Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Inference in Frailty Measurement Error Models for Clustered Survival Data Using the SIMEX Approach

We consider frailty models for clustered survival data in the presence of measurement errors in covariates. We first show that when the measurement error is accounted for in a full likelihood analysis but the distribution of the unobserved covariate is misspecified, the maximum likelihood estimators are asymptotically biased, especially for the variance component, whose bias can be substantial. We then discuss making inference using functional estimation via the SIMEX method where no distribution of the unobserved error-prone covariate is assumed. The SIMEX method is easy to implement by repeatedly fitting standard frailty models. We study the asymptotic properties of the SIMEX estimates and show that they are consistent and asymptotically normal. In simulation studies, we compare the SIMEX method and the likelihood method in terms of efficiency and robustness. We also propose a SIMEX score test for the variance component to test for the within-cluster correlation and evaluate its performance through simulation studies. The SIMEX variance component score test does not require specifying distributions for the random effect and the unobserved error-prone covariate, and is easy to implement by repeatedly fitting standard Cox models. The proposed methods are illustrated using the Kenya parasitemia data.
Picosecond time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy of solvated organometallic complexes

We describe an experimental setup, which measures transient chemical changes of photoexcited solutes in disordered systems via time-resolved X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) with picosecond temporal resolution. The setup combines a femtosecond amplified laser with picosecond x-ray pulses at beamline 5.3. 1 at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley, USA. New results on time-resolved XAS used for probing both the electronic and the geometric modifications of a photoexcited tris-(2,2′-bipyridine) ruthenium (II), [RuII(bpy)3]2+ in water solution are presented.
Experimental Evidence of a Fluctuating Charge State in Cupric Oxide

This letter reports on a X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of cupric oxide which demonstrates that the split observed in the O-1s core line arises from the fluctuating valence character of the Cu-O bond. This state is also confirmed by the valence band spectrum where the lowest binding-energy transition in the 3d9 → 3d10 L manifold is at the Fermi level allowing valence charge fluctuations at zero energy cost. Since valence fluctuation phenomena lead to a strong electron-phonon interaction, the observation of this effect also in HTSCs (high-temperature superconductors) would be a noteworthy point for an understanding of the mechanisms that originate high-Tc in cupric-oxide-based compounds.
Direct Cell Death Induced by CD20 Monoclonal Antibodies on B Cell Lymphoma Cells Revealed by New Protocols of Analysis

Simple Summary CD20 monoclonal antibodies exert a strong ability to quickly kill B cells by using different mechanisms, both direct and indirect, and assessment of killing is difficult. Cytometry emerged as an attractive alternative to classic assays using radioactivity; however, we show here that common cytometry protocols involving centrifugation can lead to missing an important part of the fast killing effect of drugs as mAbs. We show here that rituximab and obinutuzumab direct killing is faster and more important than believed, and that those mAbs differently impact calcium mobilization depending on the time of treatment. We propose here alternative methods to assess fast target cell killing in vitro, avoiding centrifugation or based on survival comparison with control cells or counting beads, both on B cell lines or B-CLL and NHL primary cells. Abstract CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) eliminate B cells in several clinical contexts. At least two of these Abs, obinutuzumab (OBI) and rituximab (RTX), induce quick elimination of targets and put cancer patients at risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) within 12–24 h of the first dose. The mechanisms of killing can require the recruiting of effector mechanisms from the patient’s immune system, but they can induce direct killing as well. This can be more rapid than recruiting cellular effectors and/or complement. We showed here that OBI and RTX induce quick (<1 h) and high (up to 60% for OBI) killing of two different B cell lines. This was unveiled by using two different techniques that circumvent cell centrifugation steps: a Muse® Cell Analyzer-based approach and a direct examination of the cells’ physical properties by using forward scatter (FS) area and side scatter (SS) area by flow cytometry. These results excluded the presence of aggregates and were also confirmed by developing a normalized survival ratio based on the co-incubation of RTX- and OBI-sensitive cells with MOLM-13, an insensitive cell line. Finally, this normalized survival ratio protocol confirmed the RTX- and OBI-direct killing on primary tumor B cells from B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) patients. Moreover, we unveiled that direct killing is higher than previously expected and absent in patients’ samples at relapse. We also observed that these mAbs, prior to increasing intracellular calcium levels, decrease calcium entry, although manipulating calcium levels did not affect their cytotoxicity. Altogether, our results show that direct killing is a major mechanism to induce cell death by RTX and OBI mAbs.
Moving loads on an infinite plate strip of constant thickness

