Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does phloem-based resistance to aphid feeding affect host-plant acceptance for reproduction? Parturition of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, on two near-isogenic lines of Medicago truncatula

Abstract Probing behaviour (prior to parturition) and parturition of two clones (PS01 and N116) of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum on two genotypes (near-isogenic lines (NILs)) (Q174_5.13 and Q174_9.10) of Medicago truncatula were investigated using electrical penetration graph (EPG) coupled with simultaneous visual monitoring for parturition. Line Q174_5. 13 has been reported to show a phloem-based resistance to feeding in the clone PS01 but to be susceptible to the clone N116, whereas Q174_9. 10 has shown to be susceptible to both aphid clones. The time taken to first parturition by clone PS01 was similar on Q174_5. 13 and Q174_9. 10. Prior to parturition, no aphids on Q174_5. 13 contacted phloem, but 5% of the aphids on Q174_9. 10 showed phloem salivation (recognized by EPG pattern E1). No phloem contact was observed with aphid clone N116 on either NILs of Medicago before first parturition occurred, and the time taken to first larviposition was similar on Q174_5. 13 and Q174_9. 10. The results indicate that the initiation of parturition of the clone PS01 and N116 on both NILs does not require the phloem contact and seems unchanged by a phloem-based resistance mechanism to feeding on Medicago. This finding suggests that host recognition and decisions about parturition occur before phloem contact or ingestion, and act independently on R-gene-mediated resistance.
Brain structural connectivity distinguishes patients at risk for cognitive decline after carotid interventions

While brain connectivity analyses have been demonstrated to identify ill patients for a number of diseases, their ability to predict cognitive impairment after brain injury is not well established. Traditional post brain injury models, such as stroke, are limited for this evaluation because pre‐injury brain connectivity patterns are infrequently available. Patients with severe carotid stenosis, in contrast, often undergo non‐emergent revascularization surgery, allowing the collection of pre and post‐operative imaging, may experience brain insult due to perioperative thrombotic/embolic infarcts or hypoperfusion, and can suffer post‐operative cognitive decline. We hypothesized that a distributed function such as memory would be more resilient in patients with brains demonstrating higher degrees of modularity. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed preoperative structural connectivity graphs (using T1 and DWI MRI) for 34 patients that underwent carotid intervention, and evaluated differences in graph metrics using the Brain Connectivity Toolbox. We found that patients with lower binary component number, binary community number and weighted community number prior to surgery were at greater risk for developing cognitive decline. These findings highlight the promise of brain connectivity analyses to predict cognitive decline following brain injury and serve as a clinical decision support tool. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2185–2194, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Improved postprandial glucose control with a customized Model Predictive Controller

Meal compensation in blood glucose control of people affected by type 1 Diabetes is an open challenge. The proposed Model Predictive Controller (MPC) is equipped with an asymmetric quadratic cost function, postprandial (pp) input integral and pp output soft constraints. The controller is synthesized with a linear glucose-insulin model customized on the basis of the patient clinical knowledge. An in-silico study on 100 adult virtual patients of the UVA/Padova simulator is performed to evaluate the achieved controller performance. This is compared with the performance obtained with a previously developed MPC. The evaluation is performed in perturbed scenario in which the controller is not aware of random variations of insulin sensitivity in each virtual patient. The proposed controller is shown to be able to significantly increase the average control performance and to reduce both hyper- and hypoglycemia phenomena. A nonlinear version of the proposed MPC, whose performance is evaluated in a nominal scenario, is also considered as ideal reference.
Running head : INVALIDATION : RACE OF PERPETRATOR 1 Impact of Identity Invalidation for Black Multiracial People : The Importance of Race of Perpetrator Date

Multiracial people report repeated experiences of racial identity invalidation, in which their racial identity is rejected by others. The current study examined whether the race of the perpetrator of these invalidating experiences matters in determining the impact of invalidation. A sample of 221 Black Multiracial people was recruited to take an online survey investigating their experiences of identity invalidation, levels of cultural homelessness, and challenges with racial identity. Participants reported that Black people invalidated their racial identity the most and they were most hurt by invalidation perpetrated by Black people. Lastly, those whose experiences of identity invalidation were mostly perpetrated by Black people, as opposed to other racial groups, were more likely to exhibit racial homelessness and challenges with racial identity. Results highlight the importance of racial identity affirmation by the Black community for Black Multiracial individuals.
ADAM10 gene expression in the blood cells of Alzheimer's disease patients and mild cognitive impairment subjects

Abstract ADAM10 is a potential biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). ADAM10 protein levels are reduced in platelets of AD patients. The aim was to verify the total blood and platelet ADAM10 gene expression in AD patients and to compare with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy subjects. No significant differences in ADAM10 gene expression were observed. Therefore, the decrease of ADAM10 protein in platelets of AD patients is not caused by a reduction in ADAM10 mRNA. Further studies must be performed to investigate other pathways in the down regulation of ADAM10 protein.
The financial impact of alcohol-related emergencies on a rural EMS system.

