Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Hurricane Katrina on the forest structure of Taxodium distichum swamps of the Gulf Coast, USA

Hurricane Katrina pushed mixed Taxodium distichum forests toward a dominance of Taxodium distichum (baldcypress) and Nyssa aquatica (water tupelo) because these species had lower levels of susceptibility to wind damage than other woody species. This study documents the volume of dead versus live material of woody trees and shrubs of T. distichum swamps following Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Louisiana. Pearl River Wildlife Management Area near Canton, Mississippi had the highest winds of the study areas, and these forests were located in the northeast quadrant of Hurricane Katrina (sustained wind = 151 kph (94 mph)). Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve south of New Orleans had medium to high winds (sustained winds = 111 kph (69 mph) at the New Orleans lakefront). Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge had a lower level of winds and was positioned on the western edge of the storm. The forests at Pearl River and to a lesser extent at Jean Lafitte had the highest amount of structural damage in the study. For Cat Island, Jean Lafitte, and Pearl River, the total volume of dead material (debris) was 50, 80, and 370 m3 ha−1, respectively. The ratio of dead to live volume was 0.010, 0.082, and 0.039, respectively. For both of the dominant species, T. distichum and N. aquatica, the percentage of dead to live volume was less than 1%. Subdominant species including Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, Quercus lyrata, and Quercus nigra were more damaged by the storm at both Pearl River and Jean Lafitte. Only branches were damaged by Hurricane Katrina at Cat Island. Shrubs such as Morella cerifera, Euonymous sp. , and Vaccinium sp. were often killed by the storm, while other species such as Cephalanthus occidentalis, Forestiera acuminata, and Cornus florida were not killed. Despite the fact that Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 storm and struck Pearl River and Jean Lafitte fairly directly, dominant species of the T. distichum swamps were relatively little affected, even though certain subdominant and shrub species were completely removed from the species composition.
Resilience of Energy Infrastructure and Services: Modeling, Data Analytics, and Metrics

Large-scale power failures induced by severe weather have become frequent and damaging in recent years, causing millions of people to be without electricity service for days. Although the power industry has been battling weather-induced failures for years, it is largely unknown how resilient the energy infrastructure and services really are to severe weather disruptions. What fundamental issues govern the resilience? Can advanced approaches such as modeling and data analytics help industry to go beyond empirical methods? This paper discusses the research to date and open issues related to these questions. The focus is on identifying fundamental challenges and advanced approaches for quantifying resilience. In particular, the first aspect of this problem is how to model large-scale failures, recoveries, and impacts, involving the infrastructure, service providers, customers, and weather. The second aspect is how to identify generic vulnerability in the infrastructure and services through large-scale data analytics. The third aspect is to understand what resilience metrics are needed and how to develop them.
El perfil de consumo televisivo en adolescentes, jóvenes y adultos : implicaciones para la educación

El objetivo general de esta investigacion fue comprobar si el perfil de consumo televisivo del adolescente es igual o diferente a la de otros grupos etarios. La muestra total estuvo compuesta por 1.223 sujetos pertenecientes a tres grupos de edad. El instrumento utilizado fue el cuestionario de habitos televisivos (CH-TV.01). Los diferentes items del cuestionario se agruparon en nueve indicadores: permanencia, actividades alternativas, estilo de visionado, covisionado, contenido de la conversacion, disponibilidad y aparatos, preferencias televisivas, permanencia especifica y asistir como publico protagonista. Realizados los correspondientes analisis estadisticos (analisis de varianza, Anova de un factor), los resultados indican que el perfil de consumo televisivo de los adolescentes coincide en algunos indicadores con el de los jovenes mientras que muestra diferencias con el perfil de consumo de los adultos. En varios indicadores, el perfil de los tres grupos comparte las mismas caracteristicas. En ningun caso coinciden los adolescentes y los adultos, diferenciandose de los jovenes. Sin embargo, de acuerdo a la logica evolutiva y socio-historico-tecnologica, los jovenes comparten la dieta televisiva con los adolescentes en diferentes indicadores y, en otros, con los adultos. Es decir, segun los resultados obtenidos, que presentan una alta significacion estadistica, no se puede hablar de un perfil diferenciado para los adolescentes. El perfil de consumo de los adolescentes obtenido indica que este no es tan alarmante ni perjudicial como a menudo se prejuzga. Igualmente, los datos indican que el adolescente busca en la television diversion y entretenimiento, mientras que los adultos desean informarse.
Real motivic and C2 ‐equivariant Mahowald invariants

