Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aspect sensitivity of VHF radar echoes observed in the middle and upper troposphere during the passage of a cut‐off low

The aspect sensitivity of VHF radar signals is related to the enhancement of the echo power and the narrowing of the spectral width at vertical incidence relative to the off‐zenith directions. The strong aspect sensitivity is usually associated with stable atmospheric layers. In this paper the aspect sensitivity measured between an altitude of 4 and 15 km during the passage of a tropopause folding linked to a cut‐off low is analyzed and discussed. The study mainly uses data acquired during a 2‐day period with a three‐beam VHF radar with relatively broad beam widths (6.8°). The angular dependence of the echoes is investigated using the power ratio of vertical to oblique beam and the spectral width obtained at vertical incidence. These two diagnostic parameters provided a nearly identical depiction of the stratospheric descent associated with the upper frontal zone. However, a discrepancy is observed between the location of the stratospheric subsidence and the tropopause height offered by the radar and that deduced from the meteorological analysis produced by an operational forecasting numerical model. Owing to the aspect sensitivity of the echoes, an underestimate amounting to 20% was found in the horizontal wind measurement. Finally, a comparison of simultaneous observations of two closely spaced VHF radars (100 km) has shown a good spatial coherence of the aspect sensitivity structures.
Detecting Inappropriate Test Scores with Optimal and Practical Appropriateness Indices

Several statistics have been proposed as quantitative indices of the appropriateness of a test score as a mea sure of ability. Two criteria have been used to evalu ate such indices in previous research. The first crite rion, standardization, refers to the extent to which the conditional distributions of an index, given ability, are invariant across ability levels. The second criterion, relative power, refers to indices' relative effectiveness for detecting inappropriate test scores. In this paper the effectiveness of nine appropriateness indices is de termined in an absolute sense by comparing them to optimal indices; an optimal index is the most powerful index for a particular form of aberrance that can be computed from item responses. Three indices were found to provide nearly optimal rates of detection of very low ability response patterns modified to simulate cheating, as well as very high ability response patterns modified to simulate spuriously low responding. Opti mal indices had detection rates from 50% to 200% higher than any other index when average ability re sponse vectors were manipulated to appear spuriously high and spuriously low.
Image-based tracking laser Doppler vibrometer

An innovative version of the tracking laser Doppler vibrometer based on image acquisition and processing (iTLDV) is proposed. The iTLDV is developed for tracking of arbitrary motions; the system is feedback controlled and allows measuring the vibrations of a moving target by driving moving mirrors via position signals of the target obtained from a charge-coupled-device camera and an image processing algorithm. The tracking system developed has been applied to an industrial test case subject to self-excited vibrations, in order to verify the performances and limits in the operating conditions. The system demonstrates its ability to measure vibration time histories on a windscreen wiper in operative conditions. This test case represents a challenging measurement problem, since no other measurement techniques are available that are able to extract such data. Some examples of obtained data are shown, which highlight the potential of iTLDV. In addition, position accuracy and measurement uncertainty are discuss.
Modelling and real-time dynamic simulation of flexible needles for prostate biopsy and brachytherapy

ABSTRACT Percutaneous needle insertion constitutes a widely adopted technique for performing minimally invasive operations. Robot-assisted needle placement and virtual surgical training platforms have the potential to significantly improve the accuracy of these operations. For this, the development of mathematical models that provide a complete characterization of the underlying dynamics of medical needles is considered of paramount importance. In this paper, we develop two three-dimensional nonlinear rigid/flexible dynamic models of brachytherapy and local anaesthetic transperineal biopsy (LATP) needles. The proposed models relax the assumptions of previous investigations, quantify the vibrational behaviour and the rigid-body dynamics of medical needles and allow for real-time haptic and visual feedback information. Their accuracy and computational efficiency are assessed and validated using commercial software. The results show that, among the examined methods, the Rigid Finite Element Method provides the most accurate and numerically efficient solution for capturing the dynamics of flexible medical needles.
Fundamental mechanisms of laser damage of dielectric crystals by ultrashort pulse: ionization dynamics for the Keldysh model

Abstract. Laser-induced ionization is a major process that initiates and drives the initial stages of laser-induced damage (LID) of high-quality transparent solids. The ionization and its contribution to LID are characterized in terms of the time-dependent ionization rate and conduction-band electron density. Considering femtosecond pulses of various durations (from 35 to 706 fs) and variable peak irradiances (from 0.01 to 60 TW/cm2), we use a single-rate equation to simulate time variations of conduction-band electron density and rates of the photoionization and impact ionization. The photoionization rate is evaluated with the Keldysh equation. At low irradiance, the electron density and total ionization rate demonstrate power scaling characteristic of multiphoton ionization. With the increase of irradiance, there is observed a saturation of the photoionization rate due to photoionization suppression by the Keldysh-type singularity during the increase in the number of simultaneously absorbed photons by 1. A striking result is that the saturation is followed by a stepwise transition from the ionization regime which is completely dominated by the photoionization to a regime totally dominated by the impact ionization. The transition results in the increase of the electron density by a few orders of magnitude induced by a variation of peak laser irradiance by about 15% to 20%. The physical effects that are involved are discussed.
Phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from bloodstream infections at a referral hospital, Lusaka, Zambia

Bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) have been used as empiric treatment for BSI and other invasive infections for years; however, their overuse could promote the emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). Thus, this study aimed to determine the epidemiological, clinical and microbiological features and the effects of antimicrobial resistance on the outcomes of BSIs at a referral hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. This was a six-month prospective facility-based study undertaken at a referral hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. As part of the routine diagnosis and patient care, blood samples for bacteriological culture were collected from patients presenting with fever and processed for pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the VITEK 2 Compact instrument. ESBLs and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) associated genes were determined using the polymerase chain reaction method. Patient information was collected using a structured data collection sheet and entered in CSpro 7.6. Data were analysed in WHOnet and STATA version 14. A total of 88 GNB were isolated, of which 76% were Enterobacterales, 14% Acinetobacter baumannii and 8% Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Resistance to third and fourth-generation cephalosporins was 75% and 32%, respectively. Noteworthy was the high prevalence (68%) of inappropriate empirical treatment, carbapenem resistance (7%), multi-drug resistance (83%) and ESBL-producers (76%). In comparison to E. coli as a causative agent of BSI, the odds of death were significantly higher among patients infected with Acinetobacter baumannii (OR = 3.8). The odds of death were also higher in patients that received 3GCs as empiric treatment than in those that received 4GCs or other (none cephalosporin) treatment options. Structured surveillance, yearly antibiogram updates, improved infection control and a well functional antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program, are of utmost importance in improving appropriate antimicrobial treatment selection and favourable patient outcomes.
Truncation and use of model-coordinate data

The advantages and disadvantages of using global analyses on pressure level surfaces versus model (sigma or hybrid) level surfaces are explored. Model levels consist of a terrain-following coordinate in the lowest levels but may gradually transition to pressure with height. One major issue is that the model surface often does not correspond with the earth's real surface. Another is that a change in horizontal resolution is not well defined because the vertical coordinate also changes in the process. However, such changes are required as comparison of analyses from one center with another or with model output requires a common vertical coordinate. Also, a reduction from high resolution with 106 waves (T106 resolution) to a moderate resolution with, say, 42 waves (T42), so as to reduce the size of datasets by a factor of about 6, is often desirable. Another issue involves the meaning and use of time averages on model surfaces and their relationship to corresponding time averages on pressure surfaces. The traditional representation on constant pressure surfaces has much to recommend it and is widely used and familiar to the community, but suffers from errors arising from interpolation to the pressure surfaces and the need to properly treat regions of those surfaces that are below ground (in regions of high topography). Spectral truncation and resolution changes are well defined on pressure surfaces. Test results are presented for cases where T106 analyses on model surfaces are (1) transformed to pressure and then truncated, (2) truncated and then transformed to pressure levels, and (3) then compared at comparable resolutions. The differences arise mainly from the ill-posed truncation on model surfaces, but also from vertical interpolations. These tests are also applied to a heat budget calculation involving nonlinear terms for one month. However, the latter comparison also brings in considerations of how best to do time averaging. Fortunately, in practical terms, differences between time-averaging approaches are quite small and probably negligible for most purposes. Other results show that truncation on model surfaces from T106 to T42 produces errors considerably larger than vertical interpolation errors. However, truncation to T63 for heat budget computations produces more acceptable, although not inconsequential, truncation errors provided that only T31 waves are retained as reasonably accurate. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1995. t01-1-00001.x
DNA Damage Response Gene Signature as Potential Treatment Markers for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a rapidly progressive cancer that often develops resistance against DNA damage inducers, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which are still the standard of care regimens for this tumor. Thus, the identification of biomarkers capable of monitoring the clinical progression of OSCC and its responsiveness to therapy is strongly required. To meet this need, here we have employed Whole Genome Sequencing and RNA-seq data from a cohort of 316 patients retrieved from the TCGA Pan-Cancer Atlas to analyze the genomic and transcriptomic status of the DNA damage response (DDR) genes in OSCC. Then, we correlated the transcriptomic data with the clinical parameters of each patient. Finally, we relied on transcriptomic and drug sensitivity data from the CTRP v2 portal, performing Pearson’s correlation analysis to identify putative vulnerabilities of OSCC cell lines correlated with DDR gene expression. Our results indicate that several DDR genes show a high frequency of genomic and transcriptomic alterations and that the expression of some of them correlates with OSCC grading and infection by the human papilloma virus. In addition, we have identified a signature of eight DDR genes (namely CCNB1, CCNB2, CDK2, CDK4, CHECK1, E2F1, FANCD2, and PRKDC) that could be predictive for OSCC response to the novel antitumor compounds sorafenib and tipifarnib-P1. Altogether, our data demonstrate that alterations in DDR genes could have an impact on the biology of OSCC. Moreover, here we propose a DDR gene signature whose expression could be predictive of OSCC responsiveness to therapy.
On Stokes flow in a semi-infinite wedge

