Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fabric induced weakness of tectonic faults

Mature fault zones appear to be weaker than predicted by both theory and experiment. One explanation involves the presence of weak minerals, such as talc. However, talc is only a minor constituent of most fault zones and thus the question arises: what proportion of a weak mineral is needed to satisfy weak fault models? Existing studies of fault gouges indicate that >30% of the weak phase is necessary to weaken faults ‐ a proportion not supported by observations. Here we demonstrate that weakening of fault gouges can be accomplished by as little as 4 wt% talc, provided the talc forms a critically‐aligned, through‐going layer. Observations of foliated fault rocks in mature, large‐offset faults suggest they are produced as a consequence of ongoing fault displacement and thus our observations may provide a common explanation for weakness of mature faults.
Endocytosis of Activated TrkA: Evidence that Nerve Growth Factor Induces Formation of Signaling Endosomes

The survival, differentiation, and maintenance of responsive neurons are regulated by nerve growth factor (NGF), which is secreted by the target and interacts with receptors on the axon tip. It is uncertain how the NGF signal is communicated retrogradely from distal axons to neuron cell bodies. Retrograde transport of activated receptors in endocytic vesicles could convey the signal. However, little is known about endocytosis of NGF receptors, and there is no evidence that NGF receptors continue to signal after endocytosis. We have examined early events in the membrane traffic of NGF and its receptor, gp140TrkA (TrkA), in PC12 cells. NGF induced rapid and extensive endocytosis of TrkA in these cells, and the receptor subsequently moved into small organelles located near the plasma membrane. Some of these organelles contained clathrin and α-adaptin, which implies that TrkA is internalized by clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Using mechanical permeabilization and fractionation, intracellular organelles derived from endocytosis were separated from the plasma membrane. After NGF treatment, NGF was bound to TrkA in endocytic organelles, and TrkA was tyrosine-phosphorylated and bound to PLC-γ1, suggesting that these receptors were competent to initiate signal transduction. These studies raise the possibility that NGF induces formation of signaling endosomes containing activated TrkA. They are an important first step in elucidating the molecular mechanism of NGF retrograde signaling.
A mathematical model of wound healing and subsequent scarring

Wound healing is a complex process involving the delicate interaction between elements that vary widely in nature and size scales, from the nanometre level, such as molecules, to cells measured in micrometres, and fibres with width and length measured on both scales. Hybrid approaches, where each species is represented by a model on an appropriate size scale, have received attention recently. In this study, we provide a review of earlier work on such hybrid models of wound healing. General models for each of the element types involved in dermal wound healing used in this research are described: cells, modelled as discrete individuals; chemicals, modelled as continua; and fibres, modelled with a novel tensorial representation. Techniques for integrating such disparate models are outlined. A six-species model (fibrin, collagen, macrophages, fibroblasts, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and tissue plasminogen activator) of dermal wound healing is presented. The role of the cytokine TGF-β in the healing cascade is investigated using the model, along with its role in the degree of scarring in the healed tissue.
Sublethal effects and predator‐prey interactions: Implications for ecological risk assessment

Ecological risk assessments tend to focus on contaminant effects on single species in isolation. However, additional effects from interactions between species (e.g., predator–prey interactions) may also occur in natural systems. The present study investigated the consequences of sublethal contaminant effects in prey on predator–prey interactions, particularly the interaction between prey behavioral changes and predation by predators with different hunting strategies. Ambush (Ischnura elegans Vander Linden [Insecta, Odonata]) and active (Notonecta glauca Linnaeus [Insecta, Heteroptera]) predator species were used in conjunction with three prey species (Asellus aquaticus Linnaeus [Crustacea, Isopoda], Cloëon dipterum Linnaeus [Insecta, Ephemeroptera], and Chironomus riparius Meigen [Insecta, Diptera]). Immobilized prey demonstrated the importance of prey behavior for determining predation rates for both single‐ and multiple‐prey species. Chironomus riparius was less responsive following exposure to cadmium, becoming more vulnerable to attack by the active but not the ambush predator. Some evidence was also observed for reduced general activity in C. dipterum following cadmium exposure. Sublethal exposure of prey did not affect the prey choice of active predators, possibly because of prey behavioral changes being insufficient to influence their relative availabilities. However, cadmium exposure of prey did alter their susceptibility to ambush predators. There was a reduced proportion of C. dipterum and an increased proportion of A. aquaticus in the diet of ambush predators, possibly because of reduced activity in C. dipterum affecting their relative encounter rates with predators. Sublethal exposures can therefore result in reduced prey survival that would not be predicted by single‐species toxicity tests.
CTLA4Ig-Induced Linked Regulation of Allogeneic T Cell Responses1

