Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cyanobacterial calcification in modern microbialites at the submicrometer scale

The search for microfossils in the geological record has been a long-term challenge. Part of the problem comes from the difficulty of identifying such microfossils unambiguously, since they can be morphologically confused with abiotic biomorphs. One route to improve our ability to correctly identify microfossils involves studying fossilization processes affecting bacteria in modern settings. We studied the initial stages of fossilization of cyanobacterial cells in modern microbialites from Lake Alchichica (Mexico), a Mg-rich hyperalkaline crater lake (pH 8.9) hosting currently growing stromatolites composed of aragonite [CaCO 3 ] and hydromagnesite [Mg 5 (CO 3 )4(OH) 2 · 4(H 2 O)]. Most of the biomass associated with the microbialites is composed of cyanobacteria. Scanning electron microscopy analyses coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy observations were conducted to co-localize cyanobacterial cells and associated minerals. These observations showed that cyanobacterial cells affiliated with the order Pleurocapsales become specifically encrusted within aragonite with an apparent preservation of cell morphology. Encrustation gradients from non-encrusted to totally encrusted cells spanning distances of a few hundred micrometers were observed. Cells exhibiting increased levels of encrustation along this gradient were studied down to the nm scale using a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) milling, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) at the C, O and N K-edges. Two different types of aragonite crystals were observed: one type was composed of needle-shaped nano-crystals growing outward from the cell body with a crystallographic orientation perpendicular to the cell wall, and another type was composed of larger crystals that progressively filled the cell interior. Exopolymeric substances (EPS), initially co-localized with the cells, decreased in concentration and dispersed away from the cells while crystal growth occurred. As encrustation developed, EPS progressively disappeared, but remaining EPS showed the same spectroscopic signature. In the most advanced stages of fossilization, only the textural organization of the two types of aragonite recorded the initial cell morphology and spatial distribution.
The load-velocity profile differs more between men and women than between individuals with different strength levels

Abstract This study aimed to determine the suitability of the load-velocity relationship to prescribe the relative load (%1RM) in women, as well as to compare the load-velocity profile between sexes and participants with different strength levels. The load-velocity relationship of 14 men (1RM: 1.17 ± 0.19) and 14 women (1RM: 0.66 ± 0.13) were evaluated in the bench press exercise. The main findings revealed that: (I) the load-velocity relationship was always strong and linear (R2 range: 0.987–0.993), (II) a steeper load-velocity profile was observed in men compared to women (Effect size [ES]: 1.09), with men showing higher velocities for light loads (ES: − 0.81 and − 0.40 for the y-intercept and 30%1RM, respectively), but women reporting higher velocities for the heavy loads (ES: 1.14 and 1.50 at 90%1RM and 100%1RM, respectively); and (III) while the slope of the load-velocity profile was moderately steeper for weak men compared to their strong counterpart (ES: 1.02), small differences were observed between strong and weak women (ES: − 0.39). While these results support the use of the individual load-velocity relationship to prescribe the %1RM in the bench press exercise for women, they also highlight the large disparities in their load-velocity profile compared to men.
LSU Digital Commons LSU Digital Commons Characterizing the phylogenetic specialism-generalism spectrum Characterizing the phylogenetic specialism-generalism spectrum of mammal parasites of mammal parasites

The distribution of parasites across mammalian hosts is complex and rep-resents a differential ability or opportunity to infect different host species. Here, we take a macroecological approach to investigate factors influencing why some parasites show a tendency to infect species widely distributed in the host phylogeny (phylogenetic generalism) while others infect only closely related hosts. Using a database on over 1400 parasite species that have been documented to infect up to 69 terrestrial mammal host species, we characterize the phylogenetic generalism of parasites using standard effect sizes for three metrics: mean pairwise phylogenetic distance (PD), maximum PD and phylogenetic aggregation. We identify a trend towards phylogenetic specialism, though statistically host relatedness is most often equivalent to that expected from a random sample of host species. Bacteria and arthropod parasites are typically the most generalist, viruses and helminths exhibit intermediate generalism, and protozoa are on average the most specialist. While viruses and helminths have similar mean pairwise PD on average, the viruses exhibit higher variation as a group. Close-contact transmission is the transmission mode most associated with specialism. Most parasites exhibiting phylogenetic aggregation (associating with discrete groups of species dispersed across the host phylogeny) are helminths and viruses.
Changes in Cardiovascular Performance During an 8-Week Military Basic Training Period Combined with Added Endurance or Strength Training.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the changes in cardiovascular performance (VO 2 max) and maximal strength development during an 8-week basic training (BT) combined with emphasized endurance training (ET) or strength training (ST) among 72 conscripts. The emphasized ST and ET programs combined with BT improved VO2 max by 12.0% (p 0.01) and 8.5% (p 0.05), while the increase in the control group (normal training) was 13.4% (p 0.001). Body fat and waist circumference decreased in all groups. Normal training did not increase maximal strength of leg extensors but both ST (9.1%; p 0.05) and ET (12.9%; p 0.01) did. In conclusion, the current BT program including a high amount of endurance training improved cardiovascular performance. However, no further improvements in VO2 max were obtained by added endurance training for three times a week. BT positively influenced body composition but BT alone was not a sufficient stimulus to increase the maximal strength of leg extensors.
Capsule and Fimbria Interaction in Klebsiella pneumoniae

