Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The wavenumbers of supercritical surface-tension-driven Bénard convection

The cell size or the wavenumbers of supercritical hexagonal convection cells in primarily surface-tension-driven convection on a uniformly heated plate has been studied experimentally in thermal equilibrium in thin layers of silicone oil of large aspect ratio. It has been found that the cell size decreases with increased temperature difference in the slightly supercritical range, and that the cell size is unique within the experimental error. It has also been observed that the cell size reaches a minimum and begins to increase at larger temperature differences. This reversal of the rate of change of the wavenumber with temperature difference is attributed to influences of buoyancy on the fluid motion. The consequences of buoyancy have been tested with three fluid layers of different depth.
Giant Fern Genomes Show Complex Evolution Patterns: A Comparative Analysis in Two Species of Tmesipteris (Psilotaceae)

Giant genomes are rare across the plant kingdom and their study has focused almost exclusively on angiosperms and gymnosperms. The scarce genetic data that are available for ferns, however, indicate differences in their genome organization and a lower dynamism compared to other plant groups. Tmesipteris is a small genus of mainly epiphytic ferns that occur in Oceania and several Pacific Islands. So far, only two species with giant genomes have been reported in the genus, T. tannensis (1C = 73.19 Gbp) and T. obliqua (1C = 147.29 Gbp). Low-coverage genome skimming sequence data were generated in these two species and analyzed using the RepeatExplorer2 pipeline to identify and quantify the repetitive DNA fraction of these genomes. We found that both species share a similar genomic composition, with high repeat diversity compared to taxa with small (1C < 10 Gbp) genomes. We also found that, in general, characterized repetitive elements have relatively high heterogeneity scores, indicating ancient diverging evolutionary trajectories. Our results suggest that a whole genome multiplication event, accumulation of repetitive elements, and recent activation of those repeats have all played a role in shaping these genomes. It will be informative to compare these data in the future with data from the giant genome of the angiosperm Paris japonica, to determine if the structures observed here are an emergent property of massive genomic inflation or derived from lineage specific processes.
Theoretical models of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. I. The lower main sequence

Theoretical models are calculated for stars on the hydrogen-burning lower main sequence having masses less than or equal to 0.55 solar mass. Particular attention has been paid to the treatment of the atmosphere and envelope and to the choice of the radiative opacities and equation of state. The dependence of the model properties on the outer boundary conditions is examined, with a detailed comparison of models constructed using two independent determinations of the equation of state. It is found that the theoretically inferred properties of stars of mass less than about 0.10 solar mass can differ noticeably depending on the assumed input physics. 63 refs.
Prevalence of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Following Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in Elderly Patients

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the frequent complications following coronary artery bypass surgery. Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) can lead to thromboembolic events and prolong hospital stays. We aimed to determine the prevalence of POAF following off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) in the elderly population. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out between May 2018 to April 2020. Elderly patients (age ≥65 years) admitted for isolated elective OPCAB were eligible for the study. A total of 60 elderly patients were evaluated based on the preoperative and intraoperative risk factors and postoperative outcomes during the hospital stay. Results The mean age was 67.83±4.06 years, and the prevalence of POAF in elderly adults was 48.3%. The mean number of grafts was 3.20±0.73, and ICU stays at 3.43±1.61 days. The mean duration of the hospital stays was 10.03±2.12 days. Although stroke developed in 1.7% of post-CABG patients, no mortality was observed postoperatively. Conclusion POAF is one of the commonly encountered complications following OPCAB. Though OPCAB is a superior revascularization procedure, preoperative planning and attention are especially needed in the elderly to reduce the prevalence of POAF.
The Evaluation of Asymmetry in Isokinetic and Electromyographic Activity (sEMG) of the Knee Flexor and Extensor Muscles in Football Players after ACL Rupture Reconstruction and in the Athletes following Mild Lower-Limb Injuries

