Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effectiveness of Case-Based Reasoning: An Application in Sales Promotions

This paper deals with Case-based Reasoning (CBR) as a support technology for sales promotion (SP) decisions. CBR-systems try to mimic analogical reasoning, a form of human reasoning that is likely to occur in weakly-structured problem solving, such as the design of sales promotions. In an empirical study, we find evidence that use of the CBR-system improves the quality of SP-campaign proposals. In terms of the creativity of the proposals, decision-makers who think highly divergent (i.e., who tend to generate many, and diverse ideas in response to a problem) benefit most from prolonged system usage. Creativity, in turn, is positively related to the (practical) usability of a proposal. These results suggest that the CBR-system is most effective when it is used as an idea-generation tool that reinforces the strength of divergent (creative) thinkers. A convergent thinking style, in which case the CBR-system has a compensating role, even has a negative impact on CBR-system usage. Increasing the decision-maker's personal belief in the usefulness of the system, e.g., by training or education, may help to alleviate this reluctance to use the CBR-system.
Trend and extreme occurrence of precipitation in a mid‐latitude Eurasian steppe watershed at various time scales

The confounding effects of step change invalidate the stationarity assumption of commonly used trend analysis methods such as the Mann–Kendall test technique, so previous studies have failed to explain inconsistencies between detected trends and observed large precipitation anomalies. The objectives of this study were to (1) formulate a trend analysis approach that considers nonstationarity due to step changes, (2) use this approach to detect trends and extreme occurrences of precipitation in a mid‐latitude Eurasian steppe watershed in North China, and (3) examine how runoff responds to precipitation trends in the study watershed. Our results indicate that annual precipitation underwent a marginal step jump around 1995. The significant annual downward trend after 1994 was primarily due to a decrease in summer rainfall; other seasons exhibited no significant precipitation trends. At a monthly scale, July rainfall after 1994 exhibited a significant downward trend, whereas precipitation in other months had no trend. The percentage of wet days also underwent a step jump around 1994 following a significant decreasing trend, although the precipitation intensity exhibited neither a step change nor any significant trend. However, both low‐frequency and high‐frequency precipitation events in the study watershed occurred more often after than before 1994; probably as either a result or an indicator of climate change. In response to these precipitation changes, the study watershed had distinctly different precipitation‐runoff relationships for observed annual precipitations of less than 300 mm, between 300 and 400 mm, and greater than 400 mm. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Observed Associations Among Storm Tracks, Jet Streams and Midlatitude Oceanic Fronts

An association is discussed among a midlatitude storm track, a westerly polar-front jet stream and an underlying oceanic frontal zone. Their close association is observed when a subtropical jet stream is weak, as in the Southern Hemisphere summer or in the North Atlantic. Along a near-surface baroclinic zone that tends to be anchored around a frontal zone, storm track activity is enhanced within a well-defined polar-front jet with modest core velocity. This eddy-driven jet exhibits a deep structure with the strong surface westerlies maintained mainly through a poleward eddy heat flux. The westerly wind stress exerted along the frontal zone acts to maintain it by driving the oceanic current system, suggestive of a feedback loop via midlatitude atmosphere-ocean interaction. It is argued that the context of this feedback must be included in interpreting the tropospheric general circulation and its variability. In fact, decadal-scale sea-surface temperature anomalies observed in the North Pacific subarctic frontal zone controlled the anomalous heat release to the atmosphere. Seemingly, the local storm track responded consistently to the decadal-scale shift of the frontal axis, acting to reinforce basin-scale flow anomalies. Over the North and South Pacific, the association is disturbed in winter by an intensified subtropical jet that traps eddy activity into its sharp core. The trapping impairs baroclinic interaction of upper-level eddies with the surface baroclinicity along a midlatitude oceanic front, leading to the suppression of eddy activity as observed in midwinter over the North Pacific.
Recent-onset of rheumatoid arthritis leads to increase in wall thickness of left anterior descending coronary artery

