Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of univariate and multivariate longitudinal data with censored and missing response with complex covariance structure

The analysis of univariate and multivariate longitudinal data (U/MLD) with censored and missing response has inspired considerable interest in the statistical community recently. In the case of MLD, estimating the contemporaneous correlation coefficient is of particular interest to applied researchers. In this dissertation, mixed model methodologies are investigated to analyze U/MLD with censored and missing response while accounting for complex features of longitudinal data such as serial correlation and/or heteroscedasticity of the measurement error, and multiple level of nesting in the random effects. We propose a computationally feasible expectation maximization (EM) algorithm for maximum likelihood (ML) and restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimation for univariate and bivariate linear mixed effects models (U/BLMEMs) with censored and missing response. We implement our proposed methodology in an R function lmecm, which computes ML and REML for U/BLMEMs with censored and missing response and fits a wider class of models than existing computational tools. The performance of the proposed methods is evaluated through extensive simulation studies and analysis of real data from environmental and biomedical studies. Index words: Detection limit; R; lmecm; EM algorithm; Maximum likelihood; Heteroscedastic errors; Serial correlation.
Gold determination in massive samples by neutron activation analysis

This work presents the characteristics of the Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) in the determination of gold in voluminous mineral samples using a linear particle accelerator (Linac) as source of irradiation. The used volumes are one or two orders of magnitude higher than the ones that can be used in nuclear research reactor, which is the source usually used to determine through the NAA. This study was encouraged by a specific legal requirement to determine the gold law in a small Patagonian gold deposit.
Iron(II) Complexes with Porphyrin and Tetrabenzoporphyrin: CASSCF/MCQDPT2 Study of the Electronic Structures and UV–Vis Spectra by sTD-DFT

The geometry and electronic structures of iron(II) complexes with porphyrin (FeP) and tetrabenzoporphyrin (FeTBP) in ground and low-lying excited electronic states are determined by DFT (PBE0/def2-TZVP) calculations and the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) method, followed by the multiconfigurational quasi-degenerate second-order perturbation theory (MCQDPT2) approach to determine the dynamic electron correlation. The minima on the potential energy surfaces (PESs) of the ground (3A2g) and low-lying, high-spin (5A1g) electronic states correspond to the planar structures of FeP and FeTBP with D4h symmetry. According to the results of the MCQDPT2 calculations, the wave functions of the 3A2g and 5A1g electronic states are single determinant. The electronic absorption (UV–Vis) spectra of FeP and FeTBP are simulated within the framework of the simplified time-dependent density functional theory (sTDDFT) approach with the use of the long-range corrected CAM-B3LYP function. The most intensive bands of the UV–Vis spectra of FeP and FeTBP occur in the Soret near-UV region of 370–390 nm.
Effect of pulsating magnetic fields on neuron transient outward potassium channel

The effect of pulsating magnetic fields on the transient outward K+ channel of rat cortical neurons was researched.This experiment used pulsating magnetic fields with frequency of 15 Hz and intensity of 1.4 mT to impose on acutely the isolated rat cortical neurons,and studied the properties of transient outward K+ channel using the whole-cell patch clamp technique.The experiment reveals that pulsating magnetic fields reduce the amplitude of IA,and significantly affect the activation process of IA.The half-activation voltage and the slope factor of the activation curve are changed by the pulsating magnetic fields' exposure from(13.25±2.22) mV to(30.98±4.11) mV(n=6,P0.05)and from(24.00±2.05) mV to(23.30±2.13) mV(n=6,P0.05),respectively.The results show that pulsating magnetic fields can change the properties of transient outward K+ channel and can adjust the physiological functions of neurons by the pulsating magnetic fields.
Replicability in Lithic Analysis

