Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Thermal Imaging Performance under Extreme Foggy Conditions: Applications to Autonomous Driving

Object detection is recognized as one of the most critical research areas for the perception of self-driving cars. Current vision systems combine visible imaging, LIDAR, and/or RADAR technology, allowing perception of the vehicle’s surroundings. However, harsh weather conditions mitigate the performances of these systems. Under these circumstances, thermal imaging becomes the complementary solution to current systems not only because it makes it possible to detect and recognize the environment in the most extreme conditions, but also because thermal images are compatible with detection and recognition algorithms, such as those based on artificial neural networks. In this paper, an analysis of the resilience of thermal sensors in very unfavorable fog conditions is presented. The goal was to study the operational limits, i.e., the very degraded fog situation beyond which a thermal camera becomes unreliable. For the analysis, the mean pixel intensity and the contrast were used as indicators. Results showed that the angle of view (AOV) of a thermal camera is a determining parameter for object detection in foggy conditions. Additionally, results show that cameras with AOVs 18° and 30° are suitable for object detection, even under thick fog conditions (from 13 m meteorological optical range). These results were extended using object detection software, with which it is shown that, for the pedestrian, a detection rate ≥90% was achieved using the images from the 18° and 30° cameras.
Nidogen-2 is a Novel Endogenous Ligand of LGR4 to Inhibit Vascular Calcification

Background: Vascular calcification is closely related to the all-cause mortality of cardiovascular events. Basement membrane protein nidogen-2 is a key component of the vascular extracellular matrix microenvironment and we recently found it is pivotal for the maintenance of contractile phenotype in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, whether nidogen-2 is involved in VSMCs osteochondrogenic transition and vascular calcification remains unclear. Methods: VSMCs was treated with high-phosphate to study VSMC calcification in vitro. Three different mice models (5/6 nephrectomy-induced chronic renal failure, cholecalciferol-overload, and periadventitially administered with CaCl2) were used to study vascular calcification in vivo. Membrane protein interactome, coimmunoprecipitation, flow cytometric binding assay, surface plasmon resonance, G protein signaling, VSMCs calcium assays were performed to clarify the phenotype and elucidate the molecular mechanisms. Results: Nidogen-2 protein levels were significantly reduced in calcified VSMCs and aortas from mice in different vascular calcification model. Nidogen-2 deficiency exacerbated high-phosphate-induced VSMC calcification, whereas the addition of purified nidogen-2 protein markedly alleviated VSMC calcification in vitro. Nidogen-2-/- mice exhibited aggravated aorta calcification compared to wild-type (WT) mice in response to 5/6 nephrectomy, cholecalciferol-overload, and CaCl2 administration. Further unbiased coimmunoprecipitation and interactome analysis of purified nidogen-2 and membrane protein in VSMCs revealed that nidogen-2 directly binds to LGR4 (leucine-rich repeat G-protein-coupled receptor 4) with KD value 26.77 nM. LGR4 deficiency in VSMCs in vitro or in vivo abolished the protective effect of nidogen-2 on vascular calcification. Of interest, nidogen-2 biased activated LGR4-Gαq-PKCα (protein kinase Cα)-AMPKα1 (AMP-activated protein kinase α1) signaling to counteract VSMCs osteogenic transition and mineralization. Conclusions: Nidogen-2 is a novel endogenous ligand of LGR4 that biased activated Gαq- PKCα-AMPKα1 signaling and inhibited vascular calcification.
Effect of kinematic constraints on multitension string network evolution

We consider the evolution of a network of strings in an expanding Universe, allowing for the formation of junctions between strings of different tensions. By explicitly including, in the velocity-dependent evolution equations for the network, kinematic constraints associated with the formation of Y-shaped string junctions, we show how they lead to scaling solutions in regimes where they would not otherwise be found, thereby extending the range of parameters which lead to scaling. By incorporating these constraints we are able to study their general behavior for networks with cosmic superstring interaction rules, and predict the scaling densities expected by these networks.
Vortex tubes of turbulent solar convection

