Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maximum Likelihood Comparison of Tully-Fisher and Redshift Data. II. Results from an Expanded Sample

This is the second in a series of papers in which we compare Tully-Fisher (TF) data from the Mark III Catalog with predicted peculiar velocities based on the IRAS galaxy redshift survey and gravitational instability theory, using a rigorous maximum likelihood method called VELMOD. In the first paper in this series, we applied the method to a czLG ≤ 3000 km s-1, 838 galaxy TF sample and found βI = 0.49 ± 0.07, where βI ≡ Ω0. 6/bI and bI is the linear biasing parameter for IRAS galaxies. In this paper we increase the redshift limit to czLG = 7500 km s-1, thereby enlarging the sample to 1876 galaxies. The expanded sample now includes the Willick Pisces-Perseus (W91PP) and Courteau-Faber (CF) subsamples of the Mark III Catalog, in addition to the Aaronson et al. (A82) and Mathewson et al. (MAT) subsamples already considered in the first paper in this series. We implement VELMOD using both the forward and inverse forms of the TF relation and allow for a more general form of the quadrupole velocity residual than considered in the first paper in this series. We find βI = 0.50 ± 0.04 (1 σ error) at 300 km s-1 smoothing of the IRAS-predicted velocity field. The fit residuals are spatially incoherent for βI = 0.5, which indicates that the IRAS plus quadrupole velocity field is a good fit to the TF data. If we eliminate the quadrupole we obtain a worse fit but a similar value for βI of 0.54 ± 0.04. Changing the IRAS smoothing scale to 500 km s-1 has almost no effect on the best βI. Thus the data are consistent with a model in which the cosmological density parameter Ω ≈ 0.3, and IRAS galaxies are unbiased, bI = 1. We find evidence for a density dependence of the small-scale velocity dispersion, σv(δg) ≃ (100 + 35δg) km s-1. One of the byproducts of the VELMOD method is a self-consistent calibration of the TF relation. We confirm our result from the first paper in this series that the TF relations for the A82 and MAT samples found by VELMOD are consistent with those that went into the published Mark III Catalog. However, the VELMOD TF calibrations for the W91PP and CF samples place objects ~8% closer than their Mark III Catalog distances, which has an important effect on the inferred large-scale flow field at 4000-6000 km s-1. With this recalibration, the IRAS and Mark III velocity fields are consistent with one another at all radii.
The association between serum vitamin D levels and urticaria: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

INTRODUCTION Despite the recent studies revealed Vitamin D may play a role in urticaria, no meta-analysis providing definite conclusions in this field has been reported. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A systematic search up to June 30th, 2017 was conducted in MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE) to identify relevant articles. Search terms included ''vitamin D'' or "25-hydroxyvitamin D" or "25-hydroxy-vitamin D" or "25(OH)D" or "1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D" combined with ''urticaria. " EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Initial searches yielded 30 citations. Of these original results, 10 met specific selection criteria and were included in the meta-analysis with 547 urticaria cases and 517 controls. Vitamin D levels were significantly decreased in the urticarial cases (WMD -9.8 mg/L, 95% CI: -12.57 to -7.04 mg/L, from a random effects model), with a significant heterogeneity (I2=85.9%, P=0.000). When divide the Vitamin D level into two subgroups, the pooled OR comparing vitamin D insufficiency vs. normal level was 1.64 (95% CI: 0.71 to 3.77). Meanwhile, vitamin D deficiency vs. normal level was 4.09 (95% CI: 1.32 to 12.73). CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrated that patients with urticaria had a lower Vitamin D level than healthy controls. Vitamin D deficiency rather than insufficiency has a positive relationship with urticaria. However, larger-scale studies with a longer duration of treatment are needed to confirm this conclusion.
A 5-Year Survival Analysis of 160 Biomet Magnum M2 metal-on-Metal Total Hip Prostheses

