Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PREDATION'S ROLE IN REPEATED PHENOTYPIC AND GENETIC DIVERGENCE OF ARMOR IN THREESPINE STICKLEBACK

Predator-driven divergent selection may cause differentiation in defensive armor in threespine stickleback: (1) predatory fish and birds favor robust armor, whereas (2) predaceous aquatic insects favor armor reduction. Although (1) is well established, no direct experimental evidence exists for (2). I examined the phenotypic and genetic consequences of insect predation using F2 families from crosses between freshwater and marine stickleback populations. I measured selection on body size, and size-adjusted spine (dorsal and pelvic) and pelvic girdle length, by splitting juvenile F2 families between control and insect predation treatments, set in pond enclosures. I also examined the effect of insect predation on Ectodysplasin (Eda), a gene physically linked to quantitative trait loci for lateral plate number, spine length, and body shape. Insect predation resulted in: (1) significant selection for larger juvenile size, and shorter dorsal spine and pelvic girdle length, (2) higher mortality of individuals missing the pelvic girdle, and (3) selection in favor of the low armor Eda allele. Predatory insects favor less stickleback armor, likely contributing to the widespread reduction of armor in freshwater populations. Because size strongly influences mate choice, predator-driven divergent selection on size may play a substantial role in byproduct reproductive isolation and speciation in threespine stickleback.
The Fetal and neonatal brain stem : developmental and clinical issues

Development and function of neurotransmitter/modulator systems in the brain stem, H. Lagercrantz and M. Srinivasan brain stem inhibitory mechanisms in the control of fetal breathing movements, B.M. Johnson brain stem mechanisms mediating the neonatal ventilatory response to hypoxia, R. Noble the control of the fetal circulation, M. Hanson metabolism of the fetal brain - biological and pathological development, B.S. Richardson role of the brain stem in the changes at birth - initiation of continuous breathing and its maintenance, C. Blanco the development of descending brain stem control of spinal cord sensory processing, M. Fitzgerald coding of tactile information in the developing nervous system, M. Rowe hearing loss and auditory brain stem development, D.R. Moore brain stem and cerebral function in the fetus - its assessment and the impact of asphyxia, P.D. Gluckman, et al brain stem auditory evoked responses - physiological and clinical issues, D.J. Henderson-Smart, et al sleep and wakefulness - do they occur in utero? , M.J. Parkes origin and significance of the diurnal variation of fetal breathing movements in sheep, D.W. Walker and I.C. McMillen physiological and clinical aspects of the development of fetal behaviour, J.G. Nijhuis and B.A.P.J. Tas the fetal and neonatal brain stem - conclusion, G.S. Dawes.
The person and practice of the therapist: Treatment and training.

Therapeutic excellence is rooted in a clinician's mastery of both the technical and personal aspects of treatment. An exploration of the catalytic force of therapy and how it effects the person of the therapist and his use of self generates a number of training implications. A clinical training model, developed at the Family Institute of Virginia, focusing on the Person and Practice of the Therapist, is predicated on the assumption that a therapist is most effective when he uses himself for the mutual advancement of both his clients and himself. The model utilizes the various contexts of a therapist's life, including his clinical, collegial, and familial relationships. An excerpted transcript from a training session illustrates a segment of this process.
Power and Representation

Challenged by participatory and deliberative models of democracy, contemporary political theory has brought the concept of representation back to the fore. Once applied to the democratic experiences of contemporary societies, political representation requires a conceptual reevaluation that undermines the notions of authorization and delegation that have been central to its definition since the seventeenth century’s social contract tradition, and the hobbesian approach to sovereignty that has shaped the modern understanding of political power. This paper takes issue with the current debate on political representation, addressing the question of how its conceptual redefinition and empirical applications also implies a reformulation of the notion of power.
Anti-symmetric interface characteristics of reversible dual actions and its application to system design

