Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Food Security and Caused Psychosocial Stress in Selected States of Nigeria

The COVID-19 disease has infected many countries, causing generalized impacts on different income categories. We carried out a survey among households (n = 412) representing different income groups in Nigeria. We used validated food insecurity experience and socio-psychologic tools. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The earning capacities of the respondents ranged from 145 USD/month for low-income earners to 1945 USD/month for high-income earners. A total of 173 households (42%) ran out of food during the COVID-19 pandemic. All categories of households experienced increasing dependency on the general public and a perception of increasing insecurity, with the high-income earners experiencing the greatest shift. In addition, increasing levels of anger and irritation were experienced among all categories. Of the socio-demographic variables, only gender, educational level of the household head, work hours per day, and family income based on society class were associated (p < 0.05) with food security and hunger due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although psychological stress was observed to be greater in the low-income earning group, household heads with medium and high family income were more likely to have satisfactory experiences regarding food security and hunger. It is recommended that socio-economic groups should be mapped and support systems should target each group to provide the needed support in terms of health, social, economic, and mental wellness.
Identification of a Novel Idiopathic Epilepsy Risk Locus and a Variant in the CCDC85A Gene in the Dutch Partridge Dog

Simple Summary A significant percentage of Dutch partridge dogs suffers from epileptic seizures. Previous studies indicated that this is likely the result of genetic idiopathic epilepsy, but to date, little to no knowledge exists on the genetic cause. This study aimed to identify (a) causal variant(s) and/or risk loci associated with the disease. A risk locus for idiopathic epilepsy was described for the first time on chromosome 12. Furthermore, a variant in the CCDC85A gene was found to increase the risk of disease in homozygous variant dogs. Further research should be conducted to determine whether the chromosome 12 risk locus and CCDC85A variant can be used in breeding decisions. Abstract (1) Idiopathic epilepsy (IE) is thought to have a genetic cause in several dog breeds. However, only two causal variants have been identified to date, and few risk loci are known. No genetic studies have been conducted on IE in the Dutch partridge dog (DPD), and little has been reported on the epileptic phenotype in this breed. (2) Owner-filled questionnaires and diagnostic investigations were used to characterize IE in the DPD. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 16 cases and 43 controls was performed, followed by sequencing of the coding sequence and splice site regions of a candidate gene within the associated region. Subsequent whole-exome sequencing (WES) of one family (including one IE-affected dog, both parents, and an IE-free sibling) was performed. (3) IE in the DPD has a broad range in terms of age at onset, frequency, and duration of epileptic seizures. Most dogs showed focal epileptic seizures evolving into generalized seizures. A new risk locus on chromosome 12 (BICF2G630119560; praw = 4.4 × 10−7; padj = 0.043) was identified through GWAS. Sequencing of the GRIK2 candidate gene revealed no variants of interest. No WES variants were located within the associated GWAS region. However, a variant in CCDC85A (chromosome 10; XM_038680630.1: c.689C > T) was discovered, and dogs homozygous for the variant (T/T) had an increased risk of developing IE (OR: 6.0; 95% CI: 1.6–22.6). This variant was identified as likely pathogenic according to ACMG guidelines. (4) Further research is necessary before the risk locus or CCDC85A variant can be used for breeding decisions.
The Near-Earth Objects Follow-Up Program III: 32 Lightcurves for 12 Objects from 1992 and 1995

In this paper we present lightcurves and physical parameters for nine near-Earth objects (NEOs) (433 Eros, 1917 Cuyo, 2368 Beltrovata, 3753 Cruithne, 4769 Castalia, 4953 1990 MU, 6491 1991 OA, 1995 EK1, and 1995 FJ) and three Mars crossers (5738 Billpicke
Cystic Fibrosis Bone Disease: The Interplay between CFTR Dysfunction and Chronic Inflammation

