Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent reduction in NOx emissions over China: synthesis of satellite observations and emission inventories

Tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) column densities detected from space are widely used to infer trends in terrestrial nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. We study changes in NO2 column densities using the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) over China from 2005 to 2015 and compare them with the bottom-up inventory to examine NOx emission trends and their driving forces. From OMI measurements we detect the peak of NO2 column densities at a national level in the year 2011, with average NO2 column densities deceasing by 32% from 2011 to 2015 and corresponding to a simultaneous decline of 21% in bottom-up emission estimates. A significant variation in the peak year of NO2 column densities over regions is observed. Because of the reasonable agreement between the peak year of NO2 columns and the start of deployment of denitration devices, we conclude that power plants are the primary contributor to the NO2 decline, which is further supported by the emission reduction of 56% from the power sector in the bottom-up emission inventory associated with the penetration of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) increasing from 18% to 86% during 2011–2015. Meanwhile, regulations for vehicles also make a significant contribution to NOx emission reductions, in particular for a few urbanized regions (e.g., Beijing and Shanghai), where they implemented strict regulations for vehicle emissions years before the national schedule for SCR installations and thus reached their NO2 peak 2–3 years ahead of the deployment of denitration devices for power plants.
A numerical simulation study on the CO2 leakage through the fault

Many carbon capture and storage projects are underway all over the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, we numerically analyze the movement of injected CO<sub>2</sub> through the faults undetected prior to injection. We use TOUGH2-MP ECO2N software to estimate the behavior of injected and leaked CO<sub>2</sub>. The storage site is 100 m thick saline aquifer located 850 m under the shallow continental shelf. It is assumed that CO<sub>2</sub> is first leaked through the 1<sup>st</sup> fault located 400 m away from injection well and then leaked to the seabed through the 2<sup>nd</sup> fault located 400 m away from 1<sup>st</sup> fault. We vary the injection rate of CO<sub>2</sub> to 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 MtCO2/year to analyze the effect of injection rate. For 0.25 MtCO<sub>2</sub>/year injection rate, no leakage is calculated, however, for 0.50 and 0.75 MtCO<sub>2</sub>/year, the leakages of CO<sub>2</sub> to seabed are detected. The starting times of leakage at 0.5 and 0.75 MtCO<sub>2</sub>/year injection rates are 22.9 and 17.8 years, respectively. The ratios of total leaked CO<sub>2</sub> to total injected CO<sub>2</sub> at 0.5 and 0.75 MtCO<sub>2</sub>/year injection rates are 8% and 16.4%, respectively.
Skeletal tissue engineering using embryonic stem cells

Various cell types have been investigated as candidate cell sources for cartilage and bone tissue engineering. In this review, we focused on chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and their potential in cartilage and bone tissue engineering. A decade ago, mouse ESCs were first used as a model to study cartilage and bone development and essential genes, factors and conditions for chondrogenesis and osteogenesis were unravelled. This knowledge, combined with data from the differentiation of adult stem cells, led to successful chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of mouse ESCs and later also human ESCs. Next, researchers focused on the use of ESCs for skeletal tissue engineering. Cartilage and bone tissue was formed in vivo using ESCs. However, the amount, homogeneity and stability of the cartilage and bone formed were still insufficient for clinical application. The current protocols require improvement not only in differentiation efficiency but also in ESC‐specific hurdles, such as tumourigenicity and immunorejection. In addition, some of the general tissue engineering challenges, such as cell seeding and nutrient limitation in larger constructs, will also apply for ESCs. In conclusion, there are still many challenges, but there is potential for ESCs in skeletal tissue engineering. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exemplary online information literacy courses at selected four-year colleges and universities

