Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Crustal and uppermost mantle shear wave velocity structure beneath the Middle East from surface wave tomography

We have constructed a 3-D shear wave velocity (Vs) model for the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Middle East using Rayleigh wave records obtained from ambient-noise cross-correlations and regional earthquakes. We combined one decade of data collected from 852 permanent and temporary broad-band stations in the region to calculate group-velocity dispersion curves. A compilation of >54 000 ray paths provides reliable group-velocity measurements for periods between 2 and 150 s. Path-averaged group velocities calculated at different periods were inverted for 2-D group-velocity maps. To overcome the problem of heterogeneous ray coverage, we used an adaptive grid parametrization for the group-velocity tomographic inversion. We then sample the period-dependent group-velocity field at each cell of a predefined grid to generate 1-D group-velocity dispersion curves, which are subsequently inverted for 1-D Vs models beneath each cell and combined to approximate the 3-D Vs structure of the area. The Vs model shows low velocities at shallow depths (5–10 km) beneath the Mesopotamian foredeep, South Caspian Basin, eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, in coincidence with deep sedimentary basins. Shallow high-velocity anomalies are observed in regions such as the Arabian Shield, Anatolian Plateau and Central Iran, which are dominated by widespread magmatic exposures. In the 10–20 km depth range, we find evidence for a band of high velocities (>4.0 km s–1) along the southern Red Sea and Arabian Shield, indicating the presence of upper mantle rocks. Our 3-D velocity model exhibits high velocities in the depth range of 30–50 km beneath western Arabia, eastern Mediterranean, Central Iranian Block, South Caspian Basin and the Black Sea, possibly indicating a relatively thin crust. In contrast, the Zagros mountain range, the Sanandaj-Sirjan metamorphic zone in western central Iran, the easternmost Anatolian plateau and Lesser Caucasus are characterized by low velocities at these depths. Some of these anomalies may be related to thick crustal roots that support the high topography of these regions. In the upper mantle depth range, high-velocity anomalies are obtained beneath the Arabian Platform, southern Zagros, Persian Gulf and the eastern Mediterranean, in contrast to low velocities beneath the Red Sea, Arabian Shield, Afar depression, eastern Turkey and Lut Block in eastern Iran. Our Vs model may be used as a new reference crustal model for the Middle East in a broad range of future studies.
Map and analyse global food and feed supply chains

In spring 2017, the EFSA-BfR Framework Partnership Agreement on Risk Assessment Tools for the Safety of Global Food and Feed Supply Chains was initiated. Tasks and deliverables in Area 1 were centred on FoodChain-Lab (FCL) and include further development of FCL, applying it in foodborne outbreaks and propagating its use by conducting training workshops and establishing an international network of tracing experts. This final report summarises all activities in Area 1 that were accomplished during the first project phase of the EFSA-BfR cooperation until summer 2019 and gives a short outlook on future collaborations. The first project phase was very successful. Three fruitful Member State (MS)specific FCL trainings were conducted. Furthermore a joint EFSA-ECDC workshop was conducted with six MS and tracing as well as FCL was a major part in the training. Another multi-country FCL training workshop took place in Germany and a third one in Italy for EFSA staff and MS experts. During several events and activities the network of tracing experts could be initiated and expanded. They expressed their interests in future FCL workshops and in collaborating in tracing issues and data exchange formats. FCL was applied in tracing analyses during several MS-specific or multi-country foodborne outbreaks, either via support by the FCL rapid deployment team or autonomously by the MS themselves. Furthermore, the development of FCL was pushed forward regarding the development of an FCL web application and interfaces with other software to exchange data. A key achievement was also the development of web-based pilot versions of an input mask for delivery data and a visualisation to improve reporting of tracing information e.g. in EFSA Rapid Outbreak Assessments. Advancing the FCL web application and its data collection and reporting modules as well as strengthening the tracing expert network and improving the exchange of experience between EFSA, BfR and MS will all be in the focus during the second contract phase. © German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 2019
New Multiplex PCR Method for Identification of East European Green Frog Species and Their Hybrids

A molecular multiplex PCR method for identification of East European green frog species ( Pelophylax ridibundus , P. cf. bedriagae and P. lessonae ) and their hybrids was developed. This simple and rapid method can be used for identification of species-specific mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. The method is based on species-specific differences in primary structure of the subunit 1 of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase gene ( CO I) and the intron-1 of the nuclear serum albumin gene ( SA I-1). Based on the method, we analyzed numerous individuals of these species and their hybrids from East European Plain, the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Ural, as well as introduced populations from Western Siberia and the Kamchatka. In all cases, identification of species performed by use of the multiplex PCR method coincided with results of study of primary nucleotide sequences.
Vitamin D status in children and adolescents: A prospective cohort study

