Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A positivity result in the theory of Macdonald polynomials

We outline here a proof that a certain rational function Cn(q, t), which has come to be known as the “q, t-Catalan,” is in fact a polynomial with positive integer coefficients. This has been an open problem since 1994. Because Cn(q, t) evaluates to the Catalan number at t = q = 1, it has also been an open problem to find a pair of statistics a, b on the collection 𝒟n of Dyck paths Π of length 2n yielding Cn(q, t) = ∑π ta(Π)qb(Π). Our proof is based on a recursion for Cn(q, t) suggested by a pair of statistics recently proposed by J. Haglund. One of the byproducts of our results is a proof of the validity of Haglund's conjecture.
Web Supported Query Taxonomy Classifier

A new approach called Web Supported Query Taxonomy Classifier is introduced in this paper, which generates better searching results. We combine WSQ, Web Supported Queries approach with Query Classification in which bridging classifier and category selection method is used for classification of queries. In this paper, Query categorization will build bridging classifier in an offline mode at mediator taxonomy integrated with the category selection method for the effectiveness and efficiency of online classification and then classifier is used for mapping input queries to target taxonomy in online mode. After this the queries are settled in virtual tables presented by WSQ tuples for the generation of web search result calling one or more search engines for improved results. Further a technique called asynchronous iteration is used for concurrency among multiple web search requests and query processing.
Physical Properties of Iron-Oxide Scales on Si-Containing Steels at High Temperature

The mechanical properties of oxide scales at high-temperature were studied in order to improve the surface quality of commercial Sicontaining high strength steels. Specific oxides of Fe2O3 ,F e 3O4, FeO and Fe2SiO4 were synthesized by powder metallurgy. The Vickers hardness, thermal expansion coefficient and thermal conductivity were measured at high-temperatures. A series of measurements confirmed that the physical properties of the synthesized oxides were different each other. From the Vickers hardness measurements, it was verified that the hardness of each synthesized oxide was identical with the naturally-formed iron oxide, as observed in the cross-section of oxide scales on steels. The influence of the Fe2SiO4 formed on Si-containing steels on the scale adhesion at high temperature and the surface property is discussed on the basis of the physical properties of the oxides. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.M2009097]
Prostaglandins Contribute to Cardiovascular Reflexes Evoked by Static Muscular Contraction

The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of prostaglandins to the reflex cardiovascular responses induced by static contraction of the hind limb in cats, i.e., the exercise reflex. To accomplish this, the cardiovascular responses to hind limb contraction induced by electrical stimulation of spinal cord ventral roots L6–7 and S, were compared before and after inhibition of prostaglan-din synthesis (indomethacin, 2–6 mg/kg i.v., n = 5, or sodium meclofenamate, 2–6 mg/kg i.v., n = 5) or after injection of prostaglandin E2 into the hind limb arterial blood supply. Treatment with indomethacin attenuated the contraction-induced increase in mean arterial pressure and left ventricular dP/dt by 76% and 86%, respectively. Heart rate and average developed triceps surae muscle tension were unchanged. After administering sodium meclofenamate, the reflex response was attenuated to a similar degree. In the indomethacin-treated animals, injection of exogenous prostaglandin E2(PGE2) partially restored the pressor and myocardial contractile responses. In 6 animals, treatment with exogenous PGE2 without prior inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis did not significantly augment the contraction-induced cardiovascular response. Using the radioactive microsphere technique, we measured skeletal muscle blood flow during contraction before and after treatment with indomethacin (n = 6) to determine if an indomethacin-induced alteration in blood flow could account for the attenuated contraction-induced cardiovascular response. Blood flow during static muscle contraction was not significantly altered by indomethacin. We conclude that prostaglandins contribute to the exercise reflex through an action on afferent nerve endings rather than through a regional vascular effect.
Polarization of neutron star surface emission: a systematic analysis

New-generation X-ray polarimeters currently under development promise to open a new window in the study of high-energy astrophysical sources. Among them, neutron stars appear particularly suited for polarization measurements. Radiation from the (cooling) surface of a neutron star is expected to exhibit a large intrinsic polarization degree due to the star strong magnetic field ( 10 12 ‐10 15 G), which influences the plasma opacity in the outermost stellar layers. The polarization fraction and polarization angle as measured by an instrument, however, do not necessary coincide with the intrinsic ones derived from models of surface emission. This is due to the effects of quantum electrodynamics in the highly magnetized vacuum around the star (the vacuum polarization) coupled with the rotation of the Stokes parameters in the plane perpendicular to the line of sight induced by the non-uniform magnetic field. Here we revisit the problem and present an efficient method for computing the observed polarization fraction and polarization angle in the case of radiation coming from the entire surface of a neutron star, accounting for both vacuum polarization and geometrical effects due to the extended emitting region. Our approach is fairly general and is illustrated in the case of blackbody emission from a neutron star with either a dipolar or a (globally) twisted magnetic field.
Enhanced neural synchrony between left auditory and premotor cortex is associated with successful phonetic categorization

