Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Primary Processing Techniques and Significance of Hall-Petch Strengthening on the Mechanical Response of Magnesium Matrix Composites Containing TiO2 Nanoparticulates

In the present study, Mg (1.98 and 2.5) vol % TiO2 nanocomposites are primarily synthesized utilizing solid-phase blend-press-sinter powder metallurgy (PM) technique and liquid-phase disintegrated melt deposition technique (DMD) followed by hot extrusion. Microstructural characterization of the synthesized Mg-TiO2 nanocomposites indicated significant grain refinement with DMD synthesized Mg nanocomposites exhibiting as high as ~47% for 2.5 vol % TiO2 NPs addition. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that texture randomization of pure Mg depends not only on the critical amount of TiO2 NPs added to the Mg matrix but also on the adopted synthesis methodology. Irrespective of the processing technique, theoretically predicted tensile yield strength of Mg-TiO2 nanocomposites was found to be primarily governed by Hall-Petch mechanism. Among the synthesized Mg materials, solid-phase synthesized Mg 1.98 vol % TiO2 nanocomposite exhibited a maximum tensile fracture strain of ~14.5%. Further, the liquid-phase synthesized Mg-TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited higher tensile and compression properties than those primarily processed by solid-phase synthesis. The tensile-compression asymmetry values of the synthesized Mg-TiO2 nanocomposite was found to be lower than that of pure Mg with solid-phase synthesized Mg 1.98 vol % TiO2 nanocomposite exhibiting as low as 1.06.
Nitrite oxidation in geothermal springs: evidence of an upper temperature limit for thermophilic nitrite- oxidizing bacteria of 60 - 65 °C

Despite its importance in the nitrogen cycle, little is known about nitrite oxidation at high temperatures. In order to bridge this knowledge gap, enrichment cultures were inoculated with sediment slurries from a variety of geothermal springs. While attempts failed to enrich nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) from >10 hot spring samples at temperatures ≥61 °C, NOB were successfully enriched from the outflow of 7 hot springs located in U.S. Great Basin, southwestern China, and Armenia at temperatures ≤57.9 °C. The stoichiometric conversion of nitrite to nitrate, chlorate sensitivity, and the loss of activity after autoclaving all confirmed biological nitrite oxidation in these enrichments. Regardless of their origin, all successful enrichments contained organisms with high 16S rRNA gene sequence identity (≥97%) with Nitrospira calida. In addition, Armenian enrichments also contained organisms with high 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to Nitrospira moscoviensis. Physiological properties of all enrichments were similar, with a temperature optimum of 45 50 °C and an upper temperature limit between 60 °C and 65 °C. The highest rates of NOB activity occurred with initial NO2 concentrations of 0.5 0.75 mM; however, lower initial nitrite concentrations resulted in shorter lag times. The results presented here suggest a possible upper temperature limit of 60 – 65 °C for 7 chemolithotrophic nitrite oxidation and demonstrate the wide geographic range of Nitrospira spp. in geothermal environments.
Do Local Food Networks Foster Socio-Ecological Transitions towards Food Sovereignty? Learning from Real Place Experiences

Drawing on transition theory, we conceptualize local food networks as innovations that initially function and develop in local niches within a given food regime. As niche-innovations local food networks induce socio-ecological changes on the local level and they have the potential to foster wider transformations of the dominant food regime. Many local food networks adopt the concept of food sovereignty as a kind of “leitmotif”. At the core of this concept lies the question of how to create an agro-food system that, (i) allows for democratic participation and civic engagement in food production, and (ii) sets up new relationships that avoid social inequity and the exploitation of both humans and nature. In this paper we shed light on how the Austrian local food network “SpeiseLokal” addresses the challenge of operationalizing the concept of food sovereignty. The case study captures the strategies which local food networks embark on and depicts the difficulties they encounter. The paper aims to identify critical points of intersection that either strengthen or constrain local food networks from becoming established, operating, and up-scaling in the ways they wish; that is, in accordance with the principles and aims of food sovereignty, while avoiding a later assimilation into the dominant food regime.
The Hybrid BCI

