Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Occupation-modulated language networks and its lateralization: A resting-state fMRI study of seafarers

Introduction Studies have revealed that the language network of Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area is modulated by factors such as disease, gender, aging, and handedness. However, how occupational factors modulate the language network remains unclear. Methods In this study, taking professional seafarers as an example, we explored the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the language network with seeds (the original and flipped Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area). Results The results showed seafarers had weakened RSFC of Broca’s area with the left superior/middle frontal gyrus and left precentral gyrus, and enhanced RSFC of Wernicke’s area with the cingulate and precuneus. Further, seafarers had a less right-lateralized RSFC with Broca’s area in the left inferior frontal gyrus, while the controls showed a left-lateralized RSFC pattern in Broca’s area and a right-lateralized one in Wernicke’s area. Moreover, seafarers displayed stronger RSFC with the left seeds of Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. Discussion These findings suggest that years of working experience significantly modulates the RSFC of language networks and their lateralization, providing rich insights into language networks and occupational neuroplasticity.
The Application of Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membranes for Separation of Car Wash Wastewaters: Experiments and Modelling

The wastewater generated as a result of car washes is considered a new source of water. However, recovered water must meet the required quality criteria for reuse. For this purpose, the ultrafiltration (UF) process can be successfully used. The main aim of the present work was to investigate the influence of the membrane’s molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) on the UF performance in terms of the fouling phenomenon and retention degree of car wash wastewater. Moreover, for a better understanding of the fouling mechanisms, Hermia’s model was used. The experimental studies were conducted with the use of two polyethersulfone (PES) membranes (MWCO of 10 kDa and 100 kDa). It has been noted that the used membranes provided a high-quality permeate and excellent turbidity removal, up to 99%. Moreover, it has been noted that the MWCO membrane has a significant impact on the fouling mechanism. Generally, a much greater intensity of fouling for the membrane with MWCO of 100 kDa was observed. Results obtained in the present study showed that both real wastewaters and the clean solutions used for washing cars cause the fouling phenomenon. It has been proven that rinsing the membranes with water is not sufficient to recover the initial membrane’s performance. Hence, periodic chemical cleaning of the membranes was required. Fitting the experimental data to Hermia’s model allowed us to indicate that membranes with MWCO of 100 kDa are more prone to intermediate blocking. To sum up, the findings suggest that for the UF of the car wash wastewater, the use of membranes with MWCO equal to 10 kDa is recommended.
Multi‐Scale Attention‐Enhanced Deep Learning Model for Ionogram Automatic Scaling

To increase the accuracy of ionogram automatic scaling, a deep learning model—multi‐scale attention‐enhanced UNet is proposed. Correspondingly, a multi‐scale attention‐enhanced (MSAE) sub‐network is developed which involves a spatial attention nearest up‐sampling module and several residual channel attention modules with multi‐scale skip connections. They contribute to multi‐scale feature fusion and augmentation of the learning ability for enhancing faint and elongated profile traces of ionograms. The MSAE sub‐network input consists of multi‐scale feature maps which could be optimally employed to make the network effectively utilize useful information from the encoders and decoders. Incidentally, a dual channel spatial attention block is embedded between the encoder and the decoder for deeper detail extraction. When the proposed model is applied to scale different electron density profiles of ionograms based on an open data set, the experimental results show the segmentation performance evaluation indexes: the precision and the recall rate can be improved by 6.9% and 26.1%, respectively, compared to automatic real‐time ionogram scaling with true‐height routine. Another set of indexes: the mean intersection over union and the F‐score are superior to that of other several contrasted deep learning models, which can be improved by 3% and 1.6%, respectively, compared to the original UNet model.
Deriving pseudo-vertical waveforms from small-footprint full-waveform LiDAR data

