Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental degradation of utility power connectors in a harsh environment

This paper reports on an investigation of the effects of a marine atmospheric environment on the performance of aluminum bolted, compression, and fired wedge type power connectors. These connector types are representative of the three major connector technologies used in electrical distribution systems throughout the world. The atmospheric test site was situated on the seacoast in Daytona Beach, Florida. The test specimens consisted of sections of aluminum and copper conductors joined together by a connector. The paper describes the performance and lifetime of the different connector types exposed to the harsh marine environment. Examinations of failed connectors revealed that failure in all three connector types was ultimately due to galvanic corrosion at the aluminum/copper interfaces within the connectors. The failure rate was largest for compression connections. Bolted connections failed somewhat less rapidly. The failure rate for fired-wedge connections was the lowest.
Design, Meanings, and Radical Innovation: A Metamodel and a Research Agenda*

Recent studies on design management have helped us to better comprehend how companies can apply design to get closer to users and to better understand their needs; this is an approach usually referred to as user-centered design. Yet analysis of design-intensive manufacturers such as Alessi, Artemide, and other leading Italian firms shows that their innovation process hardly starts from a close observation of user needs and requirements. Rather, they follow a different strategy called design-driven innovation in this paper. This strategy aims at radically change the emotional and symbolic content of products (i.e., their meanings and languages) through a deep understanding of broader changes in society, culture, and technology. Rather than being pulled by user requirements, design-driven innovation is pushed by a firm's vision about possible new product meanings and languages that could diffuse in society. Design-driven innovation, which plays such a crucial role in the innovation strategy of design intensive firms, has still remained largely unexplored. This paper aims at providing a possible direction to fill this empty spot in innovation management literature. In particular, first it proposes a metamodel for investigating design-driven innovation in which a manufacturer's ability to understand, anticipate, and influence emergence of new product meanings is built by relying on external interpreters (e.g., designers, firms in other industries, suppliers, schools, artists, the media) that share its same problem: to understand the evolution of sociocultural models and to propose new visions and meanings. Managing design-driven innovation therefore implies managing the interaction with these interpreters to access, share, and internalize knowledge on product languages and to influence shifts in sociocultural models. Second, the paper proposes a possible direction to scientifically investigate the management of this networked and collective research process. In particular, it shows that the process of creating breakthrough innovations of meanings partially mirrors the process of creating breakthrough technological innovations. Studies of design-driven innovation may therefore benefit significantly from the existing body of theories in the field of technology management. The analysis of the analogies between these two types of radical innovations (i.e., meanings and technologies) allows a research agenda to be set for exploration of design-driven innovation, a relevant as well as underinvestigated phenomenon.
Strategies for microsatellite isolation: a review

In the last few years microsatellites have become one of the most popular molecular markers used with applications in many different fields. High polymorphism and the relative ease of scoring represent the two major features that make microsatellites of large interest for many genetic studies. The major drawback of microsatellites is that they need to be isolated de novo from species that are being examined for the first time. The aim of the present paper is to review the various methods of microsatellite isolation described in the literature with the purpose of providing useful guidelines in making appropriate choices among the large number of currently available options. In addition, we propose a fast and easy protocol which is a combination of different published methods.
Hippocampal cerebrospinal fluid spaces on MR imaging: Relationship to aging and Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Perihippocampal fissures (PHFs) and hippocampal sulcus residual cavities (HSCs) are common findings in the MR imaging examination of the hippocampus in aging and Alzheimer disease (AD); however, little is known about how to distinguish them or their relative clinical relevance. We hypothesized that prominence of the HSC, unlike PHF, is not significantly influenced by the hippocampal atrophy related to aging or AD. METHODS We studied and evaluated these hippocampal CSF spaces on MR imaging scans from 130 normal control (NC) subjects (20-90 years of age) and 27 AD patients. RESULTS HSC is poorly correlated with age and is not related to the magnitude of hippocampal atrophy. There is no significant difference of HSCs between AD and age-matched NCs, but in the extremely high HSCs group (top 20%), 91% of cases are NC. PHFs, on the other hand, are strongly correlated with age and are valuable in the diagnosis of AD. Location and communication with ambient cistern is the key to distinguish HSC from PHF. CONCLUSION Identifying hippocampal atrophy (enlarged PHF) may be particularly challenging in the presence of HSC. Distinguishing among the CSF spaces in hippocampus may help in the radiologic evaluation of hippocampal atrophy. Patients with extremely high HSCs (>8.4) can be excluded from AD risk with 93% specificity.
Completed Versus Attempted Suicide in Psychiatric Patients: a Psychological Autopsy Study

