Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temporal Sample Reuse for Next Event Estimation and Path Guiding for Real-Time Path Tracing

Good importance sampling is crucial for real-time path tracing where only low sample budgets are possible. We present two efﬁcient sampling techniques tailored for massively-parallel GPU path tracing which improve next event estimation (NEE) for rendering with many light sources and sampling of indirect illumination. As sampling densities need to vary spatially, we use an octree structure in world space and introduce algorithms to continuously adapt the partitioning and distribution of the sampling budget. Both sampling techniques exploit temporal coherence by reusing samples from the previous frame: For NEE we collect sampled, unoccluded light sources and show how to deduplicate, but also diffuse this information to efﬁciently sample light sources in the subsequent frame. For sampling indirect illumination, we present a compressed directional quadtree structure which is iteratively adapted towards high-energy directions using samples from the previous frame. The updates and rebuilding of all data structures takes about 1ms in our test scenes, and adds about 6ms at 1080p to the path tracing time compared to using state-of-the-art light hierarchies and BRDF sampling. We show that this additional effort reduces noise in terms of mean squared error by at least one order of magnitude in many situations.
Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type I Tax Transactivates Human Interleukin 8 Gene through Acting Concurrently on AP-1 and Nuclear Factor-κB-like Sites

Abstract The transactivator protein, Tax, from the human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) transactivates both viral and cellular genes. Previously, we had shown that interleukin 8 (IL-8) is constitutively expressed in HTLV-I-infected cells and in cells transiently expressing Tax. We show here that the IL-8 promoter is Tax responsive in Jurkat T cells. Furthermore, using several deletion and mutated plasmids of the 5′-flanking regulatory region of the IL-8 gene linked to the luciferase gene as a reporter and mutant tax gene expression vectors, we have established that both AP-1 at -126 to -120 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB-like cis-element at -80 to -71 are essential and sufficient for the induction of the IL-8 gene by HTLV-I Tax. In addition, overexpression of the dominant-negative mutants of NF-κB inhibitor molecules, IκBα and IκBβ, abolished the Tax-induced activation of IL-8 gene. Gel mobility shift assays detected proteins specifically binding to the AP-1 and NF-κB-like sites in Tax-expressing T-cell lines infected with HTLV-I. Similarly, the nuclear translocation of proteins specifically bound to these two motifs was shown in JPX-9 cells, a subclone of Jurkat cells, carrying the Tax sequences under the control of an inducible promoter. Taken together, these results suggest that the cooperation of transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1 is essential for transactivation of IL-8 gene by HTLV-I Tax.
O2- and H2O2-dependent Verdoheme Degradation by Heme Oxygenase

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the catabolism of heme to biliverdin, CO, and a free iron through three successive oxygenation steps. The third oxygenation, oxidative degradation of verdoheme to biliverdin, has been the least understood step despite its importance in regulating HO activity. We have examined in detail the degradation of a synthetic verdoheme IXα complexed with rat HO-1. Our findings include: 1) HO degrades verdoheme through a dual pathway using either O2 or H2O2; 2) the verdoheme reactivity with O2 is the lowest among the three O2 reactions in the HO catalysis, and the newly found H2O2 pathway is ∼40-fold faster than the O2-dependent verdoheme degradation; 3) both reactions are initiated by the binding of O2 or H2O2 to allow the first direct observation of degradation intermediates of verdoheme; and 4) Asp140 in HO-1 is critical for the verdoheme degradation regardless of the oxygen source. On the basis of these findings, we propose that the HO enzyme activates O2 and H2O2 on the verdoheme iron with the aid of a nearby water molecule linked with Asp140. These mechanisms are similar to the well established mechanism of the first oxygenation, meso-hydroxylation of heme, and thus, HO can utilize a common architecture to promote the first and third oxygenation steps of the heme catabolism. In addition, our results infer the possible involvement of the H2O2-dependent verdoheme degradation in vivo, and potential roles of the dual pathway reaction of HO against oxidative stress are proposed.
Providing the Resilience and Survivability of Specialized Information Technology Across Corporate Computer Networks

