Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mixed layer depth determination in the Barcelona coastal area from regular lidar measurements : methods , results and limitations

(2005) Mixed layer depth determination in the Barcelona costal area from regular lidar measurements: methods, results and limitations. Boundary-Layer Meteorology (in press) ABSTRACT Regular aerosol backscatter measurements using an elastic-backscatter lidar were performed understand the physical and chemical processes taking place in the low troposphere, was one of the major parameters to be retrieved. Three derivative methods have been tested in this complex coastal area using the range squared-corrected lidar signal: (1) the minimum of its first derivative, (2) the minimum of its second derivative, and (3) the minimum of the first derivative of its logarithm. The second method was found to give statistically the best results when compared to radiosoundings and it was used to process the whole dataset. A number of 162 days and 660 profiles averaged over 30 minutes have been examined. The mixed layer depth was inferred in cases such as Saharan dust events and sea breeze and mountain-induced re-circulations. It oscillates between 300 and 1450 m in summer and between 390 and 1420 m in winter from 1000 to 1500 UTC. The standard deviation for this portion of the day is 180 and 256 m, respectively in summer and winter. In summer, low heights (mainly limited to 400-800 m) are associated to large mesoscale compensatory subsidence over the sea and to the thermal internal boundary layer formation. The strong coastal and orographic influences and the climatological settling of Barcelona determine the complexity of its atmospheric boundary layer dynamics and the high heterogeneity of the lidar signals. In many cases, single lidar analyses do not allow an unambiguous determination of the mixed layer depth. Two diurnal cycle measurements are discussed together with synoptic maps, backtrajectories and radiosoundings in order to outline the complexity of the area and the limitations of the methods.
Relation between spasticity, weakness and contracture of the elbow flexors and upper limb activity after stroke: An observational study

Purpose. Understanding the relationship between the motor impairments and their impact on physical activity will allow rehabilitation after stroke to be based on scientific principles. The aims of this study were to determine: (i) the relative contribution of weakness and spasticity to contracture, and (ii) the relative contribution of all three impairments to limitations in physical activity during the first 12 months after stroke. Method. This longitudinal observational study charted the evolution of weakness (loss of maximal force), spasticity (stretch-evoked EMG) and contracture (loss of joint range) of the elbow flexors and limitations in upper limb activity (Motor Assessment Scale) for a year after stroke in 27 subjects who had suffered a first stroke. Spasticity was measured as abnormal reflex activity, weakness was measured as loss of maximum isometric torque, contracture was measured as the difference in range of motion between the affected and intact side, and limitations in physical activity were measured on a clinical scale. Results. The major independent contributors to contracture were spasticity for the first four months after stroke (p = 0.0001 – 0.10) and weakness thereafter (p = 0.01 – 0.05). However, the major and only independent contributor to limitations in physical activity throughout the year was weakness (p = 0.0001 – 0.05). Conclusions. For the first time, from a longitudinal study, the findings show that spasticity can cause contracture after stroke, consistent with the prevailing clinical view. However, weakness is the main contributor to activity limitations.
Ectopic expression of guanylyl cyclase C in CD34+ progenitor cells in peripheral blood.

PURPOSE To examine the utility of guanylyl cyclase C (GC-C)-specific nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect circulating tumor cells in patients with colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from 24 patients with Dukes' stage D colorectal cancer were analyzed by GC-C-specific nested RT-PCR using 1 microg of total RNA. Peripheral-blood mononuclear cells from 20 healthy volunteers served as controls. Additionally, peripheral-blood CD34+ progenitor cells were assayed for the expression of both GC-C and other epithelial cell-specific markers. RESULTS GC-C mRNA was detected in blood mononuclear cells from all 24 patients with colorectal cancer and all healthy volunteers. These unexpected positive results reflected low-level ectopic transcription of GC-C in CD34+ progenitor cells. Moreover, CD34+ progenitor cells expressed other epithelial cell-specific markers, including prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, CK-19, CK-20, mucin 1, and GA733.2. Limiting the quantity of mononuclear cell total RNA analyzed to < or = 0.8 microg eliminated detection of GC-C and other tissue-specific transcripts in blood of healthy volunteers. However, under the same conditions, GC-C mRNA was detected in mononuclear cells from all 24 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Using 0.5 microg of total RNA and GC-C-specific primers, nested RT-PCR detected a single human colon carcinoma cell (approximately 20 to 200 GC-C transcripts/cell) in 10(6) to 10(7) mononuclear blood cells. CONCLUSION These data suggest that GC-C may be useful for detecting circulating colorectal cancer cells. They also demonstrate that CD34+ cells are a source of ectopically expressed epithelial cell-specific markers and that CD34+ cells may contribute to the high false-positive rate generally observed when those markers are used to detect rare circulating metastatic cancer cells by RT-PCR.
Fractures and dislocation of the base of the thumb metacarpal

