Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What is winter? Modeling spatial variation in bat host traits and hibernation and their implications for overwintering energetics

Abstract White‐nose syndrome (WNS) has decimated hibernating bat populations across eastern and central North America for over a decade. Disease severity is driven by the interaction between bat characteristics, the cold‐loving fungal agent, and the hibernation environment. While we further improve hibernation energetics models, we have yet to examine how spatial heterogeneity in host traits is linked to survival in this disease system. Here, we develop predictive spatial models of body mass for the little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) and reassess previous definitions of the duration of hibernation of this species. Using data from published literature, public databases, local experts, and our own fieldwork, we fit a series of generalized linear models with hypothesized abiotic drivers to create distribution‐wide predictions of prehibernation body fat and hibernation duration. Our results provide improved estimations of hibernation duration and identify a scaling relationship between body mass and body fat; this relationship allows for the first continuous estimates of prehibernation body mass and fat across the species' distribution. We used these results to inform a hibernation energetic model to create spatially varying fat use estimates for M. lucifugus. These results predict WNS mortality of M. lucifugus populations in western North America may be comparable to the substantial die‐off observed in eastern and central populations.
Optimization of Shore Power Deployment in Green Ports Considering Government Subsidies

Shipping trade and port operations are two of the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The emission of air pollutants brings severe problems to the marine environment and coastal residents’ lives. Shore power technology is an efficient CO2 emission reduction program, but it faces sizeable initial investment and high electricity prices. For shipping companies, energy such as low-sulfur fuels and liquefied natural gas has become an essential supplementary means to meet emission reduction requirements. This research considers the impact of government subsidies on port shore power construction and ship shore power use. It constructs a multi-period dual-objective port shore power deployment optimization model based on minimizing operating costs and minimizing CO2 emissions. Multi-combination subsidy strategies, including unit subsidy rate and subsidy demarcation line, are quantitatively described and measured. The proposed Epsilon constraint method is used to transform and model the dual-objective optimization problem. Numerical experiments verify the effectiveness of the model and the feasibility of the solution method. By carrying out a “cost-environment” Pareto trade-off analysis, a model multi-period change analysis, and a subsidy efficiency analysis, this research compares the decision-making results of port shore power construction, ship berthing shore power use, and ship berthing energy selection. Government subsidy strategy and operation management enlightenment in the optimization of port shore power deployment are discussed.
Impact of Residual Water Vapor on the Simultaneous Measurements of Trace CH4 and N2O in Air with Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy

Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are among the most important atmospheric greenhouse gases. A gas sensor based on a tunable 7.6 μm continuous-wave external-cavity mode-hop-free (EC-MHF) quantum cascade laser (from 1290 to 1350 cm−1) cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique was developed for the simultaneous detection of CH4 and N2O in ambient air with water vapor (H2O) mostly removed via molecular sieve drying to minimize the impact of H2O on the simultaneous measurements. Still, due to the broad and strong absorption spectrum of H2O in the entire mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral range, residual H2O in the dried ambient air due to incomplete drying and leakage, if not properly accounted for, could cause a significant influence on the measurement accuracy of the simultaneous CH4 and N2O detection. In this paper, the impact of residual H2O on the simultaneous CH4 and N2O measurements were analyzed by comparing the CH4 and N2O concentrations determined from the measured spectrum in the spectral range from 1311 to 1312.1 cm−1 via simultaneous CH4 and N2O measurements and that determined from the measured spectrum in the spectral range from 1311 to 1313 cm−1 via simultaneous CH4, N2O, and H2O measurements. The measured dependence of CH4 and N2O concentration errors on the simultaneously determined H2O concentration indicated that the residual H2O caused an under-estimation of CH4 concentration and over-estimation of N2O concentration. The H2O induced CH4 and N2O concentration errors were approximately linearly proportional to the residual H2O concentration. For the measurement of air flowing at 3 L per min, the residual H2O concentration was stabilized to approximately 14 ppmv, and the corresponding H2O induced errors were −1.3 ppbv for CH4 and 3.7 ppbv for N2O, respectively.
Copper-free click chemistry for microdroplet's W/O interface engineering

