Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Mathematical Model for Mollusc Shells Based on Parametric Surfaces and the Construction of Theoretical Morphospaces

In this study, we propose a mathematical model based on parametric surfaces for the shell morphology of the phylum Mollusca. Since David Raup’s pioneering works, many mathematical models have been proposed for different contexts to describe general shell morphology; however, there has been a gap in the practicality of models that allow the estimation of their parameter values in real specimens. Our model collects ideas from previous pioneering studies; it rests on the equation of the logarithmic spiral, uses a fixed coordinate system (coiling axis), and defines the position of the generating curve with a local moving system using the Frenet frame. However, it improves upon previous models by applying apex formation, rotations, and substantially different parameter definitions. Furthermore, the most conspicuous improvement is the development of a simple and standardized methodology to obtain the six theoretical parameters from shell images from different mollusc classes and to generate useful theoretical morphospaces. The model was applied to reproduce the shape of real mollusc-shell specimens from Gasteropoda, Cephaloda and Bivalvia, which represent important classes in geological time. We propose a specific methodology to obtain the parameters in four morphological groups: helicoidal, planispiral, conic, and valve-like shells, thereby demonstrating that the model offers an adequate representation of real shells. Finally, possible improvements to the model are discussed along with further work. Based on the above considerations, the capacity of the model to allow the construction of theoretical morphospaces, the methodology to estimate parameters and from the comparison between several existing models for shells, we believe that our model can contribute to future research on the development, diversity and evolutionary processes that generated the diversity in mollusc shells.
Population synthesis models for normal galaxies with dusty disks

To investigate the SEDs of galaxies considering the dust extinction processes in the galactic disks, we present the population synthesis models for normal galaxies with dusty disks. We use PEGASE (Fioc & Rocca-Volmerange 1997) to model them with standard input parameters for stars and new dust parameters. We find that the model results are strongly dependent on the dust parameters as well as other parameters (e.g. star formation history). We compare the model results with the observations and discuss about the possible explanations. We find that the dust opacity functions derived from studies of asymptotic giant branch stars are useful for modeling a galaxy with a dusty disk.
Protoplast isolation and transient transformation system for Ginkgo biloba L.

Ginkgo biloba L. has a unique evolutionary status. Owing to its high medicinal and ornamental value, ginkgo has also recently become a research hotspot. However, the large genome and long juvenile period, as well as the lack of an effective genetic transformation system, have hindered gaining a full understanding of the comprehensive functions of ginkgo genes. At present, heterologous expression of genes in model plants is the primary method used in ginkgo-related research; however, these distant plant model relatives limit reliable interpretation of the results for direct applications in ginkgo breeding. To overcome these limitations, in this study, an efficient isolation and transient expression system for ginkgo protoplasts was established. A large number of intact and homogeneous ginkgo mesophyll protoplasts were isolated using 2% cellulase and 0.25% pectinase in 0.4 M mannitol. The activity of these protoplasts remained above 90% even after 24 h. Furthermore, when the concentration of the polyethylene glycol 4000 solution was 30%–40% (w/v), the transformation efficiency of the protoplasts reached 40%. Finally, the reliability of the system was verified using subcellular localization, transient overexpression, and protein interaction experiments with ginkgo genes, thereby providing a technical platform for the identification and analysis of ginkgo gene functions. The proposed method partially compensates for the limitations associated with the lack of a genetic transformation system and provides technical support to expand research on elucidating the functions of ginkgo genes.
Generalized varying-coefficient single-index model

In this paper, the generalized varying-coefficient single-index model is discussed based on penalized likelihood. All the unknown functions are fitted by penalized spline. The estimates of the unknown parameters and the unknown coefficient functions are obtained and the estimation approach is rapid and computationally stable. Under some mild conditions, the consistency and the asymptotic normality of these resulting estimators are given. Two simulation studies are carried out to illustrate the performance of the estimates. An application of the model to the Hong Kong environmental data further demonstrates the potential of the proposed modelling procedures.
The what, why, and how of goal setting: A review of the goal-setting process in applied sport psychology practice

