Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The potential of multifrequency polarimetric SAR in assessing agricultural and arboreous biomass

Polarimetric radar data collected by AIRSAR and SIR-C over agricultural fields, forests, and olive groves of the Italian Montespertoli site are analyzed. The objective is to investigate the radar capability in discriminating among various vegetation species and its sensitivity to agricultural and arboreous biomass. Results indicate that a combined use of P(0.45 GHz) and L- (1.2 GHz) bands allows one to discriminate between agricultural fields and other targets, while a combined use of L- and C- (5.3 GHz) bands allows the authors to discriminate within agricultural areas. To monitor biomass, P-band gives the best results for forests and olive groves, L-band appears to be good for crops with low plant density (m/sup -2/), while for crops with high plant density, both L- and C-bands are useful. The availability of crosspolarized data is important for both classification and biomass retrieval.
A Screening Instrument for Psychological Distress in Botswana: Validation of the Setswana Version of the 28-Item General Health Questionnaire

Objectives: To develop a Setswana version of the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) for use in Botswana. Methods: A sample of 126 subjects attending primary healthcare clinics completed the GHQ-28, which contains four subscales of seven questions each for the following domains: somatic concerns, anxiety, social function and depression. All subjects were also interviewed with the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS). Psychiatric casesness was ascertained by CIS scores greater than 20 and an overall severity of symptoms rating (OSR) of ≥2 on a 0—4 point scale. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was undertaken to assess which GHQ cut-off score gave the best casesness yield as defined by the combined CIS and OSR assessments. Results: Of the 126 subjects enrolled, 122 completed the study, with 18 (14.5%) meeting criteria for caseness. There were no gender differences with respect to GHQ or CIS scores. The ROC analysis revealed that the GHQ threshold of 7/8 gave the best sensitivity (88%) and specificity (67%) results. The internal consistency of the translated GHQ was maintained with Cronbach α scores ranging from 0.76 to 0.91 for the subscales. Conclusions: The Setswana GHQ-28 represents a valid instrument of screening for psychological distress in a primary healthcare setting in Botswana.
Depression of Rauscher leukemia virus envelope glycoprotein gp71 binding by lymphoid cells during leukemogenesis in mice

The availability of membrane receptors for the 71,000-dalton envelope glycoprotein (gp71) of Rauscher murine leukemia virus on splenic and thymic cells from BALB/c mice during Rauscher murine leukemia virus-induced leukemogenesis was determined utilizing a radiolabeled gp71 binding assay. Shortly after infection, the relative cellular [125I]gp71 binding level decreased, first with splenic cells (at day 7 to 10 after infection) and later with thymic cells (at day 10 to 20 after infection). The dependency of the reduction of binding on the replication of the inoculated virus was demonstrated by regression analyses using cellular gp71 binding level as the dependent variable and infectious virus titer, as well as viral gp71 and p30 levels, of spleens and thymuses from infected mice as independent variables. With each independent variable, the reduction of gp71 binding for both cell types was highly dependent (P less than 0.01) on the level of virus detected in their respective organ. In the early stages of leukemogenesis, the [125I]gp71 binding level declined to approximately 20 to 30% of control values. During this period the rate of reduction of binding was very rapid and, in general was similar for both splenic and thymic cells. Further progression of the disease resulted in little or no further reduction in binding. The application of this technique to monitor host ecotropic virus synthesis and to study cell surface virus receptor control mechanisms in vivo is discussed.
Multivariate Analysis of Prognostic Factors in 1 252 Consecutive Patients Treated with Primary Radiotherapy

