Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and health effects of a wildlife immunocontraceptive vaccine on fox squirrels

Continued range expansion of introduced eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) in the western United States could lead to widespread damage to agricultural crops, facility infrastructures, and displacement of the native western gray squirrel (S. griseus). Because traditional management alternatives may not be feasible in many areas, public interest in the use of immunocontraceptive to control local populations has increased. We evaluated the efficacy of GonaCon™ immunocontraceptive vaccine for controlling eastern fox squirrel reproduction in Davis, California. We administered GonaCon to 33 male and 26 female fox squirrels, and a control substance to 33 males and 24 females. We subsequently compared the reproductive status, health, and serum concentrations of testosterone and progesterone of our treated and control populations. In our treated population, we also measured serum concentrations of antibodies to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). To determine potential side effects of the vaccine, we recorded body weight and body condition of all animals, examined injection sites during each recapture, and observed the treated squirrels in the field for signs of discomfort and impaired mobility. Over 17 months, none of the recaptured GonaCon-treated females (n = 20) reproduced, compared to 12 of 15 control females. Treated males and females developed sufficient antibodies to GnRH to suppress reproduction, suggesting that GonaCon has the potential to be 100% effective in inhibiting reproduction in both sexes. We also observed a reduction in physical signs of reproductive activity for males (P < 0.001) and in hormone levels of both females (P < 0.001) and males (P < 0.001). Control and GonaCon-treated animals did not differ in body weight but vaccinated squirrels had poorer body condition scores and exhibited severe injection site abscesses. The abscesses may have been caused by the GnRH conjugate used in GonaCon. In our study, GonaCon was effective in reducing eastern fox squirrel reproduction. Changes in the conjugate or its preparation may reduce the severity of associated injection site reactions. © 2013 The Wildlife Society
Coded-Aperture Compton Camera for Gamma-Ray Imaging

A novel gamma-ray imaging system is demonstrated, by means of Monte Carlo simulation. Previous designs have used either a coded aperture or Compton scattering system to image a gamma-ray source. By taking advantage of characteristics of each of these systems a new design can be implemented that does not require a pixelated stopping detector. Use of the system is illustrated for a simulated radiation survey in a decontamination and decommissioning operation.
The effect of bilingualism on the use of manual gestures

Gestures are often used while speaking to aid in the speaker's packaging of the verbal message and/or to aid the listener in decoding the message. The ways in which bilinguals use gestures are reviewed in this article. Researchers have predicted that bilinguals' gesture use is related to bilinguals' language proficiency. However, no clear pattern of a link between proficiency and gesture use has been observed across studies, probably because gestures rarely compensate for weak language proficiency, functioning instead to facilitate speech production in both first and second language use. Researchers have reported bilinguals using language-specific gestures in the other language. In addition, bilinguals have been shown to use gestures at a higher rate than monolinguals. These results suggest that cross-linguistic transfer can apply to gestures, as well as to other linguistic units. In conclusion, gestures play an important role in accessing language in the process of speech production. This conclusion has implications for second-language teaching; teaching through gestures and speech might be more effective than teaching the spoken component alone.
Structure of Zariski-closed algebras

The objective of this paper is to describe the structure of Zariski-closed algebras, which provide a useful generalization to finite dimensional algebras in the study of representable algebras over finite fields. Our results include a version of Wedderburn's principal theorem as well as a more explicit description using representations, in terms of "gluing" in Wedderburn components. Finally, we construct "generic" Zariski-closed algebras, whose description is considerably more complicated than the description of generic algebra of finite dimensional algebras. Special attention is given to infinite dimensional algebras over finite fields.
Habitat use does not Reflect Habitat Quality for Henslow's Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) Wintering in Fire-Managed Longleaf Pine Savannas

ABSTRACT. Interpreting habitat quality requires an understanding of the consequences of habitat use because bird density alone may not reflect habitat quality. Although habitat use can be readily quantified, subsequent effects remain elusive for most species, especially for migrants on the wintering grounds. Wintering Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) densities in Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) savannas are fire-dependent, with highest bird densities in the first winter after a fire, but reduced density in subsequent winters without fire. We determined habitat characteristics associated with variation in bird density in the first and second winters following fire and then followed birds' diet, condition, and survival in 10 plots over two winters. Habitat structure and seed energy availability, but not plant species composition, were equally important for explaining bird density, except for two outlier plots with extremely high seed production and fewer birds than expected. Henslow's Sparrows consumed a variety of seeds and arthropods, which indicates that they are generalists capable of responding to fire-mediated changes in seed composition. Body condition decreased in midwinter, associated with a decrease of arthropods in the birds' diet. Although Henslow's Sparrow densities responded strongly to ephemeral savanna conditions, consequences of habitat use were negligible because survival and three measures of body condition did not vary with years since fire or among age and sex classes. These aspects of the winter ecology of sexually monochromatic Henslow's Sparrows are consistent with tenets of the ideal free distribution, whereby differences in bird density between habitats result in equal fitness.
Swearing: A biopsychosocial perspective

