Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neurorestorative Responses to Delayed Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Treatment of Stroke in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Background and Purpose— Comorbidity of diabetes mellitus and stroke results in worse functional outcome, poor long-term recovery, and extensive vascular damage. We investigated the neurorestorative effects and mechanisms of stroke treatment with human bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats. Methods— Adult male Wistar rats were induced with T2DM, subjected to 2 hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and treated via tail-vein injection with (1) PBS (n=8) and (2) hMSCs (n=10; 5×106) at 3 days after MCAo. Results— In T2DM rats, hMSCs administered at 3 days after MCAo significantly improves neurological function without affecting blood glucose, infarct volume, and incidence of brain hemorrhage in comparison to T2DM-MCAo PBS-treated rats. Delayed hMSC treatment of T2DM stroke significantly improves blood–brain barrier integrity, increases vascular and arterial density and cerebral vascular perfusion, and promotes neuroblast cell migration and white matter remodeling as indicated by increased doublecortin, axon, myelin, and neurofilament density, respectively. Delayed hMSC treatment significantly increases platelet-derived growth factor expression in the ischemic brain, decreases proinflammatory M1 macrophage and increases anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage compared to PBS-treated T2DM-MCAo rats. In vitro data show that hMSCs increase subventricular zone explant cell migration and primary cortical neuron neurite outgrowth, whereas inhibition of platelet-derived growth factor decreases hMSC-induced subventricular zone cell migration and axonal outgrowth. Conclusions— In T2DM stroke rats, delayed hMSC treatment significantly improves neurological functional outcome and increases neurorestorative effects and M2 macrophage polarization. Increasing brain platelet-derived growth factor expression may contribute to hMSC-induced neurorestoration.
Motion energy guided multi-scale heterogeneous features for 3D action recognition

This paper is to address the problem of human action recognition in depth sequences. The actions with various speeds and shared sub-actions make the recognition challenging. A new feature set, consisting of two heterogeneous features are proposed to address this challenge. Specifically, we propose an adaptive normalized action motion energy based on the depth video. Guided by this multi-scale energy vector, depth sequence and skeleton pose sequence are divided respectively into two sets of subsequences with multiple scales (i.e., multi-scale sub-actions). Then in depth modality, based on the depth sub-sequence, Depth Motion Maps (DMMs) based Histogram Oriented Gradient (HOG) features are employed to capture the shape information and motion cues. In skeleton modality, based on the pose sub-sequence, pose dynamics using skeleton information are extracted. In order to obtain discriminative and compact representation, the Collaborative Representation (CR) learning scheme based classifier is adopted. Experiments on two datasets show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Research on bearing capacity of concrete filled double skin steel tubes column

The concrete filled double skin steel tubes column under axial loads is studied based on the unified strength theory in the paper.The strength difference effect(SD Effect)in tension and compression and the intermediate principal stress effect on the ultimate strength for the concrete filled double skin steel tubes column have been investigated.The ultimate load calculation formula for the concrete filled double skin steel tubular column is derived in this paper.Compared with the solution obtained in this paper and the experimental results,the good agreement can be found.Based on the analysis result it can be concluded that the concrete filled double skin steel tubular column has the same merit with the concrete filled steel tube and this solution has an important practical value for engineering application.
The influence of non-rigid transformation of binocularly matched information on depth perception

Previous research (Ni, Chen, & Andersen, 2010) found that subjects could perceive a quantitative depth of an occluding surface only when binocularly matched information is also presented with temporal interocular unmatched (IOUM) information. However, the relationship between the binocularly matched information and the IOUM information and how it will affect depth perception in an occlusion scene is still not clear. In the present study, we examined whether the relationship between the binocularly matched information and the IOUM information is rigid or not. In our experiment, we presented 3 columns of dots on the left as binocularly matched information, which were undertaking a non-rigid transformation. Another one single column of dots translates to the right, which would be visible monocularly when being occluded by a featureless subjective surface. The results showed that non-rigid transformation of the binocularly matched information would interfere with subjects' quantitative depth perception, which may be caused by the destruction of the subjects' perception of acknowledging the binocularly matched and unmatched information as an implicit object.
Robust numerical phase stabilization for long‐range swept‐source optical coherence tomography

