Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in 5α-Pregnane Steroids and Neurosteroidogenic Enzyme Expression in the Perinatal Sheep

Pregnane steroids have sedative and neuroprotective effects on the brain as a result of interactions with the steroid-binding site of the GABAA receptor. To determine whether the fetal brain is able to synthesize pregnane steroids de novo from cholesterol, we measured the expression of cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage (P450scc) and 5α-reductase type II (5αRII) enzymes in fetal sheep from 72 to 144 d gestation (term ≈147 d) and in newborn lambs at 3 and 19-26 d of age. Both P450scc and 5αRII expression was detectable by 90 d gestation in the major regions of the brain and also in the adrenal glands. Expression increased with advancing gestation and was either maintained at fetal levels or increased further after birth. In contrast, the relatively high content (200-400 pmol/g) of allopregnanolone (5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one), a major sedative 5α-pregnane steroid, present throughout the brain from 90 d gestation to term, was reduced significantly (<50 pmol/g) immediately after birth. These results suggest that although the perinatal brain has the enzymes potentially to synthesize pregnane steroids de novo from cholesterol, either the placenta is a major source of these steroids to the brain or other factors associated with intrauterine life may be responsible for high levels of allopregnanolone production in the fetal brain until birth.
Comparisons between instantaneous wind measurements made at Saskatoon (52N, 107W) using the colocated medium frequency radars and Fabry‐Perot interferometer instruments: Climatologies (1988–1992) and case studies

Winds and waves measured by the Medium Frequency Radars (MFR) at Saskatoon (52N, 107W), Robsart (49N, 109W), and Sylvan Lake (52N, 114W), and the Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) at Saskatoon are compared. Particular care has been taken to exclude FPI airglow (558 nm, green line) contamination by aurora or scatter from clouds; radar data were selected from high signal-to-noise conditions. Comparisons between the MFR/FPI in seasonal wind climatologies (at a radar height of 98 km) and wind speed ratios and direction-difference histograms for the Saskatoon systems show excellent agreement. Zonal and meridional wind comparisons (scatter plots) also show no significant differences in mean winds between the FPI and MFR. Differences between instantaneous measurements, as seen on 91 individual days, are categorized into four types of events, depending upon FPI/MFR similarities and differences and the dominance of the solar tide. A gravity wave model is then used to demonstrate the effects of waves, with scales from hundreds to several thousand of kilometers, upon such optical and radar systems, each of which has a different inherent spatial averaging. The model is largely successful in explaining the differences between the instantaneous MFR and FPI measurements. The relevance of such comparisons to satellite/ground-based collaborations is briefly discussed.
False Alarm Reduction of Ground Penetrating Radar Returnsthrough Multisensor

In this work, we present a methodology for fusing high frequency and low frequency radar images. The goal of this system is to nd the strong surface clutter which is common to high and low frequency radar images and to subtract (defuse) this common component from the low frequency image to extract sub-surface information.
Parallel construction of large circular cartograms using graphics processing units

Cartograms are a cartographic approach that is based on the geometric transformation of enumeration units to enhance spatial presentation of variables of interest. The automatic construction of cartograms within digital computing environments, as recognized in the literature, is impeded by the issue of computational efficiency. Parallel computing is a potential solution for tackling the computational issue of cartogram construction, and its importance is increasingly acknowledged with the wider spread and application of advanced cyberinfrastructure into geographic studies. The purpose of this article is to investigate the use of a state-of-the-art parallel computing approach, graphics processing units (GPUs), to accelerate the construction of large circular cartograms, a special form of area cartograms. GPUs, built on many-core computing architecture and thread parallelism, provide tremendous high-performance computing and even supercomputing support for general-purpose geocomputation. In this study, the construction of a circular cartogram is divided into a large number of fine-grained subtasks that can be efficiently and simultaneously computed on the underlying many-core GPUs. Simulated and real data were used in experiments to examine the computational performance of GPU-enabled construction of circular cartograms. Experimental results suggest that the GPU-enabled parallel computing approach offers significant acceleration performance for the construction of large circular cartograms, and thus sheds further light on the resolution of computationally intensive spatial and spatiotemporal problems using advanced cartographic and geovisualization approaches.
Digital polyphase baseband for direct digital generation of high sample rate radio frequency signals

