Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In situ remediation of contaminated sediments using carbonaceous materials

Carbonaceous materials (CM), such as activated carbons or biochars, have been shown to significantly reduce porewater concentrations and risks by binding hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) present in aquatic sediments. In the present study, the authors review the current state‐of‐the‐art use of CM as an extensive method for sediment remediation, covering both technical and ecological angles. The review addresses how factors such as CM type, particle size and dosage, sediment characteristics, and properties of contaminants affect the effectiveness of CM amendment to immobilize HOCs in aquatic sediments. The authors also review the extent to which CM may reduce bioaccumulation and toxicity of HOCs and whether CM itself has negative effects on benthic species and communities. The review is based on literature and datasets from laboratory as well as field trials with CM amendments. The presence of phases such as natural black carbon, oil, or organic matter in the sediment reduces the effectiveness of CM amendments. Carbonaceous material additions appear to improve the habitat quality for benthic organisms by reducing bioavailable HOC concentrations and toxicity in sediment. The negative effects of CM itself on benthic species, if any, have been shown to be mild. The beneficial effects of reducing toxicity at low CM concentrations most probably outweigh the mild negative effects observed at higher CM concentrations. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012;31:693–704. © 2012 SETAC
Weight reference charts for British long‐term breastfed infants

Aim: To produce a modification of the British 1990 weight reference reflecting the growth of long‐term breastfed infants. Methods: 120 infants from the Cambridge Infant Growth Study fed breast milk (with no formula) for at least 24 wk, with solids introduced at a mean age of 15 wk, were weighed every 4 wk from birth to 52 wk. Weights were converted to standard deviation scores (SDS) for gender and age post‐term based on the revised British 1990 reference, averaged and smoothed across age, and then converted back to weights to provide modified median weight curves by gender. Other centile curves were constructed assuming the same variability and skewness by age as for the British reference. Results: Long‐term breastfed infants were slightly heavier than the reference at birth and crossed centiles upwards to reach +0.3 SDS at 2 mo, but subsequently crossed centiles downwards to −0.2 SDS by 12 mo.
Symptomatic spinal metastasis: A systematic literature review of the preoperative prognostic factors for survival, neurological, functional and quality of life in surgically treated patients and methodological recommendations for prognostic studies

Purpose While several clinical prediction rules (CPRs) of survival exist for patients with symptomatic spinal metastasis (SSM), these have variable prognostic ability and there is no recognized CPR for health related quality of life (HRQoL). We undertook a critical appraisal of the literature to identify key preoperative prognostic factors of clinical outcomes in patients with SSM who were treated surgically. The results of this study could be used to modify existing or develop new CPRs. Methods Seven electronic databases were searched (1990–2015), without language restriction, to identify studies that performed multivariate analysis of preoperative predictors of survival, neurological, functional and HRQoL outcomes in surgical patients with SSM. Individual studies were assessed for class of evidence. The strength of the overall body of evidence was evaluated using GRADE for each predictor. Results Among 4,818 unique citations, 17 were included; all were in English, rated Class III and focused on survival, revealing a total of 46 predictors. The strength of the overall body of evidence was very low for 39 and low for 7 predictors. Due to considerable heterogeneity in patient samples and prognostic factors investigated as well as several methodological issues, our results had a moderately high risk of bias and were difficult to interpret. Conclusions The quality of evidence for predictors of survival was, at best, low. We failed to identify studies that evaluated preoperative prognostic factors for neurological, functional, or HRQoL outcomes in surgical patients with SSM. We formulated methodological recommendations for prognostic studies to promote acquiring high-quality evidence to better estimate predictor effect sizes to improve patient education, surgical decision-making and development of CPRs.
Fast MCMC sampling for Markov jump processes and continuous time Bayesian networks

Markov jump processes and continuous time Bayesian networks are important classes of continuous time dynamical systems. In this paper, we tackle the problem of inferring unobserved paths in these models by introducing a fast auxiliary variable Gibbs sampler. Our approach is based on the idea of uniformization, and sets up a Markov chain over paths by sampling a finite set of virtual jump times and then running a standard hidden Markov model forward filtering-backward sampling algorithm over states at the set of extant and virtual jump times. We demonstrate significant computational benefits over a state-of-the-art Gibbs sampler on a number of continuous time Bayesian networks.
Verbal Association by Chinese and American Students as a Function of Word Frequency and Mode of Presentation

