Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbial diversity in a submarine carbonate edifice from the serpentinizing hydrothermal system of the Prony Bay (New Caledonia) over a 6-year period

Active carbonate chimneys from the shallow marine serpentinizing Prony Hydrothermal Field were sampled 3 times over a 6 years period at site ST09. Archaeal and bacterial communities composition was investigated using PCR-based methods (clone libraries, Denaturating Gel Gradient Electrophoresis, quantitative PCR) targeting 16S rRNA genes, methyl coenzyme M reductase A and dissimilatory sulfite reductase subunit B genes. Methanosarcinales (Euryarchaeota) and Thaumarchaea were the main archaeal members. The Methanosarcinales, also observed by epifluorescent microscopy and FISH, consisted of two phylotypes that were previously solely detected in two other serpentinitzing ecosystems (The Cedars and Lost City Hydrothermal Field). Surprisingly, members of the hyperthermophilic order Thermococcales were also found which may indicate the presence of a hot subsurface biosphere. The bacterial community mainly consisted of Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Alpha-, Gamma-, Beta-, and Delta-proteobacteria and of the candidate division NPL-UPA2. Members of these taxa were consistently found each year and may therefore represent a stable core of the indigenous bacterial community of the PHF chimneys. Firmicutes isolates representing new bacterial taxa were obtained by cultivation under anaerobic conditions. Our study revealed diverse microbial communities in PHF ST09 related to methane and sulfur compounds that share common populations with other terrestrial or submarine serpentinizing ecosystems.
Weak fault signal extraction for gearbox based on parallelizable underdetermined blind separation

Timely detection of the degradation and defects is crucial to prevent the gearbox system's performance deteriorates to an unacceptable extent. However, the fault signal is extremely weak and easily affected by the environmental noise at the early stages of the failure. In this paper, we consider the problem of extracting the underlying useful weak fault signals from noisy measurements. To accomplish this task, we develop a Parallelizable Underdetermined Blind Separation (ParUBS) method based on Sparse Parallelizable Tensor Decompositions (ParCube) and Second-Order Blind Identification (SOBI). By modeling the observed signals as superposition of a set of source signals without the aid of prior information about the source signals and the mixing process, a blind source separation problem is obtained. We propose to solve this problem through a parallel tensor decomposition method which can be seen as a generalization to underdetermined mixtures of the well-known SOBI algorithm. The performance of the method was evaluated through a set of numerical experiments on synthetic datas. Results shows that the proposed method to be able to estimate the mixing matrix of underlying useful weak fault signals. Moreover, the ParUBS method can also enables us to improve computation efficiency and reduce the number of vibration sensors compared with the classical blind separation method.
The changing value of vigorous activity and the paradox of utilising exercise as punishment in physical education

ABSTRACT Background: Previous research on physical education (PE) teaching practice indicates that an exercise physiology discourse has assumed a dominant position within the field. Research shows that PE teachers are likely to emphasise physical fitness training in their teaching, and PE teachers seem to appreciate pupils who show high levels of physical exertion. Purposes: Our aim is to examine how vigorous activity/exercise is represented in the practice of PE teaching. We will also examine teaching as a discursive practice, and thereby contribute to a critical perspective on PE pedagogy. Research design: This study was conducted in four upper secondary schools in Oslo, Norway. Data material was produced through fieldwork, during which we observed 92 PE lessons. Additionally, we conducted qualitative interviews with the eight teachers who participated in the study. Our methodological framework was discourse analysis. Findings: Our material shows that vigorous activity plays a complex role in PE class: it can be beneficial, but it can also be punitive. The PE teachers we observed drew on an exercise physiology discourse to portray vigorous activity/exercise as beneficial and valuable to the promotion of pupils’ physical fitness and health. However, the teachers also drew on a military discourse when assigning vigorous activity to rebuke a disobedient pupil. The teachers also introduced vigorous activity in the form of additional exercise ‘punishment’, which they assigned to losers in competitive activities. In these instances, the teachers drew on exercise physiology and sports discourses. Thus, we identified how vigorous activity changed value according to context, and discuss how teachers’ use of vigorous activity as punishment can seem paradoxical in a PE setting. Conclusion and recommendation: Our study indicates that, rather than adhering to modern educational practices, PE is rooted in ideas and practices derived from military, sports and exercise physiology discourses. PE teachers inculcated with these discourses have limited ability to discern the paradox of assigning vigorous exercise to their pupils as both a high-value activity and a punishment. PE Teacher Education should therefore problematise how teaching practice is influenced by these discourses, and facilitate discussions on how such discourses constitute PE.
The Initial Mass Function of the Massive Star-forming Region NGC 3603 from Near-Infrared Adaptive Optics Observations