The aims of this study were to identify specific risk factors associated with completed suicide in a sample of suicide victims diagnosed with mental illness and to discriminate completed suicides from attempted suicide in individuals who did not kill themselves for at least the next 2 years after the index attempt. Ninety-four adults (34 women; 60 men; mean age = 50.81 [SD = 18.08]) admitted to the Division of Psychiatry of the Department of Neurosciences of the University of Parma who died by suicide between 1994-2004 were matched for sex and age (± 2 years) with 94 outpatients (mean age = 50.70 [SD = 18.08]) who made at least one suicide attempt during the years of the study. Data were gathered by proxy-based interviews with referring psychiatrists and general practitioners and from examination of medical records. Suicide victims were more likely to be not married, have poor social support (OR = 5.28), and have more voluntary and compulsory admissions to hospitals (1 admission: OR = 5.44; > 1 admissions: OR= 8.84) than suicide attempters. Suicide victims were also less likely to have had stressful life events during their childhood and adolescence (OR = 0.09) and to be divorced or widowed than were the attempters.
Hot-Water Phytosanitary Treatment Against Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in ‘Ataulfo’ Mangoes

ABSTRACT We determined the thermal death rate constants and mortality curves for the eggs and different instars of Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) (Wiedemann) submerged in isolation in water at 44, 46, and 48°C and submerged within fruits of Mangifera indica (mango) (L.) in water at 43.1, 44.1, 45.1, and 46.1°C. The first instar was the most tolerant to this treatment, with estimated times for achieving 99.9968% mortality of 103.28,92.73, and 92.49 min at temperatures of 43.1, 44.1, and 45.1°C, respectively. The results of the study indicate that ‘Ataulfo’ mangoes weighing <329 ±2.11 g and at risk immature Mediterranean fruit fly infestation should be immersed for 95 min at 46.1-47°C to ensure that the fruit pulp remains at this temperature for 10 min. An efficacy test was conducted that involved treating 730 mangoes, with an average weight of 326 ±2.11 g (mean ±SE) and infested with 84 ±1.15 first instars. In this test, none of the 61,720 larvae treated survived. The confirmatory test was performed using commercial equipment in which 1,112 infested mango fruit weighing an average of 329 ±2.11 g were treated. Each fruit was previously infested with an average of 59 ±0.61 first instars (=65,825 total larvae) of which none survived. The data collected on mango quality indicate that hot water immersion for 95 min at 46.1–47°C can produce a more uniform fruit-color and positively modify the pH (producing more palatable fruits), but can also produce a loss of firmness and weight (5%). Taking all factors into consideration, we conclude that this treatment is sufficient to meet quarantine restrictions against C. capitata while maintaining market quality at least for 15 d.
Control of protein life‐span by N‐terminal methionine excision

Peptide deformylases (PDFs) have been discovered recently in eukaryotic genomes, and it appears that N‐terminal methionine excision (NME) is a conserved pathway in all compartments where protein synthesis occurs. This work aimed at uncovering the function(s) of NME in a whole proteome, using the chloroplast‐encoded proteins of both Arabidopsis thaliana and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as model systems. Dis ruption of PDF1B in A.thaliana led to an albino phenotype, and an extreme sensitivity to the PDF‐ specific inhibitor actinonin. In contrast, a knockout line for PDF1A exhibited no apparent phenotype. Photosystem II activity in C.reinhardtii cells was substantially reduced by the presence of actinonin. Pulse–chase experiments revealed that PDF inhibi tion leads to destabilization of a crucial subset of chloroplast‐encoded photosystem II components in C.reinhardtii. The same proteins were destabilized in pdf1b. Site‐directed substitutions altering NME of the most sensitive target, subunit D2, resulted in similar effects. Thus, plastid NME is a critical mechanism specifically influencing the life‐span of photosystem II polypeptides. A general role of NME in modulating the half‐life of key subsets of proteins is suggested.
Has misdiagnosis of appendicitis decreased over time? A population-based analysis.

