Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear effects on tonal sound in lined ducts

Porous sound absorbers are a familiar and supposedly well-understood feature of the noise control palette. As in many other aspects of engineering, however, aerospace applications require a degree of mastery well beyond the common place: sound absorbers must be designed to be effective at high noise levels within strict mass and volume constraints. In the process of fine-tuning sound absorbers for jet aircraft, it was discovered that high incident sound pressure levels cause the performance of lined ducts to diverge from small-signal predictions. The underlying physics was not fully understood prior to the early 1980s, at which point NASA-sponsored research disclosed and quantified the primary mechanism. Further research by others continues building on that foundation down to the present. This paper gives a brief overview of the topic, summarizes one of the research efforts, and adapts its findings for lined duct applications.
The UN Global Digital Compact (GDC), Achieving a trusted, free, open, and Secure Internet: Trust-building

A United Nations’ (UN) public consultation, underway, is reviewing requirements for the Global Digital Compact (GDC) to advance UN goals for an ‘open, free, and secure digital future for all’ (UN, GDC, 2022). Achieving the goals relies on proposed principles, including: connecting everyone; avoiding fragmentation; protecting data; applying human rights; accountability for discrimination and misleading content; regulation of artificial intelligence; digital commons as a public good; and ‘other’ areas. The purpose of this paper is to present an argument that trust must be included as a central ‘other’ principle. Although successful achievement of the GDC goals is contingent on building trust in each principle, a method for trust-building is not provided. Through leveraging well-established organization and conflict management trust-building literature the contribution of this paper presents a fresh conceptual framework, allowing trust and trust-building in the goals to be operationalized and assessed. In, addressing the research gap as to how build trust in the GDC goals as they are implemented, the novel trust-building process as presented helps policymakers, practitioners, and academics better address potential risks to the future internet, such as, increased; state isolation, sovereignty, and internet fragmentation. Limitations and calls for further research highlight that understanding state-level trust-building in policy is not yet mature. Further, scholars needs to better categorize the processes, dynamics and norms involved in state-level trust-building, helping to counter future internet challenges.
Involvement of the vagus nerve in the anorectic effect of monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 inhibition in mice

Many of the drugs used for obesity treatment have adverse effects on the central nervous system. Therefore, novel treatments, such as peripherally acting drugs, are needed. Monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (MGAT2), highly expressed in the small intestine, catalyzes the first step of triacylglycerol re‐synthesis. MGAT2 inhibition suppresses food intake in high‐fat diet (HFD)‐fed mice, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Here, the involvement of the vagus nerve in MGAT2 inhibition‐induced feeding suppression was investigated.
Scenario Seismic Hazard Analysis (SSHA) in Cilegon City for post-major earthquake 2019 and 2022 infrastructure construction development

The major earthquake events on August 2, 2019, and January 14, 2022, which devastated Banten City, gave an earthquake warning to the surrounding area, including Cilegon City. As an area with several vital infrastructures, such as Merak Port, chemical factories, steel industries, and power plants, Cilegon City requires a seismic study that can provide information for the planning and retrofitting of building structures. In this study, an earthquake analysis will be carried out using the Scenario Seismic Hazard Analysis (SSHA) for Cilegon City to calculate the bedrock acceleration. The earthquake sources modelled include the source of the Semangko Graben, Cimandiri and the Sunda Strait Megathrust Segment. This study provides several conclusions, included (1) results of seismic analysis using SSHA produced a maximum PGA value 0.05 - 0.1 g, 0.00 - 0.05 g and 0.3 - 0.4 g, for the Semangko Graben, Cimandiri and the Sunda Strait Megathrust Segment sources respectively. So, Cilegon City’s infrastructure layout system must be located designed in the area with a minimum ground acceleration. The existing buildings also need to be re-analyzed based on the earthquake hazard map.
Temperature of the Polar Inner Heliosheath: Connection to Solar Activity

