Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agricultural expansion intensification and market participation among the Kofyar Jos Plateau Nigeria.

This case study focuses on the Kofyar homeland in the southern margin of the Jos Plateau in central Nigeria. Population pressure forced a "downhill" movement into the Benue Valley and intensive sedentary farming systems. The Kofyar now grow cash crops using indigenous low-energy techniques. Surplus products are sold in urban areas. Marketing of Kofyar products and access to education health and consumer goods was enhanced by the extension of the road network and increased road traffic. Soils could be improved by addition of organic materials. Only the poorly drained Shale Plains pose serious soil problems for Kofyar crops. Agriculture is rain-fed and subject to unexpected shortfalls and droughts. There are no obvious signs of severe environmental deterioration. Population densities show a regular inverse pattern to production. It appears that almost 50% of the population in 1984 were dependents. Mean household size by 1984 was 8.66 members among households who were cash cropping for 9 or more years. Households expand through polygamous marriage. It is suggested that the closure of frontier areas will result in a decline in household size. The farming system is described as the bimodal Boserup type where terraced manured subsistence land cropping was replaced by shifting cultivation in uninhabited Benue Plains land and finally by gradual intensification of farming in permanent settlement in the former frontier. Tools are simple. Ingenuity and disciplined hard work resulted in new systems of interplanting crop rotation and careful farming. Food cropping is profitable because of cheap and accessible transportation. Womens role in farming is cited as the reason for success in expanding agriculture. Surpluses and effective agricultural adaptation were achieved by changes in residence farming systems labor inputs and work organization.
The Unfolded Protein Response: From Stress Pathway to Homeostatic Regulation

The vast majority of proteins that a cell secretes or displays on its surface first enter the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they fold and assemble. Only properly assembled proteins advance from the ER to the cell surface. To ascertain fidelity in protein folding, cells regulate the protein-folding capacity in the ER according to need. The ER responds to the burden of unfolded proteins in its lumen (ER stress) by activating intracellular signal transduction pathways, collectively termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). Together, at least three mechanistically distinct branches of the UPR regulate the expression of numerous genes that maintain homeostasis in the ER or induce apoptosis if ER stress remains unmitigated. Recent advances shed light on mechanistic complexities and on the role of the UPR in numerous diseases.
pelea : Planning , Learning and Execution Architecture

One of the current limitations for large-scale use of planning technology in real world applications is the lack of software platforms to integrate the full spectrum of planning-related technologies that include sensing, planning, executing, monitoring, replanning and even learning from past experiences. In this paper we describe the design of such an architecture, pelea (Planning, Execution and LEarning Architecture) that has been conceived as a general-purpose architecture suitable for a wide range of problems from robotics to emergency management. We present the requirements of this architecture, its main components, as well as the connections among them. Currently, we have a first prototype of such platform.
Alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and risk of subtypes of oesophageal and gastric cancer: a prospective cohort study

Objective: Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking may be differentially associated with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC), gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) and gastric non-cardia adenocarcinoma (GNCA). However, because this was based on retrospective studies, these hypotheses were examined in a prospective cohort. Methods: The prospective Netherlands Cohort Study consists of 120 852 participants who completed a baseline questionnaire on diet and other cancer risk factors in 1986. After 16.3 years of follow-up, 107 OSCC, 145 OAC, 164 GCA and 491 GNCA cases were available for analysis using Cox proportional hazards models and the case–cohort approach. Results: The multivariable adjusted incidence rate ratio (RR) for OSCC was 4.61 (95% CI 2.24 to 9.50) for ⩾30 g ethanol/day compared with abstainers (p trend <0.001), while no associations with alcohol were found for OAC, GCA or GNCA. Compared with never smokers, current smokers had RRs varying from 1.60 for GCA to 2.63 for OSCC, and were statistically significant or borderline statistically significant. Frequency, duration and pack-years of smoking were independently associated with risk of all four cancers. A positive interaction was found between alcohol consumption and smoking status regarding OSCC risk. The RR for current smokers who consumed >15 g/day of ethanol was 8.05 (95% CI 3.89 to 16.60; p interaction = 0.65), when compared with never smokers who consumed <5 g/day of ethanol. Conclusions: This prospective study found alcohol consumption to be associated with increased risk of only OSCC. Cigarette smoking was associated with risk of all four cancers.
Investigation on Cu TSV-Induced KOZ in Silicon Chips: Simulations and Experiments

