Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Semi-Circular Canals Anomalies//Idiopathic Scoliosis

Thanks to a novel modelling programme to detect anomalies in the membranous semi circular canals (SSC) of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) we found severe anomalies mainly located in lateral SCC devoted to trunk rotation and lateral deviations. We also found a specific communication between the lateral and posterior canal involving the utricular chamber which is also highly suspected in scoliosis. Key points: - Membranous semi circular canals (SCC) modelling based on MRI revealed significant anomalies in IS patients compared to normal subjects. - Frequent aplasias located in the lateral canal were found in IS. - We also discovered a, never described, abnormal communication between lateral and posterior canal. - Lateral SCC is involved in trunk rotation and lateral deviation: these movements are frequently abnormal in IS. Supports: Fondation Yves Cotrel pour la recherche en pathologie rachidienne. Institut de France, Paris. SHFJ/CEA Orsay in the frame of the cooperation through IFR 49 INSERM/CNRS France.
Decreased Survival of Glioma Patients with Astrocytoma Grade IV (Glioblastoma Multiforme) Associated with Long-Term Use of Mobile and Cordless Phones

On 31 May 2011 the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) categorised radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) from mobile phones, and from other devices that emit similar non-ionising electromagnetic fields, as a Group 2B, i.e., a “possible”, human carcinogen. A causal association would be strengthened if it could be shown that the use of wireless phones has an impact on the survival of glioma patients. We analysed survival of 1678 glioma patients in our 1997–2003 and 2007–2009 case-control studies. Use of wireless phones in the >20 years latency group (time since first use) yielded an increased hazard ratio (HR) = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2–2.3 for glioma. For astrocytoma grade IV (glioblastoma multiforme; n = 926) mobile phone use yielded HR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.4–2.9 and cordless phone use HR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.04–11 in the same latency category. The hazard ratio for astrocytoma grade IV increased statistically significant per year of latency for wireless phones, HR = 1.020, 95% CI = 1.007–1.033, but not per 100 h cumulative use, HR = 1.002, 95% CI = 0.999–1.005. HR was not statistically significant increased for other types of glioma. Due to the relationship with survival the classification of IARC is strengthened and RF-EMF should be regarded as human carcinogen requiring urgent revision of current exposure guidelines.
Evolution of brightest cluster galaxies in X ray clusters

A recent paper presents the analysis of the K-band Hubble diagram of 76 brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in X-ray clusters and shows that the properties of BCGs depend on the X-ray luminosity (L X ) of their host clusters. Unfortunately, the low numbers of nearby clusters in this sample makes it difficult to constrain evolutionary trends. In this letter we extend the Hubble diagram of Burke, Collins & Mann to a total of 155 clusters using new data on 79 BCGs at z ≤ 0.1 from the 2MASS extended source catalogue. We show that the major division between BCGs in high- and low-L X clusters disappears at z ≤ 0.1, with BCGs having similar absolute magnitudes independent of the X-ray luminosity of their host clusters. At larger redshifts, the K-band light of BCGs in high-L X systems is consistent with little or no merging back to z ∼ 0.8, whereas BCGs in the low-L X systems have a different evolutionary history, with many increasing their mass by a factor ≥4 since z ≃ 1. This provides direct evidence of hierarchical merging in a galaxy population.
Neurovascular Factors in Wound Healing in the Foot Skin of Type 2 Diabetic Subjects

OBJECTIVE Delayed wound healing in diabetic patients without large-vessel disease has been attributed to microvascular dysfunction, neuropathy, and abnormal cellular and inflammatory responses. The role of these abnormalities has mainly been examined in animal models. Few studies have been undertaken in diabetic patients, and those that have are limited due to analysis in wounds from chronic ulcers. In this study, we quantified the rate of wound healing in relation to skin neurovascular function and structure following a dorsal foot skin biopsy in type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twelve healthy control subjects and 12 type 2 diabetic subjects with neuropathy but without macrovascular disease were studied. We quantified rate of wound healing and related it to skin microvascular function (laser Doppler imager [LDI](max)), blood vessel density, small nerve fiber function (LDI(flare)) and nerve fiber density, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor (FLK1), and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha expression. RESULTS The rate of wound closure was identical between control subjects and diabetic patients despite a significant reduction in maximum hyperemia (LDI(max)), epidermal and dermal VEGF-A, and epidermal and dermal blood vessel VEGFR-2 expression as well as the neurogenic flare response (LDI(flare)) and dermal nerve fiber density. There was no significant difference in HIF-1alpha and dermal blood vessel density between control subjects and diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that wound closure in subjects with type 2 diabetes is not delayed despite significant alterations in neurovascular function and structure.
Resilience and anti-Ramsey properties of sparse random graphs and dense hypergraphs

