Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Centennial‐scale Holocene North Atlantic surface temperatures from Mg/Ca ratios in Globigerina bulloides

A high‐resolution record of Mg/Ca ratios from the planktonic foraminifer Globigerina bulloides has been produced for IMAGES core MD99–2251 from the subpolar North Atlantic. The record extends from the Younger Dryas‐Preboreal transition through the Holocene at ∼70 year resolution, with a more detailed section at ∼20 year resolution through the interval encompassing the major cooling episode 8200 years ago. Mg/Ca derived temperatures show significant variations through the Holocene, with surface temperatures ranging from ∼8 to 13°C. The onset of the Holocene is marked by an abrupt warming, with a further increase in early Holocene temperatures occurring prior to 9.5 ka. This is followed by a mid‐Holocene period of cooler and more stable conditions before temperatures show a stepped increase at ∼3.5 ka. The late Holocene period has the highest temperatures of the entire interglacial but also exhibits coolings of 2–3°C approximately every 500 years. Variations of this magnitude typify the high‐frequency component of temperature variability and do not seem to be restricted to the 8.2 ka event or the early Holocene, when stronger freshwater forcing associated with the decay of the ice sheets might be anticipated. However, episodes of enhanced drift ice input to North Atlantic are coincident with many of the Mg/Ca temperature minima over the last 6 ka. The long‐term warming trend and stepped increase in temperature at ∼3.5 ka are consistent with other planktonic foraminiferal records and appear to reflect regional‐scale changes in the atmospheric forcing of the North Atlantic Current during periods of rapid climate change. Alternatively, changes in ecology may contribute to the Holocene Mg/Ca record, either by species changing their depth habitat or by a shift in seasonal production patterns.
An Instrument Timbre Model for Computer Aided Orchestration

In this paper we propose a generative probabilistic model for instrument timbre dedicated to computer aided orchestration. We define the orchestration problem as the search of instruments sounds combinations that sound close to a given target. A system that addresses this problem must know a large variety of instruments sounds in order to be able to explore the timbre space of an orchestra. The proposed method is based on gaussian mixture modeling of signal descriptors and on a division of the learning problems that allows to learn many different instrument sounds with few training data, and to deduce the models of sounds that are not in the training set but that are known to be possible.
IgE-blocking therapy for difficult-to-treat asthma: a brief review.

PURPOSE To review the characteristics of difficult-to-treat asthma and describe patients who may benefit from therapy with the recently approved humanized monoclonal antiimmunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody, omalizumab. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Up to 20 percent of patients have difficult-to-treat asthma. These patients consume a disproportionate share of asthma care resources. Clinical and economic outcomes can be improved via improved self-management, increased adherence to prescribed therapy, and better compliance to national asthma treatment guidelines. These patients also may benefit from therapies that directly target mechanisms responsible for persistent airway inflammation and elicit favorable clinical responses. CONCLUSIONS Effective asthma control remains difficult in a small cohort of patients with persistent, severe airway inflammation. Management strategies that improve asthma control and reduce exacerbations can improve clinical outcomes and minimize health care resource utilization.
RAMS: DRAM Rank-Aware Memory Scheduling for Energy Saving

DRAMs are one of the main players of the computer system energy consumption. Thus, reducing DRAM energy consumption has a big potential to save the entire system energy consumption. Because the standby power consumption of DRAM is significant, modern DRAMs provide low-power modes for reducing idle energy consumption. However, the use of low-power modes can degrade the performance because state transitions to/from low-power states involve a time penalty. To effectively utilize low-power modes, we propose DRAM rank-aware memory scheduling schemes. One scheme utilizes a prioritized cache block replacement method considering the power states of DRAM ranks to select victim blocks for the late level cache. Through this scheme, DRAM traffic and the number of state transitions of DRAM ranks can be reduced. The other scheme utilizes the memory controller by controlling write traffic to DRAM with the awareness of the DRAM rank states. DRAM rank idle times and state transitions can be reduced by this scheme. Our proposed schemes are shown to reduce DRAM energy consumption by 15.2 percent on average.
User's guide for the Urban Airshed Model. Volume 3. User's manual for the Diagnostic Wind Model

The user's guide for the Urban Airshed Model (UAM) is divided into five volumes. Volume III is the user's manual for the Diagnostic Wind Model (DWM). The model is a stand-alone interpolative wind model that uses surface- and upper-level wind observations at selected sites within the modeling domain of interest to provide hourly, gridded, three-dimensional estimates of winds using objective techniques. It provides one means of formulating wind field inputs to the UAM.
Modeling Multisensory Enhancement with Self-organizing Maps

