Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
INTERPLAY BETWEEN ENERGY LIMITATION AND NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY: EMPIRICAL DATA AND FOOD WEB MODELS

Food quality may play an important role in consumer population dynamics. The frequently large differences in elemental and biochemical composition observed be- tween autotrophs and their grazers suggest that food quality may be of particular importance for herbivores. Under nutrient-depleted conditions the carbon-to-nutrient ratios of auto- trophs can increase to such an extent that consumers become nutrient rather than energy limited. Estimating the importance of this effect in situ in pelagic food webs is complicated by the omnivory of many consumers and by rapid nutrient recycling. Isolated predator- prey studies inadequately represent this interaction; instead, an ecosystem perspective is required. We used seven years of data from large, deep Lake Constance to develop seasonally resolved flux models of the pelagic food web and analyzed the balance between energy and nutrient constraints. The carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) flows were simultaneously quantified and balanced. C represented food quantity/energy. P was taken as a surrogate of food quality, because algal C:P ratios exceeded the threshold above which P limitation of herbivores is predicted by stoichiometric theory throughout summer and autumn. Primary production exceeded bacterial C production by a factor of 3, but autotrophs and bacteria took up approximately equal amounts of P during summer and autumn. As a consequence, the C and P supplies of suspension-feeding zooplankton were decoupled: Consumer C demands were largely met by phytoplankton whereas P was mostly obtained from bacteria and their protist predators. The degree of consumer P deficiency varied according to supplementation of their algal diet with P-enriched bacteria or bacterivores. This favored the occurrence of omnivores, i.e., organisms that minimized P deficiencies at the cost of enhanced energy limitation. In contrast with previous perceptions, P reminer- alization during P-depleted summer conditions was dominated by bacterivorous flagellates, carnivorous crustaceans, and fish, which fed on prey with an elemental composition similar to their own, whereas herbivores contributed only 30% of P cycling despite their large biomass and C production. Our results suggested a co-limitation of predominantly herbiv- orous consumers by C and P and a mutual dependence of the two types of deficiency at the individual and system level. This pattern is not specific to pelagic systems but appears to be applicable across ecosystem types.
Worst-case scenarios for horizontal gene transfer from Lactococcus lactis carrying heterologous genes to Enterococcus faecalis in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic mice.

Since genetically modified (GM) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) might be released in open environments for future nutritional and medical applications, the purpose of this study was to determine an upper limit for the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the digestive tract (DT) from Lactococcus lactis carrying heterologous genes (lux genes encoding a bacterial luciferase) to Enterococcus faecalis. Two enterococcal wide host-range conjugative model systems were used: (i) a system composed of a mobilizable plasmid containing the heterologous lux genes and a native conjugative helper plasmid; and (ii) a Tn916-lux transposon. Both systems were tested under the most transfer-prone conditions, i.e. germfree mice mono-associated with the recipient E. faecalis. No transfer was observed with the transposon system. Transfers of the mobilizable plasmid carrying heterologous genes were below 10(2) transconjugants per g of faeces for a single donor dose and reached between 10(3) and 10(4) transconjugants per g of faeces when continuous inoculation of the donor strain was used. Once established in mice, transconjugants persisted at low levels in the mouse DT.
Detection of codon 12 K- ras mutations in non-neoplastic mucosa from bronchial carina in patients with lung adenocarcinomas

K- ras activation by point mutation in codon 12 has been reported in lung adenocarcinomas in various models of experimental lung tumours induced by chemical carcinogens. The hypothesis of the presence of cells containing K- ras mutation in non neoplastic bronchial carina, the main site of impaction of airborne contaminants, was investigated by evaluating concurrent lung tumour and non-neoplastic proximal bronchial carinae from 19 patients with lung adenocarcinomas. The restriction fragment length polymorphism enriched PCR method used can detect one mutant allele among 103 normal alleles. A mutation was detected in 42% of lung adenocarcinoma samples. No mutation was detected in either tumour or bronchial carinae in nine patients (47%). K- ras mutation was detected in the lung tumour but not in bronchial carinae in four patients (21%), in both the lung tumour and bronchial carinae in four other patients (21%). In two patients (11%), K- ras mutation was detected in at least one bronchial carina, but not in the lung tumour. Mutations of codon 12, confirmed by sequencing analysis of ten samples, were G to T transversion, mostly TGT and GTT in bronchial carinae and lung tumours. Our data show that activated K- ras by point mutation can be present in non-neoplastic bronchial carina mucosa even when no mutation is detected in tumour samples. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign
Experimental analysis of a transport protocol for ad hoc networks (TPA)

