Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reduced Diversity and High Sponge Abundance on a Sedimented Indo-Pacific Reef System: Implications for Future Changes in Environmental Quality

Although coral reef health across the globe is declining as a result of anthropogenic impacts, relatively little is known of how environmental variability influences reef organisms other than corals and fish. Sponges are an important component of coral reef fauna that perform many important functional roles and changes in their abundance and diversity as a result of environmental change has the potential to affect overall reef ecosystem functioning. In this study, we examined patterns of sponge biodiversity and abundance across a range of environments to assess the potential key drivers of differences in benthic community structure. We found that sponge assemblages were significantly different across the study sites, but were dominated by one species Lamellodysidea herbacea (42% of all sponges patches recorded) and that the differential rate of sediment deposition was the most important variable driving differences in abundance patterns. Lamellodysidea herbacea abundance was positively associated with sedimentation rates, while total sponge abundance excluding Lamellodysidea herbacea was negatively associated with rates of sedimentation. Overall variation in sponge assemblage composition was correlated with a number of variables although each variable explained only a small amount of the overall variation. Although sponge abundance remained similar across environments, diversity was negatively affected by sedimentation, with the most sedimented sites being dominated by a single sponge species. Our study shows how some sponge species are able to tolerate high levels of sediment and that any transition of coral reefs to more sedimented states may result in a shift to a low diversity sponge dominated system, which is likely to have subsequent effects on ecosystem functioning.
High-temperature creep behavior of wheat straw isotactic/impact-modified polypropylene composites

Short-term creep behavior of wheat straw composites made with either polypropylene homopolymer or impact-modified copolymer was studied at elevated temperatures (50–90°C). Various mineral fillers were tried to enhance creep resistance in the composite materials among which wollastonite was found to be the most effective one. All formulations exhibited higher creep deformations at higher temperatures where the effect of temperature was more pronounced for composites containing the impact-modified copolymer as the matrix. Short-term creep was successfully modeled using a three-parameter power law and Burgers model, and the dependence of the power law model parameters on temperature was evaluated to quantify temperature dependence of creep behavior. Long-term creep at 50°C was predicted based on the short-term data using the time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle, the power law model, and the Burgers model, and the results were compared with actual long-term data. While TTS was found to be the best method to accurately extrapolate short-term data, the failure of the two other methods was found to be related to the time scale of the deformation in short-term creep tests. The results of this study will provide a basis for the design of natural fiber thermoplastic composites to be used in under the hood applications in auto industry.
Bronchial inflammation and bacterial load in stable COPD is associated with TLR4 overexpression

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) are two major forms of innate immune sensors but their role in the immunopathology of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is incompletely studied. Our objective here was to investigate TLR and NLR signalling pathways in the bronchial mucosa in stable COPD. Using immunohistochemistry, the expression levels of TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, NOD1, NOD2, CD14, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), Toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein (TIRAP), and the interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinases phospho-IRAK1 and IRAK4 were measured in the bronchial mucosa of subjects with stable COPD of different severity (n=34), control smokers (n=12) and nonsmokers (n=12). The bronchial bacterial load of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Streptococcus pneumoniae was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. TLR4 and NOD1 expression was increased in the bronchial mucosa of patients with severe/very severe stable COPD compared with control subjects. TLR4 bronchial epithelial expression correlated positively with CD4+ and CD8+ cells and airflow obstruction. NOD1 expression correlated with CD8+ cells. The bronchial load of P. aeruginosa was directly correlated, but H. influenzae inversely correlated, with the degree of airflow obstruction. Bacterial load did not correlate with inflammatory cells. Bronchial epithelial overexpression of TLR4 and NOD1 in severe/very severe stable COPD, associated with increased bronchial inflammation and P. aeruginosa bacterial load, may play a role in the pathogenesis of COPD. Inflammation, bacterial load and active antibacterial immune response involving TLR4 and NOD1 in stable COPD http://ow.ly/S1fp308qcwp
The Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma with Autologous Bone Graft in Arthrodesis : A Salvage Procedure to correct the failure of a Keller Arthroplasty

Sometimes the success of orthopedic and podiatric surgery may be compromised by inadequate bone repair. In recent years, new tools have been used to improve bone healing by accelerating the rate of bone formation and maturation of the matrix. For instance, there is currently great interest in the use of platelet gel to repair bone defects and accelerate the bone healing process. We report the case of a patient with recurrent hallux valgus following Keller resection arthroplasty for whom the problem was resolved with the use of an autologous cancellous bone graft enriched with platelet-rich plasma as a salvage procedure to enhance arthrodesis. The use of bone graft enriched with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a technology in the field of foot surgery should be investigated further.
Spray droplet characteristics measured using high speed imaging techniques

