Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance assessment of a Persian Gulf wind and wave forecasting system

ABSTRACT Data from three satellites (JASON2, CRYOSAT, and SARAL/AltiKa) and two buoys were used to examine the performance of wind and wave forecasting models in the Persian Gulf. The quality of the satellite data was first examined by comparing them with buoy data. Wind speed data from all three satellites were found to be close to in situ measurements; for wave heights, SARAL/AltiKa data showed the best comparisons. Model forecasts and buoy data indicated correlation coefficients between 0.72 and 0.86 for wind speeds and 0.85–0.94 for wave heights. The forecast was more accurate at the open sea buoy than at the coastal buoy. Relative to SARAL/AltiKa data, which was preferred for assessing modelled wave heights, correlation coefficients were between 0.86 and 0.90. For modelled wind speeds, correlation coefficients with the consolidated satellite dataset were between 0.80 and 0.88. Some anomalous results were partly attributed to the exclusion of air–sea temperature differences. The likelihood of a given forecast representing a given sea state was estimated. Generally, for lead times up to 48 h, a user could have a 78–92% expectation that a SWH forecast > 1 m would lie within ±30% of a sea-state represented by the SARAL/AltiKa measurements.
OsWDRP3, a WD-40 repeat protein interacts with OsBAK1 to control leaf angle by modulating BR signaling

Leaf angle is an essential component of plant architecture. Brassinosteroids (BRs) plays important roles in regulating leaf angle. WD-40 repeat proteins (WDRPs) act as versatile scaffolds for protein–protein interactions and participate in plant growth and development. To date, the functions of OsWDRPs have been largely unknown. Here, we found that OsWDRP3 regulates leaf angle through the BR pathway in rice. qRT–PCR and GUS reporter assays revealed that OsWDRP3 was expressed in a variety of tissues, especially leaves. OsWDRP3 predominantly resides in the cytoplasm and aggregates near the cell membrane. OsWDRP3-RNAi plants exhibited less sensitivity to BR than the wild type. Using bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays and Co-IP, we determined that OsWDRP3 interacts physically with OsBAK1. More importantly, an in vitro cell-free degradation assay showed that OsWDRP3 participates in the protein degradation of OsBAK1. We also found that the degradation of OsBAK1 was delayed in OsWDRP3 RNAi plants. In conclusion, our data suggest that OsWDRP3 affects BR signaling by regulating the concentration of OsBAK1 in the cytoplasm and thus regulating the leaf angle in rice.
Improved spider monkey optimization‐based multi‐objective software‐defined networking routing with block chain technology for Internet of Things security

Internet of Things (IoT) can be connected with remote smart devices to offer global connectivity, which consists of handling, sensing, and transmission of real‐time data gathered from different devices with human intervention. The conventional security schemes are also faced with limitations like collecting and monitoring data through the IoT network to provide defense against cyber‐attacks for delivering the optimal security. To address the current challenges, this proposed model plans for integrating the energy‐efficient software‐defined networking (SDN) and block chain‐based IoT networks. The proposed model adopts a new meta‐heuristic‐based clustering protocol for optimal communication. The architecture uses the private and public block chains for offering the peer to peer communication to eliminate the proof‐of‐work (POW) issue. The contribution of a deep learning algorithm called optimized deep neural network (ODNN) is employed for detecting the malicious IoT device based on the energy characteristics of each node. Once the malicious nodes are detected, the optimal cluster head selection and optimal routing is accomplished by the adoption of neighborhood‐based spider monkey optimization (N‐SMO). The experimentation results show that the proposed model ensures the efficient cluster head selection and optimal routing protocol on the cluster structure with the traditional meta‐heuristic‐based algorithms.
Decreased Concentration of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF-23) as a Result of Supplementation with Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 in an Elderly Swedish Population: A Sub-Analysis

There is a reduced intake of selenium in many countries due to low levels of selenium in the soil. This results in an increased cardiovascular risk. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is active mainly in the metabolism of vitamin D and phosphorus. However, there are indications that FGF-23 may also provide information both on cardiovascular function and prognosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 on the FGF-23 concentration in an elderly population with low concentrations of both selenium and coenzyme Q10 and in which the supplementation improved cardiac function and mortality. In a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial, FGF-23 was measured in 219 individuals at the start and after 48 months. Selenium yeast (200 µg/day) and coenzyme Q10 (200 mg/day) (n = 118) or placebo (n = 101) were given as a dietary supplement. The intervention time was 48 months. t-Tests, repeated measures of variance, and ANCOVA analyses were used to evaluate the differences in FGF-23 concentration. Following supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10, a significantly lower level of FGF-23 could be seen (p = 0.01). Applying 10 years of follow-up, those who later died a cardiovascular death had a significantly higher FGF-23 concentration after 48 months compared with those who survived (p = 0.036), and a significantly lower FGF-23 concentration could be seen in those with a normal renal function compared to those with an impaired renal function (p = 0.027). Supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10 to an elderly community-living population low in both substances prevented an increase of FGF-23 and also provided a reduced cardiovascular risk.
Benefits and limitations of a new genome‐based PCR‐RFLP genotyping assay (GB‐RFLP): A SNP‐based detection method for identification of species in extremely young adaptive radiations

