Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Target estimation for bias and mean square error reduction

Given a statistical functional T and a parametric family of distributions, a bias reduced functional T is defined by setting the expected value of the statistic equal to the observed value. Under certain regularity conditions this new statistic, called the target estimator, will have smaller bias and mean square error than the original estimator. The theoretical aspects are analyzed by using higher order von Mises expansions. Several examples are given, including M-estimates of location and scale. The procedure is applied to an autoregressive model, the errors-in-variables model and the logistic regression model. A comparison with the jackknife and the bootstrap estimators is also included.
Crucial Role of miR-433 in Regulating Cardiac Fibrosis

Dysregulation of microRNAs has been implicated in many cardiovascular diseases including fibrosis. Here we report that miR-433 was consistently elevated in three models of heart disease with prominent cardiac fibrosis, and was enriched in fibroblasts compared to cardiomyocytes. Forced expression of miR-433 in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts increased proliferation and their differentiation into myofibroblasts as determined by EdU incorporation, α-SMA staining, and expression levels of fibrosis-associated genes. Conversely, inhibition of miR-433 exhibited opposite results. AZIN1 and JNK1 were identified as two target genes of miR-433. Decreased level of AZIN1 activated TGF-β1 while down-regulation of JNK1 resulted in activation of ERK and p38 kinase leading to Smad3 activation and ultimately cardiac fibrosis. Importantly, systemic neutralization of miR-433 or adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-mediated cardiac transfer of a miR-433 sponge attenuated cardiac fibrosis and ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction. Thus, our work suggests that miR-433 is a potential target for amelioration of cardiac fibrosis.
A 5 ° medial wedge reduces frontal but not saggital plane motion during jump landing in highly trained women athletes

: Lower extremity mechanics during landing have been linked to traumatic and nontraumatic knee injuries, particularly in women’s athletics. The effects of efforts to mitigate these risks have not been fully elucidated. We previously reported that a 5 ° medial wedge reduced ankle eversion and knee valgus. In the present report we further investigated the effect of a 5 ° medial wedge inserted in the shoes of female athletes on frontal plane hip motion, as well as ankle, knee, hip, and trunk saggital plane motion during a jump landing task. Kinematic data were obtained from 10 intercollegiate female athletes during jump landings from a 31 cm platform with and without a 5 ° medial wedge. Hip adduction was reduced 1.98 ° (95% CI 0.97–2.99 ° ) by the medial wedge but saggital plane motions were unaffected. A 5 ° medial wedge reduces frontal plane motion and takes the knee away from a position associated with anterior cruciate ligament injury and patellofemoral pain syndrome. Although frontal plane motion was not captured it is unlikely to have increased in a bilateral landing task. Thus, it is likely that greater muscle forces were generated in these highly trained athletes to dissipate ground reaction forces when a medial wedge was in place. Additional investigation in younger and lesser trained athletes is warranted to assess the impact of orthotic devices on knee joint mechanics.
Both attention and prediction are necessary for adaptive neuronal tuning in sensory processing

The brain as a proactive system processes sensory information under the top-down influence of attention and prediction. However, the relation between attention and prediction remains undetermined given the conflation of these two mechanisms in the literature. To evaluate whether attention and prediction are dependent of each other, and if so, how these two top-down mechanisms may interact in sensory processing, we orthogonally manipulated attention and prediction in a target detection task. Participants were instructed to pay attention to one of two interleaved stimulus streams of predictable/unpredictable tone frequency. We found that attention and prediction interacted on the amplitude of the N1 ERP component. The N1 amplitude in the attended/predictable condition was larger than that in any of the other conditions. Dipole source localization analysis showed that the effect came from the activation in bilateral auditory areas. No significant effect was found in the P2 time window. Our results suggest that attention and prediction are dependent of each other. While attention might determine the overall cortical responsiveness to stimuli when prediction is involved, prediction might provide an anchor for the modulation of the synaptic input strengths which needs to be operated on the basis of attention.
Provenance and Pb isotopic ages of lunar volcanic and impact glasses from the Apollo 17 landing site

