Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measurement of the Time Dependence of Scintillation Intensity by a Delayed‐Coincidence Method

A new method for the measurement of the time dependence of the light intensity from scintillators is described. An important aspect of the method is the ease with which it can be applied to all modes of excitation. The results of measurements on the time dependence of the scintillators for several modes of excitation are presented.
Optimal design of topological waveguides by machine learning

Topological insulators supply robust edge states and can be used to compose novel waveguides to protect energy propagation against various defects. For practical applications, topological waveguides with a large working bandwidth and highly localized interface mode are desired. In the present work, mechanical valley Hall insulators are described by explicit geometry parameters using the moving morphable component method first. From the geometry parameters, artificial neural networks (ANN) are then well-trained to predict the topological property and the bounds of nontrivial bandgaps. Incorporating those ANN models, mathematical formulation for designing optimal mechanical topological waveguides can be solved efficiently, with an acceleration of more than 10,000 times than the traditional topology optimization approach.
The effect of Lactobacillus with prebiotics on KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

Objectives This study investigated the inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus spp. with prebiotics against Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-2 (KPC-2)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae using both in vitro experiments and animal models. Methods Thirty-three Lactobacillus spp. strains were confirmed by 16S rDNA sequencing, and four different PFGE genotyped KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae strains were selected for investigation. In vitro studies, including broth microdilution assays, changes in pH values in lactobacilli cultures with different prebiotics, time-kill tests of Lactobacillus spp. against KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae and further in vivo Lactobacillus alone or in combination with prebiotics against KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae in an animal model, were performed. Results The lower pH value of the cell-free supernatant was associated with a lower minimal inhibitory percentage of the Lactobacillus strain against KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae. Furthermore, lactulose/isomalto-oligosaccharide/inulin and fructo-oligosaccharide can enhance the inhibitory effect of all 107 CFU/ml Lactobacillus strains against KPC001. Three Lactobacillus strains (LYC1154, LYC1322, and LYC1511) that could be persistently detected in the stool were tested for their ability to reduce the amount of KPC001 in the feces individually or in combination. A significantly better effect in reducing the amount of KPC001 was observed for the combination of three different Lactobacillus species than for each of them alone. Furthermore, their inhibitory effect was enhanced after adding lactulose or isomalto-oligosaccharide (both p < 0.05). Conclusion This study demonstrates the inhibitory effect of probiotic Lactobacillus, including LYC1154, LYC1322, and LYC1511, with prebiotics such as lactulose or isomalto-oligosaccharide against the colonization of KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae.
Metabolic activity and community structure of prokaryotes associated with particles in the twilight zone of the South China Sea

The twilight zone is an important depth of the ocean where particulate organic matter (POM) remineralization takes place, and prokaryotes contribute to more than 70% of the estimated remineralization. However, little is known about the microbial community and metabolic activity associated with different particles in the twilight zone. The composition and distribution of particle-attached prokaryotes in the twilight zone of the South China Sea (SCS) were investigated using high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR, together with the Biolog Ecoplate™ microplates culture to analyze the microbial metabolic activity. We found that α- and γ-Proteobacteria dominating at the lower and upper boundary of the twilight zone, respectively; Methanosarcinales and Halobacteriales of the Euyarchaeota occupied in the larger particles at the upper boundary. Similar microbial community existed between euphotic layer and the upper boundary. Higher amount of shared Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in the larger particles along the water depths, might be due to the fast sinking and major contribution of carbon flux of the larger particles from the euphotic layer. In addition to polymers as the major carbon source, carbohydrates and amino acids were preferentially used by microbial community at the upper and lower boundary, respectively. This could potentially be attributed to the metabolic capabilities of attached microbial groups in different particles, and reflected the initial preference of the carbon source by the natural microbes in the twilight zone as well. The microbial structure and carbon metabolic profiles could be complemented with metatranscriptomic analysis in future studies to augment the understanding of the complex carbon cycling pathways in the twilight zone.
Discontinuation of long acting reversible contraceptive use and its determinants among women in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Contraception discontinuation is a major public health issue that leads to unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate discontinuation of contraceptives and its determinants in Ethiopia. Methods PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, and Addis Ababa University online library were searched. Data were extracted using Microsoft Excel and analyzed using STATA statistical software (v. 14). Publication bias was checked by forest plot, Begg's rank test, and Egger's regression test. To look for heterogeneity, I2 was computed, and an overall estimated analysis was carried out. Subgroup analysis was done by region, study setting, and publication. The pooled odds ratio for associated factors was also computed. Results Out of 654 studies assessed, 20 met our criteria and were included in the study. The total number of study participants was 8,780. The pooled prevalence of discontinuation of long acting reversible contraceptive use was 36.94% (95% CI: 28.547–45.326). According to sub-group analysis, Amhara region (45%) and institution-based studies (47.9%) had the highest prevalence. The most common reason for contraceptive discontinuation was negative side effect (42.3%). Women experienced side effects (AOR = 2.833:95% CI:2.005–4.003), didn't receive counseling on side effects (AOR = 2.417; 95% CI: 1.591–3.672), didn't appoint follow up (AOR = 2.820; 95% CI: 2.048–3.881), dissatisfied with the given service (AOR = 5.156; 95% CI: 3.644–7.296), and a desire to be pregnant (AOR = 2.366; 95% CI: 1.760–3.182) were predictors of discontinuation of contraceptives. Conclusion In Ethiopia, the pooled prevalence of long acting contraceptive discontinuation was high. Side effects, not being informed about side effects, dissatisfaction with the provided service, no insertion follow-up, and a desire to become pregnant were all associated factors. Healthcare professionals should focus on the client's reproductive goals, proper management of side effects, counseling, and post-insertion visits. Systematic review registration https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/prospero/display_record. php? ID=CRD42022347860, identifier CRD42022347860.
Asymmetric depolarization in double radio sources with one-sided jets

