Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Human Occupation of Southwestern Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum

The history of the hominin settlement of Europe has always been marked by range expansion and contraction in the face of interglacial-glacial cycles. The last major contraction occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and was manifested culturally in western Europe by the Solutrean technocomplex, during which the surviving human population was especially concentrated in favored areas of a refugium corresponding to southwestern and southeastern France and the Iberian Peninsula. This period was marked by significant developments in technology (especially weaponry), social networking, and artistic expression. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of the Solutrean phenomenon with special emphasis on settlement-subsistence systems and regional similarities and differences in material culture and responses to the climatic crisis of the LGM.
Chironomid-based classification of lakes in western Finnish Lapland

For the implementation of the Water Framework Directive we need to develop an informative and cost-effective set of biological monitoring and assessment methods, especially for remote areas. Chironomids are known to be an abundant and species-rich group that dominate the aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the north and therefore should be an integral part of monitoring and assessment plans. In this paper, we aim to characterise lake types in subarctic Finnish Lapland using particular chironomid indicator taxa. Contemporary chironomid assemblages and 24 corresponding physical and chemical limnological variables were determined for 63 lakes. Among them, fifty shallow lakes (≤ 10 m) were classified into biological lake groups using Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN). The environmental variables best discriminating between the groups were determined using canonical variates analysis (CVA). Classical lake typology was additionally applied to 13 deeper lakes. Among the shallow lakes, three lake groups were separated on the basis of their chironomid assemblages: (i) small and shallow organic-rich lakes, (ii) large and base-rich lakes, and (iii) cold and clear oligotrophic tundra lakes. The deep lakes were all, except one, oligotrophic. The degree of oligotrophy was related to temperature. The results indicate that the classification of shallow lakes using chironomid communities is a useful tool for developing a lake typology and in assessing and monitoring the remote subarctic lakes.
Abnormal muscle development in the heldup3 mutant of Drosophila melanogaster is caused by a splicing defect affecting selected troponin I isoforms

The troponin I (TnI) gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a family of 10 isoforms resulting from the differential splicing of 13 exons. Four of these exons (6a1, 6a2, 6b1, and 6b2) are mutually exclusive and very similar in sequence. TnI isoforms show qualitative specificity whereby each muscle expresses a selected repertoire of them. In addition, TnI isoforms show quantitative specificity whereby each muscle expresses characteristic amounts of each isoform. In the mutant heldup3, the development of the thoracic muscles DLM, DVM, and TDT is aborted. The mutation consists of a one-nucleotide displacement of the 3' AG splice site at the intron preceding exon 6b1, resulting in the failure to produce all exon 6b1-containing TnI isoforms. These molecular changes in a constituent of the thin filaments cause the selective failure to develop the DLM, DVM, and TDT muscles while having no visible effect on other muscles wherein exon 6b1 expression is minor.
STUDI KASUS TENTANG PERILAKU SEKS PRANIKAH PADA REMAJA DI SMKN PASIRIAN LUMAJANG

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bentuk, tempat, dampak, faktor internal dan eksternal, persepsi tentang perilaku seks pranikah, dan harapan siswa untuk masa depan setelah melakukan seks pranikah di SMK N Pasirian Lumajang. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan rancangan studi kasus. Subyek dalam penelitian ini terdiri dari informan utama dan informan pendukung. Informan utama adalah lima siswa yang teridentifikasi berperilaku seks pranikah, sedangkan informan pendukung adalah guru BK dan teman siswa lima orang. Data penelitian diperoleh dengan menggunakan metode wawancara dan dokumentasi. Adapun teknik yang digunakan untuk menganalisis data kualitatif yaitu dengan mengikuti konsep yang diberikan oleh Miles dan Huberman yang terdiri dari reduksi data, penyajian data, penarikan kesimpulan, dan verivikasi. Sedangkan teknik keabsahan data menggunakan trianggulasi, baik itu teknik maupun subyek penelitian. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perilaku seks pranikah yang terjadi di kalangan remaja SMK N Pasirian Lumajang cukup banyak terutama kelas X1 dan cukup bervariasi dengan bentuk seperti berpegangan, berpelukan, berciuman sampai besenggama. Tempat melakukan perilaku seks pranikah banyak dilakukan pada saat rumah dalam keadaan sepi. Dampak yang ditimbulkan dari perilaku seks pranikah bisa mengakibatkan kehamilan diluar nikah, aborsi dan penyakit kelamin. Faktor internal penyebab perilaku seks pranikah adalah lemahnya pertahanandiri, kurangnya dasar-dasar keimanan. Sedangkan faktor eksternal adalah pengaruh teman, salah memilih teman, lingkungan dan konflik keluarga. Persepsi tentang perilaku seks pranikah dianggap sebagai hal yang wajar dilakukan saat pacaran jaman sekarang. Harapan untuk masadepannya setelah melakukan seks pranikah adalah ingin berubah menjadi yang lebih baik. Kata kunci : Perilaku seks pranikah.
Mecanismos reproductivos que regulan la fructificación en peral (Pyrus communis L.) cv. "Agua de Aranjuez"

