Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Highlands in Transition: Urbanization, Pastoralism, Mining, Tourism, and Wildlife in the Argentinian Puna

Land use change is a key component of regional environmental change. In mountain regions, where conditions for agriculture and human life are often difficult, land use trends are dominated by changes in the population's distribution across rural and urban areas and shifts in the main human activities. In the Argentinian puna—a high-elevation subtropical plateau of about 95,000 km2 situated above 3200 masl—land is chiefly used for grazing, mining, and tourism. In this article, we analyze trends in these land uses over the last 57 years in the context of climatic changes toward drier and warmer conditions. Since 1960, the human population grew from 80,000 to 130,000; but this increase largely occurred in the scattered urban centers, while the rural population decreased. The main livestock— sheep—showed a net decrease of around 100,000 animals (–18.5%), with numbers increasing between 1960 and 1980 and then dropping markedly. The number of mining operations declined during the 1970s and 1980s and then rose sharply, reaching a 30% increase since the 1990s. Simultaneously, structural wild vicuña populations increased from a few thousand to around 130,000. These results show that environmental changes over the past half century involved a major wildlife recovery associated with a change from widespread extensive grazing to intensive but spatially limited impacts around mining operations and growing urban centers. Tourism emerged as a new activity over the last decades, but the environmental impacts have been poorly studied. To promote local development and regional conservation, research priorities should include (1) empirical assessments of the ecological consequences of land use changes, such as grazing regimes shifting from domestic to wild herbivores, as well as the impacts of mining, tourism, and urbanization on wetlands and hydrological regimes; (2) modeling of future scenarios of mining and tourism expansion and resulting conflicts with environmental conservation; and (3) coproduction of knowledge about interactions among land uses, climate change, and the different decision-making agents.
Vitamin D Treatment and Mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background/Aims: Hypovitaminosis D has been associated with an increased cardiovascular mortality in the general population and in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Still, whether prescribing vitamin D reduces the risk of mortality in renal patients remains controversial. Methods: We searched PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov and the Cochrane Library for long-term longitudinal studies comparing vitamin D compounds (25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and synthetic derivatives) to placebo or no treatment in renal patients, and which evaluated mortality, to perform a meta-analysis. Data concerning study quality, population and effect size were extracted independently by two investigators using predefined forms. Results: Fourteen observational studies (194,932 patients) met all eligibility criteria. Most studies were performed in hemodialysis patients and all used calcitriol or synthetic analogues. In a random effects meta-analysis, receiving any vitamin D therapy significantly reduced the risk of all-cause mortality (relative risk 0.73, 95% CI 0.65-0.82). The relative risk of death was 0.72 (95% CI 0.65-0.80) after 3 years of therapy and 0.67 (95% CI 0.45-0.98) after 5 years. In meta-regression, the risk reduction was shown to be greater in patients with higher parathyroid hormone serum levels (p = 0.01). The risk of cardiovascular mortality was also significantly reduced in patients receiving any vitamin D derivative (relative risk 0.63, 95% CI 0.44-0.92). Conclusion: Therapies with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and analogues are associated with reduced mortality in CKD patients, and particularly in those suffering from secondary hyperparathyroidism. These results, based on observational evidence, are supportive of prescribing vitamin D therapies to CKD patients, while respecting good practice guidelines.
Seasonal Variability of Cultivable Nitrate-Reducing and Denitrifying Bacteria and Functional Gene Copy Number in Fresh Water Lake

This study describes the seasonal course of denitrifying and nitrate-reducing bacteria in a dimictic mesotrophic lake (Lake Scharmützelsee, Brandenburg, Germany) within a three-year period from 2011 to 2013. The bacterial cell numbers were quantified by the fluorescence microscopy, most probable number (MPN) and PCR-dependent quantification of the chromosomal 16S rDNA and of the nirS and nirK gene copy number. The highest seasonal differences (up to three orders of magnitudes) have been measured using MPN in the epilimnion. This variation was not reflected by PCR-dependent approaches or direct microscopical enumeration. At adverse conditions (low temperature and/or low nitrate concentrations), the differences between MPN and gene copy numbers increased by up to five orders of magnitudes and decreased to one magnitude at favourable environmental conditions. These results can be explained best by an increasing ratio of viable but not cultivable (VBNC) cells or dead cells at impairing conditions. In the hypolimnion, the courses of MPN and nir gene copy numbers were similar. This can be explained by a higher feeding pressure and therefore smaller amounts of dormant cells. In the pelagial in general, the total cell numbers enumerated by either microscopical or molecular approaches were similar. In the sediment, more than 99% of the DNA was obviously not related to viable bacteria but was rather DNA in dead cells or adsorbed to particle surfaces.
ReachMAN: a personal robot to train reaching and manipulation

