Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DIFFERENTIATING MICROTUS XANTHOGNATHUS AND MICROTUS PENNSYLVANICUS LOWER FIRST MOLARS USING DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS OF LANDMARK DATA

Abstract The distinct ecological requirements of Microtus xanthognathus (yellow-cheeked vole or taiga vole) and M. pennsylvanicus (meadow vole) warrant accurate discrimination of their remains in studies of paleoecology and past biogeographical shifts. An occlusal length of the lower 1st molars (m1) that is >3.2 mm for M. xanthognathus is the method most frequently used to separate these 2 taxa in archaeological and paleontological samples. However, these measurements alone are unreliable because some specimens of M. pennsylvanicus overlap smaller individuals of M. xanthognathus in size. Therefore, I created and tested a morphometric technique that discriminates Recent lower 1st molars (m1s) of M. pennsylvanicus from those of M. xanthognathus, and is applicable to other taxa (both modern and fossil). Despite overlapping occlusal length, my discriminant function based on landmark data correctly classified 100% (n = 53) of Recent m1s from the 2 taxa and 97.7% (43 of 44) of (assumed) m1s of M. pennsylvanicus from an archaeological site from about AD 1200 in central Nebraska. This landmark scheme is applicable to fossil and modern Microtus worldwide.
Wavelet-Based Technique for Mobile Device with Low Resolution Depth Image-Based Rendering

Depth Image-Based Rendering (DIBR) is an approach to generate a 3-D image by the original 2-D color image with the corresponding 2-D depth map. Although DIBR is a quite convenient to convert 2D images to 3D ones, there is a disadvantage in DIBR system that it cannot reach real-time processing due to the computing time. Against this, this paper proposes a method which is based on discrete wavelet transform and adaptive edge-oriented smoothing process, to speed up the computing of the system. The proposed method still preserves the original texture and thus the proposed method not only preserves the vertical texture but also reduces at least 60% of the computing time of the DIBR system
Chloroplastid pigment contents and chlorophyll a fluorescence in Amazonian tropical three species

As plantas respondem a mudancas nas condicoes de luz e na disponibilidade hidrica em termos da quantidade e composicao dos pigmentos cloroplastidicos, o que afeta as propriedades fotossinteticas e, consequentemente, o acumulo de biomassa das especies. Assim, a concentracao de pigmentos cloroplastidicos e a fluorescencia da clorofila a de tres especies arboreas (Bertholletia excelsa, Carapa guianensis e Dipteryx odorata) da Amazonia foi investigada em folhas sombreadas e nao-sombreadas da copa das arvores e em dois periodos distintos de precipitacao (chuvoso e seco). As concentracoes de pigmentos foram determinadas por espectrofotometria e as variaveis de fluorescencia, por meio de um fluorometro portatil. Os resultados indicaram que as especies estudadas exibiram maiores concentracoes de Chl a, Chl b e Chltotal no periodo chuvoso, em comparacao com o periodo seco, em especial em folhas de sombra. As maiores concentracoes de carotenoides foram observadas em B. excelsa, em comparacao com as folhas de C. guianensis e D. odorata. Nas folhas de B. excelsa e D. odorata, nao foram encontradas diferencas significativas em relacao a fotoquimica do fotossistema II (Fv/Fm), entre os periodos chuvoso e seco. Conclui-se que as tres especies respondem de modo diferente a variacao da luz e as condicoes distintas de precipitacao quanto a captura de luz, aspecto que deveria ser considerado no manejo de plantios florestais.
SSK modulation performance with relay selection and selection combining

In this letter, the performance of space shift keying (SSK) modulation is analyzed with partial amplify and forward (AF) relay selection (RS) from multiple numbers of relays and selection combining (SC) at the receiver. This scheme selects a single radio frequency (RF) chain from the transmitter to the relay using the RS as well as relay to the receiver using the SC technique. Closed‐form expression for average bit error probability (ABEP) is derived and Numerical and computer simulation results are presented with the discussion. The result derived is compared with the best RS where the best link between the transmitter to the receiver is selected with SC at the receiver. It is revealed that there is an interesting trade‐off between partial RS and best RS with SC at the receiver. However, it is shown that partial RS with SC has almost equal ABEP performance in comparison to best RS with SC with low hardware complexity.
Real Time Analysis of the Affinity Regulation of α4-Integrin

