Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low-Level Atmospheric Responses to the Sea Surface Temperature Fronts in the Chukchi and Bering Seas

Atmospheric responses to ocean surface temperature (ST) fronts related to western boundary currents have been extensively analyzed over the last two decades. However, the organized near-surface response to ST, which is defined as the temperature of open water and sea ice, excluding land surface, at higher latitudes where sea ice exists has been rarely investigated due to the difficulties of observations. Here, 32 years of high-resolution atmospheric reanalysis data are analyzed to determine the atmospheric responses to ST fronts in the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea. In the Chukchi Sea, the convergence of 10-m-high wind increases in October and November, when the horizontal gradient and Laplacian of ST become noticeable. On the other hand, an ST contrast between the continental shelf and the southwestern deep basin develops in winter in the Bering Sea. In both seas, the spatial distribution of surface wind convergence and the Laplacians of ST and sea level pressure agree well with each other, demonstrating the pressure adjustment mechanism. The vertical mixing mechanism is also confirmed in both seas. Ascending motion and diabatic heating develop over the Chukchi Sea in late autumn, but are confined to the lower troposphere. Turbulent heat fluxes at the surface become especially large in this season, resulting in an increase of diabatic heating and low-level clouds. Low-level clouds and downward shortwave radiation exhibit contrasting behavior across the shelf break in the Bering Sea that corresponds to the ST distribution, which is regulated by the bottom topography.
Cross-Modal Interaction Between Auditory and Visual Input Impacts Memory Retrieval

How we perceive and learn about our environment is influenced by our prior experiences and existing representations of the world. Top-down cognitive processes, such as attention and expectations, can alter how we process sensory stimuli, both within a modality (e.g., effects of auditory experience on auditory perception), as well as across modalities (e.g., effects of visual feedback on sound localization). Here, we demonstrate that experience with different types of auditory input (spoken words vs. environmental sounds) modulates how humans remember concurrently-presented visual objects. Participants viewed a series of line drawings (e.g., picture of a cat) displayed in one of four quadrants while listening to a word or sound that was congruent (e.g., “cat” or ), incongruent (e.g., “motorcycle” or ), or neutral (e.g., a meaningless pseudoword or a tonal beep) relative to the picture. Following the encoding phase, participants were presented with the original drawings plus new drawings and asked to indicate whether each one was “old” or “new. ” If a drawing was designated as “old,” participants then reported where it had been displayed. We find that words and sounds both elicit more accurate memory for what objects were previously seen, but only congruent environmental sounds enhance memory for where objects were positioned – this, despite the fact that the auditory stimuli were not meaningful spatial cues of the objects’ locations on the screen. Given that during real-world listening conditions, environmental sounds, but not words, reliably originate from the location of their referents, listening to sounds may attune the visual dorsal pathway to facilitate attention and memory for objects’ locations. We propose that audio-visual associations in the environment and in our previous experience jointly contribute to visual memory, strengthening visual memory through exposure to auditory input.
Maternal Alexithymic Traits Are Related to Lower Maternal Sensitivity and Higher Hostility in Maternal Caregiving Behavior—The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

