Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A mathematical model for dynamic simulation of anaerobic digestion of complex substrates: Focusing on ammonia inhibition

A mathematical model for anaerobic degradation of complex organic material, such as manure, has been developed. The model includes an enzymatic hydrolytic step and four bacterial steps and involves 12 chemical compounds. The model focuses on ammonia inhibition and includes a detailed description of pH and temperature characteristics in order to accurately simulate free ammonia concentration. Free ammonia and acetate constitute the primary modulating factors in the model. The model has been applied for the simulation of digestion of cattle manure in continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), and results compare favorably with experimental data. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Borrowing Others' Words: Text, Ownership, Memory, and Plagiarism

In this article, I attempt to deal with some of the complexities of text, ownership, memorization, and plagiarism. Arguing that plagiarism cannot be cast as a simple black-and-white issue, the prevention of which can be achieved via threats, warnings, and admonitions, I suggest that it needs to be understood in terms of complex relationships between text, memory, and learning. This is part of an attempt to explore more generally different relationships between learning, literacy, and cultural difference. I look first at the background to the notion of authorship and ownership of text, arguing that the way ownership and creativity are understood within European and U.S. contexts needs to be seen as a very particular cultural and historical development. By looking at shifting premodern, modern, and postmodern understandings of text and authorship, I show how the dominant modernist paradigm has always been filled with tensions and ambiguities. Then I discuss how these confusions around plagiarism lead to difficulties and hypocrisies in how textual borrowing is understood. I follow this examination of the development of the Western notion of textual ownership with a consideration of what it means to impose this view in a context where understandings of texts, ownership, and learning may be very different. By looking at learning in a Chinese context and also at the particularities of studying in Hong Kong, I show why we need much more subtle appreciations of the relationships between different approaches to texts. Finally, I discuss some general implications for understanding text, ownership, and learning.
Phase III studies on novel oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: a look beyond the excellent results: a rebuttal

This work was supported by the EU Seventh Framework Program (223062). The Division of Pharmacoepidemiology & Clinical Pharmacology has received unrestricted funding from the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMW), the Dutch Health Care Insurance Board (CVZ), the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association (KNMP), the private/public-funded Top Institute Pharma (www.tipharma.nl; includes cofunding from universities, government, and industry), the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), the EU Seventh Framework Program (FP7), and the Dutch Ministry of Health and Industry (including GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and others).
A Particle Swarm Optimization Approach for Procedure Parameters Optimization of Semiconductor Assembly Product Line

A particle swarm optimization approach with the characteristic of logical time-order for procedure parameters optimization of semiconductor assembly product line is proposed in this paper. The actual semiconductor assembly product line is modeled, and in allusion to such a kind of typical procedure parameters optimization as process time assignment to different products on each machine, the logical time-order particle swarm optimization strategy with the evaluation index of average profit in unit time and equilibrium degree of machine is put forward and simulated
Evaluation of the Invader Assay with the BACTEC MGIT 960 System for Prompt Isolation and Identification of Mycobacterial Species from Clinical Specimens

ABSTRACT Rapid and accurate identification of mycobacterial species is essential for patient management. We describe the use of the Invader assay in conjunction with the BACTEC MGIT 960 system that together provide an efficient procedure for clinical use. This assay discriminates single-base differences (e.g., genotyping single-nucleotide polymorphisms) under homogeneous and isothermal conditions and can measure directly on genomic DNA without prior target DNA amplification. To identify a wide variety of mycobacterial species, 20 Invader probes were designed to target the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S-23S rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) region. To validate the Invader probes, we used 78 ATCC strains, and 607 clinical mycobacterial strains, which were identified by DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and ITS-1. The Invader assay could accurately identify and differentiate these strains according to target sequences. Moreover, it could detect and identify 116 (95.1%) of 122 positive liquid cultures from the BACTEC MGIT 960 system and did not react to 83 contaminated MGIT cultures. Species identification takes 6.5 h by the Invader assay: 2.0 h for DNA extraction, 0.5 h for handling, and up to 4 h for the Invader reaction. The Invader assay has the speed, ease of use, and accuracy to be an effective procedure for the bacteriological diagnosis of mycobacterial infections.
Health and social precursors of unemployment in young men in Great Britain.

