Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial and Diurnal Variations of Summer Hourly Rainfall Over Three Super City Clusters in Eastern China and Their Possible Link to the Urbanization

Three super city clusters in eastern China, that is, Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Pearl River Delta (PRD), have been developed in recent decades. The spatial and diurnal variations of summer hourly rainfall over these city clusters and their possible link to the urbanization are investigated in this study, with the Climate Prediction Center Morphing technique (CMORPH) satellite precipitation estimates at high spatial‐temporal resolutions for 2004‐2009. Although the summer rainfall in eastern China is mainly characterized by large‐scale pattern, significant regional rainfall features over the three city clusters can be clearly observed, which are related to the clustered urbanization. Large hourly rainfall intensity is found over the city clusters or downwind from them. Those regions with large hourly rainfall intensity are named as the city cluster impacted regions (CCIRs), contrast to the surrounding mountainous regions where high frequency and large amount but low hourly intensity of rainfall occur. Location and geometry of each CCIR are unique because of the distinctive geography and structures among city clusters. The CCIR situates right over YRD, but it is shifted to the downwind region with an elongated shape for BTH and a circular shape for PRD. More heavy rain but less light rain occurs over the CCIRs than the surrounding regions. Diurnal variations of light rain amount and frequency can be influenced by both mountain and urbanization, and a diurnal cycle amplitude increase related to the urbanization is detected only over the CCIR of YRD where the terrains are mostly low and flat.
Evidence Linking Elevated Oxidative Stress and Aseptic Loosening of Hip Arthroplasty

Aseptic loosening is still the most common late complication after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and one of the main reasons for its failure. Artificial joints are made of metallic, polymeric and ceramic components. In the process of prosthesis functioning in the recipient’s body implant materials are subject to wear and fretting as well as of influence of aggressive biological fluids. Wear debris particles, corrosion products and metal ions from the bearing and contact surfaces of the implant are released in the periprosthetic tissues. As a result of the processes taking part at the implant-bone interface osteolysis develops with subsequent loosening of the implant. Today, the most widely used bearing surface is a metal femoral head made of cobalt chromium molybdenum alloy coupled with a polymeric inlay fabricated from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). For decades in clinical use, metal on polyethylene (MoPE) bearings in total hip arthroplasty provided consistent results. Despite the widespread use of UHMWPE as a bearing surface its wear is the main obstacle restricting the longevity of the artificial joint. With an average rate of polyethylene (PE) wear of 0.1mm per year, 100 million UHMWPE particles (assumed diameter of 1 μm) are liberated into the joint space on a daily basis (Muratoglu & Kurtz, 2002). It is now well established that cyclic mechanical loading, production of wear particles, and the ensuing cascade of adverse tissue response are all significant contributors to local osteolysis at the prosthesis–bone interface and in certain cases loosening of the prosthesis (Aspenberg & Herbertsson, 1996, Goldring et al., 1986, Schmalzried et al., 1992, Willert & Semtlitsch, 1977). Deterioration of clinical results with time and eventually revision of the arthroplasty were a very strong impetus for the search for the “ideal bearing” (Muratoglu & Kurtz, 2002). Improving longevity of the total hip arthroplasty by engineering of new bearing couples with improved biomechanical characteristics and lower rate of wear has been the main line of ongoing research in the orthopedic community. Today, orthopedic surgeons have a wide choice of implants and bearing couples for a particular patient. The new generation of joint bearings provides significantly lower wear rates and is anticipated to diminish the incidence of osteolysis and subsequent revisions.
Heterogeneous Preferences and the Effects of Incentives in Promoting Conservation Agriculture in Malawi

