Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synergy of the westerly winds and monsoons in lake evolution of global closed basins since the Last Glacial Maximum

Abstract. Monsoon system and westerly circulation, to which climate change responds differently, are two important components of global atmospheric circulation, interacting with each other in the mid-to-low latitudes and having synergy effect to those regions. Relevant researches on global millennial-scale climate change in monsoon and westerlies regions are mostly devoted to multi-proxy analyses of lakes, stalagmites, ice cores, marine and eolian sediments. Different responses from these proxies to long-term environmental change make understanding climate change pattern in monsoonal and westerlies regions difficult. Accordingly, we disaggregated global closed basins into areas governed by monsoon and westerly winds and unified palaeoclimate indicators, as well as combined with the lake models and paleoclimate simulations for tracking millennial-scale evolution characteristics and mechanisms of global monsoon and westerly winds since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Our results concluded that the effective moisture in most closed basins of the mid-latitudes Northern Hemisphere is mainly a trend on the decrease since the LGM, and of the low-latitudes is mainly a trend on the rise. Millennial-scale water balance change exhibits an obvious boundary between global westerlies and monsoon regions in closed basins, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. In the monsoon dominated closed basins of the Northern Hemisphere, humid climate prevails in the early-mid Holocene and relative dry climate appears in the LGM and late Holocene. While in the westerly winds dominated closed basins of the Northern Hemisphere, climate is characterized by relative humid LGM and mid-Holocene (MH) compared with the dry early Holocene, which is likely to be connected with precipitation brought by the westerly circulation. This study provides insights into long-term evolution and synergy of monsoon and westerly wind systems and basis for projection of future hydrological balance in the low-to-mid latitudes.
Direction Estimation and Tracking of Coherent Sources Using a Single Acoustic Vector Sensor

A single acoustic vector sensor (AVS) cannot be used to find the direction-of-arrival (DOA) of two or more coherent (fully correlated) sources. We have proposed a technique for estimating DOAs (in 2D geometry) of two simultaneous coherent sources using single AVS under the assumption that acoustic sources enter in the field sequentially. The DOA estimation has been investigated with two different configurations of AVS, each consisting of three microphones in a plane. The technique has been also applied in tracking (a) an acoustic source in the presence of stationary interfering coherent source and (b) two coherent sources when the sources are changing their locations alternatively. The experimental environment has been generated using the Finite-Element Method tool viz. COMSOL to corroborate the proposed scheme.
Geomorphic evolution of the Qingshuigou channel of the Yellow River Delta in response to changing water and sediment regimes and human interventions

Delta channels are important landforms at the interface of sediment transfer from terrestrial to oceanic realms and affect large, and often vulnerable, human populations. Understanding these dynamics is pressing because delta processes are sensitive to climate change and human activity via adjustments in, for example, mean sea level and water/sediment regimes. Data collected over a 40‐year period along a 110‐km distributary channel of the Yellow River Delta offer an ideal opportunity to investigate morphological responses to changing water and sediment regimes and intensive human activity. Complementary data from the delta front provide an opportunity to explore the interaction between delta channel geomorphology and delta‐front erosion–accretion patterns. Cross‐section dimensions and shape, longitudinal gradation and a sediment budget are used to quantify spatial and temporal morphological change along the Qingshuigou channel. Distinctive periods of channel change are identified, and analysis provides a detailed understanding of the temporal and spatial adjustments of the channel to specific human interventions, including two artificial channel diversions and changes in water and sediment supply driven by river management, and downstream delta‐front development. Adjustments to the diversions included a short‐lived period of erosion upstream and significant erosion in the newly activated channel, which progressed downstream. Channel geomorphology widened and deepened during periods when management increased water yield and decreased sediment supply, and narrowed and shallowed during periods when management reduced water yield and the sediment load. Changes along the channel are driven by both upstream and downstream forcing. Finally, there is some evidence that changing delta‐front erosion–accretion patterns played an important role in the geomorphic evolution of the deltaic channel; an area that requires further investigation. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Porosity Structure Offering Improved Biomechanical Stress Distribution and Enhanced Pain-Relieving Potential

In this study, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) human body model and a body sculpting clothing (BSC) which was fitted onto that body to simulate the biomechanical stress variations of the BSC with different porosity structures using the finite element method. The mechanical properties of the BSC with different porosity structures were also examined through the tensile testing. Analytical results indicated that the Von Mises stress of the BSC with a porosity structure of 10.28% varied from 0.076 MPa to 337.79 MPa. As compared with a porosity structure of 35.18%, the von Mises stress varied from 0.067 MPa to 207.30 MPa. The von Mises stress decreased as the porosity increasing. Based on the statistical analysis findings, we obtained a formula to predict the biomechanical relationships (von Mises stress and strain) between the human body and porosity of the BSC. Therefore, these findings could offer potential information in the modification of BSC for pain-relieving applications.
Asymptotic in undirected random graph models with a noisy degree sequence

