Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
X-ray galaxy clusters abundance and mass temperature scaling

The abundance of clusters of galaxies is known to be a potential source of cosmological constraints through their mass function. In the present work, we examine the information that can be obtained from the temperature distribution function of X-ray clusters. For this purpose, the mass-temperature ($M$-$T$) relation and its statistical properties are critical ingredients. Using a combination of cosmic microwave background (CMB) data from Planck and our estimations of X-ray cluster abundances, we use Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques to estimate the $\Lambda$CDM cosmological parameters and the mass to X-ray temperature scaling relation simultaneously. We determine the integrated X-ray temperature function of local clusters using flux-limited surveys. A local comprehensive sample was build from the BAX X-ray cluster database, allowing us to estimate the local temperature distribution function above $\sim$1 keV. We model the expected temperature function from the mass function and the $M$-$T$ scaling relation. We then estimate the cosmological parameters and the parameters of the $M$-$T$ relation (calibration and slope) simultaneously. The measured temperature function of local clusters in the range $\sim\! \! 1$-$10$ keV is well reproduced once the calibration of the $M$-$T$ relation is treated as a free parameter, and therefore is self-consistent with respect to the $\Lambda$CDM cosmology. The best-fit values of the standard cosmological parameters as well as their uncertainties are unchanged by the addition of clusters data. The calibration of the mass temperature relation, as well as its slope, are determined with $\sim10\%$ statistical uncertainties. This calibration leads to masses that are $\sim\! \! 75\%$ larger than X-ray masses used in Planck.
Behavioral changes associated with a population density decline in the facultatively social red fox

Understanding the causal mechanisms promoting group formation in carnivores has been widely investigated, particularly how fitness components affect group formation. Population density may affect the relative benefits of natal philopatry versus dispersal. Density effects on individual behavioral strategies have previously been studied through comparisons of different populations, where differences could be confounded by between-site effects. We used a single population of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the city of Bristol, UK, that underwent a natural perturbation in density to compare key changes in 1) group structure, 2) within-group relatedness, 3) mating system, 4) dispersal, and 5) dominance attainment. At high densities (19.6--27.6 adults km-super- - 2), group sex ratios were equal and included related and unrelated individuals. At low densities (4.0--5.5 adults km-super- - 2), groups became female biased and were structured around philopatric females. However, levels of within-group relatedness were unchanged. The genetic mating patterns changed with no instances of multiple-paternity litters and a decline in the frequency of extrapair litters of cubs from ≤77% to ≤38%. However, the number of genetically monogynous groups did not differ between periods. Dispersal was male biased at both high and low densities. At high density, most dominant males in the study groups appeared to have gained dominance after dispersing, but natal philopatry was an equally successful strategy at low density; conversely, most dominant females were philopatric individuals at both high and low densities. These results illustrate how density may alter behavioral strategies such as mating patterns and how this, in turn, alters group structure in a single population. Copyright 2009, Oxford University Press.
Association between Inflammatory Markers and Clinical and Metabolic Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases

Association between Inflammatory Markers and Clinical and Metabolic Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases The inflammatory reaction plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. The clinical significance of the main inflammatory markers — C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL6), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI1), etc. — has not been fully established. CRP, IL6, TNF-α, and PAI1 were assessed in 100 patients in terms of certain clinical indicators (sex, obesity indicators, blood pressure, and heart rate), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), adiponectin, and leptin levels. CRP and PAI1 levels were elevated in subjects with increased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. CRP correlated positively with indicators of carbohydrate metabolism and negatively with TC, HDL-C, and adiponectin. PAI1 correlated positively with insulin levels, HOMA-IR, leptin, and TG, but negatively with HDL-C. IL6 correlated negatively with TC, but TNF-α correlated negatively with HDL-C. Both IL6 and TNF-α correlated positively with leptin levels. TNF-α correlated with TG levels and the indicators of carbohydrate metabolism only in women. CRP and PAI1 are the most sensitive inflammatory markers; their levels were higher in adipose subjects. Iekaisuma Marķieru Saistība Ar Kardiovaskulāro Slimību Klīniskajiem Un metabolajiem Riska Faktoriem Iekaisumam ir svarīga loma aterosklerozes attīstībā. Tomēr galveno iekaisuma marķieru - C-reaktīvā olbaltuma (CRO), interleikīna 6 (IL6), audzēja nekrozes faktora alfa (ANF-α), plazminogēna aktivatora inhibitora 1 (PAI1) un citu klīniskā nozīme nav pilnība skaidra. Simt pacientiem tika noteikti CRO, IL6, ANF-α un PAI1 vienlaicīgi ar klīniskiem parametriem (dzimumu, adipozitātes rādītājiem, asins spiedienu un sirds frekvenci), kopējā holesterīna (KH), zema blīvuma lipoproteīnu holesterīna (ZBLH), augsta blīvuma lipoproteīnu holesterīna (ABLH), triglicerīdu (TG), glikozes, insulīna, insulīna rezistences rādītāja HOMA-IR, adiponektīna un leptīna līmeņiem. CRO un PAI1 līmeņi bija paaugstināti personām ar palielinātu ķermeņa masas indeksu (ĶMI) un vēdera apkārtmēru (VA). CRO pozitīvi korelēja ar ogļhidrātu metabolisma rādītājiem un negatīvi ar KH, ABLH un adiponektinu. PAI1 pozitīvi korelēja ar insulīna līmeni, HOMA-IR, leptīnu un TG, bet negatīvi ar ABLH. IL6 negatīvi korelēja ar KH, bet ANF-α negatīvi korelēja ar ABLH. Bet gan IL6, gan ANF-α pozitīvi korelēja ar leptīna līmeni. Savukārt TG līmeni un ogļhidrātu metabolisma rādītājiem, ANF-α korelēja tikai sievietēm. CRO un PAI1 ir visjūtīgākie iekaisuma marķieri, to līmenis ir augstāks adipozām personām.
Dehydration-induced rheological heterogeneity and the deep tremor source in warm subduction zones

