Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Satellite tidal magnetic signals constrain oceanic lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary

Researchers present results on the oceanic upper mantle electrical structure revealed by satellite-detected tidal magnetic signals. The tidal flow of electrically conductive oceans through the geomagnetic field results in the generation of secondary magnetic signals, which provide information on the subsurface structure. Data from the new generation of satellites were shown to contain magnetic signals due to tidal flow; however, there are no reports that these signals have been used to infer subsurface structure. We use satellite-detected tidal magnetic fields to image the global electrical structure of the oceanic lithosphere and upper mantle down to a depth of about 250 km. The model derived from more than 12 years of satellite data reveals a ≈72-km-thick upper resistive layer followed by a sharp increase in electrical conductivity likely associated with the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary, which separates colder rigid oceanic plates from the ductile and hotter asthenosphere.
Energy-efficient antenna selection and power allocation for large-scale multiple antenna systems with hybrid energy supply

The combination of energy harvesting and large-scale multiple antenna technologies provides a promising solution for improving the energy efficiency (EE) by exploiting renewable energy sources and reducing the transmission power per user and per antenna. However, the introduction of energy harvesting capabilities into large-scale multiple antenna systems poses many new challenges for energy-efficient system design due to the intermittent characteristics of renewable energy sources and limited battery capacity. Furthermore, the total manufacture cost and the sum power of a large number of radio frequency (RF) chains can not be ignored, and it would be impractical to use all the antennas for transmission. In this paper, we propose an energy-efficient antenna selection and power allocation algorithm to maximize the EE subject to the constraint of user's quality of service (QoS). An iterative offline optimization algorithm is proposed to solve the non-convex EE optimization problem by exploiting the properties of nonlinear fractional programming. The relationships among maximum EE, selected antenna number, battery capacity, and EE-SE tradeoff are analyzed and verified through computer simulations.
The social environment and depression: The roles of life stress.

Patients, clinicians, researchers, and the general public commonly assume that depression is inexorably intertwined with the material and social worlds of the person with depression. There can be little doubt that when bad things happen, people become distressed and unhappy. When very bad things happen, some people become clinically depressed. Once a person has developed depression, his or her social and material worlds are altered, often in adverse ways that compound and perpetuate the original problem, outlast the depressive episode, and perhaps contribute to future recurrences of the disorder. A better understanding of depression, its origins and long-term course, requires enlarging the scope of inquiry to take into account the interplay of social-environmental factors and life stress with depression over the course of an episode, as well as over the lifetime of the individual. We begin this chapter with an overview of issues involving concepts and measures of life stress. This discussion provides a platform from which we then review research that addresses how life stress relates to onset of depression and subsequently how life stress is associated with the clinical course, lifetime course, and heterogeneity of depression. We focus on key theoretical debates, unresolved issues, and empirical gaps, along with the methodological implications for research on life stress and depression. We conclude with a discussion of directions for future research.
Combined Efficacy of Gallic Acid and MiADMSA with Limited Beneficial Effects Over MiADMSA Against Arsenic-induced Oxidative Stress in Mouse

Gallic acid is an organic acid known for its antioxidant and anticancer properties. The present study is focused on evaluating the role of gallic acid in providing better therapeutic outcomes against arsenic-induced toxicity. Animals pre-exposed to arsenic were treated with monoisoamyl meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (MiADMSA), a new chelating drug, alone and in combination with gallic acid, consecutively for 10 days. The study suggests that (1) gallic acid in presence of MiADMSA is only moderately beneficial against arsenic, (2) monotherapy with gallic acid is more effective than in combination with MiADMSA after arsenic exposure in reducing oxidative injury, and (3) MiADMSA monotherapy as reported previously provides significant therapeutic efficacy against arsenic. Thus, based on the present results, we conclude that gallic acid is effective against arsenic-induced oxidative stress but provides limited additional beneficial effects when administered in combination with MiADMSA. We still recommend that lower doses of gallic acid be evaluated both individually and in combination with MiADMSA, as it might not exhibit the shortcomings we observed with higher doses in this study.
Creating Spectral Templates from Multicolor Redshift Surveys

