Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ground Deformation Induced by Vacuum Consolidation

The deformation characteristics of soil subjected to vacuum pressure are discussed and an approximate method is proposed for calculating settlement and lateral displacement of the ground induced by vacuum consolidation. Laboratory oedometer test results indicate that if the vacuum pressure alone is larger than the lateral stress required to maintain an at-rest (no horizontal strain) condition, there will be inward lateral displacement and the vacuum pressure will induce generally less settlement than a surcharge load of the same magnitude. In the case of field vacuum consolidation, the confining stress acting on a soil element can be regarded as consisting of two parts: Due to vacuum pressure and earth pressure. Assuming a value of the lateral earth pressure coefficient acting in the ground under vacuum consolidation ( kao ) , somewhere between the active and at-rest values, an equation defining the depth—below which there will be no significant inward lateral displacement—is derived. Further, assuming th.
A simple model of the anthropogenically forced CO 2 cycle

Abstract. From basic physical assumptions we derive a simple linear model of the global CO2 cycle without free parameters. It yields excellent agreement with the observations reported by the carbon dioxide information analysis center (CDIAC) as time series of atmospheric CO2 growth, of sinks in the ocean and of absorption by the biosphere. The agreement extends from the year 1850 until present (2013). Based on anthropogenic CO2 emission scenarios until 2150, future atmospheric CO2 concentrations are calculated. As the model shows, and depending on the emission scenario, the airborne fraction of CO2 begins to decrease in the year ~ 2050 and becomes negative at the latest in ~ 2130. At the same time the concentration of the atmospheric CO2 will reach a maximum between ~ 500 and ~ 900 ppm. As a consequence, increasing anthropogenic CO2 emissions will make the ocean and the biosphere the main reservoirs of anthropogenic CO2 in the long run. Latest in about 150 years, anthropogenic CO2 emission will no longer increase the CO2 content of the atmosphere.
Ascl2 Knockdown Results in Tumor Growth Arrest by miRNA-302b-Related Inhibition of Colon Cancer Progenitor Cells

Background Achaete scute-like 2 (Ascl2), a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, controls the fate of intestinal stem cells. However, the role of Ascl2 in colon cancer progenitor cells remains unknown. The cell line HT-29 (47.5–95% of CD133+ population) and LS174T (0.45% of CD133+ population) were chosen for functional evaluation of Ascl2 in colon cancer progenitor cells after gene knockdown by RNA interference. Methodology/Principal Findings Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that Ascl2 was significantly increased in colorectal adenocarcinomas. Downregulation of Ascl2 using RNA interference in cultured colonic adenocarcinoma HT-29 and LS174T cells reduced cellular proliferation, colony-forming ability, invasion and migration in vitro, and resulted in the growth arrest of tumor xenografts in vivo. The Ascl2 protein level in CD133+ HT-29 cells was significantly higher than in CD133− HT-29 cells. Ascl2 blockade via shRNA interference in HT-29 cells (shRNA-Ascl2/HT-29 cells) resulted in 26.2% of cells staining CD133+ compared with 54.7% in control shRNA-Ctr/HT-29 cells. The levels of ‘stemness’ associated genes, such as CD133, Sox2, Oct4, Lgr5, Bmi1, and C-myc, were significantly decreased in shRNA-Ascl2/HT-29 and shRNA-Ascl2/LS174T cells in vitro as well as in the corresponding tumor xenograft (CD133 was not performed in shRNA-Ascl2/LS174T cells). The shRNA-Ascl2/HT-29 cells had inhibited abilities to form tumorspheres compared with control. The microRNA (miRNAs) microarrays, identified 26 up-regulated miRNAs and 58 down-regulated miRNAs in shRNA-Ascl2/HT-29 cells. Expression levels of let-7b, miRNA-124, miRNA-125b, miRNA-17, miRNA-20a and miRNA-302b, involved in the regulation of ‘stemness’, were quantified with qPCR, which confirmed their identities. Restoration of miRNA-302b, via its mimic, led to the restoration of shRNA-Ascl2/HT-29 ‘stemness’ characteristics, including tumorsphere formation and ‘stemness’ associated genes levels, and the recovery of cellular behaviors, including colony-forming ability, invasion and migration in vitro. Conclusions/Significance Ascl2 may be a potential target for the inhibition of colon cancer progenitor cells, and functions through a miR-302b-related mechanism.
Effect of Topically Applied Azithromycin on Corneal Epithelial and Endothelial Apoptosis in a Rat Model of Corneal Alkali Burn