Abstract High‐throughput DNA sequencing technologies make it possible now to sequence entire genomes relatively easily. Complete genomic information obtained by whole‐genome resequencing (WGS) can aid in identifying and delineating species even if they are extremely young, cryptic, or morphologically difficult to discern and closely related. Yet, for taxonomic or conservation biology purposes, WGS can remain cost‐prohibitive, too time‐consuming, and often constitute a “data overkill. ” Rapid and reliable identification of species (and populations) that is also cost‐effective is made possible by species‐specific markers that can be discovered by WGS. Based on WGS data, we designed a PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) assay for 19 Neotropical Midas cichlid populations (Amphilophus cf. citrinellus), that includes all 13 described species of this species complex. Our work illustrates that identification of species and populations (i.e., fish from different lakes) can be greatly improved by designing genetic markers using available “high resolution” genomic information. Yet, our work also shows that even in the best‐case scenario, when whole‐genome resequencing information is available, unequivocal assignments remain challenging when species or populations diverged very recently, or gene flow persists. In summary, we provide a comprehensive workflow on how to design RFPL markers based on genome resequencing data, how to test and evaluate their reliability, and discuss the benefits and pitfalls of our approach.
Clusters of older adults with and without experience of alcohol-related harms based on affective motivations for drinking

Aim: This cross-sectional study explores profiles of community-residing Norwegian older adults (aged 62–95 years) in relation to their personally expressed motives for alcohol use. It specifically investigates drinking motives as they uniquely characterise alcohol consumers reporting problem and non-problem drinking assessed using the Drinking Problem Index (DPI). Methods: Two-step cluster analysis was used to delineate subgroups of alcohol consumers on seven drinking motivation variables, together with DPI score. The clusters were evaluated by gender, physical health and psychological health status. Results: Four clusters of alcohol consumers were identified in relation to drinking motives: Low motivated drinkers, Ambivalent drinkers, Enhancement drinkers, and Coping drinkers. For one subgroup, a strong reliance on alcohol to cope with negative feelings was most relevant to both non-problem and problem drinkers. For another subgroup, enjoying the effects of alcohol, but non-reliance on alcohol to cope with negative mood were associated with reporting drinking problems. Ambivalent drinkers reported overall low satisfaction with mental health. Very poor physical and mental health were more prevalent in men than in women characterised as Coping drinkers. Predominantly mental health status supported distinctiveness of delineated clusters. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the classification approach to profiling of characteristics of alcohol consumers based on their motivations to drink may have a potential utility in human care settings to identify individuals who incur or may be at risk of developing alcohol-related problems in later life, and those who are not.
Lung structure and function on MRI in preterm born school children with and without BPD: A feasibility study

The most common respiratory complication of prematurity is bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), leading to structural lung changes and impaired respiratory outcomes. However, also preterm children without BPD may show similar adverse respiratory outcomes. There is a need for a safe imaging modality for preterm children with and without BPD for disease severity assessment and risk stratification. Our objective was to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol in preterm children with and without BPD at school age.
Sky luminance distribution model based on the information method and ant colony system

This study presents a novel model to estimate the sky luminance distribution (SLD) using the information method based on the research results of the SLD and atmospheric optics theory. The ant colony system of complex optimisation heuristic algorithms is used to analyse and optimise the influencing factors of sky luminance. The SLD using the information method is universal and is not related to geographical, latitudinal or climatic conditions. First, a simple and clear sky classification method is proposed. Then, a model framework is constructed. Using the ant colony system, the effects of the sky luminance elements are analysed and optimised, and numerical expressions for the coefficients of the relative luminance distribution are obtained. Finally, the proposed model is compared with other sky models (Perez’s model, the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage model and Igawa’s all-sky model). The results show that the proposed model offers significant advantages for generating a universal SLD. Moreover, the information method SLD model can significantly enrich the coverage of the reference sky, and it avoids the shortcomings of existing sky models.
Diversity and regeneration strategies in woody plant communities of the Mediterranean Basin: Vegetation type matters