Cystic fibrosis is a monogenic disease with a multisystemic phenotype, ranging from predisposition to chronic lung infection and inflammation to reduced bone mass. The exact mechanisms unbalancing the maintenance of an optimal bone mass in cystic fibrosis patients remain unknown. Multiple factors may contribute to severe bone mass reduction that, in turn, have devastating consequences in the patients’ quality of life and longevity. Here, we will review the existing evidence linking the CFTR dysfunction and cell-intrinsic bone defects. Additionally, we will also address how the proinflammatory environment due to CFTR dysfunction in immune cells and chronic infection impairs the maintenance of an adequate bone mass in CF patients.
Infrared Luminosity Functions for the Young Stellar Population Associated with the L1641 Molecular Cloud

Results are reported of a deep near-IR imaging survey which samples 0.77 sq deg of the L1641 star-forming complex and reaches 5 sigma limits at J (1.25 micron,), H (1.65 micron), and K (2.2 microns) of 16.8, 15.8, and 14.7 mag, respectively. A population of about 1500 stars spread throughout the cloud, seven small aggregates comprised of 10-50 stars whose typical projected surface densities exceed that of the distributed population by factors of 4-10, and a heretofore unknown, partially embedded dense cluster comprised of about 150 stars are identified. Analysis of the distribution of (J-H), (H-K), and (R-I) colors for these groups suggest that, in all cases, the stellar populations are dominated by solar-type PMS stars which appear to contain a mix of objects analogous to weak-line T Tauri stars. The present observed luminosity functions are based on reddening-corrected J-band magnitude.
Traveling wave instability in helical coil flow

Complementary flow visualization photographs and numerical calculations are presented for the transitional state between the laminar and turbulent flow regimes in a helically coiled pipe. The flow visualization covers a Reynolds number range from 3800 to 8650 (890<De<2030, where De is the Dean number). Estimates of the wavelength and wave speed of a traveling wave instability are made from photographs and video recordings at Re=5060 and 5480 (De=1190 and 1280). The unsteady three-dimensional finite difference approximations of the Navier–Stokes equations formulated for the toroidal coordinate system are solved numerically. The calculations are performed in a curved pipe with a radius of curvature to pipe radius ratio equal to 18.2 and Re=5480 (De=1280). These test conditions match the flow visualization and previously reported laser Doppler velocimetry measurements. The calculations reveal a complex interaction between the centrifugal force and the cross-stream velocity, hence explaining the mechanism for.
A matrix exponential form for hitting probabilities and its application to a Markov-modulated fluid queue with downward jumps

We consider a fluid queue with downward jumps, where the fluid flow rate and the downward jumps are controlled by a background Markov chain with a finite state space. We show that the stationary distribution of a buffer content has a matrix exponential form, and identify the exponent matrix. We derive these results using time-reversed arguments and the background state distribution at the hitting time concerning the corresponding fluid flow with upward jumps. This distribution was recently studied for a fluid queue with upward jumps under a stability condition. We give an alternative proof for this result using the rate conservation law. This proof not only simplifies the proof, but also explains an underlying Markov structure and enables us to study more complex cases such that the fluid flow has jumps subject to a nondecreasing Lévy process, a Brownian component, and countably many background states.
Validity of the Julliere model of spin-dependent tunneling

We consider spin-dependent tunneling between two ferromagnets separated by a simple step barrier, and examine four models for the magnetoconductance ratio {Delta}G/G: A model due to Julliere which characterizes the magnetoconductance solely in terms of the tunneling spin polarization, a model due to Slonczewski which provides an approximate expression for the magnetoconductance of free electrons tunneling through a barrier, the exact expression for the magnetoconductance of free electrons tunneling through a barrier, and the numerical calculation of the magnetoconductance of band electrons in iron tunneling through a barrier. We find that the Julliere model does not accurately describe the magnetoconductance of free electrons tunneling through a barrier. Although Slonczewski{close_quote}s model provides a good approximation to the exact expression for free electrons in the limit of thick barriers, we find that the tunneling of band electrons shows features that are not described well by any free electron picture and which reflect the details of the band structure of iron at the Fermi energy. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Magnetohydrodynamic flow in rectangular ducts

