Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Profiling cloud ice mass and particle characteristic size from Doppler radar measurements

A remote sensing method is proposed for the retrievals of vertical profiles of ice cloud microphysical parameters from ground-based measurements of radar reflectivity and Doppler velocity with a vertically pointed cloud radar. This method relates time-averaged Doppler velocities (which are used as a proxy for the reflectivity-weighted particle fall velocities) to particle characteristic sizes such as median or mean. With estimated profiles of particle characteristic size, profiles of cloud ice water content (IWC) are then calculated using reflectivity measurements. The method accounts for the intrinsic correlation between particle sizes and parameters of the fall velocity‐size relations. It also accounts for changes of particle bulk density with size. The range of applicability of this method encompasses ice-phase clouds and also mixed-phase clouds that contain liquid drops, which are small compared to ice particles, so the radar signals are dominated by these larger particles. It is, however, limited to the observational situations without strong up- and downdrafts, so the residual of mean vertical air motions is small enough compared to the reflectivity-weighted cloud particle fall velocities. The Doppler-velocity reflectivity method was applied to the data obtained with an 8.6-mm wavelength radar when observing Arctic clouds. Typical retrieval uncertainties are about 35%‐40% for particle characteristic size and 60%‐70% for IWC, though in some cases IWC uncertainties can be as high as factor of 2 (i.e., 250%, 1100%). Comparisons with in situ data for one observational case yielded 25% and 55% differences in retrieved and in situ estimates of characteristic size and IWC, respectively. The results of the microphysical retrievals obtained from the remote sensing method developed here were compared with data obtained from the multisensor technique that utilizes combined radar‐ IR radiometer measurements. For pure ice-phase layers unobstructed by liquid clouds (i.e., conditions where the multisensor approach is applicable), the relative standard deviations between the results of both remote sensing approaches were about 27% for mean particle size and 38% for IWC, with relative biases of only 5% and 20%, respectively.
Cerebrospinal Nematodiasis and Vertebral Chondrodysplasia in a Calf

from vasculitis and tissue infiltration of leukocytes to necrosis with granulation tissue. The age of these primary lesions was estimated to be less than 1 day and up to a week or more.9 The inflammatory process had started before slaughter, and the affected valves were less elastic and somewhat fragile. The fact that erythrocyte destruction, erythrophagocytosis, and hemosiderosis were not observed indicates that the hemorrhages were fresh and had developed shortly before or during the slaughter procedure. The great fluctuations in blood pressure as a consequence of stress, stunning, and sudden massive bleeding (hypovolemic shock4,14) probably caused greater vascular strain than these altered valves could bear. Demonstration of an Erysipelothrix sp. and a Streptococcus sp. in 4 out of the 6 valves investigated is in accordance with the earlier reports that these bacteria are the most common cause of valvular endocarditis in the pig.11,15 The findings presented indicate that hemorrhages in the left atrioventricular valves of conventionally slaughtered pigs reveal an apparent early phase of valvular endocarditis and thus provide material suitable for morphological studies. Even if the material presented here is limited, the findings indicate that inflammation in a previously undamaged valve may start as vasculitis within the spongiosa of the valve. Acknowledgement. The assistance of Mr. Christer Rundberg is gratefully acknowledged.
A randomized trial of the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan in chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND Actions of angiotensin II may contribute to the progression of heart failure despite treatment with currently recommended drugs. We therefore evaluated the long-term effects of the addition of the angiotensin-receptor blocker valsartan to standard therapy for heart failure. METHODS A total of 5010 patients with heart failure of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II, III, or IV were randomly assigned to receive 160 mg of valsartan or placebo twice daily. The primary outcomes were mortality and the combined end point of mortality and morbidity, defined as the incidence of cardiac arrest with resuscitation, hospitalization for heart failure, or receipt of intravenous inotropic or vasodilator therapy for at least four hours. RESULTS Overall mortality was similar in the two groups. The incidence of the combined end point, however, was 13.2 percent lower with valsartan than with placebo (relative risk, 0.87; 97.5 percent confidence interval, 0.77 to 0.97; P=0.009), predominantly because of a lower number of patients hospitalized for heart failure; 455 (18.2 percent) in the placebo group and 346 (13.8 percent) in the valsartan group (P<0.001). Treatment with valsartan also resulted in significant improvements in NYHA class, ejection fraction, signs and symptoms of heart failure, and quality of life as compared with placebo (P<0.01). In a post hoc analysis of the combined end point and mortality in subgroups defined according to base-line treatment with angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or beta-blockers, valsartan had a favorable effect in patients receiving neither or one of these types of drugs but an adverse effect in patients receiving both types of drugs. CONCLUSIONS Valsartan significantly reduces the combined end point of mortality and morbidity and improves clinical signs and symptoms in patients with heart failure, when added to prescribed therapy. However, the post hoc observation of an adverse effect on mortality and morbidity in the subgroup receiving valsartan, an ACE inhibitor, and a beta-blocker raises concern about the potential safety of this specific combination.
Measurement of generic core competencies among students of library and information science in Iran