Background: The National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III, 2009 reported that 48% of adolescents in the United States are vitamin D insufficient/deficient. Nutritional and environmental factors are implicated. The purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in orthopaedic patients and typical children and identify risk factors to aid in screening. Methods: This prospective study recruited 138 patients and 30 typical children ages 2 to <18 yr. Those with known problems with abnormal vitamin D metabolism or diminished ability to play outside were excluded. Height, weight, and serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were measured. Questionnaires assessed skin type, sunscreen use, diet, and physical activity. Results: Statistical analysis failed to detect any differences between patients and controls. Therefore, they were combined for statistical analysis (N=168). The mean age was 11.9±4.2 yr. The mean vitamin D level was 26.5±7.8 ng/mL, which was deficient (<20 ng/mL, n=33) or insufficient (≥21 to <30 ng/mL, n=84) for 71% of participants. Children with sufficient vitamin D levels were younger than those with insufficient/deficient levels (P=0.02). Multivariate analysis showed that vitamin D levels were negatively affected in ethnic minority groups, those with higher body mass index, those with Medicaid or no insurance status, and those with outside playtime of less than 20 min/day (P=0.0006, P=0.001, P=0.0004, P=0.0005, respectively). Conclusions: Vitamin D insufficiency in 71% of our population is much greater than that being reported. The high rate of vitamin D insufficiency suggests that routine screening may be necessary to prevent long-term effects on bone growth and fragility. Characteristics of those at highest risk are ethnic minority, older age, obesity, time spent outdoors of less than 20 min per day, and no private health insurance. Level of Evidence: Level II.
Femoral nerve dimensions at the inguinal ligament and inguinal crease levels: implications for femoral nerve block

Introduction: Femoral nerve block, when used solely or as a supplement to general anaesthesia, provides anaesthesia and analgesia to the anterior thigh. In spite of its established benefits, femoral nerve block is still underutilized in Nigeria. Our objective was to study the dimensions of femoral nerve at the level of the inguinal ligament and inguinal crease using a cadaveric model; no such data exists in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Using 7 adult human cadavers (6 males and 1 female), the depth and thickness of the femoral nerve were measured at the levels of inguinal ligament and inguinal crease. The spatial relationship of femoral nerve to the surrounding structures was also observed. Result: The study showed a significantly wider thickness and shorter depth of the femoral nerve at the level of inguinal crease relative to inguinal ligament. Conclusion: We concluded that in centers where ultrasound and neurostimulation techniques for femoral nerve block in Nigerians are unavailable, the inguinal crease level where the femoral nerve is more superficial and wider in thickness would be the landmark of choice compared to the inguinal ligament level.
Comprehensive evaluation of the fabric crease recovery property by the whole recovery process

Current standard methods specify the recovery angle of a folded wrinkle in a controlled recovery period as the evaluation standard for the fabric crease recovery property. Nevertheless, there are limitations in the characterization of the whole recovery process by using the single recovery angle. We proposed a whole-process test method and comprehensive evaluation method for assessing the fabric crease recovery property. Firstly, a specimen was tested on the automatic fabric crease recovery testing device to obtain the “time-recovery angle” data. Then, the “time-average recovery angle” data was calculated by the recovery angle at the corresponding moment in the recovery period from repeated testing. The “time-average recovery angle” data was fitted into power function equation f(t) = atb. Parameter a reflects the degree of initial recovery. Parameter b reveals the speed degree at which the sample recovery reaches stable status. The K value, the ratio of a to b, could be calculated. Finally, the K ¯ value, the average of the K values of four folded ways, was used to evaluate the crease recovery property of the fabric. The experimental results demonstrate that the K ¯ values have positive correlation with the recovery angle of the fifth minute in the recovery period (r = 0.92). In addition, for fabrics with the similar recovery angle results obtained from the wrinkle recovery angle evaluation method, the proposed method could differentiate the property of the fabrics. Therefore, the evaluation method can accurately reflect the initial resilience and comprehensive crease recovery property of textile materials.
A Reactive and On-Chip Sensor Circuit for NBTI and PBTI Resilient SRAM Design

Process Variation (PV), Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) and Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB) are the critical factors that affect the reliability of semiconductor chip design. They cause the system to be unstable and increase the soft error rate. In this paper, a compact on-chip degradation technique using runtime leakage current monitoring has been proposed. The proposed sensor-based adaptive technique compensates for the variation due to PV and aging using the body-bias-voltage-generator circuit. Simulation experiments for three and ten-year stress have been performed. Simulation results proved the superiority of the proposed sensor which provides 33% (up to 0.75 V) more output voltage and 98% sensitivity at 1 V supply voltage compared to the state-of-the-art sensor. The proposed technique mitigates up to 80% PV and BTI effects in SRAM compared to the state-of-the-art techniques.
The path to verbal bodily diagnostics in isiXhosa

