Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Searching for the Difference: A Controlled Test of Just-in-Time Teaching for Large-Enrollment Introductory Geology Courses

At Western Washington University (WWU), we tested the effectiveness of Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) methods in introductory geoscience courses. JiTT is an interactive-engagement teaching method developed for introductory physics courses (Novak et al., 1999). The key to the JiTT method is a short time frame feedback loop in which student learning informs instruction. The JiTT method includes several distinct components. (1) Web-based WarmUp exercises check on students' comprehension of reading assignments and ability to connect new concepts to those previously developed. Students submit answers to these exercises via the web up to four hours before each lecture. (2) Interactive lectures based on WarmUp responses emphasize problem-solving skills. (3) Web-based puzzles wrap up topics with critical thinking problems. We conducted our test using two sections of Geology 101 at WWU: the experimental section applied JiTT methods and the control section was taught using the traditional lecture format. Our experimental and control sections were non-major general education courses, had the same learning objectives, and objectives were assessed using the same exams. Students completed a First Day Survey providing baseline data about their demographics, science courses taken previously in high school and college, their attitude about studying science and their knowledge about basic Earth science concepts. On the first exam, the JiTT students scored significantly higher than the students in the traditional lecture section by an average of 2 points out of 50. The JiTT students' combined average on three exams during the course was higher, but not statistically significant. When the data from the First Day Survey were taken into account using multi-variable regression analysis, all differences in performance on exams becomes insignificant. We interpret our results to indicate that scores on objective (emphasizing knowledge and comprehension) exams may depend strongly on students' incoming prior knowledge, more than on the specific methods used to teach the class. Student evaluations of the course taught using JiTT methods were very positive toward the JiTT methods and their experience with introductory geology. Although we hope that such affective differences foreshadow long-term enhancement in learning (that our study did not assess), we caution instructors not to rely only on exam scores or student evaluations to gauge teaching effectiveness. Conversely, we recognize that scores on objective exams may not capture development of higher order thinking that the JiTT method may foster.
Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean: Current Situation, Future Trends and One Policy Experiment

This study employs the IFPRI IMPACT model to examine the effects of a hypothetical ban on the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture in tropical areas within LAC on GHG emissions, food production, food prices, and child malnutrition at several spatial scales. Results suggest that a complete ban on land clearing for agriculture would significantly reduce GHG emissions associated with the clearing of forests and other forms of natural vegetation vis-à-vis what would have occurred in the absence of the ban. The ban would also reduce agricultural production within tropical areas in LAC, however, the economic losses are not distributed uniformly across the three sub-regions within tropical LAC- the northern South American rim around the Amazon suffers approximately 45% of all losses in gross value of agricultural output attributable to the ban. The report also finds that at global level, the overall effects on commodity prices of the simulated ban on area expansion on LAC are not large and (hence) the effects on childhood malnutrition are small.
Distribution and production of reactive mercury and dissolved gaseous mercury in surface waters and water/air mercury flux in reservoirs on Wujiang River, Southwest China

