Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age at Onset Influences Progression of Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms during the Early Stage of Parkinson’s Disease: A Monocentric Retrospective Study

The interactions between the age at onset with other pathogenic mechanisms and the interplays between the disease progression and the aging processes in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remain undefined, particularly during the first years of illness. Here, we retrospectively investigated the clinical presentation and evolution of the motor and non-motor symptoms and treatment-related complications during the first 5 years of illness in subjects categorized according to age at onset. A total of 131 subjects were divided into “Early-Onset-PD” (EOPD; onset ≤49 years), “Middle-Onset-PD” (MOPD; onset 50–69 years) and “Late-Onset-PD” (LOPD; onset ≥70 years). The T0 visit was set at the time of the clinical diagnosis; the T1 visit was 5 years (±5 months) later. At T0, there were no significant differences in the motor features among the groups. At T1, the LOPD patients displayed a significantly higher frequency of gait disturbances and a higher frequency of postural instability. Moreover, at T1, the LOPD subjects reported a significantly higher frequency of non-motor symptoms; in particular, cardiovascular, cognitive and neuropsychiatric domains. The presented results showed a significantly different progression of motor and non-motor symptoms in the early course of PD according to the age at onset. These findings contribute to the definition of the role of age at onset on disease progression and may be useful for the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of PD.
A Relation Between Restricted and Unrestricted Weighted Motzkin Paths

We consider those lattice paths that use the steps \up", \level", and \down" with assigned weights w; b; c. In probability theory, the total weight is 1. In combinatorics, we replace weight by the number of colors. Here we give a combinatorial proof of a relation between restricted and unrestricted weighted Motzkin paths.
First finding of continental deep subduction in the Sesia Zone of the Western Alps and implications for subduction dynamics

ABSTRACT Continental deep subduction after the closure of large oceanic basins is commonly ascribed to the gravitational pull of the subducting oceanic slab. However, it is not clear how continental lithosphere adjacent to small oceanic basins was subducted to mantle depths. The Sesia Zone in the Western Alps provides an excellent target for exploration of subduction dynamics in such a tectonic setting. Here we report the first finding of coesite in a jadeite-bearing orthogneiss from the Sesia Zone, providing the first evidence for deep subduction of the continental crust to mantle depths for ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism in this zone. Three coesite inclusions were identified by laser Raman spectroscopy in two garnet grains. Based on zircon U-Pb dating and trace element analysis, the UHP metamorphic age was constrained to be 76.0 ± 1.0 Ma. The phase equilibrium modeling yields peak metamorphic pressures of 2.8–3.3 GPa, demonstrating the continental deep subduction to mantle depths of >80 km. The subducted continental crust was a rifted hyperextended continental margin, which was converted to the passive continental margin during seafloor spreading and then deeply subducted during the oblique convergence between the Adria microplate and Eurasian plate in the Late Cretaceous. Because the slab pull could only play a limited role in closing small oceanic basins for continental collision, the distal push of either continental breakup or seafloor spreading is suggested as the major driving force for the deep subduction of continental crust in the Western Alps. Therefore, deep subduction of the continental crust bordering small oceanic basins would have been induced by the far-field stress of compression, whereas that bordering large oceanic basins was spontaneous due to the oceanic slab pull. This provides a new insight into the geodynamic mechanism of continental deep subduction.
Comments on “Preconditioning Deep Convection with Cumulus Congestus”

AbstractThe hypothesis that cumulus congestus clouds in the tropics moisten dry layers above the boundary layer and promote the formation of deep moist convection was tested by Hohenegger and Stevens. This comment asks whether their hypothesis is also true for cumulus congestus clouds and deep moist convection in the midlatitudes. This comment also requests clarification on how their expression for moisture convergence is calculated and used in their article, especially in light of previous studies showing that moisture flux convergence is a less-than-adequate diagnostic for convection initiation and that deep moist convection requires sufficient lift and instability, in addition to sufficient moisture.
Generalized multistability in a fiber laser with modulated losses

Global analysis of the bifurcation structure of phase space is performed with the use of a theoretical model for an erbium-doped fiber laser. We show that a laser with modulated losses has the property that many competing behaviors are possible and that the system tends to alternate among them. A rich variety of bifurcations is observed as the modulation parameters are varied. The coexistence of multiple attractors that appear in the primary saddle-node bifurcations is reported, and their relation to main laser resonances is discussed.
Reed-Muller Codes

