Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Late Neogene Erosion of the Alps: A Climate Driver?

As with many mountain belts globally, the Alps have seen a large increase in sediment yield in the late Neogene. The hypothesis that this increase results from climate-change impacts on erosion rate over the past ∼5 Ma is testable, given the extensive work completed in the Alps. Sediment budgets, thermochronology-based cooling rates, and estimates of modern rock uplift and erosion in the Western Alps are reviewed to search for correlation in space and time that might fingerprint climatic events. Major increases in sediment yield are apparent starting in the late Messinian (5.5 Mya) and accelerating toward the present day; this suggests the occurrence of a series of climatic changes that increased erosion rates, even as tectonic processes appear to have slowed or stopped. At present, tight correlations in time are difficult to establish and there remain open questions about the role of tectonics in the coupled system.
GABAA receptor channels.

This chapter discusses the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor channels, which are the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS. Following release from presynaptic vesicles, GABA exerts fast inhibitory effects by interacting with GABA receptors, whose primary function is to hyperpolarize neuronal membranes in mature CNS neurons. GABA receptors are found both presynaptically, where they decrease the likelihood of neurotransmitter release, and postsynaptically, where they decrease the likelihood of neuronal firing. There are two types of GABA receptor, termed GABA A and GABA B receptors. GABA A receptors are fast-activating Clˉ channels from the Cys-loop family of ligand-gated ion channels. Activation of GABA A receptors causes membrane hyperpolarization by allowing Clˉ influx, reflecting the relatively low concentration of Clˉ found intracellularly in most adult CNS neurons. GABA A receptors can also mediate depolarizing responses in most immature CNS neurons and in mature peripheral neurons.
Catching Whales and Minnows Using WiFiNet: Deconstructing Non-WiFi Interference Using WiFi Hardware

We present WiFiNet--a system to detect, localize, and quantify the interference impact of various non-WiFi interference sources on WiFi traffic using commodity WiFi hardware alone. While there are numerous specialized solutions today that can detect the presence of non-WiFi devices in the unlicensed spectrum, the unique aspects of WiFiNet are four-fold: First, WiFiNet quantifies the actual interference impact of each non-WiFi device on specific WLAN traffic in real-time, which can vary from being a whale -- a device that currently causes a significant reduction in WiFi throughput -- to being a minnow -- a device that currently has minimal impact. WiFiNet continuously monitors changes in a device's impact that depend on many spatio-temporal factors. Second, it can accurately discern an individual device's impact in presence of multiple and simultaneously operating non-WiFi devices, even if the devices are of the exact same type. Third, it can pin-point the location of these non-WiFi interference sources in the physical space. Finally, and most importantly, WiFiNet meets all these objectives not by using sophisticated and high resolution spectrum sensors, but by using emerging off-the-shelf WiFi cards that provide coarse-grained energy samples per sub-carrier. Our deployment and evaluation of WiFiNet demonstrates its high accuracy--interference estimates are within ±10% of the ground truth and the median localization error is ≤ 4 meters. We believe a system such as WiFiNet can empower existing WiFi clients and APs to adapt against non-WiFi interference in ways that have not been possible before.
Cooperativity between Sertoli cells and testicular peritubular cells in the production and deposition of extracellular matrix components

