Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are Travelers Willing to Pay a Premium to Stay at a “Green” Hotel? Evidence from an Internal Meta-Analysis of Hedonic Price Premia

A growing number of hotels provide “green” lodging for travelers with strong environmental preferences. Twelve states have developed certification programs to regulate these claims. After describing the new market for green lodging, we use data on prices and amenities of “green” and “brown” hotels in Virginia to estimate a hedonic model of hotel room pricing. We find that travelers can expect to pay a significant premium for a standard room in a green hotel. An internal meta-analysis is used to evaluate the robustness of this result to subjective econometric modeling decisions. Our results indicate a premium between $9 and $26.
Unfertilized Xenopus Eggs Die by Bad-Dependent Apoptosis under the Control of Cdk1 and JNK

Ovulated eggs possess maternal apoptotic execution machinery that is inhibited for a limited time. The fertilized eggs switch off this time bomb whereas aged unfertilized eggs and parthenogenetically activated eggs fail to stop the timer and die. To investigate the nature of the molecular clock that triggers the egg decision of committing suicide, we introduce here Xenopus eggs as an in vivo system for studying the death of unfertilized eggs. We report that after ovulation, a number of eggs remains in the female body where they die by apoptosis. Similarly, ovulated unfertilized eggs recovered in the external medium die within 72 h. We showed that the death process depends on both cytochrome c release and caspase activation. The apoptotic machinery is turned on during meiotic maturation, before fertilization. The death pathway is independent of ERK but relies on activating Bad phosphorylation through the control of both kinases Cdk1 and JNK. In conclusion, the default fate of an unfertilized Xenopus egg is to die by a mitochondrial dependent apoptosis activated during meiotic maturation.
Associations between riverine landscape patches and internal and external environmental determinants are scale dependent: evidence from the Scioto River, USA

Associations between riverine landscapes – the integrated ecological unit including the riverscape and the floodplain – and their surrounding catchment landscapes remain largely unresolved. In an exploratory study, we investigated relationships between site-specific riverine landscape patterns and catchment land use and land cover (LULC) at twelve reaches distributed along an urban-to-rural gradient of the Scioto River, Ohio, USA. We calculated patch metrics (area, edge, diversity, shape, and density) for each riverine landscape and measured LULC (% agriculture, forest, open water, and urban) of the catchment landscape at three nested spatial extents (1,000, 3,000, and 6,000 m). To consider potential internal drivers of riverine landscape patchiness, we estimated drainage area (as a proxy for river size) and proximity to the nearest impoundment (as a proxy for flow heterogeneity). Drainage area and proximity to impoundment were strong predictors of patch shape (R 2 = 0.46, negative relationship) and patch area (R 2 = 0.67, positive relationship), respectively. However, evidence was almost equally as strong for catchment LULC predictors of both of these patch metrics at the 1,000 and 3,000-m extents: forest coverage for patch size, urban and agriculture coverage for patch area. Higher patch diversity was related to greater catchment forest coverage at 3,000 and 6,000-m extents. Our observations implicate both external (LULC characteristics) and internal (flow dynamics) controls as potentially important environmental determinants of riverine landscape patchiness. Our results suggest that management and conservation of the Scioto River basin, and potentially other river systems, should integrate both aquatic and terrestrial factors not just at one scale, but rather across a range of spatial extents.
Are ‘New Wars’ More Atrocious? Battle Severity, Civilians Killed and Forced Migration Before and After the End of the Cold War

It is widely believed that the human impact of civil conflict in the present era is especially destructive. Proponents of the ‘new wars’ thesis hold that today’s conflicts are fuelled by exclusive identities, motivated by greed in the absence of strong states, and unchecked by the disinterested great powers, resulting in increased battle severity, civilian death and displacement. The ratio of civilian to military casualties is claimed to have tilted, so that the overwhelming majority of those killed today are civilians. Using systematic data that are comparable across cases and over time we find that, contrary to the ‘new wars’ thesis, the human impact of civil conflict is considerably lower in the post-Cold War period. We argue that this pattern reflects the decline of ideological conflict, the restraining influence of globalization on governments, and the increasing rarity of superpower campaigns of destabilization and counter-insurgency through proxy warfare.
Formalizing Plan Justifications

This paper formalizes the notion of justified plans , which captures the intuition behind “good” plans. A justified plan is one that does not contain operators which are not necessary for achieving a goal. The importance of formalizing this notion is due to two reasons. First, it gives rise to methods for optimizing a given plan by removing “useless” operators. Second, several important concepts describing abstraction hierarchies are defined via justified plans. In the past, relatively few attempts have been made to formalize such a notion. This paper defines several different kinds of plan justifications, presents algorithms for finding a justified version of a plan, and shows that the task of finding the best possible justified version of a plan is NP-complete. Finally, it presents a greedy algorithm for finding a near-optimal justified plan in polynomial time.
Exploring the Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Potential of Ficus racemosa Extract Against Ethanol – Induced Oxidative Stress in Wistar Albino Rats