Reed-Muller (RM) codes are among the oldest, simplest and perhaps most ubiquitous family of codes. They are used in many areas of coding theory in both electrical engineering and computer science. Yet, many of their important properties are still under investigation. This work covers some of the developments regarding the weight enumerator and the capacity-achieving properties of RM codes, as well as some of the algorithmic developments. In particular, it discusses connections established between RM codes, thresholds of Boolean functions, polarization theory, hypercontractivity, and the techniques of approximating low weight codewords using lower degree polynomials (when codewords are viewed as evaluation vectors of degree r polynomials in m variables).
Development of novel tunable dual-band negative index metamaterial using open stub-loaded stepped-impedance resonator

This study reports on tunable planar metamaterial design that is capable to achieve dual-band negative index of refraction responses operating in microwave regime. Its distinctive characteristic is the usage of tuning open stub-loaded stepped-impedance resonators. Parameters retrieval algorithm, and full-wave simulation of prism- shaped structure were carried out to validate the negative refraction characteristics of metamaterial structure. The results predict its prospect as a very promising alternative to the conventional ones, which is compatibly applicable on various potential microwave devices especially when dual-band function is required. In addition to that, its design ∞exibility ofiers a various frequency bands at any possible choice, which is alterable together with any design parameters changes.
Equatorial Waves in a Stratospheric GCM: Effects of Vertical Resolution

Abstract Equatorially trapped wave modes, such as Kelvin and mixed Rossby–gravity waves, are believed to play a crucial role in forcing the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) of the lower tropical stratosphere. This study examines the ability of a general circulation model (GCM) to simulate these waves and investigates the changes in the wave properties as a function of the vertical resolution of the model. The simulations produce a stratopause-level semiannual oscillation but not a QBO. An unfortunate property of the equatorially trapped waves is that they tend to have small vertical wavelengths (≤15 km). Some of the waves, believed to be important in forcing the QBO, have wavelengths as short as 4 km. The short vertical wavelengths pose a stringent computational requirement for numerical models whose vertical grid spacing is typically chosen based on the requirements for simulating extratropical Rossby waves (which have much longer vertical wavelengths). This study examines the dependence of the equatoria.
Exposure to Noise and Cardiovascular Disease in a Nationwide US Prospective Cohort Study of Women

Background: Long-term noise exposure is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including acute cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. However, longitudinal cohort studies of long-term noise and CVD are almost exclusively from Europe, and few modelled nighttime and daytime noise separately. We aimed to examine the prospective association of outdoor long-term nighttime and daytime noise from anthropogenic sources with incident CVD using a US-based, nationwide cohort of women. Methods: We linked L50 (median) nighttime and L50 daytime modelled anthropogenic noise estimates from a US National Park Service model to geocoded residential addresses of 114,116 participants in the Nurses Health Study. We used time-varying Cox proportional hazards models to estimate risk of incident CVD, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke associated with long-term average noise exposure, adjusted for potential individual- and area-level confounders and CVD risk factors (1988-2018). We assessed effect modification by population density, region, air pollution, vegetation cover, and neighborhood socioeconomic status, and explored mediation by self-reported average nightly sleep duration. Results: Over 2,544,035 person-years, there were 10,331 incident CVD events. In fully-adjusted models, the hazard ratios for each interquartile range increase in L50 nighttime noise (3.67 dBA) and L50 daytime noise (4.35 dBA), respectively, were 1.04 (95% CI 1.02, 1.06) and 1.04 (95% CI 1.02, 1.07). Similar associations were observed for CHD and stroke. Stratified analyses suggested that associations of nighttime and daytime noise with CVD did not differ by prespecified effect modifiers. We found no evidence that inadequate sleep (< 5 hours per night) mediated associations of noise and CVD. Discussion: Outdoor median nighttime and daytime noise at the residential address was associated with a small increase in CVD risk in a cohort of adult female nurses.
Verifying the accuracy of audible simulation (auralization) systems

Auralization systems are beginning to appear in the professional sound industry. Each claims the ultimate benefit of ‘‘hearing the sound system before it is installed. ’’ But how much work has been done to substantiate these claims? Can the customer always judge the sound system performance based on what he or she hears on the auralization system? Before any auralization system can be used, it must be ‘‘authenticated. ’’ Authentication is the process of verifying that what people hear on an auralization system is the same−or almost the same−as what they would hear in the real environment. A systematic approach to authentication of auralization systems will be described. In this approach, the purpose of the auralization system, along with the perceptual parameters to be tested must first be defined. Then subject‐based listening tests−typically one for each perceptual parameter−must be designed, conducted, and evaluated. It will be shown that this authentication process, when followed, can be used to characterize any auralization system.
Variable selection in partial linear regression with functional covariate