The investigation of the turbulent properties of solar convection is important for understanding the multi-scale dynamics observed on the solar surface. In particular, recent high-resolution observations have revealed ubiquitous vortical structures, and numerical simulations have demonstrated links between vortex tube dynamics and the magnetic field organization. Simulations have shown the importance of vortex tube interactions in mechanisms of acoustic wave excitation on the Sun. In this paper, we investigate the mechanisms of formation of vortex tubes in highly turbulent convective flows near the solar surface by using realistic radiative hydrodynamic large-eddy simulations. Analysis of data from the simulations indicates two basic processes of vortex tube formation: (i) the development of small-scale convective instability inside convective granules and (ii) a Kelvin–Helmholtz-type instability of shearing flows in intergranular lanes. Our analysis shows that vortex stretching during these processes is a primary source of the generation of small-scale vorticity on the Sun.
Ocular-following responses in school-age children

Ocular following eye movements have provided insights into how the visual system of humans and monkeys processes motion. Recently, it has been shown that they also reliably reveal stereoanomalies, and, thus, might have clinical applications. Their translation from research to clinical setting has however been hindered by their small size, which makes them difficult to record, and by a lack of data about their properties in sizable populations. Notably, they have so far only been recorded in adults. We recorded ocular following responses (OFRs)–defined as the change in eye position in the 80–160 ms time window following the motion onset of a large textured stimulus–in 14 school-age children (6 to 13 years old, 9 males and 5 females), under recording conditions that closely mimic a clinical setting. The OFRs were acquired non-invasively by a custom developed high-resolution video-oculography system, described in this study. With the developed system we were able to non-invasively detect OFRs in all children in short recording sessions. Across subjects, we observed a large variability in the magnitude of the movements (by a factor of 4); OFR magnitude was however not correlated with age. A power analysis indicates that even considerably smaller movements could be detected. We conclude that the ocular following system is well developed by age six, and OFRs can be recorded non-invasively in young children in a clinical setting.
GMOS–IFU spectroscopy of the compact H ii galaxies Tol 0104−388 and Tol 2146−391: the dependence on the properties of the interstellar medium

Using GMOS–IFU spectroscopic observations of the compact Hii/BCD galaxies Tol 0104-388 and Tol 2146-391, we study the spatial distribution of emission lines, equivalent width EW(Hβ), extinction c(Hβ), ionization ratios ([OIII] λ5007/Hβ, [SII] λλ6717,6731/Hα and [NII] λ6584/Hα), kinematics, and the chemical pattern (O/H, N/H and N/O) of the warm interstellar medium in these galaxies. We also investigate a possible dependence of these properties on the I(He ii λ4686)/I(Hβ) ratio and find no significant correlation between these variables. In fact, the oxygen abundances appear to be uniform in the regions where the He ii λ4686 emission line was measured. It can be interpreted in the sense that these correlations are related to global properties of the galaxies and not with small patches of the interstellar medium. Although a possible weak N/H gradient is observed in Tol 2146-391, the available data suggest that the metals from previous star-formation events are well mixed and homogeneously distributed through the optical extent of these galaxies. The spatial constancy of the N/O ratio might be attributed to efficient transport and mixing of metals by starburstdriven super-shells, powered by a plethora of unresolved star cluster in the inner part of the galaxies. This scenario agrees with the idea that most of the observed He ii λ4686 emission line, in our sample of galaxies, is produced by radiative shocks.
A Bayesian analysis of the 69 highest energy cosmic rays detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory

The origins of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) remain an open question. Several attempts have been made to cross-correlate the arrival directions of the UHECRs with catalogs of potential sources, but no definite conclusion has been reached. We report a Bayesian analysis of the 69 events from the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO), that aims to determine the fraction of the UHECRs that originate from known AGNs in the Veron-Cety & Veron (VCV) catalog, as well as AGNs detected with the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (Swift-BAT), galaxies from the 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS), and an additional volume-limited sample of 17 nearby AGNs. The study makes use of a multi-level Bayesian model of UHECR injection, propagation and detection. We find that for reasonable ranges of prior parameters, the Bayes factors disfavour a purely isotropic model. For fiducial values of the model parameters, we report 68% credible intervals for the fraction of source originating UHECRs of 0.09+0.05-0.04, 0.25+0.09-0.08, 0.24+0.12-0.10, and 0.08+0.04-0.03 for the VCV, Swift-BAT and 2MRS catalogs, and the sample of 17 AGNs, respectively.
Thickness dependent interlayer transport in vertical MoS2 Josephson junctions

