Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organic photolysis reactions in tropospheric aerosols: effect on secondary organic aerosol formation and lifetime

Abstract. This study presents the first modeling estimates of the potential effect of gas- and particle-phase organic photolysis reactions on the formation and lifetime of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Typically only photolysis of smaller organic molecules (e.g., formaldehyde) for which explicit data exist is included in chemistry–climate models. Here, we specifically examine the photolysis of larger molecules that actively partition between the gas and particle phases. The chemical mechanism generator GECKO-A is used to explicitly model SOA formation from α-pinene, toluene, and C12 and C16 n-alkane reactions with OH at low and high NOx. Simulations are conducted for typical mid-latitude conditions and a solar zenith angle of 45° (permanent daylight). The results show that after 4 days of chemical aging under those conditions (equivalent to 8 days in the summer mid-latitudes), gas-phase photolysis leads to a moderate decrease in SOA yields, i.e., ~15 % (low NOx) to ~45 % (high NOx) for α-pinene, ~15 % for toluene, ~25 % for C12 n-alkane, and ~10 % for C16 n-alkane. The small effect of gas-phase photolysis on low-volatility n-alkanes such as C16 n-alkane is due to the rapid partitioning of early-generation products to the particle phase, where they are protected from gas-phase photolysis. Minor changes are found in the volatility distribution of organic products and in oxygen to carbon ratios. The decrease in SOA mass is increasingly more important after a day of chemical processing, suggesting that most laboratory experiments are likely too short to quantify the effect of gas-phase photolysis on SOA yields. Our results also suggest that many molecules containing chromophores are preferentially partitioned into the particle phase before they can be photolyzed in the gas phase. Given the growing experimental evidence that these molecules can undergo in-particle photolysis, we performed sensitivity simulations using an empirically estimated SOA photolysis rate of JSOA = 4 × 10−4 JNO2. Modeling results indicate that this photolytic loss rate would decrease SOA mass by 40–60 % for most species after 10 days of equivalent atmospheric aging at mid-latitudes in the summer. It should be noted that in our simulations we do not consider in-particle or aqueous-phase reactions which could modify the chemical composition of the particle and thus the quantity of photolabile species. The atmospheric implications of our results are significant for both the SOA global distribution and lifetime. GEOS-Chem global model results suggest that particle-phase photolytic reactions could be an important loss process for SOA in the atmosphere, removing aerosols from the troposphere on timescales of less than 7 days that are comparable to wet deposition.
5-HT3A Receptor-Bearing White Matter Interstitial GABAergic Interneurons Are Functionally Integrated into Cortical and Subcortical Networks

In addition to axons and surrounding glial cells, the corpus callosum also contains interstitial neurons that constitute a heterogeneous cell population. There is growing anatomical evidence that white matter interstitial cells (WMICs) comprise GABAergic interneurons, but so far there is little functional evidence regarding their connectivity. The scarcity of these cells has hampered electrophysiological studies. We overcame this hindrance by taking recourse to transgenic mice in which distinct WMICs expressed enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP). The neuronal phenotype of the EGFP-labeled WMICs was confirmed by their NeuN positivity. The GABAergic phenotype could be established based on vasoactive intestinal peptide and calretinin expression and was further supported by a firing pattern typical for interneurons. Axons and dendrites of many EGFP-labeled WMICs extended to the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. Patch-clamp recordings in acute slices showed that they receive excitatory and inhibitory input from cortical and subcortical structures. Moreover, paired recordings revealed that EGFP-labeled WMICs inhibit principal cells of the adjacent cortex, thus providing unequivocal functional evidence for their GABAergic phenotype and demonstrating that they are functionally integrated into neuronal networks.
Multiple Oscillators Provide Metastability in Rhythm Generation

Biological rhythms such as cardiac and circadian rhythms arise from activity of multiple oscillators with dispersed intrinsic frequencies. It has been proposed that a stable population rhythm, fundamental to normal physiological processes, can be achieved in these systems by synchronization, through mutual entrainment, of individual oscillators. Mutual entrainment, however, is unlikely to be the mechanism underlying the generation of a stable rhythm in a population of multiple weakly coupled or uncoupled oscillators. We have recently identified such a population that is involved in the sympathetic regulation of vascular tone in a thermoregulatory circulation. In this paper, we investigate the stability of the output rhythm of these sympathetic oscillators by subjecting the system to a periodic driving force (the lung inflation cycle-related activity). We show that a population rhythm coupled to the drive can remain stable over a much wider driving frequency range compared with that of any one of its constituent oscillators. This population rhythmicity still exists despite the fact that the dominant frequencies of individual oscillators are not necessarily 1:1 frequency-locked to the drive. We provide evidence to show that this population metastability is achieved through linear and nonlinear dynamic interactions between the driving force and single sympathetic oscillators. Our study suggests that the generation of a stable population rhythm can exist even in the absence of mutual entrainment of its constituents, and this allows the population to generate a stable and flexible patterned response.
Can Equity Volatility Explain the Global Loan Pricing Puzzle

