Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simple analytical valence band structure including warping and non-parabolicity to investigate hole transport in Si and Ge

This work proposes an analytical modelling of non-parabolicity for the valence bands of Si and Ge. With this aim, we obtained piecewise functions that enabled analytical evaluation of the energy after a free flight under drift, avoiding iterative procedures. In addition, particular attention was devoted to solving the problem of discontinuities in the density of states in bulk semiconductors, a shortcoming that had emerged in earlier approaches. Using our analytical functions, we were able to evaluate the mean hole energies at equilibrium and compare them with previous studies based on the pseudopotential method, obtaining an excellent agreement. We also used our analytical expressions in a single-particle Monte Carlo simulator to obtain the drift velocity under an external electric field and ohmic mobilities in pure Si and Ge. These results were compared with the experimental data and showed satisfactory agreement in all cases.
CCL18 Exhibits a Regulatory Role through Inhibition of Receptor and Glycosaminoglycan Binding

CCL18 has been reported to be present constitutively at high levels in the circulation, and is further elevated during inflammatory diseases. Since it is a rather poor chemoattractant, we wondered if it may have a regulatory role. CCL18 has been reported to inhibit cellular recruitment mediated by CCR3, and we have shown that whilst it is a competitive functional antagonist as assessed by Schild plot analysis, it only binds to a subset of CCR3 receptor populations. We have extended this inhibitory activity to other receptors and have shown that CCL18 is able to inhibit CCR1, CCR2, CCR4 and CCR5 mediated chemotaxis, but has no effect on CCR7 and CCR9, nor the CXC receptors that we have tested. Whilst CCL18 is able to bind to CCR3, it does not bind to the other receptors that it inhibits. We therefore tested the hypothesis that it may displace glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chemokines bound either in cis- on the leukocyte, or in trans-presentation on the endothelial surface, thereby inhibiting the recruitment of leukocytes into the site of inflammation. We show that CCL18 selectivity displaces heparin bound chemokines, and that chemokines from all four chemokine sub-classes displace cell bound CCL18. We propose that CCL18 has regulatory properties inhibiting chemokine function when GAG-mediated presentation plays a role in receptor activation.
Regulation of tryptophan synthase gene expression in Chlamydia trachomatis

We previously reported that Chlamydia trachomatis expresses the genes encoding tryptophan synthase (trpA and trpB). The results presented here indicate that C. trachomatis also expresses the tryptophan repressor gene (trpR). The complement of genes regulated by tryptophan levels in C. trachomatis is limited to trpBA and trpR. trp gene expression was repressed if chlamydiae‐infected HeLa cells were cultured the presence of tryptophan and induced if grown in tryptophan‐depleted medium or in the presence of IFN‐γ. Furthermore, expression of the trp genes in strains which encode a functional tryptophan synthase is repressed when infected cells are cultured in the presence of the tryptophan precursor indole. Results from experiments with cycloheximide, an inhibitor of eukaryotic protein synthesis, indicate that in addition to the absolute size of the intracellular tryptophan pool, host competition for available tryptophan plays a key role in regulating expression of the trp genes. The tryptophan analogue, 5‐fluorotryptophan, repressed trp gene expression and induced the formation of aberrant organisms of C. trachomatis. The growth‐inhibitory properties of 5‐fluorotryptophan could be reversed with exogenous tryptophan but not indole. In total, our results indicate that the ability to regulate trp gene expression in response to tryptophan availability is advantageous for the intracellular survival of this organism. Furthermore, the fact that C. trachomatis has retained the capacity to respond to tryptophan limitation supports the view that the in vivo antichlamydial effect of IFN‐γ is via the induction of the tryptophan‐degrading enzyme, indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase.
Numerical Replication of Computer Simulations: Some Pitfalls and How To Avoid Them

A computer simulation, such as a genetic algorithm, that uses IEEE standard floating-point arithmetic may not produce exactly the same results in two different runs, even if it is rerun on the same computer with the same input and random number seeds. Researchers should not simply assume that the results from one run replicate those from another but should verify this by actually comparing the data. However, researchers who are aware of this pitfall can reliably replicate simulations, in practice. This paper discusses the problem and suggests solutions.
Quiescent times in gamma-ray bursts — I. An observed correlation between the durations of subsequent emission episodes