Background Large-head metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip arthroplasties (THA) are associated with high failure rates and possible pseudotumour formation. This study reports the first results of 160 Biomet Magnum M2 large-head MoM total hip articulations. Patients and methods From 2006 to 2010 the Reinier de Graaf Hospital implanted 160 large-head Magnum M2 MoM THAs (Biomet Inc. Warsaw, Indiana, USA) in 150 patients. These patients were recalled after a warning from the Dutch Orthopaedic Association. Patients were offered a clinical and radiographic assessment of the hip prosthesis, serum control on cobalt and chromium ions, and an ultrasound of the hip. If indicated, additional MARS-MRI or CT scan was performed. Descriptive statistical analysis, correlations, t-tests, non-parametric tests and implant survival were calculated. Results The mean follow-up was 6.1 years (4.8-8.4). A cumulative survival rate of 93.1% (95% CI: 88.3-98%) was found after 5 years. Reasons for revision were loosening, pain, infection and pseudotumour formation. The prevalence of pseudotumour formation around the prostheses was 8.75%. Conclusions This study reports the first results of 160 MoM THAs implanted in our clinic from 2006-2010. In total, 13 (8.1%) of the THAs were eligible for revision after the recall. In most patients the reason for revision was pseudotumour formation. A total of 14 (8.75%) pseudotumours were diagnosed at the first recall. These results show that a comprehensive follow-up strategy is essential for MoM THAs to promptly identify and manage early complications.
‘Scraggy’ dark haloes around bulge-less spiral

We use a sample of 220 face-on bulge-less galaxies situated in the low-density environment to estimate their total mass via orbital motions of supposed rare satellites. Our inspection reveals 43 dwarf companions having the mean projected separation of 130 kpc and the mean-square velocity difference of 96 km s−1. For them, we obtain the mean orbital-mass-to-K-band luminosity ratio of 20 ± 3. Seven bulge-less spirals in the Local Volume are also characterized by the low mean ratio, Morb/LK = 22 ± 5. We conclude that bulge-less Sc–Scd–Sd galaxies have poor dark haloes, about two times lower than that of bulgy spiral galaxies of the same stellar mass.
Impact of Tumor Vascularity on Responsiveness to Antiangiogenesis in a Prostate Cancer Stem Cell-Derived Tumor Model

Drugs that target the tumor vasculature and inhibit angiogenesis are widely used for cancer treatment. Individual tumors show large differences in vascularity, but it is uncertain how these differences affect responsiveness to antiangiogenesis. We investigated this question using two closely related prostate cancer models that differ markedly in tumor vascularity: PC3, which has very low vascularity, and the PC3-derived cancer stem-like cell holoclone PC3/2G7, which forms tumors with high microvessel density, high tumor blood flow, and low hypoxia compared with parental PC3 tumors. Three angiogenesis inhibitors (axitinib, sorafenib, and DC101) all induced significantly greater decreases in tumor blood flow and microvessel density in PC3/2G7 tumors compared with PC3 tumors, as well as significantly greater decreases in tumor cell proliferation and cell viability and a greater increase in apoptosis. The increased sensitivity of PC3/2G7 tumors to antiangiogenesis indicates they are less tolerant of low vascularity and suggests they become addicted to their oxygen- and nutrient-rich environment. PC3/2G7 tumors showed strong upregulation of the proangiogenic factors chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and VEGFA compared with PC3 tumors, which may contribute to their increased vascularity, and they have significantly lower endothelial cell pericyte coverage, which may contribute to their greater sensitivity to antiangiogenesis. Interestingly, high levels of VEGF receptor-2 were expressed on PC3 but not PC3/2G7 tumor cells, which may contribute to the growth static response of PC3 tumors to VEGF-targeted antiangiogenesis. Finally, prolonged antiangiogenic treatment led to resumption of PC3/2G7 tumor growth and neovascularization, indicating these cancer stem-like cell-derived tumors can adapt and escape from antiangiogenesis. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(5); 787–98. ©2013 AACR.
Retrieving in ation expectations and risk premia e ¤ ects from the term structure of interest rates

