Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automotive Radar Data Acquisition Using Object Detection

The growing urban complexity demands an efficient algorithm to acquire and process various sensor information from autonomous vehicles. In this paper, we introduce an algorithm to utilize object detection results from the image to adaptively sample and acquire radar data using Compressed Sensing (CS). This novel algorithm is motivated by the hypothesis that with a limited sampling budget, allocating more sampling budget to areas with the object as opposed to a uniform sampling ultimately improves relevant object detection performance. We improve detection performance by dynamically allocating a lower sampling rate to objects such as buses than pedestrians leading to better reconstruction than baseline across areas with objects of interest. We automate the sampling rate allocation using linear programming and show significant time savings while reducing the radar block size by a factor of 2. We also analyze a Binary Permuted Diagonal measurement matrix for radar acquisition which is hardware-efficient and show its performance is similar to Gaussian and Binary Permuted Block Diagonal matrix. Our experiments on the Oxford radar dataset show an effective reconstruction of objects of interest with 10% sampling rate. Finally, we develop a transformer-based 2D object detection network using the NuScenes radar and image data.
Kinetic study of Malachite Green adsorption on used black tea leaves from aqueous solution

Mohammad Abul Hossain This study presents a kinetic evaluation on the adsorptive removal of Malachite Green (MG), a common pollutant in the textile waste water, by Used Black Tea Leaves (UBTL) as a low cost adsorbent. The adsorption kinetic experiments were carried out in batch process. The effects of contact time, concentration, solution pH and temperature on this removal process were investigated. UV-visible spectrophotometer was used for analysis of MG at pH 4.0. Kinetic studies have shown that the adsorption data partially follow simple first order, second order, pseudo first order and Elovich equation for different initial concentrations at pH 2.0 but well expressed by pseudo second order rate equation. Pseudo second order rate equation was used to determine the equilibrium amount adsorbed and equilibrium concentration for different initial concentrations, temperatures and pH. The equilibrium amount adsorbed and pseudo second order rate constant were found to increase with increasing temperature indicating chemical nature of adsorption. The numerical values of apparent activation energy, Ea and thermodynamic parameters ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS of the process also supported the chemisorption of MG on UBTL at pH 2.0. The effect of solution pH on the adsorption kinetics showed that the amount adsorbed linearly increase with increasing solution pH suggesting deprotonation dominants the adsorption of MG on UBTL. The adsorption capacity of UBTL to MG was obtained 227.3 mg/g at pH 6.0 and 30 C. Copy Right, IJAR, 2014,. All rights reserved.
High-temperature crystal chemistry of V2O3 and 1% chromium-doped V2O3

LAOGT, M. (1972). C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, S~r. C, 275, 1197-1200. LAUGT, M. , TORDJMAN, I. , BASSI, G. & GUITEL, J.-C. (1974). Acta Cryst. B30, 1100-1104. MARTIN, C. , TORDJMAN, I. • MITSCHLER, A. (1972). Cryst. Struct. Commun. 1, 349-352. PREWITT, C. T. (1966). SFLS-5. Oak Ridge National Laboratory Report ORNL-TM-305. TORDJMAN, I. , TRANQUI, D. & LAOGT, M. (1970). Bull. Soc. Fr. Mindr. Crist. 93, 160-165. TRANQUI, D. , TORDJMAN, I. , AVERBUCH-POUCHOT, M. -T. & BASSI, G. (1970). Bull. Soc. Fr. Min(r. Crist. 93, 413420.
Recent Gains in Life Expectancy Reversed by the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic halted longevity improvements and mortality reductions at older ages in 2020. Life expectancy at birth - a widely-used indicator of population health - declined from 2019 to 2020 in 24 out of 26 countries for which high-quality vital statistics are presently available, including most European countries, Chile and the USA. Males in the USA and Bulgaria experienced the largest losses in life expectancy at birth during 2020 (2.1 and 1.6 years respectively), but staggering reductions of more than an entire year were documented in eleven countries for males, and seven among females; a magnitude of loss not witnessed since WW-II in many countries. Reductions were mostly attributable to increased mortality above age 60 and to official COVID-19 deaths.
Copper‐Catalyzed Highly Efficient Multicomponent Reactions of Terminal Alkynes, Acid Chlorides, and Carbodiimides: Synthesis of Functionalized Propiolamidine Derivatives

