Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phylogenies inferred from mitochondrial gene orders-a cautionary tale from the parasitic flatworms.

[Extract] Mitochondrial genomes have been used in numerous studies to investigate phylogenetic relationships among eukaryotes at many levels (e.g., Smith et al. 1993; Boore et al. 1995; Boore, Lavrov, and Brown 1998). In recent years, the arrangement of genes in the mitochondrial genome has been regarded as a powerful record of historical relationships (Boore 1999). Changes in mitochondrial gene order are infrequent, even over considerable spans of time (Boore 1999), and are unlikely to exhibit homoplasy. Our research has focused on the relationships between two groups of human blood flukes within the genus Schistosoma. Our investigations on the mitochondrial genomes of these worms revealed striking divergences in mitochondrial gene order within the genus. The schistosomes are among the most significant parasites of humans in the developing world. The disease they cause, schistosomiasis, is second only to malaria in public health importance, affecting some 200 million people in 75 countries and giving rise to severe morbidity or mortality in tens of millions. Recent molecular studies (Barker and Blair 1996) have demonstrated that the deepest split in the genus is between East the Asian species utilizing prosobranch snail hosts and the African species utilizing pulmonate snails. The depth of this split has led some authors to propose an early Tertiary divergence (Despres et al. 1992). Species closely allied with the African group also occur in the Middle East, India, and parts of Southern Asia. One African species, Schistosoma mansoni, was probably introduced into the Americas by the slave trade during the 18th and 19th centuries (Despres, Imbert-Establet, and Monnerot 1993). The Asian group contains fewer recognized species, and these are found primarily in East Asia (the Philippines, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Laos). There is a growing realization that African and East Asian schistosomes differ in many biological attributes, including morphological characters, infectivity to snails, range of definitive hosts, growth rates, egg production, prepatency periods, pathogenicity, and immunogenicity (McManus and Hope 1993). We expected our investigations of mitochondrial genomes in these two groups of species to provide more evidence of their phylogenetic distance. However, we were startled by the remarkable differences in mitochondrial gene order which came to light between the two groups and which we report here.
Investigation of tier-swapping to improve the thermal profile of memory-on-logic 3DICs

In 3DICs heat dissipating devices are stacked directly on top of each other leading to a higher heat density than in a comparable 2D chip. 3D integration also moves the majority of active devices further away from the heatsink. This results in a degraded thermal path which makes it more challenging to remove heat from the active devices. Gradient HeatWave-3DIC was used to perform an appropriate 3D thermal analysis on a 1024-point, memory-on-logic 3DIC FFT processor for synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The chip was simulated with a spatial resolution of 80 nm, and was modeled to include the effect of each line of interconnect, as well as each via and fill structure exactly as drawn in the layout. Large isolated temperature spikes were found near groups of clock buffers at the edge of the SRAMs on the middle tier. The effect of reordering the stackup of memory and logic tiers has been investigated. It was found that placing the memory tier closer to the heatsink improved not only the thermal profile of the memories but also of the logic tiers. Temperature spikes in the memories no longer significantly impacted the logic tiers, yielding a design where the thermal profile of the tiers were significantly less dependent on each other.
Substrate integrated waveguide aperture coupled patch antenna array for 24 GHz wireless backhaul and radar applications

A 2×4 substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) aperture coupled patch antenna array has been designed and fabricated. This antenna operates in the unlicensed band of 24 GHz for wireless backhaul or radar applications. The microstrip patches are aperture-coupled with the feeding network composed of two branches with 4-slots series fed array.
Evidence of type II pneumocyte apoptosis in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IFP)/usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP)

Background/Aims—The pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)/usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), a chronic and incurable human respiratory disease, is not well established. This study was designed to investigate whether the apoptosis of type II pneumocytes could be the precipitating factor in the pathogenesis of IPF. Methods—Nineteen specimens obtained by retrospective review of the medical and pathological records of 55 patients with IPF, four normal subjects, and 10 disease control lungs were analysed. The selected specimens had normal alveoli with intervening patchy scarring of the lung parenchyma, fulfilling the pathological criteria for UIP. To identify individual cells undergoing apoptosis in the normal alveoli, electron microscopy and in situ end labelling of fragmented DNA were performed on paraffin wax embedded sections using digoxigenin-11-dUTP and the enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Results—Apoptosis was detected in the normal alveoli of 17 of the 19 patients with IPF/UIP and was absent in the controls. Electron microscopy demonstrated apoptotic changes in type II pneumocytes. These results indicate that apoptotic type II pneumocyte death occurs in normal alveoli of IPF/UIP and could be the principal cause of several events that account for the histological, clinical, and functional alterations seen in IPF/UIP. Conclusions—In conclusion, numerous type II pneumocytes from the normal alveoli of most patients with IPF/UIP actively undergo programmed cell death. This finding may shed new light on the pathogenesis of this disease, with implications mainly for the treatment of affected patients.
Effect of Gum Arabic on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Adenine–Induced Chronic Renal Failure in Rats

