Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbial colonization of Ca‐sulfate crusts in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert: implications for the search for life on Mars

The scarcity of liquid water in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert makes this region one of the most challenging environments for life on Earth. The low numbers of microbial cells in the soils suggest that within the Atacama Desert lies the dry limit for life on our planet. Here, we show that the Ca‐sulfate crusts of this hyperarid core are the habitats of lithobiontic micro‐organisms. This microporous, translucent substrate is colonized by epilithic lichens, as well as endolithic free‐living algae, fungal hyphae, cyanobacteria and non photosynthetic bacteria. We also report a novel type of endolithic community, “hypoendoliths”, colonizing the undermost layer of the crusts. The colonization of gypsum crusts within the hyperarid core appears to be controlled by the moisture regime. Our data shows that the threshold for colonization is crossed within the dry core, with abundant colonization in gypsum crusts at one study site, while crusts at a drier site are virtually devoid of life. We show that the cumulative time in 1 year of relative humidity (RH) above 60% is the best parameter to explain the difference in colonization between both sites. This is supported by controlled humidity experiments, where we show that colonies of endolithic cyanobacteria in the Ca‐sulfate crust undergo imbibition process at RH >60%. Assuming that life once arose on Mars, it is conceivable that Martian micro‐organisms sought refuge in similar isolated evaporite microenvironments during their last struggle for life as their planet turned arid.
Characters in stories of collaboration

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which narratives of collaborations tagged as successful may be constructed around common characterizations of participants, in order to provide insights to the ways in which stories may be constructed as vehicles for the adoption or adaptation of good or promising practices.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative interview data from three collaborative situations are analysed through a narrative‐centred procedure with a particular focus on micro‐stories.Findings – The paper provides a set of recurring characterizations observed within narratives of successful collaboration and their employment within the stories offered by collaborating partners. It also suggests the relationship that these characterizations might have to the stimulation or retardation of good collaborative practices.Research limitations/implications – The paper is derived from interviews in the UK context and extrapolation to other contexts seems plausible but should be cond.
Elemental abundances in the Hg-Mn star Corvi

Spectral data obtained at ESO, Observatoire de Haute-Provence and with the IUE covering the 120 - 910 nm spectral range allowed us to determine the abundances of 21 el- ementsintheatmosphereofthemoderatelyfastrotatingHg-Mn star Corvi.Wefindthathelium,carbon,nitrogen,magnesium, aluminium, silicium, sulfur, chromium, iron and nickel are un- derabundant with respect to solar values. Beryllium, boron, cal- cium, phosphorus, titanium, manganese, copper, zinc, gallium and yttrium are overabundant by factors up to 2.5 dex. The oxy- gen abundance is found to be solar. This pattern is not unusual among Hg-Mn objects.
Trigeminal projections to the superior colliculus of the rat

The deep layers of the rodent superior colliculus contain a vibrissae‐related organization that is in “spatial register” with the overlying visuotopic organization (Dräger and Hubel, '76). The distribution of vibrissae‐related afferents and their cells of origin were determined with a number of anatomical techniques. The brainstem trigeminal complex afferents to the superior colliculus terminate in the lateral portions of the strata album intermediale and griseum profundum and, to a lesser degree, in deep portions of the stratum griseum intermediale. The cells giving rise to these afferents are located mainly in the ventral portions of the contralateral principal sensory nucleus, subnucleus oralis, and subnucleus interpolaris. The majority of tectal projection cells are found in subnucleus interpolaris, and the fewest in the principal sensory nucleus. Further, the density of projection cells in the three components of the brainstem trigeminal complex can be correlated with the density of their projections to the superior colliculus.
A coordinate descent algorithm for sparse positive definite matrix estimation

This paper proposes a coordinate descent (CD) algorithm that can be used for estimating sparse positive definite matrices. Positive definite matrix estimation is frequently encountered in multivariate statistics, such as estimation of the precision and covariance matrices. The proposed CD algorithm proceeds in a forward stagewise fashion, and iteratively updates the current estimated matrix at either one diagonal entry or two symmetric off‐diagonal entries. To assure the positive definiteness of the estimated matrices, the updating step size needs to be appropriately determined based on a simple sufficient and necessary condition. Furthermore, as each iteration updates only one or two coordinates, the sparsity in the estimated matrix can be achieved by early stopping the iteration. Extensive numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the CD algorithm for estimation of the precision and covariance matrices. The CD algorithm is further extended to graph clustering and delivers superior performance as well. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining, 2013
Postural Preparation to Stepping: Coupled Center of Pressure Shifts in the Anterior-Posterior and Medio-Lateral Directions

