Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controllability to trajectories for some parabolic systems of three and two equations by one control force

We present a controllability result for a class of linear parabolic systems of 3 equations. To prove the result, we establish a global Carleman estimate for the solutions of a system of 2 coupled parabolic equations with first order terms. We also obtain stability results for the identification of coefficients of the systems.
Fluorescent Molecular Rotors Based on Hinged Anthracene Carboxyimides

Temperature and viscosity are essential parameters in medicine, environmental science, smart materials, and biology. However, few fluorescent sensor publications mention the direct relationship between temperature and viscosity. Three anthracene carboxyimide-based fluorescent molecular rotors, 1DiAC∙Cl, 2DiAC∙Cl, and 9DiAC∙Cl, were designed and synthesized. Their photophysical properties were studied in various solvents, such as N, N-dimethylacetamide, N, N-dimethylformamide, 1-propanol, ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, and water. Solvent polarizability resulted in a solvatochromism effect for all three rotors and their absorption and emission spectra were analyzed via the Lippert–Mataga equation and multilinear analysis using Kamlet–Taft and Catalán parameters. The rotors exhibited red-shifted absorption and emission bands in solution on account of differences in their torsion angle. The three rotors demonstrated strong fluorescence in a high-viscosity environment due to restricted intramolecular rotation. Investigations carried out under varying ratios of water to glycerol were explored to probe the viscosity-based changes in their optical properties. A good linear correlation between the logarithms of fluorescence intensity and solution viscosity for two rotors, namely 2DiAC∙Cl and 9DiAC∙Cl, was observed as the percentage of glycerol increased. Excellent exponential regression between the viscosity-related temperature and emission intensity was observed for all three investigated rotors.
‘The Obstacle is the Way’: Methodological Challenges and Opportunities for Video-Reflexive Ethnography During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted research. In this article, we explore the opportunities and challenges presented by the pandemic to a group of researchers using video-reflexive ethnography (VRE) – a methodology used to understand practices, grounded in: exnovation, collaboration, reflexivity, and care. To understand how the pandemic impacted researchers using VRE, we facilitated two focus groups with 12 members of the International Association of Video-Reflexive Ethnographers. The findings suggest the pandemic exacerbated existing methodological challenges, yet also provided an opportunity reflect on our own practices as researchers, namely: accessing sites, building relationships, facilitating reflexive sessions, and cultivating care. Due to public health measures, some researchers used insiders to access sites. While these insiders shouldered additional burdens, this shift might have empowered participants, increased the salience of the project, and enabled access to rural sites. The inability to access sites and reliance on insiders also impeded researcher ability to build relationships with participants and generate the ethnographic insights often associated with prolonged engagement at a site. In reflexive sessions, researchers had to learn how to manage the technological, logistical, and methodological challenges associated with either themselves or participants being remote. Finally, participants noted that while the transition to more digital methodologies might have increased project reach, there needed to be a mindfulness around cultivating practices of care in the digital world to ensure psychological safety and protect participants data. These findings reflect the opportunities and challenges a group of researchers using VRE had during the pandemic and can be used to stimulate future methodologic discussions.
Fluid-like behaviour and definitions of temperature and heat in 1-dimensional systems

Temperature and heat pertain to macroscopic objects whose microscopic state verifies Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE). In presence of small driving forces, this implies that locally conserved quantities are transported according to the hydrodynamic equations, characterized by linear transport coefficients. Such coefficients do not seem to exist in certain phenomena occurring at the nanometric scale. This fact is here investigated in terms of one-dimensional systems made of N oscillators. We find that O(N) lattice distortions and fluctuations characterize the behavior of these chains. Combining this with the known fact that correlations persist forever in 1D systems such as ours, we argue that the kinetic temperature, that corresponds to the thermodynamic temperature in LTE states, needs to be replaced by an alternative quantity. Modifying one definition used for non-interacting particles, we introduce one possible mesoscopic and local notion of temperature, Z. We observe that Z enjoys linear profiles in cases in which the kinetic temperature (including its mesoscopic local form) does not. Taking gradients of Z as temperature gradients, the usual notions of heat flow remain anomalous.
Broadband UV Supercontinuum Generation by Three-Color Ionizing Laser Pulses

We theoretically investigated the properties of the ultraviolet secondary radiation generated under the action of three-color ionizing pulses obtained from parametric light generators. We show that the combination components in the spectrum of electron currents generated under the action of such three-color pulses can form a strictly exponentially decreasing sequence. For moderately short pump pulse durations (30 fs at 800 nm main field) with the use of this effect, it is possible to generate a smooth broadband supercontinuum in the 800–100 nm range.
Evaluation of Eco-Friendly Hemp-Fiber-Reinforced Recycled HDPE Composites

