Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Biotypes in Florida-Investigating the Q Invasion

ABSTRACT After the 2004 discovery of the Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Q biotype in the United States, there was an urgent need to determine its distribution. As part of a coordinated country-wide effort, an extensive survey of B. tabaci biotypes was conducted in Florida, with the cooperation of growers and state and federal agencies, to monitor the introduction and distribution of both the B and Q biotypes. The biotype status of submitted B. tabaci samples was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of a 700–800-bp mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I small subunit (mtCOI) gene fragment, PCR amplification, and size determination of two unique microsatellite markers and esterase zymogram analysis. One hundred and eighty collections were sampled from 23 counties. Of these samples, 58% were from vegetables, 37% were from ornamentals, and 5% were from peanuts, alfalfa, and weeds. Eighteen percent of all collections were found to be the Q biotype that came from greenhouse grown ornamental and herbs located in six counties. Sequence comparison of the mtCOI gene identified three separate haplotypes within Florida that were defined as Q1, Q2, and Q3. Haplotypes could be used to associate populations known to be related by grower and plant type. For example, collections from five counties were made on hibiscus linked to the same grower and all samples contained only the Q1 haplotype. Other populations contained a mix of the Q2 and Q3 haplotypes, supporting the conclusion that the Q biotype must have entered Florida through at least two separate introductions. Our data also show that two microsatellite markers are a cost-effective diagnostic alternative for biotype identification with 100% concurrence with mtCOI sequence data.
Protein Bodies from the Endosperm of Castor Bean: Subfractionation, Protein Components, Lectins, and Changes during Germination.

Protein bodies from the storage endosperm of dry castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) were isolated by successive nonaqueous linear density gradient centrifugation. The isolated protein bodies were lysed by the addition of water, and the various structural components of the organelles were separated by sucrose gradient centrifugation. The matrix protein remained at the top of the gradient while the membrane, the crystalloids, and the globoids migrated to densities 1.15 g/cm(3), 1.30 g/cm(3), and > 1.46 g/cm(3), respectively. The protein of the protein bodies was distributed evenly between the crystalloids and the matrix, and little protein was present in the globoids or the membrane.The proteins of the protein bodies were resolved into protein components of diverse molecular weights in sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein components of the organelle matrix were distinct from those of the crystalloids. Whereas the matrix proteins had very diverse molecular weights, the crystalloid proteins were mainly composed of several proteins with molecular weights between 50,000 and 60,000 daltons. Also, the matrix proteins were soluble in water while the crystalloid proteins were insoluble in water but soluble in salt solution, thus representing albumins and globulins, respectively. Two of the matrix proteins with molecular weights approximately 120,000 and 65,000 daltons were identified as the phytohemagglutimin and the toxic protein ricin, respectively.During germination, the crystalloid proteins served as the storage protein and went through rapid degradation with smaller polypeptides formed as intermediates. In contrast, the proteins of the matrix under-went a much slower degradation during the same period and did not appear to be storage protein.
Information systems representation and attribute reduction

This article defines information systems as reflexive transitive binary relation family. It is equivalent to the attributes of information systems expressed as functions. This article has studied the composion operations of the information system attributes, attribute reduction representation and the minimum element method of attribute reduction. Finally, the results of the example show that the new algorithm has good efficiency.
A novel alphaB-crystallin mutation associated with autosomal dominant congenital lamellar cataract.

