Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Tracking of the Origin of Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreaks in 2004 and 2018, Ecuador

Simple Summary Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease that primarily affects cattle, horses and swine. In affected livestock, the VS virus (VSV) causes painful blister-like lesions in the mouth, on the tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves, and teats and infected animals usually refuse to eat and drink, causing livestock production losses. VS is also a zoonotic disease and can cause influenza-like symptoms in humans. In 2018, Ecuador experienced an outbreak of VS affecting cattle in most of the provinces of the country. Here we determined the phylogenetic relationship among the virus strains isolated in that year. Our analysis suggests different transmission patterns in the major geographic regions of Ecuador; several small and independent outbreaks, most probably transmitted by vectors in the Amazon, and an outbreak caused by the movement of livestock and/or fomites in the Andean and Coastal regions. For better control of future outbreaks, we recommend more research into vectors and vertebrate reservoirs in Ecuador. This can further elucidate the mechanisms of the emergence and re-emergence of the virus. Abstract The Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) is an arbovirus causing vesicular stomatitis (VS) in livestock. There are two serotypes recognized: New Jersey (VSNJV) and Indiana (VSIV). The virus can be transmitted directly by contact or by vectors. In 2018, Ecuador experienced an outbreak of Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) in cattle, caused by VSNJV and VSVIV, with 399 cases reported distributed over 18 provinces. We determined the phylogenetic relationships among 67 strains. For the construction of phylogenetic trees, the viral phosphoprotein gene was sequenced, and trees were constructed based on the Maximum Likelihood method using 2004 outbreak strains from Ecuador (GenBank) and the 2018 sequences (this article). We built a haplotype network for VSNJV to trace the origin of the 2004 and 2018 epizootics through topology and mutation connections. These analyses suggest two different origins, one related to the 2004 outbreak and the other from a transmission source in 2018. Our analysis also suggests different transmission patterns; several small and independent outbreaks, most probably transmitted by vectors in the Amazon, and another outbreak caused by the movement of livestock in the Andean and Coastal regions. We recommend further research into vectors and vertebrate reservoirs in Ecuador to clarify the mechanisms of the reemergence of the virus.
A pencil-like magnetoelectric sensor exhibiting ultrahigh coupling properties

A one-dimensional pencil-like magnetoelectric (ME) sensor prototype is proposed which consists of a magnetostrictive cylinder, a truncated conical spacer, and a piezoelectric disk assembled in a rigid frame. By adopting the displacement-transfer mode in this sensor, not only the strain loss at the ME interface is avoided but also the volume fractions of both phases can be adjusted in a broader range. Using a nonlinear magnetostrictive model and linear piezoelectric model, the ME coupling performance of this sensor is systematically analyzed using lead titanate zirconate (PZT) disks and Terfenol-D cylinder as the components. Results show that such a sensor can practically exhibit giant quasi-static ME field coefficients (αE) and charge density coefficients (αD) as high as 455 V/cm Oe and 480×10−6 C/m2 Oe, which is about 10 times and 100 times higher than the best reported values, respectively. Furthermore, the ME coupling properties will decrease considerably when the stiffness of the frame is reduced. The.
Impact of the Indian Ocean on ENSO variability in a hybrid coupled model

This study examines the impact of the Indian Ocean on El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability through a series of numerical experiments with a hybrid coupled model. In the control run, an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is coupled to the Zebiak–Cane simple ocean model in the tropical Pacific. Outside the tropical Pacific climatological sea surface temperatures are prescribed in the control simulation. In the first experiment, sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the Indian Ocean are statistically predicted based on the state of the Pacific, and used to force the atmosphere. In the second experiment, a slab thermodynamic mixed layer model is coupled to the AGCM in the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean modifies the ENSO frequency via interactions with the Indian monsoon, but only when air–sea interactions in the Indian Ocean are included in the experimental design (i.e. the second experiment). The inclusion of the Indian Ocean, however, has little impact on the ENSO amplitude, which is at variance with other coupled simulations, suggesting that some missing dynamics or physics (i.e. Indian Ocean dynamics, Indonesian Throughflow, etc.) may play an important role. The Indian summer monsoon is more tightly coupled to ENSO in the second experiment than in the control run and the first experiment. The power spectrum of the Indian monsoon rainfall has a significant biennial time‐scale of around 20–30 months in the second experiment, which may enhance the biennial time‐scale of ENSO variability through a shift of the horizontal structure of zonal wind stress variability in the central equatorial Pacific. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Off-diagonal particle and toroidal momentum transport: a survey of experimental, theoretical and modelling aspects

