Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Numerical Simulation of Silicon Laser Ablation with GHz Bursts of Femtosecond Pulses

We simulate laser ablation of silicon with GHz bursts of femtosecond laser pulses using COMSOL Multiphysics. The simple model of deformation geometry is considered to simulate laser ablation and material removal, giving a laser-induced crater after irradiation. We demonstrate that at the same burst pulse energy a deeper crater is ablated for a GHz burst for larger number of intra-pulses. Analysis of the temperature evolution of silicon target reveals that during femtosecond laser irradiation with GHz burst mode, efficient absorption of laser energy occurs due to the heat-accumulation effect. These simulated results show a good agreement with the experimental measurements and could quantitatively explain the mechanism of silicon ablation enhancement with the GHz bursts of femtosecond laser pulses.
Verificación de Programas Paralelos

En este tercer artículo de la serie que venimos presentando sobre la verificación axiomática de programas (en su variante de la Lógica de Hoare), tarea emprendida en el marco del proyecto del CAETI de construcción de un ambiente para asistir en el desarrollo de software, comenzamos a tratar el paradigma concurrente, para el que más se justifica el empleo de un método de prueba riguroso. Trabajamos con el modelo de los programas paralelos, programas concurrentes con procesos que comparten variables y se comunican a través de ellas (a pesar de la problemática común, por razones de espacio dejamos para el cuarto y último artículo el modelo de los programas distribuidos, programas concurrentes cuyos procesos son disjuntos y se comunican por medio de mensajes). Como en las publicaciones anteriores, remarcamos la idea de utilizar las axiomáticas descriptas como guías para obtener programas correctos por construcción. Destacamos además que las nociones fundamentales de la verificación axiomática observadas cuando analizamos los programas secuenciales, principalmente los predicados invariantes y las funciones variantes. se preservan en el contexto concurrente, a pesar de tener que considerarse una mayor variedad de clases de programas, propiedades y aspectos (metodológicos, semánticos, metateóricos).
Mapping QTL for Mineral Accumulation and Shoot Dry Biomass in Barley under Different Levels of Zinc Supply

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a common limiting factor in agricultural soils, which leads to significant reduction in both the yield and nutritional quality of agricultural produce. Exploring the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for shoot and grain Zn accumulation would help to develop new barley cultivars with greater Zn accumulation efficiency. In this study, two glasshouse experiments were conducted by growing plants under adequate and low Zn supply. From the preliminary screening of ten barley cultivars, Sahara (0.05 mg/pot) and Yerong (0.06 mg/pot) showed the lowest change in shoot Zn accumulation, while Franklin (0.16 mg/pot) had the highest change due to changes in Zn supply for plant growth. Therefore, the double haploid (DH) population derived from Yerong × Franklin was selected to identify QTL for shoot mineral accumulation and biomass production. A major QTL hotspot was detected on chromosome 2H between 31.91 and 73.12 cM encoding genes for regulating shoot mineral accumulations of Zn, Fe, Ca, K and P, and the biomass. Further investigation demonstrated 16 potential candidate genes for mineral accumulation, in addition to a single candidate gene for shoot biomass in the identified QTL region. This study provides a useful resource for enhancing nutritional quality and yield potential in future barley breeding programs.
Nanodiamond Decorated PEO Oxide Coatings on NiTi Alloy

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of death in the European population, primarily attributed to atherosclerosis and subsequent complications. Although statin drugs effectively prevent atherosclerosis, they fail to reduce plaque size and vascular stenosis. Bare metal stents (BMS) have shown promise in acute coronary disease treatment but are associated with restenosis in the stent. Drug-eluting stents (DES) have improved restenosis rates but present long-term complications. To overcome these limitations, nanomaterial-based modifications of the stent surfaces have been explored. This study focuses on the incorporation of detonation nanodiamonds (NDs) into a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating on nitinol stents to enhance their performance. The functionalized ND showed a high surface-to-volume ratio and was incorporated into the oxide layer to mimic high-density lipoproteins (HDL) for reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). We provide substantial characterization of DND, including stability in two media (acetone and water), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. The characterization of the modified ND revealed successful functionalization and adequate suspension stability. Scanning electron microscopy with EDX demonstrated successful incorporation of DND into the ceramic layer, but the formation of a porous surface is possible only in the high-voltage PEO. The biological assessment demonstrated the biocompatibility of the decorated nitinol surface with enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation. This study presents a novel approach to improving the performance of nitinol stents using ND-based surface modifications, providing a promising avenue for cardiovascular disease.
A Revisit of Linear Network Error Correction Coding

