Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fluctuating asymmetry and developmental instability in evolutionary biology: past, present and future

The role of developmental instability (DI), as measured by fluctuating asymmetry (FA), in evolutionary biology has been the focus of a wealth of research for more than half a century. In spite of this long period and many published papers, our current state of knowledge reviewed here only allows us to conclude that patterns are heterogeneous and that very little is known about the underlying causes of this heterogeneity. In addition, the statistical properties of FA as a measure of DI are only poorly grasped because of a general lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms that drive DI. If we want to avoid that this area of research becomes abandoned, more efforts should be made to understand the observed heterogeneity, and attempts should be made to develop a unifying statistical protocol. More specifically, and perhaps most importantly, it is argued here that more attention should be paid to the usefulness of FA as a measure of DI since many factors might blur this relationship. Furthermore, the genetic architecture, associations with fitness and the importance of compensatory growth should be investigated under a variety of stress situations. In addition, more focus should be directed to the underlying mechanisms of DI as well as how these processes map to the observable phenotype. These insights could yield more efficient statistical models and a unified approach to the analysis of patterns in FA and DI. The study of both DI and canalization is indispensable to obtain better insights in their possible common origin, especially because both have been suggested to play a role in both micro‐ and macro‐evolutionary processes.
On the Structure of Texture

This paper examines the structure underlying textural patterns. To this end, aspects of a model for texture are developed on the basis of both perceptual processes of the observer and structural properties of the patterns. Local constructs called primitives serve as generators for globally perfect, but unobservable, ideal textures. Study of the graph representation of these ideal textures reveals the basic regularity underlying visual textures. These perfect patterns are then transformed into observable textures by transformations which must not violate psychophysically based restrictions. Interpretively ambiguous textural patterns are used to demonstrate the influence that local primitives have on the formation of global pattern organizations.
Is pseudo-intractability in population of patients with epilepsy still alive in the 21st century? Audit of 100 seizure-free patients, referred with the diagnosis of pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE There is no universally accepted definition of pseudo-intractable epilepsy. Pseudo-intractability means that the resistance to treatment is, in fact, caused by clinical errors. The purpose of our study was to identify the reasons for intractability and subsequent effective therapeutic management approaches in a group of patients with established pseudo-intractable epilepsy. METHODS The study was designed as a retrospective audit of 100 adult patients who, in their past medical history, were diagnosed as having intractable epilepsy but, following adjustments to their medical management, were seizure free for at least 2 years. Patients underwent standard clinical evaluation, including EEG and/or video-EEG monitoring. We re-evaluated past medical, family, seizure and pharmacological history and morphological findings. Epilepsy was re-classified according to the ILAE classification. RESULTS We identified possible errors including incorrect diagnosis and/or inappropriate previous epilepsy management in all 100 patients. Incorrect diagnosis (seizure type and/or syndrome) was observed in 47 patients (47%). Thirty two patients (32%) with idiopathic generalized epilepsy were treated for complex focal seizures with inappropriate choice of medication. Therapeutic errors were identified in 48 patients (48%). Issues with medication compliance were found in 20 patients (20%). Potential seizure precipitating factors were detected in 23 patients (23%). CONCLUSIONS Our study of 100 patients confirmed that the problem of pseudo-intractability still exists. Every case of pharmacoresistance in epilepsy could potentially be caused by one or more clinical errors.
Factor VIII inhibitors in hemophilia A: rationale and latest evidence

Factor VIII (FVIII) replacement therapy is the foundation of treatment in hemophilia A and is effective unless a patient develops an alloantibody (inhibitor) against exogenous FVIII. Inhibitor development is currently the most significant treatment complication seen in patients with hemophilia and is associated with considerable morbidity and a decreased quality of life. The development of an inhibitor is the result of a complex interaction between a patient’s immune system and genetic and environmental risk factors. The mainstay of treatment is the eradication of the inhibitor through immune tolerance. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding inhibitor risk factors, eradication, and hemostatic bypassing agents.
Dendritic diversification through transcription factor-mediated suppression of alternative morphologies

