Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RADAR INDICATIONS OF A PRECIPITATION-LIGHTNING RELATIONSHIP IN NEW ENGLAND THUNDERSTORMS

Abstract Thunderstorm electrical activity in terms of surface-observed lightning-stroke rate is related to that radar-reflectivity maxima above the 0C level and to vertical profiles of radar reflectivity. This, and the fact it is also related to the incidence of hail at the surface, lends support to a previously stated theory of charge generation and separation by Workman and Reynolds. Observer data show an order of events at the surface which indicates a thunderstorm structure coinciding with previous models.
Chromospheric and coronal emissions from the giants in the Hyades

The visible Ca II K and International Ultraviolet Explorer spectra from the four K0 III stars (theta-1, gamma, delta, and epsilon Tau) in the Hyades, along with a field giant of similar spectral type, beta Gem, have been measured. Among the Hyades giants, the range of the high-temperature emissions can be a factor of 6 or more for C IV and an order of magnitude in the X-ray luminosity measured by Stern et al. (1981). For these presumably coeval cluster giants with similar macroscopic parameters, such as age, mass, effective temperature, gravity, and projected rotational velocity, the observed range in chromospheric and coronal emissions is not easily explained by the dominant factors thought to control these emissions in cool stars. It is possible that the emissions are time variable, on a time scale longer than six months. This would be the first evidence that giants undergo magnetic activity cycles similar to those of dwarf stars.
Breakthrough to Adaptive and Cost-Aware Hardware-Assisted Zero-Day Malware Detection: A Reinforcement Learning-Based Approach

In this paper, we have identified and addressed pressing challenges associated with online and cost-effective malware detection based on Hardware Performance Counters (HPCs) information. Existing Hardware-Assisted Malware Detection (HMD) methods guided by standard Machine Learning (ML) algorithms have limited their study on detecting known signatures of malicious patterns; thus, neglecting to address unknown (zero-day) malware detection at run-time which is a more challenging problem since the malware HPC data does not match any known attack applications’ signatures in the existing database. In addition, prior works have not presented a flexible and balanced solution that considers the trade-off between detection rate and implementation cost for adaptive selection of the best performing ML algorithms for online malware detection. In this paper, we first propose a unified feature selection method based on a heterogeneous feature fusion technique to effectively determine the most important HPC events for low-cost yet accurate malware detection. Next, we present Reinforced-HMD, a novel reinforcement learning-based framework for adaptive and cost-aware hardware-assisted zero-day malware detection based on desired performance metric and available hardware resources. To this aim, six classical and two reinforcement learning algorithms are implemented and their efficiency is thoroughly analyzed for detecting unknown malware using HPC events. Experimental results demonstrate that our Reinforced-HMD framework based on Upper Confidence Bound (UCB) learning approach achieves an accurate and robust detection rate with a 96% in both F1-score and AUC metrics for flexible and efficient zero-day malware detection while utilizing an optimal set of built-in HPC events.
Ansiedad y trastornos del espectro del autismo: notas para la intervención psicoeducativa

Se analizan de forma narrativa las relaciones entre comportamiento sensorial atípico, intolerancia a la incertidumbre y regulación emocional como generadores de los trastornos de ansiedad en niños y niñas autistas. El objetivo es estudiar el origen de la ansiedad en los niños y niñas autistas con la finalidad de determinar cuál o cuáles pueden ser los procedimientos de intervención más adecuados. Se han revisado algunos de los programas de intervención cognitivo-conductuales más utilizados en niños y niñas autistas y las adaptaciones realizadas a los mismos. Se observa un divorcio entre los programas psicoeducativos escolares y los programas clínicos de intervención para el tratamiento de la ansiedad. Como conclusión, se recomienda que en los programas psicoeducativos escolares se incorporen acciones proactivas en forma de programas de intervención cognitivo-conductuales para evitar o aminorar los efectos negativos de la ansiedad en el aprendizaje e inclusión escolar de los niños y las niñas autistas.
Wait times and patient throughput after the implementation of a novel model of virtual care in an outpatient neurology clinic: A retrospective analysis.

