Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gravitational Lensing by a Massive Object in a Dark Matter Halo. I. Critical Curves and Caustics

We study the gravitational lensing properties of a massive object in a dark matter halo, concentrating on the critical curves and caustics of the combined lens. We model the system in the simplest approximation by a point mass embedded in a spherical Navarro–Frenk–White density profile. The low number of parameters of such a model permits a systematic exploration of its parameter space. We present galleries of critical curves and caustics for different masses and positions of the point in the halo. We demonstrate the existence of a critical mass, above which the gravitational influence of the centrally positioned point is strong enough to eliminate the radial critical curve and caustic of the halo. In the point-mass parameter space we identify the boundaries at which critical-curve transitions and corresponding caustic metamorphoses occur. The number of transitions as a function of the position of the point is surprisingly high, ranging from three for higher masses to as many as eight for lower masses. On the caustics we identify the occurrence of six different types of caustic metamorphoses. We illustrate the peculiar properties of the single radial critical curve and caustic appearing in an additional unusual nonlocal metamorphosis for a critical mass positioned at the halo center. Although we construct the model primarily to study the lensing influence of individual galaxies in a galaxy cluster, it can also be used to study the lensing by dwarf satellite galaxies in the halo of a host galaxy, as well as (super)massive black holes at a general position in a galactic halo.
Camouflaged Instance Segmentation: Dataset and Benchmark Suite

—This paper pushes the envelope on camouﬂaged regions to decompose them into meaningful components, namely, camouﬂaged instances. To promote the new task of camouﬂaged instance segmentation, we introduce a new large-scale dataset, namely CAMO++, by extending our preliminary CAMO dataset (camouﬂaged object segmentation) in terms of quantity and diversity. The new dataset substantially increases the number of images with hierarchical pixel-wise ground-truths. We also provide a benchmark suite for the task of camouﬂaged instance segmentation. In particular, we conduct extensive evaluation of state-of-the-art instance segmentation detectors on our newly constructed CAMO++ dataset in various scenarios. The dataset, evaluation suite, and benchmark will be publicly available at our project page. 1
TeCANet: Temporal-Contextual Attention Network for Environment-Aware Speech Dereverberation

In this paper, we exploit the effective way to leverage contextual information to improve the speech dereverberation performance in real-world reverberant environments. We propose a temporal-contextual attention approach on the deep neural network (DNN) for environment-aware speech dereverberation, which can adaptively attend to the contextual information. More specifically, a FullBand based Temporal Attention approach (FTA) is proposed, which models the correlations between the fullband information of the context frames. In addition, considering the difference between the attenuation of high frequency bands and low frequency bands (high frequency bands attenuate faster than low frequency bands) in the room impulse response (RIR), we also propose a SubBand based Temporal Attention approach (STA). In order to guide the network to be more aware of the reverberant environments, we jointly optimize the dereverberation network and the reverberation time (RT60) estimator in a multi-task manner. Our experimental results indicate that the proposed method outperforms our previously proposed reverberation-time-aware DNN and the learned attention weights are fully physical consistent. We also report a preliminary yet promising dereverberation and recognition experiment on real test data.
Pre-swelled nanostructured electrode for lithium ion battery: TiO2-pillared layered MnO2

Porous structure of layered manganate pillared with titania nanoparticles has been realized by the exfoliation and reassembling route. First, the layered protonic manganese oxide, H0.13MnO2·0.7H2O, is exfoliated by the intercalation of tetrabutylammonium (TBA) ions, and then the exfoliated manganate nanosheets are reassembled in the presence of titania nanoparticles, which results in porous nanohybrid materials. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Mn K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analyses clearly show that the titania nanoparticles with a diameter of 1 nm are successfully intercalated into the two dimensional manganate lattice without any deterioration of electronic structure and local symmetry of Mn ion. According to the N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, the present nanohybrid is determined to be highly porous with a high specific surface area (106 m2 g−1), which is 10 times larger than that (11 m2 g−1) of the pristine. Finally, electrochemical experiments demonstrate that the specific capacity of the present pillared material is 288 mA h g−1, which is significantly larger than the theoretical value (193 mA h g−1) from the physical mixture of the pristine potassium birnessite and titania nanoparticles.
Inversion of α-sine and α-cosine transforms on R

