Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Analysis of Feeding Behavior in the Extinct “Terror Bird” Andalgalornis steulleti (Gruiformes: Phorusrhacidae)

The South American phorusrhacid bird radiation comprised at least 18 species of small to gigantic terrestrial predators for which there are no close modern analogs. Here we perform functional analyses of the skull of the medium-sized (∼40 kg) patagornithine phorusrhacid Andalgalornis steulleti (upper Miocene–lower Pliocene, Andalgalá Formation, Catamarca, Argentina) to assess its mechanical performance in a comparative context. Based on computed tomographic (CT) scanning and morphological analysis, the skull of Andalgalornis steulleti is interpreted as showing features reflecting loss of intracranial immobility. Discrete anatomical attributes permitting such cranial kinesis are widespread phorusrhacids outgroups, but this is the first clear evidence of loss of cranial kinesis in a gruiform bird and may be among the best documented cases among all birds. This apomorphic loss is interpreted as an adaptation for enhanced craniofacial rigidity, particularly with regard to sagittal loading. We apply a Finite Element approach to a three-dimensional (3D) model of the skull. Based on regression analysis we estimate the bite force of Andalgalornis at the bill tip to be 133 N. Relative to results obtained from Finite Element Analysis of one of its closest living relatives (seriema) and a large predatory bird (eagle), the phorusrhacid's skull shows relatively high stress under lateral loadings, but low stress where force is applied dorsoventrally (sagittally) and in “pullback” simulations. Given the relative weakness of the skull mediolaterally, it seems unlikely that Andalgalornis engaged in potentially risky behaviors that involved subduing large, struggling prey with its beak. We suggest that it either consumed smaller prey that could be killed and consumed more safely (e.g., swallowed whole) or that it used multiple well-targeted sagittal strikes with the beak in a repetitive attack-and-retreat strategy.
Improvement in mechanical properties of grafted polylactic acid composite fibers via hot melt extrusion

The aim of this study was to develop fiber reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites via twin screw extrusion with the addition of a compatibilizer. Initial studies were performed to establish the optimum initiator percentage in terms of grafting efficiency between PLA and maleic anhydride (MA). Results show that PLA MA 7 obtained the highest level of grafting efficiency. Subsequent viscometric titration analysis on the compatibilized and uncompatibilized PLA composites showed an increase in the interfacial adhesion for the compatibilized PLA composites. Tensile and flexural properties also confirmed this increase in interfacial adhesion for the compatibilized composites, where the mechanical properties improved considerably, compared with virgin PLA and uncompatibilized composites. Results showed that the mechanical properties increase as PLA-g-MA loading increased. Finally, the rate of compostability of compatibilized composites decreased with the addition of PLA-g-MA. This was attributed to a lack of water absorption due to the bonding of hydroxyl groups on the fibers surface with MA. POLYM. COMPOS. , 35:1792–1797, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Among Resident Survivors of the Tsunami That Followed the Great East Japan Earthquake, March 11, 2011

Abstract Objective The Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that devastated the coasts of northern Japan on March 11, 2011. Despite the large number of “resident survivors,” who have continued to reside on the upper floors of damaged houses, few studies have examined the mental health of these residents. We explored the prevalence and risk factors of post-traumatic stress reaction (PTSR) among resident survivors. Methods A cross-sectional household screening for health support needs was conducted among resident survivors in Higashi-Matsushima city, Miyagi, 2 to 4 months after the tsunami. Questions assessing PTSR were included in the screening interviews. Results Of 5103 resident survivors, 5.7% experienced PTSR. PTSR risk factors, identified via regression analysis, differed according to the height of house flooding. When house flooding remained below the ground floor, PTSR was significantly associated with being female and regular psychotropic medication intake. These 2 factors in addition to being middle-aged or elderly and living alone were also risk factors when flood levels were above the ground floor. Conclusions Following the tsunami, PTSR was found in a considerable number of resident survivors. Attention and support for people who use psychiatric medication, their families, and people living alone are suggested as possible directions for public health strategies. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;page 1 of 8)
C1-Inhibitor protects from focal brain trauma in a cortical cryolesion mice model by reducing thrombo-inflammation

