Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low energy RF transceiver design

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission. The average consumer has relied upon bidirectional RF communication for phone and internet connectivity for years. These devices are either plugged in to wall outlets or rely on large batteries that must be recharged frequently. A new generation of deeply embedded, short-range wireless applications is emerging, fueled by the extreme reductions in cost and power required for sensing and computation afforded by CMOS and MEMS process advancement. The power consumption of wireless communication links, on the other hand, has not scaled down so dramatically. Short range wireless protocols, such as Bluetooth and 802.15. 4, have been developed to meet the communication needs of these applications and have already seen substantial commercial success. However, the excessive energy requirements of current commercially available radios, even those aimed at short range WPAN applications, limit the scope and inhibit the growth of the deeply embedded wireless market. A substantial reduction in energy consumption of short-range RF transceivers is necessary to make future pervasive computing applications feasible. 2 In this work, the energetic requirements of RF wireless communication are evaluated from both purely theoretical and practical standpoints, revealing a large gap in practically achievable energy efficiency and what is offered in today's commercial market. In the context of minimizing energy per transferred data bit, each level of the physical design of wireless systems will be discussed – from choice of modulation scheme and bandwidth, down to transceiver architectures and low-level circuit designs. Finally, the implementation and measurement results from a 2.4GHz CMOS RF transceiver prototype are presented. Benefiting from energy conscious high-level system decisions and novel circuit architectures, the transceiver achieves a low energy consumption of 1 nJ per received bit and 3 nJ per transmitted bit with 92 dB of link margin.
Detection of Global DNA Methylation in Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Cancerous Lesions by Pyrosequencing and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the most significant cancer found in women worldwide especially in developing countries. Previous reports showed that global DNA hypomethylation was correlated with various types of cancer including cervical cancer. Methods: Long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE1) pyrosequencing and Enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assays were used for detection of global DNA methylation. The ELISA results were compared to bisulfite LINE1 pyrosequencing assay. Results: Different cervical cancer cell lines (CaSki, SiHa, HeLa, ME180, MS751, C33A) showed low global methylation percentage when compared to normal white blood cells by ELISA assay (1.47%-5.09% vs 8.20%, respectively) and by LINE1 pyrosequencing (20%-45% vs 62%, respectively). Global DNA methylation levels in cervical cancer samples were lower than precancerous lesions (Normal-CIN3) by LINE1 pyrosequencing (mean, 48.8% vs 56.9%, respectively, p<0.05) and ELISA assay (mean, 3.03% vs 3.85%, respectively, p<0.05). Conclusion: Global DNA hypomethylation was predominantly found in cervical cancer samples detected by ELISA and LINE1 pyrosequencing assays and could be used as triage tests in cervical cancer screening. ELISA assay is a suitable method for detection of global DNA methylation in large population; however, it should be further evaluated in a large clinical samples in order to be used as screening method.
Worker and employer experiences with COVID‐19 and the California Workers' Compensation System: A review of the literature

Abstract Background Given workplace risks from COVID‐19, California policymakers passed Senate Bill (SB) 1159 to facilitate access to workers' compensation (WC) benefits for frontline workers. However there has been no review of the available evidence needed to inform policy decisions about COVID‐19 and WC. Methods We conducted a literature review on worker and employer experiences surrounding COVID‐19 and WC, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results Forty articles were included (16 about worker experiences and 24 about employer practices). Most were not about experiences and practices related to COVID‐19 and WC. Worker studies indicated that paid sick leave reduced new COVID‐19 cases and COVID‐19 activity. Studies also found that rural agricultural and food processing workers lacked sick leave protection and faced severe housing and food insecurity. Studies on workplace health and safety indicated that healthcare workers with access to personal protective equipment had lower stress levels. Studies about employer practices found that unrestricted work in high‐contact industries was associated with increased risks to at‐risk workers, and with health disparities. No studies examined worker COVID‐19 experiences and WC claims or benefits, job loss, retaliation, workers' medical care experiences, and return‐to‐work or leave practices. Conclusions Our review identified experiences and practice related to COVID‐19 and the WC system, but not specifically about WC and COVID‐19 WC claims or benefits. Further research is needed to document and understand evidence underpinning the need for WC coverage for COVID‐19 and to evaluate the impact of the current SB 1159 bill on WC in California.
Neural Adaptive Dynamic Surface Asymptotic Tracking Control of Hydraulic Manipulators With Guaranteed Transient Performance

