Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inclusive 
χcJ
 production in 
ϒ
 decay at 
O(αs5)
 in NRQCD factorization

Inclusive χ cJ ( J = 0 , 1 , 2) production from Υ(1 S ) decay is studied within the framework of nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD) factorization at leading order in v 2 Q , which includes the contributions of b ¯ b ( 3 S [1]1 ) → c ¯ c ( 3 P [1] J ) + X and b ¯ b ( 3 S [1]1 ) → c ¯ c ( 3 S [8]1 ) + X . For both channels, the short-distance coeﬃcients are calculated through O ( α 5 s ) , which is next-to-leading order for the second one. By ﬁtting to the measured Υ(1 S ) branching fractions to χ c 1 and χ c 2 , we obtain the color-octet long-distance matrix element (LDME) hO χ c 0 ( 3 S [8]1 ) i = (4 . 04 ± 0 . 47 +0 . 67 − 0 . 34 ) × 10 − 3 GeV 3 , where the ﬁrst error is experimental and the second one due to the renormalization scale dependence, if we use as input hO χ c 0 ( 3 P [1]0 ) i = 0 . 107 GeV 5 as obtained via potential-model analysis. Previous LDME sets, extracted from data of prompt χ cJ hadroproduction, yield theoretical predictions that systematically undershoot or mildly overshoot the experimental values of B (Υ → χ cJ + X ) .
An Updated Line List for NUV Spectral Synthesis in Evolved Stars: Redetermination of the Beryllium Abundance in the Solar Photosphere

Motivated by the desire to measure beryllium abundances in red giant stars, we have constructed a new line list for synthesizing spectra in the near-ultraviolet. Using the Sun, Arcturus, and Pollux as benchmark stars, we explore potential sources of missing continuous opacity and line absorption. Despite the inclusion of new sources of continuous opacity, fitting the ultraviolet OH lines in the solar spectrum still requires artificially inflating the continuous opacity. The red giants also require the addition of a line of unknown origin in the blue wing of the Be line at λ3131. 065 Å, and we find a good match can be made by adopting a Ti ii line with low excitation potential. The inclusion of this line does not affect the measurement of the solar Be abundance. Because the fits to all of the benchmark stars require tuning the properties of known spectral lines and including both an unknown source of additional continuous opacity and spectral lines of unknown origin, we argue that the absolute abundances of Be in stars should be interpreted with caution. Therefore, the question of whether the solar Be abundance is depleted may not yet be resolved, although our model favors minimal Be depletion in the Sun.
Analysis of scattering from composite conductor and dielectric objects using single integral equation method and FG-FFT

Abstract A hybrid method of single integral equation and the electric/magnetic current combined field integral equation (JMCFIE) is proposed, abbreviated as SJMCFIE, for analyzing scattering from composite conductor and dielectric objects. Fitting Green’s function with fast Fourier transform (FG-FFT) is adopted to combine SJMCFIE to lastly formulate SJMCFIE-FG-FFT for reducing computation complexity of resultant matrix-vector multiplications further. Next, scattering from the composite hemisphere is computed to verify SJMCFIE-FG-FFT on memory storage, computation efficiency compared to SJMCFIE-MLFMA. Simultaneously, comparison of FG-FFT and the other FFT-based algorithms being combined with SJMCFIE shows that SJMCFIE-FG-FFT is insensitive to grid spacing, easy implementation, and high accuracy. Besides, SJMCFIE-FG-FFT also can be used for analyzing scattering from the coated structure.
The inflation of viscoelastic balloons and hollow viscera

