Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The PALSAR Polarimetric Mode for Sea Oil Slick Observation

A study on sea oil slick observation by means of L-band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data is accomplished. It is based on different sea surface scattering mechanism expected with and without surface slicks. Polarimetric measurements are processed by means of a simple and very effective filtering technique which is electromagnetically based on the Mueller scattering matrix. Moreover, some polarimetric features, evaluated on both slick-free and slick-covered sea surfaces, are analyzed for confirming the filter output. Experiments are accomplished on the polarimetric SAR data acquired by the Phased Array-type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) sensor, mounted on board of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), and are relevant to oil slick, due to a tank accident, and look-alikes. Results demonstrate for the first time that L-band polarimetric SAR measurements are useful for oil slick observation purposes and witness the capability of the ALOS PALSAR data for such application.
Patterns leading to extreme events in Argentina: partial and generalized frosts

This paper studies the atmospheric circulation associated with frosts in the central region of Argentina with the objective of improving the prediction capacity for these events. Frosts are selected according to a spatial principle, which takes into consideration those events affecting an area above 25% of the weather stations located in the region known as Wet Pampas. Partial frosts (PF, less than 75% of the stations) and generalized frosts (GF, above 75% of the stations) constitute two different groups: one of them given by PF + GF and the other one only by the PFs. The analysis comprises the period between 1961 and 1990, where two extremes are selected: those years with a number of frosts one standard deviation above and below the mean (+σ and − σ respectively). In each extreme group (i.e. PF + GF + σ and − σ; PF + σ and − σ), the average number of frosts varies according to the different periods of the year. Therefore, the following periods—selected independently—are studied: Annual of frosts (from April through October), seasonal (from May through September and from June through August), and each of the involved months individually.
Neuronal activity-dependent membrane traffic at the neuromuscular junction

During development and also in adulthood, synaptic connections are modulated by neuronal activity. To follow such modifications in vivo, new genetic tools are designed. The nontoxic C-terminal fragment of tetanus toxin (TTC) fused to a reporter gene such as LacZ retains the retrograde and transsynaptic transport abilities of the holotoxin itself. In this work, the hybrid protein is injected intramuscularly to analyze in vivo the mechanisms of intracellular and transneuronal traffics at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Traffic on both sides of the synapse are strongly dependent on presynaptic neural cell activity. In muscle, a directional membrane traffic concentrates β-galactosidase-TTC hybrid protein into the NMJ postsynaptic side. In neurons, the probe is sorted across the cell to dendrites and subsequently to an interconnected neuron. Such fusion protein, sensitive to presynaptic neuronal activity, would be extremely useful to analyze morphological changes and plasticity at the NMJ.
Source analysis of electrophysiological correlates of beat induction as sensory-guided action

In this paper we present a reanalysis of electrophysiological data originally collected to test a sensory-motor theory of beat induction (Todd et al., 2002; Todd and Seiss, 2004; Todd and Lee, 2015). The reanalysis is conducted in the light of more recent findings and in particular the demonstration that auditory evoked potentials contain a vestibular dependency. At the core of the analysis is a model which predicts brain dipole source current activity over time in temporal and frontal lobe areas during passive listening to a rhythm, or active synchronization, where it dissociates the frontal activity into distinct sources which can be identified as respectively pre-motor and motor in origin. The model successfully captures the main features of the rhythm in showing that the metrical structure is manifest in an increase in source current activity during strong compared to weak beats. In addition the outcomes of modeling suggest that: (1) activity in both temporal and frontal areas contribute to the metrical percept and that this activity is distributed over time; (2) transient, time-locked activity associated with anticipated beats is increased when a temporal expectation is confirmed following a previous violation, such as a syncopation; (3) two distinct processes are involved in auditory cortex, corresponding to tangential and radial (possibly vestibular dependent) current sources. We discuss the implications of these outcomes for the insights they give into the origin of metrical structure and the power of syncopation to induce movement and create a sense of groove.
Mass flux measurements at active lava lakes: Implications for magma recycling

