Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Where Do the Disks of Spiral Galaxies End?

In spiral galaxies, the H I surface density declines with increasing radius to a point at which it is seen to truncate dramatically in the best observed cases. If the ambient radiation field is sufficiently strong, there exists a maximum radius beyond which the cold gas is unable to support itself against ionization. We have now succeeded in detecting ionized gas beyond the observed H I disk in spirals. Here we report on our findings for the Sculptor galaxy NGC 253. The H I disks in Sculptor galaxies extend to only about 1.2R25, although we have detected ionized gas to the limits of our survey, out to 1.4R25. This has important ramifications for spiral galaxies in that it now becomes possible to trace the gravitational potential beyond where the H I disk ends. The detections confirm that the rotation curve continues to rise in NGC 253, as it appears to do for other Sculptor galaxies, from the H I measurements, but there is a hint that the rotation curve may fall abruptly not far beyond the edge of the H I disk. If this is correct, it suggests that the dark halo of NGC 253 may be truncated near the H I edge and provides further support for the link between dark matter and H I. The line ratios are anomalous with [N II] λ6548 to Hα ratios close to unity. While metallicities at these large radii are uncertain, such enhanced ratios, compared to solar-abundance H II regions ([N II] λ6548/Hα = 0.05-0.2), are likely to require selective heating of the electron population without further ionization of N+. We discuss the most likely sources of ionization and heating, and the possible role of refractory element depletion (e.g., Ca, Si, and Fe) onto dust grains.
Effect of Oxidative Stress on Male Reproduction

Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples trying to conceive, and a male factor contributes to roughly half of these cases. Oxidative stress (OS) has been identified as one of the many mediators of male infertility by causing sperm dysfunction. OS is a state related to increased cellular damage triggered by oxygen and oxygen-derived free radicals known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). During this process, augmented production of ROS overwhelms the body's antioxidant defenses. While small amounts of ROS are required for normal sperm functioning, disproportionate levels can negatively impact the quality of spermatozoa and impair their overall fertilizing capacity. OS has been identified as an area of great attention because ROS and their metabolites can attack DNA, lipids, and proteins; alter enzymatic systems; produce irreparable alterations; cause cell death; and ultimately, lead to a decline in the semen parameters associated with male infertility. This review highlights the mechanisms of ROS production, the physiological and pathophysiological roles of ROS in relation to the male reproductive system, and recent advances in diagnostic methods; it also explores the benefits of using antioxidants in a clinical setting.
Effect of 50 Hz Electromagnetic Fields on the Induction of Heat-Shock Protein Gene Expression in Human Leukocytes

Abstract Coulton, L. A. , Harris, P. A. , Barker, A. T. and Pockley, A. G. Effect of 50 Hz Electromagnetic Fields on the Induction of Heat-Shock Protein Gene Expression in Human Leukocytes. Radiat. Res. 161, 430–434 (2004). Although evidence is controversial, exposure to environmental power-frequency magnetic fields is of public concern. Cells respond to some abnormal physiological conditions by producing cytoprotective heat-shock (or stress) proteins. In this study, we determined whether exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields in the range 0–100 μT rms either alone or concomitant with mild heating induced heat-shock protein gene expression in human leukocytes, and we compared this response to that induced by heat alone. Samples of human peripheral blood were simultaneously exposed to a range of magnetic-field amplitudes using a regimen that was designed to allow field effects to be distinguished from possible artifacts due to the position of the samples in the exposure system. Power-frequency magnetic-field exposure for 4 h at 37°C had no detectable effect on expression of the genes encoding HSP27, HSP70A or HSP70B, as determined using reverse transcriptase-PCR, whereas 2 h at 42°C elicited 10-, 5- and 12-fold increases, respectively, in the expression of these genes. Gene expression in cells exposed to power-frequency magnetic fields at 40°C was not increased compared to cells incubated at 40°C without field exposure. These findings and the extant literature suggest that power-frequency electromagnetic fields are not a universal stressor, in contrast to physical agents such as heat.
Test of hadronic interaction models with data from the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory allows the measurement of both longitudinal profiles and lateral particle distributions of high-energy showers. The former trace the overall shower development, mainly of the electromagnetic component close to the core where the latter reflect the particle densities in the tail of the shower far away from the core and are sensitive to both the muonic and electromagnetic components. Combining the two complementary measurements, predictions of air shower simulations are tested. In particular the muon component of the tank signals, which is sensitive to hadronic interactions at high energy, is studied with several independent methods. Implications for the simulation of hadronic interactions at ultra-high energy are discussed.
Decomposition of Cartan Matrix and conjectures on Brauer character degrees