Acute traumatic lesions of the base of the first metacarpal are frequent and their consequences can affect the opposition of the thumb. They usually occur after trauma in compression along the axis of the thumb in flexion. Restoring the anatomy and biomechanics of the trapeziometacarpal joint is essential when treating these injuries, hence why surgical treatment is usually indicated. We distinguish trapeziometacarpal dislocations, small-fragment and large-fragment Bennett’s fractures, articular three-fragment Rolando and comminutive fractures and extra-articular fractures of the base of the first metacarpal. All carry the risk of narrowing of the first web. Recent studies have described poor results with conservative treatment. Surgical techniques are varied: percutaneous surgery, open surgery and arthroscopic surgery. The techniques of osteosynthesis are various: locking plates, and direct or indirect screw fixation or pinning. The prognosis depends on the quality of the restoration of the mobility of the trapeziometacarpal joint. Level of evidence: 4
Novel Series and Shunt MEMS Switch Geometries for X-Band Applications

In this paper, novel metal membrane series switches and inductively tuned shunt switches are presented. The series switch produces an isolation better than - 30 dB at 5 GHz in the up-state and return loss less than ¿20 dB from DC to 20 GHz. The shunt switch geometry can be modified to specify the resonant frequency of the switch in the down-state. The shunt switch is modeled by an equivalent CLR circuit. The MEMS membrane height is 1.5-2.5 ¿m, resulting in a pulldown voltage of 15-25 V. Application areas are in low-loss high-isolation communication and radar switches.
A Cluster-based Routing Algorithm for WSN based on Residual Energy of the Nodes

Wireless sensor networks can be said as the latest development or improvement in the field of wireless communication. However the advantages of the WSN become limited due to the limited resources, especially low-capacity battery of the sensor nodes. Thus, energy aware routing is an important issue for prolonging the lifetime of the WSN. Among all the basic routing protocols based on the network structure, clustering algorithms have been the much researched upon because of their scalable and energy efficient nature. In this paper, a clustering routing algorithm has been proposed to increase the sensor network lifetime by choosing the cluster heads based on their residual energy and the distance between the cluster members and corresponding cluster heads.
Synaptic Potentiation Facilitates Memory-like Attractor Dynamics in Cultured In Vitro Hippocampal Networks

Collective rhythmic dynamics from neurons is vital for cognitive functions such as memory formation but how neurons self-organize to produce such activity is not well understood. Attractor-based computational models have been successfully implemented as a theoretical framework for memory storage in networks of neurons. Additionally, activity-dependent modification of synaptic transmission is thought to be the physiological basis of learning and memory. The goal of this study is to demonstrate that using a pharmacological treatment that has been shown to increase synaptic strength within in vitro networks of hippocampal neurons follows the dynamical postulates theorized by attractor models. We use a grid of extracellular electrodes to study changes in network activity after this perturbation and show that there is a persistent increase in overall spiking and bursting activity after treatment. This increase in activity appears to recruit more “errant” spikes into bursts. Phase plots indicate a conserved activity pattern suggesting that a synaptic potentiation perturbation to the attractor leaves it unchanged. Lastly, we construct a computational model to demonstrate that these synaptic perturbations can account for the dynamical changes seen within the network.
Network-assisted D2D communications: Implementing a technology prototype for cellular traffic offloading

Currently, cellular operators are struggling to relieve congestion on their networks in the face of rapidly growing mobile data traffic. While deploying an increasing number of base stations is expected to mitigate the disproportion between user demand and available radio resources, this solution is costly and plagued with many practical challenges. An attractive alternative is to enable cellular traffic offloading onto device-to-device (D2D) connections in the unlicensed bands, as current multi-radio user devices are already capable of establishing concurrent LTE and WiFi links. However, WiFi lacks a fast, efficient method of device/service discovery, and it is not equipped to efficiently manage numerous D2D connections. In our research, we have found that a limited amount of network assistance for D2D communications can overcome these limitations; and in this paper we describe our network-assisted D2D technology prototype. Specifically, we outline a complete standards-compliant solution that provides a seamless D2D connectivity experience to the end user. Our solution utilizes WiFi Direct as the link-layer technology for proximal D2D connections. However, the challenges faced during the design phase are universal to all D2D link-layer protocols, thus the proposed solutions are applicable to other potential D2D technologies.
The influence of management practices on microbial and total soil nitrogen

