Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Cross Correlation Algorithm for Annual Mapping of Alpine Glacier Flow Velocities; Application to Sentinel-2

Nowadays, satellite observations cover most of the Earth’s surface in a repetitive manner. This information is crucial for documenting variability and environmental changes such as glacier surface velocity. With this in mind, digital image processing has been developed and improved over the past decades. The processing challenges are now related to optimizing parameters that account for the high variability of natural processes, as well as filtering and aggregating the results to provide useful products to end-users. Based on the normalized cross correlation (NCC) method applied to Sentinel-2 optical satellite observations up to 400 days apart, we present a series of tests to derive optimal parameter values for the quantification of alpine glacier ice velocity that we have applied to the Mont-Blanc massif where in situ measurements are available. We found that a search distance adapted to the temporal baseline, a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$16\times 16$ </tex-math></inline-formula> pixel window size, and a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$5\times 5$ </tex-math></inline-formula> pixels sampling provide an appropriate combination of parameters to process Sentinel-2 with the NCC method when applied to small alpine glaciers. Combining several spatial and temporal filters applied to a large set of more than 18000 displacement maps obtained between 2015 and 2021, then aggregating these filtered maps using statistical or linear regressions into annual maps, yields near-complete maps of the test region with a root mean square error (RMSE) reduced to about 10 m.yr<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{-1}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> compared to in situ measurements.
Additional Observations and Analysis of the Lyman-α Absorption Lines toward the QSO Pair Q0107–025A,B

We present further analysis and discussion of the properties of the absorption lines in the QSO pair Q0107-025A,B (zem = 0.956, 0.952; angular separation 1.′29) based upon spectroscopy obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We also present observations of the pair at shorter wavelengths taken with the HST Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph low-resolution grating, as well as Multiple Mirror Telescope spectra obtained with the intent of looking for metal-line counterparts to the Lyman-α absorption systems. The most interesting feature revealed by the GHRS spectra is a weak Lyman limit system with a redshift of zLLS = 0.3997. The Lyman limit system itself is seen only in Q0107-025B, but corresponding Lyα lines can be seen in the FOS spectra of both Q0107-025A and B indicating that lower column density gas extends out to greater distances than higher column density gas. From a sample of 5 σ lines with W0 > 0.32 Å detected in the FOS spectra, we count five systems (including a probable system) common to both spectra with velocity differences less than 150 km s-1, and six systems that are not in common to both spectra in the redshift range 0.48 < z < 0.89. From the presence of common absorption, we obtain lower limits on the radius of the absorbers of 140-160 h-1 kpc [h ≡ H0/(100 km s-1 Mpc-1); q0 = 0.5]. Using a simple maximum-likelihood analysis, we estimate a characteristic radius of 505 h-1 kpc assuming spherical absorbers, with 95% confidence lower and upper limits of 345 < R < 1520 h-1 kpc. For disklike absorbers, we derive a most probable radius of 715 h-1 kpc and 95% confidence limits of 470 < R < 2310 h-1 kpc. We also present a new statistical technique to test the relative likelihood of three geometric models. In particular, we consider spherical absorbers, with and without a distribution in size, as well as filamentary and disklike absorbers. Spherical absorbers with uniform radius can be ruled out since they cannot simultaneously reproduce the large equivalent width coincidences and anticoincidences observed. The model that best reproduce the equivalent width distribution of the observed coincident and anticoincident systems corresponds to randomly inclined disks with characteristic radius 915 h-1 kpc and 95% confidence interval 560 < R < 1270 h-1 kpc. Our results are in agreement with recent cosmological simulations that produce Lyα forest absorbers in the form of filaments and sheets with coherence lengths as great as 1 Mpc.
Alouette observations taken during a middle-latitude red arc

