Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Applications of Machine Learning to Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

Background: Accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is challenging due to its diverse manifestations. Machine learning (ML) algorithms can improve diagnostic precision, but their generalizability across medical centers in China is underexplored. Objective: To assess the accuracy of an ML algorithm for PD diagnosis, trained and tested on data from different medical centers in China. Methods: A total of 1656 participants were included, with 1028 from Beijing (training set) and 628 from Fuzhou (external validation set). Models were trained using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator–logistic regression (LASSO-LR), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), eXtreme gradient boosting (XGboost), support vector machine (SVM), and k-nearest neighbor (KNN) techniques. Hyperparameters were optimized using five-fold cross-validation and grid search techniques. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, accuracy, sensitivity (recall), specificity, precision, and F1 score. Variable importance was assessed for all models. Results: SVM demonstrated the best differentiation between healthy controls (HCs) and PD patients (AUC: 0.928, 95% CI: 0.908–0.947; accuracy: 0.844, 95% CI: 0.814–0.871; sensitivity: 0.826, 95% CI: 0.786–0.866; specificity: 0.861, 95% CI: 0.820–0.898; precision: 0.849, 95% CI: 0.807–0.891; F1 score: 0.837, 95% CI: 0.803–0.868) in the validation set. Constipation, olfactory decline, and daytime somnolence significantly influenced predictability. Conclusion: We identified multiple pivotal variables and SVM as a precise and clinician-friendly ML algorithm for prediction of PD in Chinese patients.
Adaptive event‐triggered control for nonlinear systems with time‐varying parameter uncertainties

The paper considers adaptive event‐triggered control for nonlinear systems with time‐varying parameter uncertainties. The time‐varying uncertainties do not need to be differentiable, but their variation amplitudes are required to be known. Such uncertainties appear not only in the system nonlinearities but also as the control coefficient. We pursue a tight design scheme by combining tuning functions and the congelation of variables method, thereby avoiding the overuse of dominations and obtaining a less conservative controller. In view of the essence of the control problem, we don't design a continuous controller first and then search for a complex and suitable event‐triggering mechanism, as emulation methods done in the literature. In contrast, we adopt a simple event‐triggering mechanism with the relative threshold, while seeking a complex and appropriate adaptive controller which contains the new adaptive treatment for execution error due to the unknown time‐varying control coefficient. Note that there are three parameter dynamic compensators in the adaptive controller, and one is specialized to the execution error, which is not required in the continuous feedback context. It is shown that with the proposed adaptive event‐triggered controller, all the closed‐loop signals are bounded, the system state converges to zero, and no Zeno behavior occurs. A comparative simulation is provided to verify the theoretical results.
THE HILLS ABOVE PIETERMARITZBURG: AN APPRECIATION

The residents of Pietermaritzburg are well-aware that the hills overlooking the city define Pietermaritzburg in a scenic context, and give it a particular sense of place. The optimum vantage point for viewing these hills is from the southern and eastern parts of the city, looking across the bowl-shaped Msunduzi River Valley.1 It is rather surprising that not much attention has been paid to the hills of Pietermaritzburg in articles and books about the city.2 A partial exception was a chapter in a volume published to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Pietermaritzburg in 1988.3 Specific details regarding the higher-lying land above the city are again sparse in this book, excluding maps showing the general topography, the suburbs and the natural vegetation. The book incorporates some early paintings of the settlement (circa the mid-1850s) with various hills in the background. These paintings reveal an appreciation of the terrain which does not appear to have been carried forward to more recent times.4 The hills have a special resonance, given the contrasting climates to the north and to the south of Pietermaritzburg. Many of the northern slopes are cool and well-watered with spectacular views and with remnants of verdant indigenous vegetation (although dominated by commercial forests) whereas the southern slopes are hot and dry and have limited ambience. Two commonly-touted names for Pietermaritzburg are the “The City of Choice” and perhaps more appropriately “The Green City”. In keeping with an environmental theme are the names “The City of Flowers” as well as “The Garden City”, and in a different context “The Heritage City”. Other names could include “The City with Imposing Landscapes” and “The City of Two Climates”.
Melting Behavior and Densities of K2B2OF6 Melts Containing KReO4