Remotely sensed and field data can be used to estimate heat and mass fluxes at active lava lakes. Here we use a three thermal component pixel model with three bands of Landsat thematic mapper (TM) data to constrain the thermal structure of, and flux from, active lava lakes. Our approach considers that a subpixel lake is surrounded by ground at ambient temperatures and that the surface of the lake is composed of crusted and/or molten material. We then use TM band 6 (10.42–12.42 μm) with bands 3 (0.63–0.69 μm) or 4 (0.76–0.90 μm) and 5 (1.55–1.75 μm) or 7 (2.08–2.35 μm), along with field data (e.g., lava lake area), to place limits on the size and temperature of each thermal component. Previous attempts to achieve this have used two bands of TM data with a two-component thermal model. Using our model results with further field data (e.g., petrological data) for lava lakes at Erebus, Erta 'Ale, and Pu'u 'O'o, we calculate combined radiative and convective fluxes of 11–20, 14–27 and 368–373 MW, respectively. These yield mass fluxes, of 30–76, 44–104 and 1553–2079 kg s−1, respectively. We also identify a hot volcanic feature at Nyiragongo during 1987 from which a combined radiative and convective flux of 0.2–0.6 MW implies a mass flux of 1–2 kg s−1. We use our mass flux estimates to constrain circulation rates in each reservoir-conduit-lake system and consider four models whereby circulation results in intrusion within or beneath the volcano (leading to endogenous or cryptic growth) and/or magma mixing in the reservoir (leading to recycling). We suggest that the presence of lava lakes does not necessarily imply endogenous or cryptic growth: lava lakes could be symptomatic of magma recycling in supraliquidus reservoirs.
Retorno de la Educación Superior en Chile. Efecto en la movilidad social a través del estimador de Diferencias en Diferencias

This paper analyzes the evolution of return rates of tertiary education in Chile using differences-in-differences estimation. The study seeks to establish the impact of these rates on social mobility using cross-sectional data obtained from the national socioeconomic characterization survey (Casen) for the periods 2003 to 2009 and 2006 to 2011. This study provides new evidence by confirming that salaries plus the level of education of people could explain a change in the social stratification of individuals. For the period 2003 to 2009, the internal return rate of higher education is positive. However, no real improvement in income is observed of a person who decided to study in the period 2006-2011.
Graphic tools for plasma shape control design and validation

This paper describes a set of graphic tools for the design and validation of the extreme shape controller (XSC), recently implemented at the JET tokamak. The XSC enables operation with high elongation and triangularity plasmas and has been extensively tested at JET in 2003. The software suite, called XSC tools, has been developed to automate the design procedure of the XSC. These tools make use of GUIs to allow nonspecialist users to prepare new operating scenarios, without the help from modeling and control specialists. Once a new controller is generated, all its parameters are saved into a text file, which is used to perform the validation of the scenario via simulations. The same file is then loaded by the real-time code running on the plant, without any further processing. This feature guarantees that the controller which is running on the plant is exactly the same one validated through simulations. An additional effort has been made in order to render the XSC tools machine independent, that is to enable their use on any tokamak
Faunal community consequence of interspecific bark trait dissimilarity in early-stage decomposing logs

Dead tree trunks have significant ecosystem functions related to biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles. When lying on the soil surface, they are colonized by an array of invertebrate fauna, but what determines their community composition is still unclear. We apply community assembly theory to colonization of tree logs by invertebrates. During early decomposition, the attached bark is critically important as an environment filter for community assembly through habitat provision. Specifically, we hypothesized that the more dissimilar bark traits were between tree species, the more their faunal community compositions would differ. We tested this hypothesis by investigating the effects of bark traits on the invertebrate communities in the early-decomposing logs of 11 common, temperate tree species placed in the ‘common garden’ experiment LOGLIFE. Bark traits included bark looseness, fissure index, outer bark thickness, ratio of inner to outer bark thickness, punch resistance, water storage capacity and bark pH. The predominant faunal groups studied were Annelida, Isopoda, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Diptera and Coleoptera. Our results showed (i) strong interspecific differences in bark traits, (ii) that bark traits related to environmental buffering had profound effects on the abundance of specific invertebrate groups, and (iii) the higher the overall bark trait dissimilarity between tree species, the more dissimilar these tree species were in faunal community composition, and the higher was the joint invertebrate family richness. A suite of bark traits together has fundamental afterlife effects on invertebrate community assembly, strongly filtering the colonizing invertebrates in early-decomposing logs, driving variation in their community composition and diversity. Our findings indicate that bark trait dissimilarity among tree species in forest stands is likely a better indicator of early-phase dead trunk fauna diversity than tree species diversity per se. A lay summary is available for this article.
Time of neuron origin in preoptic and septal areas of the mouse: An autoradiographic study

Times of neuron origin were determined for septal and preoptic nuclei of adult mice given a single injection of H3‐thymidine at some stage of development. In the septal area, the sequence of neuron origin for its constituent nuclei roughly follows phylogenetic trends. Mediolateral and lateromedial gradients in septal and preoptic areas, respectively, seem to be opposites but are both “outside‐in,” as is a rostrocaudal septal gradient when viewed sagittally. An “inside‐out” gradient characterizes the olfactory tubercle and possibly the periventricular proptic region. These findings strengthen the impression that cells of nuclear areas undergo final division in an “outside‐in” sequence; those of layered structures arise “inside‐out. ” A dorsoventral gradient in periventricular preoptic region parallels that in hypothalamus. The significance of these gradients is unknown, but they often presage corresponding gradients in nuclear differentiation, as in the preoptic area.
What does the Ternus Display Tell us about Motion Processing in Human Vision?

