Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study on the Nitrous Oxide Emission and Denitrification Losses from Loess Plateau under Different Water Regimes and Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates

A middle- term laboratory research was performed by monitoring three types of loess soils of NH4+ and NO3- dynamics and N2O production and denitrification. Results showed that there were no significant differences in the total amount of N2O production and denitrification loss over 22 day between fertilized and unfertilized soils. This study also indicated that soil moisture had significant effect on N2O production and denitrification loss. From 80% to 110% WFPS, the amounts of N2O production and denitrification loss increased by 16-41 and 17-22 folds, respectively. The maximum N2O emission rates and denitrification rates from all treatments occurred after rewetting of dry soil. The peaks maintained transitorily in the two clay loess soils, however, the higher fluxes remained for several days in sandy loess soil. The total N2O production and denitrification from the sandy loess soil were significantly higher than that from clay loess soils. Soil moisture could be the most important factor controlling N2O emissions and denitrification loss when a rich N supply existed in soil.
iCare-Stress: Caring system for stress

The human life becomes increasingly stressful and not everyone can manage his/her own life well. Most people are not aware of stress even though stress is a common illness that impacts on daily life, including family, relationships, and studying. Moreover, stress affects health, both physically and mentally at all ages. When people suffer from stress repeatedly, stress will turn to be multiple physical conditions and psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. iCare-stress application was created to assist a person to know his/her own state of stress and handle properly using the user's brainwave detected by Emotiv device. In addition, the application provides an interesting technique called Neurofeedback which is used to train human brain activity. Neurofeedback is widely accepted in medicinal studies to reduce the symptoms of many diseases. Therefore, it is chosen to be the technique to manage and reduce stress in the application. Moreover, there are three interventions for doing the different activities such as Concentration, Relaxation, and Music Therapy. In the case of measuring stress without the device, the application provides a set of questionnaire which is called General Health Questionnaire or GHQ that a user can apply to check his/her stress level. The result from both doing interventions and GHQ are shown in the form of human language that anyone can understand.
Holding chambers versus nebulisers for inhaled steroids in chronic asthma.

BACKGROUND Inhaled corticosteroids are available in the form of a suspension for nebulisation, although the role of this mode of therapy in the treatment of chronic asthma is still unclear. OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy and safety of inhaled corticosteroids delivered via nebuliser versus holding chamber for the treatment of chronic asthma. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Trial Register (1999) and reference lists of articles. We contacted the authors of studies and pharmaceutical companies for additional studies and hand-searched the British Journal of Clinical Research, European Journal of Clinical Research and major respiratory society meeting abstracts (1997-1999). Date of last search August 2005. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials comparing nebuliser to holding chamber in the delivery of inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of chronic asthma. All age groups of patients were considered. Two reviewers assessed articles for inclusion; two reviewers independently assessed included studies for methodological quality. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS One reviewer extracted data; authors were contacted to clarify missing information. Quantitative analyses were undertaken using Review Manager 4.1 with MetaView 3.1. MAIN RESULTS Two studies were selected for inclusion (63 subjects), both concerned adults. An additional small study including 14 children was identified for the 2005 update. Methodological quality was variable. Due to design differences it was not appropriate to pool the studies. The single high quality study compared budesonide 2000-8000 mcg delivered via Pari Inhalier Boy jet nebuliser with inspiration-only inhalation to budesonide 1600 mcg via large volume spacer. The nebuliser delivery led to higher morning peak expiratory flow values (25 L/min p<0.01), higher evening values (30L/min, p<0.01), lower rescue beta2 agonist use and symptom scores compared to the holding chamber delivery. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Budesonide in high dose delivered by the particular nebuliser used in the only double-blinded study that could be included in this review was more effective than budesonide 1600 mcg via a large volume spacer. However, it is not clear whether this was an effect of nominal dose delivered or delivery system. Cost, compliance and patient preference are important determinants of clinical effectiveness that still require further assessment. Future studies are needed to evaluate the relative effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids delivered by different combinations of nebuliser/compressor compared to holding chamber. Moreover, further studies assessing these delivery methods are needed in infants and pre-school children, as these are groups that are likely to be considered for treatment with nebulised corticosteroids.
Implications of data placement strategy to Big Data technologies based on shared-nothing architecture for geosciences

It is found that data placement on the networked nodes of a cluster based on the shared-nothing architecture (SNA) should align in the physical (i.e. spatiotemporal) space for most geoscience Big Data analysis systems in order to minimize data movements and thus achieve optimal performance and efficiency. This is due to the fact that data analysis in geosciences predominantly requires spatiotemporal coincidence. If individual datasets are considered separately in their placement on the cluster nodes, these systems often have to move data between nodes when an analysis involves two or more datasets. In this paper, we first report our discoveries from a data placement alignment experiment with two Big Data technologies, SciDB and Spark+HDFS, and then elucidate some of the far-reaching implications of this discovery.
¿Es El Mercado De Metales Eficiente? (Is the Metals Market Efficient?)