Background: The quality of parental caregiving behavior with their child plays a key role in optimal mother–infant interaction and in supporting child adaptive development. Sensitive caregiving behavior, in turn, requires the ability to identify and understand emotions. Maternal alexithymia, with difficulties in identifying and describing feelings or emotions, as well as a concrete way of thinking, could potentially complicate the quality of caregiving. In this study, we aim to explore the possible association between maternal alexithymic traits and the quality of maternal caregiving behavior. Methods: The study sample consisted of 158 mother–infant dyads within the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study population with an available report of maternal alexithymic traits at 6 months postpartum and observational data on maternal caregiving behavior at 8 months postpartum. Alexithymia was measured using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) including three alexithymia dimensions—Difficulty Identifying Feelings, Difficulty Describing Feelings (DDF), and Externally Oriented Thinking (EOT). Maternal caregiving behavior was assessed using the Emotional Availability Scale and in this study, all four parent dimensions (Sensitivity, Structuring, Non-intrusiveness and Non-hostility) were included. Maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms at 6 months postpartum were controlled for as potential confounders. In addition, background factors of mother's age and gestational weeks at the time of child birth, maternal educational level, monthly income and parity, as well as relationship status and the gender of the baby were assessed. Results: Maternal TAS-20 total score correlated negatively with Sensitivity (r = −0.169, p = 0.034) and with non-intrusiveness (r = −0.182, p = 0.022). In addition, maternal DDF correlated negatively with Sensitivity (r = −0.168, p = 0.035) and EOT with Non-hostility (r = −0.159, p = 0.047). Furthermore, in regression analyses with controlling for the associated background factors, maternal total score of alexithymic traits (p = 0.034, η2p = 0.029) and higher DDF (p = 0.044, η2p = 0.026) remained significantly associated with lower Sensitivity and higher EOT remained significantly associated with lower Non-hostility (p = 0.030, η2p = 0.030). Conclusions: In this explorative study we found preliminary evidence for the hypothesis that higher maternal alexithymic traits associate with lower maternal sensitivity and more hostile maternal caregiving behavior. Further studies are needed to explore these hypotheses and to investigate their possible implications for child development.
CaMKII Inhibition is a Novel Therapeutic Strategy to Prevent Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus worldwide has pushed the complex disease state to the foreground of biomedical research, especially concerning its multifaceted impacts on the cardiovascular system. Current therapies for diabetic cardiomyopathy have had a positive impact, but with diabetic patients still suffering from a significantly greater burden of cardiac pathology compared to the general population, the need for novel therapeutic approaches is great. A new therapeutic target, calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), has emerged as a potential treatment option for preventing cardiac dysfunction in the setting of diabetes. Within the last 10 years, new evidence has emerged describing the pathophysiological consequences of CaMKII activation in the diabetic heart, the mechanisms that underlie persistent CaMKII activation, and the protective effects of CaMKII inhibition to prevent diabetic cardiomyopathy. This review will examine recent evidence tying cardiac dysfunction in diabetes to CaMKII activation. It will then discuss the current understanding of the mechanisms by which CaMKII activity is enhanced during diabetes. Finally, it will examine the benefits of CaMKII inhibition to treat diabetic cardiomyopathy, including contractile dysfunction, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and arrhythmogenesis. We intend this review to serve as a critical examination of CaMKII inhibition as a therapeutic strategy, including potential drawbacks of this approach.
Different Wood Anatomical and Growth Responses in European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) at Three Forest Sites in Slovenia

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) adapts to local growing conditions to enhance its performance. In response to variations in climatic conditions, beech trees adjust leaf phenology, cambial phenology, and wood formation patterns, which result in different tree-ring widths (TRWs) and wood anatomy. Chronologies of tree ring width and vessel features [i.e., mean vessel area (MVA), vessel density (VD), and relative conductive area (RCTA)] were produced for the 1960–2016 period for three sites that differ in climatic regimes and spring leaf phenology (two early- and one late-flushing populations). These data were used to investigate long-term relationships between climatic conditions and anatomical features of four quarters of tree-rings at annual and intra-annual scales. In addition, we investigated how TRW and vessel features adjust in response to extreme weather events (i.e., summer drought). We found significant differences in TRW, VD, and RCTA among the selected sites. Precipitation and maximum temperature before and during the growing season were the most important climatic factors affecting TRW and vessel characteristics. We confirmed differences in climate-growth relationships between the selected sites, late flushing beech population at Idrija showing the least pronounced response to climate. MVA was the only vessel trait that showed no relationship with TRW or other vessel features. The relationship between MVA and climatic factors evaluated at intra-annual scale indicated that vessel area in the first quarter of tree-ring were mainly influenced by climatic conditions in the previous growing season, while vessel area in the second to fourth quarters of tree ring width was mainly influenced by maximum temperature and precipitation in the current growing season. When comparing wet and dry years, beech from all sites showed a similar response, with reduced TRW and changes in intra-annual variation in vessel area. Our findings suggest that changes in temperature and precipitation regimes as predicted by most climate change scenarios will affect tree-ring increments and wood structure in beech, yet the response between sites or populations may differ.
Haematimetric Parameters in Sickle Cell Patients in a Critical and Interictal Period at the National Sickle Cell Reference Center in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo

Background: Sickle cell disease is the world's leading genetic disease, affecting 300,000 births per year in its major form. Africa has over 200,000 cases of sickle cell disease. Haematological parameters are routinely used in the follow-up of patients with sickle cell disease and may vary during the critical and intercritical period. The aim of our work is to determine the variation in haematological parameters of patients routinely followed at the national sickle cell reference centre. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 127 sickle cell patients regularly followed at the National Reference Centre for Sickle Cell Disease in steady or crisis state. Five milliliters of venous blood sample were collected by venipuncture in EDTA tubes. A complete blood count was performed, using a SYSMEX XN/350 machine. Results: Haemoglobin (Hb) and haematocrit (HCT) levels for patients in stable condition were 7.24±1.62 g/dl and 21.15±4.50%, while in crisis condition they were 4.73±1.14 g/dl and 14.64. 15±3.70. The total white blood cell count (WBC) in the steady state and in the crisis state was 8.58±3.07 and 9.64±4.34. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in steady state were 79.39±8.03 fl and 33.94±1.99 while in steady state they were 80.61±11.79 and 35.06±4.40. Conclusion: The present study found a high mean WBC value and lower Hb and HCT levels in patients in crisis. In addition, RBC levels were high in patients in stable condition.
Adnexal Masses in Pregnancy

