Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of UV Radiation on Paramecium Populations from Alpine Lakes

Paramecium populations from a clear and a glacier‐fed turbid alpine lake were exposed to solar simulated ultraviolet (UVR) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at 8 and 15 °C. The ciliates were tested for DNA damage (comet assay), behavioral changes, and mortality after UVR + PAR exposure. High DNA damage levels (~58% tail DNA) and abnormal swimming behavior were observed, although no significant changes in cell numbers were found irrespective of the lake origin (clear, turbid), and temperatures. We conclude that environmental stressors such as UVR and their effects may influence the adaptation of ciliates living in alpine lakes.
Human Capital Efficiency and Firm Performance: An Empirical Study on Malaysian Technology Industry

This study examined the relationship between human capital efficiency and firm’s performance in Malaysian technology industry. Using accounting data, this study reviewed annual reports of all technology companies listed under Main Market and Ace Market of Bursa Malaysia in year 2009. The study applied Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAICTM ) methodology developed by Ante Pulic to measure human capital efficiency. The results showed that there was not much difference in terms of human capital efficiency between the Main Market and Ace Market. Results from correlation analysis indicate that human capital efficiency has significant and positive relation with firm’s performance. Findings from this study may be useful to companies’ managers to make better decision pertaining to the proper deployment of their strategic asset, namely human capital.
Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Patients with High Myopia without Maculopathy

Objective: To evaluate macular choroidal thickness (CT) and retinal thickness in Turkish patients with high myopia without maculopathy and in normal subjects and to examine the association with age, axial length (AL), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), cycloplegic refraction, and spherical equivalent (SE). Methods: This prospective study was performed between January 2015 and June 2016 in the Department of Ophthalmology, Duzce University Medical Faculty. It had 65 individuals (30 patients with high myopia, 35 healthy subjects). Retinal and choroidal images were obtained using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Measurements (one subfoveal, three temporal, three nasal) were taken at 500 μm intervals up to 1,500 μm using the caliper system. Only the right eye was used for subsequent analysis. Results: The mean age was 29.5 ± 14.5 years and 25.6 ± 7.0 in the high myopia and control groups, respectively. The subfoveal CT was significantly lower in the high myopia group (mean, 218.3 ± 102.25 mm) than the control group (mean, 331.83 ± 99.06 mm; p < 0.001). In both groups, the choroid was thinnest at the nasal 1,500 μm location, being 158.40 ± 90.8 μm and 301 ± 103.59 μm, respectively. Retinal thickness in both groups was thickest at the nasal 1,500 μm location and thinnest in the subfoveal region. In patients with high myopia, CT was negatively correlated with AL (r=-0.490, p=0.006) and age (r=-0.455, p=0.012). Conclusions: Highly myopic eyes have a thinner choroid, which may be secondary to longer AL but is not an independent factor. Further studies in the field of OCT are important to exploring the pathology of high myopia.
The physiological differentiation along the midgut of Bombyx mori – inspirations from proteomics and gene expression patterns of the secreted proteins in the ectoperitrophic space

The ectoperitrophic space (EcPS) between the insect midgut epithelial cells and the peritrophic matrix is an unexplored, clean resource for concentrated proteins secreted by the midgut epithelial cells, which offers an ideal opportunity to uncover the midgut functions. In this study, we used Bombyx mori as a model organism and performed comparative proteomic analyses of the secreted proteins in the EcPS at the feeding and wandering stages. A total of 372 proteins were identified from both stages and 70 proteins were predicted to be secreted. Amongst these proteins, 17 secreted digestive proteins were identified and their temporal and spatial transcriptional expression patterns demonstrated that all these proteins were up‐regulated at the feeding stage and differentially expressed in different parts of the midgut. Proteins with nutrient reservoir activity and defence activity were found to be up‐regulated at the wandering stage. This work is the first to show the presence of digestive enzymes in the EcPS of the insect midgut using a proteomic approach, which provides evidence that suggests a physiological functional differentiation of the insect midgut. It is very clear that the EcPS undergoes dynamic changes in its composition of proteins in response to the changing needs of the insect at different developmental stages.
Multiattribute Loss Aversion and Reference Dependence: Evidence from the Performing Arts Industry

We study the prevalence of multi-attribute loss aversion and reference effects in a revenue management setting based on data of individual level purchases over a series of concert performances. The reference dependence that drives consumer choice is not only based on the price but also on observed sales (as a fraction of the seating capacity) during their past visits. We find that consumers suffer from loss aversion on both prices and seats sold: consumers incur significant utility loss when prices are above their references or when the actual seat sales are lower than their references. We suggest pricing policies that can address consumer decisions driven by such reference dependence and loss aversion.
Letter by Rezaei and Arjmand Regarding Article, "Cerebrolysin and Recovery After Stroke (CARS): A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Multicenter Trial".

