Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of velocity profile in a hyper-concentrated flow: a critical analysis of Bagnold equation

Debris flow velocity is an important factor which influences the impact forces and runup. Due to the complexity of the phenomenon, it is difficult to define predictive methodologies. The present work reports some results of an experimental run conducted in order to investigate the velocity and sediment concentration distributions. A modified Bagnold’s approach to calculate the vertical distribution of flow velocity is presented.
Quantitative Proteomics Reveal Region-Specific Alterations in Neuroserpin-Deficient Mouse Brain and Retina: Insights into Serpini1 Function

Neural regeneration and neuroprotection represent strategies for future management of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or glaucoma. However, the complex molecular mechanisms that are involved in neuroprotection are not clearly understood. A promising candidate that maintains neuroprotective signaling networks is neuroserpin (Serpini1), a serine protease inhibitor expressed in neurons which selectively inhibits extracellular tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA)/plasmin and plays a neuroprotective role during ischemic brain injury. Abnormal function of this protein has been implicated in several conditions including stroke, glaucoma, AD, and familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies (FENIB). Here, we explore the potential biochemical roles of Serpini1 by comparing proteome changes between neuroserpin-deficient (NS−/−) and control mice, in the retina (RE), optic nerve (ON), frontal cortex (FC), visual cortex (VC), and cerebellum (CB). To achieve this, a multiple-plex quantitative proteomics approach using isobaric tandem mass tag (TMT) technology was employed followed by functional enrichment and protein–protein interaction analysis. We detected around 5000 proteins in each tissue and a pool of 6432 quantified proteins across all regions, resulting in a pool of 1235 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering highlighted similarities and differences in the retina compared to various brain regions, as well as differentiating NS−/− proteome signatures from control samples. The visual cortex revealed the highest number of DEPs, followed by cerebellar regions. Pathway analysis unveiled region-specific changes, including visual perception, focal adhesion, apoptosis, glutamate receptor activation, and supramolecular fiber organization in RE, ON, FC, VC, and CB, respectively. These novel findings provide comprehensive insights into the region-specific networking of Serpini1 in the central nervous system, further characterizing its potential role as a neuroprotective agent. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD046873.
Blind Image Quality Evaluation Method Based on Cyclic Generative Adversarial Network

The mission of blind image quality evaluation is currently a challenging computer vision problem. Due to the shortage of reference images, it is hard for blind image quality evaluation methods to achieve the same performance as full reference image quality evaluation methods. In addition, current quality evaluation methods are difficult to effectively forecast the quality scores of synthesized distorted images as well as real distorted images. To address such issues, this study proposed a cyclic generative adversarial network composed of a quality perception network and a quality regression network on the grounds of generative adversarial networks. For further enhancing the predictive performance of quality aware networks, this study proposed using attention blocks for adaptively fusing high-level semantic features and low-level semantic features. It extracted content and distortion information from images through an image quality evaluation method on the grounds of content perception and distortion inference. And according to the different properties of the extracted features, adaptive fusion blocks were used for adaptively fusing content features and distortion features. Experiments showcased that the Spearman order correlation coefficient and Pearson linear correlation coefficient obtained by the proposed method on multiple datasets were higher than other similar methods. At the same time, the proposed method has achieved good prediction results on various types of distorted images, and has surpassed other methods. The prediction accuracy of the proposed method on five types of distortion was 0.971, 0.963, 0.984, 0.971, and 0.926, respectively. The proposed method achieved the highest predictive accuracy on all distortion types in the LIVE dataset, with predicted accuracy values of 0.973, 0.965, 0.984, 0.963, and 0.944, respectively. In summary, the proposed method not only achieved good prediction accuracy, but also had strong generalization performance in cross dataset testing. This provides a scientific and effective research direction for blind image quality evaluation.
Ventilation of the Subtropical North Atlantic: Locations and Times of Last Ventilation Estimated Using Tracer Constraints From GEOTRACES Section GA03

