Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wave parameters retrieved from QuikSCAT data

A new algorithm is proposed to estimate significant wave height from QuikSCAT scatterometer data. The results show that the relationship between wave parameters and the radar backscattering cross section is similar to that between wind and the radar backscattering cross section. Therefore, the relationship between significant wave height and the radar backscattering cross section is established with a neural network algorithm. If the average wave period is less than or equal to 7 s, the root mean square errors of the significant wave height retrieved from QuikSCAT data are 0.58 m for HH polarization (HH-pol) and 0.60 m for VV polarization (VV-pol). If the average wave period is greater than 7 s, the root mean square errors of the significant wave height retrieved from QuikSCAT data are 0.83 m (HH-pol) and 1.10 m (VV-pol), respectively.
Challenges Encountered During the Veterinary Disaster Response: An Example from Chile

Simple Summary Disaster preparedness for companion animals has economic, social and welfare benefits, yet many countries continue to omit dogs and cats from their national and regional contingency planning. Responses therefore, are often chaotic, inefficient and uncoordinated, or absent altogether. Documented experiences in Chile contribute to the information supporting the inclusion of companion animals into locally relevant disaster plans. These plans serve to prepare communities and authorities, identify resources available, establish a chain of command, develop local priorities, and subsequently reduce the negative impacts on both human and animal communities. Abstract Large-scale disasters have immeasurable effects on human and animal communities. Evaluating and reporting on the response successes and difficulties encountered serves to improve existing preparedness documents and provide support to those in the process of developing plans. Although the majority of disasters occur in low and middle income nations, less than 1% of the disaster literature originates from these countries. This report describes a response to a disease outbreak in domestic dogs in Dichato, Chile following the 2010 earthquake/tsunami. With no national plan coordinating the companion animal response, there was a chaotic approach among animal welfare organizations towards rescue, diagnosis, treatment and record-keeping. Similar to the medical response following the 1985 earthquake near Santiago, we experienced problems within our own teams in maintenance of data integrity and protocol compliance. Loss of infrastructure added complications with transportation, communications and acquisition of supplies. Similar challenges likely occur in most disasters, but can be reduced through pro-active planning at national and local levels. There is sufficient information to support the human and animal welfare benefits of including companion animals in national planning, and lessons learned through this and other experiences can assist planners in the development of comprehensive and locally relevant contingency plans.
Open access and Scopus: A new approach to scientific visibility from the standpoint of access

The last few years have seen the emergence of several open access (OA) options in scholarly communication, which can be grouped broadly into two areas referred to as gold and green roads. Several recent studies have shown how large the extent of OA is, but there have been few studies showing the impact of OA in the visibility of journals covering all scientific fields and geographical regions. This research presents a series of informative analyses providing a broad overview of the degree of proliferation of OA journals in a data sample of about 17,000 active journals indexed in Scopus. This study shows a new approach to scientific visibility from a systematic combination of four databases: Scopus, the Directory of Open Access Journals, Rights Metadata for Open Archiving © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Snail Hosts of Certain Paramphistomatidae and Gastrothylacidae (Trematoda) Discovered by the Late Dr. P. L. LeRoux in Africa

A study of several samples of young conical flukes reared from metacercariae obtained by the late Dr. P. L. LeRoux from certain fresh water snails has resulted in the following findings. It appears that the species which caused the severe intestinal paramphistomiasis amongst sheep described by LeRoux (1930) in South Africa was Paramphistomum microbothrium Fischoeder, not Cotylophoron cotyhphorum (Fischoeder) as was thought at the time and subsequently repeated in all the text books and reviews on paramphistomiasis published afterwards.
Controlled release metoprolol for aortic regurgitation: a randomised clinical trial

Objective Chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) creates a volume load on the left ventricle, which induces adaptive responses. With time, excessive left ventricular (LV) dilatation may precipitate heart failure. β-adrenergic receptor antagonists (β-blockers) are beneficial in patients with heart failure, but their effect in AR is unclear. This trial was designed to evaluate the effect of controlled release metoprolol on LV remodelling in patients with AR. Methods In this double blind trial, 75 asymptomatic patients aged 44±14 years, 89% males, fulfilling at least two echocardiographic criteria for moderate or severe chronic AR, were randomised to receive metoprolol CR/XL up-titrated to 200 mg/day, or matching placebo. The primary endpoint was LV end diastolic volume, measured by MRI after 6 months of treatment. Results After 6 months, the difference in the baseline-adjusted LV end diastolic volume between patients allocated to metoprolol and those allocated to placebo was 8 (95% CI −8 to 25) mL (p=0.32). The adjusted LV ejection fraction was 2.7 (95% CI 0.1 to 5.3) percentage points higher in the metoprolol group than in the placebo group (p=0.04). The exercise capacity and peak oxygen consumption did not differ between treatment arms. Serum concentrations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were 138 (95% CI 71 to 205) pg/mL higher in the metoprolol group (p<0.001). There were no serious adverse events in either treatment arm. Conclusions Treatment with metoprolol of adults with chronic, moderate to severe AR had no effect on LV volumes. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01157572-results.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Priming Enhances the Function of Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Their Therapeutic Efficacy