Methods of simultaneous thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry) and an analysis of cooling curves were used to study the melting of K2B2OF6–(0–15 wt. %) KReO4 melts. The synthesis of K2B2OF6 was performed by alloying KF, KBF4, and B2O3 components. The liquidus temperature dependence on the content of potassium perrhenate in the K2B2OF6–(0–15 wt. %) KReO4 melts was determined. It was found that the addition of up to 6 wt. % KReO4 caused an increase in the melt liquidus temperature to 733 K. Further increases in potassium perrhenate did not change the temperature of the primary crystallization (733 ± 5 K) of the K2B2OF6–KReO4 melt. This fact testifies to the presence of the monotectic reaction. It was found that the relative loss of mass of the K2B2OF6–(0–15 wt. %) KReO4 melts did not exceed 2.1%. The delamination of the K2B2OF6–KReO4 melt was revealed according to the values of the primary crystallization temperatures (liquidus temperatures) in different layers of the melt. The density of the K2B2OF6–KReO4 melts as a function of potassium perrhenate content (0–15 wt. %) was investigated at 628–933 K. The temperature dependence of the K2B2OF6–KReO4 melts’ densities was recorded. They are presented as linear functions. The curves of the density temperature dependence of the K2B2OF6–KReO4 melts were used to determine the critical temperatures, i.e., the boundaries of the miscibility gap. The miscibility gap of the K2B2OF6–KReO4 melts is limited to 1 wt. % and 15 wt. % KReO4 content.
LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

ing from issues of redistribution, a case for public intervention arises when there is a market failure, i.e. when a set of market prices fails to reach a Pareto optimal outcome; when competitive markets achieve efficient outcomes, there is no case for regulation. There are three key types of market failure in banking, namely those relating to externalities, information asymmetry and monopoly, which arise in turn as consequences of banks' functions of providing payments services, liquidity, maturity transformation and minimisation of agency costs. (a) Market failures in banking Externalities arise when the actions of certain agents have non-priced consequences for others. The most obvious type of potential externality relates to the risk of contagious runs, when failure of one bank leads to a heightened risk of failure by others, whether due to direct financial
Characteristics and Outcomes of Conditions Encountered in Primary Care During FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar - A Cross-Sectional Study

The FIFA World Cup, a massive football event, presents significant challenges to healthcare systems. Primary healthcare plays a crucial role in patient-provider interactions and serves as a cornerstone of the system. This study aimed to assess the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of conditions treated in primary care facilities during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 15 to December 20, 2022. All patients visiting the 29 governmental primary healthcare facilities in Qatar were included. Anonymous patient data, including age, sex, nationality, diagnosis, treatments, visit date, consultation type, and outcomes, were extracted from electronic medical records. A total of 401,962 patients were seen in primary care, with an average age of 34.50 ±19.3 years. Less than 1% held Hayya Visa (n=3120, 0.8%), and roughly 2% were referred to secondary care (8494, 2.1%). The most prevalent diagnoses were Type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=59670, 7.7%) and upper respiratory tract infection (n=47364, 6.2%). Paracetamol was the most frequently prescribed medication (n=69,960, 11.9%). Elderly patients (OR=1.23), non-Qatari patients (OR=1.25), and male patients (OR=1.17) were more likely to be referred to secondary care. Hayya cardholders were about twice as likely to be transferred (OR=2.40). Primary healthcare services operated efficiently during the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. The majority of cases involved managing chronic diseases and minor respiratory infections. Football enthusiasts and non-Qatari individuals were more often referred to secondary healthcare. These findings can guide policymakers in enhancing primary healthcare services for future mass gatherings.
Structural analysis of the Southern Peninsular, Southern Wrangellia, and Northern Chugach Terranes Along the Trans‐Alaska Crustal Transect, Northern Chugach Mountains, Alaska

