Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Numerical Analysis of Single-Phase Natural Circulation in a Simple Closed Loop

The inherent numerical properties of large thermal-hydraulic system codes may be usually verified by means of simpler codes, dealing with selected cases of restricted practical application. The authors provided an example of such methodology in their previous work, in relation with the RELAP5 series of codes. The problem considered was the single-phase, natural circulation flow in a simple loop, under unstable flow conditions. Neutral stability curves were derived for the system and the effect of the number of nodes in the expected behavior of the system was consequently analyzed. The ad hoc codes previously developed have been further refined, to analyze the problem under two approaches: a) a nodal one, based on a finite-difference approximation and, b) a modal one, based in a modal decomposition of the governing equations in Fourier series. Theoretical values for the steady state parameters are obtained for both approximations. The nodal code was used as the standard approximation and different schemes of different order have been used. Then, the effect of the number of nodes in the damping of the system was quantitatively determined. The modal code, with the number of modes ranging from 30 to 100, was used as an approximation free of numerical diffusion. In this case, the energy equation was solved considering also a constant diffusion term, allowing a partial simulation of the numerical diffusion of the nodal approximation. In this way the analysis allowed the modal analysis to be performed including an average value of the diffusion arising from the upwinding in the nodal solution. Results show that the inclusion of this diffusion reasonably accounts for the damping of the solution, allowing a qualitative recovering of the nodal behavior. System non-linearity naturally precludes the exact coincidence of the results obtained. A similar analysis may be used to assess the effect of the number of nodes of a given discretization on the dynamics of more complex thermal-hydraulic systems.
Theoretical Study on Nonreciprocity for Third-Harmonic Generation Process in Nonlinear Photonic Crystals

Based on the nonlinear coupled wave equations, the nonreciprocal response of the third-harmonic generation process has been theoretically investigated in nonlinear photonic crystals with a defect embedded. The simulation results have shown that complete nonreciprocity for third-harmonic generation can be achieved under specific conditions, and the arbitrary nonreciprocal response can be realized by adjusting the structure parameters, including the crystal length, the defect position and the defect width. These findings hold great potential for implementing practical nonlinear optical isolating devices.
Factors Influencing the Preference for Homes as the Location for Long-term Care in the Japanese Population

In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate the factors for preferring homes as the location to receive long-term care in community-dwelling populations. A total of 4,113 individuals with a response rate of 36.7% from four areas in Japan were analyzed. All information was obtained from a questionnaire survey conducted in 2019. We used negative binominal regression modeling with adjustments for areas to calculate the prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the preference of long-term home care about factors. All missing values were input using multiple imputations. The results show that the prevalence of preferring homes as the location for receiving long-term care was 73.4%. Being employed (PR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.00–1.09), living with others (PR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.05–1.19), feeling satisfied with the environment of nursing care in residential areas (PR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00–1.10), feeling satisfied with the natural surroundings in the community (PR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.07–1.31), the presence of people in the community who can be consulted about problems (PR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00–1.10), and the presence of close friends in the community (PR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03–1.15) were significantly associated with the preference for long-term home care. We suggest that municipalities should consider these social and interpersonal associations to support older residents’ preference of receiving home care services.
Description of Trends over the Week in Alcohol-Related Ambulance Attendance Data

Alcohol harms are often determined using a proxy measure based on temporal patterns during the week when harms are most likely to occur. This study utilised coded Australian ambulance data from the Victorian arm of the National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS) to investigate temporal patterns across the week for alcohol-related ambulance attendances in 2019. These patterns were examined by season, regionality, gender, and age group. We found clear temporal peaks: from Friday 6:00 p.m. to Saturday 3:59 a.m. for both alcohol-involved and alcohol-intoxication-related attendance, from Saturday 6:00 p.m. to Sunday 4:59 a.m. for alcohol-involved attendances, and from Saturday 5:00 p.m. to Sunday 4:49 a.m. for alcohol-intoxication-related attendances. However, these temporal trends varied across age groups. Additionally, hours during Thursday and Sunday evenings also demonstrated peaks in attendances. There were no substantive differences between genders. Younger age groups (18–24 and 25–29 years) had a peak of alcohol-related attendances from 7:00 p.m. to 7:59 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, whereas the peak in attendances for 50–59 and 60+ years was from 5:00 p.m. to 2:59 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. These findings further the understanding of the impacts of alcohol during different times throughout the week, which can guide targeted policy responses regarding alcohol use and health service capacity planning.
Exact Solution Of MHD Free Convection Flow And Mass Transfer Near A Moving Vertical Plate In Presence Of Thermal Radiation