ABSTRACT Importance Adnexal masses are identified in approximately 0.05% to 2.4% of pregnancies, and more recent data note a higher incidence due to widespread use of antenatal ultrasound. Whereas most adnexal masses are benign, approximately 1% to 6% are malignant. Proper diagnosis and management of adnexal masses in pregnancy are an important skill for obstetricians. Objective The aim of this study was to review imaging modalities for evaluating adnexal masses in pregnancy and imaging characteristics that differentiate benign and malignant masses, examine various types of adnexal masses, and understand complications of and explore management options for adnexal masses in pregnancy. Evidence Acquisition This was a literature review using primarily PubMed and Google Scholar. Results Ultrasound can distinguish between simple-appearing benign ovarian cysts and masses with more complex features that can be associated with malignancy. Radiologic information can help guide physicians toward recommending conservative management with observation or surgical removal during pregnancy to facilitate diagnosis and treatment. The risks of expectant management of an adnexal mass during pregnancy include rupture, torsion, need for emergent surgery, labor obstruction, and progression of malignancy. Historically, surgical removal was performed more routinely to avoid such complications in pregnancy; however, increasing knowledge has directed management toward conservative measures for benign masses. Surgical removal of adnexal masses is increasingly performed via minimally invasive techniques including laparoscopy and robotic surgery due to a decreased risk of surgical complications compared with laparotomy. Conclusions and Relevance Adnexal masses are increasingly identified in pregnancy because of the use of antenatal ultrasound. Clear and specific guidelines exist to help differentiate between benign and malignant masses. This is important for management as benign masses can usually be conservatively managed, whereas malignant masses require excision for diagnosis and treatment. A multidisciplinary approach, including referral to gynecologic oncology, should be used for masses with complex features associated with malignancy. Proper diagnosis and management of adnexal masses in pregnancy are an important skill for obstetricians. Target Audience Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians Learning Objectives After completing this activity, learners should be better able to compare different types of adnexal masses found in pregnancy, including incidence, clinical features, and imaging characteristics; evaluate an adnexal mass with imaging and laboratory tests; describe complications related to an adnexal mass in pregnancy; and determine management and/or surgical approaches for removal.
Socially-Aware-Clustering-Enabled Federated Learning for Edge Networks

Edge Intelligence based on federated learning (FL) can be considered to be a promising paradigm for many emerging, strict latency Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Furthermore, a rapid upsurge in the number of IoT devices is expected in the foreseeable future. Although FL enables privacy-preserving, on-device machine learning, it still exhibits a privacy leakage issue. A malicious aggregation server can infer the sensitive information of other end-devices using their local learning model updates. Furthermore, centralized FL aggregation server might stop working due to security attack or a physical damage. To address the aforementioned issues, we propose a novel concept of socially-aware-clustering-enabled dispersed FL. First, we present a novel framework for socially-aware-clustering-enabled dispersed FL. Second, we formulate a problem for minimizing the loss function of the proposed FL scheme. Third, we decompose the formulated problem into three sub-problems, such as local devices relative accuracy minimization (i.e., end-devices local accuracy maximization) sub-problem, clustering sub-problem, and resource allocation sub-problem, due to the NP-hard nature of the formulated problem. The clustering and resource allocation sub-problems are solved using low complexity schemes based on a matching theory. The end devices’ relative accuracy minimization problem is solved by using a convex optimizer. Finally, numerical results are provided for validation of the proposed FL scheme. Furthermore, we show the convergence of the proposed FL scheme for image classification tasks using the MNIST dataset.
Emissions from sawdust in packed moving bed dryers and subsequent pellet production

ABSTRACT This study quantifies emissions of hydrocarbon terpenes from the drying of sawdust in packed moving bed dryers, through the production chain to the finished pellets, and determines the parameters suitable for emission control. The terpene content in softwood sawdust and pellets was analyzed using gas chromatography. The distribution of VOC emissions over the bed was measured with a flame ionization detector. After drying, 30–40% of the initial terpenes remain in the wood, 20–30% remain after grinding, and 10–15% remain after pelleting. Dryer emissions correlate with residence time and final sawdust moisture content. Pellet press emissions correlate with pellet moisture content.
Omnichannel Cybersecurity: Optimizing Security by Leveraging Asymmetric Motivation

