Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for dust destruction from the early-time colour change of GRB 120119A

We present broad-band observations and analysis of Swift gamma-ray burst (GRB) 120119A. Our early-time afterglow detections began under 15 s after the burst in the host frame (redshift z = 1.73), and they yield constraints on the burst energetics and local environment. Late-time afterglow observations of the burst show evidence for a moderate column of dust (A_V ≈ 1.1 mag) similar to, but statistically distinct from, dust seen along Small Magellanic Cloud sightlines. Deep late-time observations reveal a dusty, rapidly star-forming host galaxy. Most notably, our early-time observations exhibit a significant red-to-blue colour change in the first ∼200 s after the trigger at levels heretofore unseen in GRB afterglows. This colour change, which is coincident with the final phases of the prompt emission, is a hallmark prediction of the photodestruction of dust in GRB afterglows. We test whether dust-destruction signatures are significantly distinct from other sources of colour change, namely a change in the intrinsic spectral index β. We find that a time-varying power-law spectrum alone cannot adequately describe the observed colour change, and allowing for dust destruction (via a time-varying A_V) significantly improves the fit. While not definitively ruling out other possibilities, this event provides the best support yet for the direct detection of dust destruction in the local environment of a GRB.
Birth weight and fetal growth in infants born to female hairdressers and their sisters

Objectives: To investigate birth weight and fetal growth in female hairdressers, while controlling for intergenerational effects and effects related to childhood exposures. Methods: A cohort of women who had attended vocational schools for hairdressers were compared to their sisters with respect to birth weight and fetal growth (measured as small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA), respectively) in their infants. In total, 6223 infants born to 3137 hairdressers and 8388 infants born to 3952 hairdressers’ sisters were studied. Results: Among the infants born to the hairdressers’ sisters, the distribution of birth weights were wider than that among the infants born to the hairdressers. This was also reflected in that hairdresser cohort affiliation tended to be protective against both SGA (odds ratio 0.80; 95% confidence interval 0.49 to 1.31) and LGA (0.77; 0.54 to 1.09). For LGA, this effect was even more pronounced among women who had actually worked as hairdressers during at least one pregnancy (0.60; 0.39 to 0.92). The infants born to these women also had a significantly lower mean birth weight (3387 g vs 3419 g; p = 0.033). Conclusions: The results from the present study suggest that infants born to hairdressers have a decreased risk of being LGA. This is most likely not caused by a shift in birth weight distribution or abnormal glucose metabolism.
Identification of Components of Electron Transport Chains in the Extremely Thermoacidophilic Crenarchaeon Metallosphaera sedula through Iron and Sulfur Compound Oxidation Transcriptomes

ABSTRACT The crenarchaeal order Sulfolobales collectively contain at least five major terminal oxidase complexes. Based on genome sequence information, all five complexes are found only in Metallosphaera sedula and Sulfolobus tokodaii, the two sequenced Sulfolobales capable of iron oxidization. While specific respiratory complexes in certain Sulfolobales have been characterized previously as proton pumps for maintaining intracellular pH and generating proton motive force, their contribution to sulfur and iron biooxidation has not been considered. For M. sedula growing in the presence of ferrous iron and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISCs), global transcriptional analysis was used to track the response of specific genes associated with these complexes, as well as other known and putative respiratory electron transport chain elements. Open reading frames from all five terminal oxidase or bc1-like complexes were stimulated on one or more conditions tested. Components of the fox (Msed0467 to Msed0489) and soxNL-cbsABA (Msed0500 to Msed0505) terminal/quinol oxidase clusters were triggered by ferrous iron, while the soxABCDD′ terminal oxidase cluster (Msed0285 to Msed0291) were induced by tetrathionate and S0. Chemolithotrophic electron transport elements, including a putative tetrathionate hydrolase (Msed0804), a novel polysulfide/sulfur/dimethyl sulfoxide reductase-like complex (Msed0812 to Msed0818), and a novel heterodisulfide reductase-like complex (Msed1542 to Msed1550), were also stimulated by RISCs. Furthermore, several hypothetical proteins were found to have strong responses to ferrous iron or RISCs, suggesting additional candidates in iron or sulfur oxidation-related pathways. From this analysis, a comprehensive model for electron transport in M. sedula could be proposed as the basis for examining specific details of iron and sulfur oxidation in this bioleaching archaeon.
Concurrent fMRI and optical measures for the investigation of the hemodynamic response function

