Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Avaliação da Atividade Alimentar dos Invertebrados de Solo em Campos do Sul do Brasil – Bait-Lamina Test

Esse trabalho tem como finalidade fornecer informacoes sobre um teste pioneiro ( bait-lamina test ) utilizado nos Campos do Sul do Brasil com a finalidade de avaliar a atividade alimentar dos invertebrados do solo – um indicativo de taxas de decomposicao da serapilheira nos ecossistemas. Descreve-se o comportamento alimentar durante dois meses, acessando a profundidade do solo (0-8 cm) na qual ocorre maior consumo e analisando duas formas de quantificacao deste consumo (tecnica conservativa X tecnica pratica) em dois diferentes ecossistemas campestres. Foram estabelecidas 100 unidades amostrais (u.a.) independentemente em cada area (pastejada e nao pastejada), adicionando a cada uma duas bait-lamina, uma disposta horizontalmente na superficie do solo, e outra verticalmente dentro do solo. Para cada data amostral (9, 16, 22, 29 e 65 dias de exposicao) foram sorteadas 20 u.a. para analise. Foi observado grande consumo desde o inicio da exposicao, tanto na superficie quanto dentro do solo. A atividade da fauna diferiu com a profundidade do solo, sendo maior na superficie e na profundidade de 6,5-8 cm. Em relacao as diferentes tecnicas, ambas revelaram resultados similares quando se compararam as duas areas. A area pastejada demonstrou menor atividade dos invertebrados quando comparada a nao pastejada. Esses resultados constituem base para futuras pesquisas no Brasil, relatando que o teste de bait-lamina nos Campos Sulinos pode oferecer resultados otimizados apos cerca de uma quinzena de dias de exposicao. Evaluation of Soil Invertebrates Feeding Activity in South Brazilian Campos – Bait Lamina Test Abstract. The aim of this work is to inform about a pioneer bait-lamina test in the South Brazilian Campos to evaluate the soil invertebrates feeding activity which is an approaching to leaf litter decomposition rates in the ecosystems. The feeding activity was tested during two months, across 8 cm of soil depth and employing a comparison between two techniques of consumption quantification (conservative technique vs. practical technique) in two different grassland areas (grazed and not grazed) were described. One hundred independent sampling units (s.u.) were established on each area, and in each s.u. two bait-lamina were inserted: one horizontally and another vertically. For each sampling date (9, 16, 22, 29 e 65 days of exposition), 20 s.u. were sorted and analyzed. We observed a high feeding activity from the beginning of the experiments, both in the surface and within the soil. Soil fauna feeding activity differed according to soil depth, being higher on the surface and for 6.5-8 cm deep in the soil. Both techniques lead to similar results when the two areas were compared. The grazed site showed lower invertebrate feeding activity than the site not grazed. These findings constitute a basis for future researches in Brazil, relating that the bait-lamina test can offer useful results around fifteen days of exposition.
Electrical alternans and cardiac electrical instability.

We investigated the relationship between electrical alternans and cardiac electrical stability in a series of 20 dog experiments and in a pilot clinical study. Electrical alternans was detected in both the QRS complex and the ST-T wave by use of a novel multidimensional spectral technique. The magnitude of the alteration was expressed as the alternating electrocardiographic morphology index (AEMI), expressed as parts per million of waveform energy. Electrical stability in the dog preparations was assessed via the ventricular fibrillation threshold measurement, and in the clinical studies via programmed stimulation. In 10 dog experiments, systemic hypothermia resulted in a 60% decrease in ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) (p less than .0001) and a significant increase in both AEMI(QRS) form 3.7 +/- 3.0 to 1448 +/- 548 (p less than .0001) and AEMI(ST-T) from 43.9 +/- 18.4 to 19,178 +/- 5579 (p less than .0001). In 10 dog experiments, transient coronary artery ligation also resulted in a 60% decrease in VFT (p less than .0001), an increase from 76.3 +/- 46.5 to 245 +/- 11 in AEMI(QRS) (p less than .05), and an increase from 842 +/- 505 to 1365 +/- 392 in AEMI(ST-T) (p less than .002). In 119 observations in 20 animal experiments, the rank correlation between VFT and AEMI(QRS) was -. 30 (p less than .001), with that between VFT and AEMI(ST-T) being -. 55 (p less than .0001). In a double-blind pilot clinical trial consisting of 23 studies in 19 patients, the result of electrophysiologic testing was used as an independent measure of cardiac electrical stability. Alternation in waveform morphology identified the inducible patient population with a sensitivity of 92%, a positive predictivity of 70%, and a specificity of 50% (p less than .05). We conclude that analysis of subtle beat-to-beat variability in electrocardiographic morphology may provide a noninvasive measure of cardiac electrical stability.
An Inference Network Model for Retrieving Reusable Learning Objects

