Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Characteristic Properties of Travel-Time Curves

Summary The uniqueness of the determination of a velocity cross-section from the travel-time curves for surface and deep sources was investigated by Gerver & Markushevich (1966,1967). The Earth was assumed spherically symmetrical with a finite number of waveguides. The present report states the conditions when a solution of this inverse problem exists.
An Accelerated Simulated Annealing Method for B-spline Curve Fitting to Strip-shaped Scattered Points

Generation of optimum planar B-spline curve in terms of minimum deviation and required fairness to approximate a target shape defined by a strip-shaped unorganized 2D point cloud is studied. It is proposed to use the location of control points as variables within the geometric optimization framework of point distance minimization. An adaptive simulated annealing heuristic optimization algorithm is developed to iteratively update an initial approximate curve towards the target shape. The new implementation comprises an adaptive cooling procedure in which the temperature change is adaptively dependent on the objective function evolution. It is shown that the proposed method results in an improved convergence speed when compared to the standard simulated annealing method. A couple of examples are included to show the applicability of the proposed method in the surface model reconstruction directly from point cloud data.
Mitigating the Risk of Drug Interactions in Cancer Patients Taking Oral Anticancer Agents: The Role of a Multidisciplinary Team-Based Medication Reconciliation

Purpose: Polypharmacy in cancer patients is a recognized issue and should be an integral part of comprehensive patient assessment and management. Despite this, a systematic review of concomitant drugs or a search for potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) is not always performed. Here, we present the results of a medication reconciliation model performed by a multidisciplinary team to identify clinically meaningful potential DDIs (defined by the presence of DDI of major severity or contraindication) in cancer patients undergoing oral antineoplastic drugs. Methods: From June to December 2022, we performed a non-interventional, prospective, cross-sectional, single-center study of adult cancer patients, initiating or undergoing treatment with oral antineoplastic drugs, referred by their oncologists for therapeutic review regarding potential DDIs. DDIs were assessed by a multidisciplinary team of hospital pharmacists and medical oncologists, through research in three different drug databases as well as in the summary of product characteristics. A report detailing all potential DDIs was created for each request and provided to the patient's medical oncologist for further examination. Results: Overall, 142 patients’ medications were reviewed. Regardless of the severity or clinical importance, 70.4% of patients had at least one potential DDI. We found 184 combinations of oral anticancer and regular therapy agents with potential DDIs, 55 of whom were considered of major severity by at least one DDI database. As expected, the number of potential DDIs increased with the number of active substances in regular therapy (p < 0.001), but we did not find an increased relation between age and the total number of potential DDIs (p = 0.109). Thirty-nine (27.5%) patients had at least one clinically meaningful DDI identified. After adjustment through multivariable logistic regression, only the female sex (odds ratio (OR) 3.01, p = 0.029), the number of active comorbidities (OR 0.60, p = 0.029), and the presence of proton pump inhibitors in chronic medication (OR 2.99, p = 0.033) remained as predictors of potential meaningful DDI. Conclusion: Although drug interactions are a concern in oncology, a systematic DDI review is rarely conducted in medical oncology consultations. The availability of a medication reconciliation service, carried out by a multidisciplinary team with dedicated time for this task, is an added value for safety enhancement in cancer patients.
A Trend of AI Conference Convergence in Similarity: An Empirical Study Through Trans-Temporal Heterogeneous Graph

