Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are there signs of acidification reversal in freshwaters of the low mountain ranges in Germany

Abstract. The reversal of freshwater acidification in the low mountain ranges of Germany is of public, political and scientific concern, because these regions are near natural ecosystems and function as an important drinking water supply. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status and trends of acidification reversal after two decades of reduced anthropogenic deposition in selected freshwaters of the low mountain ranges in the Harz, the Fichtelgebirge, the Bavarian Forest, the Spessart and the Black Forest. In response to decreased sulphate deposition, seven out of nine streams investigated had significantly decreasing sulphate concentrations (all trends were calculated with the Seasonal Kendall Test). The decrease in sulphate concentration was only minor, however, due to the release of previously stored soil sulphur. No increase was found in pH and acid neutralising capacity (defined by Reuss and Johnson, 1986). Aluminum concentrations in the streams did not decrease. Thus, no major acidification reversal can currently be noted in spite of two decades of decreased acid deposition. Nevertheless, the first signs of improvement in water quality were detected as there was a decrease in the level and frequency of extreme values of pH, acid neutralising capacity and aluminium concentrations in streams. With respect to nitrogen, no change was determined for either nitrate or ammonium concentrations in precipitation or stream water. Base cation fluxes indicate increasing net loss of base cations from all ecosystems investigated, which could be interpreted as an increase in soil acidification. The latter was due to a combination of continued high anion leaching and significant reduction of base cation deposition. No major improvement was noted in biological recovery, however, initial signs of recovery were detectable as there was re-occurrence of some single macroinvertebrate species which were formerly extinct. The results of this study have important implications for water authorities, forest managers and policy makers: the delay in acidification reversal suggests a need for ongoing intensive amelioration of waters, a careful selection of management tools to guarantee sustainable management of forests and the reduction of nitrogen deposition to prevent further acidification of soils and waters. Keywords: freshwater, acidification reversal, drinking water supply, forested catchments, Germany
The Relationships between Perceived Parental Rearing Style and Anxiety Symptoms in Malaysian Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas

Anxiety is among the most prevalent forms of psychopathology in adolescence. The Schema Theory emphasizes the role of the quality of the early experiences and parents-child relationship and its impact through the cognitive schemas on emotional health. The present study examined the influence of parental behavior rearing and cognitive schemas on the development of anxiety in Malaysian adolescents. Further, the mediating role of early maladaptive schemas in the link between parenting variables and anxiety symptoms in adolescents were examined. Using multiple cluster sampling, 38 classrooms from 11 international secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were selected. A sample of 612 nonclinical adolescents (226 girls and 386 boys) aged 13-18 years (mean age = 15.48 years) completed the questionnaires measuring perceived parenting behaviors (EMBU-C), early maladaptive schemas (YSQ-S3) and anxiety symptoms (SCAS). The results indicated that there were positive correlations among adverse parenting behavior styles, EMSs and anxiety. Further, with regression analyses revealing two parenting styles (Anxious Rearing and Rejection) also, four particular EMSs were significant predictors of anxiety in adolescents. Furthermore, some early maladaptive schemas do mediate the relations between parenting variables and anxiety in adolescent. Findings of current study provide evidence for the notion that the relationship between negative parental rearing behaviors and anxiety is explained by maladaptive cognitive schemas. Finally, clinical significance of the findings was discussed.
Quantitative analysis of bloggers’ collective behavior powered by emotions

Large-scale data resulting from users’ online interactions provide the ultimate source of information to study emergent social phenomena on the Web. From individual actions of users to observable collective behaviors, different mechanisms involving emotions expressed in the posted text play a role. Here we combine approaches of statistical physics with machine-learning methods of text analysis to study the emergence of emotional behavior among Web users. Mapping the high-resolution data from digg.com onto bipartite networks of users and their comments onto posted stories, we identify user communities centered around certain popular posts and determine emotional contents of the related comments by the emotion classifier developed for this type of text. Applied over different time periods, this framework reveals strong correlations between the excess of negative emotions and the evolution of communities. We observe avalanches of emotional comments exhibiting significant self-organized critical behavior and temporal correlations. To explore the robustness of these critical states, we design a network-automaton model on realistic network connections and several control parameters, which can be inferred from the dataset. Dissemination of emotions by a small fraction of very active users appears to critically tune the collective states.
Efficient Greek Estimation in Generic Market Models