We study the thermodynamics of the plasma protons in the polar regions of the inner heliosheath (IHS) and its connection with solar activity over solar cycle 24. First, we express the thermodynamic parameters of this plasma with respect to the year of energetic neutral atom (ENA) creation and perform a statistical analysis of temperatures, in order to provide a more precise characterization of the thermodynamics of IHS. Then, we perform an autocorrelation between the IHS temperature and the solar activity, using the proxies of sunspot number and fractional area of the polar coronal holes. We show that there is (i) high correlation between the time series of IHS proton temperatures and sunspot number, which is maximized for a time delay of τ ∼ 2.5 yr for both the north and south polar regions combined; (ii) high negative correlation between the temperature of the proton plasma in the north and south with the coronal hole fractional areas, where the time delay for the two poles combined is τ ∼ 2.71 ± 0.15 yr; and (iii) an asymmetry of a time-delay difference between the poles ∼0.22 yr, indicating that the southern polar ENA source region is ∼19 au closer than the northern one for a solar wind plasma protons of bulk speed of ∼400 km s−1. The findings demonstrate a connection between the IHS thermodynamics and solar activity through the solar wind, primarily manifested by the coronal holes expanding near solar minimum, which drives the expansion of fast solar wind over larger angles from high down to middle latitudes in the IHS.
Intercropping red chili with leguminous crops to improve crop diversity and farmers’ resilience to climate change effects in dryland

This study aimed to explore the potential benefits of intercropping and determine the best time to sow leguminous crops between the rows of red chili or chili crops. Two leguminous crops, mungbean, and peanut were intercropped with chili in a dryland area of Gumantar, North Lombok, Indonesia. The leguminous seeds were sown five times; at the same time, a week, two weeks, three weeks, and four weeks after transplanting the chili seedlings. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. The size of each treatment plot was 600 × 100 cm, and the chili crops’ spacing was 60 × 60 cm. Three rows of leguminous crops were sown between the rows of chili crops with a spacing of 20 × 20 cm. Monocropping of chili, mungbean, and peanut was also provided in each block to calculate the land equivalent ratio (LER). The results showed that all the intercropping treatments had a LER value of higher than 1.0, indicating the advantage of intercropping over monocropping in terms of land utilization.
Design considerations and experimental investigations on fiber ball lens systems for optical metrology

Optical fibers play an important role in general and, in particular, in the field of sensors. As part of a sensor system, quite often fibers are coupled by a ball lens. For efficient usage, the fiber ball lens systems (FBLSs) have to be optimized. The present work presents analytic expressions for the design parameters of such systems. FBLSs comprise sections of a single-mode optical fiber, a coreless fiber (CLF) and a ball lens. Their geometric dimensions have to be optimized for their use in different applications in optical metrology. The derived expressions facilitate the optimum parameter choice, which is usually done by expensive numerical simulations. For comparison and validation of the results by experiments, FBLSs with different ball lens radii and CLF sections have been prepared by a fusion splicer technique. Their characteristics were investigated in the optical spectral ranges at 630 nm and 1550 nm. Experimental methods comprising far-field, near-field and reflection/transmission measurements with optical fibers validate the theoretical considerations. To our knowledge, this is the first time that simple analytic approaches have been applied to the fabrication of FBLSs. This facilitates and quickens their general design for different applications in optical metrology significantly.
Identifying multi-resolution clusters of diseases in ten million patients with multimorbidity in primary care in England

Identifying clusters of co-occurring diseases can aid understanding of shared aetiology, management of co-morbidities, and the discovery of new disease associations. Here, we use data from a population of over ten million people with multimorbidity registered to primary care in England to identify disease clusters through a two-stage process. First, we extract data-driven representations of 212 diseases from patient records employing i) co-occurrence-based methods and ii) sequence-based natural language processing methods. Second, we apply multiscale graph-based clustering to identify clusters based on disease similarity at multiple resolutions, which outperforms k-means and hierarchical clustering in explaining known disease associations. We find that diseases display an almost-hierarchical structure across resolutions from closely to more loosely similar co-occurrence patterns and identify interpretable clusters corresponding to both established and novel patterns. Our method provides a tool for clustering diseases at different levels of resolution from co-occurrence patterns in high-dimensional electronic healthcare record data.
Is chimerism associated with cancer across the tree of life?

