Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The dusty heart of nearby active galaxies. II. From clumpy torus models to physical properties of dust around active galactic nuclei

With the possibilities of high spatial resolution imaging and spectroscopy as well as infrared (IR) interferometry, the dusty environments (= “dusty torus”) of active galactic nuclei (AGN) are now in reach of observations. Following our Paper I on ground-based mid-IR spectro-photometry, we present an upgrade to our radiative transfer model of three-dimensional clumpy dust tori. The upgrade with respect to earlier work concerns an improved handling of the diffuse radiation field in the torus, which is approximated by a statistical approach. The models are presented as tools to translate classical and interferometric observations into characteristic properties of the dust distribution. We compare model spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for different chemical and grain-size compositions of the dust and find that clouds with standard interstellar matter (ISM) dust and optical depth τV ∼ 50 appear in overall agreement with observed IR SEDs. By studying parameter dependencies, it is shown that type 1 AGN SEDs, in particular the mid-IR spectral index, can be used to constrain the radial dust cloud distribution power law index a, while other parameters are more difficult to assess using SEDs only. Interferometry adds important additional information for modeling when it is interpreted concurrently with the SED. Although type 2 AGN can in principle be used to constrain model parameters as well, obscuration effects make the analysis more ambiguous. We propose a simple, interferometry-based method to distinguish between “compact” and “extended” radial dust distributions without detailed modeling of the data and introduce a way to easily determine individual or sample average model parameters using the observed optical depth in the silicate feature and the mid-IR spectral index.
Consciousness Unbound: Toward a Paradigm of General Anesthesia

THEORIES of general anesthetic mechanism have evolved from the unitary hypothesis of Claude Bernard in the nineteenth century to our current understanding of the multiple receptors and neural systems affected by anesthetic agents. As the scientific study of general anesthesia has progressed, it has become clear that early unifying theories of anesthetic mechanism, although elegant, do not account for the many specific actions of anesthetic agents. Studies of general anesthesia over the past years have ranged from the level of single-channel dynamics, to the analysis of neural systems controlling sleep, to neuroimaging. Although general anesthesia may be mediated by complex pharmacologic and neurologic mechanisms, we should not abandon the quest for a unitary hypothesis. Although such frameworks may be simplified, the lack of a guiding paradigm may ultimately impede the development of investigation. A paradigm of general anesthesia should be able to:
Effects of cattle grazing on small mammal communities in the Hulunber meadow steppe

Small mammals play important roles in many ecosystems, and understanding their response to disturbances such as cattle grazing is fundamental for developing sustainable land use strategies. However, how small mammals respond to cattle grazing remains controversial. A potential cause is that most of previous studies adopt rather simple experimental designs based solely on the presence/absence of grazing, and are thus unable to detect any complex relationships between diversity and grazing intensity. In this study, we conducted manipulated experiments in the Hulunber meadow steppe to survey small mammal community structures under four levels of grazing intensities. We found dramatic changes in species composition in native small mammal communities when grazing intensity reached intermediate levels (0.46 animal unit/ha). As grazing intensity increased, Spermophilus dauricus gradually became the single dominant species. Species richness and diversity of small mammals in ungrazed and lightly grazed (0.23 animal unit/ha) area were much higher than in intermediately and heavily grazed area. We did not detect a humped relationship between small mammal diversity and disturbance levels predicted by the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH). Our study highlighted the necessity of conducting manipulated experiments under multiple grazing intensities.
International Union of Pharmacology XXXVII. Nomenclature for Leukotriene and Lipoxin Receptors