When processing scanning LiDAR data, it is commonly assumed that the extracted full-waveform LiDAR pulse registers truly vertical information of forest canopies. This assumption may lead to uncertain results for the spatiotemporal analysis of the waveforms due to off-nadir scanning angles and varying trajectories travelled by the pulses in overlapping strips. In this letter, we investigate these assumptions and undertake some preliminary analysis to overcome their impacts on forest-based LiDAR analyses. Our results demonstrate that for a standard LiDAR forest acquisition programme in Oregon, USA, most of the hits (83%) are acquired off-nadir, which leads to positional displacements on the ground of the full-waveforms of about 0.20 m for each 1-m height increment. We propose an approach to synthetize multiple waveform data into composite waveforms containing the vertical profile of vegetation for a given location. This approach is based on partitioning the aboveground vertical space into voxels and using the maximum full-waveform intensity value to construct new full-waveforms comprising the vertical information of the various waveforms crossing over a location. Our initial results indicate that deriving spatiotemporal metrics from the composite pseudo-vertical full-waveforms produces a more consistent response across adjacent height levels, which in turn enables a more complete characterization and more vegetation structure to be retrieved. We conclude that this type of pseudo-vertical full-waveform analysis is necessary to more fully understand the impact of the return signals from tree crowns.
Single gold nanostars enhance Raman scattering

Raman scattering from single gold nanostars coated with self-assembled monolayers of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid is observed. The Raman signal can be detected without the need of forming particle aggregates or resonant electronic excitation of the analyte. A total Raman enhancement factor of 107 for individual nanostars is estimated. These features make gold nanostars promising for Raman imaging in cells or cellular membranes.
Upper limb joint motion of two different user groups during manual wheelchair propulsion

Manual wheelchair users have a high risk of injury to the upper extremities. Recent studies have focused on kinematic and kinetic analyses of manual wheelchair propulsion in order to understand the physical demands on wheelchair users. The purpose of this study was to investigate upper limb joint motion by using a motion capture system and a dynamometer with two different groups of wheelchair users propelling their wheelchairs at different speeds under different load conditions. The variations in the contact time, release time, and linear velocity of the experienced group were all larger than they were in the novice group. The propulsion angles of the experienced users were larger than those of the novices under all conditions. The variances in the propulsion force (both radial and tangential) of the experienced users were larger than those of the novices. The shoulder joint moment had the largest variance with the conditions, followed by the wrist joint moment and the elbow joint moment. The variance of the maximum shoulder joint moment was over four times the variance of the maximum wrist joint moment and eight times the maximum elbow joint moment. The maximum joint moments increased significantly as the speed and load increased in both groups. Quick and significant manipulation ability based on environmental changes is considered an important factor in efficient propulsion. This efficiency was confirmed from the propulsion power results. Sophisticated strategies for efficient manual wheelchair propulsion could be understood by observation of the physical responses of each upper limb joint to changes in load and speed. We expect that the findings of this study will be utilized for designing a rehabilitation program to reduce injuries.
Potential of ultra-wideband gap semiconductors for sub-THz and THz applications

Applications of terahertz (THz) and sub-THz technology require portable, inexpensive, efficient, and reliable THz electronics. This stimulated the search for novel semiconductor materials for THz applications. This paper evaluates the potential of ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors (UWBGS) for THz and sub-THz applications. The wide bandgap is the consequence of strong bonds between the nearest neighbors in UWBGS, such as diamond, boron nitride, and aluminum nitride. This is the consequence of small atomic radii of carbon and nitrogen forming intimate contacts with their nearest neighbors. The resulting high energies of optical phonons in these materials lead to superior transport properties, including high breakdown voltages and long mean free paths of electrons in the conduction band and holes in the valence band. These factors make ultra-wideband semiconductors prime candidates for high-power and high-frequency applications. The analysis of the cutoff frequencies and quality factor of plasma oscillations show that diamond has a high potential as an active material for Terahertz Field Effect Transistors (TeraFETs) generating THz and sub-THz radiation, including radiation in the 300 GHz range, which is of special interest for 6G communications. Boron nitride should enable high cutoff frequencies of operation in collision-dominated regimes.
Winter water mass of the Veracruz Reef System

