Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potential Influences of Neglecting Aerosol Effects on the NCEP GFS Precipitation Forecast

Abstract. Aerosol–cloud interactions (ACIs) have been widely recognized as a factor affecting precipitation. However, they have not been considered in the operational National Centers for Environmental Predictions Global Forecast System model. We evaluated the potential impact of neglecting ACI on the operational rainfall forecast using ground-based and satellite observations and model reanalysis. The Climate Prediction Center unified gauge-based precipitation analysis and the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Version 2 aerosol reanalysis were used to evaluate the forecast in three countries for the year 2015. The overestimation of light rain (47.84 %) and underestimation of heavier rain (31.83, 52.94, and 65.74 % for moderate rain, heavy rain, and very heavy rain, respectively) from the model are qualitatively consistent with the potential errors arising from not accounting for ACI, although other factors cannot be totally ruled out. The standard deviation of the forecast bias was significantly correlated with aerosol optical depth in Australia, the US, and China. To gain further insight, we chose the province of Fujian in China to pursue a more insightful investigation using a suite of variables from gauge-based observations of precipitation, visibility, water vapor, convective available potential energy (CAPE), and satellite datasets. Similar forecast biases were found: over-forecasted light rain and under-forecasted heavy rain. Long-term analyses revealed an increasing trend in heavy rain in summer and a decreasing trend in light rain in other seasons, accompanied by a decreasing trend in visibility, no trend in water vapor, and a slight increasing trend in summertime CAPE. More aerosols decreased cloud effective radii for cases where the liquid water path was greater than 100 g m−2. All findings are consistent with the effects of ACI, i.e., where aerosols inhibit the development of shallow liquid clouds and invigorate warm-base mixed-phase clouds (especially in summertime), which in turn affects precipitation. While we cannot establish rigorous causal relations based on the analyses presented in this study, the significant rainfall forecast bias seen in operational weather forecast model simulations warrants consideration in future model improvements.
The FNR family of transcriptional regulators

Homologues of the transcriptional regulator FNR from Escherichia coli have been identified in a variety of taxonomically diverse bacterial species. Despite being structurally very similar, members of the FNR family have disparate regulatory roles. Those from Shewanella putrefaciens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas stutzeri and Rhodopseudomonas palustris are functionally similar to FNR in that they regulate anaerobic respiration or carbon metabolism. Four rhizobial proteins (from Rhizobium meliloti, R. leguminosarum, B. japonicum and Azorhizobium caulinodans ) are involved in the regulation of nitrogen fixation; a fifth (from Rhizobium strain IC3342) has unknown function. Two proteins from mammalian pathogens (Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Bordetella pertussis ) may be involved in the regulation of toxin expression. The FNR protein of Vibriofischeri regulates bioluminescence, and the function of the one known FNR homologue from a Gram-positive organism (Lactobacillus casei ) remains to be elucidated. Some members of this family, like FNR itself, appear to function as sensors of oxygen availability, whereas others do not. The ability to sense and respond to oxygen limitation may be correlated with the presence of cysteine residues which, in the case of FNR, are thought to be involved in oxygen or redox sensing. The mechanism of DNA sequence recognition is probably conserved, or very similar, throughout this family. In a number of other Gram-negative species, there is good indirect evidence for the existence of FNR analogues; these include Alcaligenes eutrophus, A. denitrificans, A. faecalis, Paracoccus denitrificans and a number of Pseudomonas species.
Modeling of Stick‐Slip Behavior in Sheared Granular Fault Gouge Using the Combined Finite‐Discrete Element Method

Sheared granular layers undergoing stick‐slip behavior are broadly employed to study the physics and dynamics of earthquakes. Here a two‐dimensional implementation of the combined finite‐discrete element method (FDEM), which merges the finite element method (FEM) and the discrete element method (DEM), is used to explicitly simulate a sheared granular fault system including both gouge and plate, and to investigate the influence of different normal loads on seismic moment, macroscopic friction coefficient, kinetic energy, gouge layer thickness, and recurrence time between slips. In the FDEM model, the deformation of plates and particles is simulated using the FEM formulation while particle‐particle and particle‐plate interactions are modeled using DEM‐derived techniques. The simulated seismic moment distributions are generally consistent with those obtained from the laboratory experiments. In addition, the simulation results demonstrate that with increasing normal load, (i) the kinetic energy of the granular fault system increases, (ii) the gouge layer thickness shows a decreasing trend, and (iii) the macroscopic friction coefficient does not experience much change. Analyses of the slip events reveal that, as the normal load increases, more slip events with large kinetic energy release and longer recurrence time occur, and the magnitude of gouge layer thickness decrease also tends to be larger; while the macroscopic friction coefficient drop decreases. The simulations not only reveal the influence of normal loads on the dynamics of sheared granular fault gouge but also demonstrate the capabilities of FDEM for studying stick‐slip dynamic behavior of granular fault systems.
Human platelet myosin. II. In vitro assembly and structure of myosin filaments

