Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The radiative impact of water ice clouds from assimilation of Mars Climate Sounder data

Here we investigate the radiative impact of martian water ice clouds on the atmospheric temperature and circulation via the assimilation of Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) temperature and ice opacity profiles, and dust optical depths, into a Global Climate Model (GCM). Recent observational and modelling studies have begun to reveal the importance of water ice clouds in terms of modifying the atmospheric temperature structure. Studies of temperature inversions observed by Mars Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor [Magalhaes et al., 1999; Hinson and Wilson, 2004], surface temperature anomalies in Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) retrievals [Wilson et al., 2007], and more recently MCS observations [Kleinbohl et al., 2013] all suggest that clouds have important roles to play, providing local heating and cooling depending on location and time of day. Additionally, assimilation of Thermal Emission Spectrometer temperature profiles by Wilson et al., [2008] revealed the importance of clouds in modifying the temperature structure in the tropics. Modelling studies using both 1D microphysical models and Global Climate Models (GCMs) have shown that cloud radiative effects can account for the observed temperature inversions [Colaprete and Toon, 2000], and have also demonstrated the role they play in intensifying thermal tides [Hinson and Wilson, 2004; Kleinbohl et al., 2013]. Cloud radiative effects have also been shown to increase temperatures in the tropics, and modify the meridional circulation, producing additional indirect changes to the atmospheric temperature structure [Madeleine et al., 2012]. However, as the radiative impact of clouds is dependent upon the location and time of day in which they form, the results of modelling studies will be affected by any incorrect predictions of cloud locations and opacities. The assimilation procedure allows the ice opacity observations to be inserted into the model at their correct time and location, and with the correct opacity, producing the best state from which to analyze cloud radiative forcing. The resulting assimilated data set (covering all latitudes, longitudes and times) allows a detailed study of the atmospheric state that is not possible by using observations or models alone. The increased vertical coverage of the MCS temperature retrievals (~85 km) compared to the TES retrievals (~40 km) also allows the radiative effects of clouds to be studied to much higher altitudes than has previously been possible.
Mineral Ions in the Fluid of Biofilms Formed on Enamel and Dentine Shortly after Sugar Challenge

To test the effect of distinct solubilities of dentine and enamel on mineral ion concentration in the biofilm fluid during a sugar-induced pH drop, dental biofilms were formed in situ for 4 days on acrylic (control), dentine or enamel. On the 5th day, they were treated with water (control) or 20% glucose and collected 5 min later. Significantly lower pH values and higher calcium concentrations were found in the biofilm fluid after glucose exposure, without significant differences among the three substrates. During pH drop, biofilm reservoirs release calcium to the fluid, masking the differential solubility between enamel and dentine.
The Simultaneous Pursuit of Exploitation and Exploration in a Small Owner-Managed Service Firm

The Simultaneous Pursuit of Exploitation and Exploration in a Small Owner-Managed Service Firm by Dawn Charisse Wade April 2017 Chair: Dr. Daniel Robey Major Academic Unit: J. Mack Robinson College of Business Small owner-managed service firms must have the ability to create thoughtful and intriguing ideas to satisfy the needs of their clients. These firms use a diversified operating model which requires each project to be unique, which in turn requires an innovative strategy that is difficult to maintain. These firms need to exploit their current base by being creative and making each solution better than the last while also creating strategies to attract new clients. To satisfy both needs, service firms wanting both incremental and radical change must be able to simultaneously seek out new solutions. This type of dual approach would require the firm to become an ambidextrous organization. To examine the ambidextrous organizational theory, I conducted a single case study within a small owner-managed service firm to understand how it is successful and how it differs from other firms. The goal is to extract value gained by the firm to help small owner-managed firms become more ambidextrous and improve their competitiveness in their industry.
Adapted Non-Local Means Filter using Variable Window Size

In this paper, a novel improvement idea in image restoration by Non-Local means (NL-means) filter is proposed. Most of special image denoising techniques require a region size called neighborhood window for denoising, window-size selection is usually done by visual inspection based upon experience or hit and trial. It is shown in this paper that varying the window-size for each pixel according to window variance obtains better results. Also, an investigation on choosing the optimum filtering parameter for each window size is presented. Tests on standard images are carried out and presented. The results show that the performance is very close and in some cases even surpasses state-of-art denoising techniques.
Occupational status, work-site cessation programs and policies and menthol smoking on quitting behaviors of US smokers.

