Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complement Activation Products in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia

Evidence suggests a role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of a number of mental conditions, including schizophrenia (SCH). In terms of physiology, aside from its crucial protective function, the complement cascade (CC) is a critical element of the regeneration processes, including neurogenesis. Few studies have attempted to define the function of the CC components in SCH. To shed more light on this topic, we compared the levels of complement activation products (CAP) (C3a, C5a and C5b-9) in the peripheral blood of 62 patients with chronic SCH and disease duration of ≥ 10 years with 25 healthy controls matched for age, sex, BMI and smoking status. Concentrations of all the investigated CAP were elevated in SCH patients. However, after controlling for potential confounding factors, significant correlations were observed between SCH and C3a (M = 724.98 ng/mL) and C5a (M = 6.06 ng/mL) levels. In addition, multivariate logistic regression showed that C3a and C5b-9 were significant predictors of SCH. There were no significant correlations between any CAP and SCH symptom severity or general psychopathology in SCH patients. However, two significant links emerged between C3a and C5b-9 and global functioning. Increased levels of both complement activation products in the patient group as compared to healthy controls raise questions concerning the role of the CC in the etiology of SCH and further demonstrate dysregulation of the immune system in SCH patients.
Central polynomials for low order matrix algebras with involution

In the paper we investigate central polynomials for the matrix algebra with symplectic involution *. Their form is inspired by an approach of Formanek and Bergman for investigating matrix identities by means of commutative algebra. We find a necessary condition for the existence of central polynomials of the considered type and define their minimal degree. A description of such central polynomials for M 4(K.*) is given. Some investigations are made for M 6(K.*).
The association between meeting physical activity guidelines and academic performance among junior high school adolescents in China-evidence from the China education tracking survey

Purpose To examine how well Chinese adolescents meet the physical exercise time and screen time recommendations in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2021), and the relationship between adolescents’ physical exercise time, screen time and their academic performance. Method Daily physical exercise time, screen time and academic performance were collected from Grade 8 adolescents (n = 9,449). Academic performance included standardized scores on Chinese, Math and English tests and responses to the School Life Experience Scale. Results Meeting the physical activity time and screen time in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Chinese Residents was associated with adolescents’ academic performance. Specifically, having at least 60 min of physical exercise per day was associated with adolescents’ school life experiences compared to adolescents who did not meet the physical exercise time and screen time in the Chinese Residents’ Physical Activity Guidelines. Less than 2 h of cumulative screen time per day was associated with adolescent mathematics test scores, English test scores and school life experiences. Meeting both physical exercise time and screen time to be recommended had more significant effects on adolescents’ mathematics, Chinese, English and school life experiences. Meeting both the physical exercise time and screen time recommendations in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Chinese Residents was more significantly associated with boys’ mathematics test scores, Chinese test scores and School life experience. Meeting both the physical exercise time and screen time requirements in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Chinese Residents had a more significant effect on School life experience for girls. Conclusion Physical exercise participation of at least 60 min per day and/or less than 2 h of cumulative screen time per day were both associated with adolescent academic performance. Stakeholders should actively promote adolescents to follow the Physical Activity Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2021).
Pricing Experimental Design: Causal Effect, Expected Revenue and Tail Risk

When launching a new product, historical sales data is often not available, leaving price as a crucial experimental instrument for sellers to gauge market response. When designing pricing experiments, there are three fundamental objectives: estimating the causal effect of price (i.e., price elasticity), maximizing the expected revenue through the experiment, and controlling the tail risk suffering from a very huge loss. In this paper, we reveal the relationship among such three objectives. Under a linear structural model, we investigate the trade-offs between causal inference and expected revenue maximization, as well as between expected revenue maximization and tail risk con-trol. Furthermore, we propose an optimal pricing experimental design, which can flexibly adapt to different desired levels of trade-offs. Through the optimal design, we also explore the relationship between causal inference and tail risk control.
Turbulent kinetic energy balance of an oscillatory boundary layer in the transition to the fully turbulent regime

The sinusoidal oscillation of a fluid in the vicinity of a rigid smooth wall is studied using the results of direct numerical simulation of the Navier–Stokes equations. Simulations are performed at a wave Reynolds number Rew =U max A/ν=1.41×106 in the turbulent regime. The computed statistics are compared with great success with the available experimental results reported in the literature for U max =1.02 m/s the maximum orbital velocity, A=1.58 m the amplitude of the water excursion, and ν=1.14×10−6 m2/s the kinematic viscosity of the fluid (Rew =U max A/ν=1.41×106). The simulation results allow to identify the development of an unsteady shear layer and regions of zero and negative turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) production. The TKE balance is studied in detail, analyzing the role of each of the terms in the balance equation and the relative relevance of different TKE transport mechanisms. It is found that the local derivative of the TKE is particularly important in the shear layer region. The present results provide an accurate and detailed dataset that could be used for validation of both analytical and numerical models of oscillatory boundary layer flows.
THz Channel Sounding and Modeling Techniques: An Overview

