Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
No Evidence for Inbreeding Avoidance in a Natural Population of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia)

We studied mate choice and inbreeding avoidance a natural population of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) on Mandarte Island, Canada. Inbreeding occurred regularly: 59% all matings were between known relatives. We tested for inbreeding avoidance by comparing the observed levels of inbreeding to those expected if mate choice had been random with respect to relatedness. Independent of our assumptions about the availability of mates in the random mating model, we found that the expected and observed distributions of inbreeding coefficients were similar, as was the expected and observed frequency of close (f ≥ 0.125) inbreeding. Furthermore, there was no difference in relatedness observed pairs and those that would have resulted had birds mated instead with their nearest neighbors. The only evidence to suggest any inbreeding avoidance was a reduced rate of parent‐offspring matings as compared to one random mating model but not the other. Hence, despite substantial inbreeding depression in this population, we found little evidence for inbreeding avoidance through mate choice. We present a simple model to suggest that variation in inbreeding avoidance behaviors in birds may arise from differences in survival rates: in species with low survival rates, the costs of forfeiting matings to avoid inbreeding may exceed the costs of inbreeding.
Characterization of anisotropic thermal conductivity of suspended nm-thick black phosphorus with frequency-resolved Raman spectroscopy

Frequency-resolved Raman spectroscopy (FR-Raman) is a new technique for nondestructive thermal characterization. Here, we apply this new technique to measure the anisotropic thermal conductivity of suspended nm-thick black phosphorus samples without the need of optical absorption and temperature coefficient. Four samples with thicknesses between 99.8 and 157.6 nm are studied. Based on steady state laser heating and Raman measurement of samples with a specifically designed thermal transport path, the thermal conductivity ratio (κZZ/κAC) is determined to be 1.86–3.06. Based on the FR-Raman measurements, the armchair thermal conductivity is measured as 14–22 W m−1 K−1, while the zigzag thermal conductivity is 40–63 W m−1 K−1. FR-Raman has great potential for studying the thermal properties of various nanomaterials. This study significantly advances our understanding of thermal transport in black phosphorus and facilitates the application of black phosphorus in novel devices.
Role of AMCase in the Allergic and Non Allergic Ocular Pathologies

Chitin is abundant in the structural coatings of fungi, insects, and parasitic nematodes, but it is not produced in mammals. The host defense against chitin-containing pathogens include production of chitinases. An acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) is produced in human epithelial cells of lower airways and conjunctiva via a Th2-specific, IL-13-dependent pathway and seems to be associated to asthma and allergic ocular pathologies. The role of AMCase in allergic disease is only at beginning and many issues open new possibilities for its control using specific inhibitors of AMCase activity or modulating its expression. In patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and with season allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) the level of AMCase activity in the tears was found significantly elevated when compare to healthy controls and the highest levels were found in VKC. When RNA was extracted by conjunctival epithelial cells of these patients, the Real Time PCR measurement confirmed that the mRNA expression correlates with tear AMCase activity and the expression was significantly higher in VKC and SAC respectively. Also Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that the sensitivity and specificity of AMCase measurement were 100% respectively, addressing the use of AMCase assay in the biochemical diagnosis of VKC and SAC. Recent studies in rabbit, where a reactive uveitis was induced by LPS injection in eye’s anterior chamber, confirmed that increased AMCAse activity was measurable in tears and that epithelial cells of conjunctiva express specific mRNA. A well as it was previously demonstrated in experimental model of mouse asthma, the inflammatory reaction induced by LPS was controlled by the chitinase inhibitor and steroid, instilled at 3 hr interval in conjunctival sacs. In dry eye, another pathologies where the role of innate immunity is sustained by AMCase secretion, an increased AMCase activity was documented and the specific mRNA expressed by epithelial conjunctival cells. In this pathology the eye inflammation can be ascribed to a common mechanism mediated by AMCase, via a Th 2 specific, IL-13 dependent way. In synthesis AMCase may be considered an important mediator in the pathogenesis of Th2 inflammation eye’s diseases, suggesting its potential diagnostic and therapeutic utility.
Effect of stator leakage inductance in field weakening region of a vector controlled induction machine drive for traction application

