Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of atmospheric turbulence using differential motion of extended features in time-lapse imagery

Abstract. Accurate characterization of atmospheric turbulence is useful for performance assessment of optical systems operating in real environments and for designing systems to mitigate turbulence effects. Irradiance-based techniques such as scintillometry, suffer from saturation, and hence commercial scintillometers have limited operational ranges. A method to estimate turbulence parameters, such as path weighted Cn2 and Fried’s coherence diameter r0 from turbulence-induced random, differential motion of extended features in the time-lapse imagery of a distant target is presented. Since the method is phase-based, it can be applied to longer paths. It has an added advantage of remotely sensing turbulence without the need for deployment of sensors at the target location. The approach uses a derived set of path weighting functions that drop to zero at both ends of the imaging path, the peak location depending on the size of the imaging aperture, and the relative sizes and separations of the features whose motions are being tracked. Using different sized features separated by different amounts, a rich set of weighting functions can be obtained. These weighting functions can be linearly combined to approximate a desired weighting function such as that of a scintillometer or that of r0 in inhomogeneous turbulence. The time-lapse measurements can thus mimic the measurements of a scintillometer or any other instrument. The method is applied to images captured along two different paths, and the estimates are compared to co-located scintillometer measurements.
Real-world study of PD-1/L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced non-small cell lung cancer after resistance to EGFR-TKIs

Background Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have achieved good efficacy and safety in patients with advanced EGFR mutation-negative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but their efficacy in patients with previous EGFR mutations is limited. The aim of the present study was to explore the efficacy of PD-1/L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC who are resistant to EGFR-TKIs Methods This retrospective study included 123 patients with stage IV NSCLC who received treatment in Shanghai Changzheng Hospital between January 2019 and January 2022 after failure of first-line EGFR-TKIs. Of them, 39 received ICIs + chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic drugs (ICIs+BCP group), 51 received ICIs monotherapy (ICIs group), and 33 received chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic drugs (BCP group). The gender, age, smoking history, ECOG score, EGFR mutation type, PD-L1 TPS expression, and the first routine blood index before second-line treatment of all enrolled patients were recorded, and their clinical outcomes and prognosis factors were analyzed. Results There was no significant difference in the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) between the three groups. Patients in ICIs+BCP group had better prognosis than those in ICIs monotherapy group (PFS:9.5 vs. 4.64 months, p<0.001; OS: 16.97 vs. 7.9 months p<0.001) or BCP group (9.5 vs. 6.48 months, p<0.005; OS: 16.97 vs. 11.39 months p<0.005). Conclusion Our findings suggest that in the real-world practice in China, PD-1/L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic drugs are effective for the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC who are resistant to EGFR-TKIs.
Clinical outcome and prognostic factors of patients with non-traumatic angiography-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage

Purpose The cause of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is unknown in 10% of cases. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the characteristics of patients with angiography-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage (anSAH) and to analyze factors influencing the clinical outcome in patients suffering from anSAH. Methods A retrospective cohort of 75 patients with anSAH [26 perimesencephalic (pmSAH) and 49 non-perimesencephalic SAH (npmSAH)] admitted between January 2016 and June 2022 was included. We analyzed demographic, clinical data and 6-month functional outcomes. Enter regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with outcomes. Results Unfavorable outcome was achieved in 10 of 75 patients (13.3%). Unfavorable outcome was associated with senior adults (p = 0.008), Hijdra cistern score (HCS) elevation (p = 0.015), long-time lumbar cistern continuous drainage (LCFD; p = 0.029) and hydrocephalus (p = 0.046). The only significant risk factor for unfavorable outcome after npmSAH was the HCS (OR 1.213 (95%CI 1.007–1.462), p = 0.042). Conclusion Our study provides valuable information on both SAH patterns and functional outcome in patients suffering from anSAH and should be taken into consideration during management of these patients.
Hidden Markov movement models reveal diverse seasonal movement patterns in two North American ungulates

