Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HEAT TRANSFER IN TURBULENT FLOW THROUGH TUBE WITH LONGITUDINAL STRIP INSERTS

An experimental investigation has been carried out to study the convective heat transfer in a tube with longitudinal inserts with different shapes of strips in turbulent flow. Three different shapes of strip (Y, X and - configuration) were fabricated from mild steel and inserted into the smooth tube successively. The test section was heated electrically and the flow was varied in the range of Reynolds number 2.0x10 4 to 5.0x10 4 . Air velocity, air inlet and outlet temperature, longitudinal strip surface temperatures, wall temperature and pressure drops along the axial length of the test section were measured to analyze the friction factor, Nusselt number, and heat transfer co-efficient. With longitudinal strip inserts, heat transfer co-efficient was enhanced with corresponding increase in friction factor and pumping power. At comparable Reynolds number, heat transfer co-efficient in tube with longitudinal strip inserts is enhanced by 1.4 to 3 times, friction factor increased by 1.2 to 2.2 times while the pumping power increased up to 4 times compared to that of smooth tube.
Shareholders’ indifference… short-term market reaction to firms’ first and subsequent acquisitions: evidence from China

Abstract Having analysed the history of acquisitions by public Chinese companies over the period of 1996–2020, we document no persistent statistically significant short-term market reaction upon deal completion. Short-term cumulative abnormal returns are non-different from zero regardless of whether the acquisition is the first or one of many on acquirers’ record, whether it is domestic or cross-border or whether it is vertical or horizontal as well as regardless of industry and declared purpose of acquisition. In the overwhelming majority of cases, acquirers’ prior acquisition experience plays no role in shaping short-term post-acquisition returns. Lower returns are associated with serial acquirers especially if the series of acquisitions occurs within the same industry. Likewise, significantly lower cumulative returns are observed if the acquiree is a state-owned entity. Overall, the markets appear to attach no abnormal returns to firms’ inorganic growth regardless of its span across geographies, industries and time.
Genome Sequencing of Hericium coralloides by a Combination of PacBio RS II and Next-Generation Sequencing Platforms

The fruiting bodies or mycelia of Hericium coralloides (H. coralloides) contain many physiologically active compounds that are used to treat various diseases, including cardiovascular disorders and cancers. However, the genome of H. coralloides has not been sequenced, which hinders further investigations into aspects, such as bioactivity or evolutionary events. The present study is aimed at (i) performing de novo sequencing of the assembled genome; (ii) mapping the reads from PE400 DNA into the assembled genome; (iii) identifying the full length of all the repeated sequences; and (iv) annotating protein-coding genes using GO, eggNOG, and KEGG databases. The assembled genome comprised 5,59,05,675 bp, including 307 contigs. The mapping rate of reads obtained from PE400 DNA in the assembled genome was 92.46%. We identified 2,525 repeated sequences of 14,23,274 bp length. We predicted ncRNAs of 48,895 bp and 11,736 genes encoding proteins that were annotated in the GO, eggNOG, and KEGG databases. We are the first to sequence the entire H. coralloides genome (NCBI; Assembly: ASM367540v1), which will serve as a reference for studying the evolutionary diversification of edible and medicinal mushrooms and facilitate the application of bioactivity in H. coralloides.
The Effect of Fibrates on Kidney Function and Chronic Kidney Disease Progression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Studies

