Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnetorheology of Snowman-Like Anisotropic Microparticle Added Carbonyl Iron Suspension

The improvement of the magnetorheological (MR) performance of a carbonyl iron (CI)-based MR fluid was assessed by adding nonmagnetic anisotropic snowman-like polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) particles as an additive. The snowman-like PMMA particles were synthesized by a seed emulsion polymerization method. The rheological properties of the MR fluids with and without the additives were examined by using a rotational rheometer under various applied magnetic-field strengths. Enhanced rheological properties and improved sedimentation stability of the CI/snowman-like PMMA-based MR fluid were observed compared to those of the pure CI-based MR fluid.
Ice-vapor equilibrium fractionation factor of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes: experimental investigations and implications for stable water isotope studies.

RATIONALE The equilibrium fractionation factors govern the relative change in the isotopic composition during phase transitions of water. The commonly used results, which were published more than 40 years ago, are limited to a minimum temperature of -33°C. This limits the reliability in cold regions. With recent instrumental developments it is now possible to test the accuracy of the earlier results as well as extend the temperature range. METHODS Novel measurements were made of the ice-vapor equilibrium fractionation factor α between 0°C and -40°C, from a unique experimental setup using both a Picarro cavity ringdown spectrometer and a TC/EA IRMS system. Using both systems allows for continuous monitoring of the equilibrium state of the system as well as testing for reproducibility. RESULTS The results of the experiments show fractionation factors for δ(2) H and δ(18) O values, with a temperature dependency in accordance with theory for equilibrium fractionation. We obtain the following expressions for the temperature dependency of the fractionation coefficients: ln(αδ2H)=0.2133-(203.10/T+(48888/T2 ln(αδ18O)=0.0831-(49.192/T)+(8312.5/T2). Compared with previous experimental work, a significantly larger α for δ(2) H is obtained while, for δ(18) O, α is larger for temperatures below -20°C and slightly lower for temperatures above this. CONCLUSIONS Using the new values for α, a Rayleigh distillation model shows significant changes in both magnitude and shape of an annual deuterium excess signal in Greenland. This emphasizes the importance of a well-defined value of α for accurate studies of the processes in the hydrological cycle and underlines the significance of the differences between the results of this work and earlier work.
How realistic is photorealistic?

Computer graphics rendering software is capable of generating highly photorealistic images that can be impossible to differentiate from photographic images. As a result, the unique stature of photographs as a definitive recording of events is being diminished (the ease with which digital images can be manipulated is, of course, also contributing to this demise). To this end, we describe a method for differentiating between photorealistic and photographic images. Specifically, we show that a statistical model based on first-order and higher order wavelet statistics reveals subtle but significant differences between photorealistic and photographic images.
The driving force: A comparative analysis of gang -motivated, firearm-related homicides

The knowledge of gang homicides is constantly increasing, but one aspect of gangs rarely studied is drive-by shootings (Dedel 2007; Hutson, Anglin, and Pratts 1994; Hutson, Anglin, and Eckstein 1996; Polczynski 2007; Sanders 1994; Sugarmann and Newth 2007). In this paper are comparative analyses of gang-motivated, firearm-related homicides perpetrated through a drive-by shooting to those which are not perpetrated through a drive-by shooting, by spatial and regression analyses. The data used for the analyses are a combination of incident variables, such as victim, offender, and incident characteristics, as well as social and economic characteristics of the communities in which the homicides occurred for a 31 year time period in Chicago. The findings indicate that there are differences in the characteristics and spatial location of gangmotivated, firearm-related homicides whether perpetrated through a drive-by shooting or by some other means. Based on the findings there may be policy implementations that are available in order to reduce the likelihood of a gang-motivated drive-by shooting.
On the Evolution of Trust, Distrust, and Formal Coordination and Control in Interorganizational Relationships

In this article, the authors discuss the evolution of trust, distrust, and formal coordination and control in interorganizational relationships. They suggest that the degrees to which managers trust and distrust their partners during initial stages of cooperation leave strong imprints on the development of these relationships in later stages of collaboration. This derives from the impact of trust and distrust on (a) formal coordination and control, (b) interorganizational performance, and (c) the interpretations that managers attribute to the behavior of their partners. Collectively, the authors' arguments give rise to a conceptual framework that indicates that there is a high propensity for interorganizational relationships to develop along vicious or virtuous cycles. By integrating and reconciling previous work on the trust-control nexus and by emphasizing the dynamics associated with it, the article contributes to a more comprehensive and refined understanding of the evolution of interorganizational cooperation.
Miniature wireless recording and stimulation system for rodent behavioural testing