Chimerism is a widespread phenomenon across the tree of life. It is defined as a multicellular organism composed of cells from other genetically distinct entities. This ability to ‘tolerate’ non-self cells may be linked to susceptibility to diseases like cancer. Here we test whether chimerism is associated with cancers across obligately multicellular organisms in the tree of life. We classified 12 obligately multicellular taxa from lowest to highest chimerism levels based on the existing literature on the presence of chimerism in these species. We then tested for associations of chimerism with tumour invasiveness, neoplasia (benign or malignant) prevalence and malignancy prevalence in 11 terrestrial mammalian species. We found that taxa with higher levels of chimerism have higher tumour invasiveness, though there was no association between malignancy or neoplasia and chimerism among mammals. This suggests that there may be an important biological relationship between chimerism and susceptibility to tissue invasion by cancerous cells. Studying chimerism might help us identify mechanisms underlying invasive cancers and also could provide insights into the detection and management of emerging transmissible cancers.
Chronic Semaglutide Treatment in Rats Leads to Daily Excessive Concentration-Dependent Sucrose Intake

Abstract Context The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist semaglutide (SEMA) produces 15% weight loss when chronically administered to humans with obesity. Methods In 2 separate experiments, rats received daily injections of either vehicle (VEH) or SEMA starting at 7 µg/kg body weight (BW) and increasing over 10 days to the maintenance dose (70 µg/kg-BW), emulating clinical dose escalation strategies. Results During dose escalation and maintenance, SEMA rats reduced chow intake and bodyweight. Experiment 2 meal pattern analysis revealed that meal size, not number, mediated these SEMA-induced changes in chow intake. This suggests SEMA affects neural processes controlling meal termination and not meal initiation. Two-bottle preference tests (vs water) began after 10 to 16 days of maintenance dosing. Rats received either an ascending sucrose concentration series (0.03-1.0 M) and 1 fat solution (Experiment 1) or a 4% and 24% sucrose solution in a crossover design (Experiment 2). At lower sucrose concentrations, SEMA-treated rats in both experiments drank sometimes >2× the volume consumed by VEH controls; at higher sucrose concentrations (and 10% fat), intake was similar between treatment groups. Energy intake of SEMA rats became similar to VEH rats. This was unexpected because GLP-1R agonism is thought to decrease the reward and/or increase the satiating potency of palatable foods. Despite sucrose-driven increases in both groups, a significant bodyweight difference between SEMA- and VEH-treated rats remained. Conclusion The basis of the SEMA-induced overconsumption of sucrose at lower concentrations relative to VEH controls remains unclear, but the effects of chronic SEMA treatment on energy intake and BW appear to depend on the caloric sources available.
Microbiological Profile of Periprosthetic Knee Infections in a Brazilian Unified Health System Hospital Specialized in Highly Complex Orthopedic Surgeries

Objective We studied the microbiological profile of periprosthetic knee infections treated in a Brazilian tertiary hospital. Methods The study included all patients undergoing revision surgery for total knee arthroplasty (RTKA) between November 2019 and December 2021, with a diagnosis of periprosthetic infection confirmed per the 2018 International Consensus Meeting (ICM) criteria. Results Sixty-two patients had a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) per the 2018 ICM criteria. Cultures were monomicrobial in 79% and polymicrobial in 21% of cases. The most frequent bacterium in microbiological tissue and synovial fluid cultures was Staphylococcus aureus , observed in 26% of PJI patients. Periprosthetic joint infection with negative cultures occurred in 23% of patients. Conclusion Our results show the following: i) a high prevalence of Staphylococcus as an etiological agent for knee PJI; ii) a high incidence of polymicrobial infections in early infections; iii) the occurrence of PJI with negative cultures in approximately one fourth of the subjects.
Exploring the Applications of Indocyanine Green in Robot-Assisted Urological Surgery: A Comprehensive Review of Fluorescence-Guided Techniques

This comprehensive review aims to explore the applications of indocyanine green (ICG) in robot-assisted urological surgery through a detailed examination of fluorescence-guided techniques. An extensive literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus, using keywords such as “indocyanine green,” “ICG”, “NIRF”, “Near Infrared Fluorescence”, “robot-assisted”, and “urology”. Additional suitable articles were collected by manually cross-referencing the bibliography of previously selected papers. The integration of the Firefly® technology in the Da Vinci® robotic system has opened new avenues for the advancement and exploration of different urological procedures. ICG is a fluorophore widely used in near-infrared fluorescence-guided techniques. The synergistic combination of intraoperative support, safety profiles and widespread availability comprises an additional asset that empowers ICG-guided robotic surgery. This overview of the current state of the art illustrates the potential advantages and broad applications of combining ICG-fluorescence guidance with robotic-assisted urological surgery.
Reliability of Maximal Strength and Peak Rate of Force Development in a Portable Nordic Hamstrings Exercise Device

The Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) is a very popular exercise used to improve eccentric strength and prevent injuries. The aim of this investigation was to assess the reliability of a portable dynamometer that measures maximal strength (MS) and rate of force development (RFD) during the NHE. Seventeen physically active participants (34.8 ± 4.1 years; n = 2 women and n = 15 men) participated. Measurements occurred on two different days separated by 48–72 h. Test–retest reliability was calculated for bilateral MS and RFD. No significant test–retest differences were observed in NHE (test–retest [95% CI, confidence interval]) for MS [−19.2 N (−67.8; 29.4); p = 0.42] and RFD [−70.4 N·s−1 (−178.4; 37.8); p = 0.19]. MS showed high reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] [95% CI], =0.93 [0.80–0.97] and large within-subject correlation between test and retest [r = 0.88 (0.68; 0.95)]. RFD displayed good reliability [ICC = 0.76 (0.35; 0.91)] and moderate within-subject correlation between test and retest [r = 0.63 (0.22; 0.85)]. Bilateral MS and RFD displayed a coefficient of variation of 3.4% and 4.6%, respectively, between tests. The standard error of measurement and the minimal detectable change for MS was 44.6 arbitrary units (a.u.) and 123.6 a.u. , and 104.6 a.u. and 290.0 a.u. for peak RFD. This study shows that MS and RFD can be measured for NHE using a portable dynamometer. However, not all exercises are suitable to apply to determine RFD, so caution must be taken when analyzing RFD during NHE.
Systemic pro- and anti-inflammatory profiles in acute non-specific low back pain: An exploratory longitudinal study of the relationship to six-month outcome

Objectives Pro-inflammatory molecules are thought to underpin the development of chronic low back pain (LBP). Although research has begun to explore the association between pro-inflammatory molecules in acute LBP and long-term outcome, no study has explored the role of anti-inflammatory molecules. We aimed to explore whether levels of systemic pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules 1) changed over a period of six months from the onset of acute LBP; 2) differed between people who were recovered (N = 11) and unrecovered (N = 24) from their episode of LBP at six months; 3) baseline psychological factors were related to inflammatory molecule serum concentrations at baseline, three and six months. Methods We retrospectively included participants with acute LBP included from a larger prospective trial and examined blood samples for the measurement of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules and measures of pain, disability, and psychological factors at baseline, three and six months. Results The serum concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules did not differ over time when compared between participants who recovered and those who did not recover at six-month follow-up. At three months, the unrecovered group had higher interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-10 serum concentrations than the recovered group. Baseline psychological factors were not related to inflammatory molecules at any time point. Discussion This exploratory study showed that levels of systemic inflammatory molecules did not change over the course of LBP, irrespective of whether people were recovered or unrecovered at six months. There was no relationship between acute-stage psychological factors and systemic inflammatory molecules. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the contribution of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules to long-term LBP outcome.
Domestic cat nose functions as a highly efficient coiled parallel gas chromatograph

