Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Earthquake precursors: Banished forever?

“When a rupture starts, how can it know where will it stop? ” [Gregory Podyapolsky, 1973] Podyapolsky, a brilliant theorist, made this comment many years ago, upon perceiving that the earthquake prediction bandwagon in the Soviet Union was gaining speed. Twenty years later, we can observe just how far the bandwagon has gone. The report on the Assessment of Schemes for Earthquake Prediction Symposium [Geller, 1997a], given by one of its key figures, provides some insight. I hazard to sum up the key points of this report as follows:
Regulation of Interleukin 12 p40 Expression through an NF- (cid:107) B Half-Site

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is an inducible cytokine composed of 35- and 40-kDa subunits that is critical for promoting T helper type 1 development and cell-mediated immunity against pathogens. The 40-kDa subunit, expressed by activated macrophages and B cells, is induced by several pathogens in vivo and in vitro and is augmented or inhibited by gamma interferon (IFN- (cid:103) ) or IL-10, respectively. Control of IL-12 p40 expression is therefore important for understanding resistance and susceptibility to a variety of pathogens, including Leishmania major and perhaps human immunodeﬁciency virus. In this report, we provide the ﬁrst character-ization of IL-12 p40 gene regulation in macrophages. We localize inducible activity of the promoter to the sequence (cid:50) 122 GGGGAATTTTA (cid:50) 132 not previously recognized to bind Rel family transcription factors. We demonstrate binding of this sequence to NF- (cid:107) B (p50/p65 and p50/c-Rel) complexes in macrophages activated by several p40-inducing pathogens and provide functional data to support a role for NF- (cid:107) B family members in IL-12 p40 activation. Finally, we ﬁnd that IFN- (cid:103) treatment of cells enhances this binding interaction, thus potentially providing a mechanism for IFN- (cid:103) the inducible promoter activity for the p40 gene to a novel sequence not previously recognized to bind Rel family or other transcription factors. Second, we demonstrate binding of this sequence to NF- (cid:107) B (and c-Rel)-containing complexes in activated macrophages. Third, we show that IFN- (cid:103) enhances induced transcription from the IL-12 p40 promoter and increases binding of NF- (cid:107) B-related factors to this site. These results provide a basis for understanding bacterial induction and IFN- (cid:103) augmentation of macrophage IL-12 production.
Radar observations of magnetospheric activity during extremely quiet solar wind conditions

[1] During a period of extremely quiet solar wind conditions from 8 to 10 March 1997, strong activity was observed by the Southern Hemisphere Auroral Radar Experiment Super Dual Auroral Radar Network radars in the Antarctic premidnight ionosphere. This activity took the form of quasiperiodic flow bursts with ionospheric drift velocities exceeding 2 km s−1. Data from the Satellite Experiments Simultaneous with Antarctic Measurements (SESAME) automated geophysical observatories in Antarctica and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and Polar satellites are used with the radar data to study the convection flow in the southern polar ionosphere at the time of these flow bursts. The study shows that the bursts occurred with an approximate period of 12 min. Their direction was westward, and they were superimposed on a background westward flow. In the premidnight sector this is interpreted as a flow associated with dipolarization of the magnetotail tail field. There is a band of strong particle precipitation associated with the flow bursts. The location suggests that they occur deep in the magnetotail and cannot be associated with any lobe reconnection. They are at a latitude near the region where a viscously driven convection cell is expected to exist, and their sense is that of the return convection flow in such a cell. The results suggest that there is an internal magnetospheric mechanism for sporadic energy release in the magnetotail that need not be associated with changes in solar wind reconnection on the magnetopause.
A systematic study of source time functions and moment tensors of intermediate and deep earthquakes

