Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In and out: Leishmania metastasis by hijacking lymphatic system and migrating immune cells

The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in mounting immune response against intracellular pathogens, and recent studies have documented its role in facilitating tumor dissemination linked largely with cancer cells. However, in mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) caused by Leishmania Viannia subgenus showing infectious metastasis and resulting in severe distant secondary lesions, the route of escape of these parasites to secondary sites has not yet been investigated in detail. Our results demonstrated that when infection was associated with inflammation and additionally exacerbated by the presence of dsRNA viral endosymbiont (LRV1), lymphatic vessels could serve as efficient routes for infected cells to egress from the primary site and colonize distant organs. We challenged this hypothesis by using the intracellular Leishmania protozoan parasites Leishmania guyanensis (Lgy) associated with or without a dsRNA viral endosymbiont, exacerbating the infection and responsible for a strong inflammatory response, and favoring metastasis of the infection. We analyzed possible cargo cells and the routes of dissemination through flow cytometry, histological analysis, and in vivo imaging in our metastatic model to show that parasites disseminated not only intracellularly but also as free extracellular parasites using migrating immune cells, lymph nodes (LNs), and lymph vessels, and followed intricate connections of draining and non-draining lymph node to finally end up in the blood and in distant skin, causing new lesions.
A methodology for evaluating salespeople performance considering efficiency and effect: A case study of a liquor company in China

The performance evaluation is one of the most important organizational management strategies used to guide the sales behavior of sales staff. However, it should be work process-oriented or sales result-oriented has become a dilemma for the management when evaluating employees' performance. Therefore, comprehensively evaluating the work process and sales results has become a challenge when it comes to salespeople performance appraisal. To solve this dilemma, this research builds a salesperson performance evaluation model which considering both of work efficiency and effectiveness, based on the decision tree model. Specifically, we use the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to quantify the work efficiency of salespeople and measure the work effectiveness by amount of sales. Moreover, this research proposes an advanced integrated DEA model by integrating the self-evaluation DEA models, peer-evaluation DEA models, and Gini impurity, which is identified to be more stable compared with the current DEA model. Finally, a case study of a Chinese liquor company is introduced to illustrate the applicability and feasibility of the salesperson performance evaluation model. The proposed model is applied to evaluate the performance of the salespeople, and a set of comprehensive and objective sales performance evaluation results are obtained. The estimated results can provide feasible sales management suggestions for the company in diagnosing work problems of salespeople.
Fucosylated exosomal miRNAs as promising biomarkers for the diagnosis of early lung adenocarcinoma

Background Considering the absence of apparent symptoms at the early stage, most patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) present at an advanced stage, leading to a dismal 5-year survival rate of <20%. Thus, finding perspective non-invasive biomarkers for early LUAD is very essential. Methods We developed a fucose-captured strategy based on lentil lectin-magnetic beads to isolate fucosylated exosomes from serum. Then, a prospective study was conducted to define the diagnostic value of serum exosomal miRNAs for early LUAD. A total of 310 participants were enrolled, including 146 LUAD, 98 benign pulmonary nodules (BPNs), and 66 healthy controls (HCs). Firstly, exosome miRNAs in the discovery cohort (n = 24) were profiled by small RNA sequencing. Secondly, 12 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) were selected for further screening in a screening cohort (n = 64) by qRT-PCR. Finally, four candidate miRNAs were selected for further validation in a validating cohort (n = 222). Results This study demonstrated the feasibility of a fucose-captured strategy for the isolation of fucosylated exosomes from serum, evidenced with exosomal characteristics identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blotting, as well as rapid and convenient operation of <10 min. Furthermore, a miRNA panel for early LUAD composed of miR4732-5p, miR451a, miR486-5p, and miR139-3p was defined with an AUC of 0.8554 at 91.07% sensitivity and 66.36% specificity. Conclusions The fucose-captured strategy provides a reliable, as well as rapid and convenient, approach for the isolation of tumor-derived exosomes from serum. A four-fucosylated exosomal miRNA panel presents good performance for early LUAD diagnosis.
Survey Report : Citizen Earthquake Science in Taiwan : From Science to Hazard Mitigation