AIM This exploratory study sought to examine the relationships among occupational status, menthol smoking preference and employer-sponsored smoking cessation programs and policies on quitting behaviors. DESIGN Data for this cross-sectional study were obtained from the 2006 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS CPS), a large national survey representative of the civilian population, containing approximately 240,000 respondents. The total sample for the current study was 30,176. MEASUREMENTS The TUS CPS regularly collects data on cigarette prevalence, quitting behaviors, smoking history and consumption patterns. We performed a logistic regression with 'life-time quitting smoking for 1 day or longer because they were trying to quit' as outcome variable. Independent variables included type of occupation, employer-sponsored cessation programs and policies and menthol status. FINDINGS When controlling for occupational status and work-place policies, there were no differences for menthol versus non-menthol smokers on quitting behaviors [odds ratio (OR) = 0.98; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.83, 1.15]. Service workers were less likely to quit compared with white-collar workers (OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.69, 0.94), and those with no employer-sponsored cessation program were less likely to quit (OR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.60, 0.83). White-collar workers, compared with blue-collar and service workers, were more likely to have a smoking policy in the work area (93% versus 86% versus 88%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS When occupational status and work-place smoking policies are controlled for, smokers of menthol cigarettes in the United States appear to have similar self-reported life-time rates of attempts to stop smoking to non-menthol smokers.
Characterization of a mutant of Haemophilus influenzae type b lacking the P2 major outer membrane protein

An isogenic mutant of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) lacking the ability to express the P2 major outer membrane (porin) protein was constructed and characterized in various model systems. Linker insertion mutagenesis of a cloned Hib DNA insert containing the P2 structural gene was used in conjunction with a genetic transformation system to obtain a transformant unreactive with a P2-specific monoclonal antibody. This transformant was shown to lack detectable P2 protein by both protein staining and immunoblot methods. The P2 mutant exhibited a generation time in complex broth medium that was significantly longer than that of the wild-type parent strain. The P2 mutant was also unable to produce detectable bacteremia in infant rats after intraperitoneal challenge, while the wild-type parent strain produced bacteremia in all animals challenged with this strain. Reintroduction of a wild-type copy of the P2 gene into this mutant yielded a transformant strain that had a generation time in vitro identical to that of the wild-type parent strain and that was also fully virulent in the infant rat model. These findings suggest that the ability to synthesize the P2 protein may be necessary but not sufficient for full expression of virulence by this pathogen.
Indexed left atrial volume predicts the recurrence of non-valvular atrial fibrillation after successful cardioversion.

AIMS Atrial fibrillation (AFib) induces remodelling of the left atrium (LA). Indexed LA volume (iLAV) as more accurate measure of LA size has not been evaluated as predictor of recurrence of AFib after cardioversion. METHODS AND RESULTS We identified 411 adults (mean age 64.1 ± 11.4 years, 34.5% women) who underwent successful cardioversion and with no history of other atrial arrhythmia, stroke, congenital heart disease, valvular dysfunction, surgery, thyroid dysfunction, acute or chronic inflammatory disease, and pacemaker. All echocardiographic data were retrieved from the laboratory database. iLAV was measured off-line using Simpson's method. Clinical characteristics and recurrence of clinical AFib were determined by review of medical records. Patients with scheduled follow-up of at least 6 months were included. About 250 patients (60.8%) developed AFib recurrence after a median (25th-75th percentile) follow-up of 345.0 (210.0-540.0) days. Patients with AFib recurrence had significantly greater iLAV than patients without AFib recurrence (39.7 ± 8.4 vs. 31.4 ± 4.6, P < 0.001). Each mL/m(2) increase in iLAV was associated with a 30% increased risk of AFib recurrence [odds ratio (OR) 1.30, confidence interval (CI) 1.23-1.38, P < 0.001]. In a multivariable model, each mL/m(2) increase in iLAV was independently associated with a 21% increase in the risk of AFib recurrence (OR 1.21, CI 1.11-1.30, P < 0.001). The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves, generated to compare LA diameter and iLAV as predictors of AFib recurrence, were 0.59 ± 0.3 and 0.85 ± 0.2, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The present study is the first to show that larger iLAV before cardioversion, as a more accurate measure of LA remodelling than LA diameter, is strongly and independently associated with higher risks of AFib recurrence.
Preliminary tests and performance estimate of PFMA-1, the first prototype of a plasma focus device for SLR production

PFMA-1 (Plasma Focus for Medical Applications - 1) is the first prototype of a new application of the plasma focus technology conceived to produce short lived radioisotopes (SLR) for medical PET-TAC imaging applications. The device is a 30 kV, 150 kJ, 40 nH Mather-type plasma focus designed for repetition frequencies up to 1 Hz and dedicated to the neutron- free endogenous production of 18F by 3He-16O reactions. This paper describes some preliminary tests related to the pressure optimization of the gases used in PFMA-1, and presents some final considerations about performance improvements.
The two generation urbanite hypothesis revisited

It is generally accepted that socioeconomic differentials in fertility are minimal among urban couples with nonfarm origins—two generation urbanites. In this paper, we replicate Duncan’s (1965) analysis to see if the two generation urbanite hypothesis holds for more recent cohorts of American women. In four cohorts of women, drawn from three recent fertility surveys, we find no support for the two generation urbanite hypothesis. It appears that the links between farm background, socioeconomic status and fertility were different for the low fertility cohorts of women born in the early 1900s and the more recent cohorts of women who experienced the baby boom.
Spinach Leaves Desaturate Exogenous [C]Palmitate to Hexadecatrienoate : Evidence that de Novo Glycerolipid Synthesis in Chloroplasts Can Utilize Free Fatty Acids Imported from Other Cellular Compartments.

