Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time and nonlocal realism: Consequences of the before-before experiment

It is argued that recent experiments refuting nonlocal realism, can also be considered as experiments refuting time-ordered nonlocality and, hence, confirming the result of the before-before experiment. However, the before-before experiment provides a broader refutation because it also falsifies the testable relativistic version of Bohm's nonlocal model. All this stresses the interest of a new before-before experiment demonstrating together the failure of time-ordered nonlocality and the violation of the Leggett's inequality.
A systemic study on the vulnerability and fatality of prostate cancer patients towards COVID-19 through analysis of the TMPRSS2, CXCL10 and their co-expressed genes

A pandemic of respiratory disease named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is reported prostate cancer patients are susceptible to COVID-19 infection. To understand the possible causes of prostate cancer patients' increased vulnerability and mortality from COVID-19 infection, we focused on the two most important agents, transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2) and the C-X-C motif 10 (CXCL10). When SARS-CoV-2 binds to the host cell via S protein‒angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor interaction, TMPRSS2 contributes in the proteolytic cleavage of the S protein, allowing the viral and cellular membranes to fuse. CXCL10 is a cytokine found in elevated level in both COVID-19 and cancer-causing cytokine storm. We discovered that TMPRSS2 and CXCL10 are overexpressed in prostate cancer and COVID-19 using the UALCAN and GEPIA2 datasets. The functional importance of TMPRSS2 and CXCL10 in prostate cancer development was then determined by analyzing the frequency of genetic changes in their amino acid sequences using the cBioPortal online portal. Finally, we used the PANTHER database to examine the pathology of the targeted genes. We observed that TMPRSS2 and CXCL10, together with their often co-expressed genes, are important in the binding activity and immune responses in prostate cancer and COVID-19 infection, respectively. Finally, we found that TMPRSS2 and CXCL10 are two putative biomarkers responsible for the increased vulnerability and fatality of prostate cancer patients to COVID-19.
WITNESSING THE BIRTH OF A QUASAR

The coalescence of a supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) is thought to be accompanied by an electromagnetic (EM) afterglow, produced by the viscous infall of the surrounding circumbinary gas disk after the merger. It has been proposed that once the merger has been detected in gravitational waves (GWs) by the Laser Interferometer Space Antennae (LISA), follow-up EM observations can search for this afterglow and thus help identify the EM counterpart of the LISA source. Here, we study whether the afterglows may be sufficiently bright and numerous to be detectable in EM surveys alone. The viscous afterglow is characterized by an initially rapid increase in both the bolometric luminosity and the spectral hardness of the source. For binaries with a total mass of 105–108 M☉, this phase can last for years to decades, and if quasar activity is triggered by the same major galaxy mergers that produce SMBHBs, then it could be interpreted as the birth of a quasar. Using an idealized model for the post-merger viscous spreading of the circumbinary disk and the resulting light curve, and using the observed luminosity function of quasars as a proxy for the SMBHB merger rate, we delineate the survey requirements for identifying such birthing quasars. If circumbinary disks have a high disk surface density and viscosity, an all-sky soft X-ray survey with a sensitivity of FX ≲ 3 × 10−14 erg s-1cm−2, which maps the full sky at least once per several months, could identify a few dozen birthing quasars with a brightening rate of dln FX/dt>10% yr−1 maintained for at least several years. If >1% of the X-ray emission is reprocessed into optical frequencies, several dozen birthing quasars could also be identified in optical transient surveys, such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. Distinguishing a birthing quasar from other variable sources may be facilitated by the monotonic hardening of its spectrum, but will likely remain challenging. This reinforces the notion that observational strategies based on joint EM-plus-GW measurements offer the best prospects for the successful identification of the EM signatures of SMBHB mergers.
Intraspecific trait variability is a key feature underlying high Arctic plant community resistance to climate warming

