Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SUDS, LID, BMPs, WSUD and more – The evolution and application of terminology surrounding urban drainage

The management of urban stormwater has become increasingly complex over recent decades. Consequently, terminology describing the principles and practices of urban drainage has become increasingly diverse, increasing the potential for confusion and miscommunication. This paper documents the history, scope, application and underlying principles of terms used in urban drainage and provides recommendations for clear communication of these principles. Terminology evolves locally and thus has an important role in establishing awareness and credibility of new approaches and contains nuanced understandings of the principles that are applied locally to address specific problems. Despite the understandable desire to have a ‘uniform set of terminology’, such a concept is flawed, ignoring the fact that terms reflect locally shared understanding. The local development of terminology thus has an important role in advancing the profession, but authors should facilitate communication between disciplines and between regions of the world, by being explicit and accurate in their application.
The effect of education on parental attitudes and beliefs towards vaccines

Introduction: The importance, safety, and efficacy of vaccines has been questioned more than ever despite the clear and significant effectiveness of vaccines to reduce the incidence of severe illnesses. Currently, the only required education before administering vaccines is the Vaccine Information Statements (VIS), which is provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) at each vaccination visit. These statements outline benefits and risks of vaccines but are written at an above-average reading level and do not directly address specific vaccine concerns. Many vaccine concerns can be assuaged with proactive education by providers at early well-child visits. Objective: To determine the best methods for providers to educate parents about vaccines. Methods: 241 studies were found through Pubmed and Pediatric Journal searches. 93 records were screened, and 14 articles were assessed for eligibility. Three randomized trials were chosen and a systematic review was performed for each. Intervention: All studies provided an easy-to-read pamphlet that addressed specific questions about vaccine safety, importance, and efficacy. One study (Williams, et al) also provided a video addressing common vaccine concerns. Results: In all studies, supplemental educational information led to improved attitudes about vaccines. None of the studies reported a significant change in the number of on-time vaccines received. Mothers in all groups stated they preferred to receive vaccine information prior to the first visit when vaccines were administered. Conclusion: Easy-to-understand, accessible information addressing vaccine concerns provides more confidence in recommended vaccination schedules as compared to receiving the standard VIS. Providing these educational handouts prior to the first vaccination visit eases parent concerns without taking additional provider time.
CheriRTOS: A Capability Model for Embedded Devices

Embedded systems are deployed ubiquitously among various sectors including automotive, medical, robotics and avionics. As these devices become increasingly connected, the attack surface also increases tremendously; new mechanisms must be deployed to defend against more sophisticated attacks while not violating resource constraints. In this paper we present CheriRTOS on CHERI-64, a hardware-software platform atop Capability Hardware Enhanced RISC Instructions (CHERI) for embedded systems. Our system provides efficient and scalable task isolation, fast and secure inter-task communication, fine-grained memory safety, and real-time guarantees, using hardware capabilities as the sole protection mechanism. We summarize state-of-the-art security and memory safety for embedded systems for comparison with our platform, illustrating the superior substrate provided by CHERI's capabilities. Finally, our evaluations show that a capability system can be implemented within the constraints of embedded systems.
Euscorpius sicanus (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) from Tunisia: DNA barcoding confirms ancient disjunctions across the Mediterranean Sea

We used a DNA barcoding marker (mitochondrial cox1) to investigate the controversial natural occurrence of Euscorpius sicanus (C.L. Koch) in North Africa. We tested this hypothesis by comparing a sample collected from a mountain in Tunisia to disjunct populations in Sardinia, Malta, and Greece. Using these samples, and a few additional Euscorpius spp. from southern Europe as outgroups, we reconstructed the maternal phylogeny. We then used a molecular clock to place the phylogeny in a temporal context. The Tunisian sample grouped closest to a specimen from Sardinia, with both being more distantly related to E. sicanus from Malta, which is known to be genetically similar to samples from Sicily. Molecular clock estimates suggest an ancient disjunction across the Mediterranean Sea, with the divergence between samples from Sardinia and Tunisia estimated to have occurred between the Late Miocene and late Pliocene. The divergence date (mean = 5.56 Mya) closely corresponds with the timing of a sudden refilling of the Mediterranean Sea after it had evaporated during the Messinian salinity crisis. This rapid influx of water, in conjunction with tectonic activity, could have sundered connections between Euscorpius in North Africa and what is now the island of Sardinia. These results provide yet another case in which DNA barcodes have proven useful for more than just identifying and discovering species.
Biosorption of Ni(II), Cu(II), Fe(III) and Cr(VI) from dilute aqueous solutions using Tamarindus indica fruit shells

