Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IMI – Interventions for Controlling Myopia Onset and Progression Report

Christine F. Wildsoet, Audrey Chia, Pauline Cho, Jeremy A. Guggenheim, Jan Roelof Polling, Scott Read, Padmaja Sankaridurg, Seang-Mei Saw, Klaus Trier, Jeffrey J. Walline, Pei-Chang Wu, and James S. Wolffsohn Berkeley Myopia Research Group, School of Optometry and Vision Science Program, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States Singapore Eye Research Institute and Singapore National Eye Center, Singapore School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom Erasmus MC Department of Ophthalmology, Rotterdam, The Netherlands HU University of Applied Sciences, Optometry and Orthoptics, Utrecht, The Netherlands School of Optometry and Vision Science and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia Brien Holden Vision Institute and School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore Trier Research Laboratories, Hellerup, Denmark The Ohio State University College of Optometry, Columbus, Ohio, United States Department of Ophthalmology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Ophthalmic Research Group, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Modulation of alpha interferon anti-hepatitis C virus activity by ISG 15 Pong

Received 30 April 2009 Accepted 31 July 2009 ISG15 has recently been reported to possess antiviral properties against viruses, both in vivo and in vitro. Knock-down of ISG15 gene expression by small interfering RNA followed by alpha interferon (IFN-a) treatment in Huh-7 cells resulted in an increased phenotypic sensitivity to IFN-a, as determined by measuring hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replication inhibition in stably transfected HCV replicon cells and in cells infected with genotype 1a HCVcc (infectious HCV). This IFN-a-specific effect, which was not observed with IFN-c, correlated with an increase in expression of the IFN-a-inducible genes IFI6, IFITM3, OAS1 and MX1, whereas the expression of the non-IFN-a-inducible genes PTBP-1 and JAK1 remained unchanged. It has previously been reported that, unlike ISG15 knock-down, increased sensitivity to IFN-a after knock-down of USP18 occurs through the prolonged phosphorylation of STAT-1. Combination knock-down of ISG15 and USP18 resulted in a moderate increase in IFN-a-inducible gene expression compared with single ISG15 or USP18 knock-down. Furthermore, the phenotype of increased gene expression after ISG15 knock-down and IFN-a treatment was also observed in non-hepatic cell lines A549 and HeLa. Taken together, these results reveal a novel function for ISG15 in the regulation of the IFN-a pathway and its antiviral effect.
Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Directly Suppresses T Cell Proliferation through Impaired IL-2 Utilization and Cell Cycle Progression 1 – 3

Previously, we demonstrated that in vitro epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) supplementation inhibited T cell response in mouse spleen cells. In this study, we confirmed this effect of EGCG in mice fed 0.3% EGCG for 6 wk. A coculture with all the combinations of preincubating antigen-presenting cells and T cells with or without EGCG showed that EGCG suppressed antigen-induced T cell proliferation, mainly through a direct effect on T cells. To determine themechanisms for this effect of EGCG, we stimulated purified mouse T cells with anti-CD3/CD28 in the presence of EGCG (2.5–15 mmol/L) and found that EGCG dose-dependently inhibited cell division and cell cycle progression and this effect of EGCGwasmore pronounced in CD4 than in CD8 T cells. Interleukin (IL)-2 concentrations in EGCG-treated cell cultures showed no difference up to 24 h but were higher in the cultures at 48 h compared with the untreated control cells. However, intracellular staining showed no difference between EGCG-treated and untreated control cells in IL-2 synthesis, but EGCG-treated cells expressed less IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) comparedwith untreated control cells. EGCG did not affect mRNA expression of IL-2 and IL-2R. These results indicate that EGCG-induced IL-2 accumulation in 48 h cultures is due to its reduced utilization. In summary, EGCG directly inhibits T cell proliferative response to both polyclonal and antigen-specific stimulation. CD4 cells are more responsive to EGCG than CD8 cells. Future studies should determine the effect of EGCG on CD4 cell subsets to assess its application in T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. J. Nutr. 140: 1509–1515, 2010.
Calling from the Outside: The Role of Networks in Residential Mobility

Using anonymised cellphone data, we study the role of social networks in residential mobility decisions. Individuals with few local contacts are more likely to change residence. Movers strongly prefer places with more of their contacts close-by. Contacts matter because proximity to them is itself valuable and increases the enjoyment of attractive locations. They also provide hard-to-find local information and reduce frictions, especially in home-search. Local contacts who left recently or are more central are particularly influential. As people age, proximity to family gains importance relative to friends.
SHRIMPS ASSOCIATED WITH COELENTERATES, ECHINODERMS, AND MOLLUSCS IN THE SANTA MARTA REGION, COLOMBIA