PURPOSE To identify the mutation and the underlying mechanism of cataractogenesis in a five-generation autosomal dominant congenital lamellar cataract family. METHODS Nineteen mutation hot spots associated with autosomal dominant congenital cataract have been screened by PCR-based DNA sequencing. Recombinant wild-type and mutant human alphaB-crystallin were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The recombinant proteins were characterized by far UV circular dichroism, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence, Bis-ANS fluorescence, multiangle light-scattering, and the measurement of chaperone activity. RESULTS A novel missense mutation in the third exon of the alphaB-crystallin gene (CRYAB) was found to cosegregate with the disease phenotype in a five-generation autosomal dominant congenital lamellar cataract family. The single-base substitution (G-->A) results in the replacement of the aspartic acid residue by asparagine at codon 140. Far UV circular dichroism spectra indicated that the mutation did not significantly alter the secondary structure. However, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra and Bis-ANS fluorescence spectra indicated that the mutation resulted in alterations in tertiary and/or quaternary structures and surface hydrophobicity of alphaB-crystallin. Multiangle light-scattering measurement showed that the mutant alphaB-crystallin tended to aggregate into a larger complex than did the wild-type. The mutant alphaB-crystallin was more susceptible than wild-type to thermal denaturation. Furthermore, the mutant alphaB-crystallin not only lost its chaperone-like activity, it also behaved as a dominant negative which inhibited the chaperone-like activity of wild-type alphaB-crystallin. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that the altered tertiary and/or quaternary structures and the dominant negative effect of D140N mutant alphaB-crystallin underlie the molecular mechanism of cataractogenesis of this pedigree.
Electrical Storm Presages Nonsudden Death: The Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Trial

BackgroundElectrical storm, multiple temporally related episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), is a frequent problem among recipients of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). However, insufficient data exist regarding its prognostic significance. Methods and ResultsThis analysis includes 457 patients who received an ICD in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) trial and who were followed for 31±13 months. Electrical storm was defined as ≥3 separate episodes of VT/VF within 24 hours. Characteristics and survival of patients surviving electrical storm (n=90), those with VT/VF unrelated to electrical storm (n=184), and the remaining patients (n=183) were compared. The 3 groups differed in terms of ejection fraction, index arrhythmia, revascularization status, and baseline medication use. Survival was evaluated using time-dependent Cox modeling. Electrical storm occurred 9.2±11.5 months after ICD implantation, and most episodes (86%) were due to VT. Electrical storm was a significant risk factor for subsequent death, independent of ejection fraction and other prognostic variables (relative risk [RR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 4.2;P =0.003), but VT/VF unrelated to electrical storm was not (RR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.6 to 1.7;P =0.9). The risk of death was greatest 3 months after electrical storm (RR, 5.4; 95% CI, 2.4 to 12.3;P =0.0001) and diminished beyond this time (RR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.0 to 3.6;P =0.04). ConclusionsElectrical storm is an important, independent marker for subsequent death among ICD recipients, particularly in the first 3 months after its occurrence. However, the development of VT/VF unrelated to electrical storm does not seem to be associated with an increased risk of subsequent death.
Conditional Reliability Coefficients for Test Scores

Abstract The most widely used, general index of measurement precision for psychological and educational test scores is the reliability coefficient—a ratio of true variance for a test score to the true-plus-error variance of the score. In item response theory (IRT) models for test scores, the information function is the central, conditional index of measurement precision. In this inquiry, conditional reliability coefficients for a variety of score types are derived as simple transformations of information functions. It is shown, for example, that the conditional reliability coefficient for an ordinary, number-correct score, X, is equal to, p(X, X′ │&thgr; = I(X, &thgr;)/ [I(X,&thgr;) +1 ] Where: &thgr; is a latent variable measured by an observed test score, X; p(X, X′|&thgr;) is the conditional reliability of X at a fixed value of &thgr;; and I(X, &thgr;) is the score information function. This is a surprisingly simple relationship between the 2, basic indices of measurement precision from IRT and classical test theory (CTT). This relationship holds for item scores as well as test scores based on sums of item scores—and it holds for dichotomous as well as polytomous items, or a mix of both item types. Also, conditional reliabilities are derived for computerized adaptive test scores, and for &thgr;-estimates used as alternatives to number correct scores. These conditional reliabilities are all related to information in a manner similar-or-identical to the 1 given above for the number-correct (NC) score.
Factors Influencing e-commerce Adoption and Use by Small and Medium Businesses

