Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Where does water go when it rains? Moving beyond the variable source area concept of rainfall‐runoff response

Where does water go when it rains? What flow path does it take to the stream? How long does it reside in the catchment? These questions were articulated by John Hewlett within the context of his variable source area (VSA) concept almost 40 years ago (Hewlett and Hibbert, 1967). Today, we still grapple with these often vexing questions—now using new tools and approaches, but, as then, still searching for answers. Rapid progress is being made on the rainfallrunoff modelling front in catchment hydrology vis-a-vis parameter estimation techniques, model uncertainty analysis, examination of parameter identifiability in our models, downward approaches to hydrologic prediction, etc. (Beven 2001; Sivapalan, 2003). However, I wonder if we have somewhat neglected updating our understanding of the rainfall-runoff process and how this informs our needed model structures and response to these three basic questions central to our conceptualization of how catchments work? One could argue that our sharpening perception of water source, flowpath and age in upland headwater catchments is radically different to what the framers of the VSA theory thought a half century ago (i.e. Hewlett in the USA, Cappus in France and Tsukamoto in Japan). Our best models still rely on mechanistic notions underlying the VSA, including saturation excess overland flow and subsurface stormflow (I will avoid mentioning how our operational models often are based on another whole older generation of streamflow generation concepts related exclusively to Horton! ). The VSA concept has been distilled into our widely used research model structures by collapsing the process complexity into simple mathematical assumptions of things like the decline in saturated hydraulic conductivity with depth, steady-state catchment water table response, topographically defined water flowpaths and linear wetting and drying from the valley bottom upwards to the ridge (depending upon storm size, intensity and antecedent wetness conditions). Much discussion is now devoted in the modelling literature towards the balance between practical simplifications of the VSA details and justifiable model complexity. This commentary takes a critical look at our process underpinning by discussing new field evidence of where water goes when it rains that directly challenges the status quo. New model structures informed by this new process understanding are then discussed in the context of how data
Are there differences between serotonergic, noradrenergic and dual acting antidepressants in the treatment of depressed women?

Background. This study aims to investigate if there is a differential outcome of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressant treatment and if menopausal status has an impact on antidepressant response in depressed women. Methods. Data of the 111 depressed women who were included and completed the previous four open-label studies where patients were evaluated six times during a 10-week period, were pooled in the current study. Each of the reboxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine groups consisted of 37 depressed women. Patients were also divided into two subgroups of age, determining the 44 years as the cut-off point representing the menopausal status. Results. No significant difference was observed in the percent change of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HDRS) and remission rates among treatment groups. Percent changes in Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness scale (CGI-S) and response rates were in favour of venlafaxine group at week 10. Individual HDRS items 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 demonstrated significant improvement in the sertraline group, whereas HDRS item 7 demonstrated significant improvement in the venlafaxine group. An early reduction in anxiety subscale was observed in the venlafaxine group. Menopausal status had no impact on the outcome measures. Conclusions. These results suggest that noradrenergic and serotonergic activity do not differ from each other in treating depressed women. However, serotonergic activity appears to be more prominent in some particular symptoms such as feelings of guilt, suicidal ideation and sleep. Also, menopause does not appear to affect antidepressants’ benefit in depressed women.
Category verbal fluency performance may be impaired in amnestic mild cognitive impairment

To study category verbal fluency (VF) for animals in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), mild Alzheimer disease (AD) and normal controls. Method Fifteen mild AD, 15 aMCI, and 15 normal control subjects were included. Diagnosis of AD was based on DSM-IV and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, while aMCI was based on the criteria of the International Working Group on Mild Cognitive Impairment, using CDR 0.5 for aMCI and CDR 1 for mild AD. All subjects underwent testing of category VF for animals, lexical semantic function (Boston Naming-BNT, CAMCOG Similarities item), WAIS-R forward and backward digit span, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning (RAVLT), Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), and other task relevant functions such as visual perception, attention, and mood state (with Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia). Data analysis used ANOVA and a post-hoc Tukey test for intergroup comparisons, and Pearson’s coefficient for correlations of memory and FV tests with other task relevant functions (statistical significance level was p<0.05). Results aMCI patients had lower performance than controls on category VF for animals and on the backward digit span subtest of WAIS-R but higher scores compared with mild AD patients. Mild AD patients scored significantly worse than aMCI and controls across all tests. Conclusion aMCI patients may have poor performance in some non-memory tests, specifically category VF for animals in our study, where this could be attributable to the influence of working memory.
Activity of ciprofloxacin and azithromycin on biofilms produced in vitro by Haemophilus influenzae.