Malawi faces significant challenges in meeting its future food security needs because there is little scope for increasing production by simply expanding the area under cultivation. One potential alternative for sustainably intensifying agricultural production is by means of conservation agriculture (CA), which improves soil quality through a suite of farming practices that reduce soil disturbance, increase soil cover via retained crop residues, and increase crop diversification. We use discrete choice experiments to study farmers’ preferences for these different CA practices and assess willingness to adopt CA. Our results indicate that, despite many benefits, some farmers are not willing to adopt CA without receiving subsidies, and current farm-level practices significantly influence willingness to adopt the full CA package. Providing subsidies, however, can create perverse incentives. Subsidies may increase the adoption of intercropping and residue mulching, but adoption of these practices may crowd out adoption of zero tillage, leading to partial compliance. Further, exposure to various risks such as flooding and insect infestations often constrains adoption. Rather than designing subsidies or voucher programs to increase CA adoption, it may be important to tailor insurance policies to address the new risks brought about by CA adoption.
Jitteriness Beyond the Neonatal Period: A Benign Pattern of Movement in Infancy

Jitteriness is a frequent, well-recognized phenomenon in neonates. Its occurrence in early infancy, beyond the neonatal period, is much less documented. Thirty-eight full-term infants who were jittery after 6 weeks of age were followed until the jitteriness disappeared and then reevaluated at the age of 3 years. The jittery movements had already been observed during the neonatal period in 16 babies but not before 6 weeks of age in 22. In 34 infants (89%), 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores were 9 or 10. At the initial examination, a mildly increased muscle tone was found in 12 infants, and hyperactive deep-tendon reflexes were found in 19. The jitteriness resolved at a mean age of 7.2 ± 3.4 months. At 3 years, 92% of the infants had a normal neurodevelopmental examination, while in the rest only minor, transient disturbances were found. This study indicates that jitteriness as a sole presentation in infants beyond the neonatal period is a benign phenomenon, associated with an excellent prognosis. Its etiology is unknown but seems most likely to be related to a maturational process within the central nervous system. (J Child Neurol 1991;6:243-245).
Incidence of childhood cancer in Kingston and St Andrew, Jamaica, 1983-2002.

OBJECTIVES There have been several modifications to the classification of childhood cancers since the first report (1968-1981) specific to the Jamaican paediatric population was published in 1988. This paper reports on paediatric cancer incidence in Kingston and St Andrew, Jamaica, for the 20-year period 1983-2002 based on these modifications. METHODS All cases of cancer diagnosed in children (0-14 years), between 1983 and 2002 were extracted from the Jamaica Cancer Registry archives and classified using the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, third edition. Incidence figures were calculated as per the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reporting format for childhood cancer. RESULTS There were 272 cases (133 males, 139 females) of childhood cancer identified in the 20-year period. The overall age standardized rate (ASR) was 69.4 per million; that for males was 67.8 per million, and for females, 70.9 per million. The three most common malignancies overall were leukaemia (21.3%), lymphoma (15.8%) and brain and spinal neoplasms (14.0%). In males, the highest ASRs were seen for leukaemia (14.8 per million), lymphoma (12.7 per million), and brain and spinal neoplasms (8.2 per million), and in females, leukaemia (14.4 per million), nephroblastoma (11.3 per million), and brain and spinal neoplasms (10.6 per million). CONCLUSIONS The rankings of the most common childhood malignancies in Jamaica (leukaemia, brain and spinal neoplasms and lymphomas) have shown few changes since the last review. However, there are differences in frequency and gender distribution of nephroblastoma and brain and spinal neoplasms.
Experience influences elemental and configural perception of certain binary odour mixtures in newborn rabbits

SUMMARY Elemental and configural olfactory perception allows interaction with the environment from very early in life. To evaluate how newborn rabbits can extract and respond to information from the highly complex chemical surroundings, and how experience acts on this sensory, cognitive and behavioural capability, we ran a study in four steps including a total of eight experiments. We mainly used a binary AB mixture comprising ethyl isobutyrate (component A) and ethyl maltol (component B), previously shown as a bearer of blending properties; in rabbit pups (as in human adults), the mixture elicits a weak configural perception, i.e. the perception of a configural odour different from the odours of the components. First, a repeated exposure to one component of AB led to a more elemental perception of this mixture; conversely, a repeated exposure to AB facilitated its configural processing. Second, similar impact of experience did not appear with a non-blending AC mixture (ethyl isobutyrate-guaïacol). Third, repeated exposure to AB impacted not only the perception of AB, but also and in the same way the perception of the AC mixture sharing one component, and reciprocally. However, facilitation to perceive one mixture in one mode (configural/elemental) was not generalized to a mixture sharing no components with the experienced mixture [AB versus DE (damascenone and vanillin)]. Thus, experience contributes to the neonatal perception of odour mixtures and adds plasticity to the perceptual system. However, this impact remains dependent on the chemical composition of the mixtures.
Cooperative MIMO Schemes Optimal Selection for Wireless Sensor Networks