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces a strong inflammatory response which includes blood-brain barrier damage, edema formation and infiltration of different immune cell subsets. More recently, microvascular thrombosis has been identified as another pathophysiological feature of TBI. The contact-kinin system represents an interface between inflammatory and thrombotic circuits and is activated in different neurological diseases. C1-Inhibitor counteracts activation of the contact-kinin system at multiple levels. We investigated the therapeutic potential of C1-Inhibitor in a model of TBI. Male and female C57BL/6 mice were subjected to cortical cryolesion and treated with C1-Inhibitor after 1 h. Lesion volumes were assessed between day 1 and day 5 and blood-brain barrier damage, thrombus formation as well as the local inflammatory response were determined post TBI. Treatment of male mice with 15.0 IU C1-Inhibitor, but not 7.5 IU, 1 h after cryolesion reduced lesion volumes by ~75% on day 1. This protective effect was preserved in female mice and at later stages of trauma. Mechanistically, C1-Inhibitor stabilized the blood-brain barrier and decreased the invasion of immune cells into the brain parenchyma. Moreover, C1-Inhibitor had strong antithrombotic effects. C1-Inhibitor represents a multifaceted anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic compound that prevents traumatic neurodegeneration in clinically meaningful settings.
NP in BQP with Nonlinearity

If one modifies the laws of Quantum Mechanics to allow nonlinear evolution of quantum states, this paper shows that NP-complete problems would be efficiently solvable in polynomial time with bounded probability (NP in BQP). With that (admittedly very unlikely) assumption, this is demonstrated by describing a polynomially large network of quantum gates that solves the 3SAT problem with bounded probability in polynomial time. As in a previous paper by Abrams and Lloyd (but by a somewhat simpler argument), allowing nonlinearity in the laws of Quantum Mechanics would prove the "weak Church-Turing thesis" to be false. General Relativity is suggested as a possible mechanism to supply the necessary nonlinearity.
Process Quality Optimization Model Based on ARM and Immune Principle

Facing with increasing international competition, how to reduce process variability is always one of the major concerns of manufacturing organization. The purpose of this paper is to investigate a data driven optimization model: Process Quality Optimization Model (PQOM) based on Association Rules Mining (ARM) and immune principle to support both staticand dynamic optimization of process quality. Realization of PQOM consists of two stages. First, ARM is used to analyze historical SPC data to explore the explicit, hidden process input-output mapping relations that affect final product quality. Then, based on excavated rules, negative selection algorithm inspired by natural immune system is introduced toanalyze on-line monitoring data for dynamic quality control. Two types of rule are utilized, namely Rules For Process Optimization (RFPO) and Rules For Exception Detection (RFED). RFED is used as detector to target process exception, while RFPO is used as immune antibody that reacts to process exception. The PQOM model is tested in a squeeze casting enterprise to verify its feasibility and correctness.
The role of childhood and adulthood trauma and appraisal of self-discrepancy in overgeneral memory retrieval

The aim of this study was to examine the contributory role of childhood and adulthood trauma events and the appraisal of self-discrepancy (the magnitude and distress) in overgeneral memory retrieval (OGM) using a non-clinical sample. Participants with a history of childhood trauma (n=29); adulthood trauma only (n=17) or no-trauma (n=26) participated in this study. The childhood trauma group showed a significantly higher level of general negative memory retrieval than the no-trauma group. Conversely, the adulthood trauma group showed a significantly higher level of general threat memory retrieval than the no-trauma group. The perceived similarity and distress relating to the perceived similarity between participants' “actual self” and “feared self” significantly predicted the level of OGM, even after controlling for the impact of a history of adult or child trauma.
What Is the Best Sequential Treatment Strategy in the Treatment of Depression? Adding Pharmacotherapy to Psychotherapy or Vice Versa?

Background: Insufficient response to monotreatment for depression is a common phenomenon in clinical practice. Even so, evidence indicating how to proceed in such cases is sparse. Methods: This study looks at the second phase of a sequential treatment algorithm, in which 103 outpatients with moderately severe depression were initially randomized to either short-term supportive psychodynamic therapy (PDT) or antidepressants. Patients who reported less than 30% symptom improvement after 8 weeks were offered combined treatment. Outcome measures were the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the Clinical Global Impression of Severity and Improvement, the SCL-90 depression subscale and the EuroQOL questionnaire. Results: Despite being nonresponsive, about 40% of patients preferred to continue with monotherapy. At treatment termination, patients initially randomized to PDT had improved more than those initially receiving antidepressants, as indicated by the HAM-D and the EuroQOL, independently of whether the addition was accepted or not. Conclusions: Starting with psychotherapy may be preferable in mildly and moderately depressed outpatients. For patients who receive either PDT or antidepressants, combined therapy after early nonresponse seems to be helpful. Nevertheless, this sequential strategy is not always preferred by patients.
Routing bandwidth guaranteed paths with local restoration in label switched networks

