Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea Are More Resistant Than Denitrifiers to Seasonal Precipitation Changes in an Acidic Subtropical Forest Soil

Seasonal precipitation changes are increasingly severe in subtropical areas. However, the responses of soil nitrogen (N) cycle and its associated functional microorganisms to such precipitation changes remain unclear. In this study, two projected precipitation patterns were manipulated: intensifying the dry-season drought (DD) and extending the dry-season duration (ED) but increasing the wet-season storms following the DD and ED treatment period. The effects of these two contrasting precipitation patterns on soil net N transformation rates and functional gene abundances were quantitatively assessed through a resistance index. Results showed that the resistance index of functional microbial abundance (-0.03 ± 0.08) was much lower than that of the net N transformation rate (0.55 ± 0.02) throughout the experiment, indicating that microbial abundance was more responsive to precipitation changes compared with the N transformation rate. Spring drought under the ED treatment significantly increased the abundances of both nitrifying (amoA) and denitrifying genes (nirK, nirS, and nosZ), while changes in these gene abundances overlapped largely with control treatment during droughts in the dry season. Interestingly, the resistance index of the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) amoA abundance was significantly higher than that of the denitrifying gene abundances, suggesting that AOA were more resistant to the precipitation changes. This was attributed to the stronger environmental adaptability and higher resource utilization efficiency of the AOA community, as indicated by the lack of correlations between AOA gene abundance and environmental factors [i.e., soil water content, ammonium (NH4+) and dissolved organic carbon concentrations] during the experiment.
Positive treatment response improves the health-related quality of life of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To examine treatment induced changes in health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Changes in HR-QoL were assessed by the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) instrument in 62 consecutive working age patients with recent onset RA with duration of symptoms of less than two years and naive with regard to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and glucocorticoids. Treatment-response was assessed by the criteria of the European League against Rheumatism (EULAR; 28-joint score; DAS28) at 6 months. RESULTS NHP mean scores for pain (p=0.029) and emotional reaction (p=0.035) at baseline were related to EULAR response at 6 months, i.e. non-responders had the poorest baseline HR-QoL scores. When the patients were grouped according to EULAR response at 6 months there was a statistically significant mean linear change to better HR-QoL in NHP energy (p=0.0023), pain (p<0.001) and mobility (p=0.0085) from baseline to 6 months from the lowest to highest treatment-response level. CONCLUSION Our results show that good treatment-response as measured by the EULAR response criteria translates into improved HR-QoL dimensions for energy, pain and mobility.
Latchup Screening of LSI Devices

An experimental program is outlined which was developed for latchup screening of LSI devices in case the Latchup Analysis Technique cannot be used. The basic approach was to determine the most latchup prone operating conditions experimentally for each LSI type by testing the latchup susceptibilities under hundreds of selected input combinations. The most sensitive conditions are then to be used for the 100% radiation screening of prime parts. The instrumentation required to implement this approach, and the results of the latchup tests obtained for five types of LSI devices are described. The results included the finding of a relatively large temperature effect on latchup sensitivity in CMOS RAMs; the implication of this effect on latchup hardness assurance techniques, such as lot sampling, is also discussed.
Executive Function, Intellectual Decline and Daily Living Skills

ABSTRACT Understanding the cognitive changes associated with compromised daily living skills in elderly individuals is important for making appropriate recommendations about the capacity for independent functioning. To this end, we retrospectively examined data from 92 elderly individuals presenting with cognitive decline who were administered measures of executive functioning, general intelligence, and daily living skills. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between executive functioning and daily living skills, while controlling for age, depression, and either IQ decline or current IQ. Executive functioning accounted for additional variance in a broad range of daily living skills after controlling for IQ decline. When FSIQ was used in the regression model rather than IQ decline, executive functioning was no longer uniquely associated with daily living skills. Executive functions appear to be important for daily living skills until a critical threshold of low intellectual functioning is reached, reflecting the combined influence of premorbid ability and the extent of intellectual decline. Our results suggest that understanding the relative contribution of different cognitive domains to functional decline in elderly individuals should take into account general intellectual functioning and estimated decline, and that the initiation and/or persistence of self-directed cognitive processes may be important for adaptive daily functioning. These findings have implications for making more evidence-based recommendations about the capacity for independent living.
Life After IT Outsourcing: Lessons Learned from Resizing the IT Workforce