This paper suggests an empirically attractive Gaussian dynamic term structure model to retrieve estimates of real interest rates and ination expectations from the nominal term structure of interest rates which are net of ination risk premium e¤ects. The paper shows that this model is consistent with the data and that time-variation of ination risk premium and real interest rates can explain the puzzling behavior of the spread between long and short-term nominal interest rates to forecast changes in ination rates, especially over short-term horizons. The estimates of ination risk premium e¤ects retrieved by the model tend to be negative and signi cant, which implies that investors in the bond market require less compensation for holding nominal bonds compared to ination-indexed bonds. This is more evident during the recent nancial crisis. JEL classi cation : G12, E21, E27, E43
Enteral administration of monosodium phosphate, monopotassium phosphate and monocalcium phosphate for the treatment of hypophosphataemia in lactating dairy cattle

Hypohosphataemia is a frequent finding in early lactating and anorectic dairy cows. Sodium phosphate is commonly used for oral phosphorus (P) supplementation, although other phosphate salts may present useful treatment alternatives. Objectives of this study were to compare the efficacy of monopotassium phosphate (KH2PO4) and monocalcium phosphate (Ca(H2PO4)2) to monosodium phosphate (NaH2PO4) in P-depleted cows. Furthermore, the effect of concentrated NaH2PO4 on the reticular groove reflex was studied. Six healthy but P-depleted dairy cows underwent four treatments in randomised order. Treatments consisted of intraruminal administration of NaH2PO4, KH2PO4 and Ca(H2PO4)2 providing the equivalent of 60 g P. A fourth treatment consisting of concentrated NaH2PO4 combined with acetaminophen as a marker substance was administered orally to determine whether the reticular groove reflex could be induced. Intraruminal administration of NaH2PO4 and KH2PO4 resulted in similar increases in plasma Pi concentrations ([Pi]) while intraruminal Ca(H2PO4)2 resulted in lower increases in plasma [Pi]. Oral and intraruminal administration of NaH2PO4 resulted in similar times to peak plasma [Pi] and acetaminophen concentration, indicating that concentrated NaH2PO4 administered orally did not trigger the reticular groove reflex. These results suggest that oral administration of KH2PO4 is equally effective as NaH2PO4. Oral administration of Ca(H2PO4)2 in contrast has a less pronounced effect on the plasma [Pi].
Callous–unemotional traits in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

Background People with callous–unemotional traits and also those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display sociocognitive difficulties. However, the frequency and neurocognitive correlates of callous–unemotional traits within individuals with ASD are unknown. Aims To determine the prevalence of callous–unemotional traits in individuals with ASD and test their association with behavioural and cognitive measures. Method Parents of 92 adolescents with ASD completed the Antisocial Processes Screening Device (APSD) for callous–unemotional traits. Adolescents participated in tasks of emotion recognition, theory of mind and cognitive flexibility. Results In total 51% (n = 47) scored above a cut-off expected to identify the top 6% on the APSD. Of these 17% (n = 8) had concurrent conduct problems. Regression analyses found callous–unemotional traits were associated with specific impairment in fear recognition but not with theory of mind or cognitive flexibility. Conclusions Adolescents with ASD show high rates of callous–unemotional traits but, unlike in the general population, these are not strongly associated with conduct problems. The relationship of callous–unemotional traits to impairments in fear recognition suggests similar affective difficulties as in individuals with callous–unemotional traits without ASD.
Genome Analysis of a Transmissible Lineage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals Pathoadaptive Mutations and Distinct Evolutionary Paths of Hypermutators