The paper presents an analysis of laminar motion of a conducting liquid in a rectangular duct under a uniform transverse magnetic field. The effects of the duct having conducting walls are investigated. Exact solutions are obtained for two cases, (i) perfectly conducting walls perpendicular to the field and thin walls of arbitrary conductivity parallel to the field, and (ii) non-conducting walls parallel to the field and thin walls of arbitrary conductivity perpendicular to the field. The boundary layers on the walls parallel to the field are studied in case (i) and it is found that at high Hartmann number (M), large positive and negative velocities of order MVc are induced, where Vc is the velocity of the core. It is suggested that contrary to previous assumptions the magnetic field may in some cases have a destabilizing effect on flow in ducts.
Magnetic-field-induced log-T insulating behavior in the resistivity of fluorine-doped SmFeAsO1-xFx

We report the resistivity of a series of nominally fluorine-doped ${\text{SmFeAsO}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{F}}_{x}$ polycrystalline superconductors in magnetic fields up to 60 T. For samples where $xl0.15$, the low-temperature resistive state is characterized by pronounced magnetoresistance including an upturn at low temperatures. The ``insulating behavior'' is characterized by a $\text{log-}T$ divergence observed over a decade in temperature, a behavior strikingly similar to the underdoped cuprates. The normal state for samples with doping $xg0.15$ behaves very differently: metallic behavior with little magnetoresistance, where intense magnetic fields broaden the superconducting transition rather than significantly suppressing ${T}_{c}$. The doping at which the insulating behavior disappears coincides with the reported collapse of the structural phase transition in the phase diagram for ${\text{SmFeAsO}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{F}}_{x}$ series.
Interactive within Structures: Understanding Ethnicity, Esports Uses and Effects

Abstract As esports aims to be an equal playing field for all, it is important to understand how and why Caucasians and minorities play and watch esports. This study represents one of the first empirical efforts to examine the role of ethnicity in esports uses and effects by conducting an online survey with 526 esports consumers in the United States. Using existing scales, this study measured dependent variables, such as esports gameplay, viewing, sense of community, and self-esteem, as well as independent variables, including both individual factors and structures. Independent t-test results indicated many similarities between Caucasians and ethnic minorities. Yet, Caucasian respondents self-reported playing esports significantly more, while minorities used interactive features and preferred fighting games more than Caucasians. In addition, regression analyses found that significant predictors differed for gameplay and viewing between Caucasians and minorities and most variables to explain a sense of community and self-esteem. Nonetheless, esports uses and effects were predicted by motivations and preferences as well as by structures of time, access, and cost across ethnic groups. Overall, this study suggests that esports hold power and possibility to promote fair play, community-building, and well-being. Future study should continue to pinpoint ways to increase participation for minority esports users to create more inclusive communities.
Dynamic response of colliding-pulse mode-locked quantum-well lasers

The colliding-pulse mode-locked scheme, using quantum-well semiconductor lasers, has been reported to be useful for the generation of short optical pulses with a high repetition rate. In this paper, the large signal dynamic process of a monolithic colliding-pulse mode-locked laser diode is simulated using a large signal laser model. The refractive index changes induced by variations of the carrier density and the standing wave effect in the saturable absorber have been taken into account in the simulation. >
Note on the triad interactions of homogeneous turbulence

Abstract Triad interactions, involving a set of wave-vectors $\{\pm \boldsymbol {k}, \pm \boldsymbol {p}, \pm \boldsymbol {q}\}$, with $ \boldsymbol {k} + \boldsymbol {p}+ \boldsymbol {q}=0$, are considered, and the results of triad truncation are compared with the results of exact Euler evolution starting from the same initial conditions. The essential two-dimensionality of the triad interaction is used to separate the problem into two parts: a nonlinear two-dimensional flow problem in the triad plane, and a linear problem of ‘passive scalar’ type for the evolution of the component of velocity perpendicular to this plane. Several examples of triad evolution are presented in detail, and the marked contrast with Euler evolution is demonstrated. It is known that energy and helicity are conserved under triad truncation; it is shown that the ‘in-plane’ energy and enstrophy are also conserved. However, it is also shown that, in general, the evolution of the vorticity under triad truncation cannot be represented as transport by any divergence-free velocity field, with the consequence that the detailed topology of the vorticity field is not conserved under this truncation.
Ground-Based Infrared Remote Sensing of Cloud Properties over the Antarctic Plateau. Part I: Cloud-Base Heights