Structural and tectonic analysis of the southern Peninsular, southern Wrangellia, and northern Chugach terranes, along the Trans-Alaska Crustal Transect in the northern Chugach Mountains documents a long succession of Early Jurassic through Cenozoic deformational events. The deformational events are generally characterized by distinctive structural fabrics and metamorphisms. Most of the events are interpreted to be related to subduction-related accretion or terrane accretion along the Border Ranges fault system (BRFS) and companion faults, and the Contact fault system (CFS). Each period of subduction-related accretion consisted of underplating of the outboard unit beneath the adjacent inboard unit. The fabric associated with each subduction-related accretion consisted of folding, intense shearing, and local rolling of planar structures. Age and structural relationships suggest migration of the zone of subduction-related accretion from the BRFS to the north, through each accreting unit, to younger bounding thrust faults to the south. Other older and younger deformational events are also recognized and are interpreted to have formed before and after, respectively, accretions along the BRFS and CFS. The main younger deformational events are (1) early Tertiary north verging folding of portions of the northern Chugach and southern Wrangellia terranes and (2) broad folding and rotation of major and minor structures related to subduction-related accretion or terrane accretion during early and middle Tertiary oroclinal bending of Alaska.
Sustainable business models and grassroots frugal innovations in developing countries

This research explores the origins and evolution of frugal innovations (FIs) within the grassroots communities of developing countries. It scrutinises how these innovations employ inventive business models that hold promise for sustainable development. The analysis centers on distinct aspects of business models, primarily elucidating the concepts of value proposition, value creation, and value capture. FIs, as this study reveals, possess the transformative ability to convert marginalised and underserved populations at the grassroots level into innovative consumer segments. Through an in-depth exploration of three compelling FI (Technology Hub, Albarka Yoghurt and JK Innovation) case studies, this research significantly contributes to the existing literature concerning FI business models. These cases vividly illustrate how individuals constrained by limited access to education, capital, and resources can ingeniously bring affordable products to market, employing unconventional strategies to fulfil the unmet needs of underserved demographics in developing nations. "
Did Debris-Covered Glaciers Serve as Pleistocene Refugia for Plants? A New Hypothesis Derived from Observations of Recent Plant Growth on Glacier Surfaces

ABSTRACT This study proposes a new hypothesis: Debris-covered glaciers served as Pleistocene biological refugia. This is based on detailed studies of vascular plant growth on six debris-mantled glaciers, literally around the world, as well as many casual observations also across the globe. We find that such glaciers are quite common and are distributed globally. Using Carbon Glacier, Mount Rainier, U.S.A. , as a type locality and case study, we show aspects of the floristic and structural diversity as well as spatial patterns of plant growth on the glacier surface. Migration strategies, root characteristics, and origin and dispersal strategies for vascular plant species are documented. Also reported are special microclimatic conditions in these areas allowing for this remarkable plant ecology. We find that alpine taxa can grow considerably below their usual altitudinal niche due to the cooler subsurface soil temperatures found on glacial debris with ice underneath, and that may have significantly altered the spatial distribution of such flora during full glacial conditions. This in turn creates previously undocumented areas from which alpine, and perhaps arctic, plant species reestablished in post-glacial time. This hypothesis is complementary to both the nunatak hypothesis and tabula rasa theory and possibly helps solve the ongoing controversy between them.
POPULATION DENSITY AS A CRITERION FOR EVALUATING VARIETAL RESISTANCE OF CASTOR (Ricinus communis LINN.) TO JASSID INFESTATION