Glassy spherules found in the lunar regolith can be used to investigate the volcanic and impact history of the Moon. Here we report the first study combining petrography with microbeam geochemical data for major-element, trace-element and Pb isotopic compositions of individual spherules that were separated from a sample of regolith collected at the Taurus-Littrow Valley on the Moon. Petrographic characteristics of 216 spherules were established by optical and electron microscopy. About half of these spherules show obvious evidence of formation by meteorite impacts into the lunar regolith, such as relict clasts, schlieren, vesicles, FeNi metal blebs, irregular shapes and heterogeneous nucleation textures. The remaining spherules have textures indicating rapid quenching of melt droplets, including clast-free glass and microcrystalline to vitrophyric textures. These were produced by either impact melting or volcanic fire fountaining. Chemical compositions of clast-poor spherules were determined by electron microprobe and laser ablation ICPMS, and the provenance of each spherule was classified as either feldspathic highlands, mare or mixed highlands-mare. Spherules with feldspathic highlands compositions are droplets of impact melt that provide a regional-scale sampling of regolith and rock compositions in the vicinity of the landing site. A group of picritic, high-TiO2 mare spherules has a limited range of major and trace-element compositions similar to the famous Apollo 17 orange glass; these are likely to be volcanic in origin. A small number of mare spherules with very low Ti (VLT) and unusually aluminous compositions were also found. We tentatively conclude that the VLT spherules reflect igneous compositions, whereas the aluminous mare spherules are likely to be impact mixtures. We also conducted a reconnaissance LA-ICPMS study of Pb isotopic compositions and U–Th–Pb concentrations to investigate the feasibility of dating individual spherules. 207Pb/206Pb model ages and U–Th–Pb chemical ages of the picritic mare spherules are similar to those of the 3.8–3.5 Ga Apollo 17 mare basalts, consistent with an igneous origin for the glasses. In contrast, impact spherules have systematically younger chemical ages (≤2 Ga). About half of the impact spherules appear to be ≤500 Ma, consistent with the recent discovery of a young spike in the spherule age populations at other landing sites. The abundance of relatively young ages with a predominantly local provenance suggests that most of the impact spherules were produced by small impact events, perhaps related to craters ≤1 km in diameter.
The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting

This work explores in detail the world history of man's use of bees, from prehistoric honey hunting to the sophisticated industry it has become today. Honey has always been the chief prize, but bee brood was eaten as meat, and beeswax was important in many technologies. Bees, honey and wax have special symbolic significance in both early beliefs and later world religions. And bees' greatest benefit to man has been their pollination of his crops. Honey hunting is shown here in the rock art of four continents. Pictures of beekeeping survive from ancient Egypt, and hives or parts of them from Greece, Crete, pre-Roman Spain and the Maya region of Mesoamerica. Many traditional practices have been handled down through the generations, and there are abundant written records, the earliest from the second millennium BC. This book contains many first-hand descriptions, set out to cover aspects of the subject.
OLD-GROWTH FORESTS IN ITALY: RECENT RESEARCH DEVELOPMENTS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

In Italy there are no truly primeval forests because forest exploitation has been very pervasive since Roman times. All along the centuries intensive silvicultural systems have heavily modified forest composition and structure. Nevertheless, in particular situations there are forest stands that have not been impacted by utilization for very long periods of time and show old-growth characters. The contribution recall the main projects dealing on characterization and monitoring of old-growth forests in Italy starting from the activities of Prof. Pavari in 1954. It then introduces the papers presented in this special issue resulting from the activities of different recent research projects funded by national authorities. Most of these contributions were presented in a national congress held in Prati di Tivo (TE) from 25 to 26 of June 2010 titled “Old-growth forests in Italy: identification, characterization, management”, organized with the support of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park
Gas breakthrough pressure for hydrocarbon reservoir seal rocks: implications for the security of long‐term CO2 storage in the Weyburn field

