Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Explosives Contamination at Military Firing Ranges Characterization of Explosives Contamination at Military Firing Ranges Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program

Soil samples were collected at military training ranges at two Army installations. Three areas were sampled within the training ranges at Fort Lewis, Washington: the hand grenade range, a 105-mm howitzer firing point, and a portion of the artillery impact area, and a hand grenade range at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Soil samples were analyzed for explosives-related residues by GC-ECD using SW-846 Method 8095 (draft). All soil samples from both hand grenade ranges were found to have detectable concentrations of RDX. TNT, two environmental transformation products of TNT (2-ADNT and 4-ADNT), and HMX were often detected as well. Concentrations of these analytes ranged from near a detection limit of about 1 µg/ kg to 75,100 µg/kg for TNT in one surface soil at the Fort Lewis range. Concentrations were generally an order of magnitude lower at Fort Rich-ardson. Concentrations of RDX in the surface soils were generally an order of magnitude higher than soils collected at shallow depth. Surface samples collected in front of two 105-mm howitzers were contaminated with 2,4-DNT, a component of the M1 propellant. Concentrations ranged from 458 to 175,000 µg/kg in front of Howitzer #1 and from 1030 to 237,000 µg/kg in front of Howitzer #2, each of which had fired about 600 rounds in this firing position during the previous How to get copies of CRREL technical publications: Department of Defense personnel and contractors may order reports through the Defense Technical Informa-month. Other isomers of DNT, 2,4,6-TNT, and two environmental transformation products of 2,4-DNT (2ANT and 4ANT) were also detected at much lower concentrations. Soil samples were also collected from a number of areas around detonation craters formed by 105-mm and 155-m howitzers, and 60-, 81-and 120-mm mortars. Concentrations of explosives residues in and around these craters were generally barely detectable, indicating that only minor amounts of explosives residue are deposited during high-order detonations of army munitions. Soil samples were also collected below and adjacent to a 155-mm howitzer shell that had undergone a low-order detonation. These samples were heavily contaminated with TNT and its environmental transformation products. These results indicate that efforts should be made to find and remove the resulting debris from low-order detonations whenever possible to prevent leaching of contaminants to groundwater. Water samples collected from five groundwater monitoring wells and five seeps around the artillery impact areas at Fort Lewis were also analyzed for explosives; 8 of the 10 were found to …
Polymer Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells:  In Situ Formation of a Light-Emitting p-n Junction.

Solid-state polymer light-emitting electrochemical cells have been fabricated using thin films of blends of poly(1,4-phenylenevinylene) and poly(ethylene oxide) complexed with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate. The cells contain three layers: the polymer film (as the emissive layer) and indium-tin oxide and aluminum films as the two contact electrodes. When externally biased, the conjugated polymers are p-doped and n-doped on opposite sides of the polymer layer, and a light-emitting p-n junction is formed in between. The admixed polymer electrolyte provides the counterions and the ionic conductivity necessary for doping. The p-n junction is dynamic and reversible, with an internal built-in potential close to the band gap of the redox-active conjugated polymer (2.4 eV for PPV). Green light emitted from the p-n junction was observed with a turn-on voltage of about 2.4 V. The devices reached 8 cd/m(2) at 3 V and 100 cd/m(2) at 4 V, with an external quantum efficiency of 0.3-0.4% photons/electron. The response speed of these cells was around 1 s, depending on the diffusion of ions. Once the light-emitting junction had been formed, the subsequent operation had fast response (microsecond scale or faster) and was no longer diffusion-controlled.
Treatment Results in Serpiginous Choroiditis and Multifocal Serpiginoid Choroiditis Associated with Latent Tuberculosis

Objectives: To compare the results of systemic antitubercular therapy (ATT) and immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) in patients with serpiginous choroiditis (SC) or multifocal serpiginoid choroiditis (MSC). Materials and Methods: The clinical records of 28 patients with SC and MSC were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the treatment applied. Group 1 included 12 patients with MSC and 5 with SC treated with ATT and corticosteroid (CS); group 2 included 9 patients with MSC and 2 with SC treated with conventional IMT, interferon alpha-2a, and/or CS monotherapy. Results: In group 1, clinical remission was achieved in 12/12 MSC and 3/5 SC (total 15/17) patients with administration of ATT for 1 year. Two patients (1 SC, 1 MSC) had reactivation 2 and 7 months after cessation of ATT. Two patients with recurrence after completion of ATT and 2 patients resistant to ATT received IMT ± CS therapy. In group 2, clinical remission was achieved in 7/9 MSC and 2/2 SC (total 9/11) patients after 1 year of treatment. Recurrent inflammation was observed in 2 MSC patients 2 and 112 months after initiation of therapy, but responded well to local/systemic CS or IMT modification, and clinical remission was achieved in 7.8±4.3 months. Cumulative dose of CS was higher in group 2 (p=0.057). Nine of 12 MSC patients treated with ATT and 4/9 MSC patients treated with IMT achieved remission (p=0.203). One of 5 SC patients treated with ATT and 2/2 SC patients treated with IMT achieved remission (p=0.142). Conclusion: Although a statistically significant result could not be achieved in this small case series, our results suggest that ATT may be an appropriate first choice in the treatment of MSC associated with latent tuberculosis, and may be administered in patients with SC who are unresponsive to IMT.
Oxytocin and Vasopressin Receptor Gene Polymorphisms: Role in Social and Psychiatric Traits

