Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empirical Evaluation Reveals Best Fit of a Logistic Mutation Model for Human Y-Chromosomal Microsatellites

The rate of microsatellite mutation is dependent upon both the allele length and the repeat motif, but the exact nature of this relationship is still unknown. We analyzed data on the inheritance of human Y-chromosomal microsatellites in father–son duos, taken from 24 published reports and comprising 15,285 directly observable meioses. At the six microsatellites analyzed (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393), a total of 162 mutations were observed. For each locus, we employed a maximum-likelihood approach to evaluate one of several single-step mutation models on the basis of the data. For five of the six loci considered, a novel logistic mutation model was found to provide the best fit according to Akaike’s information criterion. This implies that the mutation probability at the loci increases (nonlinearly) with allele length at a rate that differs between upward and downward mutations. For DYS392, the best fit was provided by a linear model in which upward and downward mutation probabilities increase equally with allele length. This is the first study to empirically compare different microsatellite mutation models in a locus-specific fashion.
Algebraic Properties of Bag Data Types

We explore the implications of supporting bags (i.e. multisets) in a data model and associated query language, and present some formal results concerned with the algebraic properties of bags. We extend previous work to provide a formal basis for query optimization and for defining the appropriate semantics for bag operations in data models supporting ba.gs.
The Effects of Fraternity and Sorority Membership in the Fourth Year of College: A Detrimental or Value-Added Component of Undergraduate Education?

We use a longitudinal national dataset to explore the direct and conditional effects of fraternity/sorority membership on students’ educational outcomes in the 4th year of college. Controlling for a variety of potentially confounding variables, including pretest measures of the outcomes, we find no direct effect of fraternity/sorority membership on educational outcomes; however, we identify 5 conditional effects related to students’ entering academic abilities and their racial/ethnic identities. We conclude by discussing implications for practice and research.
Carotene-cleavage activity in chick intestinal mucosa cytosol: association with a high-molecular-weight lipid-protein aggregate fraction and partial characterization of the activity

1. A fluorescent high-molecular weight lipid–protein aggregate was isolated from the cytosol of chick intestinal mucosa or liver by gel filtration on columns of Sepharose 4B or 6B. 2. This aggregate exhibited carotene-cleavage activity. 3. On incubation of this aggregate, dissociation occurred and low-molecular weight fractions containing Cu and Zn and exhibiting carotene-cleavage activity were found. This fraction appeared on sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide electrophoresis to have a molecular weight of 7000–11000 and resembled the previously described Cu chelatins in amino acid composition. 4. Carotene cleavage may be effected by a copper–zinc metalloprotein of low-molecular weight, associated in intestinal cytosol with a lipid–protein aggregate.
Multi-black holes and earthquakes on Riemann surfaces with boundaries

We prove an "Earthquake Theorem" for hyperbolic metrics with geodesic boundary on a compact surfaces $S$ with boundary: given two hyperbolic metrics with geodesic boundary on a surface with $k$ boundary components, there are $2^k$ right earthquakes transforming the first in the second. An alternative formulation arises by introducing the enhanced Teichmueller space of S: We prove that any two points of the latter are related by a unique right earthquake. The proof rests on the geometry of ''multi-black holes'', which are 3-dimensional anti-de Sitter manifolds, topologically the product of a surface with boundary by an interval.
Imaging and Photometry of Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) Before Perihelion and After Breakup

We analyzed photometric measurements and images of comet C/LINEAR before perihelion and after its breakup. Results from our photometry data include a lower limit of 0.44 kilometer for the radius of the nucleus before breakup, and a determination that it was depleted in carbon-chain molecules relative to most other comets. Our imaging and modeling results, which include a constraint on the rotational state of the nucleus, indicate that the disintegration likely started on 18 or 19 July 2000. The total mass detectable in the dust tail after the breakup was 3 × 108 kilograms, comparable to one of the fragments in the Hubble Space Telescope images; we therefore infer that most of the comet's original mass is hidden in remnants between 1 millimeter and 50 meters in diameter.
Weather, Not Climate, Defines Distributions of Vagile Bird Species

