Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sr, Nd and O isotopic characters of quartz syenite in the Weiya magmatic complex from eastern Tianshan in NW China: Melting of the thickened juvenile lower crust

New Sr‐Nd‐O isotopic data are reported for the early Triassic (early Indosinian) Weiya quartz syenite from eastern Central Tianshan, northwestern China, with the aim of documenting its possible source(s), constraining its petrogenesis and discussing its tectonic implications. Whole-rock Rb‐Sr isochron of the Weiya quartz syenite rock yielded an age of 246.5 ± 4.8 Ma, which is well consistent with zircon SHRIMP U‐Pb age. Additionally, the rock exhibits positive e Nd (t) value (+1.36 to +1.66), medium Isr (0.7088 to 0.7090), “normal” δ 18 O value (6.9 to 8.1‰) and young Nd model ages (TDM = 0.88 to 0.91 Ga). Combined with their petrogaphic and geochemical characters, the Weiya quartz syenite is suggested to have been generated by partial melting of juvenile lower crust rocks at high temperature. The partial melting is attributed to intra-continental subduction, which resulted in thickening of the continental crust, delamination of the lithosphere root, underplating of mantle-derived magma and subsequent regional extension. Heat from underplated mantle magma caused melting of the overlying lower crustal rocks and consequent generattion of the quartz syenitic liquid. It is supposed that the intra-continental subduction was induced by tectonic conversion from the Paleo‐Asian subduction-collision system to the Paleo‐Thethys regime during the latest Permian or earliest Triassic in the eastern Tianshan.
Effect of dietary restriction on metabolic, anatomic and molecular traits in mice depends on the initial level of basal metabolic rate

SUMMARY Dietary restriction (DR)-related delay of ageing is hypothesized to be mediated by the reduction of the metabolic rate (MR). However, studies on the effect of DR on MR have produced equivocal results. We demonstrated that this lack of congruency can be due to a variation in the initial level of MR within a given pool of experimental subjects. We subjected laboratory mice from two line types divergently selected for basal MR (BMR) to 30% DR lasting 6 months to test whether the effect of DR depends on the initial variation in BMR and peak MR. BMR and peak MR were independently affected by DR. The effect of DR was stronger in line types with higher initial levels of MR. Line-type-specific changes in the proportions of body components explained contrasting effects of DR on the mass-corrected BMR, which decreased in the high-BMR line type and did not change in the low-BMR line type. We conclude that the initial variation in MR can significantly affect response to DR. However, we found no association between the level of MR and mechanisms underlying the susceptibility to or protection against oxidative stress.
Antidepressant drug effects and depression severity: a patient-level meta-analysis.

CONTEXT Antidepressant medications represent the best established treatment for major depressive disorder, but there is little evidence that they have a specific pharmacological effect relative to pill placebo for patients with less severe depression. OBJECTIVE To estimate the relative benefit of medication vs placebo across a wide range of initial symptom severity in patients diagnosed with depression. DATA SOURCES PubMed, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from January 1980 through March 2009, along with references from meta-analyses and reviews. STUDY SELECTION Randomized placebo-controlled trials of antidepressants approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the treatment of major or minor depressive disorder were selected. Studies were included if their authors provided the requisite original data, they comprised adult outpatients, they included a medication vs placebo comparison for at least 6 weeks, they did not exclude patients on the basis of a placebo washout period, and they used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Data from 6 studies (718 patients) were included. DATA EXTRACTION Individual patient-level data were obtained from study authors. RESULTS Medication vs placebo differences varied substantially as a function of baseline severity. Among patients with HDRS scores below 23, Cohen d effect sizes for the difference between medication and placebo were estimated to be less than 0.20 (a standard definition of a small effect). Estimates of the magnitude of the superiority of medication over placebo increased with increases in baseline depression severity and crossed the threshold defined by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence for a clinically significant difference at a baseline HDRS score of 25. CONCLUSIONS The magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medication compared with placebo increases with severity of depression symptoms and may be minimal or nonexistent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms. For patients with very severe depression, the benefit of medications over placebo is substantial.
ICT Diffusion and Incidents of Resistance Against Repressive Regimes

