Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heavy Metal Pollution and Source Contributions in Agricultural Soils Developed from Karst Landform in the Southwestern Region of China

Heavy metal pollution of soil in agricultural areas is the most prominent environmental pollution problem in China, seriously affecting human health and food security. It has become one of the environmental problems to which all sectors of society attach great importance. Soil heavy metals in the weathering area of hazardous geological bodies in southwest China have naturally high background attributes. Therefore, ecological risk assessment and analysis of potential sources of soil heavy metals in southwest China is of great significance for soil health management, soil heavy metal pollution control and territorial spatial planning. In this study, we collected 787 soil samples (0–20 cm) in Xuanwei County in China and analyzed the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in soils. Igeo, RI, HI and CR were used to calculate the pollution levels, ecological risks and human health risks. Additionally, the PMF model and one-way ANOVA were used to identify the potential sources and discuss the factors affecting the enrichment of heavy metals. The results showed that the mean contents of the surface soils were 1.190 (Cd), 139.4 (Cr), 96.74 (Cu), 0.081 (Hg), 56.97 (Ni), 46.66 (Pb) and 130.1 (Zn) mg/kg. All heavy metals exceeded the background values of the A layer soil in Yunnan Province. The Igeo showed that Cd was the most hazardous element in the study area, followed by Cu, Cr, As, Ni and Pb. The RI showed that low ecological risks, moderate ecological risks, considerable ecological risks and strong ecological risks accounted for 3.81%, 55.27%, 37.74% and 3.18%, respectively, of the total samples, and Cd was the main dominant element. The HI values of the As element in children were greater than 1, indicating a non-carcinogenic risk, and other elements’ risks were acceptable. The CR values of Cr and Ni were higher than their limits (1 × 10−4), and both had carcinogenic risks in children and adults, as did As in children. According to the PMF model, four heavy metals sources were identified: geological sources (32%), sources from mining activities (19.38%), atmospheric deposition sources (17.57%) and agricultural sources (31.05%). Thereinto, As and Pb were mainly derived from agricultural sources, Cd and Cr were mainly associated with geological sources, Cu was largely from mining activity sources, Hg was mainly from atmospheric deposition sources and Ni and Zn were mainly from geological sources, mining activities and agricultural activities. The parent material has a significant influence on the enrichment of heavy metals in the soil, and the heavy metals are significantly enriched in the carbonate parent material and quaternary parent material. Topography also plays a role in heavy metal accumulation; Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn gradually decreased with the increase in altitude, and As and Pb increased with the increase in altitude. Mn-oxide played a crucial part in the enrichment of Cu and Zn, while SOC, K2O and pH had little influence on the accumulation of heavy metals.
Improving the Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability of Carotenoids by Means of Nanostructured Delivery Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Carotenoids are bioactive compounds provided by the diet playing a key role in maintaining human health. Therefore, they should be ingested daily in an adequate amount. However, even a varied and well-balanced diet does not guarantee an adequate intake, as both the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of the compounds significantly affect their absorption. This review summarizes the main results achieved in improving the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carotenoids by means of nanostructured delivery systems, discussing in detail the available lipid-based and biopolymeric nanocarriers at present, with a focus on their formulation and functional efficiency. Although the toxicity profile of these innovative delivery systems is not fully understood, especially for long-term intake, these systems are an effective and valuable approach to increase the availability of compounds of nutritional interest.
Glucose 6-P Dehydrogenase—An Antioxidant Enzyme with Regulatory Functions in Skeletal Muscle during Exercise

