Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Submesoscale Routes to Lateral Mixing in the Ocean

Abstract : The long-term goal of this project is to determine whether lateral mixing at O(1-10 km) scales is due to a balanced or unbalanced downscale cascade from the mesoscale, or to local vertical mixing by internal waves and surface forcing. Our work will test hypothesis 3 of the white paper "Scalable Lateral Mixing and Coherent Turbulence. " Non-QG, submesoscale instabilities feed a forward cascade of energy, scalar, and Ertel PV variance, which enhances both isopycnal and diapycnal mixing. Related hypotheses are that submesoscale variability is associated with coherent structures and anisotropic mixing. We ran a number of process studies using a non-hydrostatic model. We examined processes in a domain approximately 100 km x 200 km, but we have improved the model to run on much larger domains (500 km x 1000 km) at the same horizontal resolution. The 3D non-hydrostatic submesoscale resolving model has been optimized and scaled up for use on modern multi-core computer architecture, achieving an efficiency that allows modeling larger domains with meso- and submesoscale interactions. Numerical simulations have been carried out for a baroclinically unstable front in a periodic channel, forced by a constant surface wind stress in many cases. We have analyzed the skew and residual components of across-front buoyancy fluxes and the along-isopycnal bolus transport driven by sub-mesoscale eddies. Pre-observational process studies have been carried out with characteristic values of stratification, mixed layer depth, and lateral buoyancy gradients. We have analyzed numerical experiments in which dye dispersion is examined for the submesoscale frontal instabilities in the presence of wind. The dye is released at two depths in zonal streaks at the beginning of the simulation. The variance in dye concentration is analyzed in time along isopycnal surfaces to study lateral mixing of the dye at various isopycnal depths as a function of mixed layer depth and lateral buoyancy gradient.
A direct comparison of the effects of the quiet room and water immersion isolation techniques.

The present study compares in the same subjects (Ss) the effects of two isolation environments, the quiet room and the water-immersion procedure. Total endurance time in the respective environments, heart rate, and subjective time estimates were the dependent variables. Data on 5 male and 5 female young adult Ss are presented. With voluntary termination possible at any time, Ss spent an average of over 5 1/4 hrs in the room and 4 1/2 hrs in the tank. These Ss underestimate the time spent in the room but overestimate the time spent under water. The average heart rate in the room is about 67 bpm while that in the tank is about 81 bpm. All of these differences are statistically reliable. These results support the position that the water-immersion technique of isolation is a more stressful procedure than the more generally used room technique. The S appears to be more aroused or alerted in the tank than he is in the room.
Learning Management System Use to Increase Mathematics Knowledge and Skills in Puerto Rico

The purpose of this study was to compare the results of a mathematics comprehensive exam of two first-year university mathematics groups in Puerto Rico and measure the benefits and effectiveness of a learning management system LMS in math teaching and learning. The experimental group engaged in the use of a LMS and traditional teaching methods, while the control group was only engaged in traditional teaching methods. The population of the study was comprised of 579 first-year university students. The control groups included 287 participants, and the experimental group included 292 participants. The experimental group entered the university with significantly less mathematical knowledge 18% or less, and as such, had to learn more content 55% more. The learning outcomes of both courses expected students to acquire mathematical knowledge. The study revealed that the students who engaged in the use of the LMS in their teaching and learning methods, obtained significantly greater achievement of mathematical knowledge than the students who soley received traditional instruction.
Optimal Platoon Trajectory Planning Approach at Arterials

Cooperative (automated) vehicles have the potential to enhance traffic efficiency and fuel economy on urban roads, especially at signalized intersections. An optimal control approach to optimize the trajectories of cooperative vehicles at fixed-timing signalized intersections along an arterial is presented. The proposed approach aims to optimize throughput first, and then to maximize comfort while minimizing travel delay and fuel consumption. The proposed approach is flexible in dealing with both quadratic and more complex cost functions. Assuming fixed timing signal control in a cycle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, the red phase is taken into account in position constraints for vehicles that cannot pass the intersection in the green phase. Safety is guaranteed by constraining the inter-vehicle distance larger than some desired value. The approach is scalable and can be used for joint trajectory planning of one platoon approaching another stationary platoon. It can also be extended to multiple intersections with fixed signal plans. To verify the performances of the controlled platoon, simulation under three different traffic scenarios is conducted, namely: an isolated intersection with/without downstream vehicle queues, and platoon control at multiple intersections. Three baseline scenarios without control are also designed to compare performances in relation to both mobility and fuel consumption in each controlled scenario. The results demonstrate that the controlled vehicles generate plausible behavior under control objectives and constraints. Moreover, the consideration of downstream vehicle queues and the application at both an isolated signalized intersection and arterial corridors on urban roads verify the flexible characteristics of the control framework.
New Mode of Energy Metabolism in the Seventh Order of Methanogens as Revealed by Comparative Genome Analysis of “Candidatus Methanoplasma termitum”