Objectives: To explore the atherosclerotic changes of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LADCA) in patients with early onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Transthoracic echocardiographic scans were performed on 15 early RA patients and 20 control subjects, free of rheumatological diseases, diabetes mellitus (DM), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Out of 15 RA patients, 10 were matched for age and gender with control. Left anterior descending coronary artery wall thickness was compared between RA subjects and their matched control. Among early RA patients, correlation was assessed between LADCA wall thickness and the demographic features, RA activity features, and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Left anterior descending coronary artery wall thickness was significantly increased (p=0.001) in early RA compared to controls, as it was reported to be 0.61±0.04 mm (CI: 0.52-0.7); and 0.48±0.08 mm (CI: 0.44-0.51) respectively. Within early RA, LADCA wall thickness was related to the disease activity score (p=0.025, ß-coefficient 0.066, CI: 0.01-0.122) as well as to the patient global assessment of disease activity (PGADA) at RA onset (p=0.006, ß-coefficient 0.003, CI: 0.001-0.005), in a positive linear relationship. Left anterior descending coronary artery wall thickness was found to be thicker among RA patients with rheumatoid factor (RF) positive (p=0.015, CI: 0.53-0.66). Conclusion: Early RA patients have increased coronary arteries atherosclerotic burden compared to healthy subjects matched for age, and gender. Rheumatoid factor positivity, high disease activity score and PGADA were found to be associated with coronary artery wall thickness.
Long non-coding RNA JPX promotes gastric cancer progression by regulating CXCR6 and autophagy via inhibiting miR-197

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve a crucial role in gastric cancer (GC) progression. However, the molecular mechanism underlying lncRNA JPX transcript, XIST activator (JPX) in the tumorigenesis of GC is not completely understood. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting were performed to detect gene expression. A luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted to determine the relationship between microRNA (miR)-197 and JPX or C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 6 (CXCR6). Cell viability, migration and invasion were determined by performing MTT, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. The Cancer Genome Atlas database and the RT-qPCR results indicated that JPX expression was upregulated and miR-197 expression was downregulated in patients with GC and in GC cells. Moreover, high JPX expression and low miR-197 expression in patients with GC indicated poor prognosis. miR-197 expression was directly inhibited by JPX. Compared with the short hairpin RNA (sh) negative control (NC) group, NCI-N87 and MKN-45 cells in the shJPX group displayed decreased cell viability and invasion, as well as a wider scratch width. NCI-N87 and MKN-45 cells in the shJPX + miR-197 inhibitor group had increased viability and invasion, but a narrower scratch width compared with the shJPX group. It was also identified that miR-197 directly inhibited CXCR6 expression. miR-197 inhibited Beclin1 protein expression and promoted p62 protein expression. Compared with the NC group, NCI-N87 and MKN-45 cells in the miR-197 mimic group had decreased cell viability and invasion, and a wider scratch width. Enhanced cell viability and invasion, and a narrower scratch width was also observed in the miR-197 mimic + CXCR6 and miR-197 mimic + Beclin1 groups, compared with the miR-197 mimic group. Collectively, the results indicated that lncRNA JPX promoted GC progression by regulating CXCR6 and autophagy via inhibiting miR-197. Furthermore, JPX knockdown regulated GC cell phenotype by promoting miR-197.
CD32 is expressed on cells with transcriptionally active HIV but does not enrich for HIV DNA in resting T cells

