Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hysteresis resulting from Lennard-Jones interactions

The fundamental mechanism of hysteresis in the quasistatic limit of multi-stable systems is associated with transitions of the system from one local minimum of the potential energy to another. In this scenario, as system parameters are (quasistatically) varied, the transition is prompted when a saddle-node bifurcation eliminates the minimum where the system resides in. The objective of the present work is to specify this generic mechanism for systems of interacting particles assuming a natural single-well (Lennard-Jones) interaction potential for each pair of particles. We show multi-stability and present details of hysteresis scenarios with the associated bifurcations and transitions in a case study of constrained four-degrees-of-freedom four particle systems on the plane.
An annual cycle of Arctic surface cloud forcing at SHEBA : The surface heat budget of arctic ocen (SHEBA)

[1] We present an analysis of surface fluxes and cloud forcing from data obtained during the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) experiment, conducted in the Beaufort and Chuchki Seas and the Arctic Ocean from November 1997 to October 1998. The measurements used as part of this study include fluxes from optical radiometer sets, turbulent fluxes from an instrumented tower, cloud fraction from a depolarization lidar and ceilometer, and atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles from radiosondes. Clear-sky radiative fluxes were modeled in order to estimate the cloud radiative forcing since direct observation of fluxes in cloud-free conditions created large statistical sampling errors. This was particularly true during summer when cloud fractions were typically very high. A yearlong data set of measurements, obtained on a multiyear ice floe at the SHEBA camp, was processed in 20-day blocks to produce the annual evolution of the surface cloud forcing components: upward, downward, and net longwave and shortwave radiative fluxes and turbulent (sensible and latent heat) fluxes. We found that clouds act to warm the Arctic surface for most of the annual cycle with a brief period of cooling in the middle of summer. Our best estimates for the annual average surface cloud forcings are -10 W m -2 for shortwave, 38 W m -2 for longwave, and -6 W m -2 for turbulent fluxes. Total cloud forcing (the sum of all components) is about 30 W m -2 for the fall, winter, and spring, dipping to a minimum of -4 W m -2 in early July. We compare the results of this study with satellite, model, and drifting station data.
Robust variance estimation in small meta‐analysis with the standardized mean difference

Conventional random‐effects models in meta‐analysis rely on large sample approximations instead of exact small sample results. While random‐effects methods produce efficient estimates and confidence intervals for the summary effect have correct coverage when the number of studies is sufficiently large, we demonstrate that conventional methods result in confidence intervals that are not wide enough when the number of studies is small, depending on the configuration of sample sizes across studies, the degree of true heterogeneity and number of studies. We introduce two alternative variance estimators with better small sample properties, investigate degrees of freedom adjustments for computing confidence intervals, and study their effectiveness via simulation studies.
Unified Pretraining Target Based Video-music Retrieval With Music Rhythm And Video Optical Flow Information

Background music (BGM) can enhance the video's emotion. However, selecting an appropriate BGM often requires domain knowledge. This has led to the development of video-music retrieval techniques. Most existing approaches utilize pretrained video/music feature extractors trained with different target sets to obtain average video/music-level embeddings. The drawbacks are two-fold. One is that different target sets for video/music pretraining may cause the generated embeddings difficult to match. The second is that the underlying temporal correlation between video and music is ignored. In this paper, our proposed approach leverages a unified target set to perform video/music pretraining and produces clip-level embeddings to preserve temporal information. The downstream cross-modal matching is based on the clip-level features with embedded music rhythm and optical flow information. Experiments demonstrate that our proposed method can achieve superior performance over the state-of-the-art methods by a significant margin.
DynaPix SLAM: A Pixel-Based Dynamic SLAM Approach

In static environments, visual simultaneous localization and mapping (V-SLAM) methods achieve remarkable performance. However, moving objects severely affect core modules of such systems like state estimation and loop closure detection. To address this, dynamic SLAM approaches often use semantic information, geometric constraints, or optical flow to mask features associated with dynamic entities. These are limited by various factors such as a dependency on the quality of the underlying method, poor generalization to unknown or unexpected moving objects, and often produce noisy results, e.g. by masking static but movable objects or making use of predefined thresholds. In this paper, to address these trade-offs, we introduce a novel visual SLAM system, DynaPix, based on per-pixel motion probability values. Our approach consists of a new semantic-free probabilistic pixel-wise motion estimation module and an improved pose optimization process. Our per-pixel motion probability estimation combines a novel static background differencing method on both images and optical flows from splatted frames. DynaPix fully integrates those motion probabilities into both map point selection and weighted bundle adjustment within the tracking and optimization modules of ORB-SLAM2. We evaluate DynaPix against ORB-SLAM2 and DynaSLAM on both GRADE and TUM-RGBD datasets, obtaining lower errors and longer trajectory tracking times. We will release both source code and data upon acceptance of this work.
Aetiology, ejection fraction and mortality in chronic heart failure: a mediation analysis