Long-chain (14)C-fatty acids applied to the surface of expanding spinach leaves were incorporated into all major lipid classes. When applied in diethyleneglycol monomethyl ether solution, as done by previous workers, [(14)C]palmitic acid uptake was much lower than that of [(14)C] oleic acid. However, when applied in a thin film of liquid paraffin the rate of [(14)C] palmitic acid metabolism was rapid and virtually complete. Considerable radioactivity from [(14)C]palmitate incorporated into lipids following either application method gradually appeared in polyunsaturated C(16) fatty acids esterified to those molecular species of galactolipids previously thought to be made using only fatty acids synthesized and retained within the chloroplast. Evidence for the incorporation of radioactivity from exogenous [(14)C]oleate into those same molecular species of galactolipids was less compelling. The unexpected availability of fatty acids bound to extrachloroplastidal lipids for incorporation into galactolipids characteristically assembled entirely within the chloroplast emphasizes the need to reassess interrelations between the "prokaryotic" and "eukaryotic" pathways of galactolipid formation.
Genetic Regulation of Chlorophyll Synthesis Analyzed with Mutants in Barley

Barley seedlings homozygous both for the xantha-135 and tigrina-d12 mutation accumulate magnesium protopophyrins and other precursors of chlorophyllide constitutively in darkness. The homozygous double mutant xantha-f10, tigrina-O34 produces protoporphyrin constitutively. These results provide evidence for the control of chlorophyllide synthesis in higher plants through the products of regulatory genes in the nucleus.
Effects of anchoring process under preference stabilities for interactive movie recommendations

This study explores how the stability of users' preferences influences recommendation results and how this stability relates to the effectiveness of developing recommendation strategies. In this work, we propose an anchor‐based hybrid filtering approach (AHF) to naturally measure and capture the user's preference stabilities for movie genres. That is, a pairwise preference of the genre comparison process with the genre‐based fuzzy inference filtering was conducted in order to achieve effective interactive recommendations. To conduct this experiment, we recruited 30 users with different levels of preference stability for movie genres. The experimental results show that the proposed AHF approach can effectively capture the user's preferences and filter out undesired movie genres. In addition, this approach can give a more precise recommendation than one without the anchoring process, especially for the user who has unstable preferences for movie genres. Our proposed approach achieves statistical significance and outperforms the baseline method for recommending users' favorite movies by more than 63% for the stable user group and 77% for the unstable group. The results suggest that the stability of users' preferences is a factor to be considered when developing effective recommendation strategies.
A New Approach to the Blocking of Alloreactive T Cell-Mediated Graft-versus-Host Disease by In Vivo Administration of Anti-CXCR3 Neutralizing Antibody1

Chemokines and chemokine receptors play critical roles in directing the migration of alloreactive donor T cells into graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) target organs. However, blockade of GVHD by antagonist Ab against chemokine receptors remains an elusive goal. Using a mouse model of human GVHD, we demonstrate that in vivo administration of anti-CXCR3 Ab for 21 days (long-term), but not for 7 days (short-term), inhibits alloreactive CD8+ T cell-mediated GVHD. During a graft-vs-host reaction, infused donor CD8+ T cells generate two subsets of potent inducers of GVHD: CXCR3+CD8+ and CXCR3−CD8+ T cells. Compared with CXCR3+CD8+ T cells, CXCR3−CD8+ T cells produce less granzyme B, Fas ligand, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. Interestingly, stimulation with either dendritic cells or IL-2 induces a dynamic conversion between CXCR3+CD8+ and CXCR3−CD8+ T cells. Short-term anti-CXCR3 Ab treatment inhibits only CXCR3+CD8+ T cell-mediated GVHD, but not the disease induced by CXCR3−CD8+ T cells. Prolonged in vivo administration of anti-CXCR3 Ab significantly reduces the infiltration of alloreactive CD8+ T cells into GVHD target organs and inhibits GVHD mediated by either CXCR3+CD8+ or CXCR3−CD8+ T cells. Thus, we have established a novel and effective approach with the potential to give rise to new clinical methods for preventing and treating GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
New Fairness Metrics for Recommendation that Embrace Differences

