Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Domain wall energy in quasi-one-dimensional Fe/W(110) nanostripes

The magnetic susceptibility in Fe/W(110) nanostripes decreases exponentially with increasing temperature according to an Arrhenius law which indicates a quasi-one-dimensional behavior. The interface energy of the Arrhenius law corresponds to the domain wall energy of a domain wall across a single stripe, separating fluctuating regions of homogeneous magnetization. The domain wall energy increases linearly with the width of the stripes, revealing a negative offset which we attribute to boundary effects. Domain wall energies have been determined for Fe/W(110) nanostripes coated with Au and Pd and are compared to values for uncoated Fe/W(110) nanostripes in ultrahigh vacuum.
Determinants of Students’ Academic Performance in Higher Learning Institutions in Malaysia

In this era, competition is everywhere, especially for graduated students who are looking for a job. Graduated students need to equip themselves with the knowledge and soft skills required by the industr y. In the industry’s view, they recruit and select workers based on selective criteria such as academic qualifications, intelligent, communication skills and ability to work as a team. Therefore, the graduated students are supposedly preparing themselves a ccordingly. This study aims to identify the factors that contribute to students’ academic performance in higher learning institutions in Malaysia. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used in this study with a combination of the principal component extraction method and the varimax rotation analysis to extract the possible factors. The findings revealed that there are three factors that contribute to students’ academic performance in higher learning institutions namely learning ability, learning effort and time management. In producing high-quality students, higher learning institutions must ensure all students' necessity to possess these skills as demanded by the industry. As a result, it will increase the number of employed graduates and reduce the unemployment rate among graduates in Malaysia as inspired by the Twelfth Malaysia Plan.
Nonlinear principal components I. Absolutely continuous random variables with positive bounded densities

Nonlinear principal components for an absolutely continuous random vector X with positive bounded density are defined as the solution of a variational problem in a suitable function space. In this way transformations depending on all the components of X are obtained. Some properties of nonlinear principal components are proved: in particular, it is shown that the set of nonlinear principal transformations of X is an orthonormal basis for the function space associated with the optimal problem. The spectral decomposition of X and its covariance matrix with respect to this basis are given. A notion of marginal nonlinear principal components is sketched and the relations with nonlinear principal components are shown. Finally, treating the case of random vectors distributed on unbounded domains, the existence problem is shown to be related to the global existence of the moment generating function of X. Since it is not restrictive, definitions and results are stated in terms of a uniformly distributed random vector.
Theoretical analysis of cladding-mode waveguide dispersion and its effects on the spectra of long-period fiber grating

A new method to control the free spectral range (FSR) of a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) is proposed and theoretically analyzed. As the refractive index decreases radially outward in the silica cladding by graded doping of fluorine, waveguide dispersion in the cladding modes was modified to result in the effective indexes change and subsequently the phase-matching conditions for coupling with the core mode in a LPFG. Enlargement of the FSR in a LPFG was theoretically confirmed.
Designing polar textures with ultrafast neuromorphic features from atomistic simulations

This review summarizes recent works, all using a specific atomistic approach, that predict and explain the occurrence of key features for neuromorphic computing in three archetypical dipolar materials, when they are subject to THz excitations. The main ideas behind such atomistic approach are provided, and illustration of model relaxor ferroelectrics, antiferroelectrics, and normal ferroelectrics are given, highlighting the important potential of polar materials as candidates for neuromorphic computing. Some peculiar emphases are made in this Review, such as the connection between neuromorphic features and percolation theory, local minima in energy path, topological transitions and/or anharmonic oscillator model, depending on the material under investigation. By considering three different and main polar material families, this work provides a complete and innovative toolbox for designing polar-based neuromorphic systems.
Environment-induced superselection rules