We read with great interest and appreciation the article by Muresanu et al1 on the effects of cerebrolysin on the improvement of motor function in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Within the word count limitations of this letter, however, we would like to present a point that needs to be addressed and evaluated more in future experimental and clinical studies regarding the cerebrolysin mechanisms of action to improve ischemic stroke outcomes. Cerebrolysin is a neuroprotective medication, which is a porcine brain–derived peptide that acts as a neurotrophic agent similar to growth and neurotrophic …
Opposing Extremes of Zygomatic Bone Morphology: Australopithecus Boisei versus Homo Neanderthalensis

The lateral margin of the zygomatic bone of Australopithecus boisei flares both anteriorly and laterally. As a result, the bone loses the suspensory bracing of the facial frame and is transformed into a visor‐like structure that supports itself and gains its rigidity from its shape. The coronally oriented bony plates and the outline of the facial mask help the A. boisei face resist the effect of the visor‐like structure, which tends to pull the bone plates of the face away from the midline. On the other hand, the nearly sagittal orientation of the zygomatic bone in Homo neanderthalensis helps the face resist torque and bending forces, which themselves stem from the positioning of the bite point on the anterior teeth. Although the zygomatic bones of these two taxa are highly specialized, they differ fundamentally from each other. Anat Rec, 300:152–159, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High voltage LDMOS inverter for on-chip RF-MEMS actuation

In this work, two high voltage LDMOS inverters, a charge pump and a differential ring oscillator are designed and combined with a Ka-band RF-MEMS SPDT (single-pole double-throw) switch in a single BiCMOS chip. The circuit is fabricated in a triple well 0.25 μm SiGe:C BiCMOS process which includes a LDMOS- and a RF-MEMS module. The measured rise and fall times of the high voltage inverter are below 2.5 μs and 2 μs considering a 65 pF capacitor in parallel with a 1 MO resistor as the load caused by the measurement setup. Simulations based on the RF-MEMS electrode capacitance of ∼200fF — as the real case application — result in a drastically decreased rise (charge) time and fall (discharge) time of 10 ns and 8 ns, respectively. The maximum operating voltage of the LDMOS inverter is 45 V, which enables the actuation of the RF-MEMS switch. The measured S-parameters of the RF-MEMS SPDT switch, driven by the developed LDMOS inverters and charge pump, demonstrate the successful implementation.
Trio, a novel bovine high fecundity allele: III. Acquisition of dominance and ovulatory capacity at a smaller follicle size†

Abstract The acquisition of dominance and ovulatory capacity was evaluated in follicles from cows that were carriers or half-sibling noncarriers of the Trio allele. Follicle size at acquisition of follicular dominance was determined by evaluating whether follicles ovulate after GnRH challenge (ovulatory capacity—experiment 1) and by determination of intrafollicular concentrations of estradiol and free insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and relative mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1 (CYP19A1), luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR), and pappalysin 1 (PAPPA, previously known as pregnancy-associated plasma protein A, pappalysin 1) in granulosa cells from follicles of different sizes (experiment 2). Ovulatory capacity developed in follicles at 8.3 mm (50% ovulatory capacity) in noncarriers but at smaller sizes (5.5 mm) in Trio carriers. Similarly, in experiment 2, follicles of Trio carriers acquired a dominant phenotype, as determined by intrafollicular estradiol and CYP19A1, LHCGR, and PAPPA mRNA expression in granulosa cells, at significantly smaller sizes but at a similar time after wave emergence. Overall, dominance/ovulatory capacity was acquired when follicles of Trio carriers were ∼30% the size (volume basis) of follicles in noncarriers. In addition, follicles in Trio carriers appear to acquire dominance in a hierarchal manner, as demonstrated by the progressively greater number of follicles with a dominant phenotype between days 2 and 4 after wave emergence. Thus, results from this study provide further support for a physiological model in which selection of multiple follicles in Trio allele carriers is characterized by acquisition of dominance at a smaller follicle size but at a similar time in the follicular wave with multiple follicles acquiring dominance in a hierarchal sequence. Summary Sentence Results support a model for selection of multiple follicles in Trio allele carriers due to acquisition of dominance at a smaller follicle size but similar time in the follicular wave with multiple follicles acquiring dominance in a hierarchal sequence.
Stochastic resonance mediates the state-dependent effect of periodic stimulation on cortical alpha oscillations