The vector controlled induction machine drive with field weakening capability is a preferred choice for traction applications. The parameters of the machine have a significant influence on the performance of the drive. The maximum torque output in the field weakening region is limited by the leakage inductances of the machine. Therefore, while selecting a machine for a traction application, it must be ensured that the leakages are such that the required torque speed characteristics are well satisfied in the field weakening region up to the maximum speed. This paper analyses the effect of leakage inductance on the performance of the induction machine drive in the field weakening region. The critical value of leakage inductance which ensures operation up to the highest application speed with specified load demand is derived. The effect of leakage inductance in field weakening region is studied using Matlab/Simulink. The field weakening algorithm is experimentally validated on a 30 kW induction machine, up to five times the base speed.
Lateral and medial tibial plateau angles in normal dogs

Summary Objectives To measure lateral and medial tibial plateau angle values in isolated canine tibiae and to compare lateral and medial tibial plateau angle values between dogs based on sex and breed. Methods Tibiae of 90 dogs from 24 different breeds were used. Photographs were taken of the medial and lateral aspects of the tibiae for measurement of the medial and lateral tibial plateau angles. Additionally, the medial tibial plateau angle was measured from radiographs of the tibiae. Two-way analysis of variance was used to test the effects of side, sex and breed on the medial and lateral tibial plateau angles as measured from photographs as well as the medial tibial plateal angles as measured from radiographs. The photographic and radiographic medial tibial plateau angles were compared by paired t-test, whereas the medial and lateral photographic tibial plateau angles were compared by t-test. Results When all dogs were included in the analysis, the difference between the mean medial tibial plateau angle (24.0 ± 3.19°) and the mean lateral tibial plateau angle (25.5 ± 3.84°) as measured from photographs was significant (p <0.05). The difference in the photographic medial tibial plateau angle between male and female dogs was significant (p <0.05), whereas the difference in the photographic lateral tibial plateau angle between sexes was not significant. There was a significant difference between the medial and lateral tibial plateau angles as measured from photographs in male dogs (p <0.05) but not in female dogs. Breed comparisons also showed significant differences for the photographic lateral tibial plateau angle (p <0.05). Clinical significance The axial rotation of the femoral condyles on the tibial plateau is probably affected by the discrepancy between the medial and lateral tibial plateau angles, and this difference in certain breeds might influence the prevalence of cranial cruciate ligament disease.
Lung Protective Ventilation Induces Immunotolerance and Nitric Oxide Metabolites in Porcine Experimental Postoperative Sepsis

Low tidal volume ventilation is beneficial in patients with severe pulmonary dysfunction and would, in theory, reduce postoperative complications if implemented during routine surgery. The study aimed to investigate whether low tidal volume ventilation and high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) in a large animal model of postoperative sepsis would attenuate the systemic inflammatory response and organ dysfunction. Thirty healthy pigs were randomized to three groups: Group Prot-7h, i.e. protective ventilation for 7 h, was ventilated with a tidal volume of 6 mL x kg-1 for 7 h; group Prot-5h, i.e. protective ventilation for 5 h, was ventilated with a tidal volume of 10 mL x kg-1 for 2 h, after which the group was ventilated with a tidal volume of 6 mL x kg-1; and a control group that was ventilated with a tidal volume of 10 mL x kg-1 for 7 h. In groups Prot-7h and Prot-5h PEEP was 5 cmH2O for 2 h and 10 cmH2O for 5 h. In the control group PEEP was 5 cmH2O for the entire experiment. After surgery for 2 h, postoperative sepsis was simulated with an endotoxin infusion for 5 h. Low tidal volume ventilation combined with higher PEEP led to lower levels of interleukin 6 and 10 in plasma, higher PaO2/FiO2, better preserved functional residual capacity and lower plasma troponin I as compared with animals ventilated with a medium high tidal volume and lower PEEP. The beneficial effects of protective ventilation were seen despite greater reductions in cardiac index and oxygen delivery index. In the immediate postoperative phase low VT ventilation with higher PEEP was associated with reduced ex vivo plasma capacity to produce TNF-α upon endotoxin stimulation and higher nitrite levels in urine. These findings might represent mechanistic explanations for the attenuation of systemic inflammation and inflammatory-induced organ dysfunction.
A New Traffic Safety Paradigm

