Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Frequency Offset Estimation for Multiuser Systems Based on a Low Dimensional Approximation of the Likelihood Function

This work corresponds to the theoretical foundations and practical proof of the master’s degree project in frequency offset estimation for multiuser systems based on a low dimensional approximation of the likelihood function. The project aims at the development of a low complexity estimator which can be relied upon. This way, higher frequency offset estimation rates can be achieved allowing for the use of less stable oscillators. Particularly, it is intended for the estimation of fractional (with respect to the OFDM sub-carrier spacing) frequency offsets. The document is structured in a way it is expected to be understood by any reader with a background in Communications Engineering. Problem formulation and a review of the theoretical concepts used here are given at the beginning. Afterwards, the benchmark of the project (the ML estimator) is explained in detail with its main advantages and drawbacks. Later, a low dimension approximation in order to cope with ML’s weaknesses is illustrated. Finally, a simulator is developed giving the outcomes required in order to be able to conclude about the proposed method. Conclusions and future work are of relevance as there is a practical motivation for this project coming from the industry. Hence, further modifications in order to improve the results even more are envisaged. These were not developed thoroughly due to time constraint reasons in the development of the project but leave an open door for future research.
The interactive art system

A formative journey from encounters with signals intelligence and cybernetics to work with colleagues, students and engineers between March 1968 and June 1972 on interactive art systems that seemed (40 years ago) to be significant. Though widely exhibited, in once case at the VI Paris Biennale, the programme was aborted in 1972 for the lack of arts research and development funding. Two conceptual frameworks: the artwork as a system; and what an engineer termed the art work's 'logic engine'. The paper asks whether the time of these ideas did, should or ever will come.
The Role of Anti-EGFR Monoclonal Antibody in mCRC Maintenance Therapy

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) combined with chemotherapy in patients with RAS (rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog) wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) can alleviate and stabilize the disease, effectively prolong the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and improve the overall response rate (ORR), which is the first-line treatment standard scheme for RAS wild-type mCRC currently. However, whether anti-EGFR mAb can be used for the maintenance treatment after the first-line treatment of mCRC remains controversial. We reviewed the recent studies on anti-EGFR mAb. The contents include five parts, introduction, anti-EGFR mAb in mCRC and its status in first-line therapy, establishment of the maintenance treatment pattern after the standard first-line treatment for mCRC, research progress of anti-EGFR mAb in mCRC maintenance therapy, and conclusion. More studies support the maintenance treatment of anti-EGFR mAb, but some researchers raise the problems about high cost and drug resistance. Despite lack of the maintenance evidence of anti-EGFR mAb, especially lack of large-scale phase III prospective clinical trials, with the emergence of new evidence and more accurate screening of treatment-dominant groups, maintenance therapy with anti-EGFR mAb monotherapy or anti-EGFR mAb combined with fluorouracil-based schemes after first-line chemotherapy combined with anti-EGFR mAb therapy might strive for more treatment opportunities, optimize treatment strategies and prolong treatment continuity, and finally, lead to more survival benefit for suitable patients.
Modeling Study on Oil Particle Filtration Performance of a Composite Coalescing Filter

The traditional theoretical model is not suitable for the simulation of the oil particle filtration process of a composite filter due to its huge difference in fiber diameter. In this paper, the concept of fiber dispersion σ was introduced into a mathematical model for describing the dynamic filtration process of a composite filter. The results show that the model is in good agreement with the experimental data. As the packing density is constant, the higher the fiber dispersion, the better performance is. In addition, the effect of different factors on the efficiency of different mechanisms was discussed. For fine particles (<0.1 μm), diffusion is the dominant mechanism. For coarse particles (>1 μm), the inertia impaction mechanism dominates the filtration efficiency. The fiber diameter has a significant effect on the inertia impaction mechanism. The single-fiber efficiency by inertia impaction mechanism is obviously affected by filtration velocity. The packing density has an effect on all mechanisms except for the diffusion mechanism. Moreover, such a model would contribute to an accurate prediction of the dynamic filtration performance of composite filters with polydisperse fiber diameter and improve performance by adjusting parameters reasonably.
Computer-Based Immunoinformatic Analysis to Predict Candidate T-Cell Epitopes for SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Design

