Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ON THE INTERACTIVE-BEATING-MODES MODEL: GENERATION OF ASYMMETRIC MULTIPLET STRUCTURES AND EXPLANATION OF THE BLAZHKO EFFECT

This paper considers a nonlinear coupling between a radial and a nonradial mode of nearly the same frequency. The results may be of general interest, but in particular have application to the “beating-modes model” of the Blazhko effect which was recently shown to accurately reproduce the light curve of RR Lyr. For weak coupling, the two modes do not phase-lock and they retain separate frequencies, but the coupling nevertheless has important consequences. Upon increasing the coupling strength from zero, an additional side-peak emerges in the spectrum forming an asymmetric triplet centered on the fundamental. As the coupling is further increased, the amplitude of this side-peak increases and the three peaks are also pulled toward each other, decreasing the Blazhko frequency. Beyond a critical coupling strength, phase-locking occurs between the modes. With appropriate choice of coupling strength, this “interactive beating-modes model” can match the side-peak amplitude ratio of any star. The effects of nonlinear damping are also explored and found to generate additional side-peaks of odd order. Consistent with this, the odd side-peaks are found to be favored in V808 Cyg. It is also shown that the Blazhko effect generates a fluctuating “environment” that can have a modulatory effect on other excited modes of the star. An example is found in V808 Cyg where the modulation is at double the Blazhko frequency. An explanation is found for this mysterious doubling, providing additional evidence in favor of the model.
Wideband Low Profile Multiport Antenna With Omnidirectional Pattern and High Isolation

A wideband high-isolation two-port antenna of low profile and omnidirectional pattern is presented. This two-port system consists of a collocated antenna pair with a cone antenna in the middle and a ring radiator around the cone, both placed over a rectangular ground plane. The overall dimensions are 0. 64λ × 0. 64λ × 0. 11λ at the lowest frequency of operation. The isolation between the two ports is more than 37 dB and achieved by employing polarization orthogonality. The operational band is from 800 to 2700 MHz and the achieved isolation is verified with measurements of a fabricated prototype. Overall, the proposed antenna pair can be employed for simultaneous transmit and receive applications or MIMO and diversity systems in commercial wireless communication bands.
Direct Marketing and the Structure of Farm Sales: An Unconditional Quantile Regression Approach

This paper examines the impact of participation in direct marketing on the entire distribution of farm sales using the unconditional quantile regression (UQR) estimator. Our analysis yields unbiased estimates of the unconditional impact of direct marketing on farm sales and reveals the heterogeneous effects that occur across the distribution of farm sales. The impacts of direct marketing efforts are uniformly negative across the UQR results, but declines in sales tend to grow smaller as sales increase. Producers planning to sell more in local outlets should expect sales to decline. Marketing experts and extension professionals can use this information to guide farmers who are considering initiating or expanding direct marketing activities.
Management of Foreign Bodies in Throat: An Emergency Department's Perspective

Objectives To review the share of emergency physicians and surgeons in the removal of foreign bodies in throat, and to revisit the concept of home observation and elective endoscopic examination for this group of patients. Design Retrospective study for a five month period. Setting Public general hospital with emergency and surgical departments. Population All patients attending the emergency department from 1st January 1999 to 31st May 1999 with a diagnosis or chief complaint of foreign body in throat or foreign body ingestion. Main outcome measures Success rate of foreign body retrieval, method of removal, specialty and patient outcome. Results 79.8% of the foreign bodies were fish bones. Eighty-nine percent foreign bodies was removed by direct laryngoscopy in the emergency department, 6.7% by emergency physicians in the endoscopy unit as outpatients and 4.3% by surgeons after admission. Conclusion In the absence of frank clinical or radiological sign, a short period of home observation before proceeding to elective oesophagogastro-duodenoscopy (OGD) assessment may be helpful as well as cost-effective. This policy screens out some unnecessary instrumentation, without increasing the rate of complications. As emergency physicians remove the majority of foreign bodies, their expanded involvement on an ambulatory basis is both reasonable and feasible.
In vitro evaluation of combination of fluconazole and flucytosine against Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans

Amphotericin B and fluconazole are current acceptable therapies for cryptococcal meningitis; however, their effect remains suboptimal. The combination of fluconazole and flucytosine has yielded encouraging clinical results in human immunodeficiency virus patients with cryptococcal meningitis. To investigate the biological basis of this finding, we performed in vitro combination testing of fluconazole and flucytosine against 50 clinical strains of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans. Synergy (fractional inhibitory concentration index of < 1.0) was observed in 62% of cases, while antagonism (fractional inhibitory concentration index of > 2.0) was not observed. For cases in which synergy was not achieved (autonomous or additive effects), the beneficial effect of the combination was still seen (i.e., there was still a decrease, although not as dramatic, in the MIC of one or both drugs when used in combination). The in vitro inhibitory action of flucytosine was greatly enhanced by the addition of fluconazole; the flucytosine MICs for Cryptococcus isolates were markedly decreased to concentrations which were severalfold lower than the achievable cerebrospinal fluid flucytosine concentration. On the other hand, the addition of flucytosine did not greatly enhance the in vitro activity of fluconazole if the initial fluconazole MIC for the isolate was > or = 8 micrograms/ml. Controlled clinical studies are warranted to further elucidate the potential utility of fluconazole-flucytosine combination therapy.
An ultra-stable single-chain insulin analog resists thermal inactivation and exhibits biological signaling duration equivalent to the native protein

Thermal degradation of insulin complicates its delivery and use. Previous efforts to engineer ultra-stable analogs were confounded by prolonged cellular signaling in vivo, of unclear safety and complicating mealtime therapy. We therefore sought an ultra-stable analog whose potency and duration of action on intravenous bolus injection in diabetic rats are indistinguishable from wild-type (WT) insulin. Here, we describe the structure, function, and stability of such an analog, a 57-residue single-chain insulin (SCI) with multiple acidic substitutions. Cell-based studies revealed native-like signaling properties with negligible mitogenic activity. Its crystal structure, determined as a novel zinc-free hexamer at 2.8 Å, revealed a native insulin fold with incomplete or absent electron density in the C domain; complementary NMR studies are described in the accompanying article. The stability of the analog (ΔGU 5.0(±0.1) kcal/mol at 25 °C) was greater than that of WT insulin (3.3(±0.1) kcal/mol). On gentle agitation, the SCI retained full activity for >140 days at 45 °C and >48 h at 75 °C. These findings indicate that marked resistance to thermal inactivation in vitro is compatible with native duration of activity in vivo. Further, whereas WT insulin forms large and heterogeneous aggregates above the standard 0.6 mm pharmaceutical strength, perturbing the pharmacokinetic properties of concentrated formulations, dynamic light scattering, and size-exclusion chromatography revealed only limited SCI self-assembly and aggregation in the concentration range 1–7 mm. Such a combination of favorable biophysical and biological properties suggests that SCIs could provide a global therapeutic platform without a cold chain.
Herd characteristics and management practices associated with bulk-tank somatic cell counts in herds in official Dairy Herd Improvement Association programs in Ohio.

OBJECTIVE To identify herd characteristics and management practices associated with bulk-tank somatic cell counts (BTSCC) in dairy herds in Ohio enrolled in official Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) programs. SAMPLE POPULATION 186 dairies in Ohio. PROCEDURE All herds in official DHIA programs in 9 counties were asked to participate. Extensive information regarding herd characteristics and management practices was obtained, using a standardized questionnaire. Bulk-tank milk samples were requested from all participating herds for bacterial culture. Official DHIA test-day records for January 1997 were obtained from all herds enrolled in official DHIA programs in the 9 counties. Potential associations were identified, using multivariable ANOVA. RESULTS Participation was 186 of 479 (39%) herds. Streptococcus agalactiae and Mycoplasma spp were not isolated from bulk-tank milk samples. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 64 of 172 (37%) of the herds. The BTSCC were inversely associated with peak daily milk production, postmilking teat disinfection, percentage of eligible cows in the herd detected in estrus, and directly related to the extent to which BTSCC was perceived as a herd problem during the preceding 2 years. Type of housing for nonlactating cows and product used for treatment of nonlactating cows also were significantly associated with BTSCC. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Consideration of herd characteristics and implementation of management practices associated with BTSCC could result in increased milk yield and production of milk with lower BTSCC.
Laparoscopically assisted colon resection for colon carcinoma: perioperative results and long-term outcome.