The approach to determining the effectiveness of IT based on quantitative values that characterize resilience and survivability is developed and can be expanded to include other characteristic values. To ensure the resilience and survivability of IT, a system of measures has been developed which results in the acquisition of highly specialized IT for various applications, where the accompanying processes are irrational or unrealistic times with sufficiently high parameters of resilience, survivability and overall resilience. at the same time, acceptable to the financial cost of its operation. The fault tolerance of the client part is ensured by performing a set of measures, including hardware and functional redundancy: power of client PCs from a separate line with security devices; use of lightning protection devices on computer network lines organization of automatic updating of client PC system software; development of algorithms of procedures that implement the critical functions of the client part of the IT, with the inclusion of non-trivial (intellectual) block of error processing in them, which is performed in parallel with the procedure itself; the use of non-trivial data editors that include an interactive pro-procedure in their algorithm that eliminates uncontrolled manipulation of the database data by the operator; implementation of critical resources, calculation procedures with the ability to promptly select the location of their execution, which does not allow overloading of hardware. The survivability of IT is ensured by: redundancy of the server part of the IT with the territorial separation of the main and backup server; redundancy of the client part software, the feature of the backup is the fact that the reserve is not specially dedicated computers, but the performance reserve of individual client computers, on which, according to the backup plan, the client part software is installed, which redundant, which at a critical moment will be used as a regular, preventing the loss of IT functionality.
UM CASO CLÍNICO DE PARACOCCIDIOIDOMICOSE: IMPORTÂNCIA DA BIÓPSIA EM SEU DIAGNÓSTICO

The authors report a case of Paracoccidioidomycosis in a female patient, from Paicandu (State of Parana, Brazil), who apresented a long history of edema in both lips, various granulomatous ulcers spread along the buccal mucosa and a little ulcer on the right side of the nose. Many laboratory methods where used for the diagnostic, but only the biopsy elucidated this case.
Contemporary carbon accumulation in a boreal oligotrophic minerogenic mire – a significant sink after accounting for all C‐fluxes

Based on theories of mire development and responses to a changing climate, the current role of mires as a net carbon sink has been questioned. A rigorous evaluation of the current net C‐exchange in mires requires measurements of all relevant fluxes. Estimates of annual total carbon budgets in mires are still very limited. Here, we present a full carbon budget over 2 years for a boreal minerogenic oligotrophic mire in northern Sweden (64°11′N, 19°33′E). Data on the following fluxes were collected: land–atmosphere CO2 exchange (continuous Eddy covariance measurements) and CH4 exchange (static chambers during the snow free period); TOC (total organic carbon) in precipitation; loss of TOC, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and CH4 through stream water runoff (continuous discharge measurements and regular C‐concentration measurements). The mire constituted a net sink of 27±3.4 (±SD) g C m−2 yr−1 during 2004 and 20±3.4 g C m−2 yr−1 during 2005. This could be partitioned into an annual surface–atmosphere CO2 net uptake of 55±1.9 g C m−2 yr−1 during 2004 and 48±1.6 g C m−2 yr−1 during 2005. The annual NEE was further separated into a net uptake season, with an uptake of 92 g C m−2 yr−1 during 2004 and 86 g C m−2 yr−1 during 2005, and a net loss season with a loss of 37 g C m−2 yr−1 during 2004 and 38 g C m−2 yr−1 during 2005. Of the annual net CO2‐C uptake, 37% and 31% was lost through runoff (with runoff TOC>DIC≫CH4) and 16% and 29% through methane emission during 2004 and 2005, respectively. This mire is still a significant C‐sink, with carbon accumulation rates comparable to the long‐term Holocene C‐accumulation, and higher than the C‐accumulation during the late Holocene in the region.
Joint learning of constraint weights and gradient inputs in Gradient Symbolic Computation with constrained optimization

This paper proposes a method for the joint optimization of constraint weights and symbol activations within the Gradient Symbolic Computation (GSC) framework. The set of grammars representable in GSC is proven to be a subset of those representable with lexically-scaled faithfulness constraints. This fact is then used to recast the problem of learning constraint weights and symbol activations in GSC as a quadratically-constrained version of learning lexically-scaled faithfulness grammars. This results in an optimization problem that can be solved using Sequential Quadratic Programming.
Use of a δ13C–δ15N relationship to determine animal trophic positions in a tropical Australian estuarine wetland

Stable isotope composition of organisms from different trophic groups collected from a semi-isolated wetland pool in the Ross River estuary, northern Australia, was analysed to determine if there was a consistent relationship between δ13C, δ15N and trophic level that could be used to assign trophic positions. A strong linear negative relationship between δ13C and δ15N was detected for the three trophic levels considered (primary producers, primary consumers and secondary consumers). This relationship was consistent among trophic levels, differing only in height, that is, on δ15N values, which indicate trophic positions. A difference of 3.6–3.8‰ between trophic levels was present, suggesting a δ15N fractionation of approximately 3.7‰, a value slightly higher than the commonly assumed δ15N fractionation of approximately 3.4‰. The relationship between δ13C and δ15N was similar for invertebrate and fish primary consumers, indicating similar δ15N trophic fractionation for both groups, meaning trophic positions and trophic length could be reliably calculated based on either invertebrates or fish.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM'S MEIRING NAUDE CRUISES PART 2 CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA, ANOMURA AND BRACHYURA

Twenty-seven species of anomuran and brachyuran decapod crustaceans from deep water off Natal are dealt with. Of the nine new records for the area, five are described as new species. These are Uroptychus foulisi, Uroptychus simiae, Uroptychus undecimspinosus, Pseudodromia spinosissima and Rochinia natalensis,
Aberrant perceptual judgements on speech-relevant acoustic features in hallucination-prone individuals

