Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE SENSITIVITY OF CONVECTION ZONE DEPTH TO STELLAR ABUNDANCES: AN ABSOLUTE STELLAR ABUNDANCE SCALE FROM ASTEROSEISMOLOGY

The base of the convection zone (CZ) is a source of acoustic glitches in the asteroseismic frequency spectra of solar-like oscillators, allowing one to precisely measure the acoustic depth to the feature. We examine the sensitivity of the depth of the CZ to mass, stellar abundances, and input physics, and in particular, the use of a measurement of the acoustic depth to the CZ as an atmosphere-independent, absolute measure of stellar metallicities. We find that for low-mass stars on the main sequence with 0.4 M☉ ⩽ M ⩽ 1.6 M☉, the acoustic depth to the base of the CZ, normalized by the acoustic depth to the center of the star, τcz, n, is both a strong function of mass, and varies at the 0.5%–1% per 0.1 dex level in [Z/X], and is therefore also a sensitive probe of the composition. We estimate the theoretical uncertainties in the stellar models and show that combined with reasonable observational uncertainties we can expect to measure the metallicity to within 0.15–0.3 dex for solar-like stars. We discuss the applications of this work to rotational mixing, particularly in the context of the observed mid-F star Li dip, and to distinguishing between different mixtures of heavy elements.
GAP CLEARING BY PLANETS IN A COLLISIONAL DEBRIS DISK

We apply our 3D debris disk model, SMACK, to simulate a planet on a circular orbit near a ring of planetesimals that are experiencing destructive collisions. Previous simulations of a planet opening a gap in a collisionless debris disk have found that the width of the gap scales as the planet mass to the 2/7th power (α = 2/7). We find that gap sizes in a collisional disk still obey a power law scaling with planet mass, but that the index α of the power law depends on the age of the system t relative to the collisional timescale tcoll of the disk by α = 0.32(t/tcoll)−0.04, with inferred planet masses up to five times smaller than those predicted by the classical gap law. The increased gap sizes likely stem from the interaction between collisions and the mean motion resonances near the chaotic zone. We investigate the effects of the initial eccentricity distribution of the disk particles and find a negligible effect on the gap size at Jovian planet masses, since collisions tend to erase memory of the initial particle eccentricity distributions. Finally, we find that the presence of Trojan analogs is a potentially powerful diagnostic of planets in the mass range ∼1–10 MJup. We apply our model to place new upper limits on planets around Fomalhaut, HR 4796 A, HD 202628, HD 181327, and β Pictoris.
A continuous based heuristic for the maximum clique problem

We develop a deterministic heuristic based on a continuous quadratic nonconvex formulation of the maximum clique problem. The developed heuristic avoids the need for the calibration of parameters while maintaining computational competitiveness to greedy randomized search procedures which require such calibration. Furthermore it demonstrates the potential for using continuous approaches to model discrete problems. Experimental results on test problems.
Use of CytoSorb© Hemoadsorption in Patients on Veno-Venous ECMO Support for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Adjunct hemoadsorption is increasingly utilized to target underlying hyperinflammation derived from ARDS. This article aims to review available data on the use of CytoSorb© therapy in combination with V-V ECMO in severe ARDS, and to assess the effects on inflammatory, laboratory and clinical parameters, as well as on patient outcomes. A systematic literature review was conducted and reported in compliance with principles derived from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. When applicable, a before-and-after analysis for relevant biomarkers and clinical parameters was carried out. CytoSorb© use was associated with significant reductions in circulating levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 (p = 0.039 and p = 0.049, respectively). Increases in PaO2/FiO2 reached significance as well (p = 0.028), while norepinephrine dosage reductions showed a non-significant trend (p = 0.067). Mortality rates in CytoSorb© patients tended to be lower than those of control groups of most included studies, which, however, were characterized by high heterogeneity and low power. In an exploratory analysis on 90-day mortality in COVID-19 patients supported with V-V ECMO, the therapy was associated with a significantly reduced risk of death. Based on the reviewed data, CytoSorb© therapy is able to reduce inflammation and potentially improves survival in ARDS patients treated with V-V ECMO. Early initiation of CytoSorb© in conjunction with ECMO might offer a new approach to enhance lung rest and promote recovery in patients with severe ARDS.
Pan-Genome Analysis Reveals Functional Divergences in Gut-Restricted Gilliamella and Snodgrassella

