Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive observers for robust synchronization of chaotic systems

— We address the problem of master-slave synchronization of chaotic systems under parameter uncertainty and with partial measurements. Our approach is based on observer-design theory hence, we view the master dynamics as a system of differential equations with a state and a measurable output and we design an observer (tantamount to the slave system) which reconstructs the dynamic behavior of the master. The main technical condition that we impose is persistency of excitation (PE), a property well studied in the adaptive control literature. In the case of unknown parameters and partial measurements we show that synchronization is achievable in a practical sense, that is, with “small” error. We also illustrate our methods on particular examples of chaotic oscillators such as the Lorenz and the Lü oscillators. Theoretical proofs are provided based on recent results on stability theory for time-varying systems.
Enhancement of the Uplift Capacity of Buried Pipelines by the Use of Geogrids

The paper presents the results of preliminary tests that were conducted to investigate the possible use of geogrids for increasing the uplift resistance of buried pipelines. The results of the preliminary experimental investigations suggest that the uplift capacity of a pipeline section can be increased quite significantly by the incorporation of geogrids at the crown region of the pipeline in an advantageous and practicable configuration.
Characteristics of atmospheric circulation over East Asia associated with summer blocking

The boreal summer‐blocking regions were defined using the reanalysis data over the three decades of 1981–2010, and the influence of the blocking on atmospheric circulation in East Asia was examined. The summer blocking occurred mostly in North Europe, Ural region, Sea of Okhotsk (OK), and northeastern Pacific. The summer blocking was the major mode in these four regions according to principal component analysis using 500 hPa geopotential heights. Among the four blocking regions, OK blocking frequencies (OK BFs) showed negative and positive correlations with summer temperature and precipitation of Northeast Asia centered around the East Sea/Sea of Japan, respectively. In particular, the OK BF had a statistically significant correlation coefficient of −0.54 with summer temperatures in the Korean Peninsula. This indicates that the summer temperature and precipitation in this region were closely related to the OK blocking. According to the composite analysis for the years of higher‐than‐average BF (positive BF years), the OK High became stronger and expanded, while the North Pacific High was weakened over the Korean Peninsula and Japan and an anomalously deep trough was developed in the upper layer (200 hPa). As the cool OK High expanded, the temperature decreased over Northeast Asia centered around the East Sea/Sea of Japan and the lower level (850 hPa) air converged cyclonically, resulting in the increased precipitation, which induced the divergence in the upper layer and thereby strengthened the jet stream. Thus, the boreal summer OK blocking systematically influencing the area as the most dominant mode.
The Antarctic achondrite, Grove Mountains 021663: An olivine‐rich winonaite

Abstract– The Grove Mountains (GRV) 021663 meteorite was collected from the Grove Mountains region of Antarctica. The meteorite is composed primarily of olivine (Fa5.4), orthopyroxene (Fs4.7Wo3.0), chromian diopside (En53.6Fs2.4Wo44), troilite, kamacite, and plagioclase (Ab74.5Or4An21.5). Minor phases include schreibersite and K‐feldspar. The meteorite is highly weathered (W3) and weakly shocked (S2). We determine a whole rock oxygen isotopic composition of δ18O = 7.50‰, δ17O = 3.52‰. Comparisons of these data with other primitive achondrites have resulted in the reclassification of this meteorite as a member of the winonaite group. The occurrences of troilite, metal, and schreibersite in GRV 021663 indicate that these minerals were once completely molten. Euhedral inclusions of pyroxene within plagioclase further suggest that these may have crystallized from a silicate melt, while the depletion of plagioclase, metal, and troilite indicates that GRV 021663 could represent a residuum following partial melting on its parent asteroid. Trace element distributions in silicate minerals do not, however, confirm this scenario. As with other winonaite meteorites, the formation of GRV 021663 probably relates to brecciation and mixing of heterogeneous lithologies, followed by varying degrees of thermal metamorphism on the parent body asteroid. Peak metamorphic conditions may have resulted in localized partial melting of metal and silicate mineralogies, but our data are not conclusive.
Contributions to object detection and human action recognition

