Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correction: Incorporating Cold-Air Pooling into Downscaled Climate Models Increases Potential Refugia for Snow-Dependent Species within the Sierra Nevada Ecoregion, CA

We present a unique water-balance approach for modeling snowpack under historic, current and future climates throughout the Sierra Nevada Ecoregion. Our methodology uses a finer scale (270 m) than previous regional studies and incorporates cold-air pooling, an atmospheric process that sustains cooler temperatures in topographic depressions thereby mitigating snowmelt. Our results are intended to support management and conservation of snow-dependent species, which requires characterization of suitable habitat under current and future climates. We use the wolverine (Gulo gulo) as an example species and investigate potential habitat based on the depth and extent of spring snowpack within four National Park units with proposed wolverine reintroduction programs. Our estimates of change in spring snowpack conditions under current and future climates are consistent with recent studies that generally predict declining snowpack. However, model development at a finer scale and incorporation of cold-air pooling increased the persistence of April 1 snowpack. More specifically, incorporation of cold-air pooling into future climate projections increased April 1 snowpack by 6.5% when spatially averaged over the study region and the trajectory of declining April 1 snowpack reverses at mid-elevations where snow pack losses are mitigated by topographic shading and cold-air pooling. Under future climates with sustained or increased precipitation, our results indicate a high likelihood for the persistence of late spring snowpack at elevations above approximately 2,800 m and identify potential climate refugia sites for snow-dependent species at mid-elevations, where significant topographic shading and cold-air pooling potential exist. Citation: Curtis JA, Flint LE, Flint AL, Lundquist JD, Hudgens B, et al. (2014) Incorporating Cold-Air Pooling into Downscaled Climate Models Increases Potential Refugia for Snow-Dependent Species within the Sierra Nevada Ecoregion, CA. PLoS ONE 9(9): e106984. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0106984 Editor: Juan A. Añel, University of Oxford, United Kingdom Received November 15, 2013; Accepted August 11, 2014; Published September 4, 2014 This is an open-access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. Funding: Funding provided by Park Oriented Biologic Support, a program funded jointly by the National Park Service and United States Geological Survey. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * Email: jacurtis@usgs.gov
Polymeric Films Loaded with Vitamin E and Aloe vera for Topical Application in the Treatment of Burn Wounds

Burns are serious traumas related to skin damage, causing extreme pain and possibly death. Natural drugs such as Aloe vera and vitamin E have been demonstrated to be beneficial in formulations for wound healing. The aim of this work is to develop and evaluate polymeric films containing Aloe vera and vitamin E to treat wounds caused by burns. Polymeric films containing different quantities of sodium alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were characterized for their mechanical properties and drug release. The polymeric films, which were produced, were thin, flexible, resistant, and suitable for application on damaged skin, such as in burn wounds. Around 30% of vitamin E acetate was released from the polymeric films within 12 hours. The in vivo experiments with tape stripping indicated an effective accumulation in the stratum corneum when compared to a commercial cream containing the same quantity of vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E acetate was found in higher quantities in the deep layers of the stratum corneum when the film formulation was applied. The results obtained show that the bioadhesive films containing vitamin E acetate and Aloe vera could be an innovative therapeutic system for the treatment of burns.
Effect of recombinant human IFNγ in the treatment of chronic pulmonary complications due to sulfur mustard intoxication

Abstract Pulmonary problems are among the most common chronic complications of sulfur mustard (SM) intoxication and adversely affect patients’ quality-of-life. The present trial investigated the impact of immunotherapy with interferon (IFN)-γ on quality-of-life, respiratory symptoms, and circulating immunologic and oxidative parameters in patients suffering from chronic SM-induced complications. Patients (n = 15) were administered IFNγ (100 μg) every other day for a period of 6 months. Assessment of quality-of-life [using St. George respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) indices], the severity and frequency of respiratory symptoms, and serum levels of immunologic [including interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFNγ, calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-9, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α], oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as total and reduced glutathione, and catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity], and fibrogenic [transforming growth factor (TGF)-β] parameters were performed at baseline and at trial end. The results indicated that IFNγ therapy is associated with improvements in SGRQ (p < 0.001) and CAT (p < 0.001) scores, decreased severity of cough (p = 0.001), dyspnea (p < 0.001), and morning dyspnea (p < 0.001), reduced frequency of sputum production (p < 0.001) and hemoptysis (p < 0.001), and elevated FEV1 (p = 0.065). Serum levels of IL-4 (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p < 0.001), IL-10 (p < 0.001), CGRP (p < 0.001), MMP-9 (p = 0.001), TNFα (p < 0.001), TGFβ (p < 0.001) and MDA (p = 0.001) were decreased while those of IL-2 (p < 0.001), IFNγ (p < 0.001), and both total (p = 0.005) and reduced glutathione (p = 0.061) increased by the end of the trial. It was concluded that IFNγ has favorable effects on the quality-of-life and alleviates respiratory symptoms in patients suffering from chronic SM-induced pulmonary complications. A modulation of cytokines and oxidative stress appears responsible for the clinical efficacy of IFNγ.
OPA1 deficiency promotes secretion of FGF21 from muscle that prevents obesity and insulin resistance

