Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-COVID in Patients with Cancer Previously Treated with Early Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Therapies in an Out-of-Hospital Setting: A Single-Center Experience

Simple Summary This article regards the incidence of long COVID symptoms in a cohort of patients with cancer with or without previous treatment with early therapies anti-SARS-CoV-2 in an out-of-hospital setting. The enrolled patients were invited to take part in the survey by telephone at least 12 weeks after COVID-19 diagnosis in order to evaluate the incidence of long COVID symptoms. To date, no papers have focused on the oncological population managed at home with the early anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies. The overlap between the symptoms related to the oncological disease/oncological treatment and the symptoms of long COVID is one of the main future challenges that oncologists will have to manage. Abstract The incidence of long COVID in a cohort of patients with cancer with or without previous treatment with early therapies anti-SARS-CoV-2 in an out-of-hospital setting have to be elucidated. We prospectively enrolled all patients treated for a solid tumor at the department of Medical Oncology of the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo with a positive SARS-CoV-2 antigen or polymerase chain reaction test from January to September 2022 (Omicron surge). Ninety-seven patients answered the survey questions by telephone at least 12 weeks after COVID-19 diagnosis in order to evaluate the incidence of long COVID symptoms. Only twelve patients (12.4%) reported long COVID. No significant difference between early therapies anti-SARS-CoV-2 31 and long COVID (p = 0.443) was seen. The female sex (p = 0.024) and diabetes mellitus (p = 0.014) are significantly associated with long COVID. No statistically significant difference between the two groups (Long COVID vs. No Long COVID) according to the time to nasal swab viral clearance (p = 0.078). The overlap between the symptoms related to the oncological disease/oncological treatment and the symptoms of long COVID is one of the main future challenges that oncologists will have to manage.
Quantum Algebras and Integrable Boundaries in AdS/CFT

This thesis studies quantum integrable structures such as Yangians and quantum affine algebras that arise in and are inspired by the AdS/CFT duality, with a primary emphasis on the exploration of integrable boundaries deeply hidden in the duality. The main goal of this thesis is to find novel algebraic structures and methods that could lead to new horizons in the theory of quantum groups and in the exploration of boundary effects in the gauge/gravity dualities. The main thrust of this work is the exploration of the AdS/CFT worlsheet scattering theory and of integrable boundaries that manifest themselves as Dp-branes (p+1-dimensional Dirichlet submanifolds) which are a necessary part of the superstring theory. The presence of these objects breaks some of the underlying symmetries and leads to boundary scattering theory governed by coideal subalgebras of the bulk symmetry. Here the boundary scattering theory for D3-, D5- and D7-branes is considered in detail, and the underlying boundary Yangian symmetries are revealed. The AdS/CFT worldsheet scattering theory is shown to be closely related to that of the deformed Hubbard chain. This similarity allows us to apply the quantum deformed approach to the boundary scattering theory. Such treatment of the system leads to quantum affine symmetries that manifest themselves in a very elegant and compact form. In such a way the symmetries of distinct boundaries that previously seemed to be unrelated to each other emerge in a uniform and coherent form. The quantum deformed approach also helps us to better understand the phenomena of the so-called secret symmetry. It is called secret due to its peculiar feature of appearing as a level-one generator of the Yangian of the system. However it does not have a Lie algebra (level-zero) analogue. This symmetry is shown to have origins in the quantum deformed model, where it manifest itselfs as two, level-one and level-minus-one, generators of the corresponding quantum affine algebra.
Performance of a self-aligning solar array tracking controller

Sandia's advanced SolarTrak control system provides Sun tracking, night and emergency stow, communication, and manual drive control functions, for one and two-axis solar trackers in a low-cost, user-friendly package. The author describes the hardware design features and sophisticated control algorithms, such as a six-degree self-alignment routine and a self-adjusting motor actuation time, that enhance SolarTrak's pointing accuracy and system reliability while at the same time reducing operation and maintenance requirements. Performance measurements taken on operating systems over the past year show that full-day pointing accuracies of better than +or-0.1 have been achieved. <<ETX>>
Leading with DEI on my Mind: Examining the Interactive Effects of Supervisor Perceptions of Psychological Diversity Climate and Supervisor Characteristics on Leadership Style

