Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complex spatiotemporal oscillations emerge from transverse instabilities in large-scale brain networks

Spatiotemporal oscillations underlie all cognitive brain functions. Large-scale brain models, constrained by neuroimaging data, aim to trace the principles underlying such macroscopic neural activity from the intricate and multi-scale structure of the brain. Despite substantial progress in the field, many aspects about the mechanisms behind the onset of spatiotemporal neural dynamics are still unknown. In this work we establish a simple framework for the emergence of complex brain dynamics, including high-dimensional chaos and travelling waves. The model consists of a complex network of 90 brain regions, whose structural connectivity is obtained from tractography data. The activity of each brain area is governed by a Jansen neural mass model and we normalize the total input received by each node so it amounts the same across all brain areas. This assumption allows for the existence of an homogeneous invariant manifold, i.e., a set of different stationary and oscillatory states in which all nodes behave identically. Stability analysis of these homogeneous solutions unveils a transverse instability of the synchronized state, which gives rise to different types of spatiotemporal dynamics, such as chaotic alpha activity. Additionally, we illustrate the ubiquity of this route towards complex spatiotemporal activity in a network of next-generation neural mass models. Altogehter, our results unveil the bifurcation landscape that underlies the emergence of function from structure in the brain. Author summary Monitoring brain activity with techniques such as EEG and fMRI has revealed that normal brain function is characterized by complex spatiotemporal dynamics. This behavior is well captured by large-scale brain models that incorporate structural connectivity data obtained with MRI-based tractography methods. Nonetheless, it is not yet clear how these complex dynamics emerges from the interplay of the different brain regions. In this paper we show that complex spatiotemporal dynamics, including travelling waves and high-dimensional chaos can arise in simple large-scale brain models through the destabilization of a synchronized oscillatory state. Such transverse instabilities are akin to those observed in chemical reactions and turbulence, and allow for a semi-analytical treatment that uncovers the overall dynamical landscape of the system. Overall, our work establishes and characterizes a general route towards spatiotemporal oscillations in large-scale brain models.
Reflection of Sound from Coastal Bottoms

A number of sea trips were made during the summer of 1950 and through the spring of 1951 to measure 1‐kc sound‐reflection losses over several bottoms as a function of the grazing angle. The results agree with Rayleigh's expressions as modified by R. W. Morse to allow for the attenuation in the bottom. The agreement appears best when the attenuation is assumed to vary as the first power of the frequency from E. L. Hamilton and G. Shumway's 30‐kc data. Curves computed for typical bottoms are presented which show the ratios of reflected to incident pressures with corresponding phase changes.
Estimation of Binary Markov Random Fields Using Markov chain Monte Carlo

This article compares three binary Markov random fields (MRFs) which are popular Bayesian priors for spatial smoothing. These are the Ising prior and two priors based on latent Gaussian MRFs. Concern is given to the selection of a suitable Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling scheme for each prior. The properties of the three priors and sampling schemes are investigated in the context of three empirical examples. The first is a simulated dataset, the second involves a confocal fluorescence microscopy dataset, while the third is based on the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. In the case of the Ising prior, single site and multi-site Swendsen-Wang sampling schemes are both considered. The single site scheme is shown to work consistently well, while it is shown that the Swendsen-Wang algorithm can have convergence problems. The sampling schemes for the priors are extended to generate the smoothing parameters, so that estimation becomes fully automatic. Although this works well, it is found that for highly contiguous images fixing smoothing parameters to very high values can improve results by injecting additional prior information concerning the level of contiguity in the image. The relative properties of the three binary MRFs are investigated, and it is shown how the Ising prior in particular defines sharp edges and encourages clustering. In addition, one of the latent Gaussian MRF priors is shown to be unable to distinguish between higher levels of smoothing. In the context of the fMRI example we also undertake a simulation study.
Shaking table tests on a cantilever retaining wall with reinforced and unreinforced backfill

