Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Entropy, Disequilibrium and Complexity in Compact Stars: An information theory approach to understand their Composition

The composition of neutron stars is an issue that has been studied for decades. Yet we do not know exactly what these very compact objects are made of. At this stage of the technological development the best we can do is to constrain the range of equations of state via the mass-radius diagram. From the theoretical point of view the things are not easier. The theory of matter at high density and temperature is not well established. Keeping this in mind we applied the Information Theory as a novel way to restrict the range of possible equations of state for neutron stars. From our results, we conclude that if order costs energy, then nature should favour exotic strange quark stars over the hadronic neutron stars and that there is a trend for the types of compact stars of classified under the nomenclature "neutrons stars" to be at a state of minimum complexity.
Timing of Vertical Head, Withers and Pelvis Movements Relative to the Footfalls in Different Equine Gaits and Breeds

Simple Summary Movement symmetry of the head and pelvis are used to measure lameness in horses in trot. Although head, pelvis and limb movements have been described, less is known about the temporal relationships between them. This information is needed to understand how the movements change with lameness. This is particularly relevant in gaited horses, such as the Icelandic horse that perform gaits such as tölt and pace, which are challenging to evaluate. This study used inertial measurement units to investigate head, withers and pelvis motion relative to limb movements in Icelandic, Warmblood and Iberian horses. Limb movements, together with vertical movements and lowest/highest positions of the head, withers and pelvis were calculated, and the relative timing of the events was compared across breeds. Additionally, data for tölt and pace were collected and evaluated in ridden Icelandic horses. For all gaits except walk and pace, the lowest/highest positions of the head/withers/pelvis were closely temporally related to midstance and hoof-off, respectively. Pelvic and withers total range of motion differed between all breeds. The Icelandic horses showed shorter stride duration and smaller movements of the upper body than the other breeds at trot, which may explain why lameness evaluation in this breed is challenging. Abstract Knowledge of vertical motion patterns of the axial body segments is a prerequisite for the development of algorithms used in automated detection of lameness. To date, the focus has been on the trot. This study investigates the temporal synchronization between vertical motion of the axial body segments with limb kinematic events in walk and trot across three popular types of sport horses (19 Warmbloods, 23 Iberians, 26 Icelandics) that are known to have different stride kinematics, and it presents novel data describing vertical motion of the axial body segments in tölting and pacing Icelandic horses. Inertial measurement unit sensors recorded limb kinematics, vertical motion of the axial body at all symmetrical gaits that the horse could perform (walk, trot, tölt, pace). Limb kinematics, vertical range of motion and lowest/highest positions of the head, withers and pelvis were calculated. For all gaits except walk and pace, lowest/highest positions of the pelvis and withers were found to be closely related temporally to midstance and start of suspension of the hind/fore quarter, respectively. There were differences in pelvic/withers range of motion between all breeds where the Icelandic horses showed the smallest motion, which may explain why lameness evaluation in this breed is challenging.
Exact Fractional Solution by Nucci’s Reduction Approach and New Analytical Propagating Optical Soliton Structures in Fiber-Optics

This study examines the Chen–Lee–Liu dynamical equation, which represents the propagation of optical pulses in optical fibers and plasma. A new extended direct algebraic technique and Nucci’s scheme are used to find new solitary wave profiles. The method covers thirty-seven solitonic wave profiles, including approximately all soliton families, in an efficient and generic manner. New solitonic wave patterns are obtained, including a plane solution, mixed hyperbolic solution, periodic and mixed periodic solutions, mixed trigonometric solution, trigonometric solution, shock solution, mixed shock singular solution, mixed singular solution, complex solitary shock solution, singular solution and shock wave solutions. The exact fractional solution is obtained using Nucci’s reduction approach. The impact of the fractional order parameter on the solution is considered using both mathematical expressions and graphical visualization. The fractional order parameter is responsible for controlling the singularity of the solution which is graphically displayed. A sensitivity analysis was used to predict the sensitivity of equations with respect to initial conditions. To demonstrate the pulse propagation characteristics, while taking suitable values for the parameters involved, 2-D, 3-D, and contour graphics of the outcomes achieved are presented. The influence of the fractional order ζ is shown graphically. A periodic-singular wave with lower amplitude and dark-singular behaviour is inferred from the graphical behaviour of the trigonometric function solution H1 and the rational function solution H34 from the obtained solutions, respectively.
Lactobacillus reuteri MJM60668 Prevent Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease through Anti-Adipogenesis and Anti-Inflammatory Pathway

