Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Further evidence for a merger in Abell 2218 from an XMM-Newton observation

The galaxy cluster Abell 2218, at z = 0.171, is well-known for the discrepancy between mass estimates derived from X-ray and strong lensing analyses. With the present XMM-Newton observation, we are able to trace the gas density and temperature profiles out to a radius of ∼1400 h −1 70 kpc (approximately the virial radius of the cluster). The overall surface brightness profile is well fitted over three orders of magnitude with a simple β-model with a core radius of 0. 95 and β = 0.63. The projected temperature profile declines steeply with radius (by ∼50%), and is well described by a polytrope with parameters t0 = 8.09 keV and γ = 1.15. The temperature map shows a pronounced peak in the central arcminute, where the temperature rises by a factor of two (from ∼ 5t o∼10 keV). The mass profile, calculated assuming hydrostatic equilibrium and spherical symmetry, is best fitted with a King approximation to an isothermal sphere, implying a dark matter distribution with a central core, in contrast with the cusped cores found in more obviously relaxed clusters. The X-ray mass is approximately two times less than the strong lensing mass at r ∼ 80 h −1 50 kpc, although the agreement between X-ray and weak lensing mass measurements at larger radius (r ∼ 400 h −1 50 kpc) is slightly better. While the X-ray total mass estimates can vary by 30 per cent depending on the mass model, all measurements are significantly lower than the corresponding total mass from optical measurements. Given the X-ray results indicating considerable disturbance of the intracluster gas, leading to a probable violation of the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium, and the observed substructure in the optical, suggesting a line-of-sight merger, it is unlikely that the different mass estimates of this cluster can be reconciled, at least with standard modelling assumptions.
Differential cell fates induced by all‐trans retinoic acid‐treated HL‐60 human leukemia cells

HL‐60 human leukemia cells, differentiated into a neutrophil lineage by all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) treatment, express three members of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene family, CEA‐related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1; CD66a), CEACAM3 (CD66d), and CEACAM6 (CD66c). CD66d is a neutrophil lineage‐specific marker, and CD66a and CD66c are found on epithelial and other cells. HL‐60 cells continuously treated with ATRA underwent apoptosis, and cells transiently treated for 1 day underwent cell‐cycle arrest, entered into senescence, and exhibited reduced apoptosis with CD66‐positive cells accounting for the majority of live cells. CD66 antigens were also induced in NB4 leukemic cells upon continuous treatment with ATRA. NB4 cells underwent apoptosis with a higher frequency in transient versus continuous‐treated cells (38% vs. 19% at Day 5), in contrast to HL‐60 cells that underwent cell‐cycle arrest and senescence when transiently treated with ATRA. CD66 antigens were not induced in transient, ATRA‐treated NB4 cells compared with HL‐60 cells. Cell‐cycle arrest in HL‐60 cells involved reduction in expression levels of p21, cyclins D and E, while Rb1 exhibited reduction in protein levels without changes in mRNA levels over the time course of ATRA treatment. Analysis of several proapoptotic proteins implicated the activation of calpain and cleavage of Bax in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, similar to published studies about the apoptosis of neutrophils. CD1d expression was also induced by ATRA in HL‐60 cells and ligation with anti‐CD1d antibody‐induced apoptosis. In contrast, CD1d‐positive primary monocytes were protected from spontaneous apoptosis by CD1d ligation. These studies demonstrate distinct cell fates for ATRA‐treated HL‐60 cells that provide new insights into ATRA‐induced cell differentiation.
Series in ENVIRONMENTAL & RESOURCE ECONO : M : ICS The Private Provision of Public Goods : \ "-Tests of a Provision Point Mechanism for Funding Green Power Programs ( Revised )

