Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endocarp Dehiscence in Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.)

Two sites exist for endocarp dehiscence (shell split) in the pistachio nut (Pistacia vera L., Anacardiaceae). Longitudinal dehiscence occurs along lines of cells that have highly lignified, interlocking walls and are differentiated from cells of the neighboring endocarp only by being somewhat smaller and slightly elongate in the radial plane. Apical dehiscence occurs at the site where transmitting tissue penetrates the ovary wall to enter the ovarian locule. In most fruits, cells delineating the line of apical dehiscence possess thin, primary walls that stain only diffusely for pectic materials. In rare cases, possibly when apical dehiscence fails, these cells become lignified. Measurements of seeds and inner dimensions of endocarps of mature fruits show that dehiscent endocarps differ from indehiscent endocarps by having more massive seeds and seeds that are larger relative to the size of the endocarp. These results and observations indicate to us that two dehiscence events occur: longitudinal shell split, which is driven by physical forces exerted on the endocarp by the seed, and apical dehiscence, which occurs at the site of intrusion of the transmitting tissue tract into the ovary and varies according to the extent of transmitting tissue present at anthesis as well as the degree of cytodifferentiation that may occur in these cells.
Effectiveness of Primary Care–Relevant Treatments for Obesity in Adults

TO THE EDITOR: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) evidence review from LeBlanc and colleagues (1) paints a rosy but erroneous picture of weight loss intervention. Unfortunately, after 30 to 40 years of behavioral weight loss programs, the success of long-term weight loss is close to null. Successful weight loss is defined as persistent loss of at least 10% of body weight (2). Few long-term studies even reach the 5% loss that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration uses for evaluating drug efficacy. The article describes 6 studies of longer term weight loss but omits 3 recent major studies: Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes), DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program), and the WOMAN (Women on the Move Through Activity and Nutrition) Study. The WHLP (Women’s Healthy Lifestyle Project) was a prevention of weight gain trial and not a weight loss study. The TOPH (Trials of Hypertension Prevention), phase 2, reported a 0.2-kg weight loss in the intervention group at 36 months; TONE (Trial of Nonpharmacological Interventions in the Elderly) reported a 4.7-lb loss at 30 months; the Dutch Weight Loss Study reported a 2.4-kg loss at 2 years only; the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Trial reported a 3.5-kg loss at 2 years; and the Hypertension Prevention Trial reported a 1.6-kg loss at 3 years in the intervention group. Overall, the results are not very impressive. The 4-year Look AHEAD results (3) reported a 4.7% weight loss at 4 years, the overall 10-year loss reported by DPP (4) was about 2 kg, and the final results of the WOMAN Study reported a loss of 3.4 kg at 48 months (5). There is a serious obesity epidemic, and it is very bad policy to consider a failure of long-term weight loss as a “success. ” We need to stop doing the same interventions with little modification over and over again, admit defeat, establish rigorous standards for weight loss programs, and support new research approaches for successful, longterm weight loss. There is high likelihood of a very expensive boondoggle.
Abnormal gastrointestinal development in PDGF-A and PDGFR-(alpha) deficient mice implicates a novel mesenchymal structure with putative instructive properties in villus morphogenesis.

Development of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract depends on reciprocal epithelial-mesenchymal cell signaling. Here, we demonstrate a role for platelet-derived growth factor-A (PDGF-A) and its receptor, PDGFR-(alpha), in this process. Mice lacking PDGF-A or PDGFR-(alpha) were found to develop an abnormal GI mucosal lining, including fewer and misshapen villi and loss of pericryptal mesenchyme. Onset of villus morphogenesis correlated with the formation of clusters of PDGFR-(alpha) positive cells, 'villus clusters', which remained located at the tip of the mesenchymal core of the growing villus. Lack of PDGF-A or PDGFR-(alpha) resulted in progressive depletion of PDGFR-(alpha) positive mesenchymal cells, the formation of fewer villus clusters, and premature expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA) in the villus mesenchyme. We found that the villus clusters were postmitotic, expressed BMP-2 and BMP-4, and that their formation correlated with downregulated DNA synthesis in adjacent intestinal epithelium. We propose a model in which villus morphogenesis is initiated as a result of aggregation of PDGFR-(&agr;) positive cells into cell clusters that subsequently function as mesenchymal centers of signaling to the epithelium. The role of PDGF-A seems to be to secure renewal of PDGFR-(alpha) positive cells when they are consumed in the initial rounds of cluster formation.
Component position alignment with patient‐specific jigs in total knee arthroplasty