Objective Clinical decision making in chronic heart failure (CHF) is based primarily on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and only secondarily on aetiology of the underlying disease. Our aim was to investigate the mediating role of LVEF in the relationship between aetiology and mortality. Methods Using data of 2056 Austrian patients with CHF (mean age 57.2 years; mean follow-up 8.8 years), effects of aetiology on LVEF and overall mortality were estimated using multivariable-adjusted linear and Cox regression models. In causal mediation analyses, we decomposed the total effect of aetiology on mortality into direct and indirect (mediated through LVEF) effects. Results For the analysed aetiologies (dilated (DCM, n=1009) and hypertrophic (HCM, n=89) cardiomyopathy; ischaemic (IHD, n=529) and hypertensive (HHD, n=320) heart disease; cardiac amyloidosis (CA, n=109)), the effect of LVEF on mortality was similar (HR5%-points lower LVEF=1.07, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.10; pinteraction=0.718). HCM and CA were associated with significantly higher, and IHD and DCM with significantly lower LVEF compared with other aetiologies. Compared with respective other aetiologies, the corresponding total effect HRs for mortality were 0.77 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.89), 0.47 (95% CI 0.25 to 0.88), 1.40 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.62), 0.79 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.95) and 2.36 (95% CI 1.81 to 3.08) for DCM, HCM, IHD, HHD and CA, respectively. CA had the highest mortality despite a HRindirect effect of 0.74 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.83). For all other aetiologies, <20% of the total mortality effects were mediated through LVEF. Conclusions The direct effect of aetiology on mortality dominates the indirect effect through LVEF. Therefore, clarification of aetiology is as important as measurement of LVEF.
Salt Sensitivity: Causes, Consequences, and Recent Advances

Salt (sodium chloride) is an essential nutrient required to maintain physiological functions. However, for most people, daily salt intake far exceeds their physiological need and is habitually greater than recommended upper thresholds. Excess salt intake leads to elevation in blood pressure which drives cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Indeed, excessive salt intake is estimated to be responsible for ≈5 million deaths per year globally. For approximately one-third of otherwise healthy individuals (and >50% of those with hypertension), the effect of salt intake on blood pressure elevation is exaggerated; such people are categorized as salt sensitive and salt sensitivity of blood pressure is considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and death. The prevalence of salt sensitivity is higher in women than in men and, in both, increases with age. This narrative review considers the foundational concepts of salt sensitivity and the underlying effector systems that cause salt sensitivity. We also consider recent updates in preclinical and clinical research that are revealing new modifying factors that determine the blood pressure response to high salt intake.
Host stage and temperature for the rearing of Aridelus rufotestaceus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with notes on acceptance and suitability of 2 stink bug species

Abstract Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a harmful pest of many agricultural crops in different parts of the world. This stink bug is the preferred host species of Aridelus rufotestaceus Tobias (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an endoparasitoid of nymphs and adults of pentatomids. With the aim to improve the rearing procedure of this beneficial insect, the acceptance and suitability of all mobile stages of N. viridula (from first instar nymph to adult) were evaluated. At 25 °C, all host stages were accepted and suitable for A. rufotestaceus development, but the highest parasitoid cocoon and adult yields were obtained from second instar nymphs. The possibility to reduce the development time of A. rufotestasceus by increasing the rearing temperature was also evaluated, but 28 °C proved to be detrimental for parasitoid development, as shown by the very low cocoon and adult numbers obtained. The acceptance and suitability of the invasive pentatomid species Halyomorpha halys (Stål) for A. rufotestaceus was also tested. Female wasps were observed piercing H. halys nymphs with the ovipositor, but no cocoons were obtained, nor were larvae or head capsules detected in the exposed stink bugs.
The Critical Care Society of Southern Africa Consensus Statement on ICU Triage and Rationing (ConICTri)