The mechanisms by which CTLA4Ig exerts its powerful immunomodulatory effects are not clear. We show here that CTLA4Ig can induce linked regulation of allogeneic porcine T cell responses in vitro. Naive miniature swine SLAdd T cells were rendered hyporesponsive to specific allogeneic Ag after coculturing with MHC-mismatched SLAcc stimulators in the presence of CTLA4Ig. These Ag-specific hyporesponsive T cells were subsequently able to actively inhibit the allogeneic responses of naive syngeneic T cells in an MHC-linked fashion, as the responses of naive SLAdd responders against specific SLAcc and (SLAac)F1 stimulators were inhibited, but allogeneic responses against a 1:1 mixture of SLAaa (Ia, IIa) and SLAcc (Ic, IIc) were maintained. This inhibition could be generated against either class I or class II Ags, was radiosensitive, and required cell-cell contact. Furthermore, the mechanism of inhibition was not dependent upon a deletional, apoptotic pathway, but it was reversed by anti-IL-10 mAb. These data suggest that CTLA4Ig-induced inhibition of naive allogeneic T cell responses can be mediated through the generation of regulatory T cells via an IL-10-dependent mechanism.
Functional Organization of the Human First and Second Somatosensory Cortices: a Neuromagnetic Study

Multichannel neuromagnetic recordings were used to differentiate signals from the human first (SI) and second (SII) somatosensory cortices and to define representations of body surface in them. The responses from contralateral SI, peaking at 20 – 40 ms, arose mainly from area 3b, where representations of the leg, hand, fingers, lips and tongue agreed with earlier animal studies and with neurosurgical stimulations and recordings on convexial cortex in man. Representations of the five fingers were limited to a cortical strip of ∼2 cm in length. Responses from SII peaked 100 – 140 ms after contra‐ and ipsilateral stimuli and varied considerably from one subject to another. Signs of somatotopical organization were seen also in SII. Responses of SII were not fully recovered at interstimulus intervals of 8 s.
Earthquake clusters in southern California II: Classification and relation to physical properties of the crust

This is a second paper in a study of statistical identification and classification of earthquake clusters using a relocated catalog of 1981–2011 seismicity in southern California and synthetic catalogs produced by the Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence model. Here we focus on classification of event families—statistically significant clusters composed of foreshocks, mainshocks, and aftershocks—that are detected with the methodology discussed in part I of the study. The families are analyzed using their representation as time oriented tree graphs. The results (1) demonstrate that the clustering associated with the largest earthquakes, m > 7, is statistically different from that of small‐to‐medium earthquakes; (2) establish the existence of two dominant types of small‐to‐medium magnitude earthquake families—burst‐like and swarm‐like sequences—and a variety of intermediate cluster forms obtained as a mixture of the two dominant types; (3) suggest a simple new quantitative measure for identifying the cluster type based on its topological structure; (4) demonstrate systematic spatial variability of the cluster characteristics on a scale of tens of kilometers in relation to heat flow and other properties governing the effective viscosity of a region; and (5) establish correlation between the family topological structure and a dozen of metric properties traditionally considered in the literature (number of aftershocks, duration, spatial properties, b‐value, parameters of Omori‐Utsu and Båth law, etc.). The burst‐like clusters likely reflect highly brittle failures in relatively cold regions, while the swarm‐like clusters are likely associated with mixed brittle‐ductile failures in regions with relatively high temperature and/or fluid content. The results of this and paper I may be used to develop improved region‐specific hazard estimates and earthquake forecasts.
Behavioural Affect and Cognitive Effects of Time-pressure and Justification Requirement in Software Acquisition: Evidence from an Eye-Tracking Experiment

Decision makers often have to make decisions in high-pressure situations in which time is limited and competing alternatives are similar. However, research on how time-pressure influences decisions in an information system (IS) context is relatively limited. This study examines the influence of time-pressure on behavioural affect and cognitive effects using eye tracking technology in a behavioural experiment on a software acquisition task. Further, it explores the independent and interactive influence of justification requirement. Results indicate that time-pressure creates discomfort and limits the amount of time spent examining the available information, both in terms of the number of fixations (gazes at part of the screen) and the duration of those fixations. However, this does not mean that information was ignored. Instead, decision-makers under time-pressure actually examined more information under certain circumstances, i.e. the justification requirement seems to interact with time-pressure.
Life, Limb and Bumper Trade‐offs Calculable from Road Accident Models: An Empirical Multimoment Portfolio Analysis and Life Asset Pricing Model (LAPM)