ABSTRACT Commensal shrimps associated with echinoderms, molluscs, and coelenterates were collected in Tayrona National Park northeast of Santa Marta (11°15'N, 74°13'W). Twenty-nine species belonging to 4 families were found: 19 palaemonids, 6 hippolytids, 3 alpheids, and 1 gnathophyllid. The following shrimps are reported as commensals for the first time: Synalpheus townsendi and Alpheus cristulifrons (from crinoids), Latreutes parvulus (from an echinoid), and Periclimenes sp. and Tozeuma serratum (from a hydroid).
SN 2017ens: The Metamorphosis of a Luminous Broadlined Type Ic Supernova into an SN IIn

We present observations of supernova (SN) 2017ens, discovered by the ATLAS survey and identified as a hot blue object through the GREAT program. The redshift z = 0.1086 implies a peak brightness of Mg = −21.1 mag, placing the object within the regime of superluminous supernovae. We observe a dramatic spectral evolution, from initially being blue and featureless, to later developing features similar to those of the broadlined Type Ic SN 1998bw, and finally showing ∼2000 km s−1 wide Hα and Hβ emission. Relatively narrow Balmer emission (reminiscent of a SN IIn) is present at all times. We also detect coronal lines, indicative of a dense circumstellar medium. We constrain the progenitor wind velocity to ∼50–60 km s−1 based on P-Cygni profiles, which is far slower than those present in Wolf–Rayet stars. This may suggest that the progenitor passed through a luminous blue variable phase, or that the wind is instead from a binary companion red supergiant star. At late times we see the ∼2000 km s−1 wide Hα emission persisting at high luminosity (∼3 × 1040 erg s−1) for at least 100 day, perhaps indicative of additional mass loss at high velocities that could have been ejected by a pulsational pair instability.
Interpretable Sparse Proximate Factors for Large Dimensions

Abstract This article proposes sparse and easy-to-interpret proximate factors to approximate statistical latent factors. Latent factors in a large-dimensional factor model can be estimated by principal component analysis (PCA), but are usually hard to interpret. We obtain proximate factors that are easier to interpret by shrinking the PCA factor weights and setting them to zero except for the largest absolute ones. We show that proximate factors constructed with only 5%–10% of the data are usually sufficient to almost perfectly replicate the population and PCA factors without actually assuming a sparse structure in the weights or loadings. Using extreme value theory we explain why sparse proximate factors can be substitutes for non-sparse PCA factors. We derive analytical asymptotic bounds for the correlation of appropriately rotated proximate factors with the population factors. These bounds provide guidance on how to construct the proximate factors. In simulations and empirical analyses of financial portfolio and macroeconomic data, we illustrate that sparse proximate factors are close substitutes for PCA factors with average correlations of around 97.5%, while being interpretable.
Update of Early Warning Indicators of Flash Floods: A Case Study of Hunjiang District, Northeastern China

The China flash flood investigation and evaluation database (CFFIED) covers important information needed for China’s flash flood warning. This paper uses a statistical induction method, inference formula method and standardized unit hydrograph method to explore its principle, characteristics, and key steps. Then based on the field investigation and the latest data on the flash flood, the Hunjiang District in northeastern China was selected as the research area. Firstly, three typical riverside villages, Xiangmo-1 and Sanchahe-3, Shangqing-4, were screened, and the flash flood warning indicators (e.g., water level, flow rate, critical rainfall) in the CFFIED were updated. Then, the maximum error of the flood peak, estimated by the inference formula method and the water level flow relationship method, is only 10.6%, which indicates that the predicted flood peak flow has high credibility and can check and identify the early warning index; the Manning formula is more accurate in calculating the water level flow relationship. However, the calculated ratio is lower and the roughness is higher, and the flow is smaller under the same water level. Finally, the updated flash flood warning indicators were obtained in the Hunjiang District, which improves the accuracy of the flash flood warning, and provides a reference for updating the early warning indicators in other areas.
Difficulties in Building Relationships with External Stakeholders: A Family-Firm Perspective

Currently, there is a growing number of businesses which organize their operations in the form of projects. One of the key success factors in the area of project management is building successful relationships with project stakeholders. Using stakeholder theory perspective and looking through the lens of family involvement, the study addresses two research questions: 1. how do family firms perceive the difficulty in building relationships with external stakeholders compared to other project management difficulties; 2. does organizing work in the form of projects redefine the significance of family involvement in the difficulties of building relationships with external stakeholders. To answer these questions, 154 Polish family-owned enterprises, considered as representatives of Eastern European emerging economies, were surveyed. The results indicate that family involvement strongly influences the difficulties in building relationships with external stakeholders, but only in those companies which at the time of the survey were not managing projects. In the firms employing project management practices, only the factor related to increasing the number of employees had a facilitating effect on the studied phenomenon. On the contrary, in the case of family firms not managing projects, the growth in the number of employees increased the difficulty in building relationships with external stakeholders. The findings add to the research on the role of family involvement in building relationships with a firm’s external stakeholders.
Seroprevalence of HBV , HCV and HIV Infections among Foreign Workers in El-Beyda City

