Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NOAA's Coral Reef Watch program from satellite observations

The NOAA Coral Reef Watch (CRW) program uses near-real-time satellite measurements of sea surface temperature (SST) to monitor thermal stress of the coral reefs. These data provide up-to-date measurements pinpointing areas that are currently at risk for thermally induced coral bleaching. All of CRW's products can be accessed through CRW's Web portal at http://coralreefwatch.noaa. gov. Ongoing examination of tropical SSTs reveal regionally diverse but changing SST patterns and trends. In 2005 and 2010, two record-breaking thermal stress events occurred throughout much of the eastern Caribbean (Wilkinson and Souter 2008. Status of Caribbean coral reefs after bleaching and hurricanes in 2005. Townsville, Australia: Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, 152; Eakin et al. 2010. Caribbean corals in crisis: record thermal stress, bleaching, and mortality in 2005. PLoS One, 5, e13969). In 1998 and 2010, record-breaking bleaching occurred in all tropical oceans (Wilkinson 2000. Status of coral reefs of the world 2000, Townsville, Australia: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 375). With global satellite SSTs spanning more than two decades, we now have sufficient data to examine global- and basin-scale trends. The development and production of these CRW products takes place within National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). This NESDIS team is comprised of scientists from the Marine Ecosystem & Climate Branch in the Satellite Oceanography & Climatology Division of the Center for Satellite Applications & Research and from personnel within NESDIS' Office of Satellite Products and Operations.
Effects of prediction on timing and dynamics of vergence eye movements

Periodic square waves were used to generate predictable vergence eye movement responses. The timing and dynamic characteristics of vergence eye movement responses to predictable and non‐predictable stimuli were compared. Results showed significant changes in timing characteristics along with a highly characteristic anticipatory movement in the early part of predictable vergence responses. This phenomenon is similar to that seen in saccadic eye movements and appears to influence the timing and dynamics of the subsequent vergence response. A model‐based analysis of dynamics showed that the pulse width, pulse gain, and step gain of the motor command signal did not show major differences between predictable and non‐predictable response. However, other model parameters related to the acceleration of the response showed a substantial decrease when the movements were predictive.
Optimal Capacity Management of Substation Transformers Over Long-Run

The management of transformers' capacity is a vital task for planners and asset managers due to their high cost. This paper proposes an optimization model for capacity management of transformers in a substation over long-run. The model considers the present worth costs of investment, losses, maintenance, reliability, and the salvage value of transformers for providing the optimal selection and scheduling of multistage transformer installations and their refurbishments. In the optimization model, growing failure rate of transformers along with their age is incorporated and the cumulative loss-of-life (LOL) of transformers is also used in determining their salvage value. The developed model is applied for planning and management of transformer capacities for a residential load dominant two-transformer primary distribution substation over a period of 40 years. The simulations are performed for various case studies representing the situations encountered by utilities. An extensive sensitivity analysis is also conducted for several conditions of the system parameters. The numerical results indicate the worth of inclusion of variable failure rate and LOL of transformers in their capacity management.
A randomized comparative trial of generalized vs targeted physiotherapy in the management of childhood hypermobility.

OBJECTIVE Joint hypermobility, common in childhood, can be associated with severe pain and significant morbidity. Physiotherapy, the mainstay of treatment, lacks a robust evidence base. This study is aimed at determining the best physiotherapy intervention in managing childhood hypermobility. METHODS A prospective randomized comparative trial (RCT) compared a 6-week generalized programme, improving muscular strength and fitness, with a targeted programme aimed at correcting motion control of symptomatic joints. Patients were assessed on symptom scores (pain/global-impact), function, muscle strength and fitness. RESULTS Fifty-seven children, aged 7-16 years with symptomatic hypermobility, were randomly assign to receive a targeted (T; n = 30) or generalized (G; n = 27) programme. Statistically significant improvements were demonstrated in both the children's and parental pain scores across both the randomized groups between baseline and follow-up assessments (P < 0.05). However, the difference in improvement between the groups was not statistically significant. Child's assessment of change in pain score: mean difference (95% CI) T - G, 3.97 (-15.59, 20.85) at the end of treatment and 9.41 at 3-month follow-up (-17.42, 36.24). At the end of treatment, parental assessment of change in pain score, T - G was: -0.27 (-15.05, 14.50) and at 3-month follow-up it was: -9.48 (-26.40, 7.43). Change in parental global assessment was statistically significant, in favour of targeted physiotherapy at final assessment: -21.29 (-40.03, -2.55). CONCLUSION This is the first physiotherapy RCT for treating hypermobility. It demonstrated significant and sustained reduction in pain when both groups were combined, but did not detect any difference between the groups. This study provides normative and methodological data for future studies of hypermobility. TRIAL REGISTRATION Current Controlled Trials, www.controlled-trials.com, ISRCTN58523390.
Elevated Intact Proinsulin Levels are Indicative of Beta-Cell Dysfunction, Insulin Resistance, and Cardiovascular Risk: Impact of the Antidiabetic Agent Pioglitazone

