Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Flow modelling and rheological characterization of nematic liquid crystals between concentric cylinders

Liquid crystals (LCs) have good load-bearing properties and the ability to lower friction, wear and temperature between rubbing surfaces. The steady flow of thermotropic flow-aligning nematic liquid crystalline materials was studied numerically between two concentric cylinders with small gap sizes. The rheological behaviour and flow characterisation of LCs for different inner cylinder rotational velocities and anchoring angles at the boundaries were also investigated. The Leslie–Ericksen theory was implemented to model the LC microstructures. Continuity and momentum equations were simultaneously solved with the microstructure equation. Considering the nature of the governing equations for LCs, the relaxation method was selected to solve this set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The orientation angle distribution and apparent viscosity were presented as a function of the rotational velocity and shear rate. Rheological characterisation of N-(4-Methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline (MBBA) was performed using a rotary rheometer and the results were compared with those of numerical simulations. Furthermore, it was shown that the preferred orientation of the molecules of liquid crystalline materials in vicinity of solid surfaces gives them an advantage over isotropic Newtonian fluids by reducing the amount of resistance torque on the inner cylinder.
In-Composition Graded Quantum Barriers for Polarization Manipulation in InGaN-Based Yellow Light-Emitting Diodes

Highly efficient indium gallium nitride (InGaN)-based yellow light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with low efficiency droop have always been pursued for next-generation displays and lighting products. In this work, we report an InGaN quantum barrier (QB) with linear-increase In-composition along [0001] direction for InGaN-based yellow LEDs. With the In-composition in QBs systematically engineered, three QB structures including linear-increase QB (LIQB), linear-decrease QB (LDQB) and commonly used flat QB (FQB) were investigated by simulation. The results show that the LIQB not only yields enhanced electron confinement, but also contributes to suppressed polarization field. Consequently, the yellow LED incorporated with LIQBs demonstrates improved radiative recombination rates and the efficiency droop is alleviated. Under a current density of 100 A/cm2, the efficiency droop ratios of LEDs with FQBs, LDQBs and LIQBs are 58.7%, 62.2% and 51.5%, respectively. When current density varies from 1 A/cm2 to 60 A/cm2, the blueshift values of peak emission wavelength for LEDs with FQBs, LDQBs and LIQBs are 14.4 nm, 16.5 nm and 13.0 nm, respectively. This work is believed to provide a feasible solution for high-performance InGaN-based LEDs in long-wavelength spectral region.
A quasi‐linear WKB kinetic theory for nonplanar waves in a nonhomogeneous warm plasma, 1. Transverse waves propagating along axisymmetric B 0

A new set of quasi-linear kinetic equations is presented for transverse waves propagating along an axisymmetric magnetic field configuration. A WKB expansion is used to include effects of nonhomogeneity and nonplanarity of the waves. The equations allow simultaneous calculation of the spatial (and temporal) evolution of wave power spectra and the spatial (and temporal) evolution of particle distribution functions, including for the first time important wave-particle interactions which depend explicitly on the nonplanarity of the waves and the nonhomogeneity of the plasma and fields. The usefulness of the equations is demonstrated for a cold plasma, where a number of new results for wave propagation and acceleration of the plasma have been obtained. Along the way, a new quasi-linear separation of the average distribution function has been introduced, the usefulness of which is demonstrated by comparison with fluid theory. The principal new results are briefly summarized in section 6 of the paper.
Reification In Factor Analysis: A Plasmode Based On Human Physiology-Of-Exercise Variables

This study investigates the validity of multiple factor analysis in a known model in biology, and -- by extension -- in other fields. A plasmode was constructed by subjecting three test subjects to 100 different combinations of temperature, humidity and exercise levels, and measuring 45 physiological response variables, some of these three times during the experiment. Factor analysis of the correlation matrix among response variables with the putative causes included yielded seventeen factors, the majority of which were interpretable. Two of the factors were identified by the factor solution to be related to the putative causes. Exercise affects a suite of respiratory and cardiovascular variables, while experimental temperature affects skin temperatures of the subjects. Humidity did not show any direct effect on any of the response variables. Factor analysis of a second correlation matrix excluding the putative causes yielded very similar results. From plots, partial regression coefficients and analyses o.
Simple binary to residue transformation with respect to 2/sup m/+1 moduli

The residue number system (RNS) is suitable for implementing most digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms where addition, subtraction and multiplication are predominant. These operations are performed without carry propagation. However, before any processing can be started, the input binary number must be converted into the residue number format. This conversion is an overhead to the performance of the system. Most implementations of binary to residue convertors are based on ROMs, which are slow and costly. The authors derive a new formula for transforming conventional binary numbers into residue representation with respect to the 2/sup m/+1 moduli. Using the derived format, we can partition the input binary number into consecutive m-bit sections. This increases the speed and reduces the hardware complexity compared with the existing memory based methods. We also present an m-bit partitioned architecture for converting binary numbers into residue format with respect to the (2/sup m/-1, 2/sup m/, 2/sup m/+1) moduli set.
Study of ultrahigh-order modes in a symmetrical metal-cladding optical waveguide