This work examines the affinity of α4β1-integrin and whether affinity regulation by G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and chemokines receptors is compatible with cell adhesion mediated between α4-integrin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. We used flow cytometry to examine the binding of a fluorescent derivative of an LDV peptide (Chen, L. L., Whitty, A., Lobb, R. R., Adams, S. P., and Pepinsky, R. B. (1999)J. Biol. Chem. 274, 13167–13175) to several cell lines and leukocytes with α4-integrin ranging from about 2,000 to 100,000 sites/cell. The results support the idea that α4-integrins exhibit multiple affinities and that affinity changes are regulated by the dissociation rate and conformation. The affinity varies by 3 orders of magnitude with the affinity induced by binding mAb TS2/16 plus Mn2+ > Mn2+ ‘ TS2/16 > activation because of occupancy of GPCR or chemokines receptor > resting receptors. A significant fraction of the receptors respond to the activating process. The change in α4-integrin affinity and the corresponding change in off rates mediated by GPCR receptor activation are rapid and transient, and their duration depends on GPCR desensitization. The affinity changes mediated by IgE receptor or interleukin-5 receptor persist longer. It appears that the physiologically active state of the α4-integrin, determined by inside-out signaling, has similar affinity in several cell types.
An advanced prediction model for postoperative complications and early implant failure

Abstract Objectives Risk prediction in implant dentistry presents specific challenges including the dependence of observations from patients with multiple implants and rare outcome events. The aim of this study was to use advanced statistical methods based on penalized regression to assess risk factors in implant dentistry. Material and methods We conducted a retrospective study from January 2016 to November 2018 recording postoperative complications including bleeding, hematoma, local infection, and nerve damage, as well as early implant failure. We further assessed patient‐ and implant‐related risk factors including smoking and diabetes, as well as treatment parameters including types of gaps and surgical procedures. Univariable and multivariable generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were estimated to assess predictor effects, and a prediction model was fitted using L1 penalized estimation (lasso). Results In a total of 1,132 patients (mean age: 50.6 ± 16.5 years, 55.4% female) and 2,413 implants, postoperative complications occurred in 71 patients. Sixteen implants were lost prior to loading. Multivariable GEE models showed a higher risk of any complication for diabetes mellitus (p = .006) and bone augmentation (p = .039). The models further revealed a higher risk of local infection for bone augmentation (p = .003), and a higher risk of hematoma formation for diabetes mellitus (p = .007) and edentulous jaws (p = .024). The lasso model did not select any risk factors into the prediction model. Conclusions Using novel methodology well‐suited to tackle the specific challenges of risk prediction in implant dentistry, we were able to reliably estimate associations of risk factors with outcomes.
Cytologic Features of Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in Bronchial Washing: A Report of Two Cases

The first case was a 55-year-old male patient who was admitted to our hospital for cough, myalgia, and febrile sensation. He was a 30 pack-years current smoker. He had a diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis 15 years ago. Chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple air cysts in both lungs with predilection for mid and upper zones [Figure 1a]. He underwent bronchoscopy with bronchial washing cytologic examination. The smear of bronchial washing showed high cellularity. Most cell types were histiocytes, with indistinct cell borders having abundant cytoplasm, irregular nuclear contour, and grooves. These cells were accompanied by lymphocytes, alveolar macrophages, and multinucleated giant cells. No eosinophils were found. On immunocytochemical stains, 8% of cells were positive for CD1a (MTB1, 1:100; Novocastra, Newcastle, UK) and S-100 protein (polyclonal, 1:600; Dako, Glostrup, Denmark) [Figure 1b and c]. The second case was a 48-year-old female patient who visited our hospital for 5-month exertional dyspnea. She was a 10 pack-years current smoker, with a history of central diabetes insipidus and hypertension. Chest CT revealed bilateral numerous thin-walled cystic lesions, mainly on the upper lobes. According to bronchoscopic examination, there was no endobronchial lesion. Bronchial washing showed many histiocytes, multinucleated giant cells, and rarely atypical cells with nuclear grooves. By immunocytochemistry, a few cells were positive for S-100 protein. Thoracoscopic wedge resection was performed for lung biopsy. Many CD1a-positive Langerhans cells were noted in the resected specimen [Figure 1d]. Approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (No. GCIRB2018-110) of our hospital.
Resistance training-induced improvement in exercise tolerance is not dependent on muscle mass gain in post-menopausal women