This study was aimed at evaluating knee stabilizer (quadriceps and hamstring) muscle strength and the medio-lateral symmetry of hamstring fatigue in football players after ACL reconstruction and with mild lower extremity injuries. The study comprised 65 professional football players who were divided into three groups: Group 1 (n = 24; 22.7 ± 3.6 years; 175 ± 4 cm; 77.3 ± 7.6 kg) after ACL reconstruction, Group 2 (n = 21; 20.5 ± 3.7 years; 177 ± 6 cm; 74.3 ± 9.1 kg) with mild lower-limb injuries (grade 1 muscle strains) and Group 3 (n = 20; 23.1 ± 2.8 years; 178 ± 6 cm; 75.8 ± 8.8 kg) without injuries in the past 3 years. The concentric isokinetic test (10 knee flexions and extensions at 60, 180 and 300°/s with a 30 s interval for rest) was performed on both limbs. Fatigue symmetry between the medial and lateral hamstrings was measured with sEMG during 60 s of isometric contractions. In comparison to the other groups, the injured leg demonstrated significantly lower values of peak torque for the quadriceps (G1–G2 = 48%, 38%, 14%; G1–G3 = 49%, 25%, 14%) and hamstring muscles (G1–G2 = 36%, 35%, 18%; G1–G3 = 64%, 28%, 17%) as well as lower values of hamstring muscle work (G1–G2 = 262 J, 157 J; G1–G3 = 219 J, 179 J) and power (G1–G2 = 34 W; 11 W; G1–G3 = 29 W, 12 W). No significant differences were noted in strength between Groups 2 and 3. The significantly higher fatigue of the BF compared to the SEM muscle was seen in Group 1 for the involved (mean difference = 0.12) and uninvolved limbs (mean difference = −0.10), but in Group 2, a non-significant trend towards asymmetry was also noted. No asymmetry in hamstring muscle fatigue was determined in Group 3. The results of our study allow us to indicate that active football players who previously met the RTS criteria, had deficits in lower-limb muscle performance 2–3 years after reconstruction, which could lead to ACL re-injury. This observation is potentially of importance because these deficits may not be subjectively reported by such athletes and also may not be visible in regular orthopedic and physiotherapeutic assessment.
The influence of strategic flexibility on SME performance: is business model innovation the missing link?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of strategic flexibility on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) performance, and how such effects are mediated by business model innovation (BMI). Design/methodology/approach Data was collected in the form of surveys from 200 SMEs located in Saudi Arabia. The collected data were analyzed with structural equation modeling using Amos 23. Findings The results highlighted that strategic flexibility has a direct and significant influence on SME performance. Moreover, BMI partially mediates the relationship between strategic flexibility and SME performance. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study suggest that managers should be made aware that strategic flexibility can be an important driver for BMI which in turn would enhance SME performance. This study argues that the perks of strategic flexibility are irrespective of firm size. Furthermore, BMI can help improve the performance of SMEs by unlocking new opportunities for value creation and value capture Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is one of the first to test the relationship between strategic flexibility and SME performance through BMI.
Assessing the Clinical Characteristics and Management of COVID-19 among Pediatric Patients in Ghana: Findings and Implications

There is an increasing focus across countries on researching the management of children admitted to hospital with COVID-19. This stems from an increasing prevalence due to new variants, combined with concerns with the overuse of antimicrobials driving up resistance rates. Standard treatment guidelines (STGs) have been produced in Ghana to improve their care. Consequently, there is a need to document the clinical characteristics of children diagnosed and admitted with COVID-19 to our hospital in Ghana, factors influencing compliance to the STG and treatment outcomes. In all, 201 patients were surveyed between March 2020 and December 2021, with males accounting for 51.7% of surveyed children. Those aged between 6 and 10 years were the largest group (44.8%). Nasal congestion and fever were some of the commonest presenting complaints, while pneumonia was the commonest (80.6%) COVID-19 complication. In all, 80.0% of all admissions were discharged with no untreated complications, with a 10.9% mortality rate. A combination of azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine (41.29%) was the most prescribed antimicrobial regimen. Compliance to the STG was variable (68.2% compliance). Increased compliance was associated with a sore throat as a presenting symptom. Mortality increased following transfer to the ICU. However, current recommendations to prescribe antimicrobials without demonstrable bacterial or fungal infections needs changing to reduce future resistance. These are areas to address in the future.
Galaxy formation with a local bias

The relationship between galaxies (i.e. luminous objects) and the cosmological mass density field is discussed. A generalization of the idea of biased galaxy formation is introduced, in which galaxies form with a probability given by an arbitrary function of the local mass density. Constraints, in the form of inequalities, on various statistical measures of clustering are derived, which do not depend upon the form of this function or the underlying statistical distribution of the density fluctuations. Stronger constraints can be achieved if one specifies the underlying statistics. In particular, it is shown that for Gaussian fluctuations the ratio of the amplitudes of the galaxy correlation function and matter autocovariance function is a non-increasing function of scale
On the Lie symmetries of the classical Kepler problem

The standard version of Noether's theorem, when applied to the classical Kepler problem, leads to the constants of energy and angular momentum, but does not give the 'hidden symmetry' known as the Runge-Lenz vector. Lie's theory of differential equations is used to obtain all three constants of motion. The transformations of solutions under the point transformations to which these constants correspond are studied. The results are generalised to n dimensions.
The Response of Balanced Hurricanes to Local Sources of Heat and Momentum