Purpose – The purpose of the present survey is to identify and measure generic core competencies essential for Iranian library and information science (LIS) students. Design/methodology/approach – The study population included all undergraduate LIS students in Iran, and the sample included all undergraduate LIS students in the three universities of Tehran, Shahid Chamran and Ferdowsi of Mashhad. The study was performed during the second semester (February to May) of the 2010-2011 academic year. After a thorough review of the literature, a pattern for generic core competencies was formulated and, accordingly, a researcher-designed questionnaire was developed and distributed. The final data analysis was carried out using 207 completed questionnaires, and the data were analysed using the SPSS19 software. Findings – Except for English and management, the major participants’ scores mean for the 12 identified generic core competencies were higher than the total mean. Originality/value – Besides presenting a new.
Acute inhibition of signalling phenotype of spinal GABAergic neurons by tumour necrosis factor‐α

Non‐technical summary Spinal application of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNFα) is shown to suppress inhibitory synaptic transmission and enhance excitatory synaptic transmission in spinal dorsal horn, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully known. We show that acute application of TNFα inhibits the excitability of a subset of spinal GABAergic neurons through TNF receptor 1 probably by suppressing hyperpolarization‐activated cation currents (Ih) through the activation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase within these neurons. These results suggest a novel cellular mechanism of how TNFα modulates spinal synaptic transmission which may be involved in the development of pain.
GENERALIZATION OF THE TSCHERNING THEORY: OPTIMIZATION OF ASPHERIC OPHTHALMIC LENSES

Abstract—The perfect single vision ophthalmic lens should be free from oblique astigmatism, mean oblique error, distortion and chromatism. At the same time, it should be aesthetic and comfortable. By means of third‐order theory, we show that Tscherning ellipses can be considered to correspond merely to the particular case in which the lens surface is spherical in the three‐dimensional space defined by the conic constant e, the power of the first surface D. , and the back vertéx power D. Consideration is given to the best way of building a merit function for final optimization with a classical ray tracing optimization program on a computer.
A research agenda for adolescent risk-taking: where do we go from here?

