Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Momentum-resolved Landau-level spectroscopy of Dirac surface state in Bi 2 Se 3

We investigate Dirac fermions on the surface of the topological insulator ${\text{Bi}}_{2}{\text{Se}}_{3}$ using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Landau levels (LLs) are observed in the tunneling spectra in a magnetic field. In contrast to LLs of conventional electrons, a field-independent LL appears at the Dirac point, which is a hallmark of Dirac fermions. A scaling analysis of LLs based on the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization condition allowed us to determine the dispersion of the surface band. Near the Fermi energy, fine peaks mixed with LLs appear in the spectra, which may be responsible for the anomalous magnetofingerprint effect [J. G. Checkelsky et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 246601 (2009)].
Drivers of success in collaborative monitoring in forest landscape restoration: an indicative assessment from Latin America

Despite growing global attention on forest landscape restoration (FLR) as an integrated approach to enhancing environmental and human well‐being, the potential for leveraging monitoring to catalyze learning and improve management outcomes is not being fully realized. We assessed the extent to which collaborative monitoring, a process that embraces cross‐scale multilevel actors and interactions in the collection and use of information, is considered across FLR projects in Latin America by applying a diagnostic of 54 “success factors” scored from 1 (factor not in place) to 5 (factor fully in place). Responses were collected from 36 projects across 12 countries. Although respondents generally understood monitoring as crucial to FLR success, local participation scored as insufficient. Several of the lowest‐ranked success factors related to training for local people in the use of tools, forms, and technology for data collection, and to interpreting data to promote understanding of management outcomes. The most notable finding related to the paucity of networks or entities to leverage information into knowledge‐sharing and learning opportunities from the top‐down and the bottom‐up. Our results provide a preliminary indication of how to promote collaborative monitoring approaches in the context of FLR projects in Latin America. First, it requires enhanced integration among academics, local communities and governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Second, it requires a minimum level of harmonization with current policy and normative forest conservation and restoration instruments. Finally, it needs bridging organizations or individuals to share results and learning as well as dedicated resources for information infrastructures to facilitate knowledge sharing.
Coronae of stars with supersolar elemental abundances

Coronal elemental abundances are known to deviate from the photospheric values of their parent star, with the degree of deviation depending on the first ionization potential (FIP). This study focuses on the coronal composition of stars with supersolar photospheric abundances. We present the coronal abundances of six such stars: 11 LMi, iota Hor, HR 7291, tau Boo, and alpha Cen A and B. These stars all have high-statistics X-ray spectra, three of which are presented for the first time. The abundances we measured were obtained using the line-resolved spectra of the Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) in conjunction with the higher throughput EPIC-pn camera spectra onboard the XMM-Newton observatory. A collisionally ionized plasma model with two or three temperature components is found to represent the spectra well. All elements are found to be consistently depleted in the coronae compared to their respective photospheres. For 11 LMi and tau Boo no FIP effect is present, while iota Hor, HR 7291, and alpha Cen A and B show a clear FIP trend. These conclusions hold whether the comparison is made with solar abundances or the individual stellar abundances. Unlike the solar corona, where low-FIP elements are enriched, in these stars the FIP effect is consistently due to a depletion of high-FIP elements with respect to actual photospheric abundances. A comparison with solar (instead of stellar) abundances yields the same fractionation trend as on the Sun. In both cases, a similar FIP bias is inferred, but different fractionation mechanisms need to be invoked.
Theory of preparation and relaxation of a p -orbital atomic Mott insulator

We develop a theoretical framework to understand the preparation and relaxation of a metastable Mott insulator state within the first excited band of a 1D optical lattice. The state is loaded by "lifting" atoms from the ground to the first excited band by means of a stimulated Raman transition. We determine the effect of pulse duration on the accuracy of the state preparation for the case of a Gaussian pulse shape. Relaxation of the prepared state occurs in two major stages: double-occupied sites occurring due to quantum fluctuations initially lead to interband transitions followed by a spreading of particles in the trap and thermalization. We find the characteristic relaxation times at the earliest stage and at asymptotically long times approaching equilibrium. Our theory is applicable to recent experiments performed with 1D optical lattices [T. M\"uller, S. F\"olling, A. Widera, and I. Bloch, Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{99}, 200405 (2007)].
Valorization of camelina oil to biobased materials and biofuels for new industrial uses: a review

