Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electron temperature determination from nebular continuum emission in planetary nebulae and the importance of temperature fluctuations

Electron temperatures derived from the observed Balmer discontinuity are presented for 14 planetary nebulae. Electron temperatures deduced from the Paschen discontinuity are also obtained for four of them. The new measurements, together with those published by others, are compared to temperatures deduced from the nebular-to-auroral forbidden line ratio of [O III], T e ([O III]na). It is shown that, on average, Te(Bal) tends to be lower than the Te([O III]na) for the same object, indicating the presence of large temperature fluctuations. Except for a few planetary nebulae with t 2 > 0.10, t 2 = 0.03 is a representative value. Possible mechanisms that could be responsible for such large temperature fluctuations are discussed
Binomial Confidence Intervals

Abstract For X with Binomial (n, p) distribution, Section 1 gives a one-page table of . 95 and . 99 confidence intervals for p, for n = 1, 2, …, 30. This interval is equivariant under X → n − X and p → 1 − p, has approximately equal probability tails, is approximately unbiased, has Crow's property of minimizing the sum of the n + 1 possible lengths, and each of its ends is increasing in X and decreasing in n with about as regular steps as possible. Sections 2 and 3 consider the usual approximate confidence intervals. Calculations and asymptotic results show the need for the continuity correction in these even when n is large. Because of the nonuniformity of the Binomial → Normal convergence as p → 0, these intervals fail to have their stated asymptotic confidence coefficients; simple corrections are given for this. In the approximate interval (X/n) ± {(c/√n)√[(X/n)(1 − X/n)] + 1/(2n)} it is shown that the factor (c/√n) should be replaced by c/√ (n − c 2 − 2c/√n − 1/n).
Electrooptic guided-to-unguided mode converter

Experimental demonstration of electrooptic polarization conversion from a guided TE wave to an unguided TM wave in a thin-film light guide is reported. In the specific device we fabricated utilizing Ta 2 O 5 film and LiTaO 3 substrate, we have observed a 40-percent modulation when 500 V were applied across two electrodes spaced 50 μm apart. We present here a ray-optics analysis of the conversion process. With the inclusion of the Goos-Haenchen shifts, the analysis agrees well with the experiment.
Parallel microfluidic arrays for SPRi detection

Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi) is a label-free technique for the quantitation of binding affinities and concentrations for a wide variety of target molecules. Although SPRi is capable of determining binding constants for multiple ligands in parallel, current commercial instruments are limited to a single analyte stream and a limited number of ligand spots. Measurement of target concentration also requires the serial introduction of different target concentrations; such repeated experiments are conducted manually and are therefore time-intensive. Likewise, the equilibrium determination of concentration for known binding affinity requires long times due to diffusion-limited kinetics to a surface-immobilized ligand. We have developed an integrated microfluidic array using soft lithography techniques for SPRi-based detection and determination of binding affinities for DNA aptamers against human alphathrombin. The device consists of 264 element-addressable chambers of 700 pL each isolated by microvalves. The device also contains a dilution network for simultaneous interrogation of up to six different target concentrations, further speeding detection times. The element-addressable design of the array allows interrogation of multiple ligands against multiple targets, and analytes from individual chambers may be collected for downstream analysis.
The association between hemoglobin A1c and all-cause mortality in the ICU: A cross-section study based on MIMIC-IV 2.0