In this paper the concept, application and implementation of digital polyphase baseband is presented. This concept simplifies direct control of highly efficient switching-mode power amplifiers with sample rates above the carrier frequency of multiple gigahertz. Flexible digital transmitter architectures for wireless applications like direct pulse width/position modulation or Δ£ modulation transmitters become feasible with this concept. In the proposed approach the baseband is represented by multiple digital subsignals. The parallel nature of the subsignals allows individual, less time critical, calculation. These subsignals are serialized and, thus, up-converted to the carrier frequency and used to directly drive the PA. Because the signal is converted to the analogue domain only after the PA by passive filtering, this transmitter architecture is not sensitive to nonlineartrities of the building block. Using the digital polyphase baseband allows direct digital generation of radio frequency (RF) signals with carrier frequencies, ƒc, above 1GHz.
A new approach of graph cuts based segmentation for thermal IR image analysis

Thermal Infra Red images are one of the most investigated and popular data modalities whose usage has grown exponentially from humble origins to being one of the most extensively harnessed imaging forms. Instead of capturing the radiometry in visible spectra, the thermal Images focus on the near to mid Infrared spectra thereby producing a scene structure quite different from their visual counterpart images. Also traditionally the spatial resolution of the infra red images has been typically lower than traditional color images. The above reasons have contributed to the past trend of minimal automated analysis of thermal images wherein intensity (which corresponds to heat content) and to a lesser extent spatiality formed the primary features of interest in an IR image. In this work we extend the automated processing of Infra red images by using an advanced image analysis technique called Graph cuts. Graph cuts have the unique property of providing global optimal segmentation which has contributed to its popularity. We side step the extensive computational requirements of a Graph cuts procedure (which consider pixels as the vertices of graphs) by performing preprocessing by performing initial segmentation to obtain a short list of candidate regions. Features extracted on the candidate regions are then used as an input for the graph cut procedure. Appropriate energy functions are used to combine traditionally used graph cuts feature like intensity feature with new salient features like gradients. The results show the effectiveness of using the above technique for automated processing of thermal infrared images especially when compared with traditional techniques like intensity thresholding.
Source Mechanism of the Niigata Earthquake of June 16, 1964, as Derived from Body Waves

An analysis is made of the body waves radiated by the Niigata earthquake of June 16, 1964, (M=7.5) for the study of its source mechanism. By means of the least squares method, the fault plane solutions are obtained from the S wave data for both of the main shock and one of its aftershocks, July 12, 1964, (M=6.0). It is found that the earthquake mechanism of the main shock can be explained by a model of almost pure dip-slip on the basis of the double couple hypothesis, and that the mechanism of the aftershock is similar to that of the main shock.A particular type of phase is found in the P wave-train around 20 seconds after the first arrival, which shows the distinctive characteristics of the stopping phase. By interpreting the arrival time differences between the stopping phases and the first arrivals as a function of the azimuth of the observation point, it is concluded that the earthquake fracture was propagated with a velocity of 2.0±0.4km/sec through a distance of 40±10km in the horizontal direction of N 10°. 5E. Although quantitative results cannot be obtained for the faulting in the opposite direction, it is evident that a bilateral model is appropriate for explaining the earthquake.The partition of P wave energy per unit solid angle in certain ranges of frequency observed at some selected stations are explained by adopting a symmetrical bilateral model. The total wave energy radiated by the earthquake is estimated to be 3.2×1022 to 2.0×1022erg. Assuming that the vertical extension of the fault is 20km, the magnitude of the displacement discontinuity along the fault is calculated at 4.5 to 5m.Based on the concept of continuous distribution of infinitesimal dislocations, the static potential energy due to the residual strain field after the earthquake is estimated to be 7.2×1022 to 6.8×1022erg. The average strain within the width of the dislocations is evaluated at 6×10-4 to 3×10-4.
Homogenization of mean monthly temperature time series of Greece

During the last decades due to the increased interest about climate change, many studies have been conducted trying to detect shifts in climatic series. The necessity of the homogenization of meteorological observations becomes obvious to all these studies. In practice, inhomogeneities are hardly ever avoided, because the meteorological station networks are constantly changing. A myriad of methods for detecting and adjusting inhomogeneities in climate series have been developed. In this study two homogeneity methodologies, namely MASH and Climatol, were applied to 49 monthly temperature series of synoptic stations, covering almost all climatic zones of Greece, belonging to the operational weather network of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS). Time series cover periods ranging from 35 to 45 years. Only 8.2% of the stations passed both tests successfully, another 10.2% passed the MASH homogeneity test successfully without any breakpoint, but not the Climatol test. On the other hand, 14.3% of the stations passed the Climatol test successfully but not the MASH test. The remaining stations presented one or more breaks or outliers in both homogeneity methods. Due to lack of metadata only 15% of the breaks could be explained by the stations' history. Station relocations as well as changes in observation practices caused most of the temperature anomalies. The adjustments in seasonal series were in the range from −2.54 to 1.39 °C for MASH and from −2.30 to 1.50 °C for Climatol. Seasonal and annual mean temperature trends were analyzed and their statistical significance calculated. The most pronounced seasonal trends were recorded in summer. Also, the differences of climatological normals for the period 1961–1990 between raw and homogenized annual series were computed. The absolute values of differences ranged from 0.0 to 0.8 °C for MASH and from 0.0 to 1.0 °C for Climatol.
Palaeomagnetic controls on the emplacement of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (Campi Flegrei, Southern Italy)

