Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reproductive Biology and Distribution of the Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) in the Western Indian Ocean

Simple Summary Blue shark populations are currently declining, caused mainly by the impact of overfishing from industrial fishing vessels in the open oceans. However, there is a paucity of comprehensive biological and habitat data concerning the reproductive characteristics of blue shark species in the Indian Ocean. In response to the call made by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) to provide valuable parameters for the conservation of blue shark resources, this study collected observer data from the Indian Ocean longline fishery targeting tuna between 2010 and 2020. Through rigorous statistical analysis, it was determined that the estimated length at sexual maturity for male blue sharks is 161.4 cm and 179.3 cm for females. Moreover, the average litter size was found to be 33.7 pups. The study suggests the existence of a possible seasonal migratory pattern for pregnant blue sharks, with the first and fourth quarters of the year being potential mating grounds in proximity to the equatorial region of the Indian Ocean. Additionally, the temperate marine areas of the Indian Ocean were identified as crucial habitats for parturition and juvenile development of blue shark species. Consequently, it is strongly recommended to implement more scientifically informed and ecologically sustainable operational strategies in these designated areas. Abstract Due to the limited biological research on the blue shark in the Indian Ocean, such as the lack of a clear understanding of its reproductive biology and distribution, our study analyzed and evaluated the fork length distribution, sexual maturity length, reproductive capacity, and spatiotemporal distribution of blue sharks based on biological data and capture location information collected in the western Indian Ocean from 2010 to 2020. The objective of this study is to provide reliable biological information important in performing future stock assessments vital for species conservation in this region. A total of 791 male (33–249.5 cm FL) and 803 female (12–349.6 cm FL) blue sharks were collected in the West Indian Ocean. We used the morphology of the sexual organs to ascertain their sexual maturity. Results show that the observed size at 50% sexual maturity of male blue sharks in the West Indian Ocean was 161.4cm FL (192.4 cm TL) for males and 179.3 cm FL (213.9 cm TL) for females based on logistic curve analysis. The average litter size of pregnant blue sharks was 33.7 pups. There were significant differences in the distribution of blue shark individuals with different sexual maturity levels in different quarters (p < 0.05). This study suggests that the area near the equator in the Indian Ocean from October to March of the following year may be the mating ground for blue sharks, while the temperate waters in the Indian Ocean are the nursery ground and parturition ground for pregnant and juvenile throughout the whole year. Therefore, it is recommended to adopt a more scientific and reasonable operational method in these areas.
The Effects of Exercise Training on Exercise Capacity and Vascular Function after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation—A Pilot Study

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) improves event-free survival in patients with severe aortic stenosis, but patients’ exercise capacity remains poor after the procedure. Therefore, we sought to compare the effects of a supervised center-based exercise training program and unsupervised exercise routine on exercise capacity and vascular function in patients after TAVI. Patients were randomized to either center-based exercise training (12–24 sessions of combined aerobic and low-weight resistance training twice weekly for 8–12 weeks) or an unsupervised home-based exercise routine (initial appraisal with detailed recommendations and monthly follow-up). Exercise capacity (cardiopulmonary testing) and vascular function (ultrasonographic measurement of flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and arterial stiffness) were assessed at the baseline and after the study period. We included 23 patients (mean age of 81 years, 61% women), with higher-than-expected drop-out rates (41%) because of the coronavirus-19 pandemic outbreak. Exercise capacity improved over time, irrespective of the intervention group: 0.09 mL/min/kg increase in peak oxygen uptake (95% CI [0.01–0.16]; p = 0.02), 8.2 Watts increase in workload (95% CI [0.6–15.8]; p = 0.034), and 47 s increase in cumulative exercise time (95% CI [5.0–89.6]; p = 0.029). A between-group difference in change over time (treatment effect) was detected only for FMD (4.49%; 95% CI [2.35; 6.63], p < 0.001), but not for other outcome variables. Both supervised and unsupervised exercise training improve exercise capacity and vascular function in patients after TAVI, with supervised exercise training possibly yielding larger improvements in vascular function, as determined by FMD.
Effect of 10 years of organic dairy farming on weed populations

