Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perching of Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus) Nestlings at the Nest Box Entrance: Effect of Time of the Day, Age, Wing Length and Body Weight

The behaviour of the nestlings of nocturnal cavity-nesting species has relatively rarely been studied in detail because of problems connected with use of the technical devices required to provide long-term monitoring of individuals. However, long-term observation of nestling behaviour is crucial in order to identify different types of behaviour which may be caused by sibling competition at the end of nesting period. We studied behaviour of 43 Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) nestlings at 14 nests using a camera and a chip system. The nestlings perched at the nest box entrance from an average age of 28 days from hatching (range 24–34 days) until fledging, spending around 2 hours per day here in total, in periods ranging from a few seconds to 147 min (7.6±10.9 min, mean ± SD). We found that individual duration of perching at the nest box entrance was significantly influenced by nestlings' age and wing length and that the duration of perching at the nest box entrance significantly decreased with time of night. However, during daylight hours, time of day had no effect on either probability or duration of nestlings' perching. We suggest daylight perching at the nest box entrance results from nestlings' preparation for fledging, while individuals perching here during the night may gain an advantageous position for obtaining food from the parents; another possibility at all times of day is that nestlings can reaffirm their social dominance status by monopolizing the nest box entrance.
Impacted Foreign Bodies in the Maxillofacial Region-Diagnosis and Treatment

Foreign bodies are often encountered by oral and maxillofacial surgeons and may present a diagnostic challenge to the trauma surgeon due to many factors such as the size of the object, the difficult access, and a close anatomic relationship of the foreign body to vital structures. They are usually a result of injuries or operations. Fragments of broken instruments can be left behind and entire teeth or their fragments can be displaced during extraction. The approach to this kind of injury should be sequential and multidisciplinary, beginning with the trauma unit that will provide maintenance of the airways, hemodynamic stabilization, and, but only if necessary, neurologic, ophthalmologic, and vascular evaluation. With a view to illustrating and discussing the diagnosis and treatment of this kind of injury, this study reports impacted foreign bodies in oral and maxillofacial region. The following data were collected: age, sex, race, etiology, occurrence of fracture, anatomic location of the fracture, daytime of the traumatic event, type of the object, signal and symptoms, type of imaging examination used, type of anesthesia, approach, transoperative complication, period between surgery and hospital liberation, and the occurrence of death. Foreign body injuries in the maxillofacial region can place the patient's life at risk, so a correct initial treatment performed by a multidisciplinary team increases the survival of this kind of patient.
Taxon, Site and Temporal Differentiation Using Dental Microwear in the Southern African Papionins

The evolutionary history of the South African papionins is a useful analog for the emergence of hominids in South Africa. However, the taxonomic relationships of the papionins are unclear. This study uses low-magnification stereomicroscopy to examine dental microwear and uses the microwear signals to explore the existing classification of these papionins. The results from the species and site level analyses are equivocal. However, the genera and time period results show clear evidence for a dietary change between the extinct and extant forms of Papio and Parapapio. This adds an additional tool for distinguishing these two groups. The dietary changes witnessed in the papionins are likely found in the hominids from the Plio-Pleistocene. Using the papionin analog, hominid dietary evolution may be explored.
Contrasting the flavors of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation using sea surface salinity observations

