Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reverse dynamical evolution of Eta Chamaeleontis

Context. In the scope of the star formation process, it is unclear how t he environment shapes the initial mass function (IMF). While observations of open clusters propose a universal picture f or the IMF from the substellar domain up to a few solar masses, the young association η Chamaeleontis presents an apparent lack of low mass objects (m 50 AU. Aims. We aim to test whether dynamical evolution alone can reproduce the peculiar properties of the association under the assu mption of a universal IMF. Methods. We use a pure N-body code to simulate the dynamical evolution of the cluster for 10 Myr, and compare the results with observations. A wide range of values for the initial paramet ers are tested (number of systems, typical radius of the dens ity distribution and virial ratio) in order to identify the initial state that would most likely lead to observations. In this context we also investigate the influence of the initial binary population on the dynamics an d the possibility of having a discontinuous single IMF near the transition to the brown dwarf regime. We consider as an extreme case an IMF with no low mass systems (m< 0.1 M⊙). Results. The initial configurations cover a wide range of initial dens ity, from 10 2 to 10 8 stars/pc 3 , in virialized, hot and cold dynamical state. We do not find any initial state that would evolve from a universal single IMF to fit the observations. Only when starting with a truncated IMF without any very low mass systems and no wide binaries, can we reproduce the cluster core properti es with a success rate of 10% at best. Conclusions. Pure dynamical evolution alone cannot explain the observed properties of η Chamaeleontis from universal initial conditions. The lack of brown dwarfs and very low mass stars, and the peculiar binary properties (low binary fraction and lac k of wide binaries), are probably the result of the star formation pro cess in this association.
Distinct expression pattern of periostin splice variants in chondrocytes and ligament progenitor cells

Periostin (POSTN), a secretory matricellular matrix protein, plays a multitude of biologic functions. Various splice variants of POSTN have been described; however, their expression pattern and functional implications are not completely understood. This study was undertaken to decipher the differential expression pattern of POSTN and its splice variants in various tissues and cell types. We show that POSTN was more highly expressed in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remnants compared with articular cartilage at the cellular and tissue level. Isoforms 1 and 8 were highly expressed only in articular chondrocytes, suggesting their splice‐specific regulation in chondrocytes. To discern the role of total POSTN and full‐length human POSTN isoform 1 (hPOSTN‐001), we stably transfected human chondrosarcoma 1 (hCh‐1) cell line with hPOSTN‐001 using a pcDNA3.1–hPOSTN‐001 construct. RNA‐sequencing analysis of hCh‐1 cells identified differentially expressed genes with a known role in chondrocyte function and osteoarthritis. Similar expression of a subset of candidate genes was revealed in ACL progenitor cells and chondrocytes as well as in ACL progenitor cells in which POSTN activity was altered by overexpression and by small interfering RNA gene knockdown. Cells expressing total POSTN, not isoform 1, exhibited increased cell adhesion potential. These findings suggest an important role for POSTN in the knee. —Cai, L. , Brophy, R. H. , Tycksen, E. D. , Duan, X. , Nunley, R. M. , Rai, M. F. Distinct expression pattern of periostin splice variants in chondrocytes and ligament progenitor cells. FASEB J. 33, 8386–8405 (2019). www.fasebj. org
Exploring Gut Microbiome in Predicting the Efficacy of Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Simple Summary Despite the emerging success of immunotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it remains clinically important to better identify patients who are likely to respond to treatment, especially considering the existence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). In recent years, the gut microbiome has been correlated with treatment response, but no predictive models relating the two have been developed. In this study, we used random forest and neural networks to predict the progression-free survival of NSCLC patients treated with immunotherapy. Our results showed that a functional profile of the human gut microbiome outperformed the taxonomical profile across different studies, which can be utilized to establish a model with good predictive value in lung cancer immunotherapy. Abstract We performed various analyses on the taxonomic and functional features of the gut microbiome from NSCLC patients treated with immunotherapy to establish a model that may predict whether a patient will benefit from immunotherapy. We collected 65 published whole metagenome shotgun sequencing samples along with 14 samples from our previous study. We systematically studied the taxonomical characteristics of the dataset and used both the random forest (RF) and the multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network models to predict patients with progression-free survival (PFS) above 6 months versus those below 3 months. Our results showed that the RF classifier achieved the highest F-score (85.2%) and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) (95%) using the protein families (Pfam) profile, and the MLP neural network classifier achieved a 99.9% F-score and 100% AUC using the same Pfam profile. When applying the model trained in the Pfam profile directly to predict the treatment response, we found that both trained RF and MLP classifiers significantly outperformed the stochastic predictor in F-score. Our results suggested that such a predictive model based on functional (e.g., Pfam) rather than taxonomic profile might be clinically useful to predict whether an NSCLC patient will benefit from immunotherapy, as both the F-score and AUC of functional profile outperform that of taxonomic profile. In addition, our model suggested that interactive biological processes such as methanogenesis, one-carbon, and amino acid metabolism might be important in regulating the immunotherapy response that warrants further investigation.
Quantum Corrections in the Resonance Chiral Theory

