Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Land use history and population dynamics of free-standing figs in a maturing forest

Figs (Ficus sp.) are often considered as keystone resources which strongly influence tropical forest ecosystems. We used long-term tree-census data to track the population dynamics of two abundant free-standing fig species, Ficus insipida and F. yoponensis, on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), a 15.6-km2 island in Lake Gatún, Panama. Vegetation cover on BCI consists of a mosaic of old growth (>400 years) and maturing (about 90–150 year old) secondary rainforest. Locations and conditions of fig trees have been mapped and monitored on BCI for more than 35 years (1973–2011), with a focus on the Lutz Catchment area (25 ha). The original distribution of the fig trees shortly after the construction of the Panama Canal was derived from an aerial photograph from 1927 and was compared with previous land use and forest status. The distribution of both fig species (~850 trees) is restricted to secondary forest. Of the original 119 trees observed in Lutz Catchment in 1973, >70% of F. insipida and >90% of F. yoponensis had died by 2011. Observations in other areas on BCI support the trend of declining free-standing figs. We interpret the decline of these figs on BCI as a natural process within a maturing tropical lowland forest. Senescence of the fig trees appears to have been accelerated by severe droughts such as the strong El Niño event in the year 1982/83. Because figs form such an important food resource for frugivores, this shift in resource availability is likely to have cascading effects on frugivore populations.
Tricuspid paravalvular leak closure with a paravalvular leak device

A 69-year-old man, with a permanent pacemaker (PM) and a tricuspid bioprosthesis implanted 6 years ago, was admitted due to gradual exacerbation of heart failure symptoms to NYHA class III. Transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography revealed proper function of bioprosthesis leaflets accompanied by the presence of severe paravalvular leak (PVL) with the PM lead crossing its channel. The paravalvular backflow velocity was 3.3 m/s with a calculated right ventricle (RV) to right atrium (RA) gradient of 43 mm Hg and regurgitant volume of 45 ml on TTE. On three-dimensional (3D) TEE the PVL was oval-shaped with dimensions of 7 × 10 mm (Figure 1 A). The interatrial septum (IAS) appeared to be shoved towards the left atrium (LA) with reversed, rightto-left shunt across the patent foramen ovale (PFO). No significant pathology was visualized within the left heart chambers. The Heart Team consulted the patient and a transcatheter closure was scheduled. The procedure was performed in general anesthesia under real time (RT) 3D TEE and fluoroscopy guidance. A rectangular waist-type 8 × 4 mm Paravalvular Leak Device [1] (PLD, Occlutech GmbH) was implanted with a standard vendor
Importance of Compression Onset Rate for the Degree of Impairment of Impulse Propagation in Experimental Compression Injury of the Porcine Cauda Equina

The effects of a rapid (0.05–0.1 seconds) and a slow (20 seconds) onset rate of cauda equina compression on impulse propagation, in terms of tail muscle electromyogram (EMG) amplitude, were analyzed in an experimental model of the pig cauda equina. Sham compression and compression at 50 mm Hg at either rapid or slow onset induced no or only minor functional impairment. Compression at 100 or 200 mm Hg induced impairment of the impulse propagation that was proportional to the applied pressure. The effects were more pronounced (P < 0.01) for the rapid than for the slow onset of compression at both these pressure levels. An important factor for this observed difference in effects between the two employed onset rates seems to be the magnitude of intraneural edema formed outside the compression zone.
Moral courage: a virtue in need of development?

