Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Children and Young Adolescents after a Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome: Physical Deconditioning or Residual Pathology?

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a serious health condition that imposes a long-term follow-up. The purpose of our pilot study is to evaluate the usefulness of the cardiopulmonary stress test (CPET) in the follow-up after MIS-C. All patients admitted for MIS-C in our hospital in the 12 months preceding the date of observation were considered for inclusion in the study. Pre-existing cardio-respiratory diseases and/or the lack of collaboration were the exclusion criteria. At enrolment, each subject passed a cardiological examination, rest ECG, echocardiogram, 24 h Holter-ECG, blood tests, and a CPET complete of spirometry. A total of 20 patients met the inclusion criteria (11.76 ± 3.29 years, 13 male). In contrast to the normality of all second-level investigations, CPET showed lower-than-expected peakVO2 and peak-oxygen-pulse values (50% of cases) and higher-than-expected VE/VCO2-slope values (95% of cases). A statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between P-reactive-protein values at admission and peakVO2/kg values (p = 0.034), uric acid values at admission, and peakVO2 (p = 0.011) or peak-oxygen-pulse expressed as a percentage of predicted (p = 0.021), NT-proBNP values at admission and peakVO2 expressed as a percentage of predicted (p = 0.046). After MIS-C (4–12 months) relevant anomalies can be observed at CPET, which can be a valuable tool in the follow-up after this condition.
Using X-ray absorption lines to determine the distances to clusters of galaxies

The stronger resonant X-ray lines from the intracluster gas should be observable as absorption lines in the spectrum of an X-ray emitting background quasar. The equivalent widths of the strongest absorption lines in a set of model clusters with typical parameters are calculated, and the strongest lines are found to have equivalent widths of several eV. By comparing the equivalent width of such a line and the flux from the same line seen in emission, the distance to the cluster can be directly determined, independent of the standard extragalactic distance scale. A method of analyzing the X-ray absorption and emission measurements is presented, and the effects of resonant scattering on the distances are discussed. 34 refs.
Graphene-Related Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

This paper builds on the context and recent progress on the control, reproducibility, and limitations of using graphene and graphene-related materials (GRMs) in biomedical applications. The review describes the human hazard assessment of GRMs in in vitro and in vivo studies, highlights the composition–structure–activity relationships that cause toxicity for these substances, and identifies the key parameters that determine the activation of their biological effects. GRMs are designed to offer the advantage of facilitating unique biomedical applications that impact different techniques in medicine, especially in neuroscience. Due to the increasing utilization of GRMs, there is a need to comprehensively assess the potential impact of these materials on human health. Various outcomes associated with GRMs, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, beneficial effects on cell proliferation, differentiation rates, apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, oxidative stress, physical destruction, DNA damage, and inflammatory responses, have led to an increasing interest in these regenerative nanostructured materials. Considering the existence of graphene-related nanomaterials with different physicochemical properties, the materials are expected to exhibit unique modes of interactions with biomolecules, cells, and tissues depending on their size, chemical composition, and hydrophil-to-hydrophobe ratio. Understanding such interactions is crucial from two perspectives, namely, from the perspectives of their toxicity and biological uses. The main aim of this study is to assess and tune the diverse properties that must be considered when planning biomedical applications. These properties include flexibility, transparency, surface chemistry (hydrophil–hydrophobe ratio), thermoelectrical conductibility, loading and release capacity, and biocompatibility.
Improving Structural Homogeneity, Hydraulic Permeability, and Mechanical Performance of Asymmetric Monophasic Cellulose Acetate/Silica Membranes: Spinodal Decomposition Mix

In this paper, we propose an optimized protocol to synthesize reproducible, accurate, sustainable integrally skinned monophasic hybrid cellulose acetate/silica membranes for ultrafiltration. Eight different membrane compositions were studied, divided into two series, one and two, each composed of four membranes. The amount of silica increased from 0 wt. % up to 30 wt. % (with increments of 10 wt.%) in each series, while the solvent composition was kept constant within each series (formamide/acetone ratio equals 0.57 wt.% in series one and 0.73 wt.% in series two). The morphology of the membranes was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and the chemical composition by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, in attenuated total reflection mode (FTIR-ATR). Mechanical tensile properties were determined using tensile tests, and a retest trial was performed to assess mechanical properties variability over different membrane batches. The hydraulic permeability of the membranes was evaluated by measuring pure water fluxes following membrane compaction. The membranes in series two produced with a higher formamide/acetone solvent ratio led to thicker membranes with higher hydraulic permeability values (47.2–26.39 kg·h−1·m−2·bar−1) than for the membranes in series one (40.01–19.4 kg·h−1·m−2·bar−1). Results obtained from the FTIR-ATR spectra suggest the presence of micro/nano-silica clusters in the hybrid membranes of series one, also exhibiting higher Young’s modulus values than the hybrid membranes in series two.
A Switchable Linear-to-linear Polarization Converter with Broadband Performance