: The utilization of indigenous plants for the treatment of various ailments has gained substantial attention due to their therapeutic benefits. The present study aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of Ficus racemosa against ethanol induced liver damage in male Wistar albino rats. In the present study, Group I served as Control. Ethanol is orally administered to Group II rats, which resulted in significant decrease in the levels of antioxidant enzymes such as GST, GPx, SOD and CAT. These antioxidant enzymes play a pivotal role in combating oxidative stress. Elevated levels of lipid peroxidation were also observed in the serum and liver tissue after Ethanol administration by estimating the level of TBARS. Treatment with Ficus racemosa leaf extract (Group III) led to a substantial increase in the levels of antioxidant enzymes, when compared with ethanol induced untreated rats. Silymarin is used as a standard reference drug which was administered to Ethanol induced Group IV rats. The results revealed that, the administration of Ficus racemosa extract possibly mitigate the damage caused by oxidative stress thus, suggesting its role as an excellent antioxidant in treating liver disorders.
Cessation of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Antagonist on Triggering Day: An Alternative Method for Flexible Multiple-Dose Protocol

This study was performed to analyze retrospectively outcomes of stimulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles where the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist was omitted on ovulation triggering day. A total of 92 consecutive IVF cycles were included in 65 women who are undergoing ovarian stimulation with recombinant FSH. A GnRH antagonist, cetrorelix 0.25 mg/day, was started when leading follicle reached 14 mm in diameter until the day of hCG administration (Group A, 66 cycles) or until the day before hCG administration (Group B, 26 cycles). The duration of ovarian stimulation, total dose of gonadotropins, serum estradiol levels on hCG administration day, and the number of oocytes retrieved were not significantly different between the two groups. The total dose of GnRH antagonist was significantly lower in Group B compared to Group A (2.7±0.8 vs. 3.2±0.9 ampoules). There was no premature luteinization in the subjects. The proportion of mature oocytes (71.4% vs. 61.7%) and fertilization rate of mature (86.3±19.7% vs. 71.8±31.7%) was significantly higher in Group B. There were no significant differences in embryo quality and clinical pregnancy rates. Our results suggest that cessation of the GnRH antagonist on the day of hCG administration during a flexible multiple-dose protocol could reduce the total dose of GnRH antagonist without compromising IVF results.
Endemic Cardiovascular Diseases of the Poorest Billion Gene

Worldwide, the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and some of their behavioral and metabolic risk factors, have taken center stage in noncommunicable disease (NCD) policy. The endemic burden of CVD among the world’s poorest billion people, however, has been overlooked in global discussions. Epidemiological transition models based on the profiled causes of deaths related to CVD describe a progression from diseases of pestilence and famine to delayed degenerative diseases as countries develop economically. Here we focus specifically on what is known about the endemic CVDs of pestilence and famine that are still part of the unfinished agenda for people living in extreme poverty. A systematic review of all available data on cardiovascular health among the poorest billion is beyond the scope of our article. We conclude with a series of research and policy recommendations to improve cardiovascular health among the poorest people.
Identification of a Rating of Perceived Exertion-Based Warning Zone to Anticipate Graded Treadmill Test Termination

The purpose of this investigation was to identify a perceptually based warning zone to anticipate termination of Bruce treadmill tests. Apparently healthy adult women (n = 116) and men (n = 55) participated. The time to test termination was measured from the point during the treadmill test at which participants estimated a rating of perceived exertion of 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 using the Borg 6–20 scale to specify the rating of perceived exertion which was less than or equal to one exercise test stage. Women exercised for 141.9 ± 99.2 sec. after reporting a rating of perceived exertion of 14. Men terminated the treadmill test 120.1 ± 80.0 sec. after estimating their rating of perceived exertion to be 15, indicating volitional test termination will occur before the next exercise stage is completed. Accurate and timely prediction of test termination using ratings of perceived exertion may enhance the safety of exercise tests administered to apparently healthy adults and facilitate obtaining endpoint measures upon which to prescribe exercise intensity.
Simulation of the Effects of Different Urban Environments on GPS Performance Using Digital Elevation Models and Building Databases

