Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Cortisol and Dehydroepiandrosterone Influence Motivational Factors for Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Female Adolescents?

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant public health issue that particularly affects female adolescents usually emerging during puberty, with a subsequent reduction and even remission in the phenomenon later in life. The dysregulation of the hormonal stress response, particularly cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), whose levels increase markedly during pubertal adrenarche, has been associated with the development and maintenance of a wide range of emotional disorders. Our study aims to investigate whether different cortisol-DHEA-S response patterns could be associated with the main motivational moderators to engage NSSI as well as with urgency and motivation to stop NSSI in a sample of female adolescents. We found significant correlations between stress hormones and several factors that support and sustain NSSI, specifically: cortisol levels and distressing/upsetting urge (r = 0.39 and a p = 8.94 × 10−3) and sensation seeking (r = −0.32 and a p = 0.04), as well as cortisol/DHEA-s ratio and external emotion regulation (r = 0.40 and a p = 0.01) and desire to stop NSSI (r = 0.40 and a p = 0.01). Cortisol and DHEA-S may play a role in NSSI through the regulation of stress responses and affective states. Such results could have implications for the development of new and improved treatment and prevention plans for NSSI.
Subshifts on an infinite alphabet

We study transfer operators over general subshifts of sequences of an infinite alphabet. We introduce a family of Banach spaces of functions satisfying a regularity condition and a decreasing condition. Under some assumptions on the transfer operator, we prove its continuity and quasi-compactness on these spaces. Under additional assumptions—existence of a conformal measure and topological mixing—we prove that its peripheral spectrum is reduced to one and that this eigenvalue is simple. We describe the consequences of these results in terms of existence and properties of invariant measures absolutely continuous with respect to the conformal measure. We also give some examples of contexts in which this setting can be used—expansive maps of the interval, statistical mechanics.
Silicon nanocrystals light-emitting devices: characterization and coupling to SU-8 waveguides

Silicon-based light emitting device is the missing piece in the design of complete optoelectronic circuits on silicon. A complete electrical and optical characterization of electroluminescent silicon-nanocrystals based devices is presented. This characterization is the first step in the design of coupling structures with optimal injection of light into optical waveguides, which will allow the development of all-silicon photonic circuits. In this paper, a novel coupling structure based on rectangular surface grating has been studied with promising results, increasing the coupling efficiency to SU-8 waveguides up to 25 times. The SU-8 photoresist is fully compatible with silicon technology and can be used to define waveguides as well as microfluidics channels. These properties are interesting for the final application of the present study, which is to obtain a Lab-on-a-chip device, integrating all the optical elements, control electronics and microfluidics channels.
The role of preschoolers’ home literacy environment and emergent literacy skills on later reading and writing skills in primary school: A mediational model

The importance of the quality of home literacy environment and practices (HLE&P) in the earliest years on children’s reading and writing development is recognized in the literature. However, whether and to what extent this relationship between preschoolers’ HLE&P on their later reading and writing skills in primary school is mediated by emergent literacy competence remains to be clarified. It may be that preschool constitutes a significant opportunity for children to develop notational awareness and phonological awareness which are emergent literacy skills that are fundamental for later reading and writing skills. Children who experience literacy-poor HLE&P with fewer opportunities to practice more complex language skills and diverse vocabulary might develop adequate reading and writing skills when their emergent literacy skills in preschool are high (notational and phonological awareness). This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the mediational role of preschoolers’ emergent literacy skills in preschool (notational and phonological awareness) in the relationship between HLE&P and reading and writing skills shown by the same children in primary school using a large-scale dataset. A total of 115 children (mean-age at last year of preschool = 4.88 ± 0.36) took part in the research. In preschool, children performed emergent literacy tasks and their parents completed a home literacy questionnaire. Later, in primary school, children completed standardized assessments of spelling (orthographic accuracy and fluency in a dictation task) and reading decoding (accuracy and speed in a text reading task) skills. The results of mediational analyses showed that notational awareness totally mediates the relationship between HLE&P and reading speed (𝛽= − 0.17, p < 0.05) and writing accuracy (𝛽=0.10, p < 0.05), but not for reading accuracy in primary school. The mediational model with phonological awareness as mediator was not significant. The results are discussed in the light of the effect of preschool in contributing to filling children’s home literacy gaps and disadvantages. In preschool, emergent literacy programs are essential to counterbalance the needs of preschoolers to develop adequate reading and writing skills when the family cannot provide enriched HLE&P from the early years of life.
Multidisciplinary Conservative Treatment Outcomes of in-Patient Physiotherapy Set-Up Among Patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation in Dhaka City, Bangladesh: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study