The current incentive structure of internet platforms hinders sys-tem security, imposes unnecessary costs on end users, and further entrenches the status quo. Establishing and maintaining effective cybersecurity without significant changes to system infrastructure could be much faster, cheaper, and easier if end users could contribute more to their own protection. However, evaluating the relative costs and benefits of investments in information security is not easy. Not only that, but current models of investment for firms do not suggest what to invest in, leaving firms to figure it out individually. In addition, the social costs of poor information security and potential benefits from coordination are often omitted from the analysis. In this paper, we propose a new theoretical framework for om-nichannel cybersecurity which draws on cyber supply chain risk management and analytic marketing principles. The framework recalibrates incentive structures, accurately allocates cost to risk, and determines the optimal set of security measures for each individual based on their perceived cost-benefit, threat profile, and real-time attack status within the context of the system as a whole. We expand the applicability and scale of the Gordon-Loeb model to continuous time using the Kelly Criterion. Our proposals are informed by results from 40 interviews with stakeholders, and we describe the benefits of the framework to their needs. The result is a Cybersecurity Utility Platform to manage supply chain risk with indirect coordination for a more secure and more resilient ecosystem for all participants in the ecosystem.
How to Evaluate Trust in AI-Assisted Decision Making? A Survey of Empirical Methodologies

The spread of AI-embedded systems involved in human decision making makes studying human trust in these systems critical. However, empirically investigating trust is challenging. One reason is the lack of standard protocols to design trust experiments. In this paper, we present a survey of existing methods to empirically investigate trust in AI-assisted decision making and analyse the corpus along the constitutive elements of an experimental protocol. We find that the definition of trust is not commonly integrated in experimental protocols, which can lead to findings that are overclaimed or are hard to interpret and compare across studies. Drawing from empirical practices in social and cognitive studies on human-human trust, we provide practical guidelines to improve the methodology of studying Human-AI trust in decision-making contexts. In addition, we bring forward research opportunities of two types: one focusing on further investigation regarding trust methodologies and the other on factors that impact Human-AI trust.
Department of Economics Econometrics Working Paper Ewp05012 Direct and Indirect Causality between Exports and Economic Output for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka: Horizon Matters

The extensive body of research that examines for (Granger, 1969) causality from exports to output for developing countries, including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, using vector autoregressions and/or vector error correction models, is limited in only examining for one-period ahead or direct causality; the exception is in bivariate systems. This (usually unrecognized) focus on one-period causality in multivariate systems has often led to conclusions that exports do not Granger-cause economic output. We show that moving to Granger-causality at longer horizons, in a commonly used multivariate system, leads to bidirectional causality between exports and output, even when there is not one-period causality; the longer horizon causality arises indirectly through one or more of the auxiliary variables.
TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL : The Value of Corporate Disclosure

Corporations have widely varying disclosure strategies. On one extreme, some firms periodically provide detailed guidance to the investment community in an attempt to avoid surprises. On the other hand, other firms are reluctant to disclose information and in extreme cases even face law suits as a result. This decision has been further complicated by the implementation of Regulation FD by the SEC that requires that the company make material market moving information available to all investors at the same time. In this paper we provide empirical evidence which shows that a high quality of disclosure is valuable. Specifically, we find that corporations’ disclosure quality is incorporated by banks in their loan pricing decision despite their privileged access to corporate information and superior monitoring ability.
Adsorption and Diffusion of Oxygen on Single-Layer Graphene with Topological Defects

In this work, effects of oxygen adsorption and diffusion on the stability, morphology, and charge transfer in single-layer graphene with structural point defects were investigated by density functional theory, specifically for the experimentally characterized monovacancy, double-vacancy, 555–777, 5555–6–7777, and Stone-Wales defects. The theoretical analysis demonstrated strengthened oxygen adsorption on defective graphene as compared to pristine graphene, resulting in trapping of the oxygen onto defects. This was accompanied by significant charge transfer of up to 3e, unlike for pristine graphene. At the same time, atomic oxygen diffuses at different rates dependent on the local environment, however with relatively low barriers (mostly <1 eV), lower than for pristine graphene, thus, revealing an interplay between diffusion and adsorption in this case. Addition of a nonempirical correction to the exchange-correlation functional to take into account London dispersion demonstrated that the vdW-DF PBE functi.