Objective. Elucidation of neural activity underpinning rodent behaviour has traditionally been hampered by the use of tethered systems and human involvement. Furthermore the combination of deep-brain stimulation (DBS) and various neural recording modalities can lead to complex and time-consuming laboratory setups. For studies of this type, novel tools are required to drive forward this research. Approach. A miniature wireless system weighing 8.5 g (including battery) was developed for rodent use that combined multichannel DBS and local-field potential (LFP) recordings. Its performance was verified in a working memory task that involved 4-channel fronto-hippocampal LFP recording and bilateral constant-current fimbria-fornix DBS. The system was synchronised with video-tracking for extraction of LFP at discrete task phases, and DBS was activated intermittently at discrete phases of the task. Main results. In addition to having a fast set-up time, the system could reliably transmit continuous LFP at over 8 hours across 3–5 m distances. During the working memory task, LFP pertaining to discrete task phases was extracted and compared with well-known neural correlates of active exploratory behaviour in rodents. DBS could be wirelessly activated/deactivated at any part of the experiment during EEG recording and transmission, allowing for a seamless integration of this modality. Significance. The wireless system combines a small size with a level of robustness and versatility that can greatly simplify rodent behavioural experiments involving EEG recording and DBS. Designed for versatility and simplicity, the small size and low-cost of the system and its receiver allow for enhanced portability, fast experimental setup times, and pave the way for integration with more complex behaviour.
Renal Failure in Sickle Cell Disease: Prevalence, Predictors of Disease, Mortality and Effect on Length of Hospital Stay

Abstract Renal dysfunction in sickle cell disease is not only a chronic comorbidity but also a mortality risk factor. Though renal dysfunction starts early in life in sickle cell patients, the predictors that can identify sickle cell disease patients at risk of developing renal dysfunction is not known. We used the Truven Health MarketScan® Medicaid Databases from 2007 to 2012. Incidence of new acute renal failure (ARF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) was calculated in this cohort. There were 9481 patients with a diagnosis of sickle cell disease accounting for 64,201 hospital admissions, during the study period. Both ARF and CKD were associated with higher risk of inpatient mortality, longer duration of the hospital stay and expensive hospitalizations. The yearly incidence of new ARF in sickle cell disease patients was 1.4% and annual CKD incidence was 1.3%. The annual rate of new ARF and CKD in the control group was 0.4 and 0.6%, respectively. The most important predictors of new CKD were proteinuria, ARF and hypertension. Chronic kidney disease, hypertension and sickle cell crisis were the most important predictors of new ARF. The annual rate of incidences of ARF and CKD were 2- to 3-fold higher in sickle cell disease compared to the non sickle cell disease group. Besides the common risk factors for renal disease in the general population, it is imperative to monitor the sickle cell disease patients with more severe disease to prevent them from developing renal dysfunction.
Volatility forecasting: the jumps do matter

This study reconsiders the role of jumps for volatility forecasting by showing that jumps have positive and mostly significant impact on future volatility. This result becomes apparent once volatility is correctly separated into its continuous and discontinuous component. To this purpose, we introduce the concept of threshold multipower variation (TMPV), which is based on the joint use of bipower variation and threshold estimation. With respect to alternative methods, our TMPV estimator provides less biased and robust estimates of the continuous quadratic variation and jumps. This technique also provides a new test for jump detection which has substantially more power than traditional tests. We use this separation to forecast volatility by employing an heterogeneous autoregressive (HAR) model which is suitable to parsimoniously model long memory in realized volatility time series. Empirical analysis shows that the proposed techniques improve significantly the accuracy of volatility forecasts for the S&P500 index, single stocks and US bond yields, especially in periods following the occurrence of a jump
Post-determined emotion: motor action retrospectively modulates emotional valence of visual images

Upward and downward motor actions influence subsequent and ongoing emotional processing in accordance with a space–valence metaphor: positive is up/negative is down. In this study, we examined whether upward and downward motor actions could also affect previous emotional processing. Participants were shown an emotional image on a touch screen. After the image disappeared, they were required to drag a centrally located dot towards a cued area, which was either in the upper or lower portion of the screen. They were then asked to rate the emotional valence of the image using a 7-point scale. We found that the emotional valence of the image was more positive when the cued area was located in the upper portion of the screen. However, this was the case only when the dragging action was required immediately after the image had disappeared. Our findings suggest that when somatic information that is metaphorically associated with an emotion is linked temporally with a visual event, retrospective emotional integration between the visual and somatic events occurs.
Antiviral Activity and Molecular Geometry of Some New Symmetrical Tris(aminoalkyl)amine Derivatives.

