Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continuous aridification since the mid‐Holocene as the main cause of C3/C4 dynamics in the grasslands of northeastern China

Ecological responses to past climate change as determined from palaeorecords offer insights into responses that may accompany future climate change. In arid and semi‐arid lands, the interactions between regional vegetation and climate change are not yet well understood, partly due to a lack of suitable palaeovegetation proxies that can provide accurate and continuous tracers for past vegetation dynamics. To gain a better understanding of long‐term vegetation dynamics, this study employs a multiproxy approach applied to sand‐palaeosol sediments of northeastern China's Songnen grasslands. Phytolith analyses and data on the stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of organic matter are used to reconstruct palaeovegetation composition, namely, the changing abundance of C3 and C4 species, whereas a geochemical weathering index (Fed/Fet ratios) tracks past East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) intensity. The phytolith assemblages and indices and δ13C of the soil indicate that C4 species' abundance has been increasing in the Songnen grasslands since the mid‐Holocene, although C3 vegetation is still dominant. Statistically significant negative correlations between the δ13C data and Fet/Fed ratios suggest that continuous weakening of the EASM since the mid‐Holocene may be responsible for the 13C‐enrichment of the sediments in the Songnen grasslands. Field vegetation surveys, modern topsoil phytoliths and δ13C calibration data indicate that the expansion of C4 species since the mid‐Holocene is mainly due to their ability to cope with aridity when growing season temperature is not undergoing a significant decrease. Future precipitation decreases in arid and semi‐arid lands should make C4 species more competitive in the grasslands of northeastern China.
Biomarkers of prognosis and response to vitamin D in cutaneous melanoma

This thesis describes an evaluation of next generation sequencing (NGS) as a tool to study melanoma genomics and identify prognostic biomarkers using formalinfixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) primary tumours. I report the evaluation of different library preparation protocols as a pre-requisite for whole-genome DNA NGS. I show that libraries can be generated using small amounts of DNA extracted from primary melanomas (92% success rate). NGS data from 75 samples are presented. To ensure the accuracy of the data and in order to develop a robust protocol for copy number analysis using small FFPE tumours the quality of the data was assessed and potential biases were explored. I observed copy number changes previously reported in melanoma which provide some support of the validity of the data when small DNA input is used. Although, this is work under development, overall the data show that NGS using small FFPE tumours is likely to provide insight into melanoma biology. I report a study where osteopontin was tested as a potential prognostic biomarker in the plasma of patients with melanoma. The analysis suggests that measurement of plasma osteopontin is unlikely to serve as a useful blood prognostic marker in earlystage disease patients, but it remains a possible marker of relapse in patients under follow up as part of a panel of such markers. The Leeds group have reported that low vitamin D levels at diagnosis are associated with thicker tumours and poorer outcome. I report an in vitro study where melanoma cells were cultured with and without vitamin D. Whole-genome gene expression data were generated using RNA from two vitamin D sensitive melanoma cell lines. The differentially expressed genes in response to vitamin D supported the anti-tumour effects of vitamin D previously reported in cancer models, providing some evidence for vitamin D as a potential adjuvant therapy.
The Algorithm of Scene Summary synthesis Based on Semantics

According to the key technique of semantic-based video retrieval, the paper presents directly extracting I-frames in the compressed domain, and using the DC coefficient of I frame to establish the model of information system. Then the reduction of I Frame by the theory of attribute reduction based on RS, to produce A key frame that reflects the main content of the lens. Finally, the key frames ‘s DC coefficient has constructed the mathematical modeling, and has classified the shot according to the differences of frames. So the polymerization of I frames of similar lens, we could obtain the scenario summary.
An Integrated Feature-Based Failure Prognosis Method for Wind Turbine Bearings

In North America, many utility-scale turbines are approaching the half-way point of their anticipated initial lifespan. Accurate remaining useful life (RUL) estimation can provide wind farm owners insight into how to optimize the life and value of their farm assets. An improved understanding of the RUL of turbine components is particularly essential as many owners consider retiring, life-extending, or repowering their farms. In this article, an integrated prognosis method based on signal processing and an adaptive Bayesian algorithm is proposed to predict the RUL of various faulty bearings in wind turbines. The signal processing leverages feature extraction, feature selection, and signal denoising to detect the dynamics of various failures. Then, RUL of the faulty bearings is forecast via the adaptive Bayesian algorithm using the extracted features. Finally, a new fusion method based on an ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator is applied to the RUL obtained from the features to improve accuracy. The efficacy of the method is evaluated using data from historical failures across three different Canadian wind farms. Experimental test results indicate that the OWA operator delivers a higher accuracy for RUL prediction compared to the other feature-based methods and Choquet integral fusion technique.
Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Learning and Teaching Experiences with Digital Games: KODU Game Lab