Many previous papers have pointed out that TCP performance in multi-hop ad hoc networks is not optimal. This is due to several TCP design principles that reflect the characteristics of wired networks dominant at the time when TCP was designed, but are not adequate for multi-hop ad hoc networks. For example, congestion phenomena in multi-hop networks are very different than in traditional wired networks, and route failures and route changes may be frequent events. To overcome these problems, in a previous work we presented a novel transport protocol ¿ named TPA ¿ specifically tailored to multi-hop ad hoc networks. In this paper we perform an experimental analysis of TPA in static multi-hop scenarios. Specifically, we compare TPA and TCP performance in a chain topology with different number of hops and traffic patterns. We also consider the effect of the routing protocol. Our experimental results show that TPA protocol outperforms TCP significantly both in terms of throughput and energy consumption
Two-Arm Randomized Pilot Intervention Trial to Decrease Sitting Time and Increase Sit-To-Stand Transitions in Working and Non-Working Older Adults

Background Excessive sitting has been linked to poor health. It is unknown whether reducing total sitting time or increasing brief sit-to-stand transitions is more beneficial. We conducted a randomized pilot study to assess whether it is feasible for working and non-working older adults to reduce these two different behavioral targets. Methods Thirty adults (15 workers and 15 non-workers) age 50–70 years were randomized to one of two conditions (a 2-hour reduction in daily sitting or accumulating 30 additional brief sit-to-stand transitions per day). Sitting time, standing time, sit-to-stand transitions and stepping were assessed by a thigh worn inclinometer (activPAL). Participants were assessed for 7 days at baseline and followed while the intervention was delivered (2 weeks). Mixed effects regression analyses adjusted for days within participants, device wear time, and employment status. Time by condition interactions were investigated. Results Recruitment, assessments, and intervention delivery were feasible. The ‘reduce sitting’ group reduced their sitting by two hours, the ‘increase sit-to-stand’ group had no change in sitting time (p < .001). The sit-to-stand transition group increased their sit-to-stand transitions, the sitting group did not (p < .001). Conclusions This study was the first to demonstrate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of specific sedentary behavioral goals. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT02544867
Patterns of offending behaviour: a new approach

This study focuses on developing a typology of criminal activity. Using criminal conviction data from the Offenders Index, it identifies a fixed number of types of criminal behaviour separately for males and females. Age profiles for each type of criminal activity are also constructed. Finally, the study probes the notion of criminal ‘pathways’. How many tend to migrate from one sphere of criminal activity to another as they become older? The distinguishing feature of the analysis is that it describes criminal activity over a five-year period rather than the conventional approach of summarising a ‘life-time’ of crime.
Egr2::Cre Mediated Conditional Ablation of Dicer Disrupts Histogenesis of Mammalian Central Auditory Nuclei

Histogenesis of the auditory system requires extensive molecular orchestration. Recently, Dicer1, an essential gene for generation of microRNAs, and miR-96 were shown to be important for development of the peripheral auditory system. Here, we investigated their role for the formation of the auditory brainstem. Egr2::Cre-mediated early embryonic ablation of Dicer1 caused severe disruption of auditory brainstem structures. In adult animals, the volume of the cochlear nucleus complex (CNC) was reduced by 73.5%. This decrease is in part attributed to the lack of the microneuronal shell. In contrast, fusiform cells, which similar to the granular cells of the microneural shell are derived from Egr2 positive cells, were still present. The volume reduction of the CNC was already present at birth (67.2% decrease). The superior olivary complex was also drastically affected in these mice. Nissl staining as well as Vglut1 and Calbindin 1 immunolabeling revealed that principal SOC nuclei such as the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and the lateral superior olive were absent. Only choline acetyltransferase positive neurons of the olivocochlear bundle were observed as a densely packed cell group in the ventrolateral area of the SOC. Mid-embryonic ablation of Dicer1 in the ventral cochlear nucleus by Atoh7::Cre-mediated recombination resulted in normal formation of the cochlear nucleus complex, indicating an early embryonic requirement of Dicer1. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of miR-96 demonstrated low expression in the embryonic brainstem and up-regulation thereafter, suggesting that other microRNAs are required for proper histogenesis of the auditory brainstem. Together our data identify a critical role of Dicer activity during embryonic development of the auditory brainstem.
Multiple-scattering theory of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism: Implementation and results for the iron K edge.