Abstract The ubiquity and durability of lithic artifacts inform archaeologists about important dimensions of human behavioral variability. Despite their importance, lithic artifacts can be problematic to study because lithic analysts differ widely in their theoretical approaches and the data they collect. The extent to which differences in lithic data relate to prehistoric behavioral variability or differences between archaeologists today remains incompletely known. We address this issue with the most extensive lithic replicability study yet, involving 11 analysts, 100 unmodified flakes, and 38 ratio, discrete, and nominal attributes. We use mixture models to show strong inter-analyst replicability scores on several attributes, making them well suited to comparative lithic analyses. Based on our results, we highlight 17 attributes that we consider reliable for compiling datasets collected by different individuals for comparative studies. Demonstrating this replicability is a crucial first step in tackling more general problems of data comparability in lithic analysis and lithic analyst's ability to conduct large-scale meta-analyses.
Severe Streptococcus equi Subspecies zooepidemicus Outbreak from Unpasteurized Dairy Product Consumption, Italy

During November 2021–May 2022, we identified 37 clinical cases of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus infections in central Italy. Epidemiologic investigations and whole-genome sequencing showed unpasteurized fresh dairy products were the outbreak source. Early diagnosis by using sequencing technology prevented the spread of life-threatening S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus infections.
Heralded single-photon source from spontaneous four-wave mixing process in lossy waveguides

We investigate theoretically the spontaneous four-wave mixing (FWM) process that occurs in optical waveguides, as a source of quantum correlated photon-pairs. We consider that the waveguide used to implement the spontaneous FWM process presents a high value of nonlinear parameter, γ = 93.4 W-1m-1, and a non-negligible value of loss coefficient, α = 133.3 dB/m. Moreover, the theoretical model also consider the Raman scattering that inevitably accompanies the FWM process, and generates time-uncorrelated (noise) photon pairs. We use the coincident-to-accidental ratio (CAR) as a figure of merit of the photon pair source, and we were able to observe a CAR of the order of 65 in a high loss regime. After, we use the time-correlated photon pairs generated by the spontaneous FWM process to implement a heralded single photon source at waveguide output. In this scenario, the detection of one photon of the pair heralds the presence of the other photon. The quality of the source was studied by the evaluation of the second order coherence function for one photon of the pair conditioned by the detection of its twin photon. We observe that the presence of a high loss coefficient tends to improve the quality of the photon source, when compared with the lossless regime, even considering the Raman noise photons. We obtain a value for the conditional second order coherence function of the order of 0.11 in absence of loss, and a value of 0.03 for a loss coefficient of 133.3 dB/m.
Evaluating the higher national diploma industrial art programme of tamale technical university in Ghana: Curriculum versus implementation

Abstract In Ghana’s Polytechnics/Technical Universities, the Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes are ran to provide the country with its middle-skilled manpower base in science, engineering, technology, commerce and art for socio-economic development. However, the HND Industrial Art Programme of Tamale Technical University begun in 2008/2009 academic year and has since run up-to-date with options in Painting and Decorating (P/D), Leatherwork, Textiles and Ceramics without any form of evaluation to ascertain its impact in the country despite the numerous calls from stakeholders. Therefore, the study sought to examine the impact of the HND Industrial Art Programme of Tamale Technical University on the Art Industry in Ghana. To conduct the study, the main objective was to evaluate the scope and content of the curriculum of the HND Industrial Art Programme with reference to its implementation in the University. The Concurrent Triangulation Mixed-Method research design involving both qualitative (case study, document and descriptive analysis) and quantitative research were adopted to undertake the research. Questionnaire, interview and observation guides were relied as tools to collect data for the study. A sample population of 223 (present students: 57, graduates: 137, lecturers/technicians: 13 and industrial attachment supervisors: 16) was selected using purposive, random and snowball sampling techniques. From the study, the major finding is that, the curricula of the programme’s options provided students with knowledge and skills required in their respective industries as conceived by the Department. Nonetheless, with time and advancement in technology as being noted in the industry, some of the courses require review to catch up with industry standards. The findings from the study have implication on the training of students in the Country. It is therefore recommended that appropriate steps should be taken in conjunction with relevant stakeholders to have a holistic review of the curriculum to make it relevant.
Observation of delayed electron emission in a two-phase liquid xenon detector

