Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ensemble Quadratic Assignment Network for Graph Matching

Graph matching is a commonly used technique in computer vision and pattern recognition. Recent data-driven approaches have improved the graph matching accuracy remarkably, whereas some traditional algorithm-based methods are more robust to feature noises, outlier nodes, and global transformation (e.g.~rotation). In this paper, we propose a graph neural network (GNN) based approach to combine the advantages of data-driven and traditional methods. In the GNN framework, we transform traditional graph-matching solvers as single-channel GNNs on the association graph and extend the single-channel architecture to the multi-channel network. The proposed model can be seen as an ensemble method that fuses multiple algorithms at every iteration. Instead of averaging the estimates at the end of the ensemble, in our approach, the independent iterations of the ensembled algorithms exchange their information after each iteration via a 1x1 channel-wise convolution layer. Experiments show that our model improves the performance of traditional algorithms significantly. In addition, we propose a random sampling strategy to reduce the computational complexity and GPU memory usage, so the model applies to matching graphs with thousands of nodes. We evaluate the performance of our method on three tasks: geometric graph matching, semantic feature matching, and few-shot 3D shape classification. The proposed model performs comparably or outperforms the best existing GNN-based methods.
Detecting quantum chaos via pseudo-entropy and negativity

Quantum informatic quantities such as entanglement entropy are useful in detecting quantum phase transitions. Recently, a new entanglement measure called pseudo-entropy was proposed which is a generalization of the more well-known entanglement entropy. It has many nice properties and is useful in the study of post-selection measurements. In this paper, one of our goals is to explore the properties of pseudo-entropy and study the effectiveness of it as a quantum chaos diagnostic, i.e. as a tool to distinguish between chaotic and integrable systems. Using various variants of the SYK model, we study the signal of quantum chaos captured in the pseudo-entropy and relate it to the spectral form factor (SFF) and local operator entanglement (LOE). We also explore another quantity called the negativity of entanglement which is a useful entanglement measure for a mixed state. We generalized it to accommodate the transition matrix and called it pseudo-negativity in analogy to pseudo-entropy. We found that it also nicely captures the spectral properties of a chaotic system and hence also plays a role as a tool of quantum chaos diagnostic.
Climate policy action needed to reduce vulnerability of conservation‐reliant grassland birds in North America

Grassland birds have suffered dramatic population declines and are under threat of further grassland conversion. Simultaneously, grassland regions are projected to have high rates of future climate change. We assessed the vulnerability of grassland birds in North America under scenarios of global climate change reflecting the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The assessment incorporated model‐based projections of range losses and gains as well as trait‐based information on adaptive capacity. Nearly half (42%) of grassland birds were highly vulnerable during the breeding season under a 3.0°C increase in global mean temperature scenario representing current commitments under the Paris Accord. This proportion declined to 13% with a 2.0°C increase and to 8% with a 1.5°C increase over preindustrial global mean temperature. Regardless of scenario, more than 70% of grassland birds had some vulnerability to climate change. Policy actions beyond the present‐day national commitments under the Paris Accord are needed to reduce vulnerability of grassland birds in a changing climate.
Simplified analysis of chord and brace effects on jack-up leg penetration for preloading in soft clay

The main codes of practice governing jack-up preloading presently do not consider the possibility of beneficial effects of soil resistance generated by leg chord and leg brace members as they move downwards through disturbed soil that has been squeezed past the spudcan to form part of the backfill. This paper argues that these effects can be significant for the special case of deep penetrations in soft clay. An approximate method of estimating the effects is proposed and discussed. Results are found to be broadly consistent with recent centrifuge model tests and numerical analyses. Further work is recommended to explore these potentially important and certainly complex effects.
The Interaction of Ice Sheets with the Ocean and Atmosphere

A rapidly melting ice sheet produces a distinctive geometry of sea level (SL) change. Thus, a network of SL observations may, in principle, be used to infer sources of meltwater flux. We outline a new method, based on a Kalman smoother, for using tide gauge observations to estimate the individual sources of global SL change. The Kalman smoother technique iteratively calculates the maximum likelihood estimate of Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheet melt rates at each time step, and it allows for data gaps while also permitting the estimation of non-linear trends. We have also implemented a fixed multi-model Kalman filter that allows us to rigorously account for additional contributions to SL changes, such as glacial isostatic adjustment and thermal expansion. We report on a series of detection experiments based on synthetic SL data that explore the feasibility of extracting source information from SL records before applying the new methodology to historical tide gauge records. In the historical tide gauge study we infer a global mean SL rise of ~1.5 ± 0.5 mm/yr up to 1970, followed by an acceleration to a rate of ~2.0 ± 0.5 mm/yr in 2008. In addition to its connection to SL, Greenland and its large ice sheet act as a barrier to storm systems traversing the North Atlantic. As a result of the interaction with Greenland, lowpressure systems located in the Irminger Sea, between Iceland and Greenland, often produce
Deciphering the Late Cretaceous‐Cenozoic Structural Evolution of the North Peruvian Forearc System