Background Accurate predictions of species distributions are essential for climate change impact assessments. However the standard practice of using long-term climate averages to train species distribution models might mute important temporal patterns of species distribution. The benefit of using temporally explicit weather and distribution data has not been assessed. We hypothesized that short-term weather associated with the time a species was recorded should be superior to long-term climate measures for predicting distributions of mobile species. Methodology We tested our hypothesis by generating distribution models for 157 bird species found in Australian tropical savannas (ATS) using modelling algorithm Maxent. The variable weather of the ATS supports a bird assemblage with variable movement patterns and a high incidence of nomadism. We developed “weather” models by relating climatic variables (mean temperature, rainfall, rainfall seasonality and temperature seasonality) from the three month, six month and one year period preceding each bird record over a 58 year period (1950–2008). These weather models were compared against models built using long-term (30 year) averages of the same climatic variables. Conclusions Weather models consistently achieved higher model scores than climate models, particularly for wide-ranging, nomadic and desert species. Climate models predicted larger range areas for species, whereas weather models quantified fluctuations in habitat suitability across months, seasons and years. Models based on long-term climate averages over-estimate availability of suitable habitat and species' climatic tolerances, masking species potential vulnerability to climate change. Our results demonstrate that dynamic approaches to distribution modelling, such as incorporating organism-appropriate temporal scales, improves understanding of species distributions.
Treating Soil Solution Samplers To Prevent Microbial Removal of Analytes

Soil microorganisms colonizing soil water sampling devices (lysimeters) reduced concentrations of biodegradable organic chemicals, including 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid methyl ester, alachlor, methyl m-chlorobenzoate, and metolachlor as water entered through porous ceramic cups. In some cases, losses exceeded 99%. Additions of either a biocide (sodium hypochlorite) or a bacteriostat (copper salt) prevented microbial activity so that concentrations of test chemicals inside lysimeters equaled those outside. Field studies further indicated that treating lysimeters with a copper salt effectively prevented microbial activity. Thus, chemically treating soil water samplers could improve the accuracy of soil water data for a wide variety of analytes, including environmentally important organics, such as pesticides and industrial wastes, and inorganics, such as ammonia and nitrate.
Stroke and Bleeding Risk in Atrial Fibrillation

Non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the clinical setting. AF increases both the risk and severity of strokes, and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Despite the clear net clinical benefit of oral anticoagulants (OACs) in patients with AF at risk for stroke, major bleeding events, especially intracranial bleeds, may be devastating. In the last decade, four new OACs have been approved for stroke prevention in patients with AF and are at least as effective as warfarin with better bleeding profiles. These new agents have changed and simplified our approach to stroke prevention because the threshold for initiation of OACs is lowered. An important clinical practice shift is the initial identification of "low-risk" patients who do not need antithrombotic therapy, with low-risk comprising CHA2DS2-VASc {Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age ≥75 years (double), Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke/transient ischemic attack/thromboembolism (double), Vascular disease, Age 65-74 years, and female gender (score of 0 for males and 1 for female)}. Subsequent to this step, effective stroke prevention consisting of OACs can be offered to patients with one or more stroke risk factors. Apart from stroke risk, another consideration is bleeding risk assessment, with a focus on the use of the validated HAS-BLED {Hypertension, Abnormal renal/liver function, Stroke, Bleeding history, Labile international normalized ratio (INR), Elderly (age >65 years), drugs or alcohol concomitantly} score. A high HAS-BLED score can flag patients potentially at risk for bleeding, and alert clinicians to the need for careful review and follow up, and the need to consider potentially correctable bleeding risk factors that include uncontrolled hypertension, labile INRs, concomitant aspirin use, and alcohol excess.
Degeneration of pyramidal projection neurons in Huntington's disease cortex

We examined the distribution of neuropeptide Y immunoreactive local circuit neurons and nonphosphorylated neurofilament (SMI 32) immunoreactive pyramidal projection neurons in superior frontal cortex of patients with Huntington's disease and age‐matched control subjects to determine the histological counterpart of increased neuropeptide Y and decreased glutamate concentrations previously found in the cortex of patients with Huntington's disease. We found no difference between the relative density of neuropeptide Y neurons in Huntingon's disease and control brains in regions where the relative density of SMI 32 immunoreactive neurons was significantly reduced. Animal studies show that cortical local circuit neurons are resistant to N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate‐type excitotoxins such as quinolinic acid. Relative sparing of neuropeptide Y neurons in cerebral cortex with Huntington's disease may, therefore, be a result of excessive N‐methyl‐D‐asparate receptor activation.
Fire Detection in Video Sequences Using Statistical Color Model

In this paper, we propose a real-time fire-detector which combines foreground information with statistical color information to detect fires. The foreground information which is obtained using adaptive background information is verified by the statistical color information to determine whether the detected foreground object is a candidate for fire or not. The output of the both stages is analyzed in consecutive frames which is the verification process of fire that uses the fact that fire never stays stable in visual appearance. The frame processing rate of the detector is about 30 fps with image size of 176times144 which enables the proposed detector to be applied for real-time applications
What pushes their buttons? Predicting comment polarity from the content of political blog posts