The exploitation of natural fibers to reinforce polymers is a promising practice. Thus, biocomposites have gained increased attention in automotive, construction, and agricultural sectors, among others. The present work reports the reinforcement of recycled high-density polyethylene (r-HDPE) with hemp fibers to afford composite materials as sustainable analogues to conventional wood/plastic composite (WPC) products. HDPE bottles (postconsumer waste) were used as r-HDPE and further reinforced by the addition of hemp fibers. For the synthetic part, thirteen composite materials with different filler concentrations (10–75% wt. in hemp fibers) using either Joncryl or polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as compatibilizers were prepared via melt mixing. Materials with good integrity were obtained with a fiber load as high as 75% wt. The structural, thermal, mechanical, and antioxidant properties of the r-HDPE/hemp composites were evaluated using multiple complementary characterization techniques. Stereoscopic microscope images demonstrated the satisfactory dispersion of the hemp fibers into the polymeric matrix, while scanning electron microscopy microphotographs revealed an improved adhesion between the filler and the polymeric matrix in the presence of compatibilizers. The incorporation of hemp fibers contributed to the improvement of the elastic modulus of the composites (almost up to threefold increase). The results showed that as the hemp fiber content increased, the antioxidant properties as well as the degradability of the composites increased. It is noteworthy that composites containing 75% wt. hemp fibers neutralized 80% of 2,2-diphenyil-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals within 45 min (DPPH assay). In conclusion, the present research work demonstrates that thermally recycled HDPE reinforced with biomass fibers received from agricultural waste is a valid alternative for the preparation of commodity products with an eco-friendly character compared to conventional wood/plastic composites.
“We Learn How to Become Good Men”: Working with Male Allies to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls in Urban Informal Settlements in Mumbai, India

Engaging men has now become part of established global efforts to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), with most interventions focusing on making men’s behaviors and attitudes more gender equitable. While scholarship on male allies has demonstrated the nature of their transformations and motivations, less attention has been paid to their negotiations of masculinity, privilege, the intersection between subjecthood and social contexts, and how these inform their engagements with women activists’ anti-violence work in their communities. We explore questions of men’s engagement in this article, which is based on a pilot ethnographic study with male allies in a VAWG prevention program in the informal settlements of Dharavi in Mumbai, India. We found that while men are able to acquire “knowledge” and “awareness” through the intervention, it produces an individuating effect wherein the structural nature of VAWG is obscured due to an emphasis on men’s individual traits. This further informs participants’ understanding of masculinity, which is marked by ambivalence as men negotiate multiple hegemonic masculinities and socioeconomic anxieties. One reason for this is that interventions with men are unable to destabilize public–private boundaries in informal settlements, which continue to treat VAWG as “private matters. ” We discuss the implications for local and global responses to engender accountability among male allies.
Dynamic Fourier ptychography with deep spatiotemporal priors

Fourier ptychography (FP) involves the acquisition of several low-resolution intensity images of a sample under varying illumination angles. They are then combined into a high-resolution complex-valued image by solving a phase-retrieval problem. The objective in dynamic FP is to obtain a sequence of high-resolution images of a moving sample. There, the application of standard frame-by-frame reconstruction methods limits the temporal resolution due to the large number of measurements that must be acquired for each frame. In this work instead, we propose a neural-network-based reconstruction framework for dynamic FP. Specifically, each reconstructed image in the sequence is the output of a shared deep convolutional network fed with an input vector that lies on a one-dimensional manifold that encodes time. We then optimize the parameters of the network to fit the acquired measurements. The architecture of the network and the constraints on the input vectors impose a spatiotemporal regularization on the sequence of images. This enables our method to achieve high temporal resolution without compromising the spatial resolution. The proposed framework does not require training data. It also recovers the pupil function of the microscope. Through numerical experiments, we show that our framework paves the way for high-quality ultrafast FP.
Predictors of Readmission after the First Acute Coronary Syndrome and the Risk of Recurrent Cardiovascular Events—Seven Years of Patient Follow-Up

Recurrent hospitalization after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is common. Identifying risk factors associated with subsequent cardiovascular events and hospitalization is essential for the management of these patients. Our research consisted in observing the outcomes of subjects after they suffered an acute coronary event and identifying the factors that can predict rehospitalization in the first 12 months and the recurrence of another acute coronary episode. Data from 362 patients admitted with ACS during 2013 were studied. Recurrent hospitalizations were retrospectively reviewed from medical charts and electronic hospital archives over a period of seven years. The mean age of the studied population was 64.57 ± 11.79 years, 64.36% of them being males. The diagnosis of ACS without ST elevation was registered in 53.87% of the patients at index hospitalization. More than half had recurrent hospitalization in the first year after the first ACS episode. Patients with lower ejection fraction (39.20 ± 6.85 vs. 42.24 ± 6.26, p < 0.001), acute pulmonary edema during the first hospitalization (6.47% vs. 1.24%, p = 0.022), coexistent valvular heart disease (69.15% vs. 55.90%, p = 0.017), and three-vessel disease (18.90% vs. 7.45%, p = 0.002) were more frequently readmitted in the following twelve months after their first acute coronary event, while those with complete revascularization were less frequently admitted (24.87% vs. 34.78%, p = 0.005). In multiple regression, complete revascularization during the index event (HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.35–0.95, p = 0.03) and a higher LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction) (HR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.988, p = 0.009) remained independent predictors of fewer early readmissions. Complete revascularization of the coronary lesions at the time of the first event and a preserved LVEF were found to be the predictors of reduced hospitalizations in the first year after an acute coronary event.
Minimax Optimal Variable Clustering in G-models via Cord