Hypomorphic Glucose 6-P dehydrogenase (G6PD) alleles, which cause G6PD deficiency, affect around one in twenty people worldwide. The high incidence of G6PD deficiency may reflect an evolutionary adaptation to the widespread prevalence of malaria, as G6PD-deficient red blood cells (RBCs) are hostile to the malaria parasites that infect humans. Although medical interest in this enzyme deficiency has been mainly focused on RBCs, more recent evidence suggests that there are broader implications for G6PD deficiency in health, including in skeletal muscle diseases. G6PD catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), which provides the precursors of nucleotide synthesis for DNA replication as well as reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). NADPH is involved in the detoxification of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and de novo lipid synthesis. An association between increased PPP activity and the stimulation of cell growth has been reported in different tissues including the skeletal muscle, liver, and kidney. PPP activity is increased in skeletal muscle during embryogenesis, denervation, ischemia, mechanical overload, the injection of myonecrotic agents, and physical exercise. In fact, the highest relative increase in the activity of skeletal muscle enzymes after one bout of exhaustive exercise is that of G6PD, suggesting that the activation of the PPP occurs in skeletal muscle to provide substrates for muscle repair. The age-associated loss in muscle mass and strength leads to a decrease in G6PD activity and protein content in skeletal muscle. G6PD overexpression in Drosophila Melanogaster and mice protects against metabolic stress, oxidative damage, and age-associated functional decline, and results in an extended median lifespan. This review discusses whether the well-known positive effects of exercise training in skeletal muscle are mediated through an increase in G6PD.
Primordial non-Gaussianity in the Large Scale Structure of the Universe

Primordial non-Gaussianity is a potentially powerful discriminant of the physical mechanisms that generated the cosmological fluctuations observed today. Any detection of significant non-Gaussianity would thus have profound implications for our understanding of cosmic structure formation. The large scale mass distribution in the Universe is a sensitive probe of the nature of initial conditions. Recent theoretical progress together with rapid developments in observational techniques will enable us to critically confront predictions of inflationary scenarios and set constraints as competitive as those from the Cosmic Microwave Background. In this paper, we review past and current efforts in the search for primordial non-Gaussianity in the large scale structure of the Universe.
Influence of flow confinement on the drag force on a static cylinder

The influence of confinement on the drag force $F$ on a static cylinder in a viscous flow inside a rectangular slit of aperture $h_0$ has been investigated from experimental measurements and numerical simulations. At low enough Reynolds numbers, $F$ varies linearly with the mean velocity and the viscosity, allowing for the precise determination of drag coefficients $\lambda_{||}$ and $\lambda_{\bot}$ corresponding respectively to a mean flow parallel and perpendicular to the cylinder length $L$. In the parallel configuration, the variation of $\lambda_{||}$ with the normalized diameter $\beta = d/h_0$ of the cylinder is close to that for a 2D flow invariant in the direction of the cylinder axis and does not diverge when $\beta = 1$. The variation of $\lambda_{||}$ with the distance from the midplane of the model reflects the parabolic Poiseuille profile between the plates for $\beta \ll 1$ while it remains almost constant for $\beta \sim 1$. In the perpendicular configuration, the value of $\lambda_{\bot}$ is close to that corresponding to a 2D system only if $\beta \ll 1$ and/or if the clearance between the ends of the cylinder and the side walls is very small: in that latter case, $\lambda_{\bot}$ diverges as $\beta \to 1$ due to the blockage of the flow. In other cases, the side flow between the ends of the cylinder and the side walls plays an important part to reduce $\lambda_{\bot}$: a full 3D description of the flow is needed to account for these effects.
Electrocardiography Interpretation Proficiency Among Medical Doctors of Different Grades in the United Kingdom