[1] The recent detection of a central Pacific type of El Nino has added a new dimension to the El Nino-Southern Oscillation climatic puzzle. Sea surface salinity (SSS) observations collected during 1977–2008 in the tropical Pacific are used to contrast the three eastern Pacific (EP) (1982–1983, 1991–1992, 1997–1998) and seven central Pacific (CP) (1977–1978, 1986–1988, 1990–1991, 1992–1995, 2002–2003, 2004–2005, 2006–2007) types of El Nino events, as well as the six EP (1985–1986, 1988–1989, 1995–1996, 1999–2001, 2005–2006, 2007–2008) and two CP (1983–1984, 1998–1999) types of La Nina events. The EP El Nino events result in large (∼30° longitude) eastward displacements of the eastern edge of the low-salinity warm pool waters in the equatorial band, a resulting well-marked SSS freshening (∼−1) near the dateline, and a SSS increase (∼+1) below the mean position of the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). The CP El Nino events are characterized by smaller (50%) eastward displacements of the eastern edge, a ∼15° longitude westward shift of the equatorial SSS freshening, and a comparatively reduced (∼50%) SSS increase in the SPCZ. A qualitative analysis indicates that changes in zonal currents and precipitation can account for the observed contrasted signature in SSS. Eastward current anomalies appear over most of the equatorial band during EP El Nino events. In contrast, there is a tendency for zonal current convergence slightly west of the dateline during CP El Nino events, consistent with the confinement of the warm/fresh pool in the western central equatorial basin, the related quasi-inexistent northeastward migration of the SPCZ, and associated heavy precipitation regime.
Lengthening of the Lateral Column and Reconstruction of the Medial Soft Tissue for Treatment of Acquired Flatfoot Deformity Associated with Insufficiency of the Posterior Tibial Tendon

We analyzed our results of surgery for acquired flatfoot deformity after dysfunction of the posterior tibial tendon. This included lengthening the proximal lateral column by calcaneal osteotomy and reconstructing the medial soft tissue. Nineteen patients (9 women and 10 men; average age, 52.9 years [range, 24–72 years]) were treated for stage II and stage II–III insufficiency of the posterior tibial tendon. The medial soft tissue surgery included 18 reconstructions of the tendon, 11 transfers of the flexor digitorum longus tendon, 13 repairs of the deltoid ligament, and 3 repairs of the spring ligament. At follow-up (mean, 23.4 months), all patients had satisfactory restoration of their medial longitudinal arch, reduction of abduction in the forefoot, and restored height in the arch. All patients were able to bear weight fully on the foot that underwent surgery, and all but one were satisfied with the result achieved. The clinical result was rated as excellent in 6, good in 11, and fair in 2 cases. In all but one case, no loss of achieved correction in the foot was found. In one case, the calcaneocuboid joint had to undergo arthrodesis after 5 months because of painful degenerative joint disease. In the pes planovalgus and abductus deformities occurring in stage II disease, calcaneal osteotomy and reconstruction of the medial tendon and ligament seem to play a significant role in operative management. This was the case only when degenerative joint disease and significant subluxation of the subtalar or talonavicular joint or both had not already occurred. They seem to function by restoring more normal biomechanics, which allows reconstructed or transferred tendon to function successfully.
Functional reassembly of membrane proteins in planar lipid bilayers

Recent progress in membrane biology has brought us to a stage where it is possible to associate complex biological processes to identifiable membrane proteins. Technical advances in the biochemical characterization and purification of membrane proteins have contributed a wealth of structural information. The reconstitution approach has proved to be valuable in our efforts to understand the molecular mechanisms of membrane transport and energy transduction.
Effect of modified dairy fat on fasting and postprandial haemostatic variables in healthy young men

It has been suggested that milk fat, due to its content of saturated fatty acids, may have a thrombogenic effect. In the present study the fatty acid profile of milk fat was modified by changing the feeding regimens of cows and the effect on haemostatic variables of a diet containing the modified milk fat (M) was compared with that of a diet containing milk fat of typical Danish composition (D). In the modified fat 16% of the saturated fatty acid (C12–C16) content was replaced mainly by oleic acid. Eighteen subjects were fed on two strictly controlled isoenergetic diets containing 40% energy from total fat (30% energy from the test fats) for periods of 4 weeks in a study with a crossover design. Fasting samples were taken in the last week of each study period. Postprandial samples were taken on day 21, 3 h after lunch (n 18), and on the last day of the study 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after a fat load containing 1·2 g of one of the milk fats/kg body weight (n 8). After 4 weeks' dietary intervention fasting plasma factor VII coagulant (FVIIc) activity, tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) antigen and β-thromboglobulin did not differ between diets M and D. Postprandially FVIIc and t-PA activities increased (P < 0·001) and PAI-1 antigen and PAI-1 activity decreased (P < 0·001) as compared with fasting values, regardless of diet. After the fat load, the postprandial increase in FVIIc was marginally lower after diet M than diet D (diet effect, P < 0·05). In conclusion, the modified milk fat obtained by the applied feeding strategy had virtually the same effects on haemostatic variables as conventional milk fat.
Physically Targeted Intravenous Polyurethane Nanoparticles for Controlled Release of Atorvastatin Calcium