Results of the experimental study of electron emission from liquid xenon via electroluminescence of the gas phase are presented. We report on observation of a peculiar kind of delayed electroluminescent signal following initial electroluminescence caused by ionizing particles. We also present the results of a study of spontaneous single electron emission following cosmic muon signals. It was found that the rate of spontaneous single electron signals strongly depends on the time passed since the initial electroluminescence happened. The analysis of experimental data showed that both spontaneous single electron signals and delayed electroluminescent signals are associated with ionization electrons which are trapped by the potential barrier at the interface.
Efficacy and Safety of Teriparatide in Improving Fracture Healing and Callus Formation: A Systematic Review

Fracture nonunion remains a great challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Some bone fractures don't heal promptly, resulting in delayed unions and nonunions, and there is a need for an additional surgical procedure. Previous research has shown that teriparatide, a type of synthetic parathyroid hormone, can promote the formation of callus and lead to healing in individuals with delayed or non-healing bone fractures. Limited systematic reviews exist that examine the use of teriparatide in cases of delayed healing or non-healing bone fractures, which have their limitations. In this review, we overcome those limitations by including prospective studies, retrospective studies, case reports, and case series together. A systematic search of the literature was conducted in both PubMed and Google Scholar up to September of the year 2022. The studies included in our research included adult patients (over the age of 16) diagnosed with delayed union or nonunion of any bone in the body (flat bone, long bone, short bone, or irregular bone). The studies were limited to those written in English. The outcomes that were tracked and recorded include the healing of the fracture and any negative side effects or adverse events. The initial search yielded 504 abstracts and titles. After reviewing these, 32 articles were selected for further analysis, which included 19 case reports, five case series, two retrospective studies, and six prospective studies. Studies included daily (20 micrograms) or weekly (56.5 micrograms) subcutaneous administration of teriparatide. The duration of follow-up for these studies varied from three to 24 months. Based on the available research, it appears that administering teriparatide subcutaneously is a safe treatment option for delayed healing and non-healing bone fractures, with very few to no reported negative side effects. Using teriparatide for induction of callus formation and treating delayed and nonunions is highly safe and effective.
A Global Optimal Image Segmentation Method Using Level Sets

In this paper a new image segmentation model based on techniques of curve evolution, piecewise smooth Mumford Shah functional for segmentation and level sets was proposed as improvement of C V method. New method shows global optimization and less insensibility of initialization and can detect objects whose boundaries are not necessarily defined by gradient and solves the problem of locating the edges on images with non uniform brightness, for which the previous methods based on piecewise constant Mumford Shah model, including the C V method, are not applicable. Besides, the model was improved for the location of subtle and complicated edges of target objects by the modification of PDE. In order to further stabilize and fasten the level set evolution procedures, the paper addresses an improved approach to construction of the signed distance function using new Voronoi source scanning method, which needs simple comparison and few multiplication operations, faster than the traditional approaches. Finally, various experimental results for synthesized and real images will be presented to prove the proposed model efficiency and stabilized.
A Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model to Predict Determinants of Variability in Epirubicin Exposure and Tissue Distribution

