Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Return Levels for Extreme Skew Surge Coastal Flooding Events in the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays for 1980–2019

Extreme storm surges can overwhelm many coastal flooding protection measures in place and cause severe damages to private communities, public infrastructure, and natural ecosystems. In the US Mid-Atlantic, a highly developed and commercially active region, coastal flooding is one of the most significant natural hazards and a year-round threat from both tropical and extra-tropical cyclones. Mean sea levels and high-tide flood frequency has increased significantly in recent years, and major storms are projected to increase into the foreseeable future. We estimate extreme surges using hourly water level data and harmonic analysis for 1980–2019 at 12 NOAA tide gauges in and around the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays. Return levels (RLs) are computed for 1.1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100-year return periods using stationary extreme value analysis on detrended skew surges. Two traditional approaches are investigated, Block Maxima fit to General Extreme Value distribution and Points-Over-Threshold fit to Generalized Pareto distribution, although with two important enhancements. First, the GEV r-largest order statistics distribution is used; a modified version of the GEV distribution that allows for multiple maximum values per year. Second, a systematic procedure is used to select the optimum value for r (for the BM/GEVr approach) and the threshold (for the POT/GP approach) at each tide gauge separately. RLs have similar magnitudes and spatial patterns from both methods, with BM/GEVr resulting in generally larger 100-year and smaller 1.1-year RLs. Maximum values are found at the Lewes (Delaware Bay) and Sewells Point (Chesapeake Bay) tide gauges, both located in the southwest region of their respective bays. Minimum values are found toward the central bay regions. In the Delaware Bay, the POT/GP approach is consistent and results in narrower uncertainty bands whereas the results are mixed for the Chesapeake. Results from this study aim to increase reliability of projections of extreme water levels due to extreme storms and ultimately help in long-term planning of mitigation and implementation of adaptation measures.
Searching for DNA Damage: Insights From Single Molecule Analysis

DNA is under constant threat of damage from a variety of chemical and physical insults, such as ultraviolet rays produced by sunlight and reactive oxygen species produced during respiration or inflammation. Because damaged DNA, if not repaired, can lead to mutations or cell death, multiple DNA repair pathways have evolved to maintain genome stability. Two repair pathways, nucleotide excision repair (NER) and base excision repair (BER), must sift through large segments of nondamaged nucleotides to detect and remove rare base modifications. Many BER and NER proteins share a common base-flipping mechanism for the detection of modified bases. However, the exact mechanisms by which these repair proteins detect their damaged substrates in the context of cellular chromatin remains unclear. The latest generation of single-molecule techniques, including the DNA tightrope assay, atomic force microscopy, and real-time imaging in cells, now allows for nearly direct visualization of the damage search and detection processes. This review describes several mechanistic commonalities for damage detection that were discovered with these techniques, including a combination of 3-dimensional and linear diffusion for surveying damaged sites within long stretches of DNA. We also discuss important findings that DNA repair proteins within and between pathways cooperate to detect damage. Finally, future technical developments and single-molecule studies are described which will contribute to the growing mechanistic understanding of DNA damage detection.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Substance Use Disorders: A Scientometric Analysis and Visualization of Its Use Between 2001 and 2020

Background: This study aimed to identify frontiers for further studies via brief understanding in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for substance use disorders (SUDs). Materials and Methods: Publications on the use of CAM for treating SUDs were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2001 to 2020 on July 12, 2020, and visualized by CiteSpace V. Results: A total of 3,807 publications were obtained. The USA, China, and England were the leading research centers. However, India and Pakistan have recently focused on assessing CAM for the treatment of SUDs. Frederick L Altice was found to be the most productive author. Addiction ranked first among the frequently cited journals, which exceeded 1,000. The most common CAM therapies were acupuncture and CAM psychotherapies, such as mindfulness meditation. Conclusion: CAM is gaining attention globally for treating SUDs. CAM psychotherapy and acupuncture are hotspots and deserve further study. Researchers should strengthen peer cooperation in this field.
Microbial Consortia for Effective Biocontrol of Root and Foliar Diseases in Tomato