The aim of this paper is to introduce Kodu Game Lab to pre-service science teachers through a method course based on MAGDAIRE framework and prepare them to design their own digital games. In accordance with this purpose, key factors towards using digital games in classroom are also observed. Convergent parallel design that is a type of mix method research design was used in this study. This study is performed with a total of 18 pre-service teachers (PSTs) who were senior students in a teacher education program of a public university in Turkey. PSTs voluntarily formed six groups and designed their own digital games collaboratively based on DGBL-ID Model. Technical Proficiency of Kodu Skills Test (TPKS-T), rubrics for group and personal assessment and observation form were used to collect data. According to analyses of data collected with TPKS-T, post-test mean of PSTs is significantly higher than their pre-test means. Findings of rubrics showed that PSTs’ determined performance levels are directly proportionate to practices. Also, findings obtained with observation form are promoted this result. It can be suggested that knowledge and skills, pedagogical beliefs and culture have an effect on integrating digital games into learning process.
Drought and presence of ants can influence hemiptera in tropical leaf litter

Climate change is predicted to impact tropical rain forests, with droughts becoming more frequent and more severe in some regions. We currently have a poor understanding of how increased drought will change the functioning of tropical rain forest. In particular, tropical rain forest invertebrates, which are numerous and biologically important, may respond to drought in different ways across trophic levels. Ants are a diverse group that carry out important ecosystem processes, shaping ecosystem structure and function through predation and competition, which can influence multiple trophic levels. Hemiptera are a mega‐diverse order, abundant in tropical rain forests and are ecologically important. To understand the roles of ants in exerting predation and competition pressure on invertebrates in tropical rain forests during drought and a post‐drought period, we established a large‐scale ecosystem manipulation experiment in Maliau Basin Conservation Area in Malaysian Borneo, suppressing the activity of ants on four 0.25 ha plots over a two‐year period. We sampled hemipterans found in the leaf litter during a drought (July 2015) and a post‐drought period (September 2016) period. We found significant shifts in the assemblage of hemipterans sampled from the leaf litter following ant suppression. Specifically, for ant‐suppression plots, the species richness and abundance of herbivorous hemipterans increased only during the post‐drought period. For predatory hemipterans, abundance increased with ant‐suppression regardless of drought conditions, and we found marginal evidence for a species richness increase during the post‐drought period with little or no change in the drought period. These results illustrate how ants in tropical forests structure invertebrate communities and how these effects may vary with climatic variation.
Classification of Continuous Sky Brightness Data Using Random Forest

Sky brightness measuring and monitoring are required to mitigate the negative effect of light pollution as a byproduct of modern civilization. Good handling of a pile of sky brightness data includes evaluation and classification of the data according to its quality and characteristics such that further analysis and inference can be conducted properly. This study aims to develop a classification model based on Random Forest algorithm and to evaluate its performance. Using sky brightness data from 1250 nights with minute temporal resolution acquired at eight different stations in Indonesia, datasets consisting of 15 features were created to train and test the model. Those features were extracted from the observation time, the global statistics of nightly sky brightness, or the light curve characteristics. Among those features, 10 are considered to be the most important for the classification task. The model was trained to classify the data into six classes (1: peculiar data, 2: overcast, 3: cloudy, 4: clear, 5: moonlit-cloudy, and 6: moonlit-clear) and then tested to achieve high accuracy (92%) and scores (F-score = 84% and G-mean = 84%). Some misclassifications exist, but the classification results are considerably good as indicated by posterior distributions of the sky brightness as a function of classes. Data classified as class-4 have sharp distribution with typical full width at half maximum of 1.5 mag/arcsec2, while distributions of class-2 and -3 are left skewed with the latter having lighter tail. Due to the moonlight, distributions of class-5 and -6 data are more smeared or have larger spread. These results demonstrate that the established classification model is reasonably good and consistent.
Research on the Automatic Detection Method of Pulmonary Nodules Based on Deep Learning

Lung cancer has become the highest incidence and mortality of malignant tumors in China and even the world. It is truly the “first killer of cancer”. Pulmonary nodules are the early manifestation of lung cancer. Early detection, early treatment and early diagnosis of pulmonary nodules can greatly reduce the mortality of lung cancer. Due to their different sizes and complex structures, it is difficult for doctors to recognize the specific characteristics of pulmonary nodules. In order to help doctors detect and analyse pulmonary nodules faster and more accurately, based on deep learning, this paper proposed a new method to detect pulmonary nodules by cascades of improved VGG network model and improved Resnet network model. The improved network was evaluated on the LIDC-IDRI database, and the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the model, which can help doctors accurately and effectively detect pulmonary nodules.
Blurred Shots: Investigating the Information Crisis Around Vaccination in Italy