Let $G$ be a finite group and $N$ be a normal subgroup of $G$. Let $J=J(F[N])$ denote the Jacboson radical of $F[N]$ and $I={\rm Ann}(J)=\{\alpha \in F[G]|J\alpha =0\}$. We have another algebra $F[G]/I$. We study the decomposition of Cartan matrix of $F[G]$ according to $F[G/N]$ and $F[G]/I$. This decomposition establishs some connections between Cartan invariants and chief composition factors of $G$. We find that existing zero-defect $p$-block in $N$ depends on the properties of $I$ in $F[G]$ or Cartan invariants. When we consider the Cartan invariants for a block algebra $B$ of $G$, the decomposition is related to what kind of blocks in $N$ covered by $B$. We mainly consider a block $B$ of $G$ which covers a block $b$ of $N$ with $l(b)=1$. In two cases, we prove Willems' conjecture holds for these blocks, which covers some true cases by Holm and Willems. Furthermore We give an affirmative answer to a question by Holm and Willems in our cases. Some other results about Cartan invariants are presented in our paper.
Latent Variable Modelling: A Survey *

Abstract. Latent variable modelling has gradually become an integral part of mainstream statistics and is currently used for a multitude of applications in different subject areas. Examples of ‘traditional’ latent variable models include latent class models, item–response models, common factor models, structural equation models, mixed or random effects models and covariate measurement error models. Although latent variables have widely different interpretations in different settings, the models have a very similar mathematical structure. This has been the impetus for the formulation of general modelling frameworks which accommodate a wide range of models. Recent developments include multilevel structural equation models with both continuous and discrete latent variables, multiprocess models and nonlinear latent variable models.
Good Intentions and Altruistic Objectives : Observing ‘Edu-preneurs’ at a School Fair

Background As an answer to a discourse on a Swedish school in crisis a large edu-political apparatus has been implemented. Arguments on e.g. decreasing results, segregation, and equal opportunities has reinforced a number of actors to enter the educational field – actors here called “edu-preneurs” (Rönnberg, 2017). The actors offer a multitude of products and services and essential parts of everyday schooling thus become outsourced on external actors using education as an arena to reach the core of the society – the children. This process, nurtured by political reforms such as the possibility to profit on public funds (Jober, submitted) has “re-calibrated” the Swedish school – from a government-dominated and unified educational system to an unruly free market (Ball, 2009; Hamilton, 2011).
Efficient stereo segment scheduling in peer-to-peer 3D/multi-view video streaming

3D (or stereo) video has been a visually appealing and costly affordable technology. More sophisticated multi-view videos have also been demonstrated. Yet their remarkably increased data volume poses greater challenges to the conventional client/server streaming systems, which has already suffered from supporting 2D videos. The stringent multi-stream synchronization further complicate the system design. In this paper, we present an initial attempt toward efficient streaming of stereo/multi-view videos over a peer-to-peer network. We show that the inherent multi-stream nature of stereo video makes segment scheduling more difficult, which is particularly acute with the existence of multiple senders in a peer-to-peer overlay. We formulate the stereo segment scheduling problem as a Binary Quadratic Programming problem and optimally solve it using an MIQP solver. However, given the high peer dynamics and the stringent playback deadline in real-time streaming, the optimal solution is too costly to be obtained. Thus, we develop two efficient algorithms to allow peers frequently compute the scheduling. We show that one of the proposed algorithms can achieve an analytical guarantee in the worst case performance, in particular, the approximation factor is at most 3 comparing with the optimal solution. We implement the proposed algorithms and the optimal in a peer-to-peer simulating system, and show that the proposed algorithms can achieve near-optimal performance efficiently. We further implement two other scheduling algorithms that are used in popular peer-to-peer streaming systems for comparison, and extend our design to support multi-view video with view diversity and dynamics. Under different end-system and network configurations with both stereo and multi-view streaming, the simulation results demonstrate that our algorithms outperform others in terms of streaming quality, stream synchronization/smoothness and scalability.
Negative work reflection, personal resources, and work engagement: the moderating role of perceived organizational support

ABSTRACT This day-level study examined the role of perceived organizational support (POS) in the context of employees’ negative work reflection during off-job time. We hypothesized that negative work reflection during off-job time should be indirectly related to reduced work engagement on the next workday through personal resources (i.e., vigour and self-efficacy) in the morning. In addition, we hypothesized that POS moderated the relationships between negative work reflection and personal resources and between personal resources and work engagement. In total, 100 employees completed one general survey and three daily surveys (in the morning, after work, and at bedtime) over five workdays. Results of multilevel path analyses showed that negative work reflection was neither directly associated with personal resources nor indirectly with work engagement via personal resources, although vigour and self-efficacy positively predicted increased work engagement. However, negative work reflection was negatively associated with self-efficacy when POS was low. POS did not predict work engagement, but moderated the relationships between personal resources and work engagement: Consistent with the resource substitution hypothesis, high levels of POS compensated for low levels of vigour and self-efficacy. Negative work reflection had a significant negative indirect effect on work engagement through self-efficacy only when POS was low.
Clustering the Chilean Web