The cortical dorsal auditory stream has been proposed to mediate mapping between auditory and articulatory-motor representations in speech processing. Whether this sensorimotor integration contributes to speech perception remains an open question. Here, magnetoencephalography was used to examine connectivity between auditory and motor areas while subjects were performing a sensorimotor task involving speech sound identification and overt repetition. Functional connectivity was estimated with inter-areal phase synchrony of electromagnetic oscillations. Structural equation modeling was applied to determine the direction of information flow. Compared to passive listening, engagement in the sensorimotor task enhanced connectivity within 200 ms after sound onset bilaterally between the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and ventral premotor cortex (vPMC), with the left-hemisphere connection showing directionality from vPMC to TPJ. Passive listening to noisy speech elicited stronger connectivity than clear speech between left auditory cortex (AC) and vPMC at ~100 ms, and between left TPJ and dorsal premotor cortex (dPMC) at ~200 ms. Information flow was estimated from AC to vPMC and from dPMC to TPJ. Connectivity strength among the left AC, vPMC, and TPJ correlated positively with the identification of speech sounds within 150 ms after sound onset, with information flowing from AC to TPJ, from AC to vPMC, and from vPMC to TPJ. Taken together, these findings suggest that sensorimotor integration mediates the categorization of incoming speech sounds through reciprocal auditory-to-motor and motor-to-auditory projections.
Comparison of Local Flaps and Skin Grafts to Repair Cheek Skin Defects

Background and Objective: Selecting the appropriate technique for surgical incisions, and reconstruction of facial defects after skin tumour excision has always been one of the surgeon's biggest concerns. The aim of this study is to compare the results between the local flap and skin graft to reconstruct cheek defects after basal cell carcinoma excision. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective study, 40 patients with skin defects resulting from skin tumour (Basal cell carcinoma) excision in cheek zones (16 sub-orbital, 18 bucco-mandibular and six auricular) were treated using local flap (n = 20) and skin graft (n = 20) from October 2010 to April 2012. All patients were followed up for 12 months, postoperatively. In addition, general assessments including complications, patient satisfaction, tissue co-ordination, skin colour and hospitalisation days were obtained. Results: Five patients had postoperative hyper-pigmentation complication in the skin graft group and none occurred in the local flap (P = 0.046). In the early postoperative period (2 weeks), mean scores in patient satisfaction, tissue co-ordination and skin colour were statistically significant increase in the local flaps (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively) and in the later postoperative period (12 months) only mean scores in skin colour significantly increased in the local flaps (P < 0.001). The mean postoperative length of hospitalisation days was 1.7 ± 0.4 days in the local flap group, and 3.63 ± 1.16 days in the skin graft group (P = 0.001). Conclusion: In the local flap group: Patient satisfaction, tissue co-ordination and skin colour were improved after 2 weeks. Also in 12-months follow up visits, skin colour was improved significantly and the hyperpigmentation was reduced. Generally, in this study the local flaps had better results in clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. However, for each cheek defect the surgeon must choose the appropriate reconstruction strategy to avoid undesirable outcomes.
Correlates of partial tooth loss and edentulism in the Brazilian elderly.

BACKGROUND In South American older adults the association between tooth loss and demographic, predisposing and enabling factors has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between partial and complete tooth loss and demographic, predisposing, enabling and need factors, and quality of life variables in the Brazilian older adults. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 5349 subjects aged 65-74 years were evaluated using conglomerate random sampling. Data collection included dental examinations and questionnaires evaluating demographic, predisposing, enabling and need factors, and quality of life variables. Multinomial logistic regression was carried out to evaluate correlates of tooth loss. The number of teeth was set as the outcome and categorized as: edentulous, subjects with 1-19 teeth, and subjects with 20 or more teeth. RESULTS Predisposing factors including age, female gender and schooling were independently associated with edentulism. Female gender was associated with partial tooth loss. The only enabling factor associated with edentulism was car ownership. Need factors were associated with edentulism and partial tooth loss. Edentulous subjects perceived the need for dental treatment less frequently. Quality of life factors were associated with partial tooth loss and edentulism. Subjects with 1-19 teeth and edentulous subjects were more likely to rate their chewing ability as not good. Edentulous subjects were more likely to rate their speech ability and their dental appearance as good. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that tooth loss and edentulism were complex phenomena, with intricate predisposing, demographic, enabling and need factors playing a role.
Refinement of an Instrument for Assessing Incontinent-Associated Dermatitis and Its Severity for Use With Darker-Toned Skin

