Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Particle distributions and dynamics in the euphotic zone of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

During the summer of 2012, we used laser diffractometry to investigate the temporal and vertical variability of the particle size spectrum (1.25–100 µm in equivalent diameter) in the euphotic zone of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Particles measured with this optical method accounted for ∼40% of the particulate carbon stocks (<202 µm) in the upper euphotic zone (25–75 m), as estimated using an empirical formula to transform particle volume to carbon concentrations. Over the entire vertical layer considered (20–180 m), the largest contribution to particle volume corresponded to particles between 3 and 10 µm in diameter. Although the exponent of a power law parameterization suggested that larger particles had a lower relative abundance than in other regions of the global ocean, this parameter and hence conclusions about relative particle abundance are sensitive to the shape of the size distribution and to the curve fitting method. Results on the vertical distribution of particles indicate that different size fractions varied independently with depth. Particles between 1.25 and 2 µm reached maximal abundances coincident with the depth of the chlorophyll a maximum (averaging 121 ± 10 m), where eukaryotic phytoplankton abundances increased. In contrast, particles between 2 and 20 µm tended to accumulate just below the base of the mixed layer (41 ± 14 m). Variability in particle size tracked changes in the abundance of specific photoautotrophic organisms (measured with flow cytometry and pigment concentration), suggesting that phytoplankton population dynamics are an important control of the spatiotemporal variability in particle concentration in this ecosystem.
The treatment of cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis with immunosuppressant drugs.

Five patients with cryptogenic fLbrosing alveolitis have been treated with immuno-suppressant agents, and a useful response was obtained in three. In two who had previously responded to steroids but had developed important side effects on the minimal maintenance dose, the addition of immunosuppressants maintained the clinical improvement with a substantial reduction in steroid dose; a third patient improved on immunosuppressant therapy alone. The other patients with advanced fibrotic but progressive disease who had failed to respond to moderately high doses of steroids failed also to improve on immunosuppressant therapy. Monitoring of the immune response in three of the patients during treatment showed suppression of primary and secondary responses and delayed hypersensitivity to the antigens used. It is suggested that immunosuppressant therapy is useful in some cases of fibrosing alveolitis, especially in those where steroids have been helpful but their continued use is contraindicated.
Successful unrelated cord blood transplantation for chronic granulomatous disease: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract: CGD is a rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder that is caused by disability of oxidative killing. We presented a two‐yr‐old boy with CGD who was suffering from multiple systemic abscesses. He received the first BMT from his HLA‐haploidentical mother after conditioning with Flu, melphalan, and ATG. Although the maximum of 42% donor chimerism was achieved, it disappeared 73 days after the BMT. Then, we performed 5/6‐matched unrelated cord blood re‐transplantation after conditioning with Flu, Bu, and TBI (2 Gy). Engraftment and complete donor chimerism were achieved on days 18 and 19, respectively. The patient is now free from infection and maintains complete donor chimerism without GVHD 36 months after the cord blood re‐transplantation. We postulate that the unrelated CBT has a potential to be an alternative strategy and might be beneficial for patients with CGD who do not have an HLA‐identical donor.
Oesophageal mucosal barrier: a key factor in the pathophysiology of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and a potential target for treatment

The stratified squamous epithelium of the oesophageal mucosa usually forms a tight protective barrier against noxious components of gastro-oesophageal reflux (such as acid and bile acids), a necessary function since the distal oesophageal mucosa is exposed to physiological reflux events, even in health. If there is a disruption to the effectiveness of this epithelial barrier (a so-called impairment of the mucosal integrity), its protective function is likely to be compromised, resulting in reflux-induced symptoms. Non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) is the phenotype of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease most frequently encountered in clinical practice, and may be more difficult to treat than erosive reflux disease.1 Contrary to endoscopic appearances, the oesophageal mucosa in patients with NERD is not completely normal and integrity of the mucosal barrier is impaired. This has been demonstrated by morphological and functional studies. In NERD, the basal layer of oesophageal mucosal epithelium demonstrates dilated intercellular spaces (DIS). 2 This histological abnormality is not specific for NERD but is related to mucosal exposure to intraluminal acid since it resolves with successful proton pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy.3 Functional studies confirm impairment of oesophageal mucosal integrity in NERD. These studies have been performed both in vitro, in biopsies of NERD patients, and in vivo, by measuring oesophageal baseline impedance. Measurements of trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) (a measure of paracellular permeability to ions), either in tissue sections or in biopsies, are used to interrogate the oesophageal mucosal barrier function. When the mucosa is exposed to solutions containing acid and bile acids, the TEER falls and the magnitude of such reduction correlates with permeability to small molecules (such …
The rosy Locus in Drosophila melanoguster: Xanthine Dehydrogenase and Eye Pigments