Does the information revolution empower the coercive control of repressive regimes at the expense of civil resistance movements, or vice versa? One way to answer this question is to test whether the diffusion of information communication technology — measured by increasing numbers of Internet and mobile phone users — is a statistically significant predictor of anti-government protests after controlling for other causes of protests. If a positive and statistically significant relationship exists between protest frequency and access to ICT, then one might conclude that the information revolution empowers civil resistance movements at the expense of coercive regimes. If a negative relationship exists, one might deduce that repressive governments have the upper hand. Correlation analysis and negative binomial regression analysis was carried out on 22 countries between 1990-2007. These countries were selected because their regimes have the technical capacity to repress information. Five regression models were run. The first model included all 22 countries. The second and third model split the countries between high and low levels of protests. The fourth and fifth models split the countries between high and low numbers of mobile phone users. This cluster approach was used to minimize the possibility of cancelation effects and to facilitate case study selection for further qualitative research. The cluster of countries with low levels of protests resulted in a statistically significant albeit negative relationship between the number of mobile phone users and protest frequency. This means that an increase in the number of mobile phone users is associated with a decrease in protest frequency. The cluster of countries with high levels of mobile phones produced a statistically significant and positive relationship between the number of mobile phone users and protest frequency. In other words, an increase in the number of mobile phones is associated with an increase in the number of protests. The other two country clusters, “high protests” and “low mobile phones,” did not produce a statistically significant result for mobile phone use. The number of Internet users was not significant for any of the five models. The results suggest that the information revolution empowers civil resistance movements at the expense of repressive regimes in countries with relatively high levels of access to technology. On the other hand, repressive regimes appear to maintain the upper hand in countries with low levels of protest.
Transcriptome Analysis of H2O2-Treated Wheat Seedlings Reveals a H2O2-Responsive Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Participating in Powdery Mildew Resistance

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays important roles in plant biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, the effect of H2O2 stress on the bread wheat transcriptome is still lacking. To investigate the cellular and metabolic responses triggered by H2O2, we performed an mRNA tag analysis of wheat seedlings under 10 mM H2O2 treatment for 6 hour in one powdery mildew (PM) resistant (PmA) and two susceptible (Cha and Han) lines. In total, 6,156, 6,875 and 3,276 transcripts were found to be differentially expressed in PmA, Han and Cha respectively. Among them, 260 genes exhibited consistent expression patterns in all three wheat lines and may represent a subset of basal H2O2 responsive genes that were associated with cell defense, signal transduction, photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, redox homeostasis, and transport. Among genes specific to PmA, ‘transport’ activity was significantly enriched in Gene Ontology analysis. MapMan classification showed that, while both up- and down- regulations were observed for auxin, abscisic acid, and brassinolides signaling genes, the jasmonic acid and ethylene signaling pathway genes were all up-regulated, suggesting H2O2-enhanced JA/Et functions in PmA. To further study whether any of these genes were involved in wheat PM response, 19 H2O2-responsive putative defense related genes were assayed in wheat seedlings infected with Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt). Eight of these genes were found to be co-regulated by H2O2 and Bgt, among which a fatty acid desaturase gene TaFAD was then confirmed by virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) to be required for the PM resistance. Together, our data presents the first global picture of the wheat transcriptome under H2O2 stress and uncovers potential links between H2O2 and Bgt responses, hence providing important candidate genes for the PM resistance in wheat.
Motor sequence learning and movement disorders