BACKGROUND It is recognized that Haemophilus influenzae isolated from patients with otitis media forms biofilms both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that biofilm formation in vivo might play an important role in the pathogenesis and chronicity of otitis media, but the effect of antibiotics on biofilm has not been well studied. We investigated the impact of ciprofloxacin and azithromycin on bacterial biofilms formed by Haemophilus influenzae in vitro in this study. METHODS Eleven strains of Haemophilus influenzae were isolated from sputum specimens collected from patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Formation of bacterial biofilm was examined by crystal violet assay and a scanning electron microscope. Alterations of biofilms were measured under varying concentrations of azithromycin and ciprofloxacin. RESULTS Striking differences were observed among strains with regard to the ability to form biofilm. Typical membrane-like structure formed by bacterial cells and extracellular matrix was detected. Initial biofilm synthesis was inhibited by azithromycin and ciprofloxacin at concentrations higher than two-fold minimal inhibitory concentration. Disruption of mature biofilms could be achieved at relatively higher concentration, and ciprofloxacin displayed more powerful activity. CONCLUSIONS Haemophilus influenzae is capable of forming biofilm in vitro. Sufficient dosage might control early formation of biofilms. Ciprofloxacin exerts better effects on breakdown of biofilm than azithromycin at conventional concentration in clinics.
Maximal exercise as a countermeasure to orthostatic intolerance after spaceflight.

UNLABELLED Previous investigators have suggested that maximal exercise performed 24 h before the end of bed rest, a spaceflight analog, restores prebed rest plasma volume, baroreflex responses, and orthostatic tolerance. PURPOSE In this case report, we examined the effect of a similar exercise protocol 24 h before a Shuttle landing on the orthostatic responses of four crewmembers (EX) after spaceflights of 8-14 d. Four additional crewmembers (CON) served as controls and did not perform exercise during the final day of the flight. METHODS Each crewmember performed a 10-min stand test approximately 10 d before launch (L-10) and within 1-2 h of landing (R+0). Cardiac stroke volume was measured (Doppler ultrasound) supine and during each min of standing for three EX and three CON subjects. RESULTS Preflight, all crewmembers completed the stand test and each group had similar heart rate and blood pressure responses. Postflight, all subjects also completed the 10-min stand test. Each group had similarly elevated supine and standing heart rates, elevated diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures, and reduced pulse pressures compared to L-10. However, postflight cardiac output, mean +/- SEM, (EX: 4.5+/-0.6 L x min(-1); CON: 3.1+/-0.3 L x min(-1)) and stroke volume (EX: 43+/-7 mL x beat; CON: 30+/-6 mL x beat) were higher after 10 min standing in the EX subjects compared to CON subjects. CONCLUSIONS For these four crewmembers, maximal exercise performed 24 h before landing may have helped maintain stroke volume but did not maintain heart rate and blood pressure responses during standing compared to preflight.
Second-order differential equations with asymptotically small dissipation and piecewise flat potentials