We show how the correlations of a quantum system with other quantum systems may cause one of its observables to behave in a classical manner. In particular, "reduction of the wave packet," postulated by von Neumann to explain definiteness of an outcome of an individual observation, can be explained when a realistic model of an apparatus is adopted. Instead of an isolated quantum apparatus with a number of states equal to the number of possible distinct outcomes of the measurement, discussed by von Neumann, we consider an apparatus interacting with other physical systems, described here summarily as "environment. " The interaction of the quantum apparatus with the environment results in correlations. Correlations impose effective superselection rules which prevent apparatus from appearing in a superposition of states corresponding to different eigenvalues of the privileged pointer observable. It is the propagation of the correlations with the pointer basis states which is ultimately responsible for the choice of the pointer observable. It can be thought of as a process of amplification in which the state of many distinct physical systems becomes correlated with the pointer basis state. Whether these environment systems are regarded as a part of the apparatus setup, or as a part of its environment is irrelevant. What is crucial is the redundancy of the record concerning the pointer observable which is imprinted into the correlations. Eigenspaces of the pointer observable provide a natural basis for the pointer of the quantum apparatus and determine the to-be-measured observable of the quantum system. Decay of those elements of the apparatus-system density matrix, which are off-diagonal in the pointer observable, is caused by the natural evolution of the combined system-apparatus-environment object. For a hypothetical finite environment with $N$ distinct eigenvalues of the apparatus-environment interaction Hamiltonian, off-diagonal terms will decay to become of the order of ${N}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}$, and will recur only on a Poincar\'e time scale. No recurrences will be observed in realistic circumstances. As the correlations spread through the environment on a time scale typically much shorter than the recurrence time scale calculated for the environment already correlated with the pointer observable, the measurement becomes effectively irreversible. Relevance of this model of the measurement process for the understanding of the second law of thermodynamics and its relation to Bohr's "irreversible act of amplification" is briefly discussed. The emergence of the pointer observable can be interpreted as a clue about the resolution of the measurement problem in case of no environment. It points towards the possibility that properties of quantum systems have no absolute meaning. Rather, they must be always characterized with respect to other physical systems.
Phytofabrication and characterization of Alchornea cordifolia silver nanoparticles and evaluation of antiplasmodial, hemocompatibility and larvicidal potential

Purpose: The recent emergence of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasites resistant to current artemisinin-based combination therapies in Africa justifies the need to develop new strategies for successful malaria control. We synthesized, characterized and evaluated medical applications of optimized silver nanoparticles using Alchornea cordifolia (AC-AgNPs), a plant largely used in African and Asian traditional medicine. Methods: Fresh leaves of A. cordifolia were used to prepare aqueous crude extract, which was mixed with silver nitrate for AC-AgNPs synthesis and optimization. The optimized AC-AgNPs were characterized using several techniques including ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential. Thereafter, AC-AgNPs were evaluated for their hemocompatibility and antiplasmodial activity against Pf malaria strains 3D7 and RKL9. Finally, lethal activity of AC-AgNPs was assessed against mosquito larvae of Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti which are vectors of neglected diseases such as dengue, filariasis and chikungunya. Results: The AC-AgNPs were mostly spheroidal, polycrystalline (84.13%), stable and polydispersed with size of 11.77 ± 5.57 nm. FTIR revealed the presence of several peaks corresponding to functional chemical groups characteristics of alkanoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, anthraquonones and saponins. The AC-AgNPs had a high antiplasmodial activity, with IC50 of 8.05 μg/mL and 10.31 μg/mL against 3D7 and RKL9 Plasmodium falciparum strains. Likewise, high larvicidal activity of AC-AgNPs was found after 24 h- and 48 h-exposure: LC50 = 18.41 μg/mL and 8.97 μg/mL (Culex quinquefasciatus), LC50 = 16.71 μg/mL and 7.52 μg/mL (Aedes aegypti) and LC50 = 10.67 μg/mL and 5.85 μg/mL (Anopheles stephensi). The AC-AgNPs were highly hemocompatible (HC50 > 500 μg/mL). Conclusion: In worrying context of resistance of parasite and mosquitoes, green nanotechnologies using plants could be a cutting-edge alternative for drug/insecticide discovery and development.
Light intensity dependence of open-circuit voltage of polymer: fullerene solar cells

The open-circuit voltage Voc of polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells is investigated as a function of light intensity for different temperatures. Devices consisted of a blend of a poly(p-phenylene vinylene) derivative as the hole conductor and 6,6-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester as the electron conductor. The observed photogenerated current and Voc are at variance with classical p–n junction-based models. The influence of light intensity and recombination strength on Voc is consistently explained by a model based on the notion that the quasi-Fermi levels are constant throughout the device, including both drift and diffusion of charge carriers.
Optical Breakdown of 6H SiC Induced by Wavelength-Tunable Femtosecond Laser Pulses

The damage mechanisms and micromachining of 6H SiC are studied by using femtosecond laser pulses at wavelengths between near infrared (NIR) and near ultraviolet (NUV) delivered from an optical parametric amplifier (OPA). Our experimental results indicate that high quality microstructures can be fabricated in SiC crystals. On the basis of the dependence of the ablated area and the laser pulse energy, the threshold fluence of SiC is found to increase with the incident laser wavelength in the visible region, while it remains almost constant for the NIR laser. For the NIR laser pulses, both photoionization and impact ionization play important roles in electronic excitation, while for visible lasers, photoionization plays a more important role.
Neumann–Dirichlet maps and analysis of spectral pollution for non-self-adjoint elliptic PDEs with real essential spectrum

