Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of the Carbon and Nitrogen Supply on Relationships and Connectivity between Metabolism and Biomass in a Broad Panel of Arabidopsis Accessions1[W][OA]

Metabolite profiles support a robust prediction of biomass across a range of conditions and accounts for environmental influences on metabolic networks. Natural genetic diversity provides a powerful tool to study the complex interrelationship between metabolism and growth. Profiling of metabolic traits combined with network-based and statistical analyses allow the comparison of conditions and identification of sets of traits that predict biomass. However, it often remains unclear why a particular set of metabolites is linked with biomass and to what extent the predictive model is applicable beyond a particular growth condition. A panel of 97 genetically diverse Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accessions was grown in near-optimal carbon and nitrogen supply, restricted carbon supply, and restricted nitrogen supply and analyzed for biomass and 54 metabolic traits. Correlation-based metabolic networks were generated from the genotype-dependent variation in each condition to reveal sets of metabolites that show coordinated changes across accessions. The networks were largely specific for a single growth condition. Partial least squares regression from metabolic traits allowed prediction of biomass within and, slightly more weakly, across conditions (cross-validated Pearson correlations in the range of 0.27–0.58 and 0.21–0.51 and P values in the range of <0.001–<0.13 and <0.001–<0.023, respectively). Metabolic traits that correlate with growth or have a high weighting in the partial least squares regression were mainly condition specific and often related to the resource that restricts growth under that condition. Linear mixed-model analysis using the combined metabolic traits from all growth conditions as an input indicated that inclusion of random effects for the conditions improves predictions of biomass. Thus, robust prediction of biomass across a range of conditions requires condition-specific measurement of metabolic traits to take account of environment-dependent changes of the underlying networks.
Implementation of a highly scalable architecture for fast inversion of triangular matrices

In this paper, an FPGA implementation of a novel and highly scalable hardware architecture for fast inversion of triangular matrices is presented. An integral part of modem signal processing and communications applications involves manipulation of large matrices. Therefore, scalable and flexible hardware architectures are increasingly sought for. In this paper, the traditional triangular shaped array architecture with n(n+l)/2 communicating processors, with n being the number of inputs, is mapped to a linear structure with only n processors. The linear and the triangular shaped architectures are compared in aspect of area consumption, latencies, and maximum clocking speed. This paper also show that the linear array structure avoids drawbacks such as non-scalability, large area, and large power consumption. The implementation is based on a numerically stable recurrence algorithm, which has excellent properties for hardware implementation.
Do Exchange Rates Affect the Stock Performance of Australian Banks?

We study the impact of currency shifts on the market value of the four major Australian banks. Specifically we examine the relationship between the value of the Australian dollar against the US dollar, the Sterling Pound, and the New Zealand dollar and the PB ratios of these four banks. We find that the negative impact of a drop in the value of the banks' offshore assets in terms of US dollars and Sterling Pounds is being reflected in the stock price, but this is not the case for the New Zealand dollar. There is also a negative relationship between the level of interest rates and the PB ratios indicating that the present value of future income streams is an important issue for investors investing in bank stocks.
Insights and Trends in Diabetes Education

Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe current diabetes education practice and specific interventions and responsibilities of diabetes educators in the United States. Methods The 2008 National Practice Survey (NPS) instrument consisted of 53 items addressing diabetes education program structure, processes and interventions, outcomes and quality improvement activities, and the chronic care model. The survey was hosted online for American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) members. Participants totaled 2447 members, constituting a 25% return rate. Data from the 2008 NPS were analyzed and compared with results from previous surveys. Results Nearly two-thirds of respondents in 2008 provided diabetes education in a single location, most commonly in a clinical outpatient/managed care setting (39%). Most programs provided comprehensive services. Managers noted that 42% of their programs were either cost/revenue neutral or profitable. Programs varied in types of services, number of patient visits, team member functions, time spent on services, and instructional methods used. At least 50% of managers said their programs report outcome data, and 88% participate in quality/performance improvement activities. Nearly two-thirds of respondents were unfamiliar with the AADE-adopted chronic care model. Conclusions Many 2008 NPS results concur with those obtained in 2005 through 2007. Areas of variability among programs suggest a need for standardized interventions and prac- tice guidelines. Educators are encouraged to report out- comes to elucidate the contributions of their programs to patient care. AADE can use the results and comparative data obtained from the 2008 survey when developing practice, research, and advocacy activities
Age and outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention: findings from the APEX-AMI trial.

