Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Handbook of beach and shoreface morphodynamics

BEACH SYSTEMS: DEFINITION AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE. Beaches (A. Short). Global Variation in Beach Systems (A. Short). BEACH MORPHODYNAMICS. The Shoreface (P. Cowell, et al.). The Surf Zone (T. Aagaard & G. Masselink). The Beachface (M. Hughes & I. Turner) The Beach Backshore and Beyond (P. Hesp). BEACH TYPES AND APPLICATIONS. Wave--Dominated Beaches (A. Short). The Effect of Tides on Beach Morphodynamics (G. Masselink & I. Turner). Embayed and Structurally Controlled Beaches (A. Short & G. Masselink). BEACH SYSTEMS AND IMPACTS. Beach Modification: Natural Impacts on Beach Morphodynamics (A. Short). Beach Ecology (A. Short & P. Hesp). Beach and Dune Stratification (A. Short & P. Hesp). Beach Hazards and Safety (A. Short). LARGE SCALE BEACH BEHAVIOUR. Barrier Morphodynamics (P. Hesp & A. Short). References. Indexes.
Dial-In Synthesis of ‘Polymer Opal’ Core–Interlayer–Shell Composite Nanoparticles

The emulsion polymerization process via which core–interlayer–shell polymer nanoparticles are synthesized is engineered to offer a crucial control of the eventual size and monodispersity of the polystyrene (PS) cores. We examine the role of key experimental parameters, optimizing the temperature, reactant purity, and agitation (stirring) rate. The subsequent addition of a poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) grafting layer and a poly(ethyl-acrylate) (PEA) shell layer produces composite particles, which are shear-orderable into opaline films, known as ‘polymer opals’. We thus demonstrate pathways toward a ‘dial-in’ process, where the time taken to obtain the target core size is mapped to the expected resultant structural color. At reaction temperatures of 60 and 70 °C, viable conditions are found where all syntheses give an excellent level of monodispersity (polydispersity index < 0.02), suitable for interlayer and shell growth. These reports may be readily applied to a wider industrial scale fabrication pipeline for these polymeric photonic materials.
Determination of the Level of Cardiovascular Risk in 172,282 Spanish Working Women

Introduction, objectives: Although cardiovascular events have been traditionally associated mainly with men, some data reflect an increase in women, which may even exceed their male counterparts, constituting the leading cause of death in working women in Spain. The objective of this present study was to analyze the level of cardiovascular risk in Spanish working women by assessing the influence of age, type of work, and tobacco consumption. Material, methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 172,282 working women from different Spanish geographical areas and from different companies between January 2018 and June 2020. A range of variables and risk factors were assessed and various cardiovascular risk scales were used to analyze the data. Results: An increase in cardiovascular risk was observed in the least qualified work groups, mainly corresponding to blue-collar workers, when using the SCORE or REGICOR risk equation. The prevalence of altered values for all the parameters analyzed (overweight and obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, fatty liver, hepatic fibrosis, atherogenic indexes, and cardiovascular risk scales) was higher among blue-collar women. Age was the only factor that influenced all the cardiovascular risk scales studied, increasing risk when comparing the group of women aged 50 years and older with the others. Conclusions: Aging and belonging to the blue-collar job category meant worse results in the cardiovascular risk scales and in all the parameters analyzed. This is in line with numerous studies that argue that age and zip code are more influential than genetic code.
Enhanced Reactive Brilliant Blue Removal Using Chitosan–Biochar Hydrogel Beads