BACKGROUND The role of laparoscopic colon resection in the management of colon cancer is unclear. The aims of this study were to compare perioperative results and long-term outcomes in patients randomized to either open (O) or laparoscopically assisted (LA) colon resection for colon cancer. METHODS A prospective randomized trial comparing O to LA colon resection was conducted from January 1993 to November 1995. Preoperative workup, intraoperative results, complications, length of stay, pathologic findings, and long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was performed with t-test. Follow-up periods ranged from 3.5 to 6.3 years (mean, 4.9 years). RESULTS No port-site or abdominal wall recurrences were noted in any patients. [table: see text] CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that laparoscopically assisted colon resection for malignant disease can be performed safely, with morbidity, mortality, and en bloc resections comparable with those of open laparotomy. Long-term (5-year) follow-up assessment shows similar outcomes in both groups of patients, demonstrating definite perioperative advantages with LA surgery and no perioperative or long-term disadvantages.
Waterfowl Ecology and Avian Influenza in California: Do Host Traits Inform Us About Viral Occurrence?

Abstract We examined whether host traits influenced the occurrence of avian influenza virus (AIV) in Anatidae (ducks, geese, swans) at wintering sites in California's Central Valley. In total, 3487 individuals were sampled at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge and Conaway Ranch Duck Club during the hunting season of 2007–08. Of the 19 Anatidae species sampled, prevalence was highest in the northern shoveler (5.09%), followed by the ring-necked duck (2.63%), American wigeon (2.57%), bufflehead (2.50%), greater white-fronted goose (2.44%), and cinnamon teal (1.72%). Among host traits, density of lamellae (filtering plates) of dabbling ducks was significantly associated with AIV prevalence and the number of subtypes shed by the host, suggesting that feeding methods may influence exposure to viral particles.
PDV1 and PDV2 Mediate Recruitment of the Dynamin-Related Protein ARC5 to the Plastid Division Site

During plastid division, the dynamin-related protein ACCUMULATION AND REPLICATION OF CHLOROPLASTS5 (ARC5) is recruited from the cytosol to the surface of the outer chloroplast envelope membrane. In Arabidopsis thaliana arc5 mutants, chloroplasts arrest during division site constriction. Analysis of mutants similar to arc5 along with map-based cloning identified PLASTID DIVISION1 (PDV1), an integral outer envelope membrane protein, and its homolog PDV2 as components of the plastid division machinery. Similar to ARC5, PDV1 localized to a discontinuous ring at the division site in wild-type plants. The midplastid PDV1 ring formed in arc5 mutants and the ARC5 ring formed in pdv1 and pdv2 mutants, but not in pdv1 pdv2. Stromal FtsZ ring assembly occurred in pdv1, pdv2, and pdv1 pdv2, as it does in arc5. Topological analysis showed that the large N-terminal region of PDV1 upstream of the transmembrane helix bearing a putative coiled-coil domain is exposed to the cytosol. Mutation of the conserved PDV1 C-terminal Gly residue did not block PDV1 insertion into the outer envelope membrane but did abolish its localization to the division site. Our results indicate that plastid division involves the stepwise localization of FtsZ, PDV1, and ARC5 at the division site and that PDV1 and PDV2 together mediate the recruitment of ARC5 to the midplastid constriction at a late stage of division.
PATTERN OF PHENOTYPIC VIABILITY AND FECUNDITY SELECTION IN A NATURAL POPULATION OF IMPATIENS PALLIDA

