Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selection of a marker gene to construct a reference library for wetland plants, and the application of metabarcoding to analyze the diet of wintering herbivorous waterbirds

Food availability and diet selection are important factors influencing the abundance and distribution of wild waterbirds. In order to better understand changes in waterbird population, it is essential to figure out what they feed on. However, analyzing their diet could be difficult and inefficient using traditional methods such as microhistologic observation. Here, we addressed this gap of knowledge by investigating the diet of greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons and bean goose Anser fabalis, which are obligate herbivores wintering in China, mostly in the Middle and Lower Yangtze River floodplain. First, we selected a suitable and high-resolution marker gene for wetland plants that these geese would consume during the wintering period. Eight candidate genes were included: rbcL, rpoC1, rpoB, matK, trnH-psbA, trnL (UAA), atpF-atpH, and psbK-psbI. The selection was performed via analysis of representative sequences from NCBI and comparison of amplification efficiency and resolution power of plant samples collected from the wintering area. The trnL gene was chosen at last with c/h primers, and a local plant reference library was constructed with this gene. Then, utilizing DNA metabarcoding, we discovered 15 food items in total from the feces of these birds. Of the 15 unique dietary sequences, 10 could be identified at specie level. As for greater white-fronted goose, 73% of sequences belonged to Poaceae spp. , and 26% belonged to Carex spp. In contrast, almost all sequences of bean goose belonged to Carex spp. (99%). Using the same samples, microhistology provided consistent food composition with metabarcoding results for greater white-fronted goose, while 13% of Poaceae was recovered for bean goose. In addition, two other taxa were discovered only through microhistologic analysis. Although most of the identified taxa matched relatively well between the two methods, DNA metabarcoding gave taxonomically more detailed information. Discrepancies were likely due to biased PCR amplification in metabarcoding, low discriminating power of current marker genes for monocots, and biases in microhistologic analysis. The diet differences between two geese species might indicate deeper ecological significance beyond the scope of this study. We concluded that DNA metabarcoding provides new perspectives for studies of herbivorous waterbird diets and inter-specific interactions, as well as new possibilities to investigate interactions between herbivores and plants. In addition, microhistologic analysis should be used together with metabarcoding methods to integrate this information.
Order-preserving optimization of twig queries with structural preferences

Efficient query processing using XPath or XQuery has inspired a lot of research. In contrast to classical exact match retrieval, in today's systems, specifying preferences rather than simple hard constraints is essential. As the structure of XML documents plays a major part in retrieval, recently approximate query matching on structure has received attention. However, query processing of structural user preferences has not yet been considered. In this paper we enable users to express structural preferences and consider the problem of optimizing XML twig queries while preserving the ordering induced on the result set by such user preferences. Evaluating such queries generally needs a rewriting into a set of queries, where each leaf node can be expanded by combinations of structural elements derived from the preference information. Since such structure expansions typically contain redundancies and the efficiency of query evaluation strongly depends on the size of the set of rewritten queries, it is important to identify and simplify necessary expansions. We give a detailed analysis of this process and present an optimization algorithm that determines a minimal set of queries, which in turn are minimal in their expanded nodes, while maintaining the ordering induced by the preference structure. Finally, we provide a comprehensive practical evaluation of our optimization against the XMark benchmark dataset.
Contributions of IL-1β and IL-1α to Crescentic Glomerulonephritis in Mice

ABSTRACT. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a pleiotropic proinflammatory cytokine with two distinct isoforms (IL-1α and IL-1β) that signal through the same IL-1 type I receptor (IL-1RI). Contributions of IL-1β have been demonstrated in human and experimental proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN), but the involvement of IL-1α has received little attention. To determine the combined contribution of IL-1α and IL-1β and to dissect the specific contribution of IL-1β, the development of anti-glomerular basement membrane globulin–induced crescentic GN was studied in mice genetically deficient in either the IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI−/−), which are unresponsive to both IL-1α and IL-1β, or IL-1β alone (IL-1β−/−). IL-1β−/− mice showed significant reductions in crescent formation and glomerular T cell and macrophage recruitment compared with strain matched controls (WT). No additional reductions of these indices of injury were observed in IL-1RI−/− mice. However, IL-1RI−/− mice showed greater functional renal protection with significantly less proteinuria and reduced serum creatinine compared with IL-1β−/− mice, suggesting a significant contribution of IL-1α to these parameters of injury. IL-1RI−/− mice had lower serum titers of antibody to the nephritogenic antigen (sheep globulin) and reduced glomerular deposition of complement compared with either IL-1β−/− or WT mice. This suggests that in the absence of responses to both IL-1α and IL-1β, attenuation of humoral mediators provides additional functional protection from renal injury that is not seen in the absence of IL-1β alone. These studies indicate that IL-1β but not IL-1α contributes to crescent formation and inflammatory cell recruitment, whereas IL-1α but not IL-1β contributes to humoral mechanisms of glomerular injury.
Evaluation of physical security in a Movie

