Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Further evidence that Whorfian effects are stronger in the right visual field than the left

The Whorf hypothesis holds that differences between languages induce differences in perception and/or cognition in their speakers. Much of the experimental work pursuing this idea has focused on the domain of color and has centered on the issue of whether linguistically coded color categories influence color discrimination. A new perspective has been cast on the debate by recent results that suggest that language influences color discrimination strongly in the right visual field but not in the left visual field (LVF). This asymmetry is likely related to the contralateral projection of visual fields to cerebral hemispheres and the specialization of the left hemisphere for language. The current study presents three independent experiments that replicate and extend these earlier results by using different tasks and testing across different color category boundaries. Our results differ in one respect: although we find that Whorfian effects on color are stronger for stimuli in the right visual field than in the LVF, we find that there are significant category effects in the LVF as well. The origin of the significant category effect in the LVF is considered, and two factors that might account for the pattern of results are proposed.
Heterogeneities and Consequences of Plasmodium Species and Hookworm Coinfection: A Population Based Study in Uganda

Background. Previous studies have suggested that helminth infection exacerbates malaria, but few existing epidemiological studies adequately control for infection heterogeneities and confounding factors. In this study, we investigate spatial and household heterogeneities, predictors, and consequences of Plasmodium species and hookworm coinfection in rural communities in Uganda. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1770 individuals aged 0–88 years in 4 villages. We recorded demographic, socioeconomic, and microgeographic factors during household surveys. We determined malaria parasitemia and hemoglobin concentration and collected stool samples on 2 consecutive days. For data analysis, we used a hierarchical, spatially explicit Bayesian framework. Results. Prevalence of Plasmodium-hookworm coinfection was 15.5% overall and highest among school-aged children. We found strong evidence of spatial and household clustering of coinfection and an enduring positive association between Plasmodium-species and hookworm infection among preschool-aged children (odds ratio [OR], 2.36; 95% Bayesian credible interval [BCI], 1.26–4.30) and adults (OR, 2.09; 95% BCI, 1.35–3.16) but not among school-aged children. Coinfection was associated with lower hemoglobin level only among school-aged children. Conclusions. Plasmodium-hookworm coinfection exhibits marked age dependency and significant spatial and household heterogeneity, and among preschool-aged children and adults, occurs more than would be expected by chance. Such heterogeneities provide insight into factors underlying observed patterns and the design of integrated control strategies.
X-Ray and Sunyaev-Zel’dovich Effect Measurements of the Gas Mass Fraction in Galaxy Clusters

We present gas mass fractions of 38 massive galaxy clusters at redshifts 0.14 ≤ z ≤ 0.89, derived from Chandra X-ray and OVRO/BIMA interferometric Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) measurements. We use three models for the gas distribution: (1) an isothermal β-model fit jointly to the X-ray data at radii beyond 100 kpc and to all of the SZE data, (2) a nonisothermal double β-model in hydrostatic equilibrium with a Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) dark matter distribution, fit jointly to all of the X-ray and SZE data, and (3) an isothermal β-model fit only to the SZE spatial data. We show that the isothermal model well characterizes the intracluster medium outside the cluster core and provides good fits to clusters with a range of morphological properties. X-ray and SZE mean gas mass fractions for model 1 are fgas(X-ray) = 0.110 ± 0.003 and fgas(SZE) = 0.116 ± 0.005 assuming = ; uncertainties are statistical followed by systematic at 68% confidence. For model 2, fgas(X-ray) = 0.119 ± 0.003 and fgas(SZE) = 0.121 ± 0.005. For model 3, fgas(SZE) = 0.120 ± 0.009. The agreement in the results shows that the core can be accounted for satisfactorily by either excluding it from fits to the X-ray data or modeling the intracluster gas with a nonisothermal double β-model. We find that the SZE is largely insensitive to core structure. Our results indicate that the ratio of gas mass fraction within r2500 to the cosmic baryon fraction, fgas/ , is 0.68, where statistical and systematic uncertainties are included at 68% confidence. By assuming that cluster gas mass fractions are independent of redshift, we find that the results agree with standard ΛCDM cosmology and are inconsistent with a flat matter-dominated (ΩM = 1) universe.
A quiescent power-aware low-voltage output capacitorless low dropout regulator for SoC applications

