Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial Thinking in Geographic Information Science: Students' Geospatial Conceptions, Map-Based Reasoning, and Spatial Visualization Ability

This article discusses spatial thinking in geographic information science (GIScience), through an empirical examination of experts' and students' geospatial conceptions and thematic map reading. The first study examined the structures in which GIScience concepts are conceptualized by experts and students. In experts' conceptions, clusters for geospatial data, GIS applications, geospatial entities–operations–relations, and maps were identified. In students' conceptions, similar clusters were observed but they were structured differently, with the terms interrelated less closely. High-spatial students' conceptions corresponded to those of experts to a greater degree. The second study examined geospatial reasoning and showed that thematic map reading consisted of various components differing in their relationship with spatial ability. High-spatial students tackled thematic map reading by identifying more spatial distributions and comparing multiple maps more frequently. They did not necessarily make more statements about reasons for the observed patterns. It is important to distinguish spatial thinking and thinking about space, the latter of which involves geographical, beyond purely spatial, components.
Statistical analysis of wave characteristics in the Guanghai Bay

Based on the 49-month wave data collected continually at the station of Gyanghai Bay, statistical analysis of wave characteristics was conducted. The results show that the wave height in the bay is usually below 0.5 m. The year-to-year variation of annual-average wave height is small, while the seasonal variation is quite notable. Both the year-to-year and seasonal variations of maximum wave height are prominent. Higher waves occur mainly in summer and autumn, due to tropical cyclones. During Typhoon Hagupit, the wave height increased rapidly, with the maximum wave height reaching 3.55 m. The pattern of typhoon wave was wind-driven wave pattern.
In Silico and In Vitro Exploration of Poziotinib and Olmutinib Synergy in Lung Cancer: Role of hsa-miR-7-5p in Regulating Apoptotic Pathway Marker Genes

Background and objectives: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is often caused by EGFR mutations, leading to overactive cell growth pathways. Drug resistance is a significant challenge in lung cancer treatment, affecting therapy effectiveness and patient survival. However, combining drugs in research shows promise in addressing or delaying resistance, offering a more effective approach to cancer treatment. In this study, we investigated the potential alterations in the apoptotic pathway in A549 cells induced by a combined targeted therapy using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) olmutinib and poziotinib, focusing on cell proliferation, differential gene expression, and in silico analysis of apoptotic markers. Methods: A combined targeted therapy involving olmutinib and poziotinib was investigated for its impact on the apoptotic pathway in A549 cells. Cell proliferation, quantitative differential gene expression, and in silico analysis of apoptotic markers were examined. A549 cells were treated with varying concentrations (1, 2.5, and 5 μM) of poziotinib, olmutinib, and their combination. Results: Treatment with poziotinib, olmutinib, and their combination significantly reduced cell proliferation, with the most pronounced effect at 2.5 μM (p < 0.005). A synergistic antiproliferative effect was observed with the combination of poziotinib and olmutinib (p < 0.0005). Quantitative differential gene expression showed synergistic action of the drug combination, impacting key apoptotic genes including STK-11, Bcl-2, Bax, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. In silico analysis revealed direct interactions between EGFR and ERBB2 genes, accounting for 77.64% of their interactions, and 8% co-expression with downstream apoptotic genes. Molecular docking indicated strong binding of poziotinib and olmutinib to extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathway markers, with binding energies of −9.4 kcal/mol and −8.5 kcal/mol, respectively, on interacting with STK-11. Conclusions: Combining poziotinib and olmutinib therapies may significantly improve drug tolerance and conquer drug resistance more effectively than using them individually in lung cancer patients, as suggested by this study’s mechanisms.
Living with wildlife

The decline in Africa's wildlife heritage and the persistent poverty of its rural people are linked by a common denominator: rapid human population growth and the resulting misuse and degradation of the land. Expanding settlements, crops, and livestock in marginal areas are reducing agricultural productivity and displacing wildlife. This conflict between people and animals is one which the animals must lose, and a rich natural resource may be lost before its true value is realized. Fortunately, conservationists and development planners are exploring a common solution: developing alternative land uses based on wildlife resources generating food and income for rural communities. This paper examines the experience, the potential, and the constraints of wildlife management programs which involve and benefit local people. It also explores the potential for wildlife management to stimulate independence and institutional capabilities in rural communities, and greater complexity and diversity in their economies.
Obtaining Boron Carbide and Nitride Matrix Nanocomposites for Neutron-Shielding and Therapy Applications

