Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cirrus cloud optical and microphysical properties determined from AIRS infrared spectra

We developed an efficient thermal infrared radiative transfer model on the basis of the delta‐four‐stream approximation to facilitate high‐spectral‐resolution remote sensing applications under cirrus cloudy conditions in the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) data. Numerical experiments demonstrated that sensitivity in the 800‐1130 cm−1 thermal infrared window spectral region is sufficiently distinct for the inference of cirrus optical depth and ice crystal mean effective size and shape factor. We analyzed 312 nighttime cirrus pixels in two AIRS granules over ARM TWP sites and applied the radiative transfer model to these cases to determine cirrus optical depth and ice crystal mean effective size, based on a look‐up table approach. The retrieval program has been evaluated through an error budget analysis and validation effort by comparing AIRS‐retrieved results with those determined from ground‐based millimeter‐wave cloud radar data at ARM TWP sites, for five AIRS pixels that were collocated and coincident with ground‐based measurements.
Mutational Analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ARF1(*)

Wild type and eight point mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ARF1 were expressed in yeast and bacteria to determine the roles of specific residues in in vivo and in vitro activities. Mutations at either Gly2 or Asp resulted in recessive loss of function. It was concluded that N-myristoylation is required for Arf action in cells but not for either nucleotide exchange or cofactor activities in vitro. Asp (homologous to Gly of p21) was essential for the binding of the activating nucleotide, guanosine 5′-3-O-(thio)triphosphate. This is in marked contrast to results obtained after mutagenesis of the homologous residue in p21 or Gsα, and suggests a fundamental difference in the guanine nucleotide binding site of Arf with respect to these other GTP-binding proteins. Two dominant alleles were also identified, one activating dominant ([Q71L]Arf1) and the other ([N126I]) a negative dominant. A conditional allele, [W66R]Arf1, was characterized and shown to have ≈300-fold lower specific activity in an in vitro Arf assay. Two high-copy suppressors of this conditional phenotype were cloned and sequenced. One of these suppressors, SFS4, was found to be identical to PBS2/HOG4, recently shown to encode a microtubule-associated protein kinase kinase in yeast.
Evolutionary Testing of Temporal Correctness

The development of real-time systems is an essential industrial activity. Dynamic testing is the most important analytical method to assure the quality of real-time systems. It is the only method that examines the run-time behavior, based on an execution in the application environment. An investigation of existing software test methods shows that they mostly concentrate on testing for functional correctness. They are not specialized in the examination of temporal correctness that is essential to real-time systems. Therefore, existing test procedures must be supplemented by new methods that concentrate on determining whether the system violates its specified timing constraints. In general, a violation means that outputs are produced too early or their computation takes too long. The task of the tester is to find the inputs with the longest or shortest execution times to check whether they produce a temporal error. If the search for such inputs is interpreted as a problem of optimization, genetic algorithms can be used to find the inputs with the longest or shortest execution times automatically. The fitness function is the measured execution time. The use of genetic algorithms for testing is called evolutionary testing. Experiments using evolutionary testing on a number of programs with up to 1511 LOC and 843 input parameters have successfully identified new longer and shorter execution times than those that had been found using random testing and systematic testing. Evolutionary testing therefore seems to be well-suited for checking the temporal correctness of real-time software. A combination of evolutionary testing with systematic testing offers further opportunities to improve the test quality and is suggested in this paper as an effective test strategy for real-time systems.
Size, Composition, and Function of Hospital Boards of Directors: A Study of Organization-Environment Linkage

1 The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Mr. Claude Graeff in the data collection effort, and the support of the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Illinois. In a study of 57 hospitals in a large midwestern state, the determinants of the size, composition, and function of boards of directors were examined. The function of the board was partly explained by the organizational context, and particularly the ownership and source of funds. The size of the board of directors was related to the requirements for successful linkage with the environment and with the function of the board. The composition of the board was related to the social context in which the organization is embedded, as well as to the function of the board. Finally, board function and composition did have an impact on the hospital's ability to obtain community support and on organizational effectiveness, defined as the ability to attract resources from the environment. It was concluded that boards of directors of formal organizations can be productively analyzed as one possible mechanism linking the organization with its environment. '
Autonomous Single Camera Exploration