We report theory and experiment on ultrahigh-order modes in a symmetrical metal-cladding thick optical waveguide. The waveguide consists of a LiNbO3 slab or a glass slab with a thickness greater than 0.1mm, two gold films deposited on the upper and bottom sides of the slab serving as the cladding of the waveguide. By using the free-space coupling technique, ultrahigh-order modes (m>2000) are excited, and its high sensitivity to both refractive index and thickness of the guide, as well as the polarization independence are demonstrated.
Inhibition of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Protects against the Development of Oxaliplatin-Induced Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome in Wild-Type but Not in CD39-Null Mice

Simple Summary For patients undergoing multimodal treatment for colorectal liver metastases (CLM), the development of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) as a side effect of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy may endanger the prospects after liver resection. In this study, we aimed to investigate possible protective effects of an additional preoperative inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on the occurrence of SOS and its implications on liver function and regeneration after liver resection. After successful establishment of a novel murine model of SOS, we were able to show a reduced incidence of SOS after additive treatment with a VEGF inhibitor. Changes in the VEGF pathway, namely in the expression of VEGF receptor-2 (VEGF-R2), may be responsible for these findings. By preventing the incidence of SOS, the inhibition of VEGF may help to reduce morbidity after liver resection for patients with CLM. Further clinical studies are needed to corroborate our results. Abstract (1) Background: Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) after oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy is associated with unfavorable outcomes after partial hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), may prevent SOS development. We investigated the impact of VEGF-inhibition on the development of SOS in a murine model. (2) Methods: Male wild-type and CD39-null mice received oxaliplatin, additional anti-VEGF (OxAV), or controls, and were sacrificed or subjected to major partial hepatectomy (MH). Specimen were used for histological analysis of SOS. Liver damage was assessed by plasma transaminases. The VEGF pathway was elucidated by quantitative PCR of liver tissue and protein analysis of plasma. (3) Results: Mice treated with oxaliplatin developed SOS. Concomitant anti-VEGF facilitated a reduced incidence of SOS, but not in CD39-null mice. SOS was associated with increased plasma VEGF-A and decreased hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). After OxAV treatment, VEGF-R2 was upregulated in wild-type but downregulated in CD39-null mice. Oxaliplatin alone was associated with higher liver damage after MH than in mice with concomitant VEGF-inhibition. (4) Conclusions: We established a murine model of oxaliplatin-induced SOS and provided novel evidence on the protective effect of VEGF-inhibition against the development of SOS that may be associated with changes in the pathway of VEGF and its receptor VEGF-R2.
Thin fused silica optics for a few arcsec angular resolution and large collecting area x-ray telescope

The implementation of a X-ray mission with high imaging capabilities, similar to those achieved with Chandra (< 1 arcsec Half Energy Width, HEW), but with a much larger throughput is a very attractive perspective, even if challenging. For such a mission the scientific opportunities, in particular for the study of the early Universe, would remain at the state of the art for the next decades. At the beginning of the new millennium the XEUS mission has been proposed, with an effective area of several m2 and an angular resolution better than 2 arcsec HEW. Unfortunately, after the initial study, this mission was not implemented, mainly due to the costs and the low level of technology readiness. Currently the most advanced proposal for such a kind of mission is the SMART-X project, led by CfA and involving several other US Institutes. This project is based on adjustable segments of thin foil mirrors with piezo-electric actuators, aiming to achieve an effective area < 2 m2 at 1 keV and an angular resolution better than 1 arcsec HEW. Another attractive technology to realize an X-ray telescope with similar characteristics is being developed at NASA/Goddard. In this case the mirrors are based on Si substrates that are super-polished and figured starting from a bulky Si ingot, from which they are properly cut. Here we propose an alternative method based on precise direct grinding, figuring and polishing of thin (a few mm) glass shells with innovative deterministic polishing methods. This is followed by a final correction via ion figuring to obtain the desired accuracy in order to achieve the 1 arc sec HEW requirement. For this purpose, a temporary stiffening structure is used to support the shell from the polishing operations up to its integration in the telescope supporting structure. We will present the technological process under development, the results achieved so far and some mission scenarios based on this kind of optics, aiming to achieve an effective area more than 10 times larger than Chandra and an angular resolution of 1 arcsec HEW on axis and of a few arcsec off-axis across a large field of view (1 deg in diameter).
Method for Hugoniot Equation‐of‐State Measurements at Extreme Pressures