Abstract Eliassen's (1951) diagnostic technique is used to calculate the secondary circulation induced by point sources of heat and momentum in balanced, hurricane-like vortices. Scale analysis reveals that such responses are independent of the horizontal scale of the vortex. Analytic solutions for the secondary circulation are readily obtained in idealized barotropic vortices, but numerical methods are required for more realistic barotropic and baroclinic vortices. For sources near the radius of maximum wind, the local, two-dimensional, streamfunction dipole response of Eliassen is modified by both the spatial variations of the vortex structure and the influences of boundary conditions. The secondary flow advects mean-flow buoyancy and angular momentum and thus leads to a slow evolution of the vortex structure. In weak systems (maximum tangential wind <35 m s−1), the restraining influences of structure and boundaries lengthen the time scale of the vortex evolution. In stronger vortices, the horizontal sc.
Combustion Dynamics and Instabilities: Elementary Coupling and Driving Mechanisms

Elementary processes that can be involved in the development of combustion instabilities in gas turbine combustors are described. The premixed mode of combustion is considered more specie cally because it is used in most advanced gas turbine systems. The processes envisaged portray the combustion dynamics of real systems, but they are analyzed in simple laboratory cone gurations. Among the many possible interactions, the most relevant mechanisms are those that generate e uctuations in heat release or induce pressure perturbations. Some typical paths are highlighted to help in the understanding of the multiple links that can exist between elementary processes. Processes involving acoustic/e ame coupling, unsteady strain rates, e ame response to inhomogeneities, interactions of e ames with boundaries, and e ame/vortex interactions are specie cally examined. For each process, a driving or a coupling path is proposed relating heat release e uctuations to acoustic variables in certain cases or leading from acoustic variables to heat release e uctuations in other cases. Stress is also put on characteristic time lags, which are key parameters in the triggering and development of instabilities. Well-controlled experiments illustrate the many possibilities and can serve to guide the modeling effort and to validate computational tools for combustion dynamics.
Adverse Maternal and Infant Outcomes of Women Who Differ in Smoking Status: E-Cigarette and Tobacco Cigarette Users

The electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) became commercially available around 2004, yet the characteristics of pregnant women who use these devices and their effects on maternal and infant health remain largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes according to maternal smoking status. We conducted a cross-sectional study of Dutch women with reported pregnancies between February 2019 and May 2022, using an online questionnaire to collect data on smoking status and demographic, lifestyle, pregnancy, and infant characteristics. Smoking status is compared among non-smokers, tobacco cigarette users, e-cigarette users, and dual users (tobacco and e-cigarette). We report descriptive statistics and calculate differences in smoking status between women with the chi-square or Fisher (Freeman–Halton) test. Of the 1937 included women, 88.1% were non-smokers, 10.8% were tobacco cigarette users, 0.5% were e-cigarette users, and 0.6% were dual users. Compared with tobacco users, e-cigarette users more often reported higher education, having a partner, primiparity, and miscarriages. Notably, women who used e-cigarettes more often had small infants for gestational age. Despite including few women in the e-cigarette subgroup, these exploratory results indicate the need for more research to examine the impact of e-cigarettes on pregnancy outcomes.
Helios images of solar mass ejections

The zodiacal light photometers on board the Helios B spacecraft are used to form images of solar mass ejection transients in the interplanetary medium. Several aspects of these data are unique: (1) They trace shapes of solar mass ejections observed near the solar surface in coronagraph images to distances at least as great as 0.5 AU using electron Thomson scattering. (2) When compared with earth-based observations, the Helios data allow determination of the three-dimensional shapes of the ejections. (3) The global viewpoint of the Helios spacecraft photometers allows imaging of mass ejections heading toward the spacecraft and then observations from within the ejection. Excess masses (above the ambient level) are determined for several ejections, and we find that they are generally comparable to or somewhat larger than masses obtained by coronagraph observations of ejections when they are closer to the sun.
Aspirin increases the efficacy of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and reversing epithelial‑mesenchymal transition

Gemcitabine is regarded as a standard medication for patients with pancreatic cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of aspirin (ASA) on the efficacy of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer and the potential mechanism. The SW1990 and BxPC-3 human pancreatic cell lines were treated with 2 mmol/l ASA and/or 1 mg/l gemcitabine. The effects of the treatments were tested on the viability, migration and invasion of the cells using MTT, wound healing and Transwell invasion assays. In addition, cell apoptosis was evaluated via flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI and the western blotting of Bax and Bcl-2. The expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins and activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway were also assessed using western blotting. The results reveal that ASA increased the efficacy of gemcitabine in reducing the proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells and increasing their apoptosis. These effects are associated with inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and the reversal of EMT. Thus, the combined use of ASA and gemcitabine is suggested to be a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Left Prefrontal tDCS during Learning Does Not Enhance Subsequent Verbal Episodic Memory in Young Adults: Results from Two Double-Blind and Sham-Controlled Experiments