Hallucinations constitute an intriguing model of how percepts are generated and how perception can fail. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that an altered perceptual weighting of the spectro-temporal modulations that characterize speech contributes to the emergence of auditory verbal hallucinations. Healthy adults (N=168) varying in their predisposition for hallucinations had to choose the ‘more speech-like’ of two presented ambiguous sound textures and give a confidence judgement. Using psychophysical reverse correlation, we quantified the contribution of different acoustic features to a listener’s perceptual decisions. Higher hallucination proneness covaried with perceptual down-weighting of speech-typical, low-frequency acoustic energy while prioritising high frequencies. Remarkably, higher confidence judgements in single trials depended not only on acoustic evidence but also on an individual’s hallucination proneness and schizotypy score. In line with an account of altered perceptual priors and differential weighting of sensory evidence, these results show that hallucination-prone individuals exhibit qualitative and quantitative changes in their perception of the modulations typical for speech. Author summary Hallucinations -- that is, percepts in the absence of an external stimulus -- are prevalent in psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, but also occur in the general population. To date it is unknown whether the emergence of hallucinations is rooted in an altered perception of sounds. Fusing the psychophysical technique of reverse correlation with concepts from computational psychiatry, this research reveals alterations of sensory processing in hallucination-prone adults. We show that the higher nonclinical adults’ predisposition to hallucinations, the more they prioritise the sound features atypical for speech such as higher frequencies. At the same time, they express higher confidence in their perceptual judgements. The present approach may contribute to improving early diagnosis and prevention strategies in individuals at risk for psychosis.
Cerebellar Synaptic Defects and Abnormal Motor Behavior in Mice Lacking α- and β-Dystrobrevin

The dystrobrevins (αDB and βDB) bind directly to dystrophin and are components of a transmembrane dystrophin–glycoprotein complex (DGC) that links the cytoskeleton to extracellular proteins in many tissues. We show here that αDB, βDB, and dystrophin are all concentrated at a discrete subset of inhibitory synapses on the somata and dendrites of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Dystrophin is depleted from these synapses in mice lacking both αDB and βDB, and DBs are depleted from these synapses in mice lacking dystrophin. In dystrophin mutants and αDB,βDB double mutants, the size and number of GABA receptor clusters are decreased at cerebellar inhibitory synapses, and sensorimotor behaviors that reflect cerebellar function are perturbed. Synaptic and behavioral abnormalities are minimal in mice lacking either αDB or βDB. Together, our results show that the DGC is required for proper maturation and function of a subset of inhibitory synapses, that DB is a key component of this DGC, and that interference with this DGC leads to behavioral abnormalities. We suggest that motor deficits in muscular dystrophy patients, which are their cardinal symptoms, may reflect not only peripheral derangements but also CNS defects.
An investigation into the ecological niches and seasonal nature of Clostridium estertheticum and Clostridium gasigenes in the Irish beef farm environment

Blown pack spoilage (BPS) of vacuum packaged beef is caused by psychrotolerant and psychrophilic Clostridium species, primarily Clostridium estertheticum and Clostridium gasigenes. The aim of this study was to investigate the environmental niches and impact of season on these BPS Clostridium spp. on Irish beef farms. On each of five different beef farms, faecal (10), soil (5), silage (5), air (5), bedding straw (5), drinking water (5) and puddle/ditch water (5) samples were collected during Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and tested for C. estertheticum and C. gasigenes using culture (direct plating and enrichment) and molecular (conventional PCR and quantitative PCR (qPCR)) based techniques. C. estertheticum and C. gasigenes were detected in all sample types, with qPCR detection rates ranging from 4% to 50% and at concentrations of up to 1·5 log10 CFU per g and 3·5 log10 CFU per g, respectively. The impact of season was not clear as the results were mixed depending on the detection method used. It was concluded that BPS‐causing C. estertheticum and C. gasigenes are widely distributed in the beef farm environment.
Funding begets biodiversity

Aim Effective conservation of biodiversity relies on an unbiased knowledge of its distribution. Conservation priority assessments are typically based on the levels of species richness, endemism and threat. Areas identified as important receive the majority of conservation investments, often facilitating further research that results in more species discoveries. Here, we test whether there is circularity between funding and perceived biodiversity, which may reinforce the conservation status of areas already perceived to be important while other areas with less initial funding may remain overlooked.
The vascular flora of Rome