Aim: Fibrates have proven efficacy in cardiovascular risk reduction and are commonly used, in addition to statins, to control hypertriglyceridaemia. Their use is often limited due to reduction in glomerular filtration rate at treatment initiation. However, recent studies suggest benign changes in kidney function and improvement of proteinuria, an established early marker of microvascular disease and kidney disease progression. We summarize the evidence from existing trials and provide a summary of effects of fibrates, alone or in combination, on kidney disease progression and proteinuria. Methods and Results: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials (PROSPERO CRD42020187764). Out of 12,243 potentially eligible studies, 29 were included in qualitative and quantitative analysis, with a total of 20,176 patients. Mean creatinine increased by 1.05 (95% CI (0.63 to 1.46)) units in patients receiving fibrates vs. comparator, and this was similar in all other subgroups. eGFR showed a bigger decrease in the fibrates arm (SMD −1.99; 95% CI (−3.49 to −0.48)) when all studies were pooled together. Notably, short-term serum creatinine and eGFR changes remained constant in the long-term. Pooled estimates show that fibrates improve albuminuria progression, RR 0.86; 95% CI (0.76 to 0.98); albuminuria regression, RR 1.19; 95% CI (1.08 to 1.310). Conclusions: Fibrates improve albuminuria in patients with and without diabetes when used to treat hyperlipidaemia. The modest creatinine increase should not be a limiting factor for fibrate initiation in people with preserved renal function or mild CKD. The long-term effects on kidney disease progression warrant further study.
Geometrical Optimization and Transverse Thermoelectric Performances of Fe/Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 Artificially Tilted Multilayer Thermoelectric Devices

Transverse thermoelectric performance of the artificially tilted multilayer thermoelectric device (ATMTD) is very difficult to be optimized, due to the large degree freedom in device design. Herein, an ATMTD with Fe and Bi2Te2.7Se0. 3 (BTS) materials was proposed and fabricated. Through high-throughput calculation of Fe/BTS ATMTD, a maximum of calculated transverse thermoelectric figure of merit of 0.15 was obtained at a thickness ratio of 0.49 and a tilted angle of 14°. For fabricated ATMTD, the whole Fe/BTS interface is closely connected with a slight interfacial reaction. The optimizing Fe/BTS ATMTD with 12 mm in length, 6 mm in width and 4 mm in height has a maximum output power of 3.87 mW under a temperature difference of 39.6 K. Moreover the related power density per heat-transfer area reaches 53.75 W·m−2. This work demonstrates the performance of Fe/BTS ATMTD, allowing a better understanding of the potential in micro-scaled devices.
American Iron, 1607-1900

By applying their abundant natural resources to ironmaking early in the eighteenth century, Americans soon made themselves felt in world markets. After the Revolution, ironmakers supplied the materials necessary to the building of American industry, pushing the fuel efficiency and productivity of their furnaces far ahead of their European rivals. In 'American Iron, 1607-1900', Robert B. Gordon draws on recent archaeological findings as well as archival research to present an ambitious, comprehensive survey of iron technology in America from the colonial period to the industry's demise at about the turn of the twentieth century. Closely examining the techniques--the "hows"--of ironmaking in its various forms, Gordon offers new interpretations of labor, innovation, and product quality in ironmaking, along with the industry's environmental consequences. He shows the high level of skills required to ensure efficient and safe operation of furnaces and to improve the quality of iron product. By mastering founding, fining, puddling, or bloom smelting, ironworkers gained a degree of control over their lives not easily attained by others. y
County-Wide Mortality Assessments Attributable to PM2.5 Emissions from Coal Consumption in Taiwan

Over one-third of energy is generated from coal consumption in Taiwan. In order to estimate the health impact assessment attributable to PM2.5 concentrations emitted from coal consumption in Taiwan. We applied a Gaussian trajectory transfer-coefficient model to obtain county-wide PM2.5 exposures from coal consumption, which includes coal-fired power plants and combined heat and power plants. Next, we calculated the mortality burden attributable to PM2.5 emitted by coal consumption using the comparative risk assessment framework developed by the Global Burden of Disease study. Based on county-level data, the average PM2.5 emissions from coal-fired plants in Taiwan was estimated at 2.03 ± 1.29 (range: 0.32–5.64) μg/m3. With PM2.5 increments greater than 0.1 μg/m3, there were as many as 16 counties and 66 air quality monitoring stations affected by coal-fired plants and 6 counties and 18 monitoring stations affected by combined heat and power plants. The maximum distances affected by coal-fired and combined heat and power plants were 272 km and 157 km, respectively. Our findings show that more counties were affected by coal-fired plants than by combined heat and power plants with significant increments of PM2.5 emissions. We estimated that 359.6 (95% CI: 334.8–384.9) annual adult deaths and 124.4 (95% CI: 116.4–132.3) annual premature deaths were attributable to PM2.5 emitted by coal-fired plants in Taiwan. Even in six counties without power plants, there were 75.8 (95% CI: 60.1–91.5) deaths and 25.8 (95%CI: 20.7–30.9) premature deaths annually attributable to PM2.5 emitted from neighboring coal-fired plants. This study presents a precise and effective integrated approach for assessing air pollution and the health impacts of coal-fired and combined heat and power plants.
Low‐cycle fatigue performance of high‐strength steel rebars in concrete bridge columns