The technology of through silicon via (TSV) is one of the most promising enablers for 3-D integrated circuit (IC) integration. The embedded TSVs in silicon chips would, however, cause the problem of carrier mobility changes in surrounding devices. There are two objectives in this paper. The first objective is to numerically and experimentally investigate the effect of via-middle Cu TSV on the mobility change of metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors in the wafer-level silicon chips for this 3-D IC integration. The second objective is to further determine the keep-out zone (KOZ) in terms of the key parameters such as the SiO2 layer effect, the zero-stress temperature, the single and array vias, the through and blind vias, silicon material properties, as well as the diameter and pitch of vias. KOZs based on the >10% change in carrier mobility are identified by finite element numerical calculations associated with the corresponding piezoresistance coefficients. The numerical results of the changes in saturated current are experimentally validated with good agreements. With the results of detailed analyzes using this validated model, the key parameters affecting the KOZs are presented and further discussed in detail.
Dune Casts Preserved by Partial Burial: The First Identification of Ghost Dune Pits on Mars

Eolian sediment transport is active on modern Mars and has been for billions of years. Dune fields dot the surface of the planet, and examples of preserved eolian strata confirm that dunes were active on ancient Mars. As is also true on Earth, most Martian eolian sandstones preserve only a small fraction of the strata that constituted ancient dunes, and whole dunes fields are rarely preserved. In this study, we focus on two fields of >300 pits each and compare the pit morphologies, scales, and orientations to modern Martian dunes. It is hypothesized that the pit fields studied in Noctis Labyrinthus and Hellas basin represent casts of dunes from two ancient dune fields that were partially buried in the Hesperian. The flood material concentrated in the interdune area then became indurated, while the loose eolian dune sands eroded away, leaving behind the ~102‐m‐scale dune‐shaped pits or ghost dune pits. Modern barchan dunes in Oyama and Herschel craters are used for comparison to the pit fields, and the topography of these modern dunes is used to model pit morphologies after partial burial. Basalt flows and low‐energy fluviolacustrine deposition are possible mechanisms for partial burial. The potential for eolian strata to be preserved within the pits at a once warm or water‐rich interface makes the pits of interest for astrobiology. The inferred ancient dune fields record in their morphology a wind regime that differs from the modern and provide rare evidence of whole dune field preservation.
Joint Detection, Location and Source Mechanism Determination of Microseismic Events

Anikiev, Denis V. Joint Detection, Location and Source Mechanism Determination of Microseismic Events Saint Petersburg: Saint Petersburg State University, 2015, 85 p. Saint Petersburg State University Studies in Physics, Vol. 4 Imaging of seismic events is of utmost importance not only in seismology but also in exploration geophysics. For instance, detailed information about origin times, locations and source mechanisms of microseismic events is crucial for passive monitoring of hydraulic fracturing because it allows engineers to observe fracture growth, identify active faults and evaluate effectiveness of well stimulation. Microseismic monitoring greatly benefits from imaging events with low signal-tonoise ratio (SNR), but their detection on individual seismic traces is usually difficult. This work is devoted to a new imaging method based on stacking of seismic amplitudes along diffraction traveltime curves which facilitates noise suppression and improves imaging of microseismic events with low SNR. A key attribute of the proposed method consists in correction of polarities of stacked amplitudes according to the seismic moment tensor simultaneously determined for each set of amplitudes. This attribute allows taking into account source radiation patterns and significantly enhances imaging of typical seismic events generated in fault zones. The generalized imaging concept proposed in the thesis allows continuous data processing and involves original algorithms for joint detection and location of microseismic events, together with an algorithm for source mechanism determination. The detection algorithm based on automatic triggering routine enables joint determination of origin times of multiple consecutive microseismic events. In order to evaluate reliability of detected events, an additional semblance analysis of stacked amplitudes is proposed. Reliability of detection can be further improved by selection and correction of stacked amplitudes according to predicted source radiation patterns. The location algorithm involves representation of event’s image function in a form of statistical spatial distribution. This enables estimation of location uncertainty and determination of coordinates that are not restricted to the nodes of a spatial grid. The proposed method has been applied to a real dataset recorded during microseismic monitoring of hydraulic fracturing in a shale formation. Benchmarking of locations and source mechanisms of microseismic events with high SNR shows good agreement with the results of a standard imaging method based on manual picking of event traveltimes. Results of continuous data processing show that the proposed method is able to detect and locate a large number of real microseismic events in a vicinity of the stimulated well interval. Source mechanisms obtained for these events demonstrate fault geometries consistent with the orientation of natural fractures. The developed imaging method is fully automated and feasible for real-time microseismic monitoring.
Safe knee landing of a human-size humanoid robot while falling forward

This paper studies a falling motion control of a human-size humanoid robot when it falls forward. Safe knee landing of the robot is realized as a first step to minimize the damage of the falling over. The landing follows the detection of the falling, the decrease of the knee height after the detection, and the brake of landing speed. It is confirmed that the proposed method can soften the landing impact significantly by the proposed method.
Support the Data Enthusiast: Challenges for Next-Generation Data-Analysis Systems