Biosorption of four metal ions, namely, Ni(II), Cu(II), Fe(III) and Cr(VI), has been studied by tamaridus indica fruit shells in batch mode. The sorption processes were found to obey the RedlichPeterson adsorption isotherm. Kinetic studies performed indicate that the sorptions are better represented by the pseudo-second order kinetic model. It is also observed that the overall rates of the sorptions were governed by particle diffusion constraints at the concentrations of metal ions studied. Thermodynamic studies reveal that the processes are endothermic and the thermodynamic parameters like, ΔG, ΔH and ΔS were evaluated.
Mock-Up Driven Designing Of Full-Mouth Implant-Supported Metal-Ceramic Fixed Prostheses

Objectives: Planning of the treatment steps and designing of the implant-supported fixed final prosthesis are primarily important to respond the esthetic and functional requirements of the fully edentulous patient. Clinical Considerations: Pre-operative planning of the treatment steps and the surgical and prosthetic applications provide the post-operative satisfaction. Conclusions: Mock-up provides a simple, quick, improvable and an inexpensive solution in the planning of the implant-supported full-mouth restorations and guarantees the successful results. Clinical Implications: Mock-up driven planning was found simple, quick, improvable, inexpensive and successful in prosthetic treatment of a fully edentulous case with the implant-supported, full-mouth, metal-ceramic, fixed prostheses.
Probability Distributions of Common Repeated Events are Misestimated

Accurately estimating the prospective probability distribution arising from repeatedevents with known probabilities, such as the number of heads in ten coin flips, represents asimple aptitude necessary for explicit Bayesian updating and useful in optimal decisions in theface of future uncertainty. Across elicitation methods and decision scenarios, people expressbeliefs that are systematically biased relative to the actual distribution. Participant beliefs reflecta “wizard-hat” shaped distribution, over-estimating the tails and under-estimating the shouldersof the distribution, relative to the actual bell-curve shape. While experts are relatively moreaccurate than novices, both show significant bias. The bias is not explained by regression to themean, random error or participant heterogeneity, and is exacerbated by increasing the number ofrepeated events. The findings caution against assuming Bayesian belief formation in models ofstatistical reasoning about explicit prospective beliefs based on repeated events with knownprobabilities.
Drought Planning for Vegetable Production

Author(s): Cahn, Michael | Abstract: When water is in short supply, growers must estimate how much water their crops require, as well as how much water is available, to determine how much land can be planted and irrigated. Growers can arrive at these estimates by performing calculations that take into account crop water requirements such as evapotranspiration and salt management; available irrigation water; and available non-irrigation water sources such as rainfall, fog, and shallow groundwater. Performing these calculations will allow growers to make informed decisions about how many acres to plant.
Researchers ’ Blogging Pract ices in Two Epistemic Cultures

This article presents a study of 16 scholarly blogs with the aim to gain an in-depth understanding of what characterizes blogging as part of the scholarly communication. Eight blogs from high energy physics (HEP) and eight from digital history were closely followed. The analysis was made by employing an analytical framework based on genre theory. The results reveal common communicative purposes in the scholarly blogs; there are many similarities in form features and content, which also relate to the purposes of the blogs. In addition, the context in which the blogs are situated is based both in the blogging researchers’ epistemic cultures and in their knowledge about blogging practices. A conclusion is that the scholarly blogs is an addition to the landscape of scholarly communication, including communication with the public, and that the scholarly blogs contribute to our understanding of how research is done.
Pesticide-Derived Aromatic Amines and Their Biotransformation

Aromatic amines (AA) are an important and diversified class of pollutants, including industrial products, drugs, combustion products, pesticides or dyes. Some AA, in particular pesticide-derived AA, are persistent in soils and ground waters and exhibit potential toxicity. These compounds may accumulate in the environment, where they have noxious effects. This is especially true for 3,4 dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA), a byproduct of aniline-derived herbicides such as diuron. In treated soil, diuron is transformed into 3,4-DCA and then acetylated by soil bacteria and fungi into the less toxic acetyl-DCA. Microorganisms are thus good candidates to be used for decontamination of AA-polluted soils, a process known as bioremediation. Recent data indicate that filamentous fungi represent promising candidates for bioremediation of AAcontaminated soils. However, fundamental research is still needed to better understand the potential of fungi in metabolizing these pollutants.
Consequences of Truth-in-Sentencing

