Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association mapping reveals the role of purifying selection in the maintenance of genomic variation in gene expression

Significance Biologists have long sought to explain why we see genetic variation for traits in populations despite the expectation that selection will remove most variation. We address this question by using gene expression as a model trait and identifying the genetic loci that affect gene expression in a single, large population of the plant Capsella grandiflora. Alleles at loci that affect expression were rarer than expected under neutral expectations, and there was a negative correlation between phenotypic effect size and frequency of these alleles. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that purifying selection acts on the genetic variation for expression. The evolutionary forces that maintain genetic variation in quantitative traits within populations remain poorly understood. One hypothesis suggests that variation is under purifying selection, resulting in an excess of low-frequency variants and a negative correlation between minor allele frequency and selection coefficients. Here, we test these predictions using the genetic loci associated with total expression variation (eQTLs) and allele-specific expression variation (aseQTLs) mapped within a single population of the plant Capsella grandiflora. In addition to finding eQTLs and aseQTLs for a large fraction of genes, we show that alleles at these loci are rarer than expected and exhibit a negative correlation between phenotypic effect size and frequency. Overall, our results show that the distribution of frequencies and effect sizes of the loci responsible for local expression variation within a single outcrossing population are consistent with the effects of purifying selection.
American option pricing using multi-layer perceptron and support vector machine

An option is the right to buy or sell an underlying asset at a future date. The field of option pricing produces a challenge because of the complexity with pricing American styled options which cannot be done by the Black-Scholes equations for option pricing. A multi-layer perceptron neural network has been used before to price these options with limited success. In this paper we will compare the performance of a multi-layer perceptron neural network and a support vector machine in pricing American styled options. It was found that a support vector machine approach provided much better results than that found with multi-layer perceptrons.
Analysis of athletic performance with prophylactic ankle devices

We evaluated the effect of different ankle support de vices on athletic performance. Thirty varsity college athletes were tested with both ankles supported by taping, Swede-O brace, Kallassy brace or left unsup ported. The athletes performed four events: broad jump, vertical leap, 10 yard shuttle run, and 40 yard sprint. The events and appliances were randomized to prevent bias by fatigue. Compared to the results when no support was used, ankle taping resulted in a significant decreased perform ance in the vertical jump (4%), shuttle run (1.6%), and sprint (3.5%) (P < 0.05). Use of the Swede-O brace decreased performance in the vertical jump (4.6%), broad jump (3.6%), and time of the sprint (3.2%). Re sults using the Kallassy brace showed a decrease in the vertical jump (3.4%) when compared to no support. The test results of the shuttle run with taping were slower than the Kallassy brace (P < 0.05). Wearing the Swede-O brace caused the athletes' broad jump dis tance to decrease more than the Kallassy brace (P < 0.05). Subjective questionnaires supported the Kallassy brace as the most comfortable support and the one that decreased performance the least. Taping of the ankles is universally accepted for ankle prophylaxis. This study has shown a decrease in per formance when ankles are taped compared to ankles with no protection. Since the decreases in performance caused by ankle braces are minor, this should not be used as a criterion for selection of prophylactic support compared to taping.
Evaluating the Accuracy of a Gridded Near-Surface Temperature Dataset over Mainland China

High-resolution meteorological data products are crucial for agrometeorological studies. Here, we study the accuracy of an important gridded dataset, the near-surface temperature dataset from the 5 km × 5 km resolution China dataset of meteorological forcing for land surface modeling (published by the Beijing Normal University). Using both the gridded dataset and the observed temperature data from 590 meteorological stations, we calculate nine universal meteorological indices (mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures of daily, monthly, and annual data) and five agricultural thermal indices (first frost day, last frost day, frost-free period, and ≥0 °C and ≥10 °C active accumulated temperature, i.e., AAT0 and AAT10) of the 11 temperature zones over mainland China. Then, for each meteorological index, we calculate the root mean square errors (RMSEs), correlation coefficient and climate trend rates of the two datasets. The results show that the RMSEs of these indices are usually lower in the north subtropical, mid-subtropical, south subtropical, marginal tropical and mid-tropical zones than in the plateau subfrigid, plateau temperate, and plateau subtropical mountains zones. Over mainland China, the AAT0, AAT10, and mean and maximum temperatures calculated from the gridded data show the same climate trends with those derived from the observed data, while the minimum temperature and its derivations (first frost day, last frost day, and frost-free period) show the opposite trends in many areas. Thus, the mean and maximum temperature data derived from the gridded dataset are applicable for studies in most parts of China, but caution should be taken when using the minimum temperature data.
[Short effect and adverse reaction of dog days plaster for allergic rhinitis].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the short effect and safety of the acupoint application of dog days for allergic rhinitis. METHODS Two hundred and forty-nine patients were randomly divided into an application group (166 cases) and a placebo group (83 cases). On the first day of the first dog days, the first day of the second of the three ten-day periods of the hot season and the first day of the last of the three ten-day periods of the hot season, acupoint application was adopted mainly at Dazhui (GV 14), Feishu (BL 13), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) in the application group. The plaster was made of Chinese herbs, including Baijiezi (semen brassicae), Xixin (asarum), Yanhusuo (corydalis tuber) and Gansui (euphorbia kansui). Buckwheat plaster without medical ingredient was used in the placebo group. The application was pasted for 2-6 h every time. On the first three days of all the three periods of dog days, treatment was used continuously. The whole period of dog days was made into one course. The changes of symptom and syndrome scores, visual analogue scale (VAS) for symptom before and after treatment and the adverse reaction with the condition disposed were observed in the two groups. RESULTS After treatment, the symptom and syndrome scores and VAS for symptom were improved compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all P < 0.05), and the improvements of the application group were more obvious than those of the placebo group (all P < 0.05). The short effective rate of the application group was 68.1% (113/166), which was better than 48.2% (40/83) of the placebo group (P < 0.05). The adverse reaction rates were 4.2% (7/166), 2.4% (2/83) respectively, with no statistical significance between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The dog days plaster achieves obvious effect with good safety for allergic rhinitis.
On the effectiveness of receptors in recognition systems