Taiwan is located at the convergent plate boundary between the Eurasian and the Philippine Sea plates. As a result, intense earthquake activity and associated surface deformation are manifesting in this region. To implement and promote citizen earthquake science in Taiwan, we have developed several web-based platforms with multi-purpose themes, such as earthquake science information, popular science education, and crowdsourcing systems. First, with the rapid earthquake report issued from the Taiwan Central Weather Bureau (CWB), the available near real-time scientific results obtained from the Taiwanese seismology community are collected and published to a platform, the Taiwan Earthquake Science Information System (TESIS). The scientific information archived at TESIS includes CWB earthquake reports, focal mechanisms, shake maps, and finite source models (for strong earthquakes). All real-time results are integrated into a GIS system with background geospatial information, such as geological maps, traces of active faults, background seismicity, and inter-seismic GPS velocity fields. Second, by collaborating with Stanford University to maintain a regional Quake-Catcher Network (QCN) server in Taiwan, we have promoted citizen seismology in Asia by bringing earthquake information and scientific knowledge to the public. More than 200 school teachers have already installed the QCN sensors in Internet-enabled computers. Through two web-based educational platforms, users are able to access the guidelines and further interact with the recorded waveforms. Third, we also developed an earthquake damage reporting system – the Taiwan Scientific Earthquake Reporting (TSER) system – to encourage the citizen to collect field observation for significant earthquake-induced ground damages such as surface fault rupture, landslide, rock fall, liquefaction, and landslide-triggered dam or lake. The TSER system is constructed under the Ushahidi mapping platform, which has been widely used in crowdsourcing for the geospatial archiving of events. Trained high school teachers and public volunteers can send their ground damage observations, including photographs, through the TSER system. Most of these products and online systems are now being operated by the Taiwan Earthquake Research Center (TEC). With these newly developed platforms and materials, we aim to not only raise earthquake awareness and preparedness, but also encourage public participation in earthquake science in Taiwan.
Dissipation as a resource in circuit quantum electromechanics

A primary challenge in quantum science and technology is to isolate the fragile quantum states from their environment in order to prevent the irreversible leakage of energy and information which causes decoherence. In the late 1990s, however, a new paradigm emerged, in which the environment itself, as well as the coupling to this environment of the quantum state, are engineered in ways which, counterintuitively, facilitate the creation and stabilization of desired quantum properties. This paradigm, coined reservoir engineering, has been pursued experimentally in various implementations, in which the states of trapped ions, atomic clouds or artificial atoms based on superconducting circuits were driven into a desired target state using a dissipative reservoir. In all these cases, the cold electromagnetic environment served as the engineered reservoir, capitalizing on the fact that high frequency electromagnetic radiation is naturally cold, as well as on the tremendous progress in the ability to shape the modes of the electromagnetic field using masers and lasers. In optomechanics, which is the study of the coupling between light and mechanical motion, a similar scenario has been prevalent. Light is used to read out and control the mechanical motion, and in the past few years, various optomechanical architectures both in the optical and microwave domain have enabled to push mechanical systems into the quantum regime. These results can be interpreted in the context of reservoir engineering: cooling and many other optomechanical phenomena exploit the cold, dissipative nature of light. This thesis reports on the development of a multimode superconducting circuit with a mechanically compliant element fitting into the field of circuit cavity electromechanics -, with which we pursue two themes. In the first set of experiments, reversing the roles of dissipation described above, we engineer the mechanical oscillator into a cold, dissipative environment for microwave light. The mechanical element is the fundamental mode of a free-standing top electrode of a capacitor, 100 nm thick and 32 μm in diameter made of aluminum with an effective mass of around 170 pg, vibrating at a resonance frequency of 5.5 MHz. The dissipative mechanical reservoir is prepared using an auxiliary microwave mode with engineered parameters. A key challenge and ingredient for the scheme is the vastly different energy decay rates of the two microwave modes, which we overcome by
Impact of Control System Structure and Performance of Inventory Goods Flow System with Long-Variable Delay

In this paper, we use a mathematical model of a inventory system with time-varying delivery delay and three control systems in order to compare their properties for the goods flow optimization problem in the inventory systems. Structures of the chosen control systems are based on mathematical discrete equations: a periodic inventory system with adaptive maximal inventory level and perpetual inventory system with adaptive order quantity level as well as the methods proposed by the authors in previous works based on the Smith predictor. The selection of the control systems parameters is done by solving optimization tasks for a specific scenario of time-varying market demand using a genetic algorithm in Matlab/Simulink. In this article, we mainly want to compare which of the control structures is able to achieve a high service level with maintaining of a given inventory maximal level in response to assumed consumer demand scenario. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.eie. 24.1. 14244
Use of condensed water from air conditioning systems