Like many other states, in the mid-1990s Mississippi responded to growing public fear of crime and mounting dissatisfaction with its criminal justice system by implementing a series of ‘get tough’ measures designed to control crime. Perhaps the primary vehicle for reform has been the enactment of ‘truth-in sentencing’ legislation. Truth-in-sentencing (TIS) does not imply a specific correctional policy, but covers a variety of reforms designed to improve the delivery of proportionate punishments and promote stability and predictability in administering criminal justice. In 1995 Mississippi implemented a TIS law which mandated that felons sentenced to prison must serve at least 85 percent of their sentence. Mississippi’s TIS law is unique compared to those passed in other states in that the 85 percent requirement applies to all groups of offenders, including non-violent offenders. The comprehensive nature of Mississippi’s TIS law has had a dramatic impact on the state’s criminal justice system - particularly its correctional component. This article examines both the direct effect of TIS on correctional populations, as well as the unanticipated impact of TIS on patterns of judicial decision making and political and economic dynamics related to prison construction in rural counties.
Targeting lung cancer initiating cells by all-trans retinoic acid-loaded lipid-PLGA nanoparticles with CD133 aptamers

Lung cancer initiating cells represent a specific subpopulation of lung cancer cells, which significantly contribute to the initiation, metastasis and recurrence of lung cancer. CD133, initially considered a marker of stem cells, is now considered as a marker for lung cancer initiating cells. All-trans retinoic acid (RA) has been demonstrated to cause the differentiation, inhibition of proliferation, and apoptosis of cancer cells and cancer initiating cells. However, there have been no reports on the activity of RA against lung cancer initiating cells. In the present study, the activity of RA against lung cancer initiating cells was investigated by determining the cytotoxicity, and performing a tumorsphere assay and flow cytometry-based analysis. In addition, to promote the therapeutic effect of RA in CD133+ lung cancer initiating cells, RA-loaded lipid poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles with CD133 aptamers (RA-LPNPs-CD133) were developed. The activity of RA and RA-LPNPs-CD133 against lung cancer initiating cells was also investigated. RA-LPNPs-CD133 had a size of 129.9 nm, and exhibited sustained release of RA during the 144-h period. For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the present study demonstrated that RA exerted potent activity towards CD133+ lung cancer initiating cells. The results also showed that RA-LPNPs-CD133 efficiently and specifically promoted the delivery of RA to CD133+ lung cancer initiating cells, exhibiting superior inhibitory effects against CD133+ lung cancer initiating cells compared with non-targeted nanoparticles and RA. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to report the promotion of RA delivery via nanoparticles to lung cancer initiating cells and achievement of a superior inhibitory effect against lung cancer initiating cells by the utilization of CD133 aptamers. Therefore, RA-LPNPs-CD133 represents a promising tool for the elimination of lung cancer initiating cells.
Chapter ATP , THE SPERM MOVEMENT ENERGIZER

Most spermatozoa in the animal or vegetal kingdom are cells bearing a very elongated extension called flagellum. This ubiquitous organelle is propelling the spermatozoon by developing waves, which propagate from the head (nucleus of this cell) to the distal tip of this flagellum. Waves formation and propagation require ATP hydrolysis as the main source of biochemical energy: therefore, a flagellum represents a typical biological micro-machine, which effects transformation from chemical to mechanical energy with high efficiency. Wave propagation mostly provides physical thrust of the flagellum by viscous friction onto the surrounding medium, thus allowing forward translational movement of the spermatozoon. The intend of this book chapter is to summarize knowledge about the biochemical elements which, in a spermatozoon, are in charge of transforming potentially available chemical energy contained in ATP into mechanical energy in order to ultimately allow sperm cell to reach the egg and achieve its fertilization. The actual models, which explain such mechano-chemical property, will be presented as well as detailed information on how such mechano-transduction results from the activity of micro-motors called dynein-ATPase and localized all along the flagellum as part of the main structural scaffold called axoneme (motor). The production of ATP by sperm mitochondria will be reviewed as well as the role of a biochemical shuttle present in a flagellum, which involves other molecules with high-energy bonds (creatine-phosphate as example) and are in charge of distributing homogenously the ATP concentration all along the flagellar compartment. Special emphasis will be focused on animal species in which most advanced knowledge have been acquired during the 50 past years on the ATP physiology of sperm cells: sea urchin, oysters, fish but also mammalian, including human. Regulative aspects of flagella activity, which are under control of ATP related molecules such as cyclic-AMP (cAMP) in sperm of many species, will also be reviewed. ∗ E-mail jacosson@gmail.com
Transfer RNA in Decoding and the Wobble Hypothesis

