Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulating Global Illumination Using Adaptive Meshing

One of the goals of computer graphics is the simulation of global illumination, the inter-reflection of light between diffuse and specular surfaces in three-dimensional scenes. Like thermal radiation, as studied in mechanical engineering and physics, global illumination is governed by an integral equation. A distinguishing feature of the integral equations of global illumination is that their solutions have numerous discontinuities, such as shadow edges, caused by occlusion. We show that the most common global illumination algorithms, radiosity and ray tracing, are simple finite element and Monte Carlo methods for solving integral equations, respectively. In the process of re-deriving these techniques, a number of alternative algorithms with higher accuracy are suggested. The principal alternatives explored in this thesis are adaptive meshing techniques that resolve discontinuities. Radiosity algorithms can be made more accurate by a priori discontinuity meshing, placing mesh boundaries on significant discontinuities. Discontinuities are found using an object-space visible surface algorithm from the point of view of object vertices. The accuracy of radiosity simulations can also be improved using linear, quadratic, or higher degree elements instead of constant elements. Algorithms are developed first for two-dimensional radiosity in flatland problems, then extended to three dimensions. Scenes containing diffuse and specular surfaces are most easily simulated using Monte Carlo ray tracing techniques. Traditional ray tracing algorithms trace rays form the eye into the scene. A bidirectional ray tracing algorithm is demonstrated that traces rays from both the lights and the eye, storing the diffuse intensity function in a radiosity texture on each diffuse surface in the scene. These textures are adaptively subdivided in order to resolve shadow edges and other discontinuities.
Mixed convection MHD boundary layer flow, heat, and mass transfer past an exponential stretching sheet in porous medium with temperature-dependent fluid properties

Abstract The mixed convection MHD boundary layer flow, heat and mass transfer of a Newtonian fluid mixture across an exponentially stretched permeable sheet in porous medium with Soret and Dufour effects subject to temperature-dependent fluid properties have been investigated numerically. The distribution of temperature and concentration at the surface is supposed to grow exponentially. Temperature is considered to affect fluid viscosity and thermal conductivity. The guiding partial differential equations with appropriate boundary conditions are converted into coupled, nonlinear ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients via a similarity transformation. Matlab's built in solver bvp4c is used to find numerical solutions. Using a graphical approach, the effects of several emerging physical parameters on velocity, temperature and concentration distributions on a flow field of a chemically nonreacting fluid mixture are examined and discussed. Results are compared to earlier literature available and found to be in good agreement. Furthermore, this research demonstrates that flow, heat and mass transmission are greatly influenced by mixed convection parameters, magnetic field, Prandtl number, viscosity, conductivity, permeability, and Schmidt number. Skin friction grows for mixed convection parameter, magnetic, viscosity. Highest growths of wall temperature and wall concentration gradients are observed for Prandtl number and Schmidt number, respectively. HIGHLIGHTS Heat and mass transfer rates increase with higher values of mixed convection parameters and Darcy parameter. To reduce heat transfer rate magnetic field may be used. Fluid with lower thermal conductivity and with higher Prandtl number may be employed to boost the cooling rate in conducting flows. Higher Schmidt enhances mass transfer rates. Suction stabilizes boundary layer growth. Soret effect can be used to separate light and medium molecular weight components from a fluid mixture and hence can be used for control of air pollution.
Degradation Mechanism of Micro-Nanobubble Technology for Organic Pollutants in Aqueous Solutions

Micro-nanobubbles (MNBs) technology has emerged as an effective means of sewage treatment, while the molecular mechanism for its pollutant degradation is still unknown. In this paper, the reactive molecular dynamics simulation technique is used to study the degradation mechanism of pollutants caused by shock-induced nanobubble collapse. We first demonstrate that the propagating shock wave can induce nanobubble collapse, and the collapsing nanobubble has the ability to focus mechanical energy via the converging motion of liquid in the interior of the bubble, leading to the formation of a high-speed jet with a much higher energy density. We also unveil the mechanical nature of long-chain pollutant degradation and the mechanism of free radical generation. Due to the impacting jet, the high-gradient flow has the ability to stretch the long-chain molecule and cause mechanical scission of the molecule in a homolytic manner. Finally, our simulation results reveal that adding ozone molecules to the collapsing bubble would introduce an additional dehydrogenation mechanism.
A theoretical approach to early childhood education and its relation to the
 emotional development in early childhood

