Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Model Tests on Pile Groups Subjected to Lateral Soil Movement.

This paper describes a series of model tests on instrumented pile groups embedded in calcareous sand undergoing lateral movement. The extent of the group effect on the lateral response of a pile in a group was found to be dependent on a number of factors, including the position of the pile in the group, the pile spacing, the number of piles, and the head fixity condition. The agreement between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions by an existing boundary element program is shown to be reasonably good, provided that appropriate parameters are adopted.
Factors associated with quality of life in caregivers of patients with multiple myeloma

Background/Aim: Advances in the therapeutic treatment of multiple myeloma have continuously led to better prognoses. However, longer lives for patients include complications due to both potential comorbidities and the possible severe side effects of specific treatments. These issues make caring for such patients exhausting. In this study, we investigated the most important factors that negatively affect the quality of life (QoL) of non-professional caregivers of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted between March 2023 and August 2023. The caregivers of 144 patients with MM were assessed for inclusion/exclusion. The demographics of caregivers, their familial relation to the patient, and their socioeconomic status (education, both marital and financial status, and occupations) were recorded. Additionally, data from MM patients were retrieved: (1) clinical and demographic data, (2) light and heavy chain types, (3) disease stage, (4) lytic lesions, and (5) treatment(s). The Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) questionnaire contains four sub-scores and a total score and was administered to all caregivers who volunteered to participate. Results: A total of 73 patients and their caregivers were included in the study. For patients, their mean age was 65.7 (11.4) years, 52% were female, and the mean value of the disease duration was 30.5 (16.0–66.5) months. For caregivers, their mean age was 47.2 (12.8) years, and 63% were females. Multivariable linear regression revealed that higher (>40 years) caregiver age was independently associated with a higher CQOLC Burden and Positive adaptation score. Being a female caregiver was independently associated with a higher CQOLC Disruptiveness score. Having university-level or higher education status was independently associated with a lower CQOLC Financial Concerns score. In terms of the overall score, we found that higher (>40 years) caregiver age and the gender of the caregiver (female) appear to be factors that are independently associated with higher CQOLC total scores, whereas being a second-degree relative to the patient independently lowered the total score. Conclusion: Among caregivers of MM patients, those who were older, female, and/or the first-degree relative of the patient (versus second-degree) with having lower education (versus university or higher) resulted in an improved caregiver QoL. The gender bias among caregivers is also a novel finding.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 a Comprehensive Investigation of Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems in the Hawaiian Archipelago

Although the existence of coral-reef habitats at depths to 165 m in tropical regions has been known for decades, the richness, diversity, and ecological importance of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) has only recently become widely acknowledged. During an interdisciplinary effort spanning more than two decades, we characterized the most expansive MCEs ever recorded, with vast macroalgal communities and areas of 100% coral cover between depths of 50–90 m extending for tens of km 2 in the Hawaiian Archipelago. We used a variety of sensors and techniques to establish geophysical characteristics. Biodiversity patterns were established from visual and video observations and collected specimens obtained from submersible, remotely operated vehicles and mixed-gas SCUBA and rebreather dives. Population dynamics based on age, growth and fecundity estimates of selected fish species were obtained from laser-videogrammetry, specimens, and otolith preparations. Trophic dynamics were determined using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic analyses on more than 750 reef fishes. MCEs are associated with clear water and suitable substrate. In comparison to shallow reefs in the Hawaiian Archipelago, inhabitants of MCEs have lower total diversity, harbor new and unique species, and have higher rates of endemism in fishes. Fish species present in shallow and mesophotic depths have similar population and trophic (except benthic invertivores) structures and high genetic connectivity with lower fecundity at mesophotic depths. MCEs in Hawai'i are widespread but associated with specific geophysical characteristics. High genetic, ecological and trophic How to cite this article Pyle et al. (2016), A comprehensive investigation of mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Hawaiian Archipelago. connectivity establish the potential for MCEs to serve as refugia for some species, but our results question the premise that MCEs are more resilient than shallow reefs. We found that endemism within MCEs increases with depth, and our results do not support suggestions of a global faunal break at 60 m. Our findings enhance the scientific foundations for conservation and management of MCEs, and provide a template for future interdisciplinary research on MCEs worldwide.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 Does Regional Diversity Recover after Disturbance? a Field Experiment in Constructed Ponds