A brief study is described of a simple method for producing plane shock waves in solids at pressures higher than those attainable by conventional explosive methods. Mach reflection of a conically convergent shock in the specimen yields a disk‐shaped front at a pressure of several megabars, depending on the type of explosive employed and the specimen material; this front is accessible to Hugoniot equation‐of‐state measurements. Results for copper at a pressure of 1.9 Mbar are in good agreement with published values.
The topology of tokamak orbits

Guiding-centre orbits in non-circular axisymmetric tokamak plasmas are studied in the constants of motion (COM) space of (v, ζ, ψm. Here, v is the particle speed, ζ is the pitch angle with respect to the parallel equilibrium current, J‖, at the point in the orbit where ψ = ψm, and ψm is the maximum value of the poloidal flux function (increasing from the magnetic axis) along the guiding-centre orbit. Two D-shaped equilibria in a flux-conserving tokamak having β̄ values of 1.3% and 7.7% are used as examples. In this space, each confined orbit corresponds to one and only one point, and different types of orbit (e.g. circulating, trapped, stagnation and pinch orbits) are represented by separate regions or surfaces in the space. It is also shown that the existence of an absolute minimum B in the higher-β̄ (7.7%) equilibrium results in an orbit topology dramatically different from that of the lower-β̄ case. The differences indicate the confinement of additional high-energy (v → c, within the guiding-centre approximation), trapped, co- and counter-circulating particles, with an orbit ψm falling within the absolute B-well.
Use of gold nanoshells to mediate heating induced perfusion changes in prostate tumors

This study investigates the potential of using gold nanoshells to mediate a thermally induced modulation of tumor vasculature in experimental prostate tumors. We demonstrate that after passive extravasation and retention of the circulating nanoshells from the tumor vasculature into the tumor interstitium, the enhanced nanoshells absorption of near-infrared irradiation over normal vasculature, can be used to increase tumor perfusion or shut it down at powers which result in no observable affects on tissue without nanoshells. Temperature rise was monitored in real time using magnetic resonance temperature imaging and registered with perfusion changes as extrapolated from MR dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) imaging results before and after each treatment. Results indicate that nanoshell mediated heating can be used to improve perfusion and subsequently enhance drug delivery and radiation effects, or be used to shut down perfusion to assist in thermal ablative therapy delivery.
Heating Up: How Early Twitter Marketing Gave Rise to Organic Word-of-Mouth About Heated Tobacco Products

Social media are an important marketing platform for emerging tobacco products. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) have been introduced in a limited number of local test markets in the United States as potentially reduced-exposure tobacco products. HTPs can be used to heat tobacco as well as marijuana. However, due to growing digital media promotion of these products, it is possible that public knowledge and purchasing opportunities extend beyond test markets. Research on HTP social media promotion is sparse. The objective of the present study is to assess the amount and characterize the content of HTP-related messages on Twitter. We used keyword rules to collect HTP-related posts from the Twitter Historical Powertrack from 1 August 2016 to 31 July 2021. Posts were coded for type (organic, commercial), promotional strategies (e.g., discounts, event promotion), and marijuana co-use mentions using a combination of machine learning methods and human coding. Keyword filters captured 121,012 relevant tweets posted over the period of data collection, with 46,013 (38.02%) tweets featuring commercial content. Findings revealed that there was a two-fold increase in the monthly volume of messages from August 2016 to July 2021. The proportion of organic tweets increased from 29% of all tweets in August 2016 to 73.5% in July 2021. Approximately 20.6% of tweets included mentions of marijuana, and 5,243 posts (4.3%) contained links to online retailers. Promotional tweets featured event promotion, discounts, reduced harm appeals, and fashion appeals. Tobacco control and substance use prevention initiatives should include efforts to monitor the role of social media in promoting organic word-of-mouth and normalizing novel tobacco products.
The Electrical and Thermal Characteristics of Stacked GaN MISHEMT

To study the working performance of 3D stacked chips, a double-layer stacked GaN MISHEMTs structure was designed to study the electro-thermal characteristics and heat transfer process of stacked chips. Firstly, the electrical characteristics of double-layer and single-layer GaN MISHEMTs are compared at room temperature. Under the same conditions, the output current of double-layer GaN MISHEMTs is twice that of single-layer GaN MISHEMTs, but its off-state current is much higher than that of a single-layer device. Meanwhile, there is no significant difference between the threshold voltages of the double-layer and single-layer GaN MISHEMTs. Then, the effect of temperature on the electrical characteristics of double-layer GaN MISHEMTs is also investigated. When the temperature increased from room temperature to 150 °C, the device’s threshold voltage gradually shifted negatively, the output current of the device decreased, and the off-state current of the device increased. Furthermore, a thermal resistance network model has been established to analyze the thermal characteristics of the stacked GaN MISHEMTs. The relative error between the results calculated according to the model and the experimental results does not exceed 4.26%, which verified the correctness and accuracy of the presented model to predict the temperature distribution of the stacked GaN MISHEMTs.
IDPSO for Influence Maximization under Independent Cascade Model