Inflammation and oxidative stress are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease in humans, and in surgically‐induced chronic renal failure (CRF) in rats. Evidence for the involvement of these processes in adenine‐induced CRF in rats is lacking. The aim of this work was to study the role of inflammation and oxidative stress in adenine‐induced CRF, and the effect thereon of the purported nephroprotective agent gum arabic (GA). Rats were divided into four groups and treated for 4 weeks as follows: control, adenine in the feed (0.75%, w/w), GA in drinking water (15%,w/v) and adenine + GA, as before. Urine, blood and kidneys were collected from the rats at the end of the treatment for analysis of conventional renal function tests (plasma creatinine and urea concentration and urinary NAG activity). In addition, the concentrations of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines and indices of oxidative stress, renal apoptosis, superoxide formation and DNA double strand break frequency detected with immunohistochemistry for γ‐H2AX were also conducted in the kidney tissue, plasma and urine. Adenine (0.75% in the feed for 4 weeks) caused significant increases (P < 0.001) in the concentrations of urea and creatinine in plasma, significantly decreased the creatinine clearance (P < 0.01) and induced significant increases in the concentration of the measured inflammatory mediators. Treatment with GA significantly ameliorated these actions, suggesting that the mechanism of the reported salutary effect of GA in adenine‐induced CRF is associated with mitigation of the adenine‐induced inflammation and generation of free radicals.
Comparison of Different Types of Sources of Traffic Using SFQ Scheduling Discipline

— In this paper, SFQ (Start Time Fair Queuing) algorithm is analyzed when this is applied in computer networks to know what kind of behavior the traffic in the net has when different data sources are managed by the scheduler. Using the NS2 software the computer networks were simulated to be able to get the graphs showing the performance of the scheduler. Different traffic sources were introduced in the scripts, trying to establish the real scenario. Finally the results were that depending on the data source, the traffic can be affected in different levels, when Constant Bite Rate is applied, the scheduler ensures a constant level of data sent and received, but the truth is that in the real life it is impossible to ensure a level that resists the changes in work load.
The Creation Process of Chinese Calligraphy and Emulation of Imagery Thinking

Chinese calligraphy is both an art form and the embodiment of imagery thinking. The process of calligraphy involves studying tablets or documents, remembering the contents, and creating new artwork with calligraphic images from memory. All these steps are related to simulation intelligence, thought patterns, and cognition models. Ancient tablets were damaged by human hands and eroded by the environment, thus considerably degrading their original appearance. Automated reconstruction of the characters represented in the tablets, completed in the past by an experienced expert, is a necessary preprocessing stage that simulates the imagery thinking of calligraphy creation. Following reconstruction, a stroke-reforming approach based on statistical models generates new calligraphic styles. We present the results of this approach and discuss ongoing problems. This article is part of a special issue on AI in China.
Inequality, the Price of Nontradables, and the Real Exchange Rate: Theory and Cross-Country Evidence

The author provides theoretical and empirical evidence of a negative association between income inequality and real exchange rates. First, he builds a theoretical model showing the transmission mechanism from inequality to real exchange rates. Second, using cross-country data, he demonstrates that the theoretical argument has empirical support. The association is large, significant, and robust to alternative specifications of the reduced form model and estimation methodologies. These findings provide empirical support for Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, government strategies agreed on with the World Bank that hinge on four major objectives:accelerating equity-based growth, guaranteeing access to basic social services for the poor, expanding opportunities for employment and income-generating activities for the poor, and promoting good governance. The author's analysis indicates that"equity-based growth"and"export-driven growth"are compatible policy goals. But the negative relationship between inequality and real exchange rates does not imply that policies aimed at dramatic redistribution will automatically lead to real depreciation of the domestic currency, improve the external balance, and accelerate economic growth.
A Randomised Controlled Clinical Pilot Trial to Study the Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Technique for Patients Suffering with Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy A Research Proposal BSc ( Hons ) Osteopathic Medicine

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of neuromuscular technique (NMT) for patients suffering with lateral elbow tendinosus. Design Prospective longitudinal pilot study: randomised double blinded design to compare the effect of NMT compared to a control group of patients suffering with lateral elbow tendinosus living in Surrey. Subjects 80 participants, 40 entered each intervention group. Methods The Intervention groups were administered a treatment consisting of NMT to the affected forearm the control group was administered a sham treatment. Pain and function were evaluated by use of PRFEQ, VAS and Grip strength. Conclusion Neuromuscular technique to the forearm extensor muscles and tendons will/ will not have any effect on the symptoms of lateral elbow tendinosus.
Successes and Failures of Verifying the Convergence of Discrete Solutions