OBJECTIVE: To identify health and socioeconomic factors in childhood that are precursors of unemployment in early adult life and to examine the hypothesis that young men who become unemployed are more likely to have accumulated risks to health during childhood. DESIGN: Longitudinal birth cohort study. The amount of unemployment experienced in early adult life up to age 32 years was the outcome measure used. Exposure measures to indicate vulnerability to future ill health were: height at age 7 years and the Bristol social adjustment guide (BSAG) at age 11 years, a measure of behavioural maladjustment. Socioeconomic measures were: social class at birth, crowding at age 7, qualifications attained before labour market entry, and region of residence. SETTING: Great Britain. SUBJECTS: Altogether 2256 men with complete data from the national child development study (NCDS). The NCDS has collected data on all men and women born in one week in 1958 and has followed them up using interviews, self completion questionnaires, and medical examinations at birth and at ages 7, 11, 16, 23 and 33 years. RESULTS: A total of 269 men (11.9%) experienced more than one year of unemployment between ages 22 and 32 years. Poor socioeconomic conditions in childhood and a lack of qualifications were associated with an increased risk of unemployment. Geographical region was also significant in determining the risk of unemployment. Men with short stature and poor social adjustment in childhood were more likely to experience unemployment in adult life, even after controlling for socioeconomic background, education, and parental height. These differences remained when those with chronic childhood illnesses were excluded from the analysis. The adjusted relative odds for experiencing more than one year of unemployment between ages 22 and 32 years for men who were in the top fifth of the BSAG distribution (most maladjusted) compared with those in the bottom fifth were 2.36 (95% CI 1.49, 3.73). The adjusted relative odds for experiencing more than one year of unemployment between ages 22 and 32 years for men who were in the bottom fifth of the distribution of height at age 7 years (indicating slowest growth) compared with those in the top fifth, were 2.41 (95% CI 1.43, 4.04). Adult height was not significantly associated with unemployment. CONCLUSION: The relationship between unemployment and poor health arises, in part, because men who become unemployed are more likely to have accumulated risks to health during childhood, reflected by slower growth and a greater tendency to behavioural maladjustment. Short stature in childhood is a significant indicator of poor socioeconomic circumstances in childhood and reflects earlier poor development.
Risks of multiple sclerosis in relatives of patients in Flanders, Belgium.

OBJECTIVES: To calculate age adjusted risks for multiple sclerosis in relatives of Flemish patients with multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Lifetime risks were calculated using the maximum likelihood approach. RESULTS: Vital information was obtained on 674 probands with multiple sclerosis in Flanders and a total of their 26225 first, second, and third degree relatives. Full medical information to allow documentation of multiple sclerosis status was available for 21351 (81.4%) relatives. The age adjusted risk for parents was 1.61 (SEM 0.35)%, for siblings 2.10 (SE 0.36)%, and for children 1.71 (SEM 0.70)%. For aunts and uncles, the risk was 0.66 (SEM 0.13)%. CONCLUSIONS: The risk for first degree relatives of patients with multiple sclerosis in Flanders is increased 10-fold to 12-fold; for second degree relatives, it is increased threefold. This information can be used for risk counselling in families and provides additional support for the role of more than one locus contributing to the susceptibility of multiple sclerosis.
Seminars in Ultrasound CT and MRI

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Independent Roles for Nibrin and Mre11-Rad50 in the Activation and Function of Atm*

The Atm protein kinase and Mre11-Rad50-nibrin (MRN) complex play an integral role in the cellular response to DNA double-strand breaks. Mutations in Mre11 and nibrin result in the radiosensitivity disorders ataxia-telangiectasia-like disorder (ATLD) and Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS), respectively. Cells from ATLD and NBS patients are deficient in activation of the Atm protein kinase and phosphorylation of downstream Atm targets following irradiation. However, the roles of individual MRN complex proteins in Atm function are not clear, because the mutations in NBS and ATLD cells result in global effects on the MRN complex. Previously we showed that the C-terminal 100 amino acids of nibrin were necessary and sufficient to translocate the MRN complex to the nucleus. Here we have taken advantage of this feature of nibrin to create isogenic cell lines lacking either nibrin or Mre11-Rad50 in the nucleus. We found that nuclear expression of Mre11-Rad50, but not nibrin, stimulated Atm activation at early times after low doses of radiation. At later times or higher doses of irradiation, Atm activation was independent of Mre11-Rad50 or nibrin. The requirement of MRN complex proteins for downstream Atm phosphorylation events following irradiation was more complex. Phosphorylation of nibrin and Chk2 by Atm required Mre11-Rad50 expression in the nucleus at early times after irradiation, reflecting the stimulation of Atm activation by Mre11-Rad50. By contrast, autophosphorylation of Chk2 and phosphorylation of Smc1 at Ser-957 was dependent on the MRN complex 60 min after irradiation, even though Atm was activated at that time point. These results indicate an independent role for Mre11-Rad50 in the activation of Atm and suggest nibrin and/or Mre11-Rad50 also act as adaptors for some downstream Atm phosphorylation events.
Does BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism Confer Risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?