Purpose: To investigate the antiapoptotic effect of topically administered azithromycin (AZM) on corneal epithelial and endothelial cells in a rat model of corneal alkali burn. Methods: Twenty-four Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 equal groups as pseudovehicle (group 1), control (group 2), alkali burned (group 3), and treatment (group 4) groups. Alkali injury was induced only in the right corneas of rats belonging to groups 3 and 4 using 1N NaOH. The rats in group 3 and the rats in group 4 were respectively treated either with an artificial tear gel or with 1.5% AZM eye drops for 5 days. At the fifth day of the experiment, the apoptosis in the corneal epithelium and endothelium of all rats was assessed using a terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. In addition, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-&agr;) density in the corneal epithelium was measured in all rats. Results: The mean numbers of TUNEL+ cells in the corneal epithelium and endothelium of rats in group 3 were 117.1 ± 23.8 and 34.6. ± 11.3, respectively, whereas in group 4, they were 75.8 ± 15.7 and 14.7 ± 3.5, respectively. Also the mean TNF-&agr; densities in the corneal epithelium in group 3 and group 4 were 2.65 ± 1.3 and 1.65 ± 1.1, respectively. There was a significant decrease in the mean number of TUNEL+ cells in the corneal epithelium and endothelium and in the mean TNF-&agr; density in the corneal epithelium of rats in group 4, when compared with group 3. Conclusions: Topically applied AZM can decrease TNF-&agr;–induced apoptosis in corneal alkali burn.
Stress Dependent Activation Energy

Due to recent reports of stress-dependent activation energy, a generalized Eyring model has been developed in order to better understand thermally activated failure mechanisms. The model predicts a stress-dependent activation energy provided two necessary requirements are satisfied: (1) the applied stress must be the same order of magnitude as the strength of the material and (2) the stress acceleration parameter ¿ must be a function of the temperature. This model has been successfully applied to diverse failure mechanisms such as: dielectric breakdown under electric-field stress, metal failure under mechanical stress, and electromigration failure under current density stress. Application of model to the specific case of electromigration suggests that the current density exponent N for failure is not a unique value but increases with current density from N=1 at J ¿ 1 × 105 A/cm2 to N¿2 at J ¿ 1 × 106 A/cm2.
Taming free energy landscapes with RNA chaperones

Many non-coding RNAs fold into complex three-dimensional structures, yet the self-assembly of RNA structure is hampered by mispairing, weak tertiary interactions, electrostatic barriers, and the frequent requirement that the 5’ and 3’ ends of the transcript interact. This rugged free energy landscape for RNA folding means that some RNA molecules in a population rapidly form their native structure, while many others become kinetically trapped in misfolded conformations. Transient binding of RNA chaperone proteins destabilize misfolded intermediates and lower the transition states between conformations, producing a smoother landscape that increases the rate of folding and the probability that a molecule will find the native structure. DEAD-box proteins couple the chemical potential of ATP hydrolysis with repetitive cycles of RNA binding and release, expanding the range of conditions under which they can refold RNA structures.
Laboratory simulation of pelagic asteroidal impact Atmospheric injection, benthic topography, and the surface wave radiation field

The hypervelocity impact (1.25-6 km/s) of projectiles into water overlying unconsolidated strata is reported for a variety of water depths. Variation of the background atmospheric pressure is found to be an important additional parameter. The relation of these exploratory experiments to pelagic impact of asteroidal-sized objects is discussed from the standpoint of atmospheric injection of sea water, the modification of bottom (benthic) topography, and the generation of a field of mega-amplitude sea waves and their propagation away from the source.
Evaluation of the palatal soft tissue thickness by cone-beam computed tomography

