Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relating invasion success to plant traits: an analysis of the Czech alien flora.

Alien species introduced into the Czech Republic since 1492 (excluding rare and ephemeral introductions) are analysed and various species characteristics (geographical area of origin, taxonomic position, species height, life form, life strategy, pollination and dispersal agents, planting history, and ecological requirements expressed using the Ellenberg indicator values) are used to explain their invasion success. The species success in man-made and seminatural habitats was evaluated separately by using a semiquantitative three degree scale. Total success in both types of habitats was also assessed. The aliens were also compared with native flora for the particular characteristics. A total of 132 alien species were analysed of which about 20% may be considered successfully naturalized. Invasion success in seminatural habitats was found to be favoured by height, hemicryptophyte life form and C-strategy. The successful invaders into this habitat type also differed from unsuccessful ones in (I) requiring sites which are more moist and (2) more frequent planting in the past. Species successfully invading man-made habitats showed an increased representation of therophyte life form and of Cor CR-strategy. They were mostly introduced spontaneously and are able to grow successfully in drier sites. There is an increased representation of therophytes and members of Asferaceae family among the whole set of aliens when compared with the native flora. Further, species of North American and Asian origin and those confined to sites with higher nitrogen input were overrepresented. The study confimls the fact that there is no single characteristic which can reliably predict the success of any particular species as an invader. However, if a large data set is used, some differences between alien and native species and differences among the aliens invading contrasting habitat types can be revealed.
MINKOWSKI OPERATORS AND FEATURES OF VOXEL MODELS

Feature-based design has evolved as a fundamental paradigm for present-day CAD systems. Voxel-based modeling has many advantages over traditional representation schemes but lacks structural information which is lost in voxelization of the objects. In this paper, we propose to augment voxel models with features by a) storing the sequence of modeling operations along with voxel models and b) by de ning feature operators. We have implemented these ideas in our prototype system Sirpi as regularised Minkowski operators using simple data structures and algorithms.
Gabor Wavelet Based Features for Mammogram Analysis and Classification of Breast Cancer

—Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women. Early detection of breast cancer is important step in diagnosis of the abnormalities which may reduce the mortality rate. It can be achieved using digital mammography. Digital mammography has become the most effective techniques for the early detection of breast cancer. Mammography is most reliable and widespread method for early detection of breast cancer. This system includes Preprocessing on mammogram image and uses wavelet feature extraction to improve sensitivity. It involves three major steps-Preprocessing, Feature Extraction and Classification. Gabor wavelets based features are extracted from medical mammogram images representing normal tissues or benign and malign tumors. After completing preprocessing, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is used to extract feature vectors of all images in the database. PCA is a useful statistical technique that has found application in fields such as face recognition and image compression, and is a common technique for finding patterns in data of high dimension. These extracted features are used for classification of mammogram into malignant and benign. The SVM classifier is used for classification.
Fiscal Policy Effects in the European Union

This paper analyzes empirically the impact of fiscal policy on the price level for the cases of Germany and Spain. We investigate whether the fiscal theory of the price level (FTPL) is able to deliver a reasonable explanation for the different performances of the price level in these two countries during recent years. We apply two different approaches. The first is a Bayesian VAR model using sign restrictions to assess the relation between surpluses and public debt. Afterwards, we use a Bayesian regime-switching model to uncover changes in monetary and fiscal policy behavior. The analysis basically shows that in each of the two countries fiscal shocks have a significant impact on the price level. Nonetheless, the FTPL does not deliver a reasonable explanation for the differences in the pattern of inflation between the two countries.
Chebyshev Wavelet collocation method for solving a class of linear and nonlinear nonlocal boundary value problems

This study proposes the Chebyshev Wavelet Colocation method for solving a class of rth-order Boundary-Value Problems (BVPs) with nonlocal boundary conditions. This method is an extension of the Chebyshev wavelet method to the linear and nonlinear BVPs with a class of nonlocal boundary conditions. In this study, the method is tested on second and fourth-order BVPs and approximate solutions are compared with the existing methods in the literature and analytical solutions. The proposed method has promising results in terms of the accuracy.
The Links : HIV / AIDS and Rural Agricultural Systems

