Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Individual Recognition in Paper Wasps: Correlated Evolution of Sender Phenotypes and Receiver Cognition

Identifying broad-scale evolutionary processes that maintain phenotypic polymorphisms has been a major goal of modern evolutionary biology. There are numerous mechanisms, such as negative frequency-dependent selection, that may maintain polymorphisms, although it is unknown which mechanisms are prominent in nature. Traits used for individual recognition are strikingly variable and have evolved independently in numerous lineages, providing an excellent model to investigate which factors maintain ecologically relevant phenotypic polymorphisms. Theoretical models suggest that individuals may benefit by advertising their identities with distinctive, recognizable phenotypes. Here, we test the benefits of advertising one's identity with a distinctive phenotype. We manipulated the appearance of Polistes fuscatus paper wasp groups so that three individuals had the same appearance and one individual had a unique, easily recognizable appearance. We found that individuals with distinctive appearances received less aggression than individuals with nondistinctive appearances. Therefore, individuals benefit by advertising their identity with a
Making the Moon from a Fast-Spinning Earth: A Giant Impact Followed by Resonant Despinning

Forming the Moon from Earth It is thought that the Moon formed after a Mars-sized planet hit Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. Computer simulations of this event predict that the Moon was produced primarily from material from the impacting planet. However, the Moon has a similar composition to that of Earth, and the impacting planet would likely have had a different composition. Prior models assumed that the impact left the Earth-Moon system with the same angular momentum as it has today (see the Perspective by Halliday). Ćuk and Stewart (p. 1047, published online 17 October; see the cover) show that the angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system could have decreased by half after the Moon-forming impact, opening the door to new impact models. For example, simulations suggest that high-velocity impacts onto a fast-spinning early Earth can lead to a Moon formed primarily from Earth's mantle. Canup (p. 1052, published online 17 October) considered instead lower-velocity impacts by planets comparable in mass to the proto-Earth, which could generate a Moon and an Earth with similar compositions. Computer simulations show that a giant impact on early Earth could lead to a Moon with a composition similar to Earth’s. A common origin for the Moon and Earth is required by their identical isotopic composition. However, simulations of the current giant impact hypothesis for Moon formation find that most lunar material originated from the impactor, which should have had a different isotopic signature. Previous Moon-formation studies assumed that the angular momentum after the impact was similar to that of the present day; however, Earth-mass planets are expected to have higher spin rates at the end of accretion. Here, we show that typical last giant impacts onto a fast-spinning proto-Earth can produce a Moon-forming disk derived primarily from Earth’s mantle. Furthermore, we find that a faster-spinning early Earth-Moon system can lose angular momentum and reach the present state through an orbital resonance between the Sun and Moon.
Serum Cortisol Level in Indian Patients with Severe Sepsis/Septic Shock

Background: The relationship between cortisol level and sepsis is not known in Indian patients of severe sepsis/septic shock. Aims: The study was done to determine the optimal range of cortisol levels, defining the adrenocortical response, and predicting the mortality, if possible, in the above type of patients. Settings and Designs: The study was a single-centered prospective cohort study, conducted in a tertiary referral center, North India. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients with severe sepsis (n = 30) and septic shock (n = 30) were recruited. Basal and postcosyntropin (1 μg)-stimulated cortisol levels were measured, and all patients were closely monitored with daily assessments of clinical and laboratory variables. Western diagnostic criteria were followed for defining adrenal insufficiency (AI). The end point was the survival assessed at day 28 or death, whichever came earlier. Results: The mean basal (T0) and poststimulation (T30) cortisol levels were 31.77 ± 15.9 μg/dL and 37.58 ± 17.31 μg/dL, respectively. In all sepsis patients, 48.33% qualified as AI at T0 ≤ 24 μg/dL, 61.67% at delta cortisol (Δ = T30-T0) ≤7 μg/dL, and 78.33% at Δ ≤9 μg/dL. Using receiver operating characteristic curve, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.4954, signifying poor prediction to death. Conclusions: Indians have completely different characteristics of cortisol levels in sepsis patients, in comparison to the Western data. They have higher range of basal cortisol levels, higher percentage of AI, and an inability to predict mortality with the cortisol levels. Hence, there is requirement of an international study to confirm the dichotomy of the results.
The Shine-Through Masking Paradigm Is a Potential Endophenotype of Schizophrenia