BACKGROUND To understand the influence of age on treatment and outcomes, we analyzed the largest group of patients 75 years or older with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in a clinical trial. METHODS We analyzed data from 5745 patients in the Assessment of Pexelizumab in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial from July 13, 2004, through May 11, 2006. Age was analyzed continuously and according to 3 groups: younger than 65 years (n = 3410), 65 to 74 years old (n = 1358), and 75 years or older (n = 977). The main outcome measures were 90-day mortality and the composite of congestive heart failure, shock, or death at 90 days. RESULTS Older patients had higher rates of hypertension, chronic obstructive lung disease, previous angina, and prior revascularization. Also notable in these patients were higher Killip class, less angiographic success after PPCI, and less ST-segment resolution with higher rates of in-hospital clinical events, including mechanical, electrical, and bleeding complications. There was less use of short-term adjunctive medications but similar use of discharge medications in older compared with younger patients. Ninety-day mortality rates were 2.3%, 4.8%, and 13.1%; composite outcome rates were 5.9%, 11.9%, and 22.8% for patients younger than 65 years, 65 to 74 years old, and 75 years or older, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, age was the strongest independent predictor of 90-day mortality (hazard ratio, 2.07 per 10-year increase; 95% confidence interval, 1.84-2.33). CONCLUSIONS Older patients have lower rates of acute procedural success and more postinfarction complications. Age is the strongest predictor of 90-day mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing PPCI. Despite implementing PPCI for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in older patients, early risk remains high, necessitating continued focus on improving outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Are Other Government Policies More Important than Taxation in Attracting FDI?

This paper attempts to broaden the existing empirical literature on foreign direct investment by incorporating government expenditures (both investment in infrastructure and consumption) as well as tax, classical location factors, institutional factors that may hinder business investment (such as corruption), and agglomeration effects. We investigate the determinants of FDI inflows in two unbalanced panel data sets of 47 countries from 1995-2002 and 37 countries from 1996-2002. We use fixed country and year effects and examine different infrastructure measures. The evidence indicates that lower taxes, lower corruption, and better infrastructure attract FDI. Government consumption expenditures negatively impact FDI inflows. The magnitude of the response of FDI to our investment in infrastructure is similar to that of corruption and taxes in elasticity terms.
Survey Research on The Social and Economic Benefit by VICS Information Provision

This research was undertaken to estimate the social and economic impact of the Vehicle Information and Communication System (VICS) service as a social infrastructure. By utilizing a dynamic road traffic simulator, and based on the evaluation of three representative regions, it reproduced actual traffic flow, considering diverse route selection according to purpose of trip. Time loss reduction effectiveness, CO2 emission reduction effect and the fuel consumption reduction were calculated. The results have revealed that the spread of VICS-on board units effectively benefits society and improves the environment by ending traffic congestion.
Recent Advances in Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common illness, with the majority of patients treated out of the hospital, yet the greatest burden of the cost of care comes from inpatient management. In the past several years, the management of these patients has advanced, with new information about the natural history and prognosis of illness, the utility of serum markers to guide management, the use of appropriate clinical tools to guide the site-of-care decision, and the finding that guidelines can be developed in a way that improves patient outcome. The challenges to patient management include the emergence of new pathogens and the progression of antibiotic resistance in some of the common pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Few new antimicrobial treatment options are available, and the utility of some new therapies has been limited by drug-related toxicity. Ancillary care for severe pneumonia with activated protein C and corticosteroids is being studied, but recently, inpatient care has been most affected by the development of evidence-based “core measures” for management that have been promoted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which form the basis for the public reporting of hospital performance in CAP care.
Association between pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-33 and periodontal disease in the elderly: A retrospective study

Background: Senescence is a multifactorial process that in humans may be accompanied by inflammation and immune dysfunction in the oral cavity. Notably, periodontal disease, considered one of the most common inflammatory disorders in the oral cavity, has also been linked to the onset of other chronic inflammatory diseases common in the elderly. Thus, investigating immunity and inflammation during senescence may not only illuminate the pathophysiology of periodontal disease, but also identify new therapeutic targets. Materials and Methods: To this end, we retrospectively and systematically reviewed studies of immune molecules associated with periodontal disease. These studies were identified in PubMed from three independent searches based on distinct sets of search terms. Results: The data highlight the need to further investigate inflammatory molecules involved in chronic periodontal disease in the elderly, but strongly suggest that interleukin (IL)-33 is involved. Indeed, various genetic and environmental factors appear to contribute to pathogenesis via IL-33. Conclusion: The IL-33 axis may be promising therapeutic target in elderly patients.
Inhomogeneity of action potential waveshape assists frequency entrainment of cardiac pacemaker cells

In this paper, we have employed ionic models of sinoatrial node cells to investigate the synchronization of a pair of coupled cardiac pacemaker cells from central and peripheral regions of the sinoatrial node. The free-running cycle length of the cell models was perturbed using two independent techniques and the minimum coupling conductance required to achieve frequency entrainment was used to assess the relative ease with which various cell pairs achieve entrainment. The factors effecting entrainment were further investigated using single-cell models paced with an artificial biphasic coupling current. Our simulation results suggest that dissimilar cell types, those with largely different upstroke velocities entrain more easily, that is, they require less coupling conductance to achieve 1:1 frequency entrainment. We therefore propose that regional variation in action-potential waveshape within the sinoatrial node assists frequency synchronization in vivo.
The Effect of Relative Prices and Exchange Rates on Domestic Market Share of U.S. Red-Meat Utilization