Transformation and distribution of mercury (Hg) species play an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of mercury in aquatic systems. Measurements of water/air exchange fluxes of Hg, reactive mercury (RHg), and dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) concentrations were conducted at 14 sites in five reservoirs on the Wujiang River, Guizhou, Southwest China. Clear spatial and temporal variations in Hg fluxes, RHg, and DGM concentrations were observed in the study area. Hg fluxes and RHg concentrations exhibited a consistent diurnal variation in the study area, with maximum fluxes and concentrations during daytime. A typical diurnal trend of DGM with elevated concentration at night was observed in a eutrophic reservoir with elevated bacteria abundance, suggesting a bacteria‐induced production of DGM in this reservoir. For other reservoirs, a combination of sunlight‐stimulated production and loss via photo‐induced oxidation and evaporation regulated the diurnal trends of DGM. Seasonal variations with elevated Hg fluxes and RHg concentrations in warm season were noticeable in the study area, which highlighted the combined effect of interrelationships between Hg species in water and environmental parameters. Hg fluxes exhibited much more significant correlations with RHg and THg concentrations and air temperature compared to DGM concentrations and solar radiation. The measured fluxes were significantly higher than those simulated using the water/air thin film Hg0 gradient model. Aside from the potential limitations of dynamic flux chamber method, this may also suggest the thin film gas exchange model is not capable of predicting water/air Hg flux under low wind speed conditions. Additionally, it is speculated that DGM concentrations might vary significantly in surface waters with depth, and measurements of DGM at a depth of 2–4 cm below the water surface probably underestimated the DGM concentration that should be taken into account in simulations of water/air flux using the thin film gas exchange model. An empirical model of water/air Hg flux was developed, and the simulated fluxes were compared well with measurements. The model yields a mean annual Hg emission of 3.2 ± 1.0 kg in the study area.
ResAttUNetPlus: An Attention Network Architecture for Polyp Image Segmentation

Intestinal polyps are a prevalent colorectal condition, and early detection and precise identification of lesion areas are crucial to prevent polyp malignancy and enhance treatment outcomes. Colonoscopy is commonly utilized for examining intestinal polyps. In this research, we combine deep learning frameworks from the field of artificial intelligence, specifically computer vision, to perform image segmentation. To develop a more accurate intestinal polyp segmentation model, we propose ResAttUNetPlus, a deep learning network that builds upon ResUNet++ by incorporating improvements in the attention mechanism. The ResAttUNetPlus model comprises three main components: the Encoding layer, Bridge layer, and Decoding layer. Our findings demonstrate that ResAttUNetPlus exhibits a highly effective segmentation performance. When tested on the publicly available dataset Kvasir-SEG using the same hardware facility, the ResAttUNetPlus model achieves more than a one percent improvement in accuracy and mIoU coefficient compared to the ResUNet++ model. This proposed method provides gastroenterologists and patients with a more accurate and efficient technique for image segmentation of intestinal polyps.
How activity dependent feedback inhibition may maintain head direction signals in mouse presubiculum

Orientation in space is represented in specialized brain circuits. Persistent head direction signals are transmitted from anterior thalamus to the presubiculum, but the identity of the presubicular target neurons, their connectivity and function in local microcircuits are unknown. Here we examine how thalamic afferents recruit presubicular principal neurons and Martinotti interneurons and the ensuing synaptic interactions between these cells. Pyramidal neuron activation of Martinotti cells in superficial layers is strongly facilitating such that high frequency head directional stimulation efficiently unmutes synaptic excitation. Martinotti cell feedback plays a dual role: precisely timed spikes may not inhibit the firing of in-tune head direction cells, while exerting lateral inhibition. Autonomous attractor dynamics emerge from a modeled network implementing wiring motifs and timing sensitive synaptic interactions in the pyramidal - Martinotti cell feedback loop. This inhibitory microcircuit is therefore tuned to refine and maintain head direction information in the presubiculum.
Effectiveness and safety of orally administered immunotherapy for food allergies: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of using oral and sublingual immunotherapy with food allergies is to enable the safe consumption of foods containing these allergens in patients with food allergies. In the present study, a systematic review of intervention studies was undertaken; this involved the searching of eleven international databases for controlled clinical trials. We identified 1152 potentially relevant papers, from which we selected twenty-two reports of twenty-one eligible trials (i.e. eighteen randomised controlled trials and three controlled clinical trials). The meta-analysis revealed a substantially lower risk of reactions to the relevant food allergen in those receiving orally administered immunotherapy (risk ratios (RR) 0·21, 95 % CI 0·12, 0·38). The meta-analysis of immunological data demonstrated that skin prick test responses to the relevant food allergen significantly decreased with immunotherapy (mean difference − 2·96 mm, 95 % CI − 4·48, − 1·45), while allergen-specific IgG4 levels increased by an average of 19·9 (95 % CI 17·1, 22·6) μg/ml. Sensitivity analyses excluding studies at the highest risk of bias and subgroup analyses in relation to specific food allergens and treatment approaches generated comparable summary estimates of effectiveness and immunological changes. Pooling of the safety data revealed an increased risk of local (i.e. minor oropharyngeal/gastrointestinal) adverse reactions with immunotherapy (RR 1·47, 95 % CI 1·11, 1·95); there was a non-significant increased average risk of systemic adverse reactions with immunotherapy (RR 1·08, 95 % CI 0·97, 1·19). There is strong evidence that orally administered immunotherapy can induce immunomodulatory changes and thereby promote desensitisation to a range of foods. However, given the paucity of evidence on longer-term safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, orally administered immunotherapy should not be used outside experimental conditions presently.
Verification of an Operational Gulf Stream Forecasting Model

A verification study for an operational ocean forecasting system that uses the quasigeostrophic version of the Harvard Open Ocean Model as its dynamical model component is presented. The study is designed to test the ability of both the model and the system to perform 1-week duration forecasts in the Gulf Stream Meander and Ring region. The forecast system is evaluated using the results of an over 2-year duration real time operational forecasting exercise. The forecast model component is evaluated using six 1-week duration forecast simulations chosen from data rich time periods during the real time exercise. In each case, the dynamical model is initialized using Gulf Stream and ring feature models located in the positions determined from a composite data set consisting of satellite infrared imagery, Geosat altimetry, and in situ temperature profiles. Forecast sensitivities to three versions of the Gulf Stream feature model and to initial condition variations within the data error bars are examined. One-week duration . lorecasts are evaluated based on two measures of success: 1) the reproduction o[ observed ring formation, interaction, or absorption events, and 2) the average offset between the forecast Gulf Stream axis and the verification data. The quasigeostrophic model is found to reproduce all observed events during the six 1-week forecast simulations and to generate an average axis offset that, in the mean, is less than the average offset of persistence and close to the average error bars assigned to the verification analyses. During the real time exercise the forecast system correctly predicted 89% of the observed events, generated an average offset that was consistent with the idealized structure of the Gulf Stream feature model and produced an offset standard deviation consistent with the larger data error bars. Quantitative Skill Assessment for Coastal Ocean Models Coastal and Estuarine Studies Volume 47, Pages 469-499 Copyright 1995 by the American Geophysical Union
Total Salt, Specific Ion, and Fertilizer Element Concentrations and Balances in the Irrigation and Drainage Waters of the Twin Falls Tract in Southern Idaho