Functionalized propiolamidine derivatives were prepared in good to excellent yields under very mild conditions via a copper-catalyzed multicomponent reaction (MCR) of readily available terminal alkynes, acid chlorides and carbodiimides with the assistance of triethylamine. The mechanism of this MCR is postulated.
Isolation and Characterization of Two Lytic Bacteriophages Infecting a Multi-Drug Resistant Salmonella Typhimurium and Their Efficacy to Combat Salmonellosis in Ready-to-Use Foods

Foodborne salmonellosis is a global threat to public health. In the current study, we describe the isolation and characterization of two broad-spectrum, lytic Salmonella phages: SPHG1 and SPHG3 infecting a multidrug-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium EG.SmT3. Electron microscopy and whole genome analysis identified SPHG1 as a Myovirus, while SPHG3 as a new member of the genus “Kuttervirus” within the family Ackermannviridae. SPHG1 and SPHG3 had a lysis time of 60 min. with burst sizes of 104 and 138 PFU/cell, respectively. The two phages were robust at variable temperatures and pH ranges that match the corresponding values of most of the food storage and processing conditions. A phage cocktail containing the two phages was stable in the tested food articles for up to 48 h. The application of the phage cocktail at MOIs of 1000 or 100 resulted in a significant reduction in the viable count of S. Typhimurium by 4.2 log10/sample in milk, water, and on chicken breast. Additionally, the phage cocktail showed a prospective ability to eradicate and reduce the biofilm that formed by S. Typhimurium EG.SmT3. A phage cocktail of SPHG1 and SPHG3 is considered as a promising candidate as a biocontrol agent against foodborne salmonellosis due to its broad host ranges, highly lytic activities, and the absence of any virulence or lysogeny-related genes in their genomes.
Insulation thickness determination of polymeric power cables

An analytical expression has been derived for calculating insulation wall thicknesses of single-core polymeric power cables from considerations of discharges in voids. For 10 to 30 kV cables of small conductors (16 to 50 mm/sup 2/), good agreement has been obtained between the thicknesses calculated by the expression and those specified in the IEC Standard, provided that 50 /spl mu/m is defined as the maximum void sizes for cables in all the voltage classes and that an additional allowance of 1.0 mm is introduced in insulation thickness for cables below 20 kV. The expression is an exponential law, which denotes that the insulation thickness of a cable depends on the product of the working voltage and the maximum void size of the cable. Thus, decreasing the maximum void size of a given cable allows an increase in the cable working voltage. Calculated results show that if the maximum size of voids decreases from 50 to 30 /spl mu/m, the insulation thickness of a 15 kV cable in the current standard is adequate for use at 30 kV. Therefore, decreasing the void size is a dominant consideration in decreasing cable size, especially for higher voltage cables. >
Respiratory Distress in the Newborn with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is inherited in a predominantly autosomal recessive manner with over 45 currently identified causative genes. It is a clinically heterogeneous disorder that results in a chronic wet cough and drainage from the paranasal sinuses, chronic otitis media with hearing impairment as well as male infertility. Approximately 50% of patients have situs inversus totalis. Prior to the development of chronic oto-sino-pulmonary symptoms, neonatal respiratory distress occurs in more than 80% of patients as a result of impaired mucociliary clearance and mucus impaction causing atelectasis and lobar collapse. Diagnosis is often delayed due to overlapping symptoms with other causes of neonatal respiratory distress. A work up for PCD should be initiated in the newborn with compatible clinical features, especially those with respiratory distress, consistent radiographic findings or persistent oxygen requirement and/or organ laterality defects
The Power of Yeast in Modelling Human Nuclear Mutations Associated with Mitochondrial Diseases