This PhD thesis is a first step towards the control of the quantum corrections in the Resonance Chiral Theory, the suggested framework to handle QCD in the resonance region. After a theoretical introduction, Chapter 3 is devoted to calculate the vector form factor of the pion at the next-to-leading order in the 1/N(C) expansion. The ultraviolet behaviour of the calculation is analyzed, together with the needed counterterms in the renormalization procedure. The long-distance limit allows to determine the resonance contribution to the low-energy constants of Chiral Perturbation Theory at the NLO in 1/N(C). In Chapter 4 a study of the two-body hadronic form factors from large-N(C) QCD is shown. We present a dispersive method which allows to investigate the chiral LECs and we perform a NLO calculation of the scalar and pseudoscalar two-point functions. Imposing the correct QCD short-distance constraints, one determines their difference Pi(t)=Pi_S(t)-Pi_P(t) in terms of the pion decay constant and resonance masses. Its low-momentum expansion fixes then the ChPT coupling L(8). In Chapter 5 we evaluate the beta-function at one-loop of the resonance lagrangian with one multiplet of scalar and pseudoscalar resonances, up to bilinear couplings in the resonance fields, by using the background field method.
SUPERNOVA 2010as: THE LOWEST-VELOCITY MEMBER OF A FAMILY OF FLAT-VELOCITY TYPE IIb SUPERNOVAE

We present extensive optical and near-infrared photometric and spectroscopic observations of the stripped-envelope supernova SN 2010as. Spectroscopic peculiarities such as initially weak helium features and low expansion velocities with a nearly flat evolution place this object in the small family of events previously identified as transitional Type Ib/c supernovae (SNe). There is ubiquitous evidence of hydrogen, albeit weak, in this family of SNe, indicating that they are in fact a peculiar kind of Type IIb SNe that we name “flat-velocity Type IIb. The flat-velocity evolution—which occurs at different levels between 6000 and 8000 km s−1 for different SNe—suggests the presence of a dense shell in the ejecta. Despite the spectroscopic similarities, these objects show surprisingly diverse luminosities. We discuss the possible physical or geometrical unification picture for such diversity. Using archival Hubble Space Telescope images, we associate SN 2010as with a massive cluster and derive a progenitor age of ≈6 Myr, assuming a single star-formation burst, which is compatible with a Wolf–Rayet progenitor. Our hydrodynamical modeling, on the contrary, indicates that the pre-explosion mass was relatively low, ≈4 M☉. The seeming contradiction between a young age and low pre-SN mass may be solved by a massive interacting binary progenitor.
Discovery prospects for NMSSM Higgs bosons at the high-energy Large Hadron Collider

We investigate the discovery prospects for Higgs bosons in the next-to-mininmal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (NMSSM) during the 13 TeV run of the LHC. While one of the neutral Higgs bosons is demanded to have a mass around 125 GeV and Standard Model-like properties, there can be substantially lighter, nearby or heavier Higgs bosons that have not been excluded yet by LEP, Tevatron or the 8 TeV run of the LHC. The challenge consists in discovering the whole NMSSM Higgs mass spectrum. We present the rates for production and subsequent decay of the neutral NMSSM Higgs bosons in the most promising final states and discuss their possible discovery. The prospects for pinning down the Higgs sector of the natural NMSSM will be analyzed taking into account alternative search channels. We give a series of benchmark scenarios compatible with the experimental constraints, that feature Higgs-to-Higgs decays and entail (exotic) signatures with multifermion and/or multiphoton final states. These decay chains furthermore give access to the trilinear Higgs self-couplings. We briefly discuss the possibility of exploiting coupling sum rules in case not all the NMSSM Higgs bosons are discovered.
Individual Cofactors and Multisensory Contributions to the Postural Sway of Adults with Diabetes

To assess the interactions between individual cofactors and multisensory inputs on the postural sway of adults with type 2 diabetes and healthy subjects, 69 adults accepted to participate in the study (48 with/21 without diabetes). Assessments included neuro-otology (sinusoidal-rotation and unilateral-centrifugation), ophthalmology and physiatry evaluations, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, quadriceps strength, the ankle/brachial index and polypharmacy. Postural sway was recorded on hard/soft surface, either with eyes open/closed, or without/with 30° neck extension. The proportional differences from the baseline of each condition were analyzed using Multivariate and Multivariable analyses. Patients with polyneuropathy and no retinopathy showed visual dependence, while those with polyneuropathy and retinopathy showed adaptation. Across sensory challenges, the vestibulo-ocular gain at 1.28 Hz and the BMI were mainly related to changes in sway area, while the dynamic visual vertical was mainly related to changes in sway length. The ankle/brachial index was related to the effect of neck extension, with contributions from quadriceps strength/physical activity, polyneuropathy and polypharmacy. Across conditions, men showed less sway than women did. In conclusion, in adults with diabetes, sensory inputs and individual cofactors differently contribute to postural stability according to context. Rehabilitation programs for adults with diabetes may require an individualized approach.
State-Owned Entreprises (SOEs): The Role in Economic Development and The Determinant of Its Performance

