Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rate Measurement of the Reaction of CF2Cl Radicals with O2

Abstract We have studied the association reaction of the CF2Cl radicals with O2 in presence of N2. The infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) technique with a homemade TEA CO2 laser was used for the CF2Cl radical generation and the vibrational chemiluminiscence technique was set up for the study of the reaction kinetics. The time-resolved IR fluorescence of the vibrationally excited CF2O photoproduct was used to measure the disappearance rate of these radicals. A kinetic mechanism is presented to account for the rate of production of CF2O*. The CF2Cl radical association reaction rate with O2, evidence of a direct channel of photoproduct formation and its reaction rate, and the CF2O* collisional deactivation rate have been obtained.
Improved detection of prostate cancer using classification and regression tree analysis.

PURPOSE To build a decision tree for patients suspected of having prostate cancer using classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Data were uniformly collected on 1,433 referred men with a serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of < or = 10 ng/mL who underwent a prostate biopsy. Factors analyzed included demographic, laboratory, and ultrasound data (ie, hypoechoic lesions and PSA density [PSAD]). Twenty percent of the data was randomly selected and reserved for study validation. CART analysis was performed in two steps, initially using PSA and digital rectal examination (DRE) alone and subsequently using the remaining variables. RESULTS CART analysis selected a PSA cutoff of more than 1.55 ng/mL for further work-up, regardless of DRE findings. CART then selected the following subgroups at risk for a positive biopsy: (1) PSAD more than 0.165 ng/mL/cc; (2) PSAD < or = 0.165 ng/mL/cc and a hypoechoic lesion; (3) PSAD < or = 0.165 ng/mL/cc, no hypoechoic lesions, age older than 55.5 years, and prostate volume < or = 44.0 cc; and (4) PSAD < or = 0.165 ng/mL/cc, no hypoechoic lesions, age older than 55.5 years, and 50.25 cc less than prostate volume < or = 80.8 cc. In the validation data set, specificity and sensitivity were 31.3% and 96.6%, respectively. Cancers that were missed by the CART were Gleason score 6 or less in 93.4% of cases. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed that CART and logistic regression models had similar accuracy (area under the curve = 0.74 v 0.72, respectively). CONCLUSION Application of CART analysis to the prostate biopsy decision results in a significant reduction in unnecessary biopsies while retaining a high degree of sensitivity when compared with the standard of performing a biopsy of all patients with an abnormal PSA or DRE.
VIB-1 Is Required for Expression of Genes Necessary for Programmed Cell Death in Neurospora crassa

ABSTRACT Nonself recognition during somatic growth is an essential and ubiquitous phenomenon in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic species. In filamentous fungi, nonself recognition is also important during vegetative growth. Hyphal fusion between genetically dissimilar individuals results in rejection of heterokaryon formation and in programmed cell death of the fusion compartment. In filamentous fungi, such as Neurospora crassa, nonself recognition and heterokaryon incompatibility (HI) are regulated by genetic differences at het loci. In N. crassa, mutations at the vib-1 locus suppress nonself recognition and HI mediated by genetic differences at het-c/pin-c, mat, and un-24/het-6. vib-1 is a homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NDT80, which is a transcriptional activator of genes during meiosis. For this study, we determined that vib-1 encodes a nuclear protein and showed that VIB-1 localization varies during asexual reproduction and during HI. vib-1 is required for the expression of genes involved in nonself recognition and HI, including pin-c, tol, and het-6; all of these genes encode proteins containing a HET domain. vib-1 is also required for the production of downstream effectors associated with HI, including the production of extracellular proteases upon carbon and nitrogen starvation. Our data support a model in which mechanisms associated with starvation and nonself recognition/HI are interconnected. VIB-1 is a major regulator of responses to nitrogen and carbon starvation and is essential for the expression of genes involved in nonself recognition and death in N. crassa.
Correlation between elevated platelet count and immunoglobulin levels in the early convalescent stage of Kawasaki disease

Abstract Kawasaki disease (KD) may be an acute systemic immune-mediated disease which occurs after infection of unknown KD pathogen(s). The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes in platelet count and immunoglobulin (Ig) levels (IgG, IgM, IgA, and IgE) during hospitalization. Forty-three patients with complete KD who received intravenous Ig at 2 g/kg were enrolled in South Korea. The platelet count and Ig levels of the patients were examined twice at presentation and around discharge (mean 6.2 ± 2.4 days apart) and the relationships between platelet level and Ig levels were evaluated. The mean patient age was 31 ± 18 months; 28 patients were male and 15 were female. The values of all parameters measured, with the exception of IgE, were significantly increased at the second examination compared with their values at presentation. These values gradually increased over time after fever onset, over periods ranging from 2 to 16 days. The extent by which platelet levels increased over these 2 time points was correlated with the extents by which IgG (P < .01), IgM (P < .01), and IgA levels (P = .01) increased. Both the platelet count and the Ig (IgG, IgM, and IgA) levels increased with a correlation each other during the early convalescent stage of KD. This finding suggests that all Ig subtypes except IgE and platelets may be involved in the recovery from KD and that the extent of increased parameters may reflect the degree of systemic inflammation in acute KD.
Impact of Climate Change on Electricity Demand: A Case Study of Pakistan