This article explores the manner in which deverbal nominals derived from verbs related to bodily processes manifest themselves within the Generative Lexicon paradigm. The paramount idea is that, the devices found in the lexical semantic structure are more than adequate in explaining the different interpretations of the deverbal nominals, as they are found in different noun classifications. This is illustrated in the article, firstly, by utilising the semantics of noun classes in Proto-Bantu. Secondly, I briefly looked at the typology of deverbal nominals derived from Setswana and isiXhosa to determine any differences in terms of their derivation. Thirdly, I analysed the deverbal nominals using de-compositional lexical semantics.
Distributed optimisation of LTE systems

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Performance of Soil Moisture Sensors in Florida Sandy Soils

Soil moisture sensors can improve water management efficiency by measuring soil volumetric water content (θv) in real time. Soil-specific calibration equations used to calculate θv can increase sensor accuracy. A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the performance of several commercial sensors and to establish soil-specific calibration equations for different soil types. We tested five Florida sandy soils used for citrus production (Pineda, Riviera, Astatula, Candler, and Immokalee) divided into two depths (0.0–0.3 and 0.3–0.6 m). Readings were taken using twelve commercial sensors (CS650, CS616, CS655 (Campbell Scientific), GS3, 10HS, 5TE, GS1 (Meter), TDT-ACC-SEN-SDI, TDR315, TDR315S, TDR135L (Acclima), and Hydra Probe (Stevens)) connected to a datalogger (CR1000X; Campbell Scientific). Known amounts of water were added incrementally to obtain a broad range of θv. Small 450 cm3 samples were taken to determine the gravimetric water content and calculate the θv used to obtain the soil-specific calibration equations. Results indicated that factory-supplied calibration equations performed well for some sensors in sandy soils, especially 5TE, TDR315L, and GS1 (R2 = 0.92) but not for others (10HS, GS3, and Hydra Probe). Soil-specific calibrations from this study resulted in accuracy expressed as root mean square error (RMSE) ranging from 0.018 to 0.030 m3 m−3 for 5TE, CS616, CS650, CS655, GS1, Hydra Probe, TDR310S, TDR315, TDR315L, and TDT-ACC-SEN-SDI, while lower accuracies were found for 10HS (0.129 m3 m−3) and GS3 (0.054 m3 m−3). This study provided soil-specific calibration equations to increase the accuracy of commercial soil moisture sensors to facilitate irrigation scheduling and water management in Florida sandy soils used for citrus production.
Natural hybridization reveals incompatible alleles that cause melanoma in swordtail fish

Mapping vertebrate incompatibility alleles Deleterious gene interactions may underlie the observed hybrid incompatibilities. However, few genes underlying hybrid incompatibilities have been identified, and most of these involve species that do not hybridize in natural conditions. Powell et al. used genome sequencing to map genes likely responsible for incompatibilities that reduce fitness in naturally occurring hybrid swordtail fish. These gene combinations result in malignant melanoma, which is found in naturally hybridizing populations but is not present in the parental populations (see the Perspective by Dagilis and Matute). Using genome and population resequencing, the authors performed a genome-wide association study to identify potentially causative mutations. Using an admixture mapping approach that assessed introgression between multiple swordtail fish species, the authors suggest that lineages carry different genes that interact with the same candidate gene, resulting in the observed melanomas and providing insight into convergent hybrid incompatibles that arise between species. Science, this issue p. 731; see also p. 710 A combination of mapping approaches identifies interacting genes that lead to incompatibility and melanoma in natural hybrid fish. The establishment of reproductive barriers between populations can fuel the evolution of new species. A genetic framework for this process posits that “incompatible” interactions between genes can evolve that result in reduced survival or reproduction in hybrids. However, progress has been slow in identifying individual genes that underlie hybrid incompatibilities. We used a combination of approaches to map the genes that drive the development of an incompatibility that causes melanoma in swordtail fish hybrids. One of the genes involved in this incompatibility also causes melanoma in hybrids between distantly related species. Moreover, this melanoma reduces survival in the wild, likely because of progressive degradation of the fin. This work identifies genes underlying a vertebrate hybrid incompatibility and provides a glimpse into the action of these genes in natural hybrid populations.
A Discussion Regarding the Application of the Hertz Contact Theory on Biological Samples in AFM Nanoindentation Experiments

