Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Shear-Wave Velocity Structures in Taichung, Taiwan, Using Array Measurements of Microtremors

Near-surface S-wave velocity structures (VS) are crucial in site-effect studies and ground-motion simulations or predictions. We explored S-wave velocity structures in Taichung, the second-largest city in Taiwan by population, by employing array measurements of microtremors at a total of 53 sites. First, the fundamental-mode dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves were estimated by adopting the frequency–wavenumber analysis method. Second, the surface-wave inversion technique was used to calculate the S-wave velocity structures of the area. At many sites, observed phase velocities were almost flat, with a phase velocity of approximately 800–1300 m/s in the frequency range of 0.6–2 Hz. A high-velocity zone (VS of 900–1500 m/s) with a convex shape was observed at the shallow S-wave structures of these sites (depths of 50–500 m). On the basis of the inversion results, we constructed two-dimensional and three-dimensional contour maps to elucidate the variations of VS structures in Taichung. According to VS-contour maps at different depths, lowest S-wave velocities are found at the western coastal plain, whereas highest S-wave velocities appear on the eastern side. The S-wave velocity gradually decreases from east to west. Moreover, the S-wave velocity of the Tertiary bedrock is assumed to be 1500 m/s in the area. According to the depth-contour map (VS = 1500 m/s), the depths of the bedrock range from 250 m (the eastern part) to 1550 m (the western part). The thicknesses of the alluvium gradually decrease from west to east. Our results are consistent with the geology of the Taichung area.
The Efficacy and Neural Correlates of ERP-based Therapy for OCD & TS: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that can effectively relieve obsessive-compulsive symptoms and tic symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette syndrome (TS). However, the effect size of ERP-based therapy is still unclear. METHODS In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to identify the efficacy of ERP-based therapy for individuals with OCD and TS. The standard mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated to assess the effect size of the efficacy for ERP-based therapy. We used subgroup and meta-regression analyses to explore the heterogeneity of the pooled SMD of ERP-based therapy for OCD. We also summarized the neuroimaging studies for ERP-based therapy for OCD. This meta-analysis was registered within the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (number: INPLASY2021120112). RESULTS A total of 18 studies including a total of 1057 patients with OCD and 3 studies including 267 with TS/chronic tic disorder were identified. We did not observe any indication of publication bias using Egger's funnel plot (p = 0.41). We observed a small-to-medium effect size of ERP for both OCD (SMD = -0.27, 95% CI: -0.53 to -0.01) and TS/chronic tic disorder (SMD = -0.35, 95% CI: -0.59 to -0.1). We found no heterogeneity of ERP-based therapy for OCD between the ERP-based therapy subgroup and medicine subgroup in the subgroup analysis (p = 0.72). We found no heterogeneity of ERP-based therapy for OCD between the child subgroup and adult subgroup in the subgroup analysis (p = 0.37). We used meta-regression analysis to identify the heterogeneity of ERP-based therapy for OCD and found that the sessions of therapy and publication year did not account for any significant heterogeneity (p > 0.05). The neurological mechanism of EPR-based therapy is unclear, but it may lie in changes in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, we found that ERP-based therapy is effective for patients with OCD and TS/chronic tic disorder. We suggest a combination with other therapies and the development of online ERP services that might prove a promising new direction for healthcare providers.
The effect of rose hip on experimental anti-GBM glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus murine models

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a chronic autoimmune disease with ominous end organ manifestations significantly affecting the kidneys and joints. One of the most frequent manifestations is glomerulonephritis (GN), a renal disease distinguished by inflammation of the glomeruli that often leads to end stage kidney failure. Treatments often have severe side effects. Rose hip (RH) is derived from Rosa canina L. and has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries; it contains numerous beneficial constituents, and has the capacity to counter lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Methods: Nephritis was induced in 129/svJ strain mice using anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies (anti-GBM). The experimental group was fed whole RH preparation (100mg/kg body weight per day) by oral gavage from D5 to D10; the control group was fed the diluent used to dissolve RH (10 mice per group). Mice were sacrificed on D11 and phenotyped for disease. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and proteinuria were measured; flow cytometry of kidneys was performed on both groups. Results: RH treatment decreased proteinuria, blood urea nitrogen, CD4+, CD8+, CD11b+Gr-1+ (neutrophil), and CD11b+CD11c+ (myeloid cells) compared with nephritis control. The presence of vitamin C was confirmed. RH largely maintained its total antioxidant capacity and some vitamin C content for 24 hours, as well as at least 7 days after preparation. Conclusion: Our preliminary results confirmed that RH has antioxidative properties, significant anti-inflammatory effects, and may be useful in managing glomerulonephritisKeywords: Rose hip, glomerulonephritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus, proteinuria, blood urea nitrogen, CD4+, CD8+, CD11b+Gr-1+(neutrophil), and CD11b+CD11c+ (myeloid cells)
Incorporation of Lipids into Wheat Bran Cellulose/Wheat Gluten Composite Film Improves Its Water Resistance Properties

