Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A genome‐based study of consanguinity in three co‐resident endogamous Pakistan communities

In a study based on 173 individuals drawn from three endogamous, co‐resident communities in the province of Punjab, the Awan, Khattar and Rajpoot, an analysis of 10 autosomal single tandem repeats on chromosomes 13 and 15 revealed distinctive genetic profiles in each community. A total of 99 different alleles were detected, with 28 alleles (28.3%) shared by all three communities. The mean private allele frequency was 7.7%. There was a reduction in heterozygosity and high average inbreeding effects (FIS and/or HS), particularly in the Awan, indicating genetic isolation and a high cumulative level of autozygosity. Genotyping with eight Y‐chromosome STRs resulted in the construction of six haplotypes, one each for the Awan and the Khattar but four for the Rajpoot, suggesting marked variation in the patterns of male founder effects in the history of each community. The lower than expected levels of homozygosity observed at a number of loci may be indicative of cosegregation of the STRs with nearby early development genes subject to selection.
Effect of Antioxidants on Space Charge Generation in Cross-linked Polyethylene and EPR

To study the effects of antioxidants on space charge generation in XLPE and EPR, charge profiles in XLPE and EPR containing phenolic and sulfur type antioxidants were examined. Different charge profiles were detected in both materials containing different kinds of antioxidants. The authors discovered that a negative heterocharge is created near the positive electrode in the acetophenone-soaked XLPE containing sulfur type, or sulfur-containing phenolic, antioxidant. These results demonstrate that the heterocharge is created by the combined effect of acetophenone and a sulfur-containing antioxidant. This heterocharge creation is inferred to be caused by the combined effect of acetophenone and the species produced from antioxidants containing sulfur.
Be prepared?: preparing mature students for university entry in England and Aotearoa New Zealand

This paper explores the notion of preparedness for university entry in relation to mature students in England and Aotearoa New Zealand. It focuses on what has become the predominant entry route for mature students in England and Wales - the National Open College Network (NOCN) accredited Access to Higher Education Diploma - and on university-based Certificate in University Preparation (CUP) programs in Aotearoa New Zealand. The paper highlights the differences in the way the notion of preparedness is integrated into access and bridging provision in the two countries whilst exploring institutional and practitioner perspectives on access to university for mature students. Also highlighted are the benefits of campus-based provision such as that in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Left Ventricular Regional Function After Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction in Diabetic Patients

To elucidate the pathophysiological role of diabetes mellitus in determining the left ventricular regional function of the noninfarcted area, 55 patients with acute Q wave anterior myocardial infarction (MI) were studied. The regional ejection fraction of the noninfarcted area was obtained by radionuclide angiocardiography and was used to estimate the left ventricular regional function of the noninfarcted area. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the important variables contributing to the regional ejection fraction based on 10 clinical variables: age, sex, QRS score, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, postinfarction angina, body mass index, serum cholesterol, and coronary atherosclerosis. A high QRS score (P < .001) and the association of diabetes mellitus (P < .05) were the important factors contributing to regional left ventricular dysfunction. The regional ejection fraction and QRS score had an inverse linear relationship in the diabetic and nondiabetic groups, and the regional ejection fraction was significantly lower in diabetic patients at every QRS score (P < .05). The association of hypertension, severity of coronary atherosclerosis, serum cholesterol level, age, and body mass index did not differ between diabetic and nondiabetic patients, which indicates that diabetes mellitus was not mediated through these atherogenic traits. Thus, diabetes mellitus is another discrete cause of regional left ventricular dysfunction of the noninfarcted area after acute MI.
Involvement of multiple cis elements in basal- and alpha-adrenergic agonist-inducible atrial natriuretic factor transcription. Roles for serum response elements and an SP-1-like element.

