Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Periglacial landscapes on Svalbard: Terrestrial analogs for cold-climate landforms on Mars

We present landforms on Svalbard (Norway) as terrestrial analogs for possible Martian periglacial surface features. While there are closer climatic analogs for Mars, e.g., the Antarctic Dry Valleys, Svalbard has unique advantages that make it a very useful study area. Svalbard is easily accessible and offers a periglacial landscape where many differ- ent landforms can be encountered in close spatial proximity. These landforms include thermal contraction cracks, slope stripes, rock glaciers, protalus ramparts, and pingos, all of which have close morphological analogs on Mars. The combination of remote- sensing data, in particular images and digital elevation models, with fi eld work is a promising approach in analog studies and facilitates acquisition of fi rst-hand experi- ence with permafrost environments. Based on the morphological ambiguity of certain landforms such as pingos, we recommend that Martian cold-climate landforms should not be investigated in isolation, but as part of a landscape system in a geological context.
The effect of sea quarks on the mass of the charm quark from lattice QCD

We compute the mass of the charm quark using both quenched and dynamical lattice QCD calculations. We examine the effects of mass dependent lattice artifacts by comparing two different formalisms for the heavy quarks. We take the continuum limit of the charm mass in quenched QCD by extrapolating from three different lattice spacings. At a fixed lattice spacing, the mass of the charm quark is compared between quenched QCD and dynamical QCD with a sea quark mass around strange. In the continuum limit of quenched QCD, we find m_c(m_c)=1.29(7)(13) GeV. No evidence was seen for unquenching.
Summer Learning and the Effect of Schooling: Evidence from Sweden

Using that schools are in session during the school year and out of session during the summer, it is possible to isolate the effect of schooling on learning. This natural experiment situation can also be used to see whether schooling compensates for disadvantageous social backgrounds. Using a new sample of Swedish sixth grade pupils, results are that math skills are lost when pupils are not in school, pupils with non-Swedish parents learn relatively more during the school year, and learning is unrelated to pupils’ parents’ socioeconomic level during both the summer and the school year.
Comment on "Exclusion of time in the theorem of Bell

In a telephone system having an automatic response function wherein a predetermined answer message is automatically sent to a calling originator when a speaking path to the calling originator is established in response to a call signal originated by calling from the calling originator, there are provided a DTMF signal decoder for decoding a DTMF signal sent from the calling originator as a result of key operation at the calling originator after the speaking path has been established, and a memory for storing operated key data corresponding to the output of the DTMF signal decoder, whereby information regarding the calling originator is obtained when the stored content of the memory is zero.
HST Imaging of Bright Galactic X-ray Binaries in Crowded Fields

We report high spatial resolution HST imagery and photometry of three well-studied, intense galactic X-ray binaries, X2129+47, CAL 87 and GX17+2. All three sources exhibit important anomalies, not readily interpreted by conventional models. Each source also lies in a severely crowded field, and in all cases the anomalies would be removed if much of the light observed from the ground in fact came from a nearby, thus-far-unresolved superposed companion. For V1727 Cyg (X2129+470), we find no such companion. We also present an HST FOS spectrum and broadband photometry which is consistent with a single, normal star. The supersoft LMC X-ray source CAL 87 was already known from ground-based work to have a companion separated by 0 ′′. 9 from the optical counterpart; our HST images clearly resolve these objects, and yield the discovery of an even closer, somewhat fainter additional companion. Our photometry indicates that contamination is not severe outside eclipse, where the companions only contribute 20% of the light in V, but during eclipse more than half of the V light comes from the companions. The previously-determined spectral type of the CAL 87 secondary may need to be reevaluated due to this significant contamination, with consequences on inferences of the mass of the components. We find no companions to NP Ser (=X1813–14, =GX17+2). However, for this object we point out a small but possibly significant astrometric discrepancy between the position of the optical object and that of the radio source which is the basis for the identification. This discrepancy needs to be clarified.
Cosmic Shear from STIS pure parallels III . Analysis of Cycle 9 pure parallels

Following the detection of a cosmic shear signal at the 30′′ scale using archival parallel data from the STIS CCD camera onboard HST in the previous paper of this series, we analyzed a larger data set obtained from an HST GO pure parallel program. Although this data set is considerably larger than the one analyzed previously, we do not obtain a significant detection of the cosmic shear signal. The most likely cause of this null result is that the signal is comparable to (or less than) the random measurement of the noise. We also show that multiple systematics plague the STIS CCD data for its use in cosmic shear programs, and in particular the continuous degradation of the CCD charge transfer efficiency after 4 years in space, which is a source of additional noise that is still difficult to correct for in the absence of physical models.
Textural, geochemical and mineralogical evidence for the origin of peoria loess in Central and Southern Nebraska, USA

