Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
General intelligence and memory span: Evidence for a common neuroanatomic framework

General intelligence (g) is highly correlated with working-memory capacity (WMC). It has been argued that these central psychological constructs should share common neural systems. The present study examines this hypothesis using structural magnetic resonance imaging to determine any overlap in brain areas where regional grey matter volumes are correlated to measures of general intelligence and to memory span. In normal volunteers (N = 48) the results (p < .05, corrected for multiple comparisons) indicate that a common anatomic framework for these constructs implicates mainly frontal grey matter regions belonging to Brodmann area (BA) 10 (right superior frontal gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus) and, to a lesser degree, the right inferior parietal lobule (BA 40). These findings support the nuclear role of a discrete parieto-frontal network.
Assessing the optical performance of multifocal (diffractive) intraocular lenses

Background and purpose: While the optical performance of monofocal refractive lenses can be measured quite easily, more efforts are required to assess the performance of multifocal lenses, due to imaging to several foci. The purpose of this study was to develop a rugged test setup for evaluation of the optical properties of intraocular lenses (IOLs) in conformity to the International Standard ISO 11979.
Sea Target Detection Using Spaceborne GNSS-R Delay-Doppler Maps: Theory and Experimental Proof of Concept Using TDS-1 Data

This study addresses a novel application of global navigation satellite system-reflectometry (GNSS-R) delay-Doppler maps (DDMs), namely sea target detection. In contrast with other competing remote sensing technologies, such as synthetic aperture radar and optical systems, typically exploited in the field of sea target detection, GNSS-R systems could be employed as satellite constellations, so as to fulfill the temporal requirements for near real-time ships and sea ice sheets monitoring. In this study, the revisit time offered by GNSS-R systems is quantitatively evaluated by means of a simulation analysis, in which three different realistic GNSS-R missions are simulated and analyzed. Then, a sea target detection algorithm from spaceborne GNSS-R DDMs is described and assessed. The algorithm is based on a sea clutter compensation step and uses an adaptive threshold to take into account spatial variations in the sea background and/or noise statistics. Finally, the sea target detector algorithm is tested and validated for the first time ever using experimental GNSS-R data from the U.K. TechDemoSat-1 dataset. Performance is assessed by providing the receiver operating characteristic curves, and some preliminary experimental results are presented.
Service Discovery Using a Semantic Algorithm in a SOA Modernization Process from Legacy Web Applications

Service-oriented architectures (SOA) offer a suitable solution to manage the continuous changes in companies business processes. SOA facilitates the alignment of business process with underlying system services. There is a high percentage of Legacy Web Applications (LWA) developed by software factories that were implemented by using Model-View Controller (MVC) frameworks and without considering SOA in their development process. In this context, many companies are performing a modernization of their systems to be adapted to SOA. However, this migration is usually carried out ad-hoc by means of not reusable and error-prone manual processes. Additionally, these migration processes are often performed at a low abstraction level, close to code, hindering reusability and maintainability of the obtained systems. In this paper a Model-Driven systematic and semi-automatic approach to modernize legacy web applications to SOA is presented. The approach eases the reutilization of the process at different domains, since the underlying services of the LWA are identified and generated from model-driven techniques, but also of the new generated system since these new services may be offered as an interoperable service layer. Although the paper completely introduces the approach, it mainly focuses on the semantic process defined to discover services of the LWA that may be later associated (aligned) to the company business processes.
"Shear induced platelet activation"--a critical reappraisal.