Public interest in environmental quality has aroused concern and speculation about the effects of irrigation and the application of fertilizers on the quality of surface and ground waters. The Environmental Pollution Panel of the President's Science Advisory Committee, and other groups, have recommended that high priority be given to investigating the sources of total salts, specific ions, and nutrients that enter surface and ground waters. One source is drainage from irrigated areas or irrigation return flows. More information is needed about the quality of irrigation return flows under various management systems and climatic environments and on representative soil types. Such information is basic for determining practices to improve the quality of return flows and in planning new irrigation projects. The NO? -N, PO? -P, and total salt concentrations were measured in irrigation and drainage waters on the Twin Falls Canal Company irrigation tract in southern Idaho. This information was combined with a water balance to estimate input-output balances for these components, and results have been reported. The input-output balances for other specific ionic components have been computed for the irrigation and drainage waters of that tract. Results from these investigations and detailed information on specific ion concentrations, temperature and flow characteristics of drainage tunnels, tile-relief well complexes, and large surface drains are reported herein.
Renal Effects of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Background The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) carries a risk of renal function deterioration in cirrhotic patients with ascites. However, whether the long-term use of ACEis/ARBs is safe in cirrhotic patients without ascites remains unknown. Methods In this nationwide cohort study, we identified 311,361 newly diagnosed cirrhotic patients between January 1997 and December 2013. To avoid indication and immortal time biases, patients receiving regular ACEi/ARB therapy, defined as the ACEi/ARB cohort, were matched to patients receiving regular calcium channel blockers (CCBs), defined as the CCB cohort, at a ratio of 1 : 1 by age, sex, and propensity scores for comorbidities and medications (2,188 patients in each cohort). Cumulative incidence rates and multivariate analyses of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) risk were adjusted for competing mortality. Results The 10-year cumulative incidence rates of ESRD were 2.32% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.45–3.20) in the ACEi/ARB cohort and 1.70% (95% CI: 1.03–2.36) in the CCB cohort (P = 0.610). In multivariate analyses, ACEi/ARB use was not associated with a higher risk of ESRD in cirrhotic patients (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.15; 95% CI: 0.69–1.94, P = 0.591). In the sensitivity test, the 10-year cumulative incidence rates of ESRD in cirrhotic patients with ascites were 6.50% (95% CI: 0.54–12.46) and 1.24% (95% CI: 0.00–2.71) in ACEi/ARB and CCB cohorts, respectively (P = 0.090). Conclusions Long-term ACEi/ARB use was not associated with a higher risk of ESRD in cirrhotic patients. However, the risk of ESRD tended to increase in cirrhotic patients with ascites.
The interaction between oscillating-grid turbulence and a sediment layer

The critical conditions for incipient sediment motion induced by oscillating-grid generated turbulence interacting with a sloping sediment layer were investigated experimentally. Near-spherical monodisperse sediments were used throughout with relative densities of 1.2 and 2.5 and mean diameters(d)ranging between 80 and 1087 μm. Interaction characteristics were analysed in terms of the critical Shields parameter θc, defined using the peak root mean square (r.m.s) horizontal velocity component in the near-bed region. Bed slope effects on θc were investigated by tilting the bed (and the grid) at angles between 0 and the repose limit. In all cases, the grid was aligned to be parallel to the bed surface, so that the oscillation direction is always normal to bed surface. The measured values of θc on a horizontal bed were comparable to the values reported in the traditional Shields diagram with θc seen to increase monotonically for hydraulically smooth bedforms and to be approximately constant for hydraulically rough bedforms. To account for bed slope effects, the measured values of θc were compared with a force-balance model based on the conditions for incipient grain motion on a sloping bed. For hydraulically smooth bedforms, where the bed roughness is small compared to the boundary-layer depth, the model was derived to account for how viscous stresses act to damp the drag and lift forces acting on the near surface sediment. For hydraulically rough bedforms, where this viscous-damping effect is not present, the model assumes the standard approach with the drag and lift forces scaling with the square of the near-bed (inviscid)velocity scale. In both cases the model predicts the bedforms to become more mobile as the bed slope is increased. However, the damping effect of the viscous sublayer acts as a stabilizing influenced for hydraulically smooth bedforms, to reduce the rate at which the bed mobility increases with bed slope. The measured values of θc in the hydraulically rough bedforms were in agreement with the trends predicted by this model. However, measured θc in smooth bed cases were lower than predicted, and fall on the hydraulically rough trend when bed slope is < 20. When the bed slope reaches the repose limit, θc falls between the smooth-bed and rough-bed cases. Measurements of sediment trajectories due to the turbulence interacting with the bed were obtained, for a range of impact conditions. Observations of the sediment trajectories during the interaction show the individual sediment grains to be predominantly displaced in a circular 'splash'. Data showed that the ‘splash’ feature and particle entrainment within the turbulence structure was within one eddy turnover time.
The nuclear envelope protein Nesprin-2 has roles in cell proliferation and differentiation during wound healing

