Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbial communities respond to experimental warming, but site matters

Because microorganisms are sensitive to temperature, ongoing global warming is predicted to influence microbial community structure and function. We used large-scale warming experiments established at two sites near the northern and southern boundaries of US eastern deciduous forests to explore how microbial communities and their function respond to warming at sites with differing climatic regimes. Soil microbial community structure and function responded to warming at the southern but not the northern site. However, changes in microbial community structure and function at the southern site did not result in changes in cellulose decomposition rates. While most global change models rest on the assumption that taxa will respond similarly to warming across sites and their ranges, these results suggest that the responses of microorganisms to warming may be mediated by differences across the geographic boundaries of ecosystems.
Chebyshev polynomial solution of the system of Cauchy-type singular integral equations of the first kind

This paper presents a Chebyshev series method for the numerical solutions of system of the first kind Cauchy type singular integral equation (SIE). The Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind with the corresponding weight function have been used to approximate the density functions. It is shown that the numerical solution of system of characteristic SIEs is identical to the exact solution when the force functions are cubic functions.
Blockade of Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells Activation Signaling Suppresses Balloon Injury-induced Neointima Formation in a Rat Carotid Artery Model*

We have previously reported that nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFATs) play an important role in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation by receptor tyrosine kinase and G protein-coupled receptor agonists, platelet-derived growth factor-BB and thrombin, respectively. To understand the role of NFATs in vascular disease, we have now studied the involvement of these transcription factors in neointima formation in a rat carotid artery balloon injury model. The levels of NFATc1 in injured right common carotid arteries were increased at 72 h, 1 week, and 2 weeks after balloon injury compared with its levels in uninjured left common carotid arteries. Intraperitoneal injection of cyclosporine A (CsA), a pharmacological inhibitor of the calcineurin-NFAT activation pathway, suppressed balloon injury-induced neointima formation by 40%. Similarly, adenoviral-mediated expression of GFPVIVIT, a competent peptide inhibitor of the calcineurin-NFAT activation pathway, in injured arteries also reduced neointima formation by about 40%. Furthermore, CsA and GFPVIVIT attenuated balloon injury-induced neointimal smooth muscle cell proliferation as determined by bromodeoxyuridine staining. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB induced the expression of COX-2 in cultured VSMC in a time- and NFAT-dependent manner. COX-2 expression was also increased in the right common carotid artery in a time-dependent manner after balloon injury as compared with its levels in uninjured left common carotid artery and both CsA and GFPVIVIT negated this response. Together these results for the first time demonstrate that NFATs play a critical role in neointima formation via induction of expression of COX-2.
JINX: an X3D browser for VR immersive simulation based on clusters of commodity computers

In this paper we present JINX, a fully distributed virtual environments browser, which has a special support for commodity computer clusters and immersive visualization devices. The presented mechanism intends to be fast and easy to use to develop virtual reality applications based on the X3D format, enabling great flexibility for displays and interaction devices, allowing users to concentrate only on content creation. JINX provides support for nodes synchronization and resources sharing, from Framelock to Datalock. This paper describes the background of the decisions made and the problems that had to be overcome.
Selenium status in UK pregnant women and its relationship with hypertensive conditions of pregnancy

