Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The PdBI Arcsecond Whirlpool Survey (PAWS): The Role of Spiral Arms in Cloud and Star Formation

The process that leads to the formation of the bright star-forming sites observed along prominent spiral arms remains elusive. We present results of a multi-wavelength study of a spiral arm segment in the nearby grand-design spiral galaxy M51 that belongs to a spiral density wave and exhibits nine gas spurs. The combined observations of the (ionized, atomic, molecular, dusty) interstellar medium with star formation tracers (H ii regions, young <10 Myr stellar clusters) suggest (1) no variation in giant molecular cloud (GMC) properties between arm and gas spurs, (2) gas spurs and extinction feathers arising from the same structure with a close spatial relation between gas spurs and ongoing/recent star formation (despite higher gas surface densities in the spiral arm), (3) no trend in star formation age either along the arm or along a spur, (4) evidence for strong star formation feedback in gas spurs, (5) tentative evidence for star formation triggered by stellar feedback for one spur, and (6) GMC associations being not special entities but the result of blending of gas arm/spur cross sections in lower resolution observations. We conclude that there is no evidence for a coherent star formation onset mechanism that can be solely associated with the presence of the spiral density wave. This suggests that other (more localized) mechanisms are important to delay star formation such that it occurs in spurs. The evidence of star formation proceeding over several million years within individual spurs implies that the mechanism that leads to star formation acts or is sustained over a longer timescale.
Effects of Three Dimensional Microenvironment on Tumorigenicity of Fibrosarcoma in vitro

Tumor microenvironment plays an important role in cancer progression owing to interactions between the tumor and adjoining cells and, as in bone marrow, the unique architecture and chemical compounds that characterize it. It has recently been proposed that bone marrow shelters cancer cells in niches which may favor regulation of their quiescence, although the mechanisms involved have yet to be elucidated. We conjectured that a bone marrow mimicking, calcium providing 3D biolattice recently developed by our group could affect fibrosarcoma cells in various ways, whether via its specific architecture or due to its provision of calcium, an element correlated with many tumorgenic processes. In order to verify our conjecture, we examined the modifications induced in fibrosarcoma cells by this biolattice. We found that its regulatory effects on fibrosarcomas enhanced tumorigenicity, mediated by up-regulated tumorigenesis related genes. We observed decreased proliferation of cancer cells accompanied by up-regulation of genes associated with cancer stem cells, pointing to a process of de-differentiation. In addition, our results revealed up-regulation of Wnt4 and c-Myc in cells cultured on the biolattice, along with down-regulation of AXIN-1 and WIF-1. Taken together these findings suggest that a calcium rich bone marrow-like microenvironment can affect the tumorigenic capacity and fibrosarcoma cells de-differentiation through the mediation of the Wnt signaling pathway.
Water restriction and physiological traits in soybean genotypes contrasting for nitrogen fixation drought tolerance

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is essential to the economic viability of the soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] crop in Brazil, but drought may impair the BNF processes. We evaluated physiological traits of nitrogen fixation drought-tolerant (NFDT) (R01-581F, R01-416F and R02-1325) and drought-susceptible (CD 215 and BRS 317) genotypes of soybean subjected to drought or regular water supply between 45 and 55 days after emergence, in an experiment under greenhouse conditions in pots containing non-sterile soil. R01-581F had more stable photosynthetic and transpiration rates, and higher intercellular CO2 levels under drought. Drought reduced the chlorophyll concentration in all genotypes, but with less intensity in R01-581F and R02-1325. The NFDT genotypes generally showed higher concentrations of N, K and Mn in shoots, irrespective of the water condition. Exposure to drought increased total soluble sugars in nodules in all genotypes, as well as the concentrations of ureides in leaves and nodules, whereas ureides in petioles increased only in the susceptible genotypes. Drought negatively affected photosynthetic and BNF attributes; however, R01-581F showed the best performance, with potential for use in breeding programs aiming at drought-tolerant varieties.
Pilietinės visuomenės tyrimo teorinės perspektyvos

Straipsnyje apžvelgiama, kaip pilietinės visuomenės sampratą ir reiskinį nagrinėja filosofai, politologai, sociologai bei viesojo administravimo specialistai. Tokiu palyginamuoju būdu atskleidžiamas pats pilietinės visuomenės daugiaprasmiskumas ir daugiaplaniskumas. Gvildenama ir istorinė perspektyva (kaip pilietinė visuomenė is filosofinės abstrakcios kategorijos perslinko vadybinio taikomojo pobūdžio interpretacijų link). Pateikiama ir komentuojama nemažai empirinių duomenų, kurie įvairių tyrinėtojų buvo surinkti būtent pilietinės visuomenės analizės tikslais. Lietuvių mokslininkų darbai pristatomi placiame pasaulyje pripažintų teorijų ir akademinių autoritetų praktinių įžvalgų kontekste. Isryskinamas tarpdisciplininio požiūrio į pilietine visuomene reikalingumas ir potencialas.
Computational Issues for Large-Scale Land Surface Data Assimilation Problems