In the present study, cis elements in the 5'-flanking sequence (FS) of the rat atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) gene involved in regulating basal and alpha 1-adrenergic-inducible transcription were investigated. Truncation analyses using ANF-luciferase reporter constructs transfected into primary neonatal rat cardiac myocytes showed that an A/T-rich serum response element (SRE) at -114 bp of the ANF 5'-FS, which bound serum response factor (SRF), was required for basal and inducible transcription. In constructs composed of 134 bp of rat ANF 5'-FS driving luciferase (ANF-134Luc), mutations in the SRE at -114 bp disrupted SRF binding and ANF promoter activity. However, the same mutations in ANF-638Luc had little effect, suggesting a collaborating role for more distal sequences, such as the other SRE in ANF-638 at -406 bp. In ANF-638Luc, mutations in the SRE at -406 bp that disrupted SRF binding to that site decreased ANF reporter activity by only 25%; however, mutating both of the SREs completely blocked alpha 1-adrenergic-inducible activity. Mutation analyses showed that an . (SP-1)-like site at -69 bp, shown previously to confer inducibility in reporters with 134 bp of ANF 5'-FS, was not required in ANF-638Luc. However, double mutants in the SP-1-like region and either SRE completely blocked alpha 1-adrenergic-inducible ANF promoter activity. These findings emphasize that no single element is responsible for alpha 1-adrenergic agonist-regulated ANF transcription but that the SREs at -114 and -406 bp and the SP-1-like sequence at -69 bp mediate the effect in collaboration.
Guiding light in low-index media via multilayer waveguides.

Faculty of Sciences School of Chemistry & Physics Doctor of Philosophy by Kristopher J. Rowland This work relates to the theoretical and experimental analysis of light guidance within layered waveguides whose guidance region (the core) has a refractive index equal to or lower than the lowest of the surrounding material (the cladding). The Thesis has two primary themes: • The guidance behaviour of binary–layered-cladding waveguides with cores of arbitrary refractive index equal to or less than the lowest of the cladding; Chapters 2, 3 and 4. • The fabrication, analysis and simulation of single-material hollow-core microstructured optical fibres made from soft-glass via an extrusion process; Chapters 2 and 5. While each chapter discusses the theoretical and/or experimental analysis of distinct phenomena, their concepts are deeply related and highlighted as such throughout.
A systematic review of the survival and complication rates of all-ceramic and metal – ceramic reconstructions after an observation period of at least 3 years . Part II : fixed dental prostheses

Objectives: The objective of this systematic review was to assess the 5-year survival rates and incidences of complications of all-ceramic fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) and to compare them with those of metal–ceramic FDPs. Methods: An electronic MEDLINE and Dental Global Publication Research System search complemented by manual searching was conducted to identify prospective and retrospective cohort studies on all-ceramic and metal–ceramic reconstructions with a mean follow-up time of at least 3 years. Patients had to have been examined clinically at the follow-up visit. Assessment of the identified studies and data abstraction was performed independently by three reviewers. Failure rates were analyzed using standard and random-effects Poisson regression models to obtain summary estimates of 5-year survival proportions. Results: The search provided 3473 titles for single crowns and FDPs and resulted in 100 abstracts for all-ceramic FDPs. Full-text analysis was performed for 39 articles, resulting in nines for all-ceramic FDPs. Full-text analysis was performed for 39 articles, resulting in nine studies of ceramic FDPs that met the inclusion criteria. The data on survival and complication rates of metal–ceramic FDPs were obtained from a previous systematic review of Tan et al. (2004) and the updated version from the same authors (Pjetursson et al. 2007). In Poisson regression meta-analysis, the 5-year survival of metal–ceramic FDPs was significantly (Po0.0001) higher with 94.4% [95 confidence interval (CI): 91.1–96.5%] than the survival of allceramic FDPs, being 88.6% (95 CI: 78.3–94.2%). The frequencies of material fractures (framework and veneering material) were significantly (Po0.0001) higher for all-ceramic FDPs (6.5% and 13.6%) compared with those of metal–ceramic FDPs (1.6% and 2.9%). Other technical complications like loss of retention and biological complications like caries and loss of pulp vitality were similar for the two types of reconstructions over the 5-year observation
Geographically Coordinated Frequency Control technical report

