Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biogeographic patterns and phylogeography of dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion) in an African biodiversity hotspot

The southern African landscape appears to have experienced frequent shifts in vegetation associated with climatic change through the mid‐Miocene and Plio–Pleistocene. One group whose historical biogeography may have been affected by these fluctuations are the dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion), due to their associations with distinct vegetation types. Thus, this group provides an opportunity to investigate historical biogeography in light of climatic fluctuations. A total of 138 dwarf chameleons from the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa were sequenced for two mitochondrial genes (ND2 and 16S), and resulting phylogenetic analyses showed two well‐supported clades that are distributed allopatrically. Within clades, diversity among some lineages was low, and haplotype networks showed patterns of reticulate evolution and incomplete lineage sorting, suggesting relatively recent origins for some of these lineages. A dispersal‐vicariance analysis and a relaxed Bayesian clock suggest that vicariance between the two main clades occurred in the mid‐Miocene, and that both dispersal and vicariance have played a role in shaping present‐day distributions. These analyses also suggest that the most recent series of lineage diversification events probably occurred within the last 3–6 million years. This suggests that the origins of many present‐day lineages were founded in the Plio–Pleistocene, a time period that corresponds to the reduction of forests in the region and the establishment of the fynbos biome.
QUANTITATIVE GENETIC VARIANCE MAINTAINED BY FLUCTUATING SELECTION WITH OVERLAPPING GENERATIONS: VARIANCE COMPONENTS AND COVARIANCES

The quantitative genetic variance‐covariance that can be maintained in a random environment is studied, assuming overlapping generations and Gaussian stabilizing selection with a fluctuating optimum. The phenotype of an individual is assumed to be determined by additive contributions from each locus on paternal and maternal gametes (i.e., no epistasis and no dominance). Recurrent mutation is ignored, but linkage between loci is arbitrary. The genotype distribution in the evolutionarily stable population is generically discrete: only a finite number of polymorphic alleles with distinctly different effects are maintained, even though we allow a continuum of alleles with arbitrary phenotypic contributions to invade. Fluctuating selection maintains nonzero genetic variance in the evolutionarily stable population if the environmental heterogeneity is larger than a certain threshold. Explicit asymptotic expressions for the standing variance‐covariance components are derived for the population near the threshold, or for large generational overlap, as a function of environmental variability and genetic parameters (i.e., number of loci, recombination rate, etc.), using the fact that the genotype distribution is discrete. Above the threshold, the population maintains considerable genetic variance in the form of positive linkage disequilibrium and positive gamete covariance (Hardy‐Weinberg disequilibrium) as well as allelic variance. The relative proportion of these disequilibrium variances in the total genetic variance increases with the environmental variability.
Penny-wise, pound-foolish: the costs of cost-related medication restriction.

M iddle-aged and elderly Americans who restrict medication because of cost are at increase risk for a decline in health tatus; those with cardiovascular disease with cost-related medication restriction report more angina and had higher rates of nonfatal heart attacks and strokes. ' This is no surprise. As Yogi Berra said, "It is like deja vu all over again. " In the US, cost-related medication restriction is a significant problem for minority and low-income seniors as well as those with high out-of-pocket drug costs.2 The study by Heisler and colleagues, based on a longitudinal sample of near-elderly and elderly respondents to HRS and AHEAD surveys, joins a large body of literature documenting that financial barriers to care result in significantly worse health outcomes. These barriers disproportionately impact low-income persons, who despite higher illness burden are more likely to forgo needed care. This study provides evidence for remaining skeptics that access to essential pharmaceuticals is an indispensable component of health care provision. It adds to the literature by documenting in a longitudinal dataset that medication nonadherence due to cost is indeed harmful, and is consistent with other work assessing the consequences of financial barriers to prescription medications. For example, Tamblyn et al found that changes to benefit structure that increased out-of-pocket drug costs for the poor and elderly were associated with increased risk of serious adverse events.3 Elderly Medicare beneficiaries with coronary heart disease who lack drug coverage have lower use rates of statins, a class of relatively expensive drugs that improve survival.4 Drug coverage lowers the likelihood that persons with hypertension will go without antihypertensive drugs.5 A drug benefit cap was associated with reduced use of essential medications among poor individuals with multiple chronic illnesses.6 This and other evidence supported public demand for and eventual implementation of a prescription drug benefit for Medicare in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. However, it is likely that despite this landmark legislation, access to prescription drugs will remain problematic for many.7 Like all studies, this study has a number of limitations. Respondents were asked at baseline if they had restricted drug use in the prior 2 years, yet the study examines outcomes in subsequent years. A recent cross sectional analysis of the HRS wave conducted in 2000, found that respondents who reported cost-related medication restriction were more likely to report worsening of their health status over the last 2 years, and worsening of hypertension, heart disease, and arthritis, as well as more depressive symptoms.8 Therefore, it is likely that the findings of worse health status are robust. On
The Effect of Need-Based Spiritual/Religious Intervention on Spiritual Well-Being and Anxiety of Elderly People