Consider Stokes flow in the semi-infinite wedge bounded by the sidewalls ϕ = ±α and the endwall z = 0. Viscous fluid fills the region 0 < r < ∞, 0 < z < ∞ bounded by these planes; the motion of the fluid is driven by boundary data given on the endwall z = 0. A consequence of the linearity of the problem is that one can treat the velocity field q(r, ϕ, z) as the sum of a field qa(r, ϕ, z) antisymmetric in ϕ and one symmetric in it, qs(r, ϕ, z). It is shown in each of these cases that there exists a real vector eigenfunction sequence vn(r, ϕ, z) and a complex vector eigenfunction sequence un(r, ϕ, z), each member of which satisfies the sidewall no-slip condition and has a z-behaviour of the form e−kz. It is then shown that one can, for each case, write down a formal representation for the velocity field as an infinite integral over k of the sums of the real and complex eigenfunctions, each multiplied by unknown real and complex scalar functions bn(k) and an(k), respectively, that have to be determined from the endwall boundary conditions. A method of doing this using Laguerre functions and least squares is developed. Flow fields deduced by this method for given boundary data show interesting vortical structures. Assuming that the set of eigenfunctions is complete and that the relevant series are convergent and that they converge to the boundary data, it is shown that, in general, there is an infinite sequence of corner eddies in the neighbourhood of the edge r = 0 in the antisymmetric case but not in the symmetric case. The same conclusion was reached earlier for the infinite wedge by Sano & Hasimoto (1980) and Moffatt & Mak (1999). A difficulty in the symmetric case when 2α = π/2, caused by the merger of two real eigenfunctions, has yet to be resolved.
The effect of short-term fallowing on the microbial communities in forest soil cultivated with ginseng: Preliminary research

Background Continuous cultivation of ginseng crops in fixed plots can lead to disease outbreaks, yield losses and replanting failures. Fallow periods can help restore soil health and increase the sustainability of agricultural systems; however, taking land out of production for extended periods is often not feasible. Short-term fallow periods could restore soil health, but few studies have examined the effects of short-term fallow treatment on the health of soil in ginseng fields. Methods In this preliminary study, we used metagenomic analysis to assess changes in the abundance of major ginseng pathogens and soil health overall following a short-term fallow period in a region in the Changbai Mountains. A sample from a forest plot (Hx0ks), was compared to a sample from a field where ginseng was previously cultivated and then had been left fallow for two years (Hx2), and a sample from a field that had been fallow for two years and was subsequently replanted with ginseng (Clsd). Results Soil that was fallow for two years, and then replanted with ginseng, showed reduced nutrient content and lower diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities than soil that remained fallow. Candidatus Solibacter (5%) and Rhizomicrobium (3%) were the most abudant bacterial genera in Hx2. Rhizomicrobium (4%) and Gemmatimonas (3%) were the most abundant bacterial genera in Clsd. Mortierella (22%) and Peziza (12%) dominated the fungal community in Hx2. Lecanicillium (38%) and Mortierella (13%) dominated the fungal community in Clsd. Fallow periods also increased the functional diversity of soil as predicted by PICRUSt and decreased the relative abundance of the pathogenic fungi. Conclusions Preliminary findings were consistent with the hypothesis that fallow management in ginseng cultivation can improve soil microbial community structure and function and reduces the number of plant pathogens; however, testing this hypothesis will require replicated plots.
Symmetry-dependence of electronic grain boundary properties in polycrystalline CuInSe2 thin films

The symmetry-dependence of electronic grain boundary (GB) properties in polycrystalline CuInSe2 thin films was investigated in a combined study applying scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and Kelvin probe force microscopy. We find that highly symmetric Σ3 GBs have a higher probability to be charge neutral than lower symmetric non-Σ3 GBs. This symmetry-dependence can help to explain the large variations of electronic properties found for GBs in Cu(In,Ga)Se2.
ICT driven pedagogies and its impact on learning outcomes in high school mathematics

