Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plant distribution and modern pollen deposition across an elevation eco-gradient: The lesson learnt from a case study in the Italian Alps

This study investigates the distribution of vegetation and its modern pollen representation along an elevation gradient in the Italian Alps and explores the relationships with terrain and climate variables. Moss polsters were collected at 25 sites between ca. 300 and 1400 m asl from open areas, deciduous, and conifer forests. At each site vegetation was surveyed at 1.8 and 10 m radius according to the Braun-Blanquet method. Climatic data, bioclimatic indices, and terrain parameters were obtained for each sampling site. Three distinct pollen associations reflect the characteristic vegetation altitudinal belts present in the study area. Uphill dispersal, the regional load and the presence of high producers influence the abundance of pollen and the representation of taxa along the gradient. CCA ordination technique reveals the predictive power of environmental variables on modern pollen and vegetation datasets. The most relevant factors controlling vegetation distribution are identified in elevation, insolation, Pspring, Tsummer, the Ellenberg quotient, and Summer Water Balance (SWB). Elevation, insolation, summer P and T, the Ellenberg quotient, and the Gams’ hygric continentality index (GAMS) explain more variance within the pollen dataset. A qualitative comparison among pollen and the corresponding parent plant occurrence qualifies Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Poaceae and Cyclamen pollen as suitable indicators taxa of the local vegetation in the study area. Several high producers with very effective, long-distance anemophilous dispersal (Pinus, Ostrya, Alnus, and Juglans) or mixed pollination mechanisms (anemophilous and insect-pollination: Fraxinus ornus, and Castanea) show no or little association with their parent plants.
The Relation between Gamma-Ray and Near-Infrared Radiation in Gamma-Ray-loud Blazars

We collect 16 gamma-ray-loud blazars (seven BL Lac objects and nine flat-spectrum radio quasars) with both observed near-infrared and gamma-ray flux densities and find that the near-IR luminosity correlates better with gamma-ray luminosity than with X-ray. Possible constraints on the gamma-ray emission mechanism are discussed. We suggest that the gamma-ray radiation is probably created by inverse Compton scattering of the radiation from hot circumnuclear dust by beamed, ultrarelativistic electrons.
Wavenumber-Frequency Spectra of Temperature in the Free Atmosphere

Abstract An analysis of the wavenumber-frequency spectra of temperature in the free atmosphere is made. It is found that a striking similarity exists between the spectrum of temperature and that of the large-scale wind velocity in the free atmosphere. The wavenumber-frequency spectrum of temperature shows a preferred spectral domain of wave activities, oriented primarily from a region of low wavenumbers and low frequencies to a region of high wavenumbers and negative frequencies assigned to waves moving from west to east. In the high-wavenumber range, the wavenumber spectrum of temperature is approximately proportional to the –3 power of the wavenumber. In the high-frequency range, the frequency spectrum of temperature is approximately proportional to the –1 power of the frequency. These indicate that the structure of the temperature field in the free atmosphere is essentially affected by the large-scale two-dimensional turbulent motion. It is also found that most of the sensible heat is associated with t.
A group theoretical approach to the canonical quantisation of gravity. I. Construction of the canonical group

An approach to quantisation in terms of a transitive group of symplectic transformations of the classical phase space is discussed. This is applied to general relativity where the phase space is nonlinear and it is shown that the appropriate canonical algebra (i.e. the analogue of the canonical commutation relations for the case of a linear phase space) is that of the affine commutation relations.
Chaotic spikes arising from a model of bursting in excitable membranes

A class of differential equations that model electrical activity in pancreatic beta cells is considered. It is demonstrated that these equations must give rise to both bursting solutions and, for different values of the parameters, continuous spiking. We also consider how the number of spikes per burst changes as parameters in the equations are varied. This transition may be continuous, in which case the period of the bursting solution increases significantly and then decreases. Hence, small perturbations may cause macroscopic changes in the bursting solution. This transition may also give rise to chaotic dynamics due to the existence of a Smale horseshoe.
A Solution to Inverse Problem of Quasi Three-dimensional Flow in Centrifugal Impeller

A solution to the inverse ptoblem of the most general quasi three-dimensional flow in a centrifugal impeller is presented which takes into account the fluid compressibility, the stream surface curvature and thickness variation of the stream surface simultaneously. By means of this method, it is possible to design the blade center line and the blade thickness specifying the relative velocity or pressure distribution along the blade surface. Numerical examples show that the method works well and it yields good coincidence between specified velocity and obtained one. The influence of the specified velocity distribution on the obtained blade shape is discussed and it is demonstrated that the imposed velocity distribution has restriction and can not be arbitrarily chosen, if a reasonable blade shape is to be pursued.
Tannic Acid as a Versatile Template for Silica Monoliths Engineering with Catalytic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles

Tannic acid in alkaline solutions in which sol-gel synthesis is usually performed with tetraethoxysilane is susceptible to various modifications, including formation of reactive radicals, oxidation under the action of atmospheric oxygen, self-association, and self-polymerization. Here, a precursor with ethylene glycol residues instead of ethanol was used, which made it possible to synthesize bionanocomposites of tannic acid and silica in one stage in neutral media under normal conditions without the addition of acid/alkali and organic solvents. Silica was fabricated in the form of optically transparent monoliths of various shapes with 2–4 nm pores, the radius of which well correlated with the size of a tannic acid macromolecule in a non-aggregated state. Polyphenol, which was remained in pores of silica matrix, served then as reducing agent to synthesize in situ gold and silver nanoparticles. As shown, these Au@SiO2 and Ag@SiO2 nanocomposites possessed localized surface plasmon resonance and high catalytic activity.
Robust empirical likelihood inference for partially linear varying coefficient models with longitudinal data

This paper presents a robust empirical likelihood procedure based on the exponential squared loss (ESL) function and leverage-based weights for the partially linear varying coefficient model with longitudinal data. The proposed method simultaneously solves the problems of correlation structure of longitudinal data and the existence of outliers, and achieves robustness and efficiency by introducing an appropriate data-driven tuning parameter. More importantly, profit from the QR decomposition technique, our method allows the parametric and nonparametric parts of the models to be estimated separately, which can avoid the mutual influence between them and make the implementation easier. Under some mild conditions, the large sample theoretical properties of the robust empirical likelihood approach are established. Simulation studies and a real data analysis are also carried out to assess and illustrate the finite sample performance.
Convergence and Accuracy of Numerical Methods for Trajectory Calculations

Abstract Computation of trajectories by a kinematic method requires the numerical solution of the differential equation by which the trajectory is defined. A widely used method is the iterative scheme of Petterssen which has second-order accuracy. The convergence and accuracy of this scheme is investigated for some simple flow types where analytical solutions are available. The results are discussed in comparison to other methods, especially a method similar to the Petterssen scheme, which has been recommended for use in semi-Lagrangian advection schemes. The truncation error in trajectory calculations should be kept about one order of magnitude smaller than the total uncertainty, which is mainly due to analysis errors and limited resolution of the wind data. It is shown that for trajectory calculations based on the typical output of current numerical weather prediction models or comparable data, this requires a time step of about 15% of the time step necessary to achieve convergence. If a fixed time step.
Simulation of Energetic Electron Bursts Upstream of Re-Forming Shocks

Energetic electrons are widely observed in vicinity of planetary bow shocks, interplanetary shocks, and coronal mass ejection driven shocks. In this paper the electron energization is numerically studied by tracing exact test particle electron trajectories in the time-dependent electromagnetic fields typical for the Earth's bow shock. The time-dependent re-forming shock profiles are self-consistently generated by one-dimensional multiscale hybrid simulations. It is shown that energetic electron bursts occur cyclically at the shock re-formation period. The upstream electron distributions show time-varying loss-cone, beam, and ring-beam features in velocity space. The beam density, beam speed, average beam kinetic energy, velocity spread, and associated wave growth rate in the upstream region of the shock cyclically change with time by a factor of ~2-4. These characteristics are qualitatively very different from the continuous beam expected for a time-stationary shock and are important for the plasma instabilities/radio emission phenomena near the shocks.
Effect of IL-27, Teriflunomide and Retinoic Acid and Their Combinations on CD4+ T Regulatory T Cells—An In Vitro Study

The principal goal of the study was to verify the concept of pharmacological induction of Foxp3+CD25+CD4+ T regulatory (Treg) cells which will additionally be characterized by a highly suppressive phenotype, i.e., by extensive CD25 and CD39 expression and IL-10 and TGF-β production. Stimulated and unstimulated murine lymphocytes were exposed to IL-27, teriflunomide (TER), and all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) alone and to their combinations. The study demonstrated that: (a) IL-27 alone induced CD39 expression on Treg cells and the generation of Tr1 cells; (b) TER alone induced Foxp3-expressing CD4+ T cells and up-regulated density of CD25 on these cells; TER also induced the ability of Treg cells to TGF-β production; (c) ATRA alone induced CD39 expression on Treg cells. The experiments revealed a strong superadditive effect between IL-27 and ATRA with respect to increasing CD39 expression on Treg cells. Moreover, IL-27 and ATRA in combination, but not alone, induced the ability of Treg cells to IL-10 production. However, the combination of IL-27, TER, and ATRA did not induce the generation of Treg cell subset with all described above features. This was due to the fact that TER abolished all listed above desired effects induced by IL-27 alone, ATRA alone, and their combination. IL-27 alone, ATRA alone, and their combination affected TER-induced effects to a lesser extent. Therefore, it can be concluded that in the aspect of pharmacological induction of Treg cells with a highly suppressive phenotype, the triple combination treatment with TER, IL-27, and ATRA does not provide any benefits over TER alone or dual combination including IL-27 and ATRA.
Latinx STEM Students’ Values toward Conducting Research for Social Change: Examining STEM Educational Experiences, HSIs, and Moderating Effects