Anxiety and spiritual distress are the most common problems among the patients admitted in intensive care units. The elderly are more vulnerable to this problem due to impairment of their adaptation mechanisms. Hence, helping to reduce anxiety is one of the most effective nursing interventions. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effect of need-based spiritual/religious interventions on spiritual well-being (SWB) and anxiety of the elderly admitted to coronary care unit (CCU). This quasi-experimental study with pre- and posttest control group design was conducted on 66 patients admitted to CCU of Imam Reza hospital in Lar, southern Iran, in 2014. After obtaining informed consents, the data were collected using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the SWB Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed through interviewing the patients before and after the intervention. The participants of the intervention group underwent 60- to 90-minute sessions of spiritual and religious need-based interventions for 3 consecutive days. The results showed a significant increase in the mean scores of SWB in the intervention group after the intervention (P = .001). Also, a significant decrease was found in mean scores of trait and state anxiety in the intervention group in comparing to control group (P < .001). Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between the mean scores of SWB and state and trait anxiety. Spiritual/religious interventions could enhance SWB and reduce anxiety in the elderly admitted to CCU.
Analysis of growth characteristics in short-term divergently selected Japanese quail

This study was carried out to examine the effect of short-term selection for 5-weeks of age body weight in divergent lines of Japanese quail. Growth curves for both sexes within each selection group resembled the general sigmoid shape of a typical growth curve. Gompertz model curves and the observed growth curves were very similar. In both males and females the parameter estimates of the Gompertz growth curve were obtained with a high determination coefficient (0.9898 ≥ R2 ≥ 0.9840). Sex differences in asymptotic weight were found to be significant across lines. Similarly, in both sexes a significant divergent selection effect was determined for parameter A. The growth rate in all the Japanese quail lines was significantly higher in males than in females. There was also a significant increase in growth rate of the females selected for increased 5-week body weight over the control females, as well as a significant decline in growth rate of males selected for decreased 5-week body weight compared to the unselected control group. Keywords : Gompertz model; growth curve; asymmetric response;growth rate South African Journal of Animal Sciences Vol. 35 (2) 2005: pp.83-89
On the role of high-gain feedback in P-type learning control of robot arms

An alternative proof of the convergence of known P-type learning control schemes for unconstrained and constrained robot arms is presented. The analysis carried out is based on a singular perturbation approach and points out the role played by high gain velocity and force feedbacks and by actuator/output co-location. The singular perturbation analysis developed clearly displays that the P-type learning algorithm is geometrically convergent, and that, thanks to the high gain feedback, this convergence does not depend on the knowledge of the robot parameters. Robustness with respect to some classes of disturbances is also addressed. The stability of the high gain closed loop system in case of robots in contact with the environment is shown to rely on a sufficiently good knowledge of the constraining surface.
Enantioselective Esterification of Ibuprofen under Microwave Irradiation