This paper tries to characterize cognitive interface of interactions with the systems that do not divide people into users and non-users. From anti-symmetric characteristics of mobile phone and intenet/PC telecommunication, this paper draws a dynamic cognitive model based on reversible dual interactions, open and closed, with anti-symmetric interface characteristics. Closed (Open) interactions cause stronger (weaker) adaptations and telecommunication traffic biases, which implies stronger (weaker) divide of people into users and non-users. We present a concept work of information access system by incorporating the interface characteristics of open interactions into it.
The association between circulating IGF1, IGFBP3, and calcium: results from NHANES III

Background Despite mounting evidence linking both calcium and IGF1, there is a lack of studies investigating any association between circulating levels of IGF1 and serum calcium. Methods Serum calcium, IGF1, and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) were measured for 5368 participants in NHANES III. We calculated multivariable-adjusted geometric means of serum concentrations of IGF1, IGFBP3, and IGF1/IGFBP3 by categories of calcium (lowest 5% (<1.16 mmol/l), mid 90%, and top 5% (≥1.31 mmol/l)). We also performed stratified analyses by sex, age, ethnicity, BMI, serum levels of vitamin D, and bone mineral density (BMD). Results Overall, we found that circulating calcium was positively associated with circulating levels of IGF1 and IGFBP3, but not their molar ratio (i.e., geometric mean of IGF1 by increasing calcium categories: 237.63, 246.51, and 264.22 ng/nl; P trend: 0.43; P first vs third category: 0.01). In particular, these associations were observed in women, people aged <60, non-Hispanic whites, those with vitamin D levels above the mean, and those with low BMD. In contrast, there was an inverse association with the molar ratio for those with BMI ≥30 kg/m2. Conclusion We found an overall positive association between circulating levels of IGF1 and IGFBP3 and serum calcium. However, stratification by potential effect-modifiers did not support all suggested hypotheses. Our findings provide more insight into the interplay between calcium and IGF1, which in the future can be investigated in larger observational studies allowing for additional stratifications based on a combination of the different effect-modifiers investigated here.
Expression of survivin and its relationship to loss of apoptosis in breast carcinomas.

Aberrant inhibition of programmed cell death (apoptosis) prevents normal homeostasis and promotes tissue tumorigenesis, but whether it also influences the outcome of common cancers has remained arguable. The expression of a novel IAP apoptosis inhibitor, survivin, in breast cancer and its association with tumor cell apoptosis and overall prognosis were examined in this study. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that survivin expression was positive in 118 of 167 cases (70.7%) of breast carcinomas of histological stages I to IH. In contrast, no expression of survivin in adjacent normal tissue was detected. Although survivin expression was not correlated with p53 mutations, survivin-positive cases were strongly associated with bcl-2 expression (78.0% versus 47.5%; P = 0.0005) and reduced apoptotic index (0.62% +/- 0.51% versus 1.27% +/- 1.37%; P < 0.0001). In addition, patients with low apoptotic index (<0.52%) had worse survival rates than the group with high apoptotic index (> or =0.52%; P = 0.028), and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis identified apoptotic index as an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.024). The results suggest that apoptosis inhibition by survivin, alone or in cooperation with bcl-2, is a significant prognostic parameter of worse outcome in breast carcinoma.
A General Robust Linear Transceiver Design for Multi-Hop Amplify-and-Forward MIMO Relaying Systems

In this paper, linear transceiver design for multi-hop amplify-and-forward (AF) multi-input multi-output (MIMO) relaying systems with Gaussian distributed channel estimation errors is investigated. Commonly used transceiver design criteria including weighted mean-square-error (MSE) minimization, capacity maximization, worst-MSE/MAX-MSE minimization and weighted sum-rate maximization, are considered and unified into a single matrix-variate optimization problem. A general robust design algorithm is proposed to solve the unified problem. Specifically, by exploiting majorization theory and properties of matrix-variate functions, the optimal structure of the robust transceiver is derived when either the covariance matrix of channel estimation errors seen from the transmitter side or the corresponding covariance matrix seen from the receiver side is proportional to an identity matrix. Based on the optimal structure, the original transceiver design problems are reduced to much simpler problems with only scalar variables whose solutions are readily obtained by an iterative water-filling algorithm. A number of existing transceiver design algorithms are found to be special cases of the proposed solution. The differences between our work and the existing related work are also discussed in detail. The performance advantages of the proposed robust designs are demonstrated by simulation results.
Rethinking isolated cleft palate: Evidence of occult lip defects in a subset of cases