The energy sector is sensitive to changing weather patterns and Pakistan is one of those countries where temperature rise induced by climate change is expected to be above the world average. In this backdrop the present study aims at finding the impact of climate change on electricity demand in Pakistan at the regional and national level. Using monthly data on temperatures to find heating and cooling degree days, the relationship between monthly electricity demand and temperature is explored which is then used to find the impact of projected climate change on electricity demand. The results suggest surging peak loads in summer season due to climatic effect which calls for capacity instalments over and above that needed to cater to rise in electricity demand attributable to economic growth.
A face recognition method based on LBP feature for CNN

Face recognition is a kind of biometrics which based on the facial feature information of human. And face recognition has wide application value in computer information security, medical treatment, security monitoring, human-computer interaction and finance. Face feature extraction is the key of face recognition technology, and it is related to the selection and recognition of face recognition algorithm. Local Binary Pattern is a texture description method that describes the local texture feature of an image in a gray-scale range. In recent years, many researchers have successfully applied it to facial feature description and recognition in face recognition, and achieved remarkable results. Convolutional Neural Networks is one of the most representative network structures in deep learning technology, and it has achieved great success in the field of image processing and recognition.
Effects of Continuous Light on the Reproductive System of European Sea Bass Gauged by Alterations of Circadian Variations during Their First Reproductive Cycle

The European sea bass is a short‐day breeder, a characteristic that is highly valued in aquaculture. A high percentage of males of this species mature precociously before reaching commercial size, resulting in economic losses for fish farmers. We investigated the effects of continuous light (LL) on the circadian variations of several reproductive hormones in males of this species in order to understand how the presumed absence of the melatonin rhythm caused by LL affects their daily profile. The study was conducted during four critical stages of the sea bass reproductive cycle: pre‐spermatogenesis (PSpg), spermatogenesis (Spg), spermiation (Spm), and post‐spermiation (PSpm). Every 3 h during a complete 24 h cycle, six fish kept under a natural photoperiod (NP), and another six fish kept under LL were anaesthetized, measured, weighed, and bled. The pituitary was removed and frozen at ‐80°C. The pituitary content of sea bream gonadotrophin‐releasing (sbGnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), as well as plasma content of LH, testosterone, and 11‐ketotestosterone (11‐KT) were analyzed by ELISA. The percentage of spermiating males (precocity) per group was determined by periodic abdominal massages of the animals. Our results confirm that LL treatment, maintained from the early stages of development onward, effectively reduces the percentage of precocious male sea bass. As has already been described for caged sea bass, plasma LH showed a clearly marked nocturnal rise near midnight during Spg and Spm during NP, but which was absent under LL. Pituitary sbGnRH and LH content and plasma LH concentration, under both NP and LL, increased during the second half of the reproductive cycle, while sexual steroids were higher at the beginning of the cycle. LL inhibited steroid secretion, especially testosterone secretion, during Spg. In summary, without photoperiod cue, as accomplished by continuous exposure to LL, circadian variations of reproductive hormones appeared altered, causing irregularities in the reproductive process of male sea bass. These findings may have a practical application in aquaculture, namely by applying LL treatment in an effort to reduce the presence of precocious males in a stock.
Product Differentiation, Exclusivity, and Multi-purchasing

This paper investigates the competition between two horizontally differentiated firms whose products have partially overlapping functionalities. If the firms make their products exclusive with each other, consumers can purchase only one product. Otherwise, consumers can buy both products and derive utility from the non-overlapping functionalities. We show that the firm with a quality advantage is more likely to provide nonexclusive products. Moreover, the equilibrium exclusivity level is overprovided from the socially optimal point of view. The lower the differentiation between products, the more likely the firms and the social welfare maximizer are to allow purchasing both products.
Making Sense of the Public Stigma of Suicide: Factor Analyses of Its Stereotypes, Prejudices, and Discriminations