Abstract In the case of differential privacy under the Laplace mechanism, the asymptotic properties of parameter estimator have been derived in some special models such as model, but under a general noisy mechanism, the results are lacking. In this article, we release the degree sequences of undirected weighted networks under a general noisy mechanism with the discrete Laplace mechanism as a special case. We establish a unified asymptotic result including the consistency and asymptotically normality of the parameter estimator. We apply it to the model, -linear model, maximum entropy models with discrete weights.
Monitoring Technologies for Multi-Sensor System based on Wireless Data Transmission Modules

The need of energy for sustainable development is evolving at a rapid rate. Hence renewable resources need to be explored efficiently. Solar energy is a promising field for fulfilling the energy requirements of the society which needs to be monitored carefully using sophisticated tool consisting of wireless modules and Internet of Things (IoT). This paper reviews some latest wireless monitoring modules based on multiple sensors utilized for solar PV system. Current issues with regards to several factors are discussed and recommendation are presented based on the study conducted.
ITT-RNA: Imperfection Tolerable Training for RRAM-Crossbar-Based Deep Neural-Network Accelerator

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have gained a strong momentum among various applications. The enormous matrix-multiplication exhibited in the above DNNs is computation and memory intensive. Resistive random-access memory crossbar (RRAM-crossbar) consisting of memristor cells can naturally carry out the matrix-vector multiplication. RRAM-crossbar-based accelerator, therefore, has two orders of magnitude of higher energy-efficiency than conventional accelerators. The imperfect fabrication process of RRAM-crossbars, however, causes various defects and process variations. These fabrication imperfections not only result in significant yield loss but also degrade the accuracy of DNNs executed on the RRAM-crossbars. In this article, we first propose an accelerator-friendly neural-network training method, by leveraging the inherent self-healing capability of the neural network, to prevent the large-weight synapses from being mapped to the imperfect memristors. Next, we propose a dynamic adjustment mechanism to extend the above method for DNNs, such as multilayer perceptrons (MLPs), wherein the imperfect-memristor induced errors can accumulate and magnify through multiple layers. Such off-device training method is a pure software solution, and it is unable to provide enough accuracy for convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Several works propose error-tolerable hardware design by allowing the retraining of CNNs on the RRAM-crossbar. Although this hardware-based on-device training method is effective, the frequent write operation on RRAM-crossbar hurt the endurance of RRAM-crossbars. Consequently, we propose a software and hardware co-design methodology to effectively preserve the classification accuracy of CNN with few on-device training iterations. The experimental results show that the proposed method can guarantee ≤1.1% loss of accuracy for resistance variations in MLP and CNN. Moreover, the proposed method can guarantee ≤1% loss of accuracy even when stuck-at-faults (SAFs) rate = 20%.
Perceptions of Mercury Risk and Its Management

ABSTRACT Anthropogenic activities, such as coal burning for electricity generation, release mercury (Hg), a toxic, bioaccumulative pollutant with potential health impacts primarily borne by specific population groups such as women of child-bearing age and subsistence fishers. Current Hg risk communication efforts and much of the extant research on Hg risk perceptions focus on these groups most at-risk. Little is known about the perceptions of Hg risk among the general public, although their support is required for implementing Hg emissions mitigation policies. We report results from two surveys—one a U.S. nationally representative Internet survey and the other a mail survey of New England residents—on a range of perceptions of the general population regarding Hg risk and its management. Our analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from the surveys point toward some gaps in public understanding of Hg risk, on aspects such as sources of mercury release, agencies responsible for mercury information, and products that contain mercury. Our results suggest that agencies responsible for providing Hg information should go beyond fish advisories and enhance their efforts at wider dissemination of information on Hg risk and its management.
Autocrine activation by interferon‐γ of STAT factors following T cell activation