Investigations were taken up to assess the degree of relationship of the jassid population with the varied types of waxy bloom coatings and stem colours of castor. Jassid population counts were recorded on a total of seventy- six varieties of castor maintained at the Agricultural Research Institute, Coimbatore during 1961-62 monsoon season.
Static Baropodometry for Assessing Short-Term Functional Outcome after Unilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: Exploring Correlation between Static Plantar Pressure Measurements and Self-Reported Outcomes

This study aimed to investigate the association between objective baropodometric and radiological measurements and patient self-reported functional outcomes, assessed through the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Additionally, it sought to evaluate the effectiveness of static baropodometry in predicting short-term KOOS results following unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We conducted a prospective single-center study involving 32 patients who underwent unilateral TKA for knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Patients were evaluated both preoperatively and six months postoperatively, utilizing objective measurements derived from static baropodometric analysis in a normal, relaxed, bipedal standing position using a multi-platform Plantar Pressure Analysis System (PPAS) and radiographic measurements of the femorotibial angle (FTA) and subjective assessments through the national validated version of the KOOS. The study found an insignificant average correction of −0.69° ± 4.12° in the preoperative FTA at the sixth month after TKA. Moreover, there were no significant differences in the KOOS based on different types of knee alignment (KA) both pre- and postoperatively (p > 0.05). No significant correlations were observed between the KOOS, and total average affected and unaffected plantar pressures (TAAPP and TAUPP) pre- and postoperatively, as well as KA pre- and postoperatively. However, significant changes were observed in TAAPP and TAUPP measurements after unilateral TKA. TAAPP demonstrated a significant increase postoperatively (mean change (SD) = 18.60 (47.71); p = 0.035). In conclusion, this study found no significant correlation between KA, static baropodometric measurements, including pre- and postoperative differences, and KOOS outcomes. Therefore, static plantar pressure measurements alone might not serve as a reliable predictor of short-term clinical outcomes after unilateral TKA, as reported by patients.
Transient Magnetic Shielding of a Planar Conductive Thin Screen via Exact Image Theory

The exact image theory is here applied to study the transient shielding effectiveness of a canonical shielding configuration, i.e., a small current loop in the presence of a parallel planar thin conductive sheet. In particular, the Green function providing the electromagnetic field produced by a pulsed vertical magnetic dipole in the whole space is derived in a closed analytical form. The recently introduced definitions of transient shielding effectiveness are used to evaluate the shielding properties of the configuration. The derived results allow for calculations in a closed form for simple transient waveforms of the exciting currents.
Demographic Differentials in the Concern about Climate Change and Engagement in Climate-friendly Behaviours

Using a nationally representative survey of 3,900 adults on Opinions about the Environment and Global Warming 2010, this study investigates demographic differentials in the concern about climate change and climate-relevant behaviours in Thailand. The factor analysis of 11 environmentally friendly and carbon emissions reduction behaviours identifies two factors underlying climate-relevant behaviours: (1) electricity and water saving efforts; and (2) technical and behavioural change. The multivariate analyses show that women and individuals with higher education are more likely to worry a great deal about global warming and to perform technical and behavioural change. That education is positively related to technical and behavioural change but not with electricity and water saving actions could be because the former requires greater efforts and knowledge to pursue while the latter is commonly taken for economic reason. Concern about global warming and experience of environmental problem also increase the adoption of climate-relevant behaviours. Moreover, there is a spill-over effect of community-level education such that individuals living in a community with higher level of education are more likely to be concerned about climate change likewise.
Model study of coupled physical-biogeochemical variability in the Labrador Sea