A comparison of 6300 A airglow data obtained at the Fritz Peak Airglow Observatory with topside ionosonde data obtained with the Alouette satellites on September 29, 1967, indicates the presence of a field-aligned depression of electron density associated with middle-latitude auroral red arcs. The Alouette data also indicate that the plasma temperature along field lines intersecting the arc may be somewhat higher than in neighboring regions. Furthermore, the transition from dominant O+to dominant H+occurs at much higher altitudes on the field lines intersecting the arc.
Using Fun in the Statistics Classroom: An Exploratory Study of College Instructors' Hesitations and Motivations

This study examines statistics instructors' use of fun as well as their motivations, hesitations, and awareness of resources. In 2011, a survey was administered to attendees at a national statistics education conference, and follow-up qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 of those (N = 249) surveyed to provide further context for interpreting the quantitative results. Motivations were similar for men and women, but female instructors admitted more hesitations in many areas. While many instructors are using or are open to using fun in the statistics classroom, the findings suggest that not having available resources at hand and not being aware of resources such as the CAUSEweb collection are major hesitations. Methods of alleviating hesitations are discussed.
Preparation and Complex Characterization of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Magnetic Fluid

This paper deals with the preparation and complex characterization of magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs), stabilized with sodium oleate (SO), by the routine methods such as infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), magnetic measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The FTIR spectra showed that SO molecules were linked to MNPs through chemical bonding. Magnetic measurements proved that the MNPs are superparamagnetic in nature. Four di erent methods were used to determine the size and size distribution of the MNPs: SEM, DLS, di erential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS) and magnetic measurements. SEM analysis showed a relatively narrow size distribution of roughly spherical MNPs with a mean diameter of 61 nm. DLS analysis con rmed monodispersed MNPs production with hydrodynamic diameter of 75 nm. The size distribution determined by DCS was found to be 69 nm. Finally, the calculated magnetic core diameter obtained from magnetization curve was 10 nm. The obtained results demonstrate that SO coated MNPs ful l the requirements for a useful drug delivery system.
Two-Window Approach to Monitor and Assess Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses in Poultry

As previously reported, inflammatory activity initiated by intradermal injection of multiple growing feather (GF)-pulps of a chicken with lipopolysaccharide, and the subsequent periodic sampling of GFs and blood, enables the longitudinal evaluation of in vivo tissue- and systemic-inflammatory activities by ex vivo laboratory analyses. To demonstrate the suitability of this two-window approach to monitor and assess vaccine responses, two groups of chickens were immunized by intramuscular injection of mouse IgG (mIgG), mIgG in alum adjuvant(Alum&mIgG), or PBS-vehicle (Group I and II at 7- and 7- and 11-weeks, respectively). Plasma levels of mIgG-specific antibodies were monitored by ELISA for 28 days post-primary- and secondary-immunizations. To examine the cellular responses, 20 GF-pulps per bird were injected with mIgG on Day-10 or Day-5 post-primary- or -secondary-immunization, respectively. Two GFs were collected before- and at various times (0.25 to 7 days) post-injection for leukocyte population- and cytokine mRNA expression-analyses. The observed primary- and secondary-antibody response profiles were as expected for a T-dependent antigen. Leukocyte- and cytokine-profiles established in GF-pulps revealed temporal, qualitative, and quantitative differences in local naïve, primary, and secondary leukocyte-effector responses to antigen. This study demonstrates the unique opportunity in the avian model to monitor both cell- and antibody-mediated immune responses using minimally invasive techniques.
A Long-Slit Spectral Analysis of the Nuclear Region of M101