The Indonesian government conduct several strategies to enhance the SOE’s performance. However, some financial indicators show that reform program has not optimally achieved the objective to enhance the SOE performance. Therefore this paper is aimed to discuss some underlying factors that influence the SOE performance. As a result, the study found that contribution of Indonesia SOEs to economy is relatively low and stagnant. Besides that, many SOEs have not yet operated optimally. The regression result show the financial condition of the SOE is getting better when it have higher ability to generate profits and pay off debts. In addition, ability to pay off the debts is more important to maintain the financial performance of SOEs, than ability to generate profit. This study also indicate inefficiency in managing employee and policy formulation in Indonesia’s SOE.
Effects of various straw incorporation strategies on soil phosphorus fractions and transformations

Returning straw to the field is an effective method for optimizing the soil phosphorus (P) availability, in which bacteria play an important role. However, the effects of various straw incorporation strategies on P transformation between different soil P pools remain unclear. In this study, variations in soil P fractions, phosphatase activities and the abundance of phosphatase genes (phoD, phoX and phoC) as well as a P‐solubilizing gene (pqqC) at DNA (total) and cDNA (transcribed) levels were analysed in three straw incorporation treatments, including chopped straw (StrawD), straw compost (Compost) and straw‐derived biochar (Biochar), and control (no straw, CK). Compared with the CK, the moderately labile inorganic P (NaOH I‐Pi) content significantly decreased and the non‐available P (Residual P) content significantly increased in the StrawD treatment. At the same time, phosphodiesterase (PD) activity and the transcribed phoC and phoX genes as well as total pqqC gene abundance significantly increased in the StrawD treatment, suggesting that the input of chopped straw stimulated P transformations from both organic and inorganic P pools. In addition, the stable Pi (NaOH II‐Pi) content and total pqqC gene abundance in the Biochar treatment were significantly higher than that in the CK, indicating that the input of biochar increased the NaOH II‐Pi that could release available P by Pi‐solubilizing bacteria. In comparison to the CK, the Compost input significantly decreased one labile Pi (resin‐Pi) only. However, its P fractions were significantly different from that of CK, Biochar and StrawD treatments, suggesting that the effects of compost input on P should not be ignored. In conclusion, chopped straw input increased soil P transformation but not available P, biochar input may promote inorganic P transformation, and compost input has a latent effect on P transformation. The study provided a comprehensive understanding of straw incorporation strategies for regulating soil P availability.
Spectro-photometric distances to stars: a general-purpose Bayesian approach

We developed a code that estimates distances to stars using measured spectroscopic and photometric quantities. We employ a Bayesian approach to build the probability distribution function over stellar evolutionary models given these data, delivering estimates of model parameters for each star individually. The code was first tested on simulations, successfully recovering input distances to mock stars with <1% bias.The method-intrinsic random distance uncertainties for typical spectroscopic survey measurements amount to around 10% for dwarf stars and 20\% for giants, and are most sensitive to the quality of $\log g$ measurements. The code was validated by comparing our distance estimates to parallax measurements from the Hipparcos mission for nearby stars (< 300 pc), to asteroseismic distances of CoRoT red giant stars, and to known distances of well-studied open and globular clusters. The external comparisons confirm that our distances are subject to very small systematic biases with respect to the fundamental Hipparcos scale (+0.4 % for dwarfs, and +1.6% for giants). The typical random distance scatter is 18% for dwarfs, and 26% for giants. For the CoRoT-APOGEE sample, the typical random distance scatter is ~15%, both for the nearby and farther data. Our distances are systematically larger than the CoRoT ones by about +9%, which can mostly be attributed to the different choice of priors. The comparison to known distances of star clusters from SEGUE and APOGEE has led to significant systematic differences for many cluster stars, but with opposite signs, and with substantial scatter. Finally, we tested our distances against those previously determined for a high-quality sample of giant stars from the RAVE survey, again finding a small systematic trend of +5% and an rms scatter of 30%.
DECONVOLVING X-RAY SPECTRAL VARIABILITY COMPONENTS IN THE SEYFERT 1.5 NGC 3227