To address the challenges associated with the weak affinity and difficult separation of biochar, we developed chitosan–biochar hydrogel beads (CBHBs) as an efficient solution for removing reactive brilliant blue (RBB KN-R) from wastewater. The adsorption behavior and mechanism of RBB KN-R onto CBHBs were extensively studied. Notably, the adsorption capacity of RBB KN-R showed pH-dependence, and the highest adsorption capacity was observed at pH 2. The adsorption process was well fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the intraparticle diffusion model. Film diffusion and intraparticle diffusion were both responsible for the adsorption of RBB KN-R onto CBHBs. At 298.15 K, the maximum adsorption capacity qm was determined to be 140.74 mg/g, with higher temperatures favoring the adsorption process. A complex mechanism involving π–π interactions, electrostatic attraction, hydrophobic interaction, and hydrogen bonding was found to contribute to the overall adsorption process. The experimental data discovered the coexisting substances and elevated ionic strength hindered the adsorption capacity. Significantly, after three cycles of adsorption–desorption, the CBHBs maintained an adsorption capacity above 95% for RBB KN-R. These promising results imply that CBHBs are a durable and cost-effective adsorbent for efficient removal of dyes from wastewater.
Energy Efficiency in Multihop Wireless Networks with Unreliable Links

Due to the increasing number of wireless devices, the issue of energy efficiency that requires high data rate with reliability has spawned tremendous research interests in recent years. In wireless networks, major problem that needs to be addressed is that multihop transmission, though requiring lower transmit power, incurs more circuit energy consumption than that of single-hop transmission and leads to more bit errors. Thus we are motivated to study the energy efficiency of multihop wireless networks with unreliable links, where such a problem is even more serious. Specifically, with a flat Rayleigh fading channel, our network model jointly considers the transmit energy and circuit energy, and characterizes the unreliability caused by the wireless nature with the assumption of probabilistic links. Based on that, we formulate our problems of energy consumption normalized by the source-destination (S-D) path loss, and derive the optimal set of signal-to-noise ratios in each hop to minimize the normalized energy consumption. In addition, our theoretical results exhibit a clear relation between the normalized energy consumption and the delay constraint, and meanwhile disclose the crucial impact that the circuit energy has on the monotonicity of the normalized energy consumption. More specifically, we find that the normalized total energy consumption with the delay constraint decreases as the number of hops increases when the number of hops is small, and increases as the number of hops increases when it is large. Extensive simulations confirm the theoretical results. Our findings shed light on the design, implementation, and operation of real-world energy-efficient multihop wireless networks.
SLC22A3 rs2048327 Polymorphism Is Associated with Diabetic Retinopathy in Caucasians with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The Solute Carrier Family 22 Member 3 (SLC22A3) is a high-capacity, low-affinity transporter for the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and histamine. SLC22A3 plays important roles in interorgan and interorganism small-molecule communication, and also regulates local and overall homeostasis in the body. Our aim was to investigate the association between the rs2048327 gene polymorphism and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Slovenian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We also investigated SLC22A3 expression in the fibrovascular membranes (FVMs) of patients with proliferative DR (PDR). Our study involved 1555 unrelated Caucasians with T2DM with a defined ophthalmologic status: 577 of them with DR as the study group, and 978 without DR as the control group. The investigated polymorphisms were genotyped using the KASPar genotyping assay. The expression of SLC22A3 (organic cation transporter 3—OCT3) was examined via immunohistochemistry in human FVM from 16 patients with PDR. The C allele and CC genotype frequencies of the rs2048327 polymorphism were significantly higher in the study group compared to the controls. The logistic regression analysis showed that the carriers of the CC genotype in the recessive genetic models of this polymorphism have a 1.531-fold increase (95% CI 1.083–2.161) in the risk of developing DR. Patients with the C allele of rs2048327 compared to the homozygotes for the wild type T allele exhibited a higher density of SLC22A3 (OCT3)-positive cells (10.5 ± 4.5/mm2 vs. 6.1 ± 2.7/mm2, respectively; p < 0.001). We showed the association of the rs2048327 SLC22A3 gene polymorphism with DR in a Slovenian cohort with type 2 diabetes mellitus, indicating its possible role as a genetic risk factor for the development of this diabetic complication.
Nearshore Habitats as Nursery Grounds for Recreational Important Fishes