For the first time, the problem of the inflation of a nonlinear viscoelastic thick-walled spherical shell is considered. Specifically, the wall has quasilinear viscoelastic constitutive behaviour, which is of fundamental importance in a wide range of applications, particularly in the context of biological systems such as hollow viscera, including the lungs and bladder. Experiments are performed to demonstrate the efficacy of the model in fitting relaxation tests associated with the volumetric inflation of murine bladders. While the associated nonlinear elastic problem of inflation of a balloon has been studied extensively, there is a paucity of studies considering the equivalent nonlinear viscoelastic case. We show that, in contrast to the elastic scenario, the peak pressure associated with the inflation of a neo-Hookean balloon is not independent of the shear modulus of the medium. Moreover, a novel numerical technique is described in order to solve the nonlinear Volterra integral equation in space and time originating from the fundamental problem of inflation and deflation of a thick-walled nonlinear viscoelastic shell under imposed pressure.
Implicit Fixed-point Proximity Framework for Optimization Problems and Its Applications

A variety of optimization problems especially in the field of image processing are not differentiable in nature. The non-differentiability of the objective functions together with the large dimension of the underlying images makes minimizing the objective function theoretically challenging and numerically difficult. The fixed-point proximity framework that we will systematically study in this dissertation provides a direct and unified methodology for finding solutions to those optimization problems. The framework approaches the models arising from applications straightforwardly by using various fixed point techniques as well as convex analysis tools such as the subdifferential and proximity operator. With the notion of proximity operator, we can convert those optimization problems into finding fixed points of nonlinear operators. Under the fixed-point proximity framework, these fixed point problems are often solved through iterative schemes in which each iteration can be computed in an explicit form. We further explore this fixed point formulation, and develop implicit iterative schemes for finding fixed points of nonlinear operators associated with the underlying problems, with the goal of relaxing restrictions in the development of solving the fixed point equations. Theoretical analysis is provided for the convergence of implicit algorithms proposed under the framework. The numerical experiments on image reconstruction models demonstrate that the proposed implicit fixed-point proximity algorithms work well in comparison with existing explicit fixed-point proximity algorithms in terms of the consumed computational time and accuracy of the solutions. Implicit Fixed-point Proximity Framework for Optimization Problems and Its Applications By Xiaoxia Liu B.S., Sun Yat-sen University, 2012 M.S., Syracuse University, 2016 Dissertation Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Syracuse University June 2018 Copyright c © Xiaoxia Liu 2018 All Rights Reserved
CORPORATE SOCIAL IRRESPONSIBILITY: AN ANALYSIS OF THE DISASTER IN MARIANA-BRAZIL

The issue of Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSIR) has gained prominence in world literature. This study analyzes the 2015 environmental disaster caused by Samarco Mineração S.A. in Mariana (MG), Brazil, as an example of CSIR. The objective was to understand whether the population’s social identification with the company, which is translated into the economic benefits, reduced punitive intention and blame attribution. The research instrument uses scales with psychometric indicators applied to 1,616 individuals. It was verified that the benefits to the local economy reduced the punitive intention in the municipalities of Anchieta and Guarapari (ES), and Mariana (MG). Also, it was observed that the disaster’s severity increased blame attribution, and the punitive intention encouraged to the behavior of making negative comments toward the company. As the main conclusion, people were less likely to punish the company in the municipalities where it generated economic benefits.
Partial mitochondrial genome sequences of Ostrinia nubilalis and Ostrinia furnicalis

Contiguous 14,535 and 14,536 nt near complete mitochondrial genome sequences respectively were obtained for Ostrinia nubilalis and Ostrinia furnicalis. Mitochondrial gene order was identical to that observed from Bombyx. Sequences comparatively showed 186 substitutions (1.3% sequence divergence), 170 CDS substitutions (131 at 3rd codon positions), and an excess of transition mutation likely resulting by purifying selection (dN/dS = ω ≅ 0.15). Overall substitution rates were significantly higher at 4-fold (5.2%) compared to 2-fold degenerate codons (2.6%). These are the 3rd and 4th lepidopteran mitochondrial genome reference sequences in GenBank and useful for comparative mitochondrial studies.
Trisecant flops, their associated K3 surfaces and the rationality of some cubic fourfolds

We provide a new construction of rationality for cubic fourfolds via Mori's theory and the minimal model program. As an application, we present the solution of the Kuznetsov's conjecture for $d=42$ (the first open case). Our methods also show an explicit connection between the rationality of cubic fourfolds belonging to the first four admissible families $\mathcal C_d$, with $d=14,26,38$, and $42$ and some birational models of minimal K3 surfaces of degree $d$ contained in well known rational Fano fourfolds.
Symmetric chain decompositions and independent families of curves.

