Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Paxillus involutus Strains MAJ and NAU Mediate K+/Na+ Homeostasis in Ectomycorrhizal Populus × canescens under Sodium Chloride Stress1[C][W][OA]

Salt-induced fluxes of H+, Na+, K+, and Ca2+ were investigated in ectomycorrhizal (EM) associations formed by Paxillus involutus (strains MAJ and NAU) with the salt-sensitive poplar hybrid Populus × canescens. A scanning ion-selective electrode technique was used to measure flux profiles in non-EM roots and axenically grown EM cultures of the two P. involutus isolates to identify whether the major alterations detected in EM roots were promoted by the fungal partner. EM plants exhibited a more pronounced ability to maintain K+/Na+ homeostasis under salt stress. The influx of Na+ was reduced after short-term (50 mm NaCl, 24 h) and long-term (50 mm NaCl, 7 d) exposure to salt stress in mycorrhizal roots, especially in NAU associations. Flux data for P. involutus and susceptibility to Na+-transport inhibitors indicated that fungal colonization contributed to active Na+ extrusion and H+ uptake in the salinized roots of P. × canescens. Moreover, EM plants retained the ability to reduce the salt-induced K+ efflux, especially under long-term salinity. Our study suggests that P. involutus assists in maintaining K+ homeostasis by delivering this nutrient to host plants and slowing the loss of K+ under salt stress. EM P. × canescens plants exhibited an enhanced Ca2+ uptake ability, whereas short-term and long-term treatments caused a marked Ca2+ efflux from mycorrhizal roots, especially from NAU-colonized roots. We suggest that the release of additional Ca2+ mediated K+/Na+ homeostasis in EM plants under salt stress.
Language Difficulties of International Students in Australia: The Effects of Prior Learning Experience.

Globalisation has placed a growing importance on English language speaking and listening. Prior research indicates that many international students from Asia, studying in Australia, face serious learning difficulties and lack confidence in speaking and taking a proactive role in classrooms. The paper reports on data gathered in interviews with students from five Asian nations, which suggest that these learning difficulties are grounded in weaknesses in students’ prior learning experiences – focused on grammar and reading skills in teacher-centred classrooms, not conversational skills – and in beliefs about language learning instilled during schooling. The paper proposes strategies for overcoming these problems.
Adaptive Neural Impedance Control of a Robotic Manipulator With Input Saturation

In this paper, adaptive impedance control is developed for an n-link robotic manipulator with input saturation by employing neural networks. Both uncertainties and input saturation are considered in the tracking control design. In order to approximate the system uncertainties, we introduce a radial basis function neural network controller, and the input saturation is handled by designing an auxiliary system. By using Lyapunov's method, we design adaptive neural impedance controllers. Both state and output feedbacks are constructed. To verify the proposed control, extensive simulations are conducted.
Relationships between Former Spouses: Descriptive Findings.

There is little current or systematic information concerning the nature of relationships between former spouses who continue to share child rearing. In this study, based on a General Systems Theory paradigm, 129 former spouses in mothercustody postdivorce families participated in an in-depth, semistructured interview. Descriptive findings on multiple dimensions of former spousal relationships, from the perspectives of both male and female members of the divorced couple, are presented. The former spousal relationship emerges as a vital component of the reorganized, postdivorce family system.
Bekenstein bound, holography and brane cosmology in charged black hole backgrounds

We obtain a Bekenstein entropy bound for charged objects in arbitrary dimensions (D greater than or equal to 4) using the D-bound recently proposed by Bousso. With the help of thermodynamics of conformal field theories corresponding to anti-de sitter (AdS) Reissner-Norstom (RN) black holes, we discuss the relation between the Bekenstein and Bekenstein-Verlinde bounds. In particular, we propose a Bekenstein-Verlinde-like bound for the charged systems. In the Einstein-Maxwell theory with a negative cosmological constant, we discuss the brane cosmology with positive tension using the Binetruy-Deffayet-Langlois approach. The resulting Friedman-Robertson-Walker equation can be identified with the one obtained by the moving domain wall approach in the AdS RN black hole background. Finally we also address the holographic property of the brane universe.
A Tutorial on Energy-Based Learning

