Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cellular Network-Supported Machine Learning Techniques for Autonomous UAV Trajectory Planning

Autonomous trajectory planning is a hot topic in the UAV mission planning area of research. Autonomous UAVs have major use case applications which involve navigation in complex environments such as aerial photography, package delivery and relief operations. Many existing trajectory planning solutions rely on the GPS system. However, such GPS-based solutions do not provide a reliable real-time navigation solution, particularly in dense urban environments. Opportunely, cellular networks can be utilized as an attractive alternative for UAV navigation applications. We therefore propose to utilize existing 5G infrastructure to enable the UAV to navigate complex environments, independent of the GPS and other detectable signals transmitted by the UAV. Our objective is to propose an efficient solution to enable the UAVs to autonomously execute such tasks while meeting the real-time operational requirements, without the need to actually interact with the cellular network. For this purpose, we formulate the UAV trajectory planning problem as a joint objective optimization problem to minimize a composite cost metric that we introduce. The computational complexity involved in exact optimization techniques hinders obtaining the real-time calculation requirement that is needed due to the dynamic nature of the environment. To overcome this complexity, we utilize machine learning based techniques to solve the formulated trajectory planning problem. Specifically, we propose two machine learning-based techniques, namely, the reinforcement learning and the deep supervised learning-based approaches. We then analyze the performance of each of the proposed techniques as compared to the optimization-based approaches and other solutions from the literature. Our simulation results show that the proposed reinforcement and deep supervised learning-based solutions provide near optimal solutions to the formulated trajectory planning problem, with comparable accuracy of 99% and 98%, respectively, as compared to the optimal bound while meeting the real-time calculation requirement.
Cancer and Radiosensitivity Syndromes: Is Impaired Nuclear ATM Kinase Activity the Primum Movens?

Simple Summary A review of the molecular and cellular features of the major cancer syndromes associated with radiosensitivity revealed the importance of the ATM protein, either as an impaired kinase in the nucleus or as a complex in the cytoplasm, with the mutated protein responsible for the syndrome. Abstract There are a number of genetic syndromes associated with both high cancer risk and clinical radiosensitivity. However, the link between these two notions remains unknown. Particularly, some cancer syndromes are caused by mutations in genes involved in DNA damage signaling and repair. How are the DNA sequence errors propagated and amplified to cause cell transformation? Conversely, some cancer syndromes are caused by mutations in genes involved in cell cycle checkpoint control. How is misrepaired DNA damage produced? Lastly, certain genes, considered as tumor suppressors, are not involved in DNA damage signaling and repair or in cell cycle checkpoint control. The mechanistic model based on radiation-induced nucleoshuttling of the ATM kinase (RIANS), a major actor of the response to ionizing radiation, may help in providing a unified explanation of the link between cancer proneness and radiosensitivity. In the frame of this model, a given protein may ensure its own specific function but may also play additional biological role(s) as an ATM phosphorylation substrate in cytoplasm. It appears that the mutated proteins that cause the major cancer and radiosensitivity syndromes are all ATM phosphorylation substrates, and they generally localize in the cytoplasm when mutated. The relevance of the RIANS model is discussed by considering different categories of the cancer syndromes.
Management of tenosynovial giant cell tumour of the temporomandibular joint: a systematic review

Diffuse type tenosynovial giant cell tumour of the temporomandibular joint (D‐TGCT‐TMJ) is a rare proliferative disorder. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to summarize D‐TGCT‐TMJ management regimes and recurrence rates with at least 12 months of follow‐up. Our secondary aim was to propose a minimum period of post‐operative follow‐up. A medline search for any D‐TGCT‐TMJ case detailing treatment, follow‐up of at least 12 months, and presence of recurrence was undertaken. The following variables were extracted from the studies: patient's age and sex, presence of middle cranial fossa invasion, treatment undertaken, total length of follow‐up, and presence of recurrence. All studies were assessed for bias as per the Joanna Briggs Institute systematic reviews appraisal tool. There were 63 cases reviewed and were predominantly managed with total resection (60.3%). Other modalities included: arthroplasty, subtotal resection with or without postoperative radiotherapy, medical therapy and surveillance. The recurrence rate was 9.52% and the longest follow‐up period where recurrence was observed was at 60 months. Total resection and arthroplasty are common D‐TGCT‐TMJ management regimes. Patients with D‐TGCT‐TMJ should be followed up annually for at least 5 years postoperatively to assess for recurrence.
Oral-diadochokinetic rate for healthy young Jordanian adults

