Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variation of the fine-structure constant: very high resolution spectrum of QSO HE 0515-4414

Aims, We present a detailed analysis of a very high resolution (R ≈ 112 000) spectrum of the quasar HE 0515-4414 obtained using the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) mounted on the ESO 3.6 m telescope at the La Silla observatory. The main aim is to use a HARPS spectrum of very high wavelength calibration accuracy (better than 1 mA), to constrain the variation of α ≡ e 2 /hc and investigate any possible systematic inaccuracies in the wavelength calibration of the UV Echelle Spectrograph (UVES) mounted on the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). Methods. A cross-correlation analysis between the Th-Ar lamp spectra obtained with HARPS and UVES is carried out to detect any possible shift between the two spectra. Absolute wavelength calibration accuracies, and how that translates into the uncertainties in Δα/α are computed using Gaussian fits for both lamp spectra. The value of Δα/α at z abs = 1.1508 is obtained using the many multiplet method and simultaneous Voigt profile fits of HARPS and UVES spectra. Results. We find the shift between the HARPS and UVES spectra has a mean around zero with a dispersion of σ ≃ 1 mA. This is shown to be well within the wavelength calibration accuracy of UVES (i.e. σ ≃ 4 mA). We show that the uncertainties in the wavelength calibration induce an error of about Δα/α ≤ 10 -6 in determining the variation of the fine-structure constant. Thus, the results of non-evolving Δα/α reported in the literature based on UVES/VLT data should not be heavily influenced by problems related to wavelength calibration uncertainties. Our higher resolution spectrum of the z abs = 1.1508 Damped Lyman-a system toward HE 0515-4414 reveals more components compared to the UVES spectrum. Using only Fe II lines of the z abs = 1.1508 system, we obtain Δα/α = (0.05 ± 0.24) x 10 -5 . This result is consistent with the earlier measurement for this system using the UVES spectrum alone.
The Key to 360-Degree Video Advertising: An Examination of the Degree of Narrative Structure

In this study, we compared three 360-degree video ads with their counterparts—three standard video ads—in terms of perceived ad novelty, presence (i.e., spatial presence, engagement, ecological validity), ad attitudes, and brand attitudes. We proposed hypotheses based on the narrative processing literature, presence literature, the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing (LC4MP), and novelty literature. We tested our hypotheses through three experiments. Results demonstrated that the superiority of 360-degree video advertising, compared with standard video advertising, is maximized when its standard version features a moderate degree of narrative structure and is attenuated when its standard version depicts either a low or a high degree of narrative structure.
Modeling High Predictability and Scaling Laws of Human Mobility

Previous studies suggest that human mobility is highly regular in two respects. Firstly, individual's travels are governed by occasional exploration of new locations and preferential return to most frequently visited locations. Secondly, human mobility sequences exhibit high predictability. The existing model [1] is able to mimic exploration and preferential return, and lit actual mobility data. However, the high predictability issue is not addressed in this model. In this paper, we derive an upper bound of the predictability manifested by this model. Motivated by the incorrigible gap between the bound and the empirical results shown in [2], we further propose a new Markovian model by modifying the rule of preferential return to be conditional on the individuals' current location. We show both theoretically and empirically that the new Markovian model presents high predictability while preserving the desirable scaling properties of the original model in [1], making it the most complete model to date in capturing the essence of human mobility.
Proteolysis of ICAM-1 on Human Oral Epithelial Cells by Gingipains

Cysteine proteinases (gingipains) from Porphyromonas gingivalis are considered key virulence factors of severe periodontitis and host immune evasion. Since expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on gingival epithelium is indispensable in polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) migration at the site of periodontitis, we examined the effects of gingipains on the expression of ICAM-1 on human oral epithelial cell lines (KB and HSC-2) by flow cytometry and Western blotting. We found that three purified forms of gingipains efficiently reduced ICAM-1 expression on the cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Gingipains reduced the expression on fixed cells and degraded the ICAM-1 in the cell membranes, indicating that the reduction resulted from direct proteolysis. They then disturbed the ICAM-1-dependent adhesion of PMNs to the cells. These results indicate that gingipains cleave ICAM-1 on oral epithelial cells, consequently disrupting PMN-oral epithelial cell interaction, and are involved in immune evasion by the bacterium in periodontal tissues.
The perception of intonation in native and non-native linguistic contexts and by different individuals:From question-answer categorization to the integration of prosody and discourse structure