The leukotrienes and lipoxins are biologically active metabolites derived from arachidonic acid. Their diverse and potent actions are associated with specific receptors. Recent molecular techniques have established the nucleotide and amino acid sequences and confirmed the evidence that suggested the existence of different G-protein-coupled receptors for these lipid mediators. The nomenclature for these receptors has now been established for the leukotrienes. BLT receptors are activated by leukotriene B4 and related hydroxyacids and this class of receptors can be subdivided into BLT1 and BLT2. The cysteinyl-leukotrienes (LT) activate another group called CysLT receptors, which are referred to as CysLT1 and CysLT2. A provisional nomenclature for the lipoxin receptor has also been proposed. LXA4 and LXB4 activate the ALX receptor and LXB4 may also activate another putative receptor. However this latter receptor has not been cloned. The aim of this review is to provide the molecular evidence as well as the properties and significance of the leukotriene and lipoxin receptors, which has lead to the present nomenclature.
Systematic Review: Nonoperative and Operative Treatments for Rotator Cuff Tears

BACKGROUND Many approaches exist for managing rotator cuff tears. PURPOSE To compare the benefits and harms of nonoperative and operative interventions on clinically important outcomes in adults with rotator cuff tears. DATA SOURCES 12 electronic databases (1990 to September 2009), gray literature, trial registries, and reference lists were searched. STUDY SELECTION Controlled and uncontrolled studies that assessed nonoperative or operative treatments or postoperative rehabilitation for adults with confirmed rotator cuff tears were included. Operative studies in English-language publications and nonoperative and postoperative rehabilitation studies in English, French, or German were considered. Studies were assessed in duplicate. DATA EXTRACTION 2 reviewers assessed risk for bias by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. One reviewer rated the evidence by using a modified GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach. Data were extracted by one reviewer and verified by another. DATA SYNTHESIS 137 studies met eligibility criteria. All trials had high risk for bias. Cohort and uncontrolled studies were of moderate quality. Reported functional outcomes did not differ between open versus mini-open repair, mini-open versus arthroscopic repair, arthroscopic repair with versus without acromioplasty, or single-row versus double-row fixation. Earlier return to work was reported for mini-open repair versus open repair and for continuous passive motion with physical therapy versus physical therapy alone. Open repairs showed greater improvement in function than did arthroscopic debridement. Complication rates were low across all interventions. LIMITATIONS Limited evidence, which was often of low quality, precluded conclusions for most comparisons. Language restrictions may have excluded some relevant studies, and selective outcome reporting may have introduced bias. CONCLUSION Evidence on the comparative effectiveness and harms of various operative and nonoperative treatments for rotator cuff tears is limited and inconclusive. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
An indirect comparison of dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban for atrial fibrillation

Summary New oral anticoagulant drugs are emerging as alternatives to warfarin for the prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Two agents are direct factor Xa inhibitors (rivaroxaban and apixaban), and the third is a direct thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran). They have been separately compared to warfarin in large randomised trials. Our objective was to indirectly compare the three agents to each other for major efficacy and safety outcomes. Studies were assessed for comparability and the odds ratios of selected outcomes for each anticoagulant versus one another were estimated indirectly. The three cohorts differed significantly in terms of CHADS2 score and the number of individuals with a past history of stroke, transient ischemic attack or systemic embolism. The estimated odds ratio of stroke or systemic embolism was 1.35 for rivaroxaban vs dabigatran 150 mg (p=0.04), 0.97 for rivaroxaban versus dabigatran 110 mg (p=0.81), 1.22 for apixaban versus dabigatran 150 mg (p=0.18), 0.88 for apixaban versus dabigatran 110 mg (p=0.34) and 0.90 for apixaban versus rivaroxaban (p=0.43). The estimated odds ratio of major bleeding was 1.10 for rivaroxaban versus dabigatran 150 mg (p=0.36), 1.28 for rivaroxaban versus dabigatran 110 mg (p=0.02), 0.74 for apixaban versus dabigatran 150 mg (p=0.004), 0.87 for apixaban versus dabigatran 110 mg (p=0.17) and 0.68 for apixaban versus rivaroxaban (p<0.001). In conclusion, the available data indicate no significant difference in efficacy between dabigatran 150 mg and apixaban for the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. It appears however that apixaban is associated with less major bleeding than dabigatran 150 mg or rivaroxaban and that rivaroxaban is less effective than dabigatran 150 mg in preventing stroke or systemic embolism. Such an indirect comparison should be used only to generate hypotheses which need to be tested in a dedicated randomised trial comparing the three drugs directly.
Towards the absolute planes: a new calibration of the bolometric corrections and temperature scales for Population II giants

