Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SIZES, HALF-MASS DENSITIES, AND MASS FUNCTIONS OF STAR CLUSTERS IN THE MERGER REMNANT NGC 1316: CLUES TO THE FATE OF SECOND-GENERATION GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

We study mass functions of globular clusters derived from Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys images of the early-type merger remnant galaxy NGC 1316, which hosts a significant population of metal-rich globular clusters of intermediate age (∼3 Gyr). For the old, metal-poor (“blue”) clusters, the peak mass of the mass function increases with internal half-mass density ρh as , whereas it stays approximately constant with galactocentric distance Rgal. The mass functions of these clusters are consistent with a simple scenario in which they formed with a Schechter initial mass function and evolved subsequently by internal two-body relaxation. For the intermediate-age population of metal-rich (“red”) clusters, the faint end of the previously reported power-law luminosity function of the clusters with Rgal > 9 kpc is due to many of those clusters having radii larger than the theoretical maximum value imposed by the tidal field of NGC 1316 at their Rgal. This renders disruption by two-body relaxation ineffective. Only a few such diffuse clusters are found in the inner regions of NGC 1316. Completeness tests indicate that this is a physical effect. Using comparisons with star clusters in other galaxies and cluster disruption calculations using published models, we hypothesize that most red clusters in the low-ρh tail of the initial distribution have already been destroyed in the inner regions of NGC 1316 by tidal shocking, and that several remaining low-ρh clusters will evolve dynamically to become similar to “faint fuzzies” that exist in several lenticular galaxies. Finally, we discuss the nature of diffuse red clusters in early-type galaxies.
Exploring the Local Orthogonality Principle

Nonlocality is arguably one of the most fundamental and counterintuitive aspects of quantum theory. Nonlocal correlations could, however, be even more nonlocal than quantum theory allows, while still complying with basic physical principles such as no-signaling. So why is quantum mechanics not as nonlocal as it could be? Are there other physical or information-theoretic principles which prohibit this? So far, the proposed answers to this question have been only partially successful, partly because they are lacking genuinely multipartite formulations. In Nat. Comm. 4, 2263 (2013) we introduced the principle of Local Orthogonality (LO), an intrinsically multipartite principle which is satisfied by quantum mechanics but is violated by non-physical correlations. Here we further explore the LO principle, presenting new results and explaining some of its subtleties. In particular, we show that the set of no-signaling boxes satisfying LO is closed under wirings, present a classification of all LO inequalities in certain scenarios, show that all extremal tripartite boxes with two binary measurements per party violate LO, and explain the connection between LO inequalities and unextendible product bases.
Efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological interventions for neonatal pain: an overview of systematic reviews

Objectives To synthesise current evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) regarding the efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological interventions to prevent and treat pain in newborn infants. Design Overview of SRs. Data sources We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP) and Google Scholar to identify all relevant SRs published in the last 5 years. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies We included SRs that evaluated the efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological interventions for neonatal pain. Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers independently extracted the data, assessed the methodological quality using a Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2 and graded the evidence quality with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Results A total of 29 SRs were included in this overview, of which 28 focused on procedural pain and only 1 focused on postoperative pain. Based on AMSTAR 2, seven reviews were found to be of ‘high quality‘, eight of ‘moderate quality’, five of ‘low quality’ and nine of ‘critically low quality’. The GRADE results suggested that facilitated tucking, kangaroo care, sweet solutions, familiar odour or combined non-pharmacological interventions, such as a combination of sucrose and non-nutritive sucking, were effective and safe in reducing pain from medical procedures in neonates. However, sucrose alone was less effective than local anaesthesia or a combination of the two during circumcision. Conclusions Facilitated tucking, small volumes of sweet solutions, kangaroo care and familiar odour were recommended. Scientific implementation strategies should be developed to promote the clinical use of these effective non-pharmacological interventions. Meanwhile, further rigorous trials and SRs are needed to identify the best non-pharmacological approaches for pain from common surgery and illnesses in neonates. PROSPERO registration number CRD42021292583.
The Effects of Combined Vitamin E and C for Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective: Antioxidant therapy is a promising treatment option for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after failure of lifestyle modification. We aimed to explore the efficacy of combined vitamin E and C therapy compared to no treatment for NAFLD. Methods: A literature search was performed in Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to 28th April 2020. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on randomized controlled trials that assessed vitamin E and C co-treatment in NAFLD. Quality of evidence was appraised using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Assessed outcomes were changes in imaging findings, histological features, and serum transaminases. Subgroup analyses that compared adult versus children were further explored. Results: Four studies (n=260) satisfied our eligibility criteria. Vitamin co-treatment did not improve ultrasonographic liver brightness, histological parameters of hepatocyte injury (steatosis, lobular inflammation, and ballooning), fibrosis grading (standardized mean difference [SMD ]: 0.02, 95% CI: -0.40 to 0.45, I2=13%), serum aspartate transaminase (mean difference [MD]: -0.05, 95% CI: -2.59 to 2.50, I2=0%), and serum alanine transaminase (MD: 2.82, 95% CI: -2.11 to 7.76, I2=57%). Subgroup stratifications illustrated similar findings. Conclusion: Vitamin co-treatment may have limited efficacy in NAFLD. However, we have little confidence in our effect estimates due to bias and other major constraints.
Dynamic Domain Adaptation for Class-Aware Cross-Subject and Cross-Session EEG Emotion Recognition

