Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Geometric and Morphometric Analysis of the Auditory Ossicles in the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Simple Summary The aim of the study was to determine the morphological and morphometrical features of the auditory ossicles in the red fox. Moreover, for the first time, shape analysis was performed on all the middle ear bones by geometric morphometry. The auditory ossicles play a vital role in transmitting sound waves through the middle ear. The malleus was considered to be the largest bone, with three distinctive processes. The overall shape of the incus was found to be similar to that in other mammals. The presence of a prominent muscular process was noted on the head of the stapes and the convex base which closes the window of the inner ear. Abstract The use of carnivores as experimental models in auditory biology has led to a significant improvement regarding our understanding of the structure and function of the ear. Considering that data regarding the anatomy of the middle ear in the red fox are rare, this study aimed to describe the morphological and morphometrical features of the auditory ossicles in the red fox, as well as to provide their shape characteristics by geometric analysis. Nine adult red foxes were used in the study. The malleus, incus and stapes were extracted from the middle ear, prepared, photographed and measured using the software. For the geometric analysis, 19 landmarks were used. Following Principal Component Analysis (PCA), PC1 was found to explain approximately half of all variance (incus: 49.97%; malleus: 49.93%; stapes: 58.49%). The study demonstrated the similar anatomical organization of the auditory ossicles in line with important morphometric and basic geometric data, which can contribute to this field and add a useful perspective to the literature.
An estimate of the global impact of multiple scattering by clouds on outgoing long‐wave radiation

Although the potential importance of scattering of long‐wave radiation by clouds has been recognised, most studies have concentrated on the impact of high clouds and few estimates of the global impact of scattering have been presented. This study shows that scattering in low clouds has a significant impact on outgoing long‐wave radiation (OLR) in regions of marine stratocumulus (−3.5 W m−2 for overcast conditions) where the column water vapour is relatively low. This corresponds to an enhancement of the greenhouse effect of such clouds by 10%. The near‐global impact of scattering on OLR is estimated to be −3.0 W m−2, with low clouds contributing −0.9 W m−2, mid‐level cloud −0.7 W m−2 and high clouds −1.4 W m−2. Although this effect appears small compared to the global mean OLR of 240 W m−2, it indicates that neglect of scattering will lead to an error in cloud long‐wave forcing of about 10% and an error in net cloud forcing of about 20%. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.
A Novel Low-Complexity Power-Efficient Design of Standard Ternary Logic Gates using CNTFET

This paper introduces novel low-complexity and power-efficient designs of standard ternary (ST) logic gates like the standard ternary inverter (STI), NAND (STNAND), NOR (STNOR), and XOR (STXOR) gates, along with the ternary minimum (TMIN) and ternary maximum (TMAX) operators using the CNTFET. The proposed designs use pass transistor logic (PTL), which reduces the complexity and increases the power efficiency of the designs. The proposed circuits are simulated in Synopsys HSPICE simulation tool using 32 nm CNTFET model provided by Stanford University. In each case, average power values and propagation delays are duly noted and power-delay-product (PDP) values are calculated. Simulation results prove that the proposed designs are more power-efficient and energy-efficient than the existing designs.
The Promises and Perils of Corporate Purpose

Corporate purpose is taking off as a concept within both the corporate world and management academia. Despite many bold pronouncements by companies about pursuing purpose and not just profits, evidence suggests that these are often decoupled from real action on social and environmental issues. In this essay, I grapple with a number of questions that arise for scholars and practitioners given the state of the field. Is the lack of progress intentional such that corporate purpose is just a power grab for firms to protect their influence and profits? Is making the business case for corporate purpose just part of this power grab? Stepping back, what is corporate purpose anyway? Additionally, how does it relate to trade-offs across stakeholders? Who counts as a stakeholder? How can we account for value distribution along with value creation? How can we conceptualize the firm if we take purpose seriously? What would it mean to decenter the firm (and center the stakeholders) in the practice of corporate purpose? What governance structures are needed to enact corporate purpose? Additionally, what are the implications for a new model of decentered leadership? There are not a lot of answers yet, but this review of recent research in the domain spots many excellent clues and paths for future progress. History: This paper has been accepted by Matt Kraatz for the Strategy Science Special Issue on Corporate Purpose. Funding: The Michael Lee-Chin Institute for Corporate Citizenship at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto provided financial support for the author’s research in this domain.
A comparative study of rolling bearing fault diagnosis based on tree models