Associations were obtained from 40 Ss each at National Taiwan University and the University of Maryland to words presented either vocally or in writing. The words varied in frequency of occurrence for both languages. American Ss produced more associations than the Taiwanese Ss under all conditions. In both samples number of associations increased with frequency of the stimulus words. Printed Chinese, however, enjoyed a significant advantage over spoken Chinese in evoking associations to infrequent words. This finding, which did not obtain for the English words, was attributed to (a) more frequent exposure of Taiwanese to low frequency words in print than in speech and (b) increased identifiability of infrequent Chinese words when printed. Implications for more effective communication between the two language communities were discussed.
Multiple Proteinopathies in Familial ALS Cases With Optineurin Mutations

Optineurin (OPTN) is a causative gene in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with transactivation response element DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) protein pathology. Here, we report multiple proteinopathies in familial ALS cases with OPTN mutations. We examined the TDP-43, tau, and α-synuclein pathology of ALS cases with OPTN mutations including 2 previously reported cases (Cases 1 and 2) and 1 newly autopsied case (Case 3) that was clinically diagnosed as ALS and Parkinson disease with a heterozygous E478G OPTN mutation. Pathologic examination of Case 3 showed motor neuron degeneration and depigmentation of the substantia nigra. Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) were seen in the hippocampus, pontine tegmentum, and spinal cord. Accumulation of multiple proteins including phosphorylated TDP-43-positive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions, phosphorylated tau (AT8)-positive NFTs, and α-synuclein-positive Lewy bodies were observed in the substantia nigra. The other 2 cases had a similar distribution of tau pathology, but lacked synuclein pathology. Consecutive sections of Case 3 revealed pTDP-43, AT8, and α-synuclein-positive inclusions in the same neuron and double immunofluorescence staining showed aggregation of different proteins (tau and α-synuclein, or tau and TDP-43) in the same neuron. Our results support the notion that OPTN mutations may lead to multiple proteins aggregation and neuronal degeneration.
Characterization of signaling pathway for the translocation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase to the plasma membrane by PACAP

In the central nervous system, the activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is closely associated with activation of NMDA receptor, and trafficking of nNOS may be a prerequisite for efficient NO production at synapses. We recently demonstrated that pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and NMDA synergistically caused the translocation of nNOS to the membrane and stimulated NO production in PC12 (pheochromocytoma) cells. However, the mechanisms responsible for trafficking and activation of nNOS are largely unknown. To address these issues, here we constructed a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)‐tagged nNOS N‐terminal (1–299 a.a.) mutant, nNOSNT‐YFP, and visualized its translocation in PC12 cells stably expressing it. PACAP enhanced the translocation synergistically with NMDA in a time‐ and concentration‐dependent manner. The translocation was blocked by inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC), and Src kinase; and the effect of PACAP could be replaced with PKA and PKC activators. The β‐finger region in the PSD‐95/disc large/zonula occludens‐1 domain of nNOS was required for the translocation of nNOS and its interaction with post‐synaptic density‐95 (PSD‐95), and NO formation was attenuated by dominant negative nNOSNT‐YFP. These results demonstrate that PACAP stimulated nNOS translocation mediated by PKA and PKC via PAC1‐receptor (a PACAP receptor) and suggest cross‐talk between PACAP and NMDA for nNOS activation by Src‐dependent phosphorylation of NMDA receptors.
A method for the routine observation of sexual behaviour in rats

In seeking a method for the routine observation of copulatory behaviour in rats we compared the use of a standard rectangular Makrolon cage, commonly used in toxicology studies, with a Plexiglas cylinder that provided 2·5 times more floor area. The cylinder resulted in a much higher incidence of copulation, either once or for multiple series, within 30 min. This was not affected by whether oestrus was natural or induced. Using the cylinder and 4 h observation periods, we found that the dark phase of a 12–12 h inverse light cycle resulted in many more copulations than occurred during the light phase of a natural cycle. The incidence increased from the first to the second to the last 4 h of the dark phase. We found that placing a virgin receptive female and a naïve male together in a Plexiglas cylinder for 1 h towards the end of the dark phase is a useful tool in reproductive toxicology studies in which it is important to know the precise time of insemination.
Faunal breaks and species composition of Indo-Pacific corals: the role of plate tectonics, environment and habitat distribution

Species richness gradients are ubiquitous in nature, but the mechanisms that generate and maintain these patterns at macroecological scales remain unresolved. We use a new approach that focuses on overlapping geographical ranges of species to reveal that Indo-Pacific corals are assembled within 11 distinct faunal provinces. Province limits are characterized by co-occurrence of multiple species range boundaries. Unexpectedly, these faunal breaks are poorly predicted by contemporary environmental conditions and the present-day distribution of habitat. Instead, faunal breaks show striking concordance with geological features (tectonic plates and mantle plume tracks). The depth range over which a species occurs, its larval development rate and genus age are important determinants of the likelihood that species will straddle faunal breaks. Our findings indicate that historical processes, habitat heterogeneity and species colonization ability account for more of the present-day biogeographical patterns of corals than explanations based on the contemporary distribution of reefs or environmental conditions.
Robustness Analysis and Algorithm of Expected Shortfall Based on Extreme-Value Block Minimum Model