This thesis addresses the cognitive foundations of categorization and acquisition of intonational categories in native (L1) and second language (L2). It focuses on the link between the processing of intonational categories and the and pragmatic functions of language. The thesis reports two behavioral psychoacoustic experiments that studied the disambiguation of sentence-modality (statement vs. question) signaled by sentence-final Boundary Tones by manipulating lexical and linguistic status of the underlying segmental information. A third ERPs experiment studied with ERPs the association of specific Pitch Accents with the discourse status of a referent in German and how different processing-correlates of PA violation are processed in L1 and L2 speakers. In all experiments, specific attention has been devoted to individual differences both at the theoretical and empirical level. I showed that perceivers can display variability in processing as a function of biographic factors, in the quantity and quality of training in a second language, and in the presence of variables related to the construct of Theory-of-Mind (ToM). I support the view that the processing of intonational categories, modulated by Fundamental Frequency contours, links with the processing of segmental information, the semantic access at word-level, and the decoding of the information structure within the discourse model. The study of processing of pitch contours is a highly multidisciplinary discipline, but the different theoretical perspectives are not always considered within specific research. I propose to approach the study of pitch processing by trying to integrate the different theoretical and empirical approaches with the aim to use the available knowledge. This broader perspective considers the auditory categorization process, the integration of the sound-domain information with higher-order linguistic structure, and the modeling of individual variability of the perceivers. I support the view that the presence of individual traits that favor the efficient decoding of the interlocutor’s perspective and intentions correlates with a more efficient processing of the discourse information structure. I propose that this is observable through the manipulation of the associated intonational categories. I think that the adoption of a multidisciplinary perspective, centered on the processing of intonational categories, and the approach developed in this thesis is relevant to develop further the study of specific populations known to display less efficient processing of the pragmatic aspects of discourse, such as individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions.
Lost in Open Worlds: Design Patterns for Player Navigation in Virtual Reality Games

The outstanding characteristic of virtual reality (VR) games is the ability to immerse the player into the game world and to support a natural experience. Reality offers a high degree of freedom in moving around, which is accordingly expected by players in the virtual environment. This freedom of player navigation challenges designers of open VR worlds. Players might get lost, get bored, or unintendedly reach the world's limits, which all can break immersion and result in negative player experiences. We identify typical navigational problems in first person VR games and present design patterns to guide players without restricting freedom and immersion. As an initial step towards empirically validated design recommendations, we conducted a study with 88 participants to evaluate the most common design patterns by analyzing player behavior in experimental settings. Our results confirm both the validity of our approach and methodology, and the practical implication of the presented patterns.
Lipopolysaccharide-induced lethality and cytokine production in aged mice

This study was designed to define the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sensitivity of aged mice in terms of lethality and cytokine production and to determine down-regulating responses of corticosterone and interleukin 10 (IL-10). The 50% lethal doses of LPS in young (6- to 7-week-old) and aged (98- to 102-week-old) mice were 601 and 93 microg per mouse (25.6 and 1.6 mg per kg of body weight), respectively. Aged mice were approximately 6.5-fold more sensitive to the lethal toxicity of LPS in micrograms per mouse (16-fold more sensitive in milligrams per kilogram) than young mice. Levels in sera of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) IL-1alpha, and IL-6 after intraperitoneal injection of 100 microg of LPS peaked at 1.5, 3, and 3 h, respectively, and declined thereafter in both groups of mice. However, the peak values of these cytokines were significantly higher in aged than in young mice (P < 0.05). Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) was detectable at 3 h, and sustained high levels were still detected after 12 h in both age groups. Although there were no significant differences in levels of IFN-gamma in sera from both groups, aged mice showed higher IFN-gamma levels throughout the 3- to 12-h study period. Administration of increasing doses of LPS revealed that aged mice had a lower threshold to IL-1alpha production than young mice. In addition, aged mice were approximately 4-fold more sensitive to the lethal toxicity of exogenous TNF in units per mouse (10-fold more sensitive in units per kilogram) than young mice. With regard to down-regulating factors, corticosterone amounts were similar at basal levels and no differences in kinetics after the LPS challenge were observed, whereas IL-10 levels in sera were significantly higher in aged mice at 1.5 and 3 h than in young mice (P < 0.01). These results indicate that aged mice are more sensitive to the lethal toxicities of LPS and TNF than young mice. We conclude that a relatively activated, or primed, state for LPS-induced cytokine production, in spite of full down-regulating responses by corticosterone and IL- 10, may explain at least in part LPS sensitivity in aged mice.
IMPACTS OF TRASH RETENTION ON SOIL NITROGEN AND WATER : AN EXAMPLE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SUGARCANE INDUSTRY