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) is a disease characterized by liver steatosis. The liver is a key organ involved in the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrate, enzyme activation, and storage of glycogen, which is closely related to the intestine by the bidirectional relation of the gut-liver axis. Abnormal intestinal microbiota composition can affect energy metabolism and lipogenesis. In this experiment, we investigated the beneficial effect of Lactobacillus reuteri MJM60668 on lipid metabolism and lipogenesis. C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and orally administrated with MJM60668. Our results showed that mice treated with MJM60668 significantly decreased liver weight and liver/body weight ratio, without affecting food intake. Serum levels of ALT, AST, TG, TCHO, and IL-1β in mice fed with MJM60668 were decreased compared to the HFD group. Investigation of gene and protein expression on the lipogenesis and lipid metabolism showed that the expression of ACC, FAS, and SREBP was decreased, and PPARα and CPT was increased. Furthermore, an increase of adiponectin in serum was shown in our experiment. Moreover, serum IL-1β level was also significantly decreased in the treated mice. These results suggested that MJM60668 can strongly inhibit lipogenesis, enhance fatty acid oxidation, and suppress inflammation. Additionally, supplementation of MJM60668 increased the proportion of Akkermansiaceae and Lachnospiracea, confirming a potential improvement of gut microbiota, which is related to mucus barrier and decrease of triglycerides levels.
Compact stellar systems in the polar ring galaxies NGC 4650A and NGC 3808B: Clues to polar disk formation

Polar ring galaxies (PRGs) are composed of two kinematically distinct and nearly orthogonal components, a host galaxy (HG) and a polar ring/disk (PR). The HG usually contains an older stellar population than the PR. The suggested formation channel of PRGs is still poorly constrained. Suggested options are merger, gas accretion, tidal interaction, or a combination of both. To constrain the formation scenario of PRGs, we study the compact stellar systems (CSSs) in two PRGs at different evolutionary stages: NGC 4650A with well-defined PR, and NGC 3808B, which is in the process of PR formation. We use archival HST/WFPC2 imaging. PSF-fitting techniques, and color selection criteria are used to select cluster candidates. Photometric analysis of the CSSs was performed to determine their ages and masses using stellar population models at a fixed metallicity. Both PRGs contain young CSSs ($< 1$ Gyr) with masses of up to 5$\times$10$^6$M$_\odot$, mostly located in the PR and along the tidal debris. The most massive CSSs may be progenitors of metal-rich globular clusters or ultra compact dwarf (UCD) galaxies. We identify one such young UCD candidate, NGC 3808 B-8, and measure its size of $r_{\rm eff}=25.23^{+1.43}_{-2.01}$ pc. We reconstruct the star formation history of the two PRGs and find strong peaks in the star formation rate (SFR $\simeq$ 200M$_\odot$/yr) in NGC 3808B, while NGC 4650A shows milder (declining) star formation (SFR $<$ 10M$_\odot$/yr). This difference may support different evolutionary paths between these PRGs. The spatial distribution, masses, and peak star formation epoch of the clusters in NGC 3808 suggest for a tidally triggered star formation. Incompleteness at old ages prevents us from probing the SFR at earlier epochs of NGC 4650A, where we observe the fading tail of CSS formation. This also impedes us from testing the formation scenarios of this PRG.
Scalar and tensor perturbations in vacuum inflation

