Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coevolution between crossbills and black pine: the importance of competitors, forest area and resource stability

Studies of predator‐prey interactions have found that geographically structured coevolution has played an important role in the adaptive diversification of crossbills (Loxia spp.). We extend those studies by considering common crossbills (L. curvirostra) in the Mediterranean where they rely on seeds in the cones of black pine (Pinus nigra). On the continent, where tree squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) are present, enhanced defenses against crossbills were most evident in larger areas of pine forest. On islands in the absence of tree squirrels, crossbills and black pine have coevolved in a predator‐prey arms race on Cyprus but not Corsica. In contrast to other conifers that island endemic crossbills rely upon, black pine does not hold seeds in its cones year round. Consequently, key to the strong crossbill–pine interaction on Cyprus is likely the presence of an alternative conifer that provides seeds during early summer when black pine seeds are scarce.
A new generation of carbohydrate-based therapeutics: recombinant mucin-type fusion proteins as versatile inhibitors of protein–carbohydrate interactions

Cell surface carbohydrates are essential for a multitude of biomedically important interactions that take place at the cell surface. Carbohydrate-binding proteins are, therefore, significant targets for the development of carbohydrate-based inhibitors. Due to their multivalent character, monovalent low-molecular-weight sugar homologues or analogues are usually poor inhibitors of these interactions. Recent advances in organic and chemoenzymatic synthesis of carbohydrates will undoubtedly increase the pace by which new multivalent carbohydrate-based drugs are developed. Knowledge gained on the glycosyltransferases that are involved in glycan biosynthesis can be used to engineer host cells for recombinant production of proteins with tailored glycan substitution. In particular, recombinant mucin-type proteins can serve as natural scaffolds for multivalent presentation of therapeutic carbohydrate determinants.
A study on the effect of construction parameters of metallic wire/core spun yarn based knitted fabrics on electromagnetic shielding

Metallic wire based single jersey knitted fabrics were produced in different construction to study the electromagnetic shielding characteristics. In one construction, bare silver coated copper wire along with cotton yarn was used to knit fabric by ‘plating’ technique. In another construction, core spun metallic wire yarn produced by ring spinning was used to knit fabrics in two different loop lengths. Scattering (S) parameters for reflection (S11) and transmission (S21) obtained for the fabrics by ASTM D4935 standard using coaxial transmission fixture and network analyser were analysed in the frequency range of 30–1500 MHz. All fabrics exhibited shielding effectiveness of 40 dB and above in low frequency region, the minimum mark for safer application to solve electromagnetic interferences. Fabric produced by ‘plating’ technique showed better electromagnetic shielding than core spun yarn knitted fabrics whereas no marked difference in shielding was noticed between the core spun yarn fabrics produced in two different loop lengths. However, fabric with smaller loop length showed a marginal increase in shielding at low frequency. Core spun yarn knitted fabrics show resonance peaks of reflection at different frequencies which suggest the possibility of tailoring frequency selective surfaces for high pass/no pass filtering. Antibacterial activity of the fabrics as per AATCC 100 test method was moderate with 60–63% bacterial reduction against the bacterium Escherichia coli.
Autonomic Regulation during Quiet and Active Sleep States in Very Preterm Neonates

