Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ab initio study of stress-induced domain switching in PbTiO3

We investigated the atomistic and electronic structure of the 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} domain wall in $\mathrm{Pb}\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ and the fundamental mechanism of domain switching induced by shear stress using first-principles density functional theory calculations within the local density approximation. Under strain-free condition, the magnitude of polarization at the center of the domain wall decreased by 20% from that of the bulk, and the direction rotated within the transition region of $1.3\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$. Under strain, the applied shear deformation concentrated near the 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} domain wall, and the domain wall began to migrate in a direction perpendicular to itself after the stress reached the critical magnitude of $152\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MPa}$. The migration direction was governed by the shearing direction. During stress-induced domain switching, a Pb-O covalent bond at the center of the domain wall broke, and concurrently, another bond on the neighboring Pb-O site was formed with a large movement of the Pb atom. Thus, reconstruction of the Pb-O bond was associated with the domain switching.
Fast reaction, slow diffusion, and curve shortening

The reaction-diffusion problem \[ u_1 = \varepsilon \Delta u - \varepsilon ^{ - 1} V_n ( u ),\quad u( {x,0,\varepsilon } ) = g( x ),\quad\partial _n u = 0\text{ on }\partial \Omega \] for a vector $u( x,t,\varepsilon )$ is considered in a domain $\Omega \in R^m $. An asymptotic solution is constructed for $\varepsilon $ small. It shows that at each $x,u$ tends quickly to a minimum of $V( u )$. When V has several minima, When u tends to a piecewise constant function. Boundary layer expansions are constructed around the resulting surfaces of discontinuity or fronts. Each front is found to move along its normal with a constant velocity determined by the discontinuity $[ V ]$ in V across it. When $[ V ] = 0$, the front's normal velocity is $\varepsilon \kappa $, where $\kappa $ is its mean curvature. The motion of fronts in this manner is studied for arcs in the plane which are normal to $\partial \Omega $ at their endpoints, and for fronts that are closed curves. It is shown a front can shrink to a point in .
Spin in Particle Physics

Preface 1. Spin and helicity 2. The effect of Lorentz and discrete transformations on helicity states, fields and wave-functions 3. The spin density matrix 4. Transition amplitudes 5. The observables of a reaction 6. The production of polarized hadrons 7. The production of polarized e+- 8. Analysis of polarized states: polarimetry 9. Electroweak interactions 10. Quantum chromodynamics: spin in the world of massless partons 11. The spin of the nucleon: polarized deep inelastic scattering 12. Two-spin and parity-violating single spin asymmetries at large scale 13. One particle inclusive transverse single-spin asymmetries 14. Elastic scattering at high energies Appendices.
Throughput-Energy Efficiency Performance of TCP with Link Layer FEC/ARQ on Wireless Links

In this paper, we investigate the throughput-energy efficiency performance of TCP Tahoe and Reno on wireless links using a FEC/ARQ protocol at the link layer. The effect of link layer (LL) parameters like the LL packet size, number of LL retransmission attempts, and FEC code rate on the TCP performance is evaluated. It is shown that the retransmissions at the link layer must persist long enough to outlast the average bad state duration of the multipath Rayleigh fading process in order to achieve throughput performance better than TCP without ARQ at the link layer. We also evaluate the energy consumption performance of TCP Tahoe and Reno with and without LL FEC/ARQ by defining energy efficiency as the average number of successful TCP packet transmissions per unit energy consumed. It is shown that without LL ARQ, using TCP Reno instead of TCP Tahoe leads to some degradation in throughput and a much more significant degradation in energy efficiency. However, with a suitable LL ARQ in place, TCP Reno performs as good as TCP Tahoe.
Cardiac Transcription Regulators Differentiate Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Cardiac Cells