Recently, it was proposed that a small true vacuum universe can inflate spontaneously, in principle. Furthermore, there should be matter creation in vacuum inflation due to quantum fluctuations, and the matter created will influence the inflation simultaneously. In this paper, scalar and tensor perturbations in this model are analyzed and confronted with recent observations. These perturbations are derived and expressed with Hubble flow-functions. By comparing our calculations with experimental results, we can determine all the parameters in this model. Finally, with the determined parameters, we compute the evolution of the matter density and show that the matter produced in inflation roughly fits the observations at present.
Impact of uncertainties in reaction Q values on nucleosynthesis in type I x-ray bursts

Nucleosynthesis in type I X-ray bursts may involve up to several thousand nuclear processes. The majority of these processes have only been determined theoretically due to the lack of sufficient experimental information. Accurate reaction $Q$-values are essential for reliable theoretical estimates of reaction rates. Those reactions with small $Q$-values ($l1$ MeV) are of particular interest in these environments as they may represent waiting points for a continuous abundance flow toward heavier-mass nuclei. To explore the nature of these waiting points, we have performed a comprehensive series of post-processing calculations which examine the sensitivity of nucleosynthesis in type I X-ray bursts to uncertainties in reaction $Q$-values. We discuss and list the relatively few critical masses for which measurements could better constrain the results of our studies. In particular, we stress the importance of measuring the mass of $^{65}\mathrm{As}$ to obtain an experimental $Q$-value for the $^{64}\mathrm{Ge}(p,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{65}\mathrm{As}$ reaction.
VERITAS monitoring of LS I +61$^\circ$ 303 in conjunction with X-ray, and GeV observation campaigns

One of the most enigmatic TeV binary systems, LS I +61$^\circ$ 303 exhibits a high degree of flux modulation from radio to TeV wavelengths over a single orbit of the binary system, once every $\sim$26.5 days. The binary system also exhibits a $\sim4.5$ year superorbital modulation in radio, X-ray and GeV emission which is yet to be seen in TeV gamma rays. LS I +61$^\circ$ 303 has been observed by VERITAS in the TeV energy range and multiwavelength partners (optical - GeV). The contemporaneous multiwavelength data sets enable searches for correlations between X-ray and TeV emission, as well as GeV and TeV emission. These correlation studies can further elucidate the astrophysical properties of this binary system. We present the preliminary results from the analysis of recent VERITAS observations from the 2014-2015 season in conjunction with Swift-XRT (0.3-10 keV) and Fermi-LAT (0.3-300 GeV) observations.
Solubilization of Nile Red in Micelles and Protomicelles of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

A spectrophotometric study of the solubilization and aggregation of the Nile red dye (NR) in premicellar and micellar aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was carried out. The experiments were conducted both with saturated solutions of NR under conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium of the solution with a dye precipitate, and at a constant concentration of NR in a homogeneous solution. In the first case, it was proved theoretically and verified experimentally that with an increase in the SDS concentration, the NR concentration always increases, and at the limit of low concentrations, the dependence is linear. In both cases, the concentration of NR dimers as a function passes through a maximum in the premicellar region. There are no dimers in the micellar region. The extinction coefficients of NR monomers in SDS solutions were determined both below and above the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of SDS. A solubilization curve with branches for the premicellar and micellar regions was constructed, the intersection of which was used to find the CMC value in the system under study. The state of deep supersaturation of the NR solution in the metastable state upon dilution of the micellar system with water was studied. It was found that, in addition to dimers, molecular aggregates of higher orders were also formed.
Direct and Indirect Effects of Inhibition and Flexibility to Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency, and Decoding in Spanish