[ESP] El peral (Pynss communis) es un cultivo con una marcada tendencia a las producciones erraticas cuyas causas no estan bien establecidas. Esto puede deberse a la escasa informacion disponible acerca tanto de su fructificacion como de su biologia reproductiva. En EspaNa, al principal cultivar, ‘Agua de Aranjuez’, se le reconoce una marcada tendencia a bajos cuajados, hecho que fue controlado mediante el uso de acido giberelico, hasta el punto que en la actualidad su produccion es totalmente dependiente de este tratamiento. Sin embargo recientemente, la reduccion en el uso de hormonas en fluticultura, pone en peligro la produccion de este cultivar. La busqueda de una alternativa, supone el conocimiento de las causas que limitan las producciones, El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido en primer lugar, el de sentar las bases de la fluctificaeion y de la biologia reproductiva en peral. En segundo lugar, la evaluacion de la receptividad floral y su repercusion en la produccion Por ultimo, la busqueda de una alternativa agronomica para ‘Agua de Aranjuez’ libre del uso de acido giberelico. Para llevar a cabo este trabajo, se ha utilizado una combinacion histoquimica y microscopica, con una caracterizacion en campo del cuajado.
Upper ocean carbon flux determined by the 234Th approach and sediment traps using size-fractionated POC and 234Th data from the Gulf of Mexico

Size-fractionated particulate 234Th and particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes were measured in the Gulf of Mexico during 2000 and 2001 in order to obtain a better estimation of upper ocean organic carbon export out of the euphotic zone within cold core and warm core rings, and to assess the relative merit of sediment trap and POC/ 234Th methods. In 2000, the flux of POC measured by sediment traps at 120 m ranged from 60 to 148 mg C m –2d–1, while 234Th-derived POC fluxes in large particles (>53 mm) varied from 18 to 61 mg C m –2d–1 using the ratio of POC/ 234Th at 120 m, and from 51 to 163 mg C m–2d–1 using an average ratio of POC/ 234Th for the upper 120 m water column. In 2001, the fluxes of POC measured by traps deployed at 120 m water depth ranged from 39 to 48 mg C m –2d–1, while the 234Th-derived POC fluxes in large particles (>53 mm) varied from 7 to 37 mg C m –2d–1 using a ratio of POC/ 234Th at 120 m, and from 37 to 45 mg C m –2d–1 using an average ratio of POC/ 234Th within the 0–120 m interval. The results show that POC fluxes estimated by the 234T method using the average ratio of POC/ 234Th within the euphotic zone are similar to those measured by sediment traps. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the variability in POC export fluxes estimated by the 234Th/238U disequilibrium approach is strongly related to the ratio of POC/ 234Th that is taken, and for which we have independent evidence that it may be controlled by the chemical composition of the suspended particles. The results also reveal that using POC/ 234Th ratios in small particles may result in an estimate of the POC export flux that is considerably higher than when using POC/ 234Th ratios in large particles (>53 mm). The POC flux calculated from ratios in large particles is, however, more comparable to the POC flux determined directly by sediment traps, but both of these estimates are much lower than that determined by using the POC/ 234Th ratios in sinking particles. Therefore, without reliable flux values to compare with, 234T based and sediment trap approaches are complementary methods for estimating upper ocean POC export, with comparable uncertainties for both of these approaches.
Regions of IκBα that are critical for its inhibition of NF-κB·DNA interaction fold upon binding to NF-κB

Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) transcription factors regulate genes responsible for critical cellular processes. IκBα, -β, and -ε bind to NF-κBs and inhibit their transcriptional activity. The NF-κB-binding domains of IκBs contain six ankyrin repeats (ARs), which adopt a β-hairpin/α-helix/loop/α-helix/loop architecture. IκBα appears compactly folded in the IκBα·NF-κB crystal structure, but biophysical studies suggested that IκBα might be flexible even when bound to NF-κB. Amide H/2H exchange in free IκBα suggests that ARs 2–4 are compact, but ARs 1, 5, and 6 are conformationally flexible. Amide H/2H exchange is one of few techniques able to experimentally identify regions that fold upon binding. Comparison of amide H/2H exchange in free and NF-κB-bound IκBα reveals that the β-hairpins in ARs 5 and 6 fold upon binding to NF-κB, but AR 1 remains highly solvent accessible. These regions are implicated in various aspects of NF-κB regulation, such as controlling degradation of IκBα, enabling high-affinity interaction with different NF-κB dimers, and preventing NF-κB from binding to its target DNA. Thus, IκBα conformational flexibility and regions of IκBα folding upon binding to NF-κB are important attributes for its regulation of NF-κB transcriptional activity.
Exogenous gene expression in tumors: noninvasive quantification with functional and anatomic imaging in a mouse model.

PURPOSE To assess whether a combination of functional (planar imaging and single photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]) and anatomic (magnetic resonance [MR] imaging) imaging techniques can be used to noninvasively quantify tumor expression of a somatostatin receptor type 2A (SSTR2A) gene chimera in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS All animal experiments were approved by the institutional animal care and use committee. Expression of the SSTR2A gene chimera was quantified in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo. The epitope tag of the fusion protein was detected through an antibody, and the receptor portion was detected by using the Food and Drug Administration-approved radiopharmaceutical indium 111 octreotide. Six mice were injected with cells transfected with vector and with two clonal cell lines that each expressed different amounts of the gene chimera. With a dedicated small-animal gamma camera, planar imaging and SPECT were used for quantification of radiopharmaceutical uptake in vivo; 4.7-T MR imaging was used to derive tumor weight. After imaging, excised tumors were evaluated for uptake and weight. For statistical analysis, linear regression analysis, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were employed. RESULTS Different expression levels of the chimeric gene were confirmed in vitro. Radiopharmaceutical uptake assessed in excised tumors and that derived from in vivo planar (r = 0.94, P < .05, n = 18) or SPECT (r = 0.90, P < .05, n = 18) images correlated. Weight of excised tumors and that derived from MR images (r = 0.98, P < .05, n = 18) correlated. MR images also allowed morphologic assessment. The biodistribution parameter of percentage of injected dose per gram of excised tumors correlated with the same measure derived from a combination of planar (r = 0.90, P < .05, n = 18) or SPECT (r = 0.87, P < .05, n = 18) images and MR images. CONCLUSION A combination of noninvasive functional and anatomic imaging can be used in vivo to quantify gene transfer in tumors.
Seroprevalence of human T lymphotropic virus antibodies among healthy blood donors at a tertiary centre in Lagos, Nigeria

Introduction Transmission of human T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) occurs from mother to child, by sexual contact and blood transfusion. Presently, in most centres in Nigeria, there is no routine pre-transfusion screening for HTLV. The study aims to determine the prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 among healthy blood donors at a tertiary centre in Lagos. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out at the blood donor clinic of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. About 5mls of venous blood was collected from each subject into a sterile plain bottle after obtaining subject's consent. The serum separated and stored at -200C. Sera were assayed for HTLV by an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) for the determination of antibodies to HTLV 1 and HTLV -2. Western blot confirmatory testing was done on reactive samples. All donors were also screened for HIV, HBsAg and HCV by rapid kits. Results The seroprevalence of HTLV -1 by ELISA was 1.0% and 0.5% by Western Blot among blood donors. A total of 210 healthy blood donors were enrolled. Only 2 (1.0%) blood donors were repeatedly reactive with ELISA test. On confirmatory testing with Western Blot, 1 (0.5%) blood donor was positive for HTLV. All the healthy blood donors were negative for HIV, HbsAg and HCV. None of the 210 blood donors had been previously transfused; as such no association could be established between transfusion history and HTLV positivity among the blood donors. Conclusion The seroprevalence of HTLV in this environment is low among healthy blood donors.
Does Political Instability Lead to Higher Inflation? A Panel Data Analysis