Abstract Facing the growing demand for water, discussions on environmental sustainability and conservation of this resource have become increasingly important. Among the possibilities for water conservation, air conditioning systems have potential applicability because, during their operation, water is generated via the condensation of air humidity, which is normally discarded. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the water released by air conditioning equipment (condensed water) installed in the Laboratory of Water Analysis (LAnA) qualitatively and quantitatively, in order to verify its potential for use in the laboratory itself. For this, the quality of the water produced by three air conditioners was compared water quality parameters found in the literature, as well as with water produced by a distiller and an ultra-purifier, both used in the LAnA. Water quality was evaluated using physicochemical parameters (i.e. pH, electrical conductivity, resistivity, alkalinity, turbidity, apparent color and hardness) and microbiological parameters (i.e. total coliforms, Escherichia coli and heterotrophic bacteria). The average water flow produced by the three monitored air conditioners was 3.08 L/hour, which is higher than the daily consumption by the LAnA, indicating that its use would be quantitatively propitious. The physicochemical and microbiological analyses found that, condensed water can be used in the routine activities of LAnA. However, for its use as reagent-grade water, a prior treatment would be necessary, mainly due to the presence of heterotrophic bacteria.
Hexon modiﬁcation of human adenovirus type 5 vectors enables efﬁcient transduction of human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells

In adenovirus type 5 (HAdV-5)-derived viral vectors, the ﬁ ber protein has been the preferred locale for modi ﬁ cations to alter the natural viral tropism. Hexon, the most abundant capsid protein, has rarely been used for retargeting purposes, likely because the insertion of larger targeting peptides into Hexon often interferes with the assembly of the viral capsid. We previously observed that positively charged molecules enhance the transduction of human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) — a cell type of signi ﬁ cant interest for clinical development but inef ﬁ ciently transduced by unmodi ﬁ ed HAdV-5-based As ef ﬁ cient HAdV-5-mediated gene transfer increase the therapeutic potential of hMSCs, we tested the hypothesis that introducing positively charged amino acids into Hexon might enhance the transduction of hMSCs, enabling ef ﬁ cient expression of selected transgenes. the could be as virions, one (HAdV-5-HexPos3) showed striking transduction of hMSCs with up to 500-fold increased ef ﬁ ciency. Evaluation of the underlying mechanism identi ﬁ ed heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) to be essential for virus uptake by the cells. The ease and ef ﬁ ciency of transduction of hMSCs with this vector will facilitate the development of genetically modi ﬁ ed hMSCs as therapeutic vehicles in different disciplines, including oncology or regenerative medicine.
Exploration of the Levels of Mathematical Proficiency Displayed by Grade 12 Learners in Responses to Matric Examinations

Abstract This paper presents grade 12 learners’ levels of mathematical proficiency exhibited in response to matric mathematics examination questions in the Gauteng Province in South Africa. Document analysis was used on n = 90 learners’ scripts on four topics, namely, sequences and series, differential calculus, analytical geometry and trigonometry. Findings revealed that on the four topics, learners were most proficient in examination questions on analytical geometry that tested only procedural knowledge. However, a majority of learners were not proficient in examination questions that tested conceptual knowledge on analytical geometry. Furthermore, most learners were not proficient in examination questions on sequences and series, differential calculus as well as trigonometry on both procedural and conceptual knowledge. Such findings implied that it was most likely that learners left high school without being proficient on these topics, which incidentally formed the bulk of the prerequisite mathematics course in engineering and other natural science programs at university.
Differential Growth Impact of FDI on LICs, LMICs, and ECs: The Role of Absorptive Capabilities

: FDI has been beneficial to developing countries through increased access to capital, technology, foreign markets, superior managerial skills, and other backward and forward spillover effects. However, the developmental implications of FDI are dependent on the absorptive capabilities and levels of development. In this context, we scientifically examine the impact of FDI on economic growth for 93 developing countries for the period 2000-2017. The strength of this comprehensive study lies in the nuance that it adds to the current discussion by analyzing the differential impacts of FDI inflows across different types of developing countries such as emerging countries(ECs), lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), and low-income countries (LICs). Unlike previous studies, we investigate the particular channels through which positive spillovers from FDI are transmitted towards the growth of these different country categories. The results reveal that the beneficial impact of FDI varies across different country groups. Thus, the efficacy with which FDI positively impacts growth is contingent upon the absorptive capacities of developing countries, which in turn are determined by trade openness, stock of human capital, infrastructure, financial sector development, institutional setup, and foreign debt.
EVIDENCE REVIEW JULY 2022 HOW WELL DO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT EFFORTS PREVENT INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN SOUTH ASIA?