The rosy gene in Drosophila melanogaster codes for the enzyme xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH). Mutants that have no enzyme activity are characterized by a brownish eye color phenotype reflecting a deficiency in the red eye pigment. Xanthine dehydrogenase is not synthesized in the eye, but rather is transported there. The present report describes the ultrastructural localization of XDH in the Drosophila eye. Three lines of evidence are presented demonstrating that XDH is sequestered within specific vacuoles, the type I1 pigment granules. Histochemical and antibody staining of frozen sections, as well as thin layer chromatography studies of several adult genotypes serve to examine some of the factors and genic interactions that may be involved in transport of XDH, and in eye pigment formation. While a specific function for XDH in the synthesis of the red, pteridine eye pigments remains unknown, these studies present evidence that: (1) the incorporation of XDH into the pigment granules requires specific interaction between a normal XDH molecule and one or more transport proteins; (2) the structural integrity of the pigment granule itself is dependent upon the presence of a normal balance of eye pigments, a notion advanced earlier.
Patient—Provider Communication and Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Acceptance

The authors performed telephone interviews of parents of adolescents (n = 430) and their older adolescents (n = 208) in Monroe County, New York to measure parent and adolescent acceptance of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, its association with ratings of provider communication, and vaccine-related topics discussed with the adolescent’s provider. More than half of adolescent girls had already received an HPV vaccination, with fewer than one quarter refusing. Parent and teen ratings of provider communication was high, and not related to HPV vaccine refusal. Parents were more likely to refuse if they were Hispanic (odds ratio [OR] = 5.88, P = .05) or did not consider vaccines “very safe” (OR = 2.76, P = .04). Most parents of boys (85%) believed males should be given HPV vaccine if recommended. Few parents and teens recalled discussing that vaccination does not preclude future Pap smear testing. Providers should address cultural and vaccine safety concerns in discussions about HPV vaccine.
Unstable amplification of two extrachromosomal elements in alpha-difluoromethylornithine-resistant Leishmania donovani

We describe the first example of unstable gene amplification consisting of linear extrachromosomal DNAs in drug-resistant eukaryotic cells. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO)-resistant Leishmania donovani with an amplified ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene copy number contained two new extrachromosomal DNAs, both present in 10 to 20 copies. One of these was a 140-kb linear DNA (ODC140-L) on which all of the amplified copies of the odc gene were located. The second was a 70-kb circular DNA (ODC70-C) containing an inverted repeat but lacking the odc gene. Both ODC140-L and ODC70-C were derived from a preexisting wild-type chromosome, probably by a conservative amplification mechanism. Both elements were unstable in the absence of DFMO, and their disappearance coincided with a decrease in ODC activity and an increase in DFMO growth sensitivity. These results suggest the possibility that ODC70-C may play a role in DFMO resistance. These data expand the diversity of known amplification mechanisms in eukaryotes to include the simultaneous unstable amplification of both linear and circular DNAs. Further characterization of these molecules will provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying gene amplification, including the ability of linear amplified DNAs to acquire telomeres and the determinants of chromosomal stability.
Invasion rate and population characteristics of the invasive round goby Neogobius melanostomus: effects of density and invasion history-DTU Orbit (09/11/2019)

Round goby Neogobius melanostomus is currently one of the most wide-ranging invasive fish species in Europe and North America. The present study demonstrates how the distribution of round goby has expanded from 2008 to 2013 at a rate of about 30 km yr−1 along the Danish coastline in the western Baltic Sea. Further analyses showed that fish from an established high-density round goby population were slow-growing and displayed poorer condition (weight at age and hepatosomatic index) compared to fish sampled from recently invaded locations (i.e. at the forefront of the distribution range). The established population revealed a broad age distribution and a 1:1 gender ratio, while fish from a recently invaded site were primarily of intermediate ages with a male-biased gender ratio. Otolith analyses suggested that the oldest individuals from the recently invaded area experienced superior growth conditions only in the most recent years, suggesting immigration into the area as adults. Our results suggest that intraspecific competition for food may cause continued dispersal of the species and that population demographics likely relate to invasion history.
Bi-variate Wavelet Autoregressive Model for Multi-step-ahead Forecasting of Fish Catches

This paper proposes a hybrid multi-step-ahead forecasting model based on two stages to improve monthly pelagic fish-catch time-series modeling. In the first stage, the stationary wavelet transform is used to separate the raw time series into a high frequency (HF) component and a low frequency (LF) component, whereas the periodicities of each time series is obtained by using the Fourier power spectrum. In the second stage, both the HF and LF components are the inputs into a bi-variate autoregressive model to predict the original time series. We demonstrate the utility of the proposed forecasting model on monthly sardines catches time-series of the coastal zone of Chile for periods from January 1949 to December 2011. Empirical results obtained for 12-month ahead forecasting showed the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid forecasting strategy.
On Fuzzy Description Logics

