Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning reduced models for motion estimation on ocean satellite images

The paper describes a learning method on sliding windows for estimating apparent motion on long temporal satellite sequences acquired over oceans. A "full model", which is defined on the pixel grid, is chosen to describe the dynamics of motion fields and images, based on heuristics of divergence-free motion and advection of image brightness by the velocity. The image sequence is split into small temporal windows that half overlap in time. Image assimilation in the full model is applied on the first window to retrieve its motion field. This makes it possible to define subspaces of motion fields and images and a "reduced model" is defined by applying the Galerkin projection of the full model on these subspaces. Data assimilation in the reduced model is applied on this second window. The process is iterated for the next window until the end of the whole image sequence. Each reduced model is then learned from the previous one. The main advantage of the approach is the small computational requirements of the assimilation in the reduced models that make it feasible to process in quasi-real time image acquisitions. Twin experiments have been designed to quantify the full model and the learning method on sliding windows and demonstrate the quality of the motion fields estimated by the approach.
CONNECTION OF THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION WITH SELF-ESTEEM AND ANXIETY OF STUDENTS

The goal of the paper is to investigate connection of academic achievement motivation with aspects of self-esteem and anxiety. Hypothesis: Academic achievement motivation is connected with selfesteem and also with anxiety of students. Participants: 107 international students aged 19-55. Results: Academic achievement motivation was connected with global, state, performance, social and appearance SE. Academic achievement motivation was also connected with general, trait and state anxiety. Conclusion: Self-esteem and anxiety are significant elements in formation of academic achievement motivation.
Global polycrisis: The causal mechanisms of crisis entanglement

Multiple global crises – including the pandemic, climate change, and Russia ’ s war on Ukraine – have recently linked together in ways that are significant in scope, devastating in effect, but poorly understood. A growing number of scholars and policymakers characterize the situation as a ‘ polycrisis ’ . Yet this neologism remains poorly defined. We provide the concept with a substantive definition, highlight its value-added in comparison to related concepts, and develop a theoretical framework to explain the causal mechanisms currently entangling many of the world ’ s crises. In this framework, a global crisis arises when one or more fast-moving trigger events
An Adjudication Protocol for Severe Pneumonia

Abstract Background Clinical end points that constitute successful treatment in severe pneumonia are difficult to ascertain and vulnerable to bias. The utility of a protocolized adjudication procedure to determine meaningful end points in severe pneumonia has not been well described. Methods This was a single-center prospective cohort study of patients with severe pneumonia admitted to the medical intensive care unit. The objective was to develop an adjudication protocol for severe bacterial and/or viral pneumonia. Each episode of pneumonia was independently reviewed by 2 pulmonary and critical care physicians. If a discrepancy occurred between the 2 adjudicators, a third adjudicator reviewed the case. If a discrepancy remained after all 3 adjudications, consensus was achieved through committee review. Results Evaluation of 784 pneumonia episodes during 593 hospitalizations achieved only 48.1% interobserver agreement between the first 2 adjudicators and 78.8% when agreement was defined as concordance between 2 of 3 adjudicators. Multiple episodes of pneumonia and presence of bacterial/viral coinfection in the initial pneumonia episode were associated with lower interobserver agreement. For an initial episode of bacterial pneumonia, patients with an adjudicated day 7–8 clinical impression of cure (compared with alternative impressions) were more likely to be discharged alive (odds ratio, 6.3; 95% CI, 3.5–11.6). Conclusions A comprehensive adjudication protocol to identify clinical end points in severe pneumonia resulted in only moderate interobserver agreement. An adjudicated end point of clinical cure by day 7–8 was associated with more favorable hospital discharge dispositions, suggesting that clinical cure by day 7–8 may be a valid end point to use in adjudication protocols.
Investigation of Taxonomic Relationship and Effect of Seasonal Temperature Changes Based on Protein Profiles of Fishes From Beyşehir, Suğla Lakes and Dam Apa

Besides traditional methods based on morphological characters, electrophoretic methods such as SDS-PAGE are preferred by taxonomists to make the right decision in the species identification process. In addition, the effect of environmental factors, such as pH, salinity, heat, and temperature on protein profiles are essential in various studies. In this study, we aimed to determine the degree of relationship in some fish species, such as Squalius lepidus, Cyprinus carpio, Carassius gibelio, Pseudophoxinus anatolicus, Tinca tinca, Alburnus orontis, Scardinius erythrophthalmus, Capoeta capoeta, Vimba vimba, Sander lucioperca living in Beyşehir, Suğla lakes and Apa Dam by SDS-PAGE method, and to examine seasonal differences by evaluating the effect of hot/cold water on protein profiles in fish. Although there were common major protein bands in all fish species studied, the presence of species-specific minor protein bands led to the separation of the species. The same fish species distributed in different lakes and dams were different both in minor bands, and changes in protein profiles were observed consequently on the same fish species synthesizing different proteins in different seasons. The data obtained from this study can contribute to systematic classification studies of fish.
Metastrongyloid Infection with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi in Feral Cats from the Canary Islands (Spain)