Management researchers have recently shifted their focus to examine the effects of psychological diversity climate (PDC). Whereas the majority of this research has focused on front-line employees, we shift our attention to personnel in leadership positions to extend this literature. On the basis that PDC encourages the demonstration of fairness and discourages the demonstration of mistreatment, we rely on social information processing theory to explain why supervisor perceptions of PDC impact supervisory leadership style. Across three studies (one experiment and two multi-source field studies), we find that supervisor perceptions of PDC are positively related to employees’ evaluations of ethical leadership and negatively related to employees’ evaluations of abusive supervision. We also find that the impact of supervisor perceptions of PDC on ethical leadership and abusive supervisor is accentuated when supervisor negative affectivity is relatively high compared to relatively low. However, the impact of supervisor perceptions of PDC on ethical leadership and abusive supervision is attenuated when supervisor conscientiousness is relatively high compared to relatively low. In summary, our studies clarify why and when supervisor perceptions of PDC interact with supervisor characteristics to impact supervisory leadership style. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Experimental investigation of the vortex breakdown in a lean premixing prevaporizing burner

The spiral vortex breakdown has been experimentally studied in the flow field generated by a lean premixing prevaporizing (LPP) combustor model. The vortex breakdown structures are characterized by a solid-body rotation. Hence, phase-locked laser Doppler velocimeter measurements, performed in a meridional plane, have allowed reconstruction of the periodic velocity and Reynolds stress fields within a time period and in a relative cylindrical frame of reference. Then, the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) production term has been computed. The velocity distribution analysis indicates that a spiral vortex core wraps around an inner reverse flow zone. Both are characterized by a precessing motion. Then, the main contributions to the TKE production have been identified together with their spatial locations. Their distribution indicates that the maxima are placed in two regions: one located between the inner reverse flow and the spiral vortex and the second between the spiral vortex core and the external nearly quiescent fluid. In the latter, the TKE production term distributions have the features of a Kelvin–Helmholtz-like instability. In the former, the TKE production seems to be related to a Kelvin–Helmholtz-like instability only at the interface between the bubble and the spiral vortex core.
Observed Tropical Cyclone Eye Thermal Anomaly Profiles Extending above 300 hPa

AbstractAs recently pointed out by Stern and Nolan, much of our knowledge of the warm core structure of the tropical cyclone eye has come from composites of in situ data taken from multiple aircraft studies of three storms in the late 1950s and 1960s. Further observational confirmation of eye thermal structure has been lacking, since much of the dropsonde data analyzed to date have been limited to pressure levels of 500 hPa or lower. However, there exist a number of dropsonde eye profiles extending to near 250 hPa; these profiles were acquired from NASA aircraft during various field campaigns. Here, the author uses these data to calculate eye temperature anomaly profiles. These data are supplemented by several surface-based radiosonde releases in tropical cyclone eyes over the period 1944–2003. The author finds that the pressure altitude of the maximum anomaly varies between 760 and 250 hPa. The author also finds positive correlations between the maximum anomaly level and storm intensity, size, upper-leve.
Evaluating the Effects of Some Selected Medicinal Plant Extracts on Feed Degradability, Microbial Protein Yield, and Total Gas Production In Vitro

Simple Summary Ruminant animals are major producers of animal protein, and their uniqueness in utilizing unconventional feed resources cannot be overemphasized. In the tropical environment, most of the unconventional feeds available for this class of animals are of low quality and are characterized by high structural carbohydrates which lack adequate fermentable carbohydrates and nitrogen composition, a factor of crude protein. Feeding poor-quality forage has been linked to higher methane production from ruminants, and improving the rumen fermentation of these poor forages can improve animal performance and reduce methane emission. Many strategies have been employed in recent times, and the most successful is the use of antibiotics, but there is a campaign against the use of antibiotics. Other strategies such as the use of natural products such as plant extracts rich in antibiotics and phytochemicals have been exploited. This study evaluates the effect of phytochemical-rich plant extracts on fermentation parameters in vitro, and the results were promising. Abstract This study evaluates the effect of 22 crude ethanolic plant extracts on in vitro rumen fermentation of Themeda triandra hay using monensin sodium as a positive control. The experiment was run independently three times at 16 and 48 h of incubation periods using the in vitro gas production techniques. Fermentation parameters were determined at both hours of incubation. Plant extracts influenced gas production (GP) in a varied way relative to control at both hours of incubation, and GP is consistently highly significant (p < 0.0001) at 16 and 48 h. Microbial protein yield (MY) was not significantly affected at 16 h (p > 0.05), but it was at 48 h (p < 0.01). Higher MY was recorded for all treatments except for A. sativum and C. intybus at the early incubation stage (16 h) relative to 48 h of incubation. Compared to the control group at 48 h, all plant extracts have higher MY. After 48 h of incubation, the result shows that plant extracts have an effect on fermentation parameters determined; ruminal feed degradation, gas production, microbial protein yield, and partitioning factor in varied manners. All the plant extracts improve the MY which is the major source of amino acids to ruminants and has significant importance to animal performance. C. illinoinensis, C. japonica, M. nigra, P. americana, C. papaya, and A. nilotica (pods) were the most promising plant extracts, but further study is recommended to validate the in vitro observation in vivo.
Operators with symbol hierarchies and iterated asymptotics

