Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pattern formation in nonequilibrium physics

The complex patterns that appear everywhere in nature have been cause for wonder and fascination throughout human history. People have long been puzzled, for example, about how intricate snowflakes can form, literally, out of thin air; and our minds boggle at the elegance of even the simplest living systems. As physicists, we have learned much about natural pattern formation in recent years; we have discovered how rich this subject can be, and how very much remains to be understood. Our growing understanding of the physics of pattern formation has led us to speculate—so far with only limited success—about a more general science of complexity, and to pose deep questions about our ability to predict and control natural phenomena.
A comparative study of two agamid lizards, Laudakia stellio and Pseudotrapelus sinaitus , in southern Sinai

The study compared habitat use and behaviour in two sympatric species of agamid lizard, Laudakia stellio and Pseudotrapelus sinaitus. Despite sharing the same habitat, the two species differed in their utilisation of microhabitats within it. Pseudotrapelus spent significantly longer on rocks compared to Laudakia. Pseudotrapelus showed evidence of heliothermic regulation, spending most of the time in the sun, but moving into the shade in the warmer afternoons. These varying temporal patterns may reflect differential thermoregulatory requirements between the two lizard species. Pseudotrapelus can change colour rapidly. There was no evidence of any thermoregulatory function in this ability; it is likely to be a form of social communication. Being brightly coloured was associated with behaviours implying increased conspicuousness: blue lizards were alert and vigilant for an average of 93% of each viewing session, compared to just 60% of the time in non-blue camouflaged lizards. The striking nature of the transitory blue colouration suggests it may have evolved for maximum salience, a trait common with signals. We simulated social encounters using blue model lizards and mirrors. Behavioural responses to these stimuli all involved colour changes, and support the social-signaling hypothesis.
High-Power 268-GHz Push-Push Transformer-Based Oscillator With Capacitive Degeneration

A high-power push–push transformer-based oscillator (TBO) adopting a capacitive degeneration technique is proposed. The capacitive degeneration circuit reduces the effective parasitic capacitances of the transistor and enhances the negative conductance generated by the TBO. The proposed oscillator is fabricated with 65-nm CMOS technology. The measured output power of the proposed single core oscillator is −1.4 dBm at 268 GHz with 2.4% dc-to-RF efficiency. The proposed oscillator core is able to generate a high output power at a high operating frequency while maintaining good dc-to-RF efficiency.
Endodontic Management of Maxillary First Molarwith 7 Canals - A Case Report

Comprehensive knowledge about the normal anatomy of the root canal system and its variations of the teeth are essential for the clinician as aberrations in number, shape and size are very common. Various diagnostic aids like preoperative radiographs in multiple angulations or the Cone Beam Computed Tomography can help the clinician in location and effective debridement of the root canal system. This case report describes a rare occurrence of 7 canals in a maxillary first molar in which CBCT was used as an additional diagnostic tool.
Rap 1 Activation in Collagen Phagocytosis Is Dependent on Nonmuscle Myosin IIA

*CIHR Group in Matrix Dynamics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E2, Canada; †Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892; ‡Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; §Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115; St. Michael’s Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada; and ¶Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
Preliminary Data on Vitamin D Deficiency and Treatment in a Cohort of Sicilian RLS / WED Patients

Vitamin D deficiency has been noticed to correlate with the occurrence and severity of RLS/WED both in children and in adults. We submit preliminary data on a cohort of 17 (14 females) adult Sicilian patients followed during the last two years in our sleep clinic. All of them had low vitamin D values (mean 15.8 mg/ml), and most of them low ferritin (mean 24 mg/ml), mean IRLS-RS 22.5. Patients were mostly treated by DA-agonists, only two were on pregabalin alone. Eight of seventeen all on Dopamine agonists, mean duration of therapy 12 years, had also augmentation, which was worse for patients with comorbid OSA and females with lower D3. Vitamin D supplementation follow up data (6 months) are available on 5 patients. Severity scores were significantly decreased in parallel with D3 values normalization and augmentation was resolved in 2 out of 5 female patients treated.
Learnability of a Configurator Empowering End Users to Create Mobile Data Collection Instruments: Usability Study

