Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A revision of Chilicola (Heteroediscelis), a subgenus of xeromelissine bees (Hymenoptera, Colletidae) endemic to Chile: taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography, with descriptions of eight new species

Abstract The bee subgenus Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) Toro & Moldenke, 1979 (Hymenoptera, Colletidae, Xeromelissinae) is revised. The subgenus is considered endemic to Chile and occurs across a broad range of habitats. Eight new species are described: Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) charizard Monckton, sp. n. , Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) curvapeligrosa Monckton, sp. n. , Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) guanicoe Monckton, sp. n. , Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) katherinae Monckton, sp. n. , Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) lickana Monckton, sp. n. , Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) mayu Monckton, sp. n. , Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) packeri Monckton, sp. n. , and Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) randolphi Monckton, sp. n. One of the existing species, Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) valparaiso Toro & Moldenke, 1979, syn. n. , is treated as a junior synonym of Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) mantagua Toro & Moldenke, 1979, and the nine remaining valid species are redescribed. Thoroughly illustrated keys to species for males and females are provided, along with habitus images, images of male terminalia, distribution maps for each species, and a map of relevant Chilean biogeographic regions. Results of phylogenetic analyses are presented, based upon 74 morphological characters and on CO1 barcode sequences, analyzed both separately and as a combined dataset. Monophyly of the subgenus is supported, and groupings within the subgenus are discussed in light of a biogeographic analysis of their species distributions (spatial analysis of vicariance), whereby divergence between taxa is found to occur primarily via north-south disjunctions.
Isolation of a Myoinhibitory Peptide from Leishmania major (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) and Its Function in the Vector Sand Fly Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Abstract Protozoan parasites in the genus Leishmania are ingested by sand flies with blood and multiply in the gut until they are transmitted to a vertebrate host when the sand fly blood feeds again. Infections of the enzootic vector Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli result in distended midguts with no spontaneous gut contractions. Using a P. papatasi hindgut contraction bioassay, a paralytic factor sensitive to trypsin, chymotrypsin, proteinase-K, and heating at 56°C was detected in crude lysates of Leishmania major promastigotes. Application of parasite lysate to isolated hindguts resulted in reversible, dose-dependent inhibition of spontaneous contractions. Mean volume of isolated midguts and hindguts increased by 50–60% after application of L. major lysate. L. major paralytic factor was purified 104-fold over the total protein preparation and yielded a hydrophobic 12-kDa peptide. Myoinhibitory activity eluted as a single peak in reverse phase-high-pressure liquid chromatography. Tandem mass spectrometry resulted in 15 amino acid sequences, three of them sharing 45–73% homology with short hypothetical gene products of undefined function from Pseudomonas, Halobacterium, and Drosophila. This unique protozoan peptide mimics the function of endogenous insect neuropeptides that control visceral muscle contractions. By this novel mechanism, parasites persist in the expanded, relaxed midgut after blood meal and peritrophic matrix digestion. This allows time for development and migration of infective forms, facilitating sand fly vector competence and parasite transmission.
In vivo imaging of cytotoxic T cell infiltration and elimination of a solid tumor

Although the immune system evolved to fight infections, it may also attack and destroy solid tumors. In most cases, tumor rejection is initiated by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), which infiltrate solid tumors, recognize tumor antigens, and kill tumor cells. We use a combination of two-photon intravital microscopy and immunofluorescence on ordered sequential sections to analyze the infiltration and destruction of solid tumors by CTLs. We show that in the periphery of a thymoma growing subcutaneously, activated CTLs migrate with high instantaneous velocities. The CTLs arrest in close contact to tumor cells expressing their cognate antigen. In regions where most tumor cells are dead, CTLs resume migration, sometimes following collagen fibers or blood vessels. CTLs migrating along blood vessels preferentially adopt an elongated morphology. CTLs also infiltrate tumors in depth, but only when the tumor cells express the cognate CTL antigen. In tumors that do not express the cognate antigen, CTL infiltration is restricted to peripheral regions, and lymphocytes neither stop moving nor kill tumor cells. Antigen expression by tumor cells therefore determines both CTL motility within the tumor and profound tumor infiltration.
Rab11 Regulates the Mast Cell Exocytic Response