Twenty three in-depth qualitative telephone interviews were conducted in this multiple case study with instruction librarians at eight four-year colleges and universities. Snowball sampling was used to select instruction librarian, information literacy department head and administration participants employed at institutions recognized by Association of College and Research Libraries for exemplary information literacy best practices: information programs. The questions researched in this dissertation were: How are selected four-year colleges implementing exemplary information literacy courses? How do exemplary four-year college library information literacy courses implement the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education (2016)? How do exemplary four-year colleges and universities implement digital literacy and the six frames of the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2016)? The Association of College and Research Libraries Standards (2000) and the Framework for information literacy for higher education (2016) were used as a foundation for this study. A conceptual framework was built in this study around information literacy historical underpinnings and five major national educational reports that were submitted to Congress between 1983 and 1989. These reports accelerated the information literacy agenda in institutions. The major study findings suggested that information literacy programs in institutions were most successful when the library’s program was supported by the institution’s administration. Successful information literacy course and program implementation in all eight institutional settings were dependent on the collaborative arrangements made between the instructional librarians and the faculty. Online information literacy courses were not common at the eight institutions. Information literacy instruction was blended and information literacy tutorials provided to students had onlinecomponents. Instruction librarians were using best practices in six areas that directly related to the development and design of the information literacy course: in their reference interactions with students, in choosing information literacy and teaching and learning models that would fit their institution’s programs, in the development of information literacy curriculum, in curriculum and program administration procedures and in assessing their information literacy courses and programs. Findings also indicated that although there was a great deal of anecdotal evidence that instructors provided that their students were information literate when they graduated, and that they were lifelong learners, no institutions had implemented tests for seniors that determined whether they were graduating information literate. Exemplary online information literacy courses at selected four-year colleges and universities
Interferon‐γ induces internalization of epithelial tight junction proteins via a macropinocytosis‐like process

Increased epithelial permeability is observed in inflammatory states. However, the mechanism by which inflammatory mediators such as IFN‐γ increase epithelial permeability is unknown. We recently observed that IFN‐γ induces disassembly of tight junctions (TJ); in this study we asked whether such TJ disassembly is mediated by endocytosis of junctional proteins. The role of three major internalization pathways in disruption of TJ in IFN‐γ‐treated intestinal epithelial cells was analyzed using selective inhibitors and markers of the pathways. No role for the clathrin‐ and caveolar‐mediated endocytosis in the IFN‐γ‐induced internalization of TJ proteins was observed. However, inhibitors of macropinocytosis blocked internalization of TJ proteins and junctional proteins colocalized with macropinocytosis markers, dextran and phosphatidylinositol‐3,4,5‐trisphosphate. Internalized TJ proteins were identified in early and recycling endosomes but not in late endosomes/lysosomes. These results for the first time suggest that IFN‐γ produces a leaky epithelial barrier by inducing macropinoytosis of TJ proteins. Bruewer, M. , Utechm, M. , Ivanov, A. I. , Hopkins, A. M. , Parkos, C. A. , Nusrat, A. Interferon‐γ induces internalization of epithelial tight junction proteins via a macropinocytosis‐like process. FASEB J. 19, 923–933 (2005)
Hemodynamic and Cardiac Contractile Function During Sepsis Caused by Cecal Ligation and Puncture in Mice

Sepsis is among the leading causes of death in the critically ill, yet the pathophysiology of sepsis is incompletely understood. Genetically engineered mice offer a unique opportunity to explore the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of sepsis. However, the hemodynamic responses of mice during sepsis are not completely understood because of the difficulty in performing cardiovascular measurements in mice. We used a 1.4-F pressure and conductance catheter to measure hemodynamics in wild-type C57BL/6J mice during sepsis caused by cecal ligation and puncture. Septic mice exhibited significant hypothermia compared with the sham group. In addition, there was a progressive decrease in mean arterial blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance in septic mice as well as an increase in stroke volume and cardiac output. Sepsis also caused a significant time-dependent impairment of left ventricular function as indicated by decreased dp/dtmax and dp/dtmin. The slope of end systolic pressure volume relationship also decreased over time, as did the time varying maximum elastance and preload-recruitable stroke work of the left ventricle. In conclusion, septic mice exhibit hemodynamic alterations during sepsis that are similar to those observed in humans. The miniaturized conductance catheter allows for effective measurements of hemodynamic function in septic mice and provides measurements that cannot be obtained using other cardiovascular monitoring techniques.
Global Market Surveillance

