Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple successional pathways in human‐modified tropical landscapes: new insights from forest succession, forest fragmentation and landscape ecology research

Old‐growth tropical forests are being extensively deforested and fragmented worldwide. Yet forest recovery through succession has led to an expansion of secondary forests in human‐modified tropical landscapes (HMTLs). Secondary forests thus emerge as a potential repository for tropical biodiversity, and also as a source of essential ecosystem functions and services in HMTLs. Such critical roles are controversial, however, as they depend on successional, landscape and socio‐economic dynamics, which can vary widely within and across landscapes and regions. Understanding the main drivers of successional pathways of disturbed tropical forests is critically needed for improving management, conservation, and restoration strategies. Here, we combine emerging knowledge from tropical forest succession, forest fragmentation and landscape ecology research to identify the main driving forces shaping successional pathways at different spatial scales. We also explore causal connections between land‐use dynamics and the level of predictability of successional pathways, and examine potential implications of such connections to determine the importance of secondary forests for biodiversity conservation in HMTLs. We show that secondary succession (SS) in tropical landscapes is a multifactorial phenomenon affected by a myriad of forces operating at multiple spatio‐temporal scales. SS is relatively fast and more predictable in recently modified landscapes and where well‐preserved biodiversity‐rich native forests are still present in the landscape. Yet the increasing variation in landscape spatial configuration and matrix heterogeneity in landscapes with intermediate levels of disturbance increases the uncertainty of successional pathways. In landscapes that have suffered extensive and intensive human disturbances, however, succession can be slow or arrested, with impoverished assemblages and reduced potential to deliver ecosystem functions and services. We conclude that: (i) succession must be examined using more comprehensive explanatory models, providing information about the forces affecting not only the presence but also the persistence of species and ecological groups, particularly of those taxa expected to be extirpated from HMTLs; (ii) SS research should integrate new aspects from forest fragmentation and landscape ecology research to address accurately the potential of secondary forests to serve as biodiversity repositories; and (iii) secondary forest stands, as a dynamic component of HMTLs, must be incorporated as key elements of conservation planning; i.e. secondary forest stands must be actively managed (e.g. using assisted forest restoration) according to conservation goals at broad spatial scales.
Enabling Low-Complexity MIMO in FBMC-OQAM

Filter Bank Multi-Carrier (FBMC) offers superior spectral properties compared to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), at the cost of imaginary interference, which makes the application of Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) more challenging. By spreading symbols in time (or frequency), we can completely eliminate the imaginary interference, so that all MIMO techniques known in OFDM can be straightforwardly applied in FBMC. The spreading process itself has low complexity because it is based on Hadamard matrices. Although spreading allows to restore complex orthogonality in FBMC within one transmission block, we observe interference from neighboring blocks. By including a guard timeslot, the signal-to-interference ratio can be further improved. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of a time-variant channel on such spreading approach. Finally, testbed measurements show the applicability of our FBMC based MIMO transmission scheme in real world environments.
Differential Regulation of β-Chemokines in Children with Plasmodium falciparum Malaria

ABSTRACT Chemokines regulate the host immune response to a variety of infectious pathogens. Since the role of chemokines in regulating host immunity in children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria has not previously been reported, circulating levels of β-chemokines (MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and RANTES) and their respective transcriptional profiles in ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were investigated. Peripheral blood MIP-1α and MIP-1β levels were significantly elevated in mild and severe malaria, while RANTES levels decreased with increasing disease severity. β-Chemokine gene expression profiles in blood mononuclear cells closely matched those of circulating β-chemokines, illustrating that PBMCs are a primary source for the observed pattern of β-chemokine production during acute malaria. Statistical modeling revealed that none of the chemokines was significantly associated with either parasitemia or anemia. Additional investigations in healthy children with a known history of malaria showed that children with prior severe malaria had significantly lower baseline RANTES production than children with a history of mild malaria, suggesting inherent differences in the ability to produce RANTES in these two groups. Baseline MIP-1α and MIP-1β did not significantly differ between children with prior severe malaria and those with mild malaria. Additional in vitro experiments in PBMCs from healthy, malaria-naïve donors revealed that P. falciparum-derived hemozoin (Hz; malarial pigment) and synthetic Hz (β-hematin) promote a similar pattern of β-chemokine gene expression. Taken together, the results presented here demonstrate that children with severe malaria have a distinct profile of β-chemokines characterized by increased circulating levels of MIP-1α and MIP-1β and decreased RANTES. Altered patterns of circulating β-chemokines result, at least in part, from Hz-induced changes in β-chemokine gene expression in blood mononuclear cells.
RNA binding motif protein 3: a potential biomarker in cancer and therapeutic target in neuroprotection

