Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spectral and scattering theory for topological crystals perturbed by infinitely many new edges

In this paper, we investigate the spectral and scattering theory for operators acting on topological crystals and on their perturbations. Special attention is paid to perturbations obtained by the addition of an infinite number of edges, and/or by the removal of a finite number of them, but perturbations of the underlying measures and perturbations by the addition of a multiplication operator are also considered. The description of the nature of the spectrum of the resulting operators and the existence and completeness of the wave operators are standard outcomes for these investigations.
Modeling Grazing Effects on Soil-Water Budget Under Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis Vegetation in Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract To better understand the effects of different grazing intensities on soil-water dynamics and its budget in Inner Mongalia, China, five sites, under two representative vegetation types, Leymus chinensis (LC) and Stipa grandis (SG), were investigated: ungrazed sites since 1979, LCUG79 and SGUG79, a winter grazed site (LCWG), a continuously grazed site (SGCG) defined as a moderate grazing intensity, and a heavily grazed site (LCHG). Soil, plant, and meteorological data were collected for use in modeling soil-water content and its budget during growing seasons from 2008 to 2009 using the HYDRUS-1D. The soil-water content in 2010 was simulated using annually averaged values of initial and boundary conditions. Our results showed that grazing reduced total pores and saturated hydraulic conductivity but ungrazed sites benefited from natural recovery. Greater transpiration was observed at the SGCG site when compared with the LCWG and LCHG sites. At the two ungrazed sites, transpiration was greater in the SG region as compared with the LC region. Rainfall reduced the difference between potential and actual evapotranspiration through increasing plant-available water. The simulation of soil water in 2010 using annually averaged parameters was determined to be an acceptable alternative to actual on-site observation. Our data suggest that selection of an appropriate grazing intensity may be possible via simulation modeling for use in making land management decision, especially in the absence of on-site observations as often is the case from such remote regions.
EFFECT OF FAST-SKIN BODY SUIT ON PROPULSION IN FOUR STROKES BY USING INDIRECT MEASUREMENT OF ACTIVE DRAG (IMAD)

The effect of Fast- skin suit compared to conventional swimsuits on propulsion in four strokes in 16 female national-level swimmers was studied. The propulsion was estimated by Indirect Measurement of Active Drag (IMAD). IMAD is an estimate of the overall propulsive drag on a swimmer measured in conditions near maximal speed. Remarkable difference in propulsive force has been obtained for butterfly swim: 15%, while 5.2% was achieved for backstroke. Our findings also showed that Fast-skin effect is more important in breaststroke; 9.5% than in even front crawl; 7.9%. The method has also enabled us to find out the changes in mean velocities; 5.7% for butterfly and 1.8% for back crawl and for maximal velocities 16.5% for butterfly and 3.4% for back crawl.
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF FEON AND FEON- CLUSTERS

The electronic and geometrical structures of the ground and some excited states of the FeOn and FeOn- clusters (n = 1−4) have been calculated using the density-functional theory with generalized gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation potential. It is found that the multiplicity of the ground states decreases with increasing n, and the ground states of FeO- and FeO2- are quartets whereas those of FeO3- and FeO4- are doublets. All of these anions possess isomers with different spatial or spin symmetries that are close in energy to their ground states. For example, FeO4- has at least five stationary states that are stable against electron detachment and fragmentation. Our calculated adiabatic electron affinities (Aad) of FeO, FeO2, and FeO3 are within 0.2 eV of the experiment. FeO4 was found to be a particularly interesting cluster. Although its neutral precursor possesses a closed electronic shell structure, it has an Aad of 3.8 eV, which is higher than the electronic affinity of halogen atoms.
The crystal structure of comancheite, Hg552+N243– (OH,NH2)4(Cl,Br)34, and crystal-chemical and spectroscopic discrimination of N3– and O2– anions in Hg2+ compounds

