Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Climate change impacts in multispecies systems: drought alters food web size structure in a field experiment

Experimental data from intergenerational field manipulations of entire food webs are scarce, yet such approaches are essential for gauging impacts of environmental change in natural systems. We imposed 2 years of intermittent drought on stream channels in a replicated field trial, to measure food web responses to simulated climate change. Drought triggered widespread losses of species and links, with larger taxa and those that were rare for their size, many of which were predatory, being especially vulnerable. Many network properties, including size–scaling relationships within food chains, changed in response to drought. Other properties, such as connectance, were unaffected. These findings highlight the need for detailed experimental data from different organizational levels, from pairwise links to the entire food web. The loss of not only large species, but also those that were rare for their size, provides a newly refined way to gauge likely impacts that may be applied more generally to other systems and/or impacts.
Can't tell the caterpillars from the trees: countershading enhances survival in a woodland

Perception of the body's outline and three-dimensional shape arises from visual cues such as shading, contour, perspective and texture. When a uniformly coloured prey animal is illuminated from above by sunlight, a shadow may be cast on the body, generating a brightness contrast between the dorsal and ventral surfaces. For animals such as caterpillars, which live among flat leaves, a difference in reflectance over the body surface may degrade the degree of background matching and provide cues to shape from shading. This may make otherwise cryptic prey more conspicuous to visually hunting predators. Cryptically coloured prey are expected to match their substrate in colour, pattern and texture (though disruptive patterning is an exception), but they may also abolish self-shadowing and therefore either reduce shape cues or maintain their degree of background matching through countershading: a gradation of pigment on the body of an animal so that the surface closest to illumination is darker. In this study, we report the results from a series of field experiments where artificial prey resembling lepidopteran larvae were presented on the upper surfaces of beech tree branches so that they could be viewed by free-living birds. We demonstrate that countershading is superior to uniform coloration in terms of reducing attack by free-living predators. This result persisted even when we fixed prey to the underside of branches, simulating the resting position of many tree-living caterpillars. Our experiments provide the first demonstration, in an ecologically valid visual context, that shadowing on bodies (such as lepidopteran larvae) provides cues that visually hunting predators use to detect potential prey species, and that countershading counterbalances shadowing to enhance cryptic protection.
Towards a Unifying Multilateral Cloud Negotiation Strategy

In a Cloud business model, consumers pay Cloud providers for consumption of computing capabilities and the allocation of resources often requires consumers and providers to establish service contracts through negotiation. This paper reports the preliminary findings in devising a unifying strategy for supporting price negotiation among multiple consumers and multiple providers in Cloud resource allocation. The contributions of this work include i) comparing the negotiation functions of various existing negotiation strategies, ii) implementing the various negotiation strategies in an agent-based testbed, and iii) empirically comparing the performance of a family of multilateral negotiation strategies. Even though the negotiation functions of these negotiation strategies are composed of different mathematical functions, experimental results show that they have equivalent properties. It can be deduced that despite adopting different market-driven strategies that are studied in this work, agents make similar amounts of concessions under different respective market situations.
∞ quantqual discrete continuous continuous slider discrete continuous discrete range slider continuous range slider activeinactive activeinactive

Crossets are new interactive instruments or widgets based on crossing gestures that exploit the dimension orthogonal to sliders’ axes for manipulating multiple aligned sliders simultaneously. We propose a Crossets taxonomy to generalize the sliders’ properties to those of other standard widgets. We introduce and illustrate the constrained crossing gesture with Crossets in an interface for the visual exploration of numerical tables. Then, we discuss alternative strategies to Crossets before exploring persistent unconstrained crossing gestures compatible with Crossets, introducing Spline as a persistent reusable interactive instrument. This paper highlights promising perspectives for crossing-based widgets. We hope future interfaces will make use of this simple technique that can help improve the efficiency of standard widgets and lead to the generation of new styles of interfaces.
Microsurgical treatment of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea in sphenoidal sinus.

OBJECTIVE To explore the clinical manifestation, diagnosis and surgical treatment of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea in sphenoidal sinus. METHODS Nine cases of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea in sphenoidal sinus from 2007 to 2009 were retrospectively analyzed consisting of their possible etiological factors, clinical manifestations, localization of the leakage site and treatment methods. Among them, there were 3 cases of traumatic rhinorrhea, 4 postoperative rhinorrhea and 2 spontaneous rhinorrhea. All 9 patients underwent 3-dimensional CT scan in sellar region including all para-nasal sinus. Leakage site was identified and repairing procedure was performed through trans-sphenoidal approach. RESULTS All cases were cured with the trans-sphenoidal microsurgical procedure. They were followed up for 9 months to 2 years. No recurrence, no infection and epilepsy complications were observed. CONCLUSION For the cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea at sphenoidal sinus, it is critical to identify the leakage site accurately and the trans-sphenoidal approach is a microinvasive and effective way to repair the leakage, which is worthy to be advocated.
Cervical spine: three-dimensional fast spin-echo MR imaging--improved recovery of longitudinal magnetization with driven equilibrium pulse.