This paper provides evidence on market surveillance from exchanges and securities commissions from twenty-five jurisdictions in North, Central and South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Exchanges as SROs engage in a greater range of single-market surveillance of market manipulative practices than securities commissions, but the scope of cross-market surveillance activity is very similar among exchanges and securities commissions. Cross-market surveillance is more effective with information-sharing arrangements, and securities commissions are more likely to engage in information sharing than exchanges are. Relative to the scope of single-market surveillance, the scope of cross-market surveillance shows a stronger positive association with trading velocity, the number of listed companies, and market capitalization. The data also indicate that as at 2005, there is ample scope for jurisdictions to expand their cross-market surveillance and thereby stimulate investor confidence and trading activity.
Human submandibular-sublingual saliva promotes adhesion of Candida albicans to polymethylmethacrylate

The purpose of this study was to identify components of saliva that interact with Candida albicans in solution and that may modulate adhesion to dental acrylic (polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA]) surfaces. Saliva-derived pellicles extracted from C. albicans blastoconidia and hyphal-form cells mixed with fresh human submandibular-sublingual saliva (HSMSL) contained predominantly high- and low-molecular-weight mucins (MG1 and MG2, respectively). In contrast, few components from fresh human parotid saliva were adsorbed to yeast cells. Coating PMMA beads with HSMSL significantly enhanced (10-fold) adhesion of both growth forms of C. albicans compared with human parotid saliva (2-fold), suggesting a role for mucins in adhesion. HSMSL-enhanced adhesion was completely abolished by preadsorbing HSMSL with either blastoconidia or hyphal-form cells prior to coating PMMA. However, coating PMMA with purified salivary mucins or the addition of mucin to preadsorbed saliva did not enhance or restore adhesion to levels found with fresh HSMSL. Adhesion assays employing guanidine-treated fresh HSMSL showed a complete lack of Candida binding, suggesting that subjecting HSMSL to dissociating conditions may alter a property of salivary mucins crucial for C. albicans adhesion. Protease and glycosidase treatment of yeast cells significantly reduced adhesion to HSMSL-coated PMMA. In addition, preincubation of C. albicans with mannose and galactose inhibited adhesion to HSMSL-coated PMMA. These results suggest that mucins may play a role in C. albicans adhesion to saliva-coated PMMA and that a glycoprotein on the yeast surface may be involved in these events.
PATCH 2013: Personal Access to Cultural Heritage

The number of digital collections in the cultural heritage domain is increasing year on year. Improved quality of access to cultural collections, especially those collections which are not exhibited physically is a key objective of the digitisation process. Despite some successes in this area, many digitised collections struggle to attract users or to maintain their interest over a prolonged period. One of the key reasons for this is that users of these archives vary in expertise (from professional researchers to school children) and have different tasks and goals that they are trying to accomplish. This paper describes CULTURA, an FP7 funded project that is addressing this specific issue through its four-phase personalisation approach and accompanying suite of services. By employing such personalisation techniques, CULTURA is helping the exploration of, linking to, and collaboration around cultural heritage collections.
Asset Pricing Anomalies: Two Hedge Factors with Negative Risk Premia Embedded in Portfolios!

