Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular ecology of global change

Global environmental change is altering the selection regime for all biota. The key selective factors are altered mean, variance and seasonality of climatic variables and increase in CO2 concentration itself. We review recent studies that document rapid evolution to global climate change at the phenotypic and genetic level, as a response to shifts in these factors. Among the traits that have changed are photoperiod responses, stress tolerance and traits associated with enhanced dispersal. The genetic basis of two traits with a critical role under climate change, stress tolerance and photoperiod behaviour, is beginning to be understood for model organisms, providing a starting point for candidate gene approaches in targeted nonmodel species. Most studies that have documented evolutionary change are correlative, while selection experiments that manipulate relevant variables are rare. The latter are particularly valuable for prediction because they provide insight into heritable change to simulated future conditions. An important gap is that experimental selection regimes have mostly been testing one variable at a time, while synergistic interactions are likely under global change. The expanding toolbox available to molecular ecologists holds great promise for identifying the genetic basis of many more traits relevant to fitness under global change. Such knowledge, in turn, will significantly advance predictions on global change effects because presence and polymorphism of critical genes can be directly assessed. Moreover, knowledge of the genetic architecture of trait correlations will provide the necessary framework for understanding limits to phenotypic evolution; in particular as lack of critical gene polymorphism or entire pathways, metabolic costs of tolerance and linkage or pleiotropy causing negative trait correlations. Synergism among stressor impacts on organismal function may be causally related to conflict among transcriptomic syndromes specific to stressor types. Because adaptation to changing environment is always contingent upon the spatial distribution of genetic variation, high‐resolution estimates of gene flow and hybridization should be used to inform predictions of evolutionary rates.
Comparison of physiologic tests used to identify non-beta-hemolytic aerococci, enterococci, and streptococci

Twenty-one reference strains and 88 clinical isolates of Aerococcus, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus species were tested for reactions in the Rapid Strep (RS) and modified conventional tests. We conclude that some but not all of the tests in the RS system could be used to substitute for conventional tests. RS tests for hydrolysis of arginine, esculin, L-pyrrolidonyl-naphthylamide, production of acetyl methyl carbinol (Voges-Proskauer), and fermentation of arabinose, lactose, mannitol, raffinose, and sorbitol were satisfactory substitutes for conventional tests. However, the RS tests for hydrolysis of hippurate and starch and fermentation of inulin were not satisfactory substitutes for conventional tests. We also conclude that, of the five test tube Voges-Proskauer tests, the Coblentz modification is the most discriminatory.
Conventional and Molecular Detection of Plasmodium in Domestic Poultry Birds

The present study was conducted to detect the Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria in domestic poultry birds. Blood smear method was used as the conventional method for the detection, whereas the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for further confirmation. A total of 50 blood samples were collected from poultry birds showing the malarial symptoms. The results of blood smear methods showed two samples (4%) were infected with genus Plasmodium, whereas the PCR analysis showed four (8%) positive samples. These results confirm that the PCR is more sensitive method for detecting the Plasmodium when compared with conventional methods, and the microscopy diagnosed 50% false negative results that were confirmed by PCR.
Foldon unfolding mediates the interconversion between Mpro-C monomer and 3D domain-swapped dimer

The C-terminal domain (Mpro-C) of SARS-CoV main protease adopts two different fold topologies, a monomer and a 3D domain-swapped dimer. Here, we report that Mpro-C can reversibly interconvert between these two topological states under physiological conditions. Although the swapped α1-helix is fully buried inside the protein hydrophobic core, the interconversion of Mpro-C is carried out without the hydrophobic core being exposed to solvent. The 3D domain swapping of Mpro-C is activated by an order-to-disorder transition of its C-terminal α5-helix foldon. Unfolding of this foldon promotes self-association of Mpro-C monomers and functions to mediate the 3D domain swapping, without which Mpro-C can no longer form the domain-swapped dimer. Taken together, we propose that there exists a special dimeric intermediate enabling the protein core to unpack and the α1-helices to swap in a hydrophobic environment, which minimizes the energy cost of the 3D domain-swapping process.
An analytical model for false turn-on evaluation of GaN transistor in bridge-leg configuration

Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors are especially attractive in their capability of switching at high frequencies, and enable power conversion systems with reduced size and higher efficiency. However, owing to the low threshold voltage of the commercially available enhancement-mode (E-mode) GaN devices, the devices are more prone to false turn-on phenomenon, leading to larger switching losses, circuit oscillation and even shoot-through in bridge-leg configuration. In order to enlarge the gate terminal's safe operating margin without increasing the reverse conduction loss during dead-time, a negative gate voltage bias for turn-off and an anti-parallel diode can be applied to GaN transistor. In this work, to accurately evaluate the detailed turn-on characteristics of GaN transistors in bridge-leg configuration, analytical device models that count for the strong nonlinearities of device's I-V and C-V characteristics are firstly developed. Then an analytical circuit model taking into account the circuit parameters as well as the intrinsic behaviors of GaN transistor and anti-parallel diode is established. Thus, the critical transient waveforms, such as displacement currents and false triggering voltage pulse on gate terminal can be simulated. The proposed models are then verified on a testing board with GaN-based bridge-leg circuit. To provide design guidelines for suppressing false turn-on, impacts of circuit parameters are investigated based on the proposed model.
Brandaris 128: A digital 25 million frames per second camera with 128 highly sensitive frames