JIANG, ZONGLIANG. Symmetric chain decompositions and independent families of curves. (Under the direction of Dr. Carla D. Savage.) This thesis shows that symmetric independent families of n curves with the minimum possible number of regions exist for all n ≤ 16. Recent research has shown that such an independent family of curves exists for all prime n [GKS02]. For composite n, before this thesis, such a symmetric independent family of curves was known to exist only for n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10. An independent family of curves is a collection of simple closed curves intersecting at finite number of points. If we label the curves with 1, 2, . , n, then each region is labeled with the set of labels of the curves containing that region. If every subset of {1, 2, . , n} is a label for at least one region, then the collection of curves is an independent family of curves. If we rotate any curve around a point by an angle of 2π/n radians (n − 1) times and each time it coincides with one of the other curves, then the collection of curves is a symmetric independent family of curves. We solve this geometric problem by first solving a combinatorial problem of looking for symmetric chain decompositions (SCD’s) of necklace-representative posets with the chain cover property (CCP). We then show the way of constructing a symmetric independent family of curves with the minimum possible number of regions from an SCD of necklace-representative poset with the CCP. SYMMETRIC CHAIN DECOMPOSITIONS AND INDEPENDENT FAMILIES OF CURVES
The potential ameliorative effects of broccoli against biochemical alterations and hepatorenal oxidative stress induced by lead intoxication in adult rats

: Lead is one of the top ten most dangerous substances for public health. Oxidative stress is an implicated mechanism in lead toxicity. The antioxidant activities of broccoli floret have been extensively confirmed. This study was conducted to evaluate the potentially ameliorative effects of broccoli powder (BP) against lead-hepatorenal toxicity. Thirty adult male albino rats were randomly assigned into five groups of six rats each: G1: negative control, fed on the basal diet (BD); G2: positive control, received lead acetate PbA (25 mg/kg BW) daily and was fed on BD; and G (3-5), received PbA and were fed BD containing (3.0, 6.0 and 9.0%) BP, respectively. At the end of the experiment (8 weeks), the rats were slaughtered, blood was drawn, and the liver and kidney were excised and processed for the biochemical and oxidative stress markers assays. Administration of PbA caused significant biochemical alterations that involved increased serum, liver, and kidney lead concentrations; dyslipidemia; and hepatic and renal dysfunction. Oxidative stress biomarkers in liver and kidney tissues of PbA-treated rats showed a significant ( P ≤0.05) drop in the levels of both non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase); and a marked elevation of lipid peroxidation (malonaldehyde) content. Feeding lead-intoxicated rats on BP diets showed significant amelioration in the aforementioned biochemical parameters and oxidant/antioxidant status by recovering the values toward their normal rate. The ameliorative effect was concentration-dependent and increased by increasing BP concentration, which may be attributed to its antioxidant activity. In conclusion, BP is a promising natural source for preventing and mitigating lead toxicity. Further investigations may be needed to identify the exact mechanism of action.
Criticality and Excitation Gap in Quantum Systems: Applications of Continuous Matrix Product States in Imaginary Time

We demonstrate an efficient method that allows for simultaneous determination of the ground state, low energy excitation properties and excitation gap in quantum many body systems. To this aim we first use the \textit{ab-initio} optimization principle of tensor networks (TN), to show that the infinite density matrix renormalization group (iDMRG) in the real space is associated in a natural manner to the infinite time-evolving block decimation (iTEBD) implemented on a continuous matrix product state (MPS), and defined in imaginary time. We illustrate this association showing that the (imaginary) time matrix product state (MPS) in iTEBD reproduces accurately the properties of the two-dimensional (2D) classical Ising model, verifying in this way that the time MPS corresponds to a well-defined physical state. We apply then our scheme to the one-dimensional (1D) quantum Ising chain, where the time MPS is defined in continuous imaginary time. It is found that the time MPS at or close to the critical point is always maximally entangled, but gives essentially different correlations than those obtained from iDMRG; we argue that these correlations describe the dynamic correlations for the ground state.
Simpler proofs for functional sliced inverse regression