Influence maximization aims to find the most influential set of nodes from the network, through which specific information can achieve the widest dissemination in the network. The traditional influence maximization algorithm based on a greedy framework is challenging to apply to large networks due to the excessive computational overhead, and the heuristic algorithm is less than satisfactory in performance. In order to solve the imbalance between the running time and implementation of the influence maximization algorithm, we propose a local influence evaluation function to calculate the influence spread of the seed set in the network, reducing the time consumption. Then, we design an influence maximization algorithm based on improved discrete particle swarm optimization for the independent cascade model. Experiments on real social network datasets demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has superior running time and performance.
Regioselective Synthesis and Molecular Docking Studies of 1,5-Disubstituted 1,2,3-Triazole Derivatives of Pyrimidine Nucleobases

1,2,3-triazoles are versatile building blocks with growing interest in medicinal chemistry. For this reason, organic chemistry focuses on the development of new synthetic pathways to obtain 1,2,3-triazole derivatives, especially with pyridine moieties. In this work, a novel series of 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles functionalized with pyrimidine nucleobases were prepared via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction in a regioselective manner for the first time. The N1-propargyl nucleobases, used as an alkyne intermediate, were obtained in high yields (87–92%) with a new two-step procedure that selectively led to the monoalkylated compounds. Then, FeCl3 was employed as an efficient Lewis acid catalyst for 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between different aryl and benzyl azides and the N1-propargyl nucleobases previously synthesized. This new protocol allows the synthesis of a series of new 1,2,3-triazole derivatives with good to excellent yields (82–92%). The ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) analysis showed good pharmacokinetic properties and no violations of Lipinsky’s rules, suggesting an appropriate drug likeness for these new compounds. Molecular docking simulations, conducted on different targets, revealed that two of these new hybrids could be potential ligands for viral and bacterial protein receptors such as human norovirus capsid protein, SARS-CoV-2 NSP13 helicase, and metallo-β-lactamase.
A review of the socio-ecological and institutional contexts for youth livelihood transformation in Miesso Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract This study was carried out as a systematic review to assess youth aspirations, the context of agroecology, and development interventions for youth livelihood transformation in the Miesso district, Ethiopia. The study found that youth make up an important part of the labor force for food and agricultural production in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas. Nonetheless, very limited attention is accorded to the youth and their occupational aspiration. The youth continue to face major socio-economic, agroecological, institutional and policy-related challenges, constraining their successful transition. The major challenges can be structured around: local customs and norms; financial; education and technical capacity; infrastructure and market; administration and policy related; and environmental. We find that the youth have varying aspirations and dreams. These aspirations are shaped by their own personal experiences, gender, local context, access to media, and role models. However, most of the aspirations remain unmet. Another major finding is that contrary to the popular narrative that portrays youth as averse to agriculture, the majority of the youth envision a future within their home country and the local area. Environmental degradation; limited access to land, and rural-urban inequalities are some of the reasons that make rural youth not pursue agricultural-based careers. General recommendations to increase youth engagement in agriculture may include infrastructural and regulatory interventions; specific training in agriculture; targeting youth in interventions as direct beneficiaries; youth-friendly credit and saving; agripreneurship training and startups; and locally adapted and gender-responsive rural finance.
Spaceborne Cooperative Detection for Distributed Sensing: Overcoming Inter-Satellite Link Limitations via Deep Information Bottleneck

We consider the cooperative detection for distributed sensing via low Earth orbit constellations. The source data gathered by the ground sensors are non-orthogonally sent to satellite access points, and then aggregated at a central satellite via inter-satellite links (ISLs). To overcome the intrinsic ISL bandwidth limitation, we consider the deep auto-encoding paradigm to jointly design the ISL transceivers among satellites, and propose a novel deep variational information bottleneck (DVIB) method which maximizes the end-to-end sensing accuracy under bandwidth constraints. Specifically, the mathematically untractable ISL bandwidth constraint is first transformed into an entropy-based format. Then a customized batch-norm layer is introduced, where the messages on ISLs are considered as latent variables and are regularized with entropy-constrained posterior for efficient compression. Compared to the benchmark, the proposed DVIB method is shown to simultaneously reduce the bandwidth overhead by 30% and enhance the sensing accuracy by 2–5 dB, validating the significance of relevant information extraction on ISLs.
The O4f + O6V eclipsing binary system Sk−67°105 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present a new V light curve of the early type Magellanic eclipsing binary Sk−67 ◦ 105, based on charge-coupled device images obtained at CASLEO. We perform an analysis of our data, together with published radial velocities, deriving the following masses and radii: M 1 = 48.3