A simulation model is proposed to represent the channel of the Global Positioning System (GPS). Initially, a digital elevation model, building databases, and a vegetation model are processed to generate azimuth-elevation maps of path states (clear, shadowed, and blocked) for a large number of observers. At each simulation step, satellite positions are updated, and azimuths and elevations of paths from observers to satellites are calculated. Signal strengths and range errors are assigned to paths with the aid of random number generators for each path state. This information is processed to determine the statistics of the channel. It will be shown that model predictions are able to display good agreement with the results from an experimental campaign carried out for validation purposes. The simulation model will then be applied to a large number of observers deployed along two routes in densely urbanized areas in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22.8° S, 43.3° W), with buildings displaying different height distributions to quantitatively show how the most probable number of available satellites, the probability that four or more satellites are simultaneously available (that is, that positions can be fixed), and the position errors change with the average building height and for vehicles in static and kinematic modes. In combination with the comparison between measurement and prediction results, this indicates that the simulation model is an efficient and flexible tool for studying and planning satellite-based location and navigation applications with accuracy and sensitivity, which will be used in future developments of mitigation techniques of multipath effects, leading to improved performance of intelligent transportation systems.
Cyclo: a personal bike coach through the glass

We present Cyclo, our prototype of a personal assistant for bike training using Google Glass. We describe our requirement study with 35 users and our design process for developing a novel application for Glass. Our hands-free user interface is potentially more convenient to use than traditional speedometers, and it provides instant performance feedback and context-aware notifications overlaid on the biker's view.
Effective Backscatter Approximation for Photometry in Murky Water

Shading-based approaches like Photometric Stereo assume that the image formation model can be effectively optimized for the scene normals. However, in murky water this is a very challenging problem. The light from artificial sources is not only reflected by the scene but it is also scattered by the medium particles, yielding the backscatter component. Backscatter corresponds to a complex term with several unknown variables, and makes the problem of normal estimation hard. In this work, we show that instead of trying to optimize the complex backscatter model or use previous unrealistic simplifications, we can approximate the per-pixel backscatter signal directly from the captured images. Our method is based on the observation that backscatter is saturated beyond a certain distance, i.e. it becomes scene-depth independent, and finally corresponds to a smoothly varying signal which depends strongly on the light position with respect to each pixel. Our backscatter approximation method facilitates imaging and scene reconstruction in murky water when the illumination is artificial as in Photometric Stereo. Specifically, we show that it allows accurate scene normal estimation and offers potentials like single image restoration. We evaluate our approach using numerical simulations and real experiments within both the controlled environment of a big water-tank and real murky port-waters.
FGF/FGFR Signaling Coordinates Skull Development by Modulating Magnitude of Morphological Integration: Evidence from Apert Syndrome Mouse Models

The fibroblast growth factor and receptor system (FGF/FGFR) mediates cell communication and pattern formation in many tissue types (e.g., osseous, nervous, vascular). In those craniosynostosis syndromes caused by FGFR1-3 mutations, alteration of signaling in the FGF/FGFR system leads to dysmorphology of the skull, brain and limbs, among other organs. Since this molecular pathway is widely expressed throughout head development, we explore whether and how two specific mutations on Fgfr2 causing Apert syndrome in humans affect the pattern and level of integration between the facial skeleton and the neurocranium using inbred Apert syndrome mouse models Fgfr2+/S252W and Fgfr2+/P253R and their non-mutant littermates at P0. Skull morphological integration (MI), which can reflect developmental interactions among traits by measuring the intensity of statistical associations among them, was assessed using data from microCT images of the skull of Apert syndrome mouse models and 3D geometric morphometric methods. Our results show that mutant Apert syndrome mice share the general pattern of MI with their non-mutant littermates, but the magnitude of integration between and within the facial skeleton and the neurocranium is increased, especially in Fgfr2+/S252W mice. This indicates that although Fgfr2 mutations do not disrupt skull MI, FGF/FGFR signaling is a covariance-generating process in skull development that acts as a global factor modulating the intensity of MI. As this pathway evolved early in vertebrate evolution, it may have played a significant role in establishing the patterns of skull MI and coordinating proper skull development.
The developmental origin of zygodactyl feet and its possible loss in the evolution of Passeriformes

The zygodactyl orientation of toes (digits II and III pointing forwards, digits I and IV pointing backwards) evolved independently in different extant bird taxa. To understand the origin of this trait in modern birds, we investigated the development of the zygodactyl foot of the budgerigar (Psittaciformes). We compared its muscular development with that of the anisodactyl quail (Galliformes) and show that while the musculus abductor digiti IV (ABDIV) becomes strongly developed at HH36 in both species, the musculus extensor brevis digiti IV (EBDIV) degenerates and almost disappears only in the budgerigar. The asymmetric action of those muscles early in the development of the budgerigar foot causes retroversion of digit IV (dIV). Paralysed budgerigar embryos do not revert dIV and are anisodactyl. Both molecular phylogenetic analysis and palaeontological information suggest that the ancestor of passerines could have been zygodactyl. We followed the development of the zebra finch (Passeriformes) foot muscles and found that in this species, both the primordia of the ABDIV and of the EBDIV fail to develop. These data suggest that loss of asymmetric forces of muscular activity exerted on dIV, caused by the absence of the ABDIV, could have resulted in secondary anisodactyly in Passeriformes.
Validity of the 8-minute time trial in determining variables for mountain bike cycling training