Physical modelling of cantilever retaining walls with and without backfill reinforcement was conducted on a 1g shaking table to evaluate the mitigation effect of reinforcement on system dynamics (g denotes the acceleration of gravity). The model wall has a height of 1.5 m with a scale ratio of 1/4 and retains dry sand throughout. The input motions are amplified to three levels of input peak base acceleration, 0.11g, 0.24g, and 0.39g, corresponding to minor, moderate, and major earthquakes, respectively. Investigation of the seismic response of the retaining walls focuses on acceleration and lateral displacement of the wall and backfill, dynamic earth pressures, and tensile load in the reinforcements (modeled by phosphor-bronze strips welded into a mesh). The inclusion of reinforcement has been observed to improve the integrity of the wall-soil system, mitigate vibration-related damage, and reduce the fundamental frequency of a reinforced system. Propagation of acceleration from the base to the upper portion is accompanied by time delay and nonlinear amplification. A reinforced system with a lower acceleration amplification factor than the unreinforced one indicates that reinforcement can reduce the amplification effect of input motion. Under minor and moderate earthquake loadings, reinforcement allows the inertia force and seismic earth pressure to be asynchronous and decreases the seismic earth pressure when inertia forces peak. During major earthquake loading, the wall is displaced horizontally less than the backfill, with soil pushing the wall substantially; the effect of backfill reinforcement has not been fully mobilized. The dynamic earth pressure is large at the top and diminishes toward the bottom.
NEW VELOCIMETRY AND REVISED CARTOGRAPHY OF THE SPIRAL ARMS IN THE MILKY WAY—A CONSISTENT SYMBIOSIS

Recent advances in the determinations of the positions (pitch angle, shape, numbers, interarm separation) and velocities (rotation curve) of the spiral arms are evaluated and compared to previous determinations. Based on these results, an average cartographic model is developed that fits the means of basic input data and provides predictions for the locations of the arms in the Milky Way, for each galactic quadrant. For each spiral arm segment in each galactic quadrant, the LSR radial velocities are calculated for the radial distance as well as for its galactic longitude. From our velocimetric model, arm intercepts (between line of sights and spiral arms) are indicated in velocity space and may be used to find the distance and velocity to any arm, in a given longitude range. Velocity comparisons between model predictions and published CO velocity distribution are done for each galactic quadrant, with good results. Our velocimetric model is not hydromagnetic in character, nor is it a particle-simulation scheme, yet it is simple to use for comparisons with the observations and it is in symbiosis and consistent with our cartographic model (itself simple to use for comparisons with observations). A blending in velocity of the Perseus and Cygnus arms is further demonstrated, as well as an apparent longitude–velocity blending of the starting points of the four spiral arms near 4 kpc (not a physical ring). An integrated (distance, velocity) model for the mass in the disk is employed, to yield the total mass of 3.0 × 1011 MSun within a galactic radius of 28 kpc.
Vacancy trapping mechanism for hydrogen bubble formation in metal

We reveal the microscopic vacancy trapping mechanism for H bubble formation in W based on first-principles calculations of the energetics of H-vacancy interaction and the kinetics of H segregation. Vacancy provides an isosurface of optimal charge density that induces collective H binding on its internal surface, a prerequisite for the formation of ${\text{H}}_{2}$ molecule and nucleation of H bubble inside the vacancy. The critical H density on the vacancy surface before the ${\text{H}}_{2}$ formation is found to be ${10}^{19}\char21{}{10}^{20}\text{ }\text{H}$ atoms per ${\text{m}}^{2}$. We believe that such mechanism is generally applicable for H bubble formation in metals and metal alloys.
H-Dot Automatic Carrier Landing System for Approach Control in Turbulence