Neurons display a striking degree of functional and morphological diversity, and the developmental mechanisms that underlie diversification are of significant interest for understanding neural circuit assembly and function. We find that the morphology of Drosophila sensory neurons is diversified through a series of suppressive transcriptional interactions involving the POU domain transcription factors Pdm1 (Nubbin) and Pdm2, the homeodomain transcription factor Cut, and the transcriptional regulators Scalloped and Vestigial. Pdm1 and Pdm2 are expressed in a subset of proprioceptive sensory neurons and function to inhibit dendrite growth and branching. A subset of touch receptors show a capacity to express Pdm1/2, but Cut represses this expression and promotes more complex dendritic arbors. Levels of Cut expression are diversified in distinct sensory neurons by selective expression of Scalloped and Vestigial. Different levels of Cut impact dendritic complexity and, consistent with this, we show that Scalloped and Vestigial suppress terminal dendritic branching. This transcriptional hierarchy therefore acts to suppress alternative morphologies to diversify three distinct types of somatosensory neurons. Highlighted article: Interactions among Cut, Pdm1/2, Scalloped and Vestigial transcription factors control cell type-specific dendrite morphogenesis in Drosophila sensory neurons.
Quality metrics in cardiac catheterization for congenital heart disease: Utility of 30‐day mortality

Objectives: To characterize the frequency and attributability of death among patients who died within 30 days of their cardiac catheterization (30‐day mortality). Background: 30‐day postprocedure mortality is commonly used as a quality outcome metric in national cardiac catheterization registries. It is unclear if this parameter is sufficiently specific to meaningfully capture mortality attributable to cardiac catheterization in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods: Multicenter cohort study with 3 participating centers. Records were retrospectively reviewed for patients who died within 30 days of catheterization (06/2007‐06/2012). Attributability of death was assigned to each case. Results: A total of 14,707 cardiac catheterization procedures were performed during the study period. Death occurred within 30 days in 279/14,707 (1.9%) of cases. Among the patients who died, 53% of cases were emergent or urgent cases. The median age was 4 mos (1 day–45 years). Death was attributable to the catheterization procedure in 29/279 (10%) of cases. Death was attributable to cardiac surgery in 14%, precatheterization clinical status in 34%, postcatheterization clinical status in 22%, and noncardiac comorbidity in 19%. In 1%, death attributability could not be established. Conclusions: While valuable in adult settings, 30‐day mortality is inadequate as a quality metric among patients with CHD undergoing cardiac catheterization. To derive the optimal benefit from catheterization registry data, more robust methodologies to capture procedure‐related mortality are needed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Disadvantage in the Australian Capital Territory

At a state and territory level, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has the highest average income and the lowest levels of disadvantage compared to all other states and territories in Australia. However, a state- and territory-based measure hides disadvantage at the local level by averaging out any disadvantaged areas with the less-disadvantaged areas. A spatial analysis of disadvantage can highlight where people are experiencing disadvantage, and can help inform the government's response to disadvantaged and marginalised people. This article shows that there is suburb-level disadvantage in the ACT, primarily due to housing costs. However, we also find that using the Socio-economic Index for Individuals (SEIFI), there are even disadvantaged households in less-disadvantaged ACT suburbs, and these disadvantaged households do not show up in the suburb-level data due to the averaging of advantaged with disadvantaged households within a suburb. This is particularly so in the ACT due to a policy of peppering public housing (where many disadvantaged people live) within less-disadvantaged neighbourhoods (commonly called mixed tenure). We argue that this mixed tenure policy means that area-based service provision may not be as efficient in the ACT, and that the ACT Government policy of providing services from town centres is an appropriate response. We also argue that due to the higher cost of living in the ACT, the onset of financial stress can be very fast if the main income earner loses a job.
Effects of dietary mannanoligosaccharide on performance, some blood parameters, IgG levels and antibody response of lambs to parenterally administered E. coli O157:H7

Abstract Forty-eight male lambs were used to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) with or without parenteral Escherichia coli injection on their growth performance, feed conversion efficiency, blood metabolites, total serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels and antibody response. Lambs were randomly assigned to four groups of 12 animals each. In groups C (control) and CE (E. coli challenged), animals were fed commercial concentrate pellets and hay (50:50), and in groups M (MOS) and ME (MOS+E. coli challenged), animals were fed commercial concentrate pellets including MOS at 0.2% and hay (50:50). At day 15 and 30, animals in groups CE and ME were injected subcutaneously with 1 ml of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) suspension containing 106 cfu of heat inactivated non-toxigenic E. coli O157:H7, while animals in C and M groups were injected subcutaneously with 1 ml of PBS. The experimental period was 45 days. Data indicated that body weight of lambs at the end of the study were statistically non-significant among the groups. Blood metabolites, i.e. total protein, albumin, calcium and phosphorus concentrations were not affected significantly by MOS supplementation. However, administration E. coli lowered (p < 0.05) total protein, albumin and calcium concentrations in the serum on day 30. The IgG level was not different between groups. However, on day 45, the total IgG level was found to be higher (p < 0.05) in lambs that had received MOS and E. coli than in other groups. Application of MOS did not have any effect on the antibody response to E. coli as OD values.
A Simplified Empirical Line Method of Radiometric Calibration for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Based Remote Sensing