This paper reports a laboratory study of the gas breakthrough pressure for different gas/liquid systems in the Mississippian-age Midale Evaporite. This low-permeability rock formation is the seal rock for the Weyburn Field in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada, where CO2 is being injected into an oil reservoir for enhanced recovery and CO2 storage. A technique for experimentally determining CO2 breakthrough pressure at reservoir conditions is presented. Breakthrough pressures for N2, CO2 and CH4 were measured with the selected seal-rock samples. The maximum breakthrough pressure is over 30 MPa for N2 and approximately 21 MPa for CO2. The experimental results demonstrate that the Weyburn Midale Evaporite seal rock is of high sealing quality. Therefore, the Weyburn reservoir and Midale Beds can be used as a CO2 storage site after abandonment. The measured results also show that the breakthrough pressure of a seal rock for a gas is nearly proportional to the interfacial tension of the gas/brine system. The breakthrough pressure of a CO2/brine system is significantly reduced compared with that of a CH4/brine system because of the much lower interfacial tension of the former. This implies that a seal rock that seals the original gas in a gas reservoir or an oil reservoir with a gas cap may not be tight enough to seal the injected CO2 if the pressure during or after CO2 injection is the same or higher than the original reservoir pressure. Therefore, reevaluation of the breakthrough pressure of seal rocks for a given reservoir is necessary and of highest priority once it is chosen as a CO2 storage site.
Neurofeedback as a Treatment for Impulsivity in a Forensic Psychiatric Population With Substance Use Disorder: Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial Combined With an N-of-1 Clinical Trial

Background Impulsivity and substance use disorder (SUD) are strongly interconnected, with persons scoring high on impulsivity being more vulnerable to develop substance abuse, facing more challenges for successful treatment, and being more prone to engage in criminal behavior. Studies have shown that impulsivity and craving for substances are strongly correlated. Neurofeedback is an effective treatment to reduce impulsive behavior. This study intends to determine to what extent a neurofeedback-intervention that is aimed at reducing impulsivity can also reduce levels of craving in forensic patients with SUD and comorbid Axis I and/or II diagnoses. Objective The main objective of this study is to investigate to what extent a reduction in impulsivity by a sensorimotor rhythm (SMR)-neurofeedback intervention will lead to a reduction in craving in a population of forensic psychiatric patients with a diagnosis of SUD. Methods Participants will be male SUD patients with various comorbidities residing in an inpatient forensic treatment facility approached through treatment supervisors for participation. Participants have tested positive for drug use in the past 24 months. The study consists of 2 parts: a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a n-of-1 clinical series. In the RCT, 50 patients will be randomly assigned to an intervention (n=25) or a control (n=25) condition. Patients in the intervention group will receive 20 SMR neurofeedback sessions aimed at reducing impulsivity; participants in the control group receive treatment-as-usual (TAU). Additionally, 4 in depth n-of-1 clinical trials will be conducted where effects of an SMR neurofeedback intervention will be compared to effects of sham neurofeedback. Results Results of this study are expected by the end of 2017. Conclusions This protocol describes the design of a study testing the effects of an impulsivity-based neurofeedback protocol among forensic patients with SUD and various comorbidities. We expect a significant reduction in impulsive behavior, level of craving, and actual drug-use for participants receiving the SMR neurofeedback protocol. The n-of-1 approach might help to explain effects possibly found in the RCT study since it allows for a more direct focus on treatment effects by following participants more closely and thereby being able to directly attribute behavioral and neurophysiological change to the SMR neurofeedback protocol employed. ClinicalTrial Dutch National Trial Register NTR5386; http://www.trialregister. nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp? TC=5386 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6nXLQuoLl)
Fossiler Schneckenlaich in Ammonitenwohnkammern