The problem of variable selection is considered in high-dimensional partial linear regression under some model allowing for possibly functional variable. The procedure studied is that of nonconcave-penalized least squares. It is shown the existence of a √n/sn-consistent estimator for the vector of pn linear parameters in the model, even when pn tends to ∞ as the sample size n increases (sn denotes the number of influential variables). An oracle property is also obtained for the variable selection method, and the nonparametric rate of convergence is stated for the estimator of the nonlinear functional component of the model. Finally, a simulation study illustrates the finite sample size performance of our procedure.
Experimental Measurements of Concentration Fluctuations and Scales in a Dispersing Plume in the Atmospheric Surface Layer Obtained Using a Very Fast Response Concentration Detector

Abstract High-frequency fluctuations of concentration in a plume dispersing in the atmospheric surface layer have been measured with high-resolution concentration detectors (approximately 270 Hz at the −6-dB point) to extract various concentration statistics of the fluctuating concentration field. Crosswind and alongwind variations of amplitude statistics (e.g., the total and conditional fluctuation intensity, skewness, and kurtosis), the intermittency factor, and the shapes of the concentration probability density function (PDF) are presented. The behavior of temporal concentration statistics such as the autocorrelation function; power spectrum; PDF of upcrossing intervals PDF of excursion durations; various concentration timescales, length scales, and microscales (e.g., Taylor microscale, correlation scale, length scale based on the spectral peak, etc.); as well as the velocity-to-concentration timescale ratio are studied. It is shown that all the concentration length scales and microscales (with the ex.
The expulsion of magnetic flux by eddies

A convective eddy imposed on an initially uniform magnetic field in a highly conducting fluid distorts the lines of force and amplifies the field. Flux is concentrated outside the eddy; within it, the field grows and its scale of variation decreases until resistive effects become important. Closed lines of force are then formed by reconnexion. The central field decays and a steady state is reached. Within a period, small compared with the characteristic time for resistive decay, magnetic flux is almost entirely expelled from regions of rapid motion and concentrated at the edges of convection cells. This process is demonstrated from numerical experiments. The results are applied to the sun, where the concentrated fields are strong enough to inhibit convection locally.
Molecular Cloning and Characteristics of a Lectin from the Bivalve Glycymeris yessoensis

C-type lectins (CTLs) are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins that mediate multiple biological events, including adhesion between cells, the turnover of serum glycoproteins, and innate immune system reactions to prospective invaders. Here, we describe the cDNA cloning of lectin from the bivalve Glycymeris yessoensis (GYL), which encodes 161 amino acids and the C-type carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) with EPN and WND motifs. The deduced amino acid sequence showed similarity to other CTLs. GYL is a glycoprotein containing two N-glycosylation sites per subunit. N-glycans are made up of xylose, mannose, D-glucosamine, 3-O-methylated galactose, D-quinovoses, and 3-O-methylated 6-deoxy-D-glucose. The potential CRD tertiary structure of the GYL adopted CTL-typical long-form double-loop structure and included three disulfide bridges at the bases of the loops. Additionally, when confirming the GYL sequence, eight isoforms of this lectin were identified. This fact indicates the presence of a multigene family of GYL-like C-type lectins in the bivalve G. yessoensis. Using the glycan microarray approach, natural carbohydrate ligands were established, and the glycotope for GYL was reconstructed as “Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ obligatory containing an additional fragment”, like a sulfate group or a methyl group of fucose or N-acetylgalactosamine residues.
A Wearable Master–Slave Rehabilitation Robot Based on an Epidermal Array Electrode Sleeve and Multichannel Electromyography Network

