Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Static Accommodation and the Minimum Angle of Resolution

ABSTRACT Some simple assumptions lead to the prediction that, under a wide range of practical circumstances, the magnitude of the slope, m, of the linear portion of the static, monocular, accommodation response/stimulus curve is linearly related to the minimum angle of resolution (MAR) achievable by the observer under the conditions of observation in use. This linear relation, of the form | m | = 1 ‐ C(MAR) where C is a constant, would be expected to apply up to the value of MAR at which the slope falls to zero; higher values of MAR would always yield zero slope. Using data from the existing literature, it is shown that the prediction is approximately fulfilled when MAR is varied by blurring the target, by reducing target luminance, by changing target contrast, by altering the retinal location on which the target image falls, or by observer amblyopia. However, the derived value of MAR at which the slope falls to zero is found to vary between about 2 and 40 min arc (i.e., C lies between 0.025 and 0.5 min‐1), depending upon the origin of the variation in MAR. Some possible reasons for this variation are discussed.
Implementation testing of a hybrid symbolic/statistical multimodal architecture

The design and implementation of hybrid symbolic/statistical architectures is a major area of interest in current multimodal system development. Such an architecture attempts to improve multimodal recognition and disambiguation rates by using corpus-based statistics to weight the contributions from various input streams. This is in contrast to current architectures that assume independence between input streams, and combine un-weighted posterior probabilities simply by taking their cross product. Recently a Members, Teams, Committee (MTC) approach for statistically hybridizing the Quickset multimodal system has been put forward on the basis of strong empirical results in an offline analysis. MTC uses small-dimensional input streams as Members, which in turn are input into various Teams where their conditional weights are trained. The Committee then extracts a decision from the output of the Teams. This paper discusses a fully implemented regression test of MTC within Quickset, and our modification of the approach to use more specific training features. We report a relative decrease in multimodal error rate of 30%.
Effects of dietary macronutrient content on energy metabolism and uncoupling protein mRNA expression in broiler chickens

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary macronutrient ratio on energy metabolism and on skeletal muscle mRNA expression of avian uncoupling protein (UCP), thought to be implicated in thermogenesis in birds. Broiler chickens from 2 to 6 weeks of age received one of three isoenergetic diets containing different macronutrient ratios (low-lipid (LL) 30 v. 77 g lipid/kg; low-protein (LP) 125 v. 197 g crude protein (N×6·25)/kg; low-carbohydrate (LC) 440 v. 520 g carbohydrate/kg). LP chickens were characterised by significantly lower body weights and food intakes compared with LL and LC chickens (−47 and −38 % respectively) but similar heat production/kg metabolic body weight, as measured by indirect calorimetry, in the three groups. However, heat production/g food ingested was higher in animals receiving the LP diet (+41 %, P<0·05). These chickens also deposited 57 % less energy as protein (P<0·05) and 33 % more as fat. No significant differences in energy and N balances were detected between LL and LC chickens. The diets with the higher fat contents (i.e. the LP and LC diets) induced slightly but significantly higher relative expressions of avian UCP mRNA in gastrocnemius muscle, measured by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, than the LL diet (88 and 90 v. 78 % glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase respectively, P<0·05). Our present results are consistent with the recent view that UCP homologues could be involved in the regulation of lipid utilisation as fuel substrate and provide evidence that the macronutrient content of the diet regulates energy metabolism and especially protein and fat deposition.
Corrosion monitoring techniques used in water supply systems

AbstractTypical Norwegian drinking water has a high content of natural organic compounds and is acidic and soft, with low alkalinity and low salt content. Such water corrodes the major materials used in potable water systems. Internal corrosion causes water quality deterioration due to release of corrosion products, and increased operational and investment costs due to pipe breakage and increased repair and maintenance requirements. Results are presented of a corrosion monitoring programme conducted for Oslo waterworks, which determined corrosion products (water quality) and corrosion rate (using the linear polarisation rate (LPR) technique and weight loss coupons). Monitoring the turbidity of tap water was shown to be an accurate method of determining the corrosion products from cast iron, steel, and ductile iron pipes, but corrosion products from dissolved metals could only be determined using specific analyses of the metal ions. Corrosion rates determined by the LPR method and weight loss coupons for c.
Interrelations between Glycine Betaine Catabolism and Methionine Biosynthesis in Sinorhizobium meliloti Strain 102F34