Background Hyperglycemia has been reported to be associated with the outcomes of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, the relationship between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and long-term or short-term mortality in the ICU is still unknown. This study used the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database to investigate the relationship between HbA1c and long-term or short-term mortality among ICU patients without a diabetes diagnosis. Methods A total of 3,154 critically ill patients without a diabetes diagnosis who had HbA1c measurements were extracted and analyzed from the MIMIC-IV. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality, while the secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 90-day mortality after ICU discharge. HbA1c levels were classified into four levels according to three HbA1c values (5.0%, 5.7%, and 6.5%). The Cox regression model was used to investigate the relationship between the highest HbA1c measurement and mortality. Finally, this correlation was validated using the XGBoost machine learning model and Cox regression after propensity score matching (PSM). Results The study eventually included 3,154 critically ill patients without diabetes who had HbA1c measurements in the database. HbA1c levels of below 5.0% or above 6.5% were significantly associated with 1-year mortality after adjusting for covariates in Cox regression (HR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.02–1.84 or HR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.20–2.18). In addition, HbA1c 6.5% was linked to 30-day mortality (HR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.21–2.71) and 90-day mortality (HR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.14–2.29). The restricted cubic spline demonstrated a U-shaped relationship between HbA1c levels and 1-year mortality. The AUCs of the training and testing datasets in the XGBoost model were 0.928 and 0.826, respectively, while the SHAP plot revealed that HbA1c was somewhat important for the 1-year mortality. Higher HbA1c levels in Cox regression were still significantly associated with 1-year mortality after PSM for other factors, Conclusions The 1-year mortality, 30-day mortality, and 90-day mortality rates for critically ill patients after discharge from ICU are significantly associated with HbA1c. HbA1c < 5.0% and ≥6.5% would increase 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality, while levels between 5.0% and 6.5% of HbA1c did not significantly affect these outcomes.
Efficient Liposome Loading onto Surface of Mesenchymal Stem Cells via Electrostatic Interactions for Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a tumor-homing capacity; therefore, MSCs are a promising drug delivery carrier for cancer therapy. To maintain the viability and activity of MSCs, anti-cancer drugs are preferably loaded on the surface of MSCs, rather than directly introduced into MSCs. In this study, we attempted to load liposomes on the surface of MSCs by using the magnetic anionic liposome/atelocollagen complexes that we previously developed and assessed the characters of liposome-loaded MSCs as drug carriers. We observed that large-sized magnetic anionic liposome/atelocollagen complexes were abundantly associated with MSCs via electrostatic interactions under a magnetic field, and its cellular internalization was lower than that of the small-sized complexes. Moreover, the complexes with higher atelocollagen concentrations showed lower cellular internalization than the complexes with lower atelocollagen concentrations. Based on these results, we succeeded in the efficient loading of liposomes on the surface of MSCs by using large-sized magnetic anionic liposomes complexed with a high concentration of atelocollagen. The constructed liposome-loaded MSCs showed a comparable proliferation rate and differentiation potential to non-loaded MSCs. Furthermore, the liposome-loaded MSCs efficiently adhered to vascular endothelial cells and migrated toward the conditioned medium from cancer cells in vitro and solid tumor tissue in vivo. These findings suggest that liposome-loaded MSCs could serve as an efficient cell-based drug carrier for tumor-targeted delivery.
ABO Blood Groups Non-O Appear to Associate with Anterior Projecting Nasal Anatomy, Elevated Nasal Bridge and Nasal Septum Deviation

Nasal form shows variation between and among geographic populations. Embryology of anatomic structures suggests origins and interrelationships of the structures of the face and the functional thus clinical implications of that anatomy. ABO blood groups are suggested to be correlated with nasal anatomy based on observations of nasal anatomy of individuals of known blood types. Studies have shown that anteriorly projecting nasal form is associated with large nasal septum and an obtuse cranial base angle as well as deviated nasal septum. Why ABO blood groups non-O would be associated with
Search for anisotropies in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above 32 EeV from Phase One of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The toe of the spectrum of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), above ≈ 50 EeV, is an extremely interesting region for studying the origins of CRs. The potentially small magnetic deflections at these energies are coupled with the presence of the flux suppression, which could be a signature of the maximum acceleration potential of the sources, or could find its explanation in the interactions of cosmic rays with background photons, effectively limiting the region of interest in the search for UHECR sources to a relatively small bubble around us. In this talk we present the latest anisotropy searches carried out by the Pierre Auger Collaboration in the energy range above 32 EeV. The dataset used is that collected in the phase one of the Observatory between 2004 and 2020, before the AugerPrime upgrade, for a cumulative exposure of 120000 km 2 sr yr. We have conducted both blind, model-independent searches for overdensities, correlation analyses with astrophysical structures, and cross-correlation studies with catalogs of candidate sources. We have found evidence for a deviation from isotropy at an angular scale of 25 degrees at the 4 𝜎 level for UHECRs with energy above 38 EeV.
A refining estimation for adaptive solution of wave equation based on curvelets

