Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
K2-111 b − a short period super-Earth transiting a metal poor, evolved old star

Context. From a light curve acquired through the K2 space mission, the star K2-111(EPIC 210894022) has been identified as possibly orbited by a transiting planet. Aims: Our aim is to confirm the planetary nature of the object and derive its fundamental parameters. Methods: We analyse the light curve variations during the planetary transit using packages developed specifically for exoplanetary transits. Reconnaissance spectroscopy and radial velocity observations have been obtained using three separate telescope and spectrograph combinations. The spectroscopic synthesis package SME has been used to derive the stellar photospheric parameters that were used as input to various stellar evolutionary tracks in order to derive the parameters of the system. The planetary transit was also validated to occur on the assumed host star through adaptive imaging and statistical analysis. Results: The star is found to be located in the background of the Hyades cluster at a distance at least 4 times further away from Earth than the cluster itself. The spectrum and the space velocities of K2-111 strongly suggest it to be a member of the thick disk population. The co-added high-resolution spectra show that that it is a metal poor ([Fe/H] = - 0.53 ± 0.05 dex) and α-rich somewhat evolved solar-like star of spectral type G3. We find Teff = 5730 ± 50 K, log g⋆ = 4.15 ± 0.1 cgs, and derive a radius of R⋆ = 1.3 ± 0.1 R⊙ and a mass of M⋆ = 0.88 ± 0.02 M⊙. The currently available radial velocity data confirms a super-Earth class planet with a mass of 8.6 ± 3.9 M⊕ and a radius of 1.9 ± 0.2 R⊕. A second more massive object with a period longer than about 120 days is indicated by a long-term radial velocity drift. Conclusions: The radial velocity detection together with the imaging confirms with a high level of significance that the transit signature is caused by a planet orbiting the star K2-111. This planet is also confirmed in the radial velocity data. A second more massive object (planet, brown dwarf, or star) has been detected in the radial velocity signature. With an age of ≳10 Gyr this system is one of the oldest where planets are hitherto detected. Further studies of this planetary system are important since it contains information about the planetary formation process during a very early epoch of the history of our Galaxy.
Propofol–fentanyl anaesthesia at high altitude: anaesthetic requirements and haemodynamic variations when compared with anaesthesia at low altitude

Background: There are few published accounts of anaesthesia delivery at high altitude. Natives at high altitude are known to have altered cardiorespiratory reserve. This study seeks to demonstrate the safety of propofol–fentanyl anaesthesia at high altitude titrated to the bispectral index (BIS) (3505 metres above sea level) in native highlanders. It also shows the differential effects of anaesthesia and surgery on the haemodynamics of such individuals as compared with individuals living at low altitude.
SPARC Regulates the Expression of Collagen Type I and Transforming Growth Factor-β1 in Mesangial Cells*

The matricellular protein SPARC is expressed at high levels in cells that participate in tissue remodeling and is thought to regulate mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix production in the kidney glomerulus in a rat model of glomerulonephritis (Pichler, R. H., Bassuk, J. A., Hugo, C., Reed, M. J., Eng, E., Gordon, K. L., Pippin, J., Alpers, C. E., Couser, W. G., Sage, E. H., and Johnson, R. J. (1997) Am. J. Pathol. 148, 1153–1167). A potential mechanism by which SPARC controls both cell cycle and matrix production has been attributed to its regulation of a pleiotropic growth factor. In this study we used primary mesangial cell cultures from wild-type mice and from mice with a targeted disruption of the SPARCgene. SPARC-null cells displayed diminished expression of collagen type I mRNA and protein, relative to wild-type cells, by the criteria of immunocytochemistry, immunoblotting, and the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The SPARC-null cells also showed significantly decreased steady-state levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) mRNA and secreted TGF-β1 protein. Addition of recombinant SPARC to SPARC-null cells restored the expression of collagen type I mRNA to 70% and TGF-β1 mRNA to 100% of wild-type levels. We conclude that SPARC regulates the expression of collagen type I and TGF-β1 in kidney mesangial cells. Since increased mitosis and matrix deposition by mesangial cells are characteristics of glomerulopathies, we propose that SPARC is one of the factors that maintains the balance between cell proliferation and matrix production in the glomerulus.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzyme-linked coagulation assay for detection of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins A, B, and E and solution-phase complexes with dual-label antibodies