The objective of this paper is to study the MHD unsteady free convection flow and mass transfer of a viscous, electrically conducting incompressible fluid in presence of thermal radiation and under the influence of uniform magnetic field applied normal to the plate near an infinite vertical plate, which moves with time dependent velocity. The fluid is also assumed to be gray; emitting absorbing but non scattering medium and the optically thick radiation limit is considered. The solutions of the present problem are obtained in closed form by Laplace transform technique and the expressions for velocity, temperature, concentration , skin friction, rate of heat and mass transfer has been obtained. Some important applications of physical interest for different type motion of the plate are discussed. The results obtained have also been presented numerically through graphs to observe the effects of various parameters and the physical aspects of the problem .
Clinical Outcomes of CAD/CAM (Lithium disilicate and Zirconia) Based and Conventional Full Crowns and Fixed Partial Dentures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Although CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) restorations act as a favorable alternative to conventional metal-ceramic restorations for fixed dental prostheses, little is known about their intermediate and persistent clinical performance. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the clinical performance in terms of biological, technical, and esthetic aspects and the survival and success ratios for single full crowns (SFCs) and fixed partial dentures (FPDs) fabricated by CAD/CAM and conventional techniques and according to the materials used (zirconia {ZC} and lithium disilicate {LD}). The population, intervention, control, outcome, and study design (PICOS) strategy was used to electronically search key terms in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Wiley Online databases for randomized control trials (RCTs) and cohort studies. The bias risks for RCTs and cohort studies were assessed using the Cochrane collaboration tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Meta-analysis was performed using Rev5 from Cochrane. A total of 13 studies reporting on 1598 restorations in 1161 patients with a mean observation period of 3.6 years (minimum-maximum: 1-9.3 years) met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of the included studies indicated that CAD/CAM manufacturing resulted in 1.17, 1.14, and 16.88 (95% CI: 0.64-2.17, 0.86-1.52, 7.59-37.56) higher biological, technical, and esthetic complications than conventional manufacturing of restorations. However, the difference was significant for esthetic complications only (p<0.00001). A significant difference was observed for all biological, technical, and aesthetic aspects between SFCs and FPDs (odds ratio {OR} = 2.61 vs. 1.78, 95% CI: 1.92-3.56 vs. 1.33-2.38; p<0.00001). The survival ratio of SFCs was 2.69 (95% CI: 1.98-3.65), significantly higher compared to the 1.76 (95% CI: 1.31-2.36) of FPDs (p<0.00001). The success ratio of FPDs at 1.18 (95% CI: 0.83-1.69) was significantly lower compared to SFCs at 2.36 (95% CI: 1.68-3.33). The clinical performance of LD with 2.42 (CI: 1.16-5.03) was significantly higher compared to ZC with 2.22 (CI: 1.78-2.77) (p<0.00001). The biological, technical, and aesthetic behaviors showed similar clinical outcomes between the CAD/CAM and conventional groups. LD could be a good alternative to zirconia, but its intermediate or persistent clinical performance needs to be evaluated. Overall, zirconia and CAD/CAM techniques must evolve further to outclass the conventional techniques used in the fabrication of SFCs and FPDs.
The Atkinson-Wilcox expansion theorem for elastic waves

Consider the problem of scattering of an elastic wave by a three-dimensional bounded and smooth body. In the region exterior to a sphere that includes the scatterer, any solution of Navier's equation that satisfies the Kupradze's radiation condition has a uniformly and absolutely convergent expansion in inverse powers of the radial distance from the center of the sphere. Moreover, the coefficients of the expansion can recurrently be evaluated from the knowledge of the leading coefficient, known as radiation pattern. Therefore, a one-to-one correspondence between the scattered fields and the corresponding radiation patterns is established. The acoustic and electromagnetic cases are recovered as special cases.
Examination of Crash Rates and Injury Severity Before, During, and After Roadworks at High-Speed Regional Roads