The increasing application of next generation sequencing approaches to the analysis of human exome and whole genome data has enabled the identification of novel variants and new genes involved in mitochondrial diseases. The ability of surviving in the absence of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and mitochondrial genome makes the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae an excellent model system for investigating the role of these new variants in mitochondrial-related conditions and dissecting the molecular mechanisms associated with these diseases. The aim of this review was to highlight the main advantages offered by this model for the study of mitochondrial diseases, from the validation and characterisation of novel mutations to the dissection of the role played by genes in mitochondrial functionality and the discovery of potential therapeutic molecules. The review also provides a summary of the main contributions to the understanding of mitochondrial diseases emerged from the study of this simple eukaryotic organism.
Mesoporous Properties of Bioactive Glass Synthesized by Spray Pyrolysis with Various Polyethylene Glycol and Acid Additions

Mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) has a high specific surface area, promoting the reaction area, thereby improving the bioactivity; thus, MBG is currently gaining popularity in the biomaterial field. Spray pyrolysis (SP) is a one-pot process that has the advantages of shorter process time and better particle bioactivity, therefore, MBG was prepared by SP process with various polyethylene glycol (PEG, molecular weight ranged from 2000–12,000) and acid (HCl and CH3COOH) additions. In vitro bioactivity and mesoporous properties of the so-obtained MBG were investigated. The experimental results showed that all the MBG exhibited amorphous and mesoporous structure. Increasing the molecular weight of PEG can improve the mesoporous structure and bioactivity of MBG. Whereas optimized MBG was prepared with suitable concentration of PEG and CH3COOH. In the present work, MBG synthesized via spray pyrolysis by adding 5 g of PEG with a molecular weight of 12,000 and 50 mL of CH3COOH exhibited the best in vitro bioactivity and mesoporous structure.
Cytoprotective Potential of Fucoxanthin in Oxidative Stress-Induced Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Senescence In Vivo and In Vitro

Oxidative stress is identified as a major inducer of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell dysregulation and is associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The protection of RPE disorders plays an essential role in the pathological progress of retinal degeneration diseases. The pharmacological functions of fucoxanthin, a characteristic carotenoid, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, may ameliorate an outstanding bioactivity against premature senescence and cellular dysfunction. This study demonstrates that fucoxanthin protects RPE cells from oxidative stress-induced premature senescence and decreased photoreceptor cell loss in a sodium iodate-induced AMD animal model. Similarly, oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide, nuclear phosphorylated histone (γH2AX) deposition and premature senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining were inhibited by fucoxanthin pretreatment in a human RPE cell line, ARPE-19 cells. Results reveal that fucoxanthin treatment significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and increased the mitochondrial metabolic rate in oxidative stress-induced RPE cell damage. Moreover, atrophy of apical microvilli was inhibited in cells treated with fucoxanthin after oxidative stress. During aging, the RPE undergoes well-characterized pathological changes, including amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition, beta-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) expression and tight junction disruption, which were also reduced in fucoxanthin-treated groups by immunofluorescence. Altogether, pretreatment with fucoxanthin may protect against premature senescence and cellular dysfunction in retinal cells by oxidative stress in experimental AMD animal and human RPE cell models.
Myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion induced cardiac extracellular vesicles harbour proinflammatory features and aggravate heart injury