ABSTRACT Methionine is produced by methylation of homocysteine. Sinorhizobium meliloti 102F34 possesses only one methionine synthase, which catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from methyl tetrahydrofolate to homocysteine. This vitamin B12-dependent enzyme is encoded by the metH gene. Glycine betaine can also serve as an alternative methyl donor for homocysteine. This reaction is catalyzed by betaine-homocysteine methyl transferase (BHMT), an enzyme that has been characterized in humans and rats. An S. meliloti gene whose product is related to the human BHMT enzyme has been identified and named bmt. This enzyme is closely related to mammalian BHMTs but has no homology with previously described bacterial betaine methyl transferases. Glycine betaine inhibits the growth of an S. meliloti bmt mutant in low- and high-osmotic strength media, an effect that correlates with a decrease in the catabolism of glycine betaine. This inhibition was not observed with other betaines, like homobetaine, dimethylsulfoniopropionate, and trigonelline. The addition of methionine to the growth medium allowed a bmt mutant to recover growth despite the presence of glycine betaine. Methionine also stimulated glycine betaine catabolism in a bmt strain, suggesting the existence of another catabolic pathway. Inactivation of metH or bmt did not affect the nodulation efficiency of the mutants in the 102F34 strain background. Nevertheless, a metH strain was severely defective in competing with the wild-type strain in a coinoculation experiment.
Experiments on the random packing of tetrahedral dice.

Tetrahedra may be the ultimate frustrating, disordered glass forming units. Our experiments on tetrahedral dice indicate the densest (volume fraction phi=0.76+/-.02, compared with phi(sphere)=0.64), most disordered, experimental, random packing of any set of congruent convex objects to date. Analysis of MRI scans yield translational and orientational correlation functions which decay as soon as particles do not touch, much more rapidly than the approximately 6 diameters for sphere correlations to decay. Although there are only 6.3+/-. 5 touching neighbors on average, face-face and edge-face contacts provide enough additional constraints, 12+/-1.6 total, to roughly bring the structure to the isostatic limit for frictionless particles. Randomly jammed tetrahedra form a dense rigid highly uncorrelated material.
[Correlation of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Chlamydia trachomatis infections with male sterility: a meta-analysis of randomized control trials].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the correlation of Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) and Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infections with male sterility. METHODS Data from CBMA and CNKI were searched and studies were made for the correlation of Uu and Ct infections with male sterility by retrieval strategy worked out according to the Collaborative Review Group search strategy. The results were expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The results of 28 clinical controlled trials from 1994 to 2005 were analyzed by software RevMan 4.2. Odds ratio (OR) was applied to the evaluation of the correlation between Uu infection and male sterility. RESULTS Eighty-eight relative trials were retrieved, of which 28 were included in the Meta-analysis. The combined ORs of Uu and Ct infections to male sterility were OR(Uu): 4.73 (95% CI: 3.77-5.94) and OR(Ct): 4.59 (95% CI: 3.24-6.50). CONCLUSION Uu and Ct infections are very important risk factors of sterility in Chinese men.
Prognostic Value of Plasma N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Patients With Severe Sepsis