RNA binding motif 3 (RBM3) is a highly conserved cold-induced RNA binding protein that is transcriptionally up-regulated in response to harsh stresses. Featured as RNA binding protein, RBM3 is involved in mRNA biogenesis as well as stimulating protein synthesis, promoting proliferation and exerting anti-apoptotic functions. Nowadays, accumulating immunohistochemically studies have suggested RBM3 function as a proto-oncogene that is associated with tumor progression and metastasis in various cancers. Moreover, emerging evidences have also indicated that RBM3 is equally effective in neuroprotection. In the present review, we provide an overview of current knowledge concerning the role of RBM3 in various cancers and neuroprotection. Additionally, its potential roles as a promising diagnostic marker for cancer and a possible therapeutic target for neuro-related diseases are discussed.
The Psychopathology of Incarcerated Self-Mutilators

Objective To investigate the symptomatology of severe psychopathology reported by male incarcerated self-mutilators. Method Comparisons were made with a nonmutilating incarcerated group and a nonincarcerated, nonmutilator group. Results A distinctive pattern of symptomatology emerged. Self-mutilators evidenced a wide range of elevated scores on general measures of psychological/psychiatric symptoms, particularly depression and hostility. Aspects of hostility that distinguished self-mutilators from other groups included the urge to act out hostile feelings, critical feelings towards others, paranoid feelings of hostility and guilt. Self-mutilators demonstrated substantial problems with substance abuse, particularly alcohol. Conclusion A pattern of passive-aggressive, schizoid and avoidant personality styles distinguished self-mutilators from other groups.
Prevalence of pineal gland calcification as an incidental finding in patients referred for implant dental therapy

Purpose Pineal gland calcification has been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. This study evaluated the prevalence and extent of pineal gland calcification in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of patients referred for dental implant therapy who could possibly be a vulnerable group for this condition. Materials and Methods A retrospective evaluation of 500 CBCT scans was conducted. Scans that showed the area where the pineal gland was located were included. The scans were initially screened by a single observer to record the prevalence and extent of calcification. Six weeks following the completion of the study, another investigator randomly reviewed and selected 50 scans to investigate inter-observer variation, which was evaluated using reliability analysis statistics. The prevalence and measurements of the calcifications were reported using descriptive statistics. The chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence between males and females. Results The prevalence of pineal gland calcification was 58.8%. There was no statistically significant correlation between age and the extent of the calcification. The prevalence of calcification was 58.6% in females and 59.0% in males. The average anteroposterior measurement was 3.73±1.63 mm, while the average mediolateral measurement was 3.47±1.31 mm. The average total calcified area was 9.79±7.59 mm2. Conclusion The prevalence of pineal gland calcification was high in patients undergoing implant therapy. While not all pineal gland calcifications lead to neurodegenerative disorders, they should be strongly considered in the presence of any symptoms as a reason to initiate further investigations.
The Internet and political (in)equality in the Arab world: A multi-country study of the relationship between Internet news use, press freedom, and protest participation

This study investigates the role of the Internet in protest participation in the Arab world. More specifically, we aim to address three important questions: (1) Does Internet news use increase the chances of protest participation? (2) Does Internet news use amplify or reduce participation gaps that exist among individuals at various socioeconomic strata? (3) How does a country’s press freedom act as a contextual factor to shape the role of the Internet in affecting protest participation gaps? The results based on an analysis of the third wave of Arab Democracy Barometer survey suggest that Internet news use for political purposes increases the likelihood of protest participation in the Arab world while it also deepens socioeconomic stratification in participation. Furthermore, national press freedom shapes the intervening role of the Internet. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings for political inequality literature and the practical consequences for the Arab world.
A RIVER-PIRATE.

Interestingly, river pirate that you really wait for now is coming. It's significant to wait for the representative and beneficial books to read. Every book that is provided in better way and utterance will be expected by many peoples. Even you are a good reader or not, feeling to read this book will always appear when you find it. But, when you feel hard to find it as yours, what to do? Borrow to your friends and don't know when to give back it to her or him.
Characteristics of High-Tension-Induced Corona-Discharge Plasma in Ozone Generator Diode

Electric-field-induced oxygen corona in an innovative r-z diode of ozone generator is investigated. The cathode (K) of the diode is made of several sharp-ended nozzles arranged in many radial planes on an axial mast symmetrically located inside an anode cup (A). The resulting high fields over megavolts per meter produced stray field emissions from nozzle pinnacles, which initiated secondary electron emissions that sustained a corona plume encircling the cathode. Electrons in the plume multiplied through avalanche ionizations, which resulted in electron densities over 1014 -1015 m-3 in a self-consistent scheme. This, in a cold corona, formed in a wide A-K gap with a reduced field of E/no2 ~ 100 Td in a pressure of P ~ bar and at a temperature of T = 300 K, gave a high ozone formation of ~ 1019 m-3. Current transported in short gaps, however, rendered Joule heating and inhibition of ozone genesis.
Clinical significance of serum M30 and M65 levels in melanoma