In this article, a novel neural network (NN)-based adaptive dynamic surface asymptotic tracking controller with guaranteed transient performance is proposed for $n$ -degrees of freedom (DOF) hydraulic manipulators. To fulfill the work, the entire manipulator system model, including hydraulic actuator dynamics, is first established. Then, the neural adaptive dynamic surface controller is designed, in which the NN is utilized to approximate the unknown joint coupling dynamics, while the approximation error and uncertainties of the actuator dynamics are addressed by the nonlinear robust control law with adaptive gains. In addition, a modified funnel function that ensures the joint tracking errors remains within a predefined funnel boundary and is skillfully incorporated into the adaptive dynamic surface control (ADSC) design to achieve a guaranteed transient tracking performance. The theoretical analysis reveals that both the guaranteed transient tracking performance and asymptotic stability can be achieved with the proposed controller. Contrastive simulations are performed on a 2-DOF hydraulic manipulator to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed controller.
Advances in prodrug design for Alzheimer’s disease: the state of the art

ABSTRACT Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex and multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that remains today a challenge for drug discovery. Like many pathologies of the central nervous system, one of the first hurdle is the development of a compound with a sufficient brain exposure to ensure a potential therapeutic benefit. In this direction, the development of prodrugs has been an intense field of research in the last years. Areas covered Two main strategies of prodrugs development are analyzed in this review. First, the application of the classical modulation of an active compound to incorporate a promoiety has been exemplified in the field of AD. In a second chapter, a series of innovative prodrugs based on a polypharmacological approach is described to take into account the complexity of AD. Expert opinion In the past 10 years, prodrugs have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of CNS pathologies. Most of them have been developed in order to improve membrane permeability of the parent drugs. Facing the limitation of AD drug discovery, the development of prodrugs will likely play a central role in the next years with the rise of innovative pleiotropic prodrugs.
Learning white matter subject-specific segmentation from structural MRI.

PURPOSE Mapping brain white matter (WM) is essential for building an understanding of brain anatomy and function. Tractography-based methods derived from diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI) are the principal tools for investigating WM. These procedures rely on time-consuming dMRI acquisitions that may not always be available, especially for legacy or time-constrained studies. To address this problem, we aim to generate WM tracts from structural MRI image by deep learning. METHODS Following recently proposed innovations in structural anatomical segmentation, we evaluate the feasibility of training multiply spatial localized convolution neural networks to learn context from fixed spatial patches from structural MRI on standard template. We focus on six widely used dMRI tractography algorithms (TractSeg, RecoBundles, XTRACT, Tracula, AFQ and AFQclipped) and train 125 U-Net models to learn these techniques from 3870 T1-weighted images from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), the Human Connectome Project (HCP) S1200 release, and scans acquired at Vanderbilt University. RESULTS The proposed framework identifies fiber bundles with high agreement against tractography-based pathways with a median Dice coefficient from 0.62 to 0.87 on a test cohort, achieving improved subject-specific accuracy when compared to population atlas-based methods. We demonstrate the generalizability of the proposed framework on three externally available datasets. CONCLUSIONS We show that patch-wise convolutional neural network can achieve robust bundle segmentation from T1w. We envision the use of this framework for visualizing the expected course of WM pathways when dMRI is not available. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Neural Encoding of Active Multi-Sensing Enhances Perceptual Decision-Making via a Synergistic Cross-Modal Interaction

Most perceptual decisions rely on the active acquisition of evidence from the environment involving stimulation from multiple senses. However, our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying this process is limited. Crucially, it remains elusive how different sensory representations interact in the formation of perceptual decisions. To answer these questions, we used an active sensing paradigm coupled with neuroimaging, multivariate analysis, and computational modeling to probe how the human brain processes multisensory information to make perceptual judgments. Participants of both sexes actively sensed to discriminate two texture stimuli using visual (V) or haptic (H) information or the two sensory cues together (VH). Crucially, information acquisition was under the participants' control, who could choose where to sample information from and for how long on each trial. To understand the neural underpinnings of this process, we first characterized where and when active sensory experience (movement patterns) is encoded in human brain activity (EEG) in the three sensory conditions. Then, to offer a neurocomputational account of active multisensory decision formation, we used these neural representations of active sensing to inform a drift diffusion model of decision-making behavior. This revealed a multisensory enhancement of the neural representation of active sensing, which led to faster and more accurate multisensory decisions. We then dissected the interactions between the V, H, and VH representations using a novel information-theoretic methodology. Ultimately, we identified a synergistic neural interaction between the two unisensory (V, H) representations over contralateral somatosensory and motor locations that predicted multisensory (VH) decision-making performance. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In real-world settings, perceptual decisions are made during active behaviors, such as crossing the road on a rainy night, and include information from different senses (e.g., car lights, slippery ground). Critically, it remains largely unknown how sensory evidence is combined and translated into perceptual decisions in such active scenarios. Here we address this knowledge gap. First, we show that the simultaneous exploration of information across senses (multi-sensing) enhances the neural encoding of active sensing movements. Second, the neural representation of active sensing modulates the evidence available for decision; and importantly, multi-sensing yields faster evidence accumulation. Finally, we identify a cross-modal interaction in the human brain that correlates with multisensory performance, constituting a putative neural mechanism for forging active multisensory perception.
Effects of short sprint interval training on aerobic and anaerobic indices: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