We examined the synthesis and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in cultures of Sertoli cells and testicular peritubular cells maintained alone or in contact with each other. Levels of soluble ECM components produced by populations of isolated Sertoli cells and testicular peritubular cells were determined quantitatively by competitive enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays, using antibodies shown to react specifically with Type I collagen, Type IV collagen, laminin, or fibronectin. Peritubular cells in monoculture released into the medium fibronectin (432 to 560 ng/microgram cell DNA per 48 h), Type I collagen (223 to 276 ng/microgram cell DNA per 48 h), and Type IV collagen (350 to 436 ng/microgram cell DNA per 48 h) during the initial six days of culture in serum-free medium. In contrast, Sertoli cells in monoculture released into the medium Type IV collagen (322 to 419 ng/microgram cell DNA per 48 h) but did not form detectable amounts of Type I collagen or fibronectin during the initial six days of culture. Neither cell type produced detectable quantities of soluble laminin. Immunocytochemical localization investigations demonstrated that peritubular cells in monoculture were positive for fibronectin, Type I collagen, and Type IV collagen but negative for laminin. In all monocultures most of the ECM components were intracellular, with scant deposition as extracellular fibrils. Sertoli cells were positive immunocytochemically for Type IV collagen and laminin but negative for fibronectin and Type I collagen. Co-cultures of peritubular cells and Sertoli cells resulted in interactions that quantitatively altered levels of soluble ECM components present in the medium. This was correlated with an increased deposition of ECM components in extracellular fibrils. The data correlated with an increased deposition of ECM components in extracellular fibrils. The data presented here we interpret to indicate that the two cell types in co-culture act cooperatively in the formation and deposition of ECM components. Results are discussed with respect to the nature of interactions between mesenchymal peritubular cell precursors and adjacent epithelial Sertoli cell precursors in the formation of the basal lamina of the seminiferous tubule.
A Penny Saved: Quantifying the Value of Search

In the price dispersion literature, typical models generate price dispersion by assuming some consumers search to find lower prices while non-searchers pay the first price they find, e.g. Stigler (1961); Reinganum (1979); Burdett and Judd (1983). This assumption seems intuitive, but how costly is not searching? This paper seeks to answer that question by taking advantage of weekly data on household shopping and purchases. The results suggest that non-shoppers lose out on price savings of no more than 1% for their entire weekly basket of goods, which is similar to the estimate for the price savings effect at the quarterly level (Kaplan and Menzio, 2015), but smaller than the 7% to 10% estimate when using monthly aggregation (Aguiar and Hurst, 2007). In addition, this paper estimates that there is a benefit over time from a search, with half of the price savings effect occurring in the week a household shops, but a total effect over 4 weeks of about 1%. In other words, increasing weekly shopping saves a penny
A minimal model of predator–swarm interactions

We propose a minimal model of predator–swarm interactions which captures many of the essential dynamics observed in nature. Different outcomes are observed depending on the predator strength. For a ‘weak’ predator, the swarm is able to escape the predator completely. As the strength is increased, the predator is able to catch up with the swarm as a whole, but the individual prey is able to escape by ‘confusing’ the predator: the prey forms a ring with the predator at the centre. For higher predator strength, complex chasing dynamics are observed which can become chaotic. For even higher strength, the predator is able to successfully capture the prey. Our model is simple enough to be amenable to a full mathematical analysis, which is used to predict the shape of the swarm as well as the resulting predator–prey dynamics as a function of model parameters. We show that, as the predator strength is increased, there is a transition (owing to a Hopf bifurcation) from confusion state to chasing dynamics, and we compute the threshold analytically. Our analysis indicates that the swarming behaviour is not helpful in avoiding the predator, suggesting that there are other reasons why the species may swarm. The complex shape of the swarm in our model during the chasing dynamics is similar to the shape of a flock of sheep avoiding a shepherd.
Role of the sensorimotor cortex in tourette syndrome using multimodal imaging

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics. Most patients describe uncomfortable premonitory sensations preceding the tics and a subjective experience of increased sensitivity to tactile stimuli. These reports indicate that a sensory processing disturbance is an important component of TS together with motor phenomena. Thus, we focused our investigation on the role of the sensorimotor cortex (SMC) in TS using multimodal neuroimaging techniques. We measured the gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)+/Creatine (Cre) ratio in the SMC using GABA 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We recorded the baseline beta activity in the SMC using magnetoencephalography and correlated GABA+/Cre ratio with baseline beta band power. Finally, we examined the resting state functional connectivity (FC) pattern of the SMC using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). GABA+/Cre ratio in the SMC did not differ between patients and controls. Correlation between the baseline beta band power and GABA+/Cre ratio was abnormal in patients. The anterior insula showed increased FC with the SMC in patients. These findings suggest that altered limbic input to the SMC and abnormal GABA‐mediated beta oscillations in the SMC may underpin some of the sensorimotor processing disturbances in TS and contribute to tic generation. Hum Brain Mapp 35:5834–5846, 2014. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Developing probation staff competency for working with high risk of harm offenders with personality disorder: An evaluation of the Pathways Project