ABSTRACT This study uses a national longitudinal sample of 612 Latinx STEM bachelor’s degree recipients across 171 higher education institutions to examine the STEM undergraduate experiences and institutional contexts that predict their values toward conducting research that will have a meaningful impact on underserved communities. Results show that several background and precollege characteristics, particular STEM majors, learning about science and technology in society, and institutional characteristics predict this empowerment outcome. While attending a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) did not have a direct effect on the outcome, it was found to reduce the negative effect of majoring in math/statistics and computer science/tech. Implications for our current understanding of Latinx STEM success and the role of HSIs and PWIs are provided.
Low-dose MDCT of the lung : image quality in adults with cystic fibrosis versus other nonmalignant lung disease

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Vibrations of a hollow circular cylinder of piezoelectric ceramics

The wave propagation in a piezoelectric hollow cylinder of class (6‐mm) crystals or ceramics (∞ m) with traction‐free surfaces is studied. The frequency equations are obtained subject to various types of electrical boundary conditions and are examined numerically for the piezoceramic material PZT‐4; the results are presented graphically as well as in tables.
ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF BALANCED GENERAL ANAESTHESIA IN ADULT DOMESTIC CATS (FELIS CATUS)

The study was aimed to evaluate the electrocardiographic changes in cats after administration of an anaesthetic combination using dexmedetomidine, butorphanol, midazolam and ketamine. The study was conducted in 12 healthy adult female cats aged from 9-18 months presented for ovariohysterectomy to Veterinary Hospital of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. Electrocardiographic examination of the cats were conducted before administration of anaesthesia and after recovery from surgical plane of anaesthesia. ECG was recorded in right lateral recumbency with sensitivity of 1mV=20 mm and 1 sec= 25mm using lead II. On analysing the ECG, it was found that there was a decrease in heart rate, increased P wave duration, increased in R and T wave amplitude, increased P-R and Q-T intervals; though values for all parameters were within the clinically acceptable range. Hence it was concluded that this anaesthetic protocol could be used in adult cats without causing marked interference in the cardiovascular function.
A new error-monitoring brain–computer interface based on reinforcement learning for people with autism spectrum disorders

Objective. Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are emerging as promising cognitive training tools in neurodevelopmental disorders, as they combine the advantages of traditional computerized interventions with real-time tailored feedback. We propose a gamified BCI based on non-volitional neurofeedback for cognitive training, aiming at reaching a neurorehabilitation tool for application in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Approach. The BCI consists of an emotional facial expression paradigm controlled by an intelligent agent that makes correct and wrong actions, while the user observes and judges the agent’s actions. The agent learns through reinforcement learning (RL) an optimal strategy if the participant generates error-related potentials (ErrPs) upon incorrect agent actions. We hypothesize that this training approach will allow not only the agent to learn but also the BCI user, by participating through implicit error scrutiny in the process of learning through operant conditioning, making it of particular interest for disorders where error monitoring processes are altered/compromised such as in ASD. In this paper, the main goal is to validate the whole methodological BCI approach and assess whether it is feasible enough to move on to clinical experiments. A control group of ten neurotypical participants and one participant with ASD tested the proposed BCI approach. Main results. We achieved an online balanced-accuracy in ErrPs detection of 81.6% and 77.1%, respectively for two different game modes. Additionally, all participants achieved an optimal RL strategy for the agent at least in one of the test sessions. Significance. The ErrP classification results and the possibility of successfully achieving an optimal learning strategy, show the feasibility of the proposed methodology, which allows to move towards clinical experimentation with ASD participants to assess the effectiveness of the approach as hypothesized.
delayed sternal closure after cardiac surgery