Spanish Abstract: La prediccion de los precios de las materias primas es importante por su impacto a nivel macroeconomico en las naciones que dependen de su comercio internacional, asi mismo tiene importancia financiera para quienes negocian sus futuros en bolsa. Este trabajo propone evaluar la hipotesis de eficiencia en el sentido debil en el mercado de metales, la cual argumenta que un mercado eficiente no es susceptible de prediccion de precios. Para este proposito se implementaron metodos de caminata aleatoria. Se encontraron materias primas persistentemente ineficientes durante el periodo de evaluacion de 1992 a 2015, asi como que algunas materias primas fluctuan entre periodos de eficiencia y no eficiencia. English Abstract: The prediction of raw material prices is important due to its macroeconomic impact in the nations that depend on their international trade, it is as well financially important to those who negotiate futures in the stock market. This work proposes to evaluate the efficiency hypothesis in the weak sense of the metals market, which argues that an efficient market is not susceptible to price prediction. To carry out this purpose, methods of random walks were put into effect. Persistently inefficient raw materials during the evaluation period from 1992 to 2015 were found, as well as that some raw materials fluctuate between periods of efficiency and inefficiency.
Response analysis of holography-based modal wavefront sensor.

The crosstalk problem of holography-based modal wavefront sensing (HMWS) becomes more severe with increasing aberration. In this paper, crosstalk effects on the sensor response are analyzed statistically for typical aberrations due to atmospheric turbulence. For specific turbulence strength, we optimized the sensor by adjusting the detector radius and the encoded phase bias for each Zernike mode. Calibrated response curves of low-order Zernike modes were further utilized to improve the sensor accuracy. The simulation results validated our strategy. The number of iterations for obtaining a residual RMS wavefront error of 0. 1λ is reduced from 18 to 3.
Balance Is Associated with Quality of Life in Chronic Stroke

Abstract Objective: To investigate the association between balance and quality of life (QOL) in chronic stroke survivors by (1) examining the associations between balance and QOL scores; (2) identifying the frequency of balance impairment and poststroke falls; and (3) determining the differences in QOL scores between persons with and those without balance impairment. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study. People who had a stroke more than 6 months earlier from 3 Midwest states were included in the study if they met the following criteria: were referred to occupational or physical therapy for poststroke physical deficits; had self-reported stroke-related physical deficits; completed all stroke-related rehabilitation; had residual functional disability; had a score of ≥4 out of 6 on the short 6-item Mini-Mental State Examination; and were between 50 and 85 years old (n = 59). The main outcome measures included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) to assess balance and the Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QOL) to assess QOL. Number of falls since stroke was self-reported. Results: Mean BBS score was 44 ± 8 and mean SS-QOL score was 46 ± 8; these scores were significantly correlated (r = .394, P = .002). Seventy-six percent of the sample reported a fall since stroke. Persons with balance impairment (BBS score ≤46; n = 29; 49%) had an average BBS score of 39 ± 7 and significantly worse SS-QOL scores than those without balance impairment (42 ± 8 vs 49 ± 7; P = .001). Conclusion: In the chronic stroke population, balance impairment and fall risk are associated with lower QOL scores. If balance can be improved and maintained into the chronic phases of stroke, it is likely that individuals will benefit with improved QOL.
Sodium channel SCN1A and epilepsy: Mutations and mechanisms

Mutations in a number of genes encoding voltage‐gated sodium channels cause a variety of epilepsy syndromes in humans, including genetic (generalized) epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) and Dravet syndrome (DS, severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy). Most of these mutations are in the SCN1A gene, and all are dominantly inherited. Most of the mutations that cause DS result in loss of function, whereas all of the known mutations that cause GEFS+ are missense, presumably altering channel activity. Family members with the same GEFS+ mutation often display a wide range of seizure types and severities, and at least part of this variability likely results from variation in other genes. Many different biophysical effects of SCN1A‐GEFS+ mutations have been observed in heterologous expression systems, consistent with both gain and loss of channel activity. However, results from mouse models suggest that the primary effect of both GEFS+ and DS mutations is to decrease the activity of GABAergic inhibitory neurons. Decreased activity of the inhibitory circuitry is thus likely to be a major factor contributing to seizure generation in patients with GEFS+ and DS, and may be a general consequence of SCN1A mutations.
Telaprevir in a Patient with Chronic Hepatitis C and Cryoglobulinemic Glomerulonephritis

Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC), the most common extra-hepatic manifestation of HCV, may lead to renal involvement ranging from mild urinary abnormalities to nephritic syndrome, eventually evolving to renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy. HCV eradication with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) is the only curative treatment for MC-related membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. The addition of directly acting antivirals (DAAs) to PEG-IFN and RBV has significantly improved sustained virological response rates in HCV genotype 1 patients. Safety and efficacy of this regimen in patients with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis has not been proved yet. Here, we report the case of a woman with HCV-1-related cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis presenting with severe nephritic syndrome and rapidly progressive renal failure, who received successful treatment with the DAA telaprevir in conjunction with PEG-IFN and RBV. Triple therapy was safe and effective, leading to HCV eradication and complete resolution of acute renal failure.
Developing normal reading skills: aspects of the visual processes underlying word recognition.

Visual word recognition performance of first graders (mean age: 6.6 years) through fifth graders (mean age: 10.8 years) was investigated using an experimental technique that is known to elicit the "viewing position effect" in skilled readers. The results showed that this effect, which consists of a systematic variation of performance as a function of fixation position within words, emerged early at the end of the 1st year of reading instruction. Visual field asymmetries in recognizing individual letters in words were also observed starting from first grade. Effects of word familiarity were obtained as early as in second grade. In contrast to skilled readers, children showed a marked word-length effect, which persisted through the first 5 years of instruction. No other qualitative differences between beginning and skilled readers were apparent. Hence, the basics of reading skills, as measured by the present technique, seem to be attained very early during acquisition. Further experience mainly reduces the time a reader needs to extract visual information from print.
Analysis and typing of the vacA gene from cagA-positive strains of Helicobacter pylori isolated in Japan

Approximately 50% of Helicobacter pylori strains produce a cytotoxin that is encoded by vacA and that induces vacuolation of eukaryotic cells. Mosaicism in vacA alleles was reported, and there are three different families of vacA signal sequences (s1a, s1b, and s2) and two different families of middle-region alleles (m1 and m2). In addition, the vacA genotype of a strain is associated with its cytotoxin phenotype and its capacity to induce peptic ulceration. To clarify the strain diversity of H. pylori in Japan, 87 Japanese clinical isolates of H. pylori (40 from patients with chronic atrophic gastritis, 25 from patients with duodenal ulcer, 16 from patients with gastric ulcer, 3 from patients with both duodenal and gastric ulcers, and 3 from patients with intestinal type gastric cancer) were characterized by vacA typing by PCR and DNA sequencing. Eighty-four of the 87 isolates were s1a/m1, one was s1b/m1, and two could not be typed. Moreover, all isolates in this study were cagA positive. There were no distinct differences between the cytotoxin-producing strains and cytotoxin-nonproducing strains within the 0.73-kb middle region. Japanese strains were highly homologous, with more than 96% identity in this region, in which maximum divergence has been reported. In addition, there were no associations between the specific vacA types and the level of in vitro cytotoxin activity or the clinical consequences. These results indicate that the cagA-positive, s1a/m1-type strains are common in Japan, regardless of the vacA phenotype or clinical outcome.
Interorganizational trust in Flemish public administration: comparing trusted and distrusted interactions between public regulatees and public regulators

In this chapter, we study interorganizational trust of regulated organizations in regulating organizations in the Flemish public administration. The objective is to better understand interorganizational trust and the (perceived) characteristics of interorganizational interactions that contribute to its development. We propose that the interorganizational trust process is affected by boundary spannersâ€™ perceptions of certain macro and meso-level interaction characteristics. Findings from our nested mixed-method analysis, in which we compared trusted and distrusted interorganizational interactions in Flemish public administration, show that macro- and meso-level interaction characteristics affect the trust process through various direct and indirect mechanisms, that both extent and form of these interaction characteristics are important to understand how they affect interorganizational trust, and that macro- and meso-level interaction characteristics shape each other in neo-institutional structuration processes. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that any due understanding of interorganizational trust must acknowledge that no single group of institutional, rational, or social exchange theories can provide a full understanding of interorganizational trust. A model that allows interdependent macro- and meso-level interaction characteristics to affect the trust process may be required to achieve a comprehensive understanding of interorganizational trust.
“Never enough hours in the day”: Employed mothers’ perceptions of time pressure