Abstract The paper provides an empirical trade‐off analysis among the first three moments of road accident frequencies, and it is demonstrated that road drivers can be understood as behaving with respect to road accidents as investors trading among the various moments of the return of a financial asset, as they attach utility to at least three moments of the accident probability in conformity with Allais’s view. The method effectively proposes an empirical Life Asset Pricing Model (LAPM), i.e. a revealed preference alternative, derived directly from driver behaviour on the road itself, to the less direct human capital and willingness‐to‐pay approaches to the valuation of human life, termed ‘value of a statistical life’, in road risk analyses. The analysis, which is applicable in principle to any accident regression model, but performed here with two Demand for Road Use, Accidents and their Gravity (DRAG)‐type aggregate time series models, respectively, for Quebec, Canada, and western Germany, shows amazing similarities in the estimated rates of substitution among accidents of various severity levels within each region, as well as amazing dissimilarities between the regions in the asymmetry of the sample distributions pertaining to bodily injury accidents. For Quebec, where the fully documented model in official use has a long history of successful explanation and forecasting of the number and severity of road accidents, the rates of substitution among the accident frequencies of different categories imply that official Canadian human live valuations used in network accounts are too low (and the computed social cost recovery of roads too high), and that there exists a market for drivers willing to pay more for reduced driving risks than is assumed by road authorities on their behalf.
Rupture of unscarred uterus: a multi-year cross-sectional study from Nigerian Christian Hospital, Nigeria

Background: Rupture of the gravid uterus is a known catastrophic event in obstetrics. Rare in developed countries, it contributes to the high maternal mortality in developing countries like Nigeria. Little is known about the determinants of rupture in unscarred uterus, especially in Nigeria, unlike rupture of scarred uterus. This paper studied the factors associated with rupture of unscarred uterus in Nigerian Christian Hospital. Methods: This was a multi-year, cross-sectional descriptive study of all cases of primary uterine rupture in the hospital between May 2002 and October 2007. Key factors studied include demographics, place of initial presentation in labour, use of uterotonics, duration of labour, maternal and fetal outcome, injury to structures adjacent to the uterus as well as type of surgical intervention. Results: Rupture of unscarred uterus comprised 40% (n=28) of rupture in the study period, with incidence of 8.4 per 1,000 births in the hospital. Most cases aged 25-34 years with parity of 3 or above. A significant proportion of cases were first managed by Traditional Birth Attendants (p=0.01, α=0.05), and there was statistically significant association between prolonged labour and initial presentation to TBAs (χ 2 =16.44, P<0.001, α=0.05). Contiguous injuries to the cervix/vagina were most common among the cases. The associated maternal and perinatal mortality rates were 14% and 93% respectively. Conclusion: Primary uterine rupture was found to be associated with high parity and prolonged labour. Initial management by TBAs (with associated prolongation of labour) was strongly correlated to the occurrence of this event. It is recommended that health policy makers emphasize the deployment of competent health workers with obstetrics training in rural areas, to replace the traditional birth attendants.
Maximization of Worst-Case Weighted Sum-Rate for MISO Downlink Systems With Imperfect Channel Knowledge

The problem of robust weighted sum-rate maximization (WSRMax) in multicell downlink multi-input single-output systems is considered. We assume that channel state information (CSI) of all users is imperfectly known at the base stations. The problem is known to be NP-hard even in the case of perfect CSI. We propose optimal and suboptimal but fast-converging algorithms for WSRMax problem with CSI errors. Assuming bounded ellipsoidal model for the CSI errors, we optimize the worst-case weighted sum-rate. The proposed optimal algorithm is based on branch and bound (BB) technique, and it globally solves the worst-case WSRMax problem with an optimality certificate. As the convergence speed of the BB method can be slow for large networks, we also provide a fast but possibly suboptimal algorithm based on alternating optimization technique and sequential convex programming. The optimal BB based algorithm can be used to provide performance benchmarks for any suboptimal algorithm. Numerical results show that the convergence speed of the suboptimal algorithm is fast, and it finds a close-to-optimal solution in only a few iterations.
Comparison of reasoners for large ontologies in the OWL 2 EL profile