A novel phase stabilization technique is demonstrated with significant improvement in the phase stability of a micro‐electromechanical (MEMS) vertical cavity surface‐emitting laser (VCSEL) based swept‐source optical coherence tomography (SS‐OCT) system. Without any requirements of hardware modifications, the new fully numerical phase stabilization technique features high tolerance to acquisition jitter, and significantly reduced budget in computational effort. We demonstrate that when measured with biological tissue, this technique enables a phase sensitivity of 89 mrad in highly scattering tissue, with image ranging distance of up to 12.5 mm at A‐line scan rate of 100.3 kHz. We further compare the performances delivered by the phase‐stabilization approach with conventional numerical approach for accuracy and computational efficiency. Imaging result of complex signal‐based optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and Doppler OCTA indicate that the proposed phase stabilization technique is robust, and efficient in improving the image contrast‐to‐noise ratio and extending OCTA depth range. The proposed technique can be universally applied to improve phase‐stability in generic SS‐OCT with different scale of scan rates without a need for special treatment.
Electrophilic Selenium Catalysis with Electrophilic N-F Reagents as the Oxidants

A suitable oxidative system is crucial to electrophilic selenium catalysis (ESC). This short review offers the overview of recent development in ESC with electrophilic N-F reagents as the oxidants. Several highly selective transformations of alkenes such as allylic or vinylic imidation, pyridination, syn-dichlorination, oxidative cyclization and asymmetric cyclization have been described.
Artificial extracellular matrices support cell growth and matrix synthesis of human dermal fibroblasts in macroporous 3D scaffolds

Surface modification of materials designed for regenerative medicine may improve biocompatibility and functionality. The application of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and chemically sulphated GAG derivatives is a promising approach for designing functional biomaterials, since GAGs interact with cell‐derived growth factors and have been shown to support fibroblast growth in two‐dimensional (2D) cultures. Here, coatings with artificial extracellular matrix (aECM), consisting of the structural protein collagen I and the GAG hyaluronan (HA) or sulphated HA derivatives, were investigated for their applicability in a three‐dimensional (3D) system. As a model, macroporous poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffolds were homogeneously coated with aECM. The resulting scaffolds were characterized by compressive moduli of 0.9–1.2 MPa and pore sizes of 40–420 µm. Human dermal fibroblasts (dFbs) colonized these aECM‐coated PLGA scaffolds to a depth of 400 µm within 14 days. In aECM‐coated scaffolds, collagen I(α1) and collagen III(α1) mRNA expression was reduced, while matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1) mRNA expression was increased within 7 days, suggesting matrix‐degradation processes. Stimulation with TGFβ1 generally increased cell density and collagen synthesis, demonstrating the efficiency of bioactive molecules in this 3D model. Thus, aECM with sulphated HA may modulate the effectivity of TGFβ1‐induced collagen I(α1) expression, as demonstrated previously in 2D systems. Overall, the tested aECM with modified HA is also a suitable material for fibroblast growth under 3D conditions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Template Attack on Blinded Scalar Multiplication with Asynchronous perf-ioctl Calls

In recent years, performance counters have been used as a side channel source for the branch mispredictions which has been used to attack ciphers with user privileges. However, existing research considers blinding techniques, like scalar blinding, scalar splitting as a mechanism of thwarting such attacks. In this endeavour, we reverse engineer the undisclosed model of Intel’s Broadwell and Sandybridge branch predictor and further utilize the largely unexplored perf ioctl calls in sampling mode to granularly monitor the branch prediction events asynchronously when a victim cipher is executing. With these artifacts in place, we target scalar blinding and splitting countermeasures to develop a key retrieval process using what is called as Deduce & Remove. The Deduce step uses template based on the number of branch misses as expected from the 3-bit model of the BPU to infer the matched candidate values. In the Remove step, we correct any erroneous conclusions that are made, by using the properties of the blinding technique under attack. It may be emphasized that as in iterated attacks the cost of a mistaken deduction could be significant, the blinding techniques actually aids in removing wrong guesses and in a way auto-corrects the key retrieval process. Finally, detailed experimental results have been provided to illustrate all the above steps for point blinding, scalar blinding, and scalar splitting to show that the secret scalar can be correctly recovered with high confidence. The paper concludes with recommendation on some suitable countermeasure at the algorithm level to thwart such attacks.
Scene detection of news video using CNN features

This paper presents an effective scene-detection approach for unnamed news video. Firstly, we use shot detection based on the hand-craft feature to divide the unnamed news video into shots. Secondly, convolutional neural network and characteristic of host scene were combined to identify the news channel. Finally, we take advantage of the continuity of news video and propose a new scene detection method. Our team has tested the proposed method on a variety of videos including videos from CCTV4, CCTV13, Beijing News, Anhui News and Shanghai News. Comparative analysis shows that our method outperforms the competitor approach using similar experimental settings, which proves the effectiveness of our method on news video scene detection
Heartbeat Classification Using Abstract Features From the Abductive Interpretation of the ECG