The ventilation of the subtropical North Atlantic along GEOTRACES section GA03 is quantified in terms of where and how long ago water was last in the mixed layer. Measurements of T, S, PO4*, CFC-11, CFC-12, SF6, and estimates of pre-bomb 14C are deconvolved for the boundary propagator G using a maximum-entropy approach. From G we calculate the fractions of water last ventilated in specified surface regions Ωw. We estimate that (56±13)% of the water deeper than 1000 m was ventilated in northern high latitudes, (15±5)% in the Mediterranean, and (27±12)% in the Southern Ocean. Below the thermocline and outside the deep western boundary current, mean ages of Ωw-ventilated water exceed a century. Consequently, memory of where last ventilation occurred tends to get lost and the deep mean-age patterns of Ωw-ventilated water are broadly similar for all Ωw. The mean ventilation ages, averaged over the section with Ωw-fraction weights, are roughly 200 years for all deep water masses except for water last ventilated south of the Antarctic divergence, which is about twice as old. The uncertainties in the section-mean profiles of the Ωw fractions and their mean ages are ∼50% and ∼20%, respectively. The Ωw fractions have vertically diffuse overlapping patterns suggesting significant diapycnal mixing, consistent with century-scale mean ages. We quantify the seasonal cycle of ventilation and find that in both hemispheres peak ventilation occurs during late winter and early spring, but Northern Hemisphere ventilated deep waters have a more pronounced seasonal cycle with nearly zero summertime ventilation.
The effect of nutrition education sessions on energy availability, body composition, eating attitude and sports nutrition knowledge in young female endurance athletes

Nutrition knowledge plays a pivotal role in shaping dietary habits and food choices, particularly in the realm of sports nutrition. This study investigates the effects of a series of nutrition education sessions conducted by a registered dietitian on energy availability, various anthropometric measurements, eating attitudes, and sports nutrition knowledge in young female endurance athletes aged 15–18 years (football, basketball, volleyball) who engage in training for more than 10 h per week (n = 83). Participants were randomly divided into two groups with 45 individuals receiving six physical nutrition education lectures, and the remaining 38 participants receiving no nutrition education. Participants completed the low energy availability in females questionnaire (LEAF-Q), Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), and Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (SNKQ). Energy and nutrient intakes were evaluated through 3-day food records, while exercise energy expenditure was assessed using 3-day activity logs. All of the questionnaires were repeated after 6 months. At baseline, the prevalence of LEA among athletes was determined to be 63.8%. In the intervention group, energy availability (EA) and SNKQ scores increased, and LEAF-Q scores decreased significantly (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant change in EAT-26 scores between the two groups. Energy intake, weight, fat-free mass, and resting metabolic rate have been increased significantly in the intervention group (p < 0,05). These findings suggest that nutrition education proves beneficial in enhancing dietary intake, positively influencing body composition, and improving nutrition knowledge, ultimately contributing to increased energy availability in female athletes over the short term.
Network pharmacology and molecular docking studies on the mechanism of action of moist exposed burn ointment for treatment of diabetic foot ulcer

Purpose: To investigate the bioactive components and mechanism of action of moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers using network pharmacology (NP) and molecular docking technology Methods: Through pharmacology database of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) systems (TCMSP), analysis platform and symptom mapping (SymMap) database, the bioactive components of MEBO were screened for and protein binding to bioactive components was predicted. Proteins related to Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) were collected from GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGkb and TTD disease databases. With R language software, the binding proteins of bioactive components of MEBO intersected with the proteins related to occurrence of DFU. Proteins of DFU linked to treatment with MEBO were subjected to analysis using gene ontology (GO) and KEGG with R language software. AutoDock and PyMOL software were employed to dock active components of MEBO and major proteins of DFU. Targeted binding potential of bioactive compounds in MEBO to core proteins of DFU was analyzed. Results: One hundred and five (105) bioactive ingredients and 246 likely therapeutic proteins were obtained. Proteins were mainly involved in biological processes in wound healing, oxidative stress, and lipopolysaccharide. The enriched signaling pathway focused on lipid metabolism and the process of atherosclerosis which involved PI3K and Akt, advanced glycation end-products (AGE)-receptor (RAGE) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The absolute values of these proteins were screened out with a docking score greater than 5 kcal/mol. Conclusion: The biological effects of MEBO are related to multiple proteins and multiple signaling pathways. Therefore, healing effect of MEBO on DFU occurs via multiple pathways. The biological characteristics of MEBO need to be fully elucidated in further studies.
Spider Species Classification Using Vision Transformers and Convolutional Neural Networks

Spiders often seek shelter in the heat and safety of homes and although most of them are harmless, some can represent a real danger. Since differentiating spider species can be a challenge for individuals without prior knowledge, having a method to identify them could be useful in order to avoid potentially venomous ones. To address this question, this project aimed to analyze and compare the performance of convolutional neural networks (CNN) and vision transformers (ViT) regarding the quantitative and qualitative performance in the task of classifying different species of spiders from their images. We utilized publicly available images consisting of 25 Brazilian spider species and around 25,000 images. We selected the models based on their metrics and generalization performance in this classification task. The preliminary results indicated that ConvNeXt emerged as the most proficient among the examined Convolutional Neural Networks, achieving a macro accuracy of 88.5%. As for the Vision Transformers, MaxViT surpassed its counterparts, registering a macro accuracy of 90.1%, and outperformed the models in a direct comparison of their performance metrics. These results may contribute to the development of applications aimed at identifying spiders and providing information of interest about the species.
Time delay in the gravitational field of an axisymmetric body with full mass and spin multipole structure

