Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coseismic stress distribution along active structures and their influence on timedependent probability values.

Στόχος της παρούσας eργασίας eίναι η eκτίμηση της πιθανότητας γένeσης ισχυρών σeισμών (Μ≥6.5) στα eνeργά ρήγματα της Eλλάδας και της eυρύτeρης πeριοχής της. Πιο συγκeκριμένα δίνeται η κατανομή της πιθανότητας κατά μήκος και ανά 1km σe κάθe eνeργό δομή που συνδέeται μe κάποιο ισχυρό σeισμό (Μ≥6.5). Για να γίνeι eκτίμηση της πιθανότητας λήφθηκe υπόψη η μeταβολή της τάσης που προκύπτeι μeτά από κάθe ισχυρό σeισμό και η οποία έχeι ως αποτέλeσμα να eπιταχύνeι ή να eπιβραδύνeι τη γένeση eνός eπόμeνου σeισμού. Γίνeται δηλαδή eνσωμάτωση των μeταβολών των τάσeων στη χρονικά eξαρτώμeνη πιθανότητα, μe σκοπό να δeιχθeί κατά πόσο μία μeταβολή στην τάση συμβάλλeι στη διαδικασία του να γίνeι ένας σeισμός σ’ ένα ρήγμα. Το μοντέλο της δeσμeυμένης πιθανότητας eίναι αυτό που χρησιμοποιήθηκe για τους υπολογισμούς οι οποίοι γίνονται για τα eπόμeνα 30 χρόνια. Οι υπολογισμοί πραγματοποίηθκαν σe διάφορα βάθη (8, 10, 12 και 15km) για να eλeγχθeί κατά πόσο μeταβάλλονται οι τιμές των πιθανοτήτων, οι οποίeς παρουσιάζονται σe χάρτeς για την άμeση οπτική αντίληψη της χωρικής κατανομής τους.
Simple construction of almost k-wise independent random variables

The authors present three alternative simple constructions of small probability spaces on n bits for which any k bits are almost independent. The number of bits used to specify a point in the sample space is O(log log n+k+log 1/ epsilon ), where epsilon is the statistical difference between the distribution induced on any k-bit locations and the uniform distribution. This is asymptotically comparable to the construction recently presented by J. Naor and M. Naor (1990). An advantage of the present constructions is their simplicity. Two of the constructions are based on bit sequences that are widely believed to possess randomness properties, and the results can be viewed as an explanation and establishment of these beliefs. <<ETX>>
Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of Group B Streptococci Colonization in a Sample Population of Pregnant Women from Romania

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) represents one of the leading causes of life-threatening invasive disease in pregnant women and neonates. Rates of GBS colonization vary by region, but studies on maternal GBS status are limited in Romania. This study aims to identify the prevalence of colonization with GBS and whether the obstetrical characteristics are statistically associated with the study group’s antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of tested GBS strains. This observational study was conducted between 1 May and 31 December 2021 at The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Elias University Emergency Hospital (EUEH) in Bucharest, Romania. A total of 152 samples were positive for GBS and included in the study according to the inclusion criteria. As a result, the prevalence of colonized patients with GBS was 17.3%. GBS isolated in this population had the highest resistance to erythromycin (n = 38; 25%), followed by clindamycin (n = 36; 23.7%). Regarding the susceptibility patterns of tested strains to penicillin, the 152 susceptible strains had MIC breakpoints less than 0.06 μg/μL. The susceptibility patterns of tested strains to linezolid indicated three resistant strains with low levels of resistance (MICs ranging between 2 and 3 μg/μL). Multidrug resistance (at least three antibiotic classes) was not observed. In conclusion, although GBS naturally displays sensitivity to penicillin, the exact bacterial susceptibility testing should be performed in all cases where second-line therapy is taken into consideration for treatment. We acknowledge the need for future actions to limit multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Forward and back diffusion through argillaceous formations

The exchange of solutes between aquifers and lower‐permeability argillaceous formations is of considerable interest for solute and contaminant fate and transport. We present a synthesis of analytical solutions for solute diffusion between aquifers and single aquitard systems, validated in well‐controlled experiments, and applied to several data sets from laboratory and field‐scale problems with diffusion time and length scales ranging from 10−2 to 108 years and 10−2 to 102 m. One‐dimensional diffusion models were applied using the method of images to consider the general cases of a finite aquitard bounded by two aquifers at the top and bottom, or a semiinfinite aquitard bounded by an aquifer. The simpler semiinfinite equations are appropriate for all domains with dimensionless relative diffusion length, ZD < 0.7. At dimensionless length scales above this threshold, application of semiinfinite equations to aquitards of finite thickness leads to increasing errors and solutions based on the method of images are required. Measured resident solute concentration profiles in aquitards and flux‐averaged solute concentrations in surrounding aquifers were accurately modeled by appropriately accounting for generalized dynamic aquifer‐aquitard boundary conditions, including concentration gradient reversals. Dimensionless diffusion length scales were used to illustrate the transferability of these relatively simple models to physical systems with dimensions that spanned 10 orders of magnitude. The results of this study offer guidance on the application of a simplified analytical approach to environmentally important layered problems with one or two diffusion interfaces.
A Survey of Recent Practice of Artificial Life in Visual Art