Abstract Goal setting is a widely used intervention by sport psychology practitioners (SPPs) and coaches aimed at enhancing the performance of their clients and athletes. Many mnemonics and acronyms have been suggested to follow when setting goals. These often recommend certain principles or characteristics, such as setting specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-related (SMART) goals. Less attention has been paid to the process of goal setting, or specifically how a SPP or coach goes about setting goals. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of current goal-setting processes by identifying, describing, and comparing models within the applied sport psychology and professional practice literature. Furthermore, we aimed to synthesize contextual information and critically evaluate stages presented in these processes, while providing further considerations for practitioners and future directions for researchers. Our review shows there are several commonalities in the suggested processes of setting goals and that the stages can be broadly categorized as: (i) preparation; (ii) goal setting; (iii) planning; and (iv) follow-up. Although goal setting should be applied in a dynamic, individualized, and contextually-appropriate manner, the review demonstrates the need for integration of additional evidence-based psychological strategies within each stage of the goal-setting process. Lay summary: In this paper we provide an overview and synthesis of the different goal setting processes used by SPPs and coaches. We present ideas to consider when setting goals and direction for research in this area. Implications for Practice There are several stages that might be considered when setting goals with athletes. Numerous additional interventions like helping athletes identify their values, monitoring goal progress, and revising/adjusting goals could take place as part of the process.
Discovering the Physio-Pathological Mechanisms of Interaction between Bone Mineral Density, Muscle Mass, and Visceral Adipose Tissue in Female Older Adults through Structural Equation Modeling

This study aims to examine the relation between visceral adipose tissue (VAT), as a proxy for metabolically unhealthy obesity, muscle, as a proxy for muscle quality and sarcopenia, and bone, as a proxy for bone mineral density and osteoporosis. Other variables, such metabolic syndrome, nutritional status, number of diseases, kidney and liver function and inflammation were assessed as direct or indirect effects. This study used structural equation modeling (SEM) in a sample of 713 older women (mean age 82.1 ± 6.3). The results indicate a positive statistically significant association between bone and muscle mass (β = 0.195, <0.001) and nutritional status and muscle mass (β = 0.139, p < 0.001), but negative association between age with muscle mass (β = −0.509, p < 0.001) and nutritional status (estimates: −2.264, p < 0.001). A negative association between VAT and muscle mass was also reported (β = −1.88, p < 0.001). A negative statistically significant association was reported between bone mineral density and functional status (β = −1.081, p < 0.001), and a positive association between functional status and muscle mass (β = 9.000, p < 0.001). In addition, functional status was positively statistically associated with cognitive performance (β = 0.032, p < 0.001). The SEM method demonstrates that the VAT, muscle mass and bone mineral density are associated, but the form of the relation is different in relation to different factors, such as nutritional status, mental and functional status, age, and number of pathologies, having different impacts on metabolic outcomes. SEM is a feasible technique for understanding the complex mechanisms of frailty in the elderly.
Histone deacetylase functions and therapeutic implications for adult skeletal muscle metabolism

Skeletal muscle is a highly adaptive organ that sustains continuous metabolic changes in response to different functional demands. Healthy skeletal muscle can adjust fuel utilization to the intensity of muscle activity, the availability of nutrients and the intrinsic characteristics of muscle fibers. This property is defined as metabolic flexibility. Importantly, impaired metabolic flexibility has been associated with, and likely contributes to the onset and progression of numerous pathologies, including sarcopenia and type 2 diabetes. Numerous studies involving genetic and pharmacological manipulations of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in vitro and in vivo have elucidated their multiple functions in regulating adult skeletal muscle metabolism and adaptation. Here, we briefly review HDAC classification and skeletal muscle metabolism in physiological conditions and upon metabolic stimuli. We then discuss HDAC functions in regulating skeletal muscle metabolism at baseline and following exercise. Finally, we give an overview of the literature regarding the activity of HDACs in skeletal muscle aging and their potential as therapeutic targets for the treatment of insulin resistance.
Short review of polarimetric imaging based method for 3D measurements

