Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Swift/Fermi GRB 080928 from 1 eV to 150 keV

We present the results of a comprehensive study of the gamma-ray burst 080928 and of its afterglow. GRB 080928 was a long burst detected by Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM. It is one of the exceptional cases where optical emission had already been detected when the GRB itself was still radiating in the gamma-ray band. For nearly 100 s simultaneous optical, X-ray and gamma-ray data provide a coverage of the spectral energy distribution of the transient source from about 1 eV to 150 keV. In particular, we show that the SED during the main prompt emission phase agrees with synchrotron radiation. We constructed the optical/near-infrared light curve and the spectral energy distribution based on Swift/UVOT, ROTSE-IIIa (Australia), and GROND (La Silla) data and compared it to the X-ray light curve retrieved from the Swift/XRT repository. We show that its bumpy shape can be modeled by multiple energy-injections into the forward shock. Furthermore, we investigate whether the temporal and spectral evolution of the tail emission of the first strong flare seen in the early X-ray light curve can be explained by large-angle emission (LAE). We find that a nonstandard LAE model is required to explain the observations. Finally, we report on the results of our search for the GRB host galaxy, for which only a deep upper limit can be provided.
Linking two consecutive nonmerging magnetic clouds with their solar sources

On 15 May 2005, a huge interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) was observed near Earth. It triggered one of the most intense geomagnetic storms of solar cycle 23 (Dstpeak = −263 nT). This structure has been associated with the two-ribbon flare, filament eruption, and coronal mass ejection originating in active region 10759 (NOAA number). We analyze here the sequence of events, from solar wind measurements (at 1 AU) and back to the Sun, to understand the origin and evolution of this geoeffective ICME. From a detailed observational study of in situ magnetic field observations and plasma parameters in the interplanetary (IP) medium and the use of appropriate models we propose an alternative interpretation of the IP observations, different to those discussed in previous studies. In our view, the IP structure is formed by two extremely close consecutive magnetic clouds (MCs) that preserve their identity during their propagation through the interplanetary medium. Consequently, we identify two solar events in Hα and EUV which occurred in the source region of the MCs. The timing between solar and IP events, as well as the orientation of the MC axes and their associated solar arcades are in good agreement. Additionally, interplanetary radio type II observations allow the tracking of the multiple structures through inner heliosphere and pin down the interaction region to be located midway between the Sun and the Earth. The chain of observations from the photosphere to interplanetary space is in agreement with this scenario. Our analysis allows the detection of the solar sources of the transients and explains the extremely fast changes of the solar wind due to the transport of two attached (though nonmerging) MCs which affect the magnetosphere.
Fermi- to non-Fermi-liquid crossover and Kondo behavior in two-dimensional (Cu2/3V1/3)V2S4

By means of a specific heat (C) and electrical resistivity () study, we give evidence of a pronounced Fermi liquid (FL) behavior with sizable mass renormalization, , up to unusually high temperatures ∼70 K in the layered system (Cu2/3V1/3)V2S4. At low temperature, a marked upturn of both C and is suppressed by magnetic field, which suggests a picture of Kondo coupling between conduction electrons in the VS2 layers and impurity spins of the V3+ ions located between layers. This picture opens the possibility of controlling electronic correlations and the FL to non-FL crossover in simple layered materials. For instance, we envisage that the coupling between layers provided by the impurity spins may realize a two-channel Kondo state.
Deep Bayesian Inversion Computational uncertainty quantification for large scale inverse problems

Characterizing statistical properties of solutions of inverse problems is essential for decision making. Bayesian inversion offers a tractable framework for this purpose, but current approaches are computationally unfeasible for most realistic imaging applications in the clinic. We introduce two novel deep learning based methods for solving large-scale inverse problems using Bayesian inversion: a sampling based method using a Wasserstein GAN with a novel mini-discriminator and a direct approach that trains a neural network using a novel loss function. The performance of both methods is demonstrated on image reconstruction in ultra low dose 3D helical CT. We compute the posterior mean and standard deviation of the 3D images followed by a hypothesis test to assess whether a “dark spot” in the liver of a cancer stricken patient is present. Both methods are computationally efficient and our evaluation shows very promising performance that clearly supports the claim that Bayesian inversion is usable for 3D imaging in time critical applications.
SEARCHING FOR OPTICAL COUNTERPARTS TO ULTRA-COMPACT HIGH VELOCITY CLOUDS: POSSIBLE DETECTION OF A COUNTERPART TO AGC 198606