Emerging research suggests that subepithelial defects of the upper lip musculature are part of the phenotypic spectrum of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and may represent an occult, subclinical manifestation of the anomaly. The present study investigates whether similar occult lip defects are present in individuals affected with isolated cleft palate (CP). To this end, upper lip ultrasounds of 33 CP cases (12 males, 21 females) were evaluated retrospectively for the presence of discontinuities (i.e., breaks) within the orbicularis oris muscle (OOM). In four CP cases (2 males, 2 females), distinct discontinuities of the OOM were identified. Of the remaining CP individuals, 23 demonstrated normal lip morphology on ultrasound (7 males, 16 females), while, in 6 cases (3 males, 3 females), a definitive evaluation was not possible. As CP and CL/P are traditionally thought to be etiologically distinct, these findings raise the possibility that some CP cases may be misclassified. Such diagnostic errors could have important implications for recurrence risk estimation and studies aimed at discovering etiology. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The implementation of flash-aware buffer replacement algorithms in PostgreSQL

Flash memory is growing maturer in technology, larger in capacity and cheaper in price. Many companys begin to use flash-based solid state disk instead of magnetic disk nowadays. Moreover, personal computers such as macbook, are using flash-based solid state disks. On account of the different characteristics between flash-based solid state disk and magnetic disk, more and more researchers begin to design the algorithms for flash-based database. PostgreSQL is the most famous opensource database, but PostgreSQL is aimed at magnetic disk currently. In this paper, we implement the CF-LRU, CCF-LRU, CCCF-LRU algorithms and integrate them into PostgreSQL. Finally, we use BenchmarkSQL to do the performance tests. The experiment results show that the performance of PostgreSQL using CF-LRU, CCF-LRU or CCCF-LRU is better than PostgreSQL using original algorithm when PostgreSQL is running in a flash-based solid state disk.
The yin and yang of gastrostomy in the management of ALS

Though we do not yet have a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we can provide treatment, and the host of medical and other interventions provided by ALS specialists and multidisciplinary care teams increases survival and substantially improves quality of life for patients and their families. Dysphagia is one of the most consequential symptoms in ALS, and ultimately affects the majority of patients. It causes dehydration, weight loss, choking, and chronic aspiration, which substantially increase the risk of potentially fatal aspiration pneumonia. Weight loss alone worsens progression and survival in ALS,1 presumably because caloric deficit due to dysphagia promotes muscle catabolism, adding to underlying muscle loss from motor neuron death, thereby accelerating weakness and decline. In attempts to circumvent this cascade, enteral tube feeding has been used in the management of ALS for many years, principally via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). 2 However, gastrostomy tube placement can be hazardous in advanced cases, as impaired respiratory function may increase the risk of respiratory arrest during sedation, as well as ventilator dependence postoperatively. Consequently, gastrostomy tubes are typically only recommended for those patients having forced vital capacity (FVC) >50% of the predicted normal value.3,4
Neurovirulent factor ICP34.5 uniquely expressed in the herpes simplex virus type 1 Δγ134.5 mutant 1716