Multivariate analyses of prognostic factors were carried out in 1 252 consecutive patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with primary radical radiotherapy. Ten percent of patients had positive neck nodes. Most of the patients were in stage I (48%), the remainder in stage II (24%), III (18%) and IV (10%). Of these patients, 746/1 252 (60%) were controlled by primary treatment but 506/1 252 (40%) had residual tumor or recurrent disease. The larynx was preserved in 62% of patients. The 5-year actuarial values for disease-specific and overall survival were 78% and 60%, respectively. The results of a univariate analysis showed multiple significant prognostic factors, and in a Cox proportional hazards model it was found that gender and T-classification were significant for T-failure, locoregional failure, death from cancer and death from all causes. The region of origin, nodal involvement, differentiation and pretreatment hemoglobin value were significant for several of the above-mentioned endpoints. Laryngeal carcinoma is curable when treated with primary radiotherapy, and this treatment confers a high degree of organ preservation. Independent prognostic factors in the multivariate analyses were gender, region of origin, T-stage, nodal involvement, differentiation and hemoglobin. Received 22 April 2003 Accepted 15 August 2003 The main goal of this series of 1 252 patients with laryngeal carcinoma was to present a multivariate analysis of the prognostic parameters. In two previous publications on supraglottic carcinoma (1) and glottic carcinoma (2) we described the primary treatment and recurrence pattern of laryngeal carcinoma in one institution. The incidence of laryngeal cancer in Denmark is among the lowest reported in the European countries, but from 1975 to 1998 there has been an increase in the annual incidence from 183 to 247 (3, 4). During the past 10 years the incidence of newly diagnosed cases has been stable, with an average of 210 males and 45 females per year. In Denmark one-third of tumors of the larynx originate from the supraglottic area and two-thirds from the glottic area.
Human visual search behaviour is far from ideal

Evolutionary pressures have made foraging behaviours highly efficient in many species. Eye movements during search present a useful instance of foraging behaviour in humans. We tested the efficiency of eye movements during search using homogeneous and heterogeneous arrays of line segments. The search target is visible in the periphery on the homogeneous array, but requires central vision to be detected on the heterogeneous array. For a compound search array that is heterogeneous on one side and homogeneous on the other, eye movements should be directed only to the heterogeneous side. Instead, participants made many fixations on the homogeneous side. By comparing search of compound arrays to an estimate of search performance based on uniform arrays, we isolate two contributions to search inefficiency. First, participants make superfluous fixations, sacrificing speed for a perceived (but not actual) gain in response certainty. Second, participants fixate the homogeneous side even more frequently than predicted by inefficient search of uniform arrays, suggesting they also fail to direct fixations to locations that yield the most new information.
Site‐specific recombination of the tal‐1 gene is a common occurrence in human T cell leukemia.

The tal‐1 gene is altered as a consequence of the t(1;14) (p32;q11) chromosome translocation observed in 3% of patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL). tal‐1 encodes a helix‐loop‐helix (HLH) domain, a DNA binding and dimerization motif found in a number of proteins involved in cell growth and differentiation. We now report that an additional 25% of T‐ALL patients bear tal‐1 gene rearrangements that are not detected by karyotype analysis. These rearrangements result from a precise 90 kb deletion (designated tald) that arises independently in different patients by site‐specific DNA recombination. Since the deletion junctions resemble the coding joints of assembled immunoglobulin genes, tald rearrangements are likely to be mediated by aberrant activity of the immunoglobulin recombinase. Moreover, t(1;14)(p32;q11) translocations and tald rearrangements disrupt the coding potential of tal‐1 in an equivalent manner, and thereby generate a common genetic lesion shared by a significant proportion of T‐ALL patients.
A phylogenetic approach to assessing the targets of microbial warfare

Abstract Bacteriocins are the most abundant and diverse defense systems in bacteria. As a result of the specific mechanisms of bacteriocin recognition and translocation into the target cell it is assumed that these toxins mediate intra‐specific or population‐level interactions. However, no published studies specifically address this question. We present here a survey of bacteriocin production in a collection of enteric bacteria isolated from wild mammals in Australia. A subset of the bacteriocin‐producing strains was assayed for the ability to kill a broad range of enteric bacteria from the same bacterial collection. A novel method of estimating killing breadth was developed and used to compare the surveyed bacteriocins in terms of the phylogenetic range over which they kill. The most striking result is that although bacteriocin‐producers kill members of their own species most frequently, some kill phylogenetically distant taxa more frequently than they kill closer relatives. This study calls into question the role these toxins play in natural populations. A significant number of bacteriocins are highly effective in killing inter‐specific strains and thus bacteriocins may serve to mediate bacterial community interactions.
Epidemiology of Infantile Hydrocephalus in Saudi Arabia: Birth Prevalence and Associated Factors

