Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fine-Scale Analysis Reveals Cryptic Landscape Genetic Structure in Desert Tortoises

Characterizing the effects of landscape features on genetic variation is essential for understanding how landscapes shape patterns of gene flow and spatial genetic structure of populations. Most landscape genetics studies have focused on patterns of gene flow at a regional scale. However, the genetic structure of populations at a local scale may be influenced by a unique suite of landscape variables that have little bearing on connectivity patterns observed at broader spatial scales. We investigated fine-scale spatial patterns of genetic variation and gene flow in relation to features of the landscape in desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), using 859 tortoises genotyped at 16 microsatellite loci with associated data on geographic location, sex, elevation, slope, and soil type, and spatial relationship to putative barriers (power lines, roads). We used spatially explicit and non-explicit Bayesian clustering algorithms to partition the sample into discrete clusters, and characterize the relationships between genetic distance and ecological variables to identify factors with the greatest influence on gene flow at a local scale. Desert tortoises exhibit weak genetic structure at a local scale, and we identified two subpopulations across the study area. Although genetic differentiation between the subpopulations was low, our landscape genetic analysis identified both natural (slope) and anthropogenic (roads) landscape variables that have significantly influenced gene flow within this local population. We show that desert tortoise movements at a local scale are influenced by features of the landscape, and that these features are different than those that influence gene flow at larger scales. Our findings are important for desert tortoise conservation and management, particularly in light of recent translocation efforts in the region. More generally, our results indicate that recent landscape changes can affect gene flow at a local scale and that their effects can be detected almost immediately.
Brivaracetam: review of its pharmacology and potential use as adjunctive therapy in patients with partial onset seizures

Brivaracetam (BRV), a high-affinity synaptic vesicle protein 2A ligand, reported to be 10–30-fold more potent than levetiracetam (LEV), is highly effective in a wide range of experimental models of focal and generalized seizures. BRV and LEV similarly bind to synaptic vesicle protein 2A, while differentiating for other pharmacological effects; in fact, BRV does not inhibit high voltage Ca2+ channels and AMPA receptors as LEV. Furthermore, BRV apparently exhibits inhibitory activity on neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels playing a role as a partial antagonist. BRV is currently waiting for approval both in the United States and the European Union as adjunctive therapy for patients with partial seizures. In patients with photosensitive epilepsy, BRV showed a dose-dependent effect in suppressing or attenuating the photoparoxysmal response. In well-controlled trials conducted to date, adjunctive BRV demonstrated efficacy and good tolerability in patients with focal epilepsy. BRV has a linear pharmacokinetic profile. BRV is extensively metabolized and excreted by urine (only 8%–11% unchanged). The metabolites of BRV are inactive, and hydrolysis of the acetamide group is the mainly involved metabolic pathway; hepatic impairment probably requires dose adjustment. BRV does not seem to influence other antiepileptic drug plasma levels. Six clinical trials have so far been completed indicating that BRV is effective in controlling seizures when used at doses between 50 and 200 mg/d. The drug is generally well-tolerated with only mild-to-moderate side effects; this is confirmed by the low discontinuation rate observed in these clinical studies. The most common side effects are related to central nervous system and include fatigue, dizziness, and somnolence; these apparently disappear during treatment. In this review, we analyzed BRV, focusing on the current evidences from experimental animal models to clinical studies with particular interest on potential use in clinical practice. Finally, pharmacological properties of BRV are summarized with a description of its pharmacokinetics, safety, and potential/known drug–drug interactions.
Genetic Differentiation among Populations and Color Variants of Sea Cucumbers (Stichopus Japonicus) from Korea and China

The Far Eastern sea cucumber, Stichopus japonicus, is a favored food in Eastern Asia, including Korea, Japan, and China. Aquaculture production of this species has increased because of recent declines in natural stocks and government-operated stock release programs are ongoing. Therefore, the analyses of genetic structure in wild and hatchery populations are necessary to maintain the genetic diversity of this valuable marine resource. In addition, given that sea cucumber color affects market price, with the rare, possibly reproductively isolated, red type being the most valuable, an understanding of the genetic structure and diversity in color variation of green and red types is necessary. We analyzed the genetic structure of wild and hatchery-produced green type S. japonicus from Korea and China, and wild red type from Korea using 9 microsatellite makers. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 11 to 29 across all populations. The mean allele numbers of the green types from Korea (10.6) and China (10.1) were similar, but differed slightly from that of the red type (9.1). Pairwise multilocus FST and genetic distance estimations showed no significant differences between the green types from Korea and China, whereas the differences between the green and red types were significant. This was clearly illustrated by a UPGMA dendrogram, in which the two close subclusters of green types were completely separated from the red type. In addition, the allele frequencies of the green and red types were significantly different. Assignment tests correctly assigned 100% (quality index 99.97%) of individuals to their original color types and demonstrated the feasibility of microsatellite analysis for discrimination between color types.
A time-efficient video stabilization algorithm based on Block Matching in a restricted search space