Dietary intake/status of the trace mineral Se may affect the risk of developing hypertensive conditions of pregnancy, i.e. pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PE/PIH). In the present study, we evaluated Se status in UK pregnant women to establish whether pre-pregnant Se status or Se supplementation affected the risk of developing PE/PIH. The samples originated from the SPRINT (Selenium in PRegnancy INTervention) study that randomised 230 UK primiparous women to treatment with Se (60 μg/d) or placebo from 12 weeks of gestation. Whole-blood Se concentration was measured at 12 and 35 weeks, toenail Se concentration at 16 weeks, plasma selenoprotein P (SEPP1) concentration at 35 weeks and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx3) activity at 12, 20 and 35 weeks. Demographic data were collected at baseline. Participants completed a FFQ. UK pregnant women had whole-blood Se concentration lower than the mid-range of other populations, toenail Se concentration considerably lower than US women, GPx3 activity considerably lower than US and Australian pregnant women, and low baseline SEPP1 concentration (median 3·00, range 0·90–5·80 mg/l). Maternal age, education and social class were positively associated with Se status. After adjustment, whole-blood Se concentration was higher in women consuming Brazil nuts (P= 0·040) and in those consuming more than two seafood portions per week (P= 0·054). A stepwise logistic regression model revealed that among the Se-related risk factors, only toenail Se (OR 0·38, 95 % CI 0·17, 0·87, P= 0·021) significantly affected the OR for PE/PIH. On excluding non-compliers with Se treatment, Se supplementation also significantly reduced the OR for PE/PIH (OR 0·30, 95 % CI 0·09, 1·00, P= 0·049). In conclusion, UK women have low Se status that increases their risk of developing PE/PIH. Therefore, UK women of childbearing age need to improve their Se status.
Depression among HIV/AIDS Sudanese patients: a cross-sectional analytic study

Introduction Depression and HIV/AIDS are common morbid health problems; the relationship is bidirectional exacerbating each other with deleterious consequences. There are limited studies on this topic in Sudan. In this study, we investigated depression among HIV/AIDS in Sudan. Methods A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among 362 HIV/AIDS patients from three centers in Khartoum, Sudan. Data were collected by the Hospital Depression and Anxiety (HADS) questionnaire. Chi-square was used for testing the significance and a P. Value of ≥ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results Depression was evident in 332 (63.1%) of patients 68 (19.3%) had mild depression, 114 (32.4%) moderate depression, and 40 (11.4%) severe depression. Depression was commoner among women, illiterate, married/widowed, not receiving counseling, delaying the result of the test, P-value <0.05, no significant differences were found regarding test and treatment type P- Value >0.05. Conclusion Depression was prevalent among HIV/AIDS patients, especially females, low level of education, and widowed/married patients, and those not receiving counseling and post diagnosis sessions.
Midazolam and triazolam biotransformation in mouse and human liver microsomes: relative contribution of CYP3A and CYP2C isoforms.

Midazolam (MDZ) and triazolam (TRZ) hydroxylation, reactions considered to be cytochrome P-4503A (CYP3A)-mediated in humans, were examined in mouse and human liver microsomes. In both species, alpha- and 4-hydroxy metabolites were the principal products. Western blotting with anti-CYP3A1 antibody detected a single band of immunoreactive protein in both human and mouse samples: 0.45 +/- 0. 12 and 2.02 +/- 0.24 pmol/mg protein (mean +/- S.E., n = 3), respectively. Ketoconazole potently inhibited MDZ and TRZ metabolite formation in human liver microsomes (IC(50) range, 0.038-0.049 microM). Ketoconazole also inhibited the formation of both TRZ metabolites and of 4-OH-MDZ formation in mouse liver microsomes (IC(50) range, 0.0076-0.025 microM). However, ketoconazole (10 microM) did not produce 50% inhibition of alpha-OH-MDZ formation in mouse liver microsomes. Anti-CYP3A1 antibodies produced concentration-dependent inhibition of MDZ and TRZ metabolite formation in human liver microsomes and of TRZ metabolite and 4-OH-MDZ formation in mouse liver microsomes to less than 20% of control values but reduced alpha-OH-MDZ formation to only 66% of control values in mouse liver microsomes. Anti-CYP2C11 antibodies inhibited alpha-OH-MDZ metabolite formation in a concentration-dependent manner to 58% of control values in mouse liver microsomes but did not inhibit 4-OH-MDZ formation. Thus, TRZ hydroxylation appears to be CYP3A specific in mice and humans. alpha-Hydroxylation of MDZ has a major CYP2C component in addition to CYP3A in mice, demonstrating that metabolic profiles of drugs in animals cannot be assumed to reflect human metabolic patterns, even with closely related substrates.
Residual phase noise modelling of amplifiers using silicon bipolar transistors