Simple Summary Lung parasitosis in cats can be asymptomatic or produce a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe and potentially life-threatening. In Europe, lungworms have been studied mainly in domestic cats and European wildcats. However, studies on cats in Spain are scarce, especially in the Canary Islands, where Aelurostrongylus abstrusus has been the only lungworm species documented to date in feral cats. The present study was conducted in order to provide new epidemiological data on lungworm infections in feral cats in the Canary Archipelago. More than half of the cats analyzed in this study presented pulmonary nematodes, identifying a total of four metastrongylid species, namely A. abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi. Veterinary practitioners should consider these parasites as possible causes of respiratory pathologies in cats in the Canary Islands. In addition, control measures should be carried out to prevent the transmission of these respiratory parasites. Abstract Lungworms are a major cause of feline respiratory disease, frequently underdiagnosed due to its presentation of symptoms being similar to that of other feline respiratory pathologies. Epidemiological data about these nematodes are scarce in the Canary Islands (Spain). Given the veterinary importance of these parasites, the aim of the present study was to improve the current epidemiological knowledge of the lungworm species that could be affecting feral cats in this archipelago. A total of 29 feral cats from La Gomera were analyzed. The respiratory tract of each animal was inspected and the nematodes obtained were identified by morphological keys and molecular techniques. Metastrongylids were detected to be widely distributed throughout the island with a prevalence of 55.2% (16/29). The species Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Troglostrongylus brevior, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi were identified. Also, coinfections with A. chabaudi and O. rostratus were detected in two animals. The present study shows a high diversity of lungworms in feral cats in La Gomera, with the first report of A. chabaudi and T. brevior for the Canary Archipelago and the first citation of A. chabaudi in cats for Spain. The wide distribution and high prevalence found in this study indicate a high risk of exposure to pulmonary infections in cats.
Exploring the Impact of Social Factors on Attitudes Toward Death in Elderly Adults in Malaysia's

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate attitudes toward death among older adults in Malaysia's Klang Valley and to identify the social factors that influence these attitudes. Theoretical framework: The study was based on the theoretical framework that death attitudes can have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of the elderly, as well as on their acceptance of care and quality of death. Method/design/approach: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, involving 165 older adults in Malaysia's Klang Valley. The study used nonparametric tests to investigate the social factors that influence attitudes toward death in the elderly. Results and conclusion: The study found that the various dimensions of death attitudes among older adults in Malaysia are influenced by one or more factors, including the number of illnesses, discussions about life and death, marital status, and income. These findings contribute to expanding knowledge about death attitudes among older adults and provide a reference for understanding attitudes toward death in the elderly. Research implications: The study has important implications for healthcare providers and policy makers who work with older adults, as it highlights the need to consider social factors that may influence attitudes toward death and end-of-life care. The findings also suggest the need for more research in this area to better understand and address the attitudes and needs of older adults as they approach the end of their lives.
Sharp Silhouettes for Obtaining 3D Body Measurements from 2D Images

3D beden ölçülerinin 2D görüntülerden elde etmek için net silüetler gerekmektedir. Yazarların 3D beden ölçülerini elde etmek için 2D görüntülerden piksel koordinatları ile yeni bir yöntem geliştirdikleri devam eden araştırmalarında el ile ve beden tarayıcıları ile yaygın olan beden ölçüsü almak için bedene ihtiyaç duyulmayacağı için ve giysilerin e-alışverişler ile artması ile ortaya çıkan bedene oturmama probleminin çözülmesi amaçlandığı için, ilk adım, önden ve yandan çekilmiş fotoğraflardan net beden silüetlerinin elde edilmesidir. Bu makalenin amacı, net beden silüetlerinin elde edilmesi için, yeni geliştirilen ve Image Processing 1.0 ve Image Processing 2.0 adları verilen görüntü işleme programları ve yine yeni geliştirilen ve Python 1.0 adı verilen programın geliştirilmesinde yapılan araştırmaların sunulmasıdır. Geliştirilen bu yeni programlarda izlenen işlem basamakları, önden ve yandan görüntülerde renkli görüntüyü gri tona dönüştürerek bir beden silüeti elde etmek, eşik değerleri ve ikili dönüşüm, farklı eşik değeri algoritmalarının uygulanması ile karşılaşılan problemlerin tanımlanması, Paint 3D programı ile arka planın kaldırması (arka planın temizlenmesi) (gürültünün azaltılması), kenar algılama algoritmasını çalıştırılması (Sobel filtresi) ve elde edilen görüntünün negatifinin alınmasıdır. Böylece net beden silüetlerinin elde edilmesi başarılmıştır ve 3D beden ölçülerinin 2D görüntülerden elde edilmesi amacı için kullanılması mümkün olmaktadır.
Perceptions towards Online Counseling among University of Jordan Students

