Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental proof of Doppler bandwidth invariance

A line flow of scatterers crossing the sound field produced by a focused circular transducer at uniform velocity originates a quasi-triangular Doppler spectrum. It is known that the spectrum shape and width depend on the line flow to beam axis angle, as well as on the transducer geometry. It has recently been theoretically predicted that this spectrum width is independent of the flow line location in the sound field. Experimental verification of the new theorem, based on the use of a thread phantom operated at various orientations, ranges, and offsets, with respect to the ultrasound transducer, is presented. The tests were made with a computerized pulsed Doppler system designed to perform optimal real-time spectral analysis of data obtained in this application. The prototype system and the experimental procedure adopted for demonstrating in vitro the invariance of the Doppler spectral bandwidth are described. <<ETX>>
Multi-entity models of resource description in the Semantic Web: A comparison of FRBR, RDA and BIBFRAME

Purpose – The 1998 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) document “Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records” (FRBR) has inspired a family of models that view bibliographic resources in terms of multiple entities differentiated with regard to meaning, expression, and physicality. The purpose of this paper is to compare how three FRBR and FRBR-like models have been expressed as Semantic Web vocabularies based on Resource Description Framework (RDF). The paper focusses on IFLA’s own vocabulary for FRBR; RDF vocabularies for Resource Description and Access (RDA), an emergent FRBR-based standard for library cataloging; and BIBFRAME, an emergent FRBR-like, native-RDF standard for bibliographic data. Design/methodology/approach – Simple test records using the RDF vocabularies were analyzed using software that supports inferencing. Findings – In some cases, what the data actually means appears to differ from what the vocabulary developers presumably intended to mean. Data based on the F.
A survey of help‐seeking and treatment provision in women with stress urinary incontinence

To establish the prevalence of treatment‐seeking in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), the extent and type of treatment provision, and the levels of unmet need in women who have and have not accessed care, as SUI in women is common but only a small proportion seek help, and there are reports suggesting that few women receive appropriate treatment.
Role of Spm–Cer‐S1P signalling pathway in MMP‐2 mediated U46619‐induced proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells: protective role of epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate

During remodelling of pulmonary artery, marked proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) occurs, which contributes to pulmonary hypertension. Thromboxane A2 (TxA2) has been shown to produce pulmonary hypertension. The present study investigates the inhibitory effect of epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) on the TxA2 mimetic, U46619‐induced proliferation of PASMCs. U46619 at a concentration of 10 nM induces maximum proliferation of bovine PASMCs. Both pharmacological and genetic inhibitors of p38MAPK, NF‐κB and MMP‐2 significantly inhibit U46619‐induced cell proliferation. EGCG markedly abrogate U46619‐induced p38MAPK phosphorylation, NF‐κB activation, proMMP‐2 expression and activation, and also the cell proliferation. U46619 causes an increase in the activation of sphingomyelinase (SMase) and sphingosine kinase (SPHK) and also increase sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) level. U46619 also induces phosphorylation of ERK1/2, which phosphorylates SPHK leading to an increase in S1P level. Both pharmacological and genetic inhibitors of SMase and SPHK markedly inhibit U46619‐induced cell proliferation. Additionally, pharmacological and genetic inhibitors of MMP‐2 markedly abrogate U46619‐induced SMase activity and S1P level. EGCG markedly inhibit U46619‐induced SMase activity, ERK1/2 and SPHK phosphorylation and S1P level in the cells. Overall, Sphingomyeline–Ceramide–Sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (Spm–Cer–S1P) signalling axis plays an important role in MMP‐2 mediated U46619‐induced proliferation of PASMCs. Importantly, EGCG inhibits U46619 induced increase in MMP‐2 activation by modulating p38MAPK–NFκB pathway and subsequently prevents the cell proliferation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental Drought in a Tropical Rain Forest Increases Soil Carbon Dioxide Losses to the Atmosphere