To determine whether converting to organic farming increases weed problems, a trial at Massey University in New Zealand split a dairy farm in half, with one half farmed conventionally for 10 years and the other half farmed using organic principles. Weed populations in selected paddocks of each farmlet were studied for 8 years to determine how these populations would differ between the two systems. After 10 years, weed problems differed little between the two farmlets. Both still had broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius L.) and hairy buttercup (Ranunculus sardous Crantz) as their main weed species. Weeds were most noticeable in pastures in the year following regrassing activities for either farmlet, but being unable to use glyphosate during seed-bed preparation or use selective herbicides after sowing of new swards, meant weeds were sometimes worse in organic pastures after resowing than in conventional pastures. These weed problems were dealt with over the first few years after resowing by good grazing management, and ensuring pastures were dense once the annual species hairy buttercup had flowered and died, thus minimising any further establishment. Results from the trial suggest that weeds need not be an impediment to organic dairying.
Secrecy Rate Analysis of Analog Cooperative Beamforming With Arbitrary Node Distributions

With the rapid increase in connectivity and complexity of 6G-enabled Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks, security has become a critical concern due to the integration of various devices. Analog cooperative beamforming (ACB)-based physical layer security (PLS) algorithms have been investigated to effectively cope with such a security issue in massive IoT networks with limited hardware capabilities. However, in the existing work on ACB-based PLS, IoT nodes are typically assumed to follow Gaussian or uniform distributions, which limits the applicability in general IoT networks with arbitrary node distributions. For this reason, we propose a novel approach to analyze the secrecy rate of the ACB-based PLS scheme with arbitrarily distributed nodes using the non-parametric kernel method, where a kernel function is introduced to better estimate the actual node distribution from survey data.
THE EFFECT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHARACTERISTICS, BUSINESS CAPITAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL SOPHISTICATION ON MSME PERFORMANCE

This study aims to analyze the influence of entrepreneurial characteristics, business capital, and technological sophistication on the performance of SMEs. The data collection method used in this study was a questionnaire. The number of respondents as a research sample was 291 MSME owners in Pekanbaru City. The analysis technique used is multiple regression analysis. The findings of this study are that entrepreneurial characteristics have a positive effect on MSME performance, venture capital has a positive effect on MSME performance and technological sophistication has no effect on MSME performance. Advice to MSME owners to consider aspects of technological sophistication in developing their business during the Covid-19 pandemic because using technology, especially in terms of marketing, can reduce direct contact so that human resources owned are protected from the risk of the Corona virus.
System Performance of Highly Coupled Fan and High-Resistance Medium

This article presents an experimental study on the performance of a system consisting of a fan and a high-resistance medium (or an HRM). The HRM used in this study is a simplified model for cooling fins, heat exchangers, memory dual in-line memory module (DIMMs), air filters, etc. The study focuses on comparing the pressure difference across a closely coupled fan and HRM arranged in the draw-through configuration (HRM placed in front of a fan) and the blow-through configuration (HRM placed behind a fan) as a function of the gap distance between the fan and the HRM, along with the efficiency of moving air through these systems. System efficiency is defined to quantify system performance; it is a measure of the actual power input to push the air through the system relative to the ideal power required to achieve the same task. For the specific fan and HRM configurations studied here, the results show that system efficiency is a strong function of gap when the gap is approximately 15% of fan diameter or less for the draw-through configuration, and 10% of fan diameter or less for the blow-through configuration. Furthermore, it has been determined that the blow-through configuration is significantly less efficient than the draw-through configuration.
Whole-Body Cryotherapy Alters Circulating MicroRNA Profile in Postmenopausal Women

The incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases with age, especially in women. The role of microRNAs (miRs) in the regulation of metabolism is postulated. The aim of the study is to identify miRs that may be markers of MetS and to assess changes in miRs expression as a result of 10 and 20 whole-body cryotherapy treatments (WBC; 3 min, −120 °C) in postmenopausal women with MetS (M-60, BMI 30.56 ± 5.38 kg/m2), compared to healthy postmenopausal (H-60, BMI 25.57 ± 2.46 kg/m2) and healthy young women (H-20, BMI 22.90 ± 3.19 kg/m2). In a fasting state, before 1 WBC and after 10 WBCs, as well as 20 WBCs, the expression of miR-15a-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-23a-3p, miR-146a-5p, miR-197-3p, miR-223-3p, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and blood lipid profile were determined. miR-15a-5p and miR-21-5p were down-regulated in M-60, while miR-23a-3p and miR-197-3p were up-regulated, and miR-223-3p down-regulated in M-60 and H-60, compared to H-20. Significant positive correlations between up-regulated (mostly for miR-23-3p and miR-197-3p) and significant negative correlations between down-regulated (mostly for miR-15a-5p) miRs and markers of body composition as well as metabolic disorders were observed. After 20 WBCs, miR-15a-5p expression was up-regulated in all groups. In H-60, down-regulation of miR-197-3p expression occurred after 10 WBCs and 20 WBCs. Following 10 WBCs, FBG decreased in all groups, which intensified in M-60 post-20 WBCs. In our research, it has been shown that miR-23a-3p and miR-197-3p are accurate markers of MetS and MetS risk factors, while miR-15a-5p and miR-23a-3p are precise markers of body composition disorders. WBC is an effective treatment for up-regulating miR-15a-5p and lowering glucose levels in young and postmenopausal women and down-regulating miR-197-3p expression in postmenopausal women. It may be an adjunctive effective treatment method in MetS and hyperglycemia.
Immediate Effects of Anti-Spastic Epidural Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation on Functional Connectivity of the Central Motor System in Patients with Stroke- and Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Spasticity: A Pilot Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Objective: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is one approach to the potential improvement of patients with post-stroke or post-traumatic spasticity. However, little is known about whether and how such interventions alter supraspinal neural systems involved in the pathogenesis of spasticity. This pilot study investigated whether epidural spinal cord stimulation at the level of the C3–C5 cervical segments, aimed at reducing spasticity, alters the patterns of functional connectivity of the brain. Methods: Eight patients with spasticity in the right limbs as a result of left cerebral hemisphere damage (due to hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke or traumatic and anoxic brain injury) were assessed with fMRI immediately before and immediately after short-term (1 to 6 days) test cervical epidural SCS therapy. Eight demographically and clinically comparable patients with spasticity in the right extremities due to a left hemisphere ischemic stroke and brain injury who received conventional therapy were examined as a control group. All patients also had paresis of one or two limbs and hyperreflexia. Results: After the SCS therapy, there were three main findings: (1) higher functional connectivity of the brainstem to the right premotor cortex and changes in functional connectivity between cortical motor areas, (2) increased functional connectivity between the right and left lateral nodes of the sensorimotor network, and (3) a positive correlation between decreased spasticity in the right leg and increased functional connectivity within the right hemisphere sensorimotor cortex. All these changes in functional connectivity occurred with a statistically significant decrease in spasticity, as assessed using the modified Ashworth scale. The control group showed no decrease in spasticity or increase in functional connectivity in any of the seeds of interest. On the contrary, a decrease in functional connectivity of the brainstem and right postcentral gyrus was observed in this group during the observation period. Conclusions: We were thus able to detect intrinsic brain connectivity rearrangements that occurred during spasticity mitigation following short epidural SCS therapy. Significance: The clinical results obtained confirmed the efficacy of short-term anti-spastic SCS therapy. The obtained data on functional rearrangements of the central motor system may shed light on the mechanism of antispastic action of this procedure.
Re–Os isotopic age constraints on deposition in the Neoproterozoic Amadeus Basin: implications for the ‘Snowball Earth’

Re–Os isotopes have been measured on organic-rich sedimentary rocks from the Neoproterozoic Aralka Formation in the Amadeus Basin, central Australia. These sedimentary rocks closely predate the Marinoan glaciation, a correlative of the global ‘Snowball II’ event. The Aralka Formation sedimentary rocks preserve an age of 592 ± 14 Ma, which is interpreted to represent the age of deposition. This age is substantially younger than that inferred from global correlation studies. It indicates that the onset, duration and cessation of the glacial event, and subsequent deposition of >2 km of sediment prior to radiation of the earliest metazoan life assemblages is confined to c.40 million years.
Detecting Manifest Huntington's Disease Using Vocal Data

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder that leads to the devastating loss of motor control - including severe speech impairment. Current models are insufficient to predict the onset or progression of manifest symptoms and early signs of the disease remain challenging to detect and monitor. Therefore, we propose a purely speech-based, non-invasive approach to discriminate Huntington’s Disease patients who are exhibiting early signs of disease from those who are not. We study various features derived from speech and machine learning models to classify HD patients. Our results show that Random Forest classifiers leveraging language features perform very well with an unweighted accuracy of 0 . 95 . In addition, we analyze the statistical significance of features, the importance of different questions asked to the patients, and other classification problems in Huntington’s disease to provide a strong foundation for this field of research.
First Demonstration of Predictive Equalization for UWOCC in Seawater