Since the first outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019, its high infectivity led to its prevalence around the world in an exceptionally short time. Efforts have been made to control the ongoing outbreak, and among them, vaccine developments are going on high priority. New clinical trials add to growing evidence that vaccines from many countries were highly effective at preventing SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. One of them is B cell-based vaccines, which were common during a pandemic. However, neutralizing antibody therapy becomes less effective when viruses mutate. In order to tackle the problem, we focused on T-cell immune mechanism. In this study, the mutated strains of the virus were selected globally from India (B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2), United Kingdom (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), and Brazil (P.1), and the overlapping peptides were collected based on mutation sites of S-protein. After that, residue scanning was used to predict the affinity between overlapping peptide and HLA-A*11:01, the most frequent human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele among the Chinese population. Then, the binding free energy was evaluated with molecular docking to further verify the affinity changes after the mutations happen in the virus genomes. The affinity test results of three epitopes on spike protein from experimental validation were consistent with our predicted results, thereby supporting the inclusion of the epitope 374FSTFKCYGL382 in future vaccine design and providing a useful reference route to improve vaccine development.
Key Capabilities of an Electronic Health Record System: Letter Report

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. In May 2003, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to provide guidance on the key care delivery-related capabilities of an electronic health record (EHR) system. An EHR system includes (1) longitudinal collection of electronic health information for and about persons, where health information is defined as information pertaining to the health of an individual or health care provided to an individual; (2) immediate electronic access to person-and population-level information by authorized, and only authorized, users; (3) provision of knowledge and decision-support that enhance the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care; and (4) support of efficient processes for health care delivery. Critical building blocks of an EHR system are the electronic health records (EHR) maintained by providers (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory settings) …
Spatial and Temporal Variations of Cockle (Cerastoderma spp.) Populations in Two Portuguese Estuarine Systems With Low Directed Fishing Pressure

Cockles are amongst the most exploited bivalve species in Portugal, playing an important ecological and socioeconomic role in coastal ecosystems. Two sympatric species of cockles, Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus, 1758) and Cerastoderma glaucum (Bruguière, 1789–1792) may co-occur in estuaries and coastal lagoons in mixed populations along the European Atlantic coast, namely in Portugal, France and the United Kingdom. The increasing importance of shellfish harvesting in Portugal requires a good knowledge of cockle stocks and temporal variability in stock levels to better inform sustainable management practices. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing spatial and temporal variations in cockle populations in two Portuguese estuarine systems where the species are exploited at low levels. Sampling was carried out using a clam dredge, covering the entire potential area of occurrence of cockles in the Tagus and Sado estuaries at around the same time of the year in each of the three sampling years (2015, 2018, and 2019). The abundance, spatial distribution and population structure of cockles were examined at each system. Moreover, several water and sediment parameters were measured to understand the influence of environmental conditions on the spatial distribution and abundance of cockles. The results obtained showed that cockles occur mostly in the intermediate areas of both estuarine systems and are more abundant in the Tagus estuary. Depth, average sediment grain size and the species Ruditapes philippinarum were the factors that better explained the probability of species occurrence. The population structure analysis indicated that natural mortality is constraining the cockle communities given the low abundance of adult individuals with marketable size in both estuaries. This study highlights the need for appropriate management measures to ensure the sustainability of these bivalve population stocks that have significant socioeconomic importance for local populations.
Agricultural Jiaosu: An Eco-Friendly and Cost-Effective Control Strategy for Suppressing Fusarium Root Rot Disease in Astragalus membranaceus