Introduction: Hydrocephalus is a common central nervous system disorder in children. In spite of its importance, it has not been subjected to sufficient epidemiological studies, particularly in the developing countries. The aim of this study was to provide information from a representative series of newly diagnosed cases of infantile hydrocephalus on the birth prevalence, associated factors and mortality. Methodology: A prospective study was conducted over a 1-year period from April 1996 to March 1997 in the city of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia. Except for neural tube defects and brain tumors, all cases of hydrocephalus diagnosed within the first 28 days of life were included. A control group of 104 subjects was studied for comparison. Information about antenatal, natal and early postnatal periods were obtained by interviewing the mothers of the newborns. Results: During the study period, 26 cases of infantile hydrocephalus were detected. The birth prevalence was 1.6 per 1,000 live births. There was no sex preponderance as the male to female ratio was 1.2:1. Multiple pregnancies were detected in 21 (81%) cases. Nineteen (73%) cases were the product of consanguineous parent and 4 patients had a positive family history of hydrocephalus. The number of preterm infants was 16 (62%). The number of low birth weights (less than 2,500 g) was 18 (69%). An Apgar score of less than 8 occurred in 18 (69%) cases. The mode of delivery was vaginal in 15 (58%) women. The 6 months mortality rate was 23% (6 infants). Conclusion: The birth prevalence of infantile hydrocephalus in this study was significantly higher than in the developed countries. A positive family history of hydrocephalus, low birth weight, low Apgar score and abdominal delivery were found to be associated factors. The mortality rate in the first 6 months of life was significantly higher in hydrocephalus infants than in controls.
Belief Bias and Relational Reasoning

When people evaluate categorical syllogisms, they tend to reject unbelievable conclusions and accept believable ones irrespective of their validity. Typically, this effect is particularly marked for invalid conclusions that are possible, but do not necessarily follow, given the premises. However, smaller believability effects can also be detected for other types of conclusion. Three experiments are reported here, in which an attempt was made to determine whether belief bias effects can manifest themselves on the relational inference task. Subjects evaluated the validity of conclusions such as William the Conqueror was king after the Pyramids were built (temporal task) or Manchester is north of Bournemouth (spatial task) with respect to their premises. All of the major findings for equivalent categorical syllogism tasks were replicated. However, the overall size of the main effect of believability appears to be related to task presentation, a phenomenon not previously identified for categorical syllogisms and which current theories of belief bias have difficulty explaining.
Calcium influx and sperm-evoked calcium responses during oocyte maturation and egg activation

Under the guidance and regulation of hormone signaling, large majority of mammalian oocytes go through twice cell cycle arrest-resumption prior to the fertilized egg splits: oocyte maturation and egg activation. Cytosolic free calcium elevations and endoplasmic reticulum calcium store alternations are actively involved in triggering the complex machineries and events during oogenesis. Among these, calcium influx had been implicated in the replenishment of endoplasmic reticulum store during oocyte maturation and calcium oscillation during egg activation. This process also drove successful fertilization and early embryo development. Store-operated Ca2+ entry, acts as the principal force of calcium influx, is composed of STIM1 and Orai1 on the plasma membrane. Besides, transient receptor potential channels also participate in the process of calcium inwards. In this review, we summarize the recent researches on the spatial-temporal distribution of store-operated calcium entry components and transient receptor potential channels. Questions about how these channels play function for calcium influx and what impacts these channels have on oocytes are discussed. At the time of sperm-egg fusion, sperm-specific factor(s) diffuse and enable eggs to mount intracellular calcium oscillations. In this review, we also focus on the basic knowledge and the modes of action of the potential sperm factor phospholipase C zeta, as well as the downstream receptor, type 1 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. From the achievement in the previous several decades, it is easy to find that there are too many doubtful points in the field that need researchers take into consideration and take action in the future.
Multilocus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis for Investigation of Clostridium difficile Transmission in Hospitals