Global environmental pollution is a growing concern, especially the release of carbon dioxide from the use of petroleum derived materials which negatively impacts our environment's natural greenhouse gas level. Extensive efforts have been made to explore the conversion of renewable raw materials (vegetable oils) into bio-based products with similar or enhanced properties to those derived from petroleum. However, these edible plant oils, commonly used for human food consumption, are often not suitable raw materials for industrial applications. Hence, there is an increasing interest in exploring the use of non-edible plant oils for industrial applications. One such emerging oil seed crop is Camelina sativa, generally known as camelina, which has limited use as a food oil and so is currently being explored as a feedstock for various industrial applications in both Europe and North America. Camelina oil is highly unsaturated, making it an ideal potential AGH feedstock for the manufacture of lower carbon footprint, biobased products that reduce our dependency on petroleum resources and thus help to combat climate change. This review presents a brief description of camelina highlighting its composition and its production in comparison with traditional plant oils. The main focus is to summarize recent data on valorization of camelina oil by various chemical means, with specific emphasis on their industrial applications in biofuels, adhesives and coatings, biopolymers and bio-composites, alkyd resins, cosmetics, and agriculture. The review concludes with a discussion on current challenges and future opportunities of camelina oil valorization into various industrial products.
Plastic Waste Generation and Management in Thoi Lai District, Can Tho City, Vietnam

The objective of this study was to assess the current situation of generation and management of plastic waste in Thoi Lai district, Can Tho city, Vietnam through collecting domestic solid waste samples from 30 households and interviewing 150 households using questionaires. The results showed that the average amount of domestic solid waste was 0.3 kg/person/day, in which the plastic waste accounted for 11.7% with generation rate of 0.035 kg/person/day. Shopping bags were dominant accounting for 34.7%, single-use plastic products accounting for 18.5% and food packaging plastic bags accounting for 9.51%. The generation rates of domestic solid waste and plastic waste had positive correlation with household’s size and income. In addition, the rate of plastic waste generation also appeared to have a relationship with the characteristics of the study area. Plastic waste has not been classified but it is mixed with other domestic solid waste. Knowledge of plastic waste impact has not been widely propagated in the community. Therefore, appropriate measures should be implemented to reduce municipal waste and plastic wastes.
Microdomains in the immune system control cell adhesion and pathogen uptake.

DCs are the sentinels of the immune system and act at the interface between innate and aquired immunity. DCs establish several dynamic interactions with invading microorganisms, extracellular matrix, endothelial cells, and lymphocytes. All these interactions are mediated by specific membrane receptors, among which the 2 integrin LFA-1 and the C-type lectin DC-SIGN. These receptors have two common ligands, ICAM-2 and -3. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the relation between organization at the cell surface and functional activity of LFA-1 and DC-SIGN. Particularly, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) were employed to study these receptors at high resolution. Moreover, the interactions of these receptors with other components of the cell membrane, such as lipid rafts, was determined. In Chapter 1, a general introduction is given about characteristics and properties of DCs and their monocytic precursors. Chapter 2 describes several high-resolution microscopies and their applications in cell biology. Chapter 3 shows that LFA-1 activation state changes during DCs development along with major modifications of its organization within the cell membrane. In Chapter 4, the distribution of DC-SIGN in well-defined microdomains at the cell surface of immature DCs is described. In Chapter 5, the distribution of DC-SIGN in microdomains on DCs was determined by NSOM, which for the first time imaged sub-micron sized microdomains on whole cells under liquid conditions. In Chapter 6, we demonstrated that DC-SIGN is also able to recognize fungi such as C. albicans. In Chapter 7, the carbohydrate structure recognized by DC-SIGN on the cell wall of C. albicans was identified. Finally, in Chapter 8, general discussion and future prospective on the topics described in this thesis are given.
Thermal infrared properties of classical and type II Cepheids - Diffraction limited 10 μm imaging with VLT/VISIR

We present new thermal infrared (IR) photometry and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of eight classical Cepheids (type I) and three type II Cepheids, using VISIR thermal IR photometric measurements, supplemented with literature data. We used the BURST mode of the instrument to get diffraction-limited images at 8.59, 11.25, and 11.85 μm. The SEDs show a IR excess at wavelengths longer than 10 μm in ten of the eleven stars. We tentatively attribute these excesses to circumstellar emission created by mass loss from the Cepheids. On the basis of some hypotheses for the dust composition, we estimate a total mass of the envelope ranging from 10 −10 to 10 −8 M� . We also detect a spatially extended emission around AX Cir, X Sgr, W Sgr, Y Oph, and U Car, while we do not resolve the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of the other stars. The averaged circumstellar envelope brightnesses relative to the stellar photosphere are α(AX Cir) = 13.8 ± 2.5% ,α (X Sgr) = 7.9 ± 1.4% ,α (W Sgr) = 3.8 ± 0.6% ,α (Y Oph) = 15.1 ± 1.4%, and α(U Car) = 16.3 ± 1.4% at 8.59 μm. With this study, we extend the number of classical Cepheids with detected CSEs from 9 to 14, confirming that at least a large fraction of all Cepheids are experiencing significant mass loss. The presence of these CSEs may also impact the future use of Cepheids as standard candles at near and thermal infrared wavelengths.
The large-scale correlations of multicell densities and profiles: implications for cosmic variance estimates

