Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Spin of the Near-Extreme Kerr Black Hole GRS 1915+105

Based on a spectral analysis of the X-ray continuum that employs a fully relativistic accretion disk model, we conclude that the compact primary of the binary X-ray source GRS 1915+105 is a rapidly rotating Kerr black hole. We find a lower limit on the dimensionless spin parameter of a* > 0.98. Our result is robust in the sense that it is independent of the details of the data analysis and insensitive to the uncertainties in the mass and distance of the black hole. Furthermore, our accretion disk model includes an advanced treatment of spectral hardening. Our data selection relies on a rigorous and quantitative definition of the thermal state of black hole binaries, which we used to screen all of the available RXTE and ASCA data for the thermal state of GRS 1915+105. In addition, we focus on those data for which the accretion disk luminosity is less than 30% of the Eddington luminosity. We argue that these low-luminosity data are most appropriate for the thin α-disk model that we employ. We assume that there is zero torque at the inner edge of the disk, as is likely when the disk is thin, although we show that the presence of a significant torque does not affect our results. Our model and the model of the relativistic jets observed for this source constrain the distance and black hole mass and could thus be tested by determining a VLBA parallax distance and improving the measurement of the mass function. Finally, we comment on the significance of our results for relativistic jet and core-collapse models and for the detection of gravitational waves.
Proteomic analysis of differentially expressed proteins involved in ethylene-induced chilling tolerance in harvested banana fruit

To better understand the mechanism involved in ethylene-induced chilling tolerance in harvested banana fruit, a gel-based proteomic study followed by MALDI-TOF-TOF MS was carried out. Banana fruit were treated with 500 ppm ethylene for 12 h and then stored at 6°C. During cold storage, the chilling tolerance was assessed and the proteins from the peel were extracted for proteomic analysis. It was observed that ethylene pretreatment significantly induced the chilling tolerance in harvested banana fruit, manifesting as increases in maximal chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and decreased electrolyte leakage. Sixty-four proteins spots with significant differences in abundance were identified, most of which were induced by ethylene pretreatment during cold storage. The up-regulated proteins induced by ethylene pretreatment were mainly related to energy metabolism, stress response and defense, methionine salvage cycle and protein metabolism. These proteins were involved in ATP synthesis, ROS scavenging, protective compounds synthesis, protein refolding and degradation, and polyamine biosynthesis. It is suggested that these up-regulated proteins might play a role in the ethylene-induced chilling tolerance in harvested banana fruit.
Histo-Blood Group Antigen-Like Substances of Human Enteric Bacteria as Specific Adsorbents for Human Noroviruses

ABSTRACT Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) have been suggested to be receptors or coreceptors for human noroviruses (HuNoVs) expressed on the intestinal epithelium. We isolated an enteric bacterium strain (SENG-6), closely related to Enterobacter cloacae, bearing HBGA-like substances from a fecal sample of a healthy individual by using a biopanning technique with anti-HBGA antibodies. The binding capacities of four genotypes of norovirus-like particles (NoVLPs) to Enterobacter sp. SENG-6 cells were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that NoVLPs bound mainly to extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of Enterobacter sp. SENG-6, where the HBGA-like substances were localized. EPS that contained HBGA-like substances extracted from Enterobacter sp. SENG-6 was shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to be capable of binding to NoVLPs of a GI.1 wild-type strain (8fIIa) and a GII.6 strain that can recognize A antigen but not to an NoVLP GI.1 mutant strain (W375A) that loses the ability to bind to A antigen. Enzymatic cleavage of terminal N-acetyl-galactosamine residues in the bacterial EPS weakened bacterial EPS binding to the GI.1 wild-type strain (8fIIa). These results indicate that A-like substances in the bacterial EPS play a key role in binding to NoVLPs. Since the specific binding of HuNoVs to HBGA-positive enteric bacteria is likely to affect the transmission and infection processes of HuNoVs in their hosts and in the environment, further studies of human enteric bacteria and their binding capacity to HuNoVs will provide a new scientific platform for understanding interactions between two types of microbes that were previously regarded as biologically unrelated.
Modeling Soil Moisture Profiles in Irrigated Fields by the Principle of Maximum Entropy