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal variations are based on a combination of changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and volume (CBV), and blood oxygenation. We investigated the relationship between these hemodynamic parameters in the rodent barrel cortex by performing fMRI concurrently with laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) or optical imaging spectroscopy (OIS), following whisker stimulation and hypercapnic challenge. A difference between the positions of the maximum blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) and CBV changes was observed in coronal fMRI maps, with the BOLD region being more superficial. A 6.5% baseline blood volume fraction in this superficial region dropped to 4% in deeper cortical layers (corresponding to total hemoglobin baseline volumes Hbt0 = 110 μM and 67 μM, respectively), as inferred from maps of ΔR 2* . Baseline volume profiles were used to parameterize the Monte Carlo simulations (MCS) to interpret the 2D OIS. From this it was found that the optical blood volume measurements (i.e., changes in total hemoglobin) equated with CBV‐MRI measurements when the MRI data were taken from superficial cortical layers. Optical measures of activation showed a good spatial overlap with fMRI measurements taken in the same plane (covering the right hemisphere surface). Changes in CBV and CBF followed the scaling relationship CBV = CBFα, with mean α = 0.38 ± 0.06. Magn Reson Med 54:354–365, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparative pharmacology of the H1 antihistamines.

The United States National Library of Medicine deﬁ nes the term pharmacokinetics as “the dynamic and kinetic mechanisms of exogenous chemical products, and the absorption, biotransformation, distribution, release, transport and elimination of drug substances according to their dosage and extent and rate of metabolism”. Although the ef ﬁ cacy of the different H
Early antibiotic exposure and body mass index in children born small for gestational age

Abstract Gut microbiota are emerging as a potential mediator of several long term chronic conditions including obesity and related metabolic disorders, by extracting more energy from the diet, and interacting with host epithelial cells and host genes to indirectly control energy expenditure and storage [1]. Recent experiments show that mice treated with antibiotics early in life, gained more weight and accumulated more fat due to altered gut microbiota colonisation, which shifted their digestion towards greater energy extraction and left less residual energy in their faeces [2]. The growth effects of antibiotics have been used in farm animals to increase weight gain by as much as 15%, using many different classes of antibacterial agents [3, 4] for a long time. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Hydrazinocurcumin Encapsuled Nanoparticles “Re-Educate” Tumor-Associated Macrophages and Exhibit Anti-Tumor Effects on Breast Cancer Following STAT3 Suppression

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are essential cellular components within tumor microenvironment (TME). TAMs are educated by TME to transform to M2 polarized population, showing a M2-like phenotype, IL-10high, IL-12low, TGF-βhigh. STAT3 signaling triggers crosstalk between tumor cells and TAMs, and is crucial for the regulation of malignant progression. In our study, legumain-targeting liposomal nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulating HC were employed to suppress STAT3 activity and “re-educate” TAMs, and to investigate the effects of suppression of tumor progression in vivo. The results showed that TAMs treated by HC encapsuled NPs could switch to M1-like phenotype, IL-10low, IL-12high, TGF-βlow, and the “re-educated” macrophages (M1-like macrophages) considerably demonstrated opposite effect of M2-like macrophages, especially the induction of 4T1 cells migration and invasion in vitro, and suppression of tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis in vivo. These data indicated that inhibition of STAT3 activity of TAMs by HC-NPs was able to reverse their phenotype and could regulate their crosstalk between tumor cells and TAMs in order to suppress tumor progression.
Perceived Work Related and Non-work Related Barriers in the Career Development of Australian and South African Adolescents

Previous research has revealed inconsistencies in the interaction of perceived career barriers, career development variables, and demographic variables such as gender and cultural identity. This study sought to investigate such relationships by surveying 1063 secondary students from Australia and South Africa in order to explore their work related perceived barriers, and the possible existence of a relationship between career maturity, career decision-making, and career decision-making self-efficacy. Results showed no support for the influence of gender, culture, socioeconomic status, grade, or work experience on levels of perceived career barriers. However, a relationship between perception of career barriers and the career development variables was evident, with generally less career maturity and higher career indecision being reported the greater the perception of barriers. Differences existed in terms of type of perceived career barrier for culture and grade, and these are explored and discussed.
Porcine Heart Valves Produce a Protein That Induces Cell‐Mediated Connective Tissue Degradation: I. Biological Properties

Cultured porcine heart valves secrete a factor that induces cells to degrade their extracellular matrix. This activity was routinely monitored by measuring the release of glycosaminoglycans from proteoglycan in cultured bovine nasal cartilage. It was observed that factor-mediated matrix degradation was dose dependent and required live target cells, while factor production by valves was inhibited by cycloheximide and declined with reduced cell viability. The effect of various steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the production and activity of the factor is discussed with reference to similar cytokines. It is concluded that there is a close similarity between the cardiac catabolic factor described here and catabolin, a protein isolated from porcine synovia and leukocytes, as shown by the neutralization of biological activity with antisera raised to porcine catabolin (interleukin-1).
Assessing migration patterns in Passerina ciris using the world’s bird collections as an aggregated resource