Background To understand the genetics of schizophrenia, a hunt for so-called intermediate phenotypes or endophenotypes is ongoing. Visual masking has been proposed to be such an endophenotype. However, no systematic study has been conducted yet to prove this claim. Here, we present the first study showing that masking meets the most important criteria for an endophenotype. Methodology/Principal Findings We tested 62 schizophrenic patients, 39 non-affected first-degree relatives, and 38 healthy controls in the shine-through masking paradigm and, in addition, in the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Most importantly, masking performance of relatives was significantly in between the one of patients and controls in the shine-through paradigm. Moreover, deficits were stable throughout one year. Using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) methods, we show that the shine-through paradigm distinguishes with high sensitivity and specificity between schizophrenic patients, first-order relatives and healthy controls. Conclusions/Significance The shine-through paradigm is a potential endophenotype.
An Examination of Culture Profiles in a Software Organization Implementing SPI

The capability maturity model integration (CMMI) has become one of the most preferred approaches to software process improvement (SPI). However, the amount of discontinued or delayed CMMIdriven SPI projects is considerable. In this paper we investigate the culture embedded in the CMMI and compare it with the cultures within an implementing organization in Scandinavia by utilising the competing values framework. We search for congruencies in culture profiles and relate the profiles to assessment results in different business areas of the organization. Our research reveals that in spite of similar culture profiles in the business areas, which are significantly different from the culture profile of the CMMI, there is no apparent association with the level of SPI success. Furthermore, even if CMMI based process descriptions are not adapted to the software organisation’s specific culture profile, evidence suggests that SPI success is possible.
Sacrifice One For the Good of Many? People Apply Different Moral Norms to Human and Robot Agents

Moral norms play an essential role in regulating human interaction. With the growing sophistication and proliferation of robots, it is important to understand how ordinary people apply moral norms to robot agents and make moral judgments about their behavior. We report the first comparison of people's moral judgments (of permissibility, wrongness, and blame) about human and robot agents. Two online experiments (total N =316) found that robots, compared with human agents, were more strongly expected to take an action that sacrifices one person for the good of many (a “utilitarian” choice), and they were blamed more than their human counterparts when they did not make that choice. Though the utilitarian sacrifice was generally seen as permissible for human agents, they were blamed more for choosing this option than for doing nothing. These results provide a first step toward a new field of Moral HRI, which is well placed to help guide the design of social robots. Categories and Subject Descriptors I.2. 9 [Artificial Intelligence] Robotics K.4. 1 [Computers and Society] Public Policy Issues, Ethics
The Role of Regional Knowledge for Innovation

There is a broad consent that the extent, quality as well as the success of innovation activity is critically dependent on the generation and the application of knowledge. It is also widely recognized that innovation processes have a pronounced regional dimension and that the conditions for innovation activity may differ considerably between geographic areas. We investigate the contribution of different inputs, particularly different knowledge sources, on regional patenting output in the framework of a knowledge production function. Earlier work (Fritsch & Franke, 2004) suggests that there are considerable differences with regard to the role of different types of knowledge for innovation activity. These different types of knowledge have different degrees of localization. We expect that the impact of the knowledge sources differs by field of as well as according to the type of institution (university vs. non-university public research institution). One may, therefore, expects that the technology opportunity differs across sectors and geographical areas. However, little is known about such differences. The innovation indicator used in our analysis is the number of patents. The knowledge sources included are: Â•R&D employment, Â•R&D employment in small firms and large firms respectively, Â•Qualification of the regional workforce, Â•Qualification of employees in small firms and large firms respectively, Â•Size (number of employees, budget) of public research institutions by field of research. Â•Amount of research funds from private firms by field of study. Â•Amount of external research funds from public departments by field of study. Â•Amount of external research funds from the German Science Foundation (DFG) by field of study. The contribution of these knowledge sources is tested systematically on the level of German districts (Kreise). Information on the different knowledge sources is available for each district on a yearly basis. We test the influence of the knowledge sources in different specifications by including the respective information for the particular region and for adjacent regions. This will reveal the role of local knowledge and of interregional knowledge spillovers for innovation behavior. We expect that technology performance of regions is a path dependent process. The analysis is performed for German regions in the 1990s. Information on the yearly number of patents relates to the years 1995-2000. regional employment is taken from the German Social Insurance Statistics. Information on universities and their funds are taken from the German Hochschulstatistik which has been especially prepared for this analysis.
Overnight Glucose Control With an Automated, Unified Safety System in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes at Diabetes Camp

