Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wet webs work better: humidity, supercontraction and the performance of spider orb webs

SUMMARY Like many biomaterials, spider silk responds to water through softening and swelling. Major ampullate silk, the main structural element of most prey capture webs, also shrinks dramatically if unrestrained or develops high tension if restrained, a phenomenon called ‘supercontraction’. While supercontraction has been investigated for over 30 years, its consequences for web performance remain controversial. Here, we measured prey capture performance of dry and wet (supercontracted) orb webs of Argiope and Nephila using small wood blocks as prey. Prey capture performance significantly increased at high humidity for Argiope while the improvement was less dramatic for Nephila. This difference is likely due to Argiope silk supercontracting more than Nephila silk. Web deflection, measured as the extension of the web upon prey impact, also increased at high humidity in Argiope, suggesting that silk softening upon supercontraction explains the improved performance of wet webs. These results strongly argue that supercontraction is not detrimental to web performance.
BCR/ABL‐negative chronic myeloid leukemia with ETV6/ABL fusion

A BCR/ABL‐negative chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with t(12;14)(p12;q11‐13) as the sole chromosomal abnormality was investigated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), which disclosed a cryptic insertion of ETV6 (previously called TEL), located at 12p12, into ABL at chromosome band 9q34. ETV6/ABL fusion was confirmed by RT‐PCR, revealing that the first five exons of ETV6 were fused in frame with ABL at exon 2. Wild‐type ETV6 was expressed, in accordance with the FISH results showing no deletion of the second ETV6 allele. ETV6/ABL chimeric transcripts have previously been reported in acute leukemias, but never before in CML. The present case suggests that ETV6/ABL positivity may constitute a new genetic subgroup of BCR‐negative CML. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 20:299‐304, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Organization of galanin‐immunoreactive inputs to the paraventricular nucleus with special reference to their relationship to catecholaminergic afferents

Immunohistochemical and axonal transport techniques were used to characterize the origin and distribution of galanin‐immunoreactive inputs to the paraventricular (PVH) and supraoptic (SO) nuclei of the hypothalamus in the rat. In the parvicellular division of the PVH, the most prominent inputs were confined to the anterior and periventricular parts of the nucleus rostrally and the dorsal and ventral medial subdivisions caudally; the galaninergic imputs to the magnocellular division of PVH and SO were very sparse and were preferentially distributed to regions containing predominantly oxytocinergic neurons. A combined retrograde transport‐immunohistochemical method was employed to identify sources of these projections. Galanin immunoreactivity was found to coexist with dopamine‐β‐hydroxylase (DBH) immunoreactivity in subsets of retrogradely labeled neurons of the A1 and A6 (locus coeruleus) catecholamine cell groups; no evidence was adduced for the presence of galanin in adrenergic (i.e., phenylethanolamine‐N‐methyltransferase‐positive) neurons that project to the PVH. Apart from minor contributions from the mesencephalic raphe nuclei, no other brain‐stem cell groups contributed to the galaninergic innervation of the PVH. In the forebrain, the most prominent grouping of doubly labeled cells was centered in the rostral part of the dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalmus (DMH), though significant numbers were also found in the lateral hypothalamic area, the arcuate nucleus, and the medial preoptic area. In experiments designed to define the subnuclear specificity of some galanin‐containing inputs to the PVH, iontophoretic deposits of the anterogradely transported plant lectin, Phaseolus vulgaris‐leucoagglutmin (PHA‐L), were placed in the A1 and A6 cell groups and in the DMH. Sections through the PVH were prepared so as to allow colocalization of anterogradely transported PHA‐L and galanin immunoreactivity in individual fibers and vari‐cosities. Consistent with the retrograde transport data, the greatest degree of galanin‐PHA‐L correspondence was seen after lectin deposits in the DMH, and over 80% of the doubly labeled varicosities were confined to the anterior, periventricular, and medial parvicellular subdivisions of the nucleus. The galanin‐containing projection from the locus coeruleus was most circumscribed, with the vast majority of doubly labeled varicosities confined to the periventricular and adjoining aspects of the anterior and medial parvicellular subdivisions. Finally, the galaninergic component of the A1 projection to the PVH was most broadly distributed, with some 25% of the doubly stained elements found in magnocellular regions, and the remainder distributed rather uniformly throughout the parvicellular division. These results implicate galanin as an important neuroactive agent in a highly ordered set of afferent pathways that are in a position to influence selectively distinct neuroendocrine and autonomic effector neuron populations in the PVH.
High expression of human nonmetastatic clone 23 type 1 in cancer of uterine cervix and its association with poor cell differentiation and worse overall survival

The role of human nonmetastatic clone 23 type 1 (nm23‐H1), a metastasis‐associated gene, is less clear‐cut in cancer of uterine cervix; therefore, we investigate its expression in cancer tissues and its correlation with clinicopathologic variables and survival of patients.
Medical-grade honey kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria in vitro and eradicates skin colonization.

BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance among microbes urgently necessitates the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Since ancient times, honey has been used successfully for treatment of infected wounds, because of its antibacterial activity. However, large variations in the in vitro antibacterial activity of various honeys have been reported and hamper its acceptance in modern medicine. METHODS We assessed the in vitro bactericidal activity of Revamil (Bfactory), a medical-grade honey produced under controlled conditions, and assessed its efficacy for reduction of forearm skin colonization in healthy volunteers in a within-subject-controlled trial. RESULTS With Bacillus subtilis as a test strain, we demonstrated that the variation in bactericidal activity of 11 batches of medical-grade honey was <2-fold. Antibiotic-susceptible and -resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae, and Klebsiella oxytoca were killed within 24 h by 10%-40% (vol/vol) honey. After 2 days of application of honey, the extent of forearm skin colonization in healthy volunteers was reduced 100-fold (P < .001), and the numbers of positive skin cultures were reduced by 76% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Revamil is a promising topical antimicrobial agent for prevention or treatment of infections, including those caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Quantitative Analysis of Copy Number Variants Based on Real‐Time LightCycler PCR

Quantitative real‐time PCR is PCR visualized in real time by the use of fluorescent or intercalating dyes, which are employed to measure gene expression or gene quantification including contiguous gene deletions or duplications. A simple method is described here to quantify DNA copy number from human samples. Curr. Protoc. Hum. Genet. 80:7.21. 1‐7.21. 8. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Segmentation and Rectification of Pictures in the Camera-Captured Images of Printed Documents

This paper presents an algorithm that segments and rectifies pictures in camera-captured document images. Most of the conventional methods for this purpose require the 3-D shape of document surface, which are usually measured or inferred by a depth-measuring device, structured light, or stereo system. Unlike these methods, our method requires only a single-view image and a user-provided rough bounding box on the picture. Hence, the main features of the proposed algorithm are simple user interaction and short processing time: a mega-pixel size image can be segmented and rectified within 1–2 s, on receiving the user's bounding box. To achieve this goal, we develop a novel boundary extraction algorithm that exploits the specific properties of printed material. In the method, a set of boundary candidates is generated, and the optimal boundary is found by using an alternating optimization scheme. In addition to the segmentation method, we also propose a new rectification method, which can largely remove perspective distortions. Experimental results on a variety of images show that our method is efficient, robust, and easy to use.
Extrapolating human judgments from skip-gram vector representations of word meaning

There is a growing body of research in psychology that attempts to extrapolate human lexical judgments from computational models of semantics. This research can be used to help develop comprehensive norm sets for experimental research, it has applications to large-scale statistical modelling of lexical access and has broad value within natural language processing and sentiment analysis. However, the value of extrapolated human judgments has recently been questioned within psychological research. Of primary concern is the fact that extrapolated judgments may not share the same pattern of statistical relationship with lexical and semantic variables as do actual human judgments; often the error component in extrapolated judgments is not psychologically inert, making such judgments problematic to use for psychological research. We present a new methodology for extrapolating human judgments that partially addresses prior concerns of validity. We use this methodology to extrapolate human judgments of valence, arousal, dominance, and concreteness for 78,286 words. We also provide resources for users to extrapolate these human judgments for three million English words and short phrases. Applications for large sets of extrapolated human judgments are demonstrated and discussed.
Adenoviral-mediated delivery of a viral chemokine binding protein blocks CC-chemokine activity in vitro and in vivo.

Summary Chemokines are important mediators of leukocyte recruitment and activation that play critical roles in the pathology of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. The vaccinia virus (strain Lister) expresses a 35 kDa soluble protein (‘35K') that binds and inactivates a wide range of CC chemokines. We generated a recombinant adenovirus encoding soluble 35K (Ad35K). Ad35K-infected cell culture medium, containing recombinant 35K, potently reduced migration of CCR5-transfected 293 cells by 95% in response to the CC-chemokine RANTES, but had no effect on cells transfected with the CX3CR1 fractalkine receptor. Delivery of Ad35K to mice in vivo via tail vein injection resulted in expression of recombinant 35K in plasma and increased serum RANTES and MIP-1α levels when quantified by ELISA. However, chemotaxis of both CCR5-transfected cells and primary macrophages was inhibited by more than 90% by plasma from Ad35K-infected animals compared with control plasma from animals injected with AdGFP. Furthermore, 35K delivered by intra-peritoneal injection more than halved biogel-induced inflammatory cell recruitment in peritoneal exudates compared to AdGFP medium. These studies identify broad-spectrum CC-chemokine blockade using in vivo adenoviral-mediated recombinant 35K expression as a promising strategy to reduce local and systemic inflammation.
Histological and functional studies on the fibre composition of the vagus nerve of the rabbit.