We study fairness in collaborative-filtering recommender systems, which are sensitive to discrimination that exists in historical data. Biased data can lead collaborative filtering methods to make unfair predictions against minority groups of users. We identify the insufficiency of existing fairness metrics and propose four new metrics that address different forms of unfairness. These fairness metrics can be optimized by adding fairness terms to the learning objective. Experiments on synthetic and real data show that our new metrics can better measure fairness than the baseline, and that the fairness objectives effectively help reduce unfairness.
A case of spontaneous left ureterocolonic fistula associated with an abscess in the left loin and fæcal fistula

SPONTANEOUS ueterocolonic fistula is a very rare past two years she had had three similar attacks, and with condition and usually due an untreated perieach successive attack the pain had been slightly more nephic abscess ( G ~ ~ , 1951), A second, and severe than the previous one; but none had lasted for more than two months. They had occurred at approxiis a calculous pyonephrosis Of mately six-monthly intervals, and all responded to the either tuberculous or pyogenic origin (Shucksmith, Same treatment : 1941). Three weeks prior to her attendance a t Out-patients, This case presents an example of the latter type general malaise heralded the onset of the present attack, and was due to an impacted stone in the left ureter which was far more severe than any previous one, and for the first time was accompanied by blood in the urine, which lasted for two days. The pain, although very severe, was not colicky in nature and became worse when lying on her left side. She had no dysuria or frequency of micturition ; no nausea or vomiting ; bowel history remained unchanged, and like the menses, was normal and regular for her. The swelling in her left loin appeared as with previous attacks ; but on this occasion increased very rapidly in size, and the skin over it became red and tender. There was no history of a cough or night sweats, and her appetite was good although she had lost approximately 2 st. in weight over the past two years. Her past history conveyed no evidence of any inflammatory disease of the urinary tract, or of trauma to the kidney area. ON EXAMINATION.The examination revealed a very nervous woman, with a furred but moist tongue; the fauces were clear and teeth good. There was no clubbing of the fingers, or enlargement of the lymphatic glands. The central nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems showed no abnormal physical signs. The pulse was 100 and the B.P. 120/80. Abdominally, there was a large mass in the left loin extending round to the left iliac fossa ; this was very hard, except for a small part over the iliac crest which was much softer in consistency, and the skin over this area was reddened. There was no guarding or rigidity of the abdominal wall. The liver and spleen were not enlarged, and no other mass was palpated in the abdominal cavity. Rectal and vaginal examinations showed that the pelvis contained no abnormality. The provisional diagnosis of a perinephric abscess was made, and the patient admitted to hospital as an emergency. The following investigations were then carried out :rarer
Factors Affecting Online Customer-to-Customer Purchase Intention: A Study of Indonesian Customers: SCBTII Proceeding Book The 7th Smart Collaboration for Business in Tehcnology and Information Industries, August 15th-16th 2016

This paper develops a research framework for analyzing customers’ perceptions of using customer - t o - customer (C2C) onlin e shop . This paper provides insights into consumer behavior, and the results have important implications for providers of marketers, managers, and designers, and system providers of C2C onlin e shop . An empirical investigation was carried out to test the hypotheses. The samples include 196 respondents . For testing the relationships of the model, Multiple Linear Regression is used. The results show that trust and social influence are key predictors of a customer’s intention to purchase C2C online shop . These findings also indicate, based on gender, only social influence has a significant difference. While based on age, it indicates that only trust has no significant difference. This study not only contributes more understanding of behavior intention theories for researchers, but they also offer useful knowledge to those involved in promoting C2C online shop to potential purchasers. The value of the paper is that the results could be applied to other types of platforms using C2C such as online auction
Markov Model-Based Energy Efficiency Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks

Cognitive Radio Sensor Network (CRSN), incorporating cognitive radio capability in wireless sensor networks, is a new paradigm of the next-generation sensor network. Sensor nodes are usually battery powered and hence have strict energy constraints. As a result, energy efficiency is also a very critical problem in the CRSN. In this paper, we focus on energy consumption because of spectrum sensing. Furthermore, we present an adaptive spectrum sensing time interval strategy, in which SUs can adjust the next spectrum sensing time interval according to the current spectrum sensing results (namely, channel status). In order to find an optimal spectrum sensing time interval, we introduce the Markov model. Then, we establish a Markov model-based mathematical modeling for analyzing the relationship between spectrum sensing time interval and prior spectrum sensing results. Finally, numerical results demonstrate that the proposed strategy with dynamic adaptive spectrum sensing time interval exceeded listen before talk (LBT) strategy which is widely used for traditional wireless sensor networks.