The link between plate tectonics and the evolution of active margins is still an ongoing task to challenge since the acceptance of plate tectonic paradigm. This paper aims at deciphering the structural architecture and uplift history of the North Peruvian forearc system to better understand the evolution and the mechanics that govern the Late Cretaceous‐Cenozoic building of this active margin. In this study, we report surface structural geology data, interpretation of seismic reflection profiles, apatite fission track data, and the construction of two offshore‐onshore crustal‐scale balanced cross sections. The structure of the North Peruvian forearc system is dominated by an accretionary style with northwestward propagation of thrust‐related structural highs involving continental/oceanic basement rocks and off‐scrapped sediments. The thrust systems bound thick thrust‐top forearc depocenters mainly deformed by crustal normal to strike‐slip faults and thin‐skinned gravitational instabilities. The sequential restoration of the margin calibrated with apatite fission track data suggests a correlation between uplift, shortening, and plate convergence velocity during Late Cretaceous and Miocene. Pliocene‐Quaternary shortening and uplift of the coastal zone is rather related to the subduction of asperities during convergence rate decrease. The development of crustal normal to strike‐slip faulting and subsidence zones might be the consequence of slab flexure, local basal erosion along subduction fault, and/or oblique subduction associated with sediment loading control. We conclude that the evolution of the North Peruvian forearc system was controlled by subduction dynamics, strong sediment accumulation, and recent ridge subduction, and it recorded the orogenic loading evolution of the Andes over the Cenozoic.
Trustworthy deep learning framework for the detection of abnormalities in X-ray shoulder images

Musculoskeletal conditions affect an estimated 1.7 billion people worldwide, causing intense pain and disability. These conditions lead to 30 million emergency room visits yearly, and the numbers are only increasing. However, diagnosing musculoskeletal issues can be challenging, especially in emergencies where quick decisions are necessary. Deep learning (DL) has shown promise in various medical applications. However, previous methods had poor performance and a lack of transparency in detecting shoulder abnormalities on X-ray images due to a lack of training data and better representation of features. This often resulted in overfitting, poor generalisation, and potential bias in decision-making. To address these issues, a new trustworthy DL framework has been proposed to detect shoulder abnormalities (such as fractures, deformities, and arthritis) using X-ray images. The framework consists of two parts: same-domain transfer learning (TL) to mitigate imageNet mismatch and feature fusion to reduce error rates and improve trust in the final result. Same-domain TL involves training pre-trained models on a large number of labelled X-ray images from various body parts and fine-tuning them on the target dataset of shoulder X-ray images. Feature fusion combines the extracted features with seven DL models to train several ML classifiers. The proposed framework achieved an excellent accuracy rate of 99.2%, F1Score of 99.2%, and Cohen’s kappa of 98.5%. Furthermore, the accuracy of the results was validated using three visualisation tools, including gradient-based class activation heat map (Grad CAM), activation visualisation, and locally interpretable model-independent explanations (LIME). The proposed framework outperformed previous DL methods and three orthopaedic surgeons invited to classify the test set, who obtained an average accuracy of 79.1%. The proposed framework has proven effective and robust, improving generalisation and increasing trust in the final results.
Anthropogenic bottom‐up and top‐down impacts on boreal breeding waterbirds