A cooperative MIMO scheme selection is proposed for wireless sensor networks where energy consumption is the most important design criterion. Space-time block codes are designed to achieve maximum diversity for a given number of transmit and receive antennas with very simple decoding algorithm. In radio fading channel, STBC require less transmission energy than SISO technique for the same bit error rate and can be employed practically in wireless sensor networks by using the cooperative MIMO scheme. Considering Alamouti and Tarokh space-time block codes, the number of antennas at both the transmission and the reception sides are selected with respect to the transmission distance. By using cooperative MIMO transmission instead of SISO, it is shown that the distance between nodes can be increased and a large amount of the total energy can be saved for middle and long distance transmission. The energy efficiency of cooperative MIMO over SISO and multihop SISO is proved by simulations, and a multi-hop technique for cooperative MIMO is also proposed for good energy-efficiency and limited number of available cooperative nodes
Living with Genome Instability: Plant Responses to Telomere Dysfunction

Loss of telomere function in metazoans results in catastrophic damage to the genome, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Here we show that the mustard weed Arabidopsis thaliana can survive up to 10 generations without telomerase. The last five generations of telomerase-deficient plants endured increasing levels of cytogenetic damage, which was correlated with developmental anomalies in both vegetative and reproductive organs. Mutants ultimately arrested at a terminal vegetative state harboring shoot meristems that were grossly enlarged, disorganized, and in some cases, dedifferentiated into a callusoid mass. Unexpectedly, late-generation mutants had an extended life-span and remained metabolically active. The differences in plant and animal responses to dysfunctional telomeres may reflect the more plastic nature of plant development and genome organization.
Merits of Using Color and Shape Differentiation to Improve the Speed and Accuracy of Drug Strength Identification on Over-the-Counter Medicines by Laypeople

Objective: This study aimed to examine the utility of using color and shape to differentiate drug strength information on over-the-counter medicine packages. Medication errors are an important threat to patient safety, and confusions between drug strengths are a significant source of medication error. Method: A visual search paradigm required laypeople to search for medicine packages of a particular strength from among distracter packages of different strengths, and measures of reaction time and error were recorded. Results: Using color to differentiate drug strength information conferred an advantage on search times and accuracy. Shape differentiation did not improve search times and had only a weak effect on search accuracy. Conclusions: Using color to differentiate drug strength information improves drug strength identification performance. Color differentiation of drug strength information may be a useful way of reducing medication errors and improving patient safety.
Adjuvant therapy for pancreas adenocarcinoma

Adjuvant therapy for pancreas adenocarcinoma in 2012 includes consideration of systemic therapy based on high level evidence and combined chemoradiotherapy based on less robust data. Current major adjuvant questions are examining the role of the addition of a second agent, either cytotoxic or targeted agent, to gemcitabine and whether or not the utilization of combined chemoradiotherapy improves overall survival. Progress to date has been modest and incremental in the adjuvant setting. J. Surg. Oncol. 2013;107:78–85. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ATP Alone Triggers the Outward Facing Conformation of the Maltose ATP-binding Cassette Transporter*