Technology and the use of internet has taken counseling service beyond the face-to-face to online counseling services. Online counseling has been available and widely used as more people are going online. Therefore this research aims to examine the perceptions of University of Jordan students toward online counseling. A sample of 210 respondents were selected to complete online questionnaire that contains two aspects of knowledge about and attitude toward online Counseling. The results of the study indicated that respondents have adequate information about the field of online counseling. However, face to face counseling was not the first preferences for most of the respondents. They have a positive attitude and a high level of preferring toward online counseling, and they believe that online counseling is an essential part of their way to deal with daily life problems. The results also indicated that social media is most effective way that help respondents to get online counseling, and it has tremendous effect on respondent's life.
Study of the aerodynamic instabilities in an axial flow compressor using 3D-1D codes coupling approach

This article presents a coupling method between 1D and 3D CFD codes developed in order to simulate a surge cycle of a compressor stage. The idea is to use 3D URANS code to compute the aerodynamic field of the compressor and to have 1D code and pressure loss correlations to model the surrounding test bench facility. Thus, an unsteady aerodynamic field of the compressor during a surge cycle can be obtained with reasonable computation costs. Coupling methodology has been tested on an academic air flow configuration in order to validate the model. Analysis focuses on the quality of information transmission and the reliability of the simulation model in case of mass flow reversal. In a second step, the simulation model is used to study instabilities in one stage of a highly loaded axial flow compressor. Several surge cycles are simulated and aerodynamic fields are analysed during surge and at minimum mass flow.
($t$, $n$) Threshold Quantum Secret Sharing based on a Single $d$-level Quantum System

A ($t$, $n$) threshold quantum secret sharing (QSS) is proposed based on a single $d$-level quantum system. It enables the ($t$, $n$) threshold structure based on Shamir's secret sharing and simply requires sequential communication in the $d$-level quantum system to recover secret. Besides, the scheme employs an additional qudit to detect cheats and eavesdropping during secret reconstruction, and allows a participant to use the share repeatedly. Analyses show that the proposed scheme is resistant to typical attacks. The scheme is scalable in the number of participants and easier to realize compared to related schemes. More generally, our scheme also presents a generic method to construct new ($t$, $n$) threshold QSS schemes based on $d$-level quantum system with other classical threshold secret sharing.
Competition of non-Hermitian skin effect and topological localization of corner states observed in circuits

Exploring topological phases in non-Hermitian systems has attracted significant recent attention. One intriguing question is how topological edge states compete with the non-Hermitian skin effect. Here, we report the experimental observation of corner states in a two-dimensional non-reciprocal rhombus honeycomb electric circuit. We construct non-reciprocal and non-Hermitian circuits by introducing current-direction resolved capacitance between two nodes depends on the current direction. Skin effect thus emerges due to the non-reciprocity and prevails in dragging the corner state into the bulk. The non-Bloch winding number defined in generalized Brillouin zone is adopted to characterize the topological phase transition. Interestingly, we find that the non-Bloch $Z_2$ Berry phase can serve as an invariant to describe the non-Hermitian topology. By tuning the non-reciprocal parameter, we observe unbalanced distribution of corner states emerging on two acute angles of the rhombus lattice, with the localization length of the left corner state increasing exponentially with the degree of non-reciprocity.
Perceptual Quality Assessment of Virtual Reality Videos in the Wild

