Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
First glacier-vibroseismic experiment – results from cold firn of Colle Gnifetti

In the summer of 2010, a small shallow reflection seismic experiment was carried out on the firncovered cold glacier of Colle Gnifetti, Monte Rosa group, Swiss/Italian Alps. At this site, the physical properties of ice are comparable to polar conditions, which is why this site is often used for methodological tests. The experiment at 4500 m elevation was designed to explore the scope of shallow vibroseis for seismic targets within and below the glacier. A small ELVIS vibrator system was used to generate shear waves and compression waves for SH- and P-wave receiver setups of two profiles. The resulting sections clearly show a boundary from ice to rock around 60 m and deeper structures below the glacier. The deepest features are estimated to be 150 m for the SH-waves and 220 m for the P-waves. Reflections could be detected also within the ice overburden, which are preliminarily interpreted as a change of density in the upper 30 m and possibly crystal orientation fabric in the ice column. Furthermore, elastic parameters could be derived from seismic velocities, due to clear basement reflections. The results of this unique experiment enable new insights into the internal structure of ice masses and open a promising new investigation method for sub-ice structures and properties, such as basal sediments.
A deep seismic investigation of the Flemish Cap margin: implications for the origin of deep reflectivity and evidence for asymmetric break-up between Newfoundland and Iberia

SUMMARY Seismic reflection and refraction data were acquired along the southeast margin of Flemish Cap at a position conjugate to drilling and geophysical surveys across the Galicia Bank margin. The data document first-order asymmetry during final break-up between Newfoundland and Iberia. An abrupt necking profile of continental crust observed off Flemish Cap contrasts strongly with gradual tapering on the conjugate margin. There is no evidence beneath Flemish Cap for a final phase of continental extension that resulted in thin continental crust underlain by a strong ‘S’-like reflection, which indicates that this mode of extension occurred only on the Galicia Bank margin. Compelling evidence for a broad zone of exhumed mantle or for peridotite ridges is also lacking along the Flemish Cap margin. Instead, anomalously thin, 3‐4-km-thick oceanic crust is observed. This crust is highly tectonized and broken up by high-angle normal faulting. The thin crust and rift structures that resemble the abandoned spreading centre in the Labrador sea suggest that initial seafloor spreading was affected by processes observed in present-day ultra-slow spreading environments. Landwards, Flemish Cap is underlain by a highly reflective lower crust. The reflectivity most likely originates from older Palaeozoic orogenic structures that are unrelated to extension and break-up tectonics.
Acreditaciones internacionales en escuelas de negocios. Una revisión de la literatura

Introduccion. Las acreditaciones internacionales han pasado a ser un medio para reflejar las caracteristicas de las escuelas de negocios a sus grupos de interes. Sin embargo existe aun debate sobre su validez como modelo de calidad, los diferentes estandares entre acreditadoras y la percepcion hacia ellas. Por eso se requiere una exploracion mas detallada, sobre todo desde paises en desarrollo. Objetivo. Revisar e identificar los elementos coincidentes en la literatura academica referente a las acreditaciones internacionales, con enfasis en AACSB y EQUIS. Materiales y metodos. A traves de una metodologia narrativa de revision de literatura se desagregaron 3025 articulos provenientes de 21 bases de datos e identificado como autores fundamentales Urgel (2007), Hunt (2015), Lejeune (2011) y Shenton (2010), asi como informacion de las acreditaciones AACSB y EQUIS. Resultados. Se presentan elementos repetitivos en la literatura: 1) la dicotomia entre acreditacion como medio para obtener reputacion o mejorar calidad educativa; 2) agencias acreditadoras y sus estandares, y 3) percepciones del resultado de acreditarse. Conclusiones. El debate sobre calidad o reputacion en las Escuelas de Negocios continua; el enfasis de las acreditadoras recae en internacionalizacion, desarrollo academico e investigacion; y que los resultados positivos de acreditarse, de acuerdo con los grupos de interes, aun no son concluyentes. Se abren temas de investigacion en las areas de enfasis de las acreditadoras y en el contexto que debe hacerse para paises en desarrollo donde aun es incipiente la investigacion.
Progesterone Acts via Progesterone Receptors A and B to Regulate Breast Cancer Resistance Protein Expression

The breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP; ABCG2) is an ATP-dependent efflux multidrug transporter that belongs to the G family of half-transporters that consist of six transmembrane-spanning domains and must homodimerize to form the active membrane transporter. It is expressed in the apical plasma membrane domain of the small intestine, endothelium, and liver, where it has been shown to play an important role in limiting drug absorption and distribution and in enhancing drug clearance, respectively. BCRP is also expressed in the apical membrane of mammary alveolar epithelia, where it mediates efflux of substrates into milk, and in the placental syncytiotro-phoblasts, where it reduces fetal exposure to these substrates. BCRP substrates include numerous drugs (topotecan, nitrofurantoin, cimetidine) as well as food carcinogens (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine) and the vitamins riboflavin and folic acid. BCRP expression is regulated by a number of nuclear transcription factors, including the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and Hif-1. This issue of Molecular Pharmacology includes a study (p. 845) now conclusively demonstrating that progesterone acts via the progesterone A and B receptors to regulate BCRP expression in a placental cell line.
Transcription factor binding sites in the pol gene intragenic regulatory region of HIV-1 are important for virus infectivity

We have previously identified in the pol gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) a new positive transcriptional regulatory element (nt 4481–4982) containing recognition sites for nuclear proteins (sites B, C, D and a GC-box) [C. Van Lint, J. Ghysdael, P. Paras, Jr, A. Burny and E. Verdin (1994) J. Virol. 68, 2632–2648]. In this study, we have further physically characterized each binding site and have shown that the transcription factors Oct-1, Oct-2, PU.1, Sp1 and Sp3 interact in vitro with the pol region. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays using HIV-infected cell lines demonstrated in the context of chromatin that Sp1, Sp3, Oct-1 and PU.1 are recruited to the HS7 region in vivo. For each site, we have identified mutations abolishing factor binding to their cognate DNA sequences without altering the underlying amino acid sequence of the integrase. By transient transfection assays, we have demonstrated the involvement of the pol binding sites in the transcriptional enhancing activity of the intragenic region. Our functional results with multimerized wild-type and mutated pol binding sites separately (i.e. in the absence of the other sites) have demonstrated that the PU.1, Sp1, Sp3 and Oct-1 transcription factors regulate the transcriptional activity of a heterologous promoter through their respective HS7 binding sites. Finally, we have investigated the physiological role of the HS7 binding sites in HIV-1 replication and have shown that these sites are important for viral infectivity.
Animating Sand, Mud, and Snow

Computer animations often lack the subtle environmental changes that should occur due to the actions of the characters. Squealing car tires usually leave no skid marks, airplanes rarely leave jet trails in the sky, and most runners leave no footprints. In this paper, we describe a simulation model of ground surfaces that can be deformed by the impact of rigid body models of animated characters. To demonstrate the algorithms, we show footprints made by a runner in sand, mud, and snow as well as bicycle tire tracks, a bicycle crash, and a falling runner. The shapes of the footprints in the three surfaces are quite different, but the effects were controlled through only five essentially independent parameters. To assess the realism of the resulting motion, we compare the simulated footprints to human footprints in sand.
Treatment of a critically ill child with disseminated Candida glabrata with a recombinant human antibody specific for fungal heat shock protein 90 and liposomal amphotericin B, caspofungin, and voriconazole

