Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Explaining the luminosity spread in young clusters: proto and pre-main sequence stellar evolution in a molecular cloud environment

Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams of star forming regions show a large luminosity spread. This is incompatible with well-defined isochrones based on classic non-accreting protostellar evo- lution models. Protostars do not evolve in isolation of their environment, but grow through accretion of gas. In addition, while an age can be defined for a star forming region, the ages of individual stars in the region will vary. We show how the combined effect of a protostellar age spread, a consequence of sustained star formation in the molecular cloud, and time-varying protostellar accretion for individual protostars can explain the observed luminosity spread. We use a global MHD simulation including a sub-scale sink particle model of a star forming region to follow the accretion process of each star. The accretion profiles are used to compute stellar evolution models for each star, incorporating a model of how the accretion energy is distributed to the disk, radiated away at the accretion shock, or incorporated into the outer layers of the protostar. Using a modelled cluster age of 5 Myr we naturally reproduce the lumi- nosity spread and find good agreement with observations of the Collinder 69 cluster, and the Orion Nebular Cluster. It is shown how stars in binary and multiple systems can be externally forced creating recurrent episodic accretion events. We find that in a realistic global molecular cloud model massive stars build up mass over relatively long time-scales. This leads to an important conceptual change compared to the classic picture of non-accreting stellar evolution segmented in to low-mass Hayashi tracks and high-mass Henyey tracks.
The Effects of Internet on Rural-to-Urban Migrating Intentions of Young Villagers: Evidence from Rural Indonesia

Indonesian’s government attempts to build internet infrastructure covering all rural areas of which most internet users are young. Youths refer to a generation who intuitively able to operate internet device and are supposed to take an important decision about their future careers, occupations, and living places. This study aimed to identify effects of internet on rural-to-urban migrating intentions of rural youths. The Structural Equation Model-Partial Lease Square (SEM-PLS) approach was applied. This study involved 866 of 15 to 24 years villagers of Tumpukrenteng Village, Malang Regency. This village reflects an ordinary village which is characterized high rural-to-urban migration. A randomized of 213 respondents were taken but 193 respondents were analyzed due to internet users. The independent variables covered internet infrastructure, internet usage, collecting information on prospective destination activity, and the dependent variable covered migrating intention. The results demonstrated that internet accelerated young villagers’ rural migrating intention. Internet allowed their users to access information of prospective destination. This research suggested young villagers to apply internet into economic benefits activity, such as e-commerce and to reduce adverse impacts of internet usage and rural youth’s emigration.
Discovery of δ Scuti Pulsations in the Young Hybrid Debris Disk Star HD 156623

The bRing robotic observatory network was built to search for circumplanetary material within the transiting Hill sphere of the exoplanet β Pic b across its bright host star β Pic. During the bRing survey of β Pic, it simultaneously monitored the brightnesses of thousands of bright stars in the southern sky (V ≃ 4–8, δ ≲ −30°). In this work, we announce the discovery of δ Scuti pulsations in the A-type star HD 156623 using bRing data. HD 156623 is notable as it is a well-studied young star with a dusty and gas-rich debris disk, previously detected using ALMA. We present the observational results on the pulsation periods and amplitudes for HD 156623, discuss its evolutionary status, and provide further constraints on its nature and age. We find strong evidence of frequency regularity and grouping. We do not find evidence of frequency, amplitude, or phase modulation for any of the frequencies over the course of the observations. We show that HD 156623 is consistent with other hot and high-frequency pre-main sequence and early zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) δ Scutis as predicted by theoretical models and corresponding evolutionary tracks, although we observe that HD 156623 lies hotter than the theoretical blue edge of the classical instability strip. This, coupled with our characterization and Sco–Cen membership analyses, suggests that the star is most likely an outlying ZAMS member of the ∼16 Myr Upper Centaurus-Lupus subgroup of the Sco–Cen association.
The Shortest Path Problem on Real Road Networks: Theory, Algorithms and Computations

