Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Affiliative Human–Animal Interaction on Dog Salivary and Plasma Oxytocin and Vasopressin

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are neuropeptides with diverse effects on social behavior, cognition and stress responses. Recent studies suggest that OT facilitates and responds to affiliative forms of human–animal interaction (HAI). However, previous studies measuring OT and AVP in dogs have been limited to measures from blood or urine, which present concerns related to the invasiveness of sample collection, the potential for matrix interference in immunoassays, and whether samples can be collected at precise time points to assess event-linked endocrine responses. Previous studies from our laboratory validated salivary measures of OT and AVP in dogs, however, it is currently unknown whether these measures respond dynamically to aspects of HAI. Here, we investigated the effects of affiliative forms of HAI on both plasma and salivary OT and AVP in dogs. We employed a within- and between-subjects design with a group of Labrador retrievers and Labrador retriever × golden retriever crosses (23 females, 15 males). Half of the dogs engaged in 10 min of free-form friendly interaction with a human experimenter (HAI condition), and the other half rested quietly in the same environment, without human interaction (control condition). We collected blood and saliva samples before, and immediately following both experimental conditions, and all samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) following previously validated protocols. Dogs participating in HAI exhibited a significant increase in both salivary OT (+39%) and plasma OT (+5.7%) whereas dogs in the control group did not. Salivary AVP showed no change in the HAI group but increased significantly (+33%) in the control group. Plasma AVP decreased significantly following HAI (-13%) but did not change across time in the control condition. Within the dogs exposed to HAI, increases in salivary OT, and decreases in plasma AVP, were predicted by the extent of affiliative behavior between the dog and human (indexed by scores from a principal components analysis of social behaviors between the dog and human). Collectively our results suggest that measures of salivary OT and AVP provide useful biomarkers in studies of HAI, and afford a flexible and non-invasive toolkit than can be employed in diverse research contexts.
Nitric oxide during perfusion improves posttransplantation function of non– heart-beating donor lungs12

Background. We attempted to determine in a pig model whether 20 ppm of nitric oxide (NO) during perfusion ameliorates warm ischemic lung injury in the non–heart-beating donor (NHBD), thereby improving function with longer warm ischemia. Methods. Lungs were retrieved from three groups (n=6): 1 hr (NHBD1) and 2 hr with and without NO (NHBD2NO, NHBD2) after hypoxic death. For assessment and preservation, left lungs were ventilated with 100% oxygen (NHBD2NO with added NO) and perfused for 20 min with neutrophil-depleted, deoxygenated blood in Perfadex solution. Pulmonary vascular and airway pressures and blood flow were measured with pulmonary venous blood gases. Perfusion temperature was reduced to 18°C prior to storage at 4°C before transplantation. Results. NO during perfusion significantly improved posttransplantation pulmonary venous oxygenation (NHBD1 [mean ± SD] 51±14 kPa, NHBD2 54±16 kPa, and NHBD2NO 61±6 kPa; P =0.01) and airway pressures (NHBD1 30.8±3.5, NHBD2 32.5±5.6, NHDB2NO 29.4±5.3; P =0.0001). NO significantly improved pulmonary vascular resistance (excluding the initial cold-induced vasoconstricted reperfusion period): NHBD1 19±9 Wood units, NHBD2 28±25 Wood units, NHDB2NO 16±10 Wood units, P =0.029. Neutrophil uptake was significantly lowered by NO: NHBD1 0.6±1.4 *109 minute−1, NHBD2 1.2±1.0*109 minute−1, NHBD2NO 0.4±0.9*109 minute−1 (P =0.029). Conclusions. This technique satisfactorily assesses and preserves the non–heart-beating lung. NO during preservation reverses the slight deterioration seen when increasing warm ischemia from 1 to 2 hr, significantly improving transplant oxygenation, vascular resistance, and airway pressures. This may be a result of the observed significant reduction in neutrophil sequestration.
Dynamic IBR Techniques for Fixed Cost Stereoscopic Support

This paper presents a GPU based implementation of an imagebased rendering method for reducing the cost of stereoscopic rendering to the cost of rendering a single monoscopic image plus a smaller fixed cost. Our approach is to use the color and depth information from the rendered image of one eye to produce a reconstructed depthsprite which is rendered for the other eye. A GPU hardware accelerated technique for producing and rendering this depthsprite at rates above 60 Hz is presented. Our technique enables the real time stereoscopic display of complex and data intensive objects, which are currently constrained to monoscopic rendering technology.
Destructive Intergenerational Altruism

