Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plastic vipers: influence of food intake on the size and shape of Gaboon vipers (Bitis gabonica)

Repeated measurements of captive-born Gaboon vipers Bitis gabonica from an inbred stock examined the degree to which an animal’s size and shape are affected by food intake. We also used the level of asymmetry in dorsal coloration as an index for possible genetic (inbreeding? ) effects. Both of these factors, and the interaction between them, affected phenotypes of the young snakes. Snakes raised with abundant food differed from their less well-fed siblings not only in size, but also in body mass relative to snout‐vent length, head length relative to snout‐vent length, head width relative to head length, and fang length relative to jaw length. Hence, our data show that body proportions (including the feeding apparatus) can be influenced by the environment after birth.
Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A: Applications: An International Journal of Computation and Methodology

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Remediation of a Sandy Soil Contaminated with Cadmium, Nickel, and Zinc using an Insoluble Polyacrylate Polymer

Abstract This study was carried out to investigate whether an insoluble polyacrylate polymer could be used to remediate a sandy soil contaminated with cadmium (Cd) (30 and 60 mg Cd kg−1 of soil), nickel (Ni) (50 and 100 mg Ni kg−1 of soil), zinc (Zn) (250 and 400 mg Zn kg−1 of soil), or the three elements together (30 mg Cd, 50 mg Ni, and 250 mg Zn kg−1 of soil). Growth of perennial ryegrass was stimulated in the polymer‐amended soil contaminated with the greatest amounts of Ni or Zn, and when the three metals were present, compared with the unamended soil with the same levels of contamination. Shoots of plants cultivated in the amended soil had concentrations of the metals that were 24–67% of those in plants from the unamended contaminated soil. After ryegrass had been growing for 87 days, the amounts of water‐extractable metals present in the amended soil varied from 8 to 53% of those in the unamended soil. The results are consistent with soil remediation being achieved through removal of the metals from soil solution.
DETECTION AND PREVALENCE OF EFFLUX PUMP-MEDIATED DRUG RESISTANCE IN CLINICAL ISOLATES OF MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA FROM NORTH KERALA, INDIA

Objectives: The present study was carried out to detect the prevalence of efflux pump-mediated drug resistance in clinical isolates of multidrugresistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria isolated from North Kerala. Methods: Clinical isolates (n = 123) of MDR Gram-negative bacteria were collected from various clinical laboratories in North Kerala, and their effluxmediated drug resistance was detected by two simple phenotypic assays - ethidium bromide (EB)-agar cartwheel method and efflux pump inhibitor (EPI)-based microplate assay, employing phenylalanine-arginine β-naphthylamide as inhibitor. Results: The 123 Gram-negative MDR strains tested comprised Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp. , and Klebsiella spp. The EB-agar cartwheel method of screening revealed efflux activity in 20% (n=25) of the strains with representatives from all 4 genera. The efflux activity was revealed at a minimum concentration of EB at 1 mg/l. P. aeruginosa strains showed the highest activity, many folds higher up to a concentration of 2.5 mg/l. The confirmatory EPI-based microplate assay showed efflux activity only in 15% (n=18) strains with 6% (n=7) active against more than one antibiotic. Efflux pump-mediated drug resistance was found to be most prevalent in P. aeruginosa (34.8%, n=8 out of 23), followed by that in E. coli (18.6%, n=8 out of 43), Acinetobacter spp. (9%, n=1out of 11), and Klebsiella spp. (2%, n=1 out of 46). Conclusion: This study reports on the emergence of efflux pump-based multidrug-resistance in North Kerala. Our results showed that 15% of drug resistance in Gram-negative MDR strains is attributable to efflux-related mechanisms, thereby emphasizing the need for inclusion of efflux-related tests in the diagnostic regimen for MDR clinical bacteria. Keywords: Gram-negative bacteria, Multidrug-resistance, Efflux pumps, Ethidium bromide, Efflux pump-inhibitor.
Research, part of a Special Feature on Sustainably Managing Freshwater Resources Volunteer stream monitoring: Do the data quality and monitoring experience support increased community involvement in freshwater decision making?

