Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dating the Martian meteorite Zagami by the 87Rb-87Sr isochron method with a prototype in situ resonance ionization mass spectrometer

RATIONALE The geologic history of the Solar System builds on an extensive record of impact flux models, crater counts, and ∼270 kg of lunar samples analyzed in terrestrial laboratories. However, estimates of impactor flux may be biased by the fact that most of the dated Apollo samples were only tenuously connected to an assumed geologic context. Moreover, uncertainties in the modeled cratering rates are significant enough to lead to estimated errors for dates on Mars and the Moon of ∼1 Ga. Given the great cost of sample return missions, combined with the need to sample multiple terrains on multiple planets, we have developed a prototype instrument that can be used for in situ dating to better constrain the age of planetary samples. METHODS We demonstrate the first use of laser ablation resonance ionization mass spectrometry for 87Rb-87Sr isochron dating of geological specimens. The demands of accuracy and precision have required us to meet challenges including regulation of the ambient temperature, measurement of appropriate backgrounds, sufficient ablation laser intensity, avoidance of the defocusing effect of the plasma created by ablation pulses, and shielding of our detector from atoms and ions of other elements. RESULTS To test whether we could meaningfully date planetary materials, we have analyzed a piece of the Martian meteorite Zagami. In each of four separate measurements we obtained 87Rb-87Sr isochron ages for Zagami consistent with its published age, and, in both of two measurements that reached completion, we obtained better than 200 Ma precision. Combining all our data into a single isochron with 581 spot analyses gives an 87Rb-87Sr age for this specimen of 360 ±90 Ma. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses of the Zagami meteorite represent the first successful application of resonance ionization mass spectrometry to isochron geochronology. Furthermore, the technique is miniaturizable for spaceflight and in situ dating on other planetary bodies. © 2014 The Authors. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of HFE gene mutations and HLA-A alleles in Brazilian patients with iron overload.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Hemochromatosis is a common inherited disorder of iron metabolism and one of the most important causes of iron overload. The objective was to analyze the presence of C282Y, H63D and S65C mutations in the HFE gene and HLA-A alleles for a group of Brazilian patients with iron overload, and to correlate genotype with clinical and laboratory variables. DESIGN AND SETTING Prospective study, in Discipline of Hematology and Oncology, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo. METHODS We studied 35 patients with iron overload seen at our outpatient unit between January 2001 and December 2003. Fasting levels of serum iron and ferritin, and total iron-binding capacity, were assayed using standard techniques. Determinations of C282Y, H63D and S65C mutations in the HFE gene and of HLA-A alleles were performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS Twenty-six out of 35 patients (74%) presented at least one of the HFE gene mutations analyzed. Among these, five (14%) were C282Y/C282Y, four (11%) C282Y/H63D, one (3%) H63D/H63D, six (17%) C282Y/WT and ten (29%) H63D/WT. No patients had the S65C mutation and nine (25%) did not present any of the three HFE mutations. Four out of five patients with C282Y/C282Y genotype (80%) and three out of four patients with C282Y/H63D genotype (75%) were HLA A*03. CONCLUSION Analysis of HFE gene mutations constitutes an important procedure in identifying patients with hereditary hemochromatosis, particularly for patients with iron overload.
Echogenic Technology Can Improve Needle Visibility During Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia

Needle tip visualization is fundamental to the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA). It can be extremely challenging especially at steep insertion angles. We assessed whether an echogenic needle improved tip visibility during UGRA by anesthesiologists performing their normal in-plane technique. The visibility of the Pajunk Sonoplex (echogenic) and the Pajunk Uniplex (control) needle were compared during 60 nerve blocks (30 femoral, 30 sciatic) in this randomized controlled trial. All ultrasound imaging was recorded for analysis. The anesthesiologist subjectively estimated the percentage time they had visualized the needle tip (5-point scale: 1 [0%-20%], 2 [20%-40%], 3 [40%-60%], 4 [60%-80%], 5 [80%-100%]). The actual time the tip was in view, angle of needle insertion, target depth, and procedure time were subsequently measured objectively by a single investigator. The Sonoplex group had both subjectively and objectively better tip visibility (P = 0.002), despite having larger mean body mass index (29.0 vs 25.0 kg/m2, P = 0.01) and steeper mean insertion angle (31 vs 22 degrees, P = 0.03). Objective percentage tip visibility, during in-plane UGRA, reduced by 12% for every 10-degree increase in insertion angle with the control. Tip visibility with the Sonoplex was independent of insertion angle over the range studied (0-57 degrees, P = 0.95). This finding occurred when nonexpert anesthesiologists performed their standard UGRA technique. A needle that is visible for a greater percentage of time has potential safety and efficacy implications.
Evaluation of the workload and drowsiness during car driving by using high resolution EEG activity and neurophysiologic indices

Sleep deprivation and/or a high workload situation can adversely affect driving performance, decreasing a driver's capacity to respond effectively in dangerous situations. In this context, to provide useful feedback and alert signals in real time to the drivers physiological and brain activities have been increasingly investigated in literature. In this study, we analyze the increase of cerebral workload and the insurgence of drowsiness during car driving in a simulated environment by using high resolution electroencephalographic techniques (EEG) as well as neurophysiologic variables such as heart rate (HR) and eye blinks rate (EBR). The simulated drive tasks were modulated with five levels of increasing difficulty. A workload index was then generated by using the EEG signals and the related HR and EBR signals. Results suggest that the derived workload index is sensitive to the mental efforts of the driver during the different drive tasks performed. Such workload index was based on the estimation the variation of EEG power spectra in the theta band over prefrontal cortical areas and the variation of the EEG power spectra over the parietal cortical areas in alpha band. In addition, results suggested as HR increases during the execution of the difficult driving tasks while instead it decreases at the insurgence of the drowsiness. Finally, the results obtained showed as the EBR variable increases of its values when the insurgence of drowsiness in the driver occurs. The proposed workload index could be then used in a near future to assess on-line the mental state of the driver during a drive task.
Fuzzy Weighted Adaptive Linear Filter for Color Image Restoration Using Morphological Detectors

A novel scheme for restoration of color images is presented. The proposed scheme has two phases; in the first phase it detects the pixels corrupted with impulse noise by employing the tools of mathematical morphology and the degree of noisiness is labeled by a fuzzy membership function. Subsequent phase uses a linear weighted filter that attempts to reduce noise in an efficient manner. Experimental results indicate that the proposed scheme provides a better restoration performance than many state of the art filters used for the same. The scheme is capable of preserving color and image details, while suppressing impulse noise effectively.
RAR1 and NDR1 Contribute Quantitatively to Disease Resistance in Arabidopsis, and Their Relative Contributions Are Dependent on the R Gene Assayed Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.001032.

Plant disease resistance (R) genes mediate specific pathogen recognition, leading to a successful immune response. Downstream responses include ion fluxes, an oxidative burst, transcriptional reprogramming, and, in many cases, hypersensitive cell death at the infection site. We used a transgenic Arabidopsis line carrying the bacterial avirulence gene avrRpm1 under the control of a steroid-inducible promoter to select for mutations in genes required for RPM1-mediated recognition and signal transduction. We identified an allelic series of eight mutants that also were allelic to the previously identified pbs2 mutation. Positional cloning revealed this gene to be AtRAR1, the Arabidopsis ortholog of barley RAR1, a known mediator of R function. AtRAR1 is required for both full hypersensitive cell death and complete disease resistance mediated by many, but not all, tested R genes. Double mutant analysis of Atrar1 in combination with the R signal intermediate ndr1 suggests that AtRAR1 and NDR1 can operate in both linear and parallel signaling events, depending on the R gene function triggered. In Atrar1 null plants, the levels of RPM1-myc are reduced severely, suggesting that AtRAR1 may regulate R protein stability or accumulation.
Regional Differences in the Vasodilator Response to Vasopressin in Canine Cerebral Arteries In Vivo