Background: The conformational cycle of MalFGK2 is stimulated by ATP, MalE, and maltose. Results: The transporter outward facing conformation depends on ATP only. Conclusion: MalE and maltose must therefore stimulate the return of the transporter to the inward facing state. Significance: Understanding the dynamics of the transporter is important to interpret the crystal structures. The maltose transporter MalFGK2 is a study prototype for ABC importers. During catalysis, the MalFG membrane domain alternates between inward and outward facing conformations when the MalK dimer closes and hydrolyzes ATP. Because a rapid ATP hydrolysis depends on MalE and maltose, it has been proposed that closed liganded MalE facilitates the transition to the outward facing conformation. Here we find that, in contrast to the expected, ATP is sufficient for the closure of MalK and for the conversion of MalFG to the outward facing state. The outward facing transporter binds MalE with nanomolar affinity, yet neither MalE nor maltose is necessary or facilitates the transition. Thus, the rapid hydrolysis of ATP observed in the presence of MalE and maltose is not because closed liganded MalE accelerates the formation of the outward facing conformation. These findings have fundamental implications for the description of the transport reaction.
Carbohydrate‐mediated Golgi to cell surface transport and apical targeting of membrane proteins

Polarized expression of most epithelial plasma membrane proteins is achieved by selective transport from the Golgi apparatus or from endosomes to a specific cell surface domain. In Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, basolateral sorting generally depends on distinct cytoplasmic targeting determinants. Inactivation of these signals often resulted in apical expression, suggesting that apical transport of transmembrane proteins occurs either by default or is mediated by widely distributed characteristics of membrane glycoproteins. We tested the hypothesis of N‐linked carbohydrates acting as apical targeting signals using three different membrane proteins. The first two are normally not glycosylated and the third one is a glycoprotein. In all three cases, N‐linked carbohydrates were clearly able to mediate apical targeting and transport. Cell surface transport of proteins containing cytoplasmic basolateral targeting determinants was not significantly affected by N‐linked sugars. In the absence of glycosylation and a basolateral sorting signal, the reporter proteins accumulated in the Golgi complex of MDCK as well as CHO cells, indicating that efficient transport from the Golgi apparatus to the cell surface is signal‐mediated in polarized and non‐polarized cells.
Enhancing adherence, subjective well-being and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia: which role for long-acting risperidone?

Aim: This study evaluated adherence to treatment, quality of life and subjective well-being in patients with psychosis treated with long-acting injectable risperidone. Subjects enrolled were part of a larger study where patients were observed in an adherence to treatment program of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Materials and methods: A total of 27 nonadherent patients (21 men, six women; mean age: 36.1 years; range: 23–63 years) were enrolled. Maximum observational period was 30 months. Results: A total of 12 patients were under treatment for 30 months (44.44%) but only nine had a valid 30-month follow up, while the remaining three patients initially treated at our unit continued long-acting risperidone at their local centre. Reductions of monthly mean values of Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) [repeated measures analysis of variance (rm-ANOVA): p < 0.0001] and Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) (p < 0.0001), increase of monthly mean values of Subjective Well-Being Under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale (SWN) (p < 0.0001) and Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (S-QoL) (p < 0.01) were observed. Significant differences with respect to SAPS baseline values from the sixth month, SANS baseline values from the seventh month, SWN baseline values from the eighth month, S-QoL baseline values from the eighteenth month were shown in post hoc tests. Reduction of SAPS mean values was associated with increase of SWN (p < 0.0001) and S-QoL (p < 0.0001) mean values as demonstrated by correlation analysis. The same inverse correlation was found between reduction of SANS mean values and increases of SWN (p < 0.0001) and S-QoL (p = 0.0001) mean values. Conclusions: Long-term treatment with long-acting risperidone may be associated with improvement to adherence to therapy and quality of life. Patients may show improvement in psychopathological symptoms, subjective well-being and quality of life.
RESPONSES OF SAFARICOM LIMITED TO CHANGES IN THE TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY IN KENYA

x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 1 1.1.1 Organisational Responses to Environmental Changes 2 1.1.2 Telecommunication Industry in Kenya 3 1.1.3 Safaricom Limited 6 1.2 Research Problem 7 1.3 The Research Objectives 8 1.4 The Importance of Study 9 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 Environmental Changes and Challenges 10 2.1.1 Competition Changes and Challenges 11 2.1.2 Technological Changes and Challenges 13 2.1.3 Government Policy Changes and Challenges 15 2.2 Organisational Responses to Environmental Changes 16 2.2.1 Strategic Responses 18 2.2.2 Operational Responses 22 2.2. 3 Tactical Responses 25 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLGY 28 3.
A comparison of the hypotensive and hypoglycaemic actions of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, an AT1a antagonist and troglitazone