Abstract We explored changes in the postural preparation to stepping introduced by modifications of the initial coordinates of the center of pressure (COP). We hypothesized that the postural adjustments in the anterior-posterior direction would persist across all initial COP manipulations while the adjustments in the medio-lateral direction would be highly sensitive to the initial COP coordinate. Healthy subjects stood on a force plate, shifted the body weight to one of the initial conditions that spanned the range of COP coordinates in both directions, and initiated a single step or started to walk. No major changes were observed between the stepping and walking conditions. Changes in the initial COP coordinate in the medio-lateral direction led to scaling of the magnitude of the COP shift in that direction prior to stepping accompanied by a nearly proportional change in the COP shift in the anterior-posterior direction. Changes in the initial COP coordinate in the anterior-posterior direction led to scaling of the magnitude of the COP shift in that direction prior to stepping without consistent changes in the COP shift in the medio-lateral direction. We interpret the results as reflecting a neural organization using a small set of referent body configurations for the postural adjustments.
A large-scale multilingual study of silent pause duration

This paper presents a large-scale study of silent pause duration, based on the analysis of ca. 6000 pauses in 5 1⁄2 hours of read and spontaneous speech in five languages. The distribution of pauses appears as trimodal, suggesting a categorization in brief ( 1000 ms) pauses, the latter occurring only in spontaneous speech. The study reveals possible methodological flaws in previous research in which statistical tests that rely on normality assumption (such as the ANOVA) are routinely applied on non-transformed data, although distributions are far from normal. It also emphasizes the dangerous effect of thresholds, which are very commonly applied in the literature for practical reasons, but can lead to totally false conclusions when comparing speech styles, languages or speakers.
Some laboratory date on hidgehogs, hibernating and non-hibernating.

Summary. Comparative biochemical studies have been performed in hibernating hedgehogs in January and March and in non-hibernating hedgehogs in June. Red blood corpuscles and hemoglobin level were lower in March in comparison to January and June when the difference was slight. Also the hematocrit values were lower in March compared with January, while the values in June lay between these. The leucocytes decreased during hibernation but the differential leucocyte count did not change markedly except for the eosinophils which decreased comparatively more than the other leucocytes. Also reticulocytes decreased but blood platelets increased. The blood sugar decreased as did the protein-bound iodine. — No significant changes in serum potassium or sodium were found. At electrophoresis an increase of the albumin fraction was found, while β1-,β2- and γ-globulins decreased. From the tissue studies — made on hibernating hedgehogs in late February to early March and on non-hibernating ones in September — it can be seen that the magnesium content of the heart was lower during winter; the cytochrome c content, however, did not change. Sugar, aceton or aceto-acetic acid were not found in the urine. Urinary albumin, however, appeared in all the hibernating animals and in half of the non-hibernating ones. Part of this study was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Fund of the Swedish Life Insurance Companies. Our thanks are due to the head and personal of the Central Chemical Laboratory of Allmanna Sjukhuset and to Drs. Bengt Skanse and S. E. Bjorkman for valuable help in this investigation.
The Autonomous-Relational Self

Autonomy is often construed as separateness from others and is seen to result from a separation-individuation process. However, it is neither logically nor psychologically necessary for autonomy to imply separateness if the existence of the two different dimensions of agency and interpersonal distance are recognized. The two poles of the agency dimension are autonomy and heteronomy; those of the interpersonal distance dimension are separateness and relatedness. The two dimensions are confused when agency is pitted against relatedness. Different family interaction models are examined here in terms of childrearing patterns and the resultant types of (developing) selves. One of these, the autonomous-relational self, is suggested in this article to be a healthy synthesis of the two basic human needs for agency and relatedness. It tends to develop in the family model of emotional interdependence involving authoritative parenting. This family model and self constellation, which are supported by research evidenc.
Interferon Regulatory Factor 1 Protects against Chikungunya Virus-Induced Immunopathology by Restricting Infection in Muscle Cells

ABSTRACT The innate immune system protects cells against viral pathogens in part through the autocrine and paracrine actions of alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) (type I), IFN-γ (type II), and IFN-λ (type III). The transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) has a demonstrated role in shaping innate and adaptive antiviral immunity by inducing the expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) and mediating signals downstream of IFN-γ. Although ectopic expression experiments have suggested an inhibitory function of IRF-1 against infection of alphaviruses in cell culture, its role in vivo remains unknown. Here, we infected Irf1 −/− mice with two distantly related arthritogenic alphaviruses, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Ross River virus (RRV), and assessed the early antiviral functions of IRF-1 prior to induction of adaptive B and T cell responses. IRF-1 expression limited CHIKV-induced foot swelling in joint-associated tissues and prevented dissemination of CHIKV and RRV at early time points. Virological and histological analyses revealed greater infection of muscle tissues in Irf1 −/− mice than in wild-type mice. The antiviral actions of IRF-1 appeared to be independent of the induction of type I IFN or the effects of type II and III IFNs but were associated with altered local proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine responses and differential infiltration of myeloid cell subsets. Collectively, our in vivo experiments suggest that IRF-1 restricts CHIKV and RRV infection in stromal cells, especially muscle cells, and that this controls local inflammation and joint-associated swelling. IMPORTANCE Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of a broad range of antiviral host defense genes. In this study, using Irf1 −/− mice, we investigated the role of IRF-1 in modulating pathogenesis of two related arthritogenic alphaviruses, chikungunya virus and Ross River virus. Our studies show that IRF-1 controlled alphavirus replication and swelling in joint-associated tissues within days of infection. Detailed histopathological and virological analyses revealed that IRF-1 preferentially restricted CHIKV infection in cells of nonhematopoietic lineage, including muscle cells. The antiviral actions of IRF-1 resulted in decreased local inflammatory responses in joint-associated tissues, which prevented immunopathology.
City Schools as Mirrors of Modern Urban Life