Recent freshwater policy reforms in New Zealand promote increased community involvement in freshwater decision making and management. Involving community members in scientific monitoring increases both their knowledge and their ability to discuss this knowledge with professionals, potentially increasing their influence in decision-making processes. However, these interactions rarely occur because, in particular, of perceptions that volunteer-collected data are unreliable. We assessed the agreement between volunteer (community group) and local government (regional council) data at nine stream sites across New Zealand. Over 18 months, community groups and regional council staff monitored, in parallel, a common set of water quality variables, physical habitat, periphyton and benthic macroinvertebrates that are routinely used by regional councils for statutory state of environment reporting. Community groups achieved close agreement (correlations ≥ 0.89, bias < 1%) with regional councils for temperature, electrical conductivity, visual water clarity, and Escherichia coli. For dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and pH, correlations were weaker (0.2, 0.53, and 0.4, respectively). Volunteer assessments of physical habitat were as consistent over time as those of councils. For visual assessments of thick periphyton growths (% streambed cover), volunteers achieved a correlation of 0.93 and bias of 0.1% relative to councils. And for a macroinvertebrate biotic index that indicates water and habitat quality, correlation was 0.88, bias was < 5%, and the average difference was 12% of the index score. Volunteers showed increased awareness of local freshwaters, understanding of stream ecosystems, and attentiveness to local and national freshwater issues. Most volunteers had shared their knowledge and interest with others in their community. Most groups had developed relationships with their regional council, and some volunteers became more interested in engaging in freshwater decision making. Given adequate professional support, community-based water monitoring can provide data reliable enough to augment professionally collected data, and increase the opportunities, confidence, and skills of community members to engage in freshwater decision making.
Pulse Power Ablation of Melanoma with Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields

Melanocytes are cells that originate in the neural crest. In the dermis, their well characterized role is to produce melanin and through interactions with keratinocytes transfer this pigment to determine skin color and protect the largest organ in the body, the skin, from ultraviolet light. As an effective free radical scavenger, melanin protects against reactive oxygen species that would otherwise damage DNA [Rozanowska et al., 1999]. Melanocytes may also have other roles such as immune, neuroendocrine, and signaling functions through interactions with cells other than keratinocytes, such as lymphocytes, mast cells and endothelial cells [see Tsatmali et al., 2002 for review]. However, keratinocytes regulate melanocyte number, differentiation and melanin production in response to UV radiation. It may be that the resilience of melanocytes to protect the skin, their extraordinary regenerative capacity and their origin as neural crest migratory cells makes them one of the most deadly forms of metastatic skin cancers when they undergo tumorogenesis. It is known that there is a great deal of common cellular and genetic events among embryonic development, tissue regeneration and cancer. Further, typical self-renewal and migration capacity of cancer are shared with embryonic and regenerative cells [White and Zon, 2008]. The recapitulation of embryonic genetic programs is facilitated by overexposure to extreme sunlight (UVA and UVB) or tanning bed light (mostly UVA). The American Cancer Society estimated that in the US in 2009, 68,720 new cases of melanoma (188 new cases /day) will be diagnosed and 8,650 people will die from the disease (24 melanoma deaths /day). The continued increase in melanoma is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Thus, metastatic melanoma remains a persistent therapeutic challenge. There are limited successes in preventing this often fatal disease and there are even fewer successes in developing a cure.
Correlation Between Function-Morphology of Effect of the Stress and Flunitrazepam Administered During Gestation in Adult Mouse Ovary