We generalize the Mahowald invariant to the R ‐motivic and C2 ‐equivariant settings. For all i>0 with i≡2,3mod4 , we show that the R ‐motivic Mahowald invariant of (2+ρη)i∈π0,0R(S0,0) contains a lift of a certain element in Adams' classical v1 ‐periodic families, and for all i>0 , we show that the R ‐motivic Mahowald invariant of ηi∈πi,iR(S0,0) contains a lift of a certain element in Andrews' C ‐motivic w1 ‐periodic families. We prove analogous results about the C2 ‐equivariant Mahowald invariants of (2+ρη)i∈π0,0C2(S0,0) and ηi∈πi,iC2(S0,0) by leveraging connections between the classical, motivic, and equivariant stable homotopy categories. The infinite families we construct are some of the first periodic families of their kind studied in the R ‐motivic and C2 ‐equivariant settings.
Impact on Image Noise of Incorporating Detector Blurring Into Image Reconstruction for a Small Animal PET Scanner

We study the noise characteristics of an image reconstruction algorithm that incorporates a model of the non-stationary detector blurring (DB) for a mouse-imaging positron emission tomography (PET) scanner. The algorithm uses ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) image reconstruction, which is used to suppress statistical noise. Including the non-stationary detector blurring in the reconstruction process [OSEM(DB)] has been shown to increase contrast in images reconstructed from measured data acquired on the fully-3D MiCES PET scanner developed at the University of Washington. As an extension, this study uses simulation studies with a fully-3D acquisition mode and our proposed FORE+ OSEM(DB) reconstruction process to evaluate the volumetric contrast versus noise trade-offs of this approach. Multiple realizations were simulated to estimate the true noise properties of the algorithm. The results show that incorporation of detector blurring FORE+OSEM(DB) into the reconstruction process improves the contrast/noise trade-offs compared to FORE +OSEM in a radially dependent manner. Adding post reconstruction 3D Gaussian smoothing to FORE +OSEM and FORE +OSEM(DB) reduces the contrast versus noise advantages of FORE+ OSEM(DB).
O princípio de universalidade do acesso aos serviços de saúde: o que pensam os usuários?

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar la percepcion de los usuarios sobre el acceso universal a los servicios de salud en el SUS, con miras a discutir el principio de universalidad. Estudio cualitativo, desarrollado en un hospital ubicado en Rio de Janeiro-Brasil, con 24 usuarios. Los datos fueron colectados por medio de la tecnica de entrevista y analizados a partir de los analisis de contenido. Fueron identificados 1178 unidades de registro agrupadas en 76 temas que dieron origien a 06 categorias: Determinacion de las dificultades en alcanzar atencion en el SUS; la atencion en el Sistema Unico de Salud: efectividad y facilidad; medicamentos y examenes en el marco del SUS; deficiencias en el proceso de atencion a la aplicacion del principio de universalidad, la universalizacion de la asistencia, y la presencia de INAMPS en los pensamientos de los usuarios del SUS. Como demuestran los resultados, los usuarios tienen una actitud positiva frente al sistema, a pesar de las diversas dificultades enfrentadas. Es evidente tambien que sus practicas se ven influidas por la percepcion que tienen del acceso.
Interference avoidance and power control for uplink CDMA systems