This research is the result of a doctoral thesis in Education Sciences, to conduct a documentary review on child and emotional development, based on the selection of scientific documents at an international and national level (Colombia) that address this topic. The methodology is qualitative documentary analysis, using a comparative matrix that contains information from the processing and searches for standards, studies, and research into 2016 or 2021 in academic and indexed databases (Scopus, Dialnet, Google Academic, and Scielo). The findings show a central category “Early childhood education and its relationship with emotional development”, supported by two subcategories “the family as an influence on child development” and “emotional development”, which emerge from the analysis of 52 academic documents.
High‐Q Circular Dichroism Resonances in Plasmonic Lattices with Chiral Unit Cells

Plasmonic chiral nanostructures have attracted a great deal of attention in chirality‐based biosensing, enantioselective separation, and recently photonic orbital angular momentum‐based quantum information processing. However, the intrinsic Ohmic losses of metals and significant radiative scattering of plasmonically resonant nanostructures result in small quality factors and hence weak optical chirality (such as circular dichroism, CD). Here, it is reported that propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs)—an achiral electromagnetic surface wave—can significantly enhance the Q‐factors of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) related CD in plasmonic lattices with chiral unit cells. It is demonstrated experimentally and theoretically that mode interaction between the highly dispersive achiral SPPs and the nondispersive chiral LSPR results in the formation of hybrid chiral SPPs, enabling efficient tuning of the resultant transmission CD dispersion and signal intensity. A maximum CD signal of 0.8 is experimentally observed with a Q‐factor of 45 in the visible spectral region, showing good agreement with theoretical calculations. This study provides an effective yet facile approach for engineering both the strength and dispersion of optical chirality, paving the way for realizing large‐scale, low‐cost, and high‐performing chiral plasmonic and dielectric metasurfaces for a variety of sensing, imaging, and information manipulation.
special communications Peroxynitrite causes endothelial cell monolayer barrier dysfunction

and C. Michael Hart. Peroxynitrite causes endothelial cell monolayer barrier dysfunction. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 281: C1064–C1075, 2001. —Nitric oxide ( z NO) attenuates hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-mediated barrier dysfunc- tion in cultured porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC) (Gupta MP, Ober MD, Patterson C, Al-Hassani M, Natarajan V, and Hart, CM. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 280: L116–L126, 2001). However, z NO rapidly combines with superoxide (O 2 2 ) to form the powerful oxidant peroxynitrite (ONOO 2 ), which we hypothesized would cause PAEC monolayer barrier dysfunction. To test this hypothe-sis, we treated PAEC with ONOO 2 (500 m M) or 3-morpholi-nosydnonimine hydrochloride (SIN-1; 1–500 m M). SIN-1-me-diated ONOO 2 formation was conﬁrmed by monitoring the oxidation of dihydrorhodamine 123 to rhodamine. Both ONOO 2 and SIN-1 increased albumin clearance ( P , 0.05) in the absence of cytotoxicity and altered the architecture of the cytoskeletal proteins actin and b -catenin as detected by immunoﬂuorescent confocal imaging. ONOO 2 -induced barrier dysfunction was partially reversible and was attenuated by cysteine. Both ONOO 2 and SIN-1 nitrated tyrosine residues, including those on b -catenin and actin, and oxidized proteins in PAEC. The introduction of actin treated with ONOO 2 into PAEC monolayers via liposomes also resulted in barrier dysfunction. These results indicate that ONOO 2 directly alters endothelial cytoskeletal proteins, leading to barrier dysfunction.
T HE C HALLENGE OF I NTEGRATING N EW T ECHNOLOGY IN D ESIGN E DUCATION

