the transmembrane domain of PLM. Perfluoro‐octaneoate‐PAGE of reconstituted proteoliposomes containing PLM reveals a tetrameric homo‐oligomerization. Infrared spectroscopy of proteoliposomes shows that the PLM peptide is completely α‐helical, even beyond the hydrophobic core residues. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments reveal that a core of 20–22 residues is not accessible to water, thus embedded in the lipid membrane. The maximum helix tilt is 17° ± 2° obtained by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy. Thus, our data support the idea of ion channel formation by the PLM transmembrane domain.
Understanding the Slowdown in Foreign Investment in China

No one thought China’s high growth rates would persist forever, or that multinational firms would always keep pouring into the Chinese market, eager to establish operations regardless of local conditions. Economic convergence ensures that there will be a cooling off as wages rise and expected rates of return to investments fall. The difficult question has never been whether China will lose its luster, but when this would happen and how the adjustment will occur.
Brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging in Thai multiple sclerosis patients

Objective: To evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Thailand. Method: A retrospective review on the initial brain and spinal cord MRI in MS patients was done but primary progressive MS and the AQP4 antibody positive patients were excluded. The characteristics of brain and spinal cord MRI were analyzed. Results: For the initial brain MRI studies, fi fty percents satisfi ed McDonald MRI criteria for dissemination in space. For the initial spinal cord MRI, most lesions involved thoracic level and the mean length of spinal cord lesion is 1.29 vertebral body segments (range 0-3). Conclusion: For Brain MRIs in Thai MS patients, there was 50% in sensitivity by the 2005 McDonald’s Criteria for dissemination in space, which is similar to the previous Asian reports. For spinal MRI, the median length of lesions was less than previous Asian reports. This could be due to the fact that AQP4 antibody positive patients, in whom the clinical and imaging features are hard to differentiate from MS patients, were excluded. In other word, the neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorders had been more effectively excluded in this study than those in the past. This supports the importance of NMO IgG/AQP4 antibody testing in differentiating MS from NMO spectrum disorders, especially in Asian patients.
Evidence for Retrovirus and Paramyxovirus Infection of Multiple Bat Species in China

Bats are recognized reservoirs for many emerging zoonotic viruses of public health importance. Identifying and cataloguing the viruses of bats is a logical approach to evaluate the range of potential zoonoses of bat origin. We characterized the fecal pathogen microbiome of both insectivorous and frugivorous bats, incorporating 281 individual bats comprising 20 common species, which were sampled in three locations of Yunnan province, by combining reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays and next-generation sequencing. Seven individual bats were paramyxovirus-positive by RT-PCR using degenerate primers, and these paramyxoviruses were mainly classified into three genera (Rubulavirus, Henipavirus and Jeilongvirus). Various additional novel pathogens were detected in the paramyxovirus-positive bats using Illumina sequencing. A total of 7066 assembled contigs (≥200 bp) were constructed, and 105 contigs matched eukaryotic viruses (of them 103 belong to 2 vertebrate virus families, 1 insect virus, and 1 mycovirus), 17 were parasites, and 4913 were homologous to prokaryotic microorganisms. Among the 103 vertebrate viral contigs, 79 displayed low identity (<70%) to known viruses including human viruses at the amino acid level, suggesting that these belong to novel and genetically divergent viruses. Overall, the most frequently identified viruses, particularly in bats from the family Hipposideridae, were retroviruses. The present study expands our understanding of the bat virome in species commonly found in Yunnan, China, and provides insight into the overall diversity of viruses that may be capable of directly or indirectly crossing over into humans.
Designing and standardizing a questionnaire for evaluating knowledge, attitude, and practice of Iranian adults with cardiovascular diseases about oral health