Publishing the research works on academic publications is an important part of the scientific process. Since the development of computer science research is very fast, researchers tend to publish the research works in a fast way, such as conferences whose review processes are faster than the journals. In the past decades, one conference usually focuses on a specific research field and the topic or method overlap between conferences is low. We have noticed that, in recent years, some topics or methods which were once studied in a small number of specific research fields have become popular in many other fields. Naturally, we come up with two research questions: (1) Do the conferences indeed become similar? and (2) How do conferences become similar? In this paper, we first use a trans-temporal heterogeneous graph network to model academic conferences in recent 20 years. Due to the large number of conferences, we categorize these conferences into 6 research fields for brevity. Then, we first quantitatively and qualitatively assess “Do the research fields become similar? ” and then focus on exploring “How do research fields become similar? ”. From the result, we find the reason for the research fields in computer science become similar is that AI becomes pervasive and researchers tend to apply the machine learning methods to different application fields. Since the methods become universal between different research fields, researchers should pay more attention to advanced information in other fields to motivate more interdisciplinary works. To assist the researchers to explore related interdisciplinary advanced information, it is crucial to measure the cross-field impact of papers using the citation information and recommend the paper which has a high cross-field impact on the related researchers. As for the newly published papers which do not have any citations, we also propose a cross-field impact prediction model to recommend the cutting-edge research works to related researchers accurately. Experiments conducted on real-world datasets verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Dipole configurations with strongly improved radiation efficiency for hand-held transceivers

In this paper the design criteria for antenna structures with improved radiation efficiency while operating in close vicinity to a biological scatterer are investigated. The study is performed using a simple /spl lambda//2 dipole combined with a directive or reflective element. The optimization criteria are the effective radiation efficiency, the spatial peak specific absorption rate (SAR), and the sensitivity of the input resistance to the distance from the scatterer. It is demonstrated that the primary design criterion to improve the radiation efficiency is not directivity but the reduction of the maximum incident magnetic field strength in the exposed skin area of the user's head. For the reflectively coupled dipole, all performance parameters are improved by several decibels compared to a standard, /spl lambda//2 dipole, whereas for some other directive structures, the performance is impaired. The study is conducted with the generalized multipole technique (GMT) numerical simulation method, the results of which are validated by measurement methods.
Analyses of conditional moment closure for turbulent premixed flames

Direct numerical simulation data sets of turbulent hydrogen-air premixed flames with u′S l ≈30 are analysed with a view to model development. Conditional moment closure (CMC), an alternative to the flamelet approach for turbulent flames with high u′/S l , is studied using the above DNS database. Variation of different terms in the CMC equation is studied. A priori tests of the conditional reaction rate closure are carried out. It seems that the first moment closure strategy, the conditional reaction rate as a function of conditional averages, is good. A simple model is proposed for differential diffusion of heat and mass from the CMC point of view and the predictions of the model are found to be very good. Behaviour of conditional streamwise velocity is studied. Three different models for the conditional velocity are tested a priori using the DNS data.
Semisupervised Change Detection With Feature-Prediction Alignment

Change detection (CD) has received raising attention for its broad application value. However, traditional fully supervised CD methods have a huge demand for pixel-level annotations, which are laborious and even impossible in some few-shot scenarios. Recently, several semisupervised CD (SSCD) methods have been proposed to utilize numerous unlabeled remote sensing image (RSI) pairs, which can largely reduce the annotation dependence. These methods are mainly based on: 1) adversarial learning, whose optimization direction is difficult to control as a black-box method, or 2) feature-consistency learning, which has no explicit physical meaning. To deal with these difficulties, we propose a novel progressive SSCD framework in this article, termed feature-prediction alignment (FPA). FPA can efficiently utilize unlabeled RSI pairs for training by two alignment strategies. First, a class-aware feature alignment (FA) strategy is designed to align the area-level change/no-change feature extracted from different unlabeled RSI pairs (i.e., across regions) with the awareness of their locations, in order to reduce the feature difference within the same classes. Second, a pixelwise prediction alignment (PA) is devised to align the pixel-level change prediction of strongly augmented unlabeled RSI pairs to the pseudo-labels calculated from the corresponding weakly augmented counterparts, in order to reduce the prediction uncertainty of various RSI transformations with physical meaning. Experiments are carried out on four widely used CD benchmarks, including Learning, Vision and Remote Sensing Laboratory (LEVIR-CD), Wuhan University building CD (WHU-CD), CDD, and GZ-CD, and our FPA achieves the state-of-the-art performance. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our method in both effectiveness and generalization. Our code is available at https://github.com/zxt9/FPA-SSCD.
Dipolar and Quadrupolar Magnetic Field Evolution over Solar Cycles 21, 22, and 23