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to refine an instrument for assessing incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) and its severity for use on lighter- and darker-toned skin, the Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis and its Severity Instrument-D (IADS-D), and to test its validity and reliability among WOC nurses. METHODS: Revisions to the existing instrument included examples of colors of normal and IAD-damaged skin that would be observed on light-, medium-, and dark-toned skin using pixels from patient photographs, additional photographs of IAD manifestations on different skin tones, and training materials. Four certified WOC nurse consultants and 2 WOC nurse clinical experts assessed the face and content validity of the IADS-D instrument. The IADS-D instrument was tested for criterion validity and interrater reliability using photo cases by attendees at the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society 2012 conference. RESULTS: The IADS-D instrument had good face and content validity. The overall average intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of IADS-D scores for all photo cases of testers (n = 266, 95% female, age 53.0 ± 7.9 years, mean ± SD) and those of investigators, experts, and consultants serving as the criterion was 0.90. The overall ICC for interrater reliability between all nurse testers was 0.99 and the ICC for tester skin tone was 0.99. CONCLUSION: The IADS-D instrument has excellent validity and interrater reliability among WOC nurses. Its refinement for use with lighter- and darker-toned skin addresses the lack of a much-needed instrument in nursing practice and research. Results support continued development and evaluation of the instrument's use in clinical and research settings.
New Molecular Targets and Treatments for Pediatric Brain Tumors

The outstanding progress in advanced molecular technologies has provided a tremendous amount of data that has altered the way in which we classify and categorize pediatric brain tumors. From the initial identification of chromosomal aberrations by karyotyping and com‐ parative genomic hybridization, we have rapidly moved to expression array studies and to integrative genomic approaches which allowed the stratification of several pediatric brain tumors into molecular subgroups. These data have not only increased our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of pediatric brain tumors, but have also identified prognostic markers and opened new avenues for targeted therapies.
Three-dimensional instability in flow over a backward-facing step

Results are reported from a three-dimensional computational stability analysis of flow over a backward-facing step with an expansion ratio (outlet to inlet height) of 2 at Reynolds numbers between 450 and 1050. The analysis shows that the first absolute linear instability of the steady two-dimensional flow is a steady three-dimensional bifurcation at a critical Reynolds number of 748. The critical eigenmode is localized to the primary separation bubble and has a flat roll structure with a spanwise wavelength of 6.9 step heights. The system is further shown to be absolutely stable to two-dimensional perturbations up to a Reynolds number of 1500. Stability spectra and visualizations of the global modes of the system are presented for representative Reynolds numbers.
Signs and Symptoms of Dry Eye in Keratoconus Patients: A Pilot Study

Abstract Purpose: To compare signs and symptoms of dry eye in keratoconus (KC) patients versus healthy subjects. Methods: A total of 15 KC patients (KC group, n = 15 eyes) and 16 healthy subjects (control group, 16 eyes) were enrolled in this study. The Schirmer I test with no anesthetic, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal staining characteristics, and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores were evaluated for both groups. Impression cytology, combined with/scanning laser confocal microscopy (LCM), was performed to evaluate goblet cell density, mucin cloud height (MCH), and goblet cell layer thickness (CLT). Finally, tear concentrations of di-adenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) were assessed. Results were statistically analyzed using Shapiro–Wilk and non-parametric Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: KC patients had lower tear volumes and greater corneal staining than did healthy subjects (p < 0.05). OSDI scores were 44.96 ± 8.65 and 17.78 ± 6.50 for the KC and control groups, respectively (p < 0.05). We found no statistically significant differences in TBUT between groups. Impression cytology revealed lower goblet cell densities in KC group patients versus control group subjects (84.88 ± 32.98 and 128.88 ± 50.60 cells/mm,2 respectively, p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant reduction in MCH and CLT in KC group patients compared with control group subjects. Ap4A tear concentrations were higher in KC group patients than in control group subjects (2.56 ± 1.10 and 0.15 ± 0.12 µM, respectively, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The parameters evaluated in this study indicate that KC patients suffer greater symptoms of dry eye and greater tear instability, primarily due to the decreased mucin production in their tears, than do healthy patients with no KC
Association between radiographic damage of the spine and spinal mobility for individual patients with ankylosing spondylitis: can assessment of spinal mobility be a proxy for radiographic evaluation?