In this paper, we study various video stabilization techniques and develop an algorithm which can perform video stabilization under strict time constraints. To do this, an optimized version of block matching in a restricted search space is utilized to minimize the use of computational resources. We also develop an experimental setup to do real-time video stabilization under various vibrating conditions. In this study, we have also compared our algorithm with an existing stabilization algorithm and looked at how the two techniques perform under different circumstances.
Ibrutinib modifies the function of monocyte/macrophage population in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

In lymphoid organs, nurse-like cells (NLCs) show properties of tumor-associated macrophages, playing a crucial role in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cell survival. Ibrutinib, a potent inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), is able to counteract pro-survival signals in CLL cells. Since the effects on CLL cells have been studied in the last years, less is known about the influence of ibrutinib on NLCs properties. We sought to determine how ibrutinib modifies NLCs functions focusing on the balance between immunosuppressive and inflammatory features. Our data show that ibrutinib targets BTK expressed by NLCs modifying their phenotype and function. Treatment with ibrutinib reduces the phagocytic ability and increases the immunosuppressive profile of NLCs exacerbating the expression of M2 markers. Accordingly, ibrutinib hampers LPS-mediated signaling, decreasing STAT1 phosphorylation, while allows IL-4-mediated STAT6 phosphorylation. In addition, NLCs treated with ibrutinib are able to protect CLL cells from drug-induced apoptosis partially through the secretion of IL-10. Results from patient samples obtained prior and after 1 month of treatment with ibrutinib show an accentuation of CD206, CD11b and Tie2 in the monocytic population in the peripheral blood. Our study provides new insights into the immunomodulatory action of ibrutinib on monocyte/macrophage population in CLL.
Experience in Practical Implementation of Abstraction Interface for Integrated Cloud Resource Management on Multi-Clouds

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) clouds provide infrastructure as a pool of virtual resources, and the public IaaS clouds, e.g. Amazon Web Service (AWS) and private IaaS cloud toolkits, e.g. OpenStack, CloudStack, etc. provide their own application programming interfaces (APIs) for managing the cloud resources they offer. The heterogeneity of the APIs, however, makes it difficult to access and use the multiple cloud services concurrently and collectively. In this paper, we explore previous efforts to solve this problem and present our own implementation of an integrated cloud API, which can make it possible to access and use multiple clouds collectively in a uniform way. The implemented API provides a RESTful access and hides underlying cloud infrastructures from users or applications. We show the implementation details of the integrated API and performance evaluation of it comparing the proprietary APIs based on our cloud testbed. From the evaluation results, we could conclude that the overhead imposed by our interface is negligibly small and can be successfully used for multi-cloud access.
The Association of Job Strain With Medication Adherence: Is Your Job Affecting Your Compliance With a Prescribed Medication Regimen?

Objective: This innovative study examines for the first time the relationship between occupational factors (eg, job strain) and medication adherence. Methods: An analysis of secondary data collected from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) implemented in 34 drugstores of a national pharmacy chain in Tennessee. Medication adherence, health care utilization, psychosocial assessment, chronic disease status, and occupational health history data were obtained from study participants. Results: The study found that most job strains are less adherent to their medication regimen as measured by proportion of days covered (PDC) than those in a low strain job category. However, statistically significant differences are observed only for renin angiotensin system antagonists (RASA), statins, and when PDC is combined across all medication classes. Conclusions: Examining occupational factors may prove beneficial in developing interventions that improve medication adherence.
Double-stranded DNA break polarity skews repair pathway choice during intrachromosomal and interchromosomal recombination