Abstract Wetland habitats are changing under multiple anthropogenic pressures. Nutrient leakage and pollution modify physico‐chemical state of wetlands and affect the ecosystem through bottom‐up processes, while alien predators affect the ecosystems in a top‐down manner. Boreal wetlands are important breeding areas for several waterbird species, the abundances of which potentially reflect both bottom‐up and top‐down ecosystem processes. Here, we use long‐term national monitoring data gathered from c. 130 waterbird breeding sites in Finland from the 1980s to the 2020s. We hypothesised that the physico‐chemical state of the waters and increasing alien predator abundance both play a role in steering the waterbird population trends. We set out to test this hypothesis by relating population changes of 17 waterbird species to changes in water chemistry and to regional alien predator indices while allowing species‐specific effects to vary with foraging niche (dabblers, invertivore divers, piscivorous divers, herbivores), nesting site, female mass and habitat (oligotrophic, eutrophic). We found niche and nesting site‐specific, habitat‐dependent changes in waterbird numbers. While the associations with higher phosphorus levels and browning water were in overall positive at the oligotrophic lakes, the numbers of invertivore and piscivore diving ducks were most strongly negatively associated with higher phosphorus levels and browning water at the eutrophic lakes. Furthermore, increased pH levels benefitted piscivores. Invertivore diving duck species nesting on the wetlands had declined most on sites with high alien predator indices. Large herbivorous species and species preferring oligotrophic lakes seem to be successful. We conclude that the large‐scale breeding waterbird decline in Finland is closely connected to both bottom‐up and top‐down processes, where negative associations are emphasised especially at eutrophic lakes. Niche‐, nest site‐ and habitat‐specific management actions are required to conserve declining waterbird populations. Managing wetlands on catchments level together with alien predator control may provide important approaches to future wetland management.
Comparative Genomics of the Baltic Sea Toxic Cyanobacteria Nodularia spumigena UHCC 0039 and Its Response to Varying Salinity

Salinity is an important abiotic factor controlling the distribution and abundance of Nodularia spumigena, the dominating diazotrophic and toxic phototroph, in the brackish water cyanobacterial blooms of the Baltic Sea. To expand the available genomic information for brackish water cyanobacteria, we sequenced the isolate Nodularia spumigena UHCC 0039 using an Illumina-SMRT hybrid sequencing approach, revealing a chromosome of 5,294,286 base pairs (bp) and a single plasmid of 92,326 bp. Comparative genomics in Nostocales showed pronounced genetic similarity among Nodularia spumigena strains evidencing their short evolutionary history. The studied Baltic Sea strains share similar sets of CRISPR-Cas cassettes and a higher number of insertion sequence (IS) elements compared to Nodularia spumigena CENA596 isolated from a shrimp production pond in Brazil. Nodularia spumigena UHCC 0039 proliferated similarly at three tested salinities, whereas the lack of salt inhibited its growth and triggered transcriptome remodeling, including the up-regulation of five sigma factors and the down-regulation of two other sigma factors, one of which is specific for strain UHCC 0039. Down-regulated genes additionally included a large genetic region for the synthesis of two yet unidentified natural products. Our results indicate a remarkable plasticity of the Nodularia salinity acclimation, and thus salinity strongly impacts the intensity and distribution of cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea.
Families’ situation of caring for a child with a chronic condition: a mixed methods study

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the meanings attributed by family members to the situation of caring for a child with a chronic condition (CCC), in the light of the Family Management Style Framework (FMSF). Method: A mixed-methods, parallel-convergent study, guided by the FMSF theoretical framework, using the conceptual component “Definition of the Situation”. Fifty-three CCC families took part. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview, a questionnaire to characterize the participants and a Family Management Measure scale. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was carried out on the quantitative data and the qualitative data was subjected to deductive thematic analysis. Results: Family members reported a view of normality in relation to CCC, also verified by the Child’s Daily Life scale. However, they indicate the repercussions of the chronic condition on the family, and that they devote more attention and time to meeting the child’s care needs, which was also verified in the View of the Impact of the Condition and Management Effort scales. Conclusion: Families have a positive view of the situation of caring for CCC at home, but point out some negative effects, such as the greater time spent caring for the child.
Occupational complexity of paid work and housework, and its impact on the cognitive performance in community dwelling older adults, preliminary results

ABSTRACT Work and activity could be an important source of cognitive enrichment. Activities that are more challenging concerning the cognitive functions that are put into practice are associated with lower risk of cognitive decline in old age. Objective: The present study aimed to assess the impact of occupational complexity and household tasks in three cognitive domains (verbal episodic memory, language, and executive functions) in older adults residing within the community. Methods: A trail analysis was executed, using the structural equations procedure in 120 participants assessed with main lifetime occupational activity and household tasks questionnaire, as well as a neuropsychological assessment battery for memory, language, and executive functions. Results: The regression weights analysis indicated that complexity in household chores showed moderate effects on executive functions (β=0.19; p=0.027) and that occupational complexity of paid work showed effects on memory (β=0.26; p=0.008), language (β=0.38; p<0.001), and executive functions (β=0.55; p<0.001). Conclusion: Paid work promotes cognitive reserve, contrary to household activities which seem to have a moderate impact on cognition. Differences in activity complexity not only impact people´s economic and social status and possibilities but can also determine different courses of aging and cognitive risk.
Growth form, regeneration mode, and vegetation type explain leaf trait variability at the species and community levels in Mediterranean woody vegetation