Background Many research domains still heavily rely on paper-based data collection procedures, despite numerous associated drawbacks. The QuestionSys framework is intended to empower researchers as well as clinicians without programming skills to develop their own smart mobile apps in order to collect data for their specific scenarios. Objective In order to validate the feasibility of this model-driven, end-user programming approach, we conducted a study with 80 participants. Methods Across 2 sessions (7 days between Session 1 and Session 2), participants had to model 10 data collection instruments (5 at each session) with the developed configurator component of the framework. In this context, performance measures like the time and operations needed as well as the resulting errors were evaluated. Participants were separated into two groups (ie, novices vs experts) based on prior knowledge in process modeling, which is one fundamental pillar of the QuestionSys framework. Results Statistical analysis (t tests) revealed that novices showed significant learning effects for errors (P=.04), operations (P<.001), and time (P<.001) from the first to the last use of the configurator. Experts showed significant learning effects for operations (P=.001) and time (P<.001), but not for errors as the experts’ errors were already very low at the first modeling of the data collection instrument. Moreover, regarding the time and operations needed, novices got significantly better at the third modeling task than experts were at the first one (t tests; P<.001 for time and P=.002 for operations). Regarding errors, novices did not get significantly better at working with any of the 10 data collection instruments than experts were at the first modeling task, but novices’ error rates for all 5 data collection instruments at Session 2 were not significantly different anymore from those of experts at the first modeling task. After 7 days of not using the configurator (from Session 1 to Session 2), the experts’ learning effect at the end of Session 1 remained stable at the beginning of Session 2, but the novices’ learning effect at the end of Session 1 showed a significant decay at the beginning of Session 2 regarding time and operations (t tests; P<.001 for time and P=.03 for operations). Conclusions In conclusion, novices were able to use the configurator properly and showed fast (but unstable) learning effects, resulting in their performances becoming as good as those of experts (which were already good) after having little experience with the configurator. Following this, researchers and clinicians can use the QuestionSys configurator to develop data collection apps for smart mobile devices on their own.
Ab initio Intermolecular Potential Energy Surface and Calculation of Second Virial Coefficients for the Cl2–Cl2 Dimer

The results presented in this paper are the ab initio intermolecular potentials and the second virial coefficient, B 2 ( T ) of the dimer Cl 2 -Cl 2 . These ab initio potentials were proposed by the quantum chemical calculations at high level of theory CCSD (T) with basis sets of Dunning’s valence correlation-consistent aug-cc-pV m Z ( m = 2, 3); these results were extrapolated to complete basis set limit aug-cc-pV23Z. The ab initio energies of complete basis set limit aug-cc-pV23Z resulted from the exponential extrapolation were used to construct the 5-site pair potential functions. The second virial coefficients for this dimer were predicted from those with four-dimensional integration. The second virial coefficients were also corrected to first-order quantum effects. The results turn out to be in good agreement with experimental data, if available, or with those from empirical correlation. The quality of ab initio 5-site potentials proved the reliability for prediction of molecular thermodynamic properties.
Stimulatory Effect of Magnetite Nanoparticles on a Highly Enriched Butyrate-Oxidizing Consortium

Syntrophic oxidation of butyrate is catabolized by a few bacteria specialists in the presence of methanogens. In the present study, a highly enriched butyrate-oxidizing consortium was obtained from a wetland sediment in Tibetan Plateau. During continuous transfers of the enrichment, the addition of magnetite nanoparticles (nanoFe3O4) consistently enhanced butyrate oxidation and CH4 production. Molecular analysis revealed that all bacterial sequences from the consortium belonged to Syntrophomonas with the closest relative of Syntrophomonas wolfei and 96% of the archaeal sequences were related to Methanobacteria with the remaining sequences to Methanocella. Addition of graphite and carbon nanotubes for a replacement of nanoFe3O4 caused the similar stimulatory effect. Silica coating of nanoFe3O4 surface, however, completely eliminated the stimulatory effect. The control experiment with axenic cultivation of a Syntrophomonas strain and two methanogen strains showed no effect by nanoFe3O4. Together, the results in the present study support that syntrophic oxidation of butyrate is likely facilitated by direct interspecies electron transfer in the presence of conductive nanomaterials.
Measuring Airway Inflammation in Asthmatic Children

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in children characterized by airways inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, recurrent reversible airways obstruction, and respiratory symptoms. The diagnosis of the disease is based on clinical history, airways obstruction at spirometry, and bronchial reversibility. Asthma treatment is aimed to disease control, through the use of controller treatment and monitoring lung function. However, lung function and symptoms not always reflect the underlying airways inflammation and response to the therapy. Objective parameters of asthma inflammation could be important for the clinician in the management of patients with asthma. In the last years, some studies were focused on biomarkers to identify phenotype, inflammation, and pathobiological pathways to help the clinician in the diagnosis and in personalizing the management. Accordingly, clinically feasible tests are represented by the collection of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Other—methods such as the evaluation of volatile organic compound (VOCs), that reflect airways inflammation and treatment efficacy, are currently used for research purposes For some of these methods, The lack of standardization in pre-collection, collection, post-collection of samples, and interpretation of the results may a problem in clinical practice. Improved these limitations, several biomarkers will be useful to distinguish patients with a different disease condition to personalize the treatment.
Remineralization Efficacy of an Amelogenin-Based Synthetic Peptide on Carious Lesions

