Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multitemporal Mosaicing for Sentinel-3/FLEX Derived Level-2 Product Composites

The increasing availability of remote sensing data raises important challenges in terms of operational data provision and spatial coverage for conducting global studies and analyses. In this regard, existing multitemporal mosaicing techniques are generally limited to producing spectral image composites without considering the particular features of higher-level biophysical and other derived products, such as those provided by the Sentinel-3 (S3) and Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) tandem missions. To relieve these limitations, this article proposes a novel multitemporal mosaicing algorithm specially designed for operational S3-derived products and also studies its applicability within the FLEX mission context. Specifically, we design a new operational methodology to automatically produce multitemporal mosaics from derived S3/FLEX products with the objective of facilitating the automatic processing of high-level data products, where weekly, monthly, seasonal, or annual biophysical mosaics can be generated by means of four processes proposed in this work: 1) operational data acquisition; 2) spatial mosaicing and rearrangement; 3) temporal compositing; and 4) confidence measures. The experimental part of the work tests the consistency of the proposed framework over different S3 product collections while showing its advantages with respect to other standard mosaicing alternatives. The source codes of this work will be made available for reproducible research.
A Domain Enriched Deep Learning Approach to Classify Atherosclerosis Using Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging is widely used for diagnostic imaging in interventional cardiology. The detection and quantification of atherosclerosis from acquired images is typically performed manually by medical experts or by virtual histology IVUS (VH-IVUS) software. VH-IVUS analyzes backscattered radio frequency (RF) signals to provide a color-coded tissue map, and is the method of choice for assessing atherosclerotic plaque in situ. However, a significant amount of tissue cannot be analyzed in reasonable time because the method can be applied just once per cardiac cycle. Furthermore, only hardware and software compatible with RF signal acquisition and processing may be used. In this article, we present an image-based tissue characterization method that can be applied to entire acquisition sequences post hoc for the assessment of diseased vessels. The pixel-based method utilizes domain knowledge of arterial pathology and physiology, and leverages technological advances of convolutional neural networks to segment diseased vessel walls into the same tissue classes as virtual histology using only grayscale IVUS images. The method was trained and tested on patches extracted from VH-IVUS images acquired from several patients, and achieved overall accuracy of 93.5% for all segmented tissue. Imposing physically-relevant spatial constraints driven by domain knowledge was key to achieving such strong performance. This enriched approach offers capabilities akin to VH-IVUS without the constraints of RF signals or limited once-per-cycle analysis, offering superior potential information acquisition speed, reduced hardware and software requirements, and more widespread applicability. Such an approach may well yield promise for future clinical and research applications.
Improvement of Stability and Performance of Amorphous Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin Film Transistor by Zinc-Tin-Oxide Spray Coating

We report the effect of zinc-tin-oxide (ZTO) by spray coating on indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) for the improvement of both stability and performance. The IGZO/ZTO TFT exhibits the field effect mobility (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mu }_{\text{FE}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$18.39~{\text{cm}}^{2}{/\text{V}\cdot \text{s}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, threshold voltage (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{V}_{\text{Th}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) of 0.1 V, and subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.16V/dec. The TFT shows excellent stabilities: <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Delta ~\text{V}_{\text{Th}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> of −1.0 V for negative bias illumination stress (NBIS) and 0.4 V for hot carrier stress. These excellent performance and stability are correlated with the built-in electric field by charge distribution at the IGZO/ZTO hetero-junction. Therefore, ZTO spray coating on IGZO semiconductor can be a good technique to improve device stability.
Piezoelectric Actuation of Graphene-Coated Polar Structures

Ferroelectric materials based on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) are widely used as sensors and actuators because of their strong piezoelectric activity. However, their application is limited because of the high processing temperature, brittleness, lack of conformal deposition, and a limited possibility to be integrated with the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Recent studies on the piezoelectricity in the 2-D materials have demonstrated their potential in these applications, essentially due to their flexibility and integrability with the MEMS. In this work, we deposited a few layer graphene (FLG) on the amorphous oxidized Si3N4 membranes and studied their piezoelectric response by sensitive laser interferometry and rigorous finite-element modeling (FEM) analysis. Modal analysis by FEM and comparison with the experimental results show that the driving force for the piezoelectric-like response can be a polar interface layer formed between the residual oxygen in Si3N4 and the FLG. The response was about 14 nm/V at resonance and could be further enhanced by adjusting the geometry of the device. These phenomena are fully consistent with the earlier piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) observations of the piezoelectricity of the graphene on SiO2 and open up an avenue for using graphene-coated structures in the MEMS.
Optimal Design of Microlens Aperture Size for Focused Plenoptic Camera