Total intensity and polarization maps at wavelengths of 6 and 20 cm are presented for 47 double radio sources with one-sided jets. There is a strong asymmetry in the degree of depolarization between λ6 and 20 cm : of the 37 sources with significant depolarization, 34 show less depolarization on the jet side than on the counter-jet side. There is also a significant asymmetry in the spectral index of the two sides : the jet-side spectral index is flatter by typically Δα = 0.1. By comparison, the asymmetries in flux density, peak brightness and separation from the nucleus are minor, and cannot be significant contributors to the depolarization asymmetry
Standardised Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham. fruit extract inhibits human neutrophil elastase and attenuates elastase-induced lung injury in mice

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) along with asthma is a major and increasing global health problem. Smoking contributes to about 80%–90% of total COPD cases in the world. COPD leads to the narrowing of small airways and destruction of lung tissue leading to emphysema primarily caused by neutrophil elastase. Neutrophil elastase plays an important role in disease progression in COPD patients and has emerged as an important target for drug discovery. Sonneratia apetala Buch. -Ham. is a mangrove plant belonging to family Sonneratiaceae. It is widely found in the Sundarban regions of India. While the fruits of this plant have antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and astringent activities, fruit and leaf extracts have been shown to reduce the symptoms of asthma and cough. The aim of this study is to find whether hydro alcoholic fruit extracts of S. apetala inhibit neutrophil elastase and thus prevent the progression of neutrophil elastase-driven lung emphysema. The hydroalcoholic extract, ethanol: water (90:10), of the S. apetala Buch. -Ham. fresh fruits (SAM) were used for neutrophil elastase enzyme kinetic assay and IC50 of the extract was determined. The novel HPLC method has been developed and the extract was standardized with gallic acid and ellagic acid as standards. The extract was further subjected to LC-MS2 profiling to identify key phytochemicals. The standardized SAM extract contains 53 μg/mg of gallic acid and 95 μg/mg of ellagic acid, based on the HPLC calibration curve. SAM also reversed the elastase-induced morphological change of human epithelial cells and prevented the release of ICAM-1 in vitro and an MTT assay was conducted to assess the viability. Further, 10 mg/kg SAM had reduced alveolar collapse induced by neutrophil elastase in the mice model. Thus, in this study, we reported for the first time that S. apetala fruit extract has the potential to inhibit human neutrophil elastase in vitro and in vivo. Graphical Abstract
How do digital lives affect resident mental health in the digital era? Empirical evidence based on Chinese general social survey

Having good mental health means we are better able to connect, function, cope and thrive. The widespread application of digital technology in daily life provides new ways and promising tools for residents to maintain their mental health. Given the importance of mental health for everyone, and the fact that mental health problems are prevalent worldwide, this study discusses how digital lives affects the mental health of residents. The results suggest that digital lives are significantly and positively associated with mental health. Mechanisms analysis identifies personal perceptions (self-rated physical exercise and subjective wellbeing) as the important paths for digital lives to promote mental health, while social perceptions (social trust and social fairness) play a suppressing effect on the relationship between them. The results of further discussion show that the degree of the influence of digital lives on mental health of individuals is heterogeneous among different regions. Due to the difference in development level, the positive impact of digital lives is greater in urban areas than in rural areas, and it is stronger in western regions than in eastern and central regions. This study enriches the nascent research stream of digitalization, explores new paths of harnessing digital technologies for mental health, and offers useful insights for the government to guide them in formulating digital development strategies and achieving the Healthy China Strategy.
Endoscopic transpapillary drainage for walled-off pancreatic necrosis with complete main pancreatic duct disruption by metallic stent placement: A retrospective study

