Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The 2015 National Canadian Homeless Youth Survey: Mental Health and Addiction Findings

Objective: This study was designed to provide a representative description of the mental health of youth accessing homelessness services in Canada. It is the most extensive survey in this area to date and is intended to inform the development of mental health and addiction service and policy for this marginalized population. Methods: This study reports mental health–related data from the 2015 “Leaving Home” national youth homelessness survey, which was administered through 57 agencies serving homeless youth in 42 communities across the country. This self-reported, point-in-time survey assessed a broad range of demographic information, pre-homelessness and homelessness variables, and mental health indicators. Results: Survey data were obtained from 1103 youth accessing Canadian homelessness services in the Nunavut territory and all Canadian provinces except for Prince Edward Island. Forty-two per cent of participants reported 1 or more suicide attempts, 85.4% fell in a high range of psychological distress, and key indicators of risk included an earlier age of the first episode of homelessness, female gender, and identifying as a sexual and/or gender minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and 2 spirit [LGBTQ2S]). Conclusions: This study provides clear and compelling evidence of a need for mental health support for these youth, particularly LGBTQ2S youth and female youth. The mental health concerns observed here, however, must be considered in the light of the tremendous adversity in all social determinants faced by these youth, with population-level interventions best leveraged in prevention and rapid response.
Proteomic Strategy for the Analysis of the Polychlorobiphenyl-Degrading Cyanobacterium Anabaena PD-1 Exposed to Aroclor 1254

The cyanobacterium Anabaena PD-1, which was originally isolated from polychlorobiphenyl (PCB)-contaminated paddy soils, has capabilities for dechlorinatin and for degrading the commercial PCB mixture Aroclor 1254. In this study, 25 upregulated proteins were identified using 2D electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). These proteins were involved in (i) PCB degradation (i.e., 3-chlorobenzoate-3,4-dioxygenase); (ii) transport processes [e.g., ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter substrate-binding protein, amino acid ABC transporter substrate-binding protein, peptide ABC transporter substrate-binding protein, putrescine-binding protein, periplasmic solute-binding protein, branched-chain amino acid uptake periplasmic solute-binding protein, periplasmic phosphate-binding protein, phosphonate ABC transporter substrate-binding protein, and xylose ABC transporter substrate-binding protein]; (iii) energetic metabolism (e.g., methanol/ethanol family pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent dehydrogenase, malate-CoA ligase subunit beta, enolase, ATP synthase β subunit, FOF1 ATP synthase subunit beta, ATP synthase α subunit, and IMP cyclohydrolase); (iv) electron transport (cytochrome b6f complex Fe-S protein); (v) general stress response (e.g., molecular chaperone DnaK, elongation factor G, and translation elongation factor thermostable); (vi) carbon metabolism (methanol dehydrogenase and malate-CoA ligase subunit beta); and (vii) nitrogen reductase (nitrous oxide reductase). The results of real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the genes encoding for dioxygenase, ABC transporters, transmembrane proteins, electron transporter, and energetic metabolism proteins were significantly upregulated during PCB degradation. These genes upregulated by 1.26- to 8.98-fold. These findings reveal the resistance and adaptation of cyanobacterium to the presence of PCBs, shedding light on the complexity of PCB catabolism by Anabaena PD-1.
Phylogenetic Meta-Analysis of the Functional Traits of Clonal Plants Foraging in Changing Environments

Foraging behavior, one of the adaptive strategies of clonal plants, has stimulated a tremendous amount of research. However, it is a matter of debate whether there is any general pattern in the foraging traits (functional traits related to foraging behavior) of clonal plants in response to diverse environments. We collected data from 97 published papers concerning the relationships between foraging traits (e.g., spacer length, specific spacer length, branch intensity and branch angle) of clonal plants and essential resources (e.g., light, nutrients and water) for plant growth and reproduction. We incorporated the phylogenetic information of 85 plant species to examine the universality of foraging hypotheses using phylogenetic meta-analysis. The trends toward forming longer spacers and fewer branches in shaded environments were detected in clonal plants, but no evidence for a relation between foraging traits and nutrient availability was detected, except that there was a positive correlation between branch intensity and nutrient availability in stoloniferous plants. The response of the foraging traits of clonal plants to water availability was also not obvious. Additionally, our results indicated that the foraging traits of stoloniferous plants were more sensitive to resource availability than those of rhizomatous plants. In consideration of plant phylogeny, these results implied that the foraging traits of clonal plants (notably stoloniferous plants) only responded to light intensity in a general pattern but did not respond to nutrient or water availability. In conclusion, our findings on the effects of the environment on the foraging traits of clonal plants avoided the confounding effects of phylogeny because we incorporated phylogeny into the meta-analysis.
The Fruit of Urban Nature