To measure effectively the risk of stock market, the algorithm of expected shortfall is presented by using the extreme-value block minimum method. By transforming the distribution of standardized minimal return in an interval into the distribution of ordinary minimal return, the formula of expected shortfall is derived. By simulation and statistical analysis, an appropriate interval length is found out to make this algorithm robust. The simulation results show that the robustness of value at risk and expected shortfall based on this method is very good when the interval length isn’t more than 30. This algorithm measures effectively the expected shortfall of stock market.
650-V Double-Channel Lateral Schottky Barrier Diode With Dual-Recess Gated Anode

An AlGaN/GaN double-channel Schottky barrier diode (DC-SBD) with dual-recess gated anode is demonstrated in this letter. The DC-SBD features two recess steps. The deep one cuts through two channels, and the anode metal contacts 2DEG directly from the sidewall of the recessed heterostructure. The shallow one terminates at the upper channel layer and is located adjacent to the Schottky contact. A MOS field plate is placed on the shallow recess region to pinchoff the underlying channels, so the off-state leakage current of the DC-SBD can be suppressed. Since the lower channel is separated from the etched surface, the field-effect mobility beneath this MOS structure shows a high peak value of 1707 cm<sup>2</sup>/(<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text {V}\cdot \text {s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>). The DC-SBD with an anode-to-cathode length (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${L}_{\text {ac}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$15~\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> exhibits a turn-on voltage (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {T}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) of ~0.6 V (at 1 mA/mm), a leakage current of 7.8 nA/mm (at −100 V), and a breakdown voltage of 704 V (at <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1~\mu \text{A}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>/mm). The double-channel design also allows both the deep and shallow recesses to be terminated at GaN layers that results in high uniformity of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {T}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.
SPICE model for analyzing EMS responses of multilayer PCBs with nonlinear loads

In previous work of the authors, a multiport Thevenin equivalent circuit was established to analyze the radiated susceptibility responses of multilayer printed circuited boards (PCBs) in the frequency domain. In order to analyze the nonlinear and time-varying devices on the PCBs, this paper focus on constructing the time-domain SPICE model of the frequency-domain Thevenin equivalent circuit. The SPICE model is established by using the macromodeling technique. An application example for calculating the induced voltages across a low noise amplifier on a multilayer PCB due to the illumination of plane waves, is given to validate the proposed SPICE model. The cosimulation of full-wave simulations and circuit simulations are provided for comparison and verification.
Return on Investment of a Work–Family Intervention: Evidence From the Work, Family, and Health Network

Objective: To estimate the return on investment (ROI) of a workplace initiative to reduce work–family conflict in a group-randomized 18-month field experiment in an information technology firm in the United States. Methods: Intervention resources were micro-costed; benefits included medical costs, productivity (presenteeism), and turnover. Regression models were used to estimate the ROI, and cluster-robust bootstrap was used to calculate its confidence interval. Results: For each participant, model-adjusted costs of the intervention were $690 and company savings were $1850 (2011 prices). The ROI was 1.68 (95% confidence interval, −8.85 to 9.47) and was robust in sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: The positive ROI indicates that employers’ investment in an intervention to reduce work–family conflict can enhance their business. Although this was the first study to present a confidence interval for the ROI, results are comparable with the literature.
The ethical and policy implications of profiling ‘vulnerable’ customers

In the shadow of the global financial crisis, the issue of the marketing of credit has become an increasing concern in the past 12 months. Outstanding personal debt in the UK currently stands at £1479 billion and is rising by £1 million every 10.6 min. In Australia, there is currently $44.6 billion worth of outstanding credit card debt, and in the US, $2596 billion was owed on credit cards in 2008. At present, the banking sector utilizes sophisticated research methods to profile consumers, including those who might be considered financially vulnerable. However, the policy frameworks in most industrialized countries do not account for this form of target marketing when considering how to protect vulnerable groups. This paper is an initial attempt to examine the different methods by which profiling is conducted and the policy implications of this sophisticated form of segmentation and targeting. We argue that current consumer policies are inadequate in protecting vulnerable consumers from these marketing techniques, and recent recommendations from the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, and the Australian Law Reform Commission to allow banks and lenders to ‘pre-screen’ potential customers will exacerbate personal debt levels, rather than reducing them.
The experience of NoSQL database in telecommunication enterprise