Vertical soil moisture profiles based on the principle of maximum entropy (POME) were validated using field and model data and applied to guide an irrigation cycle over a maize field in north central Alabama (USA). The results demonstrate that a simple two-constraint entropy model under the assumption of a uniform initial soil moisture distribution can simulate most soil moisture profiles that occur in the particular soil and climate regime that prevails in the study area. The results of the irrigation simulation demonstrated that the POME model produced a very efficient irrigation strategy with minimal losses (about 1.9% of total applied water). However, the results for finely-textured (silty clay) soils were problematic in that some plant stress did develop due to insufficient applied water. Soil moisture states in these soils fell to around 31% of available moisture content, but only on the last day of the drying side of the irrigation cycle. Overall, the POME approach showed promise as a general strategy to guide irrigation in humid environments, such as the Southeastern United States.
A Quasi-Newton Approach to Nonsmooth Convex Optimization Problems in Machine Learning

We extend the well-known BFGS quasi-Newton method and its memory-limited variant LBFGS to the optimization of nonsmooth convex objectives. This is done in a rigorous fashion by generalizing three components of BFGS to subdifferentials: the local quadratic model, the identification of a descent direction, and the Wolfe line search conditions. We prove that under some technical conditions, the resulting subBFGS algorithm is globally convergent in objective function value. We apply its memory-limited variant (subLBFGS) to L2-regularized risk minimization with the binary hinge loss. To extend our algorithm to the multiclass and multilabel settings, we develop a new, efficient, exact line search algorithm. We prove its worst-case time complexity bounds, and show that our line search can also be used to extend a recently developed bundle method to the multiclass and multilabel settings. We also apply the direction-finding component of our algorithm to L1-regularized risk minimization with logistic loss. In all these contexts our methods perform comparable to or better than specialized state-of-the-art solvers on a number of publicly available data sets. An open source implementation of our algorithms is freely available.
Sentence Repetition in Sequential Bilingual Preschool Children

This study explores how sequential bilingual children, who first learn Cantonese (L1) and then English (L2), process sentences in each language. Previous studies have examined the processing abilities in monolingual children and bilingual school-aged children using sentence repetition tasks. However, little is known about how younger bilingual children process sentences in L1 and L2. Specific research questions were: (1) How do sequential bilingual children process sentences in L1 and in L2? (2) Are there any relationships between children’s the sentence processing skills and their vocabulary skills within and across two languages? Participants were 50 preschool aged children, who were exposed to Cantonese from birth and had about one year of English experience in preschool settings. Participants’ vocabulary skills were evaluated using Cantonese-English bilingual vocabulary measures developed by Koenig and Kan (2011); and their sentence processing skills were measured using a sentence repetition (SR) task in Cantonese and in English. Results indicated that: (1) children’s SR performance in L1 was higher than that in L2; (2) their overall vocabulary appears to be related to sentence processing in both languages.
Prospective Multicenter Study of Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Heart Disease

