Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and B. henselae in dogs

Abstract This study aimed to molecularly survey Bartonella in dogs from Chile. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for Bartonella spp. based on nuoG gene was performed in 139 blood samples taken from dogs belonging to rural localities of the Valdivia Province, Los Ríos region, southern Chile. nuoG qPCR-positive samples were submitted to conventional PCR assays for ftsZ, gltA, rpoB and nuoG genes and sequencing for speciation and phylogenetic analysis. Based upon qPCR results, Bartonella spp. occurrence in dogs was 4.3% (6/139). Out of six nuoG qPCR-positive samples, six, three, two and none showed positive results in cPCR assays based on gltA, ftsZ, rpoB and nuoG genes, respectively. Consistent sequencing results were obtained only for the ftsZ gene from sample #1532 (GeneBank accession number: MG252491), and gltA gene from samples #1535 (MG252490) and #1532 (148 bp fragment that was not deposited in GenBank). Phylogenetic analysis of ftsZ and gltA genes allowed speciation of two nuoG-positive samples, one as Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and the other as B. henselae. Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and B. henselae are detected for the first time in dogs from Chile, highlighting the importance of the canine population as a source of zoonotic agents and potential infection risk to humans.
Review papers are important and worth writing

Reviews are papers that compile, summarize, critique, and synthesize the available information on a topic. Among Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s 100 most cited papers (Supplemental Data, Table S1) they are disproportionately represented (Supplemental Data, Table S2) for good and obvious reasons. If you wish to provide citation to support your use of a method or assumption, a good review paper will provide that support by showing that the method or assumption is consistent with current knowledge or best practices. The popularity of reviews is illustrated by the criticism of Impact Factors as being biased in favor of reviews relative to original research [1]. In this editorial, I will not review the individual highly cited reviews. Rather, I will encourage you to write more and better reviews as a service to the scientific community and to enhance your career.
Inclusion of peripheral correspondences in object and pose estimation for visual servoing path-planning

This article addresses the utilization of peripheral image correspondences obtained in cameras obeying the unified model for path-planning-based visual servoing applications. The proposed approach consists of reprojecting available image correspondences onto an oriented virtual plane, which is designed to carry as many reprojections as possible from correspondences, especially those in periphery region. To realize this, a key transformation matrix is proposed and applied to spherical projections of those correspondences. After this transformation, object and pose estimation are realized via the minimization of algebraic and geometric errors by introducing appropriate parametrization and strategies. The geometric error will be defined either on the virtual plane or on the spherical surface. Minimization of error function defined on the spherical surface provides much more accurate estimation results in object structure than that of other error functions as demonstrated in simulation examples. At last, experiment with a fisheye camera mounted on a robot validates the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Nostalgia Promoting Pro-Social Behavior and Its Psychological Mechanism

Nostalgia is a kind of socio-emotional that refers to personal sentimentality caused by recalling objects, people, places, experiences or feelings from the past. Studies have found nostalgia has a positive effect on the mental health and can also promote pro-social behavior of individuals. This paper reviews the promoting effect of nostalgia on the altruism, commonweal and social rule and relational pro-social behaviors. Moreover, the author puts forward possible psychological mechanisms and theoretical explanations. Future studies should further investigate the relevant psychological mechanism and moderated effects of individual differences, the study on the refinement of the nostalgia and pro-social behavior researches.
Accommodation-related changes in monochromatic aberrations of the human eye as a function of age.

PURPOSE To investigate the relationship between accommodation and the optical aberrations of the whole human eye, as a function of age. METHODS Sixty healthy subjects with spherical ametropia in the range +/-3 D, astigmatism less than 1 D, corrected visual acuity of 20/18 or better, and normal findings in an ophthalmic examination were enrolled. Subjects were divided into four groups, with age ranges of 19 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 to 60 years. Monochromatic optical aberrations and pupil size were measured with a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor under monocular viewing conditions, without pharmacological dilation or cycloplegia. Stimulus vergences were in the range of 0 to 5 D, with an increment of 0.5 D. The change in aberration during accommodation for different groups and different pupil conditions (natural and fixed 4-mm pupil) was compared. RESULTS Fourth-order spherical aberration (SA) became more negative with accommodation, and the rate of this change was greater in older individuals. For natural pupil conditions, there were no significant differences between age groups in the changes of the higher-order aberrations, coma, and trefoil with accommodation. However, for a 4-mm pupil, the youngest and oldest group showed significant differences in higher order RMS (root mean square) and spherical aberration compared with the other groups. High-order RMS showed a lower increase during accommodation when the pupil accommodative miosis was taken into account (natural pupil condition) than when a fixed 4-mm pupil was used. CONCLUSIONS Aberrations change with accommodation and with age. SA changes more with accommodation do than other higher-order aberrations. SA becomes more negative with accommodation, and this change is larger in older individuals. Accommodative miosis is useful for ameliorating the increase in higher-order aberrations with accommodation.
Citizens' attitudes towards e‐government and e‐governance: a UK study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to further understanding of citizens' attitudes towards electronic government (e‐government) and e‐governance.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative study was conducted of 3,000 citizens of a relatively prosperous town in South‐East England. A 10 per cent response rate provided 302 completed questionnaires; 216 users of e‐government portals and 86 non‐users.Findings – Findings indicate that whilst interest in e‐government is generally low overall, users appreciate personalisation, user‐friendliness and the ability to communicate. Users and non‐users perceive moderate value in e‐government for knowledge acquisition and communication, but little as a vehicle of democratic engagement. Those using e‐government frequently are more positive than other groups.Research limitations/implications – The relatively low‐response rate (though not unusual for quantitative methods) suggests a general lack of interest; however users of e‐government are appreciative of a few, key.
Hydrophilic interaction chromatography.