This thesis contains three theorems in graph theory and their proofs. The first result is a optimal (k-2)-degree condition for the existence of Hamiltonian cycles in hypergraphs. We describe a well-known extremal example X_{k,l} for k >= 3 and l < k/2, a k-uniform hypergraph which contains no Hamiltonian l-cycle, and prove that any sufficiently large hypergraph H with δ_{k-2}(H) > δ_{k-2}(X_{k,l}) contains a Hamiltonian l-cycle. The second result is a transference of the bandwidth theorem to sparse random graphs. For p > C (log n/n)^(1/Δ), we show that asymptotically almost surely for any subgraph G of G(n,p) with a minimum degree of at least ((k-1)/k + o(n))pn each vertex neighbourhood contains many copies of K_s the following holds: Let H be a graph on n vertices with maximum degree at most ∆, bandwidth at most βn and suppose that there is a proper k-colouring of H and at least Ω(p^(-2)) vertices in H whose neighbourhood contains only s colours. Then G contains H. The third result gives the thresholds for G(n,p) to have the rainbow Ramsey property for cliques. An upper bound on the threshold for general graphs was proved before and for cliques on at least 19 vertices the matching lower bound was also known. We prove a matching lower bound on the threshold for all cliques on at least 5 vertices and prove matching lower and upper bounds for K_4.
Weak convergence of some classes of martingales with jumps

This paper deals with weak convergence of stochastic integrals with respect to multivariate point processes. The results are given in terms of an entropy condition for partitioning of the index set of the integrands, which is a sort of L 2 -bracketing. We also consider ∞-valued martingale difference arrays, and present natural generalizations of Jain-Marcus's and Ossiander's central limit theorems. As an application, the asymptotic behavior of log-likelihood ratio random fields in general statistical experiments with parameters is derived.
WATER QUALITY MODEL OUTPUT UNCERTAINTY AS AFFECTED BY SPATIAL RESOLUTION OF INPUT DATA 1

ABSTRACT: Resolution of the input GIS data used to parameterize distributed‐parameter hydrologic/water quality models may affect uncertainty in model outputs and impact the subsequent application of model results in watershed management. In this study we evaluated the impact of varying spatial resolutions of DEM, land use, and soil data (30 × 30 m, 100 × 100 m, 150 × 150 m, 200 × 200 m, 300 × 300 m, 500 × 500 m, and 1,000 × 1,000 m) on the uncertainty of SWAT predicted flow, sediment, NO3‐N, and TP transport. Inputs included measured hydrologic, meteorological, and watershed characteristics as well as water quality data from the Moores Creek watershed in Washington County, Arkansas. The SWAT model output was most affected by input DEM data resolution. A coarser DEM data resolution resulted in decreased representation of watershed area and slope and increased slope length. Distribution of pasture, forest, and urban areas within the watershed was significantly affected at coarser resolution of land use and resulted in significant uncertainty in predicted sediment, NO3‐N, and TP output. Soils data resolution had no significant effect on flow and NO3‐N predictions; however, sediment was overpredicted by 26 percent, and TP was underpredicted by 26 percent at 1,000 m resolution. This may be due to change in relative distribution of various hydrologic soils groups (HSGs) in the watershed. Minimum resolution for input GIS data to achieve less than 10 percent model output error depended upon the output variable of interest. For flow, sediment, NO3‐N, and TP predictions, minimum DEM data resolution should range from 30 to 300 m, whereas minimum land use and soils data resolution should range from 300 to 500 m.
Long Memory, Realized Volatility and Heterogeneous Autoregressive Models