ABSTRACT Menopause transition may impair muscle function, decreasing exercise tolerance. The torque–duration relationship (hyperbolic curve) forms a practical framework within which exercise tolerance may be explored. In this regard, resistance training (RT) increases the curvature constant of this relationship (W′). Muscle hypertrophy and strength gains have been suggested as possible mediators of RT-induced improvement in W′, however, it is unclear what the main mediator is. Higher-volume RT (HV-RT), beyond that recommended by RT-guidelines (i.e. three sets per exercise), may promote greater hypertrophy, but not higher strength gains. Hence, this study aimed to investigate whether greater hypertrophy in HV-RT maximises W′ gain when compared to LVRT in postmenopausal women (PW). Fifty-eight PW were randomised to the control group (CTRL), HV-RT (six sets per exercise) or LV-RT (three sets per exercise). They underwent a 12-week RT program and were assessed for W′, thigh lean body mass (TLBM) and maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC). The TLBM gain was higher (P < 0.001) in the HV-RT (9.4%) than LV-RT (3.7%). However, both HV-RT and LV-RT similarly increased MIVC (9.7% vs. 16.5%, P = 0.063) and W′ (26.4% vs. 34.6% P = 0.163). Additionally, the changes in W′ were associated with the changes in TLBM (31%, P = 0.003) and MIVC (52%, P= <0.001). However, when the changes in TLBM and MIVC were inserted into the predictive model, only the MIVC (33%, P = 0.002) was a predictor of W′. Thus, although HV-RT promoted greater hypertrophy than LV-RT, HV-RT does not seem to maximise W′ in PW.
Evidence for High Bone Growth Rate in Euparkeria Obtained Using a New Paleohistological Inference Model for the Humerus

ABSTRACT The study of bone growth rate and metabolic rate evolution in archosaurs (crocodiles, dinosaurs including birds, and pterosaurs) and close outgroups has become a subject of major interest among paleontologists in recent years. In this paper, we estimate the bone growth rate of Euparkeria using a new statistical inference model for the humerus. We modified the taxonomic range of extant species used in previous studies, on which we performed quantitative measurements of histological features and bone growth rates. Bone growth rate values estimated for Euparkeria are crucial in understanding the ancestral condition for archosaurs because this taxon is considered the closest relative to the archosaur crown group. We obtained an instantaneous growth rate of 6.12 µm/day, suggesting that Euparkeria shared with other non-archosaurian archosauromorphs (Prolacerta, Proterosuchus, and Erythrosuchus) a condition of high growth rate compatible with endothermy. This derived state may have been inherited by some Triassic crurotarsans, as suggested by the high instantaneous bone growth rate (14.52 µm/day) estimated in this study for Postosuchus. Jurassic crurotarsans may have lost endothermy during the transition from terrestrial habitats and active predation to aquatic habitats and sit-and-wait predation behaviors, so that Cretaceous crocodiles may be secondarily ectothermic, as suggested by &dgr;18O values. In conclusion, we provide new evidence for the hypothesis of an ancestral endothermic state for the last common ancestor of archosaurs, and show that non-archosaurian archosauromorphs and Triassic crurotarsans may have been characterized by a thermometabolism more similar to that of dinosaurs than to that of lepidosaurs and turtles.
Quantitative Genetics, Inclusive Fitness, and Group Selection

Inclusive-fitness models have been criticized because they give incorrect results for cases in which fitness components interact nonadditively. However, this failure is not due to anything intrinsic to the inclusive-fitness viewpoint. It stems from an essentially quantitative genetic feature of the model, an attempt to separate fitness terms from genetic terms. A general rule is provided for determining when such a separation is justified. This rule is used to show how Price's covariance equation is related to standard quantitative genetic results and to derive quantitative genetic equations for inclusive fitness and group selection. It also shows that the group-selection model is no more general than the inclusive-fitness viewpoint. These models serve a role that is different from, but not inferior to, population-genetics models. Although they are less exact under some conditions, like quantitative genetic models in general, they provide us with measurable parameters.
A Cohort Study in Iran: Mobile-Bearing-Versus Fixed-Bearing Total Knee Arthroplasty: Are These the Same?