The dynamic response of an infinite plate under an arbitrarily distributed transverse-moving load is treated within the framework of three-dimensional elasticity theory. A closed-form solution in terms of elementary functions is obtained for each harmonic component of the load by the Fourier transform method in conjunction with contour integration. Dispersion relations are presented and frequencies for modes of free vibration which are symmetric and antisymmetric are discussed in detail.
Investigations on the Modulation Strategies for Performance Improvement of a Controlled Wind Energy System

The challenges faced in an isolated wind energy conversion system (WECS) are larger transient times, high steady-state error, and larger harmonic content. To overcome these issues, an adaptive voltage controller (AVC) along with the load current observer (LCO) could be the better proposition. However, the AVC and LCO, in conjunction with the conventional space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique to operate the three-phase inverter of WECS, would not be able to further improve these parameters. This paper proposes the use of the unified voltage SVPWM (UVSVPWM) technique along with the AVC and LCO, which could improve the transient behavior by about 30% as well as reduce the harmonic content of the load voltage and current by about 70% and 2%, respectively. This paper considers an isolated WECS connected to the linear load, which is operated under balanced as well as unbalanced load conditions. The proposed control technique is verified for both the balanced and unbalanced cases using MATLAB/Simulink.
Time from injury and age interact in relationship with perceived quality of life outcomes following vocation-focused neuropsychological rehabilitation

At the group level, community-based neuropsychological rehabilitation interventions with a vocational focus are generally effective among individuals with brain injuries. However, individual participants vary significantly in the extent of their improvement, prompting attempts to elucidate individual, injury-related, and environmental factors affecting prognosis. In this study, we examined the relationships between one such factor – “time from injury” (the time between injury and intervention) – and two outcome measures: employment status and perceived quality of life (PQoL), in 157 brain injury survivors, before and after a holistic neuropsychological vocational rehabilitation program. We also examined whether relationships between the variables were moderated by age at onset of treatment and injury severity. In the entire sample, both the proportion of employed participants and average PQoL increased following program participation. Neither, time from injury, severity, nor age at onset of treatment predicted the increase in employment proportion, and severity was not a significant predictor of PQoL. However, an interactive effect indicated that when treatment was started at a younger age, longer time from injury predicted higher levels of PQoL, but when treatment was started at older ages, longer time from injury predicted lower levels of PQoL. When interpreted alongside existing literature, these results suggest that delaying vocational components of rehabilitation can be beneficial for younger participants, while the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation can be maximized by starting as early as possible among older participants. Most importantly, regardless of age, it appears that vocational rehabilitation can be effective even when initiated many years after injury.
Dual-Band Circularly Polarized Stacked Square Microstrip Antenna with Small Frequency Ratio

A probe-fed stacked square microstrip antenna for dual-band circularly polarized (CP) applications is presented. By properly selecting two square patches in the proposed design and loading a chip-resistance along the centerline of each square patch, dual-band CP radiation with small frequency ratio can be achieved. In order to prevent the second operating frequency from shifting to higher band which is resulted from a small air-gap between two substrates, an additional patch is introduced. Compared with conventional stacked dual-band CP antennas, the proposed antenna can achieve a smaller frequency ratio and has a larger tolerance of processing as well. Details of the proposed antenna design and experimental results for the dual-band CP performances are presented and discussed.
The combined use of paleolimnological and long-term limnological information to identify natural and anthropogenic environmental changes

Abstract Aim Urbanization leads to rapid changes in ecosystem structure and function. Wetlands on university campuses under urbanization pressure could be used as case studies of multidisciplinary aquatic research and good environmental practices promoting sustainability. Methods A paleolimnological study was undertaken in a semi-artificial lake on a university campus in southern Brazil to trace historical impacts and ecological changes back to the mid-1970s through complementary approaches: historical data, nutrients, δ13C and δ15N stable isotopes, diatoms, microplastics and associated microbial community analysis. Results The eutrophication process started to intensify after the lake was used for nocturnal roosting by waterbirds, and especially after the establishment of constructions along the margins with septic tank sanitary sewage, which eventually spilled and leached into the lake. Over decades, we identified a limnological hypertrophication process leading to recurrent cyanobacterial blooms and massive macrophyte proliferation coupled with changes in isotopic ratios and algal occupation with several transitions between shallow lake alternative states. Such a limnological process has resembled the paleolimnological eutrophication trends and isotopic changes in sedimentary organic matter. The microplastic deposition was detected as a proxy for the intensification of urbanization, especially during the construction of the University facilities. Conclusions The combined use of paleolimnological and historical limnological data represents a powerful approach for inferring both natural and cultural impacts on the lake, and identifying management strategies based on such scientific information.
Hall Mobility in Chemically Deposited Polycrystalline Silicon

