Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Critical Review of the Arsenic Uptake Mechanisms and Phytoremediation Potential of Pteris vittata

The discovery of the arsenic hyperaccumulator, Pteris vittata (Chinese brake fern), has contributed to the promotion of its application as a means of phytoremediation for arsenic removal from contaminated soils and water. Understanding the mechanisms involved in arsenic tolerance and accumulation of this plant provides valuable tools to improve the phytoremediation efficiency. In this review, the current knowledge about the physiological and molecular mechanisms of arsenic tolerance and accumulation in P. vittata is summarized, and an attempt has been made to clarify some of the unresolved questions related to these mechanisms. In addition, the capacity of P. vittata for remediation of arsenic-contaminated soils is evaluated under field conditions for the first time, and possible solutions to improve the remediation capacity of Pteris vittata are also discussed.
Albatrosses, eagles and newts, Oh My!: exceptions to the prevailing paradigm concerning genetic diversity and population viability?

Numerous recent papers have demonstrated a central role for genetic factors in the extinction process or have documented the importance of gene flow in reversing population declines. This prompted one recent publication to declare that a revolution in conservation genetics has occurred. Contemporaneously with this revolution are a series of papers demonstrating long‐term population persistence for several species despite having little or no detectable genetic variation. In a couple of notable cases, populations have been shown to have survived for centuries at small population size and with depleted levels of genetic variation. These contradictory results demand an explanation. In this review, I will show that these results do not necessarily fly in the face of theory as sometimes stated. The reconciliation of these two sets of observations relies on the incorporation of two major concepts. (1) Genetic factors do not act in a vacuum and it is their interaction with the environment, the strength and type of selection imposed, and the life history of the organism that determine the relative importance of genetic factors to extinction risk. (2) The relationship between molecular estimates of genetic variation and evolutionary potential, the relevance of genetic bottlenecks to adaptive genetic variation, and the nature of the stochastic process of extinction must be better integrated into expectations of population viability. Reports of populations persisting for hundreds of generations with very little detectable genetic variation provide us not only with valuable information but also with hope. However, recent studies suggest that we should not be sanguine about the importance of genetic diversity in the conservation of biodiversity.
Pedestrian recognition through different cross-modality deep learning methods

A wide variety of approaches have been proposed for pedestrian detection in the last decay and it still remains an open challenge due to its outstanding importance in the field of automotive. In recent years, deep learning classification methods, in particular convolutional neural networks, combined with multi-modality images applied on different fusion schemes have achieved great performances in computer vision tasks. For the pedestrian recognition task, the late-fusion scheme outperforms the early and intermediate integration of modalities. In this paper, we focus on improving and optimizing the late-fusion scheme for pedestrian classification on the Daimler stereo vision data set. We propose different training methods based on Cross-Modality deep learning of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs): (1) a correlated model, (2) an incremental model and, (3) a particular cross-modality model, where each CNN is trained on one modality, but tested on a different one. The experiments show that the incremental cross-modality deep learning of CNNs achieves the best performances. It improves the classification performances not only for each modality classifier, but also for the multi-modality late-fusion scheme. The particular cross-modality model is a promising idea for automated annotation of modality images with a classifier trained on a different modality and/or for cross-dataset training.
Dynamic range extension of cine velocity measurements using motion registered spatiotemporal phase unwrapping

A motion‐registered spatiotemporal phase‐unwrapping method for extending the dynamic range of cine magnetic resonance phase velocity measurements is presented. The interframe cardiac movement is estimated from the magnitude image derived from the velocity encoded raw data, which ensures that the phase signal is unwrapped in the temporal direction with reference to pixels belonging to the same anatomic flow region. An extra step of spatial phase correction is then used to further eliminate any residual errors. The combination of spatial and temporal information for phase unwrapping provides a robust way of extending the dynamic range of cine velocity data in the presence of large phase aliasing errors.
A system-on-a-chip for pattern recognition architecture and design methodology

We address in this paper the design and specification of a heterogeneous architecture of a SOC (System-On-a-Chip) for pattern recognition. Once the algorithms involved presented, we investigate the hardware/software codesign methodology, the system architecture and finally the VLSI physical integration. We conclude by giving results on the performance of the system regarding recognition rate and VLSI characteristics.
Association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR 677C>T) and thymidylate synthase (TSER and TS 1494del6) polymorphisms with premature ovarian failure in Korean women