Objective The purposes of this study were to measure the palatal soft tissue thickness at popular placement sites of temporary anchorage devices (TADs) by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and evaluate the age, gender, and positional differences in this parameter. Methods The study sample consisted of 23 children (10 boys and 13 girls; mean age, 10.87 ± 1.24 years; range, 6.7 to 12.6 years) and 27 adults (14 men and 13 women; mean age, 21.35 ± 1.14 years; range, 20.0 to 23.8 years). Nine mediolateral and nine anteroposterior intersecting reference lines were drawn on CBCT scans of the 50 subjects, and the resultant measurement areas were designated according to their mediolateral (i.e., lateral, medial, and sutural) and anteroposterior (i.e., anterior, middle, and posterior) positions. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed to analyze intragroup and intergroup differences. Results No significant age and gender differences were found (p = 0.309 and 0.124, respectively). Further, no significant anteroposterior change was observed (p = 0.350). However, the lateral area presented the thickest soft tissue whereas the sutural area had the thinnest soft tissue (p < 0.001). Conclusions Clinical selection of the placement sites of TADs should be guided by knowledge of the positional variations in the palatal soft tissue thickness in addition to other contributing factors of TAD stability.
Advances in implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy

ABSTRACT Since the first implant in 1980, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) technology has progressed rapidly. Modern ICD’s have hundreds of programmable options with the general goal of preventing inappropriate shocks and providing shocks for truly life threatening symptomatic ventricular arrhythmias. New studies on ICD programming have shown the benefits of prolonged detection intervals in reaching this goal. Anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy has become an important adjunct to defibrillator shocks. Remote monitoring technologies have surfaced which have been shown to identify arrhythmias and problems with the device in an expedient fashion. The subcutaneous ICD offers the advantage of avoiding intravascular leads and their inherent risks. Lastly, the current understanding of the effects of MRI in ICD patients has advanced creating new opportunities to provide MRI safely to such patients.
A Structural Equation Modelling Approach for Massive Blended Synchronous Teacher Training

This paper presents a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach for blended synchronous teacher training workshop. It examines the relationship among various factors that influence the Satisfaction (SAT) of participating teachers. Data were collected with the help of a questionnaire from about 500 engineering college teachers. These teachers had attended a blended synchronous distance mode workshop, conducted by IIT Bombay, on “Computational fluid dynamics” in June 2012. The research model was tested using the SEM approach and was found to have a good fit. Ten hypotheses were tested using path analysis. The variable that had the largest effect on Satisfaction (SAT) was Technology effectiveness (TE). The variables that had medium effect on Satisfaction (SAT) were, Behaviour intention to use (BIU), Perceived usefulness (PU), Instructor effectiveness (IE) and Extrinsic motivation (EM). The result on the role of TE in blended synchronous teacher training supports the existing body of literature. Moreover, we found that IE was fully mediated through PU and BIU and thereby implying that TE has a significant role if supported by IE, PU and BIU. Finally, we discuss the implications of our study and make suggestions for further improvement of blended synchronous mode teacher training model.
A Case of Hypersensitivity to Mosquito Bite Associated with Epstein-Barr Viral Infection and Natural Killer Cell Lymphocytosis

Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) is a disorder characterized by a necrotic skin reaction and generalized symptoms subsequent to mosquito bites. It has been suggested that HMB is associated with chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma. We describe here a Korean child who had HMB associated with chronic EBV infection and natural killer cell lymphocytosis. A 5-yr-old boy was suffered from necrotic skin lesions on the right ear lobe. Type A EB virus was detected from hlood cells and bone marrow biospy recognized hemophagocyrosis.
A cool early Earth