[1] We developed an inversion algorithm to determine the Source Time Function and Moment Tensor of intermediate and deep earthquakes from a set of teleseismic body wave records. The method proceeds in two stages. First, a nonlinear inversion by simulated annealing is performed to simultaneously (a) align the waveforms in time, (b) determine a common source time function, and (c) measure a collection of observed station amplitudes. The station amplitudes are then used, in a second stage, as secondary observables to invert for the moment tensors. We perform three different inversions to estimate the complete moment tensor solution, the pure deviatoric solution, and the double-couple solution. All the calculations are extremely simple and, in particular, it is not necessary to compute synthetic seismograms. The method requires well-isolated phases at different stations, which restricts its application to intermediate and deep events. The algorithm is applied to the FDSN broadband records corresponding to the period 1990–2005 of worldwide intermediate and deep seismicity (depth100 km) of magnitude greater than 6.5. The source time functions are compared to those obtained from other studies of intermediate and deep events. The moment tensors are also systematically compared to the Harvard-CMT and USGS solutions. Both show a very good agreement with previous studies.
Predicting flexible length linear B-cell epitopes.

Identifying B-cell epitopes play an important role in vaccine design, immunodiagnostic tests, and antibody production. Therefore, computational tools for reliably predicting B-cell epitopes are highly desirable. We explore two machine learning approaches for predicting flexible length linear B-cell epitopes. The first approach utilizes four sequence kernels for determining a similarity score between any arbitrary pair of variable length sequences. The second approach utilizes four different methods of mapping a variable length sequence into a fixed length feature vector. Based on our empirical comparisons, we propose FBCPred, a novel method for predicting flexible length linear B-cell epitopes using the subsequence kernel. Our results demonstrate that FBCPred significantly outperforms all other classifiers evaluated in this study. An implementation of FBCPred and the datasets used in this study are publicly available through our linear B-cell epitope prediction server, BCPREDS, at: http://ailab.cs. iastate.edu/bcpreds/.
Evaluation of the Effect of Agricultural Management on Energy Yield and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction of Bioenergy Production Chains

The role of energy crops in reducing fossil energy use and greenhouse gas emission is much debated. To improve decision making on the use of crops for producing bioenergy, a tool (Energy Crop Simulation Model or E-CROP) has been developed to calculate 1) sustainable crop dry matter yield levels as function of agricultural inputs, and 2) gross and net energy yield and greenhouse gas emission reduction, covering the entire bioenergy production chain from sowing to distribution of bioenergy. E-CROP can be applied to a wide range of crops, soils, climatic conditions, management choices, and conversion technologies. This paper describes E-CROP and focuses on its application on four arable crops, as cultivated on two contrasting sites in the Netherlands (potato and sugar beet for bioethanol, winter oilseed rape for biodiesel and silage maize for bioelectricity) and on the effect of crop management (viz. irrigation and nitrogen fertilisation). In all situations, gross energy output exceeded total energy input. Calculated for an average situation, net energy yield ranged from 45 to 140 GJ.ha-1. Lowering irrigation and/or fertilisation input levels generally resulted in a reduction of net energy yields. The net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the average situation ranged from 0.60 to 6.5 t CO2-eq.ha-1. In general, N2O emission from nitrogen fertiliser caused large variations in the net reduction of greenhouse gas emission, which even became negative in some situations. Lowering nitrogen fertilisation to levels that are suboptimal for net energy yields enhanced the net reduction in greenhouse gas emission, implicating that both goals cannot be optimised simultaneously. Agricultural knowledge is important for optimising the outputs of bioenergy production chains.
The Life Cycle Of Sustainable Eco-tourism:A Kazakhstan Case Study

This article is devoted to some theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of sustainable eco-tourism. In the theoretical part of the paper it is noted that in the CIS the term “sustainable tourism” is rarely used and the more common term “Ecotourism” is most familiar. This article analyses the similarities and differences between them as well as other close and related “isms” within the meaning of the definitions: “Moral tourism”, “Nature tourism”, “Green tourism”, “Responsible Tourism”. According to the authors, “Sustainable Tourism” is not a kind of tourism. The characteristics of the listed types of tourism all have certain indicators associated with sustainable tourism. From this perspective, we can talk about eco-tourism as a pillar of sustainable tourism. In the practical part of the paper the authors give a general characterization of tourism in Kazakhstan. It analyses the problems encountered in the formation and development of ecological tourism. Based on a comprehensive analysis it concludes that tourism in Kazakhstan is not developed nor is there the political will to adopt a common organizational approach to the development of sustainable eco-tourism. In the methodological part of the paper, the authors develop the most important aspect – the “life cycle of the tourism product”, particularly its sustainability. The authors demonstrate its features, allocate life cycle stages and discuss the causes and factors contributing to the rate of aging of the product. One example of eco-tourism in Kazakhstan shows that some Kazakhstan ecotourism products require urgent measures to prolong their life cycle, which will be beneficial to all participants in the tourism industry.
A Nucleotide-dependent Molecular Switch Controls ATP Binding at the C-terminal Domain of Hsp90

