Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Natural host‐plant quality affects immune defence of an insect herbivore

We examined the effect of natural host‐plant quality on immune resistance in the autumnal moth, Epirrita autumnata (Borkhausen) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). The division of mountain birches [Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii (Orlova) Hämet‐ahti (Betulaceae)] into two categories, high‐ and low‐quality food for larvae, was based on previous years’ results on the relative growth rate of the autumnal moth on the trees selected. The strength of the immune defence of autumnal moths was determined by measuring their encapsulation rate to exposure to a foreign antigen and the phenoloxidase (PO) activity of the pupal haemolymph. We found that individuals reared as larvae on naturally low‐quality food had a significantly higher encapsulation rate at the pupal stage than individuals reared on high‐quality food. Females also had a higher encapsulation rate than males. Food quality did not have statistically significant effect on PO activity, nor did this response variable show any differences between the sexes. Using half‐sib analyses, we found significant heritable variation in the encapsulation rate; the heritable variation in PO activity was near to significant, although equally strong. Heritability estimates (h2: 0.19–0.27) for immune defence traits were relatively low and only moderate when compared to other studies with insects. We also found a negative genetic correlation between pupal mass and PO activity, but not between PO activity and encapsulation rate. Our results suggest that the quality of food affects immune defence in the autumnal moth. Thus an intricate tritrophic relationship exists between the folivorous insect, the host tree, and the insect's natural enemies (e.g., pathogens, parasites, and parasitoids). This study demonstrates that natural variation within a food plant species has an effect on the innate immune system of an herbivorous insect.
Discovering Malicious Domains through Passive DNS Data Graph Analysis

Malicious domains are key components to a variety of cyber attacks. Several recent techniques are proposed to identify malicious domains through analysis of DNS data. The general approach is to build classifiers based on DNS-related local domain features. One potential problem is that many local features, e.g., domain name patterns and temporal patterns, tend to be not robust. Attackers could easily alter these features to evade detection without affecting much their attack capabilities. In this paper, we take a complementary approach. Instead of focusing on local features, we propose to discover and analyze global associations among domains. The key challenges are (1) to build meaningful associations among domains; and (2) to use these associations to reason about the potential maliciousness of domains. For the first challenge, we take advantage of the modus operandi of attackers. To avoid detection, malicious domains exhibit dynamic behavior by, for example, frequently changing the malicious domain-IP resolutions and creating new domains. This makes it very likely for attackers to reuse resources. It is indeed commonly observed that over a period of time multiple malicious domains are hosted on the same IPs and multiple IPs host the same malicious domains, which creates intrinsic association among them. For the second challenge, we develop a graph-based inference technique over associated domains. Our approach is based on the intuition that a domain having strong associations with known malicious domains is likely to be malicious. Carefully established associations enable the discovery of a large set of new malicious domains using a very small set of previously known malicious ones. Our experiments over a public passive DNS database show that the proposed technique can achieve high true positive rates (over 95%) while maintaining low false positive rates (less than 0.5%). Further, even with a small set of known malicious domains (a couple of hundreds), our technique can discover a large set of potential malicious domains (in the scale of up to tens of thousands).
Differential inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in systemic and pulmonary vessels after endotoxin.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is associated with vascular hypocontractility in systemic vessels after endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. Although lung iNOS is increased after LPS, its role in the pulmonary circulation is unclear. We hypothesized that whereas iNOS upregulation is responsible for LPS-induced vascular dysfunction in systemic vessels, iNOS does not play a significant role in the pulmonary artery (PA). Using isolated aorta (AO) and PA rings, we examined the effect of nonselective NOS inhibition [N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA); 100 micromol/l] and selective iNOS inhibition (aminoguanidine, AG; 100 micromol/l) on alpha(1)-adrenergic-mediated vasoconstriction (phenylephrine; 10(-9) to 10(-3) M) after LPS (Salmonella typhimurium, 20 mg/kg ip). We also determined the presence of iNOS using Western blot and immunohistochemistry. LPS markedly impaired AO contractility (maximal control tension 1,076 +/- 33 mg vs. LPS 412 +/- 39 mg, P < 0.05), but PA contractility was unchanged (control 466 +/- 29 mg vs. LPS 455 +/- 27 mg, P > 0.05). Selective iNOS inhibition restored the AO's response to vasoconstriction (LPS + AG 1,135 +/- 54 mg, P > 0.05 vs. control and P < 0.05 vs. LPS), but had no effect on the PA (LPS + AG 422 +/- 38 mg, P > 0.05 vs. control and LPS). Western blot and immunohistochemistry revealed increased iNOS expression in the AO after LPS, but iNOS was not detected in the PA. Our results suggest that differential iNOS expression after LPS in systemic and pulmonary vessels contributes to the phenomenon of sepsis/endotoxemia-induced systemic hypotension and pulmonary hypertension.
A Dynamic Integer Count Data Model for Financial Transaction Prices