Nesprin-2, a type II transmembrane protein of the nuclear envelope, is a component of the LINC complex that connects the nuclear lamina with the actin cytoskeleton. To elucidate its physiological role we studied wound healing in Nesprin-2 Giant deficient mice and found that a loss of the protein affected wound healing particularly at later stages during fibroblast differentiation and keratinocyte proliferation leading to delayed wound closure. We identified altered expression and localization of transcription factors as one of the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, the actin cytoskeleton which surrounds the nucleus was altered and keratinocyte migration was slowed down and focal adhesion formation enhanced. We also uncovered a new activity of Nesprin-2. When we probed for an interaction of Nesprin-2 Giant with chromatin we observed in ChIP Seq experiments an association of the protein with heterochromatic and centromeric DNA. Through this activity Nesprin-2 can affect the nuclear landscape and gene regulation. Our findings suggest functions for Nesprin-2 at the nuclear envelope (NE) in gene regulation and in regulation of the actin cytoskeleton which impact on wound healing.
Green Orchestration of Cloud-Edge Applications: State of the Art and Open Challenges

In recent years, Cloud-Edge computing continuum paradigms have received increasing attention to support the deployment of latency-critical and bandwidth-hungry applications enabled by the Internet-of-Things. Meanwhile, the dramatic in-crease in energy consumption of ICT calls for new methodologies to reduce the ecological impact of application orchestration, making it environmentally sustainable. This article conducts a systematic literature review of the state-of-the-art related to environmentally sustainable orchestration of containerised applications in Cloud-Edge settings. Ultimately, it points to open challenges and directions for future work in the field.
Use of ship-mounted acoustic doppler current profiler data to study mesoscale oceanic circulation patterns in the Archipielago de Colon (Galapagos Islands) and the Gulf of the Farallones

Abstract : Ship-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data are used to study regional ocean patterns around the biologically rich regions of the Archipielago de Colon (Galapagos Islands) and the Gulf of the Farallones to test our assumptions about the circulation derived primarily from hydrographic samples. West of the Galapagos, an equatorial undercurrent transporting ^ 7 Sv was present in November 1993, which decelerated within 30 km of the archipelago, shoaled, and diverged with a strong deflection to the southwest. A method of removing tidal velocities from ADCP measurements by creating an empirical model of the tides and using it to predict and subtract the tides is described. It is shown that in the Gulf of the Farallones, a large number of observations, typically more than acquired on one cruise, are necessary to reduce tidal model error. Detided ADCP data are used to describe the circulation in the Gulf under various wind conditions. Over the continental slope, Surface-to-depth poleward flow is present throughout the year. During wind relaxations, poleward flow strengthens and warmer, fresher water is transported onshore.
Burnout, locus de control y deportistas de alto rendimiento

Los estudios sobre burnout comenzaron en los 70 por Freudenberg (1974) y en los 80 en el deporte. En Cuba este es de los primeros sobre el tema. Se estudiaron 40 deportistas de alto rendimiento de pesas, balonmano, baloncesto y tackewondo. Con una edad entre los 18 y 28 anos y experiencia deportiva entre 5 y 16 anos. Las tecnicas utilizadas son una adaptacion, de Garces de Los Fayos (1999) del Maslach Burnout Inventory (1981) y un test de Locus de control. Los principales resultados corroboran que el ambito deportivo es propenso para la aparicion del sindrome y que en este grupo de deportistas, no existen terminos estadisticos para establecer una relacion entre el burnout y el locus de control
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Contact Electrification in Natural Rubber Polymer for Triboelectric Nanogenerators

We use reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in conjunction with charge equilibration method to investigate the atomic-scale mechanism of contact electrification between polyisoprene and copper compared to that between polyisoprene and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) for the application of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Our atomistic simulations show that the natural rubber polymer can either gain or lose electrons when it is in physical contact with copper or PTFE. In addition, the charge transfer at the polyisoprene-PTFE interface is greater than that of the polyisoprene-copper system govern by the energetics of a partial charge transfer reaction, which could provide an understanding of the underlying mechanism responsible for enhancement of the TENG performance.