IT outsourcing typically leads to a readjustment in terms of size, roles, and responsibilities of IT employees in client firms, referred to here as IT resizing. In this study, we focused on the usage of three common approaches to resizing—downsizing (layoffs), outplacement (transferring employees to a vendor), and inplacement (internal transfer)— and the impacts of these approaches on retained IT workers. We apply the concept of “psychological contracts” to highlight the issues that arise in executing these three approaches. Based on our study of 12 firms, we provide guidelines for IT managers to help them not only achieve their IT resizing goals, but to restore and renew their psychological contracts with their retained IT employees.
Smart Grids : Infrastructure, Technology, and Solutions

Overview of the Electric Utility Industry Stuart Borlase, Tim Heidel, and Charles W. Newton What Is Smart Grid, Why Now? Stuart Borlase, Steven Bossart, Keith Dodrill, Tim Heidel, Miriam Horn, John McDonald, Marita Mirzatuny, Lauren Navarro, Charles W. Newton, Mica Odom, Matt Wakefield, Bartosz Wojszczyk, and Eric Woychik Smart Grid Technologies Technology Drivers Stuart Borlase, Steven Bossart, Keith Dodrill, Joe Miller, Steve Pullins, Bruce A. Renz, and Bartosz Wojszczyk Smart Energy Resources Julio Romero Aguero, Thomas Bradley, Johan Enslin, Regis Hourdouillie, Casey Quinn, Aleksandar Vukojevic, Bartosz Wojszczyk, Alex Zheng, and Daniel Zimmerle Smart Substations Stuart Borlase, Marco C. Janssen, and Michael Pesin Transmission Systems Energy Management Systems Jay Giri and Thomas Morris FACTS and HVDC Stuart Borlase, Neil Kirby, Paul Marken, Jiuping Pan, and Dietmar Retzmann Wide Area Monitoring, Protection and Control Jay Giri, Zhenyu (Henry) Huang, Rajat Majumder, Rui Menezes de Moraes, Reynaldo Nuqui, Manu Parashar, Walter Sattinger, and Jean-Charles Tournier Distribution Systems Distribution Management Systems Stuart Borlase, Jiyuan Fan, and Tim Taylor Volt/VAr Control Stuart Borlase, Jiyuan Fan, Xiaoming Feng, Carroll Ivester, Bob McFetridge, and Tim Taylor Fault Detection, Isolation, and Service Restoration Witold P. Bik, Christopher McCarthy, and James Stoupis Outage Management Stuart Borlase, Steven Radice, and Tim Taylor High-Efficiency Distribution Transformers V.R. Ramanan Communications Systems Harry Forbes, James P. Hanley, Regis Hourdouillie, Marco C. Janssen, Henry Jones, Art Maria, Mehrdad Mesbah, Rita Mix, Jean-Charles Tournier, Eric Woychik, and Alex Zheng Monitoring and Diagnostics Mike Ennis and Mirrasoul J. Mousavi Geospatial Technologies Stephen Byrum and Paul Wilson Asset Management Catherine Dalton, Soorya Kuloor, Tim Taylor, and Steve Turner Smart Meters and Advanced Metering Infrastructure Mary Carpine Bell, Stuart Borlase, James P. Hanley, Chris King, Eric Woychik, and Alex Zheng Consumer Demand Management Stuart Borlase, David P. Chassin, Gale Horst, Salman Mohagheghi, Eric Woychik, and Alex Zheng Convergence of Technologies and Enterprise Level Integration Stuart Borlase, John Chowdhury, Greg Robinson, and Tim Taylor High-Performance Computing for Advanced Smart Grid Applications Yousu Chen and Zhenyu (Henry) Huang Cybersecurity Matt Thomson Smart Grid Standardization Work Erich Gunther Smart Grid Barriers and Critical Success Factors Stuart Borlase, Steven Bossart, Keith Dodrill, Erich Gunther, Gerald T. Heydt, Miriam Horn, Mladen Kezunovic, Joe Miller, Marita Mirzatuny, Mica Odom, Steve Pullins, Bruce A. Renz, and David M. Velazquez Global Smart Grid Initiatives Matt Wakefield and Bartosz Wojszczyk Smart Grid: Where Do We Go from Here? Stuart Borlase, Tim Heidel, Charles W. Newton, Bartosz Wojszczyk, and Eric Woychik Index
Performance Analysis of Best Relay Selection in Cooperative Wireless Networks