Ellipticity of (pseudo-differential) operators on a manifold with geometric singularities gives rise to a hierarchy of symbols, associated with the system of lower-dimensional strata of the configuration. Classical examples are boundary value problems with interior and boundary symbols (the latter ones describe Shapiro-Lopatinskij ellipticity of boundary conditions), or operators on manifolds with conical singularities with interior and conormal symbols. Ellipticity on a manifold with smooth edges may be investigated by a suitable combination of ideas from boundary value problems and cone calculus. The present article studies another typical case, namely ellipticity on a manifold that has edges with conical singularities. Locally, we may talk about cones, where the base is a manifold with smooth edges. Parametrices and iterated asymptotics of solutions to elliptic equations are determined by a three-component symbolic hierarchy, with interior, edge and conormal symbols. We construct an operator algebra of 2 × 2-block matrices, where the upper left corners contain the interior operators, together with so-called Green and Mellin operators (caused by analogues of Green's function in boundary value problems as well as by asymptotic phenomena), while the other entries contain trace and potential conditions with respect to the edge and pseudo-differential operators on the edge itself that are of Fuchs type with respect to the conical points. The calculus is organized in an iterative way and can be viewed as a starting point for constructing similar operator algebras with asymptotics for higher polyhedral singularities.
Cascade vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays

Summary form only given. One simple approach to achieve cascade laser diodes is to lithographically series connect individual devices. We report the first lithographic cascade VCSEL arrays which exhibit > 100% differential quantum efficiency. We present measurements of the light output into a broad area detector versus injection current into the cascade VCSEL arrays. The output power increases approximately linearly with the number of array elements, and arrays with 4 or more VCSELs exhibit > 100% differential quantum efficiency. These initial results indicate that lithographic cascade VCSEL arrays show promise for low cost optical links.
Approach of utilizing Artemisia herbs to treat covid-19

Abstract Huge plethora of studies pointed out the importance of several Artemisia herb molecules as treatment for many diseases. Among these natural substances, some molecules are known to counteract fever, inflammation, blood clotting and oxidative stress. Furthermore, they are dotted with activities against different strains of viruses including the SARS-coronaviruses. For these beneficial properties, these medicinal herbs are deemed as a potential candidate for covid-19 pandemic.
The numerical solution of Fredholm integral equations of the second kind

In Chapter 2 we develop practical methods for deciding whether a given integral operator is compact as an operator between certain spaces of functions. This solves a problem of type (i), since compactness is an abstract assumption used in the analysis of many algorithms for integral equations. In Chapter 3 we look at a class of weakly singular convolution type equations (typical of many that arise in practice), and answer the question: What kind of singularities arise in the solutions to such equations? In Chapter k, the results of Chapter 3 are used to give a
Antiangiogenic drugs in combination with seaweed fucoidan: A mechanistic in vitro and in vivo study exploring the VEGF receptor and its downstream signaling molecules in hepatic cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers reported worldwide with poor morbidity and high mortality rates. HCC is a very vascular solid tumour as angiogenesis is not only a key driver for tumour progression but also an exciting therapeutic target. Our research investigated the use of fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide readily abundant in edible seaweeds commonly consumed in Asian diet due to their extensive health benefits. Fucoidan was reported to possess a strong anti-cancer activity, but its anti-angiogenic potential is still to be fully unraveled. Our research investigated fucoidan in combination with sorafenib (an anti-VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and Avastin® (bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody) in HCC both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro on HUH-7 cells, fucoidan had a potent synergistic effect when combined with the anti-angiogenic drugs and significantly reduced HUH-7 cell viability in a dose dependent manner. Using the scratch wound assay to test cancer cell motility, sorafenib, A + F (Avastin and fucoidan) or S + F (sorafenib and fucoidan) treated cells consistently showed an unhealed wound and a significantly smaller %wound closure (50%–70%) versus untreated control (91%–100%) (p < 0.05, one-way ANOVA). Using RT-qPCR; fucoidan, sorafenib, A + F and S + F significantly reduced the expression of the pro-angiogenic PI3K/AKT/mTOR and KRAS/BRAF/MAPK pathways by up to 3 folds (p < 0.05, one-way ANOVA versus untreated control). While ELISA results revealed that in fucoidan, sorafenib, A + F and S + F treated cells, the protein levels of caspases 3, 8, and 9 was significantly increased especially in the S + F group showing 40- and 16-times higher caspase 3 and 8 protein levels, respectively (p < 0.05, one-way-ANOVA versus untreated control). Finally, in a DEN-HCC rat model, H&E staining revealed larger sections of apoptosis and necrosis in the tumour nodules of rats treated with the combination therapies and immunohistochemical analysis of the apoptotic marker caspase 3, the proliferation marker Ki67 and the marker for angiogenesis CD34 showed significant improvements when the combination therapies were used. Despite the promising findings reported herein that highlighted a promising chemomodulatory effect of fucoidan when combined with sorafenib and Avastin, further investigations are required to elucidate potential beneficial or adversary interactions between the tested agents.
The Effect of Bimanual Intensive Functional Training on Somatosensory Hand Function in Children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy: An Observational Study

