Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Toll-like receptors and the innate immune response in sepsis caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis)

Melioidosis is caused by the aerobic Gram-negative soil-dwelling bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei and is an important cause of severe sepsis in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. The high associated mortality rate, wide availability from the environment in endemic areas, intrinsic resistance to many antibiotics and the potential for aerosol spread has made this organism a potential bioterror agent. The genome of B. pseudomallei consists of a large chromosome (4.07 Mb) carrying genes mainly associated with cell growth and metabolism, and a smaller chromosome (3.17 Mb) which has a greater proportion of genes encoding accessory functions such as adaptation and survival in different environments. Approximately 6% of the genome is made up of genomic islands that have probably been acquired via horizontal gene transfer. Factors associated with disease acquisition in endemic regions include adverse weather conditions, route and size of inoculum and integrity of the host immune system. The geographical incidence of B. pseudomallei and typical clinical features of the disease are reviewed here. No single B. pseudomallei determinant has been shown to have a role in virulence during human disease, persistence or latency. However, putative virulence factors include quorum sensing, type III secretion system, capsular polysaccharide and, with less conclusive evidence, lipopolysaccharide and flagella. B. pseudomallei is an intracellular pathogen that multiplies within macrophages. Recent data have shed light on the mechanisms that this bacterium uses to adapt to and exploit the intracellular environment. IFN and TNF play an important role in early resistance against B. pseudomallei infection. Although more is becoming known about the pathogenesis of this bacterium in disease, host-pathogen interactions are still ill defined. Potential new therapies which warrant further clinical evaluation include granulocyte colonystimulating factor, CpG (bacterial DNA), low dose hydrocortisone and activated protein C. Development of an effective human melioidosis vaccine is a research priority. Proefschrift Wiersinga.indb 24 25-9-2008 11:18:06
Estimating the Degree of Market Power in the Beef Packing Industry

A technique for assessing the degree of monopoly power, developed by Appelbaum (1979, 1982), is extended here to permit measurement of monopsony power as well. Data from the U.S. beef packing industry are examined. The results reveal small, but statistically significant monopoly/monopsony price distortions in slaughter cattle and wholesale beef markets but, in spite of a recent trend toward heightened concentration in the industry, give no indication that performance has become appreciably less competitive of late.
MARINE MAMMALS IN THE BALTIC SEA IN RELATION TO THE NORD STREAM 2 PROJECT: Baseline report

Nord Stream 2 AG (NSP2) is planning the construction of a second gas pipeline in the Baltic running from Russia to Germany. This report was commissioned by Rambøll, who is responsible for the NSP2 gas pipeline Environmental Impact Assessments, and describes the baseline conditions (biology, distribution, abundance and protection) for marine mammals in relation to this gas pipeline. The report pays special attention to Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Russian waters. Four species of marine mammals are living in the Baltic Sea: harbour porpoise, harbour seal, ringed seal and grey seal. The Baltic harbour porpoise population is critically endangered. It is found in all waters intersected by the NSP2 route but at very low densities in Finnish, Estonian and Russian waters. The highest densities in the inner Baltic are found around the Midsjö Banks south of Gotland. According to the available data, there is very little chance that a harbour seal would be near the proposed pipeline route at any time. The grey seal and the ringed seal are isolated subspecies endemic to the Baltic Sea. The grey seal is found throughout the Baltic and the population is considered increasing or stable. The ringed seal is only found along the northeastern segment of the proposed pipeline (Swedish, Finnish and Estonian waters) and the population is divided in several subgroups, with the Gulf of Finland group having a low estimated abundance of approx. 100 and being considered critically endangered.
Effect of different packaging methods on shelf life of hot smoked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during storage at 0-2ºC