Although more than 2000 astronomical gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been detected, the precise progenitor responsible for these events is unknown. The temporal phenomenology observed in GRBs can significantly constrain the different models. Here we analyse the time histories of a sample of bright, long GRBs, searching for the ones exhibiting relatively long (more than 5 per cent of the total burst duration) ‘quiescent times’, defined as the intervals between adjacent episodes of emission during which the gamma-ray count rate drops to the background level. We find a quantitative relation between the duration of an emission episode and the quiescent time elapsed since the previous episode. We suggest here that the mechanism responsible for the extraction and the dissipation of energy has to take place in a metastable configuration, such that the longer the accumulation period, the higher the stored energy available for the next emission episode.
N-terminal fragment of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide is a predictor of cardiac events in high-risk patients undergoing acute hip fracture surgery.

BACKGROUND The aim of this investigation was to assess the incidence of elevated N-terminal fragment of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and its relation to outcome defined as perioperative adverse cardiac events and all-cause mortality in high-risk patients undergoing non-elective surgery for hip fracture. METHODS A cohort of patients with hip fractures were extracted from a prospective observational study of high-risk patients (ASA class III or IV) undergoing emergency surgery. NT-proBNP and troponin I were measured before operation. An NT-proBNP > or = 3984 ng litre(-1) was set as the cut-off level for significance. Perioperative adverse cardiac events and 30 day and 3 month mortality were recorded. RESULTS Sixty-nine subjects were included. Thirty-four subjects (49%) had an NT-proBNP > or = 3984 ng litre(-1) before surgery. Thirty-four subjects (49%) had a perioperative adverse cardiac event. Of these, 22 subjects (65%) had NT-proBNP above the diagnostic threshold compared with 12 subjects (34%) who had an NT-proBNP below the diagnostic threshold (P=0.01). Preoperative NT-proBNP > or = 3984 ng litre(-1) [odds ratio (OR) 3.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-8.9] and congestive heart failure (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.0-9.0) were independent predictors of perioperative adverse cardiac events. A total of eight subjects (12%) died within 30 days after operation. CONCLUSIONS There is a high incidence of elevated NT-proBNP in subjects undergoing non-elective hip fracture surgery. Preoperative NT-proBNP is a valuable predictor of cardiac complications in the perioperative period.
A NEW SECULAR INSTABILITY OF ECCENTRIC STELLAR DISKS AROUND SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES, WITH APPLICATION TO THE GALACTIC CENTER

We identify a new secular instability of eccentric stellar disks around supermassive black holes. We show that retrograde precession of the stellar orbits, due to the presence of a stellar cusp, induces coherent torques that amplify deviations of individual orbital eccentricities from the average, and thus drive all eccentricities away from their initial value. We investigate the instability using N-body simulations, and show that it can propel individual orbital eccentricities to significantly higher or lower values on the order of a precession timescale. This physics is relevant for the Galactic center, where massive stars are likely to form in eccentric disks around the SgrA* black hole. We show that the observed bimodal eccentricity distribution of disk stars in the Galactic center is in good agreement with the distribution resulting from the eccentricity instability and demonstrate how the dynamical evolution of such a disk results in several of its stars acquiring high (1 − e ≪ 0.1) orbital eccentricity. Binary stars on such highly eccentric orbits would get tidally disrupted by the SgrA* black hole, possibly producing both S-stars near the black hole and high-velocity stars in the Galactic halo.
Mass transfer of calcium across the peritoneum at three different peritoneal dialysis fluid Ca2+ and glucose concentrations.