In order to quantify the error budget in the measured probability distribution functions of cell densities, the two-point statistics of cosmic densities in concentric spheres is investigated. Bias functions are introduced as the ratio of their two-point correlation function to the two-point correlation of the underlying dark matter distribution. They describe how cell densities are spatially correlated. They are computed here via the so-called large deviation principle in the quasi-linear regime. Their large-separation limit is presented and successfully compared to simulations for density and density slopes: this regime is shown to be rapidly reached allowing to get sub-percent precision for a wide range of densities and variances. The corresponding asymptotic limit provides an estimate of the cosmic variance of standard concentric cell statistics applied to finite surveys. More generally, no assumption on the separation is required for some specific moments of the two-point statistics, for instance when predicting the generating function of cumulants containing any powers of concentric densities in one location and one power of density at some arbitrary distance from the rest. This exact "one external leg" cumulant generating function is used in particular to probe the rate of convergence of the large-separation approximation.
Ki67 testing in the clinical management of patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer: Detecting the optimal cut-off value based on the Restricted Cubic Spline model

The proliferation of the biomarker Ki67 has been extensively studied in colorectal cancer (CRC). Although numerous Ki67 cut-off values have previously been reported, the optimal cut-off value remains unclear with previous studies providing contrasting results. The present retrospective cohort study aimed to determine the optimal cut-off value for CRC. Ki67 levels and the prognosis of patients with non-metastatic CRC were obtained from the Electronic Health Information System of a tertiary hospital in Kunming City. The Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) model was used to analyze the non-linear association between Ki67 levels and the risk of patient death and metastasis. Moreover, the RCS model was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of Ki67. Cox proportional hazards models were used to verify the effects of the cut-off value. In total, 210 patients with CRC and a median age of 62.5 years (age range, 23.0–88.0 years) were studied. Results of the present study demonstrated a non-linear association between Ki67 levels and the risk of patient death based on the RCS model, and at Ki67 levels ≥60%, the hazard ratio (HR) of patient death gradually increased. Using multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models, the results of the present study demonstrated that Ki67 ≥60% indicated a high-risk ratio for both distant metastasis and death [HR, 2.640; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.066–6.539], compared with Ki67 <60% (HR, 2.558; 95% CI, 1.079–6.064). Therefore, Ki67 ≥60% may be the optimal cut-off value for the prediction of death and metastasis in patients with CRC. Thus, Ki67 may act as a biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with CRC, and the optimal cut-off value for the prediction of both death and metastasis of patients with CRC is 60%.
Cosmology and Astrophysics from Relaxed Galaxy Clusters III: Thermodynamic Profiles and Scaling Relations

This is the third in a series of papers studying the astrophysics and cosmology of massive, dynamically relaxed galaxy clusters. Our sample comprises 40 clusters identified as being dynamically relaxed and hot (i.e., massive) in Papers I and II of this series. Here we consider the thermodynamics of the intracluster medium, in particular the profiles of density, temperature and related quantities, as well as integrated measurements of gas mass, average temperature, total luminosity and center-excluded luminosity. We fit power-law scaling relations of each of these quantities as a function of redshift and cluster mass, which can be measured precisely and with minimal bias for these relaxed clusters using hydrostatic arguments. For the thermodynamic profiles, we jointly model the density and temperature and their intrinsic scatter as a function of radius, thus also capturing the behavior of the gas pressure and entropy. For the integrated quantities, we also jointly fit a multidimensional intrinsic covariance. Our results reinforce the view that simple hydrodynamical models provide a good description of relaxed clusters outside their centers, but that additional heating and cooling processes are important in the inner regions (radii $r < 0.5r_{2500} \approx 0.15r_{500}$). The thermodynamic profiles remain regular, with small intrinsic scatter, down to the smallest radii where deprojection is straightforward ($\sim 20$ kpc); within this radius, even the most relaxed systems show clear departures from spherical symmetry. Our results suggest that heating and cooling are continuously regulated in a tight feedback loop, allowing the cluster atmosphere to remain stratified on these scales.
Lattice instability and enhancement of superconductivity in YB 6