DOI: 10.21276/sjams.2018. 6.12. 34 Abstract: Libyan and worldwide medical experts have expressed concerns about the potential for an increase in infection of immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis (HBC and HCV) particularly in foreign workers. The prevalence of theses infications are the greatest threats to blood safety and risk factors in the default Libyan and non Libyan populations. Thus, a cross section was intended to study the analysis of the blood specimens, of the foreign workers in the laboratory of the Red Crescent in the city of El-Bayda Libya. A total of 4520 specimens was included in the subjects who apply for a certificate of health for work, during the period from January to October 2017. Each drawing of the blood samples of the applicants has been tested for detection, probability of the presence of the virus HIV, HBV and HCV use HBsAg, anti-HCV and antiHIV by a third gene-ration enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). From all of the samples tested, the frequency of HBsAg positive cases was 1.84%, the number of anti-HIV positive samples were found 0.15% and 0.17% positive anti-HCV of samples among nineteen different nationalities. The number of HBsAg positive samples was found to be particularly high in subjects from Sudan and Chad with 0.66% and 0.42% respectively. The frequency of HCV positive blood among all subjects was 0.15%.
Analytic self-force calculations in the post-Newtonian regime: eccentric orbits on a Schwarzschild background

We present a method for solving the first-order field equations in a post-Newtonian (PN) expansion. Our calculations generalize work of Bini and Damour and subsequently Kavanagh et al., to consider eccentric orbits on a Schwarzschild background. We derive expressions for the retarded metric perturbation at the location of the particle for all $\ell$-modes. We find that, despite first appearances, the Regge-Wheeler gauge metric perturbation is $C^0$ at the particle for all $\ell$. As a first use of our solutions, we compute the gauge-invariant quantity $\langle U \rangle$ through 4PN while simultaneously expanding in eccentricity through $e^{10}$. By anticipating the $e\to 1$ singular behavior at each PN order, we greatly improve the accuracy of our results for large $e$. We use $\langle U \rangle$ to find 4PN contributions to the effective one body potential $\hat Q$ through $e^{10}$ and at linear order in the mass-ratio.
Title Construction of three-year genetic profile of Japanese wild boars in Wakayama prefecture, to estimate gene flow from crossbred Inobuta into wild boar

To estimate the degree of crossbreeding between Japanese wild boars and crossbred Inobuta in Wakayama prefecture, we examined haplotypes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and genotypes of the nuclear glucosephosphate isomerase-processed pseudogene (GPIP) in tissue samples obtained from 176 wild boars over a 3-year period. Five different haplotypes (J10, J15, J21, J22 and J23) and 3 GPIP alleles (GPIP1, GPIP3a and GPIP3b) were detected. These genetic profiles were classified as Japanese wild boar lineage without the genetic markers typical of Inobuta. The present genetic profile of wild boars, consisting of mtDNA haplotypes and GPIP genotypes, is a useful tool for studying the genetic structure of the local feral population.
Unbalanced Sex Ratios in Germany Caused by World War II and Their Effect on Fertility: A Life Cycle Perspective

This paper analyzes the effects of permanently unbalanced sex ratios in Germany caused by World War II on fertility outcomes over the life cycle. Using Census records linked with individual biography data, our analysis confirms the commonly found short-term pattern of decreased fertility rates due to a stark imbalance of the sex ratio. Yet, the long-term effects of such an imbalance crucially depend on when in the life cycle fertility is evaluated. We find that female cohorts with low sex ratios have fewer children at younger ages and a larger fraction remains childless. While childlessness remains higher throughout their life cycle, mothers from affected cohorts catch up and even overcompensate at later ages with respect to the number of children. Our preferred reading of this result is that with low sex ratios women select themselves into late motherhood according to their fertility preferences. This interpretation is consistent with the finding that women from affected cohorts expand their childbearing period and accept lower quality matches in the marriage market. Our findings have important implications for understanding the long-term consequences of large population shocks.
Using evidence of decline and extinction risk to identify priority regions, habitats and threats for plant conservation in Australia

Threatened species lists are used at global, national and regional scales to identify species at risk of extinction. Many species are listed due to restricted population size or geographic distribution, and decline is often inferred rather than quantified. Vascular plants comprise over 70% of nationally listed threatened species, but there is an incomplete picture of which species are most at risk of extinction, where these occur and the factors behind their declines. We compiled published information and the best available field knowledge including 125 expert interviews to identify declining and at risk species. The candidate list comprised 1135 taxa, which were mostly listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered under Federal and/or State legislation, but included 80 that are currently unlisted but considered to be highly threatened. In total, 418 taxa were assessed as having a documented, suspected or projected continuing decline. These were ranked based on extinction risk and magnitude of continuing decline, which suggest that 296 are at risk of extinction under current management regimes, including 55 at high risk of extinction. Declining and imperilled taxa are concentrated in a relatively small number of regions and habitats, and six threatening processes are driving the majority of declines. Field surveys and robust, repeatable monitoring are required to better inform population trends and extinction risk, as well as inform the status of almost 200 taxa that are potentially imperilled but poorly known. Identification of declining taxa can identify key issues for flora conservation across a continent, and allow for targeted and efficient recovery efforts.
Tilburg University Positive and negative affect within the realm of depression , stress and fatigue