The study was undertaken with the following main objects in view: mainly on studies of the histological changes produced in the nerve by chronic degenerative section of the vagus cut either intracranially or extracranially between the nodose ganglion and the base of the skull. These papers are chiefly concerned with the cervical vagus nerve and its branches and contain comparatively little information on the thoracic and abdominal extent of the nerve. In three of these investigations some differential sensory and motor counts were made. determined the proportion of sensory and motor fibres in the vagus trunk above the nodose ganglion in the cat, and reported that the sensory group constituted 65-80 % of the total. the sensory and motor fibres in some of the the vagus. numbers of sensory and motor fibres of the medullated and non-medullated in the thoracic vagus and in its and bronchial
Perinatal synthetic lethality and hematopoietic defects in compound mafG::mafK mutant mice

Prior studies exploring the mechanisms controlling erythroid gene regulation implicated MARE (Maf recognition element) cis‐elements as crucial to the transcriptional activity of many erythroid genes. Numerous transcription factors can elicit responses through MAREs, including not only the AP‐1 family proteins, but also a growing list of factors composed of Cap‐N‐Collar (CNC)–small Maf heterodimers. While these factors can activate transcription from MAREs in co‐transfection assays, mouse germline mutations in cnc genes tested to date have failed to reveal primary erythroid phenotypes. Here we report that after combining the mafK and mafG targeted null alleles, mutant animals display several synthetic phenotypes, including erythroid deficiencies. First, compound homozygous small maf gene mutants survive embryogenesis, but die postnatally. Secondly, compound mutant animals develop severe neurological disorders. Thirdly, they exhibit an exacerbated mafG deficiency in megakaryopoiesis, specifically in proplatelet formation, resulting in profound thrombocytopenia. Finally, the compound mutant animals develop severe anemia accompanied by abnormal erythrocyte morphology and membrane protein composition. These data provide direct evidence that the small Maf transcription factors play an important regulatory role in erythropoiesis.
Chorea as a First Manifestation in Young Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Who Was Initially Diagnosed With Rheumatic Fever

Chorea is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report on a young patient with chorea who was diagnosed initially with rheumatic fever. Follow up and further evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of SLE and anti-phospholipid syndrome. Of special interest were the negative antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies and the initial diagnosis of rheumatic fever which is still not uncommon problem in our region. The rarity of such presentation with joint and non specific increase of antistreptolysin O (ASO) titer might be the factors that led to an incorrect diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of SLE and anti-phospholipid syndrome are very crucial and should be considered with such presentation.
Bronchoalveolar lavage as a possible cause of acute exacerbation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients.

In the past 13 years (1980 to 1992), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed on 124 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients (29 F and 95 M, 60 +/- 1 years, mean +/- S.E.) at Tohoku University Clinic and Hospital. Among them, three patients showed acute exacerbation immediately after BAL and died of progressive respiratory failure after 2.5 weeks, 2 months and 3.5 months, respectively, despite intensive care. They were all older patients (79, 74 and 66 years old) and we failed to find any evidence of viral, bacterial or fungus infections either before or after BAL in blood, sputum or BAL fluid samples. Further, all autopsied lungs showed interstitial pneumonia and fibrosis and no evidence of infectious diseases. In contrast, no progressive deteriorations after BAL were observed in 282 patients (122 F and 160 M, 48 +/- 1 years old) with other pulmonary diseases (sarcoidosis, bronchial asthma, collagen diseases and other interstitial lung diseases), who received BAL during the same period. This suggests that BAL itself sometimes induces a progressive degeneration in IPF patients, especially in older patients.
THE ROLE OF PHYLLOTACTIC PATTERN AS A “DEVELOPMENTAL CONSTRAINT” ON THE INTERCEPTION OF LIGHT BY LEAF SURFACES

Computer simulations of model plants are used to assess the influence of leaf shape, size, and pattern of arrangement (= phyllotaxy) on the direct solar radiation intercepted by leaf surfaces. Changes in phyllotaxy significantly influence light interception (and, by inference, net assimilation rate) for rosette growth habits. However, changes in leaf shape and orientation and in stem length can compensate for the negative effects of leaf overlap produced by phyllotactic patterns. Phyllotaxy is viewed as a developmental limiting factor in photobiology that may necessitate compensatory changes in other morphological features not directly controlled by patterns of leaf initiation. This distinguishes it from functioning as a “developmental constraint” sensu stricto and may provide a paradigm for other features in plant evolution.
Measurement of Metabolic Monitoring in Youth and Adult Medicaid Recipients Prescribed Antipsychotics.