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a lately discovered enzyme catalyzing Angiotensin II into Angiotensin 1-7. Angiotensin II has been reported to impair endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) function and is detrimental to stroke. Here, we studied the role of ACE2 in regulating EPC function in vitro and in vivo. EPCs were cultured from human renin and angiotensinogen transgenic (R+A+) mice and their controls (R−A−). In in vitro experiments, EPCs were transduced with lentivirus-ACE2 or lentivirus-green fluorescence protein. The effects of ACE2 overexpression on EPC function and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS)/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (Nox) expression were determined. ACE2, eNOS, and Nox inhibitors were used for pathway validation. In in vivo studies, the therapeutic efficacy of EPCs overexpressing ACE2 was determined at day 7 after ischemic stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion. We found that (1) lentivirus-ACE2 transduction resulted in a 4-fold increase of ACE2 expression in EPCs. This was accompanied with an increase in eNOS expression and NO production, and a decrease in Nox2 and -4 expression and reactive oxygen species production. (2) ACE2 overexpression improved the abilities of EPC migration and tube formation, which were impaired in R+A+ mice. These effects were inhibited by ACE2 or eNOS inhibitor and further enhanced by Nox inhibitor. (3) Transfusion of lentivirus-ACE2–primed EPCs reduced cerebral infarct volume and neurological deficits, and increased cerebral microvascular density and angiogenesis. Our data demonstrate that ACE2 improves EPC function, via regulating eNOS and Nox pathways, and enhances the efficacy of EPC-based therapy for ischemic stroke.
Oval intensifications associated with polar arcs

The existence of large scale auroral forms in the high latitude region poleward of the auroral oval has generated much interest in recent years because of the implications these forms have for magnetospheric topology. Often these so called polar cap arcs are observed to be connected to auroral regions which are identified with plasma sheet particle populations. These connection points are sometimes associated with intensifications in the auroral distribution. Observations with the Viking UV Imager show that these intensifications are highly dynamic on time scales of minutes, being sometimes suggestive of substorms. The polar arcs may move in response to the dynamics of the intensification or else remain spatially fixed.
Swahili Synoecism: Rural Settlements and Town Formation on the Central East African Coast, A.D. 750–1500

Abstract Archaeological survey in 1999–2000 in the northern part of Pemba Island, Tanzania, has revealed the role of rural settlements in the development of Swahili towns from A.D. 750 to 1500. The survey investigated the regions directly surrounding three towns to explore the political, economic, and religious relations between towns and surrounding villages. Results of the survey suggest that the growth of Pemban towns, although economically influenced by their increasing links to overseas trade, were dependent on population movements from rural to urban areas. These shifts may be best described as a “synoecism,” a process in which a town is formed through the union of smaller, rural settlements. The data indicate a dramatic reorganization of the settlement pattern during the 11th century when new towns with monumental mosques made of coral were founded and/or populated by migrants from the countryside, leaving a sparsely populated region with only a few villages that were loosely tied to the center. The construction of Swahili towns on Pemba was as much an effort to construct a cohesive community as it was a practical measure in a burgeoning Indian Ocean economy.
Addition of Inflammatory Biomarkers Did Not Improve Diabetes Prediction in the Community: The Framingham Heart Study