We consider the α-sine transform of the form Tαf(y)=∫0∞|sin(xy)|αf(x)dx for α > −1, where f is an integrable function on R+ . First, the inversion of this transform for α > 1 is discussed in the context of a more general family of integral transforms on the space of weighted, square-integrable functions on the positive real line. In an alternative approach, we show that the α-sine transform of a function f admits a series representation for all α > −1, which involves the Fourier transform of f and coefficients which can all be explicitly computed with the Gauss hypergeometric theorem. Based on this series representation we construct a system of linear equations whose solution is an approximation of the Fourier transform of f at equidistant points. Sampling theory and Fourier inversion allow us to compute an estimate of f from its α-sine transform. The same approach can be extended to a similar α-cosine transform on R+ for α > −1, and the two-dimensional spherical α-sine and cosine transforms for α > −1, α ≠ 0, 2, 4, …. In an extensive numerical analysis, we consider a number of examples, and compare the inversion results of both methods presented.
Scoring Graspability based on Grasp Regression for Better Grasp Prediction

Grasping objects is one of the most important abilities that a robot needs to master in order to interact with its environment. Current state-of-the-art methods rely on deep neural networks trained to jointly predict a graspability score together with a regression of an offset with respect to grasp reference parameters. However, these two predictions are performed independently, which can lead to a decrease in the actual graspability score when applying the predicted offset. Therefore, in this paper, we extend a state-of-the-art neural network with a scorer that evaluates the graspability of a given position, and introduce a novel loss function which correlates regression of grasp parameters with graspability score. We show that this novel architecture improves performance from 82.13% for a state-of-the-art grasp detection network to 85.74% on Jacquard dataset. When the learned model is transferred onto a real robot, the proposed method correlating graspability and grasp regression achieves a 92.4% rate compared to 88.1% for the baseline trained without the correlation.
The Preparation of Levulinic Acid by Acid-catalyzed Hydrolysis of Bamboo Shoot Shell in the Presence of Acidic Ionic Liquid Using the Box-Behnken Design

Studies on the hydrolysis of bamboo shoot shell to levulinic acid with ionic liquid using Box-Behnken design were carried out. A regression model was developed to describe the effects of independent variables and their interactions on levulinic acid yield. The P-value of coefficient for R ionic liquid and reaction time were <0.0001 and 0.005, respectively, suggesting that the two effects were significant. The coefficient determination (R 2 = 96.18%) for the second-order model showed that good agreement between the experimental and modeled data was obtained. Confirmatory tests, with a levulinic acid yield of 38.2%, were obtained under the optimum conditions, which closely agreed with the predicted value.
Evaluation of Communication and Safety Behaviors During Hospital-Wide Code Response Simulation

Introduction To understand the baseline quality of team communication behaviors at our organization, we implemented institution-wide simulation training and measured the performance of safety behaviors of ad hoc teams in emergent situations. Methods Clinicians participated in 2 interprofessional video-recorded simulation scenarios, each followed by debriefing. Using a standardized evaluation instrument, 2 reviewers independently evaluated the presence or absence of desired team safety behaviors, including escalating care, sharing a mental model, establishing leadership, thinking out loud, and identifying roles and responsibilities. We also scored the quality of sharing the mental model, closed-loop communication, and overall team performance on a 7-point scale. Discordant reviews were resolved with scoring by an additional reviewer. Results A total of 1404 clinicians participated in 398 simulation scenarios, resulting in 257 usable videos. Overall, teams exhibited desired behaviors at the following frequencies: escalating care, 85%; sharing mental models, 66%; verbally establishing leadership, 6%; thinking out loud, 87%; and identifying roles and responsibilities, 27%. Across all reviews, the quality of the graded behaviors (of 7 points) was 2.8 for shared mental models, 3.3 for closed-loop communication, and 3.2 for overall team performance. Conclusions In a simulation setting with ad hoc teams, there was variable performance on completing safety behaviors and only a fair quality of graded communication behaviors. These results establish a baseline assessment of communication and teamwork behaviors and will guide future quality improvement interventions.
DNA methylation signatures in cord blood associated with birthweight are enriched for dmCpGs previously associated with maternal hypertension or pre-eclampsia, smoking and folic acid intake