Purpose of reviewNew insights into the psychophysiological determinants of performance changes and brain plasticity associated with motor sequence learning have recently been gained through behavioral and imaging studies in healthy individuals. In addition, using a variety of motor sequential paradigms in groups of patients affected by a movement disorder, major advances have been achieved in our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, as well as primary forms of dystonia. Recent findingsThis review begins by describing the latest findings in normal participants with regards to the dynamic alterations in neural networks observed across the different phases of motor sequence learning. It then focuses on the hotly debated issue of motor memory consolidation, highlighting the results of novel studies that investigated the role of both day and night sleep, the neural substrates and the developmental evolution mediating this process. Finally, this paper addresses current work looking at motor sequence learning in movement disorders that helps to better comprehend the functional contribution of basal ganglia structures to this type of memory, to assess the impact of such diseases on related patterns of brain activation, as well as to identify the neuronal compensatory mechanisms educed by these basal ganglia disorders. SummarySuch advances have major implications, not only for optimizing ways to learn new skilled behaviors in real-life situations, but also for guiding therapeutic approaches in patients with movement disorders.
Modification of mineral dust particles by cloud processing and subsequent effects on drop size distributions

Dust particles coated with soluble materials, such as sulfate, are frequently observed in the Mediterranean. Thus far, the processes responsible for the sulfate coating of dust particles have still not been identified. One possible explanation is that the formation of the sulfate-coated aerosols is related to cloud processing of dust particles. In this process the scavenging of aerosol particles and gases, such as SO2, O3, and H2O2, by the droplets and the subsequent impaction scavenging of mineral dust particles followed by evaporation could release into the atmosphere dust particles coated with soluble materials. These modified particles can serve as giant cloud condensation nuclei and thus can have a significant impact on the microphysical development of other clouds. Using an air parcel model with detailed microphysics, it is shown that cloud processing of dust particles is a possible effective pathway to form soluble coatings on these particles. Furthermore, the simulations show that after one or two cycles of particles through convective clouds the contribution of gas uptake by drops and subsequent liquid phase oxidation add considerable mass of soluble material to particles in the size range of 0.05 μm. On the other hand, this process adds about 1 order of magnitude less mass to the larger particles as compared to the contribution made by coagulation of drops containing soluble aerosols.
Characterization of rifampicin-resistant clinical Helicobacter pylori isolates from Germany.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the rate of rifampicin resistance in Helicobacter pylori isolated from patients in Germany, to detect rifampicin resistance-associated mutations and to identify non-resistance-associated genetic variants in the rpoB gene. METHODS Susceptibility to rifampicin in a total of 1585 clinical isolates obtained between January 2003 and July 2006 was tested by disc diffusion and/or by the Etest method. The rpoB genes of a selection of both resistant (n=17) and susceptible (n=100) clinical isolates were sequenced in order to distinguish between resistance- and non-resistance-associated genetic alterations. In vitro mutagenesis experiments such as site-directed mutagenesis were carried out to demonstrate the pivotal role of rpoB mutations in rifampicin resistance. RESULTS From 1585 clinical isolates examined, 22 (1.4%) showed phenotypic resistance to rifampicin (MIC>4 mg/L). The majority of the resistant strains harboured point mutations in their rpoB genes at codons 530, 540 and 545 and showed cross-resistance to rifabutin. Four clinical isolates with moderate rifampicin resistance (8 mg/L) showed a rifabutin-susceptible phenotype and did not harbour any mutation in the sequenced rpoB fragments. Sequence analysis of 100 rifampicin-susceptible isolates revealed numerous novel silent mutations in the rpoB genes resulting in amino acid exchanges, but not in resistance. CONCLUSIONS Resistance to rifampicin/rifabutin in H. pylori strains isolated in Germany is still low and is associated with mutations in the rpoB gene. Further surveillance studies analysing the use of rifabutin in H. pylori eradication and its association with the occurrence of rifabutin-resistant strains are required.
A dynamical perspective on predictions of severe European cyclones: the role of large-scale conditions