We present observations from an exhumed subduction complex that resembles the environment of modern deep episodic tremor and slow slip (ETS). We focus on the Cycladic Blueschist Unit on Syros Island in Greece. Syros metabasites consist of blueschists and eclogites that record prograde deformation, with peak metamorphism of 1200–1600 MPa and 450–550 °C. Field observations reveal that coexistence of blueschist and eclogite sets up an important rheological contrast: blueschists show distributed viscous dislocation creep, whereas eclogites dispersed within the blueschist matrix show brittle shear fractures and veins. These observations are consistent with the inferred prominent role of high fluid pressures from geophysical studies, but are inconsistent with models of deep ETS that invoke changes in rate-and-state friction parameters along a narrow fault. Instead, we suggest deep ETS may be controlled by coupled brittle-viscous deformation in partially eclogitized oceanic crust embedded within high-fluid-pressure patches along the plate interface.
Bioenergy water footprints, comparing first, second and third generation feedstocks for bioenergy supply in 2040

Freshwater is important for energy. Energy scenarios show increasing energy use, combined with increasing bioenergy shares. Bioenergy derives from first (food crops), second (energy crops or agricultural residues) and third (algae) generation feedstocks. There is an ongoing debate about the competition between energy and food crops. Energy crops have no direct competition with food, but an indirect one, using the same natural resources, like water. Crop residues seem a good alternative for food or energy crops. This paper gives water footprints (WFs) of first, second and third generation bioenergy (m3/GJ). Next, it compares WFs of future energy demand using different bioenergy feedstocks. WFs of energy from residues is smallest, WFs of energy crops largest. Bioenergy from algae has the largest blue WF. From a resource-use point of view, impacts of green WFs on the environment are smaller than impacts of blue WFs. Comparing different bioenergy feedstocks, residues are most favorable. With increasing bioenergy production, impacts on freshwater also increase. It is expected that increased production of first generation biofuels heavily contributes to global water scarcity. For third generation bioenergy, the application of algae would substantially increase the global blue WF. Comparing IEA scenarios, the greenest scenarios have the largest WFs, due to large contribution of bioenergy (especially in the case of energy crops and algae). Feedstocks with a relatively small WF are crop residues. The potential is enormous, but large challenges remain concerning technical possibilities to convert residues into energy carriers in combination with the possibility that not all residues are available for bioenergy.
Low Friction Coefficient of Phyllosilicate Fault Gouges and the Effect of Humidity: Insights From a New Microphysical Model

Fault slip is often localized in phyllosilicate‐rich fault gouges in a manner consistent with the relatively low friction coefficients measured for dry and especially wet phyllosilicates in laboratory experiments. However, the microphysics controlling these low friction coefficients remains unclear. Here, we propose a microphysical model, inspired by microstructural observations, for the prediction of the absolute value of the friction coefficient of pure dry and wet phyllosilicates. Experimentally produced phyllosilicate gouges suggest that shearing is controlled by sliding along (001) grain/platelet interfaces operating in series with removal of overlapping grain edge barriers by basal cleavage. We derive a model incorporating a subcritical crack propagation equation for the latter, constrained by subcritical crack growth data for muscovite. Model predictions for muscovite show similar trends regarding the effects of humidity and slip velocity on friction coefficient as do experiments at room temperature. The absolute value predicted for the friction coefficient is difficult to compare with experimental values, as it critically depends on atomic scale (001) sliding resistance, which is poorly constrained by available experimental data. Further discrepancies with experimental data can be explained by effects of varying grain size, grain aspect ratio, and porosity on the friction coefficient. While numerous qualitative explanations have been proposed previously for the low friction coefficient exhibited by phyllosilicates, especially in the presence of water, our study provides a new step toward a quantitative, physically based model.
Assessing psychotic symptoms in forensic evaluations of criminal responsibility – a pilot study using Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale

ABSTRACT Description of symptoms and signs related to psychotic disorders at the time of the crime is essential in forensic evaluations of legal insanity. Knowledge of the content of forensic reports is important to improve and secure their quality. Here we report the findings of a pilot study using PANSS as an instrument to assess descriptions of psychotic symptoms in forensic psychiatric reports. Three experienced psychiatrists assessed 20 forensic reports focusing on forensic experts’ descriptions of the defendant’s mental state at the time of the observation and at the time of the alleged crime. PANSS was evaluated as a tool for examining relevant psychotic symptoms, and interrater reliability was calculated. Interrater reliability was satisfactory. It varied based on the percentage of symptoms not described in the reports and on the type of symptom. At both times more symptoms were described from the positive scale of PANSS, than from the negative and the general scale. This pilot study shows that PANSS can be used as an instrument for the structured assessment of psychotic symptoms in written forensic reports and indicates that psychotic symptoms at the time of the alleged crime are poorly described.
The Global Impact of COVID-19 on Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons

Study Design: The COrona VIrus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted craniomaxillofacial (CMF) surgeons practice worldwide. We implemented a cross-sectional study and enrolled a sample of CMF surgeons who completed a survey. Objective: To measure the impact that COVID-19 has had on CMF surgeons by (1) identifying variations that may exist by geographic region and specialty and (2) measuring access to adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and identify factors associated with limited access to adequate PPE. Methods: Primary outcome variable was availability of adequate PPE for health-care workers (HCWs) in the front line and surgeons. Descriptive and analytic statistics were computed. Level of statistical significance was set at P < . 05. Binary logistic regression models were created to identify variables associated with PPE status (adequate or inadequate). Results: Most of the respondents felt that hospitals did not provide adequate PPE to the HCWs (57.3%) with significant regional differences (P = .04). Most adequate PPE was available to surgeons in North America with the least offered in Africa. Differences in PPE adequacy per region (P < .001) and per country (P < .001) were significant. In Africa and South America, regions reporting previous virus outbreaks, the differences in access to adequate PPE evaporated compared to Europe (P = .18 and P = .15, respectively). Conclusion: The impact of COVID-19 among CMF surgeons is global and adversely affects both clinical practice and personal lives of CMF surgeons. Future surveys should capture what the mid- and long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis will look like.
Working Paper 205 - Volatility and Co-movement in Commodity Prices- New Evidence

In this paper we show that commodity price co-movements between petroleum and other commodities, although infrequent, are not unique to recent periods, as alluded to in the current literature. We find that much of the volatility in commodity prices over long time spans is caused by economic fundamentals. Conditional covariances of unrelated commodities are very small in ordinary circumstances, as expected. After accounting for economic fundamentals, we find no evidence of excess co-movement between groups of commodity pairs. In a framework where commodity prices are influenced by common macroeconomic variables that determine the supply and demand for commodities, we show that conditional covariances of pairs of unrelated commodities are, as expected, stable and small with infrequent periods of uncharacteristic spikes. We hypothesized that these infrequent spurts are associated with sharp expected declines in asset prices associated with the probability of economic downturns and financial leverage (credit stress). The probability of a downturn is likely to be associated with expectations of lower short term interest rates and falling marginal costs of holding inventory (larger convenience yields) which in turn spur simultaneous demand for speculative or anticipatory commodity inventories. Likewise, excessive financial leverage is associated with rising risk of defaults and declining asset values. This is likely to lead to periods of deleveraging and lower economic activity. As a rational response to declining asset prices, risk neutral speculators are likely to shore up commodity inventories in search of arbitrage opportunities as a. We tested this hypothesis by looking at the relationship between pair-wise conditional covariances of the commodity pairs and indicators of uncertainty. The likelihood of recessions and financial leverage were found to be positively related to spurts of joint commodity price movement.
Gene Co-expression Network Analysis Associated with Acupuncture Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Animal Model

Background: Classical acupuncture is being used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To explore the biological response to acupuncture, a network-based analysis was performed on gene expression data collected from an animal model of RA treated with acupuncture. Methods: Gene expression data were obtained from published microarray studies on blood samples from rats with collagen induced arthritis (CIA) and non-CIA rats, both treated with manual acupuncture. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to identify gene clusters expressed in association with acupuncture treatment time and RA status. Gene ontology and pathway analyses were applied for functional annotation and network visualization. Results: A cluster of 347 genes were identified that differentially downregulated expression in association with acupuncture treatment over time; specifically in rats with CIA with module-RA correlation at 1 hour after acupuncture (-0.27; p < 0.001) and at 34 days after acupuncture (-0.33; p < 0.001). Functional annotation showed highly significant enrichment of porphyrin-containing compound biosynthetic processes (p < 0.001). The network-based analysis also identified a module of 140 genes differentially expressed between CIA and non-CIA in rats (p < 0.001). This cluster of genes was enriched for antigen processing and presentation of exogenous peptide antigen (p < 0.001). Other functional gene clusters previously reported in earlier studies were also observed. Conclusion: The identified gene expression networks and their hub-genes could help with the understanding of mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of RA, as well understanding the effects of acupuncture treatment of RA.
Non-Maxwellian rate coefficients for electron and ion collisions in Rydberg plasmas: implications for excitation and ionization

