Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Improved Soil Moisture Retrieval Algorithm Based on the Land Parameter Retrieval Model for Water–Land Mixed Pixels Using AMSR-E Data

The land parameter retrieval model (LPRM) has been widely used for the retrieval of microwave-based global surface soil moisture (SSM). In the original LPRM algorithm, soil surface effective temperature (SSET) was retrieved from the Ka-band (36.5 GHz) brightness temperature (BT) and then used as input data for the estimation of SSM. In this study, SSET retrieved from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer of the Earth Observing System Radiometer (AMSR-E) Ka-band BT was validated against MODIS land surface temperature (LST) data, and the results show that when the fraction of water surface (FWS) within an AMSR-E pixel increases in the range from 0–0.01 to 0.15–0.4, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) increases drastically from 1.98 to 11.42 Kelvin (K). When validation was conducted on SSET data retrieved with the K-band (18.7 and 23.8 GHz) BT, the RMSEs were maintained below 2.0 K for FWS ranging from 0 to 0.4. Therefore, in the original LPRM, we substituted the Ka-band BT with the K-band BT to produce more accurate estimations of SSET and hence improved SSM retrievals. Our results show that for FWS ranges of 0–0.01, 0.01–0.05, 0.05–0.15, and 0.15–0.4, the correlation coefficients ( $R$ -values) between SSM retrieved with the improved LPRM and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) measurements are 0.78, 0.75, 0.77, and 0.46, respectively, compared with the corresponding $R$ -values of 0.78, 0.65, 0.56, and 0.34 for SSM retrieved with the original LPRM. This demonstrates that against the original LPRM, our improved LPRM can produce more accurate SSM retrievals under water–land mixed pixels.
Exploring Effects of Media Type and Delivery Technology on Facilitating Critical Thinking Among College Students

The current study examines the impact of new media, specifically the introduction of tablets, on student learning. Student groups were asked to build learning materials on either personal computers (PCs) or tablets. The study further investigated building this material in video and text forms. The results were analyzed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance. Tablet use lead to superior outcomes, but this result was conditional on critical thinking stage. For instance, tablet use resulted in better outcomes in the fourth (evaluation) stage of critical thinking. In the first three and fifth stages of critical thinking, tablets provided no significant advantage over PCs. From a learning strategies perspective, tablets lead to more employment of all three strategies investigated: elaboration, rehearsal, and organization. In terms of media type, video presentation was more effective in the first stage of critical thinking (problem identification), while text worked better in the fourth stage of the process (evaluation).
Supplementation of Dairy Cows Grazing Intensively Managed Tropical Grass Pastures at Two Stocking Rates.

The effects of stocking rate and level of supplementation with concentrate on cows grazing intensively managed tropical pastures were measured with four treatments: grazing alone at 2.5 head per ha per year (T1); grazing plus concentrate at the rate of 1 kg per 2 kg of milk irrespective of daily yield (T2); grazing plus concentrates at the rate of 1 kg per 2 kg above 10 kg daily (T3); and grazing at 5 head per ha plus concentrates at the same level as cows in T2 (T4). All three supplemented groups (T2, T3 and T4) produced significantly greater yields of milk and fat. Average milk yields (kg, M.E. basis) were 3450, 5568, 4709 and 5462 for cows on T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Cows on the higher level of supplement (T2 and T4) gained significantly more weight over the lactation period than cows on T1 and T3. The effect of the supplement appears to be greatest during the early part of lactation when physiological limitations on the consumption of pasture prevent sufficient nutrient intake to supply demand. Cows on T2 produced only 105 kg more milk than cows on T4, while the expected difference, based on increased pasture availability, was over 455 kg. The reduced difference in level of production is postulated as an effect of excessive pasture growth on both intake and diet selection. While milk production was highest for cows receiving the high levels of supplement (T2 and T4), expected return per lactation in income over the cost of supplements, lime and fertilizer were greatest for T3 (medium supplement). Expected returns on a per ha basis were greatest for T4 with 5 cows per ha. Results indicate that where land costs are high, most efficient use of pasture and concentrate resources may be reached by grazing at the rate of 5 head per ha and supplementing with concentrate at 1 kg per 2 kg of milk.
Estrus synchronization with prostaglandin F2α compared to progestogen treatment associated with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) in Santa Inês breed ewes reared in Federal District, Brazil.