In the domain of 3D measurement for inspection purposes, standard systems based on triangulation approaches, can be limited by the nature of the observed surface. When the surface is not lambertian, i.e. highly reflective or transparent, other strategies to ease the measurement need to be developed. The idea of using the polarization property of the light is one of them. This was explored to be a complementary modality, in triangulation or shape from distortion methods, or used in a standalone system through the concept of "shape from polarization". In this paper we propose a short state of the art of the usage of polarimetric imaging for the study of surface and the measurement of 3D data. We focus on recent development applied to the industrial domain, or the health domain.
Automated motion artifact correction for dynamic contrast-enhanced fluorescence imaging during open orthopedic surgery

Indocyanine green (ICG)-based dynamic contrast-enhanced fluorescence imaging (DCE-FI) can objectively assess bone perfusion intraoperatively. However, it is susceptible to motion artifacts due to patient’s involuntary respiration during the 4.5-minute DCE-FI data acquisition. An automated motion correction approach based on mutual information (MI) frame-by-frame was developed to overcome this problem. In this approach, MIs were calculated between the reference and the adjacent frame translated and the maximal MI corresponded to the optimal translation. The images obtained from eighteen amputation cases were utilized to validate the approach and the results show that this correction can significantly reduce the motion artifacts and can improve the accuracy of bone perfusion assessment.
Case report: Complete atrio-ventricular block successfully reversed in newly diagnosed primary cardiac B-cell lymphoma

Primary cardiac tumors are extremely uncommon and primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is an even rarer subset. A definite diagnosis can be delayed, which increases the likelihood of a poor prognosis. We report a case involving a 64-year-old male who presented with dyspnea, palpitation, and third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) secondary to primary cardiac B-cell lymphoma that was diagnosed via endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) and multimodality imaging. Chemotherapy was initiated using rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vindesine, and prednisone (R-COP) followed by implantation of an artificial capsule pacemaker. Third-degree AVB vanished, and the subsequent cycle of treatment was adjusted as R-CDOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin liposome, vindesine, and prednisone), with aspirin and rosavastatin to prevent ischemic events. So far, the patient had a good clinical course and normal electrocardiogram. This case underscores the importance of EMB in the diagnosis of heart neoplasms. It is worth noting that anthracycline is not contraindicated in PCL.
Bodies That Matter On The Discursive Limits Of Sex

In Bodies That Matter, renowned theorist and philosopher Judith Butler argues that theories of gender need to return to the most material dimension of sex and sexuality: the body. Butler offers a brilliant reworking of the body, examining how the power of heterosexual hegemony forms the "matter" of bodies, sex, and gender. Butler argues that power operates to constrain sex from the start, delimiting what counts as a viable sex. She clarifies the notion of "performativity" introduced in Gender Trouble and via bold readings of Plato, Irigaray, Lacan, and Freud explores the meaning of a citational politics. She also draws on documentary and literature with compelling interpretations of the film Paris is Burning, Nella Larsen's Passing, and short stories by Willa Cather.
Global object reconstruction using airborne video imagery: the ESPRIT-III GLORE Project

In this paper the ESPRIT-III GLORE project is described. One aim of the prject is to create a turnkey system that takes as input hundreds or thousnads of aerial video images and outputs a digital ortho-mosaic and a digital elevation model of the covered area. This '3D-image- mosaic' is to be used by the forest industry in land-use planning and forest management. The mosaic is to be used as basis for the evaluation of forest resources. It is very difficult to use the separate video images, so the mosaic is essential. The digital elevation model is important in planning of roads and visualization. The '3D-image-mosiac' is to be made automatically using the methods of global object matching or global object reconstruction. In this case an object based approach is used in the matching. This kind of methods are mostly very computation intensive. Therefore a transputer based parallel computer is used. First, the ideas behind the system are described, including the use of GPS navigation data with the on-line digitization of the images on the aircraft. Then, some examples of the method using aerial photographs are shown.
Scalable architecture for sub-pJ/b multi-Tbps comb-driven DWDM silicon photonic transceiver

