Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultraclean Layers and Optically Thin Clouds in the Stratocumulus-to-Cumulus Transition. Part I: Observations

AbstractA common feature of the stratocumulus-to-cumulus transition (SCT) is the presence of layers in which the concentration of particles larger than 0.1 μm is below 10 cm−3. These ultraclean layers (UCLs) are explored using aircraft observations from 14 flights of the NSF–NCAR Gulfstream V (G-V) aircraft between California and Hawaii. UCLs are commonly located in the upper part of decoupled boundary layers, with coverage increasing from less than 5% within 500 km of the California coast to ~30%–60% west of 130°W. Most clouds in UCLs are thin, horizontally extensive layers containing drops with median volume radii ranging from 15 to 30 μm. Many UCL clouds are optically thin and do not fully attenuate the G-V lidar and yet are frequently detected with a 94-GHz radar with a sensitivity of around −30 dBZ. Satellite data indicate that UCL clouds have visible reflectances of ~0.1–0.2 and are often quasi laminar, giving them a veil-like appearance. These optically thin veil clouds exist for 1–3 h or more, are.
Inexact Iterative Bregman Method for Optimal Control Problems

ABSTRACT In this article, we investigate an inexact iterative regularization method based on generalized Bregman distances of an optimal control problem with control constraints. We show robustness and convergence of the inexact Bregman method under a regularity assumption, which is a combination of a source condition and a regularity assumption on the active sets. We also take the discretization error into account. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the algorithm.
Principal Component Analysis in Modelling Stock Market Returns

Dalam kajian ini satu kaedah alternatif untuk membandingkan pencapaian beberapa model GARCH bagi penyuaian siri kadar pulangan harian KLCI sebelum dan selepas krisis kewangan Asia pada tahun 1997 menggunakan Analisis Komponen Prinsipal dicari. Perbandingan kemudiannya dibuat dengan keputusan yang diperoleh daripada kaedah yang diketahui berasaskan kepada pangkat nilai Log Likelihood (Log L), Schwarz’s Bayesian Criterion (SBC) dan Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Didapati bahawa model penyuaian terbaik dan terburuk yang dikenalpasti menggunakan kedua-dua kaedah adalah tepat sama bagi dua tempoh masa itu tetapi beberapa percanggahan, bagaimana pun, wujud di antara model pertengahan. Kami juga dapati kaedah yang dicadangkan mempunyai kelebihan yang ketara ke atas lawannya kerana PCA menggunakan nilai sebenar bagi ketiga-tiga kriteria dan oleh itu ketidakupayaan untuk menyatakan dengan tepat kedudukan secara relatif setiap model yang bersaing seperti yang dihadapi oleh kaedah pangkat dapat dielakkan. Kelebihan lain ialah kaedah ini juga dapat mengklasifikasikan model ke dalam beberapa kumpulan berbeza, disusun sedemikian rupa supaya setiap kumpulan terdiri daripada model dengan paras kebolehan penyuaian yang hampir sama. Dua kelas model ekstrim masing-masing dikenalpasti mewakili kumpulan terbaik dan terburuk. Katakunci: Model GARCH; Pulangan; Penyuaian; Pangkat; Komponen prinsipal. In this study, an alternative method to compare the performance of several GARCH models in fitting the KLCI daily rate of return series before and after the Asian financial crisis in 1997 using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is sought. Comparison is then made with the results obtained from a known method based on the ranks of the Log Likelihood (Log L), Schwarz’s Bayesian Criterion (SBC) and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values. It is found that the best and the worst fit models identified by both methods are exactly the same for the two periods but some degree of disagreement, however, existed between the intermediate models. We also find that the proposed method has a clear edge over its rival because PCA uses actual values of the three criteria and hence the inability to exactly specify the relative position of each of the competing models as faced by the ranking method may be avoided. Another plus point is this method also enables models to be classified into several distinct groups ordered in such a way that each group is made up of models with nearly the same level of fitting ability. The two extreme classes of models are identified to represent the best and the worst groups respectively. Keywords: GARCH models; Returns; Fitting; Rank; Principal component
Deep Likelihood Network for Image Restoration with Multiple Degradations

