Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CRYPTIC HOST SPECIFICITY OF AN AVIAN SKIN MITE (EPIDERMOPTIDAE) VECTORED BY LOUSEFLIES (HIPPOBOSCIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH TWO ENDEMIC GALÁPAGOS BIRD SPECIES

Host specificity of vectors is an important but understudied force shaping parasite evolution and the relationship between hosts and parasites. Low vector specificity may allow a vectored parasite to invade new host species, whereas high specificity of vectors may reduce the host range of the parasite and favor specialization. The ‘generalist’ and widely distributed avian skin mite Myialges caulotoon Speiser (Acari: Epidermoptidae) is unusual because females require an insect vector to complete their life cycle. Myialges caulotoon was previously reported from 2 lousefly (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) species, Olfersia sordida and Icosta nigra, parasitizing flightless cormorants (Phalacrocorax harrisi) and Galápagos hawks (Buteo galapagoensis), respectively, within the Galápagos Islands. This is a surprising distribution, given that the 2 lousefly species involved are relatively host-specific. Mitochondrial DNA sequences revealed 2 reciprocally monophyletic Myialges clades that sorted out perfectly with respect to their vector species, regardless of whether they were in allopatry or sympatry. One clade was restricted to flies of hawks and the other to flies of cormorants. Females of the 2 Myialges groups were also separated consistently by the shape of the sternal surface sclerotization. Mites of hawk flies were more abundant than those of cormorant flies. Within the Myialges clade associated with hawks, genetic differentiation between 2 island populations mirrored its host's patterns of differentiation.
Accelerated Atherosclerosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rationale for Mannose-binding Lectins?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic inflammation involving connective tissues throughout the body, particularly diarthrodial joints, eventually leading to joint destruction and physical disability1. In parallel with erosive arthritis, other extraarticular manifestations have been described in the disease, representing systemic activation of the immune system1, which is generally associated with excess mortality2. Atherosclerosis, among others, is considered an extraarticular manifestation of RA3. Well established RA reduces median life expectancy, compared to that of healthy subjects4,5. Overall, about 40% excess mortality has been shown in RA6. In addition to infections and gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID), cardiovascular (CV) mortality is increased in RA. Besides CV diseases, the leading causes of death in RA are infection and malignancies, which also contribute to increased mortality7,8. Accelerated atherosclerosis in RA is signified by increased CV morbidity and mortality8–12. Generally, in patients with RA, CV diseases reduce life expectancy by 5 to 10 years on average13–15. In both RA and atherosclerosis, inflammatory immune-mediated processes play central roles, and the 2 diseases share several common pathogenic mechanisms14,16,17. Besides the common inflammatory pathways, RA itself has been considered as an independent risk factor for accelerated CV disease18,19. In a large prospective cohort of women, based on over 100,000 subjects, participants with RA had a significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction compared to those without RA19. Traditional CV risk … Address correspondence to Dr. Szodoray; E-mail: szodoray{at}gmail.com
Science-industry knowledge exchange

Countries deploy a variety of financial, regulatory and soft policy instruments to promote science-industry knowledge exchange. While these instruments are often discussed in isolation, they are implemented collectively and may reinforce and complement but also weaken or even negatively affect each other and add excessive complexity. This paper develops a conceptual framework to map policy instruments for knowledge exchange and assess the interactions between them. The framework also considers how national contexts and global trends influence the choice of policy instruments. Policy examples drawn from the EC-OECD STIP Compass database and from case studies show that there are significant differences across countries in the relative importance given to each policy instrument in terms of budget, target groups, eligibility criteria, time horizon and implementation. These differences are also a consequence of different country conditions.
Final-state control satisfying jerk continuity

This paper proposes FSC and FFSC methods in which the jerk continuity is satisfied at the final time only. Since the method does not impose the jerk continuity at the initial time, a settling performance can be improved without a significant increase of the maximum absolute value of control input. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated by simulations by comparing with the conventional method.
Effect of C-peptide Alone or in Combination with Nicotinamide on Glucose and Insulin Levels in Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide-Induced Type 2 Diabetic Mice.