The aim of this study was to compare two protocols of estrus synchronization in Santa Inês ewes. Thirty-eight ewes were randomly divided into two groups of estrus synchronization: protocol PGF2α (two doses of 0.530 mg of PGF2α, nine days apart) and protocol MAP+eCG (intravaginal sponge impregnated with medroxyprogesterone acetate, for 12 days, and then an injection of 250 IU of eCG). The experiment was in a cross-over design, two estrous cycles apart. On the final day of protocol, a transrectal ultrasound examination was carried out to measure the size of the largest and second largest ovarian follicles and on day 7 of estrous cycle blood was collected to measure serum P4 concentration. Laparoscopy was carried out on day 11 after the end of protocols to count corpora lutea. Synchronization rate, size of largest and second largest ovarian follicles, interval between the end of the protocol to estrus and ovulation rate did not differ between protocols. Ewes synchronized with MAP+eCG had greater serum P4 concentrations than ewes synchronized with PGF2α (3.9 and 2.8 ng/mL, respectively, P<0.05). Based on the results, it may be concluded that, although the protocol MAP+eCG was superior in inducing higher serum concentration of P4, the protocol PGF2α was equivalent regarding estrus synchronization.
University students’ ideas about the role of the aperture and laser beam dimensions in formation of diffraction patterns

Successful application of the Huygens–Fresnel principle often requires reasoning about the interplay of aperture and light beam dimensions for purposes of identifying the unobstructed part of the light beam which is the source of secondary waves. Therefore we decided to identify university students’ ideas about the role of this interplay in the formation of diffraction patterns. We conducted a survey research with 191 first-year students from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. They were administered six constructed-response questions in which aperture or laser beam dimensions were varied and students were expected to verbally and pictorially describe how these changes would affect the diffraction pattern. It has been shown that 63% of students think that a change in the length of the vertical slit necessarily results in a change of the diffraction pattern, even when the illuminated portion of the slit remains the same. In addition, it has been found that nearly 40% of students believe that in optical grating diffraction an increase of beam diameter leads to bigger diffraction fringes. A possible way to overcome some of these difficulties would be to insist on consistent application of the Huygens–Fresnel principle.
On improved monitoring of linear profiles under modified successive sampling

Control charts are often used for the monitoring of quality characteristics of interest. There may exist some other characteristics that are associated with the main quality characteristic. A model that quantifies the relationship between them is termed as a profile, for instance, the relation between charge and capacitance. The monitoring of the main variable that is linearly related with an associated explanatory variable is termed as simple linear profiles' monitoring. It is a common practice to use simple random sampling (SRS) for profile monitoring. This study intends to enhance profile monitoring by considering modified successive sampling (MSS) approach. The performance of the existing and the proposed schemes are evaluated using the well‐known metrics average run length. The comparative analysis revealed that the proposed structure outperforms the existing ones in terms of efficiency. A real application from electrical engineering is used to show the implementation of our proposal in practice.
A local multiple proper generalized decomposition based on the partition of unity

It is well known that model order reduction techniques that project the solution of the problem at hand onto a low‐dimensional subspace present difficulties when this solution lies on a nonlinear manifold. To overcome these difficulties (notably, an undesirable increase in the number of required modes in the solution), several solutions have been suggested. Among them, we can cite the use of nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques or, alternatively, the employ of linear local reduced order approaches. These last approaches usually present the difficulty of ensuring continuity between these local models. Here, a new method is presented, which ensures this continuity by resorting to the paradigm of the partition of unity while employing proper generalized decompositions at each local patch.
The Dam Break Problem For A Hyperconcentrated Suspension