Translation of the genetic code stored in messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) requires significantly fewer transfer RNAs (35–45) than there are codons (61, amino acid specifying). This is achieved through an increased flexibility in the allowable base-pair interactions between the messenger RNA and the transfer RNA involving the third position of the codon and the first position of the corresponding anticodon. The rules governing this RNA:RNA interaction were originally summarised in Crick's ‘wobble hypothesis’. Covalent modification of the first base of an anticodon of a transfer RNA can profoundly affect the degree of flexibility in its base-pairing potential by either extending or restricting such interactions. Recent studies suggest that the rate at which a codon is processed by the ribosome is influenced by whether or not decoding of that codon is via wobble base interactions. Yet, in spite of this flexibility and different rates of processing, decoding by transfer RNAs is achieved with considerable accuracy.
Improving Measurement Quality and Efficiency with Adaptive Testing

Approaches to adaptive (tailored) testing based on item response theory are described and research results summarized. Through appropriate combinations of item pool design and use of different test termination criteria, adaptive tests can be designed (1) to improve both measurement quality and measurement efficiency, resulting in measurements of equal precision at all trait levels; (2) to improve measurement efficiency for test batteries using item pools designed for conventional test administration; and (3) to improve the accuracy and efficiency of testing for classification (e.g., mastery testing). Research results show that tests based on item response theory (IRT) can achieve measurements of equal precision at all trait levels, given an adequately designed item pool; these results contrast with those of conventional tests which require a tradeoff of bandwidth for fidelity/precision of measurements. Data also show reductions in bias, inaccuracy, and root mean square error of ability estimates. Improvements in test fidelity observed in simulation studies are supported by live-testing data, which showed adaptive tests requiring half the number of items as that of conventional tests to achieve equal levels of reliability, and almost one-third the number to achieve equal levels of validity. When used with item pools from conventional tests, both simulation and live-testing results show reductions in test battery length from conventional tests, with no reductions in the quality of measurements. Adaptive tests designed for dichotomous classification also represent improvements over conventional tests designed for the same purpose. Simulation studies show reductions in test length and improvements in classification accuracy for adaptive vs. conventional tests; live-testing studies in which adaptive tests were compared with "optimal" conventional tests support these findings. Thus, the research data show that IRT-based adaptive testing takes advantage of the capabilities of IRT to improve the quality and/or efficiency of measurement for each examinee.
Molecular and Supramolecular Changes in Polybutylene Succinate (PBS) and Polybutylene Succinate Adipate (PBSA) Copolymer during Degradation in Various Environmental Conditions

In this paper, the influence of the various degradation conditions, on the molecular and supramolecular structure of polybutylene succinate (PBS) and polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA) copolymer during degradation is described. The experiment was carried out by the use of injection molded samples and normalized conditions of biodegradation in soil, composting and artificial weathering. Materials were studied by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with multiangle laser light scattering (MALLS) detection and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Additionally, the physical and mechanical properties of the samples were determined. The performed experiments clearly show difference impacts of the selected degradation conditions on the macroscopic, supramolecular and molecular parameters of the studied aliphatic polyesters. The structural changes in PBS and PBSA explain the observed changes in the physical and mechanical properties of the obtained injection molded samples.
Trophic relationships in an interlinked mangrove-seagrass ecosystem as traced by delta 13C and delta 15N

The food web structure of a mangrove forest and adjacent seagrass beds in Gazi Bay, Kenya, was examined with stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio techniques. A carbon isotopic ratio gradient was found from mangroves with mean (+/-SD) delta(13)C value of -26.75 +/- 1.64 parts per thousand to seagrass beds with -16.23 +/- 4.35 parts per thousand. Seagrasses close to the mangroves were more depleted in C-13 than seagrasses close to the major coral reef. Macroinvertebrates collected along this mangrove seagrass bed transect showed a similar delta(13)C gradient. Fishes collected near the mangroves were depleted in C-13 compared to fishes collected in the seagrass meadows. The fish community was differentiated on the basis of its carbon isotopic ratios and the site where individuals were collected. Three groups were identified: (1) species occurring in seagrass meadows in the close vicinity of the mangrove swamps; (2) species migrating between mangroves and the seagrass meadows, together with species occurring throughout the entire seagrass area, from close to the mangroves to the outer bay; and (3) species that use the seagrass meadows proper as a lifetime habitat. The results show that seagrass stands are the main feeding grounds providing food for all fish species studied. delta(15)N signatures allowed to the identification of the following trophic levels: (1) fish species feeding on seagrasses and macroalgae (herbivores); (2) fish feeding on zoo/benthos- plankton (zoobenthiplanktivores); and (3) other fish and/or macro-crustacea (piscivores/benthivores). A N-15 isotepe enrichment of