Are the probable future negative effects of climate change an argument for decreasing the discount rate to promote the interests of future generations? The analysis of the present paper suggests that such stronger intergenerational altruism might undermine future well-being if not complemented by collective climate action. In the standard one-sector model of economic growth normatively attractive outcomes will be implemented if each generation has sufficient altruism for its descendants. This conclusion is radically changed in a two-sector model where one form of capital is more productive than the other but leads to negative atmospheric externalities. In fact, the model shows that, if each dynasty is trying to get ahead in a world threatened by climate change by increasing its intergenerational altruism, then long-term well-being will be seriously undermined.
Energy Efficient Routing in Random Deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks

ireless sensor networks are composed of large number of tiny sensor nodes that are used to observe, monitor and collect data about a certain phenomenon of interest. Wireless sensor networks are often deployed randomly due to the harsh environments and their hard to reach locations. The sensor nodes used in wireless sensor networks are energy constrained. Energy efficiency is thus the main concern of the network. Energy efficiency depends upon the routing mechanism that is used to forward packets from the sensor nodes to the base station. Cluster based hierarchical routing protocol; LEACH is most conventionally used for energy efficient routing in wireless sensor networks. LEACH protocol has undergone many enhancements and improvements over the years to improve the energy efficiency of the network. In this paper we address the key issue of energy efficient routing where the sensor nodes are deployed randomly. We propose to enhance LEACH protocol to reduce the energy consumption and also verify and validate the enhancement by using MATLAB. Keywords—Energy Efficiency, Hierarchical Routing, LEACH, Node deployment, Wireless Sensor Networks.
Total Knee Replacement Polyethylene Stresses During Loading in a Knee Simulator

We investigated the stresses and kinematics of a total knee replacement during the duty cycle of a knee simulator. Finite element models were constructed of the tibial and the femoral component of a commercially available cruciate retaining total knee replacement. Time dependent flexion/extension, axial loading, and anterior/posterior loading were applied to the components of the arthroplasty to match those generated by the knee simulator. We evaluated the effect of varying the stiffness of a spring-loaded bumper system for anterior-posterior constraint on the joint kinematics as well as on the stresses within the polyethylene tibial component. Both the joint kinematics and the stresses and strains subjected to the polyethylene tibial component, were found to be comparatively insensitive to the stiffness of the spring bumper system for this design. When the stiffness of the bumper system was increased by two orders of magnitude, the maximum contact stresses, von Mises stresses, and von Mises strains in the polyethylene tibial component varied by only 15 to 59 percent. In general, increasing the stiffness of the bumper system decreased the displacements of the base plate, but the relationships were nonlinear, possibly due to the added constraints imposed by the tibiofemoral contact interaction. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a validated structural model to predict the stresses, kinematics, and ultimately, the wear, of total joint replacement components in a contemporary knee joint simulator.
A Multinomial Logit-based Statistical Test of Association Football Betting Market Efficiency

This paper presents a novel statistical test for the informational efficiency of bookmakers' odds in the association football betting market. The new test has several advantages in terms of interpretation and statistical properties over the previously considered match outcome-specific tests. According to simulation experiments, the empirical size of the classical likelihood-based test statistics is satisfactory, whereas the power is dependent on the degree of market inefficiency and the sample size. A large English football dataset reveals that the efficient market hypothesis cannot be statistically rejected except for the Premier League games. JEL Classification: C12, C25, G14, L83
A reduced order modeling approach for optimal allocation of Distributed Generation in power distribution systems

This paper presents an “offline-online” strategy for optimal allocation and sizing of Distributed Generation. In traditional optimization approaches, each function evaluation requires the solution of a power flow problem, which makes global optimality a computationally challenging goal. In the proposed strategy the power flow solver is invoked only once and a parametric solution is constructed with a monolithic solver. Despite the fact that the parametrized power flow equations result in a high-dimensional problem, the proposed algorithm is specifically designed to circumvent the curse of dimensionality. This is achieved through the application of Model Reduction, in particular the Proper Generalized Decomposition combined with a nonlinear solver. Numerical examples are carried out for showing the validity of the proposed method.
Assessment of the urban public's knowledge of white-tailed deer management in two Texas communities

Assessment of the Urban Public’s Knowledge of White-Tailed Deer Management in Two Texas Communities. (August 2008) Jessica Lynn Alderson, B.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Clark E. Adams Urbanization throughout much of Texas has resulted in diminished wildlife habitat, resulting from fragmented landscapes. Several previous studies addressed the public’s attitudes concerning the most acceptable white-tailed deer management techniques in urban areas. As a departure from these studies on urban residents’ acceptance of alternative urban deer management strategies, this study assessed the types of information required by urban residents to more fully understand the best management practices for urban deer herds. Two Texas communities, Lakeway and Hollywood Park, were chosen for this study. Since the 1990s, urban deer herds have negatively impacted these communities through increased deer-vehicle collisions, defined browse lines throughout the community, and human-deer encounters. The current number of households in each community was determined and used to calculate the household sample size in Lakeway (N= 4,090, n = 704) and Hollywood Park (N= 1,547, n = 616). An Internet survey was developed which asked an adult resident of each selected household about his or her knowledge of factors that lead to population growth in urban white-tailed deer populations, personal encounters with an urban deer herd in the
Acute Effects of Small Changes in Bicycle Saddle Height on Gross Efficiency and Lower Limb Kinematics

