Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytokines and endocrine function: an interaction between the immune and neuroendocrine systems

It is known that microbial infection, tissue damage, autoimmune processes and endotoxin shock are associated with a variety of endocrine and metabolic changes, such as the activation of the pituitary-adrenal system, alteration of serum thyroid hormone levels, inhibition of reproductive function and altered carbohydrate metabolism (Geelhoed & Chernow, 1985). These changes could be regarded as nonspecific responses of the body to stress, increased catabolism or impaired caloric intake, although the exact mechanisms causing such endocrine and metabolic abnormalities have not yet been clarified. Recent advances in the search for chemical mediators in the immune system have afforded a new insight into the interaction between the immune and neuroendocrine systems. In particular, chemical mediators produced by lymphocytes and monocytes, which were originally called lymphokines and monokines, respectively, are now known to be produced in a variety of tissues other than leucocytes and to have a broad spectrum of physiological or pathophysiological actions in addition to the regulation of the immune system. The more generic name, cytokine, has recently been used instead of lymphokine and monokine. Cytokines have been shown to affect both endocrine and metabolic functions and they are now regarded as important factors which intimately link the immune and neuroendocrine systems. The catalogue of cytokines is still expanding. It includes interleukin (1L)1 to 11, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a and fi , interferon (1FN)-a, p and 7, and colony stimulating factors. Among the cytokines, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-a and INF-y are major mediators of inflammation (Dinarello, 1989; Kishimoto, 1989). The effects of all these cytokines on endocrine functions have not been fully studied but accumulating evidence suggests important roles of cytokines in
Total energy intake and nutrient composition: Dietary recommendations for epidemiologists

Imagine our laboratory colleagues conducting an experiment to determine whether fat causes mammary tumors in rats. One possible design would be to simply double the amount of fat given to the treatment group and not change the diet of the control group. A complex series of events would most likely occur: the treatment group would probably not eat all the additional food; to the extent that they ate more, body weight would increase; and mammary tumor incidence would increase. Unfortunately, one could not conclude that dietary fat specifically caused mammary tumors because energy balance (reflected in weight change) has profound effects on tumor incidence in many models. Thus, it is possible that protein or carbohydrate added in such amounts that the energy content is comparable to that of the added fat would have influenced tumor incidence in the same way. For this reason, animal experimentalists have come to insist on an “isocaloric” study design before ascribing an effect to a specific nutrient. Analogous problems exist in the interpretation of epidemiologic data on intake of specific nutrients when total energy intake is not controlled in the analysis. For example, in the carefully-conducted study by Ewertz and Gill (1990), fat intake was positively related to risk of breast cancer. However, as the authors themselves have pointed out, the possibility of confounding by total energy intake could not be addressed because important sources of carbohydrate and protein were not measured. The potential for confounding by total energy intake is considerably greater in epidemiologic studies than in controlled experiments where energy intake simply represents under-or over-eating . In free-living populations, higher energy intake can also represent greater physical activity, larger body size, and decreased metabolic efficiency. Reporting bias is also possible in case-control studies. These additional factors can therefore create associations with specific nutrients through their influence on total energy intake or adequacy of reporting. Moreover, such confounding
Aggregate-area radiative flux biases

Abstract Most climate models treat surface and atmospheric properties as being horizontally homogeneous and compute surface radiative fluxes with average gridcell properties. In this study it is found that large biases can occur if sub-gridcell variability is ignored, where bias is defined as the difference between the average of fluxes computed at high resolution within a model cell and the flux computed with the average surface and cloud properties within the cell. Data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer for the year-long Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) experiment are used to determine biases in aggregate-area fluxes. A simple regression approach to correct for biases that result from horizontal variability was found to reduce the average radiative flux bias to near zero. The correction can be easily implemented in numerical models.
Regional signatures of future fire weather over eastern Australia from global climate models

Skill-selected global climate models were used to explore the effect of future climate change on regional bushfire weather in eastern Australia. Daily Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) was calculated in four regions of differing rainfall seasonality for the 20th century, 2050 and 2100 using the A2 scenario from the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios. Projected changes in FFDI vary along a latitudinal gradient. In summer rainfall-dominated tropical north-east Australia, mean and extreme FFDI are projected to decrease or remain close to 20th century levels. In the uniform and winter rainfall regions, which occupy south-east continental Australia, FFDI is projected to increase strongly by 2100. Projections fall between these two extremes for the summer rainfall region, which lies between the uniform and summer tropical rainfall zones. Based on these changes in fire weather, the fire season is projected to start earlier in the uniform and winter rainfall regions, potentially leading to a longer overall fire season.
Circadian Changes in Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase Distribution Inside Individual Chloroplasts Can Account for the Rhythm in Dinoflagellate Carbon Fixation