ABSTRACT The recently discovered seventh order of methanogens, the Methanomassiliicoccales (previously referred to as “Methanoplasmatales”), so far consists exclusively of obligately hydrogen-dependent methylotrophs. We sequenced the complete genome of “Candidatus Methanoplasma termitum” from a highly enriched culture obtained from the intestinal tract of termites and compared it with the previously published genomes of three other strains from the human gut, including the first isolate of the order. Like all other strains, “Ca. Methanoplasma termitum” lacks the entire pathway for CO2 reduction to methyl coenzyme M and produces methane by hydrogen-dependent reduction of methanol or methylamines, which is consistent with additional physiological data. However, the shared absence of cytochromes and an energy-converting hydrogenase for the reoxidation of the ferredoxin produced by the soluble heterodisulfide reductase indicates that Methanomassiliicoccales employ a new mode of energy metabolism, which differs from that proposed for the obligately methylotrophic Methanosphaera stadtmanae. Instead, all strains possess a novel complex that is related to the F420:methanophenazine oxidoreductase (Fpo) of Methanosarcinales but lacks an F420-oxidizing module, resembling the apparently ferredoxin-dependent Fpo-like homolog in Methanosaeta thermophila. Since all Methanomassiliicoccales also lack the subunit E of the membrane-bound heterodisulfide reductase (HdrDE), we propose that the Fpo-like complex interacts directly with subunit D, forming an energy-converting ferredoxin:heterodisulfide oxidoreductase. The dual function of heterodisulfide in Methanomassiliicoccales, which serves both in electron bifurcation and as terminal acceptor in a membrane-associated redox process, may be a unique characteristic of the novel order.
Comparison of the fracture resistance of reattached incisor tooth fragments using 4 different materials.

AIM To evaluate and compare the fracture resistance of reattached teeth using four different materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS 150 extracted human permanent maxillary incisors were randomly divided into five groups of 30 teeth each of one control and four experimental groups. Teeth in experimental groups were sectioned 2.5 mm from incisal edge and reattached using four different materials. The reattached teeth were subjected to evaluate fracture resistance. RESULTS The mean fracture resistance of reattached teeth using resin modified glass ionomer cement, compomer, composite resin and dual curing resin cement was 8.10 ± 2.34, 11.15 ± 3.36, 17.11 ± 3.99 and 14.13 ± 3.71 kg respectively. Results showed highly significant difference between the groups ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Fracture resistance of reattached teeth in the different groups varied from 24-51% of that for an intact tooth. Reattachment with composite resin provides highest fracture resistance ( P < 0.05). Reattachment with resin-modified glass ionomer cement was the weakest ( P < 0.05).
Otologic consequences of blast exposure: a finnish case study of a shopping mall bomb explosion

Objective—On 11 October, 2002, in the Myyrmanni shopping mall, Vantaa city, Finland, an explosion by a suicide bomber killed 7 people and injured at least 160, 44 of whom had ear trauma. We investigated the acute and subacute otologic consequences of the explosion. Material and Methods—Otologic examination of the 29 patients treated for ear trauma at the ENT clinic of the University Hospital of Helsinki was performed during the first month after the explosion, and a questionnaire was completed regarding subjective aural symptoms. Symptoms occurring directly after the explosion and for up to 1 month afterwards were assessed. Results—Of the 29 patients, 66% had tinnitus as the initial symptom, 55% hearing loss, 41% pain in the ears and 28% sound distortion. Tinnitus and hearing loss in combination were experienced by 12 patients (41%). Eight patients who had been situated<10 m from the center of the explosion had a rupture of the tympanic membrane. This supported the initial evaluation by the authorities that the bomb had consisted of ≈3 kg ammonium nitrate, equivalent to ≈0.5 kg of trinitrotoluene. It was estimated that some kind of ear injury was likely for individuals situated<70 m from the center of the explosion. Conclusions—People often think that tinnitus and hearing impairment are naturally occurring phenomena after blast exposure, and if their symptoms resolve they do not seek medical advice. However, some of them may have substantial hearing impairment, particularly at high frequencies. Otologic consultation, or at least an audiometric screening test to exclude hearing impairment, should be performed regardless of symptoms, on the basis of exposure data only. Some symptoms, such as tinnitus and hearing loss, may be permanent consequences of a blast injury and their effect on quality of life may be substantial.
Learning Sparse Neural Networks through L0 Regularization