What makes a neighborhood space vital? This article explores the possibility that the presence of trees and grass may be one of the key components of vital neighborhood spaces. We report on 758 observations of individuals in 59 outdoor common spaces in a residential development. Twenty-seven of the neighborhood common spaces were relatively green, whereas 32 were relatively barren. Results indicate that the presence of trees and grass is related to the use of outdoor spaces, the amount of social activity that takes place within them, and the proportion of social to nonsocial activities they support. The findings improve and broaden our understanding of the physical characteristics that influence social contact among neighbors and provide evidence that nature plays an important role in creating vital neighborhood spaces.
Kneading Technique for Preparation of Binary Solid Dispersion of Meloxicam with Poloxamer 188

The aim of the present study was to enhance the dissolution rate of meloxicam (MLX), a practically water-insoluble drug by preparation of solid dispersion using a hydrophilic polymer, poloxamer 188 (PXM). The kneading technique was used to prepare solid dispersions. A 32 full factorial design approach was used for optimization wherein the drug, polymer ratio (X1), and the kneading time (X2) were selected as independent variables and the dissolution efficiency at 60 min (%DE60) and yield percent were selected as the dependent variable. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that for obtaining higher dissolution of MLX from PXM solid dispersions, a high level of X1 and a high level of X2 were suitable. The use of a factorial design approach helped in optimization of the preparation and formulation of solid dispersion. The optimized formula was characterized by solubility studies, angle of repose, and contact angle; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction studies, and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that enhanced dissolution of MLX from solid dispersion might be due to a decrease in the crystallinity of MLX and PXM. Analysis of dissolution data of optimized formula indicated the best fitting with Korsemeyer–Peppas model and the drug release kinetics as Fickian diffusion. In conclusion, dissolution enhancement of MLX was obtained by preparing its solid dispersion with PXM using kneading technique.
The artefacts of death: CT post‐mortem findings

Post‐mortem CT is an increasingly used tool for investigating cause of death. While sharing many similarities with pre‐mortem imaging, a number of unique artefacts occur at post‐mortem CT, and these have the potential to mask underlying disease processes. It is vital that the artefacts associated with the process of dying and decompositional changes are recognised to avoid misdiagnosis. The following pictorial review discusses and illustrates the important and common post‐mortem changes.
Size-Class Effect Contributes to Tree Species Assembly through Influencing Dispersal in Tropical Forests

We have investigated the processes of community assembly using size classes of trees. Specifically our work examined (1) whether point process models incorporating an effect of size-class produce more realistic summary outcomes than do models without this effect; (2) which of three selected models incorporating, respectively environmental effects, dispersal and the joint-effect of both of these, is most useful in explaining species-area relationships (SARs) and point dispersion patterns. For this evaluation we used tree species data from the 50-ha forest dynamics plot in Barro Colorado Island, Panama and the comparable 20 ha plot at Bubeng, Southwest China. Our results demonstrated that incorporating an size-class effect dramatically improved the SAR estimation at both the plots when the dispersal only model was used. The joint effect model produced similar improvement but only for the 50-ha plot in Panama. The point patterns results were not improved by incorporation of size-class effects using any of the three models. Our results indicate that dispersal is likely to be a key process determining both SARs and point patterns. The environment-only model and joint-effects model were effective at the species level and the community level, respectively. We conclude that it is critical to use multiple summary characteristics when modelling spatial patterns at the species and community levels if a comprehensive understanding of the ecological processes that shape species’ distributions is sought; without this results may have inherent biases. By influencing dispersal, the effect of size-class contributes to species assembly and enhances our understanding of species coexistence.
Genetic Variation of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC Class II B Gene) in the Threatened Hume’s Pheasant, Syrmaticus humiae

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are the most polymorphic genes in vertebrates and encode molecules that play a crucial role in pathogen resistance. As a result of their diversity, they have received much attention in the fields of evolutionary and conservation biology. Here, we described the genetic variation of MHC class II B (MHCIIB) exon 2 in a wild population of Hume’s pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae), which has suffered a dramatic decline in population over the last three decades across its ranges in the face of heavy exploitation and habitat loss. Twenty-four distinct alleles were found in 73 S. humiae specimens. We found seven shared alleles among four geographical groups as well as six rare MHCIIB alleles. Most individuals displayed between one to five alleles, suggesting that there are at least three MHCIIB loci of the Hume’s pheasant. The d N ⁄ d S ratio at putative antigen-binding sites (ABS) was significantly greater than one, indicating balancing selection is acting on MHCIIB exon 2. Additionally, recombination and gene conversion contributed to generating MHCIIB diversity in the Hume’s pheasant. One to three recombination events and seventy-five significant gene conversion events were observed within the Hume’s pheasant MHCIIB loci. The phylogenetic tree and network analysis revealed that the Hume’s pheasant alleles do not cluster together, but are scattered through the tree or network indicating a trans-species evolutionary mode. These findings revealed the evolution of the Hume’s pheasant MHC after suffering extreme habitat fragmentation.
A Wideband Beam-Steerable Slot Antenna Using Artificial Magnetic Conductors With Simple Structure