An implementation of the multiple-scattering approach to x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) in K edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy is presented. The convergence problems due to the cluster size and the relativistic corrections are solved using an expansion of the Dirac Green function for complex energies up to second order in 1/c. The Fermi energy is dealt with via a complex plane integration. Numerical methods used to obtain the semirelativistic Green function in the whole complex plane are explained. We present a calculation of the magnetic circular dichroism at the K edge of bcc iron including the core hole effect. A good agreement is found at high energy. The physical origins of the XMCD spectrum near the edge and far from the edge are analyzed. The influence of the core hole, the possibility of a multiple-scattering expansion, and the relation of XMCD with the spin polarized density of states are discussed. A simple interpretation of XMCD at the K edge is presented in terms of a rigid-band model. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
When motivation research motivates: issues in long-term empirical investigations

ABSTRACT Increasing awareness of how individual motivation to learn language can fluctuate and change puts a premium on longitudinal research methods which can track learners over set periods of time. Revisiting previous research participants is one means of effecting this. This paper describes follow-up studies of an original research project in Indonesia and presents data showing the L2 motivational trajectories of nine participants over a decade. One major finding however was that the participants were influenced by taking part in the research. The paper re-analyses data from all stages of the research and identifies the main source of the influence to be the authority participants invest in the researcher, and the inspiration they draw from occasional contact with a foreigner. The findings therefore lend some support to the long-term motivating power of ‘ought-to’ and ‘ideal’ L2 selves. In highlighting researcher effects, the paper emphasizes the need for reflexivity in designing and carrying out longitudinal research, especially when interpreting interview data. The presence of possible negative effects on at least one participant also raises ethical issues for the selection of participants and their interaction with the researcher.
A novel three-phase utility interface minimizing line current harmonics of high-power telecommunications rectifier modules

Based on the combination of a three-phase diode bridge and DC/DC boost converter a new three-phase three-switch three-level PWM rectifier system is developed. It can be characterized by sinusoidal mains current consumption, controlled output voltage and low blocking voltage stress on the power transistors. The application could be, e.g., for feeding the DC link of a telecommunications power supply module. The stationary operational behavior, the control of the mains currents and of the output voltage are analyzed. Finally, the stresses on the system components are determined by digital simulation and compared to the stresses in a conventional PWM rectifier system. <<ETX>>
The role of attachment and individuation in identity development in females

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of parental and peer attachment and individuation in identity development in late adolescent females. The sample consisted of 99 18to 23-year old females who completed a questionnaire assessing early parental attachment, current parent and peer attachment, individuation from mother and father, and ideological and interpersonal identity. The hypotheses were largely unconfirmed: no relationship was found between identity development and individuation, or between identity development and parental attachment. There was, however, a positive correlation between interpersonal identity and peer trust. Also, females who scored high on measures of identity were found to score higher on measures of peer attachment than on parental attachment. The failure to confirm many of the hypotheses in the present study is discussed in terms of the limitations of the measures utilized to measure how attachment and individuation influences identity development in females. Both the theory and the measures used may be more applicable for an explanation and assessment of identity development in males rather than females.
Absolute Proper Motion of the Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy from Photographic and Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Data

We have measured the absolute proper motion of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy from a combination of photographic plate material and Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 data that provide a time baseline of up to 50 yr. The extragalactic reference frame consists of eight QSO images and 48 galaxies. The absolute proper motion is μα cos δ = 0.59 ± 0.16 mas yr-1 and μδ = -0.15 ± 0.16 mas yr-1. The corresponding orbit of Fornax is polar, with an eccentricity of 0.27 and a radial period of 4.5 Gyr. Fornax's current location is near pericenter. The direction of the motion of Fornax supports the notion that Fornax belongs to the Fornax–Leo I–Leo II–Sculptor–Sextans stream as hypothesized by both Lynden-Bell and Majewski. According to our orbit determination, Fornax crossed the Magellanic plane ∼190 Myr ago, a time that coincides with the termination of the star formation process in Fornax. We propose that ram pressure stripping due to the passage of Fornax through a gaseous medium denser than the typical intragalactic medium left behind from the LMC may have caused the end of star formation in Fornax. The excess, anomalous clouds within the south Galactic pole region of the Magellanic Stream, whose origin has long been debated in the literature as constituents of either the Magellanic Stream or of the extragalactic Sculptor group, are found to lie along the orbit of Fornax. We speculate that these clouds are stripped material from Fornax as the dwarf crossed the orbit of the Magellanic Clouds.
The bidirectional nature of narrative scaffolding: Latino caregivers’ elaboration while creating stories from a picture book

Although caregiver narrative elaboration is seen as a critical dimension for children’s development of narrative skills, research has yet to show a predictive relation between caregiver elaboration and child outcomes for low-income Latino children. The present study explored whether specific types of narrative elaboration were predicted by and predictive of Latino children’s language and storytelling skills. Results showed that, whereas provision of new elaboration was negatively predictive of children’s language skills, provision of embellished elaboration predicted more advanced language skills six months later. Moreover, caregivers whose children had more developed language and storytelling skills included fewer new elaborations, but more embellished elaborations. The findings highlight Latino caregivers’ responsiveness and sensitivity to children’s abilities and further our understanding of the nuanced ways in which narrative elaboration is used by Latino caregivers.
Trk inhibition reduces cell proliferation and potentiates the effects of chemotherapeutic agents in Ewing sarcoma