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of three different packing methods including modified atmosphere, vacuum and common packaging on chemical, microbial and sensorial quality and shelf life of hot smoked Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during storage at refrigerated temperature. For hot smoking, rainbow trout were gutted and cut in butterfly form and washed. Fish gutted brining with 15% salt for 4 h and they were hot smoked by using Atmoos smoking cooking room. Then hot smoked samples were packed in modified atmosphere (with gas ratio of, N2:50%, O2:5%, CO2:45%), vacuum and common packaging and stored at refrigerated temperature (0-2 o C). Chemical values (total volatile basic nitrogen, moisture, peroxide, pH), microbial values (total microbial count, mold and yeast) and sensorial index (aroma, flavor, color and texture) were determined on 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 days of storage. The results showed that samples did not have a significant difference in moisture and pH values (p>0.05), however significant different was found in peroxide, total count, mold and yeast and TVB-N values (p<0.05). Also, results of sensory evaluation have been showed that the score of color, flavor, texture and aroma in modified atmosphere packaging were more than other treatments (p<0.05). The Shelf life of the hot smoked trout is specified between 20 to 30 days, 30 to 40 days and at least 40 days in common, vacuum and MAP packaging, respectively. So, using the modified atmosphere for hot smoked trout can enhance quality and increase the shelf life of trout in refrigerated storage condition up to 40 days.
The effects of acoustic intensity, spectrum, and duration on global loudness change

Global loudness change is a post-stimulus retrospective judgement that measures listeners’ overall impressions of loudness change in response to stimuli with continuous increases (up-ramps) and decreases (down-ramps) of acoustic intensity that are otherwise acoustically identical. Past results indicate that global loudness change is significantly greater in response to up-ramps relative to down-ramps for tonal stimuli (e.g., vowel) but not white-noise. An adaptive perceptual bias for up-ramp tonal stimuli has been proposed as a functional ecological explanation. However, global loudness change may also be influenced by stimulus duration and an end-level recency-in-memory mechanism that biases retrospective global judgements on a ramp’s end-level intensity, rather than its entire magnitude of intensity change. The present within-subjects experiment (N = 34) was designed to systematically investigate the effects of intensity, spectrum, and duration on global loudness change when end-level recency is controlled. Up-ramps and down-ramps were embedded within two spectral conditions (tonal vowel /@/ and white-noise) and presented over three durations (1.8 s, 3.6 s, 7.2 s) and two regions of intensity change (45–65 dB SPL, 65–85 dB SPL). End-level recency response bias was controlled through the use of balanced end-level comparisons between 45–65 dB SPL up-ramps and 85–65 dB SPL down-ramps that both converged on 65 dB SPL. Overall, global loudness change was significantly greater in response to vowel and white-noise up-ramps, relative to their corresponding down-ramps. However, with end-level recency controlled, global loudness change was significantly greater for up-ramps relative to down-ramps in 3.6 s and 7.2 s vowel conditions only. This was facilitated by an up-ramp-specific effect of duration, where the magnitude of global loudness change increased as vowel up-ramp duration increased from 3.6 s to 7.2 s. The findings are discussed in the context of psychoacoustics and ecological acoustics.
Applying an ensemble Kalman filter to the assimilation of AERONET observations in a global aerosol transport model

Abstract. We present a global aerosol assimilation system based on an Ensemble Kalman filter, which we believe leads to a significant improvement in aerosol fields. The ensemble allows realistic, spatially and temporally variable model covariances (unlike other assimilation schemes). As the analyzed variables are mixing ratios (prognostic variables of the aerosol transport model), there is no need for the extra assumptions required by previous assimilation schemes analyzing aerosol optical thickness (AOT). We describe the implementation of this assimilation system and in particular the construction of the ensemble. This ensemble should represent our estimate of current model uncertainties. Consequently, we construct the ensemble around randomly modified emission scenarios. The system is tested with AERONET observations of AOT and Angstrom exponent (AE). Particular care is taken in prescribing the observational errors. The assimilated fields (AOT and AE) are validated through independent AERONET, SKYNET and MODIS Aqua observations. We show that, in general, assimilation of AOT observations leads to improved modelling of global AOT, while assimilation of AE only improves modelling when the AOT is high.
SURİYELİ GÖÇÜ VE SIĞINMACILARIN ENTEGRASYON SÜRECİNDE STK LAR

