Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Boundary output tracking for a flexible beam with tip payload and boundary nonlinear disturbance

We study boundary output tracking for a flexible beam with tip payload and boundary nonlinear disturbance. By constructing an infinite-dimensional extended state observer (ESO), the total disturbance is estimated on line. A servomechanism corresponding to the reference signal and servomechanism-based output feedback control law are designed. Under such control law, we prove that the performance boundary output tracks exponentially the reference signal. By virtue of the Riesz basis approach, the Riesz basis generation and exponential stability of an coupled system are verified, and thereby the boundedness of closed-loop system is obtained. Some numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness.
Influence of Intact Mycelium of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Soil Microbiome Functional Profile in Wheat under Mn Stress

In the current agronomic context, the adoption of alternative forms of soil management is essential to increase crop yield. Agricultural sustainability requires practices that generate positive impacts and promote an increase in microbiome diversity as a tool to overcome adverse environmental conditions. An important ally is the indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that can improve plant growth and provide protection against abiotic stress such as metal toxicity. In a greenhouse experiment, this work studied the effect of wheat growth on several parameters of biological activity and functional microbiome in relation to wheat antecedent plant mycotrophy and soil disturbance under Mn stress. When the wheat was planted after highly mycotrophic plants and the soil was not previously disturbed, the results showed a 60% increase in wheat arbuscular colonization and a 2.5-fold increase in dry weight along with higher values of photosynthetic parameters and dehydrogenase activity. Conversely, soil disturbance before wheat planting increased the β-glucosidase activity and the count of manganese oxidizers, irrespectively of antecedent plant, and decreased drastically the wheat dry weight, the AMF colonization and the chlorophyll content compared to the undisturbed treatment. These findings suggest that not only the wheat growth but also the soil functional microbiome associated is affected by the antecedent type of plant and previous soil disturbance imposed. In addition, the improvement in wheat dry weight despite Mn toxicity may rely on shifts in biological activity associated to a well-established and intact ERM early developed in the soil.
Nonequilibrium and quantum coherent phenomena in the electromechanics of suspended nanowires (Review Article)

Strong coupling between electronic and mechanical degrees of freedom is a basic requirement for the operation of any nanoelectromechanical device. In this review we consider such devices and in particular investigate the properties of small tunnel-junction nanostructures that contain a movable element in the form of a suspended nanowire. In these systems, electrical currents and charge can be concentrated to small spatial volumes, resulting in strong coupling between the mechanics and the charge transport. As a result, a variety of mesoscopic phenomena appear, which can be used for the transduction of electrical currents into mechanical operation. Here we will in particular consider nanoelectromechanical dynamics far from equilibrium and the effect of quantum coherence in both the electronic and mechanical degrees of freedom in the context of both normal and superconducting nanostructures.
Absorption of planar massless scalar waves by Bardeen regular black holes

Accretion of fields by black holes is a subject of great interest in physics. It is known that accretion plays a fundamental role in active galactic nuclei and in the evolution of black holes. Accretion of fundamental fields is often related to the study of absorption cross section. Basically all black holes for which absorption of fields has been studied so far present singularities. However, even within general relativity, it is possible to construct regular black holes: objects with event horizons but without singularities. Many physically motivated regular black hole solutions have been proposed in the past years, demanding the understanding of their absorption properties. We study the absorption of planar massless scalar waves by Bardeen regular black holes. We compare the absorption cross section of Bardeen and Reissner–Nordstrom black holes, showing that the former always have a bigger absorption cross section for fixed values of the field frequency and of the normalized black hole charge. We also show that it is possible for a Bardeen black hole to have the same high-frequency absorption cross section of a Reissner–Nordstrom black hole. Our results suggest that, in mid-to-high-frequency regimes, regular black holes can have compatible properties with black holes with singularities, as far as absorption is concerned.
Student classroom behavior recognition and evaluation system based on YOLOX

Most schools rely on human observation for student learning evaluation and teachers to observe and evaluate students' classroom behaviors, giving each student a usual grade, which is inaccurate and too subjective, and there is no public dataset of students' classroom behaviors yet, so we constructed a classroom teaching video library and a library of students' classroom behaviors. First, the classroom monitoring video is extracted regularly in combination with the cv2 library to get a real-time picture stream of each student; then the spatiotemporal features of each student's behavior are learned by using convolutional neural networks, so as to achieve real-time recognition of classroom behavior in classroom teaching scenarios oriented to multi-student targets. In addition, an intelligent teaching assessment model is constructed and an intelligent teaching assessment system based on student classroom behavior recognition is designed and implemented to help improve teaching quality in order to realize smart education. Through experimental comparison and analysis on classroom teaching video dataset, it is verified that the proposed real-time multi-person student classroom behavior recognition model in classroom teaching video can achieve 70% accuracy rate, and the constructed intelligent teaching assessment system based on classroom behavior recognition has also achieved better operation results on classroom teaching video dataset.
Scholarship and teaching-focused roles: An exploratory study of academics’ experiences and perceptions of support