This paper examines some of the many problems and issues associated with integrating new and developing technologies into the education of future designers. As technology in general races ahead challenges arise for both commercial designers and educators on how best to keep track and utilise the advances. The challenge is particularly acute within tertiary education where the introduction of new cutting edge technology is often encouraged. Although this is generally achieved through the feedback of research activity, integrating new concepts at an appropriate level is a major task. Of particular concern is how focussed areas of applied technology can be made part of the multidisciplinary scope of design education. The paper describes the model used to introduce areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to undergraduate industrial design students. The successful interaction of research and education within a UK higher education establishment are discussed and project examples given. It is shown that, through selective tuition of research topics and appropriate technical support, innovative design solutions can result. In addition, it shows that by introducing leading edge and, in some cases, underdeveloped technology, specific key skills of independent learning, communication and research methods can be encouraged. Furthermore, the paper examines both the successes and failures of the process and provides conclusions relating to curriculum development, effective learning, and assessment. Cognitive modelling; Human Computer Interaction (HCI); Cybernetics; Smart technologies; Design support tools; Embedded intelligence & product semantics.
Emissions Released by Forest Fuel in the Daxing’an Mountains, China

The large amounts of emissions released by forest fires have a significant impact on the atmospheric environment, ecosystems, and human health. Revealing the main components of emissions released by forest fuel under different combustion states is of great importance to evaluate the impact of forest fires on the ecological environment. Here, a self-designed biomass combustion system was used to simulate the combustion of different parts (i.e., branch, trunk, and bark) of five tree species and branches, and three layers of surface dead fuel (i.e., litter layer, semi-humus layer, and humus layer) of three shrub species, in the Daxing’an Mountains, Inner Mongolia. The emission characteristics of the main gas pollutants (i.e., CO, CO2, HC, and NOx) and PM2.5 released under the two combustion states of smoldering and flaming, along with the correlation ratio among emission factors, were measured. The results show that the average amounts of emissions released by different trees and the three layers of surface dead fuel from a smoldering state are higher than those from the flaming state, while shrub combustion shows the opposite. The emissions released by trees, shrubs, and surface dead fuel from the flaming state are ordered from high to low as follows: CO2 > CO > HC > NOx > PM2.5; and from the smoldering state as CO2 > CO > HC > PM2.5 > NOx, indicating that the primary emissions under both conditions are mainly due to CO2, CO, and HC, while the emissions of NOx and PM2.5 are dependent on the combustion state—flaming promotes the emission of NOx, while smoldering promotes the emission of PM2.5. The average emissions of PM2.5 from the branches, bark, and trunks of Quercus mongolica are significantly higher than those of the other four tree species in the smoldering state, and the emissions of PM2.5 from the five tree species are ordered as follows: bark > branch > trunk. This study will help to further understand the impact of forest fires on the atmospheric environment and ecosystems in Northern China.
Unraveling the Tomaralimab Epitope on the Toll-like Receptor 2 via Molecular Dynamics and Deep Learning

Tomaralimab (OPN-305) is the first humanized immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody against TLR2 and is designed to prevent inflammation that is driven by inappropriate or excessive activation of innate immune pathways. Here, we constructed a homology model of Tomaralimab and its complex with TLR2 at different mapped epitopes and unraveled their behavior at the atomistic level. Furthermore, we predicted a novel epitope (leucine-rich region 9–12) near the lipopeptide-binding site that can be targeted and studied for the utility of therapeutic antibodies. A geometric deep learning algorithm was used to envisage Tomaralimab binding affinity changes upon mutation. There was a significant difference in binding affinity for Tomaralimab following epitope-mutated alanine substitutions of Val266, Pro294, Arg295, Asn319, Pro326, and His372. Using deep learning-based ΔΔG prediction, we computationally contrasted human TLR2–TLR2, TLR2–TLR1, and TLR2–TLR6 dimerization. These results reveal the mechanism that underlies Tomaralimab binding to TLR2 and should help to design structure-based mimics or bispecific antibodies that can be used to inhibit both lipopeptide-binding and TLR2 dimerization.
Can Expression and Formation of Adolescents' National Identity be Predetermined by the Gender?