This paper utilizes laboratory and field experiments to test the use of a provision point mechanism to finance renewable energy programs, commonly known as green pricing programs. The mechanism solicits discrete contributions towards a provision threshold using a money-back guarantee for insufficient contributions and extended benefits for contributions in excess of the threshold. In the laboratory, a single shot environment with a large group of potential participants produces contribution levels that are found to be partially demand revealing as well as motivated by altruism or wann-glow. Also, in contrast to most green pricing programs, relatively high participation is found in the field. Field participation is shown to be responsive to program goals and the provision point mechanism. JEL Classifications: H41 Public Goods, C92 Design of Experiments, Laboratory, Group Behavior, C93 Design of Experiments, Field Experiments
Seasonal Variation of Heavy Metals in Cochin Estuary and Adjoining Periyar and Muvattupuzha Rivers, Kerala, India

Heavy metal pollution is of particular concern as they have deleterious effects on biota through mobilization and accumulation in various trophic levels. The present study mainly focused on the water pollution by heavy metals in Cochin estuary and two adjoining rivers. The methods include seasonal collection of surface water from the study area and their subsequent heavy metal analysis. The study revealed that the concentrations of heavy metals were high in the Periyar River near the industrial estate and also the concentration was high in premonsoon period. The chemical factories discharges their effluents to Periyar River and it eventually reach in to the Cochin estuary. The flow of water discharged through the river was very low in premonsoon period, which cause the high concentration of metals in lake and river. In Muvattupuzha River the heavy metal concentration was high near the news print factory.
Origin of Low-K Intermediate Lavas at Nekoma Volcano, NE Honshu Arc, Japan: Geochemical Constraints for Lower-Crustal Melts

at lower-crustal depths beneath the frontal arc is suggested by Extremely low-K basaltic andesite to andesite lavas at Nekoma geophysical observations. These observations further support lowervolcano, situated in the frontal volcanic zone of the NE Honshu crustal melting beneath Nekoma as the origin of the intermediate arc, were produced from melts that originated in the lower crust. low-K lavas. Multiple incompatible trace element model calculations suggest that extremely low-K basalt found in the same arc is a natural analog for the source composition. However, fractional crystallization, magma mixing, and crustal contamination models of primary lowK basalt cannot reproduce the Nekoma chemical composition.
A 2000-year lichen-snowkill chronology for the Colorado Front Range, USA

Measurements of Rhizocarpon subgenus Rhizocarpon thalli in fixed-area (100-m 2) sample plots at 295 randomly selected localities above timberline in the Colorado Front Range suggest six episodes of widespread, shallow, lichen snowkill during and immediately following the Audubon glacial interval. Recolonization of lichen-free areas began in cal. AD 210, 375, 570, 700, 1025, and 1255. In contrast to the 'Little Ice Age', when snowkill was restricted to narrow bands peripheral to modern late- lying snowpatches, Audubon snowkill destroyed all crustose lichens in more than 90% of the study area. Heavy April or May snowstorms, occurring after redistribution of snow by wind had diminished, are thought to have been responsible; cool, cloudy summers and warm subnivean winter temperatures may also have been involved. Audubon snowkill episodes lasted for relatively brief periods, and were superimposed on the broader pattern of late-Holocene climatic change. They did not necessarily trigger glaciation or cause geomorphic instability, but are thought to have temporarily discouraged human use of the Front Range alpine region through their adverse effects on large-game-animal populations. Lichenometric dates for landforms in areas of potential snowkill should be evaluated using rock- weathering criteria or other independent age evidence.
A characterization of the maximum throughput of unreliable transfer lines

Given an unreliable transfer line with fixed size finite buffer zones for work in process, the objective is to determine the maximum, if it exists, of the production rate sustainable by the line when the first machine is never starved and the last machine is either never blocked, or if it is, an infinite backlog is allowed. A recent single machine based, transfer line under fixed demand rate decomposition method, is used to rigorously establish the existence of a maximum sustainable demand, and to characterize such a demand level via a set of necessary and sufficient conditions. The foundation of the analysis is a recursive procedure called the iterated demand algorithm (IDA). It is shown to generate a sequence that geometrically converges to a limit point, later precisely identified as the required transfer line maximum throughput. IDA becomes our computational tool. For a collection of transfer lines, numerical performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with that obtained based on other alternatives, as well as Monte Carlo based line throughput maximization results.
WHEN THE FINAL BELL TOLLS : PATTERNS OF CHURCH CLOSINGS IN TWO PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS

While growth in congregations and denominations generates much research, few studies speak to the other side of religious organization performance: decline and death. This study steps into this gap to consider rates and reasons for closings among America 's most pervasive form of voluntary association. Drawing on prior studies of organizational mortality outside religion, we examine congregational closure as a function of organizational age. Longitudinal data from more than 15,000 congregations in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) and Church of the Nazarene enable tests of age-liabilities. Congregations from these denominations experience lower rates of mortality than other types of formal organizations, but they are not immune from challenges to survival at founding and after 40-50 years in existence. Minimum resources necessary for congregational survival and implications for denominational growth and decline are discussed in conclusion.
Linearized Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers for Constrained Nonconvex Regularized Optimization

In this paper, we consider a wide class of constrained nonconvex regularized minimization problems, where the constraints are linearly constraints. It was reported in the literature that nonconvex regularization usually yields a solution with more desirable sparse structural properties beyond convex ones. However, it is not easy to obtain the proximal mapping associated with nonconvex regularization, due to the imposed linearly constraints. In this paper, the optimization problem with linear constraints is solved by the Linearized Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (LADMM). Moreover, we present a detailed convergence analysis of the LADMM algorithm for solving nonconvex compositely regularized optimization with a large class of nonconvex penalties. Experimental results on several real-world datasets validate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
Flux and spectral variations in the Circinus Galaxy

We report on a dramatic flux (50% increase in the LECS and MECS band) and spectral variation between two BeppoSAX observations of the Circinus Galaxy performed almost three years apart. Through the analysis of all Chandra observations available in the archive, including a new DDT observation on May 2001, we show that a high flux state of an extremely variable Ultra Luminous X-ray source (CG X-1: Bauer et al. 2001), which is within the adopted BeppoSAX source extraction region of 2 0 , is the most likely explanation for most of the observed variation. However, the presence of a high flux 6.7 keV line and the spectral variation of the PDS in the new BeppoSAX data could be partly due to intrinsic variation of the nucleus. Comparing the longest Chandra observation and the BeppoSAX one, we find that the long-term flux variability of CG X-1 is not accompanied by a significant spectral variability. We also re-analysed the Chandra HEG nuclear spectra and report on the presence of a Compton shoulder with a flux of about 20% the line core, in agreement with theoretical expectations for Compton-thick matter.
Altered Steady-State mRNA Levels of Basement Membrane Proteins in Diabetic Mouse Kidneys and Thromboxane Synthase Inhibition

We examined steady-state levels of mRNA encoding type IV collagen, B, chain of laminin, and the basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan in the kidney cortex of a mouse model (KKAy) of non-insulindependent diabetes. mRNAs encoding laminin B, and the proteoglycan were unchanged in kidneys taken from diabetic mice with demonstrable basement membrane thickening. mRNA levels for type IV collagen, in contrast, were significantly elevated (2-fold) in diabetic mice concurrent with but not preceding morphologically thickened basement membranes. There was a negative correlation between a ratio of proteoglycan/type IV collagen and levels of albuminuria in the diabetic mice. No correlation was noted with laminin. We also examined the effects of inhibiting the synthesis of thromboxane, a potent vasoconstrictor, on the steady-state levels of type IV collagen in the diabetic mice. Inhibition of thromboxane stopped the progression of albuminuria and prevented an increase in type IV collagen mRNA levels. We conclude that basement membrane thickening in diabetes, a hallmark of diabetic nephropathy, is partly a consequence of an unbalanced increase in the production of type IV collagen. The relative decrease in proteoglycan production may contribute to chronic albuminuria.
The organization of projections from the cortes, amygdala, and hypothalamus to the nucleus of the solitary tract in rat

Direct projections from the forebrain to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus in the rat medulla were mapped in detail using both retrograde axonal transport of the fluorescent tracer True Blue and anterograde axonal transport of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA‐HRP). In the retrograde tracing studies, cell groups in the medial prefrontal cortex, lateral prefrontal cortex (primarily ventral and posterior agranular insular cortex), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, central nucleus of the amygdala, paraventricular, arcuate, and posterolateral areas of the hypothalamus were shown to project to the NTS and in some cases also to the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. The prefrontal cortical areas projecting to the NTS apparently overlap to a large degree with those cortical areas receiving mediodorsal thalamic and dopaminergic input. The retrogradely labeled cortical cells were situated in deep layers of the rat prefrontal cortex.
Steady-state expression of self-regulated genes

MOTIVATION Regulatory gene networks contain generic modules such as feedback loops that are essential for the regulation of many biological functions. The study of the stochastic mechanisms of gene regulation is instrumental for the understanding of how cells maintain their expression at levels commensurate with their biological role, as well as to engineer gene expression switches of appropriate behavior. The lack of precise knowledge on the steady-state distribution of gene expression requires the use of Gillespie algorithms and Monte-Carlo approximations. METHODOLOGY In this study, we provide new exact formulas and efficient numerical algorithms for computing/modeling the steady-state of a class of self-regulated genes, and we use it to model/compute the stochastic expression of a gene of interest in an engineered network introduced in mammalian cells. The behavior of the genetic network is then analyzed experimentally in living cells. RESULTS Stochastic models often reveal counter-intuitive experimental behaviors, and we find that this genetic architecture displays a unimodal behavior in mammalian cells, which was unexpected given its known bimodal response in unicellular organisms. We provide a molecular rationale for this behavior, and we implement it in the mathematical picture to explain the experimental results obtained from this network.
Examining relative age effects on performance achievement and participation rates in Masters athletes

Abstract Although the relative age effect has been widely observed in youth sports (Musch & Grondin, 2001), it is unclear whether it generalizes across the lifespan. The purpose of this study was to examine the relative age effect among a population of Masters athletes using archived data. Two successive studies examined the frequency of record-setting achievements (Study 1) and the frequency of participation entries (Study 2) at the US Masters track-and-field and swimming championships as a function of an individual's constituent year within any 5-year age category. Results of Study 1 indicated that the probability of setting a record increased if Masters athletes were in the first year, and decreased if they were in the third, fourth or fifth year, of an age category. Results of Study 2 indicated that the likelihood of participating in the National championships increased if Masters athletes were in the first or second year, and decreased if they were in the fourth or fifth year, of an age category. We highlight and discuss potential advantages afforded to Masters athletes who are relatively younger than their peers in the same 5-year age category.
Y.: SimpleMKL

Multiple kernel learning aims at simultaneously learning a kernel and the associated predictor in supervised learning settings. For the support vector machine, an efficient and general multiple kernel learning (MKL) algorithm, based on semi-infinite linear progamming, has been recently proposed. This approach has opened new perspectives since it makes the MKL approach tractable for large-scale problems, by iteratively using existing support vector machine code. However, it turns out that this iterative algorithm needs numerous iterations for converging towards a reasonable solution. In this paper, we address the MKL problem through an adaptive 2-norm regularization formulation that encourages sparse kernel combinations. Apart from learning the combination, we solve a standard SVM optimization problem, where the kernel is defined as a linear combination of multiple kernels. We propose an algorithm, named SimpleMKL, for solving this MKL problem and provide a new insight on MKL algorithms based on mixed-norm regularization by showing that the two approaches are equivalent. Furthermore, we show how SimpleMKL can be applied beyond binary classification, for problems like regression, clustering (one-class classification) or multiclass classification. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm converges rapidly and that its efficiency compares favorably to other MKL algorithms. Finally, we illustrate the usefulness of MKL for some regressors based on wavelet kernels and on some model selection problems related to multiclass classification problems. A SimpleMKL Toolbox is available at http://asi.insa-rouen.fr/enseignants/~arakotom/code/mklindex.html 1 ha l-0 02 18 33 8, v er si on 1 26 J an 2 00 8
Making the Most Of Statistical Analyses: Improving Interpretation and Presentation

Social Scientists rarely take full advantage of the information available in their statistical results. As a consequence, they miss opportunities to present quantities that are of greatest substantive interest for their research and express the appropriate degree of certainty about these quantities. In this article, we offer an approach, built on the technique of statistical simulation, to extract the currently overlooked information from any statistical method and to interpret and present it in a reader-friendly manner. Using this technique requires some expertise, which we try to provide herein, but its application should make the results of quantitative articles more informative and transparent. To illustrate our recommendations, we replicate the results of several published works, showing in each case how the authors' own conclusions can be expressed more sharply and informatively, and, without changing any data or statistical assumptions, how our approach reveals important new information about the research questions at hand. We also offer very easy-to-use Clarify software that implements our suggestions.
Tumor necrosis factor receptor‐ associated factor 6 (TRAF6) regulation of development, function, and homeostasis of the immune system

Tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)‐associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is an adapter protein that mediates a wide array of protein–protein interactions via its TRAF domain and a RING finger domain that possesses non‐conventional E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. First identified nearly two decades ago as a mediator of interleukin‐1 receptor (IL‐1R)‐mediated activation of NFκB, TRAF6 has since been identified as an actor downstream of multiple receptor families with immunoregulatory functions, including members of the TNFR superfamily, the Toll‐like receptor (TLR) family, tumor growth factor‐β receptors (TGFβR), and T‐cell receptor (TCR). In addition to NFκB, TRAF6 may also direct activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K), and interferon regulatory factor pathways. In the context of the immune system, TRAF6‐mediated signals have proven critical for the development, homeostasis, and/or activation of B cells, T cells, and myeloid cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, and osteoclasts, as well as for organogenesis of thymic and secondary lymphoid tissues. In multiple cellular contexts, TRAF6 function is essential not only for proper activation of the immune system but also for maintaining immune tolerance, and more recent work has begun to identify mechanisms of contextual specificity for TRAF6, involving both regulatory protein interactions, and messenger RNA regulation by microRNAs.
Comparison between Clinical Disabilities and Electrophysiological Values in Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A Patients with PMP22 Duplication

Background and Purpose Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) type 1A (CMT1A) is the demyelinating form of CMT that is significantly associated with PMP22 duplication. Some studies have found that the disease-related disabilities of these patients are correlated with their compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs), while others have suggested that they are related to the nerve conduction velocities. In the present study, we investigated the correlations between the disease-related disabilities and the electrophysiological values in a large cohort of Korean CMT1A patients. Methods We analyzed 167 CMT1A patients of Korean origin with PMP22 duplication using clinical and electrophysiological assessments, including the CMT neuropathy score and the functional disability scale. Results Clinical motor disabilities were significantly correlated with the CMAPs but not the motor nerve conduction velocities (MNCVs). Moreover, the observed sensory impairments matched the corresponding reductions in the sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) but not with slowing of the sensory nerve conduction velocities (SNCVs). In addition, CMAPs were strongly correlated with the disease duration but not with the age at onset. The terminal latency index did not differ between CMT1A patients and healthy controls. Conclusions In CMT1A patients, disease-related disabilities such as muscle wasting and sensory impairment were strongly correlated with CMAPs and SNAPs but not with the MNCVs or SNCVs. Therefore, we suggest that the clinical disabilities of CMT patients are determined by the extent of axonal dysfunction.