antees the others. ” However, Aristotle’s primary focus was on physical courage needed in warfare, not on moral courage. Moral courage is the individual’s capacity to overcome fear and stand up for his or her core values. It is the willingness to speak out and do that which is right in the face of forces that would lead a person to act in some other way. It puts principles into action. Physical harm could be a threat in cases of moral courage; however, the more likely risks are humiliation, rejection, ridicule, unemployment, and loss of social standing. However, this personal sacrifice often is accompanied by a sense of peace because the individual stood up for a non-negotiable principle. Moral courage enables individuals to admit to wrongdoing and ethical dilemmas steadfastly and self-confidently. Moral courage in the face or wrongdoing (“right versus wrong”) may appear initially easier than the ethical dilemmas of “right versus right. ” Wrongdoing is best understood as illegal behavior or professional and personal misconduct, such as lying, irresponsibility, or unfairness (Kidder, 2005). However, confronting a physician who has deceived a patient on prognosis or confronting a colleague who comes to work impaired by alcohol is far from easy. When these core ethical issues of honesty and responsibility are violated or disregarded, the situation is labeled “right versus wrong. ” In “right versus right” situations, ethical issues emerge when core values conflict with each other. However, ethics is not a hard science such as geometry. The principles used may blur into one another along the boundaries of the dilemma, leaving people wavering when trying to assert a conclusion. This conundrum speaks to the importance of knowing professional ethical obligations and non-negotiable personal values. For example, in the first instance above, the nurse has the obligation to support the physicianpatient relationship and to support the patient’s right to information for informed consent. The Code of Ethics for Nurses (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2001) addresses both of these obligations. In Vicki D. Lachman, PhD, APRN, MBE, is an Associate Professor, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
Mumps: immune status of adults and epidemiology as a necessary background for choice of vaccination strategy in Jordan

The prevalence of antibodies against mumps in 333 students at Jordan University was assessed using the ELISA technique. Most of the students (93.7%) were seropositive for mumps. About 50% of unvaccinated students and students vaccinated using the optional single‐dose MMR vaccine had mumps. The incidence rate of mumps in different age groups and sexes, the geographic distribution and the seasonality of mumps infection prior to the adoption of compulsory MMR vaccination were investigated during the period from 1988 to 2000. Mumps occurred in all age groups in both sexes and the incidence rate was higher in children aged 5–14 years than in adults. There was a higher frequency in winter and spring with epidemic peaks in 1988, 1993 and 2000. Southern Jordan had the highest incidence rate due to low vaccination coverage by the private clinics. The data support the introduction of compulsory MMR vaccination in Jordan for all susceptible individuals. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the compulsory single‐dose vaccine and, based on the outcome, a second dose of this vaccine is also recommended in order to achieve and maintain a high level of immunization.
Cartographie génétique de gènes candidats pour la qualité du bois chez l'Eucalyptus

Dans le cadre du programme d'amelioration genetique des eucalyptus au Congo, des travaux de cartographie genetique et de detection de QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) pour la qualite du bois ont ete entrepris depuis plusieurs annees. Une approche gene candidat a recemment ete mise en place avec des resultats encourageants pour les genes de la voie de biosynthese des lignines. L'objectif de cette etude est de posi­tionner des etiquettes de genes exprimes (EST) sur les cartes genetiques d'Eucalyptus urophylla et E. grandis deja existantes et de tester l'association entre leur variabi­lite moleculaire et la variation de caracteres de qualite du bois. Pour 34 EST d'E.gunnii, des amorces specifiques ont ete definies, et apres optimisation des conditions d'amplification, la detection du polymorphisme au sein des fragments exploitables a ete realisee par SSCP (Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism). Au total, 14 EST polymorphes ont ete cartographiees et une recherche de QTL a ete effectuee. Parmi ces EST, 8 colocalisations avec des QTL de qualite du bois ont ete mises en evidence. Meme si ces resultats demandent a etre precises (effectif plus important pour les analyses) et valides au niveau des populations d'amelioration, ces resultats sont prometteurs pour envisager une selection assistee par marqueurs pour la qualite du bois. (Resume d'auteur)
Medial Subluxation of the Tibia After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture as Revealed by Standing Radiographs and Comparison With a Cadaveric Model

