Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Muscle Recruitment Variations during Wrist Flexion Exercise: MR Evaluation

Objective Many exercise protocols used in physiological studies assume homogeneous and diffuse muscle recruitment. To test this assumption during a “standard” wrist flexion protocol, variations in muscle recruitment were assessed using MRI in eight healthy subjects. Materials and Methods Variations were assessed by comparing the right to the left forearms and the effect of slight (15°) pronation or supination at the wrist. Results Postexercise imaging showed focal regions of increased signal intensity (SI), indicating relatively strong recruitment, most often in entire muscles, although occasionally only in subvolumes of muscles. In 15 of 26 studies, flexor carpi radialis (FCR) showed more SI than flexor carpi ulnaris, while in 11 studies SI in these muscles increased equivalently. Relatively greater FCR recruitment was seen during pronation and/or use of the nondominant side. Palmaris longus, a wrist flexor, did not appear recruited in 4 of 11 forearms in which it was present. A portion of the superficial finger flexor became hyper-intense in 89% of studies, while recruitment of the deep finger flexor was seen only in 43%. Conclusion Inter- and intraindividual variations in forearm muscle recruitment should be anticipated in physiological studies of standard wrist flexion exercise protocols.
Broadband Reflectometry for Diagnostics and Monitoring Applications

Reflectometry is a powerful technique that can be effectively employed for a number of practical applications; in particular, the high versatility, the real-time response, and the potential for practical implementation have contributed to the success of microwave reflectometry for monitoring purposes. In this regard, this paper provides a survey of the current state of the art of reflectometry-based methods for diagnostics and monitoring applications. After a brief overview of the theoretical principles at the base of this technique, the different approaches of microwave reflectometry (time domain, frequency domain, and combined approaches) are fully discussed; particular attention is given to the strategies for enhancing measurement accuracy. Finally, the major practical applications of reflectometry and related results are discussed, thus evidencing current achievements, limitations, and potential.
Achieving Sustainable Phosphorus Use in Food Systems through Circularisation

The notion of a phosphorus (P) circular economy provides the philosophy, framework, and opportunity to enable food production systems to become more efficient, sustainable, and resilient to a future P scarcity or sudden price shock. Whilst P recovery and recycling are central strategies for closing the P cycle, additional gains in environmental performance of food systems can be obtained by further minimising the amounts of P (a) introduced into the food system by lowering system P demand and (b) lost from the system by utilising legacy P stores in the landscape. This minimisation is an important cascading component of circularisation because it reduces the amounts of P circulating in the system, the amounts of P required to be recycled/recovered and the storage of unused P in the landscape, whilst maintaining agricultural output. The potential for circularisation and minimisation depends on regional differences in these P flow dynamics. We consider incremental and transformative management interventions towards P minimisation within circular economies, and how these might be tempered by the need to deliver a range of ecosystem services. These interventions move away from current production philosophies based on risk-averse, insurance-based farming, and current consumption patterns which have little regard for their environmental impact. We argue that a greater focus on P minimisation and circularisation should catalyse different actors and sectors in the food chain to embrace P sustainability and should empower future research needs to provide the confidence for them to do so without sacrificing future regional food security.
The Impact of Derivatives Trading on the volatility of S&P500 and its implied volatility

Research on the relationships between spot volatility and trading exchange in the financial markets has been and still is the heart of great attention by scholars of econometrics, finance and statistics. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the movements of the underlying spot volatility and the CBOE Volatility Index, known as VIX Index, in the American Stock exchange market after the introduction of linear and non-linear derivatives trading activities on the Standard & Poor’s 500. In order to state if derivatives trading affect the volatility of the indices, traditional measures and generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (GARCH) specification are settled on a index and asset framework. Candidate: Massimo Mastrantonio Supervisor: Academic Year: 2017/2018
Dual Molecular Mechanisms Govern Escape at Immunodominant HLA A2-Restricted HIV Epitope

Serial accumulation of mutations to fixation in the SLYNTVATL (SL9) immunodominant, HIV p17 Gag-derived, HLA A2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitope produce the SLFNTIAVL triple mutant “ultimate” escape variant. These mutations in solvent-exposed residues are believed to interfere with TCR recognition, although confirmation has awaited structural verification. Here, we solved a TCR co-complex structure with SL9 and the triple escape mutant to determine the mechanism of immune escape in this eminent system. We show that, in contrast to prevailing hypotheses, the main TCR contact residue is 4N and the dominant mechanism of escape is not via lack of TCR engagement. Instead, mutation of solvent-exposed residues in the peptide destabilise the peptide–HLA and reduce peptide density at the cell surface. These results highlight the extraordinary lengths that HIV employs to evade detection by high-affinity TCRs with a broad peptide-binding footprint and necessitate re-evaluation of this exemplar model of HIV TCR escape.
A lupus-like syndrome develops in mice lacking the Ro 60-kDa protein, a major lupus autoantigen