For the first time, the features of the coastal water mass in winter season, spreading over the Veracruz reef system (VRS) have been investigated using hydrographic profiles. The study was performed in two separated surveys of two days of duration in the southern and middle-northern regions of the area. These first measurements showed that there are two most remarkable features: the difference of 5 °C between winter temperature values compared with summer temperature values, and locally (VRS scale) there was a difference between the first and second survey done in the area during the sampling data. It was observed that there was a notable difference in temperature and salinity values of ~ 2 oC and ~ 2 psu, respectively, between the coastal water mass of the southern (Anton Lizardo Reef System) and those of the middle (Jamapa River) and northern (Northern Veracruz Reef System) regions, due to the passage of a strong (winds blowing between 12.1 to 18 m/s) to fresh (atmospheric temperature minor of 18 oC) norther. This variability in the water mass composition (with temperature lower than 22 oC) probably has effects on the development of the coral communities of the sampled area.
Digit-Serial Systolic Karatsuba Multiplier for Special Classes over GF(2^m)

Finite field multiplication over GF (2^m) is one of the most important arithmetic operations for Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC). Polynomial basis multipliers over GF (2^m) are widely applied in ECC due to its regular, modular, easily expansible benefits and the high suitability for VLSI implementation. This study will present a novel digit-serial polynomial basis multiplier using Karatsuba algorithm representation. To achieve efficient architectures, our proposed digit-serial architecture is different from existing digit-serial polynomial basis multipliers that use cut-set algorithm. The proposed digit-serial polynomial basis multiplier saves 90% space complexity as compared to existing similar studies. Existing digit-serial polynomial basis multipliers employ one dimensional array of digit cells, but our proposed digit-serial polynomial basis multiplier uses only one digit cell.
The Relative Importance of Temporal Leadership and Initiating Structure for Timely Project Completion

We assess the relative usefulness of temporal leadership and initiating structure in predicting timely team project completion. Drawing on the functional approach to team leadership as well as the concept of team performance episodes, we hypothesize that two facets of temporal leadership, temporal planning at project initiation and temporal reminders midway through project execution, will be better predictors of timely project completion than will traditional task-oriented leadership in the form of initiating structure delivered at the same two project stages. Results from 62 application development project teams surveyed across the life of a project showed that the two facets of temporal leadership together accounted for 91.7% of the predicted variance in timely project completion, with temporal planning being more important. Initiating structure accounted for the remaining small and nonsignificant amount of the predicted variance. We conclude that temporal leadership is a new construct that is a highly useful approach to leader behavior in the context of teams working on time-limited projects.
Unambiguous identification of N-containing oxygenated organic molecules using a chemical-ionization Orbitrap (CI-Orbitrap) in an eastern Chinese megacity

Abstract. Oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs) are dominated by the N-containing species in polluted urban environments. As N-containing OOMs, especially those with more than one nitrogen atom, prevail in the high m/z (mass-to-charge) range (m/z> 350 Th), unambiguous identification of N-containing OOMs is highly desirable for understanding of their formation processes, precursors and influencing factors. To achieve this, we applied an ultra-high-resolution chemical-ionization Orbitrap (CI-Orbitrap) in a field campaign and found that OOMs contain one (1N-OOMs), two (2N-OOMs) and three (3N-OOMs) nitrogen atoms comprised 50 %, 26 % and 4 %, respectively, of total OOMs. More interestingly, the fraction of 2N-OOMs increased with the increase in carbon number (nC) and was dominated by the ones derived from aliphatic precursors (2N-OOMAli, 64.2 %), indicating the importance of multistep oxidation. Plausible precursors of 2N-OOMs were aliphatics (2N-OOMAli, 64.2 %), aromatics (2N-OOMAro, 16 %) and monoterpenes (2N-OOMMT, 15.4 %). The absolute concentrations of 2N-OOMs were greatly affected by the pollution level for most cases. The 2N-OOMAli was the most abundant 2N-OOM, and its fraction even increased on the polluted day with an enhanced proportion of the ones with nC >10. While 2N-OOMAli and 2N-OOMAro were dominated by daytime photochemical production, nighttime NO3-initiated oxidation played a comparable role to the daytime photochemistry in the formation of 2N-OOMMT. The 2N-OOMAro species were of the highest oxygenation level, followed by 2N-OOMMT and 2N-OOMAli, which were affected by photochemistry and NOx concentrations. These results highlight the significant formation of 2N-OOMs and the influencing factors on their formation in polluted urban environments, where various volatile organic compound (VOC) precursors and atmospheric oxidants are present.
Comparison of the Performance of Nonparametric and Parametric MANOVA Test Statistics when Assumptions Are Violated