Energy-Based Models (EBMs) capture dependencies between variables by associating a scalar energy to each configuration of the variab les. Inference consists in clamping the value of observed variables and finding config urations of the remaining variables that minimize the energy. Learning consists in finding an energy function in which observed configurations of the variables a re given lower energies than unobserved ones. The EBM approach provides a common theoretical framework for many learning models, including traditional discr iminative and generative approaches, as well as graph-transformer networks, co nditional random fields, maximum margin Markov networks, and several manifold learning methods. Probabilistic models must be properly normalized, which sometimes requires evaluating intractable integrals over the space of all poss ible variable configurations. Since EBMs have no requirement for proper normalization, this problem is naturally circumvented. EBMs can be viewed as a form of non-probabilistic factor graphs, and they provide considerably more flexibility in th e design of architectures and training criteria than probabilistic approaches .
Blind Detection of DS-SS Signals over Fading Channels Using Negentropy or Kurtosis without any prior Knowledge

A direct sequence spread spectrum (DS-SS) signal uses a large bandwidth so that its power spectral density can be well below the noise level. Hence, detecting the presence of such a signal is a difficult task. In this paper, we propose a new method called negentropy for the detection of DS-SS signal presence, and we compare its performance to that of using kurtosis function. The channel is AWGN plus fast flat or slow non-flat fading. Both methods require no prior knowledge of the spreading sequence used by the transmitter, as well as no need to the channel response of each path and timing of transmitted signals. Both methods measure the non-Gaussianity of the estimated autocorrelation of the received signal. Simulation results show that the negentropy outperforms especially in fading channels. Furthermore, both methods can determine the exact code length of a DS-SS signal.
Precision and Accuracy of a Procedure for Detecting Recent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections by Calculating the Antibody Avidity Index by an Automated Immunoassay-Based Method

ABSTRACT We evaluated the precision and accuracy of a procedure for detecting recent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, specifically, the avidity index (AI) calculated using a method based on an automated AxSYM HIV 1/2gO assay (Abbott). To evaluate precision, we performed multiple replicates on eight HIV-positive serum samples. To evaluate the accuracy in identifying recent infections (i.e., within 6 months of seroconversion), we used 216 serum samples from 47 persons whose dates of seroconversion were known. To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the procedure for different AI cutoff values, we performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. To determine the effects of antiretroviral treatment, advanced stage of the disease (i.e., low CD4-cell count), and low HIV viral load on the AI, we analyzed 15 serum samples from 15 persons whose dates of seroconversion were unknown. The precision study showed that the procedure was robust (i.e., the total variance of the AI was lower than 10%). Regarding accuracy, the mean AI was significantly lower for samples collected within 6 months of seroconversion, compared to those collected afterwards (0.68 ± 0.16 versus 0.99 ± 0.10; P < 0.0001), with no overlap of the 95% confidence intervals. The ROC analysis revealed that an AI lower than 0.6 had a sensitivity of 33.3% and a specificity of 98.4%, compared to 87.9 and 86.3%, respectively, for an AI lower than 0.9. Antiretroviral treatment, low CD4-cell count, and low viral load had no apparent effect on the AI. In conclusion, this procedure is reproducible and accurate in identifying recent infections; it is automated, inexpensive, and easy to perform, and it provides a quantitative result with different levels of sensitivity and specificity depending on the selected cutoff.
A prospective patient-centered data collection program at an acupuncture and oriental medicine teaching clinic.

OBJECTIVE Large-scale patient-reported outcomes research investigating the role of acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) in general practice is limited, despite the growing use of AOM in the United States. This article describes the development and refinement of a prospective, patient-centered outcomes data collection program at an Oriental medicine college and presents demographic and clinical data. SETTING/LOCATION Individualized acupuncture treatment at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine teaching clinic in Portland, Oregon. METHODS A prospective patient-centered data collection program was implemented in 2007 using the Measure Your Medical Outcomes Profile (MYMOP) questionnaire and college-developed demographic and conditions forms. The forms were completed by patients on the first and fifth clinic visit. The program was revised after two years to streamline the data entry process and to include three Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) questionnaires measuring pain, general health, and physical functioning. OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome measures were patient demographics, chief complaints, MYMOP, and PROMIS data collected at first visit. RESULTS Demographics were similar to those reported in other AOM settings. The majority of patients were Caucasian females and expressed confidence in acupuncture treatment. The most common chief complaint was joint and muscle pain. Additionally, we found that mean scores at baseline for global physical and mental health and physical functioning were all lower than U.S. averages. In contrast to some studies, we found that the majority of patients had previous experience with acupuncture. CONCLUSIONS An ongoing, prospective data collection program can be successfully developed and implemented at an AOM college. The program will ultimately provide large-scale, patient-reported outcomes on patients seeking AOM treatment at the student clinic.
148 Monogenic Disorders of Puberty

