Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protein stability imposes limits on organism complexity and speed of molecular evolution

Classical population genetics a priori assigns fitness to alleles without considering molecular or functional properties of proteins that these alleles encode. Here we study population dynamics in a model where fitness can be inferred from physical properties of proteins under a physiological assumption that loss of stability of any protein encoded by an essential gene confers a lethal phenotype. Accumulation of mutations in organisms containing Γ genes can then be represented as diffusion within the Γ-dimensional hypercube with adsorbing boundaries determined, in each dimension, by loss of a protein's stability and, at higher stability, by lack of protein sequences. Solving the diffusion equation whose parameters are derived from the data on point mutations in proteins, we determine a universal distribution of protein stabilities, in agreement with existing data. The theory provides a fundamental relation between mutation rate, maximal genome size, and thermodynamic response of proteins to point mutations. It establishes a universal speed limit on rate of molecular evolution by predicting that populations go extinct (via lethal mutagenesis) when mutation rate exceeds approximately six mutations per essential part of genome per replication for mesophilic organisms and one to two mutations per genome per replication for thermophilic ones. Several RNA viruses function close to the evolutionary speed limit, whereas error correction mechanisms used by DNA viruses and nonmutant strains of bacteria featuring various genome lengths and mutation rates have brought these organisms universally ≈1,000-fold below the natural speed limit.
Diagnostic Value of Regulatory T Cells: A New Facet of a Much Studied Cell Population

FOXP3 has emerged as the most suitable marker for Treg and has been studied in both experimental and clinical transplantation. Biopsy samples have been stained for FOXP3+ cells whereas FOXP3 messenger RNA levels have been measured in blood and urine samples after transplantation. Although not unanimous, some studies have suggested that FOXP3 is associated with better outcome and can also serve as a marker of rejection. Routine staining of FOXP3+ cells in biopsy samples and FOXP3 messenger RNA levels in urine of kidney transplant patients may determine each patient’s immunological profile, enabling less immunosuppression to be given to those at lower risk.
Mind the Gap: Between-Group Differences and Fair Test Use

This paper integrates recent meta-analytical findings regarding group differences in job- and educational-related criteria and cognitive ability measures used as predictors in personnel selection and selection to higher education institutions. The findings suggest that cognitive ability measures reveal much higher group differences than the corresponding between-group differences in job- and educational-related criteria. One possible explanation for these differential gaps is that cognitive ability measures are objective and standardized while the typical measures used as job- and-educational related criteria are non-standardized subjective evaluations of job performance and academic achievement. While these findings are consistent with unbiased prediction or over-prediction for lower scoring groups, they imply that selection is biased against them. Implications and future research are discussed.
The changing face of content area teaching

This study investigated the changes in content area teachers’ instruction in the presence of social constructivist theory and the characteristics of and challenges encountered by teachers whose instruction refl ected high levels of scaffolding and collaborative learning; both indicators of social constructivist practices. Data collection included a questionnaire and interviews. This study suggests that content area teachers’ instruction is evolving from a transmission-lecture approach to include scaffolding and collaborative group practices. Findings from this study reveal the characteristics of teachers who use social constructivist practices and provide suggestions for school administrators on ways to assist teachers as facilitators of learning.
Emotional Labor at a Crossroads: Where Do We Go from Here?

Three decades after its introduction as a concept, emotional labor—regulating emotions as part of the work role—is fully on the map in organizational behavior and organizational psychology. As research has accelerated, roadblocks, such as fuzzy construct conceptualizations, assumed but untested processes, and methodological stagnation, have emerged. To provide direction to new scholars and suggestions to seasoned emotional labor researchers, we review theoretical perspectives and evidence for emotional labor and its (a) construct development and measurement, (b) chronic and momentary determinants, (c) prediction of employee well-being, and (d) influence on organizational performance. On this path, we introduce emotional labor as a dynamic integration of three components (i.e., emotional requirements, emotion regulation, and emotion performance), interpret personal and organizational moderators, and point to innovative new methodological approaches. Overall, we provide a new road map to jump-start the fiel.
Social support and cancer screening among older black Americans.