A new traffic safety paradigm recognizes exposure , total vehicle travel, as a risk factor, and therefore the safety benefits of vehicle travel reduction strategies such as multi-modal planning, more efficient transport pricing, Smart Growth development policies and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs. Abstract Despite large investments in traffic safety programs and technologies, motor vehicle crashes continue to impose high social costs, and recently increased. New strategies are needed to achieve ambitious safety targets such as Vision Zero. Recent research improves our understanding of factors that affect traffic risks and identifies new safety strategies. Applying this knowledge requires a paradigm shift, a change in the way problems are defined and solutions evaluated. The old paradigm assumed that driving is generally safe, and so favored safety programs that target special risks such as youth, senior, impaired and distracted driving. The new paradigm recognizes that all vehicle travel carries risk, so exposure (total vehicle travel) is a risk factor, and vehicle travel reduction strategies provide safety benefits. This report examines our emerging understanding of traffic risks and new safety strategies, and the importance of more comprehensive safety analysis. in
Active Efflux System for Cisplatin in Cisplatin‐resistant Human KB Cells

Mutants, KCP‐4 and PC‐5, resistant to an anticancer agent, cisplatin, were selected in multiple steps from human epidermoid KB carcinoma cells and human prostate PC‐3 carcinoma cells, respectively. KCP‐4 and PC‐5 were 63 and 10 fold more resistant to cisplatin than the parental cells, respectively. KCP‐4 cells exhibited increased resistance to cisplatin analogues and were also slightly cross‐resistant to melphalan, cyclophosphamide, mitomycin C and methotrexate. KCP‐4 cells were not cross‐resistant to doxorubicin, daunorubicin, vincristine or CdSO4. The accumulations of cisplatin in KCP‐4 cells and PC‐5 in medium containing 50 μM cisplatin were approximately 20% of those in the parental cells. Revertant analysis suggested that a defect in cisplatin accumulation may be related to cisplatin resistance in PC‐5 cells. The uncoupling agent of oxidative phosphorylation, 2,4‐dinitrophenol, increased the accumulation of cisplatin in KCP‐4 and cisplatin‐resistant human prostate carcinoma PC‐5 cells to nearly the same level as in their parental KB‐3‐1 and human prostate carcinoma PC‐3 cells without 2,4‐dinitrophenol, but did not increase accumulation in KB‐3‐1 and PC‐3 cells. Addition of glucose in the medium inhibited the enhancement of cisplatin accumulation in KCP‐4 cells by 2,4‐dinitrophenol. Enhanced active efflux of cisplatin from KCP‐4 cells was observed. A cell‐cell hybridization test showed that the cisplatin resistance and the accumulation defect behaved as codominant traits. These data suggest that an active efflux system for cisplatin exists in cisplatin‐resistant KCP‐4 cells.
TITLE: Using Oral Exams to Assess Psychological Literacy: The Final Year Research Project Interview RUNNING HEAD: Assessing Psychological Literacy via Project Interviews

The ability to reason scientifically and communicate research appropriately is central to psychological literacy. Scientific research has little value unless scientists are able to convey results and their consequences clearly to others. In this study, we outline a method of assessing the development of psychological literacy in undergraduate students. Data from three cohorts undertaking assessed interviews as part of a final year research project unit are examined. This assessment evaluated students’ ability to explain the purposes and findings of their research to a lay audience, to articulate the conceptual basis and methodological background to their approach, and to reflect on their own development during the research process. Analysis of marks and feedback from the assessment suggests it to provide a reliable means of evaluating skills that contribute to psychological literacy in a manner that is both educationally acceptable to students and a valid indicator of their general level of course performance.
Centrality-based network coding node selection mechanism for improving network throughput