This article aims at exploring a case of information crisis in Italy through the lens of vaccination-related topics. Such a controversial issue, dividing public opinion and political agendas, has received diverse information coverage and public policies over time in the Italian context, whose situation appears quite unique compared with other countries because of a strong media spectacularization and politicization of the topic. In particular, approval of the “Lorenzin Decree,” increasing the number of mandatory vaccinations from 4 to 10, generated a nationwide debate that divided public opinion and political parties, triggering a complex informative crisis and fostering the perception of a social emergency on social media. This resulted in negative stress on lay publics and on the public health system. The study adopted an interdisciplinary framework, including political science, public relations, and health communication studies, as well as a mixed-method approach, combining data mining techniques related to news media coverage and social media engagement, with in-depth interviews to key experts, selected among researchers, journalists, and communication managers. The article investigates reasons for the information crisis and identifies possible solutions and interventions to improve the effectiveness of public health communication and mitigate the social consequences of misinformation around vaccination.
The Use of Chromium and Acid-Detergent Lignin in Complete Rations as Indicators of the Fecal Excretion Rate in the Ruminant Animal

Chromium (Cr) and acid-detergent lignin (L) were evaluated as index substances for determining digestibility of complete, low-fiber rations with growing steers. The rate of recovery of ration Cr was studied during depletion and repletion of the indicator. Total fecal collections were carried out for 7 days after a 1-day period of Cr intake. Recovered Cr for the 7-day period amounted to 85.5 ± 7.2 percent with a value of 82.3 ± 6.8 percent for the first 5 days, with a maximum amount of 30 percent on the second day. During the 21-day depletion following a 21-day repletion, fecal Cr decreased rapidly for the first 7 days and continued to decrease to 0.54 ± 0.02 percent at the end of the depletion. During 7-day and 10-week periods, L was recovered to the extent of 96.7 ± 0.5 and 96.6 ± 2.3 percent, respectively. Recovered Cr amounted to 94.4 ± 0.5 percent in long-term trials and to 90.5 ± 2.5 percent in short-term trials. In long-term trials, L was recovered to the extent of 94.1 ± 1.0 percent. No statistical differences (P < 0.05) were found among grab-sampling times or between grab samples and the total collection samples in rates of excretion of nutrients per unit of indicator. It was suggested that the differences in grab-sampling times were minimal when either Cr or L indicator techniques were used to determine digestibility. Recovery data tend to show that L is a valid marker and has the desirable characteristic of being a constituent of ruminant feedstuffs.
Shape conformance via spring-back control during thermo-forming of veneer plywood into a channel section

ABSTRACT The present work focuses on creating a better understanding of the possibility of forming specific geometric structures from plywood and subsequently develops an improved equation for representing the spring-back phenomenon during the thermoforming process of veneer plywood. Primarily, the formation of multiple bends and their interactions, have been studied with a four-point bending rig. Real-time strains were measured using strain gauges and a kinematic analysis of the macroscopic deformation was carried out through grid strain analysis. It was followed by a geometric conformance study, results of which showed 0.45% deviation from the desired profile angle. Subsequently, a new empirical equation was formulated based on the experimental results using an open-source software, named Eureqa®, to find the change in sector angle after spring-back. The equation was validated by conducting experiments under different conditions and was found to perform well in the forming temperature range of 150–200°C and the pre-forming moisture content range of 20–27.3%.
Pollen : illustrations and scanning electronmicrographs

Focusing on the pollen of higher plants this richly illustrated book is an introduction to the mysterious world hidden in a small grain of pollen. A comprehensive atlas is presented containing over 120 scanning electronmicroscopic photographs, various illustrations and a description of the morphology and physiology of pollen grains. Aspects of human allergies to pollen are also treated.
The role of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mutation H208Y to drug resistance and viral fitness

