Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytotoxic T cells both produce and respond to interleukin 2

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is a T cell-derived lymphokine that serves as a cofactor for the in vitro response of T lymphocytes to antigen and plays an important role in regulating the growth and/or differentiation of these cells (1, 2). It has been postulated (2, 3) that IL-2 is produced by a discrete regulatory T cell subset, with its effects being exerted on a second, functionally distinct subpopulation of T cells. Cytotoxic T cells have been included in the IL-2-responsive subset (3). Several models of immune regulation have further assumed that the T lymphocyte pool is divided into a complex array of genetically preprogrammed T cell subtypes, each performing a specific regulatory or effector function (4, 5). However, recent results from several laboratories (6-8) have failed to support such a strict functional subdivision of the T cell pool. The availability of highly purified mouse IL-2 (1) prompted us to reevaluate the distinction, if any, between IL-2-producing and IL-2- responsive T cells. For this purpose, we resorted to a cell-cloning procedure using activated T lymphocytes that were maintained only for short periods in culture. T cell clones were tested for cytotoxic activity, responsiveness to IL-2, and for the capacity to produce IL-2 after appropriate stimulation. We found no evidence for the existence of a major functional subdivision involving these parameters among alloantigen-activated T cells: the majority of clones analyzed could perform all three functions.
Surfactant Remediation Field Demonstration Using a Vertical Circulation Well

A field demonstration of surfactant‐enhanced solubilization was completed in a shallow unconfined aquifer located at a Coast Guard Station in Traverse City, Michigan. The primary objectives of the study were: (1) to assess the ability of the vertical circulation well (VCW) system for controlling chemical extractants added to the subsurface; and (2) to assess the behavior of the surfactant solution in the subsurface, with a goal of maximum surfactant recovery. A secondary objective was to demonstrate enhanced removal of PCE and recalcitrant components of a jet fuel. The analytical results showed that the surfactant increased the contaminant mass extracted by 40–fold and 90–fold for the PCE and jet fuel constituents, respectively. The surfactant solution demonstrated minimal sorption (retardation) and did not precipitate in the subsurface formation. In addition, the VCW system was able to capture in excess of 95% of the injected surfactant solution. Additional field testing and full‐scale implementation of surfactant‐enhanced subsurface remediation should be performed.
Extension of the New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) chronology to 1724 BC

Long tree-ring chronologies have been constructed in the Northern Hemisphere for dendroclimatology and palaeoenvironmental studies, radiocarbon calibration and archaeological dating. Numerous tree-ring chronologies have also been built in the Southern Hemisphere, primarily for dendroclimatology, but multimillennial chronologies are rare. Development of long chronologies from the Southern Hemisphere is therefore important to provide a long-term perspective on environmental change at local, regional and global scales. This paper describes the extension of the New Zealand Agathis australis (kauri) chronology from AD 911 to 1724 BC. Subfossil (swamp) kauri was collected from 17 swamp sites in the upper North Island. Kauri timbers were also obtained from an early twentieth century house on the University of Auckland campus. Twelve site chronologies and 11 independent tree-sequences were constructed and crossmatched to produce a 3631-yr record, which was calendar dated to 1724 BC-AD 1907 against the modern kauri master chronology. A new long chronology, AGAUc04a, was built by combining the modern kauri data with house timbers and subfossil kauri. This new chronology spans 1724 BC-AD 1998. It is of similar length to chronologies from Tasmania and South America and is the longest tree-ring chronology yet built in New Zealand. The greatest significance of the long kauri chronology lies in its potential as a high-quality palaeoclimate proxy, especially with regard to investigation of the El Ninio-Southern Oscillation phenomenon. The chronology also has application to investigation of extreme environmental events, dendroecology, archaeology and radiocarbon calibration.
An analysis of statistical characteristics of stratus and stratocumulus over eastern Pacific

Observational measurements of cloud base, top, thickness, fraction, and liquid water path (LWP) are analyzed to study the macro‐ and micro‐physical properties of stratus and stratocumulus over the eastern Pacific. It is found that the increase in liquid water content with height in cloud is significantly less than the adiabatic rate. The variations of cloud base and top both contribute to the variation of cloud thickness that approximately fits a normal distribution better than either cloud base or top. Because the distribution of LWP depends on the intervals of cloud fraction (or other environmental variables, for example, relative humidity), the determination of cloud fraction from the mean LWP alone would introduce large uncertainties particularly when LWP is large.
Successional patterns of terrestrial bryophytes along a wildfire chronosequence in the wet eucalypt forests of southern Tasmania.