ABSTRACT Many epidemiological studies have linked low birthweight to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in later life, with epigenetic proceseses suggested as an underlying mechanism. Here, we sought to identify neonatal methylation changes associated with birthweight, at the individual CpG and genomic regional level, and whether the birthweight-associated methylation signatures were associated with specific maternal factors. Using the Illumina Human Methylation EPIC array, we assessed DNA methylation in the cord blood of 557 and 483 infants from the UK Pregnancies Better Eating and Activity Trial and Southampton Women’s Survey, respectively. Adjusting for gestational age and other covariates, an epigenome-wide association study identified 2911 (FDR≤0.05) and 236 (Bonferroni corrected p ≤ 6.45×10−8) differentially methylated CpGs (dmCpGs), and 1230 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) (Stouffer ≤0.05) associated with birthweight. The top birthweight-associated dmCpG was located within the Homeobox Telomere-Binding Protein 1 (HMBOX1) gene with a 195 g (95%CI: −241, −149 g) decrease in birthweight per 10% increase in methylation, while the top DMR was located within the promoter of corticotropin-releasing hormone-binding protein (CRHBP). Furthermore, the birthweight-related dmCpGs were enriched for dmCpGs previously associated with gestational hypertension/pre-eclampsia (14.51%, p = 1.37×10−255), maternal smoking (7.71%, p = 1.50 x 10−57) and maternal plasma folate levels during pregnancy (0.33%, p = 0.029). The identification of birthweight-associated methylation markers, particularly those connected to specific pregnancy complications and exposures, may provide insights into the developmental pathways that affect birthweight and suggest surrogate markers to identify adverse prenatal exposures for stratifying for individuals at risk of later NCDs.
Labelling of N-hydroxysuccinimide-modified rhodamine B on cellulose nanofibrils by the amidation reaction

We have labelled cellulose nanofibrils with rhodamine B and characterized the grafting and the fluorescent properties by infrared and UV/visible spectroscopy together with fluorescence spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The cellulose nanofibrils were surface modified with amine groups using 4-(Boc-aminomethyl)phenyl isothiocyanate, that allows grafting of a wide number of commercially available molecules that e.g. contain carboxylic acid groups. The amine-modified cellulose nanofibrils were reacted with N-hydroxysuccinimide-modified rhodamine B ester through the amidation reaction. The labeling of the dye onto CNF results in a red-shift of the absorption and emission bands and despite some quenching of the fluorescence intensity of the surface-bound chromophore, it was possible to image the luminescent CNF at both low and high magnification using a confocal laser scanning microscope.
Prognostic implications of an autophagy-based signature in colorectal cancer

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract Background: The heterogeneity of colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant challenge to the precise treatment of patients. CRC has been divided into 4 consensus molecular subtypes (CMSs) with distinct biological and clinical characteristics, of which CMS4 has the mesenchymal identity and the highest relapse rate. Autophagy plays a vital role in CRC development and therapeutic response. Methods: The gene expression profiles collected from 6 datasets were applied to this study. Network analysis was applied to integrate the subtype-specific molecular modalities and autophagy signature to establish an autophagy-based prognostic signature for CRC (APSCRC). Results: Network analysis revealed that 6 prognostic autophagy genes (VAMP7, DLC1, FKBP1B, PEA15, PEX14, and DNAJB1) predominantly regulated the mesenchymal modalities of CRC. The APSCRC was constructed by these 6 core genes and applied for risk calculation. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups based on APSCRC score in all cohorts. Patients within the high-risk group showed an unfavorable prognosis. In multivariate analysis, the APSCRC remained an independent predictor of prognosis. Moreover, the APSCRC achieved higher prognostic power than commercialized multigene signatures. Conclusions: We proposed and validated an autophagy-based signature, which is a promising prognostic biomarker of CRC patients. Further prospective studies are warranted to test and validate its efficiency for clinical application.
Differential survival throughout the full annual cycle of a migratory bird presents a life-history trade-off.

Long-distance migrations are among the most physically demanding feats animals perform. Understanding the potential costs and benefits of such behaviour is a fundamental question in ecology and evolution. A hypothetical cost of migration should be outweighed by higher productivity and/or higher annual survival, but few studies on migratory species have been able to directly quantify patterns of survival throughout the full annual cycle and across the majority of a species' range. Here, we use telemetry data from 220 migratory Egyptian vultures Neophron percnopterus, tracked for 3,186 bird months and across approximately 70% of the species' global distribution, to test for differences in survival throughout the annual cycle. We estimated monthly survival probability relative to migration and latitude using a multi-event capture-recapture model in a Bayesian framework that accounted for age, origin, subpopulation and the uncertainty of classifying fates from tracking data. We found lower survival during migration compared to stationary periods (β = -0.816; 95% credible interval: -1.290 to -0.318) and higher survival on non-breeding grounds at southern latitudes (<25°N; β = 0.664; 0.076-1.319) compared to on breeding grounds. Survival was also higher for individuals originating from Western Europe (β = 0.664; 0.110-1.330) as compared to further east in Europe and Asia, and improved with age (β = 0.030; 0.020-0.042). Anthropogenic mortalities accounted for half of the mortalities with a known cause and occurred mainly in northern latitudes. Many juveniles drowned in the Mediterranean Sea on their first autumn migration while there were few confirmed mortalities in the Sahara Desert, indicating that migration barriers are likely species-specific. Our study advances the understanding of important fitness trade-offs associated with long-distance migration. We conclude that there is lower survival associated with migration, but that this may be offset by higher non-breeding survival at lower latitudes. We found more human-caused mortality farther north, and suggest that increasing anthropogenic mortality could disrupt the delicate migration trade-off balance. Research to investigate further potential benefits of migration (e.g. differential productivity across latitudes) could clarify how migration evolved and how migrants may persist in a rapidly changing world.
Tabletop Board Game Elements and Gamification Interventions for Health Behavior Change: Realist Review and Proposal of a Game Design Framework