For the past eight years, Syrian migration is one of the most important polticial and social issues. What’s happening in this process is of great importance for many countries, especially Middle Eastern countries and Turkey. Turkey is a neighbour with Syria and play a big role in terms of being the country that hosts most of Syrian immigrants as well. It is clear that Turkey is experiencing a different process of migration that have lived up to this time. Turkey has hosted to asylum seekers who have been displaced many times due to chaos and wars in countries close to them. At the same time Turkey, Syrian refugees "temporary protection" has implemented laws and border crossings opened for refugees. When we look at the researches on the migration and the results of the migrations, it was seen that migration brought many problmes in social sense. Syrian immigration is a mandatory and unplanned migration process. Therefore, both asylum seekers and the host community have experienced many social problems. Governments are sometimes lacking in resolving emerging issues. In this process; NGOs are one of the most important sources fort he solution of social problmes. In particular, ensuring social and economic integration is the most important step in solving these problems. This work; on the basis of approaches to migration and international migration, examines the process of integration after migration and Turkey in particular, during the integration process of Syrian refugees, it is examined how civil society organizations are involved in this process.
Dos tradiciones en la medición del ciclo: historia general y desarrollos en Colombia (Two Traditions in the Measurement of the Economic Cycle: General History and Developments in Colombia)

Este trabajo analiza dos grandes tradiciones en la medicion del ciclo economico: los indicadores ciclicos y el calculo de variables agregadas no observadas (producto potencial, tasa de interes natural, tasa de desempleo natural y tasa de cambio de equilibrio) y de sus brechas asociadas. La primera tradicion, tambien conocida como la vision empirica del ciclo, debe mucho al esfuerzo del NBER y tuvo un gran desarrollo sobre todo en las economias avanzadas. En Colombia, se han hecho muchos trabajos en esa direccion. Sin embargo, pocos de estos sobreviven, con lo cual el pais ha perdido un instrumento valioso en el analisis de la coyuntura economica. El presente documento es la primera parte del trabajo completo y narra la historia de la primera tradicion.
Analysis of Gaze Patterns during Aesthetic Photo Quality Assessement

This paper investigates the relationship between gaze patterns and aesthetic photo quality based on an eyetracking experiment. For aesthetic quality, we consider not only average rating scores but also rater-wise variations, i.e., subjectivity. For gaze pattern analysis, we consider both intraviewer and inter-viewer aspects. It is demonstrated that notable relationship between aesthetic quality and gaze patterns exists, which varies depending on the topics of the photos. Keywords— Aesthetic quality, eye-tracking, subjectivity
Mechanical characterization of single bamboo fibers with nanoindentation and microtensile technique

Abstract More mechanical information on fibers is needed for better understanding of the complex mechanical behavior of bamboo as well as optimizing design of bamboo fiber based composites. In this paper, in situ imaging nanoindentation and an improved microtensile technique were jointly used to characterize the longitudinal mechanical behavior of fibers of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens Mazei ex H. de Lebaie) aged between 0.5 and 4 years. These methods show that 0.5-year-old fibers have similar mechanical performances to their older counterparts. The average longitudinal tensile modulus and tensile strength of Moso bamboo fibers ranges from 32 to 34.6 GPa and 1.43 to 1.69 GPa, respectively, significantly higher than nearly all the published data for wood fibers. This finding could be attributed to the microstructural characteristics of the small microfibrillar angle and scarcity of pits in bamboo fibers. Furthermore, our results directly support the assumption that the widely used Oliver-Pharr analysis method in nanoindentation test significantly underestimates the longitudinal elastic modulus of anisotropic plant cell wall.
Mandarin Loanwords in Yanbian Korean II: Tones

The paper documents and then discusses the motivation for the loanword adaptation of the four Mandarin tones and their 16 disyllabic combinations with respect to the Yanbian High-Low (penultimate) vs. Low-High (final) pitch-accent distinction. It is concluded that the trans-syllabic F0 contour in the Mandarin loanword source plays a crucial role.
The socioecology of Monk Parakeets: Insights into parrot social complexity