Investigating electromyography (EMG) signals is vital to promote the development of both rehabilitative robots and understanding of the movement neural mechanism. Interactions between various muscle units are paramount to be measured through network analysis, aiming to reveal how information is propagated and integrated. Herein, an EMG network using an epidermal array electrode sleeve to record multichannel EMGs is constructed. Then, a master–slave rehabilitation robot by adopting the EMG network as a feature for movement intention recognition is built. The results demonstrate that the sleeve can record signals with high quality, characterized by better signal robustness and higher movement recognition performance. The different finger movements evoke the specific spatial network patterns, characterized by the dominated hub at the muscle in charge of the corresponding movement, and the proposed EMG network‐based approach consistently achieves the highest recognition accuracy. Moreover, the proposed approach also shows the relatively less influence of signal length and electrode positions on the movement recognition. Finally, the proposed robot system can achieve 98.21% ± 2.37 accuracy for online control. These results provide a novel theoretical and practical basis for neural prosthesis control and hemiplegic hand rehabilitation.
Indicators of senior high school students’ performance in online chemistry learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all private and public schools in the Philippines were forced to conduct all their classes online. In light of this, the study's objective was to look at the performance indicators of senior high school students taking online chemistry lessons in both public and private institutions in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. With 100 participants, a quantitative investigation using an online survey questionnaire was conducted. The results showed a statistically significant positive impact on collaborative skills (CS), creativity and innovation (CI) during online and distance chemistry learning. By gender, there were statistically significant differences in students' overall achievement (OA), participation level (PL), and collaborative skills (CS). The strongest correlations among the six performance indicators for students were seen in the areas of collaborative skills (CS) and technology application (TA). These results showed that, in the students' perspective, the COVID-19 pandemic gave chances for students' performance in online chemistry classes to strengthen their creativity and critical thinking skills.
Gender Role Beliefs and Ontologization of Mothers: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

This study combines insights from gender studies and studies on dehumanization to show how gender role beliefs influence attitudes and the attribution of ontologization traits to mothers. A convenience sample of 194 Italian participants read one of three vignettes describing a mother (a heterosexual biological mother, a heterosexual stepmother, or a lesbian stepmother) and her five-year-old son during a moment of disagreement. Participants assessed the depicted mother’s competence and attributed ontologization traits (human and animal traits) to the same mother. Focal differences were found in the perception of competence that was attributed more to the heterosexual biological mother than to the other targets. A full ontologization process was not observed. However, differences were found in the attribution of animal traits, which were attributed more to the depicted heterosexual stepmother than to the other ones. Moderated mediation analyses also showed that participants endorsing moderate and high levels of traditional gender role beliefs rated the heterosexual stepmother as being less competent compared with the heterosexual biological mother by animalizing her. Gendered expectations concerning mothers’ role and parenting can create multiple barriers for women who are—or intend to be—mothers. Attitudinal change should be fostered so that all mothers’ identities and experiences are fully accepted.
Planar formation control of swarm robots using dynamical elliptic Fourier descriptors

Research on swarm robotics has become increasingly important in the last three decades. One of the major research directions in swarm robotics is the control of the formation of swarm robots to perform various tasks in 2D or 3D environments. In this paper, we propose a new planar (2D) formation control framework based on a dynamic version of elliptic Fourier descriptors (EFDs) and develop formation controllers that enable robots to form the desired shapes. The main advantage of this method over more traditional approaches in the literature is its flexibility in the representation of the desired shape. The formation can be virtually any arbitrary planar closed curve. Representation by EFDs becomes much more powerful as the number of harmonics in the representation increases. Performance of the proposed formation controller is tested in three simulations where desired swarm formations modelled by EFDs with two, three and six harmonics are considered. Results are quite promising.
Social Support and Strain from Different Relationship Sources: Their Additive and Buffering Effects on Psychological Well-Being in Adulthood

The present study examined the main and interactive effects of relationship-specific (i.e., spouses, friends, parents, and children) social support and strain on positive (happiness and well-being) and negative (loneliness and depressive symptoms) psychological well-being, and whether the associations varied by age and gender. A dataset was collected from 1033 adults (20–69 years; 50.1% female) from South Korea regarding social support and strain and indicators of psychological well-being. Results revealed that spousal and friend support was associated with enhanced happiness and well-being and reduced loneliness, whereas spousal and friend strain was associated with heightened depressive symptoms. Relationship-specific social support and strain showed interactive effects. Social support from parents and spouses buffered the adverse effects of social strain on psychological well-being, but their protective effects diminished when they experienced high levels of parental or spousal strain. These patterns were dependent on age and gender, with protective effects of friend support being greater for younger adults and women than for older adults and men.
CONVERGENCE OF ADAPTIVE EDGE ELEMENT METHODS FOR THE 3D EDDY CURRENTS EQUATIONS

We consider an Adaptive Edge Finite Element Method (AEFEM) for the 3D eddy currents equations with variable coe‐cients using a residual-type a posteriori error estimator. Both the components of the estimator and certain oscillation terms, due to the occurrence of the variable coe‐cients, have to be controlled properly within the adaptive loop which is taken care of by appropriate bulk criteria. Convergence of the AEFEM in terms of reductions of the energy norm of the discretization error and of the oscillations is shown. Numerical results are given to illustrate the performance of the AEFEM.