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) curb important biological functions. We previously disclosed that ischemia‐reperfusion (IR) induces increased release of EVs (IR‐EVs) in the heart. However, the role of IR‐EVs in IR pathological process remains poorly understood. Here we found that adoptive transfer of IR‐EVs aggravated IR induced heart injury, and EV inhibition by GW4869 reduced the IR injury. Our in vivo and in vitro investigations substantiated that IR‐EVs facilitated M1‐like polarization of macrophages with increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Further, we disclosed the miRNA profile in cardiac EVs and confirmed the enrichment of miRNAs, such as miR‐155‐5p in IR‐EVs compared to EVs from the sham heart (S‐EVs). In particular, IR‐EVs transferred miR‐155‐5p to macrophages and enhanced the inflammatory response through activating JAK2/STAT1 pathway. Interestingly, IR‐EVs not only boosted the local inflammation in the heart, but even triggered systemic inflammation in distant organs. Taken together, we newly identify an IR‐EVs–miR‐155‐5p–M1 polarization axis in the heart post IR. The EVs derived from IR‐injured heart contribute to both local and systemic inflammation. Importantly, EV inhibition by GW4869 is supposed to be a promising therapeutic strategy for IR injury.
Natural Biomaterials and Their Use as Bioinks for Printing Tissues

The most prevalent form of bioprinting—extrusion bioprinting—can generate structures from a diverse range of materials and viscosities. It can create personalized tissues that aid in drug testing and cancer research when used in combination with natural bioinks. This paper reviews natural bioinks and their properties and functions in hard and soft tissue engineering applications. It discusses agarose, alginate, cellulose, chitosan, collagen, decellularized extracellular matrix, dextran, fibrin, gelatin, gellan gum, hyaluronic acid, Matrigel, and silk. Multi-component bioinks are considered as a way to address the shortfalls of individual biomaterials. The mechanical, rheological, and cross-linking properties along with the cytocompatibility, cell viability, and printability of the bioinks are detailed as well. Future avenues for research into natural bioinks are then presented.
Estimating Copy-Number Proportions: The Comeback of Sanger Sequencing

Determination of the relative copy numbers of mixed molecular species in nucleic acid samples is often the objective of biological experiments, including Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP), indel and gene copy-number characterization, and quantification of CRISPR-Cas9 base editing, cytosine methylation, and RNA editing. Standard dye-terminator chromatograms are a widely accessible, cost-effective information source from which copy-number proportions can be inferred. However, the rate of incorporation of dye terminators is dependent on the dye type, the adjacent sequence string, and the secondary structure of the sequenced strand. These variable rates complicate inferences and have driven scientists to resort to complex and costly quantification methods. Because these complex methods introduce their own biases, researchers are rethinking whether rectifying distortions in sequencing trace files and using direct sequencing for quantification will enable comparable accurate assessment. Indeed, recent developments in software tools (e.g., TIDE, ICE, EditR, BEEP and BEAT) indicate that quantification based on direct Sanger sequencing is gaining in scientific acceptance. This commentary reviews the common obstacles in quantification and the latest insights and developments relevant to estimating copy-number proportions based on direct Sanger sequencing, concluding that bidirectional sequencing and sophisticated base calling are the keys to identifying and avoiding sequence distortions.
An Intermediate Concentration of Calcium with Antioxidant Supplement in Culture Medium Enhances Proliferation and Decreases the Aging of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Human bone marrow stem cells (HBMSCs) are isolated from the bone marrow. Stem cells can self-renew and differentiate into various types of cells. They are able to regenerate kinds of tissue that are potentially used for tissue engineering. To maintain and expand these cells under culture conditions is difficult—they are easily triggered for differentiation or death. In this study, we describe a new culture formula to culture isolated HBMSCs. This new formula was modified from NCDB 153, a medium with low calcium, supplied with 5% FBS, extra growth factor added to it, and supplemented with N-acetyl-L-cysteine and L-ascorbic acid-2-phosphate to maintain the cells in a steady stage. The cells retain these characteristics as primarily isolated HBMSCs. Moreover, our new formula keeps HBMSCs with high proliferation rate and multiple linage differentiation ability, such as osteoblastogenesis, chondrogenesis, and adipogenesis. It also retains HBMSCs with stable chromosome, DNA, telomere length, and telomerase activity, even after long-term culture. Senescence can be minimized under this new formulation and carcinogenesis of stem cells can also be prevented. These modifications greatly enhance the survival rate, growth rate, and basal characteristics of isolated HBMSCs, which will be very helpful in stem cell research.
Co-Cultivation of Fusarium, Alternaria, and Pseudomonas on Wheat-Ears Affects Microbial Growth and Mycotoxin Production