The main goal of solution verification is to assess the convergence of numerical predictions as a function of discretization variables such as element size Δx or time step Δt. The challenge is to verify that the approximate solutions of the discretized lawsof-conservation or equations-of-motion converge to the solution of the continuous equations. In the case of code verification where the continuous solution of a test problem is known, common practice is to obtain several discrete solutions from successively refined meshes or grids; calculate norms of the solution error; and verify the rate with which discrete solutions converge to the continuous solution. In the case of solution verification where the continuous solution is unknown, common practice is to obtain several discrete solutions from successively refined meshes or grids; estimate an extrapolation of the continuous solution; verify the rate-of-convergence; and estimate numerical uncertainty bounds. The formalism proposed to verify the convergence of discrete solutions derives from postulating how truncation error behaves in the asymptotic regime of convergence. The paper offers an overview of these techniques with illustrations such as the modal analysis of plates or propagation of waves in ideal gases. It is contributed to the proceedings of IMAC-XXV in an attempt to raise awareness in the Structural Dynamics community about convergencerelated issues that ubiquitously present themselves in numerical simulations. (Publication approved for unlimited, public release, LA-UR-06-6002, Unclassified.)
Physiology and Pathophysiology of Physical Inactivity ( In ) activity-dependent alterations in resting and reflex control of splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity

Mischel NA, Mueller PJ. (In)activity-dependent alterations in resting and reflex control of splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity. J Appl Physiol 111: 1854–1862, 2011. First published October 6, 2011; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00961. 2011. —The negative effects of sympathetic overactivity on long-term cardiovascular health are becoming increasingly clear. Moreover, recent work done in animal models of cardiovascular disease suggests that sympathetic tone to the splanchnic vasculature may play an important role in the development and maintenance of these disease states. Work from our laboratory and others led us to hypothesize that a lack of chronic physical activity increases resting and reflex-mediated splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity, possibly through changes occurring in a key brain stem center involved in sympathetic regulation, the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). To address this hypothesis, we recorded mean arterial pressure (MAP) and splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA) in a group of active and sedentary animals that had been housed for 10–13 wk with or without running wheels, respectively. In experiments performed under Inactin anesthesia, we tested responses to RVLM microinjections of glutamate, responses to baroreceptor unloading, and vascular reactivity, the latter of which was performed under conditions of autonomic blockade. Sedentary animals exhibited enhanced resting SSNA and MAP, augmented increases in SSNA to RVLM activation and baroreceptor unloading, and enhanced vascular reactivity to 1-receptor mediated vasoconstriction. Our results suggest that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by augmenting resting and reflex-mediated sympathetic output to the splanchnic circulation and also by increasing vascular sensitivity to adrenergic stimulation. We speculate that regular physical exercise offsets or reverses the progression of these disease processes via similar or disparate mechanisms and warrant further examination into physical (in)activity-induced sympathetic nervous system plasticity.
Desarrollo y Validación de una Escala para Medir Actuación Emocional en el Trabajo

espanolEl objetivo del presente estudio fue el desarrollo y validacion de una nueva escala para medir las estrategias de regulacion emocional que implementan los empleados en sus lugares de trabajo. Los items iniciales se elaboraron en base a la revision bibliografica, entrevistas con empleadosy consultas con especialistas. Se efectuo una prueba piloto que permitio efectuar ajustes conceptuales y semanticos de los items. La version preliminar de la escala fue administrada a 318 trabajadores argentinos, conjuntamente con medidas estandarizadas de inteligencia emocional y personalidad. Analisis factoriales, exploratorio y confirmatorio, indicaron una estructura bifactorial que explico el 60.96% de la varianza total. La validez convergente quedo demostrada a partir de la fuerza y direccion de las correlaciones obtenidas entre las variables estudiadas. La version definitiva de la escala quedo integrada por seis items que exploran las estrategias de actuacion profunda y actuacion superficial con elevados indices de homogeneidad y consistencia interna. EnglishThe aim of this study was the development and validation of a new scale for measuring emotional display rule strategies in the workplace. The initial items were developed based on the literature review , interviews with employees, and specialist advice. A pilot test allowing for conceptual and semantic adjustment items was conducted . The pr eliminary version of the scale was administered to 318 Argentinean workers , together with standardized measures of emotional intelligence and personality. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyzes indicated a two - factor structure that explained 60.96 % of total variance . Convergent validity was demonstrated from the strength and direction of the correlations among the studied variables. The final version of the scale was composed of six items that explore the strategies of deep and surface acting with high levels of homogeneity and internal consistency.
Neck kinematics and sternocleidomastoid muscle activation during neck rotation in subjects with forward head posture