Previamente comprobamos efectos de larga duracion sobre el ovario de ratones expuestos prenatalmente a flunitrazepam (FNZ), una benzodiazepina con accion tranquilizante. En este trabajo encontramos que el FNZ, no revierte los efectos producidos por la exposicion prenatal a estres. Estudiamos hembras adultas nacidas de madres que se estresaron por inmovilizacion el dia 6 de la gestacion (DG-6) o grupo S, y de madres estresadas tambien por inmovilizacion el DG-6, las que recibieron una sola dosis de FNZ inmediatamente despues del estres (grupo FNZS). Los grupos de control fueron el SS al que se le administro solucion salina y el NT no tratado. Se extrajeron sus ovarios para su estudio histologico y para observar la actividad de delta 3b-deshidroxiesteroide dehidrogenasa/isomerasa (3 b-HSD). El analisis histologico revelo una gran afinidad tintoreal en los ovarios de los grupos S y FNZS. En los ovarios de los ratones del grupo FNZS se encontraron en los foliculos secundarios atresicos ovocitos dobles y cuerpos apoptoticos asi como una poblacion mayor de foliculos anormales primordiales, primarios y secundarios en comparacion con los grupos SS y NT. Los foliculos primarios y secundarios tuvieron una reduccion significativa en los grupos experimentales pero los foliculos atresicos primarios y secundarios fueron mas en ambos grupos y el numero de cuerpos luteos fue menor en ambos grupos. La actividad de 3 b-HSD aumento de manera anormal tanto en los grupos FNZ y S. Estos hallazgos sugieren que el FNZ no contrarresta los efectos negativos del estres prenatal sobre los foliculos ovaricos de las crias adultas, y podria ser responsable de los cambios largo plazo que ocurren a durante la programacion embrionaria.
Observations of Water Mass Transformation and Eddies in the Lofoten Basin of the Nordic Seas

AbstractThe Lofoten basin of the Nordic Seas is recognized as a crucial component of the meridional overturning circulation in the North Atlantic because of the large horizontal extent of Atlantic Water and winter surface buoyancy loss. In this study, hydrographic and current measurements collected from a mooring deployed in the Lofoten basin from July 2010 to September 2012 are used to describe water mass transformation and the mesoscale eddy field. Winter mixed layer depths (MLDs) are observed to reach approximately 400 m, with larger MLDs and denser properties resulting from the colder 2010 winter. A heat budget of the upper water column requires lateral input, which balances the net annual heat loss of ~80 W m−2. The lateral flux is a result of mesoscale eddies, which dominate the velocity variability. Eddy velocities are enhanced in the upper 1000 m, with a barotropic component that reaches the bottom. Detailed examination of two eddies, from April and August 2012, highlights the variability of the e.
Autonomic Specificity for Basic Emotions : A Review of the Implication of James – Lange theory of Emotion for the Autonomic Specificity Model of Emotion

‘‘What is an emotion? ’’ William James’s seminal paper in Mind (1884) proposed the idea that physiological and behavioral responses precede subjective experience in emotions that are marked by ‘‘distinct bodily expression. ’’ This notion has broadly inspired the investigation of emotion-specific autonomic nervous system activity, a research topic which had great longevity. The route of this literature is traced through its major theoretical challenges from the Cannon–Bard, activation, and Schachter– Singer theories, through its rich empirical history in the field of psychophysiology. Although these studies are marked by various findings, the overall trend of the research supports the notion of autonomic specificity for basic emotions. The construct of autonomic specificity continues to influence a number of core theoretical issues in affective science, such as the existence of basic or ‘natural kinds’ of emotion, the structure of affective space, the cognition–emotion relationship, and the function of emotion. Moreover, James’s classic paper, which stimulated the emergence of psychology from philosophy and physiology in the latter nineteenth century, remains a dynamic force in contemporary
Aerodynamic Loss for a Turbine Blade With Endwall Leakage Features and Contouring