Gilliamella and Snodgrassella, members of core gut microbiota in corbiculate bees, have high species diversity and adaptability to a wide range of hosts. In this study, we performed species taxonomy and phylogenetic analysis for Gilliamella and Snodgrassella strains that we isolated in our laboratory, in combination with published whole-genome. Functional effects of accessory and unique genes were investigated by KEGG category and pathway annotation in pan-genome analysis. Consequently, in Gilliamella, we inferred the importance of carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, membrane transport, energy metabolism, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins in accessory or unique genes. The pathway mentioned above, plus infectious disease, lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism as well as replication and repair exert a pivotal role in accessory or unique genes of Snodgrassella. Further analysis revealed the existence of functional differentiation of accessory and unique genes among Apis-derived genomes and Bombus-derived genomes. We also identified eight and four biosynthetic gene clusters in all Gilliamella and Snodgrassella genomes, respectively. Our study provides a good insight to better understand how host heterogeneity influences the bacterial speciation and affects the versatility of the genome of the gut bacteria.
Exfoliation Syndrome and Exfoliation Glaucoma in the Navajo Nation

(1) Background: Exfoliation syndrome (XFS) is a common cause of secondary open angle glaucoma. In 1971, Faulkner et al. estimated the prevalence of XFS among 50 Navajo Nation residents as 38%. Given that XFS can cause irreversible blindness secondary to glaucoma (XFG), this study aims to identify the current prevalence of XFS among Navajo Nation residents within the Four Corners region of the U.S. (2) Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted from 2016 to 2021 for patients aged 18 and older. All patients with XFS or XFG diagnosed by slit lamp exam were identified through chart review. (3) Results: Of the 1152 patient charts available for review, eight patients (11 eyes) were diagnosed with XFS with three patients (4 eyes) demonstrating concomitant XFG. Within this XFS population, 50% of the patients identified as male, with a mean age of 73 years. The overall prevalence of XFS was 0.7% and the overall prevalence of XFG was found to be 0.26%. The rate of XFG among patients with XFS was 37.5%. (4) Conclusion: Compared to Faulkner’s study of Navajo Nation residents in 1971, our findings show a considerably lower prevalence of XFS at 0.7%. We present the largest study to date of XFS among this population.
Controling the single-diamond nitrogen-vacancy color center photoluminescence spectrum with a Fabry–Perot microcavity

We present here both theoretical and experimental results on the fluorescence of single defect centers in diamond nanocrystals embedded in a planar dielectric microcavity. From a theoretical point of view, we show that the overall fluorescence collection efficiency using a moderate numerical aperture microscope objective can be enhanced by using a low-quality-factor microcavity. This could be used in particular for low-temperature applications, where the numerical aperture of collection microscope objectives is limited due to the experimental constraints. We experimentally investigate the control of the fluorescence spectrum of the emitted light from a single center. We show the simultaneous narrowing of the room temperature broadband emission spectrum and the increase in the fluorescence spectral density.
Correlation of Bone Mineral Density and Fractal Analysis of the Mandibular Condyle in Women with Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study