Accessory mutations are thought to arise alongside major or primary drug resistance mutations in order to augment resistance, restore viral fitness, or both. The H208Y mutation in the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) gene was hypothesised to be an accessory mutation. This thesis characterises the H208Y mutation in terms of linkage of H208Y to other major and accessory resistance mutations, and examines two phenotypic aspects, drug susceptibility and viral fitness. The HIV Resistance Database held at the Royal Free Hospital was searched for genotypes containing the H208Y mutation. The prevalence of H208Y in antiretroviral treatment naive and treatment experienced patients was 5/3783 (0.1%) and 12/1304 (0.9%), respectively, indicating a high degree of conservation of position 208 in wild type virus and an increase in prevalence under selective drug pressure. Four patients were chosen to conduct further analysis of virus with H208Y, comprising a treatment naive patient with subtype B virus, and three treatment experienced patients harbouring subtype A, subtype B and subtype C virus respectively. The RT gene from these patients was cloned and sequenced. H208Y was found to be associated with the thymidine analogue mutations (TAMs), particularly mutations at positions D67, T215 and K219. H208Y was always associated with accessory mutations at positions V35, K122 and T200. Recombinant viruses containing patient derived RT genes with and without H208Y were constructed to examine the impact of H208Y on drug susceptibility and viral fitness. A multiple cycle drug susceptibility assay showed that H208Y conferred a reduced susceptibility to the nucleotide RT inhibitor tenofovir in the context of subtype B wild type RT and subtype B RT containing TAMs. Growth competition assays were used to examine the fitness effects of H208Y using allele-specific PCR to differentiate between competing strains with and without H208Y. In the context of subtype B wild type RT, H208Y conferred a reduced viral fitness both in the presence and absence of drug. The effect may be proposed to contribute to the overall high degree of conservation of position 208. In contrast, H208Y did not appear to impact on viral fitness in the context of subtype B and subtype A RT containing TAMs.
Echocardiographic markers of pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy in rat models of pulmonary hypertension The first two authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Echocardiography is the gold standard non-invasive technique to diagnose pulmonary hypertension. It is also an important modality used to monitor disease progression and response to treatment in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Surprisingly, only few studies have been conducted to validate and standardize echocardiographic parameters in experimental animal models of pulmonary hypertension. We sought to define cut-off values for both invasive and non-invasive measures of pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy that would reliably diagnose pulmonary hypertension in three different rat models. The study was designed in two phases: (1) a derivation phase to establish the cut-off values for invasive measures of right ventricular systolic pressure, Fulton's index (right ventricular weight/left ventricle + septum weight), right ventricular to body weight ratio, and non-invasive echocardiographic measures of pulmonary arterial acceleration time, pulmonary arterial acceleration time to ejection time ratio and right ventricular wall thickness in diastole in the hypoxic and monocrotaline rat models of pulmonary hypertension and (2) a validation phase to test the performance of the cut-off values in predicting pulmonary hypertension in an independent cohort of rats with Sugen/hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Our study demonstrates that right ventricular systolic pressure ≥35.5 mmHg and Fulton's Index ≥0.34 are highly sensitive (>94%) and specific (>91%) cut-offs to distinguish animals with pulmonary hypertension from controls. When pulmonary arterial acceleration time/ejection time and right ventricular wall thickness in diastole were both measured, a result of either pulmonary arterial acceleration time/ejection time ≤0.25 or right ventricular wall thickness in diastole ≥1.03 mm detected right ventricular systolic pressure ≥35.5 mmHg or Fulton's Index ≥0.34 with a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 100%. With properly validated non-invasive echocardiography measures of right ventricular performance in rats that accurately predict invasive measures of pulmonary hemodynamics, future studies can now utilize these markers to test the efficacy of different treatments with preclinical therapeutic modeling.
The epidemiological study of pseudomonas spp. in wards at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima hospital

The present study used questionnaires to collect data from 31 heads wards and 208 nurses in wards at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital. The samples were also collected from various environmental sources within wards in 2 periods that provided t o t a l 82 3 samp l e s ( 40 8 samp l e s i n pe ri o d 1 an d 41 5 samp l e s i n pe ri o d 2 ) f o r comparison between number of species of Pseudomonas (Ps.) (Ps. aeruginosa, Ps. cepa- cia, Ps. mallei, Ps. pseudomallei and Ps. maltophelia), Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae found in the wards before and after giving knowledge to nurses in wards about standard precautions, control and prevention of microorganisms spreading. The environmental sources within wards of these microor- ganisms were also studied. Pseudomonas species found in the environmental sources within wards were analyzed whether they were associated with human diseases. Moreover, 3 diluted chemical disinfectants which were commonly used in ward’s stock at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital were also collected from wards to test for their bactericidal efficiency. The results of this research showed that number of species of microorganisms were not different between before and after giving the knowledge to nurses in wards. Pseudomonas species that were found in the selected environmental sources within wa r d s we re Ps. aeruginosa an d Ps. maltophelia wh i c h we re assoc i a t e d w ith huma n d i seases . Mi c r oo r gan i sm s we re f oun d in eve ry env ir onmen t a l sou r c e w it h in wa r d s e xc e p t i n 70 % a l coho l an d p r ov i d i n e ® an ti se p ti c s o l u ti on . F r o m t h e bac t e ri c i da l efficiency test, Ps. aeruginosa A TCC 15442 was killed by sodium hypochlorite (1:20) but not savlo n ® (1:100) and pose-cresol ® . The efficiency test was then repeated again for the poor efficient chemical disinfectants immediately after diluted by pharmaceutical department. It was found that savlo n ® (1:100) could kill Ps. aeruginosa A TCC 15442 only within 48 hours while it stated to be expired 7 days after dilution. Pose-creso l ® could not kill Ps. aeruginosa A TCC 15442 within 24 hours while it stated to be expired 30 days after dilution.