Abstract A Fourier-transform interferometer, operated throughout 1992 at South Pole Station, measured downward spectral longwave radiance from 550 to 1500 cm−1 (7–18 μm) at a resolution of 1 cm−1. Radiance measurements were usually made twice daily, coincident with routine launches of radiosondes made by the South Pole Weather Office; 223 radiance measurements (40% of the observations) were of cloudy-sky conditions. Cloud-base heights are retrieved from these data using a ground-based version of the radiance-ratioing method, which was originally developed to retrieve cloud-top heights from satellite data. Frequencies in the R branch of the 15-μm carbon dioxide band are used, exploiting the variation of atmospheric opacity with wavenumber. The annual cycle of cloud-base heights shows a bimodal distribution in all seasons except during the brief summer (December–January). Cloud-base heights are typically higher in the summer than in winter. Although retrieved cloud-base heights are uncorrelated with heights.
Pharmacological Treatment of Tremor in Parkinson’s Disease Revisited

The pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) tremor remains incompletely understood and there is a lack of clinical trials specifically addressing its pharmacological treatment. Levodopa is the most efficacious drug for most patients and should be used as primary approach to control troublesome tremor. While the efficacy of oral dopamine agonists on PD tremor has been demonstrated in controlled trials, there is no evidence of greater antitremor efficacy compared to levodopa. The magnitude of the antitremor effect of anticholinergics is generally lower than that of levodopa. Due to their adverse effects, anticholinergics have a limited role in selected young and cognitively intact patients. Propranolol may improve resting and action tremor and may be considered as an adjunct in patients with insufficient tremor response to levodopa and this also applies to clozapine, despite its unfavorable adverse effect profile. Treating motor fluctuations with MAO-B and COMT inhibitors, dopamine agonists, amantadine, or on-demand treatments such as subcutaneous or sublingual apomorphine and inhaled levodopa as well as with continuous infusions of levodopa or apomorphine will improve off period tremor episodes. For patients with drug-refractory PD tremor despite levodopa optimization deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound are first-line considerations. Surgery can also be highly effective for the treatment medication-refractory tremor in selected patients without motor fluctuations. The present review highlights the clinical essentials of parkinsonian tremor, critically examines available trial data on the effects of medication and surgical approaches and provides guidance for the choice of treatments to control PD tremor in clinical practice.
Learning control for a class of nonlinear systems

It is shown that learning control can be used to produce control signals for perfect tracking for a class of nonlinear systems defined by the Cartwright-Littlewood equation. The idea is to utilize the qualitative information of the nonlinear systems so that convergence in the functional space can be achieved. The design is not based on precise information about the quantitative parameters of the plant. The result is illustrated by the example of the Van der Pol equation. <<ETX>>
Numerical simulation of jets generated by a sphere moving vertically in a stratified fluid