Oxytocin (OXT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) are two phylogenetically conserved neuropeptides that have been implicated in a wide range of social behaviors. Although a large body of research, ranging from rodents to humans, has reported on the effects of OXT and AVP administration on affiliative and trust behaviors, and has highlighted the genetic contributions of OXT and AVP receptor polymorphisms to both social behaviors and to diseases related to social deficits, the consequences of peptide administration on psychiatric symptoms, and the impact of receptor polymorphisms on receptor function, are still unclear. Despite the exciting advances that these reports have brought to social neuroscience, they remain preliminary and suffer from the problems that are inherent to monogenetic linkage and association studies. As an alternative, some studies are using polygenic approaches, and consider the contributions of other genes and pathways, including those involving DA, 5-HT, and reelin, in addition to OXT and AVP; a handful of report are also using genome-wide association studies. This review summarizes findings on the associations between OXT and AVP receptor polymorphism, social behavior, and psychiatric diseases. In addition, we discuss reports on the interactions of OXT and AVP receptor genes and genes involved in other pathways (such as those of dopamine, serotonin, and reelin), as well as research that has shed some light on the impact of gene polymorphisms on the volume, connectivity, and activation of specific neural structures, differential receptor expression, and plasma levels of the OXT and AVP peptides. We hope that this effort will be helpful for understanding the studies performed so far, and for encouraging the inclusion of other candidate genes not explored to date.
The Effects of a Whole-Body Vibration Program on Muscle Performance and Flexibility in Female Athletes

Fagnani F, Giombini A, Di Cesare A, Pigozzi F, Di Salvo V: The effects of a whole-body vibration program on muscle performance and flexibility in female athletes. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2006;85:956–962. Objective:This randomized controlled study was designed to investigate the short-term effects of an 8-wk whole-body vibration protocol on muscle performance and flexibility in female competitive athletes. Design:Twenty-six young volunteer female athletes (ages 21–27 yrs) were randomized to either the vibration group or control group. The vibration intervention consisted of an 8-wk whole-body vibration 3 times a week employed by standing on a vertical vibration platform. As outcome measures, three performance tests (counter-movement jump, extension strength of lower extremities with an isokinetic horizontal leg press, and a sit-and-reach test for flexibility) were performed initially and after 8 wks. Results:A total of 24 athletes completed the study properly. In the vibration group (n = 13) whole-body vibration induced significant improvement of bilateral knee extensor strength (P < 0.001), counter-movements jump (P < 0.001), and flexibility (P < 0.001) after 8 wks of training. No significant changes were found for all the outcome measures for the control group (n = 11). Conclusions:Whole-body vibration is a suitable training method to improve knee extension maximal strength, counter-movement jump, and flexibility in a young female athlete if it is properly designed. Not only do the optimal frequency, amplitude, and g-forces need to be identified but also the level of muscle activation that would benefit more from vibration stimulation. The improvement of flexibility is important not only for performance but also for the prevention of muscle-tendon injury.
Length of Variable Numbers of Tandem Repeats in the Carboxyl Ester Lipase (CEL) Gene May Confer Susceptibility to Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis but Not Alcoholic Chronic Pancreatitis

Background Carboxyl-ester lipase (CEL) contributes to fatty acid ethyl ester metabolism, which is implicated in alcoholic pancreatitis. The CEL gene harbours a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) region in exon 11. Variation in this VNTR has been linked to monogenic pancreatic disease, while conflicting results were reported for chronic pancreatitis (CP). Here, we aimed to investigate a potential association of CEL VNTR lengths with alcoholic CP. Methods Overall, 395 alcoholic CP patients, 218 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) serving as controls with a comparable amount of alcohol consumed, and 327 healthy controls from Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) were analysed by determination of fragment lengths by capillary electrophoresis. Allele frequencies and genotypes of different VNTR categories were compared between the groups. Results Twelve repeats were overrepresented in UK ACP patients (P = 0.04) compared to controls, whereas twelve repeats were enriched in German ALC compared to alcoholic CP patients (P = 0.03). Frequencies of CEL VNTR lengths of 14 and 15 repeats differed between German ALC patients and healthy controls (P = 0.03 and 0.008, respectively). However, in the genotype and pooled analysis of VNTR lengths no statistical significant association was depicted. Additionally, the 16–16 genotype as well as 16 repeats were more frequent in UK ALC than in alcoholic CP patients (P = 0.034 and 0.02, respectively). In all other calculations, including pooled German and UK data, allele frequencies and genotype distributions did not differ significantly between patients and controls or between alcoholic CP and ALC. Conclusions We did not obtain evidence that CEL VNTR lengths are associated with alcoholic CP. However, our results suggest that CEL VNTR lengths might associate with ALC, a finding that needs to be clarified in larger cohorts.
The homology of Richard Thompson's group F