The rapid evolution in communication technology facilitates the Internet access, and makes it faster and cheaper. The advancement of Internet accessibility changes the paradigm of application usage methodologies. As a result, data amount in application database reaches unprecedented sizes. The increase in the data amount and user load concretizes the scalability requirements for software components, especially for database technologies. This work aims to provide an example solution experienced in centralized enterprise application. We examine how NoSQL based document store can be adapted according to the requirements of telecommunication enterprise.
Augmenting fast-forward and rewind for personal digital video recorders

This work describes a set of interfaces for augmenting fast-forward and rewind on consumer digital video recorders. Our method overlays a series of images sampled from the video over top of the traditional full screen accelerated playback. This sequence creates a trail that provides contextual information and highlights upcoming scene changes in the video stream. With this augmentation, consumers are more accurate at traversing to a desired location in a recorded video. This advantage is achieved by taking advantage of compressed-domain processing and adds little computational and storage overhead.
A wearable device with inertial motion tracking and vibro-tactile feedback for aesthetic sport athletes Diving Coach Monitor

Research into the kinematic training of elite divers shows a demand for diver training using biomechanical feedback. With suitable inertial data and tactile feedback, divers and their coaches could better understand their dives and failure modes. This would help improve technique and reduce fatigue during both training and competition, resulting in higher quality dives. We developed the Diving Coach Monitor (DCM) that can wire-lessly stream inertial data to an assistant as well as vibrotactially signal an athlete during a dive. The DCM is comprised of a wearable sensor module, worn by a diver and a smartphone application for the diver's coach. The diver's coach uses the smartphone application to signal the wearable sensor module, throughout the training session. The wearable sensor module receives the control commands and acts accordingly with one of the following actions: vibrate (to signal the diver); commence inertial data sampling; stop inertial data sampling and transmit data back to the smartphone application. While the DCM is water-proof, we trialled the DCM in a “dry-land” environment, as divers often train with trampoline spotting rigs and (occasionally) a safety harness. We also conducted multiple trial sessions with circus and gymnastic aerial apparatus and athletes. Our tests showed accurate measurement and low latency compared to video motion analysis.
Finding Ethernet-Type Network Topology is Not Easy

In this paper we investigate the problem of finding a layer2 network topology when the information available from SNMP MIB is incomplete. We prove that finding a network topology in this case is NPhard. We further prove that deciding whether the given information defines a unique network topology is a co-NP-hard problem. We show that if there is a single node r such that every other network node sees it, then the network topology can be restored in polynomial (in the number of network ports) time. Finally, we design a polynomial time heuristic algorithm to restore a topology when the information available from SNMP MIB is incomplete and conduct extensive experiments with it to determine how often the algorithm succeeds in finding topology. Our results indicate that our algorithm restores the network topology in close to 100% of all test cases.
Constructing the Robot’s Position in Time and Space. The Spatio-Temporal Preconditions of Artificial Social Agency

Social robotics is a challenging enterprise. The aim is to build a robot that is able to function as an interaction partner in particular social environments, for example to guide customers in a shopping mall. Analysing the construction of social robots entails going back to the basic preconditions of social interaction, which are usually overlooked in sociological analysis. Surprisingly enough, they are overlooked even by approaches that theorize the agency of technological artifacts, such as Actor-Network Theory or the theory of distributed agency. Social robotics reveals the importance of a basic feature of social interaction: not only is matter/embodiment crucial for understanding the social, but we must also describe how embodied beings position and orient themselves spatially/temporally. This aspect is taken into account neither by ANT nor by the theory of distributed agency. Our analysis shows that two modes of positioning can be distinguished: reflexive self-positioning, and the recursive calculation of position in digital space/time.
Denoising predictive sparse decomposition

Recent years have witnessed the great success of sparse coding in many areas, including data mining, machine learning, and computer vision. Sparse coding provides a class of unsupervised algorithms for learning a set of over-complete basis functions, allowing to reconstruct the original signal by linearly combining a small subset of the bases. A shortcoming of most existing sparse coding algorithms is that they need to do some sort of iterative minimization to inference the sparse representations for test points, which means that it's not convenient for these algorithms to perform out-of-sample extension. By additionally training a non-linear regressor that maps input to sparse representation during the training procedure, predictive sparse decomposition (PSD) can naturally be used for out-of-sample extension. Hence, PSD has recently become one of the most famous learning algorithms for sparse coding. However, when the training set is not large enough to capture the variations of the sample, PSD may not achieve satisfactory performance in real applications. In this paper, we propose a novel model, called denoising PSD (DPSD), for robust sparse coding. Experiments on real visual object recognition tasks show that DPSD can dramatically outperform PSD in real applications.