We prove that one of the most commonly used techniques for approximating the spectra of certain classes of non-self-adjoint elliptic partial differential equations on exterior domains does not suffer from spectral pollution except possibly in the spectral gaps. This generalizes a well-known result from the self-adjoint case. We also show how the method can be used in conjunction with some simple tricks to avoid spectral pollution for the self-adjoint case. Our proofs are based on a new approach to the nesting set analysis for Neumann to Dirichlet maps first proposed by Amrein and Pearson in 2004, with enhanced convergence results obtained from an elliptic regularity bootstrapping procedure. The numerical results in Section 6 illustrate a technique for finding eigenvalues in spectral gaps of self-adjoint operators by means of a compactly supported complex shift. This method seems to be of independent interest and can be understood without reading the rest of the paper.
Trajectories of Social Participation and Its Predictors in Older Adults: Based on the CLHLS Cohorts from 2002 to 2018

Social participation is a key factor in achieving active aging. This study aimed to explore the trajectories and predictors of social participation changes among older adults in China. The data used in this study are from the ongoing national longitudinal study CLHLS. A total of 2492 older adults from the cohort study were included. Group-based trajectory models (GBTM) were used to identify potential heterogeneity in longitudinal changes over time and investigate associations between baseline predictors and trajectories for different cohort members using logistic regression. Four different trajectories of social participation were reported in older adults, namely, stable (8.9%), slow decline (15.7%), lower score with decline (42.2%), and higher score with decline (9.5%). On multivariate analyses, age, years of schooling, pension, mental health, cognitive function, instrumental activities of daily living, and initial social participation scores significantly impact the rate of change in social participation over time. Four trajectories of social participation were identified in the Chinese elderly population. Management of mental health, physical function, and cognitive function appear to be important in maintaining the long-term social participation of older people in the community. Early identification of factors influencing the rapid decline in social participation and timely interventions can maintain or improve social participation levels in older adults.
Dynamics of Hepatitis B Virus Covalently Closed Circular DNA: A Mini-Review

Eradication of cccDNA is an ideal goal of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) therapy. Understanding the changes in the cccDNA pool during therapy provides a basis for developing CHB treatment strategies. On the other hand, the shift in the balance of the cccDNA pool following therapies allowed researchers to investigate the dynamics of cccDNA. Central to the description of cccDNA dynamics is a parameter called cccDNA half-life. CccDNA half-life is not an intrinsic property of cccDNA molecules, but a description of an observed phenomenon characterized by cccDNA pool decline. Since cccDNA has to be in the nuclei of host cells to function, the half-life of cccDNA is determined by the state and destiny of the host cells. The major factors that drive cccDNA decay include noncytopathic effects and hepatocyte turnover (death and division). In some cases, the determining factor is not the half-life of cccDNA itself, but rather the half-life of the hepatocyte. The main purpose of this review is to analyze the major factors affecting cccDNA half-life and determine the areas requiring further study. In addition, the discrepancy in cccDNA half-life between short-term and long-term nucleot(s)ide analog (NUC) therapy was reported. Hypotheses were proposed to explain the multi-phasic decline of cccDNA during NUC therapy, and a framework based on cccDNA dynamics was suggested for the consideration of various anti-HBV strategies.
More than just a histone deacetylase: cytoplasmic SIRT6 facilitates fatty acid oxidation through ACSL5 deacetylation

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide; it affects up to 25%–30% of the global population. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of conditions, ranging from hepatic steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Further progression of NAFLD can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma [1]. Despite being researched for decades, effective therapeutic drugs for NAFLD remain lacking. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex, and its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Free fatty acids (FFAs) are crucial for life and essential for cellular functions in mammals; however, excessive FFAs contribute to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. A recent study published by Hou et al. [2] suggested that cytoplasmic SIRT6 is involved in NAFLD progression by regulating FFA metabolism.
An Image-Domain Signal Model for Azimuth Multichannel Reconstruction and Its Applications