Stimulated exocytic events provide a means for physiological communication and are a hallmark of the mast cell‐mediated allergic response. In mast cells these processes are triggered by antigen crosslinking of IgE bound to its high‐affinity receptor, FcϵRI, on the cell surface. Here we use the endosomal v‐SNARE VAMP8, and the lysosomal hydrolase β‐hexosaminidase (β‐Hex), each C‐terminally fused to super‐ecliptic pHluorin, to monitor stimulated exocytosis. Using these pHluorin‐tagged constructs, we monitor stimulated exocytosis by fluorimetry and visualize individual exocytic events with total internal reflection (TIRF) microscopy. Similar to constitutive recycling endosome (RE) trafficking, we find that stimulated RE exocytosis, monitored by VAMP8, is attenuated by expression of dominant negative (S25N) Rab11. Stimulated β‐Hex exocytosis is also reduced in the presence of S25N Rab11, suggesting that expression of this mutant broadly impacts exocytosis. Interestingly, pretreatment with inhibitors of actin polymerization, cytochalasin D or latrunculin A, substantially restores both RE and lysosome exocytosis in cells expressing S25N Rab11. Conversely, stabilizing F‐actin with jasplakinolide inhibits antigen‐stimulated exocytosis but is not additive with S25N Rab11‐mediated inhibition, suggesting that these reagents inhibit related processes. Together, our results suggest that Rab11 participates in the regulation necessary for depolymerization of the actin cytoskeleton during stimulated exocytosis in mast cells.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Hyperfibrinolysis in Trauma (A European Perspective)

Abstract Fibrinolysis activation occurs almost universally after severe trauma. Systemic hyperfibrinolysis is a key component of acute traumatic coagulopathy and associated with poor clinical outcomes, although controversy exists over optimal treatment strategies. The mechanistic drivers and dynamics of fibrinolytic activation in response to injury and trauma resuscitation are currently unclear. Furthermore, therapeutic triggers are compounded by the lack of a sensitive and rapid diagnostic tool, with discrepancy between hyperfibrinolysis diagnosed by viscoelastic hemostatic assays versus biomarkers for fibrinolysis. Rotational thromboelastometry and thromboelastography appear capable of detecting the severest forms of hyperfibrinolysis but are relatively insensitive to moderate, yet clinically significant fibrinolytic activation. Rapid evaluation of the current status of the fibrinolytic system remains a challenge and therefore the decision whether to administer an antifibrinolytic agent should be based on available evidence from clinical trials. In line with current European guidelines, we recommend that all bleeding trauma patients, and in particular, severely injured patients with evidence of hemorrhagic shock, should receive early empiric tranexamic acid. This review explains our current knowledge of the pathophysiological pathways which induce hyperfibrinolysis in trauma hemorrhage, evaluates the available diagnostic modalities, and describes current treatment strategies.
SpiraClock: a continuous and non-intrusive display for upcoming events

In this paper, we present SpiraClock, a new visualization technique for nearby events. SpiraClock fills a gap between static calendar displays and pop-up reminders by giving the user a continuous and non-intrusive feedback on nearby events. Events are displayed inside an analog clock that can be used as a regular computer clock. We used SpiraClock for displaying bus schedules, and collected user feedback.
Interaction of Kv3 Potassium Channels and Resurgent Sodium Current Influences the Rate of Spontaneous Firing of Purkinje Neurons

Purkinje neurons spontaneously generate action potentials in the absence of synaptic drive and thereby exert a tonic, yet plastic, input to their target cells in the deep cerebellar nuclei. Purkinje neurons express two ionic currents with biophysical properties that are specialized for high-frequency firing: resurgent sodium currents and potassium currents mediated by Kv3.3. How these ionic currents determine the intrinsic activity of Purkinje neurons has only partially been understood. Purkinje neurons from mutant mice lacking Kv3.3 have a reduced rate of spontaneous firing. Dynamic-clamp recordings demonstrated that normal firing rates are rescued by inserting artificial Kv3 currents into Kv3.3 knock-out Purkinje neurons. Numerical simulations indicated that Kv3.3 increases the spontaneous firing rate via cooperation with resurgent sodium currents. We conclude that the rate of spontaneous action potential firing of Purkinje neurons is controlled by the interaction of Kv3.3 potassium currents and resurgent sodium currents.
Amelioration of Hypercholesterolemia by an EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor in Mice with Liver-Specific Knockout of Mig-6

Mitogen-inducible gene 6 (Mig-6) is a negative feedback inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. We previously found that Mig-6 plays a critical role in the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis and in bile acid synthesis. In this study, we investigated the effects of EGFR inhibition to identify a potential new treatment target for hypercholesterolemia. We used a mouse model with conditional ablation of the Mig-6 gene in the liver (Albcre/+Mig-6f/f; Mig-6d/d) to effectively investigate the role of Mig-6 in the regulation of liver function. Mig-6d/d mice were treated with either the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib or statin for 6 weeks after administration of a high-fat or standard diet. We then compared lipid profiles and other parameters among each group of mice. After a high-fat diet, Mig-6d/d mice showed elevated serum levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose, characteristics resembling hypercholesterolemia in diabetic patients. We observed decreases in serum levels of lipids and glucose in high-fat-diet-fed Mig-6d/d mice after 6 weeks of treatment with gefitinib or statin. Furthermore gefitinib-treated mice showed significantly greater decreases in serum levels of total, HDL and LDL cholesterol compared with statin-treated mice. Taken together, these results suggest that EGFR inhibition is effective for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in high-fat-diet-fed Mig-6d/d mice, and our findings provide new insights into the development of possible treatment targets for hypercholesterolemia via modulation of EGFR inhibition.
Neural evidence for reduced apprehensiveness of familiarized stimuli in a mere exposure paradigm

