Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tissue Engineering in Pediatric Bladder Reconstruction—The Road to Success

Several congenital disorders can cause end stage bladder disease and possibly renal damage in children. The current gold standard therapy is enterocystoplasty, a bladder augmentation using an intestinal segment. However, the use of bowel tissue is associated with numerous complications such as metabolic disturbance, stone formation, urine leakage, chronic infections, and malignancy. Urinary diversions using engineered bladder tissue would obviate the need for bowel for bladder reconstruction. Despite impressive progress in the field of bladder tissue engineering over the past decades, the successful transfer of the approach into clinical routine still represents a major challenge. In this review, we discuss major achievements and challenges in bladder tissue regeneration with a focus on different strategies to overcome the obstacles and to meet the need for living functional tissue replacements with a good growth potential and a long life span matching the pediatric population.
T-Count Optimization and Reed–Muller Codes

In this paper, we study the close relationship between Reed–Muller codes and single-qubit phase gates from the perspective of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-count optimization. We prove that minimizing the number of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gates in an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-qubit quantum circuit over CNOT and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, together with the Clifford group powers of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, corresponds to finding a minimum distance decoding of a length <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2^{n}-1$ </tex-math></inline-formula> binary vector in the order <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n-4$ </tex-math></inline-formula> punctured Reed–Muller code. Moreover, we show that the problems are polynomially equivalent in the length of the code. As a consequence, we derive an algorithm for the optimization of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-count in quantum circuits based on Reed–Muller decoders, along with a new upper bound of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(n^{2})$ </tex-math></inline-formula> on the number of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gates required to implement an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-qubit unitary over CNOT and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gates. We further generalize this result to show that minimizing small angle rotations corresponds to decoding lower order binary Reed–Muller codes. In particular, we show that minimizing the number of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{Z}(2\pi /m)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gates for any integer <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$m$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is equivalent to minimum distance decoding in <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {RM}(n-k-1, n)^{*}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, where <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is the highest power of 2 dividing <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$m$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.
Voluntary disclosure of intellectual capital information by deposit money banks in Nigeria

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent and quality of voluntary intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) by deposit money banks (DMBs) in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a survey of 271 informants and content analysis of the annual reports of 12 DMBs in Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using factor analysis,t-test, Friedman test for related sample and Wilcoxon signed-rank test.FindingsThe findings of this paper indicate that the extent of ICD is significant and higher than the quality of ICD, which is insignificant, with the extent of disclosure highest in the relational component of intellectual capital. It also shows that a significant difference exists amongst the extent of human capital, structural capital and relational capital disclosures, with the significant difference traced to the difference between the extent of disclosures of relational capital and human capital.Research limitations/implicationsThe results can be interpreted across the target sample where the study covers a five-year period and 12 DMBs in Nigeria. However, the study provides a robust empirical basis for policymakers and regulators to develop future ICD regulatory guidelines for banks and push for improvement in the quality of ICD by DMBs.Originality/valueNo previous studies of voluntary ICD have considered the extent and quality of ICD by DMBs in Nigeria. Further, this study shed the light on a new human capital item related to “employee health and mental state”; therefore, it extends and supports the previous empirical literature on ICD.
‘Eternal Recurrence’: development of a 3D water curtain system and real-time projection mapping for a large-scale systems artwork installation

ABSTRACT ‘Eternal Recurrence’ is a large-scale installation work consisting of a 3D water curtain and projection mapping systems. A 3D water curtain, water drop generation and control program, fog screen and computer program for recognizing visitors were developed for this work. The water curtain, implemented using an array of solenoid valves, creates ephemeral sculptures in real time; the continuous evolution of shapes and images is used as a metaphor of Eternal Recurrence. We developed a method of controlling the solenoid valves that avoids problematic vertical shape distortion caused by gravity and noisy satellite water droplets around the main water drops. The motion of the falling water drops at the centre of the installation is mirrored by the motion of baby-like shapes projected on to the floor and ceiling of the space in which this work is installed. This gives the impression of a full or completed circle. Visitors enter the exhibition through a fog screen, which acts as an entrance port to this immersive experience. ‘Eternal Recurrence’ is a convergence of digital images (3D shape projections) with natural phenomena (falling water drops), which are carefully blended and controlled. As an example of systems art, the installation embodies a process in which all of the separate elements are seamlessly blended through a mechanical–electrical–computer system. The creation and experience of this harmonious system help us to reconsider our existence and networked relations in contemporary society.
Is There a Preferred Mode of Exercise for Cognition Enhancement in Older Age?—A Narrative Review