(1) Background: Next to motor impairments, children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (CP) often experience sensory impairments. Intensive bimanual training is well known for improving motor abilities, though its effect on sensory impairments is less known. (2) Objective: To investigate whether bimanual intensive functional therapy without using enriched sensory materials improves somatosensory hand function. (3) Methods: A total of twenty-four participants with CP (12–17 years of age) received 80–90 h of intensive functional training aimed at improving bimanual performance in daily life. Somatosensory hand function was measured before training, directly after training, and at six months follow-up. Outcome measures were: proprioception, measured by thumb and wrist position tasks and thumb localization tasks; vibration sensation; tactile perception; and stereognosis. (4) Results: Next to improving on their individual treatment goals, after training, participants also showed significant improvements in the perception of thumb and wrist position, vibration sensation, tactile perception, and stereognosis of the more affected hand. Improvements were retained at six months follow-up. Conversely, proprioception measured by the thumb localization tasks did not improve after training. (5) Conclusions: Intensive functional bimanual training without environmental tactile enrichment may improve the somatosensory function of the more affected hand in children with unilateral spastic CP.
On the near Field Pressure of a Transonic Axisymmetric Jet

The near field fluctuating pressure of a cold subsonic jet (Mach 0.85) issuing from a contoured convergent nozzle was studied. Conventional time series analysis (i.e., correlation and spectral analysis) as well as a wavelet analysis were used to characterize time-dependent events thereby revealing features consistent with current understandings of jet noise while also uncovering modal features consistent with previous measurements of the jet flow field itself. Specifically, the measurements reveal extensive sources of multiple frequencies in the streamwise direction. The near field information of the present investigation should help to bridge our understanding of the relationship between the velocity field and the far field acoustic emission associated with subsonic jet noise as well as supply a data set that can be used for verification of computational efforts.
Generating controllable velocity fluctuations using twin oscillating hydrofoils: experimental validation

Abstract A method for generating controllable two-dimensional velocity fluctuations using two pitching foils was derived theoretically in a previous companion paper. The present work describes the experimental implementation of the method. The experiments are carried out in a re-circulating water channel optimised to provide low turbulence intensity in the incoming flow. Velocities are measured using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV). The pitching motions of the foils are position-controlled using a closed-loop control system. Two velocity fluctuation patterns are investigated. They consist of a combination of sinusoidal components. Theoretical predictions and experimental measurements are compared in the time and frequency domain. Although some discrepancies are observed, the agreement is generally good and therefore validates the theoretical method for the conditions investigated.
The mental health of laboratory and rehabilitation specialists during COVID-19: A rapid review

Backgrounds Healthcare workers have experienced considerable stress and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these healthcare workers are medical laboratory professionals and rehabilitation specialists, specifically, occupational therapists, and physical therapists, who all perform critical services for the functioning of a healthcare system. Purpose This rapid review examined the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of medical laboratory professionals (MLPs), occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) and identified gaps in the research necessary to understand the impact of the pandemic on these healthcare workers. Methods We systematically searched “mental health” among MLPs, OTs and PTs using three databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and CINAHL). Results Our search yielded 8887 articles, 16 of which met our criteria. Our results revealed poor mental health among all occupational groups, including burnout, depression, and anxiety. Notably, MLPs reported feeling forgotten and unappreciated compared to other healthcare groups. In general, there is a dearth of literature on the mental health of these occupational groups before and during the pandemic; therefore, unique stressors are not yet uncovered. Conclusions Our results highlight poor mental health outcomes for these occupational groups despite the dearth of research. In addition to more research among these groups, we recommend that policymakers focus on improving workplace cultures and embed more intrinsic incentives to improve job retention and reduce staff shortage. In future emergencies, providing timely and accurate health information to healthcare workers is imperative, which could also help reduce poor mental health outcomes.
The generation of gravitational radiation by escaping supernova neutrinos

Formulae for the gravitational radiation due to the anisotropic axisymmetric emission of neutrinos from a small source are derived. We find that a burst of neutrinos released anisotropically from a supernova will generate a burst of gravitational radiation that may be comparable in amplitude and energy to the gravitational radiation generated by the fluid motion in the collapse of the supernova core.