ABSTRACT The capsular polysaccharide and type 1 fimbriae are two of the major surface-located virulence properties associated with the pathogenesis of Klebsiella pneumoniae. The capsule is an elaborate polysaccharide matrix that encases the entire cell surface and provides resistance against many host defense mechanisms. In contrast, type 1 fimbriae are thin adhesive thread-like surface organelles that can extend beyond the capsular matrix and mediate d-mannose-sensitive adhesion to host epithelial cells. These fimbriae are archetypical and consist of a major building block protein (FimA) that comprises the bulk of the organelle and a tip-located adhesin (FimH). It is assumed that the extended major-subunit protein structure permits the FimH adhesin to function independently of the presence of a capsule. In this study, we have employed a defined set of K. pneumoniae capsulated and noncapsulated strains to show that the function of type 1 fimbriae is actually impeded by the concomitant expression of a polysaccharide capsule. Capsule expression had significant effects on two parameters commonly used to define FimH function, namely, yeast cell agglutination and biofilm formation. Our data suggest that this effect is not due to transcriptional/translational changes in fimbrial gene/protein expression but rather the result of direct physical interference. This was further demonstrated by the fact that we could restore fimbrial function by inhibiting capsule synthesis. It remains to be determined whether the expression of these very different surface components occurs simply via random events of phase variation or in a coordinated manner in response to specific environmental cues.
Rhythmic modulation of visual contrast discrimination triggered by action

Recent evidence suggests that ongoing brain oscillations may be instrumental in binding and integrating multisensory signals. In this experiment, we investigated the temporal dynamics of visual–motor integration processes. We show that action modulates sensitivity to visual contrast discrimination in a rhythmic fashion at frequencies of about 5 Hz (in the theta range), for up to 1 s after execution of action. To understand the origin of the oscillations, we measured oscillations in contrast sensitivity at different levels of luminance, which is known to affect the endogenous brain rhythms, boosting the power of alpha-frequencies. We found that the frequency of oscillation in sensitivity increased at low luminance, probably reflecting the shift in mean endogenous brain rhythm towards higher frequencies. Importantly, both at high and at low luminance, contrast discrimination showed a rhythmic motor-induced suppression effect, with the suppression occurring earlier at low luminance. We suggest that oscillations play a key role in sensory–motor integration, and that the motor-induced suppression may reflect the first manifestation of a rhythmic oscillation.
Generic Buckling and Bending Behavior of Initially Stressed Antisymmetric Cross-Ply Thick Laminates

Equations of motion for antisymmetric cross-ply laminates in a general state of nonuniform initial stress, where the effects of transverse shear and rotary inertia are included, are derived by the virtual work theorem. The equations are adjusted to a generic form by using appropriate transformations. With the help of using the transforma tions, introducing generalized parameters, and employing a similarity parameter, compre hensive solutions are found to this problem; hence, the curves presented in the text are generic rather than specific. The thick plate equations are solved for simply-supported rec tangular antisymmetric cross-ply laminated plates in a state of uniform compressive stress plus a uniform bending stress with both acting in the same direction. The results of the reduced set of equations agree with those obtained by previous investigators.
Automatic data aggregation for recursively modeled NFV services

Network function virtualization (NFV) allows to model network services as graphs interconnecting virtual network functions (VNFs), which may include nested VNFs, modeled as subgraphs of VNFs or end points. To query the performance data of network services modeled as abstract and high‐level graphs is challenging because of the recursivity of the NFV architecture and the elasticity and dynamicity provided by the NFV infrastructure. We propose to use Datalog, a declarative logic programming language, to build a framework that supports efficient data aggregation for performance metrics of recursively modeled network services. We present our recursive query language for automatic and flexible decomposition and aggregation of NFV performance metrics and describe example use cases for both compute and network metrics. We also describe the design and implementation of a proof‐of‐concept query engine using the language. Our performance evaluation shows that the total query latency is dominated by retrieval times of performance metrics from infrastructure databases, and the time for execution and automatic decomposition of high‐level queries by the query engine itself increases linearly with the size of the service graph up to 1000 nodes. Hence, our evaluations show that the query engine scales well, bounded mainly by the limited execution capabilities of our test environment. Furthermore, it can handle multiple concurrent queries up to the concurrency limits of the backend database in use. The proposed query language and engine are thus effective in recursively retrieving performance metrics of NFV environments supporting large‐scale service graphs and large numbers of query requests.
Incidence of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli strains in beef, pork, chicken, deer, boar, bison, and rabbit retail meat