A beam-steerable slot antenna with simple structure and wideband performance using artificial magnetic conductors (AMC) is presented in this paper. It has a simple structure, and consists of one cross-shaped main radiating slot, two parasitic slots with two p-i-n diodes as the reflectors, and an AMC surface. The main radiating slot has an electrical length of about 1-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\lambda $ </tex-math></inline-formula> to achieve a wideband performance. By turning on/off the p-i-n diodes on these two parasitic slots, the main lobe of the radiation pattern can be steered. The AMC surface is used to make the antenna radiate directionally reducing the back lobe simultaneously. A design procedure of tuning the proposed antenna to other frequency band is also given. The simulation and measurement results, including <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$S_{11}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, radiation patterns, and realized gains are illustrated. Results show that the main lobe direction of the radiation pattern of the proposed antenna can be tuned among 0°, −36°, and 36° with the peak gains of more than 7 dBi in the operating bandwidth from 4.9 to 5.5 GHz.
FLUCTUATING TEMPERATURE LEADS TO EVOLUTION OF THERMAL GENERALISM AND PREADAPTATION TO NOVEL ENVIRONMENTS

Environmental fluctuations can select for generalism, which is also hypothesized to increase organisms’ ability to invade novel environments. Here, we show that across a range of temperatures, opportunistic bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens that evolved in fluctuating temperature (daily variation between 24°C and 38°C, mean 31°C) outperforms the strains that evolved in constant temperature (31°C). The growth advantage was also evident in novel environments in the presence of parasitic viruses and predatory protozoans, but less clear in the presence of stressful chemicals. Adaptation to fluctuating temperature also led to reduced virulence in Drosophila melanogaster host, which suggests that generalism can still be costly in terms of reduced fitness in other ecological contexts. While supporting the hypothesis that evolution of generalism is coupled with tolerance to several novel environments, our results also suggest that thermal fluctuations driven by the climate change could affect both species’ invasiveness and virulence.
Formulation and Characterization of Film Based on Gum Exudates from Brea Tree (Cercidium praecox)

In the present study, films and coatings for food applications based on a gum exudate from Brea tree (Cercidium praecox) were formulated and the influence of plasticizer content on their functional properties was evaluated. Brea gum is a renewable resource available in semi-desert areas, extracted by native people. Films were produced by casting method and characterized through water vapour permeability, mechanical (tensile strength and elongation at break), morphological and optical properties. Glycerol was used as plasticizer. Brea gum films presented good visual aspect, transparency and amber colour. Microscopic observation showed a dense and homogeneous structure. Film wettability increased with glycerol content due to hydrophilic nature of the plasticizer. Solubility of films in water increased with temperature. Water sorption isotherms of films at 25 °C showed that at high aw (above 0.50), the film matrix swells altering its structure and properties. Water vapour permeability remained practically constant up to 20% of glycerol content and then increases linearly with the plasticizer. The addition of glycerol decreased the opacity and tensile strength. The best film properties were obtained at 20% of glycerol concentration.
Bounded Bases of Strong Partial Clones

Partial clone theory has successfully been applied to study the complexity of the constraint satisfaction problem parameterized by a set of relations (CSP(Γ)). Lagerkvist & Wahlström (ISMVL 2014) however shows that the partial polymorphisms of Γ (ρPοI(Γ)) cannot be finitely generated for finite, Boolean Γ if CSP(Γ) is NP-hard (assuming P≠NP). In this paper we consider stronger closure operators than functional composition which can generate ρPοI(Γ) from a finite set of partial functions, a bounded base. Determining bounded bases for finite languages provides a complete characterization of their partial polymorphisms and we provide such bases for k-SAT and 1-in-k-SAT.
A Theory of QoS for Wireless

Wireless networks are increasingly used to carry applications with QoS constraints. Two problems arise when dealing with traffic with QoS constraints. One is admission control, which consists of determining whether it is possible to fulfill the demands of a set of clients. The other is finding an optimal scheduling policy to meet the demands of all clients. In this paper, we propose a framework for jointly addressing three QoS criteria: delay, delivery ratio, and channel reliability. We analytically prove the necessary and sufficient condition for a set of clients to be feasible with respect to the above three criteria. We then establish an efficient algorithm for admission control to decide whether a set of clients is feasible. We further propose two scheduling policies and prove that they are feasibility optimal in the sense that they can meet the demands of every feasible set of clients. In addition, we show that these policies are easily implementable on the IEEE 802.11 mechanisms. We also present the results of simulation studies that appear to confirm the theoretical studies and suggest that the proposed policies outperform others tested under a variety of settings.
Effectiveness of the Korean National Cancer Screening Program in Reducing Gastric Cancer Mortality.

