Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Summer Season Precipitation Biases in 4 km WRF Forecasts Over Southern China: Diagnoses of the Causes of Biases

In a recent study, we evaluated the performance of real‐time convection‐permitting WRF model forecasting over China. Although the overall rainfall distribution and diurnal cycle are well simulated, the model greatly overestimates the rainfall intensity in southern China and the predicted rainfall shows a southeast location bias. In this study, possible factors contributing to the precipitation forecast bias are discussed. The precipitation over southern China is found to be greatly influenced by land‐sea circulations. While the model captures diurnal variations of winds well, the predicted amplitude and onset timing of the land/sea breezes differ from observations. Cold bias of land‐surface temperature is shown to partially cause wind bias. In the afternoon, the cold bias results in a weakened inland penetration of sea breeze, which in turn leads to more rain on the eastern south‐China coastline. During nighttime, excessive cooling over land results in a stronger land breeze, leading to location bias of early morning precipitation. While the observed coastal rain belt is mostly located over land during early morning, the predicted coastal rain belt is mostly located over ocean. In addition, the model overestimates moisture at low levels, especially over the southern slope of the coastal mountains and over ocean, which explains the excessive rainfall over southern China. This study emphasizes the importance of accurately simulating land‐surface‐related variables for precipitation forecast in coastal regions where land‐sea contrast plays an important role.
Steered coupled-cavity-backed Hertzian dipole array

This paper presents the operating characteristics of a coupled-cavity-backed Hertzian dipole resonator array excited with mutually injection-locked voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs). It is demonstrated that microwave spatial power-combined inter-injection locking through mutual coupling of individual antenna oscillators can be obtained with an auxiliary coupling network formed by a cavity iris configuration introduced within a reduced-height waveguide arrangement. As a result, strong mutual-coupling control can be realized and exploited in conjunction with self-injection-locked oscillators in order to achieve direct phase modulation of the locked oscillators. Beam scanning up to 10/spl deg/ off the broadside through locked VCO phase modification has been demonstrated in a three-element array occupying a space of only 0.6 /spl lambda//sub 0//spl times/0.027 /spl lambda//sub o/ at 998 MHz.
The interpretative options of anaphoric complex demonstratives

In this paper, we present experimental evidence from a ‘yes’/’no’ judgement task and twoacceptability rating studies (Experiments 1a-c) for the claim made in Hinterwimmer (2019) thatsentences with two anaphorically interpreted complex demonstratives are less acceptable thansentences with two anaphorically interpreted definite descriptions and sentences where one ofthe two previously introduced referents is picked up by a complex demonstrative, while the otherone is picked up by a definite description. The results of Experiment 1a and 1b are in principlecompatible with the account argued for in Hinterwimmer (2019), according to which the (potentiallyabstract) demonstrations presupposed by demonstratives may not have overlapping trajectories.However, sentences with two anaphorically interpreted complex demonstratives are not judgedas unacceptable as would be expected if they involved a presupposition violation. Therefore, wepropose an alternative, economy-based pragmatic account that builds on Ahn (2019) and Nowak(2019). The question of whether the observed pattern is more compatible with the accountproposed by Hinterwimmer (2019) or the alternative pragmatic account is directly addressed in afurther acceptability rating study (Experiment 1c). The design of that study is similar to that ofExperiment 1b, but it includes as fillers both sentences clearly violating a presupposition andsentences violating a pragmatic constraint. Since the ratings for sentences containing twoanaphorically interpreted complex demonstratives are closer to the ratings for sentences violatinga pragmatic constraint than for sentences violating a presupposition, we conclude that thealternative pragmatic account is preferable to the account by Hinterwimmer (2019).
Designing a Premium Package: Some Guidelines for Designers and Marketers

ABSTRACT Because a premium image is of critical importance for many A-brands in Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) categories, it is important for both designers and marketers to have a comprehensive understanding of the package characteristics that can evoke such a premium perception. The present research integrates knowledge from design research and marketing research to enhance the understanding of the role of packaging design in shaping consumers' product perceptions. In two studies using water and chocolate as product categories, we demonstrate that designers should consider four premium cues (extraordinary differentiation, high quality of packaging materials, minimalistic design and authenticity) as important guidelines when designing a premium packaging. When these premium cues are implemented in a packaging design, consumers will recognize the product as a superior, high-quality product that is worth a higher price.
A Two-fold Machine Learning Approach to Prevent and Detect IoT Botnet Attacks