Swearing, also known as cursing, can be best described as a form of linguistic activity utilizing taboo words to convey the expression of strong emotions. Although swearing and cursing are frequently occurring behaviors, the actual functions of swearing remain largely unknown. Since swearing typically includes taboo words, these words can be more powerful than non-swear words. Therefore, people who swear are often judged negatively, because the uttered swearwords can shock and disturb others, though the comments of others are strongly dependent on contextual factors. In this review, we provide an insight into the current state of the literature with respect to the interpersonal functions of swearing. In addition, we briefly discuss neurological, psychosocial and contextual factors that may contribute to person’s swearing behavior. Swearing is hypothesized to produce a catharsis-effect, which results in a relief of stress or pain. Swearing also influences the perceived credibility, intensity, and persuasiveness of the swearer. Additionally, swearing can have a variety of interpersonal consequences, including promoting group bonding and solidarity, inhibiting aggression, eliciting humor, and causing emotional pain to others. This paper further presents a hypothetical model of swearing that draws from basic emotion research in an attempt to provide a scaffolding for future research.
Hydrologic Modeling of an Eastern Pennsylvania Watershed with NEXRAD and Rain Gauge Data

This paper applies the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to model the hydrology in the Pocono Creek watershed located in Monroe County, Pa. The calibrated model will be used in a subsequent study to examine the impact of population growth and rapid urbanization in the watershed on the base flow and peak runoff. Of particular interest in this paper is the exploration of potential use of Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) technology as an alternative source of precipitation data to the conventional surface rain gauges. NEXRAD estimated areal average precipitations are shown to compare well with the gauge measured ones at two climate stations in the study area. Investigation of the spatially distributed NEXRAD precipitation estimates revealed that average annual precipitation can vary spatially as much as 12% in the Pocono Creek watershed. The SWAT model is calibrated and validated for monthly stream flow, base flow, and surface runoff. Hydrographs generated from both gauge and NEXRAD driven model simula.
The Prominence Effect in Shanghai Apartment Prices

A field study conducted in Shanghai identified a robust inconsistency between real estate developers' desired sales pattern (selling all apartments in a building at similar rates) and the actual sales pattern (selling good apartments faster). The authors explain this inconsistency using Tversky, Sattath, and Slovic's (1988) prominence principle, according to which buyers, who were in a choice mode, weighed the desirability of floors more heavily than developers, who were in a matching mode when setting prices. This explanation is corroborated by controlled experiments involving potential home buyers and professional real estate price setters. The research relates an intriguing anomaly originally found in paper-and-pencil surveys to a real-world issue in one of the world's most active markets. These findings also have implications for issues beyond real estate markets.
Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Thyme Essential Oil ( Thymus vulgaris )

Herbal medicine from natural resources plays an important role as antibacterial and antioxidant agents. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) essential oil (TEO) and/or chitosan (CH) in vitro. Results indicated that TEO exhibited high radical scavenging activity (RSA) toward DPPH, ABTS, linoleic acid deterioration and iron chelation activity. TEO exhibited high amount of total phenolic compounds (TPC) related to its terpenes. The TPC of TEO was 177.3 mg GAE g-1 demonstrated 149.8 μmol of TE g-1 DPPH-RSA and 192.4 μmol of TE g-1 ABTS-RSA. The antioxidant capacity of TEO exhibited 68.9% reduction when evaluated by β-carotene bleaching assay. The reducing power activity related to iron chelation was 142.8 μmol of AAE g-1. The TEO exhibited a high content of Thymol (41.04%) as major compound over 14 identified components by GC-MS analysis followed by 1,8-Cineole (14.26%), γ-Terpinene (12.06%), p-Cymene (10.50%) and α-Terpinene (9.22%). TEO exhibited antimicrobial activity in vitro and MIC noticed that TEO was efficiently affected pathogens in vitro. Indeed, CH exhibited negligible or very low antimicrobial activity. In conclusion, both investigated TEO and TEO-CHmix have strong antibacterial activity against many pathogenic bacteria and need exploitation as an alternative source of natural antibacterial and antioxidant agents for potential applications.
Development of a common patient assessment scale across the continuum of care: A nested multiple imputation approach