The Ternus display is a moving visual stimulus which elicits two very different percepts, according to the length of the interstimulus interval (ISI) between each frame of the motion sequence. These two percepts, referred to as element motion and group motion, have previously been analysed in terms of the operation of a low-level, dedicated short-range motion process (in the case of element motion), and of a higher-level, attentional long-range motion process (in the case of group motion). We used a novel Ternus configuration to show that both element and group motion are, in fact, mediated solely by a process sensitive to changes in the spatial appearance of the Ternus elements. In light of this, it appears that Ternus displays tell us nothing about low-level motion processing, implying that previous studies using Ternus displays, for instance those dealing with dyslexia, require reinterpretation. Further manipulations of the Ternus display revealed that the orientation and spatial-frequency discrimination of the process underlying the analysis of Ternus displays is far worse than thresholds for spatial vision. We conclude that Ternus displays are analysed via a long-range motion, or feature-tracking, process, and that this process is distinct from spatial vision.
Performance of low-educated elders with depression on Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ace-r) test

ABSTRACT Along with cognitive disorders, depression has been a concern for mental health services due to its highly debilitating effect on the functioning and quality of life of the elderly. However, there is still little understanding of the cognitive alterations resulting from depression or of the difficult differential diagnosis with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It is known that performance on cognitive tests is strongly influenced by education but few studies have been conducted involving low-educated populations. Objective: To evaluate the performance of elders with low education and no dementia on Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised (ACE-R) test and its cognitive domains, and compare patients with Current Major Depressive Episode (CMDE) against those without depressive symptoms. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional analytical study was conducted based on medical files of patients treated at the Cerebral Aging Clinic of the Hospital São Lucas of the PUCRS. The study included 116 individuals with low education (< 8 years of education) aged between 60 and 84 (69.6 ± 6.4) years, with MCDE (N = 41) and controls (N = 75). Results: No significant difference was observed between control and MCDE groups in median scores on the ACE-R, Mini-Mental State Examination, and the five cognitive domains. There was also no difference between the groups on separate analyses of results on the clock drawing test, the categorical verbal and phonological fluency test, and the naming test. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that depressive symptoms did not influence scores on the ACE-R tests conducted in elders with low education.
Configuring Designs for Reuse

The main problem in developing software product families is how to share effort and reuse parts of design and implementation while providing variation of features and capabilities in the products. We discuss the mechanisms that are commonly used to achieve reuse and sharing in product families, and the kind of variance each is best suited for. Our analysis motivates a need for a new mechanism to deal with ad hoc variation of features found in different members of a family. We argue that higher level abstraction and parametrization techniques are not well suited for this task. We propose an alternative approach that enables sufficiently detailed designs for every variant and at the same time achieves a level of design reuse without making designs unnecessarily complex or implementations inefficient.
Relevance Theory—New Directions and Developments

As a post-Gricean pragmatic theory, Relevance Theory (RT) takes as its starting point the question of how hearers bridge the gap between sentence meaning and speaker meaning. That there is such a gap has been a given of linguistic philosophy since Grice’s (1967) Logic and Conversation. But the account that relevance theory offers of how this gap is bridged, although originating as a development of Grice’s co-operative principle and conversational maxims, differs from other broadly Gricean accounts in certain fundamental respects, and leads to a stance on the nature of language, meaning and communication which is at odds, not only with the view of Grice himself, but also with the view common to most post-Fregean philosophy of language.
Impact of Patient Sex on Clinical Outcomes

Background: The Combined Quality Care Anterior Cruciate Ligament registry provides data for clinical research regarding primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. Purpose: To explore the data with regard to the clinical outcomes between sexes after ACL reconstruction in a Dutch population. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Data involving patients diagnosed with an ACL tear and eligible for surgery were recorded. Isokinetic muscle strength, functional muscle performance, and anterior-posterior translation of the knee joint were documented preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postoperatively. Patients completed the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Lysholm, and Tegner rating scales during each examination using a web-based questionnaire. Results: Approximately 90% of ACL injuries occurred during sport activities. The mean (SD) age at surgery was 28 (11) years for both men and women, and the majority of patients were treated with hamstring tendon autografts (94%). Four percent received bone–patellar tendon–bone autografts, and 2% of the patients received other grafts. Preoperatively, the KOOS, Lysholm, and Tegner scores were significantly higher in males. Twelve months postoperatively, both sexes showed comparable isokinetic strength (P = .336), knee laxity (P = .680), and hop test for distance (P = .122) when comparing the injured with the uninjured side. Self-reported knee function was comparable between sexes as assessed by the KOOS (P = .202), Lysholm (P = .872), and Tegner (P = .767) questionnaires during the 12-month follow-up. Conclusion: One year after ACL surgery, all patients had improved greatly, showing only minor differences between sexes. The male group showed slightly better results when evaluating self-reported knee questionnaires. Comparable outcomes and knee function between sexes can therefore be presumed with patients who are treated with hamstring tendon autografts in a Dutch population. Clinical Relevance: These results can be used during the clinical evaluation of patients who are eligible for ACL reconstruction.
Lake Chapala change detection using time series

