Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient Multi-Object Recognition Using GMM Segmentation Feature Fusion Approach

Machines need to be able to recognize and understand complex visual surroundings to function at their best in a variety of contexts. Here, we address the difficult problem of multi-object recognition to obtain a sophisticated knowledge of complex visual environments, tackling issues such as size, occlusion, fluctuations in object traits, and complicated backdrops. Our contribution is to provide novel methods (Gaussian mixture model and mean-shift algorithms) for inferring multiple object segmentation in complicated visuals, introducing a unique multiclass object classification strategy utilizing benchmark datasets. Notably, by utilizing local appearance, texture, and geometry characteristics, our technique considerably improves classification accuracy by integrating a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) with area signatures and local descriptors. By facilitating accurate object matching and identification based on local appearance, texture, and geometric features, local descriptors are essential for collecting particular information and regions of interest in images. When compared to state-of-the-art methods, empirical validation on MSRC and Corel 10k datasets shows better performance, especially when managing object occlusion problems. With an accuracy of 90.6% and 89.69%, respectively, our suggested system performs better than industry standards for multi-object classification on both datasets, highlighting the significant progress our method makes to the area of multiclass object classification in challenging visual contexts.
FlashPCR: Revolutionising qPCR by Accelerating Amplification through Low ∆T Protocols

Versatility, sensitivity, and accuracy have made the real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) a crucial tool for research, as well as diagnostic applications. However, for point-of-care (PoC) use, traditional qPCR faces two main challenges: long run times mean results are not available for half an hour or more, and the requisite high-temperature denaturation requires more robust and power-demanding instrumentation. This study addresses both issues and revises primer and probe designs, modified buffers, and low ∆T protocols which, together, speed up qPCR on conventional qPCR instruments and will allow for the development of robust, point-of-care devices. Our approach, called “FlashPCR”, uses a protocol involving a 15-second denaturation at 79 °C, followed by repeated cycling for 1 s at 79 °C and 71 °C, together with high Tm primers and specific but simple buffers. It also allows for efficient reverse transcription as part of a one-step RT-qPCR protocol, making it universally applicable for both rapid research and diagnostic applications.
Modeling the Impact of Zooplankton Diel Vertical Migration on the Carbon Export Flux of the Biological Pump

One pathway of the biological pump that remains largely unquantified in many export models is the active transport of carbon from the surface ocean to the mesopelagic by zooplankton diel vertical migration (DVM). Here, we develop a simple representation of zooplankton DVM and implement it in a global export model as a thought experiment to illustrate the effects of DVM on carbon export and mesopelagic biogeochemistry. The model is driven by diagnostic satellite measurements of net primary production, algal biomass, and phytoplankton size structure. Due to constraints on available satellite data, the results are restricted to the latitude range from 60°N to 60°S. The modeled global export flux from the base of the euphotic zone was 6.5 PgC/year, which represents a 14% increase over the export flux in model runs without DVM. The mean (± standard deviation, SD) proportional contribution of the DVM‐mediated export flux to total carbon export, averaged over the global domain and the climatological seasonal cycle, was 0.16 ± 0.04 and the proportional contribution of DVM activity to total respiration within the twilight zone was 0.16 ± 0.06. Adding DVM activity to the model also resulted in a deep local maximum in the oxygen utilization profile. The model results were most sensitive to the assumptions for the fraction of individuals participating in DVM, the fraction of fecal pellets produced in the euphotic zone, and the fraction of grazed carbon that is metabolized.
Sustainability Assessment on Community Park Revitalization

