Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Androgenetic Reproduction in a Freshwater Diploid Clam Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia: Corbiculidae)

Abstract Two shell color types of the exotic bivalve Corbicula fluminea were collected in Kyoto city, Japan. DNA microfluorometry revealed that both types were diploids with non-reductional spermatozoa. Maternal chromosomes were found to be extruded as two polar bodies at the first meiosis, and the second meiosis could not be observed. Only the male pronucleus was present in the egg cytoplasm and became metaphase chromosomes at the first mitosis. The present study indicates that the diploid C. fluminea in Japan has the same mode of androgenetic reproduction as the triploid C. leana.
Empirical Correlates of the MMPI–2 Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales in a Nonclinical Setting

We examined the empirical correlates of the MMPI–2 Restructured Clinical (RC; Tellegen et al., 2003) scales in a nonclinical setting. We administered 12 criterion measures assessing variables expected to be associated differentially with the RC Scales along with the MMPI–2 to a sample of 1,038 college students (Men, N = 407; Women, N = 631). Criteria included measures of somatization, depression, Machiavellian negativism, drug and alcohol abuse, anger, anxiety, social phobias, obsessive–compulsive tendencies, magical ideation, perceptual aberration, lability, and impulsivity. Results demonstrate good convergent and discriminant validity for the RC scales and add to a growing body of empirical correlates of these scales.
From instant messaging to cloud computing, an XMPP review

The extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) is a versatile protocol that demonstrates many advantages over traditional communication protocols. XMPP's origin as an instant messaging (IM) protocol ensures that it inherits a tight relation with social communities and its flexibility makes it a very good candidate for converging communications between different application domains, such as social networks, consumer electronics and cloud computing. This paper reviews the XMPP protocol, its standardization community extensions and its usage in published literature. An application domain classification, or taxonomy, is derived and used to relate complementary and competing instances of XMPP deployment.
Title : Damage Detection in FRP Laminated Beams Using Neural Networks

This paper presents a technique to predict the severity and the location of the damage in beam-like composite laminates by using modal parameters as input for an artificial neural network. A laminated cantilever beam is modelled using ANSYS 5.6© finite element software. Normal mode dynamic analyses have been performed for the first three natural modes of intact and damaged beams to find the modal parameters. Damage has been modelled as a local reduction in stiffness of the selected elements in the finite element model. Considering various stiffness reductions at different locations along the beam, a variety of damage scenarios have been created. Natural frequencies and corresponding displacement mode shapes have been obtained from finite element analyses and the curvature mode shapes of the beam have been calculated from the normalised displacement mode shapes by using finite difference method. Following the sensitivity analyses aimed at finding the necessary parameters for the damage detection, different input-output sets have been introduced to various artificial neural networks for training. Finally, a trained feed-forward backpropagation artificial neural network is tested using new damage cases and checks are made for severity and location prediction of the damage.
Mother and Father Schemata of Achievers and Underachievers in Primary School Arithmetic

The Mother and Father schemata of primary grade achievers and underachievers were compared using a modification of the Kuethe Felt Figure Technique. Ss' reactions to “Mother,” and to “Father” involve schemata which are a function of both Ss' sex and their achievement pattern. Achieving male Ss place “self” closer to the Mother figure than do underachieving male Ss and achieving male Ss also place “self” closer to the Mother figure than to the Father figure. However, achieving female Ss place “self” at a greater distance from both the Father and Mother figures than do achieving male Ss and underachieving female Ss place “self” closer to the Father figure than do achieving female Ss. It appears that underachieving male Ss place “self” relative to “Mother” and “Father” in a manner similar to that of the emotionally disturbed boys studied by Weinstein.
Toward social and cultural resonance with technology: case studies from the Creating Community Connections Project

This paper shares the case studies of two individuals in their efforts to achieve sociocultural resonance with technology. Both individuals are participants in the Creating Community Connections (C3) Project, an ongoing effort at a predominantly African-American, low- to moderate-income housing development in Roxbury, MA, since 1999. As part of this project, MIT researchers worked with residents to establish a technological infrastructure by offering every family a new computer, software, and high-speed Internet connection, along with comprehensive course and a web-based community building system. The project combined these elements in an effort to achieve a social and cultural resonance that integrated both community technology and community building by leveraging indigenous assets instead of perceived needs.
Effects of work-site health promotion on illness-related absenteeism.