The Automatic Carrier Landing System (ACLS) provides a fully automatic approach and landing capability for high-performance carrier-based fighter aircraft. Approach path air turbulence produces significant touchdown error. Using power spectral density definitions of turbulence, a method to determine flight-path deviation due to turbulence and effects of changing system control laws to reduce dispersions and improve ACLS performance is presented. This technique, as applied to an F-4J ACLS fleet configuration, results in significant improvement using a vertical rate (H-Dot) reference in the autopilot control law. The F-4J H-Dot avionics mechanization was implemented and flight test results are discussed.
Investigation of point-defect cavity formed in two-dimensional photonic crystal slab with one-sided dielectric cladding

Three-missing-hole point-defect cavities formed in a two-dimensional photonic crystal slab with a silicon-on-insulator structure are investigated. It is theoretically revealed that radiation loss to the SiO2-cladding side is four times higher than that to the air-cladding side due to the smaller refractive index contrast. In addition, in-plane radiation due to transverse electric-transverse magnetic (TE-TM) coupling occurs due to the vertical structural asymmetry. The amount of TE-TM coupling loss is comparable with that of radiation loss to the SiO2 cladding. Experimental results agreed well with theoretical predictions. This treatment can be applied to point-defect cavities in one-sided dielectric cladding structures and in three-dimensional configurations.
Noise-conditional Maximum Likelihood Estimation with Score-based Sampling

We introduce a simple yet effective modification to the standard maximum likeli-1 hood estimation (MLE) framework for autoregressive generative models. Rather 2 than maximizing a single unconditional likelihood of the data under the model, we 3 maximize a family of noise-conditional likelihoods consisting of the data perturbed 4 by a continuum of noise levels. We find that models trained this way are more 5 robust to noise, obtain higher test likelihoods, and generate higher quality images. 6 They can also be sampled from via a novel score-based sampling scheme which 7 combats the classical covariate shift problem that occurs during sample generation 8 in autoregressive models. Applying this augmentation to autoregressive image 9 models, we obtain 3.32 bits per dimension on the ImageNet 64x64 dataset, and 10 substantially improve the quality of generated samples in terms of the Frechet 11 Inception distance (FID) — from 37.50 to 13.50 on the CIFAR-10 dataset. 12
On Pre-Training for Visuo-Motor Control: Revisiting a Learning-from-Scratch Baseline

In this paper, we examine the effectiveness of pre-training for visuo-motor control tasks. We revisit a simple Learning-from-Scratch (LfS) baseline that incorporates data augmentation and a shallow ConvNet, and find that this baseline is surprisingly competitive with recent approaches (PVR, MVP, R3M) that leverage frozen visual representations trained on large-scale vision datasets -- across a variety of algorithms, task domains, and metrics in simulation and on a real robot. Our results demonstrate that these methods are hindered by a significant domain gap between the pre-training datasets and current benchmarks for visuo-motor control, which is alleviated by finetuning. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for future research in pre-training for control and hope that our simple yet strong baseline will aid in accurately benchmarking progress in this area.
A review of current evidence about lncRNA MEG3: A tumor suppressor in multiple cancers

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) is a lncRNA located at the DLK1-MEG3 site of human chromosome 14q32.3. The expression of MEG3 in various tumors is substantially lower than that in normal adjacent tissues, and deletion of MEG3 expression is involved in the occurrence of many tumors. The high expression of MEG3 could inhibit the occurrence and development of tumors through several mechanisms, which has become a research hotspot in recent years. As a member of tumor suppressor lncRNAs, MEG3 is expected to be a new target for tumor diagnosis and treatment. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms of MEG3 in different tumors and future challenges for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers through MEG3.
Effects of short-chain fatty acids on intestinal function in an enteroid model of hypoxia