Abstract The crystal structure of comancheite, Hg552+N243- (OH,NH2)4(Cl,Br)34, orthorhombic, space group Pnnm, a = 18.414(5), b = 21.328(6), c = 6.6976(19) Å, V = 2630(2) Å3, Z = 1, was solved by direct methods and refined to an R1 index of 4.3% based on 4160 unique observed reflections. In the structure of comancheite, there are nine crystallographically distinct Hg2+ cations, each of which is coordinated by two N3- anions to form near-linear N3- -Hg2+-N3- groups. Four other crystallographically distinct Hg2+ cations are coordinated by a mixture of N3-, O2-, (OH)- and (NH2)- anions, and there is a small amount of [Hg-Hg]2+ dimer. In addition, there are eight crystallographically distinct halogen sites, three of which are completely occupied by Cl-, and five of which are occupied by both Cl- and Br-. The principal anion, N3-, shows a strong preference for tetrahedral coordination by Hg2+, which results in a strongly bonded three-dimensional {-Hg2+-N3- -} framework. This framework is both interrupted and contains large interstices that incorporate additional Hg2++ cations, a very small amount of [Hg+-Hg+]2+ dimer and additional anion species, O2-, (OH)- and (NH2)-, that coordinate Hg2+. Comancheite was described originally as an Hg-oxide mineral. The major change in chemical composition indicated by the present work was approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (Voting Proposal 13-B). The presence of N provides some analytical challenges, particularly in the presence of Hg. New bond-valence parameters were derived for Hg2+-N3- bonds [Ro(N3-) = 1.95] using well refined Hg2+ structures, and this allows discrimination between Hg2+-O2- and Hg2+-N3- bonds based on the valence-sum rule. Comparison of the Raman spectra of several Hg-bearing minerals shows that peaks in the range 500-700 cm-1 are characteristic of Hg2+-N3- stretching vibrations whereas peaks in the range 350-500 cm-1 are characteristic of Hg2+-O2- stretching vibrations; Hg2+-O2- and Hg2+-N3- bonds may be discriminated on this basis.
Understanding of Migration of Radiocesium and Radioiodine Based on the Analysis of Their Chemical Species

Yoshio TAKAHASHI, Yoko TOGO, Kazuya TANAKA and Aya SAKAGUCHI Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526 National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Central 7, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8567 Institute for Sustainable Sciences and Development, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8530
The Malaria Pigment Hemozoin Comprises at Most Four Different Isomer Units in Two Crystalline Models: Chiral as Based on a Biochemical Hypothesis or Centrosymmetric Made of Enantiomorphous Sectors

Hemozoin is a crystalline byproduct formed upon hemoglobin digestion in Plasmodium-infected blood cells. Based on X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), hemozoin and its synthetic analogue β-hematin are very similar in structure, consisting of cyclic dimers (cd) of ferriprotoporphyrin IX [Fe(3+)-PPIX] molecules coordinated via Fe–O(propionate) bonds. Enantiofacial symmetry of Fe(3+)-PPIX implies formation of four different stereoisomeric dimers, two centrosymmetric (1), labeled cd11 and cd12, and two enantiomeric, cd2(+) and cd2(−), in which the Fe(3+)PPIX moieties are related by pseudo-2-fold symmetry. Only the cd11 stereoisomer was reported as the repeat unit in the initial structural elucidation of β-hematin and refinement of hemozoin. Our recent study of β-hematin, employing a combination of XRPD and density functional theory (DFT), revealed besides the published phase, characterized in terms of a disordered cd11/cd2(±) mixture, which is diffractionally equivalent to a cd11/cd12 mixture, a minor phas.
Latent Gaussian Count Time Series

Abstract This article develops the theory and methods for modeling a stationary count time series via Gaussian transformations. The techniques use a latent Gaussian process and a distributional transformation to construct stationary series with very flexible correlation features that can have any prespecified marginal distribution, including the classical Poisson, generalized Poisson, negative binomial, and binomial structures. Gaussian pseudo-likelihood and implied Yule–Walker estimation paradigms, based on the autocovariance function of the count series, are developed via a new Hermite expansion. Particle filtering and sequential Monte Carlo methods are used to conduct likelihood estimation. Connections to state space models are made. Our estimation approaches are evaluated in a simulation study and the methods are used to analyze a count series of weekly retail sales. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
A Note on Schoen's Calabi--Yau Threefolds

