Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Criteria and Measurement Techniques of Sarcopenia: A Critical Evaluation of the Up-to-Date Evidence

Sarcopenia, a geriatric syndrome characterized by progressive skeletal muscle mass and function decline, poses a significant health risk among the elderly, contributing to frailty, falls, hospitalization, loss of independence and mortality. The prevalence of sarcopenia varies significantly based on various factors, such as living status, demographics, measurement techniques and diagnostic criteria. Although the overall prevalence is reported at 10% in individuals aged 60 and above, disparities exist across settings, with higher rates in nursing homes and hospitals. Additionally, the differences in prevalence between Asian and non-Asian countries highlight the impact of cultural and ethnic factors, and variations in diagnostic criteria, cut-off values and assessment methods contribute to the observed heterogeneity in reported rates. This review outlines diverse diagnostic criteria and several measurement techniques supporting decision making in clinical practice. Moreover, it facilitates the selection of appropriate tools to assess sarcopenia, emphasizing its multifactorial nature. Various scientific groups, including the European Working Group of Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), the International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS), the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (AWGS), the American Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) and the Sarcopenia Definition and Outcomes Consortium (SDOC), have published consensus papers outlining diverse definitions of sarcopenia. The choice of diagnostic criteria should be aligned with the specific objectives of the study or clinical practice, considering the characteristics of the study population and available resources.
Spatial Perspectives on Diversity and Economic Growth in Alabama, 1990–2011

This study analyzes the relationships between economic growth and racial/ethnic diversity across the counties of Alabama. Drawing on data from the Decennial Census (1990, 2000) and the American Community Survey (2009–2013), it computes diversity scores and location quotients for Alabama’s sixty-seven counties in 1990, 2000 and 2009–2013 to further explore their association with counties’ socioeconomic and built environment characteristics. Visual analyses of diversity scores and location quotients, followed up with correlations, principal components, and regressions help understand county-scale attributes and diversity that best associate with economic growth measured by eight variables. Greater diversity (2011), diversity among non-Whites and its change are positively associated with household income and its change, and with manufacturing-based employment—a proxy for post-1970s transition in Alabama’s economy. Counties with better educated, growing populations, high homeownership rates and newer housing stock are positively associated with employment in professional and service occupations. Diversity however, associates negatively with employment in professional occupations.
COVID-19 Trends at The University of Tennessee: Predictive Insights from Raw Sewage SARS-CoV-2 Detection and Evaluation and PMMoV as an Indicator for Human Waste

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become a valuable tool for monitoring the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 on university campuses. However, concerns about effectiveness of raw sewage as a COVID-19 early warning system still exist, and it's not clear how useful normalization by simultaneous comparison of Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) is in addressing variations resulting from fecal discharge dilution. This study aims to contribute insights into these aspects by conducting an academic-year field trial at the student residences on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus, raw sewage. This was done to investigate the correlations between SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, both with and without PMMoV normalization, and various parameters, including active COVID-19 cases, self-isolations, and their combination among all student residents. Significant positive correlations between SARS-CoV-2 concentrations a week prior, during the monitoring week, and the subsequent week with active cases. Despite these correlations, normalization by PMMoV does not enhance these associations. These findings suggest the potential utility of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations as an early warning indicator and provide valuable insights into the application and limitations of WBE for COVID-19 surveillance, specifically within the context of raw sewage on university campuses.
Static versus dynamic muscle modelling in extinct species: a biomechanical case study of the Australopithecus afarensis pelvis and lower extremity

The force a muscle generates is dependent on muscle structure, in which fibre length, pennation angle and tendon slack length all influence force production. Muscles are not preserved in the fossil record and these parameters must be estimated when constructing a musculoskeletal model. Here, we test the capability of digitally reconstructed muscles of the Australopithecus afarensis model (specimen AL 288-1) to maintain an upright, single-support limb posture. Our aim was to ascertain the influence that different architectural estimation methods have on muscle specialisation and on the subsequent inferences that can be extrapolated about limb function. Parameters were estimated for 36 muscles in the pelvis and lower limb and seven different musculoskeletal models of AL 288-1 were produced. These parameters represented either a ‘static’ Hill-type muscle model (n = 4 variants) which only incorporated force, or instead a ‘dynamic’ Hill-type muscle model with an elastic tendon and fibres that could vary force-length-velocity properties (n = 3 variants). Each muscle’s fibre length, pennation angle, tendon slack length and maximal isometric force were calculated based upon different input variables. Static (inverse) simulations were computed in which the vertical and mediolateral ground reaction forces (GRF) were incrementally increased until limb collapse (simulation failure). All AL 288-1 variants produced somewhat similar simulated muscle activation patterns, but the maximum vertical GRF that could be exerted on a single limb was not consistent between models. Three of the four static-muscle models were unable to support >1.8 times body weight and produced models that under-performed. The dynamic-muscle models were stronger. Comparative results with a human model imply that similar muscle group activations between species are needed to sustain single-limb support at maximally applied GRFs in terms of the simplified static simulations (e.g., same walking pose) used here. This approach demonstrated the range of outputs that can be generated for a model of an extinct individual. Despite mostly comparable outputs, the models diverged mostly in terms of strength.
The Natric-Argillic Problem in Clay-Rich Soils, Western South Dakota