Background and Aim: Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) appears to be more common in osteoporotic patients. Fractal analysis is a mathematical method that can be used to assess trabecular bone. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of bone mineral density (BMD) and fractal dimension (FD) of the condyles in women with TMJOA using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the FD and lacunarity of the condylar head were assessed on CBCT images of 39 women (20 healthy women with no signs/symptoms of TMJOA, and 19 TMJOA patients). The BMD and the T-score of the hip and lumbar vertebrae were determined using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Data were analyzed by t-test, chi-square test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: TMJOA patients and healthy controls did not differ significantly in terms of the mean age (P=0.63), BMD and T-score (P>0.05), or FD and lacunarity (P>0.05). A significant correlation was observed, however, between lacunarity in the two condyles (r=0.47, P=0.003) and BMD of the lumbar vertebrae and the hip (r=0.40, P=0.01). Conclusion: The mean BMD of total spine and hip did not differ significantly in the two groups of healthy controls and TMJOA patients. The FD and lacunarity also showed no significant difference between the groups. FD based on CBCT images of the TMJ is not a reliable indicator for categorization of skeletal status.
SWIFT view of the 2015 outburst of GS 2023+338 (V404 Cyg): complex evolution of spectral and temporal characteristics

We study the spectral and temporal characteristics of the source GS 2023$+$338 (V404 Cyg) during the initial phase of its June 2015 outburst, over the energy range of 0.5 - 150 keV. This is the first detailed study of the characteristics of this source based on {\it SWIFT} observations, being reported. Based on our analysis, we understand that the source existed in the hard, intermediate and soft spectral states. We find that the evolution of the spectral parameters, the hardness intensity diagram and the rms-intensity diagram are not similar to those observed for most of the outbursting black hole sources. We also observe presence of weak peaked components in the power density spectra during the intermediate state of the source. Dramatic changes in the spectral and temporal properties are also exhibited before the ejection of a radio jet suggesting it to be associated with the coronal mass ejection. It seems that may be due to evacuation of the inner part of the Keplerian disc for a short duration, the disc component is not observed after the huge radio flare. The absorption features observed in the low energy spectra suggest the presence of wind emission and the evolution of the characteristics of the variable Fe line emission during both hard and intermediate states, indicate its origin to be probably related to the wind/outflow.
Modeling, Measuring and Managing Risk

This book is the first in the market to treat single- and multi-period risk measures (risk functionals) in a thorough, comprehensive manner. It combines the treatment of properties of the risk measures with the related aspects of decision making under risk. The book introduces the theory of risk measures in a mathematically sound way. It contains properties, characterizations and representations of risk functionals for single-period and multi-period activities, and also shows the embedding of such functionals in decision models and the properties of these models.
Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of 2 to 5-Year-Old Children in Iran

Background and Aim: Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) and dental caries are among the prevalent oral health issues in preschool children that can lead to psychosocial and physical complications. Therefore, it is crucial to assess their effects on children’s oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study aimed to assess the effect of oral health status on OHRQoL of 2- to 5-year-old children in Sari, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 540 randomly selected children between 2 to 5 years. Their decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) indices was determined by oral clinical examination. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) was completed by the parents. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analysis by the Chi-square test, independent t-test, and ANOVA. Results: The ECOHIS mean scores in the Family Impact Section (FIS) and Child Impact Section (CIS) were 1.8±3.0 and 2.7±4.2, respectively. The mean DMFT score of children was 3.2±3.07, with 47% having a DMFT of 0. The frequency of TDI was 11.5%. The DMFT index and ECOHIS were significantly correlated (r=0.571, P<0.001). A statistically significant correlation was found between ECOHIS and TDI, indicating lower quality of life (QoL) in patients with a history of TDI (P<0.001). Conclusion: Children’s oral health considerably affects their own and their parents’ QoL. Its effect on children’s QoL is greater than its impact on the QoL of the parents.
miR-18a-5p and ATM Expression in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Their Correlations with Clinicopathological Features

