Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Habitat Use and Diet of Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis Boddaert, 1783

The Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis, like all other corvids, is a nest predators of significant importance in tropical evergreen forests that is likely to have an impact on survival and nesting success of other birds in areas where it inhabits. Generally, the Common Green Magpie remains relatively understudied and currently almost no quantitative data on the aspects of its ecology exist. This study was undertaken to describe the bird’s nest-site selection, diet and distribution in dry evergreen, dry dipterocarp and old planted forests. The study was conducted at Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, north-eastern Thailand, between April and October 2015. Examination of habitat features at sites selected by the Common Green Magpie for nesting and randomly selected sites, found that the bird place its nests in the understory stratum of the forest in sites with greater understory cover, tree density and sparse undergrowth ground cover. Direct observations on the bird’s foraging behaviour showed that it is largely insectivorous, and takes a wide range of animal prey including other birds’ eggs and nestlings, small lizards and big earthworms, and relatively a small proportion of fruits. Assessment of potential insect biomass abundance in its foraging areas, showed a significant difference between the dry evergreen and old planted forests. Distance transect sampling analysis estimation of the bird’s abundance and frequency of occurrence was higher in the dry evergreen than old planted forests; but the bird was not detected in the dry dipterocarp forest. The bird’s occurrence in old planted forest is an indication of its response to habitat disturbance and its ability to inhabit sub-optimal habitats. With poor knowledge on the ecology of most nest predators in tropical regions, the results of this study provide baseline data that add to our understanding of one of the major nest predators in tropical lowland evergreen forests and its response to habitat disturbance.
Barriers and Facilitators for Utilization of Genetic Counseling and Risk Assessment Services in Young Female Breast Cancer Survivors

Introduction. Women diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age are more likely to carry a cancer predisposing genetic mutation. Per the current NCCN recommendations, women diagnosed under age 50 should be referred to cancer genetic counseling for further risk evaluation. This study seeks to assess patient-reported barriers and facilitators to receiving genetic counseling and risk assessment among a community-based population of young breast cancer survivors (YBCS). Methods. Through the Michigan Cancer Surveillance Program, a state-based cancer registry, 488 women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 in 2006-2007 were identified. They received a mail survey regarding family history and facilitators and barriers to receiving genetic counseling and risk assessment. Results. Responses were received from 289 women (59.2%). One hundred twenty-two (42.2%) reported having received cancer genetic counseling. The most frequent reason identified for receiving services was to benefit their family's future. The top reasons for not attending were “no one recommended it” and “medical insurance coverage issues. ” Discussion. This study is the first published report using a state cancer registry to determine facilitators and barriers to receiving genetic counseling and risk assessment among YBCS. These findings demonstrate the need for additional awareness and education about appropriate indications for genetic services.
Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Survey Work–Home Interaction – NijmeGen, the SWING (SWING-J)

ABSTRACT This study sought to validate the Japanese version of the Survey Work–Home Interaction – NijmeGen, the SWING, which assesses multi-dimensional work–family interaction by differentiating between the direction and quality of influence. We translated the SWING into the Japanese language, the SWING-J. A back-translation procedure confirmed that the translation was appropriate. A total of 2701 dual-earner parents with preschool children (1193 men and 1508 women) were surveyed. The complete questionnaire included the SWING-J, job and family domain variables, and well-being indicators. The reliability and factorial and convergent validity of the used measures were examined. As the results, four dimensions (i.e. work-to-family negative spillover, family-to-work negative spillover, work-to-family positive spillover and family-to-work positive spillover) were determined by an exploratory factor analysis. A series of confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the hypothesized four-factor model provided a reasonably good fit to the data. Convergent validity was generally supported by the expected correlations of work–family spillovers with the possible predictors and consequences. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the four subscales of the SWING-J were satisfactory (0.75–0.86). The present study confirmed that the Japanese version of the SWING is an adequate tool to measure positive and negative spillover between working life and family life among Japanese workers.
Routing in a Network with Unreliable Components

A new approach to the joint selection of primary and secondary routes in a network with unreliable components is presented. The mathematical model captures the changes in the operational characteristics of the network as it adapts to failures. Lagrangian relaxation and subgradient optimization techniques are used to obtain good heuristic solutions to the problem, as well as lower bounds to be used as benchmarks against which the quality of the solution is assessed. Results of numerical experiments are reported, and directions for further enhancements of the model are discussed. >
Recent trends in the gene therapy of β-thalassemia