The superconducting and normal state characteristics of yttrium hexaboride (YB$_6$) have been investigated for the single crystals with a transition temperatures $T_c$ ranging between 6 K and 7.6 K. The extracted set of microscopic parameters [the coherence length $\xi$(0) $\sim$ 320$÷$340 $A$, the penetration depth $\lambda$(0) $\sim$ 1100$÷$1600 $A$ and the mean free path of charge carriers $l$ = 31$÷$58 $A$, the Ginzburg-Landau-Maki parameters $\kappa$$_{1,2}$(0) $\sim$ 3.3$÷$4.8 and the superconducting gap $\Delta$(0) $\sim$ 10.3$÷$14.8 K] confirms the type II superconductivity in "dirty limit" ($\xi$$\gg$ $l$) with a medium to strong electron-phonon interaction (the electron-phonon interaction constant $\lambda_{e-ph}$ = 0.93$÷$0.96) and $s$-type pairing of charge carriers in this compound [2$\Delta$(0)$/k_BT_c$ $\approx$ 4]. The comparative analysis of charge transport (resistivity, Hall and Seebeck coefficients) and thermodynamic (heat capacity, magnetization) properties in the normal state in YB$_6$ allowed to detect a transition into the cage-glass state at $T^*$ $\sim$ 50 K with a static disorder in the arrangement of the Y$^{3+}$ ions. We argue that the significant $T_c$ variations in the YB$_6$ single crystals are determined by two main factors: (i) the superconductivity enhancement is related with the increase of the number of isolated vacancies, both at yttrium and boron sites, which leads to the development of an instability in the hexaboride lattice; (ii) the $T_c$ depression is additionally stimulated by the spin polarization of conduction electrons emerged and enhanced by the magnetic field in the vicinity of defect complexes in the YB$_6$ matrix.
Mental burden among Chinese undergraduate medical students: A prospective longitudinal study before, during, and after the COVID-19 outbreak

Background Increasing evidence indicated a clear association between COVID-19 pandemic and mental health. This study aimed to assess the dynamic change of mental burden during and after the COVID-19 outbreak and related predictive factors among Chinese undergraduate medical students. Methods This longitudinal survey was conducted among Chinese undergraduate medical students before, during, and after the COVID-19 outbreak. We focused on COVID-19 related mental burdens including psychological distress, stress reaction, and insomnia symptoms, and defined the sum score of the three specific mental burden indexes as the overall mental burden index. The prevalence of specific and overall mental burdens and their changing patterns at two phases of the pandemic (during vs. after the COVID-19 outbreak) were measured. In addition, multinomial logistic regressions were used to assess the associations between the psychosocial status before the pandemic and specific and overall mental burden changing patterns. Results Our findings showed that the prevalence of overall mental burden increased (from 27.46 to 37.28%) after the COVID-19 outbreak among the 863 Chinese undergraduate medical students who participated in the surveys at baseline, during, and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, the prevalence of stress reaction symptoms decreased (from 10.90 to 3.60%), while the rates of psychological distress (from 28.06 to 37.95%) and insomnia symptoms (from 12.54 to 20.71%) increased. Participants, with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, somatic symptoms, internet addiction, childhood adversity, stressful life events, and being neurotic were found to have a higher risk of developing mental burden in at least one survey (during or after the COVID-19 outbreak). Healthy family function and being extravert were found to positively impact mental burden. Conclusion Psychological distress, stress reaction and insomnia symptoms have been prevalent among Chinese undergraduate medical students during the COVID-19 outbreak, and the prevalence of overall mental burden increased after the COVID-19 outbreak. Some students, especially those with the risk factors noted above, exhibited persistent or progression symptoms. Continued mental health care was in demand for them even after the COVID-19 outbreak.
Critical collapse in the axion–dilaton system in diverse dimensions

We study the gravitational collapse of the axion–dilaton system suggested by type-IIB string theory in dimensions ranging from 4 to 10. We extend previous analysis concerning the role played by the global SL(2, R) symmetry and we evaluate the Choptuik exponents in the elliptic case.
Strategic communication at the European Space Agency: juxtaposing strategy and public attitudes

This case study analyses the efficacy of the European Space Agency's (ESA) strategic communication through a content analysis and an online attitudes survey in Germany. Our findings generally indicate low efficacy as ESA's communication strategy strongly focusses on press agentry, and is not managed in a sufficiently strategic manner. ESA pays little attention to evaluation and lays emphasis on targeting ‘the general public’. By contrast, we reveal a diversity of attitudes towards ESA among various publics. In light of this disconnect from best practice and public attitudes, we argue for a more inclusive approach which maximises public participation and introduces a more diverse and evidence-based science communication portfolio so as to make ESA's communication more efficacious and sustainable.
Newtonian gravity and the Bargmann algebra

We show how the Newton–Cartan formulation of Newtonian gravity can be obtained from gauging the Bargmann algebra, i.e. the centrally extended Galilean algebra. In this gauging procedure several curvature constraints are imposed. These convert the spatial (time) translational symmetries of the algebra into spatial (time) general coordinate transformations and make the spin connection gauge fields dependent. In addition we require two independent vielbein postulates for the temporal and spatial directions. In the final step we impose an additional curvature constraint to establish the connection with the (on-shell) Newton–Cartan theory. We discuss a few extensions of our work that are relevant in the context of the AdS–CFT correspondence.