Abstract Land surface data assimilation problems are often limited by the high dimensionality of states created by spatial discretization over large high-resolution computational grids. Yet field observations and simulation both confirm that soil moisture can have pronounced spatial structure, especially after extensive rainfall. This suggests that the high dimensionality of the problem could be reduced during wet periods if spatial patterns could be more efficiently represented. After prolonged drydown, when spatial structure is determined primarily by small-scale soil and vegetation variability rather than rainfall, the original high-dimensional problem can be effectively replaced by many independent low-dimensional problems that can be solved in parallel with relatively little effort. In reality, conditions are continually varying between these two extremes. This is confirmed by a singular value decomposition of the replicate matrix (covariance square root) produced in an ensemble forecasting simulatio.
Adaptive semi-linear inversion of strong gravitational lens imaging

We present a new pixelized method for the inversion of gravitationally lensed extended source images which we term adaptive semi-linear inversion (SLI). At the heart of the method is an h-means clustering algorithm which is used to derive a source plane pixelization that adapts to the lens model magnification. The distinguishing feature of adaptive SLI is that every pixelization is derived from a random initialization, ensuring that data discretization is performed in a completely different and unique way for every lens model parameter set. We compare standard SLI on a fixed source pixel grid with the new method and demonstrate the shortcomings of the former when modelling singular power-law ellipsoid (SPLE) lens profiles. In particular, we demonstrate the superior reliability and efficiency of adaptive SLI which, by design, fixes the number of degrees of freedom (NDOF) of the optimization and thereby removes biases present with other methods that allow the NDOF to vary. In addition, we highlight the importance of data discretization in pixel-based inversion methods, showing that adaptive SLI averages over significant systematics that are present when a fixed source pixel grid is used. In the case of the SPLE lens profile, we show how the method successfully samples its highly degenerate posterior probability distribution function with a single nonlinear search. The robustness of adaptive SLI provides a firm foundation for the development of a strong lens modelling pipeline, which will become necessary in the short-term future to cope with the increasing rate of discovery of new strong lens systems.
Prototype-based intraclass pose recognition of partial 3Dscans

We propose a new algorithm for recognizing the pose of partial scans of objects of the same class such as hands. We formulate the recognition problem as a problem of matching the partial scan to a set of prototypes, each one representing a key pose. The key poses are first indexed offline using a set of local descriptors. Next, given a partial range scan of an object, which can be acquired by any 3D sensor such as stereo or Time Of Flight (TOF) cameras, we start by computing a set of local descriptors, in the same manner as the offline process. The recognition is based on estimating the similarity between the descriptors of the scan and the descriptors of the prototypes. We introduce a comparison scheme that allows the estimation of the similarity between a partial scan and a full 3D model. This allows also an accurate localization of the partial scan onto the full 3D model. Our experiments show that the algorithm is able to: (1) find similar key poses for a given partial scan even in the presence of subtle change s only, and (2) it casts aside the models that have different pose than the partial scan.
Reconstructing the 1867 Keelung Earthquake and Tsunami Based on Historical Documents

On 18 December 1867 a disastrous earthquake struck off northern Taiwan and generated a tsunami that caused hundreds of deaths. At that time, with little information available, people could not be expected to identify the mechanism of the1867 Keelung earthquake or the subsequent tsunami. To reconstruct the earthquake and tsunami available historical documents and references were reviewed and verified. The data were then evaluated for its’ credibility. The historical place names were correlated with the present locations and GIS tools were used to reconstruct the earthquake and tsunami and identify the distribution of the resulting damage. Excluding the damage recorded in the Keelung area, there is evidence that shows that the 1867 Keelung earthquake and tsunami killed more than 580 people. The coastal area from Jinshan to Keelung Harbor was the main affected area. With a recorded tsunami wave height of 6 m occurring in Huanggang and Shueiwei, the run-up height in Jinbaoli Old Street and the Badouzi area is estimated to have been 15 m high. The tsunami wave height was observed to be 205 cm at Keelung Harbor Bay. The attenuation law was adopted to simulate the earthquake intensity distribution. The source parameters reasonableness and validity were considered by comparing the earthquake intensity distribution and the resulting damage. Our results show that the 1867 Keelung earthquake was highly correlated with the offshore Shanchiao Fault extension. The length the fault is about 40 km, with the epicenter located at 25.34°N, 121.91°E and focal depth of 10 km. The moment magnitude was 7.0.
Disparity Despite Diversity: Social Injustice in New York City's Urban Agriculture System