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in Iran. Moreover, periodontal diseases are very common in our country. In this study, we have designed a standardized questionnaire for evaluating knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Iranian adult patients with cardiovascular diseases about oral health. METHODS For designing and standardizing a self-administered questionnaire, we performed a cross-sectional pilot study on 51 cases with periodontal complaints. A dentist carried out the physical examination to determine oral health indicators. Twelve experts and ten lay people of the target population answered questions about validity. Cronbach’s alpha, factor analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficients were used in the analysis. RESULTS The cases of this pilot study were middle aged, with moderate financial and health status, but low oral health and educational level. Debris score was correlated with all other physical exam findings except decay, missing, and filled (DMF). Reliability was 0.826 according to Cronbach’s alpha score. Face validity was higher than 80%. Content validities of the whole of the questionnaire were 85.98% for clarity, 78.05% for relevancy, 85.16% for simplicity, and 82.32% for consistency of each question with the question set. Factor analysis showed that 15 components explain 74% of the total variance. CONCLUSION This questionnaire is culturally adjusted and appropriate for our community, valid and reliable, and sufficiently estimates the variance of the oral health status. It can be used as a standard tool in further studies in adult population of the Iranian middle aged patients with low level of education and moderate socioeconomic status.
THE IMPACT OF LONG-TERM TILLAGE, CROP ROTATION AND N APPLICATION ON SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION

Soil organic carbon (SOC) stock is controlled by many factors, but for given conditions it is the long term summation of the balance between inputs and outputs. Management practices will alter this balance by affecting the system's productivity and the speed of residue and soil organic matter decomposition. Given that annual changes in SOC are generally small, compared with the large and variable SOC background, long-term experiments, and soil samples taken at the start of experiments (archived samples) are necessary to determine SOC trends over time. Changes in SOC were analyzed for two long-term experiments; one an irrigated site at Mead, NE (1997) with continuous corn (CC) (Zea mays L.) and corn-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] (CS) rotation) and 3 nitrogen (N) application rates (0, 100 and 300 kg ha-1); and the other a rainfed site at Concord, NE, (1985) with three tillage treatments (no-till, NT, disk, DK, and moldboard plow, MP), two crop sequences (CC and CS) and three N application rates (0, 80 and 160 kg ha-1). Soil samples taken at early stages of the experiments were used as a benchmark to analyze carbon trends over time. Results showed that in spite of considerable differences, C inputs did not affect changes in SOC. Nitrogen fertilizer application resulted in a 3% increase in SOC, but required 24 years to generate detectable differences in the surface 400 kg of soil m-2. Over the last 12 years, MP lost 1.52 ±0.4 kg of C m-2 while NT lost 0.73 ±0.4 and DK lost 0.76 ±0.4 kg of C m-2 in the 1200 kg of soil m-2 profile. None of the evaluated treatments under the conditions of these experiments were able to sequester atmospheric C since all lost SOC over time. The use of archived samples made possible the determination of the rate of SOC change over time, and allowed an accounting for natural soil variability. i Acknowledgement I would like to thank my advisory committee; Stephen Mason and Timothy Arkebauer for all their patience, encouragement, guidance and endless effort in helping me achieve my Masters degree. I specially want to thank Steve and Charles for all the support they gave me in the times when I most needed it. I could not have completed my degree without their help. I also want to thank Kent Eskridge for his time and patience as we developed the statistical analysis of this studyand Ken …
Are De Jure Labor Laws Absolute? Formal Manufacturing in India

We investigate the view that de facto labor market conditions are important in evaluating the effects of labor institutions in developing countries where enactment does not necessarily imply enforcement. Using India as a case study we empirically investigate the effects of labor markets on the organized manufacturing sector from 1970 to 1997. Recognizing that the state can intervene in the outcome of labor disputes we construct a measure to proxy the degree of the state legislature’s prejudice towards pro-worker causes. We argue that leftist and communist political parties can interfere in the resolution of disputes in favor of workers through conciliation, arbitration, and the adjudication machinery, and so we use the share of seats won by left parties as a proxy for how supportive the state legislature is towards workers’ concerns. Our findings suggest that manufacturing output in the formal sector reduces with a higher presence of the left in the state legislature, and this effect is greater in states enacting pro-worker laws. In addition we also find that the intensity of worker usage is adjusted downwards, and factory registration declines with a greater presence of the left and is also intensified when states amending laws favoring workers. A more pro-worker state legislature itself however, does not significantly affect employment, worker productivity, fixed capital stock, and investment. Our results are most robust from 1980 onwards as it coincides with the changes in the Indian polity. We get some indication that the insignificance of labor market conditions on employment and wages is possibly due to the left parties in West Bengal functioning differently than parties in other states. In addition, disaggregate data confirms our main findings and reveals that the average factory size reduces in labor intensive sectors with left-leaning parties, and this effect is worse in states with pro-worker labor laws.
Saving the Southern Murray-Darling Basin: The Economic Effects of a Buyback of Irrigation Water