Background and Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the regional differences in the in vivo vasodilator responses to vasopressin, which is thought to stimulate the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium, in canine cerebral arteries by angiography Methods Angiograms were performed through a catheter inserted directly into the right vertebral artery and were taken periodically after the infusion of vasopressin. The diameters of various segments of the major arteries were measured using a computerized image analysis system. Results The bolus administration of vasopressin (10 pmol to 1 nmol) into the vertebral artery produced a long-lasting, dose-dependent vasodilation in the major cerebral arteries centering around the circle of Willis. One nanomoleu of vasopressin appeared to be the optimal dose for producing maximal vasodilation. The internal diameters of the basilar, posterior communicating, and internal carotid arteries experienced the most dilation (approximately 150% that of control) 2 minutes after the infusion of 1 nmol of vasopressin, followed by those of the middle cerebral, the intracranial portion of the vertebral, and the anterior spinal arteries (approximately 130% that of control). The extracranial portion of the vertebral artery (109.8 ±4.8% that of control, n=4) was less sensitive to 1 nmol of vasopressin. Pretreatment with an intracisternal injection of 10 ¨mol of NG-monomethyl L-arginine suppressed the vasodilator effect of vasopressin and substance P, whereas it did not affect the response to vasoactive intestinal peptide. Conclusions These results suggest that the arteries composing the circle of Willis at the base of the brain are more sensitive to nitric oxide release induced by vasopressin compared with other intracranial and extracranial arteries.
MGF (KIT ligand) is a chemokinetic factor for melanoblast migration into hair follicles.

Melanoblasts, the precursors of the pigment-producing cells of the skin and hair, are derived from the neural crest and migrate to the skin around 12 days of gestation in the mouse. In adult mice almost all the melanoblasts are confined to the hair follicles except for the epidermal layers of nonhairy skin. The receptor tyrosine kinase, KIT, is necessary for the survival, proliferation, and migration of melanoblasts. We have utilised an organ culture for embryonic skin taken from Dct-lacZ transgenic mice. The early patterning of the follicles and developing skin layers is retained within the cultures and the lacZ reporter allows visualisation of the melanoblasts within their native tissue environment. Soon after initiation of hair follicle development, melanoblasts localise in the follicles. Inhibition of follicle formation demonstrates that this localisation is an active process; in the absence of follicles, the melanoblasts proliferate but remain associated with the basement membrane. Implantation of beads releasing MGF, the ligand of KIT, does not result in melanoblast migration towards the bead, rather their localisation to the follicles is accelerated. Addition of soluble MGF induces the same effect; KIT therefore promotes melanocyte movement and acts as a chemokinetic, or motogenic, receptor. The melanoblasts must be guided to their correct location by other chemotactic signals or move at random and locate by ceasing movement when the follicle is engaged.
An Exploration of Patients' Trust in Physicians in Training

Several characteristics associated with patient trust are identified. To determine the level of trust patients from disadvantaged circumstances have in their primary care resident physician, and to determine patient and physician characteristics that predict trust, we administered a survey to randomly selected primary care patients of an academic medical center staffed by internal medicine residents after a visit to their primary care provider. Participants were adults. The group was racially diverse (50% non-white), English-speaking, and from lower socioeconomic groups. The 10-page survey consisted of 7 sections (Physician Trust Scale, Patient Demographics, Patient Health and Well-Being, Patient-Physician Relationship Characteristics, Global Doctor Trust Scale, and Physician Characteristics). The average trust score for primary care providers was 42.70 (standard deviation [SD] 6.20, maximum possible 50). Patient trust was associated with female gender of the participant, higher education level, male physician, and gender concordance between physician and patient, and was inversely related to patient age. Trust in the doctors and nurses at the hospital in which the clinic was located also had a positive association with trust. These patients from lower socioeconomic groups had relatively high levels of trust compared with patients from higher socioeconomic groups discussed in the literature.
Indentation as a probe for pressure sensitivity of metallic glasses

