Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dietary aflatoxin exposure of lactating mothers of children 0–6 months in Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract The southeastern region of Kenya is prone to aflatoxin outbreaks, yet maternal and infant aflatoxin intake levels remain unclear. We determined dietary aflatoxin exposure of 170 lactating mothers breastfeeding children aged 6 months and below in a descriptive cross‐sectional study involving aflatoxin analysis of maize‐based cooked food samples (n = 48). Their socioeconomic characteristics, food consumption patterns and postharvest handling of maize were determined. Aflatoxins were determined using high‐performance liquid chromatography and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package Software for Social Sciences (SPSS version 27) and Palisade's @Risk software. About 46% of the mothers were from low‐income households, and 48.2% had not attained the basic level of education. A generally low dietary diversity was reported among 54.1% of lactating mothers. Food consumption pattern was skewed towards starchy staples. Approximately 50% never treated their maize, and at least 20% stored their maize in containers that promote aflatoxin contamination. Aflatoxin was detected in 85.4% of food samples. The mean of total aflatoxin was 97.8 μg/kg (standard deviation [SD], 57.7), while aflatoxin B1 was 9.0 μg/kg (SD, 7.7). The mean dietary intake of total aflatoxin and aflatoxin B1 was 7.6 μg/kg/b.w. t/day (SD, 7.5) and 0.6 (SD, 0.6), respectively. Dietary aflatoxin exposure of lactating mothers was high (margin of exposure < 10,000). Sociodemographic characteristics, food consumption patterns and postharvest handling of maize variably influenced dietary aflatoxin exposure of the mothers. The high prevalence and presence of aflatoxin in foods of lactating mothers are a public health concern and calls for the need to devise easy‐to‐use household food safety and monitoring measures in the study area.
Ferruginous bodies exert a strong proinflammatory effect

ABSTRACT One of the main problems related to ferruginous-asbestos bodies (ABs) exposure is their potential pathogenetic role in asbestos-related diseases. The aim of this study was to examine whether purified ABs, might stimulate inflammatory cells. ABs were isolated by exploiting their magnetic properties, therefore avoiding the strong chemical treatment usually employed for this purpose. This latter treatment, which is based upon the digestion of organic matter with concentrated hypochlorite, may markedly modify the AB structure and consequently also their “in vivo” manifestations. ABs were found to induce secretion of human neutrophil granular component myeloperoxidase, as well as stimulate rat mast cell degranulation. Data demonstrated that by triggering secretory processes in inflammatory cells, purified ABs may play a role in the pathogenesis of asbestos-related diseases by continuing and enhancing the pro-inflammatory activity of the asbestos fibers.
Validation and application of new NGS‐based HLA genotyping to clinical diagnostic practice

Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized clinical genotyping, providing high‐resolution HLA genotyping with a low ambiguity rate. This study aimed to develop new NGS‐based HLA genotyping (HLAaccuTest, NGeneBio, Seoul, KOREA) on the Illumina MiSeq platform and validate the clinical performance. The analytical performance of HLAaccuTest was validated for 11 loci comprising HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐DRB1/3/4/5, ‐DQA1, ‐DQB1, ‐DPA1, and ‐DPB1 using 157 reference samples. Among the 345 clinical samples, 180 were tested for performance evaluation and protocol optimization, and 165 were used in clinical trials in the validation phase for five loci, including HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐DRB1, and ‐DQB1. In addition, the improvement in the resolution of ambiguous alleles was also evaluated and compared with other NGS‐based HLA genotyping for 18 reference samples, including five overlapping samples in analytical performance validation. All reference materials produced 100% concordant results for 11 HLA loci, 96.9% (2092 of 2160 HLA alleles) of the clinical samples were matched with the SBT results in the pre‐validation phase. After the optimization phase, the clinical trials in the validation phase showed 99.7% (1645/1650 alleles) concordance with the complete resolution for 34 ambiguity results. The retesting of five discordant cases resolved all issues and yielded 100% concordant results with the SBT method. Additionally, for ambiguity using 18 reference materials with ambiguous alleles, about 30% of ambiguous alleles were more resolved than Trusight HLA v2. HLAaccuTest was successfully validated using a large volume of clinical samples and is fully applicable to the clinical laboratory.
FINITE DIMENSIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF u-HOPF ALGEBRAS

Splitting trace modules of u-Hopf algebras are characterized. As an example, all finite dimensional splitting trace modules of the restricted form Ut (sl 2) are classified. The semisimplicity of a representation V from that of tensor product V ⊗ M in H M for u-Hopf algebra H is given.
Direct numerical simulation of low-Reynolds-number flow past arrays of rotating spheres