Objective: To report a case of fungal sepsis treated prospectively with liposomal amphotericin, caspofungin, and a novel monoclonal antibody specific for candidal heat shock protein 90 (Mycograb, Neutec Pharma, Manchester, UK). Design: Case report. Setting: Pediatric intensive care unit in a tertiary care children’s hospital. Patient: A 7-yr-old male with a history of global developmental delay, epilepsy, and gastroesophageal reflux, who presented to the emergency department with a transdiaphragmatic herniation of bowel and subsequent Candida glabrata infection. Interventions: Efungumab 1 mg/kg twice daily for 5 days. Measurements and Main Results: C-reactive protein fell from 225 mg/L to 99 mg/L, and physiological monitoring parameters improved when Mycograb was used in conjunction with high-dose antifungals. Conclusions: Mycograb therapy was well tolerated, but further experience with this therapy in children is needed.
Selective Attenuation of Endothelium‐Mediated Vasodilation in Atherosclerotic Human Coronary Arteries

This study was undertaken to determine whether atherosclerosis impairs relaxations mediated by endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) in human coronary arteries. Epicardial coronary arteries were obtained from the hearts of cardiac transplantation patients with or without histologically documented coronary atherosclerosis (atherosclerotic arteries were from patients aged 42–55 years, nonatherosclerotic arteries were from patients aged 14–24 years). Transverse strip preparations were mounted in organ baths for isometric tension recording. Tension was induced with prostaglandins F2a. Indomethacin (10−9 M) was present to prevent possible interference from endogenously formed prostaglandins. The EDRF-mediated relaxations in response to substance P (10−10 to 10−5 M), bradykinin (10−9 to 10−7 M), and Ca2+-Monophore A23187 (10−9 to 10−7 M) were significantly attenuated in atherosclerotic arteries. In deendothelialized tissues these compounds had no effect. In contrast, endothelium-independent relaxations induced by isoprenaline (10−7 to 10−5 M) were not affected by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic arteries showed also normal relaxations with high concentrations of glyceryl trinitrate (10−3 to 10−7 M), but reduced relaxations with a lower concentration of the compound (10−9 M). Acetylcholine (10−7 to 10−6 M) only produced endothelium-dependent relaxations in 8 of 60 arterial preparations (with or without atherosclerosis). In. most of the arteries, it was a direct vasoconstrictor (which may have masked EDRF release in many cases). Omission of indomethacin from the bath solution increased the incidence of moderate acetylcholine-induced relaxations (9 of 16 preparations). It is concluded that atherosclerosis attenuates EDRF-mediated vasodilation in epicardial human coronary arteries and that this impairment could promote coronary vasospasm and myocardial ischemia.
Autophagy Plays a Role in Chloroplast Degradation during Senescence in Individually Darkened Leaves1[W][OA]

Chloroplasts contain approximately 80% of total leaf nitrogen and represent a major source of recycled nitrogen during leaf senescence. While bulk degradation of the cytosol and organelles in plants is mediated by autophagy, its role in chloroplast catabolism is largely unknown. We investigated the effects of autophagy disruption on the number and size of chloroplasts during senescence. When leaves were individually darkened, senescence was promoted similarly in both wild-type Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and in an autophagy-defective mutant, atg4a4b-1. The number and size of chloroplasts decreased in darkened leaves of wild type, while the number remained constant and the size decrease was suppressed in atg4a4b-1. When leaves of transgenic plants expressing stroma-targeted DsRed were individually darkened, a large accumulation of fluorescence in the vacuolar lumen was observed. Chloroplasts exhibiting chlorophyll fluorescence, as well as Rubisco-containing bodies, were also observed in the vacuole. No accumulation of stroma-targeted DsRed, chloroplasts, or Rubisco-containing bodies was observed in the vacuoles of the autophagy-defective mutant. We have succeeded in demonstrating chloroplast autophagy in living cells and provide direct evidence of chloroplast transportation into the vacuole.
An interleaved delta-sigma analog to digital converter with digital correction