Abstract Time series of photospheric magnetic field maps from two observatories, along with data from an evolving surface-flux transport model, are decomposed into their constituent spherical harmonic modes. The evolution of these spherical harmonic spectra reflect the modulation of bipole emergence rates through the solar activity cycle, and the subsequent dispersal, shear, and advection of magnetic flux patterns across the solar photosphere. In this article, we discuss the evolution of the dipolar and quadrupolar modes throughout the past three solar cycles (Cycles 21–23), as well as their relation to the reversal of the polar dipole during each solar maximum, and by extension to aspects of the operation of the global solar dynamo.
PROTAC antibiotics: the time is now

ABSTRACT Introduction Novel antibiotics are needed to keep antibiotic resistance at bay and to improve treatment of the many drug-susceptible infections for which current therapies achieve poor cure rates. While revolutionizing human therapeutics, the concept of targeted protein degradation (TPD) by bifunctional proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has not yet been applied to the discovery of antibiotics. A major obstacle precluding successful translation of this strategy to antibiotic development is that bacteria lack the E3 ligase-proteasome system exploited by human PROTACs to facilitate target degradation. Areas covered The authors describe the serendipitous discovery of the first monofunctional target-degrading antibiotic pyrazinamide, supporting TPD as a viable and novel approach in antibiotic discovery. They then discuss the rational design, mechanism, and activity of the first bifunctional antibacterial target degrader BacPROTAC, enabling a generalizable approach to TPD in bacteria. Expert opinion BacPROTACs demonstrate that linking a target directly to a bacterial protease complex can promote target degradation. BacPROTACs successfully bypass the ‘middleman’ E3 ligase, providing an entry strategy for the generation of antibacterial PROTACs. We speculate that antibacterial PROTACs will not only expand the target space but may also improve treatment by allowing dosage reduction, stronger bactericidal activity and activity against drug-tolerant ‘persisters. ’
Approximate proper efficiency in vector optimization

In recent years, some different kinds of approximate proper efficiency have been proposed by means of different tools including co-radiant set and improvement set for a vector optimization problem. In this paper, we first summarize some known concepts of approximate proper efficiency, relations among them and some corresponding linear scalarization theorems in the literature. Moreover, by means of nonlinear scalarization technique, we also give a characterization of -Benson proper efficient solutions without the assumption of monotonicity of norm. In the end, we also propose some valuable problems on approximate proper efficiency.
Evaluating the Stability of PLA-Lignin Filament Produced by Bench-Top Extruder for Sustainable 3D Printing

As additive manufacturing continues to evolve, there is ongoing discussion about ways to improve the layer-by-layer printing process and increase the mechanical strength of printed objects compared to those produced by traditional techniques such as injection molding. To achieve this, researchers are exploring ways of enhancing the interaction between the matrix and filler by introducing lignin in the 3D printing filament processing. In this work, research has been conducted on using biodegradable fillers of organosolv lignin, as a reinforcement for the filament layers in order to enhance interlayer adhesion by using a bench-top filament extruder. Briefly, it was found that organosolv lignin fillers have the potential to improve the properties of polylactic acid (PLA) filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. By incorporating different formulations of lignin with PLA, it was found that using 3 to 5% lignin in the filament leads to an improvement in the Young’s modulus and interlayer adhesion in 3D printing. However, an increment of up to 10% also results in a decrease in the composite tensile strength due to the lack of bonding between the lignin and PLA and the limited mixing capability of the small extruder.
A THERMOMECHANICAL MODEL FOR THE ANALYSIS OF DISC BRAKE FRACTURE MECHANISMS