Design codes often restrict the use of high‐strength steel (HSS) rebars in seismic applications due to their inferior low‐cycle fatigue performance when compared to conventional steel rebars. In this study, previously established low‐cycle fatigue life models of HSS rebars, namely ASTM A706 Grade 550 and ASTM A1035 Grade 690, were incorporated into a new cumulative damage model to identify conditions under which such rebars can achieve seismic performance comparable to that of benchmark ASTM A706 Grade 420 steel bars in concrete bridge columns. An ensemble of well confined flexure‐dominated circular concrete bridge columns located in high seismic regions was considered where the axial load ratio, and longitudinal and spiral reinforcement ratios were varied. The bridge columns were reinforced with ASTM A706 Grade 420, ASTM A706 Grade 550, and ASTM A1035 Grade 690 steel and numerically analyzed under different displacement ductility levels (2, 4, and 6), earthquake types (crustal and subduction), and ratio of hoop spacing to longitudinal bar diameter ratio (4 and 6). Their low‐cycle fatigue performances were compared based on the computed bar fracture and accumulated damage indices. Based on the reported observations, it is concluded that design codes are overly restrictive in not permitting the use of HSS in seismic application on the basis of inadequate low‐cycle fatigue life. As an alternative, this study proposes imposing certain limits on displacement ductility demand and ratio of hoop spacing to longitudinal bar diameter ratio to promote safe and efficient use of HSS rebars in concrete bridge columns.
A DECENTRALIZED CONTROL STRATEGY FOR DISTRIBUTED AIR/GROUND TRAFFIC SEPARATION

This research investigates a decentralized control strategy for distributed air ground traffic separation. First, we introduce the concept of a distributed air/ground traffic separation system. We then briefly review the literature to identify key technologies that address decentralized control techniques for distributed systems, and are applicable to air traffic management. From these techniques, we adapt an approach and build models to investigate the characteristics of a trade-off between system performance and stability. Based on Monte Carlo simulation studies, we present results that identify trade-offs parameterized by traffic complexity, as measured by a dynamic density measure.
Factors Affecting the Students’ Scholastic Performance: A Survey Study

Academic achievement is one of the essential elements that businesses examine when employing new graduates. This problem calls for intensive survey investigation to find out the Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Grade 11 students at SKSU-Laboratory High School. This research was conducted to identify the factors affecting the academic performance of students at SKSU-Laboratory High School, which would help provide suggestions that would promote better academic performance that would interest the students in the study area. This study used a questionnaire for quantitative research instruments and has also used a customized method such as an online survey for the study. This study was conducted to explore the different factors that affect students’ academic performance. This study states that the students' environment has excellent effects, enhancing or weakening their academic performance. There are various factors inside and outside school that contribute to the quality of academic performance of students, such as, Parenting Style, Characteristics of the Students, Level of Internet Effectiveness, Teachers Effectiveness, Lack of Motivation, and Students Career Choice are the factors that affect students’ academic performance.
Prescription-Event Monitoring Study on Safety and Efficacy of Levonadifloxacin (Oral and I.V.) in Management of Bacterial Infections: Findings of Real-World Observational Study

