Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Settling of heated particles in homogeneous turbulence

We study the case of inertial particles heated by thermal radiation while settling by gravity through a turbulent transparent gas. We consider dilute and optically thin regimes in which each particle receives the same heat flux. Numerical simulations of forced homogeneous turbulence are performed taking into account the two-way coupling of both momentum and temperature between the dispersed and continuous phases. Particles much smaller than the smallest flow scales are considered and the point-particle approximation is adopted. The particle Stokes number (based on the Kolmogorov time scale) is of order unity, while the nominal settling velocity is up to an order of magnitude larger than the Kolmogorov velocity, marking a critical difference with previous two-way coupled simulations. It is found that non-heated particles enhance turbulence when their settling velocity is sufficiently high compared to the Kolmogorov velocity. Energy spectra show that the non-heated particle settling impacts both the very small and very large flow scales, while the intermediate scales are weakly affected. When heated, particles shed plumes of buoyant gas, further modifying the turbulence structure. At the considered radiation intensities, clustering is strong but the classic mechanism of preferential concentration is modified, while preferential sweeping is eliminated or even reversed. Particle heating also causes a significant reduction of the mean settling velocity, which is caused by rising buoyant plumes in the vicinity of particle clusters. The turbulent kinetic energy is affected non-monotonically as the radiation intensity is increased due to the competing effects of the downward gravitational force and the upward buoyancy force. The thermal radiation influences all scales of the turbulence. The effects of settling and buoyancy on the turbulence anisotropy are also discussed.
Development of a self-tuning fuzzy logic controller

To avoid the laborious task of modifying control rule sets for fuzzy logic controllers, a novel model-based self-tuning strategy has been developed. The performance of this advanced fuzzy logic controller is measured and analyzed in a linguistic plane. An optimal performance trajectory functions as the control model. The self-tuning strategy improves the performance automatically until it converges to a predetermined optimal global criterion. The experimental results indicate that the actual performance trajectory of the advanced fuzzy controller with the self-tuning strategy has reached the optimal criterion.
Effect of Dimension Reduction on Prediction Performance of Multivariate Nonlinear Time Series

The dynamic system approach in time series has been used in many real problems. Based on Taken’s embedding theorem, we can build the predictive function where input is the time delay coordinates vector which consists of the lagged values of the observed series and output is the future values of the observed series. Although the time delay coordinates vector from multivariate time series brings more information than the one from univariate time series, it can exhibit statistical redundancy which disturbs the performance of the prediction function. We apply dimension reduction techniques to solve this problem and analyze the effect of this approach for prediction. Our experiment uses delayed Lorenz series; least squares support vector regression approximates the predictive function. The result shows that linearly preserving projection improves the prediction performance.
Mediation Effects of Social Cognition on the Relationship between Neurocognition and Social Functioning in Major Depressive Disorder and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Background: In schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), social cognition mediates the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning. Although people with major depressive disorder (MDD) also exhibit cognitive impairments, which are often prolonged, little is known about the role of social cognition in MDD. Methods: Using data obtained through an internet survey, 210 patients with SSD or MDD were selected using propensity score matching based on their demographics and illness duration. Social cognition, neurocognition, and social functioning were evaluated using the Self-Assessment of Social Cognition Impairments, Perceived Deficits Questionnaire, and Social Functioning Scale, respectively. The mediation effects of social cognition on the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning were examined in each group. Invariances of the mediation model across the two groups were then analyzed. Results: The SSD and MDD groups had mean ages of 44.49 and 45.35 years, contained 42.0% and 42.8% women, and had mean illness durations of 10.76 and 10.45 years, respectively. In both groups, social cognition had significant mediation effects. Configural, measurement, and structural invariances across the groups were established. Conclusion: The role of social cognition in patients with MDD was similar to that in SSD. Social cognition could be a common endophenotype for various psychiatric disorders.
Charged-particle transport models for global models

This work analyses the influence of different charged-particle transport models on the global modeling of low-temperature plasmas. The simulations use the LisbOn KInetics simulation tool, calculating the charged-particle loss frequency due to transport with various formulations, categorized into two large groups: ambipolar-based and h-factor transport models. The models are applied to the description of (i) a DC discharge in oxygen (as example of an electronegative multi-ion plasma), at low to intermediate pressures, adopting a validated kinetic scheme as reference model; (ii) a microwave discharge in helium (as example of an electropositive multi-ion plasma), from low to atmospheric pressures, proposing and validating an updated kinetic scheme that bridges two previous models, adjusted separately for low to intermediate pressures and for atmospheric pressure. The analysis shows that using different charged-particle transport models can result in uncertainties of 20%–60% and 8%–115% in the discharge characteristics of oxygen and helium, respectively, with larger dispersion at low pressure and low electron density. The spreading in the results is observed also in the densities of the main plasma species, corresponding to uncertainties up to 60% and within 50%–150% in oxygen and helium, respectively. Since transport accounts for more than 50% of total charge losses, this mechanism should always be part of the quantitative sensitivity analysis of a kinetic scheme, considering several models with different validity domains, according to the electro-positive/-negative single-/multi-ion plasma under study and the low/high pressure conditions considered.
Development of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine: Challenges and Prospects