In tokamaks, turbulent particle and toroidal momentum transport are both characterized by the presence of off-diagonal contributions which play an essential role in establishing the profile shapes of the density and the toroidal rotation under most conditions. In this paper similarities and differences between the two turbulent transport channels are pointed out and, thereby, interesting physical aspects which connect the two channels are identified. The main contributions to off-diagonal particle and toroidal momentum transport are reviewed by means of a rather simplified description, which aims at providing, when possible, a direct connection between theoretical, modelling and experimental research.
The Radial Flow of a Thin Liquid Film : 1st Report, Laminar-Turbulent Transition

This paper describes an experimental study of the laminar-turbulent transition in the radial flow of a thin liquid film on horizontal plane. The film flow was obtained by a water discharge from the thin cylindrical opening formed by a circular nozzle and a flat glass plate. The transition mechanism could be clearly observed in a visual observation using a stroboscope, since a turbulent motion in the thin layer of water disturbed the water surface. A sequence of experiments revealed the existence of a critical discharge Reynolds number Ret, cr, based on the equivalent length of opening, above which the transition takes place. The relation between Re and the dimensionless radius rt* of the point of transition and the relation between rt* and the local Reynolds number Rer based on the film thickness at rt are established.
A bilinear fault detection filter

A bilinear fault detection filter (BFDF) is proposed for bilinear systems with unknown inputs. Sufficient conditions are given for the existence of a BFDF and a strict BFDF for which the latter is sensitive to all faults. A particular choice of observer structure is shown to give explicit solutions both for the observer gain matrix and for establishing fault sensitivity. Structured actuator and component faults give rise to residuals with known directions enabling these faults to be easily isolated. A numerical example is used to demonstrate the BFDF design.
Potential for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy toward Predicting Phytochemicals with Potent Antioxidant Activity in Leaves of Annona squamosa Linn

Chinnarasu et al. : Extraction of Natural Antioxidants from Leaves of Annona squamosa Ultrasonic assisted extraction using green solvents such as ethanol, water and hydro-ethanol (50/50) have been used to evaluate the separation of bioactive compounds from Annona squamosa (Custard apple) leaves. The investigation of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is being used to characterize bioactive substances. The hydro-ethanolic extract is rich in carboxylic acids, phytosterols and sugars such as arabinose, xylose and galactose, according to the bioactive substances screening results. When compared to other solvents such as water and ethanol, the binary mixture of hydro-ethanolic extract of leaves yielded a higher amount of extraction. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated by DPPH (2, 2-Diphenyl -1- picrylhydrazyl) radical assay. The hydro-ethanolic (50/50) extract of leaves exceeded other solvent extracts in terms of antioxidant activity.
SHock-INduced Endotheliopathy (SHINE): A mechanistic justification for viscoelastography-guided resuscitation of traumatic and non-traumatic shock