Scattering phenomena between charged particles and highly excited Rydberg atoms are of critical importance in many processes in plasma physics and astrophysics. While a Maxwell–Boltzmann (MB) energy distribution for the charged particles is often assumed for calculations of collisional rate coefficients, in this contribution we relax this assumption and use two different energy distributions, a bimodal MB distribution and a $\unicode[STIX]{x1D705}$-distribution. Both variants share a high-energy tails occurring with higher probability than the corresponding MB distribution. The high-energy tail may significantly affect rate coefficients for various processes. We focus the analysis to specific situations by showing the dependence of the rate coefficients on the principal quantum number of hydrogen atoms in $n$-changing collisions with electrons in the excitation and ionization channels and in a temperature range relevant to the divertor region of a tokamak device. We finally discuss the implications for diagnostics of laboratory plasmas.
Keywords : E-Recruitment , Perceived Usefulness , Perceived Ease of Use , Perceived of Enjoyment , Job Seekers

In a digital world, job seekers prefer to use e-recruitment for a vacancy searching. Thus, the explanation of the determinants of their attitude in using this technology is left unobserved. This article reports the result of a survey study on how users utilize e-recruitment to search for works. Three hundred eighty-five just-graduated undergraduate students answered questions regarding their intention of using the e-recruitment under Theory of Acceptance Model. We propose Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and Perceived of Enjoyment as the determinants of the job seekers intention. Results showed that those three variables influence the decision making of job seekers. We found also Perceived Usefulness is the mediating effect for jobs seekers in easy-touse and enjoy feeling. This article provides evidence that e-recruitment has to be friendly user and fun to use to attract job seekers intention.
Ordering combination for modal comparison

The well-known ordering semantics for modality has recently been challenged by a number of puzzles which may cast doubt on the viability of this approach. We investigate the properties of the ordering relations used in ordering semantics with a focus on how to derive appropriate orderings based on intuitively correct premises. We use these tools to propose solutions to two of the puzzles and discuss how they relate to other puzzles that have been raised in the literature, and to modal semantics more generally.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARAMETERS OF TENSIOMYOGRAPHY AND POTENTIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IN PROFESSIONAL CYCLISTS

The aim of this study was to establish the relationship of the time contraction (TC) and the radial muscle belly displacement (DM) of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris and biceps femoris muscles, assessed by tensiomyography, regarding potential sport performance indicators such as Wmax and VO2max in professional road cyclists. A tensiomyography and a progressively incremental protocol until exhaustion point were reached in the laboratory conditions to 10 professional cyclists. The results show that there are correlations between performance indicators and the DM of biceps femoris and rectus femoris, and between the own indicators Wmax and VO2max. However, the TC has not correlated with any of them. In conclusion, the results suggest that DM of the biceps femoris and rectus femoris biarticular muscles could be Rev.int.med.cienc. act. fís. deportevol. 13 número 52 ISSN: 1577-0354 772 related with these potential sport performance indicators of the professional cyclists.
Identification of key variables and constructs in the context of wine tasting room: importance-performance analysis

Purpose Relying on importance–performance theory, this paper uses a distinctive statistical analysis instrument to investigate the importance and performance of crucial wine tasting room constructs and indicators with a purpose to make real and tangible recommendations for wine tasting room managers to improve the winery visit experience. Design/methodology/approach The surveys (N = 402) were conducted among 14 wineries in British Columbia, Canada. The data was analysed by using partial least squares structural equation modelling software SmartPLS with importance–performance functionality embedded in it. Findings The findings indicate the importance and performance of the service quality constructs, assurance, empathy, reliability, responsiveness, and tangibility and their respective indicator variables in importance–performance map analysis (IPMA). The responsiveness construct showed the highest need for improvement in terms of performance of exogenous service quality constructs in wine tasting rooms. Empathy, value for money and reliability constructs got “no change” recommendation and “tangibility” and “education” recommendation. The assurance construct was not significantly related to customer satisfaction and was not included in the IPMA analysis. Originality/value The approach provides an easy to use and visual tool for wineries to assess the importance and performance of the various service quality elements. The tool provides the management of wineries guidance for the identification of strategic areas of service quality improvement.