Background—The maternal and neonatal risks associated with pregnancy in women with heart disease receiving comprehensive prenatal care have not been well defined. Methods and Results—We prospectively enrolled 562 consecutive pregnant women with heart disease and determined the outcomes of 599 pregnancies not ending in miscarriage. Pulmonary edema, arrhythmia, stroke, or cardiac death complicated 13% of pregnancies. Prior cardiac events or arrhythmia, poor functional class or cyanosis, left heart obstruction, and left ventricular systolic dysfunction independently predicted maternal cardiac complications; the cardiac event rate can be predicted using a risk index incorporating these predictors. Neonatal complications (20% of pregnancies) were associated with poor functional class or cyanosis, left heart obstruction, anticoagulation, smoking, and multiple gestations. Conclusions—Pregnancy in women with heart disease is associated with significant cardiac and neonatal complications, despite state-of-the-art obstetric and cardiac care. Maternal cardiac risk can be predicted with the use of a risk index.
Ventricular resynchronization: current state of the art.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a new therapy that improves hemodynamics and symptoms in patients with advanced heart failure (HF). 1 In HF, ventricular dyssynchrony results most commonly from left bundle-branch block (LBBB). Resynchronization pacing can influence hemodynamics by improving mechanical synchrony both between and within the right and left ventricles, as well as by optimizing atrioventricular synchrony. Biventricular pacing devices, first implanted in 1994, were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2001. Currently available devices may also have defibrillation capacity. Much of the information regarding the clinical benefits of CRT derives from clinical trials2–4 (Table) that together demonstrate that CRT improves symptoms and exercise tolerance in medically treated patients with persistent, moderate to severe symptoms of HF; poor left ventricular (LV) function; and intraventricular conduction delay. The relatively few scenarios in which this modality has been studied make it possible to argue both for broadening and restricting the use of these devices until further trials are conducted. Here we review the proposed mechanisms of action, potential applicability, and cost impact of CRT of appropriately selected patients.
Effects of age on organ weight and carcass characteristics of Japanese quail (Coturnix Japonica)

The work was carried out to study the effect of age on organ weight and carcass characteristics of Japanese quails ( Coturnix japonica ). The birds were housed in deep litter pen at the poultry unit of University of Maiduguri Teaching and Research Farm. Both sexes were reared together and raised on the same feed using broiler starter marsh from 5-8 weeks of age then, layer mash from 8-52 weeks and the experiment lasted for a period of 52 weeks. Weight of birds, weight of carcass and weight various organs were recorded on weekly basis and these were continued on the birds at 6, 8, 10, 16, 20, 24, 30 and 52 weeks of ages respectively. All data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance using GLM sub routine of SPSS 16.0 statistical package, and the means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. Effect of age on carcass characteristics were significant (p<0.05) live weight at weeks 6 and 52 were 97.19g, 119.93g, 132.00g, 134.44g, 129.72g, 142.11g, 154.33g and 162.67g. Carcass weight were 67.60g, 86.57g, 93.42g, 92.35g, 89.82g, 96.98g, 104.14g and 119.54g and back weight were 24.42g, 30.10g, 28.40g, 31.52g, 29.24g, 33.12g, 36.99g and 51.90g respectively. The effects of age on different organ weights was significant (P<0.05) except gizzard weight which showed no significant difference (P<0.05) at all the ages. It was generally observed with different relative significance that organs and meat/carcass of the Japanese quail were correlated with age increase; it could be of advantage to both the producer and the consumer of the birds to slaughter the birds at appropriate ages since there are relative organ/carcass developments to corresponding ages and/or interest. This will reduce economic losses to producers and results in enhanced quality products for consumers.
Category and Perceptual Learning in Subjects with Treated Wilson's Disease

To explore the relationship between category and perceptual learning, we examined both category and perceptual learning in patients with treated Wilson's disease (WD), whose basal ganglia, known to be important in category learning, were damaged by the disease. We measured their learning rate and accuracy in rule-based and information-integration category learning, and magnitudes of perceptual learning in a wide range of external noise conditions, and compared the results with those of normal controls. The WD subjects exhibited deficits in both forms of category learning and in perceptual learning in high external noise. However, their perceptual learning in low external noise was relatively spared. There was no significant correlation between the two forms of category learning, nor between perceptual learning in low external noise and either form of category learning. Perceptual learning in high external noise was, however, significantly correlated with information-integration but not with rule-based category learning. The results suggest that there may be a strong link between information-integration category learning and perceptual learning in high external noise. Damage to brain structures that are important for information-integration category learning may lead to poor perceptual learning in high external noise, yet spare perceptual learning in low external noise. Perceptual learning in high and low external noise conditions may involve separate neural substrates.
Accumulation and Clearance of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in Current and Former Residents of an Exposed Community