The activation of T cells requires engagement of the T cell receptor/CD3 complex and co‐stimulatory molecules, and results in the triggering of several signaling pathways which lead rapidly to the nuclear translocation of several transcription factors, such as nuclear factor (NF)‐ϰB and NF‐AT. A result of this activation process is the induction of a number of genes, including those encoding cytokines such as interleukin‐2, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and interferon (IFN)‐γ which have important immunoregulatory effects. We report here that a DNA‐binding factor containing STAT1 also becomes activated in human peripheral blood T lymphocytes or Jurkat cells, although not until 1–2 h after stimulation. Activation is delayed a further 1–2 h when mononuclear cell cultures are stimulated by an antigen which requires processing. Appearance of the STAT1 factor is significantly reduced in the presence of cyclosporin A, and blocked by cycloheximide, indicating that its activation is dependent upon a protein(s) synthesized in response to initial signaling events. Neutralizing antiserum against IFN‐γ, but not other cytokines tested, blocked activation of the factor almost completely, and IFN‐γ was found in the culture supernatants of stimulated cells at levels at which recombinant IFN‐γ could activate the factor in naive cells. Therefore, a STAT1 transcription factor is activated by IFN‐γ synthesized and released upon stimulation of T lymphocyte populations. While Jurkat cells both secret and respond to IFN‐γ in an autocrine loop, it seems likely that the responding cells may differ from those synthesizing this cytokine in the mononuclear cell cultures in the light of the recent report that Th1 cells lack the IFN‐γ receptor chain necessary for activation of STAT1 (Pernis, A., Gupta, S., Gollob, K. J., Garfein, E., Coffman, R. L., Schindler, C., and Rothman, P., Science 1995. 269: 245).
CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION AND PROFILING WITH RFM ANALYSIS

This paper is a case study on segmentation and profiling of customers according to their lifetime value by using the RFM (Recency, Frequency and Monetary Value) model which is an analytical method for behavioral customer segmentation. Real customer data that is gathered from a fuel station in Istanbul, Turkey is used for the case study. The data contain 1015 customers’ arrival frequency, last arrival date and total spend amount in the first half of 2016, and 10 descriptor variables of customers. First, demographic characteristics of fuel station customers were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Then customers' RFM score was calculated through SPSS program, and customers were divided into 5 segments according to their RFM scores by cluster analysis. Finally, the customer profile of segments has been created by using Correspond analysis and Discriminant analysis. Although fuel station managers think that the most valuable customer for their company are automobile drivers, result of the analysis suggests that the most valuable customers are Truck drivers. At the end of the paper, recommendations are made based on customer profiles of two most valuables segments that are named VIP and GOLD.
Study of spirometry parameters in suspected asthmatic children in a tertiary care hospital

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood and accounts for one of the top ten causes for disability adjusted life years in mid childhood age 5-14 years. Though most prevalent still it is one of the most difficult disorders to diagnose, one of the major reasons being inability of young children to perform a successful spirometry and hence fail to meet the diagnostic criteria. Clinically asthma is diagnosed by using Asthma Predictive Index (API), based on history and clinical examination of the child. These clinically diagnosed/suspected asthmatic children when subjected to spirometry to confirm the diagnosis, did not exactly meet the criteria and hence reported as restrictive lung disease. However based on the clinical diagnosis the children who continue to receive the treatment for asthma, inhalational corticosteroids and bronchodilators, respond well to the treatment given. Hence on reanalysing the same spirometry reports in a different way we found that looking at the relatively independent part of the forced vital capacity (FVC) curve matches the ABSTRACT
Reduction-sensitive core-cross-linked mPEG–poly(ester-carbonate) micelles for glutathione-triggered intracellular drug release

A functionalized six-membered cyclic carbonate monomer containing a protected thiol group, 2-(2,4-dinitrophenylthio)ethyl-5-methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxane-5-carboxylate (MTC), was prepared. Ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of MTC and L-lactide (LA) initiated by monohydroxyl poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) was successfully performed with controlled polymer molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. The structures of the obtained monomer and copolymers were confirmed by NMR and FTIR. After deprotection under mild conditions, the amphiphilic block copolymer was self-assembled into micelles in aqueous solution. By oxidation of the free thiol groups in the PMTC segments, the micelles with the cross-linked core were formed, and the enhanced stability against disruptive conditions was demonstrated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement in the presence of DMF. Doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into the micelles as a model drug. The in vitro DOX release behaviors indicated that cross-linking of the micelle cores resulted in a slow drug release and this process was greatly accelerated by adding glutathione (GSH) solution with comparable concentrations to intracellular levels in tumor cells. The cross-linked micelles were demonstrated to be efficiently internalized into the cells. Faster intracellular DOX release was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in the GSH pretreated MCF-7 cells than in the unpretreated MCF-7 cells. In vitro MTT assay revealed that the cross-linked micelles were biocompatible with L929 cells and MCF-7 cells. As expected, DOX-loaded cross-linked micelles showed higher cellular proliferation inhibition towards glutathione pretreated MCF-7 cells than that towards the unpretreated ones at various GSH concentrations. These results indicated that the bioreducible core-cross-linked micelles can be used as drug carriers for intelligent drug delivery.
Population genetic structure of golden pheasant Chrysolophus pictus in the Qinling Mountains, China

The golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) is an endemic pheasant of central China and is protected under national legislation. The Qinling Mountains form a natural barrier between northern and southern China. We investigated the population genetic structure using 1123 nucleotides of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-region from 55 individuals sampled from five populations of gold pheasant in the Qinling Mountains. We found sixteen haplotypes defined by fourteen polymorphic sites. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the haplotypes sampled from the five putative populations did not cluster into separate geographic branches. There was an insignificant genetic differentiation among the putative populations (except GSTS population), probably due to high levels of gene flow. Results from the mismatch distribution and neutrality test analyses indicated the populations did not experience a range expansion over the course of their histories. They also suggested there was no geographical isolation shaped by the Qingling Mountains for Chrysolophus pictus.
Analytical, Nutritional and Clinical Methods Covalent immobilization of invertase on microporous pHEMA-GMA membrane

Poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate–glycidyl methacrylate) (pHEMA–GMA) membrane was prepared by UV-initiated photopolymerization. Invertase was immobilized by the condensation reaction of the epoxy groups of glycidyl methacrylate in the membrane structure with amino groups of the enzyme. The Km values were 22 mM and 58 mM for free and immobilized enzyme, respectively. Immobilization improved the pH stability and temperature stability of the enzyme. Thermal stability was found to increase with immobilization. The half times for the activity decay at 70 � C were found to be 11 and 38 min for the free and immobilized enzyme, respectively. The immobilized enzyme activity was found to be quite stable in later experiments.
Burnout among obstetrics and gynaecology registrars in teaching hospitals of the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School

Background . There is an upward trend in burnout among all professions, including healthcare workers. Few causative factors have been identified and few interventions are available to decrease risk. At present, there are no data on burnout among obstetricians and gynaecologists in South Africa. Objectives. To determine the prevalence of burnout among registrars in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology the University of the Witwatersrand and identify risk factors for burnout in this setting. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using a convenience sample of registrars at the University of the Witwatersrand Obstetrics and Gynaecology circuit between September and October 2017. Electronic surveys were sent to 61 registrars in the circuit at that time. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to evaluate burnout for each of the three burnout subgroups both separately and cumulatively. Results. Of the responding participants, 78% were women. All four years of training were represented with ~23% of respondents in each year of study. Only 6% showed burnout in all three subgroups. There were high levels both of emotional exhaustion (85%) and depersonalisation (78.7%). Significant predictors of emotional exhaustion included female gender and number of years as a medical officer before becoming a registrar. Conclusion. Burnout, particularly among women, is significantly high among registrars in the O&G department at University of the Witwatersrand. Increased awareness and support for those affected is vital to improve registrar functioning and resultant patient care.
The Genera of Oysters and the Australian Species

Both conchological and malacological characters have been applied to the differentiation of the genera and species. Characters not previously used include the arrangement of tentacles on the mantle folds and the pigmentation on gills, palps, and mantle folds. Three genera are recognized, Ostrea Linnaeus, Crassostrea Sacco, and Pycnodonte Fischer de Waldheim. Ten native species of Australian oyster and one imported species are described in detail. Two keys to the species are provided, one based on shell characters and one based on the details of the soft anatomy.
Concurrent Inhibition of Kit- and FcϵRI-Mediated Signaling: Coordinated Suppression of Mast Cell Activation

Although primarily required for the growth, differentiation, and survival of mast cells, Kit ligand (stem cell factor) is also required for optimal antigen-mediated mast cell activation. Therefore, concurrent inhibition of Kit- and FcϵRI-mediated signaling would be an attractive approach for targeting mast cell-driven allergic reactions. To explore this concept, we examined the effects of hypothemycin, a molecule that we identified as having such properties, in human and mouse mast cells. Hypothemycin blocked Kit activation and Kit-mediated mast cell adhesion in a similar manner to the well characterized Kit inhibitor imatinib mesylate (imatinib). In contrast to imatinib, however, hypothemycin also effectively inhibited FcϵRI-mediated degranulation and cytokine production in addition to the potentiation of these responses via Kit. The effect of hypothemycin on Kit-mediated responses could be explained by its inhibition of Kit kinase activity, whereas the inhibitory effects on FcϵRI-dependent signaling were at the level of Btk activation. Because hypothemycin also significantly reduced the mouse passive cutaneous anaphylaxis response in vivo, these data provide proof of principle for a coordinated approach for the suppression of mast cell activation and provide a rationale for the development of compounds with a similar therapeutic profile.