Platelets were found to be stimulated by high shear exposure for 5 minutes. Using a new technique, shear stresses up to 255 N/m2, acting for pathophysiological relevant intervals of milliseconds did not elicit active release of beta-TG, beyond the amount explained by LDH-monitored passive lysis. Neither the plasma level of ionized calcium (citrate vs heparin anticoagulation), nor a potent platelet inhibiting agent like PgI2 (20 nM) did significantly alter platelet responses to short acting high shear stress. Ultrastructural signs of activation could largely be suppressed by adding ADP-scavengers. Direct "shear induced platelet activation" appears rather unlikely and mostly reducible to secondary biochemical activation by mediators, probably adenine nucleotides, from a small percentage of passively shear-destroyed platelets. The extent of this secondary activation is largely a matter of experimental conditions.
Three essays on the wealth effects of deferred payments in corporate takeovers

In three papers, I employ parametric and nonparametric methods in order to further examine the determinants of value creation in M&A deals financed with contingent earnout payments. The first paper investigates the short-run wealth effects of earnouts in deals in which financial advisors are counseling the acquiring firms. The results suggest that relative to using non-earnout payments, acquirers enjoy higher abnormal returns from earnout use only when consulting financial advisors. Specifically, once accounting for potential selection bias, advised earnout-financed deals significantly outperform deals that are financed with: (a) earnouts without the involvement of financial advisors and (b) non-earnouts regardless of the involvement of financial advisors. Thus, the likely ability of financial advisors to efficiently address the inherent complexities of the design of earnouts leads to greater acquirer gains. The second paper examines the impact of the acquiring firm’s informational environment on the announcement period wealth effects of earnout-financing. The results suggest that under increased information asymmetry over the acquiring firm, the market’s reaction to an earnout-financed deal mainly reflects its inference that the acquirer’s stock is underpriced, rather than the deal’s synergy potential. To this end, earnout acquirers are illustrated to be relatively undervalued prior to the deal’s announcement. In contrast, the selection of earnouts by big acquirers with low information asymmetry sends a strong signal for value creation that also prevents market participants from inducing a size-related discount. Lastly, the third paper investigates the wealth effects of earnouts in international changes of corporate control. The results suggest that when firms choose to join a multinational network through the acquisition of a foreign company earnout-financing offers a major value-creating opportunity yielding greater announcement period abnormal returns to acquirers relative to domestic and remaining cross-border deals. In contrast, the likely presence of agency problems and monitoring costs appears to deteriorate the expected synergy gains from non-initial earnout-financed international M&As.
Involvement of Acid β-Glucosidase 1 in the Salvage Pathway of Ceramide Formation*

Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) promotes the salvage pathway of ceramide formation, and acid sphingomyelinase has been implicated, in part, in providing substrate for this pathway (Zeidan, Y. H., and Hannun, Y. A. (2007) J. Biol. Chem. 282, 11549–11561). In the present study, we examined whether acid β-glucosidase 1 (GBA1), which hydrolyzes glucosylceramide to form lysosomal ceramide, was involved in PKC-regulated formation of ceramide from recycled sphingosine. Glucosylceramide levels declined after treatment of MCF-7 cells with a potent PKC activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Silencing GBA1 by small interfering RNAs significantly attenuated acid glucocerebrosidase activity and decreased PMA-induced formation of ceramide by 50%. Silencing GBA1 blocked PMA-induced degradation of glucosylceramide and generation of sphingosine, the source for ceramide biosynthesis. Reciprocally, forced expression of GBA1 increased ceramide levels. These observations indicate that GBA1 activation can generate the source (sphingosine) for PMA-induced formation of ceramide through the salvage pathway. Next, the role of PKCδ, a direct effector of PMA, in the formation of ceramide was determined. By attenuating expression of PKCδ, cells failed to trigger PMA-induced alterations in levels of ceramide, sphingomyelin, and glucosylceramide. Thus, PKCδ activation is suggested to stimulate the degradation of both sphingomyelin and glucosylceramide leading to the salvage pathway of ceramide formation. Collectively, GBA1 is identified as a novel source of regulated formation of ceramide, and PKCδ is an upstream regulator of this pathway.
Cell proliferation kinetics and genotoxicity in lymphocytes of smokers living in mexico city