The aim of this review is to examine the moderating effect of the mode of exercise on the exercise-cognition relationship. Is one mode of exercise more efficient in enhancing cognition than the other? For example, is aerobic exercise preferable over balance training? Based on official guidelines for old age, exercise modes include aerobic activity, strength (resistance) training, flexibility, balance, and coordination. In relation to cognition, these exercise modes are further divided into two categories: physical training—aerobic and strength, and motor training—balance, coordination, and flexibility. The physical training activities are repetitive and automatic in nature, and require high metabolic energy and relatively low neuromuscular effort. The motor activities involve high neuromuscular demands and relatively low metabolic demands. In addition, there are specific movement skills that require more neuromuscular effort (e.g., Tai Chi), and sometimes also greater metabolic demands (e.g., tennis). Selected studies examining the effect of various modes of exercise on cognition contend that both training categories affect neuroplasticity, and consequently cognitive functioning. However, there are two main differences between them: (1) Physical training affects cognition via improvement in cardiovascular fitness, whereas motor training affects cognition directly; (2) Physical training affects neuroplasticity and cognition in a global manner, while motor training is task-specific in increasing brain neuroplasticity and in affecting cognition. Examining the underpinnings of these pathways reveals that there is a difference in the underlying forces behind the two training categories. In the physical training category, it is the intensity of training that enhances neuroplasticity and consequently improves cognition, while in the motor activities it is the task complexity that increases neuroplasticity, which improves cognition. Dual-task training, which includes cognitive demands in addition to physical or motor activity, has proven more effective in improving cognitive functioning than a single task. The implications are that if all training components traditionally recommended by official bodies—physical as well as motor training—are efficient in enhancing cognition, then we merely have to emphasize the inclusion of all exercise modes in our routine exercise regimen for physical as well as cognitive health in advanced age.
Adaptive calibration of Diesel engine injection for minimising fuel consumption with constrained N O x emissions in actual driving missions

This article proposes a method for fuel minimisation of a Diesel engine with constrained N O x emission in actual driving mission. Specifically, the methodology involves three developments: The first is a driving cycle prediction tool which is based on the space-variant transition probability matrix obtained from an actual vehicle speed dataset. Then, a vehicle and an engine model is developed to predict the engine performance depending on the calibration for the estimated driving cycle. Finally, a controller is proposed which adapts the start-of-injection calibration map to fulfil the N O x emission constraint while minimising the fuel consumption. The calibration is adapted during a predefined time window based on the predicted engine performance on the estimated cycle and the difference between the actual and the constraint on engine N O x emissions. The method assessment was done experimentally in the engine test set-up. The engine performace using the method is compared with the state-of-the-art static calibration method for different N O x emission limits on real driving cycles. The online implementation of the method shows that the fuel consumption can be reduced by 3%–4% while staying within the emission limits, indicating that the estimation method is able to capture the main driving cycle characterstics.
Bioactive Neuroelectronic Interfaces

Within the neural engineering field, next-generation implantable neuroelectronic interfaces are being developed using biologically-inspired and/or biologically-derived materials to improve upon the stability and functional lifetime of current interfaces. These technologies use biomaterials, bioactive molecules, living cells, or some combination of these, to promote host neuronal survival, reduce the foreign body response, and improve chronic device-tissue integration. This article provides a general overview of the different strategies, milestones, and evolution of bioactive neural interfaces including electrode material properties, biological coatings, and “decoration” with living cells. Another such biohybrid approach developed in our lab uses preformed implantable micro-tissue featuring long-projecting axonal tracts encased within carrier biomaterial micro-columns. These so-called “living electrodes” have been engineered with carefully tailored material, mechanical, and biological properties to enable natural, synaptic based modulation of specific host circuitry while ultimately being under computer control. This article provides an overview of these living electrodes, including design and fabrication, performance attributes, as well as findings to date characterizing in vitro and in vivo functionality.
Electrical tuning of helical edge states in topological multilayers