Secondary flows near the endwall of a turbine blade contribute to a loss in aerodynamic performance in the engine. Further reductions in performance occur when the secondary flows interact with leakage flow from necessary clearance features, such as the clearance gap between the blade rotor and an upstream stator or gaps between adjacent blade platforms. Non-axisymmetric endwall contouring has been shown to reduce the strength of secondary flows near the endwall, but relatively little research has been done to test the sensitivity of the contouring to the endwall leakage features. This paper describes aerodynamic measurements taken downstream of a cascade with representative leakage features. In general, upstream leakage flow with swirl relative to the blade increased aerodynamic loss, relative to leakage that was matched to the blade wheelspeed. Non-axisymmetric contouring for an endwall without a platform gap reduced underturning of the flow but had no effect on overall loss, relative to a flat endwall without a gap. A contoured endwall with a platform gap had 12% higher mixed-out loss than a contoured endwall without a gap.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Financial Valuation and Risk Management Working Paper No . 31 Are practitioners right ? On the relative importance of industrial factors in international stock returns

This paper investigates the relative influences of industrial and country factors in international stock returns. Until very recently, academic research has consistently found that country factors dominate industrial factors. This result is in contradiction with practitioners beliefs. This paper re-examines this issue by analyzing a sample of more than 4000 stocks quoted in 20 developed countries. We find that on average the country effect still dominates stock returns over the period 1997-2000. This result has to be interpreted with caution though, as an analysis that allows these relative influences to change over time demonstrates the rapidly increasing impact of industry effects in recent times. We find, in particular, that this trend is common to all 20 developed countries considered and not only to those that are member of the European Monetary Union. We interpret this result as evidence of the increasing globalization of international equity markets. JEL Codes : F21; G12; G15
An updated analysis of long‐term sea level change in New Zealand

The original analysis of long‐term sea level change in New Zealand is updated with a new and extended analysis. In this new analysis the original hourly sea level data have been re‐examined to remove obvious errors that were still present, new data covering the period 1989–2000 has been added, and the sea level record for Wellington extended by the inclusion of recently discovered data covering the years 1891–1893. These new results indicate that relative sea levels in New Zealand have been rising at an average rate of 1.6 mm/yr over the last 100 years ‐ a figure that is not only within the error bounds of the original determination, but when corrected for glacial‐isostatic effects has a high level of coherency with other regional and global sea level rise determinations. There continues to be no evidence of any acceleration in relative sea levels over the record period.
Feedback Linearization Control of a Class of Nonlinear Systems Based on Fuzzy Inference Systems

In this work, we consider the application of an adaptive fuzzy control for a class of single input single output non linear systems. The method uses a fuzzy inference system of Takagi Sugeno (TS) type to approximate the feedback linearization law and a fuzzy inference system of Mamdani type to estimate the control signal error which is not available. The parameters of the (TS) controller are adapted and changed using the gradient descent law based on the estimated control error. The rule base of the Mamdani fuzzy inference system is constructed from expert knowledge. The global stability of the resulting closed loop system is guarantee using Lyapunov theory. The simulation results for an unstable nonlinear plant demonstrate the control effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Millennial-scale changes in fan deposition and fire severity in ponderosa pine forests, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

A color-changeable marking composition well-suited for drawing and coloring activities. In a preferred embodiment, the composition comprises (a) an emulsion, the emulsion having an aqueous continuous phase characterized by a basic pH and a noncarboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber latex discontinuous phase; (b) a pigment insoluble in the aqueous continuous phase of the emulsion; and (c) an acid dye soluble in the aqueous continuous phase of the emulsion, the acid dye having a different color than the water-insoluble pigment. Upon contact with the surface of a conventional porous marking substrate, the emulsion breaks, causing the aqueous continuous phase to be absorbed by the substrate and the rubber latex discontinuous phase to form a cohesive film on the surface of the substrate. The acid dye, because of its solubility in the aqueous continuous phase, is also absorbed by the substrate and cannot readily be removed therefrom. The pigment, because of its insolubility in the aqueous continuous phase, becomes associated with the cohesive film and can easily be removed from the substrate by stripping the cohesive film from the substrate using an ordinary pencil eraser. Accordingly, if the cohesive film is not removed from the substrate, the mark reflects the color contribution of the pigment (or, in some cases, both the pigment and the dye) whereas, if the cohesive film is removed from the substrate, the mark reflects the color contribution of the dye only.
Measuring the neutron star equation of state with gravitational wave observations