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile is a major cause of antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal illness. Recently, an increased incidence of hospital-acquired infections with severe outcomes has been reported in North America and Europe. Current molecular-typing methods for detection of outbreaks and nosocomial transmission are labor-intensive, subjective, or insufficiently discriminatory to differentiate between closely related strains. This report describes the development of multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) for molecular subtyping of C. difficile. Seven VNTR loci were identified from the C. difficile 630 genome by screening an isolate collection of various restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) types. The stability of the loci for short-term epidemiologic investigations was determined by performing MLVA on consecutive isolates of the same REA type from individual patients collected over as many as 90 days. Validation of MLVA for molecular genotyping was performed by direct comparison with REA results obtained from Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital on a combined collection of 40 C. difficile isolates from two different sources. The ability of MLVA to detect outbreaks was demonstrated on a collection of tertiary-care hospital isolates from a defined C. difficile outbreak in 2001. MLVA successfully clustered C. difficile isolates of the same REA type and discriminated isolates of unique REA type. Thus, MLVA is an objective, portable genotyping method that permits reliable detection of C. difficile outbreaks and can aid epidemiologic investigations of nosocomial transmission.
Teleneuropsychology: Evidence for Video Teleconference-Based Neuropsychological Assessment

Abstract The use of videoconference technology to deliver health care diagnostics and treatment continues to grow at a rapid pace. Telepsychiatry and telepsychology applications are well-accepted by patients and providers, and both diagnostic and treatment outcomes have generally been similar to traditional face-to-face interactions. Preliminary applications of videoconference-based neuropsychological assessment (teleneuropsychology) have yielded promising results in the feasibility and reliability of several standard tests, although large-scale studies are lacking. This investigation was conducted to determine the reliability of video teleconference (VTC) - based neuropsychological assessment using a brief battery of standard neuropsychological tests commonly used in the evaluation of known or suspected dementia. Tests included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, Digit Span forward and backward, short form Boston Naming Test, Letter and Category Fluency, and Clock Drawing. Tests were administered via VTC and in-person to subjects, counterbalanced using alternate test forms and standard instructions. Two hundred two adult subjects were tested in both rural and urban settings, including 83 with cognitive impairment and 119 healthy controls. We found highly similar results across VTC and in-person conditions, with significant intraclass correlations (mean=.74; range: 0.55–0.91) between test scores. Findings remained consistent in subjects with or without cognitive impairment and in persons with MMSE scores as low as 15. VTC-based neuropsychological testing is a valid and reliable alternative to traditional face-to-face assessment using selected measures. More VTC-based studies using additional tests in different populations are needed to fully explore the utility of this new testing medium. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–6)
Effects of Project Owner’s Title on the Financial Impacts of IT Systems Integration Outsourcing Projects

ABSTRACT Does the title type of IT project owners facilitate financial impacts on cost-efficiency, productivity, and profitability? We investigate these questions using a large dataset of 112 IT systems integration outsourcing projects of publicly traded companies during 1995–2010. While project owners with IT affiliations bring down operating and overhead expenses, projects managed by executives with non-IT titles improve firm profitability, and that the contribution of IT leadership on firm revenue is not significant.
Evidence for stress‐dependent mechanoreceptors linking intestinal biomechanics and sensory signal transduction