A high-speed camera that combines a customized rotating mirror camera frame with charge coupled device (CCD) image detectors and is practically fully operated by computer control was constructed. High sensitivity CCDs are used so that image intensifiers, which would degrade image quality, are not necessary. Customized electronics and instruments were used to improve the flexibility and control precisely the image acquisition process. A full sequence of 128 consecutive image frames with 500×292 pixels each can be acquired at a maximum frame rate of 25 million frames/s. Full sequences can be repeated every 20 ms, and six full sequences can be stored on the in-camera memory buffer. A high-speed communication link to a computer allows each full sequence of about 20 Mbytes to be stored on a hard disk in less than 1 s. The sensitivity of the camera has an equivalent International Standards Organization number of 2500. Resolution was measured to be 36 lp/mm on the detector plane of the camera, while under a microscope a bar pattern of 400 nm spacing line pairs could be resolved. Some high-speed events recorded with this camera, dubbed Brandaris 128, are presented.
The potential of brain natriuretic peptide as a biomarker for New York Heart Association class during the outpatient treatment of heart failure.

BACKGROUND Plasma C-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide (C-ANP), N-terminal ANP (N-ANP), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) have diagnostic utility in detecting left ventricular dysfunction. Their relative value in monitoring symptom status during the chronic treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) remains undefined. METHODS AND RESULTS Ninety-eight subjects with CHF were evaluated. Baseline natriuretic peptides were measured by radioimmunoassay, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was estimated with echocardiography, and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class was determined independently by attending heart failure specialists. Forty-one subjects were restudied during a 6- to 12-month follow-up period after optimizing therapy. At baseline, all natriuretic peptides and LVEF correlated positively with NYHA class (P <.005). Plasma BNP, however, correlated best with NYHA class. At follow-up, only changes of BNP correlated to changes of NYHA class (P =.04). BNP decreased (-45% +/- 12%, N = 14, P =.002) in subjects whose NYHA class improved whereas BNP remained unchanged (-1% +/- 10%, N = 25, P =.95) in those whose NYHA class was stable. CONCLUSIONS This investigation demonstrates the superiority of plasma BNP as compared to ANP and LVEF in objectively assessing NYHA class during the chronic treatment of CHF. Given that clinical assessment of CHF is subjective, plasma BNP is a useful objective biomarker in monitoring human CHF in the outpatient setting.
Influence of Social Support and Self-Efficacy on Resilience of Early Career Registered Nurses

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships among social support, self-efficacy, and resilience in early career registered nurses. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 747 early career registered nurses. Data collection was performed between August and November 2015. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Among the three factors of social support, only the impact of coworker support on nurse resilience is fully mediated by self-efficacy; friend support had a significant positive direct effect on self-efficacy and an indirect effect on nurse resilience. This would suggest the importance of administrators/managers understanding how to promote coworker support, increase self-efficacy, foster a positive work climate, and develop effective mentorship programs to improve early career registered nurses resilience and mitigate factors leading to turnover.
Soil Physical Properties and Nitrous Oxide Emission from Agricultural Soils

1.1. N2O in agriculture and microbial processes of nitrification and denitrification N2O is an important greenhouse gas as it contributes to global warming and the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer (Bouwman, 1990; Crutzen, 1979; Houghton et al., 1990). At the present time the atmospheric concentration of N2O is rising linearly at a rate of 0.3% per year (IPCC, 2007). Its current concentration in the atmosphere is equal to 319 ppbv (IPCC, 2007). A warming potential of 1 kg of N2O is 310 times greater than 1 kg of CO2 over a 100year period (IPCC, 2007).
Model-based needle control in prostate percutaneous procedures

In percutaneous applications, needle insertion into soft tissue is considered as a challenging procedure, and hence, it has been the subject of many recent studies. This study considers a model-based dynamics equation to evaluate the needle movement through prostate soft tissue. The proposed model estimates the applied force to the needle using the tissue deformation data and finite element model of the tissue. To address the role of mechanical properties of the soft tissue, an inverse dynamics control method based on sliding mode approach is used to demonstrate system performance in the presence of uncertainties. Furthermore, to deal with inaccurate estimation of mechanical parameters of the soft tissue, an adaptive controller is developed. Moreover, through a sensitivity analysis, it is shown that the uncertainty in the tissue mechanical parameters affects the system performance. Our results indicate that the adaptive controller approach performs slightly better than inverse dynamics method at the expense of fine-tuning the additional gain parameter.
Ontogeny of enzymes in the small intestine.