Three kinds of gastropod eggs are described from the Middle Liassic (Pliensbachian) of northern Germany. Circular, netlike or honeycomb patterns on the innerside of the living chambers of the ammonite Pleuroceras spinatum (Brugiere) and two Lytoceratids are compared with spat of Recent Gastropoda (Neritaceac and Columbellidae [? ]). Other interpretations, such as ooids, conelles, faecal pellets, or eggs of ammonites are excluded. The striking likeness between spat of Recent Columbellidae and incrusting cheilostomatous membranimorph bryozoans (Conopeum) is pointed out. On the muddy sea floor, open lamellibranch shells and living chambers of ammonites offered a suitable hard and sheltered substrate for gastropod spawn.Gastropoda, Neritacea, eggs, ammonite living chambers, Cheilustomata, faecal pellets, Jurassic, Pliensbachian, NW Germany. Aus dem norddeutschcn Lias γ-δ (Pliensbachium) werden drei Katcgorien von Gastropodenlaich be-schrieben. Es handelt sich teils um isolierte kreisrunde oder wabenbis hetzartige Strukturen auf der Innenwand von Ammonitenwohnkammern, bcsonders von Pleuroceras spinatum (Brugiere) und zwei Lytoceratiden. Die Deutung als Gastropodenlaich grundet sich auf den Vergleich mil rezenten Eiablagen von Gastropoden (Neriten und Columbellidae [? ]). Andere Deutungsmoglichkeiten (Ooide, Conellcn, Kotpillcn, Ammoniteneier) werden ausgeschlossen. Auf die verbluffende Ahnlichkeit zwischen rezentem Columbellidae-Laich und inkrustierenden cheilostomcn membranimorphen Bryozoen (Conopeum) wird hingewiesen. Die Innenraume von Molluskenschalen (Ammonitenwohnkammern, klaffende Schalen von Lamellibranchiaten) boten auf schlammigen Weichboden Substratlaichern unter den Gastropoden offcnbar gunsttge Laichgelegenheiten.
Send Orders of Reprints at Reprints@benthamscience.org Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor-induced Systemic Lupus Erythematosus §

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced lupus (ATIL) represents a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Most cases of ATIL are caused by infliximab, followed by etanercept and adalimumab. Symptoms can range from common, mild cutaneous lesions to rare, serious pleural or pericardial effusions, deep venous thrombosis, life-threatening pneumonitis, and neuritis. Constitutional symptoms often present in association with positive autoantibody serology. Diagnosis can be considered if there is a temporal relationship between symptoms and anti-tumor necrosis factor-(TNF-) therapy and at least one serologic and one non-serologic American College of Rheumatology criteria. Since it is contraindicated to use anti-TNF-drugs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, it is recommended to perform a thorough immunological screening in any patient with polyarthritis to assure accurate diagnosis. In addition, prior to anti-TNF therapy, baseline immunological investigations (including antinuclear antibodies) should be performed, and there should be close follow up to assess the development of lupus manifestations. The main approach in the treatment of ATIL is withdrawal of the offending drug. Traditional therapy with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents may be required to achieve full resolution of lupus symptoms. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and management of ATIL.
Small RNAs Reflect Grandparental Environments in Apomictic Dandelion

Plants can show long-term effects of environmental stresses and in some cases a stress ‘memory’ has been reported to persist across generations, potentially mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. However, few documented cases exist of transgenerational effects that persist for multiple generations and it remains unclear if or how epigenetic mechanisms are involved. Here we show that the composition of small regulatory RNAs in apomictic dandelion lineages reveals a footprint of drought stress and salicylic acid treatment experienced two generations ago. Overall proportions of 21nt and 24nt RNA pools were shifted due to grandparental treatments. While individual genes did not show strong up- or downregulation of associated sRNAs, the subset of genes that showed the strongest shifts in sRNA abundance was significantly enriched for several GO terms including stress-specific functions. This indicates that a stress-induced signal was transmitted across multiple unexposed generations leading to persistent and functional changes in epigenetic gene regulation.
WALK THIS WAY FOR HEALTH

