Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On coincidences of tuples in a binary tree with random labels of vertices

Abstract Let all vertices of a complete binary tree of finite height be independently and equiprobably labeled by the elements of some finite alphabet. We consider the numbers of pairs of identical tuples of labels on chains of subsequent vertices in the tree. Exact formulae for the expectations of these numbers are obtained. Convergence to the compound Poisson distribution is proved.
Vitamin D Deficiency in COVID-19 Patients and Role of Calcifediol Supplementation

Hypovitaminosis D has been associated with worse outcome in respiratory tract infections, with conflicting opinions regarding its role in Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19). Our study aimed to evaluate the possible relationship between 25-OH vitamin D (25OHD) values and the following conditions in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: prognosis, mortality, invasive (IV) and non-invasive (NIV) mechanical ventilation, and orotracheal intubation (OTI). A further objective was the analysis of a possible positive effect of supplementation with calcifediol on COVID-19 severity and prognosis. We analyzed 288 patients hospitalized at the San Giovanni di Dio Hospital in Florence and the Santa Maria alle Scotte Hospital in Siena, from November 2020 to February 2021. The 25OHD levels correlated positively with the partial pressure of oxygen and FiO2 (PaO2/FiO2) ratio (r = 0.17; p < 0.05). Furthermore, when we analyzed the patients according to the type of respiratory support, we found that 25OHD levels were markedly reduced in patients who underwent non-invasive ventilation and orotracheal intubation (OTI). The evaluation of the length of hospitalization in our population evidenced a longer duration of hospitalization in patients with severe 25OHD deficiency (<10 ng/mL). Moreover, we found a statistically significant difference in the mortality rate between patients who had 25OHD levels below 10 ng/mL and those with levels above this threshold in the total population (50.8% vs. 25.5%, p = 0.005), as well as between patients with 25OHD levels below 20 ng/mL and those with levels above that threshold (38.4% vs. 24.6%, p = 0.04). Moreover, COVID-19 patients supplemented with calcifediol presented a significantly reduced length of hospitalization (p < 0.05). Interestingly, when we analyzed the possible effects of calcifediol on mortality rate in patients with COVID-19, we found that the percentage of deaths was significantly higher in patients who did not receive any supplementation than in those who were treated with calcifediol (p < 0.05) In conclusion, we have demonstrated with our study the best prognosis of COVID-19 patients with adequate vitamin D levels and patients treated with calcifediol supplementation.
CRATE: A Python package to perform fast material simulations

CRATE (Clustering-based Nonlinear Analysis of Materials) is a Python project (package cratepy) developed in the context of computational mechanics (B. P. Ferreira, 2022) to aid the design and development of new materials. Its main purpose is performing multi-scale nonlinear analyses of heterogeneous materials through a suitable coupling between first-order computational homogenization and clustering-based reduced-order modeling. This means that, given a representative volume element of the material micro-structure and the corresponding material phase properties, cratepy computes the material’s effective mechanical response under a given loading by leveraging a so-called clustering-based reduced-order model (CROM).
Assessing the Impact of Zinc and Boron Supplementation on Oats Grown under Red and Lateritic Soil of West Bengal

