Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Composite Oral Fast Disintegrating Film: An Innovative Strategy for the Codelivery of Ranitidine HCl and Flurbiprofen

Here, we evaluate the feasibility of co-loading plain ranitidine hydrochloride (RHCl) and microencapsulated flurbiprofen (FBP) in a Lycoat® RS780-based oral fast disintegrating film (ODF). These films were developed by the solvent casting method to minimize the adverse effects of FBP and reduce the dosage form burden on patients. Optimized FBP microparticles (M3) with an average size of 21.2 ± 9.2 µm were loaded alone (F1) and in combination with plain RHCl (F2) in the composite ODF. All films were evaluated physicomechanically and physicochemically. These films were resilient, flexible, and disintegrated within thirty seconds. SEM images showed intact FBP microparticles in both formulations and, moreover, did not observe an interaction between the drug and film components. Microencapsulated FBP was released in a controlled manner over 48 h from the proposed formulations, while RHCl was released within 5 min from F2. After in vitro evaluation, formulations were also tested for in vivo anti-inflammatory activity, cytokine (TNF-α and IL-6) levels, and gastroprotective effects in rats. The anti-inflammatory activity and gastroprotective effect of F2 were markedly higher than pure FBP and other synthesized formulations (M3 and F1). The average score of gastric lesions was in the order of pure FBP (15.5 ± 1.32) > M3 (8 ± 2) > F1 (1 ± 0.5) > F2 (0.5 ± 0) > control (0). Additionally, F2 showed a sustained anti-inflammatory effect up to 10 h in the rat paw edema model. Furthermore, F2 also markedly reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Conclusively, the Lycoat® RS780-based composite film could be a promising carrier for the co-loading of microencapsulated FBP with RHCl. In the future, an optimized formulation (F2) could be capable of countering the issues related to multiple drug administration in geriatric patients and evading the gastric irritation associated with FBP.
Towards Precision Standard Model Calculations

Author(s): Girard, Michael | Advisor(s): Bauer, Christian; Nomura, Yasunori | Abstract: For many years the consistency of the Standard Model(SM) of particle physics has been unflinching. The structure and content of the Standard Model has remained whole in the face of shockingly many experimental tests. Predicting the existence of new particles and yielding incredibly accurate calculations of fundamental measurements have been the hallmark of the Standard Model. Currently, experimentalists are testing several Standard Model quantities to such precision that 5th order terms are needed in theoretical calculations to match this precision. Never-the-less, the predictions of the Standard Model have kept pace with experiment and have yet to be contradicted. Unfortunately, this incredible stretch of experimental validation comes at a cost. Several very large problems still are without solutions and finding them in the particle content of the Standard Model alone is unlikely. The huge range of scales seen in nature, a dark matter candidate, and the cosmic baryon asymmetry still loom as major flaws in the Standard Model. In this manuscript we aim to increase the accuracy of several Standard Model predictions to push the experimental limits of the Standard Model. We start with a brief introduction to the Standard Model and its sector we will be mainly concerned with, namely QCD. In Chapter 2, we will consider the Standard Model as an effective field theory for a new physics model that resides at a mass scale much higher than the electro-weak scale. By interpreting the SM as an effective theory it allows us to extend the Standard Model Lagrangian with new, higher-dimensional operators that depend on the scale of new physics. We then calculate the next-to-leading order corrections to these operators in QCD and combine these calculations with parton showers via the \texttt{POWHEG} method. In the final section of Chapter 2 we present a discussion of the bounds on the scale of new physics that can be drawn from comparing our results to Large-Hadron-Collider(LHC) searches. In the third chapter of this manuscript, we will briefly introduce the importance of W+charm events at the LHC followed by a discussion of NLO QCD calculations and heavy meson fragmentation resummation. Next, we give a general method for combining a fixed order, massive calculation with a massless calculation with large logarithms resummed. Numerical results of resummation and an implementation of the afore mention method are discussed followed by future outlook.
Iceland's Great Frost Winter of 1917/1918 and its representation in reanalyses of the twentieth century