Evaluating and tracking patients' functional status through the post-acute care continuum requires a common instrument. However, different post-acute service providers such as nursing homes, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and home health agencies rely on different instruments to evaluate patient's functional status. These instruments assess similar functional status domains, but they comprise different activities, rating scales and scoring instructions. These differences hinder the comparison of patients' assessments across health care settings. We propose a two-step procedure that combines nested multiple imputation with the multivariate ordinal probit (MVOP) model to obtain a common patient assessment scale across the post-acute care continuum. Our procedure imputes the unmeasured assessments at multiple assessment dates, and enables evaluation and comparison of the rates of functional improvement experienced by patients treated in different health care settings using a common measure. To generate multiple imputations of the unmeasured assessments using the MVOP model, a likelihood-based approach that combines the EM algorithm and the bootstrap method as well as a fully Bayesian approach using the data augmentation algorithm are developed. Using a dataset on patients who suffered a stroke, we simulate missing assessments and compare the MVOP model to existing methods for imputing incomplete multivariate ordinal variables. We show that, for all of the estimands considered, and in most of the experimental conditions that were examined, the MVOP model appears to be superior. The proposed procedure is then applied to patients who suffered a stroke and were released from rehabilitation facility to skilled nursing facilities or home.
A GENERALIZED APPROACH FOR MODEL-BASED SPEAKER-DEPENDENT SINGLE CHANNEL SPEECH SEPARATION

Abstract– In this paper, we present a new technique for separating two speech signals received from one microphone or one communication channel. In this special case, the separation problem is too ill-conditioned to be handled with common blind source separation techniques. The proposed technique is a generalized approach to model-based speaker-dependent single channel speech separation techniques in which a priori knowledge of the underlying speakers is used to separate speech signals. The proposed technique not only preserves the advantages of model-based speaker dependent single channel speech separation algorithms (i.e. high separability), but also is able to separate the speech signals of an unlimited number of speakers given the speakers' models (i.e. generality). The whole algorithm consists of three stages: classification, identification, and separation. The identities of speakers speech signals form the mixed signal are first determined at the classification and identification stages. Identified speakers' model is then used to separate the underlying signals using a novel approach consisting of Gaussian mixture modeling, maximum likelihood estimation and Wiener filtering. Evaluation results conducted on a database consisting of 100 mixed speech signals with target-to-interference ratios (TIR) ranging from -9 dB to +9 dB show significant performance improvements over those techniques which use a single model for separation.
Difference Sequence Spaces and Matrix Transformations

In this paper, we extend the work of Gaur, A.K. and Mursaleen [6] and also extend the work of Mursaleen, Gaur, A.K. and Saifi, A.H. [16]. We characterize the matrices that map S ( p ,D) r , ¥ ( p ) Dl , c ( p ) 0 D , D c ( p )and ( p ) r D ¥ l into W( t ). Key words: matrix transformations Journal of the Institute of Engineering , Vol. 7, No. 1, 2009, July pp. 24-30 doi: 10.3126/jie.v7i1. 2059
EIGHT Consequences of Testing Memory

Studies using a wide variety of conditions and a diverse set of procedures show that testing memory affects future behavior. The studies have used differing terminology and have been ascribed to differing specialty areas of the literature. Partly, for this reason, the various phenomena have been described in ways, suggesting they differ in substance. In this chapter, we relate many of these phenomena and show that they might be due to a set of common memory processes, processes that can act through conscious, strategic or unconscious, implicit means. The critical strand that links the phenomena is that memory is a continuous process that constantly stores and retrieves information.
Changing the Role and Responsibilities of Middle Managers: A Case Study of the Implications of 'Project 5-100' at a Russian University

In 2013, Russia launched Project 5-100 to place five Russian universities among the top 100 university rankings by 2020. As one of the important changes within universities Project 5-100 sought an enhancement of the management system. This paper provides insights into the changing roles and responsibilities of middle managers in Russian university under Project 5-100. The theoretical approach of new managerialism was applied, using documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews and survey as data-gathering tools. The findings demonstrate that significant changes toward more a managerial character influenced the responsibilities of the heads of academic units (HAU). It reveals disagreement between managers and academics on many questions evaluating the changes. The author concludes that managers also may contribute to the implementation of Project 5-100, but agreement between different levels of staff needs to be achieved for further successful development.
Lattice with vacancies: elastic fields and effective properties in frameworks of discrete and continuum models

Linear elastic deformation of the two-dimensional triangular lattice with multiple vacancies is considered. Closed-form analytical expressions for displacement field in the lattice with doubly periodic system of vacancies are derived. Effective elastic moduli are calculated. The results are compared with the ones obtained by molecular dynamics simulations of a lattice with random distribution of vacancies. At low vacancy concentrations, less than 4%, random and periodic distributions of vacancies produce the same effect on elastic moduli. One of the main goals is to examine the possibilities and limitations of modelling of the lattice with vacancies by an elastic continuum with holes. It is found that the effective elastic properties are modelled adequately, provided the shape of the holes is chosen appropriately. On the contrary, the strain field, in particular, strain concentration differs significantly.
Sources and sinks separating domains of left- and right-traveling waves : experiment versus amplitude equations