Author contributions: Guarantor of integrity of entire study, E.R. M. ; study concepts and design, E.R. M. ; definition of intellectual content, E.R. M. ; literature research, E.R. M. ; clinical studies, E.R. M. ; data acquisition, E.R. M. , R.I. ; data analysis, E.R. M. , R.I. ; manuscript preparation, E.R. M. , R.I. ; manuscript editing, E.R. M. , R.I. , P.J.M.F. ; manuscript review, E.R. M. , R.I. , P.J.M.F. Cervical Spine: Three-dimensional Fast Spin-Echo MR Imaging— Improved Recovery of Longitudinal Magnetization with Driven Equilibrium Pulse
[Chemosurgery to inferior turbinates--trichloroacetic acid application].

1. 80W/V%トリクロール酢酸による鼻閉の治療は,安全で副作用,中毒作用なく,耳鼻咽喉科医独自の治療手段で,86%の改善率を得た. 2. 通年性アレルギー性鼻炎のくしゃみ症状,水様性鼻汁症状の改善も可能と考えた. 3. 鼻閉改善の第一の理由は,本剤の影響した範囲での凝固壊死後の組織脱落による絶対的体積の減少にあると思われた. 4. 再生したと考えられた上皮は重層扁平化していて,その直下には好酸球の浸潤はなく,この部分でアレルギー性反応は生じていないと思われる所見が得られた. 5. 重層扁平化した上皮の部分の粘膜固有層の腺組織は機能低下を示している可能性が示唆された. 6. トリクロール酢酸による影響を受けた神経線維はその成分であるNeurofilament Proteinが蛋白変性することから,神経線維に対する免疫染色法では抗原性の低下,すなわち染色性低下といった所見を認めた. この点は特にアレルギー性鼻炎の神経を介する症状に影響したと思われた.
Role of the beta(3)-adrenergic receptor and/or a putative beta(4)-adrenergic receptor on the expression of uncoupling proteins and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1.

Administration of beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) agonists, especially beta(3)-AR agonists, is well known to increase thermogenesis in rodents and humans. In this work we studied the role of the beta(3)-AR in regulating mRNA expression of genes involved in thermogenesis, i.e., mitochondrial uncoupling proteins UCP2 and UCP3, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1), in mouse skeletal muscle. For this purpose, different beta(3)-AR agonists were administered acutely to both wild type mice and mice whose beta(3)-AR gene has been disrupted (beta(3)-AR KO mice). CL 316243 increased the expression of UCP2, UCP3 and PGC-1 in wild type mice only. By contrast, BRL 37344 and CGP 12177 increased the expression of UCP2 and UCP3 in both wild type and beta(3)-AR KO mice, whereas they increased the expression of PGC-1 in wild type mice only. Finally, acute (3 h) cold exposure increased the expression of UCP2 and UCP3, but not PGC-1, in skeletal muscle of both wild type and beta(3)-AR KO mice. These results show that selective stimulation of the beta(3)-AR affects the expression of UCP2, UCP3 and PGC-1 in skeletal muscle. This effect is probably indirect, as muscle does not seem to express beta(3)-AR. In addition, our data suggest that BRL 37344 and CGP 12177 act, in part, through an as yet unidentified receptor, possibly a beta(4)-AR.
Islands, Coastlines, and Stable Isotopes: Advances in Archaeology and Geochemistry

Stable isotope geochemistry is an increasingly important part of archaeological research and has become integral to examining questions about human behavior in island and coastal environments. In coastal and island regions, archaeologists and geochemists collaborate to address questions of environmental change, migration, mobility and seasonality, trade, foraging in terrestrial and marine environments, humananimal interactions, and the introduction of domesticated plants, particularly maize (Andrus 2011; Katzenburg 2000; Schwarcz and Schoeninger 1991). This special section of the Journal of Island & Coastal Archaeology addresses stable isotope studies in the archaeology of island and coastal environments. Given recent advances in the use of stable isotope geochemistry in archaeological contexts and the demand for this method in these types of environments in particular, this section brings together cutting-edge research united by three main goals: (1) illustrating the variety of stable isotope methods currently used in archaeological research; (2) demonstratingrecentapplicationsof thesemethods;and (3) providing synthetic regional analyses. To illustrate the methods, applications, and syntheses in stable isotope analysis, the six papers in this section—ranging from British Columbia to the Caribbean, Southeast UnitedStates,CaliforniaChannel Islands,and Northern Europe—illustrate the variety of questions addressed by stable isotope studies and demonstrate their complementary nature. These articles present stable isotope data from different geographic regions to explore the complex relationship among humans, animal resources, and island or coastal environments.
Type X collagen synthesis by chick sternal cartilage and its relationship to endochondral development

