Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Higher Hybrid Bottomonia in an Extended Potential Model

Using our extension of the quark potential model to hybrid mesons that fits well to the available lattice results, we now calculate the masses, radii, wave functions at origin, leptonic and two photon decay widths, E1 and M1 radiative transitions for a significant number of bottomonium mesons. These mesons include both conventional and hybrid ones with radial and angular excitations. Our numerical solutions of the Schrodinger equation are related to QCD through the Born-Oppenheimer approach. Relativistic corrections in masses and decay widths are also calculated by applying the leading order perturbation theory. The calculated results are compared with available experimental data and the theoretical results by other groups. We also identify the states of $\Upsilon(10860)$, $\Upsilon(11020)$, and $Y_b(10890)$ mesons by comparing their experimental masses and decay widths with our results.
Isoflavone-Enriched Soybean Leaves (Glycine Max) Alleviate Cognitive Impairment Induced by Ovariectomy and Modulate PI3K/Akt Signaling in the Hippocampus of C57BL6 Mice

(1) Background: The estrogen decline during perimenopause can induce various disorders, including cognitive impairment. Phytoestrogens, such as isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans, have been tried as a popular alternative to avoid the side effects of conventional hormone replacement therapy, but their exact mechanisms and risk are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of isoflavone-enriched soybean leaves (IESLs) on the cognitive impairment induced by ovariectomy in female mice. (2) Methods: Ovariectomy was performed at 9 weeks of age to mimic menopausal women, and the behavior tests for cognition were conducted 15 weeks after the first administration. IESLs were administered for 18 weeks. (3) Results: The present study showed the effects of IESLs on the cognitive function in the OVX (ovariectomized) mice. Ovariectomy markedly increased the body weight and fat accumulation in the liver and perirenal fat, but IESL treatment significantly inhibited them. In the behavioral tests, ovariectomy impaired cognitive functions, but administration of IESLs restored it. In addition, in the OVX mice, administration of IESLs restored decreased estrogen receptor (ER) β and PI3K/Akt expression in the hippocampus. (4) Conclusions: The positive effects of IESLs on cognitive functions may be closely related to the ER-mediated PI3/Akt signaling pathway in the hippocampus.
Instabilities of Weyl loop semimetals

We study Weyl-loop semi-metals with short range interactions, focusing on the possible interaction driven instabilities. We introduce an ϵ expansion regularization scheme by means of which the possible instabilities may be investigated in an unbiased manner through a controlled weak coupling renormalization group (RG) calculation. The problem has enough structure that a ‘functional’ RG calculation (necessary for an extended Fermi surface) can be carried out analytically. The leading instabilities are identified, and when there are competing degenerate instabilities a Landau–Ginzburg calculation is performed to determine the most likely phase. In the particle-particle channel, the leading instability is found to be to a fully gapped chiral superconducting phase which spontaneously breaks time reversal symmetry, in agreement with general symmetry arguments suggesting that Weyl loops should provide natural platforms for such exotic forms of superconductivity. In the particle hole channel, there are two potential instabilities—to a gapless Pomeranchuk phase which spontaneously breaks rotation symmetry, or to a fully gapped insulating phase which spontaneously breaks mirror symmetry. The dominant instability in the particle hole channel depends on the specific values of microscopic interaction parameters.
Bernoullicity of equilibrium measures on countable Markov shifts

We study the equilibrium behaviour of a two-sided topological Markov shift with a countable number of states. We assume the potential associated with this shift is Walters with finite first variation and that the shift is topologically transitive. We show the equilibrium measure of the system is Bernoulli up to a period. In the process we generalize several theorems on countable Markov shifts. We prove a variational principle and the uniqueness of equilibrium measures. A key step is to show that functions with Walters property on a two-sided shift are cohomologous to one-sided functions with the Walters property. Then we turn to show that functions with summable variations on two-sided CMS are cohomologous to one-sided functions, also with summable variations.
A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE HIGH-RESOLUTION X-RAY SPECTRA OF NGC 3516: VARIABILITY OF THE IONIZED ABSORBERS