Nowadays the green open spaces are becoming more difficult to find, especially in urban areas. Malls and other physical buildings tend to dominate public options for recreation. This paper describes the community engagement program in developing community park in Bogor Regency that has been done within July-December 2016, which was initiated by American Red Cross in Indonesia. Implemented together with Indonesian Red Cross and Universitas Indonesia, the program highlighted the necessity of community park revitalization as nature-based infrastructure that also functioned as refugee point when disaster occurs. The “Charrette” was used as the method to collect information from the community and to make sure bottom-up approach was applied. This way, the community park can be revitalized based on the needs of the community. This paper accesses the process of green open spaces revitalization in the 4 selected locations in Bogor Regency. It observes the sustainability potentials based on the preconditions in each locations. In general, the processes show that community engagement in terms of enthusiasm, willingness to contribute voluntary and financial capital highly influence the sustainability of the green open space. Based on the assessment, one of the four green open spaces hold the highest sustainability potential.
The Generation of Rossby Waves and Wake Eddies by Small Islands

The inﬂuence of small islands on zonal geostrophic currents is examined in a two-layer conﬁgu-ration. An analytic solution for steady quasigeostrophic ﬂow is derived under the assumption of no upstream inﬂuence and is validated numerically in a time-dependent quasigeostrophic model. Under these conditions solutions are the sum of two eigenmodes, which are either arrested Rossby waves or evanescent depending on background ﬂow conditions (layer speeds, stratiﬁcation, and latitude). In contrast to homogeneous ﬂows, arrested Rossby waves in two layers can occur even when the depth mean ﬂow is westward and can be generated both to the east and west of the island. A third blocking mode may play a role in general, altering the meridional structure of the zonal ﬂow upstream and downstream of the island. The inﬂuence of the quasigeostrophic modes on submesoscale island wake eddies is considered in a two-layer primitive equation model with no-slip boundary conditions at the island. Wake eddy formation is inhibited in the presence of an arrested Rossby wave, though the overall drag is similar.
Make me more comfortable: effects of a hypnosis session on pain perception in chronic pain patients

Introduction Approximately one-quarter of Canadians experience chronic pain, a debilitating condition often necessitating opioid use, which raises concerns regarding dependency and overdose risks. As an alternative, we developed the HYlaDO program (Hypnose de la Douleur, hypnosis of Pain in French), a novel self-hypnosis approach for chronic pain management. The development of this program followed the ORBIT model, a comprehensive framework for designing interventions encompassing several phases ranging from design to efficacy assessment. Methods In the present work, we conducted a preliminary evaluation of the HYlaDO program with 21 participants (18 of the 21 patients were included in the analysis). The primary objective was to determine one session of the program’s effectiveness in altering pain, anxiety and relaxation via pre-post analysis. The secondary goal was to examine the long-term effects across the same measures, in addition to the overall quality of life. Results The results highlight the benefits of our approach, while participants reported short-term significant pain reduction, decreased anxiety, and increased relaxation. Additionally, preliminary trends suggest improvements in physical activity and quality of life metrics. Discussion These positive outcomes highlight HYlaDO’s potential as an alternative to opioid therapy for chronic pain. Encouraged by these results, we aim to extend our research to a broader and more diverse cohort, paving the way for comprehensive randomized controlled trials. This expansion will further validate HYlaDO’s efficacy and its role in transforming chronic pain management.
Internalization of Ecological Values through Wayang Kulit Sedekah Bumi in Kalitanjung Hamlet, Banyumas, Indonesia

Sedekah Bumi (earth alms) in Kalitanjung Hamlet is held annually, and one of the processions is ruwat bumi with wayang kulit (shadow puppet). This research aims to describe the ecological values of wayang kulit in Kalitanjung Hamlet, Banyumas. This is qualitative research with an ethnographic approach. The data sources consist of the procession and the local community. The sampling techniques used were snowball sampling and purposive sampling. The data collection technique was done through nonparticipant observation and an in-depth interview. The data analysis was explained in three processes: data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions. The results of this research show that there are ecological values in wayang kulit sedekah bumi. The ecological values in wayang kulit sedekah bumi consist of environmental education values, respect for nature, the fact that humans and nature are interdependent, and nature as a relative.
Modelling of Grassed Road Divider as Bio-Retention System for Urban Road Drainage