Abstract This research aims to evaluate the predicting role of executive functions, specially inhibition and flexibility, in reading comprehension. Participants were evaluated with inhibition and flexibility measures in first- grade, and later in third- grade their reading comprehension, oral and silent reading fluency, as well as their decoding skills were measured. Results show that first grade inhibition and flexibility are direct predictors of third- grade reading comprehension. When the indirect effect of inhibition and flexibility on reading comprehension was tested through measures of reading fluency and decoding, it was found that neither ORF nor decoding mediates the relationship between the variables. However, it was found that SRF is a variable that mediates the relationship between flexibility and reading comprehension. Results are discussed in the context of the relevance of early measures of inhibition and flexibility to explain reading comprehension and the role of SRF in this relationship.
Review of Tensor Network Contraction Approaches

Tensor network (TN), a young mathematical tool of high vitality and great potential, has been undergoing extremely rapid developments in the last two decades, gaining tremendous success in condensed matter physics, atomic physics, quantum information science, statistical physics, and so on. This review is designed to give an insightful and practical introduction to TN contraction algorithms. Starting from basic concepts and definitions, we first explain the relations between TN and physical systems, including the TN representations of classical partitions, non-trivial quantum states, time evolution simulations, etc. These problems, which are challenging to solve, can be reduced to TN contraction problems. Then, we present two kinds of algorithms for simulating TN contractions: tensor renormalization group and tensor network encoding. Their physical implications and practical implementations are discussed in detail. Particularly, the mathematical connections between tensor network encoding and multi-linear algebra are presented. The readership is expected to range from beginners to specialists, with two main goals. One goal is to provide a systematic introduction of TN contraction algorithms (motivations, implementations, relations, implications, etc.), for those who want to further develop TN algorithms. The other goal is to provide a practical guidance to those, who want to learn and to use TN algorithms to solve practical problems. We expect that the review will be useful to anyone devoted to the interdisciplinary sciences with related numerics.
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF CONVENTIONAL CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE: THE EXTREMELY ENERGETIC SUPERNOVA SN 2003ma

We report the discovery of a supernova (SN) with the highest apparent energy output to date and conclude that it represents an extreme example of the Type IIn subclass. The SN, which was discovered behind the Large Magellanic Cloud at z = 0.289 by the SuperMACHO microlensing survey, peaked at MR = −21.5 mag and only declined by 2.9 mag over 4.7 years after the peak. Over this period, SN 2003ma had an integrated bolometric luminosity of 4 × 1051 erg, more than any other SN to date. The radiated energy is close to the limit allowed by conventional core-collapse explosions. Optical spectra reveal that SN 2003ma has persistent single-peaked intermediate-width hydrogen lines, a signature of interaction between the SN and a dense circumstellar medium. The light curves show further evidence for circumstellar interaction, including a long plateau with a shape very similar to the classic SN IIn 1988Z—however, SN 2003ma is 10 times more luminous at all epochs. The fast velocity measured for the intermediate-width Hα component (∼6000 km s−1) points toward an extremely energetic explosion (>1052 erg), which imparts a faster blast-wave speed to the post-shock material and a higher luminosity from the interaction than is observed in typical SNe IIn. Mid-infrared observations of SN 2003ma suggest an infrared light echo is produced by normal interstellar dust at a distance ∼0.5 pc from the SN.
Cooling Timescale of Dust Tori in Dying Active Galactic Nuclei

We estimate the dust torus cooling timescale once the active galactic nucleus (AGN) is quenched. In a clumpy torus system, once the incoming photons are suppressed, the cooling timescale of one clump from Tdust = 1000 K to several 10 K is less than 10 years, indicating that the dust torus cooling time is mainly governed by the light crossing time of the torus from the central engine. After considering the light crossing time of the torus, the AGN torus emission at 12 μm becomes over two orders of magnitude fainter within 100 years after the quenching. We also propose that those “dying” AGNs could be found using the AGN indicators with a different physical scale R such as 12 μm band luminosity tracing AGN torus (R ∼ 10 pc) and the optical [O iii]λ5007 emission line tracing narrow line regions (R = 102–4 pc).
Far-ultraviolet signatures of the 3He(n,tp) reaction in noble gas mixtures