INTRODUCTION Neurology wait times - from referral to consultation - continue to grow, leading to various adverse effects on patient outcomes. Key elements of virtual care can be leveraged to improve efficiency. This study examines the implementation of a novel virtual care model - Virtual Rapid Access Clinics - at the Neurology Centre of Toronto. The model employs a patient-centred care workflow, involving multidisciplinary staff and online administrative tools that are synthesized to expedite care and maintain quality. METHODS Virtual Rapid Access Clinic efficacy was studied by determining average wait times and patient throughput, calculated from anonymous data that was extracted from the clinic patient database (n = 1542). Comparative analysis focused on new patient consultations during the 12-month periods prior to (pre-Virtual Rapid Access Clinic, n = 456) and following (post-Virtual Rapid Access Clinic, n = 1086) Virtual Rapid Access Clinic implementation. RESULTS After Virtual Rapid Access Clinic implementation, there was a mean 15-day wait time reduction, and a monthly average 52-patient increase in patient throughput. Wait time reductions and increased patient throughput were observed in all three Virtual Rapid Access Clinic sub-clinics - epilepsy, headache and concussion. Respectively, average wait times reduced significantly by 26.4 and 18.9 days and insignificantly by 1.1 days; monthly average patient throughputs increased by 235%, 95% and 161%. DISCUSSION These findings demonstrated that the Virtual Rapid Access Clinic model of care is effective at reducing patient wait times and increasing patient throughput. While the Virtual Rapid Access Clinic presents a feasible model both during and after pandemic restrictions, further research exploring its scalability in other care contexts, potential changes in care quality and efficiency outside of pandemic restrictions must be performed.
Evolution of Rabies Virus Isolates: Virulence Signatures and Effects of Modulation by Neutralizing Antibodies

Lyssavirus rabies (RABV) is an RNA virus and, therefore, is subject to mutations due to low RNA polymerase replication fidelity, forming a population structure known as a viral quasispecies, which is the core of RNA viruses’ adaptive strategy. Under new microenvironmental conditions, the fittest populations are selected, and the study of this process on the molecular level can help determine molecular signatures related to virulence. Our aim was to survey gene signatures on nucleoprotein and glycoprotein genes that might be involved in virulence modulation during the in vitro evolution of RABV lineages after serial passages in a neuronal cell system with or without the presence of neutralizing antibodies based on replicative fitness, in vivo neurotropism and protein structure and dynamics. The experiments revealed that amino acids at positions 186 and 188 of the glycoprotein are virulence factors of Lyssavirus rabies, and site 186 specifically might allow the attachment to heparan as a secondary cell receptor, while polymorphism at position 333 might allow the selection of escape mutants under suboptimal neutralizing antibodies titers.
Maximum Achievable Rate of Resistive Random-Access Memory Channels by Mutual Information Spectrum Analysis

The maximum achievable rate is derived for resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) channel with sneak-path interference. Based on the mutual information spectrum analysis, the maximum achievable rate of ReRAM channel with independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) binary inputs is derived as an explicit function of channel parameters such as the distribution of cell selector failures and channel noise level. Due to the randomness of cell selector failures, the ReRAM channel demonstrates multi-status characteristic. For each status, it is shown that as the array size is large, the fraction of cells affected by sneak paths approaches a constant value. Therefore, the mutual information spectrum of the ReRAM channel is formulated as a mixture of multiple stationary channels. Maximum achievable rates of the ReRAM channel with different settings, such as single- and across-array codings, with and without data shaping, and optimal and treating-interference-as-noise (TIN) decodings, are compared. These results provide valuable insights on the code design for ReRAM.
Polyamine Oxidase-Generated Reactive Oxygen Species in Plant Development and Adaptation: The Polyamine Oxidase—NADPH Oxidase Nexus

Metabolism and regulation of cellular polyamine levels are crucial for living cells to maintain their homeostasis and function. Polyamine oxidases (PAOs) terminally catabolize polyamines or catalyse the back-conversion reactions when spermine is converted to spermidine and Spd to putrescine. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a by-product of both the catabolic and back-conversion processes. Pharmacological and genetic approaches have started to uncover the roles of PAO-generated H2O2 in various plant developmental and adaptation processes such as cell differentiation, senescence, programmed cell death, and abiotic and biotic stress responses. Many of these studies have revealed that the superoxide-generating Respiratory Burst Oxidase Homolog (RBOH) NADPH oxidases control the same processes either upstream or downstream of PAO action. Therefore, it is reasonable to suppose that the two enzymes co-ordinately control the cellular homeostasis of reactive oxygen species. The intricate relationship between PAOs and RBOHs is also discussed, posing the hypothesis that these enzymes indirectly control each other’s abundance/function via H2O2.
STABILITY AND INSTABILITY OF THE WAVE EQUATION SOLUTIONS IN A PULSATING DOMAIN

The behavior of energy is studied for the real scalar field satisfying d'Alembert equation in a finite space interval 0<x<a(t); the endpoint a(t) is assumed to move slower than the light and periodically in most parts of the paper. The boundary conditions are of Dirichlet and Neumann type. We give sufficient conditions for the unlimited growth, the boundedness and the periodicity of the energy E. The case of unbounded energy without infinite limit (0<lim inft→+∞E(t) < lim supt→+∞E(t)=+∞) is also possible. For the Neumann boundary condition, E may decay to zero as the time tends to infinity. If a is periodic, the solution is determined by a homeomorphism of the circle related to a. The behavior of E depends essentially on the number theoretical characteristics of the rotation number of .
Astrocytic MicroRNAs and Transcription Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease and Therapeutic Interventions