The Word Bank’s South Asia Region Gender Innovation Lab has conducted an evidence review of findings from women’s economic empowerment (WEE) interventions with direct measures of intimate partner violence (IPV). The aim of the review was to identify WEE programs that measure IPV and have been evaluated in the South Asia Region (SAR) and to synthesize this evidence in relation to global evidence. A subsidiary aim is to focus on implementation—what strategies improve feasibility, sustainability, and minimize unintended harm from WEE interventions in SAR? The collected evidence on IPV prevention covers results of WEE related to women’s self-help groups (SHGs), microcredit organization membership, transfers, and livelihood support. BACKGROUND
Superconducting energy gaps, low temperature specific heat, and quasiparticle spectra of MgB2

We report first-principles calculations of the k- and T-dependent superconducting gap Delta(k,T) in MgB2 and its manifestation in various measured quantities. Because the Fermi surface has disconnected sheets with different electron-phonon coupling strengths, our calculations show that near T=0, the values of Delta(k) cluster into two groups: large values (about 6.5 to 7.5 meV) on the strongly coupled sheets and small values (about 1 to 3 meV) on the weakly coupled sheets. The calculated gap, quasiparticle density of states, and specific heat and their temperature dependences are in agreement with the recent measurements which conclude that MgB2 is a multiple gap superconductor. In fact, theory predicts four prominent values for the gap at low T.
Efficient Randomized Subspace Embeddings for Distributed Optimization Under a Communication Budget

We study first-order optimization algorithms under the constraint that the descent direction is quantized using a pre-specified budget of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bits per dimension, where <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R \in (0,\infty)$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. We propose computationally efficient optimization algorithms with convergence rates matching the information-theoretic performance lower bounds for: (i) Smooth and Strongly-Convex objectives with access to an Exact Gradient oracle, as well as (ii) General Convex and Non-Smooth objectives with access to a Noisy Subgradient oracle. The crux of these algorithms is a polynomial complexity source coding scheme that embeds a vector into a random subspace before quantizing it. These embeddings are such that with high probability, their projection along any of the canonical directions of the transform space is small. As a consequence, quantizing these embeddings followed by an inverse transform to the original space yields a source coding method with optimal covering efficiency while utilizing just <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-bits per dimension. Our algorithms guarantee optimality for arbitrary values of the bit-budget <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, which includes both the sub-linear budget regime (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R < 1$ </tex-math></inline-formula>), as well as the high-budget regime (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R \geq 1$ </tex-math></inline-formula>), while requiring <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(n^{2})$ </tex-math></inline-formula> multiplications, where <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is the dimension. We also propose an efficient relaxation of this coding scheme using Hadamard subspaces that requires a near-linear time, i.e., <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(n \log n)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> additions. Furthermore, we show that the utility of our proposed embeddings can be extended to significantly improve the performance of gradient sparsification schemes. Numerical simulations validate our theoretical claims. Our implementations are available at <uri>https://github.com/rajarshisaha95/DistOptConstrComm</uri>.
The dynamic equilibrium of state effectiveness: the factors eroding and supporting Ghana’s ‘state within a state’ – the Volta River Authority

This paper explores the underlying political factors shaping the capacity of the Volta River Authority (VRA). The VRA appears to resemble a pocket of effectiveness, retaining a strong degree of expertise and implementation capability, but it suffers from electioneering-focused political pressures. The VRA is therefore hamstrung, and cannot currently meet the definition of a pocket of effectiveness, yet it performs vital roles for the Ghanaian state. Using original empirical fieldwork into the VRA, this paper makes two main contributions. First, it questions a high-performance approach to understanding bureaucratic effectiveness, asserting the need for a more realistic threshold of ‘good enough’ effectiveness. This builds on the literature on bureaucratic effectiveness, and the importance of muddling through, but applies it to an organisation that must survive politically expedient decision making by the government and its leadership, which has undermined its fiscal position and technical abilities. Second, we argue that wider societal ideas and ideologies have been overlooked as factors shaping organisational performance. We show how historically ingrained public perceptions about VRA’s modernist developmental role worked in a path-dependent way, and influenced continued support from politicians and the wider public. In this case study, path dependency is also key in material terms but the present-day flux of VRA’s bureaucratic capacity can only be understood if these wider structural factors are placed against the contemporary political incentives at play in Ghana. The fine balance of these factors shapes the conditions that underline VRA’s ‘good enough’ effectiveness, limiting the organisation’s operational independence, and its capacity to undertake capital projects, while simultaneously supporting its ability to resist change and maintain a high degree of performance.