The amount of available images and videos in our everyday life has grown very quickly in the last few years. Mainly due to the proliferation of cheap image and video capture devices (photo cameras, webcams or cell phones), and the spread of the Internet accessibility. Sites for photo sharing like Picasa c ©or Flickr c ©; social networks like Facebook c ©or MySpace c ©; or video sharing sites like YouTube c ©or Metacafe c ©, offer a huge amount of visual data ready to be downloaded in our computers or mobile phones. Currently, most of the searches, performed in online sites and on personal computers, are based on the text associated to the files. In general, the textual information is usually poor compared to the rich information provided by the visual content. Therefore, it is necessary efficient ways of searching photos and/or videos in collections, making use of the visual content encoded in them. This thesis focuses in the problems of automatic object detection and categorization in still images, and the recognition of human actions on video sequences. We address these tasks by using appearance based models.
Drift kinetic theory of neoclassical tearing modes in tokamak plasmas: polarisation current and its effect on magnetic island threshold physics

A nonlinear 4-dimensional drift island theory derived in (Imada et al 2019 Nucl. Fusion 59 046016 and references therein) provides qualitative predictions of the plasma response to a stationary neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) magnetic island in a low beta, large aspect ratio tokamak plasma. (Dudkovskaia et al 2021 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 63 054001) refines a model for the magnetic drift frequency and exploits the limit of rare collisions, reducing this theory to 3-dimensional and thus providing a more accurate treatment of the trapped-passing boundary layer. The drift island theory is further improved in (Dudkovskaia et al 2023 Nucl. Fusion 63 016020) by introducing plasma shaping and finite beta effects. In the present paper, an improved model is adopted to resolve the drift island separatrix boundary layer, allowing one to investigate the polarisation current contribution that exists around the magnetic island separatrix, including in the presence of the background electric field. In particular, different magnetic topologies from both sides of the separatrix generate a radial discontinuity in the distribution function gradient there, when collisions are neglected. Allowing for collisional dissipation in the leading order distribution function around the separatrix resolves this discontinuity, smoothing the density distribution. The overall effect of the polarisation current on the NTM threshold is then combined from the outer contributions that exist outside the layer, as well as the separatrix layer piece, and self-consistently accounts for the electrostatic potential reconstructed from plasma quasi-neutrality. The corresponding NTM threshold is quantified and compared with previous predictions of (Dudkovskaia et al 2021 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 63 054001, Dudkovskaia et al 2023 Nucl. Fusion 63 016020).
The relationship between new transportation infrastructure and psychosocial well-being: A case study of the Red Hill Valley Parkway in Hamilton, Ontario

This research attempts to understand how the alteration of green space to install new transportation infrastructure has impacted the daily life and psychosocial health of area residents. Psychosocial health refers to the distress, dysfunction and disability manifested in a range of psychological, social and behavioural outcomes as a consequence of actual or perceived environmental exposure. A case study was employed using the Red Hill Valley Parkway (RHVP) located in Hamilton, Ontario. To investigate this research problem, a mixed methods approach was utilized with self-administered surveys (N=216) and in-depth interviews (N=21) of residents living within 1000 metres of the RHVP to understand how the parkway has affected the everyday lives of those living in close proximity to the road. The findings do not address specific characteristics ofrespondents who are more likely to report concerns with the parkway, as well the study may not represent the general population; nonetheless the findings provide us some insight into the lives of those who identify concerns with the parkway and how these concerns have affected their daily life. The findings of this research indicate that concerns are linked to distance as the majority of residents who express concerns about the parkway live within 200 metres of the road. The results suggest that the presence of the Red Hill Valley Parkway and the increase in noise and vehicle exhaust has contributed to negative perceptions of the neighbourhood, has led to an increase in annoyance, activity and sleep disturbances, and impacted the quality of life of residents. Residents experienced a number of psychosocial symptoms relating to the parkway as they no longer are able to use their home or outdoor environment like they used to which was essential for general well-being and daily behaviour. The study concludes by providing recommendations to assist policy makers in eliminating and mitigating such impacts, as well as outlining future studies which should focus on the long-term effects of exposure to transportation infrastructure and traffic on psychosocial health and wellbeing.
40Ar‐39Ar age of Northwest Africa 091: More evidence for a link between L chondrites and fossil meteorites

