Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Facial bristle feather histology and morphology in New Zealand birds: Implications for function

Knowledge of structure in biology may help inform hypotheses about function. Little is known about the histological structure or the function of avian facial bristle feathers. Here we provide information on morphology and histology, with inferences for function, of bristles in five predominantly insectivorous birds from New Zealand. We chose species with differing ecologies, including: brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), morepork (Ninox novaezealandae), hihi (Notiomystis cincta), New Zealand robin (Petroica australis), and New Zealand fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa). Average bristle length corrected for body size was similar across species. Bristles occurred in distinct groups on different parts of the head and upper rictal bristles were generally longest. The lower rictal bristles of the fantail were the longest possessed by that species and were long compared to bristles of other species. Kiwi were the only species with forehead bristles, similar in length to the upper rictal bristles of other species, and the lower rictal bristles of fantails. Herbst corpuscles (vibration and pressure sensitive mechanoreceptors) were found in association with bristle follicles in all species. Nocturnal and hole‐nesting birds had more heavily encapsulated corpuscles than diurnal open‐nesting species. Our results suggest that avian facial bristles generally have a tactile function in both nocturnal and diurnal species, perhaps playing a role in prey handling, gathering information during flight, navigating in nest cavities and on the ground at night and possibly in prey‐detection. These differing roles may help explain the observed differences in capsule thickness of the corpuscles. J. Morphol. , 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Familial occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS We assessed the familial occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease in Copenhagen County, where there has been a long-term interest in the epidemiology of such disorders. In 1987 we interviewed 662 patients in whom inflammatory bowel disease had been diagnosed before 1979, asking whether their first- and second-degree relatives had this disorder. Ninety-six percent of the patients (504 with ulcerative colitis and 133 with Crohn's disease) provided adequate information. RESULTS As compared with the general population, the first-degree relatives of the 637 patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease had a 10-fold increase in the risk of having the same disease as the patients, after standardization for age and sex. The risk of having the other of the two diseases was also increased, but less so, and the increase in the risk of having Crohn's disease was not significant in the relatives of patients with ulcerative colitis. The risk of ulcerative colitis in first-degree relatives of patients with ulcerative colitis appeared to be virtually independent of the generation to which the first-degree relative belonged and of the sex of the patient and the relative. The risk of ulcerative colitis in first-degree relatives tended to be higher if the disease had been diagnosed in the patient before the age of 50, but the risk seemed to be independent of the current age of the relatives. The prevalence of the same disease as that of the patient (either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease) among second-degree relatives was increased; the prevalence of the other disease was not increased. CONCLUSIONS The 10-fold increase in the familial risk of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease strongly suggests that these disorders have a genetic cause.
Causes of Delinquency.

In Causes of Delinquency, Hirschi attempts to state and test a theory of delinquency, seeing in the delinquent a person relatively free of the intimate attachments, the aspirations, and the moral beliefs that bind most people to a life within the law. In prominent alternative theories, the delinquent appears either as a frustrated striver forced into delinquency by his acceptance of the goals common to us all, or as an innocent foreigner attempting to obey the rules of a society that is not in position to make the law or define conduct as good or evil. Hirschi analyzes a large body of data on delinquency collected in Western Contra Costa County, California, contrasting throughout the assumptions of the strain, control, and cultural deviance theories. He outlines the assumptions of these theories and discusses the logical and empirical difficulties attributed to each of them. Then draws from sources an outline of social control theory, the theory that informs the subsequent analysis and which is advocated here. Often listed as a "Citation Classic," Causes of Delinquency retains its force and cogency with age. It is an important volume and a necessary addition to the libraries of sociologists, criminologists, scholars and students in the area of delinquency.
Perceptions of the Andalusian independent retail sector

This paper focuses on the perceptions of Andalusian retailers towards the current state of small independent retailing in their city/town and their feelings about the future. The paper reports on the findings of 70 structured interviews with small urban independent retailers covering retail districts in the town/city centres of Almeria, Ubrique and El Puerto de Santa Maria in Andalusia, Spain. Whilst some sub-sectors showed optimism and signs associated with business success (such as fashion outlets), others, especially traditional food retailers, saw the small retail sector as a sector en crisis. Within the methodology adopted, the interviewees become not only the suppliers of data about changes in the sector, but also the suppliers of meaning in terms of their perceptions as to why these changes are taking place.
Potential use of parameters of the milk flow curve for genetic evaluation of milkability