Abstract Animal movement is the mechanism connecting landscapes to fitness, and understanding variation in seasonal animal movements has benefited from the analysis and categorization of animal displacement. However, seasonal movement patterns can defy classification when movements are highly variable. Hidden Markov movement models (HMMs) are a class of latent‐state models well‐suited to modeling movement data. Here, we used HMMs to assess seasonal patterns of variation in the movement of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), a species known for variable seasonal movements that challenge analytical approaches, while using a population of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), for whom seasonal movements are well‐documented, as a comparison. We used population‐level HMMs in a Bayesian framework to estimate a seasonal trend in the daily probability of transitioning between a short‐distance local movement state and a long‐distance movement state. The estimated seasonal patterns of movements in mule deer closely aligned with prior work based on indices of animal displacement: a short period of long‐distance movements in the fall season and again in the spring, consistent with migrations to and from seasonal ranges. We found seasonal movement patterns for pronghorn were more variable, as a period of long‐distance movements in the fall was followed by a winter period in which pronghorn were much more likely to further initiate and remain in a long‐distance movement pattern compared with the movement patterns of mule deer. Overall, pronghorn were simply more likely to be in a long‐distance movement pattern throughout the year. Hidden Markov movement models provide inference on seasonal movements similar to other methods, while providing a robust framework to understand movement patterns on shorter timescales and for more challenging movement patterns. Hidden Markov movement models can allow a rigorous assessment of the drivers of changes in movement patterns such as extreme weather events and land development, important for management and conservation.
On entropy, entropy-like quantities, and applications

This is a review on entropy in various fields of mathematics and science. Its scope is to convey a unified vision of the classical entropies and some newer, related notions to a broad audience with an intermediate background in dynamical systems and ergodic theory. Due to the breadth and depth of the subject, we have opted for a compact exposition whose contents are a compromise between conceptual import and instrumental relevance. The intended technical level and the space limitation born furthermore upon the final selection of the topics, which cover the three items named in the title. Specifically, the first part is devoted to the avatars of entropy in the traditional contexts: many particle physics, information theory, and dynamical systems. This chronological order helps present the materials in a didactic manner. The axiomatic approach will be also considered at this stage to show that, quite remarkably, the essence of entropy can be encapsulated in a few basic properties. Inspired by the classical entropies, further akin quantities have been proposed in the course of time, mostly aimed at specific needs. A common denominator of those addressed in the second part of this review is their major impact on research. The final part shows that, along with its profound role in the theory, entropy has interesting practical applications beyond information theory and communications technology. For this sake we preferred examples from applied mathematics, although there are certainly nice applications in, say, physics, computer science and even social sciences. This review concludes with a representative list of references.
Validation of an Ultraviolet Light Response Gene Signature for Predicting Prognosis in Patients with Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UVM) is a highly aggressive ocular cancer with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis particularly for patients with liver metastasis. As such, the identification of new prognostic biomarkers is critical for developing effective treatment strategies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of an ultraviolet light response gene signature to predict the prognosis of UVM patients. Our approach involved the development of a prognostic model based on genes associated with the cellular response to UV light. By employing this model, we generated risk scores to stratify patients into high- and low-risk groups. Furthermore, we conducted differential expression analysis between these two groups and explored the estimation of immune infiltration. To validate our findings, we applied our methodology to an independent UVM cohort. Through our study, we introduced a novel survival prediction tool and shed light on the underlying cellular processes within UVM tumors, emphasizing the involvement of immune subsets in tumor progression.
A∞-resolutions and Massey products on Koszul homology

This work presents a new approach to studying Massey products on Koszul homology and the Golod property using A∞-algebras. In the first part we study rooted monomial rings which includes monomial rings whose Lyubeznik resolution is minimal. We give a combinatorial characterization of the Golod property for this class of monomial rings. In the second part of this thesis we combine our approach with the power of algebraic Morse theory. In this way, we extend our approach to simplicially resolvable rings, that is, rings with minimal simplicial resolution. We show that for simplicially resolvable rings the Golod property is equivalent to the gcd condition. Lastly, we use our tools to give sufficient conditions for the existence of non-trivial Massey products in low degrees.
Adaptive Choice of Reproductive Microhabitat and Its Potential for Sexual Conflict in Túngara Frogs

Reproductive habitat selection—deciding where to mate and where to raise offspring—is a critical component of successful reproduction. Parents selecting sites to signal to or search for mates may, e.g., experience strong predation pressure, whereas their offspring may have to compete for food. Here we assessed how the presence of vegetation cover affects site selection for signaling and oviposition by Túngara Frogs (Engystomops pustulosus) and how this choice influences reproductive output in terms of tadpole survival and growth. We found males to call more often from artificial puddles covered with vegetation compared to open puddles in a large-scale field experiment. A follow-up mesocosm experiment revealed the pattern observed in the field to be the result of an active choice and not caused by selective predation. We found that the presence of foam nests was not related to vegetation cover, suggesting that some females actively move away from male call sites. Finally, we found tadpoles to grow heavier in vegetated compared to open puddles in a small-scale experiment. Our data show that male frogs prefer to display from vegetated sites, most likely to reduce risk of predation by eavesdropping predators, such as frog-eating bats. Alternatively, males prefer to call from vegetated sites to improve their offspring development and survival, although choice of breeding site appears to be largely under control of females. Call site choice thus appears to provide some adaptive benefits to males in terms of survival, whereas oviposition choice does not provide females with better developmental conditions for their offspring. Active avoidance of sites with calling males may, however, reduce tadpole competition, but future studies should reveal to what extend puddle quality is weighted against competition in female breeding choices. Our findings reveal that breeding site choice differs across the important life-history stages of mating and oviposition, and we argue that this can have important consequences for any conflict between the sexes.
Forests along roads - a case of stability, resilience and biodiversity