The literature provides an extensive list of incentives and barriers to adoption and use of e‐business and e‐commerce information technology (EEIT) by small and medium businesses (SMEs). The objective of this current research was to consolidate these factors and determine their level of influence, either positively or negatively from the adopter's perspective, on the adoption decision. A set of 26 factors, used as variables in various adoption models from the literature, were presented in a neutral manner, without pre‐classifying them as barriers or incentives, through a survey sent to SMEs. Respondents were asked to rate the effect of these factors on their EEIT adoption decisions. In addition to examining all respondents, the analysis compares perceived differences among factors for SMEs that have adopted a business website, those that intend to adopt and those that will not adopt. Sixteen of the factors were found significant, ten as incentives and six as barriers. The only consistent factor across all.
On the Problem of Season and Cold Dependence of Calcium Transport by Skeletal Muscle Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

Abstract Calcium transport of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum from golden hamsters was studied in January and in June on animals kept at 22 °C under natural photoperiod and in January after cold-acclimation at ±2 °C in the dark for 55 days. Crude homogenates from psoas and soleus muscles and from mixed skeletal muscles were used. No differences were observed in the calcium storing capacity of sarcoplasmic reticulum among the three groups of animals. Kinetic studies on the dependence of the calcium uptake rate on the concentration of free calcium revealed a significant increase of the uptake rates and a decrease of the calcium affinity in the control animals sacrificed in winter as compared to those killed in June. Cold-acclimation in winter leads to a further small reduction of the calcium affinity. This shift of calcium uptake rate and affinity in the sense of that of a fast-twitch muscle may be related to the functional demands of the cold season and cold-acclimation respectively.
The Influence of Brines and Temperature on the Frictional Properties of Laboratory Fault Gouge

The frictional properties of gouge material within tectonic faults zones dictate key aspects of earthquakes rupture dynamics and the seismic cycle. Modern friction laws are capable of describing the complete seismic cycle, however the underlying processes and thermodynamics of friction constitutive processes are poorly understood. This thesis describes a suite of experiments designed to investigate the processes and mechanisms of rate and state friction behavior. The work in this study, centers around laboratory experiments, in which quartz and gypsum powders are sheared while saturated in fluids composed of brines or deionized water. The effects of fluid chemistry on the frictional properties of gouge material are examined. Observations of quartz powders response to the change from deionized water to NaCl brine are unseen, if there is any effect, by the strain dependence of frictional healing. Prior investigations suggest that the strain dependence is related to the evolution of the gouge material and the number of grain contacts within the gouge. Gypsum powder experiments saturated in all fluids do not experience strain dependence but have a non log-linear healing rate indicating that the mechanism controlling healing in gypsum powder is different from quartz powder. A significant difference in frictional healing, frictional creep, and dilatancy occurs between the experiments being saturated in NaCl and deionized water. Na2SO4 and CaCl2 brines as saturating fluids were also compared with experiments in NaCl brine. Na2SO4 exhibit the greatest healing rate, but the other the frictional properties appear similar for the three brine types. Experiments at elevated ii temperatures create little change in the frictional properties but cause a transition to unstable sliding. The process dominating the frictional properties of gypsum powder shows the characteristics of pressure solution. Healing controlled by pressure solution will be non loglinear and the rate that pressure solution occurs at increases in the presence of the brines used. For accurate interpretations of the strength of natural faults, the lithology of the faults and how the lithology is interacting with the fluids present is critical.
Learning precise 3D reaching in a humanoid robot

In this paper we discuss the implementation of a precise reaching controller on an upper-torso humanoid robot. The proposed solution is based on a learning strategy which does not rely on a priori models of the kinematics of the arm nor of that of the head. After learning, the robot can reach for visually identified objects in 3-D space by integrating an open loop and a closed loop component; the open loop controller allows ballistic movements, while the closed loop one performs precise positioning of the hand in visual space. Differently from other approaches we handle the critical case of redundancy in the head and the arm and propose a solution that although preliminary possesses some biological relevance.
Orthorhombic full-waveform inversion and model building for azimuthal anisotropy in the presence of gas bodies