Background: Epirubicin is an anthracycline antineoplastic drug that is primarily used in combination therapies for the treatment of breast, gastric, lung and ovarian cancers and lymphomas. Epirubicin is administered intravenously (IV) over 3 to 5 min once every 21 days with dosing based on body surface area (BSA; mg/m2). Despite accounting for BSA, marked inter-subject variability in circulating epirubicin plasma concentration has been reported. Methods: In vitro experiments were conducted to determine the kinetics of epirubicin glucuronidation by human liver microsomes in the presence and absence of validated UGT2B7 inhibitors. A full physiologically based pharmacokinetic model was built and validated using Simcyp® (version 19.1, Certara, Princeton, NJ, USA). The model was used to simulate epirubicin exposure in 2000 Sim-Cancer subjects over 158 h following a single intravenous dose of epirubicin. A multivariable linear regression model was built using simulated demographic and enzyme abundance data to determine the key drivers of variability in systemic epirubicin exposure. Results: Multivariable linear regression modelling demonstrated that variability in simulated systemic epirubicin exposure following intravenous injection was primarily driven by differences in hepatic and renal UGT2B7 expression, plasma albumin concentration, age, BSA, GFR, haematocrit and sex. By accounting for these factors, it was possible to explain 87% of the variability in epirubicin in a simulated cohort of 2000 oncology patients. Conclusions: The present study describes the development and evaluation of a full-body PBPK model to assess systemic and individual organ exposure to epirubicin. Variability in epirubicin exposure was primarily driven by hepatic and renal UGT2B7 expression, plasma albumin concentration, age, BSA, GFR, haematocrit and sex.
Polysaccharide-Based Carriers for Pulmonary Insulin Delivery: The Potential of Coffee as an Unconventional Source

Non-invasive routes for insulin delivery are emerging as alternatives to currently painful subcutaneous injections. For pulmonary delivery, formulations may be in powdered particle form, using carriers such as polysaccharides to stabilise the active principle. Roasted coffee beans and spent coffee grounds (SCG) are rich in polysaccharides, namely galactomannans and arabinogalactans. In this work, the polysaccharides were obtained from roasted coffee and SCG for the preparation of insulin-loaded microparticles. The galactomannan and arabinogalactan-rich fractions of coffee beverages were purified by ultrafiltration and separated by graded ethanol precipitations at 50% and 75%, respectively. For SCG, galactomannan-rich and arabinogalactan-rich fractions were recovered by microwave-assisted extraction at 150 °C and at 180 °C, followed by ultrafiltration. Each extract was spray-dried with insulin 10% (w/w). All microparticles had a raisin-like morphology and average diameters of 1–5 µm, which are appropriate for pulmonary delivery. Galactomannan-based microparticles, independently of their source, released insulin in a gradual manner, while arabinogalactan-based ones presented a burst release. The microparticles were seen to be non-cytotoxic for cells representative of the lung, specifically lung epithelial cells (A549) and macrophages (Raw 264.7) up to 1 mg/mL. This work shows how coffee can be a sustainable source of polysaccharide carriers for insulin delivery via the pulmonary route.
Optimizing the sensing performance of a single-rod fluxgate magnetometer using thin magnetic wires

This paper presents the optimal conditions for the design of a single-rod fluxgate magnetometer using Co-based amorphous magnetic wires with reduced geometrical dimensions of 100 μm in diameter. In order to enhance the performance of the current sensor (i.e. the noise level, the sensitivity, the dynamical range, the scaling factor, etc), the core materials were subjected to annealing at different annealing temperatures in a longitudinal magnetic field ranging from 0 to 0.5 T. The B–H measurements have shown that the heat treatments significantly change the magnetic parameters of the cores (the saturation field, the initial and apparent permeabilities). For instance, the initial permeability μi attains values of between 3500 and 4700 depending on the treatment conditions. These magnetic parameters were subsequently correlated with the sensor performance by using the principles of the fluxgate physics. Consequently, the enhanced fluxgate effect with improved sensing characteristics has been obtained by annealing the wire core at 250 °C (B = 0 T). It is shown that this magnetic wire with a sensing area of 0.00785 mm2 is suitable as a sensor core for the nondestructive testing of metallic objects and the surfaces of magnetic cards. The sensor signal shows perfect linear dependence to dc or low frequency fields up to ~1 Oe. The fitting parameters R2 of 0.9998 could be achieved in a dc field interval of −1.0 Oe and 1.0 Oe (when R2 =1.0, all points lie exactly on the curve with no scatter). Such linearity has not been seen in such a large dynamical range until now in the rod-type single-core fluxgates. It is also shown that there is no hysteresis on the V2f–Hdc graphs (the V2f is the sensor signal) even after applying fields as high as 100 Oe. Besides, the cross-field effect is almost zero due to the geometry of the long-thin wire.
Metabolic Acidosis Results in Sexually Dimorphic Response in the Heart Tissue

