cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Η παλινδρόμηση Deming και η εφαρμογή της στην εκτίμηση κόστους λογισμικού:
Creators: name: Αργυροπούλου, Βασιλική Στέργιου
Publisher: name: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Year: 2010
Subjects: Παλινδρόμηση Deming
Εκτίμηση κόστους λογισμικού
Σφάλμα ανεξάρτητης μεταβλητής
Deming regression
Software cost estimation
Independent variable error

description: Τα τελευταία χρόνια έχουν γίνει πολλές προσπάθειες εύρεσης ενός μοντέλου εκτίμησης κόστους λογισμικού το οποίο να δίνει ακριβείς προβλέψεις. Έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί διάφορα πρότυπα εκτίμησης σε αυτήν την κατεύθυνση τα οποία ταξινομούνται σε δύο μεγάλες κατηγορίες : τα αλγοριθμικά και τα μη-αλγοριθμικά. Στα αλγοριθμικά πρότυπα ανήκουν και οι τεχνικές εκτίμησης κόστους λογισμικού με χρήση μεθόδων παλινδρόμησης. Η πιο γνωστή μέχρι τώρα μέθοδος παλινδρόμησης σε αυτόν τον τομέα παραμένει η παλινδρόμηση ελαχίστων τετραγώνων (OLS). Η OLS αντιμετωπίζει όμως αδυναμίες όταν υπάρχει σφάλμα στις μετρήσεις και της ανεξάρτητης μεταβλητής καθώς δεν το λαμβάνει υπόψη με αποτέλεσμα να μη καταλήγει σε ακριβείς εκτιμήσεις της προσπάθειας. Μία άλλη μέθοδος παλινδρόμησης δοκιμάζεται στην παρούσα εργασία η οποία λαμβάνει υπόψη το σφάλμα που περιέχεται τόσο στην εξαρτημένη όσο και στην ανεξάρτητη μεταβλητή μέσω του λόγου «λ» των διακυμάνσεων των σφαλμάτων των δύο μεταβλητών. Η παλινδρόμηση αυτή ονομάζεται παλινδρόμηση κατά Deming και ανήκει στην κατηγορία των μοντέλων που είναι γνωστά ως errors-in-variables models.Τα αποτελέσματα των μετρήσεων που έγιναν στην παρούσα μελέτη αποδεικνύουν όντως την υπεροχή αυτής μεθόδου και κατά συνέπεια την ισχυρή επίδραση του σφάλματος της ανεξάρτητης μεταβλητής στις εκτιμήσεις.
description: In the past few years there have been made a lot of efforts to find a model for the estimation of cost of software which should give precise forecasts. For this purpose there have been used various estimate models which are categorized in two big categories: algorithmic and not-algorithmic ones. In the algorithmic models belong also the techniques of estimate of cost of software with use of methods of regression. The most frequently used method in this sector remains the ordinal regression of least squares (OLS). OLS faces however weaknesses when measurements errors exist also in the independent variable. The above derives from the fact that it does not take into consideration these errors and thus it does not lead to precise estimates of effort. In the present study another method of regression which takes into consideration the error that is contained not only in the dependent variable but also in the independent too is used. This error is introduced via the reason “λ” which corresponds to the fraction of the error variances of both variables. This regression is named “Deming regression” and it belongs in the category of models that are known as errors-in-variables models. The experiment results that appear in the present study prove indeed the supremacy of this of method and thus the powerful effect of the independent variable error in the estimates.
Analysis of an Efficient Distributed Algorithm for Mutual Exclusion (Average-Case Analysis of Path Reversal)
Creators: name: Lavault, Christian
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: Distributed, Parallel, and Cluster Computing (cs.DC)
subject: Data Structures and Algorithms (cs.DS)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: The algorithm analysed by Naïmi, Trehe and Arnold was the very first distributed algorithm to solve the mutual exclusion problem in complete networks by using a dynamic logical tree structure as its basic distributed data structure, viz. a path reversal transformation in rooted n-node trees; besides, it was also the first one to achieve a logarithmic average-case message complexity. The present paper proposes a direct and general approach to compute the moments of the cost of path reversal. It basically uses one-one correspondences between combinatorial structures and the associated probability generating functions: the expected cost of path reversal is thus proved to be exactly $H_{n-1}$. Moreover, time and message complexity of the algorithm as well as randomized bounds on its worst-case message complexity in arbitrary networks are also given. The average-case analysis of path reversal and the analysis of this distributed algorithm for mutual exclusion are thus fully completed in the paper. The general techniques used should also prove available and fruitful when adapted to the most efficient recent tree-based distributed algorithms for mutual exclusion which require powerful tools, particularly for average-case analyses.
Shocks and Molecules in Diffuse Interstellar Cloud Pairs
Creators: name: Reach, William T.
name: Heiles, Carl
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The diffuse interstellar medium is dynamic, and its chemistry and evolution is determined by shock fronts as well as photodissociation. Shocks are implied by the supersonic motions and velocity dispersion often statistically called "turbulence". We compare models of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shocks, with speeds typical of cloud motions through the ISM (3-25 km/s) and densities typical of cold neutral gas (~ 100 cm-3), to archival observations of the atomic hydrogen 21-cm line for gas kinematics, far-infrared emission for dust mass, and mid-infrared emission for high-resolution morphology, to identify shock fronts in three high-latitude clouds pairs with masses of order 50 suns. The clouds have `heads' with extended `tails', and high-resolution images show arcs on the leading edges of the "heads" that could be individual shocks. The HI shows higher-velocity gas at the leading edges due to shock-accelerated material. For two cloud pairs, one cloud has an active shock indicated by broad and offset HI, while the other cloud has already been shocked and is predominantly `CO-dark' molecular hydrogen. Two-dimensional MHD simulations for shocks parallel to the magnetic field for pairs of clouds show a remarkable similarity to observed cloud features, including merged "tails" due to aligned flow and magnetic field, which leads to lateral confinement downstream. A parallel alignment between magnetic field and gas flow may lead to formation of small molecular clouds.
description: accepted to ApJ
Factorizations of polynomials with integral non-negative coefficients
Creators: name: Campanini, Federico
name: Facchini, Alberto
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: Commutative Algebra (math.AC)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: We study the structure of the commutative multiplicative monoid $\mathbb N_0[x]^*$ of all the non-zero polynomials in $\mathbb Z[x]$ with non-negative coefficients. We show that $\mathbb N_0[x]^*$ is not a half-factorial monoid and is not a Krull monoid, but has a structure very similar to that of Krull monoids, replacing valuations into $\mathbb N_0$ with derivations into $\mathbb N_0$. We study ideals, chain of ideals, prime ideals and prime elements of $\mathbb N_0[x]^*$. Our monoid $\mathbb N_0[x]^*$ is a submonoid of the multiplicative monoid of the ring $\mathbb Z[x]$, which is a left module over the Weyl algebra $A_1(\mathbb Z)$.
Neutrophil-specific biomarkers as proxy for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) burden, lung damage and treatment response kinetics
Creators: name: Lerato Ndlovu
name: S. Nhamoyebonde
name: A. Ngoepe
name: F. Maruri
name: Y. Van Der Heijden
name: F. Karim
name: N. Chegou
name: G. Walzl
name: T. Sterling
name: A. Pym
name: A. Leslie
Publisher: name: AAS Open Research
Year: 2019

