Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reply to ‘Dynamic phase shift within a falling glass cube is negligible: comment on ‘Relativistic theory of the falling cube gravimeter’’

In the subject paper Ashby (2018 Metrologia 55 1–10) of the comment Svitlov (2018 Metrologia 55 609–13), light propagation through an absolute gravimeter was analyzed, including the propagation delay through the falling retroreflector and through the vacuum. The resulting expression for the interference signal applies without any subsequent ‘speed of light’ correction. Other corrections appeared for the three fitting parameters and g, which are, respectively, the initial position and velocity, and the acceleration of gravity at the reference point. The comment assumes the value of Z0 is known a priori; this case was not addressed in Ashby (2018 Metrologia 55 1–10). Also, the comment misunderstands statements made in Ashby (2018 Metrologia 55 1–10) regarding the derivation of the relativistic/non-relativistic parts of the corrections (equation (47) of Ashby (2018 Metrologia 55 1–10)), and mistakenly claims they apply to the undifferenced interference signal. In this reply we show why, because of inapplicable assumptions, approximations and misunderstandings, the comment does not apply to the results of Ashby (2018 Metrologia 55 1–10).
Addition of Risk-enhancing Factors Improves Risk Assessment of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Middle-aged and Older Chinese Adults: Findings from the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether integrating risk-enhancing factors into the Chinese Society of Cardiology-recommended clinical risk assessment tool (i.e., the CSC model) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) might improve 10-year ASCVD risk stratification in Chinese adults. Methods: A total of 4910 Chinese participants who were 50–79 years of age and free of cardiovascular disease in the 2007–2008 Survey from the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study were included. We assessed the updated model’s clinical utility (i.e., Harrell’s C-index and net reclassification improvement [NRI]) by adding risk-enhancing factors individually or the number of risk-enhancing factors to the CSC model, for all individuals or those at intermediate risk. Risk-enhancing factors, including a family history of CVD, triglycerides ≥2.3 mmol/L, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥2 mg/L, Lipoprotein (a) ≥50 mg/dL, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥4.9 mmol/L, overweight/obesity, and central obesity, were evaluated. ASCVD events were defined as a composite endpoint comprising ischemic stroke and acute coronary heart disease events (including nonfatal acute myocardial infarction and all coronary deaths). Results: During a median 10-year follow-up, 449 (9.1%) ASCVD events were recorded. Addition of ≥2 risk-enhancing factors to the CSC model yielded a significant improvement in the C-index (1.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2–1.7%) and a modest improvement in the NRI (2.0%, 95% CI: −1.2–5.4%) in the total population. For intermediate-risk individuals, particularly individuals at high risk of developing ASCVD, significant improvements in NRI were observed after adding ≥2 risk-enhancing factors (17.4%, 95% CI: 5.6–28.5%) to the CSC model. Conclusions: Addition of ≥2 risk-enhancing factors refined 10-year ASCVD risk stratification, particularly for intermediate-risk individuals, supporting their potential in helping tailor targeted interventions in clinical practice.
Theory and Practice of Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a well-established instrument of environmental law and policy that aims to ensure that potential adverse environmental effects of human activities are assessed before decisions on such activities are made. The instrument is increasingly being applied in respect of activities that may cause environmental effects across the borders of a state. This book offers an assessment of thirteen systems of Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (TEIA) that exist or are in development in different parts of the world. Although TEIA is generally associated with EIA between territorial states, this book takes a broader approach and is divided into three sub-parts: Transboundary EIA between states, EIA for activities in international and shared areas, and EIA required by international financial institutions. Knowledgeable experts (scholars and practitioners) provide an overview of the history, content, and practice of the individual systems and, based on these discussions, the state of the art concerning TEIA and possible future developments are discussed.
Outer and (b,c) inverses of tensors

ABSTRACT Some basic properties of the range and null space of multidimensional arrays (tensors) with respect to Einstein tensor product are investigated. Also, an useful and effective definition of the tensor rank, termed as reshaping rank, is introduced. Further, computation of tensor outer with prescribed range and/or kernel of higher order tensors is considered. Starting from an algebraic approach, some new relationships between the problems of solving tensor equations and computation of tensor outer inverses with prescribed range and/or null pace are established. Conditions for the existence, representation and computation of the Moore-Penrose inverse, the weighted Moore-Penrose inverse, the Drazin inverse and the usual inverse of tensors are derived as corollaries. In this way, we derive extensions of known representations of various classes of matrix generalized inverses to multidimensional arrays. Effective algorithms for computing inner inverses of tensors as well as initiated algorithms for computing outer inverses of tensors are presented. Implementation of proposed algorithms in Matlab are developed and illustrative numerical examples are given. In addition, results related with the -inverses on semigroups are examined in details in a specific semigroup of tensors with a binary associative operation defined as the Einstein tensor product.
Evaluation and Comparison of Four Screening Tests against Milk Culture for Detection of Subclinical Mastitis in Lactating Cattle and Buffalo in Egypt

Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is an asymptomatic worldwide udder infection that results in substantial losses to the dairy industry. Our main objective was to evaluate and compare the clinical performance of 4 commercially available screening tests for diagnosing SCM. Foremilk samples were collected from 428 quarters of 107 apparently healthy lactating cows and buffaloes from El-Menofia governorate from 2020 to 2022. Quarter somatic cell count (SCC) was estimated using the FOSS-BacSomatic ® counter and the California Mastitis Test (CMT), with SCM defined as SCC > 200,000 cells/mL. Milk pH was measured cow-side using an AD11 ® pH-meter and BOVIVET ® indicator paper. Bacterial cultures of foremilk samples were used to diagnose SCM as a reference method based on the isolation of the causative pathogens. The tests’ performance was evaluated by calculating test sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), and accuracy at the optimal-cut-point for each test. FOSS-BacSomatic ® counter was the best-performing test for diagnosing SCM (Se = 0.967, Sp = 0.943, accuracy = 0.957) at an optimal-cut-point of >200,000 cells/mL. For comparison, CMT is the second best-performing test at an optimal-cut-point of a non-negative score (Se = 0.892, Sp = 0.878, accuracy = 0.887). The test performance of the AD11 ® pH-meter and BOVIVET ® indicator paper was fair, however, the AD11 ® pH-meter performed better than the BOVIVET ® indicator paper with Se = 0.807, Sp = 0.845, and accuracy = 0.822. We concluded that the FOSS-BacSomatic ® counter and CMT are considered good tests for diagnosing SCM. On the other hand, milk pH doesn’t provide a clinically useful method for diagnosing SCM. However, based on cost, availability and analysis time, there doesn't seem to be a persuasive reason to select the FOSS-BacSomatic ® counter over the traditional CMT to diagnose SCM.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as resilient socio-economic structures: the role of collaboration and public policies in Brazil and Spain

ABSTRACT This study examines the determinants of resilience in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and strategies for CSA expansion, including the role of public policies, providing a genuine international comparison of inputs from CSA coordinators in Brazil and Spain. The results indicate that CSA projects with an engaged small consumer core group that supports the producer have additional tools to build resilience. Synergies with other like-minded social, educational, or environmental projects offer significant expansion opportunities. Distrust of CSA actors in public policies limits their ability to support the CSA movement, but indirect policy adjustments could have a favorable effects on CSA expansion.
On viscous film flows coating the interior of a tube: thin-film and long-wave models

A theoretical and numerical investigation of two classes of models for pressure-driven core–annular flow is presented. Both classes, referred to as ‘long-wave’ and ‘thin-film’ models, may be derived from a unified perspective using long-wave asymptotics, but are distinct from one another in the role played by the curved tube geometry with respect to the planar (limiting) case. Analytical and numerical techniques are used to show and quantify the significant differences between the behaviour of solutions to both model types. Temporal linear stability analysis of the constant solution is carried out first to pinpoint with closed-form mathematical expressions the different dynamical regimes associated with absolute or convective instabilities. Numerical simulations for the models are then performed and qualitative differences in the evolution of the free surface are explored. Mathematically, different levels of asymptotic accuracy are found to result in different regularizing properties affecting the long-time behaviour of generic numerical solutions. Travelling wave solutions are also studied, and qualitative differences in the topology of streamline patterns describing the flow of the film in a moving reference frame are discussed. These topological differences allow for further classification of the models. In particular, a transition from a regime in which waves trap a fluid core to one where waves travel faster than any parcel of the underlying fluid is documented for a variant of the primary model. In the corresponding thin-film model, no such transition is found to occur. The source of these differences is examined, and a comparison of the results with those of related models in the literature is given. A brief discussion of the merits of each class of models concludes this study.
A Conceptual Framework of The Impact of Arabic Spring on Efficiency, Intellectual Capital, and Corporate Governance of Islamic Banks

This is a concept paper for a future study based on the literature on risk management, intellectual capital, corporate governance, and efficiency measurement of banks in Arab countries. The importance of efficiency research in the banking sector has increased over the years as all banks strive to be efficient by minimizing inputs such as costs and maximizing outputs such as profit. The aim of this study is to compare banking efficiency between conventional and Islamic banks in several Arab countries (Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon) that experienced both economic and political downturns during the Arab Spring. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to study bank efficiency. Analysis DEA can help banks become more efficient while maximizing their knowledge benefits. Future studies could provide advice to banks on how to increase their efficiency. In addition, the empirical results of this study will contribute to the existing literature on bank efficiency in Arab countries.
A Low-Power DAQ System with High-Speed Storage for Submersible Buoy