The 1.5 Seyfert galaxy NGC 3516 presents a strong time variability in X-rays. We re-analyzed the nine observations performed in 2006 October by XMM-Newton and Chandra in the 0.3 to 10 keV energy band. An acceptable model was found for the XMM-Newton data fitting the EPIC-PN and RGS spectra simultaneously; later, this model was successfully applied to the contemporary Chandra high-resolution data. The model consists of a continuum emission component (power law + blackbody) absorbed by four ionized components (warm absorbers), and 10 narrow emission lines. Three absorbing components are warm, producing features only in the soft X-ray band. The fourth ionization component produces Fe xxv and Fe xxvi in the hard-energy band. We study the time response of the absorbing components to the well-detected changes in the X-ray luminosity of this source and find that the two components with the lower ionization state show clear opacity changes consistent with gas close to photoionization equilibrium. These changes are supported by the models and by differences in the spectral features among the nine observations. On the other hand, the two components with higher ionization state do not seem to respond to continuum variations. The response time of the ionized absorbers allows us to constrain their electron density and location. We find that one component (with intermediate ionization) must be located within the obscuring torus at a distance 2.7 × 1017 cm from the central engine. This outflowing component likely originated in the accretion disk. The three remaining components are at distances larger than 1016–1017 cm. Two of the absorbing components in the soft X-rays have similar outflow velocities and locations. These components may be in pressure equilibrium, forming a multi-phase medium, if the gas has metallicity larger than the solar one (≳ 5 Z☉). We also search for variations in the covering factor of the ionized absorbers (although partial covering is not required in our models). We find no correlation between the change in covering factor and the flux of the source. This, in connection with the observed variability of the ionized absorbers, suggests that the changes in flux are not produced by this material. If the variations are indeed produced by obscuring clumps of gas, these must be located much closer in to the central source.
Gamification and serious games methodologies in education

Gamification as a concept was defined for the first time two decades ago, as the use of game elements in a non-game context. Specific game elements like points, challenges, badges and leaderboard are incorporated in the learning process in order to increase motivation, engagement, and satisfaction to students. On the other hand, serious games are interactive video games that have a defined purpose of learning and practicing skills rather than entertainment. Serious games aim to improve problem solving skills, critical thinking and learn specific knowledge through playing video games that are software that have specific learning oriented purpose. The first purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast different aspects of gamification and serious games in the education domain, in order to identify appropriate applicable environments for these two approaches. Another purpose is to identify models and frameworks to apply gamification and serious games that are more effective to increase motivation and engagement to students. The final purpose is to identify in which courses these approaches are more applicable and help to improve the learning process by increasing creativity, motivation, engagement and problem solving skills. Methodology of this research is realized by analyzing different research papers in conferences proceedings and journals in the last two decades for concepts of game based learning, gamification in education and serious games evolved over the years. Also questionnaires are conducted for academic staff of Albania universities to measure perception and identify challenges and strategies of incorporating these approaches in the learning process. We conducted qualitative and quantitative research analysis in order to achieve results to fulfill the purposes of this research in all the aspects. This research represents conclusions and recommendation related approaches to evolve gamification and serious games methodologies in the education system in Albania. The paper aims to suggest practices and some of the most appropriate and effective models to apply gamification and serious games during the learning process.
Designing Privacy Risk Frameworks for Evolving Cyber-Physical Social Systems: Knowledge Gaps Illuminated by the Case of Autonomous Vehicles and Bystander Privacy