Abstract Immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann simulations are used to examine the effects of particle rotation, at low particle Reynolds numbers, on flows in ordered and random arrays of mono-disperse spheres. The drag force, the Magnus lift force and the torque on the spheres, are determined at solid volume fractions up to the close-packed limits of the arrays. The rotational Reynolds number based on the angular velocity and the diameter of the spheres is used to characterize the rotational movement of spheres. The results show that the normalized Magnus lift force produced by particle rotation is approximately in direct proportion to the rotational Reynolds number, while the normalized drag force and torque acting on spheres are barely affected by this number. The Magnus lift force is negligible relative to the magnitude of the drag force when the rotational Reynolds number is low. However, it can be very significant, and even larger than the drag force, as the rotational Reynolds number increases up to $O(10^{2})$ , especially for low solid volume fractions. Based on the simulation results, relations for the Magnus lift force and the torque for both ordered arrays and random arrays of rotating spheres at solid volume fractions from zero to close-packed limits are formulated. Further, the drag force relations in the literature are revised based on existing theories and the present simulation results for both arrays of spheres.
Comparison of proliferation and osteogenic differentiation potential of bovine adipose tissue and bone marrow derived stem cells

ABSTRACT Bone marrow derived stem cells (BMSC) are the most utilized cell type in the field of bone regeneration. Although BMSC are both safe and efficacious, the search for alternative sources for stem cells continues. We investigated bovine BMSC and adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (ATSC) using immunofluorescence and PCR. We further compared the osteogenic differentiation potentials of both sources of stem cells. We assessed alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme levels and calcium deposition in differentiating cells at days 7, 14 and 21 to compare the osteogenic differentiation capability of both cell types. We found that ATSC expressed significantly higher ALP levels compared to BMSC throughout osteogenic differentiation. Calcium deposition was greater in ATSC than BMSC at days 7 and 14. By the end of day 21, BMSC produced greater calcium deposition. We found that ATSC undergo osteogenic differentiation more rapidly than BMSC, but BMSC provide greater mineralization over longer periods.
A minimal model for the evolution of cooperation through evolving heterogeneous games

How did cooperative behavior evolve is a big open question in both biology as well as in social sciences. This problem is frequently addressed through the evolutionary game theory. However, very often it is not obvious which game is the more appropriate to use. Furthermore, an empirical determination of the payoffs can be very difficult while variations in the payoff values can dramatically alter theoretical predictions. Here, to overcome the above difficulties, I propose a very minimal model without payoff parameters. Instead, starting with random heterogeneous distributions of payoffs, by the process of natural selection itself, definite payoff matrices are produced. The system evolves from a completely heterogeneous distribution of payoffs to a situation in which very few payoff matrices coexist. When the initial set of games consists of dilemma games, the emerging game is the “Stag Hunt”. The fraction of cooperator agents converges in all the cases examined to non-zero values.
Design and Synthesis of (3‐Phenylisoxazol‐5‐yl)methanimine Derivatives as Hepatitis B Virus Inhibitors

Series of (3‐phenylisoxazol‐5‐yl)methanimine derivatives were synthesized, and evaluated for anti‐hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity in vitro. Half of them more effectively inhibited HBsAg than 3TC, and more favor to inhibit secretion of HBeAg than to HBsAg. Part of the compounds with significant inhibition on HBeAg were also effectively inhibit replication of HBV DNA. Compound (E)‐3‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐5‐((2‐phenylhydrazineylidene)methyl)isoxazole inhibited excellently HBeAg with IC50 in 0.65 μM (3TC(Lamivudine) in 189.90 μM), inhibited HBV DNA in 20.52 μM (3TC in 26.23 μM). Structures of compounds were determined by NMR and HRMS methods, and chlorination on phenyl ring of phenylisoxazol‐5‐yl was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis, and the structure–activity relationships (SARs) of the derivatives was discussed. This work provided a new class of potent non‐nucleoside anti‐HBV agents.
Distortion Management in a Boundary Layer Ingestion Inlet Diffuser Using Hybrid Flow Control

Flow distortion in a 5% scale model of a blended-wing-body, boundary-layer-ingesting offset diffuser is mitigated at high subsonic speeds (up to M=0.55) using integrated, hybrid actuators comprised of tandem configurations of passive (vanes) and active (synthetic jets) flow control elements. The inlet flow of the model diffuser is conditioned to simulate the inlet flow of an airborne blended-wing-body offset diffuser by implementation of a novel boundary layer fence. It is shown that flow distortion at the engine face is reduced by each of the passive and active elements, and the reduction is even more significant when both actuation approaches are implemented, concurrently, over the entire range of test Mach numbers. Hybrid actuation yields an overall distortion reduction of 35% at the design flow condition (M=0.55) using a control system that is fail safe and does not require an external air supply.
AMPTE IRM observations of waves associated with flux transfer events in the magnetosphere