Hall‐mobility measurements have been performed on polycrystalline silicon films deposited on a silicon oxide surface by the thermal decomposition of silane. Samples with doping impurities added during deposition or by diffusion from a doped vapor‐deposited oxide showed similar behavior. For both n‐type and p‐type samples approximately 5 μ thick, the mobility reached a maximum value of about 40 cm2/V sec at a free carrier concentration of about 1018 cm−3 and decreased for both higher and lower carrier concentrations. The observed Hall mobility was generally higher in p‐type samples than in n‐type samples. The decrease in observed mobility with decreasing carrier concentration is attributed to the effects of high resistivity space‐charge regions surrounding grain boundaries in the polycrystalline material. The mobility was seen to increase as the film thickness increased for samples with similar doping, indicating a more ordered structure in thicker films.
Phylogenomic analyses across land plants reveals motifs and coexpression patterns useful for functional prediction in the BAHD acyltransferase family

The BAHD acyltransferase family is one of the largest enzyme families in flowering plants, containing dozens to hundreds of genes in individual genomes. Highly prevalent in angiosperm genomes, members of this family contribute to several pathways in primary and specialized metabolism. In this study, we performed a phylogenomic analysis of the family using 52 genomes across the plant kingdom to gain deeper insights into its functional evolution and enable function prediction. We found that BAHD expansion in land plants was associated with significant changes in various gene features. Using pre-defined BAHD clades, we identified clade expansions in different plant groups. In some groups, these expansions coincided with the prominence of metabolite classes such as anthocyanins (flowering plants) and hydroxycinnamic acid amides (monocots). Clade-wise motif-enrichment analysis revealed that some clades have novel motifs fixed on either the acceptor or the donor side, potentially reflecting historical routes of functional evolution. Co-expression analysis in rice and Arabidopsis further identified BAHDs with similar expression patterns, however, most co-expressed BAHDs belonged to different clades. Comparing BAHD paralogs, we found that gene expression diverges rapidly after duplication, suggesting that sub/neo-functionalization of duplicate genes occurs quickly via expression diversification. Analyzing co-expression patterns in Arabidopsis in conjunction with orthology-based substrate class predictions and metabolic pathway models led to the recovery of metabolic processes of most of the already-characterized BAHDs as well as definition of novel functional predictions for some uncharacterized BAHDs. Overall, this study provides new insights into the evolution of BAHD acyltransferases and sets up a foundation for their functional characterization.
Study on the Influence of the Preparation Method of Konjac Glucomannan-Silica Aerogels on the Microstructure, Thermal Insulation, and Flame-Retardant Properties

Natural polysaccharides with high viscosity, good thermal stability, and biocompatibility can improve the mechanical properties of inorganic silica aerogels and enhance their application safety. However, the effects of the preparation methods of polysaccharide-silica aerogels on their microstructure and application properties have not been systematically studied. To better investigate the effect of the microstructure on the properties of aerogel materials, two aerogels with different structures were prepared using Konjac glucomannan (KGM) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) via physical blending (KTB) and co-precursor methods (KTC), respectively. The structural differences between the KTB and KTC aerogels were characterized, and the thermal insulation and fire-retardant properties were further investigated. The compressive strength of the KTC aerogels with a cross-linked interpenetrating network (IPN) structure was three times higher than that of the KTB aerogels, while their thermal conductivity was 1/3 of that of the KTB aerogels. The maximum limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the KTC aerogels was 1.4 times, the low peak heat release rate (PHRR) was reduced by 61.45%, and the lowest total heat release (THR) was reduced by 41.35% compared with the KTB aerogels. The results showed that the KTC aerogels with the IPN have better mechanical properties, thermal insulation, and fire-retardant properties than the simple physically blending KTB aerogels. This may be due to the stronger hydrogen-bonding interactions between KGM and silica molecules in the KTC aerogels under the unique forcing effect of the IPN, thus enhancing their structural stability and achieving complementary properties. This work will provide new ideas for the microstructure design of aerogels and the research of new thermal insulation and fire-retardant aerogels.
A Physical Phenomenon for the Fractional Nonlinear Mixed Integro-Differential Equation Using a General Discontinuous Kernel

In this study, a fractional nonlinear mixed integro-differential equation (Fr-NMIDE) is presented and has a general discontinuous kernel based on position and time space. Conditions of the existence and uniqueness of the solution is provided through the principal form of the integral equation, based on the Banach fixed point theorem. After applying the properties of a fractional integral, the Fr-NMIDE conformed to the Volterra–Hammerstein integral equation (V-HIE) of the second kind, with a general discontinuous kernel in position with the Hammerstein integral term and a continuous kernel in time to the Volterra term. Then, using a technique of the separating method, we obtained HIE, where its physical coefficients were variable in time. The Toeplitz matrix method (TMM) and its schemes were used to obtain a nonlinear algebraic system by studying the convergence of the system. The Maple 18 program was implemented to present the numerical results, along with corresponding errors.
Socio-demographic correlates and trends in the timing of the onset of parenthood among women of reproductive age in Ghana: evidence from three waves of the demographic and health surveys