We have used electron microscopy and solubility measurements to investigate the assembly and structure of purified human platelet myosin and myosin rod into filaments. In buffers with ionic strengths of less than 0.3 M, platelet myosin forms filaments which are remarkable for their small size, being only 320 nm long and 10-11 nm wide in the center of the bare zone. The dimensions of these filaments are not affected greatly by variation of the pH between 7 and 8, variation of the ionic strength between 0.05 and 0.2 M, the presence or absence of 1 mM Mg++ or ATP, or variation of the myosin concentration between 0.05 and 0.7 mg/ml. In 1 mM Ca++ and at pH 6.5 the filaments grow slightly larger. More than 90% of purified platelet myosin molecules assemble into filaments in 0.1 M KC1 at pH 7. Purified preparations of the tail fragment of platelet myosin also form filaments. These filaments are slightly larger than myosin filaments formed under the same conditions, indicating that the size of the myosin filaments may be influenced by some interaction between the head and tail portions of myosin molecules. Calculations based on the size and shape of the myosin filaments, the dimensions of the myosin molecule and analysis of the bare zone reveal that the synthetic platelet myosin filaments consists of 28 myosin molecules arranged in a bipolar array with the heads of two myosin molecules projecting from the backbone of the filament at 14-15 nm intervals. The heads appear to be loosely attached to the backbone by a flexible portion of the myosin tail. Given the concentration of myosin in platelets and the number of myosin molecules per filament, very few of these thin myosin filaments should be present in a thin section of a platelet, even if all of the myosin molecules are aggregated into filaments.
Remediation of NAPL Source Zones: Lessons Learned from Field Studies at Hill and Dover AFB

Innovative remediation studies were conducted between 1994 and 2004 at sites contaminated by nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) at Hill and Dover AFB, and included technologies that mobilize, solubilize, and volatilize NAPL: air sparging (AS), surfactant flushing, cosolvent flooding, and flushing with a complexing‐sugar solution. The experiments proved that aggressive remedial efforts tailored to the contaminant can remove more than 90% of the NAPL‐phase contaminant mass. Site‐characterization methods were tested as part of these field efforts, including partitioning tracer tests, biotracer tests, and mass‐flux measurements. A significant reduction in the groundwater contaminant mass flux was achieved despite incomplete removal of the source. The effectiveness of soil, groundwater, and tracer based characterization methods may be site and technology specific. Employing multiple methods can improve characterization. The studies elucidated the importance of small‐scale heterogeneities on remediation effectiveness, and fomented research on enhanced‐delivery methods. Most contaminant removal occurs in hydraulically accessible zones, and complete removal is limited by contaminant mass stored in inaccessible zones. These studies illustrated the importance of understanding the fluid dynamics and interfacial behavior of injected fluids on remediation design and implementation. The importance of understanding the dynamics of NAPL‐mixture dissolution and removal was highlighted. The results from these studies helped researchers better understand what processes and scales are most important to include in mathematical models used for design and data analysis. Finally, the work at these sites emphasized the importance and feasibility of recycling and reusing chemical agents, and enabled the implementation and success of follow‐on full‐scale efforts.
An Overview of Isotropic Conductive Adhesives Filled with Metal-coated Polymer Spheres

Novel isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs) filled with metal-coated polymer spheres (MPS) have been introduced in order to improve the mechanical performance, and hence the reliability, compared to conventional ICAs filled with solid silver (Ag) particles. This paper summarizes a number of characterization studies on the electrical, the mechanical and the rheological properties, as well as a study on the reliability, of MPS-based ICAs. The feasibility of the ICAs filled with MPS has been demonstrated in terms of potential processing capabilities, improved mechanical performance and competitive electrical properties (compared to conventional ICAs with Ag flakes). Therefore, the MPS-based ICAs have a good potential for demanding environment applications, in which electronic products (e.g., hand held devices) are subjected to thermal shock and thermal cycling, mechanical vibration and mechanical shock.
Atherogenic Risk Assessment among Persons Living in Rural Uganda

Background. Hypertension and dyslipidemia are independent risk factors for coronary heart disease and commonly coexist. Cardiovascular risk can be reliably predicted using lipid ratios such as the atherogenic index, a useful prognostic parameter for guiding timely interventions. Objective. We assessed the cardiovascular risk profile based on the atherogenic index of residents within a rural Ugandan cohort. Methods. In 2011, a population based survey was conducted among 7507 participants. Sociodemographic characteristics, physical measurements (blood pressure, weight, height, and waist and hip circumference), and blood sampling for nonfasting lipid profile were collected for each participant. Atherogenic risk profile, defined as logarithm base ten of (triglyceride divided by high density lipoprotein cholesterol), was categorised as low risk (<0.1), intermediate risk (0.1–0.24), and high risk (>0.24). Results. Fifty-five percent of participants were female and the mean age was 49.9 years (SD ± 20.2). Forty-two percent of participants had high and intermediate atherogenic risk. Persons with hypertension, untreated HIV infection, abnormal glycaemia, and obesity and living in less urbanised villages were more at risk. Conclusion. A significant proportion of persons in this rural population are at risk of atherosclerosis. Key identified populations at risk should be considered for future intervention against cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality. The study however used parameters from unfasted samples that may have a bearing on observed results.
Vertical axis non-linearities in wavelengthscanning interferometry