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the remineralization efficacy of an amelogenin-based peptide on initial enamel carious lesions in vitro. Furthermore, we attempted to provide insights into the possible mechanism of the remineralization, including determining the calcium-binding properties of the peptide and its effects on calcium phosphate mineralization. Methods: The peptide comprising the N-terminus and the C-terminus of porcine amelogenin was synthesized by Synpeptide Co., Ltd. Fifty specimens were randomly assigned to five immersing treatment groups for 12 days: remineralizing medium only; 12.5 μg/mL peptide + remineralizing medium; 25 μg/mL peptide + remineralizing medium; 50 μg/mL peptide + remineralizing medium; fluoride + remineralizing medium. After immersion, mean mineral loss before and after remineralization of each specimen was determined using micro-CT. Mean mineral gain after remineralization was calculated. Calcium binding properties were measured by Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). TEM and Fourier transform-infrared were used to determine the effects of the peptide on calcium phosphate mineralization. Results: A significant decrease in mineral loss after remineralization process in all groups was observed (p < 0.05). Treatment in remineralizing medium resulted in the lowest mineral gain while the fluoridated treatment exhibited the highest mineral gain among all groups. Inclusion of synthetic peptide in the remineralizing medium exhibited a higher mineral gain and the gain of 50 μg/mL group was greater than that of the 25 μg/mL group. No significant difference in mineral gain was observed between the remineralizing medium only group and the 12.5 μg/mL peptide group (p > 0.05). ITC values showed that the Ca2+-binding affinity of the peptide is about 9.914 × 104M−1. Furthermore, the peptide was found to inhibit calcium phosphate precipitation and stabilize amorphous calcium phosphate formation for more than 2 h and finally transform into ordered hydroxyapatite crystals. Conclusion: Specific concentrations of the amelogenin-based synthetic peptide promoted in vitro remineralization, with higher concentrations exhibiting significantly greater remineralization. This study presented evidence suggesting that the peptide may act as a Ca2+carrier as well as a regulating factor. When the stabilizing calcium and phosphorus ions bind with the peptide they become biologically available for the remineralization of deeper carious lesions, while also regulated by the peptide to transform into ordered hydroxyapatite crystals.
Energy Balance Climate Models and the Spatial Structure of Optimal Mitigation Policies

We develop a one-dimensional energy balance climate model with heat transportation across locations. We introduce the concept of potential world GDP at time t, and we introduce, through the temperature function, spatial characteristics into the damage function which make damages latitude dependent. We solve the social planner’s problem and characterize the competitive equilibrium. We define optimal taxes on fossil fuels and profit taxes on firms that extract fossil fuels. Our results suggest that if the implementation of international transfers across latitudes is not possible, then optimal taxes are spatially non homogeneous and tend to be lower at the poor latitudes. The degree of spatial differentiation of optimal taxes depend on heat transportation. We also locate sufficient conditions for optimal mitigation policies to have rapid ramp-up initially and then decrease over time. By employing the properties of the spatial model and approximating solutions, we show how to study the impact of thermal transport across latitudes on welfare inequality.
Assessing Among‐Locus Variation in the Inference of Seed Plant Phylogeny

Large multilocus analyses can greatly reduce sampling error in phylogenetic estimates and help resolve difficult phylogenetic questions. Yet conventional multilocus analyses may be confounded by variation in the phylogenetic signal or processes of evolution among loci. We used nonparametric bootstrapping methods to examine locus‐specific variation within a 12‐locus seed plant data set and to examine the effects of this variation on estimates of seed plant phylogeny. The observed maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony bootstrap support from phylogenetic analyses of sites within single loci often notably differs from the bootstrap support obtained by sampling an equal number of sites from the concatenated 12‐locus data set. This indicates heterogeneity among loci in the phylogenetic inference, and the differences among loci are not explained by the distribution of fast and slowly evolving sites. Bootstrap analyses that resample loci with replacement, rather than sampling individual sites with replacement, reveal extensive sampling variance among loci. The results suggest that seed plant phylogenetic analyses may not be robust to sampling error when only 12 loci are used and indicate a need for further investigation into the causes of the locus‐specific variation.
Model assisted bootstrapping for annotation of segmentation datasets