Stem cell-based therapy presents an attractive alternative to conventional therapies for degenerative diseases. Numerous studies have investigated the capability of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) to contribute to the regeneration of cardiomyocytes, and the results have encouraged further basic and clinical studies on the MSC-based treatment of cardiomyopathies. This study aimed to determine the potential of cardiomyogenic transcription factors in differentiating hUC-MSCs into cardiac-like cells in vitro. MSCs were isolated from umbilical cord tissue and were transduced with the transcription factor genes, GATA-4 and Nkx 2.5, via infection with lentiviruses, to promote differentiation into the cardiomyogenic lineage. Gene and protein expression were analysed with qPCR and immunocytochemical staining. After transduction, differentiated cardiac-like cells showed significant expression of cardiac genes and proteins, namely GATA-4, Nkx-2.5, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and myosin heavy chain (MHC). The cardiomyogenic-induced group significantly overexpressed cardiac-specific genes (GATA-4, Nkx-2.5, cTnI, MHC, α-actinin and Wnt2). Expression of the calcium channel gene was also significantly increased, while the sodium channel gene was downregulated in the transduced hUC-MSCs, as compared to non-transduced cells. The results suggest that GATA-4 and Nkx-2.5 interact synergistically in the activation of downstream cardiac transcription factors, demonstrating the functional convergence of hUC-MSC differentiation into cardiac-like cells. These findings could potentially be utilised in the efficient production of cardiac-like cells from stem cells; these cardiac-like cells could then be used in various applications, such as for in vivo implantation in infarcted myocardium, and for drug screening in toxicity testing.
Simultaneous Determination of 79 Polar and Non-Polar Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds in Airborne Particulate Matter by Gas Chromatography – Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract Research on Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds (PACs) in the atmospheric environment has been mainly focused on the 16 EPA’s PAHs. Due to toxicological relevance and particular emission sources, there is a research need in broadening the scope of PACs analysis to include polar and semi-polar PACs in new analytical methods. Here, we describe a single GC-MS/MS method to simultaneously determine 79 polar, semi-polar and non-polar PACs. Temperature gradient and injection conditions were optimized. Optimal Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) and pseudo-MRM mass transitions were searched to enhance the detection. PACs were extracted from particulate samples by Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE). The choice of the optimal extraction solvent was carefully evaluated. Instrumental LOQ were from 1 to 2 ng. The method was validated against linearity of the calibration, intra-day and inter-day variability, LOQ and recoveries. The analysis of a Diesel Particulate Matter Certified Reference Material enabled a firm method validation. The method was applied to PM10 samples from a residential parking lot. PACs total amount varied from 2.3 to 14 ng/m3. The most abundant PACs were phthalic anhydride, 1,8-naphthalic anhydride and benzo(b)fluoranthene. PAHs diagnostic ratios enabled the identification of fuel combustion and vehicular traffic as the main source of PACs.
An assessment of the impact of transient eddies on the zonal flow during a blocking episode using localized Eliassen-Palm flux diagnostics

Abstract The Eliassen-Palm (E-P) flux, applied to zonal men flows, is an indicator of both the flux of eddy activity and the eddy forcing of the zonal mean flow. For time mean flows, a localized E-P flux is derived and used diagnostically to assess the impact of transient eddies on a major blocking episode that occurred over the South Pacific during the Southern Hemisphere winter of 1979. In contrast to previous studies that have focused on the mean quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity equation, the focus here is on the mean momentum equations. Eddy transports and the associated induced meridional circulation and other internal adjustments necessary to maintain the thermal wind balance, are gathered together allowing the residual circulation and the effects of the eddies to be determined. The time-mean equations of motion are thus transformed to consist of mean terms, the residual circulation and the divergence of a localized E-P flux vector. The latter is a measure of the eddy forcing of the mean flow, .
A Conceptual Framework for Creating Brand Management Strategies

Branding has become a business priority over the past few decades due to the growing awareness that brands are one of the companies’ most valuable intangible assets. Academics and practitioners have proposed models of components to simplify brands into a small number of parts, or dimensions. Nonetheless, there is a lack of specific approaches to brand management models that fit specific business scenarios. The objective of this study was to propose a general framework to create custom brand management strategies that fit specific business scenarios through a set of independent brand dimensions. The framework was applied to the specific case of SME alliance in a B2B export environment as an example of use. This study reviews the most cited brand management models in literature and classified them into 12 independent brand dimensions. The results suggest that regardless of the brand management model, all of them converge on the fact that creating a high-quality brand relationship with the customer is crucial for the branding process. Findings suggest non-evident relationships between dimensions. The findings also suggest that brand dimensions’ and brand dimension relationships’ importance in specific business scenarios shape brand management models in unique ways.
Fetal Leydig cells in buffalo testis: Light and electron microscopic study

The present study was conducted on testis of 20 buffalo fetuses ranging from 2.5 cm to 20 cm curved crown rump length (CVRL). The tissues were processed for light and transmission electron microscopic study. The intertubular tissue was filled with primitive mesenchymal cells, developing Leydig cells and blood vessels. At 7.5 cm CVRL, some of the interstitial mesenchymal cells started developing into foetal Leydig cells and were androgen positive. These cells were characterized by their polygonal shape, eosinophilic cytoplasm and darkly stained spherical nucleus with prominent nucleoli at 9.5 cm CVRL. At 15.5 cm CVRL, the fetal Leydig cells were present in groups around the interstitial blood vessels, which increased in number and size at 20 cm CVRL and decreased afterwards. By TEM, three types of Leydig cells were observed at 14.5 cm CVRL as stem Leydig cells (Leydig cell A), progenitor Leydig cells (Leydig cell B) and immature Leydig cells (Leydig cell C). Leydig cell A had elongated nucleus with a very thin rim of cytoplasm. Leydig cell B had oval nucleus with comparatively larger amount of cytoplasm. Leydig cell C had adult Leydig cell like features and had round to oval nucleus with lager amount of cytoplasm. The cytoplasm of these cells contained mitochondria with elongated cristae, Golgi apparatus and very few lipid inclusions. The number and size of Leydig cells increased during early prenatal life.
Caring for Transgender People in Healthcare: A Qualitative Study with Hospital Staff in Croatia