We present new determinations of bolometric corrections and effective temperature scales as a function of infrared optical colours, using a large data base of photometric observations of about 6500 Population II giants in Galactic globular clusters (GGCs), covering a wide range in metallicity (−2.0 < [Fe/H] < 0.0). New relations for BCK versus (V − K) , (J − K) and BCV versus (B − V), (V − I), (V − J), and new calibrations for Teff, using both an empirical relation and model atmospheres, are provided. Moreover, an empirical relation to derive the R parameter of the infrared flux method as a function of the stellar temperature is also presented.
Intrinsic rifamycin resistance of Mycobacterium abscessus is mediated by ADP-ribosyltransferase MAB_0591

Objectives: Rifampicin, a potent first-line TB drug of the rifamycin group, shows only little activity against the emerging pathogen Mycobacterium abscessus. Reportedly, bacterial resistance to rifampicin is associated with polymorphisms in the target gene rpoB or the presence of enzymes that modify and thereby inactivate rifampicin. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the MAB_0591 (arrMab)-encoded rifampicin ADP-ribosyltransferase (Arr_Mab) in innate high-level rifampicin resistance in M. abscessus. Methods: Recombinant Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains expressing MAB_0591 were generated, as was an M. abscessus deletion mutant deficient for MAB_0591. MIC assays were used to study susceptibility to rifampicin and C25 carbamate-modified rifamycin derivatives. Results: Heterologous expression of MAB_0591 conferred rifampicin resistance to E. coli and M. tuberculosis. Rifamycin MIC values were consistently lower for the M. abscessus &Dgr;arrMab mutant as compared with the M. abscessus ATCC 19977 parental type strain. The rifamycin WT phenotype was restored after complementation of the M. abscessus &Dgr;arrMab mutant with arrMab. Further MIC data demonstrated that a C25 modification increases rifamycin activity in WT M. abscessus. However, MIC studies in the M. abscessus &Dgr;arrMab mutant suggest that C25 modified rifamycins are still subject to modification by Arr_Mab. Conclusions: Our findings identify Arr_Mab as the major innate rifamycin resistance determinant of M. abscessus. Our data also indicate that Arr_Mab-mediated rifamycin resistance in M. abscessus can only in part be overcome by C25 carbamate modification.
Compressed Sensing Phase Retrieval

The theory of Compressed sensing (CS) allows for signal reconstruction from a number of measurements dictated by the signal’s structure, rather than its bandwidth. The information in signals which have only a few nonzero values can be captured in only a few measurements, such as random Fourier coefficients. However, there exist scenarios where we can only observe the magnitude of these coefficients. It is natural to ask if such measurements could still capture the signal’s information, and if so, how many are needed. We have found an upper bound of O(k log(N) random Fourier modulus measurements needed to uniquely specify k-sparse signals. In addition to using a signal’s structure to observe it with fewer measurements, we also propose a method to use this structure to aid in recovery from the Fourier transform modulus. Existing methods to solve this phase retrieval (PR) problem with complex signals require a priori signal assumptions on the signal’s support. We have shown that a constraint based upon signal structure, the `1 norm, is also effective for PR. Not only does it help recover structured signals from their Fourier transform modulus, but it can do so with fewer measurements than PR traditionally requires.
Contention based multi-channel MAC protocol for distributed cognitive radio networks