Antibodies against a conserved RNA-binding protein, the Ro 60-kDa autoantigen, occur in 24–60% of all patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Anti-Ro antibodies are correlated with photosensitivity and cutaneous lesions in these patients and with neonatal lupus, a syndrome in which mothers with anti-Ro antibodies give birth to children with complete congenital heart block and photosensitive skin lesions. In higher eukaryotes, the Ro protein binds small RNAs of unknown function known as Y RNAs. Because the Ro protein also binds misfolded 5S rRNA precursors, it is proposed to function in a quality-control pathway for ribosome biogenesis. Consistent with a role in the recognition or repair of intracellular damage, an orthologue of Ro in the radiation-resistant eubacterium Deinococcus radiodurans contributes to survival of this bacterium after UV irradiation. Here, we show that mice lacking the Ro protein develop an autoimmune syndrome characterized by anti-ribosome antibodies, anti-chromatin antibodies, and glomerulonephritis. Moreover, in one strain background, Ro–/– mice display increased sensitivity to irradiation with UV light. Thus, one function of this major human autoantigen may be to protect against autoantibody development, possibly by sequestering defective ribonucleoproteins from immune surveillance. Furthermore, the finding that mice lacking the Ro protein are photosensitive suggests that loss of Ro function could contribute to the photosensitivity associated with anti-Ro antibodies in humans.
Predicting Stock Market Crashes in China

Predicting stock market crashes is extremely valuable for all investors. Several useful prediction models have been developed, focusing on mature financial markets, in North America, Europe, and Japan. The authors investigate whether traditional crash predictors—the price-to-earnings ratio (P/E), the cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio (CAPE), and the bond–stock earnings yield differential model (BSEYD)—predict crashes for the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange Composite Index in mainland China. Using data from the early 1990s to the end of 2016, the authors find that the P/E ratio has predictive value for both exchanges over the entire period. When testing the P/E, CAPE, and BSEYD over a shorter nine-year period, the authors find that all measures had a higher predictive value for the Shenzhen index, where smaller, privately owned companies are listed, than for the Shanghai index, where larger, often state-owned enterprises trade.
Quality of life assessment. An independent prognostic variable for survival in lung cancer

Improved quality of life has long been the goal of cancer treatment, but only recently have investigators begun to include a systematic assessment of quality of life in clinical trials. The major interest for its inclusion in clinical trials has been to assess treatment outcome. An evaluation of the relationship between patient‐rated quality of life and survival is reported in a homogeneous sample of patients with advanced metastatic lung cancer participating in a clinical trial. Under the Cox proportional‐hazards model (with quality of life, marital status, and their interaction in the model), a statistically significant relationship was observed between initial patient‐rated quality of life and subsequent survival. In addition, being married led to a significantly improved survival. These findings suggest that nonmedical factors, such as quality of life assessment and marital status, play a role in survival and that they should be evaluated and described as potential predictors of survival in cancer patients in clinical trials.
Drinking Reasons and Alcohol Problems by Work Venue Among Female Sex Workers in Guangxi, China

Objective: Alcohol use is a key determinant of sexual risk behaviors, but pathways to alcohol use in the context of commercial sex still remain unclear. The present study explores reasons for drinking and their roles on alcohol use problems among female sex workers (FSWs) in different types of commercial sex venues. Method: In 2009, a sample of 1,022 FSWs from Guangxi, China completed a survey containing a 10-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and a 28-item measure of reasons for drinking. Factor analysis revealed five reasons for drinking: suppression, disinhibition, work requirement, sexual enhancement, and confidence booster. Results: All identified reasons except confidence booster appeared to be related to a higher tendency of developing alcohol use problems among FSWs. Types of commercial sex venues moderated the relationship between work requirement and alcohol use problems. Conclusions: Alcohol-risk reduction interventions among this population need to provide them with alternative approaches to regulate emotions and modify their misconceptions about alcohol's sexual enhancing function. More attention is needed to FSWs’ vulnerability to the negative influence of occupational drinking.
IL-4, TGF-, NF-B and MPO levels in Patients with Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE Schizophrenia is a chronic psychotic disorder in which genetics and environmental factors such as infection and the corresponding immune response play a role in the etiopathogenesis. The aim of this study was to compare some immune factors such as nuclear factor-B (NF-B) activation, myeloperoxidase (MPO), the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4), and regulatory cytokine transforming growth factor- (TGF-) in schizophrenia patients and an age- and gender-matched control group. METHOD Plasma levels of IL-4, TGF-, MPO, and NF-B activation in 20 subjects with treatment-resistant schizophrenia and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were analyzed. Disease severity was evaluated using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). RESULTS Plasma TGF- levels were found to be significantly lower and NF-B to be significantly higher in antipsychotic treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients than in controls in this study. No significant differences were found between the patient and control groups for serum IL-4 and MPO levels. CONCLUSION The low TGF- level in treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients in the symptom exacerbation period indicates that there is inadequate Th1/Th2 balance. Large-scale studies are required to investigate whether this is responsible for resistance in schizophrenia. The fact that the increase in NF-B that we found in treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients in this study has also been reported in the first attack in untreated schizophrenia patients in previous studies indicates that NF-B plays a role in the disorder's physiopathology from the beginning.
A New Approach for Accurate Prediction of Subharmonic Oscillation in Switching Regulators—Part I: Mathematical Derivations