Liquid chromatography is a key technology in separation science. One of its major strengths arises from the unlimited variability of adsorbents, and its various elution and application modes that allow generating and providing virtually any selectivity required to solve specific analytical problems. For organic low molecular mass compounds the dominating role of reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) has, however, upstaged other modes of chromatography. Pretty often it is seen that users attempt to use RPLC for the analysis of compounds for which it is not perfectly suited. Recently, though, growing demands for complementary methods and increasing importance of analysis of very polar solutes in pharmaceutical and clinical analysis, proteomics, metabolomics and glycomics, have brought another chromatographic mode more into the focus of a larger number of chromatographic studies: namely hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). In fact, many analytical separation problems which are located at the other extreme of the lipophilicity scale – typically for compounds with log P / log D a0 – and are outside of the applicability spectrum of RPLC may be well addressed by hydrophilic interaction chromatography.
The Determinants of Capital Structure: Capital Market-Oriented versus Bank-Oriented Institutions

Abstract The paper investigates how firms operating in capital market-oriented economies (the U.K. and the U.S.) and bank-oriented economies (France, Germany, and Japan) determine their capital structure. Using panel data and a two-step system-GMM procedure, the paper finds that the leverage ratio is positively affected by the tangibility of assets and the size of the firm, but declines with an increase in firm profitability, growth opportunities, and share price performance in both types of economies. The leverage ratio is also affected by the market conditions in which the firm operates. The degree and effectiveness of these determinants are dependent on the country's legal and financial traditions. The results also confirm that firms have target leverage ratioswith French firms being the fastest in adjusting their capital structure toward their target level and Japanese firms the slowest. Overall, the capital structure of a firm is heavily influenced by the economic environment and its institutions, corporate governance practices, tax systems, the borrower-lender relation, exposure to capital markets, and the level of investor protection in the country in which the firm operates.
On Maximum Stability Margin Design of Nonlinear Uncertain Systems: Fuzzy Control Approach

This paper studies the maximum stability margin design for nonlinear uncertain systems using fuzzy control. First, the Takagi and Sugeno fuzzy model is employed to approximate a nonlinear uncertain system. Next, based on the fuzzy model, the maximum stability margin for a nonlinear uncertain system is studied to achieve as much tolerance of plant uncertainties as possible using a fuzzy control method. In the proposed fuzzy control method, the maximum stability margin design problem is parameterized in terms of a corresponding generalized eigenvalue problem (GEVP). For the case where state variables are unavailable, a fuzzy observer‐based control scheme is also proposed to deal with the maximum stability margin for nonlinear uncertain systems. Using a suboptimal approach, we characterize the maximum stability margin via fuzzy observer‐based control in terms of a linear matrix inequality problem (LMIP). The GEVP and LMIP can be solved very efficiently via convex optimization techniques. Simulation examples are given to illustrate the design procedure of the proposed method.
Migration time experimental evaluation in a Quagga based-software router

We illustrate an experimental test-bed to evaluate the routing plane migration time based on QUAGGA routing software. The operation mode correctness of the OSPF routing protocol is also verified. The realized test-bed allows for an evaluation of the migration time as a function of the number of nodes of an emulated network. We show that even when the network links are loaded with data traffic, the migration time is low and the migration does not degrade the performance of the OSPF routing protocol. For instance the migration time is less than 12 ms in the case of an emulated network of 500 nodes and when the links are 70% loaded.
Vitamin D and brain health: the need for vitamin D supplementation and sensible sun exposure