Although work zones pose risks to roadworkers and motorists, undertaking roadworks is important to maintain and upgrade road networks. Many researchers have examined the associations between safety levels and roadwork activities and have produced inconsistent findings. Whereas some researchers have compared safety levels before and during roadwork activities, few compared the safety levels at three stages of roadworks: before, during, and after roadworks, to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the associations. In addition to the inconsistent findings, another significant gap exists in the literature: existing research on all three stages is dated and scarce. To address this important gap, this paper aims to examine the associations between safety levels and three stages of roadworks. Using police-reported crash data from twenty-four high-speed road segments in the regional areas of New South Wales, Australia, this paper presents findings from a statistical analysis of the data to understand how crash rates and injury severity levels changed across the three stages. Results showed that crash rates for all crashes, as well as for fatal and injury crashes, reduced significantly from the before period to the during period, and then further to the after period. Greater reductions in crash rates were also observed for crashes that did not involve a heavy vehicle than the heavy vehicle-involved crashes, crashes that were not related to speeding or fatigue issues than those with such issues, crashes that occurred during weekdays than weekends, and crashes that occurred at straight sections than at curved sections.
An Interim Analysis of a Randomized, Open-Label Study of Vilazodone, Escitalopram, or Vortioxetine for Major Depressive Disorder

Introduction: The troubling issues of conventional antidepressants are inadequate disease remission and potential adverse effects. There is a dearth of research findings comparing vilazodone, escitalopram, and vortioxetine. The objective of this analysis is to determinechanges in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scoresand the incidence of adverse events at 12 weeks. Methods: This is an exploratory interim analysis of a randomized, three-arm, open-label ongoing study. The participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive either vilazodone (20-40 mg/d), escitalopram (10-20 mg/d), or vortioxetine (5-20 mg/d). Efficacy and safety assessments were done at baseline, four weeks, eight weeks, and 12 weeks. Results: Forty-nine(69%) of the 71 enrolled participants (mean age 43.9±12.2 years; 37 men (52%)) completed the 12-week follow-up. At baseline, the three groups' median HDRS scores were 30.0, 29.5, and 29.0 (p=0.76), respectively, and at 12 weeks, they amounted to 19.5, 19.5, and 18.0 (p=0.18), respectively. At baseline, group-wise median MADRS scores were 36, 36, and 36, respectively (p=0.79); at 12 weeks, they were 24, 24, and 23, respectively (p=0.03). In the post-hoc analysis, the inter-group comparison of the change in HDRS (p = 0.02) and MADRS (p = 0.06) scores from baseline did not reach statistical significance. No participants experienced serious adverse events. Conclusion: In this initial assessment of a continuing study, vortioxetine exhibited a clinically (not statistically) significant drop in HDRS and MADRS scores, compared to vilazodone and escitalopram. The antidepressant effects need to be investigated further.
Value of NT-proBNP and Galectin-3 as Biomarkers in the Follow-Up of Asymptomatic Elderly Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis

Recognizing symptoms in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) can be a challenge. Serum biomarkers such as Galectin-3 or N-terminal prohormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are involved in remodeling and heart failure (HF) development and could support the diagnosis of AS. We set out to test the usefulness of NT-proBNP and Galectin-3 in predicting events in this population. We designed a prospective observational case–control study, including 50 asymptomatic patients older than 70 years, diagnosed with severe degenerative AS, and 50 control individuals. The NT-proBNP and Galectin-3 levels were measured. A follow-up was carried out at 12 months to determine the occurrence of hospital admission for HF, all-cause mortality or the appearance of symptoms. The patients with severe AS had higher Galectin-3 and NT-proBNP concentrations. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the NT-proBNP was 0.812 (95% CI, 0.646–0.832), and that of the Galectin-3 was 0.633 (95% CI, 0.711–0.913). NT-proBNP was a good predictor of events [HR 3.45 (95% CI 1.32–9.03), p = 0.011]. A Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the probability of freedom from events was significant in patients who exhibited a combination of higher NT-proBNP and Galectin-3 levels (log-rank p = 0.032). Therefore, NT-proBNP was the most reliable predictor of events in asymptomatic patients with severe AS. A combination of NT-proBNP and Galectin-3 levels may be vital in the clinical follow-up of these patients and in the decision-making process.
Neutrals Studies on Alcator C-Mod

Abstract The high neutral densities and short neutral mean-free-paths in the Alcator C-Mod divertor have provided a unique testing ground for our understanding of the role of neutrals in a tokamak. The high neutral pressures found in the C-Mod divertor can be reproduced in models only by including such processes as ion-neutral and neutral-neutral collisions and neutral viscosity, as well as taking into account the plasma in the private flux region. After detachment, when the divertor plate ion flux has dropped by more than an order of magnitude, the divertor pressure still remains high. High neutral collisionality and the plasma in the private flux region again help keep neutrals in the divertor along with the large source of neutrals due to recombination. Likewise, diffusive neutrals are the explanation for the divertor neutral pressure’s insensitivity to strike point position. Closure of neutral leakage pathways did not lead to a decrease in neutral pressures in the region outside the divertor - the main chamber. This observation prompted further research, which showed that ion fluxes to main chamber surfaces rival those reaching the divertor plates; the main chamber pressure can be primarily determined by the level of ion transport perpendicular to the magnetic field. This finding has spawned a host of studies (active and passive) both at C-Mod and other tokamaks to understand how radial transport can be so large.
Improvement and application of smoothed particle hydrodynamics in elastodynamics