Applying deep learning to new domains usually implies a considerable data collection problem. We look at idea of how we can use a partially trained model as an aid to a human annotator. We do this by providing the partially trained model's prediction as a starting point for a human annotator to directly edit. This is demonstrated by applying our ideas to building a small segmentation dataset for labeling trees in a plantation. We also show that by starting with a pre-trained model and fine-tuning, we can provide a useful aid to a human annotator using very few input images.
Cloud obstruction and snow cover in Alpine areas from MODIS products

Snow cover maps provide information of great practical interest for hydrologic purposes: when combined with point values of snow water equivalent (SWE), they enable estimation of the regional snow resource. In this context, Earth observation satellites are an interesting tool for evaluating large scale snow distribution and extension. MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on board Terra and Aqua satellites) daily Snow Covered Area product has been widely tested and proved to be appropriate for hydrologic applications. However, within a daily map the presence of cloud cover can hide the ground, thus obstructing snow detection. Here, we consider MODIS binary products for daily snow mapping over the Po River basin. Ten years (2003–2012) of MOD10A1 and MYD10A1 snow maps have been analysed and processed with the support of a 500 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM). We first investigate the issue of cloud obstruction, highlighting its dependence on altitude and season. Snow maps seem to suffer the influence of overcast conditions mainly in mountain and during the melting period. Thus, cloud cover highly influences those areas where snow detection is regarded with more interest. In spring, the average percentages of area lying beneath clouds are in the order of 70%, for altitudes over 1000 m a.s. l. Then, starting from previous studies, we propose a cloud removal procedure and we apply it to a wide area, characterized by high geomorphological heterogeneity such as the Po River basin. In conceiving the new procedure, our first target was to preserve the daily temporal resolution of the product. Regional snow and land lines were estimated for detecting snow cover dependence on elevation. In cases when there was not enough information on the same day within the cloud-free areas, we used temporal filters with the aim of reproducing the micro-cycles which characterize the transition altitudes, where snow does not stand continually over the entire winter. In the validation stage, the proposed procedure was compared against others, showing improvements in the performance for our case study. The accuracy is assessed by applying the procedure to clear-sky maps masked with additional cloud cover. The average value is higher than 95% considering 40 days chosen over all seasons. The procedure also has advantages in terms of input data and computational effort requirements.
A European perspective on HRM

This paper provides a European perspective on Human Resource Management (HRM). It explores these issues by examining the growing field of comparative HRM; exploring some of the conceptual approaches to the topic and the different explanations for national differences that they espouse; considering some of the issues that make HRM in Europe distinctive; examining the notion of Europe itself and the variations within it; and considering whether the differences within Europe are reducing over time as a result of globalisation. The paper argues that Europe offers a wider ranging and more critical concept of HRM.
Hot spring sinters: keys to understanding Earth's earliest life forms

The question of what composed the Earth's oldest fossils is the subject of current debate. At present, taphonomical determination of Archean silicified microfossils is largely based on morphological comparisons with extant microorganisms. This method has significant shortcomings because little is known about which types of bacteria silicify, what physical changes are induced on those species during mineralization, and, most importantly, what their preservation potential is. Terrestrial hot springs may help resolve these uncertainties because the silica-supersaturated geothermal fluids mineralize a wide variety of natural microbial communities and thus lead to the formation of numerous distinct biofacies. Some of these biofacies are reminiscent of Archean siliceous stromatolites from which the oldest microfossils were recovered. We suggest that by integrating molecular techniques that characterize the indigenous microbial populations growing in different biofacies with electron microscopy, we may be able to assess better what types of ancient microbes could have become fossilized. Resume : La question a savoir quels sont les plus vieux fossiles de la Terre est un sujet de debat actuel. Pour le moment, la determination taphonomique des microfossiles silicifies de l'Archeen est grandement basee sur des comparaisons morphologiques avec des micro-organismes existants. Cette methode comporte des lacunes importantes car l'on en connait peu sur les bacteries susceptibles de silicification, quels changements physiques sont induits sur ces especes durant la mineralisation et, encore plus important, quel est leur potentiel de preservation. Les sources thermales terrestres peuvent aider a resoudre ces incertitudes car les fluides geothermiques sursatures en silice mineralisent une grande variete de communautes microbiennes naturelles et forment ainsi de nombreux biofacies distincts. Quelques-uns de ces biofacies font penser aux stromatolites siliceux datant de l'Archeen desquels les plus anciens microfossiles ont ete recuperes. Nous suggerons qu'en integrant des techniques moleculaires, qui caracterisent les populations microbiennes indigenes croissant dans divers biofacies, a la microscopie electronique, nous serons en mesure de mieux evaluer quels types d'anciens microbes pourraient avoir ete fossilises. (Traduit par la Redaction) Konhauser et al. 1724