Understanding how the physical properties of galaxies (e.g., their spectral type or age) evolve as a function of redshift relies on having an accurate representation of galaxy spectral energy distributions. While it has been known for some time that galaxy spectra can be reconstructed from a handful of orthogonal basis templates, the underlying basis is poorly constrained. The limiting factor has been the lack of large samples of galaxies (covering a wide range in spectral type) with high signal-to-noise spectrophotometric observations. To alleviate this problem we introduce here a new technique for reconstructing galaxy spectral energy distributions directly from samples of galaxies with broadband photometric data and spectroscopic redshifts. Exploiting the statistical approach of the Karhunen-Loève expansion, our iterative training procedure increasingly improves the eigenbasis, so that it provides better agreement with the photometry. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by applying these improved spectral energy distributions to the estimation of photometric redshifts for the HDF sample of galaxies. We find that in a small number of iterations the dispersion in the photometric redshifts estimator (a comparison between predicted and measured redshifts) can decrease by up to a factor of 2.
The Fourier Transform and Its Applications

1 Introduction 2 Groundwork 3 Convolution 4 Notation for Some Useful Functions 5 The Impulse Symbol 6 The Basic Theorems 7 Obtaining Transforms 8 The Two Domains 9 Waveforms, Spectra, Filters and Linearity 10 Sampling and Series 11 The Discrete Fourier Transform and the FFT 12 The Discrete Hartley Transform 13 Relatives of the Fourier Transform 14 The Laplace Transform 15 Antennas and Optics 16 Applications in Statistics 17 Random Waveforms and Noise 18 Heat Conduction and Diffusion 19 Dynamic Power Spectra 20 Tables of sinc x, sinc2x, and exp(-71x2) 21 Solutions to Selected Problems 22 Pictorial Dictionary of Fourier Transforms 23 The Life of Joseph Fourier
Indices of trees with a prescribed diameter

The index of a graph is the largest eigenvalue of its adjacency matrix Let Tn,d be the class of trees with n vertices and diameter d. For all integers n and d with 4 ≤ d ≤ n - 3 we identify in Tn,d the tree with the k-th largest index for all k up to if d ≤ n-4, or for all k up to  if d = n-3.
Performance evaluation of wireless multipath/shadowed G-distributed channel

In wireless communication the effect of multipath as well as shadowing takes place simultaneously over the channel and this phenomena leads to composite fading. G-distribution is frequently encountered distribution in wireless fading environment. Combination of multipath fading and shadowing model are used as composite fading model. This composite fading model is named as G-distribution. G-distribution is a combination of the Inverse-Gaussian distribution and the distribution. In this paper the Pade approximation approach is used to analyze the performance of composite multipath/shadowed fading channel. This distribution is used to approximate any system in form of closed form solution as well as for accurate approximation in several shadowing conditions. The Pade approximation is applied over the general expression that is given in terms of moment generating function and results are obtained by varying shadowing parameters as well as signal to noise power threshold ratio. Our study start by deriving the moment generating function of the G-distribution and approximate them by using the Pade approximation for the calculation of bit error rate and outage probability for different values of average Signal to noise ratio (SNR). All simulations are done using Maple-13 software tool and results are obtained for outage probability and bit error rate versus average SNR. Key words: Pade’s approximation, G-distribution, moment generating function, inverse Gaussian distribution, Nakagami distribution and composite distributions, average signal to noise ratio, outage probability, bit error probability.
The Rest-Frame Ultraviolet Luminosity Density of Star-forming Galaxies at Redshifts z > 3.5

We have measured the rest-frame λ ~ 1500 Å comoving specific luminosity density of star-forming galaxies at redshift 3.5 < z < 6.5 (Lyman break galaxies [LBGs]) selected from deep, multiband images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Advanced Camera for Surveys, obtained as part of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey (GOODS). The samples cover ~0.09 deg2 and are also relatively deep, reaching between 0.2L and 0.5L, depending on the redshift, where L is the characteristic UV luminosity of LBGs at z ~ 3. The specific luminosity density appears to be nearly constant with redshift over the range 3 < z < 6, although the measure at z ~ 6 remains relatively uncertain, because it depends on the accurate estimate of the faint counts of the z ~ 6 sample. If LBGs are fair tracers of the cosmic star formation activity, our results suggest that at z ~ 6, namely, at less than ~7% of the current cosmic age, the universe was already producing stars as vigorously as it did near its maximum several gigayears later, at 1 ≲ z ≲ 3.
U.S. Transracial Adoption Trends in the 21st Century

ABSTRACT A number of researchers have called attention to the lack of information available on transracial adoption at the national level. This project was a concerted effort to identify detailed informational about transracial adoption in the United States from nationally representative data sources. The 2000 U.S. Census and 2008–2012 American Community Survey data were analyzed to identify information about the number of young adoptees adopted transracially in the population, the proportion of transracial adoptions that are international, which racial groups adopt transracially, and which racial groups are transracially adopted in the 21st century.
Understory Structure and Vascular Plant Diversity in Naturally Regenerated Deciduous Forests and Spruce Plantations on Similar Clear-Cuts: Implications for Forest Regeneration Strategy Selection