Natural history museum collections (NHCs) represent a rich and largely untapped source of data on demography and population movements. NHC specimen records can be corrected to a crude measure of collecting effort and reflect relative population densities with a method known as abundance indices. We plotted abundance index values from georeferenced NHC data in a 12-month series for the new world migratory passerine Passerina ciris across its molting and wintering range in Mexico and Central America. We illustrated a statistically significant change in abundance index values across regions and months that suggests a quasi-circular movement around its non-breeding range, and used enhanced vegetation index (EVI) analysis of remote sensing plots to demonstrate non-random association of specimen record abundance with areas of high primary productivity. We demonstrated how abundance indices from NHC specimen records can be applied to infer previously unknown migratory behavior, and be integrated with remote sensing data to provide a deeper understanding of demography and behavioral ecology across time and space.
Measuring outcomes of a one-minute preceptor faculty development workshop

BACKGROUND: Measuring outcomes of faculty development programs is difficult and infrequently attempted beyond measuring participant satisfaction with the program. Few studies have validated evaluation tools to assess the effectiveness of faculty development programs, and learners have rarely participated in assessing improvement of faculty who participate in such programs.OBJECTIVE: To develop a questionnaire to measure the effectiveness of an enhanced 1-minute preceptor (OMP) faculty development workshop via faculty self-assessment and resident assessment of faculty, and to use the questionnaire to assess an OMP faculty development workshop.DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: We developed and tested a questionnaire to assess the 5 “microskills” of a OMP faculty development program, and performed faculty self-assessment and resident assessment using the questionnaire 6 to 18 months before and 6 to 18 months after our experiential skills improvement workshop.PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-eight internal medicine continuity clinic preceptors (44 control and 24 intervention faculty) at a university, a veteran’s affairs hospital, and 2 community internal medicine training sites.RESULTS: Twenty-two participants (92%) completed pre- and postintervention questionnaires. Residents completed 94 preintervention questionnaires and 58 postintervention questionnaires on participant faculty. Faculty reported improvement in behavior following the intervention. Residents reported no significant improvements in faculty teaching behaviors following the intervention.CONCLUSION: We attempted to rigorously evaluate a faculty development program based on the OMP. Although the intervention did not show statistically significant changes in teaching behavior, we believe that this study is an important step in extending assessment of faculty development to include resident evaluation of participating faculty.
Semi-Implicit Covolume Method in 3D Image Segmentation

We introduce a three-dimensional (3D) semi-implicit complementary volume numerical scheme for solving the level set formulation of (Riemannian) mean curvature flow problem. We apply the scheme to segmentation of objects (with interrupted edges) in 3D images. The method is unconditionally stable and efficient regarding computational times. The study of its experimental order of convergence on 3D examples shows its second order accuracy for smooth solutions and first order accuracy for highly singular solutions with vanishing gradients as arising in image segmentation.
“I'm Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”: Are GPs’ antibiotic prescribing patterns contextually dependent? A qualitative focus group study

Abstract Objective. To explore factors and circumstances contributing to prudent antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in primary care. Design. Two focus groups representing rural and urban areas. A semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions and an editing analysis style was used. They were examined to identify meaning units that were sorted into categories in an iterative process throughout the analysis. Setting. Primary health care in two counties in southern Sweden. Subjects. Two groups including seven and six general practitioners (GPs) respectively, men and women of different ages with different professional experiences. Main outcome measures. Exploration of categories, determination of themes, construction of models. Results. The decision to prescribe antibiotics takes place in the encounter between GP and patient, initially characterized by harmony or fight and the subsequent process by collaboration or negotiation, resulting in agreement, compromise, or disagreement. Several factors influence the meeting and contribute to enhancing the conditions for rational prescribing. These conditions are connected to the GP, the relationship, and the setting; organization as well as professional culture. The findings indicate synergies between the factors, and that one factor can sometimes compensate for lack of another. Continuity and mutual trust can make a brief consultation successful, but lack of continuity can eliminate the effects of knowledge and professional skills. Conclusions. The findings emphasize the importance of the encounter between the GP and the patient for prudent antibiotic prescribing. Furthermore, the importance of an appropriate organization of primary care, which promotes continuity and encourages professional autonomy, is demonstrated.
Interpersonal Problems in People with Bulimia Nervosa and the Role of Interpersonal Psychotherapya