Background: Levonadifloxacin is a novel broad-spectrum antibiotic belonging to the benzoquinolizine subclass of quinolones. It is available in intravenous as well as oral formulation for the treatment of infections caused by common Gram-positive bacterial pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Patients and Methods: This study retrospectively assessed the real-world safety and efficacy of levonadifloxacin (oral and/or IV) in the treatment of 1229 patients across various clinical conditions. Study outcomes were clinical and microbiological success at the end of therapy. Results: The mean duration of levonadifloxacin therapy was 7.2 days, with a time to clinical improvement averaging at 4 days. Three hundred and three patients received oral therapy, 875 received IV, and 51 received a combination of IV followed by oral therapy. Patients were prescribed levonadifloxacin for skin and soft-tissue infections, diabetic foot infections, septicemia, catheter-related bloodstream infections, bone and joint infections, febrile neutropenia, and respiratory infections including COVID-19 pneumonia. High clinical success rates of 98.3%, 93.7%, and 96.1% with oral, IV, and IV followed by oral levonadifloxacin, respectively, were obtained. Only 11 mild adverse events were reported in 9 patients which included constipation, diarrhea, hyperglycemia, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. Overall, 96.3% and 97.3% of investigators rated the efficacy and safety of levonadifloxacin as “good to excellent. ” Conclusions: An excellent safety and efficacy profile of levonadifloxacin was observed in this study making it a suitable treatment option for management of various bacterial infections, including those caused by resistant Gram-positive pathogens such as MRSA and quinolone-resistant S. aureus.
Loss of MAGEC3 Expression Is Associated with Prognosis in Advanced Ovarian Cancers

Simple Summary Familial studies connect variants in the X-linked gene MAGEC3 to early-onset ovarian cancers. In this retrospective cohort study, we determined that, unlike other MAGE family members, the MAGEC3 protein is normally expressed in ovarian tissue but is lost in half of the ovarian cancers. Similar to other predisposition genes like BRCA2, survival modeling suggests that expression loss is associated with favorable progression-free survival, and continued expression is associated with response to platinum therapy. Because of the assumed antigenicity of MAGE genes, we tested and observed associations with lymphocyte infiltration, NY-ESO-1 seropositivity, and the co-expression of tumor antigens at Xq28. Using transcriptomic modeling, we predicted that MAGEC3 expression is associated with stress-related cell cycle stalling and DNA repair pathway expression. Abstract Rare variants in MAGEC3 are associated with BRCA negative, early-onset ovarian cancers. Given this association, we evaluated the impact of MAGEC3 protein expression on prognosis and transcription. We quantified normal and tumor protein expression of MAGEC3 via immunohistochemistry in n = 394 advanced ovarian cancers, assessed the correlation of these values with clinicopathologic and immunological features and modeled survival using univariate and multivariate models. To extend these results, we quantified MAGEC3 protein expression in n = 180 cancers and used matching RNA sequencing data to determine MAGEC3-associated differentially expressed genes and to build an RNA-based model of MAGEC3 protein levels. This model was tested in a third independent cohort of patients from TCGA’s OV dataset (n = 282). MAGEC3 protein was sporadically lost in ovarian cancers, with half of the cases falling below the 9.5th percentile of normal tissue expression. Cases with MAGEC3 loss demonstrated better progression-free survival [HR = 0.71, p = 0.004], and analyses performed on predicted protein scores were consistent [HR = 0.57 p = 0.002]. MAGEC3 protein was correlated with CD8 protein expression [Pearson’s r = 0.176, p = 0.011], NY-ESO-1 seropositivity, and mRNA expression of tumor antigens at Xq28. Results of gene set enrichment analysis showed that genes associated with MAGEC3 protein expression cluster around G2/M checkpoint (NES = 3.20, FDR < 0.001) and DNA repair (NES = 2.28, FDR < 0.001) hallmark pathways. These results show that MAGEC3 is a prognostic biomarker in ovarian cancer.
A Layer-Wise Theoretical Framework for Deep Learning of Convolutional Neural Networks