BACKGROUND In peritoneal dialysis, the rate of ultrafiltration has been predicted to be a major determinant of peritoneal calcium (Ca2+) removal. Hence, dialysis fluid glucose concentration should be an important factor governing the transperitoneal Ca2+ balance. The aim of this study was to test the effect of various dialysate glucose levels and selected dialysate Ca2+ levels on Ca2+ removal in peritoneal dialysis patients. METHODS Patients (N = 8) received, during a 7-week period, 2 L of lactate (30 mmol/L)/bicarbonate (10 mmol/L)-buffered peritoneal dialysis solutions containing either 1.5% glucose and 1.0 mmol/L Ca2+ or 2.5% glucose and 1.6 mmol/L Ca2+, or 4% glucose and 2.5 mmol/L Ca2+, respectively, provided in a three-compartment bag (trio system). Patients underwent standardized (4-hour) dwells, one for each of the three dialysates to assess permeability-surface area product (PS) or mass transfer area coefficients (MTAC) for ionized and "freely diffusible" Ca2+, lactate, glucose, bicarbonate, phosphate, creatinine, and urea. RESULTS There was a clear-cut dependence of peritoneal Ca2+ removal on the rate of ultrafiltration. For large peritoneal to dialysate Ca2+ gradients (2.5 mmol/L Ca2+ in 4% glucose) a close fit of measured to simulated data was predicted by the three-pore model using nonelectrolyte equations. For low transperitoneal Ca2+ concentration gradients, however, directly measured Ca2+ data agreed with the simulated ones only when the peritoneal Ca2+ PS was set lower than predicted from pore theory (6 mL/min). CONCLUSION There was a marked ultrafiltration dependence of transperitoneal Ca2+ transport. Nonelectrolyte equations could be used to simulate peritoneal ion (Ca2+) transport provided that the transperitoneal ion concentration gradients were large. Based on our data 1.38 mmol/L Ca2+ in the dialysis fluid would have created zero net Ca2+ gain during a 4-hour dwell for 1.5% glucose, whereas 1.7 and 2.2 mmol/L Ca2+ would have been needed to produce zero Ca2+ gain for 2.5% glucose and 3.9% glucose, respectively.
Quantification of electromyographic activity during REM sleep in multiple muscles in REM sleep behavior disorder.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to determine which muscle or combination of muscles (either axial or limb muscles, lower or upper limb muscles, or proximal or distal limb muscles) provides the highest rates of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep phasic electromyographic (EMG) activity seen in patients with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). SETTING Two university hospital sleep disorders centers. PARTICIPANTS Seventeen patients with idiopathic RBD (n = 8) and RBD secondary to Parkinson disease (n = 9). INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Patients underwent polysomnography, including EMG recording of 13 different muscles. Phasic EMG activity in REM sleep was quantified for each muscle separately. A mean of 1459.6 +/- 613.8 three-second REM sleep mini-epochs were scored per patient. Mean percentages of phasic EMG activity were mentalis (42 +/- 19), flexor digitorum superficialis (29 +/- 13), extensor digitorum brevis (23 +/- 12), abductor pollicis brevis (22 +/- 11), sternocleidomastoid (22 +/- 12), deltoid (19 +/- 11), biceps brachii (19 +/- 11), gastrocnemius (18 +/- 9), tibialis anterior (right, 17 +/- 12; left, 16 +/- 10), rectus femoris (left, 11 +/- 6; right, 9 +/- 6), and thoraco-lumbar paraspinal muscles (6 +/- 5). The mentalis muscle provided significantly higher rates of excessive phasic EMG activity than all other muscles but only detected 55% of all the mini-epochs with phasic EMG activity. Simultaneous recording of the mentalis, flexor digitorum superficialis, and extensor digitorum brevis muscles detected 82% of all mini-epochs containing phasic EMG activity. This combination provided higher rates of EMG activity than any other 3-muscle combination. Excessive phasic EMG activity was more frequent in distal than in proximal muscles, both in upper and lower limbs. CONCLUSION Simultaneous recording of the mentalis, flexor digitorum superficialis, and extensor digitorum brevis muscles provided the highest rates of REM sleep phasic EMG activity in subjects with RBD.
Hablas vielleicht un peu la mia language? A comprehensive overview of the role of language differences in headquarters–subsidiary communication

The management of human resources in headquarters (HQ)–subsidiary relationships requires intensive communication, but effective communication often depends on having a shared language. Hence, language differences can be a serious threat to the successful management of human resources in multinational corporations. In this large-scale quantitative study, encompassing data from more than 800 subsidiaries in 13 countries, we investigated four related issues. First, in terms of the importance of language differences, we found that HQ–subsidiary relationships are clearly affected by language differences and that the latter form a distance category of their own, which should not be subsumed under the related, but separate concept of cultural differences. Second, regarding the consequences of language differences for communication outcomes, we found that a lack of a shared language is associated with misunderstanding, conflict and parallel information networks, which could harm HQ–subsidiary interactions. Third, with regard to the impact of language differences on communication methods, we found that a lack of a shared language is associated with a significantly lower level of oral (face-to-face and phone) communication, but not written communication. Fourth, and finally, in terms of a potential solution to communication problems caused by language differences, we found that expatriates can facilitate both communication and knowledge transfer between HQ and subsidiaries.
Gut Microbiota and the Paradox of Cancer Immunotherapy