The aperture size of microlens is a key parameter of a plenoptic camera, which strongly influence the performance of the camera. Generally, the size of microlens aperture is submillimeter, which will introduce obvious diffraction effect with large $f$ -number. Besides, optical distortions of plenoptic camera also bring degradation effect in raw plenoptic image. In this letter, based on wave optics, a more accurate imaging model with diffraction effect and optical distortion for focused plenoptic camera is proposed. The modulation transfer function (MTF) evaluation suggests that the proposed model is more close to the real one when compared to the previous models. Additionally, the raw images under different microlens aperture sizes are synthesized. Finally, a relatively optimal size of microlens aperture is obtained according the results of depth estimation.
A unified theory for organic matter accumulation

Significance Organic matter in the global ocean, soils, and sediments stores about five times more carbon than the atmosphere. Thus, the controls on the accumulation of organic matter are critical to global carbon cycling. However, we lack a quantitative understanding of these controls. This prevents meaningful descriptions of organic matter cycling in global climate models, which are required for understanding how changes in organic matter reservoirs provide feedbacks to past and present changes in climate. Currently, explanations for organic matter accumulation remain under debate, characterized by seemingly competing hypotheses. Here, we develop a quantitative framework for organic matter accumulation that unifies these hypotheses. The framework derives from the ecological dynamics of microorganisms, the dominant consumers of organic matter. Organic matter constitutes a key reservoir in global elemental cycles. However, our understanding of the dynamics of organic matter and its accumulation remains incomplete. Seemingly disparate hypotheses have been proposed to explain organic matter accumulation: the slow degradation of intrinsically recalcitrant substrates, the depletion to concentrations that inhibit microbial consumption, and a dependency on the consumption capabilities of nearby microbial populations. Here, using a mechanistic model, we develop a theoretical framework that explains how organic matter predictably accumulates in natural environments due to biochemical, ecological, and environmental factors. Our framework subsumes the previous hypotheses. Changes in the microbial community or the environment can move a class of organic matter from a state of functional recalcitrance to a state of depletion by microbial consumers. The model explains the vertical profile of dissolved organic carbon in the ocean and connects microbial activity at subannual timescales to organic matter turnover at millennial timescales. The threshold behavior of the model implies that organic matter accumulation may respond nonlinearly to changes in temperature and other factors, providing hypotheses for the observed correlations between organic carbon reservoirs and temperature in past earth climates.
Short Paper: PoSH Proof of Staked Hardware Consensus

This paper introduces the PoSH Consensus protocol, a novel work-in-progress construction for achieving Sybil-resistant Nakamotostyle probabilistic consensus on the contents of a cryptocurrency ledger in a permissionless decentralized network where parties stake their hardware’s computational power towards participation in leader election. PoSH aims to establish an openly mintable cryptocurrency that eliminates the requirement for block rewards and disincentivizes mining pools.
Observations on the Aleurone Layer. II. Fluorescence Microscopy of the Aleurone-Sub-Aleurone Junction With Emphasis on Possible β-1,3-Glucan Deposits in Barley

The structural organization of the cell walls at the aleurone-sub-aleurone junction has been examined by fluorescence microscopy in ungerminated seeds of two varieties of Hordeum vulgare L. (cultivars Himalaya and Vanier). The sub-aleurone cell walls that are immediately adjacent to the aleurone layer are considerably thicker than the remainder of endosperm walls and contain extensive deposits of aniline blue-positive material. The latter was not significantly affected by periodate oxidation and was removed from tissue sections only by β-1,3-glucanases or hot dimethyl sulphoxide. These deposits may represent the primary substrate for endo-β-1,3-glucanases secreted by the aleurone layer during germination.
Novel Opiate-Free Anesthetic Technique for Major Urologic Procedures

Opioids are essential elements in the practice of anesthesia. This article provides an alternative general anesthetic technique to the conventional opioid-based anesthesia for abdominal surgeries—specifically, urologic procedures without apparent adverse outcomes. Objectives We postulated that an opiate-free (OF) general anesthesia (GA) technique could adequately control a patient’s pain without adversely affecting recovery. We compared patients undergoing major urologic procedures with and without opiate-based GA. Methods A propensity-matched analysis was performed comparing hospital length of stay, postoperative nausea and vomiting, ileus occurrence, postanesthesia care unit, and total opiate consumption, as well as sedation and hemodynamic variables. The data are expressed as medians and were analyzed with the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. P < 0.05 indicate statistical significance. Results In total, 166 patients were evaluated in both the OF group and the opiate-based treatment group. American Society of Anesthesiologists classification and age were comparable, with most surgeries being laparoscopic and confined to the bladder, kidney, and prostate gland. The median opiate consumption in morphine equivalents in the postanesthesia care unit was 7.7 mg (range 5–11.7 mg) for the OF cohort versus 11.7 mg (range 5–17.3 mg) for the control group (P < 0.001). Similarly, the median total postoperative opiate consumption in morphine equivalents was 23.9 mg (range 13.8–42.4 mg) for the OF group compared with 32.1 mg (range 17.38–57.51 mg) for the control group (P = 0.0081). The median hospital length of stay for the OF group was 1.4 days (range 1.2–2.3 days) versus 1.3 days (range 1.2–2.4 days) for the control group (P = 0.8466). Conclusions There was a statistically significant difference in opiate consumption postoperatively for patients who underwent an OF technique compared with a conventional opiate-based technique. This technique appears to be a possible alternative approach, without any apparent untoward consequences during admission.
Use of e-Cigarettes and Development of Respiratory Conditions in Women of Childbearing Age