Submersible Buoy (SB) is an important apparatus capable of long-term, fixed-point, continuous and multidirectional measurement of acoustic signals and hydrological environment monitoring in the harsh marine environment. It provides important information for hydrological environment research, marine organism research and protection. We will describe a real-time data acquisition (DAQ) system designed to meet low-power consumption and high-speed data transmission.
Political Ideology and Childhood Vaccination in Cross-National Perspective, 1995 to 2018

Abstract Although the Covid-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the problem of vaccine hesitancy, vaccination rates for common childhood vaccines such as measles and pertussis have declined in many countries around the world for over a decade. To investigate the potential role of politicization in this decline, I analyze the relationship between the ideological composition of societies and childhood vaccination rates for measles, diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus in 88 countries between 1995 and 2018, using pooled cross-national data from the World Values Survey, World Bank, and other sources. Controlling for other key determinants of vaccine uptake, coverage is highest in ideologically moderate societies and lowest in countries that skew to the Right of the political spectrum, while vaccination rates increase when countervailing ideological views are sufficiently well represented in a society. I relate these findings to theories of identity construction and maintenance, focusing especially on the “plausibility structures” approach in the phenomenological tradition and the “subcultural identity” perspective developed in religious contexts.
Effects of knockout of CO2-responsive CCT protein, a regulator of starch synthesis on physiological characteristics of rice

ABSTRACT CO2-Responsive CCT Protein (CRCT) is suggested to be a positive regulator of starch synthesis-related genes in the vegetative organs of rice. To investigate the physiological function of CRCT, we produced CRCT knockout lines by CRISPR/Cas9 system. CRCT knockout tended to slightly reduce photosynthetic performance and had some adverse effects on growth parameters such as tiller number and straw dry weight. The starch content in the leaf sheath of CRCT knockout lines was significantly lower than that of wild-type. qRT-PCR and RNA-seq analysis showed that sucrose treatment induced the expression of CRCT, which, in turn, induced many starch synthesis-related genes in wild-type, whereas this induction did not occur in CRCT knockout lines. In conclusion, our results suggest that sugar induction of starch synthesis-related genes is almost fully dependent on CRCT, making it a necessary factor for normal photosynthesis and growth of rice. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Strong averaging principle for two-time-scale non-autonomous stochastic FitzHugh-Nagumo system with jumps

In this paper, we study an averaging principle for stochastic FitzHugh-Nagumo system with different time scales driven by cylindrical Wiener processes and Poisson jumps, where the slow equation is non-autonomous and the fast equation is autonomous case. Under suitable assumptions, we show that the slow component mean-square strongly converges to the solution of the corresponding averaging equation, and the rate of the convergence as a by-product is also affirmed. Finally, we give some open problems which are derived from this paper.
EFFECT OF CONTINUOUS APPLICATION OF FYM AND NPK ON FERTILITY STATUS OF SOIL, YIELD AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE IN MAIZE

FYM and NPK were continuously added for over 20 years in the cropping sequence of maize-cowpea-finger millet in a Typic Ustropept clay loam soil at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbtore to study their effect on soil fertility and crop productivity. Among the ten treatments, FYM and NPK and increasing levels of NPK fertilization significantly increased the available N, P and K and organic carbon content in the soil and the biomass yield and uptake of major nutrients in maize being the 55th crop in this study. Continuous fertilization with N only resulted in depletion of available P and not much variation was observed for available K. Exclusion of S from fertilizer schedule had not resulted in adverse yield reduction.
Habitat associations and fine-scale movements of the Red-Spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus) in Kansas and the efficacy of remote telemetry for monitoring small-scale movements

As climate change progresses, arid-adapted anurans might be particularly susceptible to population declines because of their reliance on ephemeral pools for successful reproduction. Because arid-adapted anurans are difficult to study due to short active seasons and cryptic lifestyles, little is known about their habitat preferences. One such arid-adapted species is the Red-Spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus; RST), a Kansas Species in Need of Conservation. Since this designation in 1987, little research has been conducted to understand their conservation needs. During the summers of 2021 and 2022, RST surveys were conducted both near areas where the species has historically been observed in Clark, Comanche, and Barber counties, Kansas, as well as in areas just outside the border of their known range, including Kiowa County, Kansas. Automatic recording devices were deployed to detect signs of breeding activity. To understand finer-scale movement patterns, unmanned aerial sensing and developing telemetry techniques were combined to map RST movements. Excluding the RST observations at the telemetry site, 96 RST were observed across both summers. The majority of these observations were after sunset. Active toads were observed on gypsum outcrops. Calling RST were detected at five locations. The results of this study increase our understanding of the habitat associations of RST in Kansas and provide insights and recommendations for their conservation.
Enhanced sedimentation of elongated plankton in simple flows