We study the initial mass function (IMF) of one of the most massive Galactic star-forming regions NGC 3603 to answer a fundamental question in current astrophysics: is the IMF universal, or does it vary? Using our very deep, high angular resolution JHKSL′ images obtained with NAOS-CONICA at the VLT at ESO, we have successfully revealed the stellar population down to the subsolar mass range in the core of the starburst cluster. The derived IMF of NGC 3603 is reasonably fitted by a single power law with index Γ ∼ − 0.74 within a mass range of 0.4-20 M☉, substantially flatter than the Salpeter-like IMF. A strong radial steepening of the IMF is observed mainly in the inner r≲ 30″ field, indicating mass segregation in the cluster center. We estimate the total mass of NGC 3603 to be about 1.0–1.6 × 104 M☉. The derived core density is ≥6 × 104 M☉ pc−3, an order of magnitude larger than, e.g., the Orion Nebula Cluster. The estimate of the half-mass relaxation time for solar-mass stars is about 10-40 Myr, suggesting that the intermediate- and low-mass stars have not yet been affected significantly by the dynamical relaxation in the cluster. The relaxation time for the high-mass stars can be comparable to the age of the cluster. We estimate that the stars residing outside the observed field cannot steepen the IMF significantly, indicating our IMF adequately describes the whole cluster. Analyzing thoroughly the systematic uncertainties in our IMF determination, we conclude that the power-law index of the IMF of NGC 3603 is Γ = − 0.74+ 0.62−0.47. Our result thus supports the hypothesis of a potential top-heavy IMF in massive star-forming clusters and starbursts.
Generation of an error set that emulates software faults based on field data

A significant issue in fault injection experiments is that the injected faults are representative of software faults observed in the field. Another important issue is the time used, as we want experiments to be conducted without excessive time spent waiting for the consequences of a fault. An approach to accelerate the failure process would be to inject errors instead of faults, but this would require a mapping between representative software faults and injectable errors. Furthermore, it must be assured that the injected errors emulate software faults and not hardware faults. These issues were addressed in a study of software faults encountered in one release of a large IBM operating system product. The key results are: A general procedure that uses field data to generate a set of injectable errors, in which each error is defined by: error type, error location and injection condition. The procedure assures that the injected errors emulate software faults and not hardware faults. The faults are uniformly distributed (1.37 fault per module) over the affected modules. The distribution of error categories in the IBM operating system and the distribution of errors in the Tandem Guardian90 operating system reported previously were compared and found to be similar. This result adds a flavor of generality to the field data presented in the current paper.
Triboelectrification of identical insulators. I. An experimental investigation

Nominally identical samples of the same material frequently charge each other when they are rubbed together. It has previously been supposed that the charge transfer is associated with the temperature difference (due to frictional heating) which results when one sample slides over the other. The authors find that charge transfer is not influenced by sliding speed and they conclude that it cannot be the result of a temperature difference. On the other hand, charge transfer is strongly affected by the preparative treatment of the surface, and in particular seems to be associated with surface damage. The results presented in this paper form a general description of the phenomenon. Any theoretical model must account for these observations; in the following paper the authors develop such a model.
Carbon Isotopic Heterogeneity of Graphite in the San Juan Mass of the Campo Del Cielo IAB Iron Meteorite

The origin of IAB iron meteorites is still a matter of debate. It is generally believed that iron meteorites originated from molten cores in small planetesimals because the fractionation trend of trace elements (e.g., Ir, Ge, Ga, etc. vs. Ni) for most iron meteorites can be more or less explained by fractional crystallization from metal melts. However, this process cannot produce trace element characteristics of the IAB (and other) iron meteorites. To explain these trace element abundance patterns, several models have been proposed. Although most of these models require a high temperature, clear evidence has recently been obtained for a sub-solidus formation of IAB iron meteorites from noble gas analyses. Moreover, heterogeneous distributions of some trace elements in metal and other phases also suggest a low temperature origin of at least some IAB iron meteorites. Here we use the carbon isotopic compositions of graphite to constrain the origin of IAB iron meteorites. Our data confirm a possible low temperature origin of IAB iron meteorites.
Broadband and Compact Coupled Coplanar Stripline Filters With Impedance Steps

Novel broadband and compact stepped-impedance coupled coplanar stripline bandpass filters are presented, analyzed theoretically, and demonstrated experimentally. These filters are based on impedance step, capacitive gap, broadside coupling, and inductive shorted strip discontinuities, which are modeled in terms of impedance (K-) and admittance (J-) inverters. Broadside coupled coplanar stripline is analyzed for the first time by the even-/odd-mode decomposition technique using the finite-element method. The broadband and compact nature of the filters is explained from the discontinuities and the coupled line structures. Specifically, cross coupling is used to enhance the selectivity of both the low and high cutoffs, leading to triplet and quadruplet cross-coupled broadband filters with finite-frequency transmission zeros. Due to their broad bandwidth, compact size, differential configuration, and low fabrication cost, the proposed filters represent excellent solutions for codesigned RF and microwave systems such as ultra-wideband transceivers.
Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Inhibition With MK0431 Improves Islet Graft Survival in Diabetic NOD Mice Partially via T-Cell Modulation