The use of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to acquire very high-resolution multispectral imagery has attracted growing attention recently; however, no systematic, feasible, and convenient radiometric calibration method has been specifically developed for sUAS remote sensing. In this research, we used a modified color infrared (CIR) digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera as the sensor and the DJI S800 hexacopter sUAS as the platform to collect imagery. Results show that the relationship between the natural logarithm of measured surface reflectance and image raw, unprocessed digital numbers (DNs) is linear and the y-intercept of the linear equation can be theoretically interpreted as the minimal possible surface reflectance that can be detected by each sensor waveband. The empirical line calibration equation for every single band image can be built using the y-intercept as one data point, and the natural log-transformed measured reflectance and image DNs of a gray calibration target as another point in the coordinate system. Image raw DNs are therefore converted to reflectance using the calibration equation. The Mann-Whitney U test results suggest that the difference between the measured and the predicted reflectance values of 13 tallgrass sampling quadrats is not statistically significant. The method theory developed in this study can be employed for other sUAS-based remote sensing applications.
Relationships between Distinct Blood Monocyte Subsets and Migrating Intestinal Lymph Dendritic Cells In Vivo under Steady-State Conditions

The origins of dendritic cells (DCs) are poorly understood. In inflammation, DCs can arise from blood monocytes (MOs), but their steady-state origin may differ, as shown for Langerhans cells. Two main subsets of MOs, defined by expression of different chemokine receptors, CCR2 and CX3CR1, have been described in mice and humans. Recent studies have identified the inflammatory function of CCR2highCX3CR1low MOs but have not defined unambiguously the origin and fate of CCR2lowCX3CR1high cells. In this study, we show that rat MOs can also be divided into CCR2highCX3CR1low(CD43low) and CCR2lowCX3CR1high(CD43high) subsets with distinct migratory properties in vivo. Using whole body perfusion to obtain MOs, including the marginating pool, we show by adoptive transfer that CD43low MOs can differentiate into CD43high MOs in blood without cell division. By adoptive transfer of blood MOs followed by collection of pseudoafferent lymph, we show for the first time that a small proportion of intestinal lymph DCs are derived from CCR2lowCX3CR1high(CD43high) blood MOs in vivo under steady-state conditions. This study confirms one of the possible origins of CCR2lowCX3CR1high blood MOs and indicate that they may contribute to migratory intestinal DCs in vivo in the absence of inflammatory stimuli.
Precision of the Sinefitting-Based Total Harmonic Distortion Estimator

An analytical expression for the standard deviation of Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) estimation is derived. It applies to the case where the estimator uses sine fitting. It is shown that, in common circumstances, it is inversely proportional to the actual value of THD, the signal-to-noise ratio and the square root of the number of samples. The proposed expression is validated both with numerical simulations and an experimental setup using a Monte Carlo procedure.
The Progressive City: Planning and Participation, 1969-1984

During the 1960s, planners and politicians, usually based in uni versity-dominated communities, began to formulate a new approach to acquiring political power. Often espousing no more than rehashed Marxism, these individuals characterized their ideas on allocation and redistribution of resources as advocacy or radical planning. Pierre Clavel, professor of Planning at Cornell Univer sity, has written a book which follows up on the later exploits of these individuals and ideas. Five declining or stagnant but "pro gressive" cities, Hartford, Connecticut; Cleveland, Ohio; Berke ley and Santa Monica, California; and Burlington, Vermont, all elected radical governments during the 1970s and 1980s. This list probably represents the total universe of all "progressive" cities in America, with the possible exception of Madison, Wisconsin. Now that the "baby boomers" are reaching forty and following in the vein of movies such as The Big Chill, Clavel has fashioned a "where they are now" book based on interviews and case studies. What exactly is the definition of a "progressive" city? Clavel answers this question by evaluating these five cities through the use of two criteria: administrative style and citizen participation. The most "progressive" city would have the most responsive political administration with the fully institutionalized participation of all segments of society. Not surprisingly, this ideal is never reached, although the smaller cities in his sample, such as Berkeley and Burlington, are closest to reaching this goal. Perhaps this reflects a continuing involvement by university personnel to foster innova tion in their community. Basically, however, "progressive" government seems to involve a variation of interest group liberalism in which those without any choices are given a chance by planners and politicians to influence events. Unfortunately for devotees of this movement, including
An efficient MPPT algorithm for PV modules under partial shading and sudden change in irradiance