Reusing learning materials is an essential issue in developing e-learning content. For this purpose, the concept of Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) has been developed by different organizations, and recently RLOs' metadata has been standardized to push up their reusability to its extent. In this paper, we focus on our vision of RLOs that have standard metadata and are stored in repositories. To enable advanced retrieval and browsing operations on RLOs' repositories, we have developed the LORIN model. This new model is based essentially on an Inference Network Retrieval model which is applied generally in Information Retrieval applications. LORIN model has been implemented and tested on a repository of learning objects that we have developed for pre-university curricula.
Role of Multivalent Cations in the Organization, Structure, and Assembly of the Cell Wall of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Asbell, Mary A. (University of Georgia, Athens), and R. G. Eagon. Role of multivalent cations in the organization, structure, and assembly of the cell wall of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J. Bacteriol. 92:380–387. 1966. —Incubation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with ethylenediaminetetraacetate induced the formation of osmotically fragile rods termed osmoplasts. These could be restored to osmotically stable forms by multivalent cations. Only those cells restored by divalent cations normally found in the cell wall were capable of multiplication. The respiration of restored cells, however, was unimpaired, irrespective of whether they were capable of multiplication. Moreover, the permeability characteristics of osmoplasts and restored cells were unimpaired. When multivalent cations were chelated from the cell wall and replaced by sodium, a weakened cell wall and an osmotically fragile cell resulted. This was apparently caused by the absence of cross-linkages in the cell wall via multivalent cations. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer compounded the lethal effects of ethylenediaminetetraacetate. The lipopolysaccharide component was inferred to be the site of attack by ethylenediaminetetraacetate. A mechanism for the synthesis of the lipopolysaccharide sacculus was proposed whereby negatively charged subunits are “trapped” by forming ionic and coordinate bonds intermediated by multivalent cations.
Comments on the BLAG model; Factors affecting atmospheric CO 2 and temperature over the past 100 million years

Since publication of the BLAG model several new items have appeared that bear on the question of paleo-atmospheric CO/sub 2/ levels. First, there is a problem between recent estimates in the literature of Cretaceous sea-floor spreading rates being similar to today and many reports of much more abundant Cretaceous volcanism. Clarification of this problem is central to the BLAG model. Second, the temperature dependence of weathering assumed in the BLAG model is in agreement with present data on the relation between temperature and average riverine silica concentrations. Third, increased worldwide organic carbon burial rates and increased land volcanism during the Cretaceous can be used to infer increased CO/sub 2/ uptake via rock weathering at that time. Finally, new model calculations show that the simple extrapolations of the BLAG model give a paleotemperature-versus-CO/sub 2/ relation that is in agreement with the new model results within the probable error of paleotemperature estimates. 28 references, 2 figures, 1 table.
Finite-time lower bounds for the two-armed bandit problem

We obtain minimax lower bounds on the regret for the classical two-armed bandit problem. We provide a finite-sample minimax version of the well-known log n asymptotic lower bound of Lai and Robbins (1985). The finite-time lower bound allows us to derive conditions for the amount of time necessary to make any significant gain over a random guessing strategy. These bounds depend on the class of possible distributions of the rewards associated with the arms. For example, in contrast to the log n asymptotic results on the regret, we show that the minimax regret is achieved by mere random guessing under fairly mild conditions on the set of allowable configurations of the two arms. That is, we show that for every allocation rule and for every n, there is a configuration such that the regret at time n is at least 1-/spl epsiv/ times the regret of random guessing, where /spl epsiv/ is any small positive constant.
Seismicity and deformation induced by magma accumulation at three basaltic volcanoes