We use TERM-HO in analysing the effects of the Government buying back water from irrigators in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin (SMDB) and thereby increasing river flows. TERM-HO is a dynamic multiregional computable general equilibrium model containing water accounts. Controversially, our results suggest that buyback would increase economic activity in SMDB. Although a scheme of environmentally useful size would sharply increase the price of irrigation water, there would be little effect on aggregate SMDB farm output. Instead, farm resources would be reallocated between activities. Because farmers are owners of water rights, they would benefit from the price increase induced by buyback.
Seam-Driven Image Stitching

Image stitching computes geometric transforms to align images based on the best fit of feature correspondences between overlapping images. Seam-cutting is used afterwards to to hide misalignment artifacts. Interestingly it is often the seam-cutting step that is the most crucial for obtaining a perceptually seamless result. This motivates us to propose a seam-driven image stitching strategy where instead of estimating a geometric transform based on the best fit of feature correspondences, we evaluate the goodness of a transform based on the resulting visual quality of the seam-cut. We show that this new image stitching strategy can often produce better perceptual results than existing methods especially for challenging scenes.
Patterns of HIV/SIV Prevention and Control by Passive Antibody Immunization

Neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses are promising immune effectors for control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Protective activity and mechanisms of immunodeficiency virus-specific NAbs have been increasingly scrutinized in animals infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), chimeric simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) and related viruses. Studies on such models have unraveled a previously underscored protective potential against in vivo immunodeficiency virus replication. Pre-challenge NAb titers feasibly provide sterile protection from SIV/SHIV infection by purging the earliest onset of viral replication and likely modulate innate immune cell responses. Sufficient sub-sterile NAb titers after established infection also confer dose-dependent reduction of viremia, and in certain earlier time frames augment adaptive immune cell responses and even provide rebound-free viral control. Here, we provide an overview of the obtained patterns of SIV/SHIV protection and viral control by various types of NAb passive immunizations and discuss how these notions may be extrapolated to NAb-based clinical control of HIV infection.
Comparison between Benefits and Costs of Offload of Mobile Internet Traffic via Vehicular Networks

Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) is an emerging technology that connects automobiles with each other and with roadside infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Transportation may soon mandate that cars be equipped with DSRC to enhance safety. This work finds that if they do, then DSRC networks could also be an important new way to provide Internet access in urban areas that is more cost-effective than expanding the capacity of cellular networks. By combining our simulation model with data collected from an actual vehicular network that is operating in Porto, Portugal, we estimate how much Internet traffic can be carried on vehicular networks that would otherwise be carried by cellular networks under a variety of conditions. We then compare the benefits of cost savings of reduced cellular infrastructure due to offload with the cost of the DSRC vehicular network, to determine whether the former exceeds the latter. Although the benefits from offloading Internet traffic alone are not enough to justify a universal mandate to deploy DSRC in all vehicles, i.e. Internet offload benefit alone is less than total costs, we find that the majority of DSRC-related costs must be incurred anyway if safety is to be enhanced. Thus, soon after a mandate to put DSRC in new vehicles becomes effective, the benefits of offload in densely populated areas would be significantly greater than the remaining costs, which are the costs of roadside infrastructure that can serve as a gateway between DSRC-equipped vehicles and the Internet. Moreover, offload benefit would exceed DSRC infrastructure cost in regions with lower and lower population densities over time.