Terrestrial bryophytes are a major component of wet eucalypt forests and can oen outnumber vascular species in terms of diversity. This study compared ten sites along a wildfire chronosequence in southern Tasmania to determine whether bryophyte total cover and species richness were correlated with forest age (time since fire). Five different age-classes were selected, each defined by the number of years since a stand-replacing fire event: last burnt before 1896 (>110 years), and last burnt in 1898 (108 years), 1934 (72 years), 1967 (39 years) and 2005 (1 year). Forest age was significantly correlated with species richness of terrestrial bryophytes, and species composition was significantly different between the different forest age-classes.
Sound velocity and related properties of marine sediments, North Pacific

This is the first of a series of reports on sound velocity, elasticity, and related properties of marine sediments from sedimentary environments associated with three major physiographic provinces in the North Pacific and adjacent areas: the continental terrace (shelf and slope), the deep-water abyssal plain (turbidite), and the abyssal hill (pelagic). The following properties are listed in tables and illustrated in diagrams that interrelate various properties: grain size (mean diameter, percentages of sand, silt, and clay), bulk density, density of mineral grains, porosity, sound velocity, velocity ratio (velocity in sediment/velocity in sea water), impedance, and density × (velocity)2. Values are given for each sediment type within each environment. Significant differences in the density and porosity of the environments studied are caused by mineralogy, size and shape of grains, and sediment structure; presence of diatoms and clay mineralogy are particularly important. General equations and diagrams relating density and porosity to velocity should be abandoned in favor of entry into diagrams or equations for a single environment; velocity is then predictable within 1 to 2 per cent in most environments. Mean grain size has one of the best empirical relationships with velocity, which permits derivation of useful data from size analyses of dried cores. Porosity and density are excellent indices by which to determine values of impedance and density × (velocity)2. There is no usable, empirical relationship between sound velocity and shear strength (cohesion) as measured in soil mechanics tests. No anisotropic velocity relationships were measured in surficial sediments, and none is predicted for the upper few hundred meters in sea-floor sediments.
Optimal estimation of rational feedforward controllers: An instrumental variable approach

Iterative control enables a significant control performance enhancement by learning feedforward command signals from previous tasks in a batch-to-batch fashion. The aim of this paper is to develop an approach to estimate the parameters of rational feedforward controllers that provide high performance and extrapolation capabilities towards varying tasks. An instrumental variable-based algorithm is developed that leads to unbiased parameter estimates and optimal accuracy in terms of variance. The approach also enables optimal estimation of a feedforward controller using a polynomial basis. Simulation results confirm that optimal accuracy is obtained with the proposed approach.
Stability of load balancing algorithms in dynamic adversarial systems

In the dynamic load balancing problem, we seek to keep the job load roughly evenly distributed among the processors of a given network. The arrival and departure of jobs is modeled by an adversary restricted in its power. Muthukrishnan and Rajaraman (1998) gave a clean characterization of a restriction on the adversary that can be considered the natural analogue of a cut condition. They proved that a simple local balancing algorithm proposed by Aiello et. al. (1993) is stable against such an adversary if the insertion rate is restricted to a (1—ε) fraction of the cut size. They left as an open question whether the algorithm is stable at rate 1.In this paper, we resolve this question positively, by proving stability of the local algorithm at rate 1. Our proof techniques are very different from the ones used by Muthukrishnan and Rajaraman, and yield a simpler proof and tighter bounds on the difference in loads.In addition, we introduce a multi-commodity version of this load balancing model, and show how to extend the result to the case of balancing two different kinds of loads at once (obtaining as a corollary a new proof of the 2-commodity Max-Flow Min-Cut Theorem). We also show how to apply the proof techniques to the problem of routing packets in adversarial systems. Awerbuch et. al. (2001) showed that the same load balancing algorithm is stable against an adversary inserting packets at rate 1 with a single destination, in dynamically changing networks. Our techniques give a much simpler proof for a different model of adversarially changing networks.
Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Network Analysis of Cerebellum with Respect to IQ and Gender