Climate models predict precipitation changes for much of the humid tropics, yet few studies have investigated the potential consequences of drought on soil carbon (C) cycling in this important biome. In wet tropical forests, drought could stimulate soil respiration via overall reductions in soil anoxia, but previous research suggests that litter decomposition is positively correlated with high rainfall fluxes that move large quantities of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the litter layer to the soil surface. Thus, reduced rainfall could also limit C delivery to the soil surface, reducing respiration rates. We conducted a throughfall manipulation experiment to investigate how 25% and 50% reductions in rainfall altered both C movement into soils and the effects of those DOM fluxes on soil respiration rates. In response to the experimental drought, soil respiration rates increased in both the ÿ25% and ÿ50% treatments. Throughfall fluxes were reduced by 26% and 55% in theÿ25% andÿ50% treatments, respectively. However, total DOM fluxes leached from the litter did not vary between treatments, because the concentrations of leached DOM reaching the soil surface increased in response to the simulated drought. Annual DOM concentrations averaged 7.7 6 0.8, 11.2 6 0.9, and 15.8 6 1.2 mg C/L in the control,ÿ25%, and ÿ50% plots, respectively, and DOM concentrations were positively correlated with soil respiration rates. A laboratory incubation experiment confirmed the potential importance of DOM concentration on soil respiration rates, suggesting that this mechanism could contribute to the increase in CO2 fluxes observed in the reduced rainfall plots. Across all plots, the data suggested that soil CO2 fluxes were partially regulated by the magnitude and concentration of soluble C delivered to the soil, but also by soil moisture and soil oxygen availability. Together, our data suggest that declines in precipitation in tropical rain forests could drive higher CO2 fluxes to the atmosphere both via increased soil O2 availability and through responses to elevated DOM concentrations.
A Note on Variable Viscosity and Chemical Reaction Effects on Mixed Convection Heat and Mass Transfer Along a Semi-Infinite Vertical Plate

In the present study, an analysis is carried out to study the variable viscosity and chemical reaction effects on the flow, heat, and mass transfer characteristics in a viscous fluid over a semi-infinite vertical porous plate. The governing boundary layer equations are written into a dimensionless form by similarity transformations. The transformed coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations are solved numerically by using the shooting method. The effects of different parameters on the dimensionless velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles are shown graphically. In addition, tabulated results for the local skin-friction coefficient, the local Nusselt number, and the local Sherwood number are presented and discussed.
Cospeciation and Horizontal Transmission of Avian Sarcoma and Leukosis Virus gag Genes in Galliform Birds

ABSTRACT In a study of the evolution and distribution of avian retroviruses, we found avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV) gag genes in 26 species of galliform birds from North America, Central America, eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa. Nineteen of the 26 host species from whom ASLVs were sequenced were not previously known to contain ASLVs. We assessed congruence between ASLV phylogenies based on a total of 110gag gene sequences and ASLV-host phylogenies based on mitochondrial 12S ribosomal DNA and ND2 sequences to infer coevolutionary history for ASLVs and their hosts. Widespread distribution of ASLVs among diverse, endemic galliform host species suggests an ancient association. Congruent ASLV and host phylogenies for two species of Perdix, two species ofGallus, and Lagopus lagopus and L. mutus also indicate an old association with vertical transmission and cospeciation for these ASLVs and hosts. An inference of horizontal transmission of ASLVs among some members of the Tetraoninae subfamily (grouse and ptarmigan) is supported by ASLV monophyletic groups reflecting geographic distribution and proximity of hosts rather than host species phylogeny. We provide a preliminary phylogenetic taxonomy for the new ASLVs, in which named taxa denote monophyletic groups.
The Birthdate Effect

There are high positive correlations between the percentages of learning disabled children and their months of birth in Hawaii. The relationships are similar for the sexes and do not decrease with age. The LD children born early or late in the year show differences in variability of IQ subtests and age of referral. This, together with a trend towards IQ differences, suggests that simple immaturity at school entrance is an insufficient explanation for the relationships observed. An investigation of the neuropsychological characteristics of early-born and late-born LD children is in progress.
High Impulsivity Predicts the Switch to Compulsive Cocaine-Taking