: The importance of forest strips along communication routes has to be put into the context of stand stability, resilience to disturbances and biodiversity while satisfying societal needs. In order to address such important issues, through the data provided by the forest management plans, an analysis of the forest stands structure and composition of the forest stands in the Transylvanian alps in Romania was carried out. The forest distribution according to age and species has provided an uneven aged, multi-layered forest with a high tree and plant communities diversity, which according to the slenderness index, have shown a high degree of stability and resilience. Based on species diversity above ground, the stands have shown increased biodiversity from a plant community point of view and an enhanced structural connectivity. The species richness in mixed broadleaved forests was higher than in pure stands whereas, in resinous forests, the species richness was higher in pure spruce stands as compared to mixed stands where spruce participation was secondary. On a national scale, Natura 2000 sites consists of more than 25% of the total forested area, contributing to the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, EU Green Deal and the EU Forest strategy 2030 targets and commitments.
The Importance of Additive Reasoning in Children’s Mathematical Achievement: A Longitudinal Study

This longitudinal study examines the relative importance of counting ability, additive reasoning, and working memory in children’s mathematical achievement (calculation and story problem solving). In Hong Kong, 115 Chinese children aged 6 years old participated in 2 waves of assessments (T1 = first grade and T2 = second grade). Multiple regression analyses showed that counting ability explained a significant amount of variance in T1 and T2 calculation beyond the effects of age, IQ, and working memory, in which conceptual knowledge of counting, but not procedural counting, was a unique predictor. However, counting ability did not contribute significantly to story problem solving at both time points. Additive reasoning explained a substantial and significant amount of variance in calculation and story problem solving at both time points after the effects of age, IQ, working memory, and counting ability were controlled for: Both knowledge of the commutativity and complement principles were unique predictors. Working memory also accounted for a significant amount of variance in calculation and story problem solving at both time points beyond the influence of age, IQ, counting ability, and additive reasoning. Among the 3 components of working memory, only the central executive was a unique predictor for all measures of mathematical achievement. Autoregressive analyses provided further evidence for the strong predictive powers of additive reasoning and working memory. Overall, additive reasoning accounted for the greatest amount of variance in mathematical achievement both concurrently and longitudinally. This finding underscores the importance of additive reasoning in children’s mathematical development.
Influence of silica fume on the mechanical, thermal and water absorption behavior of compressed earth bricks

This experimental investigation aims mainly to study the effect of curing time of compressed and stabilized earth blocks or bricks containing different amounts of silica fume on the mechanical and thermal behavior. The soil used is tuff, from the region of Béni-Saf in the Wilaya of Ain-Temouchent (Algeria) and mixed with the optimal water content that is determined by the static compaction test. After curing time, the compressive strength, thermal conductivity and the water absorption by capillarity were examined and analyzed. The results of the tests carried out on different mixtures showed that the increase in water content leads to a decrease in the compressive strength. The increase in the bulk density leads to an increase in the thermal conductivity. It is also noted that the capillary water absorption coefficient decreases with increasing water content. On the other hand, it has been found that adding silica fume to mixtures can be highly advantageous. Indeed, the results for the compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and capillary water absorption turned out to be very satisfactory compared to unstabilized soil.
Mirogabalin Decreases Pain-like Behaviors by Inhibiting the Microglial/Macrophage Activation, p38MAPK Signaling, and Pronociceptive CCL2 and CCL5 Release in a Mouse Model of Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is a chronic condition that significantly reduces the quality of life of many patients as a result of ineffective pain relief therapy. For that reason, looking for new analgesics remains an important issue. Mirogabalin is a new gabapentinoid that is a specific ligand for the α2σ-1 and α2σ-2 subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels. In the present study, we compared the analgesic effect of pregabalin and mirogabalin in a neuropathic pain chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in a mouse model. The main purpose of our study was to determine the effectiveness of mirogabalin administered both once and repeatedly and to explain how the drug influences highly activated cells at the spinal cord level in neuropathy. We also sought to understand whether mirogabalin modulates the selected intracellular pathways (p38MAPK, ERK, JNK) and chemokines (CCL2, CCL5) important for nociceptive transmission, which is crucial information from a clinical perspective. First, our study provides evidence that a single mirogabalin administration diminishes tactile hypersensitivity more effectively than pregabalin. Second, research shows that several indirect mechanisms may be responsible for the beneficial analgesic effect of mirogabalin. This study reports that repeated intraperitoneally (i.p.) mirogabalin administration strongly prevents spinal microglia/macrophage activation evoked by nerve injury, slightly suppresses astroglia and neutrophil infiltration, and reduces the p38MAPK levels associated with neuropathic pain, as measured on Day 7. Moreover, mirogabalin strongly diminished the levels of the pronociceptive chemokines CCL2 and CCL5. Our results indicate that mirogabalin may represent a new strategy for the effective pharmacotherapy of neuropathic pain.
Imaging-negative CV2/collapsin response mediator protein 5 antibody-related paraneoplastic myelopathy: a rare and challenging diagnosis

Paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS) is an uncommon condition that occurs as a result of the immune system mistakenly attacking the central and peripheral nervous systems in response to cancer. It is a rare occurrence (1), affecting only about 0.01% of all cancer patients, and accounts for approximately 10% of nonmetastatic neurological complications. Interestingly, around 50% to 80% of PNS cases develop before the cancer diagnosis is conducted (2). PNS encompasses a wide range of neurological disorders that can be classified as either “classic manifestations” (56.0%) like encephalomyelitis, limbic encephalitis, and subacute cerebellar degeneration, or “non-classic manifestations” (44.0%) such as optic neuritis, chorea, and necrotizing myelopathy (1,3). Within PNS (4), there exists a particularly rare subtype known as paraneoplastic myelopathy (PNM). The diagnosis of PNS is aided by the detection of specific antineuronal antibodies in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (5,6). This helps determine the paraneoplastic origin of neurological syndromes. One such antibody, known as aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab), is frequently identified in people who have neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), which is an autoimmune myelopathy. Various other autoantibodies, such as antiCV2/collapsin response mediator protein 5 (CV2/CRMP5), antineuronal nuclear autoantibody (ANNA), amphiphysin, purkinje-cell cytoplasmic autoantibody (PCA), glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65), and tripartite motifcontaining protein 46 (TRIM46), have also been identified in patients with PNS. These autoantibodies may lead to immune-mediated myelopathy and present similar clinical symptoms to NMOSD (7,8). Most occurrences of PNS involve patients who are negative for serum AQP4-Ab, while seropositive AQP4-Ab is uncommon in patients with paraneoplastic NMOSD (9,10). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the spinal cord in patients with PNS typically show T2 signal abnormalities, which are frequently characterized by severe lesions spanning long segments of the spinal cord (7). However, there have been few reported instances of PNS where spinal MRI images appear normal.
A preliminary investigation of information system using Ishikawa diagram and sectoral statistics

A preliminary investigation is a problem-solving procedure. The Ishikawa diagram illustrates the cause of the problem in a particular group of causes. Several studies have used Ishikawa diagrams in problem-solving procedures where the branches of the causes include some components of the information system. The purpose of this study is to conduct a preliminary investigation of information systems using Ishikawa diagram and sectoral statistics. This study uses the System Development Life Cycle method which is limited to preliminary investigation phase. This study has mapped all the components of the information system in the Ishikawa diagram as the branches of causes which grouped into 4M. Sectoral statistics determine the percentage of problems for each cause and category. Preliminary investigation produces several alternative solutions for clients/owners of sectoral statistics regarding categories and causes that have a percentage within the specified range. The percentages make determining the critical causes more measurable.
Acceptance of Illness and Coping with Stress among Patients Undergoing Alcohol Addiction Therapy

(1) Background: Acceptance of illness is a process in which a person with an illness accepts its presence and treats it as an integral part of their life. With regard to alcoholism, acceptance of illness is one of the important elements of the healing process. (2) Methods: The study group consisted of 104 residents in an addiction treatment ward. Questionnaires SOC-29, AIS and PSS-10 were used to check levels of coherence, stress and acceptance of illness. The analysis was based on regression analysis. Patient age was analysed as a moderator of correlations between perceived indicators. Moderation analysis was based on the simple moderation model. (3) Results: The level of perceived stress correlated negatively with all areas of the sense of coherence and with acceptance of illness. All areas of the sense of coherence correlated with acceptance of illness positively. (4) Conclusions: The acceptance of illness by the patient is a factor that can be motivating for further treatment, through a positive approach to illness and strengthening the sense of control in experiencing it. The combination of strengthening behavioural, cognitive and motivational resources can be used in the treatment of people experiencing the challenges of addiction to alcohol.