We systematically carried out a comparative study of 12 kinds of tree-based models for the task of rolling bearing fault diagnosis, using the publicly available XJTU-SY bearing dataset as an example. The results show that the ensemble tree models including random forest (RF), extremely randomized trees (ETs), and deep learning tree model (multi-Grained Cascade Forest, i.e. gcForest) are high-precision and strong robust models suiting industrial application of this task, which have better-performing detecting accuracy and stability than conventional machine learning and single tree models (decision tree and extremely randomized tree). gcForest achieves 99.37% test accuracy using only 3% of the training samples, while RF and ETs also exceed 98%, which outperform eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), categorical boosting (CatBoost), and neural tree models, i.e. Neural Network with Random Forest (NNRF) and TabNet. RF and ETs are better suited for real-time industrial detection tasks in terms of time consumption. This study provides a scientific basis for the rational selection of rolling bearing fault diagnosis methods.
A SIMPLE APPROACH FOR THE PROBLEM OF THE HARMONIC OSCILLATOR WITH TIME-DEPENDENT MASS AND FREQUENCY

Exact analytical solutions for the Harmonic oscillator with time-dependent mass and frequency are given. The resolution is based on an adequate transformation which lead to a symmetrical second order differential equations of the conjugate variables p(t) and q(t). and on the hypothesis which consists in making constant the coefficient (damping parameter) of the first derivatives of p(t) and q(t) in these equations It is shown that the set of solutions obtained. depending on the domains of values of the above c mentioned constant, are consistent with the solutions derived by oilier methods. Besides. expectation values of p(i) and q(i) are calculated which allows the verification of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
Research on the relationship between collective teacher efficacy and teaching innovation as a mediator

This study explored a mediation model among teachers of basic education on the Chinese mainland. Knowledge sharing was identified as a mediator between collective teacher efficacy and teaching innovation. 732 valid samples from the Chinese mainland were obtained. Three structured instruments were applied including a scale of collective teacher efficacy, a scale of knowledge sharing and a scale of teaching innovation. The responses were recorded using a 5-point Likert scale. Structural equation models were used to construct measurement and structural models. Collective teacher efficacy has a significant and positive predictive effect on teaching innovation and knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing has a significant and positive predictive effect on teaching innovation and it plays a partial mediating role on the impact of teachers' collective effectiveness on teaching innovation. The mediating effect accounts for 29.03%. The results show that knowledge sharing can promote the positive impact of collective teacher efficacy on teaching innovation in basic education. This study provides new ideas for schools to improve teaching innovation that will create a new school-based learning environment for teachers to improve their professional learning and teaching practice.
Elevated CO2 Suppresses the Vanadium Stress in Wheat Plants under the Future Climate CO2

Increases in atmospheric CO2 is known to promote plant growth under heavy metals stress conditions. However, vanadium (V) stress mitigating the impact of eCO2 as well as the physiological and biochemical bases of this stress mitigation have not been well studied. To this end, this study investigated the growth, photosynthetic parameters, oxidative damages antioxidants, and antioxidants enzymes in wheat plants grown under ambient (420 PPM) and high eCO2 (720 ppm) levels. Exposing wheat plants to higher V increased its accumulation in plants which consequentially inhibited plant growth and induced oxidative damage. An increase in antioxidant and detoxification defense systems was observed but it was not enough to reduce V stress toxicity. On the other hand, wheat growth was improved as a result of reduced V uptake and toxicity on photosynthesis under eCO2. To reduce V uptake, wheat accumulated citric acid, and oxalic acid in soil preferentially under both treatments but to more extend under V and eCO2. Additionally, improved photosynthesis induced high carbon availability that was directed to produce chelating proteins (metallothioneins, phytochelatin) and antioxidants (phenolics, flavonoids, total antioxidant capacity). This study advances our knowledge of the processes behind the variations in the physiological and biochemical responses of the wheat crop under V and eCO2 conditions.
Multi-Region Microdialysis Imaging Platform Revealed Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Calcium Signaling and Serotonin Dynamics during Nociceptive Pain

In this research, we combined our ultralight micro-imaging device for calcium imaging with microdialysis to simultaneously visualize neural activity in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and measure serotonin release in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Using this platform, we observed brain activity following nociception induced by formalin injection in the mouse’s hind paw. Our device showed that DRN fluorescence intensity increased after formalin injection, and the increase was highly correlated with the elevation in serotonin release in both the CeA and ACC. The increase in calcium fluorescence intensity occurred during the acute and inflammatory phases, which suggests the biphasic response of nociceptive pain. Furthermore, we found that the increase in fluorescence intensity was positively correlated with mouse licking behavior. Lastly, we compared the laterality of pain stimulation and found that DRN fluorescence activity was higher for contralateral stimulation. Microdialysis showed that CeA serotonin concentration increased only after contralateral stimulation, while ACC serotonin release responded bilaterally. In conclusion, our study not only revealed the inter-regional serotonergic connection among the DRN, the CeA, and the ACC, but also demonstrated that our device is feasible for multi-site implantation in conjunction with a microdialysis system, allowing the simultaneous multi-modal observation of different regions in the brain.
A Comparative Study of a Haar Wavelet Method and a Restrictive Taylor's Series Method for Solving Convection-diffusion Equations