In this paper we develop a dynamic model for integer counts to capture the discreteness of price changes for financial transaction prices. Our model rests on an autoregressive multinomial component for the direction of the price change and a dynamic count data component for the size of the price changes. Since the model is capable of capturing a wide range of discrete price movements it is particularly suited for financial markets where the trading intensity is moderate or low as for most European exchanges. We present the model at work by applying it to transaction data of the Henkel share traded at the Frankfurt stock exchange over a period of 6 months. In particular, we use the model to test some theoretical implications of the market microstructure theory on the relationship between price movements and other marks of the trading process.
PRC1‐labeled microtubule bundles and kinetochore pairs show one‐to‐one association in metaphase

In the mitotic spindle, kinetochore microtubules form k‐fibers, whereas overlap or interpolar microtubules form antiparallel arrays containing the cross‐linker protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 (PRC1). We have recently shown that an overlap bundle, termed bridging fiber, links outermost sister k‐fibers. However, the relationship between overlap bundles and k‐fibers throughout the spindle remained unknown. Here, we show that in a metaphase spindle more than 90% of overlap bundles act as a bridge between sister k‐fibers. We found that the number of PRC1‐GFP‐labeled bundles per spindle is nearly the same as the number of kinetochore pairs. Live‐cell imaging revealed that kinetochore movement in the equatorial plane of the spindle is highly correlated with the movement of the coupled PRC1‐GFP‐labeled fiber, whereas the correlation with other fibers decreases with increasing distance. Analysis of endogenous PRC1 localization confirmed the results obtained with PRC1‐GFP. PRC1 knockdown reduced the bridging fiber thickness and interkinetochore distance throughout the spindle, suggesting a function of PRC1 in bridging microtubule organization and force balance in the metaphase spindle.
CLASSIFICATION OF MULTIPLE CANCER TYPES USING FUZZY SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINES AND OUTLIER DETECTION METHODS

The support vector machine (SVM) is a new learning method and has shown comparable or better results than the neural networks on some applications. In this paper, we applied SVM to classify multiple cancer types by gene expression profiles and exploit some strategies of the SVM method, including fuzzy logic and statistical theories. Using the proposed strategies and outlier detection methods, the FSVM (fuzzy support vector machine) can achieve a comparable or better performance than other methods, and provide a more flexible architecture to discriminate against SRBCT and non-SRBCT samples.
Distributing blackbox data to multiple vehicles in a secure and privacy-preserving manner

In addition to information such as the track of wheels, vehicle blackbox data (like a blackbox in an aeroplane) provides another major source of information for the study of the cause of car accidents. However, according to a study, 5% of blackboxes were destroyed in traffic accidents and about 35% data inside a blackbox could not be retrieved. With the setup of vehicular ad hoc network (VANET), it is motivated to store the blackbox data in a distributed manner in the road-side units of such a network. This scheme works well provided that there are enough road-side units installed. But this assumption is not valid in rural areas and also may impose a large overhead to road-side units. In this paper, we propose a distributed scheme that allows vehicles to periodically broadcast blackbox data to nodes nearby (other vehicles) as extra backup. And the trusted authority can reveal those data from recipients. The proposed scheme will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of messages as well as the privacy of drivers. We show that our scheme is secure and the performance is reasonable through simulation.
Crop evapotranspiration in the Nile Delta under different irrigation methods

ABSTRACT Eddy correlation measurements within the Nile Delta allowed the determination of evapotranspiration (E) for seven crops (rice, maize, cotton, sugar beet, berseem, wheat and fava beans) using basin irrigation (BI), furrow irrigation (FI), BI with increased intervals (BIi), FI with increased intervals (FIi), strip irrigation (SI) and drip irrigation (DI). Total E values over the cropping season for rice (BI, BIi) were the highest (>600 mm), while those for sugar beet (DI), maize (SI and DI) and berseem (BIi) were the lowest (<250 mm). The differences were due to a combination of atmospheric demand, soil moisture, the presence of surface standing water, root depth, and the length and timing of the cropping season. The DI and SI methods had the advantage for water saving, while the FIi and BIi methods were effective for crops with shallow root lengths. Estimated annual E was 566–828 mm/year (water-saving irrigation) and 875–1225 mm/year (conventional irrigation).
Ca 2 clock malfunction in a canine model of pacing-induced heart failure