HYPOTHESIS Alcohol is a major factor in ambulance responses in rural Alaska; alcohol-related emergencies significantly increase the expense of operating an advanced life support ambulance service. METHODS A prospective analysis was performed on emergency medical responses one year, ending September 30, 1997. Data were collected from medical records, police documents, and court records. ANALYSIS Each ambulance response was analyzed for the presence of alcohol. The departmental budget was reviewed to separate out fixed and variable costs. Between these analyses, a determination was made regarding the actual cost of all alcohol-related ambulance responses. RESULTS Six hundred eighty-one patients were included for study. Alcohol was a factor in one hundred ninety-one (28.0%) of these patients. The cost to the community for alcohol-related responses amounted to $81,503, representing 19.2% of the budget. CONCLUSION The cost to respond to alcohol-related emergencies represents a significant fraction of Ketchikan's total emergency medical budget.
Some Aspects of Valid EMC Testing of Missiles

Integral-equation and numerical techniques are used to determine guidelines in valid electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing of missiles. Both thin-wire and body-of-revolution modeling are used. Investigated are two primary aspects. 1) If a near-zone source is used rather than plane-wave incidence, how far must the source be for valid simulation, and 2) how significant is the presence of the rocket exhaust (or plume) in determining subsystem response, and need it be included for valid EMC testing? The simulation validity conclusions reached for the models without apertures apply directly as well to the real-life body with apertures. Numerical results are given over the frequency range of 50-200 MHz to help establish guidelines on testing validity.
Once-Married African-American Lesbians and Bisexual Women: Identity Development and the Coming-Out Process

This study explored identity development and the coming-out process of once-married African-American lesbians and bisexual women. Participants (n = 12) were all African-American and identified as lesbian or bisexual and had been legally married at least once. Data was collected via interviews using open-ended questions that addressed issues concerning sexual development and awareness and coming out as lesbian or bisexual. Data was then transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the grounded theory method. Hence, reemerging significant themes were observed and categorized. A total of seven significant themes were discerned from the data presented. The implications for treatment with this population were also discussed.
Immunotherapy of patients with hormone‐refractory prostate carcinoma pre‐treated with interferon‐gamma and vaccinated with autologous PSA‐peptide loaded dendritic cells—A pilot study

We conducted a pilot trial to assess the feasibility and tolerability of a prime/boost vaccine strategy using interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) and autologous dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with HLA‐A2‐specific prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) peptides (PSA‐1 [141–150]; PSA‐2 [146–156]; PSA‐3 [154–163]) for the treatment of 12 patients with hormone refractory prostate carcinoma.
A Mapping Function for Variable-Scale Maps in Small-Display Cartography

The aim of this paper is to examine the variable-scale method of presenting geodata for personal navigation using small-display mobile devices. Ideally, the user should have a large-scale map of his immediate vicinity for choosing the right direction at an intersection, for example. At the same time, the user requires a small-scale overview map where he can see his destination. A solution that meets these requirements is a variable-scale map, which is constantly updated to keep the user’s position in the large-scale area at the centre of the map. In this paper, a variable-scale mapping function is derived in accordance with some specific properties; then characteristics of the mapping function are visualised. Furthermore, real-time generalisation methods are used to adapt the original cartographic data to the small-scale areas of the variable-scale map. A prototype system of a variable-scale approach was created using the emerging XML-based vector-data standards (GML and SVG), where the generalisation and scale-variations were performed in an XSLT transformation. The prototype implementation of variable maps was tested in a case study. Finally, the potential and the limitations of variable-scale maps for personal navigation using mobile devices are discussed.
Interrater Agreement on Employees' Job Performance: Review and Directions

This paper reviews the literature on interrater agreement in 360° feedback systems. Multirater performance appraisals, e.g., 360° feedback systems, have long been advocated as important mechanisms for enhancing individual and organizational performance. Our review of the empirical literature indicates that interrater agreement is a highly desired but not often accomplished goal in 360° feedback systems. A review of the assumptions concerning interrater agreement suggests avenues for the evolution of assessment scales used for development and evaluation in organizations.
Genetic Counseling and the Advanced Practice Oncology Nursing Role in a Hereditary Cancer Prevention Clinic: Hereditary Breast Cancer Focus (Part II)