Trade-related factors influencing the decline in domestic market share of U.S. red meats were investigated. The study are to examine the effects of relative meat price changes (domestic and imported), the relative U.S. dollar values and their volatilities, and the effect that BSE has had on U.S. red-meat trade. The results show that the relative meat price and exchange rate indices as well as their volatilities significantly affect the U.S. market share of its total meat utilization. The BSE dummy variable has an expected positive sign, though it was statistically insignificant.
SDF-1/CXCR4-Mediated Migration of Transplanted Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Toward Areas of Heart Myocardial Infarction Through Activation of PI3K/Akt

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptor, CXCR4, are crucial for homing and migration of multiple stem cell types. Their potential role in mediating bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) migration in areas of myocardial infarction (MI) has not been demonstrated. In this study, rat heart MI was created by left coronary artery ligation, and green fluorescent protein-labeled BMSCs were directly infused into the left ventricular cavity. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis showed that SDF-1 was predominantly localized in the MI lesion, and its levels peaked by 3 to 7 days and were maintained at least 14 days. Additionally, this was matched with increased accumulation of BMSCs and an improvement in cardiac function. Furthermore, this effect was blocked by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor, LY294002. In vitro experiments showed that CXCR4 expression by BMSCs was elevated during hypoxia and SDF-1 induced a concentration-dependent migration of BMSCs. This migration was CXCR4-dependent as confirmed by its total inhibition by AMD3100, a CXCR4-specific antagonist. Migration was also almost completely blocked by LY294002. Analysis showed that phosphorylated Akt was highly increased in SDF-1-treated BMSCs. Together these results demonstrated that SDF-1/CXCR4 may mediate the migration of BMSCs toward heart MI through activation of PI3K/Akt.
Single-Longitudinal-Mode Triple-Ring Brillouin Fiber Laser With a Saturable Absorber Ring Resonator

A single-longitudinal-mode triple-ring Brillouin fiber laser (TR-BFL) with a saturable absorber ring (SAR) resonator is proposed and investigated experimentally. Triple ring is composed of a 1-km-long single-mode fiber (SMF) ring, a 100-m-long SMF ring, and an SAR with 8-m-long unpumped Erbium-doped fiber, respectively. Compared with the existing techniques, a better performance of TR-BFL can be obtained because of the 1-km-long cavity length and the triple-ring configuration with an SAR, which suppresses the weaker unwanted mode and does not require power control accurately and import additional loss. At the same time, a frequency-locking system based on Pound–Drever–Hall technology is used to reduce the external perturbations and the instability caused by 1-km-long cavity and triple-ring configuration, respectively. In the experiment, 185 linewidth-reduction ratio is obtained while still maintaining 72-dB optical signal-to-noise ratio. Meanwhile, approximately 65-Hz linewidth is measured with a delayed self-heterodyne method using a 100-km delay fiber, and 5% power fluctuation at 1-mW laser output power is observed every 1 min in 50 min.
Recent Trends in Extreme Precipitation and Temperature over Southeastern South America: The Dominant Role of Stratospheric Ozone Depletion in CESM Large Ensemble

AbstractObservations show an increase in maximum precipitation extremes and a decrease in maximum temperature extremes over southeastern South America (SESA) in the second half of the 20th century. The Community Earth System Model (CESM) Large Ensemble (LE) experiments are able to successfully reproduce the observed trends of extreme precip- itation and temperature over SESA. Careful analysis of a smaller ensemble of CESM-LE single forcing experiments reveals that the trends of extreme precipitation and temperature over SESA are mostly caused by stratospheric ozone depletion. The underlying dynamical mechanism is investigated, and it is found that, as a consequence of stratospheric ozone depletion and the resulting southward shift of tropospheric jet streams, anomalous easterly ow and more intense cyclones have occurred over SESA, which are favorable for heavier rainfall extremes and milder heat extremes.
Growth Hormone, Ghrelin and Peptide YY Secretion after Oral Glucose Administration in Healthy and Obese Women