Objective To define the relationship between changes in insulin sensitivity and attenuation of hypertension. Methods We investigated whether troglitazone (CS-045, an insulin sensitizer) has an antihypertensive effect in fructose (FRU)-fed Wistar rats with insulin resistance and simultaneously compared its hypotensive efficacy with those of alacepril (ALA, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor) and TCV-116 (an AT1a receptor antagonist). Male rats aged 8 weeks were divided into five groups: controls fed normal chow, a FRU group fed FRU-rich (55%) chow, a FRU plus ALA group fed 30 mg/kg ALA per day, a FRU plus TCV-116 group fed 1 mg/kg TCV-116 per day and a FRU plus CS-045 group fed 70 mg/kg CS-045 per day). After 8 weeks, the body weight and systolic blood pressure were recorded and glucose tolerance was determined by glucose loading (2g/kg, intraperitoneally) and a steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) method. The plasma membrane glucose transporter 4 content in gastrocnemius muscle was determined by Western blot analysis. Results FRU increased blood pressure from 125 mmHg in controls to 141 mmHg (P<0.01). ALA and TCV-116 administration decreased blood pressure to 111 and 107 mmHg, respectively (P<0.01). CS-045 administration lowered blood pressure significantly to 121 mmHg. Area under the curve levels for plasma insulin during glucose loading increased from 1.7 in controls to 3.6ng/ml×h in FRU-fed rats, but were lowered by the three drugs. SSPG levels increased from 12.5 in controls to 18.3mmol/l in FRU-fed rats (P<0.01), but were decreased by ALA and TCV-116 administration (P<0.01). CS-045 administration also lowered SSPG levels to 15.3mmol/l (P<0.05). FRU-feeding induced a 1.24-fold increase in plasma membrane glucose transporter 4, which was not affected by ALA and TCV-116 administration, but was augmented 1.82-fold by CS-045 administration. Furthermore, the increased triglyceride level after FRU was diminished both by ALA and by CS-045 administration. Conclusion These results suggest that, in the insulin-resistant state, troglitazone, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and an AT1a receptor antagonist show comparable hypotensive and hypoglycaemic effects.
Identification of ANXA1 as a lymphatic metastasis and poor prognostic factor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of annexin a1 (ANXA1) and provide molecular evidence to support that decreased ANXA1 expression could enhance cancer migration and invasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Immunohistochemistry of a tissue microarray with 162 surgically resected PDAC specimens was performed to examine the expression of ANXA1. We also investigated the relationship between ANXA1 expression and clinicopathological factors and prognosis of PDAC patients. We further studied the role of ANXA1 in PDAC cell proliferation, migration and invasion by cell proliferation assay, migration assay and matrigel invasion assay with reduced ANXA1 expression by RNAi. Western blotting was used to detect matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) expression. We also detected MMP-9 enzyme activity by gelatin zymography. RESULTS Decreased expression of ANXA1 was significantly associated with poor differentiation, lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stage of PDAC patients (p<0.05). Moreover, decreased expression of ANXA1 was correlated with poor survival (p<0.05). Furthermore, we found that ANXA1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest, increased PDAC cell migration and invasion capacity compared with controls. In addition, Western blotting showed that ANXA1 knockdown increased the MMP-9 protein level and decreased TIMP-1 expression. Gelatin zymography showed that MMP-9 enzyme activity was also elevated. CONCLUSIONS Negative ANXA1 expression is a most unfavorable prognostic factor for PDAC patients. ANXA1 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation by inducing G1 phase cell cycle arrest and increases migration and invasion of PDAC cells through up-regulating MMP-9 expression and activity, implying that ANXA1 may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for PDAC.