This paper focuses on evaluating three physical sec urity scenarios in the TV series “24”. We elaborate on a theoretical scenario, then analyse and compare the three selected scenarios that illustrate some of the fund amental concepts in physical security by using the Deter-DetectAlarm-Delay-Respond method. After completing this evaluation, we find that “24”is often unrealistic f rom a security point of view. This is mainly due to the fthat the scenarios we used had a lack of coherence and w ere often too far-fetched compared to reality.
Kidins220/ARMS regulates Rac1-dependent neurite outgrowth by direct interaction with the RhoGEF Trio

Neurite extension depends on extracellular signals that lead to changes in gene expression and rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton. A factor that might orchestrate these signalling pathways with cytoskeletal elements is the integral membrane protein Kidins220/ARMS, a downstream target of neurotrophins. Here, we identified Trio, a RhoGEF for Rac1, RhoG and RhoA, which is involved in neurite outgrowth and axon guidance, as a binding partner of Kidins220. This interaction is direct and occurs between the N-terminus of Trio and the ankyrin repeats of Kidins220. Trio and Kidins220 colocalise at the tips of neurites in NGF-differentiated PC12 cells, where F-actin and Rac1 also accumulate. Expression of the ankyrin repeats of Kidins220 in PC12 cells inhibits NGF-dependent and Trio-induced neurite outgrowth. Similar results are seen in primary hippocampal neurons. Our data indicate that Kidins220 might localise Trio to specific membrane sites and regulate its activity, leading to Rac1 activation and neurite outgrowth.
Intensive removal of signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) from rivers increases numbers and taxon richness of macroinvertebrate species

Invasive species are a major cause of species extinction in freshwater ecosystems, and crayfish species are particularly pervasive. The invasive American signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus has impacts over a range of trophic levels, but particularly on benthic aquatic macroinvertebrates. Our study examined the effect on the macroinvertebrate community of removal trapping of signal crayfish from UK rivers. Crayfish were intensively trapped and removed from two tributaries of the River Thames to test the hypothesis that lowering signal crayfish densities would result in increases in macroinvertebrate numbers and taxon richness. We removed 6181 crayfish over four sessions, resulting in crayfish densities that decreased toward the center of the removal sections. Conversely in control sections (where crayfish were trapped and returned), crayfish density increased toward the center of the section. Macroinvertebrate numbers and taxon richness were inversely correlated with crayfish densities. Multivariate analysis of the abundance of each taxon yielded similar results and indicated that crayfish removals had positive impacts on macroinvertebrate numbers and taxon richness but did not alter the composition of the wider macroinvertebrate community. Synthesis and applications: Our results demonstrate that non-eradication-oriented crayfish removal programmes may lead to increases in the total number of macroinvertebrates living in the benthos. This represents the first evidence that removing signal crayfish from riparian systems, at intensities feasible during control attempts or commercial crayfishing, may be beneficial for a range of sympatric aquatic macroinvertebrates.
Consumer Segmentation and Knowledge Extraction from Smart Meter and Survey Data

Many electricity suppliers around the world are deploying smart meters to gather fine-grained spatiotemporal consumption data and to effectively manage the collective demand of their consumer base. In this paper, we introduce a structured framework and a discriminative index that can be used to segment the consumption data along multiple contextual dimensions such as locations, communities, seasons, weather patterns, holidays, etc. The generated segments can enable various higher-level applications such as usagespecific tariff structures, theft detection, consumer-specific demand response programs, etc. Our framework is also able to track consumers’ behavioral changes, evaluate different temporal aggregations, and identify main characteristics which define a cluster.
Reasonable or restrictive? Mindfulness as a moderator of reactance to environmental messages