Mainstream among topological insulators, GaSb/InAs quantum wells present a broken gap alignment for the energy bands which supports the quantum spin Hall insulator phase and forms an important building block in the search of exotic states of matter. Such structures allow the band-gap inversion with electrons and holes confined in adjacent layers, providing a fertile ground to tune the corresponding topological properties. Using a full 3D eight-band method we investigate the inverted band structure of GaSb/InAs/GaSb and InAs/GaSb/InAs multilayers and the behavior of the helical edge states, under the influence of an electric field applied along the growth direction. By tuning the electric field modulus, we induce the change of the energy levels of both conduction and valence bands, resulting in a quantum spin Hall insulator phase where the helical edge states are predominantly confined in the GaSb layer. In particular, we found that InAs/GaSb/InAs has a large hybridization gap of about and, therefore, are promising to observe massless Dirac fermions with a large Fermi velocity. Our comprehensive characterization of GaSb/InAs multilayers creates a basis platform upon which further optimization of III–V heterostructures can be contrasted.
Recommendation Systems for Tourism Based on Social Networks: A Survey

Nowadays, recommender systems are present in many daily activities such as online shopping, browsing social networks, etc. Given the rising demand for reinvigoration of the tourist industry through information technology, recommenders have been included into tourism websites such as Expedia, Booking or Tripadvisor, among others. Furthermore, the amount of scientific papers related to recommender systems for tourism is on solid and continuous growth since 2004. Much of this growth is due to social networks that, besides to offer researchers the possibility of using a great mass of available and constantly updated data, they also enable the recommendation systems to become more personalised, effective and natural. This paper reviews and analyses many research publications focusing on tourism recommender systems that use social networks in their projects. We detail their main characteristics, like which social networks are exploited, which data is extracted, the applied recommendation techniques, the methods of evaluation, etc. Through a comprehensive literature review, we aim to collaborate with the future recommender systems, by giving some clear classifications and descriptions of the current tourism recommender systems.
AstroSat observation of GX 5–1: spectral and timing evolution

We report on the first analysis of an AstroSat observation of the Z-source GX 5–1 on 2017 February 26−27. The hardness-intensity plot reveals that the source traced out the horizontal and normal branches. The 0.8−20 keV spectra from simultaneous SXT and LAXPC data at different locations of the hardness-intensity plot can be described well by disk emission and a thermal Comptonized component. The ratio of the disk flux to the total flux, i.e., the disk flux ratio, increases monotonically along the horizontal branch to the normal one. Thus, the difference between the normal and horizontal branches is that in the normal branch, the disk dominates the flux while in the horizontal one it is the Comptonized component which dominates. The disk flux scales with the inner disk temperature as T in 5.5 and not as T in 4 , suggesting that either the inner radius changes dramatically or that the disk is irradiated by the thermal component changing its hardness factor. The power spectra reveal a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) whose frequency changes from ∼30 Hz to 50 Hz. The frequency is found to correlate well with the disk flux ratio. In the 3−20 keV LAXPC band, the r.m.s. of the QPO increases with energy (r.m.s. ∝ E 0.8 ), while the harder X-rays seem to lag the soft ones with a time-delay of milliseconds. The results suggest that the spectral properties of the source are characterized by the disk flux ratio and that the QPO has its origin in the corona producing the thermal Comptonized component.
Integrating Literature-Based Knowledge Database and Expression Data to Explore Molecular Pathways Connecting PPARG and Myocardial Infarction

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARG) might play a protective role in the development of myocardial infarction (MI) with limited mechanisms identified. Genes associated with both PPARG and MI were extracted from Elsevier Pathway Studio to construct the initial network. The gene expression activity within the network was estimated through a mega-analysis with eight independent expression datasets derived from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to build PPARG and MI connecting pathways. After that, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to explore the functional profile of the genes involved in the PPARG-driven network. PPARG demonstrated a significantly low expression in MI patients (LFC = −0.52; p < 1.84e − 9). Consequently, PPARG could indicatively be promoting three MI inhibitors (e.g., SOD1, CAV1, and POU5F1) and three MI-downregulated markers (e.g., ALB, ACADM, and ADIPOR2), which were deactivated in MI cases (p < 0.05), and inhibit two MI-upregulated markers (RELA and MYD88), which showed increased expression levels in MI cases (p = 0.0077 and 0.047, respectively). These eight genes were mainly enriched in nutrient- and cell metabolic-related pathways and functionally linked by GSEA and PPCN. Our results suggest that PPARG could protect the heart against both the development and progress of MI through the regulation of nutrient- and metabolic-related pathways.
Synthesis of 1,4-Biphenyl-triazole Derivatives as Possible 17β-HSD1 Inhibitors: An in Silico Study