Background Prior studies have reported conflicting findings with regard to the association of biomarkers in the prediction of incident type 2 diabetes. We evaluated 12 biomarkers as possible diabetes predictors in the Framingham Heart Study. Methods and Results Biomarkers representing inflammation (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor receptor 2, osteoprotegerin, and fibrinogen), endothelial dysfunction (intercellular adhesion molecule-1), vascular damage (CD40-ligand, P-selectin, and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 mass and activity), and oxidative stress (urinary isoprostanes) were measured in participants without diabetes attending the Offspring seventh (n=2499) or multiethnic Omni second (n=189) examination (1998–2001). Biomarkers were loge transformed and standardized. Multivariable logistic regression tested each biomarker in association with incident diabetes at a follow-up examination (the Offspring eighth and Omni third examination; mean 6.6 years later), with adjustment for age, sex, cohort, body mass index, fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and smoking. C statistics were evaluated with and without inflammatory markers. In 2638 participants (56% women, mean age 59 years), 162 (6.1%) developed type 2 diabetes. All biomarkers, excluding osteoprotegerin, were associated with the outcome with adjustment for age, sex, and cohort; however, none remained significant after multivariable adjustment (all P>0.05). The c statistic from the model including only clinical covariates (0.89) did not statistically significantly improve after addition of biomarkers (all P>0.10). Conclusions Biomarkers representing different inflammatory pathways are associated with incident diabetes but do not remain statistically significant after adjustment for established clinical covariates. Inflammatory biomarkers might not be an effective resource to predict type 2 diabetes in community-based samples. (J Am Heart Assoc. 2012;1:e000737 doi: 10.1161/JAHA.112.000869.)
A simple chart to identify non-familial short stature

OBJECTIVE To develop a chart to identify non-familial short stature. DESIGN A height chart that adjusts for maternal, paternal, midparental, or sibling height based on the British 1990 height reference. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Height between 2 and 9 years of age. RESULTS The chart identifies children whose height is below the familially adjusted 0.4th centile, assuming a correlation of 0.4 between child height standard deviation score (SDS) and familial height SDS. The adjustment can be for parents, either alone or together, or for a sibling aged 2–9 years. The chart identifies about 2 children/1000 over and above the 4/1000 identified by the unconditional 0.4th centile. CONCLUSION The chart should be a useful addition to screening programmes for short stature.
Interactions between Three Tropical Soils and Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Leachate

Three tropical soils from Ghana, West Africa, were investigated in the laboratory for their potential as liners for waste containment. The key characteristic evaluated was the impact of municipal solid waste landfill leachate on the geotechnical, mineralogical, sorptive and diffusive properties and hydraulic conductivity of the soils. The observed unique characteristics of the soils included their silica: sesquioxide ratios that allowed them to be classified as either lateritic (ratio of 1.33–2.0) or nonlateritic (ratio greater than 2.0). After 5–11 pore volumes of leachate permeation through the soils, the specific surface of each soil decreased due to mineralogical transformations, while the cation exchange capacity of the soils increased. Na+ and K+ present at the exchange sites of the soils increased at the expense of desorbed Ca2+ . The effective diffusion coefficient, De , obtained for potassium was 1.3–2.0× 10−10 m2 ∕s while that of sodium was 7.3–14× 10−10 m2 ∕s . New minerals formed in the soils .
Binding energy of two-dimensional biexcitons.

Using a model structure for a two-dimensional (2D) biexciton confined in a quantum well, it is shown that the form of the Hamiltonian of the 2D biexciton reduces into that of an exciton. The binding energies and Bohr radii of a 2D biexciton in its various internal energy states are derived analytically using the fractional dimension approach. The ratio of the binding energy of a 2D biexciton to that of a 2D exciton is found to be 0.228, which agrees very well with the recent experimental value. The results of our approach are compared with those of earlier theories. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Incidence and time course of everolimus-related adverse events in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer: insights from BOLERO-2

The BOLERO-2 trial demonstrated that adding everolimus to exemestane substantially improved clinical benefit with acceptable safety in postmenopausal women with HR+ breast cancer relapsing/progressing on a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor. Incidences and severities of everolimus-related toxicity were consistent with other oncology settings, and were manageable using established strategies.
A study of the geoelectrical properties of peatlands and their influence on ground‐penetrating radar surveying1

Geophysical surveys and chemical analyses on cores were carried out in three Ontario peatlands, from which we have gained a better understanding of the peat properties that control the geophysical responses. The electrical conductivity depends linearly on the concentration of total dissolved solids in the peat pore waters and the pore waters in turn bear the ionic signatures of the underlying mineral sediments. The ionic concentration, and thus the electrical conductivity, increase linearly from the surface to basement. The average bulk electrical conductivity of peatlands at Ellice Marsh, near Stratford, and at Wally Creek Area Forest Drainage Project, near Cochrane, are of the order of 25 mS/m. The Mer Bleue peatland, near Ottawa, has extremely high electrical conductivity, reaching levels of up to 380 mS/m near the base of the peat. The Mer Bleue peatland water has correspondingly high values of total dissolved solids, which originate from the underlying Champlain Sea glaciomarine clays. The dielectric permittivity in peats is largely controlled by the bulk water content. Ground penetrating radar can detect changes in water content greater than 3%, occurring within a depth interval less than 15 cm. The principal peatland interfaces detected are the near-surface aerobic to anaerobic transition and the peat to mineral basement contact. The potential for the successful detection of the basement contact using the radar can be predicted using the radar instrument specifications, estimates of the peatland depth, and either the bulk peat or the peat pore water electrical conductivities. Predicted depths of penetration of up to 10 m for Ellice Marsh and Wally Creek exceed the observed depths of 1 to 2 m. At Mer Bleue, on the other hand, we observe that, as predicted, a 100 MHz signal will penetrate to the base of a 2 m thick peat but a 200 MHz signal will not.
Accelerating Universes and String Theory