Robotic devices able to train both reaching and manipulation are often large and complex and thus not suitable for decentralized use at home or in local rehabilitation centers. This paper describes a compact device with only three degrees of freedom (DOF) to train reaching and manipulation critical to activities of daily living. The design considers only the DOF necessary to train tasks such as pick-and-place of objects, drinking, eating and knob manipulation, based on low-dimensional synergies used in these tasks. Specifications from measured biomechanical parameters yield safety and suitable performance. A prototype demonstrates some of the resulting functions and therapeutic possibilities offered by this design.
Rethinking IT education

The Information Technology discipline is defined as meeting the needs of users within organizational or societal context through the selection, creation, administration, integration, and application of computing technologies [1]. Successful IT professionals are those with strong hands-on, communication, and problem solving skills [2]. The need for skilled IT professionals continues to grow in many subareas such as mobile development, Cybersecurity, administration of cloud services, and others [5]. The information technology profession's demand for strong hands-on skills puts pressure on colleges to produce graduates with increased level of skills. However, the 3-5 years that students spend in college may not be enough to build the level of hands-on skills expected by employers.
Ammonia at Blodgett Forest, Sierra Nevada, USA

Ammonia is a reactive trace gas that is emitted in large quantities by animal agriculture and other sources in California, which subsequently forms aerosol particulate matter, potentially affecting visibility, climate, and human health. We performed initial measurements of NH{sub 3} at the Blodgett Forest Research Station (BFRS) during a two week study in June, 2006. The site is used for ongoing air quality research and is a relatively low-background site in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Measured NH{sub 3} mixing ratios were quite low (< 1 to {approx} 2 ppb), contrasting with typical conditions in many parts of the Central Valley. Eddy covariance measurements showed NH{sub 3} fluxes that scaled with measured NH{sub 3} mixing ratio and calculated aerodynamic deposition velocity, suggesting dry deposition is a significant loss mechanism for atmospheric NH{sub 3} at BFRS. A simple model of NH{sub 3} transport to the site supports the hypothesis that NH{sub 3} is transported from the Valley to BFRS, but deposits on vegetation during the summer. Further work is necessary to determine whether the results obtained in this study can be generalized to other seasons.
Heat Inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Milk

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of pasteurization and the concentration of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in raw milk have been identified in quantitative risk analysis as the most critical factors influencing the potential presence of viable Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in dairy products. A quantitative assessment of the lethality of pasteurization was undertaken using an industrial pasteurizer designed for research purposes with a validated Reynolds number of 62,112 and flow rates of 3,000 liters/h. M. paratuberculosis was artificially added to raw whole milk, which was then homogenized, pasteurized, and cultured, using a sensitive technique capable of detecting one organism per 10 ml of milk. Twenty batches of milk containing 103 to 104 organisms/ml were processed with combinations of three temperatures of 72, 75, and 78°C and three time intervals of 15, 20, and 25 s. Thirty 50-ml milk samples from each processed batch were cultured, and the logarithmic reduction in M. paratuberculosis organisms was determined. In 17 of the 20 runs, no viable M. paratuberculosis organisms were detected, which represented >6-log10 reductions during pasteurization. These experiments were conducted with very heavily artificially contaminated milk to facilitate the measurement of the logarithmic reduction. In three of the 20 runs of milk, pasteurized at 72°C for 15 s, 75°C for 25 s, and 78°C for 15 s, a few viable organisms (0.002 to 0.004 CFU/ml) were detected. Pasteurization at all temperatures and holding times was found to be very effective in killing M. paratuberculosis, resulting in a reduction of >6 log10 in 85% of runs and >4 log10 in 14% of runs.
Rhythm perception, production, and synchronization during the perinatal period

Sensori-motor synchronization (SMS) is the coordination of rhythmic movement with an external rhythm. It plays a central role in motor, cognitive, and social behavior. SMS is commonly studied in adults and in children from four years of age onward. Prior to this age, the ability has rarely been investigated due to a lack of available methods. The present paper reviews what is known about SMS in young children, infants, newborns, and fetuses. The review highlights fetal and infant perception of rhythm and cross modal perception of rhythm, fetal, and infant production of rhythm and cross modal production of rhythm, and the contexts in which production of rhythm can be observed in infants. A primary question is whether infants, even newborns, can modify their spontaneous rhythmical motor behavior in response to external rhythmical stimulation. Spontaneous sucking, crying, and leg movements have been studied in the presence or absence of rhythmical auditory stimulation. Findings suggest that the interaction between movement and sound is present at birth and that SMS can be observed in special conditions and within a narrow range of tempi, particularly near the infant’s own spontaneous motor tempo. The discussion centers on the fundamental role of SMS in interaction and communication at the beginning of life.
A Study on Phytoplanktonic Composition in Dadin-Kowa Dam, Gombe State, Nigeria