The use of beneficial microorganisms for the biological control of plant diseases and pests has emerged as a viable alternative to chemical pesticides in agriculture. Traditionally, microbe-based biocontrol strategies for crop protection relied on the application of single microorganisms. However, the design of microbial consortia for improving the reliability of current biological control practices is now a major trend in biotechnology, and it is already being exploited commercially in the context of sustainable agriculture. In the present study, exploiting the microbial library of the biocontrol company Koppert Biological Systems, we designed microbial consortia composed of carefully selected, well-characterized beneficial bacteria and fungi displaying diverse biocontrol modes of action. We compared their ability to control shoot and root pathogens when applied separately or in combination as microbial consortia, and across different application strategies that imply direct microbial antagonism or induced systemic plant resistance. We hypothesized that consortia will be more versatile than the single strains, displaying an extended functionality, as they will be able to control a wider range of plant diseases through diverse mechanisms and application methods. Our results confirmed our hypothesis, revealing that while different individual microorganisms were the most effective in controlling the root pathogen Fusarium oxysporum or the foliar pathogen Botrytis cinerea in tomato, the consortia showed an extended functionality, effectively controlling both pathogens under any of the application schemes, always reaching the same protection levels as the best performing single strains. Our findings illustrate the potential of microbial consortia, composed of carefully selected and compatible beneficial microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, for the development of stable and versatile biological control products for plant protection against a wider range of diseases.
Identification of a Pain-Specific Gene Expression Profile for Pediatric Recurrent Abdominal Pain

Objectives: Functional Abdominal Pain (FAP) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are common recurrent abdominal pain diagnoses with the hallmark, lack of inflammation. To identify a biological signature for IBS/FAP in the colon, this study used genetic profiling to uncover gene expression changes associated with IBS/FAP and abdominal pain. Methods: Patients (8 to 17 years) newly diagnosed with IBS or FAP were enrolled in the study. At diagnostic colonoscopy, three rectal biopsies were collected, and gene expression analysis was performed using a Qiagen PCR Array. Relative fold difference in gene expression for 84 pain-associated genes was calculated using the 2-ΔΔ Cq method compared with pain-free controls. Factors affecting pain burden (Pain Burden Interview; PBI) were analyzed, including age, sex, rectal inflammation, and gene expression. Data were analyzed using multiple stepwise linear regression and 2-tailed t tests (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Of the 22 total patients in the study, 19 were diagnosed with either IBS-Constipation (frequency of 5.26%), IBS-Diarrhea (47.37%), IBS-Mixed (10.53%), or FAP (36.84%). IBS/FAP patients reported significantly higher pain burden at the time of diagnosis compared to pain-free controls (p < 0.001), as well as significantly higher abdominal pain (p = 0.01). Of the 84 genes, expression of GRIN1 (p = 0.02), MAPK3 (p = 0.04), P2X4 (p = 0.04), and PTGES3 (p = 0.02) were all significantly associated with PBI score. Discussion: Abdominal pain associated with IBS/FAP in pediatric patients may be linked to the expression of GRIN1, MAPK3, P2X4, and PTGES3, pointing to potential novel therapeutic targets for management of recurring abdominal pain.
Safety Risk Identification and Assessment for Beijing Olympic Venues Construction

New technologies, new materials, and innovative designs have been extensively adopted in Beijing Olympic venues construction. The extreme requirements for time deadline and competition function expose the venues construction to high risks. These risks would potentially bring negative impacts on the site safety performance. Meanwhile, there is a lack of systematic management for safety risks in China’s construction industry, especially for large projects such as the Beijing Olympic venues construction. This paper identifies and assesses safety risk factors inherent in Beijing Olympic venues construction with the involvement of 27 experienced and highly respected experts from government agencies, the construction industry, and academe through brainstorming, workshop discussions, and questionnaire surveys. The finding reveals that more than half of the critical safety risk factors are from contractors and subcontractors such as: lack of emergency response plan and measures; workers’ unsafe operation, and con.
Evaluación auténtica para mejorar la comprensión de textos orales en la primera infancia

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la influencia de la aplicación de la evaluación auténtica para mejorar la comprensión de textos orales en los estudiantes del II ciclo del Colegio Experimental de la provincia de Lima, Perú. El diseño utilizado es cuasi experimental, se contó con una muestra de 50 estudiantes entre niños y niñas con edades de 5 y 6 años, distribuidos en 25 niños y niñas para el grupo de control y 25 al grupo experimental, los datos fueron recogidos por medio de un cuestionario Adhoc de 16 ítems en función a las dimensiones, inferencia, reflexión, recuperación y organización y la escucha activa, así mismo el instrumento se sometió a juicio de expertos cumpliendo con los requisitos esenciales, que son de (0,82) de alta validez, la confiabilidad y la objetividad. El coeficiente Alpha de Cronbach tiene un índice promedio alcanzado por ítem de 0,907. Se concluyó afirmando que la aplicación de la evaluación auténtica influye significativamente en la comprensión de textos orales de los estudiantes del II ciclo de la muestra en mención, favoreciendo el desarrollo de la comprensión de textos orales en niños y niñas de la primera infancia, al tener como producto los desempeños de calidad de comprensión oral.
The decrease in hippocampal transient receptor potential M2 (TRPM2) channel and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 1 (CHRM1) is associated with memory loss in a surgical menopause rat model