Background: Research suggests that stigma is a barrier to care for individuals who have attempted suicide. While extensive work has examined the stigma of mental illness, less research has focused on the public stigma of suicide. Existing measures of suicide stigma have lacked a conceptual foundation or have failed to include the perspectives of suicide stakeholders. Aims: This research draws on previous qualitative research with suicide stakeholders to create a measure of public suicide stigma. Method: This study used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach to define a factor structure for suicide stigma. The CBPR team used focus groups to generate items for each component of stigma (stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination). Two online surveys (N = 372; N = 243) asked members of the public to rate candidate items for stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Results: Analyses revealed three factors for stereotypes (weak, crazy, distressed), two factors for prejudice (fear/distrust, anger), and three for discrimination (avoidance, disdain, coercion). Limitations: Results should be confirmed in other samples and further evidence gathered on convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity. Conclusion: The resulting 44-item Suicide Stigma Assessment Scale (SSAS) can be further validated and used to measure efficacy of stigma change interventions.
Returns and Volatility Spillover between the Kuala Lumpur Stock Index and Kuala Lumpur Futures Index: Bivariate GARCH Model

This article investigates the effectiveness of hedging the cash markets index on the KLSE using the futures index on the MDEX. By the application of the bivariate GARCH( I , I) model, the time varying hedge ratio is able to capture the volatility spillover between the two markets. The results show that the two models show an obvious disparity in the variance of the hedged portfolio when the economy is in the 1997 financial crisis. The implication to investors is that it is still too risky to enter the market even with a hedged portfolio during a financial crises. Thus, hedging the cash market using futures to reduce investment risk fails when it is most needed. The implications of these results are very important to hedgers. These include the optimal hedge ratio and the risk involved in hedging itself especially during a period of financial crisis.
Methionine enkephalin immunoreactivity in the brain of the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus): Similarities and differences with respect to oscine songbirds

The brain of the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), a small parrot that acquires new vocalizations throughout life, was examined for immunoreactivity to the opioid peptide methionine enkephalin (mENK). mENK is a highly prominent feature of the chemical architecture of the forebrain vocal system of oscine songbirds. Forebrain vocal control nuclei are believed to have evolved independently in parrots and songbirds (Streidter [1994] J. Comp. Neurol. 343:35–56); however, recent studies have found similarities in the neural organization of vocal control pathways in budgerigars and songbirds (Durand et al. [1997] J. Comp. Neurol. 377:179–206). Among the similarities are the existence of recursive pathways interconnecting vocal control neurons in the archistriatum, basal ganglia (i.e., lobus parolfactorius), and dorsal thalamus. In the present study, we found that all vocal control nuclei within the budgerigar forebrain exhibit prominent mENK‐like immunoreactivity (ELI) in fibers and somata. We also found striking similarities between the morphology of ELI elements in budgerigar vocal control nuclei and that described previously in songbird vocal nuclei. Despite these similarities, the budgerigar dorsal striatopallidum (lobus parolfactorius, paleostriatum augmentatum, and paleostriatum primitivum) and somatomotor (anterior) archistriatum exhibit unique patterns of ELI. The dorsal striatopallidum contained far less ELI, whereas the archistriatum contained far more than would be expected on the basis of previous studies of opioid peptides in other avian species, including pigeons, chickens, and songbirds. These differences may reflect neural specializations unique to the budgerigar that contribute to the extraordinary flexibility of the vocal motor system of this species to acquire socially significant stimuli throughout life. J. Comp. Neurol. 393:145–168, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Feasibility of a Web-Based Continuing Medical Education Program in Dermatology: The DermoFAD Experience in Italy

Background: Web-based systems are increasingly being considered for medical education. A draft legislation on distance-learning programs was licensed in Italy by the National Commission for Continuous Education in November 2003. A series of pilot studies were developed, among these the DermoFAD project, based on five simulated clinical cases of acne and a systematic appraisal of the evidence for their clinical management. From July 1 to August 27, 2004, a total of 500 medical doctors participated in a free of charge evaluation program of the project. Observations: Users were distributed all over Italy. Two hundred and eighty-one (56.2%) were primary care physicians, 83 (16.6%) dermatologists, and 136 (27.2%) other medical specialists. A wide range of connecting times was observed. The pass rate of each individual case, at first attempt, ranged from 44 to 77%. When asked to assess the overall distance-learning experience, 98% of the doctors considered it to be enjoyable. A total of 2,152 continuing medical education (CME) credits were awarded. Over 50% of the users stated they would still use the system if they had to pay for it. Conclusions: Our experience shows that distance learning is feasible and is well accepted by physicians. The DermoFAD program was an efficient means of delivering CME to the Italian medical community at large.
A Reassessment of the Link between Mental Disorder and Violent Behaviour, and its Implications for Clinical Practice