In February 2013, C edric Annweiler invited a number of international experts to form a task force, and they met in Boston in July 2013 to evaluate the evidence regarding the role of vitamin D in the mental health of older adults. The discussions resulted in the task force concluding that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia in older adults [1]. As noted by the task force, vitamin D deficiency is an extremely common problem worldwide for all age groups (from neonates to the elderly) [2]. Evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency in utero as well as throughout life has serious long-lasting consequences for mental health.
Functional expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 in the mouse cochlea

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4, the Ca2+-permeable cation channel has been proposed as an osmosensitive and a mechanosensitive channel. We investigated functional expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 in inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and spiral ganglion neurons of the mouse cochlea. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 mRNA and protein were expressed in inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and spiral ganglion neurons on the basis of the findings of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, single-cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry, whereas they were negative in transient receptor potential vanilloid 4−/− mice cochleae. Hypotonic stimulation and 4-&agr;-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, a transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 synthetic activator, increased the intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in wild-type outer hair cells, whereas in transient receptor potential vanilloid 4−/− mice, outer hair cells failed to exhibit a Ca2+ response to both stimulations. In conclusion, transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 may function as an osmosensory and a mechanosensory receptor in the cochlea.
Comments on "Econometric Models for Probabilistic Choice among Products."

McFadden's exposition (this issue) on the models of probabilistic choice and how they relate to consumer behavior in economic markets is a commendable piece of work which is attuned to the spirit and theme of this conference. Consumer behavior is clearly an area that is of interest to both the marketeer and economist alike, but the economists, long regarded as outspoken guardians of the truth in such matters, have been uncharacteristically silent when it comes to the practical problem of translating economic theory and implications into useful marketing strategies. As a result, the marketing profession has more or less been bogged down in a quagmire of pseudoscientific, ad hoc theories of consumer behavior, searching for a meaningful paradigm in which to analyze the brand preferences of consumers. Perhaps the best illustration of this has been the contagious application of the so-called attitudinal-belief models of consumer behavior inspired by the studies of Rosenberg (1956) and Fishbein (1967a, 1967b). In any case, the probabilistic choice models described by McFadden provide an excellent starting point for the analysis of consumer behavior that should be acceptable and conceptually pleasing to members of both professions. In its simplest form, the theory of random choice postulates that each member of a population of utility-maximizing consumers possesses a utility function U(s,x) = v(sx) + e(sx), where s is a vector of individual attributes, x is a vector of product attributes, v is a nonstochastic function reflecting "representative" tastes, and e is a function that varies randomly in the population. Assuming that the choice set of interest is B = (XI, X2, . . . , xj) and that e values are independently and identically distributed over B with the extreme value distribution, we can derive for the probability that an individual drawn at random from the population will choose x the expression
Heuristic bidding algorithm using fuzzy neural networks in multiple multi-attribute auctions

This article develops a new heuristic bidding algorithm that guides an agent's bidding behavior in multiple overlapping auctions for multiple items characterized by multiple attributes. The algorithm operates in the following way. It calculates what it believes are the best set of auctions to bid in. It does this by predicting the auctions closing prices using a fuzzy neural network(FNN), allocating the goods to the customers it is acting on behalf of, and then calculating the satisfaction degree of the allocation. Moreover, as the goods are composed of multiple attributes, the agent may have to make trade-offs between them in its bidding in order to best satisfy the user's preferences. The use of a fuzzy neural network also allows the decision making criteria of our agent to be adapted to the situation in which it finds itself. We show through empirical evaluation against a number of methods proposed in the multiple auction literature that our bidding strategy performs effectively and robustly in a wide range of scenarios.
Effect of chilling bovine oocytes on their developmental competence

Bovine oocytes are damaged when chilled to temperatures near 0°C. We have determined the temperatures at which this injury occurs, as well as its kinetics and the functional consequences for oocytes both at the germinal vesicle‐stage (GV) and after in vitro maturation (IVM). Cooling GV oocytes had no effect on their nuclear maturation or fertilization. Compared to control oocytes held at 30°C, the development of GV oocytes into blastocysts following maturation and fertilization was unaffected by cooling them to 20°C for 30 min (blastocyst formation: 25% vs 26%, respectively), but development decreased after cooling them to 10° and 0°C (blastocyst: 6% and 1%, respectively). Cooling oocytes after maturation gave similar results, with no difference between controls and oocytes cooled to 20°C (blastocyst: 25% and 26%, respectively). However, cooling them to 10° and O°C did reduce development (blastocyst: 8% and 3%, respectively). Chilling oocytes to 0°C for 30.sec reduced their cleavage and blastocyst formation by >40%; there was a high negative correlation between the length of exposure and subsequent survival, both for GV‐stage and for IVM oocytes. The extreme sensitivity of both GV and IVM oocytes to chilling can explain the limited success obtained for cryopreservation of bovine oocytes by conventional slow‐cooling procedures. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Patterns of molecular evolution in dioecious and non‐dioecious Silene