Introduction The aim of the study was to investigate the association of transient receptor potential M2 (TRPM2) channel and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 1 (CHRM1) activity with the memorial functions that are deteriorated in surgical menopause. Material and methods A total of 14 female rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: group (G)1: sham group; group (G)2: surgical menopause group, the group in which bilateral ovariectomy was performed. Fourteen days after the surgical procedure, learning and memorial tests were performed in G1 and G2 for a totally 13 days. The time required for the rats to find the cheese in the labyrinth was recorded and statistical evaluation of it was performed between groups. On the 14th day of the memory test, the rats were decapitated and the brain tissues were fixed in 10% formalin. Hippocampal TRPM2 and CHRM1 gene expression was evaluated with RNA isolation, complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. TRPM2 and CHRM1 immunoreactivity was evaluated in hippocampal tissue with the immunohistochemical method. Histo-score was calculated regarding the diffuseness of and severity of the staining; and statistical analyses were performed. Results In the ovariectomized group, the mean time required for the rats to find the cheese was statistically significantly elongated (39.29 ±4.0 s vs. 29.86 ±2.6 s). When the hippocampal TRPM2 and CHRM1 gene expression and immunoreactivity were compared with the sham group, there was a statistically significant decrease in the surgical menopause group (p < 0.05). Conclusions In surgical menopause, in deterioration of memorial functions, hippocampal TRPM2 channel and CHRM1 activity plays an important role.
A high-stability single-pumped L-band superfluorescent fiber source for the fiber optic gyroscope

In this paper, a simple single-backward configuration with a section of un-pump fiber is presented to achieve a stable L-band superfluorescent fiber source (SFS). The effects of the structural parameters on the output characteristics of the L-band SFS in terms of output spectrum, mean wavelength, and linewidth are theoretically examined. By selecting suitable structure parameters, an L-band SFS with mean wavelength insensitive to pump power is achieved under a pump power of 190mW, corresponding to a mean wavelength of 1583.20nm, an output power of 47mW, and a spectral linewidth of 49.6nm. The proposed L-band SFS design shows its tremendous advantages as simple structure and good performances that make it be useful in WDM system, fiber optic gyroscopes and fiber sensor systems applications.
Study of a Point Cloud Segmentation with Part Type Recognition for Tolerance Inspection of Plastic Components via Reverse Engineering

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a point cloud segmentation based on a spatial multiresolution discretisation that is derived from hierarchical space partitioning. Through part type recognition it aims to simplify Computer Aided Tolerance Inspection of electromechanical components avoiding cloud-CAD model registration. A voxel structure subdivides the point cloud. Then, through a suitable surface partitioning, it is linked to component volumes by means of the morphological components of the binary image that is derived from voxel attributes (‘true state’ if points are included in a specific cluster or ‘false state’ if they are not). The proposed approach is then applied on a din-rail clip of a breaker, made by injection moulding. This case study points out the suitability of the approach on box-shaped components or with normal protrusions, and its limits concerning the assumptions of the implementation.
New military uses for synthetic aperture radar (SAR)

Loral Defense Systems-Arizona, holder of the original patent for the invention of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), developed SAR to meet the military's need for an all-weather, day/night sensor that could produce high quality reconnaissance imagery in adverse weather and restricted visibility conditions. These features, and the ability to image large areas with fine resolution in a relatively short period of time make this sensor useful for many military applications. To date, however, SARs for military use have been hampered by the fact that they've been large, complex, and expensive. Additionally, they have been mounted on special purpose, single mission aircraft which are costly to operate. That situation has changed. A small, modular SAR, called Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar (MSAR) developed by Loral can be mounted with relative ease on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or on multi-mission aircraft such as the F-16, F/A-18, or on the F-14.
Soil Based Building Materials for Energy Efficiency

A descriptive analysis and some definitions of clays are provided at the beginning of the chapter; after that the most common earthen materials are introduced. A list of the most common worldwide building techniques and physical parameters is provided. The main building regulations are reported in a brief summary.At the end of the chapter, according to the main important studies, hygrothermal and physical performances of earthen building materials are discussed.
Command Tracking Control System Design and Evaluation for Hypersonic Reentry Vehicles Driven by a Reaction Control System