Mitochondrial dynamics is a conserved process by which mitochondria undergo repeated cycles of fusion and fission, leading to exchange of mitochondrial genetic content, ions, metabolites, and proteins. Here, we examine the role of the mitochondrial fusion protein optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) in differentiated skeletal muscle by reducing OPA1 gene expression in an inducible manner. OPA1 deficiency in young mice results in non‐lethal progressive mitochondrial dysfunction and loss of muscle mass. Mutant mice are resistant to age‐ and diet‐induced weight gain and insulin resistance, by mechanisms that involve activation of ER stress and secretion of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) from skeletal muscle, resulting in increased metabolic rates and improved whole‐body insulin sensitivity. OPA1‐elicited mitochondrial dysfunction activates an integrated stress response that locally induces muscle atrophy, but via secretion of FGF21 acts distally to modulate whole‐body metabolism.
Characterization of Surface Cracks Using Rayleigh Waves

The characterization of surface cracks in steel plates using surface acoustic waves is investigated. In the experiments Rayleigh wave is generated by a standard wedge technique and the surface displacement is measured pointwise by means of a heterodyne laser interferometer. The presence of a crack in the acoustic field leads to an amplitude increase due to the scattering of the surface wave at the defect. The time‐of‐flight method is extended to crack depth smaller than the wavelength by correlating the time delay of the transmitted wave with the defect depth. The method is shown to provide good results for defect depths down to 0.2 mm.
Beamforming Tradeoffs for Initial UE Discovery in Millimeter-Wave MIMO Systems

Millimeter-wave (mmW) multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems have gained increasing traction toward the goal of meeting the high data-rate requirements in next-generation wireless systems. The focus of this work is on low-complexity beamforming approaches for initial user equipment (UE) discovery in such systems. Toward this goal, we first note the structure of the optimal beamformer with per-antenna gain and phase control and establish the structure of good beamformers with per-antenna phase-only control. Learning these right singular vector (RSV)type beamforming structures in mmW systems is fraught with considerable complexities such as the need for a non-broadcast system design, the sensitivity of the beamformer approximants to small path length changes, inefficiencies due to power amplifier backoff, etc. To overcome these issues, we establish a physical interpretation between the RSV-type beamformer structures and the angles of departure/arrival (AoD/AoA) of the dominant path(s) capturing the scattering environment. This physical interpretation provides a theoretical underpinning to the emerging interest on directional beamforming approaches that are less sensitive to small path length changes. While classical approaches for direction learning such as MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) have been well-understood, they suffer from many practical difficulties in a mmW context such as a non-broadcast system design and high computational complexity. A simpler broadcast-based solution for mmW systems is the adaptation of limited feedback-type directional codebooks for beamforming at the two ends. We establish fundamental limits for the best beam broadening codebooks and propose a construction motivated by a virtual subarray architecture that is within a couple of dB of the best tradeoff curve at all useful beam broadening factors. We finally provide the received SNR loss-UE discovery latency tradeoff with the proposed beam broadening constructions. Our results show that users with a reasonable link margin can be quickly discovered by the proposed design with a smooth roll-off in performance as the link margin deteriorates. While these designs are poorer in performance than the RSV learning approaches or MUSIC for cell-edge users, their low-complexity that leads to a broadcast system design makes them a useful candidate for practical mmW systems.
What Governments Maximize and Why: The View from Trade

Policymaking power enables governments to redistribute income to powerful interests in society. However, some governments exhibit greater concern for aggregate welfare than others. This government behavior may itself be endogenously determined by a number of economic, political, and institutional factors. Trade policy, being fundamentally redistributive, provides a valuable context in which the welfare-mindedness of governments may be empirically evaluated. This article investigates quantitatively the welfare-mindedness of governments and attempts to understand these political and institutional determinants of the differences in government behavior across countries.
The Impact of IT Capability on Firm Performance Perspectives on the Mediating Effects of Business Process Transform Mode