Background A model of psychologically informed offender management for high risk of harm offenders with personality disorder (PD) was piloted, in which NHS psychologists worked alongside London probation staff. Aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the initiatives taken to develop probation staff's capability to work effectively with the group of offenders. Method Self-report measures assessing competency for working with PD and team climate were administered to the probation staff (N = 150) at baseline and at 1 year follow-up. At follow-up, qualitative data was also collected from a subset of Public Protection Unit staff (N = 17), evaluating their experience of the project. Results The probation staff significantly improved across a range of generic and forensic PD-related competencies. The largest improvements were found in the Public Protection Unit, which received the highest level of support. There was also a significant improvement in one facet of team climate (team vision). The qualitative findings suggested that the primary areas of skills development were in the participants' understanding of PD and their capacity to identify PD and to develop treatment and management pathways. Conclusions The results provide evidence for the effectiveness of the project model that supports its implementation on a broader scale. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analyzing and predicting viral tweets

Twitter and other microblogging services have become indispensable sources of information in today's web. Understanding the main factors that make certain pieces of information spread quickly in these platforms can be decisive for the analysis of opinion formation and many other opinion mining tasks. This paper addresses important questions concerning the spread of information on Twitter. What makes Twitter users retweet a tweet? Is it possible to predict whether a tweet will become "viral", i.e., will be frequently retweeted? To answer these questions we provide an extensive analysis of a wide range of tweet and user features regarding their influence on the spread of tweets. The most impactful features are chosen to build a learning model that predicts viral tweets with high accuracy. All experiments are performed on a real-world dataset, extracted through a public Twitter API based on user IDs from the TREC 2011 microblog corpus.
A new LEACH-based routing protocol for energy optimization in wireless sensor network

Due to lack of power source, energy is the key concern area in Wireless Sensor Networks. Maximum energy is used in transmission of data. Many research works have been done to develop routing algorithms to increase the lifetime of a sensor network. Among them clustering based approach is well known for achieving energy efficiency. This paper proposes a new routing strategy based on hierarchical routing protocol LEACH where clusters are refreshed periodically based on residual energy and distance. Reclustering distributes the workload among different nodes and in turn enhances the network lifetime by rotating the cluster head. The sensor nodes remain in active state only during its transmission slot. Rest of the time it remains in sleep state to save energy. LEACH, MOD-LEACH and the proposed protocol are simulated in MATLAB. The result shows that our proposed algorithm performs better than the LEACH and also MOD-LEACH protocol in terms of network lifetime. The proposed algorithm also gives more throughput than LEACH.
Expression of cyclooxygenase‐2 and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ and levels of prostaglandin E2 and 15‐deoxy‐Δ12,14‐prostaglandin J2 in human breast cancer and metastasis

Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPARγ) inactivation are linked to increased risk of human breast cancer. The purpose of our study was to examine the relationship between COX‐2 (with the resulting prostaglandins E2, PGE2) and PPARγ (and its natural endogenous ligand 15‐Deoxy‐Δ12,14‐prostaglandin J2, 15d‐PGJ2) at various stages during the development of human breast cancer and its progression to metastasis. Human breast tissue specimens were collected from normal breasts or from individuals with fibrocystic disease and served as controls (n = 22). Tissues were also collected from uninvolved (n = 25), tumor (n = 25) and lymph node metastasis (n = 15) regions from breast cancer patients. COX‐2 and PPARγ mRNA expression were increased and downregulated, respectively, in tissues from cancer patients compared to controls. Metastatic tissues tended to have higher alterations compared to non‐metastatic tissues (p < 0.05). These altered expressions in COX‐2 and PPARγ were paralleled by increases in the tissue levels of PGE2 and decreases in 15d‐PGJ2. A significant inverse correlation was found between PGE2 and 15‐d‐PGJ2 (r = −0.51, p < 0.05). Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were also obtained between COX‐2 and PPARγ mRNA (inverse, r = −0.72) and between COX‐2 and PGE2 (direct, r = 0.68). Increases in COX‐2 mRNA expression and levels of PGE2 and down‐regulation of PPARγ mRNA expression and 15d‐PGJ2 levels were characterized as predictors of breast cancer risk (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that the altered expression of COX‐2 and PPARγ and the subsequent modulation in the tissue levels of PGE2 and 15‐d‐PGJ2 may influence the development of human breast cancer and its progression to metastasis. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of ACE I/D polymorphism on prostate cancer risk, tumor grade and metastatis.

UNLABELLED The aim was to substantiate the putative significance of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (insertion/deletion) I/D polymorphism on prostate cancer risk, BTPSA-A TPSA (before treatment-after treatment prostate-specific antigen) levels and tumor development. MATERIALS AND METHODS 48 prostate cancer patients and 51 healthy volunteers were included. The ACE I/D genotypes were determined by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) techniques. RESULTS The DD genotype may have detrimental and the II genotype may have protective effect on prostate cancer (p = 0.03). The highest before treatment PSA (BTPSA) values were found in the patient group having the DD genotype (p = 0.017). PSA-AT levels were higher in homozygous mutant DD than homozygous II and the decrease in PSA-AT level was found to be statistically significant in each genotype (p = 0.000). Patients with the D allele showed a higher prevalence of late stage prostate carcinoma when compared to the patients with II genotype (p = 0.022) and the detrimental effects of the D allele, both in lymph node metastases and distant metastasis were observed. CONCLUSION The risk of prostate cancer development, the PSA level and tumor metastasis may be associated with genetic variation in the ACE I/D genotypes which may be used as an important biomarker for further studies.
Product Market Peers and Relative Performance Evaluation

We investigate the role of Relative Performance Evaluation (RPE) theory in CEO pay and turnover using a product similarity-based definition of peers (Hoberg and Phillips 2016). RPE predicts that firms filter out common shocks (i.e., those affecting the firm and its peers) while evaluating CEO performance, and that the extent of filtering increases with the number of peers. Despite the intuitive appeal of the theory, previous tests of RPE find weak and inconsistent evidence, which we argue is due to the imprecise categorization of peers. Using product market peers, we find three pieces of evidence consistent with RPE in relation to CEO pay and forced turnover: (1) on average, firms partially filter out common shocks to stock returns, (2) the extent of filtering increases with the number of peers, and (3) firms completely filter out common shocks in the presence of a large number of peers. JEL Classifications: M40; M41; G30; J33.
Analisa Hubungan Financial Literacy dan Demografi Dengan Investasi, Saving dan Konsumsi

Abstrak— Penelitian ini ditujukan untuk beberapa hal yaitu untuk mengetahui apakah tingkat financial literacy , jenis kelamin, dan allowance memiliki hubungan dengan investasi. Selain itu, untuk mengetahui apakah tingkat financial literacy , jenis kelamin, dan allowance memiliki hubungan dengan saving . Dan untuk mengetahui apakah tingkat financial literacy , jenis kelamin, dan allowance memiliki hubungan dengan konsumsi. Responden penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa Universitas Kristen Petra Fakultas Ekonomi angkatan 2011 sampai 2013 sejumlah 317 orang. Data yang digunakan adalah data primer yang diperoleh dari penyebaran kuesioner ke 317 responden. Teknik analisa yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah crosstabulation dan chi-square . Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ketiga variabel yaitu tingkat financial literacy , jenis kelamin dan allowance mempunyai hubungan dengan investasi, saving dan konsumsi pada mahasiswa UKP Fakultas Ekonomi angkatan 2011 sampai 2013.
Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of an Outbreak with Scrub Typhus in Previously Unrecognized Areas, Jiangsu Province, China 2013

Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, has emerged recently in Jingjiang City, China where the disease had not been known to exist. We analyzed epidemiological data, clinical characteristics and risk factors of scrub typhus outbreak in Jingjiang City, 2013. The 271 clinically diagnosed patients were predominantly farmers 50 to 69 years old and the peak of onset was early to mid-November. For the 187 laboratory-confirmed cases, the major clinical manifestations of the patients were fever (100%), eschar (88.2%), rash (87.7%), chills (87.7%), and headache (66.8%). A community-based case-control study was carried out to investigate the risk factors of the scrub typhus outbreak. Bundling or moving waste straw (OR=9.0, 95%CI 4.6-17.8) and living at the edge of village (OR=0.6, 95%CI 0.4-0.9) posed the highest risks through single- and multi-variable conditional logistic regression. Phylogenetic analysis of the 56-kDa TSA gene showed that the new cluster (GB-C2) and the previously reported cluster (GB-C1) of O. tsutsugamushi were associated with this outbreak. These findings are useful for the establishment of a detailed control strategy for scrub typhus infection in previously unrecognized areas of Jiangsu Province, China.
Rendering walk-through auralisations using wave-based acoustical models

Room acoustic simulations using wave-based models offer several advantages over more established geometric acoustic approaches such as simulation accuracy at low frequencies and wave-propagation effects such as diffraction and occlusion. However, geometric approaches can be adapted for real-time implementation and hence are more appropriate for applications that demand real-time interactivity such as walk-through auralisation or scene rendering for computer game audio. This paper presents a method that facilitates real-time dynamic auralisation for wave-based approaches based on a pre-computed spatial subset of B-format encoded impulse responses for a given environment. Different methods are explored for post-simulation processing of this dataset to enable real-time dynamic auralisation based on both interpolation and Ambisonic-style manipulation of the resulting B-format impulse responses. Comparisons are made against a simple pre-computed walkthrough and demonstrate that this approach has significant potential for facilitating dynamic auralisation for wave-based room acoustic simulations.
Isolation and developmental expression of the amphibian homolog of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3.

Recent observations suggest that fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors are involved in the control of embryogenesis. Several FGF receptor genes have been identified so far and their expression is differentially regulated. As part of a continuing effort to analyse the differential expression of FGF receptors and their potential role during amphibian development, we have isolated a Pleurodeles homolog of FGF receptor 3 (FGFR-3), which we designated PFR-3 because of its highest homology to human FGFR-3 (75% overall identity). PFR-3 is a maternally derived mRNA. While a low level of expression persists during the cleavage and gastrula stages, a significant increase in the mRNA was observed at the end of the gastrula stage. RNase protection analysis on dissected tissues showed that PFR-3 mRNA was mainly localized to the ectoderm at the early gastrula stage and then shifted to the embryonic neural tissues, whereas adult brain had decreased levels of PFR-3 mRNA expression. Consistent with the loss of FGF receptors during skeletal muscle terminal differentiation, PFR-3 as well as other FGF receptor mRNAs were undetectable in the adult skeletal muscle. However, highest levels of PFR-3 mRNA expression were found in the testis. In situ hybridization revealed strong expression in the germinal epithelium of the embryonic brain (especially the diencephalon and rhombencephalon) and neural tube, in the lens and the cranial ganglia. The epithelium of the developing gut, like the pharynx and esophagus, also prominently expressed PFR-3 mRNA. Other sites of expression were found in the liver and in the mesenchymal condensation sites of branchial arches. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)