We consider linear network erro correction (LNEC) coding when errors may occur on the edges of a communication network of which the topology is known. In this paper, we first present a framework of additive adversarial network for LNEC coding, and then prove the equivalence of two well-known LNEC coding approaches, which can be unified under this framework. Furthermore, by developing a graph-theoretic approach, we obtain a significantly enhanced characterization of the error correction capability of LNEC codes in terms of the minimum distances at the sink nodes. Specifically, in order to ensure that an LNEC code can correct up to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$r$ </tex-math></inline-formula> errors at a sink node <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$t$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, it suffices to ensure that this code can correct every error vector in a reduced set of error vectors; and on the other hand, this LNEC code in fact can correct every error vector in an enlarged set of error vectors. In general, the size of this reduced set is considerably smaller than the number of error vectors with Hamming weight not larger than <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$r$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and the size of this enlarged set is considerably larger than the same number. This result has the important implication that the computational complexities for decoding and for code construction can be significantly reduced.
Isoenzymes of the Flavonoid and Phenylpropanoid Pathways Show Organ-Specific Regulation during Apple Fruit Development

Elucidating the molecular mechanisms controlling fruit development is a primary target for the improvement of new apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) cultivars. The first two weeks of development following pollination are crucial to determine fruit characteristics. During this period, a lot of changes take place in apple fruit, going from rapid cell division to the production of important metabolites. In this work, attention was focused on the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways responsible for the production of numerous compounds contributing to fruit quality, such as flavonols, catechins, dihydrochalcones and anthocyanins. A total of 17 isoenzymes were identified, belonging to seven classes of the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways that, despite showing more than 80% sequence identity, showed differential expression regulation during the first two weeks of apple fruit development. This feature seems to be quite common for most of the enzymes of both pathways. Differential regulation of isoenzymes was shown to be present in both ‘Golden Delicious’ and a wild relative (Malus mandshurica), even though differences were also present. Each isoenzyme showed a specific pattern of expression in the flower and fruit organs, suggesting that genes coding for enzymes with the same function may control different aspects of plant biology. Finally, promoter analysis was performed in order to highlight differences in the number and type of regulatory motifs. Overall, our results indicate that the control of the expression of genes involved in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways may be very complex as not only enzymes belonging to the same class, but even putative isoenzymes, can have different roles for the plant. Such genes may represent an important regulatory mechanism, as they would allow the plant to fine-tune the processing of metabolic intermediates towards different branches of the pathway, for example, in an organ-specific way.
Estimating regions’ relative vulnerability to climate damages in the CRED model

Developed for use in the CRED integrated assessment model, VI-CRED is an index of vulnerability to climate change, with the advantage of simplicity and transparency as compared to more complicated indices with dozens of components. VI-CRED apportions economic damages from climate change among world regions on the basis of differences in vulnerable sectors’ contribution to gross domestic product, share of population living at less than 5 meters above sea level, and access to freshwater resources. Its results are broadly similar to those of other indices, but it assigns a more prominent role to water scarcity and, for this reason, includes the Middle East among the most vulnerable regions. Estimating Regions’ Relative Vulnerability to Climate Damages in the CRED Model WP-US-1103 2 Copyright © 2012 by the Stockholm Environment Institute This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes, without special permission from the copyright holder(s) provided acknowledgement of the source is made. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purpose, without the written permission of the copyright holder(s). For more information about this document, contact Liz Stanton at liz.stanton@sei-us.org. Stockholm Environment Institute – U.S. Center 11 Curtis Avenue Somerville, MA 02144-1224, USA www.sei-us.org and www.sei-international.org About SEI Working Papers: The SEI working paper series aims to expand and accelerate the availability of our research, stimulate discussion, and elicit feedback. SEI working papers are work in progress and typically contain preliminary research, analysis, findings, and recommendations. Many SEI working papers are drafts that will be subsequently revised for a refereed journal or book. Other papers share timely and innovative knowledge that we consider valuable and policy-relevant, but which may not be intended for later publication. Estimating Regions’ Relative Vulnerability to Climate Damages in the CRED Model WP-US-1103
Effect on Satisfactory Seizure Control and Heart Rate Variability of Thread-Embedding Acupuncture for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Patient-Assessor Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial investigates the efficacy of thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA) compared to sham TEA in treating drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Fifty-four DRE outpatients were randomly divided into two groups: TEA (27 patients) and sham TEA (27 patients). Both groups received four sessions of TEA or sham TEA, spaced four weeks apart, targeting GV20, GV14, BL15, BL18, ST40, and GB34 acupoints. Antiseizure medications were maintained at consistent doses throughout the study. Outcome measures included satisfactory seizure control, seizure freedom, and heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements. TEA demonstrated a significantly higher rate of satisfactory seizure control at follow-up compared to the sham TEA group (37% vs. 3.7%, p = 0.003). While no significant intergroup differences were observed in HR, HRV, and HRV components at each stage, the TEA group experienced a significant decrease in HR and a significant increase in HRV posttreatment. This study demonstrates TEA's effectiveness in managing DRE and suggests its impact may relate to heightened parasympathetic nerve activity. Further research with extended follow-up periods is necessary to validate these findings.
Temperature and humidity sounding from GEO by millimetre-submillimetre wave radiometry