Mycotoxigenic fungal pathogens Fusarium and Alternaria are a leading cause of loss in cereal production. On wheat-ears, they are confronted by bacterial antagonists such as pseudomonads. Studies on these groups’ interactions often neglect the infection process’s temporal aspects and the associated priority effects. In the present study, the focus was on how the first colonizer affects the subsequent ones. In a climate chamber experiment, wheat-ears were successively inoculated with two different strains (Alternaria tenuissima At625, Fusarium graminearum Fg23, or Pseudomonas simiae Ps9). Over three weeks, microbial abundances and mycotoxin concentrations were analyzed and visualized via Self Organizing Maps with Sammon Mapping (SOM-SM). All three strains revealed different characteristics and strategies to deal with co-inoculation: Fg23, as the first colonizer, suppressed the establishment of At625 and Ps9. Nevertheless, primary inoculation of At625 reduced all of the Fusarium toxins and stopped Ps9 from establishing. Ps9 showed priority effects in delaying and blocking the production of the fungal mycotoxins. The SOM-SM analysis visualized the competitive strengths: Fg23 ranked first, At625 second, Ps9 third. Our findings of species-specific priority effects in a natural environment and the role of the mycotoxins involved are relevant for developing biocontrol strategies.
Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Extracellular Vesicles in the Treatment of Radiation Lesions—A Review

Ionising radiation-induced normal tissue damage is a major concern in clinic and public health. It is the most limiting factor in radiotherapy treatment of malignant diseases. It can also cause a serious harm to populations exposed to accidental radiation exposure or nuclear warfare. With regard to the clinical use of radiation, there has been a number of modalities used in the field of radiotherapy. These includes physical modalities such modified collimators or fractionation schedules in radiotherapy. In addition, there are a number of pharmacological agents such as essential fatty acids, vasoactive drugs, enzyme inhibitors, antioxidants, and growth factors for the prevention or treatment of radiation lesions in general. However, at present, there is no standard procedure for the treatment of radiation-induced normal tissue lesions. Stem cells and their role in tissue regeneration have been known to biologists, in particular to radiobiologists, for many years. It was only recently that the potential of stem cells was studied in the treatment of radiation lesions. Stem cells, immediately after their successful isolation from a variety of animal and human tissues, demonstrated their likely application in the treatment of various diseases. This paper describes the types and origin of stem cells, their characteristics, current research, and reviews their potential in the treatment and regeneration of radiation induced normal tissue lesions. Adult stem cells, among those mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), are the most extensively studied of stem cells. This review focuses on the effects of MSCs in the treatment of radiation lesions.
Performance and Application of Commercially Available Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Kits in Malaria Endemic and Non-Endemic Settings

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a sensitive molecular tool suitable for use as a near point-of-care test for the diagnosis of malaria. Recent meta-analyses have detailed high sensitivity and specificity of malaria LAMP when compared to microscopy, rapid diagnostic tests, and polymerase chain reaction in both endemic and non-endemic settings. Despite this, the use of malaria LAMP has primarily been limited to research settings to date. In this review, we aim to assess to what extent commercially available malaria LAMP kits have been applied in different settings, and to identify possible obstacles that may have hindered their use from being adopted further. In order to address this, we conducted a literature search in PubMed.gov using the search terms (((LAMP) OR (Loop-mediated isothermal amplification)) AND ((Malaria) OR (Plasmodium))). Focusing primarily on studies employing one of the commercially available kits, we then selected three key areas of LAMP application for further review: the performance and application of LAMP in malaria endemic settings including low transmission areas; LAMP for malaria screening during pregnancy; and malaria LAMP in returning travelers in non-endemic settings.