High-resolution wide-swath (HRWS) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) may benefit from reconstructing signals in the image domain, for taking local characteristics of the scene into account. An image-domain signal model for HRWS SAR to reconstruct nonambiguous images is presented in this article. This model makes the idea of controlling the regional reconstruction performance and taking the advantage of nonuniform scatter distribution possible. Resolution is also preserved perfectly by the proposed model despite whatever tradeoff is made between the azimuth-ambiguity-to-signal ratio (AASR) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The model is derived on backprojection (BP) images and can deal with different squint angles and beam steering strategies, thanks to the BP algorithm. Although the reconstruction is done pixel by pixel, the computational burden, which depends on beam steering and the specific constraints in reconstruction, may not severely increase. Two methods for Spotlight SAR and two methods for Stripmap SAR are also presented based on the proposed model to verify the model and demonstrate its potential. Simulations on both the point target and extended target with different squint angles are carried out to verify the proposed methods, which also verify the proposed model indirectly.
Online Health Information Seeking for Mpox in Endemic and Nonendemic Countries: Google Trends Study

Background The recent global outbreak of mpox (monkeypox) has already been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. Given the health, social, and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is understandable concern and anxiety around the emergence of another infectious disease—especially one about which little is known. Objective We used Google Trends to explore online health information seeking patterns for mpox in endemic and nonendemic countries and investigated the impact of the publication of the first in-country case on internet search volume. Methods Google Trends is a publicly accessible and free data source that aggregates worldwide Google search data. Google search data were used as a surrogate measure of online health information seeking for 178 days between February 18 and August 18, 2022. Searching data were downloaded across this time period for nonendemic countries with the highest case count (United States, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, and France) and 5 endemic countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Central African Republic, and Cameroon). Joinpoint regression analysis was used to measure changes in searching trends for mpox preceding and following the announcement of the first human case. Results Online health information seeking significantly increased after the publication of the first case in all the nonendemic countries—United States, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, and France, as illustrated by significant joinpoint regression models. Joinpoint analysis revealed that models with 3 significant joinpoints were the most appropriate fit for these data, where the first joinpoint represents the initial rise in mpox searching trend, the second joinpoint reflects the start of the decrease in the mpox searching trend, and the third joinpoint represents searching trends’ return to searching levels prior to the first case announcement. Although this model was also found in 2 endemic countries (ie, Ghana and Nigeria), it was not found in Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, or Cameroon. Conclusions Findings demonstrate a surge in online heath information seeking relating to mpox after the first in-country case was publicized in all the nonendemic countries and in Ghana and Nigeria among the endemic counties. The observed increases in mpox searching levels are characterized by sharp but short-lived periods of searching before steep declines back to levels observed prior to the publication of the first case. These findings emphasize the importance of the provision of accurate, relevant online public health information during disease outbreaks. However, online health information seeking behaviors only occur for a short time period, and the provision of accurate information needs to be timely in relation to the publication of new case-related information.
Use of Virtual Reality Techniques to Rehabilitate Military Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Review)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder developing after a traumatic event like participation in combat activities. Objective diagnosis of combat PTSD and effective rehabilitation of war veterans is a current multifaceted problem with particularly high social costs. This review aims to evaluate the potential of virtual reality technique used as exposure therapy tool (VRET) to rehabilitate combat veterans and service members with PTSD. The review was written following the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The final analysis includes 75 articles published in 2017–2022. VRET therapeutic effect mechanisms were examined along with protocols and scenarios of VRET combined with other interventions influencing PTSD treatment like pharmacotherapy, motion-assisted multi-modular memory desensitization and reconsolidation (3MDR), transcranial magnetic stimulation. The necessity is substantiated of psychophysiological measurements for objectification of PTSD clinical criteria and its dynamics during treatment. It was shown that inclusion of VRET to the package of PTSD rehabilitation interventions positively affects the results due to the enhanced effect of presence and greater experience personalization. Thus, VRET may be an effective, controlled, and cost-effective alternative for PTSD treatment in combatants, including those not responding to conventional therapy.
Optimal Assembly of Psychological and Educational Tests

The advent of computers in psychological and educational measurement has led to the need for algorithms for optimal assembly of tests from item banks. This paper reviews optimal test assembly literature and introduces the contributions to this Special Issue. Four approaches to computerized test assembly are discussed: heuristic-based test assembly, 0-1 linear programming, network-flow programming, and an optimal design approach. Ap-plications of these methods to a variety of problems are examined, including IRT-based test assembly, classical test assembly, assembling multiple test forms, item matching, observed-score equating, constrained adaptive testing, assembling tests with item sets, item bank design, and assembling tests with multiple traits. A bibliography on optimal test assembly is provided.