We present a vision of next-generation visual analytics services. We argue that these services should have three related capabilities: support visual and interactive data exploration as they do today, but also suggest relevant data to enrich visualizations, and facilitate the integration and cleaning of that data. Most importantly, they should provide all these capabilities seamlessly in the context of an uninterrupted data analysis cycle. We present the challenges and opportunities in building next-generation visual analytics services.
LIPOPROTEIN BIOSYNTHESIS AND METABOLISM *

It is generally accepted that the protein and some of the lipid components of the plasma lipoproteins are synthesized in the parenchymal cells of the liver and the absorptive cells of the small intestine. Most of the detailed research in this area has been performed in rats, but some important information has been obtained in humans as well. The sites of removal of lipoprotein components are for the most part, uncertain. Major attention in recent years has attached to the role of the liver in the “terminal” catabolism of lipoproteins. The mechanisms of biosynthesis and terminal catabolism have also received attention. This review summarizes some recent research on the sites and mechanisms of biosynthesis and terminal catabolism of lipoproteins in rats and humans. FIGURE 1 summarizes some major features of lipoprotein-lipid metabolism and transport.
Mechanical and Biochemical Effect of Monopolar Radiofrequency Energy on Human Articular Cartilage

Background There are growing concerns about thermal chondroplasty using radiofrequency energy to treat partial-thickness cartilage defects. However, most studies emphasize effects on chondrocyte viability, and other factors such as mechanical properties are less studied. Hypothesis Radiofrequency energy may cause significant effects on articular cartilage other than chondrocyte viability. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Human osteoarthritic cartilage samples were obtained from total knee arthroplasty, and monopolar radiofrequency energy was applied using commercially available equipment. Material properties (compressive stiffness, surface roughness, and thickness) just before and after thermal treatment were determined using ultrasound. A series of biochemical analyses were also performed after explant culture of the samples. Results The cartilage surface became smoother by radiofrequency energy, whereas cartilage stiffness or thickness was not altered significantly. Collagen fibrils, especially in the superficial layers, were converted to denatured form, whereas proteoglycan contents released in the media as well as retained in the tissue remained unchanged. The concentrations of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1 and MMP-2) were reduced remarkably. Conclusion Radiofrequency energy is able to create a smooth cartilage surface and reduce catabolic enzymes at the cost of collagen denaturation and chondrocyte death in the superficial layers. The stiffness of the cartilage is not changed at time zero. Clinical Relevance Further animal as well as clinical studies will be necessary to fully evaluate the long-term effects of radiofrequency energy.
Closed-Form Estimates of the New Keynesian Phillips Curve with Time-Varying Trend Inflation

We compare estimates of the New Keynesian Phillips Curve (NKPC) when the curve is specified in two different ways. In the standard difference equation (DE) form, current inflation is a function of past inflation, expected future inflation, and real marginal costs. The alternative closed form (CF) specification explicitly solves the DE form to express inflation as a function of past inflation and a present-discounted value of current and expected future marginal costs. The CF specification places model-consistent constraints on expected future inflation that are not imposed in the DE form. In a Monte Carlo exercise, we show that estimating the CF version of the NKPC gives estimates that are much more efficient than the estimates obtained from the DE specification. We then compare DE and CF estimates of the NKPC with time-varying trend inflation on actual data. The data and estimation methodology are the same as in Cogley and Sbordone (2008). We show that DE and CF estimates differ substantially and have very different implications for inflation dynamics. As in Cogley and Sbordone, it is possible to estimate DE specifications of the NKPC where lagged inflation plays no role once trend inflation is taken into account. The CF estimates of the NKPC, however, typically imply as large a role for lagged inflation as for expected future inflation. These estimates thus suggest that trend inflation is not in itself sufficient to explain the persistent dynamics of inflation.
NAD+ depletion or PAR polymer formation: which plays the role of executioner in ischaemic cell death?

