Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The hydrological significance of mountains: from regional to global scale

: Mountain regions supply a large share of the world’s population with fresh water. Quantifi-cation of the hydrological significance of mountains, however, is subject to great uncertainty. Instead of focusing on global averages in advance, the present analysis follows a catchment-based approach us-ing discharge data provided by the Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC). The River Rhine originating in the European Alps is chosen as a first study area, revealing the hydrological relationship between mountainous and lowland regions in a well-documented area. Following the findings from this analysis, different aspects of runoff characteristics for a total of 22 case-study river basins world-wide have been investigated and compared, for a global view. The view has been extended through aspects of climate and human use of mountain runoff. The particular hydrological characteristics of mountain areas are characterised by disproportionately large discharges. In humid areas, mountains supply up to 20-50% of total discharge while in arid areas, mountains contribute from 50-90% of total discharge, with extremes of over 95%. The overall assessment of the hydrological significance of mountain areas reveals that the world’s major ’water towers’ are found in arid or semi-arid zones where they provide essential fresh water for a significant proportion of a quickly growing global population.
MUSCLE PREACTIVATION AND LEG STIFFNESS IN MEN AND WOMEN DURING HOPPING

When hopping, kleg increases as surface stiffness decreases (Farley et al., 1998). Adjustments to ankle stiffness were found to be the greatest contributor to changes in kleg, whereas the timing of muscle onset did not change. Hortobagyi and DeVita (2000), however, found significant relationships between muscle preactivition times and leg stiffness when subjects stepped downward. They also reported differences between young and old subjects.
Women in crisis? : how young Greek women navigate 'emerging adulthood' following the effects of the 2008 economic crisis.

This study focuses upon Greek women aged in their twenties and thirties, examining how they have experienced ‘emerging adulthood’ amidst the post-2008 social and economic crisis. Despite several commentaries charting the social consequences of the Greek crisis, few have examined exclusively on young women. This thesis is among the first to demonstrate the gendered effects of the Greek crisis. Based on in-depth interviews with 36 young women in Thessaloniki and Athens, the study assesses how young women negotiate ‘emerging adulthood’, by examining certain attributes of the crisis, combined with Greece’s unique cultural fabric. The thesis examines how traditional markers of adulthood, such as having a job, acquiring accommodation, establishing stable romantic relations and forming families have been considerably curtailed due to the effects of the crisis. The findings of the thesis are positioned around three major themes; firstly, the importance of education and work for young women during emerging adulthood. Due to a reduction in labour market opportunities in medium-high skilled work, young middle-class women have found themselves facing considerably curtailed employment prospects. The study examines how young women negotiate these challenging employment contexts, learning to find ways of coping within these situations. Secondly, with most young women forced to live with parents, the thesis examines the ways these living situations provide both a safety net, but also a hinderance to their sense of autonomy and independence. Finally, the thesis explores how young middle-class women in Greece negotiate love and intimacy under conditions of financial hardships and a general context of uncertainties and insecurities. The thesis concludes with the argument that significant social uncertainties and repeated experiences of personal injustice and social strain have resulted in resignation - an accepted state of their life events with few alternatives and hopes of positive change.
A study of phonetic feature representations for SVM-based speaker verification

We investigate an alternative formulation of phonetic feature representations for SVM-based speaker verification. The new features are based on conditional likelihood representations rather than the joint-likelihood or bag-of-ngram calculations traditionally used. Conditional likelihoods are shown to be a more natural method of modelling phonetic information, and improve upon conventional joint likelihoods in a number of cases. The problem of feature normalisation is also examined, with a previously proposed non-parametric method based on rank shown to be particularly useful. Combinations of feature representations are examined and the potential for complementary information between joint and conditional likelihoods considered. Additionally, feature compensation is applied to conditional likelihoods with considerable improvement in performance.
Application of the Intergranular Strain Concept to the Hypoplastic Modelling of Non-Adhesive Interfaces