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Nanoindentation procedure regarding biological samples poses significant challenges with respect to the accuracy of the provided results. These challenges are related to the inhomogeneity of biological samples, various uncertainties in experimental methods and certain approximations regarding the theoretical analysis. The most commonly used theoretical model for data processing at the linear elastic regime regarding biological samples is the Hertz model. This paper focuses on the investigation of the resulting errors of the basic equation of the Hertz theory that depend on the ratio, indentation depth/indenter’s radius regarding the Young’s modulus calculation. An extended new equation is derived which takes into account the influence of the indentation depth/indenter’s radius ratio on the calculation of the Young’s modulus and can be easily used for calculations. The derived equation is further combined with equations which take into account the shape of the sample. Several examples in the literature that do not take into account the value of the ratio indentation depth/indenter’s radius are reported and the related errors are calculated and discussed. Moreover, a rational explanation, regarding the extended differences of the Young’s modulus calculations using the same experimental results when these are processed using the Hertz model and the Oliver & Pharr analysis (which is the general model that applies for any axisymmetric indenter) is provided. A complete and reliable theoretical tool was developed (that takes into account the indentation depth/indenter’s radius ratio and the shape of the sample) which can be generally applied in order to reduce the errors produced by the current methodology (Hertz model).
Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treated with Combination Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation and Oral Appliance Therapy

Hypoglossal cranial nerve stimulation therapy via an implantable neurostimulation system is a promising new therapy for moderateto-severe obstructive sleep apnea patients who are unable to adhere to positive pressure therapy and who meet certain anatomical and clinical characteristics. Treatment for non-responders or incomplete responders to this novel therapy has not been studied. Particularly for patients who fail positive pressure therapy, a management plan combining multiple treatment modalities is increasingly common.
Elevated 1 Hour Glucose During Oral Glucose Tolerance Test- A New Parameter of Impaired Metabolism

Abstract Background and aims: Recently, large scale studies emphasized the idea of an excess of metabolic and cardiovascular risk in patients currently considered to have normal glucose tolerance but showing an elevated 1 hour glucose (≥155mg/dl) during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Material and Methods: 75 subjects with normal glucose tolerance or impaired glucose tolerance were completely investigated. We evaluated the clinical and biological markers associated to insulin resistance and we calculated the cardiovascular risk of the subjects using the SCORE charts. Results and Discussions: Our data found statistically significant correlations between subjects with normal glucose tolerance and elevated 1 hour glucose and the following markers of insulin resistance: triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-chol), Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA-IR), The Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI), fasting insulin, fasting glucose to fasting insulin ratio. Also, the subjects with elevated 1 hour glucose had a greater cardiovascular risk compared to subjects with 1 hour glucose <155 mg/dl. Conclusions: This study identifies a category of subjects currently considered as normal glucose-tolerant individuals but with a special metabolic profile, an increased cardiovascular risk and an increased risk of developing diabetes.
Performance Analysis of a SAGE-Based Semi-Blind Channel Estimator for Pilot Contaminated MU Massive MIMO Systems

Massive multiple-input multiple-output (M-MIMO) is one of the key ingredients in the upcoming 5G technology. The benefits associated with M-MIMO rely largely on the accuracy of channel state information (CSI) available at the base station (BS). The existing literature mostly employs pilot-aided schemes which require additional pilots for improving their CSI accuracy; additionally, pilot contamination degrades their performance to a large extent. In this paper, we design a Space-Alternating Generalized Expectation-Maximization (SAGE) based semi-blind estimator for pilot contaminated multi-user (MU) M-MIMO systems. It utilizes both pilot and a few data symbols for CSI estimation through two stages, namely initialization and iterative SAGE (ISAGE). We obtain an initial channel estimate with the help of a pilot-aided linear minimum mean squared error (LMMSE) estimator in the initialization stage. The acquired initial estimate from the former stage is then iteratively updated by SAGE algorithm with the joint usage of pilot and a few data symbols in ISAGE stage. The inclusion of data information in ISAGE stages’ estimation process aids in simultaneous improvement of CSI accuracy and spectral efficiency (SE) of a M-MIMO system; which is unlikely for a pilot based estimation scheme. Through simulations, we show that our estimator obtains a considerable improvement over the existing pilot-aided schemes in terms of mean squared error (MSE), bit error rate (BER), SE, and energy efficiency (EE) at a nominal increase in complexity. Besides, on average, it achieves convergence in almost two iterations. We also derive modified Cramer-Rao lower bound (MCRLB) to validate the estimation efficacy of our estimator. We evaluate a closed-form expression for lower bound on UL achievable rate of MU M-MIMO systems under both perfect and imperfect CSI scenario. We also discuss the trade-off between SE and EE.
MILITARY PERSONNEL: ON THE MOVE AND VULNERABLE TO HIV/AIDS AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Civil-Military Alliance to Combat HIV & AIDS (CMA) – 2005 All rights reserved. Use and reproduction of information contained in this document is permitted without specific authorization of the CMA, provided that (i) it is for non-commercial purposes only, and (ii) any reproduction of data or portions of the document be accompanied by an acknowledgement of CMA as the source, crediting any analyses, interpretations or conclusions to the author(s) of referenced publications and not to the CMA, which is responsible only for the provision of the basic information.