Irrespective of the reason for hypoperfusion, hypocoagulable and/or hyperfibrinolytic hemostatic aberrancies afflict up to one-quarter of critically ill patients in shock. Intensivists and traumatologists have embraced the concept of SHock-INduced Endotheliopathy (SHINE) as a foundational derangement in progressive shock wherein sympatho-adrenal activation may cause systemic endothelial injury. The pro-thrombotic endothelium lends to micro-thrombosis, enacting a cycle of worsening perfusion and increasing catecholamines, endothelial injury, de-endothelialization, and multiple organ failure. The hypocoagulable/hyperfibrinolytic hemostatic phenotype is thought to be driven by endothelial release of anti-thrombogenic mediators to the bloodstream and perivascular sympathetic nerve release of tissue plasminogen activator directly into the microvasculature. In the shock state, this hemostatic phenotype may be a counterbalancing, yet maladaptive, attempt to restore blood flow against a systemically pro-thrombotic endothelium and increased blood viscosity. We therefore review endothelial physiology with emphasis on glycocalyx function, unique biomarkers, and coagulofibrinolytic mediators, setting the stage for understanding the pathophysiology and hemostatic phenotypes of SHINE in various etiologies of shock. We propose that the hyperfibrinolytic phenotype is exemplified in progressive shock whether related to trauma-induced coagulopathy, sepsis-induced coagulopathy, or post-cardiac arrest syndrome-associated coagulopathy. Regardless of the initial insult, SHINE appears to be a catecholamine-driven entity which early in the disease course may manifest as hyper- or hypocoagulopathic and hyper- or hypofibrinolytic hemostatic imbalance. Moreover, these hemostatic derangements may rapidly evolve along the thrombohemorrhagic spectrum depending on the etiology, timing, and methods of resuscitation. Given the intricate hemochemical makeup and changes during these shock states, macroscopic whole blood tests of coagulative kinetics and clot strength serve as clinically useful and simple means for hemostasis phenotyping. We suggest that viscoelastic hemostatic assays such as thromboelastography (TEG) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) are currently the most applicable clinical tools for assaying global hemostatic function—including fibrinolysis—to enable dynamic resuscitation with blood products and hemostatic adjuncts for those patients with thrombotic and/or hemorrhagic complications in shock states.
Long term influence of alternative corn cropping practices and corn-hay rotations on soil health, yields and forage quality

Modifications to continuous corn production systems can reduce environmental impacts and soil degradation, yet the social viability of these modifications is linked to the degree to which they also influence yields and crop quality. In this study, we focus on forage production systems and evaluate how yields, crop quality, soil health indicators, and associated ecosystem services are influenced by corn-hay rotation treatments, cover cropping, and tillage reduction in silage production using a unique 10-year dataset from Borderview Research Farm in Vermont, United States. Physical, chemical, and biological soil health indicators were monitored annually alongside yields and crop quality in a randomized complete block design experiment. We use a mixed model analysis of variance approach to demonstrate significant influences of time and treatments on yields, crop quality and soil health parameters (at p < 0.05). The winter rye cover crop treatment had no significant influence in this study. No-till significantly increased aggregate stability and had no significant effect on other metrics. When cover crop and no-till were combined, they significantly increased soil organic matter content, respiration and aggregate stability. The cover crop, no-till, and no-till cover crop combination treatments had no significant effect on yields or forage quality, suggesting these conservation practices can be adopted without sacrificing yields. Our study also found that corn-hay rotations can significantly increase soil organic matter, respiration, aggregate stability, and crude protein content compared to continuous corn, but they can negatively influence active carbon, total dry matter yield and digestibility. The length of rotation influences the degree to which corn-hay rotations maintain or reduce yields when compared to continuous corn. Shorter rotations of perennial forages (4 years of hay, 6 years of corn) can sustain dry matter yields that are not significantly different from continuous corn, but longer perennial forage rotations (8 years of hay, 2 years of corn) will significantly reduce overall dry matter yields. Among the treatments, no-till in combination with cover cropping in corn silage fields, and a rotation of 4 years of hay to 6 years of corn are likely to achieve the greatest overall benefits in forage production systems.
LITHIUM ABUNDANCES IN CARBON-ENHANCED METAL-POOR STARS