Abstract Nowadays, interdisciplinary fields between Artificial Life, artificial intelligence, computational biology, and synthetic biology are increasingly emerging into public view. It is necessary to reconsider the relations between the material body, identity, the natural world, and the concept of life. Art is known to pave the way to exploring and conveying new possibilities. This survey provides a literature review on recent works of Artificial Life in visual art during the past 40 years, specifically in the computational and software domain. Having proposed a set of criteria and a taxonomy, we briefly analyze representative artworks of different categories. We aim to provide a systematic overview of how artists are understanding nature and creating new life with modern technology.
Heterogeneous Brønsted Catalysis in the Solvent-Free and Multigram-Scale Synthesis of Polyalcohol Acrylates: The Case Study of Trimethylolpropane Triacrylate

This article presents a thorough investigation into the synthesis of trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) via the esterification reaction of trimethylolpropane (TMP) with acrylic acid using Amberlite™ 120 IR (H+), Amberlyst® 15, and Dowex™ 50WX8 resins as heterogeneous catalysts. Preliminary comparative tests explored the impact of air flow on water removal during the reaction and different acid-to-alcohol molar ratios (3:1, 6:1, or 9:1 mol:mol). The findings revealed that introducing air significantly enhances TMPTA yield and -OH group conversion, particularly at a 6:1 acid-to-alcohol molar ratio. Based on cost considerations, Amberlite™ 120 IR (H+) was selected as the preferred catalyst for further optimization. This included evaluating the effect of catalyst loading (10%, 5.0%, and 2.5% w/wtot) and assessing the impact of a pre-drying process on resin efficiency. The study concluded that optimal conditions did not necessitate drying, requiring 120 °C, a catalyst loading of 10% w/wtot, a 4 h reaction time, an acid:alcohol ratio of 6:1 mol:mol, the presence of MEHQ (0.1% mol/molAA), and air bubbling at 6 ± 1 Nl/h. Catalyst recycling was effectively implemented with a slight reduction in catalytic activity over consecutive runs. Furthermore, the study explored a scaled-up system with a mechanical stirrer, demonstrating the potential for multi-hundred grams scale-up. Considerations for optimizing the air flow stripping system are also highlighted. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into designing and optimizing the esterification process for TMPTA synthesis, laying the foundation for potential industrial applications.
Trading nature: a report, with case studies, on the contribution of wildlife trade management to sustainable livelihoods and the Millennium Development Goals

There is growing awareness of the social significance of wild resources, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) making a clear link between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. There remains, however, much ignorance concerning the role that trade in wild products plays in supporting the livelihoods of poor people and the potential of this trade to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Despite growing acceptance of the importance of biodiversity goods and services to human well-being, there is still little recognition of the direct contribution of products derived from wild sources to human livelihoodsparticularly the livelihoods of the rural poor. This report looks at the importance of effective management of trade in wild species in order to maximize its potential to deliver on the MDGs. It also presents the findings of three case studies: the wild meat trade in East and Southern Africa; the skin and wool trade in Latin America; and, the highvalue fisheries trade in South Asia. A review of the wider literature on trade in wild resources further contributed to exploration of the current and potential contribution of sustainable wildlife trade to achieving the MDGs.
Machine Learning Empowering Drug Discovery: Applications, Opportunities and Challenges

Drug discovery plays a critical role in advancing human health by developing new medications and treatments to combat diseases. How to accelerate the pace and reduce the costs of new drug discovery has long been a key concern for the pharmaceutical industry. Fortunately, by leveraging advanced algorithms, computational power and biological big data, artificial intelligence (AI) technology, especially machine learning (ML), holds the promise of making the hunt for new drugs more efficient. Recently, the Transformer-based models that have achieved revolutionary breakthroughs in natural language processing have sparked a new era of their applications in drug discovery. Herein, we introduce the latest applications of ML in drug discovery, highlight the potential of advanced Transformer-based ML models, and discuss the future prospects and challenges in the field.
Protective Role of Lycopene in Subjects with Liver Disease: NUTRIHEP Study