M30 and M65 are relatively new assays that detect different circulating forms of the epithelial cell structural protein cytokeratin 18. This study was carried out to investigate the serum levels of M30 and M65 in patients with melanoma and the relationship with tumor progression and known prognostic parameters. Fifty-two patients with cutaneous melanoma were investigated. Serum samples were obtained on first admission before adjuvant and metastatic treatment were provided and at follow-up. Both serum M30 and M65 levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The median age of patients at diagnosis was 54 years, range 16–88 years; 30 patients were men. Over half of the patients (58%) were in the metastatic stage and most (63%) had M1c. The baseline serum M65 levels were significantly higher in patients with melanoma than in the control group (P<0.001). For the serum M30 levels, no difference was found (P=0.76). Both the serum M30 and M65 levels were significantly higher in the patients with leukocytosis (P=0.02 and 0.007, respectively). In addition, the serum M30 levels were also elevated in young (P=0.02) and female patients (P=0.01). A significant relationship was found between the serum levels of M30 and M65 (rs=0.408, P=0.003, Spearman’s correlation). As expected, distant metastasis (P<0.001), advanced metastatic stage (M1c) (P=0.03), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P=0.001), higher serum lactate dehydrogenase levels (P<0.001), and unresponsiveness to chemotherapy (P<0.001) had worse survival. However, neither serum M30 nor serum M65 had a significantly adverse effect on survival (P=0.23 and 0.68, respectively). In conclusion, although only serum M65 levels were found to be of diagnostic value, neither M30 nor M65 serum levels played a prognostic role in the outcome in melanoma patients.
The fate of pelagic CaCO 3 production in a high CO 2 ocean: a model study

This model study addresses the change in pelagic calcium carbonate production (CaCO 3 , as calcite in the model) and dissolution in response to rising atmospheric CO 2 . The parameterization of CaCO 3 production includes a dependency on the saturation state of seawater with respect to calcite. It was derived from laboratory and mesocosm studies on particulate organic and inorganic carbon production in Emiliania huxleyi as a function of pCO 2 . The model predicts values of CaCO 3 production and dissolution in line with recent estimates. The effect of rising pCO 2 on CaCO 3 production and dissolution was quantified by means of model simulations forced with atmospheric CO 2 increasing at a rate of 1% per year from 286 ppm to 1144 ppm over a 140 year time-period. The simulation predicts a decrease of CaCO 3 production by 27%. The combined change in production and dissolution of CaCO 3 yields an excess uptake of CO 2 from the atmosphere by the ocean of 5.9 GtC over the period of 140 years.
Griffithsin Has Antiviral Activity against Hepatitis C Virus

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients undergoing liver transplantation universally experience rapid reinfection of their new liver graft. Current treatment protocols do not prevent graft reinfection and, in addition, an accelerated disease progression is observed. In the present study, we have evaluated a novel strategy to prevent HCV infection using a lectin, griffithsin (GRFT) that specifically binds N-linked high-mannose oligosaccharides that are present on the viral envelope. The antiviral effect of GRFT was evaluated in vitro using the HCV pseudoparticle (HCVpp) and HCV cell culture (HCVcc) systems. We show here that preincubation of HCVpp and HCVcc with GRFT prevents infection of Huh-7 hepatoma cells. Furthermore, GRFT interferes with direct cell-to-cell transmission of HCV. GRFT acts at an early phase of the viral life cycle by interfering in a genotype-independent fashion with the interaction between the viral envelope proteins and the viral receptor CD81. The capacity of GRFT to prevent infection in vivo was evaluated using uPA+/+-SCID mice (uPA stands for urokinase-type plasminogen activator) that harbor human primary hepatocytes in their liver (chimeric mice). In this proof-of-concept trial, we demonstrated that GRFT can mitigate HCV infection of chimeric mice. Treated animals that did become infected demonstrated a considerable delay in the kinetics of the viral infection. Our data demonstrate that GRFT can prevent HCV infection in vitro and mitigate HCV infection in vivo. GRFT treatment of chronically infected HCV patients undergoing liver transplantation may be a suitable strategy to prevent infection of the liver allograft.
INTUITIONISTIC FUZZY SETS BASED METHOD FOR FUZZY TIME SERIES FORECASTING