Background: Childbearing is one of the central events in a woman’s life and the age at which this event occurs has important health, socioeconomic and fertility implications for her. Methods: We used three waves of the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHS) from the individual files of married women aged 15 to 49 years old to explore the trends in the timing of the onset of parenthood among women in Ghana. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the effect of socio-demographic factors on the birth experience of women. Results: Results showed the median age of the women increases from 17 years in 1998 to 19 years in 2014. Further, results showed that women with secondary education had 0.67, 0.89- and 0.77-times lower hazard risk of early birth than women without any formal education in 1988, 1998, and 2014 respectively. The hazard risk of early childbirth consistently decreased as age increased in all the years of surveys except in the case of the age group 40-44 in 1988, 1998 and 2014. Conclusions: This study showed that the timing of first childbirth is changing in the direction of a late childbirth regime in Ghana and could facilitate improvement on individual health, job stability and higher level of education. Efforts should be channeled to sensitizing women on the importance of delaying childbearing.
Demands and Resources in Work Mediated by Digital Platforms: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Abstract Work arrangements with hiring mediated by digital platforms (digiwork) have grown exponentially in recent years, both in the form of crowdwork and in the form of work on demand via app. However, there is still little systematization regarding knowledge about the elements that characterize this arrangement. Through a scoping review of the literature covering the period from 2005 to 2021, this study sought to identify the digiwork design characteristics, organizing it based on two specific categories: its requirements and the resources available to the worker. For that, it used the model of job demands and resources (JD-R) as a theoretical basis. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the 43 articles reviewed allowed for the identification of an important imbalance between the demands and resources present in digiwork. It also indicated many missing resources that make it difficult for workers to adequately deal with the demands of both the organization and the task. Among the most prominent demands, imprecision in labor categorization, surveillance via algorithmic management and self-management of risks stand out, while flexibility appears as the most cited resource present, and social protection as the most relevant resource absent. Taken together, the digiwork design characteristics may contribute to the worker's burnout process, in addition to interfering with their motivational process. This generates both suboptimal performance and damage to the worker’s health and well-being.
The Evolution of the Sentinel Node Biopsy in Melanoma

The growing repertoire of approved immune-checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy has revolutionized the adjuvant treatment of melanoma. While the treatment of primary cutaneous melanoma remains wide local excision (WLE), the management of regional lymph nodes continues to evolve in light of practice-changing clinical trials and dramatically improved adjuvant therapy. With large multicenter studies reporting no benefit in overall survival for completion lymph node dissection (CLND) after a positive sentinel node biopsy (SLNB), controversy remains regarding patient selection and clinical decision-making. This review explores the evolution of the SLNB in cutaneous melanoma in the context of a rapidly changing adjuvant treatment landscape, summarizing the key clinical trials which shaped current practice guidelines.
Digitally embodied lifespan neurocognitive development and Tactile Internet: Transdisciplinary challenges and opportunities

Mechanisms underlying perceptual processing and inference undergo substantial changes across the lifespan. If utilized properly, technologies could support and buffer the relatively more limited neurocognitive functions in the still developing or aging brains. Over the past decade, a new type of digital communication infrastructure, known as the “Tactile Internet (TI),” is emerging in the fields of telecommunication, sensor and actuator technologies and machine learning. A key aim of the TI is to enable humans to experience and interact with remote and virtual environments through digitalized multimodal sensory signals that also include the haptic (tactile and kinesthetic) sense. Besides their applied focus, such technologies may offer new opportunities for the research tapping into mechanisms of digitally embodied perception and cognition as well as how they may differ across age cohorts. However, there are challenges in translating empirical findings and theories about neurocognitive mechanisms of perception and lifespan development into the day-to-day practices of engineering research and technological development. On the one hand, the capacity and efficiency of digital communication are affected by signal transmission noise according to Shannon’s (1949) Information Theory. On the other hand, neurotransmitters, which have been postulated as means that regulate the signal-to-noise ratio of neural information processing (e.g., Servan-Schreiber et al., 1990), decline substantially during aging. Thus, here we highlight neuronal gain control of perceptual processing and perceptual inference to illustrate potential interfaces for developing age-adjusted technologies to enable plausible multisensory digital embodiments for perceptual and cognitive interactions in remote or virtual environments.