CD32 is associated with highly activated T cells harboring HIV RNA transcripts and does not enrich for HIV DNA in resting T cells. Taking an active interest in HIV latency HIV cure efforts have been thwarted by an inability to target the latent reservoir, which is thought to be largely composed of resting CD4+ T cells. A recent report suggested that the Fcγ receptor CD32 might be a marker of latently infected CD4+ T cells. Abdel-Mohsen et al. meticulously examined T cells from treated HIV patients across the world. They found that CD32+ HIV-infected T cells had an activated phenotype and HIV RNA, indicating active HIV transcription. In contrast, the majority of HIV DNA resided in CD32− cells. Their results suggest that targeting CD32+ cells is unlikely to hit the HIV latent reservoir. The persistence of HIV reservoirs, including latently infected, resting CD4+ T cells, is the major obstacle to cure HIV infection. CD32a expression was recently reported to mark CD4+ T cells harboring a replication-competent HIV reservoir during antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppression. We aimed to determine whether CD32 expression marks HIV latently or transcriptionally active infected CD4+ T cells. Using peripheral blood and lymphoid tissue of ART-treated HIV+ or SIV+ subjects, we found that most of the circulating memory CD32+ CD4+ T cells expressed markers of activation, including CD69, HLA-DR, CD25, CD38, and Ki67, and bore a TH2 phenotype as defined by CXCR3, CCR4, and CCR6. CD32 expression did not selectively enrich for HIV- or SIV-infected CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood or lymphoid tissue; isolated CD32+ resting CD4+ T cells accounted for less than 3% of the total HIV DNA in CD4+ T cells. Cell-associated HIV DNA and RNA loads in CD4+ T cells positively correlated with the frequency of CD32+ CD69+ CD4+ T cells but not with CD32 expression on resting CD4+ T cells. Using RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, CD32 coexpression with HIV RNA or p24 was detected after in vitro HIV infection (peripheral blood mononuclear cell and tissue) and in vivo within lymph node tissue from HIV-infected individuals. Together, these results indicate that CD32 is not a marker of resting CD4+ T cells or of enriched HIV DNA–positive cells after ART; rather, CD32 is predominately expressed on a subset of activated CD4+ T cells enriched for transcriptionally active HIV after long-term ART.
Isotopic trends and background fluxes of atmospheric lead in northern Europe: Analyses of three ombrotrophic bogs from south Sweden

Knowledge about the natural atmospheric background deposition rate of lead (Pb) prior to anthropogenic pollution is critical in the understanding of present‐day pollution and for establishing realistic goals for the reduction of atmospheric Pb. We utilize stable Pb isotopes (206Pb and 207Pb) in radiocarbon‐dated peat cores from three ombrotrophic bogs from south Sweden, to calculate fluxes and to survey atmospheric Pb trends prior 3500 BP (the so far known onset of large‐scale anthropogenic pollution). The estimated atmospheric Pb deposition rate was between 1 and 10 μg Pb m2 yr−1 between 5900 and 3700 calendar years BP, which is 100 to 1000 times lower than present‐day deposition rates. The majority of the samples older than 3500 calendar years BP had 206Pb/207Pb ratios ≤1.20, which is significantly lower than unpolluted Swedish mineral soils (206Pb/207Pb > 1.30), suggesting that even the natural atmospheric deposition of Pb was dominated by long‐range transport, rather than local inputs from soil dust. Low 206Pb/207Pb ratios (1.16–1.18) of several samples indicate that this distant transport originated at least partly from early pollution sources. A possible climatic connection with the observed Pb deposition trends is suggested.
Study On Yield Loss Due To Xanthomonas-campestris Pv Undulosa in Wheat Under High Rainfall Temperate Conditions

Yield losses due to bacterial leaf streak caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. undulosa in wheat were evaluated using a method based on assessing infection in single tillers in a high rainfall temperature environment in Mexico. Trials conducted over 3 years showed that yield was significantly reduced in relation to the percentage area of flag leaf damaged at early milk-dough stage. The 1000-grain-weight was affected every year. The number of kernels per spike was affected during 2 years. Data over 3 years showed that, on average, losses below 5% can be expected when the percent flag leaf area diseased is below 10%. However, up to 20% yield reduction can be anticipated, on average, if 50% of the flag leaf is diseased. Yield loss is a linear function of the percent flag leaf area diseased and a small leaf area damaged has already an effect on yield. A formula is proposed to calculate at Zadoks' growth stage 73-83 the expected yield losses based on disease severity and on field incidence. The aim is to provide a tool for better quantification of yield losses, particularly, in high rainfall temperature locations where the disease is sporadic and yield losses difficult to appraise. The study showed that significant losses due to X. c. pv. undulosa can be expected in wheat.
The effectiveness of actively accumulating dust in rejuvenating soils and ecosystems in a super-humid, high weathering and leaching environment, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand

This study quantifies progressive pedogenesis under a super-humid climate on the west coast of South Island, New Zealand. It focuses on soil morphology, pedogenic oxides, soil mass balance, phosphorus transformation and linking pedogenesis trajectories to vegetation communities. The study comprises a set of dune ridges of a coastal sand dune complex covered by unmodified conifer (podocarp)-angiosperm forest. The surface ages of the chronosequence range from 370 y to 6500 y. Rapid podsolisation is characteristic for the study area. Within 1000 y, soils reach the Spodosol stage with typical eluvial-illuvial horizons and mobilisation of Fe and Al. This period is also characterised by the most rapid losses of total phosphorus at a rate of 110 g m ky, a relative loss of 41%. Beyond 3000 y changes in soil chemistry and losses for all nutrients markedly slow. Soil mass balance shows that the 6500 y soil has lost 75% total P, 62% K, 52% Ca and 54% Na. Soil P fractions substantially change across the gradient. High leaching losses of apatite and nonoccluded P in the first hundreds of years coincide with accumulation of organic and occluded inorganic forms in the topsoil and subsoil, which mitigate total P loss. Beyond 1000 y of pedogenesis, all P fractions decline at similar rates to low, more persistent levels with apatite/non-occluded P being the dominant P form after 6500 y of pedogenesis. This incipient steady state is assumed to be sustained by the advection of parent material-derived P through surface lowering and reduced
Role of deep sea temperature in the carbon cycle during the last glacial

[1] To characterize the response of Earth's climate system to increases in atmospheric CO2, climate modelers define climate sensitivity as the change in global mean temperature in response to prescribed forcing. Here we turn this approach around and use estimates of ocean temperature change to investigate the mechanisms driving CO2 variations over the last glacial. New records provide evidence of a link between deep ocean temperature and atmospheric CO2 over the last glacial cycle. Two mechanisms simultaneously couple pCO2 and deep ocean temperature: the temperature-dependent solubility of CO2 in seawater and the atmospheric CO2-dependent radiative forcing of temperature. Each of these forcing mechanisms leaves a unique slope of covariation between CO2 and deep ocean temperature, which we estimate using numerical models of climate and the carbon cycle. The pCO2/T slopes derived from paleoclimate data differ between the deglaciation and shorter 5-kyr duration events in marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3), revealing different mechanisms driving atmospheric CO2 variability. The amplitude of changes over the deglaciation coincides with estimates for CO2 forcing of temperature; however, CO2 changes during MIS 3 can be explained solely by temperature-dependent solubility driving variations in atmospheric pCO2. The deep water temperature changes during MIS 3 may reflect changes in the temperature or relative contribution of Antarctic Bottom Water and play a role in the “bipolar seesaw. ”
Accounting for kin sampling reveals genetic connectivity in Tasmanian and New Zealand school sharks, Galeorhinus galeus

Abstract Fishing represents a major problem for conservation of chondrichthyans, with a quarter of all species being overexploited. School sharks, Galeorhinus galeus, are targeted by commercial fisheries in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian stock has been depleted to below 20% of its virgin biomass, and the species is recorded as Conservation Dependent within Australia. Individuals are known to move between both countries, but it is disputed whether the stocks are reproductively linked. Accurate and unbiased determination of stock and population connectivity is crucial to inform effective management. In this study, we assess the genetic composition and population connectivity between Australian and New Zealand school sharks using genome‐wide SNPs, while accounting for non‐random kin sampling. Between 2009 and 2013, 88 neonate and juvenile individuals from Tasmanian and New Zealand nurseries were collected and genotyped. Neutral loci were analyzed to detect fine‐scale signals of reproductive connectivity. Seven full‐sibling groups were identified and removed for unbiased analysis. Based on 6,587 neutral SNPs, pairwise genetic differentiation from Tasmanian and New Zealand neonates was non‐significant (F ST = 0.0003, CI95 = [−0.0002, 0.0009], p = 0.1163; D est = 0.0006 ± 0.0002). This pattern was supported by clustering results. In conclusion, we show a significant effect of non‐random sampling of kin and identify fine‐scale reproductive connectivity between Australian and New Zealand school sharks. OPEN RESEARCH BADGES This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pd8612j.
Beam attenuation, scattering and backscattering of marine particles in relation to particle size distribution and composition in Hudson Bay (Canada)