The paper presents an algorithm for joint codeword adaptation and power control in which users in a CDMA system adjust codewords and eventually powers so as to achieve a specified set of target signal-to-interference plus-noise ratios (SINR). Codeword adaptation is based on greedy interference avoidance which decreases the effective interference seen by users, and is followed eventually by power adjustment if the resulting SINR after codeword adaptation is below the specified target. Provided that the targets are admissible the algorithm yields a codeword ensemble and power allocation that satisfy a water filling distribution. Numerical examples which illustrate the algorithms are also included.
Telephone intervention in the promotion of self-efficacy, duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding: randomized controlled trial

Objective to evaluate the effect of a telephone intervention on the self-efficacy of puerperal women in the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding. Method randomized controlled trial composed of 85 breastfeeding mothers at 2 months and 77 at 4 months. The sample was randomized into two groups, control and intervention. The intervention consisted of a telephone follow-up performed at seven, 15 and 30 days after delivery using the precepts of Motivational Interview and Self-Efficacy in Breastfeeding. Results self-efficacy in breastfeeding at 2 months was similar in both groups (p = 0.773). However, at 4 months, the intervention group presented higher self-efficacy than the control group (p = 0.011). There was a difference between groups in the duration of breastfeeding at 2 months (p = 0.035). At 4 months, the intervention group remained in breastfeeding when compared to the control group (p = 0.109). Both groups did not show differences in exclusive breastfeeding at two (p = 0.983) and four months (p = 0.573). Conclusion the telephone educational intervention was effective in improving self-efficacy and duration of breastfeeding, but not exclusivity. (ReBEC: UTN: U1111-1180-5341).
Optimization-based approximate dynamic programming

Reinforcement learning algorithms hold promise in many complex domains, such as resource management and planning under uncertainty. Most reinforcement learning algorithms are iterative—they successively approximate the solution based on a set of samples and features. Although these iterative algorithms can achieve impressive results in some domains, they are not sufficiently reliable for wide applicability; they often require extensive parameter tweaking to work well and provide only weak guarantees of solution quality. Some of the most interesting reinforcement learning algorithms are based on approximate dynamic programming (ADP). ADP, also known as value function approximation, approximates the value of being in each state. This thesis presents new reliable algorithms for ADP that use optimization instead of iterative improvement. Because these optimization–based algorithms explicitly seek solutions with favorable properties, they are easy to analyze, offer much stronger guarantees than iterative algorithms, and have few or no parameters to tweak. In particular, we improve on approximate linear programming — an existing method — and derive approximate bilinear programming — a new robust approximate method. The strong guarantees of optimization–based algorithms not only increase confidence in the solution quality, but also make it easier to combine the algorithms with other ADP components. The other components of ADP are samples and features used to approximate the value function. Relying on the simplified analysis of optimization–based methods, we derive new bounds on the error due to missing samples. These bounds are simpler, tighter, and more practical than the existing bounds for iterative algorithms and can be used to evaluate solution quality in practical settings. Finally, we propose homotopy methods that use the sampling bounds to automatically select good approximation features for optimization–based algorithms. Automatic feature selection significantly increases the flexibility and applicability of the proposed ADP methods. The methods presented in this thesis can potentially be used in many practical applications in artificial intelligence, operations research, and engineering. Our experimental results show that optimization–based methods may perform well on resource-management problems and standard benchmark problems and therefore represent an attractive alternative to traditional iterative methods.
Influenza Vaccination in Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: The Impact of a Diagnostic Breathing Test on Vaccination Rates

Introduction Influenza vaccination rates are low in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A diagnostic breathing test in adults with COPD may increase vaccination rates; however, research has not demonstrated this relationship. The purpose of this research was to determine if adults with COPD diagnosed by a breathing test were more likely to have had an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months when compared to those with COPD diagnosed without a breathing test. Methods This was a cross-sectional study using data from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Logistic regression examined the relationship between influenza vaccination among adults with COPD diagnosed with a breathing test (n = 13,201) compared to those diagnosed without a breathing test (n = 3,108), after controlling for all potential confounders. Results Overall, 49% of respondents with COPD received an influenza vaccination within the past 12 months and 78% reported their COPD was diagnosed by a breathing test. The prevalence of influenza vaccination in the past 12 months was greater in those with COPD diagnosed by a breathing test (53%) compared to those diagnosed without a breathing test (36%). In adjusted analysis, adults with COPD who had a breathing test were 31% (confidence interval 1.1, 1.6) more likely to have received an influenza vaccination in the past 12 months compared to those without a breathing test. Discussion A diagnostic breathing test for COPD was associated with increased likelihood of having had an influenza vaccination in the past 12 months. This may be an indicator of the relationship between knowledge of lung function and the need for preventative care, a sign of quality healthcare, or good health-seeking behaviors in patients with COPD. This research is the first to use a nationally representative sample to suggest that spirometry diagnosis of COPD may increase rates of influenza vaccination.
CARD14 Expression in Dermal Endothelial Cells in Psoriasis