BACKGROUND Age-adjusted cancer mortality is 27% higher for Black Americans than for the general U.S. population, which may result from inappropriate use of cancer detection tests. Social support has been shown to affect adjustment to breast cancer and survival, but it has not been studied as a predictor of use of preventive health care services in the older population. Our hypothesis is that larger social networks are associated with greater utilization of cancer-screening tests in the older population. PURPOSE The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between social support and use of cancer-screening tests among older Black Americans. METHODS Data for this study were obtained from a 1986 baseline survey evaluation of a community intervention program to increase cancer awareness and a 1991 end-point survey of use of cancer detection tests. Our study sample consisted of 617 Black Americans aged 55 years or older who lived in San Francisco (Calif.), the control community, and in Oakland (Calif.), the target community for intervention. The survey included measures of 1) social network characteristics, as determined by a modified version of Berkman and Syme's Social Network Index; 2) demographic characteristics; and 3) use of six cancer-screening tests--mammography, occult blood stool examination, cervical smear, clinical breast examination, digital rectal examination, and sigmoidoscopy. RESULTS Multiple logistic regression analysis of the Social Network Index results indicated statistically significant positive associations of social support with the use of mammography and occult blood stool examination but not with the other cancer-screening tests. There were statistically significant associations between having HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) insurance and increased use of mammography and occult blood stool examination, compared with having Medi-Cal or other insurance. The interval between the surveys had a statistically significant positive association with use of mammography. These significant associations were not explained by differences in the other variables, which included health status, age, gender, education, type of health insurance, interval between the surveys, and a regular source of care. CONCLUSIONS Social support seems to be associated with increased use of mammography and occult blood stool examinations among older Black Americans. IMPLICATIONS Interventions designed to increase utilization of social networks may be an effective way to increase use of cancer screening, which may ultimately lead to reduced mortality from cancer.
Provider-Level Risk-Adjusted Quality Measurement for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities

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BlueCat: An Efficient Way for Relative Mobile Localization

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of numerous location-based service for mobile users. The technology of locating the mobile devices has received significant research attention. In this paper, a novel notion-Relative Mobile Localization is proposed, which aims to find whether a group of mobile users (such as persons under guardianship) are in the vicinities of other mobile users (such as guardians). However, the existing physical or logical localization methods require the supporting of the anchor nodes such as satellites, base stations or pre-built databases, which is expensive and may fail in some circumstances such as the environments without receiving good signals of anchors. To address these problems, BlueCat, a novel anchor-free localization method is designed. In this method, the names of Bluetooth devices are used as the communication media. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to code the userfriendly names of devices to achieve interactions between mobile users. We also design an energy-efficient algorithm for saving the limited battery power of devices equipped with Bluetooth modules. The effectiveness of the method is validated by using simulations where real user mobility traces are used.
Power Loss Comparison of Single- and Two-Stage Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

This paper presents power loss comparison of single- and two-stage grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems based on the loss factors of double line-frequency voltage ripple (DLFVR), fast irradiance variation + DLFVR, fast dc load variation + DLFVR, limited operating voltage range + DLFVR, and overall loss factor combination. These loss factors will result in power deviation from the maximum power points. In this paper, both single-stage and two-stage grid-connected PV systems are considered. All of the effects on a two-stage system are insignificant due to an additional maximum power point tracker, but the tracker will reduce the system efficiency typically about 2.5%. The power loss caused by these loss factors in a single-stage grid-connected PV system is also around 2.5%; that is, a single-stage system has the merits of saving components and reducing cost, and does not penalize overall system efficiency under certain operating voltage ranges. Simulation results with the MATLAB software package and experimental results have confirmed the analysis.
Information transmission in computational systems

This paper presents Strong Dependency, a formalism based on an information theoretic approach to information transmission in computational systems. Using the formalism, we show how the imposition of initial constraints reduces variety in a system, eliminating undesirable information paths. In this way, protection problems, such as the Confinement Problem, may be solved. A variety of inductive techniques are developed useful for proving that such solutions are correct.
Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacterial Populations and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Obtained from Environments Impacted by Livestock and Municipal Waste