Normal puberty is associated with the onset and progressive activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and the resultant development of secondary sexual characteristics. Puberty begins with increasing nocturnal pulsatile hypothalamic GnRH secretion, which gradually occurs throughout the 24-h day. Pulsatile GnRH stimulates pituitary FSH and LH secretion, ultimately stimulating gonadal steroid production and gametogenesis in females and males. In the ovary, FSH stimulates follicular maturation and estrogen production through aromatization of androgens, whereas LH stimulates androgen production by theca cells, triggers ovulation, and maintains progesterone production by the corpus luteum. In the testis, FSH acts on Sertoli cells to initiate spermatogenesis and LH acts on Leydig cells to stimulate testosterone production. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis also has some minor input into the physiological process of puberty, through the secretion of adrenal androgens. However, the major involvement of the HPA axis in puberty is in its potential pathological influence, primarily in accelerating its onset and/or progress. Traditionally, the onset of adrenal androgen secretion in childhood has been termed “adrenarche,” whereas the onset of gonadal steroid secretion has been called “gonadarche. ” Delayed puberty describes the clinical condition in which the pubertal events start late or are attenuated or arrested. In contrast, precocious puberty describes the clinical condition in which the pubertal events start early. Mutations have been identified in an increasing number of genes that influence the onset and progression of puberty. These discoveries have provided new insights into the physiology and pathophysiology of this important life transition and have greatly influenced the practice of reproductive medicine. For instance, the concept of two gonadotropins acting on two separate cell types in the gonad has been the cornerstone of reproductive endocrinology, while it has been traditionally believed that both FSH and LH are required for fertility in females and males. However, studies of mutant gonadotropin receptors indicate that female reproductive capacity depends primarily on FSH, whereas male reproductive capacity depends primarily on LH. We summarize the molecular defects that influence gonadal and/or adrenal function and cause delayed (Table 1) or precocious puberty (Table 2). Here, we present genes whose alterations result in abnormal puberty in girls and boys.
Optimal Elbow Angle for Extracting sEMG Signals During Fatiguing Dynamic Contraction

Surface electromyographic (sEMG) activity of the biceps muscle was recorded from 13 subjects. Data was recorded while subjects performed dynamic contraction until fatigue and the signals were segmented into two parts (Non-Fatigue and Fatigue). An evolutionary algorithm was used to determine the elbow angles that best separate (using Davies-Bouldin Index, DBI) both Non-Fatigue and Fatigue segments of the sEMG signal. Establishing the optimal elbow angle for feature extraction used in the evolutionary process was based on 70% of the conducted sEMG trials. After completing 26 independent evolution runs, the best run containing the optimal elbow angles for separation (Non-Fatigue and Fatigue) was selected and then tested on the remaining 30% of the data to measure the classification performance. Testing the performance of the optimal angle was undertaken on nine features extracted from each of the two classes (Non-Fatigue and Fatigue) to quantify the performance. Results showed that the optimal elbow angles can be used for fatigue classification, showing 87.90% highest correct classification for one of the features and on average of all eight features (including worst performing features) giving 78.45%.
Exploring the salience of anger for new mothers, their partners, and their young offspring

The corpus of research contained within this thesis concerns the presence and prediction of mothers’ and fathers’ anger over the transition to parenthood, and their associations with anger manifested in their offspring as infants and toddlers. These topics were addressed in the context of a prospective longitudinal study of first-time parents and their infants in Wales, the Cardiff Child Development Study (CCDS). Attention was first paid to mothers’ experience of anger during their pregnancies and the postnatal period, detailing predictors of anger and the modest increase in anger across time (Chapter 3). Secondly, the significance of anger in the context of antenatal and postnatal depression was established (Chapter 4). Mothers and mothers-to-be who had experienced a depressive episode described greater frequencies of anger than mothers who were well, with levels of anger in pregnancy also predicting the onset of postpartum depression. Thirdly, the investigation into anger was extended to include fathers and the parental relationship, revealing that women reported more anger than men at both time points. Again, a modest increase in anger expressed within the relationship across the transition to parenthood was found, and a number of variables of interest were established in the prediction postpartum interparental anger (Chapter 5). In the final empirical chapter, the relevance of parents’ anger before entering parenthood and their expression of anger in the home were considered as predictors of anger in their offspring as infants and toddlers. By toddlerhood, clear associations between the generations were noted, with interparental anger established as the most salient predictor of toddler anger in this sample (Chapter 6). Together, these findings suggest anger is a salient emotion across the transition to parenthood, both for parents and their offspring.
Manipulation and optimisation techniques for Boolean logic