Background: Application of fix-bearing-(FB) or mobile-bearing (MB) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an area of controversy. Introduction of mobile-bearing implants has become an appealing option for some surgeons leading to more favorable structural and weight-bearing outcomes in TKA; however, the beneficial long-term outcome is still unclear. Objectives: This study was carried out to compare TKA outcomes by MB-versus FB implants with respect to long-term outcome. Methods: A total of 140 patients who met our inclusion criteria were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study from March 2015 to April 2016. They were divided into two groups of 85 patients with MB TKA and 55 subjects with FB TKA. The range of motion (ROM), knee injury and osteoarthritis outcomes score (KOOS), and patient satisfaction were compared between two groups. Results: The ROM and KOOS scores were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). With regard to the patient’s satisfaction, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: According to our results in this retrospective cohort study, regarding the outcome of TKA by MB versus FB implants, we showed comparable mechanical and functional outcome.
Bayesian compositional regression with structured priors for microbiome feature selection

The microbiome plays a critical role in human health and disease, and there is a strong scientific interest in linking specific features of the microbiome to clinical outcomes. There are key aspects of microbiome data, however, that limit the applicability of standard variable selection methods. In particular, the observed data are compositional, as the counts within each sample have a fixed‐sum constraint. In addition, microbiome features, typically quantified as operational taxonomic units, often reflect microorganisms that are similar in function, and may therefore have a similar influence on the response variable. To address the challenges posed by these aspects of the data structure, we propose a variable selection technique with the following novel features: a generalized transformation and z‐prior to handle the compositional constraint, and an Ising prior that encourages the joint selection of microbiome features that are closely related in terms of their genetic sequence similarity. We demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms existing penalized approaches for microbiome variable selection in both simulation and the analysis of real data exploring the relationship of the gut microbiome to body mass index.
Avaliação das propriedades de painéis aglomerados produzidos com resíduos de serrarias de nove espécies de madeiras tropicais da Amazônia

This research was developed to evaluate the quality of particleboards manufactured from sawmill waste of nine tropical wood species of Amazonia. The following species were studied: Scleronema micranthum Ducke (Cardeiro), Ecclinusa guianensis Eyma (Caucho), Scleronema sp. (Castanha-de-paca), Copaifera multijuga Hayne (Copaiba), Ocotea sp. (Louro), Ocotea guianensis Aubl (Louro-espinho), Caryocar villosum Pers. (Piquiarana), Couratari oblongifolia (Tauari) e Virola surinamensis Rol. Warb (Virola). The experimental boards were manufactured with the nominal density of 0.75 g.cm-3, using the urea-formaldehyde resin in the proportion of 8% of solid content based on oven dried wood particles. The boards were pressed at the specific pressure of 40 kgf/cm², temperature of 160 oC and press time of eight minutes. The evaluations of test results obtained in this study indicate the potential use of the nine species from Amazon rainforest in the production of particleboard, highlighting Ecclinusa guianensis (Caucho) that, in general, showed better results of physical and mechanical properties.
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound ameliorates cardiac diastolic dysfunction in mice-A possible novel therapy for HFpEF.