Genome sequencing of bacterial pathogens has advanced our understanding of their evolution, epidemiology, and response to antibiotic therapy. However, we still have only a limited knowledge of the molecular changes in in vivo evolving bacterial populations in relation to long-term, chronic infections. For example, it remains unclear what genes are mutated to facilitate the establishment of long-term existence in the human host environment, and in which way acquisition of a hypermutator phenotype with enhanced rates of spontaneous mutations influences the evolutionary trajectory of the pathogen. Here we perform a retrospective study of the DK2 clone type of P. aeruginosa isolated from Danish patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF), and analyze the genomes of 55 bacterial isolates collected from 21 infected individuals over 38 years. Our phylogenetic analysis of 8,530 mutations in the DK2 genomes shows that the ancestral DK2 clone type spread among CF patients through several independent transmission events. Subsequent to transmission, sub-lineages evolved independently for years in separate hosts, creating a unique possibility to study parallel evolution and identification of genes targeted by mutations to optimize pathogen fitness (pathoadaptive mutations). These genes were related to antibiotic resistance, the cell envelope, or regulatory functions, and we find that the prevalence of pathoadaptive mutations correlates with evolutionary success of co-evolving sub-lineages. The long-term co-existence of both normal and hypermutator populations enabled comparative investigations of the mutation dynamics in homopolymeric sequences in which hypermutators are particularly prone to mutations. We find a positive exponential correlation between the length of the homopolymer and its likelihood to acquire mutations and identify two homopolymer-containing genes preferentially mutated in hypermutators. This homopolymer facilitated differential mutagenesis provides a novel genome-wide perspective on the different evolutionary trajectories of hypermutators, which may help explain their emergence in CF infections.
The Longitudinal Assessment of Osteomyelitis Development by Molecular Imaging in a Rabbit Model

Introduction. Osteomyelitis is a severe orthopaedic complication which is difficult to diagnose and treat. Previous experimental studies mainly focussed on evaluating osteomyelitis in the presence of an implant or used a sclerosing agent to promote infection onset. In contrast, we focused on the longitudinal assessment of a nonimplant related osteomyelitis. Methods. An intramedullary tibial infection with S. aureus was established in NZW rabbits. Clinical and haematological infection status was evaluated weekly, combined with X-ray radiographs, biweekly injections of calcium binding fluorophores, and postmortem micro-CT. The development of the infection was assessed by micro-PET at consecutive time points using 18F-FDG as an infection tracer. Results. The intramedullary contamination of the rabbit tibia resulted in an osteomyelitis. Haematological parameters confirmed infection in mainly the first postoperative weeks (CRP at the first 5 postoperative weeks, leucocyte differentiation at the second and sixth postoperative weeks, and ESR on the second postoperative week only), while micro-PET was able to detect the infection from the first post-operative week onward until the end of the study. Conclusions. This study shows that osteomyelitis in the rabbit can be induced without use of an implant or sclerosing agent. The sequential follow-up indicates that the diagnostic value of each infection parameter is time point dependant. Furthermore, from all parameters used, the diagnostic value of 18F-FDG micro-PET is the most versatile to assess the presence of an orthopaedic infection in this model.
Experimental porcine neosporosis

Six gilts were inoculated intramuscularly with 2.5X106 tachyzoites of Neospora caninum on three different days of gestation to study the pathogenic effect of Neospora infection in pigs, including possible transplacental transmission. The gilts were euthanized 59, 30, and 9/10 days postinoculation (p.i.), corresponding to days 107, 102/106 and 110/111 of pregnancy. With the exception of one animal (euthanized day 9 p.i.) all gilts seroconverted as measured by the indirect, fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Neosporosis with multifocal intralobular necrotizing hepatitis was seen in the two gilts inoculated 9/10 days before euthanasia. The uterus of one gilt inoculated 59 days before euthanasia revealed granulomatous and focal necrotizing endometritis with a corresponding multifocal necrosis of the trophoblasts of two fetuses. Transplacental neosporosis was indicated in the two fetuses by strongly elevated Neospora IFAT titres in pleural fluid and by the presence of multifocal necrotizing encephalitis and hepatitis together with non‐suppurative myocarditis, pneumonitis, nephritis and hepatitis. Furthermore, N. caninum was re‐isolated in cell culture from one of these fetuses. A third fetus from the same gilt revealed only disseminated, pinpoint necroses in the liver. Immunohistochemically, N. caninum tachyzoites were detected in association with histopathological changes in the liver and the endometrium of the gilts, and in the brain, liver, and allantochorion of the three fetuses.
Nearest‐neighbor classification for facies delineation

