Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rayleigh Waves in Phononic Crystal Made of Multilayered Pillars: Confined Modes, Fano Resonances, and Acoustically Induced Transparency

We present a design of phononic crystal based on pillars distributed on a substrate surface in which each pillar is constructed by a periodic stacking of PMMA and silicon layers. The pillar behaves like a one-dimensional phononic crystal which allows the creation of band gaps that prohibits wave propagation along the pillar. Thanks to this property, we show that confined modes are produced at the pillar-substrate interface which couples with surface acoustic waves (SAW) and causes their attenuation. Furthermore, by tailoring a defect inside the phononic pillar, we reveal the possibility to create confined cavity modes inside the band gap which can strongly couple with SAW. The cavity modes can be excited by SAW and the coupling produces sharp SAW transmissions. Additionally, we demonstrate that the coupling between the cavity modes and the confined modes at the pillar-substrate interface can give rise to a Fano-like resonance. We also evidence the possibility of generating an acoustic analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency for SAW with high transmission in a narrow bandwidth. The system presents perspectives for the design of high quality-factor phononic excitation for optomechanic devices and phonon circuits based on SAW manipulation.
Observational Constraints on the Progenitors of Core-Collapse Supernovae: The Case for Missing High-Mass Stars

Abstract Over the last 15 years, the supernova community has endeavoured to directly identify progenitor stars for core-collapse supernovae discovered in nearby galaxies. These precursors are often visible as resolved stars in high-resolution images from space-and ground-based telescopes. The discovery rate of progenitor stars is limited by the local supernova rate and the availability and depth of archive images of galaxies, with 18 detections of precursor objects and 27 upper limits. This review compiles these results (from 1999 to 2013) in a distance-limited sample and discusses the implications of the findings. The vast majority of the detections of progenitor stars are of type II-P, II-L, or IIb with one type Ib progenitor system detected and many more upper limits for progenitors of Ibc supernovae (14 in all). The data for these 45 supernovae progenitors illustrate a remarkable deficit of high-luminosity stars above an apparent limit of logL/L⊙ ≃ 5.1 dex. For a typical Salpeter initial mass function, one would expect to have found 13 high-luminosity and high-mass progenitors by now. There is, possibly, only one object in this time- and volume-limited sample that is unambiguously high-mass (the progenitor of SN2009ip) although the nature of that supernovae is still debated. The possible biases due to the influence of circumstellar dust, the luminosity analysis, and sample selection methods are reviewed. It does not appear likely that these can explain the missing high-mass progenitor stars. This review concludes that the community’s work to date shows that the observed populations of supernovae in the local Universe are not, on the whole, produced by high-mass (M ≳ 18 M⊙) stars. Theoretical explosions of model stars also predict that black hole formation and failed supernovae tend to occur above an initial mass of M ≃ 18 M⊙. The models also suggest there is no simple single mass division for neutron star or black-hole formation and that there are islands of explodability for stars in the 8–120 M⊙ range.The observational constraints are quite consistent with the bulk of stars above M ≳ 18 M⊙ collapsing to form black holes with no visible supernovae.
Comprehensive analysis of nanodiamond evidence relating to the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis

During the end of the last glacial period in the Northern Hemisphere near 12.9k cal a BP, deglacial warming of the Bølling–Ållerod interstadial ceased abruptly and the climate returned to glacial conditions for an interval of about 1300 years known as the Younger Dryas stadial. The Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis proposes that the onset of the Younger Dryas climate reversal, Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions and disappearance of the Clovis paleoindian lithic technology were coeval and caused by continent‐wide catastrophic effects of impact/bolide events in North America. While there are no known impact structures dated to the Younger Dryas onset, physical evidence of the impact/bolide events is argued to be present in sediments spanning several continents at stratigraphic levels inferred to date to the Bølling‐Ållerod/Younger Dryas boundary (YDB). Reports of nanometer to submicron‐sized diamonds in YDB sediments, in particular the rare 2H hexagonal polytype of diamond, lonsdaleite, have been presented as strong evidence for shock processing of crustal materials. We review the available data on diamonds in sediments and provide new data. We find no evidence for lonsdaleite in YDB sediments and find no evidence of a spike in nanodiamond concentration at the YDB layer to support the impact hypothesis.
Color Gradients along the Quiescent Galaxy Sequence: Clues to Quenching and Structural Growth

This Letter examines how the sizes, structures, and color gradients of galaxies change along the quiescent sequence. Our sample consists of ∼400 quiescent galaxies at 1.0 ≤ z ≤ 2.5 and in three CANDELS fields. We exploit deep multi-band Hubble Space Telescope imaging to derive accurate mass profiles and color gradients, then use an empirical calibration from rest-frame UVJ colors to estimate galaxy ages. We find that—contrary to previous results—the youngest quiescent galaxies are not significantly smaller than older quiescent galaxies at fixed stellar mass. These “post-starburst” galaxies only appear smaller in half-light radii because they have systematically flatter color gradients. The strength of color gradients in quiescent galaxies is a clear function of age, with older galaxies exhibiting stronger negative color gradients (i.e., redder centers). Furthermore, we find that the central mass surface density Σ1 is independent of age at fixed stellar mass, and only weakly depends on redshift. This finding implies that the central mass profiles of quiescent galaxies do not significantly change with age; however, we find that older quiescent galaxies have additional mass at large radii. Our results support the idea that building a massive core is a necessary requirement for quenching beyond z = 1, and indicate that post-starburst galaxies are the result of a rapid quenching process that requires structural change. Furthermore, our observed color gradient and mass profile evolution supports a scenario where quiescent galaxies grow inside-out via minor mergers.
ON SPACES OF TYPE A (K) AND THEIR DUALS

Let K be a compact Choquet simplex and A (K) the space of all continuous real-valued affine functions on K. Then A (K) is a partially ordered Banach space with the Riesz Decomposition Property and the dual A (K)* of A (K) is an L-space [I5 ]. In particular, if X is a compact Hausdorff space, then C(X) =A (K) where K is the compact convex set of probability measures on X in the weak*-topology [2 . In this paper certain relations between K, A (K) and A (K)* are studied. For example under certain conditions on K, A(K)* is a space of the type l1(D) if and only if the set Ke of extreme points of K contains no nonempty compact perfect subsets. The results presented here generalize some of the results in [6] and [13 ]. A sufficient condition for A (K) to have the Dieudonne property is also presented.
The Unintended Consequences of an Algebra-for-All Policy on High-Skill Students

In 1997, Chicago implemented a policy that required algebra for all ninth-grade students, eliminating all remedial coursework. This policy increased opportunities to take algebra for low-skill students who had previously enrolled in remedial math. However, little is known about how schools respond to the policy in terms of organizing math classrooms to accommodate curricular changes. The policy unintentionally affected high-skill students who were not targeted by the policy—those who would enroll in algebra in its absence. Using an interrupted time-series design combined with within-cohort comparisons, this study shows that schools created more mixed-ability classrooms when eliminating remedial math classes, and peer skill levels declined for high-skill students. Consequently, their test scores also declined.
Demographics, Clinical Characteristics, and Management of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension in Kuwait: A Single-Center Experience

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) affects predominantly obese females during their reproductive age period. The demographics of this condition has not been studied in Kuwait before. Objectives: To determine the demographics, clinical features, risk factors, and treatment modalities of IIH in the main neurology tertiary referral hospital in Kuwait and to compare our data with literature. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to identify cases of IIH seen between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2018. Patients were diagnosed in and referred from the neurology and neuro-ophthalmology clinics. Results: Our cohort consisted of 139 patients. We estimated a crude annual incidence rate of IIH of 3.28 per 100,000 population. Female-to-male ratio was 9.6:1. Mean age was 32.1 ± 10.8 years. Mean age of males was 31.46 ± 12.63 and that of females was 32.11 ± 10.67. The median of the duration from the first symptoms till diagnosis was 6 weeks (2–10 weeks). Headache was the most common symptom in 134 (96.4%) patients, followed by visual disturbances in 85 (61.2%) patients, transient visual obscurations (TVOs) in 84 (60.4%) patients, pulsatile tinnitus in 72 (51.8%) patients, diplopia in 22 (15.8%) patients, other symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, radicular neck, and back pain) in 19 (13.7%) patients, and 1 (0.7%) patient had facial weakness. High body mass index (BMI) was seen in 89.9% of patients, either overweight or obese, and it was the most common risk factors in both males (46.2%) and females (61.1%). Anemia was found in 38.1%; 21.6% of patients used OCPs and 7.9% used vitamin A. Bilateral transverse sinus stenosis (BTSS) was detected in 47 (33.8%) patients. Only 2 (1.4%) patients developed “fulminant IIH” characterized by rapidly progressive disease. All the patients received medical treatment and only 12 (8.6%) needed surgical management. Conclusion: Incidence of IIH in Kuwait is similar to other regional studies but higher than Western studies. Demographics and clinical features of IIH in our study are comparable to international and regional figures. Most of our patients had a benign course. IIH is more prevalent in females and strongly associated with obesity.
Distinct Residential and Infiltrated Macrophage Populations and Their Phagocytic Function in Mild and Severe Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage

Neonatal brain injury, especially severe injury induced by hypoxia-ischemia (HI), causes mortality and long-term neurological impairments. Our previous study demonstrated activation of CD11b+ myeloid cells, including residential microglial cells (MGs) and infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) in a murine model of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD), with unknown functions. Here, we study the differences in the phagocytic function of MGs and MDMs to clarify their potential roles after HIBD. HI was induced in 9–10-day postnatal mice. On days 1 and 3 after injury, pathological and neurobehavioral tests were performed to categorize the brain damage as mild or severe. Flow cytometry was applied to quantify the dynamic change in the numbers of MGs and MDMs according to the relative expression level of CD45 in CD11b+ cells. CX3CR1GFPCCR2RFP double-transformed mice were used to identify MGs and MDMs in the brain parenchyma after HIBD. Lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1), toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), CD36, and transforming growth factor (TGF-β) expression levels were measured to assess the underlying function of phagocytes and neuroprotective factors in these cells. The FITC-dextran 40 phagocytosis assay was applied to examine the change in phagocytic function under oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro. We found that neonatal HI induced a different degree of brain damage: mild or severe injury. Compared with mildly injured animals, mice with severe injury had lower weight, worse neurobehavioral scores, and abnormal brain morphology. In a severely injured brain, CD11b+ cells remarkably increased, including an increase in the MDM population and a decrease in the MG population. Furthermore, MDM infiltration into the brain parenchyma was evident in CX3CR1GFPCCR2RFP double-transformed mice. Mild and severe brain injury caused different phagocytosis-related responses and neuroprotective functions of MDMs and MGs at 1 and 3 days following HI. The phagocytic function was activated in BV2 cells but downregulated in Raw264.7 cells under OGD in vitro. These observations indicate that neonatal HI induced different degrees of brain injury. The proportion of infiltrated macrophage MDMs was increased and they were recruited into the injured brain parenchyma in severe brain injury. The resident macrophage MGs proportion decreased and maintained activated phagocytic function in both mild and severe brain injury, and restored neuroprotective function in severe brain injury.
Teacher Candidates Talking (but Not Talking) About Dis/ability and Race in Preschool

In educational contexts, including early childhood settings, ableism and racism circulate interdependently to define normalcy and deviance. Book reading offers an important platform for dismantling these interlocking ideologies with young children. In this article, we examine dis/ability and race talk in the context of picture-book reading, analyzing the ways four white, nondisabled teacher candidates attempted to discursively resist deficit-based framings of dis/ability and race with small groups of young children in preschool classrooms. Findings revealed how—despite stated intentions to advance educational justice—teacher candidates drew on discourse models that reinforced status quo notions of normativity. We argue that understanding how teacher candidates navigate dis/ability and race talk with young children in the context of literacy instruction can lend insight into the teacher education experiences needed to support these critical conversations.
Development of the Instrument to assess the Credibility of Effect Modification Analyses (ICEMAN) in randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND: Most randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses of RCTs examine effect modification (also called a subgroup effect or interaction), in which the effect of an intervention varies by another variable (e.g., age or disease severity). Assessing the credibility of an apparent effect modification presents challenges; therefore, we developed the Instrument for assessing the Credibility of Effect Modification Analyses (ICEMAN). METHODS: To develop ICEMAN, we established a detailed concept; identified candidate credibility considerations in a systematic survey of the literature; together with experts, performed a consensus study to identify key considerations and develop them into instrument items; and refined the instrument based on feedback from trial investigators, systematic review authors and journal editors, who applied drafts of ICEMAN to published claims of effect modification. RESULTS: The final instrument consists of a set of preliminary considerations, core questions (5 for RCTs, 8 for meta-analyses) with 4 response options, 1 optional item for additional considerations and a rating of credibility on a visual analogue scale ranging from very low to high. An accompanying manual provides rationales, detailed instructions and examples from the literature. Seventeen potential users tested ICEMAN; their suggestions improved the user-friendliness of the instrument. INTERPRETATION: The Instrument for assessing the Credibility of Effect Modification Analyses offers explicit guidance for investigators, systematic reviewers, journal editors and others considering making a claim of effect modification or interpreting a claim made by others.
Transnational togetherness through Rela: Chinese queer women’s practices for maintaining ties with the homeland

In the context of global migration, diaspora’s use of digital media to maintain transnational connections has become a focus of intense research. By deploying the walkthrough method and semi-structured in-depth interviews, this study explores the transnational practices of Chinese queer women living in Australia for maintaining digital connections with queer women communities in China through Rela, a Chinese lesbian social app. Rela live streaming is innovatively used by Chinese queer women in Australia to maintain diverse transnational relationships, including friendships with streamers and viewers, and romantic relationships with their partners. Rela groups have also become vital spaces through which diasporic Chinese queer women connect with the Rela queer women community. Nevertheless, although the use of Rela diversifies Chinese queer women’s diasporic life and helps them gain a sense of belonging, it reduces their participation in local queer activities and limits their interactions with queer women communities in Australia.
Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization and Amino Acid Foliar Sprays on the Quality and Yield of Leucospermum cordifolium cv. Tango

A b s t r a c t K e y w o r d s The protea cultivar Tango of the species Leucospermum cordifolium (L.) suffers a long pause in its growth produced by the stress of cutting the flowers. N fertilizers boost plants development and free amino acids applications have a preventing and recovering effect of plant stress. Taking into account these properties, Tango plants have been treated with both kinds of substances in the field to verify their effect on the pause. The treatments consisted of 25 g of N per plant and 6 cL per L of Aminoquelant K (amino acids mixture) per year (Treatment 1), and 35 g of N per plant and 6 cL per L of Aminoquelant K per year (Treatment 2). The experiment followed a randomized block design with four replications per treatment. Potassium, Ca, Mg and Mn showed higher foliar concentrations in plants of Treatment 2. Foliar N content increased significantly in Summer and then decreased considerably, which implies that N applications should be made at the middle of the vegetative cycle. Treatment 2 resulted in statistically wider diameter and higher fresh weight of the flower buds in comparison with those of the Treatment 1. Removal of N and P, as well as chlorophyll content of lower leaves, increased with higher N fertilization and amino acid d oses.
Health care inequality, patient mobility and welfare

This paper justifies unequal health care quality in a model with two regions and patients differentiated by location and quality perception. There are two efficient regimes of health care quality provision. In the presence of high travel and quality provision costs, qualities should be equal. Reducing these costs results in unequal distribution of quality in effective solution. High health care inequality under a centralised solution is better for the majority of the population as well as for both regions, if the costs are sufficiently low. Market equilibrium implements an efficient solution only when there are high travel and quality provision costs.
The Effect of Extensive and Intensive Reading on Iranian EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Size and Depth

This study investigated the effect of Extensive and Intensive Reading on Iranians’ EFL learners’ vocabulary size and depth. To this end, 120 participants studying English as a foreign language at Omid English Language Centre were chosen based on their Oxford Quick Placement Test (2004) scores. They were divided into two groups, intermediate and advanced. Then the students in each group were randomly further divided into two groups, one receiving Intensive Reading treatment, while the other Extensive Reading treatment. Two types of vocabulary test—Schmidt’s Vocabulary Levels Test (2001) and Read's Word Associates Test (1998) were administered. Each was run twice, once before the treatment (IR/ER) as a pretest and once after the treatment as a post-test to check the effects of the two treatments on vocabulary size and depth of the participants. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed that both IR and ER have an impact on learners' vocabulary size and depth significantly and that the students' vocabulary knowledge in terms of size and depth had increased. Moreover, the students at the intermediate level took more advantage of IR than ER, but in the advanced group the students benefited more from ER than IR. Finally the study demonstrated that reading both intensively and extensively can lead to vocabulary development in a way that the number of vocabulary which each learner knows in terms of each word's synonym, antonym and collocation will be improved significantly.
PROGRESS AND APPLICATION OF ENGINEERED CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITES

Engineered cementitious composite (ECC) is a fiber reinforced cement based composite material systematically designed on the basis of micromechanics and engineered to achieve high ductility under tensile and shear loading. ECC as an emerging con- struction material is overviewed. Emphasis is placed on the accumulated knowledge on durability, safety, and sustainability of rein- forced ECC (R/ECC) structures, recognizing that the concrete of the future must meet these characteristics. In light of recent and fu- ture full-scale field applications of ECC, the limited studies on long-term performance of ECC are also summarized.
Climatic imprint of the mid-latitude Westerlies in the Central Tian Shan of Kyrgyzstan and teleconnections to North Atlantic climate variability during the last 6000 years

In general, a moderate drying trend is observed in mid-latitude arid Central Asia since the Mid-Holocene, attributed to the progressively weakening influence of the mid-latitude Westerlies on regional climate. However, as the spatio-temporal pattern of this development and the underlying climatic mechanisms are yet not fully understood, new high-resolution paleoclimate records from this region are needed. Within this study, a sediment core from Lake Son Kol (Central Kyrgyzstan) was investigated using sedimentological, (bio)geochemical, isotopic, and palynological analyses, aiming at reconstructing regional climate development during the last 6000 years. Biogeochemical data, mainly reflecting summer moisture conditions, indicate predominantly wet conditions until 4950 cal. yr BP, succeeded by a pronounced dry interval between 4950 and 3900 cal. yr BP. In the following, a return to wet conditions and a subsequent moderate drying trend until present times are observed. This is consistent with other regional paleoclimate records and likely reflects the gradual Late Holocene diminishment of the amount of summer moisture provided by the mid-latitude Westerlies. However, climate impact of the Westerlies was apparently not only restricted to the summer season but also significant during winter as indicated by recurrent episodes of enhanced allochthonous input through snowmelt, occurring before 6000 cal. yr BP and at 5100–4350, 3450–2850, and 1900–1500 cal. yr BP. The distinct ~1500-year periodicity of these episodes of increased winter precipitation in Central Kyrgyzstan resembles similar cyclicities observed in paleoclimate records around the North Atlantic, likely indicating a hemispheric-scale climatic teleconnection and an impact of North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) variability in Central Asia.