It is recently shown that beneficial environmental microbes stimulate integrated immune and neuroendocrine factors throughout the body, consequently modulating regulatory T-lymphocyte phenotypes, maintaining systemic immune balance, and determining the fate of preneoplastic lesions toward regression while sustaining whole body good health. Stimulated by a gut microbiota-centric systemic homeostasis hypothesis, we set out to explore the influence of the gut microbiome to explain the paradoxical roles of regulatory T-lymphocytes in cancer development and growth. This paradigm shift places cancer prevention and treatment into a new broader context of holobiont engineering to cultivate a tumor-suppressive macroenvironment.
Responses to cochlear normalized speech stimuli in the auditory nerve of cat.

Previous studies of auditory-nerve fiber (ANF) representation of vowels in cats and rodents (chinchillas and guinea pigs) have shown that, at amplitudes typical for conversational speech (60-70 dB), neuronal firing rate as a function of characteristic frequency alone provides a poor representation of spectral prominences (e.g., formants) of speech sounds. However, ANF rate representations may not be as inadequate as they appear. Here, it is investigated whether some of this apparent inadequacy owes to the mismatch between animal and human cochlear characteristics. For all animal models tested in earlier studies, the basilar membrane is shorter and encompasses a broader range of frequencies than that of humans. In this study, a customized speech synthesizer was used to create a rendition of the vowel [E] with formant spacing and bandwidths that fit the cat cochlea in proportion to the human cochlea. In these vowels, the spectral envelope is matched to cochlear distance rather than to frequency. Recordings of responses to this cochlear normalized [E] in auditory-nerve fibers of cats demonstrate that rate-based encoding of vowel sounds is capable of distinguishing spectral prominences even at 70-80-dB SPL. When cochlear dimensions are taken into account, rate encoding in ANF appears more informative than was previously believed.
Levodopa peak response time reflects severity of dopamine neuron loss in Parkinson's disease

We measured the time to peak antiparkinson response following injection of levodopa or apomorphine in 57 patients with Parkinson's disease. The peak response time for levodopa fell from 53 ± 6.5 minutes in patients at Hoehn and Yahr stage I-II, and 28 ± 4.8 minutes in those at stage IV (p < 0.0005). There was a significant correlation between levodopa peak response time and symptom duration (r = 0.65; p < 0.0001), but there was no relation between apomorphine peak response time and measures of disease severity. Peak response time to levodopa appears to reflect predominantly the status of compensatory presynaptic dopaminergic mechanisms and thus may provide an index to the degree of dopamine neuron degeneration in parkinsonian patients.
Correlations between 48 human actions improve their detection

Many human actions are correlated, because of compound and/or sequential actions, and similarity. Indeed, human actions are highly correlated in human annotations of 48 actions in the 4,774 videos from visint.org. We exploit such correlations to improve the detection of these 48 human actions, ranging from simple actions such as walk to complex actions such as exchange. We apply a basic pipeline of STIP features, a Random Forest to quantize the features into histograms, and an SVM classifier. First, we show that the sampling for the Random Forest can be improved by exploiting the correlations between human actions. Second, we show that exploiting all 48 actions' posteriors for detecting a particular action also improves further the detection in general. We demonstrate a 50% relative improvement for human action detection in 1,294 realistic test videos.
Susceptibilities to Levofloxacin in Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis Clinical Isolates from Children: Results from 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 TRUST Studies in the United States