Background: Biomechanical studies indicate that the tibia shifts medially and has a more valgus orientation in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)–deficient knee. However, it is not known whether these differences can be detected on standing radiographs. Purpose: To determine whether medial subluxation and more changes in coronal alignment of the tibia are detectable in both weightbearing radiographs and a cadaveric model simulating quiet standing. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4, and Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Radiographic data were available for a cross-section of 74 patients with unilateral ACL tears. Tibial subluxation and coronal limb alignment were measured on hip-to-ankle weightbearing radiographs. Eight cadaveric knees were mounted on a 6 degree of freedom robot. Mediolateral position and varus-valgus alignment of the tibia relative to the femur were measured in response to 300-N axial compression simulating quiet standing at 5° and 15° of flexion with the ACL intact and sectioned. Results: Across all 74 patients included in the clinical study, the ACL-injured knee experienced 1.6 ± 2.3 mm (mean ± SD) of medial tibial subluxation compared with the contralateral uninjured knee (P < .001). The 24 patients with isolated ACL rupture exhibited 2.0 ± 1.8 mm of medial subluxation (P < .001). The mean coronal alignment of all 74 patients in the study was 0.7° ± 2.8° varus in the injured limb and 1.3° ± 2.6° varus in the uninjured contralateral limb (P = .0187). In the cadaveric model, the tibia translated 0.4 ± 0.5 mm more medially after sectioning of the ACL at 15° of flexion (P = .0485); however, no changes in coronal alignment were detected. Conclusion: The tibia shifts medially and is less varus in the ACL-deficient knee on standing radiographs. The medial tibial shift is reproduced in an axially loaded cadaveric model. Clinical Relevance: Medial tibiofemoral subluxation seen on frontal plane standing radiograph is an underappreciated sequela of isolated ACL rupture. The ability of ACL reconstruction to restore this aspect of ACL injury is not well understood and should be investigated further. Cadaveric models may be used to directly measure the mechanical effect of subtle changes in mediolateral position on articular contact stress as an indicator of the importance of this finding.
Do Web-Based Interventions Improve Well-Being in Type 2 Diabetes? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Poor diabetes self-care can have a negative impact on psychological well-being and quality of life. Given the scarcity of traditional psychological support and the barriers to uptake of and attendance at face-to-face education programs, Web-based interventions are becoming a popular approach to provide an additional platform for psychological support in long-term conditions. However, there is limited evidence to assess the effect of Web-based psychological support in people with type 2 diabetes. Objective This systematic review is the first review to critically appraise and quantify the evidence on the effect of Web-based interventions that aim to improve well-being in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods Searches were carried out in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library. Reference lists were hand-searched. A meta-analysis was conducted for depression and distress outcomes. Results A total of 16 randomized controlled studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review and 9 were included in the meta-analyses. Theories were applied to the majority of the interventions. The most common behavior change techniques were “General information” and “Tracking/monitoring. ” Interventions with a duration of 2-6 months providing professional-led support with asynchronous and synchronous communication appeared to be associated with significant well-being outcomes. The pooled mean (95% confidence interval) difference between the intervention and control arms at follow-up on depression score was -0.31 (-0.73 to 0.11). The pooled mean difference on distress scores at follow-up was -0.11 (-0.38 to 0.16). No significant improvements in depression (P=.15) or distress (P=.43) were found following meta-analyses. Conclusions While the meta-analyses demonstrated nonsignificant results for depression and distress scores, this review has shown that there is a potential for Web-based interventions to improve well-being outcomes in type 2 diabetes. Further research is required to confirm the findings of this review.
The effect of latanoprost on vitiligo: a preliminary comparative study