Understanding How HIV/AIDS, Agricultural Systems, and Food Security Are Linked by Lori M. Hunter (April 2007) Both hunger and HIV/AIDS receive places of prominence within the eight objectives of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Goal 1 is to "Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. " Goal 6 is to "Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. " Although presented as distinct goals, these conditions are closely intertwined in the lives of millions of people, however, and advancement toward one goal requires consideration of the other. Although significant progress has been made in reducing undernourishment globally, the pace must be accelerated to meet the MDG hunger goal by the target date of 2015. During the 1990s, developing countries reduced the number of undernourished people by only 1 percent, or approximately 9 million people. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that, in 2000-2002, 33 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa remained undernourished. Although this represents an improvement from 36 percent a decade prior, it remains far from MDG goals. Unfortunately, undernutrition is actually increasing in some regions, including the Near East and North Africa. Regarding MDG goals and HIV/AIDS, even with improved access to prevention and treatment such as antiretroviral medications, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS continues to grow. Indeed, nearly 40 million individuals are currently HIV-positive and, in 2006, 4.3 million people were newly infected with HIV. Although rarely linked in official documents and activities, HIV/AIDS likely exacerbates the struggle to reduce undernutrition due to the pandemic's impacts on agricultural systems.
ERI # 2008-03 Determinants of Migration Between Mountain States Counties

Studies of migration typically examine migration between countries, or, in the United States, migration between states. Recently, the authors completed several studies of migration between Mountain States counties for the period 1985-1990. The current study begins the extension of the earlier research to the 1995-2000 period. The study examines the determinants of gross in-migration, gross out-migration, and net innligration by county between 1995 and 2000 and conlpares the results with those for the earlier period. In particular, it uses an econometric model to identify the importance of a variety of factors associated with countries in influencing the direction and size of Mountain States inter-county migration. Determinants of migration in the model include economic variables such as mean income, tax rates, unemployment rates, and poverty rates; demographic variables such as population density, urbanization, race, and ancestry; social variables such as crilne rates, family size, marriage status, and educational attainment; environmental variables such as air quality, insolation, and temperature; and geographic variables such as elevation and latitude. Determinants of Migration Between Mountain States Counties William J. Israelsen, Utah State University L. Dwight Israelsen, Utah State University Ryan D. Israelsen, University of Michigan Studies of migration typically examine migration between counties, or, in the United States, migration between states. Recently, the authors completed several studies of migration between Mountain States counties and between u.s. counties for the period 1985-1990. The current study begins the extension of the earlier research to the 1995-2000 period. The study examines the determinants of gross in-migration, gross out-migration, and net in-migration between pairs of Mountain States counties. In particular, it uses an econometric model to assess the importance of a variety of factors associated with counties in influencing migration between each pair of counties in the Mountain States. Determinants of migration in the model include economic variables such as housing costs, mean income, unemployment rates, and poverty rates; demographic variables such as population density, urbanization, race, and ethnicity; social variables such as crime rates, marriage status, and educational attainment; environmental variables such as air quality, insolation, and temperature; and geographic variables such as distance between counties and travel time to work. These results from the econometric analysis are then used to identify push factors, pull factors, repel factors, retain factors, and mobility factors in migration between Mountain States counties. The results indicate that economic, demographic, social, environmental, and geographic variables are significant factors in determining inter-county mobility in the Mountain States.
Anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective potentials of the aerial parts of Silene villosa Caryophyllaceae methanol extract in rats

Purpose : To explore the anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective potentials of Silene villosa Caryophyllaceae methanol extract in rats. Methods : Toxicity of S. villosa extract was evaluated in rats. Inflammation was induced in rats by injection of 0.1 mL carrageenan (1 %) in the left hind paws. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) was used to induce liver damage. Five groups of rat were used. The 1st (normal control) and 2nd (hepatotoxic) groups received the vehicle. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups received silymarin, 250 and 500 mg/kg of S. villosa extract, respectively, for 7 days. Liver injury was induced on the 7th day by intraperitoneal administration of 1 mL/kg of CCl 4 to rats in groups 2 - 5. Results : The results showed that S. villosa is safe. It significantly reduced carrageenan-induced edema compared to normal (p < 0.01) and standard (p < 0.01) groups. The extract protected (p < 0.01) rats against the deleterious effect of CCl4. It decreased (p < 0.01) the elevated serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as elevated serum levels of bilirubin (BRN), compared to CCl4 control rats. Reduced activities of the antioxidant enzymes were significantly increased (p < 0.01) in rat liver, compared with CCl 4 control group. The results were confirmed by histological findings in rat liver as the extract reduced necrosis and hydropic degeneration of hepatic tissue compared to CCl 4 control group. Conclusion : The results suggest that S. villosa possesses anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities in rats, and therefore, has therapeutic potentials in humans. Keywords : S. villosa, anti-inflammatory, carrageenan, CCl 4 , antioxidant, hepatotoxicity.
Regulation of Redfield ratios in the deep ocean