ABSTRACT We used a sequential motion rate (SMR) oral-diadochokinetic (oral-DDK) rate task to examine speech motor performance in healthy young adults. The goals of this study were to: (1) establish SMR oral-DDK rate values for healthy young adult Jordanians, (2) examine the effect of gender on oral-DDK rate, and (3) examine the trial-to-trial variability of mean oral-DDK rate in consecutive trials. One hundred and six healthy young adults (53 males and 53 females, age range 18–26) participated in this study. One hundred and six healthy young adults (53 males and 53 females, age range 18–26) participated in this study. Participants repeated the trisyllable /pataka/ as fast as they could in three consecutive trials. For each participant and group, (a) the number of syllables per second were examined and analyzed, and (b) the oral-DDK rate values were compared across the three trials in order to examine trial-to-trial variability. The results of the study indicated that: (1) SMR oral-DDK mean rate for the participants in the study was 6.57 syllables/s (SD = 0.84); (2) There were no significant differences between gender groups in oral-DDK rate; (3) Mean oral-DDK rate for repetitions was comparable across the three trials for participants. Gender does not seem to affect oral-DDK rate in healthy young adult Jordanian speakers. Also, performance is stable in consecutive trials of SMR oral-DDK rate tasks. Implications of these findings are presented and discussed.
Experimental and theoretical investigation of the high‐pressure, undrained response of a cohesionless sand

Key in predicting stability in sands during dynamic events is gaining a fundamental understanding of the physics of its deformation and failure at high pressures. In this paper are reported results of an experimental investigation into the high‐pressure (up to 700 MPa) mechanical response of Quikrete sand. During all triaxial compression tests, the material exhibited hardening up to failure while both compressibility and dilatancy regimes of the volumetric response were observed. Furthermore, the transition from compressibility to dilatancy was found to be highly dependent on confining pressure. By performing triaxial compression tests with several creep stages followed by unloading–reloading cycles, the time influence of the overall response was detected. Using the experimental data, a new model that captures both compressibility and dilatancy has been developed. Comparison between model predictions and data showed that the proposed model describes well the main characteristics of the high‐pressure response of sand. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation and Comparison of Multi-Omics Data Integration Methods for Subtyping of Cutaneous Melanoma

There is a growing number of multi-domain genomic datasets for human tumors. Multi-domain data are usually interpreted after separately analyzing single-domain data and integrating the results post hoc. Data fusion techniques allow for the real integration of multi-domain data to ideally improve the tumor classification results for the prognosis and prediction of response to therapy. We have previously described the joint singular value decomposition (jSVD) technique as a means of data fusion. Here, we report on the development of these methods in open source code based on R and Python and on the application of these data fusion methods. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Skin Cutaneous Melanoma (SKCM) dataset was used as a benchmark to evaluate the potential of the data fusion approaches to improve molecular classification of cancers in a clinically relevant manner. Our data show that the data fusion approach does not generate classification results superior to those obtained using single-domain data. Data from different domains are not entirely independent from each other, and molecular classes are characterized by features that penetrate different domains. Data fusion techniques might be better suited for response prediction, where they could contribute to the identification of predictive features in a domain-independent manner to be used as biomarkers.
Novel fitted operator finite difference methods for singularly perturbed elliptic convection–diffusion problems in two dimensions

