Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measles virus infection of B lymphocytes permits cellular activation but blocks progression through the cell cycle

Measles virus infection of unstimulated B lymphocytes suppresses both proliferation and differentiation into immunoglobulin-secreting cells. However, mitogenic stimulation of these infected cells results in cell volume enlargement, rapid RNA synthesis, and the expression of cell surface activation antigens 4F2, HLA-DS, and transferrin receptor. The cellular genes c-myc and histone 2B are induced during early G1 and S phase of the cell cycle, respectively, and viral RNA synthesis can be detected during this interval. However, total RNA synthesis is decreased at 48 h after stimulation, and the histone 2B RNA steady-state level at 48 h is fivefold less than that in uninfected cells. This sequence of events defines an arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle in measles virus-infected B cells.
Identity Management Strategies in Northern Ireland

Abstract Social identity theory suggests that individuals and groups use different identity management strategies to cope with threatened identities. In October 1998, the authors developed 5 identity management strategy scales for use in the changing political context of Northern Ireland and investigated the relationship of perceptions of stability and legitimacy, as well as in-group identification, to those strategies. Participants were 209 students of the University of Ulster and the Belfast Institute. The results supported the factor structure of the identity management strategy scales. Perceptions of stability and legitimacy and in-group identification were, however, correlated with some strategies only. That finding may indicate that some identity management strategies are related to psychological constructs not covered by social identity theory.
Filaggrin silencing by shRNA directly impairs the skin barrier function of normal human epidermal keratinocytes and then induces an immune response

The objective of this study was to investigate whether a single defect in skin barrier function simulated by filaggrin silencing could induce Th2-predominant inflammation. Filaggrin gene expression was silenced in cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) using small hairpin RNA (shRNA, GTTGGCTCAAGCATATTATTT). The efficacy of silencing was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting. Filaggrin-silenced cells (LV group), shRNA control cells (NC group), and noninfected cells (Blank group) were evaluated. The expression of cornified cell envelope-related proteins, including cytokeratin (CK)-5, -10, -14, loricrin, involucrin, and transglutaminase (TGM)-1, was detected by Western blotting. Interleukins (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-12p70, IL-13, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After filaggrin was successfully silenced by shRNA, the expressions of CK-5, -10, -14, involucrin, and TGM-1 in NHEKs were significantly downregulated compared to the Blank and NC groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01); only loricrin expression was markedly upregulated (P<0.01). Filaggrin silencing also resulted in significant increases of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and significant decreases of IL-12p70 and IFN-γ (P<0.01) compared with cells in the Blank and NC groups. Filaggrin silencing impaired normal skin barrier function mainly by targeting the cornified cell envelope. The immune response after filaggrin silencing was characterized by Th2 cells, mainly because of the inhibition of IFN-γ expression. Lack of filaggrin may directly impair skin barrier function and then further induce the immune response.
Prolonged Cardiac Effects of Momentary Assessed Stressful Events and Worry Episodes

Objectives: To test the hypothesize that increased heart rate (HR) and decreased heart rate variability (HRV) are not only due to concurrent stressful events and worries but also to stressors and worries occurring in the preceding hours or stressors anticipated to occur in the next hour. Worry was expected to mediate at least part of the prolonged effects of stressors. Methods: Ambulatory HR and HRV of 73 teachers were recorded for 4 days, during which the participants reported occurrence and duration of worry episodes and stressful events on an hourly basis, using computerized diaries. Multilevel regression models were used, accounting for effects of several biobehavioral variables. Results: Stressful events were not associated with changes in HR or HRV. However, worry episodes had effects on concurrent HR and HRV (2.55 beats/minute; −5.76 milliseconds) and HR and HRV in the succeeding hour (3.05 beats/minute; −5.80 milliseconds) and 2 hours later (1.52 beats/minute; −3.14 milliseconds). These findings were independent of emotions, physical activity, posture, and other biobehavioral factors. Conclusion: Worry has effects on cardiac activity, and these effects were still visible after 2 hours. The latter finding suggests that a considerable part of prolonged activation may be induced by unconscious stress-related cognition. CV = cardiovascular disease; HR = heart rate; HRV = heart rate variability; BP = blood pressure; BMI = body mass index; ECG = electrocardiogram.
FPGA implementation of real-time head-shoulder detection using local binary patterns, SVM and foreground object detection

