Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling the moistening of the free troposphere during the northwestward progression of Indian monsoon onset

Understanding and prediction of Indian monsoon onset is of paramount importance for agricultural planning, which affects food production and the gross domestic product of the country. A recent observational study suggests that the progression of the Indian monsoon onset in a northwestward direction, which is perpendicular to the mean flow, is reinforced by the moistening of the free troposphere by pre‐monsoon showers and wetting of the land surface. As the onset progresses, the mid‐tropospheric dry layer is thought to be constantly moistened from below by detrainment from shallow cumulus and congestus clouds from the southeast. The dry layer becomes much shallower towards southeast India, making the profile closer to moist adiabatic, providing favourable conditions for deep cumulus convection. Increased moistening of the free troposphere thereby pushes the northern limit of moist convection northwestwards. Here, we examine the representation of this process in hindcast simulations from the fully coupled atmosphere–ocean seasonal forecast system of the UK Met Office, GloSea5. The model effectively captures the mid‐level dry‐air intrusion from the northwest that suppresses convection over the northwestern parts of India. We also show that detrainment from shallow convection, measured by moisture tendencies around the freezing level, acts to saturate the free troposphere ahead of the monsoon onset, eroding the dry layer from the southeast. This work suggests that initialized coupled models are capable of simulating dynamic and thermodynamic processes inherent in monsoon progression during the onset.
Plasma, Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue, Vertebral Cancellous Bone and Intervertebral Disc Pharmacokinetics of Cefuroxime

Background: Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is associated with prolonged antimicrobial therapy and high relapse rates. Nevertheless, tissue pharmacokinetic studies of relevant antimicrobials in both prophylactic and therapeutic situations are still sparse. Previous approaches based on bone biopsy and discectomy exhibit important methodological limitations. Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the C3/C4 intervertebral disc (IVD), C3 vertebral body cancellous bone and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCT) pharmacokinetics of cefuroxime by use of microdialysis (MD) in a large animal model. Study Design: This was a single-dose, dense sampling large animal study of cefuroxime spine penetration. Methods: Ten female pigs were assigned to receive 1,500 mg of cefuroxime intravenously over 15 min. Measurements of cefuroxime were obtained from plasma, SCT, vertebral cancellous bone and IVD for 8 hours thereafter. MD was applied for sampling in solid tissues. Results: For both IVD and vertebral cancellous bone, the area under the concentration-curve from zero to the last measured value (AUC0-last) was significantly lower than that of free plasma. As estimated by the ratio of tissue AUC0-last to plasma AUC0-last, tissue penetration (95%-confidence interval) of cefuroxime was significantly incomplete for the IVD 0.78 (0.57; 0.99), while for vertebral cancellous bone 0.78 (0.51; 1.04) and SCT 0.94 (0.73; 1.15) it was not. The penetration of cefuroxime from plasma to the IVD was delayed, and the maximal concentration and the elimination of cefuroxime were also reduced compared to both SCT and vertebral cancellous bone. Due to this delay in elimination of cefuroxime, the time with
Do Tropical Storm Regimes Influence the Structure of Tropical Lowland Rain Forests?

It has been suggested that the average canopy height of Madagascar's lowland rain forests is shorter and the average tree density is greater than in other tropical lowland rain forests of the world. The cause was hypothesized to be frequent cyclone disturbances. We compared the structure of the lowland rain forests in Madagascar to the structure described in published accounts of other tropical lowland rain forests. We found that the eastern coastal lowland forests of Madagascar have short canopy heights relative to that of many other lowland tropical rain forests, and that these Malagasy forests also have relatively high tree densities. On a worldwide basis, there is a significant correlation between short forest canopies and occurrence of tropical cyclones. The association between high tree density and occurrence of tropical cyclones is valid for Africa, but the pattern does not hold up globally.
Incremental Labelling of Voronoi Vertices for Shape Reconstruction

We present an incremental Voronoi vertex labelling algorithm for approximating contours, medial axes and dominant points (high curvature points) from 2D point sets. Though there exist many number of algorithms for reconstructing curves, medial axes or dominant points, a unified framework capable of approximating all the three in one place from points is missing in the literature. Our algorithm estimates the normals at each sample point through poles (farthest Voronoi vertices of a sample point) and uses the estimated normals and the corresponding tangents to determine the spatial locations (inner or outer) of the Voronoi vertices with respect to the original curve. The vertex classification helps to construct a piece‐wise linear approximation to the object boundary. We provide a theoretical analysis of the algorithm for points non‐uniformly (ε‐sampling) sampled from simple, closed, concave and smooth curves. The proposed framework has been thoroughly evaluated for its usefulness using various test data. Results indicate that even sparsely and non‐uniformly sampled curves with outliers or collection of curves are faithfully reconstructed by the proposed algorithm.
The Effect of Asymmetric Weight Variability on Sampling Processes based on Boltzmann Machines in Neuromorphic Hardware Applications