This thesis contains the following subjects: - Several shortest path algorithms, both label-setting and label-correcting; - Unidirectional and bidirectional methods; - A* algorithms; - Symmetric and balanced estimators; - Preprocessing techniques. This thesis contains an elaborate, comparative evaluation of the various methods described. Bidirectional A* algorithms are commonly based on balanced heuristic estimators, since such estimators can easily be embedded in a bidirectional variant of Dijkstra's algorithm. In this thesis a check is provided, such that symmetric estimators can compete with balanced estimators. If these estimators are based on Euclidean distances, the work can be divided over the forward and backward searches with the use of scalar projections. This way, symmetric estimators are even prefered over balanced estimators. A well-known preprocessing technique includes the use of landmarks. If the estimators are based on landmarks, a balanced approach turns out to be faster than a symmetric approach. In this thesis, an initial step is proposed in a unidirectional A*-algorithm, which uses a landmark-based estimator, in order to decrease the running time of that algorithm. For one of the preprocessing techniques described, unidirectional methods are preferred over bidirectional methods. It is that particular preprocessing technique where the proposed initial step will prove an additional value.
Resolving the Inner Arcsecond of the RY Tau Jet with HST

Faint X-ray emission from hot plasma (Tx > 106 K) has been detected extending outward a few arcseconds along the optically delineated jets of some classical T Tauri stars including RY Tau. The mechanism and location where the jets are heated to X-ray temperatures are unknown. We present high spatial resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST) far-ultraviolet long-slit observations of RY Tau with the slit aligned along the jet. The primary objective was to search for C iv emission from warm plasma at TC iv ∼ 105 K within the inner jet (<1″) that cannot be fully resolved by X-ray telescopes. Spatially resolved C iv emission is detected in the blueshifted jet extending outward from the star to 1″ and in the redshifted jet out to 0. ″5. C iv line centroid shifts give a radial velocity in the blueshifted jet of −136 ± 10 km s−1 at an offset of 0. ″29 (39 au) and deceleration outward is detected. The deprojected jet speed is subject to uncertainties in the jet inclination, but values ≳200 km s−1 are likely. The mass-loss rate in the blueshifted jet is at least M ˙ jet , blue = 2.3 × 10 − 9 M⊙ yr−1, consistent with optical determinations. We use the HST data along with optically determined jet morphology to place meaningful constraints on candidate jet-heating models including a hot-launch model in which the jet is heated near the base to X-ray temperatures by an unspecified (but probably magnetic) process, and downstream heating from shocks or a putative jet magnetic field.
Flavonoid Intake in Relation to Colorectal Cancer Risk and Blood Bacterial DNA

Flavonoids have been inversely associated to colorectal cancer (CRC) and are plausible intermediaries for the relation among gut microbiome, intestinal permeability and CRC. We analyzed the relation of flavonoid intake with CRC and blood bacterial DNA. We conducted a case–control study in Italy involving 100 incident CRC cases and 200 controls. A valid and reproducible food–frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary habits and to estimate six flavonoid subclass intakes. We applied qPCR and 16S rRNA gene profiling to assess blood bacterial DNA. We used multiple logistic regression to derive odds ratios (ORs) of CRC and Mann–Whitney and chi-–square tests to evaluate abundance and prevalence of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) according to flavonoid intakes. Inverse associations with CRC were found for anthocyanidins (OR for the highest versus the lowest tertile = 0.24, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.11–0.52) and flavanones (OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.08–0.42). We found different abundance and prevalence according to anthocyanidin and flavanone intake for OTUs referring to Oligoflexales order, Diplorickettsiaceae family, Staphylococcus, Brevundimonas, Pelomonas and Escherischia–Shigella genera, and Flavobacterium and Legionella species. The study provides evidence to a protective effect of dietary anthocyanidins and flavanones on CRC and suggests an influence of flavonoids on blood bacterial DNA, possibly through intestinal permeability changes.
Appropriate modelling of climate change impacts on river flooding