• What is the central question of this study? Do intestinal mechanoreceptors respond primarily to stress (defined as force per unit cross sectional area) or strain (non‐dimensional measure of deformation)? • What is the main finding and its importance? By using more physiological rates of filling (distension) combined with calcium channel blockade to limit active muscle tension, the adaptive properties of individual low and high threshold mechanosensitive afferents, have been examined. The slope of the stress‐response relationship was not significantly different for the different populations of afferents nor for different rates of distension. These data therefore suggest that afferent activity is more closely related to stress rather than to strain.
Selective Cloning of Peanut Allergens, Including Profilin and 2S Albumins, by Phage Display Technology

Background: Peanut kernels contain many allergens able to elicit IgE–mediated type 1 allergic reactions in sensitized individuals. Sera from sensitized patients recognize variable patterns of IgE–binding proteins. The identification of the IgE–binding proteins of peanut extract would faciliate improvement of diagnostic and immunotherapeutic approaches as well as development of sensitive test systems for the detection of hidden peanut allergens present as additives in various industrial food products and the investigation of their stability during processing of food products. Methods: We applied the pJuFo cloning system based on the phage surface display of functional cDNA expression products to clone cDNAs encoding peanut allergens. Sera (n = 40) of peanut–allergic individuals were selected according to case history, radioallergosorbent test and immunoblot analysis to demonstrate IgE binding towards the newly identified recombinant allergens. Results: In addition to the known allergens Ara h 1 and Ara h 2 we were able to identify four allergens with estimated molecular weights of 36, 16, 14.5 and 14 kDa. Three of them formally termed Ara h 4, Ara h6 and Ara h 7 show significant sequence similarities to the family of seed storage proteins and the fourth (Ara h 5) corresponds to the well–known plant allergen profilin. Immunoblotting of the six expressed recombinant allergens with 40 patients sera shows 14 individual recognition patterns and the following frequency of specific IgE binding: Ara h 1 was recognized by 65%, Ara h 2 by 85%, Ara h 4 by 53%, Ara h 5 by 13%, Ara h 6 by 38% and Ara h 7 by 43% of the selected sera. Conclusions: All of the selected peanut–positive sera can detect at least one of the six identified recombinant allergens which can be used to establish individual patients’ reactivity profiles. A comparison of these profiles with the clinical data will possibly allow a further insight into the relationship between clinical severity of the symptoms and specific IgE levels towards the six peanut allergens.
Discovery of a new X-ray transient source in the scutum region with Suzaku

During an observation of the Galactic plane in the Scutum region with the Suzaku satellite, we discovered a new X-ray transient source, designated Suzaku J1844−0404. Compared with previous Chandra observations of the same field, four Chandra X-ray sources exist within the current positional uncertainty of Suzaku J1844−0404. A firm identification is not possible. From the beginning of the observation, the X-ray intensity was significant at ∼ 5× 10−14 erg s−1 cm−2 (2–10 keV), which may be a possible precursor. Later, the source exhibited a flare with a peak flux of ∼ 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2 (2–10 keV). A strong and narrow emission line at ∼ 6.66keV was observed during the flare, most likely the He-like Fe line. The spectrum in 1–10 keV is consistent with a heavily absorbed (NH ∼ 3×1022Hcm−2) thin thermal emission with kT as high as∼ 7keV. A single short flare, as observed, is rather unlikely for a cataclysmic variable. The source is probably an active binary star or a young stellar object.
Susceptibility of the Aging Lung to Environmental Injury

With an ever-increasing number of elderly individuals in the world, a better understanding of the issues associated with aging and the environment is needed. The respiratory system is one of the primary interfaces between the body and the external environment. An expanding number of studies suggest that the aging pulmonary system (>65 years) is at increased risk for adverse health effects from environmental insult, such as by air pollutants, infection, and climate change. However, the mechanism(s) for increased susceptibility in this subpopulation are not well understood. In this review, we provide a limited but comprehensive overview of how the lung ages, examples of environmental exposures associated with injury to the aging lung, and potential mechanisms underlying the increased vulnerability of the aging lung to injury from environmental factors.