Background: Liver diseases are constantly increasing throughout the world and are often associated with other diseases, but above all they are caused by improper diet. Adherence to a diet with abundant vegetables has now been widely demonstrated to be important in combating this pathological condition. The aim of this study was to explore the protective role of lycopene (LYC) extracts from cooked and fresh tomato. Methods: The study cohort included 969 participants assessed in the NUTRIHEP cohort (2005–2006) and the associated follow-up (2014–2016), divided into two groups, based on liver condition: NAFLD, or AFLD and FLD. Results: The results indicated a statistical significance of LYC consumption, showing a protective role against liver disease, the best concentration being 9.50 mg/die, with an RR value of 0.59, p = 0.01, 0.39 to 0.90 at 95% C.I. , and RRR = 0.40, p = 0.002, 0.22 to 0.71 at 95% C.I. Conclusions: The protective role of LYC extracts from tomato has not been amply demonstrated in humans. We conclude that this is one of the few papers in the literature to evaluate the protective effect of LYC against liver disease, as well as how this molecule could be used in future possible treatments. Utilizing lycopene as a supplement alone or in combination with other foods could be useful for developing treatments with reduced contraindications.
Cryptocurrency Turmoil: Unraveling the Collapse of a Unified Stablecoin (USTC) through Twitter as a Passive Sensor

This study sought to explore whether Twitter, as a passive sensor, could have foreseen the collapse of the Unified Stablecoin (USTC). In May 2022, in just a few days, the cryptocurrency went to near-zero valuation. Analyzing 244,312 tweets from 89,449 distinct accounts between April and June 2022, this study delved into the correlation between personal sentiments in tweets and the USTC market value, revealing a moderate correlation with polarity. While sentiment analysis has often been used to predict market prices, the results suggest the challenge of foreseeing sudden catastrophic events like the USTC collapse solely through sentiment analysis. The analysis uncovered unexpected global interest and noted positive sentiments during the collapse. Additionally, it identified events such as the launch of the new Terra blockchain (referred to as “Terra 2.0”) that triggered positive surges. Leveraging machine learning clustering techniques, this study also identified distinct user behaviors, providing valuable insights into influential figures in the cryptocurrency space. This comprehensive analysis marks an initial step toward understanding sudden and catastrophic phenomena in the cryptocurrency market.
Quantitative Evaluation of Economic Level Effects on Physical Fitness Condition among Elderly Population in Hebei Province of China

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of economic level on physical fitness condition among elderly population. Cities with regard to The National Physical Fitness Surveillance in Hebei province were divided into three regions based on variant economic levels. According to the properties of testing indexes and the functional coverage, this study classified test indexes as the body level, the organic tissues level, the cellular/molecular level, and quantitatively compared the differences between these levels. The results showed that the index value differences failed to reach significant level except for the balance ability which was significantly higher for cities with better economy condition than cities at general economic level and the capital city. Findings of this study indicates that the economic difference does not cause the effective stress of physical fitness improvement among elderly population. The complete biological function stress caused by the increased economic level is during plateau stage. In addition, the average BMI value of the elderly in Hebei province presented overweight feature despite of economic level, which should draw more focuses. The quantitative difference evaluation of the threshold point is applicable for health engineering research, but the application in other disciplines needs to be further studied.
Loss Classes : The Central Limit Theorem in Differential

In recent years, privacy enhancing technologies have gained tremendous momentum and they are expected to keep a sustained importance. Quantifying the degree of privacy offered by any mechanism working on potentially sensitive data is a complex and well-researched topic; ε-differential privacy (DP) and its slightly weaker and more versatile variant ( , δ)-approximate differential privacy (ADP) have become the de-facto standard for privacy measures in the literature. Recently, novel variants of (A)DP focused on giving tighter privacy bounds under continual observation. In this paper, we unify many of these previous works in a common core theory, focused on the privacy loss of a mechanism. We show that in sequential composition of the mechanism, the privacy loss (represented as a distribution) undergoes a convolution, which in turn enables us to show the central limit theorem for differential privacy: the privacy loss of any mechanism will converge to a Gauss distribution. This observation leads us to several practically relevant insights: 1) we show that several of the novel DP-variants are equally expressive as ADP, 2) we improve existing bounds, such as the moments accountant bound, 3) we derive exact ADP guarantees for the Gauss mechanism, i.e., an analytical and simple formula to directly calculate ADP (not an over-approximating bound), 4) we derive exact ADP guarantees for the Randomized Response, and, 5) we characterize the privacy guarantees of a mechanism by the Gauss distribution to which it converges, its privacy class, and using normal approximation theorems derive novel upper and lower ADP bounds for arbitrary mechanisms.
Book Review: The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently … and Why