Background: Evidence has indicated that BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) Val66Met genetic variant could be linked to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, clinical observations studying the BDNF polymorphism and the risk of PTSD yielded contradictory results. In this meta-analysis we evaluated the association between BDNF Val66Met and PTSD risk. Method: Systematic searches in online databases retrieved 6 relevant publications. Different inherited models were utilized to perform the pooled analysis. Subgroup analyses and sensitive analyses based on Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) test results were also carried out. Results: Our study did not found a significant overall effect of BDNF Val66Met on the susceptibility to PTSD under various genetic models. In contrast, subgroup analyses suggested that the stress status of the control group, but not ethnicity, may influence the relationship of BDNF Val66Met with PTSD risk. After the exclusion of a study that was not in HWE, our conclusions remained unchanged during the influence analyses. Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggested no genetic association of BDNF Val66Met with vulnerability to PTSD. Further research studies are warranted to clarify the impact of BDNF variants on the occurrence of PTSD.
The Neolithic invasion of Europe

▪ Abstract Who are Europeans? Both prehistoric archaeology and, subsequently, classical population genetics have attempted to trace the ancestry of modern Europeans back to the first appearance of agriculture in the continent; however, the question has remained controversial. Classical population geneticists attributed the major pattern in the European gene pool to the demographic impact of Neolithic farmers dispersing from the Near East, but archaeological research has failed to uncover substantial evidence for the population growth that is supposed to have driven this process. Recently, molecular approaches, using non-recombining genetic marker systems, have introduced a chronological dimension by both allowing the tracing of lineages back through time and dating using the molecular clock. Both mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome analyses have indicated a contribution of Neolithic Near Eastern lineages to the gene pool of modern Europeans of around a quarter or less. This suggests that dispersals bringin.
Nanoporous Activated Carbon Beads and Monolithic Columns as Effective Hemoadsorbents for Inflammatory Cytokines

The aim of the present study was to develop and investigate nanoporous activated carbon materials for their ability to adsorb inflammatory cytokines directly from blood, for a range of therapeutic applications, including: systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) related to sepsis, cardio-pulmonary by-pass surgery, or ischemic reperfusion injury. Building on the previously established relationship between the porous structure of beaded polymer-derived activated carbon and its capacity to adsorb inflammatory molecules, we have developed and characterized monolithic porous carbon columns produced from the same polymer precursor matrix as carbon microbeads. The monolithic columns developed were assessed for their ability to adsorb inflammatory molecules from blood in a circulating system. Preliminary findings demonstrated good removal of the inflammatory cytokines IL-8 (100% removal), IL-6 (80% removal), and TNF (51% removal) from blood. The efficiency of cleansing is dependent on the size of the adsorbed molecule and the porous structure of the monolith, highlighting their potential for use as a hemoadsorption device.
Field programmable gate array prototyping of end-around carry parallel prefix tree architectures

As an important part of many processors's floating point unit, fused multiply-add unit performs a multiplication followed immediately by an addition. In IBM POWER6 microprocessor's fused multiply-add unit, a fast 128-bit floating-point end-around-carry (EAC) adder is proposed. Very few algorithmic details exist in today's literature about this adder. In this study, a complete designed EAC adder that can work independently as a regular adder is proposed. Details about the proposed EAC adder's arithmetic algorithms are described. In IBM's original EAC adder, the Kogge'Stone tree has been chosen for its high performance on ASIC technology. In this study, the authors present a comparative study on different parallel prefix trees which are used in the design of our new EAC adder targeting field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology. Our study highlights the main performance differences among 14 different architecture configurations focusing on the area requirements and the critical path delay. The experimental results show that there is one architecture configuration with the lower area requirement and the higher performance.
DVB-T passive radar tracking on real data using Extended Kalman Filter with DOA estimation

This paper presents a tracking algorithm for bistatic DVB-T passive radar based on the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), exploiting measurement of bistatic range and bistatic velocity of a target. Also the direction of arrival of the target is estimated through beamforming and then used in the tracking model. The algorithm has been tested and validated by using both simulated and real data. The Extended Kalman Filter is then used to obtain accurate and robust results.
Experimental O‐space turbo spin echo imaging