The botnet attack is a multi-stage and the most prevalent cyber-attack in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment that initiates with scanning activity and ends at the distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. The existing studies mostly focus on detecting botnet attacks after the IoT devices get compromised, and start performing the DDoS attack. Similarly, the performance of most of the existing machine learning based botnet detection models is limited to a specific dataset on which they are trained. As a consequence, these solutions do not perform well on other datasets due to the diversity of attack patterns. Therefore, in this work, we first produce a generic scanning and DDoS attack dataset by generating 33 types of scan and 60 types of DDoS attacks. In addition, we partially integrated the scan and DDoS attack samples from three publicly-available datasets for maximum attack coverage to better train the machine learning algorithms. Afterwards, we propose a two-fold machine learning approach to prevent and detect IoT botnet attacks. In the first fold, we trained a state-of-the-art deep learning model, i.e., ResNet-18 to detect the scanning activity in the premature attack stage to prevent IoT botnet attacks. While, in the second fold, we trained another ResNet-18 model for DDoS attack identification to detect IoT botnet attacks. Overall, the proposed two-fold approach manifests 98.89% accuracy, 99.01% precision, 98.74% recall, and 98.87% f1-score to prevent and detect IoT botnet attacks. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed two-fold approach, we trained three other ResNet-18 models over three different datasets for detecting scan and DDoS attacks and compared their performance with the proposed two-fold approach. The experimental results prove that the proposed two-fold approach can efficiently prevent and detect botnet attacks as compared to other trained models.
Multichannel amplification utilizing an Er/sup 3+/-doped fiber amplifier

An Er/sup 3+/-doped fiber amplifier for multichannel systems was studied from the viewpoint of clarifying the ultimate capacity of the applicable number of channels. In these experiments, 10-GHz spaced 100-channel common amplification was carried out in a 622-Mb/s frequency-shift-keying (FSK) direct detection scheme, together with measurement of the amplifier characteristics. Bit-error-rate measurements show that the power-penalty characteristics for 100-channel amplification are the same as for one-channel amplification. Based on the experimental results, possible channel capacity is discussed. There are two possible factors limiting channel capacity in multichannel amplification of fiber amplifiers: signal-gain bandwidth and amplifier noise. Calculations using the amplifier parameters obtained during the experiments reveal that signal gain bandwidth is the main factor limiting channel capacity in the amplifier used. >
Genetic variants within the COL5A1 gene are associated with ligament injuries in physically active populations from Australia, South Africa, and Japan

ABSTRACT Previous small-scale studies have shown an association between the COL5A1 gene and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk. In this larger study, the genotype and allele frequency distributions of the COL5A1 rs12722 C/T and rs10628678 AGGG/deletion (AGGG/-) indel variants were compared between participants: (i) with ACL injury in independent and combined cohorts from South-Africa (SA) and Australia (AUS) vs controls (CON), and (ii) with any ligament (ALL) or only ACL injury in a Japanese (JPN) cohort vs CON. Samples were collected from SA (235 cases; 232 controls), AUS (362 cases; 80 controls) and JPN (500 cases; 1,403 controls). Genomic DNA was extracted and genotyped. Distributions were compared, and inferred haplotype analyses performed. No independent associations were noted for rs12722 or rs10628678 when the combined SA + AUS cohort was analysed. However, the C-deletion (rs12722-rs10628678) inferred haplotype was under-represented (p = 0.040, OR = 0.15, CI = 0.04-0.56), while the T-deletion inferred haplotype was over-represented in the female SA + AUS ACL participants versus controls (p < 0.001, OR = 4.74, CI = 1.66-13.55). Additionally, the rs12722 C/C genotype was under-represented in JPN CON vs ACL (p = 0.039, OR = 0.52, 0.27-1.00), while the rs10628678 −/− genotype was associated with increased risk of any ligament injuries (p = 0.035, OR = 1.31, CI = 1.02-1.68) in the JPN cohort. Collectively, these results highlight that a region within the COL5A1 3’-UTR is associated with ligament injury risk. This must be evaluated in larger cohorts and its functional relevance to the structure and capacity of ligaments and joint biomechanics be explored. Highlights The COL5A1 T-deletion inferred haplotype (rs12722-rs10628678) was associated with an increased risk of ACL rupture in the combined SA and AUS female participants. The COL5A1 C-deletion inferred haplotype (rs12722-rs10628678) was associated with a decreased risk of ACL rupture in the combined SA and AUS female participants. The COL5A1 rs12722 C/C and rs10628678 −/− genotypes were associated with increased risk of ACL rupture and of ligament injuries in JPN, respectively. A region within the COL5A1 3’-UTR is associated with risk of ligament injury, including ACL rupture, and therefore the functional significance of this region on ligament capacity and joint biomechanics requires further exploration.
Influence of Intelligent Boom Control in Forwarders on Performance of Operators