BACKGROUND Both C-peptide and nicotinamide are known to reduce blood glucose in type 1 diabetes. In the present study, the effects of C-peptide alone or in combination with nicotinamide on glucose and insulin levels in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic mice. METHODS The study used 70 adult male NMARI mice, weighing 25-35 g, divided into seven groups: control; type 1 diabetic; type 2 diabetic; type 2 diabetic + C-peptide; type 2 diabetic + nicotinamide; type 2 diabetic + nicotinamide and C-peptide; type 2 diabetic + glyburide. Type 2 diabetes was induced with ip injection of streptozotocin-nicotinamide. Twenty eight days after the onset of diabetes, treatment with C-peptide, nicotinamide, nicotinamide + C-peptide, or glyburide were initiated. Glucose and insulin levels were evaluated. One-way ANOVA and Least Significant Difference (LSD) tests were used to test for significance. RESULTS Blood glucose significantly increased (P < 0.001) in all diabetic mice compared with control mice. Insulin resistance and blood glucose levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in C-peptide and nicotinamide + C-peptide mice compared with type 2 diabetic mice. CONCLUSION The present study supports the anti-diabetic effects of C-peptide, nicotinamide + C-peptide, and suggests that one of the anti-diabetic mechanisms of these compounds is mediated through the reduction of insulin resistance.
A Subspace Blind Channel Estimation Method for Distributed MISO Systems

We propose a subspace-based blind channel estimation method for distributed multi-input single-output systems, where one side of the link constitutes a largely spaced antenna array. The proposed approach does not necessarily require that the number of receive antennas should be no less than that of transmit antennas and reduces the computational complexity. Sufficient identifiability conditions are established for the distributed channel up to an ambiguity matrix. Simulation results demonstrate the channel estimation performance is influenced by the difference of channel delays for neighboring transmit antennas to the receive antenna, and the increase of difference can result in estimation performance improvement
Flunitrazepam Binding to Intact and Homogenized Astrocytes and Neurons in Primary Cultures

Abstract: [3H]Flunitrazepam binds to intact and homogenized mouse astrocytes and neurons in primary cultures. In intact cells, the binding is to a single, high‐affinity, saturable population of benzodiazepine binding sites with a KD of 7 nM and Bmax of 6,033 fmol/mg protein in astrocytic cells and a KD of 5 nM and Bmax of 924 fmol/mg protein in neurons. After homogenization, the Bmax values decrease drastically in both cell types, but most in astrocytes. The temperature and time dependency are different for the two cell types, with a faster association and dissociation in astrocytes than in neurons and a greater temperature sensitivity in the astrocytes. Moreover, flunitrazepam binding sites on neuronal and astrocytic cells have different pharmacological profiles. In intact astrocytic cells, Ro 5–4864 (K1= 4 nM) is the most potent displacing compound, followed by diazepam (K1= 6 nM) and clonazepam (K1= 600 nM). In intact neurons, the relative order of potency of these three compounds is different: diazepam (K1= 7 nM) is the most potent, followed by clonazepam (K1= 26 nM) and Ro 5–4864, which has little effect. After homogenization the potency of diazepam decreases. We conclude that both neuronal and astrocytic cells possess high‐affinity [3H]flunitrazepam binding sites. The pharmacological profile and kinetic characteristics differ between the two cell types and are further altered by homogenization.
CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE Androgen Therapy in Women: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline

University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center (M.E.W.), Aurora, Colorado 80010; University of British Columbia (R.B.), Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Z4; Alfred Hospital/Monash University (S.R.D.), Melbourne, Victoria 3181, Australia; Mayo Clinic (S.K.), Rochester, Minnesota 55905; Massachusetts General Hospital (K.K.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02114; St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital Center (W.R.), New York, New York 10019; and Albert Einstein College of Medicine (N.S.), Bronx, New York 10461
Fusing acoustic ranges and inertial measurements in AUV navigation: The Typhoon AUV at CommsNet13 sea trial