Background The study aimed to determine the outcome of Multidisciplinary physiotherapist-led conservative treatment of lumbar disc herniation at an in-patient set-up of a specialized spine center in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of 228 cases completing treatment and follow-up sessions. The outcome was evaluated as pain at rest and five different functional positions, neurological recovery, and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes during discharge and follow-up. Results 80.3% had a complete recovery with a typical motor and sensory status, no limitations in straight leg raise (SLR), no cauda equina symptom (CES), and no or <3 pain during more than 30 minutes of daily living activities. Statistically significant changes were noted at all outcome measures at the follow-up (day 90), compared to baseline (day 1) P<0.01. In the posthoc tests, pain, SLR, and CES had the most significant improvement at discharge (day 12) compared to the baseline (P < 0.01) and at follow-up compared to discharge (P < 0.01). No major adverse events noted. Conclusion Physiotherapist-led in-patient treatment results in significant resting and functional pain outcomes in 12 days. Also, the improvements in neurological recovery and normalizing disc position are statistically significant in 90 days.
ED visits, hospital admissions and treatment breaks in head/neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

Objectives Radiation therapy (RT) is an integral part of treatment of head/neck cancer (HNC) but is associated with many toxicities. We sought to evaluate sociodemographic, pathologic, and clinical factors associated with emergency department (ED) visits, hospital admissions (HA), and RT breaks in HNC patients undergoing curative-intent RT. Methods We completed a Level 3 (Oxford criteria for evidence-based medicine) analysis of a cohort of HNC patients who underwent curative-intent RT at our institution from 2013 to 2017. We collected demographic characteristics and retrospectively assessed for heavy opioid use, ED visits or HA during RT as well as RT breaks. Treatment breaks were defined as total days to RT fractions ratio ≥1.6. Multivariable stepwise logistic regression analyses were done to determine the association of various sociodemographic, pathologic, and clinical characteristics with ED visits, HA and RT treatment breaks. Results The cohort included 376 HNC patients (294 male, 82 female, median age 61). On multivariable analysis, significant factors associated with ED visits during RT were heavy opioid use and black race. Receipt of concomitant chemotherapy was the only factor associated with hospital admissions during RT. Advanced age, lower socioeconomic class, glandular site, and receipt of chemotherapy were all independently associated with RT breaks. Lower cancer stage and lack of substance abuse history were independently associated with lack of treatment breaks. Conclusion HNC patients with factors such as heavy opioid use, Black race, receipt of concomitant chemotherapy, and lower socioeconomic class may require closer monitoring during RT.
Intraband relaxation time in quantum-well lasers

Intraband relaxation time, which causes spectral broadening of optical gain and spontaneous emission spectra, is estimated theoretically for quantum-well lasers. Carrier-carrier and carrier-longitudinal-optical (LO) phonon scattering mechanisms are considered, and it is shown that hole-hole, electron-hole, and hole-LO phonon scattering are dominant in spectral broadening. Intraband relaxation time determined by all of these mechanisms increases slightly with the decrease of well width. The dependence of intraband relaxation time on temperature, carrier density, and energy of electron and hole is also shown. Spectral line shape is discussed as an extension of the above calculation, and an approximated formula is given. >
Scintillation of VHF/UHF and L band satellite signals at Guam

An investigation of the equatorial scintillation of satellite signals at 257.55 and 1541.5 MHz for about 10° and 50° elevation angles is reported. Diurnal and seasonal variations are shown for the two frequencies and the two elevation angles. A periodicity in the occurrence of the scintillation was observed and is attributed to the gravitational field of the moon. It is proposed that the moon's gravity may affect the occurrence and intensity of equatorial scintillation by modulating the velocity of the zonal winds at ionospheric heights. An additional possible contribution to the periodic variation in the scintillation is a periodic variation which occurred in the geomagnetic activity during the first half of the year.
Bi-modal Structure and Variability of Large-Scale Diabatic Heating in the Tropics

Abstract Tropical diabatic heating profiles estimated using sounding data from eight field campaigns were diagnosed to document their common and prevailing structure and variability that are relevant to the large-scale circulation. The first two modes of a rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis—one deep, one shallow—explain 85% of the total variance of all data combined. These two modes were used to describe the heating evolution, which led to three composited heating profiles that are considered as prevailing large-scale heating structures. They are, respectively, shallow, bottom heavy (peak near 700 hPa); deep, middle heavy (peak near 400 hPa); and stratiform-like, top heavy (heating peak near 400 hPa and cooling peak near 700 hPa). The amplitudes and occurrence frequencies of the shallow, bottom-heavy heating profiles are comparable to those of the stratiform-like, top-heavy ones. The sequence of the most probable heating evolution is deep tropospheric cooling to bottom-heavy heating, to middle.
Regional Climate–Weather Research and Forecasting Model