The mechanism of the altered GH secretion in obesity is unclear. There is evidence that oral glucose (OG) administration initially decreases and subsequently stimulates GH secretion. Ghrelin is a peptide that displays strong growth hormone-releasing activity. Its physiological importance on GH regulation is unclear. Our aim was to study fasting GH concentrations and their response to OG administration in relation with ghrelin secretion in obese and healthy women, in order to elucidate the hypothetical participation of ghrelin on post-oral glucose GH secretion. 36 women were included in the study. After an overnight fast, 75 g of oral glucose was administered; glucose, insulin, ghrelin, and PYY (1-36) were obtained at baseline and during 300 min. The area under the curve between 0 and 300 min (AUC) of GH μ/l·min) was lower in obese patients than in controls; 262.5±57.5 vs. 534.9±95.6, p=0.01, for obese and controls respectively. GH peak (μg/l) was lower in obese patients than in controls; 3.7±0.7 vs. 7.1±1.0, p=0.012, for obese and controls, respectively. The AUC of total ghrelin (pg/ml·min) was lower in obese patients than in controls; 233,032±12,641 vs. 333,697±29,877, p=0.004, for the obese patients and controls respectively. PYY (1-36) was similar in obese and healthy women after OG. There were significant correlations between the different indices of post-oral glucose GH and ghrelin secretion. These data suggest that ghrelin is a physiological regulator of GH in the post-oral glucose state, and the decreased ghrelin secretion could be one of the mechanisms responsible for the altered GH secretion in obesity.
Influence of Software Updates on Hedonic Software Users

Lately, a more and more frequently used method to enhance and maintain software is through software updates. These updates are distributed over the Internet in order to fix bugs, improve base-software, or add new functionalities. This research paper extends theory in the IS topic of post-adoption and examines the effect of software updates on the individual hedonic software user. We develop a digital game and use it in a web-based experiment with 225 participants who are randomly assigned to three distinct groups. We adapt the IS continuance model and assess the effects of a functional software update and a placebo update notification through inter group comparisons. Our study unveils that while a functional software update leads to an increase in perceived enjoyment, satisfaction, continuance intention, and disconfirmation, albeit the placebo update notification does not. Finally, implications for research and practice are discussed.
Alternate model for the cooperative equilibrium binding of myosin subfragment-1-nucleotide complex to actin-troponin-tropomyosin.

In this paper we introduce an alternate model for the equilibrium binding of S-l-N (S-l, subfragment l of myosin; N, nucleotide) on the troponin-tropomyosin-actin complex, including the influence of Ca2+ on this binding. In our previous model [Hill, T. L. , Eisenberg, E. & Greene, L. E. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77, 3186-3190], we assumed that each tropomyosin unit, including one troponin-tropomyosin molecule and seven actin sites on the actin filament, could exist in two conformational states which presumably differed in the position of the tropomyosin on the actin. The binding of S-l-N or Ca2+ to the tropomyosin unit shifted the equilibrium between the two states but did not affect the intrinsic conformation of each state. In contrast, in the present model, we assume that tropomyosin can in principle occupy a continuum of positions on the actin filament. However, in any particular circumstance (N, Ca2+, salt, temperature), the tropomyosin occupies only a single position rather than existing in a dynamic equilibrium between two positions as in our earlier model. The binding of S-l-N or Ca2+ changes the position of tropomyosin on the actin filament and the exact position that the tropomyosin occupies depends on the nucleotide bound to S-l.
Synaesthesia and enhanced memory performance: A review of the literature

The multi-modal sensory integration that is the experience of synaesthesia has often been affiliated with extraordinary abilities in memory as reflected by Luria’s reports of subject “S”, Russian mnemonist, Solomon V. Shereshevskii, who had all five senses integrated. This literature review aimed to assess the present evidence of a link between synaesthesia and memory. A wide range of literature was explored, including neuroanatomical evidence, case studies, group studies, and a possible theoretical explanation. In conclusion, the literature indicates a clear link between synaesthesia and greater memory performance, however this link is not as significant as suggested by case studies such as Luria’s subject S and appears to be limited within the domain or domains of the specific synaesthetic experience of each synaesthete. Whether memory is improved at encoding, storage or retrieval is discussed as well as a cue-induced theory of synaesthesia and memory. Findings suggest greater memory performance may be due to differences in neuroanatomical structure and/or the synaesthetic experience providing additional cues to memory.
Electroencephalography of Encephalopathy in Patients With Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders

Summary: Patients with acute alteration in mental status from encephalopathy because of underlying metabolic–toxic or endocrine abnormalities are frequently seen in the acute hospital setting. A rapid diagnosis and correction of the underlying cause is essential as a prolonged state of encephalopathy portends a poor outcome. Correct diagnosis and management remain challenging because several encephalopathies may present similarly, and further laboratory, imaging, or other testing may not always reveal the underlying cause. EEG provides rapid additional information on the encephalopathic patient. It may help establish the diagnosis and is indispensable for identifying nonconvulsive status epilepticus, an important possible complication in this context. The EEG may assist the clinician in gauging the severity of brain dysfunction and may aid in predicting outcome. This review summarizes the current knowledge on EEG findings in selected metabolic and endocrine causes of encephalopathy and highlights distinct EEG features associated with particular etiologies.