The extension of hypoplastic constitutive models with an elastic strain range is applied to an existing hypoplastic interface model. Hence, the interface model gains the capability to describe non-monotonic load paths. After the presentation of the model, the results of experimental data of cyclic interface shear tests are compared with numerical simulations.
SPS ECLOUD INSTABILITIES - ANALYSIS OF MACHINE STUDIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ECLOUD FEEDBACK - eScholarship

HIFAN 1791 SPS ECLOUD INSTABILITIES - ANALYSIS OF MACHINE STUDIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ECLOUD FEEDBACK by J . D . F o x , A . B u l l i t t , T. M a s t o r i d e s , G . N d a b a s h i m i y e , C . Rivetta, O. Turgut, D. V a n Winkle Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford, C A , USA J. Byrd, M . Furman, J-L. V a y , Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA W. Hofle, G. R u m o l o , CERN, Geneva, S w i t z e r l a n d R. D e M a r i a , B r o o k h a v e n N a t i o n a l L a b o r a t o r y , U p t o n , N Y , USA Accelerator Fusion Research Division (AFRD) Accelerator and Fusion Research Division Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, California 94720 and US L H C Accelerator Research Program (LARP) May 2010 This w o r k was supported b y the Director, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy u n d e r Contract N o . DE-AC02-05CH11231 a n d the w o r k was supported b y the U.S. Department of Energy under contract # DE-AC02-76F00515 a n d the US LHC A c c e l e r a t o r Research Program (LARP).
New HST Observations of the Halo Gas of NGC 3067: Limits on the Extragalactic Ionizing Background at Low Redshift and the Lyman Continuum Escape Fraction

We present ultraviolet spectroscopy from HST/GHRS and reanalyze existing Hα images of the quasar/galaxy pair 3C 232/NGC 3067 and of the halo gas associated with NGC 3067. The spectra permit measurement of, or limits on, the column densities of Fe I, Fe II, Mg I, and Mg II in the absorbing cloud. Two distinct models of the extragalactic radiation field are considered: (1) the ionizing spectrum is dominated by a power-law extragalactic continuum, and (2) the power-law spectrum contains a Lyman break, implying enhanced flux longward of 912 Å relative to the hydrogen-ionizing flux. Models of the second type are required to fully explore the ionization balance of the Fe and Mg in the model cloud. The Hα images constrain the escape fraction of Lyman continuum photons from the galaxy to fesc ≤ 0.02. With the assumption that the cloud is shielded from all galactic contributions, we can constrain the intensity and shape of the extragalactic continuum. For an AGN-dominated power-law extragalactic spectrum, we derive a limit on the extragalactic ionizing flux Φion ≥ 2600 photons cm-2 s-1, or I0 ≥ 10-23 ergs cm-2 s-1 Hz-1 sr-1 for a ν-1.8 ionizing spectrum and a cloud of constant density. When combined with previous upper limits from the absence of Hα recombination emission from intergalactic clouds, our observations require 2600 ≤ Φion ≤ 10,000 photons cm-2 s-1. We show that if galactic contributions to the incident radiation are important, it is difficult to constrain Φion. These results demonstrate that galactic halo opacities and their wavelength dependence are crucial to understanding the abundance of low-ionization metals in the IGM.
Multivariable Askey-Wilson Polynomials and Quantum Complex Grassmannians

We present a one-parameter family of constant solutions of the reflection equation and define a family of quantum complex Grassmannians endowed with a transitive action of the quantum unitary group. By computing the radial part of a suitable Casimir operator, we identify the zonal spherical functions (i.e. infinitesimally bi-invariant matrix coefficients of finite-dimensional irreducible representations) as multivariable Askey-Wilson polynomials containing two continuous and two discrete parameters.
In Situ Real-Time Monitoring of Glutamate and Electrophysiology from Cortex to Hippocampus in Mice Based on a Microelectrode Array