This special issue of the Journal of Adolescence emphasized a broader conceptualization of adolescent risk-taking rather than a cataloguing of risk behaviors or epidemiological-type studies of risk activity. It was published soon after the publication of a book entitled “New Perspectives on Adolescent Risk Behavior” which sets a research agenda for the study of adolescent risk- taking. Studies that employed innovative methodologies such as qualitative studies were invited to contribute to this issue. This call for papers echoed Silbereisens call to study adolescents as whole persons emphasizing complexes of risk-related behaviors rather than concentrating on single risks. In fact most papers in the special issue investigated risk-taking across several or many risks while an exception found similar decision-making mechanisms underlying sexual risk-taking as had been shown in previous research to relate to a range of other risk behaviors. A major contribution of this special issue has been studies that take a decision-making or partial decision-making approach to risk- taking.
FQPD, a novel immunomodulatory drug, has significant in vitro activity in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy that claims thousands of lives each year and has considerable morbidity. The disease remains incurable despite recent advances in the understanding of the disease biology and the introduction of more effective drugs is needed. This study evaluated the anti‐MM activity of 3‐(7‐fluoro‐4H‐quinazolin‐3‐yl)‐piperidine‐2,6‐dione, hydrochloride (FQPD), a novel immunomodulatory drug. FQPD inhibited the proliferation of multiple MM cell lines, including those resistant to conventional treatments, such as dexamethasone. It induced apoptosis in MM cell lines, as well as freshly isolated patient MM cells, without cytotoxicity on normal human lymphocytes. Moreover, it induced apoptosis in MM cells adherent to bone marrow (BM) stromal cells or in the presence of cytokines, such as interleukin‐6 and vascular endothelial growth factor, confirming its ability to overcome the protective effects of the BM milieu. Apoptosis in the MM cells was mediated via poly‐ADP ribose polymerase cleavage as well as cleavage of caspase 8 and caspase 9. Our studies therefore demonstrated in vitro anti‐MM activity of FQPD and provide the rationale for its in vivo evaluation in animal models and derived clinical trials.
Cloning and Expression of Influenza H 1 N 1 NS 1 Protein in Escherichia Coli BL 21

1Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. Iran 2Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran 3Cellular & Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran 4Genomic Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran 5Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad university, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, I.R. Iran
The effect of procaine on the action of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction.

1. The effect of procaine on acetylcholine‐induced membrane fluctuations (ACh noise) was studied by intracellular and focal external recording from end‐plates of frog sartorius muscle. 2. With intracellular recording, ACh noise (the ratio of variance to mean depolarization) was substantially reduced by procaine, suggesting a greatly decreased amplitude of the elementary potential change. 3. Spectral analysis of the ACh noise indicated a dual average time course of the underlying “shot effects", similar to the complex shape (brief spike followed by a long tail of low intensity) of the end‐plate current in pro‐aine‐treated muscle. 4. The post‐synaptic blocking action of procaine can be largely explained by the drastic shortening of the initial high‐intensity phase of the end‐plate conductance change. 5. The average time course of the ACh shot effects is discussed in terms of alternative hypotheses, one attributing the complex shape to each elementary event, the other involving sequential reaction steps which produce two unequal populations of ion gates of different “life‐times”.
Molecular Identity of the Mechanotransduction Channel in Hair Cells: Not Quiet There Yet

Hair cells in the mammalian cochlea are specialized mechanosensory cells that convert sound-induced vibrations into electrochemical signals. The molecular composition of the mechanotransduction channel underlying auditory perception has been difficult to define. The study of genes that are linked to inherited forms of deafness has recently provided tantalizing clues. Current findings indicate that the mechanotransduction channel in hair cells is a complex molecular machine. Four different proteins (TMHS/LHFPL5, TMIE, TMC1, and TMC2) have so far been linked to the transduction channel, but which proteins contribute to the channel pore still needs to be determined. Current evidence also suggests that the channel complex may contain additional, yet to be identified components.
PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE: A PROFILE COMPARISON APPROACH TO ASSESSING PERSON-ORGANIZATION FIT

This article brings together three current themes in organizational behavior: (1) a renewed interest in assessing person-situation interactional constructs, (2) the quantitative assessment of organizational culture, and (3) the application of “Q-sort,” or template-matching, approaches to assessing person-situation interactions. Using longitudinal data from accountants and M.B.A. students and cross-sectional data from employees of government agencies and public accounting firms, we developed and validated an instrument for assessing person-organization fit, the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP). Results suggest that the dimensionality of individual preferences for organizational cultures and the existence of these cultures are interpretable. Further, person-organization fit predicts job satisfaction and organizational commitment a year after fit was measured and actual turnover after two years. This evidence attests to the importance of understanding the fit between individuals' preferences and organiza.
An Arabidopsis Cell Cycle–Dependent Kinase-Related Gene, CDC2b, Plays a Role in Regulating Seedling Growth in Darkness

