Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PPAK Wide field Integral Field Spectroscopy of NGC 628 – III. Stellar population properties

We present a stellar population analysis of the nearby, face-on, SA(s)c galaxy, NGC628, which is part of the PPAK IFS Nearby Galaxies Survey (PINGS). The data cover a field of view of ~6 arcmin in diameter with a sampling of $\sim$2.7 arcsec per spectrum and a wavelength range (3700-7000A). We apply spectral inversion methods to derive 2-dimensional maps of star formation histories and chemical enrichment. We present maps of the mean (luminosity- and mass-weighted) age and metallicity that reveal the presence of structures such as a nuclear ring, previously seen in molecular gas. The disk is dominated in mass by an old stellar component at all radii sampled by our data, while the percentage of young stars increase with radius. The mean stellar age and metallicity profiles have a two defined regions, an inner one with flatter gradients (even slightly positive) and an external ones with a negative, steeper one, separated at $\sim$60 arcsec. This break in the profiles is more prominent in the old stellar component. The young component shows a metallicity gradient that is very similar to that of the gas, and that is flatter in the whole disc. The agreement between the metallicity gradient of the young stars and the gas, and the recovery of the measured colours from our derived star formation histories validate the techniques to recover the age-metallicity and the star formation histories in disc galaxies from integrated spectra. We speculate about the possible origin of the break and conclude that the most likely scenario is that we are seeing, in the center of NGC 628, a dissolving bar, as predicted in some numerical simulations.
Adoption of big data analytics in medium-large supply chain firms in Saudi Arabia

Big Data Analytics (BDA) is one of the most digital innovations for supporting supply chain firms’ activities. Empirically, multiple benefits of BDA in Supply Chain Management (SCM) have been demonstrated. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between technical, organizational, and environmental factors and supply chain firms’ performance using the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory. This study was conducted at medium-large supply chain firms in Saudi Arabia, the sample size reached 700 firms recognized by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry in different domains. In this study, a questionnaire was used to collect primary data. The collected data are analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. SPSS is used to describe respondents’ demographic profiles. The percentage of respondents to the questionnaire reached 57%. In addition, to test hypotheses and accomplish research goals, PLS-SEM version 3.0 is used to examine the relationship between independent and dependent variables. From the PLS results, the study reported that complexity (β = 0.097, t = 2.817), security (β = 0.222, t = 3.486), IT expertise (β = 0.108, t = 1.993), and external support (β = 0.211, t = 3.468) were positively related to firm’s performance; in contrast, relative advantage (β = –0.006, t = 0.200), compatibility (β = –0.020, t = 0.314), top management support (β = –0.046, t = 0.386), organizational resources (β = –0.065, t = 1.179), competitive pressure (β = –0.011, t = 0.199), and privacy (β = –0.05, t = 0.872) were negatively related to firm’s performance.
Assessment of Environmental Cleaning Practices and the Impacts on Infection Prevention and Control in Selected Hospitals in Tanzania

To achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in healthcare facilities (HCFs,) the provision of water, sanitation, healthcare waste management, hand hygiene and environmental cleanliness services is crucial. Good WASH services in HCFs settings have the potential to reduce healthcare acquired infections (HAIs), increase trust and uptake of healthcare services, increase efficiency and improve staff morale. To address this, a National Assessment was carried out to ascertain environmental cleanliness condition of the healthcare facilities at all levels. The assessment of healthcare waste management in the facilities was conducted in all the 26 regions of Tanzania Mainland including dis-tricts and lower healthcare facilities. A standardized checklist and tools were used to assess and monitor various aspects related to healthcare waste management using open source software for data collection (ODK). Data were analyzed using SPSS computer software. It was observed that most of permanent staff (88%) in the Healthcare facilities had knowledge on hand hygiene, but (60%) and last at waste zones. The assessment concludes that handling of healthcare wastes is not practiced to the expectations, and there is a need to strengthen the situation. The findings provide evidence for those engaged in improving HCF conditions to develop evidence-based policies and efficient programs, enhance service delivery systems, and make better use of available resources.
Beliefs, emotions, and usage of information and communication technologies in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Health sciences students’ perspectives