Objective: Electrocardiography interpretation is a core clinical skill for all doctors participating in emergency medical services. Given the majority of ECGs initially performed in hospital on admission are reviewed by junior doctors, and the need for life-threatening pathology to be diagnosed or excluded, further understanding of the level of competency in interpretation and factors associated with this are needed. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire. This was comprised of two sections; the first section contained questions related to confidence, previous ECG learning and factors thought to be associated with ECG interpretation competence. The second section was an ECG quiz of 10 12-lead ECGs of varying complexity for interpretation assessment. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized for data analysis. Results: Sixty-two doctors from foundation year 1 to registrar level working in acute medicine across three hospitals participated. The mean overall percentage score for the ECG quiz was 45%. No association was found between junior doctor training grade and overall score on the ECG assessment. Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching strategies also did not impact competence. Only 9.7% reported themselves as “confident” interpreting ECGs. There was a trend towards higher levels of competency among those who felt they had undergone sufficient ECG teaching and those who sought regular feedback from other clinicians. Conclusion: This study demonstrated low overall levels of ECG interpretation competency among junior doctors in a large acute teaching NHS trust regardless of grade. Factors associated with competency remain unclear.
Disappearing Colorectal Liver Metastases: Do We Really Need a Ghostbuster?

The development of new systemic treatment strategies has resulted in a significant increase in the response rates of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) in the last few years. Although the radiological response is a favorable prognostic factor, complete shrinkage of CRLM, known as disappearing liver metastases (DLM), presents a therapeutic dilemma, and proper management is still debated in the literature. In fact, DLM is not necessarily equal to cure, and when resected, pathological examination reveals in more than 80% of patients a variable percentage of the tumor as residual disease or early recurrence in situ. Moreover, while a higher incidence of intrahepatic recurrence is documented in small series when surgery is avoided, its clinical significance for long-term OS is still under investigation. In light of this, a multidisciplinary approach and, in particular, radiologists’ role is needed to assist the surgeon in the management of DLM, thanks to emerging technology and strategy. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the DLM phenomenon and current management.
Nationwide Analysis on Intentional Indoor and Outdoor Tanning: Prevalence and Correlates

Outdoor and indoor tanning are considered as risk factors for the development of skin cancer. The aims of this nationwide representative study were to quantify both behaviors in a sample with a wide age range, to identify those showing both behaviors and to explore and compare determinants of both behaviors. We used data from the fifth wave (2019) of the National Cancer Aid Monitoring (NCAM). We surveyed the representative sample including 4000 individuals, aged 16–65 years, living in Germany. Data were collected through telephone interviews. In addition to descriptive statistics, we used logistic regression analyses to identify determinants. The one-year-prevalence of tanning bed use was 7.5%, while 31.9% tanned (very) often intentionally outdoors in at least one situation (weekdays, holidays, and weekends). A total of 3.2% reported both risk behaviors. Regression analyses revealed that tanning bed use is associated with employment, an increased number of naevi, and lack of risk awareness. Intentional outdoor tanning was associated with male sex, younger age, past tobacco use, and low risk awareness of UV radiation. Our findings suggest that only a minority of subjects showed both risk behaviors. This implies that individuals seem to perform either one behavior or the other. In addition, the associated determinants differed between both behaviors, implying that specific preventive measures tailored to address to each tanning behavior are needed.
The instantaneous radial growth rate of stellar discs

We present a new and simple method to measure the instantaneous mass and radial growth rates of the stellar discs of spiral galaxies, based on their star formation rate surface density (SFRD) profiles. Under the hypothesis that discs are exponential with time-varying scalelengths, we derive a universal theoretical profile for the SFRD, with a linear dependence on two parameters: the specific mass growth rate ν _ M ≡ dot{M}_⋆ /M_⋆ and the specific radial growth rate ν _ R ≡ dot{R}_⋆ /R_⋆ of the disc. We test our theory on a sample of 35 nearby spiral galaxies, for which we derive a measurement of νM and νR. 32/35 galaxies show the signature of ongoing inside-out growth (νR > 0). The typical derived e-folding time-scales for mass and radial growth in our sample are ˜10 and ˜30 Gyr, respectively, with some systematic uncertainties. More massive discs have a larger scatter in νM and νR, biased towards a slower growth, both in mass and size. We find a linear relation between the two growth rates, indicating that our galaxy discs grow in size at ˜0.35 times the rate at which they grow in mass; this ratio is largely unaffected by systematics. Our results are in very good agreement with theoretical expectations if known scaling relations of disc galaxies are not evolving with time.
Agricultural Field Boundary Delineation with Satellite Image Segmentation for High-Resolution Crop Mapping: A Case Study of Rice Paddy