Background—Increased plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) have been identified as predictors of cardiac dysfunction and prognosis in congestive heart failure and ischemic heart disease. In severe sepsis patients, however, no information is available yet about the prognostic value of natriuretic peptides. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the role of the N-terminal prohormone forms of ANP (NT-proANP) and BNP (NT-proBNP) in the context of outcome of septic patients. Furthermore, the effect of treatment with recombinant human activated protein C [drotrecogin alfa (activated)] on plasma levels of natriuretic peptides in severe sepsis was evaluated. Methods and Results—Fifty-seven patients with severe sepsis were included. Levels of NT-proANP and NT-proBNP were measured on the second day of sepsis by ELISA. Septic patients with NT-proBNP levels >1400 pmol/L were 3.9 times more likely (relative risk [RR], 3.9; 95% CI, 1.6 to 9.7) to die from sepsis than patients with lower NT-proBNP values (P<0.01). NT-proANP levels, however, were not predictive of survival in our patient population. A highly significant correlation was found between troponin I levels and plasma concentrations of NT-proBNP in septic patients (r=0.68, P<0.0001). In addition, troponin I significantly accounted for the variation in NT-proBNP levels (P<0.0001), suggesting an important role for NT-proBNP in the context of cardiac injury and dysfunction in septic patients. Twenty-three septic patients who received treatment with drotrecogin alfa (activated) presented with significantly lower concentrations of NT-proANP, NT-proBNP, and troponin I compared with patients not receiving drotrecogin alfa (activated). Conclusions—NT-proBNP may serve as useful laboratory marker to predict survival in patients presenting with severe sepsis.
Cardiovascular Outcomes in Framingham Participants With Diabetes: The Importance of Blood Pressure

We designed this study to explore to what extent the excess risk of cardiovascular events in diabetic individuals is attributable to hypertension. We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data from the Framingham original and offspring cohorts. Of the 1145 Framingham subjects newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus who did not have a previous history of cardiovascular events, 663 (58%) had hypertension at the time that diabetes mellitus was diagnosed. During 4154 person-years of follow-up, 125 died, and 204 experienced a cardiovascular event. Framingham participants with hypertension at the time of diabetes mellitus diagnosis exhibited higher rates of all-cause mortality (32 versus 20 per 1000 person-years; P<0.001) and cardiovascular events (52 versus 31 per 1000 person-years; P<0.001) compared with normotensive subjects with diabetes mellitus. After adjustment for demographic and clinical covariates, hypertension was associated with a 72% increase in the risk of all-cause death and a 57% increase in the risk of any cardiovascular event in individuals with diabetes mellitus. The population-attributable risk from hypertension in individuals with diabetes mellitus was 30% for all-cause death and 25% for any cardiovascular event (increasing to 44% and 41%, respectively, if the 110 normotensive subjects who developed hypertension during follow-up were excluded from the analysis). In comparison, after adjustment for concurrent hypertension, the population-attributable risk from diabetes mellitus in Framingham subjects was 7% for all-cause mortality and 9% for any cardiovascular disease event. Although diabetes mellitus is associated with increased risks of death and cardiovascular events in Framingham subjects, much of this excess risk is attributable to coexistent hypertension.
Rhenium-186 liposomes as convection-enhanced nanoparticle brachytherapy for treatment of glioblastoma.