Metabolic acidosis (MA) is a highly prevalent disorder in a significant proportion of the population, resulting from imbalance in blood pH homeostasis. The heart, being an organ with very low regenerative capacity and high metabolic activity, is vulnerable to chronic, although low-grade, MA. To systematically characterize the effect of low-grade MA on the heart, we treated male and female mice with NH4Cl supplementation for 2 weeks and analyzed their blood chemistry and transcriptomic signature of the heart tissue. The reduction of pH and plasma bicarbonate levels without an associated change in anion gap indicated a physiological manifestation of low-grade MA with minimal respiratory compensation. On transcriptomic analysis, we observed changes in cardiac-specific genes with significant gender-based differences due to MA. We found many genes contributing to dilated cardiomyopathy to be altered in males, more than in females, while cardiac contractility and Na/K/ATPase-Src signaling were affected in the opposite way. Our model presents a systems-level understanding of how the cardiovascular tissue is affected by MA. As low-grade MA is a common ailment with many dietary and pharmaceutical interventions, our work presents avenues to limit chronic cardiac damage and disease manifestation, as well as highlighting the sex differences in MA-induced cardiovascular damage.
Fouragea gyrophorica sp. nov. from China, with morphological and phylogenetic evidence

Abstract. A new species Fouragea gyrophorica is described from China. It is most similar to F. vegae, but differs by its sparsely to densely branched apothecia, and it often has an obvious prothallus, and the presence of gyrophoric acid detected by TLC. This is the first report that Fouragea contains lichen substances. An analysis of its relationships based on molecular phylogeny is given. A world key to the species of Fouragea is also presented.
A Modular Structure for Immediate and Transitory Interventions to Guarantee Access to Basic Healthcare in Italy

The access to basic healthcare for people who are not registered in the national health system is nowadays a very urgent problem, both in Italy and in the rest of the world. Immigration and poverty are only some of the factors that make one of the primary rights of humanity—healthcare—not a right for everyone. The main problems, which have grown exponentially in the last decade, are at operational level, due to the lack of personnel (mostly volunteers) and the lack of spaces. This paper illustrates procedures and techniques for the design of a small emergency structure that can be moved and positioned in urban contexts. The first part consists of a deep analysis of the problem and of the state of the art of existing typologies. The second part is dedicated to the conceptual framework (requirements, conceptual model) and to the definition of the preliminary design for the new approach to basic non-conventional sanitary spaces. Finally, a virtual case study (project application) in Italy is presented.
Calculating alpha Eigenvalues in a Continuous-Energy Infinite Medium with Monte Carlo

The {alpha} eigenvalue has implications for time-dependent problems where the system is sub- or supercritical. We present methods and results from calculating the {alpha}-eigenvalue spectrum for a continuous-energy infinite medium with a simplified Monte Carlo transport code. We formulate the {alpha}-eigenvalue problem, detail the Monte Carlo code physics, and provide verification and results. We have a method for calculating the {alpha}-eigenvalue spectrum in a continuous-energy infinite-medium. The continuous-time Markov process described by the transition rate matrix provides a way of obtaining the {alpha}-eigenvalue spectrum and kinetic modes. These are useful for the approximation of the time dependence of the system.
New verifiable multi-secret sharing scheme

Existing scheme has the defects of complicated construction and mass calculation.Aiming at these flaws,this paper proposes a new verifiable multi-secret sharing scheme based on the Chinese Remainder Theorem.This scheme can realize the repeat use of the secret shadow,pack the multi-secret into single secret through using the Chinese Remainder Theorem,avoid using bivariant function,also leave out the use of the security channel.The realization of the algorithm is based on the intractability of the Discrete Logarithm and RSA cryptosystem.So it is an efficient and safe multi-secret sharing scheme through analysis.