In droplet-based microfluidic, fluorosurfactants are essential to ensure the stability of the emulsion. Beyond this primary role, fluorosurfactants can be engineered to provide droplet inner surface specific interaction characteristics with analyte present in droplet content. Despite the high potency of such capture system in terms of micro-compartmentalisation and surface/analyte ratio, only few studies have reported the use of the water/fluorinated oil interphase to immobilize target molecules. The difficult synthesis of the required functionalized fluorosurfactants needed for each application may account for this relative desertion. To make microdroplet capture approaches more straightforward, we have investigated a ready-to-use click chemistry-based approach that enables intra-droplet chemical modification. This strategy, which avoids tedious synthesis of complex fluorosurfactant, opens access to a wide variety of functional heads via copper-free click chemistry using a pre-functionalized fluorosurfactant which can be easily obtained in large scale. To demonstrate the efficiency of the click chemistry-based microdroplet surface functionalization, we have synthesized an azide fluorosurfactant capable of stabilizing microdroplets and performed a series of intra-droplet surface functionalizations by introducing fluorescent-labeled cycloalkyne derivatives in the aqueous phase. By doing so, we were able to demonstrate via polarization fluorescence that molecules from the aqueous phase could be efficiently captured at the inner droplet surface. Furthermore, we also showed that the density of azide functions at the inner surface could be adjusted by diluting the functionalized surfactant with a non-functionalized one. Fluorescence polarization analysis revealed that these dilutions result in the production of microdroplets with controlled azide surface density.
Sample processing strategies for optimal PCR detection of pathogens in foods

The research in this manuscript highlights new and improved methods to concentrate pathogens from a complex food matrix and detect them via PCR. These contributions to the science of rapid pathogen detection are unique in that they are designed to measure the efficacy of the concentration or capture technique without using a pre-enrichment step. To address the potential of pathogen concentration to facilitate PCR detection, the following objectives were performed: (i) evaluating the performance of differential centrifugation as a means to concentrate and clarify the food sample for rapid PCR detection of Listeria monocytogenes, without pre-enrichment and (ii) investigating the efficacy of a novel immuno-capture device to capture E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium from foods. For the first objective, we investigated filtration followed by a two-step, differential centrifugation as a means to concentrate bacteria and remove a large portion of the food sample prior to DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and Southern hybridization of L. monocytogenes targeting a unique region of 16S rDNA. Simple high speed centrifugation (11,950 x g) was also investigated to test the efficacy of our two-step method. Our method incorporated use of a 11g sample of ready-to-eat deli salad diluted 1:10 with 99ml 0.9% sterile normal saline. The two-step method was able to reduce the sample volume by approximately 10-fold rather than only 5-fold for simple high speed centrifugation. The two-step method was 1,000 fold (10⁶ to 10³ CFU/g) more sensitive than when using high speed centrifugation alone, and bacterial recoveries indicated that both methods produced similar recoveries. Following DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and Southern hybridization, detection was achieved at input levels of 10⁵ CFU/g for chicken salad, 10⁴ CFU/g for macaroni salad, and 10³ CFU/g for potato and seafood salads, with no pre-enrichment. In our second objective, we evaluated the efficacy of a novel immuno-capture system (Pathatrix™) to capture S. typhimurium in buffered peptone water (BPW), ground turkey and nonfat dry milk and E. coli O157:H7 from BPW, ground beef and romaine lettuce. The Pathatrix system is unique in that it is designed to sample an entire 25g sample by circulating the homogenized 250ml volume across a surface of immunomagnetic beads. The samples were seeded with bacteria at levels ranging from 10⁶ to 10⁰ CFU/25g. The E. coli O157 format was able to capture 100 % of input E. coli O157:H7 and PCR amplification was able to detect the pathogen at 10⁰ CFU/25g. The Salmonella format was not as robust, only capturing approximately < 1 % of cell input, but was able to produce a significant PCR detection limit of 10² CFU/25g when Pathatrix was preceded with the two-step centrifugation method. The two-step centrifugation further clarified the sample and improved detection by 1000-fold (10⁵ to 10² CFU/25g). This research provides further clues to expedite…
The Influence of External Load on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells

In this work, the effect of the external load on the current and power generation, as well as on the pollutant removal by microbial fuel cells (MFCs), has been studied by step-wise modifying the external load. The load changes included a direct scan, in which the external resistance was increased from 120 Ω to 3300 Ω, and a subsequent reverse scan, in which the external resistance was decreased back to 120 Ω. The reduction in the current, experienced when increasing the external resistance, was maintained even in the reverse scan when the external resistance was step-wise decreased. Regarding the power exerted, when the external resistance was increased below the value of the internal resistance, an enhancement in the power exerted was observed. However, when operating near the value of the internal resistance, a stable power exerted of about 1.6 µW was reached. These current and power responses can be explained by the change in population distribution, which shifts to a more fermentative than electrogenic culture, as was confirmed by the population analyses. Regarding the pollutant removal, the effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) decreased when the external resistance increased up to the internal resistance value. However, the effluent COD increased when the external resistance was higher than the internal resistance. This behavior was maintained in the reverse scan, which confirmed the modification in the microbial population of the MFC.
Influence of Biomechanical Parameters on Performance in Elite Triathletes along 29 Weeks of Training