After reviewing decades of epidemiological evidence, the US Surgeon General concluded that physical inactivity was as important as smoking and diet as a risk factor for major causes of disease. Moreover, to gain health benefit the report recommended 30 minutes of daily moderate exercise - even brisk walking taken in three 10-minute bouts. Many Australians do not walk and many others walk, but do insufficient walking to benefit their health. Results from a social ecological study of 1803 healthy working adults aged 18-59 years in a 408 km2 area of metropolitan Perth are presented. Overall, in the previous two weeks 72.1 percent of respondents had walked for transport and 68.5 percent had walked for recreation. However, only 17.3 percent did six 30-minute sessions per week of walking for recreation, health, fitness or going to and from somewhere. Recreational walking was the only form of exercise for 13.1 percent of respondents, but of these, 68.2 percent did insufficient to benefit their health. Similarly, walking for transport was the only form of exercise for 7.4 percent of respondents, but 86.4 percent did insufficient to benefit their health. Individual factors, social environmental factors and physical environmental factors that influence walking as recommended are presented. Clearly, promoting walking and cycling and greater use of public transport, will not only achieve risk factor objectives, but will help achieve broader public health and community objectives related to a healthier, greener and safer environment. However, it requires a comprehensive approach including long-term awareness raising and educational campaigns; fundamental changes in local and state government policy; and development of supportive infrastructure that encourages walking, cycling and public transport use. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E204599.
Field Trials of in-situ Oil Spill Countermeasures in Ice-Infested Waters

An oil spill response technique in ice-infested waters based on the application of fine minerals in a slurry with mixing by propeller-wash to promote the formation of oilmineral aggregates (OMA) has been proposed. This process promotes the physical dispersion of mineral-fine stabilized oil droplets into the water column that support higher rates of oil degradation by natural bacteria. To validate the operational effectiveness of this technique a controlled oil spill experiment was conducted from a Canadian Coast Guard ice-breaker in the St. Lawrence Estuary (offshore of Matane, Quebec, Canada). Following the release of the test crude oil and the application of experimental treatments, time-series changes in oil concentrations were monitored to quantify dispersion effectiveness. Field samples were also recovered for laboratory microcosm studies on the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons by monitoring CO2 production and the depletion of specific hydrocarbon components. Detailed chemical analysis (GC/MS with hopane normalization) from these studies showed that more than 60% of the total petroleum hydrocarbon, 75-88% of total alkanes, and 55-65% total PAHs, were degraded after 56 days of incubation at 0.5 o C. The alkylated PAH was degraded to a greater extent following the addition of mineral fines. This technique offers several operational advantages as a spill countermeasure for use under Arctic conditions such as reduced numbers of personnel required for its application, no need for waste disposal sites, and cost effectiveness.
Middle-atmospheric response to a future increase in humidity arising from increased methane abundance

The response of the middle atmosphere to an increase in humidity arising from a possible future increase in CH 4 is examined in a general circulation model with interactive H 2 O and O 3 . A chemical parameterization allows the middle-atmospheric H 2 O change to evolve naturally from an imposed change in tropospheric CH 4 . First, a simulation of the year 2060 using postulated loadings of the radiatively active gases is compared with a control simulation of the present-day atmosphere. Then, the particular contribution of the CH 4 (and hence H 2 O) change to the observed difference is isolated by repeating the 2060 simulation without the projected CH 4 change. Under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) B2 scenario, the middle atmosphere in 2060 cools by up to ∼5 K relative to 1995, with the CH 4 -derived increase in H 2 O accounting for ∼10% of the change. The cooling is accompanied by a strengthened general circulation, intensified dynamic heating rates, and a reduction in the mean age of middle-atmospheric air. The component of the circulation change attributable solely to the H 2 O change differs somewhat from the net response: The H 2 O change causes a greater increase in the descent rate in the north than in the south, ages the stratospheric air, and has a distinct effect on age/N 2 O correlations. Around 20% of the increased prevalence of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) in 2060 is due to the microphysical effect of the extra H 2 O, with the remainder attributable to the reduced vortex temperatures. Although the PSC increase facilitates release of reactive chlorine, this positive impact on chemical O 3 destruction is outweighed by the negative impact of the reduced total chlorine in 2060. Nonetheless, the H 2 O increase does make the 2060 Arctic O 3 loss ∼15% greater than it would otherwise be.