In the type of recognition system under discussion, the physical sample to be recognized is first subjected to a battery of tests; on the basis of the test results, the sample is then assigned to one of a number of prespecified categories. The theory of how test results should be combined to yield an optimal assignment has been discussed in an earlier paper. Here, attention is focused on the tests themselves. At present, we usually measure the effectiveness of a set of tests empirically, i.e., by determining the percentage of correct recognitions made by some recognition device which uses these tests. In this paper, we discuss some of the theoretical problems encountered in trying to determine a more formal measure of the effectiveness of a set of tests; a measure which might be a practical substitute for the empirical evaluation. Specifically, the following question is considered: What constitutes an effective set of tests, and how is this effectiveness dependent on the correlations among, and the properties of, the individual tests in the set? Specific suggestions are considered for the case in which the test results are normally distributed, but arbitrarily correlated. The discussion is supported by the results of experiments dealing with automatic recognition of hand-printed characters.
Residue of DDT and HCH in Fish from Lakes and Rivers in the World

Organochlorine pesticides such as DDT and HCH had been abundantly produced and used since the around twentieth century in all over the world and environmental pollution, food contamination and human body pollution had developed into social problem because of their high bioconcentration potential and high persistency. The use and manufacturing of DDT and HCH were forbidden in many countries including Japan in all over the world in the first half in 1970's.
Nonprofits for Hire: The Welfare State in the Age of Contracting

Paradoxes, ironies, and unintended consequences characterize the system of government contracting with nonprofit organizations. That message rolls like summer thunder through the nearly three hundred pages of Smith and Lipsky’s new book on the impact of purchase-of-senice contracting on nonprofit organizations. Some paradoxes: Nonprofit organizations are more politically powerful under a contracting regime and more vulnerable. Government contract requirements have helped some nonprofit organizations to broaden their concerns and move away from narrow, particularistic interests. They have also promoted greater homogeneity of services and decreased consumer choice. A few ironies: The increased use of nonprofits by government agencies means more, not less, involvement by government in the lives of people. Contracting has reduced, not increased, government accountability for service quality. The weight of administrative regulations and efficiency concerns has shifted the attention of nonprofits toward managerial systems and away from direct services. Finally, some unintended consequences: Contracting may cost more, not less. The system may decrease, not increase, the flexibility, diversity, and innovation of programs. Contracting processes tend to destabilize the very providers upon whom government agencies depend. In essence, Smith and Lipsky argue, the contracting system may have drawn nonprofit organizations into managing the administrative and service delivery failures of the public sector. The message is a strong one, and complex. There is much in Nonprofits for Hire to recommend to practitioners, policy makers, and scholars interested in either social welfare policy or managerial implications. The three sections of the book weave together crosscutting themes from multiple levels of analysis. The first section of the book, “The Turn to Nonprofits,” lays out the parameters of the mutual dependence between nonprofit and government contracting agencies. Despite this interdependence, the book‘s emphasis is on the extent to which a contracting system increases the vulnerability of nonprofits-for example, by making them dependent on large chunks of government funds. Early on, Smith and Lipsky outline social welfare policy concerns to which they return throughout the book: Is contracting weakening the nonprofit sector, especially the extent to which nonprofits are manifestations of community? Has the system shifted responsibility for the implementation of public objectives to private agents over which
Phase Noise Degradation in Massive MIMO Downlink With Zero-Forcing and Maximum Ratio Transmission Precoding