Description Logics (DLs) are knowledge representation languages, particularly suited to specify formal ontologies. DLs have been studied extensively over the last two decades. Fuzzy Description Logics (FDLs) incorporate vague concepts modeling them as fuzzy sets. Following ideas from Hajek, we propose the use of truth constants in the languages of description. In particular we introduce the languages ALCL*(S) and ALCL*~(S) as an adequate syntactical counterpart of some semantic calculi given in different works dealing with FDLs. In addition we give completeness results for some languages ALC-like.
Contactless respiration rate measurement using optical method and empirical mode decomposition.

BACKGROUND At the emergency triage center, assessment of the present of the danger signs and measurement of vital signs are measured according to the guidelines. The respiration rate is still posing a challenge to the doctor as it is impractical to use conventional devices. Attaching measurement devices to the patient will induce artificial measurements (self-awareness stress effects) besides being time-consuming. Currently, the medical officers visually count the number of times the chest movement in a minute, sometimes poses cultural challenges especially for female patients. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this paper is to develop a robust algorithm to extract respiration rate using the contactless displacement sensor. METHODS In this study, chest movements were used as an indicative of inspiration and expiration to measure respiratory rate using the contactless displacement sensor. The contactless optical signals were recorded from 32 healthy subjects in four different controlled breathing conditions: rest, coughing, talking and hand movement to obtain the motion artifacts that the patients may have in the emergency department. The Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) algorithm was used to derive continuous RR signal from the contactless optical signal. RESULTS The analysis showed that there is a good correlation (0.9702) with RMSE of 0.33 breaths per minutes between the contact respiration rate and contactless respiration rate using empirical mode decomposition method. CONCLUSION It can be concluded that the empirical mode decomposition method can extract the respiration rate of the contactless optical signal from chest movement.
Internal Tides and Baroclinicity in the Southern Weddell Sea . Part I : Model Description and Comparison of Model Results to Observations

In the southern Weddell Sea, several water masses with the capability to form Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) meet near the continental shelf break. The internal tidal field over the continental shelf break here is of interest due to its potential to mix these waters and form AABW. A modified version of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was utilized to investigate the internal tidal fields generated by the interaction of the M2 barotropic tide with topography for transects across the continental shelf and slope in the southern Weddell Sea. Internal tides were generated over the upper continental slope as predicted by linear internal wave theory. The model elevation and cross-slope velocities agreed well with existing observations for the region.
Survival and plasticity of basal forebrain cholinergic systems in mice transgenic for presenilin-1 and amyloid precursor protein mutant genes

The basalo-cortical cholinergic system was characterized in mice expressing mutant human genes for presenilin-1 (PS1), amyloid precursor protein (APP), and combined PS/APP. Dual immunocytochemistry for ChAT and Aβ revealed swollen cholinergic processes within cortical plaques in both APP and PS/APP brains by 12 months, suggesting aberrant sprouting or redistribution of cholinergic processes in response to amyloid deposition. At 8 months, cortical and subcortical ChAT activity was normal (PS/APP) or elevated (PS, APP frontal cortex), while cholinergic cell counts (nBM/SI) and receptor binding were unchanged. ChAT mRNA was up-regulated in the nBM/SI of all three transgenic lines at 8 months. The data indicate that the basal forebrain cholinergic system does not degenerate in mice expressing AD-related transgenes, even in mice with extreme amyloid load. The PS1 or APP transgene appears to enhance the cholinergic phenotype in younger mice, but this involves aberrant sprouting and redistribution of cortical cholinergic processes.
Online privacy and informed consent: The dilemma of information asymmetry

Every day billions of users allow cloud‐based internet services to collect, store, and manage their personal information. The use of this information is constrained only by long, wordy privacy agreements that users likely did not read before clicking “Agree. ” Even if they were to read them, would users understand these policies? We present the results of a two‐part privacy survey that assessed users’ knowledge and opinions of online privacy issues. We asked users not only what they think, but what they know. Results expose several key knowledge gaps, demonstrating a problem of information asymmetry between users and internet services providers, and strong dissatisfaction with the current system. These findings demonstrate that there is insufficient comprehension and voluntariness in the consent process for users to give informed consent to the collection and management of their personal information, which may in part explain the “privacy paradox. ”
Reducing effects of hand phantom on mobile antennas using magneto-dielectric material