Starting in October 1998, a new milkmeter (LactoCorder) for dairy recording was introduced in Bavaria, Germany. With the LactoCorder milk yield is recorded but information is also available on milk flow. Based on thresholds of the flow rate, parameters are defined, e.g., maximum flow rate and duration of maximum flow rate. The LactoCorder is used on farms participating in test plans with alternate milk recording and sampling (AT), and on farms with milk recorded twice a day and alternate sampling (ATM), respectively, resulting in approximately 65% of the recorded cows having results obtained with the LactoCorder. A research project was initiated to implement a genetic evaluation for milkability, making use of the detailed information now available on milk flow curves. Since genetic relationships between udder health and milkability are well known, ongoing research is also focusing on this topic. For these analyses, information on somatic cell count will be added. Parameters of the milk flow curve included in a genetic evaluation will have to be selected with regard to milkability as well as to udder health. In analyses fixed effects of herd test day, lactation, days in milk, age at calving, time of milking, and bimodality of the flow curve were found to be highly significant for most of the traits.
Feasibility of system of rice intensification practices in natural and socioeconomic contexts in Thailand

The system of rice intensification (SRI) is a set of practices in rice cultivation known for higher yields, lower water consumption, and environmentally friendly effects. However, few Thai farmers have adopted SRI even though Thailand is one of the largest rice producing nations. In this study, rice farmers in the northeastern, central, and southern regions of Thailand provided open-ended responses to descriptions of SRI prepared by the Thai government. Of the 66 rice farmers sampled, 11 positive comments were made, while 93 critical comments were directed at the time-critical and labor intensive practices necessary for SRI. Comments were especially critical of the labor intensiveness of the whole system, the slow response by rice to organic matter application, and the necessity of manual transplanting. Based on these results, it was concluded that changing the water regime would be the most feasible among the SRI practices for the farmers. The research incorporates a discussion of the natural and socioeconomic contexts in which the labor-intensive and time-consuming practices are criticized by the rice farmers.
Management and the Learning Process

Learning is a central life task, not only for managers but for all human systems. The experiential learning model is an approach that takes learning from the confines of the classroom and formal education into life and work. This article describes experiential learning theory and the concept of different learning styles. These styles are strongly associated with career specialties and methods of problem solving, decision making, and learning. Organizational learning is seen as a problem of integrating the various learning styles associated with its functional specialties and matching these specialties with appropraite environmental demands.
Simulation-based development of a cognitive assistance system for Navy ships

Cognitive technology can support increasingly complex missions, but with increasingly complex and even cognitive technology, the inner and outer compatibility with the human becomes more and more important. In combat information centres (CIC) of Navy ships operational data about objects in the environment are processed in a complex command and control cycle. Due to different task domains and an increasing performance of both modern sensors and data transfer, the command and control processes are characterized by high complexity that might affect the operators' workload and consequently the error rate in the workflow. One approach to improve this situation may be the use of assistance systems. In addition, the lack of competency and skills or the absence of the qualified operators caused by demographic changes will make assistance systems indispensable in the future. In a simulation study a cognitive assistance system (COGAS) is being developed for supporting the crew, and especially the decision maker, of a CIC during air target identification. COGAS contains two supporting modules called cognitive units, which are combined to fulfill its support functions by means of flexible automation. Both cognitive units are based on Rasmussen's Decision Ladder which describes the behavior of well-trained and motivated operators controlling complex dynamic systems. This article outlines the functional structure of COGAS and its cognitive units. Both units contain a memory of a-priori knowledge, a memory of present situation knowledge, and activities for processing data. The structure of supporting cognitive units, which comprise modules of the relevant system environment and system goals, as well as possible system tasks and actions, is described in some detail. In order to simulate CIC working processes with or without COGAS, we utilized the Integrated Performance Modeling Environment (IPME). IPME provides model components which represent the activities of the system, COGAS and the operator in the form of task networks. IPME also helps to analyze human performance in highly complex systems and provides models for determining operator workload. This paper describes the development of COGAS components and their IPME implementation.
CaBP D‐28k and NADPH‐diaphorase coexistence in the magnocellular neurosecretory nuclei

COEXISTENCE of the calcium binding protein calbindin D-28k and NADPH-diaphorase activity was studied in the magnocellular secretory nuclei of the rat hypothalamus using both immunocytochemical and histochemical techniques. Coexistence was found in all the nuclei considered (supraoptic, paraventricular, circularis and fornicals nuclei) with the exception of the hypothalamic area situated between the supraoptic and the paraventricular nuclei. Since both stainings are reliable markers, not based upon the physiological characteristics at a given moment, our study provides a further characterization of the neurons in the magnocellular neurosecretory nuclei.
Pediatric Headaches: What Do the Children Want?