Significance DNA lesions initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) during class switch recombination (CSR) are diverse, and knowledge of the relationship between specific DNA lesions and DNA repair outcomes remains incomplete. Using the Cas9 endonuclease, we show that Cas9 models AID-mediated lesions leading to CSR and chromosomal translocations, and that double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) with 5′ overhangs skew intrachromosomal and interchromosomal end-joining toward alternative end-joining. These data establish a role for DSB end polarity in choosing the DNA repair pathway. This work provides a greater understanding of how diverse DNA lesions are differentially repaired, which will improve our understanding of the mechanism of physiological processes required for adaptive immunity and protective mechanisms that maintain genomic integrity from diverse threats. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) inflicts DNA damage at Ig genes to initiate class switch recombination (CSR) and chromosomal translocations. However, the DNA lesions formed during these processes retain an element of randomness, and thus knowledge of the relationship between specific DNA lesions and AID-mediated processes remains incomplete. To identify necessary and sufficient DNA lesions in CSR, the Cas9 endonuclease and nickase variants were used to program DNA lesions at a greater degree of predictability than is achievable with conventional induction of CSR. Here we show that Cas9-mediated nicks separated by up to 250 nucleotides on opposite strands can mediate CSR. Staggered double-stranded breaks (DSBs) result in more end resection and junctional microhomology than blunt DSBs. Moreover, Myc-Igh chromosomal translocations, which are carried out primarily by alternative end joining (A-EJ), were preferentially induced by 5′ DSBs. These data indicate that DSBs with 5′ overhangs skew intrachromosomal and interchromosomal end-joining toward A-EJ. In addition to lending potential insight to AID-mediated phenomena, this work has broader carryover implications in DNA repair and lymphomagenesis.
A novel method to avoid sticking of surface micromachined structures

We have fabricated surface micromachined cantilevers and bridges of 500 nm polysilicon on 900 nat thermal oxide as the sacrificial layer. It is well known that the released structures tend to stick to the substrate during the drying period after the oxide etching in HF and the rinse process. In general it is necessary to solidify the liquid between the polysilicon and the substrate. Thus we have substituted the HF in successive exchange steps by the monomer divinylbenzene. The monomer was polymerized under ultraviolet light at room temperature. Finally the polymer was released in an oxygen plasma. To prevent the fabricated structures from sticking to the substrate after an accidental touch during operation we have built bumps under the polysilicon-structures to keep them in distance from the substrate.
Thermal and electrical heating treatments of conductive acrylonitrile butadiene/butyl rubber blends

Blend of acrylonitrile butadiene/isoprene-isobutene rubber (NBR/IIR) with different compositions was prepared. Scanning electron microscopic observations confirmed the compatibilization of bromo isoprene-isobutene rubber on NBR/IIR blend. Each rubber blend was loaded with different ratios of N-326 (high-abrasion furnace (HAF)): N-774 (semi-reinforcing furnace) carbon blacks. Current–voltage curves, joule electrical heating, and temperature-dependent electrical conductivity of the prepared blends were measured. The electrical and thermal properties of the blends were enhanced upon the increase of N-326 (HAF) content.
How Financial Incentives Induce Disability Insurance Recipients to Return to Work

Using a local randomized experiment that arises from a sharp discontinuity in Disability Insurance (DI) policy in Norway, we provide transparent and credible identification of how financial incentives induce DI recipients to return to work. We find that many DI recipients have considerable capacity to work that can be effectively induced by providing financial work incentives. We further show that providing work incentives to DI recipients may both increase their disposable income and reduce program costs. Our findings also suggest that targeted policies may be the most effective in encouraging DI recipients to return to work.
Winnowing DNA for Rare Sequences: Highly Specific Sequence and Methylation Based Enrichment

Rare mutations in cell populations are known to be hallmarks of many diseases and cancers. Similarly, differential DNA methylation patterns arise in rare cell populations with diagnostic potential such as fetal cells circulating in maternal blood. Unfortunately, the frequency of alleles with diagnostic potential, relative to wild-type background sequence, is often well below the frequency of errors in currently available methods for sequence analysis, including very high throughput DNA sequencing. We demonstrate a DNA preparation and purification method that through non-linear electrophoretic separation in media containing oligonucleotide probes, achieves 10,000 fold enrichment of target DNA with single nucleotide specificity, and 100 fold enrichment of unmodified methylated DNA differing from the background by the methylation of a single cytosine residue.
Acculturation Strategies and Integrative Complexity

People are being exposed to second cultures in growing numbers, yet the role played by second-culture exposure in shaping sociocognitive skills has received little theoretical attention. The authors address this gap by exploring the relationship between acculturation strategies and integrative complexity. Consistent with the acculturation complexity model, studies of both Asian American college students (Study 1) and Israelis working in the United States (Study 2) show that biculturals are more integratively complex across domains (e.g., culture, work) than either assimilated or separated individuals. Using priming manipulations to clarify the directional flow of causality between acculturation and integrative complexity, the authors also find that greater integrative complexity among biculturals is driven by acculturation pressures (Study 3). Finally, the authors discuss the adaptive implications of multiculturalism.
Tracking Cats: Problems with Placing Feline Carnivores on δ18O, δD Isoscapes