Objective To investigate miR-18a-5p and ataxia telangiectasia muted (ATM) expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their correlations with clinicopathological features. Methods The subjects of this study were 62 ESCC patients (research group, RG) and 57 healthy controls (control group, CG) presented to our hospital between July 2019 and April 2020. Peripheral blood (PB) miR-18a-5p and ATM levels in these participants were quantified via qRT-PCR, and the correlations of the two genes with ESCC patients' clinicopathological characteristics were investigated. In addition, a two-year follow-up was performed on ESCC patients to understand their survival, so as to further determine the prognostic utility of miR-18a-5p and ATM in ESCC. Factors influencing patient outcomes were identified by COX analysis. Results PB miR-18a-5p expression was higher in RG compared with CG, while ATM was lower, suggesting an inverse connection between the two genes in ESCC (P < 0.001). miR-18a-5p and ATM levels were determined to be strongly linked to TNM stage, differentiation degree, and lymph node metastasis in ESCC patients (P < 0.001 and P = 0.007). The patients who succumbed to the disease exhibited higher miR-18a-5p and lower ATM than the survival (P < 0.05). ROC analysis suggested favorable evaluation effects of miR-18a-5p and ATM on the occurrence and prognostic death of ESCC (P < 0.001). Further, these two genes were identified by the COX analysis to be factors independently affecting the prognosis of ESCC. Conclusion miR-18a-5p is highly expressed in ESCC, and ATM is underexpressed, both of which are closely linked to the pathological process of ESCC and have a good evaluation effect on the occurrence and prognosis of ESCC, which may become a breakthrough in future diagnosis and treatment of ESCC.
Counting households containing same-sex couples: an inclusive approach

Abstract Though societal acceptance of same-sex unions has grown, resulting in more inclusive government programs and policies and expanded legal protections, analysts remain uncertain about how to identify and enumerate same-sex households. Presently, the counts available of same-sex households in the United States oftentimes disagree. We show that the origins of these conflicting counts can be traced back to definitional and measurement issues in household surveys. In this study, we demonstrate how counts of same-sex households conflict, mislead, and undermine the goal of accurately representing the population of households with same-sex couples. By providing alternative approaches to counting household with same-sex couples we highlight the challenges in enumerating these households. We draw upon three federal household surveys to demonstrate the inconsistencies in the counts of same-sex households and to illustrate our methods. We argue that our proposed methods lead to more comprehensive and credible counts of households containing same-sex couples.
Disease Progression and Associations of Microvascular Complications in Diabetic Patients: A Study From South India

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by inappropriately elevated blood glucose levels. If not treated at the early stage, it can lead to complications like diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) which are often associated with severe morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to identify the prevalence of retinopathy and nephropathy in diabetic patients and also to determine the correlation between DR and DN. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 84 diabetic patients (Male: Female- 53:31) were included. The mean age at presentation was 54.06 ± 9.85 years. Among them, 28% of patients had a duration of diabetes of < 5 years. Nearly 42% and 30% of patients had diabetes between 5-10 years, and more than 10 years respectively. At the time of presentation to us, a total of 42.8% of patients had a combination of nephropathy and retinopathy, 40.4% of patients had only retinopathy, and 16.6% of patients with only nephropathy. Among patients with nephropathy and microalbuminuria, only 5.9% had DR ranging from mild to a moderate degree and none had severe DR. In patients with macroalbuminuria, 26.2% had moderate to severe DR. Microvascular complications are more prevalent in diabetics with disease progression. Microalbuminuria is a marker for retinopathy and these patients require ophthalmic evaluation at the earliest. Early recognition and management of these, can reduce the occurrence of complications as well as disease progression, thus reducing the related mortality.
Dynamical Supergravity Breaking via the Super-Higgs Effect Revisited

We investigate the dynamical breaking of local supersymmetry (supergravity), including the Deser-Zumino super-Higgs effect, via the corresponding one-loop effective potential for the simple but quite representative cases of $\mathcal{N}=1$, $D=4$ simple supergravity and a (simplified) conformal version of it. We find solutions to the effective equations which indicate dynamical generation of a gravitino mass, thus breaking supergravity. In the case of conformal supergravity models, the gravitino mass can be much lower than the Planck scale, for global supersymmetry breaking scales below the grand unification scale. The absence of instabilities in the effective potential arising from the quantum fluctuations of the metric field is emphasized, contrary to previous claims in the literature.
THE X-RAY–OPTICAL RELATIONS FOR NINE CLUSTERS AT z = 0.7–1.1 FROM THE ORELSE SURVEY