An evaluation on the applicability of bio-retention system in grassed road divider under high rainfall of equatorial region was conducted by developing computer-aided stormwater models using USEPA SWMM 5.1. The models simulated road runoffs with and without bio-retention systems. A single unit of bio-retention system tested here was 3 m in width, 6 m in length with 150 mm of ponding depth and 600 mm of soil/storage depth. Results indicated that soil types of loamy sand, sandy loam and loam showed similar performance in reducing runoff. With installation of bio-retention system, road runoff could be reduced 40-50% when subjected to 60 minutes of 2-, 5- and 10-year ARI rain events. The results obtained from the simulation were encouraging that bio-retention system in grassed road divider could function to augment the existing urban road drainage.
Effect of Newer Insecticides against the Major Insect Pests of Groundnut

Efficacy of some newer insecticides were tested against the groundnut leaf miner Aproaerema modicella (Deventer), tobacco caterpillar Spodoptera litura (F), gram pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) and natural enemies (coccinellids) of groundnut. Tolfenpyrad @ 2.5ml/ l was significantly superior in controlling defoliator pests. The next best treatments were tolfenpyrad @ 2ml/ l, spinetoram @ 0.5ml/l, tolfenpyrad @ 1.5ml/ l, thiamethoxam+ lambdacyhalothrin @ 0.4ml/ l. The highest incremental cost benefit ratio (ICBR) was obtained in the treatments with tolfenpyrad @ 2.5ml/ l.
Holocene salinity fluctuations of the East Korean lagoon related to sea level and precipitation changes

Detailed diatom records within core sediments from Maeho Lagoon along the Eastern coast of South Korea revealed that the ecological dynamics of the lagoon during the Holocene were associated with relative sea level and regional precipitation. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C dating indicates that sediment accumulation began prior to 8300 cal. year BP, and that the lagoon formed around 8000 cal. year BP. The salinity level of the lagoon increased until 5000 cal. year BP, and then decreased. Long‐term trends in salinity were dependent upon changes in sea level: periods of high salinity in the lagoon were generally coincident with periods of high sea levels along the east coasts of Korea and Japan. On the other hand, multicentennial‐scale fluctuations in diatom assemblages and magnetic susceptibility (MS) suggest that a 400 year fluctuation in salinity was regulated by changes in precipitation in the area of this lagoon. Changes in the westerly jet stream, controlled by variation in solar irradiance, had an important influence on precipitation volume in South Korea, suggesting that the patterns of the westerly jet stream fluctuate on a 400 year cycle.
Structure Optimization and Data Processing Method of Electronic Nose Bionic Chamber for Detecting Ammonia Emissions from Livestock Excrement Fermentation

In areas where livestock are bred, there is a demand for accurate, real-time, and stable monitoring of ammonia concentration in the breeding environment. However, existing electronic nose systems have slow response times and limited detection accuracy. In this study, we introduce a novel solution: the bionic chamber construction of the electronic nose is optimized, and the sensor response data in the chamber are analyzed using an intelligent algorithm. We analyze the structure of the biomimetic chamber and the surface airflow of the sensor array to determine the sensing units of the system. The system employs an electronic nose to detect ammonia and ethanol gases in a circulating airflow within a closed box. The captured signals are processed, followed by the application of classification and regression models for data prediction. Our results suggest that the system, leveraging the biomimetic chamber, offers rapid gas detection response times. A high classification prediction accuracy, with a determination coefficient R2 value of 0.99 for single-output regression and over 0.98 for multi-output regression predictions, is achieved by incorporating a backpropagation (BP) neural network algorithm. These outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the electronic nose, based on an optimized bionic chamber combined with a BP neural network algorithm, in accurately detecting ammonia emitted during livestock excreta fermentation, satisfying the ammonia detection requirements of breeding farms.
COMMENT TO KATO et al. (2017), “PALEOECOLOGY OF ECHINODERMS IN COLD SEEP ENVIRONMENTS REVEALED BY ISOTOPE ANALYSIS IN THE LATE CRETACEOUS WESTERN INTERIOR SEAWAY”