Environmental issues are gaining global traction, as evidenced by the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. However, the changes needed to address these issues are viewed by some as threatening. Given that environmental initiatives often call for restricting behavior, they can elicit reactance—a motivational state that is thought to occur when a freedom is eliminated or threatened with elimination. In the following studies, I sought to better understand how to reduce reactance by curtailing its underlying processes. Study 1 tested the relationships among trait mindfulness, reactance, and environmentalism and revealed differences among various facets of mindfulness. Importantly, facets of trait mindfulness predicted less anger in response to environmental messages, greater intentions to behave in a pro-environmental way, and more environmental advocacy. Study 2 tested whether inducing a state of mindfulness would mitigate the formation of reactance to a proenvironmental message by increasing cognitive flexibility and decreasing emotional reactivity. While Study 2 failed to support these main hypotheses, it yielded some interesting results regarding cognitive flexibility and emotional reactivity. Specifically, inducing a state of mindfulness decreased emotional reactivity, but had no impact on cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility, however, moderated the effect of the type of environmental message (threatening vs not) in predicting reactance; people with higher cognitive flexibility were not impacted by the threat manipulation. Taken together the results of these studies offer insight into the nature of mindfulness, reactance, and environmentalism.
Extended RTS/CTS Protocol for Uni-directional FEC in Ad-Hoc Communication

In wireless ad-hoc networks where concurrent transmissions of data messages by hidden wireless nodes should be avoided, better trade off between reliability and transmission delay is required. The authors have proposed the method to adaptively apply either BEC (Backward Error Correction) or FEC (Forward Error Correction) based on bit error ratio and transmission request frequence. In FEC communication, it is possible for neighbor wireless nodes to transmit data messages concurrently under some restriction, however, the original RTS/CTS protocol does not support such concurrent transmissions. This paper proposes an extended RTS/CTS protocol which support concurrent FEC transmissions by introduction of intervals between PRTS and PCTS and between PCTS and a data message. Since both the extended and the original protocols can be applied in a wireless ad-hoc network, it contributes to the mixture of BEC and FEC communications.
Optical detectors for focal plane arrays

The paper presents progress in optical detector technologies during the past 25 years. Classification of two types of detectors (photon detectors and thermal detectors) is done on the basis of their principle of operation. The overview of optical material systems and detectors is presented. Also recent progress in different technologies is described. Discussion is focused mainly on current and the most rapidly developing focal plane arrays using: CdZnTe detectors, AlGaN photodiodes, visible CCD and CMOS imaging systems, HgCdTe heterostructure photodiodes, quantum well AlGaAs/GaAs photoresistors, and thermal detectors. The outlook for near-future trends in IR technologies is also presented.
Nurturing grateful and connected twenty-first century learners: development and evaluation of a socially oriented gratitude intervention

Abstract This study aimed to develop and examine the effects of a socially oriented gratitude intervention (SOGI) on secondary students’ gratitude level and interpersonal relationships. To these ends, we used a quasi-experimental research design: The experimental group (n=46) participated in the two-week intervention during a class subject focusing on character and citizenship education (CCE) while the wait-list control group (n=57) went on with regular CCE activities. All participants completed a questionnaire a week before and a month after the implementation of the SOGI and control activities. The changes in relatedness scores were statistically significant in relation to parents and peers, but not in relation to teachers. In particular, the experimental group generally maintained the quality of their relationship with their parents and peers while the control group reported a decline in these relationship domains. The change in gratitude levels did not differ significantly between the experimental group and control group, but the effect size associated with the mean gratitude change of the experimental group was found to be larger than that of the control group and comparable to what is commonly reported in other published gratitude intervention studies. The students’ feedback reveals the social, cognitive and affective benefits of the SOGI.
'I was born in the reign …': Historical orientation in Ugandan students' national narratives

In2012,Ugandacelebrated50yearsasanindependentstatefollowingmorethanhalfacenturyundercolonialrule. Sinceindependence,Ugandahasexperiencedaperiodofpoliticalturmoilandcivilwarwithinitsconstructedcolonialborders. Giventhesehistoricalexperiences,whatdostudentsfindimportantabouttheirnation’shistoryandwhathistorydotheyrelatetowhenaskedtoexplaintheircontemporarysocietyandenvisagepossiblefutures? ThisarticlearguesthatUgandanstudents’historicalorientationisinformedbyanddependentonthesestudents’localcontexts. Furthermore,thosestudentsadoptingaretrospectiveapproachtohistory,comparedwiththoseapplyingaprospectiveapproach,mademoresophisticatedjudgementsaboutthepast. Thestudyonwhichthisarticleisbasedexplores219narrativeswrittenby73Ugandanuppersecondarystudents. Thenarrativeswereelicitedthroughwrittenresponsestothreeassignmentsandweredesignedtocapturedifferentapproachestohistory,specifically prospective and retrospective approaches. Participantsoriginatedfrom twodistinctregions:centralandnorthernUganda. Theempiricalresultsshowhowdifferentapproachestohistoryinfluencethestudents’narratives. Forinstance,valuejudgementsaboutpastdevelopmentsweremorecommonamongstudentsapplyinga retrospective approach.  StudentsfromnorthernUgandaweregenerallymoreinclinedtotellastoryofdecline.
Methods for Clustering Multi-Layer Graphs in Mobile Networks