Severe windstorms regularly inflict damage throughout Europe. This research examines a set of 31 midlatitude cyclones, investigating each in depth but encompassing a wide variety of such storms. The set is selected using the Storm Severity Index, and categorised using two methods. The first method is based on the relationship between the storm and the jet stream. Four groups emerge: storms that move along the edge of the jet; that cross the jet stream early; that cross later; or have a split jet. The second method is based on the Pressure Tendency Equation. This establishes whether horizontal temperature advection or diabatic processes dominate during storm development. These two approaches are linked: storms in the first two jet groups tend to be driven by horizontal temperature advection, and the other two groups by diabatic processes. This work then studies the storms’ forecast quality and spread using ECMWF data. It finds that storm intensity tends to be under-forecast, the forecast storms move too slowly and are too far south. Forecast quality improves and spread decreases earlier in storms that cross the jet early, compared to those that cross later, suggesting a link between jet interaction and forecast error. Storms where horizontal temperature advection dominates are on average less well forecast than their diabatic counterparts, but diabatically driven storms tend to have greater forecast spread. Finally, this study proposes metrics for storm-prone situations, examining the configuration of the atmosphere prior to the development of the storms. These describe a variety of key factors for cyclogenesis, such as baroclinicity, barotropicity and moist stability. Of the 31 storms, 29 are associated with a value greater than the 98th percentile of one or more metrics. There is a large overlap between storms where baroclinicity is strong and those where horizontal temperature advection dominates the deepening, confirming that the two approaches are dynamically linked. This relationship between the storms, the dynamics, and the metrics will allow future work to identify sources of uncertainty in modelling severe European windstorms.
Human Papillomavirus Genotyping and p16INK4a Expression in Cervical Lesions: A Combined Test to Avoid Cervical Cancer Progression

Cervical cancer is a major public health problem in Morocco. The cervical cancer has a long precancerous period that provides an opportunity for the screening and treatment. Improving screening tests is a priority goal for the early diagnosis of cervical cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the combination of p16INK4a protein expression, human papillomavirus (HPV) typing, and histopathology for the identification of cervical lesions with high risk to progress to cervical cancer among Moroccan women. A total of 96 cervical biopsies were included in this study. Signal amplification in situ hybridization with biotinylated probes was used to detect HPV. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of p16INK4a protein. HPV DNA was detected in 74.0% of the biopsies (71/96). Of the seventy-one positive HPV cases, we detected 67.6% (48/71) of high risk (HR)-HPV (HPV 16 and 18), 24% of low risk-HPV (HPV 6 and 11), 1.4% intermediate risk-HPV (HPV 31, 33, and 35), and 7% coinfections (HPV 6/11 and 16/18). Overexpression of p16INK4a protein was observed in 72.9% (70/96) of the biopsies. In addition, p16INK4a protein detection was closely correlated with recovery of HR HPV. Our result showed that p16INK4a expression level is correlated with HR-HPV status.
The primary and recycling sources of OH during the NACHTT‐2011 campaign: HONO as an important OH primary source in the wintertime