The Arabidopsis CDC2b gene has been defined as a plant-specific cell cycle–dependent kinase-related gene, although it lacks the conserved cyclin binding motif, and its exact function is not known. Here, we report that in etiolated seedlings, the expression of the CDC2b gene is correlated with elongation rate of the hypocotyl. Inhibition of CDC2b gene expression by using an inducible antisense construct resulted in short-hypocotyl and open-cotyledon phenotypes when transgenic seedlings were grown in the dark. The severity of these phenotypes in dark-grown seedlings could be correlated with the level of the antisense gene expression. The short hypocotyl of seedlings underexpressing CDC2b was a result of inhibition of cell elongation rather than a reduction in cell number, whereas in cotyledons, inhibition of CDC2b expression resulted in large, open cotyledons with amyloplasts rather than etioplasts. Although the nuclear DNA was less compact in the antisense hypocotyl cells, DNA content and endoreduplication were not affected. Cell division of the shoot apical meristem also was not affected by antisense expression. The short-hypocotyl phenotype of these transgenic plants was partially rescued by the addition of brassinolide. Brassinolide can only induce CDC2b expression in darkness. These results suggest a role for the CDC2b gene in seedling growth via regulation of hypocotyl cell elongation and cotyledon cell development.
Glycemic Variability Strongly Correlates with Postprandial ß-cell Dysfunction in a Segment of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Using Oral Hypoglycemic Agents

This is an uncopyedited electronic version of an article accepted for publication in Diabetes Care. The American Diabetes Association, publisher of Diabetes Care, is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it by third parties. The definitive publisherauthenticated version will be available in a future issue of Diabetes Care in print and online at http://care.diabetesjournals. org. Diabetes Care Publish Ahead of Print, published online February 24, 2009
No genetic association between tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene polymorphisms and Japanese schizophrenia.

The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) system has been thought to be important in both the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia. Postmortem studies, cerebrospinal fluid studies and pharmacological challenges have shown a deficit in 5-HT function in the cortical regions of schizophrenic patients (Abi-Dargham et al., 1997). Furthermore, recent reports have suggested that the 5-HT receptor might play a critical role in the superior efficacy of the atypical antipsychotics (Meltzer et al., 2003). In addition, several studies have suggested that the 5-HT dysfunction might be associated with suicidal behavior (Mann, 2003). Therefore, it could be speculated that tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the ratelimiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of 5-HT in the raphe nuclei might be a candidate gene for schizophrenia or/and suicidal behavior. Recently, 5-HT was reported to be synthesized by two TPH isoforms, TPH1 and TPH2 (Walther et al., 2003). Walther et al. found that the mRNAencoding TPH2 was expressed at a 150-fold higher level in the mouse brain than TPH1. Human brain expression study of TPH2 suggested that the level of TPH2 mRNA was higher than those of TPH1 in raphe nuclei, that is, the principal source of 5-HT projections to the forebrain (Zill et al., 2007) that has been thought to be implicated in schizophrenia. This result could suggest that TPH2 is a better candidate for neuropsychiatric disorders than TPH1.
Neural Correlates of Antidepressant Treatment Response in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder.