Bizzarro Bizzarri, Alberto Mugnai and Sabrina Pinori Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) Istituto di Scienze dell’Atmosfera e del Clima (ISAC), Sezione di Roma Via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 100 - I-00133 Roma, Italy Contact: s.pinori@isac.cnr. it Extracted from the Final Report of study contract EUM/CO/04/1386/KJG: “Simulations and User Requirements Review for Precipitating Clouds from Geostationary Orbits in Mm/Sub-mm Bands (GeoRain)” EUMETSAT responsible: Jochen Grandell CNR-ISAC responsible: Bizzarro Bizzarri 29 December 2005
The View From Vermont: Tourism and the Making of an American Rural Landscape

With its small native population, proximity to major metropolitan areas, and bucolic rural beauty, Vermont was fated to be a tourist mecca, forever associated in the popular imagination with maple syrup, fall colors, and ski bunnies. Tourism, for good and ill, has always been the decisive factor in the conception of rural Vermont. What is surprising, however, is the degree to which we have accepted this notion of rural Vermont as a somehow timeless entity. Blake Harrison's rich and rewarding study instead presents the construction of Vermont's landscape as a complex and ever-changing dynamic informed by progressive, modernist, and reformist thought, competing views of economic expansion, rural and urban prejudice and social exclusion, and (more recently) by land use planning and environmentalism. This broad-based study includes the early history of Vermont tourism, the concomitant abandonment of farms with the rise of the summer home, the creation of an "unspoiled" Vermont (from billboards, at least), the impact of Vermont's ski industry on tradition-bound tourism, and later efforts to legislate growth and protect an increasingly static ideal of a rural Vermont. While grounded within a specific Vermont view, Harrison has much to contribute to broader studies of rural places, tourism, and landscapes in American culture. His analysis of how physical landscapes affect and are affected by our imagined landscape, and the insight afforded by his juxtaposition of leisure and labor, will deeply inform our understanding of rural tourist landscapes for years to come. This is a truly interdisciplinary work that will satisfy and challenge historians and geographers alike.
Human Gut Microbiota in Heart Failure: Trying to Unmask an Emerging Organ

There is a bidirectional relationship between the heart and the gut. The gut microbiota, the community of gut micro-organisms themselves, is an excellent gut-homeostasis keeper since it controls the growth of potentially harmful bacteria and protects the microbiota environment. There is evidence suggesting that a diet rich in fatty acids can be metabolized and converted by gut microbiota and hepatic enzymes to trimethyl-amine N-oxide (TMAO), a product that is associated with atherogenesis, platelet dysfunction, thrombotic events, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure (HF), and, ultimately, death. HF, by inducing gut ischemia, congestion, and, consequently, gut barrier dysfunction, promotes the intestinal leaking of micro-organisms and their products, facilitating their entrance into circulation and thus stimulating a low-grade inflammation associated with an immune response. Drugs used for HF may alter the gut microbiota, and, conversely, gut microbiota may modify the pharmacokinetic properties of the drugs. The modification of lifestyle based mainly on exercise and a Mediterranean diet, along with the use of pre- or probiotics, may be beneficial for the gut microbiota environment. The potential role of gut microbiota in HF development and progression is the subject of this review.
The Role of Islands in the Migration of Bats Across Lake Erie and Lake Ontario: Lasiurus borealis, Lasiurus cinereus and Perimyotis subflavus

Large bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes in North America, are potential barriers to migrating bats. Islands may be used as stopover sites by bats crossing the Great Lakes as stopover sites, or included in crossing routes to reduce the distance flown over open water. I predicted that stopover use by migrating bats would result in higher activity on Great Lakes islands during late-season migration than at mainland sites. I monitored acoustic activity at 11 sites across four locations in Ontario: Amherst and Pelee islands, Kingston and Pinery Provincial Park during the summer (June and July), and during the putative late-season migration period (August and September). I found some evidence of migration by Lasiurus borealis and Perimyotis subflavus at Amherst Island, and by Perimyotis subflavus at Pelee Island. Islands may have occasional roles as stopover sites for migrating bats.
Analysis of the Response Signals of an Electronic Nose Sensor for Differentiation between Fusarium Species