The effects of short sprint interval training (sSIT) with efforts of ≤10 s on maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O2max), aerobic and anaerobic performances remain unknown. To verify the effectiveness of sSIT in physically active adults and athletes, a systematic literature search was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA). The databases PubMed/MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched on May 9, 2020, and updated on September 14, 2021. Inclusion criteria were based on PICO and included healthy athletes and active adults of any sex (≤40 years), performing supervised sSIT (≤10 s of “all‐out” and non‐“all‐out” efforts) of at least 2 weeks, with a minimum of 6 sessions. As a comparator, a non‐sSIT control group, another high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) group, or a continuous training (CT) group were required. A total of 18 studies were deemed eligible. The estimated SMDs based on the random‐effects model were −0.56 (95% CI: −0.79, −0.33, p < 0.001) for V̇O2max, −0.43 (95% CI: −0.67, −0.20, p < 0.001) for aerobic performance, and −0.44 (95% CI: −0.70, −0.18, p < 0.001) for anaerobic performance after sSIT vs. no exercise/usual training. However, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) for all outcomes when comparing sSIT vs. HIIT/CT. Our findings indicate a very high effectiveness of sSIT protocols in different exercise modes (e.g., cycling, running, paddling, and punching) to improve V̇O2max, aerobic, and anaerobic performances in physically active young healthy adults and athletes.
Challenges and opportunities in the care of chronic subdural haematoma: perspectives from a multi-disciplinary working group on the need for change

Abstract Introduction A chronic subdural haematoma (cSDH) is a collection of altered blood products between the dura and brain resulting in a slowly evolving neurological deficit. It is increasingly common and, in high income countries, affects an older, multimorbid population. With changing demographics improving the care of this cohort is of increasing importance. Methods We convened a cross-disciplinary working group (the ‘Improving Care in Elderly Neurosurgery Initiative’) in October 2020. This comprised experts in neurosurgical care and a range of perioperative stakeholders. An Implementation Science framework was used to structure discussions around the challenges of cSDH care within the United Kingdom. The outcomes of these discussions were recorded and summarised, before being circulated to all attendees for comment and refinement. Results The working group identified four key requirements for improving cSDH care: (1) data, audit, and natural history; (2) evidence-based guidelines and pathways; (3) shared decision-making; and (4) an overarching quality improvement strategy. Frequent transfers between care providers were identified as impacting on both perioperative care and presenting a barrier to effective data collection and teamworking. Improvement initiatives must be cognizant of the complex, system-wide nature of the problem, and may require a combination of targeted trials at points of clinical equipoise (such as anesthetic technique or anticoagulant management), evidence-based guideline development, and a cycle of knowledge acquisition and implementation. Conclusion The care of cSDH is a growing clinical problem. Lessons may be learned from the standardised pathways of care such as those as used in hip fracture and stroke. A defined care pathway for cSDH, encompassing perioperative care and rehabilitation, could plausibly improve patient outcomes but work remains to tailor such a pathway to cSDH care. The development of such a pathway at a national level should be a priority, and the focus of future work.
Multi-principal elemental intermetallic nanoparticles synthesized via a disorder-to-order transition

Nanoscale multi-principal element intermetallics (MPEIs) may provide a broad and tunable compositional space of active, high–surface area materials with potential applications such as catalysis and magnetics. However, MPEI nanoparticles are challenging to fabricate because of the tendency of the particles to grow/agglomerate or phase-separated during annealing. Here, we demonstrate a disorder-to-order phase transition approach that enables the synthesis of ultrasmall (4 to 5 nm) and stable MPEI nanoparticles (up to eight elements). We apply just 5 min of Joule heating to promote the phase transition of the nanoparticles into L10 intermetallic structure, which is then preserved by rapidly cooling. This disorder-to-order transition results in phase-stable nanoscale MPEIs with compositions (e.g., PtPdAuFeCoNiCuSn), which have not been previously attained by traditional synthetic methods. This synthesis strategy offers a new paradigm for developing previously unexplored MPEI nanoparticles by accessing a nanoscale-size regime and novel compositions with potentially broad applications.
Nanomedicine, a valuable tool for skeletal muscle disorders: Challenges, promises, and limitations