The mathematically traceable Boltzmann machine approach as a description for neuronal networks requires symmetric synaptic connections. On neuromorphic hardware, which emulates leaky integrate-and-fire neurons, connections are unidirectional and the weight symmetry gets broken by individual weight variations. In order to simultaneously benefit from the framework of Boltzmann machines, which is successfully used in machine learning, and the inherent parallelism and speed-up compared to biology, a hardware emulation can sample approximately from a given Boltzmann distribution. In this thesis, the effect of relative and asymmetric weight variations in sampling processes based on Boltzmann machines is investigated. For sampling with leaky integrateand-fire neurons, those effects only prevail for variations above 20% against other limitations. Also the weight variations of three hardware devices designed by the Electronic Vision(s) Group are characterized. On the Spikey chip they exceed 50%, on the BrainScaleS System they lie about 16.4% and on the HICANN-DLSv2 chip they are 4.91%. This implies that sampling on the BrainScaleS System and the HICANN-DLS chip is not primarily restricted by weight variations. Zusammenfassung Der mathematisch ergründbare Ansatz einer auf Boltzmann-Maschinen beruhenden Beschreibung neuronaler Netzwerke erfordert symmetrische synaptische Verknüpfungen. Auf neuromorpher Hardware, welche leaky integrate-and-fire Neuronen emuliert, sind Verknüpfungen unidirektional und die Gewichtssymmetrie wird von individuellen Gewichtsschwankungen gebrochen. Um gleichzeitig von dem Framework der BoltzmannMaschinen, welches erfolgreich im maschinellen Lernen Verwendung findet, und dem inhärenten Parallelismus und der hohen Geschwindigkeit verglichen zur Biologie zu profitieren, kann eine Hardwareemulation annäherungsweise eine gegebene BoltzmannVerteilung abtasten. In dieser Arbeit wird der Effekt von relativen und asymmetrischen Gewichtsschwankungen in Samplingprozessen, welche auf Boltzmann-Maschinen basieren, untersucht. Bei Sampling mit leaky integrate-and-fire Neuronen überwiegt er nur für Schwankungen oberhalb von 20% gegenüber anderen Einschränkungen. Zudem werden die Gewichtsschwankungen auf drei von der Electronic Vision(s) Group entwickelten Hardwaregeräten charakterisiert. Auf dem Spikey-Chip überschreiten sie 50%, auf dem BrainScaleS System liegen sie bei 16.4% und auf dem HICANN-DLSv2-Chip sind sie 4.91%. Dies suggeriert, dass Sampling auf dem BrainScaleS System und dem HICANN-DLS-Chip nicht primär von Gewichtsschwankungen eingeschränkt wird.
National Parks in Northern Sweden as Refuges for Illegal Killing of Large Carnivores

Large protected areas are often considered to be as important as population size in reducing extinction risk for large carnivores. However, the effectiveness of protected areas for large carnivore survival has rarely been tested where surrounding areas also provide suitable habitats. Using individual‐based long‐term data, we here show that three species of large carnivores all suffered higher risk of illegal killing inside three large national parks than in surrounding unprotected areas in northern Sweden. We suggest that this illegal killing is the result of low enforcement and public presence in these remote parks, which results in a low probability for poachers to be discovered. Our results demonstrate that size of protected areas alone may be a poor predictor of their conservation value for large carnivores. We warn against passive national park management and advocate considering the ecological and socioeconomic context present inside as well as outside protected areas.
The Transcription Factor Creb is Involved in Sorafenib-Inhibited Renal Cancer Cell Proliferation, Migration and Invasion

Abstract Our previous reports showed that the cyclic-AMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) served as a proto-oncogene in the process of tumorigenesis and mediated the growth and metastatic activity of renal cancer cells. Our study, therefore, explored the role of CREB in sorafenib- -inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Renal cancer cells were cultured in medium containing sorafenib for 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. The MTT assay was used to study the cytotoxic effects of sorafenib. Cell invasion and migration were assayed in wound healing and transwell experiments, respectively. Protein expression levels were evaluated by western blotting. The results show that sorafenib treatment decreased cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Sorafenib inhibited cell migration and invasion and decreased the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Moreover, addition of the recombinant plasmid pCI-neo/ CREB (PN) reversed the sorafenib-induced inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion. These results show that CREB is associated with the sorafenib-induced inhibition of proliferation, migration and invasion.
Learning in Educational Computer Games for Novices: The Impact of Support Provision Types on Virtual Presence, Cognitive Load, and Learning Outcomes.