Fusarium is a genus of fungi found throughout the world. It includes many pathogenic species that produce toxins of agricultural importance. These fungi are also found in buildings and the toxins they spread can be harmful to humans. Distinguishing Fusarium species can be important for selecting effective preventive measures against their spread. A low-cost electronic nose applying six commercially available TGS-series gas sensors from Figaro Inc. was used in our research. Different modes of operation of the electronic nose were applied and compared, namely, gas adsorption and desorption, as well as modulation of the sensor’s heating voltage. Classification models using the random forest technique were applied to differentiate between measured sample categories of four species: F. avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. greaminarum, and F. oxysporum. In our research, it was found that the mode of operation with modulation of the heating voltage had the advantage of collecting data from which features can be extracted, leading to the training of machine learning classification models with better performance compared to cases where the sensor’s response to the change in composition of the measured gas was exploited. The optimization of the data collection time was investigated and led to the conclusion that the response of the sensor at the beginning of the heating voltage modulation provides the most useful information. For sensor operation in the mode of gas desorption/absorption (i.e., modulation of the gas composition), the optimal time of data collection was found to be longer.
A Comprehensive Overview of Active and Healthy Aging: Incorporating Education and Physical Activity

: Elderly individuals are adults who are often treated like children and, even worse, as numbers. Physical and mental degeneration is to some extent an inevitable occurrence. The problem that is not yet solved by biology and medicine lies in the acceleration of decay and the severity of certain pathologies. There is a relationship between the health of the elderly and their previous lifestyles, current social conditions, network of emotional relationships, and their personality structure. The organization and culture of society, still shaped by the principles of modernity, are the second major obstacle to the well-being of the elderly. On the one hand, the elderly face difficulties due to the organization of cities, transportation, housing structures, services, and families. On the other hand, the elderly’s condition is hindered by mental images, prejudices, ethical principles, cultural stereotypes, or by a social organization and culture modelled on the healthy, productive, reproductive adult male inserted into a family unit. The aim of this essay is reviewing the literature on AHA (active and healthy ageing), analyse the theoretical models and definitions, explore related normative terms and concepts, and create a comprehensive thematic overview of what constitutes AHA’s dimensions, attributes, antecedents, and consequences.
Gypsum as an ameliorant for revegetating salt-affected ore refining residues

Revegetation on mine sites and mine wastes in Western Australia commonly has to deal with salt-affected substrates (the generic term substrate includes soils, saprolite, overburden and residues, all of which can be media for plant growth on mine sites) for plant growth. However, the origin of the salt is varied: so too are the treatments to ameliorate the salt-affected substrates for successful revegetation. Salts occur in high concentrations in the wastes from bauxite and gold mining in Western Australia. These mining operations exploit silicate based ores and rely on the chemical extraction of finely ground ore with sodium hydroxide followed in the case of gold ores with sodium cyanide treatment. Thus the process waters which are continually recycled, contain high sodium concentrations and the residue is salt-affected. In addition, in a number of the operations, saline groundwater (e.g. Kaltails operation in the eastern Goldfields) or run-off water (e.g. gold mining operations in the eastern Darling Range) is used in the processing, adding further salt to the process cycle. Apart from the introduction of salts into the process waters, many of the topsoils, subsoils, overburdens, saprolite substrates and waste materials present at mine sites contain sodium salts since nearly one-third of Australian soils are salt-affected (Northcote and Skene 1968). Thus salt constraints will need to be considered in many areas by those attempting revegetation after mining. Salt-affected substrates may suffer from one or more of three conditions: salinity, sodicity and alkalinity. Each has its own special constraints and particular requirements for management or alleviation. In this paper, we will consider each type of salt-affected land and the role of gypsum, calcium sulphate, in its amelioration with particular reference to mine wastes.
Taxing forms in the digital environment

Taxation is a phenomenon of legal adagio to a preliminary juridical relevant relation generated by legal subjects’ interactions in a given environment. The traditional milieu is evolving in newer directions as human activity, including markets, are digitalizing. This new domain of legal interaction is addressed also by tax legislation in both substantial and procedural dimensions. This new map of tax relevancy is read by the present study to catalogue classical and emerging instruments of taxation in the digital environment.