As research attention in deep learning has been focusing on pushing empirical results to a higher peak, remarkable progress has been made in the performance race of machine learning applications in the past years. Yet deep learning based on artificial neural networks still remains difficult to understand as it is considered as a black-box approach. A lack of understanding of deep learning networks from the theoretical perspective would not only hinder the employment of them in applications where high-stakes decisions need to be made, but also limit their future development where artificial intelligence is expected to be robust, predictable and trustable. This paper aims to provide a theoretical methodology to investigate and train deep convolutional neural networks so as to ensure convergence. A mathematical model based on matrix representations for convolutional neural networks is first formulated and an analytic layer-wise learning framework for convolutional neural networks is then proposed and tested on several common benchmarking image datasets. The case studies show a reasonable trade-off between accuracy and analytic learning, and also highlight the potential of employing the proposed layer-wise learning method in finding the appropriate number of layers in actual implementations.
Effect of Onion Peel Tea Supplementation and Exercise Against Hypercholesterolemia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Women: Education and Randomized Control Trial

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of onion peel tea supplementation on body composition, lipid profile, serum glucose concentration, blood glucose level, hypercholesterolemia-related risk factors, cardiovascular disorders in obese, and overweight females. Females attending Diabetic center National Hospital with a Basal metabolic index greater than 25 are randomly selected, assigned to the control group, aerobic training (AT), Onion Peel tea Supplementation (OPT), as well as AT and OPT groups. OPT group received 33 mg of onion peel tea supplementation after every meal a day in addition to AT for 6 months including 90 min of AT sessions that helped get 80% of the target heart rate. One week before the study and 3 days after the last AT session, all participants were subjected to take their blood samples. In comparison to control group weight, total body fat percentage including visceral fat and subcutaneous fat, body mass index (BMI), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins, blood pressure, heart rate, and triglycerides show a significant decrease in AT and AT+OPT groups. No significant changes were obtained in HDL and waist to hip ratio. AT gave beneficial effects in improving Cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension, and LDL.
The sponge pump as a morphological character in the fossil record

Abstract. The timing of early animal evolution remains one of the biggest conundrums in biology. Molecular data suggest Porifera diverged from the metazoan lineage some 800 Ma to 650 Ma, which contrasts with the earliest widely accepted fossils of sponges at 535 Ma. However, the lack of criteria by which to recognize the earliest animals in the fossil record presents a challenge. The sponge body plan is unchanged since the early Cambrian, which makes a sponge-type animal a good candidate for the earliest fossils. Here we propose a method for identifying an organism as sponge grade by translating the sponge pump character into a quantifiable morphological trait. We show that the ratio between the two major components of the aquiferous system, the cross-sectional area of the osculum (OSA) and the surface area of the whole sponge (SA), is an effective metric of the pump character of extant sponges and that the slope of this ratio is distinct for three classes of Porifera: Demospongiae, Calcarea, and Hexactinellida. Furthermore, this metric is effective at distinguishing as sponges both extant taxa and fossils from two extremes of the Phanerozoic, the Cambrian and Paleogene. We tested this metric on the putative Ediacaran sponge Thectardis avalonensis from Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, and found Thectardis fits both with Cambrian sponges and with modern demosponges. These analyses show that the OSA/SA ratio is a reliable character by which to identify fossils as sponge grade, opening up exciting possibilities for classifying new fossils as sponges.
Nitric Oxide Extends the Postharvest Life of Water Bamboo Shoots Partly by Maintaining Mitochondrial Structure and Energy Metabolism

Harvested water bamboo shoots can be stored for only a few days before they lose weight and become soft. Nitrogen oxide (NO) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) have previously been used to prolong horticultural crop storage. In the present study, we analyzed the joint effect of these two methods on extending the postharvest quality of water bamboo shoots. Water bamboo shoots were treated with (1) 30 μL L−1 NO, (2) MAP, and (3) a combination of NO and MAP. The NO treatment delayed the softness and weight loss through maintaining the integrity of the mitochondrial ultrastructure and enhancing the ATP level by activating the expressions and activities of succinic dehydrogenase, malic acid dehydrogenase, and cytochrome oxidase. MAP improved the effect of NO on the mitochondrial energy metabolism. These results indicate that NO and MAP treatments are effective at suppressing the quality deterioration of water bamboo shoots, MAP improves the effect of NO in extending postharvest life, and NO may be the main effective factor in the combination of NO and MAP.