The primary purpose of this research is to empirically test a new asset pricing model, the Relative Asset Pricing Model (RAPM), and to confirm whether hedge portfolios on two new risk factors highlighted in that model, and embedded in all portfolios, have negative and significant risk premia. In a number of specifications, this first test of RAPM appears to validate the importance of these two ubiquitous risk factors: (i) a liability proxy or Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA); and (ii) an index of traditional rebalancing back to the SAA (REBAL). A secondary goal of the research is to then examine what RAPM and the inclusion of these two risk factors mean for other commonly used factors (like Value Premium, Capitalization Premium, and Momentum Premium) that are increasingly being added to portfolios in a new trend called “factor-based investing”. In many regressions, adding these two new factors either individually or together causes traditional factors like Capitalization and – in fewer cases – Momentum to lose their significance. Valuation continues to be significant even in tests where the SAA is heavily biased to include Value indices. These findings have interesting implications for improving portfolio performance especially in a low-yielding environment. Investors would do well to consider an intelligent approach to managing portfolio drift. With respect to factor-based investing, two results stand out: (i) Valuation seems to be a very robust strategy; and (ii) early movers probably benefit before these strategies get incorporated into the industry-wide SAA and then lose significance – a seemingly obvious result but validated in the context of a robust asset pricing model, thereby also serving as a first test of (a special case of) the Adaptive Markets Hypothesis.
Value Addition and Processing by Farmers in Developing Countries: Evidence From the Coffee Sector in Ethiopia

Washed coffee is being sold in international markets with a premium of more than 20%. However, only about 30% of Ethiopia’s coffee export is washed and the small-scale coffee farmers, processors, exporters, and the country are missing out on sizable opportunity of commanding higher rewards. Relying on unique datasets and using a double hurdle technique, we examined factors affecting the decision and amount of selling coffee in red berries -the primary input for washing coffee- instead of the dried type. Results show that lack of access to wet mills, lack of enough red berry buyers, and bad quality coffee harvest reduce the likelihood of coffee sales in red berries form and hence a subsequent lower level of washed coffee. On the other hand, government’s action of deciding designated selling dates, membership to a cooperative, and access to advances and loans increase the likelihood of selling coffee in red berries form.
High power microwave generation in virtual cathode systems

There are two mechanisms which lead to production of high-power microwaves in vircators. The first deals with electrons oscillating near the anode and the second with the virtual cathode (VC) oscillating as a whole. Generally, both mechanisms are present, but in a given device one may dominate the other. If the anode is thick enough to absorb reflected electrons, thus preventing them from reentering the diode region, the first mechanism vanishes. A discussion is presented of the second mechanism, which is realized, for example, in the reditron. Anode plasma produced by high-current electron beam passing through the anode is taken into account. Based on their experimental work, the authors conclude that the vircator is a source of powerful microwave oscillation not only of centimeter but also millimeter and sub-millimeter ranges. <<ETX>>
Oxytocin and Vasopressin in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Sex Differences and Associations With Symptoms

There has been intensified interest in the neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) given their role in affiliative and social behavior in animals, positive results of treatment studies using OT, and findings that genetic polymorphisms in the AVP–OT pathway are present in individuals with ASD. Nearly all such studies in humans have focused only on males. With this preliminary study, we provide basic and novel information on the involvement of OT and AVP in autism, with an investigation of blood plasma levels of these neuropeptides in 75 preadolescent and adolescent girls and boys ages 8–18: 40 with high‐functioning ASD (19 girls, 21 boys) and 35 typically developing children (16 girls, 19 boys). We related neuropeptide levels to social, language, repetitive behavior, and internalizing symptom measures in these individuals. There were significant gender effects: Girls showed higher levels of OT, while boys had significantly higher levels of AVP. There were no significant effects of diagnosis on OT or AVP. Higher OT values were associated with greater anxiety in all girls, and with better pragmatic language in all boys and girls. AVP levels were positively associated with restricted and repetitive behaviors in girls with ASD but negatively (nonsignificantly) associated with these behaviors in boys with ASD. Our results challenge the prevailing view that plasma OT levels are lower in individuals with ASD, and suggest that there are distinct and sexually dimorphic mechanisms of action for OT and AVP underlying anxiety and repetitive behaviors. Autism Res 2013, 6: 91–102. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular Signaling Aptamers for Real‐time Fluorescence Analysis of Protein