description: Objectives: Improved methods for monitoring Tuberculosis (TB) treatment success are needed as standard sputum conversion at 2 months is poorly predictive of cure and difficult to monitor in HIV co-infection. The purpose of this study is to identify easy-to-measure changes in the host immune system that indicate the severity of the infection and can be used to monitor patient response to drug treatment. The overall goal is to develop an approach for real-time tracking of TB treatment success to improve TB cure rates and aid patient management.

Methods: We enrolled 75 individuals with active TB for monitoring during the course of standard TB therapy. We measured changes specific to neutrophils, an abundant cell of the immune system, and correlated these to the extent of lung involvement from chest X-rays and levels of the disease-causing bacteria in sputum.

Results: We have identified proteins and distinct cell surface biomarkers on neutrophils which are increased during infection and gradually return to levels similar to healthy volunteers. Correlations with clinical signs of disease revealed associations between these proteins and biomarkers with bacterial levels and extent of lung damage.

Conclusions: Interestingly, some proteins and biomarkers are different among early TB treatment responders and may represent useful markers for treatment shortening.
Διαχωρισμός μεταβλητών στο ημι-παραμετρικό μοντέλο εκτίμησης κόστους λογισμικού LSEbA με χρήση γενετικού αλγορίθμου:
Creators: name: Σημαιοφορίδης, Ζήσης Πέτρου
Publisher: name: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Year: 2010
Subjects: Ημι-παραμετρικά μοντέλα
Εκτίμηση κόστους λογισμικού
Γενετικός αλγόριθμος
Semi parametric models
Software cost estimation
Genetic algorithm

description: Στη συγκεκριμένη διπλωματική εργασία γίνεται σε πρώτη φάση μία εκτεταμένη βιβλιογραφική επισκόπηση των μεθόδων εκτίμησης του κόστους λογισμικού, είτε αυτές είναι παραμετρικές, είτε μη-παραμετρικές.Στη συνέχεια γίνεται αναφορά και ανάλυση των κυριότερων μεθόδων ημι-παραμετρικής εκτίμησης βάσει ήδη γνωστών συνόλων δεδομένων, σε διαφορετικά πεδία από την εκτίμηση κόστους λογισμικού.Η πρώτη αξιόλογη προσπάθεια εφαρμογής ημι-παραμετρικών μεθόδων ήταν η LSEbA, μέθοδος η οποία και αναλύεται εκτενώς στο Κεφάλαιο 5. Η συγκεκριμένη μέθοδος αποτέλεσε και την αφορμή για μια προσπάθεια ακόμη περαιτέρω βελτιστοποίησης των αποτελεσμάτων που δίνει με την ενσωμάτωση ενός γενετικού αλγορίθμου στη φάση της επιλογής και διαχωρισμού των μεταβλητών σε σύνολα.Τέλος παρατίθενται αναλυτικά στοιχεία για τη φιλοσοφία και τη διαδικασία ενσωμάτωσης του γενετικού αλγορίθμου στη συγκεκριμένη μέθοδο και κλείνοντας παραθέτουμε αναλυτικά πειραματικά στοιχεία τα οποία αποδεικνύουν πως μία προσέγγιση ενσωμάτωσης ενός γενετικού αλγορίθμου, δίνει αρκετά καλά αποτελέσματα (ανάλογα και με τα υπό εξέταση σύνολα δεδομένων) και πως έχει βάση ανάπτυξης και περαιτέρω διερεύνησης.
description: In this thesis, we firstly make an extensive literature review of methods for estimating the costs of software, whether parametric or non-parametric.Then reference and analysis of the principal methods of semi-parametric estimation based on already known data sets in different fields of software cost estimation. is being made.The first significant attempt to semi-parametric methods into cost estimation fields wasLSEbA, a method which is discussed in detail in Chapter 5.This method has been the reason for an attempt to even further optimize the given results, by integrating a genetic algorithm in the process of selection and separation of variables into sets.Finally we conclude that the process of integrating a genetic algorithm in this method gives quite good results (depending on the considered data sets) and that is the basis of development and further exploration.
Policy Gradient Reinforcement Learning for Policy Represented by Fuzzy Rules: Application to Simulations of Speed Control of an Automobile
Creators: name: Ishihara, Seiji
name: Igarashi, Harukazu
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: A method of a fusion of fuzzy inference and policy gradient reinforcement learning has been proposed that directly learns, as maximizes the expected value of the reward per episode, parameters in a policy function represented by fuzzy rules with weights. A study has applied this method to a task of speed control of an automobile and has obtained correct policies, some of which control speed of the automobile appropriately but many others generate inappropriate vibration of speed. In general, the policy is not desirable that causes sudden time change or vibration in the output value, and there would be many cases where the policy giving smooth time change in the output value is desirable. In this paper, we propose a fusion method using the objective function, that introduces defuzzification with the center of gravity model weighted stochastically and a constraint term for smoothness of time change, as an improvement measure in order to suppress sudden change of the output value of the fuzzy controller. Then we show the learning rule in the fusion, and also consider the effect by reward functions on the fluctuation of the output value. As experimental results of an application of our method on speed control of an automobile, it was confirmed that the proposed method has the effect of suppressing the undesirable fluctuation in time-series of the output value. Moreover, it was also showed that the difference between reward functions might adversely affect the results of learning.
Performance of health workers in primary health facilities in pneumonia case identification and management in children aged 2-59 months in Kilifi, Kenya
Creators: name: Awori, Juliet
name: M Kaniu
name: C Kalu
name: J.A.G Scott
Publisher: name: AAS Open Research
Year: 2019