Primary Frequency Control (PFC) is a fast acting mechanism used to ensure high-quality power for the grid that is becoming an increasingly attractive option for load participation. Because of the speed requirement, PFC requires distributed control laws to be used instead of a more centralized design. Current PFC designs assume that costs at each geographic location are independent. Unfortunately for many networked systems such as cloud computing, the decisions made among locations are interdependent and therefore require geographic coordination. In this paper, distributed control laws are designed for geo-distributed loads such as data centers in PFC. The controlled frequencies are provably stable, and the final equilibrium point is proven to strike an optimal balance between load participation and the frequency's deviation from its nominal set point. We evaluate the proposed control laws with realistic numerical simulations. Results highlight significant cost savings over existing approaches under a variety of settings.
Myosin II Activation and Actin Reorganization Regulate the Mode of Quantal Exocytosis in Mouse Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla are innervated by the sympathetic nervous system. Stimulation causes chromaffin cells to fire action potentials, leading to the exocytosis of various classes of transmitters into the circulation. Low-frequency electrical stimulation (action potentials delivered at 0.5 Hz) causes adrenal chromaffin cells to selectively release catecholamines through a kiss-and-run fusion event. Elevated electrical stimulation (action potentials at 15 Hz) evokes fusion pore dilation, full granule collapse, and additional release of the neuropeptide-containing proteinaceous granule core. Here we apply single-cell electrophysiological, electrochemical, and fluorescence measurements to investigate the cellular mechanism for this shift in exocytic behavior. We show that at low-frequency stimulation, a filamentous-actin cell cortex plays a key role in stabilizing the kiss-and-run fusion event. Increased stimulation disrupts the actin cortex, driving full granule collapse. We show that pharmacological perturbation of the actin cortex supersedes stimulus frequency in controlling exocytic mode. Finally, we show that nonmuscle myosin II activation contributes to the cytoskeleton-dependent control of the fusion event. Inhibition of myosin II or myosin light chain kinase under elevated stimulation frequencies inhibits fusion pore dilation and maintains the granule in a kiss-and-run mode of exocytosis. These results demonstrate an essential role for activity-evoked cytoskeletal rearrangement and the action of myosin II in the regulation of catecholamine and neuropeptide exocytosis and represent an essential element of the sympathetic stress response.
LysM, a widely distributed protein motif for binding to (peptido)glycans

Bacteria retain certain proteins at their cell envelopes by attaching them in a non‐covalent manner to peptidoglycan, using specific protein domains, such as the prominent LysM (Lysin Motif) domain. More than 4000 (Pfam PF01476) proteins of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes have been found to contain one or more Lysin Motifs. Notably, this collection contains not only truly secreted proteins, but also (outer‐)membrane proteins, lipoproteins or proteins bound to the cell wall in a (non‐)covalent manner. The motif typically ranges in length from 44 to 65 amino acid residues and binds to various types of peptidoglycan and chitin, most likely recognizing the N‐acetylglucosamine moiety. Most bacterial LysM‐containing proteins are peptidoglycan hydrolases with various cleavage specificities. Binding of certain LysM proteins to cells of Gram‐positive bacteria has been shown to occur at specific sites, as binding elsewhere is hindered by the presence of other cell wall components such as lipoteichoic acids. Interestingly, LysM domains of certain plant kinases enable the plant to recognize its symbiotic bacteria or sense and induce resistance against fungi. This interaction is triggered by chitin‐like compounds that are secreted by the symbiotic bacteria or released from fungi, demonstrating an important sensing function of LysMs.
Bidirectional modulation of AMPA receptor properties by exogenous phospholipase A2 in the hippocampus