Abstract Two outcrops of Neapolitan Yellow Tuff at Torregaveta and Posillipo have been investigated palaeomagnetically. Analyses of low blocking temperature components, in association with mineralogical, volcanological and magnetic anisotropy data, suggest the following sequence of events: (i) deposition of pyroclastics at temperatures not lower than 275°C, at least at Torregaveta; (ii) cooling associated with zeolitization and modification of the original positions of the clasts; (iii) further dislocation of the clasts after cooling; and (iv) lithification. Such a model reconciles otherwise conflicting volcanological and palaeomagnetic data.
Using Biased Random Walks for Focused Summarization

We introduce a graph-based sentence ranking algorithm for extractive summarization. Our method is a version of the LexRank algorithm we introduced in DUC 2004 extended to the focused summarization task of DUC 2006. As in LexRank, we represent the set of sentences in a document cluster as a graph, where nodes are sentences and links between the nodes are induced by a similarity relation between the sentences. Then we rank the sentences according to a random walk model defined in terms of both the inter-sentence similarities and the similarities of the sentences to the topic description.
A fully distributed approach to resource allocation problem under directed and switching topologies

This paper addresses the distributed resource allocation problem for a network of multiple agents with directed and time-varying communication topologies. Suppose that the total amount of resources is a constant, represented by an equality constraint, and that the amount of resources allocated to each agent is subject to an inequality constraint, called the state constraint. We then aim to solve it in a fully distributed manner. By introducing a surplus variable to store the residue at each step due to the state constraint on each agent, a distributed iteration algorithm is proposed to solve the distributed resource allocation problem subject to the state constraints. It is shown that the algorithm converges globally provided that the communication graph is jointly strongly connected. The most promising characteristic of the algorithm is that the parameters used in the iteration by each agent depend only on local knowledge of the in-degree and out-degree of itself, yet the algorithm converges globally for a time-varying communication network.
Patagonia : climate sensitivities and glacier characteristics preceding the 2003 / 04 and 2005 / 06 damming events

Mass balance and climate sensitivity of Glaciar Perito Moreno (GPM), one of the main outlet glaciers of Hielo Patagónico Sur (southern Patagonia icefield), were investigated. Field measurements were carried out from 1995 to 2003, including ice ablation and velocity at stakes, seismic profiling, bathymetry of the lake near the calving fronts and meteorological data. The database was complemented by satellite observations, to derive the motion field by interferometric data, map glacier boundaries and snowlines from multi-year time series of radar images, and obtain glacier topography from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. In September 2003, GPM started to dam the southern arm of Lago Argentino, resulting in a maximum rise of the lake level of 9.35m before the dam burst in March 2004. The ice dam formed again in August 2005, bursting in March 2006. Analysis of mass fluxes indicates no long-term trend in mass balance. This behaviour, contrasting with most retreating glaciers in the vicinity, can be attributed to a particular glacier geometry. Monthly climate sensitivity characteristics for glacier mass balance were derived using a degree-day model, showing similar importance of both temperature and precipitation. Also, the reconstruction of the mass balance for the last 50 years from local climate data shows a near-steady-state condition for GPM, with some small fluctuations, such as a slightly positive balance after 1998, that may have triggered the minor advance leading to damming events in 2003 and 2005.
On the Sensitivity of Sverdrup Transport Estimates to the Specification of Wind Stress Forcing in the Tropical Pacific

We use Sverdrup dynamics to estimate geostrophic transports between 20"N and 20"s in the tropical Pacific Ocean averaged over the period 1979-1981. Three wind stress products are used to force the model. Results are compared to geostrophic transports computed along expendable bathythermograph transects in the western, central, and eastern Pacific for the same period. Depending on the choice of wind stress, modeled transports may differ from the observations by a factor of 2 and, in some cases, flow is opposite to that observed. Possible limitations of the Sverdrup theory are discussed; however, we conclude that detailed and accurate simulation of the general circulation in the tropical Pacific is limited more by the uncertainties in presently available estimates of the surface wind stresses than by deviations from Sverdrup balance.
Induction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and exotoxin A-induced suppression of lymphoproliferation and TNF, lymphotoxin, gamma interferon, and IL-1 production in human leukocytes