We first develop an efficient algorithm to compute Deltas of interest rate derivatives for a number of standard market models. The computational complexity of the algorithms is shown to be proportional to the number of rates times the number of factors per step. We then show how to extend the method to efficiently compute Vegas in those market models.
Extraintestinal Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract:Extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are frequent and may occur before or after IBD diagnosis. EIM may impact the quality of life for patients with IBD significantly requiring specific treatment depending on the affected organ(s). They most frequently affect joints, skin, or eyes, but can also less frequently involve other organs such as liver, lungs, or pancreas. Certain EIM, such as peripheral arthritis, oral aphthous ulcers, episcleritis, or erythema nodosum, are frequently associated with active intestinal inflammation and usually improve by treatment of the intestinal activity. Other EIM, such as uveitis or ankylosing spondylitis, usually occur independent of intestinal inflammatory activity. For other not so rare EIM, such as pyoderma gangrenosum and primary sclerosing cholangitis, the association with the activity of the underlying IBD is unclear. Successful therapy of EIM is essential for improving quality of life of patients with IBD. Besides other options, tumor necrosis factor antibody therapy is an important therapy for EIM in patients with IBD.
Comparison of economical aspects of interscalene brachial plexus blockade and general anaesthesia for arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

BACKGROUND This study investigated the cost-effectiveness of ultrasonographic-guided interscalene brachial plexus blockade (ISB) in comparison with general anaesthesia (GA) for arthroscopic shoulder surgery. METHODS Forty patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery received either an ultrasonographic-guided ISB or GA. ISB was performed outside the operation room (OR) and patients were transferred in the OR at the earliest 20 min after block performance. All drugs and disposables were recorded to evaluate the costs for both techniques. The following anaesthesia-related times were defined: ready for surgical preparation (from arrival in the OR until end of anaesthesia induction), OR emergence time (from end of dressing until leaving the OR), anaesthesia control time (from patient's arrival in the OR until readiness for positioning plus time from the end of surgery to patient's discharge from the OR), and post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) time (from patient's arrival in the PACU to the eligibility for discharge to normal ward). Personnel costs were excluded from statistical analysis. RESULTS The total costs were [mean (sd)] 33 (9)euro for patients with ISB and 41 (7)euro for those who received GA (P<0.01). The anaesthesia-related workflow was improved in the ISB group when compared with the GA group [ready for surgical preparation 8 (3) vs 13 (5) min, P<0.001; OR emergence time 4 (3) vs 10 (5), P<0.001; anaesthesia control time 12 (4) vs 23 (6), P<0.001; and PACU time 45 (17) vs 70 (20), P<0.001]. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasonographic-guided ISB is a cost-effective method for arthroscopic shoulder surgery.
Swift Identification of Dark Gamma-Ray Bursts

We present an optical flux versus X-ray flux diagram for all known gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) for which an X-ray afterglow has been detected. We propose an operational definition of dark bursts as those bursts that are optically subluminous with respect to the fireball model, i.e., that have an optical-to-X-ray spectral index βox < 0.5. Out of a sample of 52 GRBs, we identify five dark bursts. The definition and diagram serve as a simple and quick diagnostic tool for identifying dark GRBs based on limited information, particularly useful for early and objective identification of dark GRBs observed with the Swift satellite.
Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Animal Models of Calendula officinalis L. Growing in Brazil

Calendula officinalis is an annual herb from Mediterranean origin which is popularly used in wound healing and as an anti-inflammatory agent. In this study, the ethanolic extract, the dichloromethane, and hexanic fractions of the flowers from plants growing in Brazil were produced. The angiogenic activity of the extract and fractions was evaluated through the chorioallantoic membrane and cutaneous wounds in rat models. The healing activity of the extract was evaluated by the same cutaneous wounds model through macroscopic, morphometric, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical analysis. The antibacterial activity of the extract and fractions was also evaluated. This experimental study revealed that C. officinalis presented anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities as well as angiogenic and fibroplastic properties acting in a positive way on the inflammatory and proliferative phases of the healing process.
A blind test of photometric redshifts on ground-based data

This work was supported by the German Ministry for Education and Science (BMBF) through the DLR under the project 50 OR 0106, by the BMBF through DESY under the project 05 AV5PDA/3, and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) under the projects SCHN342/3-1 and ER327/2-1. CW was supported by a PPARC Advanced Fellowship.
Near- and Mid-Infrared Subarcsecond Structure of the Dusty Symbiotic Star R Aquarii

The results of a high-resolution interferometric campaign targeting the symbiotic long-period variable (LPV) R Aqr are reported. With both near-infrared measurements on baselines out to 10 m and mid-infrared data extending to 32 m, we have been able to measure the characteristic sizes of regions from the photosphere of the LPV and its extended molecular atmosphere out to the cooler circumstellar dust shell. The near-infrared data were taken using aperture-masking interferometry on the Keck I telescope and show R Aqr to be partially resolved for wavelengths out to 2.2 μm but with a marked enlargement, possibly due to molecular opacity, at 3.1 μm. Mid-infrared interferometric measurements were obtained with the Univeristy of California, Berkeley, infrared spatial interferometer (ISI) operating at 11.15 μm from 1992 to 1999. Although this data set is somewhat heterogeneous with incomplete coverage of the Fourier plane and sampling of the pulsation cycle, clear changes in the mid-infrared brightness distribution were observed, both as a function of position angle on the sky and as a function of pulsation phase. Spherically symmetric radiative transfer calculations of uniform-outflow dust shell models produce brightness distributions and spectra which partially explain the data; however, limitations to this approximation are noted. Evidence for significant deviation from circular symmetry was found in the mid-infrared and more tentatively at 3.08 μm in the near-infrared; however, no clear detection of binarity or of non-LPV elements in the symbiotic system is reported.
A novel application of wet oxidation to retrieve carbonates from large organic‐rich samples for ocean‐climate research