In this short communication, we demonstrate that functional sliced inverse regression obtains the same convergence rate as that presented in Hall, P & Horowitz, JL (2007), ‘Methodology and convergence rates for functional linear regression’, Annals of Statistics, 35(1), 70–91 for functional linear regression, both based on functional principal component analysis. This result is interesting because functional sliced inverse regression imposes far fewer structural constraints than functional linear regression, including an unknown link function. The two proofs provided emphasize the similarity between the two, and the proofs are thus much simpler than typically found in the literature. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Optimized Small-Scale Rearing System to Support Embryonic Microinjection Protocols for Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

Simple Summary The United States Corn Belt consists of large monoculture corn fields. The use of insecticides and insecticidal toxins like Bt to control corn pests such as the western corn rootworm (WCR) has led to increased levels of resistance. While protocols exist for rearing WCR in the laboratory for use in pesticide trials and testing resistance to transgenic crops, they are not optimal for performing genetic engineering. Here we report the development of an optimized rearing system for use in WCR functional genomics research, specifically the development of a system that facilitates the collection of precellular embryos for microinjection as well as gathering large larvae and pupae for downstream phenotypic screening. A quality control system was also established to monitor colony health. This study also provides a model for the development of new rearing systems and the establishment of highly controlled processes for specialized purposes. Abstract Western corn rootworm (WCR), a major pest of corn, has been reared in laboratories since the 1960s. While established rearing methods are appropriate for maintaining WCR colonies, they are not optimal for performing germline transformation or CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing. Here we report the development of an optimized rearing system for use in WCR functional genomics research, specifically the development of a system that facilitates the collection of preblastoderm embryos for microinjection as well as gathering large larvae and pupae for downstream phenotypic screening. Further, transgenic-based experiments require stable and well-defined survival rates and the ability to manipulate insects at every life stage. In our system, the WCR life cycle (egg to adult) takes approximately 42 days, with most individuals eclosing between 41 and 45 days post oviposition. Over the course of one year, our overall survival rate was 67%. We used this data to establish a quality control system for more accurately monitoring colony health. Herein, we also offer detailed descriptions for setting up single-pair crosses and conducting phenotypic screens to identify transgenic progeny. This study provides a model for the development of new rearing systems and the establishment of highly controlled processes for specialized purposes.
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF KANSAS CITY

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Executive / Sr Officials & Managers 7 87.5 1 12.5 8 100.0 First / Mid Officials & Managers 96 88.9 7 6.5 2 1.9 3 2.8 108 100.0 Professionals 278 84.8 22 6.7 10 3.0 1 0.3 14 4.3 3 0.9 328 100.0 Technicians 27 75.0 7 19.4 1 2.8 1 2.8 36 100.0 Sales Workers 2 50.0 1 25.0 1 25.0 4 100.0 Administrative Support 103 69.1 23 15.4 18 12.1 1 0.7 3 2.0 1 0.7 149 100.0 Craft Workers 0 0.0 Service Workers 4 66.7 1 16.7 1 16.7 6 100.0
West Nile Virus Entry Requires Cholesterol-Rich Membrane Microdomains and Is Independent of αvβ3 Integrin