The question of hydrostatic pressure or normal stress dependence of the flow and fracture behaviour of bulk metallic glasses is addressed. Data from several types of mechanical tests indicate that flow is hardly sensitive to pressures or normal stresses, while fracture is normal stress sensitive and not pressure dependent. Besides, instrumented indentation adequately probes a low pressure dependence of flow, while a normal stress dependence is hardly noticeable.
Tensor vs. Matrix Methods: Robust Tensor Decomposition under Block Sparse Perturbations

Robust tensor CP decomposition involves decomposing a tensor into low rank and sparse components. We propose a novel non-convex iterative algorithm with guaranteed recovery. It alternates between low-rank CP decomposition through gradient ascent (a variant of the tensor power method), and hard thresholding of the residual. We prove convergence to the globally optimal solution under natural incoherence conditions on the low rank component, and bounded level of sparse perturbations. We compare our method with natural baselines which apply robust matrix PCA either to the {\em flattened} tensor, or to the matrix slices of the tensor. Our method can provably handle a far greater level of perturbation when the sparse tensor is block-structured. This naturally occurs in many applications such as the activity detection task in videos. Our experiments validate these findings. Thus, we establish that tensor methods can tolerate a higher level of gross corruptions compared to matrix methods.
Gender differences in living conditions found among male and female schizophrenic patients on a follow-up study

In four provinces of Canada schizophrenic patients who had received psychiatric treatment not less than 18 months and not more than 10 years earlier, were interviewed. Findings suggest that the female schizophrenic patient, having a later age of onset than the male patient, and being more likely to form a stable spousal union, appears to enjoy a protected status which confers with the benefits of higher income levels, better housing and lessened likelihood of being placed in residential care. A further demonstration of the advantaged circumstances of the female patients may well be their superior showing on functional outcome indicators, where they out-performed males on all indices except physical activity at significant levels of differentiation.
Ascending Auctions with Package Bidding

Abstract A family of ascending package auction models is introduced in which bidders may determine their own packages on which to bid. In the proxy auction (revelation game) versions, the outcome is a point in the core of the exchange economy for the reported preferences. When payoffs are linear in money and goods are substitutes, sincere reporting constitutes a Nash equilibrium and the outcome coincides with the Vickrey auction outcome. Even when goods are not substitutes, ascending proxy auction equilibria lie in the core with respect to the true preferences. Compared to the Vickrey auction, the proxy auctions generate higher equilibrium revenues, are less vulnerable to shill bidding and collusion, can handle budget constraints much more robustly, and may provide better ex ante investment incentives.
Banding in optical add-drop multiplexers in WDM networks: preserving agility while minimizing cost

In this paper, we examine the use of limited tunability in reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (L-ROADM). L-ROADMs can add or drop from only a subset of adjacent wavelengths on the network and are less costly than fully-reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (F-ROADMs). We quantify the trade-off between tuning range and the number of F-ROADMs that can be replaced by L-ROADMs without sacrificing the set of connections that can be established. For the limited-add and drop case, an analytical solution for the band size is found. For the limited-add or limited-drop case, a nearly linear relationship was found between the size of the band and the number of L-ROADMs required, and the number of additional wavelengths required never exceeded 20%. For example, if half of the nodes in the ring were equipped with L-ROADMs that operated on 50% of the total spectrum, full connectivity could still be achieved by employing as few as 7% extra wavelengths.
The Role of Relevance in Sponsored Search