Triazoles occupy an important position in medicinal chemistry because of their various biological activities. The structural features of 1,2,3-triazoles enable them to act as a bioisostere of different functional groups such as amide, ester, carboxylic acid, and heterocycle, being capable of forming hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions or coordinate metal ions with biological targets. In this work, the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives via copper(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) is reported. Overexpression of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (17β-HSD1) is often found in breast cancer cells. Molecular similarity and docking analysis were used to evaluate the potential inhibitory activity of 1,2,3-triazoles synthesized over 17β-HSD1 for the treatment of mammary tumors. Our in silico analysis shows that compounds 4c, 4d, 4f, 4g, and 4j are good molecular scaffold candidates as 17β-HSD1 inhibitors.
Stable prediction with radiomics data

Motivation: Radiomics refers to the high-throughput mining of quantitative features from radiographic images. It is a promising field in that it may provide a non-invasive solution for screening and classification. Standard machine learning classification and feature selection techniques, however, tend to display inferior performance in terms of (the stability of) predictive performance. This is due to the heavy multicollinearity present in radiomic data. We set out to provide an easy-to-use approach that deals with this problem. Results: We developed a four-step approach that projects the original high-dimensional feature space onto a lower-dimensional latent-feature space, while retaining most of the covariation in the data. It consists of (i) penalized maximum likelihood estimation of a redundancy filtered correlation matrix. The resulting matrix (ii) is the input for a maximum likelihood factor analysis procedure. This two-stage maximum-likelihood approach can be used to (iii) produce a compact set of stable features that (iv) can be directly used in any (regression-based) classifier or predictor. It outperforms other classification (and feature selection) techniques in both external and internal validation settings regarding survival in squamous cell cancers.
Unveiling Integrated Functional Pathways Leading to Enhanced Respiratory Disease Associated With Inactivated Respiratory Syncytial Viral Vaccine

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a severe threat to young children and the elderly. Despite decades of research, no vaccine has been approved. Notably, instead of affording protection, a formalin-inactivated RSV vaccine induced severe respiratory disease including deaths in vaccinated children in a 1960s clinical trial; however, recent studies indicate that other forms of experimental vaccines can also induce pulmonary pathology in pre-clinical studies. These findings suggest that multiple factors/pathways could be involved in the development of enhanced respiratory diseases. Clearly, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying such adverse reactions is critically important for the development of safe and efficacious vaccines against RSV infection, given the exponential growth of RSV vaccine clinical trials in recent years. By employing an integrated systems biology approach in a pre-clinical cotton rat model, we unraveled a complex network of pulmonary canonical pathways leading to disease development in vaccinated animals upon subsequent RSV infections. Cytokines including IL-1, IL-6 GRO/IL-8, and IL-17 in conjunction with mobilized pulmonary inflammatory cells could play important roles in disease development, which involved a wide range of host responses including exacerbated pulmonary inflammation, oxidative stress, hyperreactivity, and homeostatic imbalance between coagulation and fibrinolysis. Moreover, the observed elevated levels of MyD88 implicate the involvement of this critical signal transduction module as the central node of the inflammatory pathways leading to exacerbated pulmonary pathology. Finally, the immunopathological consequences of inactivated vaccine immunization and subsequent RSV exposure were further substantiated by histological analyses of these key proteins along with inflammatory cytokines, while hypercoagulation was supported by increased pulmonary fibrinogen/fibrin accompanied by reduced levels of plasma D-dimers. Enhanced respiratory disease associated with inactivated RSV vaccine involves a complex network of host responses, resulting in significant pulmonary lesions and clinical manifestations such as tachypnea and airway obstruction. The mechanistic insight into the convergence of different signal pathways and identification of biomarkers could help facilitate the development of safe and effective RSV vaccine and formulation of new targeted interventions.