Enantioselective esterification of ibuprofen has been successfully carried out in an organic solvent catalyzed by recombinant APE 1547 (a thermophilic esterase from the archaeon Aeropyrum pernix K1). Here we used microwave irradiation (MW) as the mode of heating to improve the enzyme performance. Under the optimum conditions, the enzyme activity of APE 1547 was 4.16 μmol/mg/h and the enantioselectivity (E value) was 52.9. Compared with conventional heating, the enzyme activity and the enantioselectivity were increased about 21.9-fold and 1.4-fold, respectively. The results also indicated that APE 1547 can maintain 95% of its activity even after being used five times, suggesting that the enzyme is stable under low power MW conditions.
Vision, Strategy, and Localization Using the Sony Robots at RoboCup-98

Sony has provided a robot platform for research and development in physical agents, namely, fully autonomous legged robots. In this article, we describe our work using Sony's legged robots to participate at the RoboCup-98 legged robot demonstration and competition. Robotic soccer represents a challenging environment for research in systems with multiple robots that need to achieve concrete objectives, particularly in the presence of an adversary. Furthermore, RoboCup offers an excellent opportunity for robot entertainment. We introduce the RoboCup context and briefly present Sony's legged robot. We developed a vision-based navigation and a Bayesian localization algorithm. Team strategy is achieved through predefined behaviors and learning by instruction.
Effect of a new oral contraceptive with drospirenone on vital signs, complete blood count, glucose, electrolytes, renal, and liver function.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of a new oral contraception formulation with drospirenone (Yasmin) on vital signs, complete blood count, glucose, electrolytes, and renal and liver function. MATERIAL AND METHOD An open-label non-comparative clinical trial was conducted. One hundred women who were planning to use oral contraception for at least six months were recruited. The subjects received a blister pack which contained 21 tablets of 3 mg drospirenone /30 tg ethinyl estradiol for the first four cycles (1 cycle = 28 days). Cycle 5 and 6 blister packs were dispensed during the visit in cycle 4. Heart rate and blood pressure of each subject were checked at baseline and each visit. Serum from each subject was collected and sent for complete blood count, glucose, electrolytes, and renal and liver function tests at baseline and at cycle 6. Mean differences in these tests at cycle 6 compared to baseline were assessed. RESULTS Ninety-two of the 100 subjects (92%) completed the present study. There was no significant change in heart rate, blood pressure, complete blood count, glucose, electrolytes, and renal and liver function tests at cycle 6 when compared to baseline. CONCLUSION Oral contraception formulation with drospirenone (Yasmin) is well tolerated and has good contraceptive efficacy. It is safe, as it has no effect on heart rate, blood pressure, complete blood count, glucose, electrolytes, and renal and liver function.
Design Of High Performance CMOS Dynamic Latch Comparator

High performance analog to digital converters (ADC), memory sense amplifiers, and Radio Frequency identification applications, data receivers with less area and power efficient designs has attracted a broad range of dynamic comparators. This paper presents an ameliorate design for a dynamic latch based comparator in attaining high performance. The comparators accuracyis mainly defined by two factors they are speed and power consumption. The latch based comparator has two different stages encompassing of a dynamic differential input gain stage and an output latch.The output node in the differential gain stage of proposed comparator requires lesser time to regain higher charge potential. The proposed comparator hasbeen designed and simulated using 130nm CMOS 1P2M technology by using mentor graphics tools with a supply voltage of 1V. Proposed dynamic latch comparator iscompared with existing conventional dynamic latch comparator and with other comparators and the results are discussed in detail.
Planejamento de pesquisas * Research design

