Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling the 2D terrain effect on MT by the boundary‐element method

The boundary‐element method is used to model the 2D terrain effect on the magnetotelluric (MT) field. Firstly, the boundary‐value problem of a 2D magnetotelluric field is transformed into an integral equation problem by using Green's theorem. Then the boundary‐element method is used to solve the integral equation and to obtain the MT field and its normal derivative on the terrain. From these values, the apparent resistivity can be calculated.
Changes in populations of Listeria monocytogenes inoculated on packaged fresh-cut vegetables.

A variety of wholesale and retail packaged vegetables and salads were inoculated with a mixture of strains of Listeria monocytogenes and incubated at 4 and 10 degrees C. Whole rutabagas, butternut squash, and onions, as well as packaged Caesar salad, carrots, coleslaw mix, and stir-fry vegetables were purchased from local supermarkets in the Ottawa area. L. monocytogenes population levels remained constant on all fresh-cut vegetables stored at 4 degrees C for 9 days, except for carrots and butternut squash: counts of cell numbers declined on carrots and increased on the butternut squash. Fresh-cut vegetables stored at 10 degrees C, however, supported good growth of L. monocytogenes on all vegetables tested, except for chopped carrots, where the population decreased approximately 2 log units over a 9-day storage period. As in the situation with the produce stored at 4 degrees C, butternut squash supported the highest rate of cell growth. In addition, Caesar salad and coleslaw mix were kept at 25 degrees C for 1 or 2 days before subsequent storage at 4 or 10 degrees C to stimulate extreme temperature-abuse conditions. In Caesar salad stored at 4 degrees C, by day 6 an initial 24- and 48-h temperature abuse at 25 degrees C led to a 1.21- and 2.55-log-unit population increase, respectively, over the control. Similar increases were observed on Caesar salads stored at 10 degrees C. Compared to Caesar salad, coleslaw mix temperature-abused at 25 degrees C and then stored at 4 degrees C supported slightly greater increases in the population of L. monocytogenes, i.e., a 3.22- and 3.83-log-unit increase over the control for the 1- and 2-day abused samples, respectively. Coleslaw mix samples temperature-abused and then stored at 10 degrees, however, only showed log unit increases of 1.75 and 1.94, respectively, compared to the controls. These results point to the importance of strict temperature control to prevent or reduce the growth of L. monocytogenes cells on fresh-cut vegetables.
Measuring productive vocabulary of toddlers in low-income families: concurrent and predictive validity of three sources of data

This study examined parental report as a source of information about toddlers' productive vocabulary in 105 low-income families living in either urban or rural communities. Parental report using the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory – Short Form (CDI) at child age 2;0 was compared to concurrent spontaneous speech measures and standardized language assessments, and the utility of each source of data for predicting receptive vocabulary at age 3;0 (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test) was evaluated. Relations between language measures of interest and background variables such as maternal age, education, and race/ethnicity were also considered. Results showed that for the sample as a whole, parental report was moderately associated with other language measures at age 2;0 and accounted for unique variance in PPVT at age 3;0, controlling for child language skills derived from a standard cognitive assessment. However, predictive validity differed by community, being stronger in the rural than in the urban community. Implications of significant differences in background characteristics of mothers in the two sites are discussed.
Aging reduces the bioavailability of even a weakly sorbed pesticide (carbaryl) in soil

We investigated bioavailability and biodegradation of carbaryl (1‐naphthyl methylcarbamate) in a soil with a long history of pesticide contamination from a storage facility located at Mamoon Kanjan, Pakistan. Carbaryl is weakly sorbed and generally considered to be easily degradable in soil. Extraction studies revealed that 49% of the total carbaryl in soil (88.0 mg kg−1) was not water‐extractable and also not bioavailable, as demonstrated by inoculation of the contaminated soil with a carbaryl‐degrading, mixed bacterial culture. Inoculation of the contaminated soil with the carbaryl‐degrading culture showed that the bacteria were capable of degrading only the available (i.e., water‐extractable) fraction of the pesticide. When the soil was pulverized in a ball mill to enhance the release of residue, an additional 19% of the carbaryl became bioavailable. A significant proportion of residue (≈33%) remained unavailable. The long (>12 years) contact time between the pesticide and soil (i.e., aging), allowing possible sequestration into soil nanopores and the organic matter matrices, is suggested to have rendered the pesticide unavailable for microbial degradation. High concentration (88.0 mg kg−1) in soil facilitated its persistence and sequestration. Results from the present study demonstrate that even a weakly sorbed and easily degradable pesticide, carbaryl, is effectively sequestrated in soil with time, rendering it partly inaccessible to microorganisms and affecting the bioavailability of the compound.
How Does Education Affect the Earnings Distribution in Urban China?