Although external beam radiation is an essential component to the current standard treatment of primary brain tumors, its application is limited by toxicity at doses more than 80 Gy. Recent studies have suggested that brachytherapy with liposomally encapsulated radionuclides may be of benefit, and we have reported methods to markedly increase the specific activity of rhenium-186 ((186)Re)-liposomes. To better characterize the potential delivery, toxicity, and efficacy of the highly specific activity of (186)Re-liposomes, we evaluated their intracranial application by convection-enhanced delivery in an orthotopic U87 glioma rat model. After establishing an optimal volume of 25 µL, we observed focal activity confined to the site of injection over a 96-hour period. Doses of up to 1850 Gy were administered without overt clinical or microscopic evidence of toxicity. Animals treated with (186)Re-liposomes had a median survival of 126 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 78.4-173 days), compared with 49 days (95% CI, 44-53 days) for controls. Log-rank analysis between these 2 groups was highly significant (P = .0013) and was even higher when 100 Gy was used as a cutoff (P < .0001). Noninvasive luciferase imaging as a surrogate for tumor volume showed a statistically significant separation in bioluminescence by 11 days after 100 Gy or less treatment between the experimental group and the control animals (χ(2)[1, N= 19] = 4.8; P = . 029). MRI also supported this difference in tumor size. Duplication of tumor volume differences and survival benefit was possible in a more invasive U251 orthotopic model, with clear separation in bioluminescence at 6 days after treatment (χ(2)[1, N= 9] = 4.7; P = . 029); median survival in treated animals was not reached at 120 days because lack of mortality, and log-rank analysis of survival was highly significant (P = .0057). Analysis of tumors by histology revealed minimal areas of necrosis and gliosis. These results support the potential efficacy of the highly specific activity of brachytherapy by (186)Re-liposomes convection-enhanced delivery in glioma.
Racial/Ethnic Group Differences in Bipolar Symptomatology in a Community Sample of Persons With Bipolar I Disorder

To better understand the problems associated with diagnosis of bipolar disorder, especially problems related to race and ethnicity, this study compared whites, African Americans, and Latinos with bipolar I disorder in the presentation of manic symptoms, depressive episodes, functional impairments (Short Form-12), and self-reports of schizophrenia diagnosis. Data for this study were derived from the 2001 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, which are nationally representative of United States households. African Americans and Latinos expressed similar rates in presentation of 14 out of 16 manic symptoms compared with whites, with the exception of grandiosity/self-esteem, in which they were more likely to exhibit this symptom compared with whites. Higher rates of depressive episodes were observed among whites, and these episodes occurred significantly earlier compared with African Americans and Latinos. Latinos had slightly higher vitality scores on the SF-12 measures after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors, but no other differences across the groups were observed. Overall, these data show that the expression and functional impairments of bipolar I disorder is very similar across racial ethnic groups using this community-based sample. This is the first community-based study making such comparisons, with results suggesting that provider biases are more likely to explain problems in misdiagnosis than fundamental differences in the presentation of bipolar disorder across racial/ethnic groups.
ApoE4 Decreases Spine Density and Dendritic Complexity in Cortical Neurons In Vivo

The three human alleles of apolipoprotein E (APOE) differentially influence outcome after CNS injury and affect one's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). It remains unclear how ApoE isoforms contribute to various AD-related pathological changes (e.g., amyloid plaques and synaptic and neuron loss). Here, we systematically examined whether apoE isoforms (E2, E3, E4) exhibit differential effects on dendritic spine density and morphology in APOE targeted replacement (TR) mice, which lack AD pathological changes. Using Golgi staining, we found age-dependent effects of APOE4 on spine density in the cortex. The APOE4 TR mice had significantly reduced spine density at three independent time points (4 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year, 27.7% ± 7.4%, 24.4% ± 8.6%, and 55.6% ± 10.5%, respectively) compared with APOE3 TR mice and APOE2 TR mice. Additionally, in APOE4 TR mice, shorter spines were evident compared with other APOE TR mice at 1 year. APOE2 TR mice exhibited longer spines as well as significantly increased apical dendritic arborization in the cortex compared with APOE4 and APOE3 TR mice at 4 weeks. However, there were no differences in spine density across APOE genotypes in hippocampus. These findings demonstrate that apoE isoforms differentially affect dendritic complexity and spine formation, suggesting a role for APOE genotypes not only in acute and chronic brain injuries including AD, but also in normal brain functions.
Compact polarimetry based on symmetry properties of geophysical media: the /spl pi//4 mode