Cooperative communication has been proposed recently in wireless communication systems because of its producing high network reliability and considerable error rate decrease with an extension in the coverage area in wireless networks without need for an increase in the infrastructure. The most challenging problem in implementing cooperation protocols in cooperative wireless networks is the relay selection. This paper proposes a relay selection technique based on Decode-and-Forward (DF) relaying protocol, using the available channel state information (CSI) at the source and the relays. We first establish a closed form symbol error rate (SER) by using the concept of moment generating function (MGF) for both M phase shift keying (MPSK) and M quadrature amplitude modulation (MQAM) signals. By finding the cumulative density function (CDF) and the probability density function (PDF); this facilitated the derivation of a new SER and can propose an optimal power method with relay selection (RS) technique where only the best relay is selected that maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to achieve the transmission process and develop the performance of the system. Finally, simulation results provided good confirmation of the theoretical analysis.
Validation of a robust and sensitive method for detecting hydroxyl radical formation together with evoked neurotransmitter release in brain microdialysis

Sodium terephthalate was shown to be a new robust and sensitive chemical trap for highly reactive oxygen species (hROS), which lacks the drawbacks of the salicylic acid method. Reaction of the almost non‐fluorescent terephthalate (TA2−) with hydroxyl radicals or ferryl‐oxo species resulted in the stoichiometric formation of the brilliant fluorophor, 2‐hydroxyterephthalate (OH‐TA). Neither hydrogen peroxide nor superoxide reacts in this system. This procedure was validated for determining hROS formation during microdialysis under in vivo conditions as well as by in vitro studies. The detection limit of OH‐TA in microdialysis samples was 0.5 fmol/μL. Derivatization of samples with o‐phthalaldehyde, for amino acid detection, had no effect on OH‐TA fluorescence, which could easily be resolved from the amino acid derivatives by HPLC, allowing determination in a single chromatogram. Use of terephthalate in microdialysis experiments showed the neurotoxin kainate to evoke hROS formation in a dose‐dependent manner. The presence of TA2− in the perfusion fluid did not affect basal or evoked release of aspartate, glutamate, taurine and GABA. Assessment of cell death ‘ex vivo’ showed TA2− to be non‐toxic at concentrations up to 1 mM. The in vitro results in the Fenton system (Fe2+ + H2O2) indicate a mechanism whereby TA2− forms a primary complex with Fe2+ followed by an intramolecular hydroxylation accompanied by intramolecular electron transfer.
Inhibitory effects of Ganoderma applanatum on rat lens aldose reductase and sorbitol accumulation in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rat tissues

Aldose reductase, the key enzyme of the polyol pathway, is known to play important roles in diabetic complications. Therefore, inhibitors of aldose reductase would be potential agents for the prevention of diabetic complications. To evaluate the inhibitory potential of aldose reductase from Ganoderma applanatum (Polyporaceae), methanol (MeOH) and water extracts were tested for their effects on rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR). The effects of both extracts on streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetes in rats were also investigated. The MeOH extract exhibited a potent rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR) inhibition in vitro, and showed a significant inhibition, of not only serum glucose concentrations, but also of sorbitol accumulations in the lens, red blood cells (RBC) and sciatic nerves in STZ‐induced diabetic rats. Associated with a reduction in serum glucose concentration in STZ‐induced diabetic rats, this extract was found to cause a significant glucose tolerance effect. These results suggested that G. applanatum might possess constituents with antidiabetic and inhibitory effects on diabetic complications. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Active Power Filter Using a Sensorless Muticell Inverter