This paper provides a survey to and a comparison of state-of-the-art Semantic Web reasoners that succeed in classifying large ontologies expressed in the tractable OWL 2 EL profile. Reasoners are characterized along several dimensions: The first dimension comprises underlying reasoning characteristics, such as the employed reasoning method and its correctness as well as the expressivity and worst-case computational complexity of its supported language and whether the reasoner supports incremental classification, rules, justifications for inconsistent concepts and ABox reasoning tasks. The second dimension is practical usability: whether the reasoner implements the OWL API and can be used via OWLlink, whether it is available as Protege plugin, on which platforms it runs, whether its source is open or closed and which license it comes with. The last dimension contains performance indicators that can be evaluated empirically, such as classification, concept satisfiability, subsumption checking and consistency checking performance as well as required heap space and practical correctness, which is determined by comparing the computed concept hierarchies with each other. For the very large ontology SNOMED CT, which is released both in stated and inferred form, we test whether the computed concept hierarchies are correct by comparing them to the inferred form of the official distribution. The reasoners are categorized along the defined characteristics and benchmarked against well-known biomedical ontologies. The main conclusion from this study is that reasoners vary significantly with regard to all included characteristics, and therefore a critical assessment and evaluation of requirements is needed before selecting a reasoner for a real-life application.
Tumor Infiltrating PD1-Positive Lymphocytes and the Expression of PD-L1 Predict Poor Prognosis of Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Recently, the possibility of PD1 pathway-targeted therapy has been extensively studied in various human malignant tumors. However, no previous study has investigated their potential application for soft-tissue sarcomas (STS). In this study, we evaluated the clinical impact of intra-tumoral infiltration of PD1-positive lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression in tumor cells in 105 cases of STS. Intra-tumoral infiltration of PD1-positive lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression were seen in 65% and 58% of STS, respectively. Both PD1-positivity and PD-L1 expression were significantly associated with advanced clinicopathological parameters such as higher clinical stage, presence of distant metastasis, higher histological grade, poor differentiation of tumor, and tumor necrosis. Moreover, both PD1-positivity and PD-L1 positivity were independent prognostic indicators of overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) of STS by multivariate analysis. In addition, the combined pattern of PD1- and PD-L1-positivity was also an independent prognostic indicator for OS and EFS by multivariate analysis. The patents with a PD1+/PD-L1+ pattern had the shortest survival time. In conclusion, this study is the first to demonstrate that the infiltration of PD1 positive lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression in STS cells could be used as novel prognostic indicators for STS. Moreover, the evaluation of PD1- and PD-L1-positivity in STS is also available as possible criteria for selection of patients suitable for PD1-based immunotherapy.
Experimental separation of pronuclei in fertilized sea urchin eggs: chromosomes do not organize a spindle in the absence of centrosomes

We tested the ability of chromosomes in a mitotic cytoplasm to organize a bipolar spindle in the absence of centrosomes. Sea urchin eggs were treated with 5 X 10(-6) colcemid for 7-9 min before fertilization to block future microtubule assembly. Fertilization events were normal except that a sperm aster was not formed and the pronuclei remained up to 70 microns apart. After nuclear envelope breakdown, individual eggs were irradiated with 366-nm light to inactivate photochemically the colcemid. A functional haploid bipolar spindle was immediately assembled in association with the male chromosomes. In contrast to the male pronucleus, the female pronucleus in most of these eggs remained as a small nonbirefringent hyaline area throughout mitosis. High- voltage electron microscopy of serial semithick sections from individual eggs, previously followed in vivo, revealed that the female chromosomes were randomly distributed within the remnants of the nuclear envelope. No microtubules were found in these pronuclear areas even though the chromosomes were well-condensed and had prominent kinetochores with well-developed coronas. In the remaining eggs, a weakly birefringent monaster was assembled in the female pronuclear area. These observations demonstrate that chromosomes in a mitotic cytoplasm cannot organize a bipolar spindle in the absence of a spindle pole or even in the presence of a monaster. In fact, chromosomes do not even assemble kinetochore microtubules in the absence of a spindle pole, and kinetochore microtubules form only on kinetochores facing the pole when a monaster is present. This study also provides direct experimental proof for the longstanding paradigm that the sperm provides the centrosomes used in the development of the sea urchin zygote.
Assessing objective characterizations of phonetic convergence

This paper focuses on the study of the convergence between characteristics of speech segments- i.e. spectral characteristics of speech sounds - during live interactions between speaking dyads. The interaction data has been collected using an original verbal game called 'verbal dominoes' that provides a dense sampling of the acoustic spaces of the interlocutors. Two methods for characterizing phonetic convergence are here compared. The first one is based on a fine-grained analysis of the spectra of central frames of vowels (LDA) while the second one uses a more global speaker recognition technique (LLR). We show that convergence rates calculated by the two techniques correlate as the number of dominoes increases and that the LDA method well resists to the decrease of training and test material. We finally comment the impact of several factors on the computed convergence rates, i.e. interlocutors' familiarity and sex pairs.
Projecting robot intentions into human environments

Trained human co-workers can often easily predict each other's intentions based on prior experience. When collaborating with a robot coworker, however, intentions are hard or impossible to infer. This difficulty of mental introspection makes human-robot collaboration challenging and can lead to dangerous misunderstandings. In this paper, we present a novel, object-aware projection technique that allows robots to visualize task information and intentions on physical objects in the environment. The approach uses modern object tracking methods in order to display information at specific spatial locations taking into account the pose and shape of surrounding objects. As a result, a human co-worker can be informed in a timely manner about the safety of the workspace, the site of next robot manipulation tasks, and next subtasks to perform. A preliminary usability study compares the approach to collaboration approaches based on monitors and printed text. The study indicates that, on average, the user effectiveness and satisfaction is higher with the projection based approach.