We study the topology of a real Lagrangian in Schoen’s Calabi–Yau threefold X and compute its mod 2 cohomology using two methods; first via a concrete Mayer– Vietoris calculation, then by an exact sequence relating the mod 2 cohomology of the real Lagrangian to the cohomology of X . We conclude that these two methods agree. This in particular corrects a previous computation made by Castaño-Bernard–Matessi.
Detrimental or beneficial: Role of endothelial ENaC in vascular function

In the past, it was believed that the expression of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) was restricted to epithelial tissues, such as the distal nephron, airway, sweat glands, and colon, where it is critical for sodium homeostasis. Over the past two decades, this paradigm has shifted due to the finding that ENaC is also expressed in various nonepithelial tissues, notably in vascular endothelial cells. In this review, the recent findings of the expression, regulation, and function of the endothelial ENaC (EnNaC) are discussed. The expression of EnNaC subunits is reported in a variety of endothelial cell lines and vasculatures, but this is controversial across different species and vessels and is not a universal finding in all vascular beds. The expression density of EnNaC is very faint compared to ENaC in the epithelium. To date, little is known about the regulatory mechanism of EnNaC. Through it can be regulated by aldosterone, the detailed downstream signaling remains elusive. EnNaC responds to increased extracellular sodium with the feedforward activation mechanism, which is quite different from the Na+ self‐inhibition mechanism of ENaC. Functionally, EnNaC was shown to be a determinant of cellular mechanics and vascular tone as it can sense shear stress, and its activation or insertion into plasma membrane causes endothelial stiffness and reduced nitric oxide production. However, in some blood vessels, EnNaC is essential for maintaining the integrity of endothelial barrier function. In this context, we discuss the possible reasons for the distinct role of EnNaC in vasculatures.
Cytokine filter application in COVID‐19 patients; island of hope for crash and burn patients or future solution for all septic acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients

Cytokine Filter Application in COVID-19 Patients; Island of Hope for Crash and Burn Patients or Future Solution for All Septic Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) PatientsAli Ghodsizad MD, PhD, FACC, FETCS, FACSThe COVID-19 pandemic crisis certainly has challenged the scientific community as well as entire world. While incidence numbers have decreased following expedited vaccination and precautions, still some patients present with COVID 19 related pneumonia and ARDS requiring Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VV ECMO) support to survive.In COVID-19 patients a cytokine release syndrome concomitant with ARDS can lead to overwhelming clinical scenario. Geraci and colleagues report on their single center feasibility study looking at application of the CytosorbTM hemadsorption device which was used as a parallel circuit within the VV ECMO circuit.The authors give evidence for safety and feasibility of the CytosorbTM hemadsorption device use in 10 patients with COVID-19 related ARDS in combination with VV ECMO. They show a reduction of inflammatory markers and cytokines following hemadsorption treatment. The cytokine storm can cause a critical clinical picture of septic shock. Only under high vasopressor and inotropic support end organ perfusion can be maintained. The required invasive pressure ventilation with high PEEP and peak pressure can decrease the intrathoracic venous return further and contributes more to the shock physiology (1). We have to look at inspiring results from current single center experience carefully understanding the evolving nature of COVID-19 related ARDS. Other groups have used plasmapheresis and CVVH modifications in COVID-19 cases. Dominik et al have shown a significant benefit only using hemadsorption comparing to other used protocols (2). We have shown successful application of somatic stem cells in COVID-19 patients on VV ECMO at our center. We could observe a reduction of inflammatory markers following somatic stem cell application (3). COVID 19 ARDS patients who required VV ECMO support, underwent a Pulmonary Artery (PA)-catheter placement and allogenic human stem cell injection into the PA using the PA-catheter as part of our expanded access protocol (3,4). Brouwer and colleagues, another group working with hemadsorption, have actually shown reduced survival in patients undergoing hemadsorption therapy (5). Geraci and colleagues describe their overall VV ECMO survival for COVID 19 related respiratory failure to be > 90%. Others including our center have experienced a much lower survival in that patient population. So patient selection clearly is a key point. The results presented by Geraci and colleagues have to be taken as a pioneering step, which can help in ARDS and septic clinical scenarios with different pathology in future.
Choroidal and Retinal Thickness and Axial Eye Elongation in Chinese Junior Students