Background Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a perfluoroalkyl acid found in > 99% of Americans. Its health effects are unknown. Prior estimates of serum half-life range from 2.3 to 3.8 years. Objectives We assessed the impact of years of residence and years since residing in the study area on serum PFOA concentration in a sample of current and former residents who were exposed to PFOA emissions from an industrial facility in six water districts in West Virginia and Ohio. Methods Serum samples and questionnaires, including residential history, were collected in 2005–2006. We modeled log serum PFOA (nanograms per milliliter) for current residents as a function of years of residence in a water district, adjusted for a variety of factors. We modeled the half-life in former residents who lived in two water districts with high exposure levels using a two-segment log-linear spline. Results We modeled serum PFOA concentration in 17,516 current residents as a function of years of residence (R2 = 0.68). Years of residence was significantly associated with PFOA concentration (1% increase in serum PFOA/year of residence), with significant heterogeneity by water district. Half-life was estimated in two water districts comprising a total of 1,573 individuals. For the participants included in our analyses, we found that years since residing in a water district was significantly associated with serum PFOA, which yielded half-lives of 2.9 and 8.5 years for water districts with higher and lower exposure levels, respectively. Conclusion Years of residence in an exposed water district is positively associated with observed serum PFOA in 2005–2006. Differences in serum clearance rate between low- and high-exposure water districts suggest a possible concentration-dependent or time-dependent clearance process or inadequate adjustment for background exposures.
Epigenetic Activation of a Subset of mRNAs by eIF4E Explains Its Effects on Cell Proliferation

Background Translation deregulation is an important mechanism that causes aberrant cell growth, proliferation and survival. eIF4E, the mRNA 5′ cap-binding protein, plays a major role in translational control. To understand how eIF4E affects cell proliferation and survival, we studied mRNA targets that are translationally responsive to eIF4E. Methodology/Principal Findings Microarray analysis of polysomal mRNA from an eIF4E-inducible NIH 3T3 cell line was performed. Inducible expression of eIF4E resulted in increased translation of defined sets of mRNAs. Many of the mRNAs are novel targets, including those that encode large- and small-subunit ribosomal proteins and cell growth-related factors. In addition, there was augmented translation of mRNAs encoding anti-apoptotic proteins, which conferred resistance to endoplasmic reticulum-mediated apoptosis. Conclusions/Significance Our results shed new light on the mechanisms by which eIF4E prevents apoptosis and transforms cells. Downregulation of eIF4E and its downstream targets is a potential therapeutic option for the development of novel anti-cancer drugs.
Holographic Vortex Liquids and Superfluid Turbulence

Holographic Turbulence Turbulence in a superfluid presents an even more challenging theoretical problem than classical turbulence. Chesler et al. (p. 368) studied simulated superfluid turbulence using holographic duality. The direction of the energy flow in a two-dimensional superfluid was opposite to that in classical fluids—the energy injected at long length scales dissipated at short length scales through the vortices that form in a turbulent superfluid. A gravitational theory is used to elucidate the flow of energy in a turbulent superfluid. Superfluid turbulence is a fascinating phenomenon for which a satisfactory theoretical framework is lacking. Holographic duality provides a systematic approach to studying such quantum turbulence by mapping the dynamics of a strongly interacting quantum liquid into the dynamics of classical gravity. We use this gravitational description to numerically construct turbulent flows in a holographic superfluid in two spatial dimensions. We find that the superfluid kinetic energy spectrum obeys the Kolmogorov −53 scaling law, with energy injected at long wavelengths undergoing a direct cascade to short wavelengths where dissipation by vortex annihilation and vortex drag becomes efficient. This dissipation has a simple gravitational interpretation as energy flux across a black hole event horizon.
Disentangling multiple drivers of pollination in a landscape-scale experiment

