Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
When are leaves good thermometers? A new case for Leaf Margin Analysis

Precise estimates of past temperatures are critical for understanding the evolution of organisms and the physical biosphere, and data from continental areas are an indispensable complement to the marine record of stable isotopes. Climate is considered to be a primary selective force on leaf morphology, and two widely used methods exist for estimating past mean annual temperatures from assemblages of fossil leaves. The first approach, Leaf Margin Analysis, is univariate, based on the positive correlation in modern forests between mean annual temperature and the proportion of species in a flora with untoothed leaf margins. The second approach, known as the Climate-Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program, is based on a modern data set that is multivariate. I argue here that the simpler, univariate approach will give paleotemperature estimates at least as precise as the multivariate method because (1) the temperature signal in the multivariate data set is dominated by the leaf-margin character; (2) the additional characters add minimal statistical precision and in practical use do not appear to improve the quality of the estimate; (3) the predictor samples in the univariate data set contain at least twice as many species as those in the multivariate data set; and (4) the presence of numerous sites in the multivariate data set that are both dry and extremely cold depresses temperature estimates for moist and nonfrigid paleofloras by about 2°C, unless the dry and cold sites are excluded from the predictor set. New data from Western Hemisphere forests are used to test the univariate and multivariate methods and to compare observed vs. predicted error distributions for temperature estimates as a function of species richness. Leaf Margin Analysis provides excellent estimates of mean annual temperature for nine floral samples. Estimated temperatures given by 16 floral subsamples are very close both to actual temperatures and to the estimates from the samples. Temperature estimates based on the multivariate data set for four of the subsamples were generally less accurate than the estimates from Leaf Margin Analysis. Leaf-margin data from 45 transect collections demonstrate that sampling of low-diversity floras at extremely local scales can result in biased leaf-margin percentages because species abundance patterns are uneven. For climate analysis, both modern and fossil floras should be sampled over an area sufficient to minimize this bias and to maximize recovered species richness within a given climate.
Poliovirus Infection and Poly(A) Sequences of Cytoplasmic Cellular RNA

The influence of polio infection on Poly(A) sequences of cellular cytoplasmic RNA was investigated. In the presence of guanidine, cellular protein synthesis was still shut off after poliovirus infection, although there was no viral RNA synthesis. The Poly(A) of these cells was unchanged with respect to quantity, size, and linkage to cellular cytoplasmic RNA. This finding strongly suggests that the shut off of cellular protein synthesis is not caused by a change of the Poly(A) sequences of cellular mRNA.
Mediation variables in scientific theory.

It is now nearly a decade since MacCorquodale and Meehl’s widely misunderstood paper,“On a Distinction Between Hypothetical Constructs and Intervening Variables”(1948), appeared in this Journal. Since then, a rash of rebuttals has broken out in the psychological literature, some attempting to redefine the distinction along dimensions other than the one proposed by MacCorquodale and Meehl (e.g., Ginsberg, 1954; Marx, 1951; Seward, 1955), and others repudiating the distinction entirely (Bergmann, 1951; Kendler, 1952), until a point has been reached where writers on methodological issues no longer treat the two notions as separate concepts, but merely mention in a passing footnote that a distinction may possibly exist.
Evaluating Gesture-based Desktop Projection Models in a 3 D Environment

In this experiment, we attempted to leverage emerging augmented reality technologies in order to redefine the computer desktop paradigm. We introduce a new term, Desktop Projection Model (DPM), that is used to describe the way in which the desktop is projected into 3D space. By leveraging natural gestures and spatial memory, we hypothesized that a natural user interface, the immersive DPM (iDPM), would have better user performance and user experience than a more traditional interface, the planar DPM (pDPM). A withinparticipants study was conducted with 6 participants in order to determine whether spatial memory will allow users to complete tasks more quickly and more efficiently, and to determine which DPM yielded the best user experience. Data was gathered on the total time taken to complete each task, as well as the total distance that the participants needed to move their hands in order to complete each task. Our findings show that the iDPM required significantly more time and distance to complete each task, and that most participants preferred the pDPM – although most preferred the iDPM before tests. We believe that these findings were skewed by the technical limitations of the prototype, and that future study is needed to properly determine the viability of this interface.
Post‐totalitarian national identity: public memory in Germany and Russia

Through a comparative analysis of Germany and Russia, this paper explores how participation in the memorialization process affects and reflects national identity formation in post‐totalitarian societies. These post‐totalitarian societies face the common problem of re‐presenting their national character as civic and democratic, in great part because their national identities were closely bound to oppressive regimes. Through a comparison of three memorial sites—Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial in Germany, and Lubianka Square and the Park of Arts in Russia—we argue that even where dramatic reductions in state power and the opening of civil society have occurred, a simple elite–public dichotomy cannot adequately capture the nature of participation in the process of memory re‐formation. Rather, mutual interactions among multiple publics and elites, differing in kind and intensity across contexts, combine to form a complex pastiche of public memory that both interprets a nation's past and suggests desirable models for its future. The domination of a ‘Western’ style of memorialization in former East Germany illustrates how even relatively open debates can lead to the exclusion of certain representations of the nation. Nonetheless, Germany has had comparatively vigorous public debates about memorializing its totalitarian periods. In contrast, Russian elite groups have typically circumvented or manipulated participation in the memorialization process, reflecting both a reluctance to deal with Russia's totalitarian past and a emerging national identity less civic and democratic than in Germany.
The Establishment of Telomerase-immortalized Tangier Disease Cell Lines Indicates the Existence of an Apolipoprotein A-I-inducible but ABCA1-independent Cholesterol Efflux Pathway*

Tangier disease (TD) is a human genetic disorder associated with defective apolipoprotein-I-induced lipid efflux and increased atherosclerotic susceptibility. It has been linked to mutations in the ATP-binding cassette protein A1 (ABCA1). Here we describe the establishment of permanent Tangier cell lines using telomerase. Ectopic expression of the catalytic subunit of human telomerase extended the life span of control and TD skin fibroblasts, and (in contrast to immortalization procedures using viral oncogenes) did not impair apolipoprotein A-I-induced lipid efflux. The key characteristics of TD fibroblasts (reduced cholesterol and phospholipid efflux) were observed both in primary and telomerase-immortalized fibroblasts from two unrelated homozygous patients. Surprisingly, the apolipoprotein-inducible cholesterol efflux in TD cells was significantly improved after immortalization (up to 40% of normal values). In contrast to ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux, this efflux was not inhibited by brefeldin A, glybenclamide, or intracellular ATP depletion but was inhibited in the presence of cytochalasin D. Apolipoprotein A-I-dependent cholesterol efflux was inversely correlated with the population doubling number in cell culture and was inhibited up to 40% in near-senescent normal diploid fibroblasts. This inhibition was completely reversed by telomerase. Thus ectopic expression of telomerase is a way to circumvent the lack of critical experimental material and represents a major improvement for studying cholesterol efflux pathways in lipid disorders. Our findings indicate the existence of an ABCA1-independent but cytoskeleton-dependent cholesterol removal pathway that may help to prevent early atherosclerosis in Tangier disease but may also be sensitive to aging phenomena ex vivo and possibly in vivo.
Prevalence and epidemiology of unsuspected onychomycosis in patients visiting dermatologists' offices in Ontario, Canada ‐ a multicenter survey of 2001 patients

Background Questionnaire studies have been used to determine the prevalence of onychomycosis in the United Kingdom and Europe. One disadvantage of this methodology is that the patient self‐diagnoses the onychomycosis. There have been very few large studies involving clinical examination of the nails of subjects, followed by mycological confirmation of the onychomycosis. We therefore determined the prevalence of onychomycosis in patients visiting dermatologists' offices in Ontario, Canada.
Predictors of Risk for Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Ninth Grade Urban High School Students

This study examined risk factors associated with acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV in adolescents, using the AIDS Risk Reduction Model. The study participants were 985 students who were 54% female, ethnically/racially diverse, had a mean age of 14.7 years, and were mostly ninth graders (74%). Logistic regression was used to predict sexual experience. Linear regression was used to predict risky sexual behaviors and condom use within the previous month. The results indicate that demographic factors are associated with being sexually experienced, but few demographics are associated with specific STD-related risk behaviors. STD and AIDS knowledge are not associated with any risk behaviors. Use of alcohol and drugs is associated significantly with being sexually experienced and sexual risk. The results also indicate that peer affiliation, perceptions of peer norms, perceptions of risk, perceptions of self-efficacy, and social support are associated with STD-related risk among sexually experienced youth.
Effect of Beta-Blocker Therapy on Myocardial Perfusion Defects in Thallium-201 Scintigraphy in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Background: Thebeneficial effects of β-blocker therapy in patients with heart failure have been confirmed. However, the effects of β-blockers on myocardial perfusion defects are unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of β-blockers on myocardial perfusion defects estimated by thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to investigate the relationships between β-blocker treatment and myocardial damage and cardiac function. Methods:201Tl and echocardiography were performed in 37 patients before and after 6 months of β-blocker therapy. Extent score (ES) by 201Tl was used to quantitate myocardial perfusion defects before and after treatment. Results: ES was significantly decreased by β-blocker therapy. According to the change in ES, DCM patients were classified into three groups, patients who improved, patients showing no change and patients who deteriorated. In the improvement and no-change groups, β-blocker therapy induced a reduction in left ventricular dimensions and an associated increase in ejection fraction. However, in the deterioration group, left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction were unchanged. There was a significant relationship between the change in left ventricular dimension at end-diastole and the change in ES. Conclusions: β-Blocker therapy could attenuate myocardial perfusion defects in some patients with DCM. The improvement in left ventricular function associated with β-blocker therapy may be related to the attenuation in myocardial perfusion defects.
Interleukin-1 beta causes the increase in anterior hypothalamic interleukin-6 during LPS-induced fever in rats.

The purpose of this study was to determine, using push-pull perfusion, whether the central pyrogenic action of interleukin-6 (IL-6) during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever in rats is induced by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and to determine the source of the hypothalamic IL-6 (i.e., from the periphery or from the brain). Samples of cerebrospinal fluid were collected 60 min before and 60, 120, 180, and 240 min after the intraperitoneal injection of LPS or saline as a control. Immediately before the injection of LPS, anti-rat neutralizing IL-1 beta antibody (anti-IL-1 beta) or control immunoglobulin G antibody (IgG) was microinjected into the anterior hypothalamus (AH) of each rat. At the end of the last perfusion, blood was collected by cardiac puncture. Microinjection of anti-IL-1 beta into the AH caused a 58% reduction of LPS fever (measured by biotelemetry). AH microinjection of anti-IL-1 beta or IgG followed by intraperitoneal injection of saline did not result in significant change in core body temperature. AH injection of anti-IL-1 beta also resulted in a 97% reduction in AH IL-6 levels during LPS fever, with the average values of IL-6 for the four post-LPS time points being 113 +/- 50 U/ml for the rats injected with IgG and LPS and 3 +/- 2 U/ml for the rats injected with anti-IL-1 beta and LPS (P = 0.024). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
On channels with asynchronous state information at the transmitter

A state dependent channel with asynchronous side information at the transmitter is introduced. It is assumed that the state information sequence is a possibly delayed version of the state sequence. The encoder and the decoder are aware of the fact that the state information might be delayed, and an upper bound on the delay is also known, but other than that, they are ignorant of the actual delay. We consider both the causal and the non-causal cases and present achievable rates for these channels, and the corresponding coding schemes. In the non-causal case, the coding scheme is based on an adaptation of the Gelfand-Pinsker binning scheme. In the causal case, we present a coding scheme whose structure depends on the values the delay may take. We further study the special case of the binary symmetric asynchronous state dependent channel with non-causal side information at the transmitter. Additionally, we find the capacity of the asynchronous Gelfand-Pinsker channel with feedback.
Vitamin D Deficiency, Interleukin 17, and Vascular Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) disease risk in the general population. We examined the association between vitamin D deficiency and CV risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. We measured large artery compliance by pulse wave velocity and microvascular function by the reactive hyperemia index in patients with stable RA (n = 87). We quantified CV risk factors, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], and interleukin 17 (IL-17), and RA disease activity by Disease Activity Score of 28 joints. We used linear regression to test associations between serum 25(OH)D and CV risk factors. Results. The mean serum 25(OH)D level in the cohort was 27.1 ± SD 13.6 ng/ml. Fifty-nine patients (68%) were vitamin D-insufficient (25(OH)D < 30 ng/ml; mean 20.2 ± 5.9 ng/ml) and of these, 25 (29%) were vitamin D-deficient (25(OH)D < 20 ng/ml; mean 14.4 ± 3.4 ng/ml). In the whole cohort and the vitamin D-insufficient group, serum 25(OH)D was inversely associated with IL-17 (log IL-17; β = −0.83, p = 0.04; β = −0.63, p = 0.004, respectively) by univariate analysis, which persisted after adjustment for season, and in multivariate analysis after adjustment for confounders (log IL-17; β = −0.74, p = 0.04; β = −0.53, p = 0.02). In vitamin D-deficient patients, serum 25(OH)D was positively associated with microvascular function by univariate and multivariate analysis after adjustment for confounders (β = 2.1, p = 0.04; β = 2.7, p = 0.04). Conclusion. Vitamin D deficiency in RA may affect Th17 responses and microvascular function. Maintaining normal serum vitamin D levels may protect against IL-17-mediated inflammation and vascular dysfunction in RA.
Effect of folic or folinic acid supplementation on methotrexate‐associated safety and efficacy in inflammatory disease: a systematic review

Background Methotrexate is a folic acid antagonist widely used for the treatment of inflammatory disorders for more than 50 years. Methotrexate is a standard systemic therapy for severe psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Folic acid supplementation has been advocated to limit the toxicity of methotrexate on blood cells, gastrointestinal tract and liver. However, there is still controversy regarding the usefulness of folic acid supplementation.
11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Expression and Glucocorticoid Synthesis Are Directed by a Molecular Switch during Osteoblast Differentiation

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) plays an important role in the prereceptor regulation of corticosteroids by locally converting cortisone into active cortisol. To investigate the impact of this mechanism on osteoblast development, we have characterized 11β-HSD1 activity and regulation in a differentiating human osteoblast cell line (SV-HFO). Continuous treatment with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone induces differentiation of SV-HFO cells during 21 d of culture. Using this cell system, we showed an inverse relationship between 11β-HSD1 activity and osteoblast differentiation. 11β-HSD1 mRNA expression and activity were low and constant in differentiating osteoblasts. However, in the absence of differentiation (no dexamethasone), 11β-HSD1 mRNA and activity increased strongly from d 12 of culture onward, with a peak around d 19. Promoter reporter studies provided evidence that specific regions of the 11β-HSD1 gene are involved in this differentiation controlled regulation of the e.
Complications of herpes zoster in cancer patients

Abstract Cancer patients tend to have a higher incidence of herpes zoster (HZ), but little is known about their risk of HZ complications. We conducted a retrospective study of 424 newly diagnosed hematologic (HM, n = 140) and solid tumor malignancy (STM, n = 284) patients who developed HZ between January 2001 and December 2006 to measure the frequency and identify risk factors of HZ complications. Patients were adult members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. HZ diagnosis and complications were confirmed by medical chart review. HM patients with HZ tended to have more HZ complications than STM patients (34% vs 23%, p = 0.02), largely due to more frequent non-pain complications. On multivariate analysis, older age and being male were associated with a higher risk of HZ complications in HM patients; more advanced cancer stage was associated with HZ complications in STM patients. HZ complications are frequent and can present extra disease burden in cancer patients who develop HZ.
Youth Emotional Intelligence as Related to Adaptive Coping with Stress Encounters

The current research aimed to examine the nexus of relationships between emotional intelligence (EI) and adaptive coping with stressful encounters among adolescents. More specifically, the study assesses the extent to which EI uniquely facilitates adaptive coping, beyond the effects of general intelligence and personality dimensions. The research is based on Mayer and Salovey’s (1997) definition of EI as a hierarchically organized constellation of four emotional abilities that leads to emotional growth and enables individuals to cope adaptively with stress encounters, thus improving their sense of well-being. Accordingly, we hypothesized that adolescents with high EI cope more effectively in stressful situations than those with low EI, reaching more adaptive outcomes and thus a greater sense of well-being. We also examined the mediating role of social support in the relationship between EI and adaptive coping. The sample included 203 adolescents, aged 16-17 (41.9% boys, 58.1% girls), and their homeroom teachers completed questionnaires regarding the examined variables. Overall, the results corroborated our hypothesis: High EI and positive adaptive outcomes were highly correlated. EI and problem-focused or emotion-focused coping were not correlated, but EI was negatively correlated with avoidant coping strategies that entail non-adaptive behaviors. Modest positive correlations were found between EI and scholastic performance. Furthermore, an assessment of the hypothesized model using structural equation modeling (SEM) showed social support mediates the nexus of relationships between EI and adaptive outcomes. Students’ evaluations of their homeroom teachers supplemented the assessment of the research model. The findings indicate that in times of stress, adolescents with high EI rely on their higher emotional abilities to build a social network that supplies them with significant social resources to minimize the negative impact of stress, help them achieve positive adaptive outcomes, and protect them from using non-adaptive coping strategies. Implications of the findings for adolescents’ education are discussed.
Simultaneous MR arteriography and venography with blood pool contrast agent detects deep venous thrombosis in suspected arterial disease.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of incidental deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with clinically suspected peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) using contrast-enhanced MR angiography (MRA) with a blood pool contrast agent. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Two hundred fifty-nine MRA examinations with blood pool contrast agent in 245 consecutive patients (161 men; age range, 36-92 years), yielding a total of 4102 assessable arterial and venous vessel segments, were assessed with regard to the rate of incidentally observed acute and organized DVT and arterial stenosis grades. Incidental DVT was confirmed using duplex ultrasound. Contralateral nondiseased veins served as internal controls. The relationship between PAOD stages and acute and organized DVT was investigated using chi-square tests and a Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS Arterial stenosis grading using MRA with blood pool contrast agent revealed less than 50% luminal stenosis in 78% of segments (3199/4102), 50% or greater stenosis in 8% of segments (317/4102), and occlusion in 14% of segments (586/4102). Incidental DVT was observed in 26 of 245 patients (11%) (acute DVT was seen in 10 patients and 26 segments; organized DVT was seen in 17 patients and 35 segments; and one patient had both acute and organized DVT). All incidentally diagnosed cases of DVT were confirmed by duplex ultrasound. Internal controls revealed no false-positive or -negative findings (26 patients and 172 segments). Incidental acute DVT was significantly more common among patients without arterial stenosis greater than 50% (p < 0.05). Otherwise, there was no significant relationship between Fontaine PAOD stages and the occurrence of acute (p = 0.688) or organized (p = 0.995) DVT. CONCLUSION Incidental DVT was prevalent in 11% of patients with clinically suspected PAOD. MRA with blood pool contrast agent has a potential role in the simultaneous assessment of arteries and veins and can detect concomitant venous disease affecting therapeutic management.