Political blogs as a form of social media allow for an uniquely interactive form of political discourse. This is especially evident in focused blogs with a strong ideological identity. We investigate techniques to identify topics within the context of the community, which when discussed in a blog post evoke a discernible positive or negative collective opinion from readers who respond to posts in comments. This is done by using computational methods to assign sentiment polarity to blog comments and learning community specific models that summarize issues tackled by blogs and predict the polarity based on the topics discussed in a blog post.
Evaluation of Osteogenic and Chondrogenic Activities of Prefabricated Periallografts

Reconstruction of cartilage and bone defects has always been a challenging problem for the surgeon. Basic elements that are responsible for the repair process of these tissues are periost and perichondrium. Although several methods for the use of periost and perichondrium are proposed in the literature, the osteogenic and chondrogenic capacities of these tissues were shown to be the most important factor for a successful outcome. Bone and cartilage formation in acellular dermal matrix (ADM) prefabricated with periost and perichondrium was studied in 20 New Zealand rabbits. Morphologic and histologic evaluation and comparison of the newly formed tissues were evaluated. Four rabbits were excluded from the study because of infection, and specimens were obtained at 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks after the study began from the remaining 16 rabbits. A gradual increase in bone and cartilage tissue formation through the 4th to 12th weeks was documented by reason of perichondrium and periost activation infiltrating into acellular dermal allografts. In view of the data obtained, it was concluded that periost or perichondrium prefabricated over ADM may be an alternative technique of cartilage and bone formation that may provide adequate tissue with elastic and osteo- and chondroconductive properties for the reconstruction of challenging defects.
Performance Evaluation of Public Hospital Information Systems by the Information System Success Model

Objectives This study was to evaluate the performance of the newly developed information system (IS) implemented on July 1, 2014 at three public hospitals in Korea. Methods User satisfaction scores of twelve key performance indicators of six IS success factors based on the DeLone and McLean IS Success Model were utilized to evaluate IS performance before and after the newly developed system was introduced. Results All scores increased after system introduction except for the completeness of medical records and impact on the clinical environment. The relationships among six IS factors were also analyzed to identify the important factors influencing three IS success factors (Intention to Use, User Satisfaction, and Net Benefits). All relationships were significant except for the relationships among Service Quality, Intention to Use, and Net Benefits. Conclusions The results suggest that hospitals should not only focus on systems and information quality; rather, they should also continuously improve service quality to improve user satisfaction and eventually reach full the potential of IS performance.
Low-Dose Radiation Exposure and Protection Against Atherosclerosis in ApoE–/– Mice: The Influence of P53 Heterozygosity

We recently described the effects of low-dose γ-radiation exposures on atherosclerosis in genetically susceptible (ApoE–/–) mice with normal p53 function. Doses as low as 25 mGy, given at either early or late stage disease, generally protected against atherosclerosis in a manner distinctly nonlinear with dose. We now report the influence of low doses (25–500 mGy) on atherosclerosis in ApoE–/– mice with reduced p53 function (Trp53+/–). Single exposures were given at either low or high dose rate (1 or 150 mGy/min) to female C57BL/6J ApoE–/– Trp53+/– mice. Mice were exposed at either early stage disease (2 months of age) and examined 3 or 6 months later, or at late stage disease (7 months of age) and examined 2 or 4 months later. In unirradiated mice, reduced p53 functionality elevated serum cholesterol and accelerated both aortic root lesion growth and severity in young mice. Radiation exposure to doses as low as 25 mGy at early stage disease, at either the high or the low dose rate, inhibited lesion growth, decreased lesion frequency and slowed the progression of lesion severity in the aortic root. In contrast, exposure at late stage disease produced generally detrimental effects. Both low-and high-dose-rate exposures accelerated lesion growth and high dose rate exposures also increased serum cholesterol levels. These results show that at early stage disease, reduced p53 function does not influence the protective effects against atherosclerosis of low doses given at low dose rate. In contrast, when exposed to the same doses at late stage disease, reduced p53 function produced detrimental effects, rather than the protective effects seen in Trp53 normal mice. As in the Trp53 normal mice, all effects were highly nonlinear with dose. These results indicate that variations in p53 functionality can dramatically alter the outcome of a low-dose exposure, and that the assumption of a linear response with dose for human populations is probably unwarranted.
An investigation into the relationship between learner autonomy support and student motivation in the Japanese university setting