In this review, the rat is used as a model system for a discussion of the postnatal development of intestinal enzymes. Emphasis is placed on the regulation and mechanisms of the enzymic changes. Because of space limitations, the review focuses on the major advances of recent years, not attempting to be comprehen­ sive. The postnatal development of the rat small intestine is characterized by an array of enzymic changes during the third week. To understand the functional significance of these changes, it is important to realize that they are temporally coordinated with the process of spontaneous weaning in this species. More­ over, the changes in the enzymology of the small intestine are paralleled by maturation of digestive functions in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, namely the mouth, the stomach, and the pancreas. The details of the coordina­ tion between weaning and the changes occurring throughout the gastrointesti­ nal tract are discussed elsewhere (26). Not surprisingly, there are substantial similarities in the regulation of the digestive changes in various parts of the tract. This point will become apparent by reading the paper of L. R. Johnson (this volume) in conjunction with the present review.
Integral split-and-merge methodology for real-time image segmentation

Abstract. The segmentation of images is a critical step in many computer vision applications. Additionally, some applications require the achievement of acceptable segmentation quality while the algorithm is executed in real time. In this study, we present a split-and-merge segmentation methodology that uses integral images to improve the execution time. We call our methodology integral split and merge (ISM) segmentation. The integral images are used here to calculate statistics of the image regions in constant time. Those statistics are used to guide the splitting process by identifying the homogeneous regions in the image. We also propose a merge criterion that performs connected component analysis of the homogeneous regions. Moreover, the merging procedure is able to group regions of the image showing gradients. Furthermore, the number of regions resulting from the segmentation process is determined automatically. In a series of tests, we compare ISM against other state-of-the-art algorithms. The results from the tests show that our ISM methodology obtains image segmentations with a comparable quality, using a simple texture descriptor instead of a combination of color-texture descriptors. The proposed ISM methodology also has a piecewise linear computational complexity, resulting in an algorithm fast enough to be executed in real time.
A compact microstrip step-impedance low-pass filter (SILPF) using complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs)

A new topology for the design of microstrip low pass filters (LPF) with a wide stopband, low insertion loss, and sharp rejection is proposed in this paper. This filter is especially relevant for Wireless Sensing, Local Positioning, and RFID. In this contribution, the concept of complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) is utilized to improve the selectivity of a microwave low pass filter. To this end, a step-impedance low-pass filter (SILPF) with CSRR is first analyzed and then built. Properties of these configurations are discussed, and two manufactured prototypes have been successfully tested. The results show the usefulness and validity of the new structures with high rejection capabilities.
Resolvent and propagation estimates for Klein-Gordon equations with non-positive energy

We study in this paper an abstract class of Klein-Gordon equations: \[ \p_{t}^{2}\phi(t)- 2\i k \p_{t}\phi(t)+ h \phi(t)=0, \] where $\phi: \rr\to \cH$, $\cH$ is a (complex) Hilbert space, and $h$, $k$ are self-adjoint, resp. symmetric operators on $\cH$. We consider their generators $H$ (resp. $K$) in the two natural spaces of Cauchy data, the energy (resp. charge) spaces. We do not assume that the dynamics generated by $H$ or $K$ has any positive conserved quantity, in particular these operators may have complex spectrum. Assuming conditions on $h$ and $k$ which allow to use the theory of selfadjoint operators on Krein spaces, we prove weighted estimates on the boundary values of the resolvents of $H$, $K$ on the real axis. From these resolvent estimates we obtain corresponding propagation estimates on the behavior of the dynamics for large times. Examples include wave or Klein-Gordon equations on asymptotically euclidean or asymptotically hyperbolic manifolds, minimally coupled with an external electro-magnetic field decaying at infinity.
FDG PET to evaluate combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy of head and neck neoplasms.