ABSTRACT In many species, individuals benefit from social associations, but they must balance these benefits with the costs of competition for resources. Understanding how these competing factors generate diversity in social systems is a major goal of behavioral ecology, but one that has been hampered by a lack of basic data quantifying many aspects of social structure and associations. Although parrots are generally assumed to have complex social groups, few studies have quantitatively examined these assumptions about parrot social structure. We critically assessed 4 assumptions about parrot socioecology using data from captive and wild groups of Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus). We evaluated (1) whether pairs are the fundamental unit of parrot social structure, (2) the patterns and extent of fission–fusion dynamics, (3) patterns of aggression and dominance hierarchy structure, and (4) whether individuals share foraging information. We found evidence that supported pairs as the fundamental unit of social structure, although these close associates were not always heterosexual breeding pairs and were sometimes trios. Fission and fusion of subgroups were common, and the amount of fission–fusion dynamics varied across flock types and by fission–fusion dimension, but the amount of variation among dimensions was consistent across replicate captive social groups. Despite these levels of fission–fusion dynamics, study of aggressive interactions in our 2 captive groups indicated that dominance hierarchies existed. Hierarchies were moderately linear (0.7) but not steep (<0.1). Finally, we found no evidence that Monk Parakeets share foraging information among groups through active vocal recruitment to foraging flocks. We compared these patterns with those documented for other species of parrots and other cognitively complex large-brained species. We consider the implications of our results for the study of the evolution of complex sociality and highlight several future directions for parrot socioecology research.
Local and global instabilities in the wake of a sphere

The global dynamics of open shear flows is closely related to the nature of their local instability characteristics, either convective or absolute. The present investigation revisits the wake of a sphere, obtains its global behaviour by direct numerical simulations and derives its local stability features, computed for the underlying basic flow under a quasi-parallel flow assumption. It is shown that both the axisymmetric and the planar symmetric basic flows exhibit domains of local absolute instability in the near-wake region. The largest absolute growth rates occur for instabilities developing on the non-axisymmetric basic wake and conserving its planar symmetry.
Exponential line-crossing inequalities

This paper develops a class of exponential bounds for the probability that a martingale sequence crosses a time-dependent linear threshold. Our key insight is that it is both natural and fruitful to formulate exponential concentration inequalities in this way. We illustrate this point by presenting a single assumption and a single theorem that together strengthen many tail bounds for martingales, including classical inequalities (1960-80) by Bernstein, Bennett, Hoeffding, and Freedman; contemporary inequalities (1980-2000) by Shorack and Wellner, Pinelis, Blackwell, van de Geer, and de la Pena; and several modern inequalities (post-2000) by Khan, Tropp, Bercu and Touati, Delyon, and others. In each of these cases, we give the strongest and most general statements to date, quantifying the time-uniform concentration of scalar, matrix, and Banach-space-valued martingales, under a variety of nonparametric assumptions in discrete and continuous time. In doing so, we bridge the gap between existing line-crossing inequalities, the sequential probability ratio test, the Cramer-Chernoff method, self-normalized processes, and other parts of the literature.
Concurrent validity evidence of partial weight bearing lower extremity performance measure

Objective: To assess the ability of the partial weight-bearing (PWB) squat tests using the inclined squat apparatus to produce valid measurements in individuals with lower extremity dysfunction. It will do so by comparing the partial weight bearing squat tests to other lower extremity functional performance tests that have been proven to be reliable and valid sources of measurement. Background: There are few tests that can be done to assess an individual’s ability to perform lower extremity functional activities early in their rehabilitation process, when they have limited weight-bearing abilities. Some lower extremity tests such as the hop tests are too aggressive for these particular individuals. Open kinetic chain assessment has been used as a solution but it has been proven that these measures poorly correlate with lower extremity function. Methods and Measures: 30 subjects with a lower extremity dysfunction were recruited (mean age 49.4 with SD of ± 15.79 years) for participation. Subjects underwent various tests, which included the partial weight bearing 30 repetition and 20 second squat tests; distance hopped in a single leg hop test, timed stair ambulation, and timed walking 50 feet. All tests were performed in random order. Bivariate Pearson’s correlation was used to find a possible relationship between the PWB squat tests and the hop, walking, and stair ambulation test. Linear regression was also assessed for the PWB squat tests ability to predict outcomes in the other tests as well. Results and Conclusion: The data collected found a correlation between the two PWB squat tests and the hop, walking, and stair ambulation tests. It was also found that there was a linear relationship between each PWB squat tests and the other tests. Based on these results it was concluded that the PWB squat tests using the inclined squat apparatus produced valid measures of lower extremity function.
La conducta del retiro: el caso de un país productor de petroleo