The WHO declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic in March 2020, which was caused by novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 made its first entry into the world in November 2019, and the first case was detected in Wuhan, China. Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome distressed life in almost every discipline by the extended production of novel viral variants. In this article, authorized SARS-CoV-2 vaccines including mRNA vaccines, DNA vaccines, subunit vaccines, inactivated virus vaccines, viral vector vaccine, live attenuated virus vaccines and mix and match vaccines will be discussed based on their mechanism, administration, storage, stability, safety and efficacy. The information was collected from various journals via electronic searches including PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar and the WHO platform. This review article includes a brief summary on the pathophysiology, epidemiology, mutant variants and management strategies related to COVID-19. Due to the continuous production and unsatisfactory understanding of novel variants of SARS-CoV-2, it is important to design an effective vaccine along with long-lasting protection against variant strains by eliminating the gaps through practical and theoretical knowledge. Consequently, it is mandatory to update the literature through previous and ongoing trials of vaccines tested among various ethnicities and age groups to gain a better insight into management strategies and combat complications associated with upcoming novel variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Designing Enactive Co-Presence: Second-Order Simulation of Empathy for Artificial Humans in Narrative Contexts

Abstract Human interactions with human-like Computer-Generated Others (CGOs) have continued to become more prevalent in the rush to technologize societies. As such, the need for close analysis of mediative dynamics between humans and CGOs has become compelling. Relying on the theoretical framework of embodied enactive cognition, this paper will discuss designing human empathetic experiences of co-presence with CGOs. We propose a two-level idea of enactive simulation: the assumption of the first-order simulation (human simulating other) is built on the holistic assumption that humans understand others thanks to shared physical embodiment and enactive situatedness, while second-order simulation (designer simulating human simulating other) is the cognitive-affective means of the designer of human–machine encounters to apply their own first-order experiences to simulate the simulation of the Experiencer. Our key assumption is that context is the defining component of co-presence, thereby allowing experimental situations of co-presence to be contextualized by means of mediated narratives. The case study experiment, Booth, designed to model affective-cognitive experiences of co-presence at encounters of human Experiencers with two artificial asylum seekers, allowed us to identify different factors of the dynamics influencing the experience of empathy and the ensuing decisions concerning asylum, in particular, the contextualizing narrative.
EF-24, a Curcumin Analogue, Could Inhibit HSP90 and Induce Apoptosis-Mediated by Autophagy/Inflammation/Oxidative Stress in Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cell Lines

Objective Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is one of the most common thyroid cancers and its prevalence has increased in recent years. Studies have shown that autophagy, angiogenesis, inflammation, oxidative damage, apoptosis, and some signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR play an important role in cancer progression. Moreover, most of their signaling molecules are the clients of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), and its inhibition attenuates tumorigenesis. Diphenyl difluoroketone (EF-24), a curcumin analog, has antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties and, unlike curcumin, has high efficacy, and may treat PTC. Therefore, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, angiogenic, apoptotic, and anticancer effects of EF-24 on PTC cell lines (BCPAP and TPC-1) were investigated in this study. Methods In this study, the effect of different concentrations of EF-24 and cisplatin on cell viability, apoptosis, inflammation, autophagy, oxidative status, and angiogenesis, along with HSP90 expression was evaluated in BCPAP and TPC-1 cell lines. Results The results showed that treatment with different EF-24 concentrations could significantly decrease cell viability by inducing apoptosis. EF-24 (40 µg/mL) also significantly downregulated HSP90 and the gene and protein involved in oxidative damage, angiogenesis, inflammation, and autophagy. Conclusions In conclusion, EF-24 could decrease cell viability by inducing apoptosis mediated by autophagy, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, inflammation, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. It is possible that a decrease in HSP90 may mediate these effects. These results indicate that EF-24 is a viable option for the prevention and treatment of PTC.
Rugulopteryx-Derived Spatane, Secospatane, Prenylcubebane and Prenylkelsoane Diterpenoids as Inhibitors of Nitric Oxide Production