Aptamers are a new class of nucleic acids that are selected in vitro for binding target molecules with high affinity and selectivity. They are promising protein‐binding molecular probes that rival conventional antibodies for protein analysis. There have been recent advances in the development of molecular signaling aptamers that can transduce target protein binding to sensitive fluorescence signal changes. This facilitates the real time protein monitoring in homogenous solution as well as potentially in vivo . Different signaling strategies of using dual labeled aptamers based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), one fluorophore labeled aptamers based on fluorescence anisotropy assay, or other label‐free aptamers are reviewed.IUBMB Life, 57: 123‐128, 2005
Interaction of activated protein C with serpins.

The inhibition of activated protein C by six different serine protease inhibitors (serpins) that have arginine residues in the P1 position has been investigated. Micromolar concentrations of C1-inhibitor failed to inhibit the enzyme, and it was inhibited only slowly by antithrombin III with an association rate constant (kass.) of 0.15 M-1.s-1. The kass. values for the other serpins tested (protease nexin I, protein C inhibitor, and mutants of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and alpha 1-antitrypsin with P1 arginine residues) were at least 1000-fold higher, with P1-Arg-alpha 1-antitrypsin (kass. = 7 x 10(4) M-1.s-1) being the most effective inhibitor. The inhibition with these four serpins appeared to be reversible, with inhibition constants in the nanomolar range. The relatively high value of kass. for protease nexin I (5 x 10(3) M-1.s-1) suggested that it may be involved in the control of activated protein C on the surface of platelets where protein nexin I is present at relatively high concentrations. The value of kass. for protease nexin I, protein C inhibitor and antithrombin III showed a bell-shaped dependence on heparin concentration. At optimal concentrations, heparin accelerated the rate of inhibition by protease nexin I, protein C inhibitor and antithrombin III by 44-, 18- and 13-fold respectively. The kinetic constants for the inhibition of thrombin were also determined, and in all cases the serpins were more effective inhibitors of thrombin. Comparison of the sequences of the active-site regions of activated protein C and thrombin suggested that the more hydrophobic active site of thrombin may be more favourable for interactions with serpins.
Nurse follow-up of patients with diabetes: randomized controlled trial.

AIM This paper reports a study comparing the outcomes of diabetic patients undergoing either early discharge or routine care. BACKGROUND The hospital is not the best place to monitor the glycaemic control of patients with diabetes with no other morbidity or complications. It is an unnatural environment in which diet is planned and the activity level is low. The hospital is also an expensive place in which to treat patients. METHODS This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the medical department of a regional hospital in Hong Kong. A total of 101 patients who needed glycaemic monitoring, but who were otherwise fit for discharge, were recruited. The control group continued to receive routine hospital care. The study group was discharged early and received a follow-up programme which included a weekly or biweekly telephone call from a nurse. FINDINGS When compared with the control group, the study group had a greater decrease in HbA1c at 24 weeks, although the statistical difference was marginal (7.6 vs. 8.1, P = 0.06), a higher blood monitoring adherence score at both 12 weeks (5.4 vs. 3.6, P < 0.001) and 24 weeks (5.3 vs. 3.5, P < 0.001), and a higher exercise adherence score at 12 weeks (5.3 vs. 3.4, P = 0.001) and 24 weeks (5.5 vs. 3.2, P < 0.001). The study group had a shorter hospital stay (2.2 vs. 5.9, P < 0.001), and the net savings were HK$11,888 per patient. CONCLUSION It is feasible to integrate treatment into the real life environments of patients with diabetes, and nurse-led transitional care is a practical and cost-effective model. Nurse follow-up is effective in maintaining optimal glycaemic control and enhancing adherence to health behaviours. Management of glycaemic control is better done in the community than in the hospital.