The explosive growth of data-centric artificial intelligence applications calls for the next generation of optical interconnects for future hyperscale data centers and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. To unleash the full potential of dense wavelength-division multiplexing, we present the design and exploration of a novel transceiver architecture based on silicon photonic micro-resonators featuring a broadband Kerr frequency comb source and fabrication-robust (de-)interleaving structures. In contrast to the traditional single-bus architecture, our architecture de-interleaves the comb onto multiple buses before traversing separate banks of cascaded resonant modulators/filters, effectively doubling the channel spacing with each stage of de-interleaving. With a closed-form free spectral range (FSR) engineering technique guiding the micro-resonator design, the architecture is scalable toward hundreds of parallel channels—spanning much wider than the resonator FSRs—with minimal crosstalk penalty and thermal tuning overhead. This unique architecture, designed with co-packageability in mind, thus enables a multi-Tbps aggregated data rate with moderate per-channel data rates, paving the way for sub-pJ/b ultra-high-bandwidth chip-to-chip connectivity in future data centers and HPC systems.
Compact and Digitally Controlled D-Band Vector Modulator for Next-Gen Radar Applications in 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS

Radar systems got very popular in sensing applications in the last two decades besides the traditional military sector. Nowadays, many applications favor multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar over phased-array radar. Here, time-division multiplexing (TDM) and code-division multiplexing (CDM), like a phase-modulated continuous wave (PMCW), are well-known techniques. However, every method needs special components on the MMIC. In this article, a <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{125}\,\text{GHz}$</tex-math></inline-formula> vector modulator (VM) circuit is presented, which can operate as a switchable amplifier in TDM systems, as a binary-phase modulator in CDM systems, and as a phase-shifter in phased-array systems. Based on simulations and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$S$</tex-math></inline-formula>-parameter measurements, the VM itself and the three different operating modes are analyzed. We also present a technique to separate coupler imperfections from the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$S$</tex-math></inline-formula>-parameter measurements to analyze the VM separately. We designed the VM with the B11HFC silicon-germanium technology (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$f_{t} / f_{max} = 250/370\, \text{GHz}$</tex-math></inline-formula>), using both HBTs (heterojunction bipolar transistors) and CMOS transistors. Inside the VM, two cross-connected power amplifiers (PAs) are fed by an in-phase (I), and two cross-connected PAs are fed by a quadrature-phase (Q) signal. The four PAs are controlled by a 4-bit interface to switch them on or off, thus generating output signals in the range of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0^\circ$</tex-math></inline-formula> to <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$360^\circ$</tex-math></inline-formula>.
Why Not Pedal for the Planet? The Role of Perceived Norms for Driver Aggression as a Deterrent to Cycling

Cycling has many benefits for humans and the planet. This research investigates perceived norms and driver behavior toward cyclists as issues that may be useful for addressing reluctance to cycle. It connects perceived norms observed in the road context regarding aggressive driver behavior towards cyclists, and norms observed in workplaces regarding sustainability (perceived green psychological workplace climate) with driver aggressive behavior toward cyclists. Self-reported online survey responses from N = 426 Australian drivers were collected. Perceived norms regarding aggressive driver behavior toward cyclists were linked to drivers engaging more frequently in such behavior, but no such link was found for perceived green psychological workplace climate. However, perceived green psychological workplace climate moderated the link between perceived norms regarding aggressive driver behavior toward cyclists and drivers engaging in such behavior. When drivers perceived aggression toward cyclists to be common on the road, perceived green psychological workplace climate weakened the link between perceived norms regarding aggressive driver behavior towards cyclists and drivers engaging in such behavior. Findings reinforce the role of perceived road context norms regarding aggressive driver behavior toward cyclists for drivers engaging in such behavior. They illustrate that, while not directly linked, sustainability norms perceived in other contexts have a role in shaping car driver behavior towards cyclists. The study’s findings suggest that interventions targeted at aggressive behavior toward cyclists in road contexts can focus on driver behavior norms and can be complemented by normative interventions in other settings to shape a key deterrent to cycling.
Quasi-unknown input observers for linear systems