AARON W. HUNTER, NEAL L. LARSON, AND JAMIE BREZINA Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK School of Earth Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia Larson Paleontology Unlimited, 12799 Wolframite Road, Keystone, South Dakota 57751, USA Department of Mining Engineering and Management, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA email: awh31@cam.ac. uk
A Bursaphelenchus xylophilus effector BxICD1 inducing plant cell death, concurrently contributes to nematode virulence and migration

The migratory endoparasitic phytonematodes Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is the causal agent of pine wilt disease and causes significant economic damage to pine forests in China. Effectors play a key role in the successful parasitism of plants by phytonematodes. In this study, 210 genes obtained by transcriptomics analyses were found to be upregulated in B. xylophilus infecting Pinus massoniana that were not functionally annotated nor reported previously in B. xylophilus infecting P. thunbergii. Among these differentially expressed genes, a novel effector, BxICD1, that could induce cell death in the extracellular space of Nicotiana benthamiana was identified. BxICD1 was upregulated in the early stages of infection, as shown by RT-qPCR analyses. In situ hybridization analysis showed that BxICD1 was expressed in the esophageal gland of nematodes. The yeast signal sequence trap system indicated that BxICD1 possessed an N-terminal signal peptide with secretion functionality. Using an Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression system, it was demonstrated that the cell death-inducing activity of BxICD1 was dependent on N. benthamiana brassinosteroid-insensitive 1-associated kinase 1 (NbBAK1). Finally, BxICD1 contributed to B. xylophilus virulence and migration in host pine trees, as demonstrated by RNAi silencing assays. These findings indicate that BxICD1 both induces plant cell death and also contributes to nematode virulence and migration in P. massonian.
Clinical Insights into MicroRNAs in Depression: Bridging Molecular Discoveries and Therapeutic Potential

Depression is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. The discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis or prediction of treatment responses and as therapeutic agents is a current priority. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of short RNA molecules in the etiology of depression. The most extensively researched of these are microRNAs, a major component of cellular gene regulation and function. MicroRNAs function in a temporal and tissue-specific manner to regulate and modify the post-transcriptional expression of target mRNAs. They can also be shuttled as cargo of extracellular vesicles between the brain and the blood, thus informing about relevant mechanisms in the CNS through the periphery. In fact, studies have already shown that microRNAs identified peripherally are dysregulated in the pathological phenotypes seen in depression. Our article aims to review the existing evidence on microRNA dysregulation in depression and to summarize and evaluate the growing body of evidence for the use of microRNAs as a target for diagnostics and RNA-based therapies.
Experiments on the hydraulics and swimming responses of juvenile Chinook Salmon encountering a floating guidance structure

Floating guidance structures are intended to promote safe passage for juvenile salmon migrating downstream through reservoirs. However, the ability of an engineered structure to guide fish to safe passage has been primarily tested through large‐scale implementation in reservoirs or in laboratory studies and computer simulations without live fish. Research is needed that integrates fluid mechanics with fish behaviour to study how hydraulic conditions around a guidance structure trigger swimming behaviours. In this study, an outdoor experimental channel was used to identify: (a) the hydraulic signature of a floating guidance structure and (b) changes in fish swim behaviour in relation to channel hydraulics. The flow field surrounding a guidance structure at two deployment angles was characterized using acoustic Doppler velocimeters. Swimming behaviours of juvenile Chinook salmon were recorded using underwater videogrammetry. A statistical method for behaviour change detection identified the most likely locations of swimming behaviour changes in fish as they first encountered the guidance structure. Finally, the locations of behaviour changes were compared to the hydraulics surrounding each guidance structure. Taken together, results indicated the fish did respond to the guide wall with behaviour changes, but did not distinguish between the two guide wall angles. While the two guide wall angles did produce statistically different distributions of hydraulic variables, the differences were small, potentially too small for the fish to produce a behavioural response. To inform the design of guidance structures, further work may clarify if swim responses vary with more aggressive wall angles and/or higher approach velocities, or if any contraction of flow and/or visual cue will produce similar behaviour responses.
Forest Canopy Structural Complexity and Light Absorption Relationships at the Subcontinental Scale