Possible sources of Peoria loess in central Nebraska have been investigated through the fingerprinting of the textural, geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the loess and possible source sediments, with statistical comparison of the textural and compositional fingerprints. The results of the investigation contrast with the ‘desert loess’ model proposed by Lugn (1960), and are instead consistent with the derivation of the Peoria loess in Nebraska primarily from fluvio-glacial outwash sediments carried by the ancestral North and South Platte River systems from the Rocky Mountain Front Ranges during the late Pleistocene.
The Submillimeter Properties of Extremely Red Objects in the Canada-UK Deep Submillimeter Survey Fields

We discuss the submillimeter properties of extremely red objects (EROs) in the two Canada-UK Deep Submillimeter Survey (CUDSS) fields. We measure the mean submillimeter flux of the ERO population (to K′ < 20.7) and find 0.40 ± 0.07 mJy for EROs selected by (I-K) > 4.0 and 0.56 ± 0.09 mJy for EROs selected by (R-K) > 5.3, but these measurements are dominated by discrete, bright submillimeter sources. We estimate that EROs produce 7%-11% of the far-infrared background at 850 μm. This is substantially less than a previous measurement by Wehner, Barger, & Kneib, and we discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy. We show that ERO counterparts to bright submillimeter sources lie within the starburst region of the near-infrared color-color plot of Pozzetti & Mannucci. Finally, we claim that pairs or small groups of EROs with separations of ≲10'' often mark regions of strong submillimeter flux.
Real-time resolution studies of the regulation of pyruvate-dependent lactate metabolism by hexokinases in single cells

Lactate is a mitochondrial substrate for many tissues including neuron, muscle, skeletal and cardiac, as well as many cancer cells, however little is known about the processes that regulate its utilization in mitochondria. Based on the close association of Hexokinases (HK) with mitochondria, and the known cardio-protective role of HK in cardiac muscle, we have investigated the regulation of lactate and pyruvate metabolism by hexokinases (HKs), utilizing wild-type HEK293 cells and HEK293 cells in which the endogenous HKI and/or HKII have been knocked down to enable overexpression of wild type and mutant HKs. To assess the real-time changes in intracellular lactate levels the cells were transfected with a lactate specific FRET probe. In the HKI/HKII double knockdown cells, addition of extracellular pyruvate caused a large and sustained decrease in lactate. This decrease was rapidly reversed upon inhibition of the malate aspartate shuttle by aminooxyacetate, or inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative respiration by NaCN. These results suggest that in the absence of HKs, pyruvate-dependent activation of the TCA cycle together with the malate aspartate shuttle facilitates lactate transformation into pyruvate and its utilization by mitochondria. With replacement by overexpression of HKI or HKII the cellular response to pyruvate and NaCN was modified. With either hexokinase present, both the decrease in lactate due to the addition of pyruvate and the increase following addition of NaCN were either transient or suppressed altogether. Blockage of the pentose phosphate pathway with the inhibitor 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN), abolished the effects of HK replacement. These results suggest that blocking of the malate aspartate shuttle by HK may involve activation of the pentose phosphate pathway and increased NADPH production.
First-in-human in-vivo depiction of paraganglioma metabolism by hyperpolarised 13C-magnetic resonance

Phaeochromocytomas (PCC) and paragangliomas (PGL), cumulatively referred to as PPGLs, are neuroendocrine tumours arising from neural crest-derived cells in the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Predicting future tumour behaviour and the likelihood of metastatic disease remains problematic as genotype–phenotype correlations are limited, the disease has variable penetrance and, to date, no reliable molecular, cellular or histological markers have emerged. Tumour metabolism quantification can be considered as a method to delineating tumour aggressiveness by utilising hyperpolarised 13 C-MR (HP-MR). The technique may provide an opportunity to non-invasively characterise disease behaviour. Here, we present the first instance of the analysis of PPGL metabolism via HP-MR in a single case.
ECG based apnea detection by multirate processing hybrid of wavelet-empirical decomposition Hjorth features extraction and neural networks