BACKGROUND & AIMS It is not clear whether screening for gastric cancer by upper endoscopy or upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series examinations (looking at the upper and middle sections of the gastrointestinal tract by imaging techniques) reduces mortality. Nevertheless, the Korean National Cancer Screening Program for gastric cancer was launched in 1999 to screen individuals 40 years and older for gastric cancer using these techniques. We evaluated the effectiveness of these techniques in gastric cancer detection and compared their effects on mortality in the Korean population. METHODS We performed a nested case-control study using data from the Korean National Cancer Screening Program for gastric cancer since 2002. A total of 16,584,283 Korean men and women, aged 40 years and older, comprised the cancer-free cohort. Case subjects (n = 54,418) were defined as individuals newly diagnosed with gastric cancer from January 2004 through December 2009 and who died before December 2012. Cases were matched with controls (subjects who were alive on the date of death of the corresponding case subject, n = 217,672) for year of entry into the study cohort, age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained via conditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Compared with subjects who had never been screened, the overall OR for dying from gastric cancer among ever-screened subjects was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.77-0.81). According to screening modality, the ORs of death from gastric cancer were 0.53 (95% CI, 0.51-0.56) for upper endoscopy and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.95-1.01) for UGI series. As the number of endoscopic screening tests performed per subject increased, the ORs of death from gastric cancer decreased: 0.60 (95% CI, 0.57-0.63), 0.32 (95% CI, 0.28-0.37), and 0.19 (95% CI, 0.14-0.26) for once, twice, and 3 or more times, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Within the Korean National Cancer Screening Program, patients who received an upper endoscopy were less likely to die from gastric cancer; no associations were found for UGI series.
The Central Role of Dispersal in the Maintenance and Persistence of Seagrass Populations

Global seagrass losses parallel significant declines observed in corals and mangroves over the past 50 years. These combined declines have resulted in accelerated global losses to ecosystem services in coastal waters. Seagrass meadows can be extensive (hundreds of square kilometers) and long-lived (thousands of years), with the meadows persisting predominantly through vegetative (clonal) growth. They also invest a large amount of energy in sexual reproduction. In this article, we explore the role that sexual reproduction, pollen, and seed dispersal play in maintaining species distributions, genetic diversity, and connectivity among seagrass populations. We also address the relationship between long-distance dispersal, genetic connectivity, and the maintenance of genetic diversity that may enhance resilience to stresses associated with seagrass loss. Our reevaluation of seagrass dispersal and recruitment has altered our perception of the importance of long-distance dispersal and has revealed extensive dispersal at scales much larger than was previously thought possible.
Investigating the Role of State Permitting and Agriculture Agencies in Addressing Public Health Concerns Related to Industrial Food Animal Production

Objectives Industrial food animal production (IFAP) operations adversely impact environmental public health through air, water, and soil contamination. We sought to determine how state permitting and agriculture agencies respond to these public health concerns. Methods We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with staff at 12 state agencies in seven states, which were chosen based on high numbers or rapid increase of IFAP operations. The interviews served to gather information regarding agency involvement in regulating IFAP operations, the frequency and type of contacts received about public health concerns, how the agency responds to such contacts, and barriers to additional involvement. Results Permitting and agriculture agencies’ responses to health-based IFAP concerns are constrained by significant barriers including narrow regulations, a lack of public health expertise within the agencies, and limited resources. Conclusions State agencies with jurisdiction over IFAP operations are unable to adequately address relevant public health concerns due to multiple factors. Combining these results with previously published findings on barriers facing local and state health departments in the same states reveals significant gaps between these agencies regarding public health and IFAP. There is a clear need for regulations to protect public health and for public health professionals to provide complementary expertise to agencies responsible for regulating IFAP operations.
Thinking About Multiword Constructions: Usage-Based Approaches to Acquisition and Processing

Usage-based approaches to language hold that we learn multiword expressions as patterns of language from language usage, and that knowledge of these patterns underlies fluent language processing. This paper explores these claims by focusing upon verb-argument constructions (VACs) such as "V(erb) about n(oun phrase). " These are productive constructions that bind syntax, lexis, and semantics. It presents (a) analyses of usage patterns of English VACs in terms of their grammatical form, semantics, lexical constituency, and distribution patterns in large corpora; (b) patterns of VAC usage in child-directed speech and child language acquisition; and (c) investigations of VAC free-association and psycholinguistic studies of online processing. We conclude that VACs are highly patterned in usage, that this patterning drives language acquisition, and that language processing is sensitive to the forms of the syntagmatic construction and their distributional statistics, the contingency of their association with meaning, and spreading activation and prototypicality effects in semantic reference. Language users have rich implicit knowledge of the statistics of multiword sequences.