The problem of minimizing the number of coding nodes is caused by network coding overhead and is proved to be NP-hard. To resolve this issue, this paper proposes Centrality-based Network Coding Node Selection (CNCNS) that is the heuristic and distributed mechanism to minimize the number of network coding (NC) nodes without compromising the achievable network throughput. CNCNS iteratively analyses the node centrality and selects NC node in the specific area. Since CNCNS operates with distributed manner, it can dynamically adapt the network status with approximately minimizing network coding nodes. Especially, CNCNS adjusts the network performance of network throughput and reliability using control indicator. Simulation results show that the well selected network coding nodes can improve the network throughput and almost close to throughput performance of a system where all network nodes operate network coding.
Toward a multivariate reanalysis of the North Atlantic Ocean biogeochemistry during 1998-2006 based on the assimilation of SeaWiFS chlorophyll data

Abstract. Today, the routine assimilation of satellite data into operational models of ocean circulation is mature enough to enable the production of global reanalyses describing the ocean circulation variability during the past decades. The expansion of the "reanalysis" concept from ocean physics to biogeochemistry is a timely challenge that motivates the present study. The objective of this paper is to investigate the potential benefits of assimilating satellite-estimated chlorophyll data into a basin-scale three-dimensional coupled physical–biogeochemical model of the North Atlantic. The aim is on the one hand to improve forecasts of ocean biogeochemical properties and on the other hand to define a methodology for producing data-driven climatologies based on coupled physical–biogeochemical modeling. A simplified variant of the Kalman filter is used to assimilate ocean color data during a 9-year period. In this frame, two experiments are carried out, with and without anamorphic transformations of the state vector variables. Data assimilation efficiency is assessed with respect to the assimilated data set, nitrate of the World Ocean Atlas database and a derived climatology. Along the simulation period, the non-linear assimilation scheme clearly improves the surface analysis and forecast chlorophyll concentrations, especially in the North Atlantic bloom region. Nitrate concentration forecasts are also improved thanks to the assimilation of ocean color data while this improvement is limited to the upper layer of the water column, in agreement with recent related literature. This feature is explained by the weak correlation taken into account by the assimilation between surface phytoplankton and nitrate concentrations deeper than 50 meters. The assessment of the non-linear assimilation experiments indicates that the proposed methodology provides the skeleton of an assimilative system suitable for reanalyzing the ocean biogeochemistry based on ocean color data.
Violent video games: Sensitisation or desensitisation? A mixed methods study

This study analysed the effects of playing a violent video game on emotional desensitisation. A sample consisting mainly of university students (N=30) were assigned to play either a violent game (VG) or non-violent game (NVG) and were then exposed to a series of images depicting scenes of real-life violence. During both game-play and exposure to images, participants’ heart rate (HR) and galvanic skin response (GSR) were recorded. Also, the Self-Assessment Manikin scale was used as a measure of self-report valence (SRV) and self-report arousal (SRA) at both of these times. Self-report and physiological measures were combined in this study as previous research has henceforth been inconclusive in regards to the effects of VGs on reactions to depictions of real-life violence. Data from all four of these variables (HR, GSR, SRV, SRA) were analysed to ascertain whether playing a VG led participants to show attenuated reactions to the images i.e. desensitisation. Of these four variables, SRV was the only variable to indicate a significant difference between groups in terms of ratings given when exposed to the images. Contrary to previous findings, this finding indicated sensitisation as opposed to desensitisation, suggesting that playing violent games increases displeasure to real-life violence rather than decreasing it as desensitisation would suggest. Although findings for GSR and SRA were non-significant, they also point towards sensitisation. In regards to HR, findings were also non-significant, although descriptive findings suggest that playing VGs leads to desensitisation. These findings are discussed in relation to the extended general aggression model (Carnagey et al, 2007), although further study is suggested to clarify findings. In regards to the effects of VGs, such games can, for example, lead to changes in the individual’s state aggression, their pro-social behaviour as well as their physiological arousal (Anderson & Bushman, 2001).
Extreme Learning Machine With Enhanced Composite Feature for Spectral-Spatial Hyperspectral Image Classification