The presence of long memory in realized volatility (RV) is a widespread stylized fact. The origins of long memory in RV have been attributed to jumps, structural breaks, contemporaneous aggregation, nonlinearities, or pure long memory. An important development has been the heterogeneous autoregressive (HAR) model and its extensions. This article assesses the separate roles of fractionally integrated long memory models, extended HAR models and time varying parameter HAR models. We find that the presence of the long memory parameter is often important in addition to the HAR models.
The Effect of a Refractory Period on the Power Spectrum of Neuronal Discharge

The interspike intervals in steady-state neuron firing are assumed to be independently and identically distributed random variables. In the simplest model discussed, each interval is assumed to be the sum of a random neuron refractory period and a statistically independent interval due to a stationary external process, whose statistics are assumed known. The power spectral density (hence the autocorrelation) of the composite neuron-firing renewal process is derived from the known spectrum of the external process and from the unknown spectrum of the neuron-refraction process. The results are applied to spike trains recorded in a previous study [2] of single neurons in the visual cortex of an awake monkey. Two models are demonstrated that may produce peaks in the power spectrum near 40 Hz.
COMMON PATTERNS IN THE EVOLUTION BETWEEN THE LUMINOUS NEUTRON STAR LOW-MASS X-RAY BINARY SUBCLASSES

The X-ray transient XTE J1701–462 was the first source observed to evolve through all known subclasses of low-magnetic-field neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries (NS-LMXBs), as a result of large changes in its mass accretion rate. To investigate to what extent similar evolution is seen in other NS-LMXBs we have performed a detailed study of the color–color and hardness–intensity diagrams (CDs and HIDs) of Cyg X-2, Cir X-1, and GX 13+1—three luminous X-ray binaries, containing weakly magnetized neutron stars, known to exhibit strong secular changes in their CD/HID tracks. Using the full set of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer Proportional Counter Array data collected for the sources over the 16 year duration of the mission, we show that Cyg X-2 and Cir X-1 display CD/HID evolution with close similarities to XTE J1701–462. Although GX 13+1 shows behavior that is in some ways unique, it also exhibits similarities to XTE J1701–462, and we conclude that its overall CD/HID properties strongly indicate that it should be classified as a Z source, rather than as an atoll source. We conjecture that the secular evolution of Cyg X-2, Cir X-1, and GX 13+1—illustrated by sequences of CD/HID tracks we construct—arises from changes in the mass accretion rate. Our results strengthen previous suggestions that within single sources Cyg-like Z source behavior takes place at higher luminosities and mass accretion rates than Sco-like Z behavior, and lend support to the notion that the mass accretion rate is the primary physical parameter distinguishing the various NS-LMXB subclasses.
Personal and socio-ecological resilience resources among school-going teenage mothers: An exploratory study

This qualitative study explored the self-perceived personal and socio-ecological resilience resources that enabled teenage mothers to cope with early parenthood and school in a South African school. Participants were a convenient sample of ten school-going teenage mothers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Their ages ranged from 16–19 years and they were in grades 10 to 12. Four teenage mothers took part in individual semi-structured interviews while six took part in a focus group interview. The interviews focused on personal and socio-ecological resilience resources that enabled their resilience as early mothers and learners. Thematic analysis of the data suggested personal resilience resources of the teenage mothers that include a positive outlook on life, a sense of humour, tenacity, toughness, determination, religiosity, and prayerfulness. Regarding social-ecological resilience resources, the teen mothers self-reported social capital from biological parents, partners, peers, teachers and pastors.
Trajectories of Parenting Styles and Delinquency: An Examination Using a Sample of African-Americans

The development of parenting style typologies has led to a number of studies that have linked them to delinquency. Although a number of studies have shown that parenting style typologies have a link with delinquency, studies have not shown whether there were distinct trajectories of parenting styles and delinquency. These studies have not considered this in a sample of only African-Americans. Using data from the NLSY97 that only contains 725 African- Americans, our results show that three distinct trajectory groups of parenting styles are present for residential mothers and for residential fathers. In addition, we show that three distinct trajectory groups of delinquency are present. Our results show that a joint analysis of the intersection of these trajectories does not clarify the links between parenting styles and delinquency over time. Implications and directions for future research are highlighted.
Downstream Targets of Lmo4 Are Modulated by Cisplatin in the Inner Ear of Wistar Rats