Nitrogen (N) is usually the nutrient most limiting production in semiarid ecosystems and at very low concentrations can seriously impact ecosystem processes. Soil from five mines, incorporating a number of commonly used land reclamation practices (grazing vs. un-grazed; stockpiled vs. direct hauled soil; shrub mosaic vs. grass seed mix; and stubble mulch vs. hay mulch), were sampled and analyzed for soil total N (TN) and microbial biomass N (MBN). All mines were located in semiarid Wyoming in either mixed-grass or sagebrush steppe ecosystems. The various management practices investigated appeared to have little influence on TN. Reclaimed soils averaged 30% less TN than undisturbed native soils, suggesting that N could potentially limit vegetation production. Only two reclaimed sites (grass and shrub) at Mine 1 contained a greater mass of TN than an undisturbed site, and while the reason is unclear, greater precipitation (20% higher relative to the other sites sampled) may be responsible. The microbial communities present in undisturbed soils appear to uptake N more efficiently than microbial communities present in reclaimed soil, relative to total soil N. As N fertilizer is only rarely used in Wyoming surface mines, N can only accumulate in a reclaimed soil via wet or dry deposition or by N-fixation by free-living micro-organisms or through symbiotic relationships. However, as legumes are typically only a small component of the vegetation, presumably deposition and/or microbial fixation of N are responsible for the majority of N accumulation in these ecosystems. Despite the low TN in reclaimed soils, high plant production on these reclaimed soils suggests that TN is not limiting production.
ANOMALY DETECTION IN ELECTRICITY CYBER INFRASTRUCTURES

: This paper presents a novel anomaly detection methodology for the protection of electricity critical infrastructures that learns the normal behaviour of the system, builds up a profile and detects anomalous operations which deviate from the profile. This can be used to identify attacks, failures and accidents and it can also be used to improve state estimation, correct topology errors and inform the operators about potential discrepancies between their view of the network and its actual state. This paper will cover two of the anomaly-detecting techniques that we have been developing for electricity networks - invariant induction and simulated ants – and a Bayesian methodology for integrating the output of these detectors. The results presented in this paper demonstrate that this technique could make a significant contribution to the security of electricity critical infrastructures.
Getting to the table: Incentives for participation in regulatory negotiations

O the last two decades, there has been a steady increase in the use of collaborative, consensus-based decision-making procedures, which are often included under the umbrella of alternative dispute resolution processes (Bacow and Wheeler, 1984; Bingham, 1986; Crowfoot and Wbndolleck, 1990; National Research Council, 1996;). Such lternative means of dispute resolution have been used increasingly by states, courts, and private entities, and a growg number of local, state, and federal agencies are using collaborative processes to make decisions regarding natural resource management. While the use of collaborative approaches has blossomed, practitioners are now encountering limitations in using these processes. For example, it is clear that not all decisions can be made via a collaborative process. In fact, many managers and decision makers are bumping against institutional and organizational barriers in terms of how many processes can be initiated and managed, in addition to limits on the participation in such processes by key stakeholder groups. One of the most difficult challenges in undertaking a consensus process is in securing participation by the appropriate stakeholders.
FutureRank: Ranking Scientific Articles by Predicting their Future PageRank

The dynamic nature of citation networks makes the task of ranking scientific articles hard. Citation networks are continually evolving because articles obtain new citations every day. For ranking scientific articles, we can define the popularity or prestige of a paper based on the number of past citations at the user query time; however, we argue that what is most useful is the expected future references. We define a new measure, FutureRank, which is the expected future PageRank score based on citations that will be obtained in the future. In addition to making use of the citation network, FutureRank uses the authorship network and the publication time of the article in order to predict future citations. Our experiments compare FutureRank with existing approaches, and show that FutureRank is accurate and useful for finding and ranking publications.
The Transformation of Thailand from an Agrarian into an Industrial Society

The topic of this article is the transformation of Thailand from an agrarian into an industrial society. This kind of transformation – or development - is far more difficult to realise than is generally assumed, and for quite other reasons than often thought. The main theory – based on ideas of the British anthropologist Ernest Gellner – is that there is a fundamental gap, in the political, social, economic, cognitive and cultural sphere, between agrarian and industrial societies. There is no continuity, let alone some kind of necessary historical development culminating in industrial society. Agrarian society can exist forever and has no internal drive to change into another kind of society. In fact, everything in it militates against the sheer possibility of a fundamental change. Therefore, it is more likely that the transformation of an agrarian society into an industrial one – or in other words the process of ‘development’- will fail, than that it will succeed. The transformation of Thailand is a good case to apply and test this theory…
Two‐dimensional gene scanning: Exploring human genetic variability