J.T. Christenson ([]) J. Maurice F. Simonet • V. Velebit. M. Schmuziger The Cardiovascular Unit, H6pital de la Tour, 1, Avenue J.-D. Maillard, CH-1217 Meyrin, Geneva, Switzerland J. T. Christenson ([]). J_ Maurice F. Simonet V. Velebit M. Schmuziger Clinique de Grenolier, Grenolier, Switzerland Abstract Objectives: Open chest (OC) and subsequent delayed sternal closure (DSC) has been described as a useful method in the treatment of the severely impaired heart after cardiac surgery. Methods. " Prolonged open chest was used in 142 to 3373 adult cardiac operations (4.2%) between January 1987 and December 1993_ The indications were: hemodynamic compromise (121), intractable bleeding (9) and arrhythmias (12). Delayed sternal closure was carried out in 123 of 142 patients at a mean of 2.0 + 1.4 days (range 0.5-8 days). Open chest and DSC were used proportionally more frequently after combined cardiac surgery (28/293, 9.6%) than after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) alone (108/2891, 3_7%) or valve operation (6/230, 2.6%). Results: Ninety-seven of the 123 who had DSC (78.9%) survived and were discharged an average of 8.6+4.2 days after closure. Fourtyfive patients died: 19 before DSC and 26 after this method. Mortality was related to indications for OC: when the indication was low cardiac output the mortality was 38.6%, for hemodynamic collapse on closure 0%, diffuse bleeding 33.3% and arrhythmias 27.3%. Delayed sternal closure in patients without intraaortic balloon pump support was more likely to be successful (mortality rate 4/25, 16.0% versus 35/76, 46.3%, P<0.01) . Superficial sternal wound infection occurred in 2 of 123 (1.6%) patients after DSC, mediastinitis in 1 (0.8%) and sternal dehiscence in 3 (2.4%) patients, which does not differ from a control population that had primary sternal closure. The follow-up of 97 survivors at an average of 28 _+ 4 months revealed an improvement of NYHA class by 1.4_+ 0.4. There were 16 deaths (13 cardia-related) during the follow-up period and 3 redo CABG. One case of sternal osteomyelitis occurred without any other late sternal morbidity. Conclusions. " This study shows that OC with DSC is a beneficial adjunct in the treatment of postoperatively impaired cardiac function, profuse hemorrhage and persistent arrhythmias. It can be performed without increased sternal morbidity. Long-term results are also encouraging. [Eur J Cardio-thorac Surg (1996) 10: 305-311]
Research Progress of Water–Laser Compound Machining Technology

As an emerging industry, laser processing technology has developed rapidly and has gradually become a key technology in transforming traditional manufacturing. It has been widely used in various fields such as industrial production, communication technology, information processing, health care, military, and scientific research. The application and development of laser processing technology is restricted by thermal damage and the processing residues existing in traditional laser processing. However, water laser compound machining can better solve the above-mentioned problems. In water laser compound machining , heat and byproducts can be absorbed and taken away by water to improve processing quality. This paper expounds and analyzes the principles and research of three popular water laser compound machining methods (water-guided laser processing, underwater laser processing and water-jet-assisted laser processing). Furthermore, this paper analyzes the technical difficulties in water laser compound machining and looks forward to the future development trends of this technology.
Integral domains of finite character. II.

Lei D be an integral domain having quotient field K. By an overring of D we mean any ring between D and K. In this note we continue an investigation begun in [1] by the author and J. L. Mott. In [1] Brewer and Mott characterized both Pr fer domains of finite character and Pr fer domains of finite real character. Further, it was shown that a domain D of finite real character has a unique defining family {Va} such that D = Π Va (X is an irredundant intersection of valuation rings in the sense of Gilmer and Heinzer in [4]. In section one of this paper we prove that the same result is true for a domain of Krull type, but that it need not be true for a domain of finite character. The author is indebted to Robert Gilmer and J. L. Mott who upon reading an earlier version of this manuscript, made several valuable suggestions and comments.
Online research on COVID-19—The role of content ranking and COVID-19 fear

Cyberchondria is defined as excessive online health research followed by distress. Theoretical models of cyberchondria suggest that it can be influenced by both characteristics of the internet (content, information ranking, amount and quality of information) and individual vulnerability factors (general health anxiety or COVID-19 fear). In order to simultaneously explore the role of both factors, an innovative search engine software (Foogle) was developed and used in the present study that enables manipulation of the presented content and content ranking while also recording users’ online behavior. A total of 36 participants with high and 28 participants with low COVID-19 fear searched for the long-term health effects of COVID-19 using Foogle. They were presented with search engine results that rank long-term health effects of COVID-19 from more to less severe or vice versa (randomized). Results revealed that participants who were presented with articles describing more to less severe long-term COVID-19 health effects accessed articles with a higher mean severity index. In general, participants spent more time on articles depicting more severe content. Participants with high COVID-19 fear felt more anxious post-search than those with low COVID-19 fear and expressed a greater wish to continue searching.