Abstract Ferrer-Roca, V, Bescós, R, Roig, A, Galilea, P, Valero, O and García-López, J. Acute effects of small changes in bicycle saddle height on gross efficiency and lower limb kinematics. J Strength Cond Res 28(3): 784–791, 2014—The aim of the present study was to assess the acute effects of small changes in bicycle saddle height on gross efficiency (GE) and lower-limb kinematics. Well-trained cyclists (n = 14) performed a submaximal pedaling test (∼70–75% of the v[Combining Dot Above]O2max) at constant cadence (90 rpm). It consisted of 3 randomized sets of 6 minutes with the preferred saddle height, 2% higher and 2% lower. Gross efficiency was significantly lower and oxygen consumption (v[Combining Dot Above]O2) was significantly higher when raising the saddle (GE = 19.9 ± 1.5%; V[Combining Dot Above]O2max = 43.8 ml·kg−1·min−1) than when lowering it (GE = 20.4 ± 1.3%; V[Combining Dot Above]O2 = 42.8 ml·kg−1·min−1). Additionally, a change of 0.8% in GE (20.6 ± 1.6% to 19.8 ± 1.6%, p < 0.05) was observed when comparing the positions where the best and worst GE was obtained. A significant effect of the small changes in saddle height on lower limb kinematics was also observed (p < 0.05). The differences between lower and higher saddle positions, in hip, knee, and ankle joints were an increase of extension (∼4, 7, and 8°, respectively), a decrease of flexion (∼3, 4, and 4°, respectively) and, consequently, an increase of the range of movement (∼1, 3, and 4°, respectively). The results of the present study indicate that small changes in saddle height affected GE and lower limb kinematics The observed changes in lower limb kinematics could justify, in part, the GE changes. Further research should evaluate long-term effects of these small modifications in the seat height on GE and lower limb kinematics.
Nanoscale Characterization of High-K/IL Gate Stack TDDB Distributions After High-Field Prestress Pulses

The effect of single nondestructive pulsed voltage prestresses on the time to breakdown distributions of a SiON/HfSiON bilayer gate stack is investigated at nanometric scale using an atomic force microscope in conduction mode under ultrahigh vacuum. The results are compared with the degradation due to a voltage pulse of the SiON layer alone. It is found that only the shape parameters of the distributions are affected by the prestress pulses. This effect is then discussed in terms of a progressive degradation starting at the Si/SiON interface, and an extrapolation formula is given to predict the decrease of the time to breakdown of the bilayer gate stack as a function of the prestress pulse parameters.
The relationship between muscular strength and cognition in older adults

Little is known about the correlation between resistance training, muscular strength, and cognition. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between muscular strength and cognition in older adults. Data were collected for this cross sectional study at Butterfield Trail Village, a retirement community in Northwest Arkansas. Thirty participants, at least 65 years of age, without severe mental impairment were evaluated. Of the 30 participants, 23 females were included in the data analysis. The Stroop Color Test, Trail Making Test, and Dual Task Walking Test difference were used to measure executive cognition. Handgrip dynamometry was used as a valid, reliable measure of strength (Alencar, Dias, Figueiredo, & Dias, 2012). Three correlation analyses were performed to determine the effect of the independent variable, muscular strength, on the dependent variables, domains of executive cognition (represented in Stroop Color Word, Trail Making, and Dual Task evaluations). Statistical significance was set at 0.05 for each analysis. No significant correlation was found between handgrip strength and Trail Making Tests (r = -.21) or Stroop Color Word (r =.01); the results were not statistically significant (p= .34 and p=.966). Moderate correlation was found between handgrip strength and dual task difference (r=-.41), with a trend for significance (p=.052). Dependence on muscular coordination may account for the correlation between handgrip and dual task walking, a physical proxy-measure of cognition. Overall, there is moderate correlation between muscular strength and dual task walking in older community-dwelling women, but no correlation was found between muscular strength and other measures of cognition.
Optimal Design of Risk-Controlled Investment Strategies