Current methods for mutation detection are not optimized for the generation of highly accurate data on multiple genes of hundreds of individuals in population‐based studies. Two‐dimensional gene scanning (TDGS) is a high‐resolution system for detecting mutational variants in multiple genes in parallel. TDGS is based on a combination of extensive multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and two‐dimensional (2‐D) DNA electrophoresis. The latter involves a size separation step followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). TDGS tests for a number of large human disease genes have been designed, using a computer program to optimally position PCR primers around the relevant target sequences (e.g., exons) and evaluated using panels of samples with previously detected mutations. The results indicate a high sensitivity and specificity, equal to nucleotide sequencing, which is generally considered as the gold standard. Here, we describe the different components of the TDGS process and its potential application as a high‐throughput system for the systematic identification of human gene variants.
Exchanging pairwise secrets efficiently

We consider the problem where a group of wireless nodes, connected to the same broadcast domain, want to create pairwise secrets, in the presence of an adversary Eve, who tries to listen in and steal these secrets. Existing solutions assume that Eve cannot perform certain computations (e.g., large-integer factorization) in useful time. We ask the question: can we solve this problem without assuming anything about Eve's computational capabilities? We propose a simple secret-agreement protocol, where the wireless nodes keep exchanging bits until they have agreed on pairwise secrets that Eve cannot reconstruct with very high probability. Our protocol relies on Eve's limited network presence (the fact that she cannot be located at an arbitrary number of points in the network at the same time), but assumes nothing about her computational capabilities. We formally show that, under standard theoretical assumptions, our protocol is information-theoretically secure (it leaks zero information to Eve about the secrets). Using a small wireless testbed of smart-phones, we provide experimental evidence that it is feasible for 5 nodes to create thousands of secret bits per second, with their secrecy being independent from the adversary's capabilities.
Precise interprocedural dataflow analysis via graph reachability

The paper shows how a large class of interprocedural dataflow-analysis problems can be solved precisely in polynomial time by transforming them into a special kind of graph-reachability problem. The only restrictions are that the set of dataflow facts must be a finite set, and that the dataflow functions must distribute over the confluence operator (either union or intersection). This class of probable problems includes—but is not limited to—the classical separable problems (also known as “gen/kill” or “bit-vector” problems)—e.g., reaching definitions, available expressions, and live variables. In addition, the class of problems that our techniques handle includes many non-separable problems, including truly-live variables, copy constant propagation, and possibly-uninitialized variables. Results are reported from a preliminary experimental study of C programs (for the problem of finding possibly-uninitialized variables).
Maximum oxygen uptake in adolescents as measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing: a classification proposal.

OBJECTIVE The identification of populational levels of maximum oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) is an aid to studies that propose to relate physical fitness to cardiovascular risk, and also for prescribing exercise and analyzing the effects of training. To date, there is no information with which this parameter can be classified in samples of adolescents from the Brazilian population. This study is, therefore, the first to propose the determination of mean VO(2max) levels in a sample of the Brazilian population. METHODS A sample of 380 schoolchildren (177 boys and 203 girls, aged 10 to 14 years) was selected at random from public schools in Vitória, ES. After anthropometric assessment they underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing, VO(2max) was measured directly and results were classified according to quintiles calculated from the study sample. RESULTS The mean VO(2max) values observed ranged from 42.95 to 49.55 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1) for boys and from 36.76 to 38.29 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1) for girls. CONCLUSION This paper proposes mean VO(2max) ranges as a classification parameter for cardiorespiratory fitness, in addition to contributing to a definition of normal values for the Brazilian population. This classification will also be of use for establishing cutoff points in future studies.
Vorticity Boundary Condition and Related Issues for Finite Difference Schemes

This paper discusses three basic issues related to the design of finite difference schemes forunsteadyviscous incompressible flows using vorticity formulations: the boundary condition for vorticity, an efficient time-stepping procedure, and the relation between these schemes and the ones based on velocity? pressure formulation. We show that many of the newly developed global vorticity boundary conditions can actually be written as some local formulas derived earlier. We also show that if we couple a standard centered difference scheme with third- or fourth-order explicit Runge? Kutta methods, the resulting schemes havenocell Reynolds number constraints. For high Reynolds number flows, these schemes are stable under the CFL condition given by the convective terms. Finally, we show that the classical MAC scheme is the same as Thom's formula coupled with second-order centered differences in the interior, in the sense that one can define discrete vorticity in a natural way for the MAC scheme and get the same values as the ones computed from Thom's formula. We use this to derive an efficient fourth-order Runge? Kutta time discretization for the MAC scheme from the one for Thom's formula. We present numerical results for driven cavity flow at high Reynolds number (105).