ObjectiveThe aim of our study was to investigate whether methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene variant (MTHFR 677C>T) and thymidylate synthase (TS) gene variants (TS enhancer region [TSER] and TS 1494del6) confer a risk for premature ovarian failure (POF). MethodsWe genotyped 136 POF patients and 236 controls among Korean women for the three single nucleotide polymorphism sites using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Differences in the MTHFR 677C>T, TSER, and TS 1494del6 genotype frequencies between POF patients and controls were compared, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were determined as a measure of the strength of the association between genotypes and POF. ResultsThe MTHFR 677CT and CT + TT variant genotypes were more frequent in POF patients than in controls (OR, 2.249; 95% CI, 1.317-3.843; and OR, 2.132; 95% CI, 1.268-3.585, respectively). The combined genotype frequencies of MTHFR 677CT + TT/TSER 3R3R and 677CT + TT/TS 1494del6 del6/del6 were higher in patients than in controls (OR, 2.300; 95% CI, 1.219-4.337; and OR, 3.314; 95% CI, 1.623-6.767, respectively). The T-3R-del6 and T-2R-del6 (MTHFR 677C>T/TSER/TS 1494del6) haplotypes were more frequent in patients (OR, 1.450; 95% CI, 1.050-2.002; and OR, 2.911; 95% CI, 1.191-7.117, respectively), whereas the C-2R-del6 haplotype was less frequent in patients (OR, 0.372; 95% CI, 0.152-0.912). The T-del6 (MTHFR 677/TS 1494del6) haplotype frequency was higher among patients (OR, 1.653; 95% CI, 1.206-2.266), whereas the C-del6 haplotype frequency was lower among patients (OR, 0.700; 95% CI, 0.516-0.950). We did not find an association between TSER or TS 1494del6 polymorphisms and POF. ConclusionsOur data suggest that the MTHFR 677T allele may increase the risk for POF, which could lead to the development of novel genetic markers for predicting the risk of POF in patients.
Landscape patterns of hemlock decline in New England due to the introduced hemlock woolly adelgid

Aim The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae Annand), a small, aphid‐like insect native to Japan, is currently migrating northward through eastern North America and threatens to eliminate eastern hemlock [Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere], one of the most abundant, long‐lived shade tolerant species, across its range. The major objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize the pre‐HWA distribution, composition, and structure of hemlock stands; (2) to characterize the spatial patterns of damage generated by HWA across southern New England since the time of its arrival in 1985; and (3) to examine environmental and stand factors that are associated with declines in crown vigour and mortality of hemlock.
Sorafenib after Arterial Chemoembolization in Child-Pugh A and B Cirrhotic Patients with Intermediate Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of mortality among cirrhotic patients, and current guidelines recommend single-treatment modalities according to patient and liver disease classifications. New studies have shown promising results from combining locoregional and systemic treatments, but most of them were limited to Child-Pugh A patients due to toxicity concerns. Aim: The objective of this study was to analyze survival rates of Child-Pugh A and B patients with intermediate HCC tumors treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) followed by full-dose sorafenib usage. Material and methods: a retrospective analysis of 37 cirrhotic patients (Child-Pugh A and B rates = 23/14) treated with TACE and TACE followed by sorafenib usage (17 and 20 patients, respectively). Results: The mean survival was 379 days in the combined treatment group and 151 days in the single-treatment group (p = 0.007). There were no differences in survival according to the Child-Pugh classification. Conclusions: sorafenib after TACE can be an option for selected cirrhotic patients with intermediate HCC tumors if this combined approach is cautiously performed on an individualized schedule. Our results suggest that the Child-Pugh classification should not be a limitation to this combined treatment.
On the Asymptotic Superlinear Convergence of the Augmented Lagrangian Method for Semidefinite Programming with Multiple Solutions

Solving large scale convex semidefinite programming (SDP) problems has long been a challenging task numerically. Fortunately, several powerful solvers including SDPNAL, SDPNAL+ and QSDPNAL have recently been developed to solve linear and convex quadratic SDP problems to high accuracy successfully. These solvers are based on the augmented Lagrangian method (ALM) applied to the dual problems with the subproblems being solved by semismooth Newton-CG methods. Noticeably, thanks to Rockafellar's general theory on the proximal point algorithms, the primal iteration sequence generated by the ALM enjoys an asymptotic Q-superlinear convergence rate under a second order sufficient condition {for the primal problem}. This second order sufficient condition implies that the primal problem has a unique solution, which can be restrictive in many applications. For gaining more insightful interpretations on the high efficiency of these solvers, in this paper we conduct an asymptotic superlinear convergence analysis of the ALM for convex SDP when the primal problem has multiple solutions (can be unbounded). Under a fairly mild second order growth condition, we prove that the primal iteration sequence generated by the ALM converges asymptotically Q-superlinearly, while the dual feasibility and the dual objective function value converge asymptotically R-superlinearly. Moreover, by studying the metric subregularity of the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker solution mapping, we also provide sufficient conditions to guarantee the asymptotic R-superlinear convergence of the dual iterate.
Epidemiology of parkinsonism: Incidence, classification, and mortality