Nowadays, everybody knows what a hybrid car is. A hybrid car normally has two engines to enhance energy efficiency and reduce CO2 output. Similarly, a hybrid brain-computer interface (BCI) is composed of two BCIs, or at least one BCI and another system. A hybrid BCI, like any BCI, must fulfill the following four criteria: (i) the device must rely on signals recorded directly from the brain; (ii) there must be at least one recordable brain signal that the user can intentionally modulate to effect goal-directed behaviour; (iii) real time processing; and (iv) the user must obtain feedback. This paper introduces hybrid BCIs that have already been published or are in development. We also introduce concepts for future work. We describe BCIs that classify two EEG patterns: one is the event-related (de)synchronisation (ERD, ERS) of sensorimotor rhythms, and the other is the steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP). Hybrid BCIs can either process their inputs simultaneously, or operate two systems sequentially, where the first system can act as a “brain switch”. For example, we describe a hybrid BCI that simultaneously combines ERD and SSVEP BCIs. We also describe a sequential hybrid BCI, in which subjects could use a brain switch to control an SSVEP-based hand orthosis. Subjects who used this hybrid BCI exhibited about half the false positives encountered while using the SSVEP BCI alone. A brain switch can also rely on hemodynamic changes measured through near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Hybrid BCIs can also use one brain signal and a different type of input. This additional input can be an electrophysiological signal such as the heart rate, or a signal from an external device such as an eye tracking system.
Brain Mapping Methods: Segmentation, Registration, and Connectivity Analysis

We present a collection of methods that model and interpret information represented in structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion MRI images of the living human brain. Our solution to the problem of brain segmentation in structural MRI combines artificial life and deformable models to develop a customizable plan for segmentation realized as cooperative deformable organisms. We also present work to represent and register white matter pathways as described in diffusion MRI. Our method represents these pathways as maximum density paths (MDPs), which compactly represent information and are compared using shape based registration for population studies. In addition, we present a group of methods focused on connectivity in the brain. These include an optimization for a global probabilistic tractography algorithm that computes fibers representing connectivity pathways in tissue, a novel maximum-flow based measure of connectivity, a classification framework identifying Alzheimer's disease based on connectivity measures, and a statistical framework to find the optimal partition of the brain for connectivity analysis. These methods seek to advance our understanding and analysis of neuroimaging data from crucial pre-processing steps to our fundamental understanding of connectivity in the brain.
Gender-Distinguishing Features in Film Dialogue

Film scripts provide a means of examining generalized western social perceptions of accepted human behavior. In particular, we focus on how dialogue in films describes gender, identifying linguistic and structural differences in speech for men and women and in same and different-gendered pairs. Using the Cornell Movie-Dialogs Corpus (DanescuNiculescu-Mizil et al., 2012a), we identify significant linguistic and structural features of dialogue that differentiate genders in conversation and analyze how those effects relate to existing literature on gender in film.
Threshold levels of ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors retained in chronic myeloid leukemia cells define commitment to apoptosis

Division of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies, University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Oregon Heath & Science University, Portland, OR Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, OR Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Portland, OR Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR Bioanalytical Shared Resource/Pharmacokinetics Core, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR Life Technologies, Madison, WI BD Biosciences, San Diego, CA Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR * These authors contributed equally to this work.
High-pressure synthesis of the cubic perovskite BaRuO3 and evolution of ferromagnetism in ARuO3 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) ruthenates

The cubic perovskite BaRuO3 has been synthesized under 18 GPa at 1,000°C. Rietveld refinement indicates that the new compound has a stretched Ru–O bond. The cubic perovskite BaRuO3 remains metallic to 4 K and exhibits a ferromagnetic transition at Tc = 60 K, which is significantly lower than the Tc ≈ 160 K for SrRuO3. The availability of cubic perovskite BaRuO3 not only makes it possible to map out the evolution of magnetism in the whole series of ARuO3 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) as a function of the ionic size of the A-site rA, but also completes the polytypes of BaRuO3. Extension of the plot of Tc versus rA in perovskites ARuO3 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) shows that Tc does not increase as the cubic structure is approached, but has a maximum for orthorhombic SrRuO3. Suppressing Tc by Ca and Ba doping in SrRuO3 is distinguished by sharply different magnetic susceptibilities χ(T) of the paramagnetic phase. This distinction has been interpreted in the context of a Griffiths' phase on the (Ca Sr)RuO3 side and bandwidth broadening on the (Sr,Ba)RuO3 side.
A boosted classifier tree for hand shape detection

The ability to detect a persons unconstrained hand in a natural video sequence has applications in sign language, gesture recognition and HCl. This paper presents a novel, unsupervised approach to training an efficient and robust detector which is capable of not only detecting the presence of human hands within an image but classifying the hand shape. A database of images is first clustered using a k-method clustering algorithm with a distance metric based upon shape context. From this, a tree structure of boosted cascades is constructed. The head of the tree provides a general hand detector while the individual branches of the tree classify a valid shape as belong to one of the predetermined clusters exemplified by an indicative hand shape. Preliminary experiments carried out showed that the approach boasts a promising 99.8% success rate on hand detection and 97.4% success at classification. Although we demonstrate the approach within the domain of hand shape it is equally applicable to other problems where both detection and classification are required for objects that display high variability in appearance.
Evaluation of histological grade and histologically tumour-free margins as predictors of local recurrence in completely excised canine mast cell tumours.