Nos cursos em que ensino Sociologia da Religiao americana, muitas vezes sou abordado por alunos que dizem algo do tipo “Eu tenho um tema interessante para o meu trabalho em sua disciplina, mas nao sei como proceder para pesquisa-lo. Voce pode me ajudar? ”. A lacuna entre estes dois elementos — um tema interessante e um plano de pesquisa adequado — nao e incomum para os alunos de Ciencia da Religiao. Em parte, isso ocorre porque o estudo da religiao carece de uma abordagem metodologica propria e distinta. Ele empresta metodos e logicas de estudo de varias disciplinas dentro das Ciencias Humanas e Sociais, e cada vez mais das Ciencias Cognitivo-evolutivas, mas tambem do estudo moderno da religiao, como um campo, agora liberado dos limites da reflexao teologica. Ele emerge como um hibrido intelectual com diversas raizes na historia da Fenomenologia, Filosofia e Estudos Textuais, por um lado, e da Antropologia, Sociologia e Psicologia, por outro. Nao ha um paradigma singular de estudo amplamente aceito. Alem disso, o fenomeno que estudamos e elusivo, dificil de estabelecer e desafia uma definicao facil. Para aumentar a complexidade, "religiao", no contexto de vida das pessoas, tem significados tanto de primeira ordem quanto de segunda ordem. Ha os quadros interpretativos dos proprios crentes religiosos, que sao, muitas vezes, o objeto de estudo dentro, digamos, da etnografia. No entanto, enquanto estudiosos, olhamos mesmos fenomenos e aplicamos seus proprios esquemas conceituais e teorias de forma independente, mas, por vezes, influenciados pela maneira como os participantes descrevem seus proprios mundos. As disputas sobre interpretacoes academicas e * Capitulo 1.5 do livro The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in the Study of Religion, organizado por Michael Stausberg e Steven Engler. Traducao de Carlos Antonio Carneiro Barbosa, doutorando do PEPG de Ciencias da Religiao da PUS/SP. Revisao de Eduardo R. Cruz. Negritos ao longo do texto sao do proprio autor. Traducao gentilmente autorizada por Taylor & Francis, proprietaria dos direitos autorais da obra. A traducao mantem as normas formais do original suspendendo as regras redacionais da REVER. ** Professor de Religiao e Sociedade na Universidade da California, Santa Barbara, EUA.
Self-Compliant Bipolar Resistive Switching in SiN-Based Resistive Switching Memory

Here, we present evidence of self-compliant and self-rectifying bipolar resistive switching behavior in Ni/SiNx/n+ Si and Ni/SiNx/n++ Si resistive-switching random access memory devices. The Ni/SiNx/n++ Si device’s Si bottom electrode had a higher dopant concentration (As ion > 1019 cm−3) than the Ni/SiNx/n+ Si device; both unipolar and bipolar resistive switching behaviors were observed for the higher dopant concentration device owing to a large current overshoot. Conversely, for the device with the lower dopant concentration (As ion < 1018 cm−3), self-rectification and self-compliance were achieved owing to the series resistance of the Si bottom electrode.
BIOMECÂNICA OCUPACIONAL - UMA REVISÃO DE LITERATURA OCCUPACIONAL BIOMECHANICS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

A Biomecânica Ocupacional e uma area de atuacao da Biomecânica e esta relacionada ao estudo das posturas e tarefas do homem no trabalho. Trata-se de uma area interdisciplinar que possui ligacao direta com a Ergonomia e que procura buscar solucoes para os problemas decorrentes da adaptacao do homem ao ambiente de trabalho e viceversa. A analise das propriedades biomecânicas do aparelho locomotor, tais como as posturas dinâmicas, a mobilidade articular e a forca muscular, sao alguns dos metodos utilizados pela Biomecânica Ocupacional para determinar os limites e capacidades humanos para a realizacao de tarefas laborais sem o risco de lesoes. Entre as lesoes decorrentes de esforcos inadequados relacionados ao trabalho, a lombalgia e o fator de maior queixa entre os trabalhadores de diferentes areas, especialmente aqueles que desempenham profissoes que envolvem levantamento, sustentacao e/ou transporte de cargas. Algumas condicoes de trabalho envolvem esforcos inadequados ou a manutencao de uma ou sustentada de um determinado grupamento muscular e/ou o apoio de uma mesma parte do corpo em uma determinada superficie. Estas condicoes sao grandes causadoras de lesoes por esforcos repetitivos. Nos ultimos anos, intervencoes ergonomicas tem sido sugeridas na industria em busca da diminuicao das lesoes e da otimizacao das tarefas laborais. Por ser uma area interdisciplinar, a Biomecânica Ocupacional abre um grande espaco de atuacao para o profissional de educacao fisica interessado no trabalho de prevencao de lesoes por esforcos repetitivos por meio da atividade fisica. Esta revisao procura mostrar algumas analises biomecânicas das tarefas laborais, mediante suas diversas metodologias, como a eletromiografia, a cinemetria e outros.
THE TWO-PERIOD CHANGE-OVER DESIGN AN ITS USE IN CLINICAL TRIALS.