Abstract The flow past a sphere moving vertically at constant speeds in a salt-stratified fluid is investigated numerically at moderate Reynolds numbers $\mathit{Re}$ . Time development of the flow shows that the violation of density conservation is the key process for the generation of the buoyant jet observed in the experiments. For example, if the sphere moves downward, isopycnal surfaces are simply deformed and dragged down by the sphere while the density is conserved along the flow. (The flow pattern is inverted if the sphere moves upward. Some explanations are given in the introduction.) Then, the flow will never become steady. As density diffusion becomes effective around the sphere surface and generates a horizontal hole in the isopycnal surface, fluid with non-conserved density is detached from the isopycnal surface and moves upward to generate a buoyant jet. These processes will constitute a steady state near the sphere. With lengths scaled by the sphere diameter and velocities by the downward sphere velocity, the duration of density conservation at the rear/upper stagnation point, or the maximum distance that the isopycnal surface is dragged downward, is proportional to the Froude number $\mathit{Fr}$ , and estimated well by ${\rm\pi}\mathit{Fr}$ for $\mathit{Fr}\gtrsim 1$ and $\mathit{Re}\gtrsim 200$ , corresponding to a constant potential energy. The radius of a jet defined by the density and velocity distributions, which would have correlations with the density and velocity boundary layers on the sphere, is estimated well by $\sqrt{\mathit{Fr }/2\mathit{Re }\mathit{ Sc}}$ and $\sqrt{\mathit{Fr }/2\mathit{Re}}$ respectively for $\mathit{Fr}\lesssim 1$ , where $\mathit{Sc}$ is the Schmidt number. Numerical results agree well with the previous experiments, and the origin of the conspicuous bell-shaped structure observed by the shadowgraph method is identified as an internal wave.
X-Ray Timing in 1E 1740.7–2942 and GRS 1758–258

We report on deep observations of the Galactic bulge sources 1E 1740.7-2942 and GRS 1758-258 with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. These objects form a class of two, showing radio jets, very hard spectra, and persistent emission. Here we show that their power spectra are also similar: flat-topped noise, breaking to a power law, with a pair of weak, harmonically spaced quasi-periodic oscillations above the break and an integrated rms variability of ~20%. We discuss to what extent these results can be considered support for the identification of both as black hole candidates.
De-speckle filtering in ultrasound imaging of the carotid artery

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the classification performance of de-speckle filtering on ultrasound imaging of the carotid atherosclerotic plaque. The following procedure was investigated on 230 images (recorded from 115 symptomatic, and 115 asymptomatic subjects): (i) six different de-speckle filters were used based on first order and higher order local statistics, anisotropic diffusion, and geometric properties; (ii) nine different texture feature sets were extracted, and (iii) the k-nearest neighbor classifier was used to classify a plaque as symptomatic or asymptomatic. The despeckle filters based on higher order statistics, anisotropic speckle diffusion, and geometric properties gave a slightly higher percentage of correct classifications score than the original images.
A Systematic Literature Review of the Applications of Q-Technique and Its Methodology

Q-methodology is a technique incorporating the benefits of both qualitative and quantitative research. Q-method involves Q-sorting, a method of data collection and factor analysis, to assess subjective (qualitative) information. The use of Q-sorting and factor analysis has often resulted in the misconception that Q-methodology involves psychometric or quantitative assessment, although Q as a methodology actually enables the systematic assessment of qualitative data. Misconceptions regarding Q have resulted in a heterogeneous collection of Q-applications in the extant literature, which has obscured the fundamental principles of Q-methodology. The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of Q-based research to investigate the criteria researchers have used to develop Q-studies. Published research studies between January 2008 and December 2008 that employed Q-techniques and methodology were assessed. Data were extracted and synthesized through the development and use of the Assessment and Revi.
Experimental and numerical study of the Lagrangian dynamics of high Reynolds turbulence

We introduce an original acoustic method to track the motion of tracer particles in high Reynolds number turbulent flows. We present in detail the experimental technique and show that it yields a measurement of the Lagrangian velocity variations of single particles, resolved across the inertial range turbulence. Second-order quantities such as the velocity autocorrelation function and time spectrum are in agreement with Kolmogorov 1941 phenomenology. Higher-order quantities reveal a very strong intermittency in the Lagrangian dynamics. Using both the results of the measurements and of direct numerical simulations, we show that the origin of intermittency can be traced back to the existence of long-time correlations in the dynamics of the Lagrangian acceleration. Finally, we discuss the role played by vortices in the Lagrangian dynamics.