Brain stimulation can be used to engage and modulate rhythmic activity in cortical networks. However, the outcomes have been shown to be impacted by behavioral states and endogenous brain fluctuations. To better understand how this intrinsic oscillatory activity controls the brain’s susceptibility to stimulation, we analyzed a computational model of the thalamocortical system in both the rest and task states, to identify the mechanisms by which endogenous alpha oscillations (8Hz-12Hz) are impacted by periodic stimulation. Our analysis shows that the differences between different brain states can be explained by a passage through a bifurcation combined to stochastic resonance - a mechanism whereby irregular fluctuations amplify the response of a nonlinear system to weak signals. Indeed, our findings suggest that modulating brain oscillations is best achieved in states of low endogenous rhythmic activity, and that irregular state-dependent fluctuations in thalamic inputs shape the susceptibility of cortical population to periodic stimulation.
Terahertz Silicon–BCB–Quartz Dielectric Waveguide: An Efficient Platform for Compact THz Systems

A silicon–BCB–quartz (SBQ) terahertz (THz) dielectric waveguide is proposed, investigated, fabricated, and verified experimentally. In this structure, silicon and quartz are bonded using a thin adhesive layer, benzocyclobutene (BCB). The fabrication process of this new waveguide, which is very simple and can be performed using basic clean room facilities, is presented. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed waveguide structure, a number of samples are designed, fabricated, and measured for the 500–580 GHz frequency range. Using the proposed structure, a THz waveguide with losses as low as 0.026 $\frac{\text{dB}}{\lambda _{0}}$ is achieved for the mentioned frequency range. Moreover, an SBQ bend is designed, fabricated, and the measurement results are presented. The proposed structure is low loss, efficient, easy-to-fabricate, and presents a platform for numerous dielectric-based THz passive and active devices.
Dnd1-mediated epigenetic control of teratoma formation in mouse

ABSTRACT Spontaneous testicular teratoma develops from primordial germ cells (PGCs) in embryos; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying teratoma formation are not fully understood. Mutation of the dead-end 1 (Dnd1) gene, which encodes an RNA-binding protein, drastically enhances teratoma formation in the 129/Sv mouse strain. To elucidate the mechanism of Dnd1 mutation-induced teratoma formation, we focused on histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) trimethylation (me3), and found that the levels of H3K27me3 and its responsible methyltransferase, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (Ezh2), were decreased in the teratoma-forming cells of Dnd1 mutant embryos. We also showed that Dnd1 suppressed miR-26a-mediated inhibition of Ezh2 expression, and that Dnd1 deficiency resulted in decreased H3K27me3 of a cell-cycle regulator gene, Ccnd1. In addition, Ezh2 expression or Ccnd1 deficiency repressed the reprogramming of PGCs into pluripotent stem cells, which mimicked the conversion of embryonic germ cells into teratoma-forming cells. These results revealed an epigenetic molecular linkage between Dnd1 and the suppression of testicular teratoma formation. Summary: Teratoma development from primordial germ cells is repressed by downregulation of Ccnd1 via histone H3 lysine 27 methylation controlled by Dnd1-mediated maintenance of Ezh2.
Influenza Virus-Induced Lung Inflammation Was Modulated by Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice

Although smokers have increased susceptibility and severity of seasonal influenza virus infection, there is no report about the risk of 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pdmH1N1) or avian H9N2 (H9N2/G1) virus infection in smokers. In our study, we used mouse model to investigate the effect of cigarette smoke on pdmH1N1 or H9N2 virus infection. Mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for 21 days and then infected with pdmH1N1 or H9N2 virus. Control mice were exposed to air in parallel. We found that cigarette smoke exposure alone significantly upregulated the lung inflammation. Such prior cigarette smoke exposure significantly reduced the disease severity of subsequent pdmH1N1 or H9N2 virus infection. For pdmH1N1 infection, cigarette smoke exposed mice had significantly lower mortality than the control mice, possibly due to the significantly decreased production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Similarly, after H9N2 infection, cigarette smoke exposed mice displayed significantly less weight loss, which might be attributed to lower cytokines and chemokines production, less macrophages, neutrophils, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells infiltration and reduced lung damage compared to the control mice. To further investigate the underlying mechanism, we used nicotine to mimic the effect of cigarette smoke both in vitro and in vivo. Pre-treating the primary human macrophages with nicotine for 72 h significantly decreased their expression of cytokines and chemokines after pdmH1N1 or H9N2 infection. The mice subcutaneously and continuously treated with nicotine displayed significantly less weight loss and lower inflammatory response than the control mice upon pdmH1N1 or H9N2 infection. Moreover, α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor knockout mice had more body weight loss than wild-type mice after cigarette smoke exposure and H9N2 infection. Our study provided the first evidence that the pathogenicity of both pdmH1N1 and H9N2 viruses was alleviated in cigarette smoke exposed mice, which might partially be attributed to the immunosuppressive effect of nicotine.
Mobile and stationary sources of air pollutants in the Amazon rainforest: a numerical study with WRF-Chem model

