Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immune checkpoint blockade combined with IL‐6 and TGF‐β inhibition improves the therapeutic outcome of mRNA‐based immunotherapy

Improved understanding of cancer immunology has provided insight into the phenomenon of frequent tumor recurrence after initially successful immunotherapy. A delicate balance exists between the capacity of the immune system to control tumor growth and various resistance mechanisms that arise to avoid or even counteract the host's immune system. These resistance mechanisms include but are not limited to (i) adaptive expression of inhibitory checkpoint molecules in response to the proinflammatory environment and (ii) amplification of cancer stem cells, a small fraction of tumor cells possessing the capacity for self‐renewal and mediating treatment resistance and formation of metastases after long periods of clinical remission. Several individual therapeutic agents have so far been developed to revert T‐cell exhaustion or disrupt the cross‐talk between cancer stem cells and the tumor‐promoting microenvironment. Here, we demonstrate that a three‐arm combination therapy—consisting of an mRNA‐based vaccine to induce antigen‐specific T‐cell responses, monoclonal antibodies blocking inhibitory checkpoint molecules (PD‐1, TIM‐3, LAG‐3), and antibodies targeting IL‐6 and TGF‐β—improves the therapeutic outcome in subcutaneous TC‐1 tumors and significantly prolongs survival of treated mice. Our findings point to a need for a rational development of multidimensional anticancer therapies, aiming at the induction of tumor‐specific immunity and simultaneously targeting multiple resistance mechanisms.
Magnetic Fe3O4@C@Cu2O composites with bean-like core/shell nanostructures: Synthesis, properties and application in recyclable photocatalytic degradation of dye pollutants

Magnetic Fe3O4@C@Cu2O composites with a bean-like core/shell nanostructure have been successfully synthesized by a self-assembly approach. The synthetic route is feasible, low-cost and green. The size of the as-prepared magnetic composites is about 420 nm and the shells are composed of several nanoparticles in the range of 5∼10 nm. Interestingly, the carbonaceous layer with bound hydrophilic groups inherited from the starting materials acted as both the linker and the stabilizer between Fe3O4 and Cu2O. The Fe3O4@C@Cu2O composites exhibit ferromagnetic behaviour, and good dispersibility in aqueous solution. Importantly, the bean-like core/shell composites show universal and powerful visible-light-photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine-B (RhB), methyl orange (MO), and alizarin red (AR) relative to commercial Cu2O and Degussa P-25 powders. These novel magnetic composites may find applications in dye water treatment, degradation of organic pollutants and environmental cleaning etc.
Preseason Adductor Squeeze Strength in 303 Spanish Male Soccer Athletes: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Hip adductor muscle weakness and a history of groin injury both have been identified as strong risk factors for sustaining a new groin injury. Current groin pain and age have been associated with hip adductor strength. These factors could be related, but this has never been investigated. Purpose: To investigate whether soccer athletes with past-season groin pain and with different durations of past-season groin pain had lower preseason hip adductor squeeze strength compared with those without past-season groin pain. We also investigated whether differences in preseason hip adductor squeeze strength in relation to past-season groin pain and duration were influenced by current groin pain and age. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: In total, 303 male soccer athletes (mean age, 23 ± 4 years; mean weight, 74.0 ± 7.9 kg; mean height, 178.1 ± 6.3 cm) were included in this study. Self-reported data regarding current groin pain, past-season groin pain, and duration were collected. Hip adductor squeeze strength was obtained using 2 different reliable testing procedures: (1) the short-lever (resistance placed between the knees, feet at the examination bed, and 45° of hip flexion) and (2) the long-lever (resistance placed between the ankles and 0° of hip flexion) squeeze tests. Results: There was no difference between those with (n = 123) and without (n = 180) past-season groin pain for hip adductor squeeze strength when adjusting for current groin pain and age. However, athletes with past-season groin pain lasting longer than 6 weeks (n = 27) showed 11.5% and 15.3% lower values on the short-lever (P = .006) and long-lever (P < .001) hip adductor squeeze strength tests, respectively, compared with those without past-season groin pain. Conclusion: Male soccer athletes with past-season groin pain lasting longer than 6 weeks are likely to begin the next season with a high-risk groin injury profile, including a history of groin pain and hip adduction weakness.
Wood Sector Media Promotion in Some South-East European Countries

Wood processing and furniture manufacturing is one of the key industrial sectors in South-East European countries. Based on its share in GDP, this industrial sector should be part of the national strategy plans. However, media coverage of wood processing and furniture manufacturing in Croatia, as well as in other South-East European countries, is far behind the promotion of other industrial sectors. This paper presents the current situation in promotional activities of wood sector in some South-East European countries media and it shows the differences between individual countries. Also, it presents some ideas on improving this situation according to media share of other highly profi led industrial sectors in some South-East European countries.
The effects of energy concentration in roughage and allowance of concentrates on performance, health and energy efficiency of pluriparous dairy cows during early lactation