We perform a clustering of the Chilean Web graph using a local fitness measure, optimized by simulated annealing, and compare the obtained cluster distribution to that of two models of the Web graph. Information on Web clusters can be employed both to validate generation models and to study the properties of the graph. Clusters can also be used in semantics-based grouping of Websites or pages e.g. for indexing and browsing.
Processing of native and foreign language subtitles in films: An eye tracking study

ABSTRACT Foreign language (FL) films with subtitles are becoming increasingly popular, and many European countries use subtitling as a cheaper alternative to dubbing. However, the extent to which people process subtitles under different subtitling conditions remains unclear. In this study, participants watched part of a film under standard (FL soundtrack and native language subtitles), reversed (native language soundtrack and FL subtitles), or intralingual (FL soundtrack and FL subtitles) subtitling conditions while their eye movements were recorded. The results revealed that participants read the subtitles irrespective of the subtitling condition. However, participants exhibited more regular reading of the subtitles when the film soundtrack was in an unknown FL. To investigate the incidental acquisition of FL vocabulary, participants also completed an unexpected auditory vocabulary test. Because the results showed no vocabulary acquisition, the need for more sensitive measures of vocabulary acquisition are discussed. Finally, the reading of the subtitles is discussed in relation to the saliency of subtitles and automatic reading behavior.
Raising the curtain on stigma associated with dementia: fostering a new cultural imaginary for a more inclusive society

ABSTRACT Persons living with dementia and their carers experience stigma. Stigma intensifies social exclusion and threatens health and well-being. Decreasing stigma associated with dementia is a public health priority across national and international settings and is a key component of National Dementia Strategies. Research-based drama is an effective public health strategy for reducing stigma and enhancing well-being. In this article we focus on survey data from an evaluation of a research-based drama called Cracked: new light on dementia. Our analysis illustrates the effectiveness of Cracked in reducing stigma by: decreasing health care practitioners’ and family carers’ prejudice, fostering critical reflection about relational practices, and fostering a commitment to individual and collective action to address stigma. Cracked is well-positioned to respond to urgent calls for culture change, which include reducing societal misconceptions and stereotypes around dementia and promoting inclusive and meaningful engagement of persons living with dementia across all levels of society.
The Phenomenology of Dream–Reality Confusion: A Quantitative Study

Dream–reality confusion (DRC) is a difficulty or an impossibility to determine whether an event or an experience took place during wakefulness or if it was the content of a dream. The main goal of the present study was to explore characteristics of participants from the general population who often/very often experience DRC in comparison with those who never/almost never experience it. Altogether, 82 participants were investigated with a set of questionnaires. Results of the study indicate that individuals prone to DRC—in comparison with those who rarely or do not at all experience DRC—more often experience various sleep-related phenomena, and they also have higher neuroticism, thinner boundaries, higher dream recall frequency, and more involved attitudes toward dreams. Furthermore, some trends were revealed, suggesting that high level of borderline personality disorder features, fantasy proneness, and dissociative symptoms may be related to higher probability of experiencing DRC. The limitations of the study and future research directions were also discussed.
Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making for Assessing the Enhanced Geothermal Systems

This paper presents the main features of a multiple-criteria decision-making tool for economic and environmental assessment of enhanced geothermal systems projects. The presented holistic approach takes into account important influencing factors such as technical specifications, geological characteristics, spatial data, energy and heat prices, and social and environmental impact. The multiple-criteria decision-making approach uses a weighted decision matrix for evaluating different enhanced geothermal systems alternatives based on a set of criterions which are defined and presented in this paper. The paper, defines and quantifies new criterions for assessing enhanced geothermal systems for a particular site. For evaluation of the relative importance of each criterion in decision making, the weight is associated with each of the listed criterions. The different scenarios of end-use applications are tested in the case study. Finally, in the case study, the data and statistics are collected from real geothermal plants. The case study provides results for several scenarios and the sensitivity analysis based on which the approach is validated. The proposed method is expected to be of great interest to investors and decision makers as it enables better risk mitigation.
Association between body mass index and chronic kidney disease in men and women: population-based study of Malay adults in Singapore.