Mutations in the caspase recruitment domain, family member 14 (CARD14) gene have recently been described in psoriasis patients, and explain the psoriasis susceptibility locus 2 (PSORS2). CARD14 is a scaffolding protein that regulates NF-κB activation, and psoriasis-associated CARD14 mutations lead to enhanced NF-κB signaling. CARD14 is expressed mainly in epidermal keratinocytes, but also in unidentified dermal cells. In this manuscript, the identity of the dermal cell types expressing CARD14, as well the potential functional consequence of overactive CARD14 in these dermal cell types, was determined. Using two-color immunofluorescence, dermal CARD14 did not co-localize with T-cells, dendritic cells, or macrophages. However, dermal CARD14 did highly co-localize with CD31+ endothelial cells (ECs). CARD14 was also expressed non-dermal endothelial cells, such as aortic endothelial cells, which may indicate a role of CARD14+ECs in the systemic inflammation and cardiovascular comorbidities associated with psoriasis. Additionally, phosphorylated NF-κB was found in psoriatic CARD14+ CD31+ ECs, demonstrating this pathway is active in dermal ECs in psoriasis. Transfection of dermal ECs with psoriasis-associated CARD14 mutations resulted in increased expression of several chemokines, including CXCL10, IL-8, and CCL2. These results provide preliminary evidence that CARD14 expression in ECs may contribute to psoriasis through increased expression of chemokines and facilitating recruitment of immune cells into skin.
Clinicopathologic correlation of cutaneous metastases: experience from a cancer center.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the clinical, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical characteristics of skin metastases. DESIGN Retrospective analysis (January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2005). SETTING Comprehensive cancer center. PATIENTS Fifty-one patients (21 men and 30 women) with biopsy-proven skin metastases and correlative clinical data. INTERVENTIONS Four dermatopathologists reviewed a random mixture of metastases and primary skin tumors. Immunohistochemical studies for 12 markers were performed on the metastases, with skin adnexal tumors as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Clinical characteristics of cutaneous lesions, clinical outcomes, histologic features, and immunohistochemical markers. RESULTS Eighty-six percent (43 of 50) of the patients had known stage IV cancer, and skin metastasis was the presenting sign in 12% (6 of 50). In 45% (21 of 47) of the biopsies, the lesions were not suspected of being metastases owing to unusual clinical presentations. Seventy-six percent of the patients died of disease (median survival, 5 months). On pathologic review, many metastases from adenocarcinomas were either recognized or suspected, but the primary site was not easily identified based on histologic findings alone. Metastases from small cell carcinomas and sarcomas were histologically misinterpreted as primary skin tumors. Immunohistochemical analysis using a panel including p63, B72.3, calretinin, and CK5/6 differentiated metastatic carcinoma from primary skin adnexal tumors. CONCLUSIONS Cutaneous metastases can have variable clinical appearances and can mimic benign skin lesions. They are usually seen in patients with advanced disease, but they can be the presenting lesion. Although many metastatic adenocarcinomas can be recognized based on histologic findings alone, immunohistochemical analysis is an important diagnostic adjunct in some cases.
Demonstration of I‐Anti‐I Interaction in a Precipitin System 1