The aim of this article is to explain the damage mechanisms of disc brakes leading to macroscopic cracks on the friction surface. The work combines microanalysis of cracks and a thermomechanical modeling describing the thermal fatigue solicitation. The failure of disc brakes is discussed, giving indications of how to improve the design of this type of friction system in order to enhance its performances
Charge‐Transfer Efficiency of WFPC2

Observations of ω Centauri have been used to characterize the charge‐transfer efficiency (CTE) of the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) on board the Hubble Space Telescope. A set of formulae has been developed to correct aperture photometry for CTE loss with dependencies on the X‐ and Y‐positions, the background counts, the brightness of the star, and the time of the observation. The observations indicate that for very faint stars on a very faint background, the CTE loss from the top to the bottom of a chip has increased from about 3% shortly after the cooldown of WFPC2 (1994 April 23) to roughly 40% in 1999 February. In general, typical WFPC2 exposures are much longer than these short‐calibration images, resulting in higher background which significantly reduces the CTE loss and minimizes the CTE problem for most science exposures.
Current status of hemostatic agents, their mechanism of action, and future directions

The bleeding problem might seem straightforward, but it involves a plethora of complex biochemical pathways and responses. Hemorrhage control remains one of the leading causes of “preventable deaths” worldwide. The past few decades have seen a wide range of biomaterials and their derivatives targeted to serve as hemostatic agents, but none can be deemed as an ideal solution. In this review, we have highlighted the current diversity in hemostatic agents and their modalities. We have enclosed a comprehensive outlook of the proposed solutions and their clinical performance so far. In addition to these, several promising compositions are still in their infancy or developmental phases. The inclusion of novel upcoming nanocomposites has further widened the potencies of existing formulations as well.
Correlation between the Onset of the East Asian Subtropical Summer Monsoon and the Eastward Propagation of the Madden–Julian Oscillation

AbstractUsing the daily outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), the pentad Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP), and the 6-h Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) dataset from 1979 to 2010, a composite analysis along with space–time wave filtering is performed to examine the linkage between the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and the onset of the East Asian subtropical summer monsoon (EASSM) (over 20°–30°N, 110°–120°E). The onset of the EASSM is shown to be best characterized by the reversal of the mean meridional wind shear related to the rapid reestablishment of the South Asian high (SAH) over the southern Indochinese Peninsula in the upper troposphere. The mean date of EASMM onset is near the end of April, which is about a month earlier than the typical onset of the East Asian summer monsoon. Further analysis indicates that the onset of the EASSM and the reestablishment of SAH are often associated with the arrival of the wet phase of the tropical MJO over the central and eas.
Vitamin E TPGS-Based Nanomedicine, Nanotheranostics, and Targeted Drug Delivery: Past, Present, and Future

It has been seventy years since a water-soluble version of vitamin E called tocophersolan (also known as TPGS) was produced; it was approved by USFDA in 1998 as an inactive ingredient. Drug formulation developers were initially intrigued by its surfactant qualities, and gradually it made its way into the toolkit of pharmaceutical drug delivery. Since then, four drugs with TPGS in their formulation have been approved for sale in the United States and Europe including ibuprofen, tipranavir, amprenavir, and tocophersolan. Improvement and implementation of novel diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for disease are goals of nanomedicine and the succeeding field of nanotheranostics. Specifically, imaging and treating tumors with nanohybrid theranostics shows promising potential. Docetaxel, paclitaxel, and doxorubicin are examples of poorly bioavailable therapeutic agents; hence, much effort is applied for developing TPGS-based nanomedicine, nanotheranostics, and targeted drug delivery systems to increase circulation time and promote the reticular endothelial escape of these drug delivery systems. TPGS has been used in a number of ways for improving drug solubility, bioavailability improvement, and prevention of drug efflux from the targeted cells, which makes it an excellent candidate for therapeutic delivery. Through the downregulation of P-gp expression and modulation of efflux pump activity, TPGS can also mitigate multidrug resistance (MDR). Novel materials such as TPGS-based copolymers are being studied for their potential use in various diseases. In recent clinical trials, TPGS has been utilized in a huge number of Phase I, II, and III studies. Additionally, numerous TPGS-based nanomedicine and nanotheranostic applications are reported in the literature which are in their preclinical stage. However, various randomized or human clinical trials have been underway for TPGS-based drug delivery systems for multiple diseases such as pneumonia, malaria, ocular disease, keratoconus, etc. In this review, we have emphasized in detail the review of the nanotheranostics and targeted drug delivery approaches premised on TPGS. In addition, we have covered various therapeutic systems involving TPGS and its analogs with special references to its patent and clinical trials.
Moments, Intermittency, and Growth Indices for Nonlinear Stochastic PDE"s with Rough Initial Conditions