The emerging multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) networks enable network service providers to route bandwidth guaranteed paths between customer sites (see Davie, B. and Rekhter, Y., 2000; Awduche, D. et. al., 1999; Sharma, V. et al., 2002; Jamoussi et al., 2002). This basic label switched path (LSP) routing is often enhanced using restoration routing which sets up alternate LSPs to guarantee uninterrupted connectivity in case network links or nodes along the primary path fail. We address the problem of distributed routing of restoration paths, defined as follows: given a request for a bandwidth guaranteed LSP between two nodes, find a primary LSP and a set of backup LSPs that protect the links along the primary LSP. A routing algorithm that computes these paths must optimize the restoration latency and the amount of bandwidth used. We introduce the concept of "backtracking" to bound the restoration latency. We consider three different cases characterized by a parameter called backtracking distance, D: (1) no backtracking (D=0); (2) limited backtracking (D=k); (3) unlimited backtracking (D=/spl infin/). We use a link cost model that captures bandwidth sharing among links using various types of aggregate link state information. We first show that joint optimization of primary and backup paths is NP-hard in all cases. We then consider algorithms that compute primary and backup paths in two separate steps. Using link cost metrics that capture bandwidth sharing, we devise heuristics for each case. Our simulation study shows that these algorithms offer a way to tradeoff bandwidth to meet a range of restoration latency requirements.
Reaching agreement for an Aboriginal e-health research agenda: the Aboriginal Telehealth Knowledge Circle consensus method.

INTRODUCTION In Canada, telehealth has been successfully implemented in a number of Aboriginal communities with subsequent improvements to access to health care and quality of life. However, there are many knowledge gaps that limit our understanding of the broad range of Aboriginal e-health issues; a research agenda is urgently required. The objective of this research was to develop an Aboriginal e-health research agenda designed to address the substantial knowledge gaps that impede e-health deployment and adoption particularly in rural and remote Aboriginal communities in Canada. A consensus method based on Aboriginal culture, values and approaches to consensus was developed to achieve this. METHODS In this consensus methodology, a core group of Aboriginal telehealth leaders, led by a research facilitator, engaged in an iterative process of individual and group review of research data. The reviewed data included stakeholder interview data, questionnaires, literature and other resources and was prioritized in order to develop recommendations for an Aboriginal e-health research agenda. RESULTS A total of 40 stakeholders including Aboriginal Telehealth Knowledge Circle (ATKC) members, communities of practice and regional, provincial and federal leaders and policy-makers participated in the consensus process. The research recommendations showed a high degree of consistency among stakeholders. Participants reached consensus on 6 areas: research ethics, internet-based e-health services data, educational resources, sustainability models, best practices and exploration of innovative applications. CONCLUSIONS An ATKC consensus process was successfully applied to reach consensus on an Aboriginal e-health research agenda, demonstrating the potential of Indigenous research approaches for defining levels of agreement on complex topics. The resulting conceptual map for e-health research can be used as a springboard for partnership-based research initiatives involving Aboriginal communities, governments and researchers, and may be of interest to Indigenous e-health researchers at an international level.
An interactive aquatic plant encyclopedia at your fingertips

Aquatic plants are very important and essential inhabitants in a small or large scale ecosystem. With the increasing interest in the natural environment and the progress of IT-related technology, there has been a great demand for an aquatic plant information system supporting intuitive user interface and location-free accessibility. In this paper, we present a mobile information bank system that can handle various types of user requirements for aquatic plants including online/offline maintenance of biological and geographic data, content-based image retrieval and Internet-based wired/wireless accessibility, to name a few. We implemented a prototype system for aquatic plants living in Korea. Especially, for more accurate and faster image retrieval, we propose a new image matching scheme based on the enhanced partial dynamic time warping and the distance curve. Through various experiments, we show that our proposed system can satisfy such requirements with good performance.
Alcohol-related aggression in men and women: the influence of dispositional aggressivity.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of dispositional aggressivity on the alcohol-aggression relation in men and women. METHOD Subjects were 204 healthy social drinkers (111 men) between 21 and 35 years of age. Dispositional aggressivity was measured using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Following the consumption of either an alcohol or placebo beverage, subjects were tested on a modified version of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm, in which electric shocks are received from and administered to a fictitious opponent during a competitive task. Aggression was operationalized as the shock intensities administered to the fictitious opponent under conditions of low and high provocation. RESULTS Of all the variables, provocation was the strongest elicitor of aggression. Overall, persons with high dispositional aggressivity exhibited more aggression than did those with low dispositional aggressivity. Alcohol increased aggression for persons with high, but not for those with low, dispositional aggressivity. This effect was stronger under conditions of low provocation. Furthermore, men and women with low dispositional aggressivity did not differ in aggression. Men with high dispositional aggressivity, however, were more aggressive than their female counterparts. CONCLUSIONS This is the first investigation to examine the influence of dispositional aggressivity on the alcohol-aggression relation in men and women. The results highlight the fact that alcohol consumption does not increase aggression in all persons and in all situations. An important goal for future research is to identify which individual difference and contextual factors are most important in determining who will, and will not, behave in an aggressive manner when intoxicated.
Passive body heating improves sleep patterns in female patients with fibromyalgia