Parcel-level cropland maps are an essential data source for crop yield estimation, precision agriculture, and many other agronomy applications. Here, we proposed a rice field mapping approach that combines agricultural field boundary extraction with fine-resolution satellite images and pixel-wise cropland classification with Sentinel-1 time series SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) imagery. The agricultural field boundaries were delineated by image segmentation using U-net-based fully convolutional network (FCN) models. Meanwhile, a simple decision-tree classifier was developed based on rice phenology traits to extract rice pixels with time series SAR imagery. Agricultural fields were then classified as rice or non-rice by majority voting from pixel-wise classification results. The evaluation indicated that SeresNet34, as the backbone of the U-net model, had the best performance in agricultural field extraction with an IoU (Intersection over Union) of 0.801 compared to the simple U-net and ResNet-based U-net. The combination of agricultural field maps with the rice pixel detection model showed promising improvement in the accuracy and resolution of rice mapping. The produced rice field map had an IoU score of 0.953, while the User‘s Accuracy and Producer‘s Accuracy of pixel-wise rice field mapping were 0.824 and 0.816, respectively. The proposed model combination scheme merely requires a simple pixel-wise cropland classification model that incorporates the agricultural field mapping results to produce high-accuracy and high-resolution cropland maps.
Serratus Anterior Block for Rib Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Effective analgesia is the mainstay of the management of traumatic rib fractures. Serratus anterior block is a newer regional anaesthesia technique used in traumatic rib fractures which may have a favourable safety profile compared to other regional techniques. There is currently a lack of evidence for serratus anterior block and its role in the improvement of mortality, pain, duration of stay and pulmonary complications in patients with traumatic rib fractures in comparison to other regional anaesthesia techniques. Methods: Web of Science and PubMed were searched from inception until April 2022 for studies reporting on the use of a serratus anterior block compared to another therapy for the management of traumatic rib fractures. Primary outcomes were measures of analgesic efficacy. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of intervention related adverse events, hospital length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay and mortality. Results: Seven studies with 649 patients were included. No significant difference was found between serratus anterior block and intravenous opiates in terms of resting pain scores and achievement of mild or no pain after the chosen intervention(p>0.05). There was a statistically, but not clinically significant difference post block pain scores compared to other regional techniques (WMD= 0.63; 95% CI= 0.45 to 0.80; p< 0.00001). Significant differences were found in favour of blocks, specifically thoracic epidural and paravertebral blocks over serratus anterior block in terms of achieving mild or no pain after the block (OR= 0.54; 95% CI=0.32 to 0.90; I2= 0%; p= 0.02). No significant difference was found for any other outcomes. Conclusions: Current literature comparing the serratus anterior block to alternative analgesic options is limited by the end points assessing block success. No data was available assessing the effect on pain during deep inspiration and coughing. This meta-analysis demonstrated similar analgesic efficacy to other regional anaesthesia techniques but a lower incidence of mild or no pain post block compared to traditional epidural or paravertebral techniques. Future studies need to be directed towards important outcomes such as dynamic pain scores and respiratory complication rates. Keywords: Rib fractures, Serratus Anterior, Chest trauma
The diversity of polychaetes (Annelida: Polychaeta) in a long-term pollution monitoring study from the Levantine coast of Turkey (Eastern Mediterranean), with the descriptions of four species new to science and two species new to the Mediterranean fauna