Objectives First, to examine Health Sciences students’ discipline, educational level, number of online courses taken, and emotions regarding distance learning; second, to explore a model in which information and communication technologies' (ICT) beliefs serve as mediators among ICT's emotions and ICT usage. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. Participants consisted of 210 students from the School of Health Sciences at the University. Perceptions toward ICTs in Teaching-Learning Process Scale and Computer Emotion Scale were used. Results Nursing students report significantly more ICT-related negative emotions than Management of Health Systems students. Students who took a low or medium number of online courses report significantly more ICT-related positive emotions than students who took a high number of online courses. In addition, ICT-related beliefs did not mediate the effects of ICT-related positive emotions and ICT usage but did mediate ICT-related negative emotions and ICT usage. Conclusions The digital tools in online courses should be appropriately combined with the learning method, and course content. It requires not only a solid technical foundation but also an educational mentality, as well as an adjustment period.
A note on a paper by Erik Volz [arXiv:0705.2092]: SIR dynamics in random networks

Recent work by Erik Volz [arXiv:0705.2092] has shown how to calculate the growth and eventual decay of an SIR epidemic on a static random network, assuming infection and recovery each happen at constant rates. This calculation allows us to account for effects due to heterogeneity in degree that are neglected in the standard mass-action SIR equations. In this note we offer an alternate derivation which arrives at a simpler -- though equivalent -- system of governing equations to that of Volz. This new derivation is more closely connected to the underlying physical processes, and the resulting equations are of comparable complexity to the mass-action SIR equations. We further show that earlier derivations of the final size of epidemics on networks can be reproduced using the same approach, thereby providing a common framework for calculating both the dynamics and the final size of an epidemic spreading on a random network.
Changing Ready-to-Drink Coffee Aroma Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma

Coffee is one of the world’s most consumed beverages, and its aroma plays an essential role in consumer acceptance. Ready-to-drink coffee is popular in many countries and can be bought with different flavoring agents. In this work, we evaluated the changes that can be made to ready-to-drink coffee by applying cold plasma to convert coffee volatiles, modulating its aroma chemically. To achieve this goal, dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) plasma was applied to ready-to-drink coffee at different excitation frequencies and processing times. Several chemical reactions were observed, and their routes were proposed. DBD plasma technology increased the relevance of the desirable nutty descriptor from 2.9 to 27.7%. The technology can also increase the significance of the fruity and green descriptors, which can be modulated to produce specialty or gourmet ready-to-drink coffees.
The orbits of the major satellites of Saturn.

Strugnell & Taylor's (1990) catalogue of observations of the major satellites of Saturn was augmented by several thousand additional observations. Theories of the motions of the satellites (excluding Hyperion) were fitted to these observations using a weighted least-squares procedure in order to derive improved values of the orbital elements and other parameters of the system, including the masses of the four inner satellites and the dynamical form factors J 2 and J 4 of Saturn.
ESTIMATION OF ROLE OF HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA, BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS , AND CLINICAL MARKERS IN ATHEROSCLEROSIS PATIENTS IN AL-NAJAF AL-ASHRAF GOVERNORATE

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a substantial risk factor for heart disease unrelated to diet. Many clinical and epidemiological research has found a link between elevated plasma homocysteine and the development of atherosclerosis in people. This investigation aims to identify the typical homocysteine levels in the blood. As well as lipids in healthy Iraqi control groups and to compare them with atherosclerotic patients. Blood samples were taken from 62 healthy control subjects (42 male and 20 female), 68 patients suffering from premature signs of Ischemic heart disease admitted to the cardiac care unit (38 male and 30 female), and (15) patients suffering from hyperhomocysteinemia. These participants were divided into five groups based on their age. The blood samples from these groups were analyzed to measure plasma total homocysteine, total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, VLDL, LDL, and HDL. All control subjects have normal fasting blood glucose, serum lipids also blood pressure. According to the findings, patients' plasma total homocysteine levels were considerably higher. Had previous signs of atherosclerosis compared to control groups. The study has also classified plasma homocysteine according to the severity of hyperhomocysteinemia. The findings show that intermediate hyperhomocysteinemia is more frequent (32 patients; 47.05 %) as compared to moderate (25 patients; 36.77%) and severe hyperhomocysteinemia (11 patients; 16.18%). The results also showed that the lipid profile of The patient group was substantially higher than the control group. , except for HDL-cholesterol, which has been significantly lower than in the control group.
Modelling the cosmic neutral hydrogen from DLAs and 21-cm observations