Convolutional neural networks have been proven very effective in a variety of image restoration tasks. Most state-of-the-art solutions, however, are trained using images with a single particular degradation level, and can deteriorate drastically when being applied to some other degradation settings. In this paper, we propose a novel method dubbed deep likelihood network (DL-Net), aiming at generalizing off-the-shelf image restoration networks to succeed over a spectrum of degradation settings while keeping their original learning objectives and core architectures. In particular, we slightly modify the original restoration networks by appending a simple yet effective recursive module, which is derived from a fidelity term for disentangling the effect of degradations. Extensive experimental results on image inpainting, interpolation and super-resolution demonstrate the effectiveness of our DL-Net.
Bounded risk estimation of the hazard rate function of the exponential distribution: Two-stage procedure

ABSTRACT In this article, we consider sequential point estimation of hazard rate function of an exponential distribution () subject to the risk function given as , where 00 are known constants. We provide explicit formulas for the distribution of the total sample size, Nm, and of the expected value and risk of the estimator of the hazard rate function of the exponential distribution. In addition, we propose how to determine the parameter K( = K(m,A)) of the stopping variable Nm so that the risk is uniformly bounded by ω. In the end, the performances of the proposed methodology are investigated with the help of simulations and two applied examples.
Distribution functions for Galactic disc stellar populations in the presence of non-axisymmetric perturbations

Abstract The present-day response of a Galactic disc stellar population to a non-axisymmetric perturbation of the potential, in the form of a bar or spiral arms, can be treated, away from the main resonances, through perturbation theory within the action-angle coordinates of the unperturbed axisymmetric system. The first order moments of such a perturbed distribution function (DF) in the presence of spiral arms give rise to non-zero radial and vertical mean stellar velocities, called breathing modes. Such an Eulerian linearized treatment however diverges at resonances. The Lagrangian approach to the impact of non-axisymmetries at resonances avoids this problem. It is based on the construction of new orbital tori in the resonant trapping region, which come complete with a new system of angle-action variables. These new tori can be populated by phase-averaging the unperturbed DF over the new tori. This boils down to phase-mixing the DF in terms of the new angles, such that the DF for trapped orbits only depends on the new set of actions. This opens the way to quantitatively fitting the effects of the bar and spirals to Gaia data with an action-based DF.
Rapid luminosity decline and subsequent reformation of the innermost dust distribution in the changing-look AGN Mrk 590

We examine the long-term optical/near-infrared (NIR) flux variability of a ‘changing-look’ active galactic nucleus (AGN) Mrk 590 between 1998 and 2007. Multiband multi-epoch optical/NIR photometry data from the SDSS Stripe 82 data base and the Multicolor Active Galactic Nuclei Monitoring (MAGNUM) project reveal that Mrk 590 experienced a sudden luminosity decrease during the period from 2000 to 2001. Detection of dust reverberation lag signals between V- and K-band light curves obtained by the MAGNUM project during the faint state in 2003–2007 suggests that the dust torus innermost radius Rdust of Mrk 590 had become very small [Rdust ≃ 32 light-days (lt-days)] by the year 2004 according to the aforementioned significant decrease in AGN luminosity. The Rdust in the faint state is comparable to the H β broad-line region (BLR) radius of RH β, BLR ≃ 26 lt-days measured by previous reverberation mapping observations during the bright state of Mrk 590 in 1990–1996. These observations indicate that the innermost radius of the dust torus in Mrk 590 decreased rapidly after the AGN ultraviolet-optical luminosity drop, and that the replenishment time-scale of the innermost dust distribution is less than 4 yr, which is much shorter than the free fall time-scale of BLR gas or dust clouds. We suggest that rapid replenishment of the innermost dust distribution can be accomplished either by new dust formation in radiatively cooled BLR gas clouds or by new dust formation in the disc atmosphere and subsequent vertical wind from the dusty disc as a result of radiation pressure.
Elasto-viscoplastic self consistent modeling of the ambient temperature plastic behavior of periclase deformed up to 5.4 GPa