CONTEXT Misdiagnosis of presumed appendicitis is an adverse outcome that leads to unnecessary surgery. Computed tomography, ultrasonography, and laparoscopy have been suggested for use in patients with equivocal signs of appendicitis to decrease unnecessary surgery. OBJECTIVE To determine if frequency of misdiagnosis preceding appendectomy has decreased with increased availability of computed tomography, ultrasonography, and laparoscopy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Retrospective, population-based cohort study of data from a Washington State hospital discharge database for 85 790 residents assigned International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision procedure codes for appendectomy, and United States Census Bureau data for 1987-1998. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Population-based age- and sex-standardized incidence of appendectomy with acute appendicitis (perforated or not) or with a normal appendix. RESULTS Among 63 707 nonincidental appendectomy patients, 84.5% had appendicitis (25.8% with perforation) and 15.5% had no associated diagnosis of appendicitis. After adjusting for age and sex, the population-based incidence of unnecessary appendectomy and of appendicitis with perforation did not change significantly over time. Among women of reproductive age, the population-based incidence of misdiagnosis increased 1% per year (P =.005). The incidence of misdiagnosis increased 8% yearly in patients older than 65 years (P<.001) but did not change significantly in children younger than 5 years (P =.17). The proportion of patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy who were misdiagnosed was significantly higher than that of open appendectomy patients (19.6% vs 15.5%; P<.001). CONCLUSION Contrary to expectation, the frequency of misdiagnosis leading to unnecessary appendectomy has not changed with the introduction of computed tomography, ultrasonography, and laparoscopy, nor has the frequency of perforation decreased. These data suggest that on a population level, diagnosis of appendicitis has not improved with the availability of advanced diagnostic testing.
On arithmetic of the superspecial locus

We develop a method for describing the Galois action on the superspecial locus of the Siegel moduli space in characteristic $p$. Using this description, we give a modern treatment for the results of Ibukiyama and Katsura [Compos. Math., 1994] concerning the $\mathbb{F}_p$-rational points and the trace of a Hecke operator of Atkin-Lehner type. This also leads to analogues with level-$N$ structure. The trace of the Hecke operator can be reduced into one term (instead of finitely many terms a priori) by the simple trace formula when $N$ is large.
Orthogonal Basis Expansion-Based Phase Noise Estimation and Suppression for CO-OFDM Systems

In coherent optical orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexing systems, the laser phase noise which induces common phase error (CPE) and intercarrier interference (ICI) is a major impairment to the system's performance. In this letter, we propose an orthogonal basis expansion-based phase noise suppression algorithm which can mitigate CPE as well as ICI effectively. The proposal can significantly reduce the bit-error-rate floor caused by ICI.
Cytokeratin positivity in fine‐needle aspirates of metastatic malignant melanoma: Fact or fiction?

Erratum: This article is a corrected version. The original version appeared in Volume 20, Issue 4, pages 249–252. Owing to a publisher's error, the correct illustrations did not appear in the first printing and are now inserted here as they should have appeared. Note that the text is the same as the first printing.
Cancer progression and survival rates following anatomical radical retropubic prostatectomy in 3,478 consecutive patients: long-term results.

PURPOSE We updated a long-term cancer control outcome in a large anatomical radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) series. We also evaluated the perioperative parameters that predict cancer specific outcomes following surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS From May 1983 to February 2003, 1 surgeon (WJC) performed RRP in 3,478 consecutive men. Patients were followed with semiannual serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests and annual digital rectal examinations. We used Kaplan-Meier product limit estimates to calculate actuarial 10-year probabilities of biochemical progression-free survival, cancer specific survival and overall survival. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine independent perioperative predictors of cancer progression. RESULTS At a mean followup of 65 months (range 0 to 233) actuarial 10-year biochemical progression-free, cancer specific and overall survival probabilities were 68%, 97% and 83%, respectively. On multivariate analysis biochemical progression-free survival probability was significantly associated with preoperative PSA, clinical tumor stage, Gleason sum, pathological stage and treatment era. Cancer specific survival and overall survival rates were also significantly associated with clinicopathological parameters. CONCLUSIONS RRP can be performed with excellent survival outcomes. Favorable clinicopathological parameters and treatment in the PSA era are associated with improved cancer control.
Evolutionary origin of mitochondrial cytochrome P450

Different molecular species of cytochrome P450 (P450) are distributed between endoplasmic reticulum (microsomes) and mitochondria in animal cells. Plants and fungi have many microsomal P450s, but no mitochondrial P450 has so far been reported. To elucidate the evolutionary origin of mitochondrial P450s in animal cells, available evidence is examined, and the virtual absence of mitochondrial P450 in plants and fungi is confirmed. It is also suggested that a microsomal P450 is the ancestor of animal mitochondrial P450s. It is likely that the endoplasmic reticulum-targeting sequence at the amino-terminus of a microsomal P450 was converted to a mitochondria-targeting sequence possibly by point mutations of a few amino acid residues or by an exon-shuffling/moving event shortly after animal lineage diverged from plants and fungi in the course of evolution of eukaryotes. It is suggested that the microsome-type P450 first imported into mitochondria utilized the existing ferredoxin in the matrix to receive electrons from NADPH, retained its oxygenase activity in the mitochondria, and gradually diversified to several P450s with different substrate specificities in the course of the evolution of animals.
STRONG CONVERGENCE RESULTS FOR THE JUNGCK-ISHIKAWA AND JUNGCK-MANN ITERATION PROCESSES