Unlike traditional inverters, multicell inverters have the following advantages: lower switching frequency, high number of output levels and less voltage constraints on the IGBT's. Significant performances are provided with this structure which is constituted with flying capacitors. This paper deals with a predictive and direct control applied to the multicell inverter. To perform the capabilities of multicell active filter, a voltage control method of flying capacitor, based on the use of a switching table, is added. Flying capacitor voltages are kept on a fixed interval and precise voltage sensors are not necessary. The association of predictive control and voltage balancing increases considerably the bandwidth of active filter.
Le rôle de l'élément répété D4Z4 et du facteur de transcription KLF15 dans la dystrophie musculaire facioscapulohumérale (FSHD)

La dystrophie musculaire facioscapulohumerale (FSHD) est la troisieme myopathie la plus frequente en Europe. La maladie atteint progressivement les muscles du visage, des bras et des jambes. Les symptomes apparaissent dans la majorite des cas avant 20 ans et la maladie, souvent douloureuse, provoque frequemment un handicap majeur qui necessite de se deplacer en fauteuil roulant. J'ai demontre que la proteine KLF15 est surexprimee dans les tissus des patients FSHD et dans les myoblastes cultives in vitro et preleves sur des patients FSHD. Des resultats preliminaires indiquent que la surexpression du facteur KLF15 pourrait etre expliquee par le stress oxydant induit par DUX4 et la surexpression de certains facteurs de myogenese induits par DUX4c. J'ai demontre que KLF15 interagit directement avec les repetitions D4Z4 et controle leur fonction d'activation de transcription. Ainsi KLF15 sert de mediateur entre les repetitions D4Z4 et deux genes dans la region 4q35: FRG2 et DUX4c ce que explique la surexpression de ces deux genes dans la FSHD. La surexpression du gene DUX4c, homologue du DUX4, perturbe le programme de differentiation musculaire en activant certains facteurs de myogenese (myomiRs ou microRNAs myogeniques). En somme, la decouverte du role du facteur KLF15 dans la FSHD met en evidence une boucle de retrocontrole positif qui relie la surexpression du facteur KLF15 avec la surexpression des genes codes dans la region 4q35. Le role central du facteur KLF15 dans ce nouveau modele de la maladie permet d'envisager une nouvelle piste therapeutique pour la dystrophie FSHD base sur l'inhibition du facteur KLF15.
Tracking and vibration control for a space robotic system with rigid and flexible manipulator

In this paper, the dynamics and control for a space robotic system with rigid and flexible manipulators under bounded disturbances are presented. Based on assumed modes approach and Lagrangian method, the closed-form dynamic model of the space robotic system is developed. By using the singular perturbation technique, the displacements/joint angles and flexible modes are modeled as slow and fast variables, respectively. A composite control scheme of sliding mode control and active vibration control is derived to track the desired trajectory under bounded disturbances and suppress the vibration of flexible manipulator. With the proposed control scheme, the closed-loop stability of the space robotic system can be achieved. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control.
Einfluss von Vasopressin auf die Hyperkapnie-vermittelte Steigerung der Magenschleimhautoxygenation - Eine Studie an anästhesierten Hunden