Background: Avena sativa L. (common oat) is the most important among the cultivated oat belongs to the Poaceae family and is known as Jai or Javi in Indian subcontinent. It is important winter forage in many parts of the world and is grown as multipurpose crop for grain, pasture, forage or as a rotation crop. Methods: A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of Zinc Sulphate and Borax on growth, yield components, yield and economics of oats seed production in red and lateritic soil of West Bengal during rabi seasons of 2015-16 and 2016-17 at agricultural farm, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design having two factors each with four levels (Zinc Sulphate with 0, 15, 20 and 25 kg/ha as well as Borax with 0, 5, 10 and 15 kg/ha). Result: Pooled data over two years of experiments showed that soil application with Zinc Sulphate and Borax at various levels significantly influenced growth attributes (dry matter accumulation, leaf area index and crop growth rate), yield components (no. of panicles/m2, no. of filled grains/panicle and test weight), yield (seed yield, straw yield and biological yield) and economics of oats seed production. With increasing levels of ZnSO4 application, highest number of panicles/m2 (196.27), seed yield (3.00 t/ha), straw yield (6.94 t/ha) and biological yield (9.85 t/ha) were obtained at 25 kg/ha though these were at par with 20 kg ZnSO4 /ha. Higher number of filled grains/panicle (76.47), test weight (29.93 g), seed yield (2.95 t/ha), straw yield (6.70 t/ha) and biological yield (9.63 t/ha) were found with application of borax @ 10 kg/ha. The highest gross return, net return and return per rupee investment was achieved with application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg/ha (₹ 1,17,257/ha, ₹ 68,997/ha and 2.65, respectively) which was significantly higher than both of 25 kg ZnSO4/ha (₹ 1,15,051/ha, ₹ 64,489/ha, and 2.52, respectively) and 15 kg ZnSO4/ha (₹ 1,05,198/ha, ₹ 59,240/ha and 2.44, respectively). Similarly, highest gross return, net return and return per rupee investment was obtained with application of borax @ 10 kg/ha (₹ 1,15,537/ha, ₹ 69,070/ha and 2.67, respectively). A significant interaction between Zinc Sulphate and borax was found towards seed yield, biological yield, gross return, net return and return per rupee investment in oats seed production. Use of ZnSO4 at 20 kg/ha and borax at 10 kg/ha conjunctively achieved highest seed yield (3.28 t/ha), biological yield (10.81 t/ha), gross return (₹ 1, 27, 530/ha), net return (₹78,760/ha) and return per rupee investment (₹3.78) in oats seed production.
ALKBH5 inhibitors as a potential treatment strategy in heart failure—inferences from gene expression profiling

Heart Failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome in which the heart is unable to provide enough blood flow to meet metabolic needs and lacks efficient venous return. HF is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality with cardiovascular diseases globally. Despite enormous research, the molecular markers relevant to disease prognosis and management remain not well understood. Here, we analyzed the whole transcriptomes of 18 failing hearts and 15 non-failing hearts (predominantly of Caucasian origin), by applying the standard in silico tools. The analyses revealed novel gene-markers including ALKBH5 of mRNA demethylation and KMT2E of histone modification processes, significantly over-expressed in the HF compared with the non-failing hearts (FDR < 0.05). To validate the over-expression of ALKBH5, we determined the global m6A level in hypoxic H9c2 cells using a dot blot assay. The global m6A level was found markedly lower in the hypoxic H9c2 cells than in the control cells. Additionally, the expression of ALKBH5 in the H9c2 cells was quantified by the qPCR and found to be 1.18 times higher at 12 h (p < 0.05), and 1.67 times higher at 24 h of hypoxia (p < 0.01) compared with the control cells, indicating a likely role of ALKBH5 in the failing cardiac cells. Furthermore, we identified several compounds through the virtual screening of 11,272 drug-like molecules of the ZINC15 database to inhibit the ALKBH5 in a molecular docking process. Collectively, the study revealed novel markers potentially involved in the pathophysiology of HF and suggested plausible therapeutic molecules for the management of the disease.
Leveraging Sustainable Value Creation Through the Principles of Sustainable Engineering

Industrial and technological revolutions have always changed the way companies create value. More recently, sustainability has become a source of inspiration and innovation and most organizations start redesigning their business models based on sustainability concepts. Sustainable practices have become critical issues for industrial engineering, dealing with technological and management principles. Engineering is a major driver of sustainable development by connecting social needs and environmental priorities with appropriate technologies and management practices. According to UNESCO sustainable engineering is about designing and operating daily systems so that the energy and resources they use are sustainable that is, they are used at a rate that safeguards the availability of natural resources for future needs. The literature on the subject is mostly dedicated to technical and design aspects of engineering principles integrating sustainability concepts. Works on how sustainable engineering principles impact sustainable value creation are scarce. Exploring the concepts and the main principles of sustainable value and sustainable engineering, this paper shed light on supporting organizations operationalizing the transition toward business models which are environmentally, socially, and financially sustainable. This work aims to provide a conceptual framework setting out how sustainable engineering principles can provide a thinking guide to connect corporate sustainable value creation drivers and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Introduction to KAM theory, with a view to celestial mechanics