Our morphological studies have demonstrated that the appearance of localized, paired zones of primary calcification on either side of the midline of the 19-d embryonic chick sternum is heralded by the development of paired, translucent zones 2 d previously. Histological studies demonstrated that the majority of chondrocytes within these translucent zones are hypertrophic, and that the zones are surrounded by a margin of flattened nonhypertrophic cells. The discrete localization of these paired areas of hypertrophic chondrocytes and subsequent endochondral bone development allows for the direct correlation of the histological and biochemical characteristics of the zones sequentially during development and makes it possible to precisely match the synthetic activity to the cellular morphology, thereby eliminating possible minor but critical variations in developmental staging that could otherwise arise. Our studies have demonstrated that there is a direct spatial and temporal correlation between the degree of cellular maturation and the synthesis of type X collagen, and that the sudden and profound initiation of type X collagen synthesis on days 16-17 of development occurs concurrently with the attainment of hypertrophic characteristics by the majority of cells within the translucent zone. Before acquisition of these hypertrophic characteristics, the cells of this precalcification zone synthesize only type II and the minor cartilage collagens. Chondrocytes isolated from these regions in more immature sternae (i.e., 11+ d embryos) were found to synthesize high levels of type X collagen within 4 d of culture within collagen gels even though hypertrophic development and type X collagen synthesis by cells within this region would not normally have been apparent in ovo for several more days. These data indicate that there is a direct correlation between the development of hypertrophic characteristics and the synthesis of type X collagen, and that the maturation of chondrocytes in precalcification zones may be regulated by matrix components and/or stimulated by culture within collagen gels.
High precision Lu and Hf isotope analyses of both spiked and unspiked samples: A new approach

The functional form of instrumentally produced mass fractionation associated with MC‐ICP‐MS analysis is not accurately known and therefore cannot be fully corrected by traditional approaches of internal normalization using power, linear, or exponential mass‐bias laws. We present a method for robust correction of instrumentally produced mass‐fractionation of both spiked and unspiked samples that can be applied to mass analysis of Hf as well as Nd, Sr, Os, etc. Correction of 176Hf/177Hf for unspiked samples follows a traditional approach of internal normalization using an exponential law, followed by normalization to a standard of known composition, such as JMC‐475. For spiked samples, standards are used to characterize a linear instrumental mass‐bias coefficient; the mass‐bias coefficient is defined by the slope of a tie‐line between measured and true values of a standard. This approximation results in identical precision and accuracy of measurements for spiked and unspiked samples (±0.005% 2σ, external reproducibility). The effects of the spike on the 176Hf/177Hf ratio and calculation of the molar spike‐sample ratio is determined by a closed‐form solution modified from the double‐spike approach used for Fe isotope analysis by TIMS [Johnson and Beard, 1999]. The measured 176Lu/175Lu ratios are corrected by doping the sample with Er and using the 167Er/166Er ratio to externally normalize the 176Lu/175Lu ratio using an exponential law. Finally, spike‐sample equilibration is confirmed for our sample dissolution protocol through analysis of varying physical mixtures of 1 Ga garnet and hornblende, where all the data lie on a mixing‐line, within error, on a 176Lu/177Hf‐176Hf/177Hf diagram. Precision of 176Lu/177Hf ratios is determined to be ±0.2% (2σ) for standards and for physical mixtures of garnet and hornblende.
Discovering Emotions in the Wild: An Inductive Method to Identify Fine-grained Emotion Categories in Tweets

This paper describes a method to expose a set of categories that are representative of the emotions expressed on Twitter inductively from data. The method can be used to expand the range of emotions that automatic classifiers can detect through the identification of fine-grained emotion categories human annotators are capable of detecting in tweets. The inter-annotator reliability statistics for 18 annotators using different granularity of the emotion classification schemes are compared. An initial set of emotion categories representative of the range of emotions expressed in tweets is derived. Using this method, researchers can make more informed decisions regarding the level of granularity and representativeness of emotion labels that automatic emotion classifiers should be able to detect in text.
Probe for Measuring Soil Specific Heat Using A Heat-Pulse Method

Temperature rise, measured a short distance from a line heat source, can be used to determine the volumetric specific heat of soil and other materials. Volumetric specific heat is linearly related to the inverse of the temperature rise. The purpose of this note is to describe the construction and performance of a device for measuring specific heat using the line source method. The device was constructed from two hypodermic needles, 0.813 mm in diam. and 28 mm long, and spaced 6 mm apart. One needle contained a heater and the other a thermocouple. The temperature rise from heat pulses given to the heater were measured with the thermocouple. The coefficientof variation (CV) of specific heat on replicate samples was around 1%. Since water is the main variable component of the specific heat in nonswelling soil, changes in water content might be resolved to 0.01 or better in nonswelling soils
Cofilin Changes the Twist of F-Actin: Implications for Actin Filament Dynamics and Cellular Function