The very high capture cross-section of (epi)thermal neutrons by the boron isotope 10B makes elemental boron and its compounds and composites prospective for serving as materials intensively interacting with neutron irradiation. In their nanostructured form, boron-rich materials reveal properties that improve their radiation-performance characteristics. In this regard, new technologies have been proposed for the synthesis of nanocomposites with matrices of boron carbide B4C and hexagonal boron nitride h-BN. For the first time, boron carbide-tungsten and hexagonal boron nitride–(iron,magnetite) composites were obtained, respectively, in the form of layered/sandwich structures of components B4C and W and h-BN nanopowders coated/intercalated with magnetic nanoclusters of iron Fe or magnetite Fe3O4. Studying of their chemical/phase composition, structure/morphology, and some other properties leads to the conclusion that the developed B4C–W and h-BN–(Fe,Fe3O4) composites would be useful for solving important problems of boron-based neutron shielding and BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy), such as attenuating the gamma-radiation accompanying the absorption of neutrons by 10B nuclei and targeted delivery of 10B nuclei, as BNCT therapeutic agents, to tumor tissues using control by an external magnetic field, respectively.
A Pilot Study on the Association between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Coronary Artery Calcification in a Group of Patients Investigated via Cardiac Computed Tomography in a European Country with High Cardiovascular Risk

(1) Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide; the prevention and early detection of coronary artery disease are of critical importance; and the coronary artery calcium score is a powerful method in the assessment of coronary artery disease. Among European countries, Romania ranks as a country with a very high risk of cardiovascular diseases, but the data are limited in regard to the prevalence of the calcium score. (2) Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to establish the coronary calcium score in a group of patients investigated via cardiac CT and to determine the correlation with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. (3) Results: According to the Agatston calcium score, 50% of the patients had a positive calcium score. High calcium scores above 400 UA were present in 12.6% of patients. Regarding the association between the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and the levels of coronary artery calcification, a mild level of calcification was associated with age over 50 years (X2 = 3.88, p = 0.04, OR = 3.25; 95% CI 0.94–11.14); a moderate level of calcification with the age of patients over 50 years (X2 = 6.54, p = 0.01, OR = 5.58; 95% CI 1.29–24.16), dyslipidemia (X2 = 7.28, p = 0.007, OR = 3.37; 95% CI 1.34–8.51), and arterial hypertension (X2 = 5.37, p = 0.02, OR = 2.88; 95% CI 1.14–7.27); a severe level of calcification with hypertension (X2 = 4.61, p = 0.03, OR = 7.03; 95% CI 0.90–54.81); and a very severe level of calcification with hypertension (X2 = 4.61, p = 0.03, OR = 7.03; 95% CI 0.90–54.81), smoking (X2 = 8.07, p = 0.004, OR = 4.44; 95% CI 1.47–13.44), and diabetes (X2 = 13.65, p = 0.001, OR = 6.59; 95% CI 2.5–20.18). (4) Conclusion: Half of the patients investigated by using cardiac CT had a calcium score of zero. Predictors for coronary calcium scores in relation to risk factors varied. For the very severe coronary calcification level, the strongest predictor was the presence of smoking and diabetes, which increased the odds for very severe calcification by 13.46 times. Patients who had multiple cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking were 9.18 times more likely to have very severe calcification.
Comparative Analysis of Plastid Genomes Using Pangenome Research ToolKit (PGR-TK)

Plastid genomes (plastomes) of angiosperms are of great interest among biologists. High-throughput sequencing is making many such genomes accessible, increasing the need for tools to perform rapid comparative analysis. This exploratory analysis investigates whether the Pangenome Research Tool Kit (PGR-TK) is suitable for analyzing plastomes. After determining the optimal parameters for this tool on plastomes, we use it to compare sequences from each of the genera - Magnolia, Solanum, Fragaria and Cotoneaster, as well as a combined set from 20 rosid genera. PGR-TK recognizes large-scale plastome structures, such as the inverted repeats, among combined sequences from distant rosid families. If the plastid genomes are rotated to the same starting point, it also correctly groups different species from the same genus together in a generated cladogram. The visual approach of PGR-TK provides insights into genome evolution without requiring gene annotations.
Spectral invariants over the integers

Spectral invariants are quantitative measurements in symplectic topology coming from Floer homology theory. We study their dependence on the choice of coefficients in the context of Hamiltonian Floer homology. We discover phenomena in this setting which hold for $\mathbb{Z}$-coefficients and fail for all field coefficients. For example, we prove that the spectral norm, an important metric derived from spectral invariants, is unbounded over $\mathbb{Z}$ for complex projective spaces, while it is uniformly bounded over all fields. This allows us to answer a symplectic version of a question of Hingston, originally asked in the setting of the energy functional on the loop space. We also provide applications to Hamiltonian dynamics and Hofer's geometry.
Deep-Learning-Based 3-D Surface Reconstruction—A Survey