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars are believed to show the chemical imprints of more massive stars (M ≳ 0.8 M☉) that are now extinct. In particular, it is expected that the observed abundance of Li should deviate in these stars from the standard Spite lithium plateau. We study here a sample of 11 metal-poor stars and a double-lined spectroscopic binary with −1.8 < [Fe/H] < −3.3 observed with the Very Large Telescope/UVES spectrograph. Among these 12 metal-poor stars, there are 8 CEMP stars for which we measure or constrain the Li abundance. In contrast to previous arguments, we demonstrate that an appropriate regime of dilution permits the existence of “Li-Spite plateau and C-rich” stars, whereas some of the “Li-depleted and C-rich” stars call for an unidentified additional depletion mechanism that cannot be explained by dilution alone. We find evidence that rotation is related to the Li depletion in some CEMP stars. Additionally, we report on a newly recognized double-lined spectroscopic binary star in our sample. For this star, we develop a new technique from which estimates of stellar parameters and luminosity ratios can be derived based on a high-resolution spectrum alone, without the need for input from evolutionary models.
Multiple Organic Contaminants Determination Including Multiclass of Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, and Brominated Flame Retardants in Portuguese Kiwano Fruits by Gas Chromatography

Global production of exotic fruits has been growing steadily over the past decade and expanded beyond the originating countries. The consumption of exotic and new fruits, such as kiwano, has increased due to their beneficial properties for human health. However, these fruits are scarcely studied in terms of chemical safety. As there are no studies on the presence of multiple contaminants in kiwano, an optimized analytical method based on the QuEChERS for the evaluation of 30 multiple contaminants (18 pesticides, 5 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), 7 brominated flame retardants) was developed and validated. Under the optimal conditions, satisfactory extraction efficiency was obtained with recoveries ranging from 90% to 122%, excellent sensitivity, with a quantification limit in the range of 0.6 to 7.4 µg kg−1, and good linearity ranging from 0.991 to 0.999. The relative standard deviation for precision studies was less than 15%. The assessment of the matrix effects showed enhancement for all the target compounds. The developed method was validated by analyzing samples collected from Douro Region. PCB 101 was found in trace concentration (5.1 µg kg−1). The study highlights the relevance of including other organic contaminants in monitoring studies in food samples in addition to pesticides.
Errors in signal subspace methods in the presence of moving sources

The effects of angular motion on signal subspace methods, in particular the MUSIC algorithm, are investigated for a finite number of unweighted data samples. The perturbation of the signal subspace due to source motion is found, and the associated angle of arrival estimate is calculated in terms of the array manifold and the received signals. Assuming the received signal samples to be random circular Gaussian, expressions for the mean and variance of the arrival angle estimates are given in a noiseless case, and compared with those due to noise alone. For a specific scenario, there is a limit on the number of snapshots for which these expressions are accurate. However, they are useful in that they allow an insight into the factors determining motion induced errors. <<ETX>>
Investigation of threshold transition in semiconductor lasers

Semiconductor laser threshold transition is investigated by high precision power and linewidth measurements giving specific behavior of linewidth at threshold depending on linewidth enhancement /spl alpha/ factor. An analytical model based on Fokker-Planck equation resolution is proposed for extraction of major laser parameters by fitting simultaneously below and above threshold behaviors. Parameters are extracted for two single-mode semiconductor lasers with different detunings. Comparison with a threshold adapted rate equation model shows identical asymptotic behavior (Schawlow-Townes) for both models but simpler calculations and higher precision at threshold are obtained with the Fokker-Planck method. Detailed investigation of laser phase transition can profit microcavity and surface-emitting laser development by giving unique insight on spontaneous emission evolution and precise noise models.
Evaluating Optimum Limited Irrigation and Integrated Nutrient Management Strategies for Wheat Growth, Yield and Quality