Background Walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) is a serious complication of acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) and may lead to disruption of the main pancreatic duct (MPD). Endoscopic passive transpapillary drainage (PTD) is an effective method for treating MPD disruptions. However, WOPN with complete MPD disruption is usually accompanied by disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome (DPDS), especially with infected necrosis. Endoscopic PTD with a fully covered self-expanding metallic stent (FCSEMS) and a plastic stent placement may have the potential for future application in treating complete MPD disruption in patients with WOPN. Methods Patients with WOPN caused by ANP were classified according to the 2012 Atlanta classification and definition. In all patients, ERCP was performed 2 times. First, 3 patients were diagnosed with complete MPD disruption by ERCP. At the time of diagnosis, a plastic pancreatic stent (7Fr) was placed. Second, they underwent endoscopic PTD for WOPN with complete MPD disruption in which an FCSEMS and plastic stent placement were the only access routes to the necrotic cavity. Results The etiology of pancreatitis in these patients was of biliary, lipogenic, and alcoholic origin. The WOPN lesion size ranged from 6.5 to 10.2 cm in this study, and the type of WOPN was mixed in two cases and central in one case. The type of MPD disruption was complete in all three patients. The locations of disruption included the pancreatic body and head. The time from occurrence to the first ERCP was 18, 23, and 26 days, respectively. The main symptoms were abdominal pain, abdominal distention, fever, gastrointestinal obstruction, and/or weight loss. The three patients with symptomatic WOPN and MPD disruption underwent endoscopic PTD with FCSEMS and plastic pancreatic stent placement. Technical and therapeutic successes were achieved in 3/3 of patients. The mean time of stenting was 28–93 days. The clinical symptoms connected with WOPN and collection disappeared postoperatively in all three patients. During the follow-up period of 4–18 months, no patient developed collection recurrence or other complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding or reinfection. All patients recovered uneventfully. Conclusion In patients with WOPN with complete MPD disruption, endoscopic PTD with FCSEMSs and plastic stent placement may be an effective and safe method of treatment.
In vitro assessment of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and schistolarvicidal activity of macroalgae-based gold nanoparticles

There is a growing need to improve facile, eco-friendly, and cheap approaches for nanoparticle (NP) synthesis. Green protocols have been investigated for the fabrication of NPs using several natural sources as plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria. Thus, the present study proposed a rapid, convenient, and efficient biosynthesis of gold NPs (Au-NPs) using the ethanolic extracts of three macroalgae, i.e., Cystoseira myrica, C. trinodis, and Caulerpa prolifera. The reduction of Au ions and the fabrication of Au-NPs were validated using ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and zeta potential analysis. The produced Au-NPs were tested for their antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and schistolarvicidal activity. Results revealed the formation of Au-NPs with an average size of 12.6–15.5 nm and different shapes that are mainly spherical with pure crystalline nature. The strong antibacterial activities of C. trinodis– and C. myrica–based Au-NPs against E. coli (inhibition zones of 22 and 19 mm) and against Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition zones of 18 and 20.5 and mm) were recorded, respectively. On the other hand, the high antifungal activity of C. trinodis Au-NPs against Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternate showed the inhibition zones of 18 and 17 mm, respectively. The high antifungal activity of C. trinodis Au-NPs against Candida albicans (inhibition zone 16 mm) was also recorded. Regarding anti-inflammatory and schistolarvicidal activity, Au-NPs fabricated using C. myrica showed 64.2% of the inhibitory effect on protein denaturation and recorded the highest schistolarvicidal activity against Schistosoma mansoni cercariae that sank and died after 7 min. Overall, these findings proved that macroalgal ethanolic extracts can be effectively used for the biosynthesis of Au-NPs. These Au-NPs offer a significant alternative antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and schistolarvicidal agents. for biomedical uses.
Physical mechanism of extraordinary electromagnetic transmission in dual-metallic grating structures

Very recently, in a short letter Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 111111 2007, we outlined some important results of electromagnetic transmission in dual-metallic grating structures composed of two identical single-metallic gratings with periodic subwavelength slit arrays. Here we describe and explain our theoretical study on the propagation property of the electromagnetic radiation in such structures in detail. The results manifest that the longitudinal interval and lateral displacement between the two single-metallic gratings strongly influence the electromagnetic transmission behavior in the dual-metallic grating structures. We discover some interesting phenomena such as the frequency shift and splitting of the high transmission peak, and the transmission suppression over a broad frequency region. We reveal that the coupling between the two single-metallic gratings is responsible for those phenomena. In addition, the case of oblique incidence is also explored.
Brain connectivity changes underlying depression and fatigue in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A systematic review