The immature autonomic nervous system (ANS) in premature infants regulates heart rate (HR) and respiration different during quiet sleep (QS) and active sleep (AS). Little information is available about ANS regulation in these subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in autonomic regulation and cardiorespiratory coupling during AS and QS in five very preterm neonates with gestational age (GA) 26–31 weeks, applying univariate and bivariate linear and non-linear dynamics methods to the recorded cardiorespiratory signals. During QS univariate linear indices revealed lower standard deviations and entropies, indicating decreased heart rate (HR) variability. More balanced sympatho-vagal behavior of the ANS was revealed by decreased low frequency (LF), increased high frequency (HF), and a trend toward lower ratio LF/HF in QS. Applied non-linear indices (probabilities, entropies, and fractal measures) quantifying the complexity and scaling behavior of HR regulation processes were significantly altered in QS in comparison to AS. This reflects a lower short-term variability, less complexity, and a loss of fractal-like correlation properties of HR dynamics in QS. One major finding is that cardiorespiratory coupling is not yet completely developed in very preterm neonates with 26–31 weeks GA. Significantly different regulation patterns in bivariate oscillations of HR and respiration during AS and QS could be recognized. These patterns were characterized on the one hand by predominant monotonous regulating sequences originating from respiration independently from HR time series in AS, and to a minor degree in QS, and on the other hand by some prominent HR regulation sequences in QS independent of respiratory regulation. We speculate that these findings might be suitable for monitoring preterm neonates and for detecting disorders in the developing cardiorespiratory system.
Lung epithelial apoptosis in influenza virus pneumonia: the role of macrophage-expressed TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand

Mononuclear phagocytes have been attributed a crucial role in the host defense toward influenza virus (IV), but their contribution to influenza-induced lung failure is incompletely understood. We demonstrate for the first time that lung-recruited “exudate” macrophages significantly contribute to alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) apoptosis by the release of tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in a murine model of influenza-induced pneumonia. Using CC-chemokine receptor 2–deficient (CCR2−/−) mice characterized by defective inflammatory macrophage recruitment, and blocking anti-CCR2 antibodies, we show that exudate macrophage accumulation in the lungs of influenza-infected mice is associated with pronounced AEC apoptosis and increased lung leakage and mortality. Among several proapoptotic mediators analyzed, TRAIL messenger RNA was found to be markedly up-regulated in alveolar exudate macrophages as compared with peripheral blood monocytes. Moreover, among the different alveolar-recruited leukocyte subsets, TRAIL protein was predominantly expressed on macrophages. Finally, abrogation of TRAIL signaling in exudate macrophages resulted in significantly reduced AEC apoptosis, attenuated lung leakage, and increased survival upon IV infection. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a key role for exudate macrophages in the induction of alveolar leakage and mortality in IV pneumonia. Epithelial cell apoptosis induced by TRAIL-expressing macrophages is identified as a major underlying mechanism.
The native state of apomyoglobin described by proton NMR spectroscopy: The A‐B‐G‐H interface of wild‐type sperm whale apomyoglobin

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was applied to sperm whale apomyoglobin to describe the conformation adopted by the protein under native conditions. The study focused on the A‐B‐G‐H interface, a region known to form a compact subdomain in the apoprotein (Hughson and Baldwin, Biochemistry 28:4415–4422, 1989). Two histidine residues located in this subdomain, His24 and His119, interact and are thought to play a role in the acid denaturation process (Barrick et al., J. Mol. Biol. 237:588–601, 1994). A stable double mutant at these positions (His24Va1/His119Phe sperm whale apomyoglobin) was compared with wild‐type apomyoglobin. The amino acid replacements result in chemical shift perturbations near the mutations, in particular in the AB interhelical region, and in a deceleration of backbone amide hydrogen exchange in the B helix from position 27 to position 33. The double mutant data were used to expand and confirm the wild‐type spectral analysis. Signals from the D helix were identified that demonstrate the formation of holoprotein‐like structure. The assigned wild‐type nuclear Overhauser effects, although in small number, were sufficient to construct a model of the compact subdomain of the apoprotein. This was achieved by using the structure of the holoprotein and restraining it with the geometrical information on the apoprotein in a simulated annealing procedure. The experimental restraints define a low‐resolution model of the A‐B‐G‐H interface in apomyoglobin. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
D ec 2 01 6 UNLocBoX A MATLAB convex optimization toolbox for proximal-splitting methods