Sleep Apnea (SA) can cause health complications including heart stroke and neurological disorders. The Polysomnography (PSG) test can detect the severity of sleep disturbance. However, it is expensive and requires a dedicated sleep laboratory and expertise to examine the patients. Therefore, it is not available to a large population in developing countries. This leads to the development of cost-effective and automated patient examination methods for the detection of sleep apnea. This study suggests an approach of using the ECG signals to categorize sleep apnea. In this work, we have devised an original technique of feature space designing by intelligently hybridizing the multirate processing, a mix of wavelet-empirical mode decomposition (W-EMD), modes-based Hjorth features extraction, and Adam-based optimized Multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) for automated categorization of apnea. A publicly available ECG dataset is used for evaluating the performance of the suggested approach. Experiments are performed for four different sub-bands of the considered ECG signals. For each selected sub-band, five "Intrinsic Mode Functions" (IMFs) are extracted. Onward, three Hjorth features: complexity, activity, and mobility are mined from each IMF. In this way, four feature sets are formed based on wavelet-driven selected sub-bands. The performance of optimized MLPNN, for the apnea categorization, is compared for each feature set. Five different evaluation parameters are used to assess the performance. For the same dataset, a systematic comparison with current state-of-the-artwork has been done. Results have shown a classification accuracy of 98.12%.
Lacosamide as treatment for partial epilepsy: mechanisms of action, pharmacology, effects, and safety

: Lacosamide (LCM) is a novel agent that has been developed as an antiepileptic drug. In vitro studies suggest that LCM modulates voltage-gated sodium channels by enhancing their slow inactivation. In addition, LCM seems to interact with collapsin-response mediator protein 2 and thus may mediate neuronal plasticity. LCM has an elimination half-life of 13 hours, no relevant protein binding, and does not induce or inhibit enzymes of the cytochrome P450 system. No clinically significant drug–drug interactions have been discovered as yet. Experimental data suggest anticonvulsant as well as analgesic effects. Large clinical studies have demonstrated its efficacy for treatment of patients with partial seizures. LCM is well tolerated, and the most common adverse events are unspecific central nervous system and gastrointestinal effects such as dizziness, vertigo, nausea, and headache. LCM is approved for treatment of partial seizures with or without secondary generalization in the United States and the European Union within a dose range of 200 to 400 mg per day, administered twice daily. In addition to the oral formula-tions, an intravenous infusion solution is available.
Delayed dinnertime impairs glucose tolerance in healthy young adults

Abstract To explore the relationship between mealtime delays of up to 3 h and subsequent glucose fluctuations, healthy young adults were allocated to three delayed dinnertimes in randomized order. Participants consumed test meals for lunch and dinner. After assessing the glucose responses using intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring devices (isCGM), the peak glucose elevation, and incremental area under the curve (iAUC) of postprandial glucose during certain intervals increased significantly when the time between lunch and dinner was delayed by 1 h or more. Our results support the importance of improving irregular mealtime habits, such as late eating.
‘Being disabled’ as an exclusion criterion for clinical trials: a scoping review

Background People with disabilities (PWDs) are often excluded from biomedical research, but comprehensive data regarding their participation in clinical trials are not available. The objective of this study was to assess the rates of exclusion of PWDs from recent medical scientific research. Methods The protocol of the study was designed according to PRISMA-ScR (PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. All completed interventional clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov between 2010 and 2020 regarding the 10 leading causes of global disability-adjusted life-years according to the Global Burden of Disease Study were analysed. An exclusion criterion from the study was considered explicit if it could be associated with one of the following seven categories: disability, physical impairment, cognitive impairment, behavioural or psychiatric disorders, language and communication impairment, sensory impairment. Comorbidities not more clearly defined and researcher discretion regarding exclusion of study participants were considered to be ‘implicit exclusion criteria’. We assessed the appropriateness of explicit exclusion criteria in relation to the primary objectives of the trials and labelled them as ‘absolute’, ‘relative’ or ‘questionable’. Results The total number of trials analysed was 2710; 170 were paediatric trials (6.3%), 2374 were adult trials (87.6%) and 166 were trials including subjects of all ages (6.1%). Explicit exclusion criteria were found in 958 trials (35.3%). The disability category most frequently excluded was behavioural or psychiatric disorders, present in 588 trials (61.4%). In only 3% and 1% of the trials, the exclusion criteria were considered either ‘absolute’ or ‘questionable’, while in 96% the exclusion criteria were judged as ‘relative’. Implicit exclusion criteria were present in 1205 trials (44.5%). Conclusions This study highlights the high rate of exclusion of PWDs from biomedical research and the widespread use of ill-defined exclusion criteria in clinical trials. It underscores the importance of more inclusive study designs so that PWDs can become active participants in research.
Plate Tectonics Control of Global Patterns of Detrital and Carbonate Sedimentation: ABSTRACT