This study investigated the relationships between the concentration of biogeochemical parameters and particulate beam attenuation (cp), scattering (bp), and backscattering (bbp) in Hudson Bay. Results showed that most of the variability resulted from the presence of a deep chlorophyll maximum. cp, bp, and bbp were all adequate proxies to estimate total suspended matter (TSM) but were mostly sensitive to particulate inorganic matter (PIM) in the surface layer, and particulate organic matter (POM) at the chlorophyll maximum depth. The backscattering ratio b∼bp varied in the range of 0.005–0.05 and was inversely related to the POM : TSM ratio. According to the Twardowski et al. (2001) model, the PSD slope ξ well represented b∼bp and bulk refractive index n¯p in relation to particulate composition. For inorganic particulate dominated waters, both b∼bp and n¯p had a larger range and a higher mean value than at organic particulate dominated waters. This knowledge on the optical properties related to the PSD and particulate composition provides valuable information for further investigation and broadens our understanding of ocean optics in high latitude waters leading to potential improvements of regional scale remote sensing algorithms.
Palæochannels in Northern New South Wales: Inversion of electromagnetic induction data to infer hydrologically relevant stratigraphy

Palaeochannels, or prior streams, are strings of sandier sediments that occur frequently in the irrigated alluvial plains of Northern New South Wales, Australia. These landscape features have been recognised as locations of substantial deep drainage losses, and are therefore target areas for water use efficiency. Electromagnetic induction (EM) measurements were used to identify the width and the depth of the palaeochannel sediments in a 2-dimensional transect. Three different inversion techniques, Tikhonov regularisation, the McNeill layered earth model, and an optimal linear combination of EM measurements, were applied to a combination of EM-38 and EM-34 data. Using various kriging techniques, the resulting conductivity profiles were interpolated to soil property data and transformed to saturated hydraulic conductivities using pedotransfer functions. There were distinct differences in the resulting stratigraphies depending on the inversion and interpolation method employed. Trend kriging of the sampled soil property data using the Cook and Walker and Tikhonov inversion data as a trend surface gave the most consistent hydraulic conductivity values compared to the sampled soil property data. However, differences between inversion and interpolation methods were negated by uncertainties in the pedotransfer functions.
Investigation of the swelling behaviour of compacted bentonite–sand mixture by mock-up tests

Two small-scale mock-up tests were carried out on a compacted mixture of bentonite and sand, one with saturation from the bottom only and the other with saturation from the top and bottom. Swelling pressure was monitored at different positions of the soil sample in both axial and radial directions. Results showed that the two-side saturation accelerates the swelling pressure kinetics by a factor of 4. The radial swelling pressure kinetics depends on the soil swelling, soil collapse, and interaction between the soil layers. Further analysis based on the relative humidity measurements in an infiltration test performed previously showed that the variations of swelling pressure with suction are similar to those found in literature, and that threshold points exist indicating the initiation of soil collapse. These threshold points appeared at higher suction when the soil was farther from the wetting face. The failure of the axial confining elements in the storage galleries was also simulated by releasing the piston and allowing a limited axial swelling of 20%. The radial swelling pressures decreased sharply upon the piston release and during the free axial swelling. A swelling pressure gradient was found from the bottom to the top with a higher value at the bottom. The density gradient was estimated based on the swelling pressure profile.