ABSTRACT Teaching-focused career tracks are increasingly prevalent across the Higher Education sector internationally, driven by student number growth and perceived managerialist agendas. Opportunities for advancement are challenged, however, by ambiguous and inconsistent conceptual frameworks regarding the role of scholarship in career progression, structural inequalities relating to available development support, and an absence of role models. The findings of a survey conducted with teaching-focused academics working in the UK identified an urgent need for clarity from the sector and more structured development opportunities for those employed on teaching-focused career paths. It is critical to ensure equity in professional opportunity, to truly embed teaching-focused careers into academic culture, and for institutions to fully benefit from the output of their scholarship activity. Until a more precise and consistent understanding of the concept of scholarship is established and the developmental support infrastructure is more comprehensive, barriers for those pursuing teaching-focused career routes will remain.
Ship-induced solitons as a manifestation of critical phenomena

A ship, moving with small acceleration in a reservoir of uniform depth, can be subjected to a sudden hydrodynamical impact similar to collision with an underwater rock, and on water surface unusual solitary wave will start running. The factors responsible for formation of solitons induced by a moving ship are analyzed. Emphasis is given to a phenomenon observed by John Scott Russell more 170 years ago when a sudden stop of a boat preceded the occurrence of exotic water dome. In dramatic changes of polemic about the stability and mathematical description of a solitary wave, the question why "Russell's wave" occurred has not been raised, though attempts its recreation invariably suffered failure. In our report the conditions disclosing the principle of the famous event as a critical phenomenon are described. In a reservoir of uniform depth a ship can confront by a dynamic barrier within narrow limits of ship's speed and acceleration. In a wider interval of parameters a ship generates a satellite wave, which can be transformed in a different-locking soliton. These phenomena can be classified into an extensive category of dynamic barrier effects including the transition of aircrafts through the sound barrier.
Transition between self-focusing and self-defocusing in a nonlocally nonlinear system

We reveal the relevance between the nonlocality and the focusing/defocusing states in nonlocally nonlinear media, and predict a novel phenomenon that the self-focusing/self-defocusing property of the optical beam in the nonlocally nonlinear medium with a sine-oscillation response function depends on its degree of nonlocality. The transition from the focusing nonlinearity to the defocusing nonlinearity of the nonlinear refractive index will happen when the degree of nonlocality of the system goes cross a critical value, and vise verse. Bright and dark soliton solutions are obtained, respectively, in the focusing state and in the defocusing state, and their stabilities are also discussed. It is mentioned that such a phenomenon might be experimentally realized in the nematic liquid crystal with negative dielectric anisotropy or in the quadratic nonlinear medium.
Newton's second law versus modified-inertia MOND: A test using the high-latitude effect

The modified-inertia MOND is an approach that proposes a change in Newton's second law at small accelerations as an alternative to dark matter. Recently it was suggested that this approach can be tested in terrestrial laboratory experiments. One way of doing the test is based on the static high-latitude equinox modified-inertia effect: around each equinox date, 2 spots emerge on the Earth where static bodies experience spontaneous displacement due to the violation of Newton's second law required by the modified-inertia MOND. Here, a detailed theory of this effect is developed and estimates of the magnitude of the signal due to the effect are obtained. The expected displacement of a mirror in a gravitational-wave interferometer is found to be about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{m}$. Some experimental aspects of the proposal are discussed.
Integrated Quantitative Targeted Lipidomics and Proteomics Reveal Unique Fingerprints of Multiple Metabolic Conditions

Aberrations in lipid and lipoprotein metabolic pathways can lead to numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological disorders, and cancer. The integration of quantitative lipid and lipoprotein profiling of human plasma may provide a powerful approach to inform early disease diagnosis and prevention. In this study, we leveraged data-driven quantitative targeted lipidomics and proteomics to identify specific molecular changes associated with different metabolic risk categories, including hyperlipidemic, hypercholesterolemic, hypertriglyceridemic, hyperglycemic, and normolipidemic conditions. Based on the quantitative characterization of serum samples from 146 individuals, we have determined individual lipid species and proteins that were significantly up- or down-regulated relative to the normolipidemic group. Then, we established protein–lipid topological networks for each metabolic category and linked dysregulated proteins and lipids with defined metabolic pathways. To evaluate the differentiating power of integrated lipidomics and proteomics data, we have built an artificial neural network model that simultaneously and accurately categorized the samples from each metabolic risk category based on the determined lipidomics and proteomics profiles. Together, our findings provide new insights into molecular changes associated with metabolic risk conditions, suggest new condition-specific associations between apolipoproteins and lipids, and may inform new biomarker discovery in lipid metabolism-associated disorders.
Semiclassical unimodular gravity