Abstract— Most 40Ar‐39Ar ages of L chondrites record an event at approximately 500 Ma, indicating a large collisional impact at that time. However, there is a spread in ages from 400 to 600 Ma in these meteorites that is greater than the analytical uncertainty. Identification of, and correction for, trapped Ar in a few L chondrites has given an age of 470 ± 6 Ma. This age coincides with Ordivician fossil meteorites that fell to Earth at 467 ± 2 Ma. As these fossil meteorites were originally L chondrites, the apparent conclusion is that a large impact sent a flood of L chondrite material to Earth, while material that remained on the L chondrite parent body was strongly heated and reset. We have reduced 40Ar‐39Ar data for Northwest Africa 091 using various techniques that appear in the literature, including identification and subtraction of trapped Ar. These techniques give a range of ages from 455 to 520 Ma, and show the importance of making accurate corrections. By using the most straightforward technique to identify and remove a trapped Ar component (which is neither terrestrial nor primordial), an 40Ar‐39Ar age of 475 ± 6 Ma is found for Northwest Africa 091, showing a temporal link to fossil meteorites. In addition, high temperature releases of Northwest Africa 091 contain evidence for a second trapped component, and subtraction of this component indicates a possible second collisional impact at approximately 800 Ma. This earlier age coincides with 40Ar‐39Ar ages of some H and L chondrites, and lunar samples.
Extremely Rare Type of Breast Cancer—Dedifferentiated Breast Liposarcoma—Diagnosis and Treatment

Primary liposarcoma of the breast is an uncommon soft tissue malignant tumor, comprising only 0.003% of all malignant breast tumors. The main differential diagnosis of this mass consists of malignant phyllodes tumor and metaplastic breast carcinoma. The objective of this paper is to report a case of dedifferentiated breast liposarcoma, therapeutic approach and outcome. We present a case of a 79-year-old woman complaining of a large mass in her left breast which had increased in size over the last 6 months. Physical examination revealed an enlarged left breast, and a total body CT scan showed a large tumor in contact with the musculature of the anterior thoracic wall, with no metastatic lesions. The histopathology report of a fine needle biopsy described a high-grade sarcoma. The Oncological Tumor Board recommended neoadjuvant radiotherapy sessions and reevaluation by MRI and CT scans. The patient underwent radical mastectomy with latissimus dorsi myo-cutaneous flap reconstruction. The final histopathology diagnosis was a grade 3 dedifferentiated liposarcoma (FNCLCC), with certain response to radiotherapy and positive MDM2, CDK4 markers. The postoperative period was uneventful; 12 months after surgery, the follow-up CT scan showed multiple pulmonary lesions with metastatic characteristics. Liposarcoma is a very rare type of breast cancer, and the most important treatment for breast sarcoma is surgery, the role of axillary lymph node removal, chemotherapy and radiotherapy still being controversial. Considering such cases are scarce and the development of surgical guidelines is difficult, reporting any new case is crucial.
Household-level food insecurity and its correlates in rural Bihar: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Bihar has experienced high nutritional public health problem among children and women over the years. In this background, this study was planned to find the level of food insecurity and identify contributing factors in rural Bihar. Material and Methods: We conducted community-based cross-sectional study among 255 families residing in villages catered by RHTC, Naubatpur. A pretested semi-structured interview schedule and HFIAS were used. Result: A total of 27.8% of the 255 households were food insecure, of which 73.3% were severely food insecure. Kutcha houses, dispossession of agricultural land, and lower SES were found to be predictors. Conclusion: Around one in three families experienced food insecurity, and it was more among families residing in kutcha houses, without possession of agricultural land and belonging to lower socioeconomic status.
A review on the effects of resistant starch on the postprandial glycaemic
response and the influence of processing conditions on the formation of resistant
starch