We use Chandra observations of nine optically and X-ray-selected clusters in five different structures at z ∼ 0.7–1.1 from the Observations of Redshift Evolution in Large-Scale Environments survey to study diffuse X-ray emission from galaxy clusters. X-ray gas temperatures and bolometric rest-frame luminosities are measured for each cluster in the sample. We present new redshift measurements, derived from data obtained using the Deep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Keck 10 m telescope, for two clusters in the RX J0910 supercluster at z ∼ 1.1, from which velocity dispersions are measured. Dispersions for all clusters are combined with X-ray luminosities and gas temperatures to evaluate how the cluster properties compare to low-redshift scaling relations. We also measure the degree of substructure in each cluster by examining the velocity histograms, performing Dressler–Shectman tests, and computing the offsets between the X-ray emission center and optically derived centroids. We find that only two clusters show clear indications of being unrelaxed, based on their scaling relations and other dynamical state diagnostics. Using our sample, we evaluate the redshift evolution of the Lx–T relation and investigate the implications of our results for precision cosmology surveys.
Recovery of Polyphenols Using Pressurized Hot Water Extraction (PHWE) from Black Rosehip Followed by Encapsulation for Increased Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Activity

In this work, pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) of hydrophilic polyphenols from black rosehip fruit was maximized using response surface methodology for simultaneous optimization in terms of extraction yield, total antioxidant capacity, total (poly)phenols, catechin, total monomeric anthocyanins, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. Extraction parameters, including temperature (X1: 40–80 °C) and the solvent-to-solid ratio (X2: 10–40 mL/g), were investigated as independent variables. Experimentally obtained values were fitted to a second-order polynomial model, and optimal conditions were determined using multiple regression analysis and analysis of variance. The black rosehip extract (BRE) obtained at optimized PHWE conditions was further encapsulated in biopolymer-coated liposomes and spray dried to enhance its processing and digestive stability. After reconstitution, the fabricated particles had an average size of 247–380 nm and a zeta-potential of 15–45 mV. Moreover, encapsulation provided remarkable protection of the phenolics under in vitro gastrointestinal digestion conditions, resulting in up to a 5.6-fold more phenolics in the bioaccessible fraction, which also had 2.9–8.6-fold higher antioxidant activity compared to the nonencapsulated BRE. In conclusion, PHWE in combination with a biopolymer coating is a potent method for the production of stable and safe edible natural extracts for the delivery of (poly)phenolic compounds in food and dietary supplements.
Mediterranean Diet versus Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet: Effects of Reaching 5% Body Weight Loss on Body Composition in Subjects with Overweight and with Obesity—A Cohort Study

The best nutritional strategy to fight the rise in obesity remains a debated issue. The Mediterranean diet (MD) and the Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic diet (VLCKD) are effective at helping people lose body weight (BW) and fat mass (FM) while preserving fat-free mass (FFM). This study aimed to evaluate the time these two diets took to reach a loss of 5% of the initial BW and how body composition was affected. We randomized 268 subjects with obesity or overweight in two arms, MD and VLCKD, for a maximum of 3 months or until they reached 5% BW loss. This result was achieved after one month of VLCKD and 3 months of MD. Both diets were effective in terms of BW (p < 0.0001) and FM loss (p < 0.0001), but the MD reached a higher reduction in both waist circumference (p = 0.0010) and FM (p = 0.0006) and a greater increase in total body water (p = 0.0017) and FFM (p = 0.0373) than VLCKD. The population was also stratified according to gender, age, and BMI. These two nutritional protocols are both effective in improving anthropometrical parameters and body composition, but they take different time spans to reach the goal. Therefore, professionals should evaluate which is the most suitable according to each patient’s health status.