Global climate change is likely to increase temperatures, change precipitation patterns and probably raise the frequency of extreme events. Impacts of climate change on river flooding may be considerable and may cause enormous economical, social and environmental damage and even loss of lives. This necessitates the application of robust and accurate flood estimation procedures to provide a strong basis for investments in flood protection measures with climate change. A broad palette of models is available to fulfil this requirement. More complex models generally have larger data requirements and computational costs, but may result in smaller model output uncertainties and associated costs. It would seem that an optimum complexity associated with minimum total costs or uncertainty exists. This raises the question what such an appropriate model should look like given the specific modelling objective and research area. Or which physical processes and data should be incorporated and which mathematical process formulations should be used at which spatial and temporal scale, to obtain an appropriate model level? Therefore, the main objectives of this study are the determination of the appropriate model complexity dependent on modelling objective and research area and the assessment of the climate change impact on river flooding with an appropriate model. The Meuse basin in Belgium and France serves as an application area in this thesis. The first objective is dealt with in chapter 2, 3, 4 and 5 and constitutes the main part of this thesis. The second objective is mainly treated in chapter 4 and 6.
Selection Bias in the M•-σ and M•-L Correlations and Its Consequences

It is common to estimate black hole abundances by using a measured correlation between black hole mass and another more easily measured observable, such as the velocity dispersion or luminosity of the surrounding bulge. The correlation is used to transform the distribution of the observable into an estimate of the distribution of black hole masses. However, different observables provide different estimates; the M•-σ relation predicts fewer massive black holes than does the M•-L relation. This is because the σ-L relation in black hole samples currently available is inconsistent with that in the SDSS sample, on which the distributions of L or σ are based; the black hole samples have smaller L for a given σ or have larger σ for a given L. This is true whether L is estimated in the optical or in the NIR. If this is a selection rather than physical effect, then the M•-σ and M•-L relations currently in the literature are also biased from their true values. We provide a framework for describing the effect of this bias. We then combine it with a model of the bias to make an estimate of the true intrinsic relations. If we have correctly modeled the selection effect, then our analysis suggests that the bias in the ⟨M•|σ⟩ relation is likely to be small, whereas the ⟨M•|L⟩ relation is biased toward predicting more massive black holes for a given luminosity, and the M•-L relation is entirely a consequence of more fundamental relations between M• and σ and between σ and L. The intrinsic relation we find suggests that at fixed luminosity, older galaxies tend to host more massive black holes.
Engineered-Skin of Single Dermal Layer Containing Printed Hybrid Gelatin-Polyvinyl Alcohol Bioink via 3D-Bioprinting: In Vitro Assessment under Submerged vs. Air-Lifting Models

Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro skin models are frequently employed in cosmetic and pharmaceutical research to minimize the demand for animal testing. Hence, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting was introduced to fabricate layer-by-layer bioink made up of cells and improve the ability to develop a rapid manufacturing process, while maintaining bio-mechanical scaffolds and microstructural properties. Briefly, gelatin-polyvinyl alcohol (GPVA) was mixed with 1.5 × 106 and 3.0 × 106 human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cell density, together with 0.1% genipin (GNP), as a crosslinking agent, using 3D-bioprinting. Then, it was cultured under submerged and air-lifting conditions. The gross appearance of the hydrogel’s surface and cross-section were captured and evaluated. The biocompatibility testing of HDFs and cell–bioink interaction towards the GPVA was analyzed by using live/dead assay, cell migration activity, cell proliferation assay, cell morphology (SEM) and protein expression via immunocytochemistry. The crosslinked hydrogels significantly demonstrated optimum average pore size (100–199 μm). The GPVA crosslinked with GNP (GPVA_GNP) hydrogels with 3.0 × 106 HDFs was proven to be outstanding, compared to the other hydrogels, in biocompatibility testing to promote cellular interaction. Moreover, GPVA–GNP hydrogels, encapsulated with 3.0 × 106 HDFs under submerged cultivation, had a better outcome than air-lifting with an excellent surface cell viability rate of 96 ± 0.02%, demonstrated by 91.3 ± 4.1% positively expressed Ki67 marker at day 14 that represented active proliferative cells, an average of 503.3 ± 15.2 μm for migration distance, and maintained the HDFs’ phenotypic profiles with the presence of collagen type I expression. It also presented with an absence of alpha-smooth muscle actin positive staining. In conclusion, 3.0 × 106 of hybrid GPVA hydrogel crosslinked with GNP, produced by submerged cultivation, was proven to have the excellent biocompatibility properties required to be a potential bioinks for the rapid manufacturing of 3D in vitro of a single dermal layer for future use in cosmetic, pharmaceutic and toxicologic applications.
An interpretation for the English existential construction