The objective of the current study was to determine the incidence of contamination by the top 7 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O-groups, responsible for the majority of E. coli infections in human beings, in retail meat from different animal species. Samples from ground beef (n = 51), ground pork (n = 16), ground chicken (n = 16), and game meat (deer, wild boar, bison, and rabbit; n = 55) were collected from retail vendors for the detection of 7 STEC O-groups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157). Meat samples were tested by using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the wzx gene of O antigen gene clusters of the 7 STEC O-groups. The positive samples were further tested for Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2). Out of a total of 83 ground beef, pork, and chicken samples, 17 (20%) carried O121, 9 (10%) carried O45, 8 (9%) carried O157, 3 (3%) carried O103, and 1 (1%) carried O145. None of the samples were positive for O26, O111, or the stx gene. All 3 white-tailed deer samples (100%) were positive for O45, O103, or both, 2 (10%) out of 20 red deer samples exhibited the presence of O103, and all 3 bison samples were contaminated with either O121, O145, or O157. One sample from ground deer, contaminated with E. coli O45, carried the stx1 gene. This preliminary investigation illustrates the importance of microbiological testing of pathogens in meat products, as well as the recognized need for increased surveillance and research on foodborne pathogens.
Revisiting sex differences in outcomes in non-valvular atrial fibrillation: a population-based cohort study

Aims In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), it is uncertain whether the higher risk of ischaemic stroke in women reported in some studies is due to residual confounding. We assessed this association using standard time-fixed and more accurate time-dependent adjustment for confounders. Methods and results Using the computerized databases of the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), we identified a cohort of patients with NVAF during 2000–2009 and RAMQ medication coverage. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of ischaemic stroke, death, and bleeding, associated with sex, adjusting for time-fixed covariates at cohort entry. This was compared with adjustment for time-dependent covariates using an age and time-matched nested case-control analysis. The cohort included 147 622 patients. During a mean follow-up of 2.9 years 11 326 patients had a stroke (incidence rate 2.6 per 100 per year). Using time-fixed adjustment for confounders, women had a moderately higher risk of ischaemic stroke than men (HR 1.16 (Confidence interval (CI) 95% 1.11–1.21). Matching on age and using time-dependent adjustment for confounders, women were not at higher risk of stroke than men (Rate Ratio 1.01; 95% CI 0.97–1.05). Mortality and bleeding rates were lower in women compared with men in both analyses. Conclusion In NVAF, women were not at higher risk of thromboembolic events than men in our study. The small increased risk reported in previous studies may be related to residual confounding, in particular from insufficient control for age.
7 Coordinated Action of N-CAM , N-cadherin , EphA 4 , and ephrinB 2 Translates Genetic

Coordinated Action of N-CAM, N-cadherin, EphA4, and ephrinB2 Translates Genetic Prepatterns into Structure during Somitogenesis in Chick James A. Glazier,∗,† Ying Zhang,∗ Maciej Swat,∗ Benjamin Zaitlen,∗ and Santiago Schnell†,∗ ∗Biocomplexity Institute and Department of Physics, 727 East Third Street, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 †Indiana University School of Informatics, 1900 East Tenth Street, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47406
the Radboud University

The present study aims at assessing the life span of populations of the orchid L. loeselii during successional in dune slacks on the Wadden Sea islands. An inventory of Liparis loeselii populations was carried out on 6 islands, while the population structure was assessed in more detail on the island of Texel. The occurrence of the orchid was related to soil factors and hydrological conditions. Groundwater levels were measured in a dune area with natural dune slack formation. The groundwater composition was analyses and the freshwater lenses were modelled. Various scenarios were investigated, including sea level rise and sand nourishment. The window of opportunity for L. loeselii to colonize a new slack is relatively narrow. Under favorable management, the population can survive c. 20 years. Soil pH was positively correlated with the occurrence of L. loeselii populations, while a high organic matter content was negatively correlated. Sites with large populations of L. loeselii, were situated in young dune slacks, that functioned as flow-through lakes and has top soilsinfluenced by anoxic calcareous groundwater. Modelling showed that the freshwater lens would decrease due to sea level rise, while artificial sand nourishment could counteract this effect. The populations of the Hors area on Texel, the Netherlands, can survive for several decades due to continuous formation of new slacks. Discharge of calcareous groundwater is essential to keep the pH on a high level. The hydrological systems that supply dune slack with groundwater are relatively small and are vulnerable for changes in sea level rise.
London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy: guidance for its use as an outcome measure