OBJECTIVE To determine the safety and efficacy of an automated unified safety system (USS) in providing overnight closed-loop (OCL) control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes attending diabetes summer camps. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The Diabetes Assistant (DIAS) USS used the Dexcom G4 Platinum glucose sensor (Dexcom) and t:slim insulin pump (Tandem Diabetes Care). An initial inpatient study was completed for 12 participants to evaluate safety. For the main camp study, 20 participants with type 1 diabetes were randomized to either OCL or sensor-augmented therapy (control conditions) per night over the course of a 5- to 6-day diabetes camp. RESULTS Subjects completed 54 OCL nights and 52 control nights. On an intention-to-treat basis, with glucose data analyzed regardless of system status, the median percent time in range, from 70–150 mg/dL, was 62% (29, 87) for OCL nights versus 55% (25, 80) for sensor-augmented pump therapy (P = 0.233). A per-protocol analysis allowed for assessment of algorithm performance. The median percent time in range, from 70–150 mg/dL, was 73% (50, 89) for OCL nights (n = 41) versus 52% (24, 83) for control conditions (n = 39) (P = 0.037). There was less time spent in the hypoglycemic range <50, <60, and <70 mg/dL during OCL compared with the control period (P = 0.019, P = 0.009, and P = 0.023, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The DIAS USS algorithm is effective in improving time spent in range as well as reducing nocturnal hypoglycemia during the overnight period in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in a diabetes camp setting.
A Minimum Distortion: High Capacity Watermarking Technique for Relational Data

In this paper, a new multi-attribute and high capacity image-based watermarking technique for relational data is proposed. The embedding process causes low distortion into the data considering the usability restrictions defined over the marked relation. The conducted experiments show the high resilience of the proposed technique against tuple deletion and tuple addition attacks. An interesting trend of the extracted watermark is analyzed when, within certain limits, if the number of embedded marks is small, the watermark signal far from being compromised, discretely improves in the case of tuple addition attacks. According to the results, marking 13% of the attributes and under an attack of 100% of tuples addition, 96% of the watermark is extracted. Also, while previous techniques embed up to 61% of the watermark, under the same conditions, we guarantee to embed 99.96% of the marks.
Alzheimer's Disease-Linked Mutations in Presenilin-1 Result in a Drastic Loss of Activity in Purified γ-Secretase Complexes

Background Mutations linked to early onset, familial forms of Alzheimer's disease (FAD) are found most frequently in PSEN1, the gene encoding presenilin-1 (PS1). Together with nicastrin (NCT), anterior pharynx-defective protein 1 (APH1), and presenilin enhancer 2 (PEN2), the catalytic subunit PS1 constitutes the core of the γ-secretase complex and contributes to the proteolysis of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) into amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides. Although there is a growing consensus that FAD-linked PS1 mutations affect Aβ production by enhancing the Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 ratio, it remains unclear whether and how they affect the generation of APP intracellular domain (AICD). Moreover, controversy exists as to how PS1 mutations exert their effects in different experimental systems, by either increasing Aβ1–42 production, decreasing Aβ1–40 production, or both. Because it could be explained by the heterogeneity in the composition of γ-secretase, we purified to homogeneity complexes made of human NCT, APH1aL, PEN2, and the pathogenic PS1 mutants L166P, ΔE9, or P436Q. Methodology/Principal Findings We took advantage of a mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line lacking PS1 and PS2 to generate different stable cell lines overexpressing human γ-secretase complexes with different FAD-linked PS1 mutations. A multi-step affinity purification procedure was used to isolate semi-purified or highly purified γ-secretase complexes. The functional characterization of these complexes revealed that all PS1 FAD-linked mutations caused a loss of γ-secretase activity phenotype, in terms of Aβ1–40, Aβ1–42 and APP intracellular domain productions in vitro. Conclusion/Significance Our data support the view that PS1 mutations lead to a strong γ-secretase loss-of-function phenotype and an increased Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 ratio, two mechanisms that are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
Three dimensional printed macroporous polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for promoting bone formation in a critical-size rat calvarial defect model

Abstract We have explored the applicability of printed scaffold by comparing osteogenic ability and biodegradation property of three resorbable biomaterials. A polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite (PLA/HA) composite with a pore size of 500 μm and 60% porosity was fabricated by three-dimensional printing. Three-dimensional printed PLA/HA, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and partially demineralized bone matrix (DBM) seeded with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were evaluated by cell adhesion, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and osteogenic gene expression of osteopontin (OPN) and collagen type I (COL-1). Moreover, the biocompatibility, bone repairing capacity and degradation in three different bone substitute materials were estimated using a critical-size rat calvarial defect model in vivo. The defects were evaluated by micro-computed tomography and histological analysis at four and eight weeks after surgery, respectively. The results showed that each of the studied scaffolds had its own specific merits and drawbacks. Three-dimensional printed PLA/HA scaffolds possessed good biocompatibility and stimulated BMSC cell proliferation and differentiation to osteogenic cells. The outcomes in vivo revealed that 3D printed PLA/HA scaffolds had good osteogenic capability and biodegradation activity with no difference in inflammation reaction. Therefore, 3D printed PLA/HA scaffolds have potential applications in bone tissue engineering and may be used as graft substitutes in reconstructive surgery.
Optimisation and quality control of cell processing for autologous stem cell transplantation