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a dominant pathogen in infection in cystic fibrosis. This bacterium is thought to play a major role in the chronic bronchial infection-induced pathophysiology. Our data showed that whole formalin-fixed heat-killed P. aeruginosa was mitogenic for human lymphocytes and induced production of substantial amounts of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes in cultures. Significant amounts of TNF were produced at 10(3) bacteria per 2 x 10(5) mononuclear leukocytes. Treatment of P. aeruginosa with polymixin B did not affect its ability to stimulate TNF production, suggesting that bacterial lipopolysaccharide is not involved. P. aeruginosa, however, did not stimulate production of the T-cell lymphokine lymphotoxin (TNF beta). Exotoxin A, considered to be an important virulence factor produced by P. aeruginosa, did not stimulate either lymphoproliferation or production of TNF. In fact, this toxin, at nontoxic concentrations, was found to depress lymphoproliferation induced by phytohemagglutinin and Staphylococcus aureus and decreased production of TNF, lymphotoxin, and gamma interferon in either lymphocytes or macrophages. This toxin similarly inhibited the production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and IL-1 alpha, but for the inhibition of the latter, 25-fold-less toxin was required than for inhibition of the former. Inhibition of production of TNF was as sensitive as the IL-1 alpha to exotoxin A. The effects of exotoxin A on lymphoproliferation and cytokine production could be neutralized by the addition of anti-exotoxin A antibodies. These results suggest that two mechanisms by which P. aeruginosa could contribute to the chronic bronchial infection-induced pathophysiology are the nonspecific stimulation of TNF and IL-1 and the release of exotoxin A, a toxin which depresses immune responses.
Fidelity Metrics for Virtual Environment Simulations Based on Spatial Memory Awareness States

This paper describes a methodology based on human judgments of memory awareness states for assessing the simulation fidelity of a virtual environment (VE) in relation to its real scene counterpart. To demonstrate the distinction between task performance-based approaches and additional human evaluation of cognitive awareness states, a photorealistic VE was created. Resulting scenes displayed on a head-mounted display (HMD) with or without head tracking and desktop monitor were then compared to the real-world task situation they represented, investigating spatial memory after exposure. Participants described how they completed their spatial recollections by selecting one of four choices of awareness states after retrieval in an initial test and a retention test a week after exposure to the environment. These reflected the level of visual mental imagery involved during retrieval, the familiarity of the recollection and also included guesses, even if informed. Experimental results revealed variations in the distribution of participants' awareness states across conditions while, in certain cases, task performance failed to reveal any. Experimental conditions that incorporated head tracking were not associated with visually induced recollections. Generally, simulation of task performance does not necessarily lead to simulation of the awareness states involved when completing a memory task. The general premise of this research focuses on how tasks are achieved, rather than only on what is achieved. The extent to which judgments of human memory recall, memory awareness states, and presence in the physical and VE are similar provides a fidelity metric of the simulation in question.
B Cell–specific Transgenic Expression of Bcl2 Rescues Early B Lymphopoiesis but Not B Cell Responses in BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient Mice

Mice deficient for the transcriptional coactivator BOB.1/OBF.1 show several defects in B cell differentiation. Numbers of immature transitional B cells in the bone marrow are reduced and fewer B cells reach the periphery. Furthermore, germinal center B cells are absent and marginal zone (MZ) B lymphocytes are markedly reduced. Increased levels of B cell apoptosis in these mice prompted us to analyze expression and function of antiapoptotic proteins. Bcl2 expression is strongly reduced in BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient pre–B cells. When BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient mice were crossed with Bcl2-transgenic mice, B cell development in the bone marrow and numbers of B cells in peripheral lymphoid organs were normalized. However, neither germinal center B cells nor MZ B cells were rescued. Additionally, Bcl2 did not rescue the defects in signaling and affinity maturation found in BOB.1/OBF.1-deficient mice. Interestingly, Bcl2-transgenic mice by themselves show an MZ B cell defect. Virtually no functional MZ B cells were detected in these mice. In contrast, mice deficient for Bcl2 show a relative increase in MZ B cell numbers, indicating a previously undetected function of Bcl2 for this B cell compartment.
Hierarchical Tucker Tensor Optimization-Applications to Tensor Completion

Abstract—In this work, we develop an optimization framework for problems whose solutions are well-approximated by Hierarchical Tucker (HT) tensors, an efficient structured tensor format based on recursive subspace factorizations. Using the differential geometric tools presented here, we construct standard optimization algorithms such as Steepest Descent and Conjugate Gradient for interpolating tensors in HT format. We also empirically examine the importance of one’s choice of data organization in the success of tensor recovery by drawing upon insights from the matrix completion literature. Using these algorithms, we recover various seismic data sets with randomly missing sources.