Biotic regulation of the environment at global scales has been debated for several decades. An example is the similarity between deep‐ocean and phytoplankton mean N:P ratios. N and P cycles are heavily altered by human activities, mainly through an increase in nutrient supply to the upper ocean. As phytoplankton only access nutrients in the upper ocean, it is critical to understand (1) to what extent phytoplankton are able to regulate N and P concentrations as well as their ratio in the deep, inaccessible layer and (2) what mechanisms control the value of the deepwater N:P ratio and the efficiency of its biotic regulation. With a model of N and P cycles in the global ocean separated in two layers, we show that the value of the deepwater N:P ratio is determined by nonfixer's N:P ratio, recycling, and denitrification. Our model predicts that although phytoplankton cannot efficiently regulate deep nutrient pools, they can maintain nearly constant ratios between nutrients because compensatory dynamics between nonfixers and nitrogen fixers allows a control of deepwater chemistry through nutrient recycling. This mechanism could explain the near constancy of the deepwater N:P ratio, in agreement with Redfield's (1934, 1958) classical hypothesis. Surprisingly, N:P ratio of phytoplankton does not affect their ability to regulate the deepwater N:P ratio. Our model suggests that increased water column stratification as a result of global climate change may decrease the stability of the N:P ratio in the deep ocean over long temporal and spatial scales.
Econometric Models for Forecasting of Macroeconomic Indices.

The urgency of the research topic was stipulated by the necessity to carry out an effective controlled process by the economic system which can hardly be imagined without indices forecasting characteristic of this system. An econometric model is a safe tool of forecasting which makes it possible to take into consideration the trend of indices development in the past and their cause and effect interrelations. The aim of the article is to build econometric models for macroeconomic indices forecasting, reflecting Russia’s economy stabilization processes. In the process of research econometric modeling methods were used which allow to build, estimate and control the quality of various econometric models. In the given research the following models were built and analyzed: autoregressive integrated moving average model, vector auto-regression model, simultaneous equations system; the comparison of forecast possibilities and forecast accuracy of models built; forecast values of considered macroeconomic indices for the next periods were received. As to the results of study some preference can be given to forecasting on the basis of autoregressive models. The materials of the article can be quite useful for researchers, dealing with problems of modeling and economic processes forecasting, both in their scientific and practical activity.
Colorectal carcinogenesis: an archetype of gut microbiota–host interaction

Sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major cause of worldwide mortality. Epidemiological evidence of markedly increased risk in populations that migrate to Western countries, or adopt their lifestyle, suggests that CRC is a disease whose aetiology is defined primarily by interactions between the host and his environment. The gut microbiome sits directly at this interface and is now increasingly recognised as a modulator of colorectal carcinogenesis. Bacteria such as Fusobacterium nucleatum and Escherichia coli (E. Coli) are found in abundance in patients with CRC and have been shown in experimental studies to promote neoplasia. A whole armamentarium of bacteria-derived oncogenic mechanisms has been defined, including the subversion of apoptosis and the production of genotoxins and pro-inflammatory factors. But the microbiota may also be protective: for example, they are implicated in the metabolism of dietary fibre to produce butyrate, a short chain fatty acid, which is anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic. Indeed, although our understanding of this immensely complex, highly individualised and multi-faceted relationship is expanding rapidly, many questions remain: Can we define friends and foes, and drivers and passengers? What are the critical functions of the microbiota in the context of colorectal neoplasia?
Assessing the Force and Timing control of Children with Motor Problems using Elastic Displays

Children with motor problems have difficulties to control their timing and strength. For the last four years, we have been developing BendableSound, an elastic display that enables users to play sounds when interacting with a fabric. In this paper, we report a set of measurements and coordination tasks that we integrated into BendableSound to be used to measure strength and timing control. During a deployment study with 22 children with autism presenting motor problems, we found out that the scores of the coordination tasks in BendableSound are correlated with the scores of a clinical tool measuring coordination. This result could mean that elastic displays could be used as an assessment tool for children with motor problems. Author
‘Structured' beta diversity increases with climatic productivity in a classic dataset

Despite a surge of interest in the measurement of beta diversity, there remain only a modest number of well-supported explanations for variation in naturally occurring levels of beta diversity. Among the few emerging generalizations is that beta diversity tends to increase with productivity; it remains to be determined whether the mechanism(s) involves habitat specialization or random factors in community assembly. We examined this question using the classic dataset of Whittaker (1960), who first defined beta diversity in a study of plant communities along multiple abiotic gradients related to productivity. With increasing productivity along climatic gradients (elevation or topography), though not a soil fertility gradient, we found increases in the levels of ‘structured' beta diversity, i.e., the turnover associated with each of the other gradients, consistent with greater habitat specialization. ‘Unstructured' beta diversity, i.e., the among-site variation not associated with gradients, varied idiosyncratically among different combinations of environmental factors. These results were robust to the use of either presence-absence or relative abundance data. We conclude that habitat specialization along gradients may tend to increase either with productivity itself, or with regional (gamma) diversity, which tends to be higher in more productive climates and conceivably ‘spills over' in ecological or evolutionary time to enhance structured beta diversity.
University of Dundee Do Baby Brain Cortices that Look Alike at Birth Grow Alike During the First Year of Postnatal Development? Rekik,