Convex optimization is an essential tool for machine learni ng, as many of its problems can be formulated as minimization problems of specific objective functi ons. While there is a large variety of algorithms available to solve convex problems, we can argue that it beco m s more and more important to focus on efficient, scalable methods that can deal with big data. When t objective function can be written as a sum of “simple” terms, proximal splitting methods are a good choice. UNLocBoX is a MATLAB library that implements many of these methods, designed to solve con vex optimization problems of the form minx∈RN ∑ K n=1 fn(x). It contains the most recent solvers such as FISTA, Douglas-R achford, SDMM as well a primal dual techniques such as Chambolle-Pock and for ward-backward-forward. It also includes an extensive list of common proximal operators that can be comb ined, allowing for a quick implementation of a large variety of convex problems.
Recent advances in proteomics of cereals

Cereals contribute a major part of human nutrition and are considered as an integral source of energy for human diets. With genomic databases already available in cereals such as rice, wheat, barley, and maize, the focus has now moved to proteome analysis. Proteomics studies involve the development of appropriate databases based on developing suitable separation and purification protocols, identification of protein functions, and can confirm their functional networks based on already available data from other sources. Tremendous progress has been made in the past decade in generating huge data-sets for covering interactions among proteins, protein composition of various organs and organelles, quantitative and qualitative analysis of proteins, and to characterize their modulation during plant development, biotic, and abiotic stresses. Proteomics platforms have been used to identify and improve our understanding of various metabolic pathways. This article gives a brief review of efforts made by different research groups on comparative descriptive and functional analysis of proteomics applications achieved in the cereal science so far.
Patients with ARDS show improvement but not normalisation of alveolar surface activity with surfactant treatment: putative role of neutral lipids

Background: Extensive biochemical and biophysical changes of the pulmonary surfactant system occur in the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods: The effect of intrabronchial administration of a recombinant surfactant protein C-based surfactant preparation (Venticute) on gas exchange, surfactant composition and function was investigated in 31 patients with ARDS in a randomised controlled phase I/II clinical pilot trial. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluids for surfactant analysis were obtained 3 h before and 48 and 120 h after the first surfactant application. Potentially deleterious effects of surfactant neutral lipids in patients with ARDS were also identified. Results: Before treatment all patients had marked abnormalities in the surfactant phospholipid and protein composition. In response to surfactant treatment, gas exchange improved and surfactant phospholipid and protein content were almost normalised. Alveolar surface activity was dramatically impaired before treatment and only partially improved after surfactant administration. Further analysis of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids revealed a twofold increase in neutral lipid content and altered neutral lipid profile in patients with ARDS compared with healthy controls. These differences persisted even after administration of large amounts of Venticute. Supplementation of Venticute or natural surfactant with a synthetic neutral lipid preparation, mimicking the profile in ARDS, caused a dose-dependent deterioration of surface activity in vitro. Conclusion: Intrabronchial surfactant treatment improves gas exchange in ARDS, but the efficacy may be limited by increased concentration and altered neutral lipid profile in surfactant under these conditions.
Intelligent Monitoring and Estimation of Surface Roughness on CNC Turning

In order to realize an intelligent machine tool, an in-process monitoring system is developed to estimate the in-process surface roughness. The objective of this research is to propose a method to estimate the surface roughness during the in-process cutting by utilizing the in-process monitoring of cutting forces. The proposed in-process surface roughness model is developed based on the experimentally obtained results by employing the exponential function with five factors of the cutting speed, the feed rate, the tool nose radius, the depth of cut, and the cutting force ratio. The multiple regression analysis is utilized to calculate the regression coefficients with the use of the least square method. The prediction interval of the in-process surface roughness model has been also presented to monitor and control the in-process estimated surface roughness at 95% confident level. It is proved by the cutting tests that the proposed and developed in-process surface roughness model can be effectively used to monitor and estimate the in-process surface roughness by utilizing the cutting force ratio with the highly acceptable prediction accuracy achieved.
Situation of Rubella in Spain in the Elimination Phase. Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome, 1997-2007