The time delay of a light signal which propagates in the gravitational field of an isolated body is considered. The body can be of arbitrary but time-independent shape and inner structure and can be in uniform rotational motion, while the center of mass of the body is assumed to be at rest. The gravitational field is given in the post-Newtonian scheme and in terms of the full set of mass-multipoles and spin-multipoles of the body. The asymptotic configuration is considered, where source and observer are located at spatial infinity from the massive body. It is found that in this asymptotic limit the higher multipole terms of time delay are related to the higher multipole terms of total light deflection. Furthermore, it is shown that the gauge terms vanish in this asymptotic configuration. In case of an axisymmetric body in uniform rotational motion, the higher multipole terms of time delay can be expressed in terms of Chebyshev polynomials. This fact allows one to determine the upper limits of the time delay for higher multipoles. These upper limits represent a criterion to identify those multipoles which contribute significantly to the time delay for a given accuracy of time measurements. It is found that the first mass-multipoles with $l \le 8$ and the first spin-multipoles with $l \le 3$ are sufficient for an accuracy on the femto-second scale of accuracy in time measurements.
Quantifying the role of parrotfish in the production and cycling of carbonate in coral reef ecosystems

2 Acknowledgements. 10 Publications . 12 Conference presentations. 12 List of figures. 14 List of tables . 20 List of abbreviations . 23 Chapter 1 General introduction. 24 1.1 Brief overview . 25 1.2 Thesis aim. 26 1.3 Research questions. 26 1.4 Objectives . 27 Chapter 2 Current understanding of the role of parrotfish in carbonate production and cycling in coral reef ecosystems . 29 2.1 Background. 30 2.2 Substrate grazing and bioerosion by parrotfish . 33 2.3 Sediment generation by parrotfish . 37 2.3.1 Sediment production, reworking and transport . 37 2.3.2 Endogenous carbonate production by marine teleost fish . 39 2.4 Parrotfish contributions to coral reef carbonate budgets . 42 2.5 Environmental change and parrotfish carbonate cycling . 44 2.5.1 Habitat degradation . 45 2.5.2 Exploitation of parrotfish . 46 2.6 Knowledge Gaps . 48 2.7 Chapter Outline . 49 Chapter 3 Vavvaru site description and study species . 51 3.1 Primary study site: Vavvaru, Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives . 52 5 3.2 Vavvaru Habitat Map. 53 3.3 Primary Study Species . 57 3.4 Research permits and ethical approval. 59 3.4.1 Research permits . 59 3.4.2 Ethics statement. 59 Chapter 4 Constraining species – size class variability in rates of parrotfish bioerosion on Maldivian coral reefs: implications for regional-scale bioerosion estimates . 60 4.1 Context . 61 4.2 Introduction . 61 4.3 Methods. 64 4.3.1 Bite rates and length of feeding day . 64 4.3.2 Proportion of bites producing grazing scars and grazing scar volumes . 65 4.3.3 Bioerosion and new sediment generation rates. 66 4.3.4 Statistical Analysis . 67 4.4 Results. 68 4.4.1 Bite Rates and Length of Feeding Day . 68 4.4.2 Proportion of bites producing scars and mass removed per grazing scar. 72 4.4.3 Bioerosion Rates. 76 4.5 Discussion. 81 4.5.1 Maldivian parrotfish bioerosion rates . 81 4.5.2 Regional comparisons. 84 Chapter 5 Inter-habitat variability in parrotfish bioerosion rates and grazing pressure: influence of habitat type on key parrotfish functional roles . 88 5.1 Context . 89 5.2 Introduction . 89 5.3 Methods. 92
Eye morphogenesis in the blind Mexican cavefish

ABSTRACT The morphogenesis of the vertebrate eye consists of a complex choreography of cell movements, tightly coupled to axial regionalization and cell type specification processes. Disturbances in these events can lead to developmental defects and blindness. Here, we have deciphered the sequence of defective events leading to coloboma in the embryonic eye of the blind cavefish of the species Astyanax mexicanus. Using comparative live imaging on targeted enhancer-trap Zic1:hsp70:GFP reporter lines of both the normal, river-dwelling morph and the cave morph of the species, we identified defects in migratory cell behaviours during evagination that participate in the reduced optic vesicle size in cavefish, without proliferation defect. Further, impaired optic cup invagination shifts the relative position of the lens and contributes to coloboma in cavefish. Based on these results, we propose a developmental scenario to explain the cavefish phenotype and discuss developmental constraints to morphological evolution. The cavefish eye appears as an outstanding natural mutant model to study molecular and cellular processes involved in optic region morphogenesis.
Morpholexicosemantics analysis of neologism on Facebook posts and threads