OBJECTIVE The neural changes underlying response to antidepressant treatment in adolescents are unknown. Identification of neural change correlates of treatment response could (1) aid in understanding mechanisms of depression and its treatment and (2) serve as target biomarkers for future research. METHOD Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined changes in brain activation and functional connectivity in 13 unmedicated adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) before and after receiving treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication for 8 weeks. Specifically, we examined brain activation during a negative emotion task and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC), focusing on the amygdala to capture networks relevant to negative emotion. We conducted whole-brain analyses to identify how symptom improvement was related to change in brain activation during a negative emotion task or amygdala RSFC. RESULTS After treatment, clinical improvement was associated with decreased task activation in rostral and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex and increased activation in bilateral insula, bilateral middle frontal cortices, right parahippocampus, and left cerebellum. Analysis of change in amygdala RSFC showed that treatment response was associated with increased amygdala RSFC with right frontal cortex, but decreased amygdala RSFC with right precuneus and right posterior cingulate cortex. CONCLUSION The findings represent a foothold for advancing understanding of pathophysiology of MDD in adolescents by revealing the critical neural circuitry changes that underlie a positive response to a standard treatment. Although preliminary, the present study provides a research platform for future work needed to confirm these biomarkers at a larger scale before using them in future target engagement studies of novel treatments.
Roles of Chloroplast RNA Polymerase Sigma Factors in Chloroplast Development and Stress Response in Higher Plants

Chloroplast transcription in higher plants is performed by two types of RNA polymerases, plastid-encoded RNA polymerase (PEP) and nuclear-encoded RNA polymerase (NEP). PEP is a eubacteria-type multisubunit enzyme whose catalytic core subunits are encoded by the chloroplast genome, whereas NEP is the nuclear encoded T7 phage-type single subunit enzyme. PEP is critical for the biogenesis and maintenance of chloroplasts, and is finely tuned by the nuclear encoded sigma subunits. Of the six Arabidopsis sigma subunits, SIG2 is involved in the transcription of several chloroplast tRNA genes, including trnE encoding tRNA-Glu. SIG2 possibly couples translation and pigment synthesis in chloroplasts. On the other hand, SIG5 is induced by various stresses and contributes to repair of damaged photosystem II (PSII) through transcription of the psbD and psbC genes. Thus target genes and the physiological role of each sigma subunit are becoming clearer.
Molecular Basis and Characterization of the Hyperinsulinism/Hyperammonemia Syndrome Predominance of Mutations in Exons 11 and 12 of the Glutamate Dehydrogenase Gene

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is allosterically activated by the amino acid leucine to mediate protein stimulation of insulin secretion. Children with the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome have symptomatic hypoglycemia plus persistent elevations of plasma ammonium. We have reported that HI/HA may be caused by dominant mutations of GDH that lie in a unique allosteric domain that is encoded within GDH exons 11 and 12. To examine the frequency of mutations in this domain, we screened genomic DNA from 48 unrelated cases with the HI/HA syndrome for exon 11 and 12 mutations in GDH. Twenty-five (52%) had mutations in these exons; 74% of the mutations were sporadic. Clinical manifestations included normal birth weight, late onset of hypoglycemia, diazoxide responsiveness, and protein-sensitive hypoglycemia. Enzymatic studies of lymphoblast GDH in seven of the mutations showed that all had reduced sensitivity to inhibition with GTP, consistent with an increase in enzyme activity. Mutations had little or no effect on enzyme responses to positive allosteric effectors, such as ADP or leucine. Based on the three-dimensional structure of GDH, the mutations may function by impairing the binding of an inhibitory GTP to a domain responsible for the allosteric and cooperativity properties of GDH. D i a b e t e s 4 9 :6 6 7–673, 2000
Reputation, User Feedback, and Perceived Information Quality in Social Internet Media: An Empirical Study

As the internet evolved into a more collaborative and interactive environment in which users both produce and consume content, related changes have occurred in terms of the factors affecting perceived information quality (PIQ). Two factors have emerged as being highly important in social internet media (SIM): community feedback and individual user reputation. This paper reports on a quantitative empirical study exploring the impact of reputation and user feedback on perceived information quality in SIM contexts. The paper presents a theoretical model derived from the literature