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of passive body heating on the sleep patterns of patients with fibromyalgia. METHODS: Six menopausal women diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the criteria determined by the American College of Rheumatology were included. All women underwent passive immersion in a warm bath at a temperature of 36±1°C for 15 sessions of 30 minutes each over a period of three weeks. Their sleep patterns were assessed by polysomnography at the following time-points: pre-intervention (baseline), the first day of the intervention (acute), the last day of the intervention (chronic), and three weeks after the end of the intervention (follow-up). Core body temperature was evaluated by a thermistor pill during the baseline, acute, chronic, and follow-up periods. The impact of this treatment on fibromyalgia was assessed via a specific questionnaire termed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. RESULTS: Sleep latency, rapid eye movement sleep latency and slow wave sleep were significantly reduced in the chronic and acute conditions compared with baseline. Sleep efficiency was significantly increased during the chronic condition, and the awakening index was reduced at the chronic and follow-up time points relative to the baseline values. No significant differences were observed in total sleep time, time in sleep stages 1 or 2 or rapid eye movement sleep percentage. The core body temperature and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire responses did not significantly change over the course of the study. CONCLUSION: Passive body heating had a positive effect on the sleep patterns of women with fibromyalgia.
Identification and partial characterization of a cytolytic toxin produced by Gardnerella vaginalis

Generation and release into the culture medium of a cytolytic toxin by Gardnerella vaginalis has been demonstrated. Addition of starch and of the nonionic detergent Tween 80 to the culture medium was essential to recover cytolytic activity. A protein with an apparent molecular mass of 61 to 63 kDa was purified from the culture supernatants showing lytic activity towards erythrocytes and nucleated cells, such as human endothelial cells and human neutrophils. The protein had marked selectivity for human erythrocytes, while erythrocytes from other species were not lysed or were lysed at much higher concentrations of the protein than those needed for human erythrocytes. The cytolytic activity was remarkably unstable in polar media, but was stabilized by nonionic detergents, by binding, or by insertion into the target cell membrane, suggesting its amphiphilic nature.
Automated visual monitoring of nesting seabirds

Seabird populations are considered an important and accessible indicator of the health of marine environments: variations have been linked with climate change and pollution [9], as well as changes in fish stock levels. However, manual monitoring of large populations is labour-intensive, and so necessarily limited in scope. In this paper we present work currently being conducted as a pilot to develop computer vision as a means of automatically monitoring nesting birds. The long-term objective is to provide ecology researchers with behavioural data on a scale not currently available. We begin by describing the context and objectives for our work, which are centred around on-going manual monitoring of a specific population of Common Guillemots on Skomer Island, West Wales (UK). This project was initiated in February 2010, and as such still in an early stage of development: from this perspective we describe our forthcoming data collection programme, anticipated technical challenges, and initial development of video and image processing techniques.
Reliable Automatic Calibration of a Marker-Based Position Tracking System

This paper describes an accurate vision-based position tracking system which is significantly more robust and reliable over a wide range of environments than existing approaches. Based on fiducial detection for robustness, we show how a machine-learning approach allows the development of significantly more reliable fiducial detection than has previously been demonstrated. We calibrate fiducial positions using a structure-from-motion solver. We then show how nonlinear optimization of the camera position during tracking gives accuracy comparable with full bundle adjustment but at significantly reduced cost.
Morphology Dependence on Fluorine Doped Tin Oxide Film Thickness Studied with Atomic Force Microscopy

Tin oxide (TO) or fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) has been frequently used as a transparent electrode in our organic opto-electronic devices [1-3]. In general, these devices are fabricated in a sandwich structure where an organic thin layer (approx. 100nm thick) stays between two conducting electrodes, TO or FTO and Al. Due to higher conductivity FTO is normally our choice. The morphology of the electrodes influences the morphology of the organic layer, mainly when the deposition of the organic layer is done electrochemically.
The Use of a Driving Simulator to Assess Senior Driver Performance: Increasing Situational Awareness Through Post-Drive One-on-One Advisement

Older drivers are over-represented in angled impact crashes and experience a higher fatality rate than their younger counterparts. Due to the gradual deterioration of the senses, diminished cognitive processing capabilities and decreased mobility and flexibility, it is more difficult for older drivers to gather and process information about their environment. This can lead older drivers to incorrectly perceive their driving environment as safe, when in reality it is not. The current study investigates whether post-drive feedback following a simulated drive can effectively change older drivers’ attitudes about their own driving ability and influence them to incorporate additional compensatory behaviors into their day-to-day driving.