It is vital to develop general models that can be shared across subjects and sessions in the real-world deployment of electroencephalogram (EEG) emotion recognition systems. Many prior studies have exploited domain adaptation algorithms to alleviate the inter-subject and inter-session discrepancies of EEG distributions. However, these methods only aligned the global domain divergence, but overlooked the local domain divergence with respect to each emotion category. This degenerates the emotion-discriminating ability of the domain invariant features. In this paper, we argue that aligning the EEG data within the same emotion categories is important for generalizable and discriminative features. Hence, we propose the dynamic domain adaptation (DDA) algorithm where the global and local divergences are disposed by minimizing the global domain discrepancy and local subdomain discrepancy, respectively. To tackle the absence of emotion labels in the target domain, we introduce a dynamic training strategy where the model focuses on optimizing the global domain discrepancy in the early training steps, and then gradually switches to the local subdomain discrepancy. The DDA algorithm is formally implemented as an unsupervised version and a semi-supervised version for different experimental settings. Based on the coarse-to-fine alignment, our model achieves the average peak accuracy of 91.08%, 92.89% on SEED, and 81.58%, 80.82% on SEED-IV in the cross-subject and cross-session scenarios, respectively.
Should the CKD EPI Equation Be Used for Estimation of the Glomerular Filtration Rate in Obese Subjects?

Introduction: The pandemic of obesity is strongly related to increase of chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence. The currently recommended CKD epidemiology collaboration (CKD EPI) equation has several serious limitations, particularly in obese subjects who have high body surface area (BSA). The aim of our study was to analyze differences in the prevalence of CKD between CKD EPI and de-indexed equations where individual BSA was used. Methods: In a total of 2,058 subjects (random sample from a general rural population, 29.65% obese), BSA was estimated using DuBois and DuBois and Moesteller equations and included into the de-indexed equations (CKD DBi, CKD Mi). CKD was classified according to the KDIGO guidelines, and glomerular hyperfiltration (GHF) was defined as 95th percentile, according to the gender and age decade. Results: In obese subjects, prevalence of CKD was significantly higher with CKD EPI than with CKD DBi and CKD Mi equations (9.5%, 6.1%, 5.3%, respectively; p < 0.001), while prevalence of GHF was significantly lower (3.8%, 12.3%, 12.8%, respectively; p < 0.001). Opposite results were observed in subjects with a body mass index <25 kg/m2 for CKD (5%, 7.1%, 7.2%; p = 0.07) and GHF prevalence (6.1%, 1%, 0.6%; p < 0.001). Discussion/Conclusions: The prevalence of CKD is overestimated, and the prevalence of GHF is underestimated in obese subjects using the CKD EPI equation, i.e., the CKD EPI equation is unreliable in one-third of the population. De-indexed equations should be recommended instead of the CKD EPI equation in epidemiological studies until direct measurement of the glomerular filtration rate becomes more available.
The use of classic psychedelics among adults: a Danish online survey study

Abstract Background Clinical studies report preliminary therapeutic effects of classic psychedelic drugs in several psychiatric conditions and international drug trends show increased use of these compounds. However, the epidemiology of classic psychedelic drug use in Scandinavian countries remains sparsely investigated. To this end, we investigated the patterns of use and the subjectively perceived acute and persisting effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and mescaline, among Danish adults. Methods An anonymous online survey with 152 items was conducted using the secure survey web application REDCap. Results were presented descriptively and as comparisons between psychedelic drugs. Results Five-hundred participants (30.0% female, mean age 34.5 years) were included. Classic psychedelics were mostly used with therapeutic (28.0%) or spiritual (27.2%) intentions. Sixty-seven per cent used classic psychedelics once a year or less. Most participants (56.4%) preferred using psilocybin. Classic psychedelic use was for some individuals, associated with hazardous use of alcohol (39.4%). Among participants with a psychiatric treatment history, 80.9% reported subjective improvements in symptoms following classic psychedelic use. Participants’ most memorable experiences were moderate-to-strong mystical-type experiences (MEQ30 mean ± SD 3.4 ± 1.0; range 1–5) and had positive persisting effects on well-being (mean ± SD 2.1 ± 1.0), social relationships (mean ± SD 1.7 ± 1.2), meaning of life (mean ± SD 1.9 ± 1.1), and mood (mean ± SD 1.8 ± 1.1); range −3 to 3. DMT users experienced significantly greater subjective positive effects. Conclusions Classic psychedelics were mostly used therapeutically or spiritually and had self-reported positive persisting effects, but were also associated with hazardous use of alcohol, among Danish adults. DMT was associated with significantly greater positive effects compared to LSD and psilocybin.
Post–cardiac arrest Sedation Promotes Electroencephalographic Slow-wave Activity and Improves Survival in a Mouse Model of Cardiac Arrest