The synaptic modifications underlying long‐term potentiation (LTP) and long‐term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission in various brain structures may result from changes in the properties of the α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionate (AMPA) subtype of glutamate receptors. In the present study, we report that treatment of rat synaptoneurosomes with increasing concentrations of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) produces a biphasic effect on AMPA receptor binding, with low concentrations causing a decrease and high concentrations an increase in agonist binding. Analysis of the saturation kinetics of 3H‐AMPA binding revealed that the biphasic effect of PLA2 was due to modifications in receptor affinity and not to changes in the maximum number of binding sites for AMPA receptors. The 12‐lipoxygenase inhibitors preferentially reduced PLA2‐induced decrease in AMPA binding and treatment of hippocampal synaptoneurosomes with arachidonic acid (AA) or 12‐HPETE, the first metabolite generated from the hydrolysis of AA by 12‐lipoxygenases, decreased 3H‐AMPA binding. Moreover, electrophysiological experiments indicated that the 12‐lipoxygenase inhibitor baicalein totally blocked LTD formation in area CA1 of hippocampal slices. The decrease in 3H‐AMPA binding elicited by low concentrations of PLA2, as well as the level of LTD, were partially reduced by AA‐861, a 5‐lipoxygenase inhibitor, while the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin did not prevent LTD formation or the effects of PLA2 on 3H‐AMPA binding. Our results provide evidence for a possible involvement of lipoxygenase metabolites in the regulation of AMPA receptor during synaptic depression. In addition, they strongly support the idea that the same biochemical pathway, i.e., NMDA receptor activation and endogenous PLA2 stimulation, may represent a common mechanism resulting in AMPA receptor alterations for both LTP and LTD formation. Hippocampus 1998;8:299–309. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recover image details from LDR photographs

In this paper, a novel self-adaptive curve, based on human visual model (HVM), is proposed for recovering details from low dynamic range (LDR) digital photographs, which are under-exposed or over-exposed or both. In order to improve the perceptual visibility, we utilize HVM to construct our method, which is able to take advantage of entire dynamic range to enhance the contrast of images. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method consistently achieves satisfying results for unwell-exposed LDR photographs.
Environmental concern in South Africa : the development of a measurement scale

A 32-item scale, based on a model of environmental concern using anthropocentric and ecocentric orientations as its two dimensions, and intended to measure the level of environmental concern in South Africa was developed from existing similar measures and modified for the South African context. Factor analyses of the data collected from 95 questionnaires completed by participants in the Western Cape and Gauteng Provinces of South Africa indicated, not only the existence of an anthropocentric factor and an ecocentric factor, but also that these two factors were correlated sub-factors of one general factor. Participants who were involved in the activities of an environmentally orientated club showed significantly higher levels of environmental concern than those who were not. No other significant correlations between biographic or demographic variables and environmental concern were found. The internal consistency of the scale as indicated by Cronbach's alpha was found to be 0, 91.
The Changing Burden of Infectious Disease in Europe

Opportunities and challenges are described for improving disease surveillance and health care innovation to tackle the growing threats of infection. Infectious diseases continue to pose major public health challenges in developed, as well as developing, countries. The European Academies Science Advisory Council aims to integrate multidisciplinary analyses to define priorities for European surveillance of new, growing, or potential threats from antimicrobial resistance, vector-borne disease, and pandemic influenza. There is a concomitant need to apply such knowledge toward the development of improved health care and robust policies. We discuss how translational medicine can bridge these global issues by helping to mobilize resources between academia, industry, health care services, and policy-makers.
Autism spectrum disorders in children with active epilepsy and learning disability: comorbidity, pre‐ and perinatal background, and seizure characteristics