Astrocytes are important for maintaining cholesterol metabolism, glutamate uptake, and neurotransmission. Indeed, inflammatory processes and neurodegeneration contribute to the altered morphology, gene expression, and function of astrocytes. Astrocytes, in collaboration with numerous microRNAs, regulate brain cholesterol levels as well as glutamatergic and inflammatory signaling, all of which contribute to general brain homeostasis. Neural electrical activity, synaptic plasticity processes, learning, and memory are dependent on the astrocyte–neuron crosstalk. Here, we review the involvement of astrocytic microRNAs that potentially regulate cholesterol metabolism, glutamate uptake, and inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The interaction between astrocytic microRNAs and long non-coding RNA and transcription factors specific to astrocytes also contributes to the pathogenesis of AD. Thus, astrocytic microRNAs arise as a promising target, as AD conditions are a worldwide public health problem. This review examines novel therapeutic strategies to target astrocyte dysfunction in AD, such as lipid nanodiscs, engineered G protein-coupled receptors, extracellular vesicles, and nanoparticles.
Efficient Ship Detection in Synthetic Aperture Radar Images and Lateral Images using Deep Learning Techniques

Over the past few decades, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery has become a primary means for high-resolution earth observation and a monitoring solution well suited for maritime surveillance. Ship detection (selecting the bounding boxes corresponding to ships) in SAR images plays a significant role in marine monitoring and in disaster relief. In the past, classical machine learning algorithms have been used towards this goal. Recently, in the field of object detection, the accuracy and detection speed have been significantly improved with the advent of deep learning (DL) techniques. However, such DL methods are less explored in the area of ship detection. In this paper, a salutary approach for improving ship detection in SAR images using advanced deep learning techniques is proposed. Various state-of-the-art benchmark models i.e. Faster-RCNN, YOLOv5, G-CNN and SSD are compared to assess their detection performance in various publicly available SAR datasets. Additionally, the best one among the trained models is used to detect lateral images of ships in real-time scenarios. The study is performed on a new custom-made Lateral Ship Detection Dataset (LSDD) developed in-house. Further, the best detection model is deployed in real-time tracking by integrating it with deepSORT tracking algorithm. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the DL models in ship detection and tracking applications in the wild.
A model for the emergence of thermal plumes in Rayleigh–Bénard convection at infinite Prandtl number

We propose a two-dimensional model of three-dimensional Rayleigh–Bénard convection in the limit of very high Prandtl number and Rayleigh number, as in the Earth's mantle. The model equation describes the evolution of the first moment of the temperature anomaly in the thermal boundary layer, which is assumed thin with respect to the scale of motion. This two-dimensional field is transported by the velocity that it induces and is amplified by surface divergence. This model explains the emergence of thermal plumes, which arise as finite-time singularities. We determine critical exponents for these singularities. Using a smoothing method we go beyond the singularity and reach a stage of developed convection. We describe a process of plume merging, leaving room for the birth of new instabilities. The heat flow at the surface predicted by our two-dimensional model is found to be in good agreement with available data.
Comparison of Students’ Self-Assessment and Simulated Patient Assessment in a Patient Counseling Evaluation and Perceived Importance of Communication Skills

The primary objective of this study was to compare students’ self-assessment ratings with simulated patient (SP) assessment ratings of communication skills in a patient counseling Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE). The secondary objective was to evaluate student perceptions of the importance of communication skills in the practice of pharmacy as well as the impact of a virtual OSCE format. First-year pharmacy students completed an OSCE focused on self-care product counseling. The evaluation was graded using a rubric covering both verbal and non-verbal communication. Students who completed the course were provided a 15-question, post-evaluation survey with questions related to self-assessment of communication skills and perceptions of the importance of communication skills. Of the 138 students in the course, 68 completed the optional post-assessment survey (49% response rate). There were no statistically significant differences between the ratings by students and SPs for the four communication elements included in the self-assessment. Most of the students recognized the importance of communication skills, including developing rapport and trust. Recognition of the importance of communication skills to future practice as a pharmacist positively correlated with performance on the evaluation (r2 = 0.5409, p-value = 0.0007). Student self-assessment is an effective and cost-effective mode of feedback for practice experiences as an alternative to the use of SPs.
Structure in the COBE differential microwave radiometer first-year maps