UNLABELLED We evaluated the effectiveness of combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy on head and neck squamous cell carcinomas using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET. METHODS Fifteen patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were included in the study. Fourteen patients completed the treatment regimen and underwent FDG PET before and 4 wk after chemoradiotherapy. One patient underwent pretreatment FDG PET only. The pretreatment and post-treatment PET images were compared with clinical and histopathologic evaluations of the effects of chemoradiotherapy. For the quantitative evaluation of regional radioactivity, standardized uptake values (SUVs) with an uptake period of 50 min were used. RESULTS Before treatment, FDG PET detected neoplasms in all 15 patients. The overall clinical response rate to chemoradiotherapy in the 14 patients who were imaged before and after treatment was 100%. Before treatment, the neoplastic lesions showed high SUVs (mean 7.77 mg/mL), which significantly decreased after therapy (3.62 mg/mL, P < 0.01). Lesions with higher pretreatment SUVs (> 7 mg/mL) showed residual viable tumor cells after the treatment in 3 of 8 patients, whereas those with lower SUVs (< 7 mg/mL, 6 patients) were successfully treated. Three of seven tumors with post-treatment SUVs > 4 mg/mL had viable tumor cells, whereas all tumors (7/7) with post-treatment SUVs < 4 mg/mL showed no viable cells. With concomitant chemoradiotherapy monitored by FDG PET, 5 patients avoided surgery entirely, and the remaining 9 patients underwent a reduced form of surgery. CONCLUSION FDG PET is useful in evaluating the effects of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with head and neck carcinoma. Pretreatment FDG PET is useful in predicting the response to treatment, and post-treatment FDG PET can evaluate residual viable cells. Hence, FDG PET is a valuable tool in the treatment of head and neck tumors.
Detection and Analysis of Proteins Modified by O‐Linked N‐Acetylglucosamine

O‐GlcNAc is a common post‐translational modification of nuclear, mitochondrial, and cytoplasmic proteins that is implicated in the etiology of type II diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, as well as cardioprotection. This unit covers simple and comprehensive techniques for identifying proteins modified by O‐GlcNAc, studying the enzymes that add and remove O‐GlcNAc, and mapping O‐GlcNAc modification sites. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 95:17.6. 1‐17.6. 33. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An Efficient, Electrically Small, Three-Dimensional Magnetic EZ Antenna for HPM Applications

Metamaterial (MTM)-inspired antennas leverage techniques that have been developed over the past decade for designing artificial materials whose electromagnetic properties can be tailored to specific applications. One of the key features of the MTM-inspired antennas is their ability to motivate electrically small antenna designs through planar and volumetric loadings of space with resonant parasitic capacitive and inductive structures. In a previous work, we developed the magnetic EZ antenna as a resonant antenna that operates below ka = 0.5. In this paper, we adapt the magnetic EZ antenna concept for use with high-power mesoband quarter-wave oscillator microwave sources that can operate with hundreds of megawatts of peak power and charge voltages in excess of 100 kV in the ultrahigh frequency (500-650 MHz) and demonstrate their performance with charge voltages up to 10 kV. The principal challenges that were overcome in this effort include field management to prevent undesired breakdown and capacitive isolation to decouple the EZ antenna from the source during the charge phase. Antenna design, modeling, and experimental verification are presented here, demonstrating an operating EZ antenna/source system at 510 MHz with antenna ka = 0.436 . The results demonstrate that the EZ antenna is a viable antenna to consider when traditional high-power microwave antennas are too large to be integrated into a given platform.
Model predictive control with generalized input parametrization

In this article it is investigated how, alternative to e.g. the standard pulse or blocking mechanisms, other input parametrizations can be used in model predictive control to improve the trade-off between performance and complexity. An efficient parametrization is obtained using the observation that the class of all solutions to a finite or infinite horizon LQ control problem can be parametrized with a number of free parameters that is equal to the model order, without loss of performance. The infinite horizon controller with this parametrization is shown to provide a stable closed-loop system, also if constraints are active. The complexity of the parametrization can be systematically reduced using standard reduction techniques, such as e.g. LQG-balanced reduction, which provide an indication of the performance loss. Constrained stability of the closed-loop system is preserved with this reduction approach. The proposed algorithms are illustrated with simulation examples.
Restriction Enzyme Digests of Rapidly Renaturing Fragments of Vaccinia Virus DNA

Vaccinia virus DNA fragments that have been denatured by alkali and then neutralized contain a fraction that rapidly reforms duplex structures. The fraction is enriched by fractionating on hydroxyapatite columns and serves as a substrate for digestion by two restriction endonucleases isolated from Hemophilus parainfluenzae, Hpa I and HPa II. The patterns obtained by gel electrophoresis of the digested fragments show the presence of three major bands after Hpa I digestion and four major bands after Hpa II digestion. The DNA that is isolated from some of these bands quickly reforms duplex regions after alkaline denaturation. The size of the DNA segments in the major bands has been estimated to be in the range of 0.44 × 106 to 3.2 × 106 daltons. The fragments which rapidly reform duplex chains after denaturation are sensitive to single-strand-specific nucleases. These results are consistent with a model of vaccinia virus DNA which has a covalent link connecting complementary chains.
Cochlear implantation in children with postlingual hearing loss

Although it is clear that early auditory stimulation through cochlear implantation (CI) has been shown to improve speech and language development trajectories for children with prelingual hearing loss, data supporting implantation in postlingual children are mostly lacking. The purpose of this study was to characterize speech perception abilities following CI in a group of children with previously well‐developed language abilities.