Some properties of the two-period change-over design are investigated. It is shown that if the effect of subjects is assumed to be a random variable, the difference between the direct effects and the differenice between the residual effects of treatments are estimable, but the difference between periods is not. The amount of experimentation necessary to achieve a specified power of the test of equality of the direct effects of treatments resulting from a two-period change-over design is compared to the amount required for a design in which the subjects are assigned randomly to a single treatment. This comparison shows that the two-period changeover design is preferable when the residual effects of the treatments are equal and the correlation between the response to the two tieatments is positive. Otherwise the design in which there is random assignment to a single treatment is preferable.
The uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation in rat-liver mitochondria by thyroxine, triiodothyronine and related substances.

more than twice the theoretical amount of sulphone, since otherwise considerable denaturation may occur. If, however, the preparations are made in the reverse order, i.e. by treatment with sulphone before iodination, it is advisable to use a higher suiphone/protein ratio when preparing derivatives of ovalbumin, but not of globulins. When 'trace-labelling' a protein with the two isotopes the above considerations do not arise, and it is probably immaterial which of the two groups is introduced first (Table 5). We have, however, invariably introduced the sulphone groups first, since it is during the sulphone treatment that there is the greater risk of damaging the proteins, and this is less likely to occur if these proteins have been submitted to only the minimum of preliminary chemical treatment.
Fluoro deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computerized tomography in primary staging and response assessment of a rare case of primary pleural synovial sarcoma

Primary pleural sarcomas constitute <1% of all primary lung cancers. Synovial sarcomas of the pleura are extremely rare. They may be mistaken for malignant mesothelioma or other spindle cell tumors, but the confirmation is by histology and immunohistochemistry. Synovial sarcomas are aggressive with a high incidence of recurrence. In this case report, we present the 18-fluoride-fluoro deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computerized tomography (PET-CT) findings of patient with primary pleural synovial cell sarcoma. The pretreatment and postchemotherapy FDG PET-CT scans are presented. The role of FDG PET-CT in initial staging and response assessment in this interesting case of pleural synovial sarcoma is presented.
Regression of Post-orthodontic Lesions by a Remineralizing Cream

Orthodontic patients have an increased risk of white-spot lesion formation. A clinical trial was conducted to test whether, in a post-orthodontic population using fluoride toothpastes and receiving supervised fluoride mouthrinses, more lesions would regress in participants using a remineralizing cream containing casein phosphopeptide- amorphous calcium phosphate compared with a placebo. Forty-five participants (aged 12–18 yrs) with 408 white-spot lesions were recruited, with 23 participants randomized to the remineralizing cream and 22 to the placebo. Product was applied twice daily after fluoride toothpaste use for 12 weeks. Clinical assessments were performed according to ICDAS II criteria. Transitions between examinations were coded as progressing, regressing, or stable. Ninety-two percent of lesions were assessed as code 2 or 3. For these lesions, 31% more had regressed with the remineralizing cream than with the placebo (OR = 2.3, P = 0.04) at 12 weeks. Significantly more post-orthodontic white-spot lesions regressed with the remineralizing cream compared with a placebo over 12 weeks.