Classically, unimodular gravity is known to be equivalent to General Relativity (GR), except for the fact that the effective cosmological constant Λ has the status of an integration constant. Here, we explore various formulations of unimodular gravity beyond the classical limit. We first consider the non-generally covariant action formulation in which the determinant of the metric is held fixed to unity. We argue that the corresponding quantum theory is also equivalent to General Relativity for localized perturbative processes which take place in generic backgrounds of infinite volume (such as asymptotically flat spacetimes). Next, using the same action, we calculate semiclassical non-perturbative quantities, which we expect will be dominated by Euclidean instanton solutions. We derive the entropy/area ratio for cosmological and black hole horizons, finding agreement with GR for solutions in backgrounds of infinite volume, but disagreement for backgrounds with finite volume. In deriving the above results, the path integral is taken over histories with fixed 4-volume. We point out that the results are different if we allow the 4-volume of the different histories to vary over a continuum range. In this "generalized" version of unimodular gravity, one recovers the full set of Einstein's equations in the classical limit, including the trace, so Λ is no longer an integration constant. Finally, we consider the generally covariant theory due to Henneaux and Teitelboim, which is classically equivalent to unimodular gravity. In this case, the standard semiclassical GR results are recovered provided that the boundary term in the Euclidean action is chosen appropriately.
Análisis de máxima tensión compresiva en incisivos centrales superiores rehabilitados con postes de fibra de vidrio y tres tipos de coronas. Un estudio con método de elementos finitos

RESUMEN Objetivo: Evaluar la máxima tensión compresiva en incisivos centrales superiores restaurados con postes de fibra de vidrio y tres tipos de coronas por método de elementos finitos MEF. Materiales y métodos: El estudio fue un ensayo de laboratorio virtual y descriptivo. Se confeccionaron 3 modelos virtuales mediante el programa SolidWorks 2017, a partir de incisivos centrales superiores rehabilitados con postes de fibra de vidrio y corona metal-cerámica, corona de disilicato de litio monolítica y corona de zirconio-cerámica; luego, estos fueron sometidos a una carga oclusal oblicua de 150 N con una angulación de 45°, distribuida hacia la cara palatina. El análisis de las tensiones se realizó mediante la comparación de las tensiones máximas, mínimas y equivalentes de von Mises. Resultados: La máxima tensión compresiva se encontró a nivel cervical en la zona vestibular de cada una de las coronas, siendo el diseño 3 (corona de zirconio-cerámica) el que presentó mayor tensión compresiva, con 73,89 MPa, seguido por el diseño 2 (corona de disilicato de litio), con 63,42 MPa, y el diseño 1 (corona metal-cerámica), con 48,4 MPa. Conclusión: La corona zirconio-cerámica distribuye mejor la tensión a lo largo del diente, ya que, por su rigidez, absorbe las tensiones que se concentran especialmente en cervical, lo que podría indicar que es la opción más apropiada para rehabilitar dientes tratados endodónticamente.
Surveying and Modelling 21st Century Online Learning Patterns of Medical Students

Medical education in the 21st century is shifting more toward online learning because of extensive application of information and communication technology (ICT). We surveyed medical students’ 21st century online learning experiences and modeled the interrelations among relevant dimensions of 21st century online learning. Based on the general themes proposed by multiple 21st century learning frameworks and current medical education emphases, a seven-factor instrument was developed for surveying 364 medical students’ learning process, thinking process, and basic science-related clinical ability. The associations among the seven factors and the structural relationships of how online learning practices and thinking processes affected basic science-related clinical ability were explored. The developed instrument was validated and possessed good reliability. The seven dimensions were interrelated. Specifically, meaningful learning with ICT was positively associated with other learning practices. The learning practices were positively associated with the thinking processes and the thinking processes were positively associated with students’ basic science-related clinical ability. Our findings suggested that students engaged in active and collaborative learning with technology would employ higher-order thinking and perceived better basic science-related clinical ability. The findings support engaging medical students with 21st century learning practices to strengthen students’ self-perception of clinical ability.
Comparative Evaluation and Correlation of Pain Pattern in Neck Musculature Observed in Mild, Moderate, and Severe Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Cases as Compared to Non-temporomandibular Joint Disorder Cases