In a world of rapidly changing food habits and stressful lifestyles it is more and more recognized that a healthy digestive system is essential for overall quality of life. This recognition has led to the development of foods that are designed to contribute to a healthy digestive system and indirectly to the maintenance of general well-being. For this reason, there is an immediate growing interest in the field of gut health related to the consumption of resistant starch. In this review article, the effects of resistant starch on the postprandial glycaemic response and the influence of processing conditions on the formation of resistant starch were discussed. The use of resistant starch for lowering blood glucose has promising implications for people with diabetes since, for this subpopulation, controlling blood glucose concentrations is a beneficial trait. Besides, the processing method reported in this article showed mixed trends in resistant starch formation.
Development of TMDL watershed implementation plan using Annualized AGNPS

Section 319 of the amended Federal Clean Water Act requires states to outline management plans for impaired water bodies to address non-point source pollution. When determining the priority for conservation measures within a watershed* for non-point source pollution control, models are valuable tools that can provide clues as to where potential sources of water pollution may be and which problems can most easily be corrected. The USDA Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution model (AnnAGNPS) is such a model, which has been developed to aid in the evaluation of watershed response to agricultural management practices. This paper presents the processes used for developing an implementation plan for Bayou LaFourche, one of the impaired sub-segments of Ouachita River Basin in northern Louisiana. In this study, the AnnAGNPS was used to simulate the amount of water and sediment produced from each user-specified computational area within the watershed and their contributions to the watershed outlet; AnnAGNPS was also applied to simulate the impact of alternative agricultural management options on the water quality. Through AnnAGNPS simulations, high sediment producing areas were identified and targeted for effective non-point source pollution and their impacts on water quality are also presented. Among these options, scenario G, which converts 25 percent of the highest eroding cropland in the watershed to grassland, would reduce sediment loads at the watershed outlet by 80 percent.
Dietary Intake, Feeding Pattern, and Nutritional Status of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Rural Bangladesh

(1) Background: Data on immediate causes of malnutrition among children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) are limited in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to assess the dietary intake pattern, feeding characteristics, and nutritional status of children with CP in Bangladesh; (2) Methods: We conducted a descriptive observational study in Shahjadpur, Bangladesh. Children with CP registered into the Bangladesh CP Register were included. Socio-demographic, clinical, dietary intake, feeding, gastro-intestinal conditions, and anthropometric data were collected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were reported; (3) Results: 75 children (mean (SD) age 3.6 (2.7) years, 42.7% female) and their caregivers participated. Overall, 53.6% and 46.4% of children were underweight and stunted, respectively. Two-thirds children consumed ≤4 out of 8 food groups. Meat, poultry, and fish; dairy products; and sugar consumption was lower among underweight children (43.4%, 48.8%, 25.0%) than others (56.7%, 51.2% 75.0%). Inappropriate feeding position was observed in 39.2% of children. Meal duration was >30 min/meal for 21.7‒28.0% children. Among all, 12.0% had feeding difficulties, 88.0% had ≥1 gastro-intestinal conditions; (4) Conclusions: The study reports preliminary data on the feeding characteristics, dietary intake, and nutritional status of children with CP in rural Bangladesh. The findings are crucial for cost-effective interventions, prevention, and management of malnutrition among children with CP in Bangladesh and other LMICs.
Discrimination of bed form scales using robust spline filters and wavelet transforms: Methods and application to synthetic signals and bed forms of the Río Paraná, Argentina