description: Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children under five years of age. Most children who die of pneumonia, die at home without proper medical care. Among those who seek medical care, some do not receive the correct treatment and this may contribute to the deaths occurring at home.

In this study we estimated the proportion of children aged 2 - 59 months attending primary health facilities with pneumonia that was correctly diagnosed and managed as per the National treatment guidelines for pneumonia.Children in our study underwent a second examination by a trained study doctor to evaluate whether they were diagnosed and treated correctly by the health workers.

We studied 188 children and found that 30% had pneumonia, of which 5% was severe. The health workers diagnosed pneumonia in 9% of the children, of which 12% was severe. Documentation of pneumonia defining clinical signs was done in only 9%. Overall, 8 of every 10 cases of severe pneumonia and 9 of every 10 cases of non-severe were missed in our study.

There is poor adherence to pneumonia treatment guidelines in the health facilities that we studied. Incorrect diagnosis and treatment leads to poor treatment outcomes. Implementation strategies need to be reviewed to improve treatment outcomes.
Lorentzian Wormholes in the Friedman-Robertson-Walker Universe
Creators: name: Mirza, Behrouz
name: Eshaghi, Mehdi
name: Dehdashti, Shahram
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The metric of some Lorentzian wormholes in the background of the FRW universe is obtained. It is shown that for a de Sitter space-time the new solution is supported by Phantom Energy. The wave equation for a scalar field in such backgrounds is separable. The form of the potential for the Schrödinger type one dimensional wave equation is found.
description: 7 pages
The chiral condensate on 2-flavor staggered configurations from an overlap operator
Creators: name: Hasenfratz, Anna
name: Hoffmann, Roland
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Lattice (hep-lat)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We measure the low lying eigenmodes of an overlap Dirac operator on 2--flavor staggered configurations. By comparing the eigenmode distribution to the predictions of Random Matrix Theory we test to what accuracy staggered configurations describe continuum QCD. The agreement between the numerical data and RMT implies that at our quark mass values the lattice artifacts of the staggered configurations are comparable to overlap configurations. We identify the overlap valence mass that best matches the staggered sea quarks and predict the value of the infinite volume 2-flavor chiral condensate.
description: 7 pages, 3 figures, talk presented at Lattice 2006 (Theoretical Developments)
title: Ανάπτυξη ολοκληρωμένου συστήματος διαχείρισης ποιότητας εφοδιαστικής αλυσίδας υγρών καυσίμων
titleType: AlternativeTitle
title: Development of an integrated quality management system for liquid fuels supply chain
Creators: name: Liapis, Nikolaos C.
Publisher: name: National Technological University of Athens
Year: 2013
Subjects: Υγρά καύσιμα
Διαχείριση ποιότητας
Εφοδιαστική αλυσίδα
Διασφάλιση ποιότητας
Ποιότητα καυσίμων
Liquid fuels
quality management
Supply chain
Quality assurance
Fuel quality

