Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anuário do Instituto de Geociências

Studies assessing the presence of endocrine disrupting compounds in marine environments have increased in the last decades. In Brazil, the combination of poor sanitation conditions and low investment in sewage treatment plants leads to significant contamination of receiving waters. The risks of these micropollutants in the aquatic biota include biochemical and histopathological alterations of the liver, gonads, and kidneys, as well as, reproductive process and development modifications, and behavioral changes, among others. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the surface and deep waters of Guanabara Bay, southeastern Brazil, regarding the presence of estrogenic substances. Acute toxicity assays were also conducted employing Vibrio fischeri. The estrogenic activity of the water samples was determined by Yeast Estrogen Screen assay and the quantification of the Bisphenol A, estriol, 17β-estradiol, and 17α-ethinylestradiol by high-performance liquid chromatography, using fluorescence and diode array detectors. Estrogenic activity ranged from 9 to 77 ng L-1 of estradiol equivalents. The highest micropollutants concentrations were detected for bisphenol A (298.5 and 465.5 ng L-1), followed by 17α-ethinylestradiol (248 and 256.9 ng L-1), estriol (70.7 and 179.6 ng L-1), and 17β-estradiol (167 and 174.8 ng L-1) for surface and deep waters, respectively. The findings indicate significant risks for the Guanabara Bay ecosystem. No acute toxicity effects were observed in the V. fisheri assay. These data reflect the current environmental degradation situation of the bay’s waters and highlight the need for the systematic monitoring of this important estuary.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Deconstructing the differences

Background: Pneumonia and diarrhea are leading causes of death for children under five (U5). It is challenging to estimate the total number of deaths and cause-specific mortality fractions. Two major efforts, one led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and the other led by the World Health Organization (WHO)/Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG) created estimates for the burden of disease due to these two syndromes, yet their estimates differed greatly for 2010. Methods: This paper discusses three main drivers of the differences: data sources, data processing, and covariates used for modelling. The paper discusses differences in the model assumptions for etiology-specific estimates and presents recommendations for improving future models. Results: IHME ’ s Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 study estimated 6.8 million U5 deaths compared to 7.6 million U5 deaths from CHERG. The proportional differences between the pneumonia and diarrhea burden estimates from the two groups are much larger; GBD 2010 estimated 0.847 million and CHERG estimated 1.396 million due to pneumonia. Compared to CHERG, GBD 2010 used broader inclusion criteria for verbal autopsy and vital registration data. GBD 2010 and CHERG used different data processing procedures and therefore attributed the causes of neonatal death differently. The major difference in pneumonia etiologies modeling approach was the inclusion of observational study data; GBD 2010 included observational studies. CHERG relied on vaccine efficacy studies. Discussion: Greater transparency in modeling methods and more timely
SURFACE ENERGY BALANCE OF A PERENNIAL SNOWBANK, MELVILLE ISLAND, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA

The energy balance of a large perennial snowbank located in the continuous permafrost zone was examined during the summer of 1986. Three meteorological towers allowed energy fluxes to be determined for separate zones of the snowbank. Over the melt season, net radiation accounted for 85% of the energy absorbed by the snow surface, while sensible heat contributed 15% and latent heat was a net loss of 2%. Albedo varied across the snowbank due to an irregular distribution of surface aeolian deposits. Direct measurements of snowmelt from a snow survey compare favorably with calculated values obtained from the energy balance. The net shortwave radiation flux was a significant influence on ablation, explaining on average 77% of the variance in the measured melt. The predominance of the radiant fluxes is attributed to the large size of the snowbank and its sustained melt through the cool arctic summer.
Salt Stress in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough: An integrated genomics approach

The ability of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough to reduce, and therefore contain, toxic and radioactive metal waste has made all factors that affect the physiology of this organism of great interest. Increased salinity is an important and frequent fluctuation faced by D. vulgaris in its natural habitat. In liquid culture, exposure to excess salt resulted in striking elongation of D. vulgaris cells. Using data from transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolite assays, phospholipid fatty acid profiling, and electron microscopy, we used a systems approach to explore the effects of excess NaCl on D. vulgaris. In this study we demonstrated that import of osmoprotectants, such as glycine betaine and ectoine, is the primary mechanism used by D. vulgaris to counter hyperionic stress. Several efflux systems were also highly up-regulated, as was the ATP synthesis pathway. Increases in the levels of both RNA and DNA helicases suggested that salt stress affected the stability of nucleic acid base pairing. An overall increase in the level of branched fatty acids indicated that there were changes in cell wall fluidity. The immediate response to salt stress included up-regulation of chemotaxis genes, although flagellar biosynthesis was down-regulated. Other down-regulated systems included lactate uptake permeases and ABC transport systems. The results of an extensive NaCl stress analysis were compared with microarray data from a KCl stress analysis, and unlike many other bacteria, D. vulgaris responded similarly to the two stresses. Integration of data from multiple methods allowed us to develop a conceptual model for the salt stress response in D. vulgaris that can be compared to those in other microorganisms.
Multilayer control for inverters in parallel operation without signal interconnection

