Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Humpback whales in the Hawaiian breeding waters: Population and pod characteristics.

Aerial, shipboard, and underwater observations were made during Spring 1976 of the population of humpback whales, Megaptera no1•aeangliae, breeding in Hawaiian waters. Animals were found around all of the major islands, almost always within the 100 fathom contour, with the bulk of the population concentrated in regions having the greatest contiguous extent of such water. Breeding and calf rearing were not confined to any given area. Survey results yielded estimates of from 200 to 250 animals. The birth rate was estimated as less than 10 %, a low figure of some concern. Col oration characteristics of the Hawaii population differed considerably from the easten1 North Pacific population of humpback whales, suggesting little genetic exchange with that group. Differences from the western North Pacific group were less clear, in part because of sparsity of data. Approximately 18% ofthe animals were alone when observed ; the remainder were in pods of 2 to 9 animals. Overall there were considerably fewer singletons and considerably larger-sized pods than has been observed in feeding ground aggregations. A calf was typically found in a multiple-animal pod, consisting of the mother and, most frequently, one other adult " escort " whale. The escort seemed to serve a protective function. The large majority of the pods were swimming in fairly regular formations in apparent local migratory movements. Milling pods, with animals contacting one another, or engaging in other behaviors seemingly consistent with sexual courtship or advertisement, was observed in 16 % of the cases. The possibly adverse effects of increasing public and commercial on-water and in-water whale-watching activites on the reproductive success of the whales was noted.
Damping of subsynchronous resonance using a voltage source converter-based high-voltage direct- current link in a series-compensated Great Britain transmission network

Owing to increased levels of generation in Scotland, substantial onshore and offshore reinforcements to the Great Britain (GB) transmission network have been proposed. Possible inland reinforcements include the use of series compensation through fixed capacitors. This potentially can lead to subsynchronous resonance (SSR). Offshore reinforcements are proposed by high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) links. In addition to its primary functions of bulk power transmission, a voltage source converter-based HVDC link can be used to provide damping against SSR, and this function has been modelled. Simulation results have been carried out in Power Systems Computer-Aided Design, with system analysis conducted in MATLAB. A real-time hardware-in-the-loop real-time digital simulator-HVDC test rig has been used to implement and validate the proposed damping scheme on an experimental platform. The simulation and experimental results show good agreement.
The importance and challenge of modeling irrigation-induced erosion

Irrigation-induced erosion and rain-induced erosion result from very different systematics. Therefore, both cannot be predicted effectively using the same models. The average two-fold yield and three-fold economic advantage of irrigation over rain-fed agri- culture, coupled with the fragility of irrigated land and the strategic importance of irrigation development to meet world agricultural production needs, has raised the urgency for the development of robust, accurate, and precise irrigation-induced erosion models. This paper details the rationale for separate irrigation-induced erosion models, presents essential aspects unique to irrigation that must be accounted for in the models, and summarizes the progress (to date) toward the goal of irrigation-induced erosion model development.
Quantification of lectin fluorescence in GNE myopathy muscle biopsies

Introduction: GNE myopathy is an adult‐onset muscle disorder characterized by impaired sialylation of (muscle) glycans, detectable by lectin histochemistry. We describe a standardized method to quantify (lectin‐) fluorescence in muscle sections, applicable for diagnosis and response to therapy for GNE myopathy. Methods: Muscle sections were fluorescently labeled with the sialic acid‐binding Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA) lectin and antibodies to sarcolemma residence protein caveolin‐3 (CAV‐3). Entire tissue sections were imaged in tiles and fluorescence was quantified. Results: SNA fluorescence co‐localizing with CAV‐3 was ∼50% decreased in GNE myopathy biopsies compared with muscle‐matched controls, confirming previous qualitative results. Discussion: This quantitative fluorescence method can accurately determine sialylation status of GNE myopathy muscle biopsies. This method is adaptable for expression of other membrane‐associated muscle proteins, and may be of benefit for disorders in which therapeutic changes in expression are subtle and difficult to assess by other methods. Muscle Nerve 58: 286–292, 2018
Travelling from Fascination to New Meanings: Understanding User Expectations through a Case Study of Autonomous Cars

Designers are continuously exploring and suggesting possible futures, often consulting user studies for insights to guide the process of inventing novel designs. However, user studies are typically employed retrospectively with little regard to future use, or face challenges for users to express relevant re ections on the future. In addition, users’ experiences of products are not stable over time and user studies typically do not suf ciently address the temporal aspects of future use. This paper uses autonomous cars as a case study with the aim of understanding characteristics of user expectations, highlighting the temporal aspects of expectations in particular. The study employed a qualitative, experimental, user research methodology encompassing 11 participants, encouraging participant re ection through enactment and drawing. From the results, expectations were structured around three temporal layers: acquaintancing, situated use and practice and meaning transformation. The model highlights and describes the temporal and transformative aspects of expectations. By breaking down the temporality of experience into layers, it suggests that designers and researchers can be helped to understand and approach experiences from the initial stages of development.
Assessment of Dry Epidermal Electrodes for Long-Term Electromyography Measurements