This paper presents a new low-voltage output capacitorless low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator for System-on-Chip (SoC) applications. A low-impedance loading network is introduced at the output of LDO to achieve full range stability from 0 to 100 mA load current at a 100 pF parasitic capacitance load. No minimum output load current is needed whereas the quiescent current is made low. Thus, it improves the efficiency for light load currents. The proposed LDO has been validated using BSIM3 models and GLOBALFOUNDRIES 0.18-µm CMOS process. The simulation results have shown that the LDO consumes only 14 µA at 0 load current, regulating the output at 1 V from a minimum 1.2 V supply, with a dropout of 200 mV at the maximum load current of 100 mA. The worst case full-load transient response is about 3.96 µs.
Analysis of Balancing Driver for Multiple Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps

This paper proposes a novel topology to drive the cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) for liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in a direct-type backlight module. The topology is capable of driving an even number of lamps with identical current without additional balancing circuits, thereby significantly reducing the display's size, weight, and cost. Aiming at alleviating the influence of parasitic capacitance and thus balancing the lamp currents and light output, the proposed topology comprises series CCFLs and the secondary sides of transformers, takes the leakage inductances of the transformer and the parasitic capacitances of the metal back-plank as a resonance tank, and provides both ends of lamps the voltages of equal magnitude and opposite phase. A prototype of the multi-CCFLs driver is designed and built for a backlight module with 14 lamps in a 32-in LCD. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the current balance topology.
Assimilation of chlorinated alkanes by hydrocarbon-utilizing fungi

The fatty acid compositions of two filamentous fungi (Cunninghamella elegans and Penicillium zonatum) and a yeast (Candida lipolytica) were determined after the organisms were grown on 1-chlorohexadecane or 1-chlorooctadecane. These organisms utilized the chlorinated alkanes as sole sources of carbon and energy. Analyses of the fatty acids present after growth on the chlorinated alkanes indicated that 60 to 70% of the total fatty acids in C. elegans were chlorinated. Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in C. lipolytica were also chlorinated. P. zonatum contained 20% 1-chlorohexadecanoic acid after growth on either substrate but did not incorporate C18 chlorinated fatty acids.
The role of catecholamines, age, and fitness on blood pressure reactivity to dynamic exercise in patients with essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between exercise blood pressure (BP) and catecholamine levels in hypertensive subjects and, secondarily, to evaluate the influence of age and fitness level. DESIGN Descriptive correlational. SETTING Midwestern, university-affiliated medical center. SUBJECTS 27 hypertensive subjects, mean age 45 years, who were free of antihypertensive medications. OUTCOME MEASURES BP and plasma catecholamines (norepinephrine and epinephrine). INTERVENTION Subjects were given an incremental maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer beginning at 25 watts with workloads increasing by 25 watts every 2 minutes until exhaustion. Plasma catecholamines were measured at rest, at 100 watts, and at maximal exercise. BP, heart rate, and oxygen consumption (VO2) were measured at rest and at the end of each workload. RESULTS Systolic and diastolic BP were unrelated to catecholamines at rest and during exercise. When subjects were evaluated according to fitness level (VO2max), resting BP was not significantly different among groups (low fitness = VO2max < or = 25 ml/kg/min; moderate fitness = VO2max 26 to 39 ml/kg/min; high fitness = VO2max > or = 40 ml/kg/min). However, an inverse relationship was observed between fitness level and rate of rise of systolic and diastolic BP during submaximal work. Multiple regression showed that fitness predicted diastolic BP response (p = 0.02) at 100 watts. Age, however, predicted systolic BP response (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS Neither the level of resting nor the magnitude of BP response to exercise in hypertensive subjects was directly related to level of plasma catecholamines. The magnitude of change in BP during exercise was modulated by age and fitness level.
PHAGOCYTOSIS OF BACTERIA IN THE ABSENCE OF ANTIBODY AND THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL SURFACE