A firm performance is deconstructed into operational, growth and financial performance based on IT capability, then the model of influencing mechanism of IT capability on firm performance is put forward from the perspective of business process transform mode. A questionnaire methodology is used for an empirical test. Our results indicate that IT capability has the great effects on operational and growth performance, and operational performance has the great effects on growth and financial performance, however, growth performance has no significant effects on financial performance. And efficient improvement of business process doesn’t have the great effects on operational performance, while quality of business process change is a mediator to explain the relationship between IT capability and operational performance.
Career readiness, developmental work personality and age of onset in young adult central nervous system survivors

Purpose: The primary purpose of this paper is to undertake foundational research in the area of career readiness, work personality and age of onset with young adult central nervous system (CNS) survivors. Method: Participants for this study consisted of 43 individuals whose age range from 18 to 30 (M = 21.64, SD = 3.46), an average age of brain tumor onset of 9.50 years (SD = 4.73) and average years off of treatment of 7.25 years (SD = 5.80). Packets were distributed to survivors who were participating in a psychosocial cancer treatment program. Participants completed multiple career instruments and a demographic form. Differences between groups and among the variables were examined and size effect sizes were analyzed. Results: Young adult CNS survivors had significantly lower levels of work personality and career readiness when compared to young adult non-cancer survivors with CNS cancer with those between the ages of 6 and 12 reported significantly lower levels when compared to individuals diagnosed before age 6 and after the age of 13. Conclusions: Young adult CNS survivors at an increased risk for having lower levels of work personality and career readiness then a norm group comparison. Age of onset (between 6 and 12) may be at significant risk factor for developing poor or dysfunctional work and career behaviors. Implications for Rehabilitation Young adults with central nervous system (CNS) cancer are at particular risk for experiencing difficulties related to career and employment. Work personality and career readiness are two constructs that have been found to be related to one’s ability to meet the demands of work. Young adult CNS cancer survivors have lower levels of work personality and career readiness. Individuals diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 12 may be at particular risk and may need specific vocational rehabilitation interventions. The results of this study point to the need for comprehensive career and vocational services for young adult CNS cancer survivors.
Initiation of epileptiform activity in a rat model of periventricular nodular heterotopia

Purpose: Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is, in humans, often associated with difficult‐to‐control epilepsy. However, there is considerable controversy about the role of the PNH in seizure generation and spread. To study this issue, we have used a rat model in which injection of methylazoxymethanol (MAM) into pregnant rat dams produces offspring with nodular heterotopia‐like brain abnormalities.
Television Viewing, Computer Use, Time Driving and All‐Cause Mortality: The SUN Cohort

Background Sedentary behaviors have been directly associated with all‐cause mortality. However, little is known about different types of sedentary behaviors in relation to overall mortality. Our objective was to assess the association between different sedentary behaviors and all‐cause mortality. Methods and Results In this prospective, dynamic cohort study (the SUN Project) 13 284 Spanish university graduates with a mean age of 37 years were followed‐up for a median of 8.2 years. Television, computer, and driving time were assessed at baseline. Poisson regression models were fitted to examine the association between each sedentary behavior and total mortality. All‐cause mortality incidence rate ratios (IRRs) per 2 hours per day were 1.40 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06 to 1.84) for television viewing, 0.96 (95% CI: 0.79 to 1.18) for computer use, and 1.14 (95% CI: 0.90 to 1.44) for driving, after adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, total energy intake, Mediterranean diet adherence, body mass index, and physical activity. The risk of mortality was twofold higher for participants reporting ≥3 h/day of television viewing than for those reporting <1 h/d (IRR: 2.04 [95% CI 1.16 to 3.57]). Conclusions Television viewing was directly associated with all‐cause mortality. However, computer use and time spent driving were not significantly associated with higher mortality. Further cohort studies and trials designed to assess whether reductions in television viewing are able to reduce mortality are warranted. The lack of association between computer use or time spent driving and mortality needs further confirmation.
Autonomous landing of a VTOL UAV on a moving platform using image-based visual servoing

In this paper we describe a vision-based algorithm to control a vertical-takeoff-and-landing unmanned aerial vehicle while tracking and landing on a moving platform. Specifically, we use image-based visual servoing (IBVS) to track the platform in two-dimensional image space and generate a velocity reference command used as the input to an adaptive sliding mode controller. Compared with other vision-based control algorithms that reconstruct a full three-dimensional representation of the target, which requires precise depth estimation, IBVS is computationally cheaper since it is less sensitive to the depth estimation allowing for a faster method to obtain this estimate. To enhance velocity tracking of the sliding mode controller, an adaptive rule is described to account for the ground effect experienced during the maneuver. Finally, the IBVS algorithm integrated with the adaptive sliding mode controller for tracking and landing is validated in an experimental setup using a quadrotor.
Cochlear Implantation in Neurofibromatosis Type 2 After Radiation Therapy