The goal of variable clustering is to partition a random vector ${\bf X} \in R^p$ in sub-groups of similar probabilistic behavior. Popular methods such as hierarchical clustering or $K$-means are algorithmic procedures applied to observations on ${\bf X}$, while no population level target is defined prior to estimation. We take a different view in this paper, where we propose and investigate model based variable clustering. We consider three models, of increasing level of complexity, termed generically $G$-models, with $G$ standing for the partition to be estimated. Motivated by the potential lack of identifiability of the $G$-latent models, which are currently used in problems involving variable clustering, we introduce two new classes of models, the $G$-exchangeable and the $G$-block covariance models. We show that both classes are identifiable, for any distribution of ${\bf X}$. Our focus is on clusters that are invariant with respect to unknown monotone transformations of the data, and that can be estimated in a computationally feasible manner. Both desiderata can be met if the clusters correspond to blocks in the copula correlation matrix of ${\bf X}$, assumed to have a Gaussian copula distribution. This motivates the introduction of a new similarity metric for cluster membership, CORD, and a homonymous method for cluster estimation. Central to our work is the derivation of the minimax value of the CORD cluster separation for exact partition recovery. We obtained the surprising result that this value is of order $\sqrt{{\log (p)}/{n}}$, irrespective of the number of clusters, or of the size of the smallest cluster. Our new procedure, CORD, available on CRAN, achieves this bound, is easy to implement and has computational complexity that is polynomial in $p$.
All quiet on the Western front? New evidence for massive star formation in Sgr C

Abstract We summarize here our recent findings from near-infrared spectroscopy and 1 mm line and continuum observations of a recently identified extended green object (EGO) in Sgr C, whose observational characteristics suggest early-stage massive star formation is taking place. Located on the outskirts of the massive evolved Hii region associated with Sgr C in the Western central molecular zone (CMZ), the EGO measures ∼10″ (0.4 pc at 8.5 kpc). We confirm that early-stage star formation is taking place on the periphery of the Sgr C Hii region. The data show clear detections of two protostellar cores and several knots of H2 and Brackett γ emission alongside a previously detected compact radio source. We calculate the cores' joint mass to be ∼103 M⊙, with column densities of 1-2 × 1024 cm−2. The host molecular clouds mass is approximately 105 M⊙. Despite these favorable conditions, the cloud is curiously devoid of any further star formation, making it comparable to other remarkably quiescent clouds, such as G0.253 in the Eastern CMZ.
Inhibition of LPS‑induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation by stem cell‑conditioned culture media in human gingival epithelial cells

Interleukin (IL)-1β is a pathogenic factor associated with the destruction of periodontal tissue in periodontitis. IL-1β processing is regulated by cytosolic machinery known as the inflammasome. Porphyromonas gingivalis infection and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have an important role in the destruction of periodontal tissue in periodontitis. P. gingivalis infection and LPS have been reported to activate the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in human oral cells. Stem cell therapy exhibits anti-inflammatory effects and stem cell-conditioned culture media (SCM) shows similar beneficial effects. The present study tested the hypothesis that SCM inhibits activation of the inflammasome and protects human gingival epithelial cells (GECs) against LPS-induced inflammatory damage. Human GECs were treated with or without LPS plus SCM or control cell media. NLPR3 inflammasome components and inflammatory factors were measured by western blotting and immunofluorescence. The present study revealed that LPS induced an increase in the expression of inflammasome components, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) and caspase-1. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed increased binding of NLRP3 and ASC, and immunofluorescence showed an increased co-localization of ASC and caspase-1, suggesting that LPS stimulated assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome. SCM inhibited the overexpression and assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome components induced by LPS. Furthermore, SCM blocked the increase in IL-1β production induced by LPS and inhibited the translocation of the inflammatory factor, NF-κB, into the nuclei. Consequently, SCM protected cells against LPS-induced damage, as suggested by the recovery of disturbed E-cadherin staining pattern, which indicates a disruption in epithelial integrity. In conclusion, treatment with SCM may attenuate LPS-induced inflammatory damage in human GECs via inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, suggesting a potential therapeutic use for SCM.
Afterbody Effects on Axisymmetric Base Flows