Lmo4, a transcriptional regulator, appears to be a key player in mediating the cochlear pathology in cisplatin ototoxicity, as it controls cellular responses by modulating the formation of transcriptional complexes. We provided the first evidence of in vivo nitration of Lmo4 in cisplatin ototoxicity. Our data suggested that nitration of Lmo4 and associated decrease in its cochlear expression has the potential to play a pivotal role in cisplatin ototoxicity. However, the Lmo4 interactomes that signal the downstream events in the cochlea are poorly understood. Therefore, custom-made gene arrays were employed to evaluate the modulation of known binding partners or targets of Lmo4, in Wistar rats treated with 16 mg/kg cisplatin. RT-PCR analysis, 3 days post cisplatin treatment, indicated that cisplatin induced up/down regulation of multiple cochlear genes associated with Lmo4 signaling. The cochlear expression of Esr1 was significantly up-regulated by cisplatin treatment, while the expression of Stat3 was down-regulated. Co-treatment with Trolox, an otoprotective antioxidant, attenuated the cisplatin-induced modulation of 5 genes in the cochlea. Consistent with the changes observed at the gene level, immunoblots with anti-Stat3 indicated that cisplatin-induced decrease in cochlear protein levels were attenuated by Trolox co-treatment. These results suggest that cisplatin-induced decreases in the cochlear Lmo4 upon nitration, and associated modulation in the cochlear expression of its binding partners Esr1 and Jak1, probably facilitates the repression of Stat3, a downstream target of Lmo4 implicated in drug mediated apoptosis. Collectively, these findings provide insights on Lmo4 downstream events and indicate a potential role of Jak/Stat transcriptional machinery in relaying the Lmo4 protein signaling in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.
Life's chirality from prebiotic environments

Abstract A key open question in the study of life is the origin of biomolecular homochirality: almost every life-form on Earth has exclusively levorotary amino acids and dextrorotary sugars. Will the same handedness be preferred if life is found elsewhere? We review some of the pertinent literature and discuss recent results suggesting that life's homochirality resulted from sequential chiral symmetry breaking triggered by environmental events. In one scenario, autocatalytic prebiotic reactions undergo stochastic fluctuations due to environmental disturbances, in a mechanism reminiscent of evolutionary punctuated equilibrium: short-lived destructive events may lead to long-term enantiomeric excess. In another, chiral-selective polymerization reaction rates influenced by environmental effects lead to substantial chiral excess even in the absence of autocatalysis. Applying these arguments to other potentially life-bearing platforms has implications to the search for extraterrestrial life: we predict that a statistically representative sampling of extraterrestrial stereochemistry will be racemic (chirally neutral) on average.
Ribonucleolytic resection is required for repair of strand displaced NHEJ intermediates