A reflective metasurface enabling linear-to-linear polarization conversion or co-polarization reflection is proposed based on the p-i-n diodes. The active design achieved the conversion function in the frequencies range from 3.27 to 7.78 GHz with 82% relative bandwidth when p-i-ns are on and co-polarization reflection over -1 dB from 1.53 to 6.78 GHz when p-i-ns are OFF.
A Systematic Mapping Study on Technical Debt in Microservices

In recent years, the development of high-quality systems with a microservices architecture has drawn the attention of professionals and researchers. Software systems with a microservices architecture are relatively new; the study of technical debt in the context of Microservices Architecture has not been thoroughly addressed in the literature, so the characteristics of technical debt in these systems are not known. This study aims to describe the characteristics of technical debt in systems with microservices architecture as identified in the literature. Through a systematic mapping study, 12 primary studies were identified and analyzed. We found eight types of technical debt and one type of technical debt unique to microservices-based systems. Architecture Debt and Code Debt stand out as the most frequently reported types of debt in the literature among the eight types. Design and implementation activities were also identified as those with the highest number of cases of technical debt, followed by migration activities where technical debt also arises as a result of migrating from a monolithic system to a system with microservices. With this work it is expected that software engineers know the technical debt present in systems based on microservices in order to modify their management practices for the development of said systems. In addition, areas of opportunity have been identified to deepen the study of this type of technical debt.
AI Based Segmentation Technique to Identify Abnormality in MRI Images

Medical image processing is the most demanding and upcoming fields today. This paper proposes an efficient strategy for segmentation to detect abnormalities in patient's brain MRI images. To show the differences in tumor of brain MRI and its assimilation with input images a high pass filter is used. In this work an AI based algorithm is proposed named as Convolutional Wavelet Network (CWN). For effective segmentation of the brain MRI, CWN and softmax classification is done for effective segmentation. This paper concludes with experimental results which indicate that the technique which is proposed gives a better accuracy (99.44%) than the previous models, high DSC values which indicates that the model can facilitate abnormality identification in brain MRIs.
Sub-Millimeter Hard X-Ray Source Based on Wire-Shorted Low-Impedance Rod Pinch Diode

Rod pinch diode (RPD) is an intense text X-ray point source with a millimeter spot diameter, tens of nanosecond pulsewidth, and tens of keV to MeV photon energy, resulting in extraordinary flash radiography performance. Classical RPD is featured with a high-impedance vacuum gap between the annular cathode and the central anode rod, which limits the electron current and electrical power density, therefore is not conducive to the improvement of brightness. Plasma prefilling can effectively reduce the RPD impedance, thereby increasing the electron current and realizing an impedance match of RPD with low-impedance, high-power-density drivers. In this article, an experimental study on text plasma-prefilled RPD is carried out based on a fast linear transformer driver (FLTD) with relatively low charging voltage; the RPD anode and cathode are initially connected by metal wires, which are transformed into plasma shortly after the onset of discharge current. A quasi-spherical X-ray spot is obtained with $\sim $ 0.45 mm diameter, $\sim $ 30 ns pulsewidth, 0.6 rad@1 m (LiF) dose, and 55–60 keV equivalent mono-energy photon energy. The radiography performance is further characterized by a tungsten text rolled-edge and slit plate. The preliminary results proved the feasibility of text low-impedance RPD as a flash radiography source within the relatively low photon energy range.
Automated control system of drip irrigation and mathematical modeling

In this article, the theoretical and methodological foundations for the use of an automated control system for drip irrigation of crops are considered. The analyzed system is automated through integration, which allows controlling the entire irrigation process through a control device with controllers, shows the main elements of the drip irrigation system that carry out complete controlling and the procedure for moistening the soil and fertilizing, presents a functional diagram of the automated system for regulating soil moisture, as well as pressure in the pipeline, mathematical modeling of water consumption of crops under drip and combined irrigation is considered, the influencing factors that require regulation, which will ensure the management of plant development are shown. The complexity of the simulated system “Plant-moisture-soil-atmosphere-solar radiation” and its subsystems are explained by a large number of interrelated factors of various nature and requires the construction of numerical schemes, computer simulation using various computer programs.
Maritime Potential Optimization in the Riau Islands Province