The AMPTE IRM wave instrument has been applied to the study of flux transfer events (FTEs). This initial investigation concentrates on FTEs observed in the magnetosphere during the fall of 1984. The wave morphology consists of four significant features: at frequencies below the ion gyrofrequency, magnetic fluctuations occur with amplitudes of the order of 1 nT; at frequencies from a few hertz to a few hundred hertz, electric field fluctuations are observed which have a broadband amplitude of a few millivolts per meter, which are perpendicularly polarized at the lowest frequencies, and which are partly electrostatic and partly electromagnetic; in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 10 kHz, broadband spikelike waves occur with a time averaged amplitude of about 0.1 mV/m; and near the electron plasma frequency, bursts of waves occur at the boundaries of FTEs. In none of the 25 events surveyed does the total broadband amplitude of all the waves exceed a few millivolts per meter, an amplitude far too small to provide the dissipation required by traditional reconnection models in which the dissipation region has a thickness the order of an ion gyroradius. Thus, either all of the FTE's are observed at some distance from themore » diffusion region, or the observable waves play no significant role in the diffusion process, or traditional reconnection models do not apply to reconnection in FTEs. « less
When is Momentum Extragradient Optimal? A Polynomial-Based Analysis

The extragradient method has gained popularity due to its robust convergence properties for differentiable games. Unlike single-objective optimization, game dynamics involve complex interactions reflected by the eigenvalues of the game vector field's Jacobian scattered across the complex plane. This complexity can cause the simple gradient method to diverge, even for bilinear games, while the extragradient method achieves convergence. Building on the recently proven accelerated convergence of the momentum extragradient method for bilinear games \citep{azizian2020accelerating}, we use a polynomial-based analysis to identify three distinct scenarios where this method exhibits further accelerated convergence. These scenarios encompass situations where the eigenvalues reside on the (positive) real line, lie on the real line alongside complex conjugates, or exist solely as complex conjugates. Furthermore, we derive the hyperparameters for each scenario that achieve the fastest convergence rate.
Spread Flows for Manifold Modelling

Flow-based models typically define a latent space with dimensionality identical to the observational space. In many problems, however, the data does not populate the full ambient data space that they natively reside in, rather inhabiting a lower-dimensional manifold. In such scenarios, flow-based models are unable to represent data structures exactly as their densities will always have support off the data manifold, potentially resulting in degradation of model performance. To address this issue, we propose to learn a manifold prior for flow models that leverage the recently proposed spread divergence towards fixing the crucial problem; the KL divergence and maximum likelihood estimation are ill-defined for manifold learning. In addition to improving both sample quality and representation quality, an auxiliary benefit enabled by our approach is the ability to identify the intrinsic dimension of the manifold distribution.
Constraints on the amplitude of gravitational wave echoes from black hole ringdown using minimal assumptions

Gravitational wave echoes may appear following a compact binary coalescence if the remnant is an"exotic compact object"(ECO). ECOs are proposed alternatives to the black holes of Einstein's general relativity theory and are predicted to possess reflective boundaries. This work reports a search for gravitational wave transients (GWTs) of generic morphology occurring shortly after (<1s) binary black hole (BBH) mergers, therefore targeting all gravitational wave echo models. We investigated the times after the ringdown for the higher signal-to-noise ratio BBHs within the public catalog GWTC-3 by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaborations (LVK). Our search is based on the coherentWaveBurst pipeline, widely used in generic searches for GWTs by the LVK, and deploys new methods to enhance its detection performances at low signal-to-noise ratios. We employ Monte Carlo simulations for estimating the detection efficiency of the search and determining the statistical significance of candidates. We find no evidence of previously undetected GWTs and our loudest candidates are morphologically consistent with known instrumental noise disturbances. Finally, we set upper limits on the amplitude of GW echoes for single BBH mergers.
The growth of Taylor vortices in flow between rotating cylinders

In flow between concentric rotating circular cylinders, it was shown by Taylor (1923) that instability may occur in the form of toroidal vortices spaced regularly along the axis. When the vortex motion occurs additional torque is required to keep the cylinders in motion at given speeds. Stuart (1958) used an energy-balance method, in the case when the annular gap is small compared with the radius, to estimate the additional torque and the associated finite amplitude attained by the vortices. He included the effect of distortion of the mean motion, but ignored the generation of harmonics of the fundamental mode and the distortion of the velocity associated with the fundamental mode. It is now known that these are not valid mathematical approximations and a rigorous perturbation expansion is developed here to remedy the deficiency. The analysis is valid for any gap width and any angular speeds of the containing cylinders, but requires the amplification rate of the disturbance to be small. Numerical results using a digital computer are obtained for the shape and amplitude of the vortices in three cases: (i) when the outer cylinder has twice the radius of the inner one and is kept at rest, (ii) when the gap is small and the cylinders rotate with nearly the same speeds, and (iii) when the gap is small and the outer cylinder is kept at rest. The equilibrium amplitude obtained in the last case is substantially the same as that found by Stuart. The results for cases (i) and (iii) give close agreement with the experimental values obtained by Taylor (1936) and Donnelly (1958) for the torque required to keep the inner cylinder rotating with constant speed while the outer one is at rest, for a certain range of speeds. In the small-gap problem it is shown that the equilibrium amplitude is almost proportional to 1 − m, where m is the ratio of the angular speeds of the outer and inner cylinders.
Time Complexity of Broadcast and Consensus for Randomized Oblivious Message Adversaries