We review the analytical prescriptions in the literature to model the 21-cm (emission line surveys/intensity mapping experiments) and Damped Lyman-Alpha (DLA) observations of neutral hydrogen (HI) in the post-reionization universe. While these two sets of prescriptions have typically been applied separately for the two probes, we attempt to connect these approaches to explore the consequences for the distribution and evolution of HI across redshifts. We find that a physically motivated, 21-cm based prescription, extended to account for the DLA observables provides a good fit to the majority of the available data, but cannot accommodate the recent measurement of the clustering of DLAs at $z \sim 2.3$. This highlights a tension between the DLA bias and the 21-cm measurements, unless there is a very significant change in the nature of HI-bearing systems across redshifts 0-3. We discuss the implications of our findings for the characteristic host halo masses of the DLAs and the power spectrum of 21-cm intensity fluctuations.
Detection of New H5N1 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Viruses in Winter 2021–2022 in the Far East, Which Are Genetically Close to Those in Europe

Many high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) cases in wild birds due to H5N1 HPAI virus (HPAIV) infection were reported in northern Japan in the winter of 2021–2022. To investigate the epidemiology of HPAIVs brought to Japan from surrounding areas, a genetic analysis of H5 HPAIVs isolated in northern Japan was performed, and the pathogenicity of the HPAIV in chickens was assessed by experimental infection. Based on the genetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene, pathogenic viruses detected in northern Japan as well as one in Sakhalin, the eastern part of Russia, were classified into the same subgroup as viruses prevalent in Europe in the same season but distinct from those circulating in Asia in winter 2020–2021. High identities of all eight segment sequences of A/crow/Hokkaido/0103B065/2022 (H5N1) (Crow/Hok), the representative isolates in northern Japan in 2022, to European isolates in the same season could also certify the unlikeliness of causing gene reassortment between H5 HPAIVs and viruses locally circulating in Asia. According to intranasal challenge results in six-week-old chickens, 50% of the chicken-lethal dose of Crow/Hok was calculated as 104.5 times of the 50% egg-infectious dose. These results demonstrated that the currently prevalent H5 HPAIVs could spread widely from certain origins throughout the Eurasian continent, including Europe and the Far East, and implied a possibility that contagious viruses are gathered in lakes in the northern territory via bird migration. Active monitoring of wild birds at the global level is essential to estimate the geographical source and spread dynamics of HPAIVs.
All two-qubit states that are steerable via Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt-type correlations are Bell nonlocal

We derive a new inequality that is necessary and sufficient to show EPR-steering in a scenario employing only correlations between two arbitrary dichotomic measurements on each party. Thus the inequality is a complete steering analogy of the CHSH inequality, a generalisation of the result of Cavalcanti et al, JOSA B, 32(4), A74 (2015). We show that violation of the inequality only requires measuring over equivalence classes of mutually unbiased measurements on the trusted party and in fact assuming a general two qubit system arbitrary pairs of distinct projective measurements at the trusted party are equally useful. Via this it is found that for a given state the maximum violation of our EPR-steering inequality is equal to that for the CHSH inequality, so all states that are EPR-steerable with CHSH-type correlations are also Bell nonlocal.
Clinical Usefulness of SPECT/CT for Assessing Postoperative Outcomes After Medial Opening-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy

Background: Qualitative studies have explored changes in Tc-99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (HDP) uptake on single-photon emission computed tomography and computed tomography (SPECT/CT) as a result of offloading after medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) in patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. However, whether changes in the Tc-99m HDP uptake on SPECT/CT reflect the degree of clinical improvement in postoperative outcomes, especially when using minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs), has not been investigated. Purpose: To investigate the association between changes in Tc-99m HDP uptake on SPECT/CT and MCID-based improvement on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score in patients who underwent MOWHTO. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The study included 35 knees in 31 patients who underwent MOWHTO. SPECT/CT was performed preoperatively and 3 years postoperatively with clinical and radiological assessments. On SPECT/CT, the knee joint was divided into 10 regions, and the radiotracer uptake amount of each region was divided by the uptake amount of the reference zone. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether they achieved the MCID of 16.1 points on the WOMAC at 3 years postoperatively, and changes in uptake amount on SPECT/CT were compared between the groups. Results: At 3 years postoperatively, 22 patients achieved the MCID on the WOMAC (62.9%; above-MCID group) and 13 patients did not (37.1%; below-MCID group). In the above-MCID group, significant improvement was observed in the WOMAC after MOWHTO (from 55.8 to 19.6; P < .05); however, significant improvement was not observed in the below-MCID group (from 38.8 to 32.3; P = .100). Based on mean change of uptake on SPECT/CT in each region, the above-MCID group showed significantly greater reduction of uptake on SPECT/CT than the below-MCID group in the femoral anteromedial compartment (P = .004), tibial anteromedial compartment (P = .009), and tibial anterolateral compartment (P = .031). Conclusion: Reduction in radiotracer uptake on SPECT/CT of the knee joint reflected clinical improvement in patient-reported outcomes following MOWHTO.
A slippery slope: early learning and equity in rural India

ABSTRACT There is near consensus that early childhood education and care (ECEC) is essential to children’s early development. A common corollary is that early learning will be pivotal to helping redress inequities in educational outcomes. We examine whether this is true among rural communities in the Indian states of Assam, Rajasthan, and Telangana. Specifically, we assess whether learning gains for the most disadvantaged are retained in comparison to more advantaged children who had lower initial learning levels. We find that lower-achieving, more advantaged children (as measured by mother’s education) soon overtake higher-achieving but less advantaged children. In contrast, higher-achieving girls remain ahead of lower-achieving boys in Assam and Telangana, although they are caught up in Rajasthan. Given the differing patterns across the states, we explore the extent to which these may be shaped by their respective social and policy contexts.
Black Hole Growth to z = 2 - I: Improved Virial Methods for Measuring M_BH and L/L_Edd

We analyze several large samples of AGN in order to establish the best tools required to study the evolution of black hole mass (M_BH) and normalized accretion rate (L/L_Edd). The data include spectra from the SDSS, 2QZ and 2SLAQ surveys at z<2, and a compilation of smaller samples with 0<z<5. We critically evaluate the usage of the MgII(2798A) and CIV(1549A) lines, and adjacent continuum bands, as estimators of M_BH and L/L_Edd, by focusing on sources where one of these lines is observed together with Hbeta. We present a new, luminosity-dependent bolometric correction for the monochromatic luminosity at 3000A, L_3000, which is lower by a factor of 1.75 than those used in previous studies. We also re-calibrate the use of L_3000 as an indicator for the size of the broad emission line region (R_BLR) and find that R_BLR is proportional to L_3000^0.62. We find that FWHM(MgII)\simeqFWHM(Hb) for all sources with FWHM(MgII)<6000 km/s. Beyond this FWHM, the MgII line width seems to saturate. The spectral region of the MgII line can thus be used to reproduce Hb-based estimates of M_BH and L/L_Edd, with negligible systematic differences and a scatter of 0.3 dex. The width of the CIV line, on the other hand, shows no correlation with either that of the Hb or the MgII lines and we could not identify the reason for this discrepancy. The scatter of M_BH(CIV), relative to M_BH(Hb) is of almost 0.5 dex. Moreover, 46% of the sources have FWHM(CIV)<FWHM(Hb), in contrast with the basic premise of the virial method, which predicts FWHM(CIV)/FWHM(Hbeta)~1.9. Thus, the CIV line cannot be used to obtain precise estimates of M_BH. We conclude by presenting the observed evolution of M_BH and L/L_Edd with cosmic epoch. The steep rise of L/L_Edd with redshift up to z~1 flattens towards the expected maximal value of L/L_Edd~1, with lower-M_BH sources showing higher values of L/L_Edd at all redshifts. [Abridged]
Mathematical aspects of the relative gain array ( AΦHA —T )