This part of the paper takes a new look at the stability of the fundamental periodic behavior and the associated subharmonic oscillation boundary in dc–dc switching regulators with fixed-frequency pulse width modulation. After revisiting different approaches applied to a unified reduced-order model of switching regulators, the work presents a novel way of obtaining such a boundary without any simplification nor order reduction. A new simple closed-form condition is then obtained using the new approach, which is valid for different strategies with both trailing edge and leading edge modulation schemes. The critical condition is obtained from the steady-state response using an asymptotic approach without resorting to frequency-domain Fourier analysis or using the monodromy or the Jacobian matrix of the discrete-time model. Unlike the method based on the Fourier series expansion, the proposed method does not require the use of any transform and, most importantly, can be applied to bilinear switching regulators. As a byproduct of the proposed method, a singularity problem that is encountered in steady state, when the system involves integrators in the feedback loop, is addressed and a solution is developed to achieve a closed-form expression in the presence of such integrating feedback loops.
Scalpel soft retrace scanning spreading resistance microscopy for 3D-carrier profiling in sub-10nm WFIN FinFET

Site-specific real three-dimensional (3D) carrier profiling in sub-10nm WFIN devices is demonstrated for the first time. Extension-gate overlap, active dopant concentration and distribution inside extensions and epi source/drain are observed with 1 nm-spatial resolution along X, Y and Z-directions. Using this new technique providing full 3D-carrier mapping we analyzed different processing flows for sub-10nm fin width FinFETs, identified possible failure mechanisms, and demonstrated the direct link between improved performance and 3D-carrier distribution at the nm-scale.
Increases in Plasma Lutein through Supplementation Are Correlated with Increases in Physical Activity and Reductions in Sedentary Time in Older Adults

Cross-sectional studies have reported positive relationships between serum lutein concentrations and higher physical activity levels. The purpose of the study was to determine whether increasing plasma lutein levels increases physical activity. Forty-four older adults (BMI, 25.3 ± 2.6 kg/m2; age, 68.8 ± 6.4 year) not meeting Australian physical activity guidelines (150 min/week of moderate to vigorous activity) were randomized to consume capsules containing 21 mg of lutein or placebo with 250 mL of full-cream milk per day for 4 weeks and encouraged to increase physical activity. Physical activity was assessed by self-report, pedometry and accelerometry (daily activity counts and sedentary time). Exercise self-efficacy was assessed by questionnaire. Thirty-nine participants competed the study (Lutein = 19, Placebo = 20). Lutein increased plasma lutein concentrations compared with placebo (p < 0.001). Absolute and percentage changes in plasma lutein were inversely associated with absolute (r = −0.36, p = 0.03) and percentage changes (r = −0.39, p = 0.02) in sedentary time. Percentage change in plasma lutein was positively associated with the percentage change in average daily activity counts (r = 0.36, p = 0.03). Exercise self-efficacy did not change (p = 0.16). Lutein increased plasma lutein, which was associated with increased physical activity and reduced sedentary time in older adults. Larger trials should evaluate whether Lutein can provide health benefits over the longer term.
βIII-Tubulin Induces Paclitaxel Resistance in Association with Reduced Effects on Microtubule Dynamic Instability*