The theory of Kolmogorov, Arnold, and Moser (KAM) consists of a set of results regarding the persistence of quasiperiodic solutions, primarily in Hamiltonian systems.We bring forward a “twisted conjugacy” normal form, due to Herman, which contains all the (not so) hard analysis. We focus on the real analytic setting. A variety of KAM results follow, includingmost classical statements as well asmore general ones. This strategy makes it simple to deal with various kinds of degeneracies and symmetries. As an example of application, we prove the existence of quasiperiodic motions in the spatial lunar three-body problem.
Structure and Dynamics of Compact Dinucleosomes: Analysis by Electron Microscopy and spFRET

Formation of compact dinucleosomes (CODIs) occurs after collision between adjacent nucleosomes at active regulatory DNA regions. Although CODIs are likely dynamic structures, their structural heterogeneity and dynamics were not systematically addressed. Here, single-particle Förster resonance energy transfer (spFRET) and electron microscopy were employed to study the structure and dynamics of CODIs. spFRET microscopy in solution and in gel revealed considerable uncoiling of nucleosomal DNA from the histone octamer in a fraction of CODIs, suggesting that at least one of the nucleosomes is destabilized in the presence of the adjacent closely positioned nucleosome. Accordingly, electron microscopy analysis suggests that up to 30 bp of nucleosomal DNA are involved in transient uncoiling/recoiling on the octamer. The more open and dynamic nucleosome structure in CODIs cannot be stabilized by histone chaperone Spt6. The data suggest that proper internucleosomal spacing is an important determinant of chromatin stability and support the possibility that CODIs could be intermediates of chromatin disruption.
The Impact of a 24-h Low and High Fermentable Oligo- Di- Mono-Saccharides and Polyol (FODMAP) Diet on Plasma Bacterial Profile in Response to Exertional-Heat Stress

Exertional-heat stress (EHS) compromises intestinal epithelial integrity, potentially leading to the translocation of pathogenic agents into circulation. This study aimed to explore the impact of EHS on the systemic circulatory bacterial profile and to determine the impact of a short-term low (LFOD) and high (HFOD) fermentable oligo- di- mono-saccharide and polyol dietary intervention before EHS on this profile. Using a double-blind randomized cross-over design, thirteen endurance runners (n = 8 males, n = 5 females), with a history of exercise-associated gastrointestinal symptoms (Ex-GIS), consumed a 24 h LFOD and HFOD before 2 h running at 60% V.O2max in 35.6 °C. Blood and fecal samples were collected pre-EHS to determine plasma microbial DNA concentration, and sample bacteria and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles by fluorometer quantification, 16S rRNA amplicon gene sequencing, and gas chromatography, respectively. Blood samples were also collected post-EHS to determine changes in plasma bacteria. EHS increased plasma microbial DNA similarly in both FODMAP trials (0.019 ng·μL−1 to 0.082 ng·μL−1) (p < 0.01). Similar pre- to post-EHS increases in plasma Proteobacteria (+1.6%) and Firmicutes (+0.6%) phyla relative abundance were observed in both FODMAP trials. This included increases in several Proteobacteria genus (Delftia and Serratia) groups. LFOD presented higher fecal Firmicutes (74%) and lower Bacteroidota (10%) relative abundance pre-EHS, as a result of an increase in Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae family and respective genus groups, compared with HFOD (64% and 25%, respectively). Pre-EHS plasma total SCFA (p = 0.040) and acetate (p = 0.036) concentrations were higher for HFOD (188 and 178 μmol·L−1, respectively) vs. LFOD (163 and 153 μmol·L−1, respectively). Pre-EHS total fecal SCFA concentration (119 and 74 μmol·g−1; p < 0.001), including acetate (74 and 45 μmol·g−1; p = 0.001), butyrate (22 and 13 μmol·g−1; p = 0.002), and propionate (20 and 13 μmol·g−1; p = 0.011), were higher on HFOD vs LFOD, respectively. EHS causes the translocation of whole bacteria into systemic circulation and alterations to the plasma bacterial profile, but the FODMAP content of a 24 h diet beforehand does not alter this outcome.
Triangular Position Multi-Bolt Layout Structure Optimization