Root rot caused by the pathogenic fungi of the Fusarium genus poses a great threat to the yield and quality of medicinal plants. The application of Agricultural Jiaosu (AJ), which contains beneficial microbes and metabolites, represents a promising disease control strategy. However, the action-effect of AJ on Fusarium root rot disease remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the characteristics and antifungal activity of AJ fermented using waste leaves and stems of medicinal plants, and elucidated the mechanisms of AJ action by quantitative real-time PCR and redundancy analysis. The effects of AJ and antagonistic microbes isolated from it on disease suppression were further validated through a pot experiment. Our results indicate that the AJ was rich in beneficial microorganisms (Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Lactobacillus), organic acids (acetic, formic, and butyric acids) and volatile organic compounds (alcohols and esters). It could effectively inhibit Fusarium oxysporum and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 13.64%. The antifungal contribution rate of the microbial components of AJ reached 46.48%. Notably, the redundancy analysis revealed that the Bacillus and Pseudomonas genera occupied the main niche during the whole inhibition process. Moreover, the abundance of the Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Lactobacillus genera were positively correlated with the pH-value, lactic, formic and butyric acids. The results showed that the combined effects of beneficial microbes and organic acid metabolites increased the efficacy of the AJ antifungal activity. The isolation and identification of AJ’s antagonistic microbes detected 47 isolates that exhibited antagonistic activities against F. oxysporum in vitro. In particular, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus velezensis presented the strongest antifungal activity. In the pot experiment, the application of AJ and these two Bacillus species significantly reduced the disease incidence of Fusarium root rot and promoted the growth of Astragalus. The present study provides a cost-effective method to control of Fusarium root rot disease, and establishes a whole-plant recycling pattern to promote the sustainable development of medicinal plant cultivation.
Plausible Functional Diagnostics by Rational Echocardiography in the Assessment of Valvular Heart Disease - Role of Quantitative Echocardiography in the Assessment of Mitral Regurgitation

The echocardiographic assessment of valvular heart diseases is the basic analysis of valvular defects next to clinical investigation and stethoscopy. Severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) is usually estimated by an integrated approach using semi quantitative parameters and is still one of the biggest challenges of echocardiography. Quantitative echocardiographic analysis of MR severity often fails to describe comprehensible hemodynamic conditions. However, comprehensive echocardiography based on standardized image acquisition and proper image quality is required to properly assess hemodynamic parameter comparable to cardiac magnetic resonance tomography. This review focuses on the uncertainty of MR severity assessed by echocardiography in recent trials of interventional MR treatment. In addition, the necessity to provide plausible echocardiographic data for individual decision making is highlighted. In conclusion, plausible functional diagnostics by rational echocardiography is a prerequisite in patients with valvular heart diseases.
Integrated Analysis of Genes Associated With Immune Microenvironment and Distant Metastasis in Uveal Melanoma

Inflammatory infiltration plays an essential role in the progression of tumor malignancy. The aim of this study was to identify genes associated with inflammatory microenvironment and clinical traits for survival prediction of uveal melanoma (UVM) patients. The datasets and clinical characteristics of UVM were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. We divided the UVM patients into low and high immune cell infiltration groups, identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), constructed weighted gene co-expression network, and established prognostic prediction model and nomogram for UVM. Our analysis showed that DEGs were enriched in cytokine signaling in immune system, positive regulation of immune response and adaptive immune system. A total of fifteen candidate genes were extracted from DEGs and genes that were positively associated with tumor metastasis. Subsequently, five prognostic genes were selected to construct the final prognostic prediction model, including two up-regulated genes LHFPL3 antisense RNA 1 (LHFPL3-AS1) and LYN proto-oncogene (LYN), and three down-regulated genes SLCO4A1 antisense RNA 1 (SLCO4A1-AS1), Zinc-α2-glycoprotein 1 (AZGP1) and Deleted in Liver Cancer-1 (DLC1) in the high risk group. The model showed an Area Under Curve (AUC) value of 0.877. Our analysis highlighted the importance of immune-related genes in the progression of UVM and also provided potential targets for the immunotherapy of UVM.
Production of Potyvirus-Derived Nanoparticles Decorated with a Nanobody in Biofactory Plants

Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) have recently attracted attention for their use as building blocks for novel materials to support a range of functions of potential interest in nanotechnology and medicine. Viral capsids are ideal for presenting small epitopes by inserting them at an appropriate site on the selected coat protein (CP). VNPs presenting antibodies on their surfaces are considered highly promising tools for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Due to their size, nanobodies are an interesting alternative to classic antibodies for surface presentation. Nanobodies are the variable domains of heavy-chain (VHH) antibodies from animals belonging to the family Camelidae, which have several properties that make them attractive therapeutic molecules, such as their small size, simple structure, and high affinity and specificity. In this work, we have produced genetically encoded VNPs derived from two different potyviruses—the largest group of RNA viruses that infect plants—decorated with nanobodies. We have created a VNP derived from zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) decorated with a nanobody against the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) plants. As reported for other viruses, the expression of ZYMV-derived VNPs decorated with this nanobody was only made possible by including a picornavirus 2A splicing peptide between the fused proteins, which resulted in a mixed population of unmodified and decorated CPs. We have also produced tobacco etch virus (TEV)-derived VNPs in Nicotiana benthamiana plants decorated with the same nanobody against GFP. Strikingly, in this case, VNPs could be assembled by direct fusion of the nanobody to the viral CP with no 2A splicing involved, likely resulting in fully decorated VNPs. For both expression systems, correct assembly and purification of the recombinant VNPs was confirmed by transmission electron microscope; the functionality of the CP-fused nanobody was assessed by western blot and binding assays. In sum, here we report the production of genetically encoded plant-derived VNPs decorated with a nanobody. This system may be an attractive alternative for the sustainable production in plants of nanobody-containing nanomaterials for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Integrative Analysis of Biomarkers and Mechanisms in Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma

Craniopharyngioma is a benign tumor, and the predominant treatment methods are surgical resection and radiotherapy. However, both treatments may lead to complex complications, seriously affecting patients’ survival rate and quality of life. Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP), as one of the histological subtypes of craniopharyngioma, is associated with a high incidence and poor prognosis, and there is a gap in the targeted therapy of immune-related genes for ACP. In this study, two gene expression profiles of ACP, namely GSE68015 and GSE94349, were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the Limma package, and 271 differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs) were obtained from the Immport database. The gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery. Five hub genes, including CXCL6, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL13, and SAA1, were screened out through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network interaction construction. Two diagnostic markers, namely S100A2 and SDC1 (both of which have the Area Under Curve value of 1), were screened by the machine learning algorithm. CIBERSORT analysis showed that M2 macrophages, activated NK cells, and gamma delta T cells had higher abundance in ACP infiltration, while CD8+ T cells, regulatory T cells, and Neutrophils had less abundance in ACP infiltration. The expression of gamma delta T cells was positively correlated with CXCL6, S100A2, SDC1, and SAA1, while CD8+ T cells expression was negatively correlated with CXCL6, S100A2, SDC1, and CXCL10. ACP with high CXCL6 showed remarkable drug sensitivity to Pentostatin and Wortmannin via CellMiner database analysis. Our results deepened the understanding of the molecular immune mechanism in ACP and provided potential biomarkers for the precisely targeted therapy for ACP.
Quantifying Aluminum Crystal Size Part 1: The Model-Eliciting Activity.

Model-eliciting activities (MEA), specially designed client-drive, open-ended problems, have been implemented in a first-year engineering course and in secondary schools. The educational goals and settings are different, but the design of an MEA enables it to be versatile. This paper will introduce the reader to the principles that guide MEA design and demonstrate the flexibility of implementation by describing the use of an MEA, Aluminum Crystal Size, in these two educational settings.
A Thermodynamic Method for the Estimation of Free Gas Proportion in Depressurization Production of Natural Gas Hydrate

Free gas saturation is one of the key factors that affect the overall production behaviors of hydrate reservoirs. For example, different free gas contents could alter the thermal response of hydrate reservoirs to the artificial stimulation and hence change the gas production performance. To investigate whether and how much the hydrate reservoir contains free gas, we proposed a thermodynamic method to calculate the total heat consumption of hydrate dissociation throughout gas production and assess the free gas proportion. Based on the monitoring data of the first offshore hydrate production in Japan, we calculated the total heat consumption and analyzed the contributions of heat convection, heat conduction, and sensible heat during the entire test. The calculation results showed that there is likely to be a certain amount of free gas in the hydrate reservoir in the Eastern Nankai Trough. In addition, the analysis of different heat sources revealed the critical thermodynamic phenomenon in which the reservoir sensible heat was the main source for enthalpy of hydrate dissociation, which consistently contributed more than 95% of the total heat supply during the 6-day production test. The results of this work may help upgrade the production strategy for natural gas hydrates.