Wavelet transform or wavelet analysis is a recently developed mathematical tool in applied mathematics. In this paper, we develop an accurate and efficient Haar transform or Haar wavelet method for well-known one-dimensional convection-diffusion (CD) equations. The proposed method has been compared with restrictive Taylor (RT) approximation and Krylov Subspace method (KSM). The stability region is discussed here. The numerical results are found in good agreement with the exact solutions. Moreover, the use of Haar wavelets is found to be accurate, simple, fast, flexible, convenient, to have small computation costs and to be computationally attractive.
A General Correlation for the Rise Velocity of Single Gas Bubbles

A correlation for the terminal rising velocity of a single gas bubble in an infinite Newtonian fluid is proposed. The model is an extension to high Reynolds numbers of a model developed recently by the author (Rodrigue, 2001a). This new equation, which is explicit in velocity, is able to predict the velocity for any bubble volume in any Newtonian fluid.
Antibiotic Susceptibility of β-Glucuronidase-Positive Escherichia coli Isolated from Poultry Products in Morocco

Poultry products are one of the main foodstuffs consumed in Morocco. The deterioration of their hygienic quality and the emergence of antibiotic resistance are the major public health problems. This study was carried out to determine the level of emergence of antibiotic resistance. For that, between May 2021 and June 2022, poultry products (e.g., minced meat, sausage, and meat) were collected aseptically in sterile bags from retail stores in different cities of Morocco, labeled, and transported in chilled conditions to the laboratory. The bacterial analysis was performed within 24 hours. Isolation and identification of Escherichia coli were performed according to the Moroccan standard NM ISO 16649 2018. Antimicrobial susceptibility determination of 23 antibiotics was tested using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The results showed a high level of antimicrobial resistance to amoxicillin (58%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (54%), piperacillin (63%), trimethoprim (32%), nalidixic acid (46%), and ofloxacin (43%). 58 isolates (60%) were positive for beta-lactamase class A (penicillinase) test detection, and 2 isolates (3%) produced extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. The high level of resistance demonstrated in this study should alert health organizations in the country. An establishment of surveillance programs to control the use and the administration of antibiotics in the poultry field and initiation of reliable methods to follow up on the latest updates on the emergence of bacterial resistance is a necessity.
Moving-point-target tracking in low SNR

A three-dimensional moving target appears as a weak point in an image when it is observed by an optic system at a great distance. It is difficult to detect the target from image sequences in succession. In this paper, a new method is proposed. Its basic idea is energy accumulation, in which the image sequences containing the point target are shifted along a track and stacked up, and then the criterion of decide-in-segment and the method of auto-increasing thresholds as well as some other methods are employed to increase target detectability and reduce calculus. The result, which is similar to the one generated by accumulating over image sequences containing a motionless target, is obtained in this algorithm. The computer-simulated experimental result is given on the condition of SNR (signal-to-noise ratios), 6 db in white Gaussian background noise. It indicates that the moving point target (MPT) can be detected and tracked exactly in low SNR in the algorithm.
Lord of the Rings – Return of the King: Swift-XRT observations of dust scattering rings around V404 Cygni

On 2015 June 15, the black hole X-ray binary V404 Cygni went into outburst, exhibiting extreme X-ray variability which culminated in a final flare on June 26. Over the following days, the Swift-X-ray Telescope detected a series of bright rings, comprising five main components that expanded and faded with time, caused by X-rays scattered from the otherwise unobservable dust layers in the interstellar medium in the direction of the source. Simple geometrical modelling of the rings’ angular evolution reveals that they have a common temporal origin, coincident with the final, brightest flare seen by INTEGRAL's JEM X-1, which reached a 3–10? keV flux of ? 25 Crab. The high quality of the data allows the dust properties and density distribution along the line of sight to the source to be estimated. Using the Rayleigh–Gans approximation for the dust scattering cross-section and a power-law distribution of grain sizes a, ? a? q, the average dust emission is well modelled by q=3.90+0.09? 0.08 and maximum grain size of a+=0.147+0.024? 0.004 ? m, though significant variations in q are seen between the rings. The recovered dust density distribution shows five peaks associated with the dense sheets responsible for the rings at distances ranging from 1.19 to 2.13? kpc, with thicknesses of ? 40–80? pc and a maximum density occurring at the location of the nearest sheet. We find a dust column density of Ndust ? (2.0–2.5) × 1011? cm? 2, consistent with the optical extinction to the source. Comparison of the inner rings’ azimuthal X-ray evolution with archival Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mid-IR data suggests that the second most distant ring follows the general IR emission trend, which increases in brightness towards the Galactic north side of the source.
Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 43 Impacts Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Prognosis by Altering Its Proliferation and Infiltration of Surrounding Immune Cells

Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating cancer, and the therapy options for PDAC remain restricted. The distinctive tumor immunological microenvironment (TIME) of PDAC, comprising a high number of stromal cells and a limited infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), rendered immunotherapy ineffective. The protein level of ubiquitin-specific protease 43 (USP43) was a prognostic predictor in numerous cancers; however, its function in PDAC is limited. This article focuses on the influence of USP43 expression on PDAC prognosis and TIME alteration. Methods Based on TCGA database and tissue microarray staining, the expression of USP43 in PDAC was evaluated. The association between USP43 and prognosis was then investigated using tissue samples and online databases. In PDAC tumor tissues, the correlation between USP43 expression and clinicopathological characteristics, immune cell infiltration, and prognosis was investigated. The expression of USP43 in PDAC cell lines was evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and a cell colony formation test, the viability of the cells was determined. On the basis of online databases and tissue samples, the link between USP43 and immune cell infiltration around PDAC was also examined. For statistical analyses, the software GraphPad, R, and SPSS 26.0 were utilized. Results The expression of USP43 was considerably higher in PDAC compared to normal pancreatic tissue in both the TCGA database and the tissue microarrays of PDAC patients (P < 0.001). High USP43 expression was associated with poor overall survival in both the TCGA database and the tissue microarray of PDAC patients (P = 0.046 and 0.021, respectively). USP43 overexpression promoted PANC-1 cell proliferation (P = 0.0018), but USP43 knockdown decreased PANC02 cell proliferation (P < 0.001). According to the TCGA database, USP43 is associated with T cell activation and inhibits CD8+ T cell activation in PDAC, as proven by a study of cell lines. Moreover, in both TCGA and PDAC cell lines, USP43 expression was negatively linked with the chemokine signaling pathway. Conclusions Overexpression of USP43 is a potential prognostic indicator for PDAC patients. USP43 is a potential biomarker associated with T cell activation, suppression of CD8+ T cell enrichment, and the cytokine signal pathway. Future multicenter studies are needed to confirm our findings and their potential application in the treatment of PDAC patients.
L2 State-feedback Control with a Prescribed Rate of Exponential Convergence

In this paper we consider the l/sub 1/-state feedback problem with an internal stability constraint. In particular, we establish the connection between controlled-invariant contractive sets and static control laws that achieve a level of l/sub 1/ performance as well as a desired unforced rate of convergence. We outline two algorithms for computing controlled-invariant contractive sets. The first is a modification of standard recursive techniques used in the literature, whereas the second is based on dynamic games and involves solving an appropriate discrete Isaacs recursion. The latter approach results in a min-max characterization of l/sub 1/-state feedback controllers. We point out that the Isaacs recursion provides a one-shot (as opposed to iterative) computation of the optimal l/sub 1/ performance.
Impact of Isoniazid and Rifampicin on Chemokines with Clinical Parameters in Tuberculosis Patients

One of the most common and deadly diseases is tuberculosis, which has been known to be originated in ancient times. The assessment of the effectiveness of treatment regimens involves the monitoring of adverse events and the estimation of biomarkers. Serum biomarkers: Chemokine, Hematology, Liver function tests, and Kidney function tests were studied in forty tuberculosis patients of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary with its correlation. The monitoring and follow-up were assessed for the presence of any adverse effects, and compliance to treatment by Isoniazid 300 mg/kg, and Rifampicin 600 mg/kg during the study period. A significant difference was recorded between pulmonary and extra-pulmonary patients of the serum chemokine CXCL8 after one and two months of the treatment. The serum CXCL8 was increased in pulmonary and decreased in extra-pulmonary TB patients. The conclusion of this study described that chemokines play a role in mediating an effective immune-modulatory role during the treatment of TB infection and the therapeutic drug monitoring for compliance with TB treatment. A significant difference was noticed in the levels of liver enzymes (AST and ALT) between pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Kidney function parameters showed a difference in creatinine levels between the two studied groups.