No known rocks have survived from the first 500 m.y. of Earth history, but studies of single zircons suggest that some continental crust formed as early as 4.4 Ga, 160 m.y. after accretion of the Earth, and that surface temperatures were low enough for liquid water. Surface temperatures are inferred from high d 18 O values of zircons. The range of d 18 O values is constant throughout the Archean (4.4‐2.6 Ga), suggesting uniformity of processes and conditions. The hypothesis of a cool early Earth suggests long intervals of relatively temperate surface conditions from 4.4 to 4.0 Ga that were conducive to liquidwater oceans and possibly life. Meteorite impacts during this period may have been less frequent than previously thought.
Histamine H3‐receptor activation inhibits dopamine synthesis in rat striatum

Unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion to rat substantia nigra pars compacta resulted in a modest, but significant, decrease in the specific binding of N-α-[methyl-3H]histamine (19 ± 5% reduction) to synaptosomal membranes from ipsilateral striata. Dopamine synthesis was assessed in striatal slices by determining [3H]DOPA accumulation after inhibition of DOPA decarboxylase. [3H]DOPA synthesis induced by 50 mM K+ (151 ± 4% of basal) was prevented by either Ca2+ removal or by Ni2+. Depolarization-stimulated [3H]DOPA accumulation was reduced by the selective H3-agonist immepip (100 nM; 68 ± 7% inhibition). The effect of immepip was reversed by thioperamide (100 nM), a selective H3-antagonist. Taken together, our results indicate that histamine modulates striatal dopamine synthesis by acting at H3-receptors located on dopaminergic nerve terminals.
A rapid column‐based ancient DNA extraction method for increased sample throughput

Genetic analyses using museum specimens and ancient DNA from fossil samples are becoming increasingly important in phylogenetic and especially population genetic studies. Recent progress in ancient DNA sequencing technologies has substantially increased DNA sequence yields and, in combination with barcoding methods, has enabled large‐scale studies using any type of DNA. Moreover, more and more studies now use nuclear DNA sequences in addition to mitochondrial ones. Unfortunately, nuclear DNA is, due to its much lower copy number in living cells compared to mitochondrial DNA, much more difficult to obtain from low‐quality samples. Therefore, a DNA extraction method that optimizes DNA yields from low‐quality samples and at the same time allows processing many samples within a short time frame is immediately required. In fact, the major bottleneck in the analysis process using samples containing low amounts of degraded DNA now lies in the extraction of samples, as column‐based methods using commercial kits are fast but have proven to give very low yields, while more efficient methods are generally very time‐consuming. Here, we present a method that combines the high DNA yield of batch‐based silica extraction with the time‐efficiency of column‐based methods. Our results on Pleistocene cave bear samples show that DNA yields are quantitatively comparable, and in fact even slightly better than with silica batch extraction, while at the same time the number of samples that can conveniently be processed in parallel increases and both bench time and costs decrease using this method. Thus, this method is suited for harvesting the power of high‐throughput sequencing using the DNA preserved in the millions of paleontological and museums specimens.
Localization of the ROMK potassium channel to the apical membrane of distal nephron in rat kidney.

BACKGROUND The apical potassium (K+) channels mediate K+ recycling in thick ascending limb (TAL) and K+ secretion in cortical collecting duct (CCD). Recently, the cDNAs for a family of renal K+ channels, ROMK1, -2 and -3, were identified. Based on the biophysical properties and mRNA distribution, it is believed that these ROMK cDNAs encode the apical K+ channels of TAL and CCD. However, the information for cellular and subcellular localization of the ROMK proteins in these tubules is still not available. METHODS Paraffin or frozen kidney sections from adult Sprague-Dawley rats were stained by polyclonal antibodies against the N- and C-terminal domain of ROMK. Immunoreactive staining was visualized by color development from horseradish peroxidase reaction. Membrane homogenates from kidney were analyzed by Western blot analysis. RESULTS The polyclonal antibodies against cytoplasmic epitope of ROMK recognized a approximately 42 kD protein in the membrane homogenates from kidney, but not from liver. Staining by immunocytochemistry revealed that ROMK channels were localized to the apical membranes of the distal nephron in cortex and outer medulla, including thick ascending limb and collecting tubule. ROMK staining was absent in glomerulus, proximal tubule and inner medulla. Double staining of the tissue section with both ROMK-specific and H+-ATPase-specific antibodies revealed labeling of ROMK in the principal cells of the collecting tubules. CONCLUSIONS These results further strengthen the idea that ROMK channels play important roles in the recycling of K+ in TAL and the secretion of K+ in CCD.
THE PAST AND FUTURE OF EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY

Experimental philosophy is the name for a recent movement whose participants use the methods of experimental psychology to probe the way people think about philosophical issues and then examine how the results of such studies bear on traditional philosophical debates. Given both the breadth of the research being carried out by experimental philosophers and the controversial nature of some of their central methodological assumptions, it is of no surprise that their work has recently come under attack. In this paper we respond to some criticisms of experimental philosophy that have recently been put forward by Antti Kauppinen. Unlike the critics of experimental philosophy, we do not think the fledgling movement either will or should fall before it has even had a chance to rise up to explain what it is, what it seeks to do (and not to do), and exactly how it plans to do it. Filling in some of the salient details is the main goal of the present paper.
Off-line Signature Verification: An Approach Based on Combining Distances and One-class Classifiers

This paper presents an off-line signature verification system composed of a combination of several different classifiers. Identity authentication is a very important characteristics specially in systems that requires a high degree of security such as in bank transactions. In our experiments, one-class classifier was used to create a signature verification system, consequently only genuine signatures were necessary for the training phase. We proposed five distances measurement as features for the classification system. The distances extracted from the signature database were: furthest, nearest, template, central and ncentral. Also, a normalization procedure was applied to turn the distance scale invariant. These distances were combined using four operation: product, mean, maximum and minimum. The calculated distances were used as a feature vector to represent the signatures. Finally, the distances measurement and their combinations were used as input vector for different classifiers. The proposed signature verification method obtained very good rates.
Developing a food and wine segmentation and classifying destinations on the basis of their food and wine sectors

This paper tests the potential for the food and wine tourism model developed by Hall and Sharples to be used as a tool for identifying specific food and wine segments in a destination. Using Cairns, Australia, as a case study a survey of tourists identified three food and wine segments and confirmed the ability of the model to be used to classify the destination's position as a food and wine destination based on the categories developed by Hall and Sharples. Results of the survey indicate that while almost all participants experienced the destination's food and wine products, only one group of respondents (45%) self-identified as food and wine tourists. A second group participated in food and wine experiences but did not select specific destinations on the basis of the destination's food and wine sector. A third group expressed no interest in food and wine as a tourist experience but did consume unique food and wine as part of the overall tourist experience. The research found that the food and wine tourism model developed by Hall and Sharples was a useful tool for both identifying the stage of development of the food and wine industry and planning strategies to develop the sector. The paper concludes by outlining a number of implications for marketing food and wine tourism.
A Bayesian normal homogeneity test for the detection of artificial discontinuities in climatic series

A Bayesian Normal Homogeneity Test (BNHT) for the detection of artificial discontinuities in climatic series is presented. The test is simple to use and allows the integration of prior knowledge on the date of change from various sources of information (e.g. metadata or expert belief) in the analysis. The performance of the new test was evaluated on synthetic series with similar statistical properties as observed total annual precipitation in the southern and central parts of the province of Quebec, Canada. Different priors were used to investigate the sensitivity of the test to the choice of priors. It was found that (1) high‐prior probability of no change yields low false detection rates on the homogeneous series; (2) the test has a very high power of detection on series with a single shift (the best power of detection if compared with previous methods applied to the same synthetic series); (3) shifts having a small magnitude are detectable with a low prior probability of no change and (4) when applied to series with multiple shifts with a segmentation procedure and a high probability of no change, the test proved to be performing well in detecting multiple shifts (as performing as the best techniques previously applied to the same synthetic series). An example of application to total annual precipitation in Quebec City, Canada is also presented to illustrate (1) a case for which the results are not affected by the choice of the prior parameters and (2) a case for which information about potential changes found in the metadata was integrated in the analysis and allowed the detection of a change that would not have been detected with a non‐informative prior. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society