Latanoprost (LT), a prostaglandin F 2alpha (PGF2a) analogue used in the treatment of glaucoma, was found to induce skin pigmentation in guinea pigs in addition to its known periocular and iridal pigmentation side effects. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of topical LT in the induction of skin repigmentation in patients with vitiligo and to compare its potency with narrow band ultraviolet (UV) B (NB‐UVB). The result of their combination was also assessed. This study involved 22 patients with bilateral and symmetrical vitiligo lesions, stable for the last three months, divided into three groups: group I, to evaluate LT vs. placebo; group II, to evaluate LT vs. NB‐UVB; and group III, to evaluate the effect of their combination. The response to treatment was evaluated by taking photographic records of the treated lesions with follow‐up photography every two weeks. After three months, assessment of the degree and extent of repigmentation was performed. Follow‐up assessment was done six months after termination of the trial for the persistence of pigmentation, recurrence, or development of any side effects. LT was found to be better than placebo and comparable with the NB‐UVB in inducing skin repigmentation. This effect was enhanced by the addition of NB‐UVB. LT could be a promising treatment for vitiligo, especially the periocular variant. Its effect on skin repigmentation could be enhanced by NB‐UVB exposure.
Pelvic radiation with concurrent chemotherapy compared with pelvic and para-aortic radiation for high-risk cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS We compared the effect of radiotherapy to a pelvic and para-aortic field with that of pelvic radiation and concurrent chemotherapy with fluorouracil and cisplatin in women with advanced cervical cancer. Between 1990 and 1997, 403 women with advanced cervical cancer confined to the pelvis (stages IIB through IVA or stage IB or IIa with a tumor diameter of at least 5 cm or involvement of pelvic lymph nodes) were randomly assigned to receive either 45 Gy of radiation to the pelvis and para-aortic lymph nodes or 45 Gy of radiation to the pelvis alone plus two cycles of fluorouracil and cisplatin (days 1 through 5 and days 22 through 26 of radiation). Patients were then to receive one or two applications of low-dose-rate intracavitary radiation, with a third cycle of chemotherapy planned for the second intracavitary procedure in the combined-therapy group. RESULTS Of the 403 eligible patients, 193 in each group could be evaluated. The median duration of follow-up was 43 months. Estimated cumulative rates of survival at five years were 73 percent among patients treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy and 58 percent among patients treated with radiotherapy alone (P=0.004). Cumulative rates of disease-free survival at five years were 67 percent among patients in the combined-therapy group and 40 percent among patients in the radiotherapy group (P<0.001). The rates of both distant metastases (P<0.001) and locoregional recurrences (P<0.001) were significantly higher among patients treated with radiotherapy alone. The seriousness of side effects was similar in the two groups, with a higher rate of reversible hematologic effects in the combined-therapy group. CONCLUSIONS The addition of chemotherapy with fluorouracil and cisplatin to treatment with external-beam and intracavitary radiation significantly improved survival among women with locally advanced cervical cancer.
Could the endless progressions in James Tenney's music be viewed as sonic koans?

In Zen practice, a koan is an enigmatic spiritual question that doesn’t suppose a rational answer. Koan is also the name of a solo violin piece composed by James Tenney in 1971 that presents an endless melodic progression. Koan is actually derived from the electronic piece For Ann (rising) composed two years prior. This paper focuses on both pieces. It examines how this American composer drew his inspiration from both a Buddhist philosophical idea and from Shepard and Risset’s investigations in the field of auditory computer-generated illusions.
Telomere shortening in mTR−/− embryos is associated with failure to close the neural tube

Mice genetically deficient for the telomerase RNA (mTR) can be propagated for only a limited number of generations. In particular, mTR−/− mice of a mixed C57BL6/129Sv genetic background are infertile at the sixth generation and show serious hematopoietic defects. Here, we show that a percentage of mTR−/− embryos do not develop normally and fail to close the neural tube, preferentially at the forebrain and midbrain. The penetrance of this defect increases with the generation number, with 30% of the mTR−/− embryos from the fifth generation showing the phenotype. Moreover, mTR−/− kindreds in a pure C57BL6 background are only viable up to the fourth generation and also show defects in the closing of the neural tube. Cells derived from mTR−/− embryos that fail to close the neural tube have significantly shorter telomeres and decreased viability than their mTR−/− littermates with a closed neural tube, suggesting that the neural tube defect is a consequence of the loss of telomere function. The fact that the main defect detected in mTR−/− embryos is in the closing of the neural tube, suggests that this developmental process is among the most sensitive to telomere loss and chromosomal instability.
Reconstitution of the Mcm2-7p Heterohexamer, Subunit Arrangement, and ATP Site Architecture*