We report initial results from a campaign to obtain optical imaging of Ultra Compact High Velocity Clouds (UCHVCs) discovered by the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) Hi survey. UCHVCs have properties consistent with their being low-mass dwarf galaxies in the Local Volume, but do not have identified optical counterparts. We are using the WIYN 3.5 m telescope to image these objects and search for an associated stellar population. Here we present our observational strategy and method for searching for resolved stellar counterparts to the UCHVCs. We combine careful photometry, a color–magnitude filter, and spatial smoothing techniques to search for stellar overdensities in the g- and i-band images. We also run statistical tests to quantify the likelihood that detected overdensities are real and not chance superpositions of sources. We demonstrate the method by applying it to WIYN imaging of two objects: Leo P, a UCHVC discovered by ALFALFA and shown to be a star-forming dwarf galaxy in the Local Volume and AGC 198606, an ALFALFA source near in position and velocity to the Local Group dwarf galaxy Leo T. Applying the search method to the Leo P data yields an unambiguous detection (>99% confidence) of the galaxy’s stellar population. Applying the method to the AGC 198606 imaging yields a possible detection (92% confidence) of an optical counterpart located ∼2.5 arcmin from the centroid of AGC 198606's Hi distribution and within the Hi disk. We estimate a distance to the stellar counterpart of 373–393 kpc, an absolute magnitude Mi = −4.67 ± 0.09, and an Hi-to-stellar mass ratio of ∼45–110.
Determinants of live animals and animal products trade within the ECOWAS sub-region: A gravity model approach

The scope and direction of international agricultural trade among nations depend on a number of factors. This study, thus, sought to identify and evaluate the determinants of trade in live animals and animal products among member countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region. Panel data on values of bilateral merchandise imports of agricultural commodities (HS Codes 1-24) at 2-digits were obtained from the International Trade Centre (ITC) for the years 2001 to 2011. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and gravity model. The value of all agricultural commodities imports within the region for the period stood at 4.56 billion US dollars, which accounted for 6.38% of the total value for all commodities imports in the region. Imports of live animals and animal products constituted 18.46% of all agricultural products imports for the period. The results also indicated that regional characteristics such as importer and exporter’s Gross Domestic Products (GDPs), geographical distance, contiguity and usage of common official language did significantly affect the trade in live animals and animal products. Intra-ECOWAS imports of these products were consistent with the gravity theory and the trade pattern followed the Heckscher-Ohlin’s theory of trade. The study therefore recommends that effort be made to improve on infrastructural facilities and harnessing of the resource endowments of member-countries to promote greater trade within the region.
Consuming Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests: The Role of Genetic Literacy and Knowledge Calibration

As direct-to-consumer marketing of medical genetic tests grows in popularity, there is an increasing need to better understand the ethical and public policy implications of such products. The complexity of genetic tests raises serious concerns about whether consumers possess the knowledge to make sound decisions about their use. This research examines the effects of educational intervention and feedback on consumers’ genetic literacy and calibration—the gap between consumers’ actual knowledge and how much they think they know. The authors find that consumers’ genetic knowledge was generally low and that people tended to underestimate their knowledge level. Furthermore, consumers’ perceived rather than actual knowledge levels drove attitude and purchase intention. Regarding the effect of educational intervention, exposure to an online educational module improved both genetic knowledge and calibration. Offering instant feedback resulted in greater knowledge gain than delayed feedback. The worst learning outcome occurred when feedback was both delayed and brief. On the basis of these findings, the authors offer recommendations for formulating ethically sound public policies in this area.
Comparing superconducting and permanent magnets for magnetic refrigeration

We compare the cost of a high temperature superconducting (SC) tape-based solenoid with a permanent magnet (PM) Halbach cylinder for magnetic refrigeration. Assuming a five liter active magnetic regenerator volume, the price of each type of magnet is determined as a function of aspect ratio of the regenerator and desired internal magnetic field. It is shown that to produce a 1 T internal field in the regenerator a permanent magnet of hundreds of kilograms is needed or an area of superconducting tape of tens of square meters. The cost of cooling the SC solenoid is shown to be a small fraction of the cost of the SC tape. Assuming a cost of the SC tape of 6000 $/m2 and a price of the permanent magnet of 100 $/kg, the superconducting solenoid is shown to be a factor of 0.3-3 times more expensive than the permanent magnet, for a desired field from 0.5-1.75 T and the geometrical aspect ratio of the regenerator. This factor decreases for increasing field strength, indicating that the superconducting solenoid could be suitable for high field, large cooling power applications.
Portfolio optimization and long-term dependence 1

It is a widespread practice to use daily or monthly data to design portfolios with investment horizons equal or greater than a year. The computation of the annualized mean return is carried out via traditional interest rate compounding – an assumption free procedure –, while scaling volatility is commonly fulfilled by relying on the serial independence of returns’ assumption, which results in the celebrated square-root-of-time rule.
Simplicial cohomology of band semigroup algebras