Background: Patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest are routinely sedated during targeted temperature management, while the effects of sedation on cerebral physiology and outcomes after cardiac arrest remain to be determined. The authors hypothesized that sedation would improve survival and neurologic outcomes in mice after cardiac arrest. Methods: Adult C57BL/6J mice of both sexes were subjected to potassium chloride–induced cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Starting at the return of spontaneous circulation or at 60 min after return of spontaneous circulation, mice received intravenous infusion of propofol at 40 mg · kg–1 · h–1, dexmedetomidine at 1 µg · kg–1 · h–1, or normal saline for 2 h. Body temperature was lowered and maintained at 33°C during sedation. Cerebral blood flow was measured for 4 h postresuscitation. Telemetric electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded in freely moving mice from 3 days before up to 7 days after cardiac arrest. Results: Sedation with propofol or dexmedetomidine starting at return of spontaneous circulation improved survival in hypothermia-treated mice (propofol [13 of 16, 81%] vs. no sedation [4 of 16, 25%], P = 0.008; dexmedetomidine [14 of 16, 88%] vs. no sedation [4 of 16, 25%], P = 0.002). Mice receiving no sedation exhibited cerebral hyperemia immediately after resuscitation and EEG power remained less than 30% of the baseline in the first 6 h postresuscitation. Administration of propofol or dexmedetomidine starting at return of spontaneous circulation attenuated cerebral hyperemia and increased EEG slow oscillation power during and early after sedation (40 to 80% of the baseline). In contrast, delayed sedation failed to improve outcomes, without attenuating cerebral hyperemia and inducing slow-wave activity. Conclusions: Early administration of sedation with propofol or dexmedetomidine improved survival and neurologic outcomes in mice resuscitated from cardiac arrest and treated with hypothermia. The beneficial effects of sedation were accompanied by attenuation of the cerebral hyperemic response and enhancement of electroencephalographic slow-wave activity. Sedation with propofol or dexmedetomidine, started at the time of return of spontaneous circulation, results in better survival and neurologic outcomes than no sedation in an animal model of cardiac arrest. Sedation was associated with increased slow-wave electroencephalogram power and normalization of electroencephalogram patterns, which were positively correlated with neurologic outcome. These beneficial effects are not seen if the sedation is commenced an hour after recovery of spontaneous circulation.
Fat, adipokines, bone structure and bone regulatory factors associations in obesity

Context Obese (OB) adults (BMI ≥ 30) have a higher bone mineral density (BMD) and more favourable bone microarchitecture than normal-weight (NW) adults (BMI 18.5–24.9). Objective The objective of this study was to identify which fat compartments have the strongest association with bone density and bone turnover and whether biochemical factors (adipokines, hormones and bone regulators) are likely to be important mediators of the effect of obesity on bone. Design This was a cross-sectional, observational, matched case-control study. Setting Participants were recruited from the local community. Participants Two hundred healthy men and women aged 25–40 or 55–75 were recruited in individually matched OB and NW pairs. Body composition, BMD and bone microarchitecture were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), computed tomography (CT) and high-resolution peripheral CT (HR-pQCT). Bone turnover and potential regulators such as C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide (CTX), type 1 procollagen N-terminal peptide (PINP), sclerostin, periostin, parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), adiponectin, leptin and insulin were assessed. Main outcome Planned exploratory analysis of the relationships between fat compartments, areal and volumetric BMD, bone microarchitecture, bone turnover markers and bone regulators. Results Compared with NW, OB had lower CTX, PINP, adiponectin, IGF1, and 25OHD and higher leptin, PTH and insulin (all P < 0.05). CTX and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were the bone marker and fat compartment most consistently associated with areal and volumetric BMD. In regression models, SAT was negatively associated with CTX (P < 0.001). When leptin was added to the model, SAT was no longer associated with CTX, but leptin (P < 0.05) was negatively associated with CTX. Conclusions SAT is associated with lower bone resorption and properties favourable for bone strength in obesity. Leptin may be an important mediator of the effects of SAT on the skeleton.
PLANET FORMATION IN BINARIES: DYNAMICS OF PLANETESIMALS PERTURBED BY THE ECCENTRIC PROTOPLANETARY DISK AND THE SECONDARY