-A multilayer control is proposed for inverters with wireless parallel operation in this paper. It consists of three layers. The first layer is based on an improved droop method, which shares the active and reactive power in each module by adjusting the phase and amplitude of the output voltage respectively. The second layer is to compensate the droop voltage caused by the droop control and thus improve the load regulation performance of the inverter. The third layer limits the phase deviation between the inverter and the shared ac bus in order to ensure all the paralleled inverters keeping in phase. The operational principle and implementation are analyzed in details. A prototype, configured by two paralleled inverters, is set up. Experimental results verify the validity of the proposed control.
Journal of Technology Management for Growing Economies

Growing economies have recovered from the global financial crisis faster than many developed economies and increased the consumption significantly over the past years. In light of the role of their consumption growth in global sustainability, this paper analyzes the decisive factors leading to a virtuous cycle between consumption propensity and investment in growing economies. An empirical analysis was conducted to identify the contributing factors to such a cycle in 40 countries. They could be divided into three economic groups by the marginal propensity to consume. The results suggest that growing economies suffer from an autarky cycle between consumption and GDP due to insufficient investment elasticity against consumption elasticity while advancing and advanced economies allow GDP growth to induce investment efficiently. A possible trigger for inducement of investment by growth in growing economies can be 'frugality'.
PEDIATRIC AND CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE Original Studies Erosion by the Amplatzer Septal Occluder: Experienced Operator Opinions at Odds With Manufacturer Recommendations?

Background: Device erosion is a very rare but potentially fatal complication of ASD occlusion by the Amplatzer Septal Occluder (ASO). After reviewing cases of device erosion, recommendations for ASD sizing and device selection were revised by a small group of ‘‘experts’’ and adopted by the device manufacturer in 2004. These revisions, which recommend use of smaller devices, which do not straddle the aorta, remain controversial. Objective: The aim of our study is to help define an expanded expert consensus with respect to the causes and preventive strategies for erosions. Methods: We report a case of device erosion in which the 2004 revisions were carefully followed; and a survey of the members of the Congenital Cardiovascular Interventional Study Consortium (CCISC) soliciting experiences with and opinions about device erosion. Results: In our case, the device disk appeared to protrude into the aortic root but not straddle, and had motion independent of cardiac movement. Of 57 survey responders having a total experience of 12,006 ASO implants, 12 members reported 14 erosions among 3,010 implants. Ninety percent of erosions occurred in patients with deficit aortic rim. Of 53 patients, 38 (71.7%) responded that devices, which are undersized and do not straddle the aorta are at highest risk of erosion. Of 52 patients, 44 (84%) responded that motion of the device relative to the heart may cause erosion. Conclusion: Both the survey results and our single case experience suggest that operator opinions (and perhaps also device sizing practices) are at odds with the 2004 revisions. Further study and focus on this issue is needed. ' 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Free wave effects in meteotsunamis

Free wave generation due to a ship or storm moving past a shallow, great depth change of the water, is measured on the shore (coast), modeled and compared. The free waves are generated at the depth change where the forced wave and velocity field attached to the moving pressure system adjust to the new depth. The wavenumber is a factor 1/12 smaller in the meteotsunami case compared to the ship case. The subcritical depth Froude numbers are similar in the two cases. The meteotsunami that occurred on the Norwegian Coast on 29–30 June 2019
GENERALIZED LOWER BOUNDS DERIVED FROM HASTAD ' S MAIN I

Hastad (1986) has proved that the size of any depth-k circuit computing the parity or the majority function is ~(20"1(0"3n)~/°~-~)). In this article we gcnerali~ the proof to yield ~milar lower bounds for arbitra/'y symmetric functions of {0,1} n. This improved results of Fagin et al. (1985), who showed that the nonexistence of polynomial-size, constant<lopth circuits for the majority function implies the nonexistence of such circuits for other symmetric functions.
Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Concomitant Chemoradiation using Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy Technique in Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer patients