This dissertation proposes an interpretation for the English "There"existential construction on which the construction expresses a property not of an "ordinary" individual, but rather of a description of an individual (formalized as a nominalized function, Chierchia 1984). This property holds of a description at some index iff the description is instantiated by some individual in its extension at that index. An additional felicity condition is posited requiring that the instantiating individual correspond to a novel discourse referent. Thus, unlike most previous proposals, the anlaysis advocated here takes the predicative phrase often found in existential sentences (e.g. "available" in "There was help available") to be an adjunct, rather than a (part of a) complement to the existential predicate. Chapter 2 discusses the syntax of the construction and presents arguments for treating the final phrase as an adjunct. A property-theoretic interpretation for the construction is developed in Chapter 3. There, the analysis is shown to make superior predictions concerning, inter alia, the scopal and relativization properties of the postcopular determiner phrase (DP) and to capture similarities between the DP in the existential and the predicate nominal. The definiteness effect associated with the construction is argued not to be a unitary phenomenon: A DP may be excluded from the construction because it fails to denote a nominalized function (e.g. "each student") or because its felicity conditions conflict with the novelty condition imposed by the construction (e.g. "the student"). In Chapter 4, the optional predicative phrase is argued to have the same interpretation as a depictive/circumstantial adjunct; consequently, the chapter begins by presenting an interpretation for depictives and circumstantials. The restriction governing possible final phrases in the existential is shown to reduce to a restriction governing these adjuncts in general. Chapter 4 concludes with an analysis of "eventive" existentials (e.g. "There has been a man shot") on which "a man shot" is argued to be a DP, contra e.g. Milsark 1974 but in accord with e.g. Williams 1984. Finally, Chapter 5 briefly discusses the predictions of the proposal for data including "list" existentials and "presentational-there" sentences. Submit Site Map Read LINGUIST Reviewer Login Go
Chaotic sedimentation of particle pairs in a vertical channel at low Reynolds number: Multiple states and routes to chaos

The sedimentation of a pair of rigid circular particles in a two-dimensional vertical channel containing a Newtonian fluid is investigated numerically, for terminal particle Reynolds numbers (ReT) ranging from 1 to 10, and for a confinement ratio equal to 4. While it is widely admitted that sufficiently inertial pairs should sediment by performing a regular DKT oscillation (Drafting-Kissing-Tumbling), the present analysis shows in contrast that a chaotic regime can also exist for such particles, leading to a much slower sedimentation velocity. It consists of a nearly horizontal pair, corresponding to a maximum effective blockage ratio, and performing a quasiperiodic transition to chaos while increasing the particle weight. For less inertial regimes, the classical oblique doublet structure and its complex behavior (multiple stable states and hysteresis, period-doubling cascade and chaotic attractor) are recovered, in agreement with previous work [Aidun, C. K. and Ding, E. -J., “Dynamics of particle sediment.
Stellar population constraints on the ages of galactic bars