In this paper we present an active exploration strategy for a mobile robot navigating in 3D. The aim is to control a moving robot that autonomously builds a visual feature map while at the same time optimises its localisation in this map. The technique chooses the most appropriate commands maximising the information gain between prior states and measurements, while performing 6DOF bearingonly SLAM at video rate. Maximising the mutual information helps the vehicle avoid ill-conditioned measurements appropriate to bearing-only SLAM. To validate the approach, extensive simulations over rugged terrain have been performed. Moreover, experimental results are shown for the technique being tested with a synchro-drive mobile robot platform.
Development of a Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Turkey Coronavirus Antibodies

SUMMARY. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was developed for detection of turkey coronavirus (TCV) antibodies. The cELISA utilized a recombinant baculovirus (Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus)-expressed TCV nucleocapsid (N) protein and biotin-labeled TCV N protein-specific monoclonal antibody. Sensitivity and specificity of the cELISA for detection of TCV antibodies were determined by comparison with the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) with 1269 reference, experimentally derived, and field-origin sera. Sera with discordant cELISA and IFAT results were further evaluated by western immunoblot analyses. The cELISA detected antibodies specific for TCV and infectious bronchitis virus, a closely related coronavirus, but did not detect antibodies specific for other avian viruses. A high degree of concordance was observed between the cELISA and IFAT; sensitivity and specificity of the cELISA relative to IFAT were 92.9% and 96.2%, respectively. Western immunoblot analyses provided additional evidence of cELISA specificity. The findings indicate that the cELISA is a rapid, sensitive, and specific serologic test for detection of TCV antibodies in turkeys.
Gauging Malaysian Consumers Perspectives about Corporate Social Responsibility

This research was carried out on the premise that as CSR was becoming popular among corporations in Malaysia, it was important to gauge consumers? beliefs and perspectives about CSR and the CSR issues that mattered to them most when purchasing a product. The research covered 12 states of West Malaysia targeting 120 respondents each, bringing the total sample size to 1440 respondents that were selected via quota sampling method for representation of major ethnic groups in Malaysia. Respondents were presented with three main questions to gauge their perspectives and were allowed to tick as many responses as they wished from a list of options available. Basic descriptive statistics were deployed to interpret the findings of the study. The findings give evidence that Malaysian consumers are becoming highly aware about CSR and the type of CSR activities organizations should undertake. The research also seemed to imply that consumers in Malaysia have begun taking into account an organization? s CSR involvements when making a purchase decision.
Phase field models and higher-order active contours

The representation and modelling of regions is an important topic in computer vision. In this paper, we represent a region via a level set of a 'phase field' function. The function is not constrained, e.g. to be a distance function; nevertheless, phase field energies equivalent to classical active contour energies can be defined. They represent an advantageous alternative to other methods: a linear representation space; ease of implementation (a PDE with no reinitialization); neutral initialization; greater topological freedom. We extend the basic phase field model with terms that reproduce 'higher-order active contour' energies, a powerful way of including prior geometric knowledge in the active contour framework via nonlocal interactions between contour points, in addition to the above advantages, the phase field greatly simplifies the analysis and implementation of the higher-order terms. We define a phase field model that favours regions composed of thin arms meeting at junctions, combine this with image terms, and apply the model to the extraction of line networks from remote sensing images
M1–78: a nitrogen-rich Galactic compact H II region beyond the Perseus arm

Context. There is considerable controversy surrounding the nature of M1−78, a compact nebula located beyond the Perseus arm. It was first classified as a planetary nebula and is nowadays generally considered to be a compact H ii region. Aims. To investigate the nature of M1−78 further, we present a detailed spectroscopic study of M1−78 in the optical and near-infrared. Methods. We obtained long-slit, intermediate-resolution, optical spectroscopy with the ISIS spectrograph mounted on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT) at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma, Spain). As a complement, we obtained long-slit, intermediate-resolution, near-infrared spectra using LIRIS, the near-infrared imager/spectrographer also installed at the WHT. Results. M1−78 is a high-density nebula with substantial physical differences between its two main morphological zones: a bright arc in the SW and a blob of emission in the NE. Specifically, the blob in the NE has a higher electron temperature (13 400 K) and visual extinction (about 9 mag) than the SW arc. The most important result, however, is the confirmation of a nitrogen enrichment in M1−78. This enrichment is stronger at the location of the NE blob and is correlated with a defficiency in the O abundance and a (dubious) He enrichment. Such an abundance pattern is typical of ejecta nebulae around evolved massive stars such as Wolf-Rayet and Luminous Blue Variable stars. The spatial variations in the physical conditions and chemical abundances and the presence of more than one possible ionizing source indicate, however, that M1−78 is better described as a combination of a compact H ii region + ejecta. This is confirmed by the He i 2.112 µm/Brγ line ratio, which indicates a hot (Teff > 40 000 K) O star in the SW arc. Finally, we detect H2 emission that extends over a large (∼30 �� ) area around the ionized nebula. Analysis of the near-infrared H2 lines indicates
Involvement of Protein Kinase A in Patterning of the Mouse Somatosensory Cortex