Abstract. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) is a useful tool for social scientists because it allows for the comparison of response-variable means across multiple groups. MANOVA requires that the observations are independent, the response variables are multivariate normally distributed, and the covariance matrix of the response variables is homogeneous across groups. When the assumptions of normality and homogeneous covariance matrices are not met, past research has shown that the type I error rate of the standard MANOVA test statistics can be inflated while their power can be attenuated. The current study compares the performance of a nonparametric alternative to one of the standard parametric test statistics when these two assumptions are not met. Results show that when the assumption of homogeneous covariance matrices is not met, the nonparametric approach has a lower type I error rate and higher power than the most robust parametric statistic. When the assumption of normality is untenable, th.
Field Application of Ethanolic and Aqueous Chili Extracts to Control Diamondback Moth (Plutella Xylostella L.) in Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea Var. Capitata L.)

The Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is an economic oligophagous pest that feeds on the members of the Brassicaceae family. Cabbage as one of the brassicas is mostly targeted by the larvae of P. xylostella in tropical countries including Papua New Guinea (PNG). Attempts to control this pest continue to be a challenge for farmers since it is now resistant to commonly used synthetic insecticides. Chili (Capsicum frutescens L.) in particular is an insecticidal plant that has been proven to reduce the impact of pests including P. xylostella. Previous studies have focused on the extraction of chili phytochemicals with ethanol as an extraction solvent (tincture). The current study experimentally tested the potential of hot water chili extract. Tincture chili extract was relatively more effective than hot water extract against P. xylostella. The current study further confirms that the absence of chili extracts in dry conditions enhances the recruitment of the pest, P. xylostella. Furthermore, the tincture extract was also capable of withstanding rainy days due to its adhesive phytochemicals. Keywords: Plutella xylostella, tincture, hotwater, rainfall, relative humidity
Self-Adaptive Upwinding for Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Flows on Unstructured Elements

A self-adaptive upwinding method for large eddy simulation is proposed to reduce the numerical dissipation of a low-order numerical scheme on unstructured elements. This method is used to extend an existing Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes code to a large eddy simulation code by adjusting the contribution of the upwinding term to the convective flux. This adjustment is essentially controlled by the intensity of the local wiggle and reduces the upwind contribution in the Roe-MUSCL scheme. First, the stability characteristic of the new scheme is studied using a channel flow stability test. It is essential to ensure that the proposed scheme is able to adjust upwinding in the presence of very high gradients and that it prohibits the divergence of the simulation. Second, the decaying isotropic turbulence is simulated to study the capability of the new scheme to generate the suitable decaying rate for the total kinetic energy and its influence over the slope of the energy spectrum at different computational times. Finally, the flow separation phenomenon over a NACA0025 profile is numerically investigated and results are compared with experimental data.
On the viscous modes of instability of a trailing line vortex