The measurement of toxins A, B, and E from Clostridium botulinum was accomplished by use of a modified sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) employing labeled horse antibody and either chicken antibody or biotinylated horse antibody. The complexes formed in solution phase were captured onto solid phases coated with rabbit anti-chicken immunoglobulin G (chicken antibody) or avidin (biotinylated antibody). The assay was brought to the sensitivity of the mouse bioassay (5 to 10 pg/ml, or 0.03 to 0.07 pM) by employing as labeling enzyme the factor X activator of Russell's viper venom (RVV-XA) and a sensitive coagulation-based assay amplification system known as enzyme-linked coagulation assay. Complex formation was found to be a slower reaction than binding to the capture plate, and so the assay used a preincubation step to produce the solution-phase complexes before they were bound to the solid phase. Keeping the concentrations of Russell's viper venom factor X activator antibody and capture antibody constant for diluted samples and diluting complexes into buffer without keeping labeled antibody concentrations constant were equivalent in allowing the detection of low neurotoxin concentrations. This ELISA-enzyme-linked coagulation assay procedure is a convenient alternative to the mouse bioassay, which shows complete resolution of the neurotoxins in addition to the requisite sensitivity.
Expression of Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase and Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase Kinase Genes. Implications for Genotypic Capacity and Phenotypic Plasticity in the Expression of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism1

In plants with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), dark CO2 uptake is mediated by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), an enzyme that can be regulated at transcriptional and posttranslational levels. Reversible phosphorylation of PEPC is catalyzed by a dedicated PEPC kinase, which in turn is regulated at the transcriptional level over the 24-h cycle in CAM plants. PEPC kinase controls the day/night regulation of PEPC during the CAM cycle, thus facilitating plasticity for optimizing CO2 uptake under different environmental conditions. To understand the importance of PEPC kinase in relation to its target PEPC in terms of CAM performance, the expression of the genes encoding the two enzymes was investigated in four species of Clusia that have photosynthetic patterns ranging from C3 photosynthesis to constitutive CAM. By linking changes in the expression of PEPC and PEPC kinase to day/night patterns of leaf gas exchange, organic acid, and soluble sugar contents under different environmental conditions, the genetic and metabolic limitations to CAM plasticity were assessed. The results indicate that PEPC expression is a major factor underpinning the genotypic capacity for CAM and that PEPC kinase expression does not appear to limit CAM. The day/night regulation of Ppck transcript abundance was found to be a consequence of CAM and the day/night cycling of associated metabolites, rather than the primary controlling factor for the temporal separation of carboxylation processes.
Modeling Variance of Variance: The Square-Root, the Affine, and the CEV GARCH Models ∗

This paper develops a new econometric framework for investigating how the sensitivity of the financial market volatility to shocks varies with the volatility level. For this purpose, the paper first introduces the square-root (SQ) GARCH model for financial time series. It is an ARCH analogue of the continuous-time square-root stochastic volatility model popularly used in derivatives pricing and hedging. The variance of variance is a linear function of the conditional variance in the SQGARCH and of the square of it in the GARCH. After showing some implications of this difference, the paper introduces the constant-elasticity-of-variance (CEV) GARCH model, which allows more flexible fitting of variance-of-variance dynamics. The paper develops conditions for stationarity, the existence of finite moments, β-mixing, and other properties of the conditional variance process via the general state-space Markov chains approach. In particular, the paper generalizes the strict stationarity condition for the GARCH(1,1) and gives attention to a discrete-time analogue of the phenomenon known in the continuous-time finance literature as “volatility-induced stationarity,” which may occur with the integrated or mildly explosive CEVGARCH, shedding light on the stabilizing effect of the variance of variance. A diffusion limit for this model is also established. Several alternative models including the affine and the exponential CEV models are explored. The empirical estimates of the CEVGARCH model for the S&P 500 index and DM/US$ exchange rate time series suggest that the variance of variance grows faster than linearly with the conditional variance.
Gliclazide Therapy Is Associated with Potentiation of Postbinding Insulin Action in Obese, Non-insulin-dependent Diabetic Subjects

Six obese, non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects were studied before and 3 mo after treatment with the sulfonylurea gliclazide, 40–80 mg b.i. d. Fasting plasma glucose fell significantly from 13.4 ±1.6 (SEM) to 8.6 ±1.2 mmol/L, accompanied by a significant reduction from 40.6 ± 3.7 to 29.8 ± 2.8 mM · h of the plasma glucose response to 75 g oral glucose. Fasting plasma insulin showed a nonsignificant increase from 24.8 ± 2.0 to 31.3 ± 2.3 mU/L. The percent specific binding of tracer 125I-insulin to erythrocytes and monocytes did not change significantly (from 9.8 ± 1.7 to 8.5 ± 0.7 for erythrocytes and 1.7 ± 0.3 to 1.6 ± 0.4 for monocytes). Glucose utilization was measured at three levels of insulin infusion (40, 100, and 300 mU/ kg/h) by the euglycemic clamp technique. Overall there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the disappearance rate (Rd) and metabolic clearance rate (MCRg) for glucose at the two higher insulin infusion rates (MCRg: 3.3 ± 0.7 to 5.1 ± 0.7 and 5.9 ± 0.9 to 7.9 ± 0.9 ml/kg/min), but not at the lowest infusion rate (MCRg: 3.6 ± 0.8 to 3.3 ± 0.6). Thus, the chronic hypoglycemic effect of gliclazide in obese diabetic subjects was associated with an improvement in insulin-mediated glucose utilization at high plasma insulin concentrations. This enhanced effect of insulin after gliclazide treatment was not accompanied by increased monocyte or erythrocyte insulin binding, which suggests that it was due to potentiation of postbinding insulin-sensitive pathways.
Gonadotrophin and gonadal steroid response to a single dose of a long‐acting agonist of gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone in ovulatory and anovulatory women with polycystic ovary syndrome