Multiple cell death pathways are activated in cerebral ischaemia. Much of the initial injury, especially in the core of the infarct where cerebral blood flow is severely reduced, is necrotic and secondary to severe energy failure. However, there is considerable evidence that delayed cell death continues for several days, primarily in the penumbral region. As reperfusion therapies grow in number and effectiveness, restoration of blood flow early after injury may lead to a shift towards apoptosis. It is important to elucidate what are the key mediators of apoptotic cell death after stroke, as inhibition of apoptosis may have therapeutic implications. There are two well described pathways that lead to apoptotic cell death; the caspase pathway and the more recently described caspase‐independent pathway triggered by poly‐ADP‐ribose polymers (PARP) activation. Caspase‐induced cell death is initiated by release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, formation of the cytosolic apoptosome, and activation of endonucleases leading to a multitude of small randomly cleaved DNA fragments. In contrast caspase‐independent cell death is secondary to activation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF). Mitochondrial AIF translocates to the nucleus, where it induces peripheral chromatin condensation, as well as characteristic high‐molecular‐weight (50 kbp) DNA fragmentation. Although caspase‐independent cell death has been recognized for some time and is known to contribute to ischaemic injury, the upstream triggering events leading to activation of this pathway remain unclear. The two major theories are that ischaemia leads to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) depletion and subsequent energy failure, or alternatively that cell death is directly triggered by a pro‐apoptotic factor produced by activation of the DNA repair enzyme PARP. PARP activation is robust in the ischaemic brain producing variable lengths of poly‐ADP‐ribose (PAR) polymers as byproducts of PARP activation. PAR polymers may be directly toxic by triggering mitochondrial AIF release independently of NAD+ depletion. Recently, sex differences have been discovered that illustrate the importance of understanding these molecular pathways, especially as new therapeutics targeting apoptotic cell death are developed. Cell death in females proceeds primarily via caspase activation whereas caspase‐independent mechanisms triggered by the activation of PARP predominate in the male brain. This review summarizes the current literature in an attempt to clarify the roles of NAD+ and PAR polymers in caspase‐independent cell death, and discuss sex specific cell death to provide an example of the possible importance of these downstream mediators.
Differentiating the athlete's heart from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Purpose of review Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling (EICR), or athlete's heart, refers to the cardiac structural and functional adaptations to exercise training. Although the degree of physiological left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is typically mild in trained athletes, in some LVH is substantial enough to prompt concern for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This review summarizes the available imaging tools to help make this important clinical distinction. Recent findings Advanced echocardiographic techniques (tissue and Doppler and speckle tracking) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging are being investigated to aid in the differentiation of EICR and HCM in ‘gray-zone’ hypertrophy cases. Higher early diastolic (E′) velocity by tissue Doppler imaging has been documented in athletes. HCM patients have been found to have lower global longitudinal strain (GLS) when compared with athletes with LVH. Analysis of twisting and untwisting of the LV with speckle tracking may also help distinguish athlete's heart from HCM. Studies of the expected degree and time course of LVH regression after exercise cessation (in the setting of prescribed detraining) are needed as this may be a useful adjunct to determine the cause of LVH in particularly challenging cases. Summary Ongoing research with novel imaging techniques continues to improve the ability to distinguish athlete's heart from HCM in situations of ‘gray-zone’ hypertrophy.
Retrieval of Englacial Firn Aquifer Thickness From Ice‐Penetrating Radar Sounding in Southeastern Greenland

An extensive perennial firn aquifer was previously mapped in Helheim Glacier, Southeast Greenland. However, critical constraints on aquifer thickness have been so far unobtainable without expensive field observations. Here we present a novel method that combines very high frequency airborne deep ice radar and ice sheet modeling to retrieve aquifer thickness and its evolution at Helheim Glacier. Using 2012–2014 radar measurements, we identify three aquifers of 4–25 m thick, with a total area of 1,934 km2 and water storage of 2.2 ± 1.5 Gt, about half the volume of previous estimates. The aquifer system is dynamic, and its thickness varies interannually at a rate similar to changes in surface mass balance. The rapid upstream migration of the saturated aquifer implies that this feature has the potential to increase its storage potential in upper Greenland. Together, a combination of very high‐ and ultra high frequency radar sounding provides a powerful tool to characterize englacial firn aquifers.
Reducing Complexity in Next-Generation MU-MIMO Systems

Recently, several advanced multi-antenna radio communications technologies have emerged to meet the increased capacity demands in wireless multi-user networks. Despite their great potential, the extent of these techniques' practical applicability still remains questionable, since they have to face either backhaul limitations or cost and hardware constraints. In this paper, we propose a new system solution which includes network architecture, antenna technology and radio transmission protocol to reduce drastically the hardware complexity and cost as well as the channel state information / user data feedback requirements of multi-user multi-antenna wireless networks. We focus on the forward link of an interference channel in a cloud radio access network setup wherein an arbitrary number of remote radio heads are each equipped with a single radio frequency module parasitic antenna array and wish to send data to their respective single-antenna user terminals, while co-existing in time and frequency. Base stations select cooperatively the optimal combination of pre-determined beams prior transmission. Our proposed approach is able to achieve the aforementioned goals, while offering significant downlink sum-rate gains due to the available spatial degrees of freedom.