Using long-slit spectra centered in wavelength about Hα, we have obtained a velocity map of a 20″ × 140″ east-west box centered on the nuclear region of M101. The velocity resolution is 2.5 km s-1, and the spatial resolution is approximately 1″ east-west and variable (3″–4″ on average) north-south. We have also obtained temperature, density, and shock maps of the same region using the [N II] λ6548, [N II] λ6583, Hα, [S II] λ6717, and [S II] λ6731 lines. The temperatures range from 4100 to 14,100 K, with an intensity-averaged temperature of 6200 K. The densities range from 6.6 to 36,600 cm-3, with an intensity-averaged density of 800 cm-3. Regions northeast and southwest of the nucleus have [N II] λ6583/Hα ratios ≳0.56 and [S II] λλ(6717 + 6731)/Hα ratios ≥0.4, which are indicative of shock-heated or power-law photoionized gas. The gas in an S-shaped region passing through the nucleus has [N II] λ6583/Hα ratios ≲0.56 and [S II] λλ(6717 + 6731)/Hα ratios of ≈0.1, which is representative of gas in H II regions. The velocity data are consistent with gas infalling toward the nucleus as part of streaming motions traveling west to east on the north side of the nucleus and east to west on the south side of the nucleus. However, there appears to be a local instability in which the motion southwest of the nucleus is moving west to east, creating a collision of the two opposing gas motions in a region of relatively high density and temperature. A blue arc emanating from an unresolved source on or near the nucleus shows evidence of collision in this same high-density, high-temperature region. Our data support a previous conclusion that M101 may be considered an intermediate galaxy with respect to activity, possibly in transition between a normal nucleus and a more active stage.
The Chronological Sequence of Circumstellar Masers: Identifying Proto--Planetary Nebulae

The trends arising in circumstellar shells due to the presence or absence of various circumstellar masers are studied as a function of the far-infrared colors of the masers. Several of these trends show up most clearly as a dependence of the detection rate for particular masers on the (25-12) micron color, which is correlated with the rate of mass loss. This principle is used to suggest a chronological sequence for the development of a circumstellar envelope which explains most extant observations. The masers exhibited by a shell can then be used to diagnose the current phase. This approach is used to identify OH/IR stars that may be early examples of the protoplanetary nebula phase. 50 refs.
Food taboo and dietary habits among low-income people in Kedah, Malaysia

Food beliefs and taboos about certain foods influence the use and consumption of food in the household. Today, especially in rural areas, some people believe certain foods affect health. This practice has resulted in the non-optimized intake of some food categories. As a result, it is not easy to diversify the types of food for daily diet. This study aims to investigate the beliefs and convictions of rural communities in Kedah regarding certain foods that may influence health. This study also identified the pattern of food intake among residents in rural areas of Kedah State following the belief that some foods can affect health. This study focuses on the rural areas of Kedah State, which include Kubang Pasu, Baling, Pendang, Alor Setar, and Kuala Muda districts. A total of 225 farmers in the rural areas of the selected districts were selected using stratified random sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS 25 and food intake results. The results of the study show that low-income residents in rural areas of Kedah believe that some foods have an impact on health. A total of 37.11% believe that coffee, carbonated drinks, fresh milk, and low-fat milk cause headaches, stomach aches, heartburn, and nausea, followed by 18.66% who admit that spicy foods such as mutton, beef, and durian cause headaches, high blood pressure and skin problems. The impact of the food taboo has resulted in an overall food consumption rate below 29.9 in households of low-income residents in rural areas in Kedah State. The study's findings suggest that the Malaysian Ministry of Health should develop nutrition and health awareness programs and activities for the rural population. At the same time, there is a need for a comprehensive restructuring of the curriculum and syllabus by addressing the need for healthy eating as early as primary school so that nutrition and health awareness can be embedded in early childhood education.
The 2Ih and OXOG Proximity Consequences on Charge Transfer through ds-DNA: Theoretical Studies of Clustered DNA Damage