During the last years, it has been established that the prefrontal and posterior parietal brain lobes, which are mostly related to intelligence, have many connections to cerebellum. However, there is a limited research investigating cerebellum's relationship with cognitive processes. In this study, the network of cerebellum was analyzed in order to investigate its overall organization in individuals with low and high crystallized Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were selected from 136 subjects in resting-state from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) database and were further separated into two IQ groups composed of 69 low-IQ and 67 high-IQ subjects. Cerebellum was parcellated into 28 lobules/ROIs (per subject) using a standard cerebellum anatomical atlas. Thereafter, correlation matrices were constructed by computing Pearson's correlation coefficients between the average BOLD time-series for each pair of ROIs inside the cerebellum. By computing conventional graph metrics, small-world network properties were verified using the weighted clustering coefficient and the characteristic path length for estimating the trade-off between segregation and integration. In addition, a connectivity metric was computed for extracting the average cost per network. The concept of the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) was adopted and implemented in order to avoid methodological biases in graph comparisons and retain only the strongest connections per network. Subsequently, six global and three local metrics were calculated in order to retrieve useful features concerning the characteristics of each MST. Moreover, the local metrics of degree and betweenness centrality were used to detect hubs, i.e., nodes with high importance. The computed set of metrics gave rise to extensive statistical analysis in order to examine differences between low and high-IQ groups, as well as between all possible gender-based group combinations. Our results reveal that both male and female networks have small-world properties with differences in females (especially in higher IQ females) indicative of higher neural efficiency in cerebellum. There is a trend toward the same direction in men, but without significant differences. Finally, three lobules showed maximum correlation with the median response time in low-IQ individuals, implying that there is an increased effort dedicated locally by this population in cognitive tasks.
Spatial variability of soil and nutrient characteristics of semi‐arid grasslands and shrublands, Jornada Basin, New Mexico

Heterogeneity of vegetation and soil properties is characteristic of semi‐arid and arid environments. The potential underlying causes of the dynamics that create this spatial variability, with consequent impacts on landscape connectivity and thus ecological and ecohydrological processes, are not clearly understood. An investigation was carried out into the spatial variability of ponded infiltration rate, soil moisture, soil‐aggregate stability, vegetation cover, random roughness and nutrient content in the soil (ammonium, nitrate and phosphorus) at grassland and shrubland sites for two spatial scales in the Jornada Basin, in the northern part of the Chihuahua desert. At the plant‐interplant scale, statistically significant differences exist between vegetated and non‐vegetated sites for soil moisture and infiltration rate within both shrublands and grasslands. The spatial distributions of all other parameters follow a more complex scheme at this scale. At the landscape scale, distinct differences exist for most parameters between the grasslands and the shrubland sites. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the autocorrelation lengths are not simply a function of average shrub sizes, but may be caused by a more complex pattern probably related to the spatial layout of rill and inter‐rill areas and other localized transfers of soil resources through the redistribution of water and wind. These results demonstrate the importance of understanding spatial linkages of processes within the landscape in understanding dryland ecosystem dynamics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeting homologous recombination using imatinib results in enhanced tumor cell chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity

RAD51 is a key protein in the homologous recombination (HR) pathway of DNA double-strand break repair, and HR represents a novel target for cancer therapy. Because imatinib (Gleevec) has been reported to reduce RAD51 protein levels, we tested the clonogenic survival for RT112, H1299, PANC1, and PC3 tumor cell lines of varying p53 status and normal GM05757 normal fibroblasts after exposure to single agent imatinib (0–20 μmol/L; 0–72 hours). We also combined imatinib with DNA damaging agents that are toxic to RAD51-deficient cells, including ionizing radiation, gemcitabine, and mitomycin C. We observed decreased nuclear expression and chromatin binding of RAD51 protein following imatinib treatment. Imatinib also resulted in decreased error-free HR as determined by a flow cytometry–based integrated direct repeat-green fusion protein reporter system; this correlated to reduced RAD51 expression. Clonogenic survival experiments revealed increased cell kill for imatinib-treated cells in combination with ionizing radiation, gemcitabine, and mitomycin C, due in part to mitotic catastrophe. In experiments using imatinib and gemcitabine, tumor cell lines were sensitized to a greater extent than normal fibroblasts. This preservation of the therapeutic ratio was confirmed in vivo using PC3 xenograft growth delay and intestinal crypt cell clonogenic assays. HR inhibition may be an additional mechanism of action for the chemosensitization and radiosensitization of solid tumors with imatinib with preservation of the therapeutic ratio. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(1):203–13]
Video repairing under variable illumination using cyclic motions

This paper presents a complete system capable of synthesizing a large number of pixels that are missing due to occlusion or damage in an uncalibrated input video. These missing pixels may correspond to the static background or cyclic motions of the captured scene. Our system employs user-assisted video layer segmentation, while the main processing in video repair is fully automatic. The input video is first decomposed into the color and illumination videos. The necessary temporal consistency is maintained by tensor voting in the spatio-temporal domain. Missing colors and illumination of the background are synthesized by applying image repairing. Finally, the occluded motions are inferred by spatio-temporal alignment of collected samples at multiple scales. We experimented on our system with some difficult examples with variable illumination, where the capturing camera can be stationary or in motion.
Patterns of Cognitive Performance in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Cluster Analytic Examination