Dioecy (i.e. having separate sexes) is a rather rare breeding system in flowering plants. Such rareness may result from a high probability of extinction in dioecious species because of less efficient dispersal and the costs of sexual selection, which are expected to harm dioecious species' survival on the long term. These handicaps should decrease the effective population size ( Ne ) of dioecious species, which in turn should reduce the efficacy of selection. Moreover, sexual selection in dioecious species is expected to specifically affect some genes, which will evolve under positive selection. The relative contribution of these effects is currently unknown and we tried to disentangle them by comparing sequence evolution between dioecious and non‐dioecious species in the Silene genus (Caryophyllaceae), where dioecy has evolved at least twice. For the dioecious species in the section Melandrium, where dioecy is the oldest, we found a global reduction of purifying selection, while on some, male‐biased genes, positive selection was found. For section Otites, where dioecy evolved more recently, we found no significant differences between dioecious and non‐dioecious species. Our results are consistent with the view that dioecy is an evolutionary dead end in flowering plants, although other scenarios for explaining reduced Ne cannot be ruled out. Our results also show that contrasting forces act on the genomes of dioecious plants, and suggest that some time is required before the genome of such plants bears the footprints of dioecy.
Factors Influencing Plasma Concentrations of Carbamazepine and Carbamazepine‐10,11‐Epoxide in Epileptic Children and Adults

Plasma carbamazepine (CBZ) and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E) concentrations were measured in 160 epileptic patients in order to determine the effect of factors such as age, daily dosing schedule, formulation, and combination with other antiepileptic drugs on these concentrations in relation to the daily dose. The results showed that the CBZ plasma level/dose ratio was affected by all factors studied, whereas the CBZ-E plasma level/dose ratio was affected only by formulation and age. The ratio of CBZ-E to CBZ plasma levels (CBZ-E/CBZ) was affected by daily dosing schedule, age, and combination with other antiepileptic drugs. The present study demonstrated that many factors affect plasma CBZ/dose ratios, explaining the discrepancies observed in the literature.
Advanced Synchronization Control of a Dual-Linear-Motor-Driven Gantry With Rotational Dynamics

Dual-linear-motor-driven gantry systems have been widely used in high-speed or heavy payload precision motion systems. Due to the unique physical properties such as mechanical coupling, the precise synchronization control of such kinds of systems is crucial to achieve good tracking and smooth operation performance. However, the existing synchronization schemes usually focus on the pure motion synchronization only and, thus, have certain inherent performance limitations. In this paper, an accurate multi-input multi-output mathematical model of a dual-driven gantry is presented first, where the complete planar motions of the crossbeam include the traditional linear motion along the guide rails and the previously ignored rotational motion around the mass center. With the better understanding of the mechanical coupling and the internal forces caused by the rotational dynamics, an advanced synchronization control scheme by directly taking into account the additive rotational dynamics is presented, which not only synchronizes the motions of two parallel motors but also regulates the internal forces. In the proposed scheme, the adaptive robust control algorithm is also applied to obtain a guaranteed robust performance in the presence of both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities. Comparative experiments with previous control schemes are carried out to show the better synchronization performance and verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Impact of DNA repair gene polymorphisms on the risk of biochemical recurrence after radiotherapy and overall survival in prostate cancer

The identification of biomarkers of biochemical recurrence (BCR) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) represents an unanswered clinical issue. The primary aim of this study was the definition of new genetic prognostic biomarkers in DNA repair genes (DRGs), considering both BCR and overall survival (OS) as clinical end-points. The secondary aim was to explore the potential clinical impact of these genetic variants with the decision curve analysis (DCA) and the sensitivity analysis. We analyzed 22 germline polymorphisms in 14 DRGs on 542 Caucasian PCa patients treated with RT as primary therapy. Significant associations were further tested with a bootstrapping technique. According to our analyses, ERCC2-rs1799793 and EXO1-rs4149963 were significantly associated with BCR (p = 0.01 and p = 0.01, respectively). Moreover, MSH6-rs3136228 was associated with a worse OS (p = 0.04). Nonetheless, the DCA and the sensitivity analyses gave no ultimate response about the clinical impact of such variants. This study highlights the potential prognostic role of polymorphisms in DRGs for PCa, paving the way to the introduction of not invasive tools for the personalization of patients management. Nonetheless, other prospective studies are necessary to ultimately clarify the clinical impact of pharmacogenetics in PCa.