China's phenomenal growth is accompanied by both relatively low level of standards of living and high inequality. It is widely believe that investing in education could be an effective strategy to promote higher standards of living as well as to reduce inequality. However, little is known about whether this belief is empirically supported. To this end, we employ a recently developed distributional approach to estimate returns to education across the whole earnings distribution in urban China during economic transition. We find that returns to education are generally more pronounced for individuals in the lower tail of the earnings distribution than for those in the upper tail, in stark contrast to the results found in developed countries. Our result implies that education indeed reduces earnings inequality while increasing individuals' earnings. We also find that the returns to education are uniformly larger for women than for men across the distribution. The results suggest the presence of added effects of education on earnings, as opposed to productivity-enhancing effects, for disadvantaged groups. Finally, we find that rates of educational return increased over time for all parts of the earnings distribution.
Wide band attenuation of radio waves caused by powerful HF waves: saturation and dependence on ionospheric variability

The phenomenon of wide band attenuation, i.e., anomalous absorption of an HF wave in the F region subjected to modification by a powerful HF wave, has been measured using the Tromso heating facility. Two types of results were found. In a quiet F region situation, the attenuation amounted to approximately 15 dB and did not change when the effective radiated heating power was lowered from 160 to 20 MW. In a variable F region, indicated by a high fading rate of the diagnostic wave, the absorption was considerably less than 15 dB and showed a strong dependence on the heating power. An explanation for both types of results is offered by extending a recent theory of Das and Fejer.
The Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 Activates Innate Immunity at the Airway Epithelial Surface by Transactivation of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 1

Antimicrobial peptides produced by epithelial cells and neutrophils represent essential elements of innate immunity, and include the defensin and cathelicidin family of antimicrobial polypeptides. The human cathelicidin cationic antimicrobial protein-18 is an antimicrobial peptide precursor predominantly expressed in neutrophils, and its active peptide LL-37 is released from the precursor through the action of neutrophil serine proteinases. LL-37 has been shown to display antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, to neutralize LPS bioactivity, and to chemoattract neutrophils, monocytes, mast cells, and T cells. In this study we show that LL-37 activates airway epithelial cells as demonstrated by activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and increased release of IL-8. Epithelial cell activation was inhibited by the MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitors PD98059 and U0126, by the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478, by blocking anti-EGFR and anti-EGFR-ligand Abs, and by the metalloproteinase inhibitor GM6001. These data suggest that LL-37 transactivates the EGFR via metalloproteinase-mediated cleavage of membrane-anchored EGFR-ligands. LL-37 may thus constitute one of the mediators by which neutrophils regulate epithelial cell activity in the lung.
Measuring the Extent of Chemical Weathering in Subarctic Alpine Environments: Implications for Future Research

Chemical transformations associated with the weathering of bedrock to regolith, and ultimately to soils are poorly known despite the importance of these transformations in the generation of surface and groundwater solutes, the preparation of bedrock for erosion, the production of plant nutrients, and ultimately the formation of soil itself. This lack of knowledge is particularly apparent in polar and subpolar lands where traditionally chemical processes have been regarded as subordinate to mechanical weathering processes. This paper examines the nature of chemical changes associated with the transformation of bedrock to soil in three subarctic alpine locations by comparing weathering indices calculated from whole-rock chemical analyses of surface soil, regolith, rock fragments, and bedrock. The results of this largely post hoc integration of our previous reconnaissance studies suggests that as bedrock weathers to soil there is a loss of silicon, alkali earths, and alkalis relative to resistant chemical constituents, as might be expected from first principles. However, the loss is not systematic, as bedrock fragments derived from crustal rock represent the most resistant elements of a weathering/soil profile, and surface soils commonly experience eolian addition of chemical constituents. The results of this study are viewed as being “enticing” and suggest a potentially productive line of chemical weathering investigation in polar and subpolar environments that will throw light on patterns of release of chemical constituents in the initial stages of the production of residual soils.
Expression of Osteopontin (Eta-1) in Crohn Disease of the Terminal Ileum

