Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multipactor-Triggering Powers’ Modelling of a WEST ICRH Antenna During RF Conditioning

During radio frequency (RF) conditioning of the ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) system on WEST, under vacuum, pressure rises are measured inside the antennas. A proposed hypothesis for the cause of this phenomenon is multipactor, an electron multiplication process taking place in RF devices under vacuum. Modelling multipactor conditions in a resonant antenna, i.e., under high standing wave (SW) ratio, requires particular precautions. This article proposes a methodology to determine the multipactor conditions in such a context. Using the proposed approach, the operational conditions, expressed as the generator’s RF powers, of the appearance of multipactor inside a WEST ICRH antenna during its RF conditioning under vacuum, are deduced. Calculations are performed for two different surface states: when the surface is baked but nonconditioned, and when it is baked and fully conditioned. For the nonconditioned surface state, it is shown that when only one side of the under-conditioning ICRH antenna is powered, the off-mode side is prone to multipactor when its capacitors are tuned. Detuning the capacitors on the off-mode side suppresses almost the multipactor on the nonpowered side for the frequency range of interest. Moreover, it is shown that the fully conditioned antenna surface state can suppress the appearance of multipactor in some regions of the antenna.
A Novel Role for UNC119 as an Enhancer of Synaptic Transmission

Mammalian UNC119 is a ciliary trafficking chaperone highly expressed in the inner segment of retinal photoreceptors. Previous research has shown that UNC119 can bind to transducin, the synaptic ribbon protein RIBEYE, and the calcium-binding protein CaBP4, suggesting that UNC119 may have a role in synaptic transmission. We made patch-clamp recordings from retinal slices in mice with the UNC119 gene deleted and showed that removal of even one gene of UNC119 has no effect on the rod outer segment photocurrent, but acted on bipolar cells much like background light: it depolarized membrane potential, decreased sensitivity, accelerated response decay, and decreased the Hill coefficient of the response–intensity relationship. Similar effects were seen on rod bipolar-cell current and voltage responses, and after exposure to bright light to translocate transducin into the rod inner segment. These findings indicate that UNC119 deletion reduces the steady-state glutamate release rate at rod synapses, though no change in the voltage dependence of the synaptic Ca current was detected. We conclude that UNC119, either by itself or together with transducin, can facilitate the release of glutamate at rod synapses, probably by some interaction with RIBEYE or other synaptic proteins rather than by binding to CaBP4 or calcium channels.
Biofilm Formation on the Surfaces of CAD/CAM Dental Polymers

Dental polymers are now available as monolithic materials which can be readily used in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems. Despite possessing numerous advantages over conventionally produced polymers, the polymers produced by either of these systems fail to exhibit immunity to surface microbial adhesion when introduced into the oral environment, leading to the development of oral diseases. The aim of this study was to analyze the biofilm formation of six microorganisms from the oral cavity and its correlation to the surface characteristics of CAD/CAM dental polymers. A total of ninety specimens were divided into three groups: resin-based composite, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyether ether ketone. The experimental procedure included surface roughness and water contact angle measurements, colony forming unit counting, and scanning electron microscopy analysis of biofilm formed on the surface of the tested materials. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, with a Dunn’s post hoc analysis, and one way analysis of variance, with a Tukey’s post hoc test; the correlation between the measurements was tested using Spearman’s correlation coefficient, and descriptive statistics were used to present the data. Despite using the same manufacturing procedure, as well as the identical manufacturer’s finishing and polishing protocols, CAD/CAM dental polymers revealed significant differences in surface roughness and water contact angle, and the increased values of both parameters led to an increase in biofilm formation on the surface of the materials. The CAD/CAM resin-based composite showed the lowest number of adhered microorganisms compared to CAD/CAM polymethyl methacrylate and CAD/CAM polyether ether ketone.
Chromosome Asynapsis Is the Main Cause of Male Sterility in the Interspecies Hybrids of East Asian Voles (Alexandromys, Rodentia, Arvicolinae)

Closely related mammalian species often have differences in chromosome number and morphology, but there is still a debate about how these differences relate to reproductive isolation. To study the role of chromosome rearrangements in speciation, we used the gray voles in the Alexandromys genus as a model. These voles have a high level of chromosome polymorphism and substantial karyotypic divergence. We investigated testis histology and meiotic chromosome behavior in the captive-bred colonies of Alexandromys maximowiczii, Alexandromys mujanensis, two chromosome races of Alexandromys evoronensis, and their interracial and interspecies hybrids, to explore the relationship between karyotypic differences and male hybrid sterility. We found that the seminiferous tubules of the males of the parental species and the interracial hybrids, which were simple heterozygotes for one or more chromosome rearrangements, contained germ cells at all stages of spermatogenesis, indicating their potential fertility. Their meiotic cells displayed orderly chromosome synapsis and recombination. In contrast, all interspecies male hybrids, which were complex heterozygotes for a series of chromosome rearrangements, showed signs of complete sterility. Their spermatogenesis was mainly arrested at the zygotene- or pachytene-like stages due to the formation of complex multivalent chains, which caused extended chromosome asynapsis. The asynapsis led to the silencing of unsynapsed chromatin. We suggest that chromosome asynapsis is the main cause of meiotic arrest and male sterility in the interspecies hybrids of East Asian voles.
Behavioral assessment of auditory processing in adulthood: population of interest and tests - a systematic review