We assess the performance of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) compact polarimetry architectures based on mixed basis measurements, where the transmitter polarization is either circular or orientated at 45/spl deg/(/spl pi//4), and the receivers are at horizontal and vertical polarizations with respect to the radar line of sight. An original algorithm is proposed to reconstruct the full polarimetric (FP) information from this architecture. The performance assessment is twofold: it first concerns the level of information preserved in comparison with FP, both for point target analysis and crop fields classification, using L-band SIRC/XSAR images acquired over Landes forest and Jet Propulsion Laboratory AIRSAR images acquired over Flevoland. Then, it addresses the space implementation complexity, in terms of processed swath, downloading features, power budget, calibration, and ionospheric effects. The polarization uniqueness in transmission of this mixed basis mode, hereafter referred to as the /spl pi//4 mode, maintains the standard lower pulse repetition frequency operation and hence maximizes the coverage of the sensor. Because of the mismatch between transmitter and receiver basis, the power budget is deteriorated by a factor of 3 dB, but it can partly be compensated.
The yeast Ty1 retrotransposon requires components of the nuclear pore complex for transcription and genomic integration

Abstract Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) orchestrate cargo between the cytoplasm and nucleus and regulate chromatin organization. NPC proteins, or nucleoporins (Nups), are required for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gene expression and genomic integration of viral DNA. We utilize the Ty1 retrotransposon of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) to study retroviral integration because retrotransposons are the progenitors of retroviruses and have conserved integrase (IN) enzymes. Ty1-IN targets Ty1 elements into the genome upstream of RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcribed genes such as transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. Evidence that S. cerevisiae tRNA genes are recruited to NPCs prompted our investigation of a functional role for the NPC in Ty1 targeting into the genome. We find that Ty1 mobility is reduced in multiple Nup mutants that cannot be accounted for by defects in Ty1 gene expression, cDNA production or Ty1-IN nuclear entry. Instead, we find that Ty1 insertion upstream of tRNA genes is impaired. We also identify Nup mutants with wild type Ty1 mobility but impaired Ty1 targeting. The NPC nuclear basket, which interacts with chromatin, is required for both Ty1 expression and nucleosome targeting. Deletion of components of the NPC nuclear basket causes mis-targeting of Ty1 elements to the ends of chromosomes.
The theory underlying dose‐response models influences predictions for intermittent exposures

Prediction of pulsed or intermittent exposure effects on populations is emerging as an important issue in ecotoxicology. However, the underlying theory of the dose‐response models has not been tested rigorously enough to provide a true understanding for predicting the effects of pulsed exposures. Since its introduction, the individual effective dose (IED) theory has remained the dominant explanation in the literature. The present study tested whether the IED theory is the dominant explanation for the probit model (or similar models) for both copper sulfate (CuSO4) and sodium pentachlorophenol (NaPCP). Three groups of amphipods (Hyalella azteca) were first exposed to lethal, sublethal, and zero concentrations of each toxicant. After recovery, all survivors were exposed to lethal concentrations, and their mortalities during a second exposure were compared. Under the specific concentrations and durations used, stochastic processes were dominant for CuSO4. Both stochasticity and IED appeared to be relevant for NaPCP, but stochasticity dominated the dynamics. Current ecotoxicology tests should include assessment of the underlying dynamics as one of the first steps of studying pulsed or intermittent exposure effects.
A generalization of permanent inequalities and applications in counting and optimization

A polynomial pΕℝ[z1,…,zn] is real stable if it has no roots in the upper-half complex plane. Gurvits's permanent inequality gives a lower bound on the coefficient of the z1z2…zn monomial of a real stable polynomial p with nonnegative coefficients. This fundamental inequality has been used to attack several counting and optimization problems. Here, we study a more general question: Given a stable multilinear polynomial p with nonnegative coefficients and a set of monomials S, we show that if the polynomial obtained by summing up all monomials in S is real stable, then we can lower bound the sum of coefficients of monomials of p that are in S. We also prove generalizations of this theorem to (real stable) polynomials that are not multilinear. We use our theorem to give a new proof of Schrijver's inequality on the number of perfect matchings of a regular bipartite graph, generalize a recent result of Nikolov and Singh, and give deterministic polynomial time approximation algorithms for several counting problems.