The archipelagic province’s maritime development has thus far been disproportionately attributed to fisheries and primary marine activities, restricting the evaluation of the ideal maritime sector optimization within the economy. The maritime notion and its scope apply to activities in more diverse fields. It accords with experts' conceptual and theoretical definitions and the Indonesian legal perspective as well). This study aims to assess the extent to which maritime performance optimization has occurred throughout the Riau Islands Province based on seventeen activities. Using a well-known quantitative technique, i.e., Location Quotient, Shift-Share, Overlay, and Klassen's Typology, we found that maritime optimization performed differently in each district and municipality of the Riau Islands Province. Based on the results, Batam is the region with the best maritime sector performance, followed by Bintan, Tanjungpinang, Karimun, and Lingga. Meanwhile, Anambas and Natuna are relatively lagging. In addition, the study results show that the optimization of the maritime sector is not limited to the creation of added value in primary outputs such as fisheries, mining, and quarrying. It also considers secondary and tertiary maritime activities such as manufacturing, trade, and services such as sea transportation, accommodation, food, and beverages, where there are many marine tourism activities. In addition, the results suggest that maritime sector optimization is not restricted to creating added value in the primary output but also secondary and tertiary.
Study on the effect of the green manure application on soil fertility

The natural soil and climatic conditions of green manure crops are taken into account. It is important to choose the types suitable for growing them for different purposes (as a main, repeated crop, animal feed, mulching), to increase the yield and quality of green manure crops, to achieve high green biomass by using optimal seeding periods and rootstock thicknesses. One of the urgent tasks is to carry out research in the priority areas such as increasing the soil fertility and cotton yield by crushing the cultivated green biomass and spreading it evenly on the field, plowing it into the soil at different times and depths. In order to increase soil fertility, the use of pure bean and colza and their mixtures as green manure has increased. The percentage of macroaggregates in the driving layer before the first irrigation increased by 13.0–13.45% compared to the control, and by 16.55–17.4% before the last irrigation. As a result, the volume mass of the soil is reduced to 0.02-0.04 g/cm3, and the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus (P2O5) and exchangeable potassium (K2O) in the form of ammonium (N-NH4) and nitrate (N-NO3) in the soil is lower than in the control-green manure and caused a slight increase compared to the option.
Patient-specific multi-modal modeling uncovers neurotransmitter receptor involvement in motor and non-motor axes of Parkinson's disease

Multi-systemic neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) is increasingly acknowledged, involving several neurotransmitter systems beyond the classical dopaminergic circuit and resulting in heterogeneous motor and non-motor symptoms. Nevertheless, the mechanistic basis of neuropathological and symptomatic heterogeneity remains unclear. Here, we use patient-specific generative brain modeling to identify neurotransmitter receptor-mediated mechanisms involved in PD progression. Combining receptor maps with longitudinal neuroimaging (PPMI data), we detect a diverse set of receptors influencing gray matter atrophy, microstructural degeneration, and dendrite loss in PD. Importantly, identified receptor mechanisms correlate with symptomatic variability along two distinct axes, representing motor/psychomotor symptoms with large GABAergic contributions, and cholinergically-driven visuospatial dysfunction. Furthermore, we map cortical and subcortical regions where receptors exert significant influence on neurodegeneration. Our work constitutes the first personalized causal model linking the progression of multi-factorial brain reorganization in PD across spatial scales, including molecular systems, accumulation of neuropathology in macroscopic brain regions, and clinical phenotypes.
Surface Cyclogenesis over South America

Abstract The frequency of surface cyclogenesis over South America (approximately the area enclosed by 15°–50°S and 30°–90°W) has been calculated using, 10 years (1979–1988) of data. The frequency of cyclogenesis is more in winter than in any other season. Highest frequency (139) is found in the month of May and the lowest frequency (71) is found in the month of December. In addition to seasonal, the frequency of cyclogenesis shows interannual variation. The occurrence of cyclogenesis is more during the years of negative Southern Oscillation index (El Nino years) and less during the years of positive Southern Oscillation index. The years of higher (lower) cyclogenesis are found to be associated with higher (lower) rainfall. This explains the negative correlation between the precipitation over southern Brazil and the Southern Oscillation index.
Synthesis of graphene pattern using laser-induced chemical vapor deposition

In this study, Graphene patterns using laser-induced chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) with a visible CW laser (λ = 532 nm) irradiation at room temperature was investigated. Optically-pumped solid-state laser with a wavelength of 532 nm irradiates a thin nickel foil to induce a local temperature rise, thereby allowing the direct writing of graphene patterns about ~10 μm in width with high growth rate on precisely controlled positions. It is demonstrate that the fabrication of graphene patterns can be achieved with a single scan for each graphene pattern using LCVD with no annealing or preprocessing of the substrate. The scan speed reaches to about ~200 μm/s, which indicates that the graphene pattern with an unite area (10×10 μm) can be grown in 0.05 sec. The number of graphene layers was controlled by laser scan speed on a substrate. The fabricated graphene patterns on nickel foils were directly transferred to desired positions on patterned electrodes. The position-controlled transfer with rapid single-step fabrication of graphene patterns provides an innovative pathway for application of electrical circuits and devices.
Difficult removal after bronchial filling of an endobronchial Watanabe spigot with N‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate for intractable pneumothorax: A case report