description: 176 σ.
description: Η υψηλή απόδοση των σύγχρονων κινητήρων των οχημάτων, η απαίτηση για χαμηλότερες εκπομπές ρύπων σε συνδυασμό με τις υψηλές τιμές του πετρελαίου έχουν οδηγήσει σε αυξημένη ευαισθησία τόσο τους καταναλωτές όσο και το κράτος, σχετικά με την ποιότητα των καυσίμων. Επιπρόσθετα, οι διαφορές στον Ειδικό Φόρο Κατανάλωσης μεταξύ των προϊόντων πολύ συχνά λειτουργούν ως κίνητρο για λαθρεμπόριο, με αποτέλεσμα την αλλοίωση των προϊόντων και την απώλεια κρατικών εσόδων. Στην παρούσα διατριβή, σαν πρώτο βήμα εξετάστηκε επιστάμενα η εφοδιαστική αλυσίδα υγρών καυσίμων (από το διυλιστήριο έως τον τελικό καταναλωτή) τόσο από άποψη λειτουργίας όσο και από άποψη αγοράς και περιγράφηκε η εφοδιαστική αλυσίδα μεσαίου μεγέθους εταιρίας εμπορίας πετρελαιοειδών, που αποτέλεσε το αντικείμενο της έρευνας. Ακολούθως μελετήθηκε το κόστος έλλειψης ενός ολοκληρωμένου Συστήματος Διαχείρισης Ποιότητας στην εφοδιαστική αλυσίδα υγρών καυσίμων.
description: Modern vehicle engines high performance, the demand for lower emissions combined with high oil prices have led to increased sensitivity to both consumers and the state concerning fuel quality. In addition, differences in excise duty between products often act as an incentive for smuggling, resulting in product spoilage and loss of government revenue. As the first step of this thesis we have examined the downstream fuel supply chain (from the refinery to the end consumer) in operation and in market terms, and we described the supply chain of the medium-sized petroleum marketing company that was our case study. Then we investigated the implementation and completion of the Quality Management System in the liquid fuels supply chain for, the cost of this implementation as well as the cost for a company that lacks a system like this.
GRBs with optical afterglow and known redshift: a statistical study
Creators: name: Greco, G.
name: Bad'in, D.
name: Beskin, G.
name: Bartolini, C.
name: Karpov, S.
name: Guarnieri, A.
name: Piccioni, A.
name: Biryukov, A.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2007
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present a correlation between two intrinsic parameters of GRB optical afterglows. These are the isotropic luminosity at the maximum of the light curve (Lpeak) and the time-integrated isotropic energy (Eiso) radiated after the observed maximum. We test the correlation between the logarithms of (Eiso) and (Lpeak) and finally we value the effect of the different samples of GRBs in according with the first optical observation reduced to proper time.
description: To be published in the proceedings of the conference "SWIFT and GRBs: Unveiling the Relativistic Universe", Venice, June 5-9, 2006
Constraints on the Diverse Progenitors of GRBs from the Large-Scale Environments
Creators: name: Bloom, J. S.
name: Prochaska, J. X.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The pursuit of the progenitors of short duration-hard spectrum gamma-ray bursts (SHBs) draws strongly upon similar quests for the origin of supernovae (SNe) and long duration-soft spectrum GRBs(LSBs). Indeed the notion that, in the absence of smoking guns, the progenitors of cosmic explosions betray their identities both on the global and local scale, motivates the study of SHB redshifts, host galaxies, and locations with respect to hosts. To this end, we suggest both a historical and emergent physical analogy of GRBs with SNe: long-soft GRBs are to core-collapsed supernovae as short-hard GRBs are to Type Ia supernovae ("LSB:CC::SHB:Ia''). Still, the SHB progenitor pursuit is just beginning and we caution that while there are some substantive differences between observations of LSBs and SHBs on large-scales, particularly in host demographics, neither the offset nor the redshift distributions of SHBs are statistically inconsistent with those of LSBs.
description: Invited review to appear in the Proceedings of the 16th Annual October Astrophysics Conference in Maryland, "Gamma Ray Bursts in the Swift Era", eds. S. Holt, N. Gehrels and J. Nousek; 10 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables
XMM-Newton observations of HESS J1813-178 reveal a composite Supernova remnant
Creators: name: Funk, S.
name: Hinton, J. A.
name: Moriguchi, Y.
name: Aharonian, F. A.
name: Fukui, Y.
name: Hofmann, W.
name: Horns, D.
name: Puehlhofer, G.
name: Reimer, O.
name: Rowell, G.
name: Terrier, R.
name: Vink, J.
name: Wagner, S.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present X-ray and 12CO(J=1-0) observations of the very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray source HESS J1813-178 with the aim of understanding the origin of the gamma-ray emission. Using this dataset we are able to undertake spectral and morphological studies of the X-ray emission from this object with greater precision than previous studies. NANTEN 12CO(J=1-0) data are used to search for correlations of the gamma-ray emission with molecular clouds which could act as target material for gamma-ray production in a hadronic scenario. The NANTEN 12CO(J=1-0) observations show a giant molecular cloud of mass 2.5 10^5 M$_{\sun}$ at a distance of 4 kpc in the vicinity of HESS J1813-178. Even though there is no direct positional coincidence, this giant cloud might have influenced the evolution of the gamma-ray source and its surroundings. The X-ray data show a highly absorbed non-thermal X-ray emitting object coincident with the previously known ASCA source AX J1813-178 showing a compact core and an extended tail towards the north-east, located in the centre of the radio shell-type Supernova remnant (SNR) G12.82-0.2. This central object shows morphological and spectral resemblance to a Pulsar Wind Nebula (PWN) and we therefore consider that the object is very likely to be a composite SNR. We discuss the scenario in which the gamma-rays originate in the shell of the SNR and the one in which they originate in the central object. We demonstrate, that in order to connect the core X-ray emission to the VHE gamma-ray emission electrons have to be accelerated to energies of at least 1 PeV.
description: Submitted to A&A
Interferometric Monitoring of Gamma-ray Bright AGNs: OJ 287
Creators: name: Lee, Jee Won
name: Lee, Sang-Sung
name: Algaba, Juan-Carlos
name: Hodgson, Jeffrey
name: Kim, Jae-Young
name: Park, Jongho
name: Kino, Motoki
name: Kim, Dae-Won
name: Kang, Sincheol
name: Yoo, Sungmin
name: Kim, Sang Hyun
name: Gurwell, Mark
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present the results of simultaneous multi-frequency imaging observations at 22, 43, 86, and 129\,GHz of OJ\,287. We used the Korean VLBI Network as part of the Interferometric MOnitoring of GAmma-ray Bright active galactic nuclei (iMOGABA). The iMOGABA observations were performed during 31 epochs from 2013 January 16 to 2016 December 28. We also used 15\,GHz OVRO and 225\,GHz SMA flux density data. We analyzed four flux enhancements in the light curves. The estimated time scales of three flux enhancements were similar with time scales of $\sim$50 days at two frequencies. A fourth flux enhancement had a variability timescale approximately twice as long. We found that 225\,GHz enhancements led the 15\,GHz enhancements by a range of 7 to 30 days in the time delay analysis. We found the fractional variability did not change with frequency between 43 and 86\,GHz. We could reliably measure the turnover frequency, $ν_{\rm c}$, of the core of the source in three epochs. This was measured to be in a range from 27 to 50\,GHz and a flux density at the turnover frequency, $S_{\rm m}$, ranging from 3-6\,Jy. The derived SSA magnetic fields, $B_{\rm SSA}$, are in a range from $0.157\pm0.104$ to $0.255\pm0.146$ mG. We estimated the equipartition magnetic field strengths to be in a range from $0.95\pm0.15$ to $1.93\pm0.30$ mG. The equipartition magnetic field strengths are up to a factor of 10 higher than the values of $B_{\rm SSA}$. We conclude that the downstream jet may be more particle energy dominated.
description: 27 pages, 9 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ
The Anomalous X-Ray Pulsar 4U 0142+61: A Neutron Star with a Gaseous Fallback Disk
Creators: name: Ertan, U.
name: Erkut, M. H.
name: Eksi, K. Y.
name: Alpar, M. A.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The recent detection of the anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) 4U 0142+61 in the mid-infrared with the {\it Spitzer} observatory by Z.Wang and coworkers constitutes the first instance of a disk around an AXP. We show, by analyzing earlier optical and near-IR data together with the recent data, that the overall broadband data set can be reproduced by a single model of an irradiated and viscously heated disk.
description: 22 pages, 3 figures, minor revisons, appeared in Apj
Spatially resolved measurements of the solar photospheric oxygen abundance
Creators: name: Armas, Melania Cubas
name: Ramos, Andrés Asensio
name: Socas-Navarro, Héctor
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Aims. We report the results of a novel determination of the solar oxygen abundance using spatially resolved observations and inversions. We seek to derive the photospheric solar oxygen abundance with a method that is robust against uncertainties in the model atmosphere. Methods. We use observations with spatial resolution obtained at the Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) to derive the oxygen abundance at 40 different spatial positions in granules and intergranular lanes. We first obtain a model for each location by inverting the Fe I lines with the NICOLE inversion code. These models are then integrated into a hierarchical Bayesian model that is used to infer the most probable value for the oxygen abundance that is compatible with all the observations. The abundance is derived from the [O I] forbidden line at 6300 Å taking into consideration all possible nuisance parameters that can affect the abundance. Results. Our results show good agreement in the inferred oxygen abundance for all the pixels analyzed, demonstrating the robustness of the analysis against possible systematic errors in the model. We find a slightly higher oxygen abundance in granules than in intergranular lanes when treated separately (log(ε_O) = 8.83 \pm 0.02 vs log(ε_O) = 8.76 \pm 0.02), which is a difference of approximately 2-σ. This tension suggests that some systematic errors in the model or the radiative transfer still exist but are small. When taking all pixels together, we obtain an oxygen abundance of log(ε_O)=8.80 \pm 0.03, which is compatible with both granules and lanes within 1-σ. The spread of results is due to both systematic and random errors.
description: 13 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in A&A
In question: the scientific value of preclinical safety pharmacology and toxicology studies with cell-based therapies
Creators: name: Broichhausen, Christiane
name: Riquelme, Paloma
name: Ahrens, Norbert
name: Wege, Anja K.
name: Koehl, Gudrun E.
name: Schlitt, Hans J.
name: Banas, Bernhard
name: Fändrich, Fred
name: Geissler, Edward K.
name: Hutchinson, James A.
Publisher: name: Universität Regensburg
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: 610 Medizin

