Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamical interactions and the black-hole merger rate of the Universe

Binary black holes can form efficiently in dense young stellar clusters, such as the progenitors of globular clusters, via a combination of gravitational segregation and cluster evaporation. We use simple analytic arguments supported by detailed N-body simulations to determine how frequently black holes born in a single stellar cluster should form binaries, be ejected from the cluster, and merge through the emission of gravitational radiation. We then convolve this 'transfer function' relating cluster formation to black-hole mergers with (i) the distribution of observed cluster masses and (ii) the star formation history of the Universe, assuming that a significant fraction g{sub cl} of star formation occurs in clusters and that a significant fraction g{sub evap} of clusters undergo this segregation and evaporation process. We predict future ground-based gravitational wave detectors could observe {approx}500(g{sub cl}/0.5)(g{sub evap}/0.1) double black-hole mergers per year, and the presently operating LIGO interferometer would have a chance (50%) at detecting a merger during its first full year of science data. More realistically, advanced LIGO and similar next-generation gravitational wave observatories provide unique opportunities to constrain otherwise inaccessible properties of clusters formed in the early Universe.
Design and Characterization of a Supersonic Wind Tunnel for the Study of Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interactions

Abstract : A new 3"x3" supersonic wind tunnel was built to facilitate the continued development of localized arc filament plasma actuators (LAFPAs) as a control method for supersonic mixed compression inlets. A variable angle wedge was employed as the compression surface to generate a variable strength shock wave boundary layer interaction (SWBLI). The resulting flow is Mach 2.33 with a Reynolds number based on boundary layer momentum thickness of 23,000. Several qualitative techniques were used to observe certain aspects of the flow and interaction. Schlieren imaging was used during the troubleshooting phase to identify extraneous shock waves and expansion waves and revealed an unwanted separation region on the ceiling. Oil flow visualization on the interaction surface highlights the three-dimensionality of the separation region, but also confirms a two-dimensional assumption near the centerline of the tunnel. The separation region was found to extend 20 mm in the streamwise direction. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to gather quantitative flow field information about the freestream and boundary layer. The incoming boundary layer, measuring 4.62 mm in thickness, will be analyzed in further detail.
Award Number: W81XWH-12-2-0067 TITLE: The Potential Application and Risks Associated With the Use of Predatory Bacteria as a Bio-control Agent Against Wound Infections

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria have emerged as a serious threat to human and animal health. Bdellovibrio spp. and Micavibrio spp. are Gram-negative bacteria that prey on other Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, the ability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus to prey on MDR Gram-negative clinical strains was examined. Although the potential use of predatory bacteria to attack MDR pathogens has been suggested, the data supporting these claims is lacking. By conducting predation experiments we have established that predatory bacteria have the capacity to attack clinical strains of a variety of ß-lactamase-producing, MDR Gram-negative bacteria. Our observations indicate that predatory bacteria maintained their ability to prey on MDR bacteria regardless of their antimicrobial resistance, hence, might be used as therapeutic agents where other antimicrobial drugs fail. Citation: Kadouri DE, To K, Shanks RMQ, Doi Y (2013) Predatory Bacteria: A Potential Ally against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens. PLoS ONE 8(5): e63397. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0063397 Editor: Axel Cloeckaert, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France Received February 28, 2013; Accepted March 31, 2013; Published May 1, 2013 Copyright: ! 2013 Kadouri et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: This work was partly supported by the Department of the ARMY USAMRAA #W81XWH-12-2-0067 and by UMDNJ departmental start-up fund to DEK. YD was supported in part through a career development award, the National Institutes of Health (K22AI080584). RMQS was supported by NIH grants AI085570, EY08098, and a Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development award. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * E-mail: kadourde@umdnj.edu
The Molecular Basis of ABA-Mediated Plant Response to Drought