Summary: Objective: To analyze the situation and evolution of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in Spain and to evaluate the objective of elimination proposed by the World Health Organization for the European Region. Methods: Analysis of the evolution of rubella incidence and vaccination coverages (l980 and 2007). Morbidity data were obtained from the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network and mortality and population data from the National Institute of Statistics. Results: In 1979, a policy of selective rubella vaccination was introduced in Spain, targeting 11-year-old girls. In 1981, immunisation with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine was introduced, at 15 months of age and a second dose was introduced in 1995. Vaccination coverages since 1999 exceed 95% for the first dose and 90% for the second. The incidence of rubella has fallen drastically to < 1/100,000 since 2000 in all regions. Only small outbreaks or clusters have been detected, except for one large outbreak in Madrid that affected young adult males and fertile women from countries with low vaccination coverages. Since 1997, 13 cases of congenital rubella syndrome have been detected. Conclusions: The situation in Spain favours the elimination of rubella. However, pockets of susceptible subjects remain, mainly young adult males and immigrants, who have increased substantially in numbers in the last decade. Fertile women with high birth rates from countries with a high rubella incidence have a high risk of congenital rubella syndrome.
Effect of Stacking Layers on the Microwave Dielectric Properties of MgTiO3/CaTiO3 Multilayered Thin Films

Effect of stacking layers on the microwave dielectric properties of the MgTiO3/CaTiO3 (MTO/CTO) multilayered thin films prepared by the metalorganic solution deposition technique (MOSD) was investigated. As the thickness of CTO film in the MTO/CTO multilayered films increased, the dielectric constant (K) increased and temperature coefficient of dielectric constant (TCK) changed from positive to negative values by dielectric series mixing rule. Especially, MTO(100 nm)/CTO(200 nm) multilayered films exhibited a TCK of +10 ppm/°C, indicating temperature stability. The dielectric losses (tan δ) of MTO/CTO multilayered films increased with an increase of CTO layers. This result was attributed to the fact that the stresses induced by the higher thermal-expansion coefficient of CTO than that of MTO. Also, as compared with MTO(100 nm)/CTO(200 nm) film, the K and TCK of MTO(50 nm)/CTO(200 nm)/MTO(50 nm) film were not changed, but the dielectric losses increased. This result indicated that the dielectric loss was affected by the number of interfaces between CTO and MTO layers.
X-ray imaging using lead iodide as a semiconductor detector

The x-ray imaging performance is reported using polycrystalline lead iodide as a thick semiconductor detector on an active matrix flat panel array. We have developed a test image sensor with 100 micron pixel size in a 512 X 512 format, using amorphous silicon TFTs for matrix addressing. The new 14 bit electronic system allows radiographic and fluoroscopic x-ray imaging. PbI2 has larger x-ray absorption and higher charge generation efficiency than selenium, and has the potential for higher sensitivity imaging. The films are deposited by vacuum sublimation and have been grown thicker than 100 micrometer. Measurements of the carrier transport and charge collection, together with modeling studies show how the x-ray sensitivity depends on the material properties. Imaging measurements find excellent spatial resolution and confirm models of the x-ray sensitivity. Both radiographic and fluoroscopic imaging are demonstrated. While good overall imaging is obtained, the dark leakage current and image lag need further improvement.
Anandamide Is Able to Inhibit Trigeminal Neurons Using an in Vivo Model of Trigeminovascular-Mediated Nociception

Arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide, AEA) is believed to be the endogenous ligand of the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors have been found localized on fibers in the spinal trigeminal tract and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis. Known behavioral effects of anandamide are antinociception, catalepsy, hypothermia, and depression of motor activity, similar to Δ9-tetrahydocannanbinol, the psychoactive constituent of cannabis. It may be a possible therapeutic target for migraine. In this study, we looked at the possible role of the CB1 receptor in the trigeminovascular system, using intravital microscopy to study the effects of anandamide against various vasodilator agents. Anandamide was able to inhibit dural blood vessel dilation brought about by electrical stimulation by 50%, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) by 30%, capsaicin by 45%, and nitric oxide by 40%. CGRP8–37 was also able to attenuate nitric oxide (NO)-induced dilation by 50%. The anandamide inhibition was reversed by the CB1 receptor antagonist AM251. Anandamide also reduced the blood pressure changes caused by CGRP injection, this effect was not reversed by AM251. It would seem that anandamide acts both presynaptically, to prevent CGRP release from trigeminal sensory fibers, and postsynaptically to inhibit the CGRP-induced NO release in the smooth muscle of dural arteries. CB1 receptors seem to be involved in the NO/CGRP relationship that exists in causing headache and dural blood vessel dilation. It also seems that some of the blood pressure changes caused by anandamide are mediated by a noncannabinoid receptor, as AM251 was unable to reverse these effects. It can be suggested that anandamide is tonically released to play some form of modulatory role in the trigeminovascular system.
Visualization of Acute Liver Damage Induced by Cycloheximide in Rats Using PET with [18F]FEDAC, a Radiotracer for Translocator Protein (18 kDa)