This paper examines whether unobservable differences in firm volatility are responsible for the global loan pricing puzzle, which is the observation that corporate loan interest rates appear to be lower in Europe than in the United States. We analyze whether equity volatility, an error prone measure of firm volatility, can explain this difference in loan spreads. We show that using equity volatility in OLS regressions will result in biased and inconsistent estimates of the difference in U.S. and European loan spreads. We use instrumental variable methods to identify consistent estimates and find no difference in U.S. and European loan spreads.
Analyzing the Harmonic Distortion in a Distribution System Caused by the Non-Linear Residential Loads

Harmonic distortion has garnered a lot of interest in the recent past due to the high advent of the non-linear electronic loads. Moreover, newer technologies including distributed generation and electric vehicles are anticipated to be part of the distribution systems at a mass scale in the near future. This makes it of utmost importance to evaluate the existing power distribution systems and analyze the possible constraints. This research study makes an effort to evaluate the harmonic distortion in the distribution systems caused by the various non-linear residential loads. The experimentally developed harmonic spectrums, of several home appliances, are deployed for the simulation of a typical UK distribution system using Electrical Transient Analyzer Program (ETAP). The results show high level of harmonic distortion, at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC), in the distribution system which becomes even more aggravated when a higher loading level, of the distribution transformer, is considered.
Weighted Constrained Egalitarianism in TU-Games

The constrained egalitarian solution of Dutta and Ray (1989) for TU-games is extended to asymmetric cases, using the notion of weight systems as in Kalai and Samet (1987,1988). This weighted constrained egalitarian solution is based on the weighted Lorenz-criterion as an inequality measure. It is shown that in general there is at most one such weighted egalitarian solution for TU-games. Existence is proved for the class of convex games. Furthermore, the core of a postive valued convex game is covered by weighted constrained egalitarian solutions.
2 3 Fe b 20 05 Loops of any size and Hamilton cycles in random scale-free networks

Loops are subgraphs responsible for the multiplicity of paths going from one to another generic node in a given network. In this paper we present an analytic approach for the evaluation of the average number of loops in random scale-free networks valid at fixed number of nodes N and for any length L of the loops. We bring evidence that the most frequent loop size in a scale-free network of N nodes is of the order of N like in random regular graphs while small loops are more frequent when the second moment of the degree distribution diverges. In particular, we find that finite loops of sizes larger than a critical one almost surely pass from any node, thus casting some doubts on the validity of the random tree approximation for the solution of lattice models on these graphs. Moreover we show that Hamiltonian cycles are rare in random scale-free networks and may fail to appear if the power-law exponent of the degree distribution is close to 2 even for minimal connectivity k min ≥ 3.
The effect of fibronectin-coated implant on canine osseointegration

Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize the osseointegration of the fibronectin-coated implant surface. Methods Sand-blasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA) surface implants, with or without a thin calcium phosphate and fibronectin coating, were placed in edentulous mandibles of dogs 8 weeks after extraction. All dogs were sacrificed forhistological and histomorphometric evaluation after 4- and 8-week healing periods. Results All types of implants were clinically stable without any mobility. Although the bone-to-implant contact and bone density of the SLA implants coated with calcium phosphate (CaP)/fibronectin were lower than the uncoated SLA implants, there were no significant differences between the uncoated SLA surface group and the SLA surface coated with CaP/fibronectin group. Conclusions Within the limits of this study, SLA surfaces coated with CaP/fibronectin were shown to have comparable bone-to-implant contact and bone density to uncoated SLA surfaces.
Prevalence of Hypertension in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria: Rural versus Urban Communities Study