Self-organization, a process by which the internal organization of a system changes without supervision, has been proposed as a possible basis for multisensory enhancement (MSE) in the superior colliculus (Anastasio and Patton, 2003). We simplify and extend these results by presenting a simulation using traditional self-organizing maps, intended to understand and simulate MSE as it may generally occur throughout the central nervous system. This simulation of MSE: (1) uses a standard unsupervised competitive learning algorithm, (2) learns from artificially generated activation levels corresponding to driven and spontaneous stimuli from separate and combined input channels, (3) uses a sigmoidal transfer function to generate quantifiable responses to separate inputs, (4) enhances the responses when those same inputs are combined, (5) obeys the inverse effectiveness principle of multisensory integration, and (6) can topographically congregate MSE in a manner similar to that seen in cortex. Thus, the model provides a useful method for evaluating and simulating the development of enhanced interactions between responses to different sensory modalities.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Mice: Comparison with Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy and Fluorescein Angiography

Purpose Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) allows noninvasive visualization of retinal vessels in vivo. OCT-A was used to characterize the vascular network of the mouse retina and was compared with fluorescein angiography (FA) and histology. Methods In the present study, OCT-A based on a Heidelberg Engineering Spectralis system was used to investigate the vascular network in mice. Data was compared with FA and confocal microscopy of flat-mount histology stained with isolectin IB4. For quantitative analysis the National Cancer Institute's AngioTool software was used. Vessel density, the number of vessel junctions, and endpoints were measured and compared between the imaging modalities. Results The configuration of the superficial capillary network was comparable with OCT-A and flat-mount histology in BALBc mice. However, vessel density and the number of vessel junctions per region of interest (P = 0.0161 and P = 0.0015, respectively) in the deep vascular network of BALBc mice measured by OCT-A was significantly higher than with flat-mount histology. In C3A.Cg-Pde6b+Prph2Rd2/J mice, where the deep capillary plexus is absent, analysis of the superficial network provided similar results for all three imaging modalities. Conclusion OCT-A is a helpful imaging tool for noninvasive, in vivo imaging of the vascular plexus in mice. It may offer advantages over FA and confocal microscopy especially for imaging the deep vascular plexus. Translational Relevance The present study shows that OCT-A can be employed for small animal imaging to assess the vascular network and offers advantages over flat-mount histology and FA.
State of Qualitative Research in Engineering Education: Meta‐Analysis of JEE Articles, 2005–2006

With recent calls for expanding the scope and rigor of engineering education research, use of qualitative methods to answer research questions that can not be answered through quantitative methods is taking on increasing significance. Well‐designed qualitative studies often build on epistemological consistency across theoretical perspectives, research questions, and research methods. We examine recent articles published in the Journal of Engineering Education to determine the overall prevalence of qualitative articles and the extent to which they appear epistemologically and methodologically consistent with the goals of qualitative inquiry. We find that there are very few qualitative articles published, and even fewer which show epistemological consistency across different aspects of the research design. These issues may limit the rich, descriptive information that could be gained from qualitative inquiry, limiting the contributions qualitative studies could make to engineering education. We call on researchers to expand their use of qualitative methods and to design their studies with careful attention to epistemological consistency across the design.
Comparison of the criteria for updating Kriging response surface models in multi-objective optimization

This paper compares the criteria for updating the Kriging response surface models in multi-objective optimization: expected improvement (EI), expected hypervolume improvement (EHVI), estimation (EST), and those combination (EHVI+EST). EI has been conventionally used as the criterion considering the stochastic improvement of each objective function value individually, while EHVI has been recently proposed as the criterion considering the stochastic improvement of the front of non-dominated solutions in multi-objective optimization. EST is the value of each objective function, which is estimated non-stochastically by the Kriging model without considering its uncertainties. Numerical experiments were implemented in the welded beam design problem, and empirically showed that, in a non-constrained case, EHVI keeps a balance between accurate and wide search for non-dominated solutions on the Kriging models in multi-objective optimization. In addition, the present experiments suggested future investigation into the techniques for handling uncertain constraints to enhance the capability of EHVI in a constrained case.
Computational Intelligence in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are networks of distributed autonomous devices that can sense or monitor physical or environmental conditions cooperatively. WSNs face many challenges, mainly caused by communication failures, storage and computational constraints and limited power supply. Paradigms of computational intelligence (CI) have been successfully used in recent years to address various challenges such as data aggregation and fusion, energy aware routing, task scheduling, security, optimal deployment and localization. CI provides adaptive mechanisms that exhibit intelligent behavior in complex and dynamic environments like WSNs. CI brings about flexibility, autonomous behavior, and robustness against topology changes, communication failures and scenario changes. However, WSN developers are usually not or not completely aware of the potential CI algorithms offer. On the other side, CI researchers are not familiar with all real problems and subtle requirements of WSNs. This mismatch makes collaboration and development difficult. This paper intends to close this gap and foster collaboration by offering a detailed introduction to WSNs and their properties. An extensive survey of CI applications to various problems in WSNs from various research areas and publication venues is presented in the paper. Besides, a discussion on advantages and disadvantages of CI algorithms over traditional WSN solutions is offered. In addition, a general evaluation of CI algorithms is presented, which will serve as a guide for using CI algorithms for WSNs.
The aurora kinase AIR-2 functions in the release of chromosome cohesion in Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis

Accurate chromosome segregation during cell division requires not only the establishment, but also the precise, regulated release of chromosome cohesion. Chromosome dynamics during meiosis are more complicated, because homologues separate at anaphase I whereas sister chromatids remain attached until anaphase II. How the selective release of chromosome cohesion is regulated during meiosis remains unclear. We show that the aurora-B kinase AIR-2 regulates the selective release of chromosome cohesion during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis. AIR-2 localizes to subchromosomal regions corresponding to last points of contact between homologues in metaphase I and between sister chromatids in metaphase II. Depletion of AIR-2 by RNA interference (RNAi) prevents chromosome separation at both anaphases, with concomitant prevention of meiotic cohesin REC-8 release from meiotic chromosomes. We show that AIR-2 phosphorylates REC-8 at a major amino acid in vitro. Interestingly, depletion of two PP1 phosphatases, CeGLC-7α and CeGLC-7β, abolishes the restricted localization pattern of AIR-2. In Ceglc-7α/β(RNAi) embryos, AIR-2 is detected on the entire bivalent. Concurrently, chromosomal REC-8 is dramatically reduced and sister chromatids are separated precociously at anaphase I in Ceglc-7α/β(RNAi) embryos. We propose that AIR-2 promotes the release of chromosome cohesion via phosphorylation of REC-8 at specific chromosomal locations and that CeGLC-7α/β, directly or indirectly, antagonize AIR-2 activity.
Aboriginal perspectives of diabetes in a remote community in the Northern Territory

This study explores the knowledge and beliefs of diabetes in a group of Aboriginal people from a remote community in the Northern Territory. Information was gathered from participants through a combination of group discussions, semi‐structured interviews and informal conversations. The four themes of explanation of diabetes were: worry, food, family and infections. The most common means of preventing or treating diabetes were stopping worry and changing one's diet. Significantly, few of the participants believed that medication was effective, and weight loss and exercise were not mentioned.
Smoke plume characteristics over Greece using space-based multiangle imaging

The elevation at which wildfire smoke is injected into the atmosphere has a strong influence on how the smoke is dispersed, is a key input to aerosol transport models and can influence air quality far from the burning areas via longrange transport. Here, we analyze a record of aerosol smoke plume heights derived from observations over Greece made by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument on board the NASA Earth Observing System Terra satellite. Two case studies of wildfires over Greece (Chios and Agio Oros) are presented to illustrate the methodology followed. The impact of those fires on air quality at surface is examined using high resolution advanced in-situ instrumentation. Our analysis clearly indicates the importance of long range transport on air quality as emissions from wildfires strongly affect atmospheric aerosol chemical composition and concentrations at surface.
Variations in the cytoskeletal interaction and posttranslational modification of the CD44 homing receptor in macrophages

Murine CD44 is a cell surface glycoprotein that is thought to play a role in leukocyte migration. We studied the structure and expression of CD44 on two populations of macrophages: those that reside in the peritoneum of unprimed mice, and those that have been elicited to migrate into the peritoneum by the intraperitoneal injection of agents that cause localized inflammatory responses. Our studies reveal structural variations in both the extracellular and intracellular domains of CD44 expressed by these two macrophage populations. The form of CD44 in elicited macrophages has an apparent molecular mass that is approximately 5 kD greater and more heterogenous than that in resident macrophages. This structural changes is posttranslational, extracellular, and apparently reflects increases in N-linked glycosylation. It is also specific for CD44 and does not occur with several other glycoproteins examined. This novel regulation of glycosylation may play an important role in the ability of CD44 to bind to different substrates, particularly lectin-like ligands. In addition, we demonstrate that CD44 in resident macrophages is divided into two pools, one containing nonphosphorylated, cytoskeletally associated CD44, and one containing phosphorylated, unassociated CD44. In contrast, CD44 on the surface of elicited macrophages does not associate with the cytoskeleton. The attachment of CD44 to the cytoskeleton involves either direct or indirect association with actin. The regulated association of CD44 with the cytoskeleton suggests that it may influence or be influenced by macrophage mobility.
Are Atlantic Niños enhancing Pacific ENSO events in recent decades?