This study examined the effects of work-site health promotion on employee absenteeism. Thirty-two work sites were randomized to programs for weight control and smoking cessation or to no treatment for 2 years. The prevalence of self-reported absences from work was assessed at baseline and follow-up. Results using work site as the unit of analysis showed a net reduction in the percent of workers reporting a sick day in the last month in treatment versus control work sites of 3.7% (P = .04) and 3.4% (P = .06) in cross-sectional and cohort analysis, respectively. Further analyses found that the rate of participation in smoking (P = .09) but not weight programs (P = .72) was positively associated with change in sick day prevalence and that this effect was strongest in baseline smokers (P = .002). It is concluded that work-site smoking cessation programs may yield important short-term economic benefits by reducing employee absenteeism.
Vehicle to vehicle energy exchange in smart grid applications

This paper presents a novel vehicle to vehicle energy exchange market (V2VEE) between electric vehicles (EVs) for decreasing the energy cost to be paid by some users whose EVs must be recharged during the day to fulfil their daily scheduled trips and also reducing the impact of charging on the electric grid. EVs with excess of energy in their batteries can transfer this energy among other EVs which need charge during their daily trips. These second type of owners can buy the energy directly to the electric grid or they can buy the energy from other EV at lower price. An aggregator is responsible for collecting all information among vehicles located in the same area at the same time and make possible this energy transfer.
Evaluation of mediastinal masses by endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration

OBJECTIVE:Interest has been growing in using endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in the evaluation of mediastinal masses. The purpose of this study was to review the spectrum of mediastinal masses encountered using endoscopic ultrasound.METHODS:We reviewed all cases of mediastinal masses examined by endoscopic ultrasound, with or without endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration, prospectively gathered from our electronic database from April 1995 to July 2000.RESULTS:Of 1447 upper endoscopic ultrasound examinations, 33 (2.3%) involved a mediastinal mass. Sixty-one percent of the patients were male and the average age was 65 yr. Fifty-five percent of patients had dysphagia, 48 percent experienced weight loss, and only 12 percent were totally asymptomatic. Seventy-three percent had masses by chest CT. Sixty-seven percent were ultimately found to be malignant, 21 percent were solid benign lesions, and four were cystic. Only two lesions were resected. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration was used in 76 percent of all patients. The median survival of patients with malignant lesions was only 87 days.CONCLUSIONS:Lesions of the deep mediastinum are often difficult to conclusively diagnose with nonendoscopic studies. Endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration can easily access this region to aid in the diagnosis and management of these lesions.
IGF‐1 released by corneal epithelial cells induces up‐regulation of N‐cadherin in corneal fibroblasts

Interactions between epithelial cells and fibroblasts play important roles in tissue homeostasis. With the use of a coculture system in which human corneal fibroblasts and epithelial cells are cultured on opposite sides of a collagen (vitrigel) membrane, we have examined the effects of epithelial cells on expression of the adherens‐junction protein N‐cadherin in fibroblasts. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and immunoblot analyses showed that the presence of epithelial cells increased the expression of N‐cadherin in fibroblasts at the mRNA and protein levels. This effect of epithelial cells was mimicked by insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) but not by epidermal growth factor or fibroblast growth factor. Depletion of IGF‐1 in epithelial cells by RNA interference abolished the effect of these cells on N‐cadherin expression in fibroblasts. The presence of epithelial cells activated the IGF‐1 receptor as well as up‐regulated expression of the transcriptional regulator ZEB1 in fibroblasts. RNA interference‐mediated depletion of IGF‐1 in epithelial cells prevented the effect of these cells on ZEB1 expression in fibroblasts. These results suggest that IGF‐1 released from corneal epithelial cells up‐regulates the expression of N‐cadherin in corneal fibroblasts. J. Cell. Physiol. 221: 254–261, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc
Effect of 2 years of high-dose growth hormone therapy on cognitive and psychosocial development in short children born small for gestational age.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN Children born small for gestational age (SGA) are not only at risk for short stature, but also for neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems. In this study, we analyzed the effects of high-dose GH therapy on cognitive development and psychosocial functioning in 34 prepubertal (3-8 years) short SGA children, equally randomized into a GH-treated group (TRG) and an untreated group (UTRG). METHODS At start and after 2 years, children underwent standardized tests measuring the intellectual abilities (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised, or Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised); their parents completed a standardized questionnaire evaluating psychosocial functioning (Child Behavior Checklist; CBCL). RESULTS At start, total IQ scores were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the SGA group than in the general population: 32% of the SGA patients had scores below 85. After 2 years, IQ scores remained unchanged in the TRG, but increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the UTRG. After exclusion of children with developmental problems, however, no significant changes in IQ scores occurred in the UTRG as well as the TRG. At baseline, 24% (8/34) children had problematic CBCL total problems scores, equally distributed among the two groups; no significant changes in the different subscale scores occurred after 2 years. CONCLUSION No beneficial effect of 2 years of GH therapy on cognitive and behavioral profile could be observed in a cohort of rather young short SGA children presenting a variable degree of developmental delay and behavioral problems. Subsequent follow-up could reveal potential long-term effects of GH therapy on development and behavior.
FLUORESCEIN IN HUMAN PLASMA IN VITRO