We report the results of a first study that uses numerical simulations to estimate the accuracy with which one can use gravitational wave observations of double neutron-star inspiral to measure parameters of the neutron-star equation of state. The simulations use the evolution and initial-data codes of Shibata and Uryu to compute the last several orbits and the merger of neutron stars, with matter described by a parametrized equation of state. Previous work suggested the use of an effective cutoff frequency to place constraints on the equation of state. We find, however, that greater accuracy is obtained by measuring departures from the point-particle limit of the gravitational waveform produced during the late inspiral. As the stars approach their final plunge and merger, the gravitational wave phase accumulates more rapidly for smaller values of the neutron-star compactness (the ratio of the mass of the neutron-star to its radius). We estimate that realistic equations of state will lead to gravitational waveforms that are distinguishable from point-particle inspirals at an effective distance (the distance to an optimally oriented and located system that would produce an equivalent waveform amplitude) of 100 Mpc or less. As Lattimer and Prakash observed, neutron-star radius is closely tied tomore » the pressure at density not far above nuclear. Our results suggest that broadband gravitational wave observations at frequencies between 500 and 1000 Hz will constrain this pressure, and we estimate the accuracy with which it can be measured. Related first estimates of radius measurability show that the radius can be determined to an accuracy of {delta}R{approx}1 km at 100 Mpc. « less
PTSD and Suicidal Ideation: An Application of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide

ii List of Tables iv List of Figures v Introduction 1 Method 10 Participants and Procedure 10 Measures 10 Results 14 Descriptive Statistics 14 Preliminary Analyses 16 Hypothesis 1: Evaluation of PTSD Factor Structure 17 Hypotheses 2 and 3: Evaluation of the Full Model 17 Models with Individual Symptom Clusters 21 Discussion 24 References 31 Appendix A: Tables 40 Appendix B: Figures 55 Appendix C: Item Content 58
Modeling Pork Supply Response and Price Volatility: The Case of Greece

This paper examines the supply response of the Greek pork market. A GARCH process is used to estimate expected price and price volatility, while price and supply equations are estimated jointly. In addition to the standard GARCH model, several different symmetric, asymmetric, and nonlinear GARCH models are estimated. The empirical results indicate that among the estimated GARCH models, the quadratic NAGARCH model seems to better describe producers' price volatility, which was found to be an important risk factor of the supply response function of the Greek pork market. Furthermore, the empirical findings show that feed price is an important cost factor of the supply response function and that high uncertainty restricts the expansion of the Greek pork sector. Finally, the model provides forecasts for quantity supplied, producers' price, and price volatility.
This Time is the Same: Using Bank Performance in 1998 to Explain Bank Performance During the Recent Financial Crisis

We investigate whether a bank's performance during the 1998 crisis, which was viewed at the time as the most dramatic crisis since the Great Depression, predicts its performance during the recent financial crisis. One hypothesis is that a bank that has an especially poor experience in a crisis learns and adapts, so that it performs better in the next crisis. Another hypothesis is that a bank's poor experience in a crisis is tied to aspects of its business model that are persistent, so that its past performance during one crisis forecasts poor performance during another crisis. We show that banks that performed worse during the 1998 crisis did so as well during the recent financial crisis. This effect is economically important. In particular, it is economically as important as the leverage of banks before the start of the crisis. The result cannot be attributed to banks having the same chief executive in both crises. Banks that relied more on short-term funding, had more leverage, and grew more are more likely to be banks that performed poorly in both crises.