Abstract ICT (information and communication technology) creates numerous opportunities for teachers to re-think their pedagogies. In subjects like mathematics which draws upon abstract concepts, ICT creates such an opportunity. Instead of a mimetic pedagogical approach, suitably designed activities with ICT can enable learners to engage more proactively with their learning. In this quasi-experimental designed study, ICT was used in teaching mathematics to a group of first year high school students (N = 25) in Australia. The control group was taught predominantly through traditional pedagogies (N = 22). Most of the variables that had previously impacted on the design of such studies were suitably controlled in this year-long investigation. Quantitative and qualitative results showed that students who were taught by ICT driven pedagogies benefitted from the experience. Pre- and post-test means showed that there was a difference between the treatment and control groups. Of greater significance was that the students (in the treatment group) believed that the technology enabled them to engage more with their learning.
Autoregressive linear mixed models for investigating humus disintegration

We examine the hypothesis of an increase of humus disintegration in central European forests by modeling data from the case study “Zierenberg”, which is carried out in Germany. We analyse a spatio-temporal regression model, which was constructed after an exploratory data analysis. The data are unbalanced repeated measurements collected at several sites and soil depths between 1989 and 1995 with a huge amount of missing observations. Spatial dependencies are considered by coupling linear models for the distinct depths using autoregressive terms and adding random effects. Under the assumption of normality, we provide formulae for maximum likelihood estimation as well as test statistics. As a result of the data analysis, we find that some chemical substances might be influential in the process of humus disintegration.
Theoretical study of mutual neutralisation in H+-H- collisions at low energy (0.02-20 eV)

The theoretical total cross section for mutual neutralisation in H++H- collisions at low energy (0.02-20 eV) is calculated using a quantum close-coupling treatment. The present work extends the previous study of Sidis et al. (1981-3) towards low energies. The total cross section is found to disagree with the experimental result of Moseley et al. (1970) by a factor of about three but agrees with the recent experimental data of Szucs et al. (1984). In addition general good agreement is obtained with the Landau-Zener total cross section of Bates and Lewis in the energy range considered.
On the time‐domain description of conical bores

Traditionally the description of the acoustical behavior of a bore has been done in the frequency domain through the acoustical impedance or the reflection coefficient. Whenever the time‐domain response of it (impulse response, reflection function) has been needed, it has usually been obtained through the Fourier transform (FT) of the corresponding frequency‐domain function. However, there are a number of cases in which this approach is unsuitable because the FT leads to noncausal functions which cannot be understood physically as impulse responses or reflection functions. In such cases the time‐domain calculation is unavoidable. This calculation leads to exponentially growing functions which obviously do not accept an FT. This article presents the time‐domain calculation of the main basic functions (reflection and transmission functions associated with a single discontinuity, impulse responses of anechoic bores) which are needed to obtain the input reflection function and the impulse responses of a bore.
Broadband Characterization of Complex Periodic EBG Structures: An FDTD/Prony Technique Based on the Split-Field Approach

The main challenge in this paper is to provide an efficient and powerful computational engine to effectively characterize the performance of periodic electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) structures composed of complex scatterers of dielectrics and conductors of arbitrary configurations. The finite difference time domain (FDTD) full wave analysis technique with periodic boundary conditions/perfectly matched layers (PBCs/PMLs) integrated with the Prony method is applied to accurately obtain the interactions of EM waves with the periodic band-gap structures and detail their broadband behaviors. The split-field approach is used to discretize the Floquet-transformed Maxwell's equations derived in the periodic structures. The developed engine is successfully applied to characterize and create insight into the electromagnetic performances of different classes of challenging EBG structures in the areas of frequency selective surfaces (FSSs), dielectric band-gap materials, and left-handed (LH) composite meta-materials. It is demonstrated that the FDTD/Prony technique utilizing the split-field approach is a very useful method in analyzing complex periodic electromagnetic band-gap structures.
Summarizing the Mental Customer Journey

WORDS: 198 [200 WORD LIMIT]) How do consumers summarize and act on their experiences, as when deciding whether an interaction with a firm was satisfying and whether to buy from it? Previous work on the summary of continuous experiences has tended to focus on a handful of experience patterns and features of those patterns, such as the area under the curve, peak value, and end value. Here, we consider a wider array of possible experience patterns and features of those patterns (27 patterns and 21 features) and quantitatively assess which features are most tied to consumer satisfaction and choice. Contrasting with theories that say fluctuating journeys are most effective, we find that consumers are most satisfied by journeys that stay consistently positive or improve over time, especially toward the experience’s end. Furthermore, we find that several features of the experience predict these outcomes. These features include the end value, slope, integral, peak, and a sentiment score of the words people use to describe the experiences, although the consistently best predictor is the end value. The findings have theoretical implications for summarization, architecting customer journeys, and predicting the success of content, as well as practical implications for return on investment in customer experience optimization.