Climate variability during the twentieth century is a subject of considerable interest as it represents a way to place the changes that we are currently experiencing into a long‐term context. The characterization of climatic extremes and their representation in models is of particular importance as these events have a significant impact on communities and ecosystems. Much of the focus on these extremes has been on events that occurred after the establishment of the upper‐air observing network in the 1950s. The recent availability of reanalyses that extend throughout the twentieth century now allow extreme events that occurred before this time to be more fully investigated. The winter of 1917/1918 is referred to as the Great Frost Winter in Iceland. It was the coldest winter in the region during the twentieth century. It was remarkable for the presence of sea ice in Reykjavik Harbour as well as for the unusually large number of polar bear sightings in northern Iceland. Here we use observations as well as two reanalyses that span the twentieth century to document this event. We show that throughout much of the region, January 1918 was the coldest winter month on record. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) attained one of its most negative values during January 1918 and the westward shift in its northern centre of action allowed cold Arctic and Greenlandic air to penetrate south towards Iceland. We also show that the two reanalyses diverged in their ability to represent the temperature anomalies during the event. Differences in the sea‐surface temperature (SST) and sea ice concentration fields used to force the underlying models contributed to this divergence. These results stress the important role that boundary conditions play in determining the fidelity with which reanalyses can represent extreme climate events in data‐sparse regions.
Comparison of multiband filtering, empirical mode decomposition and short-time fourier transform used to extract physiological components from long-term heart rate variability

Heart rate is constantly changing under the inﬂuence of many control signals, as manifested by heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is a nonstationary, irregularly sampled signal, the spectrum of which reveals distinct bands of high, low, very low and ultra-low frequencies (HF, LF, VLF, ULF). VLF and ULF components are the least understood, and their analysis requires HRV records lasting many hours. Moreover, there are still no well-established methods for the reliable extraction of these components. The aim of this work was to select, implement and compare methods which can solve this problem. The performance of multiband ﬁltering (MBF), empirical mode decomposition and the short-time Fourier transform was tested, using synthetic HRV as the ground truth for methods evaluation as well as real data of three patients selected from 25 polysomnographic records with a clear HF component in their spectrograms. The study provided new insights into the components of long-term HRV, including the character of its amplitude and frequency modulation obtained with the Hilbert transform. In addition, the reliability of the extracted HF, LF, VLF and ULF waveforms was demonstrated, and MBF turned out to be the most accurate method, though the signal is strongly nonstationary. The possibility of isolating such waveforms is of great importance both in physiology and pathophysiology, as well as in the automation of medical diagnostics based on HRV
Earliest Accumulation History of the North Polar Layered Deposits, Mars from SHARAD Radar-Facies Mapping

Introduction: The north polar layered deposits (NPLD) are the largest accumulation of water ice in the northern hemisphere of Mars, yet little is known about their age or accumulation history. Recent studies of radargrams obtained with the Shallow Radar (SHARAD) onboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter revealed the presence of three large-scale stratigraphic sequences bounded by erosional surfaces [1,2] that may represent the key for understanding the accumulation and climate history of the NPLD [3,4]. Detailed stratigraphy of the uppermost layers and their evolution have been studied extensively since the first Mariner 9 images of the NPLD [5]. However, great portions of the polar cap are still unmapped and no detailed studies of the lowermost layered deposits have been performed to date, primarily due to a general lack of visible exposures. The aim of this study is to use internal radar stratigraphy from SHARAD to reconstruct the first stages of water ice accumulation and climatic changes of Mars. This objective will be achieved by indentifying and mapping radar reflectors and unconformities with the highest detail possible. Methods and Assumptions: This study involves the tracking of radar reflectors in SHARAD radargrams of the NPLD. Single reflectors are assumed to represent isochron surfaces and to result from changes in the concentrations of dust that significantly alter the dielectric constant [6,7]. A set of 7 horizons was tracked across 400+ radargrams inside a seismic interpretation environment (Landmark DecisionSpace) and after depth conversion with the assumption of a bulk composition equivalent to water ice, thicknesses are calculated for each stratigraphic interval using ArcGIS. Along with the quantitative analysis of derived isopach maps, this study is based on the qualitative comparison of “radar facies” in different locations (Fig. 1). Radar facies are evaluated on the basis of thickness ratios between the 7 mapped layers and relative brightness variations along the same reflectors. The first can be used to identify subtle thickness variations over long distances, while the second is still poorly understood and may depend on the composition of the reflecting layer or properties of the interface. The detailed depositional history extrapolated in this study is then compared with the earliest stages of modeled NPLD accumulation. This model links climate and atmospheric processes to changes in orbital parameters and predicts global ice accumulation [8]. A comparison of the model and SHARAD stratigraphy for the NPLD shows overall consistency [9], but the number and extent of retreat events preserved in SHARAD statigraphy (especially for the earliest NPLD history) has remained a question. This work helps to address that question.
2-(4-Benzyloxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(carbethoxyethylene)-7-methoxy-benzofuran, a Benzofuran Derivative, Suppresses Metastasis Effects in P53-Mutant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