The purpose of the study was to assess how the modification of biomechanical parameters influences the performance of elite triathletes. Four elite international triathletes participated in this study. The anthropometric method ISAK was used to estimate the triathlete’s body composition. For the physiological and biomechanical parameters, a running test (RT) was performed on an outdoor track, with the participants wearing the Stryd Summit Footpod (Stryd, Boulder, CO, USA). The pre-test took place in the last week of an adaptation mesocycle; then, after 29 weeks of training, the triathletes performed the post-test. A within-subject repeated measures design was used to assess changes in the anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical parameters. Pearson correlations (r) were applied to determine the relationship between the performance at different intensities (VT1, VT2 and MAS) and the biomechanical parameters. Concerning the anthropometric characteristics, significant differences were found in the summation (Σ) of skinfold (8.1 cm); as a consequence, the % fat mass was reduced (1.2%). Significant differences were found in the physiological values (VO2 and % VO2max), speed and biomechanical parameters, such as step length normalized, to the specific physiological intensity of the short-distance triathlon, the VT2. Therefore, performance improvement in the running segment could not only be explained by physiological changes, but also by biomechanical parameters changes.
Synthesis of Cellulose-graft-Polychloromethylstyrene-graft-Polyacrylonitrile Terpolymer/Organoclay Bionanocomposite by Metal Catalyzed Living Radical Polymerization and Solvent Blending Method

ABSTRACT A bionanocomposite of grafted cellulose and organo-modified clay was synthesized through solution intercalation method. For this purpose, chloromethylstyrene was grafted onto cellulose using acryloylchloride and the subsequent free radical polymerization. The synthesized cellulose-graft-polychloromethylstyrene was used as an atom transfer radical polymerization macroinitiator of acrylonitrile in the presence of CuCl/2,2′-bipyridine catalyst system, to prepare the cellulose-graft-polychloromethylstyrene-graft-polyacrylonitrile terpolymer. For preparing the modified clay, Na-montmorillonite was mixed with hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride salt. Finally, cellulose-graft-polychloromethylstyrene-graft-polyacrylonitrile/organoclay bionanocomposite was prepared in CCl4 by solution intercalation method. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Heat Reacclimation Using Exercise or Hot Water Immersion

ABSTRACT Introduction The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of exercise versus hot water immersion heat reacclimation (HRA) protocols. Methods Twenty-four participants completed a heat stress test (HST; 33°C, 65% RH), which involved cycling at a power output equivalent to 1.5 W·kg−1 for 35 min whereby thermophysiological variables were measured. This was followed by a graded exercise test until exhaustion. HST1 was before a 10-d controlled hyperthermia (CH) heat acclimation (HA) protocol and HST2 immediately after. Participants completed HST3 after a 28-d decay period without heat exposure and were then separated into three groups to complete a 5-d HRA protocol: a control group (CH-CON, n = 8); a hot water immersion group (CH-HWI, n = 8), and a controlled hyperthermia group (CH-CH, n = 8). This was followed by HST4. Results Compared with HST1, time to exhaustion and thermal comfort improved; resting rectal temperature (Tre), end of exercise Tre, and mean skin temperature (Tsk) were lower; and whole body sweat rate (WBSR) was greater in HST2 for all groups (P < 0.05). After a 28-d decay, only WBSR, time to exhaustion, and mean Tsk returned to pre-HA values. Of these decayed variables, only WBSR was reinstated after HRA; the improvement was observed in both the CH-CH and the CH-HWI groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion The data suggest that HRA protocol may not be necessary for cardiovascular and thermal adaptations within a 28-d decay period, as long as a 10-d CH-HA protocol has successfully induced these physiological adaptations. For sweat adaptations, a 5-d CH or HWI-HRA protocol can reinstate the lost adaptations.
PSCAD-MATLAB Coupled Simulation Method for Power Flow Optimization using Continuous Reactive Power Controllable Device

With the integration of distributed generation (DG), micro-grids and are becoming attractive. Power flow studies are very important in the planning or expansion of power systems. The paper proposed a novel method that incorporates MATLAB and PSCAD to study the optimal control of the reactive control algorithm to reduce the power loss in the transmission lines. The proposed strategy is easy to implement and effective in solving the dynamic power flow problems. The results can apply to control the continuous reactive power controllable device and show that the power loss can be greatly reduced.
Underwater Acoustic Target Recognition with a Residual Network and the Optimized Feature Extraction Method