The effects of disturbance on local species diversity have been well documented, but less recognized is the possibility that disturbances can alter diversity at regional spatial scales. Since regional diversity can dictate which species are available for recolonization of degraded sites, the loss of diversity at regional scales may impede the recovery of biodiversity following a disturbance. To examine this we used a chemical disturbance of rotenone, a piscicide commonly used for fish removal in aquatic habitats, on small fishless freshwater ponds. We focused on the non-target effects of rotenone on aquatic invertebrates with the goal of assessing biodiversity loss and recovery at both local (within-pond) and regional (across ponds) spatial scales. We found that rotenone caused significant, large, but short-term losses of species at both local and regional spatial scales. Using a null model of random extinction, we determined that species were selectively removed from communities relative to what would be expected if species loss occurred randomly. Despite this selective loss of biodiversity, species diversity at both local and regional spatial scales recovered to reference levels one year after the addition of rotenone. The rapid recovery of local and regional diversity in this study was surprising considering the large loss of regional species diversity, however many aquatic invertebrates disperse readily or have resting stages that may persist through disturbances. We emphasize the importance of considering spatial scale when quantifying the impacts of a disturbance on an ecosystem, as well as considering how regional species loss can influence recovery from disturbance.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 the Impact of Parental Investment on Lifetime Reproductive Success in Iceland

Background. Demonstrating the impact that parents have on the fitness of their children is a crucial step towards understanding how parental investment has affected human evolution. Parents not only transfer genes to their children, they also influence their environments. By analyzing reproductive patterns within and between different categories of close relatives, this study provides insight into the genetic and environmental effects that parents have on the fitness of their offspring. Methods. We use data spanning over two centuries from an exceptionally accurate Icelandic genealogy, Íslendingabók, to analyze the relationship between the fertility rates of close relatives. Also, using genetic data, we determine narrow sense heritability estimates (h 2) to further explore the genetic impact on lifetime reproductive success. Finally, we construct four simulations to model the expected contribution of genes and resources on reproductive success. Results. The relationship between the reproduction of all full sibling pairs was significant and positive across all birth decades (r = 0.19) while the reproductive relationship between parents and offspring was often negative across many decades and undetectable overall (r = 0.00) (Fig. 1 and Table 1). Meanwhile, genetic data among 8,456 pairs of full siblings revealed a narrow sense heritability estimate (h 2) of 0.00 for lifetime reproductive success. A resources model (following the rule that resources are transmitted from parents to children, distributed equally among siblings, and are the only factor affecting reproductive success) revealed a similar trend: a negative relationship between parent and offspring reproduction (r = −0.35) but a positive relationship among full siblings (r = 0.28). The relationship between parent and offspring lifetime reproductive success (LRS) and full sibling LRS was strongly and positively correlated across time (r = 0.799, p < 0.001). Similarly, the LRS among full siblings was positively correlated with both the LRS among half siblings (r = 0.532, p = 0.011) and the relationship between the LRS of aunts and uncles with their nieces and nephews (r = 0.438, p = 0.042). Discussion. We show that an individual's lifetime reproductive success is best predicted by the reproduction of their full and half siblings, but not their parents, grandparents or aunts and uncles. Because all siblings share at least one parent, we believe parental investment has had an important impact on fitness. Overall, these results indicate that direct parental investment, but not genes, is likely to have had an important and persistent impact on lifetime reproductive success …
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 Comparative Functional Characterization of Novel Non-syndromic Gjb2 Gene Variant P.gly45arg and Lethal Syndromic Variant P.gly45glu

We characterized a novel GJB2 missense variant, c.133G>A, p.Gly45Arg, and compared it with the only other variant at the same amino acid position of the connexin 26 protein (Cx26) reported to date: c.134G>A, p.Gly45Glu. Whereas both variants are associated with hearing loss and are dominantly inherited, p.Gly45Glu has been implicated in the rare fatal keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) syndrome, which results in cutaneous infections and septicemia with premature demise in the first year of life. In contrast, p.Gly45Arg appears to be non-syndromic. Subcellular localization experiments in transiently co-transfected HeLa cells demonstrated that Cx26-WT (wild-type) and p.Gly45Arg form gap junctions, whereas Cx26-WT with p.Gly45Glu protein does not. The substitution of a nonpolar amino acid glycine in wildtype Cx26 at position 45 with a negatively charged glutamic acid (acidic) has previously been shown to interfere with Ca 2+ regulation of hemichannel gating and to inhibit the formation of gap junctions, resulting in cell death. The novel variant p.Gly45Arg, however, changes this glycine to a positively charged arginine (basic), resulting in the formation of dysfunctional gap junctions that selectively affect the permeation of negatively charged inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3) and contribute to hearing loss. Cx26 p.Gly45Arg transfected cells, unlike cells transfected with p.Gly45Glu, thrived at physiologic Ca 2+ concentrations, suggesting that Ca 2+ regulation of hemichannel gating is unaffected in Cx26 p.Gly45Arg transfected cells. Thus, the two oppositely charged amino acids that replace the highly conserved uncharged glycine in p.Gly45Glu and p.Gly45Arg, respectively, produce strikingly different effects on the structure and function of the Cx26 protein.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 Psychometric Properties of the Children's Revised Impact of Events Scale (cries) with Bangladeshi Children and Adolescents