Objective: This paper aims to prove that automatic beat classification on ECG signals can be effectively solved with a pure knowledge-based approach, using an appropriate set of abstract features obtained from the interpretation of the physiological processes underlying the signal. Methods: A set of qualitative morphological and rhythm features are obtained for each heartbeat as a result of the abductive interpretation of the ECG. Then, a QRS clustering algorithm is applied in order to reduce the effect of possible errors in the interpretation. Finally, a rule-based classifier assigns a tag to each cluster. Results: The method has been tested with the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database records, showing a significantly better performance than any other automatic approach in the state-of-the-art, and even improving most of the assisted approaches that require the intervention of an expert in the process. Conclusion: The most relevant issues in ECG classification, related to a large extent to the variability of the signal patterns between different subjects and even in the same subject over time, will be overcome by changing the reasoning paradigm. Significance: This paper demonstrates the power of an abductive framework for time-series interpretation to make a qualitative leap in the significance of the information extracted from the ECG by automatic methods.
Injuries and illnesses in a cohort of elite youth alpine ski racers and the influence of biological maturity and relative age: a two-season prospective study

Background Studies on injuries and illnesses involving youth ski racers younger than 15 years are lacking in the literature. The aim of this study was prospectively to assess the incidence, prevalence, and severity of traumatic and overuse injuries, as well as illnesses of elite youth ski racers with regard to sex, biological maturity status, and relative age. Subjects and methods A prospective, longitudinal cohort design was used to monitor the anthropometrics, training characteristics, traumatic and overuse injuries, and illnesses of 82 elite youth ski racers (51 males, 31 females, age 9–14 years) over 2 consecutive years. The exact training exposure (skiing and athletic) was recorded. Relative age and estimated biological maturity status were assessed. Results Relatively low injury incidence or prevalence (traumatic, 0.86/1,000 hours of training; overuse, 0.28/1,000 hours) and comparably high illness prevalence (2.4/athlete) were reported. The knee was the most commonly affected body part (traumatic injuries 36.5%, overuse injuries 82%). A high number of bone fractures were revealed (46%), while no stress fractures occurred; 66% of the illnesses were respiratory tract infections. No differences were found between males and females, the differing maturity groups, or relative age quartiles. Early-maturing athletes had comparably low traumatic and overuse-injury rates. Relatively younger athletes had low traumatic injury rates. Conclusion The injury-prevention measures implemented in the training process of youth ski racers seem to contribute to a low incidence of injury. Biological maturity status should be considered in the training process to prevent injuries in late-maturing athletes.
‘In-Format’ screening of a novel bispecific antibody format reveals significant potency improvements relative to unformatted molecules

ABSTRACT Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are emerging as an important class of biopharmaceutical. The majority of BsAbs are created from conventional antibodies or fragments engineered into more complex configurations. A recurring challenge in their development, however, is the identification of components that are optimised for inclusion in the final format in order to deliver both efficacy and robust biophysical properties. Using a modular BsAb format, the mAb-dAb, we assessed whether an ‘in-format’ screening approach, designed to select format-compatible domain antibodies, could expedite lead discovery. Human nerve growth factor (NGF) was selected as an antigen to validate the approach; domain antibody (dAb) libraries were screened, panels of binders identified, and binding affinities and potencies compared for selected dAbs and corresponding mAb-dAbs. A number of dAbs that exhibited high potency (IC50) when assessed in-format were identified. In contrast, the corresponding dAb monomers had ∼1000-fold lower potency than the formatted dAbs; such dAb monomers would therefore have been omitted from further characterization. Subsequent stoichiometric analyses of mAb-dAbs bound to NGF, or an additional target antigen (vascular endothelial growth factor), suggested different target binding modes; this indicates that the observed potency improvements cannot be attributed simply to an avidity effect offered by the mAb-dAb format. We conclude that, for certain antigens, screening naïve selection outputs directly in-format enables the identification of a subset of format-compatible dAbs, and that this offers substantial benefits in terms of molecular properties and development time.
Microstructural behavior and mechanics of nano-modified cementitious materials

Ongoing efforts for improved fracture toughness of engineered cementitious materials address the inherent brittleness of the binding matrix at several different levels of the material’s geometric scale through the addition of various types of reinforcing fibers. Crack control is required for crack widths that cover the entire range of the grain size spectrum of the material, and this dictates the requirement of hybrid mixes combining fibers of different size (nano, micro, macro). Use of Carbon Nano-Tubes (CNT) and Carbon Nano-Fibers (CNFs) as additives is meant to extend the crack-control function down to the nanoscale where cracking is believed to initiate. In this paper the implications of enhanced toughness thus attained at the material nanostructure are explored, with reference to the global smeared constitutive properties of the material, through consistent interpretation of the reported experimental evidence regarding the behavior of engineered cementitious products to direct and indirect tension.
< 0.8dB IL 46dBm OIP3 Ka band SPDT for 5G communication