Spray droplet characteristics are important features of an agricultural spray. The objective of this study is to measure the droplet size for different types of hydraulic spray nozzles using a developed backlighted image acquisition system and image processing technique. An in-focus droplet criterion was established to decide whether a droplet is in focus and can be measured in an accurate way. Tests included five different nozzles (Albuz ATR orange and red, TeeJet XR 110 01, XR 110 04 and Al 110 04).
Drug-free after basal exposure therapy

E-mail: jan.hammer@vestreviken.no Department of Psychiatry Division of Mental Health and Addiction Vestre Viken Hospital Trust He has contributed to the idea, collection and interpretation of the data and preparation of the manuscript, and has approved the submitted manuscript version. Jan Hammer (born 1978), specialist nurse, MSc, special advisor and project coordinator, including for the division’s BET project (Basal Exposure Therapy). The author has completed the ICMJE form and declares no conflicts of interest.
DETERMINATION OF MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF MEMS MATERIALS

In recent years, there has been explosive growth in the field of the micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). MEMS technologies have been found wide application in various microscale systems and devices. With the increase of usage of MEMS, higher reliability of the MEMS devices under the thermal, electric and magnetic forces are required. So the mechanical properties of the MEMS materials become more and more important. The testing methods on mechanical properties of the MEMS materials are reviewed with the discussion of both the advantages and the disadvantages, such as the nanoindentation test, the membrane bulge test, the beam bending test, the micro-Raman Spectroscopy and the uniaxial tension method. And the new developments of them are introduced simply. Some research works of the authors on the uniaxial tension method are introduced, including the details of the specimen and the grip design, the loading and the strain measurement. The finite element method was used to simulate the tension test of the samples with different shape parameters to choose the shape and dimensions of the specimen. And the interference strain /displacement gauge (interference strain /displacement gauge, ISDG) was used to measure the stain. By using the self-developed uniaxial tension testing device, the stress-strain curves of the polycrystalline copper thin film are obtained successfully.
Toughness enhancement in architecturally modified Al6061-5 vol.% SiCp laminated composites

Damage tolerance improvement in discontinuously reinforced aluminum matrix composites has been examined through both extrinsic and intrinsic approaches by researchers. In this study, extrinsic mechanism was considered in the form of architectural modification in laminates comprising two exterior layers of Al6061-5 vol.% SiCp and an interlayer of Al1050. Hot roll bonding was utilized to fabricate laminates since interfacial adhesion of layers was controlled by means of rolling strain. The interfacial strength and fracture resistance of specimens were examined by shear and three-point bending test, respectively. Achievements demonstrated that the quasi-static toughness of laminates tested in crack divider orientation was greater than that of monolithic samples. Also, it was revealed that the initiation, propagation, and total toughness were influenced by interfacial adhesion. In the other words, interfacial bonding played a major role in energy absorption during fracture. Enhancement of the interfacial adhesion by an increment in rolling strain elevated the energy consumed for emergence and growth of debonded area.
Mathematical Modelling Of Porosity Of Plane And 3D Woven Structures

A mathematical model of 3D woven fabric internal structure computes a spatial placement of all yarns within a fabric repeat for the given 3D weave structure (a special coding algorithm is employed) and warp and weft yarns geometrical and mechanical parameters. The principle of minimum energy of a fibrous assembly leads to the prediction of yarn crimp, forces in contacts warp-weft and yarn compression within a fabric. This allows to calculate the porosity (or the fibrous content) for an arbitrary cross-section of a fabric and to produce an image of the cross-section which gives an estimation for filtration abilities of the fabric. The model is implemented in the software package CETKA.
Risk Factors for Agricultural Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to identify significant risk factors for agricultural injury based on the literature. The authors conducted a systematic review of commonly reported risk factors. Studies that reported adjusted odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) estimates for the selected risk factors were identified from PubMed and Google Scholar. Pooled risk factor estimates were calculated using meta-analysis. A total of 441 (PubMed) and 285 (Google Scholar) studies were found in the initial searches; of these, 132 and 78 studies, respectively, met the selection criteria for injury outcomes, and 32 of these reported adjusted OR or RR estimates. One study was excluded because it did not meet the set Newcastle-Ottawa Scale quality criteria. Finally, 31 studies were used for meta-analysis. The pooled ORs for the risk factors were as follows: male gender (vs. female) 1.68, full-time farmer (vs. part-time) 2.17, owner/operator (vs. family member or hired worker) 1.64, regular medication use (vs. no regular medication use) 1.57, prior injury (vs. no prior injury) 1.75, health problems (vs. no health problems) 1.21, stress or depression (vs. no stress or depression) 1.86, and hearing loss (vs. no hearing loss) 2.01. All selected factors except health problems significantly increased the risk of injury, and they should be (a) considered when selecting high-risk populations for interventions, and (b) considered as potential confounders in intervention studies.
Identification and characterization of high methane-emitting abandoned oil and gas wells