Investigating how people perceive virtual reality (VR) videos in the wild (i.e., those captured by everyday users) is a crucial and challenging task in VR-related applications due to complex authentic distortions localized in space and time. Existing panoramic video databases only consider synthetic distortions, assume fixed viewing conditions, and are limited in size. To overcome these shortcomings, we construct the VR Video Quality in the Wild (VRVQW) database, containing $502$ user-generated videos with diverse content and distortion characteristics. Based on VRVQW, we conduct a formal psychophysical experiment to record the scanpaths and perceived quality scores from $139$ participants under two different viewing conditions. We provide a thorough statistical analysis of the recorded data, observing significant impact of viewing conditions on both human scanpaths and perceived quality. Moreover, we develop an objective quality assessment model for VR videos based on pseudocylindrical representation and convolution. Results on the proposed VRVQW show that our method is superior to existing video quality assessment models. We have made the database and code available at https://github.com/limuhit/VR-Video-Quality-in-the-Wild.
Deep Direct Discriminative Decoders for High-dimensional Time-series Data Analysis

The state-space models (SSMs) are widely utilized in the analysis of time-series data. SSMs rely on an explicit definition of the state and observation processes. Characterizing these processes is not always easy and becomes a modeling challenge when the dimension of observed data grows or the observed data distribution deviates from the normal distribution. Here, we propose a new formulation of SSM for high-dimensional observation processes with a heavy-tailed distribution. We call this solution the deep direct discriminative process (D4). The D4 brings deep neural networks’ expressiveness and scalability to the SSM formulation letting us build a novel solution that efficiently estimates the underlying state processes through high-dimensional observation signal.We demonstrate the D4 solutions in simulated and real data such as Lorenz attractors, Langevin dynamics, random walk dynamics, and rat hippocampus spiking neural data and show that the D4’s performance precedes traditional SSMs and RNNs. The D4 can be applied to a broader class of time-series data where the connection between high-dimensional observation and the underlying latent process is hard to characterize.
A simple path to component sizes in critical random graphs

We describe a robust methodology, based on the martingale argument of Nachmias and Peres and random walk estimates, to obtain simple upper and lower bounds on the size of a maximal component in several random graphs \textit{at criticality}. Even though the main result is not new, we believe the the material presented here is interesting because it unifies several proofs found in the literature into a common framework. More specifically, we give easy-to-check conditions that, when satisfied, allow an immediate derivation of the above mentioned bounds.
On unitarity in singlet inflation with a non-minimal coupling to gravity

We study inflationary models based on a non-minimal coupling of a singlet scalar to gravity, focussing on the preheating dynamics and the unitarity issues in this regime. If the scalar does not have significant couplings to other fields, particle production after inflation is far less efficient than that in Higgs inflation. As a result, unitarity violation at large non-minimal couplings requires a different treatment. We find that collective effects in inflaton scattering processes during preheating make an important impact on the unitarity constraint. Within effective field theory, the consequent upper bound on the non-minimal coupling is of order a few hundreds.
Sleep problems in adolescents with epilepsy and their caregivers: associations with behavioural difficulties.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of sleep problems in adolescents with epilepsy and their caregivers. We also examined the behavioural difficulties in adolescents with epilepsy and compared these behaviors with healthy controls. METHODS This observational case-control study included 37 adolescents with epilepsy and their caregivers, and 43 healthy age-matched adolescents and their caregivers. The Children`s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), DSM-5 Level 2 Sleep Disorders Scale for Children, and Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were used to evaluate sleep habits, sleep problems, and behavioural difficulties in adolescents. The DSM-5 sleep disorder scale for adults was used to evaluate the caregivers` sleep problems. RESULTS Adolescents with epilepsy had higher sleep problem scores such as daytime sleepiness and overall sleep problems compared with healthy controls. The psychopathological symptoms such as conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, and total behavior were also more frequent in adolescents with epilepsy. There was a nonsignificant increase in DSM-5 sleep disturbance score in caregivers of adolescents with epilepsy. Sleep onset delay had a significant negative correlation with total behavioral difficulties (r = -0.44, p < 0.01), and emotional problems (r = -0.47, p < 0.05) in adolescents with epilepsy. Sleep duration was negatively correlated with conduct problems (r = -0.33, p < 0.05), but positively correlated with prosocial score (r = 0.46, p < 0.01) in adolescents with epilepsy. Night waking was positively correlated with total behavioral difficulties (r = 0.35, p < 0.05) and hyperactivity score (r = 0.38, p < 0.05) in adolescents with epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents with epilepsy have more frequent sleep disturbances and maladaptive behaviors such as hyperactivity/inattention, and conduct problems compared with healthy controls, and their caregivers are more vulnerable to sleep problems. Moreover, we also demonstrated a strong association between sleep disturbances and behavioral problems in adolescents with epilepsy.