We report the preparation of new tripodal receptor-type C3- and CS-symmetrical molecules constructed on a tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TAEA) template. Both the anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (anti-HSV-1) activity and cytotoxic activity of synthesized receptor-type derivatives were evaluated in order to find a characteristic structural feature for these bioactivities of compounds. Among the compounds of synthesized symmetrical TAEA-related derivatives, compound 13k showed high anti-HSV-1 activity (50% effective concentration (EC50)=16.7 µM) and low cytotoxicity (50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50)=>200 µM). The presence of a hydrogen bond donor proton in the molecule is thought to be an important structural factor for expressing potential anti-HSV-1 activities.
Hungry for tobacco: an analysis of the economic impact of tobacco consumption on the poor in Bangladesh

OBJECTIVE To investigate the extent of tobacco expenditures in Bangladesh and to compare those costs with potential investment in food and other essential items. DESIGN Review of available statistics and calculations based thereon. RESULTS Expenditure on tobacco, particularly cigarettes, represents a major burden for impoverished Bangladeshis. The poorest (household income of less than $24/month) are twice as likely to smoke as the wealthiest (household income of more than $118/month). Average male cigarette smokers spend more than twice as much on cigarettes as per capita expenditure on clothing, housing, health and education combined. The typical poor smoker could easily add over 500 calories to the diet of one or two children with his or her daily tobacco expenditure. An estimated 10.5 million people currently malnourished could have an adequate diet if money on tobacco were spent on food instead. The lives of 350 children could be saved each day. CONCLUSION Tobacco expenditures exacerbate the effects of poverty and cause significant deterioration in living standards among the poor. This aspect of tobacco use has been largely neglected by those working in poverty and tobacco control. Strong tobacco control measures could have immediate impact on the health of the poor by decreasing tobacco expenditures and thus significantly increasing the resources of the poor. Addressing the issue of tobacco and poverty together could make tobacco control a higher priority for poor countries.
Retrieval of aerosol complex refractive index from a synergy between lidar, sunphotometer and in situ measurements during LISAIR experiment

Particulate pollutant exchanges between the streets and the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL), and their daily evolution linked to human activity were studied in the framework of the LIdar pour la Surveillance de l'AIR (LISAIR) experiment. This program lasted from 10 to 30 May 2005. A synergetic approach combining dedicated active (lidar) and passive (sunphotometer) remote sensors as well as ground based in situ instrumentation (nephelometer, aethalometer and particle sizers) was used to investigate urban aerosol optical properties within Paris. Aerosol complex refractive indices were assessed to be 1.56–0.034 i at 355 nm and 1.59–0.040 i at 532 nm, thus leading to single-scattering albedo values between 0.80 and 0.88. These retrievals are consistent with soot components in the aerosol arising from traffic exhausts indicating that these pollutants have a radiative impact on climate. We also discussed the influence of relative humidity on aerosol properties. A good agreement was found between vertical extinction profile derived from lidar backscattering signal and retrieved from the coupling between radiosounding and ground in situ measurements.
Regression and Ordered Categorical Variables

[Read before the Royal Statistical Society, by Professor R. L. Plackett on behalf of the late Professor Anderson, at a meeting organized by the Research Section on Wednesday, October 5th, 1983, Professor J. B. Copas in the Chair] SUMMARY A general approach to regression modelling for ordered categorical response variables, y, is given, which is equally applicable to ordered and unordered y. The regressor variables xT = (xI, ,x ) may be continuous or categorical. The method is based on the logistic family which contains a hierarchy of regression models, ranging from ordered to unordered models. Ordered properties of the former, the stereotype model, are established. The choice between models is made empirically on the basis of model fit. This is particularly important for assessed, ordered categorical response variables, where it is not obvious a priori whether or not the ordering is relevant to the regression relationship. Model simplification is investigated in terms of whether or not the response categories are distinguishable with respect to x. The models are fitted iteratively using the method of maximum likelihood. Examples are given.
Tiny Microbes with a Big Impact: The Role of Cyanobacteria and Their Metabolites in Shaping Our Future

Cyanobacteria are among the first microorganisms to have inhabited the Earth. Throughout the last few billion years, they have played a major role in shaping the Earth as the planet we live in, and they continue to play a significant role in our everyday lives. Besides being an essential source of atmospheric oxygen, marine cyanobacteria are prolific secondary metabolite producers, often despite the exceptionally small genomes. Secondary metabolites produced by these organisms are diverse and complex; these include compounds, such as pigments and fluorescent dyes, as well as biologically-active compounds with a particular interest for the pharmaceutical industry. Cyanobacteria are currently regarded as an important source of nutrients and biofuels and form an integral part of novel innovative energy-efficient designs. Being autotrophic organisms, cyanobacteria are well suited for large-scale biotechnological applications due to the low requirements for organic nutrients. Recent advances in molecular biology techniques have considerably enhanced the potential for industries to optimize the production of cyanobacteria secondary metabolites with desired functions. This manuscript reviews the environmental role of marine cyanobacteria with a particular focus on their secondary metabolites and discusses current and future developments in both the production of desired cyanobacterial metabolites and their potential uses in future innovative projects.
Docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid are fundamental supplements for the induction of neuronal differentiation Published, JLR Papers in Press, December 21, 2006.