This paper presents a refining estimation to control the process of adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) based on the curvelet transform. The curvelet is a recently developed geometric multiscale system that could provide optimal approximation to curve-singularity functions and sparse representation of wavefront phenomena. Utilizing these advantages, we attempt to introduce the curvelet transform into AMR as a criterion estimate of refinement for adaptive solving of the wave equation. Numerical simulations show that the proposed method could optimally capture interesting areas where refinement is needed, so that a high accuracy result is obtained.
Interaction between Acute Hepatic Injury and Early Coagulation Dysfunction on Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: In acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute hepatic injury is an independent risk factor for prognosis and is associated with complex coagulation dynamics. This study aims to determine the interaction between acute hepatic injury and coagulation dysfunction on outcomes in AMI patients. Methods: The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-III) database was used to identify AMI patients who underwent liver function testing within 24 h of admission. After ruling out previous hepatic injury, patients were divided into the hepatic injury group and the nonhepatic injury group based on whether the alanine transaminase (ALT) level at admission was >3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). The primary outcome was intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Results: Among 703 AMI patients (67.994% male, median age 65.139 years (55.757–76.859)), acute hepatic injury occurred in 15.220% (n = 107). Compared with the nonhepatic injury group, patients with hepatic injury had a higher Elixhauser comorbidity index (ECI) score (12 (6–18) vs. 7 (1–12), p < 0.001) and more severe coagulation dysfunction (85.047% vs. 68.960%, p < 0.001). In addition, acute hepatic injury was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) = 3.906; 95% CI: 2.053–7.433; p < 0.001), ICU mortality (OR = 4.866; 95% CI: 2.489–9.514; p < 0.001), 28-day mortality (OR = 4.129; 95% CI: 2.215–7.695; p < 0.001) and 90-day mortality (OR = 3.407; 95% CI: 1.883–6.165; p < 0.001) only in patients with coagulation disorder but not with normal coagulation. Unlike patients with coagulation disorder and normal liver, patients with both coagulation disorder and acute hepatic injury had greater odds of ICU mortality (OR = 8.565; 95% CI: 3.467–21.160; p < 0.001) than those with normal coagulation. Conclusions: The effects of acute hepatic injury on prognosis are likely to be modulated by early coagulation disorder in AMI patients.
Severe Dyslipidemia Mimicking Familial Hypercholesterolemia Induced by High-Fat, Low-Carbohydrate Diets: A Critical Review

Emerging studies in the literature describe an association between high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets and severe hypercholesterolemia consistent with the levels observed in patients with (homozygous) familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) may result from the reduced clearance of LDL particles from the circulation, the increased production of their precursor, or a combination of both. The increased intake of (saturated) fat and cholesterol, combined with limited to no intake of carbohydrates and fiber, are the main features of diets linked to hypercholesterolemia. However, several observations in previous studies, together with our observations from our lipid clinic, do not provide a definitive pathophysiological explanation for severe hypercholesterolemia. Therefore, we review these findings and possible pathophysiological explanations as well as opportunities for future research. Altogether, clinicians should rule out high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets as a possible cause for hypercholesterolemia in patients presenting with clinical FH in whom no mutation is found and discuss dietary modifications to durably reduce LDL-C levels and cardiovascular disease risk.
Numerical modelling of a low Reynolds number plunging airfoil flow field characteristics