This thesis explores the mesh-free numerical method, Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), presents improvements to the algorithm and studies its application in solid mechanics problems. The basic concept of the SPH method is introduced and the governing equations are discretised using the SPH method to simulate the elastic solid problems. Special treatments are discussed to improve the stability of the method, such as the treatment for boundary problems, artificial viscosity and tensile instability. In order to improve the stability and efficiency, (i) the classical SPH method has been combined with the Runge-Kutta Chebyshev scheme and (ii) a new time-space Adaptive Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (ASPH) algorithm has been developed in this thesis. The SPH method employs a purely meshless Lagrangian numerical technique for spatial discretisation of the domain and it avoids many numerical difficulties related to re-meshing in mesh-based methods such as the finite element method. The explicit Runge-Kutta Chebyshev (RKC) scheme is developed to accurately capture the dynamics in elastic materials for the SPH method in the study. Numerical results are presented for several test examples applied by the RKC-SPH method compared with other different time stepping scheme. It is found that the proposed RKC scheme offers a robust and accurate approach for solving elastodynamics using SPH techniques. The new time-space ASPH algorithm which is combining the previous ASPH method and the RKC schemes can achieve not only the adaptivity of the particle distribution during the simulation, but also the adaptivity of the number of stage in one fixed time step. Numerical results are presented for a shock wave propagation problem using the time-space ASPH method compared with the analytical solution and the results of standard SPH. It is found that using the dynamic adaptive particle refinement procedure with adequate refinement criterion, instead of adopting a fine discretisation for the whole domain, can achieve a substantial reduction in memory and computational time, and similar accuracy is achieved.
Provision of Basic Needs and Learner Retention in Free Day Secondary Education in Busia County, Kenya

- In an effort to ensure that the populations in Kenya especially children from very poor households access education and better the quality of their lives, the Kenya government developed and operationalized the free day secondary education in enhancing learners’ retention. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of provision of basic needs by parents on learner retention in secondary schools. A questionnaire and an interview schedule were used for data collection Data was analyzed using; frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation Spearman’s correlation and linear regression statistics. The study concluded that provision of basic needs by parents has statistically significant effect on learner retention
Targeting Angiogenesis in the Era of Biliary Tract Cancer Immunotherapy: Biological Rationale, Clinical Implications, and Future Research Avenues

Simple Summary The incidence of biliary tract cancers (BTCs) is rising. Although therapeutic weapons are still limited, a better knowledge of the molecular landscape of these tumors has established the conditions for several phase I and II clinical trials in which molecular targeted drugs are combined with chemotherapy. Clinical research is investing great efforts in immunotherapy, which has recently transformed the treatment of many cancers. In BTCs, the efficacy of immunotherapy is limited by the high percentage of patients presenting immunosuppressive features in the tumor microenvironment. Angiogenesis is known to play a key role in modulating the microenvironment by excluding cytotoxic immune cells from the tumor bed, favoring an immunosuppressive activity. Therefore, blocking angiogenesis could create the conditions for more efficacious immunotherapy. This review considers clinical trials based on therapy combining angiogenesis and immune cell inhibitors, highlighting the clinical need for phase III studies in a precision-medicine era. Abstract Although biliary tract cancers are traditionally considered rare in Western countries, their incidence and mortality rates are rising worldwide. A better knowledge of the genomic landscape of these tumor types has broadened the number of molecular targeted therapies, including angiogenesis inhibitors. The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) could potentially change the first-line therapeutic approach, but monotherapy with ICIs has shown disappointing results in CCA. Several clinical trials are evaluating combination strategies that include immunotherapy together with other anticancer agents with a synergistic activity. The tumor microenvironment (TME) composition plays a pivotal role in the prognosis of BTC patients. The accumulation of immunosuppressive cell types, such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and regulatory T-cells, together with the poor infiltration of cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells, is known to predispose to a poor prognosis owing to the establishment of resistance mechanisms. Likewise, angiogenesis is recognized as a major player in modulating the TME in an immunosuppressive manner. This is the mechanistic rationale for combination treatment schemes blocking both immunity and angiogenesis. In this scenario, this review aims to provide an overview of the most recent completed or ongoing clinical trials combining immunotherapy and angiogenesis inhibitors with/without a chemotherapy backbone.