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) diploid gene γ134.5 encodes a neurovirulent factor, infected cell protein 34.5 (ICP34.5). The promoter to γ134.5 is located within the HSV-1 genome where there are repeated sequences. This region of the genome also contains important overlapping transcripts involved with the virus’s ability to establish lytic and latent infections and reactivation. These transcripts include the latency-associated transcripts and regulator proteins ICP0 and ICP4. This study aimed to separate ICP34.5 from these overlapping transcripts and test if its expression from a single gene could restore wild-type HSV-1 strain 17+ virulence. To address these aims, different recombinant viruses were constructed using the Δγ134.5 mutant 1716. Immunoblots probed with different ICP34.5 antisera demonstrated that one of the newly generated recombinant viruses, 1622, overexpresses ICP34.5 relative to a panel of wild-type viruses. Interestingly, the overexpression of ICP34.5 does not yield a more virulent virus. The onset of ICP34.5 expression from 1622-infected cells in vitro matched that of 17+, and its expression restored the function of maintaining protein synthesis in human neuroblastoma cells. Replication of 1622, however, was only partially restored to 17+ levels in vivo. Additionally, plaque morphology from 1622-infected cells indicates there is an additional defect. The authors report that the mutant virus 1622 can express ICP34.5 from a single γ134.5 gene and restore most (but not all) wild-type function. These findings are discussed with respect to the use of the γ134.5 deleted mutant, 1716, in oncolytic viral vector therapies and future studies for ICP34.5.
Metabotropic glutamate receptors are necessary for sensitization by amphetamine

THE contribution of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the induction of locomotor sensitization by amphetamine (AMPH) was investigated. Rats pre-exposed to AMPH in the VTA showed significantly higher locomotor activity when subsequently tested with a systemic AMPH challenge than rats preexposed to VTA saline. Rats pre-exposed to AMPH but co-injected with the selective mGluR antagonist (RS)-α-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine [(RS)-MCPG] did not show this effect. These findings indicate that activation of mGluRs in the VTA is necessary for the induction of locomotor sensitization by AMPH and provide further support for the important role played by excitatory amino acids in this site in the development of sensitization to AMPH.
Variation of the human menstrual cycle through reproductive life.

30 years of data directed to the study of the temporal characteristics of the human menstrual cycle and some of its associated phenomena are presented. Approximately 2700 record-keeping collaborators and their daughters were enrolled. Only records of greater than 6 months uninterrupted recording are included. A record of all surgery illness or medication which might influence menstruation was recorded as well. Age of the patient and age since menarche are recorded. By 1961 this study had accumulated 25825 person-years of menstrual experience with 2750 intervening pregnancies. Justification of the belief that women normally vary in menstrual interval around a value of 28 days was unsupported. Each woman has her own central trend and variation which changes with age. The menstrual interval should be expected to average within a few days of 28 when assembled in large groups. Variation as opposed to regularlity is the rule in the menstrual cycle. The early and late years of menstrual life have the greatest variation in pattern of both long and short cycles and tend to mirror each other. The middle years of menstruation is characterized by linear change in both central tendency and variation; falling 2-3 days in this age span. Variation in menstrual cycle reaches its minimum at around 36 years of age. Determining the pattern of variation in menstrual history for anticipated intervals needs further study. The practice of birth control through the use of rhythm methods alone must introduce elements of uncertainty which are serious problems.
Impact of weight bias and stigma on quality of care and outcomes for patients with obesity

The objective of this study was to critically review the empirical evidence from all relevant disciplines regarding obesity stigma in order to (i) determine the implications of obesity stigma for healthcare providers and their patients with obesity and (ii) identify strategies to improve care for patients with obesity. We conducted a search of Medline and PsychInfo for all peer‐reviewed papers presenting original empirical data relevant to stigma, bias, discrimination, prejudice and medical care. We then performed a narrative review of the existing empirical evidence regarding the impact of obesity stigma and weight bias for healthcare quality and outcomes. Many healthcare providers hold strong negative attitudes and stereotypes about people with obesity. There is considerable evidence that such attitudes influence person‐perceptions, judgment, interpersonal behaviour and decision‐making. These attitudes may impact the care they provide. Experiences of or expectations for poor treatment may cause stress and avoidance of care, mistrust of doctors and poor adherence among patients with obesity. Stigma can reduce the quality of care for patients with obesity despite the best intentions of healthcare providers to provide high‐quality care. There are several potential intervention strategies that may reduce the impact of obesity stigma on quality of care.
How selective are the new guidelines for treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism for patients with thyrotropin levels at or below 10 mIU/L?