Anisotropy has a crucial effect on the mechanical response of polycrystalline materials. Polycrystal anisotropy is a consequence of single crystal anisotropy and texture (crystallographic preferred orientation) development, which can result from plastic deformation by dislocation glide. The plastic behavior of polycrystals is different under varying hydrostatic pressure conditions, and understanding the effect of hydrostatic pressure on plasticity is of general interest. Moreover, in the case of geological materials, it is useful for understanding material behavior in the deep earth and for the interpretation of seismic data. Periclase is a good material to test because of its simple and stable crystal structure (B1), and it is of interest to geosciences, as (Mg,Fe)O is the second most abundant phase in Earth's lower mantle. In this study, a polycrystalline sintered sample of periclase is deformed at ∼5.4 GPa and ambient temperature, to a total strain of 37% at average strain rates of 2.26 × 10−5/s and 4.
Problem of Obtaining Boost Converter Bifurcation Model for Hysteretic Behaviour

The hysteretic bifurcation behaviour of the chosen boost converter is identified by measurements. The different sets of steady-state responses are recognized by changing tendency of varying the input voltage. Verification of the proposed mathematical model of the boost converter was done by comparing waveforms of the state variables for characteristic steady-state responses. The results of computer simulation and results of measurements coincide very well for decreasing the input voltage only. Impact of initial conditions of state variables was studied by using two-parameter bifurcation diagrams.
APPLICATION OF RANDOMLY ORIENTED SPHEROIDS FORRETRIEVAL OF DUST PARTICLE PARAMETERS FROM MULTIWAVELENGTH LIDAR MEASUREMENTS

[1] Multiwavelength (MW) Raman lidars have demonstrated their potential to profile particle parameters; however, until now, the physical models used in retrieval algorithms for processing MW lidar data have been predominantly based on the Mie theory. This approach is applicable to the modeling of light scattering by spherically symmetric particles only and does not adequately reproduce the scattering by generally nonspherical desert dust particles. Here we present an algorithm based on a model of randomly oriented spheroids for the inversion of multiwavelength lidar data. The aerosols are modeled as a mixture of two aerosol components: one composed only of spherical and the second composed of nonspherical particles. The nonspherical component is an ensemble of randomly oriented spheroids with size-independent shape distribution. This approach has been integrated into an algorithm retrieving aerosol properties from the observations with a Raman lidar based on a tripled Nd:YAG laser. Such a lidar provides three backscattering coefficients, two extinction coefficients, and the particle depolarization ratio at a single or multiple wavelengths. Simulations were performed for a bimodal particle size distribution typical of desert dust particles. The uncertainty of the retrieved particle surface, volume concentration, and effective radius for 10% measurement errors is estimated to be below 30%. We show that if the effect of particle nonsphericity is not accounted for, the errors in the retrieved aerosol parameters increase notably. The algorithm was tested with experimental data from a Saharan dust outbreak episode, measured with the BASIL multiwavelength Raman lidar in August 2007. The vertical profiles of particle parameters as well as the particle size distributions at different heights were retrieved. It was shown that the algorithm developed provided substantially reasonable results consistent with the available independent information about the observed aerosol event.
Influence of Different Maternal Birth Positions on Perineal Trauma and Neonatal Parameters During Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery

Fragestellung: Während der letzten Jahre haben vor allem alternative Geburtspositionen an Bedeutung gewonnen. Der günstige Effekt der Schwerkraft auf den Uterus, die bessere Anpassung des kindlichen Kopfes an den Beckeneingang sowie die Erweiterung des Geburtskanales werden als Vorteile genannt. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, mögliche Vorteile alternativer Geburtspositionen gegenüber der Rückenund Seitenlage während spontaner vaginaler Geburt zu evaluieren. Material und Methodik: Diese multizentrische Studie umfasste 1009 Frauen mit spontaner vaginaler Geburt. Je nach Wahl der Geburtsposition wurde zwischen aufrechter (alternativer) Geburtsposition, Rückenund Seitenlage unterschieden. Folgende Parameter wurden untersucht: Häufigkeit und Schweregrad von Geburtsverletzungen, Episiotomierate, Dauer der Austreibungsperiode, Oxytocingabe, Anwendung einer Epiduralanästhesie, Nabelschnur-pH-Wert und der Apgar-Wert nach 1 und nach 5 Minuten. Ergebnisse: Unter den 1009 Frauen wählten 67% die Rückenlage, 16% die Seitenlage und 17% eine aufrechte Geburtsposition. Die Episiotomierate war in Rückenlage, verglichen mit den anderen Geburtspositionen signifikant höher (p = 0,01). Zwischen dem Auftreten von Geburtsverletzungen sowie dem postnatalen Zustandsbild des Neugeborenen und der Wahl der Geburtsposition konnte kein statistisch signifikanter Zusammenhang gefunden werden (p > 0,05). Die mittlere Dauer der Austreibungsphase beAbstract
Using a second-order bistatic cross-section of the ocean surface for bistatic shipborne HFSWR

ABSTRACT The second-order radar cross section (RCS) of ocean surface is analytically derived for the case in which the radar transmitter is located inland and the receiving antenna is mounted on a shipborne platform. With our previously derived first-order RCS result, the total RCS of ocean surface is simulated for a variety of radar operating parameters and sea states. According to simulation results, it is seen that the relative effect on the second-order spectra due to the platform motion is much smaller than that on the first-order. For the conditions of the radar working with a high operating frequency or a high sea state, the increase of the second-order spectral energy may contaminate the first-order component severely. The obtained results may be useful for setting appropriate limits on the use of radar operating parameters or the bistatic site geometries, from which condition the ocean surface parameters can be effectively extracted from the radar data.
An Exploratory Study on the Contractile Effects of Hydroxy-α-Sanshool and Hydroxy-β-Sanshool, the Active Ingredients of Daikenchuto, on the Internal Anal Sphincter

Objectives: Daikenchuto (DKT) enhances the contraction of the internal anal sphincter (IAS) in patients with constipation and fecal incontinence; however, the mechanism of its action is unknown. We investigated the effects of the active ingredients of DKT (hydroxy-α-sanshool (HAS) and hydroxy-β-sanshool (HBS)) on the contractile activity of the canine rectum and IAS. Methods: Three male beagle dogs were prepared for each of the HAS, HBS, and control groups. Force transducers were attached to the rectal and IAS surfaces of the dogs, and the contractile responses were measured by telemetry under conscious conditions. HAS (10 mg/body) and HBS (2.5 mg/body) were administered intrarectally at doses previously identified from an effective dose of DKT extract (1.5 g/body), and contractile responses were recorded up to 6 h after administration. Contractile activity of the rectum and IAS was evaluated by observing the area under the curve (AUC) of the recorded contraction waveform. Plasma concentrations of HAS and HBS were measured before and after administration to confirm IAS exposure to both ingredients. Results: The mean AUC values of the IAS for the control, HAS, and HBS groups at 10 min after administration were 115, 87, and 220 (g-min), respectively, indicating a higher contraction in the HBS group, which was maintained for approximately 3 h. As for the rectum, no contractile response was observed in either the HAS or HBS groups. Plasma concentrations of both ingredients peaked at 20 min after administration. Conclusions: HBS could be involved in the contractile action of DKT on the IAS.
Obesity and Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: A Curious Association