Abstract A rheological approach of muddy debris flows is presented for environmental engineering and risk assessment purposes. The debris flow is viewed as a hyperconcentrated suspension of non brownian solid particles. Experimental and theoretical studies are presented versus the concentration. The experimental work generally consists in generating the flow of well characterized suspensions by a dam break. Then, the time evolution of the front as well as that of the stage at given position are accurately determined. On the theoretical framework, the viscous equations of motion of the suspension are written with the shallow water approximation, and the asymptotic solution in a non dimensional form is derived. Finally, the experimental and the theoretical results are successfully compared and the limits of this rheological approach is fixed.
Post-Myocardial Infarction Left Ventricular Free WallRupture: A Review

Left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR) is a rare striking complication of acute myocardial infarction [AMI]. It can occur in one of two types: either acute lethal form or a subacute form where a blood clot in rare circumstances seals the defect and results in the formation of a ventricular pseudoaneurysm. A high index of suspicion and close monitoring of patient’s symptoms and signs are necessary for diagnosis. Urgent Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of AMI complications such as LVFWR. Multi- Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) is a suitable alternative if the diagnosis is doubtful or to exclude other etiologies of hemopericardium. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is mainly used in stable patients with subacute LVFWR or pseudoaneurysm for more defined tissue characterization. Pericardiocentesis is not a routine procedure and it is done only as an emergency desperate measure in hemodynamically unstable patients while a surgical repair is prepared. Despite the high surgical mortality rates, urgent surgical repair is still the rule for treatment of LVFWR using pericardial patch closure or less frequently infarctectomy with patch placement and ventricular wall reconstruction. Recently sutureless techniques started to play a major role with improved mortality in patients with LVFWR with careful follow-up is required for the risk of recurrent rupture or pseudoaneurysm formation.
Agronomic Characteristics Correlation of Sunflower Genotypes Grown in the Second Crop in the Cerrado

The present work aimed to evaluate the correlation of the agronomic characteristics of sunflower genotypes grown for seven years in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, as an aid for the indirect selection of genotypes. The data were obtained from experiments conducted in the period from 2009 to 2017, in the municipality of Campo Verde, Mato Grosso state, Brazil, using different sunflower genotypes. Pearson correlation analysis was performed between the following agronomic characteristics: Initial flowering (IF), physiological maturation (PM), plant height (PH), thousand achene weight (TAW), achene yield (AY), oil content (OC) and oil yield (OY). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.75*) was observed between IF and AY, and a moderately strong positive correlation (r = 0.67*) between PM and AY. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.51*) between TAW and OC, as well as between plant height and achene yield (r = -0.32*) and oil yield (r = -0.34*). Late-cycle genotypes showed a positive correlation with achene yield and oil yield. Smaller plants favor productive parameters. Further studies and the anticipation of the crop sowing season in the second crop are suggested due to the local edaphoclimatic conditions.
Dissociable roles for Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Basolateral Amygdala in Decision Confidence and Learning under Uncertainty

It has been suggested the subjective sense of certainty, or confidence, in ambiguous sensory cues can alter the interpretation of reward feedback and facilitate learning. We trained rats to report the orientation of ambiguous visual stimuli according to a spatial stimulus-response rule. Following choice, rats could wait a self-timed delay for reward or initiate a new trial. Waiting times increased with discrimination accuracy, demonstrating that this measure could be used as a proxy for confidence. Chemogenetic silencing of BLA shortened waiting times overall whereas ACC inhibition rendered waiting times insensitive to confidence-modulating attributes of visual stimuli, suggesting contribution of ACC but not BLA to confidence computations. Subsequent reversal learning was enhanced by confidence. Both ACC and BLA inhibition blocked this enhancement but via differential modulation of learning strategies and consistency in using learned rules. Altogether, we demonstrate dissociable roles for ACC and BLA in transmitting confidence and learning under uncertainty.
Design of Robust Sliding Mode Control With Adaptive Reaching Law