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) and deterioration of beta-cell secretion are main features in the development of type 2 diabetes, which is reflected in increasing serum intact proinsulin levels in later disease stage. Introduction of stable assays that are able to distinguish between intact proinsulin and its specific and unspecific cleavage products has resulted in the finding that serum intact proinsulin values can serve as a direct marker for beta-cell dysfunction, are a highly specific indicator of IR, and can predict cardiovascular risk. Method: Determination of fasting intact proinsulin may be used to monitor and optimize antidiabetic therapeutic approaches. Our study group has been involved in a variety of clinical studies investigating drug effects on beta-cell secretory capacity, IR, and intact proinsulin levels. One focus was on the impact of insulin-sensitizing therapy with pioglitazone on the pancreatic beta-cell load. Results: Treatment with pioglitazone resulted in significant decreases in elevated proinsulin levels in type 2 diabetes patients. This effect was independent from glycemic control. Conclusions: Measurement of fasting intact proinsulin values allows a staging of beta-cell dysfunction and evaluation of IR, thus providing an interesting diagnostic tool for both selection of appropriate therapy and monitoring of treatment success.
B cell depletion may be more effective than switching to an alternative anti-tumor necrosis factor agent in rheumatoid arthritis patients with inadequate response to anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.

OBJECTIVE Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in whom the response to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy is inadequate have several therapeutic options, such as switching to an alternative anti-TNF agent or initiating B cell-depleting therapy with rituximab (RTX). Although both therapeutic options have been proven effective in trials, no head-to-head comparisons are available. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of RTX with that of an alternative anti-TNF agent in the management of patients with RA who had an inadequate response to anti-TNF therapy. METHODS This prospective cohort study was nested within the Swiss Clinical Quality Management RA cohort and included all patients who had an inadequate response to at least 1 anti-TNF agent and subsequently received either 1 cycle of RTX or an alternative anti-TNF agent. The primary outcome was the evolution of RA disease activity (as measured on the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints [DAS28]), which was analyzed using multivariate regression models for longitudinal data. RESULTS One hundred sixteen patients with RA were included; 50 patients received 1 cycle of RTX, and 66 patients were treated with a second or a third alternative anti-TNF agent. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in age, sex, disease duration, and disease activity. Evolution of the DAS28 was more favorable in the group that received RTX compared with the group that received an alternative anti-TNF agent (P = 0.01). At 6 months, the mean decrease in the DAS28 was -1.61 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] -1.97, -1.25) among patients receiving RTX and -0.98 (95% CI -1.33, -0.62) among those receiving subsequent anti-TNF therapy. CONCLUSION The results of this observational study suggest that treatment with RTX may be more effective than switching to an alternative anti-TNF agent in patients with RA in whom active disease persists despite anti-TNF therapy.
Observer Scheme for State and Parameter Estimation in Asynchronous Motors with Application to Speed Control

The paper presents a method for simultaneous state and parameter estimation in induction motors, based on an exact Kalman-like observer. The use of such an observer is made possible by an immersion of the nonlinear model of the machine into a model which is affine with respect to the variables to be estimated. This method can be used in various cases of unknown variables to be estimated, from the most simple case when only the stator flux components are unknown, to some “worst” case when all the electrical parameters, along with the stator flux angular velocity and load torque are to be estimated. In any case, global exponential estimation is guaranteed under appropriate excitation, following Kalman theory. In practice, the method is evaluated through simulations within an estimate-based speed control scheme.
Sciatic Nerve Regeneration by Cocultured Schwann Cells and Stem Cells on Microporous Nerve Conduits