One hundred consecutive children (aged 3 to 17 years), drawn from primary care pediatric clinics, with a greater than 3‐month history of headaches completed surveys to determine the type and associated features of their headache and to query their reasons for wanting to see a physician. Additionally, the children were asked to draw pictures of how they felt when they had a headache to assess their nonverbal perceptions. Over 90% of the headaches were migrainous (65% common, 23% classic, 5% basilar). The children wanted three answers from the physician: what was the cause of their headache, what would make it better, and reassurance that they had no life‐threatening illness. Furthermore, 33%, of the children's illustrations disclosed depressive features of helplessness, frustration, and anger. Over 20% of the adolescents depicted themselves as dead, dying, or about to be killed by their headache.
Rapid identification of kidney cyst mutations by whole exome sequencing in zebrafish

Forward genetic approaches in zebrafish have provided invaluable information about developmental processes. However, the relative difficulty of mapping and isolating mutations has limited the number of new genetic screens. Recent improvements in the annotation of the zebrafish genome coupled to a reduction in sequencing costs prompted the development of whole genome and RNA sequencing approaches for gene discovery. Here we describe a whole exome sequencing (WES) approach that allows rapid and cost-effective identification of mutations. We used our WES methodology to isolate four mutations that cause kidney cysts; we identified novel alleles in two ciliary genes as well as two novel mutants. The WES approach described here does not require specialized infrastructure or training and is therefore widely accessible. This methodology should thus help facilitate genetic screens and expedite the identification of mutants that can inform basic biological processes and the causality of genetic disorders in humans.
A Daily View of Yield Spreads and Short-Term Interest Rate Movements

Daily data on short-term interest rates are used to show how changes in Federal Reserve operating procedures have affected the term structure. Yield spreads were helpful in predicting short-term interest-rate movements during the nonborrowed reserves targeting period (1979-82) but not during the earlier Federal-funds targeting period. Since the adoption of contemporaneous-reserves accounting in 1984, yield spreads have been informative about short-term interest rate movements, principally because of the interplay between the market determination of the overnight funds rate on reserve settlement Wednesdays and the Fed's apparent commitment to stabilizing the funds rate on other days. Copyright 1996 by Ohio State University Press.
Ground-Control Networks for Image Based Surface Reconstruction: An Investigation of Optimum Survey Designs Using UAV Derived Imagery and Structure-from-Motion Photogrammetry

The use of small UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and Structure-from-Motion (SfM) with Multi-View Stereopsis (MVS) for acquiring survey datasets is now commonplace, however, aspects of the SfM-MVS workflow require further validation. This work aims to provide guidance for scientists seeking to adopt this aerial survey method by investigating aerial survey data quality in relation to the application of ground control points (GCPs) at a site of undulating topography (Ennerdale, Lake District, UK). Sixteen digital surface models (DSMs) were produced from a UAV survey using a varying number of GCPs (3-101). These DSMs were compared to 530 dGPS spot heights to calculate vertical error. All DSMs produced reasonable surface reconstructions (vertical root-mean-square-error (RMSE) of <0.2 m), however, an improvement in DSM quality was found where four or more GCPs (up to 101 GCPs) were applied, with errors falling to within the suggested point quality range of the survey equipment used for GCP acquisition (e.g., vertical RMSE of <0.09 m). The influence of a poor GCP distribution was also investigated by producing a DSM using an evenly distributed network of GCPs, and comparing it to a DSM produced using a clustered network of GCPs. The results accord with existing findings, where vertical error was found to increase with distance from the GCP cluster. Specifically vertical error and distance to the nearest GCP followed a strong polynomial trend (R2 = 0.792). These findings contribute to our understanding of the sources of error when conducting a UAV-SfM survey and provide guidance on the collection of GCPs. Evidence-driven UAV-SfM survey designs are essential for practitioners seeking reproducible, high quality topographic datasets for detecting surface change.
Bureau Men and Settlement Women Developing Modern Health-Care Policy