Previous studies of photosynthetic carbon fixation in the marine alga Gonyaulax have shown that the reaction rates in vivo vary threefold between day and night but that the in vitro activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in this process, remains constant. Using protein gel blotting, we confirm that Rubisco protein levels are constant over time. We present simultaneous measurements of the rhythms of CO2 fixation and O2 evolution and show that the two rhythms are ∼6 hr out of phase. We further show that the distribution of Rubisco within chloroplasts varies as a function of circadian time and that this rhythm in Rubisco distribution correlates with the CO2 fixation rhythm. At times of high carbon fixation, Rubisco is found in pyrenoids, regions of the chloroplasts located near the cell center, and is separated from most of the light-harvesting protein PCP (for peridinin–chlorophyll a–protein), which is found in cortical regions of the plastids. We propose that the rhythm in Rubisco distribution is causally related to the rhythm in carbon fixation and suggest that several mechanisms involving enzyme sequestration could account for the increase in the efficiency of carbon fixation.
High-level modeling and testing of multiple control faults in digital systems

A new method for high level fault modeling to improve the test generation for the control parts of digital systems was proposed. We developed a new high-level functional fault model based on High-Level Decision Diagrams (HLDD). It allows uniform handling of possible defects in different control functions related to instruction decoding, data addressing, and data manipulation. It was shown how the proposed high-level fault model can be mapped on the low-level faults of a joint class of stuck-at faults (SAF), conditional SAF and bridging faults. We proposed uniform procedures for high-level fault activation as a graph traversing procedure on HLDDs related to selection of control signals, and for fault propagation as a task of solving data constraints without using implementation details. Experimental results demonstrated that combining both, high-level control fault reasoning and low-level test generation for data part of a system can help to achieve higher fault coverage and detection of redundant faults than using low-level test generation approach alone.
The clinical course of late‐life bipolar disorder, looking back and forward

Little is known about the course of late‐life bipolar disorder (LLBD). First, we studied patients with LLBD retrospectively with regard to age at first mood episode, onset polarity, predominant polarity and episode density and its associations with other clinical variables. Next, we examined prospectively the clinical course and its associated factors.
A new decentralized mobility management service architecture for ipv6-based networks

In Mobile IPv6, the home network - through a designated home agent - is responsible for distributing all traffic from/to the mobile node in the default bidirectional tunneling mode, when the mobile node is connected to a foreign network. This approach not only lacks sufficient scalability and efficiency of delivery, but also poses a heavy burden on the home network and the global Internet. In this paper we propose a new decentralized mobility management service (DMMS) architecture to address this issue. The idea is to employ a local mobility agent in each access network, which handles node mobility based on local movement information, so that the on going communication can be maintained efficiently and scalable without relying on centralized traffic distributing entities.
Evolving fuzzy systems

Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Logic were introduced by Lotfi Zadeh in 1965 in his seminal paper [71]. During the last decade of the previous century there was an increase of the various applications of fuzzy logic-based systems mainly due to the introduction of fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) by Ebrahim Mamdani in 1975 [54], the introduction of the fuzzily blended linear systems construct called Takagi–Sugeno (TS) fuzzy systems in 1985 [65], and the the oretical proof that FRB systems are universal approxima tors (that is any arbitrary non-linear function in the [0; 1] range can be asymptotically approximated by a FRB system [68]). Historically, the FRB systems where first being designed based entirely or predominantly on human expert knowledge [54,71]. This offers advantages and was a novel technique at that time for incorporating uncertain, subjective information, preferences, experience, intuition, which are difficult or impossible to be described other- wise. However, it poses enormous difficulties for the pro cess of designing and routine use of these systems, especially in real industrial environments and in on-line and real-time modes. TS fuzzy systems made possible the de- velopment of efficient algorithms for their design not only in off-line, but also in on-line mode [14]. This is facili- tated by their dual nature – they combine a fuzzy linguistic premise (antecedent) part with a functional (usually linear) consequent part [65]. With the invention of the concept of EFS [2,5] the problem of the design was completely automated and data-driven. Thismeans, EFS systems self-develop their model, respectively system structure as well as adapt their parameters “from scratch” on the fly using experimental data and efficient recursive learning mechanisms. Human expert knowledge is not compulsory, not limiting, not essential (especially if it is difficult to obtain in real-time). This does not necessarily mean that such knowledge is prohibited or not possible to be used. On the contrary, the concept of EFS makes possible the use of such knowledge in initialization stages, even during the learning process itself, but this is not essential, it is optional. Examples of EFS are intelligent sensors for oil refineries [52,53], autonomous self-localization algorithms used by mobile robots [75,76], smart agents for machine health monitoring and prognosis in the car industry [30], smart systems for automatic classification of images in CD production process [51] etc. This is a new promising area of research and new applications in different branches of industry are emerging. (c) Springer Verlag
Influence of fines on the collapse of loose sands