In this paper, a novel robust sliding mode control with adaptive reaching law (RSMC-ARL) is developed for a class of second-order nonlinear systems. First, a novel adaptive reaching law (ARL), utilizing a time-varying sliding surface, is designed to achieve fast convergence as well as maintain high accuracy for RSMC-ARL. Second, an adaptive tuning approach is developed to adjust the control law without frequency switching and avoid undesired chattering phenomenon. Then, the global robustness can be obtained against the uncertainties and external disturbances for nonlinear systems. Third, by constructing the Lyapunov function, the reachability and stability of RSMC-ARL can be guaranteed. Finally, three different second-order nonlinear systems are used to test the effectiveness of RSMC-ARL. The results have demonstrated that the proposed method can achieve fast convergence and high accuracy in comparison with some existing methods.
Molecular determinants of μ-conotoxin KIIIA interaction with the human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7

The voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channel subtype NaV1.7 plays a critical role in pain signaling, making it an important drug target. Here we studied the molecular interactions between μ-conotoxin KIIIA (KIIIA) and the human NaV1.7 channel (hNaV1.7). We developed a structural model of hNaV1.7 using Rosetta computational modeling and performed in silico docking of KIIIA using RosettaDock to predict residues forming specific pairwise contacts between KIIIA and hNaV1.7. We experimentally validated these contacts using mutant cycle analysis. Comparison between our KIIIA-hNaV1.7 model and the cryo-EM structure of KIIIA-hNaV1.2 revealed key similarities and differences between NaV channel subtypes with potential implications for the molecular mechanism of toxin block. The accuracy of our integrative approach, combining structural data with computational modeling, experimental validation, and molecular dynamics simulations, suggests that Rosetta structural predictions will be useful for rational design of novel biologics targeting specific NaV channels.
Simultaneous Covariance Inference for Multimodal Integrative Analysis

Abstract Multimodal integrative analysis fuses different types of data collected on the same set of experimental subjects. It is becoming a norm in many branches of scientific research, such as multi-omics and multimodal neuroimaging analysis. In this article, we address the problem of simultaneous covariance inference of associations between multiple modalities, which is of a vital interest in multimodal integrative analysis. Recognizing that there are few readily available solutions in the literature for this type of problem, we develop a new simultaneous testing procedure. It provides an explicit quantification of statistical significance, a much improved detection power, as well as a rigid false discovery control. Our proposal makes novel and useful contributions from both the scientific perspective and the statistical methodological perspective. We demonstrate the efficacy of the new method through both simulations and a multimodal positron emission tomography study of associations between two hallmark pathological proteins of Alzheimer’s disease.
Exponential high-order compact finite difference method for convection-dominated diffusion problems on nonuniform grids

Abstract In this article, an exponential high-order compact (EHOC) difference method is introduced for solving the convection-dominated convection diffusion problems on nonuniform grid without any coordinate transformation from the physical space to the computational space. The derived EHOC schemes on nonuniform grid can not only preserve nonoscillation property and yield high accuracy approximation solutions, but also efficiently handle the convection diffusion problems with boundary layers by employing a flexible discretized grid that can be adapted to the singularity in the domain. To demonstrate the performances in computational accuracy, efficiency, and stability of the proposed EHOC schemes, several problems with boundary or interior layers where sharp gradients may appear are solved numerically. The results obtained by the present EHOC schemes on nonuniform grid are compared with analytical solutions and those using the EHOC on uniform grid and other methods. The present EHOC schemes on nonuniform grid provide excellent results for all test problems. It is shown that the proposed EHOC schemes on nonuniform grid are accurate, efficient, and stable, as well as have the advantage of better-scale resolution for convection-dominated diffusion problems.
Evaluation of brewing potentials of grains, malts and worts of some sweet sorghum and sorghum varieties