description: A new cell-based medicinal product containing human regulatory macrophages, known as Mreg_UKR, has been developed and conforms to expectations of a therapeutic drug. Here, Mreg_UKR was subjected to pharmacokinetic, safety pharmacology, and toxicological testing, which identified no adverse reactions. These results would normally be interpreted as evidence of the probable clinical safety of Mreg_UKR; however, we contend that, owing to their uncertain biological relevance, our data do not fully support this conclusion. This leads us to question whether there is adequate scientific justification for preclinical safety testing of similar novel cell-based medicinal products using animal models. In earlier work, two patients were treated with regulatory macrophages prior to kidney transplantation. In our opinion, the absence of acute or chronic adverse effects in these cases is the most convincing available evidence of the likely safety of Mreg_UKR in future recipients. On this basis, we consider that safety information from previous clinical investigations of related cell products should carry greater weight than preclinical data when evaluating the safety profile of novel cell-based medicinal products. By extension, we argue that omitting extensive preclinical safety studies before conducting small-scale exploratory clinical investigations of novel cell-based medicinal products data may be justifiable in some instances.
Bed form-induced hyporheic exchange and geochemical hotspots
Creators: name: Behzadi, Faranak
name: Wallace, Corey D.
name: Ward, Dylan
name: Soltanian, Mohamad Reza
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Fluid Dynamics (physics.flu-dyn)
subject: Geophysics (physics.geo-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Small-scale bed form topographies control hyporheic exchange and biogeochemical processes within aquatic sediments, which ultimately affect water quality and nutrient cycling at the watershed scale. The impact of three-dimensional (3D) and small-scale bed form topographies on hyporheic exchange and solute mixing is investigated in the present work. The effect of bed form morphologies on the development of zones of enhanced reaction rates (i.e., hot spots) is also studied. A computational fluid dynamics model to simulate river flow over bed forms is combined with a subsurface flow and multicomponent reactive solute transport model. A wide variety of bed form topographies are generated using geometric models by varying parameters controlling curvature as well as bed form wavelength and amplitude. Our results show that the pressure distribution at the sediment-water interface is strongly affected by the bed form geometry. Higher phase shifts in bed form shapes result in overall higher average velocity, larger zones of enhanced pressure and reaction rates, and higher amounts of solute exchange. Moreover, the bed form shapes control the reaction process for a wide range of sediment conductivities. This study advances the understanding of the effects of complex and small scale morphological features on hyporheic exchange processes.
B cell immunophenotyping reveals decreased frequency of CD11c+ B cell expressing FcRL5+ subset in naturally malaria-exposed Fulani adults.
Creators: name: Arama, Charles
name: Nebié, Issa
name: Djimdé, Moussa
name: Henda  Doucouré
name: Seydou Arama
name: Bakari Koné
name: Salif Yirampo
name: Amatigué Zeguimé
name: Bengaly, Karim
name: Portugal, Silvia
name: Amidou Diarra
name: Siribié, Mohamadou
name: Sodiomon B Sirima
name: Troye-Blomberg, Marita
name: Ann-Kristin Farrants-Östlund
name: Abdoulaye  Djimdé
name: Bourèma Kouriba
Publisher: name: AAS Open Research
Year: 2019