The effect of phase noise is considered in a downlink massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) scenario with linear precoding schemes, namely, zero-forcing (ZF) and maximum ratio transmission (MRT). The degradation in terms of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) and the achievable rate are analytically obtained and compared with simulations. The effect of phase noise is different for the two linear precoding schemes, with MRT showing greater robustness but a lower achievable rate per user. Interestingly, the SINR degradation due to phase noise tends to be independent of the number of base-station antennas when this number is big enough. Moreover, the effects of imperfect channel knowledge at the transmitter are studied, and the comparison between the two precoders confirms greater robustness with MRT.
ONE-CARD System Based on the Second Generation ID Card in China

We present a RFID application in which the second generation ID card in China is used instead of all kinds of the existing IC or ID card. For the purpose of solving the confusion of different kinds of card used in One-Card system, we design a One-Card in the whole campus solution based on the second generation ID card with adaptable interface to all kinds of utility services in university. It adopts password, fingerprint and other biometrics feature binding information for authentication in addition. Furthermore, the business procedure and developing interface is given. As an application, we implement a One-Card system consists of Electronic Passports module in library online, Sports Test module on the ground offline with SD card being the data storage and transferring media. In the end, layered architecture, clear data process and network architecture of the One-Card system is introduced to discuss the feasibility of the solution. The result of the present work implied that the second generation ID card in China is gradually becoming a new way to solve the confusion problem of One-Card system. It will play an important role in the utility prepayment field.
The cholecystokinin receptor antagonist L364,718 increases food intake in the rat by attenuation of the action of endogenous cholecystokinin

1 To determine the role of endogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) in the regulation of food intake, the effects of the potent CCK receptor antagonist L364,718 were investigated on the intake of a palatable diet in non‐deprived rats. The effect of a single dose of proglumide was also investigated for comparative purposes. In addition, the ability of L364,718 to antagonize the reduction in food intake produced by exogenous cholecystokinin‐octapeptide (CCK8) or bombesin in food‐deprived rats was determined. 2 L364,718 (10–100 μg kg−1, i.p.) increased the intake of palatable diet during the 30 min test period. Proglumide (300 mg kg−1, i.p.) also increased the intake of palatable diet. Conversely, CCK8 (0.5–5 μg kg−1, i.p.) produced a reduction in the intake of the diet. 3 In fasted rats, L364,718 (100 μg kg−1, i.p.) antagonized the reduction in food intake produced by CCK8 (10 μg kg−1, i.p.) but not that produced by bombesin (50 μg kg−1, i.p.). L364,718 did not increase food intake in these animals when measured over a 6 h period. 4 It is concluded that L364,718 is a potent, selective antagonist of the effects of CCK8 on food intake. The observation that L364,718 and proglumide increase the intake of a palatable diet provides some evidence that endogenous CCK is involved in the control of food intake in this model.
Methylation of the phosphate oxygen moiety of phospholipid‐methoxy(polyethylene glycol) conjugate prevents PEGylated liposome‐mediated complement activation and anaphylatoxin production

Methoxy(polyethylene glycol), mPEG,‐grafted liposomes are known to exhibit prolonged circulation time in the blood, but their infusion into a substantial percentage of human subjects triggers immediate non‐IgE‐mediated hypersensitivity reactions. These reactions are strongly believed to arise from anaphylatoxin production through complement activation. Despite the general view that vesicle surface camouflaging with mPEG should dramatically suppress complement activation, here we show that bilayer enrichment of noncomplement activating liposomes [dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) vesicles] with phospholipid‐mPEG conjugate induces complement activation resulting in vesicle recognition by macrophage complement receptors. The extent of vesicle uptake, however, is dependent on surface mPEG density. We have delineated the likely structural features of phospholipid‐mPEG conjugate responsible for PEGylated liposome‐induced complement activation in normal as well as C1q‐deficient human sera, using DPPC vesicles bearing the classical as well as newly synthesized lipid‐mPEG conjugates. With PEGylated DPPC vesicles, the net anionic charge on the phosphate moiety of phospholipid‐mPEG conjugate played a key role in activation of both classical and alternative pathways of complement and anaphylatoxin production (reflected in significant rises in SC5b‐9, C4d, and C3a‐desarg levels in normal human sera as well as SC5b‐9 in EGTA‐chelated/Mg2+ supplemented serum), since methylation of the phosphate oxygen of phospholipid‐mPEG conjugate, and hence the removal of the negative charge, totally prevented complement activation. To further corroborate on the role of the negative charge in complement activation, vesicles bearing anionic phospholipid‐mPEG conjugates, but not the methylated phospholipid‐mPEG, were shown to significantly decrease serum hemolytic activity and increase plasma thromboxane B2 levels in rats. In contrast to liposomes, phospholipid‐mPEG micelles had no effect on complement activation, thus suggesting a possible role for vesicular zwitterionic phospholipid head‐groups as an additional factor contributing to PEGylated liposome‐mediated complement activation. Our findings provide a rational conceptual basis for development of safer vesicles for site‐specific drug delivery and controlled release at pathological sites. —Moghimi, S. M. , Hamad, I. , Andresen, T. L. , Jørgensen, K. , Szebeni, J. Methylation of the phosphate oxygen moiety of phospholipid‐methoxy(polyethylene glycol) conjugate prevents PEGylated liposome‐mediated complement activation and anaphylatoxin production FASEB J. 20, E2057–E2067 (2006)
Legislative Responsiveness to Constituency Change