The healthy GI tract is physiologically hypoxic, but this may be perturbed by certain acute and chronic stressors that reduce oxygen availability systemically. Short-chain fatty acids have been shown to have beneficial effects on intestinal barrier function and inflammation. Therefore, our objective was to see whether short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) would improve GI barrier function, reduce production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and increase the expression of genes regulating GI barrier function in enteroids exposed to hypoxia. Human duodenal enteroid monolayers were placed under hypoxia (1.0% O2) for 72 h with either 24, or 48 h pre-treatment with a high acetate ratio of SCFA’s or high butyrate ratio or placed under hypoxia concurrently. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) increased with SCFA pre-treatment, especially 48 h of pre-treatment and this was maintained through the first 48 h of hypoxia while cells saw barrier function dramatically decrease by 72 h of hypoxia exposure. Inflammatory protein secretion largely decreased with exposure to hypoxia, regardless of SCFA pre-treatment. Gene expression of several genes related to barrier function were decreased with exposure to hypoxia, and with concurrent and 24 h SCFA pre-treatment. However, 48 h SCFA pre-treatment with a high butyrate ratio increased expression of several metabolic and differentiation related genes. Overall, pre-treatment or concurrent treatment with SCFA mixtures were not able to overcome the negative impacts of hypoxia on intestinal function and cells ultimately still cannot be sustained under hypoxia for 72 h. However, 48 h pre-treatment maintains TEER for up to 48 h of hypoxia while upregulating several metabolic genes.
The impact of flipped teaching on EFL students’ academic resilience, self-directed learning, and learners’ autonomy

Introduction This study attempted to investigate the impact of flipped teaching (FT) on EFL (English Foreign Language) students’ academic resilience (AR), self-directed learning (SDL), and learners’ autonomy (LA). Method To do this, the researcher selected 354 participants by the two-stage cluster sampling method. This research was quasi-experimental based on the pretest, and post-test, with experimental and control groups. Three questionnaires were administered to collect data. The questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 24 software and inferred analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results The covariance study showed that FT significantly affected AR, SDL, and LA in learning with the help of the pre-test covariate variable (p<00.5). Also, the mean scores of students in the pre-test and post-test in the experimental group were significantly different. The mean scores of EFL students’ AR, SDL, and LA were higher through FT. It is suggested that school principals provide the ground for teachers’ participation in workshops on new teaching strategies so that teachers can benefit from new teaching approaches, including FT in the classroom. Discussion The study results showed that the mean AR of students in the experimental group’s post-test compared to the pre-test in both groups has significantly increased. The research findings indicate a positive effect of the flipped class on the levels of SDL. Based on the results, the flipped lesson class approach significantly affected the LA of English language learners as a foreign language. The findings of this study confirm previous relevant studies on the impact of flipped course classes on the LA of English language learners as a foreign language.
Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide reduces obesity in high-fat diet-fed mice by modulation of gut microbiota

Obesity is a metabolic disease associated with gut microbiota and low-grade chronic inflammation. Tremella fuciformis is a medicinal and edible fungus; polysaccharide (TP) is the main active component, which has a variety of biological activities, such as hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic. However, the anti-obesity effects and potential mechanisms of TP have never been reported. This study was conducted to elucidate the inhibitory effect of TP on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice. Mice were split into five groups: normal chow diet (NCD) group, NCD_TP_H group, HFD group, HFD_TP_L group and HFD_TP_H group. Our study showed that TP inhibited high-fat diet-induced weight gain and fat accumulation in mice and reduced blood glucose, hyperlipidemia and inflammation. TP also improved gut microbiota disorders by reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and modulating the relative abundance of specific gut microbiota. We also found that the anti-obesity and gut microbiota-modulating effects of TP could be transferred to HFD-fed mice via faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), confirming that the gut microbiota was one of the targets of TP for obesity inhibition. Further studies showed that TP increased the production of short-chain fatty acids and the secretion of intestinal hormones. Our studies showed that TP inhibited obesity by modulating inflammation and the microbe-gut-brain axis, providing a rationale for developing TP to treat obesity and its complications.
Screening for MicroRNA combination with engineered exosomes as a new tool against osteosarcoma in elderly patients