description: In malaria endemic area antibody response is the hallmark of repeated exposition to the parasite. People of the Fulani ethnic group are more resistant to malaria compared with genetically distinct ethnic groups, such as the Mossi people, in West Africa. We have previously demonstrated that the Fulani mount an enhanced and broadly reactive immunoglobulin (Ig)M. In order to investigate which B cell subsets are contributing to this enhanced IgM response, we characterized circulating B cell populations in naturally malaria-exposed Fulani and Mossi adults of Burkina Faso. During the low malaria transmission season from 15/03/2019 to 05/04/2019, we carried out a cross sectional study in 30 Fulani and 30 Mossi adults from the village of Barkoundouba. Peripheral Blood Mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected, stained using anti-CD21 FITC, anti-FcRL5 PE, anti-CD11c PE CY7, anti-T-Bet PE Txr, anti CD27 BV421, anti CD19 PerCP CY5.5, anti CD10 APC, anti-CD20 APC-H7 and IgM BV510. The immunophenotyping of B cells was performed using the BD LSR II Flow cytometer.
We found that naïve B-cell IgM+ (“40.96 ± 1.72 N=29” vs “53.84 ± 1.84 N=30”; p=0.0001), the atypical Memory B-Cell (MBC) IgM+(“15.73 ± 1.81 N=29” vs “34.64 ± 2.57 N=30”; p=0.00002) and the CD11c+ FCRL5+IgM+ subsets (“6.73 ± 1.23 N=29” vs “19.22 ± 2.40 N=30”; p=0.000013) frequencies were significantly higher in the Fulani than in Mossi. However, the CD11c+ B cell subset expressing FcRL5 (“34.08 ± 1.70 N=29” vs “23.96 ± 1.15 N=30”; p=0.0001) frequencies was significantly lower in Fulani than in Mossi.
These results identify CD11c+ B cell expressing FcRL5+ subsetas a marker that may further highlight differences in Fulani versus Mossi adults.
Higher-order soft gluon corrections in single top quark production at the LHC
Creators: name: Kidonakis, Nikolaos
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2007
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: I present a calculation of soft-gluon corrections to single top quark production in pp collisions at the LHC via the Standard Model partonic processes in the t and s channels and associated top quark and W boson production. Higher-order soft-gluon corrections through next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (NNNLO) are calculated at next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) accuracy. The soft-gluon corrections in the s channel and in tW production are large and dominant, while in the t channel they are not a good approximation of the complete QCD corrections.
description: 9 pages, four figures
Plasma Confinement Mode Classification Using a Sequence-to-Sequence Neural Network With Attention
Creators: name: Matos, Francisco
name: Menkovski, Vlado
name: Pau, Alessandro
name: Marceca, Gino
name: Jenko, Frank
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In a typical fusion experiment, the plasma can have several possible confinement modes. At the TCV tokamak, aside from the Low (L) and High (H) confinement modes, an additional mode, dithering (D), is frequently observed. Developing methods that automatically detect these modes is considered to be important for future tokamak operation. Previous work with deep learning methods, particularly convolutional recurrent neural networks (Conv-RNNs), indicates that they are a suitable approach. Nevertheless, those models are sensitive to noise in the temporal alignment of labels, and that model in particular is limited to making individual decisions taking into account only its own hidden state and its input at each time step. In this work, we propose an architecture for a sequence-to-sequence neural network model with attention which solves both of those issues. Using a carefully calibrated dataset, we compare the performance of a Conv-RNN with that of our proposed sequence-to-sequence model, and show two results: one, that the Conv-RNN can be improved upon with new data; two, that the sequence-to-sequence model can improve the results even further, achieving excellent scores on both train and test data.
Investigating the role of T follicular (Tfh) helper cells in naturally acquired immunity to malaria.
Creators: name: Nyabundi, Diana
name: Nduati, Eunice
name: Langhorne, Jean
name: Ndungu, Francis
Publisher: name: AAS Open Research
Year: 2019

description: Objectives: The current malaria vaccine offers limited protection. Vaccination works mainly through the production of antibodies. These antibodies are produced as a result of a cascade of interactions upstream. A subset of the cells, the T follicular helper cells is the basis of my study. There has been some inconsistency in describing these cells. We, therefore, aim to characterize the diverse subsets seen in individuals with varied levels of pre-exposure to malaria. The results of this work will help us identify which subset can confer protection against malaria.