This paper proposes a new method for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) under different environmental conditions, such as partial shading and sudden change in irradiance. The method consists of three parts — checking the partial shading occurrence, searching for global peak (GP) and reducing the oscillations around maximum power point (MPP). The simulations results show the proposed algorithm is able to track true global maxima. The tracking speed and efficiency are increased compared to the reference algorithm.
Direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin immobilized in polyvinylalcohol and clay composite film modified carbon ionic liquid electrode

In this paper room temperature ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoro-phosphate (BMIMPF6) was used as binder to fabricate a carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE). Hemoglobin (Hb) was immobilized on the surface of CILE with clay and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite film by layer to layer method. UV-Vis and FT-IR spectra showed that Hb in the film retained the essential features of its native structure. Electrochemical experiments indicated that a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peak was obtained in pH 7.0 Britton-Robinson (B-R) buffer solution. The reduction and oxidation peak potentials were located at -0.405 V and -0.274 V (vs. SCE) with the formal potential as -0.340 V, which was contributed to the electrochemical reaction of heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couples. The results suggested that the direct electron transfer of Hb in the PVA/Clay film with the CILE was accomplished. The direct electrochemical behaviors of Hb were carefully studied with the electrochemical parameters calculated. The PVA/Clay/Hb modified CILE gave excellent electrocatalytic ability to the reduction of H2O2 and the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (KMapp) value of Hb in the PVA/Clay film was calculated as 56.26 µmol L-1.
Single-stage CCM PFC electronic ballast

This paper presents a single-stage electronic ballast with continuous-current-mode (CCM) power factor correction (PFC), which is a combination of a boost-type PFC network and a DC/AC inverter to allow CCM operation for the PFC inductor in the boost-type PFC network. Among the PFC techniques proposed in recent years, in general, the discontinuous-current-mode single-stage PFC electronic ballasts have such drawbacks as high electromagnetic interference, high current stress, and high switching and conduction losses. The PFC capacitor of the developed boost-type PFC network can help the PFC inductor to achieve CCM, thus shaping the input current of the proposed electronic ballast to achieve high power factor (PF). Finally, a 36 W rated power electronic ballast prototype circuit is designed and implemented. Experimental results verify the advantages of the proposed ballast; these include the following: the input current harmonics meet the IEC 61000-3-2 Class C Standard, and the ballast offers lower conducted EMI and lower current stress on switches and diodes.
Robust adaptive compensation of periodic disturbances with unknown frequency

An indirect adaptive output feedback compensator is designed to attenuate the effects of periodic disturbances with unknown frequency on a known stable linear system with no zeros on the imaginary axis. The compensator contains an adaptive internal model which rejects a fixed number of harmonics in the Fourier series expansion of the periodic disturbance. It also contains an independent frequency estimator whose estimation error converges into an arbitrarily small neighborhood of the origin, provided that a design parameter is chosen to be sufficiently large. The adaptive compensator ensures the global exponential convergence of the closed loop error signals to a neighborhood of the origin, whose size depends on the higher order harmonics which are neglected by the adaptive internal model.
Atrial fibrillation and the athletic heart

Purpose of review Endurance exercise, despite a plethora of proven health benefits, is increasingly recognized as a potential cause of lone atrial fibrillation. Moderate exercise reduces all-cause mortality and protects against developing atrial fibrillation. However, more intense exercise regimes confer modest incremental health benefits, induce cardiac remodelling and negate some of the cardiovascular benefits of exercise. The implications of endurance exercise and athletic heart are becoming increasingly relevant as the popularity of endurance exercise has increased 20-fold within a generation. Recent findings An apparent dose–response relationship exists between endurance exercise and left atrial dilatation. Repeated strenuous endurance exercise overloads atria, resulting in stretch-induced ‘microtears’, inflammation and endocardial scarring. Although these findings are observational in humans, similar mechanisms have recently been confirmed in animal models suggesting causation. Summary Currently, it is not known whether a ceiling for endurance exercise exists, and, if so, what factors determine the threshold of harm. Although preliminary research is promising, much work remains if we are to understand the mechanisms underpinning atrial fibrillation in athletes.
Endocytosis of growth factor receptors

Binding of a growth factor (GF) to its specific receptor on the cell surface causes the initiation of a signal transduction cascade which eventually results in mitosis. GF:receptor complexes are removed from the cell surface via receptor‐mediated endocytosis, a process which involves clathrin‐coated pits. After internalization into the endosomal compartment, a significant pool of GFs and GF receptors escape recycling to the cell surface and are sorted to the degradation pathway. The ligandinduced internalization and lysosomal degradation of GF receptors result in the dramatic loss of surface receptors, a phenomenon termed receptor down‐regulation. In this review, we discuss relevant biochemical, morphological and kinetic studies of the mechanism of GF endocytosis, and the possible role of this process in mitogenic signaling by growth factor receptors.