Conventional burnt and green cane harvesting-trash blankcting (GCTB) trash management systems were compared over 15 years (two crop cycles) at a site in north Queensland, where sugarcane yield and fertility of the 0-0,2 111 soil layer were measured. The experiment was also simulated with a cropping system model (APSIM) and longer tcrm (35 year) simulations preformed. Thcrc was little difference in yield between the two treatments, but soil organic carbon increased steadily in the GCTB treatment. These results. and their time trends were successfully reproduced by the model both during the experimental period and in the long tcrm simulations. The impact of GCTB on the soil water and N balance were examined in the long term simulations. While deep drainage was higher, arid runoff and soil evaporation lower under GCTB, average nitrogen losses (through denitrification and leaching) were similar to those in the burnt treatment because much ol'thc soil nitrate was immobilised by the decomposing trash blanket. This study illustrates the utility of combining simulation modclling with traditional cxpcrimcntal approaches whcn studying complex crop-soi l systems.
Simulated synchrotron emission from pulsar wind nebulae

Aims. A complete set of diagnostic tools aimed at producing synthetic synchrotron emissivity, polarization, and spectral index maps from relativistic MHD simulations is presented. As a first application we consider here the case of the emission from Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe). Methods. The proposed method is based on the addition, on top of the basic set of MHD equations, of an extra equation describing the evolution of the maximum energy of the emitting particles. This equation takes into account adiabatic and synchrotron losses along streamlines for the distribution of emitting particles and its formulation is such that it is easily implemented in any numerical scheme for relativistic MHD. Results. Application to the axisymmetric simulations of PWNe, analogous to those described by Del Zanna et al. (2004), allows direct comparison between the numerical results and observations of the inner structure of the Crab Nebula, and similar objects, in the optical and X-ray bands. We are able to match most of the observed features typical of PWNe, like the equatorial torus and the polar jets, with velocities in the correct range, as well as finer emission details, like arcs, rings and the bright knot, that turn out to arise mainly from Doppler boosting effects. Spectral properties appear to be well reproduced too: detailed spectral index maps are produced for the first time and show softening towards the PWN outer borders, whereas spectral breaks appear in integrated spectra. The emission details are found to strongly depend on both the average wind magnetization, here σeff ≈ 0.02, and on the magnetic field shape. Conclusions. Our method, in spite of its simplicity, provides a realistic modeling of synchrotron emission properties, and twodimensional axisymmetric relativistic MHD simulations appear to be well suited to explain the main observational features of PWNe.
Cosmological Redshift Distortion of Correlation Functions as a Probe of the Density Parameter and the Cosmological Constant

We propose cosmological redshift-space distortion of correlation functions of galaxies and quasars as a probe of both the density parameter Ω0 and the cosmological constant λ0. In particular, we show that redshift-space distortion of quasar correlation functions at z ~ 2 can in principle set a constraint on the value of λ0. This is in contrast to the popular analysis of galaxy correlation functions in redshift space which basically determines Ω0. 60/b, where b is the bias parameter, but is insensitive to λ0. For specific applications, we present redshift-space distortion of correlation functions both in cold dark matter models and in power-law correlation function models, and discuss the extent to which one can discriminate between the different λ0 models.
Sequencing Needs for Viral Diagnostics

ABSTRACT We built a system to guide decisions regarding the amount of genomic sequencing required to develop diagnostic DNA signatures, which are short sequences that are sufficient to uniquely identify a viral species. We used our existing DNA diagnostic signature prediction pipeline, which selects regions of a target species genome that are conserved among strains of the target (for reliability, to prevent false negatives) and unique relative to other species (for specificity, to avoid false positives). We performed simulations, based on existing sequence data, to assess the number of genome sequences of a target species and of close phylogenetic relatives (near neighbors) that are required to predict diagnostic signature regions that are conserved among strains of the target species and unique relative to other bacterial and viral species. For DNA viruses such as variola (smallpox), three target genomes provide sufficient guidance for selecting species-wide signatures. Three near-neighbor genomes are critical for species specificity. In contrast, most RNA viruses require four target genomes and no near-neighbor genomes, since lack of conservation among strains is more limiting than uniqueness. Severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola Zaire are exceptional, as additional target genomes currently do not improve predictions, but near-neighbor sequences are urgently needed. Our results also indicate that double-stranded DNA viruses are more conserved among strains than are RNA viruses, since in most cases there was at least one conserved signature candidate for the DNA viruses and zero conserved signature candidates for the RNA viruses.
Maximum Likelihood Cluster Reconstruction

We present a novel method to reconstruct the mass distribution of galaxy clusters from their gravitational lens effect on background galaxies. The method is based on a least-χ2 fit of the two-dimensional gravitational cluster potential. The method combines information from shear and magnification by the cluster lens and is designed to easily incorporate possible additional information. We describe the technique and demonstrate its feasibility with simulated data. Both the cluster morphology and the total cluster mass are well reproduced.
Factors Associated With Medical and Nursing Students’ Willingness to Donate Organs