Cell replacement therapy is being investigated for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Adult autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells harboring a variety of neuronal markers and transcription factors. Neural tissue characteristically contains high proportions of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA). In this study, evaluation of the fatty acid profile of differentiated neuron-like cells revealed a very low level of DHA, similar to that in MSCs but different from typical neurons. Supplementation of the medium with DHA alone resulted in increased levels of DHA but concomitant low levels of AA. However, supplementation with both DHA and AA yielded a fatty acid profile resembling that of neural tissue. It also resulted in enhanced outgrowth of neurite-like processes, hallmarks of neuronal differentiation. These findings demonstrate the essentiality of DHA and AA supplementation in the process of induced neuronal differentiation and have important implications for the development of cell replacement strategies of neural repair.
The Relationship Between Eating Disorder Behavior and Myers-Briggs Personality Type

This study examined the relationship between eating disorder behavior, identified by the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, and personality types, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) instrument, among a sample of female college students. No statistically significant relationships were found between MBTI personality type and eating disorder behavior. Note: For the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) instrument, the eight preference categories are the following: Extraversion (E) versus Introversion (I), Sensing (S) versus Intuition (N), Thinking (T) versus Feeling (F), Judging (J) versus Perceiving (P). INTRODUCTION Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between eating disorders and personality (Cassin & von Ranson, 2005; Claes, Vandereycken, Luyten, Soenens, Pieters, & Vertommen, 2006; Lilenfeld, Wonderlich, Riso, Crosby, & Mitchell, 2006; Södersten, Bergh, & Zandian, 2006; Thompson-Brenner & Westen, 2005; Westen & Harnden-Fisher, 2001; Youssef, Plancherel, Laget, Corcos, Flament, & Halfon, 2004). Lilenfeld et al. extensively reviewed the literature on five theoretical models of the eating disorder-personality. These include 68 Journal of Psychological Type More than thirty years of publishing research articles related to the theory and applications of psychological type and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument. Published by the Center for Applications of Psychological Type Thomas G. Carskadon, Ph.D., Editor Issue 2 FEB 08 For female college students, no relationship was found between MBTI® type and eating disorder behavior. Because type is an aggregation of personality preferences that are relatively stable and eating disorders are considered changeable, our results suggest that counselors should not rely on MBTI® psychological type to predict eating disorder behavior. C A P T ® The Relationship Between Eating Disorder Behavior and Myers-Briggs® Personality Type Amanda J. Burger Michael W. Firmin Richard A. Wantz Wayne State University Cedarville University Wright State University Lori Anderson Hoffeditz Chi-en Hwang Cedarville University Cedarville University
A Specular Reflection Suppression Method for Endoscopic Images

In this paper, we proposed a specular reflection suppression method for endoscopic images. To reduce the impact of specular reflection on visual quality, the proposed method is composed of two parts: reflection detection and reflection suppression. To detect reflection regions, a thresholding algorithm is used. To suppress the effect of specular reflection, a modified image inpainting algorithm is developed. Our simulation results show that the proposed method can not only detect but also suppress specular reflection in endoscopic images. In addition, the proposed specular reflection suppression method outperforms some existing methods.
EARLY COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING ANATOMIC LUNG RESECTIONS--EXPERIENCE OF A THORACIC SURGICAL ONCOLOGY UNIT.

AIM To analyze the medical and socioeconomic impact of the complications of anatomic lung resections performed at the Thoracic Surgery Unit of the Iasi Regional Cancer Institute. METHODS This retrospective study included patients who underwent anatomic lung resections between January 2013 and August 2015. RESULTS Over this interval a total of 172 major lung resections were performed: 31 (18.02%) pneumonectomies, 5 (2.91%) bilobectomies, and 136 (79.06%) lobectomies. Complications occurred in 36 patients, including bronchial stump fistula in 7 patients (4.06%), bronchopneumonia (9/5.23%), pleural empyema without bronchoscopically documented bronchial stump fistula (1/0.58%), chylothorax (1/0.58%), postoperative arrhythmia (3/1.74%), early postoperative stroke (1/0.58%), prolonged air leak (requiring hospital stay longer than 14 days) (11/6.38%), and postoperative hemothorax requiring reintervention (3/1.74%). Secondary to complications, a number of 3 (1.74%) patients died early postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of immediate and early postoperative complications is comparable to those reported by other authors.