For nonsingular n-by-n matrices A, we investigate the map \[ A \to \Phi ( A ) \equiv A \circ ( A^{ - 1} )^T \] in which $ \circ $ denotes the Hadamard (entry-wise) product. The matrix $\Phi ( A )$ arises in mathematical control theory in chemical engineering design problems, where it is known as the relative gain array, and also in a matrix theoretic problem involving the relation between the diagonal entries and eigenvalues. We first give several elementary properties of $\Phi $ and show that the iterates $\Phi ^k ( A )$ converge to I when A is either positive definite or an H-matrix. We then discuss, with examples and partial results, several unsolved problems associated with $\Phi $. These include the range of $\Phi $, inverse images of elements in the range of $\Phi $, fixed points of $\Phi $, etc.
Bounding Memory Access Times in Multi-Accelerator Architectures on FPGA SoCs

Modern FPGA System-on-Chips (SoCs) embed large FPGA logics capable of hosting multiple hardware accelerators. Typically, hardware accelerators require direct access to the shared DRAM memory for reaching the high performance demanded by modern applications. In commercial FPGA SoCs, this goal is achieved by interconnecting the hardware accelerators on an interconnect based on AMBA AXI, which is the de-facto industrial standard for on-chip communications. The AXI standard provides great flexibility in the definition of the network topology. Nevertheless, such flexibility generates a significant unpredictability when attempting to bound the hardware accelerators’ response time when executing under contention. This work focus on bounding the worst-case memory access time of hardware accelerators deployed on commercial FPGA SoCs. We propose a modeling and analysis technique to bound the response time of the hardware accelerators and evaluate the schedulability of a system applicable to arbitrary AXI-based bus structures deployed on FPGA SoCs. Our results are validated on real execution traces collected on two popular FPGA SoCs belonging to the Xilinx ZYNQ-7000 and Zynq-Ultrascale+ families and by simulated results.
Dynamical structure of the pulsating atmosphere of RR Lyrae

Context. RRab stars are large amplitude pulsating stars in which the pulsation wave is a progressive wave. Consequently, strong shocks, stratification effects, and phase lag may exist between the variations associated with line profiles formed in different parts of the atmosphere, including the shock wake. The pulsation is associated with a large extension of the expanding atmosphere, and strong infalling motions are expected. Aims. The objective of this study is to provide a general overview of the dynamical structure of the atmosphere occurring over a typical pulsation cycle. Methods. We report new high-resolution observations with high time resolution of Hα and sodium lines in the brightest RR Lyrae star of the sky: RR Lyr (HD 182989). A detailed analysis of line profile variations over the whole pulsation cycle is performed to understand the dynamical structure of the atmosphere. Results. The main shock wave appears when it exits from the photosphere at φ ≃ 0.89, i.e., when the main Hα emission is observed. Whereas the acceleration phase of the shock is not observed, a significant deceleration of the shock front velocity is clearly present. The radiative stage of the shock wave is short: 4% of the pulsation period (0.892 < φ < 0.929). A Mach number M > 10 is required to get such a radiative shock. The sodium layer reaches its maximum expansion well before that of Hα (Δφ = 0.135). Thus, a rarefaction wave is induced between the Hα and sodium layers. A strong atmospheric compression occurring around φ = 0.36, which produces the third Hα emission, takes place in the highest part of the atmosphere. The region located lower in the atmosphere where the sodium line is formed is not involved. The amplification of gas turbulence seems mainly due to strong shock waves propagating in the atmosphere rather than to the global compression of the atmosphere caused by the pulsation. It has not yet been clearly established whether the microturbulence velocity increases or decreases with height in the atmosphere. Furthermore, it seems very probable that an interstellar component is visible within the sodium profile.