We analyzed the evolution of volcano-tectonic (VT) seismicity and deformation at three basaltic volcanoes (Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Piton de la Fournaise) during phases of magma accumulation. We observed that the VT earthquake activity displays an accelerating evolution at the three studied volcanoes during the time of magma accumulation. At the same times, deformation rates recorded at the summit of Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes were not accelerating but rather tend to decay. To interpret these observations, we propose a physical model describing the evolution of pressure produced by the accumulation of magma into a reservoir. This variation of pressure is then used to force a simple model of damage, where damage episodes are equivalent to earthquakes. This model leads to an exponential increase of the VT activity and to an exponential decay of the deformation rate during accumulation phases. Seismicity and deformation data are well fitted by such an exponential model. The time constant, deduced from the exponential increase of the seismicity, is in agreement with the time constant predicted by the model of magma accumulation. This VT activity can thus be a direct indication of the accumulation of magma at depth, and therefore can be seen as a long-term precursory phenomenon, at least for the three studied basaltic volcanoes. Unfortunately, it does not allow the prediction of the onset of future eruptions, as no diverging point (i.e., critical time) is present in the model.
Fenretinide Corrects the Imbalance between Omega-6 to Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Inhibits Macrophage Inflammatory Mediators via the ERK Pathway

We previously identified Fragile X-related protein 1 (FXR1) as an RNA-binding protein involved in the post-transcriptional control of TNF and other cytokines in macrophages. Macrophages derived from FXR1-KO mice overexpress several inflammatory cytokines including TNF. Recently, we showed that fenretinide (4HPR) is able to inhibit several inflammatory cytokines in the lungs of cystic fibrosis mice, which also have abnormal immune responses. Therefore, we hypothesized that 4HPR might also be able to downregulate excessive inflammation even in macrophages with ablated FXR1. Indeed, our results demonstrate that 4HPR inhibited the excessive production of inflammatory mediators, including TNF, IL-6, CCL2 and CCL-5 in LPS-stimulated FXR1-KO macrophages, by selectively inhibiting phosphorylation of ERK1/2, which is naturally more phosphorylated in FXR1-KO cells. We also found that LPS stimulation of FXR1-KO macrophages led to significantly higher ratio of arachidonic acid/docosahexaenoic acid than observed in FXR1-WT macrophages. Interestingly, treatment with 4HPR was associated with the normalization of arachidonic acid/docosahexaenoic acid ratio in macrophages, which we found to impact phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Overall, this study shows for the first time that 4HPR modulates inflammatory cytokine expression in macrophages by correcting a phospholipid-bound fatty acid imbalance that impacts the phosphorylation of ERK1/2.
The role of marker traits in the assortative mating within red crossbills, Loxia curvirostra complex

We conducted mate choice experiments to determine whether differences in calls or bill morphology might influence assortative mating between call types of red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra complex) that have diverged in bill structure to specialize on different species of conifers. Females preferred males that gave calls that matched their own type, but did not prefer males that more closely approximated the average or optimal bill size of the female's call type. These results were consistent with our breeding simulations, which showed that females gained an indirect fitness benefit by choosing a male of her own call type because this reduced the production of offspring with morphologies that fell between adaptive peaks. However, choice based on bill morphology within a call type provided no further benefit. Calls, which crossbills learn from their parents, likely act as a marker trait indicative of the morphological adaptations of the group, allow for easy assessment of potential mates and facilitate rapid divergence under ecological selection.
Face Recognition Using Sparse Representation-Based Classification on K-Nearest Subspace