Designers and engineers increasingly engage with and must design for sociotechnical systems, also described as cyber-physical-social systems (CPSS). Leading frameworks like System-Theoretic Process Analysis and Value-Sensitive Design intend to help designers consider the consequences and impacts of their work with CPSS. However, such frameworks may not sufficiently account for human-centered scenarios. This complicates designers’ efforts to balance user needs with traditional forms of risk assessment. In this work, we explore foundations for the design of human-centered risk frameworks and examine a case study of autonomous vehicles and bystanders’ privacy as an example CPSS to address this gap. We develop an exploratory scenario-based risk framework and conduct expert interviews with experienced professionals (N = 7) working in the fields of autonomous vehicle design, development, policy and security to understand their perspectives on risk assessment and gather feedback on our framework. Reconciling interview findings with existing knowledge of evolving CPSS, we identify three broad knowledge gaps that could motivate future research in this space. First, we argue that there is a knowledge gap in developing human-centered frameworks and best practices to consider all stakeholders during the design of evolving CPSS. Second, we argue that a knowledge gap exists in acknowledging, reconciling, and proactively managing disciplinary discontinuities in vocabularies and mental models in evolving CPSS. Lastly, we argue that a critical knowledge gap exists around how to adapt scenario-based frameworks to accommodate the shifting challenges of designing evolving CPSS. We conclude with a discussion of preliminary implications for designing human-centered frameworks for autonomous vehicles and CPSS more generally.
Extraction of Coupling Coefficients of Directional Couplers Using Resonance Splitting

We theoretically and experimentally present a novel method to accurately extract coupling coefficients of directional couplers using a single circuit. It utilizes the phenomenon of resonance splitting induced by mode coupling in a ring resonator, where the splitting distance is directly proportional to the coupling coefficient of the coupler that couples two modes. Compared with previous approaches, it doesn't rely upon measured amplitudes for parameter extraction, therefore, this method is insensitive to the uncertainties in the losses of other components in the circuit such as fiber/chip couplers, waveguides and resonators, as well as gage errors. More importantly, it can work with very weak coupling coefficients, down to 10−4.
Heterodyne non-demolition measurements on cold atomic samples: towards the preparation of non-classical states for atom interferometry

We report on a novel experiment to generate non-classical atomic states via quantum non-demolition (QND) measurements on cold atomic samples prepared in a high-finesse ring cavity. The heterodyne technique developed for QND detection exhibits an optical shot-noise limited behavior for local oscillator optical power of a few hundred μW, and a detection bandwidth of several GHz. This detection tool is used in a single pass to follow non-destructively the internal state evolution of an atomic sample when subjected to Rabi oscillations or a spin-echo interferometric sequence.
Multiplex Analysis of Serum Cytokine Profiles in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Multiple Sclerosis

Changes in cytokine profiles and cytokine networks are known to be a hallmark of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis (MS). However, cytokine profiles research studies are usually based on the analysis of a small number of cytokines and give conflicting results. In this work, we analyzed cytokine profiles of 41 analytes in patients with SLE and MS compared with healthy donors using multiplex immunoassay. The SLE group included treated patients, while the MS patients were drug-free. Levels of 11 cytokines, IL-1b, IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-15, MCP-1/CCL2, Fractalkine/CX3CL1, MIP-1a/CCL3, MIP-1b/CCL4, and TNFa, were increased, but sCD40L, PDGF-AA, and MDC/CCL22 levels were decreased in SLE patients. Thus, changes in the cytokine profile in SLE have been associated with the dysregulation of interleukins, TNF superfamily members, and chemokines. In the case of MS, levels of 10 cytokines, sCD40L, CCL2, CCL3, CCL22, PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB/BB, EGF, IL-8, TGF-a, and VEGF, decreased significantly compared to the control group. Therefore, cytokine network dysregulation in MS is characterized by abnormal levels of growth factors and chemokines. Cross-disorder analysis of cytokine levels in MS and SLE showed significant differences between 22 cytokines. Protein interaction network analysis showed that all significantly altered cytokines in both SLE and MS are functionally interconnected. Thus, MS and SLE may be associated with impaired functional relationships in the cytokine network. A cytokine correlation networks analysis revealed changes in correlation clusters in SLE and MS. These data expand the understanding of abnormal regulatory interactions in cytokine profiles associated with autoimmune diseases.
Implementation of classical logic gates at nano-scale level using magnetic quantum rings: A theoretical study