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different energy supplies from roughage and concentrates on performance, health and energy efficiency during early lactation. For this purpose an experiment was conducted containing 64 pluriparous German Holstein cows from 3 weeks prepartum until 16 weeks postpartum. During dry period all cows received an equal dry cow ration. After calving, cows were assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to one of four groups, receiving either a moderate (MR, 6.0 MJ NEL) or a high (HR, 6.4 MJ NEL) energy concentration in roughage and furthermore moderate (MC, 150 g/kg energy-corrected milk (ECM)) or high amounts of concentrates (HC, 250 g/kg ECM) on dry matter (DM) basis, which were allocated from an automatic feeding system. Higher allocation of concentrates resulted in an increase of DM intake at expense of roughage intake. HC cows had a higher milk yield than MC cows, whereas ECM was higher in HR cows due to a decrease of milk fat yield in MR groups. Energy balance and body condition score were elevated in HC cows, but no differences occurred in development of subclinical ketosis. Furthermore, energy efficiency variables were lower in HC groups because the greater energy intake was not associated with a considerable elevation of milk yield. Consistency of faeces did not indicate digestive disorders in any of the treatment groups although the faecal manure score was significantly lower in HR groups. Our results underline the importance of a high energy uptake from roughage, which can contribute to an adequate performance and beneficial efficiency, especially at lower amounts of concentrates in ration. Feeding concentrates on an average amount of 9.4 kg/d compared to 6.4 kg/d on DM basis improved the energy balance in our trial, but without consequences for metabolic blood variables and general health of the cows.
A Framework of Joint Mobile Energy Replenishment and Data Gathering in Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks

Recent years have witnessed the rapid development and proliferation of techniques on improving energy efficiency for wireless sensor networks. Although these techniques can relieve the energy constraint on wireless sensors to some extent, the lifetime of wireless sensor networks is still limited by sensor batteries. Recent studies have shown that energy rechargeable sensors have the potential to provide perpetual network operations by capturing renewable energy from external environments. However, the low output of energy capturing devices can only provide intermittent recharging opportunities to support low-rate data services due to spatial-temporal, geographical or environmental factors. To provide steady and high recharging rates and achieve energy efficient data gathering from sensors, in this paper, we propose to utilize mobility for joint energy replenishment and data gathering. In particular, a multi-functional mobile entity, called SenCarin this paper, is employed, which serves not only as a mobile data collector that roams over the field to gather data via short-range communication but also as an energy transporter that charges static sensors on its migration tour via wireless energy transmissions. Taking advantages of SenCar's controlled mobility, we focus on the joint optimization of effective energy charging and high-performance data collections. We first study this problem in general networks with random topologies. We give a two-step approach for the joint design. In the first step, the locations of a subset of sensors are periodically selected as anchor points, where the SenCar will sequentially visit to charge the sensors at these locations and gather data from nearby sensors in a multi-hop fashion. To achieve a desirable balance between energy replenishment amount and data gathering latency, we provide a selection algorithm to search for a maximum number of anchor points where sensors hold the least battery energy, and meanwhile by visiting them, the tour length of the SenCar is no more than a threshold. In the second step, we consider data gathering performance when the SenCar migrates among these anchor points. We formulate the problem into a network utility maximization problem and propose a distributed algorithm to adjust data rates at which sensors send buffered data to the SenCar, link scheduling and flow routing so as to adapt to the up-to-date energy replenishing status of sensors. Besides general networks, we also study a special scenario where sensors are regularly deployed. For this case we can provide a simplified solution of lower complexity by exploiting the symmetry of the topology. Finally, we validate the effectiveness of our approaches by extensive numerical results, which show that our solutions can achieve perpetual network operations and provide high network utility.
Electronic Structure of Erbium Silicates Investigated by First-Principles Method

Rare earth silicates (RE2SiO5 or RE2Si2O7; RE=Er, Lu, Y, Yb etc.) possess a low silica activity and good thermal stability, making them good candidates for EBC top coating materials. We have performed first-principles total energy calculations for the Er2O3-SiO2 pseudo binary system. The crystal lattice parameters and internal atomic coordinates of Er2SiO5 and Er2Si2O7 are optimized, and the electronic structure and formation enthalpies are calculated. The present study provides a theoretical basis for exploring practical applications of the materials.
Corrosion of Al 7075 alloy during the production of aeronautic components: Influence of process parameters at the deburring stage