Purpose To explore the associations between macular choroidal and retinal thickness and axial elongation in non-myopic and myopic junior students. Methods In this school-based longitudinal observational study, axial length was measured by optical low-coherence reflectometry, and choroidal thickness and retinal thickness were measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Myopia was defined as non-cycloplegic objective spherical equivalent refraction ≤ −0.50 diopters. Structural equation modeling and multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the associations between baseline choroidal and retinal thickness with axial elongation. Results Out of 1307 students examined at baseline in 2017, 1197 (91.58%) returned for follow-up examination in 2018, with a median age of 12.00 years (interquartile range [IQR], 1.00) and included 667 boys (55.72%). Within a 1-year period, the median axial elongation of right eyes was 230 µm (IQR, 180) in boys and 200 µm (IQR, 160) in girls (P = 0.032). The thinner temporal choroidal thickness was associated with greater 1-year axial elongation only in myopic students (β, −0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.37, −0.03), the thinner temporal retinal thickness was associated with greater 1-year axial elongation in both non-myopic (β, −2.67; 95% CI, −4.52, −0.82) and myopic (β, −0.99; 95% CI, −1.68, −0.30) students, after adjustment for sex, age, and height. Subfoveal and nasal choroidal and retinal thickness were not significantly associated with axial elongation in either non-myopic or myopic students. Conclusions A thinner temporal choroid at age 12 years may predict greater 1-year axial elongation in myopic students, and a thinner temporal retina may predict greater 1-year axial elongation in both non-myopic and myopic students. This finding may help to identify children at risk and control axial elongation with potential preventive strategies.
Social Media Usage, Psychosocial Wellbeing and Academic Performance

Psychosocial wellbeing questionnaires were administered to Dire Dawa Polytechnic college students (n, 204) to examine the interrelationship of social media usage, psychosocial wellbeing, and academic performance. The result revealed that male students use social media for the reason of making new relationships and female participants used social media to maintain the relationship, those students who spend more time on Facebook followed by telegram and Whatsapp. Results of the Pearson correlation indicated that the academic performance of students negatively correlated and significantly with social media usage (telegram, Facebook, and Whatsapp), while they are positively correlated with self-esteem. Besides, depression correlated positively with telegram, Facebook, and Whatsapp usage. Facebook usage was significantly and negatively correlated with students' self-esteem and social anxiety. Moreover, female students were low self-esteem and more depressed than male students regarding social media usage. Students who had a low level of social media usage are better in their psychosocial wellbeing than those students who had a high and moderate level of media usage.
Longitudinal Changes in Hippocampal Network Connectivity in Alzheimer's Disease

The hippocampus is connected to 2 distinct cortical brain networks, the posterior–medial and the anterior–temporal networks, involving different medial temporal lobe (MTL) subregions. The aim of this study was to assess the functional alterations of these 2 networks, their changes over time, and links to cognition in Alzheimer's disease.
Expression of Wnt3, β-catenin and MMP-7 in gastric cancer and precancerous lesions and their correlations with Helicobacter pylori infection.

OBJECTIVES To compare the expression of the Wnt signaling-associated proteins (Wnt3, β-catenin, MMP-7) in gastric cancer and precancerous lesions with positive and negative Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori, Hp) infection, and to further explore the mechanisms underlying the Wnt signaling pathway involving in the formation of gastric cancer and its relationship with Hp infection. METHODS The complete paraffin samples with pathologically confirmed diagnosis, who came from the First Hospital of Changsha from January 2018 to April 2020, were collected. All samples were randomly divided into a gastric cancer group (n=57), a precancerous lesion group (n=84), and a chronic superficial gastritis group (n=25). Improved Giemsa staining was used to detect Hp infection, and according the results of Hp infection the above groups were divided into a Hp positive subgroup and a negative subgroup. The expressions of Wnt3, β-catenin and MMP-7 were examined with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The Wnt3, β-catenin, and MMP-7 were highly expressed in the gastric cancer group and the gastric precancerous lesion group. The Wnt3 and MMP-7 were highly expressed in cytoplasm, and β-catenin showed a tendency of cell membrane transferring to cytoplasm and nucleus, which was characterized by "nuclear translocation". The positive rates of the Wnt3, β-catenin, and MMP-7 expressions in the gastric cancer group were higher than those in the precancerous lesion group and the chronic superficial gastritis group (all P<0.05), which showed a gradually increasing trend with the deterioration of differentiation degree. In addition, the expressions of Wnt3, β-catenin, and MMP-7 in the Hp positive subgroup in the gastric cancer group and the precancerous lesion group were higher than those in the Hp negative subgroup (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Aberrant activation of Wnt signaling pathway is involved in the occurrence and development of precancerous lesions and gastric cancer, and which is related with Hp infection. Meanwhile, the Wnt3, β-catenin and MMP-7 may be used as molecular markers for early diagnosis of gastric cancer and indicators to judge the degree of differentiation and malignancy of gastric cancer.
Lower Serum Irisin Levels Are Associated with Increased Osteoporosis and Oxidative Stress in Postmenopausal.