Significance Millions of abandoned oil and gas wells exist across the United States and around the world. Our study analyzes historical and new field datasets to quantify the number of abandoned wells in Pennsylvania, individual and cumulative methane emissions, and the attributes that help explain these emissions. We show that (i) methane emissions from abandoned wells persist over multiple years and likely decades, (ii) high emitters appear to be unplugged gas wells and plugged/vented gas wells, as required in coal areas, and (iii) the number of abandoned wells may be as high as 750,000 in Pennsylvania alone. Knowing the attributes of high emitters will lead to cost-effective mitigation strategies that target high methane-emitting wells. Recent measurements of methane emissions from abandoned oil/gas wells show that these wells can be a substantial source of methane to the atmosphere, particularly from a small proportion of high-emitting wells. However, identifying high emitters remains a challenge. We couple 163 well measurements of methane flow rates; ethane, propane, and n-butane concentrations; isotopes of methane; and noble gas concentrations from 88 wells in Pennsylvania with synthesized data from historical documents, field investigations, and state databases. Using our databases, we (i) improve estimates of the number of abandoned wells in Pennsylvania; (ii) characterize key attributes that accompany high emitters, including depth, type, plugging status, and coal area designation; and (iii) estimate attribute-specific and overall methane emissions from abandoned wells. High emitters are best predicted as unplugged gas wells and plugged/vented gas wells in coal areas and appear to be unrelated to the presence of underground natural gas storage areas or unconventional oil/gas production. Repeat measurements over 2 years show that flow rates of high emitters are sustained through time. Our attribute-based methane emission data and our comprehensive estimate of 470,000–750,000 abandoned wells in Pennsylvania result in estimated state-wide emissions of 0.04–0.07 Mt (1012 g) CH4 per year. This estimate represents 5–8% of annual anthropogenic methane emissions in Pennsylvania. Our methodology combining new field measurements with data mining of previously unavailable well attributes and numbers of wells can be used to improve methane emission estimates and prioritize cost-effective mitigation strategies for Pennsylvania and beyond.
Subjective Listening Effort and Electrodermal Activity in Listening Situations with Reverberation and Noise

Disturbing factors like reverberation or ambient noise can impair speech recognition and raise the listening effort needed for successful communication in daily life. Situations with high listening effort are thought to result in increased stress for the listener. The aim of this study was to explore possible measures to determine listening effort in situations with varying background noise and reverberation. For this purpose, subjective ratings of listening effort, speech recognition, and stress level, together with the electrodermal activity as a measure of the autonomic stress reaction, were investigated. It was expected that the electrodermal activity would show different stress levels in different acoustic situations and might serve as an alternative to subjective ratings. Ten young normal-hearing and 17 elderly hearing-impaired subjects listened to sentences from the Oldenburg sentence test either with stationary background noise or with reverberation. Four listening situations were generated, an easy and a hard one for each of the two disturbing factors, which were related to each other by the Speech Transmission Index. The easy situation resulted in 100% and the hard situation resulted in 30 to 80% speech recognition. The results of the subjective ratings showed significant differences between the easy and the hard listening situations in both subject groups. Two methods of analyzing the electrodermal activity values revealed similar, but nonsignificant trends. Significant correlations between subjective ratings and physiological electrodermal activity data were observed for normal-hearing subjects in the noise situation.
Quantifying island isolation – insights from global patterns of insular plant species richness