In the high Arctic, plant community species composition generally responds slowly to climate warming, whereas less is known about the community functional trait responses and consequences for ecosystem functioning. The slow species turnover and large distribution ranges of many Arctic plant species suggest a significant role of intraspecific trait variability in functional responses to climate change. Here we compare taxonomic and functional community compositional responses to a
Adsorption Isotherms and Isosteric Heat of Adsorption of Metal Organic Frameworks as Gas Storage for Liquefied Petroleum Gas Vehicle in Iraq

This research provides a novel technique for using metal organic frameworks (HKUST-1) as a gas storage system for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Iraqi vehicles to avoid the drawbacks of the currently employed method of LPG gas storage. A low-cost adsorbent called HKUST-1 was prepared and characterized in this research to investigate its ability for propane storage at different temperatures (25, 30, 35, and 40 oC) and pressures of (1-7) bar. HKUST-1 was made using a hydrothermal method and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, BET surface area, scanning electron microscopic (SEM), and Fourier Transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The HKUST-1 was produced using a hydrothermal technique and possesses a high crystallinity of up to 97%, surface area 3400 m2/g, and pore volume 0.7 cm3/g. The prepared adsorbent (HKUST-1) tested using volumetric method, the maximum adsorption capacity of propane was (10.499 mmol/g) at a temperature of 298K and a pressure of 7 bar. Furthermore, adsorption isotherm study was conducted to understand the system equilibrium (i.e., the fitting with one of the known models Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models). It was observed that the Freundlich isotherm model fitted well the experimental data. The Clausius-Clapeyron equation was used to determine the heat of adsorption, and the results revealed that the heat of adsorption increased as the propane adsorption capacity increased. The prepared HKUST-1, which has a large surface area and a high adsorption capacity, can be used as a major solution for gas storage for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Iraqi vehicles.
THE MID-IR- AND X-RAY-SELECTED QSO LUMINOSITY FUNCTION

We present the J-band luminosity function (LF) of 1838 mid-infrared and X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the redshift range 0 < z < 5.85. These LFs are constructed by combining the deep multi-wavelength broadband observations from the UV to the mid-IR of the NDWFS Boötes field with the X-ray observations of the XBoötes survey and the spectroscopic observations of the same field by AGES. Our sample is primarily composed of IRAC-selected AGNs, targeted using modifications of the Stern et al. criteria, complemented by MIPS 24 μm and X-ray-selected AGNs to alleviate the biases of IRAC mid-IR selection against z ∼ 4.5 quasars and AGNs faint with respect to their hosts. This sample provides an accurate link between low- and high-redshift AGN LFs and does not suffer from the usual incompleteness of optical samples at z ∼ 3. We use a set of low-resolution spectral energy distribution templates for AGNs and galaxies presented in a previous paper by Assef et al. to model the selection function of these sources and apply host and reddening corrections. We find that the space density of the brightest quasars strongly decreases from z = 3 to z = 0, while the space density of faint quasars is at least flat, and possibly increasing, over the same redshift range. At z>3, we observe a decrease in the space density of quasars of all brightnesses. We model the LF by a double power law and find that its evolution cannot be described by either pure luminosity or pure density evolution, but must be a combination of both. We used the bright-end slope determined by Croom et al. (2QZ) as a prior to fit the data in order to minimize the effects of our small survey area. The bright-end power-law index of our best-fit model remains consistent with the prior, while the best-fit faint-end index is consistent with the low-redshift measurements based on the 2QZ and 2SLAQ surveys. Our best-fit model generally agrees with the number of bright quasars predicted by other LFs at all redshifts. If we construct the QSO luminosity function using only the IRAC-selected AGNs, we find that the biases inherent to this selection method significantly modify the behavior of the characteristic density ϕ*(z) only for z < 1 and have no significant impact upon the characteristic magnitude M*,J(z).
A study of multi-target image-based displacement measurement approach for field testing of bridges