AbstractThis paper addresses the command tracking control system (CTCS) design problem for plants involving input quantization and input saturation. A novel approach is proposed and demonstrated to the angle of attack (AOA) CTCS and bank angle CTCS of hypersonic reentry vehicles (HRV) driven by a reaction control system (RCS). First, the six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) nonlinear dynamic model of HRV and the mathematical model of RCS are established, and dynamic analysis is conducted based on the linearized model of HRV. Second, a general CTCS for plants involving input quantization and saturation is designed by solving a convex optimization problem based on linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Formulations of the domains of attraction and convergence of the closed loop CTCS are derived. Furthermore, input to state stability (ISS) of the closed loop system is analyzed. Finally, the proposed approach is applied to design the longitudinal AOA CTCS and lateral–directional bank angle CTCS of HRV driven by an RCS.
Occupant comfort, control, and satisfaction in three California mixed-mode office buildings - eScholarship

This report outlines the results from an occupant survey of satisfaction with thermal comfort and air quality in three California mixed-mode office buildings. Mixed-mode refers to the relatively new design strategy of explicitly integrating natural ventilation with mechanical cooling and ventilation services. Each of the research sites includes operable windows along with a complete HVAC system. Survey results indicate that access to operable windows has a significant positive impact on reported satisfaction with air movement, ventilation, and air quality. Occupants also indicate that they are more likely to use operable windows for air movement and air quality control than for temperature control.
White blood cells in a healthy adolescent population according to social and health characteristics.

BACKGROUND The immune system constitutes a sensory system both for heritable and non-heritable factors. Among the latter, social and environmental determinants of health may influence and shape the immune system in early life. To study the relationship between leukocytes and determinants of health in adolescence, we assessed total and differential white blood cells (WBC) according to social and environmental determinants of health in a healthy adolescent population. METHODS As part of the population-based cohort Epidemiological Health Investigation of Teenagers in Porto (EPITeen), 1213 adolescents were evaluated at the age of 13. Total and differential WBC were evaluated through a venous blood sample using an automated blood counter (Sysmex®XE-5000, Hyogo, Japan). Sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS Participants with better socioeconomic conditions (enrolled at private schools or higher parental education) had significantly lower total WBC levels, and the latter showed a lower percentage of neutrophils and higher percentage of lymphocytes. Those who practiced sports had significantly lower total WBC levels and neutrophil percentage, as well as a significantly higher percentage of eosinophils and lymphocytes. Adolescents with chronic disease, chronic medication, or allergic diseases had a significantly higher percentage of eosinophils and a lower percentage of monocytes. With increasing body mass index and systemic inflammation, we found a significant increase in total WBC levels. CONCLUSION WBC linked to different immune response patterns are associated with several social and environmental determinants of health in adolescence.
Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Review of From the Terrorists ' Point of View

Counterterrorism (e.g., military forces) and antiterrorism (e.g., theological dialogues) programs are the most common strategies in the prevention and potential elimination of terrorism. Professor Fathali M. Moghaddam's From the Terrorists' Point of View represents a shift in current thinking because it competes with the today's counterterrorism-antiterrorism paradigm. The core message the author sends to the national and international intelligence community is this: If you all want to end terrorism, you all should first ``see the world from the terrorists' point of view. " In the terrorists' world, their terrorist acts are morally justified and rational; and although they engage in terrorism, they also deeply care for the welfare of Islamic communities. From the Terrorists' Point of View also suggests an alternative explanation for the origin of terrorism across all cultures that is based on the author's ``staircase to terrorism" metaphor. Using this metaphor, an individual moves from the ground floor to subsequent floors until he/she realizes at the top floor (fifth) of the staircase the only option is terrorism to end the injustices of the social system that individual has experienced for many years. This review suggests that, although political and Islamic fundamentalist terrorists might share the same feeling of injustices on the ground floor and on subsequent floors, this metaphor appears to be more applicable to the development of political terrorism, relative to the origin of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. It also suggests that the cultural identity crisis in Islamic communities (also discussed by the author) appears to be a more convincing approach to explain the development of this form of terrorism. The controversial nature of the author's thesis is what will make From the Terrorists' Point of View an interesting
Patch antenna with integrated bandpass filter

This paper presents a novel antenna that includes filtering functionality. The design approach is based on direct-coupled resonator filter theory. In this approach, the filter can be integrated into the antenna itself using the antenna resonant elements as the resonators of the filter. The design principle can be applied to any desired frequency and physically realised using different types of antenna structures. In this example, a rectangular patch antenna integrated with four conventional square open-loop resonators is designed using a single layer microstrip to verify this antenna-filter design approach. In order to preserve the filter's characteristic, the radiation quality factor of the patch antenna is chosen the same as the external quality factor of the filter, and the coupling between the patch antenna and the last open-loop resonator is calculated using the theory for two conventional coupled resonators. The simulation results demonstrate this filter antenna design approach works well.