The present experiments have shown that phagocytosis occurs in the absence of specific antibody and in the absence of a "suitable physical surface", as further that the presence of a rough surface does not increase the in vitro phagocytosis of pneumococci by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. This held true during repetition of Wood's experiments, as well as when more controlled quantitative techniques were employed, when conditions were made optimal for phagocytosis by increasing bacterial concentrations, and when blood leukocytes were substituted for exudate leukocytes. Evidence has been presented previously that the stimulation of phagocytosis of E. coli, B. abortus, and Type IV Pneumococcus, after contact with filter paper or an active compound present in filter paper, is a chemical effect rather than a physical effect. This type of stimulation did not occur with the Type I A5 Pneumococcus. The leukocyte of the circulating blood was found to be definitely superior to the exudate leukocyte in phagocytic capacity, under all the experimental conditions tested.
Hypoxia, not pulmonary vascular pressure, induces blood flow through intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses

Blood flow through intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses (IPAVA) is increased by acute hypoxia during rest by unknown mechanisms. Oral administration of acetazolamide blunts the pulmonary vascular pressure response to acute hypoxia, thus permitting the observation of IPAVA blood flow with minimal pulmonary pressure change. Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction was attenuated in humans following acetazolamide administration and partially restored with bicarbonate infusion, indicating that the effects of acetazolamide on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction may involve an interaction between arterial pH and PCO2 . We observed that IPAVA blood flow during hypoxia was similar before and after acetazolamide administration, even after acid–base status correction, indicating that pulmonary pressure, pH and PCO2 are unlikely regulators of IPAVA blood flow.
Activated Protein C Does Not Alleviate the Course of Systemic Inflammation in the APCAP Trial

The study aimed to determine the effect of the activated protein C on the course of systemic inflammation in the APCAP (activated protein C in acute pancreatitis) trial where we randomized 32 patients with severe acute pancreatitis to receive either recombinant activated protein C (drotrecogin alfa activated) (n = 16) or placebo (n = 16) for 96 hours. In the present study, we present the time course of the patients' plasma or serum levels of soluble markers (IL-8, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1ra, sE-selectin, PCT) and monocyte and neutrophil cell surface (CD11b, CD14, CD62L, HLA-DR) markers of systemic inflammatory response during the first 14 days after the randomization. The results of the intervention and placebo groups were comparable showing that recombinant APC treatment did not alter the course of systemic inflammation in severe acute pancreatitis. Our finding is in accordance with the clinical findings in the APCAP trial indicating that the intervention did not affect evolution of multiple organ dysfunctions.
Oncotargets and Therapy Dovepress Dovepress Validation Study of the Modified Injection Technique for Internal Mammary Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer

According to the hypothesis of internal mammary sentinel lymph node (IM-SLN) lymphatic drainage pattern, a modified radiotracer injection technique (periareolar intraparen-chyma, high volume, and ultrasonographic guidance) was established. To verify the accuracy of the hypothesis and validate the modified radiotracer injection technique and to observe whether the lymphatic drainage of the whole breast parenchyma could reach to the same IM-SLN, different tracers were injected into different locations of the breast. The validation study results showed that the correlation and the agreement of the radiotracer and the fluorescence tracer are significant (case-base, r s =0.808, P,0.001; Kappa =0.79, P,0.001). It proved that the lymphatic drainage from different location of the breast (the primary tumor, the subareolar plexus) reached the same IM-SLNs and the hypothesis of IM-SLN lymphatic drainage pattern (ie, IM-SLN receives lymphatic drainage from not only the primary tumor area, but also the entire breast parenchyma). In other words, it validated the accuracy of our modified radiotracer injection technique.
Absence of specific cell killing of the BRCA2-deficient human cancer cell line CAPAN1 by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition

The specific killing of cells impaired in BRCA2 function upon treatment with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inihibitors has recently been reported by two groups. CAPAN1, which was not characterized in these reports, represents the only human cancer cell line harboring the frequent, naturally occuring BRCA2 6174delT frameshift mutation accompanied by loss of the second allele. The severe impact of this mutation on BRCA2 function has been extensively characterized. However, PARP inhibition by 3-aminobenzamide or NU1025 did not result in significant cell death in CAPAN1 cells. Our data raise concern about the uniformity of the specific cell killing of BRCA2-deficient cells upon PARP inhibition and therefore urge caution as to whether prior findings are fully generalizable for the specific treatment of human cancers harboring naturally occuring, inactivating forms of BRCA2 mutations.
Reinforcement Learning for Automatic Online Algorithm Selection - an Empirical Study

In this paper a reinforcement learning methodology for automatic online algorithm selection is introduced and empirically tested. It is applicable to automatic algorithm selection methods that predict the performance of each available algorithm and then pick the best one. The experiments confirm the usefulness of the methodology: using online data results in better performance. As in many online learning settings an exploration vs. exploitation trade-off, synonymously learning vs. earning trade-off, is incurred. Empirically investigating the quality of classic solution strategies for handling this trade-off in the automatic online algorithm selection setting is the secondary goal of this paper. The automatic online algorithm selection problem can be modelled as a contextual multi-armed bandit problem. Two classic strategies for solving this problem are tested in the context of automatic online algorithm selection: ε-greedy and lower confidence bound. The experiments show that a simple purely exploitative greedy strategy outperforms strategies explicitly performing exploration.
Disposable 1-day Acuvue contact lenses for the delivery of lomefloxacin to rabbits' eyes.

PURPOSE To investigate the ability of a disposable soft contact lens (1-Day Acuvue) to deliver lomefloxacin, a fluoroquinolones antibiotic, into the cornea and aqueous humor of rabbits. METHODS Experiments were conducted on adult albino rabbits. 1-Day Acuvue lenses were immersed for 1 hour in commercially-available lomefloxacin eye solution and then placed on the cornea. After 0.5, 2, 4,6, and 8 hours, the animals were killed and the lenses were removed and placed into a 20 mL saline bath. Corneal tissue and aqueous humor samples were also obtained at these times. The release of lomefloxacin from the lenses was calculated by measuring the amount of drug remaining in the lenses after removal from the rabbit eyes. The concentration of lomefloxacin in the cornea and anterior chamber following the wearing of lomefloxacin-loaded lenses was compared with the concentrations following frequent-drop therapy (one drop of lomefloxacin hourly for 8 hours). RESULTS In vivo, lomefloxacin was released from 1-Day Acuvue lenses gradually over 8 hours. The cornea and aqueous humor levels in the eyes following the wear of lomefloxacin-loaded lenses were significantly higher than those achieved by frequent-drop therapy. The drug levels in the cornea and aqueous humor generally remained above the 90% minimal inhibitory concentration for 8 hours in the 1-Day Acuvue lens group. CONCLUSIONS 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses soaked in 0.3% lomefloxacin can release sufficient amounts of lomefloxacin and in this study produced higher levels in both the cornea and aqueous humor than that achieved by frequent-drop therapy for up to 8 hours. We conclude that 1-Day Acuvue contact lens can be used as a drug delivery system for lomefloxacin.
A comparison of tracheal intubation using the Airtraq® or the Macintosh laryngoscope in routine airway management: a randomised, controlled clinical trial

The Airtraq® laryngoscope is a novel single use tracheal intubation device. We compared the Airtraq® with the Macintosh laryngoscope in patients deemed at low risk for difficult intubation in a randomised, controlled clinical trial. Sixty consenting patients presenting for surgery requiring tracheal intubation were randomly allocated to undergo intubation using a Macintosh (n = 30) or Airtraq® (n = 30) laryngoscope. All patients were intubated by one of four anaesthetists experienced in the use of both laryngoscopes. No significant differences in demographic or airway variables were observed between the groups. All but one patient, in the Macintosh group, was successfully intubated on the first attempt. There was no difference between groups in the duration of intubation attempts. In comparison to the Macintosh laryngoscope, the Airtraq® resulted in modest improvements in the intubation difficulty score, and in ease of use. Tracheal intubation with the Airtraq® resulted in less alterations in heart rate. These findings demonstrate the utility of the Airtraq® laryngoscope for tracheal intubation in low risk patients.
Parallel standard cell placement algorithms with quality equivalent to simulated annealing