A 52‐year‐old man developed a right pneumothorax during treatment for COVID‐19. In a previous case report concerning this patient, his recovery was achieved through implanting four endobronchial Watanabe spigots (EWS) in the right B1 and B3 in two phases and spraying N‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate (NBCA). One year later, EWS removal was planned. He was intubated under bronchoscopic guidance, and the right upper lobe was observed. The right B1 and B3 inlets were found to be covered with granuloma. Despite the presence of a nylon thread for easy retrieval and partial debridement of the granulation, removal of the implanted EWS in the right B1 and B3 using grasping forceps, basket forceps, and two types of balloons under fluoroscopic guidance was challenging. NBCA spraying is a possible cause of foreign body granuloma formation. Therefore, careful consideration of the indications for the combined EWS‐NBCA procedure is necessary.
Methods of Computing the Power Spectrum for Equally Spaced Time Series of Finite Length

Abstract Two conventional methods of computing the power spectrum, via the autocovariance function or via the fast Fourier transform (referred to as the lagged product method and the FFT method respectively for simplicity), have been examined analytically and numerically for equally spaced time series of finite length. It is found that the two methods are equivalent to each other, and that the only difference between them lies in regard to the spectral window. Spectral windows for the FFT method are superior to those for the lagged product method in that they do not show any negative values and that their influence is band-limited in frequency domain. There is little difference in spectral estimates between the two methods. In many cases the FFT method is economical in computation time, but for the case of large data points and small maximum lag the lagged product method is the more economical. It is proved that in the strict sense the power spectrum for higher frequencies than the Nyquist frequency is no.
Deplatforming did not decrease Parler users’ activity on fringe social media

Abstract Online platforms have banned (“deplatformed”) influencers, communities, and even entire websites to reduce content deemed harmful. Deplatformed users often migrate to alternative platforms, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of deplatforming. Here, we study the deplatforming of Parler, a fringe social media platform, between 2021 January 11 and 2021 February 25, in the aftermath of the US Capitol riot. Using two large panels that capture longitudinal user-level activity across mainstream and fringe social media content (N = 112, 705, adjusted to be representative of US desktop and mobile users), we find that other fringe social media, such as Gab and Rumble, prospered after Parler’s deplatforming. Further, the overall activity on fringe social media increased while Parler was offline. Using a difference-in-differences analysis (N = 996), we then identify the causal effect of deplatforming on active Parler users, finding that deplatforming increased the probability of daily activity across other fringe social media in early 2021 by 10.9 percentage points (pp) (95% CI [5.9 pp, 15.9 pp]) on desktop devices, and by 15.9 pp (95% CI [10.2 pp, 21.7 pp]) on mobile devices, without decreasing activity on fringe social media in general (including Parler). Our results indicate that the isolated deplatforming of a major fringe platform was ineffective at reducing overall user activity on fringe social media.
Frequency response of polarization switching in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We present an experimental study of the current-driven polarization modulation properties of VCSELs. In some VCSELs, abrupt polarization switching (PS) between two polarization modes is observed at a particular value of the pump current. We investigate the dynamics and the associated dominating time scales of PS as these features are strongly linked with the underlying physical mechanism causing the PS. To this end, we measure both for gain- and index-guided VCSELs the critical modulation amplitude necessary to steadily force PS back and forth across the PS point as a function of the modulation frequency. This yields the current-driven polarization modulation frequency response, which we compare with the thermal frequency response of the studied devices. The dynamic behavior turns out to be strikingly different for the different VCSEL types. Thermal effects only play a minor role in the PS in our index-guided VCSELs, while they really seem to lie at the origin of PS in the gain-guided VCSELs. By implementing this in a rate-equation based theoretical model, we are able to explain the peculiarities of the measured response curves and to reproduce the experimental findings.
Path Following of an Omnidirectional Mobile Platform Using Adaptive Backstepping Technique

This paper proposes a controller design for an omnidirectional mobile platform (OMP) with three wheels using adaptive backstepping control. A kinematic modeling and a dynamic modeling of the system with disturbance and friction are presented. Based on the dynamic modeling, an adaptive backstepping controller (ABC) is designed to stabilize the OMP with parameter variations and uncertainties caused by friction and slip to follow a desired path. The controller and update laws are designed based on an adaptive backstepping control theory. It includes two steps: firstly, a virtual state and a stability function are introduced. Secondly, Lyapunov functions for the system are chosen and an adaptive backstepping controller to make the system stabilisable and the update laws to estimate the unknown parameters are obtained. The system stability is guaranteed by the Lyapunov stability theory. The simulation and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller and update laws.