OBJECTIVE A previously published study has identified that anovulatory women with PCOS have an increased response of 17α‐hydroxyprogesterone (170HP) and androstenedione to a GnRH analogue suggesting dys‐regulation of cytochrome P450c17α. The object of this study was to compare the responses of the pituitary‐ovarian axis to a single dose of a long‐acting GnRH agonist (GnRHa) in both ovulatory and anovulatory women with PCOS with those in normal subjects.
High strain rate properties of metals and alloys

The high strain rate dependence of the flow stress of metals and alloys is described from a dislocation mechanics viewpoint over a range beginning from conventional tension/compression testing through split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) measurements to Charpy pendulum and Taylor solid cylinder impact tests and shock loading or isentropic compression experiment (ICE) results. Single crystal and polycrystal measurements are referenced in relation to influences of the crystal lattice structures and nanopolycrystal material behaviours. For body centred cubic (bcc) metals, the strain rate sensitivity (SRS) is in the yield stress dependence as compared with the face centred cubic (fcc) case of being in the strain hardening property. An important consequence is that an opposite ductility influence occurs for the tensile maximum load point strain that decreases with strain rate for the bcc case and increases with strain rate for the fcc case. Different hexagonal close packed (hcp) metals are shown to follow either the bcc or fcc case. A higher SRS for certain fcc and hcp nanopolycrystals is explained by extrapolation from conventional grain sizes of an inverse square root of grain size dependence of the reciprocal activation volume determined on a thermal activation strain rate analysis (TASRA) basis. At the highest strain rates, additional deformation features enter, such as deformation twinning, adiabatic shear banding and very importantly, for shock induced plasticity, transition from plastic flow that is controlled by the mobility of the resident dislocation density to plasticity that is controlled by dislocation or twin generations at the shock front. The shock description is compared with the very different high rate shockless ICE type loading that occurs over nanoseconds and leads to higher compressive strength levels because of dislocation drag resistance coming into play for the originally resident mobile dislocation density. Among the high strain rate property, concerns are the evaluation of ductile to brittle transition behaviours for bcc and related metals and also, projectile/target performances in ballistic impact tests, including punching. Very complete metallographic and electron microscope observations have been reported in a number of the high rate deformation investigations.
SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research Day-care expansion and parental subjective well-being : Evidence from Germany

This study investigates whether the expansion of day-care places for under-three-year-old children in East and West Germany from 2007 to 2011 has improved the subjective wellbeing for mothers and fathers with a youngest child in this age group. We extend existing cross-sectional country comparisons and single country policy evaluations by comparing regional variations over time in two different contexts in terms of work-care ideals, labour market, and child care policies. The empirical analysis links administrative records on daycare use at youth welfare office district level from 2007 to 2011 to regionally aggregated data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) for 2007 to 2011 and from the ‘Families in Germany‘-Study (Familien in Deutschland, FID) for 2010 and 2011. We apply fixed-effects models at the county level. We find that in regions with larger day-care growth mothers and fathers expressed greater satisfaction with the available child care. In West Germany, the daycare expansion was positively associated with an increase in maternal satisfaction with family life, health, personal income, and life overall, whereas fathers’ subjective well-being was less affected. In East Germany, for mothers the associations with some domains were similarly positive but reached statistical significance only for maternal satisfaction with family life. The results suggest that the excess demand before the expansion in West and East Germany restricted maternal choice and well-being more than fathers’.
Neuromorphic noise shaping in coupled neuron populations

Noise shaping is well known from /spl Sigma//spl Delta/-conversion. This paper shows that similar effects can be achieved with models inspired by the human neuronal system. Structural similarities between a traditional /spl Sigma//spl Delta/-converter and a VLSI-model of a biological neuron are shown. A novel analogue VLSI-implementation of a coupled neuronal group is suggested, supported by a theoretical discussion on the effect of increasing the number of neurons, and on the benefit of an asynchronous system. Simulation-results from MATLAB and measured results are included.
Demographics and motives of medical school applicants in Croatia