ABSTRACT Purpose To identify the behavioral tests used to assess auditory processing throughout adulthood, focusing on the characteristics of the target population as an interest group. Research strategies PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scielo, databases were searched with descriptors: “auditory perception” or “auditory perception disorders” or “auditory processing” or “central auditory processing” or “auditory processing disorders” or “central auditory processing disorders” with adults OR aging. Selection criteria Studies with humans included, the adult population from 18 to 64 years old, who performed at least one behavioral test to assess auditory processing in the absence of hearing loss. Data analysis Data extraction was performed independently, using a protocol developed by the authors that included different topics, mainly the behavioral auditory tests performed and the results found. Results Of the 867 records identified, 24 contained the information needed to answer the survey questions. Conclusion Almost all studies were conducted verify performance in one or two auditory processing tests. The target target population was heterogeneous, with the most frequent persons with diabetes, stuttering, auditory processing disorder, and noise exposure. There is little information regarding benchmarks for testing in the respective age groups.
How can psychoeducation help in the treatment of mental disorders?

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to introduce psychoeducation as a strategy for building information on mental health, as well as to discuss its potential contribution to the decision of seeking treatment, treatment adherence, and decrease of mental disorder symptoms. Method: For this purpose, a narrative review of the literature was performed. Results: Results showed that psychoeducation contributes to the search for treatment by informing individuals that their suffering is the result of a treatable disorder rather than personal characteristics. Subsequently, it contributes to treatment adherence by communicating how it works and what results are expected. This contribution of psychoeducation to treatment adherence seems to reduce the symptoms of the disorder, i.e., the symptoms decrease because the individual is engaged in the treatment. Conclusion: We conclude that psychoeducation acts as a “gateway” for seeking treatment and treatment adherence, consequently decreasing symptoms.
MRT Trains Mobility Tracking Using LoRa Network

This study aims to develop a smart monitoring sys-tem for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) system in the Philippines using the LoRa network. A sensor node consisting of the Arduino MKR1300, NEO6M GPS module, and the A3144 hall effect sensor were developed to achieve this. This sensor node sends packets containing the train’s position and speed to the RAK7246 gateway. To test the system, two automotive vehicles were utilized that resemble trains. The authors measured the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values at increasing distances to determine the capabilities of LoRa when implemented in the MRT system. From here, they found out that the maximum distance with an RSSI value between -30 dBm to -120 dBm is approximately 700 m. Additionally, they also measured the RSSI values for different train simulations, such as when two trains are stationary, two trains are going past each other, and one train is leaving a station while the other is parked or stationary. The results show that adjacent nodes do not cause interference with each other, as there is no effect on the RSSI values for both. Furthermore, a Passenger Information Display System (PIDS), which shows information about the trains, such as their speed, position relative to the stations, and the estimated time of arrival to their destination, was also developed. The PIDS incorporates different algorithms for different train scenarios, such as switching lanes or going underground and losing GPS signals. The delay between the actual arrival of the train and the indicated arrival on the app was also measured; the results showed that the average delay was only 3.9 seconds indicating that the system was responsive.
Measurement of the ttbb production cross-section with 8 TeV ATLAS data

This thesis presents the measurement of the tt̄bb̄ production cross-section, using a dataset of 20.3 fb−1 of pp collisions collected with the ATLAS detector at √ s = 8 TeV. The measurement is based on a cut-and-count method, using a sample of events with exactly four b-tagged jets, which is shown to have a high purity in signal events. The measurement exploits the most precise jet energy scale and b-tagging calibrations and is performed in a fiducial phase space that is designed to minimize the model dependence of the measurement. The fiducial cross-section is measured to be σfid tt̄bb̄ = 18.9± 3.5 (stat) −5.5 (sys)± 0.6 (Lumi) fb (1) or subtracting the contribution from tt̄H(bb̄) and tt̄Z(bb̄) final states, σ tt̄bb̄ = 17.8± 3.5 (stat) −5.7 (sys)± 0.6 (Lumi) fb. (2) The result is compared with a multitude of theoretical predictions, including different NLO calculations matched to a parton shower, which constitute the most precise predictions available to date, as well as with a series of models that differ in the description of the g → bb̄ splitting. It is shown that the most extreme g → bb̄ splitting model overestimates the observed rate of tt̄bb̄ production and that the measurement favors calculations performed with renormalization/factorization scales which are softer than the scales usually employed in similar calculations.
The Probability of Legislative Shirking: Estimation and Validation