This thesis explores how students can be helped by learner autonomy-focused instruction to develop motivation in learning English in a Japanese university EFL setting. It also aims to ascertain the factors in learner autonomy support that account for its relationship with a higher degree of students’ motivation. Both quantitative and qualitative data from 21 students in the group with learner autonomy support (including metacognitive awareness-raising, instruction of learning strategies, and the use of extrinsic rewards) and 19 students who received the conventional instruction without learner autonomy support were analyzed. The focus of the analysis is to determine the trajectory of motivational development in terms of type and the students’ perception of their level of motivation using the self-determination theory (SDT) framework over 13 weeks of instruction in a university English course. Results suggest that students receiving learner autonomy support performed better and were more motivated than students who did not receive the support. They also indicate that increased and more self-determined motivational development occurred only in the students who received autonomy support.
Human action recognition using Local Spatio-Temporal Discriminant Embedding

Human action video sequences can be considered as nonlinear dynamic shape manifolds in the space of image frames. In this paper, we address learning and classifying human actions on embedded low-dimensional manifolds. We propose a novel manifold embedding method, called Local Spatio-Temporal Discriminant Embedding (LSTDE). The discriminating capabilities of the proposed method are two-fold: (1) for local spatial discrimination, LSTDE projects data points (silhouette-based image frames of human action sequences) in a local neighborhood into the embedding space where data points of the same action class are close while those of different classes are far apart; (2) in such a local neighborhood, each data point has an associated short video segment, which forms a local temporal subspace on the embedded manifold. LSTDE finds an optimal embedding which maximizes the principal angles between those temporal subspaces associated with data points of different classes. Benefiting from the joint spatio-temporal discriminant embedding, our method is potentially more powerful for classifying human actions with similar space-time shapes, and is able to perform recognition on a frame-by-frame or short video segment basis. Experimental results demonstrate that our method can accurately recognize human actions, and can improve the recognition performance over some representative manifold embedding methods, especially on highly confusing human action types.
Extracting N-gram terms collocation from tagged Arabic corpus

Information Extraction (IE) is one of the most important Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications, which extracts information such as Named-Entities (NE) and collocation of terms from the corpus. Collocation is a sequence of terms that co-occur together in the corpus. In Arabic Information Extraction, there are many problems because of the complex of Arabic's grammar and ambiguity. In general, in linguistics research, the more efficient corpus is the one annotated by Part of Speech Tagging (POST). In this paper, we propose a prototype that extracts collocation of N-gram words (from 2-6 gram) based on the sequence of POST from Arabic Quran corpus. This approach extracts the collocation of N-gram words by matching the input structured pattern of Arabic language versus the Part of Speech Tagging of Quran corpus. The system enables users to select a sequence of tags (2-6 gram) and scope of the corpus source (whole Quran Corpus or specific Surah). To show how the system is beneficial for linguistic research, a set of experiments has been conducted in different scenarios.
Distribution and quantitative patterns of mast cells in ovary and uterus of rat

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la distribucion de mastocitos en el ovario y el utero durante el ciclo estral de ratas. Se utilizaron cuarenta ratas Albino de Wistar hembras, de 10 a 12 semanas de edad. Se tomaron muestras de los tejidos del ovario y utero para luego ser fijadas en Mota por 48 horas y parafina, luego se cortaron secciones de 6 µm de espesor las cuales fueron tenidas con Azul de Toluidina (1% de solucion acuosa) y Alcian safranina-azul (pH: 1,0, utilizando 0,1 HCl N como tampon). En el ovario, los mastocitos se presentaron principalmente en la tunica albuginea, en las areas intersticiales entre foliculos o cuerpos luteos y en la proximidad de vasos sanguineos en la medula. El numero de mastocitos en la medula y la corteza ovarica y en el endometrio y miometrio uterino fueron mayores durante el estro, metaestro, las fases de estro y metaestro, respectivamente. Se encontro que el numero de mastocitos fue mayor en la medula (7,4 ± 0,52) y la corteza ovarica (2,1 ± 0,30) de hembras en estro, en comparacion a otras fases del ciclo estral (P < 0,05), con un mayor numero en el endometrio de hembras en estro y metaestro (6,8 ± 0,45 para el estro, 6,2 ± 0,56 para el metaestro) y en el miometrio (7,1 ± 0,63 para el estro, 7,5 ± 0,33 para el metaestro) comparado a otras fases del ciclo (P < 0,05). Durante todas las etapas del ciclo estral, excepto el proestro, los mastocitos tenidos con safranina se mostraron numerosos en todos los tejidos. Los mastocitos resultaron safranina positivos en el miometrio solo en el proestro. Se concluyo que algunos cambios fisiologicos podrian ser responsables de la variacion en la distribucion de mastocitos en los tejidos ovaricos y uterinos de la rata durante el ciclo estral