The failure to restore mechanical alignment and appropriate rotational axis intraoperatively has been described as one of the most common causes of implant failure in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Both conventional and computer‐assisted TKA have their limitations. Patient‐specific jigs (PSJ) offer a possible alternative method for TKA. The aim of this study was to investigate if the use of PSJ offers reproducible and accurate orientation of the components in TKA compared with conventional and computer‐assisted surgery.
DNA barcoding, ecology and geography of the cryptic species of Aneura pinguis and their relationships with Aneura maxima and Aneura mirabilis (Metzgeriales, Marchantiophyta)

Aneura pinguis is a thalloid liverwort species with broad geographical distribution. It is composed of cryptic species, however, the number of cryptic species within A. pinguis is not known. Five cpDNA regions (matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnH-psbA and trnL-trnF) and the entire nuclear ITS region were studied in 130 samples of A. pinguis from different geographical regions. The relationships between the cryptic species of A. pinguis, A. maxima and A. mirabilis were analyzed. All of the examined samples were clustered into 10 clades corresponding to 10 cryptic species of A. pinguis (marked A to J). Aneura mirabilis and A. maxima were nested among different cryptic species of A. pinguis, which indicates that A. pinguis is a paraphyletic taxon. Subgroups were found in cryptic species A, B, C and E. As single barcodes, all tested DNA regions had 100% discriminant power and fulfilled DNA barcode criteria for species identification; however, the only combination detected in all subgroups was trnL-trnF with trnH-psbA or ITS2. The distances between cryptic species were 11- to 35-fold higher than intraspecific distances. In all analyzed DNA regions, the distances between most pairs of cryptic A. pinguis species were higher than between A. maxima and A. mirabilis. All cryptic species of A. pinguis clearly differed in their habitat preferences, which suggests that habitat adaptation could be the main driving force behind cryptic speciation within this taxon.
Elastic Sequence Correlation for Human Action Analysis

This paper addresses the problem of automatically analyzing and understanding human actions from video footage. An “action correlation” framework, elastic sequence correlation (ESC), is proposed to identify action subsequences from a database of (possibly long) video sequences that are similar to a given query video action clip. In particular, we show that two well-known algorithms, namely approximate pattern matching in computer and information sciences and dynamic time warping (DTW) method in signal processing, are special cases of our ESC framework. The proposed framework is applied to two important real-world applications: action pattern retrieval, as well as action segmentation and recognition, where, on average, its run time speed (in matlab) is about 3.3 frames per second. In addition, comparing with the state-of-the-art algorithms on a number of challenging data sets, our approach is demonstrated to perform competitively.
Post-transplantation proteinuria and sirolimus.

To the Editor: Proteinuria may develop in renal-transplant recipients who have converted from treatment with calcineurin inhibitors to treatment with sirolimus1; the mechanism of this occurrence is unknown. We hypothesized that the antiangiogenic properties of sirolimus might be responsible. We determined the plasma concentrations and renal expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a specimen from a renal-allograft biopsy performed to evaluate post-transplantation proteinuria during sirolimus conversion in a patient with Kaposi's syndrome. A 68-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis and end-stage renal disease due to IgA nephropathy underwent cadaveric liver and renal transplantation in May 1996. Eight years .
Prompting physicians to address a daily checklist for antibiotics: do we need a co-pilot in the ICU?