The sparse representation-based classification (SRC) has been proven to be a robust face recognition method. However, its computational complexity is very high due to solving a complex -minimization problem. To improve the calculation efficiency, we propose a novel face recognition method, called sparse representation-based classification on k-nearest subspace (SRC-KNS). Our method first exploits the distance between the test image and the subspace of each individual class to determine the nearest subspaces and then performs SRC on the selected classes. Actually, SRC-KNS is able to reduce the scale of the sparse representation problem greatly and the computation to determine the nearest subspaces is quite simple. Therefore, SRC-KNS has a much lower computational complexity than the original SRC. In order to well recognize the occluded face images, we propose the modular SRC-KNS. For this modular method, face images are partitioned into a number of blocks first and then we propose an indicator to remove the contaminated blocks and choose the nearest subspaces. Finally, SRC is used to classify the occluded test sample in the new feature space. Compared to the approach used in the original SRC work, our modular SRC-KNS can greatly reduce the computational load. A number of face recognition experiments show that our methods have five times speed-up at least compared to the original SRC, while achieving comparable or even better recognition rates.
The multiphase grain control percolation: Its implication for a partially molten rock

A model of percolation process named the multiphase grain control percolation (MGCP) is proposed in order to estimate the connectivity of the melt phase in a partially molten rock in which spatial melt distribution is determined by the combination of surrounding grain species. According to the stability of the melt phase at the grain boundaries, three types of percolation model are introduced: the corner percolation, the edge percolation and the corner-edge (CE) percolation. The CE percolation can be reduced to the corner or edge percolation. The connectivity of the melt phase is determined as a function of modal composition in a multiphase grain system. For various combinations of grain species surrounding the corner or edge occupied by the melt phase, we obtain the critical grain fraction at which the connectivity changes abruptly from 0 to 1. The critical grain fraction estimated from the MGCP does not coincide with that from the ordinary percolation model in which random distribution of the melt phase is assumed. As a geophysical application of the MGCP, we construct the connectivity diagrams (modal composition diagram of the connectivity of the melt phase) for two partially molten peridotites by using the experimental results of dihedral angle measurements. From these diagrams, we predict that the melt phase is connected extensively if fraction of olivine exceeds 63 vol. % for a natural peridotite composed of olivine, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene, and 38 vol. % for a synthetic peridotite composed of olivine and orthopyroxene. For the former peridotite, we further estimate critical melt fraction. It is shown that the melt phase can be connected extensively when the melt fraction exceeds 0.8 vol. % in the peridotite composed of more than 63 vol. % olivine.
Characterization of ryanodine receptor and Ca2+-ATPase isoforms in the thermogenic heater organ of blue marlin (Makaira nigricans)

SUMMARY A thermogenic organ is found beneath the brain of billfishes (Istiophoridae), swordfish (Xiphiidae) and the butterfly mackerel (Scombridae). The heater organ has been shown to warm the brain and eyes up to 14°C above ambient water temperature. Heater cells are derived from extraocular muscle fibers and express a modified muscle phenotype with an extensive transverse-tubule (T-tubule) network and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) enriched in Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) pumps and ryanodine receptors (RyRs). Heater cells have a high mitochondria content but have lost most of the contractile myofilaments. Thermogenesis has been hypothesized to be associated with release and reuptake of Ca2+. In this study, Ca2+ fluxes in heater SR vesicles derived from blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) were measured using fura-2 fluorescence. Upon the addition of MgATP, heater SR vesicles rapidly sequestered Ca2+. Uptake of Ca2+ was thapsigargin sensitive, and maximum loading ranged between 0.8 μmol Ca2+ mg-1 protein and 1. 0μ mol Ca2+ mg-1 protein. Upon the addition of 10 mmol l-1 caffeine or 350 μmol l-1 ryanodine, heater SR vesicles released only a small fraction of the loaded Ca2+. However, ryanodine could elicit a much larger Ca2+ release event when the activity of the SERCA pumps was reduced. RNase protection assays revealed that heater tissue expresses an RyR isoform that is also expressed in fish slow-twitch skeletal muscle but is distinct from the RyR expressed in fish fast-twitch skeletal muscle. The heater and slow-twitch muscle RyR isoform has unique physiological properties. In the presence of adenine nucleotides, this RyR remains open even though cytoplasmic Ca2+ is elevated, a condition that normally closes RyRs. The fast Ca2+ sequestration by the heater SR, coupled with a physiologically unique RyR, is hypothesized to promote Ca2+ cycling, ATP turnover and heat generation. A branch of the oculomotor nerve innervates heater organs, and, in this paper, we demonstrate that heater cells contain large `endplate-like' clusters of acetylcholine receptors that appear to provide a mechanism for nervous control of thermogenesis.
Bayes Optimal Multilabel Classification via Probabilistic Classifier Chains