Detections of planets in eccentric, close (separations of ∼20 AU) binary systems such as α Cen or γ Cep provide an important test of planet formation theories. Gravitational perturbations from the companion are expected to excite high planetesimal eccentricities, resulting in destruction rather than growth of objects with sizes of up to several hundred kilometers in collisions of similar-sized bodies. It was recently suggested that the gravity of a massive axisymmetric gaseous disk in which planetesimals are embedded drives rapid precession of their orbits, suppressing eccentricity excitation. However, disks in binaries are themselves expected to be eccentric, leading to additional planetesimal excitation. Here we develop a secular theory of eccentricity evolution for planetesimals perturbed by the gravity of an elliptical protoplanetary disk (neglecting gas drag) and the companion. For the first time, we derive an expression for the disturbing function due to an eccentric disk, which can be used for a variety of other astrophysical problems. We obtain explicit analytical solutions for planetesimal eccentricity evolution neglecting gas drag and delineate four different regimes of dynamical excitation. We show that in systems with massive (≳ 10−2 M☉) disks, planetesimal eccentricity is usually determined by the gravity of the eccentric disk alone, and is comparable to the disk eccentricity. As a result, the latter imposes a lower limit on collisional velocities of solids, making their growth problematic. In the absence of gas drag, this fragmentation barrier can be alleviated if the gaseous disk rapidly precesses or if its own self-gravity is efficient at lowering disk eccentricity.
The complex behaviour of the microquasar GRS 1915+105 in the ρ class observed with BeppoSAX - I. Timing analysis

GRS 1915+105 was observed by BeppoSAX for about 10 days in October 2000. For about 80% of the time, the source was in the variability class p, characterised by a series of recurrent bursts. We describe the results of the timing analysis performed on the MECS (1.6-10 keV) and PDS (15-100 keV) data. The X-ray count rate from GRS 1915+105 showed an increasing trend with different characteristics in the various energy bands: in the bands (1.6-3 keV) and (15-100 keV), it was nearly stable in the first part of the pointing and increased in a rather short time by about 20%, while in the energy range (3―10 keV) the increase had a smoother trend. Fourier and wavelet analyses detect a variation in the recurrence time of the bursts, from 45-50 s to about 75 s, which appear well correlated with the count rate. From the power distribution of peaks in Fourier periodograms and wavelet spectra, we distinguished between the regular and irregular variability modes of the p class, which are related to variations in the count rate in the 3―10 keV range. We identified two components in the burst structure: the slow leading trail, and the pulse, superimposed on a rather stable level. Pulses are generally structured in a series of peaks and their number is related to the regularity modes: the mean number of peaks is lower than 2 in the regular mode and increases up to values higher than 3 in the irregular mode. We found that the change in the recurrence time of the regular mode is caused by the slow leading trails, while the duration of the pulse phase remains far more stable. The evolution in the mean count rates shows that the time behaviour of both the leading trail and the baseline level are very similar to those observed in the 1.6-3 and 15-100 keV ranges, while that of the pulse follows the peak number. These differences in the time behaviour and count rates at different energies indicate that the process responsible for the pulses must produce the strongest emission between 3 and 10 keV, while that associated with both the leading trail and the baseline dominates at lower and higher energies.
Embedding punctured n-manifolds in Euclidean (2n-1)-space

Let $N$ be a closed orientable connected $n$-manifold, $n\ge 4$. We classify embeddings of the punctured manifold $N_0$ into $\R^{2n-1}$ up to isotopy. Our result in some sense extends results of J.C. Becker -- H.H. Glover (1971) and O. Saeki (1999).
Pareto process as a model of self-similar packet traffic

In the past few years packet traffic from various sources-Ethernet, ISDN, CCSN and VBR video-has been shown to exhibit self-similarity, and related properties of long range correlation, slowly decaying variances and fractal dimensions. This discovery has motivated research into unconventional traffic models such as fractional Brownian motion, fractional ARIMA and chaotic maps. These models explain certain queueing effects in packet networks that are difficult to explain using conventional traffic models. We argue that such exotic models may not be needed to describe self-similar traffic. We analyze the G/M/1 queue with Pareto input. Although a renewal process, and solvable by standard methods, the Pareto process generates self-similar arrivals. Its long range dependence produces qualitatively different queueing behavior from exponential models. In particular, delays can rise sharply for /spl rho/ much less than one.