Methods: 161 participants were injected with the parasite that causes malaria and monitored for 21 days for the presence of parasites using a sensitive detection method. We also quantified antibodies to some of the targets that are associated with protection.

Results: There were diverse responses to the parasite; 21 (13.1%) participants did not have any detectable parasites, whereas 66 (43.1%) participants displayed symptoms or attained the diagnostic threshold before the end of the study period. The participants were able to control parasite growth had higher levels of antibodies compared to those who met the diagnostic threshold.

Conclusion: The results show that there are differences in responses among the participants showing that pre-exposure is important in protection against malaria.
The lithium-rotation connection in young stars
Creators: name: Bouvier, J.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Lithium is a sensitive probe to mixing processes operating in stellar interiors. For many years, a connection has been suspected to exist between lithium abundances and stellar rotation, presumably the result of rotationally-induced internal mixing. In recent years, several studies have confirmed and refined this relationship for low-mass young stars. In various star forming regions and young open clusters, rapidly rotating K dwarfs are found to be lithium-rich compared to their more slowly rotating siblings. While this lithium-rotation correlation is contrary to naive expectations, several models have been put forward to account for it. We review here recent observational results, and briefly discuss proposed interpretations.
description: 5 pages, 2 figures, Proc. Conference "Lithium in the Universe", Roma, Nov. 18-22, 2019
Ελληνική κεραμική από ναυάγια ελληνιστικών χρόνων στη Μεσόγειο και τη Μαύρη Θάλασσα:
Creators: name: Παπαντωνίου, Χριστίνα Αθανασίου
Publisher: name: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Year: 2010
Subjects: Ελληνική κεραμική
Οξυπύθμενοι αμφορείς
Ελληνιστικά ναυάγια
Μεσόγειος και Μαύρη θάλασσα
Greek pottery
Transport amphorae
Hellenistic shipwrecks
Mediterranean and Black Sea

description: Η μεταπτυχιακή εργασία έχει τίτλο «Ελληνική κεραμική από ναυάγια ελληνιστικών χρόνων στη Μεσόγειο και τη Μαύρη Θάλασσα», πραγματεύεται θέματα Ενάλιας Αρχαιολογίας και στόχος της είναι η ανάδειξη της αξίας των ναυαγίων ως κλειστών συνόλων και της σπουδαιότητας της κεραμικής για τη χρονολόγησή τους. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, στο πρώτο μέρος παρουσιάζονται τα βιβλιογραφικά προβλήματα, στοιχείο το οποίο κρίθηκε απαραίτητο, ώστε να μπορέσει κανείς να αντιληφθεί το μέγεθος έλλειψης βασικών πληροφοριών. Στο δεύτερο μέρος γίνεται παράθεση των δεδομένων, τα οποία κατατάσσονται χρονολογικά. Επιπλέον, επιχειρείται ο διαχωρισμός σε «εμπορικούς οξυπύθμενους αμφορείς» και σε «χρηστική κεραμική», ενώ η μελέτη τους μέσω συγκριτικών παραδειγμάτων που προέρχονται από σίγουρα χρονολογημένα σύνολα, όπως αυτό της Αρχαίας Αγοράς της Αθήνας, βοηθάει στην τοποθέτησή τους σε ασφαλέστερα χρονολογικά πλαίσια. Τέλος, στο τρίτο μέρος γίνεται προσπάθεια συγκέντρωσης των δεδομένων, καθώς και ερμηνεία αυτών, ενώ παράλληλα η δημιουργία πινάκων και χαρτών βοηθούν στην καλύτερη κατανόησή τους.
description: The title of this master paper is “Greek Pottery from Hellenistic Shipwrecks in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea” and deals with subjects of Maritime Archaeology. The aim of this master paper is to accent the value of shipwrecks and the importance of the pottery, which helps to the chronology of shipwrecks. The first part introduces the bibliographical problems, which is regarded necessary in understanding the degree of scarcity of basic information. In the second part, are presented the data in a chronological order. Furthermore, an attempt is made to distinguish “commercial transport amphorae” from “daily used pottery” and to study them through comparative examples that originate from securely dated assemblages, like those from the Athenian Agora. Finally, in the third part the data is gathered and explained through assumptions, while tables and maps help in better understanding them.
Bottlenecks in the provision of antenatal care in rural settled and mobile pastoralist communities in Chad
Creators: name: Mahamat  Fayiz Abakar
name: F Lechthaler
name: E Schelling
name: J Hattendorf
name: B Ouedraougo
name: DD Motto
name: J Zinsstag
Publisher: name: AAS Open Research
Year: 2019

description: Objective: To assess antenatal care (ANC) coverage and analyse the constraining factors for service delivery in rural settled and mobile populations in two districts in Chad.