In the early 1980s Ross Geoghegan and I calculated the homology of Richard Thompson's group F as a graded abelian group. It turns out that the homology admits a natural ring structure, which I calculate in this paper. As a byproduct, I obtain the ring structure on the cohomology.
A Semantic-Enabled Social Network of Devices for Building Automation

The progress of building automation devices and networks is curbed by application models with limited device autonomy, static configuration scenarios, and frequent explicit user interaction. This paper presents a novel approach inspired to social network interactions for increased object self-configuration and self-orchestration in home and building automation. Objects become autonomous social agents, interacting and coordinating automatically as new information about the environment is available. The framework is grounded on a service-oriented architecture for encapsulating, exchanging, and composing device capabilities and on semantic-based service description, discovery and aggregation exploiting nonstandard inference services. The proposed approach was implemented in two different testbeds and experimental evaluations of feasibility and performance were carried out with respect to a home automation case study.
Joubert syndrome

Joubert syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive type shaped fourth ventricle(Fig3) ,Bullet shaped third of congenital cerebellar vermian hypoplasia . It is ventricle(Fig4). associated with cystic lesions of the abdominal organs. Here we present a case of Joubert syndrome.This case was interesting as it was associated with papillary cystadenoma of the pancreas , paraovarian cyst and Patent Ductus Atreriosus which are rare association with this entity.
On Continuous-Time Incremental $\Sigma\Delta$  ADCs With Extended Range

In this paper, the use of continuous-time implementation in extended-range (ER) incremental sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters is analyzed in order to explore a possible solution to low-power multichannel applications. The operation principle, possible loop filter topologies, and critical issues are considered using a general approach. It is demonstrated that, in order to fully benefit from ER, careful attention has to be paid to the analog-digital transfer function mismatches. A third-order single-bit topology validates the theoretical analysis. Its performance is evaluated while the impact of key circuit nonidealities is quantified through behavioral-level simulations. It is shown that, by applying analog-digital mismatch compensation in the digital domain, it is possible to relax the amplifiers' finite gain-bandwidth product and finite dc gain requirements, thus allowing a power-conscious alternative.
Neurovascular coupling to D2/D3 dopamine receptor occupancy using simultaneous PET/functional MRI

This study employed simultaneous neuroimaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to demonstrate the relationship between changes in receptor occupancy measured by PET and changes in brain activity inferred by fMRI. By administering the D2/D3 dopamine receptor antagonist [11C]raclopride at varying specific activities to anesthetized nonhuman primates, we mapped associations between changes in receptor occupancy and hemodynamics [cerebral blood volume (CBV)] in the domains of space, time, and dose. Mass doses of raclopride above tracer levels caused increases in CBV and reductions in binding potential that were localized to the dopamine-rich striatum. Moreover, similar temporal profiles were observed for specific binding estimates and changes in CBV. Injection of graded raclopride mass doses revealed a monotonic coupling between neurovascular responses and receptor occupancies. The distinct CBV magnitudes between putamen and caudate at matched occupancies approximately matched literature differences in basal dopamine levels, suggesting that the relative fMRI measurements reflect basal D2/D3 dopamine receptor occupancy. These results can provide a basis for models that relate dopaminergic occupancies to hemodynamic changes in the basal ganglia. Overall, these data demonstrate the utility of simultaneous PET/fMRI for investigations of neurovascular coupling that correlate neurochemistry with hemodynamic changes in vivo for any receptor system with an available PET tracer.
Cinchonine, a potent efflux inhibitor to circumvent anthracycline resistance in vivo.