ABSTRACT West Nile virus (WNV) has been the leading cause of viral encephalitis in the United States since 1999. The endocytic processes involved in the internalization of infectious WNV by various cell types are not well characterized, and the involvement of cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains, or lipid rafts, in the life cycle of WNV has not been investigated previously. In this study, we found that the depletion of cellular cholesterol levels by brief treatment with methyl-β-cyclodextrin resulted in a 100-fold reduction of the titers of infectious WNV released into the culture supernatant, as well as a reduction in the number of WNV genome copies in the cholesterol-depleted cells. The addition of exogenous cholesterol to cholesterol-depleted cells reversed this effect. Cholesterol depletion postinfection did not affect WNV growth, suggesting that the effect occurs at the level of WNV entry. We also showed that while WNV entry did not require αvβ3 integrin and focal adhesion kinase, WNV particles failed to be internalized by cholesterol-depleted cells. Finally, we showed the colocalization of the WNV envelope protein and cholera toxin B, which is internalized in a lipid raft-dependent pathway, in microdomain clusters at the plasma membrane. These data suggest that WNV utilizes lipid rafts during initial stages of internalization and that the lipid rafts may contain a factor(s) that may enhance WNV endocytosis.
The Impact of Financial Risk on Financial Performance of Consumer Services Sector in Sri Lanka

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of financial risk on financial performance of the listed consumer services sector in Sri Lanka. It aims to uncover the effects of financial risk under operational risk, market risk, liquidity risk, and credit risk on return on equity which is the measurement of the financial performance for the period 2011–2020 from 32 listed consumer service companies listed under Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). This study used a quantitative research approach, and secondary data were collected from the published audited annual report of listed consumer service companies over ten years (2011–2020). The algorithms contained in Stata version 14.2 was used to evaluate hypotheses using the fixed effect regression model under panel data analysis. The study's outcome accepted three hypotheses while rejecting one. It was concluded that operational risk and liquidity risk have a positive statistically significant impact, and credit risk has a negative statistically significant. Further, it was revealed that market risk has a statistically insignificant impact on financial performance. The following study will enable consumer service firms to understand the impact and examine the financial risk impact on financial performance due to its unique nature, which would help firms increase shareholders’ wealth maximization. The findings demonstrate statistical significance, which may aid policymakers and industry experts in intervening and developing policies and regulations.
Efficacy and Effectiveness of Universal School-Based Wellbeing Interventions in Australia: A Systematic Review

The World Health Organisation defines health in terms of wellbeing, and wellbeing has become both a construct and a measure of impact in early intervention and prevention programs in schools. In Australia, schools report on their wellbeing initiatives and there is a plethora of government-funded wellbeing programs already in place in schools. However, education systems and stakeholders worldwide are facing significant challenges with mixed evaluation results of program impact and intervention effect. To better support students, schools, school-based healthcare workers, and community, it is important to know about the effectiveness of school-based programs; yet in the last decade, there has been no national appraisal of these programs in Australia. This systematic review aims to report on the effectiveness of Australian school-based wellbeing programs through a search of 13 databases. Out of 2888 articles, 29 met inclusion criteria. The results found that seventeen interventions comprising 80% of the total number of participants reported no statistically significant intervention effect on wellbeing outcomes. We argue that supporting wellbeing through robust program intervention is important as wellbeing presents both an indication of later onset of more serious mental health issues, and an opportunity for early intervention to break the trajectory leading to full disorder.
Two-fluid sub-grid-scale viscosity in nonlinear simulation of ballooning modes in a heliotron device

A large eddy simulation (LES) approach is introduced to enable the study of the nonlinear growth of ballooning modes in a heliotron-type device, by solving fully 3D two-fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations numerically over a wide range of parameter space, keeping computational costs as low as possible. A model to substitute the influence of scales smaller than the grid size, at sub-grid scale (SGS), and at the scales larger than it—grid scale (GS)—has been developed for LES. The LESs of two-fluid MHD equations with SGS models have successfully reproduced the growth of the ballooning modes in the GS and nonlinear saturation. The numerical results show the importance of SGS effects on the GS components, or the effects of turbulent fluctuation at small scales in low-wavenumber unstable modes, over the course of the nonlinear saturation process. The results also show the usefulness of the LES approach in studying instability in a heliotron device. It is shown through a parameter survey over many SGS model coefficients that turbulent small-scale components in experiments can contribute to keeping the plasma core pressure from totally collapsing.