Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trade-offs across Space, Time, and Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem service (ES) trade-offs arise from management choices made by humans, which can change the type, magnitude, and relative mix of services provided by ecosystems. Trade-offs occur when the provision of one ES is reduced as a consequence of increased use of another ES. In some cases, a trade-off may be an explicit choice; but in others, trade-offs arise without premeditation or even awareness that they are taking place. Trade-offs in ES can be classified along three axes: spatial scale, temporal scale, and reversibility. Spatial scale refers to whether the effects of the trade-off are felt locally or at a distant location. Temporal scale refers to whether the effects take place relatively rapidly or slowly. Reversibility expresses the likelihood that the perturbed ES may return to its original state if the perturbation ceases. Across all four Millennium Ecosystem Assessment scenarios and selected case study examples, trade-off decisions show a preference for provisioning, regulating, or cultural services (in that order). Supporting services are more likely to be “taken for granted. ” Cultural ES are almost entirely unquantified in scenario modeling; therefore, the calculated model results do not fully capture losses of these services that occur in the scenarios. The quantitative scenario models primarily capture the services that are perceived by society as more important—provisioning and regulating ecosystem services—and thus do not fully capture tradeoffs of cultural and supporting services. Successful management policies will be those that incorporate lessons learned from prior decisions into future management actions. Managers should complement their actions with monitoring programs that, in addition to monitoring the short-term provisions of services, also monitor the long-term evolution of slowly changing variables. Policies can then be developed to take into account ES trade-offs at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Successful strategies will recognize the inherent complexities of ecosystem management and will work to develop policies that minimize the effects of ES trade-offs.
Probiotic properties of exopolysaccharide producing lactic acid bacteria isolated from vegetables and traditional Indian fermented foods

A total of 203 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from vegetables and traditional fermented food products of India such as idli batter, dhokla batter and dahi were screened for exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. Based on the amount of EPS produced, 17 LAB isolates were selected for biochemical and genetic characterization using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolates were belonging to the genera Lactobacillus, Weissella and Pediococcus. In vitro examination was performed to evaluate their probiotic potential. Resistance to low pH and 0.3 % bile salts was studied. Bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, susceptibility to various antibiotics and antimicrobial activity against the non pathogenic E. coli K12 were also investigated. The results showed that the isolates could not grow in the presence of oxbile however some survived exposure to it for 2.5 h. Some isolates were able to grow in the presence of sodium taurocholate and showed considerable antimicrobial activity against E. coli K12. Five isolates were showing BSH activity which is reported for the genus Weissella for the first time. The results suggest that traditional fermented products could be an alternative and readily available (Less)
Cytokine Profiling Demonstrated Unaltered Serum Cytokine Levels in a Cytomegalovirus-infected Patient Treated by Leukocytapheresis

Leukocytapheresis (LCAP) therapy was administered to 2 patients with steroid-resistant ulcerative colitis (UC). In one patient, serum levels of cytokines decreased and clinical improvement was observed after each LCAP therapy session. In the other patient who was infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV), serum levels of cytokines did not decrease progressively and minimal clinical improvement was observed. CMV infection is considered to be an important exacerbating factor in patients with UC. Therefore, unaltered cytokine levels in patients receiving LCAP therapy may be associated with refractory UC.
The design of post-Kyoto climate schemes: selected questions in analytical perspective

The paper starts from a proposition of institutional design for climate policies made previously by David Bradford and labelled GPGP (Global Public good Purchase). The scheme is compared with other possible post-Kyoto schemes that are, or not, ”Kyoto compatible”. The comparison puts the emphasis on the participation issue, (free riding, ratchet e (cid:30) ect), and on the desirable ﬂexibility of the schemes’ targets. It argues that the incidence of climate policies on the ﬁnal price of fossil fuels is a key and di (cid:33) cult issue which has not received, untill now, the amount of required attention.
The CINSARC signature predicts clinical outcome in multiple cancer types

Purpose: the CINSARC signature is a prognostic factor for soft-tissue sarcoma aggressiveness with a better accuracy compared to the reference grading system. Since this signature reflects chromosomal instability, a global cancer hallmark, it also predicted patient survivals in breast cancers and lymphomas. We consequently initiated experiments evaluating the prognostic value of CINSARC in a wide spectrum of cancer types. In addition, we were interested in a better clinical applicability since it was originally established on fresh frozen tissues analyzed by microarrays, whereas pathologists mainly use formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues and RNA sequencing became a routine technique in many laboratories to identify genetic alterations.
Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No . 7 Using Cash Flow Information and Present Value in Accounting Measurements Financial Accounting Standards Board