Shinohara T, Park HW, Han S, Shen MJ, Maruyama M, Kim D, Chen PS, Lin SF. Ca clock malfunction in a canine model of pacing-induced heart failure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 299: H1805–H1811, 2010. First published October 1, 2010; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00723. 2010. —The mechanisms of sinoatrial node (SAN) dysfunction in heart failure (HF) remain unclear. We hypothesized that impaired rhythmic spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca release (Ca clock) plays an important role in SAN dysfunction in HF. HF was induced in canine hearts by rapid ventricular pacing. The location of pacemaking sites was determined in vivo using computerized electrical mapping in acute open-chest preparations (normal, n 3; and HF, n 4). Isoproterenol (Iso, 0.2 g·kg ·min ) infusion increased heart rate and shifted the pacemaking site to the superior SAN in all normal hearts. However, in failing hearts, Iso did not induce superior shift of the pacemaking site despite heart rate acceleration. Simultaneous optical recording of intracellular Ca and membrane potential was performed in Langendorff-perfused isolated right atrium (RA) preparations from normal (n 7) and failing hearts (n 6). Iso increased sinus rate, enhanced late diastolic Ca elevation (LDCAE), and shifted the pacemaking sites to the superior SAN in all normal but in none of the HF RAs. Caffeine (2 ml, 20 mmol/l) caused LDCAE and increased heart rate in four normal RAs but in none of the three HF RAs. Iso induced ectopic beats from lower crista terminalis in five of six HF RAs. These ectopic beats were suppressed by ZD-7288, a specific pacemaker current (If) blocker. We conclude that HF results in the suppression of Ca clock, resulting in the unresponsiveness of superior SAN to Iso and caffeine. HF also increases the ectopic pacemaking activity by activating the If at the latent pacemaking sites in lower crista terminalis.
Sexual Behavior and Network Characteristics and Their Association with Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States

Background Black men who have sex with men (MSM) have a high prevalence of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and individual risk behavior does not fully explain the higher prevalence when compared with other MSM. Using the social-ecological framework, we evaluated individual, social and sexual network, and structural factors and their association with prevalent STIs among Black MSM. Methods The HIV Prevention Trials Network 061 was a multi-site cohort study designed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a multi-component intervention for Black MSM in six US cities. Baseline assessments included demographics, risk behavior, and social and sexual network questions collected information about the size, nature and connectedness of their sexual network. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of having any prevalent sexually transmitted infection (gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis). Results A total of 1,553 Black MSM were enrolled in this study. In multivariate analysis, older age (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.49–0.66, p<0.001) was associated with a lower odds of having a prevalent STI. Compared with reporting one male sexual partner, having 2–3 partners (aOR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.08–2.81, p<0.024) or more than 4 partners (aOR = 2.29; 95% CI 1.43–3.66, p<0.001) was associated with prevalent STIs. Having both Black and non-Black sexual partners (aOR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.45–0.99, p = 0.042) was the only sexual network factor associated with prevalent STIs. Conclusions Age and the number and racial composition of sexual partners were associated with prevalent STIs among Black MSM, while other sexual network factors were not. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of the individual, network, and structural factors on prevalent STIs among Black MSM to inform combination interventions to reduce STIs among these men.
Social support for South Asian Muslim parents with life-limiting illness living in Scotland: a multiperspective qualitative study

Objective To explore experiences of social support needs among South Asian Muslim patients with life-limiting illness, living in Scotland, who are parents of young children. Design Secondary analysis of data from a multiperspective, longitudinal Scottish study involving in-depth semistructured interviews with patients, their nominated carers and healthcare professionals. Data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Setting Edinburgh, Scotland. Participants South-Asian Muslim patients with life-limiting illness with children under the age of 18 (n=8), their carer (n=6) and their healthcare professional. Main outcome measures Access and provision of social support in palliative care. Results Open-ended qualitative interviews identified four main themes: (1) parental sadness over being unable to provide tangible support; (2) parental desire to continue to provide emotional support; (3) limited availability of informal social support networks; and (4) differing perspectives between healthcare professionals and patients on patient access to social support sources, with a subtheme being the capacity of male carers to provide social support. South-Asian parents at the end of life had limited access to extended-network support. Gender roles appeared as challenging for healthcare providers who at times overestimated the amount of support a female carer could provide and underestimated the amount of support male carers provided. Implications for practice include the need for greater awareness by healthcare providers of the social support needs of ethnic minority and migrant parents with life-limiting illnesses and especially an awareness of the importance of the role of male and female carers. Further research is needed to explore how the timing of migration impacts the need for and availability of tangible and emotional informal social support among ethnic minority parents with life-limiting illness.
Financial Conditions and the Money-Output Relationship in Canada