Genotoxicity caused by tobacco smoke was assessed in peripheral blood lymphocytes of smokers living in Mexico City by determining sister chromatid exchange (SCE), cell proliferation kinetics (CPK), replication index (RI) and mitotic index (MI). Nicotine levels, and its major metabolite cotinine, were also estimated in urine samples using gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry to quantify smoking intensity. The outcome of the analysis and the comparison of the 77-smoker group with a non-smoking control group showed that moderate and heavy smokers exhibited significant differences (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) in CPK, with an underlying delay in the cellular cycle; similarly, RI was significantly different in these groups (P < 0.001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). There were significant correlations (P < 0.05) between age and number of years the subject had been smoking, as well as between RI and nicotine and cotinine levels and between CPK (M1, M2 and M3) and nicotine and cotinine levels. Smokers were classified for the analysis according to the nicotine levels (it is in relation to number of cigarettes smoked per day) found in urine (ng/mL) as: light (10—250), moderate (251—850) and heavy (851—4110). Significant differences in CPK were found (P < 0.05) between moderate and heavy smokers and non-smokers. Significant differences in RI were found between moderate (P < 0.001) and heavy smokers (P < 0.0001) and non-smokers, but not for the light smoking group. MI was determined in 57 of the smokers, whereas SCE frequency was only recorded in 34 smokers. Both parameters yielded no significant differences, nor correlations with any of the assessed variables. In conclusion, cytokinetic and cytostatic effects were mainly detected in heavy and moderate smokers. Cell cycle delay and RI decrease were found in all `healthy' smokers. The nicotine and cotinine exposure (causing oxidative damage to DNA) may have implications in the decrease in cell replication due to direct damage to DNA and/or a decrease in the DNA repair mechanisms. Alternatively, nicotine and cotinine may possibly induce apoptosis. Human & Experimental Toxicology (2007) 26, 715—722
Tuberculosis and race/ethnicity in the United States: impact of socioeconomic status.

Despite the long-standing observation that tuberculosis (TB) case rates are higher among racial and ethnic minorities than whites in the United States (U.S.), the proportion of this increased risk attributable to socioeconomic status (SES) has not been determined. Values for six SES indicators (crowding, income, poverty, public assistance, unemployment, and education) were assigned to U.S. TB cases reported from 1987-1993 by ZIP code- and demographic-specific matching to 1990 U.S. Census data. TB risk between racial/ethnic groups was then evaluated by quartile for each SES indicator utilizing univariate and Poisson multivariate analyses. Relative risk (RR) of TB increased with lower SES quartile for all six SES indicators on univariate analysis (RRs 2.6-5.6 in the lowest versus highest quartiles). The same trend was observed in multivariate models containing individual SES indicators (RRs 1.8-2.5) and for three SES indicators (crowding, poverty, and education) in the model containing all six indicators. Tuberculosis risk increased uniformly between SES quartile for each indicator except crowding, where risk was concentrated in the lowest quartile. Adjusting for SES accounted for approximately half of the increased risk of TB associated with race/ethnicity among U.S.-born blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Even more of this increased risk was accounted for in the final model, which also adjusted for interaction between crowding and race/ethnicity. SES impacts TB incidence via both a strong direct effect of crowding, manifested predominantly in overcrowded settings, and a TB-SES health gradient, manifested at all SES levels. SES accounts for much of the increased risk of TB previously associated with race/ethnicity.
Evaluating the Use of Global Sensitivity Analysis in Dynamic MFA