Abstract Leaf traits are good indicators of ecosystem functioning and plant adaptations to environmental conditions. We examined whether leaf trait variability at species and community levels in Mediterranean woody vegetation is explained by growth form, regeneration mode, and vegetation type. We studied several plant communities across five vegetation types – semi‐closed forest, open forest, closed shrubland, open shrubland, and scrubland – in southwestern Anatolia, Türkiye. Using linear mixed models, community‐weighted trait means, and principal component analysis, we tested how much variability in three leaf traits (specific leaf area, leaf thickness, and leaf area) is accounted for species, growth form, regeneration mode, and vegetation type. Despite a large amount of leaf trait variability both within‐ and among‐species existed, functional groups still accounted for a significant part of this variability. Resprouters had higher SLA and leaf area and lower leaf thickness than non‐resprouters. However, further functional separation in regeneration mode, by considering the propagule‐persistence trait and the seed bank locality, explained leaf trait variability better than only resprouting ability. Although no consistent pattern was observed in three leaf traits in the growth form, we found evidence for the difference in SLA and leaf thickness between shrubs and large shrubs, and subshrubs had smaller leaves than other growth forms. Vegetation type also accounted for a substantial amount of leaf trait variability. Specifically, plant communities in closed habitats had larger leaf area than open ones, and those in scrublands had higher SLA, lower leaf thickness, and lower leaf area than other vegetation types. Climate and phylogeny had limited contribution to the results obtained, with the exception of a significant phylogenetic effect in explaining the differences in SLA between resprouters and non‐resprouters. Our results suggest that multiple drivers are responsible for shaping plant trait variability in Mediterranean plant communities, including growth form, regeneration mode, and vegetation type.
The association between a rotator cuff tendon tear and a tear of the long head of the biceps tendon: Chart review study

Rotator cuff (RC) and long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) tears are common shoulder problems presented to the orthopedic clinic. The aim of this study was to assess the association between RC and LHBT tears among a Saudi population sample. A total of 243 patients who were diagnosed with shoulder pain due to RC or LHBT tear between 2016 and 2018 using a magnetic resonance imaging scan were included in this study. Females comprised 66% of the sample, and 59% (n = 143) of the shoulders were on the right side. The mean age of the patients was 58 ± 11 years, ranging from 23 to 88 years. A significant association was detected between the LHBT and RC tears (P < 0.001). Out of 26 cases showing RC and LHBT tears, 81% had a full thickness tear, whereas 19% had a partial tear. The LHBT tears were presented significantly in 48% of cases with at least two completely torn RC compared to 10% in cases with one completely torn RC (P < 0.001). The LHBT tear was significantly observed in shoulders with RC tears including the tendons of subscapularis, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus, but not the teres minor (P < 0.001). Both types of tears were presented significantly in senior patients aged more than 65 years compared to younger patients (P < 0.01). Thus, the LHBT should be assessed carefully in shoulders with more than one RC tear or in chronic cases.
Natural parasites in conjunction with behavioral and color traits explain male agonistic behaviors in a lizard

Abstract Male competition conforms to a cost–benefit model, because while aggression may increase reproductive prospects, it can also increase the risk of injury. We hypothesize that an additional cost in aggressive males would be an increase in parasite load associated with a high energy investment into sexual competition. Some of these infections, in turn, may downmodulate the level of host aggression via energetic trade-offs. We staged dyadic male contests in the lab to investigate the relationships of multiple parasites with the agonistic behavior of lizard hosts, Sceloporus occidentalis. We also included both color and behavioral traits from opponents in the analyses because (1) color patches of lizards may serve as intraspecific signals used by conspecifics to assess the quality of opponents, and (2) contests between male lizards fit classical models of escalated aggression, where lizards increase aggression displays in response to an opponent’s behavior. The results conform to our hypothesis because male lizards displayed more pushups when they had more ticks. Moreover, some parasites may modulate the levels of aggression because lizards infected by hematic coccidians performed fewer pushups. Interestingly, lizards also displayed fewer pushups when both the chroma and size of the opponent’s blue patch were greater. The results thus also supported the role of the blue patch of S. occidentalis as a sexual armament, because it contributed to the deterrence of aggression from opponent lizards. We revealed that natural parasitic infections in lizard hosts can contribute to their agonistic behavior. We encourage future studies to account for parasites in behavioral tests with lizards.