Changes in the structure and function of the hippocampus contribute to epilepsy, schizophrenia and other neurological or mental disorders of the brain. Since the function of the hippocampus depends heavily on the glutamate (Glu) signaling pathways, in situ real-time detection of Glu neurotransmitter release and electrophysiological signals in hippocampus is of great significance. To achieve the dual-mode detection in mouse hippocampus in vivo, a 16-channel implantable microelectrode array (MEA) was fabricated by micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technology. Twelve microelectrode sites were modified with platinum black for electrophysiological recording and four sites were modified with glutamate oxidase (GluOx) and 1,3-phenylenediamine (mPD) for selective electrochemical detection of Glu. The MEA was implanted from cortex to hippocampus in mouse brain for in situ real-time monitoring of Glu and electrophysiological signals. It was found that the Glu concentration in hippocampus was roughly 50 μM higher than that in the cortex, and the firing rate of concurrently recorded spikes declined from 6.32 ± 4.35 spikes/s in cortex to 0.09 ± 0.06 spikes/s in hippocampus. The present results demonstrated that the dual-mode MEA probe was capable in neurological detections in vivo with high spatial resolution and dynamical response, which lays the foundation for further pathology studies in the hippocampus of mouse models with nervous or mental disorders.
The decline of organizational sociology? An empirical analysis of research trends in leading journals across half a century

Recent works see organizational sociology at the brink of irrelevance. Against this backdrop, in this article the authors want to explore the current state of organizational sociology empirically. They employ a variety of manual, automated and semi-automated content analyses to examine research articles published in generalist sociology journals since the 1950s. Contrary to contemporary pessimistic assessments, the results indicate that organizational sociology has not significantly declined over time. However, the study finds an increasing concentration on quantitative research designs, business-related topics, and only two dominant theory perspectives – neo-institutionalism and the network approach. A multifaceted decrease in variety rather than an absolute decline could be the right diagnosis.
Authenticating cell lines in ophthalmic research laboratories.

Authentication of cell lines in biomedical research has been elevated to a very high priority. From a review of the literature, Lacroix1 reviewed the issue of cross-contamination of cell lines including the well known contamination of cell lines with HeLa cells,2 and the mis-identification of the ECV304 cell line as “immortalized endothelial cells” when these cells in fact originated from T24 bladder carcinoma cells.3 Lacroix 1 estimated that between 18 and 36% of cell lines have been misclassified. One survey at a large research institution suggested that fewer than 50% of researchers authenticate their cell lines.4 Nardone5 proposed recently that identification of cell lines be required of investigators before grants are awarded, and the National Institutes of Health subsequently called for researchers to authenticate cell lines as a prerequisite for grant funding.6
Enhancing Performance Prediction Robustness by Combining Analytical Modeling and Machine Learning

Classical approaches to performance prediction rely on two, typically antithetic, techniques: Machine Learning (ML) and Analytical Modeling (AM). ML takes a black box approach, whose accuracy strongly depends on the representativeness of the dataset used during the initial training phase. Specifically, it can achieve very good accuracy in areas of the features' space that have been sufficiently explored during the training process. Conversely, AM techniques require no or minimal training, hence exhibiting the potential for supporting prompt instantiation of the performance model of the target system. However, in order to ensure their tractability, they typically rely on a set of simplifying assumptions. Consequently, AM's accuracy can be seriously challenged in scenarios (e.g., workload conditions) in which such assumptions are not matched. In this paper we explore several hybrid/gray box techniques that exploit AM and ML in synergy in order to get the best of the two worlds. We evaluate the proposed techniques in case studies targeting two complex and widely adopted middleware systems: a NoSQL distributed key-value store and a Total Order Broadcast (TOB) service.
Drug Safety : Most Drugs Withdrawn in Recent Years Had Greater Health Risks for Women