‘Drought stress is as complicated and difficult to plant biology as cancer is to mammalian biology’ said Jian-Kang Zhu, a molecular geneticist at the University of California, River‐ side. The capacity of a plant to turn on or turn off a series of genes that further alter plant physiology and morphology allows a plant to tolerate, escape or avoid drought stress. Many countries around the world experience drought stress in different ways but it always leads to a decreased annual yield of crops. Deciphering the basis of the molecular response to stress and the mechanism for the adaptation and acquisition of tolerance can facilitate the creation of cultivars with increased drought tolerance. Drought response is a complex mech‐ anism that has been investigated using a broad spectrum of ‘omics’ techniques, such as mo‐ lecular genetics, functional genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics combined with advanced phenotyping techniques. The response of plants to dehydration stress has been extensively studied in a wide range of species with particular emphasis on model plants such as Arabidopsis. Taking advantage of the knowledge already obtained from Arabidopsis and other model species, it is possible to gain insight into the stress re‐ sponse in crops such as barley or wheat.
Lecture Notes on K-Nearest Neighbors

The k-nearest neighbor classifier works as follows. Given a new input x ∈ Rd, it looks at the k nearest points xi in the data set Dn = (xi, yi) and predicts a majority vote among them. The k-nearest neighbor classifier is quite popular because it is simple to code and to understand; it has nice theoretical guarantees as soon as k is appropriately chosen and performs reasonably well in low dimensional spaces. In this notes, we will investigate the following questions: – consistency: does k-NN has the smallest possible probability of error when the number of data grows? – how to choose k? There are plenty of other possible interesting questions. How should we choose the metric (invariance properties,. . . )? Can we get improved performance by using different weights between neighbors (see Kernel methods)? Is it possible to improve the computational complexity (by reducing the data size or keeping some data in memory,.). These questions are however beyond the scope of these lecture notes and we refer the interested reader to the book [? ].
Running Head: A PARENT’S GUIDE TO NEUROFEEDBACK 1 A Parent’s Guide to Neurofeedback

For parents with children with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), neurofeedback represents an exciting new alternative to treatment with medication. Powerful psycho-stimulant drugs such as Ritalin have side-effects and do not work on changing the underlying causes of the condition. Neurofeedback therapy focuses on changing the underlying symptoms by re-training the brain. Neurofeedback technology has been scientifically proven to be an effective treatment for the underlying core symptoms of ADD/ADHD. This research paper explores the emerging field of neurofeedback and attempts to present evidence of the effectiveness of neurofeedback in simple terms that parents can understand. Neurofeedback provides immediate information to an individual on the state of their brain function. More simply, with certain limitations, the brain can be trained to produce a desired effect. Unhealthy brain wave patterns, such as those associated with ADD/ADHD, can be changed. And those changes are likely to be long term and possibly permanent. Neurofeedback should not be seen as a cure-all remedy. However, if applied properly, neurofeedback presents a safe and effective alternative treatment for ADD/ADHD.
Biomics, 2016, Vol. 8, No 1, 1-19 HONEY BEE STOCK GENOTYPES DO NOT AFFECT THE LEVEL OF PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO CHALKBROOD FUNGUS, ASCOSPHAERA APIS

Breeding honey bees (Apis mellifera) for physiological resistance to diseases is a highly desirable and environmentally safe approach to increasing colony survival. Selection of desirable traits is a critical element of any breeding program. In this study we investigate whether honey bee stocks differ in the level of physiological resistance to chalkbrood disease caused by Ascosphaera apis, one of the major fungal pathogens of the honey bee. The level of brood resistance to systemic mycoses caused by the fungus was determined by the survival of larvae in in vitro bioassays. Our results showed that there was no statistical difference in individual resistance to chalkbrood disease among the three honey bee stocks (Russian, Carniolan, VSH) tested in this study. Furthermore, activation of classical immunity and cellular stress responses did not influence the fate of infected individuals, indicating that activation of the individual physiological responses may not be the primary mechanism of protection against this fungal disease. Rather, behavioral responses by adult bees, as reported previously, are likely the primary mechanism providing resistance at the colony level.
Epigenetics and Drug Abuse