Across democracies, elected officials are expected to represent their constituents, but how do legislators react to changes in their constituency? This core question of legislative responsiveness is examined in the context of the bicameral U.S. Congress where more than 100 legislators have served in both chambers since 1960. These chamber-changers provide a unique vantage point for examining constituency representation, including competing expectations based on the electoral connection and the ideological stability of legislative voting. Based on analyses of original data, I find overwhelming evidence of legislative responsiveness to both constituency change and constituency stability. Moreover, when legislators’ constituencies change, they respond by changing their behavior in ways that reflect both the direction and magnitude of constituency change.
The Fate of Desmosomal Proteins in Apoptotic Cells*

Activation of caspases results in the disruption of structural and signaling networks in apoptotic cells. Recent biochemical and cell biological studies have shown that components of the cadherin-catenin adhesion complex in epithelial adherens junctions are targeted by caspases during apoptosis. In epithelial cells, desmosomes represent a second type of anchoring junctions mediating strong cell-cell contacts. Using antibodies directed against a set of desmosomal proteins, we show that desmosomes are proteolytically targeted during apoptosis. Desmogleins and desmocollins, representing desmosome-specific members of the cadherin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules, are specifically cleaved after onset of apoptosis. Similar to E-cadherin, the desmoglein-3 cytoplasmic tail is cleaved by caspases. In addition the extracellular domains of desmoglein-3 and desmocollin-3 are released from the cell surface by a metalloproteinase activity. In the presence of caspase and/or metalloproteinase inhibitors, both cleavage reactions are almost completely inhibited. As reported previously, the desmosomal plaque protein plakoglobin is cleaved by caspase-3 during apoptosis. Our studies now show that plakophilin-1 and two other major plaque proteins, desmoplakin-1 and -2, are also cleaved by caspases. Immunofluorescence analysis confirmed that this cleavage results in the disruption of the desmosome structure and thus contributes to cell rounding and disintegration of the intermediate filament system.
Genetic variations of regulator of G-protein signaling 2 in hypertensive patients and in the general population

Objectives Mice deficient in the regulator of G-protein signaling 2 (RGS2) exhibit a strong hypertensive phenotype. We studied whether genetic variations in RGS2 are implicated in hypertension or other phenotypes in Japanese hypertensive individuals and the general population. Methods We sequenced all exons of RGS2 and the promoter region in 953 and 48 hypertensive individuals, respectively. Genotyping by the TaqMan polymerase chain reaction method was performed for six missense or frameshift mutations and common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the general population, with a sample size of 1872 individuals (862 men and 1011 women). Results We identified five novel missense mutations (Q2L; n = 2, Q2R; n = 1, M5V; n = 1, R44H; n = 2, Q78H; n = 1) and one novel frameshift mutation (1925–1926insT; n = 2) in a heterozygous state, in addition to 33 variations including five common single nucleotide polymorphisms. Six missense/frameshift mutations and three common single nucleotide polymorphisms (−638A > G, 1026T > A, 1891–1892delTC) were successfully genotyped in the general population. Mutations Q2L (n = 2), M5V (n = 1), and 1925–1926insT (n = 2) were only identified in hypertensive subjects. Six out of seven individuals with the R44H mutation, which occurs in the amphipathic α-helical domain of RGS2, had hypertension. The results showed a significant association of two common single nucleotide polymorphisms, 1026T > A [TT versus TA + AA: odds ratio (OR) 1.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.74; P = 0.035] and 1891–1892delTC (I: insertion allele, D: deletion allele, II versus ID + DD: OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.09–1.97; P = 0.012), with hypertension in women by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion Our results suggest that genetic variations in RGS2 contribute partly to the hypertensive phenotype.