An epidemiological study of parkinsonism over a 13‐year period (1967 through 1979) is presented, updating previous reports on incidence and trend in the population of Rochester, Minnesota. The overall average annual incidence of parkinsonism per 100,000 population was 20.5, adjusted to the 1970 total United States population, which is virtually unchanged from previous observations. Incidences calculated for each calendar year (1967 through 1979) revealed no remarkable change following the 1976 swine flu vaccination program. There was no sex difference and the peak incidence occurred between ages 75 and 84 years. Idiopathic Parkinson's disease was the most common variant (86%), followed by drug‐induced parkinsonism (7%). There were no new cases of postencephalitic parkinsonism diagnosed during the study period. Relative frequency of other types of Parkinson's disease as identified by practicing neurologists is presented. For each case two age‐ and sex‐matched controls were selected from the Rochester population. The survival rates in the controls were comparable to the general population of the west north central region of the United States. The mortalities in the patients were significantly higher (p = 0.001) than the controls and were unchanged from previous rates reported from the same community. In the 69 (50%) patients treated with levodopa, the mortality was comparable to that in controls. The favorable outcome in these cases is attributed to bias resulting from selection of healthier patients for treatment.
Regulation of Synaptophysin Degradation by Mammalian Homologues of Seven in Absentia *

Synaptophysin is an integral membrane protein of synaptic vesicles characterized by four transmembrane domains with both termini facing the cytoplasm. Although synaptophysin has been implicated in neurotransmitter release, and decreased synaptophysin levels have been associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, the molecular mechanism that regulates the degradation of synaptophysin remains unsolved. Using the cytoplasmic C terminus of synaptophysin as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified two synaptophysin-binding proteins, Siah-1A and Siah-2, which are rat homologues of Drosophila Seven in Absentia. We demonstrated that Siah-1A and Siah-2 associate with synaptophysin both in vitro and in vivo and defined the binding domains of synaptophysin and Siah that mediate their association. Siah proteins exist in both cytosolic and membrane-associated pools and co-localize with synaptophysin on synaptic vesicles and early endosomes. In addition, Siah proteins interact specifically with the brain-enriched E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcH8 and facilitate the ubiquitination of synaptophysin. Furthermore, overexpression of Siah proteins promotes the degradation of synaptophysin via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Our findings indicate that Siah proteins function as E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases to regulate the ubiquitination and degradation of synaptophysin.
Intra-shell luminescence of transition-metal-implanted zinc oxide nanowires

Zinc oxide nanowires were grown by vapor transport using the vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism. The zinc oxide nanowires were implanted with transition metals (Co, Fe or Ni) and subsequently annealed in air at 700 °C for 30 min. Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements reveal a successful incorporation of the desired transition metals. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of implanted and annealed zinc oxide nanowires shows a strongly damaged zinc oxide lattice but no formation of transition metal-rich secondary phases. The as-grown nanowires show a strong and intensive near-band edge emission and a moderately structured green luminescence band. After ion implantation, the structured green luminescence band increases in intensity and new sharp luminescence lines appear in the red luminescence region. Those sharp transitions are due to intra-shell 3d transitions of iron and cobalt in the corresponding Fe- and Co-doped ZnO samples.
AGE-DEPENDENT CHANGES OF THE CIRCADIAN SYSTEM

This review summarizes the current knowledge on changes of the circadian system in advanced age, mainly for rodents. The first part is dedicated to changes of the overt rhythms. Possible causes are discussed, as are methods to treat the disturbances. In aging animals and humans, all rhythm characters change. The most prominent changes are the decrease of the amplitude and the diminished ability to synchronize with a periodic environment. The susceptibility to photic and nonphotic cues is decreased. As a consequence, both internal and external temporal order are disturbed under steady-state conditions and, even more, following changes in the periodic environment. Due to the high complexity of the circadian system, which includes oscillator(s), mechanisms of external synchronization and of internal coupling, the changes may arise for several reasons. Many of the changes seem to occur within the SCN itself. The number of functioning neurons decreases with advancing age and, probably, so does the coupling between them. As a result, the SCN is unable, or at least less able, to produce stable rhythms and to transmit timing information to target sites. Initially, only the ability to synchronize with the periodic environment is diminished, whereas the rhythms themselves continue to be well pronounced. Therefore, the possibility exists to treat age-dependent disturbances. This can be done pharmacologically or by increasing the zeitgeber strength. So, some of the rhythm disturbances can be reversed, increasing the magnitude of the light-dark (LD) zeitgeber. Another possibility is to strengthen feedback effects, for example, by increasing the daily amount of activity. By this means, the stability and synchronization of the circadian activity rhythm of old mice and men were improved. (Chronobiology International,17(3), 261–283, 2000)
PROBABILISTIC MODELS FOR MONITORING AND FAULT DIAGNOSIS: APPLICATION AND EVALUATION IN A MOBILE ROBOT