In this paper, we first present the Ron versus frequency for different channel length devices, it shows the Ron advantages in narrow channel device in mm-Wave frequency range. Then investigated the single-pole double-throw (SPDT) design with NFET or PFET based on 45nm RFSOI process for 5G phased array communication applications. Both NFET and PFET SPDTs are designed with similar design strategies and then implemented in silicon. For both SPDTs, the measured insertion loss (IL) is < 0.8dB at 28GHz, PFET SPDT show slightly better P1dB 29.5dBm versus 29dBm for NFET SPDT. Two-tone OIP3 is 46dBm. The die active area is 160μm × 25μm and can be used in the low cost phased array design.
The Japanese Economy in Crises: A Time Series Segmentation Study

Abstract The authors performed a comprehensive time series segmentation study on the 36 Nikkei Japanese industry indices from 1 January 1996 to 11 June 2010. From the temporal distributions of the clustered segments, we found that the Japanese economy never fully recovered from the extended 1997–2003 crisis, and responded to the most recent global financial crisis in five stages. Of these, the second and main stage affecting 21 industries lasted only 27 days, in contrast to the two-and-a-half-years acrossthe- board recovery from the 1997–2003 financial crisis. We constructed the minimum spanning trees (MSTs) to visualize the Pearson cross correlations between Japanese industries over five macroeconomic periods: (i) 1997–1999 (Asian Financial Crisis), (ii) 2000–2002 (Technology Bubble Crisis), (iii) 2003–2006 (economic growth), (iv) 2007–2008 (Subprime Crisis), and (v) 2008–2010 (Lehman Brothers Crisis). In these MSTs, the Chemicals and Electric Machinery industries are consistently hubs. Finally, we present evidence from the segment-to-segment MSTs for flights to quality within the Japanese stock market.
Predicting negative mood state and personal growth in African American and white long-term breast cancer survivors

Background: Relatively little research has examined cognitive processes that may impact psychological adaptation in older longterm breast cancer survivors (BCS). Purpose: This study investigated the strength of a conceptual model based on the literature and Uncertainty in Illness Theories which proposes that negative mood state and personal growth in older long-term White and African American BCS would be predicted by the combined influences of demographic and disease variables, social support, religious participation, and cognitive processes (uncertainty, catastrophizing, troublesome thoughts, and cognitive reframing). Methods: Baseline data were gathered from 524 BCS (369 Whites and 155 African Americans, 5-9 years postdiagnosis) prior to their participating in an uncertainty management intervention program. The conceptual model was tested using structural equation modeling.Results: The multigroup model showed good fit to the data and explained substantial variance in negative mood state and personal growth. Cognitive processes showed both direct and indirect effects on outcomes in the expected directions. Several ethnic differences were found: African Americans were more negatively affected by comorbidities and Whites by symptom distress, whereas cognitive reframing was a stronger predictor of personal growth for African Americans than Whites.Conclusions: This is one of the first studies to explore predictors of both negative mood and personal growth in a multiethnic sample of BCS. These findings suggest that cognitive processes play an important role in psychological adaptation to breast cancer survivorship. These processes are amenable to change, suggesting a logical target for intervention with this population.
Effects of hatha yoga and african dance on perceived stress, affect, and salivary cortisol

Background: Dance and yoga have been shown to produce improvements in psychological well-being.Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine some of the psychological and neuroendocrine responses to these activities.Methods: Sixty-nine healthy college students participated in one of three 90-min classes: African dance (n = 21), Hatha yoga (n = 18), or a biology lecture as a control session (n = 30). Before and after each condition participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), completed the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule, and provided a saliva sample for cortisol.Results: There were significant reductions in PSS and negative affect (ps < .0001) and Time × Treatment interactions (ps < .0001) such that African dance and Hatha yoga showed significant declines, whereas there was no significant change in biology lecture. There was no significant main effect for positive affect (p = .53), however there was a significant interaction effect (p < .001) such that positive affect increased in African dance, decreased in biology lecture, and did not change significantly in Hatha yoga. There was a significant main effect for salivary cortisol (p < .05) and a significant interaction effect (p < .0001) such that cortisol increased in African dance, decreased in Hatha yoga, and did not change in biology. Changes in cortisol were not significantly related to changes in psychological variables across treatments. There was 1 significant interaction effect (p = .04) such that change in positive affect and change in cortisol were negatively correlated in Hatha yoga but positively correlated in African dance and biology.Conclusions: Both African dance and Hatha yoga reduced perceived stress and negative affect. Cortisol increased in African dance and decreased in Hatha yoga. Therefore, even when these interventions produce similar positive psychological effects, the effects may be very different on physiological stress processes. One factor that may have particular salience is the amount of physiological arousal produced by the intervention.