Economists generally accept the proposition that high inflation rates generate inefficiencies that reduce society's welfare and economic growth. However, determining the causes of the worldwide diversity of inflationary experiences is an important challenge not yet satisfactorily confronted by the profession. Based on a dataset covering around 100 countries for the period 1960–99 and using modern panel data econometric techniques to control for endogeneity, this paper shows that a higher degree of political instability is associated with higher inflation. The paper also draws relevant policy implications for the optimal design of inflation stabilization programs and of the institutions favorable to price stability.
Vaccination against Staphylococcus aureus Mastitis in Dairy Cattle

Staphylococcus aureus is a major mastitis pathogen because it can be highly contagious and have a significant impact on farm income. S. aureus primarily causes subclinical intramammary infections (IMI) that often become chronic. It also has a negative economic impact from increased milk somatic cell counts (SCC) and decreased milk production. However, there are regional and herd differences, and in some instances, S. aureus may cause a high rate of clinical mastitis.
Coordinated Control of Hybrid 4WD Vehicles for Enhanced Maneuverability and Lateral Stability

This paper presents a method for coordinated control of hybrid four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles (H4Vs), which consists of a front internal combustion engine and independent motor-driven rear wheels. H4Vs are equipped with electronic stability control (ESC), active front steering (AFS), and 4WD. For maneuverability and lateral stability, a yaw moment controller is designed. After generating a control yaw moment with a direct yaw moment control, it is distributed with ESC, AFS, and 4WD. Several actuator configurations of ESC, AFS, and 4WD are presented in the framework of the weighted pseudo-inverse based control allocation. Simulation-based tuning is proposed to improve the performance of the yaw moment distribution. Simulations show that the proposed method is effective for the coordinated control of H4Vs for enhanced maneuverability and lateral stability.
The impact of math preparedness on introductory programming (CS1) success (abstract only)

At our university, like at many other institutions, the pass rate in the introductory programming (CS1) course is relatively low, in the approximate range of 50% to 75%. We would like to discover factors that have an impact on student success in introductory programming in order to better advise and place our students into the course at the appropriate point in their academic careers. Our main motivation for increasing the CS1 pass rate is to help our students graduate on time. It has long been thought that mathematics background is a factor in determining a student's success in introductory computer science courses. Currently, our students must be concurrently enrolled in college algebra or placed into a higher mathematics course. However, given our current low pass rate, we wonder whether this is the proper prerequisite. In order to gather information about mathematics background, we administered a questionnaire to the students enrolled in the class during Spring 2013. We then analyzed the pass rate of our introductory programming students in relation to their mathematics background. Our findings indicate that students who are prepared to take calculus I in the same semester as they take introductory programming were more likely to pass introductory programming. These findings suggest that changing our math prerequisite to pre-calculus may increase the pass rate in our introductory programming course.
Exploiting spatiospectral correlation for impulse denoising in hyperspectral images

Abstract. This paper proposes a technique for reducing impulse noise from corrupted hyperspectral images. We exploit the spatiospectral correlation present in hyperspectral images to sparsify the datacube. Since impulse noise is sparse, denoising is framed as an ℓ1-norm regularized ℓ1-norm data fidelity minimization problem. We derive an efficient split Bregman-based algorithm to solve the same. Experiments on real datasets show that our proposed technique, when compared with state-of-the-art denoising algorithms, yields better results.
Mortalidade materna no Brasil: uma realidade que precisa melhorar