Sponsored search aims at retrieving the advertisements that in the one hand meet users' intent reflected in their search queries, and in the other hand attract user clicks to generate revenue. Advertisements are typically ranked based on their expected revenue that is computed as the product between their predicted probability of being clicked (i.e., namely clickability) and their advertiser provided bid. The relevance of an advertisement to a user query is implicitly captured by the predicted clickability of the advertisement, assuming that relevant advertisements are more likely to attract user clicks. However, this approach easily biases the ranking toward advertisements having rich click history. This may incorrectly lead to showing irrelevant advertisements whose clickability is not accurately predicted due to lack of click history. Another side effect consists of never giving a chance to new advertisements that may be highly relevant to be printed due to their lack of click history. To address this problem, we explicitly measure the relevance between an advertisement and a query without relying on the advertisement's click history, and present different ways of leveraging this relevance to improve user search experience without reducing search engine revenue. Specifically, we propose a machine learning approach that solely relies on text-based features to measure the relevance between an advertisement and a query. We discuss how the introduced relevance can be used in four important use cases: pre-filtering of irrelevant advertisements, recovering advertisements with little history, improving clickability prediction, and re-ranking of the advertisements on the final search result page. Offine experiments using large-scale query logs and online A/B tests demonstrate the superiority of the proposed click-oblivious relevance model and the important roles that relevance plays in sponsored search.
The Function of Neurotrophic Factor Receptors Expressed by the Developing Adductor Motor Pool In Vivo

We examined the spatio-temporal relationship between neurotrophic factor receptor (NTF-R) expression and motoneuron (MN) survival in the developing avian spinal cord and observed heterogeneity in the expression of NTF-Rs between, but not within, pools of MNs projecting to individual muscles. We then focused on the role of NTFs in regulating the survival of one motor pool of MNs, all of which innervate a pair of adductor muscles in the thigh and hence compete for survival during the period of programmed cell death (PCD). The complete NTF-R complement of these MNs was analyzed and found to include many, but not all, NTF-Rs. Treatment with exogenous individual NTFs rescued some, but not all, adductor MNs expressing appropriate NTF-Rs. In contrast, administration of multiple NTFs completely rescued adductor MNs from PCD. Additionally, adductor MNs were partially rescued from PCD by NTFs for which they failed to express receptors. NTF-Rs expressed by the nerve but not in the muscle target were capable of mediating survival signals to MNs in trans. Finally, the expression of some NTF-Rs by adductor MNs was not required for MN survival. These studies demonstrate the complexity in NTF regulation of a defined subset of competing MNs and suggest that properties other than NTF-R expression itself can play a role in mediating trophic responses to NTFs.
Use of Bifidobacterium dentium as an Indicator of the Origin of Fecal Water Pollution

ABSTRACT A new, simple, and specific protocol to discriminate between human and animal fecal pollution is described. The procedure is based on the detection of certain Bifidobacterium species in the samples. Two 16S rRNA gene-targeted probes are described. One of these probes (BDE) has as its target a region of the 16S rRNA gene of Bifidobacterium dentium, a Bifidobacterium species of exclusively human origin. The other probe (BAN) is based on the sequence of a region of 16S rRNA gene for several Bifidobacterium species related with animal origins. The specificity of both probes was evaluated by using 24 Bifidobacterium species, and their threshold detection limit was established by DNA-DNA hybridization. DNA-DNA hybridization with the BDE probe showed it to be specific for B. dentium, whereas that with the BAN probe showed it to be specific for B. animalis, B. asteroides, B. coryneforme, B. cuniculi, B. globosum, B. magnum, B. minimum, and B. subtile. A simple and specific protocol was also developed for the detection of their target species in environmental samples (sewage and feces). DNA-DNA hybridization with the BAN probe was only positive for samples from cattle and goats. Thus, this probe is not suitable for the identification of any animal fecal pollution. Whereas all samples with human fecal pollution showed a positive DNA-DNA hybridization result with the BDE probe, none of those with animal fecal pollution did. Therefore, this finding supports the potential use of this probe in detecting fecal pollution of human origin.