The most common primary malignant bone sarcoma is Osteogenic sarcoma (OS) which has a bimodal age distribution. Unfortunately, the treatment of OS was less effective for elderly patients than for younger ones. The study aimed to explore a new microRNA (miRNA) which can bind to combining engineered exosomes for treatment of older OS patients. Based on GSE65071 and miRNet 2.0, two up-regulated miRNAs (miR-328, miR-107) and seven down-regulated miRNAs (miR-133b, miR-206, miR-1-3p, miR-133a, miR-449a, miR-181daysay, miR-134) were selected. Next, we used FunRich software to predict the up-stream transcription factors (TFs) of differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs). By comparing target genes predicted from DE-miRNAs with differentially expressed genes, we identified 12 down-regulated and 310 up-regulated mRNAs. For KEGG analysis, the most enriched KEGG pathway was Cell cycle, Spliceosome, and Protein digestion and absorption. By using protein-protein interactions network, topological analysis algorithm and GEPIA database, miR-449a /CCNB1 axis was identified. Experiments in vitro were conducted to confirm the results too. MiRNA-449a is down-regulated in osteosarcoma and suppresses cell proliferation by targeting CCNB1. Our findings not only reveal a novel mechanism of miR-449a /CCNB1 in OS but also had laid the groundwork for further investigation and analysis in the field of exosome engineering.
EMILIN2 is associated with prognosis and immunotherapy in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background: EMILIN2 is a platelet-associated elastin that regulates angiogenesis. It has recently been found to play an essential role in various tumors. Nevertheless, the mechanism of action of EMILIN2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear. Methods: Samples from 33 cancers were obtained from UCSC Xena and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The relationship between EMILIN2 expression and the clinicopathological characteristics and immune infiltration of ccRCC was investigated. Nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) was used to classify ccRCC patients. A multigene risk prediction model of ccRCC was constructed using LASSO regression and multivariate regression analysis. A nomogram survival probability prediction map and calibration curve were constructed based on clinical information. Results: EMILIN2 is significantly overexpressed in ccRCC, a phenomenon that is associated with poor prognosis. Meanwhile, EMILIN2 expression is closely related to tumor immune infiltration in ccRCC. Patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma were divided into two subtypes using NMF, with subtype 2 showed poor prognosis. Next, we established a risk score model for ccRCC based on the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between subtypes and groups based on EMILIN2 expression. The results indicated poor prognosis in the high-risk group in the training set and were confirmed in the validation set. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that EMILIN2 expression is closely associated with immune infiltration in ccRCC. EMILIN2 expression is negatively correlated with the prognosis of ccRCC patients. Here, we developed a tool that could predict the prognosis of ccRCC patients.
The critical role of job embeddedness: The impact of psychological empowerment and learning orientation on organizational commitment

Job embeddedness (JE) has been recognized as a key factor to address the issue of employee turnover and employee attitudes. This study explores underlying mechanisms of job embeddedness that link the organizational environment and the individuals’ perceptions of the job. Particularly, the effects of psychological empowerment and learning orientation on organizational commitment were examined. This study hypothesizes that psychological empowerment (PE) and learning orientation (LO) should influence organizational commitment (OC) and job embeddedness plays a significant mediating role in these relationships. Data were collected from 27 offices of Human Resource Development Service of Korea (governmental agency) located in major cities in South Korea. Results indicate that all hypothesized relationships (PE and JE, LO and JE, LO and OC, JE and OC, and the mediating role of JE) are supported, except for psychological empowerment and organizational commitment. While the impact of psychological empowerment was not significantly related to organizational commitment, it is notable that through job embeddedness, psychological empowerment had indirect effects on organizational commitment. Further, learning orientation had significant effects on job embeddedness and organizational commitment. Lastly, the most compelling finding is a full mediation of job embeddedness in the relationship between psychological empowerment and organization commitment. Implications for research and practice are discussed.