Complex viscous mechanisms such as leading edge vortices play a dominant role in the generation of instantaneous force and moment in low Reynolds number flows. The dependence of the corresponding fluid flow characteristics on the governing flow and system parameters in unsteady motions, e.g. plunging, adds to the inherent complexity of the problem. The respective fluid dynamics of such a flow is investigated here via computational fluid dynamics based on a finite volume method. The governing equations are the unsteady, incompressible two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations. The flow field and vortical patterns around a thin ellipsoidal plunging airfoil are examined in detail with and without freestream velocity, and the effects of Reynolds and Strouhal numbers on the flow characteristics are explored. It is shown that both Reynolds and Strouhal numbers increase the aerodynamic performance in nonzero freestream velocity simulations. Increasing Reynolds and Strouhal numbers causes the airfoil to generate thrust for some time intervals of the plunging period. This thrust generation is penalized with higher peaks of drag coefficient when Strouhal number increases. However, the same penalty in the Reynolds number effect simulations is negligible compared to that of the Strouhal number effects. Increasing Strouhal number causes the airfoil to experience negative pitching moment with higher peak values for longer time intervals, but Reynolds number does not change the time at which negative pitching moment is exerted on the airfoil, but the peaks of pitching moment depend on the governing Reynolds number. The lift coefficient changes noticeably versus Strouhal number, where there is significant lead/lag at the peak lift coefficient for zero-freestream velocity simulations. Reynolds number effects on the lift coefficients mostly occur around the time at which the peak lift coefficient is obtained for both zero and nonzero freestream velocity cases. All of these effects are caused by the complex vortical patterns around the airfoil, described throughout the present article.
Helioseismological splitting measurements and the nonspherical solar temperature structure

Helioseismological observations continue to yield new information on the structure of the solar interior. Measurements of the splitting of the frequency degeneracy of modes of a given spherical harmonic order already provide a measure of the internal solar radial differential rotation. It is shown here how the even-order terms may be related to an internal nonspherical solar temperature structure. In addition, the apparent inconsistency of the different splitting measurements may be understood from the time dependence observed in the limb observations, which, as shown here, imply a corresponding temporal variation in the splitting data. 17 references.
B-Cell Epitope Mapping of the Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Vaccine Candidate GMZ2.6c in a Naturally Exposed Population of the Brazilian Amazon

The GMZ2.6c malaria vaccine candidate is a multi-stage P. falciparum chimeric protein that contains a fragment of the sexual-stage Pfs48/45-6C protein genetically fused to GMZ2, an asexual-stage vaccine construction consisting of the N-terminal region of the glutamate-rich protein (GLURP) and the C-terminal region of the merozoite surface protein-3 (MSP-3). Previous studies showed that GMZ2.6c is widely recognized by antibodies from Brazilian exposed individuals and that its components are immunogenic in natural infection by P. falciparum. In addition, anti-GMZ2.6c antibodies increase with exposure to infection and may contribute to parasite immunity. Therefore, identifying epitopes of proteins recognized by antibodies may be an important tool for understanding protective immunity. Herein, we identify and validate the B-cell epitopes of GMZ2.6c as immunogenic and immunodominant in individuals exposed to malaria living in endemic areas of the Brazilian Amazon. Specific IgG antibodies and subclasses against MSP-3, GLURP, and Pfs48/45 epitopes were detected by ELISA using synthetic peptides corresponding to B-cell epitopes previously described for MSP-3 and GLURP or identified by BepiPred for Pfs48/45. The results showed that the immunodominant epitopes were P11 from GLURP and MSP-3c and DG210 from MSP-3. The IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses were preferentially induced against these epitopes, supporting previous studies that these proteins are targets for cytophilic antibodies, important for the acquisition of protective immunity. Most individuals presented detectable IgG antibodies against Pfs48/45a and/or Pfs48/45b, validating the prediction of linear B-cell epitopes. The higher frequency and antibody levels against different epitopes from GLURP, MSP-3, and Pfs48/45 provide additional information that may suggest the relevance of GMZ2.6c as a multi-stage malaria vaccine candidate.
Can barotropic tide–eddy interactions excite internal waves?