Although delta-sigma modulators are widely used for low to moderate rate analog-to-digital conversion, the time over-sampling requirement has limited their application to higher rate converters. This paper presents an architecture wherein multiple delta-sigma modulators are combined with time interlacing. Instead, the system achieves the effect of over-sampling from the multiplicity of delta-sigma modulators. For a system containing M Lth order delta-sigma modulators, approximately L bits of accuracy are gained for every doubling of M. A major benefit of the architecture is that it retains much of robustness of the individual delta-sigma modulators to non-ideal circuit behavior. As a result, the architecture offers the potential of integrating high-precision, high-speed ADC together with digital signal processing functions using VLSI processes optimized for digital circuitry. Because of parallelism, the performance of the architecture is hugely degraded by channel mismatches. A digital technique is used to overcome this problem. The paper presents the general architecture and provides a performance analysis closely supported by computer simulations.
Microarray gene expression data analysis - a beginner's guide

Preface. Acknowledgements. Part I: Introduction:. 1. What Are Microarrays? 2. Use Of Icroarrays To Monitor Gene Expression. 3. Other Uses For Microarrays. 4. Challenges Associated With The Generation Of Large Amounts Of Complex Data. 5. Future Directions. Part II: Aspects Of Experimental Design:. 6. Features Of Microarray Data. 7. Designing The Best Experiment. 8. Preparation of Target. 9. Design of Spotted Arrays. 10. Hybridisation. 11. Long Term Considerations. 12. Verification of Results. Part III: Data Analysis:. 13. Preliminary Processing of Data. 14. Methods for Data Analysis. 15. Graph Models. 16. Software In The Public Domain. 17. Visualisation of Data. Part IV: Glossary:. Index. Colour plates fall between pp. 84 and 85.
Reconfigurable Computing for Digital Signal Processing : A Survey ∗

Steady advances in VLSI technology and design tools have extensively expanded the application domain of digital signal processing over the past decade. While application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and programmable digital signal processors (PDSPs) remain the implementation mechanisms of choice for many DSP applications, increasingly new system implementations based on rec figurable computingare being considered. These flexible platforms, which offer the functional efficiency of hardware and the programmability of software, are quickly maturing as the logic capacity of programmable devices follows Moore’s Law and advanced automated design techniques become available. As initial reconfigurable technologies have emerged, new academic and commercial efforts have been initiated to support power optimization, cost reduction, and enhanced run-time performance. This paper presents a survey of academic research and commercial development in reconfigurable computing for DSP systems over the past fifteen years. This work is placed in the context of other available DSP implementation media including ASICs and PDSPs to fully document the range of design choices available to system engineers. It is shown that while contemporary reconfigurable computing can be applied to a variety of DSP applications including video, audio, speech, and control, much work remains to realize its full potential. While individual implementations of PDSP, ASIC, and reconfigurable resources each offer distinct advantages, it is likely that integrated combinations of these technologies will provide more complete solutions.
Automatic segmentation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma from CT images: Region growing based technique

This paper describes a framework for automatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma segmentation from CT images. The proposed technique is based on the Region Growing Method. It is automatic segmentation in which an initial seed is generated without human intervention. The seed is generated from a probabilistic map representing the chances of it being tumor. This map is created from three probabilistic functions based on location of the tumor, intensities, and non-tumor region respectively. The pixel in which the probability is the highest will be selected as potential seeds. Only one representative of these seeds will be selected as an initial seed. Then the seed will be used for region growing subsequently. The experimental results showed that the potential seeds and initial seed were correctly determined with a percentage accuracy of 81.60% and 95.10%. The seed was grown in preprocessed CT images for identifying the nasopharyngeal carcinoma region. The results showed that, perfect match and corresponding ratio were 71.31% and 53.00% respectively
Prolactin Changes as a Consequence of Chemical Exposure: de Burbure and Bernard Respond