Dynamic material flow analysis (MFA) provides information about material usage over time and consequent changes in material stocks and flows. In order to understand the effect of limited data quality and model assumptions on MFA results, the use of sensitivity analysis methods in dynamic MFA studies has been on the increase. So far, sensitivity analysis in dynamic MFA has been conducted by means of a one‐at‐a‐time method, which tests parameter perturbations individually and observes the outcomes on output. In contrast to that, variance‐based global sensitivity analysis decomposes the variance of the model output into fractions caused by the uncertainty or variability of input parameters. The present study investigates interaction and time‐delay effects of uncertain parameters on the output of an archetypal input‐driven dynamic material flow model using variance‐based global sensitivity analysis. The results show that determining the main (first‐order) effects of parameter variations is often sufficient in dynamic MFA because substantial effects attributed to the simultaneous variation of several parameters (higher‐order effects) do not appear for classical setups of dynamic material flow models. For models with time‐varying parameters, time‐delay effects of parameter variation on model outputs need to be considered, potentially boosting the computational cost of global sensitivity analysis. Finally, the implications of exploring the sensitivities of model outputs with respect to parameter variations in the archetypical model are used to derive model‐ and goal‐specific recommendations on choosing appropriate sensitivity analysis methods in dynamic MFA.
The Fanconi anemia pathway is required for efficient repair of stress-induced DNA damage in haematopoietic stem cells

Within regenerating tissues, aging is characterized by a progressive general deterioration of organ function, thought to be driven by the gradual depletion of functional adult stem cells. Although there are probably multifactorial mechanisms that result in compromized stem cell functionality with advancing age, the accumulation of DNA damage within the stem cell compartment is likely to make a major contribution to this process. However, the physiologic source of DNA damage within the different tissue specific stem cell compartments remains to be determined, as does the fate of stem cells exposed to such damage. Using the haematopoietic system as a model organ, we have recently shown that certain forms of physiologic stress, such as infection-associated inflammation and extensive blood loss, leads to the induction of biologically relevant levels of DNA damage in haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by dramatically increasing the proliferative index of this normally quiescent cell population.1 We were also able to demonstrate that such stress-associated DNA damage was sufficient to completely deplete HSCs and promote severe aplastic anemia (SAA) in the Fanconi anemia (FA) knockout mouse model, which has compromized replication-associated DNA repair. In this “Extra Views” article, we extend this previous work to show that FA mice do not spontaneously develop a haematopoietic phenotype consistent with SAA, even at extreme old age. This suggests that HSC quiescence restricts the acquisition of DNA damage during aging and preserves the functional integrity of the stem cell pool. In line with this hypothesis, we provide an extended time course analysis of the response of FA knockout mice to chronic inflammatory stress and show that enforced HSC proliferation leads to a highly penetrant SAA phenotype, which closely resembles the progression of the disease in FA patients.
Development of Enteric-coated Pectin-based Matrix Tablets for Colonic Delivery of Theophylline

The present work was aimed at developing a new colonic drug delivery system which takes advantage of the combined approaches of a specifically colon-biodegradable pectin matrix with a pH-sensitive Eudragit® S100 polymeric coating. The developed system was able to suitably retard the onset of drug release and to provide a colon-specific delivery, thus overcoming the problems of pectin solubility in the upper gastrointestinal tract and low site-specificity of simple pH-dependent systems. Due to the poor compactability properties of pectin, it was used in mixture with Emdex®, a hydrophilic directly-compressible material, in order to make it possible to prepare tablets by direct compression. Theophylline (TP) was used as model drug due to its suitable pharmacokinetic properties for colonic delivery and good absorption in the large intestine. The effects of varying the type of pectin (low and high methoxylated, or amidated), the pectin:Emdex® ratio and the level of the pH-dependent polymeric coating on drug release behavior were investigated. Release tests were performed using sequential liquids simulating the physiological variation of pH and the effect of the presence or not of pectinolytic enzymes into the simulated colonic medium was evaluated. Thirty percent (w/w) was the the minimum content of Emdex® for obtaining directly compressible tablets with sufficient hardness to withstand the coating process and 27% (w/w) was the minimum coating amount for obtaining an adequate lag time before the onset of drug release. After lag time, linear nearly zero-order profiles were obtained whose slope (i.e. the drug release rate) depended on both the Emdex® content and the pectin type. Comparison of the results obtained in the presence or not of pectynolitic enzymes allowed selection of the high methoxylated pectin as the most interesting candidate for specific colonic delivery since it was the least water-soluble and the most susceptible to enzymatic degradation, thus assuring a greater site-specificity of drug release. Finally, the importance of using appropriate dissolution test conditions to adequately characterize the drug release profiles from delivery systems endowed with a microflora-activated drug release triggering mechanism has been demonstrated.
Attaching and effacing locus of a Citrobacter freundii biotype that causes transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia

Citrobacter freundii biotype 4280 produces attaching and effacing (AE) lesions in the large intestine of laboratory mice and is the causative agent of transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia. AE lesions are also produced by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in humans. Southern analysis revealed that biotype 4280, but not 20 other strains of C. freundii, contained DNA homologous to the eae (E. coli attaching and effacing) gene which is necessary for AE activity by enteropathogenic E. coli in vitro. We have cloned and determined the nucleotide sequence of the C. freundii eae homolog. Our findings suggest that the eae locus of C. freundii biotype 4280 is necessary for AE activity and has a role in the pathogenesis of transmissible murine colonic hyperplasia.
Single stage series load resonant ZVS-PWM high frequency inverter operating at one diode conduction and critical ZCS PFC rectifier

This paper presents single stage series load resonant ZVS-PWM high frequency inverter which operates one diode conduction mode and critical ZCS PFC rectifier for induction heating (IH) applications. This single stage inverter is composed of a single phase PFC rectifier operating at one diode conduction mode and asymmetrical ZVS-PWM high frequency resonant inverter without the interlink bulky electrolytic capacitor stage for boosted DC voltage smoothing. The operating principle of the proposed single stage inverter is described by using the switching mode equivalent circuits in addition to the simulated operating voltage and current waveforms. The single stage inverter design to achieve single diode conduction mode for diode bridge rectifier is discussed by simulation analysis. The operating performances of this single stage inverter are also illustrated which includes its utility frequency AC (UFAC) to high frequency AC (HFAC) power regulation characteristics, soft switching operating range and UFAC side distortion power factor as well as UFAC side line current harmonics by FFT analysis. The effectiveness of this single stage inverter using IGBTs for consumer high-frequency IH appliances is evaluated and proved on the basis of simulation results.
Outcomes of organ donation in brain-dead patient's families: Ethical perspective

Background: The families of brain-dead patients have a significant role in the process of decision making for organ donation. Organ donation is a traumatic experience. The ethical responsibility of healthcare systems respecting organ donation is far beyond the phase of decision making for donation. The principles of donation-related ethics require healthcare providers and organ procurement organizations to respect donor families and protect them against any probable harm. Given the difficult and traumatic nature of donation-related experience, understanding the outcomes of donation appears crucial. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the outcomes of organ donation for the families of brain-dead patients. Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study to which a purposeful sample of 19 donor family members were recruited. Data were collected through holding in-depth semi-structured interviews with the participants. Data analysis was performed by following the qualitative content analysis approach developed by Elo and Kyngäs. Findings: The main category of the data was “Decision to organ donation: a challenge from conflict to transcendence. ” This main category consisted of 10 subcategories and 3 general categories. The general categories were “challenging outcomes,” “reassuring outcomes,” and “transcending outcomes. ” Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the regional ethical review board. The ethical principles of informed consent, confidentiality, and non-identification were used. Conclusion: Donor families experience different challenges which range from conflict and doubtfulness to confidence, satisfaction, and transcendence. Healthcare providers and organ procurers should not discontinue care and support provision to donor families after obtaining their consent to donate because the post-decision phase is also associated with different complexities and difficulties with which donor families may not be able to cope effectively. In order to help donor families achieve positive outcomes from the tragedy of significant loss, healthcare professionals need to facilitate the process of achieving confidence and transcendence by them.