We report on observations of thickness dependent Josephson coupling and multiple Andreev reflections (MAR) in vertically stacked molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)—molybdenum rhenium (MoRe) Josephson junctions. MoRe, a chemically inert superconductor, allows for oxide free fabrication of high transparency vertical MoS2 devices. Single and bilayer MoS2 junctions display relatively large critical currents (up to 2.5 μA) and the appearance of sub-gap structure given by MAR. In three and four layer thick devices we observe orders of magnitude lower critical currents (sub-nA) and reduced quasiparticle gaps due to proximitized MoS2 layers in contact with MoRe. We anticipate that this device architecture could be easily extended to other 2D materials.
Spherical galaxy models as equilibrium configurations in non-extensive statistics

The consideration of galaxies as self-gravitating systems of many collisionless particles allows us to use methods of statistical mechanics for inferring the distribution function of these stellar systems. Actually, the long-range nature of the gravitational force contrasts with the underlying assumptions of Boltzmann statistics, where the interactions among particles are assumed to be short-ranged. A particular generalization of the classical Boltzmann formalism is available within the non-extensive context of Tsallis q-statistics, subject to the non-additivity of the entropies of subsystems. Assuming stationarity and isotropy in the velocity space, when solving the generalized collisionless Boltzmann equation it is possible to derive the galaxy distribution function and density profile. We present a particular set of non-extensive models and we investigate their dynamical and observable properties. As a test of the viability of this generalized context, we fit the rotation curve of M33, showing that the proposed approach leads to dark matter haloes in excellent agreement with the observed data.
Intervalley scattering of graphene massless Dirac fermions at 3-periodic grain boundaries

We study how low-energy charge carriers scatter off periodic and linear graphene grain boundaries oriented along the zigzag direction with a periodicity three times greater than that of pristine graphene. These defects map the two Dirac points into the same position, and thus allow for intervalley scattering to occur. Starting from graphene's first-neighbor tight-binding model we show how we can compute the boundary condition seen by graphene's massless Dirac fermions at such grain boundaries. We illustrate this procedure for the 3-periodic pentagon-only grain boundary, and then work out the low-energy electronic scattering off this linear defect. We also compute the effective generalized potential seen by the Dirac fermions at the grain boundary region.
A simple electronic device to experiment with the Hopf bifurcation

We present a simple low-cost electronic circuit that is able to show two different dynamical regimens with oscillations of voltages and with constant values of them. This device is designed as a negative feedback three-node network inspired in the genetic repressilator. The circuit's behavior is modeled by a system of differential equations which is studied in several different ways by applying the dynamical system formalism, making numerical simulations and constructing and measuring it experimentally. We find that the most important characteristics of the Hopf bifurcation can be found and controlled. Particularly, a resistor value plays the role of the bifurcation parameter, which can be easily varied experimentally. As a result, this system can be employed to introduce many aspects of a research in a real physical system and it enables us to study one of the most important kinds of bifurcation.
Incidence and predictors of mortality among adolescents on antiretroviral therapy in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort analysis