We investigate the asymptotic properties as t → ∞ of the differential equation ẍ(t) + a(t)ẋ(t) +∇G(x(t)) = 0, t ≥ 0 where x(·) is R-valued, the map a : R+ → R+ is non increasing, and G : R → R is a potential with locally Lipschitz continuous derivative. We identify conditions on the function a(·) that guarantee or exclude the convergence of solutions of this problem to points in argmin G, in the case where G is convex and argmin G is an interval. The condition Z ∞ 0 e− R t 0 a(s) dt <∞ is known to be necessary for convergence of trajectories. We give a slightly stronger condition that is sufficient.
Determinants of cigarette smoking among senior secondary school students in a rural community of southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Smoking remains an increasing high-risk behaviour among the youth, despite its harmful effects on health. This study sought to find out the determinants of cigarette smoking among youth of a rural Nigerian community and suggested intervention measures which have potential for the control of smoking among in-school population. METHODS It was a cross-sectional study carried out among 416 students selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Determinants of smoking among the study participants and their knowledge were assessed with the aid of a pre-tested structured questionnaire. RESULTS The proportions of ever-smokers who could associate cigarette smoking with known health problems were generally low compared to the never-smokers. The mean knowledge score, 4.05 +/- 0.4, obtained by the ever-smokers was also lower than the mean score, 6.41 +/- 0.2, obtained by the never-smokers. This was found statistically significant (p < 0.05). Smoking behaviour was significantly associated with friends (p = 0.00518) and parents (p = 0.002856) who smoke, and with cigarette advertisement (p = 0.032989). CONCLUSION Low level of knowledge, peer and parental influence as well as exposure to cigarette advertisement played significant roles in the adoption of smoking behaviour by the youth. Anti-smoking education and other prevention strategies targeted at the youth, their parents and the media are desirable.
Pathogenesis of Meniere's disease and Meniere's syndrome.

Meniere's disease can only be studied in patients, since it does not occur spontaneously in animals nor can it be induced in them. However, aspects of the disease such as endolymphatic hydrops can be usefully studied in animals. A study of the natural history (epidemiology) of Meniere's disease demonstrated the three major symptoms (triad) to be vestibular symptoms, auditory symptoms, and aural pressure. Bilaterality occurs in at least one out of 3 patients, and may approach 50% over full lifespans. Aural pressure (74.1%) was common, as was positional vertigo (85.9%) during and/or between attacks. Clinical variants such as vestibular Meniere's disease could persist for 25 years or more. Understanding the pathogenesis of Meniere's requires a study of known and unknown causes. In this study, Meniere's disease (cause unknown) was differentiated from Meniere's syndrome (cause known). Meniere's disease or syndrome can occur years after some inciting cause; thus all forms of Meniere's can be considered to have a delayed onset. Meniere's syndrome can occur as a sequel to syphilis, otosclerosis, infection (for example otitis media), or trauma. Endolymphatic hydrops explained on the basis of quantity and quality of endolymph is found in all forms of Meniere's disease and syndrome. Representative cases and pathological examples are discussed. Hydrops of the pars inferior (cochlear duct and saccule) is the most important finding in Meniere's disease. In some (but not most) cases, ruptures of the membranes are seen. The saccule can distend into the lateral semicircular canal. Symptomatic attacks are explained on the basis of both physical and biochemical phenomena. This study discusses concepts of pathogenesis of the disease, finding both theories of longitudinal (slow) and radial (fast) flow to be operational. Longitudinal flow, however, appears to be more important than radial flow, especially in advanced Meniere's where perilymph in the scala vestibuli and vestibule disappears and is replaced by membranous labyrinth. Meniere's disease (idiopathic) and Meniere's syndrome (cause known) probably occur as a result of endolymphatic absorptive dysfunction (the site being endolymphatic duct and sac). Hypocellularity of the mastoid and periaqueductal air cells, hypodevelopment of Trautmann's triangle, and anterior displacement of the lateral sinus are likely to be important findings associated with developmentally dysfunctional absorption of endolymph. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Coproducing flood risk management through citizen involvement: insights from cross-country comparison in Europe