A viscous linear stability analysis of a trailing line (Batchelor) vortex is presented. Employing a staggered Chebyshev spectral collocation technique, very accurate results were obtained. The destabilising role of viscous forces has been shown to produce two types of viscous instability modes. These viscous disturbances consist of an axisymmetric mode and an asymmetric mode. Both disturbances are long-wave instabilities with maximum growth rates which are orders of magnitude smaller than the inviscid modes which have been found by others. Comparison with experimental results and condensation trail observations are found to be in good qualitative agreement with the present study.
Sustained IP3-linked Ca2+ signaling promotes progression of triple negative breast cancer cells by regulating fatty acid metabolism

Rewiring of mitochondrial metabolism has been described in different cancers as a key step for their progression. Calcium (Ca2+) signaling regulates mitochondrial function and is known to be altered in several malignancies, including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, whether and how the alterations in Ca2+ signaling contribute to metabolic changes in TNBC has not been elucidated. Here, we found that TNBC cells display frequent, spontaneous inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-dependent Ca2+ oscillations, which are sensed by mitochondria. By combining genetic, pharmacologic and metabolomics approaches, we associated this pathway with the regulation of fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Moreover, we demonstrated that these signaling routes promote TNBC cell migration in vitro, suggesting they might be explored to identify potential therapeutic targets.
Foraging Intensity of Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor) in Response to Feed Type and Extreme Winter Conditions

Abstract - Foraging-intensity models predict that consumers balance the costs of environmental risk factors, food availability, predation, and starvation to determine the optimal foraging rate response. To test the assumptions of these ecological models in situ, we used radio frequency identification (RFID) to monitor the foraging behavior of 5 individual Baeolophus bicolor (Tufted Titmice) at bird feeders from January to February 2021. We used a Poisson generalized linear mixed effects model to determine how temperature and seed type impacted the number of daily feeder visits, while controlling for feeder and individual ID. We documented increased foraging frequency for Titmice in colder, snowier conditions. Titmice also exhibited a strong preference for whole black oil sunflower seeds (with an intact outer shell), in contrast to sunflower hearts (with the shell removed).
Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of V160, a Conditionally Replication-Defective Cytomegalovirus Vaccine, in Healthy Japanese Men in a Randomized, Controlled Phase 1 Study

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can cause newborn morbidity and mortality; no pharmacological method of reducing CMV infection during pregnancy is currently available. In a phase 1 study in the United States, V160, a conditionally replication-defective CMV vaccine, was immunogenic and well tolerated. This placebo-controlled study (NCT03840174) investigated the safety and immunogenicity of a three-dose V160 vaccine administered over six months. A total of 18 healthy adult Japanese males (9 seronegative and 9 seropositive) were enrolled at a single center and randomized 2:1 to intramuscular V160 or placebo. In vitro, V160 induced high CMV-specific neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers (50% neutralization titer [NT50], 3651; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1688–7895) in the CMV-seronegative per-protocol immunogenicity (PPI) population one month after the third vaccine dose was administered compared with no change in the placebo arm (NT50, <94; 95% CI < 94–115). The geometric mean titer ratio in the seronegative population versus baseline was 77.7 (95% CI, 23.9–252.4). CMV NAb titers in the CMV-seropositive PPI population were similar to baseline NAb titers observed in the CMV-seropositive population. V160 was well tolerated, and no vaccine viral DNA shedding was observed. In conclusion, the immunogenicity and safety profile of V160 in Japanese participants was consistent with other populations.
The cold solar wind

From 3 to 10% of the time, the solar wind has a radial proton temperature between 15,000/sup 0/K and 3500/sup 0/K (the lowest recorded temperature). This ''cold'' component shows some very important features that make it worthy of special study. It shows a temperature dependence on heliocentric distance that is nearly adiabatic. When extrapolated back to 3 R/sub s/, assuming adiabatic cooling, the resulting temperature for this cold component is in good agreement with coronal temperatures near the sonic point. Most importantly, the proton velocities and densities associated with this cold component match those predicted by solar wind models that do not incorporate significant wave heating. We conclude that this is one solar wind component that fit well with appropriate models.