The development of resistance to paclitaxel in tumors is one of the most significant obstacles to successful therapy. Overexpression of the βIII-tubulin isotype has been associated with paclitaxel resistance in a number of cancer cell lines and in tumors, but the mechanism of resistance has remained unclear. Paclitaxel inhibits cancer cell proliferation by binding to the β-subunit of tubulin in microtubules and suppressing microtubule dynamic instability, leading to mitotic arrest and cell death. We hypothesized that βIII-tubulin overexpression induces resistance to paclitaxel either by constitutively enhancing microtubule dynamic instability in resistant cells or by rendering the microtubules less sensitive to the suppression of dynamics by paclitaxel. Using Chinese hamster ovary cells that inducibly overexpress either βI- or βIII-tubulin, we analyzed microtubule dynamic instability during interphase by microinjection of rhodamine-labeled tubulin and time-lapse fluorescence microscopy. In the absence of paclitaxel, there were no differences in any aspect of dynamic instability between the two β-tubulin-overexpressing cell types. However, in the presence of 150 nm paclitaxel, dynamic instability was suppressed to a significantly lesser extent (suppressed only 12%) in cells overexpressing βIII-tubulin than in cells overexpressing similar levels of βI-tubulin (suppressed 47%). The results suggest that overexpression of βIII-tubulin induces paclitaxel resistance by reducing the ability of paclitaxel to suppress microtubule dynamics. The results also suggest that endogenous regulators of microtubule dynamics may differentially interact with individual tubulin isotypes, supporting the idea that differential expression of tubulin isotypes has functional consequences in cells.
A Role for MORE AXILLARY GROWTH1 (MAX1) in Evolutionary Diversity in Strigolactone Signaling Upstream of MAX21[C][W][OA]

Phylogenetic and functional analysis of strigolactone pathway genes across the plant kingdom suggests considerable promiscuity in events upstream allowing for signal diversity and its later refinement. Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid-derived phytohormones with diverse roles. They are secreted from roots as attractants for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and have a wide range of endogenous functions, such as regulation of root and shoot system architecture. To date, six genes associated with SL synthesis and signaling have been molecularly identified using the shoot-branching mutants more axillary growth (max) of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and dwarf (d) of rice (Oryza sativa). Here, we present a phylogenetic analysis of the MAX/D genes to clarify the relationships of each gene with its wider family and to allow the correlation of events in the evolution of the genes with the evolution of SL function. Our analysis suggests that the notion of a distinct SL pathway is inappropriate. Instead, there may be a diversity of SL-like compounds, the response to which requires a D14/D14-like protein. This ancestral system could have been refined toward distinct ligand-specific pathways channeled through MAX2, the most downstream known component of SL signaling. MAX2 is tightly conserved among land plants and is more diverged from its nearest sister clade than any other SL-related gene, suggesting a pivotal role in the evolution of SL signaling. By contrast, the evidence suggests much greater flexibility upstream of MAX2. The MAX1 gene is a particularly strong candidate for contributing to diversification of inputs upstream of MAX2. Our functional analysis of the MAX1 family demonstrates the early origin of its catalytic function and both redundancy and functional diversification associated with its duplication in angiosperm lineages.
Lymphoid microenvironment in the gut for immunoglobulin A and inflammation

Summary: Signaling through lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR) initiates the unfolding of a host of developmental programs ranging from the organogenesis of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches (PPs) to the coordination of splenic microarchitecture. While investigating an alternative pathway to immunoglobulin A (IgA) production, it was uncovered that LTβR signaling in the lamina propria (LP) stroma orchestrates the coordinated expression of key chemokines and adhesion molecules, creation of a cytokine milieu, and stroma development that facilitates robust IgA production independent of secondary lymphoid structures. Simultaneously, this same infrastructure can be commandeered by autoreactive T cells to organize both the acute destruction of the intestinal mucosa and chronic intestinal inflammation via the ligands for LTβR. The ability to modulate LTβR signaling may alternatively permit the suppression of autoimmune responses and augmentation of gut defenses.
Strategies for preventing suicide

Background The Health of the Nation includes a target for reducing population suicide rates. We have examined and quantified various high-risk and population-based strategies for prevention based upon a number of stated assumptions and hypothetical interventions. Method The published literature was used to estimate the population attributable fractions for both high-risk and population-based strategies. The number needed to treat for the high-risk strategies was calculated, assuming an intervention that reduced suicide rates by 25% Results Interventions that would reduce rates of suicide by 25% would reduce population rates by about 2.6% for those recently discharged from hospital and by up to 5.8% for those presenting to general hospital with deliberate self-harm. The population attributable fraction for unemployment was 10.9% Conclusions High-risk strategies will have only a modest effect on population suicide rates, even if effective interventions are developed. Evaluating interventions for deliberate self-harm patients seems worthwhile. The UK Government's target for suicide reduction is more likely to be achieved using population-based strategies. Reducing the availability of methods commonly used for committing suicide is the most practicable current policy, although more radical approaches, for example reducing unemployment, may also substantially reduce suicide rates.