Pedestrian detection is an important feature in an advanced, automated video surveillance system. Unfortunately in most situations cameras are mounted in a way that, due to perspective, walking humans are occluded by each other or stationary objects and detecting a whole silhouette is not possible. But heads and shoulders are not occluded in most cases and can be used for object classification (human or not human) or for pedestrian counting. In the article a system implemented in FPGA for head-shoulder detection is presented. It is based on Local Binary Patterns for feature extraction and Support Vector Machines for classification. To reduce the false positives rate, foreground object detection is used as an additional validation criteria. The final system was implemented in a Xilinx Virtex 6 FPGA and is able to process a video stream of resolution 640×480@60 fps in real time.
Antimony and arsenic dispersion in the Macleay River catchment, New South Wales: a study of the environmental geochemical consequences

A baseline geochemical study of stream sediments and waters of the Macleay River catchment in northeastern New South Wales indicates that although most of the catchment is unaffected by anthropogenic or natural inputs of heavy metals and metalloids, the Bakers Creek – trunk Macleay-floodplain system has been strongly affected by mining-derived Sb and As. The dispersion train from the Hillgrove Sb – Au mining area to the Pacific Ocean is over 300 km in length. Ore and mineralised altered rock from Hillgrove contains vein, breccia-hosted and disseminated stibnite, arsenopyrite, pyrite and traces of gold. Historic (pre-1970) mine-waste disposal practices have resulted in high to extreme contamination of stream sediments and waters by Sb and As for ∼50 km downstream, with high Au values in the sediments. In this high-energy fluvial interval, average values of Sb in stream sediment exceed the catchment background (1.1 ppm Sb) by a factor exceeding 200. Similarly, average As values exceed catchment background (7.9 ppm As) by a factor of over 20. Drinking-water guideline values for Sb and As are exceeded by one to three orders of magnitude. Further downstream, stream sediments and floodplain sediments have lower Sb and As contents, although Sb values consistently exceed current interim sediment quality guideline values. Water quality in the trunk Macleay is not strongly affected and drinking-water guideline values for Sb and As are only exceeded locally. Although small volumes of near-neutral mine-water seepages at Hillgrove contain extreme values of dissolved Sb and As, it is likely that much of the stream-water loadings of Sb and As have been liberated from reaction with contaminated stream sediments under near-neutral oxidising conditions. It is demonstrated that Sb and, to a lesser extent As, are bioavailable, with uptake into common riparian vegetation and aquatic alga species. Flood dispersion of contaminated sediment over the Macleay floodplain has formed a layer up to 60 cm thick. In this environment, mobility and bioavailability of Sb and As occur in reducing organic-rich conditions in backswamps, oxidising acidic conditions attending acid sulfate soils and in contemporary pasture and crop growth. Estimates of sediment migration rates and amounts of Sb and As transported in suspension and solution imply that the catchment contamination will be long-term (centuries to millennia) such that environmental effects need to be ascertained and management strategies implemented.
Long-Term Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Liver Enzymes in the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) Study