Recent studies have shown an increasing trend in the prevalence of hypertension in rural communities compared to that of the urban communities. This study was therefore carried out to determine the prevalence of hypertension and its predictors (if any) in both urban and rural communities of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Subjects and Method. This was a cross-sectional study of urban and rural communities of Akwa Ibom State for the prevalence of hypertension and its predictors. Two urban cities and two rural communities were randomly selected from the three senatorial districts of the state. Hypertension was defined based on the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hypertension. Results. Nine hundred and seventy-eight (978) participants were recruited from rural areas and five hundred and ninety (590) from urban centers. The rural populace had higher systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure than the urban populace (P < 0.001, < 0.002, < 0.001, resp.). The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in the rural populace than in the urban populace [44.3% (95% CI 41.1–47.4%) versus 28.6% (95% CI 24.9–32.3%)]. Age, BMI, and proteinuria were independent predictors of hypertension occurrence. Conclusion. There is an epidemiologic change in the prevalence of hypertension in the rural communities of Nigeria.
Drowning Mortality and Morbidity Rates in Children and Adolescents 0-19yrs: A Population-Based Study in Queensland, Australia

Objective To redress the lack of Queensland population incidence mortality and morbidity data associated with drowning in those aged 0-19yrs, and to understand survival and patient care. Design, Setting and Participants Retrospective population-based study used data linkage to capture both fatal and non-fatal drowning cases (N = 1299) among children aged 0-19years in Queensland, from 2002-2008 inclusive. Patient data were accessed from pre-hospital, emergency department, hospital admission and death data, and linked manually to collate data across the continuum of care. Main Outcome Measures Incidence rates were calculated separately by age group and gender for events resulting in death, hospital admission, and non-admission. Trends over time were analysed. Results Drowning death to survival ratio was 1:10, and two out of three of those who survived were admitted to hospital. Incidence rates for fatal and non-fatal drowning increased over time, primarily due to an increase in non-fatal drowning. There were non-significant reductions in fatal and admission rates. Rates for non-fatal drowning that did not result in hospitalisation more than doubled over the seven years. Children aged 5-9yrs and 10-14yrs incurred the lowest incidence rates 6.38 and 4.62 (expressed as per 100,000), and the highest rates were among children aged 0-4yrs (all drowning events 43.90; fatal 4.04; non-fatal 39.85–comprising admission 26.69 and non-admission 13.16). Males were over-represented in all age groups except 10-14yrs. Total male drowning events increased 44% over the seven years (P<0.001). Conclusion This state-wide data collection has revealed previously unknown incidence and survival ratios. Increased trends in drowning survival rates may be viewed as both positive and challenging for drowning prevention and the health system. Males are over-represented, and although infants and toddlers did not have increased fatality rates, they had the greatest drowning burden demonstrating the need for continued drowning prevention efforts.
Cigarette Purchasing Patterns among New York Smokers: Implications for Health, Price, and Revenue

Executive Summary Raising the price of cigarettes is one of the most effective interventions to prevent and reduce cigarette use. Local, state, and federal governments can change the price of cigarettes by raising or lowering cigarette excise taxes and by implementing and enforcing minimum price laws. Smokers can also adjust their behavior by choosing discount or “bargain” brands, buying fewer cigarettes, and avoiding paying cigarette taxes by purchasing from retailers that do not levy all applicable state and local taxes, such as Indian reservations and Internet cigarette vendors. Purchasing low price or untaxed cigarettes is common among smokers in New York. The most common source of cigarette tax avoidance in New York is purchasing from Indian reservations, especially in the western areas of the state. This behavior undermines the state’s efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use. Cigarette tax avoidance not only reduces smokers’ incentives to quit smoking or reduce the amount they smoke, but it also results in a significant loss of state tax revenue that could be devoted to public health interventions aimed at reducing smoking. Lost revenue due to unpaid cigarette taxes also deprives the state of resources to address other public health issues. This report examines smokers’ cigarette purchasing patterns with a focus on quantifying the extent of tax evasion in New York and identifying the characteristics of smokers who most frequently seek out and purchase low price and untaxed cigarettes. This report also examines the overall health and financial impacts of cigarette tax avoidance in New York by calculating the reduction in cessation and quantifying the amount of tax revenue lost due to tax avoidance via specific low price and untaxed sources. Specific findings include the following: · Thirty-seven percent of New York smokers report purchasing cigarettes from low price (mainly untaxed) sources “all the time” or “sometimes. ” · Purchase of lower price cigarettes is associated with reduced intentions to quit smoking and fewer attempts to quit smoking. · If all smokers paid the average retail price for cigarettes (including the excise tax), the current prevalence of smoking would be 2 to 3 percent lower, representing between 51,026 and 76,539 fewer adult smokers in New York. · Revenue lost to the state as a result of purchasing low price (mainly untaxed) cigarettes is estimated to be between $436 million and $576 million in 2004.
Streptococcus suis infections in humans: the Chinese experience and the situation in North America