Objective This study aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of mortality in adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region. Design We conducted an institution-based retrospective follow-up study. Settings The study was conducted at Amhara Region’s comprehensive specialised hospitals in Ethiopia. Participants We included 961 randomly selected medical records of adolescents receiving ART between January 2005 and June 2020. Primary and secondary outcomes The incidence of mortality since ART treatment initiation served as the primary outcome, and predictors of mortality served as secondary outcomes. We used Cox proportional hazard regression to examine the relationship between mortality and its predictors. Variables with p values<0.05 in the multivariable analysis were considered statistically significant mortality predictors. Adjusted HR (aHR) with 95% CI was used to measure the strength of association. Results More than half (n=496, 53.5%) of the adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) were girls. The adolescent mortality rate was 1.52 (95% CI: 1.04 to 1.53) per 100 person-years throughout the follow-up period of 81 583 adolescent months. Mortality was higher for ALHIV who had not received formal education (aHR: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.36 to 7.87), had widowed parents (aHR: 1.85, CI: 95% 1.01 to 3.56) or received no social support (aHR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.69 to 4.67). Adolescents who had opportunistic infections (OIs) at ART initiation (aHR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.19 to 3.14), low haemoglobin (Hgb/g/l) levels (aHR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.08 to 4.18), a bedridden functional status (aHR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.64 to 5.72), stage IV clinical staging (aHR: 3.03, 95% CI: 1.46 to 6.30), non-disclosing status (aHR: 2.24, 95% CI:1.36 to 3.69) and CD4 count 200–350 cells/mm3 (aHR: 2.17, 95% CI: 1.08 to 4.18) also had a higher risk of death. Not receiving cotrimoxazole preventive therapy (aHR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.07 to 3.22) and poor adherence to ART (aHR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.27 to 3.95), compared with adherent, was associated with higher mortality risk. Changed treatment regimens were associated with lower mortality (aHR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.98). Conclusions Our study found a lower mortality rate for adolescents with HIV than previous Ethiopian studies, but our significant mortality predictors were similar to those found in earlier studies of adults and adolescents. Our findings reveal a potential point for health service improvement in Ethiopia: incorporating monitoring of Hgb levels into patient follow-up care, supporting recommendations that clinicians emphasise managing OIs and providing counselling services to improve adherence.
On the origin of the soft photons of the high synchrotron peaked blazar : PKS 1424+240

PKS 1424+240 is a distant very high energy gamma-ray BL Lac object with redshift $z=0.601$. It was found that pure synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) process normally need extreme input parameters (e.g., very low magnetic field intensity and extraordinarily large Doppler factor) to explain its multi-wavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs). To avoid the extreme model parameters, different models have been proposed (e.g., two-zone SSC model or lepto-hadronic model). In this work, we employ the traditional one-zone leptonic model after including a weak external Compton component to re-explore the simultaneous multi-wavelength SEDs of PKS 1424+240 in both high (2009) and low (2013) states. We find that the input parameters of magnetic field and Doppler factor are roughly consistent with those of other BL Lacs if a weak external photon field from either broad line region (BLR) or the dust torus. However, the required energy density of seed photons from BLR or torus is about 3 orders of magnitude less than that constrained in luminous quasars (e.g., flat-spectrum radio quasars, FSRQs). This result suggests that the BLR/torus in BL Lacs is much weaker than that of luminous FSRQs (but not fully disappear), and the inverse-Compton of external photons from BLR/torus may still play a role even in high synchrotron peaked blazars.
Cardiac sodium channel complexes and arrhythmia: structural and functional roles of the β1 and β3 subunits

In cardiac myocytes, the voltage‐gated sodium channel NaV1.5 opens in response to membrane depolarisation and initiates the action potential. The NaV1.5 channel is typically associated with regulatory β‐subunits that modify gating and trafficking behaviour. These β‐subunits contain a single extracellular immunoglobulin (Ig) domain, a single transmembrane α‐helix and an intracellular region. Here we focus on the role of the β1 and β3 subunits in regulating NaV1.5. We catalogue β1 and β3 domain specific mutations that have been associated with inherited cardiac arrhythmia, including Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome, atrial fibrillation and sudden death. We discuss how new structural insights into these proteins raises new questions about physiological function.
Modelling CO emission – II. The physical characteristics that determine the X factor in Galactic molecular clouds