Mere familiarization with a stimulus increases liking for it or similar stimuli (“mere exposure” effects) as well as perceptual fluency, indexed by the speed and accuracy of categorizing it or similar stimuli (“priming” effects). Candidate mechanisms proposed to explain mere exposure effects include both increased positive affect associated with greater perceptual fluency, and reduced negative affect associated with diminished apprehensiveness of novel stimuli. Although these two mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, it is difficult for behavioral measures to disentangle them, since increased liking or other indices of greater positive affect toward exposed stimuli could result from increases in positive feelings or decreases in negative feelings or both. The present study sought to clarify this issue by building on research showing a dissociation at the neural level in which the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (LOFC) is activated more by negatively valenced than by neutral or positively valenced stimuli, with the reverse effect for medial orbitofrontal cortex (MOFC). Supporting the reduced apprehensiveness hypothesis, we found lower LOFC activation to familiarized faces and objects (repetition suppression). We did not find evidence to support the positive affect hypothesis in increased activation to familiarized stimuli in MOFC or in other parts of the reward circuit that respond more to positively valenced stimuli (repetition enhancement), although enhancement effects were shown in some regions.
Surface wind speed probability distribution in the Southeast Pacific of Marine Stratus and Stratocumulus regions

Probability distributions of surface wind speeds (SWS) near coastal regions are needed for applications such as estimating offshore wind power and ocean surface fluxes and for offshore wind risk assessments. Ocean surface wind speed probability distribution (PDF) is characterized using three-year QuikSCAT and AIRS satellite observations in the southeast Pacific of marine stratus and stratocumulus (MSC) regions. Seasonal variation is removed from wind statistics. It was found that the observed SWS standard deviation has a linear positive relationship with its mean SWS; while the SWS skewness decreases with mean SWS in regimes of strong winds and increases with mean SWS in regimes of weak winds. A simple 1D conceptual model is developed near the Peruvian region, which successfully reproduces the observed relationship between higher moments of SWS and its mean value. The model based physical picture among ocean surface winds, SST, and marine boundary clouds are supported by three-year QuikSCAT surface wind observations and fifteen-year ERA40 re-analysis data. Model sensitive tests suggest that large-scale divergence, and strengths of momentum and cloud fluctuations have significant effects on the ocean SWS-PDF in marine stratus and stratocumulus regions.
Variational segmentation of elongated volumetric structures

We present an interactive approach for segmenting thin volumetric structures. The proposed segmentation model is based on an anisotropic weighted Total Variation energy with a global volumetric constraint and is minimized using an efficient numerical approach and a convex relaxation. The algorithm is globally optimal w.r. t. the relaxed problem for any volumetric constraint. The binary solution of the relaxed problem equals the globally optimal solution of the original problem. Implemented on today's user-programmable graphics cards, it allows real-time user interaction. The method is applied to and evaluated on the task of articular cartilage segmentation of human knee joints and segmentation of tubular structures like liver vessels and airway trees.
Threat assessment and sensor control for multi-target tracking via PHD filter

In consideration of the sensor control under the real tracking environment, this paper presents a threat assessment based sensor control. First, the factors that affect the threat level of target are analyzed. Moreover, this paper uses the approximate multi-target filter to estimate multi-target states, and determine the target with the maximum threat degree at the different times based on the Tactical Significance Map (TSM) function. Finally, the Rényi divergence is used as objective function for sensor control, and the final control policy is solved through the maximum information gain criterion. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the presented method.
Security automation considered harmful?

End-users are often perceived as the weakest link in information security. Because of this perception, a growing body of research and commercial activity is focused on automated approaches to security. With these approaches, security decisions are removed from the hands of the users, and are placed instead in systems themselves, or in remote services or organizations that establish policies that are automatically enforced. We contend that although security automation is potentially beneficial in theory, in practice it is not a panacea for end-user information security. A number of technical and social factors mitigate against the acceptance and efficacy of automated end-user security solutions in many cases. In this paper, we present a discussion of the inherent limitations of automating security for end-users. We then discuss a set of design guidelines for choosing whether to automate end-user security systems. We conclude with a set of research directions focused on increasing the acceptance and efficacy of security solutions for end-users.
Understanding Satellite Characterization Knowledge Gained from Radiometric Data