Stress concentration often occurs around bolt holes in load-bearing joint structures of large complex equipment, ships, aerospace and other complex machinery fields, which is an important mechanical factor leading to the failure of joint structures. It is of great engineering significance to study the phenomenon of stress concentration on connected structures for the safety of large and complex equipment; meanwhile, the layout of bolts seriously affects the stress around holes. Many scholars have studied the layout optimization of multi-bolted structures through experiments and simulations, but few algorithms have been applied to the layout optimization of bolted structures. And most of the studied types of multi-bolt structures are symmetrical. Therefore, in this paper, the gray wolf algorithm is used to optimize the layout of nickel steel plate connectors with a bolt layout in triangular position, and the optimal objective function is found based on the hole circumferential stress of the nickel steel plate, maximum shear stress of the bolt and bending stress of the nickel steel plate. Comparing the optimal values obtained by the fruit fly optimization algorithm, particle swarm optimization algorithm, gray wolf optimization algorithm, multiverse optimization algorithm and wind driven optimization algorithm, the accuracy of selecting the gray wolf algorithm for optimization is verified. A multi-bolt connection structure model was established in ABAQUS, and the surface stress before and after optimization was compared to verify the correctness of the gray wolf algorithm applied to the structure layout optimization of the nickel steel flat bolt connection. The results show that under the force of 15 KN, compared with the original bolt structure layout, the optimized upper side nickel steel plate bore peripheral stress is reduced by 73.1 MPa, and the optimization rate is 24%; bolt stress is reduced by 47.7 MPa, and the optimization rate is 12.5%; when the load is less than 18 KN, the optimization effect of both the upper nickel steel plate and bolt group is more than 10%. When the load is greater than 18 KN, the optimization effect is reduced, and when the load is greater than 21 KN, the nickel steel plate has exceeded the yield limit. Due to the existence of fixed constraints, the optimization of the lower nickel steel plate is not obvious. The results of this study can provide data and theoretical support for the layout optimization of the nickel steel flat bolt connection structure, and help to improve reliability analysis and health monitoring in complex assembly fields such as large complex equipment and aerospace.
A non‐isolated DC‐DC topology with high voltage rate based on magnetic coupling and voltage multiplier method

In this study, a novel non‐isolated DC‐DC converter based on magnetic coupling and voltage multiplier technique has been proposed. The output voltage of the suggested converter can be enhanced by selecting the appropriate turn ratio of the coupled inductor. To further improve the voltage gain, a voltage multiplier circuit including the capacitors and diodes has been utilized in this converter. The main features of the proposed converter are a high voltage conversion ratio, high efficiency, and lower peak voltage throughout the semiconductor devices. Besides, there are soft switching conditions throughout the diodes of the presented topology, which leads to reducing the reverse recovery losses of the diodes and subsequently improving the overall efficiency of the system. Also, only one insulated‐gate field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) has been used in the structure of the converter. Thus, the switch with lower on‐state resistance can be selected for the suggested converter that decreases the conduction losses. To prove the performance of the suggested structure, the operational analysis, mathematical descriptions, efficiency analysis, and comparison survey with similar structures in the literature have been described. Finally, a laboratory prototype with 200 W output power with 95.14% load efficiency, 20 V input voltage, and 260 V output voltage at 50 kHz switching frequency has been provided.
Radiomics and Machine Learning in Brain Tumors and Their Habitat: A Systematic Review