Turbo spin echo (TSE) imaging reduces imaging time by acquiring multiple echoes per repetition (TR), requiring fewer TRs. O‐space can also require fewer TRs by using a combination of nonlinear magnetic gradient fields and surface coil arrays. Although to date, O‐space has only been demonstrated for gradient echo imaging, it is valuable to combine these two techniques. However, collecting multiple O‐space echoes per TR is difficult because of the different local k‐space trajectories and variable T2‐weighting.
Enhanced virus replication and inhibition of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus disease in anti-gamma interferon-treated mice

The role of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) induced during a viral infection in the ability of the host to acquire antiviral immunity was studied in mice. They were injected subcutaneously daily with an ammonium sulfate-precipitated sheep anti-IFN-gamma antibody preparation able to neutralize 10(4) U of IFN-gamma. Specificity of the anti-IFN-gamma antiserum was demonstrated by absence of detectable activity against natural IFN-alpha and -beta. Controls were treated with a similarly prepared normal sheep serum. Treatment with the IFN-gamma-specific antibody preparation had no influence on the ability of mice to generate anti-vaccinia virus- or anti-vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-specific cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) responses or T helper-dependent immunoglobulin G responses to VSV. In contrast, treatment of mice with sheep anti-IFN-gamma impaired CTL responses against lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus (LCMV, Aggressive isolate); in addition, under the experimental conditions used, it prevented lethal LCM. Cytotoxic T-cell activity measured in the spleens of anti-IFN-gamma-treated mice was comparable to that found in mice initially infected with a 100-fold-larger dose of LCMV. Evaluation of the effects of treatment on the kinetics of virus replication revealed that in both euthymic and athymic nude C57BL/6 mice, anti-IFN-gamma treatment led to an increase of virus titers up to 100-fold compared with control mice. Therefore, IFN-gamma may play a role in controlling viruses with tropism for lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages, such as LCMV.
Please Scroll down for Article Language and Cognitive Processes the Diva Model: a Neural Theory of Speech Acquisition and Production the Diva Model: a Neural Theory of Speech Acquisition and Production

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. The DIVA model of speech production provides a computationally and neuroanatomically explicit account of the network of brain regions involved in speech acquisition and production. An overview of the model is provided along with descriptions of the computations performed in the different brain regions represented in the model. The latest version of the model, which contains a new right-lateralised feedback control map in ventral premotor cortex, will be described, and experimental results that motivated this new model component will be discussed. Application of the model to the study and treatment of communication disorders will also be briefly described.
Purification, characterization and cDNA cloning of human lung surfactant protein D.

Human pulmonary surfactant protein D (SP-D) was identified in lung lavage by its similarity to rat SP-D in both its molecular mass and its Ca(2+)-dependent-binding affinity for maltose [Persson, Chang & Crouch (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 5755-5760]. For structural studies, human SP-D was isolated from amniotic fluid by affinity chromatography on maltose-Sepharose followed by f.p.l.c. on Superose 6, which showed it to have a molecular mass of approx. 620 kDa in non-dissociating conditions. On SDS/PAGE the human SP-D behaved as a single band of 150 kDa or 43 kDa in non-reducing or reducing conditions respectively. The presence of a high concentration of glycine (22%), hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine in the amino acid composition of human SP-D indicated that it contained collagen-like structure. Collagenase digestion yielded a 20 kDa collagenase-resistant globular fragment which retained affinity for maltose. Use of maltosyl-BSA as a neoglycoprotein ligand in a solid-phase binding assay showed that human SP-D has a similar carbohydrate-binding specificity to rat SP-D, but a clearly distinct specificity from that of other lectins, such as conglutinin, for a range of simple saccharides. Amino acid sequence analysis established the presence of collagen-like Gly-Xaa-Yaa triplets in human SP-D and also provided sequence data from the globular region of the molecule which was used in the synthesis of oligonucleotide probes. Screening of a human lung cDNA library with the oligonucleotide probes, and also with rabbit anti-(human SP-D), allowed the isolation of two cDNA clones which overlap to give the full coding sequence of human SP-D. The derived amino acid sequence indicates that the mature human SP-D polypeptide chain is 355 residues long, having a short non-collagen-like N-terminal section of 25 residues, followed by a collagen-like region of 177 residues and a C-terminal C-type lectin domain of 153 residues. Comparison of the human SP-D and bovine serum conglutinin amino acid sequences indicated that they showed 66% identity despite their marked differences in carbohydrate specificity.