The CWRF is developed as a climate extension of the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) by incorporating numerous improvements in the representation of physical processes and integration of external (top, surface, lateral) forcings that are crucial to climate scales, including interactions between land, atmosphere, and ocean; convection and microphysics; and cloud, aerosol, and radiation; and system consistency throughout all process modules. This extension inherits all WRF functionalities for numerical weather prediction while enhancing the capability for climate modeling. As such, CWRF can be applied seamlessly to weather forecast and climate prediction. The CWRF is built with a comprehensive ensemble of alternative parameterization schemes for each of the key physical processes, including surface (land, ocean), planetary boundary layer, cumulus (deep, shallow), microphysics, cloud, aerosol, and radiation, and their interactions. This facilitates the use of an optimized physics ensemble approac.
Genetic Characterization of a Novel Equus caballus Papillomavirus Isolated from a Thoroughbred Mare

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are small, non-enveloped viruses, ubiquitous across the animal kingdom. PVs induce diverse forms of infection, such as cutaneous papillomas, genital papillomatosis, and carcinomas. During a survey on the fertility status of a mare, a novel Equus caballus PV (EcPV) has been identified using Next Generation Sequencing, and it was further confirmed with genome-walking PCR and Sanger sequencing. The complete circular genome 7607 bp long shares 67% average percentage of identity with EcPV9, EcPV2, EcPV1, and EcPV6, justifying a new classification as Equus caballus PV 10 (EcPV10). All EcPV genes are conserved in EcPV10, and phylogenetic analysis indicates that EcPV10 is closely related to EcPV9 and EcPV2, genus Dyoiota 1. A preliminary EcPV10 genoprevalence study, carried out on 216 horses using Real Time PCRs, suggested a low incidence of this isolate (3.7%) compared to EcPVs of the same genus such as EcPV2 and EcPV9 in the same horse population. We hypothesize a transmission mechanism different from the one observed in the closely related EcPV9 and EcPV2 that particularly infect Thoroughbreds. This horse breed is usually submitted to natural mating, thus indicating a possible sexual diffusion. No differences were detected for breeds in terms of susceptibility to EcPV10. Further studies are needed to investigate the molecular mechanisms behind the host and EcPV10 infection to explain the reduced viral spread.
Promoting Behaviors to Mitigate the Effects of Climate Change: Using the Extended Parallel Process Model at the Personal and Collective Level in China

ABSTRACT This study explored strategies to help mitigate the effects of climate change among members of the Chinese public by broadening the extended parallel process model (EPPM) to the personal and collective levels. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was designed to examine the effects of threat (personal vs. societal), efficacy (personal vs. collective), and climate change beliefs (high vs. low) on participants’ personal intention to help mitigate the effects of climate change. A total of 421 Chinese citizens participated in this experimental study. The results reveal significant main effects of threat, efficacy, and climate change beliefs on personal mitigation intentions. Moreover, individuals who perceived high personal threat and high collective efficacy toward climate change reported the highest intention to take personal actions to mitigate the effects of climate change, regardless of the participants’ levels of climate change beliefs.
Response of Human Gingival Fibroblasts and Porphyromonas gingivalis to UVC-Activated Titanium Surfaces

Ultraviolet (UV) photofunctionalization has been demonstrated to synergistically improve the osteoblast response and reduce biofilm formation on titanium (Ti) surfaces. However, it remains obscure how photofunctionalization affects soft tissue integration and microbial adhesion on the transmucosal part of a dental implant. This study aimed to investigate the effect of UVC (100–280 nm) pretreatment on the response of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. g.) to Ti-based implant surfaces. The smooth and anodized nano-engineered Ti-based surfaces were triggered by UVC irradiation, respectively. The results showed that both smooth and nano-surfaces acquired super hydrophilicity without structural alteration after UVC photofunctionalization. UVC-activated smooth surfaces enhanced the adhesion and proliferation of HGFs compared to the untreated smooth ones. Regarding the anodized nano-engineered surfaces, UVC pretreatment weakened the fibroblast attachment but had no adverse effects on proliferation and the related gene expression. Additionally, both Ti-based surfaces could effectively inhibit P. g. adhesion after UVC irradiation. Therefore, the UVC photofunctionalization could be more potentially favorable to synergistically improve the fibroblast response and inhibit P. g. adhesion on the smooth Ti-based surfaces.
Vibration analysis of single lap adhesive joint: Experimental and analytical investigation