Background The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP) is a psychometrically validated measure of the degree of intention of a current or recent pregnancy. The LMUP is increasingly being used worldwide, and can be used to evaluate family planning or preconception care programs. However, beyond recommending the use of the full LMUP scale, there is no published guidance on how to use the LMUP as an outcome measure. Ordinal logistic regression has been recommended informally, but studies published to date have all used binary logistic regression and dichotomized the scale at different cut points. There is thus a need for evidence-based guidance to provide a standardized methodology for multivariate analysis and to enable comparison of results. This paper makes recommendations for the regression method for analysis of the LMUP as an outcome measure. Materials and methods Data collected from 4,244 pregnant women in Malawi were used to compare five regression methods: linear, logistic with two cut points, and ordinal logistic with either the full or grouped LMUP score. The recommendations were then tested on the original UK LMUP data. Results There were small but no important differences in the findings across the regression models. Logistic regression resulted in the largest loss of information, and assumptions were violated for the linear and ordinal logistic regression. Consequently, robust standard errors were used for linear regression and a partial proportional odds ordinal logistic regression model attempted. The latter could only be fitted for grouped LMUP score. Conclusion We recommend the linear regression model with robust standard errors to make full use of the LMUP score when analyzed as an outcome measure. Ordinal logistic regression could be considered, but a partial proportional odds model with grouped LMUP score may be required. Logistic regression is the least-favored option, due to the loss of information. For logistic regression, the cut point for un/planned pregnancy should be between nine and ten. These recommendations will standardize the analysis of LMUP data and enhance comparability of results across studies.
Diets Rich in Fruits and Vegetables Are Associated with Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Adolescents

Obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk are public health concerns in adolescents, yet few studies have examined the association of their diet to CVD risk factors. This study investigated associations between diet, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP), and blood lipids in 163 16–17 year olds. Diet recall data were converted into Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI) to assess diet quality. Differences in diet between groups with normal or obese BMI, normal or hypertensive BP, and normal or altered lipids were determined. Associations between diet and BMI, WC, BP, and lipids, controlling for race, gender, and socioeconomic status, were examined. Mean HEI was 49.2 (±12.0), with no differences observed between groups. HEI was not associated with any CVD risk. Sweetened beverage consumption was higher in obese adolescents, and positively related to total cholesterol (TC). Fruit intake was negatively related to BMI and diastolic BP. Total vegetable intake was negatively related to systolic BP. Greens and beans were negatively related to TC and LDL. Whole grains were negatively related to HDL. This research suggests a cardioprotective effect of diets rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as low in sweetened beverages in adolescents.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SYSTEMS TO STUDY THE PHYSICAL PROPERITES OF TANTALUM TRISULFIDE AND SMALL-MOLECULE ORGANIC

OF DISSERTATION THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SYSTEMS TO STUDY THE PHYSICAL PROPERITES OF TANTALUM TRISULFIDE AND SMALL-MOLECULE ORGANIC SEMICONDUCTORS The charge-density-wave (CDW) material orthorhombic tantalum trisulfide (TaS3) is a quasi-one dimensional material that forms long ribbon shaped crystals, and exhibits unique physical behavior. We have measured the dependence of the hysteretic voltage-induced torsional strain (VITS) in TaS3, which was first discovered by Pokrovskii et. al. in 2007, on temperature and applied torque. Our experimental results shows that the application of torque to the crystal could also change the VITS time constant, magnitude, and sign. This suggests that the VITS is a consequence of residual torsional strain originally present in the sample which twists the polarizations of the CDW when voltage is applied. This polarization twist then results in torque on the crystal. Another group of materials that may attract interest is that of small-molecule soluble organic semiconductors. Due to their assumed small phonon thermal conductivities and higher charge carrier mobilities, which will increase their seebeck coefficients with doping as compared to polymers, the small-molecule organic materials are promising for thermoelectric applications. In our experiments, we have measured the interlayer thermal conductivity of rubrene (C42H28), using ac-calorimetry. For rubrene, we find that the interlayer thermal conductivity,  0.7 mW/cm·K, is several times smaller than the (previously measured) in-plane value. Also, we have measured the interlayer and in-plane thermal conductivities of 6,13-bis((triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl) pentacene (TIPSPn). The in-plane value is comparable to that of organic metals with excellent -orbital overlap. The interlayer (c-axis) thermal diffusivity is at least an order of magnitude larger than the in-plane, and this unusual anisotropy implies very strong dispersion of optical modes in the interlayer direction, presumably due to interactions between the silylcontaining side groups. Similar values for both in-plane and interlayer conductivities have been observed for several other functionalized pentacene semiconductors with related structures.