2-(4-Benzyloxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(carbethoxyethylene)-7-methoxy-benzofuran (BMBF), a benzofuran derivative, is an intermediate found in the process of total synthesis of ailanthoidol. Benzofuran derivatives are a class of compounds that possess various biological and pharmacological activities. The present study explored the anti-metastasis effects of BMBF in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our preliminary findings indicate that BMBF suppresses the proliferation and changes the morphology of Huh7—an HCC cell line with a mutated p53 gene (Y220C). According to a scratching motility assay, non-cytotoxic concentrations of BMBF significantly inhibited the motility and migration in Huh7 cells. BMBF upregulated the expression of E-cadherin and downregulated the expression of vimentin, Slug, and MMP9, which are associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in Huh7 cells. BMBF decreased the expression of integrin α7, deactivated its downstream signal FAK/AKT, and inhibited p53 protein levels. Cell transfection with p53 siRNA resulted in the prevention of cell invasion because of the reduction in integrin α7, Slug, and MMP-9 in Huh7 cells. BMBF had anti-metastatic effects in PLC/PRF/5—an HCC cell line with R249S, a mutated p53 gene. Our findings indicate that BMBF has anti-metastatic effects in downregulating p53 and mediating the suppression of integrin α7, EMT, and MMP-9 in HCC cells with a mutated p53 gene.
The Bipolarity of Attitudes: Unfolding the Implications of Ambivalence

Recently, some attitude researchers have argued that the traditional bipolar model of attitudes should be replaced, claiming that a bivariate model is superior in several ways, foremost of which is its ability to account for ambivalent attitudes. This study argues that ambivalence is not at odds with bipolarity per se, but rather the conventional view of bipolarity, and that the psychometric evidence supporting a bivariate interpretation has been flawed. To demonstrate this, a scale developed out of the bivariate approach was examined using a unidimensional unfolding item response theory model: general hyperbolic cosine model for polytomous responses. The results were consistent with a bipolar interpretation, providing support for the argument that ambivalent evaluations are the correct middle-point of a bipolar evaluative dimension. Thus, it is argued that attitudinal ambivalence does not necessitate moving beyond bipolarity, but rather, moving beyond the conventional conceptualization and assessment of attitudes.
Cerebral Signal Instantaneous Parameters Estimation MATLAB Toolbox - User Guide Version 2.3

This document is meant to help individuals use the Cerebral Signal Instantaneous Parameters Estimation MATLAB Toolbox which implements different methods for estimating the instantaneous parameters of cerebral signals (i.e. EEG, MEG and etc. ) such as phase, frequency and envelope of a signal and calculating some related well-known quantities in a variety of applications. The toolbox (which is distributed under the terms of the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE as a set of MATLAB routines) can be downloaded directly at the address: http://oset.ir/category.php? dir=Tools . or from the public repository on GitHub, at address below: https://github.com/EsiSeraj/EEG-PhaseFreq-Analysis . The purpose of this toolbox is to calculate the instantaneous phase, frequency and envelope sequences of cerebral signals (EEG, MEG, etc.) and some related popular features and quantities in brain studies and Neuroscience such as Phase Synchronization, Frequency Shift, Phase Resetting, Phase Locking Value (PLV), Phase Difference and more, to help researchers in these fields.
Effect of atomic layer deposition temperature on current conduction in Al2O3 films formed using H2O oxidant

To develop high-performance, high-reliability gate insulation and surface passivation technologies for wide-bandgap semiconductor devices, the effect of atomic layer deposition (ALD) temperature on current conduction in Al2O3 films is investigated based on the recently proposed space-charge-controlled field emission model. Leakage current measurement shows that Al2O3 metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors formed on the Si substrates underperform thermally grown SiO2 capacitors at the same average field. However, using equivalent oxide field as a more practical measure, the Al2O3 capacitors are found to outperform the SiO2 capacitors in the cases where the capacitors are negatively biased and the gate material is adequately selected to reduce virtual dipoles at the gate/Al2O3 interface. The Al2O3 electron affinity increases with the increasing ALD temperature, but the gate-side virtual dipoles are not affected. Therefore, the leakage current of negatively biased Al2O3 capacitors is approximately independent of the ALD temperature because of the compensation of the opposite effects of increased electron affinity and permittivity in Al2O3. By contrast, the substrate-side sheet of charge increases with increasing ALD temperature above 210 °C and hence enhances the current of positively biased Al2O3 capacitors more significantly at high temperatures. Additionally, an anomalous oscillatory shift of the current-voltage characteristics with ALD temperature was observed in positively biased capacitors formed by low-temperature (≤210 °C) ALD. This shift is caused by dipoles at the Al2O3/underlying SiO2 interface. Although they have a minimal positive-bias leakage current, the low-temperature-grown Al2O3 films cause the so-called blisters problem when heated above 400 °C. Therefore, because of the absence of blistering, a 450 °C ALD process is presently the most promising technology for growing high-reliability Al2O3 films.
Development of inter-grid-cell lateral unsaturated and saturated flow model in the E3SM Land Model (v2.0)