We investigate how the X factor, the ratio of the molecular hydrogen column density () to velocity-integrated CO intensity (W), is determined by the physical properties of gas in model molecular clouds (MCs). The synthetic MCs are results of magnetohydrodynamic simulations, including a treatment of chemistry. We perform radiative transfer calculations to determine the emergent CO intensity, using the large velocity gradient approximation for estimating the CO population levels. In order to understand why observations generally find cloud-averaged values of X = XGal∼ 2 × 1020 cm−2 K−1 km−1 s, we focus on a model representing a typical Milky Way MC. Using globally integrated and W reproduces the limited range in X found in observations and a mean value X = XGal= 2.2 × 1020 cm−2 K−1 km−1 s. However, we show that when considering limited velocity intervals, X can take on a much larger range of values due to CO line saturation. Thus, the X factor strongly depends on both the range in gas velocities and the volume densities. The temperature variations within individual MCs do not strongly affect X, as dense gas contributes most to setting the X factor. For fixed velocity and density structure, gas with higher temperatures T has higher W, yielding X ∝ T−1/2 for T ∼ 20–100 K. We demonstrate that the linewidth–size scaling relationship does not influence the X factor – only the range in velocities is important. Clouds with larger linewidths σ, regardless of the linewidth–size relationship, have a higher W, corresponding to a lower value of X, scaling roughly as X ∝σ−1/2. The ‘mist’ model, often invoked to explain a constant XGal consisting of optically thick cloudlets with well-separated velocities, does not accurately reflect the conditions in a turbulent MC. We propose that the observed cloud-averaged values of X ∼ XGal are simply a result of the limited range in , temperatures and velocities found in Galactic MCs – a nearly constant value of X therefore does not require any linewidth–size relationship, or that MCs are virialized objects. Since gas properties likely differ (albeit even slightly) from cloud to cloud, masses derived through a standard value of the X factor should only be considered as a rough first estimate. For temperatures T ∼ 10–20 K, velocity dispersions σ∼ 1–6 km s−1and cm−2, we find cloud-averaged values X ∼ 2–4 × 1020 cm−2 K−1 km−1 s for solar-metallicity models.
Exploring motivations to be active among amputees: a phenomenological approach to leisure time physical activity

ABSTRACT Purpose People with disabilities are less active and experience increased burden of disease compared to those without disabilities. Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) participation is strongly related to improved health in all populations. Despite this, research with amputees focuses heavily on prosthetic design and function, leaving amputees an under-represented population in LTPA and motivation research. This study explored the lived experiences of motivation to engage in LTPA among amputees. Method Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach, influenced by understandings of embodiment and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), was used. Six people with lower extremity, acquired amputations created a photo-diary of their motivations to be active and participated in two in-depth interviews each. Results Study findings suggest motivations to be active among amputees are primarily influenced by personal relationships. Barriers, facilitators, and processes to be active provided insight into how LTPA participation may be affected by more than motivation. Embodiment was experienced as bodily integration of the prosthesis. Conclusions There is evidence that the relationship between motivation and participation is not direct, but influenced by facilitators, barriers, and processes to be active. The results suggest strategies to increase activity among amputees by emphasizing LTPA with others, improving the built environment, and ensuring prosthesis fit.
Non-local gravity and dark energy

We discuss a nonlocal modification of gravity obtained adding a term $m^2 R\,\Box^{-2}R$ to the Einstein-Hilbert action. We find that the mass parameter $m$ only affects the non-radiative sector of the theory, while the graviton remains massless, there is no propagating ghost-like degree of freedom, no vDVZ discontinuity, and no Vainshtein radius below which the theory becomes strongly coupled. For $m={\cal O}(H_0)$ the theory therefore recovers all successes of GR at solar system and lab scales, and only deviates from it at cosmological scales. We examine the cosmological consequences of the model and we find that it automatically generates a dynamical dark energy and a self-accelerating evolution. After fixing our only free parameter $m$ so to reproduce the observed value of the dark energy density today, we get a pure prediction for the dark energy equation of state, $w_ {\rm DE}\simeq-1.14$. This value is consistent with the existing data, and could also resolve the possible tension between the Planck data and local measurements of the Hubble parameter.