The peripheral structures of mammalian sensory organs often serve to support their functionality, such as alignment of hair cells to the mechanical properties of the inner ear. Here, we examined the structure-function relationship for mammalian olfaction by creating an anatomically accurate computational nasal model for the domestic cat (Felis catus) based on high resolution microCT and sequential histological sections. Our results showed a distinct separation of respiratory and olfactory flow regimes, featuring a high-speed dorsal medial stream that increases odor delivery speed and efficiency to the ethmoid olfactory region without compromising the filtration and conditioning purpose of the nose. These results corroborated previous findings in other mammalian species, which implicates a common theme to deal with the physical size limitation of the head that confines the nasal airway from increasing in length infinitely as a straight tube. We thus hypothesized that these ethmoid olfactory channels function as parallel coiled chromatograph channels, and further showed that the theoretical plate number, a widely-used indicator of gas chromatograph efficiency, is more than 100 times higher in the cat nose than an “amphibian-like” straight channel fitting the similar skull space, at restful breathing state. The parallel feature also reduces airflow speed within each coil, which is critical to achieve the high plate number, while feeding collectively from the high-speed dorsal medial stream so that total odor sampling speed is not sacrificed. The occurrence of ethmoid turbinates is an important step in the evolution of mammalian species that correlates to their expansive olfactory function and brain development. Our findings reveal novel mechanisms on how such structure may facilitate better olfactory performance, furthering our understanding of the successful adaptation of mammalian species, including F. catus, a popular pet, to diverse environments.
Clinical course of new-onset Crohn’s disease in children and adolescents in dependency of age, initial location, initial severity level and therapy over the period 2000–2014 based on the Saxon Pediatric IBD-Registry in Germany

Objective In Saxony, the incidence of Crohn’s disease (CD) in children and adolescents increased significantly from 3.3 per 100,000 person-years in 2000 to 5.1 in 2014. The aim of this study was to describe the initial characteristics and the clinical course of CD in children and adolescents and to identify drug treatment options associated with an advantage for a mild course or remission. Methods Clinical data were collected from patients who suffered from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and were recruited in the Saxon Pediatric IBD-Registry. All children newly diagnosed with CD in this registry in Saxony between 2000 and 2014 were included in this registry study. Characteristics such as age, disease location and extra-intestinal manifestations at diagnosis were accessed. The severity level of the disease at diagnosis as well as at follow-up were analysed by PCDAI index. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to length of follow-up: 1–3 years, 4–6 years and 7–9 years after diagnosis. A logistic regression model was conducted to examine which baseline parameters are associated with disease progression. Results There were 338 children and adolescents with CD included in this registry study. At diagnosis, the median age of patients was 12.0 (0.7–14.9), 61.5% (n = 208) of the patients were male. The most common disease location observed in pediatric CD patients was the L3 (55%, n = 176). Patients aged 10–14 years were significantly more likely to present an L2 than patients aged 0–4 years (80.3%, n = 53 vs. 19.7%, n = 13, p = 0.01). During the follow-up, data from 71.3% (n = 241) othe patients were available. Disease activity measured by PCDAI decreased in 47.7% (n = 115) of the patients, 40.7% (n = 98) of the patients were stable and increased in 11.6% (n = 28) of the patients. Patients with intermediate/severe disease at onset were more likely to have an active disease at the end of follow up, too (p = 0.00). Logistic regression analysis of the initial characteristics showed that the age at diagnosis, gender, initial location and initial extra-intestinal manifestation are not associated with the progression of the disease (p>0.05). Furthermore, drug treatment options could be identified from our data, which are associated with benefits for a milder course or remission. Conclusion From 2000 to 2014, the health status of most pediatric patients with CD had improved or remained stable. Initial characteristics including age at diagnosis, initial localization and initial extra-intestinal manifestation are not associated with the progression of the disease, only the initial activity by PCDAI.