We propose a practical method for $L_0$ norm regularization for neural networks: pruning the network during training by encouraging weights to become exactly zero. Such regularization is interesting since (1) it can greatly speed up training and inference, and (2) it can improve generalization. AIC and BIC, well-known model selection criteria, are special cases of $L_0$ regularization. However, since the $L_0$ norm of weights is non-differentiable, we cannot incorporate it directly as a regularization term in the objective function. We propose a solution through the inclusion of a collection of non-negative stochastic gates, which collectively determine which weights to set to zero. We show that, somewhat surprisingly, for certain distributions over the gates, the expected $L_0$ norm of the resulting gated weights is differentiable with respect to the distribution parameters. We further propose the \emph{hard concrete} distribution for the gates, which is obtained by "stretching" a binary concrete distribution and then transforming its samples with a hard-sigmoid. The parameters of the distribution over the gates can then be jointly optimized with the original network parameters. As a result our method allows for straightforward and efficient learning of model structures with stochastic gradient descent and allows for conditional computation in a principled way. We perform various experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of the resulting approach and regularizer.
The biochemistry of common aeroallergens

In recent years, our knowledge ofthe structure of many of the important aeroallergens has increased greatly due to the application of sophisticated molecular biological and protein chemistry techniques. We now know the complete amino acid sequences of more than 50 allergens, and the number of clinically significant allergens remaining to be sequenced is rapidly growing smaller. The data obtained from such studies have been extensively reviewed [1] and they clearly indicate that, from a structural standpoint, allergens are indistinguishable from conventional antigens, and that factors known to contribute to antigenicity per se will apply to allergens entering the respiratory tract. However, it has become apparent too that many allergens demonstrate a range of biochemical activities suggesting these properties may also contribute to immunogenicity [2]. In this article, the available information on the physicochemical characteristics and biochemical properties of many of the individual protein allergens from common aeroallergenic sources such as plants, fungi and bacteria (Tables 1-6), dust mites and insects (Table 7, 8), animals (Tables 6, 9) and birds (Table 10) have been collated.
New Grain P and K Concentration Values for Illinois Field Crops

Most fertilizer P and K rate recommendations for the North-Central US are based on a combination of critical soil-test levels and the amount of fertilizer nutrient required to maintain that level. Our goal was to update P and K removal numbers by harvest of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Illinois. With the collaboration of farmers, grain handlers, and stakeholders, we collected, over a 3-year period, a total of 2335, 2621, and 825 samples of corn, soybean, and wheat grain, respectively, with samples from most counties in Illinois. Yields were collected during the first year of sampling; grain nutrient concentrations were found to be independent of yield. We selected the 75th percentile as the new value for grain concentrations. For corn, these values were 0.37 lb P2O5 and 0.23 lb K2O per bushel; both are about 14% lower than the reference values. For soybean, these values were 0.75 and 1.18 lb P2O5 and K2O, respectively, which are, respectively, 12 and 10% less than reference values. For wheat, new values are 0.46 and 0.28 lb P2O5 and K2O,decreases of 22 and 8% for P and K, respectively, compared to reference values. While the exact origins of the reference values used in Illinois are not clear, our having found lower grain concentrations in this survey indicates that improved varieties and management practices over time have not led to increases in per-bushel nutrient removal, although increased yields will mean more removal of nutrients. But lowering, by about 12% relative to the old reference values, the per-harvested-bushel amounts of P and K fertilizer applied to replace nutrients removed should not lead to decreasing soil test values over time. M fertilizer P and K rate recommendations in the NorthCentral US are based on a combination of a critical soil-test value and a mass-balance calculation of nutrient addition required to maintain that level; response-based fertilizer application for lowtesting soils and removal-based fertilizer application to maintain desirable soil-test P and K values (Mallarino et al., 2011; Mallarino et al., 2013). In our current cropping systems, corn and soybean grain P and K per-bushel removal amounts are essential components of the mass-balance calculations for appropriate fertilizer use thus a high level of accuracy is needed. State agronomy guides have been questioned for using crop nutrient removal values based on yield levels, plant populations, and crop cultivars that have changed significantly over recent decades (Heckman et al., 2003; Mallarino et al., 2011; Mallarino et al., 2013). Phosphorus and K are essential plant nutrients supplied as fertilizers from non-renewable sources, as well as from recycled through manure and sludge. The amounts of P and K required for crop Crop Forage Turfgrass Manage. 5:180090. doi:10.2134/cftm2018.11. 0090 © 2019 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Published May 6, 2019
Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Delayed Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in a Midsized City of Brazil