We introduce a binomial mixture model for estimating the probability of legislative shirking. The estimated probability strongly correlates with the observed frequency of shirking obtained by matching parliamentary roll-call votes with the will of the median voter revealed in national referenda on identical legislative proposals. Since our estimation method requires the roll-call votes as sole input, it can be used even if the will of the median voter is unknown.
Analysis of AV1 Arithmetic Decoder Design Space with a Novel Multi-Boolean Approach

Video processing is a constant necessity given the wide consumption of video content in nowadays society. Due to that fact, video coding formats or standards are suitable tools to address the huge data amount generated by them. In this context, the AV1 format is a recent alternative, being able to efficiently encode video, and intended to be royalty-free when compared to its competitors. The first step of the decoding is the arithmetic decoder, which is composed of two types of symbols' alphabets, namely CDF and Boolean. To improve throughput without major degradation in the overall performance, an option is to process multiple Boolean symbols in parallel since this kind of alphabet is simpler to be handled. Therefore, this paper introduces a novel Multi-Boolean Approach for the AV1 Arithmetic Decoder design. An analysis using multiple in-parallel Boolean symbols is performed within different hardware architectures from the literature. In conclusion, the best trade-off choice is pointed out to be the two Boolean in-parallel processing, tethered to a multi-cycle AV1 arithmetic decoder circuit.
Sharp Inequalities for Driving Point Impedance Functions

In this brief, positive real functions are considered as driving point impedance functions, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Z(s)$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, which are utilized in electrical engineering for characteristic representation of circuits. Accordingly, for the real part of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Z(s)$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, sharp inequalities are presented with their extremal functions by using zeros and poles of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Z(s)$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. For these extremal functions, corresponding generic circuit schematics are given with their spectral analyses. According to the obtained results, it has been shown that various circuits can be obtained by using the extremal functions of the inequalities presented in this brief.
Experimental Investigations on the Deformation and Breakup of Hundred-Micron Droplet Driven by Shock Wave

This study examines the process of a 240 µm droplet breakup under a shock wave through experiments using a double-pulse laser holographic test technique on a shock tube. The technique allowed for high-resolution data to be obtained at the micron-nanosecond level, including the Weber number distribution of deformation and breakup modes for droplets of different sizes and loads. Results were compared with larger droplets at the same Weber number, revealing that higher Weber numbers result in more difficulty in droplet breakup, longer deformation times, and increased deformation behavior. At low Weber numbers within the critical range, changes in droplet diameter affect the Rayleigh–Taylor waves and alter the droplet’s characteristics. The study also investigates the laws and reasons behind windward displacement variation for hundred-micron droplets at different Weber numbers over time.
Could an event of extreme drought (2019-2020) affect the feeding ecology of Bubo magellanicus (Gmelin 1788) (Strigiformes: Strigidae) in a Mediterranean region of Chile?

Global warming generates changes in environmental conditions, affecting the spatial-temporal dynamics of precipitation and temperature. Droughts, events of low rainfall, are becoming more frequent and severe. In central Chile, from 2010 to date, an unprecedented drought event has developed, affecting the ecosystem and creating pressure on the dynamics of food webs. The present study analysed the trophic ecology of Bubo magellanicus, a top predator in the Mediterranean region of Chile, between 2019 and 2020 a period with a rainfall deficit of 72.6%. Our results established a diet mainly described by invertebrates (97.75%), in particular by the Gramnostola rosea spider (87.86%), and a low contribution of small vertebrates (2.24%). The trophic niche breadth (B = 0.37) and the standardised Levin’s index (BSTA = 0.01) are the lowest recorded in the species B. magellanicus. A comparative analysis of trophic ecology with other studies developed in the same region established significant differences in the composition of the diet (frequency of occurrence of prey unit). This work provides evidence that droughts and other extreme environmental scenarios restructure the food webs of an ecosystem, with direct consequences on the trophic niche of the species, specifically top predators.
Spectral theory of ordinary and partial linear dierential operators on nite intervals