Completeness of mast cell tumour (MCT) excision is determined by assessment of histologically tumour-free margins (HTFM). The HTFM width necessary to prevent local recurrence (LR), recognized as histologic safety margin (HSM) in human oncology, has not been defined. We hypothesized that HTFM width would correlate with risk for LR and high-grade tumours would require wider HTFM than low-grade tumours. Records of dogs with completely excised MCTs were included. Signalment, two-tier tumour grade, tumour size, HTFM width, recurrence and therapy data was collected. High-grade (n = 39) tumours were more likely to recur than low-grade (n = 51) tumours (35.9% versus 3.9%), P < 0.0001, with no association between HTFM width and LR. Twenty-nine percent of low-grade tumours had HTFM less than 3 mm; none recurred. Narrow (≤3 mm) histologic margins are likely adequate to prevent LR of low-grade tumours. High-grade tumours have significant risk of LR regardless of HTFM width.
Fast search in Hamming space with multi-index hashing

There has been growing interest in mapping image data onto compact binary codes for fast near neighbor search in vision applications. Although binary codes are motivated by their use as direct indices (addresses) into a hash table, codes longer than 32 bits are not being used in this way, as it was thought to be ineffective. We introduce a rigorous way to build multiple hash tables on binary code substrings that enables exact K-nearest neighbor search in Hamming space. The algorithm is straightforward to implement, storage efficient, and it has sub-linear run-time behavior for uniformly distributed codes. Empirical results show dramatic speed-ups over a linear scan baseline and for datasets with up to one billion items, 64- or 128-bit codes, and search radii up to 25 bits.
Altitude profile of the infrared atmospheric system of oxygen in the dayglow

The altitude profile of the infrared atmospheric system of oxygen at 1.27 μ in the dayglow has been measured using a two-channel filter photometer flown to an altitude of 128 km over White Sands, New Mexico, at a solar elevation of 14.5° in October 1966. The emission peaks at 49.5 km and the maximum volume emission rate is 1030 kR/km. The total emission intensity of 21 MR is in agreement with that of balloon-borne observations. The main emission layer agrees well with that predicted from an excitation mechanism of the photolysis of ozone in the Hartley continuum. There is some excess emission above 80 km, and three possible explanations are considered: additional ozone, enforced fluorescence via the ¹Σ level, and recombination of atomic oxygen. A combination of these can explain the observations, but which ones are most important cannot be decided. The amounts of metastable O2 observed above 70 km are sufficient to provide an important source of ionization and of NO in the lower D region.
Use of handheld mid-infrared spectroscopy and partial least-squares regression for the prediction of the phosphorus buffering index in Australian soils

The development of techniques for the rapid, inexpensive and accurate determination of the phosphorus (P) buffer index (PBI) in soils is important in terms of increasing the efficiency of P application for optimum crop requirements and preventing environmental pollution due to excessive use of P fertilisers. This paper describes the successful implementation of partial least-squares regression (PLSR) from spectra obtained with bench-top and handheld mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometers for the prediction of PBI on 601 representative Australian agricultural soils. By contrast, poor predictions were obtained for available (Colwell) P. Regression models were successfully derived for PBI ranges of 0–800 and 0–150, the latter range resulting in the optimum model considering the dominance of low PBI soils in the sample set. Concentrations of some major soil minerals (mainly kaolinite and gibbsite content for high PBI, and smectites or illites for low PBI), quartz (representative of low surface area of soils) and, to a lesser extent, carbonate and soil organic matter were identified as the main drivers of the PBI models. Models developed with soils sieved to <2 mm presented an accuracy similar to those developed using fine-ground material. The accuracy of the PLSR for the prediction of PBI by using bench-top and handheld instruments was also similar. Our results confirm the possibility of using MIR spectroscopy for the onsite prediction of PBI.
Ovarian hormones and binge eating: exploring associations in community samples

Background Significant associations between changes in ovarian hormones and binge eating are present across the menstrual cycle in women with bulimia nervosa. However, no study has examined these relationships in a non-clinical sample, despite the need for these data for designing risk-factor studies. Method In study 1, we modified several continuous measures of binge eating and identified those that were most sensitive to menstrual-cycle fluctuations in a non-clinical sample of 10 women who completed measures for 35 days. In study 2, we explored associations between ovarian hormones and binge-eating scores in nine women who completed these same measures for 65 days and provided daily saliva samples for assays of estradiol and progesterone concentrations. Results In study 1, the Emotional Eating subscale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire exhibited superior reliability and was most sensitive to predicted menstrual-cycle changes in binge eating (i.e. increased scores in the mid-luteal/premenstrual compared with follicular/ovulatory phases). In study 2, this scale showed predicted inverse associations with estradiol and positive associations with progesterone across the menstrual cycle that could not be accounted for by changes in negative affect. Conclusion Associations between ovarian hormones and binge eating are robust and present in clinical and non-clinical samples. Findings support the ability to examine the role of ovarian hormones as risk factors for binge eating in large-scale prospective studies and twin studies.
Evaluation of the LISEM soil erosion model in two catchments in the East African Highlands