This paper presents a general approach for building a robust and efficient supervision system for fault detection and recovery. The approach uses a set of monitors that obtain information about the system state and, instead of detecting fault states directly, detects significant differences between perceived and expected states. To deal with uncertainty in the knowledge about the system state and the result of some actions, it uses a POMDP model to decide when it is worthwhile to take recovery actions. We present the general approach and show its application with an indoor mobile robot by reporting and evaluating comparative results for different solutions.
The development of halophyte-based agriculture: past and present.

BACKGROUND Freshwater comprises about a mere 2·5% of total global water, of which approximately two-thirds is locked into glaciers at the polar ice caps and on mountains. In conjunction with this, in many instances irrigation with freshwater causes an increase in soil salinity due to overirrigation of agricultural land, inefficient water use and poor drainage of unsuitable soils. The problem of salinity was recognized a long time ago and, due to the importance of irrigated agriculture, numerous efforts have been devoted towards improving crop species for better utilization of saline soils and water. Irrigating plants with saline water is a challenge for practitioners and researchers throughout the world. SCOPE Recruiting wild halophytes with economic potential was suggested several decades ago as a way to reduce the damage caused by salinization of soil and water. A range of cultivation systems for the utilization of halophytes have been developed, for the production of biofuel, purification of saline effluent in constructed wetlands, landscaping, cultivation of gourmet vegetables, and more. This review critically analyses past and present halophyte-based production systems in the context of genetics, physiology, agrotechnical issues and product value. There are still difficulties that need to be overcome, such as direct germination in saline conditions or genotype selection. However, more and more research is being directed not only towards determining salt tolerance of halophytes, but also to the improvement of agricultural traits for long-term progress.
Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration by Court-Ordered Men: Distinctions and Intersections Among Physical Violence, Sexual Violence, Psychological Abuse, and Stalking

This study assessed the construct validity of two different measurement models of male partners’ perpetration of physical violence, sexual violence, psychological abuse, and stalking against intimate partners. Data were obtained from a sample of 340 men arrested for physical assault of a female spouse or partner and court ordered into batterer intervention programs. Men were surveyed before starting the intervention. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to compare the construct validity of a four-factor measurement model of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration to a three-factor measurement model that combined psychological abuse with stalking; overlap in the perpetration of the various forms of IPV was also examined. CFA results supported the superiority of a four-factor measurement model. There were 96.8% of participants who reported perpetration of all four types of violence; most men perpetrated multiple types of violence. Future studies should determine whether there are distinct risk factors associated with each of the four types of IPV perpetration.
Emoacoustics: a study of the physical and psychological dimensions of emotional sound design

Psychoacoustical research provided indispensible knowledge on how human audition works, which is necessary for successful sound design applications. It may, however, be argued that traditional psychoacoustics, in its narrow focus on signal characteristics, has neglected listener and contextual characteristics. Thus, to demonstrate the influence of meaning the listener attaches to a sound we used an FFT processing to reduce the identifiability of 18 environmental sounds, since source identification is central to meaning attribution. In a listening experiment, 20 subjects listened to and rated all the processed stimuli first and then original stimuli, without being aware of the existence of two sets. Another 20 subjects rated only the processed stimuli, which were primed by their original counterparts. This manipulation was used in order to see the difference when the subject could tell what the sound source is. In both tests subjects rated their emotional experience for each stimulus on the orthogonal dimensions of valence and arousal, as well as perceived annoyance and perceived loudness for each stimulus. They were also asked to identify the sound source. It was found that processing caused correct identification to reduce substantially, while priming recovered most of the identification. While original stimuli induced a wide range of emotional experience, reactions to processed stimuli were affectively neutral. Priming manipulation reversed the effects of processing to some extent. Moreover, even though Zwickers-loudness value of most of the stimuli was reduced after processing, perceived loudness was only decreased for affectively negative stimuli.
Rapid facial reactions to emotional facial expressions.

This study explored how rapidly emotion specific facial muscle reactions were elicited when subjects were exposed to pictures of angry and happy facial expressions. In three separate experiments, it was found that distinctive facial electromyographic reactions, i.e., greater Zygomaticus major muscle activity in response to happy than to angry stimuli and greater Corrugator supercilii muscle activity in response to angry stimuli, were detectable after only 300-400 ms of exposure. These findings demonstrate that facial reactions are quickly elicited, indicating that expressive emotional reactions can be very rapidly manifested and are perhaps controlled by fast operating facial affect programs.