Abstract: Hereditary breast cancer (BC) is heterogeneous to the extent that no two high‐risk patients can be considered as being the same. These individual differences are magnified further when patients’ emotional response to all facets of hereditary BC are considered, particularly issues surrounding gene testing. A series of case histories have been provided that illustrate the wide range of attitudes, feelings, and emotional responses explained by patients when learning of their hereditary cancer risk status. The role of the oncology nurse‐genetic counselor has been described in each of these family reports.
MARKOV PROCESSES IN MODELING LAND USE AND LAND COVER CHANGES IN SINTRA-CASCAIS, PORTUGAL

In this article the process of land use and land cover change (LUCC) is investigated using remote sensing and Markov chains for the municipalities of Sintra and Cascais (Portugal) between years 1989 and 2000. The role of the Natural Park of Sintra-Cascais (PNSC) in LUCC dynamics is evaluated. Results show that, inside PNSC, present LUCC depends on the immediate past land use and land cover following a Markovian behavior. Outside PNSC, LUCC change is random and does not follow a Markovian process. Estimates of LUCC for year 2006 are presented for the area inside the PNSC. These results reinforce the role of the PNSC as an indispensable tool for preserving LUCC stability and to guarantee its functions.
Combinatorial Multi-Armed Bandits with Filtered Feedback

Motivated by problems in search and detection we present a solution to a Combinatorial Multi-Armed Bandit (CMAB) problem with both heavy-tailed reward distributions and a new class of feedback, filtered semibandit feedback. In a CMAB problem an agent pulls a combination of arms from a set $\{1,. ,k\}$ in each round, generating random outcomes from probability distributions associated with these arms and receiving an overall reward. Under semibandit feedback it is assumed that the random outcomes generated are all observed. Filtered semibandit feedback allows the outcomes that are observed to be sampled from a second distribution conditioned on the initial random outcomes. This feedback mechanism is valuable as it allows CMAB methods to be applied to sequential search and detection problems where combinatorial actions are made, but the true rewards (number of objects of interest appearing in the round) are not observed, rather a filtered reward (the number of objects the searcher successfully finds, which must by definition be less than the number that appear). We present an upper confidence bound type algorithm, Robust-F-CUCB, and associated regret bound of order $\mathcal{O}(\ln(n))$ to balance exploration and exploitation in the face of both filtering of reward and heavy tailed reward distributions.
Body Fat Estimation Using Bioelectrical Impedance

Background/Aims: Although childhood obesity is a major problem, routine assessment methods do not reflect fat mass. Body mass index, which is most commonly used, gives an indication of weight for height and not a degree of adiposity. Methods: Bioelectrical impedance and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were used in a group of obese children to assess body fat. Results: Comparison between DEXA and commercial bioelectrical impedance scales in 46 children showed a highly significant correlation (R = 0.944, p < 0.001) in fat mass. Fat mass measured using bioelectrical impedance was 2.4 kg lower compared to measurement using DEXA. Conclusion: These bioelectrical scales may prove useful in the management of childhood obesity as they are able to provide important clinical information regarding fat mass and adiposity.
Leptin Levels in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

Objective: Conflicting results regarding leptin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have been reported. We summarize all available evidence from human participant studies to evaluate leptin levels in PCOS. Data Sources: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Web of Science databases were searched with English-language restriction for only human beings from the inception to December 31, 2015. Search terms included PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS) and leptin. Methods of Study Selection: A total of 238 studies were reviewed, and a total of 19 studies, involving 991 women with PCOS and 898 controls, were eligible for our meta-analysis. Studies were eligible if provided leptin means and standard deviation in women with PCOS and healthy women controls. Results: Parameters, such as body mass index, insulin resistance (IR), and total testosterone, which may influence leptin levels were extracted. Data were collected and analyzed by RevMan 5.3 and Stata/SE14.0. The pooling analysis of all relevant studies revealed that leptin levels were significantly higher in patients with PCOS than in controls, with standardized mean difference of 1.62 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-2.23). However, the heterogeneity across studies was considerable and not eliminated in subgroup analyses. Meta-regression analysis further suggested that the heterogeneity might be relevant to variability in IR and study location. Conclusion: Elevated leptin levels are detected in women with PCOS compared with non-PCOS controls. Higher leptin levels may be correlated with IR, metabolic disorder, infertility, and even cardiovascular disease risk in PCOS, which may contribute to the etiology and development of PCOS.
A convergence analysis of generalized hill climbing algorithms

Generalized hill climbing (GHC) algorithms provide a well-defined framework for describing the performance of local search algorithms for discrete optimization problems. Necessary and sufficient convergence conditions for GHC algorithms are presented. These convergence conditions are derived using a new iteration classification scheme for GHC algorithms. The implications of the necessary and the sufficient convergence conditions fur GHC algorithms with respect to existing convergence theory for simulated annealing are also discussed.
Unlocking the in vitro anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic potential of Polygonum maritimum