This article reviews recent developments in the study of universes with a positive cosmological constant in string theory. 1. The Challenge of Time It is evident that the world around us changes in time. At cosmological scales there is strong evidence that the universe was much hotter and denser some 13 billion years ago and has expanded and cooled since then, probably even undergoing an early period of exponentially accelerating expansion [1]. Apparently, even today a significant component of the matter in the universe is “dark energy” [1, 2], which might be a cosmological constant or a rolling scalar field [3] or something else, that is causing an accelerating expansion of spacetime. Despite these important motivations, very little is known about the basic features of string theory in expanding and time-dependent spacetimes, about the construction of realistic expanding universes from fundamental theory, about the nature of “dark energy” and the cosmological constant problem, and, most fundamentally, about “what time is”. More concretely, can the many light scalar fields (moduli) that arise in string compactifications acquire potentials that lead to slow roll inflation or quintessence, or perhaps can they be stabilized at a positive potential minimum giving a small cosmological constant? Expanding universes often begin in a big bang – can such spacelike curvature singularities including the ones inside Schwarzschild black holes be resolved in string theory? Is there a holographic description of universes with a positive cosmological constant akin to the ones available for a negative cosmological constant? Is information lost in black holes? It is important to mention that a fundamental challenge for string theory is that even the basic perturbative formulation of the theory is not understood in a general time-dependent spacetime. Recall that the sigma model approach to string perturbation theory constructs the partition function as a functional of the spacetime background
Forces on stationary particles in near‐bed turbulent flows

[1] In natural flows, bed sediment particles are entrained and moved by the fluctuating forces, such as lift and drag, exerted by the overlying flow on the particles. To develop a better understanding of these forces and the relation of the forces to the local flow, the downstream and vertical components of force on near-bed fixed particles and of fluid velocity above or in front of them were measured synchronously at turbulence-resolving frequencies (200 or 500 Hz) in a laboratory flume. Measurements were made for a spherical test particle fixed at various heights above a smooth bed, above a smooth bed downstream of a downstream-facing step, and in a gravel bed of similarly sized particles as well as for a cubical test particle and 7 natural particles above a smooth bed. Horizontal force was well correlated with downstream velocity and not correlated with vertical velocity or vertical momentum flux. The standard drag formula worked well to predict the horizontal force, but the required value of the drag coefficient was significantly higher than generally used to model bed load motion. For the spheres, cubes, and natural particles, average drag coefficients were found to be 0.76, 1.36, and 0.91, respectively. For comparison, the drag coefficient for a sphere settling in still water at similar particle Reynolds numbers is only about 0.4. The variability of the horizontal force relative to its mean was strongly increased by the presence of the step and the gravel bed. Peak deviations were about 30% of the mean force for the sphere over the smooth bed, about twice the mean with the step, and 4 times it for the sphere protruding roughly half its diameter above the gravel bed. Vertical force correlated poorly with downstream velocity, vertical velocity, and vertical momentum flux whether measured over or ahead of the test particle. Typical formulas for shear-induced lift based on Bernoulli's principle poorly predict the vertical forces on near-bed particles. The measurements suggest that particle-scale pressure variations associated with turbulence are significant in the particle momentum balance.
Cellular factors that interact with the hepatitis B virus enhancer

An 83-base-pair-long hepatitis B virus DNA fragment efficiently activates the transcription of the heterologous globin gene promoter. This fragment contains binding sites for at least four distinct cellular factors termed E, TGT3, EP, and NF-I. E is a positively acting factor, responsive to phorbol ester. EP is apparently identical to the factor EF-C that binds to the polyomavirus enhancer. The conservation of the binding site sequences for most of these factors in the genomes of other members of the hepadnavirus family suggests that these viruses share common enhancer elements.