Circumvention of multidrug resistance is a new field of investigation in cancer chemotherapy, and safe and potent multidrug resistance inhibitors are needed for clinical use. We investigated several analogues of quinine for their ability to increase anthracycline uptake in resistant cancer cells. Cinchonine was the most potent inhibitor of anthracycline resistance in vitro, and its activity was little altered by serum proteins. Serum from rats treated with i.v. cinchonine produced greater uptake of doxorubicin in cancer cells (DHD/K12/PROb rat colon cells and K562/ADM human leukemic cells) than did serum from quinine-treated rats (ex vivo assay). Cinchonine was more effective than quinine in reducing tumor mass and increasing the survival of rats inoculated i.p. with DHD/K12/PROb cells and treated i.p. with deoxydoxorubicin. Moreover, the acute toxicity of cinchonine in rats and mice was lower than that of other quinine-related compounds. The lower toxicity and greater potentiation of in vivo anthracycline activity produced by cinchonine are favorable characteristics for its use as an anti-multidrug resistance agent in future clinical trials.
Guatemalan women achieve ideal family size: Empowerment through education and decision-making

ABSTRACT Women's empowerment in family planning strengthens families and communities. Using 2014/2015 Demographic and Health Surveys data from 7,168 Guatemalan women, ages 35 and above with at least one living child, we examined indicators of empowerment in four domains – economic, educational, social, and contraceptive – and their relation to the number of living children compared to the ideal number of children. We reveal our analysis showing that economic, educational, and social empowerment predicted achieving the preferred number of children. Education and control over their own income are two critical empowerment factors for Guatemalan women.
Diving behaviour of Cuvier's beaked whales exposed to two types of military sonar

Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) have stranded in association with mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS) use, and though the causative mechanism linking these events remains unclear, it is believed to be behaviourally mediated. To determine whether MFAS use was associated with behavioural changes in this species, satellite tags were used to record the diving and movements of 16 Cuvier's beaked whales for up to 88 days in a region of frequent MFAS training off the coast of Southern California. Tag data were combined with summarized records of concurrent bouts of high-power, surface-ship and mid-power, helicopter-deployed MFAS use, along with other potential covariates, in generalized additive mixed-effects models. Deep dives, shallow dives and surface intervals tended to become longer during MFAS use, with some variation associated with the total amount of overlapping MFAS during the behaviour. These changes in dives and surface intervals contributed to a longer interval between deep dives, a proxy for foraging disruption in this species. Most responses intensified with proximity and were more pronounced during mid-power than high-power MFAS use at comparable distances within approximately 50 km, despite the significantly lower source level of mid-power MFAS. However, distance-mediated responses to high-power MFAS, and increased deep dive intervals during mid-power MFAS, were evident up to approximately 100 km away.
Brine shirmp lethality activity of Thai medicinal plants in the Family Meliaceae

Brine shrimp larvae have been used as a bioassay for a variety of toxic substances. The method has also been applied to plant extracts in order to facilitate the isolation of biologically active compounds. In this study, the plants in the family Meliaceae have been selected to test for brine shrimp lethality activity based on taxonomic approach including Azedirachta indica, Azedirachta indica var. siamensis, Melia azedarach, Sandoricum indicum and Swietenia macrophylla. The stem bark and leaf were separately collected and investigated for their activities. All of the stem bark extracts, except S. macrophylla, showed significant toxicity whereas all of the leaf extracts were inactive. The stem bark of Annona squamosa, which exhibited brine shrimp toxicity, has been used as positive control and its leaf and seed were also examined. The result showed that the leaf and seed of this plant exhibited higher potency than the stem bark.
Load Balanced Ant Based Routing Algorithms for Mobile Ad Hoc Network

Mobile ad-hoc networks are infrastructure-less networks consisting of wireless, possibly mobile nodes which are organized in peer-to-peer and autonomous fashion. Each node in such a network is more than a data receiver/sender, it is also a router that forwards data packets to its proper destination. The main characteristics of ad hoc network highly dynamic topology, limited bandwidth availability and energy constraints make the routing problem a challenging one. Recently a new family of algorithms emerged inspired by Swarm Intelligence, which provides a novel approach to distributed optimization problems. Initial studies have unveiled a great deal of matching properties between the routing requirements of ad-hoc networks and certain features of SI, such as the ability of ant colony to find a nearly optimal route between elements. Several algorithms which are based on ant colony optimization were introduced in recent years to solve the routing problem in ad-hoc networks. In this paper we present implementation of load balanced Ants based routing algorithm for mobile ad hoc net 1 work for improving scalability and load balancing of network. This algorithm is based upon AODV and ACO Metaheuristics.
Code-based cache partitioning for improving hardware cache performance

Recently, improving hardware cache performance is getting more important, because the performance gap between processor and memory has caused "memory wall" problem. Most cache designs are based on the LRU replacement policy which is effective for high-locality workloads. However, it is ineffective for the workloads that have a working set greater than available cache size or weak-memory access patterns. To make up for the weakness of LRU policy, we introduce a novel code-based cache partitioning mechanism which does not require any hardware support. In our mechanism, we first collect profile data using binary instrumentation, and then classify the characteristic of code region through the collected code profiles. Finally, while the application is running, page coloring technique is used for code-based cache partitioning. To show effectiveness of our mechanism, we implemented our mechanism in the Linux kernel. Experiments on the workloads including weak-memory access pattern show that the proposed mechanism achieves performance improvement by up to 7.3% and the last-level cache miss reduction by up to 37.8%.