Design of an efficient medium access control protocol is critical for proper functioning of a distributed cognitive radio network and better utilization of the available channels not being used by primary users. In this paper, we design a contention based distributed medium access control (MAC) protocol for the secondary users' channel access. The proposed MAC protocol allows collision-free access of the available channels and eventual utilization by secondary users, with spectrum sensing part being handled by exclusive sensing nodes. The effectiveness of the proposed MAC protocol is evaluated analytically and also through empirical simulations. We show how the protocol performs with respect to blocking probability, channel grabbing, and channel utilization.
History of protein–protein interactions: From egg‐white to complex networks

Today, it is widely appreciated that protein–protein interactions play a fundamental role in biological processes. This was not always the case. The study of protein interactions started slowly and evolved considerably, together with conceptual and technological progress in different areas of research through the late 19th and the 20th centuries. In this review, we present some of the key experiments that have introduced major conceptual advances in biochemistry and molecular biology, and review technological breakthroughs that have paved the way for today's systems‐wide approaches to protein–protein interaction analysis.
A Crossing-Sensitive Third-Order Factorization for Dependency Parsing

Parsers that parametrize over wider scopes are generally more accurate than edge-factored models. For graph-based non-projective parsers, wider factorizations have so far implied large increases in the computational complexity of the parsing problem. This paper introduces a “crossing-sensitive” generalization of a third-order factorization that trades off complexity in the model structure (i.e., scoring with features over multiple edges) with complexity in the output structure (i.e., producing crossing edges). Under this model, the optimal 1-Endpoint-Crossing tree can be found in O(n4) time, matching the asymptotic run-time of both the third-order projective parser and the edge-factored 1-Endpoint-Crossing parser. The crossing-sensitive third-order parser is significantly more accurate than the third-order projective parser under many experimental settings and significantly less accurate on none.
Continuous Regional Arterial Infusion with Fluorouracil and Octreotide Attenuates Severe Acute Pancreatitis in a Canine Model

Aim To investigate the therapeutic effects of fluorouracil (5-Fu) and octreotide (Oct) continuous regional arterial infusion (CRAI,) alone or in combination, was administered in a canine model of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Materials and Methods The animals were divided into five groups; group A (Sham), group B (SAP), group C (SAP and 5-Fu), group D (SAP and Oct), and group E (SAP and 5-Fu + Oct). Levels of amylase, α-tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, thromboxane B2 and 6-keto- prostaglandin F1α were measured both before and after the induction of SAP. Pathologic examination of the pancreas and kidneys was performed after termination of the study. Results Pathologic changes noted in the pancreas in SAP significantly improved following CRAI with either single or combined administration of 5-Fu and Oct, where combination therapy demonstrated the lowest injury score. All treatment groups had significantly lower levels of serum TNF-α and amylase activity (P<0.05), though only groups D and E had a lower BUN level as compared to group B. The plasma thromboxane B2 level increased in SAP, but the ratio of thromboxane B2/6-keto- prostaglandin F1α decreased in the treatment groups, with the combination therapy (group E) demonstrating the lowest ratio as compared to the other 3 experimental groups (P<0.05). Conclusions The findings in the present study demonstrate an attenuation of SAP in a canine model following CRAI administration with 5-Fu or Oct, alone or in combination.
Closed Sets and Operators thereon: Representations, Computability and Complexity

The TTE approach to Computable Analysis is the study of so-called representations (encodings for continuous objects such as reals, functions, and sets) with respect to the notions of computability they induce. A rich variety of such representations had been devised over the past decades, particularly regarding closed subsets of Euclidean space plus subclasses thereof (like compact subsets). In addition, they had been compared and classified with respect to both non-uniform computability of single sets and uniform computability of operators on sets. In this paper we refine these investigations from the point of view of computational complexity. Benefiting from the concept of second-order representations and complexity recently devised by Kawamura & Cook (2012), we determine parameterized complexity bounds for operators such as union, intersection, projection, and more generally function image and inversion. By indicating natural parameters in addition to the output precision, we get a uniform view on results by Ko (1991-2013), Braverman (2004/05) and Zhao & Muller (2008), relating these problems to the P/UP/NP question in discrete complexity theory.
Acoustic and electrical activities during voluntary isometric contraction of biceps brachii muscles in patients with spastic cerebral palsy