A study has been carried out to investigate the influence of fines and gradation on the skeletal collapse behaviour of loosely prepared sand samples. Loose sand samples, formed by moist tamping and consolidated to the same effective stress level, were prepared with varying percentages of both plastic and non-plastic fines ( 74 μm). Samples were isotropically consolidated and subjected to monotonic undrained triaxial compression. Results indicate that increased percentages of fines ( 0.5%). This change is represented by a decreased strain softening behaviour and a shifting of the steady-state line. Variation of the gradation of the host sand appears to have little effect on the monotonic undrained behaviour. A supplemental study, involving use of the scanning electron microscope, was carried out to evaluate the findings of the test program in terms of sand fabric. Key words : colla.
Positive and negative regulation of type II TGF‐β receptor signal transduction by autophosphorylation on multiple serine residues

The type II transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) receptor Ser/Thr kinase (TβRII) is responsible for the initiation of multiple TGF‐β signaling pathways, and loss of its function is associated with many types of human cancer. Here we show that TβRII kinase is regulated intricately by autophosphorylation on at least three serine residues. Ser213, in the membrane‐proximal segment outside the kinase domain, undergoes intra‐molecular autophosphorylation which is essential for the activation of TβRII kinase activity, activation of TβRI and TGF‐β‐induced growth inhibition. In contrast, phosphorylation of Ser409 and Ser416, located in a segment corresponding to the substrate recognition T‐loop region in a three‐dimensional structural model of protein kinases, is enhanced by receptor dimerization and can occur via an inter‐molecular mechanism. Phosphorylation of Ser409 is essential for TβRII kinase signaling, while phosphorylation of Ser416 inhibits receptor function. Mutation of Ser416 to alanine results in a hyperactive receptor that is better able than wild‐type to induce TβRI activation and subsequent cell cycle arrest. Since on a single receptor either Ser409 or Ser416, but not both simultaneously, can become autophosphorylated, our results show that TβRII phosphorylation is regulated intricately and affects TGF‐β receptor signal transduction both positively and negatively.
The response of Phragmites australis to harvesting pressure in the Muzi Swamp of the Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa

Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. has been harvested in the Muzi Swamp in Maputaland, South Africa for generations. Over the last ten years, however, a flourishing trade in this reed has developed. Concern has now been expressed that at the current levels of utilization the ecological integrity of the Muzi Swamp is being compromised, and that the current harvesting rates are not sustainable in the long term. The hypothesis was put forward that a degradation gradient exists with the most severe degradation occurring the closest to where community members enter the park, and the least degradation the furthest from this point. The results of this study, however, show no distinct degradation gradient. Yet the overall condition of the reeds in the harvesting area is poorer than in the non‐utilized area. Expansion of the current harvesting area, coupled with adaptive harvesting systems and yearly monitoring will improve the quality of the reeds within the harvesting area without affecting the harvesting quotas. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterizing Web-Based Tutorials: Exploring Quality, Community, and Showcasing Strategies

End-user authored tutorials found on the Web are increasingly becoming the norm for assisting users with learning software applications, but little is known about the quality of these tutorials. Using quality metrics derived from previous work, we perform a usability expert review on a sample of Photoshop tutorials, a popular image-manipulation program with one of the largest showings of web-based tutorials. We also explore how the characteristics of these tutorials differ across four tutorial sources, representing those that are, i) written by a close-knit online community; ii) written by expert users; iii) most likely to be found; and iv) representative of the general population of tutorials. Our analysis reveals that expert users generally write higher quality tutorials, and that many of the tutorials in our sample suffer from some important limitations, such as lacking attempts to help users avoid common errors. We also find that a single five-star rating system did not sufficiently distinguish quality between the tutorials. Building on this later finding, we propose and evaluate a rating approach based on multiple criteria, finding strong initial support for such an approach.
The effect of cortical lesions upon visual discriminations in binocularly deprived cats

Four cats were raised with binocular eyelid suture and, after their eyes were opened, were trained on a series of discrimination tasks. They performed at normal rates on the brightness task but indicated some difficulty with the pattern tasks. They then received large, bilateral occipito‐temporal cortex ablations. Postoperatively, this in no observable way affected their visually guided orienting behavior, but it did destroy their capacity to perform the preoperatively learned pattern tasks. Postoperative performance on the brightness task remained good. These data indicate that, in these deprived cats, there is little or no cortical development for visual orienting, but cortex is necessary for visual discrimination learning.
Rewritability in Monadic Disjunctive Datalog, MMSNP, and Expressive Description Logics (Invited Talk)