ABSTRACT Among respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from children, resistance to penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) increases on an annual basis. Pediatric patients who do not respond to conventional therapy for respiratory tract infections someday may be treated with fluoroquinolones. In this study, MICs of β-lactams, azithromycin, SXT, and levofloxacin were determined and interpreted by using NCCLS guidelines for isolates of S. pneumoniae (2,834 from children and 10,966 from adults), Haemophilus influenzae (629 from children and 2,281 from adults), and Moraxella catarrhalis (389 from children and 1,357 from adults) collected during the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 respiratory illness seasons in the United States as part of the ongoing TRUST surveillance studies. Rates of resistance to penicillin, azithromycin, and SXT were ≥7.5% higher among patients ≤4 years old than among patients 5 to 10, 11 to 17, and ≥18 years old in both the 2000-2001 and the 2001-2002 respiratory illness seasons. Levofloxacin resistance was detected in 2 of 2,834 isolates (0.07%) from patients <18 years old. Levofloxacin MICs of 0.25 to 1 μg/ml accounted for 99.6, 99.5, 99.3, 99.7, 98.4, and 98.0% of isolates from patients <2, 2 to 4, 5 to 10, 11 to 17, 18 to 64, and >64 years old. Multidrug resistance was twice as common among patients ≤4 years old (25.3%) as among patients 5 to 10 years old (13.7%), 11 to 17 years old (11.9%), 18 to 64 years old (12.1%), and >64 years old (12.4%). The most common multidrug resistance phenotype in S. pneumoniae isolates for all age groups was resistance to penicillin, azithromycin, and SXT (70.3 to 76.6%). For H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis isolates from patients <2, 2 to 4, 5 to 10, 11 to 17, 18 to 64, and >64 years old, levofloxacin MICs at which 90% of the isolates were inhibited were 0.015 and 0.03 to 0.06 μg/ml, respectively, in the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 respiratory illness seasons. In the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 respiratory illness season surveillance studies in the United States, 99.9% of pediatric isolates of S. pneumoniae were susceptible to levofloxacin. If fluoroquinolones become a treatment option for pediatric patients, careful monitoring of fluoroquinolone susceptibilities will be increasingly important in future surveillance studies.
The Beginnings of Communication Study in America: A Personal Memoir

Editor's Foreword PART ONE: THE BEGINNINGS OF COMMUNICATION STUDY IN AMERICA The Forefathers of Our Forefathers - Wilbur Schramm Harold D Lasswell Politics, Power, and the Significant Symbol Paul F Lazarsfeld From Market Research to Media Effects to Social Reinforcement Kurt Lewin Field Theory, Groups, and Communication Carl I Hovland Experiments, Attitudes, and Communication The Heritage They Left Us PART TWO: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNICATION STUDY IN AMERICA Wilbur Schramm - Steven H Chaffee and Everett M Rogers The Founder Institutionalization of Advanced Communication Study in American Universities
PSYCHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF AWKWARD MOMENTS TEST FOR SLOVAK POPULATION

The Awkward Moments Test maps understanding of other’s minds in older children and the aim of this study phase was to verify its psychometric parameters (in Slovak population). Participants were elementary school pupils (n = 312) between 10.58 and 15.92 years of age. AMT was administrated together with Imposing Memory Task and Basic Empathy Scale. Results show that 1) AMT has high inter-rater reliability (Intra-class correlation range from 0.985 to 1), 2) the internal consistency of AMT questions was verified (Cronbach’s Alpha range from 0.590 to 0.787), 3) there were no correlations among mind-reading items in AMT, IMT and BES, 4) girls were significantly better than boys in mind-reading, and 5) age differences in mind-reading were found only for children up to 12 years. The conclusion is that the Slovak version of AMT is up to standards and can be used in practice (respecting recommendations on the AMT instructions).
Effect of mangiferin, a naturally occurring glucoxylxanthone, on fear memory in rats

Abstract Mangiferin (1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy-2-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]-xanthen-9-one, CAS 4773-96-0), a naturally occurring glucosylxanthone, is widely distributed in higher plants and a constituent of folk medicine. In the present study the effect of systemic administration of mangiferin on behavioural outcomes of neurological function in normal rats was investigated. A single intraperitoneal injection of mangiferin (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) immediately post-training produced an impairment of long-term memory for aversive training and a reduced freezing in a dose independent manner, when given immediately post-training. The administration of mangiferin 6 h post-training did not affect fear memory. The results indicate that mangiferin might induce deficits of emotionally motivated memory.