Objective: To demonstrate the association between various measures of spinal mobility and radiographic damage of the spine in individual patients with ankylosing spondylitis, and to determine whether the assessment of spinal mobility can be a proxy for the assessment of radiographic damage. Methods: Radiographic damage was assessed by the mSASSS. Cumulative probability plots combined the radiographic damage score of an individual patient with the corresponding score for nine spinal mobility measures. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine the cut off level of every spinal mobility measure that discriminates best between the presence and absence of radiographic damage. Three arbitrary cut off levels for radiographic damage were investigated. Likelihood ratios were calculated to explore further the diagnostic properties of the spinal mobility measures. Results: Cumulative probability plots showed an association between spinal mobility measures and radiographic damage for the individual patient. Irrespective of the chosen cut off level for radiographic progression, lateral spinal flexion and BASMI discriminated best between patients with and those without structural damage. Even the best discriminatory spinal mobility assessments misclassified a considerable proportion of patients (up to 20%). Intermalleolar distance performed worst (up to 30% misclassifications). Lateral spinal flexion best predicted the absence of radiographic damage, and a modified Schober test best predicted the presence of radiographic damage. Conclusion: This study unequivocally demonstrated a relationship between spinal mobility and radiographic damage. However, spinal mobility cannot be used as a proxy for radiographic evaluation in an individual patient.
Case-Control Study of Intracranial Tumors Among Employees at a Petrochemical Research Facility

This case-control study evaluated the relation between potential exposure to chemical and physical agents and the occurrence of intracranial tumors among employees at a petrochemical research facility. Cases were employees with glioma (n = 6) or benign intracranial tumors (n = 6). Controls (n = 119) were individually matched to cases on gender and birth year, and they were alive and did not have an intracranial tumor at the case’s diagnosis date. Exposure information came from interviews with subjects or surrogates and from corporate records on agents used in research projects. Analyses computed matched odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for self-reported exposure to 15 agents and project-based estimates of exposure to 29 agents. For gliomas, the OR was elevated for self-reported exposure to ionizing radiation (OR, 15.7; CI, 1.4 to 179.4), n-hexane (OR, ∞; CI, 1.4 to ∞), organometallics (OR, 9.4; CI, 1.5 to 59.7), and amines other than nitrosamines (OR, 6.0; CI, 1.0 to 35.7). The OR also was elevated for project-based potential use of ionizing radiation (OR, 9.6; CI, 1.7 to 55.2) and for potential use of n-hexane lasting at least 4 years (OR, 16.2; CI, 1.1 to 227.6). For benign intracranial tumors, the OR was elevated only for self-reported exposure to ionizing radiation (OR, 5.4; CI, 1.7 to 43.1) and other amines (OR, 5.2; CI, 0.9 to 29.5). Occupational exposure may have contributed to the glioma excess, but the specific causal agents remain unknown. The study indicated that benign intracranial tumors were unlikely to be work-related.
Dynamic compression of square honeycomb structures during underwater impulsive loading

Significant reductions in the fluid structure interaction regulated transfer of impulse occur when sandwich panels with thin (light) front faces are impulsively loaded in water. A combined experimental and computational simulation approach has been used to investigate this phenomenon during the compression of honeycomb core sandwich panels. Square cell honeycomb panels with a core relative density of 5% have been fabricated from 304 stainless steel. Back supported panels have been dynamically loaded in through thickness compression using an explosive sheet to create a plane wave impulse in water. As the impulse was increased, the ratio of transmitted to incident momentum decreased from the Taylor limit of 2, for impulses that only elastically deformed the core, to a value of 1.5, when the peak incident pressure caused inelastic core crushing. This reduction in transmitted impulse was slightly less than that previously observed in similar experiments with a lower strength pyramidal lattice core and, in both cases, was well above the ratio of 0.35 predicted for an unsupported front face. Core collapse was found to occur by plastic buckling under both quasistatic and dynamic conditions. The buckling occurred first at the stationary side of the core, and, in the dynamic case, was initiated by reflection of a plastic wave at the (rigid) back face sheet-web interface. The transmitted stress through the back face sheet during impulse loading depended upon the velocity of the front face, which was determined by the face sheet thickness, the magnitude of the impulse, and the core strength. When the impulse was sufficient to cause web buckling, the dynamic core strength increased with front face velocity. It rose from about 2 times the quasistatic value at a front face initial velocity of 35 m/s to almost 3 times the quasistatic value for an initial front face velocity of 104 m/s. The simulations indicate that this core hardening arises from inertial stabilization of the webs, which delays the onset of their buckling. The simulations also indicate that the peak pressure transmitted to a support structure from the water can be controlled by varying the core relative density. Pressure mitigation factors of more than an order of magnitude appear feasible using low relative density cores. The study reveals that for light front face sandwich panels the core strength has a large effect upon impulse transfer and the loading history applied to support structures.