Neologism is a word or phrase that has three classifications which are the completely newly-coined words and phrases, existing words and phrases that have new meanings and existing words or phrases with expanded meanings. This linguistic phenomenon is seen to be prevalent in Facebook posts and threads. This study was conducted to discover neologisms, their classification, word formation processes, and lexical functions. The results indicated that the word-formation processes, namely acronyms, affixations, back-formation, blending, clipping, compounding, conversion and shortening have been used and among these, affixation and compounding are the most used word-formation processes. Moreover, in its lexical functions, which are noun, verb, adjective and interjection, noun is the most used. Therefore, it is recommended that Cultural implications on the fast transmissions and influence of the creation of neologisms be further explored.
Degradation and invasibility of subtropical grasslands in Southern Brazil

Grasslands in Southern Brazil suffer from degradation caused by conversion to other land uses and changes in management practices. The extent of non-native species’ invasion and possible interactions with processes of land-use changes are largely unknown. In order to develop comprehensive strategies for conservation and restoration of grasslands, these processes need to be quantified and priorities for managing non-native species need to be set.
Drones, Bots, and the Law: Charting the Terrain of Autonomous Weapon Systems in Compliance with Laws of War

This paper examines the challenges and future possibilities of Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) in the context of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). It investigates AWS definitions, focusing on substantial human oversight and differentiating AWS from artificial intelligence. The significance of understanding IHL is underscored by the author, given the UN's directive for AWS adherence to legal constraints on the use of force. The paper also discussed the three pillars of IHL – discrimination, proportionality, and precaution – are examined, highlighting challenges such as the complexities of discrimination in a post-9/11 era and the limitations of automated systems in applying common sense. The paper concludes by laying the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of the ethical and legal dimensions of AWS about civilian protection. Ultimately, by addressing the legal and ethical challenges posed by autonomous weapons, policymakers and legal experts have the opportunity to shape the future of warfare, promote international peace and security, and protect the rights and well-being of individuals affected by armed conflicts
The pancreas anatomy conditions the origin and properties of The pancreas anatomy conditions the origin and properties of resident macrophages resident macrophages

We examine the features, origin, turnover, and gene expression of pancreatic macrophages under steady state. The data distinguish macrophages within distinct intrapancreatic micro-environments and suggest how macrophage phenotype is imprinted by the local milieu. Macrophages in islets of Langerhans and in the interacinar stroma are distinct in origin and phenotypic properties. In islets, macrophages are the only myeloid cells: they derive from definitive hematopoiesis, exchange to a minimum with blood cells, have a low level of self-replication, and depend on CSF-1. They express Il1b and Tnfa transcripts, indicating classical activation, M1, under steady state. The interacinar stroma contains
UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Mixed Information Flow for Cross-domain Sequential Recommendations

Cross-domain sequential recommendation is the task of predict the next item that the user is most likely to interact with based on past sequential behavior from multiple domains. One of the key challenges in cross-domain sequential recommendation is to grasp and transfer the flow of information from multiple domains so as to promote recommendations in all domains. Previous studies have investigated the flow of behavioral information by exploring the connection between items from different domains. The flow of knowledge (i
International Journal of Human - Computer Studies

Artificial Intelligence is being employed by humans to collaboratively solve complicated tasks for search and rescue, manufacturing, etc. Efficient teamwork can be achieved by understanding user preferences and recommending different strategies for solving the particular task to humans. Prior work has focused on personalization of recommendation systems for relatively well-understood tasks in the context of e-commerce or social networks. In this paper, we seek to understand the important factors to consider while designing user-centric strategy recommendation systems for decision-making. We conducted a human-subjects experiment (n=60) for measuring the preferences of users with different personality types towards different strategy recommendation systems. We conducted our experiment across four types of strategy recommendation modalities that have been established in prior work: (1) Single strategy recommendation, (2) Multiple similar recommendations, (3) Multiple diverse recommendations, (4) All possible strategies recommendations. While these strategy recommendation schemes have been explored independently in prior work, our study is novel in that we employ all of them simultaneously and in the context of strategy recommendations, to provide us an in-depth overview of the perception of different strategy recommendation systems. We found that certain personality traits, such as conscientiousness, notably impact the preference towards a particular type of system ( 𝑝 < 0.01). Finally, we report an interesting relationship between usability, alignment, and perceived intelligence wherein greater perceived alignment of recommendations with one’s own preferences leads to higher perceived intelligence ( 𝑝 < 0.01) and higher usability ( 𝑝 < 0.01).