O objetivo deste artigo e apresentar o perfil da mortalidade materna no Brasil nos anos de 2000 a 2009. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva com dados secundarios do Departamento de Informatica do Sistema Unico de Saude e do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica. Os resultados mostram que houve aumento de 11,9% no numero absoluto de mortes maternas brasileiras e no Coeficiente de Mortalidade Materna do pais, de 52,29 para 65,13 mortes maternas a cada 100 mil nascidos vivos. As principais causas dos obitos maternos foram: outras doencas da mae, mas que complicam a gravidez, o parto e o puerperio (17,1%); eclampsia (11,8%); hipertensao gestacional com proteinuria significativa (6,2%); hemorragia pos-parto (5,8%); infeccao puerperal (5,1%) e descolamento prematuro de placenta (4,2%). Verificou-se maior numero de obitos maternos nas mulheres com 4 a 7 anos de escolaridade (23,8%), da raca/cor parda (42,7%), com estado civil solteira (53,1%) e de 20 a 29 anos de idade (41,8%). O local de ocorrencia do obito e predominantemente o Hospital (91,2%). Conclui-se que os coeficientes de mortalidade materna no Brasil apontam para desigualdades regionais, apresentando uma realidade que necessita de intervencoes na area da saude, para que se tenham indicadores satisfatorios no setor materno-infantil.
Expression of rat renal cortical OAT1 and OAT3 in response to acute biliary obstruction

Renal function in the course of obstructive jaundice has been the subject of great interest; however, little is known about the expression of renal organic anion transporters. The objective of this work was to study, in rats with acute extrahepatic cholestasis, the cortical renal expression of the organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) and the organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3), in association with the pharmacokinetics and renal excretion of furosemide (FS). Male Wistar rats underwent bile duct ligation (BDL rats). Pair‐fed sham‐operated rats served as controls. All studies were carried out 21 hours after surgery. Rats were anesthetized and the pharmacokinetic parameters of FS and the renal elimination of FS were determined. Afterwards, the kidneys were excised and processed for immunoblot (basolateral membrane and renal homogenates) or immunocytochemical (light microscopic and confocal immunofluorescence microscopic analysis) techniques. The systemic and renal clearance of FS as well as the excreted and secreted load of FS increased in BDL rats. In kidneys from BDL rats, immunoblotting showed a significant increase in the abundance of both OAT1 and OAT3 in homogenates from renal cortex. In basolateral membranes from kidney cortex of BDL rats, OAT1 abundance was also increased and OAT3 abundance was not modified. Immunocytochemical techniques confirmed these results. In conclusion, acute obstructive jaundice is associated with an upregulation of OAT1 and OAT3, which might explain, at least in part, the increased systemic and renal elimination of FS. (HEPATOLOGY 2006;43:1092–1100.)
Prevalence and Age Distribution of Human Papillomavirus Infection in a Population of Inuit Women in Nunavik, Quebec

Objectives: Our aim was to study the prevalence and age distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection among Inuit women in Nunavik, northern Quebec, a population at high risk of cervical cancer. Methods: We recruited a cohort of Inuit women seeking routine care and living primarily in four communities of the Nunavik region. Pap smears were done and cervical specimens were tested for HPV-DNA using the PGMY-Line blot assay. Results: From January 2002 until December 2007, 629 women were recruited into the study and had their cervical specimens tested. Of 554 women with complete results, the overall and high-risk HPV prevalence were 28.9% and 20.4%, respectively. Multiple-type infections were observed in 40% of HPV-positive subjects. The most common HPV type was HPV-16 (n = 31), and other common high-risk types included HPV-31, HPV-58, and HPV-52. The most prevalent papillomavirus species were α-9 (60% of infections), α-3 (44%), and α-7 (31%). Age-specific prevalence of low-risk HPV, high-risk HPV, and overall HPV showed a U-shaped curve. Of women with baseline cytology, 6.5% had an abnormal result, either atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), or high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). HPV-16, HPV-31, and HPV-58 were some of the most common high-risk types detected in both LSIL and HSIL specimens. Conclusions: Overall and high-risk HPV prevalence was elevated in this population of Quebec Inuit women when compared with other populations that have been studied in Canada. Different HPV types seem to be important as contributors to the overall burden of infection and to the presence of cervical abnormalities, which may have implications for developing cervical screening and vaccination programs. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(11):3141–9)