Background and Aim Obesity is associated with elevated serum transaminase levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and weight loss is a recommended therapeutic strategy. Bariatric surgery is effective in obtaining and maintaining weight loss. Aim of the present study was to examine the long-term effects of bariatric surgery on transaminase levels in obese individuals. Methods The Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study is a prospective controlled intervention study designed to compare the long-term effects of bariatric surgery and usual care in obese subjects. A total of 3,570 obese participants with no excess of alcohol consumption at baseline (1,795 and 1,775 in the control and surgery group, respectively) were included in the analyses. Changes in transaminase levels during follow-up were compared in the surgery and control groups. Results Compared to usual care, bariatric surgery was associated with lower serum ALT and AST levels at 2- and 10- year follow up. The reduction in ALT levels was proportional to the degree of weight loss. Both the incidence of and the remission from high transaminase levels were more favorable in the surgery group compared to the control group. Similarly, the prevalence of ALT/AST ratio <1 was lower in the surgery compared to the control group at both 2- and 10-year follow up. Conclusions Bariatric surgery results in a sustained reduction in transaminase levels and a long-term benefit in obese individuals.
Three-dimensional electrical conductivity structure beneath Australia from inversion of geomagnetic observatory data: evidence for lateral variations in transition-zone temperature, water content and melt

In this paper, we report the 3-D electrical conductivity distribution beneath the Australian continent in the depth range 410–1600 km, which we have imaged by inverting C-response estimates from a regional network of geomagnetic observatories. The inversion scheme is based on a quasi-Newton optimization method while the forward algorithm relies on an integral-equation approach. To properly account for the ocean effect in responses at coastal observatories we included a high-resolution (1° × 1°) fixed thin laterally varying surface conductance layer. As starting model in the inversion we considered a laboratory-based 3-D conductivity model of the region obtained from seismic surface wave data and thermodynamic modelling. This model provides a good fit to observed C-response estimates supporting its choice as initial model. The most striking feature of the obtained 3-D model is a high-conductivity anomaly in the lower part of the mantle transition zone (MTZ; 520–660 km depth) beneath southeastern Australia implying considerable lateral as radial heterogeneity in the conductivity structure. The high-conductivity region appears to be 0.5–1 log units more conductive than previous global and other regionalized 1-D models. Further analysis using laboratory-based conductivity models combined with thermochemical phase equilibrium computations shows that the strong conductivity anomaly implies water contents of around 0.1 wt per cent in the upper part and >0.4 wt per cent in the lower part of the MTZ. This implies a large MTZ water reservoir that likely totals one to three times that which currently resides in the oceans. The amount of water in the lower MTZ appears to exceed the experimentally determined water storage capacity of the main lower MTZ mineral ringwoodite, which, as a result, undergoes dehydration-induced partial melting. Including contributions to conductivity from a thin melt layer (20 km thick) located in the mid-MTZ increases conductivity locally in the melt layer to ∼1 S m−1, that is, about 0.5 log units more conductive than the average surrounding mantle. This provides an adequate explanation for the strong conductivity anomalies observed beneath part of the continent and points to lateral variations in melt in the MTZ.
Virtual Sound Rendering in a Stereophonic Loudspeaker Setup

This paper presents a mathematical analysis of the effects of interchannel amplitude and time differences in two channel (stereophonic) sound systems. The analysis is developed by computing the acoustic conditions at the listener's ears as a function of the stereophonic signal feature. We also present separate approximations of head-related transfer function (HRTF)-based panning according to predefined frequency bands. We attempt to create non-sophisticated models of the stereophonic listening mechanism with approximations in both the time and frequency domains. The models are based upon psychoacoustical theories that present the frequency-dependent relative importance of acoustical cues. Based on the model, we propose new panning methods that can enhance the localization accuracy of conventional panning methods, such as amplitude panning and HRTF-based panning. The localization performances of the new panning techniques are evaluated and compared by means of auditory model simulations and listening tests. Through simulations and listening test results, it is shown that the proposed panning method makes substantial improvements in the localization of virtual sources.
Hepatitis E virus superinfection in patients with chronic liver disease

Infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) can cause severe illness in adult patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) caused by hepatitis C. In endemic areas such as South Asia, however, most adult patients already have been exposed to HAV but could still be susceptible to hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. We document that HEV superinfection in 4 of our CLD patients caused severe liver decompensation. We then determined the seroprevalence of HAV and HEV in 233 patients with stable CLD, with the goal of defining the need for protection against these viruses in these patients. Overall, 41 (17.5%) of 233 CLD patients were HEV antibody immunoglobulin G (IgG)–positive, and 228 of 233 (97.8%) were HAV IgG–positive. As controls, we tested 90 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy volunteer blood donors for HAV and HEV antibodies IgG. There was no difference in the percentage of CLD patients and blood donors positive for HEV antibody IgG (17.7% vs. 17.5%) or for HAV IgG (97.8% vs. 94%). No differences were observed in the severity of liver disease between previously HEV‐exposed and ‐nonexposed patients. In conclusion, superinfection with HEV in patients with underlying CLD can cause severe hepatic decompensation leading to increased morbidity and mortality. The large majority of adult CLD patients in endemic countries are vulnerable to infection with HEV, but are protected against hepatitis A, and are ideal candidates for an HEV vaccine.
Influence of three different training programs on strength and speed of a limb movement.

Abstract The experiment was designed to compare the effects of isometric-isotonic (A), dynamic-overload (B), and free swing (C) exercise programs on the speed and strength of a lateral arm movement The 26 college men in each group—three experimental and one control—were given pre- and post-training speed and strength trials. Each experimental group performed its assigned exercise twice a week during the 10-week training period. Reliability coefficients for both strength and speed of movement measurements were found to be high. Following training there were significant speed increases in both the isometric-isotonic and dynamic-overload groups (t=10.06 and 8.10; however, the difference in speed gain between conditions was nonsignificant (F=.10). Also, strength increases in both of these groups were significant (t=8.81 and 3.08), with that of the isometric-isotonic group significantly greater than the dynamic-overload group (F=5.11). No significant speed or strength gains were registered by either the free s.
Effect of breed type and sex on the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous and intramuscular lipids of finishing steers and heifers.

Effects of breed type and sex on the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous neutral lipid and intramuscular neutral and phospholipids of longissimus lumborum muscle were investigated using 145 steers and 82 heifers that consisted of pure Japanese Black and Holstein and crossbreds among Japanese Black, Holstein, Japanese Brown, and Charolais. Steers and heifers were reared on a high plane of nutrition and were fed the same concentrate diet and rice straw. All animals were slaughtered serially and carcass composition was determined by dissection of the left side of the carcass. Breed type and sex differences of fatty acid percentages of carcass lipids were compared by adjusting the percentages to mean carcass fat percentages. Heifers had higher contents of 18:1 and total monounsaturated fatty acids in subcutaneous and intramuscular neutral lipids than steers (P < .05). The fatty acid composition of intramuscular phospholipids differed between sexes for 16:0, 20:1, and 20:5, but the differences were small. Breed differences were significant (P < .05) in steers for 16:0, 16:1, 18:1, and total saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in both subcutaneous and intramuscular neutral lipids, and iso-16:0, 16:0, and total saturated fatty acids in phospholipids, respectively. However, in heifers, fewer fatty acids differed (P < .05) among breed types in the neutral lipids. It is suggested that the Japanese Black has a genetic predisposition for producing carcass lipids containing higher concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids than Holstein, Japanese Brown, or Charolais.
Two new Emsian (Early Devonian) U–Pb zircon ages from volcanic rocks of the Rhenish Massif (Germany): implications for the Devonian time scale