Underwater Acoustic Target Recognition (UATR) remains one of the most challenging tasks in underwater signal processing due to the lack of labeled data acquisition, the impact of the time-space varying intrinsic characteristics, and the interference from other noise sources. Although some deep learning methods have been proven to achieve state-of-the-art accuracy, the accuracy of the recognition task can be improved by designing a Residual Network and optimizing feature extraction. To give a more comprehensive representation of the underwater acoustic signal, we first propose the three-dimensional fusion features along with the data augment strategy of SpecAugment. Afterward, an 18-layer Residual Network (ResNet18), which contains the center loss function with the embedding layer, is designed to train the aggregated features with an adaptable learning rate. The recognition experiments are conducted on the ship-radiated noise dataset from a real environment, and the accuracy results of 94.3% indicate that the proposed method is appropriate for underwater acoustic recognition problems and sufficiently surpasses other classification methods.
An Intention-to-treat View of Lung Transplantation for Interstitial Lung Disease: Successful Strategies to Minimize Waiting List and Posttransplant Mortality

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background. Access to lung transplantation (LTx) and rates of waiting list and posttransplant mortality for patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) remain problematic. We evaluated the outcomes of ILD patients listed for LTx at our institution. Methods. Between 2012 and 2018, adult patients with ILD were listed and transplanted from a donor-pool that included extended criteria and donation after circulatory-determined death donors. Patients were categorized as experiencing 1 of 4 competing events: transplant, waitlist death, delisting, or alive on waitlist. Multivariable competing risk regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of waitlist death/delisting. Posttransplant survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results. Among 187 patients listed, 82% (153 of 187) underwent LTx (median time-to-transplant, 2.0 mo), whereas 16% (30 of 187) died or were delisted (median time-to-event, 1.6 mo). At 90 d, 6 mo, and 12 mo after listing, 51%, 63%, and 78% of patients had been transplanted, whereas 10%, 14%, and 16% had died or were delisted. Multivariable predictors of waitlist death/delisting were: blood group O compared to A (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR]: 6.43, P < 0.001), shorter height (per 1 cm, SHR: 1.11, P < 0.001), hospitalization at listing (SHR: 3.98, P = 0.002), and reduced 6-min-walk test distance (per 50 m, SHR: 1.28, P = 0.001). Among LTx recipients, 24% (36 of 153) underwent single LTx. Donor lungs were 58% (88 of 153) extended-criteria, inclusive of 24% (37 of 153) circulatory-determined death. Ninety-day and 1-, 3-, and 5-y retransplant free survival were 97% ± 1%, 92% ± 2%, 81% ± 4%, and 69% ± 6%. Conclusions. Patients with ILD require a rapid transit to LTx after listing. Despite this, the vast majority of ILD patients in this study reached LTx with excellent early and midterm outcomes.
Roadbed defect detection from ground penetrating radar B-scan data using Faster RCNN

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is the main technical method to detect roadbed subgrade defect. The recognition of subgrade defect is still mainly based on manual interpretation, which requires high professional knowledge of interpreters, resulting in the demand for automatic detection technology. In this paper, a solution for automatic detection of roadbed defect by implementing Faster RCNN with GPR system is presented. We simulated 30000 roadbed defect GPR B-scan data by simulation software gprMax, labeled them appropriately and automatically. Specifically, Faster RCNN was chosen, as a compromise between accuracy and ease of comparison. Preliminary detection results show that the AP (Average Precision) is 0.8067, proving that our simulation for defect is reasonable and reliable. And the Faster RCNN trained on the simulation dataset without any actual data also has excellent performance on the actual GPR data. Our method of detecting defects automatically with CNN can be easily generalized to other GPR tasks, e.g., detecting pipe, horizon extraction. It’s the biggest open-source GPR B-scan dataset as far as we know. Our simulation dataset and trained model will be made available.
Autonomy or loyalty? Community-within-community interactions of a local football fandom group

Fandom communities adopt diverse consumption practices to cope with an overwhelmingly commodified football. Drawing upon literature on consumer communities, this paper examines a local football fandom community in multifarious relations with its broader fandom through divergent consumption practices, which create tensions and ambivalences in terms of the former’s autonomy from and loyalty to the latter. Based on observations and interviews with community members, the paper describes how the community’s production and consumption of its own products are experienced as matters of autonomy within and difference from broader communities, whilst the consumption of merchandise is regulated and performed as expression of loyalty to broader fandom. Findings demonstrate how a community can use multiple consumption practices to manage, mitigate and sustain its community-within-community tensions.
Chair–CEO trust and firm performance

This study investigates whether trust between a corporation’s board chair and the CEO affects firm performance. After using a unique survey data set of regional trustworthiness from China to measure this trust, we find a positive relationship between trust and the performance of Chinese companies from 2000 to 2016. Additional test results suggest that the relationship is causal. Further results show that the positive trust-performance effect is more evident for firms with greater advisory needs and boards that can deliver high-quality advice. Finally, we find supporting evidence to our conjecture that the Chair–CEO trust increases firm value by improving the board advisory results, including value-adding decisions of R&D and merger and acquisition. JEL Classification: G32, G34, G41