Patients treated in the specialized service at a midsized city in Brazil participated in a cross-sectional study that aimed to identify the risk factors for delayed diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. Through interviews and review of medical records, information was collected on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and diagnoses. The study included 403 patients, of whom 216 (53.6%) were male and 311 (77.1%) had ≤8 years of education. According to the criteria adopted in this study, 162 (40.2%) of the participants had a late diagnosis of AIDS. Only 19 (4.7%) were diagnosed by routine examinations and 45 (11.2%) presented with AIDS-defining disease at the time of diagnosis. After adjustments, the results showed that having more education was protective against a late diagnosis for women. With the advance of the AIDS epidemic to small town and rural Brazil, vulnerable populations now include low-income and less educated women, most of whom have had monogamous relationships throughout their lives.
Cytokines and HIV-1: Interactions and Clinical Implications

Cytokines play an important role in controlling the homoeostasis of the immune system. Infection with HIV results in dysregulation of the cytokine profile in vivo and in vitro. During the course of HIV-1 infection secretion of T-helper type 1 (Th1) cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2, and antiviral interferon (IFN)-γ, is generally decreased, whereas production of T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines, IL-4, IL-10, proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α;, is increased. Such abnormal cytokine production contributes to the pathogenesis of the disease by impairing cell- mediated immunity. A number of cytokines have been shown to modulate in vitro HIV-1 infection and replication in both CD4 T lymphocytes and cells of macrophage lineage. HIV-inductive cytokines include: TNF-α, TNF-p, IL-1 and IL-6, which stimulate HIV-1 replication in T cells and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15, which upregulate HIV-1 in T cells, and macrophage-colony stimulating factor, which stimulates HIV-1 in MDM. HIV-suppressive cytokines include: IFN-α, IFN-β and IL-16, which inhibit HIV-1 replication in T cells and MDM, and IL-10 and IL-13, which inhibit HIV-1 in MDM. Bifunctional cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-4 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor have been shown to have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on HIV-1. The β-chemokines, macrophage-inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP- 1β and RANTES are important inhibitors of macrophage-tropic strains of HIV-1, whereas the α-chemokine stromal-derived factor-1 suppresses infection of T-tropic strains of HIV-1. This review outlines the interactions between cytokines and HIV-1, and presents clinical applications of cytokine therapy combined with highly active antiretroviral therapy or vaccines.
Oral pilocarpine for post-irradiation xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS We evaluated pilocarpine hydrochloride for the treatment of radiation-induced xerostomia, a common complication of irradiation of the head and neck. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken to test the safety and efficacy of pilocarpine, particularly in reversing the decrease in the production of saliva and other manifestations of xerostomia. Patients received either placebo or pilocarpine (5 mg or 10 mg orally three times a day) for 12 weeks and were evaluated at base line and every 4 weeks. RESULTS We studied 207 patients who had each received > or = 4000 cGy of radiation to the head and neck. In the patients receiving the 5-mg dose of pilocarpine, oral dryness improved in 44 percent, as compared with 25 percent of the patients receiving placebo (P = 0.027). There was overall improvement in 54 percent of the 5-mg group as compared with 25 percent of the placebo group (P = 0.003), and 31 percent of the 5-mg group had improved comfort of the mouth and tongue, as compared with 10 percent of the placebo group (P = 0.002). Speaking ability improved in 33 percent of the 5-mg group as compared with 18 percent of the placebo group (P = 0.037). Saliva production was improved, but it did not correlate with symptomatic relief. There were comparable improvements in the group receiving the 10-mg dose. The primary adverse effect was sweating, in addition to other minor cholinergic effects. Six and 29 percent of the patients in the 5-mg and 10-mg groups, respectively, withdrew from the study because of adverse effects. There were no serious adverse effects related to pilocarpine. CONCLUSIONS Pilocarpine improved saliva production and relieved symptoms of xerostomia after irradiation for cancer of the head and neck, with minor side effects that were predominantly limited to sweating.
A Scalable High-Performance Priority Encoder Using 1D-Array to 2D-Array Conversion

In our prior study of an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {L}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bit priority encoder (PE), a so-called one-directional-array to two-directional-array conversion method is deployed to turn an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {L}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bit input data into an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {M\times N}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bit matrix. Following this, an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {N}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bit PE and an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {M}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bit PE are employed to obtain a row index and column index. From those, the highest priority bit of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {L}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bit input data is achieved. This brief extends our previous work to construct a scalable architecture of high-performance large-sized PEs. An optimum pair of (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {M}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {N}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) and look-ahead signal are proposed to improve the overall PE performance significantly. The evaluation is achieved by implementing a variety of PEs whose <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\boldsymbol {L}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> varies from 4-bit to 4096-bit in 180-nm CMOS technology. According to post-place-and-route simulation results, at PE size of 64 bits, 256 bits, and 2048 bits the operating frequencies reach 649 MHz, 520 MHz, and 370 MHz, which are 1.2 times, 1.5 times, and 1.4 times, as high as state-of-the-art ones.