Gene expression and inheritance are not only a function of the DNA code, but also epigenetic mechanisms that regulate DNA accessibility, transcription, and translation of the genetic code into a functional protein. Epigenetic mechanisms are invoked by life experiences, including stress and exposure to drugs of abuse, and the resulting changes in gene expression can be inherited by future generations. This chapter highlights recent research demonstrating epigenetic changes in response to drug exposure with a focus on three different mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncod‐ ing RNAs. We briefly describe each of these mechanisms and then provide key examples of drug-induced changes involving these mechanisms, as well as epigenetic manipula‐ tions that alter effects of drugs. We then review cutting-edge technologies, including viral-mediated gene transfer and gene editing, that are being used to manipulate epigenetic processes with temporal and cell-type specificity. We also describe and provide examples of intergenerational epigenetic modifications, a topic that has interesting implications for how addiction-related traits may be passed down across generations. Finally, we discuss how this research provides a greater understanding of drug addiction and may lead to novel molecular targets for preventions and interven‐ tions for drug abuse.
Stochastic Stability and Disagreements between Dynamics

The replicator dynamics and Moran process are the main deterministic and stochastic models of evolutionary game theory. The models are connected by a mean-field relationship—the former describes the expected behavior of the latter. However, there are conditions under which their predictions diverge. I demonstrate that the divergence between their predictions is a function of standard techniques used in their analysis and of differences in the idealizations involved in each. My analysis reveals problems for stochastic stability analysis in a broad class of games, demonstrates a novel domain of agreement between the dynamics, and indicates a broader moral for evolutionary modeling.
Pathophysiology of NSAID-Associated Intestinal Lesions in the Rat: Luminal Bacteria and Mucosal Inflammation as Targets for Prevention

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can damage the small intestine, mainly through an involvement of enteric bacteria. This study examined the pathophysiology of NSAID-associated intestinal lesions in a rat model of diclofenac-enteropathy and evaluated the effect of rifaximin on small bowel damage. Enteropathy was induced in 40-week old male rats by intragastric diclofenac (4 mg/kg BID, 14 days). Rifaximin (delayed release formulation) was administered (50 mg/kg BID) 1 h before the NSAID. At the end of treatments, parameters dealing with ileal damage, inflammation, barrier integrity, microbiota composition, and TLR-NF-κB-inflammasome pathway were evaluated. In addition, the modulating effect of rifaximin on NLRP3 inflammasome was tested in an in vitro cell system. Diclofenac induced intestinal damage and inflammation, triggering an increase in tissue concentrations of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1β, higher expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4, MyD88, NF-κB and activation of caspase-1. In addition, the NSAID decreased ileal occludin expression and provoked a shift of bacterial phyla toward an increase in Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes abundance. All these changes were counterbalanced by rifaximin co-administration. This drug was also capable of increasing the proportion of Lactobacilli, a genus depleted by the NSAID. In LPS-primed THP-1 cells stimulated by nigericin (a model to study the NLRP3 inflammasome), rifaximin reduced IL-1β production in a concentration-dependent fashion, this effect being associated with inhibition of the up-stream caspase-1 activation. In conclusion, diclofenac induced ileal mucosal lesions, driving inflammatory pathways and microbiota changes. In conclusion, rifaximin prevents diclofenac-induced enteropathy through both anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities.
The semantic effects of verb raising and its consequences in second language grammars

This article considers whether highly proficient second language speakers of English can distinguish meaning contrasts associated with constructions where there is a raising be, and constructions where there is a non-raising thematic verb, as illustrated in the difference between (1a) and (1b): 1a. Kim is reading a novel (`event-in-progress/existential ? interpretation)
Erroreak bigarren hizkuntzaren (H2) irakaskuntzan