Previous work showed that the 3He(n,tp) reaction in a cell of 3He at atmospheric pressure generated tens of far-ultraviolet photons per reacted neutron. Here we report amplification of that signal by factors of 1000 and more when noble gases are added to the cell. Calibrated filter-detector measurements show that this large signal is due to noble-gas excimer emissions, and that the nuclear reaction energy is converted to far-ultraviolet radiation with efficiencies of up to 30%. The results have been placed on an absolute scale through calibrations at the NIST SURF III synchrotron. They suggest possibilities for high-efficiency neutron detectors as an alternative to existing proportional counters.
Contrast-Free FLIM Reveals Metabolic Changes in Pathological Islets of Langerhans

FLIM (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy) is a powerful tool that could be used in the future to diagnose islet cell recovery after therapy. The identification of appropriate FLIM parameters is required to determine islet quality and islet cell metabolism throughout the organ under various conditions of insulin deficiency. The aim of the work was to identify key FLIM parameters, changes of which are characteristic of pancreatic pathologies. The τm, τ1, τ2, α1, α2 and α1/α2 of free and bound forms of NAD(P)H of the islet cells of animals (rats and pigs) and of humans with and without pathologies were measured and analyzed. The data were confirmed by IHC and histological studies. We identified three FLIM parameters in islet cells from animals with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) and from humans with chronic pancreatitis + type 2 diabetes (T2D), which differ in the same way: τm and α2 take lower values compared to the nonpathological islet cells, while α1/α2 takes higher values. In islet cells from patients with adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and chronic pancreatitis, these parameters had reverse tendency relative to the norm or did not differ. Thus, minimally invasive and non-contrast FLIM methods may, in the future, be used to diagnose pathological islet cells.
Discontinuous PWM Technique With Reduced Low-Order Harmonic Distortion for High-Power Applications

The modulation techniques used in high power applications have to generate high quality waveforms with reduced switching losses. As an attractive alternative, discontinuous PWM (DPWM) techniques present lower device switching frequencies than conventional continuous PWM methods lowering the converter switching loss. Considering the same cooling system, this allows to increase the carrier frequency of DPWM methods displacing the main switching harmonics to higher frequencies. As a main drawback, when low carrier to fundamental ratios are used, DPWM methods present some undesired low-order harmonics that are required to be filtered. This article presents a low-order harmonic minimization method for synchronous DPWM methods by modifying the conventional modulating reference to limit low order harmonics amplitude, while keeping the same effective switching frequency and thus limited switching losses.
Dielectric elastomer actuators as artificial muscles for wearable robots

Current powered prosthetic and orthotic devices are mostly based on rigid actuators, which exhibit some intrinsic limitations, such as the reduced number of degrees of freedom, high weight, and limited flexibility. As progress is made in the soft robotics field, artificial muscles arise as potential candidates to replace current rigid actuator technologies. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are a very promising class of soft actuator and are attracting attention due to their high energy density, fast response, and high actuation strains, similar or even superior to natural muscles. Such remarkable properties can lead the DEAs to be the next generation of actuators for wearable robots, and overcome the limitations imposed by the rigid actuators currently used. This paper reviews the state of art of the applications of DEAs to prostheses, orthoses, and rehabilitation devices. We analyzed the main configurations that are suitable as artificial muscles for the above-mentioned applications and presented the basic model of a dielectric elastomer transducer. When compared to the properties of natural skeletal muscle, some of these configurations stand out. However, there are still some drawbacks that prevent the large-scale application of DEAs, for instance the high operating voltages, durability issues, and nonlinearities that make them difficult to control. We investigated recent advances in materials, control strategies and fabrication methods that tackle these drawbacks, and they indicate that dielectric elastomers are great candidates to be the next generation of actuators for bionic devices.