Responses from interested parties wishing to comment on the Exposure Draft must be received in writing by May 31, 2006. Interested parties should submit their comments by email to director@fasb.org, File Reference No. 1025-300. Those without email may send their comments to the " Technical Director—File Reference No. 1025-300 " at the address at the bottom of this page. Responses should not be sent by fax. All comments received by the FASB are considered public information. Those comments will be posted to the FASB's website and will be included in the project's public record. Any individual or organization may obtain one copy of this Exposure Draft without charge until May 31, 2006, on written request only. Permission is granted to make copies of this work provided that such copies are for personal or intraorganizational use only and are not sold or disseminated and provided further that each copy bears the following credit line: " This proposed Statement would improve existing reporting for defined benefit postretirement plans by requiring an employer that is a business entity to: a. Recognize in its statement of financial position the overfunded or underfunded status of a defined benefit postretirement plan measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the benefit obligation. For a pension plan, the benefit obligation would be the projected benefit obligation; for any other postretirement benefit plan, such as a retiree health care plan, the benefit obligation would be the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation. b. Recognize as a component of other comprehensive income, net of tax, the actuarial gains and losses and the prior service costs and credits that arise during the period but pursuant to FASB Statements No. 87, Employers' Accounting for Pensions, and No. 106, Employers' Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions, are not recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost. Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income would be adjusted as they are subsequently recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost pursuant to the recognition and amortization provisions of Statements 87 and 106. c. Recognize as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings, net of tax, any transition asset or transition obligation remaining from the initial application of Statement 87 or 106. Those amounts would not be subsequently amortized as a component of net periodic benefit cost. d. Measure defined benefit plan assets and defined benefit plan obligations as of …
A Three-Wave Validation of A Tool Measuring Teacher Identity

Teacher identity has received recent attention, yet instruments assessing it lack in agreed constructs and repeated reliabilities. The present study thus accommodated the need for a comprehensive and replicable measure of teacher identity. A teacher identity inventory (TII) was constructed entailing three core components (teacher self-efficacy, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction). To validate it, three independent samples partook in three waves of study. Study 1 ( N=236 year-3 prospective teachers) generated a three-factor structure entailing seven scales through an exploratory analysis. Study 2 (N=1,102 year-4 prospective teachers) cross-validated the factor structure between a calibration sample (N=539) and a validation sample (N=563). A 34-item factor structure was finalized. Study 3 ( N=232 beginning teachers) tested and verified the utility of the TII by examining how it was correlated with and regressed on the Job Demands-Resources Inventory (JD-RI). Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Regulation of Appetite: Role of Serotonin and Hypothalamus

Serotonin (5-HT), a mono-aminergic neurotransmitter is biochemically derived from tryptophan and is mainly found in gastrointestinal tract, platelets and central nervous system of animals. Serotonin (5-HT) in coordination with hypothalamus plays an important role in the CNS control of appetite, eating behavior, and energy balance and body weight. It has a special role in control of carbohydrate intake. It has been observed that reduction in serotonin level causes hyperphagia. As the result, carbohydrate intake increases and hence results in obesity. Inversely-increased level of serotonin level leads to hypophagia, as a result carbohydrate intake decreases. That is why serotonergic agonists are clinically useful in treatment of obesity. Obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 30) is a risk factor for major causes of death, including cardiovascular disease, numerous cancers, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome and is linked with markedly diminished life expectancy. The energy regulation of 5-HT is mediated in part, by 5-HT receptors located in various medial hypothalamic nuclei. Along with serotonin, other hormones like insulin; leptin and corticosteron are also involved in the energy control and regulation. Though large numbers of serotonergic drug like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), such as sibutramine, or serotonin 5HT 2 c agonists are available to treat this deadly disease, these drugs are associated with large number of side effects. Thus, the increasing global prevalence of obesity has renewed interest in the serotonin-hypothalamic regulation of energy balance to find the drugs having maximum pharmacological and minimum toxicological effects. In this review article, attempts have been made to provide the detailed role of serotonin in the appetite regulation so that new targets and new sites can be created for the therapy of obesity.
Ozone feedback stabilizes the quasi‐biennial oscillation against volcanic perturbations

Possible interference by volcanic aerosols with downward propagating quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) in the equatorial stratosphere has been studied by using a mechanistic model that incorporates the feedback of ozone through short wave absorption. The ascending motion driven by the radiative heating due to volcanic aerosols could be combined with the QBO‐induced upward motion to block the descent of the easterly shear zone of the QBO when the ozone feedback is not taken into account. However, as the ozone concentration in the cold easterly shear zone is relatively low and the aerosol‐driven vertical ozone advection makes its concentration still lower, the negative anomalies of solar heating due to perturbed ozone compensate for the aerosol‐induced diabatic heating. Thus the interactions between dynamics and radiation intermediated by the ozone feedback play an important role in stabilizing the time evolution of the QBO against perturbations by volcanic aerosols.
Generation of Correlated Photons With Time Resolution