Natric horizons, by definition, must have more than 15% exchangeable Na or an exchangeable Na + Mg amount that is larger than the amount of Ca + H (Soil Surv. Staff, 1975, 1996). Argillic horizons also may have considerable exchangeable Mg, and the amount of Mg and Na may increase with increasing soil age and clay amount, such as found along loess transects in Iowa (Ulrich, 1950). In western South Dakota, some fine-textured soils have columnar B horizons overlain by thin A and E horizons but have insufficient Na and Mg to be classed as natric soils (White, 1961). Natric Bt horizons generally have columnar structure, but both columns and flat-topped prisms have been reported in Russia (Joffe, 1949, p. 527) and North Dakota (Nikiforoff, 1930). Columns likely form where prisms beneath E horizons are separated frequently by desiccation cracks. Water entering the crack causes swelling that, first, closes the crack, and second, causes the prism center to swell upward to dome the top. Columns very infrequently form beneath thin silty laminae in colluvial-alluvial sediment. Very coarse columns, several feet across, in intermittently wet depressions have secondary and tertiary flat-topped columns. Water-deposited clay films occur in argillic as well as natric soils. Salt in the natric horizons flocculates clays higher in the layer than in argillic horizons. This difference is minimized in arid to semiarid areas where subsoils are generally dry. The depth of clay films in the clay-rich natric-argillic soils probably will not aid significantly in separating natric from other argillic horizons. Soil morphology has been used to place soils in order of decreasing exchangeable Na in northwest South Dakota (White, 1964). Seven of the eight profiles studied had ample exchangeable Na + Mg to be classified as having natric horizons. Most late Cretaceous and early Tertiary sedimentary rocks in this part of South Dakota have high Mg contents. East of the Black Hills the sedimentary strata generally have very high Ca contents. Soils in this area are less apt to have sufficient Mg to be classified as natric soils. Soils with or associated with soils with columnar structure were studied in Mellette County (White, 1975) and in the southeastern corner of the Cottonwood Range Field Station (White, 1992) in Jackson County (Schlepp, 1987). Unfortunately, other studies of the clay-rich natric-argillic transition soils have not been reported in the literature. The purpose of this article is to discuss some approaches to identifying the two kinds of soils in the field.
Area-weighted unipolar voltage to predict heart failure outcomes in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachycardia

Abstract Aims Patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) referred for catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) are at risk for end-stage heart failure (HF) due to adverse remodelling. Local unipolar voltages (UV) decrease with loss of viable myocardium. A UV parameter reflecting global viable myocardium may predict prognosis. We evaluate if a newly proposed parameter, area-weighted unipolar voltage (awUV), can predict HF-related outcomes [HFO; HF death/left ventricular (LV) assist device/heart transplant] in ICM. Methods and results From endocardial voltage maps of consecutive patients with ICM referred for VT ablation, awUV was calculated by weighted interpolation of local UV. Associations between clinical and mapping parameters and HFO were evaluated and validated in a second cohort. The derivation cohort consisted of 90 patients [age 68 ±8 years; LV ejection fraction (LVEF) 35% interquartile range (IQR) (24–40)] and validation cohort of 60 patients [age 67 ± 9, LVEF 39% IQR (29–45)]. In the derivation cohort, during a median follow-up of 45 months [IQR (34–83)], 36 (43%) patients died and 23 (26%) had HFO. Patients with HFO had lower awUV [4.51 IQR (3.69–5.31) vs. 7.03 IQR (6.08–9.2), P < 0.001]. A reduction in awUV [optimal awUV (5.58) cut-off determined by receiver operating characteristics analysis] was a strong predictor of HFO (3-year HFO survival 97% vs. 57%). The cut-off value was confirmed in the validation cohort (2-year HFO-free survival 96% vs. 60%). Conclusion The newly proposed parameter awUV, easily available from routine voltage mapping, may be useful at identifying ICM patients at high risk for HFO.
Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave and Pulse Electromagnetic Field Therapies in Calcaneal Spurs