AbstractMalaysia suffers from a chronic shortage of human organs for transplantation. Medical and nursing students (MaNS) are future health professionals and thus their attitude toward organ donation is vital for driving national donation rates. This study investigates MaNS’ willingness to donate organs upon death and the factors influencing their willingness. A cross-sectional design was used with a sample of 500 students (264 medical and 236 nursing) at the University of Malaya. A self-administrated questionnaire was used. The responses were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. Of all respondents, 278 (55.6%) were willing to donate organs upon death, while the remaining 222 (44.4%) were unwilling to donate. Only 44 (8.8%) had donor cards. The multiple logistic regression revealed that the minorities ethnic group was more willing to donate organs than Malay respondents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.98, P = 0.010). In addition, medical students were more willing to donate than nursing students (aOR = 2.53, P = 0.000). Respondents who have a family member with a donor card were more willing to donate than respondents who do not (aOR = 3.48, P = 0.006). MaNS who believed that their religion permits deceased donation were more willing to donate than their counterparts (aOR = 4.96, P = 0.000). Household income and sex were not significant predictors of MaNS’ willingness to donate organs upon death. MaNS have moderate willingness, but low commitment toward deceased organ donation. Strategies for improving MaNS’ attitude should better educate them on organ donation, targeting the most the Malay and nursing students, and should consider the influence of family attitude and religious permissibility on MaNS’ willingness.
Unsupervised Learning of Sentence Embeddings Using Compositional n-Gram Features

The recent tremendous success of unsupervised word embeddings in a multitude of applications raises the obvious question if similar methods could be derived to improve embeddings (i.e. semantic representations) of word sequences as well. We present a simple but efficient unsupervised objective to train distributed representations of sentences. Our method outperforms the state-of-the-art unsupervised models on most benchmark tasks, highlighting the robustness of the produced general-purpose sentence embeddings.
Connectivity of growing random networks.

A solution for the time- and age-dependent connectivity distribution of a growing random network is presented. The network is built by adding sites that link to earlier sites with a probability A(k) which depends on the number of preexisting links k to that site. For homogeneous connection kernels, A(k) approximately k(gamma), different behaviors arise for gamma<1, gamma>1, and gamma = 1. For gamma<1, the number of sites with k links, N(k), varies as a stretched exponential. For gamma>1, a single site connects to nearly all other sites. In the borderline case A(k) approximately k, the power law N(k) approximately k(-nu) is found, where the exponent nu can be tuned to any value in the range 2
Pallidal deep brain stimulation in patients with cervical dystonia and severe cervical dyskinesias with cervical myelopathy

Objectives: Surgical treatment of complex cervical dystonia and of cervical dyskinesias associated with cervical myelopathy is challenging. In this prospective study, the long term effect of chronic pallidal stimulation in cervical dystonia and on combining the technique with spinal surgery in patients with severe cervical dyskinesias and secondary cervical myelopathy is described. Methods: Eight patients with a history of chronic dystonia who did not achieve adequate benefit from medical treatment or botulinum toxin injection participated in the study. Five patients had complex cervical dystonia with tonic postures and phasic movements. Three patients had rapidly progressive cervical myelopathy secondary to severe cervical dyskinesias and dystonia in the context of a generalised movement disorder. Quadripolar electrodes were implanted in the posteroventral lateral globus pallidus internus with stereotactic CT and microelectrode guidance. In the three patients with secondary cervical myelopathy, spinal surgery was performed within a few weeks and included multilevel laminectomies and a four level cervical corporectomy with spinal stabilisation. Results: Improvement of the movement disorder was noted early after pallidal surgery, but the full benefit could be appreciated only with a delay of several months during chronic stimulation. Three months after surgery, patients with cervical dystonia had improved by 38% in the severity score, by 54% in the disability score, and by 38% in the pain score of a modified version of the Toronto western spasmodic torticollis rating scale. At a mean follow up of 20 months, the severity score had improved by 63%, the disability score by 69%, and the pain score by 50% compared with preoperatively. There was also sustained amelioration of cervical dyskinesias in the three patients who underwent spinal surgery. Lead fractures occurred in two patients. The mean amplitude needed for chronic deep brain stimulation was 3.8 V at a mean pulse width of 210 μs, which is higher than that used for pallidal stimulation in Parkinson's disease. Conclusions: Chronic pallidal stimualtion is effective for complex cervical dystonia and it is a useful adjunct in patients with cervical dyskinesias and secondary cervical myelopathy who undergo spinal surgery.