Abstract Muscular dystrophies are a group of rare genetic disorders characterized by progressive muscle weakness, which, in the most severe forms, leads to the patient's death due to cardiorespiratory problems. There is still no cure available for these diseases and significant effort is being placed into developing new strategies to either correct the genetic defect or to compensate muscle loss by stimulating skeletal muscle regeneration. However, the vast anatomical extension of the target tissue poses great challenges to these goals, highlighting the need for complementary strategies. Nanomedicine is an actively evolving field that merges nanotechnologies with biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. It holds great potential in regenerative medicine, both in supporting tissue engineering and regeneration, and in optimizing drug and oligonucleotide delivery and gene therapy strategies. In this review, we will summarize the state‐of‐the‐art in the field of nanomedicine applied to skeletal muscle regeneration. We will discuss the recent work toward the development of nanopatterned scaffolds for tissue engineering, the efforts in the synthesis of organic and inorganic nanoparticles for gene therapy and drug delivery applications, as well as their use as immune modulators. Although nanomedicine holds great promise for muscle and other degenerative diseases, many challenges still need to be systematically addressed to assure a smooth transition from the bench to the bedside. This article is categorized under: Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
The Effectiveness of a Self-management Program of Bowel Dysfunction in Patients With Mid and Low Rectal Cancer After Sphincter-Preserving Surgery

Background Most patients with mid and low rectal cancer passively react to bowel symptoms after sphincter-preserving surgery (SPS), and their self-management behaviors are scarce in the Chinese patient population. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a self-management program for bowel symptoms in patients with mid and low rectal cancer after SPS. Methods A convenient sampling method was used to recruit patients with mid and low rectal cancer after SPS in gastric wards from 2 tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China. Ninety-five patients (intervention, n = 47; control, n = 48) were recruited. The intervention group received a predetermined self-management program plus routine postoperative care; the control group received only routine care in the ward. Data on patients’ bowel symptoms, quality of life, and bowel symptom self-management behaviors were collected at baseline and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively using questionnaires. A generalized estimating equation was adopted to examine group effect and time effect. Results Bowel symptoms and quality of life in both the intervention and control groups of patients improved significantly 6 months after SPS compared with baseline (time effect, P < .001). The total score of patients’ bowel symptom self-management behaviors and the score of the therapeutic domain increased significantly in the intervention group compared with those in the control group (group effect, P = .009). Conclusions Self-management programs could help prompt patients’ self-management behaviors, but the extent to which they impact patients’ bowel symptoms requires further investigation. Implications for Practice The bowel dysfunction self-management program could alter the behavior of patients. It also effectively improves self-management strategies for bowel symptoms.
Draft Genome Sequence of Ralstonia pickettii Strain NCTR106, Isolated from Milk Carton Paperboard

Ralstonia pickettii is an emerging global opportunistic pathogen. Here, we report the 5.3-Mbp draft genome sequence of R. pickettii NCTR106, isolated from milk carton paperboard obtained from a commercial paper mill. The genome sequence carries two beta-lactamase genes similar to those reported in R. pickettii isolates collected from a hospital. ABSTRACT Ralstonia pickettii is an emerging global opportunistic pathogen. Here, we report the 5.3-Mbp draft genome sequence of R. pickettii NCTR106, isolated from milk carton paperboard obtained from a commercial paper mill. The genome sequence carries two beta-lactamase genes similar to those reported in R. pickettii isolates collected from a hospital.
Effect of Customer Experience Quality on Loyalty in Fitness Services

Abstract Customer experience quality is an important and relatively new concept for service businesses in gaining a sustainable competitive advantage. Although the literature on customer experience quality is expanding, there is a gap concerning the antecedent and consequences of customer experience in fitness services. In this context, we tested a model that explains the precursors and implications of customer experience quality in the context of fitness services. This study was based on a non-experimental, depictive, and descriptive design. Within the scope of this study, 287 participants (216 male, 71 female) selected through a convenience sampling technique applied a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis and a structural equation model. The findings show that service result quality, customer–employee interaction quality, and customer–customer interaction quality affect customer experience quality, which in turn affects customer loyalty. These results show that improving the service outcome quality results in customers who experience high-quality customer–employee and customer–customer interactions becoming loyal customers.