We establish the simplicial triviality of the convolution algebra l1 (S), where S is a band semigroup. This generalizes some results of Choi (Glasgow Math. J. 48 (2006), 231–245; Houston J. Math. 36 (2010), 237–260). To do so, we show that the cyclic cohomology of this algebra vanishes in all odd degrees, and is isomorphic in even degrees to the space of continuous traces on l(S). Crucial to our approach is the use of the structure semilattice of S, and the associated grading of S, together with an inductive normalization procedure in cyclic cohomology. The latter technique appears to be new, and its underlying strategy may be applicable to other convolution algebras of interest.
Reading Without Vowels : Lexical Access in Hebrew

Hebrew has two forms of spelling, pointed and unpointed. In the unpointed form, letters carry mostly consonantal information, whereas vowels are generally not directly given; in the pointed form, certain signs are added that convey vowel information. Three experiments are described in which Hebrew words that have only one pronunciation when unpointed were used. Half were transformed into nonwords by changing one letter. In Experiment 1 these letter strings were presented, either pointed or unpointed, for lexical decision. They were preceded by word primes. The following predictions were tested, based on the assumption that lexical access is phonologically mediated: (a) lexical decisions should be faster for pointed strings, (b) the effect of pointing should increase with string length, and (c) the effect of pointing should be reduced by a related context. The results lent support for none of the above predictions, suggesting that lexical access is by and large direct. Experiments 2 and 3 used a pronunciation task, with Experiment 2 including only words and Experiment 3 including both words and nonwords. Pronunciation latencies for words revealed main effects for Experiment 2 vs. Experiment 3 for pointing and for context but no interactions. The results are seen to support a parallel-conjunctive model of reading, according to which the pronunciation of a word is derived both lexically and nonlexically in parallel, but both processes must be
A Power Series Expansion based Method to compute the Probability of Collision for Short-term Space Encounters

This article provides a new method for computing the probability of collision between two spherical space objects involved in a short-term encounter under Gaussian-distributed uncertainty. In this model of conjunction, classical assumptions reduce the probability of collision to the integral of a two-dimensional Gaussian probability density function over a disk. The computational method presented here is based on an analytic expression for the integral, derived by use of Laplace transform and D-finite functions properties. The formula has the form of a product between an exponential term and a convergent power series with positive coefficients. Analytic bounds on the truncation error are also derived and are used to obtain a very accurate algorithm. Another contribution is the derivation of analytic bounds on the probability of collision itself, allowing for a very fast and - in most cases - very precise evaluation of the risk. The only other analytical method of the literature - based on an approximation - is shown to be a special case of the new formula. A numerical study illustrates the efficiency of the proposed algorithms on a broad variety of examples and favorably compares the approach to the other methods of the literature.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among Turkish Cancer Patients and the Influencing Factors

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies especially among cancer patients was quite frequent because of many reasons . Objective: The study was conducted in order to determine the use of CAM therapies among Turkish cancer patients and also determine the influencing factors . Methodology: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was per formed with total 280 patients who received inpatient and outpatient treatment in an oncology c linic of a university hospital. Data were collecte d by using the Patient Characteristics Form and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Scale. p<0.05 was consider e as statistically significant. Results: This study demonstrated that the patients who were omen, and receiving outpatient care used energy approaches more often; patients who were single, an d h d metastatic disease used CAM approaches more o ften than the others. No significant difference was foun d between CAM use and education, occupation, performance score, diagnosis, and time of diagnosis . It was determined that 79.3% of the patients did not ask their physician about the use of CAM, and the knowl edge about CAM use was taken from the newspaper/ television (36.1%), and friends (36.1%). Most frequ nt used approaches were nutritional (taking honey, 67.1%), cognitive behavioral (praying always, 41.1% ), and biologic (drinking linden tea, 43.6%). The m ost common reason of CAM use was found as to strengthen the immune system (43.9%). Conclusion: The use of CAM therapies among Turkish cancer pati ents was quite frequent. Both health professionals and patients should be informed about the proper use of these approaches.
Carbon nanotube-reinforced smart composites for sensing freezing temperature and deicing by self-heating

Carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer composites were fabricated by high shear mixing. The microstructure and the electrical properties of the carbon nanotube–polymer composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and electrical resistance measurement. We found that the carbon nanotube composites showed high electrical conductivity (1.5 S m−1) at 7.0 wt% of carbon nanotubes, and the increase in thickness enhanced the electrical conductivity of the composites. The multifunctional properties of the carbon nanotube composites were also investigated for use in sensing the freezing temperature and also in deicing by self-heating. The results showed that the carbon nanotube–polymer composites had high temperature sensitivity in the freezing temperature range from −5 to 5 C and an excellent heating performance due to the Joule heating effect. The carbon nanotube composites are promising to be used as smart coating materials for deicing by self-heating as well as by detection of the freezing temperature.
Integrating Socio-Scientific Issues to Enhance the Bioethical Decision-Making Skills of High School Students