This paper evaluates the impact of the emissions from mobile and stationary sources in the Amazon rainforest by using the Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model. The analyzed air pollutants were CO, NO x , SO 2 , O 3 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 and VOCs. Five scenarios were defined in order to evaluate the emissions by biogenic, mobile and stationary sources, as well as future scenarios. Results show that the stationary sources explain the highest concentrations for all air pollutants evaluated, except for CO, for which the mobile sources are predominant ones. The futuristic scenario, which is twice the current emissions from mobile and stationary sources, has shown an increase in the range of 3 to 62 % in average concentrations and 45 to 109 % in peak concentrations depending on the pollutant. In addition, the spatial distributions of the scenarios has shown that the air pollutions plume from the city of Manaus is predominantly west and southwest, and it can reach hundreds of kilometers in length.
Emotional Distress and Psychosocial Resources in Patients Recovering From Severe Burn Injury

Emotional distress as well as psychosocial resources in 55 patients with burn injuries was assessed during acute and follow-up treatment. Results showed significantly greater values of emotional distress among patients when compared with norms of the general population. As well as higher levels of general psychopathology, particularly prevalent were anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic symptoms. However, patients also reported high levels of resources such as general optimism, self-efficacy, and perceived social support. Within the sample, no significant correlation between severity of emotional distress and severity of burn injury was found. By psychological assessments a subgroup of highly distressed patients was identified. These patients were highly emotionally distressed while having objective injury severity comparable with the other patients in the sample. Reactions to burn accidents vary individually. The results demonstrate the importance of routine screenings of psychological symptoms. An early identification of patients at-risk allows for tailored psychotherapeutic interventions and can thus help to improve quality of life and general well-being of burn patients on a long-term basis.
A theory of working memory without consciousness or sustained activity

Working memory and conscious perception are thought to share similar brain mechanisms, yet recent reports of non-conscious working memory challenge this view. Combining visual masking with magnetoencephalography, we demonstrate the reality of non-conscious working memory and dissect its neural mechanisms. In a spatial delayed-response task, participants reported the location of a subjectively unseen target above chance-level after a long delay. Conscious perception and conscious working memory were characterized by similar signatures: a sustained desynchronization in the alpha/beta band over frontal cortex, and a decodable representation of target location in posterior sensors. During non-conscious working memory, such activity vanished. Our findings contradict models that identify working memory with sustained neural firing, but are compatible with recent proposals of ‘activity-silent’ working memory. We present a theoretical framework and simulations showing how slowly decaying synaptic changes allow cell assemblies to go dormant during the delay, yet be retrieved above chance-level after several seconds.
A direct and indirect comparison meta-analysis on the efficacy of cytomegalovirus preventive strategies in solid organ transplant.

BACKGROUND Prophylactic and preemptive strategies are used to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections after solid organ transplant. We assessed the safety and efficacy of both strategies for CMV prevention. METHODS A DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used for pooling the data, and Q statistic and I(2) methods were used to assess statistical heterogeneity. RESULTS Twenty studies (2744 patients) were selected for the direct analysis and 20 studies (2544 patients) for the indirect analysis. The odds of CMV syndrome (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], .60-2.03; P = .757; Q = 18.55; I(2) = 51.5%) and disease (OR = 0.77; 95% CI, .41-1.47; P = .432; Q = 32.71; I(2) = 45.0%) were not significantly different between strategies. The odds of developing late-onset CMV infections were higher for the prophylactic compared to the preemptive strategy (OR = 6.21; 95% CI, 2.55-15.20; P < .0001; Q = 9.66; I(2) = 37.9%). The odds of CMV viremia were lower for prophylaxis (OR = 0.42; 95% CI, .24-.74; P = .003; Q = 48.10; I(2) = 75.1%) than preemptive therapy. No differences between strategies were noted for graft loss (OR = 0.88; 95% CI, .37-2.13; P = .779; Q = 13.03, I(2) = 38.6%), graft loss censored for death (OR = 0.73; 95% CI, .17-3.21; P = .679; Q = 4.48; I(2) = 55.3%), acute rejection (OR = 0.93; 95% CI, .70-1.24; P = .637; Q = 12.99; I(2) = 7.6%), or mortality (OR = 0.80; 95% CI, .56-1.14; P = .220; Q = 8.76; I(2) = 0%). The odds for other infections (herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, bacterial and fungal infections) did not significantly differ between strategies. Leukopenia (OR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.39-2.79; P = .0001; Q = 7.10; I(2) = 0%) and neutropenia (OR = 2.07; 95% CI, 1.13-3.78; P = .018; Q = 6.77; I(2) = 11.4%) were more frequent with prophylaxis than with the preemptive strategy. The results of direct and indirect comparisons were consistent. CONCLUSIONS Prophylaxis was associated with less early posttransplant viremia, but significantly more late-onset CMV infections and side effects (leukopenia and neutropenia) than the preemptive strategy. Both preventive strategies showed similar efficacy in preventing CMV syndrome and disease, with no differences regarding rejection, graft loss, death, or opportunistic infections.