[Purpose] The present study investigated differences in the kinematics of the neck and activation of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle during neck rotation between subjects with and without forward head posture (FHP). [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-eight subjects participated in the study (14 with FHP, 14 without FHP). Subjects performed neck rotation in two directions, left and right. The kinematics of rotation-lateral flexion movement patterns were recorded using motion analysis. Activity in the bilateral SCM muscles was measured using surface electromyography. Differences in neck kinematics and activation of SCM between the groups were analyzed by independent t-tests. [Results] Maintaining FHP increased the rotation-lateral flexion ratio significantly in both directions. The FHP group had significantly faster onset time for lateral flexion movement in both directions during neck rotation. Regarding the electromyography of the SCM muscles during neck rotation in both directions, the activity values of subjects with FHP were greater than those of subjects without FHP for the contralateral SCM muscles. [Conclusion] FHP can induce changes in movement in the frontal plane and SCM muscle activation during neck rotation. Thus, clinicians should consider movement in the frontal plane as well as in the sagittal plane when assessing and treating patients with forward head posture.
The Effects of Family Contact on Community Reentry Plans Among Incarcerated Youths

ABSTRACT Research shows protective factors that mitigate risks for juvenile delinquency can also support the community reentry of incarcerated youths and deter future offending. Family engagement, educational attainment, and secure employment are widely accepted as important protective factors to prevent problematic behavior. Studies suggest these same protective factors are crucial for incarcerated youths and should be an integral part of reentry planning to improve post-release outcomes. Nevertheless, limited research exists on the association between these factors and the value of family involvement in reentry planning for incarcerated youths. This study addresses this gap by examining how increased family contact affects the likelihood of instituting education and employment reentry plans among youths in custody. Data were obtained from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) that provides information on juvenile offenders in confinement. The SYRP is the first nationally representative cross-sectional survey to gather information directly from youths 10–20 years old in custody (N=7,073). Analyses were conducted using a sequence of regression models to test the relationship between the frequency of family contact and whether a youth had a plan for education or employment upon release. Results reflect that youths with increased family contact were one and a half times more likely to have both educational and employment reentry plans in place relative to youths with no family contact. Findings inform practice and policy to advocate for family involvement with youth in confinement, and further suggest that family plays a decisive role in preparing incarcerated youths for success upon release.
Multiview Pedestrian Detection Based on Online Support Vector Machine Using Convex

The support vector machine (SVM), an assuring new method for the classification, has been widely used in many areas efficiently. However, the online learning issue of SVM is still not addressed satisfactorily since when a new sample arrives to retrain the SVM to adjust the classifier. This may not be feasible for real-time applications due to the expensive computation cost for re-training the SVM. This paper propose an Online SVM classifier algorithm known as OSVM-CH, which is based on the convex hull vertices selection depends on geometrical features of SVM. From the theoretical point of view, the first d+1(d is the dimension of the input samples) selected samples are proved to be vertices of the convex hull. This guarantees that the selected samples in our method keep the greatest amount of information of the convex hull. From the pedestrian detection application point of view, the new algorithm can update the classifier without reducing its classification performance. KEYWORDS-Kernel, online learning, machine learning, support vector machine, pedestrian detection, online classifier.
Effect of High-Fat Diet upon Inflammatory Markers and Aortic Stiffening in Mice

Changes in lifestyle such as increase in high-fat food consumption are an important cause for vascular diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of ACE and TGF-β in the aorta stiffness induced by high-fat diet. C57BL/6 male mice were divided in two groups according to their diet for 8 weeks: standard diet (ST) and high-fat diet (HF). At the end of the protocol, body weight gain, adipose tissue content, serum lipids and glucose levels, and aorta morphometric and biochemical measurements were performed. Analysis of collagen fibers by picrosirius staining of aorta slices showed that HF diet promoted increase of thin (55%) and thick (100%) collagen fibers deposition and concomitant disorganization of these fibers orientations in the aorta vascular wall (50%). To unravel the mechanism involved, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) were evaluated by protein expression and enzyme activity. HF diet increased MPO (90%) and ACE (28%) activities, as well as protein expression of ACE. TGF-β was also increased in aorta tissue of HF diet mice after 8 weeks. Altogether, we have observed that the HF diet-induced aortic stiffening may be associated with increased oxidative stress damage and activation of the RAS in vascular tissue.