We present OH observations from Nitrogen, Aerosol Composition, and Halogens on a Tall Tower 2011 (NACHTT‐11) held at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory in Weld County, Colorado. Average OH levels at noon were ~ 2.7 × 106 molecules cm−3 at 2 m above ground level. Nitrous acid (HONO) photolysis was the dominant OH source (80.4%) during this campaign, while alkene ozonolysis (4.9%) and ozone photolysis (14.7%) were smaller contributions to OH production. To evaluate recycling sources of OH from HO2 and RO2, an observationally constrained University of Washington Chemical Mechanism (UWCM) box model (version 2.1) was employed to simulate ambient OH levels over several scenarios. For the base run, not constrained by observed HONO, the model significantly underestimated OH by a factor of 5.3 in the morning (9:00–11:00) and by a factor of 3.2 in the afternoon (13:00–15:00). The results suggest that known chemistry cannot constrain HONO and, subsequently, OH during the observational period. When HONO is constrained in the model by observations (< 50 m), the discrepancy between observation and model simulation improves to a factor of 1.3 in the morning and a factor 1.1 in the afternoon, within the 35% estimated instrumental uncertainty. However, the model produces both a morning and afternoon maximum in OH, in contrast to the observations, which show strong evidence for morning OH production but no distinct morning maximum. Two additional OH sources were also considered, although they do not improve the differences in modeled and measured temporal OH profiles. First, the impact of daytime HONO gradients near the ground surface (< 20 m) was evaluated. Strong HONO gradients were observed between 06:00 and 09:00 MST (mountain standard time), especially within 20 m of the surface. When constrained to HONO observed below 20 m (rather than 50 m), the model produced an even larger morning OH maximum, in contrast to the observations. Second, Cl atoms from ClNO2 photolysis producing RO2 from reaction with alkanes, while significant, produced steady state Cl atom levels (~ 103 atoms cm−3) that were too low to significantly perturb measured OH through reactions of organic peroxy radicals produced from Cl reactions with volatile organic compounds.
Concurrent Radiotherapy with Carboplatin and Cetuximab for the Treatment of Medically Compromised Patients with Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Cetuximab (Cx) + radiation therapy (RT) is well-tolerated and has improved survival in patients (pts) with locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (LA-HNSCC). However, its efficacy when compared to HD-DDP + RT has been questioned. At our institution, low-dose weekly carboplatin is added to Cx + RT for patients unsuitable for HD-DDP. Methods: We reviewed records of 16 patients with LA-HNSCC treated with definitive Cx + carboplatin + RT at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2011. Median follow-up was 24 months (range: 1–69 months). Results: Median age: 71.5 years (range: 57–90 years); 15 male, 1 female. ECOG PS 0 = 15, 1 = 1. TNM staging was: T1 = 1, T2 = 5, T3 = 8, T4 = 2; N stage: N0 = 8, N1 = 5, N2a = 2, N2b = 1. All patients received weekly carboplatin (AUC 1.5–2), Cx given conventionally and daily conventionally fractionated RT. Median total weeks of concurrent systemic therapy = 7 (range: 3–8 weeks). RT was delivered to a median total dose of 70 Gy (range 30–74 Gy). Of the 15 evaluable patients, there were: 12 CR, 2 PR, and 1 PD. There were three local in-field failures, two regional failures, and three distant failures. At last follow-up, 8/15 patients remained with NED. Three-year locoregional recurrence was 28.3% (95% CI: 7.7–53.9%). Mean percentage of weight loss was 14% (range: 6–26%). Two patients required systemic therapy dose reduction. Three patients experienced a treatment delay and three did not finish RT as planned including a patient who received only 30 Gy due to death secondary to MI during treatment. Conclusion: In this small retrospective series, carboplatin/Cx/RT was well-tolerated and efficacious in patients unsuitable for HD-DDP having LA-HNSCC. Acute toxicities were similar to Cx + RT, likely due to the non-overlapping toxicity profiles of the two systemic agents. We hypothesize that the addition of a well-tolerated cytotoxic chemotherapy agent may improve the therapeutic ratio of Cx + RT in patients who are poor candidates for more aggressive therapies and warrants evaluation in a prospective manner.
Sediment−Water Fluxes of Mercury in Lavaca Bay, Texas

The aqueous flux of inorganic Hg and monomethyl Hg from sediments to the water column was determined at several sites in Lavaca Bay, an estuary along the Texas Coast, historically impacted by Hg discharges. Diffusive fluxes were calculated at 15 sites using interstitial pore water gradients and compared to direct flux measurements obtained at two sites using benthic flux chambers. The diffusive flux of monomethyl mercury (MMHg), when modeled as a chloride species, varied over 3 orders of magnitude from 0.2 to 1500 ng m-2 day-1. Diffusive fluxes determined at a single site revealed that MMHg fluxes varied seasonally; maximal fluxes occurred in late winter to early spring. Flux chamber deployments at an impacted site revealed that MMHg was the Hg species entering the water column from sediments and the flux was not in steady-state; there was a strong diurnal signal with most of the MMHg flux occurring during dark periods. The flux of inorganic Hg was smaller and not as easily discernible by this method. The.