Geostatistics has become the dominant tool for probabilistic estimation of properties of heterogeneous formations at points where data are not available. Ordinary kriging, the starting point in the development of other geostatistical techniques, has a number of serious limitations, chief among which is the intrinsic hypothesis of the (second‐order) stationarity of the underlying random field. Attempts to overcome this limitation have led to the development of ever more complex flavors of kriging. We pursue an opposite strategy that consists of finding the simplest possible technique that is adequate for the task of facies delineation. Guided by the principle of parsimony, we identify nearest‐neighbor classification (NNC) as a viable alternative to geostatistics among deterministic techniques. We demonstrate that when used for the purpose of facies delineation, NNC, which has no fitting parameters and operational assumptions, outperforms indicator kriging, which has several parameters.
Career Satisfaction: A Look Behind the Races

Previous studies have largely focused on the career success of white employees (Heslin, 2005). Using recent survey data, this paper examines the career satisfaction levels of white/Caucasian and visible minority managerial, professional and executive employees in the information and communications technology [ICT] and financial services sectors in corporate Canada. Given that the demographic makeup of organizations in Canada is drastically changing with the aging population and the increasing participation of visible minorities in the labour force, it is crucial for managers and organizations to understand their employees’ level of career satisfaction. Studies have found that employees who are more satisfied with their careers are more engaged and thus are more likely to actively contribute to the organization’s success (Peluchette, 1993; Harter, Schmidt and Hayes, 2002). Findings from this paper showed that the average career satisfaction scores were lower for visible minority employees than for white/Caucasian employees. In addition, variations were found between white/Caucasian employees and Chinese, South Asian and Black visible minority employees. While Black employees were 13.0% less satisfied than white/Caucasian employees, Chinese employees were only 8.3% less satisfied than their white/Caucasian counterparts, and the difference between South Asian and white/Caucasian employees was found to be insignificant. Decomposition analyses show that over 58% to 82% of the difference in career of satisfaction scores, depending on the ethnic group, can be accounted for by factors included in this paper. Of the unexplained portion, most of the differences in career satisfaction between white/Caucasian and minority groups are attributable to higher returns to white/Caucasian employees’ human capital and demographic characteristics.
On robustness of on-line boosting - a competitive study

On-line boosting is one of the most successful on-line algorithms and thus applied in many computer vision applications. However, even though boosting, in general, is well known to be susceptible to class-label noise, on-line boosting is mostly applied to self-learning applications such as visual object tracking, where label-noise is an inherent problem. This paper studies the robustness of on-line boosting. Since mainly the applied loss function determines the behavior of boosting, we propose an on-line version of GradientBoost, which allows us to plug in arbitrary loss-functions into the on-line learner. Hence, we can easily study the importance and the behavior of different loss-functions. We evaluate various on-line boosting algorithms in form of a competitive study on standard machine learning problems as well as on common computer vision applications such as tracking and autonomous training of object detectors. Our results show that using on-line Gradient-Boost with robust loss functions leads to superior results in all our experiments.
Family-based quantitative trait meta-analysis implicates rare noncoding variants in DENND1A in polycystic ovary syndrome.

CONTEXT Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is among the most common endocrine disorders of premenopausal women, affecting 5-15% of this population depending on the diagnostic criteria applied. It is characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction and polycystic ovarian morphology. PCOS is highly heritable, but only a small proportion of this heritability can be accounted for by the common genetic susceptibility variants identified to date. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to test whether rare genetic variants contribute to PCOS pathogenesis.Design, Patients, and Methods: We performed whole-genome sequencing on DNA from 261 individuals from 62 families with one or more daughters with PCOS. We tested for associations of rare variants with PCOS and its concomitant hormonal traits using a quantitative trait meta-analysis. RESULTS We found rare variants in DENND1A (P=5.31×10-5, Padj=0.039) that were significantly associated with reproductive and metabolic traits in PCOS families. CONCLUSIONS Common variants in DENND1A have previously been associated with PCOS diagnosis in genome-wide association studies. Subsequent studies indicated that DENND1A is an important regulator of human ovarian androgen biosynthesis. Our findings provide additional evidence that DENND1A plays a central role in PCOS and suggest that rare noncoding variants contribute to disease pathogenesis.