This paper describes the modelling of residual 1/ƒ phase noise for Si bipolar amplifiers operating in the linear region. We propose that for Si bipolar amplifiers the 1/ƒ phase noise is largely due to the base emitter recombination flicker noise. The up conversion mechanism is described through linear approximation of the phase variation of the amplifier phase response by the variation of the device parameters (Cbc, Cbe, gm, re) caused by the recombination 1/ƒ noise. The amplifier phase response describes the device over the whole frequency range of operation where the influence of the poles and zeros is investigated. It is found that for a common emitter amplifier it is sufficient to only incorporate the effect of the device poles to describe the phase noise behaviour over most of its operational frequency range. Simulations appear to more accurately predict the measurements of others.
Clinical potential of lurasidone in the management of schizophrenia

Lurasidone is a new second-generation antipsychotic approved in October 2010 by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of schizophrenia. Like other second-generation antipsychotics, lurasidone is a powerful antagonist of D2 dopamine and 5HT2A serotonin receptors, but differs from the other second-generation antipsychotics in its action profile for certain receptors. Lurasidone is the second-generation antipsychotic with the greatest affinity for 5HT7 receptors and has a high affinity for 5HT1A serotonin receptors, compatible with favorable effects on cognitive function and an antidepressant action. By contrast, lurasidone has a low affinity for and α1 α2C-adrenergic and 5HT2C serotonin receptors, and no affinity for histaminergic H1 or muscarinic M1 receptors, suggesting a better tolerability profile than the other second-generation antipsychotics. Lurasidone has demonstrated its efficacy in several short-term trials in acute schizophrenia, promptly and significantly reducing total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores compared with placebo. Several long-term studies are in progress to assess its efficacy in the maintenance treatment of schizophrenic patients. The efficacy of lurasidone with regard to cognitive functions and depressive symptoms seems good, but requires further work. Lurasidone differs from the other second-generation antipsychotics by having a good tolerability profile, in particular for cardiometabolic tolerability. However, it seems to have a significant although moderate link with the occurrence of akathisia, extrapyramidal symptoms, and hyperprolactinemia at the start of treatment. This tolerance profile greatly broadens the scope of second-generation antipsychotics and so supports the view of some authors that the term “second-generation antipsychotic” is now outdated. Other therapeutic perspectives of lurasidone are assessed here, in particular bipolar depression.
A Two-bit Differentiated Services Architecture for the Internet

This document was originally submitted as an internet draft in November of 1997. As one of the documents predating the formation of the IETF's Differentiated Services Working Group, many of the ideas presented here, in concert with Dave Clark's subsequent presentation to the December 1997 meeting of the IETF Integrated Services Working Group, were key to the work which led to RFCs 2474 and 2475 and the section on allocation remains a timely proposal. For this reason, and to provide a reference, it is being submitted in its original form. The forwarding path portion of this document is intended as a record of where we were at in late 1997 and not as an indication of future direction.
Large Scale Structure in the SDSS Galaxy Survey

The Large Scale Structure in the galaxy distribution is investigated using Data Release 1 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Using the Minimal Spanning Tree technique we have extracted sets of filaments, of wall-like structures, of galaxy groups, and of rich clusters from this unique sample. The physical properties of these structures were then measured and compared with the statistical expectations based on Zel'dovich theory. The measured characteristics of galaxy walls were found to be consistent with those for a spatially flat Λ CDM cosmological model with $\Omega_m\approx 0.3$ and $\Omega_\Lambda \approx 0.7$, and for Gaussian initial perturbations with a Harrison – Zel'dovich power spectrum. Furthermore, we found that the mass functions of groups and of unrelaxed structure elements generally fit well with the expectations from Zel'dovich theory. We also note that both groups and rich clusters tend to prefer the environments of walls, which tend to be of higher density, rather than the environments of filaments, which tend to be of lower density.
Bradykinin Antagonism and Prostaglandins in Blood Pressure Regulation