This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of the different classes of diterpenoids produced by algae of the genus Rugulopteryx. First, sixteen diterpenoids (1–16), including spatane, secospatane, prenylcubebane, and prenylkelsoane metabolites, were isolated from the extract of the alga Rugulopteryx okamurae collected at the southwestern Spanish coasts. Eight of the isolated diterpenoids are new compounds whose structures were determined by spectroscopic means: the spatanes okaspatols A-D (1–4); the secospatane rugukamural D (8); the prenylcubebanes okacubols A (13) and B (14); and okamurol A (16), which exhibits an unusual diterpenoid skeleton featuring a kelsoane-type tricyclic nucleus. Second, anti-inflammatory assays were performed on microglial cells Bv.2 and macrophage cells RAW 264.7. Compounds 1, 3, 6, 12, and 16 caused significant inhibition of the NO overproduction induced by LPS in Bv.2 cells, and compounds 3, 5, 12, 14, and 16 significantly decreased levels of NO in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The most active compound was okaspatol C (3), which completely suppressed the effects of LPS stimulation, both in Bv.2 and in RAW 264.7 cells.
LOCAL WELL-POSEDNESS AND ILL-POSEDNESS ON THE EQUATION OF TYPE □u = uk(∂u)α

This paper undertakes a systematic treatment of the low regularity local well-posedness and ill-posedness theory in Hs and Ḣs for semilinear wave equations with polynomial nonlinearity in u and ∂u. This ill-posed result concerns the focusing type equations with nonlinearity on u and ∂tu.
The impact of gender on the risk of cardiovascular events in older adults with advanced chronic kidney disease

ABSTRACT Background Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared with the general population, but gender differences in this risk, especially in older adults, are not fully known. We aim to identify gender differences in the risk of MACE in older European CKD patients, and explore factors that may explain these differences. Methods The European Quality study (EQUAL) is a prospective study on stage 4–5 CKD patients, ≥65 years old, not on dialysis, from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the UK. Cox regression and cumulative incidence competing risk curves were used to identify gender differences in MACE risks. Mediation analysis was used to identify variables which may explain risk differences between men and women. Results A total of 417 men out of 1134 (37%) and 185 women out of 602 women (31%) experienced at least one MACE, over a follow-up period of 5 years. Women had an 18% lower risk of first MACE compared with men (hazard ratio 0.82; 95% confidence interval 0.69–0.97; P = .02), which was attenuated after adjusting for pre-existing cardiometabolic comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors. There were no significant gender differences in the risk of recurrent MACE or fatal MACE. The risk difference in MACE by gender was larger in patients aged 65–75 years, compared with patients over 75 years. Conclusions In a cohort of older adults with advanced CKD, women had lower risks of MACE. These risk differences were partially explained by pre-existing cardiometabolic comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors.
Numerical test of AdS/CFT correspondence for M2-branes

We show that the ABJM theory, which is an N = 6 superconformal U(N) × U(N) ChernSimons gauge theory, can be studied for arbitrary N at arbitrary coupling constant by applying a simple Monte Carlo method to the matrix model that can be derived from the theory by using the localization technique. This opens up the possibility of probing the quantum aspects of M-theory and testing the AdS4/CFT3 duality at the quantum level. Here we calculate the free energy, and confirm the N scaling in the M-theory limit predicted from the gravity side. We also find that our results nicely interpolate the analytical formulae proposed previously in the M-theory and type IIA regimes. Furthermore, we show that some results obtained by the Fermi gas approach can be clearly understood from the constant map contribution obtained by the genus expansion. The method can be easily generalized to the calculations of BPS operators and to other theories that reduce to matrix models. We also study the supersymmetric Wilson loops in the ABJM theory. Our result nicely interpolates the expressions at weak and strong coupling regions.
The rank-one rotating mass matrix hypothesis: a general and a model specific study

In this thesis we investigate whether a rank-one rotating mass matrix extended to solve the strong CP problem can, through the mass leakage mechanism, account for fermion masses, mixing angles and a $theta_{CP}$ term of order unity. In the first part we find restrictions placed on the rotation of the rank-one mass matrix by experimental data. We demonstrate that a smooth rotation of the mass matrix can reproduce the experimentally determined fermion masses and mixing angles and give $theta_{CP}$ = 1.45 radians. We then fit the speed of rotation at high ($> 1$ GeV) scales. Using this rotation we make predictions for Higgs branching ratios for a range of Higgs masses, finding a suppression of $Gamma(H ightarrow car{c})$ compared to the standard model and significant flavour violating branching ratios. In the second part we study the framed standard model (FSM). We calculate the strong framon one-loop contribution to the rotation of its rank-one mass matrix and account for the non-trivial metric on its internal symmetry space. We find that the FSM can reproduce the hierarchy seen in the fermion masses and the CKM matrix, fit $theta_{CP}sim0.3$ radians and find $|U_{mu3}|sim0.8$. Similar results are found if QCD running is included, except that $|U_{mu3}|>0.95$. We compare the FSM rotation to the rotation found in first part and find they are in good agreement above $mu=m_c$. We go on to show that the predictions for Higgs decay are comparable to those found in the general study. In the final part we calculate the framon mass spectrum of the FSM in the hermitian gauge and find that, as expected, it agrees with the calculation performed in the triangular gauge. We find that none of the framons are massless.
Epigenetic Gene-Regulatory Loci in Alu Elements Associated with Autism Susceptibility in the Prefrontal Cortex of ASD