In vivo function of the molecular chaperone Hsp90 is ATP-dependent and requires the full-length protein. Our earlier studies predicted a second C-terminal ATP-binding site in Hsp90. By applying direct biochemical approaches, we mapped two ATP-binding sites and unveiled the C-terminal ATP-binding site as the first example of a cryptic chaperone nucleotide-binding site, which is opened by occupancy of the N-terminal site. We identified an N-terminal γ−phosphate-binding motif in the middle domain of Hsp90 similar to other GHKL family members. This motif is adjacent to the phosphate-binding region of the C-terminal ATP-binding site. Whereas novobiocin disrupts both C- and N-terminal nucleotide binding, we found a selective C-terminal nucleotide competitor, cisplatin, that strengthens the Hsp90-Hsp70 complex leaving the Hsp90-p23 complex intact. Cisplatin may provide a pharmacological tool to dissect C- and N-terminal nucleotide binding of Hsp90. A model is proposed on the interactions of the two nucleotide-binding domains and the charged region of Hsp90.
A Novel HACCP System Supported By QMRAFor Increased Food Safety

A novel approach based on integration of the existing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) approach with the Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) is presented which is developed as part of the Chill-On EC FP6 research project. Though the paper deals with the main principles of operation of the system, some elements of practical implementation and operation of the HACCP system combined with QMRA as well as a Shelf Life Predictor (SLP) are presented. The novel HACCP system makes use of QMRA for estimating the risk to consumers due to consumption of food contaminated with Specific Foodborne Pathogens (SFP) or estimating the remaining shelf life of the product. The system is designed for help with increasing the quality and safety of products in food supply chains.
Absorption measurements of oxygen between 330 and 1140 nm

The absorption spectrum of O2 and O2-O2 collision pairs were measured over the wavelength range from 330 to 1140 nm using pressures of O2 from 1 to 55 atm at 298 K. Absorption cross sections, pressure dependences, band centers, and full widths at half maximum of the observed absorption bands centered at 343.4, 360.5, 380.2, 446.7, 477.3, 532.2, 577.2, 630.0, 688, 762, and 1065.2 nm are reported. The absorption bands centered at 360.5, 380.2, and 477.3 nm were also measured at 196 K and their temperature dependences were characterized.
Response of grain legumes to rhizobial inoculation in two savanna soils of Nigeria

Three inoculation trials with soybean, cowpea and groundnut were conducted on Eutric Cambisols (EC) and Rhodic Nitisols (RN) in a greenhouse. Five rhizobial inoculants: MAR 1495, TSBF Mixture, Legumefix, HiStick and IRJ 2180A were tested on each crop to determine their response to soil type and ability to form symbiotic relationship with the crops. Generally, response to inoculation was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.05) in EC than RN. In soybean and groundnut trials, highest nodulation in both soils was recorded by strain MAR 1495 followed by TSBF Mixture and these were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than other inoculants and control. A similar trend, though only in EC, was observed in N uptake and in nitrogen fixation but no significant difference was observed in dry matter yield. Cowpea trials did not show response to inoculation nor was there difference between the soils. Instead, control treatment surpassed all the inoculated treatments in nodulation at P < 0.05. Nitrogen uptake and N2 fixation of control also surpassed those of inoculated treatments. Rhizobia strains MAR 1495 and TSBF Mixture showed similar ability to improve the productivity of soybean and groundnut thus can be used as common inoculants for the two crops. Key words: Rhizobial inoculation, Eutric cambisols, Rhodic nitisols, nodulation, dry matter yield, N uptake, N2 fixation.
Arctic and Antarctic four-month oscillations detected from Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A measurements