BACKGROUND In contrast to previous studies from western populations, studies from Japan reported a positive association between body mass index (BMI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) among men but not women. In this context, we examined the relationship between BMI and CKD, by gender, in a study of Malay adults from Singapore. METHODS This was a population-based cross-sectional sample of adults (n = 2783, 53% women, aged 49-80 years), free of clinical cardiovascular disease. The outcome of interest was presence of CKD [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2) (n = 517)]. The statistical methods used were logistic and nonparametric logistic regressions. RESULTS Higher BMI levels were found to be positively associated with CKD among Malay men. Among men, compared to BMI quartile 1 (<23 kg/m(2)), the multivariable odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence intervals (CI)] of CKD was 3.12 (1.97-4.94) in quartile 2 (23-24.9 kg/m(2)), 2.49 (1.63-3.79) in quartile 3 (25-29.9 kg/m(2)) and 3.70 (2.13-6.42) in quartile 4 (>or=30 kg/m(2)); P-trend < 0.0001. In contrast, among women BMI levels were not associated with CKD; P-trend = 0.32. In nonparametric models, among men, the observed positive association between BMI and CKD appeared to be present across the full range of BMI values, without any threshold. In contrast, among women, results from nonparametric models were consistent with the conclusion of a lack of association between BMI and CKD. CONCLUSIONS Higher BMI levels were positively associated with CKD among men but not women in a population-based study from Singapore. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of a male gender-specific association between BMI and CKD among Asians.
A New Core Inflation Indicator for New Zealand

This paper introduces a new indicator of core inflation for New Zealand, estimated using a dynamic factor model and disaggregate consumer price data. Using disaggregate consumer price data, we can directly compare the predictive performance of our core indicator with a wide range of other 'core inflation' measures estimated from disaggregate consumer prices, such as the weighted median and the trimmed mean. The mediumterm inflation target of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is used as a guide to define our target measure of core inflation— a centered two-year moving average of past and future inflation outcomes. We find that our indicator produces relatively good estimates of this characterization of core inflation when compared with estimates derived from a range of other models.
Is ISO 14001 certification effective?: an experimental analysis of firm profitability

This paper examines the effect environmental management certification (ISO 14001) has on publicly traded Brazilian companies profitability. Signaling theory predicts that the certification serves to signal to society good environmental behavior; allowing people to screen the different types of firms, improving the financial-economic performance of those firms that engage in this behavior. We performed difference-in-difference fixed effect design comparing the financial performance of companies with and without certification of their environmental management systems, using data on 552 companies over the period from 1996 to 2008. The results indicate that firms with an environmental management system certified according to the NBR ISO 14001:2004 standard tended to be more profitable, on average, than firms without certification.
Europhysics Letters PREPRINT

Europhysics Letters PREPRINT Order parameter phase locking as a cause of a zero bias peak in the differential tunneling conductance of bilayers with electron-hole pairing Abstract. – In n − p bilayer systems an exotic phase-coherent state emerges due to Coulomb pairing of n-layer electrons with player holes. Unlike Josephson junctions, the order parameter phase may be locked by matrix elements of interlayer tunneling in n − p bilayers. Here we show how the phase locking phenomenon specifies the response of the electron-hole condensate to interlayer voltages. In the absence of an applied magnetic field, the phase is steady-state (locked) at low interlayer voltages, V < Vc, however the phase increases monotonically with time (is unlocked) at V > Vc. The change in the system dynamics at V = Vc gives rise to a peak in the differential tunneling conductance. The peak width Vc is proportional to the absolute value of the tunneling matrix element |T12|, but its height does not depend on |T12|; thus the peak is sharp for small |T12|. A sufficiently strong in-plane magnetic field reduces considerably the peak height. The present results are in qualitative agreement with the zero bias peak behavior that has recently been observed in bilayer quantum Hall ferromagnets with spontaneous interlayer phase coherence. The idea that in bilayer n − p structures consisting of an electron-conductivity layer (n-layer) and a hole-conductivity layer (player) the Coulomb attraction of electrons and holes may lead a formation of electron-hole pairs with spatially separated components was put forward rather long ago [1, 2]. As a result of Bose-Einstein condensation of these pairs, there arises a peculiar superfluid (phase-coherent) state, in which a dissipationless motion of pairs gives rise to equal-in-magnitude and oppositely directed supercurrents in n-and players. At present, two variants of the systems have been realized experimentally, where an excitonic condensate with spatially separated components is formed. In both cases, these are closely lying GaAs/AlGaAs double quantum wells, where either interwell excitons are excited by a laser pulse [3, 4], or two-dimensional electron layers are formed due to doping. In the last case, the electron layers must be placed in a strong magnetic field, normal to the layers, such that the total filling factor should be ν T = ν 1 + ν 2 = 1 [5]. Since all these systems have one and the same exciton mechanism for the interlayer phase coherence, the physical …