Genetic information is continuously exposed to harmful factors, both intra- and extracellular. Their activity can lead to the formation of different types of DNA damage. Clustered lesions (CDL) are problematic for DNA repair systems. In this study, the short ds-oligos with a CDL containing (R) or (S) 2Ih and OXOG in their structure were chosen as the most frequent in vitro lesions. In the condensed phase, the spatial structure was optimized at the M062x/D95**:M026x/sto-3G level of theory, while the electronic properties were optimized at the M062x/6-31++G** level. The influence of equilibrated and non-equilibrated solvent-solute interactions was then discussed. It was found that the presence of (R)2Ih in the ds-oligo structure causes a greater increase in structure sensitivity towards charge adoption than (S)2Ih, while OXOG shows high stability. Moreover, the analysis of charge and spin distribution reveals the different effects of 2Ih diastereomers. Additionally, the adiabatic ionization potential was found as follows for (R)-2Ih and (S)-2Ih in eV: 7.02 and 6.94. This was in good agreement with the AIP of the investigated ds-oligos. It was found that the presence of (R)-2Ih has a negative influence on excess electron migration through ds-DNA. Finally, according to the Marcus theory, the charge transfer constant was calculated. The results presented in the article show that both diastereomers of 5-carboxamido-5-formamido-2-iminohydantoin should play a significant role in the CDL recognition process via electron transfer. Moreover, it should be pointed out that even though the cellular level of (R and S)-2Ih has been obscured, their mutagenic potential should be at the same level as other similar guanine lesions found in different cancer cells.
Salivary cortisol as a biomarker of stress in surgical patients

Background Surgical stress and pain result in activation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. The aim of this study was to establish the effects of postoperative pain and various modalities of analgesic administration on salivary and serum cortisol levels, as well as to establish the validity of salivary cortisol as a stress indicator in surgical patients. Methods A randomized controlled trial involved 60 patients scheduled for elective abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. Patients were randomly divided into two groups depending on the model of postoperative analgesia. The first group (MI - morphine intermittently) included patients given morphine doses 0.1 mg/kg/6h s.c. intermittently. The second group (MPCA - morphine patient-controlled analgesia) included patients who received morphine via the PCA system - intravenous administration of morphine adjusted to a dose of 1 mg per shot and a lockout interval of 6 minutes.
Karrikin1 Enhances Drought Tolerance in Creeping Bentgrass in Association with Antioxidative Protection and Regulation of Stress-Responsive Gene Expression

Karrikins are active components of smoke that can promote seed germination and regulate seedling morphogenesis. However, the role of karrikins as alleviators of abiotic stress remains largely elusive. In this study, we examined whether exogenous application of karrikin1 (KAR1) might improve drought tolerance in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera cv. PennA4), and investigated the underlying mechanism. We found that exogenous application of 100 nM KAR1 enhanced drought tolerance in creeping bentgrass, as manifested by significant increases in leaf relative water content, efficiency of photosystem II, leaf chlorophyll content, proline content, and membrane stability, as well as significantly enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes. RT‒PCR analysis indicated that improved drought stress tolerance by application of KAR1 might be related to upregulation expression of karrikin-responsive genes (KAI2, MAX2 and AFL1), transcription factors (ABF3, bHLH148, MYB13 and DREB2A), antioxidant defense genes (Cu/Zn-SOD, APX2, CAT1, and POD2), and downregulation expression of chlorophyll-degradation genes (PPH and Chl-PRX). These findings suggest that KAR1 may promote the drought tolerance of creeping bentgrass by activating karrikin-responsive genes and transcription factors, enhancing proline accumulation and antioxidant capacity, and suppressing leaf senescence under prolonged drought stress.
The relationship of raindrop-size distribution to attenuations experience at 50, 80, 140, and 240 GHz

Millimeter-wave rain attenuation measurements have been made at 50.4, 81.8, 140.7, and 245.5 GHz on a terrestrial path of 0.81 km. On the basis of these experimental results, a comparison between the model of specific attenuation currently adopted by the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) and that based on the raindrop-size distribution derived from our previous propagation experiments at 11.5, 34.5, and 81.8 GHz is made. For the Japanese climate, it is found that the CCIR model underestimates the rain attenuation at frequencies above 80 GHz and that our specific attenuation model is effective for the prediction of rain attenuation in the whole millimeter-wave region.
Modeling Dynamic Lateral Current Crowding in SiGe HBTs