Embedding support devices in educational computer games has been asserted to positively affect learning outcomes. However, there is only limited direct empirical evidence on which design variations of support provision influence learning. In order to better understand the impact of support design on novices’ learning, the current study investigates how support devices and their type of provision (intrinsic vs. extrinsic) determine games’ effectiveness on learning outcomes. This effectiveness is also related to how the design-type of provision influences learners’ virtual presence and cognitive load. Compared to an educational adventure game without additional support, the results indicate that the game equipped with support devices enhances learning outcomes, although no differences in cognitive load were found. A variation in the design of provision shows no effect. In order to gain a more thorough understanding of support devices and their design for games, additional learner characteristics (e.g., interest) should be considered in future research.
The importance of oxygen availability in two plant-based bioprocesses: hairy root cultivation and malting

The main aim of this work was to examine the role of oxygen availability in two model processes: the cultivation of Agrobacterium rhizogenes-induced hairy roots of the medicinal plant Egyptian henbane (Hyoscyamus muticus), and barley (Hordeum vulgare) malting. This was accomplished by transferring the vhb gene encoding bacterial haemoglobin (VHb) from Vitreoscilla to H. muticus and to barley with the specific goals of improving the growth and alkaloid production of H. muticus hairy roots and the germination rate of barley. In H. muticus hairy roots, heterologous vhb expression and an increase in aeration both improved the growth, but not the specific hyoscyamine production of the hairy roots. This suggests that oxygen availability may not be a limiting factor in hyoscyamine synthesis. The effect of VHb on the alkaloid profile of H. muticus hairy roots was not identical to that of aeration, indicating that the physiological effects of VHb are probably not related directly to its ability to increase the intracellular effective oxygen concentration. Although VHb production did not have a statistically significant effect on hyoscyamine production due to wide somaclonal variation, the highest production levels were found among the VHb-lines. A problem related to vhb expression was the tendency of hairy roots to dedifferentiate to callus. This effect probably counteracted the positive effects of vhb expression, because root dedifferentiation leads to impaired alkaloid production. Barley plants expressing the vhb gene did not react to oxygen deficiency by increasing the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity in the roots, unlike the control plants. This could be due to the ability of VHb to supplement the role of ADH in the recycling of NADH and maintaining glycolysis. In contrast to previous findings, we found that constitutive vhb expression did not improve the
The Future of Middle Ear Implants, Ear Transduction and Transducers for the Ear

An overview of the problems of current middle ear implants in relation to their future development is herein presented. Despite the high potential for wide application of the devices in an extensive group of patients, important hindrances have resulted in its very limited, real life application. This situation derives, in our opinion, from two main problems: the inconveniently large size of the implant’s transducers and the high cost of the devices. Accordingly, research and development of new transducers focused on a smaller size and lower cost seems a must in the future development of middle ear implants. To explain this situation, the key transduction processes in the ear and the corresponding technological approaches to mimic them are herein outlined. Subsequently, the importance of recent and emerging electro mechanic technologies is stressed, providing an example from our group of the application of Micro electro mechanic system technology to the research and development of new transducers as required by the new auditory implants.
Performance, Aspirations, and Risky Organizational Change

I am grateful to James G. March for the conversations that started this research, to Willie Ocasio, Anjali Sastry, Christine Oliver, three anonymous reviewers for ASQ, and seminar participants at Kobe University and Keio Business School for helpful comments on the paper, and to Linda Johanson for editorial guidance. Research support from Stanford Center for Organizations Research, the Richard D. Irwin Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. An earlier version of this paper appeared in the 1996 Academy of Management Best Papers Proceedings. The study reported here uses learning theory to examine how performance feedback affects the probability of risky organizational changes that are consequential to an organization's performance. The theory predicts how decision makers interpret organizational performance by comparing it with historical and social aspiration levels. Empirical analysis of the consequences of performance shortfalls on the probability of strategic change in the radio broadcasting industry shows clear sensitivity to social and historical aspiration levels. It also shows that changes seen or done by the station predict future change, suggesting that the recent experiences of organizations cause differences in capabilities and perceived opportunities, leading to differences in organizational inertia. '
Children’s Throwing and Striking: A Longitudinal Study

Object control skills (OCS) provide children the means to be physically active. However, gender equality in some OCS remains elusive. Particularly troublesome is the basic throwing pattern and, by extension, the striking pattern, both of which rely on forceful, rapid rotation of the pelvis, trunk, and shoulders. Some scholars argue that sex differences in throwing and striking are rooted in human evolution. The purpose of this study was to examine development of throwing and striking at the fundamental movement level. The design was multi-cohort sequential: 280 boys and girls grades K–8 (ages 4–15) were tested up to three times per year for 5 years on the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was applied to analyze individual growth curves. As anticipated, significant (p < .001) age-related gains were found for throwing and striking. In terms of sex (biology) or gender (sociocultural) differences, boys performed better longitudinally at throwing (p < .05) and striking (p < .05). These results reinforce theories that girls may be disadvantaged in achieving proficiency in throwing and striking. Interventions designed to enhance development of these skills should be in place long before grade 4, when most physical education curricula transitions to games and sports.
The local social and environmental impacts of biofuel feedstock expansion: a synthesis of case studies from Asia, Africa and Latin America