One of the main worries for teachers is the problem of the mistakes made by second language students. It is, indeed, something that happens all along the language learning process. Let’s not forget that in any learning process you have to make mistakes before you learn how to do it correctly. In this article we will be analysing the reasons for those mistakes, their sources and types. We will be looking at what different authors have said about this subject in the history of language teaching. Finally, we will show second language teachers how to face the problem and how to put the theory into practice. Laburpena Bigarren hizkuntzako ikasleek egiten dituzten erroreen arazoa izan ohi da irakasleen ardura nagusienetako bat. Izan ere, horixe da ikaste prozesu osoan behin eta berriz agerian daukagun gertaera bat, kontuan izanik ikaste prozesu guztietan bezala, honetan ere, ondo egiteko lehenik txarto egin behar dela. Artikulu honetan erroreen zergatiez, iturriez eta sailkapenez arituko gara. Horretarako hizkuntzen irakaskuntzak izan duen bilakaeraz eta bilakaera horretako zenbait autoreren ekarpenez baliatuko gara. Azkenik, ekarpen teoriko hau guztiari ikaskizun praktikoak atera nahian, bigarren hizkuntzaren eskoletan arazo horren aurrean irakasleok zelan jokatu ahal dugun jakiteko proposamen batzuk egingo ditugu.
Overview of Current Humman Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination

Persistent viral infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes causes virtually all cancer of the cervix. The same HPV genotypes (“types”) also cause cases of anal cancer. Cervical cancer is the third most frequent cancer in women worldwide after breast and colorectal cancers. It ranks fourth of women’s cancers according to the mortality ratio. Two vaccines have been developed against HPV infection; one is a quadrivalent vaccine (Gardasil™) and the other is a bivalent vaccine (Cervarix™). This topic will cover issues related to HPV infections, routine HPV immunization recommendations, vaccination in special patient populations, the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccination, and vaccine safety.
Towards a sociopragmatic-constructivist understanding of information systems

Contemporary understanding of information systems (IS) is flawed by fundamental problems in information systems research and practice. In this chapter, we claim that philosophical presuppositions have a great influence on our understanding of IS. Reflecting on the modernism-postmodernism debate and its methodological consequences for IS research, we derive the need for a paradigmatic foundation of IS research. Referring to Kuhn's concept of "paradigm," we develop a framework for the conceptualization of "paradigms of inquiry. " We use the notion of "model," which we believe to be pivotal for the understanding of IS, to illustrate the implications of the adoption of a "paradigm of inquiry. " In response to a criticism of both the positivist and the radical-constructivist paradigms, we develop a paradigm called "sociopragmatic constructivism" (SPC). Presupposing that human inquiry relies on social contextualization, common practice and cultural history, we propose an agenda for upcoming IS research grounded in SPC.
The Meaning of Syntax: A Study of Adjectives of English

Preface. Chapter 1. The intentional framework of syntax. Chapter 2. Attributive adjectives. Chapter 3. Predicative and Post-nominal Attributive. Chapter 4. Predicate qualifiers and clausal adjectives. Chapter 5. Adverbal and post-verbal adjectives. Chapter 6. Minor structures. Chapter 7. Restrictive and non restrictive adjectives. Chapter 8. Intensional grouping. Chapter 9. Extraclausal adjectives and numerals. Chapter 10. The semantic distinction between mode and comment. Appendix A: The elusive nature of syntax. Appendix B: Towards formalism for intentional syntax. Appendix C: The identity of the adjective position. References. Index.
Som-satser med och utan som

