Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acoustic monitoring of coastal dolphins and their response to naval mine neutralization exercises

To investigate the potential impacts of naval mine neutralization exercises (MINEX) on odontocete cetaceans, a long-term passive acoustic monitoring study was conducted at a US Navy training range near Virginia Beach, USA. Bottom-moored acoustic recorders were deployed in 2012–2016 near the epicentre of MINEX training activity and were refurbished every 2–4 months. Recordings were analysed for the daily presence/absence of dolphins, and dolphin acoustic activity was quantified in detail for the hours and days before and after 31 MINEX training events. Dolphins occurred in the area year-round, but there was clear seasonal variability, with lower presence during winter months. Dolphins exhibited a behavioural response to underwater detonations. Dolphin acoustic activity near the training location was lower during the hours and days following detonations, suggesting that animals left the area and/or reduced their signalling. Concurrent acoustic monitoring farther away from the training area suggested that the radius of response was between 3 and 6 km. A generalized additive model indicated that the predictors that explained the greatest amount of deviance in the data were the day relative to the training event, the hour of the day and circumstances specific to each training event.
Resonant tunneling via quantum bound states in a classically unbound system of crossed, narrow channels.

Analyse du transport balistique des electrons non interactifs dans des canaux etroits de longueur finie se croisant. La structure etudiee est constituee de deux canaux perpendiculaires, l'un d'eux connectant deux reservoirs d'electrons bidimensionnels
A satellite data portal developed for crowdsourcing data analysis and interpretation

Satellite data products derived from the remote sensing observations describe features of the land, ocean and atmosphere. And by data processing, they can be used to study processes and trends on local/global scale for real-time environmental research and applications. However, the advances of cutting-edge remote sensing technology bring the challenge of data deluge for satellite data analysis and interpretation. With combinations of human intelligence and machine intelligence, we develop a satellite data portal for crowdsourcing data analysis and interpretation through teaching and learning to cope with the overwhelming data deluge. Compared with all the existing data portals and crowdsourcing systems, it is the first attempt to embed crowdsourcing into a data portal to provide integrated services of satellite data access and analysis.
Biolog for the determination of diversity in microbial communities

Diversity and dynamics of microbial communities have been analysed by culture-dependent methods, which exclude the majority of fastidious microbes due to the selective nature of the media. Molecular methods have been used to determine diversity of microbial communities, but indicate the genetic complexity within a community. An alternative approach is to examine component s of functional biodiversity (i.e. substrate utilisation), for which there exists a reasonable chance of detecting patterns, whic h could be related to the functional diversity of the species present in the community. In this study, different carbon source profile s were generated by inoculating Biolog GN and GP microtitre plates, with different dilutions of microbial communities. The high numbe r of substrates utilised at the lower dilutions (10 -1 and 10 -2 ) indicated a high functional diversity in the communities tested. This, however, did not necessarily reflect the evenness of the functionality. Functional evenness of each species was reflected upon further dilution. Our results indicated differences in the functional diversity of the microbial communities amongst some of t he natural environments studied. The results indicated that evenness and dominance can be demonstrated by mixtures of cultures as well as in natural environments.
Partnering Care Delivery and Research to Optimize Health

A close partnership between care delivery and research organizations has the potential to provide essential elements needed to optimize health and health care. This clinical leadership panel, held during the 14th Annual Health Maintenance Organization Research Network (HMORN) Conference, identifies the value, opportunities and challenges of those close partnerships between three HMORN care delivery and research organizations. The objectives of this plenary session were: (1) identify the important facets of partnership that bring value to care delivery and research, (2) pinpoint the critical alignments of care delivery and research that are needed to fulfill the promised value between clinical and research organizations, and (3) recognize the challenges that clinical and research organizations need to address.
Vascular sprouts induce local attraction of proangiogenic neutrophils

Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, is a complex process requiring the orchestration of numerous different cell types, growth factors, and chemokines. Some of the recently acknowledged actors in this process are immune cells. They accumulate at hypoxic sites, but the kinetics, dynamics, and regulation of that trafficking are unknown. In this study, we used intravital and live cell imaging to understand how neutrophils and macrophages migrate and behave at angiogenic sites. We developed two reproducible models of angiogenesis: one by transplanting isolated and hypoxic pancreatic islets into the cremaster muscles of mice, and another by in vitro coculturing of mouse aortic rings with neutrophils. In vivo imaging of the hypoxic site revealed recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages, which occurred in parallel, with depletion of one subset not affecting the accumulation of the other. We found, by cell tracking and statistical analyses, that neutrophils migrated in a directional manner to “angiogenic hotspots” around the islet where endothelial sprouting occurs, which was confirmed in the in vitro model of angiogenesis and is dependent on CXCL12 signaling. Intimate interactions between neutrophils and neovessels were prevalent, and neutrophil depletion greatly hampered vessel growth. Macrophages were less motile and attained supportive positions around the neovessels. Here, we present two novel in vivo and in vitro imaging models to study leukocyte behavior and actions during angiogenesis. These models unveiled that neutrophil migration at a hypoxic site was guided by signals emanating from sprouting endothelium where these immune cells gathered at “angiogenic hotspots” at which vascular growth occurred.
A Ser315Thr Substitution in KatG Is Predominant in Genetically Heterogeneous Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates Originating from the St. Petersburg Area in Russia

ABSTRACT Parts of katG and rpoB from 27 RussianMycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were sequenced to detect mutations causing resistance to isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RMP), respectively. All 24 INH-resistant isolates had a mutatedkatG, and 22 of them (91.7%) carried a mutation coding for a Ser315Thr shift. An rpoB mutation was noted for each of the 21 RMP-resistant isolates, with Ser531Leu being the most prevalent change encoded. Only two isolates had identical IS6110fingerprints.
A two-stage object tracking method based on Curvelet transform and mean shift algorithm

Traditional mean shift tracking algorithm couldn't track moving objects in cross-scale domain. In this paper, we propose a new two-stage object tracking method combined Curvelet Transform and mean shift algorithm. Our proposed method extracts image features using Curvelet transform, and calculates object location by cross-scale mean shift algorithm. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can effectively track moving objects. Compared with traditional mean shift algorithm, tracking accuracy has been significantly improved.
Performance evaluation of wireless sensor node powered by RF energy harvesting

In this paper, a method of designing an autonomous Wireless Sensor Node (WSN) powered by RF energy Harvesting is proposed. The autonomous sensor node is composed of two components, the WSN and the RF energy harvesting system. The RF harvester is based on a rectenna that consists of an antenna associated with a rectifier circuit. The used rectifier circuit is an optimized Schenkel voltage doubler rectifier. The designed harvester show a recovered DC power of 115.7 μW with 0. 27 V of the output voltage at 0 dBm of input power. A material block-level modeling of a WSN in a star topology network is proposed and used to estimate the energetic budget of the node. The sensor node performance is then evaluated regarding packet size and time ratio between standby and active state. It is observed that the recovered RF power allows considering a minimum transmit packet size of 801 bits for applications where measurements are made every 100 s.
Information Flow and Pricing Errors: A Unified Approach to Estimation and Testing

This study examines whether rates of information flow differ between trading and nontrading periods, and whether the variances of pricing errors differ at the open and close of trading. The approach improves on existing methods by allowing for correlation between pricing errors and information flow, and by conducting inferences at the individual security level. The daytime rate of information flow is about seven times the overnight rate, and the variances of pricing errors at the open are not different from those at the close of trading. This evidence differs from existing results based on return variance ratios. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
Publishing the Trove Newspaper Corpus

The Trove Newspaper Corpus is derived from the National Library of Australia’s digital archive of newspaper text. The corpus is a snapshot of the NLA collection taken in 2015 to be made available for language research as part of the Alveo Virtual Laboratory and contains 143 million articles dating from 1806 to 2007. This paper describes the work we have done to make this large corpus available as a research collection, facilitating access to individual documents and enabling large scale processing of the newspaper text in a cloud-based environment.
Strokes: mimics and chameleons

Diagnosing stroke is not always straightforward. Stroke mimics such as Todd's paresis or hemiplegic migraine account for between a fifth and a quarter of suspected strokes (depending on the setting in which they are assessed). Stroke chameleons can arise when the tempo of symptom onset is not apoplectic or if the loss of function is not clearly consistent with a deficit within an arterial territory. Thrombolysis and secondary prevention have much to offer patients with stroke chameleons, though those with stroke mimics may be harmed by these treatments and have more to gain from other therapies.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease with a prion protein gene codon 180 mutation presenting asymmetric cortical high-intensity on magnetic resonance imaging

ABSTRACT. Here we report a genetically confirmed case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with a prion protein gene codon 180 mutation presenting atypical magnetic resonance imaging findings. The present case exhibited an acute onset and lateralized neurologic signs, and progressive cognitive impairment. No myoclonus or periodic synchronous discharges on electroencephalography were observed. Diffusion-weighted images revealed areas of high signal intensity in the right frontal and temporal cortices at onset that extended to the whole cortex and basal ganglia of the right cerebral hemisphere at 3 months. Although the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was initially negative for neuron specific enolase, tau protein, 14–3–3 protein, and abnormal prion protein, the CSF was positive for these brain-derived proteins at 3 months after onset.
Additive Inhibition of Complement Deposition by Pneumolysin and PspA Facilitates Streptococcus pneumoniae Septicemia 1

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of septicemia in the immunocompetent host. To establish infection, S. pneumoniae has to overcome host innate immune responses, one component of which is the complement system. Using isogenic bacterial mutant strains and complement-deficient immune naive mice, we show that the S. pneumoniae virulence factor pneumolysin prevents complement deposition on S. pneumoniae, mainly through effects on the classical pathway. In addition, using a double pspA−/ply− mutant strain we demonstrate that pneumolysin and the S. pneumoniae surface protein PspA act in concert to affect both classical and alternative complement pathway activity. As a result, the virulence of the pspA−/ply− strain in models of both systemic and pulmonary infection is greatly attenuated in wild-type mice but not complement deficient mice. The sensitivity of the pspA−/ply− strain to complement was exploited to demonstrate that although early innate immunity to S. pneumoniae during pulmonary infection is partially complement-dependent, the main effect of complement is to prevent spread of S. pneumoniae from the lungs to the blood. These data suggest that inhibition of complement deposition on S. pneumoniae by pneumolysin and PspA is essential for S. pneumoniae to successfully cause septicemia. Targeting mechanisms of complement inhibition could be an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with septicemia due to S. pneumoniae or other bacterial pathogens.
In vitro uptake of minerals by Gypsophila paniculata and hybrid eucalypts, and relevance to media mineral formulation

Despite the importance of mineral nutrition for plantlet growth in vitro, there have been few studies on mineral uptake from growth media or on optimising the media used in tissue culture. As plants in vitro experience abnormal growth conditions and may not possess roots, they may use different mechanisms of mineral uptake than plants growing ex vitro. To examine this possibility, plantlets of Gypsophila paniculata were grown on media in which the K or Ca concentration was varied. Mineral analysis showed a linear relationship between concentrations of K or Ca in the growth medium and plantlet tissues, suggesting uptake is by passive diffusion. However, interactions occurred between K, Ca and Mg uptake; therefore, other mechanisms are also likely to be involved in regulating mineral concentrations in tissue. The study also demonstrated that critical mineral concentrations could be estimated by using tissue-culture systems, as the concentration ranges of K and Ca in vitro correlated well with data for a related species ex vitro. This knowledge of critical concentrations, in conjunction with tissue analysis and ion speciation modelling, can be used to optimise in vitro mineral formulations through cycles of culture, tissue analysis and medium reformulation. To test this proposal, plantlets of Eucalyptus europhylla × grandis were grown on a proprietary medium formulation (SEM) and one modified as a result of tissue analysis (MEM). Plantlets cultured on SEM had chlorotic leaves and serious mineral imbalances. In contrast, plantlets cultured on MEM were not chlorotic, had more uniform growth and a more balanced mineral content. However, modification of mineral concentrations in the culture medium did not always result in similar changes in plant tissues. These differences in the proportions of minerals in the medium and those in the plant indicate that there are interactions between minerals in the medium and/or between minerals and the agar matrix that influence mineral availability and uptake.
Physician Concussion Knowledge and the Effect of Mailing the CDC’s “Heads Up” Toolkit

Background. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Heads Up” toolkit was designed to educate physicians about concussion, but it has not been well studied. This study proposed to evaluate the effect of receiving the toolkit on physician concussion knowledge. Methods. The authors obtained a sample of physicians from the American Medical Association masterfile and randomly selected half to be mailed the CDC’s “Heads Up” toolkit. All physicians were then sent a survey on concussion knowledge. Data were analyzed to evaluate the effect of the toolkit on concussion knowledge. Results. The survey was completed by 414 physicians (183 intervention, 231 control). There were no differences in general concussion knowledge between intervention and control groups, but physicians in the intervention group were significantly less likely to recommend next day return to play after a concussion (adjusted odds ratio = 0.31, 95% confidence interval = 0.12-0.76). Conclusions. Mailing the CDC’s “Heads Up” toolkit appears to affect physicians’ recommendations regarding returning to play after a concussion.
Wie kommt das „social” ins soziale Netz? (How Does the “Social” Get Into the Social Web?)