Abstract Satellite microwave measurements can penetrate through clouds and therefore provide unique information of surface and near-surface temperatures and surface emissivity. In this study, the brightness temperatures from NOAA-15 Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) are used to analyse the surface temperature variation in the Arctic and Antarctic regions during the past 13 years from 1998–2010. The data from four AMSU-A channels sensitive to surface are analysed with wavelet and Fourier spectrum techniques. A very pronounced maximum is noticed in the period range centred around four months. Application of a statistical significance test confirms that it is a dominant mode of variability over polar regions besides the annual and semi-annual oscillations in the data. No evidence of this feature could be found in middle and low latitudes. The four-month oscillation is 90° out of phase at the Arctic and Antarctic, with the Arctic four-month oscillation reaching its maximum in the beginning of March, July and November and the Antarctic four-month oscillation in the middle of April, August and December. The intensity of the four-month oscillation varies interannually. The years with pronounced four-month oscillation were 2002–03, 2005–06 and 2008–09. The strongest year for the Arctic and Antarctic four-month oscillations occurred in 2005–06 and 2008–09, respectively. The sign of four-month oscillation is also found in the surface skin temperatures and two-metre air temperatures from ERA-Interim reanalysis, with strongest signal in 2005–06 when this oscillation is strongest in the data. It is hypothesized that the Arctic and Antarctic four-month oscillations are a combined result of unique features of solar radiative forcing and snow/sea ice formation and metamorphosis.
Metamorphic P-T Conditions of the Kerala (South India) Khondalite Belt, a Granulite Facies Supracrustal Terrain

The Khondalite Belt of southernmost India is an immense section of granulite facies metasediments of probable early Proterozoic age. Dominant rock types are migmatized khondalites (garnet-sillimanite $$\pm$$ cordierite metapelites), acid biotite-garnet graphitic gneisses and charnockites (quartzofeldspathic gneisses with orthopyroxene). Throughout much of southern Kerala, the biotite gneisses are in a state of arrested conversion to charnockite. Partially decrepitated $$CO_{2}$$ inclusions in quartz at the Ponmudi mixed biotite gneiss-charnockite quarry have significant $$CH_{4}$$ and/or $$N_{2}$$ and are texturally late. The probable sequence of events in metasediments was (1) migmatization, (2) charnockite formation, (3) symplectitic cordierite formation, and (4) late $$CO_{2}$$ entrapment. Phase equilibrium diagrams of anatexis in aluminous systems and Fe-Mg exchange between garnet and biotite indicate metamorphic temperatures of 650-850°C for the khondalites. Temperatures based on garnet-orthopyroxene Fe-Mg exchange in charnockites are $$755 \pm 60°C$$, which probably refers to a vapor-induced charnockitization event. Paleopressures of khondalites and charnockites are mostly 5-6 kbar over the entire Belt, with a few pressures over 6 kbar adjacent to the charnockitic orthogneiss massif which borders the Belt on the northeast. The texturally-deduced sequence of events can logically be related to a continuous P-T cycle, with maximum pressures of 6.5 kbar generated in the deepest parts of the metasedimentary section overlying an orthogneiss basement. Paracharnockites and cordierite symplectites may have formed at the beginning of the pressure-release cycle of uplift. $$CO_{2}$$ influx, possibly from below the crust, facilitated charnockite formation. Entrapment of late $$CO_{2}$$ in quartz occurred during uplift at 3-4 kbar pressure. Some mechanism of burial of a vast tract of sediments at a nearly uniform depth under nearly a continental thickness of overburden is necessary to explain the monotonous paleopressure pattern. An "A-subduction" model used for the northern Norwegian Cale-donides, in which a continental shelf sequence was entrained at the flat interface of colliding continents in near-horizontal subduction, may be a plausible mechanism. Radioactive self-heating of a doubly-thick continent or pervasive streaming of hot $$CO_{2}$$ from the mantle through tectonic shear zones could have raised regional temperatures to the granulite facies.
The Predictive Value of the In Vitro Platelet Toxicity Assay (iPTA) for the Diagnosis of Hypersensitivity Reactions to Sulfonamides

Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) are rare but potentially fatal adverse drug reactions (ADRs). A reliable test to diagnose DHRs would be a major advance in the clinical care for patients and in the evaluation of ADRs during drug development as well as for mechanistic studies of drug hypersensitivity. Available in vitro tests including the lymphocyte toxicity assay (LTA) have been used but are time‐consuming, cumbersome, and expensive. We have developed a novel diagnostic test for DHRs, the in vitro platelet toxicity assay (iPTA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of the iPTA in diagnosis of DHRs to sulfonamides. We recruited 66 individuals (36 DHS‐sulfa patients and 30 healthy controls) to participate in the study. Blood samples were obtained and LTA and iPTA were performed in parallel. There was concentration‐dependent toxicity in the cells of patients when incubated with the reactive hydroxylamine metabolite of sulfamethoxazole for both the LTA and iPTA (P < .05). The iPTA was more sensitive than conventional LTA test in detecting susceptibility of patient cells to in vitro toxicity (P < .05). The novel iPTA has considerable potential as an investigative tool for DHS as it is more sensitive and cheaper, requiring no special reagents.
Study of nitrate stress in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough using iTRAQ

The response of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough (DvH), a sulphate-reducing bacterium, to nitrate stress was examined using quantitative proteomic analysis. DvH was stressed with 105 mM sodium nitrate (NaNO3), a level that caused a 50% inhibition in growth. The protein profile of stressed cells was compared with that of cells grown in the absence of nitrate using the iTRAQ peptide labelling strategy and tandem liquid chromatography separation coupled with mass spectrometry (quadrupole time-of-flight) detection. A total of 737 unique proteins were identified by two or more peptides, representing 22% of the total DvH proteome and spanning every functional category. The results indicate that this was a mild stress, as proteins involved in central metabolism and the sulphate reduction pathway were unperturbed. Proteins involved in the nitrate reduction pathway increased. Increases seen in transport systems for proline, glycine ^ betaine and glutamate indicate that the NaNO3 exposure led to both salt stress and nitrate stress. Up-regulation observed in oxidative stress response proteins (Rbr, RbO, etc.) and a large number of ABC transport systems as well as in iron ^ sulphur-cluster-containing proteins, however, appear to be specific to nitrate exposure. Finally, a number of hypothetical proteins were among the most significant changers, indicating that there may be unknown mechanisms initiated upon nitrate stress in DvH.
Ligand Interactions in the Adenosine Nucleotide-binding Domain of the Hsp90 Chaperone, GRP94

X-ray crystallographic studies of the N-terminal domain of Hsp90 have identified an unconventional ATP binding fold, thereby inferring a role for ATP in the regulation of the Hsp90 activity. In this report, N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) was used to investigate the nucleotide binding properties of GRP94, the endoplasmic reticulum paralog of Hsp90. Whereas Hsp90 did not bind NECA, GRP94 bound NECA in a saturable manner with aK d of 200 nm. NECA binding to GRP94 was efficiently blocked by geldanamycin and radicicol. Analysis of ligand binding stoichiometries by radioligand and calorimetric techniques indicated that GRP94 bound 1 mol of NECA/mol of GRP94 dimer. In contrast, GRP94 bound radicicol at a stoichiometry of 2 mol of radicicol/mol of GRP94 dimer. In [3H]NECA displacement assays, GRP94 displayed binding interactions with ATP, dATP, ADP, AMP, cAMP, and adenosine, but not GTP, CTP, or UTP. To accommodate the 0.5 mol of NECA:mol of GRP94 binding stoichiometry observed for the native GRP94 dimer, a model for allosteric regulation (negative cooperativity) of ligand binding is proposed. A hypothesis on the regulation of GRP94 conformation and activity by adenosine-based ligand(s) other than ATP and ADP is presented.
Low dose of liraglutide combined with metformin leads to a significant weight loss in Chinese women with Polycystic ovary syndrome: a retrospective study

7 Background 8 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder with complex 9 pathophysiological mechanism. It is reported that even a modest weight loss of 5-10% substantially 10 may improve the reproductive and metabolic profile. This study aims to assess the efficacy of the 11 low dose of liraglutide (0.6mg QD) combined with metformin (0.85g BID) in weight loss in Chinese 12 Han women with Polycystic ovary syndrome. 18 retrospectively, loss the main