Background: Intravenous drug delivery is an advantageous choice for rapid administration, immediate drug effect, and avoidance of first-pass metabolism in oral drug delivery. In this study, the synthesis, formulation, and characterization of atorvastatin-loaded polyurethane (PU) nanoparticles were investigated for intravenous route of administration. Method: First, PU was synthesized and characterized. Second, nanoparticles were prepared in four different ratios of drug to polymer through two different techniques, including emulsion-diffusion and single-emulsion. Finally, particle size and polydispersity index, shape and surface morphology, drug entrapment efficiency (EE), drug loading, and in vitro release were evaluated by dynamics light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and UV visible spectroscopy, respectively. Results: Within two methods, the prepared nanoparticles had a spherical shape and a smooth surface with a diversity of size ranged from 174.04 nm to 277.24 nm in emulsion-diffusion and from 306.5 nm to 393.12 in the single-emulsion method. The highest EE was 84.76%, for (1:4) sample in the emulsion-diffusion method. It has also been shown that in vitro release of nanoparticles, using the emulsion-diffusion method, was sustained up to eight days by two mechanisms: drug diffusion and polymer relaxation. Conclusion: PU nanoparticles, that were prepared by the emulsion-diffusion method, could be used as effective carriers for the controlled drug delivery of poorly water soluble drugs such as atorvastatin calcium.
Memory-aware and high-throughput hardware design for the HEVC fractional motion estimation

This paper presents a hardware design for the Fractional Motion Estimation (FME) of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard. The solution designed in this work uses a scheme to reduce the number of accesses to the reference frames stored in the external memory in up to 49.22%. A strategy to reduce the computational effort is also used. This strategy consists in using only the four square-shaped Prediction Unit (PU) sizes rather than using all the 24 possible PU sizes. This approach reduces the total encoding time in about 59%, with a bit-rate increase of only 4% for the same image quality. The hardware design was described in VHDL and synthesized for FPGA and ASIC technologies. The synthesis results for TSMC 65nm standard cells demonstrate that the developed design is able to process UHD 2160p videos at 60 frames per second (fps), reducing the required hardware resources in about five times when compared with the main related work.
The replication timing program of the Chinese hamster β-globin locus is established coincident with its repositioning near peripheral heterochromatin in early G1 phase

We have examined the dynamics of nuclear repositioning and the establishment of a replication timing program for the actively transcribed dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) locus and the silent β-globin gene locus in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The DHFR locus was internally localized and replicated early, whereas the β-globin locus was localized adjacent to the nuclear periphery and replicated during the middle of S phase, coincident with replication of peripheral heterochromatin. Nuclei were prepared from cells synchronized at various times during early G1 phase and stimulated to enter S phase by introduction into Xenopus egg extracts, and the timing of DHFR and β-globin replication was evaluated in vitro. With nuclei isolated 1 h after mitosis, neither locus was preferentially replicated before the other. However, with nuclei isolated 2 or 3 h after mitosis, there was a strong preference for replication of DHFR before β-globin. Measurements of the distance of DHFR and β-globin to the nuclear periphery revealed that the repositioning of the β-globin locus adjacent to peripheral heterochromatin also took place between 1 and 2 h after mitosis. These results suggest that the CHO β-globin locus acquires the replication timing program of peripheral heterochromatin upon association with the peripheral subnuclear compartment during early G1 phase.
Measuring Polarization in High-Dimensional Data: Method and Application to Congressional Speech