Abstract The Mediterranean Basin has distinct vegetation types shaped by fire, herbivory, and various human activities. Based on data from 83 belt transects of 10 × 40 m in 28 study sites for five physiognomic vegetation types (semi-closed forest, open forest, closed shrubland, open shrubland, and scrubland) in southwestern Anatolia (Turkey), we analyzed woody species diversity, woody community composition, and vegetation structure of study sites. We used the growth form and regeneration strategy for functional comparisons of physiognomic vegetation types. We found clear distinctions in diversity, species composition, and functional structure of woody plant community across five physiognomic vegetation types. The forest-shrubland-scrubland distinction was the most apparent one. Despite similarities in the woody species richness and Shannon diversity, open and closed vegetation states of forests and shrublands also differed regarding the density and cover of mature individuals and the density of saplings in different functional groups. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses and indicator species analyses also indicated clear distinctions among physiognomic vegetation types and openness states. Our findings indicate the necessity of a more complex description of vegetation types in the Mediterranean Basin. The results suggest that open and closed vegetation states of forests and shrublands are functionally distinct vegetation types. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2022. 2036845.
An Improved Cost Apportionment for Desalination Combined with Power Plant: An Exergetic Analyses

In this paper an improved method for fuel cost apportionment of a combined power cum a desalination plant is presented. The conventional analysis for cogeneration systems has been, hitherto, the energetic (enthalpy) method which is useful for efficiency evaluation purposes, but it may not be fully accurate for capturing the “quality of fuel energy” consumed by processes in producing two or more useful effects, e.g., electricity and water. An exergy destruction procedure is proposed for the cost apportionment of fuel energy consumed where the available work potential of expanding stream can be fully accounted for cost distribution of the designed processes. For example, the turbines, that is used for power generation, exploits mainly the sensible-energy changes of high enthalpy steam undergoing expansion at high pressures and temperatures, whilst the thermally-activated desalination processes, such as the multi-effect distillation (MED), needed only the high latent-heat of bled-steam but at low pressures that has negligible work potential if the steam were to be used in the turbines. From this analysis, the incurred exergy destruction by the desalination processes is only 2%-7% of the total destruction available to the plant with bled-steam up to 50% of the total flow. We examined the ratio of exergy destruction consumed by the water to power production and, such a ratio is used as a basis for the fuel-cost determination in the cogeneration plant. It captures not only the realistic exergetic value of bled-steam of MED desalination, but it exposes the major shortcomings of the conventional enthalpy changes where a disproportion share of the input fuel cost, up to 32% of the total fuel input, may have been erroneously apportioned and giving an unfair valuation of the operational water cost.
Eye-data metrics to characterize tower controllers' visual attention in a Multipe Remote Tower Exercise

Remote Tower Centers, where Air Traffic Services are provided independently of local airport control towers, promise novel opportunities like tailored staffing concepts or more efficient work organization. In a joint approach the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the German Air Navigation Service Provider Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (DFS) evaluated the concept for Multiple Remote Tower Control (RTC) in a realtime simulation exercise, addressing human factor relevant aspects such as workload, situation awareness, visual attention and acceptance. Within this paper we focus on eye-data analysis. 16 air traffic controllers from DFS participated in the high-fidelity human-in-the-loop simulation study for multiple remote tower. Different eye-data metrics are discussed, that can characterize the visual attention of tower controllers in this new work environment.
F0 and duration changes in unstressed vs. stressed syllables connected to postlexical stress and sentence type in Standard Lithuanian

This paper presents an analysis of F0 and duration changes in unstressed vs. stressed syllables con­nected to the postlexical stress and sentence type in Lithuanian. The aim of this analysis is to provide a systematic investigation on Lithuanian lexical stress by examining the F0 and duration differences between stressed and unstressed syllables in different sentence types and postlexical stress positions. The material consists of 540 audio-recorded phrases read by two Standard Lithuanian speakers – a male and a female. The results show that F0 does not consistently mark lexical stress in these two speakers’ data and it rather serves postlexical purposes. Significant differences between lexically stressed and unstressed syllables were found only in exclamations and questions when the target word was post­lexically stressed. Duration was found to be the marker of both lexical and postlexical stress. However, with regard to syllable duration, exclamations behave differently from both questions and statements.
Rainfall erosivity estimation: Comparison and statistical assessment among methods using data from Southeastern Brazil