Under increasing population pressure, soil erosion has become a threat in the East African Highlands, and erosion modelling can be useful to quantify this threat. To test its applicability for this region, the LISEM soil erosion model was applied to two small catchments, one in the Usumbara Mountains, Tanzania, and the other on the slopes of Mount Kenya. Input data for the model were collected in both catchments, as were data on runoff and erosion that were used for calibration and validation of the model. LISEM was first calibrated on catchment outlet data, and afterwards simulated spatial patterns of erosion were compared to available erosion data. The results showed that LISEM can, after calibration, give good discharge predictions for some events, but not for all. However, LISEM generally overpredicted soil loss from the catchments. Comparison with observed erosion patterns did not show overprediction, but according to the model, erosion was more widespread than was observed. There are several reasons for these discrepancies. First, it is difficult to obtain enough accurate data to run the model, such as accurate maps, rainfall data and soil and plant characteristics. Second, it is also difficult to obtain accurate data to evaluate the performance of the model, either for the catchment outlet or spatially, therefore observed erosion rates are also uncertain. Third, the model could not deal correctly with complex events, i.e. those having double rainfall peaks, and might also have difficulties with catchment characteristics such as soil type and the complexity of land use. Finally, LISEM could not deal with events in which throughflow or baseflow played a role, which was to be expected since those processes are not simulated by LISEM. Nevertheless, LISEM could be calibrated to give good discharge predictions for some events, and also gave reasonable results when compared to data obtained from erosion plots. Furthermore, only complex, distributed, storm‐based models such as LISEM can give spatial predictions for single storms. Therefore, it is concluded that if the aim is spatial prediction on an event basis, there is no alternative to complex erosion models such as LISEM, but if the aim is to predict average annual erosion, the data‐demanding, physically based LISEM erosion model may not be the most appropriate model. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Retinotopic Organization of Primate Dorsal V4 and Surrounding Areas: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study in Awake Monkeys

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we mapped the retinotopic organization throughout the visual cortex of fixating monkeys. The retinotopy observed in areas V1, V2, and V3 was completely consistent with the classical view. V1 and V3 were bordered rostrally by a vertical meridian representation, and V2 was bordered by a horizontal meridian. More anterior in occipital cortex, both areas V3A and MT-V5 had lower and upper visual field representations split by a horizontal meridian. The rostral border of dorsal V4 was characterized by the gradual transition of a representation of the vertical meridian (dorsally) to a representation of the horizontal meridian (more ventrally). Central and ventral V4, on the other hand, were rostrally bordered by a representation of the horizontal meridian. The eccentricity lines ran perpendicular to the ventral V3-V4 border but were parallel to the dorsal V3-V4 border. These results indicate different retinotopic organizations within dorsal and ventral V4, suggesting that the latter regions may not be merely the lower and upper visual field representations of a single area. Moreover, because the present fMRI data are in agreement with previously published electrophysiological results, reported distinctions in the retinotopic organization of human and monkey dorsal V4 reflect genuine species differences that cannot be attributed to technical confounds. Finally, aside from dorsal V4, the retinotopic organization of macaque early visual cortex (V1, V2, V3, V3A, and ventral V4) is remarkably similar to that observed in human fMRI studies. This finding indicates that early visual cortex is mostly conserved throughout hominid evolution.
Poroelastic Model for Production- and Injection-Induced Stresses in Reservoirs with Elastic Properties Different from the Surrounding Rock

Closed-form and semianalytical solutions for induced poroelastic stresses and strains are extremely useful for the design of subsurface fluid storage in caverns because of their relative ease of implementation and their suitability for parameter sensitivity analyses. This paper describes the use of Eshelby’s inhomogeneity theory to derive equations that can be used to predict the induced stresses and strains for reservoirs that are elliptical in cross section, under plane strain conditions. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate that the induced stresses are relatively insensitive to the Poisson’s ratio of the surrounding rock, but they are strongly affected by the Poisson’s ratio of the reservoir, and the ratio of shear modulus of the reservoir to that of the surrounding rock. Results are presented in terms of dimensionless parameters, which facilitate their application to a broad range of reservoir dimensions and pressure-change magnitudes. These equations can also be used to predict the induced stresses arou.