Eine ausreichende Sauerstoffversorgung der Schleimhaut des Gastrointestinaltraktes ist fur dessen Barriere-Funktion unerlasslich und verhindert das Ubertreten von Bakterien und Toxinen in die Blutbahn. In diesem Zusammenhang steigert eine permissive Hyperkapnie die mikrovaskulare Hamoglobinoxygenation (µHbO2) an der Magenschleimhaut und das systemische Sauerstoffangebot. Gleichzeitig steigert eine Hyperkapnie aber auch die Ausschuttung des vasokonstriktorischen Hormons Vasopressin. Die Steigerung der µHbO2 konnte somit zum Teil durch Vasopressin aufgehoben werden. Die Versuche wurden in wiederholten, randomisierten Versuchen an narkotisierten Hunden (n = 17) durchgefuhrt. In der ersten Versuchsreihe wurden die Versuchstiere hyperkapnisch (endtidales Kohlendioxid etCO2 von 35 mmHg auf 70 mmHg erhoht) beatmet. Wahrend der zweiten Versuchsreihe erfolgte unter Hyperkapnie eine zusatzliche Vasopressin-Rezeptor-Blockade. In der dritten Versuchsreihe wurden die alleinigen Effekte einer Vasopressin-Rezeptor-Blockade unter Normokapnie (endtidales Kohlendioxid etCO2 = 35 mmHg) untersucht. Unter reiner Hyperkapnie stieg die µHbO2 im Magen von 70 ± 4 auf 80 ± 2 % und das DO2 von 12 ± 1 auf 16 ± 1 ml. kg-1. min-1 an. Bei zusatzlicher Vasopressin-Rezeptor-Blockade unter Hyperkapnie blieb die µHbO2 im Magen im Vergleich zur Kontrolle unverandert, obwohl das DO2 ebenfalls von 12 ± 2 auf 19 ± 2 ml. kg-1. min-1 anstieg. Die Vasopressin-Rezeptor-Blockade wahrend Normokapnie hatte dagegen keinen Einfluss auf die µHbO2. Aus den Ergebnissen lassen sich folgende Schlussfolgerungen ableiten: 1. Eine Vasopressin-Rezeptor-Blockade hebt die Steigerung der Magenschleimhautoxygenation unter Hyperkapnie vollstandig auf. Die Steigerung der Magenschleimhautoxygenation unter Hyperkapnie wird somit durch Vasopressin vermittelt. 2. Die Steigerung der µHbO2 unter Hyperkapnie durch Vasopressin ist unabhangig vom systemischen Sauerstoffangebot und somit durch lokale Effekte vermittelt.
Hodgkin's disease and age *

506 unselected, previously untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease were treated at the Finsen Institute between 1969 and 1983. The prognostic significance of age, sex, stage, systemic symptoms, histologic subtype, number of involved nodal regions, total tumour burden (peripheral + intrathoracic nodal tumour burden, intraabdominal nodal tumour burden, and number of involved extranodal sites), pretreatment ESR, lymphocytopenia, and treatment modality were examined in multivariate analyses. The only factors of independent prognostic significance for disease‐free survival proved to be treatment modality, stage, and total tumour burden, whereas age had no prognostic significance. With regard to death from Hodgkin's disease only age and total tumour burden had independent significance. The significance of age would seem to stem from the fact that some older patients could not be given adequate treatment for relapse. The present study indicates that Hodgkin's disease in older patients is not prognostically very different from Hodgkin's disease in younger patients.
The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics by liver transplant recipients.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess the reasons and the frequency of the use of over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or analgesics by liver transplant recipients (LTR). Patient awareness of possible drug-related side-effects was also assessed. BACKGROUND NSAIDs and analgesics available without prescription belong to the most commonly used class of drugs. However, use of these drugs might be complicated by toxic adverse effects (AEs). Patients at risk for AEs include the transplant recipients. DESIGN/METHODS This was a descriptive study. An anonymous survey was carried out in 73 randomly selected LTR, who represented 10% of all LTR at our centre. RESULTS There were 64% of the patients who confirmed taking NSAIDs or analgesics; 16% of these patients took these drugs at least several times a week and 10% took them daily. For 39% of patients, the only way to manage their pain were OTC NSAIDs or analgesics. As many as 36% of patients were unaware of the risks associated with the use of these drugs. Ninety per cent of LTR consider physicians the most trusted source of drugs information. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that two-thirds of LTR take OTC NSAIDs or analgesics and one-third are unaware of the AEs associated with these drugs. Therefore, both transplant nurses and doctors should educate their patients about the use and possible AE of these drugs. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Considering the high NSAIDs consumption rates, the side effects of these drugs should always be suspected. Especially in patients taking these drugs and referring to medical advisors with specific symptoms, such as: abdominal pain, anaemia, elevated serum creatinine concentration or liver enzymes activity. Awareness of the scale of the problem enables health professionals to cooperate in educating patients. Such practices may reduce uncontrolled abuse of these drugs and related health care costs.