Abstract The interaction of barotropic tidal currents and baroclinic geostrophic eddies is considered theoretically and numerically to determine whether energy can be transferred to an internal wave field by this process. The eddy field evolves independently of the tide, suggesting that it acts catalytically in facilitating energy transfer from the barotropic tide to the internal wave field, without exchanging energy with the other flow components. The interaction is identically zero and no waves are generated when the barotropic tidal current is horizontally uniform. Optimal internal wave generation occurs when the scales of tide and eddy fields satisfy resonant conditions. The most efficient generation is found if the tidal current horizontal scale is comparable to that of the eddies, with a weak maximum when the scales differ by a factor of two. Thus, this process is not an effective mechanism for internal wave excitation in the deep ocean, where tidal current scales are much larger than those of eddies, but it may provide an additional source of internal waves in coastal areas where horizontal modulation of the tide by topography can be significant.
Solid-Phase Synthesis of the Bicyclic Peptide OL-CTOP Containing Two Disulfide Bridges, and an Assessment of Its In Vivo μ-Opioid Receptor Antagonism after Nasal Administration

New strategies facilitate the design of cyclic peptides which can penetrate the brain. We have designed a bicyclic peptide, OL-CTOP, composed of the sequences of a selective μ-opioid receptor antagonist, CTOP (f-cyclo(CYwOTX)T) (X = penicillamine, Pen; O = ornithine) and odorranalectin, OL (YASPK-cyclo(CFRYPNGVLAC)T), optimized its solid-phase synthesis and demonstrated its ability for nose-to-brain delivery and in vivo activity. The differences in reactivity of Cys and Pen thiol groups protected with trityl and/or acetamidomethyl protecting groups toward I2 in different solvents were exploited for selective disulfide bond formation on the solid phase. Both the single step and the sequential strategy applied to macrocyclization reactions generated the desired OL-CTOP, with the sequential strategy yielding a large quantity and better purity of crude OL-CTOP. Importantly, intranasally (i.n.s.) administered OL-CTOP dose-dependently antagonized the analgesic effect of morphine administered to mice through the intracerebroventricular route and prevented morphine-induced respiratory depression. In summary, the results demonstrate the feasibility of our solid-phase synthetic strategy for the preparation of the OL-CTOP bicyclic peptide containing two disulfide bonds and reveal the potential of odorranalectin for further modifications and the targeted delivery to the brain.
Dynamic relationship between resource endowment, financial agglomeration, innovation-driven, and green total factor productivity

As conflicts between emissions reductions and economic growth intensify, an increasing number of countries and regions are focusing on green total factor productivity (GTFP). Financial agglomeration (QWS), resource endowment (SE), and innovation-driven (ID) are the main factors that cause regional differences in GTFP. However, few scholars have comprehensively considered the impact of the interaction between SE, ID, and QWS on GTFP. This article uses the Global Malmquist-Luenberger (GML) index to calculate the GTFP of 30 Chinese provinces from 2003 to 2020 and constructs a dynamic panel model to present the first comprehensive study of the interactions between SE, ID, and QWS and their relationship with GTFP. The conclusions are as follows. (1) SE is positively correlated with GTFP, which is different from the “resource curse” theory proposed by existing research. (2) There is a crowding-out effect between SE and ID, and their interaction will restrain the growth of GTFP. (3) QWS promotes ID, and the interaction between the two promotes the growth of GTFP. (4) There is a restraining effect between QWS and SE, and their interaction will hinder the growth of GTFP. (5) The key policy directions to improve China's GTFP are to undertake strategic planning from a comprehensive perspective, including encouraging innovation, guiding financial development reasonably, and avoiding excessive consumption of resources.