Background Irisin as an exercise-induced myokine was proposed to improve bone health. This study investigated the role of serum irisin (s-irisin) in patients with osteoporosis (OP) through correlating to most biological bone markers and oxidative stress. Methods A cross-sectional study recruited an eligible 175 postmenopausal women at Al-Hussien Teaching Hospital, Iraq. They were scanned by DEXA and stratified into two groups based on T-score; the first 95 patients as control group (GI) with -1 ≤ T-score and the second 80 patients as cases group (GII) with T-score ≤ -2.5. Demographic criteria were age, bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm2) and T-score. Serum irisin, total serum calcium (s-calcium), serum inorganic phosphate (s-phosphate), serum alkaline phosphatase (s-ALP), serum 25 [OH] vitamin D, the serum parathyroid hormone (s-PTH), serum Carboxy terminal collagen crosslinks (CTx), serum procollagen type I C-termidnal peptide (s-PICP), serum malondialdehyde (s-MDA) and serum superoxide dismutase (s-SOD) were collected from blood samples. Results Serum irisin were 31.84 ± 2.65 vs. 20.88 ± 2.71 ng/mL for control and trial groups, respectively. Lower levels of BMD, T-score, 25 [OH] vitamin D, and s-irisin along with a higher serum levels of PTH, CTx, PICP, MDA and SOD were observed in patients with osteoporosis. All parameters were statistically meaningful upon correlation (p< 0.0001), except age and s-calcium (p= 0.0088 and p= 0.187, respectively). Conclusion The results showed that, a significantly lower serum irisin levels among osteoporosis women, was intimately correlated to most bone turnover markers and it can be considered as encouraging results for clinical application in prediction and treatment of osteoporosis.
Dechlorination of 1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene in organic matter- and mineral-dominated soils and effects of Typha latifolia roots

A variety of environments are contaminated with chlorinated benzenes. Therefore, investigating the biodegradation of chlorobenzenes in different types of soils is useful in assessing the feasibility of bioremediation. One mineral-dominated soil: PPI (Petro Processors Inc. site) soil, and three organic matter-dominated soils (natural wetland soil, constructed wetland soil (a mixture of peat, compost and sand), and river sediment) were used to investigate anaerobic biodegradation of 1,2,3,4Tetrachlorobenzene (1,2,3,4-TeCB) using laboratory microcosms. To determine whether methanogens were directly responsible for dechlorination, a comparative study using 2bromoethanesulfonic acid (BES) for inhibition of methanogenesis was conducted. Hydrogen and methane concentrations, and microbial diversities were analyzed. The results of the present study showed that 1,2,3,4-TeCB was completely biodegraded in all test soils with different microbial communities. The most dominant dechlorination pathway was: 1,2,3,4-TeCB 1,2,3-TCB 1,2-DCB + 1,4-DCB + 1,3-DCB monochlorobenezene + benzene. The test chemical was biodegraded at rates ranging from 0.023 day (half-life time of 30.5 days) to 1.108 day (half-life time of 0.6 days), with lag periods varied between 1 and 72 days. Dechlorination kinetics of chlorobenzenes was found to depend on many factors other than organic carbon content. DGGE banding profile, methane concentration and dechlorination activities suggest that BES probably changed the compositions of bacteria consortia, and partly inhibited methanogenesis and chlorobenzene dechlorination. Moreover, methanogens were probably not directly responsible for dechlorination of chlorobenzenes.