There is no standard nomenclature and procedure to systematically identify the scale and magnitude of bed forms such as bars, dunes, and ripples that are commonly present in many sedimentary environments. This paper proposes a standardization of the nomenclature and symbolic representation of bed forms and details the combined application of robust spline filters and continuous wavelet transforms to discriminate these morphodynamic features, allowing the quantitative recognition of bed form hierarchies. Herein the proposed methodology for bed form discrimination is first applied to synthetic bed form profiles, which are sampled at a Nyquist ratio interval of 2.5–50 and a signal‐to‐noise ratio interval of 1–20 and subsequently applied to a detailed 3‐D bed topography from the Río Paraná, Argentina, which exhibits large‐scale dunes with superimposed, smaller bed forms. After discriminating the synthetic bed form signals into three‐bed form hierarchies that represent bars, dunes, and ripples, the accuracy of the methodology is quantified by estimating the reproducibility, the cross correlation, and the standard deviation ratio of the actual and retrieved signals. For the case of the field measurements, the proposed method is used to discriminate small and large dunes and subsequently obtain and statistically analyze the common morphological descriptors such as wavelength, slope, and amplitude of both stoss and lee sides of these different size bed forms. Analysis of the synthetic signals demonstrates that the Morlet wavelet function is the most efficient in retrieving smaller periodicities such as ripples and smaller dunes and that the proposed methodology effectively discriminates waves of different periods for Nyquist ratios higher than 25 and signal‐to‐noise ratios higher than 5. The analysis of bed forms in the Río Paraná reveals that, in most cases, a Gamma probability distribution, with a positive skewness, best describes the dimensionless wavelength and amplitude for both the lee and stoss sides of large dunes. For the case of smaller superimposed dunes, the dimensionless wavelength shows a discrete behavior that is governed by the sampling frequency of the data, and the dimensionless amplitude better fits the Gamma probability distribution, again with a positive skewness. This paper thus provides a robust methodology for systematically identifying the scales and magnitudes of bed forms in a range of environments.
Enhanced Efficacy of Chemotherapy by Addition of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Stage IV Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Lung: A Real-World Analysis

Background: Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma (LCNEC) is a high-grade malignancy with limited treatment options. Despite promising results of immunotherapy in non-small cell and small cell lung cancers, its benefit in LCNEC remains elusive. Methods: We included 24 patients diagnosed with stage IV LCNEC from the Moffitt Cancer Center database who received systemic therapy between January 2016 and May 2021. Group A comprised patients who received first-line CT and ICI (anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapy for ICI, n = 11), and Group B received first-line CT only (n = 13). The collected data encompassed overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and toxicities since treatment initiation. Results: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed median OS was 56 weeks (95%CI = 22.2-89.8) and 28 weeks (95% CI=16.3-39.7) in groups A and B, respectively. Log-rank test showed the difference was statistically significant (p=0.029). Median PFS was 32 weeks (95%CI=14.7-49.3) in group A and 20 weeks (95% CI=13.8-26.2) in groups B, but the difference was not statistically significant (p= 0.136). Univariate Cox analysis confirmed that the addition of ICI to CT significantly improved OS in patients with stage IV LCNEC (HR=0.35, 95% CI=0.13-0.95, p = 0.039). The ORR (63.6% vs 45.4%, p= 0.670) and DCR (81.8% vs 63.6%, p= 0.635) tended to be higher in group A than in group B but the difference was not statistically significant. Importantly, the combined treatment demonstrated a satisfactory safety profile, with only two patients reporting grade 2 or higher adverse events. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the combination of immunotherapy with chemotherapy holds potential for improving outcomes in stage IV LCNEC. Despite the retrospective nature and limited sample size of our study, these preliminary findings provide a valuable insight into the potential of immunotherapy in LCNEC treatment and encourage further research through larger, prospective trials.