We consider a class of singularly perturbed elliptic problems posed on a unit square. These problems are solved by using fitted mesh methods by many researchers but no attempts are made to solve them using fitted operator methods, except our recent work on reaction–diffusion problems [J.B. Munyakazi and K.C. Patidar, Higher order numerical methods for singularly perturbed elliptic problems, Neural Parallel Sci. Comput. 18(1) (2010), pp. 75–88]. In this paper, we design two fitted operator finite difference methods (FOFDMs) for singularly perturbed convection–diffusion problems which possess solutions with exponential and parabolic boundary layers, respectively. We observe that both of these FOFDMs are ϵ-uniformly convergent. This fact contradicts the claim about singularly perturbed convection–diffusion problems [Miller et al. Fitted Numerical Methods for Singular Perturbation Problems, World Scientific, Singapore, 1996] that ‘when parabolic boundary layers are present, …, it is not possible to design an ϵ-uniform FOFDM if the mesh is restricted to being a uniform mesh’. We confirm our theoretical findings through computational investigations and also found that we obtain better results than those of Linß and Stynes [Appl. Numer. Math. 31 (1999), pp. 255–270].
Protective Effect of Foxtail Millet Protein Hydrolysate on Ethanol and Pyloric Ligation-Induced Gastric Ulcers in Mice

Foxtail millet has been traditionally considered to possess gastroprotective effects, but studies evaluating its use as a treatment for gastric ulcers are lacking. Here, we assessed the antiulcer effects of foxtail millet protein hydrolysate (FPH) and explored its mechanism by using blocking agents. In a mouse model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcers, pretreatment with FPH reduced the ulcerative lesion index, downregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the gastric tissue, increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and improved the oxidative status. FPH increased constitutive the activity of nitric oxide synthase (cNOS), NO levels, and mucin expression in gastric mucosa, and inhibited the activation of the ET-1/PI3K/Akt pathway. In a mouse model of pyloric ligation-induced gastric ulcers, FPH inhibited gastric acid secretion and decreased the activity of gastric protease. Pretreatment of mice with the sulfhydryl blocker NEM and the NO synthesis inhibitor L-NAME abolished the gastroprotective effect of FPH, but not the KATP channel blocker glibenclamide and the PGE2 synthesis blocker indomethacin. Among the peptides identified in FPH, 10 peptides were predicted to have regulatory effects on the gastric mucosa, and the key sequences were GP and PG. The results confirmed the gastroprotective effect of FPH and revealed that its mechanism was through the regulation of gastric mucosal mucus and NO synthesis. This study supports the health effects of a millet-enriched diet and provides a basis for millet protein as a functional food to improve gastric ulcers and its related oxidative stress.
Hippocampal, basal ganglia and olfactory connectivity contribute to cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease

Cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized as a characteristic feature of Parkinson's disease (PD), yet relatively little is known about its underlying neurobiology. Previous investigations suggest that dementia in PD is associated with subcortical atrophy, but similar studies in PD with mild cognitive impairment have been mixed. Variability in cognitive phenotypes and diversity of PD symptoms suggest that a common neuropathological origin results in a multitude of impacts within the brain. These direct and indirect impacts of disease pathology can be investigated using network analysis. Functional connectivity, for instance, may be more sensitive than atrophy to decline in specific cognitive domains in the PD population. Fifty‐eight participants with PD underwent a neuropsychological test battery and scanning with structural and resting state functional MRI in a comprehensive whole‐brain association analysis. To investigate atrophy as a potential marker of impairment, structural gray matter atrophy was associated with cognitive scores in each cognitive domain using voxel‐based morphometry. To investigate connectivity, large‐scale networks were correlated with voxel time series and associated with cognitive scores using distance covariance. Structural atrophy was not associated with any cognitive domain, with the exception of visuospatial measures in primary sensory and motor cortices. In contrast, functional connectivity was associated with attention, executive function, language, learning and memory, visuospatial, and global cognition in the bilateral hippocampus, left putamen, olfactory cortex, and bilateral anterior temporal poles. These preliminary results suggest that cognitive domain‐specific networks in PD are distinct from each other and could provide a network signature for different cognitive phenotypes.
Quasi‐global galactic magnetorotational instability with Braginskii viscosity