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a medical condition that impacts cognitive function after surgery, particularly major procedures. Patients with POCD may experience physical symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and fatigue, severely undermining their quality of life. Research establishes the connection between obesity and cognitive dysfunction since patients diagnosed with obesity are more susceptible to cognitive decline. Although obesity poses a significant risk factor for cognitive impairment, the link between obesity and POCD is still inadequately understood. Therefore, this systematic review explores the correlation between obesity and POCD by detailing potential mechanisms underlying this relationship and identifying areas for further research. Following the guidelines for systematic reviews, we conducted a literature search between August 2022 and April 2023, which identified studies with a substantial number of patients with POCD after major surgeries, including coronary artery bypass grafting, gastrointestinal procedures, cholecystectomy, and carotid endarterectomy. Our findings also demonstrated that a significant percentage of these had obesity, which was statistically significant as a risk factor for cognitive decline. Pathological processes, such as changes in vascular endothelium integrity, systemic inflammation induced by obesity, and apolipoprotein E-epsilon-4 expression, have been identified to contribute to POCD after surgery. Despite the promising results, there remains a gap in the literature. Thus, it is crucial to investigate the relationship between obesity and POCD further, uncover more potential underlying pathophysiological processes, and identify therapeutic targets. These measures would enable healthcare practitioners to prevent or reduce cognitive dysfunction associated with obesity in surgical patients.
Risk Factors and Predictive Biomarkers for Anastomotic Leakage after Colorectal Cancer Surgery with the Double Stapling Technique

Objectives: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is a serious complication associated with morbidity, mortality, and poor prognosis. This study aimed to identify the risk factors and predictive biomarkers for AL after colorectal surgery with double stapling technique (DST) anastomosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 331 patients who underwent elective colorectal cancer surgery with DST anastomosis between April 2012 and July 2021. Patient-, tumor-, and surgery-related variables were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the risk factors for AL. Postoperative inflammatory biomarkers were also analyzed to identify the predictive factors for AL. Results: AL occurred in 28 (8.5%) patients. In multivariate analysis, male sex, a history of diabetes mellitus and high ligation of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) were significant risk factors for AL. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on postoperative day (POD) 3 and 7 were significantly correlated with AL (OR; 95% CI, 1.134; 1.044-1.232, p = 0.003, and 1.154; 1.036-1.286, p = 0.009, respectively). The cut-off value of CRP on POD 3 was 10.91 mg/dL (sensitivity 0.714, specificity 0.835, positive predictive value [PPV] 0.290, and negative predictive value [NPV] 0.969). The cut-off value of CRP on POD 7 was 4.58 mg/dL (sensitivity 0.821, specificity 0.872, PPV 0.377, and NPV 0.981). Conclusions: Male sex, a history of diabetes mellitus and high ligation of IMA were risk factors for AL in colorectal cancer surgery with DST anastomosis. The predictive biomarkers for cases without AL were CRP levels on POD 3 and 7.
Missed opportunity for routine vaccination and associated factors among children aged 0–23 months in public health facilities of Jimma Town

The current recommendation obligates children to receive all vaccines within two years of birth. The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) was established in Ethiopia to increase the immunization rate by 10% annually and to reach 100% in 10 years but not been achieved in twenty years. Missed opportunity for vaccination (MOV) is one of the major factors in vaccination coverage. Hence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of MOV and associated factors in Jimma Town public health facilities. A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed with a quantitative data collection method. The sample size was calculated using a single population proportion formula. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews, and data extraction methods and analyzed using SPSS version 26. The statistical association was decided at p-value <0.05 with 95% CI, and AOR. A total of 422 children were involved in this study making a 100% response rate. The magnitude of MOV was 39.8% (95%CI: 35–45). Parents/caretakers have not attended formal education (AOR = 4.65, CI:1.64–13.24), residing in rural (AOR = 2.60, CI: 1.35–5.03), poor knowledge about immunization (AOR = 2.61, CI: 1.58–4.30), the child not assessed for vaccination status (AOR = 3.01, CI: 1.65–5.49), and parents/caretakers not seen/heard vaccination message in the last month (AOR = 2.42, CI: 1.40–4.18) were statistically positively associated with the MOV. In conclusion, this study indicated that MOV among the children was high in the study facilities. The researchers recommended stakeholders work on strengthening community awareness creation. Additionally, further study incorporating physician-related factors is also suggested.