Cognitive decline in speeded abilities, executive function, and memory is believed to typify normal aging. However, there is significant variability in cognitive function with advanced age and some reports of relatively intact cognitive function among a subset of older individuals. The present study consists of a cluster analysis to examine the patterns of cognitive function in middle-aged and older individuals. Analyses revealed 3 clusters of middle-aged adults, including an intact group, persons with poor motor speed, and a group with reduced executive function. Three clusters were also identified for older adults, including a group with poor executive function, persons with reduced speed performance (attention, executive function, motor), and a group with global cognitive decline. No evidence emerged for a cluster of older adults with intact performance in all domains or with isolated memory deficits. Findings generally support the frontal aging hypothesis and may provide important information about healthy cognitive aging.
Implementing Memristor Based Chaotic Circuits

This paper provides a practical implementation of a memristor based chaotic circuit. We realize a memristor using off-the-shelf components and then construct the memristor along with the associated chaotic circuit on a breadboard. The goal is to construct a physical chaotic circuit that employs the four fundamental circuit elements — the resistor, capacitor, inductor and the memristor. The central concept behind the memristor circuit is to use an analog integrator to obtain the electric flux across the memristor and then use the flux to obtain the memristor's characterstic function.
HAZARDS OF LNG SPILLAGE IN MARINE TRANSPORTATION

Abstract : An investigation of the hazard of spillage of liquefied natural gas onto water is described. About 2000 gallons of LNG were consumed in various tests. The initial vaporization rate of LNG following spillage was found to be 0.037 lbs/sq ft sec; when the spill was confined, this vaporization rate was moderated after about 20 seconds by the growth of an ice layer on the water surface; when the spill was unconfined, a coherent ice floe was not observed and the vaporization rate was essentially time-dependent. Downwind of a natural gas source, time-averaged methane concentrations were given in good approximation by standard air pollution equations. However, peak concentrations were as much as twenty fold higher than average, adding an additional factor to the assessment of hazard. The effect of layering by the cold vaporized natural gas was similar to the effect of a temperature inversion on normal gases in the atmosphere. Small- scale explosions were observed on pouring LNG onto a water surface. These explosions are discussed but no single explanations seems pertinent to all of the incidents observed.
Elemental transport upon hydration of basic schists during regional metamorphism : Geochemical evidence from the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, Japan

Copyright © 2014 by The Geochemical Society of Japan. U, Th and Pb, may create the global isotopic heterogeneity of the mantle (Iwamori et al., 2010). High pressure experiments on fluid-rock interactions have revealed that LILE, Pb and LREE are preferentially partitioned into fluids under sub-arc P–T conditions (Tatsumi et al., 1986; Kogiso et al., 1997; Kessel et al., 2005), being consistent with the compositions of arc volcanic rocks on the surface (e.g., Ishikawa and Nakamura, 1994; Pearce et al., 2005). These studies indicate that fluid flow associated with dehydration of subducting slabs play major roles on the elemental budgets of the subduction zones, especially for LILE, Pb and LREE as well as Sr–Nd–Pb isotope ratios. While these experiments and observations put constraints on the overall elemental budgets from the slab inventory to the volcanic rocks as an output from “subduction factory” (Ayers, 1998; Hacker, 2003; Kimura et Elemental transport upon hydration of basic schists during regional metamorphism: Geochemical evidence from the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, Japan
Seismic characterization of methane hydrate structures

Bottom simulating reflectors (BSR) seem to be associated with the base of the stability zone of methane hydrates. These methane hydrates represent a potential future energy resource and might have a strong “greenhouse” effect on global climate. In this dissertation I integrate seismic and rock-physics to analyze seismic data from the Blake Outer Ridge, offshore Florida. I infer the cause of the BSR visible in the data and estimate the amount of hydrate present in the sediment structure. Using stacking velocity analysis, 2-D impedance inversion and AVO analysis, I show that the Blake Outer Ridge BSR is caused by hydrate-bearing sediments overlying gas-saturated sediments. Furthermore, the analysis suggests that a flat reflector beneath the BSR represents the transition of gasto brine-saturated sediments. Using the interval velocity obtained from the RMS velocities in conjunction with physical rock models, I provide a theoretical tool to quantify the amount of hydrate present. I examine three micromechanical models of hydrate formation: (A) hydrate is part of the pore fluid, ( B) hydrate becomes part of the solid frame, and (C) hydrate cements grain contacts together. Model A predicts maximum hydrate saturation between 20% and 26%, model B saturations between 15% and 20%, and model C saturations of less than 1%. Subsequently, I analyze the stability of these estimates to errors in interval velocity. Such errors can cause the estimations to vary as much as ± 14%, indicating that accurate velocity determination is crucial. The saturation estimation technique is furthermore validated by using known sonic velocities and porosities from two wells at the Blake Ridge. Finally, in order to differentiate between the different models, I use forward 1-D modeling and AVO analysis. Both models A and B can qualitatively reproduce the BSR amplitude trend observed in the seismic data, however, they cannot be distinguished by means