This paper deals with the influence of an Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) in forwarders on the work of operators. The work with the IBC and standard system of crane control was measured by the use of a John Deere harvester and forwarder simulator. Two individuals without any practical training and two individuals with experience in the control of the crane took the measurements. The monitoring included eight different performance indicators. The use of the IBC system allowed the untrained operators to increase their work output by 27. With the use of the IBC system, these individuals also showed 53% fewer direct damages to the machine. However, our findings show that the length of experience influenced the performance of the operators out of all the monitored indicators. Notwithstanding that fact, the use of the IBC system has a direct positive influence on the economy of the machine operation.
The ecology and evolution of the monito del monte, a relict species from the southern South America temperate forests

Abstract The arboreal marsupial monito del monte (genus Dromiciops, with two recognized species) is a paradigmatic mammal. It is the sole living representative of the order Microbiotheria, the ancestor lineage of Australian marsupials. Also, this marsupial is the unique frugivorous mammal in the temperate rainforest, being the main seed disperser of several endemic plants of this ecosystem, thus acting as keystone species. Dromiciops is also one of the few hibernating mammals in South America, spending half of the year in a physiological dormancy where metabolism is reduced to 10% of normal levels. This capacity to reduce energy expenditure in winter contrasts with the enormous energy turnover rate they experience in spring and summer. The unique life history strategies of this living Microbiotheria, characterized by an alternation of life in the slow and fast lanes, putatively represent ancestral traits that permitted these cold‐adapted mammals to survive in this environment. Here, we describe the ecological role of this emblematic marsupial, summarizing the ecophysiology of hibernation and sociality, updated phylogeographic relationships, reproductive cycle, trophic relationships, mutualisms, conservation, and threats. This marsupial shows high densities, despite presenting slow reproductive rates, a paradox explained by the unique characteristics of its three‐dimensional habitat. We finally suggest immediate actions to protect these species that may be threatened in the near future due to habitat destruction and climate change.
Robust High Throughput Space-Time Block Coded MIMO Systems

In this thesis, we present a space-time coded system which achieves high throughput and good performance with low processing delay using low-complexity detection and decoding. Initially, Hamming codes are used in a simple interleaved bit-mapped coded modulation structure (BMCM). This is concatenated with Alamouti’s orthogonal space-time block codes. The good performance achieved by this system indicates that higher throughput is possible while maintaining performance. An analytical bound for the performance of this system is presented. We also develop a class of low density parity check codes which allows flexible “throughput versus performance” tradeoffs. We then focus on a Rate 2 quasi-orthogonal space-time block code structure which enables us to achieve an overall throughput of 5.6 bits/symbol period with good performance and relatively simple decoding using iterative parallel interference cancellation. We show that this can be achieved through the use of a bit-mapped coded modulation structure using parallel short low density parity check codes. The absence of interleavers here reduces processing delay significantly. The proposed system is shown to perform well on flat Rayleigh fading channels with a wide range of normalized fade rates, and to be robust to channel estimation errors. A comparison with bit-interleaved coded modulation is also provided (BICM).
The microbiome, gastrointestinal cancer, and immunotherapy

The gastrointestinal tract greatly contributes to global cancer burden and cancer‐related deaths. The microbiota represents the population of microorganisms that live in and around the body, located primarily in the gastrointestinal tract. The microbiota has been implicated in colorectal cancer development and progression, but its role in cancer therapy for the gastrointestinal tract is less defined, especially for extra‐intestinal cancers. In this review, we discuss the past 5 years of research into microbial involvement in immune‐related therapies for colorectal, pancreatic, hepatic, and gastric cancers, with the goal of highlighting recent advances and new areas for investigation in this field.
Identification of Structural Damage in a Vehicular Bridge using Artificial Neural Networks

This article presents the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for the structural damage detection to bending in the girders of a vehicular bridge. An analytical model of the bridge was developed to generate 12,800 damage scenarios, in which the flexural stiffness of the elements was modified to simulate the damage. Such rigidities were used as output data for the network, while the modal strain energy differences were used as input data. To verify the NNs generalization capability in presence of noise in the measurements, four levels of noise were analyzed (2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, and 10.0%). It was observed that the developed NNs model is able to predict with high accuracy the location and severity of the damage in the studied bridge.
A vector controlled current-source PWM rectifier with a novel current damping method