We study rewritability of monadic disjunctive Datalog programs, (the complements of) MMSNP sentences, and ontology-mediated queries (OMQs) based on expressive description logics of the ALC family and on conjunctive queries. We show that rewritability into FO and into monadic Datalog (MDLog) are decidable, and that rewritability into Datalog is decidable when the original query satisfies a certain condition related to equality. We establish 2NExpTime-completeness for all studied problems except rewritability into MDLog for which there remains a gap between 2NExpTime and 3ExpTime. We also analyze the shape of rewritings, which in the MMSNP case correspond to obstructions, and give a new construction of canonical Datalog programs that is more elementary than existing ones and also applies to formulas with free variables.
Ship Detection by the RADARSAT SAR: Validation of Detection Model Predictions

RESUMENous avons utilise une approche statistique de detection de cibles ponctuelles sur fond bruite pour caracteriser la performance prevue du RSO de RADARSAT (bande C, Polarisation HH) pour la detection des navires. Cette technique sera egalement utilisee pour comparer la performance des divers modes et faisceaux du RSO de RADARSAT pour la detection des navires. La detection de navires de plus petite dimension est possible lorsque la vitesse du vent est plus faible, que l'angle d'incidence est plus fort ou que la resolution est plus fine. Le mode ScanSAR a faisceau etroit distal est pressenti comme etant le meilleur compromis entre la couverture spatiale et la probabilite de detection. Nous presentons une validation quantitative de ces modeles de prediction selon les donnees obtenues lors d'une campagne qui a eu lieu au large de Halifax N. -E. au cours des mois de mars et avril 1996. A l'aide d'instruments sur bouees, des mesures du vent et des vagues ont ete prises au moment de l'acquisition d'images RS.
Satellite SAR oil spill detection using wind history information

Due to its large coverage, satellite based SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) has proven very useful in large scale oil spill detection and monitoring. However, radar backscatter values from oil spills are not unique. Other phenomena may dampen out the capillary and short gravity waves which are sensed by the radar, and cause dark areas (generally called slicks) in the SAR imagery. At present, operational satellite SAR oil spill detection systems are based on an operator's experience in slick classification. Discrimination between oil and lookalikes includes analysis of shape, size,dB-values, gradients, texture, instantaneous wind, currents, platform-, ship lane- and natural seepage locations. However, data showing the temporal evolvement of the wind (i.e. the wind history) during the day(s) before SAR imaging, may also contribute significantly in the interpretation process. The geometrical shape of the slick is matched against wind history to estimate slick age. A procedure for such use of wind history in SA.
N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor‐mediated, calcium‐induced calcium release in rat dentate gyrus/CA4 in vivo

Previously, by using in vivo microdialysis, we demonstrated a huge release of 45Ca2+ from prelabeled tissues to dialysate that was evoked by application of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) to the rat dentate gyrus (DG) and sector 4 of the cornu ammonis. To establish the mechanism of this phenomenon, in the present study, we characterized its NMDA receptor dependence, investigated the mechanism of 45Ca2+ removal from the cells, and evaluated the possible involvement of calcium‐binding protein calbindin D28k and of ryanodine receptors. Microdialysis experiments demonstrated a dose‐response relation between NMDA and 45Ca2+ release and sensitivity of this phenomenon to inhibition by 10 μMK‐801 and 5 mm 5‐(N,N‐dimethyl)‐amiloride, thus indicating the NMDA receptor dependence and a role of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in mediating 45Ca2+ release from cells. Immunocytochemical experiments confirmed that DG granule cells in the investigated inbred rat strain are strongly calbindin D28k‐immunopositive, indicating probable involvement of this protein. However, micro‐dialysis studies demonstrated that NMDA‐evoked 45Ca2+ release was suppressed by 100 μdantrolene and 250 μryanodine, whereas 50 μryanodine stimulated this effect. This points to a key role in the investigated phenomenon of calcium‐induced calcium release (CICR) via ryanodine receptors. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo demonstration of NMDA‐evoked CICR. We postulate the usefulness of microdialysis in such studies.
Concept Recognition in European and National Law

This paper presents a concept recognition system for European and national legislation. Current named entity recognition (NER) systems do not focus on identifying concepts which are essential for interpretation and harmonization of European and national law. We utilized the IATE (Inter-Active Terminology for Europe) vocabulary, a state-of-the-art named entity recognition system and Wikipedia to generate an annotated corpus for concept recognition. We applied conditional random fields (CRF) to identify concepts on a corpus of European directives and Statutory Instruments (SIs) of the United Kingdom. The CRF-based concept recognition system achieved an F1 score of 0.71 over the combined corpus of directives and SIs. Our results indicate the usability of a CRF-based learning system over dictionary tagging and state-of-the-art methods.