In the realm of multilabel classification (MLC), it has become an opinio communis that optimal predictive performance can only be achieved by learners that explicitly take label dependence into account. The goal of this paper is to elaborate on this postulate in a critical way. To this end, we formalize and analyze MLC within a probabilistic setting. Thus, it becomes possible to look at the problem from the point of view of risk minimization and Bayes optimal prediction. Moreover, inspired by our probabilistic setting, we propose a new method for MLC that generalizes and outperforms another approach, called classifier chains, that was recently introduced in the literature.
On the repeatability of the local reference frame for partial shape matching

We investigate on local reference frames (LRF) deployed with 3D descriptors to achieve invariance to objects' pose. We address the task of matching together partial views of surfaces and propose an experimental study on a large corpus of real data which allows for clearly ranking existing LRF proposals based on their repeatability. Then, drawing inspiration from analysis of the experimental findings, we formulate a new proposal which, in particular, peculiarly includes a procedure aimed at estimating a repeatable LRF also at border features, which is very important when matching partial views of surfaces. Experiments show that the new proposal neatly outperforms existing methods in terms of repeatability, is computationally very efficient and provide relevant benefits in practical applications
On the Universality of the LZ-Based Decoding Algorithm

A universal decoder for a family of channels is a decoder that can be designed without prior knowledge of the particular channel in the family over which transmission takes place, and it yet attains the same random-coding error exponent as the optimal decoder tuned to the channel in use. We study Ziv's (1985) decoding algorithm, which is based on Lempel-Ziv (1978) incremental string parsing, and demonstrate that while it was originally proposed as a universal decoder for the family of finite-state channels with deterministic (but unknown) transitions, it is in fact universal for the broader class of all finite-state channels. We also demonstrate that the generalized likelihood decoder may not be universal even for finite families for which a universal decoder always exists.
Recent Progress in the Understanding and Manipulation of Morphology in Polymer: Fullerene Photovoltaic Cells

The morphology of the active layer in OPV devices is widely recognized as being crucial for their photovoltaic performance [1-4]. The physics of the system dictates that excitons must dissociate efficiently at a donor-acceptor interface, and that sufficient pathways for charge transport to the electrodes are also required. Conjugated polymer crystals are considered to be the primary hole carrier and thus are essential for effective charge transport. With this in mind, the ideal morphology for an organic photovoltaic BHJ film was often considered until a few years ago to be a bicontinuous, interpenetrating network morphology composed of pure P3HT and pure PCBM phases, with both phases of order ∼20 nm in size [5, 6] and numer‐ ous cartoon depictions have helped to propagate this view, as the one shown in Figure 1.
Towards automated image hashing based on the Fast Johnson-Lindenstrauss Transform (FJLT)

Perceptual image hashing has become increasingly popular for copy detection and indexing in digital photography. While many researchers have focused on proposing image hashing algorithms that are robust under a variety of content-preserving attacks, little attention has been paid to some of the relevant practical issues, such as estimating the parameter values for these algorithms and improving their speed. The present work addresses these concerns by automatic parameter estimation for the recently proposed Fast Johnson- Lindenstrauss Transform (FJLT) image hashing algorithm. Our simulation results using benchmark images manipulated under content-preserving operations demonstrate that the proposed algorithm finds a set of parameter values that make FJLT-based image hashing significantly faster, while achieving high performance.
Geolocation Techniques: Principles and Applications

Basics of Distributed and Cooperative Radio and Non-Radio Based Geolocation provides a detailed overview of geolocation technologies. The book covers the basic principles of geolocation, including ranging techniques to localization technologies, fingerprinting and localization in wireless sensor networks. This book also examines the latest algorithms and techniques such as Kalman Filtering, Gauss-Newton Filtering and Particle Filtering.