The active effect of natural regeneration on understory vegetation and diversity on clear-cut forestlands, in contrast to conifer reforestation, is still controversial. Here we investigated differences in understory vegetation by comparing naturally regenerated deciduous forests (NR) and reforested spruce plantations (SP) aged 20–40 years on 12 similar clear-cuts of subalpine old-growth spruce-fir forests from the eastern Tibetan Plateau. We found that 283 of the 334 vascular plant species recorded were present in NR plots, while only 264 species occurred in SP plots. This was consistent with richer species, higher cover, and stem (or shoot) density of tree seedlings, shrubs, and ferns in the NR plots than in the SP plots. Moreover, understory plant diversity was limited under dense canopy cover, which occurred more frequently in the SP plots. Our findings implied that natural deciduous tree regeneration could better preserve understory vegetation and biodiversity than spruce reforestation after clear-cutting. This result further informed practices to reduce tree canopy cover for spruce plantations or to integrate natural regeneration and reforestation for clear-cuts in order to promote understory vegetation and species diversity conservation.
Age-specific nomograms for follicle stimulating hormone and anti-Mullerian hormone: A pilot study in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Background: Assessment of ovarian reserve is one of the steps in the management of infertile couples. Follicle Stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) are commonly used ovarian reserve markers in Africa. However, there is paucity of age-specific reference values for FSH and AMH among the African population. Objective: This study aimed at conducting a pilot study for generation of age-specific nomograms for FSH and AMH among fertile women in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A pilot cross-sectional study that involved 65 fertile women within the age range of 18-45 yr were prospectively and consecutively recruited from November 2014 to January 2015. Peripheral blood samples were taken for basal serum FSH and random serum AMH. The samples were processed using enzyme linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assays. Results: Age-specific FSH nomogram showed a gradual increase which became steeper at age 35 yr with an average yearly increase of 0.2 IU/L in basal serum FSH, while age-specific AMH nomogram showed a peak at 25 yr and then; an average yearly decrease of 0.11 ng/ml in random serum AMH from 25 yr. Conclusion: The age-specific nomograms generated by this pilot study suggest that AMH may be an earlier marker of reduced ovarian reserve; which if validated by future multicenter population based studies may facilitate counseling of women on their reproductive potentials.
Oxygen isotope/salinity relationship in the northern Indian Ocean

We analyze the surface δ18O-salinity relationships of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, in the northern Indian Ocean, known for their contrasting hydrological conditions. New measurements of these tracers show a very low δ18O-salinity slope associated with the strong dilution in the Bay of Bengal, but a slope more typical of this latitude in the Arabian Sea. Although this region is marked by a complex monsoonal regime, numerical modeling using a box model and a general circulation model is able to capture the δ18O-salinity slope and its geographical variation. Both models clearly show that the low δ18O-salinity slope is due to the evaporation-minus-precipitation balance, with an important contribution of the continental runoff in the Bay of Bengal. Although the low value of these slopes (∼0.25) makes past salinity reconstructions uncertain, insight into the Last Glacial Maximum conditions shows a probable stability of these slopes and limited error on paleosalinity.
Teaching and developing as a teacher in contradictory times

National Funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) and co-financed by European Regional Development Funds (FEDER) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (POCI) through CIEC (Research Centre on Child Studies, of the University of Minho) with the reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007562
C-Met as a Molecular Marker for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Its Association with Clinical Outcome

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), c-Met, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are overexpressed in a variety of human cancers, and may serve as biomarkers for disease prognosis. We examined whether high expression of these molecular markers correlates with poor disease prognosis in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Materials and Methods: Expression of EGFR, c-Met, and HER2 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 180 paraffin-embedded tissue samples from stage IIB-IIIC ESCC patients. The overall survival (OS) rates were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to evaluate differences between survival curves. The Cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The median survival of all patients was 46 months. There was no significant difference in OS in terms of HER2 and EGFR status (P = 0.177 and P=0.061, respectively). However, there was a significant difference in OS between c-Met high expression patients and c-Met low expression or negative patients (median: 41.9 months vs. 56.7 months; P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis also showed that, of the covariates analyzed, c-Met high expression was the only prognostic factor for OS (HR: 0.459 [95 % confidence interval: 0.287-0.733]; P = 0.001). Patients with ESCC that had concurrent overexpression of EGFR and c-Met had significantly worse survival than ESCC that displayed overexpression of either EGFR or c-Met individually or that did not have overexpression of either protein (P=0.000). Conclusions: Overexpression of HER2 and EGFR individually is not significantly associated with poor prognosis in ESCC. High expression of c-Met may be indicative of a poorer prognosis in ESCC. In order to promote efficient and rapid development of therapeutic methods in ESCC, further studies are necessary to explore the role of c-Met.
Language distance and tree reconstruction