Background: The causes of Crohn disease (CD) are still regarded as unknown, but impaired mucosal immunoregulation with activation of T-helper-1 (Th-1) cytokine responses is probably involved and may contribute to the morphological changes. We investigated a possible role of osteopontin (Opn) in the pathogenesis of CD. This glycoprotein has been suggested to be involved in the generation of Th-1-type immune responses; moreover, it carries anti-inflammatory activities. Methods: Ileal samples from CD patients--both actively inflamed and inactive areas as well as unaffected intestinal specimens from controls (normal ileum)--were investigated by Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Results: In normal gut, Opn was found to be regularly expressed by plasma cells (CD 38) and a subset of lamina propria mononuclear cells (MNC) as well as by intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). In active CD, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization analysis revealed a loss of Opn expression by IEC adjacent to ulcerative lesions, whereas especially plasma cells (CD 38) in the vicinity of such lesions were found to express the molecule. In addition, a slight overexpression of Opn protein was found in metaplastic crypts. However, quantitative analysis of total Opn protein in the ileal mucosa of CD patients did not reveal any difference vis-à-vis control tissues. Conclusions: The constitutive expression of Opn in normal gut indicates that it is involved in intestinal immune homeostasis. Downregulation of Opn expression in IEC might favour the disintegration of the epithelial barrier. The expression of Opn in lamina propria plasma cells could contribute to disease chronification, probably by affecting cell survival.
Increased von Willebrand factor levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus reflect inflammation rather than increased propensity for platelet activation

Background von Willebrand factor (VWF) is involved in platelet plug formation and protein transport. Increased VWF levels in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) are considered risk factors for vascular events. VWF protein levels, however, do not accurately reflect its platelet-aggregating function, which has not been examined in SLE. Methods Cross-sectional study with clinical and laboratory data obtained in patients with SLE (n=92) from a regional lupus registry. VWF function was determined by ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation (VWF ristocetin cofactor, VWF:RCo) and VWF levels by turbidimetric assay (VWF antigen, VWF:Ag). The platelet-aggregating activity per VWF unit was estimated by the VWF RCo/Ag ratio. Healthy controls served as comparators and associations were evaluated by non-parametric methods. Results VWF:Ag (142% vs 107%, p=0.001) and VWF:RCo levels (123% vs 78%, p<0.041) were increased in patients with SLE, but VWF RCo/Ag ratio was similar as in controls (0.83 vs 0.82, p=0.8). VWF:Ag levels were higher in patients experiencing serositis but unrelated to other manifestations, thrombotic disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematous Disease Activity Index 2000 or Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics-Damage Index. VWF:Ag levels correlated significantly with VWF:RCo levels (Rs 0.8, p<0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (Rs 0.32, p<0.01), anti-dsDNA Ab (Rs 0.27, p<0.01), total IgG (Rs 0.33 p<0.01), fibrinogen (Rs 0.28, p<0.01) and ceruloplasmin (Rs 0.367, p<0.01) levels. VWF:RCo levels were not related to clinical findings but were correlated with ESR, anti-dsDNA and transferrin levels. No serological associations existed for VWF RCo/Ag ratio (all p>0.2). Conclusions In this SLE cohort, VWF:Ag behaved similarly to acute-phase reactants, but VWF:Ag increases were not matched by increases in functional activity per unit of VWF. Thus, more VWF did not increase the propensity for platelet aggregation in SLE.
An analysis of collaborative problem-solving activities mediated by individual-based and collaborative computer simulations