Background Several felids are endangered and threatened by the illegal wildlife trade. Establishing geographic origin of tissues of endangered species is thus crucial for wildlife crime investigations and effective conservation strategies. As shown in other species, stable isotope analysis of hydrogen and oxygen in hair (δDh, δ18Oh) can be used as a tool for provenance determination. However, reliably predicting the spatial distribution of δDh and δ18Oh requires confirmation from animal tissues of known origin and a detailed understanding of the isotopic routing of dietary nutrients into felid hair. Methodology/Findings We used coupled δDh and δ18Oh measurements from the North American bobcat (Lynx rufus) and puma (Puma concolor) with precipitation-based assignment isoscapes to test the feasibility of isotopic geo-location of felidae. Hairs of felid and rabbit museum specimens from 75 sites across the United States and Canada were analyzed. Bobcat and puma lacked a significant correlation between H/O isotopes in hair and local waters, and also exhibited an isotopic decoupling of δ18Oh and δDh. Conversely, strong δD and δ18O coupling was found for key prey, eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus; hair) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; collagen, bone phosphate). Conclusions/Significance Puma and bobcat hairs do not adhere to expected pattern of H and O isotopic variation predicted by precipitation isoscapes for North America. Thus, using bulk hair, felids cannot be placed on δ18O and δD isoscapes for use in forensic investigations. The effective application of isotopes to trace the provenance of feline carnivores is likely compromised by major controls of their diet, physiology and metabolism on hair δ18O and δD related to body water budgets. Controlled feeding experiments, combined with single amino acid isotope analysis of diets and hair, are needed to reveal mechanisms and physiological traits explaining why felid hair does not follow isotopic patterns demonstrated in many other taxa.
Aliphatic Diamide as Novel Asphalt‐Modified Epoxy Curing Agent for Enhanced Performance

Adipamide used as the curing agent of asphalt-modified epoxy resin was synthesized by esterification and ammonolysis, and its chemical structure was confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR and 13C NMR) analysis. The thermal stability, Vicat softening temperature, tensile strength, and Shore D hardness of the cured asphalt-modified epoxy resin were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Vicat softening tester, tensile tests, and Shore D plastic hardness tester, respectively. The surface morphology of epoxy resin tensile fracture was also observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Vicat softening temperature of cured epoxy resin decreased from 95 to 64°C with increasing modified asphalt (MA) contents from 0 wt. % to 25 wt. %. The maximum tensile strength of cured epoxy resin reached 45.4 MPa when MA content was 5 wt. % of the whole resin. The Shore D hardness slightly decreased from 86 D to 79 D as the MA was enhanced from 0 wt. % to 25 wt. %. TG results displayed that the thermostable temperature of cured epoxy resin was higher than 280°C.
Bandwidth Limited Object Recognition in High Resolution Imagery

This paper proposes a novel method to optimize bandwidth usage for object detection in critical communication scenarios. We develop two operating models of active information seeking. The first model identifies promising regions in low resolution imagery and progressively requests higher resolution regions on which to perform recognition of higher semantic quality. The second model identifies promising regions in low resolution imagery while simultaneously predicting the approximate location of the object of higher semantic quality. From this general framework, we develop a car recognition system via identification of its license plate and evaluate the performance of both models on a car dataset that we introduce. Results are compared with traditional JPEG compression and demonstrate that our system saves up to one order of magnitude of bandwidth while sacrificing little in terms of recognition performance.
Effects of Spinosad, Imidacloprid, and Lambda-cyhalothrin on Survival, Parasitism, and Reproduction of the Aphid Parasitoid Aphidius colemani

Abstract Insecticides can affect biological control by parasitoids. Here, we examined the lethal and sublethal effects of two conventional insecticides, imidacloprid and lambda-cyhalothrin, and a reduced-risk bioinsecticide, spinosad, on the aphid parasitoid Aphidius colemani Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Concentration-mortality curves generated from insecticide residue bioassays found that wasps were nearly 20-fold more susceptible to spinosad than imidacloprid and lambda-cyhalothrin. Imidacloprid and lambda-cyhalothrin compromised adult parasitoid longevity, but not as dramatically as spinosad: concentrations >200 ng spinosad/cm2 reduced wasp longevity by half. Imidacloprid and lambda-cyhalothrin also compromised aphid parasitism by wasps. Although increasing imidacloprid concentrations led to increased host viability and reduced progeny production, lambda-cyhalothrin did not affect viability of parasitized hosts or parasitoid progeny production in a dose-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that reduced risk bioinsecticide products like spinosad can be more toxic to biological control agents than certain conventional insecticides.