Underwater communication is expected to provide ubiquitous connectivity all over the world. The considerable practical issue of underwater optical communication (UWOC) is the directivity control due to oceanic turbulence. Underwater optical camera communication (UWOCC) is a promising option for UWOC that provides low-directivity visible light communication. OCC is a wireless communication technology between a light source such as LED and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor in a camera. Although OCC has attracted considerable attention, equalization and demodulation of received optical signals in underwater environments have not been well studied. Thus, in this paper we propose a predictive equalization technique for UWOCC assuming color shift keying (CSK) based on the different attenuation of light intensity depending on the wavelength. The received optical signals are identified by predicting color shift in the color space from link distance. This paper also reports the first demonstration of the proposed predictive equalization in seawater. The feasibility is confirmed via experimental results with 8 and 16 CSK transmission at a pier in Kobe city, Japan.
MSCA-UNet: Multi-Scale Convolutional Attention UNet for Automatic Cell Counting Using Density Regression

The quantification of cell numbers in microscopy images plays a vital role in biomedical research and medical diagnosis. Presently, deep regression networks are widely employed to generate cell density maps, and the number of cells is obtained by integrating the density maps. However, automating cell counting remains challenging due to the variability in cell morphology, the diversity of cell types, and the interference of image backgrounds. This paper aims to address the central question: ‘Can we design a robust and efficient deep learning model that can effectively count cells in microscopy images, regardless of these challenges? ’ To tackle this issue, we propose a novel multi-scale convolutional attention UNet (MSCA-UNet) based on density regression. Compared with other advanced density regression methods, our method introduces two key innovations. Firstly, we employ an MSCA block with multi-scale interaction ability as an encoder component, which, when combined with spatial attention, enhances the extraction of cell details and spatial information. Secondly, the design of the asymmetric UNet allows the encoder to extract more global information and better understand the image. In the meantime, using smaller convolutional kernels and strides in the decoder helps to restore image details and edge information, resulting in improved network performance. Our method outperformed other advanced methods on three publicly available benchmark cell datasets, including the synthetic bacterial (VGG) dataset, the modified bone marrow (MBM) dataset, and the human subcutaneous adipose tissue (ADI) dataset.
Reliability of Agreement between Insulin, Clonidine, and Glucagon Stimulation Tests for the Diagnosis of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Children: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD) is a rare disorder. The diagnosis of GHD requires a combination of two provocative GH tests. This study aimed to find agreement between commonly used medications to determine which combined tests have high reliability of agreement. This retrospective cohort included 201 children who underwent GH provocation testing from January 2012 to December 2022. The insulin tolerance test (ITT) with the clonidine stimulation test (CST) or glucagon stimulation test (GST) with the CST were performed. We calculated Cohen’s kappa to determine the agreement between the test medications by considering the post-stimulation peak GH level with a cut-off value of 10 ng/mL as the primary outcome. A total of 151 patients underwent the two provocative tests and were included in the analysis. Of these patients, 119 underwent the ITT and CST and 54 (45.3%) were diagnosed with GHD. However, 32 patients underwent the GST and CST and 18 (56.2%) were diagnosed with GHD. The kappa value for ITT and CST was 0.258 (25.8%), indicating fair agreement between clonidine and insulin (p = 0.005). However, the kappa value for CST and GST was 0.178 (17.8%), representing slight agreement. The correlation coefficient revealed a very strong relationship between ITT and CST. Clonidine has fair agreement and a very strong correlation coefficient with ITT when used to diagnose GHD in children. Among the commonly used pharmacological tests for GH provocation in our unit, the CST was considered the best pharmacological test in terms of safety and reduced parental anxiety.
Joint Prediction of Audio Event and Annoyance Rating in an Urban Soundscape by Hierarchical Graph Representation Learning

Sound events in daily life carry rich information about the objective world. The composition of these sounds affects the mood of people in a soundscape. Most previous approaches only focus on classifying and detecting audio events and scenes, but may ignore their perceptual quality that may impact humans' listening mood for the environment, e.g. annoyance. To this end, this paper proposes a novel hierarchical graph representation learning (HGRL) approach which links objective audio events (AE) with subjective annoyance ratings (AR) of the soundscape perceived by humans. The hierarchical graph consists of fine-grained event (fAE) embeddings with single-class event semantics, coarse-grained event (cAE) embeddings with multi-class event semantics, and AR embeddings. Experiments show the proposed HGRL successfully integrates AE with AR for AEC and ARP tasks, while coordinating the relations between cAE and fAE and further aligning the two different grains of AE information with the AR.