OBJECTIVE—The endopeptidase dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) has been shown to NH2-terminally truncate incretin hormones, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, and glucagon-like peptide-1, thus ablating their ability to potentiate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Increasing the circulating levels of incretins through administration of DPP-IV inhibitors has therefore been introduced as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. DPP-IV inhibitor treatment has also been shown to preserve islet mass in rodent models of type 1 diabetes. The current study was initiated to define the effects of the DPP-IV inhibitor sitagliptin (MK0431) on transplanted islet survival in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, an autoimmune type 1 diabetes model. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Effects of MK0431 on islet graft survival in diabetic NOD mice were determined with metabolic studies and micropositron emission tomography imaging, and its underlying molecular mechanisms were assessed. RESULTS—Treatment of NOD mice with MK0431 before and after islet transplantation resulted in prolongation of islet graft survival, whereas treatment after transplantation alone resulted in small beneficial effects compared with nontreated controls. Subsequent studies demonstrated that MK0431 pretreatment resulted in decreased insulitis in diabetic NOD mice and reduced in vitro migration of isolated splenic CD4+ T-cells. Furthermore, in vitro treatment of splenic CD4+ T-cells with DPP-IV resulted in increased migration and activation of protein kinase A (PKA) and Rac1. CONCLUSIONS—Treatment with MK0431 therefore reduced the effect of autoimmunity on graft survival partially by decreasing the homing of CD4+ T-cells into pancreatic β-cells through a pathway involving cAMP/PKA/Rac1 activation.
Right and left heart failure in severe H1N1 influenza A infection

Influenza infection can affect cardiac function. The recent pandemic of H1N1 influenza A provided an opportunity to study echocardiographic findings in critically ill infected patients. We hypothesised that critically ill patients with H1N1 infection would have a higher incidence of right and left heart failure than is seen in unselected populations of patients with septic shock and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We retrospectively studied all patients admitted to four intensive care units at three hospitals in Salt Lake County, UT, USA, with laboratory-confirmed H1N1 infection in whom a clinical echocardiogram was available. 23 out of 48 patients had qualifying echocardiograms. Right ventricular (RV) dilatation (50–80%) and at least moderate systolic impairment (23%) were common, higher than the range described in general populations with ARDS. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction was present in 17% of patients. No single echocardiographic parameter was associated with 28-day mortality or ventilator-free days to 28 days. Critically ill patients with H1N1 infection frequently exhibit right heart dilatation and failure. RV basal dilatation was extremely common. These patients have less left heart failure than expected on the basis of prior descriptions of influenza myopericarditis or of general populations of septic patients.
Putting the Pieces Together: The Role of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Relational Memory Encoding

Results from fMRI have strongly supported the idea that the ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC) contributes to successful memory formation, but the role the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) in memory encoding is more controversial. Some findings suggest that the DLPFC is recruited when one is processing relationships between items in working memory, and this processing specifically promotes subsequent memory for these relationships. However, previous studies could not rule out the possibility that DLPFC promotes memory during all elaborative encoding conditions and contributes to memory on all subsequent associative memory tests. To address this question directly, we used fMRI to examine activity during two encoding tasks that prompted participants to encode either relational or item-specific information. On relational trials, participants imagined pairs of items interacting, whereas on item-specific trials, participants imagined the items spatially separated and in different sizes. After scanning, we examined memory for relational information and item-specific information. fMRI results showed that DLPFC activity specifically promoted memory for relational information during relational encoding and not memory for item-specific information during item-specific encoding. In contrast, activity in the VLPFC predicted memory for both relational and item-specific information. The present results are consistent with the idea that the DLPFC specifically contributes to successful memory formation through its role in building relationships among items.
The Saxophone by Model and Measurement

This work presents an extension to a measurement technique used to estimate the reflection and transmission functions of musical instrument bells within the context of para metric waveguide models. In the original technique, several measurements are taken of a system—a 2-meter long cylindrical tube with a speaker and co-located microphone at one end and incrementally varying termination conditions at the other. Each measured impulse response yields a sequence of multiple evenly spaced arrivals from which estimates of waveguide element transfer functions, includ ing the bell reflection and transmission, may be formed. Use of this technique to measure a complete saxophone presents a number of difficulties stemming from the fact that the bell is not easily separated from the bore for an isolated measurement. The alternative of appending the complete saxophone yields a measured impulse response where 1) echos overlap in time and are not easily windowed and 2) the presence of a junction between measurement tube and saxophone cause spectral artifacts. In this work we present an alternate post-signal-processing technique to overcome these difficulties, while keeping the hardware the same. The result is a measurement of the saxophone’s round-trip reflection function from which its transfer function, or its inverse—the impulse response, may be constructed.
Evaluation of the Effects of STZ-Induced Diabetes on In Vitro Fertilization and Early Embryogenesis Processes