This thesis presents results from a model study of coupled physical-biogeochemical variability in the Labrador Sea. The coupled physical-biogeochemical ocean model (OPA-PISCES) is implemented for three monitoring stations in the Labrador Sea; two of these stations are located on the shelves of the western and eastern parts of the basin, whereas the third station is in the central Labrador Sea. The results of the hindcasting for 1994 are validated with available observations. The results of the sensitivity analysis suggest that the model response to parameter variations differs from region to region. The parameters with highest model sensitivity are identified for each station. The simulated seasonal variability of the low trophic level ecosystem dynamics and their relations to coupled physical-biogeochemical processes are discussed. The seasonal variability of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is driven by the bloom drawdown of surface DIC and export through sinking, while the simulated surface pCO₂ concentration appears to be underestimated throughout the year. Besides the process study of the coupled physical-biogeochemical system at the selected regions in the Labrador Sea, the present study demonstrates the applicability of t he PISCES ocean biogeochemical model for regional coupled physical-biogeochemical modeling.
An Updated Chronostratigraphic Framework for the Jurassic of the Arabian Platform: Towards a Regional Stratigraphic Standard*

The past few decades the focus of hydrocarbon exploration and production in the Middle East progressively has moved to deeper/older plays. In fact, the Jurassic succession of the Arabian Platform is now among the major hydrocarbon-producing intervals of the Middle East. On this platform, widespread carbonate deposition resulted in a vertical and lateral mosaic of shallow-water facies adjacent to deeper water coarser-grained deposits. An improved high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework is crucial for building highly resolved geological models for reservoir distribution and characterization. Currently, there is a good understanding of the structural features of the Jurassic in the region, primarily based on sedimentology and seismic mapping (Yousif and Nouman, 1995, 1997; Haq and Al-Qahtani, 2005, Figure 1). However, in order to start understanding the genesis and sequence stratigraphic position of Jurassic plays, a firm chronostratigraphic framework is essential. Unfortunately, the application of a single, routinely used biostratigraphic tool appears problematic in the generally carbonate-rich and oil-saturated depositional systems of the Jurassic of the Arabian Platform. Here we present the results of a multidisciplinary study performed with the aim of constructing a chronostratigraphic framework for the Jurassic of West Kuwait, an area that hosts an important Jurassic hydrocarbon play.
Hydraulic Resistance due to Aquatic Vegetation in Small Streams: Field Study

This technical note examines vegetation effects on hydraulic resistance in small streams and suggests simple quantitative relationships for predicting and quantifying these effects using the plant characteristics with the greatest explanatory power. In particular, we examine the effects of aquatic plant biomass, stature, and architecture on hydraulic performance of five New Zealand streams representing a wide range of channel dimensions, flows, aquatic plant species, and assemblages. Comparisons among the vegetation parameters indicated that ratios of the site-averaged canopy height to the mean flow depth and of the site-averaged plant length to the mean flow depth were the best roughness descriptors. Effects of individual plant species and their characteristic patch patterns were not significant. The data from all sites collapsed around single lines, suggesting that general physical parameters of vegetation should be the primary determinants of hydraulic resistance in streams studied, not species-specifi.
Spiral trough diversity on the north pole of Mars, as seen by Shallow Radar (SHARAD)

We combine observations from ground penetrating radar and optical instruments to conduct a comprehensive survey of spiral troughs on the north polar layered deposits of Mars. Our survey reveals that all north polar troughs have common characteristics, but there is strong regional diversity. We divide the north polar layered deposits (NPLD) into eight regions based on observations of morphology and stratigraphy in order to classify the spiral troughs. Morphologic features that separate the regions include central promontories, topographic undulations, bedrock floors, and trough asymmetry among others. We demonstrate here that the troughs formed during two periods. The first generation of troughs formed on the main lobe and in part of Gemina Lingula during accumulation of ~600 m of ice and dust. The second generation of troughs formed stratigraphically higher and immediately after large‐scale erosion in Gemini Scopuli, which we conclude created the slopes necessary for troughs to form. We test scenarios of trough evolution and find that only three concurrent processes are required for their formation: wind transport, insolation‐induced sublimation, and atmospheric deposition. Our observations are inconsistent with other hypothesized processes to produce spiral troughs, including incision after the formation of the NPLD, fracturing due to flowing ice, and sublimation‐driven patterns from insolation.