This work presents observational evidence of a change in Atlantic‐Pacific Niños connection since the late 60's. Accordingly, summer Atlantic Niños (Niñas) alter the tropical circulation favoring the development of following‐winter Pacific Niñas (Niños). The same change is obtained in an ensemble of AGCM integrations in which SSTs in the Atlantic are the observed in 1949–2002 and those in the tropical Indo‐Pacific are from a coupled OGCM. The mechanism (for the positive Atlantic phase) involves the strengthening of the Walker circulation with ascending branch over the Atlantic and descending branch over the central Pacific. The enhanced surface divergence in the latter region shallows the equatorial thermocline triggering coupled processes, and favoring the development of a Pacific La Niña. Results could be linked to the reported 60's and 70's climate shifts; emphasizing the importance of tropical Atlantic for the success of seasonal forecast skill.
Correlation between hybrid 18F-FDG PET/CT and apoptosis induced by neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

Quantitative or semi-quantitative analysis of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) has been reported to correlate with the clinical and pathological response of tumors to preoperative treatment. This study was conceived to evaluate the correlation between hybrid 18F-FDG PET/CT and apoptosis in breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were given to forty-five patients with primary breast cancer proven by core needle biopsy. Hybrid PET/CT was performed before and after treatment and tumor to non-tumor radioactivity ratio (T/N) was calculated. The apoptotic index (AI) in core-cut and surgically resected samples was determined using TUNEL techniques. The mean T/N pre- and post-chemotherapy was 3.23 ± 0.63 and 2.31 ± 0.49, respectively (P = 0.006), with the mean reduction rate below baseline of 31.18 ± 13.18% (range, 6.4-50.8%). The mean AI pre- and post-chemotherapy was 2.81 ± 0.76% and 17.31 ± 6.85%, respectively (P < 0.0001). The mean AI change was 14.34 ± 5.36% (range, 1.9-41.3%). A positive correlation was detected between the T/N reduction rate and AI change (rs = 0.850, P < 0.0001). At a threshold of 20% decrease from baseline in T/N, the mean AI change in the tumors with a reduction of 20% or more in T/N was 20.86 ± 4.29%, while that in the tumors with a reduction of less than 20% in T/N was 8.59 ± 2.87% (P < 0.0001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and the accuracy of PET/CT for the prediction of clinical response were 90.9%, 83.3%, 93.8%, 76.9%, and 92%, respectively. These data suggested that neoadjuvant chemotherapy may effectively induce apoptosis in breast tumors and decrease their glucose uptake. Hybrid PET/CT imaging appeared to be positively related to apoptosis level and therefore to be of value in predicting the response of breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
A backstepping approach to control a nonholonomic mobile robot

A trajectory tracking control problem for a nonholonomic mobile robot by making use of a kinematic oscillator has been solved. Firstly, a time varying oscillator is examined to control the nonholonomic mobile robot based only its kinematics. Secondly, a backstepping procedure is proposed to include robot dynamics and the servo loop. It is shown that overall multilevel controller is asymptotically globally stable to a small error different from zero. A wide range of simulation results are presented which illustrate the behaviour of the controller with respect to tuning its parameters. Some preliminary experiments are reported too.
[Relationship between polymorphism of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha and cervical cancer in Han population in Sichuan Province of China].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) C1772T and genetic susceptibility to and clinical-pathological features of cervical cancers in Han population in Sichuan province of China. METHODS A case control study was undertaken in Sichuan province of China, with 97 patients with uterine cervical cancer as case group and 117 negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM) patients as control group. Their gene types in HIF-1alpha C1772T were identified with a combination of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS The distribution of the frequencies of T/T, T/C and C/C genotypes in the two groups differed significantly (P < 0.01); T allele frequency in the patients with cervical cancer was much higher than that in the controls (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the distributions of T/T, T/C and C/C genotypes among cervical cancer patients at different FIGO stages, pathological grading, stromal invasive depth, lymph node metastasis and vascular invasions (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION T/C and T/T genotypes of HIF-1alpha C1772T are genetic susceptibility factors for cervical cancer in Han population in Sichuan province of China. HIF-1alpha C1772T SNP probably has no relationship with clinical-pathological features of cervical cancer.
The Score for Allergic Rhinitis Study in Turkey

Background The clinical definition of allergic rhinitis (AR) is difficult to use in epidemiological settings of large populations where it is impossible to obtain the laboratory evidence of each immune response. However, the standardization of the definition of AR in epidemiological studies is of crucial importance. This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of AR in an adult general population with respect to seven distinct geographical regions in Turkey. Methods Individuals were evaluated with the Score for Allergic Rhinitis (SFAR) questionnaire for a national cross-sectional study. The Turkish version of the SFAR questionnaire was tested for clarity and sensitivity in a small sample of the general population. Results Among the 3967 interviewed subjects, the overall prevalence of AR was 29.6%, with regional variations (from 21.0% in the southeastern Anatolia region to 36.1% in the Marmara region). The prevalence was higher in women and in urban area of residence. Conclusion This national survey confirmed the elevated prevalence of AR in Turkey. Our findings may contribute to the formulation of the public health policy and development of preventive and therapeutic strategies for AR in eastern Europe.