Cell transplantation is a useful therapy for treating peripheral nerve injuries. The clinical use of Schwann cells (SCs), however, is limited because of their limited availability. An emerging solution to promote nerve regeneration is to apply injured nerves with stem cells derived from various tissues. In this study, different types of allogeneic cells including SCs, adipose-derived adult stem cells (ASCs), dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), and the combination of SCs with ASCs or DPSCs were seeded on nerve conduits to test their efficacy in repairing a 15-mm-long critical gap defect of rat sciatic nerve. The regeneration capacity and functional recovery were evaluated by the histological staining, electrophysiology, walking track, and functional gait analysis after 8 weeks of implantation. An in vitro study was also performed to verify if the combination of cells led to syner-gistic neurotrophic effects (NGF, BDNF, and GDNF). Experimental rats receiving conduits seeded with a combination of SCs and ASCs had the greatest functional recovery, as evaluated by the walking track, functional gait, nerve conduction velocity (NCV), and histological analysis. Conduits seeded with cells were always superior to the blank conduits without cells. Regarding NCV and the number of blood vessels, conduits seeded with SCs and DPSCs exhibited better values than those seeded with DPSCs only. Results from the in vitro study confirmed the synergistic NGF production from the coculture of SCs and ASCs. It was concluded that coculture of SCs with ASCs or DPSCs in a conduit promoted peripheral nerve regeneration over a critical gap defect.
Dynamique et stabilité de l'écoulement autour de corps non profilés roulants

Une etude numerique et experimentale de l’ecoulement autour de corps roulants ou glissants est presentee. La geometrie des corps etudi´es est soit spherique soit cylindrique, et le nombre de Reynolds, bas´e sur le diam`etre et la vitesse de translation du corps, est limite a des valeurs inferieures a 500. Cette plage de valeurs est suffisante pour capturer les premieres transitions bi- et tri-dimensionnelles de l’ecoulement. Le but de cette ´etude est de comprendre l’interaction des effets d’une rotation et de la proximite d’une paroi sur le sillage d’un corps non-profile, quand ces deux effets sont presents simultanement. Dans le cas d’un cylindre roulant le long d’une paroi, des simulations bi- et tri-dimensionnelles ainsi qu’une etude de stabilite lineaire ont ete effectuees. L’ecoulement autour d’une sphere, roulant ou glissant le long d’une paroi, est etudie experimentalement et par des simulations numeriques tri-dimensionnelles. L’espace des parametres considere est defini par le nombre de Reynolds et le taux de rotation adimensionne du corps, α. Pour un corps se deplacant le long d’une paroi dans un fluide au repos, ce taux est donne par le rapport de la vitesse tangentielle ala surface du corps et de la vitesse de translation du corps. Cinq valeurs, entre α = 1 et α = −1 ont ete considerees. Cette plage decrit des situations allant du roulement normal’, o`u il n’y a pas de glissement entre le corps et la paroi, au roulement ‘inverse’, ou le corps tourne dans la direction opposee. Cette plage correspond a la plage de taux de rotation observee experimentalement pour des corps roulant librement avec et sans effet de lubrification. [. ]
Oral disease burden in Northern Manhattan patients with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES We explored the association between diabetes mellitus and oral disease in a low-socioeconomic-status urban population. METHODS Dental records of 150 adults with diabetes and 150 nondiabetic controls from the dental clinic at Columbia University in Northern Manhattan matched by age and gender were studied. RESULTS There was a 50% increase in alveolar bone loss in diabetic patients compared with nondiabetic controls. Diabetes, increasing age, male gender, and use of tobacco products had a statistically significant effect on bone loss. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence that diabetes is an added risk for oral disease in this low-income, underserved population of Northern Manhattan. Oral disease prevention and treatment programs may need to be part of the standards of continuing care for patients with diabetes
Health examination and chromosome aberration analysis of residents living in 60 Co-contaminated rebar buildings

Purpose : To elucidate the results of health examination and chromosome aberration analysis of residents living in 60 Co-contaminated rebar buildings. Material and methods : Medical surveillance including peripheral blood analysis, urine analysis, chest X-ray, blood biochemical analysis, electrocardiography, thyroid function test and physical examination was performed on 189 residents within 6 months after disclosure of radiation exposure. The annual dose for this group of residents varied from 2 to 95 mSv year -1 (mean ±1SD = 18 ±21 mSv year -1) above the background exposure of the Taiwanese population. For chromosome analysis, 500-671 lymphocytes were scored for 136 residents, and the numbers of dicentrics and rings were counted and analysed. Results : Medical surveillance showed that the most frequent abnormalities were elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate occurring in 14.8% of those examined. Reduction of the negative charge on erthrocytes by ionizing radiation may cause an elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Statistical analysis of chromosome aberration data showed that the mean dicentric frequency for radiation-contaminated building residents (0.69 ±0.93 SD) was significantly higher than those for controls (0.33 ±0.49) (p <0.01). Conclusions : No radiation effects were found in the preliminary health examination. However, lymphocyte chromosome analysis of the radiation-contaminated building residents showed that prolonged low-dose-rate γexposure induced cytogenetic changes in humans.
Median Nerve Excursion during Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release