The aim of this study was to examine the comorbidity pattern, seizure characteristics, and aetiology in a representative group of children with a combination of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), active epilepsy, and learning disability. Ninety children (47 males, 43 females; mean age 11 years 2 months, range 8 to 16 years at the time of psychiatric examination) with active epilepsy and learning disability, identified in a population‐based study in Göteborg, Sweden, were subdivided into those with and those without ASD and compared with respect to aetiology, additional neuroimpairments, and seizure characteristics. In addition, the cohorts were examined for trends of prevalence over a period of time. Results indicated that established aetiology was much more often present in the prenatal period than in the peri‐ or postnatal periods in the ASD group. Cerebral palsy and visual impairment were under‐represented in the ASD group. Partial seizures tended to be more common and generalized seizures less common in the ASD group compared with the non‐ASD group. Seizure onset was later in the ASD group. Many of the significant differences were accounted for by a large group of psychiatrically unclassifiable participants in the non‐ASD group. There was no trend towards an increase of affected children over the 12‐year period. There was no increase in the prevalence of active epilepsy and learning disability nor in the rate of autism with active epilepsy and learning disability in children born between 1981 and 1986 compared with those born from 1976 to 1980, indicating no statistical association with the general measles‐mumps‐rubella vaccination introduced in the early 1980s.
Effects of air resistance on AT-cut quartz thickness-shear resonators

We study theoretically the effects of air resistance on an AT-cut quartz plate thickness-shear mode resonator. Mindlin's two-dimensional equations for coupled thickness-shear and flexural motions of piezoelectric plates are employed for the crystal resonator. The equations of a Newtonian fluid and the equations of linear acoustics are used for the shear and compressive waves in the air surrounding the resonator, respectively. Solutions for free and electrically forced vibrations are obtained. The impedance of the resonator is calculated. The effects of air resistance are examined. It is found that air viscosity causes a relative frequency shift of the order of ppm. When the material quality factor of quartz Q = 105, the air viscosity and compressibility both have significant effects on resonator impedance. For resonators with larger aspect ratios the effects of air resistance are weaker, and the effect of air compressibility is weaker than air viscosity.
Why Not EU? Dynamics of the Changing Turkish Attitudes Towards EU Membership

This article aims to contribute to the discussion on Turkish accession to the EU, asking the famous question ‘Why not Turkey? ’ the other way around. ‘Why not EU? ’ is the emerging question, as the alienation of Turkish government and public opinion from the EU membership objective requires urgent intellectual and political engagement. This article discusses political developments pushing Turkey away from the EU, and it explores the social and historical dynamics behind the rapidly changing Turkish public opinion. The Gramscian concept of ‘common sense’ is used to analyse the complex and contradictory tendencies within the Turkish public opinion, which has oscillated between very enthusiastic support and strong alienation. The analysis is supported by Eurobarometer data, which reveal the antinomies of initial support for EU membership between 2001 and 2004. The article also provides a new perspective for understanding the resonance of the new foreign policy approach of Turkey and the AKP's (Justice and Development Party) new tone with Turkish public opinion through the concept of common sense. In doing this, it relates the disintegration of the EU membership project with the rise of the AKP's hegemony, which has neutralized it not by an exclusionary nationalism but through an inclusionary articulation.
The social brain hypothesis and its implications for social evolution

The social brain hypothesis was proposed as an explanation for the fact that primates have unusually large brains for body size compared to all other vertebrates: Primates evolved large brains to manage their unusually complex social systems. Although this proposal has been generalized to all vertebrate taxa as an explanation for brain evolution, recent analyses suggest that the social brain hypothesis takes a very different form in other mammals and birds than it does in anthropoid primates. In primates, there is a quantitative relationship between brain size and social group size (group size is a monotonic function of brain size), presumably because the cognitive demands of sociality place a constraint on the number of individuals that can be maintained in a coherent group. In other mammals and birds, the relationship is a qualitative one: Large brains are associated with categorical differences in mating system, with species that have pairbonded mating systems having the largest brains. It seems that anthropoid primates may have generalized the bonding processes that characterize monogamous pairbonds to other non-reproductive relationships (‘friendships’), thereby giving rise to the quantitative relationship between group size and brain size that we find in this taxon. This raises issues about why bonded relationships are cognitively so demanding (and, indeed, raises questions about what a bonded relationship actually is), and when and why primates undertook this change in social style.