Background Games, when used as interventional tools, can influence behavior change by incentivizing, reinforcing, educating, providing feedback loops, prompting, persuading, or providing meaning, fun, and community. However, not all game elements will appeal to all consumers equally, and different elements might work for different people and in different contexts. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a realist review of tabletop games targeting behavior change and to propose a framework for designing effective behavior change games. Methods A realist review was conducted to inform program theory in the development of tabletop games for health behavior change. The context, mechanisms used to change behavior, and outcomes of included studies were reviewed through a realist lens. Results Thirty-one papers met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Several design methods were identified that enhanced the efficacy of the games to change behavior. These included design by local teams, pilot testing, clearly defined targets of behavior change, conscious attention to all aspects of game design, including game mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics, and the elicitation of emotions. Delivery with other mediums, leveraging behavioral insights, prior training for delivery, and repeated play were also important. Some design elements that were found to reduce efficacy included limited replayability or lack of fun for immersive engagement. Conclusions Game designers need to consider all aspects of the context and the mechanisms to achieve the desired behavior change outcomes. Careful design thinking should include consideration of the game mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics, emotions, and contexts of the game and the players. People who know the players and the contexts well should design the games or have significant input. Testing in real-world settings is likely to lead to better outcomes. Careful selection and purposeful design of the behavior change mechanisms at play is essential. Fun and enjoyment of the player should be considered, as without engagement, there will be no desired intervention effect.
The Leading Causes of Death in the US for 2020.

Vital statistics data provide the most complete assessment of annual mortality burden and contribute key measurements of the direct and indirect mortality burden during a public health pandemic. While mortality statistics have historically been produced annually, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a pressing need for the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) National Vital Statistics System (
Moderators of Psychosocial Intervention Response for Children and Adolescents with Conduct Problems

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this Brief Report is to synthesize the current evidence base examining moderators of psychosocial intervention response for children and adolescents with conduct problems (CP). We also provide directions for future research. Method: We focused on four categories of psychosocial interventions for the prevention and/or treatment of CP: (1) parent management training (PMT) for children, (2) other family-based interventions for adolescents, (3) youth skills training, and (4) multicomponent interventions (i.e., family-based intervention plus skills training). Emphasis is placed on findings from meta-analyses. Results: Moderation analyses have occurred more frequently for PMT than for other types of interventions. Variables for which there was consistent evidence for positive moderation included higher initial severity of CP, father engagement, higher maternal depressive symptoms, individual administration (vs. group), and treatment/targeted prevention approaches (vs. universal prevention). Variables where there was evidence for no moderation (demonstrating generalizability) included child diagnostic status and family risk in PMT, and diagnostic status and intervention setting for skills training. However, for some variables, evidence of moderation was dependent on intervention type. Conclusions: Future research should examine multiple moderators in combination; incorporate innovative techniques such as integrative data analyses, individual participant data, and class-based modeling, which may identify moderator effects that are undetected by more traditional variable-oriented moderation analyses; and conduct moderated mediation models for informing developmental theory on the interplay of risk and protective factors.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients Recovering from COVID-19

Background: In hospitalized patients recovering from the SARS-coronavirus-2 disease 19 (COVID-19), high prevalence of muscle weakness and physical performance impairment has been observed. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation in these subjects in a real-life setting. Methods: Retrospective data analysis of patients recovering from COVID-19, including those requiring assisted ventilation or oxygen therapy, consecutively admitted to an in-patient pulmonary rehabilitation program between April 1 and August 15, 2020. Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB: primary outcome), Barthel Index (BI), and six-min walking distance were assessed as outcome measures. Results: Data of 140 patients were analyzed. After rehabilitation, patients showed improvements in SPPB {from: (median [IQR]) 0.5 (0–7) to 7 (4–10), p < 0.001} and BI (from 55 [30–90] to 95 [65–100], p < 0.001), as well as in other assessed outcome measures. The proportion of patients unable at admission to stand, rise from a chair and walk was significantly reduced (p < 0.00). Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation is possible and effective in patients recovering from COVID-19. Our findings may be useful to guide clinicians taking care of patients surviving COVID-19 infection.