The paper presents some experimental results of autonomous underwater navigation, based on the fusion of acoustic and inertial measurements. The work is in the framework of the Thesaurus project, funded by the Tuscany Region, aiming at developing techniques for systematic exploration of marine areas of archaeological interest through a team of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). The test was carried out with one Typhoon vehicle, a 300m depth rated AUV with acoustic communication capabilities, during the CommsNet13 experiment, organized and scientifically coordinated by the NATO S&T Org. Ctr. for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE, formerly NURC), with the participation of several research institutions. The fusion algorithm is formally casted into an optimal stochastic filtering problem, where the rough estimation of the vehicle position, velocity and attitude, are refined by using the depth measurement, the relative measurements available on the acoustic channel and the vehicle surge speed.
The economic burden of tuberculosis in Cyprus. A probabilistic cost of illness study.

Background: Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem with considerable economic burden worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of tuberculosis in Cyprus during 2009. Methods: A retrospective probabilistic incidence-based cost of illness model was developed to calculate, from the societal perspective, the economic burden of the disease including direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs and indirect costs. The bottom-up approach (person-based data) was used for the calculation of direct costs while for the calculation of indirect costs the approach of human capital was employed. In addition, probabilistic sensitivity analysis with 1000 Monte Carlo simulations was performed in order to calculate a 95% Confidence Interval (CI). Results: Mean per patient cost of tuberculosis in Cyprus in 2009 was estimated at €12,882 (95% CI: €12,747.35 – €12,964.32). Direct medical costs accounted for 83.07% of the overall expenses, €10,675 per patient (95% CI: €10,462.07 – €10,780.59). Total direct non-medical costs of €355 (95% CI: €353.04 – 364.29) accounted for 2.77% of the overall expenses whereas 14.16% of the overall expenses were associated with the indirect cost of €1,820 (95% CI: €1,815.20 – €1,873.65). Conclusion: For the first time in Cyprus, the cost of tuberculosis was estimated using a probabilistic incidence-based cost of illness model. Our study confirms that tuberculosis is an expensive disease for the society. In addition, it provides important information to policy makers for the comprehension of the economic consequences of tuberculosis so as they can draft the national health policy accordingly and strengthen surveillance of the disease.
Connecting Social Media To e-commerce: Cold-Start Product Recommendation

In the recent years, social networking websites are not much in used for taking benefits for e-commerce websites. Many e-commerce related or product purchase websites uses the concept of login with social networking sites. In e-commerce there is a webpage called microblogs in which e-commerce’s users add the purchase products.in this paper, the purchase system gives solution to the newly login user on e-commerce which does not having any microblog related information at all. Such users or problem called as cross-site cold start product recommendation problem.in our purpose system, the product recommendation is given as per the user’s interest.to do this ,their is need to extract such a knowledge from social networking site which gives you knowledge about interest of the user’s such as profile information, demographic information, their network related information and many more. And this knowledge is used to give relevant recommendation to newly login users. This propose system also having one more feature is that ,to link the users from e-commerce & social networking websites as bridge between them, to map users feature to another feature representation.
Integrating multi-criteria evaluation with geographical information systems

Abstract Geographical information systems (GIS) provide the decision-maker with a powerful set of tools for the manipulation and analysis of spatial information. The functionality of GIS is, however, limited to certain deterministic analyses in key application areas such as spatial search. The integration of multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) techniques with GIS is forwarded as providing the user with the means to evaluate various alternatives on the basis of multiple and conflicting criteria and objectives. An example application based on the search for suitable sites for the disposal of radioactive waste in the UK using the Arc/Info GIS is included. The potential use of a combined GIS-MCE approach in the development of spatial decision support systems is considered.
Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics Why Do Firms Use Equity-based Pay? Managerial Compensation and Stock Price Informativeness