Abstract Die Veränderung vom reinen Konsumenten-Web der ersten Generation zum „Mitmach”-Web der zweiten Generation bringt neue Dienste hervor mit Möglichkeiten, aber auch Risiken. Verschiedene Dienste werden vorgestellt und ein Modell zur Erklärung des aktiven Nutzerverhaltens im Web 2.0 wird skizziert. Abstract As the web changes from the purely consumption-oriented first generation offering to its participation-focused second generation, new services are launched, providing new possibilities, but also new risks. Different services are presented, and a model is outlined to explain the active user behavior in Web 2.0.
Interactions of Plasminogen and Tissue Plasminogen Activator ( tPA ) with Amphoterin

The heparin-binding p30 protein amphoterin is proposed to mediate adhesive interactions of the advancing plasma membrane in migrating and differentiating cells. Since the NH2-terminal part of amphoterin is exceptionally rich in lysine residues, we have studied its interactions with plasminogen and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). On immunostaining of N18 neuroblastoma cells, amphoterin and t-PA showed a close co-localization in the filopodia of the leading membrane and in the substrate-attached material. In purified systems, both t-PA and plasminogen bound to immobilized amphoterin, and their binding was inhibited by the lysine analogue e-aminocaproic acid. Plasminogen bound to immobilized amphoterin was activated by t-PA, and this resulted in effective degradation of the immobilized amphoterin. Correspondingly, amphoterin-bound t-PA activated plasminogen. In solution amphoterin accelerated t-PA-catalyzed plasminogen activation maximally 46-fold. The results indicate that t-PA and plasminogen form through their lysine-binding sites a complex with amphoterin, which results in acceleration of plasminogen activation and effective degradation of amphoterin. We suggest that local acceleration of t-PA-catalyzed plasminogen activation by amphoterin at the leading membrane enhances the penetration f growing cytoplasmic processes through extracellular materials during cell migration, differentiation and regeneration. The amphoterin-mediated adhesion at the leading membrane may be transient in nature, because the protein also enhances its own breakdown by accelerating t-PAcatalyzed plasminogen activation.
Bayesian Active Edge Evaluation on Expensive Graphs

We consider the problem of real-time motion planning that requires evaluating a minimal number of edges on a graph to quickly discover collision-free paths. Evaluating edges is expensive, both for robots with complex geometries like robot arms, and for robots sensing the world online like UAVs. Until now, this challenge has been addressed via laziness, i.e. deferring edge evaluation until absolutely necessary, with the hope that edges turn out to be valid. However, all edges are not alike in value - some have a lot of potentially good paths flowing through them, and some others encode the likelihood of neighbouring edges being valid. This leads to our key insight - instead of passive laziness, we can actively choose edges that reduce the uncertainty about the validity of paths. We show that this is equivalent to the Bayesian active learning paradigm of decision region determination (DRD). However, the DRD problem is not only combinatorially hard but also requires explicit enumeration of all possible worlds. We propose a novel framework that combines two DRD algorithms, DIRECT and BISECT, to overcome both issues. We show that our approach outperforms several state-of-the-art algorithms on a spectrum of planning problems for mobile robots, manipulators and autonomous helicopters.
Estilo de funcionamiento familiar, pautas de crianza y su relación con el desarrollo evolutivo en niños con bajo peso al nacer

Resumen: Esta investigacion dio cuenta de la relacion entre el estilo de funcionamiento familiar, los patrones de crianza y las edades de desarrollo evolutivo en ninos, nacidos con bajo peso. El estudio descriptivo correlacional se realizo con 41 ninos y sus madres, aplicandose cuestionarios sobre funcionamiento familiar, practicas de crianza y desarrollo infantil. Los resultados senalaron la existencia de un funcionamiento familiar caracterizado por una cohesion amalgamada y una adaptabilidad caotica, una disciplina complaciente, falta de control y de limites claros en la diada madre-hijo. Se trataba de familias monoparentales, donde la temprana edad de concepcion, el madresolterismo y el apoyo de la familia extensa eran constantes. Las edades evolutivas registradas indicaron un desarrollo inferior a la edad cronologica, en la mayor parte de los casos; sin embargo, estas tendieron a ser superiores al compararlas con la edades reales de los infantes. No se encontro una correlacion estadisticamente significativa entre la edad de desarrollo y los diferentes factores del funcionamiento familiar para algunos de los rangos de edad considerados; sin embargo, no se lo descarto por completo, especialmente en lo referente al optimismo familiar
Aneurysmal bone cyst of thoracic spine: case report and brief review of literature

A 16-year-old girl was admitted with insidious onset, gradually progressive spastic sensori-motor paraparesis, with a sensory level at D10 dermatome without bowel or bladder involvement for the last 2 months following trivial trauma on the lower back. MRI of the spine showed a low-to-intermediate signal intensity, heterogeneous mass with multiple fluid levels. A diagnosis of aneurysmal bone cyst was made. A D8-D9 laminectomy with near total excision of mass was performed. Histopathology of the mass showed cyst cavity filled with haemorrhage surrounded by bony trabeculae confirming the diagnosis. Following excision the patient had excellent recovery. We report this case owing to its rarity and to emphasise the importance of surgery if there is cord compression.