This study analyzes the impact of macroeconomic and financial variables on retirement decisions. Socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, age and level of education are considered. The unemployment rate is used as macroeconomic variable and the stock market and oil prices as financial variables. Special attention is given to oil prices. It is concluded that macroeconomic and financial variables have an impact mainly in the long term and that the number of new pensioners increases when oil prices decrease.
MiFil: A method to characterize seafloor swells with application to the south central Pacific

We propose a filtering method to characterize large‐scale depth anomalies. The MiFil method (for minimization and filtering) requires two stages: a first one to roughly remove the volcano component by minimizing the depth anomaly and a second one to smooth the shape and totally remove the small spatial length scale remaining topography using a median filter. The strength of this method, directly applicable on two‐dimensional grids, is that it does not require any assumption on the location, amplitude, or width of the large‐scale feature to characterize, except its minimal width. We only consider the spatial length scale of the features to remove. Application to volcanic chains of the south central Pacific is presented, and the results lead to a better understanding of the tectonics and volcanism emplacement of the zone. The Society is the only “classical” hot spot that corresponds to the simple interaction of a plume with the lithosphere and for which a buoyancy flux of 1.58 ± 0.15 Mg s−1 is obtained. The Marquesas volcanic chain, although quite comparable, presents a swell morphology that prevents such interpretation and quantification. For the Tuamotu and Cook‐Austral volcanic chains, no reliable quantification can be made because the depth and geoid anomalies are caused by several phenomena occurring at different depths that cannot be separated.
Ovatko tuloerot Suomessa kasvaneet luultua enemmän

Tuloeroja koskevat tilastot ja niistä lasketut tilastosuureet saavat aika-ajoin huomiota mediassa, tutkijoiden ja poliitikkojen puheenvuoroissa. Tuloerojen mittareita käytetään usein kahteen tarkoitukseen: ovatko tuloerot kasvaneet vai kaventuneet, tai ovatko tuloerot suuret vai pienet? Ylivoimaisesti suosituin käytetyistä tuloeromitoista on suhteellinen Ginikerroin.1 Se saa arvoja nollan ja sadan välillä; nolla tarkoittaa, ettei tuloeroja ole lainkaan, ja 100 taas tarkoittaa tulojen keskittyneen yhdelle henkilölle. Valitettavan usein Gini-kertoimeen tutustuminen jää tähän tietoon. Varsin yleinen käsitys tuntuu olevan, että muutokset tuloeroissa ovat yhtä kuin muutokset Gini-kertoimessa. Taustaksi tuloerojen mittaamiselle ja käytetyille mitoille on hyvä tarkastella, miten käytettävissä olevat tulot2 ovat kehittyneet eri kohdissa tulonjakaumaa. Kuviot 1 ja 2 esittävät reaalisten käytettävissä olevien tulojen kehityksen neljässä tulonsaajaryhmässä. Kussakin ryhmässä seurataan sekä ryhmän keskiarvoa että mediaania. Suurituloisin 20 prosenttia jaetaan kahteen ryhmään: suurituloisin prosentti ja loput tulonsaajat, kun ylin prosentti on siitä vähennetty (so. prosenttipisteiden 99 ja 80 väli). Seuraavaa ryhmä koostuu 60 prosentista tulojakauman keskeltä, jolloin pienituloisiksi jää 20 prosenttia. Useissa tutkimuksissa juuri tätä keskellä olevaa 60 prosenttia kutsutaan ”keskiluokaksi” (ks. esimerkiksi Atkinson ja Brandolini 2013). Kuviosta 1 havaitaan, että tulokehitys on ollut varsin maltillista ”keskiluokassa” ja alimmassa 20 prosentissa. Keskimääräinen kasvu ylimmän 20 prosentin keskuudessa oli myös melko vaatimatonta verrattuna ylimpään yhteen prosenttiin, joka repäisi 1990-luvun jälkimmäisellä puoliskolla kaulaa muihin.