Objective and Method: This review examines the central studies which, over the last decade, have investigated the association between mental illness and rates of violent behaviours. The clinical and public policy implications of such research is then examined. Results:Recent research appears to have established a modest association between having a mental illness and an increased propensity to violence. Conclusions:The increased risk of violence is mediated, in part at least, by the active symptoms of illness. The most effective response to the risks of dangerous behaviour in the mentally ill is not to return to policies of greater control and containment but to improve the care, support and treatment delivered to patients in the community. Those at high risk need to be targeted for priority follow-up and intensive support. We need, as a profession, to become as aware of the risks in our patients of violence towards others as we currently are of the risks of suicidal behaviour. We also need to develop responses which effectively manage such patients, to their benefit and ultimately to the benefit of potential victims.
Valproic Acid and Progestin Inhibit Lesion Growth and Reduce Hyperalgesia in Experimentally Induced Endometriosis in Rats

Accumulating evidence suggests that endometriosis is an epigenetic disease. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of valproic acid (VPA) and progesterone (P4) in a rat model of endometriosis on serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, hot plate and tail-flick latencies, lesion size, and body weight. We used 77 adult female rats, and endometriosis was induced by autotransplanting pieces of uterus (ENDO) or fat (SHAM) to the pelvic cavity. The BLANK group received no surgery. After 2 weeks, the ENDO group was further divided, randomly, into 5 groups, receiving, respectively, treatment with low- and high-dose VPA, P4 alone, VPA + P4, and no treatment. The SHAM rats received no treatment. The BLANK rats were further divided into 2 groups, one received VPA treatment and the other, no treatment. After 4 weeks, all rats were sacrificed. Response latency in hot plate and tail-flick tests, body weight, and serum TNF-α levels were measured before the surgery, before and after the treatment, along with lesion size. We found that induced endometriosis reduced response latency. ENDO rats receiving VPA and/or P4 treatment had significantly reduced lesion size as compared with untreated ones, and had significantly improved response to noxious thermal stimuli. They also had significantly increased weight gain. Serum TNF-α levels increased following surgery but eventually decreased regardless of treatment or not. In conclusion, VPA is well tolerated. Treatment with VPA significantly reduces lesion growth and improves sensitivity to nocifensive stimuli. The improvement is specific to endometriosis-induced hyperalgesia. Thus, histone deacetylase inhibitors may be a promising therapeutics for treating endometriosis.
INTERANNUAL VARIABILITY OF SOUTH‐EASTERN AFRICAN SUMMER RAINFALL. PART 1: RELATIONSHIPS WITH AIR–SEA INTERACTION PROCESSES

This paper investigates the role that air‐sea interaction processes may play in interannual variability of south-eastern African summer rainfall. The principal spatial modes of south-eastern African summer rainfall are first identified using principal component analysis. Four modes are retained. The most important mode of variability is found to represent rainfall variability over most of the domain, particularly in the regions to the south. The influence of ENSO (as measured by the SOI) on summer rainfall is investigated in detail for different SOI leads. The relationship is such that during the summer following the onset of an ENSO event, south-eastern Africa tends to experience dry conditions. Strongest relationships are found with the SOI leading rainfall by about 3 to 6 months. A second index, the Brandon‐Marion Index (BMI) which is indicative of changes in the pressure field over the Indian Ocean correlates with rainfall better than the SOI. Strongest correlations are found when this index leads rainfall by about 1 to 3 months. More importantly, a partial correlation analysis reveals that the BMI influences rainfall independently of ENSO. Both the SOI and the BMI are potential predictors of summer rainfall. An investigation of rainfall associations with global SST anomalies reveals areas in the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans that are linked with rainfall changes over the subcontinent. The relationship is such that warm anomalies tend to be followed by dry conditions over much of south-eastern Africa. Strongest relationships are found when SSTs lead the rainfall season by about 1 to 3 months. Well-defined atmospheric anomalies are identified during dry south-eastern African summers. These include, amongst others, anomalously warm tropospheric temperatures and marked low-level cyclonic circulation anomalies over the central Indian Ocean, which generate abnormally weak easterly winds along much of the south-eastern coast of Africa. These perturbations to the low-level flow divert moisture from the continent and result in precipitation decreases. An important and related finding is the fact that the SST‐rainfall link over the Indian Ocean remains strong after the ENSO effects have been removed, suggesting that the atmospheric circulation anomalies observed over south-eastern Africa during dry summers, are linked mainly to SST anomalies over the Indian Ocean. This hypothesis will be tested in a companion paper through a series of GCM simulations.