Background : Induction gemcitabine-based chemotherapy followed by concomitant chemoradiation would increase response rate and resectability in locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. Patients: Patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma . Methods: were assigned to receive gemcitabine-based chemotherapy for 2-4 cycles, patients who showed partial response were assigned to receive CCRT with IMRT technique, our primary endpoint was surgical resection, secondary end point was disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Results: After 2-4 cycles of induction chemotherapy. Only 28 patients received the planned protocol of chemoradiation. Nine patients underwent surgical resection. No marginal involvement (R0) was observed in 3 patients. They reached a complete response until the end of the study. Nineteen patients received chemoradiation only. Good partial response was observed in 13 patients, one showed stationary disease. Disease progression occurred in seven patients. Chemotherapy toxicity was mild in all patients. Neutropenia was more with Gemcitabine/oxaloplatin. Thrombocytopenia was more in both gemciatabine monotherapy and gemcitabine/cisplatin arm. Anemia was more common with gemcitabine/cisplatin. Non heametological toxicity included, fatigue, Weight loss, gastrointestinal toxicity, nausea & vomiting. Radiation side effects were mild in all patients and included mild inflammatory skin reaction, delayed gastric emptying, flatulence or diarrhea. Gastrointestinal bleeding was observed in 5 patients. Progression free and overall survival rates were better in patients who received CCRT even who did not proceed for surgery. Conclusion: The use of concomitant chemoradiation as part of a neoadjuvant multi-modality treatment is associated with improved outcomes, tumor downstaging, increased rate of R0 resection and better survival.
The Economic and Demographic Transition, Mortality, and Comparative Development

We present a theory of the economic and demographic transition where adult longevity, child mortality, fertility and the education composition of the population are jointly determined. The model allows for an investigation of the determinants of underdevelopment traps as well as of the mechanism that leads to an endogenous exit out of the trap. We also study the di¤erent roles of exogenous reductions in mortality and of permanent di¤erences in extrinsic mortality for comparative development. The theory delivers a series of novel predictions which are illustrated with a simple dynamic simulation of the model. These predictions are shown to be consistent with evidence using both time series data and crosscountry panel data. the IZA Workshop on Demographic Change and the UN Development Policy Seminar in New York, for helpful discussions and comments on an earlier version of this paper. We are also particularly grateful to David de la Croix for providing us with schooling data for Sweden and to Vegard Skirbekk for allowing us to reproduce some of his results. The usual disclaimer applies.
Follow the white rabbit * : Experimental and computational models of the rabbit heart provide insights into cardiac ( patho-) physiology

Basic research to improve our understanding of the complex, multi-dimensional regulatory processes governing physiological and pathological cardiac function e particularly if combined with the goal of ‘bench to bedside’ translation e requires animal models that capture essential aspects of human physiology. The rabbit e the largest of the small laboratory animals e represents a species that mimics human cardiac (patho-) physiology surprisingly well: The ‘relative size’ of electrophysiological and structural characteristics of the rabbit heart closely resemble those of human (Panfilov, 2006). Rabbit coronary architecture and responses to ischemia are fairly similar to human (Harken et al., 1981; Galinanes and Hearse, 1990). Key electrical features show pronounced similarities in the two species, in terms of ion currents determining cardiac action potential properties, intracellular ion concentrations, and responses to electrophysiologically relevant pharmacological interventions (Nerbonne, 2000; Valentin et al., 2004; Hondeghem, 2016). Regional contractile and diastolic behaviour of rabbit hearts resembles that of human (Jung et al., 2012), similar cardiac mechano-electrical coupling mechanisms have been described (Quinn et al., 2014), and both species express predominantly b-myosin heavy chain in the ventricles (while mouse myocardium, for example, contains nearly exclusively a-myosin heavy chain (Marian, 2005)). Thanks to novel developments in animal transgenesis, rabbits have entered the range of species in whom genetic manipulation can successfully replicate certain human cardiac diseases (Sanbe et al., 2005; Brunner et al., 2008; Odening et al., 2010; Major et al., 2016). Also, the rabbit heart has been among those that have been characterized on multiple levels from isolated cardiomyocyte, tissue culture, living cardiac tissue slices, to Langendorff-perfused hearts (Wang et al., 2014) and have been structurally and functionally imaged and computationally modelled in great detail (Burton et al., 2014; Lamata et al., 2014; Hooks et al., 2001; Li et al., 2004). In this special issue of Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, we provide a snapshot of experimental and computational models of the rabbit heart used for cardiovascular research. Reviews and original papers cover themes from cardiac structure, to electrical and mechanical cardiac function, including novel insight from transgenic rabbit models e highlighting important insights from ion channel function to integrated behaviour, covering themes from arteriosclerosis to arrhythmogenesis.
Shadow Justice: The Ideology and Institutionalization of Alternatives to Court

This first critical examination of informal dispute processing links the institutionalization of alternatives to the court process and the ideology of informalism with the evolution of the American court system. The author connects dispute processing reform to the broader social and political context in which it developed, including the rise of judicial management in the Progressive period and the reconstruction of court unification in the 1970s. Harrington defines legal resources and their distribution in alternative dispute resolution policy before focusing on the institutionalization of this reform in a case study of a federally sponsored Neighborhood Justice Center. In conclusion, Harrington finds that the symbols of informalism and its institutions are a mere shadow of conventional legal practices.
Effect of different land use on main soil properties.