This study was designed to compare electromyogram (EMG) and acoustic myogram (AMG) recordings of biceps brachii muscles in patients with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) in the CP group was approximately one half of that of the normal group even after being normalized by the muscle cross‐sectional area (CSA) (18.6 ± 5.9 kNm/m2 in CP, 37.3 ± 2.9 kNm/m2 in normal). Both CP and normal groups demonstrated a progressive increase in the root mean squared values per unit muscle CSA in the EMG (RMSEMG/CSA) as well as in the AMG (RMSAMG/CSA) with increasing force up to 50% MVC. The increasing magnitude of the RMSEMG/CSA with force was not significantly different between two subject groups. However, all the levels of force resulted in significantly smaller RMSAMG/CSA in the CP group compared to the normal group. The ratios of RMSAMG to RMSEMG in the CP group (0.75 ± 0.03 m/s2/mV) were significantly smaller than those in the normal group (1.37 ± 0.07 m/s2/mV) at force levels above 30% MVC. These results suggest that motor disabilities in CP patients are caused not only by primary neural impairment but also by secondary deterioration in muscular contractile properties, probably resulting from muscle fiber atrophy. This appears to be more selective in fast twitch fibers. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The effect of interventions to alter the consultation length of family physicians: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND Observational studies have shown differences in process and outcome between the consultations of primary care physicians whose average length of consultation differs, however, these differences may be due to self selection. AIM To assess the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of interventions to alter primary care physicians' consultation length. DESIGN OF STUDY Systematic review with narrative analysis. METHOD Data sources included Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group specialised register, the NHS National Research Register and author contacts. To be eligible, studies had to be controlled trials. They had to evaluate interventions to alter the consultation length of primary care physicians, and provide objectively measured process or outcome data. Data were extracted independently using agreed criteria and disagreements resolved by discussion. RESULTS Six articles describing four trials were included. All took place in the UK and tested short term changes in the time allocated to each patient, and all had methodological weaknesses, particularly due to non random allocation of patients. Altering appointment length resulted in modest changes in average consultation length. There were no consistent differences in problem recognition, examination, prescribing, referral or investigation rates. There was some evidence that blood pressure was checked more frequently and smoking discussed more often when more time was available. None of the interventions were associated with differences in patient satisfaction. No trials examined cost effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS Our findings do not provide sufficient evidence to support or resist a policy of altering consultation lengths of primary care physicians. Further trials are needed, focussing on health outcomes and cost effectiveness.
Offloading Cellular Traffic Through Opportunistic Communications: Analysis and Optimization

Offloading traffic through opportunistic communications has been recently proposed as a way to relieve the current overload of cellular networks. Opportunistic communication can occur when mobile device users are (temporarily) in each other's proximity, such that the devices can establish a local peer-to-peer connection (e.g., via WLAN or Bluetooth). Since opportunistic communication is based on the spontaneous mobility of the participants, it is inherently unreliable. This poses a serious challenge to the design of any cellular offloading solutions, that must meet the applications' requirements. In this paper, we address this challenge from an optimization analysis perspective, in contrast to the existing heuristic solutions. We first model the dissemination of content (injected through the cellular interface) in an opportunistic network with heterogeneous node mobility. Then, based on this model, we derive the optimal content injection strategy, which minimizes the load of the cellular network while meeting the applications' constraints. Finally, we propose an adaptive algorithm based on control theory that implements this optimal strategy without requiring any data on the mobility patterns or the mobile nodes' contact rates. The proposed approach is extensively evaluated with both a heterogeneous mobility model as well as real-world contact traces, showing that it substantially outperforms previous approaches proposed in the literature.