Identification of possible cases suffering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is important, especially in developing countries where traumatic events are typically prevalent. The Children's Revised Impact of Events Scale is a reliable and valid measure that has two brief versions (13 items and 8 items) to assess reactions to traumatic events among young people. The current study evaluated the psychometric properties of both versions of the CRIES in a sample of 1,342 children and adolescents aged 9–17 years (M = 12.3 years, SD = 2.12) recruited from six districts of Bangladesh. A subgroup of 120 children from four schools was re-tested on the measures within 3.5 weeks. Confirmatory factor analysis supported factor structures similar to those found in other studies for both versions of the CRIES. Multiple group confirmatory factor analysis showed gender and age-group differences within the sample, supporting established age and gender differences in prevalence of PTSD symptoms. Analyses also indicated moderate to excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability and clear discriminant and convergent validity. These data support use of both the CRIES-13 and CRIES-8 to provide quick and psychometrically sound assessment of symptoms of PTSD among children and adolescents from Bangla-speaking communities.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 a 'post-honeymoon' Measles Epidemic in Burundi: Mathematical Model-based Analysis and Implications for Vaccination Timing

Using a mathematical model with realistic demography, we analyze a large outbreak of measles in Muyinga sector in rural Burundi in 1988–1989. We generate simulated epidemic curves and age × time epidemic surfaces, which we qualitatively and quantitatively compare with the data. Our findings suggest that supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) should be used in places where routine vaccination cannot keep up with the increasing numbers of susceptible individuals resulting from population growth or from logistical problems such as cold chain maintenance. We use the model to characterize the relationship between SIA frequency and SIA age range necessary to suppress measles outbreaks. If SIAs are less frequent, they must expand their target age range.
Welcome Home: Phylogenetic Placement and Taxonomy of an Enigmatic Subtribe Stenolamina Koch, 1956 (Tenebrionidae: Blaptinae: Opatrini)

Abstract. The phylogenetic placement of the enigmatic subtribe Stenolamina is investigated based on the analysis of four molecular loci (CAD, wg, 28S, 12S). Historically, the position of Stenolamina remained unfixed, and was listed as incertae sedis within the darkling beetle subfamily Blaptinae. Molecular data render Stenolamina as a separate lineage within the tribe Opatrini. The morphology and distribution of Stenolamina are reexamined. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that Stenolamina shares the synapomorphic Opatrini protrochanter structure seen in all other members of the tribe. Furthermore, unique antennal sensoria (placoid / stenolamoid) are reported for Stenolamina – this feature is distinct from all other Blaptinae. This paper presents the first morphological definition of Stenolamina. Finally, Stenolamus borowieci sp. nov. is described from the surroundings of Port Nolloth (South Africa). The material examined for this species displayed a striking type of sexual dimorphism, which is omnipresent within Stenolamina (females with acute basal angles of the pronotum).
Combining L and X band SAR data for estimating biomass and soil moisture of agricultural fields

Abstract A method for retrieving both agricultural biomass and soil moisture starting from simultaneous observations at L and X band is described in this paper. The research was carried out within the framework of the SIASGE (Italian-Argentine System of Satellites for Emergency Management) project, funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), for the definition and development of X and L products oriented towards applications for risk and emergency management. SAR data at L (ALOS/PALSAR) and X (COSMO/SkyMed) bands were used for producing maps of Soil Moisture Content (SMC) and Plant Water Content (PWC) using inversion algorithms based on Artificial Neural Networks and on empirical relationships based on previous experiments. SMC obtained in an agricultural area in Lombardy showed average values in agreement with monthly rainfall. The corresponding maps of PWC were produced for the same area, and in this case the result was in agreement with the season, the classification, and the related agricultural practices.
Testing the hybrid‐3‐D hillslope hydrological model in a controlled environment

Hillslopes are important for converting rainfall into runoff, influencing the terrestrial dynamics of the Earth's climate system. Recently, we developed a hybrid‐3‐D (h3D) hillslope hydrological model that gives similar results as a full 3‐D hydrological model but is up to 2–3 orders of magnitude faster computationally. Here h3D is assessed using a number of recharge‐drainage experiments within the Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) with accurate and high‐resolution (both temporally and spatially) observations of the inputs, outputs, and storage dynamics of several hillslopes. Such detailed measurements are generally not available for real‐world hillslopes. Results show that the h3D model captures the observed storage, base flow, and overland flow dynamics of both the larger LEO and the smaller miniLEO hillslopes very well. Sensitivity tests are also performed to understand h3Ds difficulty in representing the height of the saturated zone close to the seepage face of the miniLEO hillslope. Results reveal that a temporally constant parameters set is able to simulate the response of the miniLEO for each individual event. However, when one focuses on the saturated zone dynamics at 0.15 m from the seepage face, a stepwise evolution of the optimal model parameter for the saturated lateral conductivity parameter of the gravel layer occurs. This evolution might be related to the migration of soil particles within the hillslope. However, it is currently unclear whether and where this takes place (in the seepage face or within the parts of the loamy sand soil).
Pronunciation Learning for Automatic Speech Recognition