The Mcm2-7p heterohexamer is the presumed replicative helicase in eukaryotic cells. Each of the six subunits is required for replication. We have purified the six Saccharomyces cerevisiae MCM proteins as recombinant proteins inEscherichia coli and have reconstituted the Mcm2-7p complex from individual subunits. Study of MCM ATPase activity demonstrates that no MCM protein hydrolyzes ATP efficiently. ATP hydrolysis requires a combination of two MCM proteins. The fifteen possible pairwise mixtures of MCM proteins yield only three pairs of MCM proteins that produce ATPase activity. Study of the Mcm3/7p ATPase shows that an essential arginine in Mcm3p is required for hydrolysis of the ATP bound to Mcm7p. Study of the pairwise interactions between MCM proteins connects the remaining MCM proteins to the Mcm3/7p pair. The data predict which subunits in the ATPase pairs bind the ATP that is hydrolyzed and indicate the arrangement of subunits in the Mcm2-7p heterohexamer.
Identifying and grounding descriptions of places

In this paper we test the hypothesis Given a piece of text describing an object or concept our combined disambiguation method can disambiguate whether it is a place and ground it to a Getty Thesaurus of Geographical Names unique identifier with significantly more accuracy than naive methods. We demonstrate a carefully engineered rule-based place name disambiguation system and give Wikipedia as a worked example with hand-generated ground truth and bench mark tests. This paper outlines our plans to apply the co-occurrence models generated with Wikipedia to solve the problem of disambiguating place names in text using supervised learning techniques.
Influence and Compensation of Inverter Voltage Drop in Direct Torque-Controlled Four-Switch Three-Phase PM Brushless AC Drives

This paper presents direct torque control (DTC) methodology for a four-switch three-phase (FSTP) inverter-fed permanent magnet brushless ac (PM BLAC) machine, with reference to a conventional six-switch three-phase (SSTP) inverter. It has been found that when derived from conventional voltage model flux estimation scheme, the predicted stator flux imbalance may be caused by unbalanced inverter voltage drop in the FSTP inverter, in which one phase winding is directly connected to dc-link midpoint. While this imbalanced problem does not adversely affect the performance of current-model-based DTC, it causes significantly nonsinusoidal current waveforms and considerably unbalanced current magnitudes in voltage-model-based DTC. A new compensation scheme taking into account the different forward voltage-drop values in the switching device and the freewheeling diode is proposed for the voltage-model-based DTC to correct for stator flux imbalance via the addition of corrective voltages to flux equations. The proposed scheme has significantly improved the shape of current waveforms with satisfactory balanced magnitudes, total harmonic distortion, and torque ripple factor, as verified by both simulation and experimental results. It has been shown that it is possible for an FSTP inverter to provide similar performance to an SSTP inverter when driving a PM BLAC machine.
Warfarin Management Using Point-of-Care Testing in a University-Based Internal Medicine Resident Clinic

Introduction:The primary endpoint was to determine whether point-of-care (POC) International Normalization Ratio (INR) testing would increase the percentage of patients in the therapeutic range. The secondary endpoint was to determine how POC Testing (POCT) would affect the time to intervention (the amount of time it took to contact a patient who had an INR outside the therapeutic range and make the appropriate warfarin adjustment). Methods:Over an 11-month time period, the authors implemented an anticoagulation-focused quality improvement initiative based on the internal medicine resident continuity clinic. The initiative was designed as a single site before and after study. Results:The proportion of INR values within the therapeutic range before the implementation of POCT (predesign phase) was 25%. After the implementation of POCT (postdesign phase), the percentage of therapeutic INR was 50% (P = 0.005). The time to intervention in the predesign phase was 4 days while intervention was accomplished during the same visit that the blood was sampled in the postdesign phase of this study. The number needed to treat was 4 to obtain a therapeutic INR. Conclusion:The results of this quality improvement study showed significant improvement in the percentage of patients who were in the therapeutic range with the use of POCT. Time to intervention was also markedly improved with the addition of POCT. The authors believe that this is the first study showing such results in an internal medicine academic clinic.