The uncertainty of measurements made on an areal surface topography instrument is directly influenced by its metrological characteristics. In this work, the vertical axis deviation from linearity of a wavelength scanning interferometer is evaluated. The vertical axis non-linearities are caused by the spectral leakage resulting from the Fourier transform algorithm for phase slope estimation. These non-linearities are simulated and the results are compared with experimental measurements. In order to reduce the observed non-linearities, a modification of the algorithm is proposed. The application of a Hamming window and the exclusion of edge points in the extracted phase are shown to increase the accuracy over the whole instrument range.
Glucose Transporters in Diabetic Kidney Disease—Friends or Foes?

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes and a common cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. DKD manifests as an increased urinary protein excretion (albuminuria). Multiple studies have shown that insulin resistance correlates with the development of albuminuria in non-diabetic and diabetic patients. There is also accumulating evidence that glomerular epithelial cells or podocytes are insulin sensitive and that insulin signaling in podocytes is essential for maintaining normal kidney function. At the cellular level, the mechanisms leading to the development of insulin resistance include mutations in the insulin receptor gene, impairments in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway, or perturbations in the trafficking of glucose transporters (GLUTs), which mediate the uptake of glucose into cells. Podocytes express several GLUTs, including GLUT1, GLUT2, GLUT3, GLUT4, and GLUT8. Of these, the most studied ones are GLUT1 and GLUT4, both shown to be insulin responsive in podocytes. In the basal state, GLUT4 is preferentially located in perinuclear and cytosolic vesicular structures and to a lesser extent at the plasma membrane. After insulin stimulation, GLUT4 is sorted into GLUT4-containing vesicles (GCVs) that translocate to the plasma membrane. GCV trafficking consists of several steps, including approaching of the GCVs to the plasma membrane, tethering, and docking, after which the lipid bilayers of the GCVs and the plasma membrane fuse, delivering GLUT4 to the cell surface for glucose uptake into the cell. Studies have revealed novel molecular regulators of the GLUT trafficking in podocytes and unraveled unexpected roles for GLUT1 and GLUT4 in the development of DKD, summarized in this review. These findings pave the way for better understanding of the mechanistic pathways associated with the development and progression of DKD and aid in the development of new treatments for this devastating disease.
Bilateral effects of unilateral cochlear implantation in congenitally deaf cats

Congenital deafness results in synaptic abnormalities in auditory nerve endings. These abnormalities are most prominent in terminals called endbulbs of Held, which are large, axosomatic synaptic endings whose size and evolutionary conservation emphasize their importance. Transmission jitter, delay, or failures, which would corrupt the processing of timing information, are possible consequences of the perturbations at this synaptic junction. We sought to determine whether electrical stimulation of the congenitally deaf auditory system via cochlear implants would restore the endbulb synapses to their normal morphology. Three and 6‐month‐old congenitally deaf cats received unilateral cochlear implants and were stimulated for a period of 10–19 weeks by using human speech processors. Implanted cats exhibited acoustic startle responses and were trained to approach their food dish in response to a specific acoustic stimulus. Endbulb synapses were examined by using serial section electron microscopy from cohorts of cats with normal hearing, congenital deafness, or congenital deafness with a cochlear implant. Synapse restoration was evident in endbulb synapses on the stimulated side of cats implanted at 3 months of age but not at 6 months. In the young implanted cats, postsynaptic densities exhibited normal size, shape, and distribution, and synaptic vesicles had density values typical of hearing cats. Synapses of the contralateral auditory nerve in early implanted cats also exhibited synapses with more normal structural features. These results demonstrate that electrical stimulation with a cochlear implant can help preserve central auditory synapses through direct and indirect pathways in an age‐dependent fashion. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:2382–2404, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
LIFE HISTORY AND MORPHOMETRIC VARIATION OF GAMBUSIA NOBILIS AT BITTER LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