In this study, new techniques and algorithms are presented for the derivation and optimisation of mixed polarity Reed Muller (MPRM) and mixed polarity dual Reed Muller (MPDRM) functions. The first algorithm is used for bidirectional conversion between fixed polarity dual Reed Muller (FPDRM) and MPDRM and to derive any polarity from another polarity. The second algorithm is used to generate reduced MPDRM expressions from FPDRM using a new procedure based on tabular techniques. The third algorithm is proposed for bidirectional conversion between sum of products (SOP)/product of sums (POS) and MPRM/MPDRM forms, respectively. It can also be used to derive any mixed polarity from another MPRM/MPDRM. The last algorithm is to find optimal MPRM/MPDRM among 3n different polarities using genetic algorithm (GA) for large functions but without generating all the polarity sets. The proposed algorithms are efficient in terms of memory size and CPU time and can be used for large functions. Experimental results are given using a personal computer with an Intel CPU of 2.4 GHz and 2 GB RAM. All algorithms are implemented using C and fully tested with benchmark examples.
Changes in Computer Anxiety in a Required Computer Course

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in computer anxiety, attitudes toward computers, and feelings related to computers among students after their participation in a basic course in computer science. The theoretical background is based on theories of human-computer interaction, test anxiety, and the resistance to change. The subjects were 29 education students in a basic computer science course at the University of Joensuu. They answered a questionnaire both at the beginning and end of the course. The results indicated that the computer science course reduced anxiety. Experience with computer equipment and the use of computers was also found to reduce anxiety. The course also had a positive effect on student attitudes toward new technology and on feelings related to computers. It reduced the fear of failure and the desire to escape.
Hartigan's Method: k-means Clustering without Voronoi

Hartigan’s method for k-means clustering is the following greedy heuristic: select a point, and optimally reassign it. This paper develops two other formulations of the heuristic, one leading to a number of consistency properties, the other showing that the data partition is always quite separated from the induced Voronoi partition. A characterization of the volume of this separation is provided. Empirical tests verify not only good optimization performance relative to Lloyd’s method, but also good running time.
Possible role of corticosterone in the down-regulation of the hypothalamo-hypophysial-thyroid axis in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in rats.

We investigated the effects of diabetes mellitus on the hypothalamo-hypophysial-thyroid axis in male (R x U) F1 and R-Amsterdam rats, which were found to respond to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus with no or marked increases, respectively, in plasma corticosterone. Males received STZ (65 mg/kg i.v.) or vehicle, and were killed 1, 2 or 3 weeks later. At all times studied, STZ-induced diabetes mellitus resulted in reduced plasma TSH, thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-tri-iodothyronine (T3). Since the dialyzable T4 fraction increased after STZ, probably as a result of decreased T4-binding prealbumin, plasma free T4 was not altered during diabetes. In contrast, both free T3 and its dialyzable fraction decreased during diabetes, which was associated with an increase in T4-binding globulin. Hepatic activity of type I deiodinase decreased and T4 UDP-glucuronyltransferase increased after STZ treatment. Thus, the lowered plasma T3 during diabetes may be due to decreased hepatic T4 to T3 conversion. Median eminence content of TRH increased after STZ, suggesting that hypothalamic TRH release is reduced during diabetes and that this is not caused by impaired synthesis or axonal transport of TRH to the median eminence. Hypothalamic proTRH mRNA did not change in diabetic (R x U) F1 rats during the period of observation, but was lower in R-Amsterdam rats 3 weeks after STZ. Similarly, pituitary TSH and TSH beta mRNA had decreased in R-Amsterdam rats by 1 week after STZ treatment, but did not change in (R x U) F1 rats. The difference between the responses in diabetic R-Amsterdam and (R x U) F1 rats may be explained on the basis of plasma corticosterone levels which increased in R-Amsterdam rats only. Hypothalamic TRH content was not affected by diabetes mellitus, but the hypothalami of diabetic rats released less TRH in vitro than those of control rats. Moreover, insulin had a positive effect on TRH release in vitro. In conclusion, the reduced hypothalamic TRH release during diabetes is probably not caused by decreases in TRH synthesis or transport to the median eminence, but seems to be due to impaired TRH release from the median eminence which may be related to the lack of insulin. Inhibition of proTRH and TSH beta gene expression in diabetic R-Amsterdam rats is not a primary event but appears to be secondary to enhanced adrenal activity in these animals during diabetes.