The first female representative was elected to the 65th U.S. Congress in 1917 (Jeanette Rankin, R-MT). Since then, women have steadily increased their presence in Congress. The increase has been especially pronounced since the mid-1990s. In fact, the 111th Congress has a record number of women. With that increasing presence comes more opportunity for women to express their viewpoints on issues facing Congress through their legislative responses. Stivers (2000) stated that women can bring a unique perspective to policy choices in how they perceive problems and subsequently formulate solutions to those problems. With increased representation in Congress over the past 90 years, and exponential growth in representation during the past 10 years, women have an improved opportunity to express their unique perspective with the bills they sponsor. The question is, what are they doing with that opportunity? Are the bills women sponsor in Congress substantially different from the bills men sponsor? Are their bills actually an expression of a unique perspective in how policy issues are framed and potential solutions presented? One way to look for a potential women’s perspective is by searching the health-care–related bills women have sponsored in Congress. There are two primary reasons why the field of health-care policy is a fitting topic to analyze in a search for any potential differences in bills sponsored by men or women. First, health-care access and health-care quality issues are deeply embedded in the settlement woman tradition. Therefore, it is a field in which even the earliest women elected to Congress would most likely have felt comfortable and confident expressing their opinions through proposing legislation. The settlement experience gave a generation of women direct experience with health and public health issues, particularly as the problems interfaced with possible solutions at various levels of government. Second, health-care policy is broad enough and complex enough to provide room for many diverse approaches to its problems and solutions. There is a great deal of room for intellectual latitude in this topic and for legislative creativity, freeing up women to propose unique policies that express their priorities and approaches to problem definition and problem solving, if they so desire. Field (2007) stated that the government/health-care interface in the United States has historically been driven by the need to control three basic features
Striatal‐enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) knockout mice have enhanced hippocampal memory

Striatal‐enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) is a brain‐specific phosphatase that opposes synaptic strengthening by the regulation of key synaptic signaling proteins. Previous studies suggest a possible role for STEP in learning and memory. To demonstrate the functional importance of STEP in learning and memory, we generated STEP knockout (KO) mice and examined the effect of deletion of STEP on behavioral performance, as well as the phosphorylation and expression of its substrates. Here we report that loss of STEP leads to significantly enhanced performance in hippocampal‐dependent learning and memory tasks. In addition, STEP KO mice displayed greater dominance behavior, although they were normal in their motivation, motor coordination, visual acuity and social interactions. STEP KO mice displayed enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of extracellular‐signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), the NR2B subunit of the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and proline‐rich tyrosine kinase (Pyk2), as well as an increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 substrates. Concomitant with the increased phosphorylation of NR2B, synaptosomal expression of NR1/NR2B NMDARs was increased in STEP KO mice, as was the GluR1/GluR2 containing α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole‐propionic acid receptors (AMPARs), providing a potential molecular mechanism for the improved cognitive performance. The data support a role for STEP in the regulation of synaptic strengthening. The absence of STEP improves cognitive performance, and may do so by the regulation of downstream effectors necessary for synaptic transmission.
A Comparison of Lateral Column Lengthening and Medial Translational Osteotomy of the Calcaneus for the Reconstruction of Adult Acquired Flatfoot

Background: This study compared the effects of lateral column lengthening and medial translational calcaneal osteotomy on pedal realignment and degeneration of adjacent hindfoot joints noted on radiographs. Methods: Forty patients who had either a lateral column lengthening (25 feet) or calcaneal osteotomy (17 feet) to reconstruct a flatfoot were retrospectively reviewed as two groups. Six parameters of foot alignment were measured from weightbearing preoperative, early postoperative, and latest followup radiographs. The magnitude of realignment achieved initially and preserved at latest followup was determined for each group. The talonavicular and subtalar joints were graded for radiographic evidence of arthritis before the reconstruction and at latest followup. Demographic information, complication rate, and reoperation associated with each group also were determined by chart review. Results: The group that received a lateral column lengthening demonstrated a greater initial realignment than the group treated with a calcaneal osteotomy. The lengthening group also demonstrated greater realignment than the osteotomized group when they were compared at their respective latest followup. The lengthening group had a higher number of adjacent joints with progression of arthritis. The rate of nonunion was higher with a lateral column lengthening; however, the rate of reoperation after an osteotomy was more than twice that observed after a lateral column lengthening. Conclusions: The lateral column lengthening group achieved greater realignment initially and maintained correction better over time than the calcaneal osteotomy group while having a lower reoperation rate despite a higher incidence of nonunion and radiographic progression of adjacent joint arthritis.