ABSTRACT During a relatively long-term pollution monitoring study between 2015 and 2021 (annually between 2015 and 2019; triennially after 2019), a total of 257 polychaete species belonging to 40 families were identified at 17 soft bottom stations (depth range: 11–89 m) along the Levantine coast of Turkey. Among them, four species belonging to Hesionidae (Oxydromus digitifera sp. nov.), Orbiniidae (Leitoscoloplos mediterranea sp. nov.), Paraonidae (Paraonis lobulata sp. nov.) and Capitellidae (Barantolla cryptogenica sp. nov.) are new to science, two species belonging to Cirratulidae (Chaetozone elakata) and Ampharetidae (Anobothrus amoureuxi) are new additions to the Mediterranean fauna and 28 species are new additions to the marine fauna of Turkey. Among the families, Spionidae (29 species), Syllidae (22 species) and Paraonidae (22 species) accounted for 28% of the total number of species, and Capitellidae, Lumbrineridae and Spionidae comprised 45% of the total number of individuals. The most dominant species in the region were Lumbrineris geldiayi, Notomastus mossambicus and Prionospio saccifera. A total of 20 alien species belonging to 12 families were found in the region, with N. mossambicus and P. saccifera accounting for more than 85% of the total number of individuals of alien species. The new species are described and compared to the closely related species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8E09CE08-AA44-46F4-A59B-3DE19D42EB4B
TeV gamma-ray survey of the northern sky using the ARGO-YBJ experiment

The ARGO-YBJ experiment is an extensive air shower array with full coverage RPC detectors located at Yangbajing (4300 m asl, Tibet, China). It is operated with high duty cycle (>86%) and a large field of view ($\sim$ 2sr). It continuously monitors the entire overhead sky at $\gamma$-ray energies above 0.1 TeV. In the talk, we will present the result of the northern sky survey (between declinations of -10$^{\circ}$ and 70$^{\circ}$) from an analysis of ~4 years of the ARGO-YBJ data (between July 2006 and February 2011). There are four known TeV sources observed with significance greater than 5 S.D. The significance from Crab Nebula is more than 16 S.D. 90% confidence level upper limits to the flux from all directions in the sky are also presented, which vary from 0.09 to 0.53 Crab unit for Crab-like point sources.
COMPARING NUMERICAL METHODS FOR ISOTHERMAL MAGNETIZED SUPERSONIC TURBULENCE

Many astrophysical applications involve magnetized turbulent flows with shock waves. Ab initio star formation simulations require a robust representation of supersonic turbulence in molecular clouds on a wide range of scales imposing stringent demands on the quality of numerical algorithms. We employ simulations of supersonic super-Alfvénic turbulence decay as a benchmark test problem to assess and compare the performance of nine popular astrophysical MHD methods actively used to model star formation. The set of nine codes includes: ENZO, FLASH, KT-MHD, LL-MHD, PLUTO, PPML, RAMSES, STAGGER, and ZEUS. These applications employ a variety of numerical approaches, including both split and unsplit, finite difference and finite volume, divergence preserving and divergence cleaning, a variety of Riemann solvers, and a range of spatial reconstruction and time integration techniques. We present a comprehensive set of statistical measures designed to quantify the effects of numerical dissipation in these MHD solvers. We compare power spectra for basic fields to determine the effective spectral bandwidth of the methods and rank them based on their relative effective Reynolds numbers. We also compare numerical dissipation for solenoidal and dilatational velocity components to check for possible impacts of the numerics on small-scale density statistics. Finally, we discuss the convergence of various characteristics for the turbulence decay test and the impact of various components of numerical schemes on the accuracy of solutions. The nine codes gave qualitatively the same results, implying that they are all performing reasonably well and are useful for scientific applications. We show that the best performing codes employ a consistently high order of accuracy for spatial reconstruction of the evolved fields, transverse gradient interpolation, conservation law update step, and Lorentz force computation. The best results are achieved with divergence-free evolution of the magnetic field using the constrained transport method and using little to no explicit artificial viscosity. Codes that fall short in one or more of these areas are still useful, but they must compensate for higher numerical dissipation with higher numerical resolution. This paper is the largest, most comprehensive MHD code comparison on an application-like test problem to date. We hope this work will help developers improve their numerical algorithms while helping users to make informed choices about choosing optimal applications for their specific astrophysical problems.