Purpose of reviewFailed opportunities to reduce morbidity and mortality occur when evidence-based therapies are not fully implemented in clinical practice. We reviewed the recent literature on implementation strategies in the intensive care unit, with particular attention to antibiotic therapy. Recent findingsEmphasis in implementation science has shifted to new models that focus more on direct, point-of-care interaction with providers as opposed to an administrative or top-down approach. Prompting physicians to use a multifaceted checklist was associated with a decrease in severity-adjusted mortality and length of stay. The majority of the benefit appears to correlate with decreased use of empirical antibiotics. A subsequent study demonstrated that face-to-face prompting regarding empirical antibiotics alone was still superior to an electronic checklist, but that long-term changes in use of empirical antibiotics resulted from the previous prompting study. Other studies demonstrate that checklists result in enhanced communication between caregivers, which may be a major explanation for their benefit. SummaryNewer implementation strategies focused on real-time, point-of-care interventions have been associated with greater impact. The most common of these new interventions is use of checklists. Greater checklist use has led to the realization that a prompting or forcing function is required for optimal benefit.
Birth weight; postnatal, infant, and childhood growth; and obesity in young adulthood: evidence from the Barry Caerphilly Growth Study.

BACKGROUND Birth weight has been shown to be positively associated with adult obesity, but relatively few studies have examined the associations with growth in specific periods of early childhood. OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the association of measures of growth between birth and 5 y of age with adult measures of adiposity. DESIGN We conducted a longitudinal study of young adults from Barry and Caerphilly, United Kingdom, who had previously taken part between 1972 and 1974 in a randomized controlled trial of milk supplementation. We reexamined 679 men and women (72% of the target population) to measure body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)), waist-to-hip ratio, sagittal abdominal diameter, and waist circumference. RESULTS An increase in weight velocity from 1 y and 9 mo to 5 y of age was the most important predictor of BMI, waist circumference, and sagittal abdominal diameter. A z-score increase in weight gain in this period was associated with an increase in BMI of 1.13 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.57; P < 0.001). Infant weight gain from 5 mo to 1 y and 9 mo was the strongest predictor of waist-to-hip ratio (0.51; 95% CI: 0.00, 1.02; P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Birth weight does not predict adiposity on the basis of weight gain in childhood. The association between adult adiposity and weight gain in different periods is variable and depends on the measure of adiposity that is used. It remains unclear whether early childhood is the optimum period in the life course for the primary prevention of adult adiposity.
Gait Velocity Is an Indicator of Cognitive Performance in Healthy Middle-Aged Adults

Psychomotor retardation, especially motor and cognitive slowing down, has been described many times in the elderly but to our knowledge, has never been examined in healthy middle-aged adults. The present study explores whether walking time may provide an early signal of cognitive performance, using 266 healthy adults ([18–65] years old, mean age: 45.7±12.9 years) who were also subdivided in 2 groups: under or over 50. Walking time (50 meters) and cognitive performances (mini-mental state examination, Benton Visual Retention Test and Rey Complex Figure) were assessed; total psychometric score was the sum of individual test scores. Analyses were controlled for age, gender, education level, height and weight. The mean psychometric scores were within the normal range. A substantial proportion of subjects exhibited low performance in some aspects of visuospatial memory, particularly in the older subset. In the total population, walking time was negatively correlated with all cognitive tests, particularly to total psychometric score (R = −0.817, p<0.0001); the unique contribution of walking time on all cognitive scores was very high (delta R-squared = 0.496). In the older subset, performances on walk and cognition were lower than in the younger subset. Total psychometric score showed the strongest correlation with walking time in the older subset (R = −0.867; p<0.001). In all subsets, walking time was the main explanatory variable of the total psychometric score (delta R-squared: ≤ 49 = 0.361; ≥50 = 0.613). These findings indicate that i) a significant proportion of adults without cognitive complaints exhibit low cognitive performance including visuospatial memory and longer walking time, ii) cognitive functioning is strongly correlated to walking time in healthy middle-aged adults, iii) gait velocity (GV) could be an indicator of cognitive performance in some important cognitive domains. These results warrant further investigation because such data may represent a marker for the detection of middle-aged adults who are at risk for further cognitive decline.
Dielectric model of water trees in an XLPE cable