The article aims to identify whether the expression of senior adolescents’ national identity at the cognitive, emotional and connotative levels, as well as its formation, is dependent on gender. Seeking to reveal the possible influence of gender on the national identity, the significance of the contemporary social gender theory, when gender depends on the subjective choice of an individual, as well as the relevance of theories that do not question biological, psychological, and social gender differences, are highlighted. The data obtained during the conducted research allow stating that the expression of the national identity of adolescents differs between the genders at the cognitive, emotional, and connotative levels, and the factors that contribute to building up of the national identity to a large extent do not differ from one gender to the other.
Trends of Exposure to Acrylamide as Measured by Urinary Biomarkers Levels within the HBM4EU Biomonitoring Aligned Studies (2000–2021)

Acrylamide, a substance potentially carcinogenic in humans, represents a very prevalent contaminant in food and is also contained in tobacco smoke. Occupational exposure to higher concentrations of acrylamide was shown to induce neurotoxicity in humans. To minimize related risks for public health, it is vital to obtain data on the actual level of exposure in differently affected segments of the population. To achieve this aim, acrylamide has been added to the list of substances of concern to be investigated in the HBM4EU project, a European initiative to obtain biomonitoring data for a number of pollutants highly relevant for public health. This report summarizes the results obtained for acrylamide, with a focus on time-trends and recent exposure levels, obtained by HBM4EU as well as by associated studies in a total of seven European countries. Mean biomarker levels were compared by sampling year and time-trends were analyzed using linear regression models and an adequate statistical test. An increasing trend of acrylamide biomarker concentrations was found in children for the years 2014–2017, while in adults an overall increase in exposure was found to be not significant for the time period of observation (2000–2021). For smokers, represented by two studies and sampling for, over a total three years, no clear tendency was observed. In conclusion, samples from European countries indicate that average acrylamide exposure still exceeds suggested benchmark levels and may be of specific concern in children. More research is required to confirm trends of declining values observed in most recent years.
Advances of Semiconductor Mode-locked Laser for Optical Frequency Comb Generation

: Semiconductor mode-locked lasers (MLLs) can provide coherent optical frequency combs (OFCs) with high repetition rates and output power, which have been recognized as potential multi-wavelength sources used in optical communication field due to their compactness, high-efficiency, and low-cost properties. In this article, we have reviewed recent development of semiconductor MLL-based frequency comb generation. Different approaches of semiconductor MLLs for OFC generation are synoptically summarized based on various material platforms. The representative progress of III-V semi-conductor MLLs on III-V platform and especially on Si substrates is both discussed for the applications in integrated silicon photonics.
SMYD2 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Reprogramming Glutamine Metabolism via c-Myc/GLS1 Axis

Metabolic reprogramming, such as alterations in glutamine metabolism or glycolysis, is the hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanisms are still incompletely elucidated. Previous studies have identified that methyltransferase SET and MYND domain-containing protein 2(SMYD2) is responsible for the pathogenesis of numerous types of cancer. Here, we innovatively uncover how SMYD2 regulates glutamine metabolism in HCC cells and promotes HCC progression. We identified that SMYD2 expression is upregulated in HCC tissues, which correlates with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Our in vitro and in vivo results showed that the depletion of SMYD2 inhibits HCC cell growth. Mechanistically, c-Myc methylation by SMYD2 increases its protein stability through the ubiquitin–proteasome system. We showed SMYD2 depletion destabilized c-Myc protein by increasing the conjugated K48-linked polyubiquitin chain. SMYD2 increased c-Myc expression and further upregulated glutaminase1 (GLS1), a crucial enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of glutamine to glutamic acid, in HCC cells. GLS1 plays an important role in SMYD2-mediated HCC progression and glutamine metabolism regulation. The knockdown of SMYD2 inhibited glutamine metabolism in HCC cells and overcame their chemoresistance to sorafenib. Collectively, our findings demonstrated a novel mechanism of how SMYD2 promotes HCC progression by regulating glutamine metabolism through the c-Myc/GLS1signaling, implicating the therapeutic potential of targeting SMYD2 in HCC patients.
Isolation, Partial Characterization and Application of Bacteriophages in Eradicating Biofilm Formation by Bacillus cereus on Stainless Steel Surfaces in Food Processing Facilities

The Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) group is a widespread foodborne pathogen with a persistent ability to form biofilm, and with inherent resistance to traditional treatment in the food industry. Bacteriophages are a promising biocontrol agent that could be applied to prevent or eliminate biofilms formation. We have described, in this study, the isolation from sewage samples and preliminary characterization of bacteriophages that are active against the B. cereus group. The effectiveness of phage treatment for reducing B. cereus attachment and biofilms on stainless steel surfaces has been also assessed using three incubation periods at different titrations of each phage. Out of 62 phages isolated, seven showed broad-spectrum lytic action against 174 B. cereus isolates. All selected phages appeared to be of the Siphoviridae family. SDS-PAGE proved that two phages have a similar profile, while the remainder are distinct. All isolated phages have the same restriction pattern, with an estimated genome size of around 37 kb. The isolated bacteriophages have been shown to be effective in preventing biofilm formation. Reductions of up to 1.5 log10 UFC/cm2 have been achieved, compared to the untreated biofilms. Curative treatment reduced the bacterial density by 0.5 log10 UFC/cm2. These results support the prospect of using these phages as a potential alternative strategy for controlling biofilms in food systems.
Occupational Stress in Chinese Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study of Doctoral Supervisors

This qualitative study is intended to explore the factors that contribute to the occupational stress suffered by Chinese doctoral supervisors and the kind of measures needed to effectively address the issue. Through purposive and snowballing sampling, 30 Chinese doctoral supervisors in different disciplines of natural science and social science were selected. A semi-structured interview protocol was used, and the data were analyzed based on grounded theory methodology. Chinese doctoral supervisors experienced varied stressors of nuanced nature, which could be categorized into two core categories, i.e., performance-appraisal-related factors and Ph.D. student-related factors, which were further divided into 18 subcategories and 10 higher-level categories. Chinese doctoral supervisors are under various sources of stress, corroborating with and reinforcing previous research findings in respect to occupational stress worldwide. Through the analysis of the stress triggers, suggestions are presented in regard to what mental health professionals and educational policy makers can do to address the issue of concern for doctoral supervisors.
Subject-Dependent Artifact Removal for Enhancing Motor Imagery Classifier Performance under Poor Skills

The Electroencephalography (EEG)-based motor imagery (MI) paradigm is one of the most studied technologies for Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) development. Still, the low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) poses a challenge when constructing EEG-based BCI systems. Moreover, the non-stationary and nonlinear signal issues, the low-spatial data resolution, and the inter- and intra-subject variability hamper the extraction of discriminant features. Indeed, subjects with poor motor skills have difficulties in practicing MI tasks against low SNR scenarios. Here, we propose a subject-dependent preprocessing approach that includes the well-known Surface Laplacian Filtering and Independent Component Analysis algorithms to remove signal artifacts based on the MI performance. In addition, power- and phase-based functional connectivity measures are studied to extract relevant and interpretable patterns and identify subjects of inefficency. As a result, our proposal, Subject-dependent Artifact Removal (SD-AR), improves the MI classification performance in subjects with poor motor skills. Consequently, electrooculography and volume-conduction EEG artifacts are mitigated within a functional connectivity feature-extraction strategy, which favors the classification performance of a straightforward linear classifier.