So far, only few biostratigraphically well-constrained isotopic ages constitute the geochronological framework of the Devonian period. To expand this sparse dataset, two new U–Pb isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) zircon ages were obtained from volcanic rocks of the Rhenish Massif (Germany). These rocks are interbedded in Emsian (Lower Devonian) marine sedimentary successions that are well documented by index fossils. Given that the U–Pb zircon data represent primary crystallization and eruption ages, they provide an important contribution to the Devonian time scale. The older sample, a stratiform volcaniclastic layer (Hans-Platte) is collected from Bundenbach (Hunsrück), the type locality of the Lower Emsian Hunsrück Slate. A cluster of five coherent single-zircon analyses obtained from this layer yielded a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 407.7 ± 0.7 Ma, which is regarded as the time of eruption of the pyroclastic rock. Biostratigraphically, the layer can be assigned to the upper part of the Polygnathus excavatus conodont zone. The younger U–Pb age was obtained from the Global Stratotype Section and Stratigraphic Point section at Wetteldorf (Eifel), where the K-bentonite ‘Hercules I’ is intercalated 13 m below the Lower–Middle Devonian boundary in the uppermost part of the Polygnathus costatus patulus conodont zone. Some of the 19 single-zircon analyses obtained from this bentonite appear to document significant influences of inheritance. The 13 youngest points are, however, concordant and form an elongated cluster along concordia with 206Pb/238U ages between 392.2 and 407.7 Ma. Given the (risky) assumption that this age scattering is exclusively caused by varying amounts of inheritance, the youngest point of this cluster represents the analysis with the least or no inheritance. In this case, its 206Pb/238U age of 392.2 ± 1.5 Ma should approach the eruptional age of the bentonite. The ages presented here in combination with U–Pb ID-TIMS zircon and monazite ages from other workers allow a recalibration of the early Emsian to early Eifelian interval of the Devonian time scale. The result is a duration of the Emsian stage (excluding the basal Emsian P. kitabicus conodont zone) of more than 17.2 Ma and an Emsian–Eifelian (= Early–Middle Devonian) boundary age of 391.8 ± 0.4 Ma.
Early Fiber Number Ratio Is a Surrogate of Corticospinal Tract Integrity and Predicts Motor Recovery After Stroke

Background and Purpose— The contribution of imaging metrics to predict poststroke motor recovery needs to be clarified. We tested the added value of early diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the corticospinal tract toward predicting long-term motor recovery. Methods— One hundred seventeen patients were prospectively assessed at 24 to 72 hours and 1 year after ischemic stroke with diffusion tensor imaging and motor scores (Fugl-Meyer). The initial fiber number ratio (iFNr) and final fiber number ratio were computed as the number of streamlines along the affected corticospinal tract normalized to the unaffected side and were compared with each other. The prediction of motor recovery (&Dgr;Fugl-Meyer) was first modeled using initial Fugl-Meyer and iFNr. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression models were also used to study the association of iFNr, initial Fugl-Meyer, age, and stroke volume with Fugl-Meyer at 1 year. Results— The iFNr correlated with the final fiber number ratio at 1 year (r=0.70; P<0.0001). The initial Fugl-Meyer strongly predicted motor recovery (≈73% of initial impairment) for all patients except those with initial severe stroke (Fugl-Meyer<50). For these severe patients (n=26), initial Fugl-Meyer was not correlated with motor recovery (R2=0.13; p=ns), whereas iFNr showed strong correlation (R2=0.56; P<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, the iFNr was an independent predictor of motor outcome (&bgr;=2.601; 95% confidence interval=0.304–5.110; P=0.031), improving prediction compared with using only initial Fugl-Meyer, age, and stroke volume (P=0.026). Conclusions— Early measurement of FNr at 24 to 72 hours poststroke is a surrogate marker of corticospinal tract integrity and provides independent prediction of motor outcome at 1 year especially for patients with severe initial impairment.
Identifying Class Size Effects in Developing Countries: Evidence from Rural Schools in Bolivia

Although class size has attracted great interest as a policy instrument, inferences on its effects are controversial. Recent work highlights a particular way to consider the endogeneity issues that affect this variable: class size is often correlated with enrollment, which may in turn be related to socioeconomic status. In Bolivia, the author shows, these correlations are significant. Building from institutional arrangements that determine pupil-teacher ratios in rural areas, the author implements two research designs to deal with this issue. The first uses a teacher allocation pattern as an instrumental variable; the second relies on variation from remote schools with a single class per grade. Both suggest that class size has a negative effect on test scores.