Estimates of viability and fecundity selection of 13 phenotypic characters for 1,536 individuals of Impatiens pallida growing in 24 locations within a single natural population were compared. Directional viability selection of cotyledon area, day of initial leaf production, number of leaves, and stem length was detected throughout this population. Directional fecundity selection of cotyledon area, day of initial flower production, number of leaves present on day of initial flower production, stem length on day of initial flower production, number of leaves, and stem length was also detected. Phenotypic selection of these characters was strong in some cases, and the strength of selection was significantly heterogeneous among locations. For several of the characters, directional phenotypic selection within the population was significantly positive in some locations and significantly negative in others separated by only a few meters. Fecundity selection was stronger than viability selection for some characters, implying that fecundity selection was at least as important as viability selection within this population. Soil moisture levels and light intensities played a larger role than soil nutrient levels in determining the patterns of both viability and fecundity selection, and differences in directional viability selection were more strongly related to environmental variation than were differences in fecundity selection. The pattern of phenotypic selection could not be reliably inferred from the patterns of mortality and reproduction alone.
Immunohistochemistry and Morbillivirus infections in sea mammals

A number of morbillivirus infection epidemics causing mass mortality have been reported in recent years in several free-living sea mammal species around the world. Their causative agents, at least three different morbilliviruses, were unknown in aquatic mammals before 1988. Affected animals developed severe microscopic lesions mainly involving the lung, brain and lymph nodes. All the above, along with a number of other tissues, harbour large amounts of viral antigen, which may be demonstrated therein by means of appropriate immunohistochemical staining techniques. An immunohistochemistry protocol, based upon utilization of monoclonal antibodies recognizing different epitopes of one of the viruses, phocine distemper virus, or against a closely related agent, canine distemper virus, may be successfully used for both diagnostic and research purposes. This article reports the immunohistochemical technique and its results.
Homocysteine is toxic for dopaminergic neurons in primary mesencephalic culture

Hyperhomocysteinemia associated with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa) treatment has been observed in patients with Parkinson's disease. We investigated the toxicity of homocysteine (Hcy) on E14-rat-primary mesencephalic culture. Exposure to 0–5 mM Hcy decreased number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive dopaminergic neurons and microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP2)-positive neurons in a dose-dependent manner. TH-positive neurons had vulnerability to the insult of Hcy compared with the other MAP2-positive neurons. In dopaminergic neurons, 5 μM reserpine enhanced the Hcy toxicity, whereas 50 μM &agr;-methyltyrosine attenuated the toxic effect, showing that the intracellular dopamine increased the cytotoxicity of Hcy. Hcy enhanced the toxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) for dopaminergic neurons. It was suggested that the Hcy toxicity was associated with the oxidative stress. Hcy is toxic for dopaminergic neurons, and hyperhomocysteinemia may modify the clinical course of Parkinson's disease.
A microtitre-based method for measuring the haem polymerization inhibitory activity (HPIA) of antimalarial drugs.

The malaria parasite metabolizes haemoglobin and detoxifies the resulting haem by polymerizing it to form haemozoin (malaria pigment). A polymer identical to haemozoin, beta-haematin, can be obtained in vitro from haematin at acidic pH. Quinoline-containing anti-malarials (e.g. chloroquine) inhibit the formation of either polymer. Haem polymerization is an essential and unique pharmacological target. To identify molecules with haem polymerization inhibitory activity (HPIA) and quantify their potency, we developed a simple, inexpensive, quantitative in-vitro spectrophotometric microassay of haem polymerization. The assay uses 96-well U-bottomed polystyrene microplates and requires 24 h and a microplate reader. The relative amounts of polymerized and unpolymerized haematin are determined, based on solubility in DMSO, by measuring absorbance at 405 nm in the presence of test compounds as compared with untreated controls. The final product (a solid precipitate of polymerized haematin) was validated using infrared spectroscopy and the assay proved reproducible; in this assay, activity could be partly predicted based on the compound's chemical structure. Both water-soluble and water-insoluble compounds can be quantified by this method. Although the throughput of this assay is lower than that of radiometric methods, the assay is easier to set up and cheaper, and avoids the problems related to radioactive waste disposal.
Islamic Banking Service Quality and Withdrawal Risk: The Indonesian Experience