Six protected backreef embayments on St. Croix's northeast and southeast coasts were sampled to determine species composition and juvenile fish abundance, The study sites on the northeast end consisted of Cottongarden Bay, Teague Bay and Yellowcliff Bay. They were sampled monthly from October 1998 to September 1999. The study sites on the southeast end of St. Croix consisted of Turner Hole Bay, Robin Bay, and Great Pond Bay. These were sampled monthly from July 2000 to September 2000. Juvenile reef fish assemblages were sampled using three complementary sampling methods: visual strip transect census, fish traps, and beach seine net. By comparing juvenile fish communities from distinct habitats (patch reef, seagrass, rubble, algal plains, and sand) within the six embayments, significant differences in fish densities and number of species per area were identified. Patch reef habitats had more species per area than any other habitat. Juvenile fish commonly observed in embayments included scarids, labrids and haemulids, The slippery dick, Halichoeres bivittatus, the bucktooth parrotfish, S. radians, the spotted goatfish, Pseudupeneus maculatus, and newly settled Haemulon unknown were among the most abundant species found in embayments. The juvenile phase of certain economically important reef fishes appear to prefer these nearshore embayments.
Engineering and Purification of Microcin C7 Variants Resistant to Trypsin and Analysis of Their Biological Activity

Microcin C7 (McC) as a viable form of antimicrobial has gained substantial attention due to its distinctive antimicrobial activity, by targeting aspartyl tRNA synthetase. McC can be a potential solution against pathogenic microbial infections in the postantibiotic era. However, considering that degradation by digestive enzymes can disrupt the function of this peptide in the gastrointestinal tract, in this study, we attempt to design McC variants to overcome several barriers that may affect its stability and biological activity. The mccA gene encoding the McC peptide precursor was mutated and 12 new McC variants with trypsin resistance were found. The Yej+rimL− strain was used as an indicator to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The results showed that three variants, including R2A, R2T and R2Q, among 12 variants formed by the replacement of the second arginine of the McC peptide with different amino acids, were resistant to trypsin and had an outstanding antimicrobial ability, with MIC values of 12.5, 25, and 25 μg/mL, respectively. Taken together, our findings show that the engineering of the site-directed mutagenesis of McC significantly enhances McC trypsin resistance and maintains a great antimicrobial activity.
Cross-Modality Features Fusion for Synthetic Aperture Radar Image Segmentation

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image segmentation stands as a formidable research frontier within the domain of SAR image interpretation. The fully convolutional network (FCN) methods have recently brought remarkable improvements in SAR image segmentation. Nevertheless, these methods do not utilize the peculiarities of SAR images, leading to suboptimal segmentation accuracy. To address this issue, we rethink SAR image segmentation in terms of sequential information of transformers and cross-modal features. We first discuss the peculiarities of SAR images and extract the mean and texture features utilized as auxiliary features. The extraction of auxiliary features helps unearth the distinctive information in the SAR images. Afterward, a feature-enhanced FCN with the transformer encoder structure, termed FE-FCN, can be extracted to context- and pixel-level features. In FE-FCN, the features of a single-mode encoder are aligned and inserted into the model to explore the potential correspondence between modes. We also employ long skip connections to share each modality’s distinguishing and particular features. Finally, we present the connection-enhanced conditional random field (CE-CRF) to capture the connection information of the image pixels. Since the CE-CRF utilizes the auxiliary features to enhance the reliability of the connection information, the segmentation results of FE-FCN are further optimized. Comparative experiments were conducted on the Fangchenggang (FCG), Pucheng (PC), and Gaofen (GF) SAR datasets. Our method demonstrates superior segmentation accuracy compared to other conventional image segmentation methods, as confirmed by the experimental results.
Identification of Colletotrichum aenigma as the new causal agent of leaf blight disease on Aucuba japonica Thunb., and screenings of effective fungicides for its sustainable management