Languages evolve over time according to a process in which reproduction, mutation and extinction are all possible. This is very similar to haploid evolution for asexual organisms and for the mitochondrial DNA of complex ones. Exploiting this similarity, it is possible, in principle, to verify hypotheses concerning the relationship among languages and to reconstruct their family tree. The key point is the definition of the distances among pairs of languages in analogy with the genetic distances among pairs of organisms. Distances can be evaluated by comparing grammar and/or vocabulary, but while it is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify grammar distance, it is possible to measure a distance from vocabulary differences. The method used by glottochronology computes distances from the percentage of shared ‘cognates’, which are words with a common historical origin. The weak point of this method is that subjective judgment plays a significant role. Here we define the distance of two languages by considering a renormalized edit distance among words with the same meaning and averaging over the two hundred words contained in a Swadesh list. In our approach the vocabulary of a language is the analogue of DNA for organisms. The advantage is that we avoid subjectivity and, furthermore, reproducibility of results is guaranteed. We apply our method to the Indo-European and the Austronesian groups, considering, in both cases, fifty different languages. The two trees obtained are, in many respects, similar to those found by glottochronologists, with some important differences as regards the positions of a few languages. In order to support these different results we separately analyze the structure of the distances of these languages with respect to all the others.
Mixotrophy : a widespread and important ecological strategy for planktonic and sea-ice nanoflagellates in the Ross Sea, Antarctica

Mixotrophic nanoflagellates (MNF) were quantified in plankton and sea ice of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, during austral spring. Tracer experiments using fluorescently labeled bacteria (FLB) were conducted to enumerate MNF and determine their contribution to total chloroplastidic and total bacterivorous nanoflagellates. Absolute abundances of MNF were typically <200 ml -1 in plankton assemblages south of the Polar Front, but they comprised 8 to 42% and 3 to 25% of bacterivorous nanoflagellates in the water column and ice cores, respectively. Moreover, they represented up to 10% of all chloroplastidic nanoflagellates in the water column when the prymnesiophyte Phaeocys- tis antarctica was blooming (up to 23% if P. antarctica, which did not ingest FLB, was excluded from calculations). In ice cores, MNF comprised 5 to 10% of chloroplastidic nanoflagellates. The highest proportions of MNF were found in some surface water samples and in plankton assemblages beneath ice, suggesting a potentially large effect as bacterial grazers in those locations. This study is the first to report abundances and distributions of mixotrophic flagellates in the Southern Ocean. The presence of MNF in every ice and water sample examined suggests that mixotrophy is an important alternative dietary strategy in this region.
The Effect of Rationale Provision on Motivation and Performance Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis of 23 experimental studies examined the effect of rationale provision on subjective task value, autonomous motivation, engagement, performance, perceived autonomy, perceived competence, perceived relatedness, and controlled motivation compared with a control condition. Results suggested that rationale provision enhanced subjective task value, engagement, performance, and perceived autonomy to a small to moderate extent (d = .16 to d = .40) under fixed- and random-effects models. Results also suggested that rationale provision diminished perceived competence under both fixed- and random-effects models (d = −.19), but did not impact autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, or perceived relatedness. Moderator analyses for subjective task value, autonomous value, motivation, engagement, and performance suggested that rationales were most effective (a) when they were prosocial or autonomous compared to controlling (for 3 outcomes), (b) for samples with a higher proportion of females (for 3 outcomes), and (c) for uninteresting tasks (for 3 outcomes). Implications for theory, future research, and practice are discussed.
Myotonia, a new inherited muscle disease in mice

Electromyographic (EMG) and histological studies were carried out with the new mouse mutant myotonia (mto, autosomal recessive). Affected animals exhibited behavioral myotonia which was apparent at 2 weeks of age. EMG studies revealed myotonic discharges (prolonged repetitive discharges with recurrent variation in amplitude and frequency) in all skeletal muscles tested. These discharges were not affected by peripheral nerve section or by pancuronium bromide, a neuromuscular synapse inhibitor. Qualitative histological study revealed no evidence of skeletal muscle fiber necrosis, grouped atrophy, or inflammation compared toi sex-, age-, and weight-matched controls. Degeneration of myelinated axons in the ventrolateral funiculus of the spinal cord occurred only in older animals and does not explain the functional abnormality of muscle. Both the clinical and electrophysiological features of classical myotonia can be inherited as a single locus autosomal recessive disease in mice.