ing from the particular monetary aggregate used, and in contrast to the conclusions drawn based on Table 3, all of the reported results are suggestive of a TVP modelling approach with an additional role for money that is contingent on tight credit conditions. These outcomes are thus compatible with Jermann and Quadrini (2010), Guerron-Quintana (2009), Szilard, Gillman, and Kejak (2008), and Telyukova and Wright (2008) in that financial shocks do influence the money-output relationship that also evolves over time. Looking at the results more closely, Table 4A reports the outcomes for the case where short-term bank lending is used to represent credit. We see that when access to short-term credit is difficult, the results point to TVP and to a role for the prevailing financial conditions in models that use nominal (and in one case real) broad aggregates. A similar picture can be obtained when we examine results obtained using the household credit variable reported in Table 4B. Again, for some monetary aggregates, the outcomes suggest time-variation in the model parameters and an additional role for money that is contingent upon the prevailing availability of credit conditions. These outcomes are notably obtained using the nominal broad aggregates, and appear more favourable with the M2+ measure. Interestingly, the M2++ aggregate in real terms leads us to somewhat similar
Radiation Characteristics of Tunable Graphennas in the Terahertz Band

Graphene-enabled wireless communications constitute a novel paradigm which has been proposed to implement wireless communications among nanosystems. Indeed, graphene-based plasmonic nano-antennas, or graphennas, just a few micrometers in size have been predicted to radiate electromagnetic waves at the terahertz band. In this work, the important role of the graphene conductivity in the characteristics of graphennas is analyzed, and their radiation performance both in transmission and reception is numerically studied. The resonance frequency of graphennas is calculated as a function of their length and width, both analytically and by simulation. Moreover, the influence of a dielectric substrate with a variable size, and the position of the patch with respect to the substrate is also evaluated. Further, important properties of graphene, such as its chemical potential or its relaxation time, are found to have a profound impact in the radiation properties of graphennas. Finally, the radiation pattern of a graphenna is compared to that of an equivalent metallic antenna. These results will prove useful for designers of future graphennas, which are expected to enable wireless communications among nanosystems.
Exploring Distributional Discrepancy for Multidimensional Point Set Retrieval

How to effectively and efficiently assess similarity is a long-standing and challenging research problem in various multimedia applications. For ranked retrieval in a collection of objects based on series of multivariate observations (e.g., searching similar video clips to a query example), satisfactory performance cannot be achieved by using many conventional similarity measures that aggregate element-to-element comparison results. Some correlation information among the individual elements has also been investigated to characterize each set of multidimensional points for comparison, but with an unwarranted assumption that the underlying data distribution has a particular parametric form. Motivated by these concerns, measuring the similarity of multidimensional point sets is approached from a novel collective perspective in this paper, by evaluating the probability that they are consistent with a same distribution. We propose to make use of nonparametric hypothesis tests in statistics to compute the distributional discrepancy of samples for assessing the degree of similarity between two ensembles of points. While our proposal is mainly presented in the context of video similarity search, it enjoys great flexibility and is extensible to other applications where multidimensional point set representations are involved, such as motion capture retrieval.
Metagenomic Analysis of RNA Viruses in a Fresh Water Lake

Freshwater lakes and ponds present an ecological interface between humans and a variety of host organisms. They are a habitat for the larval stage of many insects and may serve as a medium for intraspecies and interspecies transmission of viruses such as avian influenza A virus. Furthermore, freshwater bodies are already known repositories for disease-causing viruses such as Norwalk Virus, Coxsackievirus, Echovirus, and Adenovirus. While RNA virus populations have been studied in marine environments, to this date there has been very limited analysis of the viral community in freshwater. Here we present a survey of RNA viruses in Lake Needwood, a freshwater lake in Maryland, USA. Our results indicate that just as in studies of other aquatic environments, the majority of nucleic acid sequences recovered did not show any significant similarity to known sequences. The remaining sequences are mainly from viral types with significant similarity to approximately 30 viral families. We speculate that these novel viruses may infect a variety of hosts including plants, insects, fish, domestic animals and humans. Among these viruses we have discovered a previously unknown dsRNA virus closely related to Banna Virus which is responsible for a febrile illness and is endemic to Southeast Asia. Moreover we found multiple viral sequences distantly related to Israeli Acute Paralysis virus which has been implicated in honeybee colony collapse disorder. Our data suggests that due to their direct contact with humans, domestic and wild animals, freshwater ecosystems might serve as repositories of a wide range of viruses (both pathogenic and non-pathogenic) and possibly be involved in the spread of emerging and pandemic diseases.
Biopolymers for food packaging applications

Abstract: This chapter reviews the various uses of renewable polymers in food-related applications and explains how the material chemistry and formulation relate to the required end properties. Biopolymers are currently used in food coatings, food packaging materials and encapsulation matrices for functional foods. They provide unique solutions to enhance product shelf-life whilst also reducing the overall carbon footprint related to food packaging.