In the presented experimental thesis the three-photon source based on the spontaneous parametric down-conversion and attenuated coherent beam has been realized. The fundamental pulses obtained from femtosecond laser are used for pumping the nonlinear process of second harmonic generation. The depleted fundamental beam is attenuated to single photon level, while the generated frequency doubled UV beam is spatially filtered and used for pumping the process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion. The spatial filtering of the high power UV beam by the single-mode step-index as well as photonic fibers and by 4-f system has been extensively studied including the spectrum broadening by self-phase modulation in both mentioned fiber types. Two-photon Hong-Ou-Mandel interference with almost unity visibility has been achieved between photons from generated pair. The high visibility of three-photon Rarity-Tapster interference between the weak coherent beam and triggered single-photon state from the down-converted pair together with the sufficient rate of the threefold coincidence events confirms the suitability of the source for experiments in the field of quantum information processing.
Biogeosciences Nitrous oxide in the Changjiang ( Yangtze River ) Estuary and its adjacent marine area : Riverine input , sediment release and atmospheric fluxes

Dissolved nitrous oxide (N 2O) was measured in the waters of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary and its adjacent marine area during five surveys covering the period of 2002–2006. Dissolved N 2O concentrations ranged from 6.04 to 21.3 nM, and indicate great temporal and spatial variations. Distribution of N2O in the Changjiang Estuary was influenced by multiple factors and the key factor varied between cruises. Dissolved riverine N 2O was observed monthly at station Xuliujing of the Changjiang, and ranged from 12.4 to 33.3 nM with an average of 19.4 ± 7.3 nM. N2O concentrations in the river waters showed obvious seasonal variations with higher values occurring in both summer and winter. Annual input of N2O from the Changjiang to the estuary was estimated to be 15.0 × 106 mol/yr. N2O emission rates from the sediments of the Changjiang Estuary in spring ranged from−1.88 to 2.02 μmol m−2 d−1, which suggests that sediment can act as either a source or a sink of N2O in the Changjiang Estuary. Average annual sea-toair N2O fluxes from the studied area were estimated to be 7.7± 5.5, 15.1± 10.8 and 17.0± 12.6 μmol m−2d−1 using LM86, W92 and RC01 relationships, respectively. Hence the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent marine area are a net source of atmospheric N 2O. Correspondence to: G. -L. Zhang (guilingzhang@ouc.edu.cn)
Design of Slotted Waveguide Antennas with Low Sidelobes for High Power Microwave Applications

Slotted waveguide antenna (SWA) arrays offer clear advantages in terms of their design, weight, volume, power handling, directivity, and efficiency. For broadwall SWAs, the slot displacements from the wall centerline determine the antenna's sidelobe level (SLL). This paper presents a simple inventive procedure for the design of broadwall SWAs with desired SLLs. For a specified number of identical longitudinal slots and given the required SLL and operating frequency, this procedure finds the slots length, width, locations along the length of the waveguide, and displacements from the centerline. Compared to existing methods, this procedure is much simpler as it uses a uniform length for all the slots and employs closed-form equations for the calculation of the displacements. A computer program has been developed to perform the design calculations and generate the needed slots data. Illustrative examples, based on Taylor, Chebyshev and the binomial distributions are given. In these examples, elliptical slots are considered, since their rounded corners are more robust for high power applications. A prototype SWA has been fabricated and tested, and the results are in accordance with the design objectives.
In situ measurements with CPC micro-actuators using SEM

Comparative measurements of carbon-polymer composite micro-actuators based on room temperature ionic liquid electrolyte were carried out in situ (1) in vacuum using a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope, (2) in an oxygen-free atmosphere under ambient pressure, and (3) under ambient environment. The fabricated micro-actuators sustained their actuation performance in all three environments, revealing important implications regarding their humidity-dependence. SEM observations demonstrate high stroke actuation of a device with submillimeter length, which is the typical size range of actuators desirable for medical or lab-on-chip applications.
The effect of aging on memory in South Indians

Background: Aging affects many functions including cognition. Changes in Memory, which is a cognitive function, occur in healthy aging. Aims & Objective: To determine the effect of aging on memory in normal non-demented subjects in South India using the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) and a test of Delayed Recall.
3-1 SEM-based Diagnostic Tools to determine the Quality of Superhydrophobic Surfaces