Abstract Infections caused by Streptococcus suis are considered a global problem in the swine industry. In this animal species, S. suis is associated with septicemia, meningitis, endocarditis, arthritis and, occasionally, other infections. Moreover, it is an agent of zoonosis that afflicts people in close contact with infected pigs or pork-derived products. Although sporadic cases of S. suis infection in humans have been reported, a large outbreak due to S. suis serotype 2 emerged in the summer of 2005 in Sichuan, China. A similar outbreak was observed in another Chinese province in 1998. Symptoms reported in these two outbreaks include high fever, malaise, nausea and vomiting, followed by nervous symptoms, subcutaneous hemorrhage, septic shock and coma in severe cases. The increased severity of S. suis infections in humans, such as a shorter incubation time, more rapid disease progression and higher rate of mortality, underscores the critical need to better understand the factors associated with pathogenesis of S. suis infection. From the 35 capsular serotypes currently known, serotype 2 is considered the most virulent and frequently isolated in both swine and humans. Here, we review the epidemiological, clinical and immunopathological features of S. suis infection in humans.
Testosterone, growth and the evolution of sexual size dimorphism

The integration of macroevolutionary pattern with developmental mechanism presents an outstanding challenge for studies of phenotypic evolution. Here, we use a combination of experimental and comparative data to test whether evolutionary shifts in the direction of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) correspond to underlying changes in the endocrine regulation of growth. First, we combine captive breeding studies with mark‐recapture data to show that male‐biased SSD develops in the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei) because males grow significantly faster than females as juveniles and adults. We then use castration surgeries and testosterone implants to show that castration inhibits, and testosterone stimulates, male growth. We conclude by reviewing published testosterone manipulations in other squamate reptiles in the context of evolutionary patterns in SSD. Collectively, these studies reveal that the evolution of SSD has been accompanied by underlying changes in the effect of testosterone on male growth, potentially facilitating the rapid evolution of SSD.
Speaker Normalization in Speech Perception

Talkers differ from each other in a great many ways. Some of the difference is in the choice of linguistic variants for particular words, as immortalized in the song by George and Ira Gershwin “Let’s call the whole thing off”. You say either [iðɚ] and I say either [aᴵðɚ],You say neither [niðɚ] and I say neither [naᴵðɚ]Either[ iðɚ], either [aᴵðɚ] Neither [niðɚ], neither [naᴵðɚ]Let's call the whole thing off.You like potato and I like potahtoYou like tomato and I like tomahtoPotato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto.Let's call the whole thing offListeners have experienced different pronunciations of words, and many of the variants that we know are tinged with social or personal nuance. This “multiple-listing” notion, that listeners store more than one variant of each word in memory is the dominant hypothesis, among sociolinguists regarding the cognitive representation of social phonetic variation (Thomas, 2011), and has been proposed as a way to account for the listeners’s ability to ‘normalize’ for talker differences in speech perception (Johnson, 1997).
Framework for primary care organizations: the importance of a structural domain

Purpose Conceptual frameworks for primary care have evolved over the last 40 years, yet little attention has been paid to the environmental, structural and organizational factors that facilitate or moderate service delivery. Since primary care is now of more interest to policy makers, it is important that they have a comprehensive and balanced conceptual framework to facilitate their understanding and appreciation. We present a conceptual framework for primary care originally developed to guide the measurement of the performance of primary care organizations within the context of a large mixed-method evaluation of four types of models of primary care in Ontario, Canada. Methods The framework was developed following an iterative process that combined expert consultation and group meetings with a narrative review of existing frameworks, as well as trends in health management and organizational theory. Results Our conceptual framework for primary care has two domains: structural and performance. The structural domain describes the health care system, practice context and organization of the practice in which any primary care organization operates. The performance domain includes features of health care service delivery and technical quality of clinical care. Conclusion As primary care evolves through demonstration projects and reformed delivery models, it is important to evaluate its structural and organizational features as these are likely to have a significant impact on performance.
A new image-based method for concrete bridge bottom crack detection

Crack detection is crucial for safety and cost-effective maintenance of concrete structures. Researchers have proposed several methods based on machine vision techniques to inspect the cracks on the bottom surface of concrete bridges, such as Fujita's method. However, it is difficult to obtain high-quality images and image processing results because of complex environmental and light conditions under bridges. In this study, we propose a new method of crack image processing for concrete bridge bottom crack inspections to solve this problem. We build a machine vision system based on this method, which could detect cracks in real time. We examine the efficiency of the proposed system by evaluating it with real images of cracks and compare them with other image processing methods. In terms of efficiency and accuracy of detecting cracks, experimental results show that proposed method is superior to conventional methods in complex environments under bridges.