Finding sufficient time to meet work and family commitments poses immense challenges for employed mothers in 21st century contemporary life. Understanding how employed women with children manage their finite time resources requires deeper investigation of how time pressures accrue across work and home contexts. This study draws on data from in-depth interviews with 18 working mothers from diverse occupations (professional, sales, service, clerical, technical and trades) and across a range of employment hours (full and part-time). The findings from this study show that employed mothers endure high levels of time pressure related to time poverty (insufficient time for necessary or discretionary activities), time intensity (multitasking and merging work and home boundaries) and time density (familial emotion and organisation work). When women use strategies to increase time efficiency, it does not necessarily reduce their perceptions of time pressure. Juggling multiple tasks simultaneously distorts women's temporal experiences and diminishes the quality of time. Workplaces and policymakers need to find better ways to encourage employed fathers to share the responsibility for home- and family-related care and organisational work. Such measures may reduce the time stress and time inequity women endure, particularly in the time management control centre of the home.
Intracerebroventricular kainic acid administration in adult rat alters hippocampal calbindin and non‐phosphorylated neurofilament expression

Calbindin and non‐phosphorylated neurofilament proteins were assessed in hippocampus following a unilateral intracerebroventricular kainic acid injection at 4, 26, and 60 days post‐lesion, using immunocytochemical expression. The density of calbindin‐positive non‐ pyramidal neurons throughout the hippocarnpus showed no significant alteration at 4 days post‐lesion, a significant decrease at 26 days post‐lesion, and a partial recovery at 60 days post‐lesion. In addition, calbindin immunoreactivity was dramatically reduced at 26 days post‐lesion in the CA1 pyramidal and dentate granule cell layers and the mossy fibers, bilaterally. Although not significant statistically, most of these reductions showed signs of reversal at 60 days post‐lesion except the CA1 pyramidal cell layer where the dramatic reductions persisted. Neurofilaments were also altered throughout the post‐lesion period, particularly in abnormal expression of non‐phosphorylated neurofilament proteins in mossy fibers. The apparent return of calbindin immunoreactivity in non‐pyramidal neurons by 60 days post‐lesion suggests that recovery from the lesion may involve remaining neuronal elements which either become reactivated with time or have the capability to express normal levels of calbindin with re‐innervation. On the other hand, prolonged calbindin reductions in superficial CA1 pyramidal cells suggest sustained down‐regulation of calbindin expression owing to persistent reductions in the activity of these neurons. The temporal correlation of the expression of non‐phosphorylated neurofilamenta in mossy fibers with their sprouting response following target loss suggests a potential role for non‐phosphorylated neurofilaments in neuronal plasticity involving axonal sprouting. Alternatively, it may also suggest that injury‐ induced neurofilament modifications are either conducive or permissive for axonal sprouting. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Challenges of the New Spanish Multipartism: Government Formation Failure and the 2016 General Election

Abstract The 2016 general election was the result of the incapacity of Spanish political parties to agree on the formation of a government following the previous parliamentary election six months earlier. The paper begins by examining how and why this process failed, focusing on institutional and contextual factors, especially those related to the emergence of Podemos and Ciudadanos in the Spanish political arena. Also explained are the negotiation strategies of the different parties, the electoral campaign and the results of the subsequent 2016 general election. These results show that, on the right, most vote changes went from Ciudadanos to the Popular Party while, in the case of the new pre-electoral coalition of UP, former Izquierda Unida voters were more prone to desert.
A common basis for analytical clutter representations

In order to understand the problems intractable problems nature presents us, we are forced to make simplifications till we arrive at simple analytical models that we are capable of understanding. Such canonical models are rare, but useful as tools for constructing more realistic models that we can use analyze nature. The class of analytical models for clutter analysis limited to those that consist of various amplitude models with the phase noise assumed to have a probability density function that is uniformly distributed. These analytical models can be extended by relaxing the assumption of uniform phase noise to phase noise with non-uniform distributions. It is shown how to determine the probability density function for these non-uniform distributions in general and then the method is illustrated with such distributions as Gaussian, Laplacian, and Chi-squared. This enables one to determine the probability density functions of the individual components of clutter model such as x/sub t/ = v/sub t/ cos(/spl Phi//sub c/). Using the rule for determining the products of distributions, we show that the functional form for x/sub t/ is reduced to evaluating integrals that reduce to elliptical functions. Once the functional form has been determined, it is easy to determine the moments of the PDF and hence completely characterize its statistics.