Researchers have indicated that the collaborative problem-solving space afforded by the collaborative systems significantly impact the problem-solving process. However, recent investigations into collaborative simulations, which allow a group of students to jointly manipulate a problem in a shared problem space, have yielded divergent results regarding their effects on collaborative learning. Hence, this study analysed how students solved a physics problem using individual-based and collaborative simulations to understand their effects on science learning. Multiple data sources including group discourse, problem-solving activities, learning test scores, and questionnaire feedback were analysed. Lag sequential analysis on the data found that students using the two simulations collaborated with peers to solve the problem in significantly different patterns. The students using the collaborative simulations demonstrated active engagement in the collaborative activity; however, they did not transform discussions into workable problem-solving activities. The students using the individual-based simulation showed a lower level of collaboration engagement, starting with individual exploration of the problem with the simulation, followed by group reflection. The two groups also showed significant differences in their learning test scores. The findings and pedagogical suggestions are discussed in the hope of addressing critical activity design issues in using computer simulations for facilitating collaborative learning.
The silica and inorganic carbon system in tidal marshes of the Elbe estuary, Germany : Fluxes and spatio-temporal patterns

VIII Zusammenfassung XI List of Publications XIV 1 General introduction 1 1.1 Identifying research gaps 3 1.2 Contribution of this thesis 5 2 Study area 6 2.1 The Elbe estuary 6 2.2 Tidal marshes of the Elbe estuary 9 2.2.1 Sampling sites 10 2.2.2 Hydrology of sampling sites 11 3 Silica dynamics of tidal marshes in the inner Elbe estuary, Germany 14 3.1 Abstract 14 3.2 Introduction 14 3.3 Material and Methods 16 3.3.1 Sampling and analysis 16 3.3.2 Digital elevation model and monitoring database 18 3.3.3 Statistics 20 3.4 Results 20 3.4.1 Physical characteristics of the sampling sites 20 3.4.2 Silica concentrations of the fresh, brackish and saline sampling site 20 3.5 Discussion 25 3.5.1 Temporal development of DSi concentrations along the salinity gradient 25 3.5.2 DSi export 31 3.6 Conclusion 34 4 The role of salt marshes in the silica budget of the North Sea 36 4.1 Abstract 36 4.2 Introduction 36 4.3 Materials and Methods 37 4.4 Results and Discussion 39 4.5 Conclusions 43 5 Silicon Isotopes in the Elbe estuary 45 5.1 Abstract 45 5.2 Introduction 45 5.3 Material and Methods 47 5.3.1 Sampling 47 5.3.2 Isotopic measurement 47 5.4 Results 50 5.4.1 Tidal marsh areas 50 5.4.2 Estuarine transects 51 5.5 Discussion 53
Estimation of phytoplankton loss rate by remote sensing

A method is presented for estimation of seasonally‐varying, total loss rate of phytoplankton from time series of satellite‐derived phytoplankton biomass data. The loss is calculated as the difference between the (modelled) rate of photosynthesis and the observed, realized rate of change of phytoplankton biomass. A Monte Carlo procedure is used to recover the loss rates. The (biomass‐normalized) total loss rate shows a seasonal cycle with values ranging from 0.5 to 3 mg C (mg Chl)−1 h−1 and shows an abrupt shift during the spring bloom. On the other hand, the absolute loss rate increases during blooms, a consequence of the increase in the biomass. The normalized total loss rate can be further expressed as a time‐varying fraction of the assimilation number. The fraction lies in the range from 0.2 to 0.8. During the increasing (decreasing) phase of phytoplankton blooming, the ratio of growth to total loss increases (decreases), such that this ratio may have value as an ecological indicator for blooms.
Risk of suicide during treatment with venlafaxine, citalopram, fluoxetine, and dothiepin: retrospective cohort study