Deriving high-resolution velocity models in heavily faulted areas is challenging. This can be further complicated by the presence of gas bodies at multiple depth levels. The use of full-waveform inversion (FWI), given long enough offset and a good starting model, is becoming common practice for resolving near surface gas bodies and high wavenumber velocity variations. Also, FWI can honor azimuthal velocity variations by propagating the wavefield through an orthorhombic medium when calculating the objective function.
Short Insulin Tolerance Test Can Determine the Effects of Thiazolidinediones Treatment in Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose The short insulin tolerance test is a simple and reliable method of estimating insulin sensitivity. This study was designed to compare the insulin sensitizing effects of thiazolidinediones (TZDs) on the degree of insulin resistance, determined by a short insulin tolerance test (Kitt) in type 2 diabetic patients. Patients and Methods Eighty-three subjects (mean age = 57.87 ± 10.78) with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled and received daily one dose of rosiglitazone (4 mg) or pioglitazone (15 mg). The mean follow-up duration was 25.39 ± 9.66 months. We assessed insulin sensitivity using HOMA-IR and the short insulin tolerance test before and after TZDs treatment. Results When we compared patients' characteristics before and after TZDs treatment, the mean fasting glucose level was significantly decreased (183.27 ± 55.04 to 137.35 ± 36.42 mg/dL, p < 0.001) and the mean HbA1C level was significantly decreased (9.24 ± 1.96 to 8.11 ± 1.39%, p < 0.001). Also, Kitt values were significantly increased (2.03 ± 1.14 to 2.67 ± 0.97%/min, p = 0.003), whereas HOMA-IR was significantly decreased (2.98 ± 0.68 to 1.04 ± 0.24, p < 0.05). When classifying insulin resistance by Kitt values, insulin resistant subjects' values were increased (< 2.5 %/min; 1.51 ± 0.53%/min to 2.63 ± 0.88, p < 0.001), whereas the values decreased in insulin sensitive subjects (≥ 2.5%/min; 3.50 ± 0.75%/min to 2.75 ± 1.12%/min, p = 0.002). Conclusion The glucose lowering effects of TZDs by improving insulin resistance could be determined by using Kitt. However, Kitt may be a beneficial tool to determine TZDs' effects only when patients' Kitt values are less than 2.5%/min.
A field study of community bar: (mis)-matches between theory and practice

Community Bar (CB) is groupware supporting informal awareness and casual interaction. CB's design was derived from three sources: prior empirical research findings concerning informal awareness and casual interaction, a comprehensive sociological theory called the Locales Framework, and the Focus/Nimbus model of awareness. We conducted a field study of a group's on-going CB use. We use its results to reflect upon the matches and mis-matches that occurred between the theoretical and actual usage behaviors anticipated by our design principles vs. those observed in our deployment. As a critique, this reflectionis an important iterative step in recognizing flaws not just as usability problems, but as an incorrect translation of theory into design that can be re-analyzed from a theoretical perspective.
Reconstruction of Scene from Multiple Sketches

This paper discusses the feasibility of extension of expressive style with multiple 3D sketches drawn by a sketching tool that enables its users to draw and paint on 3D structured surfaces. Users of our proposed system take a picture of target objects and sketch with reference to the taken picture. They can not only sketch on the pictures but can also change their viewpoint of the sketched environment, since the system captures 3D structure by using a depth sensor as well as RGB data. Trial usage of the system shows that our users can rapidly extract their target objects/space and extend their ideas by taking pictures and drawing/painting on them. This paper presents examples of system usage, and discusses the feasibility of extension of sketches.
Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibition downregulates Na-H exchanger NHE 3 in rat renal proximal tubule