The Lake Chapala is the largest natural lake in Mexico. It presents a hydrological imbalance problem caused by diminishing intakes from the Lerma River, pollution from said volumes, native vegetation and solid waste. This article presents a study that allows us to determine with high precision the extent of the affectation in both extension and volume reduction of the Lake Chapala in the period going from 1990 to 2007. Through satellite images this above-mentioned period was monitored. Image segmentation was achieved through a Markov Random Field model, extending the application towards edge detection. This allows adequately defining the lake's limits as well as determining new zones within the lake, both changes pertaining the Lake Chapala. Detected changes are related to a hydrological balance study based on measuring variables such as storage volumes, evapotranspiration and water balance. Results show that the changes in the Lake Chapala establish frail conditions which pose a future risk situation. Rehabilitation of the lake requires a hydrologic balance in its banks and aquifers.
Practical Use of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Carotid Surgery

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is the gold standard for the treatment of symptomatic patients with atherosclerotic carotid disease. However, benefit of the CEA procedure depends on the rate of peri- and postoperative adverse neurological events. Therefore, brain monitoring is important in detecting cerebral ischemia during and after CEA and also allows to prompt appropriate action. Traditional methods of cerebral monitoring are being replaced by novel, easy-to-use techniques that allow continued monitoring of regional cerebral oxygen saturation. In this review, we present the recent literature data related to the mechanism of cerebral oximetry and its practical use during and after CEA.
Vascular Disease Arterial Stiffening Relates to Arterial Calcification But Not to Noncalcified Atheroma in Women A Twin Study

Results The cfPWV independently correlated with CP but not with intima-media thickness or noncalcified plaque. Total aortic calcium, determined by computed tomography, was significantly greater in subjects with high cfPWV (median Agatston score 450.4 compared with 63.2 arbitrary units in subjects with low cfPWV, p 0.001). There was no independent association between cfPWV and BMD. Adjusted heritability estimates of cfPWV and CP were 0.38 (95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.59) and 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.04 to 0.83), respectively. Shared genetic factors accounted for 92% of the observed correlation (0.38) between cfPWV and CP.
Development of Lemon and lime nectar at Mazoe Citrus Estate, Zimbabwe

The main objective of this research study was to develop a palatable ready to drink fruit beverage which will be acceptable to consumers using lemon and lime concentrates. The aim of this research project is to help reduce the large stores of lemon concentrate in stock at Mazoe Citrus Estate since this company had been facing challenges of fermentation and gelation of the lemon concentrate due to long term storage. Three lemon and lime nectar samples (sample A, B, C) containing different juice percentages were developed using both qualitative and quantitative research designs. Through sensory evaluation by a panel of 20 respondents from Mazoe Citrus, Midlands State University Food Science department and residents of Senga, the most preferred nectar sample was identified. Sample C, which was the most preferred nectar sample was then tested for brix, pH, titratable acidity, pulp content, number of specks and microbes. The laboratory assessment results showed that the lemon and lime nectar conformed to the stipulated specifications of nectars and the lemon and lime nectar produced scored a shelf life of one month.
Depletion of calcium in the synaptic cleft of a calyx‐type synapse in the rat brainstem

1 A new form of synaptic depression of excitatory synaptic transmission was observed when making voltage‐clamp recordings from large presynaptic terminals, the calyces of Held and postsynaptic cells, the principal cells of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), in slices of the rat auditory brainstem. 2 A short (100 ms) depolarization of the postsynaptic cell to 0 mV reduced the amplitude of the EPSCs by 35 ± 5% (n= 7), measured at 10 ms following the depolarization. Recovery occurred within 0·5 s. 3 The reduction of the EPSCs was most probably due to reduced presynaptic calcium influx, since postsynaptic depolarization reduced presynaptic calcium or barium currents. Conversely, presynaptic depolarization also reduced postsynaptic calcium or barium influx, under conditions where transmitter release was minimal. 4 The calcium currents and the postsynaptic depolarization‐induced suppression of synaptic transmission recovered with a similar time course, suggesting that this form of synaptic depression was, most probably, due to depletion of Ca2+ in the synaptic cleft. 5 We conclude that when the Ca2+ influx into the pre‐ or postsynaptic cell is large, extracellular Ca2+ is depleted. Under these conditions, the Ca2+ concentration in the synaptic cleft is a sensitive indicator of the level of synaptic activity. However, the synaptic cleft is less sensitive to Ca2+ depletion than predicted from its estimated volume.