ABSTRACT As the demand for field testing of bridges grows, so does the need to optimize field testing procedures to allow for a simplified testing strategy that can be employed more effectively. With the advent of computer vision, there has been limited research exploring Feature-Based Image Registration (FBIR) methods for structural testing of bridges. In this paper, the potential of a simple FBIR approach to accurately capture submillimeter displacements using consumer-grade cameras will be demonstrated through a field test on a reinforced concrete slab bridge and on a full-scale bridge deck specimen in the laboratory. The internal and external parameters that influence the results of this measurement strategy were investigated by using various camera positions during the laboratory tests and applying different threshold parameters to the Speeded-Up Robust Features algorithm used for the feature detection and matching. The FBIR method demonstrates great potential, producing an average measurement accuracy within 1.6% of conventional displacement sensors during the field test and 3.3% during the laboratory tests. Altogether, the advantages to this image-based measurement approach enhance the load testing strategy to be implemented by bridge owners at much lower costs and with minimal complication and field setup.
SIMPLIFIED HAMILTONIAN-BASED FREQUENCY-AMPLITUDE FORMULATION FOR NONLINEAR VIBRATION SYSTEMS

The Hamiltonian-based frequency formulation has been hailed as an unprecedented success for it gives a straightforward insight into a complex nonlinear vibration system with simple calculation. This paper gives a systematical analysis of the formulation, and two simplified formulations are suggested. The cubic-quintic Duffing oscillator is used as an example to show extremely simple calculation and remarkable accuracy. It can be used as a paradigm for many other applications, and the one-step solving process has cleaned up the road of the nonlinear vibration theory.
Information criteria for nonlinear time series models

Abstract In this paper the performance of different information criteria for simultaneous model class and lag order selection is evaluated using simulation studies. We focus on the ability of the criteria to distinguish linear and nonlinear models. In the simulation studies, we consider three different versions of the commonly known criteria AIC, SIC and AICc. In addition, we also assess the performance of WIC and evaluate the impact of the error term variance estimator. Our results confirm the findings of different authors that AIC and AICc favor nonlinear over linear models, whereas weighted versions of WIC and all versions of SIC are able to successfully distinguish linear and nonlinear models. However, the discrimination between different nonlinear model classes is more difficult. Nevertheless, the lag order selection is reliable. In general, information criteria involving the unbiased error term variance estimator overfit less and should be preferred to using the usual ML estimator of the error term variance.
Using the UTAUT2 model to explain teacher acceptance of work performance assessment system

An organization needs qualified and experienced human resources. Performance appraisals are required to determine the effectiveness of their work. A performance appraisal system has already been created to objectively evaluate the work of teachers, principals, and teachers given additional tasks, and to provide instructions for developing the teaching profession, principals, and teachers given additional tasks. The goal of this study was to apply the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) to explain why teachers accept the performance appraisal method. With the help of SmartPLS 3.2. 8 software, a partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. The results showed that behavioral intention (BI) to utilize the system is influenced by performance expectancy (PE), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), and habit (HT). The findings also revealed that system use behavior (UB) is influenced by facilitating conditions (FC), habit (HT), and behavioral intention (BI). To increase the system's adoption, the studies suggest focusing on enhancing the system's ease of use and minimizing the system's flow complexity.
Effect of ecotype and age on semen characteristics of three Tanzanian native chickens