Abstract Context: Several Polygonum species (Polygonaceae) are used in traditional medicine in Asia, Europe and Africa to treat inflammation and diabetes. Objective: Evaluate the in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic potential of methanol and dichloromethane extracts of leaves and roots of the halophyte Polygonum maritimum L. Material and methods: Antioxidant activity was determined (up to 1 mg/mL) as radical-scavenging activity (RSA) of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), copper (CCA) and iron (ICA) chelating activities and iron reducing power (FRAP). NO production was measured in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages for 24 h at concentrations up to 100 μg/mL and antidiabetic potential was assessed by α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition (up to 10 mg/mL) assays. The phytochemical composition of the extracts was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: The methanol leaf extract had the highest activity against DPPH• (IC50 = 26 μg/mL) and ABTS+• (IC50 = 140 μg/mL), FRAP (IC50 = 48 μg/mL) and CCA (IC50 = 770 μg/mL). Only the dichloromethane leaf extract (LDCM) showed anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 = 48 μg/mL). The methanol root (IC50 = 19 μg/mL) and leaf (IC50 = 29 μg/mL) extracts strongly inhibited baker’s yeast α-glucosidase, but LDCM had higher rat’s α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 = 2527 μg/mL) than acarbose (IC50 = 4638 μg/mL). GC-MS analysis identified β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, 1-octacosanol and linolenic acid as possible molecules responsible for the observed bioactivities. Conclusions: Our findings suggest P. maritimum as a source of high-value health promoting commodities for alleviating symptoms associated with oxidative and inflammatory diseases, including diabetes.
Community Theater Participation and Nutrition-Related Practices: Evidence from Nepal

Suaahara, a nutrition-enhancement program in Nepal, conducted participatory community theater (CT) dramas with the goal of improving nutrition-related practices. To evaluate CT, a pre/posttest with randomized intervention and matched control sites was used. Dramas were conducted in Nawalparasi, Bajhang, and Sindhupalchowk Districts to represent the mountain, hill, and terai/plains regions. Within each study district, two intervention sites were randomly selected and two matched comparison sites were identified for inclusion in the study. At both baseline and endline, 600 individuals aged 18–59 (100 men and 100 women/district × 3 districts) were interviewed in the control sites and 600 in the intervention sites (1200 total respondents). Multivariate logistic analysis controlling for background characteristics found that CT attendance was significantly and positively associated with improved nutrition-related knowledge (adjusted odds ratio ratio [aORR] 10.2, p < 0.001) and communication (aORR 2.4, p < 0.001), hand washing after cleaning a defecating child (aORR 1.49, p < 0.05), feeding children eggs (aORR 1.83, p < 0.01), and feeding children meat and/or fish (aORR 2.10, p < 0.01). This is the first study to rely on a pre/post matched intervention-control design to assess CT effects in a low-income setting. By testing the “difference-in-differences”—or the difference between intervention groups at baseline and endline minus that between controls at baseline and endline—the argument that the effects can be causally attributed to the intervention itself is strengthened. These findings support the continued and expanded use of CT to improve nutrition-related knowledge, communication, efficacy, and feeding practices as a valuable community-based, public health approach.
Compact and High-Isolation Quadruplexer Using Distributed Coupling Technique

A compact microstrip quadruplexer with high isolation is presented in this letter. The quadruplexer consists of a distributed coupling feeding line, output feeding lines and uniform resonator pairs. Since the uniform resonators would resonate at multiple fundamental frequencies, to obtain a high-isolation quadruplexer, the resonators are properly located with respect to the input and output feeding lines to suppress the harmonic responses. Furthermore, because each pair of resonators control a specific channel frequency independently and the loading effect among channels is very small, the proposed quadruplexer has flexible passband frequencies.
Reading imaginatively: The imagination in cognitive science and cognitive literary studies

Abstract I argue that literary studies can contribute to the “imagery debate” (between pictorialist, propositionalist, and enactivist accounts of mental imagery). While imagery questionnaires are pictorially configured and conflate imagining and seeing with pictorial representation, literary texts can exploit language's capacity for indeterminacy and therefore elicit very different imaginative experiences, thus illuminating the non-pictorial qualities of mental imagery.
A ubiquitin and ubiquitin‐like protein spectral library

We have developed and validated a ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin‐like protein (Ubl) spectral library, consisting of 467 consensus spectra (320 unique peptides derived from autophagy‐related protein 8, F‐adjacent transcript 10, interferon‐stimulated gene 15 kDa protein, neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down‐regulated protein 8, small ubiquitin‐related modifiers 1–3 and Ub, and nine of the most commonly observed Ub/Ubl chain linkages). The use of the Ub/Ubl library with a spectral matching tool (SpectraST) yields improved performance over database search engines, and can successfully identify many types of Ub/Ubl chain‐derived peptides that cannot be identified by standard database search algorithms.