In the last decade, deep learning (DL) has significantly impacted industry and science. Initially largely motivated by computer vision tasks in 2-D imagery, the focus has shifted toward 3-D data analysis. In particular, 3-D surface reconstruction, i.e., reconstructing a 3-D shape from sparse input, is of great interest to a large variety of application fields. DL-based approaches show promising quantitative and qualitative surface reconstruction performance compared to traditional computer vision and geometric algorithms. This survey provides a comprehensive overview of these DL-based methods for 3-D surface reconstruction. To this end, we will first discuss input data modalities, such as volumetric data, point clouds, and RGB, single-view, multiview, and depth images, along with corresponding acquisition technologies and common benchmark datasets. For practical purposes, we also discuss evaluation metrics enabling us to judge the reconstructive performance of different methods. The main part of the document will introduce a methodological taxonomy ranging from point- and mesh-based techniques to volumetric and implicit neural approaches. Recent research trends, both methodological and for applications, are highlighted, pointing toward future developments.
Acute effect of upper body vibration on shoulder joint internal and external active position sense in healthy female university students

Background and Study Aim. Neuromuscular and joint deep sensation adaptations have been linked to functional alterations and skill acquisition after body vibration training via muscular recruitment, coordination of motor units, and enhanced neural activation. The aim of the current study is to explore the effect of upper body vibration on shoulder joint active position sense in healthy female university students. Material and Methods. Sixty healthy female university students were distributed into two equal groups; 30 subjects in the control group (mean age 21 ± 2.2) and 30 subjects in the experimental group (mean age 20.9 ± 2.3). The shoulder joint active position sense was evaluated using Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer Multi-Joint System 4 pro. In addition, the Power Plate ® Whole Body Vibration device was used as an intervention method from the push-up position. Results. After three vibration exposures of 60 seconds for each, the MANOVA test showed statistically significant differences in the average error scores of active joint position senses of shoulder external rotation only in the pre-post-test of the experimental group (p= .000). Moreover, the statistically significant difference was detected in the average error scores of shoulders external rotation in post-treatment intervention between both groups (p= .000). Conclusions. These results suggested that short-term vibration training may reveal an improvement in shoulder joint active position sense, particularly the shoulder external rotation. The use of vibration training to improve shoulder awareness and reduce the risk of injury when the shoulder externally rotates during different functions may therefore be advocated to physiotherapists.
PNS1400007 352..358

Recent years have witnessed significant interest from both the scientific community and the media regarding the influence of exercise on subsequent appetite and energy intake responses. This review demonstrates a consensus among the majority of scientific investigations that an acute bout of land-based endurance exercise does not stimulate any compensatory increases in appetite and energy intake on the day of exercise. Alternatively, preliminary evidence suggests that low volume, supramaximal exercise may stimulate an increase in appetite perceptions during the subsequent hours. In accordance with the apparent insensitivity of energy intake to exercise in the short term, the daily energy balance response to exercise appears to be primarily determined by the energy cost of exercise. This finding supports the conclusions of recent training studies that the energy expenditure of exercise is the strongest predictor of fat loss during an exercise programme.
Spatial Features of the Coupling between Spring NDVI and Temperature over Northern Hemisphere

There is increasing attention focused on the variations in global vegetation condition due to its importance in the global carbon cycle. The vegetation variability arises from many causes. It is well known that climate drives ecosystems on both local and global scales. How and to what extent the vegetation responds to the large-scale climate change is a challenging subject in global change study. In the northern mid- to high-latitudes there experienced dramatic temperature variations, as well as the significant changes in vegetation conditions during the last about two decades. However, both temperature and vegetation variations are not uniform in geographical distribution. In the present study, the authors analyze the spatial features in Pathfinder AVHRR-NDVI/temperature relationship over northern hemisphere in spring for the period from 1982 to 2000. A singular value decomposition analysis is utilized to the covariance matrix of NDVI and temperature. Most of the squared covariance is captured by the first several paired-modes. The first seven modes account for 91.6%. This implies that the temperature is a very important factor influencing vegetation activity. The NDVI changes in response to temperature fluctuations on the interannual time scale show well-defined large-scale and consistent patterns. The first paired-modes, which explains 42.64% of the squared-covariance, indicate the strongest coupling between vegetation and temperature appears in western Siberia. The large-scale atmospheric system, Eurasian pattern (EU), plays a dominant role for that. The relationship between NDVI/temperature and nine large-scale atmospheric circulation systems is analyzed. Results show that much of the NDVI/temperature covariance can be attributed to the fluctuations in these circulation indices. Averaging over the mid- to high-latitude northern hemisphere, 55.6% of the satellite-sensed NDVI variance is explained. The nine climate indices can account for a large portion of the long-term trends in NDVI too, particularly in the northwestern North America, southeastern North America, most of Europe, Siberia, and East Asia. This implies that the regional response of vegetation to climate fluctuations under future climate change scenarios would differ from region to region. Some areas related to the important circulation systems would experience higher sensitivity and predominant changes than other regions.
Navigating the Complex Landscape of Shock Filter Cahn-Hilliard Equation: From Regularized to Young Measure Solutions