Intensive agriculture throughout a long period is likely to cause soil degradation. Therefore, monitoring of soil quality in agricultural regions is essential for food quality and food safety. The present study is conducted in the agricultural region of Croatia (Osijek-Baranja County) where 74 samples were collected from forest land (21) and agricultural land (53). The study investigates differences between forest soils and agricultural soils (arable land and pasture) in regard of main soil properties such as pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), bulk density (BD), total nitrogen (Tot-N), available phosphorous (AL-P) and available potassium (AL-K). In addition to main soil properties, total concentrations of several micronutrients (Fe, Mn and Zn) have been observed as well. The aim of this study is to identify potential soil degradation of particular soil property. The significant differences (p˂0.001) have been observed for all above mention soil properties (with exception of micronutrients). However, negative effect of agricultural practice has been observed only for SOC, Tot-N and BD, suggesting degradation of these soil properties. As mentioned earlier, total concentrations of micronutrients (Fe, Mn and Zn) showed no significant difference between land use, therefore there is no soil degradation due to agricultural practice with regard of these three micronutrients. However, availability of these micronutrients is largely dependent on soil properties (pH and SOC).
The Brain Time Toolbox, a software library to retune electrophysiology data to brain dynamics

Human thought is highly flexible, achieved by evolving patterns of brain activity across groups of cells. Neuroscience aims to understand cognition in the brain by analysing these intricate patterns. We argue this goal is impeded by the time format of our data – clock time. The brain is a system with its own dynamics and regime of time, with no intrinsic concern for the human-invented second. Here, we present the Brain Time Toolbox, a software library that retunes electrophysiology data in line with oscillations that orchestrate neural patterns of cognition. These oscillations continually slow down, speed up, and undergo abrupt changes, introducing a disharmony between the brain’s internal regime and clock time. The toolbox overcomes this disharmony by warping the data to the dynamics of coordinating oscillations, setting oscillatory cycles as the data’s new time axis. This enables the study of neural patterns as they unfold in the brain, aiding neuroscientific inquiry into dynamic cognition. In support of this, we demonstrate that the toolbox can reveal results that are absent in a default clock time format.
Designing as Interpretation

The paper suggests an interpretative approach to the empirical study of design processes. Design processes are conceived as social processes of interpretation and construction of meaning, and potentially of context generation. In contrast to models which conceive designing as a goal-directed process, an interpretative approach suggests a methodological reorientation. It assumes that design goals are more or less incomplete and vague at the beginning of a design process and are interpreted in contexts and in part are created by designers in the design process on the basis of their experience, embodied skills, and practices. The interpretative paradigm in design research seeks to observe, investigate, and describe practices that designers use in the process. Rather than attempting to determine and prescribe how practitioners ought to do their work, the research question is on how work is actually done - how interpretation is achieved by designers in particular design processes. An extract is analysed in some detail in the paper. These data are taken from the transcript of a case study of a design process in practice. Sociological and socio-linguistic (‘sensitizing’) concepts such as frames and contexts are adopted to describe and analyze some practices observed in the episodes. The paper focuses on an aspect of designing – various forms of involvement and stances designers’ take on in the meaning making process of interpretative design work. Interpretative analysis takes into account designers’ alignments which constitute “participation frameworks” and ground designers’ multimodal practices in different media (language, drawing, gesture). Goffman’s (1981) concept of “footing” is used to reveal more subtle shifts in stances that designers take in designing. Investigation of referential practices designers use in some utterances in the observed design conversation suggests that designers step into, displace, and position themselves in transformed, “keyed” situations to experience the solicitations of design situations more directly and to take the role of others as well as the role of objects. These practices appear to be part of designers’ ability to construct meaning by establishing perspectives and getting “maximal grip” on design situations so as to exert their skills. Analysis of types of stances designers take in an observed design process, some of which addressed in the paper, may provide a way to describe an aspect of designers’ artistry and to characterize the particularities of unique design processes. The suggested approach is intended to contribute to a better theoretical understanding of designing and to the methodology of design research as an ‘epistemology of practice’. Interpretative analysis also aims to provide description of designers’ practices which may, as its practical benefits, contribute to ‘the reflective turn’ in design research. Keywords: Design Research Methodology; Design Practices; Framing; Case Study