This study compared the populations of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and the repertoire of antimicrobial resistance genes in four environments: effluent of three municipal wastewater treatment facilities, three cattle feedlot runoff catchment ponds, three swine waste lagoons, and two “low impact” environments (an urban lake and a relict prairie). Multiple liquid and solid samples were collected from each environment. The prevalences and concentrations of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica) and Gram-positive (enterococci) bacteria were determined from individual samples (n = 174). The prevalences of 84 antimicrobial resistance genes in metagenomic DNA isolated from samples pooled (n = 44) by collection date, location, and sample type were determined. The prevalences and concentrations of AMR E. coli and Salmonella were similar among the livestock and municipal sample sources. The levels of erythromycin-resistant enterococci were significantly higher in liquid samples from cattle catchment ponds and swine waste lagoons than in liquid samples from municipal wastewater treatment facilities, but solid samples from these environments did not differ significantly. Similarly, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole-resistant E. coli concentrations were significantly higher in swine liquid than in municipal liquid samples, but there was no difference in solid samples. Multivariate analysis of the distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes using principal coordinate analysis showed distinct clustering of samples with livestock (cattle and swine), low impact environment and municipal samples forming three separate clusters. The numbers of class A beta-lactamase, class C beta-lactamase, and fluoroquinolone resistance genes detected were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in municipal samples than in cattle runoff or swine lagoon samples. In conclusion, we report that AMR is a very widespread phenomenon and that similar prevalences and concentrations of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes exist in cattle, human, and swine waste streams, but a higher diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes are present in treated human waste discharged from municipal wastewater treatment plants than in livestock environments.
Prediction of perinatal outcome in fetuses suspected to have intrauterine growth restriction: Doppler US study of fetal cerebral, renal, and umbilical arteries.

PURPOSE To determine and compare the diagnostic performance of fetal middle cerebral (MCA), renal (RA), and umbilical (UA) arterial Doppler ultrasonography (US) for prediction of adverse perinatal outcome in suspected intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred ninety-three small-for-gestational age fetuses (24-39 weeks at recruitment and US-estimated weight or abdominal circumference below 10th percentile) were prospectively examined with Doppler US of the UA, MCA, and RA. Clinicians were blinded to MCA and RA Doppler measurements. RESULTS Seventy-six fetuses (25.9%) had at least one major or minor adverse perinatal outcome. Major outcomes included stillbirth, neonatal death, neurologic complication, and necrotizing enterocolitis. The MCA pulsatility index (PI), compared with the UA PI and RA PI, was more sensitive (72.4% vs 44.7% and 8.3%) but less specific (58.1% vs 86.6% and 92.6%) in predicting adverse outcome. The UA PI had the highest positive likelihood ratio (ratio, 3.3); the MCA PI had the lowest negative likelihood ratio (ratio, 0.48). When gestational age at the first Doppler US examination was less than 32 weeks, the MCA PI had a sensitivity of 95.5% and negative predictive value of 97.7% for major adverse outcome (negative likelihood ratio, 0.10). CONCLUSION In suspected IUGR, while an abnormal UA PI is a better predictor of adverse perinatal outcome than an abnormal MCA or RA PI, a normal MCA PI may help to identify fetuses without major adverse perinatal outcome, especially before 32 weeks gestational age.
Cigarette smoking and impulsivity in bipolar disorder

Heffner JL, Fleck DE, DelBello MP, Adler CM, Strakowski SM. Cigarette smoking and impulsivity in bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 735–742. © 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Europe as a Discursive Battleground

Problems of European integration and governance are increasingly analysed from a discursive perspective. This article reviews the merits of such an approach. Two analytical strands, the Copenhagen and the Governance School, are discussed in depth, both of which in their own ways look at the possibility of legitimately articulating a particular conception of Europe (and governance). Out of this discussion, and taking on board the ideas of German `radical constructivists' as well as discourse analysts Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, the article develops the analytical concept of `discursive nodal points'. This concept helps in addressing the problems of the status of European policy in relation to discourse, the national focus in many discourse analyses, and the limitations of conceptualizing change. Throughout the article, this theoretical and methodological discussion is illustrated with examples taken from an analysis of British European policy since World War II. It is argued that a discursive nodal point approach can contribute significantly to our understanding of the multiple positions within the British debate and of the changes within the dominant conceptions of European governance over time, as well as assist us in a critical assessment of these conceptions.
Representation of perceived sound valence in the human brain

Perceived emotional valence of sensory stimuli influences their processing in various cortical and subcortical structures. Recent evidence suggests that negative and positive valences are processed separately, not along a single linear continuum. Here, we examined how brain is activated when subjects are listening to auditory stimuli varying parametrically in perceived valence (very unpleasant–neutral–very pleasant). Seventeen healthy volunteers were scanned in 3 Tesla while listening to International Affective Digital Sounds (IADS‐2) in a block design paradigm. We found a strong quadratic U‐shaped relationship between valence and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal strength in the medial prefrontal cortex, auditory cortex, and amygdala. Signals were the weakest for neutral stimuli and increased progressively for more unpleasant or pleasant stimuli. The results strengthen the view that valence is a crucial factor in neural processing of emotions. An alternative explanation is salience, which increases with both negative and positive valences. Hum Brain Mapp 33:2295–2305, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Business Information Visualization