During the last decade, the established „Lotus-effect“ opened a new research field using superhydrophobic surfaces and their self-cleaning properties in order to develop a plethora of technical and commercial products. Superhydrophobicity is based on microand nano-structured materials, often in the form of thin coatings, such as the covering of many plants with epicuticular wax crystals. A main problem for the useability is the deficient robustness of many products due to the fragility of the tiny structures. Damages result in pinning of water drops to the superhydrophobic surfaces due to strongly increased adhesion. A suitable quality control would highlight the locations and reasons for increased adhesion in great detail. Here we present a combination of two methods: Measurement of the pull-off forces between drop and surface, and high-resolution visualization of drop remnants by Low-temperature Scanning electron microscopy or Fluorescence Light microscopy. Elaborated preparation methods enable the examination of plant samples and their interaction with test liquids in a standard High-vacuum SEM, either at ambient temperature or in a frozen state. Differences in the adhesion of the liquid on various superhydrophobic plants and artificial samples are illustrated with high resolution and in combination with the impressive topographical images of an SEM.
Inhibition of Ovarian Cancer by microRNA-mediated Regulation of Telomerase PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

MicroRNAs (miRNA) represent a novel class of genes that function as negative regulators of gene expression. Recently, miRNAs have been implicated in several cancers. However, aberrant miRNA expression and its clinicopathologic significance in human ovarian cancer have not been well documented. Here, we show that several miRNAs are altered in human ovarian cancer, with the most significantly deregulated miRNAs being miR-214, miR-199a*, miR-200a, miR-100, miR125b , and let-7 cluster. Further, we show the frequent deregulation of miR-214, miR-199a*, miR-200a , and miR-100 in ovarian cancers. Significantly, miR-214 induces cell survival and cisplatin resistance through targeting the 3¶-untranslated region (UTR) of the PTEN, which leads to down-regulation of PTEN protein and activation of Akt pathway. Inhibition of Akt using Akt inhibitor, API-2/triciribine, or introduction of PTEN cDNA lacking 3¶-UTR largely abrogates miR-214– induced cell survival. These findings indicate that deregulation of miRNAs is a recurrent event in human ovarian cancer and that miR-214 induces cell survival and cisplatin resistance primarily through targeting the PTEN/Akt pathway. [Cancer Res 2008;68(2):425–33]
Realtime Mixed Reality Representation with a Virtual Light Source based on a Mobile 3 D Acquisition

Mixed reality (MR) has gathered attention recently as an effective technique for overlaying computer-generated virtual objects on physical scenes. Using MR, this research proposes a realtime imaging system to produce visual illumination effects on physical objects with a virtual light source. The proposed system models the shapes and the color information of a real scene through a realtime process. The illumination influenced by the virtual light source on the scene model are superposed on an actual video image to create MR representation. Experimental results show virtual light-up effects on the physical shapes and colors of the real objects by setting up a non-existing lighting configurations.
“It’s Going to Be Okay”

Acknowledging that the youth of Spectrum tend to disclose their sexual and gender identities to parents at a relatively young age, this chapter explores the role of family in the formation of these youths’ sexualities and genders. It was often the case with Spectrum youth that, rather than rejection, they encountered loving support about their sexuality from their parents. The youth of Spectrum are of a generation of kids who are the first to grow up in a society in which same-sex couples and genderqueer parents rearing children have become significantly socially acceptable. The chapter argues that young people are sharing their queer sexual and gender identities with their parents at a younger age because of gender non-conformity that leads parents to make assumptions about their child’s sexuality because they are more frequently exposed to LGBTQ family members and loved ones and because these particular parents do not conform to the white, middle-class, heteropatriarchal regime of the Standard North American Family. Queer family formation has broad implications not just for same-sex couples but for the way U.S. society understands and recognizes family in general.
Understanding tumor heterogeneity as an encourager for cancer metastasis (in vitro model of tumor heterogeneity)

Intra-tumor heterogeneity means that there are more than two types of cells that have different subtypes with distinct molecular and gene expressions in a single tumor colony. Tumor heterogeneity is a crucial phenomenon for tumor progression and a main reason of drug resistance. To study the causes and consequences of tumor heterogeneity, most researchers have focused on molecular and genetic association of cancer cells. However, phenotypic events during tumor progression have been barely studied because of the lack of suitable in vitro models. Here, in our study, we developed a in vitro tumor heterogeneity model, capable of emulating 3D microenvironment and heterogeneous condition of tumor, to evaluate the phenotypic phenomena caused in heterogeneous cell population in tumor during metastasis.