We explore the possibilities of designing classical logic gates at nano-scale level using magnetic quantum rings. A single ring is used for designing OR, NOT, XOR, XNOR and NAND gates, while AND and NOR gate responses are achieved using two such rings and in all the cases each ring is threaded by a magnetic flux $\phi$ which plays the central role in the logic gate operation. We adopt a simple tight-binding Hamiltonian to describe the model where a magnetic quantum ring is attached to two semi-infinite one-dimensional non-magnetic electrodes. Based on single particle Green's function formalism all the calculations which describe two-terminal conductance and current through the quantum ring are performed numerically. The analysis may be helpful in fabricating mesoscopic or nano-scale logic gates.
Intrinsic Contractivity of Feynman-Kac Semigroups for Symmetric Jump Processes with Infinite Range Jumps

Let $(X_t)_{t\ge 0}$ be a symmetric strong Markov process generated by non-local regular Dirichlet form $(D,\D(D))$ as follows \begin{equation*} \begin{split} & D(f,g)=\int_{\R^d}\int_{\R^d}\big(f(x)-f(y)\big)\big(g(x)-g(y)\big) J(x,y)\,dx\,dy, \quad f,g\in \D(D) \end{split} \end{equation*} where $J(x,y)$ is a strictly positive and symmetric measurable function on $\R^d\times \R^d$. We study the intrinsic hypercontractivity, intrinsic supercontractivity and intrinsic ultracontractivity for the Feynman-Kac semigroup $$ T^V_t(f)(x)=\Ee^x\left(\exp\Big(-\int_0^tV(X_s)\,ds\Big)f(X_t)\right),\,\, x\in\R^d, f\in L^2(\R^d;dx). $$ In particular, we prove that for $$J(x,y)\asymp|x-y|^{-d-\alpha}\I_{\{|x-y|\le 1\}}+e^{-|x-y|}\I_{\{|x-y|> 1\}}$$ with $\alpha \in (0,2)$ and $V(x)=|x|^\lambda$ with $\lambda>0$, $(T_t^V)_{t\ge 0}$ is intrinsically ultracontractive if and only if $\lambda>1$; and that for symmetric $\alpha$-stable process $(X_t)_{t\ge0}$ with $\alpha \in (0,2)$ and $V(x)=\log^\lambda(1+|x|)$ with some $\lambda>0$, $(T_t^V)_{t\ge 0}$ is intrinsically ultracontractive (or intrinsically supercontractive) if and only if $\lambda>1$, and $(T_t^V)_{t\ge 0}$ is intrinsically hypercontractive if and only if $\lambda\ge1$. Besides, we also investigate intrinsic contractivity properties of $(T_t^V)_{t \ge 0}$ for the case that $\liminf_{|x| \to \infty}V(x)<\infty$.
Multi-Drug Resistant Campylobacter jejuni of Poultry Origin in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

The occurrence of Campylobacter jejeni in the large intestine of domestic fowls in Ado-Ekiti was assessed using standard microbiological procedures. One hundred faecal swabs were inoculated into modified cefoperazone charcoal deoxycholate agar (mCCDA). Twenty-seven isolates of Campylobacter jejeni were recovered from the birds. Biochemical identification of the isolates was carried out using oxidase and catalase tests. Antibiotic susceptibility test was carried out using standard disc diffusion method as specified by the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI), to the following antibiotics; amoxicillin, cefoperazone, ceftazidime, aztreonam, ceftriaxone, pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, enrofloxacin and norfloxacin. The pattern of resistance was as follows; Amoxicillin (66.7%), cefoperazone (48.1%), ceftazidime (66.7%), aztreonam (40.7%), ceftriaxone (74.15), pefloxacin (51.9%), ciprofloxacin (33.3%), levofloxacin (40.7%), enrofloxacin (22.25) and norfloxacin (59.3%). Twenty-three different multiple resistance pattern were observed among the isolates. The high level resistance observed in this study poses significant health risk to the general public, a synergistic collaboration is therefore suggested between public health policy-makers and researchers to curb this ugly trend.
Effects of initial condition and cloud density on the composition of the grain mantle