Cofilin is an actin depolymerizing protein found widely distributed in animals and plants. We have used electron cryomicroscopy and helical reconstruction to identify its binding site on actin filaments. Cofilin binds filamentous (F)-actin cooperatively by bridging two longitudinally associated actin subunits. The binding site is centered axially at subdomain 2 of the lower actin subunit and radially at the cleft between subdomains 1 and 3 of the upper actin subunit. Our work has revealed a totally unexpected (and unique) property of cofilin, namely, its ability to change filament twist. As a consequence of this change in twist, filaments decorated with cofilin have much shorter ‘actin crossovers' (∼75% of those normally observed in F-actin structures). Although their binding sites are distinct, cofilin and phalloidin do not bind simultaneously to F-actin. This is the first demonstration of a protein that excludes another actin-binding molecule by changing filament twist. Alteration of F-actin structure by cofilin/ADF appears to be a novel mechanism through which the actin cytoskeleton may be regulated or remodeled.
Optical, radiative, and source characteristics of aerosols at Minicoy, a remote island in the southern Arabian Sea

Extensive measurements of aerosol radiative and microphysical properties were made at an island location, Minicoy (8.3 degrees N, 73.04 degrees E) in the southern Arabian Sea. A large variability in aerosol characteristics associated with changes in air mass and precipitation characteristics was observed. Six distinct transport pathways were identified on the basis of cluster analysis. The Indo-Gangetic Plain, along with the northern Arabian Sea and west Asia (NWA), was identified to be the region having the highest potential for aerosol mass loading at the island. This estimate is based on the concentration weighted trajectory as well as cluster analysis. Dust transport from the NWA region was found to make a substantial contribution to the supermicron mass fraction. The black carbon mass mixing ratios observed were the lowest compared to previous measurements over this region. Consequently, the atmospheric radiative forcing efficiency was low and was in the range 10-28 W m(-2).
Spectrum Sharing as Spatial Congestion Games

In this paper, we present and analyze the properties of a new class of games - the spatial congestion game (SCG), which is a generalization of the classical congestion game (CG). In a classical congestion game, multiple users share the same set of resources and a user's payoff for using any resource is a function of the total number of users sharing it. As a potential game, this game enjoys some very appealing properties, including the existence of a pure strategy Nash equilibrium (NE) and that every improvement path is finite and leads to such a NE (also called the finite improvement property or FIP). While it's tempting to use this model to study spectrum sharing, it does not capture the spatial reuse feature of wireless communication, where resources (interpreted as channels) may be reused without increasing congestion provided that users are located far away from each other. This motivates us to study an extended form of the congestion game where a user's payoff for using a resource is a function of the number of its interfering users sharing it. This naturally results in a spatial congestion game (SCG), where users are placed over a network (or a conflict graph). We study fundamental properties of a spatial congestion game; in particular, we seek to answer under what conditions this game possesses the finite improvement property or a Nash equilibrium. We also discuss the implications of these results when applied to wireless spectrum sharing.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Prevalence Trends for Heroin use and Non-Medical use of Prescription Opioids Among Entrants to Opioid Treatment Programs, 2005–2016

ABSTRACT Recent data suggest an increase in use of heroin and non-medical use of prescription opioids (POs) in the United States, but it is unclear if these trends are consistent across racial/ethnic groups. In a nationwide prevalence study, 69,140 patients newly admitted to an opioid treatment program (OTP) completed a brief self-administered survey of past month heroin use and PO misuse from January 2005 through September 2016. We calculated heroin use and PO misuse prevalence rates, and prevalence rate ratios of Black and Latino OTP entrants compared to White entrants over time. Initially, Black and Latino respondents reported much higher prevalence of heroin use and much lower prevalence of PO misuse than White respondents. Heroin use increased among White respondents, while it decreased among Black respondents, resulting in rates that were no longer significantly different. PO misuse prevalence decreased among White respondents while it increased among Black respondents, but remained significantly higher among White respondents. Heroin use decreased and PO misuse increased among Latino respondents during the late 2000s, but these trends largely reversed in more recent years. Among OTP entrants, racially/ethnically disparate rates of heroin use, and to a lesser extent, of PO misuse have become more similar over time. These trends were stronger when analysis was restricted to OTP entrants who either had no previous OTP history or were younger. To understand potential impacts of interventions to deter PO misuse and to maximize the effectiveness of OTPs it is important to consider potential changes in opioid use across racial/ethnic groups.