Background: The Global Mood Scale (GMS; [Denollet, J., 1993a. Emotional distress and fatigue in coronary heart disease: the Global Mood Scale (GMS). Psychol Med 23, 111–121. , Denollet, J., 1993b. The sensitivity of outcome assessment in cardiac rehabilitation. J Consult Clin Psychol 61, 686–695. ]) was originally developed as a measure of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) in cardiac patients. The purpose of this study was to examine its two-factor affect model in the realm of stress, depression, and fatigue in working adults. Methods: Affect, stress, depression, and fatigue were assessed with validated questionnaires in a sample of 228 adults (49.6% male; mean=41.4±9 years) from the working population. Results: The GMS PA and NA scales were internally consistent (Cronbach's α=.94 and α=.93, respectively), and correlated in the expected direction with their corresponding mood scales from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Factor analyses of the 40 mood terms comprising the GMS and PANAS yielded one common PA-dimension, but two NA-dimensions reflecting emotional exhaustion (GMS) and anxious apprehension (PANAS) as different components of the stress process. A relatively high mean NA score of the GMS suggested that these working adults perceived terms that refer to malaise/deactivation as being relevant to describe their negative affective status. The GSM-NA scale was related to stress, depression and fatigue while the GMS-PA scale was positively associated with quality of life. Limitations: This study is based on a cross-sectional design. Conclusions: The association between the PA (negative correlation) and NA (positive correlation) scales of the GMS and perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and fatigue supports the validity of its two-factor model. Assessment of both PA and NA may benefit a better understanding of emotional distress in adults from the working population. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A non‐conservative Harris ergodic theorem

We consider non‐conservative positive semigroups and obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for uniform exponential contraction in weighted total variation norm. This ensures the existence of Perron eigenelements and provides quantitative estimates of the spectral gap, complementing Krein–Rutman theorems and generalizing probabilistic approaches. The proof is based on a non‐homogenous h$h$ ‐transform of the semigroup and the construction of Lyapunov functions for this latter. It exploits then the classical necessary and sufficient conditions of Harris's theorem for conservative semigroups and recent techniques developed for the study of absorbed Markov processes. We apply these results to population dynamics. We obtain exponential convergence of birth and death processes conditioned on survival to their quasi‐stationary distribution, as well as estimates on exponential relaxation to stationary profiles in growth‐fragmentation PDEs.
Social organization and group formation of raccoons at the edge of their distribution

Abstract We examined spatial and temporal relationships of 104 raccoons (Procyon lotor) at the northern edge of their distribution to report social organization and to test hypotheses regarding the formation of coalition groups among adult male carnivores. Social tolerance among females varied among years, but adults maintained relatively exclusive home ranges (overlap ranged from 2.2% to 12.5%) that were dispersed in a uniform pattern throughout the duration of the study (Clark–Evans ratios ranging from 1.32 to 1.87, P < 0.001–0.08). Social interactions among males were more complex than previously described for low-density populations of raccoons, with most adults (approximately 80%) forming coalition groups. We identified 9 unique coalitions that had extensively overlapping home ranges and positively associated nightly movements within group members (overlap indices ranging from 85.3% to 97.3%). Coalitions maintained exclusive territories between groups (overlap indices ranging from 0% to 3.2%) and formed distinct spatial boundaries that were highly correlated with home-range boundaries of females. Male coalition groups in the order Carnivora are hypothesized to form in response to aggregations of females, but examination of our data suggests that this is not a prerequisite for their formation. We propose a dominance hierarchy where subordinate males benefit through increased likelihood of inheritance of territories, whereas dominant males benefit through increased efficiency of territorial defense.
Index arbitrage and nonlinear dynamics between the S&P 500 futures and cash

We use a cost of carry model with nonzero transaction costs to motivate estimation of a nonlinear dynamic relationship between the S&P 500 futures and cash indexes. Discontinuous arbitrage suggests that a threshold error correction mechanism may characterize many aspects of the relationship between the futures and cash indexes. We use minute-by-minute data on the S&P 500 futures and cash indexes. The results indicate that nonlinear dynamics are important and related to arbitrage, and suggest that arbitrage is associated with more rapid convergence of the basis to the cost of carry than would be indicated by a linear model. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.