This paper studies trends in the partisanship of Congressional speech from 1873 to 2009. It defines partisanship to be the ease with which an observer could infer a congresspersonâ€™s party from a fixed amount of speech, and estimates it using a structural choice model and methods from machine learning. This paper applies tools from structural estimation and machine learning to study the partisanship of language in the US Congress. [Working Paper 22423]
Input stimulus comparison using an adaptive FPGA-based testing system

In this paper the comparison of input stimulus signals using an adaptive FPGA-based testing system based on a method utilising wavelet transformation of the current waveforms is presented. The testing scheme is innovative because it offers the ability of applying different input stimulus signals with respect to the requirements of the examined circuit. Moreover, the method used is simple, offers a single-point test measurement solution and may easily be adapted to test various other analog and mixed-signal systems. Experimental results are presented showing the effectiveness of the proposed testing scheme.
Biallelic deleterious BRCA1 mutations in a woman with early-onset ovarian cancer.

UNLABELLED BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most important breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes. Biallelic mutations in BRCA2 can lead to Fanconi anemia and predisposition to cancers, whereas biallelic BRCA1 mutations have not been confirmed, presumably because one wild-type BRCA1 allele is required during embryogenesis. This study describes an individual who was diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma at age 28 and found to have one allele with a deleterious mutation in BRCA1, c.2457delC (p.Asp821Ilefs*25), and a second allele with a variant of unknown significance in BRCA1, c.5207T>C (p.Val1736Ala). Medical records revealed short stature, microcephaly, developmental delay, and significant toxicity from chemotherapy. BRCA1 p.Val1736Ala cosegregated with cancer in multiple families, associated tumors showed loss of wild-type BRCA1, and BRCA1 p.Val1736Ala showed reduced DNA damage localization. These findings represent the first validated example of biallelic deleterious human BRCA1 mutations and have implications for the interpretation of genetic test results. SIGNIFICANCE Accurate assessment of genetic testing data for BRCA1 mutations is essential for clinical monitoring and treatment strategies. Here, we report the fi rst validated example of an individual with biallelic BRCA1 mutations, early-onset ovarian cancer, and clinically significant hypersensitivity to chemotherapy.
A typology of teaching roles and relationships for medical education

Abstract Background: Educational programs involve interactions between the instructors and the learners. In these interactions, instructors may play various roles. However, a nomenclature for relationships with learners appropriate to those roles has not been developed for medical education. Aims: This article presents a typology of instructor’s roles to facilitate the connection of outcomes with instructional methods and to inform training sessions for instructors. Method: Published articles in general education and medical education were searched for examples of terms used for instructor’s roles in developmental interactions. Examples were grouped and classified to develop a two-dimensional typology. Results: The typology has eight categories on two dimensions. One dimension is the purpose for interaction: (1) knowledge transmission, (2) professional identity formation, (3) negotiating the institutional milieu, and (4) relationship building. The other dimension is dichotomous on whether the instructor is a member of the profession to which the learners aspire. Twelve terms were categorized: Advisor, Advocate, Buddy, Coach, Counselor, Facilitator, Guru, Master, Mentor, Role model, Teacher and Tutor. Conclusions: Faculty instructors in medical education are often pressed for time, so clarifying role expectations is a low-cost scheme to enhance results. Using the typology can align instructor behavior with the desired learner outcomes and enhance efficient use of instructional time.
A Comparison of the Ovulation Method With the CUE Ovulation Predictor in Determining the Fertile Period

&NA; The purpose of this study was to compare the CUE Ovulation Predictor with the ovulation method in determining the fertile period. Eleven regularly ovulating women measured their salivary and vaginal electrical resistance (ER) with the CUE, observed their cervical‐vaginal mucus, and measured their urine for a luteinizing hormone (LH) surge on a daily basis. Data from 21 menstrual cycles showed no statistical difference (T= 0.33, p= 0.63) between the CUE fertile period, which ranged from 5 to 10 days (mean = 6.7 days, SD = 1.6), and the fertile period of the ovulation method, which ranged from 4 to 9 days (mean = 6.5 days, SD = 2.0). The CUE has potential as an adjunctive device in the learning and use of natural family planning methods.
IAQ and energy implications of high efficiency filters in residential buildings: A review (RP-1649)

Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) in residential buildings can cause adverse health risks for building occupants. One approach to mitigate this exposure is the use of filters in HVAC systems. In this article, we present an integrated picture of the overall performance of higher efficiency residential filters by assessing the impacts of their use in residences that incorporate a forced air recirculating HVAC system. We answer two major research questions in this article: (1) What is the effectiveness of higher efficiency filters in reducing residential PM concentrations? (2) What is the impact of higher efficiency filters on system energy use? The results show that a high efficiency filter can be effective in reducing indoor PM concentrations if HVAC system runtime (the fraction of time an HVAC system operates) is high and if particle removal by the filter is greater than deposition and ventilation losses. In addition, higher efficiency filters generally only slightly change system energy use. Cost–benefit analyses of filters in residences show that increasing filter efficiency may not be as fruitful compared to doing so in commercial buildings due to operational differences of residential systems. Overall results suggest caution when assuming that higher efficiency filters perform better in residences when compared to lower efficiency filters.
Comparative divertor-transport study for helical devices

Using the island divertors (IDs) of W7-AS and W7-X and the helical divertor (HD) of LHD as examples, the paper presents a comparative divertor transport study for three typical helical devices of different machine sizes following two distinct divertor concepts, aiming at identifying common physics issues/effects for mutual validation and combined studies. Based on EMC3/EIRENE simulations supported by experimental results, the paper first reviews and compares the essential transport features of the W7-AS ID and the LHD HD in order to build a base and framework for a predictive study of W7-X. The fundamental role of low-order magnetic islands in both divertor concepts is emphasized. Preliminary EMC3/EIRENE simulation results for W7-X are presented and discussed with respect to W7-AS and LHD in order to show how the individual field and divertor topologies affect the divertor transport and performance. For instance, a high recycling regime, which is absent from W7-AS and LHD, is predicted to exist for W7-X. The paper focuses on identifying and understanding the role of divertors for high density plasma operations in helical devices. In this regard, special attention is paid to investigating the divertor function for controlling intrinsic impurities. Impurity transport behaviour and wall-sputtering processes of CX-neutrals are studied under different divertor plasma conditions. A divertor retention effect on intrinsic impurities at high SOL collisonalities is predicted for all the three devices. The required SOL plasma conditions and the underlying mechanisms are analysed in detail. Numerical results are discussed in conjunction with the experimental observations for high density divertor plasmas in W7-AS and LHD. Different SOL transport regimes are numerically identified for the standard divertor configuration of W7-X and the possible consequences on high density plasmas are assessed. All the EMC3-EIRENE simulations presented in this paper are based on vacuum fields and comparisons with local diagnostics are made for low-ß plasmas.
Analysis of shoreline change in Cua Dai beach by using Empirical Orthogonal Function

ABSTRACT Cua Dai beach, located in Hoi An town – Quang Nam province, has experienced serious erosion for the past few years with extremely high speed of shoreline retreat. Despite coastal erosion itself may not be that much problematic, it turns out to be serious problem since there is a large residential area right behind and a huge investment in tourism has been done. Generally, causes of erosion are among unbalance of sediment transport, storm surges and sea level rise. However, the rate of shoreline retreat in Cua Dai beach within the past decade is so aberrant and not likely to be explained by the above phenomenon alone. The goal of this study is to consider effective factors of this coastal erosion based on analysis of the recent progress of erosion using Empirical Orthogonal Function. As a result, the dominant factor for the long-term erosion is concerned to be the change of longshore sediment transport, which was caused by the decrease in sediment supply from Thu Bon River. Therefore, it is recommended to collect more data on sediment transport in the river system and study the relationship between coastal erosion and the change of sediment supply.