Global patterns of continental drainage to the oceans have changed markedly over the last 200 m.y. in response to plate tectonic processes; most of the earth's major rivers now enter the sea on passive continental margins which did not exist in the early Mesozoic. This reorganization of drainage has strongly influenced the distributions of marine detrital and carbonate facies. Analysis of changes in continental topography related to the breakup of Pangaea suggest that throughout much of the Mesozoic, drainage systems were dominated by a pole-to-pole divide directing detrital sediment away from the sites of future continental rifting. This phase was followed by rifting and formation of narrow oceans with uplifted margins. As the margins subsided by thermal relaxation, massive amounts of detrital sediment End_Page 480------------------------------ were delivered from the continental interiors onto the young passive margins. In time, river drainage became increasingly focused, concentrating detrital sediment supply at the mouths of a few large rivers. Very large supplies of detrital sediment require large, high uplifts such as those caused by subduction of young, hot ocean crust or by continental collision. Large sediment supplies also require drainage basins with relatively constant slope; so that sediment erosion, throughput, and delivery to the ocean margin are efficient. The result is rapid sedimentation of deltaic complexes containing an abundance of organic carbon. During most of earth history, there are no large, high uplifts, and carbonate rocks become more important in the continental margins. In contrast to the point inputs of detrital sediments, the supply of carbonate has been from the oceanic reservoir and is diffuse. Carbonate deposition dominates the continental shelves in all warm regions where the detrital sediment input is not extremely large. Carbonate shelves become cemented, resisting erosion, so they build up until the shelf edge approximates highstands of sea level. Detrital shelves become adjusted to lowstands of sea level with the shelf breaks typically many tens of meters below the low sea level. The clastic-carbonate shelf-slope-rise system operates to promote bypassing of detrital materials into deep water in the subtropics and tropics, with sharp facies contrasts. In higher latitudes, carbonate may be a significant proportion of the continental margin material, but facies changes are usually much more gradual. End_of_Article - Last_Page 481------------
Phylogenomics of Leptospira santarosai, a prevalent pathogenic species in the Americas

Background Leptospirosis is a complex zoonotic disease mostly caused by a group of eight pathogenic species (L. interrogans, L. borgpetersenii, L. kirschneri, L. mayottensis, L. noguchii, L. santarosai, L. weilii, L. alexanderi), with a wide spectrum of animal reservoirs and patient outcomes. Leptospira interrogans is considered as the leading causative agent of leptospirosis worldwide and it is the most studied species. However, the genomic features and phylogeography of other Leptospira pathogenic species remain to be determined. Methodology/principal findings Here we investigated the genome diversity of the main pathogenic Leptospira species based on a collection of 914 genomes from strains isolated around the world. Genome analyses revealed species-specific genome size and GC content, and an open pangenome in the pathogenic species, except for L. mayottensis. Taking advantage of a new set of genomes of L. santarosai strains isolated from patients in Costa Rica, we took a closer look at this species. L. santarosai strains are largely distributed in America, including the Caribbean islands, with over 96% of the available genomes originating from this continent. Phylogenetic analysis showed high genetic diversity within L. santarosai, and the clonal groups identified by cgMLST were strongly associated with geographical areas. Serotype identification based on serogrouping and/or analysis of the O-antigen biosynthesis gene loci further confirmed the great diversity of strains within the species. Conclusions/significance In conclusion, we report a comprehensive genome analysis of pathogenic Leptospira species with a focus on L. santarosai. Our study sheds new light onto the genomic diversity, evolutionary history, and epidemiology of leptospirosis in America and globally. Our findings also expand our knowledge of the genes driving O-antigen diversity. In addition, our work provides a framework for understanding the virulence and spread of L. santarosai and for improving its surveillance in both humans and animals.
Thrombosis and APS: Lessons Learned from Another Black Swan Tale

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by venous, arterial, and microvascular thromboses and/or recurrent pregnancy morbidity, that occur in the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). APS can present with a wide range of clinical manifestations often reffered as “extra-criteria”. These features, although apparently less common, can severely impact patients’ outcome. Here, we report the case of a patient with a newly diagnosed APS. He previously experienced a recurrence of venous thrombosis after discontinuation of anticoagulant therapy in association with cutaneous ulcerations as presenting symptoms. Interestingly, skin lesions did not improve with full anticoagulant treatment. Due to concomitant presence of thrombotic and microvascular involvement, immunomodulatory therapy with steroid pulses followed by intravenous injections of belimumab was started, with progressive and significant amelioration, leading to complete recovery. Following the presentation of the current case report, we highlight the importance of suspecting APS in young patients experiencing unprovoked thrombosis. We also emphasized the critical issue of testing aPL during anticoagulant treatment and focused on the need of aPL retesting in patients with positivity at high titers. We also highlight the double nature of aPL-mediated clinical manifestations. While most patients presented with pure thrombotic complications, one should always remember that APS is an autoimmune-mediated disease, which can benefit from alternative therapeutic approaches beyond anticoagulation.