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves drugs for sale in the United States based on its determination that the clinical benefits of a drug outweigh its potential health risks. To make this decision, FDA reviews supporting data collected from several thousand patients during the drug’s development. Once a drug is approved for marketing and used by potentially hundreds of thousands of patients, however, the type, rate, and severity of adverse events caused by the drug can be much different than those detected during the drug’s development. In some cases, FDA or drug manufacturers have acted to remove from the market drugs that have been shown to have unacceptable health risks once they were in widespread use.
Cell Death Control: The Interplay of Apoptosis and Autophagy in the Pathogenicity of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Programmed cell death is characterized by a cascade of tightly controlled events that culminate in the orchestrated death of the cell. In multicellular organisms autophagy and apoptosis are recognized as two principal means by which these genetically determined cell deaths occur. During plant-microbe interactions cell death programs can mediate both resistant and susceptible events. Via oxalic acid (OA), the necrotrophic phytopathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum hijacks host pathways and induces cell death in host plant tissue resulting in hallmark apoptotic features in a time and dose dependent manner. OA-deficient mutants are non-pathogenic and trigger a restricted cell death phenotype in the host that unexpectedly exhibits markers associated with the plant hypersensitive response including callose deposition and a pronounced oxidative burst, suggesting the plant can recognize and in this case respond, defensively. The details of this plant directed restrictive cell death associated with OA deficient mutants is the focus of this work. Using a combination of electron and fluorescence microscopy, chemical effectors and reverse genetics, we show that this restricted cell death is autophagic. Inhibition of autophagy rescued the non-pathogenic mutant phenotype. These findings indicate that autophagy is a defense response in this necrotrophic fungus/plant interaction and suggest a novel function associated with OA; namely, the suppression of autophagy. These data suggest that not all cell deaths are equivalent, and though programmed cell death occurs in both situations, the outcome is predicated on who is in control of the cell death machinery. Based on our data, we suggest that it is not cell death per se that dictates the outcome of certain plant-microbe interactions, but the manner by which cell death occurs that is crucial.
Antagonistic relationships between intron content and codon usage bias of genes in three mosquito species: functional and evolutionary implications

Genome biology of mosquitoes holds potential in developing knowledge‐based control strategies against vectorborne diseases such as malaria, dengue, West Nile, and others. Although the genomes of three major vector mosquitoes have been sequenced, attempts to elucidate the relationship between intron and codon usage bias across species in phylogenetic contexts are limited. In this study, we investigated the relationship between intron content and codon bias of orthologous genes among three vector mosquito species. We found an antagonistic relationship between codon usage bias and the intron number of genes in each mosquito species. The pattern is further evident among the intronless and the intron‐containing orthologous genes associated with either low or high codon bias among the three species. Furthermore, the covariance between codon bias and intron number has a directional component associated with the species phylogeny when compared with other nonmosquito insects. By applying a maximum likelihood–based continuous regression method, we show that codon bias and intron content of genes vary among the insects in a phylogeny‐dependent manner, but with no evidence of adaptive radiation or species‐specific adaptation. We discuss the functional and evolutionary significance of antagonistic relationships between intron content and codon bias.
Emx2 and Pax6 Function in Cooperation with Otx2 and Otx1 to Develop Caudal Forebrain Primordium That Includes Future Archipallium

One of the central issues in developmental neurobiology is how the forebrain is organized ontogenetically. The traditional view is that the anterior neuroectoderm first develops into mesencephalic and prosencephalic vesicles; the latter vesicle subsequently develops into the diencephalon and secondary prosencephalon, of which dorsal parts protrude to generate the telencephalon. The diencephalon yields the pretectum, thalamus, and prethalamus, and the telencephalon produces the archipallium, neopallium, and ganglionic eminences. By identifying cell descendants that once expressed Emx2 with use of the Cre knock-in mutant into the Emx2 locus and analyzing phenotypes of double mutants between Emx2 and Otx2/Otx1 and between Emx2 and Pax6, we propose that at the 3-6 somite stage, the anterior neuroectoderm develops into three primordia: midbrain, caudal forebrain, and rostral forebrain. The caudal forebrain primordium generates not only the pretectum, thalamus, and prethalamus but also the archipallium, cortical hem, choroid plexus, choroidal roof, and eminentia thalami. The primordium corresponds to the Emx2- or Pax6-positive region at the 3-6 somite stage that most probably does not include the future neopallium or commissural plate. Otx2 and Otx1 that are expressed in the entire future forebrain and midbrain cooperate with this Emx2 and Pax6 expression in the development of the caudal forebrain primordium; Emx2 and Pax6 functions are redundant. In the embryonic day 9.5 Emx2-/-Pax6-/- double mutant, the caudal forebrain remained unspecified and subsequently transformed into tectum in a mirror image of the endogenous one.
A Social Norms Intervention Going Wrong: Boomerang Effects from Descriptive Norms Information