A modified physics-based two-section model is proposed to accurately capture the lateral non-quasi-static effect in SiGe HBTs. A methodology is proposed to include the DC emitter current crowding effect in the existing two-section model framework. The proposed two-section model is implemented in Verilog-A. The large-signal transient and the small-signal AC simulations are carried out and the results are compared with the numerical device simulation data. The proposed model is observed to perform better than the existing two-section model and the state-of-the-art standard model from the perspectives of small-signal frequency-domain characteristics and large-signal transients.
Compositional Alteration of Gut Microbiota in Psoriasis Treated with IL-23 and IL-17 Inhibitors

Alterations in the gut microbiota composition and their associated metabolic dysfunction exist in psoriasis. However, the impact of biologics on shaping gut microbiota is not well known. This study aimed to determine the association of gut microorganisms and microbiome-encoded metabolic pathways with the treatment in patients with psoriasis. A total of 48 patients with psoriasis, including 30 cases who received an IL-23 inhibitor (guselkumab) and 18 cases who received an IL-17 inhibitor (secukinumab or ixekizumab) were recruited. Longitudinal profiles of the gut microbiome were conducted by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The gut microbial compositions dynamically changed in psoriatic patients during a 24-week treatment. The relative abundance of individual taxa altered differently between patients receiving the IL-23 inhibitor and those receiving the IL-17 inhibitor. Functional prediction of the gut microbiome revealed microbial genes related to metabolism involving the biosynthesis of antibiotics and amino acids were differentially enriched between responders and non-responders receiving IL-17 inhibitors, as the abundance of the taurine and hypotaurine pathway was found to be augmented in responders treated with the IL-23 inhibitor. Our analyses showed a longitudinal shift in the gut microbiota in psoriatic patients after treatment. These taxonomic signatures and functional alterations of the gut microbiome could serve as potential biomarkers for the response to biologics treatment in psoriasis.
The Role of Diet during Pregnancy in Protecting against Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in a Population with Mediterranean Dietary Habits: A Cross-Sectional Study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder among pregnant women. Dietary habits during pregnancy might alter the risk of GDM development, and populations following the Mediterranean diet are relatively understudied. This was a cross-sectional, observational study of 193 low-risk women admitted to a private maternity hospital in Greece to give birth. Food frequency data on specific food categories, selected based on previous research, were analyzed. Logistic regression models, both crude and adjusted for maternal age, body mass index before pregnancy, and gestational weight gain, were fitted. We observed no association of carbohydrate-rich meals, sweets, soft drinks, coffee, rice, pasta, bread and crackers, potatoes, lentils, and juices with GDM diagnosis. Cereals (crude p = 0.045, adjusted p = 0.095) and fruits and vegetables (crude p = 0.07, adjusted p = 0.04) appeared to have a protective effect against GDM, while frequent tea consumption was linked to higher risk of GDM development (crude p = 0.067, adjusted p = 0.035). These results strengthen previously identified associations and underline the importance and potential impact of changing dietary habits even during pregnancy in adjusting one’s risk of metabolic pregnancy complications, such as GDM. The importance of healthy dietary habits is highlighted, with the goal of raising awareness amongst obstetric care specialists regarding the provision of systematic nutrition recommendations to pregnant women.
Decentralized control in packet switched satellite communication

The model introduced by Schoute [1] is analyzed using a minimum principle for decentralized stochastic control [2]. For certain values of the input message rates p and number N of transmitting stations, simple open-loop strategies are shown to be person-by-person optimal. The true optimal control is shown to be open loop for N = 2 .
ON THE ROBIN PROBLEM FOR STOKES AND NAVIER¿STOKES SYSTEMS

The Robin problem for Stokes and Navier–Stokes systems is considered in a Lipschitz domain with a compact boundary. By making use of the boundary layer potentials approach, it is proved that for Stokes system this problem admits a very weak solution under suitable assumptions on the boundary datum. A similar result is proved for the Navier–Stokes system, provided that the datum is "sufficiently small".