Fuzzy time series models are of great interest in forecasting when the information is imprecise and vague. However, the major problem in fuzzy time series forecasting is the accuracy of the forecasted values. In the present study we propose a hybrid method of forecasting based on fuzzy time series and intuitionistic fuzzy sets. The proposed model is a simplified computational approach that uses the degree of nondeterminacy to establish fuzzy logical relations on time series data. The developed model was implemented on the historical enrollment data for the University of Alabama and the forecasted values were compared with the results of existing methods to show its superiority. The suitability of the proposed method was also examined in forecasting market share prices of the State Bank of India on the Bombay Stock Exchange, India.
Drinking context and drinking problems among black, white, and Hispanic men and women in the 1984, 1995, and 2005 U.S. National Alcohol Surveys.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred drinking contexts of different gender and ethnic groups (white, black, and Hispanic men and women), by examining where these groups do most of their drinking and to what extent drinking contexts preferences are associated with certain drinking-related consequences. METHOD The study used data from the 1984, 1995, and 2005 U.S. National Alcohol Surveys. Among current drinkers, cluster analyses of volume drunk in six contexts (restaurants, bars, others' parties, or when spending a quiet evening at home, having friends drop over at home, and hanging out in public places) were used to classify individuals by their drinking context preferences in each gender by ethnicity subgroup. RESULTS We identified three highly similar drinking context-preference clusters within each of the six subgroups: (1) bar-plus group (did most drinking in bars, plus much in other venues), (2) home group (did most drinking at home, and a fair amount elsewhere), and (3) light group (drank almost nothing quietly at home and also less in other settings than the other two clusters). For a number of ethnic-by-gender groups, context preference group assignment predicted drinking-related problems, over and above general drinking patterns. For example, for all groups, the bar-plus preference group relative to the light group showed higher risk of arguments, fighting, and drunk driving, after taking into account the volume consumed, frequency of heavy drinking, age, and year of survey. CONCLUSIONS Examining individuals' preferred drinking contexts may provide important information to augment overall drinking patterns in risk and prevention studies.
Infectious complications after cardiac surgery: lack of association with fresh frozen plasma or platelet transfusions.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of perioperative transfusion of platelets and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) on infection rates after cardiac surgery. DESIGN Retrospective study comparing infection rates after cardiac surgery among patients receiving combinations of packed red blood cells (PRBCs), platelets, and FFP. SETTING Tertiary care university teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS All elective primary coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery patients from July 1995 to January 1998 before introduction of leukocyte-reduced blood products. INTERVENTIONS Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were applied to identify clinical risk factors for postoperative infection and to determine the relationship between perioperative administration of PRBCs, platelets, and FFP with postoperative infection. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Transfusion of PRBCs, diabetes, age, preoperative hematocrit, and the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass were significantly associated with postoperative infection; platelet or FFP transfusion added no additional risk to PRBC transfusion alone. CONCLUSIONS Infectious complications in a population of adult primary CABG surgery patients were not increased by transfusion of platelets or FFP. It is PRBC transfusion that confers an increased risk of postoperative infection in this population.
An Attempt at Validation of Traditional Psychiatric Syndromes by Cluster Analysis

During the last twenty years countless attempts have been made to refine, replace or validate our intuitive clinical classifications of mental illness by the statistical analysis of symptom ratings. By and large these attempts have been unsuccessful. In spite of all the elegant and complex manipulations to which innumerable sets of data have been subjected, the classifications used by psychiatrists remain much as they were before the computer was invented. The reasons for this failure—for as such it must be seen at least by clinicians—are complex, but we would attribute it mainly to two factors: a failure to appreciate how unreliable and open to bias are the clinical ratings on which most analyses have been based, and too exclusive a reliance on factor analysis at the expense of other forms of multivariate analysis.
Anti‐Streptococcus mutans antibodies in saliva of children with different degrees of dental caries

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the secretory immune system and dental caries. Forty‐nine 3–5‐year‐old children with primary dentition were classified into three groups according to their caries indices: no caries (group I), one or two surfaces with caries lesions (group II) and rampant caries (group III). Lower numbers of mutans streptococci were found in group I in relation to groups II and III. Secretory IgA and anti‐S. mutans IgA, IgM and IgG antibody levels were not significantly different among the groups. Western blotting analysis showed that some S. mutans proteins, including the 39, 59, 97 and 150 kDa molecular mass bands, were recognized by almost all the saliva samples. Antibodies against the 185 kDa band, known as antigen I/II, were present in all adults’ saliva and in only one child in group III. The absence of antibodies to the 185 kDa band in children’s saliva suggest a specific immunologic immaturity. Further prospective studies will be necessary to establish the possible effect of reactivity to this antigen on the S. mutans colonization in this age group.