For ocean‐climate research, carbonates are extracted from large organic‐rich bulk sediments for specific geochemical analyses. This is conventionally achieved by time‐consuming dry oxidation or nonoxidative preprocessing. To significantly shorten sample preparation time we designed and evaluated a rapid technique that uses sequential wet oxidization of bulk samples in a hot alkaline 18% H2O2 solution. We successfully tested this wet oxidation technique on multiple bulk aliquots from two sediment trap samples and a core top sediment that were also processed by dry oxidation and without oxidation. From all aliquots four calcitic foraminifera species and an aragonitic juvenile bivalve from the 250–315 μm fraction were analyzed for size‐normalized weight (SNW), δ18O, δ13C, Mg/Ca, and Sr/Ca. In addition, these proxies were determined on powdered bulk aliquots from the 150–250 μm fraction processed by wet oxidation, dry oxidation, and without oxidation. At an initial pH of 8 and temperature of 70°C the alkaline H2O2 solution appeared to be most stable and reactive. Carbonate dissolution did not occur as no reduction was observed in SNW of the four foraminifera species G. ruber, G. trilobus, N. dutertrei, G. bulloides, and the aragonitic bivalve shells. For sediment traps the δ18O and δ13C between the three cleaning methods only deviated between 0.05 and 0.3‰ compared to 0.1 and 0.6‰ in sediments, with equally small variation in Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios (0.1–0.4 mmol/mol). Lowest Ba/Ca ratios show that wet oxidation successfully removed organic matter along with residual salts. No significant systematic differences between samples or methods were found, but a residual scatter remained, particularly in the nonoxidized sediment because of intraspecies and intrashell inhomogeneity. Given proper preprocessing all three techniques performed well, with the proposed wet oxidation method emerging as a fast technique for extracting carbonate shells from wet, gram‐sized bulk samples. Within 3 h wet oxidation produced clean, dry residues of unaltered calcareous shells from batches of four wet bulk samples without time‐consuming intermediate steps. For Mg/Ca thermometry on time series sediment trap samples, wet oxidation results approached those obtained using the Barker et al. (2003) protocol with improved sample recovery. Consequently, the proposed wet oxidation offers a rapid alternative to conventional extraction techniques for carbonate geochemistry.
Proinflammatory cytokine levels in oral lichen planus, oral leukoplakia, and oral submucous fibrosis

Objectives The objective of this study was to identify salivary and serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in patients with oral lichen planus, oral leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis, and healthy controls. Materials and Methods Patients selected included 54 oral lichen planus (41 to 65 years), 50 oral leukoplakia (42 to 65 years), 51 oral submucous fibrosis (41 to 65 years), and 50 healthy controls (42 to 65 years). Oral lichen planus, oral leukoplakia, and oral submucous fibrosis cases were diagnosed using histopathological analysis. Salivary and serum cytokine concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay kits in all subjects. Results The levels of serum and salivary TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 were statistically significantly increased in oral leukoplakia, submucous fibrosis, and lichen planus in contrast to normal healthy subjects (P<0.05). Serum and salivary correlation analysis revealed strong and highly significant correlations for TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 in all groups (r=0.72-0.82, P<0.05). Conclusion Salivary and serum cytokines were also elevated when analyzed in oral precancerous lesions. Thus, salivary and serum IL-8, IL-6, and TNF-α levels might act as diagnostic markers for detection of oral precancer.
Clinicopathological observations of colorectal serrated lesions associated with invasive carcinoma and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasm

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal serrated lesions associated with invasive carcinoma and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasm (HIN), as well as to determine the immunohistochemical expression of MutL homolog 1 (MLH1), MutS homolog 2 (MSH2), K-ras and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). A total of 5,347 cases diagnosed with colorectal polyp or adenoma were included in this study from October 2002 to September 2009. A total of 16 cases of colorectal serrated lesions associated with invasive carcinoma/HIN were screened. These comprised seven cases of traditional serrated adenoma (TSA) associated with invasive carcinoma and HIN, six cases of sessile serrated adenoma (SSA) associated with invasive carcinoma/HIN and three cases of hyperplastic polyp (HP) associated with invasive carcinoma/HIN. TSA associated with invasive carcinoma/HIN predominantly occurred in the rectum with a clearly serrated structure and ectopic crypts. High-grade dysplasia was observed in filiform TSA, which was more prone to carcinogenesis. SSA associated with invasive carcinoma/HIN mainly occurred in the ileocecal junction, with the SSA serrated glands closely located adjacent to the muscularis mucosa and the basal crypt expanded with inverted T- or L-shaped branches. HPs were observed in three cases in the cancer-adjacent tissues with invasive carcinoma, while a HP-SSA/TSA-carcinoma sequence was found in two cases. Immunohistochemistry showed that MGMT expression was significantly different in the serrated lesion tissues compared with that in cancer tissues (P=0.022), control cancer tissues (P=0.002) and normal colorectal epithelial tissues (P=0.003). TSA and SSA may progress to cancer or directly develop into invasive adenocarcinoma. Filiform TSA easily develops into HIN, followed by infiltration. HP may arise from the cancer-adjacent tissues of the invasive carcinoma, which are closely adjacent to the cancer tissues. Further research is needed to investigate the potential direct involvement of HP in carcinogenesis.
Practical Confidence and Prediction Intervals

We propose a new method to compute prediction intervals. Especially for small data sets the width of a prediction interval does not only depend on the variance of the target distribution, but also on the accuracy of our estimator of the mean of the target, i.e., on the width of the confidence interval. The confidence interval follows from the variation in an ensemble of neural networks, each of them trained and stopped on bootstrap replicates of the original data set. A second improvement is the use of the residuals on validation patterns instead of on training patterns for estimation of the variance of the target distribution. As illustrated on a synthetic example, our method is better than existing methods with regard to extrapolation and interpolation in data regimes with a limited amount of data, and yields prediction intervals which actual confidence levels are closer to the desired confidence levels.
Limited Attention as the Bound on Rationality

A utility maximizing model of allocating limited attention between adopting new behaviors and adapting current behaviors generates an optimal policy that resembles commonly observed, and apparently irrational, behavioral rules. The ability to update current behaviors implies an endogenous opportunity cost of adopting a new behavior. If this cost is sufficiently high, then behaviors are less than substantively rational. However, if this high cost of attention is ignored, then behaviors are less rational than if this cost is considered. This is because more rational behaviors are updated less frequently and so economize on attention in the future.
Time-series analysis reveals genetic responses to intensive management of razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)

Time‐series analysis is used widely in ecology to study complex phenomena and may have considerable potential to clarify relationships of genetic and demographic processes in natural and exploited populations. We explored the utility of this approach to evaluate population responses to management in razorback sucker, a long‐lived and fecund, but declining freshwater fish species. A core population in Lake Mohave (Arizona‐Nevada, USA) has experienced no natural recruitment for decades and is maintained by harvesting naturally produced larvae from the lake, rearing them in protective custody, and repatriating them at sizes less vulnerable to predation. Analyses of mtDNA and 15 microsatellites characterized for sequential larval cohorts collected over a 15‐year time series revealed no changes in geographic structuring but indicated significant increase in mtDNA diversity for the entire population over time. Likewise, ratios of annual effective breeders to annual census size (Nb/Na) increased significantly despite sevenfold reduction of Na. These results indicated that conservation actions diminished near‐term extinction risk due to genetic factors and should now focus on increasing numbers of fish in Lake Mohave to ameliorate longer‐term risks. More generally, time‐series analysis permitted robust testing of trends in genetic diversity, despite low precision of some metrics.
On the effect of motion segmentation techniques in description based adaptive video transmission

This paper presents the results of analysing the effect of different motion segmentation techniques in a system that transmits the information captured by a static surveillance camera in an adaptative way based on the on-line generation of descriptions and their descriptions at different levels of detail. The video sequences are analyzed to detect the regions of activity (motion analysis) and to differentiate them from the background, and the corresponding descriptions (mainly MPEG-7 moving regions) are generated together with the textures of the moving regions and the associated background image. Depending on the available bandwidth, different levels of transmission are specified, ranging from just sending the descriptions generated to a transmission with all the associated images corresponding to the moving objects and background. We study the effect of three motion segmentation algorithms in several aspects such as accurate segmentation, size of the descriptions generated, computational efficiency and reconstructed data quality.
A statistical model for activated dissociative adsorption: Application to methane dissociation on Pt(111)

A statistical model of activated dissociative adsorption is developed using microcanonical, unimolecular rate theory. Dissociation is treated as occurring through energy randomizing collisions between incident molecules and local clusters of surface atoms. The predictions of the statistical model are found to be in remarkable accord with existent experimental data for methane dissociative adsorption and the thermal hydrogenation of methyl radicals on Pt(111). Perhaps surprisingly, the ‘‘over the barrer’’ statistical model adequately describes the known kinetics of these reactions without any explicit provision for quantum tunneling.