Objective To compare the risk of suicide in adults using the antidepressant venlafaxine compared with citalopram, fluoxetine, and dothiepin. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting UK General Practice Research Database. Participants 219 088 patients, aged 18-89 years, who were prescribed venlafaxine, citalopram, fluoxetine, or dothiepin from 1995 to 2005. Main outcome measures Completed suicide and attempted suicide. Results Venlafaxine users had a higher burden of risk factors for suicide, including previous suicide attempts and proxies for severe depression or depression that was difficult to treat. In the analysis for completed suicides, unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios for venlafaxine compared with citalopram were 2.44 (95% confidence interval 1.12 to 5.31) and 1.70 (0.76 to 3.80), for venlafaxine compared with fluoxetine were 2.85 (1.37 to 5.94) and 1.63 (0.74 to 3.59), and for venlafaxine compared with dothiepin were 2.54 (1.07 to 6.02) and 1.31 (0.53 to 3.25). Compared with other study drugs, venlafaxine was also associated with an increased risk of attempted suicide, but adjustment for measured confounders substantially reduced the hazard ratios. Conclusions Venlafaxine use was consistently associated with higher risk of suicide compared with citalopram, fluoxetine, and dothiepin. Venlafaxine users had a higher burden of suicide risk factors, however, and adjustment for measured confounders substantially reduced the excess risks. Since the secondary data used in this analysis allowed only indirect and partial measurements of potential confounders, it is possible that residual confounding explains much, if not all, of the observed excess risk.
Characterization and monitoring of the Åknes rockslide using terrestrial laser scanning

Abstract. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) provides high-resolution point clouds of the topography and new TLS instruments with ranges exceeding 300 m or even 1000 m are powerful tools for characterizing and monitoring slope movements. This study focuses on the 35 million m3 Aknes rockslide in Western Norway, which is one of the most investigated and monitored rockslides in the world. The TLS point clouds are used for the structural analysis of the steep, inaccessible main scarp of the rockslide, including an assessment of the discontinuity sets and fold axes. TLS acquisitions in 2006, 2007 and 2008 provide information on 3-D displacements for the entire scanned area and are not restricted like conventional survey instruments to single measurement points. The affine transformation matrix between two TLS acquisitions precisely describes the rockslide displacements and enables their separation into translational components, such as the displacement velocity and direction, and rotational components, like toppling. This study shows the ability of TLS to obtain reliable 3-D displacement information over a large, unstable area. Finally, a possible instability model for the upper part of Aknes rockslide explains the measured translational and rotational displacements by a combination of southward planar sliding along the gneiss foliation, gravitational vertical settlement along the complex, stepped basal sliding surface and northward toppling toward the opened graben structure.
Randomized Optimum Models for Structured Prediction

One approach to modeling structured discrete data is to describe the probability of states via an energy function and Gibbs distribution. A recurring difficulty in these models is the computation of the partition function, which may require an intractable sum. However, in many such models, the mode can be found efficiently even when the partition function is unavailable. Recent work on Perturb-and-MAP (PM) models (Papandreou and Yuille, 2011) has exploited this discrepancy to approximate the Gibbs distribution for Markov random fields (MRFs). Here, we explore a broader class of models, called Randomized Optimum models (RandOMs), which include PM as a special case. This new class of models encompasses not only MRFs, but also other models that have intractable partition functions yet permit efficient mode-finding, such as those based on bipartite matchings, shortest paths, or connected components in a graph. We develop likelihood-based learning algorithms for RandOMs, which, empirical results indicate, can produce better models than PM.
A technique for incorporating dynamic paths in lab-based mobile evaluations

Increasingly, lab evaluations of mobile applications are incorporating mobility. The inclusion of mobility alone, however, is insufficient to generate a realistic evaluation context since real-life users will typically be required to monitor their environment while moving through it. While field evaluations represent a more realistic evaluation context, such evaluations pose difficulties, including data capture and environmental control, which mean that a lab-based evaluation is often a more practical choice. This paper describes a novel evaluation technique that mimics a realistic mobile usage context in a lab setting. The technique requires that participants monitor their environment and change the route they are walking to avoid dynamically changing hazards (much as real-life users would be required to do). Two studies that employed this technique are described, and the results (which indicate the technique is useful) are discussed.