Girardi AC, Fukuda LE, Rossoni LV, Malnic G, Rebouças NA. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibition downregulates Na -H exchanger NHE3 in rat renal proximal tubule. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 294: F414–F422, 2008. First published December 12, 2007; doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00174. 2007. —In the microvillar microdomain of the kidney brush border, sodium hydrogen exchanger type 3 (NHE3) exists in physical complexes with the serine protease dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV). The purpose of this study was to explore the functional relationship between NHE3 and DPPIV in the intact proximal tubule in vivo. To this end, male Wistar rats were treated with an injection of the reversible DPPIV inhibitor Lys [Z(NO2)]-pyrrolidide (I40; 60 mg kg 1 day 1 ip) for 7 days. Rats injected with equal amounts of the noninhibitory compound Lys[Z(NO2)]-OH served as controls. Na -H exchange activity in isolated microvillar membrane vesicles was 45 5% decreased in rats treated with I40. Membrane fractionation studies using isopycnic centrifugation revealed that I40 provoked redistribution of NHE3 along with a small fraction of DPPIV from the apical enriched microvillar membranes to the intermicrovillar microdomain of the brush border. I40 significantly increased urine output (67 9%; P 0.01), fractional sodium excretion (63 7%; P 0.01), as well as lithium clearance (81 9%; P 0.01), an index of end-proximal tubule delivery. Although not significant, a tendency toward decreased blood pressure and plasma pH/HCO3 was noted in I40treated rats. These findings indicate that inhibition of DPPIV catalytic activity is associated with inhibition of NHE3-mediated NaHCO3 reabsorption in rat renal proximal tubule. Inhibition of apical Na -H exchange is due to reduced abundance of NHE3 protein in the microvillar microdomain of the kidney brush border. Moreover, this study demonstrates a physiologically significant interaction between NHE3 and DPPIV in the intact proximal tubule in vivo.
The robustness of hollow CAPTCHAs

CAPTCHA is now a standard security technology for differentiating between computers and humans, and the most widely deployed schemes are text-based. While many text schemes have been broken, hollow CAPTCHAs have emerged as one of the latest designs, and they have been deployed by major companies such as Yahoo! , Tencent, Sina, China Mobile and Baidu. A main feature of such schemes is to use contour lines to form connected hollow characters with the aim of improving security and usability simultaneously, as it is hard for standard techniques to segment and recognize such connected characters, which are however easy to human eyes. In this paper, we provide the first analysis of hollow CAPTCHAs' robustness. We show that with a simple but novel attack, we can successfully break a whole family of hollow CAPTCHAs, including those deployed by all the major companies. While our attack casts serious doubt on the viability of current designs, we offer lessons and guidelines for designing better hollow CAPTCHAs.
Modeling and Optimization of Class-E Amplifier at Subnominal Condition in a Wireless Power Transfer System for Biomedical Implants

For the class-E amplifier in a wireless power transfer (WPT) system, the design parameters are always determined by the nominal model. However, this model neglects the conduction loss and voltage stress of MOSFET and cannot guarantee the highest efficiency in the WPT system for biomedical implants. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a novel circuit model of the subnominal class-E amplifier. On a WPT platform for capsule endoscope, the proposed model was validated to be effective and the relationship between the amplifier’s design parameters and its characteristics was analyzed. At a given duty ratio, the design parameters with the highest efficiency and safe voltage stress are derived and the condition is called ‘optimal subnominal condition. ’ The amplifier’s efficiency can reach the highest of 99.3% at the 0.097 duty ratio. Furthermore, at the 0.5 duty ratio, the measured efficiency of the optimal subnominal condition can reach 90.8%, which is 15.2% higher than that of the nominal condition. Then, a WPT experiment with a receiving unit was carried out to validate the feasibility of the optimized amplifier. In general, the design parameters of class-E amplifier in a WPT system for biomedical implants can be determined with the proposed optimization method in this paper.