Aucuba japonica Thunb is an evergreen woody ornamental plant with significant economic and ecological values. It also produces aucubin, showing a variety of biological activities. It is widely planted in the southwest region of China, including karst landscape areas in Guizhou Province. In January 2022, a serious leaf blight disease was observed on the leaves of A. japonica in the outdoor gardens of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China. The causal agent was identified as Colletotrichum aenigma through amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, translation of the chitin synthase (CHS) and actin (ACT) genes, and morphological characterizations. Koch’s postulates were confirmed by its pathogenicity on healthy leaves, including re-isolation and identification. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. aenigma causing leaf blight on A. japonica worldwide. To identify pathogen characteristics that could be utilized for future disease management, the effects of temperature and light on mycelial growth, conidia production, and conidial germination, and the effects of humidity on conidial germination were studied. Optimal temperatures for mycelial growth of C. aenigma BY827 were 25–30°C, while 15°C and 35°C were favorable for conidia production. Concurrently, alternating 10-h light and 14-h dark, proved to be beneficial for mycelial growth and conidial germination. Additionally, conidial germination was enhanced at 90% humidity. In vitro screenings of ten chemical pesticides to assess their efficacy in suppressing C. aenigma representative strain BY827. Among them, difenoconazole showed the best inhibition rate, with an EC50 (concentration for 50% of maximal effect) value of 0.0148 μg/ml. Subsequently, field experiment results showed that difenoconazole had the highest control efficiency on A. japonica leaf blight (the decreasing rate of disease incidence and decreasing rate of disease index were 44.60 and 47.75%, respectively). Interestingly, we discovered that C. aenigma BY827 may develop resistance to mancozeb, which is not reported yet among Colletotrichum spp. strains. In conclusion, our study provided new insights into the causal agent of A. japonica leaf blight, and the effective fungicides evaluated provided an important basis and potential resource for the sustainable control of A. japonica leaf blight caused by C. aenigma in the field.
Improving Nursing Assessment in Adult Hospitalization Units: A Secondary Analysis

The main objective of this study was to analyze the impact of a multifaceted strategy to improve the assessment of functional capacity, risk of pressure injuries, and risk of falls at the time of admission of patients in adult hospitalization units. This was a secondary analysis of the VALENF project databases during two periods (October–December 2020, before the strategy, and October–December 2021, after the strategy). The quantity and quality of nursing assessments performed on patients admitted to adult hospitalization units were evaluated using the Barthel index, Braden index, and Downton scale. The number of assessments completed before the implementation of the new strategy was n = 686 (28.01%), versus n = 1445 (58.73%) in 2021 (p < 0.001). The strategy improved the completion of the evaluations of the three instruments from 63.4% (n = 435) to 71.8% (n = 1038) (p < 0.001). There were significant differences depending on the hospitalization unit and the assessment instrument (p < 0.05). The strategy employed was, therefore, successful. The nursing assessments show a substantial improvement in both quantity and quality, representing a noticeable improvement in nursing practice. This study was not registered.
The Current Role of the sFlt-1/PlGF Ratio and the Uterine–Umbilical–Cerebral Doppler Ultrasound in Predicting and Monitoring Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: An Update with a Review of the Literature

Regarding the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, pre-eclampsia (PE) remains one of the leading causes of severe and life-threatening maternal and fetal complications. Screening of early-onset PE (<34 weeks of pregnancy), as well as late-onset PE (≥34 weeks), shows poor performance if based solely on clinical features. In recent years, biochemical markers from maternal blood—the pro-angiogenic protein placental growth factor (PlGF) and the antiangiogenic protein soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1)—and Doppler velocimetry indices—primarily the mean uterine pulsatility index (PI), but also the uterine resistivity index (RI), the uterine systolic/diastolic ratio (S/D), uterine and umbilical peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and uterine notching—have all shown improved screening performance. In this review, we summarize the current status of knowledge regarding the role of biochemical markers and Doppler velocimetry indices in early prediction of the onset and severity of PE and other placenta-related disorders, as well as their role in monitoring established PE and facilitating improved obstetrical surveillance of patients categorized as high-risk in order to prevent adverse outcomes. A sFlt-1/PlGF ratio ≤ 33 ruled out early-onset PE with 95% sensitivity and 94% specificity, whereas a sFlt-1/PlGF ≥88 predicted early-onset PE with 88.0% sensitivity and 99.5% specificity. Concerning the condition’s late-onset form, sFlt-1/PlGF ≤ 33 displayed 89.6% sensitivity and 73.1% specificity in ruling out the condition, whereas sFlt-1/PlGF ≥ 110 predicted the condition with 58.2% sensitivity and 95.5% specificity. The cut-off values of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio for the screening of PE were established in the PROGNOSIS study: a sFlt-1/PlGF ratio equal to or lower than 38 ruled out the onset of PE within one week, regardless of the pregnancy’s gestational age. The negative predictive value in this study was 99.3%. In addition, sFlt-1/PlGF > 38 showed 66.2% sensitivity and 83.1% specificity in predicting the occurrence of PE within 4 weeks. Furthermore, 2018 ISUOG Practice Guidelines stated that a second-trimester mean uterine artery PI ≥ 1.44 increases the risk of later PE development. The implementation of a standard screening procedure based on the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio and uterine Doppler velocimetry may improve early detection of pre-eclampsia and other placenta-related disorders.
MAGIC - how MAtter’s extreme phases can be revealed in Gravitational wave observations and in relativistic heavy Ion Collision experiments