Both impulsivity and novelty-seeking have been suggested to be behavioral markers of the propensity to take addictive drugs. However, their relevance for the vulnerability to compulsively seek and take drugs, which is a hallmark feature of addiction, is unknown. We report here that, whereas high reactivity to novelty predicts the propensity to initiate cocaine self-administration, high impulsivity predicts the development of addiction-like behavior in rats, including persistent or compulsive drug-taking in the face of aversive outcomes. This study shows experimental evidence that a shift from impulsivity to compulsivity occurs during the development of addictive behavior, which provides insights into the genesis and neural mechanisms of drug addiction.
The roots of provenance: glass, plants and isotopes in the Islamic Middle East

Abstract Glass – one of the most prestigious materials of the early Islamic empire – was traded not only as vessels and bangles but as raw glass blocks. One of its raw materials, plant-ash, was also traded. This means that tracking the production of this precious commodity is especially challenging. The authors show that while chemical composition can relate to vessel type, it is a combination of chemical compositions with strontium and neodymium isotope ratios that is most likely to lead to (a geological) provenance for its manufacture. The materials used by the glassmakers were local sand and plant ashes. Reported here is the first application of the method to the glass made at the primary glass making centre of al-Raqqa, Syria in an environmental context.
Question Answering for the Operation of Software Applications: A Document Retrieval Approach

Reflecting the rapid growth of information technology, the configuration of software applications such as word processors and spreadsheets is both sophisticated and complicated. It is often difficult for users to identify relevant functions in the online manual for a target application. In this paper, we propose a method for question answering that finds functions related to the user's request. To enhance our method, we addressed two “mismatch” problems. The first problem is associated with a mismatch in vocabulary, where the same concept is represented by different words in the manual and in the user's question. The second problem is associated with a mismatch in function. Although the user may have a hypothetical function for a purpose in mind, this purpose can sometimes be accomplished by other functions. To resolve these mismatch problems, we extract terms related to software functions from the Web, so that the user's question can be matched to the relevant function with high accuracy. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method experimentally.
The schizophrenia phenotype in 22q11 deletion syndrome.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated the schizophrenia phenotype in 24 subjects with 22q11 deletion syndrome (22qDS) and schizophrenia (22qDS-schizophrenia), a rare but relatively homogenous genetic subtype of schizophrenia associated with a microdeletion on chromosome 22. Individuals with 22qDS are at genetically high risk for schizophrenia. METHOD Standard measures of signs, symptoms, and course of schizophrenia were assessed in 16 adults with 22qDS-schizophrenia who did not meet criteria for mental retardation and in 46 adults with schizophrenia without evidence of 22qDS from a community familial sample. RESULTS There were no significant differences in age at onset, lifetime or cross-sectional core positive and negative schizophrenic symptoms, or global functioning between the two groups of patients with schizophrenia. Patients with 22qDS-schizophrenia had higher excitement subscale scores and less lifetime substance use than the comparison patients with schizophrenia, but no significant differences in anxiety-depression symptom severity were found between the groups. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the core clinical schizophrenia phenotype would not distinguish individuals with a 22qDS subtype from those with schizophrenia who did not have the 22qDS subtype. The results provide further support for the utility of 22qDS-schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia as well as support for prospective studies of individuals with 22qDS to help identify precursors of schizophrenia.
Pressure–Time Curve Predicts Minimally Injurious Ventilatory Strategy in an Isolated Rat Lung Model