Commercially available electrodes can only provide quality surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements for a limited duration due to user discomfort and signal degradation, but in many applications, collecting sEMG data for a full day or longer is desirable to enhance clinical care. Few studies for long-term sEMG have assessed signal quality of electrodes using clinically relevant tests. The goal of this research was to evaluate flexible, gold-based epidermal sensor system (ESS) electrodes for long-term sEMG recordings. We collected sEMG and impedance data from eight subjects from ESS and standard clinical electrodes on upper extremity muscles during maximum voluntary isometric contraction tests, dynamic range of motion tests, the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test, and the Box & Block Test. Four additional subjects were recruited to test the stability of ESS signals over four days. Signals from the ESS and traditional electrodes were strongly correlated across tasks. Measures of signal quality, such as signal-to-noise ratio and signal-to-motion ratio, were also similar for both electrodes. Over the four-day trial, no significant decrease in signal quality was observed in the ESS electrodes, suggesting that thin, flexible electrodes may provide a robust tool that does not inhibit movement or irritate the skin for long-term measurements of muscle activity in rehabilitation and other applications.
Effect of Upright and Slouched Sitting Postures on the Respiratory Muscle Strength in Healthy Young Males

Objective The present study compared the effects of upright and slouched sitting postures on the respiratory muscle strength in healthy young males. Methods A total of 35 adult male subjects aged 18–35 years participated in this study. Respiratory muscle strength was determined by measurement of sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP) using a MicroRPM device in the upright and slouched sitting positions. The subjects were asked to perform the pulmonary function test including peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratio at baseline. Body composition was also determined. Results There was a significant difference of SNIP score between upright sitting and slouched sitting positions (p = 0.04). The mean difference of SNIP score between upright sitting and slouched sitting positions was 8.7 cmH2O. Significant correlations were found between SNIP in upright sitting and FEV1% predicted values [R = . 651], SNIP in slouched sitting and FEV1% predicted values [R = . 579], and SNIP in upright sitting and SNIP in slouched sitting positions [R = . 926] (p < 0.05 for all). There were no significant correlations between SNIP scores, demographic variables, and other baseline clinical data (p > 0.05). Conclusions The slouched sitting position had a lower SNIP score compared to upright sitting position suggesting a reduced diaphragm tension and movement as a result of altered body posture.
Industrial experiences of developing a model for software development quality gates

The purposes to use quality gates in software development are many. Quite often companies see that the usage of quality gates improves their overall efficiency, effectiveness and output quality of software delivery chain. They also see that the usage of quality gates helps them to make things right at once by not skipping quality assurance actions. This paper defines quality gate model for a software company. As well it shows that even quality gates might be in place they are not always followed because of a business reason. Companies can forget their well structured quality gate systems when business reason justifies it. The results of neglecting quality gates might lead to a situation where software asset output is not trusted anymore and quality is not known. In a longer run quality gate system seems to be as good as human being who is keeping it. This paper discusses about the most typical software development quality gates in an industrial context. As well it gives reasoning why these gates are usable and defines general criteria for each of them. Paper notifies that even quality gates are in place, they are not useful if not followed. The theoretical discussion in this paper is constructive and follows the constructive research method. Industrial experiments are explained using a case study method.
Multiyear riparian evapotranspiration and groundwater use for a semiarid watershed

Riparian evapotranspiration (ET) is a major component of the surface and subsurface water balance for many semiarid watersheds. Measurement or model-based estimates of ET are often made on a local scale, but spatially distributed estimates are needed to determine ET over catchments. In this paper, we document the ET that was quantified over 3 years using eddy covariance for three riparian ecosystems along the Upper San Pedro River of southeastern Arizona, USA, and we use a water balance equation to determine annual groundwater use. Riparian evapotranspiration and groundwater use for the watershed were then determined by using a calibrated, empirical model that uses 16-day, 250–1000m remotesensing products for the years of 2001–2005. The inputs for the model were derived entirely from the NASA MODIS sensor and consisted of the Enhanced Vegetation Index and land surface temperature. The scaling model was validated using subsets of the entire dataset (omitting different sites or years) and its capable performance for well-watered sites (MAD 1⁄4 0.32mmday , R 1⁄4 0.93) gave us confidence in using it to determine ET over the watershed. Three years of eddy covariance data for the riparian sites reveal that ET and groundwater use increased as woody plant density increased. Groundwater use was less variable at the woodland site, which had the greatest density of phreatophytes. Annual riparian groundwater use within the watershed was nearly constant over the study period despite an on-going drought. For the San Pedro alone, the amounts determined in this paper are within the range of most recently reported values that were derived using an entirely different approach. However, because of our larger estimates for groundwater use for the main tributary of the San Pedro, the watershed totals were higher. The approach presented here can provide riparian ET and groundwater use amounts that reflect real natural variability in phreatophyte withdrawals and improve the accuracy of a watershed’s water budget. r 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Porous poly(butylene succinate) films as promising candidates for retinal tissue engineering