Method: Data from cross-sectional household and health facility surveys in two Chadian rural health districts were analyzed. Contact coverage of ANC services in the study area was estimated from household data and bottlenecks in the provision of this service were explored by calibrating a multiplicative model of ANC contact coverage to household and health facility data. The model quantified the magnitude by which coverage decreased as mothers progressed through the health system. Sensitivity analysis was applied to account for uncertainty around the estimated coverage factors.

Results: ANC contact coverage decreased as the number of required visits increased: 79% of settled mothers and 46% of mobile pastoralist mothers visited a health facility to obtain ANC at least once. Only 20% of pregnant women from mobile pastoralist attended ANC at least three times compared to 63% of settled women. Availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability of services contributed to reductions in service coverage in both populations.

Conclusion: Antenatal care coverage was low in rural districts of Chad, particularly for mobile pastoralists. Acceptability largely explained the prevailing difference between the two population groups.
Cooling process of brown dwarfs in Palatini f(R) gravity
Creators: name: Benito, María
name: Wojnar, Aneta
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present an analytical model for the evolution of brown dwarfs in quadratic Palatini f(R) gravity. We improve previous studies by adopting a more realistic description of the partially-degenerate state that characterizes brown dwarfs. Furthermore, we take into account the hydrogen metallic-molecular phase transition between the interior of the brown dwarf and its photosphere. For such improved model, we revise the cooling process of sub-stellar objects.
description: 8 pages, 2 figure, 2 tables. Comments are welcome
Monocyte dysfunction, immune activation and inflammation after long-term antiretroviral therapy in an African cohort
Creators: name: Nabatanzi, Rose
name: Cose, Stephen
name: Jones, Sarah Rowland
name: Joloba, Moses
name: Bayigga, Lois
name: Damalie  Nakanjako
Publisher: name: AAS Open Research
Year: 2019

description: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has greatly improved the body's defense mechanisms against disease (Immune system) in HIV-infected people worldwide. Despite this improvement, the damage caused by HIV to the immune systems is not fully corrected with ART. To determine the recovery of the immune system after seven years of ART, we measured numbers and function of a critical cell type in the first line of defense against disease (Monocytes). We looked at ART treated HIV-infected individuals with restored CD4 counts ≥500 cells/μl and compared these with HIV-negative individuals from the same community. Monocytes numbers were fewer in ART-treated individuals compared to HIV-negative counterparts. ART-treated individuals produced lower levels of chemical mediators (help cells in fighting disease) compared to HIV-negative individuals. We observed persistence of dangerous chemicals whose production was stimulated due to HIV infection in ART-treated individuals. Despite seven years of ART with restored CD4 counts ≥500 cells/μl, HIV-infected individuals have fewer monocytes numbers and these produce low chemicals mediators which are critical in the first line of defense against infection. More emphasis has to be put on ways of improvement of the immune system despite long-term ART. This will help ART-treated individuals live a healthy life even without Septrin treatment.
The Binary Nucleus in VCC 128: A Candidate Supermassive Black Hole in a Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy
Creators: name: Debattista, Victor P.
name: Ferreras, Ignacio
name: Pasquali, Anna
name: Seth, Anil
name: De Rijcke, Sven
name: Morelli, Lorenzo
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2006
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: {\it Hubble Space Telescope} (\hst) Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 ({\it WFPC2}) images of the Virgo Cluster dwarf elliptical galaxy VCC 128 reveal an apparently double nucleus. The two components, which are separated by $\sim 32$ pc in projection, have the same magnitude and color. We present a spectrum of this double nucleus and show that it is inconsistent with one or both components being emission-line background objects or foreground stars. The most likely interpretation is that, as suggested by \citet{lauer_etal_96} for the double nucleus in NGC 4486B, we are seeing a nuclear disk surrounding a supermassive black hole. This is only the second time an early-type dwarf (dE/dSph) galaxy has been suggested to host a SMBH.
description: Accepted to ApJL, 4 pages, 3 figures. Uses emulateapj
Investigating clinical and genetic association of 26 targeted kidney dysfunction-related variants among sickle cell patients from Cameroon
Creators: name: Bitoungui, Valentina J. Ngo
name: S Belinga
name: R.G.  Essomba
name: F Ngo Sack
name: K Mnika
name: T Masekoameng
name: B Chetcha Chemegni
name: G.K Mazandu
name: A. Wonkam
Publisher: name: AAS Open Research
Year: 2019

description: To investigate the association of 26 specific genetic changes with kidney dysfunction among in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in Cameroon. SCD patients were recruited in Yaoundé and Douala main hospitals. Age, sex, illness manifestation, blood pressure, blood cell count, and protein filtered by kidney were measured. Estimated renal protein filtration rate were calculated.The genetic composition of the 26 inheritable changes kidney-related dysfunction were performed. The R software was used for statistical analysis.The median age of the 413 SCD patients was 16 years range 2 to 58 with 51% of male. The analysis of the heredity changes alone showed that 22 and 23 out of 26 were significantly associated respectively with moderate kidney disfunction and kidney failure. However, the combination of socio-demographic (i.e age and gender), and anthropometric factor (i.e blood pressure, weight and height) factors with heredity changes shows that only change in uromodulin gene (UMOD-rs4293393) was significantly associated with renal dysfunctions in sickle cell disease (P< 0.0001).These results confirmed a high proportion of moderate kidney disfunction (61%) and 28% of patients with kidney failure among Cameroonian SCD patients. The data demonstrate the need for further research to highlight new genetic biomarkers to help predicting kidney dysfunctions risk in African populations.