In this paper, we establish some strong convergence results for the Jungck-Ishikawa and Jungck-Mann iteration processes considered in Banach spaces. These results are proved for a pair of nonselfmappings using the Jungck-Ishikawa and Jungck-Mann iterations. Our results improve, generalize and extend some of the known ones in literature especially those of Olatinwo and Imoru [17] and Berinde [2].
Hyperstriatal Lesions in Pigeons Disrupt Recognition Memory at Long, but not at Short, Inter-Trial Intervals

Two series of experiments investigated short-term visual recognition memory in pigeons following lesions of the hyperstriatal complex; the first series used a choice technique, the second, a single-key go/no go technique. The results of the two series agreed, first, in finding impaired performance in hyperstriatal birds at long but not at short inter-trial intervals, and, second, in obtaining no evidence of differential rates of decay of traces in hyperstriatal and control subjects. A final experiment confirmed that the hyperstriatal birds were, as expected from previous work, impaired on reversals of colour and position discriminations. It is tentatively suggested that deficits following hyperstriatal damage in both recognition and reversal performance may be understood as being the consequence of an increased susceptibility to frustrating events in hyperstriatal subjects.
Pioneer oral streptococci produce immunoglobulin A1 protease

As part of a longitudinal study of the relationship between bacterial colonization and the secretory immune response, 367 isolates of pioneer viridans streptococci collected from 40 breast- and bottle-fed neonates within the first month postpartum were tested for the production of immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) protease and glycosidases. Fifty percent of the streptococci isolated produced IgA1 protease, including all isolates of Streptococcus oralis and S. sanguis, 60.7% of S. mitis biovar 1 isolates, and some isolates that could not be identified. Three cleavage patterns of alpha 1 heavy chains were observed. Six isolates of S. mitis biovar 1 that did not produce IgA1 protease attacked the alpha 1 chain. Incubation of IgA1 protease-negative S. mitis biovar 1 isolates with IgA1, either prior to or together with S. sanguis, rendered the IgA1 paraprotein resistant to cleavage by the IgA1 protease of S. sanguis. The ability of some pioneer streptococci in the human oral cavity to produce IgA1 protease and of others to modify the susceptibility of IgA1 to cleavage by IgA1 protease perhaps enhances their ability to survive in this habitat.
Some connections between bounded query classes and nonuniform complexity

It is shown that if there is a polynomial-time algorithm that tests k(n)=O(log n) points for membership in a set A by making only k(n)-1 adaptive queries to an oracle set X, then A belongs to NP/poly intersection co-NP/poly (if k(n)=O(1) then A belong to P/poly). In particular, k(n)=O(log n) queries to an NP-complete set (k(n)=O(1) queries to an NP-hard set) are more powerful than k(n)-1 queries, unless the polynomial hierarchy collapses. Similarly, if there is a small circuit that tests k(n) points for membership in A by making only k(n)-1 adaptive queries to a set X, then there is a correspondingly small circuit that decides membership in A without an oracle. An investigation is conducted of the quantitatively stronger assumption that there is a polynomial-time algorithm that tests 2/sup k/ strings for membership in A by making only k queries to an oracle X, and qualitatively stronger conclusions about the structure of A are derived: A cannot be self-reducible unless A in P, and A cannot be NP-hard unless P=NP. Similar results hold for counting classes. In addition, relationships between bounded-query computations, lowness, and the p-degrees are investigated. <<ETX>>
Investigation of Temporal Integration by Video Sampling

The results from the preliminary set of experiments in which a new video sampling apparatus was used are reported. With the aid of this apparatus experiments were carried out to measure the maximum visual temporal integration time (critical duration) at various background intensities (0·034–34 cd m−2). The aim was to determine to what extent this phenomenon is attributable to either ‘central’ or ‘peripheral’ events. The extended integration period found for the number recognition task is interpreted as evidence of a ‘central’ process; to follow the argument further, an attempt was made to demonstrate information integration using a rotating form in a similar identification–discrimination situation. Monocular, binocular, and dichoptic arrangements were employed, and the amount of dichoptic summation of form information, achieved by both normal and strabismic subjects without stereoscopic depth perception, was used to test two theoretical models of binocular fusion. In addition, stereoscopic depth was generated with uncorrected sampling of the left and right images, which may be due to the action of a ‘fusion hierarchy’. Signal detection theory is suggested as a possible solution to the problem of expectation effects in identification-threshold experiments.