Citation for published version (APA): Rekik, I. , Li, G. , Lin, W. , & Shen, D. (2018). Do Baby Brain Cortices that Look Alike at Birth Grow Alike During the First Year of Postnatal Development? In A. F. Frangi, C. Davatzikos, G. Fichtinger, C. Alberola-López, & J. A. Schnabel (Eds.), Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention – MICCAI 2018 21st International Conference, 2018, Proceedings (Vol. 11072, pp. 566-574). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 11072). Springer . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00931-1_65
Enabling Dexterous Manipulation and Servicing by Smallsats

The University of Maryland Space Systems Laboratory is currently developing two flight-ready smallsats to demonstrate and validate the critical technologies for this new class of smallsat servicing system. The DYnamic FLight MAnipulation EXperiment (DYMAFLEX) , supported by the U. S. Air Force University Nanosat Program, is a smallsat incorporating a four degree-of-freedom high-performance manipulator and a fully maneuvering spacecraft bus, including a cold-gas reaction control system. Unlike past manipulator-equipped spacecraft such as ETS-VII or Orbital Express, the DYMAFLEX manipulator inertia (depending on payload) equals or exceeds that of the spacecraft bus, resulting in significant base reaction dynamics in response to arm motion. The goal of this mission, demonstrating the capability to adapt and control base motion during manipulator operations, is critical for the use of manipulators on very small spacecraft. Exo-SPHERES, supported by DARPA and NASA, is a program to develop a protoflight version of a 50-kg spacecraft intended to perform inspection and maintenance tasks on the International Space Station. Constrained to egress and ingress via the Japanese KIBO airlock, this system will implement an advanced modular smallsat architecture to support a large range of potential mission targets. The Smallsat Concept for Advanced Manipulation and Proximity operations (SCAMP) system has been proposed as a fully dexterous flight demonstration of smallsat servicing. Based on technologies from DYMAFLEX and ExoSPHERES, SCAMP will be capable of equivalent dexterity to a human in a space suit, and will be used to demonstration both on-orbit proximity operations as well as capture and berthing and dexterous servicing operations.
Inflation and the real effects of monetary policy

The relationship between money and real economic activity is still a very appealing subject in macroeconomics. A number of studies have sought to characterise this link with the assumption that money has symmetric effects on real variables. In this paper we reconsider the empirical evidence on the possible asymmetric effects on real activity of changes in short term nominal interest rate. We concentrate on the effects of positive and negative monetary shocks. In the literature, the latter often have real effects whereas the former are neutral. Models based on costly price adjustments demonstrate that a tight monetary policy has a larger absolute impact that an easy monetary policy. Ball and Mankiw (1994) have developed a model with inflation trend in this line of research. Here we test the assumption that inflation plays a key role in these asymmetric effects using the markov-switching model of Hamilton (1989). From the analysis of France and Italy we find strong evidence about the distinction between expansionist and restrictive shocks. Besides results support empirical predictions of Ball and Mankiw’s model that negative shocks effects increase with inflation. These findings are particularly important in the European context in which single monetary policy is conducted by the European Central Bank. They imply that monetary authorities must take into account the behaviour of the inflation process. So we wonder what is the future for such asymmetries since European countries have converged through low inflation rates. Could the low inflation rate contribute to reduce asymmetries in Monetary Union?
Therapeutic potential of Camel Milk

Camel milkis recognized for its therapeutic potential against many diseases. It is reported to have microbicidal and immuno stimulatory properties as it contains immunoactive proteins like lysozyme, lactoperoxidase and lactoferrin. Camelid antibodies have a unique structure. Theypossess the heavy chains but are devoid of the usual light chains. This special feature enhances theirpenetration. Camelid proteins have a very high degree of thermal stability and areresistant to acid hydrolysis. Camel milk components act like a ligand to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.They significantly inhibit the induction of some cancer-activating genes and also induce tumor suppressor genes. Modulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptors is now recognized to have a vital role in cancer therapy. The present review deals with clinical significance of camel milk with special reference to cancer. It also encompasses its unique composition, relevance to otherdiseases and special properties as compared to human milk.