Several findings on the semen characteristics of domestic chickens have revealed that ecotype and age significantly affect semen quality. There is, however, lack of data on effects of ecotype and age on semen characteristics of Tanzanian native roosters. This study evaluated the effect of ecotypes (Ching’wekwe, Morogoro-medium and Kuchi) and ages (11-15 and 24-28 months) on semen quality. A total of 192 semen samples were collected from 12 roosters (four from each ecotype) using the abdominal massage technique at weekly interval for four consecutive months. Semen characteristics of individual samples were evaluated. The semen volume, pH, sperm motility, sperm concentration, proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology and proportion of live spermatozoa among the ecotypes varied from 0.42±0.04 to 0.52±0.03mL, 7.01±0.00 to 7.02±0.00, 72.81±1.27 to 76.63±1.35%, 3.90±0.98 to 4.12±1.96 x 109/mL, 86.16±0.55 to 89.38±0.80% and 88.06±1.13 to 90.97±0.81% respectively. However, only the variations in proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology and proportion of live spermatozoa among the ecotypes were significant (P<0.05). The semen volume, pH, sperm motility, sperm concentration, proportion of spermatozoa with normal morphology and proportion of live spermatozoa among the two age groups varied from 0.44±0.03 to 0.52±0.03mL, 7.01±0.00 to 7.02±0.00, 73.88±1.13 to75.92±0.99%, 3.80±0.45 to 4.28±0.32 x 109/mL, 87.02±0.58 to 88.15±0.64%, 88.27±0.77 to 89.83±0.77% respectively. However, only the variations in semen volume among the two age groups were significant (P<0.05). The Pearson correlation coefficients between semen volume and other semen quality characteristics were mostly low to medium with positive values ranging from 0.01-0.51 between semen volume and sperm motility and between morphological normal spermatozoa and proportion of live spermatozoa, respectively. Although there is minimal variation in semen quality among ecotypes and age groups, all the ecotypes might still be used in breeding purposes to maintain native chickens, because the results found were within the reference range for chickens.
Tension Band Wiring of Patella Fractures: Mid-Term Radiological and Clinical Results

Objective: We aimed to share our radiological and clinical results with a mid-term follow-up on patella fractures treated with tension band wiring (TBW). Methods: Patients surgically treated with TBW for AO type 34-A1/C1/C2/C3 patella fractures between January 2013 and June 2021 at a level 1 trauma center were included. For radiological evaluation, radiographs obtained at the routine follow-up were analyzed for complications (such as nonunion, malunion, loss of reduction, malreduction, patella baja, elongated patella, implant failure), Insall-Salvati Index (ISI), and Patellar Morphology Ratio (PMR). The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Score (KOOS) was utilized for functional evaluation, which includes five subscales: pain, symptoms, activities of daily living (ADL), sports/recreation, and quality of life (QOL). The clinical assessment also included the range of motion (ROM), thigh circumference (TC), and complications such as implant irritation (II). Results: This study reviewed 42 eligible patients (10 females, 32 males) with a mean age of 42.6 ± 16.1 years and a mean follow-up of 35.4 ± 24.1 months. There were 28 patients (66.7%) with at least one complication (II: 66.7%, flexion deficit: 61.9%, malunion: 40.5%, elongated patella/patella baja: 16.7%). The reoperation rate was high at 69.1% due to the high implant removal rate for II. There were statistically significant differences between injured (I) and uninjured contralateral healthy knees (UI) in terms of mean KOOS subscale scores (symptoms: I: 72.3, UI: 89.8; pain: I: 70.4, UI: 89.4; ADL : I: 72.1, UI: 90; sports: I: 61.4, UI: 84.8; QOL: I: 67.9, UI: 86.2), mean flexion degrees (I: 126.2°, UI: 135.4°), mean ISI (I: 0.9, UI: 1.0), and mean PMR (I: 1.5, UI: 1.4) (all p < 0.01). There was no difference in mean extension degrees and TC (all p > 0.05). All fractures achieved union. Conclusion: Firstly, the mid-term clinical results of patellar fractures treated with TBW were significantly worse than the contralateral healthy knee; secondly, implant irritation, knee flexion deficit, malunion, and patella baja were the significant complications, and efforts should be made to manage these problems; thirdly, patellar fractures are susceptible to developing interesting cases of the elongated patella.
Heteroscedastic Reaction Norm Models Improve the Assessment of Genotype by Environment Interaction for Growth, Reproductive, and Visual Score Traits in Nellore Cattle