Background In South Africa (SA), intensive care is faced with the challenge of resource scarcity as well as an increasing demand for intensive care unit (ICU) services. ICU services are expensive, and practitioners in low- to middle-income countries experience daily the consequences of limited resources. Critically limited resources necessitate that rationing and triage (prioritisation) decisions are frequently necessary in SA, particularly in the publicly funded health sector. Purpose The purpose of this consensus statement is to examine key questions that arise when considering the status of ICU resources in SA, and more specifically ICU admission, rationing and triage decisions. The accompanying guideline in this issue is intended to guide frontline triage policy and ensure the best utilisation of intensive care in SA, while maintaining a fair distribution of available resources. Fair and efficient triage is important to ensure the ongoing provision of high-quality care to adult patients referred for intensive care. Recommendations In response to 14 key questions developed using a modified Delphi technique, 29 recommendations were formulated and graded using an adapted GRADE score. The 14 key questions addressed the status of the provision of ICU services in SA, the degree of resource restriction, the efficiency of resource management, the need for triage, and how triage could be most justly implemented. Important recommendations included the need to formally recognise and accurately quantify the provision of ICU services in SA by national audit; actively seek additional resources from governmental bodies; consider methods to maximise the efficiency of ICU care; evaluate lower level of care alternatives; develop a triage guideline to assist policy-makers and frontline practitioners to implement triage decisions in an efficient and fair way; measure and audit the consequence of triage; and promote research to improve the accuracy and consistency of triage decisions. The consensus document and guideline should be reviewed and revised appropriately within 5 years. Conclusion In recognition of the absolute need to limit patient access to ICU because of the lack of sufficient intensive care resources in public hospitals, recommendations and a guideline have been developed to guide policy-making and assist frontline triage decision-making in SA. These documents are not a complete plan for quality practice but rather the beginning of a long-term initiative to engage clinicians, the public and administrators in appropriate triage decision-making, and promote systems that will ultimately maximise the efficient and fair use of available ICU resources.
Comparing Performance and Portability Between CUDA and SYCL for Protein Database Search on NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel GPUs

The heterogeneous computing paradigm has led to the need for portable and efficient programming solutions that can leverage the capabilities of various hardware devices, such as NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD GPUs. This study evaluates the portability and performance of the SYCL and CUDA languages for one fundamental bioinformatics application (Smith-Waterman protein database search) across different GPU architectures, considering single and multi-GPU configurations from different vendors. The experimental work showed that, while both CUDA and SYCL versions achieve similar performance on NVIDIA devices, the latter demonstrated remarkable code portability to other GPU architectures, such as AMD and Intel. Furthermore, the architectural efficiency rates achieved on these devices were superior in 3 of the 4 cases tested. This brief study highlights the potential of SYCL as a viable solution for achieving both performance and portability in the heterogeneous computing ecosystem.
Left-right asymmetry is formed in the basal bodies of the mouse node cilia in a cilia motility-dependent manner

Laterality of the shapes and arrangements of the visceral organs in mice is determined in the node, a small cavity found at the ventral side of 7.5 dpc (days post coitum) embryos. On the node cells, motile cilia which are tilted toward the posterior side of the embryos show clockwise movement and thus produce fluid flow in the node toward the left side of the embryos. This left-ward flow regulates left/right (L/R) asymmetric gene expressions and L/R asymmetric morphogenesis in later stages. Structurally, node cilia have the characteristics of primary cilia and their basal body (mother centriole) is accompanied by a daughter centriole. Here, to obtain insights into the process of symmetry breaking by node cilia, we investigated whether the structure of the cilia themselves have L/R asymmetry, and found that positions of the daughter centrioles become biased to the right side of the mother centrioles in a stage-dependent manner. We found that this L/R asymmetry of the basal bodies is absent in iv mutant mice, in which node cilia are immotile, suggesting that formation of this L/R asymmetry in the basal bodies requires cilia motility. It has been reported that culturing embryos in a flow chamber with artificial counter-flow, which is toward the opposite direction to the endogenous leftward flow in the node, results in reversed laterality of the visceral organs in later stages. However, we found that applying such artificial counter-flow did not reverse the L/R asymmetry of the basal bodies, and the daughter centrioles were still biased to the right side of the mother centrioles, suggesting that the L/R asymmetry of the basal bodies is formed independently from the direction of the fluid flow in the node and that it is independent from the laterality of the visceral organs. Although the biological significance of this phenomenon is unknown so far, these results suggest that node cilia have a previously unknown mechanism to produce L/R asymmetry in the basal bodies inside the cells in early development, independently from the canonical fluid flow-dependent L/R determining pathway.
. Introduction to the Handbook on the Governance of Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance. (Ban Ki Moon, 2013) The full realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and other internationally agreed development objectives strongly depends on a common understanding of the basic principles of effective governance for sustainable development. (Bouckaert et al., 2018)
Akutbehandlung der Schizophrenie