Across Europe, citizens are increasingly expected to participate in the implementation of flood risk management (FRM), by engaging in voluntary-based activities to enhance preparedness, implementing property-level measures, and so forth. Although citizen participation in FRM decision making is widely addressed in academic literature, citizens’ involvement in the delivery of FRM measures is comparatively understudied. Drawing from public administration literature, we adopted the notion of “coproduction” as an analytical framework for studying the interaction between citizens and public authorities, from the decision-making process through to the implementation of FRM in practice. We considered to what extent coproduction is evident in selected European Union (EU) member states, drawing from research conducted within the EU project STAR-FLOOD (Strengthening and Redesigning European Flood Risk Practices towards Appropriate and Resilient Flood Risk Governance Arrangements). On the basis of a cross-country comparison between Flanders (Belgium), England (United Kingdom), France, the Netherlands, and Poland, we have highlighted the varied forms of coproduction and reflected on how these have been established within divergent settings. Coproduction is most prominent in discourse and practice in England and is emergent in France and Flanders. By contrast, FRM in the Netherlands and Poland remains almost exclusively reliant on governmental protection measures and thereby consultation-based forms of coproduction. Analysis revealed how these actions are motivated by different underlying rationales, which in turn shape the type of approaches and degree of institutionalization of coproduction. In the Netherlands, coproduction is primarily encouraged to increase societal resilience, whereas public authorities in the other countries also use it to improve cost-efficiency and redistribute responsibilities to its beneficiaries.
Bathymetry calculations with Landsat 4 TM imagery under a generalized ratio assumption.

Abstract : In this paper we use the linear multiband algorithm on two channels of a Landsat 4 TM scene and demonstrate its improved performance over the two-band ratio method. The Landsat scene (scene 5032614162) taken 21 Jan. 1985) contains Isla de Vieques, an island off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea. The water clarity in this area is extremely good, and bottom reflectances in the blue and green channels (TM bands one and two) are detectable for depths up to 25 m. Bottom reflectances in the red channel (TM band three) are detectable for depths up to approx 6 m; sensor noise (striping) over the water renders this band useless at deeper depths. Reprints.
Animal Models of Anxiety Vulnerability - The Wistar Kyoto Rat

1.1 Anxiety Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders with a worldwide lifetime prevalence of 16-29% (Kessler et al., 2005; Somers et al., 2006). People with anxiety disorders are likely to suffer from depression and drug (or alcohol) abuse in an effort to gain relief from their symptoms, therefore, eliciting secondary disorders (Kessler et al., 2005). Although each subtype (i.e. generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social phobia) has unique features, the core symptom of all anxiety disorders is excessive avoidance. The etiology of anxiety disorders remains elusive (the presumed role of trauma in PTSD notwithstanding). What is abundantly clear is anxiety disorders arise as a complex interaction of genetic, epigenetic, sociocultural factors with life experiences; that is, anxiety disorders are best explained with diathesis models (Kendler et al., 2002; Mineka and Zinbarg, 2006; Zinbarg and Barlow, 1996). Among a variety of neurobiological and neurobehavioral factors representing a source of risk for anxiety disorders, inhibited temperament is consistently linked to anxiety disorders (Biederman et al., 1993; Fox et al., 2005a; Hirshfeld et al., 1992; Hirshfeld-Becker et al., 2007; Kagan et al., 1987; Rosenbaum et al., 1993; Smoller et al., 2003). Behavioral inhibition is characterized as extreme withdrawal in the face of social and nonsocial challenges (Fox et al., 2005b; Kagan et al., 1989; Rosenbaum et al., 1991). Those with inhibited temperament exhibit excessive physiological reactivity to environmental challenges (Kalin et al., 2000; Kalin and Shelton, 2003; Keltikangas-Jarvinen et al., 1999; Perez-Edgar et al., 2007; Schwartz et al., 2003; Smoller et al., 2005; Tyrka et al., 2006; Tyrka et al., 2008). Although there is support for temperament as a risk factor, the translation of risk to actualized disorder is unclear. Acquisition, expression and retention of avoidance may be the final common pathway to anxiety disorders. The particularly debilitating feature of avoidance is that, left untreated, avoidance increases over time and leads to a worsening of symptoms. Avoidance acquisition is more apparent in PTSD; the growth of avoidance traces the full expression of PTSD (Karamustafalioglu et al., 2006; Kashdan et al., 2006; North et al., 2004; O'donnell et al., 2006a). Given this prominent position, avoidance learning may represent an endophenotype for anxiety disorders (Gould and Gottesman, 2006).
La gamificación en el aula E/LE multigeneracional: la «habitación de escape» como modelo de propuesta didáctica