The applications of extreme learning machine (ELM) to the hyperspectral-image (HSI) classification have attracted a great deal of research attention because of its excellent performance and fast learning speed. However, conventional ELM is unable to achieve satisfactory accuracy since it only exploits the spectral information to conduct the HSI classification. To address the above issues, we propose a novel classification algorithm based on both spectral and multiscale spatial information, referred to as ELM with enhanced composite feature (ELM-ECF). To be specific, we adopt the original ELM, exploit a multiscale spatial weighted-mean-filtering-based approach to extract multiple spatial information, and use the majority vote method to select the final classification result. The proposed ELM-ECF significantly improves the classification accuracy of the original ELM. Experimental results on three public HSIs (i.e., Indian Pines data set, Pavia University data set, and Salinas data set) illustrate that the proposed ELM-ECF outperforms a variety of the state-of-the-art HSI classification counterparts in terms of classification accuracy.
Immunohistochemical Detection of Carcinogen‐DNA Adducts in Normal Human Prostate Tissues Transplanted into the Subcutis of Athymic Nude Mice: Results with 2‐Amino‐1‐methyl‐6‐phenylimidazo[4,5‐b]pyridine (PhIP) and 3,2′‐Dimethyl‐4‐aminobiphenyl (DMAB) and Relation to Cytochrome P450s and N‐Acetyltran

Human prostate tissue transplanted into nude mice was examined immunohistochemically for DNA adducts formed after administration of 3,2′‐dimethyl‐4‐aminobiphenyl (DMAB) or 2‐amino‐1‐methyl‐6‐phenylimidazo[4,5‐b]pyridine (PhIP). Positive staining for DMAB‐ or PhIP‐DNA adducts was evident in 70–95% of both epithelial and stromal cells in human prostate xenografts. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis revealed a normal human prostate epithelial cell line (PrEC) to express both cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) and N‐acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) mRNA, while a normal human prostate fibroblast cell line (NHPF) expressed NAT2, but not CYP1A2 mRNA. In addition, NAT2 and to a lesser extent CYP1A2 mRNAs were also found in four cases of normal human prostate tissues. The results suggest that initial activation of chemicals by liver CYP1A2 and subsequent metabolism by prostate NAT2 is a major pathway of DNA adduct formation in human prostate cells. Thus, the data suggest that human prostate has the potential to be targeted by environmental carcinogens.
Effect of oral fluids on dental caries detection by the VistaCam

The VistaCam® system (Durr Dental, Bietigheim‐Bissingen, Germany) has been suggested as an adjunct to clinical examination for dental caries. This study assessed whether the digital scores obtained for tooth surfaces were affected by the colour of the carious lesions present and by the presence of saliva or blood on the tooth surface. The VistaCam intra‐oral ries, or with sound enamel and root surfaces, with or without overlying dental plaque biofilm. Teeth that had undergone root treatment or were stained by tetracycline were also assessed. Readings were taken in the dry state and after application of human stimulated saliva or venous blood onto the surface of the samples. VistaCam fluorescence scores for all samples were similar in the dry state, and when covered with saliva (P > 0.05), however a coating of dilute blood elevated the readings for most samples to a high level (P < 0.01), other than tetracycline stained teeth and dental caries (P > 0.05). Readings for healthy enamel were 0.9–1.1, and these increased up to 2.8 in the presence of blood. VistaCam fluorescence scores are not affected by dryness or moisture from the presence of saliva but increase when traces of blood are present. This problem needs to be taken into account when the device is used clinically, because blood from the gingival crevice is a common contaminant of tooth surfaces when patients have widespread gingival inflammation. There are also issues with elevated scores from background fluorescence from tetracyclines, which need to be considered when the system is in clinical use.