DOI: 10.15580/GJBS.2018. 3.070318093 This study was carried out to evaluate species composition and distributions of phytoplanktonin relation to changes in some physicochemical characteristics of water in Dadinkowa Dam, Gombe State, Nigeria. Samples were collected using plankton net by hauling for five meters. Samples were kept in plastic containers and preserved in 4% formalin and logols iodine solution. 1 ml of sub-sample was observed under microscope. Physico-chemical parameters recorded include water temperature which ranged between 28C and 31.9°C, pH ranged from 7.1 to 8.9, Transperancy ranged from 0.06m to 0.16m, Dissolved oxygen range from 1.7 to 3.9mg/l and Conductivity ranged from 81 to 100μs/cm. 22 species of phytoplanktons were recorded and the maximum mean density was 92,105 cell/L and minimum was 44,317 cell/L. The dominant phytoplankton was Bacillariophyceae38.1%, followed by order Chlorophyceae 35.4%, Myxophyceae25.3% and Chrysophyceae 1.22%. (The phytoplankton varied significantly with months of sampling. Submitted: 03/07/2018 Accepted: 25/07/2018 Published: 08/08/2018
Racial differences in postpandemic trends in prostate-specific antigen screening

Abstract Our study investigates the trends in prostate cancer screening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focusing on racial disparities between Black and White men. Utilizing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 2018, 2020, and 2022, we analyzed prostate-specific antigen screening rates in men aged 45-75 years. Our findings reveal initial declines in screening rates for both groups during the pandemic, with subsequent recovery; however, the pace of rebound differed statistically significantly between races. Whereas White men showed a notable increase in screening rates postpandemic, Black men’s rates recovered more slowly. This disparity underscores the impact of socioeconomic factors, health-care access, and possibly systemic biases affecting health-care delivery. Our study highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these inequalities and ensure equitable access to prostate cancer preventive care in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Rapid large-scale evolutionary divergence in morphology and performance associated with exploitation of a different dietary resource

Although rapid adaptive changes in morphology on ecological time scales are now well documented in natural populations, the effects of such changes on whole-organism performance capacity and the consequences on ecological dynamics at the population level are often unclear. Here we show how lizards have rapidly evolved differences in head morphology, bite strength, and digestive tract structure after experimental introduction into a novel environment. Despite the short time scale (≈36 years) since this introduction, these changes in morphology and performance parallel those typically documented among species and even families of lizards in both the type and extent of their specialization. Moreover, these changes have occurred side-by-side with dramatic changes in population density and social structure, providing a compelling example of how the invasion of a novel habitat can evolutionarily drive multiple aspects of the phenotype.
2 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disease of global prevalence. The disease is characterized by synovial inflammation leading to cartilage and bone damage. Most of the conventional drugs used for the treatment of RA have severe adverse reactions and are quite expensive. Over the years, increasing proportion of patients with RA and other immune disorders are resorting to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for their health needs. Natural plant products comprise one of the most popular CAM for inflammatory and immune disorders. These herbal CAM belong to diverse traditional systems of medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine, Kampo, and Ayurvedic medicine. In this paper, we have outlined the major immunological pathways involved in the induction and regulation of autoimmune arthritis and described various herbal CAM that can effectively modulate these immune pathways. Most of the information about the mechanisms of action of herbal products in the experimental models of RA is relevant to arthritis patients as well. The study of immunological pathways coupled with the emerging application of genomics and proteomics in CAM research is likely to provide novel insights into the mechanisms of action of different CAM modalities.
FGFR1, signaling, and AP-1 expression after retinal detachment: reactive Müller and RPE cells.

PURPOSE To identify changes in cellular signaling pathways and AP-1 expression in retina and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) after experimental retinal detachment (RD). METHODS Cat and rabbit neural retinas were separated from the RPE in vivo for 5 minutes to 28 days. Tissues were removed and processed for Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and immunoprecipitation experiments. RESULTS An ordered sequence of events occurs after RD: (1) fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor 1 (FGFR1, flg) is phosphorylated in the retina within 15 minutes and dephosphorylated 2 hours after RD; (2) The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is phosphorylated in both Müller and RPE cells within 15 minutes and remains so for several days; (3) De novo expression of c-fos mRNA coincides with increased c-Fos and c-Jun immunoreactivity in both Müller and RPE cells; (4) CREB is phosphorylated in a subpopulation of photoreceptors; and (5) STAT3 and NF-kappaB are activated in inner nuclear layer cells by 1 day of RD. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that nonneuronal cells (RPE and Müller cells) respond to RD very rapidly by stimulating ERK signaling and AP-1 transcription factor expression. Furthermore, these data suggest that basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2, bFGF) is involved in initiating the retina's earliest responses to RD. The events described here precede changes in gene expression and morphology that can have serious effects on visual outcome in humans treated for retinal detachment or other retinal injuries.
Progression of Lung Cancer Is Associated with Increased Dysfunction of T Cells Defined by Coexpression of Multiple Inhibitory Receptors