We study the motive of using equity-based pay in executive compensation: the risk-sharing motive versus the performance-measuring motive. The empirical design goes through the relationship between equity-based pay and stock price informativeness (SPI). We find equity-based pay decreases in SPI, which is consistent with the risk-sharing motive but inconsistent with the performancemeasuring motive. The SPI effect on compensation is stronger in financiallyconstrained firms, more diversified firms, and firms with less product market competition. SPI increases pay efficiency through a larger proportion of option pay, fewer perquisites, and greater pay-for-skill. We address potential endogeneity concerns by investigating the changes in compensation of managers switching between firms with different SPI.
Melatonin Suppression by Light in Humans Is More Sensitive Than Previously Reported

The retina drives various non-image-forming photoresponses, including circadian photoentrainment and pupil constriction. Previous investigators showed that in humans, photic suppression of the clock-controlled hormone melatonin is most sensitive to 460-nm blue light, with a threshold of ~12 log photons cm–2 s–1. This threshold is surprising because non-image-forming vision is mediated by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, which receive rod-driven synaptic input and can respond to light levels as low as ~7 log photons cm–2 s–1. Using a protocol that enhances data precision, we have found the threshold for human melatonin suppression to be ~10 log photons cm–2 s–1 at 460 nm. This finding has far-reaching implications since there is mounting evidence that nocturnal activation of the circadian system can be harmful.
Mixing Time for Square Tilings

We consider tilings of $\mathbb{Z}^2$ by two types of squares. We are interested in the rate of convergence to the stationarity of a natural Markov chain defined for square tilings. The rate of convergence can be represented by the mixing time which measures the amount of time it takes the chain to be close to its stationary distribution. We prove polynomial mixing time for $n \times \log n $ regions in the case of tilings by $1 \times 1$ and $s \times s$ squares. We also consider a weighted Markov chain with weights $\lambda$ being put on big squares. We show rapid mixing of $O(n^4 \log n)$ with conditions on $\lambda$. We provide simulations that suggest different conjectures, one of which is the existence of frozen regions in random tilings by squares.
The effect of distinct activating mutations of the luteinizing hormone receptor gene on the pituitary–gonadal axis in both sexes

Familial or sporadic male‐limited precocious puberty is a distinct and unusual gonadotrophin‐independent form of sexual precocity caused by constitutively activating mutations of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). In the present study, we evaluated the effect of known activating mutations at different sites of the LHR gene on the pituitary–gonadal axis in both sexes.
Effects of Oil Spill Dispersants on Marine Organisms

Editor’s Preface The ENV 3100 Issues in Environmental Science course is the “Writing in the Discipline” course for the Environmental Science program. In partial satisfaction of the course requirements, students must write a literature review on a topic of their choice that is both timely and relevant to the environmental science community. The most outstanding lituerature review is published in the JSRESA the following summer. Starting in April of 2010, the British Petroleum drilling rig Deepwater Horizon began leeking an estimated 8,400 cubic meters per day of oil into the Gulf of Mexico until September of 2010 when the relief well was completed and the oil discharged ceased. Oil spill dispersants were used to help mitigate the effects of the oil in the gulf waters. In particular, the use of Corexit 9527 and Corexit 9500A in the Gulf of Mexico caught the author’s attention because this was the first time that the Corexit dispersants were used underwater (at high pressures and low temperatures) and because of the toxicity of both dispersants, alone and in combination with crude oil. Herein, Maya Hutchins reviews the available literature in the Fall of 2011, focussing on an article by Schor (2010) [1], toward a better understanding of the impacts resulting from the use of the Corexit disperants on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem in the long term.
Treatment of Domestic Wastewater by Electrocoagulation in a Cell with Fe–Fe Electrodes

In this study, the potential to treat domestic wastewater (DWW) using an electrocoagulation (EC) process was tested on two different samples, one of which was heavily loaded [380 mg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L]; the other was weakly loaded [260 mg COD/L]. The samples were supplied from the Istanbul-Yenikapi DWW pretreatment plant. The experimental studies were conducted within an electrolysis cell with Fe–Fe electrodes. In this cell, under optimum operational conditions in the form of electrical power and electrolysis time, pollutant removal efficiency (as COD), suspended solids (SS) and characteristics of formed sludge were tested. At the end of these studies, the optimum operational conditions found for electrical power was 0.6 W for both DWW samples, and electrolysis times were determined as 15 min for heavily loaded DWW (HLDWW) and 8 min for weakly loaded DWW (WLDWW). Energy consumption in optimum electrical charge conditions was 0.4 kWh/m3 HLDWW and 0.2 kWh/m3 WLDWW. The removal efficiency of COD .
UNIX system V network programming