BackgroundWe tested the hypothesis that the pressure–time (P-t) curve during constant flow ventilation can be used to set a noninjurious ventilatory strategy. MethodsIn an isolated, nonperfused, lavaged model of acute lung injury, tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure were set to obtain: (1) a straight P-t curve (constant compliance, minimal stress); (2) a downward concavity in the P-t curve (increasing compliance, low volume stress); and (3) an upward concavity in the P-t curve (decreasing compliance, high volume stress). The P-t curve was fitted to: P =a · t b +c, where b describes the shape of the curve, b = 1 describes a straight P-t curve, b < 1 describes a downward concavity, and b > 1 describes an upward concavity. After 3 h, lungs were analyzed for histologic evidence of pulmonary damage and lavage concentration of inflammatory mediators. Ventilator-induced lung injury occurred when injury score and cytokine concentrations in the ventilated lungs were higher than those in 10 isolated lavaged rats kept statically inflated for 3 h with an airway pressure of 4 cm H2O. ResultsThe threshold value for coefficient b that discriminated best between lungs with and without histologic and inflammatory evidence of ventilator-induced lung injury (receiver–operating characteristic curve) ranged between 0.90–1.10. For such threshold values, the sensitivity of coefficient b to identify noninjurious ventilatory strategy was 1.00. A significant relation (P < 0.001) between values of coefficient b and injury score, interleukin-6, and macrophage inflammatory protein–2 was found. ConclusionsThe predictive power of coefficient b to predict noninjurious ventilatory strategy in a model of acute lung injury is high.
Distinguishing between Germinomas and Pineal Cell Tumors on MR Imaging

Can one distinguish germinomas from pineal cell tumors or do they look the same on MRI? ADC values, T1-, and T2-weighted images from 20 patients with preoperative pineal tumors were assessed in an attempt to differentiate between these 2 tumors. The only significant difference was higher ADC values for germinomas. T1 and T2 images were not capable of differentiating between these tumors. Patients with germinomas were younger than those with pineal cell tumors (pineoblastomas, papillary tumor, and intermediate tumor). BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tumors of pineal cell origin have different prognosis and treatment than those of germ cell origin. The recent literature suggests that these tumors often look alike. Our study aimed to differentiate between pineal cell tumor and germinoma based on ADC values, the homogeneity of the mass, and MR imaging characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 20 patients who had pretreatment MR imaging scans with histologic verification of tumors of pineal cell origin and germinomas. The tumors were measured for the ADC values and for homogeneity by the coefficient of variation of ADC values, and T1WI and T2WI signal intensity values. RESULTS: The 20 subjects (8 females and 12 males) ranged in age from 1.5–64.9 years, with a mean age of 23.9 years (SD 17.7 years). The mean age of those with germinomas was 13.7 years (SD 3.8 years), less than the mean of 29.4 years for those with pineal cell tumors (SD 19.9 years; P = .016). These 2 groups showed no significant difference in coefficients of variation on T1WI, T2WI, and ADC images. However, germinomas showed statistically significant higher ADC values (mean 1590.69 ± 532.96 × 10−6 mm2/s) than pineal cell tumors (mean 883.58 ± 317.48 × 10−6 mm2/s; P = .02). An accuracy of 89.5%, sensitivity of 83.3%, specificity of 92.3%, PPV of 83.3%, and NPV of 92.3% were yielded for an ADC threshold of 1250.00 × 10−6 mm2/s. CONCLUSIONS: Germinomas showed higher ADC values than the pineal cell tumors (P = .02), and the patients were younger. Otherwise, there were no definitive imaging characteristics that distinguished pineal cell tumors from germinomas.
Genetic Diversity of Mycobacterium avium Isolates Recovered from Clinical Samples and from the Environment: Molecular Characterization for Diagnostic Purposes