ii Abstract A new, unified transform method for boundary value problems on linear and integrable nonlinear partial differential equations was recently introduced by Fokas. We consider initialboundary value problems for linear, constant-coefficient evolution equations of arbitrary order on a finite domain. We use Fokas’ method to fully characterise well-posed problems. For odd order problems with non-Robin boundary conditions we identify sufficient conditions that may be checked using a simple combinatorial argument without the need for any analysis. We derive similar conditions for the existence of a series representation for the solution to a well-posed problem. We also discuss the spectral theory of the associated linear two-point ordinary differential operator. We give new conditions for the eigenfunctions to form a complete system, characterised in terms of initial-boundary value problems.A new, unified transform method for boundary value problems on linear and integrable nonlinear partial differential equations was recently introduced by Fokas. We consider initialboundary value problems for linear, constant-coefficient evolution equations of arbitrary order on a finite domain. We use Fokas’ method to fully characterise well-posed problems. For odd order problems with non-Robin boundary conditions we identify sufficient conditions that may be checked using a simple combinatorial argument without the need for any analysis. We derive similar conditions for the existence of a series representation for the solution to a well-posed problem. We also discuss the spectral theory of the associated linear two-point ordinary differential operator. We give new conditions for the eigenfunctions to form a complete system, characterised in terms of initial-boundary value problems. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii Acknowledgements My first thanks go to my supervisor, Beatrice Pelloni. This work depends upon the guidance and encouragement she offered. Her scholarship and dedication has been an inspiration in my studies. I gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Les Bunce, Brian Davies and Jim Langley have all offered me invaluable advice during my studies and suggested fruitful routes of investigation for which I am very grateful. My wife, Chloe, has been tireless in her support and kindness throughout my research and the preparation of this thesis. I thank her for understanding as I worked long hours and neglected housework, I thank her for the comfort she offered me when proofs came slowly but, above all, I thank her for sharing my happiness in successes. Through her love and devotion, this work has been possible. Finally, thank you to my parents and brothers, Simon, Janet, Edward and Michael. Without their support and encouragement throughout my life I would not have been in a position to take on this study.
Integrated Control of Fatty Acid Metabolism in Heart Failure

Disrupted fatty acid metabolism is one of the most important metabolic features in heart failure. The heart obtains energy from fatty acids via oxidation. However, heart failure results in markedly decreased fatty acid oxidation and is accompanied by the accumulation of excess lipid moieties that lead to cardiac lipotoxicity. Herein, we summarized and discussed the current understanding of the integrated regulation of fatty acid metabolism (including fatty acid uptake, lipogenesis, lipolysis, and fatty acid oxidation) in the pathogenesis of heart failure. The functions of many enzymes and regulatory factors in fatty acid homeostasis were characterized. We reviewed their contributions to the development of heart failure and highlighted potential targets that may serve as promising new therapeutic strategies.
Flowers and Inflorescences of Selected Medicinal Plants as a Source of Triterpenoids and Phytosterols

Steroids and triterpenoids are compounds valued for their various biological and pharmacological properties; however, their content in medicinal and edible plants is often understudied. Flowers have been consumed since the ancient times as a part of traditional cuisine and as alternative medicines. Currently, the interest in medicinal and edible flowers is growing since contemporary consumers are incessantly seeking innovative natural sources of bioactive compounds. The aim of this report was the GC-MS (gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis of steroid and triterpenoid content in flowers, inflorescences and leaves of several plants (Berberis vulgaris L., Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC. , Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill. , Rosa rugosa Thunb. , Sambucus nigra L. and Vinca minor L. ), applied in herbal medicine in various forms, including isolated flowers (Flos), inflorescences (Inflorescentia) or aerial parts (Herba, i.e., combined flowers, leaves and stems). The most abundant source of triterpenoids was V. minor flowers (6.3 mg/g d.w.), whereas the steroids were prevailing in P. vulgaris flowers (1.8 and 1.1 mg/g). The profiles of triterpenoid acids and neutral triterpenoids in C. laevigata and S. nigra inflorescences were particularly diverse, involving compounds belonging to lupane-, oleanane- and ursane-type skeletons. The obtained results revealed that some flowers can constitute an abundant source of phytosterols and bioactive triterpenoids, valuable for utilization in functional foods, dietary supplements and cosmetic products.
An FLL Providing Real-Time Frequency Calibration for OOK Power Oscillator Transmitters

A frequency-locked loop (FLL) is proposed to provide a real-time frequency calibration for OOK power oscillator transmitters. This FLL incorporates a pulse-width detector (PWD) based on Time-Registers (TRs) to discriminate accurately between the carrier frequency and the preset target frequency during the data modulation. As a result, frequency calibration can be performed simultaneously with data modulation without interruption. A prototype of an OOK power oscillator transmitter integrated with the proposed FLL is implemented with onboard discrete electronic elements for demonstration. The measurement indicates that the FLL can accurately lock to a carrier frequency of 160MHz despite electromagnetic (EM) interference in the loop antenna of the transmitter. In contrast, with EM interference and charge leakage, the carrier frequency differs from the expected value by about 1 MHz when the FLL is disabled.