The β-thalassemias are a group of hereditary hematological diseases caused by over 300 mutations of the adult β-globin gene. Together with sickle cell anemia, thalassemia syndromes are among the most impactful diseases in developing countries, in which the lack of genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis have contributed to the maintenance of a very high frequency of these genetic diseases in the population. Gene therapy for β-thalassemia has recently seen steadily accelerating progress and has reached a crossroads in its development. Presently, data from past and ongoing clinical trials guide the design of further clinical and preclinical studies based on gene augmentation, while fundamental insights into globin switching and new technology developments have inspired the investigation of novel gene-therapy approaches. Moreover, human erythropoietic stem cells from β-thalassemia patients have been the cellular targets of choice to date whereas future gene-therapy studies might increasingly draw on induced pluripotent stem cells. Herein, we summarize the most significant developments in β-thalassemia gene therapy over the last decade, with a strong emphasis on the most recent findings, for β-thalassemia model systems; for β-, γ-, and anti-sickling β-globin gene addition and combinatorial approaches including the latest results of clinical trials; and for novel approaches, such as transgene-mediated activation of γ-globin and genome editing using designer nucleases.
Design-Based Research for Deeper Learning in an Online Introductory CS Course for Middle School Students

As computer science (CS) makes its way into K-12 classrooms, lack of teachers to teach CS and pedagogically-sound computing curricula remain significant challenges. Welldesigned online courses deployed on MOOC platforms could serve a crucial need. This paper describes our efforts to use the design-based research methodology to design a 6-week middle school course on the OpenEdX platform for blended in-class learning. Using past research in the learning sciences and computing education as a foundation as well as inspiration from ‘Exploring CS’ high school curriculum, this research adopted an iterative process to design and refine the course ‘Foundations for Advancing Computational Thinking’ (FACT, and empirically study the effectiveness of FACT for development of cognitive and non-cognitive aspects of deeper, transferable computational skills among young teens.
An Examination of the Effects of Different Victimization Types on Psychological and Behavioral Health Outcomes and the Mediating Role of Stress

ABSTRACT Although a considerable amount of research has highlighted the link between interpersonal victimization and adverse psychological and behavioral health, a paucity of research has examined and compared the effects of multiple forms of victimization in the same study. There is also a limited understanding of the underlying individual factors (e.g., emotional processes) that might link experiences of victimization to psychological and behavioral health adversities. To address these gaps, the author used a nationally representative sample of 19,422 Canadians aged 15 years old or older to examine the effects of different types of victimization on psychological and behavioral health outcomes, and to determine whether these associations are mediated by perceived stress. Results revealed that some victimization types (i.e., personal, household/property, cyberbully, ex-partner physical/sexual and emotional abuse) had statistically significant adverse effects on psychological and behavioral health outcomes (i.e., self-report mental health, life satisfaction, satisfaction with safety from crime, and alcohol/drug abuse). Results also revealed that perceived stress mediated the association between some victimization types and psychological, but not behavioral, health outcomes. Discussion points toward the utility of examining multiple victimization types, as well as other converging individual factors or adversities, in explaining psychological and behavioral health outcomes.
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT IN THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a new weapon to satisfy customers and increase their loyalty. The aim of this research is to evaluate CRM in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It attempts to evaluate the awareness, presence and to view the actual implementation of CRM in Bahrain. It also attempts to examine the objectives of CRM, lifecycle, benefits, pitfalls and the implementation of CRM. The paper combines both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The quantitative research includes a questionnaire that is distributed to different business sectors in the Kingdom of Bahrain. On the other hand, the qualitative research includes interviews with two prominent business organizations in the Kingdom and a case study about CRM in the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait. Author Keywords: Customer Relationship Management, Customers, Business Organizations Cooperating in Bahrain.
The Acclimation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum to Blue and Red Light Does Not Influence the Photosynthetic Light Reaction but Strongly Disturbs the Carbon Allocation Pattern

Diatoms are major contributors to the aquatic primary productivity and show an efficient acclimation ability to changing light intensities. Here, we investigated the acclimation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum to different light quality with respect to growth rate, photosynthesis rate, macromolecular composition and the metabolic profile by shifting the light quality from red light (RL) to blue light (BL) and vice versa. Our results show that cultures pre-acclimated to BL and RL exhibited similar growth performance, photosynthesis rates and metabolite profiles. However, light shift experiments revealed rapid and severe changes in the metabolite profile within 15 min as the initial reaction of light acclimation. Thus, during the shift from RL to BL, increased concentrations of amino acids and TCA cycle intermediates were observed whereas during the BL to RL shift the levels of amino acids were decreased and intermediates of glycolysis accumulated. Accordingly, on the time scale of hours the RL to BL shift led to a redirection of carbon into the synthesis of proteins, whereas during the BL to RL shift an accumulation of carbohydrates occurred. Thus, a vast metabolic reorganization of the cells was observed as the initial reaction to changes in light quality. The results are discussed with respect to a putative direct regulation of cellular enzymes by light quality and by transcriptional regulation. Interestingly, the short-term changes in the metabolome were accompanied by changes in the degree of reduction of the plastoquinone pool. Surprisingly, the RL to BL shift led to a severe inhibition of growth within the first 48 h which was not observed during the BL to RL shift. Furthermore, during the phase of growth arrest the photosynthetic performance did not change. We propose arguments that the growth arrest could have been caused by the reorganization of intracellular carbon partitioning.
Localisation using an image-map