Nearly one hundred years after Albert Einstein developed the field equations of general relativity and predicted the existence of gravitational waves, a gravitational wave event from a binary neutron star merger (GW170817) was detected in August 2017 by the LIGO/VIRGO collaboration. During the thereon analysis of the gravitational wave data, the equation of state of elementary matter could be constrained in the regime of high densities/temperatures. Recent simulations show, that the appearance of a hadron to quark phase transition in the interior region of a hybrid star merger remnant might change the overall properties of the merger event and could be detectable in future. On the one hand, 4D-simulations of binary neutron star mergers show that these astrophysical systems represent optimal laboratories to investigate the phase structure of quantum chromodynamics. On the other hand, accelerators like the FAIR facility at GSI Helmholtzzentrum allow one to study the properties of the quark-gluon plasma produced in relativistic collisions of heavy ions. This article combines a survey of recent advancements in two rather distinct fields, which reveal - on first sight - a surprising similarity of both, namely relativistic collisions of nuclei and of neutron star mergers.
Life History and Demography of Trillium ovatum Pursh. (Liliaceae)in Western Montana

Trillium ovatum Pursh. (Liliaceae) is a long-lived, spring ephemeral that grows in moist, coniferous forest habitats of the western United States. It is a member of the Trillium, or pedicellate, subgenus—bearing a single white flower on a pedicel. These flowers represent the only means of reproduction, as there is no asexual clonal growth in this species, and plants are slow to reach sexual maturity, presumably when a threshold of rhizome size is attained, which can take a minimum of 15-18 years. Each flower produces a capsule containing one to 150 seeds, each of which bears an oily food body, called an elaiosome, that is attractive to ants, yellow jackets (Vespula vulgaris), and other insects, which aids in seed dispersal. Seeds require one cold period for germination, at which time only the root emerges, and another cold period for cotyledon emergence the following year. The life-history stages of T. ovatum include a cotyledon stage, one-leaf vegetative stage, three-leaf vegetative (juvenile) stage, three-leaf reproductive (flowering), and three-leaf nonflowering regressive stage. Trillium exhibit stage class regressions (e.g. three-leaf flowering individuals transitioning to three-leaf nonflowering regressive stage), as well as extended dormancies—the lack of aboveground growth for one or more years. Trillium ovatum face many of the same threats as other forest understory species— anthropogenic disturbance such as logging and overharvest for horticultural and medicinal use, competition from nonnative invasive plant species, and overgrazing by deer, to name a few. Baseline long-term research of this species is necessary to understand population dynamics in the face of ecosystem change and to address conservation issues surrounding the health and welfare of long-lived understory species in general. Extensive investigations of Trillium, including T. ovatum, have been accomplished, yet no prior studies of T. ovatum have been conducted at the eastern edge of its distribution in Montana, where populations experience increased aridity and highly variable climatic conditions as compared to other regions where T. ovatum occurs. This chapter reviews basic biologic features of T. ovatum, and threats to populations. Distribution and habitat Western trillium (Trillium ovatum Pursh.) is an herbaceous perennial plant found in mesic forested sites from southern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta, southward through the Cascades in Washington and Oregon, western Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah, to the California Coast Range as far as Monterey