Many young women of childbearing age are using e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking, which could affect pregnancy outcomes. This study examines the association between e-cigarette use and smoking status of women of childbearing age and respiratory conditions, mainly asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Objective Women of childbearing age are encouraged not to smoke because of well-documented adverse health outcomes. This study examines the association between e-cigarette use and respiratory conditions (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]) among women of childbearing age. Methods The study used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2016–2017. The sample consisted of 131,965 women of childbearing age (18–44 years old). The main independent variable was smoking status and the primary outcomes were self-reported respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression to assess the effects of e-cigarettes on asthma and COPD. Results In this sample of childbearing-age women, 2.79% were current e-cigarettes users with or without a history of combustible cigarette smoking and 3.02% were current dual users. Compared with nonsmokers, current e-cigarette users without a history of combustible cigarette smoking were associated with 74% higher odds of having asthma (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29–2.35), whereas results were not significant for COPD. The odds of having COPD, however, were 3 times higher (AOR 3.28, 95% CI 2.62–4.12) for current e-cigarette users with a history of cigarette smoking, whereas current dual users showed 5 times higher odds (AOR 5.07, 95% CI 3.91–6.56) of COPD compared with nonsmokers. Conclusion Policies related to e-cigarettes need to be reevaluated and clearly communicated to improve prevention efforts for women of childbearing age.
In Search of a Femtor: The Complexities of Female Mentorship in Academic Medicine

My search for a femtor, otherwise known as a female mentor, began when I joined the faculty of a large academic medical center in my hometown approximately 6 years ago. Before that time, I already had several years of experience working in other academic institutions. The first few years out of residency, however, I never really sought out a mentor because I was a busy physician still learning how to manage patients on my own. When I started my present job, I was hired primarily as a clinician educator and planned to stay long term. I believed I was prepared to actively pursue career advancement. From the beginning, my section chief described the necessary criteria for professorship promotion, which all seemed very daunting. First, promotion required receiving a teaching or educational leadership award. Second, it required a number of publications. This may seem like an easy task for some who are very active in research and manuscript writing or those who have dedicated time for such pursuits. For someone like me, however, who was more clinical and lacked experience in writing and submitting manuscripts, this seemed like an arduous process. Early on, I remember chatting with other female physicians about how we all wished we had a mentor to help support and guide us through the steps necessary to develop and advance our careers. We discussed the preference for a female mentor because we believed women could better relate to our daily struggles of balancing work with family life. Since I always had an interest in learner education, I naturally gravitated toward activities such as facilitating small groups, lecturing in noon conferences, and interviewing medical students for residency positions, unaware whether these activities “counted” toward anything meaningful in terms of promotion. It would have been nice to have someone to ask. Over the years, I slowly overcame the challenges by observing and collaborating with colleagues to gain a better idea of what constituted “qualifying” activities and identifying ways to become involved in projects that could generate publications.
Metformin and Resveratrol Induce Beneficial Metabolic Adaptations in L6Muscle Cells Treated with HIV Protease Inhibitors: Evidence for Inhibitionof JNK1/2 Signaling