Objective: To investigate the results of cochlear implantation in patients with neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) who have previously been treated with radiation therapy to the vestibular schwannoma (VS) in their only hearing ear. Study Design: A retrospective review of the Melbourne Cochlear implant database was undertaken to identify patients with NF2 undergoing cochlear implantation in whom previous radiation therapy had been performed to control their VS (ipsilateral tumor). Three patients were identified. A case note review was undertaken and data collected on preoperative and postoperative speech perception testing. Setting: Melbourne Cochlear implant center. Results: All 3 patients were daily cochlear implant users. There was improvement in speech perception scores in 2 cases, with the 3rd case unable, for unrelated medical reasons, to complete postoperative testing. Subjectively, the third patient reported a dramatic improvement in communication and is a daily user of his implant. Conclusion: Cochlear implantation results in improved hearing in a select group of NF2 patients who have undergone radiation treatment to control their VS.
Hemifacial Microsomia: From Gestation to Childhood

Hemifacial microsomia (HFM) is a variable, complex malformation involving asymmetric hypoplasia of the face and ear. Little is known about the risk factors for or consequences of HFM. In this study, we describe 3 studies that have been or are currently being conducted to further our understanding of this malformation. The first completed study examined whether HFM risk is related to maternal exposures that may affect blood flow. In that case-control study, interview data from 230 mothers of children in the case group and 678 mothers of children in the control group suggested that maternal use of vasoactive medications in the first trimester, particularly in combination with cigarette smoking, was associated with increased risks of HFM. The second study is currently underway, in which we are evaluating whether HFM risk is related to genetic variation in pathways associated with vasculogenesis and hemostasis, using DNA collected in the first study. The third ongoing study observes children with HFM to identify psychosocial, cognitive, dental, and medical sequelae. When the children from the original case-control study are 6 or 7 years of age, mothers and teachers complete self-administered questionnaires that cover a wide range of psychosocial development domains. Preliminary analyses of 115 case and 314 control children suggest that children with HFM may have worse teacher-reported academic performance and possibly higher levels of internalizing behavior problems than control children. When data on the full study sample are available, further analyses will determine whether the preliminary findings remain and if they vary by HFM phenotype, parenting style, or indicators of social risk.
Off-label and unlicensed drug use in children admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU).

BACKGROUND There is paucity of data regarding the use of off-label (OL) and unlicensed drug (UL) use in children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). OBJECTIVE To determine prevalence of OL- and UL-drug use in children admitted to PICU. DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING PICU in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India. PARTICIPANTS Consecutive patients aged 28 d-12 yr admitted over 12-mo period. METHODS Prescriptions issued to PICU patients were surveyed and demographic data, diagnosis and details of drugs used (dose, frequency, route of administration, indication, and UL use) were noted. Descriptive statistics was used for providing prevalence of OL drug (including category) and UL use. Fisher-Pearson test was used to determine the significance of age, mechanical ventilation and number of systems involved with reference to OL- and UL-drug use. RESULTS 482 participants received 1789 [OL: 738(41.25%) and UL: 376(21.01%)] drug prescriptions; OL-drug use was highest in infants (56.52%) with indication outside the license (32.37%) being the commonest category of OL-drug use across all age-groups. Unlicensed drug use was entirely due to extemporaneously-prepared drug (EPD) use. The OL drug- and EPD-use were significantly associated with infancy and ventilation therapy. CONCLUSIONS The high prevalence of OL- and UL-drug use in children admitted in the PICU significantly compromises their right to safe drugs. As most of the OL drug use is related to drugs used in children for several years; legislative and regulatory initiatives are required to ensure that accumulated evidence and experience gets incorporated in the license.
Every minor-closed property of sparse graphs is testable

Testing a property P of graphs in the bounded degree model deals with the following problem: given a graph G of bounded degree d we should distinguish (with probability 0.9, say) between the case that G satisfies P and the case that one should add/remove at least ε d n edges of G to make it satisfy P. In sharp contrast to property testing of dense graphs, which is relatively well understood, very few properties are known to be testable in bounded degree graphs with a constant number of queries. In this paper we identify for the first time a large (and natural) family of properties that can be efficiently tested in bounded degree graphs, by showing that every minor-closed graph property can be tested with a constant number of queries. As a special case, we infer that many well studied graph properties, like being planar, outer-planar, series-parallel, bounded genus, bounded tree-width and several others, are testable with a constant number of queries. None of these properties was previously known to be testable even with o(n) queries. The proof combines results from the theory of graph minors with results on convergent sequences of sparse graphs, which rely on martingale arguments.