The 8-minute time trial (TT) is a methodological alternative to the 60-minute TT for evaluating the Functional Threshold Power (FTP) of cyclists, however, studies that tested its validity were not found in the researched literature. Therefore, research aims to assess the validity of the 8-minute TT. The study included 9 trained male cyclists, aged between 25.46 ± 7.49 years, who were assessed on three different days. On the first day, we measured personal data, anthropometrics, ventilatory thresholds and peak oxygen consumption. On the other days, we submitted the volunteers to the 8- and 60-minute TT. We analyzed the agreement between the procedures using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and its validity by Bland-Altman. We adopted a significance level of 5%, and we performed all analyses using the SPSS. The results suggest great agreement, especially between the second 8-minute stimulus and the reference test, for FTP (ICC: 0.792, p= 0.016), Wats per kilogram (ICC: 0.952, p< 0.001), Wats per kilogram of lean mass (ICC: 0.912, p= 0.001) and peak oxygen consumption (ICC: 0.882, p= 0.001). In addition, in all these variables, the volunteers were within the mean ± two standard deviations, as verified by the Bland-Altman plots. These results demonstrate the validity of the 8-minute TT, with more robust data being observed by the second stimulus of this protocol.
End-to-end available bandwidth: measurement methodology, dynamics, and relation with TCP throughput

The available bandwidth (avail-bw) in a network path is of major importance in congestion control, streaming applications, quality-of-service verification, server selection, and overlay networks. We describe an end-to-end methodology, called self-loading periodic streams (SLoPS), for measuring avail-bw. The basic idea in SLoPS is that the one-way delays of a periodic packet stream show an increasing trend when the stream's rate is higher than the avail-bw. We implemented SLoPS in a tool called pathload. The accuracy of the tool has been evaluated with both simulations and experiments over real-world Internet paths. Pathload is nonintrusive, meaning that it does not cause significant increases in the network utilization, delays, or losses. We used pathload to evaluate the variability ("dynamics") of the avail-bw in internet paths. The avail-bw becomes significantly more variable in heavily utilized paths, as well as in paths with limited capacity (probably due to a lower degree of statistical multiplexing). We finally examine the relation between avail-bw and TCP throughput. A persistent TCP connection can be used to roughly measure the avail-bw in a path, but TCP saturates the path and increases significantly the path delays and jitter.
Noradrenaline and Dopamine Elevations in the Rat Prefrontal Cortex in Spatial Working Memory

The role of prefrontal cortical dopamine (DA) in the modulation of working memory functions is well documented, but substantial evidence indicates that the locus ceruleus noradrenergic system also modulates working memory via actions within the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This study shows that PFC noradrenaline (NA) and DA dialysate levels phasically increase when rats perform correctly in a delayed alternation task in a T-maze, a test of spatial working memory. However, NA levels were markedly enhanced in animals trained to alternate compared with rats that acquired the spatial information about the location of food in the maze but were untrained to make a choice to obtain the reward. In contrast, PFC DA elevations occurred independently of whether the animal had acquired the trial-specific information for correct task execution. The contribution of anticipatory responses to catecholamine efflux was also evaluated by exposing rats to an environment signaling the presence of the reward in the successive alternation task. No conditioned NA efflux was observed in either group. In contrast, in both groups, DA efflux increased in the anticipatory phase of the test to the same levels of those reached during the task. These data provide the first direct evidence for a selective activation of PFC NA transmission during a spatial working memory task. We propose that, in the working memory task, DA is primarily associated with reward expectancy, whereas NA is involved in the active maintenance of the information about a goal and the rules to achieve it.
Validation of methods for ranking fuzzy numbers in decision making

The concept of ranking fuzzy numbers has attracted significant attention recently due to its successful use in decision making problems. This concept allows decision makers to appropriately exercise their subjective judgment under situations that are vague, imprecise, ambiguous and uncertain in nature. The literature on ranking fuzzy numbers describes the validation of ranking methods as the most important aspect of the application of these methods. This is due to the fact that the validation confirms the suitability of the associated methods for ranking fuzzy numbers and decision making purposes. In this paper, a comprehensive review on validation techniques for methods of ranking fuzzy numbers is presented. These techniques are associated with properties of ranking fuzzy quantities as well as consistency and efficiency evaluation of ranking operations. The techniques are described in detail and discussed in the context of many established and more recent works in the field.