Patterning of the mouse somatosensory cortex is unusually evident because of the presence of a “barrel field. ” Presynaptic serotonin and postsynaptic glutamate receptors regulate barrel formation, but little is known of the intracellular signaling pathways through which they act. To determine whether protein kinase A (PKA) plays a role in the development of the barrel field, we examined five viable PKA subunit-specific knock-out (KO) mouse lines for barrel field abnormalities. Barrels are present in these mice, but those lacking the RIIβ subunit display significantly reduced contrast between the cell densities of barrel hollows and sides compared with wild-type animals. Thalamocortical afferent segregation in the posterior medial barrel subfield appeared normal, suggesting a postsynaptic site of gene action for the RIIβ protein. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that RIIβ was selectively localized to dendrites and dendritic spines. Mice lacking RIIβ show reduced glutamate receptor A (GluRA) subunit insertion into the postsynaptic density in postnatal day 7 somatosensory cortex; however, GluRA KO mice developed normal barrels. Our results clearly demonstrate a role for postsynaptic PKA signaling pathways in barrel differentiation. They also demonstrate a clear dissociation between the regulation of GluRA trafficking by PKA and its role in barrel formation. Finally, although a role for PKA downstream of cAMP cannot be ruled out, these data suggest that PKA may not be the principle downstream target because none of the mutants showed a barrelless phenotype similar to that observed in adenylate cyclase type 1 KO mice. These results give insight into activity-dependent mechanisms that regulate barrel formation.
Professionalising teachers in career dialogue: an effect study

ABSTRACT As a result of the changing notions of work, schools are increasingly acknowledging that they have a strong responsibility in guiding students not only in their academic growth, but also in their career development. This paper presents the results of a study about the effects of teacher training on career dialogues promoting career competency development in students. For the quantitative part of the study, a quasi-experimental research design was used to measure effects among 2291 students. Video recordings of conversations were used to do qualitative research. The results show that only when off-the-job training is followed by on-the-job coaching, the professionalising of teachers proves to be effective as measured on student level. Students notice that the guidance conversations are more appreciative, reflective and activating and that they focus more on self-image development, work and career action. The observations made with regard to the guidance conversations also show that these conversations become more career related.
Epidemiological and Genetic Correlates of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection in the Hospital with the Highest Nosocomial Infection Rate in Taiwan in 2003

ABSTRACT Taiwan experienced a series of outbreaks of nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infections in 2003. Two months after the final outbreak, we recruited 658 employees from the hospital that suffered the first and most severe SARS infections to help us investigate epidemiological and genetic factors associated with the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS-CoV infections were detected by using enzyme immunoassays and confirmed by a combination of Western blot assays, neutralizing antibody tests, and commercial SARS tests. Risk factors were analyzed via questionnaire responses and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. Our results indicate that 3% (20/658) of the study participants were seropositive, with one female nurse identified as a subclinical case. Identified SARS-CoV infection risk factors include working in the same building as the hospital's emergency room and infection ward, providing direct care to SARS patients, and carrying a Cw*0801 HLA allele. The odds ratio for contracting a SARS-CoV infection among persons with either a homozygous or a heterozygous Cw*0801 genotype was 4.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.5 to 12.9; P = 0.007).
The Absence of Ser389 Phosphorylation in p53 Affects the Basal Gene Expression Level of Many p53-Dependent Genes and Alters the Biphasic Response to UV Exposure in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts

ABSTRACT Phosphorylation is important in p53-mediated DNA damage responses. After UV irradiation, p53 is phosphorylated specifically at murine residue Ser389. Phosphorylation mutant p53.S389A cells and mice show reduced apoptosis and compromised tumor suppression after UV irradiation. We investigated the underlying cellular processes by time-series analysis of UV-induced gene expression responses in wild-type, p53.S389A, and p53−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The absence of p53.S389 phosphorylation already causes small endogenous gene expression changes for 2,253, mostly p53-dependent, genes. These genes showed basal gene expression levels intermediate to the wild type and p53−/−, possibly to readjust the p53 network. Overall, the p53.S389A mutation lifts p53-dependent gene repression to a level similar to that of p53−/− but has lesser effect on p53-dependently induced genes. In the wild type, the response of 6,058 genes to UV irradiation was strictly biphasic. The early stress response, from 0 to 3 h, results in the activation of processes to prevent the accumulation of DNA damage in cells, whereas the late response, from 12 to 24 h, relates more to reentering the cell cycle. Although the p53.S389A UV gene response was only subtly changed, many cellular processes were significantly affected. The early response was affected the most, and many cellular processes were phase-specifically lost, gained, or altered, e.g., induction of apoptosis, cell division, and DNA repair, respectively. Altogether, p53.S389 phosphorylation seems essential for many p53 target genes and p53-dependent processes.
Technology Use and Frequency and Self‐Rated Skills: A Survey of Community‐Dwelling Older Adults

Many older adults are using technology regularly, but the vast majority still rate their technology skills as poor or average,reflecting their low usage of less-familiar items such as tablet computers. Despite moves toward increasing the use of ICT in the care, rehabilitation, and monitoring of older adults, baseline use of such devices is low. Further study is required to investigate how people's attitudes toward and experience with ICT influence its utility in clinical practice
An impact dynamics model and sequential optimization to generate impact motions for a humanoid robot

When a human needs to generate a large force, they will try to apply an impulsive force with dynamic cooperation of the whole body. In this paper we first discuss impact dynamics of humanoid robots and then propose a way to generate impact motions for a humanoid robot to exert a large force while keeping a balance. In the impact motion generation, Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) is used to solve a non-linear programming problem in which an objective function and constraints may be non-linear functions of the motion parameters. Impact motions are generated using SQP so that the impact force is maximized while the angular momentum is minimized. Breaking wooden boards with a Karate chop is taken as a case study because it is a typical example of tasks that utilize impulsive force. A humanoid robot motion for the Karate chop is generated by the proposed method. In order to validate the designed motion, experiments are carried out using a small humanoid robot Fujitsu HOAP-2. The Karate-chop motion generated by the proposed method is compared with the motion designed by a human. The results of breaking the wooden boards experiments clearly show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Women’s Body Image Drive Profiles and Behaviours across the Lifespan

Limited research has assessed the possibility for drive for thinness, leanness, and muscularity to occur concurrently. The current study explored this possibility among women aged between 17-65 years. Body drive groups were determined through hierarchical cluster analysis on the three drive measures and further assessed differences on: age, body mass index, exercising behaviours and reported body change strategies for external validity. Three hundred and thirty five females participated in the study and were recruited from local leisure centres, sporting facilities, the general community, and the University of the Sunshine Coast. The cluster analysis produced three body drive groups: Low group (n = 103), Normative group (n = 174), and Pathological group (n = 58). Comparisons between the three groups demonstrated that the Pathological group was significantly younger and engaged in more exercising behaviours than the Low and Normative groups. However, there was no significant difference between groups in low impact exercising behaviours. Additionally, the Low group was the oldest with the highest BMI. Common thinness pursuit strategies across groups were adhering to a healthy eating plan, where leanness and muscularity strategies across groups were exercise. Key findings suggested the drive measures could occur simultaneously amongst women and younger women were more Pathological in their dissatisfactions. These findings were explained in relation to Cash’s cognitive behavioural model of body image, specifically how age as a historical influence impacts on body image investments and outcomes. ; Submitted in the partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours), University of the Sunshine Coast, 2014.
A man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis uses a mouth pressure microswitch to operate a text messaging system with a word prediction function

Objective: To assess whether a man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis could benefit from using (a) a mouth pressure microswitch instead of an optic microswitch activated via head movement and (b) a special word prediction function within a text messaging system. Method: Initially, both microswitches were used for operating the text messaging system, and their effectiveness and the man's preference were assessed. Subsequently, only the mouth microswitch was used and the messaging system was provided with a word prediction function. Results: The man was more efficient/rapid in using the text messaging (i.e., in writing) with the mouth microswitch and preferred such a microswitch. Similarly, he was more rapid in writing when the word prediction function was added (as opposed to the initial phase of the study when such function was not available) and preferred to use it. Conclusion: Technology updates are critical in helping persons with motor degeneration.