Image inpainting involves filling in damaged or missing regions of an image by utilizing information from the surrounding areas. In this paper, we investigate a highly nonlinear partial differential equation inspired by the modified Cahn-Hilliard equation. Instead of using standard potentials that depend solely on pixel intensities, we consider morphological image enhancement filters that are based on a variant of the shock filter: : \begin{align*} \partial_t u&= \Delta \left(-\nu \arctan(\Delta u)|\nabla u| - \mu \Delta u \right)+ \lambda(u_0 - u). \end{align*} This is referred to as the Shock Filter Cahn-Hilliard Equation. This equation is nonlinear with respect to the second-order derivative, which poses significant mathematical challenges. To address these, we make use of a specific approximation argument, establishing the existence of a family of approximate solutions through the Leray-Schauder fixed point theorem and the Aubin-Lions lemma. In the limit, we obtain a solution strategy wherein we can prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions. Proving the latter involves the use of Young measures and Kruzhkov entropy type-admissibility conditions. Additionally, we use a numerical method based on the convexity splitting idea to approximate solutions of the nonlinear partial differential equation and achieve fast inpainting results. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, we apply our method to standard binary images and compare it with variations of the Cahn-Hilliard equation commonly used in the field.
Structure–Property Relationship, Glass Transition, and Crystallization Behaviors of Conjugated Polymers

Conjugated polymers have gained considerable interest due to their unique structures and promising applications in areas such as optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and flexible electronics. This review focuses on the structure–property relationship, glass transition, and crystallization behaviors of conjugated polymers. Understanding the relationship between the molecular structure of conjugated polymers and their properties is essential for optimizing their performance. The glass transition temperature (Tg) plays a key role in determining the processability and application of conjugated polymers. We discuss the mechanisms underlying the glass transition phenomenon and explore how side-chain interaction affects Tg. The crystallization behavior of conjugated polymers significantly impacts their mechanical and electrical properties. We investigate the nucleation and growth processes, as well as the factors that influence the crystallization process. The development of the three generations of conjugated polymers in controlling the crystalline structure and enhancing polymer ordering is also discussed. This review highlights advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and thermal analysis, which provide insights into molecular ordering and polymer–crystal interfaces. This review provides an insight of the structure–property relationship, glass transition, and crystallization behaviors of conjugated polymers. It serves as a foundation for further research and development of conjugated polymer-based materials with enhanced properties and performance.
Jina Embeddings 2: 8192-Token General-Purpose Text Embeddings for Long Documents

Text embedding models have emerged as powerful tools for transforming sentences into fixed-sized feature vectors that encapsulate semantic information. While these models are essential for tasks like information retrieval, semantic clustering, and text re-ranking, most existing open-source models, especially those built on architectures like BERT, struggle to represent lengthy documents and often resort to truncation. One common approach to mitigate this challenge involves splitting documents into smaller paragraphs for embedding. However, this strategy results in a much larger set of vectors, consequently leading to increased memory consumption and computationally intensive vector searches with elevated latency. To address these challenges, we introduce Jina Embeddings 2, an open-source text embedding model capable of accommodating up to 8192 tokens. This model is designed to transcend the conventional 512-token limit and adeptly process long documents. Jina Embeddings 2 not only achieves state-of-the-art performance on a range of embedding-related tasks in the MTEB benchmark but also matches the performance of OpenAI's proprietary ada-002 model. Additionally, our experiments indicate that an extended context can enhance performance in tasks such as NarrativeQA.
The Climatic Character of North Africa Subtropical High and Its Effect on Summer Precipitation in China

Based on five indices,the climatic character of North Africa subtropical high is analyzed.The analysis results show that the stronger the North Africa subtropical high,the wider its range;the farther the eastward extension of the high,the lower the latitude of its ridge line.The North Africa subtropical high shows distinct seasonal changes in its intensity and location,with two obvious northward jumps in late May and late June,about two to three pentads earlier than the West Pacific subtropical high.The influence of North Africa subtropical high on the summer precipitation of China is reflected in the out of phase distribution of precipitation in the south and north parts of eastern China,and in the east and west parts of the Tibetan Plateau.At last,the relationship of North Africa subtropical high with the West Pacific subtropical high and the East Asian atmospheric circulation is discussed,and it is found that the variation trends in intensity,range and location of the two highs are basically identical,displaying a distributive character of positive negative positive wavetrain over western Asian to the eastern Pacific ocean.This zonal teleconnection of wavetrain form over the Asian region might be one of causes for the temporal/spatial inhomogeneity of summer precipitation over China.