This paper looks at the problem of building a visual map for later localisation using images from a typical digital camera. The main objective is an ability to query and match images in general position against a large image data set or an image-map. We have achieved a quick localisation in terms of finding a label of the map by finding similar images in the data set. We use affinely invariant Harris corners and sift descriptors to represent 2d images. A kd-tree is used for indexing, matching, and grouping the data set to form a visual map database. For this application, we have improved a voting technique for a 3d structure and a run-time efficiency of kd-tree to allow a quick finding of similar images and a quick localisation. The result can be applied to a more generic localisation (for mobile robotics) and may be integrated in a visual odometry system.
SOLAR-LIKE OSCILLATIONS IN A METAL-POOR GLOBULAR CLUSTER WITH THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

We present analyses of variability in the red giant stars in the metal-poor globular cluster NGC 6397, based on data obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. We use a nonstandard data reduction approach to turn a 23 day observing run originally aimed at imaging the white dwarf population, into time-series photometry of the cluster's highly saturated red giant stars. With this technique we obtain noise levels in the final power spectra down to 50 parts per million, which allows us to search for low-amplitude solar-like oscillations. We compare the observed excess power seen in the power spectra with estimates of the typical frequency range, frequency spacing, and amplitude from scaling the solar oscillations. We see evidence that the detected variability is consistent with solar-like oscillations in at least one and perhaps up to four stars. With metallicities 2 orders of magnitude lower than those of the Sun, these stars present so far the best evidence of solar-like oscillations in such a low-metallicity environment.
Remarkable ancient divergences amongst neglected lorisiform primates

Lorisiform primates (Primates: Strepsirrhini: Lorisiformes) represent almost 10% of the living primate species and are widely distributed in sub‐Saharan Africa and South/South‐East Asia; however, their taxonomy, evolutionary history, and biogeography are still poorly understood. In this study we report the largest molecular phylogeny in terms of the number of represented taxa. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for 86 lorisiform specimens, including ∼80% of all the species currently recognized. Our results support the monophyly of the Galagidae, but a common ancestry of the Lorisinae and Perodicticinae (family Lorisidae) was not recovered. These three lineages have early origins, with the Galagidae and the Lorisinae diverging in the Oligocene at about 30 Mya and the Perodicticinae emerging in the early Miocene. Our mitochondrial phylogeny agrees with recent studies based on nuclear data, and supports Euoticus as the oldest galagid lineage and the polyphyletic status of Galagoides. Moreover, we have elucidated phylogenetic relationships for several species never included before in a molecular phylogeny. The results obtained in this study suggest that lorisiform diversity remains substantially underestimated and that previously unnoticed cryptic diversity might be present within many lineages, thus urgently requiring a comprehensive taxonomic revision of this primate group. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London
Calculating the Energy Band Structure Using Sampling and Greens Function Techniques

In this paper, a new method based on Greens function theory and Fourier transform analysis has been proposed for calculating band structure with high accuracy and low processing time. This method utilizes sampling of potential energy in some points of crystals unit cell with Dirac delta functions, then through lattice Fourier transform gives us a simple and applicable formula for most of nanostructures. Sampling of potential in a crystal lattice of any kind contains accurate approximation of actual potential energy of atoms in the crystal. The step forward regarding the method concentrated on two novel ideas, Firstly, the potential was sampled and approximated by delta functions spread over the unit cell. Secondly, the principal equation of lattice is translated into reciprocal lattice and resulted in a huge reduction of calculations. By this method, it is possible to extract the band structure of any one, two or three dimensional crystalline structure.
Effects of hypoxia and hypercapnia on thermal tolerance: an integrative assessment on the green abalone (Haliotis fulgens).