Background: Various treatment methods are available for calcaneal spur, which can cause disability. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT) added to extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on pain and functional capacity in treating calcaneal spurs. Methods: Patients with calcaneal spurs who were recommended ESWT or ESWT+PEMFT and whose Foot Function Index (FFI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) values were available in their records were retrospectively analyzed. The two groups were ESWT (n=35) and ESWT+PEMFT (n=40). FFI and VAS scores were obtained from their records before treatment, after treatment, and in the third month after treatment. Results: The two groups were similar regarding their pre-treatment FFI and VAS scores. In intra-group evaluation, statistically significant decreases were found in terms of the FFI pain, disability, and activity limitation and VAS scores in both groups after treatment and in the third month after treatment compared to the pre-treatment period. In the comparison between the groups, the post-treatment and post-treatment third-month FFI pain, disability, and activity limitation and VAS scores were significantly lower in the PEMFT+ESWT group than the ESWT group (P<0.001). Conclusion: A calcaneal spur is a condition that can cause pain and functional limitation in patients. Various studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ESWT in the treatment of calcaneal spurs. In our study, we observed that PEMFT added to ESWT significantly improved the pain and functionality of the patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of PEMFT in calcaneal spurs.
iSIMM demonstrates the benefit of high-fidelity, low-frequency acquisition in sub-basalt imaging

Industry and university goals coincide in the integrated Seismic Imaging and Modeling of Margins (iSIMM) project whereby low frequency seismic energy, together with high-density, long-offset, single-sensor recordings, are used to penetrate volcanic overburdens and illuminate both the deep structure of magmatic margins and sub-basalt sediments in adjoining basins. Intracratonic basin models can successfully predict heat-flow and subsidence, and hence broad-brush hydrocarbon maturation, from basin stretching. However, these models cannot easily be extended to magmatic margins due to melt underplating and extrusion (i.e. crustal non-conservation), and depth dependent stretching. The North Atlantic continental margin was formed by continental break-up in the early Tertiary above the Iceland mantle plume. This led to stretching and thinning of the continental lithosphere, accompanied by massive magmatism, producing flood basalts which covered pre-existing sediments and extensive igneous intrusion. The seismic components of iSIMM seek to develop a structural model from seabed to Moho to image the stretched crust and the extruded, intruded and under-plated igneous material, and to use these constraints in magmatic margin basin modeling. In summer 2002, seismic data were acquired successfully over two magmatic ocean margins: the Hatton-Rockall margin and the margin to the northeast of the Faroe Islands, using a combination of towed streamers and Ocean-Bottom Seismometers (OBS). We focus on the surveys over the Faroe margin, where a 385 km profile was acquired by Cambridge University using OBS and by WesternGeco using three Q-Marine streamers. The profile passes over the complete range of basalt environments from no basalt at all on the southeast flank of the Faroe-Shetland Trough, through increasing basalt cover and the basalt escarpment, over the Fugloy Ridge, across the continent-ocean transition east of the Faroe Islands and out over oceanic crust. Each acquisition used a source array tuned for low frequencies, building upon reported experiences of imaging below shallow basalts west of Ireland, and seismic characterisation of Lower Series basalts in the Lopra borehole on the Faroes. In this paper, we describe the key features of the acquisition and the processing, we review the results to date from both OBS and streamer data and we show how the two datasets complement each other in estimating the base of the basalt sequence. A comparison with an earlier long-offset survey shows the benefit of the low frequency bandwidth and we speculate on the applicability of the method to other regions.
Frequency and impact of summertime stratospheric intrusions over Maryland during DISCOVER‐AQ (2011): New evidence from NASA's GEOS‐5 simulations

Aircraft observations and ozonesonde profiles collected on 14 and 27 July 2011, during the Maryland month‐long Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality (DISCOVER‐AQ) campaign, indicate the presence of stratospheric air just above the planetary boundary layer (PBL). This raises the question of whether summer stratospheric intrusions (SIs) elevate surface ozone levels and to what degree they influence background ozone levels and contribute to ozone production. We used idealized stratospheric air tracers, along with observations, to determine the frequency and extent of SIs in Maryland during July 2011. On 4 of 14 flight days, SIs were detected in layers that the aircraft encountered above the PBL from the coincidence of enhanced ozone, moderate CO, and low moisture. Satellite observations of lower tropospheric humidity confirmed the occurrence of synoptic‐scale influence of SIs as do simulations with the GEOS‐5 atmospheric general circulation model. The evolution of GEOS‐5 stratospheric air tracers agrees with the timing and location of observed stratospheric influence and indicates that more than 50% of air in SI layers above the PBL had resided in the stratosphere within the previous 14 days. Despite having a strong influence in the lower free troposphere, these events did not significantly affect surface ozone, which remained low on intrusion days. The model indicates similar frequencies of stratospheric influence during all summers from 2009 to 2013. GEOS‐5 results suggest that over Maryland, the strong inversion capping the summer PBL limits downward mixing of stratospheric air during much of the day, helping to preserve low surface ozone associated with frontal passages that precede SIs.
THE PORTUGUESE CREOLES OF MALACCA