ANNE HAAPALA: Porous poly(butylene succinate) films as promising candidates for retinal tissue engineering Tampere University of technology Master of Science Thesis, 68 pages December 2018 Master’s Degree Programme in Biotechnology Major: Tissue Engineering Examiner: Professor Minna Kellomäki, Dr. Teresa Rebelo Calejo
STRUCTURE AND FEEDBACK IN 30 DORADUS. II. STRUCTURE AND CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES

We use our new optical-imaging and spectrophotometric survey of key diagnostic emission lines in 30 Doradus, together with CLOUDY photoionization models, to study the physical conditions and ionization mechanisms along over 4000 individual lines of sight at points spread across the face of the extended nebula, out to a projected radius 75 pc from R136 at the center of the ionizing cluster NGC 2070. We focus on the physical conditions, geometry, and importance of radiation pressure on a point-by-point basis, with the aim of setting observational constraints on important feedback processes. We find that the dynamics and large-scale structure of 30 Dor are set by a confined system of X-ray bubbles in rough pressure equilibrium with each other and with the confining molecular gas. Although the warm (10,000 K) gas is photoionized by the massive young stars in NGC 2070, the radiation pressure does not currently play a major role in shaping the overall structure. The completeness of our survey also allows us to create a composite spectrum of 30 Doradus, simulating the observable spectrum of a spatially unresolved, distant giant extragalactic H ii region. We find that the highly simplified models used in the “strong line” abundance technique do in fact reproduce our observed line strengths and deduced chemical abundances, in spite of the more than one order of magnitude range in the ionization parameter and density of the actual gas in 30 Dor.
A review on the damping properties of fiber reinforced polymer composites

Fiber reinforced polymer composites have great potential for engineering applications. In this work, we have provided a comprehensive review on the damping properties of fiber reinforced polymer composites. This paper has focused on the mechanism and analytical method of damping properties. This work also presents a broad review on several factors which determined the damping, such as matrix, fiber types, fiber architecture, fiber surface modification, and incorporated fillers. We further discussed the role of interfacial region on the improvement of damping, where high shear strain energy is stored at this region. Nanofillers, fiber coating, and interpenetrating polymer networks have high potential for damping treatment. We have concluded this review with some helpful suggestions for the future development of fiber reinforced composites with desired damping properties.
Overexpression of ornithine aminotransferase: consequences on amino acid homeostasis

Ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) is a reversible enzyme expressed mainly in the liver, kidney and intestine. OAT controls the interconversion of ornithine into glutamate semi-aldehyde, and is therefore involved in the metabolism of arginine and glutamine which play a major role in N homeostasis. We hypothesised that OAT could be a limiting step in glutamine–arginine interconversion. To study the contribution of the OAT enzyme in amino acid metabolism, transgenic mice that specifically overexpress human OAT in the liver, kidneys and intestine were generated. The transgene expression was analysed by in situ hybridisation and real-time PCR. Tissue (liver, jejunum and kidney) OAT activity, and plasma and tissue (liver and jejunum) amino acid concentrations were measured. Transgenic male mice exhibited higher OAT activity in the liver (25 (sem 4) v. 11 (sem 1) nmol/min per μg protein for wild-type (WT) mice; P < 0·05) but there were no differences in kinetic parameters (i.e. Km and maximum rate of reaction (Vmax)) between WT and transgenic animals. OAT overexpression decreased plasma and liver ornithine concentrations but did not affect glutamine or arginine homeostasis. There was an inverse relationship between ornithine levels and OAT activity. We conclude that OAT overexpression has only limited metabolic effects, probably due to the reversible nature of the enzyme. Moreover, these metabolic modifications had no effect on phenotype.
Epitaxial growth of GaN quantum dots on smooth AlN