Unknown input observers (UIO) are well-known in the literature for linear systems, in particular in the fault detection and identification area. Their particularity rests in the possibility of obtaining an exact asymptotic estimation of the state or a functional of it despite of completely unknown input disturbances. However, conditions for this to be possible are very restrictive, what reduces considerably the applicability and usefulness of UIOs. In the paper a method to reduce the severity of such conditions is proposed. The cause for the highly restrictive conditions for UIOs lies in the fact that the unknown input is assumed to be completely arbitrary, i.e. no knowledge about it is assumed. However, in practice some information about them is available, and one could use it to design an observer that is robust to such kinds of inputs. We propose the use of a linear model of the unknown inputs and an observer robust to such kinds of inputs is designed. This reduces the necessary conditions for its existence. It is intuitively clear that the more information on the disturbances is known the less restrictive the conditions for the existence of a robust observer are, as is shown in the paper.
Smallest regular graphs without near 1-factors

Abstract A near 1-factor of a graph of order 2n ≧ 4 is a subgraph isomorphic to (n − 2) K2 ∪ P3 ∪ K1. Wallis determined, for each r ≥ 3, the order of a smallest r-regular graph of even order without a 1-factor; while for each r ≧ 3, Chartrand, Goldsmith and Schuster determined the order of a smallest r-regular, (r − 2)-edge-connected graph of even order without a 1-factor. These results are extended to graphs without near 1-factors. It is known that every connected, cubic graph with less than six bridges has a near 1-factor. The order of a smallest connected, cubic graph with exactly six bridges and no near 1-factor is determined.
Sulfolipid substitution ratios of Microcystis aeruginosa and planktonic communities as an indicator of phosphorus limitation in Lake Erie

Phosphorus (P) availability frequently limits primary production in lakes, influences the physiology of phytoplankton, shapes community structure, and can stimulate or constrain the formation of cyanobacterial blooms. Given the importance of P, numerous methods are available to assess P stress in phytoplankton communities. Marine phytoplankton are known to substitute sulfolipids for phospholipids in response to P limitation. We asked whether sulfolipid substitution might serve as an additional indicator of P stress in freshwater phytoplankton communities. The question was addressed using cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa, Lake Erie microcosms, and surveys of lipid profiles in Lake Erie during a Microcystis spp. bloom. Peak area response ratios of the intact polar lipids sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) to phosphatidylglycerol (PG) were used as the metric of lipid substitution. In cultures of M. aeruginosa NIES‐843, the SQDG : PG ratio increased from ~ 0.9 to ~ 3.3 with decreasing P concentration. In P‐limited communities, the SQDG : PG ratio increased from ~ 6 to ~ 11 after 48 h in microcosm controls, while P amendments reduced the ratio to ~ 3. In Lake Erie surveys, the SQDG : PG ratio ranged from ~ 0.4 to ~ 7.4 and was negatively correlated (Pearson r = −0.62) with total dissolved P. The SQDG : PG ratio was not correlated with concentrations of chlorophyll a, soluble reactive P, or N : P molar ratios. These results demonstrated that M. aeruginosa and Microcystis‐dominated communities remodel lipid profiles in response to P scarcity, providing a potential short‐term, time‐integrated biomarker of nutrient history and P stress in fresh waters.