En este articulo se ofrece un enfoque para integrar en el aula de E/LE diversas competencias generales y destrezas linguisticas a traves de la gamificacion que incentiva la competencia comunicativa del estudiante. Este enfoque nace de la reflexion sobre la necesidad de incorporar nuevas estrategias de ensenanza basadas no solo en lo cognitivo sino que mezcle tambien el componente emocional. La Neuroeducacion nos acerca a la gamificacion como medio para motivar y despertar emociones que faciliten el proceso de aprendizaje. La emocion y la cognicion van unidas y se interrelacionan entre si para dar como resultado la conducta del estudiante. El objetivo es que el estudiante participe en una «habitacion de escape» y para lograr la clave final debera resolver diversas pruebas en las que trabajara gramatica, comprension auditiva, lectura y adquisicion de lexico. Todo estara guiado a traves de un componente cultural comun: la literatura espanola y latinoamericana.
Nutritional bias as a new mode of adjusting sex allocation

Sex biases in the allocation of resources to offspring occur in a broad range of taxa. Parents have been shown to achieve such biases either by producing numerically more of one sex or by providing the individuals of one sex with a greater quantity of resources. In addition, skews in allocation could occur if the offspring of one sex receive resources of higher quality (greater nutritional or energetic value by weight or volume), although this mode of adjustment has, to our knowledge, never been demonstrated. We compared the types of prey and the metabolizable energy provisioned to male and female nestlings in one of the most sexually size dimorphic of all birds, the brown songlark, Cinclorhamphus cruralis. Within broods, we found that males not only received more prey than their smaller sisters, but also prey of apparently higher quality. This dietary disparity could result either from mothers actively discriminating between the sexes when providing prey or from competition among siblings. We suggest that sex differences in offspring diet quality may occur in a wide range of other taxa and function as an additional mechanism of sex allocation adjustment.
Solving the Equation of Radiative Transfer: Propagator Method Improvements

The radiative transfer equation in a planar stratified atmosphere with multiple scattering can be solved using a previously reported method of propagators. This method here is improved in several ways. Cross-polarized scattering is added. A new propagator equation improves the calculation efficiency. The previous use of only down propagation sometimes gave no solution near the Earth surface. The combined use of up and down propagation gives a solution at all altitudes. New details about the error structure and limitations of the method are provided. A previously unreported problem with computer precision is solved using a new technique called bootstrapping. Bootstrapping also extends the analysis capability of the method to atmospheres with higher total attenuation.
Arabidopsis RIC1 Severs Actin Filaments at the Apex to Regulate Pollen Tube Growth

RIC1 regulates pollen tube growth through its F-actin severing and capping activities, which contributes to the dynamics and abundance of F-actin in the tip of pollen tubes. Pollen tubes deliver sperms to the ovule for fertilization via tip growth. The rapid turnover of F-actin in pollen tube tips plays an important role in this process. In this study, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis thaliana RIC1, a member of the ROP-interactive CRIB motif-containing protein family, regulates pollen tube growth via its F-actin severing activity. Knockout of RIC1 enhanced pollen tube elongation, while overexpression of RIC1 dramatically reduced tube growth. Pharmacological analysis indicated that RIC1 affected F-actin dynamics in pollen tubes. In vitro biochemical assays revealed that RIC1 directly bound and severed F-actin in the presence of Ca2+ in addition to interfering with F-actin turnover by capping F-actin at the barbed ends. In vivo, RIC1 localized primarily to the apical plasma membrane (PM) of pollen tubes. The level of RIC1 at the apical PM oscillated during pollen tube growth. The frequency of F-actin severing at the apex was notably decreased in ric1-1 pollen tubes but was increased in pollen tubes overexpressing RIC1. We propose that RIC1 regulates F-actin dynamics at the apical PM as well as the cytosol by severing F-actin and capping the barbed ends in the cytoplasm, establishing a novel mechanism that underlies the regulation of pollen tube growth.