In this paper, a practical application of the magneto-dielectric (MD) materials to the mobile handset antennas is presented. The polymer MD composites with the property of low magnetic loss (tan δm <; 0.1) up to 2 GHz are developed using hexagonal ferrites and polymer matrices. The MD composites are applied to manufacture an actual antenna substrate for a mobile handset. Experimental results show that the MD composite antenna is advantageous for an antenna miniaturization and deterioration of performance by a hand phantom.
Security in MANETs using reputation-adjusted routing

Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks enable communication in various dynamic environments, including military combat operations. Their open and shared communication medium enables new forms of attack that are not applicable for traditional wired networks. Traditional security mechanisms and defense techniques are not prepared to cope with the new attacks and the lack of central authorities make identity verifications difficult. This work extends our previous work in the Biologically Inspired Tactical Security Infrastructure to provide a reputation-based weighing mechanism for linkstate routing protocols to protect the network from attackers that are corrupting legitimate network traffic. Our results indicate that the approach is successful in routing network traffic around compromised computers.
A New Medium for the Detection of Urea-splitting Organisms

Bacteriological laboratories engaged in diagnostic or research problems concerning pathogenic enteric bacilli, namely, the Salmonella and Shigella groups, invariably find that members of the genus Proteus are by far the most misleading. A dependable, easily interpreted, routine differential test medium for screening the latter group of bacilli becomes desirable. Urease production is a characteristic activity of the genus Proteus (Bergey et al., 1939). The hydrolysis of urea by urease has been described by Werner (1923) as "an 'alkaline fermentation' during which the 'carbonate of ammonia' was formed. " Rustigian and Stuart (1941) recommended a urea medium for the detection of this enzyme activity. A modification of the latter medium has been described by Anderson (1945). Since one of the products of the splitting of urea is the formation of ammonia, Rustigian and Stuart suggested that phenol red indicator be employed to detect this alkaline change colorimetrically. Howell and Sumner (1934) reported that the pH optimum for urease activity upon 2.5 per cent urea is 6.9 with phosphate buffer. The present report describes a new medium for the detection of urea-splitting organisms. Colorimetric changes are sharp and permit easy interpretation of results.
Dynamic Cluster Scoring Job Scheduling algorithm for grid computing

Grid is a parallel and distributed system, shares the resources among multiple administrative domains. Job scheduling is one of the major issues in the grid environment. Effective Job scheduling algorithm is proposed to overcome the scheduling problems so as to decrease the overall execution time and to achieve the efficient utilization of grid resources. Effective scheduling in grid environment can reduce the amount of data transferred between nodes by submitting a job to a node where most of the requested data files are available. In this paper we propose Cluster scoring job scheduling (CSJS) algorithm for the grid. It can decrease the overall makespan and increases the utilization of idle resources.
The relationship of depression to cardiovascular disease: epidemiology, biology, and treatment.

This article reviews the burgeoning literature on the relationship of mood disorders and heart disease. Major depression and depressive symptoms, although commonly encountered in medical populations, are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This is of particular importance because several studies have shown depression and its associated symptoms to be a major risk factor for both the development of CVD and death after an index myocardial infarction. This review of the extant literature is derived from MEDLINE searches (1966-1997) using the search terms "major depression," "psychiatry," "cardiovascular disease," and "pathophysiology. " Studies investigating pathophysiological alterations related to CVD in depressed patients are reviewed. The few studies on treatment of depression in patients with CVD are also described. Treatment of depression in patients with CVD improves their dysphoria and other signs and symptoms of depression, improves quality of life, and perhaps even increases longevity. Recommendations for future research are proposed.
Hammering Does Not Fit Fitts' Law

While movement is essential to human wellbeing, we are still unable to reproduce the deftness and robustness of human movement in automatons or completely restore function to individuals with many types of motor impairment. To better understand how the human nervous system plans and controls movements, neuromechanists employ simple tasks such as upper extremity reaches and isometric force tasks. However, these simple tasks rarely consider impacts and may not capture aspects of motor control that arise from real-world complexity. Here we compared existing models of motor control with the results of a periodic targeted impact task extended from Bernstein's seminal work: hammering a nail into wood. We recorded impact forces and kinematics from 10 subjects hammering at different frequencies and with hammers with different physical properties (mass and face area). We found few statistical differences in most measures between different types of hammer, demonstrating human robustness to minor changes in dynamics. Because human motor control is thought to obey optimality principles, we also developed a feedforward optimal simulation with a neuromechanically inspired cost function that reproduces the experimental data. However, Fitts' Law, which relates movement time to distance traveled and target size, did not match our experimental data. We therefore propose a new model in which the distance moved is a logarithmic function of the time to move that yields better results (R2 ≥ 0.99 compared to R2 ≥ 0.88). These results support the argument that humans control movement in an optimal way, but suggest that Fitts' Law may not generalize to periodic impact tasks.