Keywords: nonlinear stochastic heat equation ; nonlinear stochastic wave equation ; parabolic Anderson model ; hyperbolic Anderson model ; rough initial data ; Holder continuity ; Lyapunov exponents ; growth indices These Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne EPFL, n° 5712 (2013)Programme doctoral MathematiquesFaculte des sciences de baseInstitut de mathematiques d'analyse et applicationsChaire de probabilitesJury: J. Krieger (president), D. Khoshnevisan, T. Mountford, R. Tribe Public defense: 2013-4-19 Reference doi:10.5075/epfl-thesis-5712Print copy in library catalog Record created on 2013-04-09, modified on 2017-05-12
Stability boundary characterization of nonlinear autonomous dynamical systems in the presence of saddle-node equilibrium points

A dynamical characterization of the stability boundary for a fairly largeclass of nonlinear autonomous dynamical systems is developed in this paper. This characterization generalizes the existing results by allowing the existence of saddlenode equilibrium points on the stability boundary. The stability boundary of anasymptotically stable equilibrium point is shown to consist of the stable manifoldsof the hyperbolic equilibrium points on the stability boundary and the stable, stable center and center manifolds of the saddle-node equilibrium points on the stability boundary.
Investigating the changes of the components of the Krebs cycle in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with squalene

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that impairs the body’s ability to regulate glucose. Recent studies have shown that squalene, a bioactive compound, has shown promising potential in increasing ATP levels for diabetic patients and aged individuals.Objective: Our main goal was to evaluate the cellular effects of different doses of squalene on the intermediates and enzymes of Krebs cycle, in order to determine if squalene increases ATP production among groups of people with type 2 diabetes. The intermediates and enzymes that are being studied are acetyl coenzyme (A-CoA), alpha ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (AKGDH), calcium ion (Ca2+), citrate synthase (CS), isocitrate dehydrogenase, oxaloacetate, and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex component (PDH). Methods: In this study, 30 healthy volunteers were selected as the healthy control group (group 1) and 120 volunteers with type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected. Subjects with diabetes were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group 2 was untreated with squalene and groups 3, 4, and 5 were treated with 200, 400 and 600 mg of squalene, respectively for 84 days. Intermediates and enzymes of the Krebs cycle as well as calcium ion were assayed on days 1, 14, 28, 56, and 84 according to the relevant protocols in all groups.Results: The squalene-treated diabetic groups were compared to group 2 that was not treated any squalene to determine the differences of the parameters. Throughout these 84 days, it was observed that only calcium levels increased in the diabetic patients with high statistical difference (P < 0.05). The other parameters: acetyl coenzyme, alpha ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, oxaloacetate, and pyruvate dehydrogenase did not have a significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the addition of various doses of squalene to a diabetic patient's diet increases the amount of calcium found in their metabolic process in relation to the Krebs cycle. As calcium is responsible for stimulating the Krebs Cycle, it is evident that squalene plays an important part in ATP production.Keywords: squalene, type 2 diabetes, Krebs cycle, calcium, ATP