This paper aims first to evaluate the service quality of Islamic banking and second to explore the withdrawal behavior of Islamic banking depositors based on their evaluation towards its service quality in the context of Indonesia. A total of 276 Islamic banking customers in Jakarta, Indonesia, were involved through a direct survey. Factor analysis was carried out to uncover the key dimensions of Indonesian Islamic banking service quality. Next, we use central tendency measurement to extract the information of depositors’ withdrawal behavior towards those dimensions. Afterwards, the importance and performance analysis (IPA) was employed to evaluate the level of Indonesian Islamic banking service quality. The exploratory factor analysis uncovered five key dimensions of Indonesian Islamic banking service quality, including reliability, bank-customer relationship, tangibles, Shari`ah issues, and rates and charges. Shari`ah and tangible are the first and second most influence factors for depositors to withdraw their funds from Islamic bank. However, despite their high level of importance, Shari`ah and tangible were always perceived poor in performance while others were largely modest. Within this kind of situation, withdrawal risk is, therefore, should be the most potential risk to be anticipated.
The Effects of Hormone Resuscitation on Cardiac Function and Hemodynamics in a Porcine Brain‐Dead Organ Donor Model

We compared the effects of hormone resuscitation (HR) with a norepinephrine‐based protocol on cardiac function, hemodynamics and need for vasopressor support after brain death in a porcine model. Following brain death induction, animals were treated with norepinephrine and fluids for 3 h. In the following 3 h, they continued on norepinephrine and fluids (control) or received additional HR (triiodothyronine, methylprednisolone, vasopressin, insulin). Data were collected pre‐brain death, 3 and 6 h post‐brain death. At 6 h, median norepinephrine use was higher in controls (0.563 vs. 0 μg/kg/min; p < 0.005), with 6/8 HR animals weaned off norepinephrine compared with 0/9 controls. Mean arterial pressure was higher in HR animals at 6 h (74 ± 17 vs. 54 ± 14 mmHg; p < 0.05). Cardiac contractility was also significantly higher in HR animals at 6 h (stroke work index 1.777 vs. 1.494). After collection of 6 h data, all animals were placed on the same low dose of norepinephrine. At 6.25 h, HR animals had higher stroke work (3540 ± 1083 vs. 1536 ± 702 mL.mmHg; p < 0.005), stroke volume (37.2 ± 8.2 vs. 21.5 ± 9.8 mL; p < 0.01) and cardiac output (5.8 ± 1.4 vs. 3.2 ± 1.2 L/min; p < 0.005). HR in a porcine model of brain death reduces norepinephrine requirements, and improves hemodynamics and cardiac function. These results support the use of HR in the management of the brain‐dead donor.
Insulation properties of cross-linked polyethylene cables cured in inert gas

A new method of cross-linked polyethylene cables, vulcanization in inert gas, was researched and developed. In this paper, the principle of the new method of the gas curing process is explained. And then the electrical and physical properties of the cables cured in inert gas are outlined and are compared with those of the cables cured in steam. It is found that the curing method and condition have heavy influence on the micro-structure of the XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) insulation and electrical strength. In conclusion, we can cure the polyethylene cables in the flow of the high temperature and high pressure inert gas. A.C and impulse breakdown voltage of the cables cured in inert gas (gas-cured cable) were respectively higher about 50∼70% and 20∼ 70% than those of the cables cured in steam (steam-cured cable). By our new method of the gas curing process perhaps insulation thickness will be reduced to 70∼60% of that of the present steam-cured cables. It will be of great advantage to use this method in manufacturing EHV XL-PE insulated power cables.