An algorithm called heuristic spanning creates parallelism by simultaneously investigating different areas of the plausible combinatorial search space. It is used to replace the high-temperature portion of simulated annealing. The low-temperature portion of simulated annealing is sped up by a technique called section annealing, in which placement is geographically divided and the pieces are assigned to separate processors. Each processor generates simulated-annealing-style moves for the cells in its area and communicates the moves to other processors as necessary. Heuristic spanning and section annealing are shown experimentally to converge to the same final cost function as regular simulated annealing. These approaches achieve significant speedup over uniprocessor simulated annealing, giving high-quality VLSI placement of standard cells in a short period of time. >
The value of flow cytometric analysis of platelet glycoprotein expression of CD34+ cells measured under conditions that prevent P-selectin-mediated binding of platelets.

In the present study, we show by adhesion assays and ultrastructural studies that platelets can bind to CD34+ cells from human blood and bone marrow and that this interaction interferes with the accurate detection of endogenously expressed platelet glycoproteins (GPs). The interaction between these cells was found to be reversible, dependent on divalent cations, and mediated by P-selectin. Enzymatic characterization showed the involvement of sialic acid residues, protein(s). The demonstration of mRNA for the P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) in the CD34+ cells by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis suggests that this molecule is present in these cells. Under conditions that prevent platelet adhesion, a small but distinct subpopulation of CD34+ cells diffusely expressed the platelet GPIIb/IIIa complex. These cells were visualized by immunochemical studies. Furthermore, synthesis of mRNA for GPIIb and GPIIIa by CD34+ cells was shown using PCR analysis. The semiquantitative PCR results show relatively higher amounts of GPIIb mRNA than of PF4 mRNA in CD34+CD41+ cells in comparison with this ratio in platelets. This finding is a strong indication that the PCR results are not caused by contaminating adhering platelets. MoAbs against GPIa GPIb alpha, GPV, P-selectin, and the alpha-chain of the vitronectin receptor did not react with CD34+ cells. The number of CD34+ cells expressing GPIIb/IIIa present in peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplants was determined and was correlated with platelet recovery after intensive chemotherapy in 27 patients. The number of CD34+CD41+ cells correlated significantly better with the time of platelet recovery after PBSC transplantation (r = .83, P = .04) than did the total number of CD34+ cells (r = .55). Statistical analysis produced a threshold value for rapid platelet recovery of 0.34 x 10(6) CD34+CD41+ cells/kg. This study suggests that if performed in the presence of EDTA the flow cytometric measurement of GPIIb/IIIa on CD34+ cells provides the most accurate indication of the platelet reconstitutive capacity of the PBSC transplant.
Combined Effects of Gametogenic Calcification and Dissolution on δ18O Measurements of the Planktic Foraminifer Trilobatus sacculifer

Oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O) measured from planktic foraminifer shells are commonly used to reconstruct past surface ocean conditions, yet the shells of many planktic foraminifers are an aggregate mixture of multiple carbonate phases with differing δ18O compositions. Here we demonstrate how secondary ion mass spectrometry can be used to measure intrashell δ18O heterogeneity by performing in situ analyses on micrometer‐scale (3–10 μm) domains within individual shells of the extant, mixed layer species Trilobatus sacculifer. Secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements on shells taken from Holocene‐aged sediments at three sites in different ocean basins confirm that the δ18O of gametogenic (GAM) calcite added to shells during the terminal (reproductive) stage of the life cycle is 1.0–1.4‰ higher than that of pregametogenic calcite. Examination of shells in cross section reveals that many have suffered varying degrees of internal dissolution, which further skews whole‐shell δ18O compositions toward higher values by preferentially removing low δ18O pregametogenic calcite. The results of this study echo the calls of earlier studies cautioning that spatiotemporal changes in the proportion of high δ18O GAM calcite should be considered when assessing T. sacculifer δ18O records generated via conventional isotope ratio mass spectrometry.