Broadcast and consensus are most fundamental tasks in distributed computing. These tasks are particularly challenging in dynamic networks where communication across the network links may be unreliable, e.g., due to mobility or failures. Indeed, over the last years, researchers have derived several impossibility results and high time complexity lower bounds (i.e., linear in the number of nodes $n$) for these tasks, even for oblivious message adversaries where communication networks are rooted trees. However, such deterministic adversarial models may be overly conservative, as many processes in real-world settings are stochastic in nature rather than worst case. This paper initiates the study of broadcast and consensus on stochastic dynamic networks, introducing a randomized oblivious message adversary. Our model is reminiscent of the SI model in epidemics, however, revolving around trees (which renders the analysis harder due to the apparent lack of independence). In particular, we show that if information dissemination occurs along random rooted trees, broadcast and consensus complete fast with high probability, namely in logarithmic time. Our analysis proves the independence of a key variable, which enables a formal understanding of the dissemination process. More formally, for a network with $n$ nodes, we first consider the completely random case where in each round the communication network is chosen uniformly at random among rooted trees. We then introduce the notion of randomized oblivious message adversary, where in each round, an adversary can choose $k$ edges to appear in the communication network, and then a rooted tree is chosen uniformly at random among the set of all rooted trees that include these edges. We show that broadcast completes in $O(k+\log n)$ rounds, and that this it is also the case for consensus as long as $k \le 0.1n$.
Detecting software vulnerabilities using Language Models

Recently, deep learning techniques have garnered substantial attention for their ability to identify vulnerable code patterns accurately. However, current state-of-the-art deep learning models, such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), and Long Short-Term Memories (LSTMs) require substantial computational resources. This results in a level of overhead that makes their implementation unfeasible for deployment in realtime settings. This study presents a novel transformer-based vulnerability detection framework, referred to as VulDetect, which is achieved through the fine-tuning of a pre-trained large language model, (GPT) on various benchmark datasets of vulnerable code. Our empirical findings indicate that our framework is capable of identifying vulnerable software code with an accuracy of up to 92.65%. Our proposed technique outperforms SyseVR and VulDeBERT, two state-of-the-art vulnerability detection techniques
Deliberating with AI: Improving Decision-Making for the Future through Participatory AI Design and Stakeholder Deliberation

Research exploring how to support decision-making has often used machine learning to automate or assist human decisions. We take an alternative approach for improving decision-making, using machine learning to help stakeholders surface ways to improve and make fairer decision-making processes. We created "Deliberating with AI", a web tool that enables people to create and evaluate ML models in order to examine strengths and shortcomings of past decision-making and deliberate on how to improve future decisions. We apply this tool to a context of people selection, having stakeholders---decision makers (faculty) and decision subjects (students)---use the tool to improve graduate school admission decisions. Through our case study, we demonstrate how the stakeholders used the web tool to create ML models that they used as boundary objects to deliberate over organization decision-making practices. We share insights from our study to inform future research on stakeholder-centered participatory AI design and technology for organizational decision-making.
A full-vectorial pseudospectral modal analysis of dielectric optical waveguides with stepped refractive index profiles

A new full-vectorial mode solver based on the pseudospectral method for computing dielectric optical waveguides is proposed. The subdomains with homogeneous refractive indexes are connected with imposing the continuities of E/sub z/ and H/sub z/ at the dielectric interfaces, and thus the coupled equations in terms of the transverse magnetic field components H/sub x/ and H/sub y/ are formulated. The optical fields are expanded by a suitable set of orthogonal basis functions, such as Laguerre-Gauss (LG) functions or Chebyshev polynomials. Furthermore, the a priori determination of the scaling factor in LG functions is introduced by means of the effective index method in order to considerably reduce the extra computational time by lengthy trial and errors used by others. Results calculated by the proposed full-vectorial scheme for dispersion characteristics of rectangular channel and rib waveguides having piecewise uniform refractive indexes, even though a coarse mesh used, show good agreement with previously published data based on other rigorous numerical methods.