GREGORY S. JACOBS, Getting Around Brown: Desegregation, Development, and the Columbus Public Schools. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1998, pp. xvi, 291, notes, bibliography, index, $45.00 cloth, $16.95 paper. RUTH JACKNOW MARKOWITZ, My Daughter, the Teacher: Jewish Teachers in the New York City Schools. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1993, pp. 288, notes, index, $40.00 cloth, $15.00 paper. KATE ROUSMANIERE, City Teachers: Teaching and School Reform in Historical Perspective. New York: Teachers College Press, 1997, pp. 186, notes, index. CLARENCE TAYLOR, Knocking at Our Own Door: Milton A. Galamison and the Struggle to Integrate New York City Schools. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997, pp. xii, 261, appendix, notes, index, $29.95 cloth.
Elliptic Curve Cryptoprocessor Implementation on a Nano FPGA: Interesting for Resource-Constrained Devices

This paper presents an implementation of an Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) cryptoprocessor on a Nano Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), that maybe be interesting for resource-constrained devices that require moderate level of security. Nano FPGAs offer groundbreaking possibilities in power, size, lead-times, operating temperature and cost. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ECC implementation on Nano FPGAs. The proposed ECC cryptoprocessor was modeled using VHDL and synthesized on Actel IGLOO AGLN250V2-VQFP100 Nano FPGA. The synthesis results show that the targeted Nano FPGA can't exceed the values of m ≤ 11 bits. This is because of the limited number of resources available on Nano FPGAs, which opens a new challenging opportunity for future Nano FPGAs to satisfy the needs of critical portable applications and resource-constrained devices, such as Wireless Sensor Network (WSN).
Artificial intelligence as an aide in management of security technology

Historically, artificial intelligence (AI) research draws inspiration from human cognition, seeking to produce similarly intelligent behavior in artificial systems. Repetitive learning is the most important part of artificial intelligence. The South African electronic security industry is very data intensive, able to produce 1000 000 events per day and more than 1000 GB of video and voice data per day at a site. Many research and development groups in the security industry are looking extensively at AI to assist human operators to isolate important information from the avalanche of data. The selling potential systems resides in new AI based products and systems that can provide human-like sensibilities and reasoning. This paper gives an overview of existing and potential applications of AI in the security industry in South Africa. The paper highlights the value-adding potential of AI as a management tool to security systems.
Assessment of two alternative sample transport and fixation methods in the microbiological diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.

BACKGROUND The standard method for specimen collection and transport for microbiological diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis is an air-dried smear of vaginal secretions, promptly heat- or alcohol-fixed, Gram-stained and scored by Nugent's criteria. OBJECTIVE TWO ALTERNATIVE METHODS ARE EVALUATED: sending a swab in transport medium to be smeared and Gram-stained in the laboratory two days later; and sending a smear of vaginal secretions sprayed with cytological fixative to the laboratory for Gram staining seven days later. METHODS One hundred fifty-two women aged 18 years and older who attended a hospital colposcopy clinic or a community healthy sexuality clinic were studied. This was a prospective study: three vaginal swabs were taken from each patient and handled as described above. Each slide was blindly and independently interpreted by two microbiology technologists. The sensitivity, specificity and coefficient of agreement of the transported swab and cytologically fixed methods were compared with the air-dried smear method. RESULTS Smears from swabs in transport medium and cytologically fixed smears both had 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity for bacterial vaginosis compared with diagnosis from air-dried smears. Cohen's kappa was 0.88 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.97) for each method. Inter-rater reliability assessed over all slides (all sampling techniques) was excellent (kappa 0.94). CONCLUSIONS For the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, both alternative techniques provide results equivalent to air-dried direct smears. A vaginal smear sprayed with cytological fixative provides immediate fixation of material to the slide, permits delays in swab transport and avoids the requirement for transport at a controlled temperature imposed by swabs.
Compliance in parallel to actuators for improving stability of robotic hands during grasping and manipulation