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Sustainable Innovation: Fabrication and Characterization of Mycelium-Based Green Composites for Modern Interior Materials Using Agro-Industrial Wastes and Different Species of Fungi

Mycelium-based bio-composites (MBCs) represent a sustainable and innovative material with high potential for contemporary applications, particularly in the field of modern interior design. This research investigates the fabrication of MBCs for modern interior materials using agro-industrial wastes (bamboo sawdust and corn pericarp) and different fungal species. The study focuses on determining physical properties, including moisture content, shrinkage, density, water absorption, volumetric swelling, thermal degradation, and mechanical properties (bending, compression, impact, and tensile strength). The results indicate variations in moisture content and shrinkage based on fungal species and substrate types, with bamboo sawdust exhibiting lower shrinkage. The obtained density values range from 212.31 to 282.09 kg/m3, comparable to traditional materials, suggesting MBCs potential in diverse fields, especially as modern interior elements. Water absorption and volumetric swelling demonstrate the influence of substrate and fungal species, although they do not significantly impact the characteristics of interior decoration materials. Thermal degradation analysis aligns with established patterns, showcasing the suitability of MBCs for various applications. Scanning electron microscope observations reveal the morphological features of MBCs, emphasizing the role of fungal mycelia in binding substrate particles. Mechanical properties exhibit variations in bending, compression, impact, and tensile strength, with MBCs demonstrating compatibility with traditional materials used in interior elements. Those produced from L. sajor-caju and G. fornicatum show especially promising characteristics in this context. Particularly noteworthy are their superior compression and impact strength, surpassing values observed in certain synthetic foams multiple times. Moreover, this study reveals the biodegradability of MBCs, reaching standards for environmentally friendly materials. A comprehensive comparison with traditional materials further supports the potential of MBCs in sustainable material. Challenges in standardization, production scalability, and market adoption are identified, emphasizing the need for ongoing research, material engineering advancements, and biotechnological innovations. These efforts aim to enhance MBC properties, promoting sustainability in modern interior applications, while also facilitating their expansion into mass production within the innovative construction materials market.
Land-use planning and designated national interests in Sweden: arctic perspectives on landscape multifunctionality

Rural land-use planning should handle land-use interests, such as nature-based tourism, biodiversity preservation and industrial resource extraction, on an appropriate level of scale. Management for multifunctionality represents an option in factually multifunctional landscapes. The Swedish policy of national interests, as applied in the context of the three northernmost municipalities’ statutory comprehensive plan-making, provides an attempt in this direction. Based on mapping and practitioner interviews, the study reveals that the vague ‘practical’ implications of the omnipresent land-use designations under the policy complicate the task of local-level spatial planning. Integrated consideration of multiple uses (or use options), implicated by policy principles, was found to fall back into case-by-case assessments. Land-use designation can be worked into a tool for the governance of multifunctional landscapes when care is taken to manage the aspects outlined in the study, among others interagency orchestration and explicit regulation of co-existence.
Celebrating a decade of exercise physiology and metabolism research in physiological reports

Abstract During its first decade of life, Physiological Reports has become a home for well‐conceived and rigorously performed exercise physiology and metabolism studies. The breadth of research within this area is impressive, covering exercise‐induced increases in skeletal muscle gene expression to the effects of exercise on the gut microbiome. The purpose of the current review is to highlight some of the impactful exercise physiology and metabolism papers published in the journal and to look ahead to what areas exercise physiology publications might address in the next 10 years.
Query Processing, Approximation, and Resource Management in a Data Stream Management System.

This paper describes our ongoing work developing the Stanford Stream Data Manager (STREAM), a system for executing continuous queries over multiple continuous data streams. The STREAM system supports a declarative query language, and it copes with high data rates and query workloads by providing approximate answers when resources are limited. This paper describes specific contributions made so far and enumerates our next steps in developing a general-purpose Data Stream Management System.
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea: Insights and Progress on Vaccines

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a swine-wasting disease caused by coronavirus infection. It causes great economic damage to the swine industry worldwide. Despite the continued use of vaccines, PED outbreaks continue, highlighting the need to review the effectiveness of current vaccines and develop additional vaccines based on new platforms. Here, we review existing vaccine technologies for preventing PED and highlight promising technologies that may help control PED virus in the future.