Rainfall erosivity (R factor) is one of the six factors of the Universal Soil Loss Equation, being calculated based on the product of rainfall kinetic energy multiplied by its 30-minute maximum intensity. However, the lack of detailed and reliable rainfall data in many parts of the world has driven the use of other methods to estimate rainfall erosivity based on daily, monthly or annual data. These methods still need to be assessed to determine if their estimates are consistent with the standard method for calculating rainfall erosivity. This study aimed to select a consistent method for such replacement in Brazilian conditions without access the rainfall intensity data. The tested methods included: modified Fournier, MF; modified Fournier by Zhang, MF-Z; modified Fournier by Men, MF-M; Rainfall Disaggregation, RD; TRMM Satellite with modified Fournier coefficient, TRMM-F; and TRMM Satellite with monthly rainfall, TRMM-M. The rainfall data were obtained from the USP Meteorological Station, referring to the period from 2009 to 2015. The analyses were performed according to the Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model and Scott-Knott statistical tests. Considering the 1:1 line, all methods had a good adjustment, presenting similar behavior in relation to the standard method. The methods behaved differently for monthly and annual periods. The MF method proved to be capable of consistently replacing the standard method in all aforementioned situations. Considering the driest period, any method can be used. For annual rainfall erosivity estimation, the RD, MF, TRMM-F and TRMM-M methods can be applied; highlighting that the TRMM-based methods are optimal for locations without on-site rain gauges. Additionally, it was computed that the modified Fournier by Men and the modified Fournier by Zhang underestimated and overestimated the rainfall erosivity, respectively.
Seal Coat Options: Taking Out the Mystery

Many seal coat treatments and products are available for today’s parking lot or road facility manager to provide an aesthetic surface or use for preventative maintenance. In order to understand what treatment to use it is imperative to understand how these treatments differ. This ranges from understanding their basic bitumen components to the typical additives used to the sand or aggregate sizes unique to each seal coat treatment. The Pacific Northwest Region of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA-FS) has applied many seal coat treatments and has found that successful seal coats can be applied if the components are understood, if the components are compatible, if they are applied to the appropriate surface, and if proper construction methods are followed. To assist facility managers in their seal coat treatment decision making process the basic components are addressed for each seal coat treatment as well as recommended locations of use, application rates, and construction tips based on the past experiences of the Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA-FS.
On the Spectral Efficiency of LoRa Networks: Performance Analysis, Trends and Optimal Points of Operation

In the present paper a closed-form framework is derived for the analysis and optimization of the coverage probability (Pcov) and of the area spectral efficiency (ASE) in long-range (LoRa) networks. The proposed framework exploits stochastic geometry tools to associate the Pcov and the ASE to the end device (ED) transmit power and to the ED density. The analysis reveals the trends of the Pcov and of the ASE curves, with respect to both of the two parameters, while the robustness of the framework holds even at the asymptotic cases. Building upon the derived framework, the analysis demonstrates that no joint global optimum exists that jointly maximizes the Pcov over both parameters, suggesting that the optimization of the Pcov must be performed separately, for the two key network parameters considered. As opposed to that, the analysis demonstrates that a set of global optima exists that jointly maximize the ASE over both parameters, and these global maxima are subsequently derived in closed form. Thus, the derived framework fully characterizes the performance of LoRa networks, while defining in closed form the optimal points of operation that can be proven of significant value, for the transceiver and network design, of practical LoRa networks.
COPING MECHANISM IN THE FACE OF LANDSLIDE HAZARD IN EAST JAVA INDONESIA

Increasing the number of landslide disasters and their effecting population in Indonesia is crucial to concern and need a solution. A coping mechanism is the strategies of people exposed to disasters and a key to anticipate and prepare and reduce landslide disaster risk. During twenty years, Malang Regency in East Java Province was hit by several landslide disasters, which radically affected both the physical and social environment. This paper aims to investigate coping strategies by communities facing landslide disaster. The methodology used in this research was divided into three sections: (1) pre-field; (2) fieldwork; and (3) post-field. The survey was initially conducted by mapping physical condition and interview with the key of informants. The research result was analyzed utilizing recorded-transcribed interviews and interpreted according to recurrent themes in the answers. Generally, people have performed different strategies to cope with landslide disasters within the study area. The coping mechanisms have been well developing into two categories, such as individual and structural coping mechanisms. This case study indicates that a coping strategy should be taken to reduce landslide disaster risks, such as fostering agriculture protection, properties-housing protection, and reinforcing risk governance to improve landslide disaster management and programs fostering adaptation and resilience.