Simple Summary In animal breeding, the different climatic conditions and production systems in beef cattle can result in the genotype by environment interaction. These interactions also need to be considered in genetic evaluations. In this study, five reaction norm models were tested on eleven traits related to growth, reproduction, and visual score measured in Nellore cattle breeding programs to check changes in the estimated genetic values of sires according to the selection environment. Using the best fitted statistical model, the presence of genotype by environment interaction was observed for some traits such as age at first calving, scrotal circumference, weaning to yearling weight gain, and yearling weight. For these traits, it is possible to select the best sires to increase productivity and reduce environmental sensitivity. Overall, the reaction norms trajectories for these traits seem to be affected by a non-linear component, and selecting robust animals for these traits is an alternative to increase production and reduce environmental sensitivity. Abstract The assessment of the presence of genotype by environment interaction (GxE) in beef cattle is very important in tropical countries with diverse climatic conditions and production systems. The present study aimed to assess the presence of GxE by using different reaction norm models for eleven traits related to growth, reproduction, and visual score in Nellore cattle. We studied five reaction norm models (RNM), fitting a linear model considering homoscedastic residual variance (RNM_homo), and four models considering heteroskedasticity, being linear (RNM_hete), quadratic (RNM_quad), linear spline (RNM_l-l), and quadratic spline (RNM_q-q). There was the presence of GxE for age at first calving (AFC), scrotal circumference (SC), weaning to yearling weight gain (WYG), and yearling weight (YW). The best models were RNM_l-l for YW and RNM_q-q for AFC, SC, and WYG. The heritability estimates for RNM_l-l ranged from 0.07 to 0.20, 0.42 to 0.61, 0.24 to 0.42, and 0.47 to 0.63 for AFC, SC, WYG, and YW, respectively. The heteroskedasticity in reaction norm models improves the assessment of the presence of GxE for YW, WYG, AFC, and SC. Additionally, the trajectories of reaction norms for these traits seem to be affected by a non-linear component, and selecting robust animals for these traits is an alternative to increase production and reduce environmental sensitivity.
Comparison of Washing Efficiency and Recovery of Blood Cells Between Centrifugation, Coarse Filtration and Microfiltration Techniques to Prepare Autologous Blood for Transfusion

Purpose Cell salvage is the process by which blood lost in surgery is collected and washed or filtered to produce autologous blood for re-transfusion to the patient. Cell salvage aims to reduce the need for donor blood. Centrifugal cell salvage washing technique is a preferred medical treatment in order to retain lost red blood cells (RBCs) without contaminants. Although this technology very efficiently collects and washes shed blood, it is costly and often impractical or unavailable, especially in middle- or low-income countries. This study assessed two innovative filter devices as an alternative to centrifugal cell salvage technology: a coarse collection filter device (Hemafuse) and a microfiltration device (HemoClear). In contrast to centrifugal technology, both filter devices do not require electricity, nor costly equipment and extensive training. We compared the effectiveness of these filtration technologies to remove plasma constituents and recover and concentrate the cellular components with centrifugal technology (autoLog® device). Methods Whole blood was processed with each technology according to the device manufacturer’s instructions. Before and after processing, the blood products were analyzed for supernatant solutes and cellular composition. Results The centrifugal technology confirmed its efficacy to remove potentially harmful solutes and capture red blood cells. The microfiltration technology (HemoClear) reached comparable levels of removal of solutes, with a potential advantage over centrifugal technology in the ability to also recover platelets. The coarse filtration technology (Hemafuse) had no washing capacity but, like the microfiltration technology, has the advantage of recovering platelets. Conclusion Innovative filtration devices represent an alternative to centrifugal technology in the preparation of autologous blood for reinfusion. The HemoClear technology for the first time enables the recovery of washed platelets and red blood cells. Clinical trials will have to be performed to investigate the clinical value of this new autologous blood product.