Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of evaporation estimated by the HIRHAM and GWB models for present climate and climate change scenarios

Abstract The evaporation estimated by the regional climate model HIRHAM was compared to the evaporation given by the regional hydrological model GWB for selected points in Norway, Sweden and Finland. The report starts with a brief review of important evaporation processes and how they are represented in the two models. Then the evaporation estimated by the two models were compared to evaporation observations at three locations in Sweden and Finland for present climate, before the two models were compared at six points in Norway for the present climate and the future climate simulated by dynamical downscaling of HadAm3 with emission scenarios A2 and B2. Monthly and annual average values were compared. The results show that there is a potential for improving the evaporation calculations in both models. Both models over-estimate the average annual evaporation compared to observations at the three sites in Sweden and Finland. HIRHAM over-estimates winter evaporation whereas the GWB overestimates spring and autumn evaporation, and under-estimates winter-evaporation.The differences in estimated evaporation between the two models are more important than the differences between the scenarios A2 and B2. Both models indicate that the largest increase in evaporation will be in the spring and in the autumn.The summer evaporation might decrease at many locations. The GWB indicates a much higher increase in average annual evaporation than the HIRHAM model.
Beyond a ‘Two-Level’ Game: Local Livelihood Issues and International Development Institutions in the Mekong River Basin

Abstract This article investigates whether and how local livelihood issues are linked to international development policy and practices in the Mekong River Basin under a two-level game approach. Based on field research and interviews with villagers, and national and international policy makers associated with two hydroelectric dam projects, four key livelihood issues that are central to local communities, but are not currently considered important in international development policy and practices, are described. Fundamental to these issues is the problem that existing frameworks of international institutions do not consider local communities and citizens as legitimate participants at the international level. It is argued that the linkages between local- and international-layer institutions are not established by considering only policy issues and interests of nation-states; the focus of existing frameworks of international institutions. A major challenge for international development planning in the Mekong River Basin is establishing direct linkages between local livelihood issues and international development institutions.
Efficient wavelength routing in trees with low-degree converters

We study the use of limited wavelength conversion in order to increase bandwidth utilization in WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) all-optical networks. A measure of the complexity of a converter is given by its maximum degree (i.e., the maximum number of potential conversions of any given wavelength). We present trade-oos between the complexityof the converters and the number of wavelengths necessary to route a set of requests as function of the load l in directed ber trees, where load is the maximum number of requests traversing a directed tree link. In particular our results show that it is possible to beat the known lower bounds using constant or poly-logarithmic degree converters and even obtain optimal wavelength routing (i.e., full bandwidth utilization) in case of binary trees using converters of constant degree.
A computer program for the analysis of protein complex formation

MOTIVATION We needed an efficient way to explore the binding reactions leading to protein complexes of known composition and structure. RESULTS A new program is described that allows the user to define a set of protein elements and to link these elements into an oligomeric 'ball-and-stick' assembly in a graphical interface. Once the structure of the oligomer has been defined, the program then employs a novel algorithm to deduce the binding reactions and intermediate complexes needed to make the oligomer from its starting protein components. The program also finds the equilibrium state of the system, using either default starting concentrations and Kd values or data supplied by the user.
Formalizing Concurrent Common Knowledge as Product of Modal Logics

This paper introduces a two-dimensional modal logic to represent agents’ concurrent common knowledge in distributed systems. Unlike common knowledge, concurrent common knowledge is a kind of agreement reachable in asynchronous environments. As a proper semantics to concurrent common knowledge we present the closed sub-product of modal logics. We axiomatize the presented logic issuing an idea of the soundness and completeness proofs.
Joint Cluster Analysis of Attribute Data and Relationship Data: the Connected k-Center Problem

Attribute data and relationship data are two principle types of data, representing the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of entities. While attribute data has been the main source of data for cluster analysis, relationship data such as social networks or metabolic networks are becoming increasingly available. It is also common to observe both data types carry orthogonal information such as in market segmentation and community identification, which calls for a joint cluster analysis of both data types so as to achieve more accurate results. For this purpose, we introduce the novel Connected kCenter problem, taking into account attribute data as well as relationship data. We analyze the complexity of this problem and prove its NP-completeness. We also present a constant factor approximation algorithm, based on which we further design NetScan, a heuristic algorithm that is efficient for large, real databases. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates the meaningfulness and accuracy of the NetScan results.
Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus epidermidis Strain AU12-03, Isolated from an Intravascular Catheter

ABSTRACT In recent years, Staphylococcus epidermidis has become a major nosocomial pathogen and the most common cause of intravascular catheter-related bacteremia, which can increase morbidity and mortality and significantly affect patient recovery. We report a draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus epidermidis AU12-03, isolated from an intravascular catheter tip.
Energy saving perspectives of IP over wavelength division multiplexing

The electrical consumption of the core global networks is becoming preoccupant. To reduce it, one may bet on technological advances improving the energetic profile of individual components. However, large energy savings can potentially already be achieved, by reviewing the organization of the core networks. In this paper, we sketch directions which can be followed to improve the network organization toward reduced energetic consumption.
MULTIMODAL IDENTITY VERIFICATION

Multimodal fusion for identity verification has already sho wn great improvement compared to unimodal algorithms. In this paper, we propose to integrate confidence measures during the fusion process. We present a comparison of three different methods to genera te such confidence information from unimodal identity verification systems. These methods can be used eit her to enhance the performance of a multimodal fusion algorithm or to obtain a confidence level on the decisi on taken by the system. All the algorithms are compared on the same benchmark database, namely XM2VTS, con taining both speech and face information. Results show that some confidence measures did improve stati stic lly significantly the performance, while other measures produced reliable confidence levels over the fusion decisions.
From tectonically to erosionally controlled development of the Himalayan orogen

Whether variations in the spatial distribution of erosion influ- ence the location, style, and magnitude of deformation within the Himalayan orogen is a matter of debate. We report new 40 Ar/ 39 Ar white mica and apatite fission-track (AFT) ages that measure the vertical component of exhumation rates along an ;120-km-wide NE-SW transect spanning the greater Sutlej region of northwest India. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar data indicate that first the High Himalayan Crystalline units cooled below their closing temperature during the early to middle Miocene. Subsequently, Lesser Himalayan Crys- talline nappes cooled rapidly, indicating southward propagation of the orogen during late Miocene to Pliocene time. The AFT data, in contrast, imply synchronous exhumation of a NE-SW-oriented ;80 3 40 km region spanning both crystalline nappes during the Pliocene-Quaternary. The locus of pronounced exhumation de- fined by the AFT data correlates with a region of high precipita- tion, discharge, and sediment flux rates during the Holocene. This correlation suggests that although tectonic processes exerted the dominant control on the denudation pattern before and until the middle Miocene; erosion may have been the most important factor since the Pliocene.
What do V 1 neurons l ike about natural signals

Sensory systems have been found to adapt their machinery to process natural signals efficiently. What are the statistical features in natural signals that could be driving neuronal adaptation? Our study demonstrates that neural coding of macaque primary visual cortex (area V1) neurons is adaptive to the scale-invariant long-term correlation in the signals. Power spectrum of such signals displays a 1/f power law behavior, which is universal in natural signals. We found that V1 neurons exhibit higher efficiency, transmit more information and carry less noise when responding to 1/f signals than to other kinds of signals. These findings suggest that the appropriate long-term correlation might be a key driving force in shaping and optimizing the machinery of neurons in their adaptation to the natural environment.
Mesoscale hydrographic variability in the vicinity of Points Conception and Arguello during April–May 1983: The OPUS 1983 experiment

In April and May 1983, interdisciplinary oceanographic observations were made of upwelling events in the Point Conception area off southern California. The principal objective was to observe the structure and time dependence of the upwelling system. To accomplish this, two ships, two aircraft, moorings, drogues, and satellite imagery were all included in the observational effort. During the intensive measurement period three main upwelling events and two intervening relaxation or downwelling intervals were sampled during what was a period of overall longer-term sea surface warming. Surface temperatures during upwelling were as low as 10.5°C in the upwelling center between Point Arguello and Point Conception, while during periods of nonupwelling winds, temperatures reached 14°–15°C in the same area. The upwelling center was also a source of higher-salinity water (33.7‰) relative to the offshore waters that were anomalously fresh (33.3‰). Upwelling was observed off Point Arguello, Point Conception, and the area between with a possible lag of up to a day at Point Conception relative to the other areas. The upwelling plume as observed by surface mapping and remote sensing tended to move in a variety of directions from SE to SW. Part of the movement was usually into the Santa Barbara Channel, but other parts of the plume occasionally moved southwestward. There was no obvious correlation of plume direction with the wind. During relaxation events the entire region was covered by a 10- to 20-m-thick warm (14°–16°C), fresh (<33.5‰) buoyant layer. Spatial correlations of water temperature with 24-hour lagged winds showed logical patterns, but the distributions were not as seen in other California studies.
Immunomodulation by Different Types of N-Oxides in the Hemocytes of the Marine Bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis

The potential toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) for humans and the environment represents an emerging issue. Since the aquatic environment represents the ultimate sink for NP deposition, the development of suitable assays is needed to evaluate the potential impact of NPs on aquatic biota. The immune system is a sensitive target for NPs, and conservation of innate immunity represents an useful basis for studying common biological responses to NPs. Suspension-feeding invertebrates, such as bivalves, are particularly at risk to NP exposure, since they have extremely developed systems for uptake of nano and microscale particles integral to intracellular digestion and cellular immunity. Evaluation of the effects of NPs on functional parameters of bivalve immunocytes, the hemocytes, may help understanding the major toxic mechanisms and modes of actions that could be relevant for different NP types in aquatic organisms.In this work, a battery of assays was applied to the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to compare the in vitro effects of different n-oxides (n-TiO2, n-SiO2, n-ZnO, n-CeO2) chosen on the basis of their commercial and environmental relevance. Physico-chemical characterization of both primary particles and NP suspensions in artificial sea water-ASW was performed. Hemocyte lysosomal and mitochondrial parameters, oxyradical and nitric oxide production, phagocytic activity, as well as NP uptake, were evaluated. The results show that different n-oxides rapidly elicited differential responses hemocytes in relation to their chemical properties, concentration, behavior in sea water, and interactions with subcellular compartments. These represent the most extensive data so far available on the effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic organisms. The results indicate that Mytilus hemocytes can be utilized as a suitable model for screening the potential effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic invertebrates, and may provide a basis for future experimental work for designing environmentally safer nanomaterials.
Targeting the PI3K/AKT Pathway for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Despite recent advances in our understanding of the biological basis of prostate cancer, the management of the disease, especially in the castration-resistant phase, remains a significant challenge. Deregulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway is increasingly implicated in prostate carcinogenesis. In this review, we detail the role of this pathway in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and the rapidly evolving therapeutic implications of targeting it. In particular, we highlight the importance of the appropriate selection of agents and combinations, and the critical role of predictive and pharmocodynamic biomarkers.
Antidepressants: Relationship to the Time to Psychiatric Readmission and Probability of Being in Hospital in Depressive Patients

Introduction: Although antidepressants play a major role in the treatment of patients with depression, it is unclear which specific antidepressants are more efficacious than others. This study aims to analyze the relationship between several antidepressant substances and the time to readmission as well as the probability of being in hospital in a given week by using prescription data. Methods: The database was health-insurance claim data from the new Federal States in Germany. The analysis consisted of all patients with unipolar depression at their index admission in 2007 (N = 1803). Patients were followed up for 2 years after discharge from index hospitalization. Statistical analyses were conducted by discrete-time hazards models and general estimation equation models, accounting for various predictors. Results: Of all prescribed antidepressant substances, sertraline was related to an increased time to readmission by 37% and to a reduction in the probability of being in hospital in a given week by 40%. However, it was prescribed to only about 5% of the patients. Conclusion: In this study, only sertraline appeared to have clinical and economic advantages. It is remarkable that just a minority of patients received sertraline in our study, thus differing from the prescription pattern in the US.
Synaptic Neurochemistry of Human Striatum During Development: Changes in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Abstract: There is evidence of abnormalities in the brain‐stem monoamine‐containing neurons in infants with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). By taking advantage of the rich innervation of the human basal ganglia by monoam‐inergic afferents from cell bodies in the brainstem, we studied the synaptic chemistry of catecholamine and associated neurons of the putamen obtained postmortem from 14 SIDS infants, eight age‐matched control infants, and older control subjects of various ages. We found significantly lower concentrations of dopamine and higher homovanillic acid/DA ratios in samples from SIDS infants compared with age‐matched control infants. Noradrenaline and 5‐hydroxytryptamine were lower in SIDS compared with control subjects, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. There was no clear evidence that dihydroxyphe‐nylacetic acid and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid were altered. Immunoblot analysis of striatal tissue showed that samples from infants with SIDS, which exhibited lower DA, also had lower tyrosine hydroxylase protein. Other transmitter‐specific neuronal markers were also assessed, including enzymes associated with cholinergic and GABA‐containing neurons. We found significantly decreased choline acetyltransferase activities. However, GABA, glutamate, or somatostatin concentrations or monoamine oxidase activities were unchanged in SIDS. We also noted age‐dependent changes in brain weights and some synaptic markers by comparing the age‐matched infants with older control subjects. Analysis of variance revealed that homovanillic acid, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and monoamine oxidase B activities were increased with age. DA and choline acetyltransferase were also found to be positively correlated in putamen. Our findings suggest developmental changes in some transmitter‐specific neurons in SIDS that may result from apneic episodes or chronic hypoxia induced before death.
GestureQuery: A Multitouch Database Query Interface

Multitouch interfaces allow users to directly and interactively manipulate data. We propose bringing such interactive manipulation to the task of querying SQL databases. This paper describes an initial implementation of such an interface for multitouch tablet devices called GestureQuery that translates multitouch gestures into database queries. It provides database users with immediate constructive feedback on their queries, allowing rapid iteration and refinement of those queries. Based on preliminary user studies, Gesture-Query is easier to use, and lets users construct target queries quicker than console-based SQL and visual query builders while maintaining interactive performance.
Detection of Mycotoxins in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Over the past 20 years, exposure to mycotoxin producing mold has been recognized as a significant health risk. Scientific literature has demonstrated mycotoxins as possible causes of human disease in water-damaged buildings (WDB). This study was conducted to determine if selected mycotoxins could be identified in human urine from patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Patients (n = 112) with a prior diagnosis of CFS were evaluated for mold exposure and the presence of mycotoxins in their urine. Urine was tested for aflatoxins (AT), ochratoxin A (OTA) and macrocyclic trichothecenes (MT) using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA). Urine specimens from 104 of 112 patients (93%) were positive for at least one mycotoxin (one in the equivocal range). Almost 30% of the cases had more than one mycotoxin present. OTA was the most prevalent mycotoxin detected (83%) with MT as the next most common (44%). Exposure histories indicated current and/or past exposure to WDB in over 90% of cases. Environmental testing was performed in the WDB from a subset of these patients. This testing revealed the presence of potentially mycotoxin producing mold species and mycotoxins in the environment of the WDB. Prior testing in a healthy control population with no history of exposure to a WDB or moldy environment (n = 55) by the same laboratory, utilizing the same methods, revealed no positive cases at the limits of detection.
For Personal Use. Only Reproduce with Permission from the Lancet Publishing Group. International Epidemic of Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity: Public-health Crisis, Common Sense Cure

SEMINAR Historically, a fat child meant a healthy child, one who was likely to survive the rigors of undernourishment and infection. In the past decade, however, excessive fatness has arguably become the primary childhood health problem in developed nations and, to some degree, in other parts of the world. Here we review the scope of the problem and discuss developments in establishment of cause, prevention, and treatment of obesity. We argue that fundamental changes in the social environment will be needed to combat this emerging public-health crisis. The definitions of overweight and obesity in children differ between epidemiological studies, making comparisons of cross-sectional prevalence data difficult. Nevertheless, several studies have examined change in prevalence within populations over time, and the results of these analyses are astounding. Rates have increased 2·3-fold to 3·3-fold over about 25 years in the USA, 2·0-fold to 2·8-fold over 10 years in England, and 3·9-fold over 18 years in Egypt (figure 1). 1–7 The distribution of body-mass index (BMI) has shifted in a skewed fashion, such that the heaviest children, at greatest risk of complications, have become even heavier. 8 This epidemic has affected a wide age range, most ethnic groups, and people of every socioeconomic status, though sometimes in disproportionate ways. 9,10 In the USA, prevalence rose more than twice as fast among minority groups compared with white groups, exacerbating pre-existing racial-ethnic disparities. 10 The urban poor in developed countries might be especially vulnerable because of poor diet 11 and limited opportunity for physical activity. 12 Conversely, childhood obesity is most frequent in upper socioeconomic strata of developing nations, where over-nutrition and undernutrition coexist, probably owing to adoption of an increasingly Western lifestyle. Complications of childhood obesity Childhood obesity is a multisystem disease with potentially devastating consequences (figure 2). Several complications warrant special attention. As with adults, obesity in childhood causes hypertension, dyslipidaemia, chronic inflammation, increased blood clotting tendency, endothelial dysfunction, and hyperinsulinaemia. 25–29 This clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors, known as the insulin resistance syndrome, has been identified in children as young as 5 years of age. 41 Among adolescents and young adults who died of traumatic causes, the presence of cardiovascular disease risk factors correlated with asymptomatic coronary atherosclerosis, and lesions were more advanced in obese individuals. 42,43 Furthermore, in a British cohort, 44 overweight in childhood increased the risk of death from ischaemic heart disease in adulthood twofold over 57 years. …