(Each chapter ends with a Summary, Exercises, Bibliographic Notes.) Preface. I. BACKGROUND MATERIAL. 1. Introduction to Networks. Background. Network Characteristics. Networking Models. 2. UNIX Programming. Overview. Concepts. Conventions. Writing Programs. Summary. Exercise. II. USER-LEVEL NETWORK PROGRAMMING. 3. STREAMS. STREAMS Background. STREAMS Architecture. System Calls. Nonblocking I/O and Polling. Service Interfaces. IPC with STREAMS Pipes. Advanced Topics. 4. The Transport Layer Interface. Introduction. Transport Endpoint Management. Connectionless Service. Connection-oriented Service. TLI and Read/Write. 5. Selecting Networks and Addresses. Introduction. Network Selection. Name-to-Address Translation. Name-to-Address Library. Design. 6. The Network Listener Facility. The Service Access Facility. Port Monitors. The Listener Process. One-shot Servers. Standing Servers. The NLPS Server. 7. Sockets. Introduction. Socket Management. Connection Establishment. Data Transfer. UNIX Domain Sockets. Advanced Topics. Comparison with the TLI. Name-to-Address Translation. 8. Remote Procedure Calls. Introduction. XDR. High-level RPC Programming. Low-level RPC Programming. rpcgen. Advanced RPC Features. III. KERNEL-LEVEL NETWORK PROGRAMMING. 9. The STREAMS Subsystem. The Kernel Environment. The STREAMS Environment. STREAMS Messages. STREAMS Queues. Communicating with Messages. Message Types. 10. STREAMS Drivers. Introduction. Driver Entry Points. The Data Link Provider Interface. Ethernet Driver Example. 11. STREAMS Modules. Introduction. Module Entry Points. The Terminal Interface. Network TTY Emulator Example. 12. STREAMS Multiplexors. Introduction. How Multiplexors Work. The Transport Provider Interface. Transport Provider Example. IV. DESIGN PROJECT: IMPLEMENTING SLIP. 13. Design Project: Implementing SLIP. Introduction to SLIP. Software Architecture. User-level Components. Kernel-level Components. Bibliography. Index. 0201563185T04062001
A conserved sequence at the C‐terminus of MinD is required for binding to the membrane and targeting MinC to the septum

MinD is a key component of an oscillatory system that spatially regulates cell division in Escherichia coli. It is a peripheral membrane ATPase that recruits MinC and oscillates between the two halves of the cell in a MinE dependent manner. In vitro MinD binds to phospholipid vesicles in an ATP‐dependent manner and is released through MinE‐stimulated ATP hydrolysis. In this study we examined the function of the conserved C‐terminus of MinD. Short truncations of three and ten amino acids dramatically decreased the ability of MinD to localize to the membrane and spatially regulate division. These truncations bound MinC but were deficient in targeting MinC to the septum. In vitro they dimerized, but were deficient in binding to phospholipid vesicles and undergoing MinE stimulation. We suggest a model in which the ATP‐dependent dimerization of MinD affects the conformation of the C‐terminal region, a potential amphipathic helix, triggering membrane binding.
Developing interactive continuing education on the Web.

BACKGROUND To meet the continuing education needs of advanced practice nurses, on-line continuing education modules were designed as part of a grant-funded nurse practitioner learning project. METHOD Three modules were planned from the results of a nurse practitioner (n=187) survey of computer availability and skills, topic preference, and their potential for taking on-line continuing education. RESULTS The development and implementation of two of the three modules demonstrates the interactive framework, extensive use of links, pre- and posttesting, and on-line registration. The two modules were designed to be interactive, realistic self-studies that closely resemble clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS Outcome data are currently being collected on-line and will be analyzed for efficacy of this delivery system for continuing education.