AIMS Heart failure with preserved LV ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a serious health problem worldwide, as no effective therapy is yet available. We have previously demonstrated that our low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy is effective and safe for angina and dementia. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the LIPUS therapy also ameliorates cardiac diastolic dysfunction in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS Twelve-weeks-old obese diabetic mice (db/db) and their control littermates (db/+) were treated with either the LIPUS therapy (1.875 MHz, 32 cycles, Ispta (spatial peak temporal average intensity) 117-162 mW/cm2, 0.25 W/cm2) or placebo procedure 2 times a week for 4 weeks. At 20-week-old, transthoracic echocardiography and invasive hemodynamic analysis showed that cardiac diastolic function parameters, such as e', E/e', end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship, Tau, and dP/dt min, were all deteriorated in placebo-treated db/db mice compared with db/+ mice, while systolic function was preserved. Importantly, these cardiac diastolic function parameters were significantly ameliorated in the LIPUS-treated db/db mice. We also measured the force (F) and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in trabeculae dissected from ventricles. We found that relaxation time and [Ca2+]i decay (Tau) were prolonged during electrically stimulated twitch contractions in db/db mice, both of which were significantly ameliorated in the LIPUS-treated db/db mice, indicating that the LIPUS therapy also improves relaxation properties at tissue level. Functionally, exercise capacity was also improved in the LIPUS-treated db/db mice. Histologically, db/db mice displayed progressed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and myocardial interstitial fibrosis, while those changes were significantly suppressed in the LIPUS-treated db/db mice. Mechanistically, Western blot showed that the eNOS-NO-cGMP-PKG pathway and Ca2+-handling molecules were up-regulated in the LIPUS-treated heart. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that the LIPUS therapy ameliorates cardiac diastolic dysfunction in db/db mice through improvement of eNOS-NO-cGMP-PKG pathway and cardiomyocyte Ca2+-handling system, suggesting its potential usefulness for the treatment of HFpEF patients. TRANSLATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Although HFpEF is a serious health problem worldwide, no effective treatment is yet available. We have previously demonstrated that our low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy is effective and safe in animal models of angina and dementia. In this study, we examined whether our LIPUS therapy is also effective to improve cardiac diastolic dysfunction in mice. We found that the LIPUS therapy ameliorated myocardial structures and Ca2+-handling proteins, resulting in the improvement of cardiac diastolic functions and exercise tolerance in a mouse model of HFpEF. These results suggest that the LIPUS therapy is useful for the treatment of HFpEF in humans.
Genetic variation among Northern and Southern Egyptian buffaloes using polymerase chain reaction-random amplified polymorphic DNA (PCR-RAPD)

The domestic water buffalo is a species of great economic potential, especially in developing countries like Egypt. Egyptian buffalo have been classified according to minor phenotypic differences and their geographical locations. Few studies have taken place to investigate the genetic variations in Egyptian buffalo using microsatellites analysis. In the present study, 11 random primers were analyzed for the genetic diversity determination between Northern and Southern Egyptian buffaloes using polymerase chain reaction-random amplified polymorphic DNA (PCR-RAPD) analysis. 169 bands were amplified for the analyzed 11 random primers, from which 160 bands (94.67%) for North populations and 168 bands for South population (99.41%). Out of the 160 amplified bands in North populations, 152 bands were polymorphic with a percentage of 89.94% and only one specific band (0.59%). In South population, all 168 amplified bands were polymorphic, nine bands (5.33%) were specific for this population. The identity index and the genetic distance between North and South populations were measured. The results showed that the two tested populations have the same origin and belong to one breed without significant genetic difference between their animals.
Application of real-time PCR assay for detection and quantification of bloom-forming diatom Chaetoceros tenuissimus Meunier

Viral infection of the bloom-forming diatom Chaetoceros tenuissimus was discovered in 2008, and is now assumed to have a significant influence on the dynamics of C. tenuissimus populations in natural environments. Enumeration of C. tenuissimus and its viruses is essential when examining the host-virus relationship in situ; however, the diatom species is so small in size that its identification and counting by optical microscope is almost impossible. To resolve this problem, we have developed a TaqMan-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detec- tion and quantification of C. tenuissimus. We designed primers and a TaqMan probe to target the D1 region of its 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene; the established real-time PCR was specific at the species level by testing 41 microalgal strains including C. tenuissimus. Tris-EDTA buffer-based boiling method was shown to be efficient for extracting DNA from filter-trapped C. tenuissimus cells in this study. The detection range of the established TaqMan-based real-time PCR method for C. tenuissimus was 10 1 to 10 6 cells collected on a filter; the method was applicable for C. tenuissimus