Clinical practice and the technology of cell processing for autologous stem cell transplantation has continued to evolve over the last two decades and merits review of current quality control expectations. The external regulatory era has improved quality and safety standards but there is still variable practice, with specific risks illuminated by a number of clinical incidents. Viable CD34+ cell assays may fail to indicate significant losses in progenitor function during storage, particularly after cryopreservation, and there is a need to develop an alternative, real time functional assay to replace colony assays. The ultimate guide to potency and successful cell processing for haematopoietic progenitor cell products is prompt and reproducible engraftment and close monitoring is essential for safety and quality control.
Effects on perceived air quality and symptoms of exposure to microbially produced metabolites and compounds emitted from damp building materials.

UNLABELLED This work investigated perceived air quality and health effects from exposure to low to high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from damp building materials and a mixture of molds growing on the materials. A mixture of Wallemia sebi, Fusarium culmorum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Ulocladium botrytis, and Aspergillus versicolor was inoculated on pine wood and particle board. In Study 1, each of 27 participants took part in two exposure conditions, one with air from molds growing on building materials (low levels of emissions from the building materials and the mold mixture) and one with blank air, both conditions during 60 min. In Study 2, each of 24 participants was exposed (10 min) four times in a 2 x 2 design randomly to air from moldy building materials (high levels) and blank, with and without nose-clip. The participants rated air quality and symptoms before, during, and after each exposure. Self-reported tear-film break-up time and attention and processing speed (Study 1) was also measured. Exposure to high VOC levels increased the reports of perceived poor air quality, and in the condition without nose-clip enhanced skin symptoms were also noted. No such outcome was observed when exposing the participants to low VOC levels. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Emissions from building materials caused by dampness and microbial growth may be involved in indoor air health problems. This study showed that exposure to high levels of VOC emitted from damp building materials and a mixture of mold may cause perceived poor air quality. It also indicated that stimulation of chemical warning systems (the nasal chemosensory part of the trigeminal system and the olfactory system) may enhance skin symptoms.
Dynamics of 3D view invariance in monkey inferotemporal cortex

Rotations in depth are challenging for object vision because features can appear, disappear, be stretched or compressed. Yet we easily recognize objects across views. Are the underlying representations view invariant or dependent? This question has been intensely debated in human vision, but the neuronal representations remain poorly understood. Here, we show that for naturalistic objects, neurons in the monkey inferotemporal (IT) cortex undergo a dynamic transition in time, whereby they are initially sensitive to viewpoint and later encode view-invariant object identity. This transition depended on two aspects of object structure: it was strongest when objects foreshortened strongly across views and were similar to each other. View invariance in IT neurons was present even when objects were reduced to silhouettes, suggesting that it can arise through similarity between external contours of objects across views. Our results elucidate the viewpoint debate by showing that view invariance arises dynamically in IT neurons out of a representation that is initially view dependent.
The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) gN Homolog BLRF1 Encodes a 15-Kilodalton Glycoprotein That Cannot Be Authentically Processed unless It Is Coexpressed with the EBV gM Homolog BBRF3

ABSTRACT The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) homolog of the conserved herpesvirus glycoprotein gN is predicted to be encoded by the BLRF1 open reading frame (ORF). Antipeptide antibody to a sequence corresponding to residues in the predicted BLRF1 ORF immunoprecipitated a doublet of approximately 8 kDa from cells expressing the BLRF1 ORF as a recombinant protein. In addition, four glycosylated proteins of 113, 84, 48, and 15 kDa could be immunoprecipitated from virus-producing cells by the same antibody. The 15-kDa species was the mature form of gN, which carried α2,6-sialic acid residues. The remaining glycoproteins which associated with gN were products of the BBRF3 ORF of EBV, which encodes the EBV gM homolog. The 8-kDa doublet seen in cells expressing recombinant gN comprised precursors of the mature 15-kDa gN. Coexpression of EBV gM with EBV gN was required for authentic processing of the 8-kDa forms to the 15-kDa form.