T cells within non–small cell lung cancer tumors acquire greater numbers, and more diversity, of inhibitory receptors as tumors progress, correlating with a loss in function as well as in their ability to be reactivated after anti-checkpoint treatment. Dysfunctional T cells present in malignant lesions are characterized by a sustained and highly diverse expression of inhibitory receptors, also referred to as immune checkpoints. Yet, their relative functional significance in different cancer types remains incompletely understood. In this study, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the diversity and expression patterns of inhibitory receptors on tumor-infiltrating T cells from patients with non–small cell lung cancer. In spite of the large heterogeneity observed in the amount of PD-1, Tim-3, CTLA-4, LAG-3, and BTLA expressed on intratumoral CD8+ T cells from 32 patients, a clear correlation was established between increased expression of these inhibitory coreceptors and progression of the disease. Notably, the latter was accompanied by a progressively impaired capacity of T cells to respond to polyclonal activation. Coexpression of several inhibitory receptors was gradually acquired, with early PD-1 and late LAG-3/BTLA expression. PD-1 blockade was able to restore T-cell function only in a subset of patients. A high percentage of PD-1hi T cells was correlated with poor restoration of T-cell function upon PD-1 blockade. Of note, PD-1hi expression marked a particularly dysfunctional T-cell subset characterized by coexpression of multiple inhibitory receptors and thus may assist in identifying patients likely to respond to inhibitory receptor–specific antibodies. Overall, these data may provide a framework for future personalized T-cell–based therapies aiming at restoration of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte effector functions. Cancer Immunol Res; 3(12); 1344–55. ©2015 AACR.
How to generate and exchange secrets

In this paper we introduce a new tool for controlling the knowledge transfer process in cryptographic protocol design. It is applied to solve a general class of problems which include most of the two-party cryptographic problems in the literature. Specifically, we show how two parties A and B can interactively generate a random integer N = p¿q such that its secret, i.e., the prime factors (p, q), is hidden from either party individually but is recoverable jointly if desired. This can be utilized to give a protocol for two parties with private values i and j to compute any polynomially computable functions f(i,j) and g(i,j) with minimal knowledge transfer and a strong fairness property. As a special case, A and B can exchange a pair of secrets sA, sB, e.g. the factorization of an integer and a Hamiltonian circuit in a graph, in such a way that sA becomes computable by B when and only when sB becomes computable by A. All these results are proved assuming only that the problem of factoring large intergers is computationally intractable.
Recreation in coastal waters: health risks associated with bathing in sea water

STUDY OBJECTIVE To find out whether bathing in sewage polluted waters implies a danger to bathers' health and to determine the best microbiological indicator to predict the relation between bathing and the appearance of some symptoms. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING City of Santander (north of Spain). PARTICIPANTS From the people going to four Santander beaches in the period from 1 July to 16 September 1998, a cohort of 2774 persons was recruited who agreed to participate in this study. Of those, 1858 successfully completed a follow up interview conducted in seven days. Respiratory, gastrointestinal, eye, and ear symptoms, and fever occurring during the seven day follow up were recorded. MAIN RESULTS A total of 136 participants (7.5%) reported symptoms. Visitors reported experiencing symptoms with more frequency than residents. Incidence rates of gastrointestinal, cutaneous and high respiratory tract symptoms were higher in bathers, but the differences were not significant. Total symptoms were related with the amount of total coliforms, faecal coliforms, and faecal streptococci in the water. Gastrointestinal and skin symptoms kept a positive trend with the degree of water pollution by total coliforms in both crude and adjusted analyses. An increased risk was observed in 2500–9999 total coliforms per 100 ml, a figure over the proposed standard, although below the European Union mandatory limit. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that total coliforms are the best predictors of the symptoms.
Segmenting Two-Sided Markets

Recent years have witnessed the rise of many successful e-commerce marketplace platforms like the Amazon marketplace, AirBnB, Uber/Lyft, and Upwork, where a central platform mediates economic transactions between buyers and sellers. A common feature of many of these two-sided marketplaces is that the platform has full control over search and discovery, but prices are determined by the buyers and sellers. Motivated by this, we study the algorithmic aspects of market segmentation via directed discovery in two-sided markets with endogenous prices. We consider a model where an online platform knows each buyer/seller's characteristics, and associated demand/supply elasticities. Moreover, the platform can use discovery mechanisms (search, recommendation, etc.) to control which buyers/sellers are visible to each other. We develop efficient algorithms for throughput (i.e. volume of trade) and welfare maximization with provable guarantees under a variety of assumptions on the demand and supply functions. We also test the validity of our assumptions on demand curves inferred from NYC taxicab log-data, as well as show the performance of our algorithms on synthetic experiments.