We appreciate the letter from Alessio and Lucchini concerning the number and variety of toxicants able to affect serum prolactin levels. Reflecting on the wide variability of the currently available data, we would like to make two additional points. The first point concerns the usefulness of serum prolactin as a potential indicator of neurotoxicity for populations at risk. This biomarker indeed appears to be influenced by a large number of both organic and inorganic chemicals, which have seemingly little in common in terms of mechanistic action (e.g., heavy metals, pesticides, styrene, polychlorinated biphenyls). Moreover, one chemical—cadmium, for example—can have a biphasic dose-dependent effect on serum prolactin (Lafuente et al. 2003), an effect we did not observe in our study (de Burbure et al. 2006) because of low exposure levels; this dose-dependent effect is reminiscent of the biphasic effects of lead on glutamate neurotransmission shown to be dependent on glycine receptor affinity (Marchioro et al. 1996). As proposed by Alessio and Lucchini in their letter, these data reflect the complexity of the control of prolactin secretion, which is modulated not only by dopamine but also by several other neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include serotonin, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) [as demonstrated by the hyperprolactinemia developed by GABAB1 knock-out mice (Catalano et al. 2005)], glycine, and glutamate (Fitsanakis and Aschner, 2005; Nagy et al. 2005). In view of these neurotransmitters, serum prolactin—albeit sensitive—appears to be a rather non-specific biomarker for monitoring populations at risk; therefore, serum prolactin will likely remain a predominantly useful tool in the field of research until the multiple facets of controlling prolactin secretion are unveiled. Another important issue to keep in mind concerns the biological significance of all of the modifications we observed in our study (de Burbure et al. 2006). Despite their statistical significance, are the observed small changes in serum prolactin at all clinically relevant? To what extent do the variations in serum prolactin induced by the various neurotoxicants correlate with changes in brain function? Because prolactin has a large number of potential determinants, probably with different mechanisms of action, it is a rather delicate intellectual exercise to give a correct interpretation of the observed changes in terms of the possible development of neurotoxicity. Although the lack of specificity of prolactin reduces the immediate usefulness of these dopaminergic biomarkers, the question of the potential clinical impact of the small but significant changes in terms of neurotoxicity (de Burbure et al. 2006) certainly remains an important question that further research will have to address.
Remarkable adsorption capacity of CuCl2-loaded porous vanadium benzenedicarboxylate for benzothiophene.

There is a considerable demand to reduce the content of sulfur-containing compounds (S-compounds) such as thiophene (Th), benzothiophene (BT), and dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT) in fuels like diesel and gasoline to a low level to prevent air pollution and deactivation of catalysts. So far, various methods have been investigated for sulfur removal, and adsorption has been regarded as one of the most competitive methods. For efficient adsorption, not only adequate porosity/pore size but also specific adsorption sites are required. Remarkable progress on porous materials has been achieved because of the developments of metal–organic framework materials (MOFs) and coordination polymers (CPs). The importance of MOF-type materials is due to the huge porosity, easy tunability of their pore size and shape, and potential applications. Recently, the MOF-type materials have also been investigated for the removal of harmful materials such as S-compounds, 2] dyes, N-containing compounds, and benzene from liquids. Gaseous sulfur compounds have also been removed using MOFs. 11] A few important factors, such as open metal sites, acid sites, and pore functionality have been suggested for the efficient removal of S-compounds. However, little has been understood for the high uptake of S-compounds with modified MOFs as adsorbents. Herein, we have shown the remarkable adsorption capacity for BT over a modified MOF, CuCl2-loaded MIL47 (MIL = materials of the Institute Lavoisier). MIL-47 is a typical MOF composed of vanadium and benzenedicarboxylate (BDC). The reduction of Cu to Cu has been observed in CuCl2/MIL-47 compounds without high-temperature calcination for the partial reduction. Moreover, CuCl2/ MIL-47 compounds have been prepared by a simple process of loading CuCl2 in the MIL-47 (purified at 70 8C) at room temperature. To understand the contribution of loaded CuCl2 to the adsorptive removal of BT, adsorption was done for various times over CuCl2(0.05)/MIL-47 and MIL-47. Here, MIL-47 is the MIL-47 purified in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) at 70 8C (see the Supporting Information). CuCl2(n)/MIL-47 denotes CuCl2 loaded onto the purified MIL-47 and n is the Cu/V ratio (mol/mol). The amount of adsorbed BT over CuCl2(0.05)/MIL-47 is much higher than that over MIL-47 without CuCl2 at all adsorption times (Figure 1). However,