These experiments were designed to analyze the interaction of a bradykinin antagonist with prostaglandins in blood pressure regulation of normotensive rats. Male Wistar rats, divided into three groups, received a 5-minute intra-arterial infusion of the bradykinin antagonist flpArg0- Hyp3-Thi5,8-DPhe7]BK-TFA) at 250 μg/min. Groups were either intact rats (group I, n = 5), pretreated with indomethacin (group II, n = 10), or pretreated with both indomethacin and prazosin (group HI, n = 8). The bradykinin antagonist infusion, which was shown to inhibit exogenous bradykinin by greater than 76% in intact animals, did not alter mean arterial pressure in group I rats despite a twofold increase in norepinephrine and a threefold increase in epinephrine. Group II rats presented a progressive increase in mean arterial pressure during the bradykinin antagonist infusion (14±3 mm Hg), with no statistically significant change in plasma catecholamines. Group in, with lower baseline mean arterial pressure due to α-adrenergic blockade, had an increase in mean arterial pressure comparable with group II during bradykinin antagonist infusion (22±5 mm Hg), confirming that this response was not sympathetically mediated. We conclude that in normotensive rats bradykinin plays a role in blood pressure regulation that is closely linked to that of prostaglandins and that points to a balance between these systems.
Definitive Characterization of CA 19-9 in Resectable Pancreatic Cancer Using a Reference Set of Serum and Plasma Specimens

The validation of candidate biomarkers often is hampered by the lack of a reliable means of assessing and comparing performance. We present here a reference set of serum and plasma samples to facilitate the validation of biomarkers for resectable pancreatic cancer. The reference set includes a large cohort of stage I-II pancreatic cancer patients, recruited from 5 different institutions, and relevant control groups. We characterized the performance of the current best serological biomarker for pancreatic cancer, CA 19–9, using plasma samples from the reference set to provide a benchmark for future biomarker studies and to further our knowledge of CA 19–9 in early-stage pancreatic cancer and the control groups. CA 19–9 distinguished pancreatic cancers from the healthy and chronic pancreatitis groups with an average sensitivity and specificity of 70–74%, similar to previous studies using all stages of pancreatic cancer. Chronic pancreatitis patients did not show CA 19–9 elevations, but patients with benign biliary obstruction had elevations nearly as high as the cancer patients. We gained additional information about the biomarker by comparing two distinct assays. The two CA 9–9 assays agreed well in overall performance but diverged in measurements of individual samples, potentially due to subtle differences in antibody specificity as revealed by glycan array analysis. Thus, the reference set promises be a valuable resource for biomarker validation and comparison, and the CA 19–9 data presented here will be useful for benchmarking and for exploring relationships to CA 19–9.
Soccer heading is associated with white matter microstructural and cognitive abnormalities.

PURPOSE To investigate the association of soccer heading with subclinical evidence of traumatic brain injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS With institutional review board approval and compliance with HIPAA guidelines, 37 amateur soccer players (mean age, 30.9 years; 78% [29] men, 22% [eight] women) gave written informed consent and completed a questionnaire to quantify heading in the prior 12 months and lifetime concussions. Diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 3.0 T was performed (32 directions; b value, 800 sec/mm(2); 2 × 2 × 2-mm voxels). Cognitive function was measured by using a computerized battery of tests. Voxelwise linear regression (heading vs fractional anisotropy [FA]) was applied to identify significant regional associations. FA at each location and cognition were tested for a nonlinear relationship to heading by using an inverse logit model that incorporated demographic covariates and history of concussion. RESULTS Participants had headed 32-5400 times (median, 432 times) over the previous year. Heading was associated with lower FA at three locations in temporo-occipital white matter with a threshold that varied according to location (885-1550 headings per year) (P < .00001). Lower levels of FA were also associated with poorer memory scores (P < .00001), with a threshold of 1800 headings per year. Lifetime concussion history and demographic features were not significantly associated with either FA or cognitive performance. CONCLUSION Heading is associated with abnormal white matter microstructure and with poorer neurocognitive performance. This relationship is not explained by a history of concussion.
Multiple-Output Production and Pricing in Electric Utilities