OBJECTIVE:Restriction of the excursion of the nerve has been accepted as a pathogenetic element in carpal tunnel syndrome. The goal of this article was to evaluate the median nerve excursion in the carpal tunnel measured as a function of wrist position before and after endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) on 28 hands of 22 patients. METHODS:The position of cylindrical stainless steel markers embedded within the median nerve was measured by a direct radiographic technique. Each upper extremity was examined in three wrist positions. Then, endoscopic release with Menon’s technique was performed, and the measurements were repeated. RESULTS:In this prospective clinical study, most (93%) of the patients experienced resolution of their symptoms. Before and after ECTR, median nerve excursion was linear and was affected by wrist position. Before ECTR, when the wrist was moved from the end of dorsiflexion to the end of palmar flexion, the median nerve underwent a mean total excursion of 28.8 mm at the wrist. A comparison of the before and after ECTR excursion showed no statistical differences in the amount of motion. CONCLUSION:The single-portal ECTR does not seem to influence the median nerve excursion for the wrist positions studied in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. The results from this in vivo study showed longitudinal gliding of the median nerve twice as great as in in vitro studies.
Monetary , Fiscal , and the Exchange rate Policy Interactions with Central Bank Debt

Some central banks issue interest-bearing debts because of policy considerations other than typical monetary policy. This paper tries to explore implications of monetary, scal, and the foreign exchange rate policy interactions with i) central bank debt, and ii) central bank budget autonomy in a small open economy. The results show that the exchange rate policy is not constrained by the monetary and scal policy in most cases. Also, the amount of central bank debt and the degree of central bank budget autonomy do not a¤ect the price determinations, but have implications on how much adjustment of the passive policy should be for each authority. In addition, the model predicts that the sterilized foreign exchange intervention can be e¤ective even when the central bank is an ination targeter. Keywords: Fiscal theory of the price level; Central bank debt; Central bank balance sheet; Foreign exchange rate policy; JEL classi cation: E58; E31; E61 Correspondence: Department of Economics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. E-mail address: segpark@indiana.edu.
The influence of external conditions on runoff quality control of grass swale in Beijing and Shenzhen, China

This study focused on the effects of external conditions on the performance of grass swales installed to improve stormwater runoff quality. Four grass swales in Beijing and Shenzhen with different underlying surface characteristics, antecedent dry weather period (ADWP), transport within the grass swales, and rainfall characteristics, were compared during 16 rainfall events in Beijing and six in Shenzhen, and were evaluated over two years. The results revealed that the impervious fraction of the catchment's surface below the swales influenced inlet pollutant concentrations, resulting in variations in their efficiency. ADWP, transport within the swales, and rainfall characteristics all had important effects on their efficiency in removing pollutants. With high pollution loads, long ADWP, and concentrated influent, the swales reduced pollutant concentrations significantly, particularly suspended solids.
Evaluation of the U.S. Geological Survey Landsat Burned Area Essential Climate Variable across the Conterminous U.S. Using Commercial High-Resolution Imagery

The U.S. Geological Survey has produced the Landsat Burned Area Essential Climate Variable (BAECV) product for the conterminous United States (CONUS), which provides wall-to-wall annual maps of burned area at 30 m resolution (1984–2015). Validation is a critical component in the generation of such remotely sensed products. Previous efforts to validate the BAECV relied on a reference dataset derived from Landsat, which was effective in evaluating the product across its timespan but did not allow for consideration of inaccuracies imposed by the Landsat sensor itself. In this effort, the BAECV was validated using 286 high-resolution images, collected from GeoEye-1, QuickBird-2, Worldview-2 and RapidEye satellites. A disproportionate sampling strategy was utilized to ensure enough burned area pixels were collected. Errors of omission and commission for burned area averaged 22 ± 4% and 48 ± 3%, respectively, across CONUS. Errors were lowest across the western U.S. The elevated error of commission relative to omission was largely driven by patterns in the Great Plains which saw low errors of omission (13 ± 13%) but high errors of commission (70 ± 5%) and potentially a region-growing function included in the BAECV algorithm. While the BAECV reliably detected agricultural fires in the Great Plains, it frequently mapped tilled areas or areas with low vegetation as burned. Landscape metrics were calculated for individual fire events to assess the influence of image resolution (2 m, 30 m and 500 m) on mapping fire heterogeneity. As the spatial detail of imagery increased, fire events were mapped in a patchier manner with greater patch and edge densities, and shape complexity, which can influence estimates of total greenhouse gas emissions and rates of vegetation recovery. The increasing number of satellites collecting high-resolution imagery and rapid improvements in the frequency with which imagery is being collected means greater opportunities to utilize these sources of imagery for Landsat product validation.