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of experimentally induced diabetes on (a) germ cells, (b) in vitro fertilization (IVF) success rate, and (c) gap junction and cell adhesion molecule gene and protein expressions during the early blastocyst period. Germ cells were obtained from healthy and diabetic rats, analyzed for number, motility, and morphology, and used for IVF. After reaching the early blastocyst stage, the expressions of genes encoding gap junction proteins and cell adhesion molecules were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. Histomorphologically and immunohistochemically analyses were also performed. Diabetes significantly affected sperm number and motility and the development of oocytes. Gene expressions of β-catenin and connexin family members and protein expressions of E-cadherin and connexin-43 significantly decreased in groups including germ cells isolated from diabetic rats. Connective tissue growth factor expression increased in groups that included sperm cells isolated from diabetic male rats, whereas mucin-1 expression increased in the group that included oocytes isolated from diabetic female rats paired with sperm cells isolated from healthy male rats. In summary, experimentally induced diabetes was found to influence gap junctions, cell adhesion molecules, and associated proteins which all have important roles in germ cell maturation, fertilization, and development.
Synthetic Spectra and Colors of Young Giant Planet Atmospheres: Effects of Initial Conditions and Atmospheric Metallicity

We examine the spectra and infrared colors of the cool, methane-dominated atmospheres at Teff ⩽ 1400 K expected for young gas giant planets. We couple these spectral calculations to an updated version of the Marley et al. giant planet thermal evolution models that include formation by core accretion-gas capture. These relatively cool “young Jupiters” can be 1-6 mag fainter than predicted by standard cooling tracks that include a traditional initial condition, which may provide a diagnostic of formation. If correct, this would make true Jupiter-like planets much more difficult to detect at young ages than previously thought. Since Jupiter and Saturn are of distinctly supersolar composition, we examine emitted spectra for model planets at both solar metallicity and a metallicity of 5 times solar. These metal-enhanced young Jupiters have lower pressure photospheres than field brown dwarfs of the same effective temperatures arising from both lower surface gravities and enhanced atmospheric opacity. We highlight several diagnostics for enhanced metallicity. A stronger CO absorption band at 4.5 μm for the warmest objects is predicted. At all temperatures, enhanced flux in K band is expected due to reduced collisional induced absorption by H2. This leads to correspondingly redder near-infrared colors, which are redder than solar metallicity models with the same surface gravity by up to 0.7 in J − K and 1.5 in H − K. Molecular absorption band depths increase as well, most significantly for the coolest objects. We also qualitatively assess the changes to emitted spectra due to nonequilibrium chemistry.
Actuarial Adjustments, Retirement Behaviour and Worker Heterogeneity

The behavioural response with respect to actuarial adjustments in the German public pension system is analysed. The introduction of actuarial adjustments serves as a source of exogenous variation to estimate discrete time transition rates into retirement. The analysis is conducted on administrative data from social security records and on survey data in a comparative scenario. Probability mass points that occur for institutional reasons and due to social norms are controlled for. Moreover, worker heterogeneity is taken into account, which has not been addressed in the previous literature. The results show that on average retirement is postponed by five months due to financial incentives via actuarial adjustments. However, this response is about 40 per cent lower for manual workers compared to non-manual workers which indicates that their retirement income may deteriorate.
Age-dependent changes in the protein expression levels of Redd1 and mTOR in the gerbil hippocampus during normal aging

Redd1, also known as RTP801/Dig2/DDIT4, is a stress-induced protein and a negative regulator of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Redd1 is also closely associated with oxidative stress and DNA damage. In the present study, age-related changes in the protein expression levels of mTOR and Redd1 were investigated using immunohistochemistry and western blot in the gerbil hippocampus at postnatal month (PM) 3, 6, 12 and 24. No significant differences were identified in the levels of mTOR among the experimental groups, whereas, the levels of phosphorylated mTOR decreased with age. The protein expression levels of Redd1 were observed to gradually increase with age; in the PM 24 group, the level was significantly increased (~189.2%), compared with the PM 3 group. In addition, Redd1 immunoreactivity was significantly increased in the hippocampal principal neurons of the PM 24 group, including the pyramidal cells in the hippocampus proper and granule cells in the dentate gyrus, compared with the other experimental groups. These results demonstrated that the protein expression of Redd1 in the hippocampus was markedly increased during normal aging, indicating that the age-related increase in the expression of Redd1 may be closely associated with age-related hippocampal change.