We derive a model for the performance and risk analysis of algorithmic investment strategies that invest in a mixed portfolio of equity and money market, based on a frequent re-balancing algorithm that responds to changes in the volatility of the underlying equity market using a pre-deﬁned response function. We analyze existing investment strategies before we derive the optimal response functions that maximize the expected return and the expected risk-return ratio of the investment scheme and give a mathematical proof as well as numerical evidence that these optimized investment schemes improve the performance and risk-return proﬁle compared to the underlying equity markets, i.e. they are proven alpha generators.
Insights into the morphology of multicomponent organic and inorganic aerosols from molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract. We explore the morphologies of multicomponent nanoparticles through atomistic molecular dynamics simulations under atmospherically relevant conditions. The particles investigated consist of both organic (cis-pinonic acid – CPA, 3-methyl-1,2,3-butanetricarboxylic acid – MBTCA, n-C20H42, n-C24H50, n-C30H62 or mixtures thereof) and inorganic (sulfate, ammonium and water) compounds. The effects of relative humidity, organic mass content and type of organic compound present in the nanoparticle are investigated. Phase separation is predicted for almost all simulated nanoparticles either between organics and inorganics or between hydrophobic and hydrophilic constituents. For oxygenated organics, our simulations predict an enrichment of the nanoparticle surface in organics, often in the form of islands depending on the level of humidity and organic mass fraction, giving rise to core–shell structures. In several cases the organics separate from the inorganics, especially from the ions. For particles containing water-insoluble linear alkanes, separate hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains are predicted to develop. The surface partitioning of organics is enhanced as the humidity increases. The presence of organics in the interior of the nanoparticle increases as their overall mass fraction in the nanoparticle increases, but this also depends on the humidity conditions. Apart from the organics–inorganics and hydrophobics–hydrophilics separation, our simulations predict a third type of separation (layering) between CPA and MBTCA molecules under certain conditions.
High-throughput Analysis of in vivo Protein Stability*

Determining the half-life of proteins is critical for an understanding of virtually all cellular processes. Current methods for measuring in vivo protein stability, including large-scale approaches, are limited in their throughput or in their ability to discriminate among small differences in stability. We developed a new method, Stable-seq, which uses a simple genetic selection combined with high-throughput DNA sequencing to assess the in vivo stability of a large number of variants of a protein. The variants are fused to a metabolic enzyme, which here is the yeast Leu2 protein. Plasmids encoding these Leu2 fusion proteins are transformed into yeast, with the resultant fusion proteins accumulating to different levels based on their stability and leading to different doubling times when the yeast are grown in the absence of leucine. Sequencing of an input population of variants of a protein and the population of variants after leucine selection allows the stability of tens of thousands of variants to be scored in parallel. By applying the Stable-seq method to variants of the protein degradation signal Deg1 from the yeast Matα2 protein, we generated a high-resolution map that reveals the effect of ∼30,000 mutations on protein stability. We identified mutations that likely affect stability by changing the activity of the degron, by leading to translation from new start codons, or by affecting N-terminal processing. Stable-seq should be applicable to other organisms via the use of suitable reporter proteins, as well as to the analysis of complex mixtures of fusion proteins.
Characterising dysbiosis in Alzheimer’s disease utilising the APP/PS1 mouse model

The gut brain axis (GBA) is a bi-directional communication system between the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and the brain. Correct functioning of the GBA is essential to human health and its dysfunction has been widely implicated in a variety of diseases including, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), anxiety, depression, and more recently Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Pathological changes associated with GBA dysfunction include: increased permeability of the epithelial gut barrier, localised and systemic inflammation, increased permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB), insulin resistance and alterations in the production of microbial metabolites. In our laboratory, we utilised the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse as a model for cerebral amyloidosis in the brain. These mice overproduce β-amyloid (Aβ), allowing the study of mechanisms of neuropathology. In this project we used seven and fifteen-month mice as a representation of early and late Aβ plaque deposition. Histological examination of tissue architecture in addition to goblet cell and enteroendocrine cell (EEC) counts were performed. Mucosal and luminal bacterial community profiling was assessed through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (DGGE). There was a significant decrease in the phylum Firmicutes and number of EEC’s in the colon of seven-month APP/PS1 mice compared to WT littermates. By fifteen-months the dysbiosis had recovered, however there was a decrease in goblet cells in the villi and crypts of the ileum. A three-month age group was introduced which was found to have a significant difference in the mucosal- associated microbiota in the caecum of APP/PS1 mice. The dysbiosis was accompanied by a significant decrease in crypt depth and an increase in EEC numbers in the colon. The results suggest that dysbiosis in the large intestine occurs in early neuropathology and is normalised by late AD pathology. We propose that dysbiosis induces changes in the tissue architecture and cell population numbers during the progression of pathology, which exacerbates GBA dysfunction. The potential for this research lies with the possibility of identifying an AD microbiota profile, which could make it possible to identify high-risk individuals by comparing profiles. Altering the microbiota through the use of probiotics or changing certain lifestyle factors such as adopting a Mediterranean diet, may reduce the likelihood of a high-risk person developing or slow down the progression of AD.