In many ways, the lexicon remains the Achilles heel of modern automatic speech recognizers (ASRs). Unlike stochastic acoustic and language models that learn the values of their parameters from training data, the baseform pronunciations of words in an ASR vocabulary are typically specified manually, and do not change, unless they are edited by an expert. Our work presents a novel generative framework that uses speech data to learn stochastic lexicons, thereby taking a step towards alleviating the need for manual intervention and automatically learning high-quality baseform pronunciations for words. We test our model on a variety of domains: an isolated-word telephone speech corpus, a weather query corpus and an academic lecture corpus. We show significant improvements of 25%, 15% and 2% over expert-pronunciation lexicons, respectively. We also show that further improvements can be made by combining our pronunciation learning framework with acoustic model training. Thesis Supervisor: James Glass Title: Principal Research Scientist
Continental-scale hypsodonty patterns, climatic paleobiogeography and dispersal of Eurasian Neogene large mammal herbivores

Fortelius M. , Eronen, J., Liu, L.P., Pushkina, D. , Tesakov, A. , Vislobokova, I. & Zhang, Z.Q. , 2003 Continental-scale hypsodonty patterns, climatic paleobiogeography and dispersal of Eurasian Neogene large mammal herbivores in: Reumer, J.W. F. & Wessels, W. (eds.) DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATION OF TERTIARY MAMMALS IN EURASIA. A VOLUME IN HONOUR OF HANS DE BRUIJN DEINSEA 10: 1-11 [ISSN 0923-9308] Published 1 December 2003
Estimation of GMRFs by recursive cavity modeling

This thesis develops the novel method of recursive cavity modeling as a tractable approach to approximate inference in large Gauss-Markov random fields. The main idea is to recursively dissect the field, constructing a cavity model for each subfield at each level of dissection. The cavity model provides a compact yet (nearly) faithful model for the surface of one subfield sufficient for inferring other parts of the field. This basic idea is developed into a two-pass inference/modeling procedure which recursively builds cavity models by an “upward” pass and then builds complementary blanket models by a “downward” pass. Marginal models are then constructed at the finest level of dissection. Information-theoretic principles are employed for model thinning so as to develop compact yet faithful cavity and blanket models thereby providing tractable yet near-optimal inference. In this regard, recursive cavity modeling blends recursive inference and iterative modeling methodologies. While the main focus is on Gaussian processes, general principles are emphasized throughout suggesting the applicability of the basic framework for more general families of Markov random fields. The main objective of the method is to provide efficient, scalable, near-optimal inference for many problems of practical interest. Experiments performed thus far, with simulated Gauss-Markov random fields defined on two-dimensional grids, indicate good reliability and scalability of the method. The recursive cavity modeling method intersects with a variety of inference techniques arising in the graphical modeling literature including multiscale modeling, junction trees, projection filtering, Markov-blanket filtering, expectation propagation and other methods relying on reduction of embedded models. These connections are explored and important distinctions and extensions are noted. The author believes this thesis represents a significant generalization of existing methods, extending the class of Markov random fields for which reliable, scalable inference is available. But much work remains to better characterize and investigate this claim. Recommendations for furthering this agenda are outlined. Thesis Supervisor: Alan S. Willsky Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering
Stratigraphy of the Kanmantoo Group: A critical element of the Adelaide Fold Belt and the Palaeo‐Pacific plate margin, Eastern Gondwana

The Kanmantoo Group, occupying a key position along the Cambrian Palaeo‐Pacific margin of southern Australia Gondwana, comprises two distinct successions (from bottom to top): (i) the Keynes Subgroup comprising the Carrickalinga Head and Backstairs Passage Formations (lowstand systems tract, transgressive systems tract, highstand systems tract); and (ii) the unconformably overlying Bollaparudda Subgroup (new name) comprising the Talisker, Tapanappa, Tunkalilla, Balquhidder, Petrel Cove and Middleton Formations. Both conventional stratigraphy and recent isotopic work point to the base of the Kanmantoo Group as representing a major change in the depositional history of the Adelaide Geosyncline. The type section of the Kanmantoo Group, along the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, is now recognised as being characterised by structural complexity (shear zones, folding), contrary to the essentially largely non‐faulted homoclinal structure described by most earlier authors. Many of the formation boundaries in the type section, previously described as conformable, are in fact faulted. As a result, subsidiary type sections are proposed for the Talisker and Tunkalilla Formations.