With ongoing climate change, rising ocean temperature is usually accompanied by falling oxygen levels (hypoxia) and increasing CO2 concentration (hypercapnia). Both drivers may impose constraints on physiological mechanisms that define thermal limits resulting in increased vulnerability towards warming in marine ectotherms. The present study aimed to detect differences in thermal tolerance by investigating the underlying metabolic responses in the green abalone (Haliotis fulgens) under conditions of hypoxia and hypercapnia. Juvenile abalones were exposed to a temperature ramp (+3 °C day) under hypoxia (50% air saturation) and hypercapnia (~1000 μatm pCO2), both individually and in combination. Impacts on energy metabolism were assessed by analyzing whole animal respiration rates and metabolic profiles of gills and hepatopancreas via H NMR spectroscopy. While hypercapnia had a minor impact on the results of the temperature treatment, hypoxia strongly increased the vulnerability to warming, indicated by respiration rates falling below values expected from an exponential increase and by the onset of anaerobic metabolism suggesting a downward shift of the upper critical temperature. Warming under combined hypoxia and hypercapnia elicited a severe change in metabolism involving a strong accumulation of amino acids, osmolytes and anaerobic end products at intermediate temperatures, followed by declining concentrations at warmer temperatures. This matched the limited capacity to increase metabolic rate, loss of attachment and mortality observed under these conditions suggesting a strong narrowing of the thermal window. In all cases, the accumulation of free amino acids identified proteins as a significant energy source during warming stress.
STRUCTURAL VULNERABILITY AND HIV/STI RISK BEHAVIOR AMONG NEW EXOTIC DANCERS IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

ii COMMITTEE OF FINAL THESIS READERS iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v TABLE OF CONTENTS viii LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Background 2 Study Aims 10 CHAPTER TWO: METHODS 13 Study design and population 14 Qualitative methods: Manuscript one 15 Quantitative methods: Manuscripts two and three 17 Protection of human subjects 25 CHAPTER THREE: MANUSCRIPT ONE 27 Abstract 28 Background 29 Methods 33 Results 36 Discussion 46 CHAPTER FOUR: MANUSCRIPT TWO 51 Abstract 52 Background 52 Methods 56 Results 60 Discussion 63 CHAPTER FIVE: MANUSCRIPT THREE 73 Abstract 74 Background 75 Methods 78 Results 84 Discussion 87
Tinnitus Perception and Distress Is Related to Abnormal Spontaneous Brain Activity as Measured by Magnetoencephalography

Background The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying tinnitus perception are not well understood. Surprisingly, there have been no group studies comparing abnormalities in ongoing, spontaneous neuronal activity in individuals with and without tinnitus perception. Methods and Findings Here, we show that the spontaneous neuronal activity of a group of individuals with tinnitus (n = 17) is characterised by a marked reduction in alpha (8–12 Hz) power together with an enhancement in delta (1.5–4 Hz) as compared to a normal hearing control group (n = 16). This pattern was especially pronounced for temporal regions. Moreover, correlations with tinnitus-related distress revealed strong associations with this abnormal spontaneous activity pattern, particularly in right temporal and left frontal areas. Overall, effects were stronger for the alpha than for the delta frequency band. A data stream of 5 min, recorded with a whole-head neuromagnetometer under a resting condition, was sufficient to extract the marked differences. Conclusions Despite some limitations, there are arguments that the regional pattern of abnormal spontaneous activity we found could reflect a tinnitus-related cortical network. This finding, which suggests that a neurofeedback approach could reduce the adverse effects of this disturbing condition, could have important implications for the treatment of tinnitus.
Inductive Proof Automation for Coq

We introduce inductive proof automation for Coq that supports reasoning about inductively defined data types and recursively defined functions. This includes support for proofs involving case splits and multiple inductive hypotheses. The automation makes use of the rippling heuristic to guide step case proofs as well as heuristics for generalising goals. We include features for caching lemmas that are found during proof search, where these lemmas can be reused in future proof attempts. We show that the techniques we present provide a high-level of automation for inductive proofs which improves upon what is already available in Coq. We also discuss an algorithm that, by inspecting finished proofs, can identify and then remove irrelevant subformulae from cached lemmas, making the latter more reusable. Finally, we compare our work to related research in the field.
The Water Cycle, a Potential Source of the Bacterial Pathogen Bacillus cereus

The behaviour of the sporulating soil-dwelling Bacillus cereus sensu lato (B. cereus sl) which includes foodborne pathogenic strains has been extensively studied in relation to its various animal hosts. The aim of this environmental study was to investigate the water compartments (rain and soil water, as well as groundwater) closely linked to the primary B. cereus sl reservoir, for which available data are limited. B. cereus sl was present, primarily as spores, in all of the tested compartments of an agricultural site, including water from rain to groundwater through soil. During rain events, leachates collected after transfer through the soil eventually reached the groundwater and were loaded with B. cereus sl. In groundwater samples, newly introduced spores of a B. cereus model strain were able to germinate, and vegetative cells arising from this event were detected for up to 50 days. This first B. cereus sl investigation in the various types of interrelated environments suggests that the consideration of the aquatic compartment linked to soil and to climatic events should provide a better understanding of B. cereus sl ecology and thus be relevant for a more accurate risk assessment of food poisoning caused by B. cereus sl pathogenic strains.