We present the variability analysis of a 100 ks XMM-Newton observation of the Seyfert 1.5 active galaxy, NGC 3227. The observation found NGC 3227 in a period where its hard power-law component displayed remarkably little long-term variability. This lucky event allows us to clearly observe a soft spectral component undergoing a large-amplitude but slow flux variation. Using combined spectral and timing analysis, we isolate two independent variable continuum components and characterize their behavior as a function of timescale. Rapid and coherent variations throughout the 0.2–10 keV band reveal a spectrally hard (photon index Γ ∼ 1.7–1.8) power law, dominating the observed variability on timescales of 30 ks and shorter. Another component produces coherent fluctuations in the 0.2–2 keV range and is much softer (Γ ∼ 3); it dominates the observed variability on timescales greater than 30 ks. Both components are viewed through the same absorbers identified in the time-averaged spectrum. The combined spectral and timing analysis breaks the degeneracy between models for the soft excess: it is consistent with a power-law or thermal Comptonized component but not with a blackbody or an ionized reflection component. We demonstrate that the rapid variability in NGC 3227 is intrinsic to continuum-emitting components and is not an effect of variable absorption.
Outflows from Luminous Young Stellar Objects: An Infrared Polarimetric Study

We present near-infrared imaging polarimetry of three regions of massive star formation, G192.16-3.82, Cep A, and W42. In W42 we have discovered a new bipolar nebula located at the far side of the H II region behind the visible cluster of exciting stars. The axis of this new nebula is aligned with the magnetic field threading the entire cluster region. Polarization in the bipolar outflow nebulosity associated with G192.16 is consistent with a single illuminating source, too faint to be detected at 2 μm. Polarization in the reflection nebulosity associated with Cep A requires more than one illuminating source, although HW 2 is clearly dominant. In all three objects, the magnetic field in the outflow at distances greater than ∼0.2 pc is radial. In G192.16 the magnetic field geometry closer than ∼0.2 pc to the embedded star appears chaotic. For G192.16 the outflow is not aligned with the surrounding magnetic field, which lies in the Galactic plane. In Cep A, the outflow axis could be interpreted as being aligned with the Galactic plane, but the magnetic field threading the region is not. Only in the case of W42 is the magnetic field threading the H II region aligned with the mean field in the surrounding Galactic plane.
Fine-Tuning the Accretion Disk Clock in Hercules X-1

Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer all-sky monitor count rates from the X-ray pulsar Her X-1 began falling consistently during the late months of 2003. The source is undergoing another state transition similar to the anomalous low state of 1999. This new event has triggered observations from both space- and ground-based observatories. In order to aid data interpretation and telescope scheduling and to facilitate the phase connection of cycles before and after the state transition, we have recalculated the precession ephemeris using cycles over the last 3.5 yr. We report that the source has displayed a different precession period since the last anomalous event. Additional archival data from the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory suggests that each low state is accompanied by a change in precession period and that the subsequent period is correlated with accretion flux. Consequently our analysis reveals long-term accretion disk behavior that is predicted by theoretical models of radiation-driven warping.
The Curse of the All-Star Team: A Single-Season Prospective Shoulder MRI Study of Little League Baseball Players.

BACKGROUND Throwing guidelines have been implemented in Little League baseball in an attempt to minimize injuries in young baseball players. We hypothesized that playing pitcher or catcher and increased innings played during the season would result in dominant shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities. METHODS A prospective evaluation of Little League players aged 10 to 12 years was performed. Players recruited before the start of the season underwent bilateral preseason and dominant shoulder postseason MRI, physical examination, and questionnaires addressing their playing history and arm pain. Innings played, player position, pitch counts, and all-star team selection were recorded. RESULTS In total, 23 players were enrolled. The majority (19/23, 82.6%) were right-handed and 16 of 23 (69.6%) played at least 10 innings as pitcher or catcher. Sixteen were selected for the all-star team. Fourteen players (60.9%) had positive dominant shoulder MRI findings not present in their nondominant shoulder. Eight players (34.8%) had new or worsening postseason MRI findings. Thirteen players (81.3%) selected to the all-star team had abnormal MRI findings whereas only one (14.3%) player not selected as an all-star had MRI abnormalities (P=0.005). Year-round play (P=0.016), innings pitched (P=0.046), innings catcher (P=0.039), and number of pitches (P=0.033) were associated with any postseason MRI abnormality, but not for new or worsening MRI changes. Single sport athletes and players playing for multiple teams were significantly more likely to have abnormal MRI findings (P=0.043 and 0.040, respectively) when compared with multisport athletes playing on a single team. CONCLUSIONS MRI abnormalities involving the dominant shoulder are common in Little League baseball players and often develop or worsen during the season. Contrary to our hypothesis, MRI abnormalities were not associated with player position and pitch counts. Instead, they were most closely associated with year round play, single sports participation, and all-star team selection. The increased demands required for all-star selection comes at a price to the young athlete as the majority of players selected for this honor had abnormal MRI findings in their throwing shoulder while few non all-stars demonstrated such pathology. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II.