Many studies have documented the benefits of urban agriculture, including increased food access, job creation, educational opportunities, and green space. A focus on its social benefits has fed an association of urban agriculture with social justice, yet there is a distinction between alleviating symptoms of injustice (such as disparate access to food or environmental amenities) and disrupting structures that underlie them. Despite its positive impacts, urban agriculture systems may reinforce inequities that practitioners and supporters aim to address. This paper reports findings from a 2-year study of urban agriculture in New York City, which found race- and class-based disparities among practi- tioners citywide. Using the lens of critical race theory, it argues that a failure to examine urban agriculture's role in either supporting or dismantling unjust structures may perpetuate an inequitable system. The paper concludes with recommendations for urban agriculture supporters and scholars to help advance social justice at structural levels. Introduction the autumn harvest season began in 2010, a New York Magazine article highlighted some of the City's up-and-coming urban farmers, hailing them as the "new class of growers" (see Stein2010). Includedinthearticleanditsaccompanying photographs were the leaders of what the author deemed some of New York City's "most notable" urban farms and gardens. As any popular media source might, this article broadened awareness about urban agriculture among readers who were not involved with the movement through the type of storytelling that only personal narrative can provide. And, since urban agriculture has often been considered an oxymoron given the association of food production with rural environments, this was an opportunity to help bolster the legitimacy of the growing movement. However, despite, or perhaps because of the reach of this popular magazine, the article angered many in New York City's urban agriculture system (including some of the farmers that it featured) because six of the seven farmers profiled were white. Through the power of beautifully gritty photographs that professed to depict "What an Urban Farmer Looks Like", this article did more than raise awareness about growing tomatoes or keeping chickens in New York City. By failing to acknowledge the racial and ethnic diversity of New York's farmers and gardeners, it also suggested that urban agriculture in the city was a mostly white phenomenon, despite findings that the majority of gardeners in the city's nearly 1000 community
Design of Backstepping Controllers for Systems with Non-strict Feedback Form and Application to Chaotic Synchronization

Abstract In this paper, a method of synchronization of two different chaotic systems with matched and mismatched perturbations are developed by utilizing adaptive backstepping control technique. Through a simple and slight modification of traditional backstepping control method, the proposed technique can be applied to a variety of chaotic systems whose dynamic equations are not in the so-called strict-feedback form. Perturbation estimator is utilized in the control scheme to reduce the control energy, and each virtual input has adaptive mechanisms embedded to adapt the unknown upper bounds of the perturbation estimation errors. The property of uniformly ultimately boundedness is guaranteed when solving the chaotic synchronization problems, and two numerical examples for demonstrating the advantages and feasibility of the proposed method are also given.
A RBFNN-Based Adaptive Disturbance Compensation Approach Applied to Magnetic Suspension Inertially Stabilized Platform

Compared with traditional mechanical inertially stabilized platform (ISP), magnetic suspension ISP (MSISP) can absorb high frequency vibrations via a magnetic suspension bearing system with five degrees of freedom between azimuth and pitch gimbals. However, force acting between rotor and stator will introduce coupling torque to roll and pitch gimbals. Since the disturbance of magnetic bearings has strong nonlinearity, classic state feedback control algorithm cannot bring higher precision control for MSISP. In order to enhance the control accuracy for MSISP, a disturbance compensator based on radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is developed to compensate for the disturbance. Using the Lyapunov theorem, the weighting matrix of RBFNN can be updated online. Therefore, the RBFNN can be constructed without priori training. At last, simulations and experiment results validate that the compensation method proposed in this paper can improve ISP accuracy significantly.
control of LPV systems with saturating actuators: Pólya approach

This paper addresses the design problem of L2 , gain‐scheduling non‐linear state‐feedback controller for linear parameter varying (LPV) systems, subjected to actuator saturations and bounded energy disturbances, by using parameter‐dependent type Lyapunov functions. The paper provides a systematic procedure to generate a sequence of linear matrix inequality (LMI) type conditions of increasing precision for obtaining a suboptimal L2 state‐feedback controller. The presented method utilizes the modified sector condition for formalization of actuator saturation and homogeneous polynomial parameter‐dependent representation of LPV systems. Both simulations and experimental studies on an inverted pendulum on a cart system illustrate the benefits of the approach. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prospects for grid-connected solar photovoltaic in Kenya: A systems approach