Negatively buoyant phytoplankton play an important role in the sequestration of CO_2 from the atmo-sphere and are fundamental to the health of the world’s fisheries. However, there is still much to discoveron transport mechanisms from the upper photosynthetic regions to the deep ocean. In contrast to intuitive expectations that mixing increases plankton residence time in light-rich regions, recent experimental and computational evidence suggests that turbulence can actually enhance sedimentation of negatively buoyant diatoms. Motivated by these studies we dissect the enhanced sedimentation mechanisms using the simplest possible two-dimensional flows, avoiding expensive computations and obfuscation. In particular, we find that in vertical shear, preferential flow alignment and aggregation in down-welling regions both increase sedimentation, whereas horizontal shear reduces the sedimentation due only to alignment. However the magnitude of the shear does not affect the sedimentation rate. In simple vertical Kolmogorov flow elongated particles also have an enhanced sedimentation speed as they spend more time in down-welling regions of the flow with vertically aligned orientation, an effect that increases with the magnitude of shear. An additional feature is identified in horizontal Kolomogorov flow, whereby the impact of shear-dependent sedimentation speed is to cause aggregation in regions of high-shear where the sedimentation speed is minimum. In cellular flow, there is an increase in mean sedimentation speed with aspect ratio and shear strength associated with aggregation in down-welling regions. Furthermore, spatially projected trajectories can intersect and give rise to chaotic dynamics, which is associated with a depletion of particles within so called retention zones.
Visualization of the SyncAV® Algorithm for CRT Optimization by Non-invasive Imaging of Cardiac Electrophysiology: NICE-CRT Trial

(1) Background: Periodic repetitive AV interval optimization using a device-based algorithm in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices may improve clinical outcomes. There is an unmet need to successfully transform its application into clinical routine. (2) Methods: Non-invasive imaging of cardiac electrophysiology was performed in different device programming settings of the SyncAV® algorithm in 14 heart failure patients with left bundle branch block and a PR interval ≤ 250 milliseconds to determine the shortest ventricular activation time. (3) Results: the best offset time (to be manually programmed) permitting automatic dynamic adjustment of the paced atrioventricular interval after every 256 heart beats was found to be 30 and 50 milliseconds, decreasing mean native QRS duration from 181.6 ± 23.9 milliseconds to 130.7 ± 10.0 and 130.1 ± 10.5 milliseconds, respectively (p = 0.01); this was followed by an offset of 40 milliseconds (decreasing QRS duration to 130.1 ± 12.2 milliseconds; p = 0.08). (4) Conclusions: The herein presented NICE-CRT study supports the current recommendation to program an offset of 50 milliseconds as default in patients with left bundle branch block and preserved atrioventricular conduction after implantation of a CRT device capable of SyncAV® optimization. Alternatively, offset programming of 30 milliseconds may also be applied as default programming. In patients with no or poor CRT response, additional efforts should be spent to individualize best offset programming with electrocardiographic optimization techniques.
The potential value of early (1939–1967) upper‐air data in atmospheric climate reanalysis

In recent years a number of reanalysis datasets have been published that cover the past century or more, including the ‘Twentieth Century Reanalysis’ 20CRv2 and the European Reanalysis of the twentieth century ERA‐20C. These datasets are widely used, showing the need for, and possible benefit of, reanalysis data products designed for climate applications. The twentieth‐century reanalyses so far have assimilated only surface observations, and rely on independent estimates of monthly averaged sea‐surface temperatures and sea ice concentrations as boundary conditions. While 20CRv2 uses only observations of surface and sea‐level pressure, ERA‐20C additionally assimilates marine winds.
Prognostic Significance of Preoperative NLR, MLR, and PLR Values in Predicting the Outcome of Primary Cytoreductive Surgery in Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

(1) The degree of cytoreduction achieved during primary debulking surgery (PDS) is an important prognostic factor for the survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Our aim was to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative laboratory parameters for the outcome of PDS. (2) We analyzed the preoperative laboratory parameters of 150 serous EOC patients who underwent PDS between 2006 and 2013. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off values of the variables for predicting the PDS outcome. We used binary logistic regression to examine the independent predictive value of the factors for incomplete cytoreduction. (3) Among the parameters, we established optimal cut-off values for cancer antigen (Ca)-125, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) to predict the outcome of PDS. The results of binary logistic regression showed that stage (FIGO III-IV), MLR (>0.305), and Ca-125 (>169.15 kU/L) were independent significant predictors of the degree of tumor reduction achieved during PDS. (4) In the future, MLR, especially in combination with other parameters, may be useful in determining prognosis and selecting the best treatment option (PDS or neoadjuvant chemotherapy + interval debulking surgery) for ovarian cancer patients.