C-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK1/2) pro-inflammatory signaling has been shown to play a role in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle cells. To determine the effectiveness of metformin and resveratrol in blunting HAART-induced insulin resistance, L6 skeletal muscle cells were treated ± (with or without) HIV protease inhibitors (ritonavir+atazanavir sulfate; RA) and either metformin, resveratrol, or the JNK1/2 inhibitor SP600125 and incubated ± insulin (100 nM). SP600125 as well as metformin and resveratrol reduced (P<0.05) JNK1/2 phosphorylation in RA-treated cells but not in healthy cells. In basal and insulin-stimulated cells, RA treatment significantly increased JNK1/2 phosophorylation (P<0.05). Additionally, when RA-stimulated cells were treated with metformin, resveratrol or SP6000125, JNK1/2 phosphorylation was reduced (P<0.05) indicating reduced inflammation. Basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was increased in RA-treated cells (P<0.05). The presence of insulin resistance in RA-treated cells was partially abrogated (P>0.05) by metformin and SP600125 treatment. RA-treatment increased FA (fatty acid) uptake and oxidation in both the basal and insulin-stimulated state. Increased percent change of AKTSer473 phosphorylation indicated increased insulin sensitivity in RA+metformin (P=0.08) and RA+resveratrol (P<0.05) treated cells. Treatment with metformin, resveratrol or SP600125 had very little impact on p38 phosphorylation in basal and insulin-stimulated cells made insulin-resistant by incubation with RA. Our data indicate that metformin and resveratrol induce beneficial metabolic changes in cells made insulin resistant by treatment with protease inhibitors in part via inhibition of JNK1/2 pro-inflammatory signaling and stimulation of insulin-mediated AKTSer473 phosphorylation.
Caracterização dos efeitos imunomodulador e antiviral de uma espécie da família marcgraviaceae em modelo in vitro de infecção em linhagem de hepatócitos HUH-7 pelo vírus dengue-2

Various diseases related to immunodesregulation have been long treated by herbal medicine, considering that several therapeutical effects are observed in the modulation of cytokines. However, there are few reports regarding to the use of medicinal plants in dengue. The identification of compounds with immunomodulatory properties is extremely important for the treatment of dengue, since the disease severity is related to an exacerbated production of the immunological response, mainly cytokines that may lead to hemodynamic and coagulation disorders. Marcgraviaceae, a family of the Brazilian flora, has been evaluated for its biodynamic activities, due to its almost complete chemical and pharmacological uniqueness. The anti-inflammatory activity of this family has been described by some authors. Therefore, the aim of this work was to characterize the antiviral and immunomodulator potentials of a Marcgraviaceae species. It was established and used an in vitro model cultivating an hepatocyte cell line – HuH-7 cells – that were infected with DENV-2. Infected, HuH-7 cells were incubated with a buthanolic fraction and four subfractions ((26-30, 40-43, 89-98 e 99-134) derived from a crude ethanol leave extract from a Marcgraviaceae species, for 48 hours. The samples went through a screening that revealed their antiviral activity, by detection of viral antigen (Ag DENV) in HuH-7 cells, using flow cytometry.The immunomodulator activity was measured by ELISA detecting MIF levels in the supernatant of infected and treated cultures. The results of screening indicated that the buthanolic fraction and its subfraction 89-98 presented both activities, being selected for the other studies to characterize the mechanisms of action. After selection, the antiviral activity of these fractions/subfractions were evaluated for the production of nitric oxide (NO) by Griess reaction, and viral protein NS1 detection, by ELISA. The immunomodulator action was evaluated by IL-8 measurement by ELISA as well. Our results demonstrated that the buthanolic fraction and its subfraction 89-98 were able to reduce NS1 production ratio, besides stimulating NO production by HuH-7 cells. Furthermore, the 89-98 subfraction also reduced IL-8 production. In conclusion, we believe that these are good candidates for the development of herbal medicines for the treatment of dengue. Considering that the host is able to control infection by DENV in a few days and that immune responses develop an important role in the pathogenesis of dengue, the study of immunomodulatory factors is a relevant approach in research.
Uptake and partitioning of simulated atmospheric N inputs in populus tremuloides - Pinus strobus forest mesocosms

Canopies of forest ecosystems frequently intercept and retain >50% of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition. Atmospheric N reaching the forest floor often is retained in litter and soil pools, but if atmospheric N retained by the canopy is assimilated through foliar uptake, then N inputs may have greater effects on tree N requirements and growth than suggested by N additions to forest floors alone. To quantify foliar and root uptake of N deposition by trees and to determine patterns of within-tree N allocation, we performed a tightly controlled 15N tracer experiment using constructed, seminatural forest mesocosms. Mesocosms contained seedling trees, which assimilated modest amounts of the aqueous 15NH4Cl applied to their canopies and surrounding soils (10% and 14%, respectively). The seedlings allocated most of the 15N that they took up to leaf biomass (40%–50%), regardless of uptake pathway. Soil pools retained >80% of the 15N applied to mesocosm forest floors, with soil organic matter concentration explai.
Experimental Studies of Interspecies Competition II. Temperature, Humidity, and Competition in Two Species of Tribolium

T HE primary objective of this paper is to record in considerable detail a series of laboratory observations dealing with the phenomenon of competition and to array certain conclusions that emerge from these data. Before doing this, however, it is meaningful to introduce, and attempt partially to answer, two questions. The first: What logical steps should be followed in the study of interspecies competition? The second: Can such competition be defined in abstract terms? In respect of the first question it seems to me that a long-range program dedicated to the serious study of interspecies competition ideally should progress through the following five conceptual stages: