Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anthropometric and Metabolic Parameters to Detect Insulin Resistance in Children

Background: The pathological state of insulin resistance (IR) is closely related to obesity. Insulin sensitivity, therefore, could be permanently impacted by genetic disorders, steroids, or growth hormonal treatment. Objective: Measuring the specificity and sensitivity of several cutoff points in order to determine insulin resistance in pediatric community depending on anthropometric and metabolic characteristics. Methods: 107 children between the ages of seven to eleven years participated in this cross-sectional survey, of whom 53 had obesity, 22 had overweight, and 32 had adequate nutrition as determined by body mass index (BMI) for age. BMI, hip and waist circumference measurements, the conicity index, and the percent of body fat were all measured. Fasting samples of blood had been used to assess the levels of triglyceridemia, glycemia, and insulinemia. Using the 90 th percentage as the cutoff point, the glycemic homeostatic approach was used to assess insulin resistance. Results : For such entire sample, the values were: insulinemia = 0.97 (0.97-0.98), 18.5 μUmL -1 ; fat mass proportion = 0.86 (0.79-0.93), 41.1%; BMI = 0.88 (0.81-0.95), 23.67 kgm 2-1 ; waist circumference = 0.86 (0.77-0.94), 76.0 cm; glycemia = 0.69 (0.52-0.86), 86.0 mgdL -1 ; triglyceridemia = 0.76 (0.64-0.88). For the entire sample, triglyceridemia was 114.0 mg/dL -1 and conicity index was 0.67 (0.48-0.85), 1.21; for the obese subgroup, these values were insulinemia of 0.97 (0.96-0.98), 19.52 μUmL -1 , body fat percentage of 0.74 (0.62-0.87), 42.0%, BMI of 0.76 (0.62-0.90), 24.51 kg/m 2-1 , waist circumference of 0.75 (0.59-0.90). Conclusions: Utilizing the cutoff points with the optimal specificity and sensitivity for the prediction method, anthropometric and metabolic markers seem to have strong predictive potential for insulin resistance in children aged between seven to eleven years old.
Update: Precision D_s decay constant from full lattice QCD using very fine lattices

We update our previous determination of both the decay constant and the mass of the D s meson using the highly improved staggered quark formalism. We include additional results at two finer values of the lattice spacing along with improved determinations of the lattice spacing and improved tuning of the charm and strange quark masses. We obtain m Ds = 1.9691(32) GeV, in good agreement with experiment, and f Ds = 0.2480(25) GeV. Our result for f Ds is 1. 6σ lower than the most recent experimental average determined from the D s leptonic decay rate and using V cs from Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa unitarity. Combining our f Ds with the experimental rate we obtain a direct determination of V cs = 1.010(22), or alternatively 0.990 +0.013 -0.016 using a probability distribution for statistical errors for this quantity which vanishes above 1. We also include an accurate prediction of the decay constant of the η c , f ηc = 0.3947(24) GeV, as a calibration point for other lattice calculations.
Fast, High-Precision Optical Polarization Synthesizer for Ultracold-Atom Experiments

We present a novel approach to precisely synthesize arbitrary polarization states of light with a high modulation bandwidth. Our approach consists of superimposing two laser light fields with the same wavelength, but with opposite circular polarizations, where the phase and the amplitude of each light field are individually controlled. We find that the polarization-synthesized beam reaches a degree of polarization of 99.99%, which is mainly limited by static spatial variations of the polarization state over the beam profile. We also find that the depolarization caused by temporal fluctuations of the polarization state is about 2 orders of magnitude smaller. In a recent work, Robens et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 065302 (2017)] demonstrated an application of the polarization synthesizer to create two independently controllable optical lattices, which trap atoms depending on their internal spin state. We here use ultracold atoms in polarization-synthesized optical lattices to give an independent, in situ demonstration of the performance of the polarization synthesizer.
Relationship Between Exclusive Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Mothers’ Practices

Women have an essential need for the encouragement of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) practices. These practices enhance the mother’s Exclusive Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy (EBFSE). Objective: Explore the relationship between EBFSE and mothers’ practices. Settings: Three governmental MCHs in East district- San Stefano, Middle district- Ambrozio and Muharram Bey, as well as Gomrok district- Al-Hajjari. Subjects: A convenient sample of 580 lactating mothers. Tools: Two tools were used. The first tool is namely Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale to Measure Exclusive Breastfeeding (BSES-EBF). The second one is called an observational checklist regarding mothers’ breastfeeding practices. Results: Nearly half of the lactating mothers got a high level of total EBFSE whereas less than half of them had a low level. Unfortunately, about three-quarters of mothers had an unsatisfactory level in their total maternal BF practices. Conclusion: EBFSE has a positive very strong correlation with mothers’ practices regarding EBF. Recommendations: Conducting educational sessions regarding effective BF techniques and proper management of its difficulties is mandatory for Health Care Providers (HCPs), and pregnant as well as lactating mothers.
The faint 2011 outburst of the black hole X-ray binary candidate MAXI J1543−564

We report on a spectral-timing analysis of the black hole X-ray binary candidate MAXI J1543−564 during its 2011 outburst. All 99 pointed observations of this outburst obtained with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) were included in our study. We computed the fundamental diagrams commonly used to study black hole transients, and fitted power density and energy spectra to study the spectral and timing parameters along the outburst. The determination of timing parameters and hence of exact transitions between different states was hampered by the rather low count rate at which this outburst was observed. We detected two periods of exponential decay, one after the source was brightest, which was interrupted by several flares, and another one during the high soft state. The detection of these decays allowed us to obtain an estimate for the source distance of at least 8.5 kpc. This leaves two possible explanations for the observed low count rate; either the source has a distance similar to that of other black hole X-ray binary candidates and it is intrinsically faint, or it has a similar luminosity, but is located more than 12 kpc away from us. Furthermore, in the high/soft state the source spectrum appears to be completely disc dominated.
On the optically-thick winds of Wolf-Rayet stars

(abridged) The strong winds of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars are important for the mechanical and chemical feedback of the most massive stars and determine whether they end their lives as neutron stars or black holes. In this work we investigate theoretically the mass-loss properties of H-free WR stars of the nitrogen sequence (WN stars). We connect stellar structure models for He stars with wind models for optically-thick winds and assess how both types of models can simultaneously fulfill their respective sonic-point conditions. Fixing the outer wind law and terminal wind velocity, we obtain unique solutions for the mass-loss rates of optically-thick, radiatively-driven winds of WR stars in the phase of core He-burning. The resulting mass-loss relations as a function of stellar parameters, agree well with previous empirical relations. Furthermore, we encounter stellar mass limits below which no continuous solutions exist. While these mass limits agree with observations of WR stars in the Galaxy, they are in conflict with observations in the LMC. While our results confirm in particular the slope of oft-used empirical mass-loss relations, they imply that only part of the observed WN population can be understood in the framework of the standard assumptions of a smooth transonic flow and compact stellar core. This means that alternative approaches, such as a clumped and inflated wind structure, or deviations from the diffusion limit at the sonic point may have to be invoked. Qualitatively, the existence of mass limits for the formation of WR-type winds may be relevant for the non-detection of low-mass WR stars in binary systems, which are believed to be progenitors of Type Ib/c supernovae. The sonic-point conditions derived in this work may provide a possibility to include optically-thick winds in stellar evolution models in a more physically motivated form than in current models.
Environmental effects on halo abundance and weak lensing peak statistics towards large underdense regions

The cosmic microwave background (CMB) contains an anomalous cold spot with a surrounding hot ring, known as the Cold Spot. Inoue & Silk proposed that this feature could be explained by postulating a supervoid: if such a large underdense region exists, then the growth of matter perturbing around the spot might differ from the average value in the Universe and the differences might affect weak lensing analysis of peak statistics. To investigate environmental effects on halo number count and peak statistics, we used a publicly available ray-tracing simulation for a box size of 2250 h−1 Mpc on a side. We found that the number count for massive haloes towards the largest underdense region in the simulation decreases and the corresponding significance of the difference, based on a cosmic average, is ≥3σ. On the basis of the results of peak statistics analysis, the number of high peaks decreases with the decrement of massive haloes, but the number of low peaks increases with the lack of matter in the line of sight. The highest significance of the decrement in peak counts in large underdense regions is 5σ in the total signal-to-noise ratio. Our result implies that environmental effects on halo abundance and weak lensing peak statistic can be used to probe the presence and properties of supervoids.
A Numerical Study of Boson Star Binaries

This thesis describes a numerical study of binary boson stars within the context of an approximation to general relativity. The approximation we adopt places certain restrictions on the dynamical variables of general relativity (conformal flatness of the 3-metric), and on the time-slicing of the spacetime (maximal slicing). The resulting modeling problem requires the solution of a coupled nonlinear system of 4 hyperbolic, and 5 elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs) in three space dimensions and time. We approximately solve this system as an initial-boundary value problem, using finite difference techniques and well known, computationally efficient numerical algorithms such as the multigrid method in the case of the elliptic equations. Careful attention is paid to the issue of code validation, and a key part of the thesis is the demonstration that, as the basic scale of finite difference discretization is reduced, our numerical code generates results that converge to a solution of the continuum system of PDEs as desired. The thesis concludes with a discussion of results from some initial explorations of the orbital dynamics of boson star binaries. In particular, we describe calculations in which motion of such a binary is followed for more than two orbital periods, which is a significant advance over previous studies. We also present results from computations in which the boson stars merge, and where there is evidence for black hole formation.
Assessment Of Left Ventricular Systolic Function By Speckle Tracking Echocardiography In Young Hypertensive Patients

Background: Tissue Speckle Tracking examines speckle aberrations in an echo picture to determine myocardial contractility and relaxation. Reflections, refraction, and dispersion of echo beams generate speckles. Aim of the study: The purpose of this research was to use speckled tracking echocardiography to identify subclinical left ventricular failure in young hypertension individuals who had normal systolic function by 2D echocardiography. Patients and Methods: The research included 30 hypertensive patients with preserved ejection fraction referred to cardiology department at AL azhar University hospital for echocardiography assessment and 20 controls. All patients were assessed clinically followed by M-Mode and 2D echocardiography assessment, pulsed wave Doppler mitral inflow as well as offline speckle tracking echocardiography. Result: Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure measurements, conventional tissue Doppler, and strain echocardiography were compared between the two groups. Body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular end diastolyic dimension, interventricular septal diameter, posterior wall diameter, relative wall thickness, left ventricular mass index, end diastolic volume, E/, left atrial diameter, aortic diameter, left atrial volume index, normal systolic velocity of tissue doppler mitral inflow, and GLS . The control group had a considerably greater systolic velocity (p=0.013). In comparison to the hypertension group, GLS was considerably greater in the control group (-21.25± 1.18 vs -19.18±1.66, p=0.001). Conclusion: The final result of the research recommends comprehensive longitudinal stress assessment and tissue Doppler imaging for all newly discovered arterial hypertension patients or patients with arterial hypertension who have normal ejection fraction and suffer from shortness of breath.
Serological Evidence of Exposure to Saint Louis Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses in Horses of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Infections with arboviruses are reported worldwide. Saint Louis encephalitis (SLEV) and West Nile viruses (WNV) are closely related flaviviruses affecting humans and animals. SLEV has been sporadically detected in humans, and corresponding antibodies have been frequently detected in horses throughout Brazil. WNV was first reported in western Brazil over a decade ago, has been associated with neurological disorders in humans and equines and its prevalence is increasing nationwide. Herein, we investigated by molecular and serological methods the presence or evidence of SLEV and WNV in equines from Rio de Janeiro. A total of 435 serum samples were collected from healthy horses and tested for specific neutralizing antibodies by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT90). Additionally, serum and central nervous system samples from 72 horses, including horses with neurological disorders resulting in a fatal outcome or horses which had contact with them, were tested by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for both viruses. Adopting the criterion of four-fold antibody titer difference, 89 (20.4%) horses presented neutralizing antibodies for SLEV and five (1.1%) for WNV. No evidence of SLEV and WNV infection was detected by RT-qPCR and, thus, such infection could not be confirmed in the additional samples. Our findings indicate that horses from Rio de Janeiro were exposed to both SLEV and WNV, contributing to the current knowledge on the distribution of these viruses flaviviruses in Brazil.
X-RAY ANALYSIS OF THE PROPER MOTION AND PULSAR WIND NEBULA FOR PSR J1741-2054

We obtained six observations of PSR J1741-2054 using the Chandra ACIS-S detector totaling ∼300 ks. By registering this new epoch of observations to an archival observation taken 3.2 yr earlier using X-ray point sources in the field of view, we have measured the pulsar proper motion at &mgr; = 109 ± 10 mas yr − 1 ? > in a direction consistent with the symmetry axis of the observed Hα nebula. We investigated the inferred past trajectory of the pulsar but find no compelling association with OB associations in which the progenitor may have originated. We confirm previous measurements of the pulsar spectrum as an absorbed power law with photon index Γ = 2.68 ± 0.04, plus a blackbody with an emission radius of (4.5 − 2.5 + 3.2 ) d 0.38 ? > km, for a DM-estimated distance of 0.38 d 0.38 ? > kpc and a temperature of 61.7 ± 3.0 eV. Emission from the compact nebula is well described by an absorbed power law model with a photon index of Γ = 1.67 ± 0.06, while the diffuse emission seen as a trail extending northeast of the pulsar shows no evidence of synchrotron cooling. We also applied image deconvolution techniques to search for small-scale structures in the immediate vicinity of the pulsar, but found no conclusive evidence for such structures.
CO J = 2–1 EMISSION FROM EVOLVED STARS IN THE GALACTIC BULGE

We observe a sample of eight evolved stars in the Galactic bulge in the CO J = 2–1 line using the Submillimeter Array with angular resolution of 1″–4″. These stars have been detected previously at infrared wavelengths, and several of them have OH maser emission. We detect CO J = 2–1 emission from three of the sources in the sample: OH 359.943 +0.260, [SLO2003] A12, and [SLO2003] A51. We do not detect the remaining five stars in the sample because of heavy contamination from the galactic CO emission. Combining CO data with observations at infrared wavelengths constraining dust mass loss from these stars, we determine the gas-to-dust ratios of the Galactic bulge stars for which CO emission is detected. For OH 359.943 +0.260, we determine a gas mass-loss rate of 7.9 (±2.2) × 10−5 M☉ yr−1 and a gas-to-dust ratio of 310 (±89). For [SLO2003] A12, we find a gas mass-loss rate of 5.4 (±2.8) × 10−5 M☉ yr−1 and a gas-to-dust ratio of 220 (±110). For [SLO2003] A51, we find a gas mass-loss rate of 3.4 (±3.0) × 10−5 M☉ yr−1 and a gas-to-dust ratio of 160 (±140), reflecting the low quality of our tentative detection of the CO J = 2–1 emission from A51. We find that the CO J = 2–1 detections of OH/IR stars in the Galactic bulge require lower average CO J = 2–1 backgrounds.
Sunyaev-Zel'dovich observations of a statistically complete sample of galaxy clusters with OCRA-p

We present 30-GHz Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) observations of a statistically complete sample of galaxy clusters with the One Centimetre Receiver Array-prototype (OCRA-p). The clusters are the 18 most X-ray luminous clusters at z > 0.2 in the ROSAT Brightest Cluster Sample. We correct for contaminant radio sources via supplementary observations with the Green Bank Telescope, also at 30 GHz, and remove a cluster that is contaminated by an unresolved X-ray source. All 17 remaining clusters have central SZ effects with Comptonization parameter y 0 exceeding 1.9 �? 10 -4 , and 13 are detected at significance �? �3�? We use our data to examine scalings between y 0 and X-ray temperature, X-ray luminosity and the X-ray mass proxy Y X , and find good agreement with predictions from self-similar models of cluster formation, with an intrinsic scatter in y 0 of about 25 per cent. We also comment on the success of the observations in the face of the contaminant source population, and the implications for upcoming cm-wave surveys.
Research discourse in the programme for international student assessment: A critical perspective

More than 20 years after the first round of the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), it has become one of the most important large-scale international assessments, at a global level and in particular in Europe. Thus, a growing number of scholars have examined or discussed its research design. Nonetheless, a key feature of PISA seems to have been less examined by critical works: the discourse of the research in the PISA literature. Indeed, the PISA reports appear to be scientific literature, both in textual form and in terms of the intentions expressed. Based on the reports published by the OECD since 1999, this article examines, in line with the French tradition of discourse analysis, the characteristics of research writing in PISA and the explanations of its conceptual approach, test design or result analysis. This analysis shows the differences between the research discourse in PISA and typical scientific rhetoric, particularly in terms of constructing a contradictory theoretical dialogue or a discussion of the limits of its approach. Finally, the article questions how these differences indicate a particular construction of education research within PISA and its possible relationship with the global or European dynamics of this scientific field.
Statistical properties of dark matter mini-haloes at z ≥ 15

Understanding the formation of the first objects in the Universe critically depends on knowing whether the properties of small dark matter structures at high redshift (z ≥ 15) are different from their more massive lower-redshift counterparts. To clarify this point, we performed a high-resolution N-body simulation of a cosmological volume 1 h−1 Mpc comoving on a side, reaching the highest mass resolution to date in this regime. We make precision measurements of various physical properties that characterize dark matter haloes (such as the virial ratio, spin parameter, shape, and formation times, etc.) for the high-redshift (z ≥ 15) dark matter mini-haloes we find in our simulation, and compare them to literature results and a moderate-resolution comparison run within a cube of side-length 100 h−1 Mpc. We find that dark matter haloes at high-redshift have a log-normal distribution of the dimensionless spin parameter centred around λ ¯ ∼0.03 λ¯∼0.03 , similar to their more massive counterparts. They tend to have a small ratio of the length of the shortest axis to the longest axis (sphericity), and are highly prolate. In fact, haloes of given mass that formed recently are the least spherical, have the highest virial ratios, and have the highest spins. Interestingly, the formation times of our mini-haloes depend only very weakly on mass, in contrast to more massive objects. This is expected from the slope of the linear power spectrum of density perturbations at this scale, but despite this difference, dark matter structures at high-redshift share many properties with their much more massive counterparts observed at later times
SIRIUS B IMAGED IN THE MID-INFRARED: NO EVIDENCE FOR A REMNANT PLANETARY SYSTEM

Evidence is building that remnants of solar systems might orbit a large percentage of white dwarfs, as the polluted atmospheres of DAZ and DBZ white dwarfs indicate the very recent accretion of metal-rich material. Some of these polluted white dwarfs are found to have large mid-infrared excesses from close-in debris disks that are thought to be reservoirs for the metal accretion. These systems are coined DAZd white dwarfs. Here we investigate the claims of Bonnet-Bidaud & Pantin that Sirius B, the nearest white dwarf to the Sun, might have an infrared excess from a dusty debris disk. Sirius B's companion, Sirius A, is commonly observed as a mid-infrared photometric standard in the Southern hemisphere. We combine several years of Gemini/T-ReCS photometric standard observations to produce deep mid-infrared imaging in five ∼10 μm filters (broad N + four narrow band), which reveal the presence of Sirius B. Our photometry is consistent with the expected photospheric emission such that we constrain any mid-infrared excess to ≲10% of the photosphere. Thus, we conclude that Sirius B does not have a large dusty disk, as seen in DAZd white dwarfs.