BACKGROUND Individuals being treated with first- and second-generation antipsychotics (FGAs and SGAs) are at risk for a variety of adverse cardiometabolic effects. Although consensus guidelines that recommend metabolic monitoring for patients receiving SGAs have been in place since 2004, the rate of monitoring remains low, especially in the pediatric population. OBJECTIVES To (a) examine differences in rates of laboratory monitoring for glucose and lipids for adults and youth prescribed FGAs and SGAs; (b) look at factors associated with the likelihood of metabolic testing; and (c) describe cohort effects that may have had an impact on the rates of laboratory testing. METHODS This is a retrospective study examining the rates of glucose and lipid testing for 3 separate cohorts of Medicaid recipients who were prescribed antipsychotics during 3 measurement periods-2008, 2010, and 2012-using paid Medicaid pharmacy and laboratory claims data. The sample included adults aged 18 years and older and children aged 17 years and younger. For each measurement period, we identified the rate of metabolic monitoring and the demographic characteristics for each individual, including race, age, and gender. The proportion of laboratory monitoring was assessed using chi square tests for each of the outcomes. Logistic regression models for each time point were used to determine the characteristics of individuals who were more likely to receive monitoring. RESULTS The proportion of individuals receiving glucose and lipid tests increased for both age groups across all measurement periods. For individuals aged 18 years and over, glucose monitoring increased from 56.6%-72.6%. Testing for lipids remained constant, ranging from 38.3%-41.2% for each of the 3 measurement periods. During the first measurement period, in 2008, females were 41% and 15% more likely to receive glucose and lipid laboratory monitoring, respectively, compared with males. Females continued to be more likely to receive glucose monitoring during the measurement periods in 2010 and 2012, although there was no significant difference between females and males for lipid monitoring during these time periods. Individuals aged 17 years and younger were 59%-68% less likely to receive glucose monitoring than adults (aged ≥ 18 years) for all time points. Across all measurement periods, individuals aged ≤ 17 years were also 44%-58% less likely to receive lipid monitoring compared with adults (aged ≥ 18 years). While there was no significant difference between Caucasians and non-Caucasians in the first measurement period, Caucasians were about 30% less likely to receive glucose monitoring and about 50% less likely to receive lipid monitoring during the measurement periods covering 2010 and 2012. CONCLUSIONS Metabolic monitoring in adults improved substantially over the time periods studied; however, rates remained suboptimal, especially in the pediatric population. This finding suggests that interventions to increase metabolic monitoring in adults and children using FGAs and SGAs are necessary.
Revised Scoring and Improved Reliability for the Communication Patterns Questionnaire

The Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ; Christensen, 1987) is a widely used self-report measure of couple communication behavior and is well validated for assessing the demand/withdraw interaction pattern, which is a robust predictor of poor relationship and individual outcomes (Schrodt, Witt, & Shimkowski, 2014). However, no studies have examined the CPQ’s factor structure using analytic techniques sufficient by modern standards, nor have any studies replicated the factor structure using additional samples. Further, the current scoring system uses fewer than half of the total items for its 4 subscales, despite the existence of unused items that have content conceptually consistent with those subscales. These characteristics of the CPQ have likely contributed to findings that subscale scores are often troubled by suboptimal psychometric properties such as low internal reliability (e.g., Christensen, Eldridge, Catta-Preta, Lim, & Santagata, 2006). The present study uses exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on 4 samples to reexamine the factor structure of the CPQ to improve scale score reliability and to determine if including more items in the subscales is warranted. Results indicate that a 3-factor solution (constructive communication and 2 demand/withdraw scales) provides the best fit for the data. That factor structure was confirmed in the replication samples. Compared with the original scales, the revised scales include additional items that expand the conceptual range of the constructs, substantially improve reliability of scale scores, and demonstrate stronger associations with relationship satisfaction and sensitivity to change in therapy. Implications for research and treatment are discussed.
The Sigma Cognitive Architecture and System: Towards Functionally Elegant Grand Unification

Abstract Sigma (Σ) is a cognitive architecture and system whose development is driven by a combination of four desiderata: grand unification, generic cognition, functional elegance, and sufficient efficiency. Work towards these desiderata is guided by the graphical architecture hypothesis, that key to progress on them is combining what has been learned from over three decades’ worth of separate work on cognitive architectures and graphical models. In this article, these four desiderata are motivated and explained, and then combined with the graphical architecture hypothesis to yield a rationale for the development of Sigma. The current state of the cognitive architecture is then introduced in detail, along with the graphical architecture that sits below it and implements it. Progress in extending Sigma beyond these architectures and towards a full cognitive system is then detailed in terms of both a systematic set of higher level cognitive idioms that have been developed and several virtual humans that are built from combinations of these idioms. Sigma as a whole is then analyzed in terms of how well the progress to date satisfies the desiderata. This article thus provides the first full motivation, presentation and analysis of Sigma, along with a diversity of more specific results that have been generated during its development.