The Pecos Gambusia, Gambusia nobilis, is an endangered, live bearing fish inhabiting sinkholes in a restricted range of the Pecos River Watershed in New Mexico and Texas. The sink holes at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge (BLNWR), Roswell, NM create isolated habitats with varying ecological conditions (habitat size, community composition, dissolved oxygen, salinity and pH). This ecological variation imposes unique selective pressures that may shape differences in life history characteristics and morphology between populations. The goals of this research were to characterize seasonal and population variation in 1) life history characteristics, 2) embryo development patterns, 3) morphology and 4) explore cursory relationships between ecological conditions and G. nobilis morphology and life history. Monthly sampling was conducted at BLNWR (May 2011 through April 2012) at sinkholes 7, 27 South, 31, and 37. A trade-off between egg size and brood size was observed from investment in many small embryos to fewer large offspring from April through August. Despite differences in ecological parameters, no significant differences in reproductive traits were observed
Definition of Human Apolipoprotein A-I Epitopes Recognized by Autoantibodies Present in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases*

Background: Autoantibodies to apoA-I can be considered markers and mediators of cardiovascular disease. Results: Methodologies for identification of human apoA-I epitopes are described. Two novel immunoreactive peptides were recognized by autoantibodies from cardiac patients. Conclusion: We developed a new procedure to isolate, purify, and identify apoA-I epitopes. Significance: Developing new epitope mapping approaches opens new avenues for biomarkers and therapy. Autoantibodies to apolipoprotein A-I (anti-apoA-I IgG) have been shown to be both markers and mediators of cardiovascular disease, promoting atherogenesis and unstable atherosclerotic plaque. Previous studies have shown that high levels of anti-apoA-I IgGs are independently associated with major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with myocardial infarction. Autoantibody responses to apoA-I can be polyclonal and it is likely that more than one epitope may exist. To identify the specific immunoreactive peptides in apoA-I, we have developed a set of methodologies and procedures to isolate, purify, and identify novel apoA-I endogenous epitopes. First, we generated high purity apoA-I from human plasma, using thiophilic interaction chromatography followed by enzymatic digestion specifically at lysine or arginine residues. Immunoreactivity to the different peptides generated was tested by ELISA using serum obtained from patients with acute myocardial infarction and high titers of autoantibodies to native apoA-I. The immunoreactive peptides were further sequenced by mass spectrometry. Our approach successfully identified two novel immunoreactive peptides, recognized by autoantibodies from patients suffering from myocardial infarction, who contain a high titer of anti-apoA-I IgG. The discovery of these epitopes may open innovative prognostic and therapeutic opportunities potentially suitable to improve current cardiovascular risk stratification.
Multi-Temporal Analysis of Remotely Sensed Information Using Wavelets

Land cover changes (LCC) are an important component of Global Change. LCC can be described not only by its occurrence, but also by the land cover replacement, causal agent and change duration or recuperation. Nowadays, remote sensing offers the opportunity to assemble reliable time series, however this fails to make a characterization of LCC since the series represents dynamics due to the combination of several processes occurring simultaneously. In this article we proposed an approach to the study of LCC using wavelet transform (WT) and MODIS vegetation time series. Through this work we have demonstrated the capacity of this tool in order to recognize and characterize four different LLC documented in scientific publications, presenting the results divided in frequency scales as interannual, seasonal and rapid changes. The information decomposed in frequency allows the interpretation of each involved process without the interference of others. The uses of WT in an image time series give us the possibility of joining temporal and spatial dimension in a single raster. Layers generated with WT might be used to pattern recognition in LCC and to improve an image classification.
The structural transformation of anatase TiO_2 by high-energy vibrational ball milling

The structural transformation of anatase TiO_2 by high-energy vibrational ball milling was studied in detail by different analytical methods of x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This structural transformation involves both phase transition and nanoparticle formation, and no amorphization was observed. The crystallite size was found to decrease with milling time down to nanometer size ∼13 nm and approaching saturation, accompanied by phase transformation to metastable phases, i.e., TiO_2(II), which is a high-pressure phase and TiO_2(B), which was identified in ball-milled powder reported for the first time in this paper. These phases eventually started transforming to rutile by further milling.
Effects of propranolol and isoproterenol on infantile hemangioma endothelial cells in vitro

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of propranolol and isoproterenol on the growth curve of infantile hemangioma endothelial cells (IHECs) in vitro and determine the functions of the β-adrenergic receptor in the pathogenesis of infantile hemangioma. IHECs were divided into three groups: The control group, the propranolol group (PG) and the isoproterenol group (IG). The PG and IG were administered with high, medium and low concentrations of the corresponding drugs. The cell growth in each group was determined using the MTT assay. A high propranolol concentration resulted in the inhibition of cell growth. By comparison, isoproterenol promoted cell growth. Within a specific time-frame (72–96 h), high drug concentrations (20 μg/ml) elicited strong effects on the cells. At certain concentrations, propranolol inhibited cell growth once the proliferation stage of IHECs had been affected for a specific length of time, whereas isoproterenol yielded opposite results. The β-adrenergic receptor elicits an important effect in the pathogenesis of infantile hemangioma.