Clustering on graphs has been studied extensively for years due to its numerous applications. However, in contrast to the classic problems, clustering in mobile and online social networks brings new challenges. In these scenarios, it is common that observational data contains multiple modalities of information reflecting different aspects of human behavior and social interactions. These interactions may be represented by a multi-layer graph that share the same set of vertices representing users, while having different layers representing different relationships among users. Intuitively, each graph should contribute to a better understanding of the underlying clusters from its own angle. It may be expected that a proper combination of the multiple graphs could lead to a better unified clustering of users' behavior and their social interactions. In this work we consider different methods to combine multi-layer graphs. In particular, we propose an efficient way to combine spectra of multiple graphs to form a “common spectrum”. To verify the suggested approach we tested it using mobile datasets. Also we compare the proposed approach with community detection methods based on modularity maximization over single and multiple layer graphs.
ACS-F2 — A new database of appliance consumption signatures

We present ACS-F2, a new electric consumption signature database acquired from domestic appliances. The scenario of use is appliance identification with emerging applications such as domestic electricity consumption understanding, load shedding management and indirect human activity monitoring. The novelty of our work is to use low-end electricity consumption sensors typically located at the plug. Our approach consists in acquiring signatures at a low frequency, which contrast with high frequency transient analysis approaches that are costlier and have been well studied in former research works. Electrical consumption signatures comprise real power, reactive power, RMS current, RMS voltage, frequency and phase of voltage relative to current. A total of 225 appliances were recorded over two sessions of one hour. The database is balanced with 15 different brands/models spread into 15 categories. Two realistic appliance recognition protocols are proposed and the database is made freely available to the scientific community for the experiment reproducibility. We also report on recognition results following these protocols and using baseline recognition algorithms like k-NN and GMM.
Dimensionality Reduction for Classification with High- Dimensional Data

High dimensional data presents a challenge for the clas-sification problem because of the diffculty in modeling the precise relationship between the large number of the class variable and feature variables. In such cases, it can be desirable to reduce the information for a small number of dimensions in order to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of the classification process. While data reduction has been a well studied problem for the unsupervised domain, this technique has not been explored as extensively for the supervised case. for practical use in the high dimensional case the existing techniques which try to perform dimensional- ity reduction are too slow. These techniques find global discriminants in the data. However, the data behavior often varies with data locality and different subspaces may show better discrimination in different localities. This is the more challenging task than the global discrimination problem because of the data localization issue. In this paper, I propose the PCA(Principal Component Analysis) method in order to create a reduced representation of the data for classification applications in an efficient and effective way. Because of this method, the procedure is extremely fast and scales almost linearly both with data set size and dimensionality.
Information acquisition and electoral turnout : theory and evidence from Britain

This paper studies electoral turnout and political information acquisition. We model information acquisition as a private production whose input are mass media and time devoted to their usage. Political information is considered in its relevance both in the political competition process and in private decision-making. Endogenous information is then linked to turnout and testable propositions about political awareness, turnout and observable socio-economic characteristics are derived. These results are then tested on British data. Empirical investigation supports our modelling of information acquisition. Moreover we Þnd that political awareness substantially increases the probability of turnout.
Tricuspid Valve Repair With an Annuloplasty Ring Results in Improved Long-Term Outcomes

Background— The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term results of tricuspid valve (TV) repair with or without an annuloplasty ring. Methods and Results— 702 patients underwent TV repair at our institution (1978 to 2003), of which 493 had, predominantly, a De Vega procedure (no ring) and 209 had an annuloplasty ring (ring). TV pathology was functional (secondary) in 74% of patients. Concomitant procedures consisted of mitral valve surgery in 80% of patients, aortic valve surgery in 33%, and coronary bypass in 14%. Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up data were obtained. Follow-up was 99% complete and was 5.9±4.9 (mean±SD) years long. Ring patients were younger (55±14 versus 59±14 years; P=0.001) and less likely to have coronary artery disease (10% versus 17%; P=0.02), more likely to be female (75% versus 65%; P=0.01) and having had previous cardiac surgery (56% versus 42%; P=0.001). Operative times were similar between the 2 groups. Long-term survival, event-free survival and freedom from recurrent TR were significantly better in the ring group, and there was a trend toward fewer TV reoperations. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the use of an annuloplasty ring was an independent predictor of long-term survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5 to 1.0; P=0.03) and event-free survival (HR, 0.8; CI, 0.6 to 1.0; P=0.04). Conclusions— Placement of an annuloplasty ring in patients undergoing tricuspid valve repair is associated with improved survival and event-free survival.