A strong interest in biofuels has arisen out of a preoccupation with the security of energy supply and global climate change in industrialised countries, and from an unfavourable balance of trade and interest in capturing value in the global carbon market by developing countries (Energy Commission 2006; MEWD 2008; Republica de Mocambique
Análisis preliminar de riesgo por cambio climático en la costa del municipio de Tapachula, Chiapas, México

— Abstract— Climat changes that are currently being experimented have started to be of the highest concern and worldwide attention. The effects of climat changes are, among others, the increase of the sea level, the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and extreme wave events, this last effect would mean for the cities that are located on the coast to be in a high vulnerability condition. Chiapas has been identified as one of the most affected states due to the increase of the sea level. In this work, a preliminary analysis of the coast hazard level of the beaches of Tapachula is carried out, analysis based on the future estimates of the increase of the environmental temperature and the increase of the sea level as well as of the extreme events. For the analysis, ‘’The Coastal Hazard Wheel’’ method was applied and a documental analysis of the extreme events and the damages that were produced in the last five years was also carried out. It was found critic, that one of the two analyzed areas is located in a high level of hazard, in the present time as well as in the future, it means that it is time to take some actions, knowledge-based, that would allow to protect the community patrimony and heritage, but most importantly the personal security as well as the tourists that visit the beaches on the area. It is urgent to examine and take into account the studies done these days as well as to generate new information for the effects of planning and management of the beaches of Tapachula, Chiapas, by means of an integrated management approach to the coastal zone.
Tidally adjusted estimates of topographic vulnerability to sea level rise and flooding for the contiguous United States

Because sea level could rise 1 m or more during the next century, it is important to understand what land, communities and assets may be most at risk from increased flooding and eventual submersion. Employing a recent high-resolution edition of the National Elevation Dataset and using VDatum, a newly available tidal model covering the contiguous US, together with data from the 2010 Census, we quantify low-lying coastal land, housing and population relative to local mean high tide levels, which range from ∼0 to 3 m in elevation (North American Vertical Datum of 1988). Previous work at regional to national scales has sometimes equated elevation with the amount of sea level rise, leading to underestimated risk anywhere where the mean high tide elevation exceeds 0 m, and compromising comparisons across regions with different tidal levels. Using our tidally adjusted approach, we estimate the contiguous US population living on land within 1 m of high tide to be 3.7 million. In 544 municipalities and 38 counties, we find that over 10% of the population lives below this line; all told, some 2150 towns and cities have some degree of exposure. At the state level, Florida, Louisiana, California, New York and New Jersey have the largest sub-meter populations. We assess topographic susceptibility of land, housing and population to sea level rise for all coastal states, counties and municipalities, from 0 to 6 m above mean high tide, and find important threat levels for widely distributed communities of every size. We estimate that over 22.9 million Americans live on land within 6 m of local mean high tide.
Effect of Environmental Factors and Structural Dimensions on Aerial Pollutant Gas Concentrations in Tropical Poultry Pen in Nigeria

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between environmental factors (temperature, relative humidity, moisture content of the litter and wind speed), poultry house structural dimensions and concentrations of aerial gases in selected intensively managed poultry farms at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria during the month of November, 2007. Inferential statistics, which included the use of multiple regression models and stepwise multiple regression analysis was employed to determine the relationship between environmental factors, structural dimensions and concentration of gases in poultry pens in the study area in order to identify the factors that are critical to concentration of gases. The regression coefficient obtained in pullet farmed showed that SO2, CO, N2O and CH4 were highly related with house measurement (92.4, 89.1, 79.2 and 76.5%), while H2S and NH3 were moderately correlated with the same house measurement (49.2 and 46.4%. Similarly, in the layer farm, CH4 was highly related with house measurement (66.8%), while N2O, H2S, CO, NH3 and SO2 recorded poor correlation results. In the broiler farm, H2S, SO2, N2O, CO and CH4 were highly related with house measurement. From the standard coefficient of regression equation, moisture content of the litter had the highest standard coefficient and also the highest t – value. The study concluded that because of differences in livestock buildings structural measurements, natural ventilation and other interacting factors in the tropical farming environment variations are bound to occur in terms of concentrations and emission rates of aerial pollutants.