Understanding how the physical structure of forest canopies influences light absorption is a long‐standing area of inquiry fundamental to the physical sciences, including the modeling and interpretation of biogeochemical cycles. Conventional measures of forest canopy structure used to infer canopy light absorption are often limited to leaf or vegetation area indexes. However, LiDAR‐derived measures of canopy structural complexity (CSC) that describe the arrangement of vegetation may improve prediction of canopy light absorption by providing novel information on canopy‐light interactions not regulated by leaf area alone. We measured multiple indexes of CSC, vegetation area index (VAI), and the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed (fPAR) across the eastern United States using portable canopy LiDAR to evaluate how different canopy structural attributes relate to fPAR. Our survey included sites from the National Ecological Observation Network and university field stations. Measures of CSC were more strongly coupled with fPAR under high light (>1,000 μmol m−2 s−1 PAR). Under low light conditions, when diffuse light predominates, light scattering weakens the dependency of fPAR on CSC. A multivariate model including CSC parameters and VAI explains ~89% of the intersite variance in fPAR, an improvement of over a VAI only linear model (r2 = 0.73). The inclusion of CSC metrics in canopy light absorption models could increase confidence in predictions of biogeochemical cycles and energy balance.
Risk Factors and Innovations in Risk Assessment for Melanoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma, and Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Simple Summary Skin cancer is a common, preventable condition of global importance. Different types of skin cancer, like melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, have various risk factors, including UV exposure and genetics. Identifying these risk factors is crucial for targeting early detection and nuanced treatment. Recent research has developed risk scores to identify individuals at high risk, enhancing prevention efforts. This advancement is significant as it improves our ability to detect and treat skin cancer early, ultimately reducing its impact on society. Abstract Skin cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer globally and is preventable. Various risk factors contribute to different types of skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. These risk factors encompass both extrinsic, such as UV exposure and behavioral components, and intrinsic factors, especially involving genetic predisposition. However, the specific risk factors vary among the skin cancer types, highlighting the importance of precise knowledge to facilitate appropriate early diagnosis and treatment for at-risk individuals. Better understanding of the individual risk factors has led to the development of risk scores, allowing the identification of individuals at particularly high risk. These advances contribute to improved prevention strategies, emphasizing the commitment to mitigating the impact of skin cancer.
Impact of Skeletal Muscle Depletion on Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome Treated with Azacitidine

Background: Azacitidine (AZA) is the standard treatment for patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The impact of skeletal muscle depletion (SMD), which is associated with outcomes of hematological malignancies, on the clinical course of MDS patients treated with AZA was investigated. Methods: This retrospective, observational study included 50 MDS patients treated with AZA. Muscle mass was evaluated using the skeletal muscle index (SMI), which is the area of muscle mass at the third lumbar vertebra on CT images divided by the square of the height. Results: Of the enrolled patients, 39 were males, and their median age was 69.5 years. Twenty-seven (20 male and 7 female) patients showed SMD. The median survival was 13.4 months in the SMD group and 15.2 months in the non-SMD group, with no significant difference and no significant association between the response rate or severe non-hematological toxicities and the presence of SMD. By contrast, grade 3–4 anemia and thrombocytopenia were significantly more frequent in the SMD group than in the non-SMD group. SMD was associated with severe anemia and thrombocytopenia in MDS patients treated with AZA. Conclusion: Reduced skeletal muscle mass may predict severe hematological toxicity in MDS patients treated with AZA.