We present a global-in-radius linear analysis of the axisymmetric magnetorotational instability (MRI) in a collisional magnetized plasma with Braginskii viscosity. For a galactic angular velocity profile Ω we obtain analytic solutions for three magnetic field orientations: purely azimuthal, purely vertical and slightly pitched (almost azimuthal). In the first two cases the Braginskii viscosity damps otherwise neutrally stable modes, and reduces the growth rate of the MRI, respectively. In the final case the Braginskii viscosity makes the MRI up to times faster than its inviscid counterpart, even for asymptotically small pitch angles. We investigate the transition between the Lorentz-force-dominated and the Braginskii viscosity-dominated regimes in terms of a parameter where νB is the viscous coefficient and B the Alfven speed. In the limits where the parameter is respectively small and large, we recover the inviscid MRI and the magnetoviscous instability. We obtain asymptotic expressions for the approach to these limits, and find that the Braginskii viscosity can magnify the effects of azimuthal hoop tension (the growth rate becomes complex) by over an order of magnitude. We discuss the relevance of our results to the local approximation, galaxies and other magnetized astrophysical plasmas. Our results should prove useful for benchmarking codes in global geometries.
Prevalence and risk factors of depression among undergraduate medical students in a Nigerian university

Summary Objectives This study assessed the prevalence and risk factors of depression among undergraduate medical students at the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Setting This study was carried out at the University of Benin. Participants Three hundred medical students were recruited for this study. Methods The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and a structured pre-tested self-administered questionnaire were used to assess the prevalence and risk factors of depression, respectively. Results The students' age ranged from 15 – 34 years, with a mean age of 21.8 ± 3.3 years. Many risk factors which could predispose students to depression were identified. Overall, 96 (32.0%) students were found to have depression. Of these, 59 (19.0%) had mild depression, 4 (1.3%) had severe depression, 53 (39.3%) were pre-clinical students, and 43 (26.1%) were clinical students. Emotional problems (OR 2.205, 95% CI 1.122 – 3.749, p = 0.020), financial challenges (OR 3.971, 95% CI 2.170 – 7.269, p < 0.001) and smoking (OR 6.877, 95% CI 1.731 – 27.327, p = 0.006) were the significant independent predictors of depression. Conclusion The prevalence of depression was high among medical students. There is a need to include screening for risk factors of depression in the routine medical examinations for new students admitted into medical schools. Funding None declared
Productivity, profitability, quality and nutrient uptake of heat tolerant wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars as influenced by staggered sowing and nutrition levels

In the present investigation, we investigated the effects of staggered sowing and nutrition levels on productivity, profitability, quality and nutrient uptake of heat tolerant wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars during rabi season of 2014-16 at the Breeder Seed Production Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Soil of the experimental plot was clay in texture, medium in organic carbon and available NPK with neutral pH (7.4). Experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. The main plots consisted of three staggered sowing, i.e. 30th November, 20th December and 10th January and three nutrition levels, viz. RDF (120:60:40 kg NPK/ha), 20% higher RDF and 20% lesser RDF, while three heat tolerant varieties, viz. MP 1203, MP 3336 and GW 173 were allotted in sub-plot. Results revealed that among the sowing time, grain yield (4.20 t/ha), straw yield (5.04 t/ha), biological yield (9.25 t/ha) and harvest index (45.3%) had recorded significantly higher in 30th November sowing. Crop sown on 30th November had increased the grain yield by 11.7 and 37.7% over that of 20th December and 10th January sowing, respectively. Among the nutrition levels, 20% higher RDF had recorded significantly higher grain yield (4.01 t/ha), straw yield (4.84 t/ha), biological yield (7.78 t/ha) and harvest index (45.1%) compared to RDF and 20% lesser RDF. Application of 20% higher RDF increased the grain yield to the tunes of 9.8 and 19.7% compared to RDF and 20% lesser RDF, respectively. Significantly higher grain yield was recorded with MP 3336 (4.05 t/ha) compared to MP1203 (3.59 t/ha) and GW173 (3.36 t/ha). Crop sown on 30th November had significantly higher gross returns (` 79218/ ha), net returns (` 55873/ha) and B:C ratio (3.39), respectively. Application of 20% higher RDF had maximum gross returns (` 75684/ha), net returns (` 51360/ha) and B: C ratio (3.11), respectively. MP 3336 had higher gross returns (` 76634/ha), net returns (` 53289/ha) and B: C ratio (3.28). Sowing on 30th November had significant superiority in nutrient content (NPK) in grain and straw as well as their uptake by crop. These attributes had significantly higher with application of 20% higher RDF. MP 3336 had higher NPK contents in grain and straw than that to MP 1203 and GW-173. Protein content had higher in 30th November sowing (16.01%). Application of 20% higher RDF had better protein content (15.43%). MP 3336 had markedly higher protein content (15.63%). Carbohydrate equivalent and carbon output had higher when crop sown on 30th November (3.0 and 4.1 /ha) along with 20% higher RDF (2.9 and 3.7 t/ha) in MP 3336 (2.9 and 4.0 t/ha), respectively. Therefore, sowing of heat tolerant wheat cv. MP 3336 on 30th November along with application of 20% higher RDF were proved the most ideal approach to achieve the higher productivity, profitability and nutrient uptake under the irrigated ecosystem of Madhya Pradesh.
DRUG RESISTANCE MUTATIONS AND TRANSMISSION CLUSTERS OF THE HIV-1 CRF01_AE SUB-EPIDEMIC IN BULGARIA