A method to determine fluorescein in human plasma is described. By aid of ultrafiltration a separation between fluorescein bound to plasma proteins and fluorescein free in the water is obtained. Both fractions are quantitated. Fluorescein is bound to plasma proteins. The protein binding is reversible, not sensitive to practically appearing changes in pH, temperature and gas tensions. For a normal person it appeared that at a total plasma concentration between (10‐6–10‐4) g·ml‐1 approximately 15% was free while at a total concentration of 10‐3 g·ml‐1 45% was free, pointing towards a limited amount of protein binding sites.
A review of health related quality of life in systemic lupus erythematosus

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important outcome measure in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A review was undertaken of the literature relating to HRQoL in SLE. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Allied and Complimentary Medicine were searched to locate full papers in the English language reporting on HRQoL in adult SLE patients published between 1990 and 2005. In total 53 papers were included and the review was subdivided into: 1) description of HRQoL in SLE patients; 2) HRQoL and disease activity and/or damage; 3) the impact of other variables on HRQoL; and 4) HRQoL measures used in clinical trials in SLE patients. The findings were as follows: HRQoL is reduced in SLE patients; HRQoL is not correlated to disease activity or damage; age appears to have a negative impact on HRQoL especially physical health but the effect of disease duration is unclear; other potentially modifiable variables such as fatigue and psychosocial factors impact on HRQoL in a complex manner; and HRQoL measures which are sensitive to change should be an essential outcome measure in all clinical trials on SLE patients.
Role of mRNA stability in the different patterns of cytokine production by CD4+ cells from young and old mice

CD4+ cells from young (3 months) and old (19 months) mice were stimulated by plate‐bound anti‐CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) alone or also by soluble anti‐CD28 mAb. Supernatants were analysed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine cytokine concentrations. Total RNA was extracted from cells, reverse transcribed and the cDNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to evaluate the amount of specific mRNA. The results indicate that anti‐CD3 alone is not sufficient to induce interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) production in CD4+ cells from both young and old mice. However, anti‐CD28, together with anti‐CD3 mAb, induces a much higher production of IL‐2 in CD4+ cells from young as compared with old mice. Conversely, interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) production is also induced by anti‐CD3 alone and is higher in CD4+ cells from old as compared with young mice. Upon addition of anti‐CD28 mAb, IFN‐γ production increases in both groups, but it remains much higher in old than in young mice. Also the production of IL‐4 and IL‐10 is induced by anti‐CD3 mAb but it is increased by the addition of anti‐CD28 mAb. CD4+ cells from old mice produce more IL‐4 and IL‐10 as compared with cells from young mice. The amounts of cytokine specific mRNA in CD4+ cells from young and old mice parallel the cytokine levels in culture supernatants. Results on the mRNA turnover indicate that when CD4+ cells are stimulated by anti‐CD3 or costimulated also by anti‐CD28 mAb, the IFN‐γ, IL‐4 and IL‐10 specific mRNAs are more stable in old than in young mice, suggesting that mRNA stability has a relevant role in the different patterns of cytokine production.
Comparative Metabolomics of Transgenic Tobacco Plants (Nicotiana tabacum var. Xanthi) Reveals Differential Effects of Engineered Complete and Incomplete Flavonoid Pathways on the Metabolome

Anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins (PAs) are two groups of end products of the plant flavonoid pathway (Fig. 1). Biochemical and genetic evidences have demonstrated that they share the same upstream pathway beginning with phenylalanine through a series of enzymatic reaction to anthocyanidins. Anthocyanidins are either modified by glycosylation, methylation, or other reactions to form diverse anthocyanins (Springob et al. 2003) or catalyzed into flavan-3-ols by an anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) (Xie et al. 2003; Xie et al. 2006). In addition, leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR) has been enzymatically demonstrated to catalyze leucoanthocyanidins into catechin (Tanner et al. 2003). To date, whether or not this branch catalyzed by LAR exists in plants still remains open to genetic studies.
Power MEMS and microengines

MIT is developing a MEMS-based gas turbine generator. Based on high speed rotating machinery, this 1 cm diameter by 3 mm thick SiC heat engine is designed to produce 10-20 W of electric power while consuming 10 grams/hr of H/sub 2/. Later versions may produce up to 100 W using hydrocarbon fuels. The combustor is now operating and an 80 W micro-turbine has been fabricated and is being tested. This engine can be considered the first of a new class of MEMS device, power MEMS, which are heat engines operating at power densities similar to those of the best large scale devices made today.
Tectonic Analysis of the Al Hamadah Al Hamra Plateau of the Ghadamis Basin (NW Libya): Hydrological Network, Sinkholes, Folds and Fractures. Style of Reactivation and Setting of Cenozoic Volcanism