Humans exploit the inherent biomechanical compliance in their fingers to achieve stability and dexterity during many manipulation tasks. The compliance is a result of muscles and tendons (series compliance) and flexible joints (parallel compliance). While the effects of series compliance have been studied in many robotic systems, research on the effects of joint compliance arranged in parallel with the actuators is limited. In this paper, we first demonstrate, through mathematical modeling, that introducing parallel compliance improves stability and robustness in the presence of time delay in a generic robotic joint. We also provide guidelines to balance the benefits of added stability with the increased actuator load when implementing parallel compliance in robotic joints. The result is experimentally validated on a one-degree-of-freedom tendon-driven joint. We build upon this result to design two 2-DOF tendon-driven fingers with parallel compliance, and develop an impedance control law for object manipulation with the fingers. The experimental results demonstrate, for the first time, the advantages of introducing parallel compliance in robotic hands during dexterous manipulation tasks, specifically in achieving smoother trajectory tracking, improved stability, and robustness to impacts.
Cardiovascular Toxicity of Epoetin-Alfa in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Recombinant erythropoietin has become a routine component of care of patients with chronic kidney disease reducing the need for blood transfusions but raising the risks for cardiovascular events. We undertook this secondary analysis of subjects enrolled in the Correction of Hemoglobin and Outcomes in Renal Insufficiency (CHOIR) trial to examine the interrelationships between epoetin-alfa maintenance doses utilized and achieved hemoglobin (Hb) irrespective of treatment target and randomized allocation. Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis from the CHOIR trial. Inclusion criteria were Hb <11.0 g/dl and estimated glomerular filtration rates of 15-50 ml/min/1.73 m2. To be included in the present analysis, subjects needed to be free of the composite event at 4 months, receive epoetin-alfa, and have ≥1 postbaseline Hb measurement. The mean weekly dose of epoetin-alfa received up to the time of first event or censure was the main exposure variable, while the achieved Hb at month 4 was the confounder representing the subject's underlying response to treatment. The primary outcome was the composite of death, heart failure hospitalization, stroke, or myocardial infarction. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used in time-to-event analysis. Results: Among 1,244 subjects with complete data, the average weekly dose of epoetin-alfa ranged 143.3-fold from 133 to 19,106 units/week at the time of first event or censure. Cox proportional hazard analysis found that those in the middle tertile of Hb achieved (>11.5 to <12.7 g/dl) and the lowest tertile of epoetin-alfa dose exposure level (<5,164 units/week) had the lowest risk. Irrespective of Hb achieved, the relative risk in the highest tertile (>10,095 units/week) of epoetin-alfa dose exposure level was significantly escalated (hazard ratios ranged from 2.536 to 3.572, p < 0.05, when compared to the group of middle Hb tertile and lowered dose tertile). In a multivariable model that adjusted for achieved Hb, albumin, cholesterol, age, prior heart failure, prior stroke, prior deep venous thrombosis, atrial fibrillation or malignancy, the average weekly dose had a significant (p = 0.005) relative risk of 1.067 per 1,000 units of epoetin-alfa for the primary end point. Conclusions: In the CHOIR trial, average epoetin-alfa doses >10,095 units/week were associated with increased risks for cardiovascular events irrespective of the Hb achieved within the first 4 months of treatment. These data suggest the weekly epoetin-alfa dose and not the Hb achieved was a principal determinant in the primary outcome observed implicating a cardiovascular toxicity of this erythrocyte-stimulating agent.
MERIDIONAL AND ZONAL WAVENUMBER DEPENDENCE IN POTENTIAL VORTICITY FLUX IN ROSSBY WAVES

Eddy-driven jets are of importance in the ocean and atmosphere, and to a first approximation are governed by Rossby wave dynamics. This study addresses the time-dependent flux of fluid and potential vorticity between such a jet and an adjacent eddy, with specific regard to determining zonal and meridional wavenumber dependence. The flux amplitude in wavenumber space is obtained, which is easily computable for a given jet geometry, speed and latitude, and which provides instant information on the wavenumbers of the Rossby waves which maximize the flux. This new tool enables the quick determination of which modes are most influential in imparting fluid exchange, which in the long term will homogenize the potential vorticity between the eddy and the jet. The results are validated by computing backwardand forward-time finite-time Lyapunov exponent fields, and also stable and unstable manifolds; the intermingling of these entities defines the region of chaotic transport between the eddy and the jet. The relationship of all of these to the time-varying transport flux between the eddy and the jet is carefully elucidated. The flux quantification presented here works for general time-dependence, whether or not lobes (intersection regions between stable and unstable manifolds) are present in the mixing region, and is therefore also easily computable for wave packets consisting of infinitely many wavenumbers.