In this paper a water-tree degraded insulation is modeled as a matrix composed of cubic cells. In the model there are three types of cells: pure XLPE, XLPE with water inclusion and the XLPE cell with a cylindrical water channel. Voltage dependant dielectric properties of the water-trees are modeled by an elongation of the inclusions and appearance of the conducting channels caused by the Maxwell stress. Afterwards the modeled effective permittivity of the insulation matrix is compared with the dielectric spectroscopy measurements of a field aged XLPE cable.
Viral and Cellular Factors That Target the Promyelocytic Leukemia Oncogenic Domains Strongly Activate a Glucocorticoid-Responsive Promoter

ABSTRACT Promyelocytic leukemia (PML) oncogenic domains (PODs) accumulate the transcriptional cofactor named CREB binding protein (CBP) and have been suggested to function as centers of transcription. Transcriptional activation by nuclear hormones, such as glucocorticoids, is augmented by the key constituent of PODs, the PML protein, and decreased by the POD-associated Tax protein of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). This led to the hypothesis that intact PODs might play a positive role in the activation of these promoters. We report here that transiently expressed E4orf3 protein of adenovirus type 5, immediate-early protein 1 of human cytomegalovirus, and the PML-retinoic acid receptor fusion protein from leukemia cells each redistribute CBP within the nucleus. However, unlike the Tax protein of HTLV-1, these factors did not inhibit a glucocorticoid-inducible promoter but strongly enhanced its activity. Thus, at least glucocorticoid-induced transcription does not depend on POD integrity.
On defining relations of certain infinite-dimensional Lie algebras

In this note we prove a conjecture stated in [2] about defining relations of the so-called Kac-Moody Lie algebras. In the finite-dimensional case this is Serre's theorem [5] . The basic idea is to map the ideal of relations into a Verma module and then to use the (generalized) Casimir operator (cf. [3 ,4]) . 1. The main statements. LetA = (atj) be an n x n matrix over a field F. Denote by g ^ ) the Lie algebra over F with 3n generators e. , fi9 hvi^I{ 1 , . , n} and the following defining relations (i, ƒ G 7): (1) [ePff\ -«,/»,, [hphj\9 [hp ef]-aifef9 \ht, fj\ + a/f. Set T = Z9 T+ = {(k19 . . . 9kn)<E V\kt > 0}\{0} and let II = {otl9 . , otn] be the standard basis of I\ Setting deg e. = -deg ft = af for i G I defines a r-gradation q(A) = © a G r ï a . Let n± = © a G r + ^±ot and fj = (T0. Then n + and TX _ are free Lie algebras over F with systems of free generators ex, . . . , en and fx, . . . , fn9 respectively, and ̂ (A) = n_ 0 t ) 0 n + (direct sum of vector spaces), so that ô^. = Fe.9 Q__a. = Fft for i G ƒ, and Ï) = 0 1 ¥ht [2, Chapter I] . Define (a H> ô) G Homz(r, fj *) by at(hf) = afi for /, ƒ G I. Let r be the sum of all graded ideals in ^(A) intersecting f) trivially. We have the induced gradation r = ©Q,Gr a* Setting r± = r O ÎX±, we obtain that r = r+ 0 r _ is a direct sum of ideals. Our main result is the following. THEOREM 1. For a = (kt, . . . , kn) G r set
Primary Clearance of Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 by PKCθ−/− CD8 T Cells Is Compromised in the Absence of Help from CD4 T Cells

ABSTRACT CD4 T cells are dispensable for acute control of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) but are necessary for effective long-term control of the virus by CD8 T cells. In contrast, protein kinase C θ (PKCθ) is not essential for either acute or long-term viral control. However, we found that while either CD4 or CD8 T cells could mediate the clearance of MHV-68 from the lungs of PKCθ+/+ mice, PKCθ−/− mice depleted of either subset failed to clear the virus. These data suggest that there are two alternative pathways for MHV-68 clearance, one dependent on CD4 T cells and the other on PKCθ. Protection mediated by the latter appears to be short-lived. These observations may help to explain the differential requirement for PKCθ in various models of CD8 T-cell activation and differences in the costimulatory requirements for acute and long-term viral control.
Correlated Photon-Pair Source Stabilized by Feedback System With DFG Efficiency Monitoring