Little or no attention has so far been paid to using sweet sorghum malt for commercial beer brewing. Thus, three sweet sorghum varieties (SSV) and four sorghum varieties (SV) were analyzed for brewing quality. Variations were observed in their thousand grain weights (22.8 to 58.7 g), grain moisture contents (12.5 to 20.5%), germination energies (99.0 to 100%) and germination capacities (99.7 to 100%). After 4-day germination, radicle lengths of seedlings were 2 to 5 fold of plumules. Remarkable variations existed in their water sensitivity (7.1 to 27.6%) and grain protein contents (7.0 to 11.8%). Malts moisture contents (8.6 to 13.8%), malting losses (16.3 to 26.0%) and malts protein contents (12.2 to 19.5%) differed among cultivars. Cold water extracts (CWE) (3.8 to 8.8%) and hot water extracts (HWE) (8.8 to 17.5%) varied with cultivars. HWE were 1.5 to 3-fold of CWE. Diastatic powers (DP) were substantially higher in SSV (123.7 to 136.7o) compared to SV (111.8 to 117o). Amyloglucosidase (AMG) activities were detected in SSV malts but not in SV. α-Amylases activities in both SSV and SV malts were about 2 to 4-fold of β-amylases. Generally, DP in SV malts = α-amylase + β-amylase activities. But DP in SSV malts >α-amylase + β-amylase + AMG activities, thus, suggesting synergism between the enzymes. SSV showed similar wort yields with SV. Reducing sugars in wort of SSV (12.3 to 15.6 mg/ml) were higher than those of SV (6.2 to 10.5 mg/ml). Malts and worts analyses suggest that SSV have greater beer brewing potentials than SV. Key words: Diastatic power, amylase, amyloglucosidase, sweet sorghum, malt, wort.
PI3K/AKT inhibition in tumor propagating cells of DLBCL reverses R-CHOP resistance by destabilizing SOX2

Drug resistance is a major obstacle for the success of conventional anticancer therapy, and the development of drug resistance is at least partly attributed to tumor propagating cells (TPCs). Up to one-third of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients eventually develop resistance to R-CHOP regimen. We found that the TPC proportion was remarkably increased in resistant germinal center B cell-like (GCB) and activated B cell-like (ABC) DLBCL subtypes. Elevated SOX2 was the determinant for resistance development, and SOX2 was phosphorylated by activated PI3K/AKT1 signaling, thus preventing ubiquitin-mediated SOX2 degradation. Furthermore, multiple factors, including BCR, integrins, chemokines and FGFR1/2 signaling, regulated PI3K/AKT1 activation. CDK6 in the GCB subtype and FGFR1/2 in the ABC subtype were SOX2 targets in the PI3K/AKT1 pathway. Chemical inhibition of PI3K/AKT1 in both subtypes, CDK6 in the GCB subtype, and FGFR1/2 in the ABC subtype significantly enhanced the susceptibility of resistant cells to CHO treatment. More importantly, PI3K and FGFR1/2 inhibitors but not a CDK6 inhibitor effectively suppressed the tumor growth of R-CHO-resistant DLBCL cells, most likely by converting TPCs to chemo-sensitive differentiated cells. Therefore, this pro-differentiation therapy against TPCs warrants further study in clinical trials for the treatment of resistant DLBCL.
Effects of Temperature and Relative Humidity on the Toxicity of Glyphosate to Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)

Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] toxicity to bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. ] increased significantly with each rate increase from 0.14 to 1.12 kg/ha. Under greenhouse conditions approximately 50% bermudagrass control was obtained at 0.56 kg/ha glyphosate. Visible toxicity and fresh wt of treated plants and regrowth of plants clipped at the soil surface 24 h after treatment were used as indices for penetration and translocation of glyphosate. Visible injury to bermudagrass with 0.56 kg/ha glyphosate was greater at 100% than at 40% relative humidity (RH) at both 22 and 32 C. Fresh wt data indicated that 0.56 kg/ha glyphosate was more toxic at 32 C than at 22 C at 40% RH, but no difference was observed at 100% RH. Less than 10% of the applied 14C-glyphosate penetrated the treated bermudagrass leaf at 22 C and 40% RH; whereas, more than 70% penetrated the treated leaf at 32 C and 100% RH. Five to six times more 14C-label was translocated into the plant at 100% than at 40% RH. Significantly more 14C-label translocated out of the treated leaf and into the plant at 32 C than at 22 C at 40% RH but no significant increase was observed at 100% RH.