Animal pollination is essential for the reproductive success of many wild and crop plants. Loss and isolation of (semi-)natural habitats in agricultural landscapes can cause declines of plants and pollinators and endanger pollination services. We investigated the independent effects of these drivers on pollination of young cherry trees in a landscape-scale experiment. We included (i) isolation of study trees from other cherry trees (up to 350 m), (ii) the amount of cherry trees in the landscape, (iii) the isolation from other woody habitats (up to 200 m) and (iv) the amount of woody habitats providing nesting and floral resources for pollinators. At the local scale, we considered effects of (v) cherry flower density and (vi) heterospecific flower density. Pollinators visited flowers more often in landscapes with high amount of woody habitat and at sites with lower isolation from the next cherry tree. Fruit set was reduced by isolation from the next cherry tree and by a high local density of heterospecific flowers but did not directly depend on pollinator visitation. These results reveal the importance of considering the plant's need for conspecific pollen and its pollen competition with co-flowering species rather than focusing only on pollinators’ habitat requirements and flower visitation. It proved to be important to disentangle habitat isolation from habitat loss, local from landscape-scale effects, and direct effects of pollen availability on fruit set from indirect effects via pollinator visitation to understand the delivery of an agriculturally important ecosystem service.
Decidability of weak logics with deterministic transitive closure

The deterministic transitive closure operator, added to languages containing even only two variables, allows to express many natural properties of a binary relation, including being a linear order, a tree, a forest or a partial function. This makes it a potentially attractive ingredient of computer science formalisms. In this paper we consider the extension of the two-variable fragment of first-order logic by the deterministic transitive closure of a single binary relation, and prove that the satisfiability and finite satisfiability problems for the obtained logic are decidable and ExpSpace-complete. This contrasts with the undecidability of two-variable logic with the deterministic transitive closures of several binary relations, known before. We also consider the class of universal first-order formulas in prenex form. Its various extensions by deterministic closure operations were earlier considered by other authors, leading to both decidability and undecidability results. We examine this scenario in more details.
Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure: First Results of a Feasibility Study

Background Drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF) increasingly is being treated with catheter ablation. However, the long-term success rate, expressed as freedom from AF, is <50%. Therefore, vitamin K antagonists, with all their complications, remain necessary. Recently, left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion devices were introduced as an alternative to vitamin K antagonists. Here, we investigated whether AF ablation and LAA occlusion could be a feasible and safe combination in patients with symptomatic drug-refractory AF and a CHADS2 score ≥1 or a contraindication for vitamin K antagonists. Methods and Results Ablation was performed by using multielectrode catheters with phased radiofrequency energy. LAA was occluded with the Watchman device (Atritech, Inc, Plymouth, MN). Between February 2010 and February 2011, 30 patients were treated (21 male; age, 62.8±8.5 years). Median CHADS2 score was 2.5 (25th to 75th percentiles: 2 to 3), median CHADS-VASc score was 3 (25th to 75th percentiles: 3 to 5), 77% had prior stroke, and 27% had a contraindication for vitamin K antagonists. Median HAS-BLED score was 2 (range, 1 to 5). Successful device implantation was achieved with a median number of 1.5 devices (median diameter 24 mm [25th to 75th percentiles: 24 to 24 mm]). Total procedure time was 97 minutes (25th to 75th percentiles: 75 to 115 minutes). At 60 days, all patients met the criteria for successful sealing. Follow-up visit at 12 months showed a 30% rate of documented recurrence of AF. A repeated pulmonary vein isolation was performed successfully in 4 patients, without interference of the LAA closure device. No thromboembolic events occurred during 1-year follow-up. Conclusion LAA occlusion with the Watchman device and AF ablation can be combined successfully and safely in a single procedure. The Watchman does not interfere with a repeated ablation.