Non homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathways repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in eukaryotes and many prokaryotes, although not reported to operate in the third domain of life, archaea. Here, we describe a complete NHEJ complex, consisting of DNA ligase (Lig), polymerase (Pol), phosphoesterase (PE) and Ku from a mesophillic archaeon, Methanocella paludicola (Mpa). Mpa ligase has limited DNA nick sealing activity but is efficient at ligating nicks containing a 3ʼ ribonucleotide. Mpa Pol preferentially incorporates NTPs onto a DNA primer strand, filling DNA gaps in annealed breaks. Mpa PE sequentially removes 3ʼ-phosphates and ribonucleotides from primer strands, leaving a ligatable terminal 3ʼ-monoribonucleotide. These proteins, together with the DNA end-binding protein Ku, form a functional NHEJ break repair apparatus that is highly homologous to the bacterial complex. Although the major roles of Pol and Lig in break repair have been reported, PEʼs function in NHEJ has remained obscure. We establish that PE is required for ribonucleolytic resection of RNA intermediates at annealed DSBs. Polymerase-catalyzed strand displacement synthesis on DNA gaps can result in the formation of non-ligatable NHEJ intermediates. PEʼs function in NHEJ repair is to detect and remove inappropriately incorporated ribonucleotides, or phosphates, from 3ʼ ends of annealed DSBs to configure the termini for ligation. Thus, PE prevents the accumulation of abortive genotoxic DNA intermediates, arising from strand displacement synthesis, that would otherwise be refractory to repair. 3 NHEJ is a major DNA break repair pathway in eukaryotes and prokaryotes but assumed to be absent in archaea. This study establishes that a functionally homologous pathway is present in archaea. We have reconstituted archaeal NHEJ repair in vitro, demonstrating that it is closely related to the bacterial apparatus and preferentially repairs breaks using RNA intermediates. We identify a role for a functionally unascribed nuclease in preventing the accumulation of genotoxic repair intermediates produced by strand displacement. This study has important implications for our understanding of the mechanisms of DNA break repair by NHEJ and the evolution of end-joining pathways.
Earnings Management Using the Valuation Allowance for Deferred Tax Assets under SFAS No. 109

SFAS 109 allows firms to use their discretion to set arbitrarily high valuation allowances against deferred tax assets. Firms can then later use these "hidden reserves" to manage earnings. Our evidence indicates that most banks do not record a valuation allowance to manage earnings, but rather to follow the guidelines of SFAS 109. However, if the bank is sufficiently well capitalized to absorb the current-period impact on capital, the amount of the valuation allowance increases with a bank's capital. In later years, bank managers adjust the valuation allowance to smooth earnings. The magnitude of the discretionary adjustment increases with the deviation of unadjusted earnings from the forecast or historical earnings.
The Effect of Tool Construction and Cutting Parameters on Surface Roughness and Vibration in Turning of AISI 1045 Steel Using Taguchi Method

This paper presents an experimental investigation focused on identifying the effects of cutting conditions and tool construction on the surface roughness and natural frequency in turning of AISI1045 steel. Machining experiments were carried out at the lathe using carbide cutting insert coated with TiC and two forms of cutting tools made of AISI 5140 steel. Three levels for spindle speed, depth of cut, feed rate and tool overhang were chosen as cutting variables. The Taguchi method L9 orthogonal array was applied to design of experiment. By the help of signal-to-noise ratio and analysis of variance, it was concluded that spindle speed has the significant effect on the surface roughness, while tool overhang is the dominant factor affecting natural frequency for both cutting tools. In addition, the optimum cutting conditions for surface roughness and natural frequency were found at different levels. Finally, confirmation experiments were conducted to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the Taguchi method in optimizing the cutting parameters for surface roughness and natural frequency.
Variation in alcohol pharmacokinetics as a risk factor for alcohol dependence.

BACKGROUND The significant association between alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-2 genotype and alcohol-dependence risk, demonstrated in both Asian and non-Asian populations, suggests a link between the metabolism of alcohol (ethanol) and individual differences in susceptibility to dependence. METHODS We tested this hypothesis by following up on subjects who took part in the Alcohol Challenge Twin Study conducted in 1979-1981 and comparing the blood and breath alcohol results in that study between subjects who subsequently did or did not meet diagnostic criteria for lifetime alcohol dependence in 1992-1993. RESULTS Subjects who met DSM-III-R criteria for lifetime alcohol dependence at follow-up had higher blood and breath alcohol values after alcohol challenge than never-dependent subjects. Multivariate analysis showed independent effects of susceptibility to alcohol dependence and smoking status on blood alcohol concentrations, whereas habitual alcohol intake at the time of the initial study had marginally significant effects. The risk of alcohol dependence was 2-fold higher in men and 3-fold higher in women with blood or breath alcohol concentrations in the highest quartile than in the lowest quartile. CONCLUSIONS In view of this association and the known genetic influences on both alcohol pharmacokinetics and alcohol dependence, it is probable that part of the heritability of dependence is mediated by genes (other than the known ADH2 and ADH3 polymorphisms) affecting alcohol metabolism.