In this letter, we report a simple and general method of integrity monitoring and feedback of a quantum-correlated photon-pair source for the long-term stable operation. The system utilizes the general relationship between efficiency of differential-frequency generation (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\eta $ </tex-math></inline-formula>) and generation rate of the photon-pairs per unit frequency per unit time via spontaneous parametric down conversion (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula>) of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu =K\eta ~ \text {with}~ K=1$ </tex-math></inline-formula>pair/Hz/s. The experimental results using a periodically poled LiNbO<sub>3</sub> device verified the merits of the proposed system. The device could generate stable photon-pairs with the same <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula> even when the device operation temperature was remarkably changed, and the operation condition was deviated from the optimum (phase matched) condition.
Aeromedical management of U.S. air force aviators who attempt suicide.

BACKGROUND Little has been published about the aeromedical management and disposition of aviators who attempt suicide, and almost no such information about military aviators exists in the open literature. The few available data are scattered and frequently anecdotal. METHODS The authors reviewed all case reports of fliers evaluated at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine's Aeromedical Consultation Service (ACS) between 1981-96 for possible return to flying duties after a suicide attempt, and prepared a representative case report. RESULTS Between 1981 and 1996, the ACS evaluated 14 trained aviators (pilots and other aircrew members, excluding flight surgeons) who had attempted suicide. Of these, 11 (79%) ultimately received a recommendation for return to flying duties. CONCLUSIONS In most instances the underlying stressors included failed intimate interpersonal relationships, administrative or legal problems, psychiatric disorders, death of spouse, or job conflicts. Evidence of abuse of alcoholor other substances was found in 54% of an earlier, larger data set of attempters. Some data on aircrew suicide completion were available and are reported. The top medical priorities after such attempts should be to diagnose what is wrong, and to treat it. In spite of the common assumption that a suicide attempt inevitably ends a military flying career, some attempters can return to safe and effective flying duty after appropriate psychotherapy. If the flier regains physical and mental health and maintains them for at least 6 mo after treatment, then that flier may be evaluated by an outside aeromedical psychiatric consultant such as the ACS (to avoid transference issues between flier and therapist) for possible return to flying duties. Waiver action should be based on the underlying psychiatric diagnosis, not the suicidal attempt itself. Follow-up may be accomplished through periodic mental health evaluations in conjunction with routine physical examination procedures. Issues involving substance abuse and security clearances must be handled through the appropriate channels.
Radiative transfer models of non-spherical prestellar cores

We present 2D Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations of prestellar cores. We consider two types of asymmetry: disk-like asymmetry, in which the core is denser towards the equatorial plane than towards the poles; and axial asymmetry, in which the core is denser towards the south pole than the north pole. In both cases the degree of asymmetry is characterized by the ratio e between the maximum optical depth from the centre of the core to its surface and the minimum optical depth from the centre of the core to its surface. We limit our treatment here to mild asymmetries with $e = 1.5\,$ and $2.5\,$. We consider both cores which are exposed directly to the interstellar radiation field and cores which are embedded inside molecular clouds. The SED of a core is essentially independent of the viewing angle, as long as the core is optically thin. However, the isophotal maps depend strongly on the viewing angle. Maps at wavelengths longer than the peak of the SED (e.g. 850 $\mu$m) essentially trace the column-density. This is because at long wavelengths the emissivity is only weakly dependent on temperature, and the range of temperature in a core is small (typically $T_{\rm max}/T_{\rm min} \la 2$). Thus, for instance, cores with disk-like asymmetry appear elongated when mapped at 850 $\mu$m from close to the equatorial plane. However, at wavelengths near the peak of the SED (e.g. 200 $\mu$m), the emissivity is more strongly dependent on the temperature, and therefore, at particular viewing angles, there are characteristic features which reflect a more complicated convolution of the density and temperature fields within the core. These characteristic features are on scales 1/5 to 1/3 of the overall core size, and so high resolution observations are needed to observe them. They are also weaker if the core is embedded in a molecular cloud (because the range of temperature within the core is then smaller), and so high sensitivity is needed to detect them. Herschel, to be launched in 2007, will in principle provide the necessary resolution and sensitivity at 170 to 250 $\mu$m.