Transgender and gender-diverse people have greater health risks due to increased social stress and face a disadvantaged position in the healthcare system as a result of the stigma associated with their gender identity. Due to the lack of research in Croatia on the position of transgender people in the healthcare system, this research was intended to supplement the knowledge about the experiences of hospital staff in the Croatian healthcare system when caring for patients with transgender identities. Qualitative research was conducted using an interview method. The participants (n = 10) were healthcare managers or hospital care team members. The collected data were processed through thematic analysis. The results show that some participants had had no encounters with transgender patients and those who had described them as unproblematic or had only encountered them at a level of basic healthcare. They also described how they perceive transgender people and their life circumstances. The participants described how they envision potential encounters with this group of patients and what they consider necessary to improve the position of this group within the healthcare system. In the discussion part of the article, we assess the need for additional training regarding hospital staff, especially in terms of diversity competence, and for an increase in the visibility of transgender patients.
A maximum expected covering location model with two types of servers

Designing emergency medical service systems that improve patient outcomes is a problem of national concern. This paper introduces the Maximum Expected Coverage Location Problem with Two Types of Servers (MEXCLP2) for determining how to optimally locate and use medical units (such as ambulances) in order to improve patient survivability and to provide insight into how to optimally coordinate multiple types of medical units. In MEXCLP2, there are two types of servers (medical units), and there are dependencies between the types of servers and between servers of the same type. A Hypercube queuing model is developed to quantify these dependencies when servicing multiple types of customers (patients). MEXCLP2 is formulated as an integer programming model, and the results of the Hypercube model provide its input parameters. MEXCLP2 is applied to emergency medical service systems with two types of medical units (ambulances and non-transport vehicles). Results are illustrated using real-world data collected from Hanover County, Virginia.
Coherent optical fiber transmission systems

The feasibility of coherent optical fiber transmission systems, in which laser coherence is utilized to carry information, are studied from the view point of device and system consideration and expected performance. Modulation scheme comparison among optical ASK, FSK, and PSK, transmitter and receiver configurations, single-polarization transmission through fibers, problems in providing stable local oscillator waves, and wide-band photodetectors are discussed together with alternative technologies to realize high performance systems. A study on digital system impairments caused by FM quantum noise of laser oscillators, interferometric FM-AM conversion noise, IF frequency fluctuation, and optical fiber transmission turbulence show the feasibility of the systems. Repeater spacing is estimated by considering the transmitting and receiving signal levels, optical fiber loss, and fiber transmission capacity. Repeater spacing of 240 km is feasible by 400 Mbit/s PSK homodyne-detection system and 220 km by 400 Mbit/s FSK heterodyne-discrimination detection system. The regenerative repeater spacing can be expanded further by employing intermediate repeaters with direct optical signal amplification. Based on the performance of semiconductor laser amplifiers, such as traveling wave type, Fabry-Perot cavity type, and injection locked devices, it is estimated that regenerative repeater spacing of more than 104km is feasible with 50 km intermediate repeater spacing. These systems will find application in transoceanic optical fiber cable transmission as well as terrestrial long distance transmission systems.
Serum Levels of CXCR4, SDF-1, MCP-1, NF-κB and ERK1/2 in Patients with Skeletal Fluorosis

C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) affect bone cells and play an important role in bone and joint diseases, but the data on CXCR4, SDF-1, MCP-1, ERK1/2 and NF-κB in the serum of skeletal fluorosis (SF) patients are inconclusive. Thus, according to the “Diagnostic Criteria for Endemic Skeletal Fluorosis” (WS 192-2008), we enrolled patients with SF (n = 60) as the SF group and those without SF as the controls (n = 60). Serum levels of CXCR4, SDF-1, MCP-1, ERK1/2 and NF-κB were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Serum SDF-1, CXCR4, MCP-1 and NF-κB levels were significantly higher in the SF group than in the control group. Within the serum of SF patients, CXCR4 and SDF-1 levels were positively correlated with NF-κB levels. There was no correlation between MCP-1 levels and those of ERK1/2 or NF-κB. SDF-1 and CXCR4 may activate the NF-κB pathway, and MCP-1 affects the occurrence and development of SF by regulating osteocytes through other pathways. The SDF-1/CXCR4 axis and MCP-1 signalling pathway provide a new theoretical basis for the occurrence and development of SF.
2D-imaging of absolute OH and H2O2 profiles in a He–H2O nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge by photo-fragmentation laser-induced fluorescence

Pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) in He–H2O and He–H2O–O2 mixtures are studied in near atmospheric conditions using temporally and spatially resolved quantitative 2D imaging of the hydroxyl radical (OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The primary goal was to detect and quantify the production of these strongly oxidative species in water-laden helium discharges in a DBD jet configuration, which is of interest for biomedical applications such as disinfection of surfaces and treatment of biological samples. Hydroxyl profiles are obtained by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements using 282 nm laser excitation. Hydrogen peroxide profiles are measured by photo-fragmentation LIF (PF-LIF), which involves photo-dissociating H2O2 into OH with a 212.8 nm laser sheet and detecting the OH fragments by LIF. The H2O2 profiles are calibrated by measuring PF-LIF profiles in a reference mixture of He seeded with a known amount of H2O2. OH profiles are calibrated by measuring OH-radical decay times and comparing these with predictions from a chemical kinetics model. Two different burst discharge modes with five and ten pulses per burst are studied, both with a burst repetition rate of 50 Hz. In both cases, dynamics of OH and H2O2 distributions in the afterglow of the discharge are investigated. Gas temperatures determined from the OH-LIF spectra indicate that gas heating due to the plasma is insignificant. The addition of 5% O2 in the He admixture decreases the OH densities and increases the H2O2 densities. The increased coupled energy in the ten-pulse discharge increases OH and H2O2 mole fractions, except for the H2O2 in the He–H2O–O2 mixture which is relatively insensitive to the additional pulses.
The effect of Japanese proficiency and lexical accessing speed on the comprehension of indirect speech act in L2 Japanese

: This study examined the comprehension accuracy scores and response time of indirect speech act by 63 native Chinese speakers learning Japanese, and discussed the effect from Japanese proficiency, as well as the speed of lexical access. The results showed that: (1) Japanese proficiency effects the accuracy rate of indirect speech act, the higher the Japanese proficiency, the higher the accuracy rate. However, there is no clear linear relationship between the learners’ Japanese proficiency and the indirect speech act’s response time. (2) The lexical accessing speed effects the learners’ response time of indirect speech act, the faster the accessing speed is, the shorter the indirect speech acts’ response time. The lexical accessing speed also affects the comprehension accuracy rate of the high-level learners. The faster the lexical accessing speed of the high-level learners, the higher the comprehension accuracy rate.
What Do School Principals Think about Refugee Students? Experienced Problems and Possible Solutions

This research is a qualitative case study that examines the problems experienced by school principals in the Reyhanli district of Hatay Province in the education of Syrian students and their possible solutions. The sample of the research consists of the principals of 12 schools with the highest number of Syrian students in the Reyhanli district of Hatay Province, using the criterion sampling technique. The data related to the research were obtained from the answers given to the questions prepared by the researcher. The data were subjected to content analysis and results were obtained under two main headings (Problems Experienced with Syrian Students in Secondary Schools and Solution Suggestions for Syrian Students’ Problems) and 4 themes (communicative, disciplinary, psychological and sociological). According to the results obtained, school principals stated that they had problems in communication (specifically, the language problem) and discipline, student and parents’ adaptation to school, and identity information confusion in the e-school in the schools where they work. School principals stated that these problems stemmed from the deteriorated population structure in Reyhanli, and for this reason, reducing the Syrian population in Reyhanli by evenly distributing it to other provinces and districts may be the solution. They suggested that it would be beneficial to increase the number of Turkish courses, the number of Turkish lessons and at the same time cultural adaptation activities to solve the language problem. In the sociological dimension, a proposal was made for the integration of e-school with the population directorate.
Win and Loss Responses in the Monetary Incentive Delay Task Mediate the Link between Depression and Problem Drinking

Depression and alcohol misuse, frequently comorbid, are associated with altered reward processing. However, no study has examined whether and how the neural markers of reward processing are shared between depression and alcohol misuse. We studied 43 otherwise-healthy drinking adults in a monetary incentive delay task (MIDT) during fMRI. All participants were evaluated with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI-II) to assess the severity of drinking and depression. We performed whole brain regressions against each AUDIT and BDI-II score to investigate the neural correlates and evaluated the findings at a corrected threshold. We performed mediation analyses to examine the inter-relationships between win/loss responses, alcohol misuse, and depression. AUDIT and BDI-II scores were positively correlated across subjects. Alcohol misuse and depression shared win-related activations in frontoparietal regions and parahippocampal gyri (PHG), and right superior temporal gyri (STG), as well as loss-related activations in the right PHG and STG, and midline cerebellum. These regional activities (β’s) completely mediated the correlations between BDI-II and AUDIT scores. The findings suggest shared neural correlates interlinking depression and problem drinking both during win and loss processing and provide evidence for co-morbid etiological processes of depressive and alcohol use disorders.