Results of the first year of data from the differential microwave radiometers on the Cosmic Background Explorer are presented. Statistically significant structure that is well described as scale-invariant fluctuations with a Gaussian distribution is shown. The rms sky variation, smoothed to a total 10-deg FWHM Gaussian, is 30 +/-5 micro-K for Galactic latitude greater than 20-deg data with the dipole anisotropy removed. The rms cosmic quadrupole amplitude is 13 +/-4 micro-K. The angular autocorrelation of the signal in each radiometer channel and cross-correlation between channels are consistent and give a primordial fluctuation power-law spectrum with index of 1.1 +/-0.5, and an rms-quadrupole-normalized amplitude of 16 +/-4 micro-K. These features are in accord with the Harrison-Zel'dovich spectrum predicted by models of inflationary cosmology. 29 refs.
Experience in reading digital images may decrease observer accuracy in mammography

Rationale and Objectives: To identify parameters linked to higher levels of performance in screening mammography. In particular we explored whether experience in reading digital cases enhances radiologists’ performance. Methods: A total of 60 cases were presented to the readers, of which 20 contained cancers and 40 showed no abnormality. Each case comprised of four images and 129 breast readers participated in the study. Each reader was asked to identify and locate any malignancies using a 1-5 confidence scale. All images were displayed using 5MP monitors, supported by radiology workstations with full image manipulation capabilities. A jack-knife free-response receiver operating characteristic, figure of merit (JAFROC, FOM) methodology was employed to assess reader performance. Details were obtained from each reader regarding their experience, qualifications and breast reading activities. Spearman and Mann Whitney U techniques were used for statistical analysis. Results: Higher performance was positively related to numbers of years professionally qualified (r= 0.18; P<0.05), number of years reading breast images (r= 0.24; P<0.01), number of mammography images read per year (r= 0.28; P<0.001) and number of hours reading mammographic images per week (r= 0.19; P<0.04). Unexpectedly, higher performance was inversely linked to previous experience with digital images (r= - 0.17; p<0.05) and further analysis, demonstrated that this finding was due to changes in specificity. Conclusion: This study suggests suggestion that readers with experience in digital images reporting may exhibit a reduced ability to correctly identify normal appearances requires further investigation. Higher performance is linked to number of cases read per year.
Antioxidant Properties of Gluten-Free Pasta Enriched with Vegetable By-Products

The only therapy for coeliac disease patients is to completely avoid foods containing gluten, a protein complex common in several small-grain cereals. However, many alternative gluten-free foods available on the market present nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the composition and the antioxidant properties of gluten-free pasta enriched with 10% or 15% of tomato waste or linseed meal, two food industry by-products. The traits analysed were protein, lipid, ash and fibre content, heat damage, tocols, carotenoids and phenolics composition (by HPLC), antioxidant capacity, and pasta fracturability. The enriched pastas contained more fibre and lipids than the control, while the protein and ash values were similar. The addition of tomato and linseed waste improved tocols concentration but had no effect on carotenoids content. The free soluble polyphenols increase was similar for both by-products and proportional to the enrichment percentage, while the bound insoluble polyphenols were higher in linseed-enriched pastas. The samples with linseed meal showed the greatest antioxidant capacity and, at 10% addition, the highest fracturability value. In conclusion, the addition of tomato and linseed by-products significantly increases the presence of bioactive compounds (particularly polyphenols), improving the nutritional value of gluten-free pasta.
Electrical, Thermo-Electrical, and Electromagnetic Behaviour of Epoxy Composites Reinforced with Graphene Nanoplatelets with Different Average Surface Area

The influence of the average surface area of different graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) on the thermo-electrical behaviour, associated with Joule heating, and the attenuation of electromagnetic signals of epoxy composites has been studied, analysing the effect of the morphology obtained as a function of the dispersion time by ultrasonication and the GNP content added. Gravity moulding was used as the first stage in the scaling-up, oriented to the industrial manufacture of multilayer coatings, observing a preferential self-orientation of nanoparticles and, in several conditions, a self-stratification too. The increase of sonication time during the GNP dispersion provides a decrease in the electrical conductivity, due to the GNP fragmentation. Instead, the thermal conductivity is enhanced due to the higher homogeneous distribution of GNPs into the epoxy matrix. Finally, the lower surface area of GNPs reduces the thermal and electrical conductivity due to a greater separation between nanosheets. Regarding the study of the attenuation of electromagnetic waves, it has been discovered that in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 20 MHz, this attenuation is independent of the direction of analysis, the type of graphene, the sonication time, and the state of dispersion of the nano-reinforcement in the matrix. Furthermore, it has also been observed that the conservation of the constant shielding values for the three types of GNPs are in a range of average frequencies between 0.3 and 3 MHz.