Introduction Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a broad term used to describe several interlinked disorders affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), muscles of the craniofacial region, and associated structures, all of which have common symptoms such as pain and reduced jaw opening. Along with these, extra-craniofacial symptoms may also be present, which need to be assessed for early diagnosis of TMD. Considering the extra-craniofacial symptoms of TMD, this observational study aimed to evaluate the severity of pain in the neck musculature of patients with TMD and correlate it with the severity of the disorder. Material and methods A total of 44 patients were included in the study who were graded for severity of TMD based on the amnestic and dysfunctional components of the Helkimo index separately. The pain was evaluated bilaterally in five groups of neck muscles in all cases using manual palpation. The severity of pain in these neck muscles was then correlated with the severity of both subjective and objective symptoms of TMD and compared with patients without TMD. Results The Chi-square test revealed a statistically significant association between the severity of pain in all five groups of neck muscles and the severity of TMD. The severity of pain increased with the increasing severity of TMD, with a total of 59.09% of TMD patients presenting with varying degrees of pain in the neck musculature and a p-value of 0.0001% which was significant. Negligible pain in the neck musculature was present in patients without TMD. Conclusion Based on the results, it was observed that the severity of TMD directly correlated with pain in various groups of neck muscles. 59.09% of patients with TMD reported varying degrees of pain in the neck musculature. The severity and distribution of pain in the neck muscles increased with the increasing severity of TMD.
Longitudinal Assessment of Multiple Immunological and Inflammatory Parameters during Successful DAA Therapy in HCV Monoinfected and HIV/HCV Coinfected Subjects

In the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era, it is important to understand the immunological changes after HCV eradication in HCV monoinfected (mHCV) and in HIV/HCV coinfected (HIV/HCV) patients. In this study, we analyzed sub-populations of monocytes, dendritic cells (DCs), T-lymphocytes and inflammatory biomarkers following initiation of DAA in 15 mHCV and 16 HIV/HCV patients on effective antiretroviral therapy at baseline and after sustained virological response at 12 weeks (SVR12). Fifteen age- and sex-matched healthy donors (HD) were enrolled as a control group. Activated CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes, mDCs, pDCs, MDC8 and classical, non-classical and intermediate monocytes were detected using flow cytometry. IP-10, sCD163 and sCD14 were assessed by ELISA while matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) was measured by zymography. At baseline, increased levels of IP-10, sCD163 and MMP-2 were found in both HIV/HCV and mHCV patients compared to HD, whereas sCD14 increased only in HIV/HCV patients. After therapy, IP-10, sCD163 and sCD14 decreased, whereas MMP-2 persistently elevated. At baseline, activated CD8+ T-cells were high in HIV/HCV and mHCV patients compared to HD, with a decrease at SVR12 only in HIV/HCV patients. Activated CD4+ T-cells were higher in HIV/HCV patients without modification after DAAs therapy. These results suggest complex interactions between both viruses and the immune system, which are only partially reversed by DAA treatment.
F1 Male Sterility in Cattle-Yak Examined through Changes in Testis Tissue and Transcriptome Profiles

Simple Summary Cattle-yak, a crossbreed of cattle and yak, has evident heterosis but F1 male cattle-yak is unable to generate sperm and is sterile, which limits the fixation of heterosis. This study analyzed the differences in testicular tissue development between four-year-old yak and cattle-yak from the perspective of histomorphological changes and sequenced the testicular tissue of the two using RNA-seq technology, examining the differential gene expression related to spermatogenesis and apoptosis. These findings offer a theoretical explanation for the sterility in F1 male cattle-yak that can help yak hybridization. Abstract Male-derived sterility in cattle-yaks, a hybrid deriving from yak and cattle, is a challenging problem. This study compared and analyzed the histomorphological differences in testis between sexually mature yak and cattle-yak, and examined the transcriptome differences employing RNA-seq. The study found that yak seminiferous tubules contained spermatogenic cells at all levels, while cattle-yak seminiferous tubules had reduced spermatogonia (SPG) and primary spermatocyte (Pri-SPC), fewer secondary spermatocytes (Sec-SPC), an absence of round spermatids (R-ST) and sperms (S), and possessed large vacuoles. All of these conditions could have significantly reduced the volume and weight of cattle-yak testis compared to that of yak. RNA-seq analysis identified 8473 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 3580 upregulated and 4893 downregulated). GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment evaluations for DEGs found their relation mostly to spermatogenesis and apoptosis. Among the DEGs, spermatogonia stem cell (SSCs) marker genes (Gfra1, CD9, SOHLH1, SALL4, ID4, and FOXO1) and genes involved in apoptosis (Fas, caspase3, caspase6, caspase7, caspase8, CTSK, CTSB and CTSC) were significantly upregulated, while differentiation spermatogenic cell marker genes (Ccna1, PIWIL1, TNP1, and TXNDC2) and meiosis-related genes (TEX14, TEX15, MEIOB, STAG3 and M1AP) were significantly downregulated in cattle-yak. Furthermore, the alternative splicing events in cattle-yak were substantially decreased than in yak, suggesting that the lack of protein subtypes could be another reason for spermatogenic arrest in cattle-yak testis.