Cold agglutinins are unique antibodies in their ability t o agglutinate red cells in the cold but not a t 37°C. The majority of human cold autoagglutinins have anti-I specificity [ 121. So far I-anti-I interactions have been studied by hemagglutination [l] and by complement fixation techniques [S, 91, using whole red cells, or by isotopically labelling cold agglutinins and meaburing their uptake onto red cells or their stroma in the cold [3]. Recently I antigen-like activity (anti-I inhibitory activity) has been demonstrated in human saliva [2], human milk [7] and in the water phase after cold butanol extraction of group 0 , I red cell stroma [lo]. Albo, in agreement with the observation of YOKOYAMA [13], we have found that a carbohydrate preparation containing blood group A-like activity prepared from commercial neopeptone (Difco) by the method of GOEBEL [5] has anti-I inhibitory activity. We have tested three of these materials with I antigen-like activity in an Ouchterlony precipitin system with an anti-I cold agglutinin and have obtained precipitin lines demonstrable only in the cold. We have found that only a minority of anti-I cold agglutinins are strongly inhibitable by the materials enumerated above, and the cold agglutinin used in the present study was selected on account of its high susceptibility to inhibition. The anti-I cold agglutinin was an IgM type K antibody isolated from the serum of a chronic hemolytic anemia patient (Ma) by repeated absorption onto and elution
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and its relationship with climate factors in southeast Iran: a 13-year experience.

INTRODUCTION Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in southeast Iran. In this study we present the epidemiological features of CCHF and its relationship with climate factors in over a 13-year span. METHODOLOGY Surveillance system data of CCHF from 2000 to 2012 were obtained from the Province Health Centre of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in southeast Iran. The climate data were obtained from the climate organization. The seasonal auto-regression integrated moving average (SARIMA) model was used for time series analysis to produce a model as applicable as possible in predicting the variations in the occurrence of the disease. RESULTS Between 2000 and 2012, 647 confirmed CCHF cases were reported from Sistan-va-Baluchistan province. The total case fatality rate was about 10.0%. Climate variables including mean temperature (°C), accumulated rainfall (mm), and maximum relative humidity (%) were significantly correlated with monthly incidence of CCHF (p <0.05). There was no clear pattern of decline in the reported number of cases within the study's time span. The first spike in the number of CCHF cases in Iran occurred after the first surge of the disease in Pakistan. CONCLUSIONS This study shows the potential of climate indicators as predictive factors in modeling the occurrence of CCHF, even though it has to be appreciated whether there is any need for a practically applicable model. There are also other factors, such as entomological indicators and virological finding that must be considered.
Correlation Between Neck Injury Risk and Impact Severity Parameters in Low-Speed Side Collisions

Study Design. In vitro acceleration study on human cadaveric cervical spine specimens. Objectives. To investigate the correlation between the risk to sustain a structural cervical spine injury and vehicle-related impact severity parameters. Summary of Background Data. Impact severity parameters, such as the peak acceleration of the vehicle, its mean acceleration, and its velocity change, are often used to predict the whiplash injury risk or to objectify the patient’s symptoms even though their correlation to injury is still not well understood. Methods. In a series of three in vitro experiments, a total of 18 human cadaveric cervical spine specimens were subjected to incremental side accelerations until structural injury occurred. While the duration of the acceleration pulse was kept constant throughout all three experiments, its shape was varied: In Experiment I, the acceleration pulse had a fast increase up to the maximum value and a fast decrease down to zero (fast-fast). Experiment II was characterized by a slow increase and fast decrease (slow-fast), and Experiment III was characterized by a fast increase and a slow decrease (fast-slow). Results. The specimens of Experiment II (slow-fast) sustained structural injury at a significantly higher peak acceleration of the sled (4.6 g on average) than those of Experiments I (fast-fast) (2.6 g) and III (fast-slow) (3.1 g). In contrast, mean acceleration and velocity change of the injuring impacts were almost the same in all three experiments. Conclusion. The injury risk to the cervical spine was predictable by the mean acceleration of the sled and since the duration of the crash pulses was constant also by its velocity change but not by its peak acceleration.