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a highly aggressive pediatric cancer that may arise from neuronal precursors. Neurotrophins stimulate neuronal devlopment and plasticity. Here, we found that neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as well as their receptors (TrkA and TrkB, respectively) are expressed in ES tumors. Treatment with TrkA (GW-441756) or TrkB (Ana-12) selective inhibitors decreased ES cell proliferation, and the effect was increased when the two inhibitors were combined. ES cells treated with a pan-Trk inhibitor, K252a, showed changes in morphology, reduced levels of β-III tubulin, and decreased mRNA expression of NGF, BDNF, TrkA and TrkB. Furthermore, combining K252a with subeffective doses of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs resulted in a decrease in ES cell proliferation and colony formation, even in chemoresistant cells. These results indicate that Trk inhibition may be an emerging approach for the treatment of ES.
Troponin T elevation and long-term mortality after chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, exacerbations of which increase strain on the heart. The prognostic value of elevated circulating levels of cardiac Troponins seen during COPD exacerbations has been investigated. From the Akershus hospital database, 897 patients discharged after treatment for COPD exacerbation in the period 2000–2003 were identified and followed-up until June 30, 2005. Median observation time was 1.9 yrs. In 396 patients, measurements of cardiac-specific troponin T (cTnT) were available. Levels of cTnT ≥0.04 μg·L−1 were considered elevated. Clinical data were retrieved from patient records and date of death was obtained from the Norwegian National Registry. In order to balance the nonrandomised nature of available cTnT measurements, an exposure propensity score (EPS) for cTnT sampling was calculated and used in regression analyses. After adjusting for EPS in Cox regression analyses, elevated cTnT was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality in the observation period, with a hazard ratio of 1.64 (95% confidence interval 1.15–2.34). In conclusion, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with elevated cardiac-specific Troponin T during exacerbation are at increased risk of death after discharge.
Why lithium studies for ALS treatment should not be halted prematurely

Perrin's recent comment (Perrin, 2014) emphasizes that mouse studies must be sibling-matched, gender-balanced, and investigator-blinded. To substantiate his claim, Perrin provides examples from studies on lithium as a treatment for ALS, describing them as misleading. While we fully agree that there is a need for better designed preclinical studies and better characterization of disease models, Perrin's examples are problematic. First, Perrin's pharmacokinetic calculations of the dosing regimens predict plasma lithium levels of 0.3–1.68 meq/L. However, given that the beneficial therapeutic window in bipolar-disorder is 0.6–1.5 meq lithium/L, it is conceivable that only regimens resulting in blood levels ≥0.6 meq/L would lead to beneficial results. Second, instead of theoretical calculations lithium levels should be measured directly. We recently reported that lithium blood levels of ICR mice bred separately in the USA and Israel, but treated in the same facility with the same supplemented food, differed by 2.5-fold (Sade et al., 2014). This difference may explain why, despite using the same regime, the Fornai et al. (2008) and Gill et al. (2009) studies produced opposite results. Third, daily intraperitoneal lithium injections rather than the less irritating food supplementation method might also contribute to unsuccessful outcomes. In negative ALS clinical trials (UKMND-LiCALS Study Group et al., 2013) plasma lithium levels were 0.4–0.8 meq/L, barely at the lower therapeutic range for psychiatric disorders and significantly lower than the Ki for lithium of its major hypothesized targets (≥1 mM). Indeed, in the antidepressant-like rodent model, the forced-swim test, only plasma lithium levels above 1.3 meq/L significantly reduced immobility-time (Bersudsky et al., 2007). Importantly, it has recently been shown (Yanez et al., 2014) that lithium-induced neuroprotection is antagonized by riluzole (the only FDA-approved drug for ALS), suggesting that the drug's neurotoxic effects may mask the potential neuroprotective activity of lithium. In conclusion, we believe that the potential beneficial effect of lithium for neurodegenerative disorders deserves serious reconsideration.
An investigation of differential item functioning across gender of BPD criteria.

Gender differences in prevalence rates of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may reflect true differences between groups or may reflect some form of gender bias in diagnostic criteria. The detection of differential item functioning (DIF) using item response theory methods provides a powerful method of evaluating whether gender differences in prevalence rates of BPD reflect true mean differences or criterion bias. The aim of the current study was to evaluate gender-based DIF in DSM BPD criteria. The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II: First, Spitzer, Gibbon, Williams, & Benjamin, 1994) was administered to 747 adult inpatients. Results indicated DIF for 2 BPD criteria (impulsivity and uncontrolled anger), such that it was easier for these items to be endorsed for men compared with women at the same level of latent trait. At the level of the test, men were expected to be rated slightly higher than women on the SCID-II at the same level of latent BPD liability. Implications of these results for research and clinical assessment are discussed.