This thesis deals with different types of subordinate clauses in Scandinavian and English, e.g. relative clauses and subordinate wh-questions, that all share the characteristic of having a visible or invisible constituent in a pre-complementizer position (spec-CP). The pre-complementizer constituent, the subject or a non-subject, is sometimes followed by a complementizer (in Co). In English for example, that is used in that-relatives: obligatorily after an invisible subject, otherwise optionally. Swedish uses the complementizer att ('that') in that-clauses but another complementizer, som, in various subclauses with a pre-complementizer constituent. For this reason, the different kinds of subclauses that are focused on in this study are captured by the term som-clauses. The problem in focus is the question of why a complementizer like som or that is obligatory in some som-clauses, optional in others, and in still others (such as pronoun-headed relatives) would be ungrammatical. The analysis of the som-clauses is carried out within a principle- and parameter-based framework. Initially, a split CP is proposed, offering a specific projection for the fronted constituent in som-clauses and for the complementizer som. That on the other hand is placed in a lower projection, an organisation supported by the combined use of som and at ('that') in relatives in colloquial Danish. The different positions of som and that indicate a functional diversity as well. This in turn has provided a clue to the further analysis, which is also founded on two basic assumptions: 1) a fronted invisible constituent has to be formally identified and 2) every clause has to be typed, for instance as a declarative or an interrogative. Som is primarily associated with the former function, whereas that is a (declarative) clause type complementizer. Contextual identification of a fronted invisible constituent and of clause type may in some cases permit omission of som and that. Evidently, there is no general demand for an explicit subordinator in subclauses. However, the obligatory use of som in Mainland Scandinavian after (visible) subjects in embedded wh-questions points to a need of a subordinate feature in some cases.
The epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium in young Australian women

iii Declaration . v Preface . vii Acknowledgements . xi Research outcomes and outputs . xiii Secondary publications . xiii Abbreviations . xxxi Chapter 1. Clinical aspects and epidemiology of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women . 1 1.1 Literature review . 1 1.1.1 Terminology . 1 1.2 Biology of chlamydia . 2 1.2. 1 Life cycle . 3 1.2. 2 Taxonomy . 5 1.2. 3 Serovars: distribution and clinical presentations . 7 1.3 Diagnosis of chlamydia . 8 1.3. 1 Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) . 8 1.3. 2 Sensitivity and specificity of NAAT tests . 11 1.3. 3 Chlamydia sampling methods . 12 1.3. 4 Chlamydia serology . 14 1.3. 5 Organism load . 14 1.4 Clinical presentations of chlamydia in women . 15 1.4. 1 Clinical signs and symptoms . 15 1.4. 2 Upper genital tract infections and chlamydia . 16 1.4. 3 Chlamydia associations with other sexually transmitted infections . 20 1.5 Treatment of chlamydia . 21 1.5. 1 Current recommendations for treatment of chlamydia infection . 21 1.5. 2 Partner notification . 22 1.6 Duration of infection.24 1.7 Epidemiology of chlamydia in women in Australia . 24 1.7. 1 Surveillance and notification of chlamydia in Australia . 24 1.7. 2 Prevalence of chlamydia.27
ANOMALOUS RELATIONS AMONG VARIOUS PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES IN DISTRIBUTED COMPUTER SYSTEMS 1

Distributed computer systems consist of a set of heterogeneous host computers (i.e., nodes) connected by a communication network. A job that arrives at a node may either be processed locally or transferred to another node for remote processing, which we call load balancing. One possible performance objective of load balancing in distributed computer systems is to minimize the overall mean response time. We can characterize analytically the static load balancing policy whereby the mean overall response time is minimized, which we call the overall optimal policy. This policy, however, lacks fairness in the sense that, for example, two jobs arriving at the same node but being forwarded to different nodes may not have the same expected response time. To satisfy fairness among jobs we can consider an individually optimal load balancing policy whereby jobs arriving at the same node have the same (minimum) expected response time regardless of the nodes which process them. Furthermore, we can think of a node optimal load balancing policy whereby the mean response time of jobs arriving at each node is minimum given the decision by the other nodes of which jobs arriving at those nodes are forwarded. We report the existence of some seemingly anomalous phenomena in the mutual relation among the above policies.