Aluminum alloys of the 7XXX series are widely used in aircraft applications. During the manufacturing of aeronautic components, the parts pass through four production phases (milling/drilling, deburring/adjustment, non‐destructive testing, and surface treatment) and come into contact with several kinds of fluids such as degreasing and cleaning solutions, which can lead to the occurence of surface defects due to localized corrosion, then requiring reworking or scrapping. The present study aimed at studying the influence of process parameters in the deburring/adjustment stage on the development of surface defects in 7075 alloy parts. The methodology consisted of design of experiments, immersion and drying tests, and surface analysis for quantification of corrosion damage. The results showed that the degreasing bath concentration and temperature, the immersion time of the aluminum parts in the degreasing solution, and the use of solvent pre‐cleaning had no significant influence on the quantity of surface defects. Therefore, these factors do not need to be rigorously controlled in the process. Clean washing water must be preferred and the parts must be dried in the stove at 110 °C in order to ensure a surface free of defects. The immersion and electrochemical tests showed that the occurrence of surface defects is lower in aged degreasing solution than in recently prepared solution.
HIGH-TEMPERATURE REACTIONS OF C/C–SIC COMPOSITES WITH PRECURSOR-DERIVED CERAMIC COATINGS

The dip-coating process with boron-containing organosilicon polymers and the subsequent thermolysis allows the production of protective ceramic coatings, e.g., for carbon fiber-reinforced composites. In order to avoid cracking of the coatings, active (titanium), inert (SiC), or a mixture of inert and active (SiC and silicon) fillers are applied. The CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) method is used to determine the phase equilibria of the derived ceramics in the Si–B–C–N system and their reaction with filler materials during processing and high temperature application. Phase fraction diagrams for the various ceramics and for the filler-free polymer-derived ceramic are presented and compared with experimental results. The combination of thermodynamic calculations and experimental investigations simplifies a proper selection of starting materials. Scanning Electron Microscopy images of the coatings prepared by the method designated earlier are shown. Reentry simulations of coated C/C–SiC specimens are carried out in a low-pressure atmosphere of airlike composition in a plasma wind tunnel test facility.
Fundamental consolidation mechanisms during selective beam melting of powders

During powder based additive manufacturing processes, a component is realized layer upon layer by the selective melting of powder layers with a laser or an electron beam. The density of the consolidated material, the minimal spatial resolution as well as the surface roughness of the resulting components are complex functions of the material and process parameters. So far, the interplay between these parameters is only partially understood. In this paper, the successive assembling in layers is investigated with a recently described 2D-lattice Boltzmann model, which considers individual powder particles. This numerical approach makes several physical phenomena accessible, which cannot be described in a standard continuum picture, e.g. the interplay between capillary effects, wetting conditions and the local stochastic powder configuration. In addition, the model takes into account the influence of the surface topology of the previous consolidated layer on the subsequent powder layer. The influence of the beam power, beam velocity and layer thickness on the formation and quality of simple walls is investigated. The simulation results are compared with experimental findings during selective electron beam melting. The comparison shows that our model, although 2D, is able to predict the main characteristics of the experimental observations. In addition, the numerical simulation elucidates the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the phenomena that are observed during selective beam melting.
Efficient Implementation of Large-Scale Multi-Structural Databases

In earlier work, we defined "multi-structural databases," a data model to support efficient analysis of large, complex data sets over multiple numerical and hierarchical dimensions. We defined three types of queries over this data model, each of which required solving an optimization problem. An example is to find the ten most significant non-overlapping regions of geography crossed with time in which coverage of the Olympics was much stronger in newspapers than online sources.In this paper, we present a general query framework capturing the original three queries as part of a much broader family. We then give efficient algorithms for particular subclasses of this family. Finally, we describe an implementation of these algorithms that operates on a collection of several billion web documents. Using our algorithms in conjunction with random sampling techniques, our system can solve these queries in real time.
Unifying Visual Space Across the Left and Right Hemifields

Visual space is perceived as continuous and stable even though visual inputs from the left and right visual fields are initially processed separately within the two cortical hemispheres. In the research reported here, we examined whether the visual system utilizes a dynamic recalibration mechanism to integrate these representations and to maintain alignment across the visual fields. Subjects adapted to randomly oriented moving lines that straddled the vertical meridian; these lines were vertically offset between the left and right hemifields. Subsequent vernier alignment judgments revealed a negative aftereffect: An offset in the same direction as the adaptation was required to correct the perceived misalignment. This aftereffect was specific to adaptation to vertical, but not horizontal, misalignments and also occurred following adaptation to movie clips and patterns without coherent motion. Our results demonstrate that the visual system unifies the left and right halves of visual space by continuously recalibrating the alignment of elements across the visual fields.
On downlink coordinated scheduling for inter-cell interference alleviation with inter-BS cooperation