A large body of research supports the idea of social norms communication promoting pro-social and pro-environmental behaviour. This paper investigates social norms communication in the field. Signs prompting consumers about sustainable seafood labels and informing them about other consumers’ sustainable choices were displayed in supermarkets in Norway and Germany. Seafood sales (sustainably labelled versus unlabelled products) were observed before, during, and after the implementation of the signs. The expected change towards more sustainable choices was generally not found. In Norway, the choice of sustainable seafood increased in the prompt-only condition, but the effect was neutralised when social norms information was added. In Germany, social norm messages lead to a decline in sustainable choices compared to baseline, a boomerang effect. Overall, an increase in the purchase of seafood (both sustainably labelled and unlabelled) was noted during the intervention. A second study was carried out to further explore the finding that consumers were mainly primed with “seafood” as a food group. In a laboratory setting, participants were confronted with stereotypical food pictures, combined with short sentences encouraging different consumption patterns. Subsequently, they were asked to choose food products in a virtual shop. Confirming the findings of Study 1, participants chose more of the groceries belonging to the food group they were primed with. These studies suggest that social norms interventions—recently often perceived as “the Holy Grail” for behaviour change—are not as universally applicable as suggested in the literature. According to this study, even descriptive norm messages can produce boomerang effects.
The Anti-Tumor Activity of Succinyl Macrolactin A Is Mediated through the β-Catenin Destruction Complex via the Suppression of Tankyrase and PI3K/Akt

Accumulated gene mutations in cancer suggest that multi-targeted suppression of affected signaling networks is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. In the present study, we report that 7-O-succinyl macrolactin A (SMA) suppresses tumor growth by stabilizing the β-catenin destruction complex, which was achieved through inhibition of regulatory components associated with the complex. SMA significantly reduced the activities of PI3K/Akt, which corresponded with a decrease in GSK3β phosphorylation, an increase in β-catenin phosphorylation, and a reduction in nuclear β-catenin content in HT29 human colon cancer cells. At the same time, the activity of tankyrase, which inhibits the β-catenin destruction complex by destabilizing the axin level, was suppressed by SMA. Despite the low potency of SMA against tankyrase activity (IC50 of 50.1 μM and 15.5 μM for tankyrase 1 and 2, respectively) compared to XAV939 (IC50 of 11 nM for tankyrase 1), a selective and potent tankyrase inhibitor, SMA had strong inhibitory effects on β-catenin-dependent TCF/LEF1 transcriptional activity (IC50 of 39.8 nM), which were similar to that of XAV939 (IC50 of 28.1 nM). In addition to suppressing the colony forming ability of colon cancer cells in vitro, SMA significantly inhibited tumor growth in CT26 syngenic and HT29 xenograft mouse tumor models. Furthermore, treating mice with SMA in combination with 5-FU in a colon cancer xenograft model or with cisplatin in an A549 lung cancer xenograft model resulted in greater anti-tumor activity than did treatment with the drugs alone. In the xenograft tumor tissues, SMA dose-dependently inhibited nuclear β-catenin along with reductions in GSK3β phosphorylation and increases in axin levels. These results suggest that SMA is a possible candidate as an effective anti-cancer agent alone or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs, such as 5-FU and cisplatin, and that the mode of action for SMA involves stabilization of the β-catenin destruction complex through inhibition of tankyrase and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.