The influence of an afterbody on an axisymmetric wake flow is investigated with two-component particle image velocimetry at a Reynolds number of ReD=6.7·104 based on the model diameter. The reattachment distance is found to vary from two to four step heights as the afterbody diameter is increased. Measurements performed on equivalent planar backward-facing step geometries reveal that the reattachment length scales similarly to a planar backward-facing step when the afterbody to main-body diameter ratio approaches unity. The distribution of turbulent normal and shear stresses reveals a progressive inhibition of the radial fluctuations for increasing afterbody diameter, whereas a proper orthogonal decomposition analysis highlights a concurrent weakening of the shear-layer flapping mode. For d/D≤0.4, the frequency spectrum of the time coefficient of the first proper orthogonal decomposition mode appears associated with the wake flapping motion and peaks in the range of StD=10−3−10−2. This frequency is associ.
Multi-server assembly queues

A model is studied in which each of several servers assembles finished products consisting of N different input items. Items of each type arrive independently at the assembly station and are grouped into N-tuples consisting of one item of each type. N-tuples are assembled into finished products by the servers on a first come-first-served basis. The model is analyzed by means of the theory of weak convergence, and functional limit theorems are obtained for appropriately normalized random functions induced by the queue size processes. The limits are expressed as functionals of multi-dimensional Wiener processes, with ordinary central limit theorems obtained as corollaries.
A Novel Predictor of Pathologic Complete Response for Neoadjuvant Immunochemotherapy in Resectable Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Purpose Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (nICT) for resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-ESCC) has attracted widespread attention recently, whose safety and clinical benefit was observed in clinical researches. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel predictor systemic inflammation-tumor markers index (SITI) to predict the pathological complete response (pCR) for resectable LA-ESCC patients receiving nICT. Patients and Methods A total of 147 LA-ESCC patients who underwent nICT followed by surgery from February 2020 to April 2022 were included in the study. The dynamic change of inflammatory indexes was compared at baseline, after two cycles of nICT and postoperative one month. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to avoid collinearity and identify key indexes, with SITI constructed. After univariate and multivariate stepwise forward logistic analyses, a nomogram for pCR prediction was developed. Results 41(27.9%) patients achieved pCR among 147 resectable LA-ESCC patients received nICT. Compared with baseline, most inflammatory indexes were significantly decreased at postoperative one month. 5 key indexes were identified and then a predictive index named SITI was constructed. The result showed that lower SITI and earlier clinical tumor node metastasis (cTNM) stage were more likely to achieve pCR. The nomogram for pCR prediction had excellent discrimination performance (C-index = 0.791). Conclusion The SITI is an independent predictor for pCR in resectable LA-ESCC patients received nICT. To our knowledge, our nomogram is the first model using systemic inflammation-tumor markers for pCR prediction and may be a promising predictor to effectively differentiate pCR for nICT in LA-ESCC patients.
ANALOGS OF THE ORTHOGONAL, HAMILTONIAN, POISSON, AND CONTACT LIE SUPERALGEBRAS IN CHARACTERISTIC 2

Over algebraically closed fields of characteristic 2, the analogs of the orthogonal, symplectic, Hamiltonian, Poisson, and contact Lie superalgebras are described. The number of non-isomorphic types, and several properties of these algebras are unexpected, for example, interpretation in terms of exterior differential forms preserved is not applicable to one of these types. The divided powers of differential forms and related (co)homology are introduced.
Isotopic decoupling of K from Sr and Nd in the Saima alkaline complex, NE China: interactions of cratonic roots and asthenosphere

Abstract We report high-precision K isotopes, apatite U–Pb ages, whole-rock elements and Sr–Nd isotopes for the Saima nephelite syenite in the North China Craton. Trace-element and Sr–Nd–Hf–O isotope data indicate the presence of subducting sediments in the source region, while K isotopic compositions show a narrow range between –0.54 ‰ and –0.28 ‰, with an average of –0.41 ± 0.06 ‰, identical to the value of the asthenosphere. The nearly identical K isotopic compositions are low probability events compared with the K isotopic compositions of island arc lavas reported previously (–1.55 ‰ to +0.2 ‰). Although crustal contamination is consistent with the Sr–Nd–K isotopic data, alternatively we propose that the isotopic data also reconcile with the interaction between cratonic roots and the underlying convective asthenosphere, if this interaction is over prolonged periods of time. Numerical simulations successfully reproduced the observed data, if the metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle root, the source of the Saima alkaline rocks, occurred 500 Ma ago. Our study reveals that the isotopic compositions of fast-diffusion components in a lithospheric mantle metasomatized by ancient subducting melts can be effectively homogenized by convective asthenosphere through diffusion over a long time interval.