In many pattern forming systems that exhibit traveling waves, sources and sinks occur which separate patches of oppositely traveling waves. We show that simple qualitative features of their dynamics can be compared to predictions from coupled amplitude equations. In heated wire convection experiments, we find a discrepancy between the observed multiplicity of sources and theoretical predictions. The expression for the observed motion of sinks is incompatible with any amplitude equation description.
Feline coronavirus quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on effusion samples in cats with and without feline infectious peritonitis

Objectives The aim of the study was to determine whether feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA in effusion samples can be used as a diagnostic marker of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP); and in FCoV RNA-positive samples to examine amino acid codons in the FCoV spike protein at positions 1058 and 1060 where leucine and alanine, respectively, have been associated with systemic or virulent (FIP) FCoV infection. Methods Total RNA was extracted from effusion samples from 20 cats with confirmed FIP and 23 cats with other diseases. Feline coronavirus RNA was detected using a reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR), and positive samples underwent pyrosequencing of position 1058 with or without Sanger sequencing of position 1060 in the FCoV spike protein. Results Seventeen (85%) of the effusion samples from 20 cats with FIP were positive for FCoV RNA, whereas none of the 23 cats with other diseases were positive. Pyrosequencing of the 17 FCoV-positive samples showed that 11 (65%) of the cats had leucine and two (12%) had methionine at position 1058. Of the latter two samples with methionine, one had alanine at position 1060. Conclusions and relevance A positive FCoV qRT-PCR result on effusions appears specific for FIP and may be a useful diagnostic marker for FIP in cats with effusions. The majority of FCoVs contained amino acid changes previously associated with systemic spread or virulence (FIP) of the virus.
Modification of Interleukin-10 with Mannose-6-Phosphate Groups Yields a Liver-Specific Cytokine with Antifibrotic Activity in Rats

Cytokines and other biological compounds are considered as future drugs and they are of particular interest for the treatment of chronic diseases. These endogenous compounds, that normally mediate local cellular communications, are very promising candidates to generate new drugs because of their high potency (pM-nM concentrations) and their fundamental roles in pathological processes. However, the therapeutic application of cytokines is limited, because several problems are encountered with their application in vivo (Schooltink and Rose-John 2002; Standiford 2000; Vilcek and Feldmann 2004). For instance, some cytokines are efficiently degraded in plasma by various enzymes and cytokines are rapidly excreted by the kidneys. Consequently their residence time in the body and thus the exposure to the diseased cells is short (plasma half life is often minutes), which does not favour an optimal biological efficacy. Another major problem is the occurrence of side effects. Because cytokine receptors are ubiquitously expressed in all organs, unusual high plasma concentrations of the cytokine can lead to (unwanted) effects in various organs.
Intelligent Soft Computing Models in Water Demand Forecasting

Given the increasing trend in water scarcity, which threatens a number of regions worldwide, governments and water distribution system (WDS) operators have sought accurate methods of estimating water demands. While investigators have proposed stochastic and deterministic techniques to model water demands in urban WDS, the performance of soft computing techniques [e.g., Genetic Expression Programming (GEP)] and machine learning methods [e.g., Support Vector Machines (SVM)] in this endeavour remains to be evaluated. The present study proposed a new rationale and a novel technique in forecasting water demand. Phase space reconstruction was used to feed the determinants of water demand with proper lag times, followed by develop‐ ment of GEP and SVM models. The relative accuracy of the three best models was evaluated on the basis of performance indices: coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square of error (RMSE), and Nash-Sutcliff coefficient (E). Results showed GEP models were highly sensitive to data classification, genetic operators, and optimum lag time. The SVM model that implemented a Polynomial kernel function slightly outperformed the GEP models. This study showed how phase space reconstruction could potentially improve water demand forecasts using soft computing techniques.
Tools for pathogenicity: virus encoded RNA silencing suppressors

RNA silencing has been established as an inherent part of the cellular machinery that controls transcription and plays a major role in defense against virus infection. Viruses on their part have evolved to encode protein(s) with the potential to suppress the host RNA silencing mechanism as a counter defence strategy. The suppressor activity operates through interaction between the suppressors and the small RNA species or the components of host RNA silencing machinery. The virus encoded RNA silencing suppressors are diverse in sequence and structure. We have compiled here the information available on the suppressors identified from plant viruses. We also discuss the mechanism of suppression activity and the applications of suppressors as important biological tools.