The term ‘interpersonal’ encompasses not only the patterns of interaction between the individual and significant others, but also the process by which these interactions are internalised and form part of the self-image (Sullivan, 1953). Interpersonal functioning is considered crucial to good mental health. According to Klinger (1977), when people are asked what makes their lives meaningful, most will mention their close relationships with others. Being involved in secure and fulfilling relationships is perceived by most individuals as critical to wellbeing and happiness (Berscheid & Peplau, 1983). Maladaptive interpersonal functioning is considered central to several psychiatric disorders, such as depression (e.g. Petty, et al, 2004), anxiety (e.g. Montgomery et al, 1991), schizophrenia (e.g. Sullivan & Allen, 1999) and autistic spectrum disorders (e.g. Travis & Sigman, 1998). Interpersonal skill deficits may cause vulnerability to developing mental health problems and may also play a role in maintaining it. This is the chicken and egg question: are interpersonal problems vulnerability factors for the development of a psychiatric disorder or are they the result of this disorder?
Banking Industry Deregulation and CEO Incentives : Evidence from Bank CEO Turnover

The recent financial crisis has led to unprecedented interest and debate about whether risk-taking incentives provided to bank CEOs played a role in the crisis. We add to this debate by examining the relation between bank CEO turnover and performance and whether this relation has been affected by banking deregulation. We argue that bank CEOs are more willing to engage in risky operations to exploit the growth opportunities arising from deregulation if they are less likely to be penalized for poor performance. Consistent with this expectation, we find that bank CEO turnover is significantly less sensitive to performance in the post-deregulation period. In addition, we find that the reduction in turnover-performance sensitivity primarily exists in large banks, which are best positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities, and in banks that adopt more aggressive business policies in response to deregulation. Furthermore, preliminary results indicate incentives deriving from bank CEO compensation and turnover policies are complementary.
Optimal fundamental load modulation for harmonically tuned switch mode power amplifier

This paper presents a mathematical model, along with simulation and experimental validation for the optimal fundamental load modulation design space for harmonically tuned switch mode power amplifiers. Starting from conventional class-F-1 PA with a conventional optimal load modulation on the real impedances axis, it is shown mathematically that by moving one of the harmonic terminations along the edge of the smith chart (purely reactive impedance), the optimum fundamental load trajectory is moved away from the conventional real impedances axis to a complex impedance trajectory that maintains constant high power efficiency for different output power back-off values. A 10 W GaN transistor is measured in a harmonic load pull system at 2.14 GHz in order to validate the theory.
Transcriptomic analysis reveals ethylene as stimulator and auxin as regulator of adventitious root formation in petunia cuttings

Adventitious root (AR) formation in the stem base (SB) of cuttings is the basis for propagation of many plant species and petunia is used as model to study this developmental process. Following AR formation from 2 to 192 hours post-excision (hpe) of cuttings, transcriptome analysis by microarray revealed a change of the character of the rooting zone from SB to root identity. The greatest shift in the number of differentially expressed genes was observed between 24 and 72 hpe, when the categories storage, mineral nutrient acquisition, anti-oxidative and secondary metabolism, and biotic stimuli showed a notable high number of induced genes. Analyses of phytohormone-related genes disclosed multifaceted changes of the auxin transport system, auxin conjugation and the auxin signal perception machinery indicating a reduction in auxin sensitivity and phase-specific responses of particular auxin-regulated genes. Genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis and action showed a more uniform pattern as a high number of respective genes were generally induced during the whole process of AR formation. The important role of ethylene for stimulating AR formation was demonstrated by the application of inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis and perception as well as of the precursor aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, all changing the number and length of AR. A model is proposed showing the putative role of polar auxin transport and resulting auxin accumulation in initiation of subsequent changes in auxin homeostasis and signal perception with a particular role of Aux/IAA expression. These changes might in turn guide the entrance into the different phases of AR formation. Ethylene biosynthesis, which is stimulated by wounding and does probably also respond to other stresses and auxin, acts as important stimulator of AR formation probably via the expression of ethylene responsive transcription factor genes, whereas the timing of different phases seems to be controlled by auxin.
Discovery and Validation of Novel Peptide Agonists for G-protein-coupled Receptors*

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent an important group of targets for pharmaceutical therapeutics. The completion of the human genome revealed a large number of putative GPCRs. However, the identification of their natural ligands, and especially peptides, suffers from low discovery rates, thus impeding development of therapeutics based on these potential drug targets. We describe the discovery of novel GPCR ligands encrypted in the human proteome. Hundreds of potential peptide ligands were predicted by machine learning algorithms. In vitro screening of selected 33 peptides on a set of 152 GPCRs, including a group of designated orphan receptors, was conducted by intracellular calcium measurements and cAMP assays. The screening revealed eight novel peptides as potential agonists that specifically activated six different receptors in a dose-dependent manner. Most of the peptides showed distinct stimulatory patterns targeted at designated and orphan GPCRs. Further analysis demonstrated a significant in vivo effect for one of the peptides in a mouse inflammation model.