Background. In Bulgaria the second most predominant HIV-1 strain after subtype B is CRF01_AE. Material and Methods. 270 HIV-1 polymerase (pol) CRF01_AE sequences collected between 1995–2019 were analyzed with the phylogenetic approach. To identify transmission clusters, we used two different genetic distance thresholds (d), i. e. 1.5% and 0.5%. Results. Genetic distance d=1.5% defined more distant infections in a huge cluster of 154 sequences composed mostly of people, who inject drugs (PWID), whereas when (d) was reduced to 0.5%, we determined more recent transmissions and the large cluster disintegrated into smaller ones. Different drug resistance mutations (DRM) were detected in patient’s HIV-1 pol sequences and were most common in male heterosexual (HET) single sequences. Conclusions. Our data showed repeated introduction of CRF01_AE in Bulgaria and rapid spread of the infection among PWID groups. Molecular monitoring of the epidemic among PWID communities could help reduce the spread of HIV-1 infection.
Tropical influence on the summer Mediterranean climate

Observational evidence shows that, during 1979–2001, the summer Atlantic Niño is related to an increase in the precipitation over the Central Mediterranean and a decrease in the west and east of the basin, a relation absent in previous decades. Using a set of integrations with a global climate model, this work investigates the dynamics underlying such change before and after the 1970s.
A study of the Hc2 enhancement due to the addition of Ti to the matrix of bronze‐processed Nb3Sn superconductors

The measurements of ρn (the normal state resistivity), Tc, Hc2, and (dHc2/dt)T=Tc have been made for bronze‐processed Nb3Sn wires with addition of Ti to the Cu‐Sn matrix in order to study the mechanism of Hc2 enhancement due to the addition of Ti. The coefficient of electron specific heat, γ, has been derived by two independent methods: one using the Ginzburg–Landau–Abrikosov–Gor’kov (GLAG) theory and the measured values of ρn, Tc, and (dHc2/dT)T=Tc, and the other using the Kramer pinning theory and the gradient of J1/2cH1/4 ‐H curves. The ratios of γ/γ0 which have been derived by these two methods are in good agreement with each other. (γ0 is the value of γ for the specimen to which Ti is not added.) The upper critical fields given by the GLAG theory, H*c2 and Hc2, at 0 K increase rapidly with Ti concentration in the Nb3Sn layer up to 2 at. % and decrease slightly above 2 at. %. The rapid increase in ρnγTc caused by the addition of Ti is sufficient to explain the enhancement in Hc2, and among ρn, γ and T.