With the flood of data produced by today’s information systems, something must be done to allow business decision-makers to extract the information the data contains. The recent advances in visualization technologies provide the capability to begin to use human visual/spatial abilities to solve the abstract problems found in business. If business problems can be visualized with an appropriate representation, then it may be possible to use innate spatial/visual abilities to allow the business decision-maker to separate the “wheat from the chaff. ” This tutorial surveys the issues related to applying visualization technologies to business problem solving.
Scalable, Lightweight, Integrated and Quick-to-Assemble (SLIQ) Hyperdrives for Functional Circuit Dissection

Independently adjustable multielectrode arrays are routinely used to interrogate neuronal circuit function, enabling chronic in vivo monitoring of neuronal ensembles in freely behaving animals at a single-cell, single spike resolution. Despite the importance of this approach, its widespread use is limited by highly specialized design and fabrication methods. To address this, we have developed a Scalable, Lightweight, Integrated and Quick-to-assemble multielectrode array platform. This platform additionally integrates optical fibers with independently adjustable electrodes to allow simultaneous single unit recordings and circuit-specific optogenetic targeting and/or manipulation. In current designs, the fully assembled platforms are scalable from 2 to 32 microdrives, and yet range 1–3 g, light enough for small animals. Here, we describe the design process starting from intent in computer-aided design, parameter testing through finite element analysis and experimental means, and implementation of various applications across mice and rats. Combined, our methods may expand the utility of multielectrode recordings and their continued integration with other tools enabling functional dissection of intact neural circuits.
1 Product Market Linkages and Managerial Risk Taking Jayant

A firm’s customers and suppliers make relationship-specific investments (RSI) whose value reduces if the firm undertakes risky investments. We hypothesize that the risk-taking incentives in the firm CEO’s compensation will lower the RSI by firms up and down in the vertical channel. We provide significant evidence that customer/supplier RSI declines with the risk-taking incentives of the firm’s CEO. Moreover, we find that RSI is more sensitive to the CEO’s risktaking incentives when they are more likely to increase the firm’s cash flow volatility. Our findings are robust to correcting for endogeneity and several measures for RSI and risk taking. JEL Classification G30
Cytomegalovirus pneumonia after bone marrow transplantation successfully treated with the combination of ganciclovir and high-dose intravenous immune globulin.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of the combination of the antiviral agent ganciclovir (9-1,3 dihydroxy-2-propoxymethylguanine) and high-dose intravenous immune globulin for treating cytomegalovirus interstitial pneumonitis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. DESIGN Nonrandomized prospective trial of combined treatment with two drugs; findings in these patients were compared with those in control patients treated with either of the two drugs alone. SETTING Medical, pediatric, and intensive care units of a tertiary-care cancer treatment center. PATIENTS Consecutive cases of 10 patients in the study group and of 11 patients in a historical control group with evidence of cytomegalovirus pneumonia after bone marrow transplantation for treatment of leukemia or congenital immune deficiency. INTERVENTIONS Study Group (10 patients): ganciclovir, 2.5 mg/kg body weight, three times daily for 20 days, plus intravenous immune globulin, 500 mg/kg every other day for ten doses. Patients were then given ganciclovir, 5 mg/kg.d three to five times a week for 20 more doses, and intravenous immune globulin, 500 mg/kg twice a week for 8 more doses. Control Group (11 patients): ganciclovir alone (2 patients), 5 mg/kg twice a day for 14 to 21 days; cytomegalovirus hyperimmune globulin (5 patients), 400 mg/kg.d for 10 days; and intravenous immune globulin (4 patients), 400 mg/kg.d for 10 days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Responses were observed in all patients treated with combination therapy; 7 of 10 patients were alive and well, and had no recurrence of disease at a median of 10 months after therapy. No therapeutic benefit was observed, and none of the 11 patients treated with either ganciclovir or intravenous immune globulin alone survived (P = 0.001 by Fisher exact test). CONCLUSIONS Ganciclovir, when combined with high-dose intravenous immune globulin, appears to have significantly altered the outcome of patients with cytomegalovirus pneumonia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.