This work evaluated the improvement effects of lipids incorporation on water resistance of composite biodegradable film prepared with wheat bran cellulose/wheat gluten (WBC/WG) using an alkaline–ethanol film forming system. Four types of lipids, paraffin wax (PW), beeswax (BW), paraffin oil (PO), and oleic acid (OA), were tested. We found that PW, BW, and PO incorporation at 5–20% improved water vapor permeability (WVP) and surface hydrophobicity of prepared films. Particularly, incorporation of 15% BW could best improve the water resistance properties of the film, with the lowest WVP of 0.76 × 10−12 g/cm·s·Pa and largest water contact angle (WCA) of 86.18°. Incorporation of OA led to the decline in moisture barrier properties. SEM images revealed that different lipids incorporation changed the morphology and of the composite film, and cross-sectional morphology indicated BW-incorporated film obtained more uniform and compact structures compared to other films. Moreover, Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that the incorporation of PW or BW enhanced the molecular interactions between the film components, confirmed by the chemical shift of characteristic peaks at 3277 and 1026 cm−1. Differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that incorporation of PW, BW, and PO increased films’ melting point, decomposition temperatures, and enthalpy values. Furthermore, the presence of most lipids decreased tensile strength and elongation at the break of the film. Overall, the composite film containing 15% BW obtained the most promising water resistance performance and acceptable mechanical properties, and it thus most suitable as a hydrophobic biodegradable material for food packaging.
A resonant power MOSFET/IGBT gate driver

This paper discusses a resonant gate driver that employs a new method of driving a power MOSFET or IGBT. This resonant gate driver recycles the energy stored in the gate capacitance to reduce the CV/sup 2/f losses associated with a conventional gate driver. Reducing the CV/sup 2/f losses reduces the power consumption and hence the subsequent power dissipation in the resonant gate driver. Less power dissipation enables the driver to operate to higher frequencies. In addition, this topology allows the resonant gate driver to drive the MOSFET gate with a much higher peak to peak voltage swing than it is supplied with and to drive the gate negative in its off cycle. The resonant gate driver can drive the gate with a variable frequency and duty cycle, and very fast switching of the power MOSFET is obtained. An introduction into the low loss capacitance driver circuit topology (patent pending) is presented. The design considerations of implementing a practical MOSFET gate driver using this topology are discussed. Practical implications and considerations of using this topology to drive power MOSFETs/IGBTs are briefly put forward. Experimental test circuits and results are then presented.
A Scanning Induction Thermography System for Thread Defects of Drill Pipes

In oil mining system, stress cracks on thread usually lead to drill pipe failure. To maintain normal operation of drill pipes, the thread needs to be nondestructively tested. However, due to complicated structure, it is challenging to identify and quantify the cracks the using existing nondestructive testing (NDT) methods. In this article, a scanning induction thermography (SIT) system for automatic detection of drill pipe thread (DPT) is presented. Specifically, a profiling heating method (PHM) is proposed to produce uniform heating on the root part of thread tooth where most of the stress cracks occur. A weighted least squares fitting (WLSF)-based difference algorithm is used to eliminate the background temperature of scanning data. The algorithm can extract crack thermal response with the influence of lift-off distance change and marginal effect of electric field in SIT. Experiments show that the proposed system can obtain 3k thermal contrast between crack and defective-free area when testing the crack with only 0.3 mm depth. Three SIT systems with other heating methods are also used for comparison. Better heating uniformity, signal intensity, robustness of structural change, linear property with depth information, and signal consistency when testing similar cracks in different areas of the root part can be demonstrated in the proposed system.
Purely real unconstrained correlation filters

The theoretical development of purely real composite filters for optical correlators is proposed. These filters can be useful if the spatial light modulators (SLM) offer an 'amplitude only' mode, and provide an alternative to the fully complex ideal filters which cannot be implemented in general due to the limitations of the modulation capabilities of most existing SLMs. We analytically show that the performance of the proposed real filters is at most 3dB below that of their ideal counterpart. Even if their applications remains limited due to properties of real-world SLMs and the advent of mapping techniques to fit complex filters to device characteristic curves, the study of purely real filters may offer insights to establishing lower bounds on the performance loss for other limited modulation filters.
CMOS-Based Redox-Type Label-Free ATP Image Sensor for In Vitro Sensitive Imaging of Extracellular ATP

Adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) plays a crucial role as an extracellular signaling molecule in the central nervous system and is closely related to various nerve diseases. Therefore, label-free imaging of extracellular ATP dynamics and spatiotemporal analysis is crucial for understanding brain function. To decrease the limit of detection (LOD) of imaging extracellular ATP, we fabricated a redox-type label-free ATP image sensor by immobilizing glycerol-kinase (GK), L-α-glycerophosphate oxidase (LGOx), and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzymes in a polymer film on a gold electrode-modified potentiometric sensor array with a 37.3 µm-pitch. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is generated through the enzymatic reactions from GK to LGOx in the presence of ATP and glycerol, and ATP can be detected as changes in its concentration using an electron mediator. Using this approach, the LOD for ATP was 2.8 µM with a sensitivity of 77 ± 3.8 mV/dec., under 10 mM working buffers at physiological pH, such as in in vitro experiments, and the LOD was great superior 100 times than that of the hydrogen ion detection-based image sensor. This redox-type ATP image sensor may be successfully applied for in vitro sensitive imaging of extracellular ATP dynamics in brain nerve tissue or cells.
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant shows less efficient replication and fusion activity when compared with Delta variant in TMPRSS2-expressed cells

ABSTRACT The novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), first found in early November 2021, has sparked considerable global concern and it has >50 mutations, many of which are known to affect transmissibility or cause immune escape. In this study, we sought to investigate the virological characteristics of the Omicron variant and compared it with the Delta variant which has dominated the world since mid-2021. Omicron variant replicated more slowly than the Delta variant in transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2)-overexpressing VeroE6 (VeroE6/TMPRSS2) cells. Notably, the Delta variant replicated well in Calu3 cell line which has robust TMPRSS2 expression, while the Omicron variant replicated poorly in this cell line. Competition assay showed that Delta variant outcompeted Omicron variant in VeroE6/TMPRSS2 and Calu3 cells. To confirm the difference in entry pathway between the Omicron and Delta variants, we assessed the antiviral effect of bafilomycin A1, chloroquine (inhibiting endocytic pathway), and camostat (inhibiting TMPRSS2 pathway). Camostat potently inhibited the Delta variant but not the Omicron variant, while bafilomycin A1 and chloroquine could inhibit both Omicron and Delta variants. Moreover, the Omicron variant also showed weaker cell–cell fusion activity when compared with Delta variant in VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells. Collectively, our results suggest that Omicron variant infection is not enhanced by TMPRSS2 but is largely mediated via the endocytic pathway. The difference in entry pathway between Omicron and Delta variants may have an implication on the clinical manifestations or disease severity.
Prevalence of coagulase‐positive methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in dogs in Bangladesh

Abstract Background The emergence of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) have a significant health impact on people with direct or supportive occupations in veterinary medicine including veterinarians, animal handlers, laboratory personnel and pet owners. Objectives This cross‐sectional survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for S. aureus, S. pseudintermedius, MRSA and MRSP in dogs in Bangladesh. Methods A total of 358 swab samples were collected from different body sites of 150 dogs attending a university teaching veterinary hospital between January and June 2018. Standard bacteriological procedures were followed to isolate Staphylococcus, and identification was confirmed to the species level by PCR to detect the nuc gene. MRSA and MRSP were confirmed by the presence of the mecA gene. Results The prevalence of coagulase‐positive S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius in dogs were 16% and 45.3%, respectively. S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius isolates displayed the highest resistance against nalidixic acid (95.2% and 91%, respectively) and erythromycin (89.3% and 84.7%, respectively). Notably, all the staphylococcal isolates showed resistance to ≥3 antimicrobial classes. The prevalence of MRSA and MRSP in dogs was 8.7% and 6%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified the following variables as risk factors for MRSA colonisation in dogs: dogs with dermatitis (odds ratio [OR], 12.24, 95% CI: 3.12–57.33; p < 0.001) and history of antibiotic use (OR 8.73, 95% CI: 2.23–43.10; p < 0.001). Presence of otitis (OR 14.22; 95% CI: 1.64–103.58; p = 0.008) and oral lesions (OR 9.48, 95% CI: 1.14–64.82; p = 0.002) were identified as the significant risk factors for the carriage of MRSP. Conclusions The circulation of multidrug‐resistant S. aureus and S. pseudintermedius is a serious concern to dogs and humans. To our knowledge, this is the first report of S. pseudintermedius and MRSP affecting dogs in Bangladesh.
Converging Radial Velocity and Thrust Enhancement in Nature's Jetting Swimmers

A new underwater thruster design is inspired by propulsion mechanisms of jellyfish, squid, octopus and other cephalopods. The thruster expels finite jets of water periodically to provide necessary maneuvering forces on underwater vehicles and can be placed completely inside the vehicle body. Since the design is inspired by squid and jellyfish propulsion, this paper will investigate one way in which propulsive thrust is improved by these animals. A CFD simulation of a swimming jellyfish is analyzed to determine propulsive performance with respect to jetting kinematics, showing that the shape of the velar opening flaps induce a converging radial velocity in the jet increasing the total jet impulse. A prototype thruster was equipped with a set of nozzles to create both parallel and converging jet flows and it was observed that the converging jet flow produced a propulsive jet with 70% more impulse than the parallel jet flow.
Text-independent Speaker Verification Using Hybrid Convolutional Neural Networks