Recent studies suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the prefrontal cortex (PFaC) may enhance episodic memory ability. As such, there is ongoing interest in the therapeutic potential of this technique in age-related memory decline. At the same time, the findings are not yet conclusive regarding the magnitude of this effect, and assumptions regarding underlying brain mechanisms of stimulation-induced changes in behaviour are yet to be tested in detail. Here, we evaluated the effect of tDCS over left PFC on verbal episodic memory in young adults. Two separate randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled experiments were carried out using (1) incidental learning followed by a recognition test and (2) intentional learning followed by a free recall. In both studies, participants performed a learning task with active or sham tDCS during the encoding period, followed by retrieval tasks on the same day and the next day. The results suggest that, contrary to expectations, active tDCS did not enhance memory performance relative to sham tDCS. Possible reasons behind the lack of enhancement effects are discussed, including the possibility that memory enhancement effects of tDCS may be smaller than first thought. Scientific practices that could improve estimation accuracy in the field are also discussed.
Study of an active hybrid gap surface plasmon polariton waveguide with nanoscale confinement size and low compensation gain

A silicon-based hybrid gap surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waveguide consisting of an active InP/GaInAsP/InP double heterostructure layer, a silver cladding with a rectangular bump and a gap between them is presented. Based on this waveguide, all the SPP waveguides and even the SPP components share a common planar active medium layer in the whole photonic integration circuit chip, so not only can both the waveguide structure width and the mode lateral confinement width be of nanoscale simultaneously, but optical pumping can also be easily realized for compensating the propagation loss of all the SPP waveguides and components. By means of thickening the active GaInAsP layer and thinning the gap, the threshold gain coefficient is reduced to an achievable range and the mode confinement size is dropped to the nanoscale. Numerical simulation suggests that when the gap size is 50 nm × 10 nm and the GaInAsP height is 350 nm, by adjusting the metal bump height, the effective mode area is at λ0 = 1550 nm and the full-width at half-maximum of the Poynting vector magnitude is 66 nm and the threshold gain coefficient is 158.5 cm−1 or 850.9 cm−1 for different Ag permittivities coming from two sources.
An Algorithm for Piecewise-Linear Approximation of an Implicitly Defined Manifold

A simplicial method is used to approximate the solution manifold to a system of nonlinear equations, $H(x) = \theta $, where $H:\mathbb{R}^{N + K} \to \mathbb{R}^N $ The method begins at a point $x_0 $ in the solution set where the derivative $DH(x_0 )$ is of full rank. Given any $\varepsilon > 0$, a piecewise linear manifold is constructed along which $\| {H(x)} \|_\infty < \varepsilon $. An algorithm is presented to carry out this construction in an efficient fashion.
$L$-functions at the origin and annihilation of class groups in multiquadratic extensions

Fix a Galois extension K/F of number fields such that the Galois group G has exponent 2. Let S be a finite set of primes of F containing the infinite primes and all those which ramify in K, let SK denote the primes of K lying above those in S, and let OS K denote the ring of SK-integers of K. We obtain non-trivial annihilators for the class group of OS K from the equivariant L-function θS K/F (s) for K/F and the set S, regardless of the order of vanishing at the origin.
Resistance and Fluctuating Pressures of a Large Elbow in High Reynolds Numbers

For the Japan Atomic Energy Agency sodium-cooled fast reactor, an experimental study on the fluctuating pressure of the hot legs was carried out with tests in a 1/3-scale model. The total resistance coefficient is consistent with published data, and, additionally, our research has given data up to the Reynolds number of 8.0×106. The flow visualization and velocity measurement confirmed the independence of the flow on the Reynolds number. Pressures on the pipe wall were statistically examined to predict the characteristics of fluctuating pressures of the hot legs. It reveals that generation of fluctuating pressure is dominant on the boundary of flow separation and reattachment.
Human Milk Oligosaccharides and Infant Neurodevelopment: A Narrative Review

The objective of this narrative review was to synthesize the literature on human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and neurodevelopmental outcomes in human milk-fed infants. We conducted a scoping review of the literature indexed in PubMed reporting observational or interventional studies on HMO exposure in relation to psychometric measures in infants. Studies were characterized based on study design and definitions of HMO exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Six studies were identified; all were observational in design, and five were conducted in full-term infants. Sample sizes ranged from 35–659 infants. HMOs were defined as individual concentrations or relative abundances assessed at 1 and/or 6 months of age. Studies accounted for differences in HMO exposure based on maternal secretor status. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed between 6 and 24 months of age and included four domains. Studies in full-term infants reported that total and individual fucosylated and sialylated HMOs were positively associated with cognitive, language, and motor skill domains between 18 and 24 months of age, while the single study in preterm infants reported no statistically significant findings in the full cohort. The presence of a maternal secretor did not consistently alter the associations between HMO exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Emerging evidence from observational studies suggests that HMO exposure may be beneficial for neurodevelopment in infants.