A fundamental limitation of current quantum dot based monolithic quantum-devices emitting single or entangled photons is the operation at cryogenic temperatures. A straightforward solution is the use of group-III nitrides. In particular, the large bandgap difference between the two binary compounds GaN and AlN of 2.6 eV can provide superior exciton confinement for an energy separation between distinct eigenstates larger than 25meV, which is required for room temperature operation. In fact, single photon emission from GaN quantum dots has been demonstrated up to 350K. Despite the very promising optical properties, growing GaN quantum dots on AlN by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy is still very challenging. Two major reasons are the need of smooth AlN substrates for a homogenous GaN nucleation, and the lattice mismatch between GaN and AlN with GaN/AlN = 2.4%. The latter is similar to the required minimum lattice mismatch of about = 2.5% for Stranski-Krastanow quantum dot growth. This thesis aims at establishing GaN quantum dot growth on AlN buffer layers by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy within an in-depth study of homoepitaxial and heteroepitaxial growth processes. In order to address this in a comprehensive manner, fundamental physics are illustrated in theoretical models and compared with extensive growth studies. Additionally, optical properties of GaN quantum dots are presented to demonstrate the feasibility for optical applications. The manuscript is divided into three major parts. In the first part, the homoepitaxial growth transition between common step-bunching growth and desired step-flow growth is studied for AlN. A surface diffusion model is presented and examined via a novel Monte-Carlo approach, which shows an extended growth window for the favored step-flow growth by increasing the vicinal terrace width of the substrate (small offcut angles). The results are experimentally applied to pseudohomoepitaxial AlN growth on (0001) AlN templates with different growth conditions and offcut angles. A change of the surface termination is observed within the presented parameter window yielding step-flow growth under high V/III > 11 and step-bunching
Targeting B Cells and Plasma Cells in Autoimmune Diseases

Success with B cell depletion using rituximab has proven the concept that B lineage cells represent a valid target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, and has promoted the development of other B cell targeting agents. Present data confirm that B cell depletion is beneficial in various autoimmune disorders and also show that it can worsen the disease course in some patients. These findings suggest that B lineage cells not only produce pathogenic autoantibodies, but also significantly contribute to the regulation of inflammation. In this review, we will discuss the multiple pro- and anti-inflammatory roles of B lineage cells play in autoimmune diseases, in the context of recent findings using B lineage targeting therapies.
Dynamic on-state resistance evaluation of GaN devices under hard and soft switching conditions

Dynamic on-state resistance (Rdson) of two commercial 600V/650V GaN power devices under hard and soft switching conditions are extracted and compared. In addition to standard double-pulse tester (DPT), a triangular current mode (TCM) soft switching circuit is built to simulate the actual applications including double-pulse and multi-pulse operating modes. The comparison between hard and soft switching conditions reveals that the devices with different internal structures exhibit significantly different dependence on the off-state voltage and frequency under hard and soft switching conditions, which should be taken fully into account for converter design and loss estimation. To avoid misestimation, a multi-pulse measurement need to be taken into considerations when evaluating Rdson of GaN devices.
The Effects of Different Cognitive Manipulations on Decision Making

Cognitive manipulation techniques are heavily being utilized in the context of dual-process models as a method to tilt behavior toward impulsive decision making. Recent literature indicates that not all methods are made equal. This paper experimentally tests the effects of four commonly used techniques for manipulating cognitive capacity: a number memorization task, a visual pattern task, an auditory recall task, and time pressure. In a within-subject design, subjects complete a series of risk taking decisions, allocation decisions, pattern recognition logic problems, and math problems under each load manipulation and no load control. The results indicate that number memorization and auditory recall have comparable sized effects with both leading to poorer performance on math and logic problems as well as more risk aversion, but no discernable impact on allocation choices. Time pressure has the same pattern of effects and a larger impact, but it increases the frequency of errors in control tasks. The visual pattern technique yields only modest difference from the baseline, but the directional patterns match those of the other techniques. Further, the evidence shows that the impact on an individual is consistent across techniques and tasks. Also, people who score highly on a cognitive reflection test are the most affected by cognitive load. These results provide robust support for dual-system decision making. From a methodological perspective, the results suggest that number memorization and auditory recall are the most reliable techniques for inducing cognitive load among those considered.
Improving fiber/matrix interfacial strength through graphene and graphene-oxide nano platelets

Fiber/matrix interfacial shear strength (ISS) is a key factor determining the mechanical properties of structural composites. In this manuscript the positive effects of both graphene and graphene oxide in improving the ISS value of glass-fiber reinforced composites are experimentally demostrated. Two strategies will be presented: i) uniform dispersion of the nanofillers in the polymer matrix or ii) selective deposition of the nanofillers at the fiber/matrix interface. Both thermoplastic (polypropylene) and thermosetting (epoxy) matrices are investigated and the effects of nanoparticles on the fiber/matrix interface are determined through micromechanical tests on single-fiber composites. Finally, the beneficial effects of the investigated nanofillers on both mechanical and functional (strain monitoring) properties of multiscale macrocomposites are experimentally proved for the cases of polypropylene-based composites reinforced with short glass fibers and on epoxy-based composites reinforced with continuous unidirectional glass fibers.