Background: According to data regarding number of physicians per 100 000 inhabitants, Croatia is below the European average. Under those circumstances, more attention needs to be devoted to Croatian medical schools and their applicants. Aims: This study sought to investigate admission trends of applicants to Croatian medical schools, analyse their demographics and motives for medical school enrollment. Methods: We collected admissions data of applicants to Croatian medical schools from 1979 to 2006. Motives for and against medical school enrollment were assessed in a survey of 1146 applicants (response rate 84%, 966/1146) and 98 final-year medical students (response rate 82%, 80/98) during July 2006. Results: The number of applicants to Croatian medical schools had been declining until 1995, it was lowest during the 1991–1995 war in Croatia and it has been rising from 1996 onwards. Majority of applicants in 2006/07 were women (69%). Most of the applicants attended general high schools. The applicants profess choosing a certain medical school for its quality and reputation, but we showed that they actually chose the closest school. The main motives for medical school enrollment were humanitarian and scientific, while main reasons against were perceived difficulty and financial burden. We showed that final-year medical students profess significantly lower interest in science and that they are less interested in altruistic aspects of medicine. Instead, great number of them would reconsider choosing medical studies again because of the corruption in medicine, fear of mistakes and uncertainty of employment. Conclusions: Following the admission trends in medical schools on a national level gives insight into the prospects of health care. Analysis of motives for and against medical school enrollment can provide guidelines for their improvement. Unless Croatia and other countries in transition devote more attention to recruitment, education and retention of physicians, the prospects of our healthcare are poor.
Decreased monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and MAO-A expression as diagnostic indicators of human esophageal cancers

Human esophageal cancer is a common occurring malignancy with high mortality rate partially due to lack of tools for early diagnosis. In this study, we have analysed tumour tissue from 50 cases of primary esophageal cancer. Our studies showed that the activity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and the expression of MAO-A were strikingly decreased in the tumour tissues of 48 (96%) and 44 (88%) patients, respectively. These results suggest that the activity of MAO and the expression of MAO-A may be used as new diagnostic markers for esophageal cancers.
Ebselen impairs cellular oxidative state and induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and activation of crucial mitogen‐activated protein kinases in pancreatic tumour AR42J cells

Ebselen (2‐phenyl‐1,2‐benzisoselenazol‐3(2H)‐one) is an organoselenium radical scavenger compound, which has strong antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects. However, evidence suggests that this compound could exert deleterious actions on cell physiology. In this study, we have analyzed the effect of ebselen on rat pancreatic AR42J cells. Cytosolic free‐Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c), cellular oxidative status, setting of endoplasmic reticulum stress, and phosphorylation of major mitogen‐activated protein kinases were analyzed. Our results show that ebselen evoked a concentration‐dependent increase in [Ca2+]c. The compound induced an increase in the generation of reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria. We also observed an increase in global cysteine oxidation in the presence of ebselen. In the presence of ebselen an impairment of cholecystokinin‐evoked amylase release was noted. Moreover, involvement of the unfolded protein response markers, ER chaperone and signaling regulator GRP78/BiP, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α and X‐box binding protein 1 was detected. Finally, increases in the phosphorylation of SAPK/JNK, p38 MAPK, and p44/42 MAPK in the presence of ebselen were also observed. Our results provide evidences for an impairment of cellular oxidative state and enzyme secretion, the induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and the activation of crucial mitogen‐activated protein kinases in the presence of ebselen. As a consequence ebselen exerts a potential toxic effect on AR42J cells.
A longitudinal study of the psychological morbidity in children due to a natural disaster

Synopsis This longitudinal study examined the psychological impact of a bushfire disaster on a group of 808 children aged from 5 to 12. Contrary to prediction, the prevalence of behaviour and emotional problems 2 months after the fire was less than the prevalence in a carefully selected comparison group. Rather than decrease with time, the prevalence of psychological morbidity increased significantly, being as great 26 months after the disaster as at 8 months.
[Evaluation of dopaminergic activity of the hypothalamus in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome].

To evaluate the hypothalamic dopaminergic activity in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we studied the PRL, TSH, LH and FSH responses to i.m. administration of sulpiride in five euthyroid women affected by PCOS and in five normal women. The mean basal PRL and TSH plasma levels resulted significantly higher (p less than 0.01) in PCOS subjects with respect to normal subjects. The incremental area under PRL and TSH profiles, after sulpiride administration, were significantly lower (p less than 0.05) in PCOS patients than in the control group; no significant variation of LH and FSH plasma levels resulted. Our data suggest a decrease dopaminergic activity in PCOS.