Fatigue and depression are common, debilitating, and intertwined symptoms in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS). To elucidate the relationship between depression/fatigue and brain connectivity in pwRRMS we conducted a systematic review. Searched databases were PubMed, Web-of-Science and Scopus. Inclusion criteria were: participants with RRMS; published between 2001-2021; fatigue and depression assessments validated for MS; brain structural, functional (fMRI) or diffusion MRI (dMRI). 16 dMRI (13 fatigue, 4 depression) and 18 fMRI (16 fatigue, 4 depression) studies were included. ~50% of studies reported no correlation between MRI measures and fatigue/depression. Positive findings showed that abnormal cortico-limbic structural and functional connectivity was associated with depression, and fatigue was linked to connectivity measures in cortico-thalamic-basal-ganglial networks. Additionally, both depression and fatigue were related to altered cingulum structural connectivity, and functional connectivity involving thalamus, cerebellum, frontal lobe, and pre-/postcentral gyri. These findings suggest neuropathological effects in these regions may underlie fatigue and depression in pwRRMS, but the overall results were inconclusive. Further studies using optimised imaging protocols and validated depression and fatigue measures are required to clarify the substrate underlying these symptoms in pwRRMS.
Fastcc: Fast Color Corrections for Broadband Radio Telescope Data

Broadband receiver data need color corrections applying to correct for the different source spectra across their wide bandwidths. The full integration over a receiver bandpass may be computationally expensive and redundant when repeated many times. Color corrections can be applied, however, using a simple quadratic fit based on the full integration instead. Here we describe fastcc and interpcc, quick Python and IDL codes that return, respectively, color correction coefficients for different power-law spectral indices and modified blackbodies for various Cosmic Microwave Background related experiments. The codes are publicly available, and can be easily extended to support additional telescopes.
The CsSTE50 Adaptor Protein in Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Cascades Is Essential for Pepper Anthracnose Disease of Colletotrichum scovillei

Anthracnose, caused by the ascomycete fungus Colletotrichum scovillei, is a destructive disease in pepper. The fungus germinates and develops an infection structure called an appressorium on the plant surface. Several signaling cascades, including cAMP-mediated signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, are involved in fungal development and pathogenicity in plant pathogenic fungi, but this has not been well studied in the fruit-infecting fungus C. scovillei. Ste50 is an adaptor protein interacting with multiple upstream components to activate the MAPK cascades. Here, we characterized the CsSTE50 gene of C. scovillei, a homolog of Magnaporthe oryzae MST50 that functions in MAPK cascades, by gene knockout. The knockout mutant ΔCsste50 had pleiotropic phenotypes in development and pathogenicity. Compared with the wild-type, the mutants grew faster and produced more conidia on regular agar but were more sensitive to osmotic stress. On artificial and plant surfaces, the conidia of the mutant showed significantly reduced germination and failed to form appressoria. The mutant was completely non-pathogenic on pepper fruits with or without wounds, indicating that pre-penetration and invasive growth were both defective in the mutant. Our results show that the adaptor protein CsSTE50 plays a role in vegetative growth, conidiation, germination, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity in C. scovillei.
Adaptive Linear Grey-Box Models for Model Predictive Controller of Residential Buildings

Model predictive control (MPC) is an advanced optimal control technique to minimize a control objective while satisfying a set of constraints and is well suited to activate the building energy flexibility. The MPC controller performance depends on the accuracy of the model prediction. Inaccurate predictions can directly lead to low control performance. Linear time-invariant (LTI) models are often used in MPC in buildings. However, LTI models do not adapt to the weather conditions varying throughout the whole space-heating season, which makes the MPC based on LTI models not perform well over a long period of time. Therefore, this study introduces an adaptive MPC where the parameters of a linear grey-box model are continuously updated in real-time. Two alternative versions of this adaptive control are investigated. The first one, called partially adaptive MPC, only updates the effective window area of the grey-box model, while the second one, called fully adaptive MPC, updates all the parameters of the grey-box model. Results show that the partially adaptive MPC is not able to deliver satisfactory prediction performance. The fully adaptive MPC shows better performance compared to the other models when implemented in a MPC, especially in avoiding thermal comfort violation.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF A STANDARDISED MATHEMATICAL CREATIVITY TEST FOR DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATION

This paper aims to analyses the architecture of a longitudinal assessment tool used in a strategic project to develop mathematical creativity involving ex-ante, in itenere, and the ex-post assessment sessions. This analysis envisages the curriculum vision of the creativity test, the teleological configuration, the types of competencies to achieve, and the operational objectives of the evaluation. The matrix explaining the operational objectives with the objectives of the creativity test, design, pretesting, and the statement of each item is discussed. The table explaining correspondence between items and the objectives of the scale are elaborated with the correction scheme and the grading scale. The difficulty and discrimination coefficient for each item are calculated, and the evaluation criteria of the overall qualities (objectivity, applicability, fidelity, and validity) is explained.