In multi-cell networks, cell-edge users tend to suffer severe inter-cell interference (ICI) from neighboring BSs, which prevents them from achieving high throughput. Coordinated multi-point transmission/reception (CoMP), as a key technology to improve the cell edge performance, has been widely investigated recently in wireless communication field. According to data sharing style, CoMP can be categorized into joint processing (JP) and coordinated scheduling/beamforming (CS/CB). In this paper, we focus on CS/CB, and propose a CS algorithm to mitigate ICI among collaborating BSs for the MU-MIMO case. In the proposed algorithm, the CoMP users are divided into different sets according to the significance of each interfering direction. Based on the interfering channel parallelity, the collaborating BSs provide eligible candidates for the serving BS, from which proper users are selected. Simulation results show the proposed algorithm improves the cell-edge performance compared with state-of-art CS schemes.
Radio propagation in open-pit mines: A first look at measurements in the 2.6 GHz band

In this paper we present the results of an extensive measurement campaign performed at two large iron ore mining centers in Brazil at the 2.6 GHz band. Although several studies focusing on radio propagation in underground mines have been published, measurement data and careful analyses for open-pit mines are still scarce. Our results aim at filling this gap in the literature. The research is motivated by the ongoing mine automation initiatives, where connectivity becomes critical. This paper presents the first set of results comprising measurements under a gamut of propagation conditions. A second paper detailing sub-GHz propagation is also in preparation. The results indicate that conventional wisdom is wrong, in other words, radio-frequency (RF) propagation in surface mines can be far more elaborate than plain free-space line-of-sight conditions. Additionally, the old mining adage “no two mines alike” seems to remain true in the RF domain.
Methods for Enhancing the Reproducibility of Observational Research Using Electronic Health Records: Preliminary Findings from the CALIBER Resource

The ability of external investigators to reproduce published scientific findings is critical for the evaluation and validation of health research by the wider community. However, a substantial proportion of health research using electronic health records, data collected and generated during routine clinical care, potentially cannot reproduced. With the complexity, volume and variety of electronic health records made available for research steadily increasing, it is critical to ensure that findings from such data are reproducible and replicable by researchers. In this paper, we present some preliminary findings on how a series of methods and tools utilized in adjunct scientific disciplines can be used to enhance the reproducibility of research using electronic health records.
Fluorescent study of human health and septic albumin doped with Ag nanoparticles

Finding new, non-invasive optical methods for protein investigation is an actual task for physicists [1] Fluorescent spectroscopy acts as a perspective instrument for the bimolecular investigation and it conformational changes study [2]. Understanding the structural changes of the human serum albumin (HSA), at the molecular level, during pathology, is a key for development of new methods of in-vitro diagnostics. In this paper we perform results of conformational analysis carried out by fluorescent spectroscopy, Fluorescence spectra were obtained by Fluorolog-3 scientific unit. Fluorescent spectral changes of tryptophan residues group were analyzed. Usage of Ag nanoparticles, as enhancement media for biomolecules detection was demonstrated. Application of luminescent spectroscopy for conformational analysis of HSA was shown.
Are Patients Whose Study Partners Are Spouses More Likely to be Eligible for Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials

Background/Aims: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) clinical trials enroll two participants: a patient and a study partner. The primary caregiver most often fills the role of study partner and most trial study partners are spousal caregivers. Methods: AD trial inclusion criteria were applied to baseline data from 5,674 probable AD dementia research participants in the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set. Eligibility was compared among patients with spousal, adult child, and other types of study partners. Results: Patients with spousal study partners were more frequently eligible than patients with adult child study partners. Compared to patients with spousal study partners, patients with adult child study partners were more frequently ineligible because of age, residence in skilled nursing facility, low scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination, highscores on the Hachinski Ischemia Scale, and failure to fulfill a minimum number of weekly visits with the study partner. Conclusions: In this sample, patients with adult child study partners were less likely to qualify for AD clinical trials than were patients with spousal study partners. This may contribute to the lower representation of patients with adult child caregivers in these studies.
Study on one stage angular log-periodic meander line traveling-wave tube

Microstrip angular log-periodic meander-line traveling wave tube is one kind of low voltage miniature vacuum device but it is difficult to match the slow wave structure and the input/output windows. A simple quasi-periodic transitional structure and ridge-loaded waveguide with Chebyshev transformation is proposed as to connect the microstrip angular log-periodic meander line slow wave structure and input/output windows. The quasi-periodic transitional structure can optimize the transmission characteristics of this kind of high frequency system. The dispersion characteristics and the average coupling impedance of this slow wave structure are simulated. Under the conditions of the operating voltage 3200 V and current 0.2 A, the output power of this traveling wave tube can reach 12W at 36 GHz, and the 3 dB bandwidth can approach 13 GHz.