Capacity planners in developing countries frequently use screening curves and other system-independent metrics such as levelized cost of energy to guide investment decisions. This can lead to spurious conclusions when evaluating intermittent power sources such as solar and wind. We use a system-level model for Kenya to evaluate the potential of using grid-connected solar photovoltaic in combination with existing reservoir hydro-power to displace diesel. Different generation mixes are evaluated with a unit commitment model whereby Kenyaâ€™s extensive reservoir hydro-system compensates for solar intermittency. Results show that the value of high penetrations of solar in 2012 exceeds their potential investment cost. Under three 2017 generation scenarios, the investment value of solar remains high if planned investments in low-cost geothermal, imported hydro, and wind power are delayed. The methodology can be used to estimate renewable potential in other African countries with comparable power generation situations.
The effects of forest harvesting and best management practices on streamflow and suspended sediment concentrations during snowmelt in headwater streams in sub-boreal forests of British Columbia, Canada

This paper examines suspended sediment concentration and stream discharge during freshet in three small sub-boreal forest streams ( 15 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) for pine and >20 cm for spruce), while all stems <30 cm DBH were retained beside a second stream. A third stream remained unharvested as a control. The two riparian treatments were prescribed to test the efficacy of current British Columbia legislation that al- lows for varying amounts of riparian retention as best management practices for the management of windthrow. Both treated watersheds were clear-cut harvested (approximately 55% removal) in January 1997, and in the following year, temporary access roads were deactivated, including two stream crossings in the low-retention watershed. An increase in peak snowmelt and total freshet discharge was first noted in the second spring following harvest in both treatments and remained above predicted in all subsequent years. Suspended sediment also increased during freshet following harvest but returned to levels at or below preharvest predictions within 3 years or less in the high-retention watershed.
Determining the bulk rheological behavior of gravity-driven ∞ow down a ∞ume. Application to granular ∞ows

Determining the constitutive behavior of complex ∞uids (e.g., granular materials, pasty ∞uids) remains a delicate task. We present a general method that makes it possible to derive the bulk constitutive relation ? b = F(„u;h) from ∞ume experiments, where ? b, „, and h denote the bottom shear stress, mean velocity, and ∞ow depth, respectively. Indeed, whenever a steady uniform regime is achieved, it is possible to relate the bottom shear stress, the ∞ow depth, and the velocity. Then, after simple algebraic manipulations, we obtained a simple and systematic method to glean information on the rheological behavior. We applied this method to laboratory data obtained with dry granular ∞ows and showed that difierent constitutive relations can be used to describe the same data. We found that a generalized Coulomb relation in the form ? b = „aeb, with aeb the bottom normal stress and „ / („u=h 3=2 ) 1=5 the bulk friction coe‐cient, ofiers a convenient representation of the rheological behavior for a wide range of ∞ow conditions and is supported by theoretical arguments. However, this relation cannot explain the constancy of the front velocity observed experimentally. Another relation in the form ? b = „aeb with „ / „ u 1=5 performs better for steep slopes or when there is a ∞ow-depth gradient, is in good agreement with the data available to date, but is more di‐cult to understand from a rheophysical point of view.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN THE FIVE-FACTOR MODEL OF PERSONALITY AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS AMONG ADULT IN ALBANIA

Studies show that there are strong connections between personality traits and health behaviors. This study aims to examine the connections between the five factor model of personality and health behaviors among adults in Albania. The final sample included 275 participants with an average age 41.6, SD = 10.4, where 189 of these participants were female and 63 were male, with status from higher education (Bachelor) to PhD level.The following procedure was anonymous self-reporting and confidential by completing the questionnaires. The data is analyzed in two stages: 1. Descriptive Analysis 2. Inferential analyses: Multivariate analysis (general linear model). The results showed that there was a statistically significant positive correlation between extroversion and general health condition, also a statistically significant correlation exists between compliance and healthy behaviors health. Another positive significant correlation is between neuroticism and health behaviors and lifestyles. According to statistical data also is shown that the low level of education has a negative correlacion of lifestyle, and has a strong positive correlation between higher educational level and health control. Results suggest that personality traits are closely related to the practice of health behaviors and that these individual features are superior in relation to social variables. Results are discussed in the context of theoretical and practical implications.
PD-1 and CTLA-4 Mediated Inhibitory Signaling for T cell Exhaustion during Chronic Viral Infections

Emerging studies show that T cell exhaustion correlates well with increased expression levels of inhibitory receptors including Programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1) and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA-4) during chronic infections. Both inhibitory molecules play similar but non-redundant role in T cell exhaustion. Engagement of PD-1 and CTLA-4 by their ligands inhibits T cell proliferation, cytokine secretion, and attenuates immune responses. Blockade of PD-1 and CTLA-4 restores effector function of exhausted T cells. PD-1 and CTLA-4 could both recruit Src homology 2-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP2) and inhibit activation of Akt. Nevertheless, PD-1 and CTLA-4 also target distinct signaling molecules to inhibit T cell function. In this review, we will discuss current understanding of PD-1 and CTLA-4 initiated signaling pathways, their regulatory roles in a variety of chronic viral infections, and their promising potential as targets to enhance T cell function for antiviral therapy.