Simple Summary Radiomics involves the extraction of quantitative features from medical images, which can provide more detailed and objective information about the features of a tumor compared to visual inspection alone. By analyzing the extensive range of features obtained through radiomics, machine-learning techniques can enhance tumor diagnosis, assess treatment response, and predict patient prognosis. This review highlights the mutual impact between the tumor and its microenvironment (habitat), in which tumor cells can modify the microenvironment to promote their growth and survival. At the same time, the habitat can also influence the behavior of tumor cells. Encouragingly, radiomics and machine learning have shown promising potential in diagnosing brain tumors and predicting prognosis. However, several limitations still need to be improved for their practical application in clinical settings. Further research is required to optimize radiomic feature extraction, standardize imaging protocols, validate models on larger datasets, and integrate diverse data to facilitate a more comprehensive analysis. Abstract Radiomics is a rapidly evolving field that involves extracting and analysing quantitative features from medical images, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance images. Radiomics has shown promise in brain tumor diagnosis and patient-prognosis prediction by providing more detailed and objective information about tumors’ features than can be obtained from the visual inspection of the images alone. Radiomics data can be analyzed to determine their correlation with a tumor’s genetic status and grade, as well as in the assessment of its recurrence vs. therapeutic response, among other features. In consideration of the multi-parametric and high-dimensional space of features extracted by radiomics, machine learning can further improve tumor diagnosis, treatment response, and patients’ prognoses. There is a growing recognition that tumors and their microenvironments (habitats) mutually influence each other—tumor cells can alter the microenvironment to increase their growth and survival. At the same time, habitats can also influence the behavior of tumor cells. In this systematic review, we investigate the current limitations and future developments in radiomics and machine learning in analysing brain tumors and their habitats.
Fast heating of fuel assembled in a spherical deuterated polystyrene shell target by counter-irradiating tailored laser pulses delivered by a HAMA 1 Hz ICF driver

Fast heating is a method of heating an assembled high-density plasma into a hot state by irradiating it with short-duration (sub-picosecond), high-intensity ($ ? >>1018 W cm−2) laser pulses before the plasma expands and dissolves hydrodynamically. In this paper, we present detailed experimental results of fast heating fuel assembled in a spherical deuterated polystyrene shell target of 500 μm diameter and 7 μm thickness with counterbeam illumination by using a HAMA 1 Hz, 5.9 J inertial confinement fusion laser driver with pulse tailoring. These tailored pulses contain three pulses in sequence: a ‘foot’ pulse of 2.4 J/25 ns, a ‘spike’ pulse of 0.5 J/300 ps and a ‘heater’ pulse of 0.4 J/110 fs; these pulses are designed to assemble the fuel and heat it. By varying the energy of the foot pulse, we find that fast heating the fuel is achieved only if the fuel is weakly ablated by the foot pulse and then shock-assembled by the spike pulse into the target centre so that the heater pulse can access the fuel with a focal intensity greater than 1018 W cm−2. Without a foot pulse, the heater pulse contributes to assembling the fuel. For higher foot-pulse energies, the heater pulse drives a hydrodynamic motion with speeds of the order 107 cm s−1 with intensities of the order 1017 W cm−2, resulting in re-assembling and additional heating of the pre-assembled fuel. Once a shock-assembled core is achieved at the target centre, we succeed qualitatively in fast heating the core for shots in sequence with variations of laser energy within 18%. The coupling efficiency from the heating laser to the core is inferred to be (10±2)% in total: (8±1.6)% for the ionized bulk electrons and (2±0.4)% for the bulk ions. The fusion neutron spectrum detected on the laser axis exhibits peaks at 1.0 MeV, 1.7 MeV and 3.8 MeV. These peaks are attributed to the C(d,n)13N and d(d,n)3He reactions induced by counterpropagating fast deuterons accelerated by the photon pressure of the heating pulses.
Comprehensive Nonlinear Control Strategy for VTOL-UAVs With Windowed Output Constraints

In this article, we develop a methodology for trajectory tracking control of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the presence of unknown mass and time-varying external disturbances. A time-dependent shift function is introduced, which, alongside a set of barrier vector functions, enables a finite period of constrained outputs, namely, the position and velocity errors. The proposed controller also features two stable adaption laws to estimate the following: 1) the mass of the UAV and 2) a parameter relating to the bound of the external disturbances. The total closed-loop system error is shown to be uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB). This proposed strategy, which requires only the first derivative of the reference trajectory and features an implicit saturation of the thrust force, is especially apt to handle three stages of flight: vertical takeoff, constrained trajectory tracking, and landing. Simulation results are presented to validate the proposed solution. Experimental results are also included to showcase the performance of our controller in a real-world application using a quadrotor vehicle.