The aim of this paper is to document plant diversity in the metropolitan area of Rome (Italy) by providing a comprehensive inventory of the present-day vascular flora and an overview of its composition and species diversity. We compiled the floristic catalogue by including all vascular plant entities that occur spontaneously within the administrative boundaries of the Rome municipality. The data, which were gathered from extensive field surveys, from a broad review of the literature and from herbaria records, were updated and integrated in a comprehensive account. The inventory of the flora of metropolitan Rome lists 1649 entities, from 139 families and 677 genera. The flora contains 228 taxa that are non-native to the Italian flora, 81 of which are established in the study area. The overview of flora reveals a remarkable species diversity and outlines the main characteristics of the flora of Rome, which may be summarized as (1) a large number of taxa of high conservation value which occur in remnants of near-natural vegetation, (2) the loss or decline of some species, particularly of native freshwater plants, (3) a remarkably high native species richness within the urban area, which includes many native woody species and (4) a rich ruderal flora, prevalently composed of native species that are well adapted to human disturbance, along with a variety of taxa of non-native or uncertain origin. The large set of data and the overview presented in this paper represent a fundamental framework for future research and for the conservation of plant diversity in metropolitan Rome.
Regeneration in multi-species in Serra da Lousã.

Stand regeneration is one of the most important aspects of silviculture as it ensures stand and production perpetuity. Regeneration occurs after one or several disturbances releasing growing space, usually after the elimination of some adult trees. In Northern and Central Portugal many maritime pine old growth stands have natural regeneration of several broadleaved species, in particular sweet chestnut and English oak. In multi-species stands regeneration and recruitment analysis should consider both density and diversity measures. A series of permanent plots established in Serra da Lousa made it possible to characterise the existing natural regeneration and its evolution with two successive measurements in 2001 and 2009. All individuals with a diameter at breast height equal or less than 5 cm were considered as regeneration. Their recruitment was evaluated in 2009 and analysed as a function of absolute stand density measures and seven diversity indices. The results revealed that recruitment rate was high and that there was a trend towards a balance in terms of species and their proportions, while maintaining a tendency towards clustering and segregation according to the Clark and Evans and the Pielou indices, respectively.
The effect of patch size and competitor number on aggression among foraging house sparrows

We examined the effect of patch size and competitor number on aggression among house sparrows, Passer domesticus, foraging at patches of seven different sizes in a doubling series (0.014, 0.029, 0.058, 0.116, 0.230, 0.462, and 0.922 m-super-2). Contrary to our expectations, the birds did not defend an entire patch, even when it was small as 0.014 m-super-2. The frequency of aggression among the birds decreased gradually with increasing patch size, in contrast to the step decline predicted by resource defense theory. Moreover, the birds fought more frequently and more intensely as competitor density increased. Both results are consistent with the predictions of a modified hawk-dove model for shared patches. Females were more aggressive and fed at a higher rate than did males. The proportion of females increased as patch size decreased, and aggression became more frequent and intense. Even when patches are shared, patch size has an important effect on the frequency and intensity of foraging competition and the size and composition of foraging groups. Copyright 2004.
Anti-Inflammatory and General Glucocorticoid Physiology in Skeletal Muscles Affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Exploration of Steroid-Sparing Agents

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the activation of proinflammatory and metabolic cellular pathways in skeletal muscle cells is an inherent characteristic. Synthetic glucocorticoid intake counteracts the majority of these mechanisms. However, glucocorticoids induce burdensome secondary effects, including hypertension, arrhythmias, hyperglycemia, osteoporosis, weight gain, growth delay, skin thinning, cushingoid appearance, and tissue-specific glucocorticoid resistance. Hence, lowering the glucocorticoid dosage could be beneficial for DMD patients. A more profound insight into the major cellular pathways that are stabilized after synthetic glucocorticoid administration in DMD is needed when searching for the molecules able to achieve similar pathway stabilization. This review provides a concise overview of the major anti-inflammatory pathways, as well as the metabolic effects of glucocorticoids in the skeletal muscle affected in DMD. The known drugs able to stabilize these pathways, and which could potentially be combined with glucocorticoid therapy as steroid-sparing agents, are described. This could create new opportunities for testing in DMD animal models and/or clinical trials, possibly leading to smaller glucocorticoids dosage regimens for DMD patients.
Nested Stochastic Block Models applied to the analysis of single cell data

Single cell profiling has been proven to be a powerful tool in molecular biology to understand the complex behaviours of heterogeneous system. The definition of the properties of single cells is the primary endpoint of such analysis, cells are typically clustered to underpin the common determinants that can be used to describe functional properties of the cell mixture under investigation. Several approaches have been proposed to identify cell clusters; while this is matter of active research, one popular approach is based on community detection in neighbourhood graphs by optimisation of modularity. In this paper we propose an alternative and principled solution to this problem, based on Stochastic Block Models. We show that such approach not only is suitable for identification of cell groups, it also provides a solid framework to perform other relevant tasks in single cell analysis, such as label transfer. To encourage the use of Stochastic Block Models, we developed a python library, schist, that is compatible with the popular scanpy framework.