The evolution of grain mantles in various interstellar environments is studied. We concentrate mainly on water, methanol and carbon dioxide, which constitute nearly 90 per cent of the grain mantle. We investigate how the production rates of these molecules depend on the relative gas-phase abundances of oxygen and carbon monoxide and constrain the relevant parameter space that reproduces these molecules close to the observed abundances. Allowing the accretion of only H, O and CO on the grains and using the Monte Carlo method, we follow the chemical processes for a few million years. We allow the formation of multilayers on the grains and incorporate the freeze-out effects of accreting O and CO. We find that the formation of these molecules depends on the initial conditions as well as on the average cloud density. Specifically, when the number density of accreting O is less than three times that of CO, methanol is always overproduced. Using the available reaction pathways it appears to be difficult to match the exact observed abundances of all three molecules simultaneously. Only in a narrow region of parameter space are all three molecules produced within the observed limits. Furthermore, we found that the incorporation of the freeze-outs of O and CO leads to an almost steady state on the grain surface. The mantle thickness grows anywhere between 60 and 500 layers in a period of two million years. In addition, we consider a case in which the gas number density changes with time owing to the gradual collapse of the molecular cloud and present the evolution of the composition of different species as a function of the radius of the collapsing cloud.
TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA EXPLOSIONS FROM HYBRID CARBON–OXYGEN–NEON WHITE DWARF PROGENITORS

Motivated by recent results in stellar evolution that predict the existence of hybrid white dwarf (WD) stars with a C–O core inside an O–Ne shell, we simulate thermonuclear (Type Ia) supernovae from these hybrid progenitors. We use the FLASH code to perform multidimensional simulations in the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) explosion paradigm. Our hybrid progenitor models were produced with the MESA stellar evolution code and include the effects of the Urca process, and we map the progenitor model to the FLASH grid. We performed a suite of DDT simulations over a range of ignition conditions consistent with the progenitor’s thermal and convective structure assuming multiple ignition points. To compare the results from these hybrid WD stars to previous results from C–O WDs, we construct a set of C–O WD models with similar properties and similarly simulate a suite of explosions. We find that despite significant variability within each suite, trends distinguishing the explosions are apparent in their yields and the kinetic properties of the ejecta. We compare our results with other recent work that studies explosions from these hybrid progenitors.
Central exclusive diffractive MSSM Higgs-boson production at the LHC

The prospects for central exclusive diffractive (CED) production of MSSM Higgs bosons at the LHC are reviewed. It is shown that the CED channels, making use of forward proton detectors at the LHC installed at 220 m and 420 m distance around ATLAS and / or CMS, can provide important information on the Higgs sector of the MSSM. In particular, CED production of the neutral CP-even Higgs bosons h and H and their decays into bottom quarks has the potential to probe interesting regions of the MA-tanparameter plane of the MSSM and may give access to the bottom Yukawa couplings of the Higgs bosons up to masses of MH < 250 GeV.
THE LACK OF INTENSE Lyα IN ULTRADEEP SPECTRA OF z = 7 CANDIDATES IN GOODS-S: IMPRINT OF REIONIZATION?

We present ultradeep optical spectroscopy obtained with FORS2 on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of seven Lyman-break galaxy (LBG) candidates at z>6.5 selected in the GOODS-S field from Hawk-I/VLT and WFC3/HST imaging. For one galaxy we detect a low significance emission line (S/N ⩽ 7), located at λ = 9691.5 ± 0.5 Å and with flux 3.4 × 10−18 erg cm−2 s−1. If identified as Lyα, it places the LBG at redshift z = 6.972 ± 0.002, with a rest-frame equivalent width EWrf = 13 Å. Using Monte Carlo simulations and conservative EW distribution functions at 2 < z < 6, we estimate that the probability of observing no galaxies in our data with S/N>10 is ≃2%, and that of observing only one galaxy out of seven with S/N = 5 is ≃4%, but these can be as small as ∼10−3, depending on the details of the EW distribution. We conclude that either a significant fraction of the candidates is not at high redshift or that some physical mechanism quenches the Lyα emission emerging from the galaxies at z>6.5, abruptly reversing the trend of the increasing fraction of strong emitters with increasing redshift observed up to z ∼ 6.5. We discuss the possibility that an increasingly neutral intergalactic medium is responsible for such quenching.