Agricultural productivity is significantly influenced by the restricted availability of irrigation water and poor soil health. To assess the influence of different potential soil moisture deficit (PSMD) regimes and integrated nutrient levels on the growth, yield, and quality of wheat, an experiment was carried out at the research area of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The experiment includes three levels of PSMD (I1: 25 mm PSMD, I2: 50 mm PSMD, and I3: 75 mm PSMD) and four integrated nutrition levels (N1: 50% organic manure + 50% Inorganic NPK, N2: 75% organic manure + 25% inorganic NPK, N3: 100% application of organic manure, and N4: 100% application of inorganic NPK). Results of the experiment revealed that maximum grain yield (4.78 t ha−1) was obtained as a result of irrigation at 50 mm PSMD with the combined use of organic and inorganic sources in equal proportions. In contrast, the minimum yield was observed at I3: 75 mm PSMD with 100% application of organic manure. The highest plant height (99.11 cm), fertile tillers (284.4), 1000-grain weight (44.48 g), biological yield (14.82 t ha−1), radiation use efficiency for grain yield (RUEGY) (5.71 g MJ−1), and radiation use efficiency for total dry matter (RUETDM) (2.15 g MJ−1) were observed under N1: 50% organic manure with 50% inorganic NPK treatment. The highest value of these parameters was also observed in I2 (50 mm PSMD). The results of this study can be extended to arid and semi-arid regions, where deficit irrigation is a key strategy to address water crises and to meet sustainable development goals.
A Keyframe Extraction for Edited Video Summarization using Spatio -Temporal Analysis of GLCM based Texture Measures

Due to advancement of camera devices, huge amounts of digital video data are generated. To browse and analyze this video content, the user takes more time. In order to reduce the time to analyze and browse the video content, a summary is to be created. It can be achieved by extracting keyframes of the original video. This paper presents a summarization technique for edited video by using the GLCM representation. The unique content is determined for evaluating inter-frame difference by the following texture features such as Energy, Homogeneity, Mean, and Contrast. The pre-defined threshold values are set for each feature to select the appropriate keyframes. The summarization model is designed to capture the important properties of each frame. Specifically, this model is applicable to edited videos. This model was evaluated by two benchmark datasetsviz. ,TVsum50 and SumMe. Finally, experimental results were compared with the benchmark existing algorithms to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed work.
Semiparametric Regression for Repeated Outcomes With Nonignorable Nonresponse

Abstract We consider inference about the parameter β* indexing the conditional mean of a vector of correlated outcomes given a vector of explanatory variables when some of the outcomes are missing in a subsample of the study and the probability of response depends on both observed and unobserved data values; that is, nonresponse is nonignorable. We propose a class of augmented inverse probability of response weighted estimators that are consistent and asymptotically normal (CAN) for estimating β* when the response probabilities can be parametrically modeled and a CAN estimator exists. The proposed estimators do not require full specification of a parametric likelihood, and their computation does not require numerical integration. Our estimators can be viewed as an extension of generalized estimating equation estimators that allows for nonignorable nonresponse. We show that our class essentially consists of all CAN estimators of β*. We also show that the asymptotic variance of the optimal estimator in our .
Dual-Branch TransV-Net for 3-D Echocardiography Segmentation

Segmentation of left and right ventricles from 3-D echocardiographic images is premised and key for the quantitative analysis of cardiac function, which is important for pediatric cardiac diagnosis. Compared with 2-D echocardiography, 3-D echocardiography can fully represent a ventricular structure without geometric inference. However, it usually takes experts several hours to obtain a 3-D segmentation mask of the left and right ventricles. Therefore, a fast and automatic segmentation method is highly desired. Unfortunately, 3-D echocardiography suffers from low contrast, unclear left and right ventricles borders, and blind zone. Existing segmentation methods usually have poor performance at ventricular boundaries. To deal with these problems, we propose a novel dual-branch TransV-Net (DBTV). DBTV comprises two parallel, interleaved, and relatively independent V-shaped encoder–decoder branches. The main branch acts on the original data to extract image features, and the auxiliary branch acts on edge maps to extract the additional edge features. To suppress noise and enhance the edge information, extra concatenations are added to bridge the features from the main and auxiliary branches. To reduce object missing caused by blind zone, a 3-D transformer-based module is proposed in the bottom layer of the dual-branch structure to extract the global contexts. We do experiments on a self-collected dataset with 120 3-D echocardiographic images from 60 cardiac sequences, and the dice scores of 0.913 and 0.880 are obtained in the left and right ventricle segments, respectively. Each inference takes about two-thirds of a second for a single 3-D frame.