ABSTRACT Isolation of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) organisms from clinical samples may occur in patients without clinical disease, making the interpretation of results difficult. The clinical relevance of MAC isolates from different types of clinical samples (n = 47) from 39 patients in different sections of a hospital was assessed by comparison with environmental isolates (n = 17) from the hospital. Various methods for identification and typing (commercial probes, phenotypic characteristics, PCR for detection of IS1245 and IS901, sequencing of the hsp65 gene, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) were evaluated. The same strain was found in all the environmental isolates, 21 out of 23 (91.3%) of the isolates cultured from urine samples, and 5 out of 19 (26.3%) isolates from respiratory specimens. This strain did not cause disease in the patients. Testing best characterized the strain as M. avium subsp. hominissuis, with the unusual feature that 81.4% of these isolates lacked the IS1245 element. Contamination of certain clinical samples with an environmental strain was the most likely event; therefore, characterization of the environmental mycobacteria present in health care facilities should be performed to discard false-positive isolations in nonsterile samples, mainly urine samples. Molecular techniques applied in this study demonstrated their usefulness for this purpose.
Propagation of limited-diffraction X-waves in dissipative media

Diffractionless solutions of the wave equation in the form of X-waves have previously been obtained based on the inviscid form of the wave equation. A new general solution to the cylindrically symmetric wave equation for a medium with classical viscous losses is obtained. Particular solutions called dissipative Arcsin X-waves have been derived from this general solution. The properties of these waves are discussed for both infinite and finite size transducers and for different viscous liquids. To calculate the field produced by a finite transducer diameter, we have derived a dissipative form of the Rayleigh integral.
In Vivo Effects of 13-cis Retinoic Acid Treatment on the Concentration of Proteins and Lipids in Serum

A number of serum components, whose concentrations or gene expression have been shown to be modulated by all-trans retinoic acid in vitro, were monitored in patients before and during treatment with Roaccutane (13-cis retinoic acid, 40-60 mg/day) for severe acne. The 13-cis retinoic acid concentration in serum rose from 5.25 +/- 1.09 to 593 +/- 65 nmol/l (mean +/- SD) 24 h after the latest dose. The concentration of all-trans retinoic acid in serum under Roaccutane treatment was measured in model experiments and shown to be 10-20 nmol/l i.e., 2-4 times the basal levels (4.65 +/- 0.85 nmol/l) when the 13-cis retinoic acid concentration was 370-980 nmol/l. The concentrations of creatine kinase-MB, apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol increased significantly while the other measured serum components, including lipoprotein lipase activity, were unaffected by Roaccutane treatment.
Inhibition of Estrogen-Mediated Uterine Gene Expression Responses by Dioxin

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exhibits antiestrogenic properties, including the inhibition of estrogen-induced uterine growth and proliferation. The inhibition of estrogen-mediated gene expression through ER/AhR cross-talk has been proposed as a plausible mechanism; however, only a limited number of inhibited responses have been investigated that are unlikely to fully account for the antiuterotrophic effects of TCDD. Therefore, the effects of TCDD on ethynyl estradiol (EE)-mediated uterine gene expression were investigated using cDNA microarrays with complementary physiological and histological phenotypic anchoring. Mice were gavaged with vehicle, 3 daily doses of 10 μg/kg EE, a single dose of 30 μg/kg TCDD, or a combination of EE plus TCDD and sacrificed after 4, 12, 24, and 72 h. TCDD cotreatment inhibited EE-induced uterine wet weight by 37, 23, and 45% at 12, 24, and 72 h, respectively. TCDD cotreatment also reduced EE-mediated stromal edema, hypertrophy, and hyperplasia and induced marked luminal epithelial cell apoptosis. A 2 × 2 factorial microarray design was used to identify EE- and TCDD-specific differential gene expression responses as well as their interactive effects. Only 133 of the 2753 EE-mediated differentially expressed genes were significantly modulated by TCDD cotreatment, indicating a gene-specific inhibitory response. The EE-mediated induction of many genes, including trefoil factor 1 and keratin 14, were inhibited by greater than 90% by TCDD. Functional annotation of inhibited responses was associated with cell proliferation, water and ion transport, and maintenance of cellular structure and integrity. These inhibited responses correlate with the observed histological alterations and may contribute to the antiuterotrophic effects of TCDD.