An analytical model to study the coupled transverse and longitudinal vibrations of a single lap adhesive joint is described in this paper, which includes partial differential form of the motion equations. A joint consists of two identical adherents of mild steel that are lap jointed over a certain length by a viscoelastic material, epoxy resin (araldite). Adherents are modeled as Euler-Bernoulli free-free beam. Both transverse and axial deformation of adherents and longitudinal shear and transverse peel stresses at the adhesive joint interface are considered in deriving the equations of motion. The numerical solutions of the governing equations for free vibrations yield the system’s natural frequency and mode shapes. Experimentation was carried out on both monolithic and adhesively jointed beams to observe the effect of the joint; natural frequencies of the system were measured experimentally and compared with those obtained theoretically. The fundamental frequency of a free-free jointed beam was more sensitive to joint overlap ratio. However natural frequency depended on the accelerometer location in the system, which was attributed to its mass contribution to the overall system mass. Theoretical frequency response function is generated for a beam with and without accelerometer mass to show the mass loading effect of the transducer (accelerometer).
Stability of stratified flow of large depth over finite-amplitude topography

The flow of a Boussinesq density-stratified fluid of large depth past the algebraic mountain (‘Witch of Agnesi’) is studied in the hydrostatic limit using the asymptotic theory of Kantzios & Akylas (1993). The upstream conditions are those of constant velocity and Brunt–Väisälä frequency. On the further assumptions that the flow is steady and there is no permanent alteration of the upstream flow conditions (no upstream influence), Long's model (Long 1953) predicts a critical amplitude of the mountain (ε = 0.85) above which local density inversions occur, leading to convective overturning. Linear stability analysis demonstrates that Long's steady flow is in fact unstable to infinitesimal modulations at topography amplitudes below this critical value, 0.65 [lsim ] ε < 0.85. This instability grows at the expense of the mean flow and may be attributed to a discrete spectrum of modes that become trapped over the mountain in the streamwise direction. The transient problem is also solved numerically, mimicking impulsive startup conditions. In the absence of instability, Long's steady flow is reached. For topography amplitudes in the unstable range 0.65 [lsim ] ε < 0.85, however, the flow fluctuates about Long's steady state over a long timescale; there is no significant upstream influence and no evidence of transient wave breaking is found for ε [les ] 0.75.
Dietary protein to starch metabolizable energy ratios alter growth performance and gastrointestinal microbiota of calves

The diet structure is very important for the growth and development of calves. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary protein-to-starch metabolizable energy ratios (DPSRs) on growth performance, blood index, and gastrointestinal microbiota of calves. Forty-eight Holstein bull calves were fed six dietary DPSRs including A20-35 (20% CP and 35% starch), B20-30, C20-25, D22-35, E22-30, and F22-25 at d 4 to d 60, and then changed to another six dietary DPSRs at d 61 to d 180 (A18-30, B18-27, C18-24, D20-30, E20-27, and F20-24). Twelve calves (d 60) from groups A20-35, C20-25, D22-35, and F22-25 (n = 3) and another twelve calves (d 180) from groups A18-30, C18-24, D20-30, and F20-24 (n = 3) were euthanized. The growth performance parameters were measured. Blood, ruminal fluid, and cecum digesta were collected for further analysis. Results showed heart girth gain of B18-27 was significantly higher than A18-30, C18-24, and heart girth gain (d 180) was significantly affected by protein × starch (DPSRs; p < 0.05). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN; d 60) in C20-25 was significantly higher than A20-35 and B20-30 (p < 0.05). The BUN (d 180) in D20-30 was significantly higher than A18-30 (p < 0.05). The BUN was significantly affected by protein × starch (p < 0.05) on d 60. The albumin (ALB) levels in C20-25 and C18-24 were significantly higher than that in A20-35 on d 60 and A18-30 on d 180, respectively (p < 0.05). The ALB level in D22-35 on d 60 and E20-27 on d 180 was significantly higher than that in other groups (p < 0.05). The ALB level was significantly affected by protein and starch, respectively, on d 60 (p < 0.05). In the rumen, the genera Roseburia (C20-25) and Dialister (D22-35), Prevotellaceae UCG-001 (C18-24), Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-002, and Anaerovorax (F20-24) were found in significant higher relative abundances than those in other groups (p < 0.05). In the cecum, the genera Bacteroides and Eisenbergiella (F22-25), Ruminiclostridium_1 and Candidatus Stoquefichus (A18-30), Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-004 and Tyzzerella 4 (D20-30), and Prevotellaceae UCG-003 and Klebsiella (F20-24) were found in significant higher abundances than those in other groups (p < 0.05). Collectively, these results indicated that the heart girth, BUN, ALB, and gastrointestinal microbiota responded distinctly to differing DPSRs.