BACKGROUND By consensus, a thyrotropin (TSH) level persistently >10 mIU/L is an indication for the treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). Controversy exists regarding patients whose TSH level is elevated but <10 mIU/L. Recently, the American Thyroid Association (ATA) and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) published their position about factors that should be considered in the decision on treating SCH. This study evaluated the frequency of these factors among adult (non-pregnant) women with SCH whose TSH levels are ≤10 mIU/L. METHODS The presence of the conditions that should be considered for the treatment of SCH according to ATA and AACE was evaluated in 252 women who were diagnosed with SCH and had TSH levels ≤10 mIU/L. Pregnant women were excluded. RESULTS Antithyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) were detected in 137 (54.3%) women. A high cardiovascular risk was observed in 43 (17%) women. Eighty (31.7%) women who were not at high cardiovascular risk presented at least one classical risk factor (arterial hypertension, elevated level of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol or low level of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, smoking, or first-degree family history of premature coronary artery disease). At least one symptom or sign of hypothyroidism that could not be explained by another condition was observed in 180 (71.4%) women. Two hundred thirty-two (92%) women had positive TPOAbs, or at least one classical cardiovascular risk factor, or at least one symptom or sign of hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS According to the new ATA and AACE guidelines, L-T4 therapy would be considered for 92% of women with SCH and TSH ≤10 mIU/L.
On the fate of anthropogenic nitrogen

This article provides a synthesis of literature values to trace the fate of 150 Tg/yr anthropogenic nitrogen applied by humans to the Earth's land surface. Approximately 9 TgN/yr may be accumulating in the terrestrial biosphere in pools with residence times of ten to several hundred years. Enhanced fluvial transport of nitrogen in rivers and percolation to groundwater accounts for ≈35 and 15 TgN/yr, respectively. Greater denitrification in terrestrial soils and wetlands may account for the loss of ≈17 TgN/yr from the land surface, calculated by a compilation of data on the fraction of N2O emitted to the atmosphere and the current global rise of this gas in the atmosphere. A recent estimate of atmospheric transport of reactive nitrogen from land to sea (NOx and NHx) accounts for 48 TgN/yr. The total of these enhanced sinks, 124 TgN/yr, is less than the human-enhanced inputs to the land surface, indicating areas of needed additional attention to global nitrogen biogeochemistry. Policy makers should focus on increasing nitrogen-use efficiency in fertilization, reducing transport of reactive N to rivers and groundwater, and maximizing denitrification to its N2 endproduct.
User interfaces for creativity support tools

A challenge for human-computer interaction researchers and user interface designers is to construct information technologies that support creativity. This ambitious goal can be attained by building on an adequate understanding of creative processes. This paper expands on the four-phase genex framework for generating excellence [l]. Within this integrated Mework, this paper proposes eight activities that require human-computer interaction research and advanced user interface design.
DNA binding and cleavage by the periplasmic nuclease Vvn: a novel structure with a known active site

The Vibrio vulnificus nuclease, Vvn, is a non‐specific periplasmic nuclease capable of digesting DNA and RNA. The crystal structure of Vvn and that of Vvn mutant H80A in complex with DNA were resolved at 2.3 Å resolution. Vvn has a novel mixed α/β topology containing four disulfide bridges, suggesting that Vvn is not active under reducing conditions in the cytoplasm. The overall structure of Vvn shows no similarity to other endonucleases; however, a known ‘ββα–metal’ motif is identified in the central cleft region. The crystal structure of the mutant Vvn–DNA complex demonstrates that Vvn binds mainly at the minor groove of DNA, resulting in duplex bending towards the major groove by ∼20°. Only the DNA phosphate backbones make hydrogen bonds with Vvn, suggesting a structural basis for its sequence‐independent recognition of DNA and RNA. Based on the enzyme–substrate and enzyme–product structures observed in the mutant Vvn–DNA crystals, a catalytic mechanism is proposed. This structural study suggests that Vvn hydrolyzes DNA by a general single‐metal ion mechanism, and indicates how non‐specific DNA‐binding proteins may recognize DNA.