Three-phase current-type pulse width modulation (PWM) rectifiers are becoming increasingly popular as the front-end converter unit in power electronic systems due to tighter electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) regulations. In this paper the control of the current source PWM rectifier in the synchronously rotating reference frame is discussed. A control system is presented in which the active and reactive power are independently controlled with real and imaginary axis components of the supply current vector. A new damping method for supply current oscillations is introduced. The method operates in an open-loop manner and is very suitable for microcontroller implementation since the calculation power demand is low. Furthermore, it is shown that in the synchronously rotating coordinates, where the sinusoidal variables appear as DC quantities, the compensation of the reactive power drawn by the supply filter can be done very easily. The proposed control methods are realized using a single-chip Motorola MC68HC916Y1 microcontroller. The experimental tests show excellent performance in both steady state and transient conditions.
Beam shaping technology based on phase-only liquid-crystal spatial light modulator

The liquid crystal spatial light modulator is an effective method to change the quality of the laser beam light field distribution, and the phase hologram is the key to the function of the pure phase liquid crystal spatial light modulator. An improved iterative algorithm for beam shaping is proposed, which is improved on the basis of the traditional G-S algorithm. The improved algorithm is more universal, has better rapid convergence and design flexibility. By proposing an optimization factor ζ, the original uneven light intensity distribution in the light field is compensated, and the advantages of the G-S algorithm that the light field is reshaped by the clear boundary are retained and the uniformity of the light field distribution is improved. The experimental results show that the liquid crystal spatial light modulator can improve the nearfield beam quality very well, the energy utilization rate of the shaped output beam is 97%, and its top unevenness is 25.6% .
Regeneration Through Platelet Rich Plasma – A Cell Therapy with a Path Full of Milestones, Controversies and Cautions!

© 2021 Indian Dermatology Online Journal | Published by Wolters Kluwer Medknow Regenerative medicine is currently one of the fastest‐growing branches of intervention dermatology and trichology with platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) therapy forming its core component. Platelets are the body’s autologous powerhouse of growth factors and cytokines that have remarkable healing abilities when used in specific concentrations. Their use is being explored in both the “diseased” and “desired” dermatology. PRP as a cell and tissue engineering therapy has contributed immensely. It is picking up the pace for difficult to treat conditions including non‐healing ulcers, scarring alopecia, and post‐burn scars. [1‐3] With encouraging results being reported from the scientific community globally, PRP and its new generations have generated great interest amongst dermatologists, plastic surgeons, orthopedicians, orodental surgeons, faciomaxillary surgeons alike.
Piezo-controlled microwave devices

At present, millimeter wave fast tunable components are required for telecommunication systems, car collision prevention radar, etc. The only mechanical way of control inserts practically no loss in the frequency agile system. That is why micro-electromechanical systems devices are being studied intensively. In an overview, an alternative way – piezo-electromechanical tuning of microwave components – is reported.
Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Ponatinib Inhibits Meningioma Growth In Vitro and In Vivo

Simple Summary The clinical management for aggressive meningiomas remains challenging due to the lack of systemic treatment options. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are frequently overexpressed in meningiomas and are associated with poor patient survival. In this study, we evaluated the clinically approved pan-RTK inhibitor ponatinib as a novel candidate for the treatment of aggressive meningiomas. Ponatinib decreased cell viability and proliferation of meningioma cells and subsequently induced programmed cell death. Furthermore, the drug demonstrated a considerable tumor growth inhibition without causing any adverse effects in mice. Mechanistically, this was presumably caused by blocking the PDGFR signaling pathway accompanied by induction of mitochondrial dysfunction. Altogether, the multi-RTKi ponatinib may serve as a promising candidate for targeted therapy for aggressive meningiomas. Abstract To date, there is no standard-of-care systemic therapy for the treatment of aggressive meningiomas. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) are frequently expressed in aggressive meningiomas and are associated with poor survival. Ponatinib is a FDA- and EMA-approved RTK inhibitor and its efficacy in meningioma has not been studied so far. Therefore, we investigated ponatinib as a potential drug candidate against meningioma. Cell viability and cell proliferation of ponatinib-treated meningioma cells were assessed using crystal violet assay, manual counting and BrdU assay. Treated meningioma cell lines were subjected to flow cytometry to evaluate the effects on cell cycle and apoptosis. Meningioma-bearing mice were treated with ponatinib to examine antitumor effects in vivo. qPCR was performed to assess the mRNA levels of tyrosine kinase receptors after ponatinib treatment. Full-length cDNA sequencing was carried out to assess differential gene expression. IC50 values of ponatinib were between 171.2 and 341.9 nM in three meningioma cell lines. Ponatinib induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and subsequently led to an accumulation of cells in the subG1-phase. A significant induction of apoptosis was observed in vitro. In vivo, ponatinib inhibited meningioma growth by 72.6%. Mechanistically, this was associated with downregulation of PDGFRA/B and FLT3 mRNA levels, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, ponatinib is a promising candidate for targeted therapy in the treatment of aggressive meningioma.