Abstract. The lateral transport of water in the subsurface is important in modulating terrestrial water energy distribution. Although a few land surface models have recently included lateral saturated flow within and across grid cells, it is not a default configuration in the Climate Model Intercomparison Project version 6 experiments. In this work, we developed the lateral subsurface flow model within both unsaturated and saturated zones in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) Land Model version 2 (ELMv2.0). The new model, called ELMlat, was benchmarked against PFLOTRAN, a 3D subsurface flow and transport model, for three idealized hillslopes that included a convergent hillslope, divergent hillslope, and tilted V-shaped hillslope with variably saturated initial conditions. ELMlat showed comparable performance against PFLOTRAN in terms of capturing the dynamics of soil moisture and groundwater table for the three benchmark hillslope problems. Specifically, the mean absolute errors (MAEs) of the soil moisture in the top 10 layers between ELMlat and PFLOTRAN were within 1 %±3 %, and the MAEs of water table depth were within ±0.2 m. Next, ELMlat was applied to the Little Washita experimental watershed to assess its prediction of groundwater table, soil moisture, and soil temperature. The spatial pattern of simulated groundwater table depth agreed well with the global groundwater table benchmark dataset generated from a global model calibrated with long-term observations. The effects of lateral groundwater flow on the energy flux partitioning were more prominent in lowland areas with shallower groundwater tables, where the difference in simulated annual surface soil temperature could reach 0.3–0.4 ∘C between ELMv2.0 and ELMlat. Incorporating lateral subsurface flow in ELM improves the representation of the subsurface hydrology, which will provide a good basis for future large-scale applications.
Reinforcement Learning for Swarm Control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This thesis focuses on the application of reinforcement learning (RL) techniques for the flight control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms. The objective is to learn policies that provide control inputs separately to each individual UAV in the swarm to fly through multiple waypoints in a cluttered environment while keeping the swarm coherent. For this reason, we create a quadrotor simulator, that has the ability to emulate the dynamics of quadrotors and the environment with obstacles. This simulator is integrated with a standardized interface for RL, allowing interaction with an RL library. A suitable RL algorithm is chosen to train policy on individual UAVs in the swarm to navigate through the cluttered environments. To simulate difficult scenarios, the quadrotors in the swarm are deprived of their absolute position in the environment and they are provided with observations that simulate 2D Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). The success rate of the trained policies is evaluated in a scenario where the RL algorithm is provided with known robots’ states (including the absolute position) and where the algorithm is provided with vision-based observations. Then, the performance of the proposed RL method is compared with another existing method for swarm control. Metrics such as success rate, the velocity of individual UAVs, and swarm cohesion are used to measure the effectiveness of the trained policies. Overall, this thesis contributes to the field of control of UAV swarms by exploring the RL techniques for this task. It provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of this approach for this problem.
Low-temperature thermometry enhanced by strong coupling

We consider the problem of estimating the temperature $ T $ of a very cold equilibrium sample with an individual quantum probe. In particular, $ T $ is inferred from measurements performed on a single quantum harmonic probe strongly coupled to the sample under investigation. Due to the non-perturbative probe-sample interaction the stationary state of the former will not be thermal, in general. This turns out to be potentially advantageous for measuring low temperatures, as we show that: (i) The thermometric precision at low $ T $ can be significantly enhanced by strengthening the probe-sampling coupling, (ii) the variance of a suitable quadrature of our single-mode thermometer can yield temperature estimates with nearly minimal statistical uncertainty, and (iii) the spectral density of the probe-sample coupling may be engineered to further improve thermometric performance. These observations may find applications in practical nanoscale thermometry at low temperatures---a regime which is particularly relevant to quantum technologies.