Papia Kristang is spoken by several hundred people, including children, in south-western Malaysia. It was previously thought to be extinct until he found several hundred speakers in Malacca, in Malaysia. On the basis of fieldwork undertaken in Malaysia, and in correspondence with a native speaker, Mr. Nicholas Nunis since then, he has compiled the outline presented here.
Stress drop estimates of potentially induced earthquakes in the Guy‐Greenbrier sequence

We calculate corner frequencies and stress drops for 25 potentially induced earthquakes (Mw 2.17 − 2.57) in the Guy‐Greenbrier sequence in the central Arkansas. We use the spectral ratio method, employing highly similar earthquakes as empirical Green's functions (eGfs). We show that multiple eGfs give consistent corner frequency estimates for the same earthquake and find a range of stress drops of 1.02 MPa to 42.50 MPa with a median of 10.57 MPa by using the Brune spectral model and the source parameters given by Sato and Hirasawa [ ]. We also analyze stress drop dependence on the assumed spectral models and source parameters and use a bootstrapping analysis to calculate the uncertainty in corner frequency and stress drop estimates. The Boatwright spectral model leads to lower stress drop estimates than the Brune spectral model due to the limited bandwidth and fixed fall‐off rates. We find that the uncertainty in the stress drop of each earthquake is generally much smaller than the range of stress drop estimates. The value and range of these stress drops of the potentially induced earthquakes are similar to tectonic earthquakes in California reported by other spectral ratio studies. Our results highlight the value of spectral ratio analyses of earthquakes in the central United States.
Using Sentinel-1 Imagery for Soil Salinity Prediction Under the Condition of Coastal Restoration

Soil salinity is a major cause of land degradation in coastal environments and arid lands; in the first case due to sea water, and the second case due to precipitation/evaporation relationship. In coastal wetlands, soil salinity is very sensitive to plant invasion. In this context, it is necessary to obtain a better understanding of soil salinity variation to improve the management of coastal land resources. In this study, we explored the potential of Sentinel-1 data in predicting electrical conductivity (EC) at three depths. Also, we assessed the usefulness of the knowledge of the invasion process in EC prediction by comparing structural equation modeling (SEM), that included such knowledge, and linear regression model (LM), that simply modeled the relationships between EC and predictors. The case study was conducted in an invaded coastal wetland dominated by Spartina alterniflora Loisel in the east-central China coast. Before modeling, principal component analysis was used to reduce the multidimensionality of time series images. In SEM, the model explained 82% of EC variation in 0–30 cm, 99% in 30–60 cm, and 71% in 60–100 cm. The cross validation showed the SEM model provided good accuracy, with RPD (a ratio of performance to deviation) values of 1.41 in 0–30 cm, 1.51 in 30–60 cm, and 1.43 in 60–100 cm. In comparison to the poorer accuracy of LM models, we argued that modeling the relationships between the exotic plant and EC at different depths can be treated as a substantial advantage of the approach. These results provided useful indications about the strong potentials of Sentinel-1 imagery in quantitative prediction of soil salinity.
VizAbility: Enhancing Chart Accessibility with LLM-based Conversational Interaction

Traditional accessibility methods like alternative text and data tables typically underrepresent data visualization's full potential. Keyboard-based chart navigation has emerged as a potential solution, yet efficient data exploration remains challenging. We present VizAbility, a novel system that enriches chart content navigation with conversational interaction, enabling users to use natural language for querying visual data trends. VizAbility adapts to the user's navigation position for improved response accuracy and facilitates verbal command-based chart navigation. Furthermore, it can address queries for contextual information, designed to address the needs of visually impaired users. We designed a large language model (LLM)-based pipeline to address these user queries, leveraging chart data&encoding, user context, and external web knowledge. We conducted both qualitative and quantitative studies to evaluate VizAbility's multimodal approach. We discuss further opportunities based on the results, including enhanced benchmark testing and integration with current visualization tools.
GEOGRAPHICAL SIGNATURES FOR THERMAL CONVECTION CLIMATOLOGY

Maps for the qualification of thermal convection over different areas have been used by glider pilots especially for Westem Germany for more than fifteen years. They are based on data about water table distance, soil kind and quality, vegetation and evapotranspiration, or on cumulus cloud cover statistic partly out of satellite data, and on other parameters. After the reunification of Germany, thermal convection maps havebeen constructed by similar methods for Eastem Germany. All these construction methods are based on the idea, that available maps can be combined in that manner to represent the thermal convection potential. One of the results of experience and measurements was that deciduous forests (after development of their leaves in spring) have large evapotranspiration and thus bad thermals. Such forests exist to a great extent in Westem Germany. On the other hand, East German and Polish pilots experience in their areas a high thermal convection potential over forests (here mostly pine forests) even greater than over agricultural fields. This special thermal behavior and an advanced method for a more automatic evaluation of thermal convection potential will be discussed.