Isolation is a driving factor of species richness and other island community attributes. Most empirical studies have investigated the effect of isolation measured as distance to the nearest continent. Here we expanded this perspective by comparing the explanatory power of seventeen isolation metrics in sixty-eight variations for vascular plant species richness on 453 islands worldwide. Our objectives were to identify ecologically meaningful metrics and to quantify their relative importance for species richness in a globally representative data set. We considered the distances to the nearest mainland and to other islands, stepping stone distances, the area of surrounding landmasses, prevailing wind and ocean currents and climatic similarity between source and target areas. These factors are closely linked to colonization and maintenance of plant species richness on islands. We tested the metrics in spatial multi-predictor models accounting for area, climate, topography and island geology. Besides area, isolation was the second most important factor determining species richness on the studied islands. A model including the proportion of surrounding land area as the isolation metric had the highest predictive power, explaining 86.1% of the variation. Distances to large islands, stepping stone distances and distances to climatically similar landmasses performed slightly better than distance to the nearest mainland. The effect of isolation was weaker for large islands suggesting that speciation counteracts the negative effect of isolation on immigration on large islands. Continental islands were less affected by isolation than oceanic islands. Our results suggest that a variety of immigration mechanisms influence plant species richness on islands and we show that this can be detected at macro-scales. Although the distance to the nearest mainland is an adequate and easy-to-calculate measure of isolation, accounting for stepping stones, large islands as source landmasses, climatic similarity and the area of surrounding landmasses increases the explanatory power of isolation for species richness.
Diagnosing Early Ischemic Changes with the Latest-Generation Flat Detector CT: A Comparative Study with Multidetector CT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: One-stop management of mechanical thrombectomy–eligible patients with large-vessel occlusion represents an innovative approach in acute stroke treatment. This approach reduces door-to-reperfusion times by omitting multidetector CT, using flat detector CT as pre-mechanical thrombectomy imaging. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of the latest-generation flat detector CT with multidetector CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospectively derived data from patients with ischemic stroke with large-vessel occlusion and mechanical thrombectomy were analyzed in this monocentric study. All included patients underwent multidetector CT before referral to our comprehensive stroke center and flat detector CT in the angiography suite before mechanical thrombectomy. Diagnosis of early ischemic signs, quantified by the ASPECTS, was compared between modalities using cross tables, the Pearson correlation, and Bland-Altman plots. The predictive value of multidetector CT– and flat detector CT–derived ASPECTS for functional outcome was investigated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Of 25 patients, 24 (96%) had flat detector CT with sufficient diagnostic quality. Median multidetector CT and flat detector CT ASPECTSs were 7 (interquartile range, 5.5–9 and 4.25–8, respectively) with a mean period of 143.6 ± 49.5 minutes between both modalities. The overall sensitivity was 85.1% and specificity was 83.1% for flat detector CT ASPECTS compared with multidetector CT ASPECTS as the reference technique. Multidetector CT and flat detector CT ASPECTS were strongly correlated (r = 0.849, P < .001) and moderately predicted functional outcome (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.738; P = .007 and .715; P = .069, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Determination of ASPECTS on flat detector CT is feasible, showing no significant difference compared with multidetector CT ASPECTS and a similar predictive value for functional outcome. Our findings support the use of flat detector CT for emergency stroke imaging before mechanical thrombectomy to reduce door-to-groin time.
Combined Effects of Turbulence and Different Predation Regimes on Zooplankton in Highly Colored Water—Implications for Environmental Change in Lakes

In aquatic ecosystems, predation is affected both by turbulence and visibility, but the combined effects are poorly known. Both factors are changing in lakes in the Northern Hemisphere; the average levels of turbulence are predicted to increase due to increasing wind activities, while water transparency is decreasing, e.g., due to variations in precipitation, and sediment resuspension. We explored experimentally how turbulence influenced the effects of planktivorous fish and invertebrate predators on zooplankton when it was combined with low visibility caused by high levels of water color. The study was conducted as a factorial design in 24 outdoor ponds, using the natural zooplankton community as a prey population. Perch and roach were used as vertebrate predators and Chaoborus flavicans larvae as invertebrate predators. In addition to calm conditions, the turbulent dissipation rate used in the experiments was 10−6 m2 s−3, and the water color was 140 mg Pt L−1. The results demonstrated that in a system dominated by invertebrates, predation pressure on cladocerans increased considerably under intermediate turbulence. Under calm conditions, chaoborids caused only a minor reduction in the crustacean biomass. The effect of fish predation on cladocerans was slightly reduced by turbulence, while predation on cyclopoids was strongly enhanced. Surprisingly, under turbulent conditions fish reduced cyclopoid biomass, whereas in calm water it increased in the presence of fish. We thus concluded that turbulence affects fish selectivity. The results suggested that in dystrophic invertebrate-dominated lakes, turbulence may severely affect the abundance of cladocerans. In fish-dominated dystrophic lakes, on the other hand, turbulence-induced changes in planktivory may considerably affect copepods instead of cladocerans. In lakes inhabited by both invertebrates and fish, the response of top-down regulation to turbulence resembles that in fish-dominated systems, due to intraguild predation. The changes in planktivorous predation induced by abiotic factors may possibly cascade to primary producers.
Iterative minimization of the Rayleigh quotient by block steepest descent iterations

The topic of this paper is the convergence analysis of subspace gradient iterations for the simultaneous computation of a few of the smallest eigenvalues plus eigenvectors of a symmetric and positive definite matrix pair (A,M). The methods are based on subspace iterations for A − 1M and use the Rayleigh‐Ritz procedure for convergence acceleration. New sharp convergence estimates are proved by generalizing estimates, which have been presented for vectorial steepest descent iterations (see SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl., 32(2):443‐456, 2011). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.