Schizophrenie zählt zu den häufigsten, schwersten und kostenträchtigsten psychischen Erkrankungen bei Erwachsenen. In der Akutphase erleben die Betroffenen durch die veränderte Wahrnehmung meistens massive Ängste und einen hohen Leidensdruck. Bei starker Symptomausprägung können psychiatrische Notfälle entstehen. Eine frühestmögliche, von den Betroffenen angemessen empfundene, antipsychotische Behandlung ist für die Akutbehandlung essenziell.
The autonomic effects of transcutaneous auricular nerve stimulation at different sites on the external auricle of the ear

Transcutaneous auricular nerve stimulation (tANS) applied to specific parts of the external ear has positive health effects in both healthy volunteers and patient groups. However, due to differences between studies in ear stimulation sites and extent of effect on autonomic variables, it is challenging to determine what part of the external ear is the optimum site for electrode placement. This study investigated the autonomic effects of bilateral tANS at four different sites on the external auricle of the ear: tragus, cymba concha, helix and earlobe. tANS was performed using modified surface electrodes connected to a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machine. Participants (n = 24) each underwent four sessions where a 15 minute period of stimulation (pulse width: 200 μs; pulse frequency: 30 Hz; current: adjusted to sensory threshold) was applied bilaterally to either the tragus, cymba concha, helix or earlobe. Heart rate and blood pressure were continuously recorded during 10-minute baseline, 15-minute stimulation and 10-minute recovery periods. Heart rate variability (HRV) was derived. Results showed that regardless of site, stimulation significantly influenced measures of HRV. Baseline LF/HF ratio predicted change in LF/HF ratio during stimulation for each site and for all sites combined. Response (i.e. change in LF/HF ratio between baseline and stimulation) was closely linked with measures reflecting starting autonomic function. This demonstrates the importance of evaluating how autonomic function is modulated by tANS in individual participants (as well as the whole group). These findings have key implications for adopting a tailored approach when considering the therapeutic/clinical applications of tANS.
Relation of fracture systems to transmissivity of coal and overburden aquifers in Preston County, West Virginia. Water Resources Investigation

Aquifer tests were conducted on a leaky confined coal aquifer and the associated sandstone and shale overburden water-table aquifer in Preston County, West Virginia. The Preston County aquifer-test site is located on a relatively flat hilltop. The site is not undermined, there are no surface indications of faults or lineaments, and the water table is less than 10 feet below land surface. The site is underlain by a 4.5-foot-thick coal bed the Upper Freeport coal of the Pennsylvanian Allegheny Formation. The coal bed lies beneath about 57 feet of alternating beds of shale, sandstone, and coal of the Conemaugh Group of Pennsylvanian age. Five test wells were constructed at the site. Drilling at three of the test wells was interrupted at 10-foot intervals to run constant-head permeability tests in the overburden. The more permeable rock was within 33 feet of land surface. The horizontal hydraulic conductivities of the overburden aquifer ranged from 0.05 to 0.90 feet per day. Aquifer tests indicate that the 4.5-foot-thick coal aquifer is almost as transmissive as the 50-foot-thick overburden aquifer. The average direction of maximum transmissivity in the coal aquifer is about N. 75° W. , which nearly parallels the direction of dominant face cleat orientation N. 65° W. The median maximum transmissivity in the coal aquifer was 91 fl2/d (feet squared per day) or about three times greater than the minimum transmissivity. The direction of maximum transmissivity in the overburden aquifer also trends to the northwest and nearly parallels that for the coal aquifer. The median maximum transmissivity in the overburden aquifer was 97 fl2/d and about seven times greater than the minimum transmissivity. The average storage coefficients for the coal and overburden aquifers were 9.4 X 10"3 and 1.1 X 10"2, respectively. The equipotential lines for both aquifers, when affected by the injection or withdrawal of water, was elliptical with the long axes trending to the northwest-southeast, indicating increased permeability in this direction.
Physiologically based absorption modeling to predict the bioequivalence of two cilostazol formulations

In vivo pharmacokinetic simulations and virtual bioequivalence (BE) evaluation of cilostazol have not yet been described for humans. Here, we successfully developed a physiologically based absorption model to simulate plasma concentrations of cilostazol. In addition, virtual population simulations integrating dissolution of 0.3% sodium dodecyl sulfate water media were executed to evaluate the BE of test and reference formulations. Simulation results show that test and reference formulations were bioequivalent among 28 subjects, but not nine subjects, consistent with clinical studies. The model proved to be an important tool to show potential BE for cilostazol. This finding may facilitate understanding of the potential risks during the development of generic products.