© 2016 The Authors Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. We present a study of the stellar populations within the central regions of four nearby barred galaxies, and use a novel technique to constrain the duration of bar activity. We focus on the star formation 'desert', a region within each of these galaxies where star formation appears to have been suppressed by the bar. New Hs spectroscopic data are presented, and used to produce spectroscopic line indices which are compared with theoretical predictions from population synthesis models for simple stellar populations and temporally truncated star formation histories. This analysis shows that the dearth of star formation activity in these regions appears to have been continuing for at least 1 Gyr, with time-scales of several Gyr indicated for two of the galaxies. This favours models in which strong bars can be long-lived features of galaxies, but our results also indicate a significant diversity in stellar population ages, and hence in the implied histories of bar activity in these four galaxies.
Differentially Expressed mRNAs and Potential Mechanisms of Radiation-Induced TUT4−/− Esophageal Cell Injury

Radiation-induced esophageal injury remains a limitation for the process of radiotherapy for lung and esophageal cancer patients. Esophageal epithelial cells are extremely sensitive to irradiation, nevertheless, factors involved in the radiosensitivity of esophageal epithelial cells are still unknown. Terminal uridyl transferase 4 (TUT4) could modify the sequence of miRNAs, which affect their regulation on miRNA targets and function. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing technology to identify mRNAs that were differentially expressed before and after radiotherapy in esophageal epithelial cells. We further explored the mRNA expression profiles between wild-type and TUT4 knockout esophageal epithelial cells. Volcano and heatmap plots unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis were performed to classify the samples. Enrichment analysis on Gene Ontology functional annotations and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways was performed. We annotated differential genes from metabolism, genetic information processing, environmental information processing, cellular processes, and organismal systems human diseases. The aberrantly expressed genes are significantly enriched in irradiation-related biological processes, such as DNA replication, ferroptosis, and cell cycle. Moreover, we explored the distribution of transcription factor family and its target genes in differential genes. These mRNAs might serve as therapeutic targets in TUT4-related radiation-induced esophageal injury.
Acute and Subacute Toxicity Studies of Erodium guttatum Extracts by Oral Administration in Rodents

The present study aimed to evaluate the acute and subacute toxicity profiles of Erodium guttatum extracts in mice using the methods described in the guidelines of the OECD. In the acute toxicity study, the LD50 value was greater than 2000 mg/kg. The subacute toxicity study of E. guttatum extracts showed no significant changes in body or organ weights. The administration of E. guttatum extracts to mice at a dose of 200 mg/kg led to an increase in white blood cells, platelets and hemoglobin. Moreover, the aqueous extract of E. guttatum only decreased liver aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) levels at a dose of 200 mg/kg, and creatinine and urea levels did not show any significant alterations compared to the control group. Our results showed that the extracts of E. guttatum caused a slight increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) and triglycerides. The histological study showed that mice treated with E. guttatum extracts experienced some histopathological changes in the liver, particularly with the methanolic extract, and slight changes in the kidneys and pancreas. Regarding the renal profile, no toxicity was observed. These results provide basic information on the toxicological profile of E. guttatum used in traditional medicine.
Accuracy of Noninvasive Diagnostic Tests for the Detection of Significant and Advanced Fibrosis Stages in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Literature Review of the US Studies

Background: The purpose of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to evaluate the accuracy of noninvasive diagnostic tools in detecting significant or advanced (F2/F3) fibrosis among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) in the US healthcare context. Methods: The SLR was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science, with an additional hand search of public domains and citations, in line with the PRISMA statement. The study included US-based original research on diagnostic test sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Results: Twenty studies were included in qualitative evidence synthesis. Imaging techniques with the highest diagnostic accuracy in F2/F3 detection and differentiation were magnetic resonance elastography and vibration-controlled transient elastography. The most promising standard blood biomarkers were NAFLD fibrosis score and FIB-4. The novel diagnostic tools showed good overall accuracy, particularly a score composed of body mass index, GGT, 25-OH-vitamin D, and platelet count. The novel approaches in liver fibrosis detection successfully combine imaging techniques and blood biomarkers. Conclusions: While noninvasive techniques could overcome some limitations of liver biopsy, a tool that would provide a sufficiently sensitive and reliable estimate of changes in fibrosis development and regression is still missing.