Liver damage induced by drug toxicity is an important concern for both medical doctors and patients. The aim of this study was to noninvasively visualize acute liver damage using positron emission tomography (PET) with N-benzyl-N-methyl-2-[7,8-dihydro-7-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-8-oxo-2-phenyl-9H-purin-9-yl]acetamide ([18F]FEDAC), a radiotracer specific for translocator protein (18 kDa, TSPO) as a biomarker for inflammation, and to determine cellular sources enriching TSPO expression in the liver. A mild acute liver damage model was prepared by a single intraperitoneal injection of cycloheximide (CHX) into rats. Treatment with CHX induced apoptosis and necrotic changes in hepatocytes with slight neutrophil infiltration. The uptake of radioactivity in the rat livers was measured with PET after injection of [18F]FEDAC. The uptake of [18F]FEDAC increased in livers damaged from treatment with CHX compared to the controls. Presence of TSPO was examined in the liver tissue using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical assays. mRNA expression of TSPO was elevated in the damaged livers compared to the controls, and the level was correlated with the [18F]FEDAC uptake and severity of damage. TSPO expression in the damaged liver sections was mainly found in macrophages (Kupffer cells) and neutrophils, but not in hepatocytes. The elevation of TSPO mRNA expression was derived from the increase of the number of macrophages with TSPO and neutrophils with TSPO in damaged livers. From this study we considered that PET imaging with [18F]FEDAC represented the mild liver damage through the enhanced TSPO signal in inflammatory cells. We conclude that this method may be a useful tool for diagnosis in early stage of acute liver damage.
Elevated blood acetaldehyde levels in alcoholics and their relatives: a reevaluation

nal body temperature is thereby assured within the limits possible through changes in vasomotor state (uppermost tracing in Fig. IA). Thresholds for initiation of other thermoregulatory effector processes, such as shivering and panting, have been demonstrated to vary with both the ambient (skin) temperature and the local temperature either of the preoptic hypothalamus (16) or of other thermosensitive sites such as the spinal cord (17) as controlled by implanted thermodes. The form of such functions often resembles the relation presented in Fig. 2A. Recent research in our laboratory has determined how tail and foot vasodilation can be triggered by heating thermodes implanted in the hypothalamus of squirrel monkeys restrained in cool environments (12). Some of these results appear in Fig. 2B in a form that facilitates direct comparison with the adjacent microwave data. The striking resemblance lends credence to the hypothesis that low-intensity microwaves, absorbed in the vicinity of thermosensitive neural tissue in the hypothalamus and elsewhere (for example, posterior hypothalamus, midbrain, spinal cord, or deep viscera), can provoke immediate and dramatic changes in thermoregulatory effector response systems. Theoretical analyses (18) suggest that internal hot spots could occur under our experimental conditions (10 mW/cm2, 2450-MHz microwaves) that would locally elevate temperature as much as 0.5°C. A possible neural mechanism would integrate many small afferent signals from diverse structures throughout the body into a strong effector command. The thermoregulatory neural substrate exhibits the diversity and integrative function appropriate to such a mechanism (19). Further, researches into the consequences of multiple thermal inputs confirm that the magnitude of the thermoregulatory effector response can be directly related to the number and sign of localized temper-