Scientific literacy has been focused on the construction of students’ knowledge to use appropriate and meaningful concepts, critically think, and make balanced, well-informed decisions relevant to their lives. This study presents the effects of integrating socio-scientific issues to enhance the bioethical decision-making skills of biology students. Using a quasi-experimental research design, results of the independent and related samples t-test on the pre- and posttest mean scores of 72 students significantly revealed that integrating socio-scientific issues in biology lessons are useful to enhance their bioethical decision-making skills. Moreover, as socio-scientific issues were integrated in their lessons, students’ classroom interactions and argumentations improved significantly and enabled them to give a positive, more elaborate, and in-depth responses with a wider range of explanations.
Stuck in Place: Investigating Social Mobility in 14 Bangalore Slums

This study of 14 Bangalore slum communities, including detailed interviews with 1,481 residents, represents an initial effort to study social mobility in India's largest cities, where opportunity and inequality have both been rising. The results show that slum dwellers have advanced economically, but the extent of improvement is small in the majority of cases, and there are many reversals of fortune. Sons tend to follow fathers or uncles into informal and mostly low-skilled occupations. The majority have lived in slums for many generations. These restricted-entry low-exit situations are brought about in large part on account of multiple institutional disconnections.
High-throughput of measure-preserving integrators for constant temperature molecular dynamics simulations on GPUs

Molecular dynamics simulation is currently the theoretical technique eligible to simulate a wide range of systems from soft condensed matter to biological systems. However, of the excellent results that the technique has arrogated, this approach remains computationally expensive, but with the emergence of the new supercomputing technologies bases on graphics processing units graphical processing units-based systems GPUs, the perspective has changed. The GPUs allow performing large and complex simulations at a significantly reduced time. In this work, we present recent innovations in the acceleration of molecular dynamics in GPUs to simulate non-Hamiltonian systems. In particular, we show the performance of measure-preserving geometric integrator in the canonical ensemble, that is, at constant temperature. We provide a validation and performance evaluation of the code by calculating the thermodynamic properties of a Lennard-Jones fluid. Our results are in excellent agreement with reported data reported from literature, which were calculated with CPUs. The scope and limitations for performing simulations of high-throughput MD under rigorous statistical thermodynamics in the canonical ensemble are discussed and analyzed.
A Review on Adaptive Modulation and Turbo Coding in LTE

The LTE standard uses three different modulation schemes to adapt to various channel conditions in order to improve achievable data rates. These modulation schemes are the QPSK, 16-QAM and 64-QAM. This paper presents an overview of a LTE digital communication system Simulink model, designed in order to study the effects of the QPSK, 16-QAM and 64-QAM modulation schemes on the BER performance with an AWGN channel model. Different subsystems within the transmitter and receiver blocks are implemented in Simulink. It is noted that the LTE system uses Turbo channel coding and bit level scrambling to offer reliable and secure services to the users. Depending on the assumed channel condition (clear, medium clear or noisy), the 64QAM, 16-QAM or QPSK modulation scheme, on the transmitter side; as well as the corresponding demodulation scheme, on the receiver side; are automatically selected. Based on the recovered data bits, the obtained bit error rates are analysed, compared and
Title Lactose-free milk prolonged endurance capacity inlactose intolerant Asian males

Background: Several studies on Caucasian volunteers have proven that milk is an effective recovery drink for athletes. Such benefit, however, cannot be directly applied to the lactose-intolerant Asian population. This study investigated the effects of ingesting water (WT), sports drink (SPD) and lactose-free milk (LFM) on cycling capacity. Methods: Ten healthy young men completed 3 randomized experimental trials. Each trial consisted of an intermittent glycogen depleting session, a 2 h recovery period during which they ingested the test drink, followed by cycling at 70% of their maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) to volitional exhaustion. Each trial was separated by at least one week. Results: There were no complaints or symptoms of lactose intolerance during any of the trials. The cycling periods were different (p < 0.05) amongst the 3 trials, namely, lactose-free milk (LFM; 69.6 ± 14.0 min), sports drink (SPD; 52.1 ± 11.6 min), and water (WT; 36.0 ± 11.1 min), respectively. The VO2 and VCO2 of LFM (30 ± 4 and 29 ± 4 ml/kg/min) were lower (p < 0.05) than that of SPD (34 ± 4 and 34 ± 4 ml/kg/min) and WT (35 ± 4 and 33 ± 5 ml/kg/min). There were no differences (p = 0.45) in VO2 and VCO2 between SPD and WT. Mean rating of perceived exertion was lowest in LFM (14 ± 5; p < 0.05), while no difference was found between the other two trials (SPD: 16 ± 4 and WT: 16 ± 4; p = 0.18). Conclusion: Lactose-free milk is likely to be an effective recovery drink for enhancing subsequent cycling capacity in lactose intolerant Asian males.