Automatic speaker verification is an active research area for more than four decades, and the technology has gradually upgraded for real application. In this paper, a hybrid convolutional neural network (CNN) model is proposed where a combination of the 3D CNN & 2D CNN model is used for speaker verification in the text-independent scenario. For speaker verification, this novel convolutional neural network architecture was built to capture and discard speaker and non-speaker information at the same time. In the training process, the network is trained to differentiate between different identities of a speaker to establish the background model. The model development of the speaker is one of the important aspects. Most conventional techniques employed the d-vector system to create speaker models by means of an average of the features collected from the speaker utterance. Here a hybrid of convolutional neural networks model is utilized in the development and registration phases for building a speaker model. The approach suggested exceeds the existing methods of speaker verification.
An Interplay between Viruses and Bacteria Associated with the White Sea Sponges Revealed by Metagenomics

Sponges are remarkable holobionts harboring extremely diverse microbial and viral communities. However, the interactions between the components within holobionts and between a holobiont and environment are largely unknown, especially for polar organisms. To investigate possible interactions within and between sponge-associated communities, we probed the microbiomes and viromes of cold-water sympatric sponges Isodictya palmata (n = 2), Halichondria panicea (n = 3), and Halichondria sitiens (n = 3) by 16S and shotgun metagenomics. We showed that the bacterial and viral communities associated with these White Sea sponges are species-specific and different from the surrounding water. Extensive mining of bacterial antiphage defense systems in the metagenomes revealed a variety of defense mechanisms. The abundance of defense systems was comparable in the metagenomes of the sponges and the surrounding water, thus distinguishing the White Sea sponges from those inhabiting the tropical seas. We developed a network-based approach for the combined analysis of CRISPR-spacers and protospacers. Using this approach, we showed that the virus–host interactions within the sponge-associated community are typically more abundant (three out of four interactions studied) than the inter-community interactions. Additionally, we detected the occurrence of viral exchanges between the communities. Our work provides the first insight into the metagenomics of the three cold-water sponge species from the White Sea and paves the way for a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between microbial communities and associated viruses.
RESULTS FROM THE NON-TRADITIONAL (SUB-SURFACE) IN SITU VITRIFICATION DEMONSTRATION FOR MIXED WASTE APPLICATIONS AT THE LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

MSE Technology Applications, Inc., (MSE) in conjunction with DOE's Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area (SCFA), is conducting an evaluation of non -traditional in situ vitrification (NTISV) technology as a potential remedy for treatment of the mixed-waste- contaminated absorption beds at Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) Material Disposal Area-V (MDA -V) site. The MDA-V site contains three absorption beds that received effluent from a nuclear laundry as well as research-derived liquids from 1945 to 1978. The absorption beds and the volcanic tuff below them contain various radionuclides, inorganics and organic contaminants. The project involved the performance of two large-scale demonstration melts. The first, termed the "cold" demonstration, was performed in an uncontaminated simulated absorption bed at the LANL site and was completed in April 1999. The second "hot" (radioactive) demonstration melt was successfully performed in April 2000 and was completed within LANL's MDA-V's Absorption Bed 1 at Technical Area 21. The NTISV demonstration project successfully demonstrated the planar subsurface GeoMelt process for treatment of subsurface contamination zones. New treatment depth records were achieved, and the potential for even greater depth attainment was clearly shown. The demonstration showed the advantages of subsurface melting over conventional top-down ISV melting, which was the major objective of the demonstration. This includes increased operating efficiency due to the significantly reduced power requirements compared with conventional ISV. The subsurface melting also eliminated the release of radion uclides to the hood and off- gas treatment system. This results in decreasing the exposure potential for workers and reduces the amount of secondary wastes. The vitrified product produced during the cold demonstration was determined to be homogenous and extremely leach resistant based on standard leach test methods. The homogeneity and high degree of leach resistance of the cold demonstration
Managing government legitimacy during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: a semantic network analysis of state-run media Sina Weibo posts

Abstract China’s state-run media are the mouthpiece of the government. During public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, they are responsible for disseminating essential information to the public on behalf of the government. This study examined the Sina Weibo posts published by three leading state-run media entities (CCTV, People’s Daily, and Xinhua News Agency) during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. Semantic networks were extracted from posts during each stage of the outbreak, and clusters of nodes representing communication themes were identified, including investigations of the coronavirus, governmental policies and response efforts, case updates, prevention and control, and medical treatment. These themes indicate the use of information and bolstering strategies to maintain and increase government legitimacy. The findings can inform future risk and crisis communication during public health crises.