Empirical studies of the electric utility industry have generally focused on one of several issues, such as the presence or absence of regulation-induced input mix distortions, the rules used to select regulated prices, whether electricity is one output or several, or the "naturalness" of the electric utility monopoly. ' This paper contributes a method which permits simultaneous estimation of demand elasticities, pricing rule parameters, and marginal rates of transformation within one econometric model. Since firms make input and output decisions given the demand and regulatory conditions facing them, the marginal rates of substitution and transformation are dependent on the demand elasticities of each consumer class and the prices permitted by regulators. Its purposes are two. First, I examine the appropriateness of a multiple-output model of production: is electricity one output, or are the products sold to different consumers distinct outputs? Most, but not all, previous studies treat "electricity" as a homogeneous product.2 While this assumption may be justified for studies which deal strictly with generation of electricity, Joskow and Schmalensee [27, 54-5] observe3 that
Quantifying the Impact of Parameter Tuning on Nature-Inspired Algorithms

The problem of parameterization is often central to the effective deployment of nature-inspired algorithms. However, finding the optimal set of parameter values for a combination of problem instance and solution method is highly challenging, and few concrete guidelines exist on how and when such tuning may be performed. Previous work tends to either focus on a specific algorithm or use benchmark problems, and both of these restrictions limit the applicability of any findings. Here, we examine a number of different algorithms, and study them in a "problem agnostic" fashion (i.e., one that is not tied to specific instances) by considering their performance on fitness landscapes with varying characteristics. Using this approach, we make a number of observations on which algorithms may (or may not) benefit from tuning, and in which specific circumstances.
Use of Ra isotopes to deduce rapid transfer of sediment-derived inputs off Kerguelen

Abstract. The Southern Ocean is known to be the largest high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) region of the global ocean due to iron limitation. However, a large phytoplankton bloom develops annually downstream of the Kerguelen Islands, a bloom which is sustained partly by iron released from the sediments deposited onto the shelves. In the framework of the KEOPS-2 project, we used radium isotopes (224Ra, T1/2 = 3.66 d; 223Ra, T1/2 = 11.4 d; 228Ra, T1/2 = 5.75 yr) to provide information on the origin of iron fertilization and on the timescales of the transfer of sediment-derived inputs (including iron and other micronutrients) towards offshore waters. Significant 224Ra and 223Ra activities were found in the near vicinity of the Kerguelen Islands, in agreement with the short half-lives of these isotopes. Significant 224Ra and 223Ra activities were also detected up to 200 km downstream of the islands and more unexpectedly in offshore waters south of the polar front. These observations thus clearly indicate (i) that the sediment-derived inputs are rapidly transferred towards offshore waters (on timescales on the order of several days up to several weeks) and (ii) that the polar front is not a physical barrier for the chemical elements released from the sediments of the Kerguelen Plateau. The Ra data set suggests that iron and other micronutrients released by the shelves of the Kerguelen Islands may contribute to fueling the phytoplankton bloom downstream of the islands, despite the presence of the polar front. However, the heterogeneous distribution of the 224Ra and 223Ra activities in surface waters suggests that this supply across the front is not a continuous process but rather a process that is highly variable in space and time.
The effects of valence and arousal on time perception in individuals with social anxiety

Time distortion in individuals with social anxiety has been defined as the seemingly slower passage of time in social situations and is related to both arousal and valence. Consequently, adaptive behavior is disrupted and interpersonal situations avoided. We explored the effects of valence and arousal on time distortion in individuals with social anxiety. Participants were assigned to two groups, High Anxiety (HA) and Low Anxiety (LA), presented with four types of facial expression stimuli (positive-high arousal, positive-low arousal, negative-high arousal, and negative-low arousal), and asked to estimate the duration of stimulus presentation. Results indicated that, relative to other stimuli, the HA and LA groups perceived longer presentation for high-arousal negative and low-arousal positive stimuli, respectively. These findings suggest that anxious individuals’ time distortion was more severe in situations that evoked high arousal and involved negative emotion.