Abstract : This paper presents a framework for determining satellite characterization knowledge, in the form of estimated parameter uncertainties, from radiometric observation type, quantity, quality, and in combinations. The approach combines complex forward modeling capability with an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) to map observation uncertainties into satellite characterization parameter space. These parameters can include size, shape, orientation, material properties, etc., and the observations can include broadband or narrowband spectral radiometry, spatially resolved or non-resolved imagery, and passive or active optical data. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique the example of using photometric light curve observations to estimate the orientation of a cube is presented. This example is chosen since the orientation uncertainty can be analytically traced from basic radiometry equations and compared to the results of the UKF. The uncertainties can also be tested through Monte Carlo analysis in which simulations are performed 10 times in order to compare observed estimation error sample statistics to the uncertainty predicted by the UKF. There are many optical sensors available and proposed to provide satellite characterization information. Understanding the information content in these data, which this approach provides, allows users to predict the amount and type of data required to obtain desired satellite characterization knowledge as well as provides direction for high pay-off future sensor development efforts.
In situ stress data from the Jura Mountains — new results and interpretation

Recently completed in situ stress measurements using the borehole slotter at 33 new test sites within the Swiss and French Jura Mountains are presented. When combined with previously published stress data, these new measurements allow a detailed description of the contemporary state of stress in this fold‐and‐thrust belt and the adjacent foreland. The data now allow the recognition of five stress provinces, within which two general and different orientations of maximum horizontal stress SH can be distinguished: the Central and the Southwest Provinces, with a NNW–SSE to NNE–SSW orientation, and the East, Northwest and Southeast Provinces, orientated E–W to NW–SE. Each province has its own characteristic orientation. Measurements in three study areas are presented for comparison with already published acoustic anisotropy measurements, borehole breakout data, overcoring tests and triangulation measurements. The results show a generally good agreement with the new borehole slotter measurements. The tectonic implications of these stress data are discussed in terms of a large‐scale stress reorientation of the NW–SE orientated contemporary Central European stress field in the foreland of the western Alpine arc.
Glucocorticoid Regulation of SLIT/ROBO Tumour Suppressor Genes in the Ovarian Surface Epithelium and Ovarian Cancer Cells

The three SLIT ligands and their four ROBO receptors have fundamental roles in mammalian development by promoting apoptosis and repulsing aberrant cell migration. SLITs and ROBOs have emerged as candidate tumour suppressor genes whose expression is inhibited in a variety of epithelial tumours. We demonstrated that their expression could be negatively regulated by cortisol in normal ovarian luteal cells. We hypothesised that after ovulation the locally produced cortisol would inhibit SLIT/ROBO expression in the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) to facilitate its repair and that this regulatory pathway was still present, and could be manipulated, in ovarian epithelial cancer cells. Here we examined the expression and regulation of the SLIT/ROBO pathway in OSE, ovarian cancer epithelial cells and ovarian tumour cell lines. Basal SLIT2, SLIT3, ROBO1, ROBO2 and ROBO4 expression was lower in primary cultures of ovarian cancer epithelial cells when compared to normal OSE (P<0.05) and in poorly differentiated SKOV-3 cells compared to the more differentiated PEO-14 cells (P<0.05). Cortisol reduced the expression of certain SLITs and ROBOs in normal OSE and PEO-14 cells (P<0.05). Furthermore blocking SLIT/ROBO activity reduced apoptosis in both PEO-14 and SKOV-3 tumour cells (P<0.05). Interestingly SLIT/ROBO expression could be increased by reducing the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor using siRNA (P<0.05). Overall our findings indicate that in the post-ovulatory phase one role of cortisol may be to temporarily inhibit SLIT/ROBO expression to facilitate regeneration of the OSE. Therefore this pathway may be a target to develop strategies to manipulate the SLIT/ROBO system in ovarian cancer.
Meniscofibular Ligament: Morphology and Functional Significance of a Relatively Unknown Anatomical Structure

Purpose. A relatively unknown ligamentous structure of the posterolateral corner of the knee joint, the so-called meniscofibular ligament (MFL), was investigated as regards its macroscopic morphology, its histological features, and its reaction to knee movements. Material and Methods. MFL was exposed on 21 fresh-frozen unpaired knee joints. Its microscopic morphology was examined utilizing for comparison the fibular collateral and the popliteofibular ligament. Results. MFL was encountered in 100% of the specimens as a thin striplike fibrous band extending between the lower border of the lateral meniscus and the head of the fibula. MFL was tense during knee extension and external rotation of the tibia, whereas its histological features were similar to those of fibular collateral and popliteofibular ligament. Discussion. Its precise histological nature is studied as well as its tension alterations during knee movements. The potential functional significance of the MFL with respect to its role in avoidance of lateral meniscus and lateral coronary ligament tears is discussed. Conclusions. MFL presumably provides an additional protection to the lateral meniscus during the last stages of knee extension, as well as to the lateral coronary ligament reducing the possibility of a potential rupture.