Alu elements are transposable elements that can influence gene regulation through several mechanisms; nevertheless, it remains unclear whether dysregulation of Alu elements contributes to the neuropathology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we characterized transposable element expression profiles and their sequence characteristics in the prefrontal cortex tissues of ASD and unaffected individuals using RNA-sequencing data. Our results showed that most of the differentially expressed transposable elements belong to the Alu family, with 659 loci of Alu elements corresponding to 456 differentially expressed genes in the prefrontal cortex of ASD individuals. We predicted cis- and trans-regulation of Alu elements to host/distant genes by conducting correlation analyses. The expression level of Alu elements correlated significantly with 133 host genes (cis-regulation, adjusted p < 0.05) associated with ASD as well as the cell survival and cell death of neuronal cells. Transcription factor binding sites in the promoter regions of differentially expressed Alu elements are conserved and associated with autism candidate genes, including RORA. COBRA analyses of postmortem brain tissues showed significant hypomethylation in global methylation analyses of Alu elements in ASD subphenotypes as well as DNA methylation of Alu elements located near the RNF-135 gene (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that neuronal cell density, which was significantly increased (p = 0.042), correlated with the expression of genes associated with Alu elements in the prefrontal cortex of ASD. Finally, we determined a relationship between these findings and the ASD severity (i.e., ADI-R scores) of individuals with ASD. Our findings provide a better understanding of the impact of Alu elements on gene regulation and molecular neuropathology in the brain tissues of ASD individuals, which deserves further investigation.
A Common Generalization of Functional Equations Characterizing Normed and Quasi-Inner-Product Spaces

Abstract We determine the general solutions of the functional equation for ƒi: G → F (i = 1,2,3,4), where G is a 2-divisible group and F is a commutative field of characteristic different from 2. The motivation for studying this equation came from a result due to Dry gas [4] where he proved a Jordan and von Neumann type characterization theorem for quasi-inner products. Also, this equation is a generalization of the quadratic functional equation investigated by several authors in connection with inner product spaces and their generalizations. Special cases of this equation include the Cauchy equation, the Jensen equation, the Pexider equation and many more. Here, we determine the general solution of this equation without any regularity assumptions on ƒi .
An empirical investigation of electronic word-of-mouth: product recall and crisis response strategy in social media

ABSTRACT Product recall crises can damage reputation, result in financial losses, and generate negative word-of-mouth from customers. Appropriate response strategies on social media platforms can help companies minimise losses and save electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). This study analysed 32,697 customer comments from Facebook to explore customer perceptions and examine the performance of different response strategies. Findings showed that the accommodative response strategy improves overall eWOM compared to the indifferent response strategy. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the impact of social media crisis response strategies on eWOM and offers evidential managerial insights for better customer perceptions.
Contextualizing Arithmetic into Developmental Elementary Algebra Using Guided Problem Solving

Abstract Many colleges are finding that the use of acceleration in developmental education is a promising direction for improved student progress toward a degree or certificate. Acceleration has been defined in the literature as the reorganization of curricula and instruction in ways that facilitate the completion of educational requirements in an expedited manner. A commonly cited technique for acceleration in developmental mathematics is to contextualize material from a prerequisite course into a later course, thereby eliminating the need for the prerequisite course. In this paper, we present a case study of how an arithmetic course was contextualized into an elementary algebra course. We address policy and structural prerequisites, design and implementation, and discuss some consequences of this approach. We conclude with evidence of the success of our approach using quasi-experimental methods. Our intention in this manuscript is to offer concrete examples of how we implemented this work, while maintaining sufficient generality so that abstraction of the basic principles will allow others to replicate this work within different courses.
Aggregation procedures: optimality and fast rates

In this thesis we deal with aggregation procedures under the margin assumption. We prove that the margin assumption improves the rate of aggregation. Another contribution of this thesis is to show that some empirical risk minimization procedures are suboptimal when the loss function is convex, even under the margin assumption. Contrarily to some aggregation procedures with exponential weights, these model selection methods cannot benefit from the large margin. Then, we apply aggregation methods to construct adaptive estimators in several different problems. The final contribution of this thesis is to purpose a new approach to the control of the bias term in classification by introducing some spaces of sparse prediction rules. Minimax rates of convergence have been obtained for these classes of functions and, by using an aggregation method, we provide an adaptive version of these estimators.