Remote sensing analysis is an efficient tool for updating geological maps. The regional scale map obtained in this project from compilation of the pre-existing maps and of a number of space images is somewhat more complete. It takes into account the usual field and laboratory parameters of the rock units, through the previous geologic maps, together with remote sensing parameters such as spectral signatures, textures, roughness, morphology that are observed from optical, microwave and DEM imagery. With more rock characteristics, the old maps are obligatory improved. The Cenozoic faulting in the Al Hamra al Hamadah plateau is largely influenced by the tectonics affecting the Paleozoic oil bearing structures that are hidden by the late Cretaceous-Paleocene layers. The tectonic style is that of reactivation of the Paleozoic faults under effects of the NNE-trending regional tension. Then the faults on the surface of the plateau would indicate location of the hidden Paleozoic faults in depth. A flat plateau, in the arid environment, appears to be a very favorable environment for mapping of gentle folds, faults and tectonic sinkholes. Remote sensing is a fruitful approach in this case study. The gentle anticlines for instance are undetectable in the field, but computer assisted shadowing with a low elevation angle of illumination is the key processing for evidencing these features. Problems of drillings in the area are well known for example to Waha, AGOCO and PB Companies during their exploration activities in the concessions in Ghadames Basin. According to them several incidents of losing drilling Pits have occurred and drilling came into a hole. Because this paper is aimed to know the exact location of sinkholes in the Ghadames basin, I would recommend all the oil companies to review this work and try to trace the sinkholes indicated to minimize the risk of drilling problems.
Comparison of the predictive values of diagnostic tests subject to a case-control sampling with application to the diagnosis of Human African Trypanosomiasis

Case-control sampling to compare the accuracy of two binary diagnostic tests is frequent in clinical practice. This type of sampling consists of applying the two diagnostic tests to all of the individuals in a sample of those who have the disease and in another sample of those who do not have the disease. In this sampling, the sensitivities are compared from the case sample applying the McNemar’s test, and the specificities from the control sample. Other parameters of binary tests are the positive and negative predictive values. The predictive values of a diagnostic test represent the clinical accuracy of a binary diagnostic test when it is applied to the individuals in a population with a determined disease prevalence. This article studies the comparison of the predictive values of two diagnostic tests subject to a case-control sampling. A global hypothesis test, based on the chi-square distribution, is proposed to compare the predictive values simultaneously. The comparison of the predictive values is also studied individually. The hypothesis tests studied require knowledge of the disease prevalence. Simulation experiments were carried out to study the type I errors and the powers of the hypothesis tests proposed, as well as to study the effect of a misspecification of the prevalence on the asymptotic behavior of the hypothesis tests and on the estimators of the predictive values. The results obtained were applied to a real example on the diagnosis of the Human African Trypanosomiasis. The model proposed was extended to the situation in which there are more than two diagnostic tests.
A millimeter wave Vivaldi antenna with contoured platted vias for next generation wireless communication systems

We present a millimeter wave slot coupled Vivaldi antenna (SCVA) for the 5th generation wireless communication systems. The performance of proposed SCVA is studied with contoured platted via holes introduced along the radiating tapered slots. The designed SCVA is compact with a size of 19.3×73.45 mm2. The simulation results show that the reflection coefficient (S11) is less than -10 dB from 24 GHz-40 GHz with an average gain of 13 dBi over the entire bandwidth. The radiation pattern is symmetrical in both azimuth and elevation planes. The dispersion, when ultra-short pulses of 16 GHz bandwidth are received by the proposed antenna, is of value less than 1 %.
Measuring and Analysis of Long-Term Turbulence Dissipation in the South China Sea

Measurements for long-term ocean turbulence observation are obtained from a mooring line deployed in the South China Sea. The measurements were made at a single level of 250-m depth in the water column for about three-month duty cycle. We concentrate on the shear velocity measurements and processing. The correlation between the vibration noise and the motion of the platform is analyzed. A multivariate correction procedure is applied to remove vehicle motion and vibration contamination from the estimates of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) terms. These time-extended measurements of TKE have yielded a valuable database. Based on advanced spectral methods, the evolution processes of ocean turbulence in the South China Sea are illustrated by the dissipation time series. The distribution patterns of dissipation in different time scales reveal the multiscale evolution and time dependence over the tidal cycle. The extended observations of dissipation will contribute to improving our understanding of the ocean evolution processes in the South China Sea.