As the world warms up to the idea of millimeter wave (mmWave) communication and fifth generation (5G) mobile networks, realization slowly dawns that the data rate, latency, throughput, and other performance metrics that are used to assess a new wireless communication technology will not be enough to support the demands of envisioned futuristic applications. Thus there is an eagerness to further climb up the frequency ladder to use the large swathes of available spectrum in the 0.1 – 10 THz band which is expected to act as the key technology enabler to fulfill the requirements of the sixth generation (6G) wireless communication and possibly even beyond. Channel measurement and modeling are crucial to the design and deployment of future wireless communication systems and researchers across the globe are putting their best foot forward to accelerate the process. The current article presents comprehensive assimilation of research efforts in the context of THz channel sounding. A detailed overview of the current channel sounding techniques is first introduced followed by their relevance to THz band channel measurement. An in-house novel channel sounder developed for THz band measurement is also briefly introduced in this context. The paper next provides elaborate dissemination of various measurement campaigns in the band of interest followed by the modeling techniques that are available in the literature and are being adopted for the THz band. Post the description of different challenges and future research directions in the context of sounding, measurement, and modeling the article is concluded.
Optimizing laser-accelerated ion beams for a collimated neutron source

High-flux neutrons for imaging and materials analysis applications have typically been provided by accelerator- and reactor-based neutron sources. A novel approach is to use ultraintense (>1018 W/cm2) lasers to generate picosecond, collimated neutrons from a dual target configuration. In this article, the production capabilities of the present and upcoming laser facilities are estimated while independently maximizing neutron yields and minimizing beam divergence. A Monte Carlo code calculates angular and energy distributions of neutrons generated by D–D fusion events occurring within a deuterated target for a given incident beam of D+ ions. Tailoring of the incident distribution via laser parameters and microlens focusing modifies the emerging neutrons. Projected neutron yields and distributions are compared to conventional sources, yielding comparable on-target fluxes per discharge, shorter time resolution, larger neutron energies, and greater collimation.
Color image enhancement using depth and intensity measurements of a time-of-flight depth camera

Abstract. A time-of-flight (ToF) depth camera can capture a depth map of the scene by measuring the phase delay between the emitted and reflected infrared (IR) light signals. In addition, an intensity map that represents the magnitude of the reflected light can be obtained by the ToF camera. If we consider the light source of the ToF camera as a flash, the intensity map can be deemed as an IR flashed image. Building on ideas from flash/no-flash photography and dark flash photography, we devise a color image enhancement framework that exploits information from the intensity and depth maps. To this end, ToF-related distortions of the intensity and depth maps are first reduced. We then restore fine details of color images captured under weak illumination by combining mutually beneficial information from the visible and IR band signals. In addition, we show that the depth map can be used to produce depth-adaptive effects such as depth-adaptive smoothing at the resultant color image.
A converse to the dominated convergence theorem

THEOREm 1. If f >>O, f ---+ f a.e. , f e LI f e L and g supf t L, there are, on a suitable probability space, random variables {f* n 1, 2, },f*, and a Borel field C such that f*, f f have the same joint distribution as f, f, f2, and (2) P{E(f*[C) -E(/* e)} 0. In view of this result, it is of interest to find conditions which will ensure that g e L. As a special case of interest, let h be a nonnegative random variable in L, let (R) be a monotone sequence of Borel fields contained in (, and let f E(h 5,). Doob [1, p. 317] has shown that if h log h e L, then also g supf e L1. It turns out that the condition h log h e L is necessary, as well as sufficient, in the following sense"
Demonstration of Interface Circuits for Adiabatic Quantum-Flux-Parametron Cell Library Using an Eight-Metal Layer Superconductor Process

In this paper, we designed and demonstrated interface circuits between AQFP (adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron) and RSFQ (rapid single-flux-quantum) circuits according to the established AQFP and RSFQ cell libraries using the MIT LL SFQ5ee process. The principles of these interfaces are based on ones that were previously designed and demonstrated using a four-metal-layer superconductor process. The AQFP-to-RSFQ interface is based on an RSFQ comparator, where an output current from an AQFP buffer is converted to an SFQ pulse output. The RSFQ-to-AQFP interface is based on an RSFQ D flip-flop, where the internal state of the D flip-flop is read out by an AQFP buffer. Thanks to the eight-metal-layer process, the interfaces can be designed with reduced circuit area compared to original designs with the four-metal-layer process. We designed, fabricated, and tested an AQFP-RSFQ hybrid multiplexer test circuit as an example of utilization of the interfaces, which results in correct operation with reasonably wide bias margins in low-frequency tests.
Genomic insight into Campylobacter jejuni isolated from commercial turkey flocks in Germany using whole-genome sequencing analysis

Campylobacter (C.) jejuni is a zoonotic bacterium of public health significance. The present investigation was designed to assess the epidemiology and genetic heterogeneity of C. jejuni recovered from commercial turkey farms in Germany using whole-genome sequencing. The Illumina MiSeq® technology was used to sequence 66 C. jejuni isolates obtained between 2010 and 2011 from commercial meat turkey flocks located in ten German federal states. Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance was determined. Phylogeny, resistome, plasmidome and virulome profiles were analyzed using whole-genome sequencing data. Genetic resistance markers were identified with bioinformatics tools (AMRFinder, ResFinder, NCBI and ABRicate) and compared with the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance. The isolates were assigned to 28 different sequence types and 11 clonal complexes. The average pairwise single nucleotide-polymorphisms distance of 14,585 SNPs (range: 0–26,540 SNPs) revealed a high genetic distinction between the isolates. Thirteen virulence-associated genes were identified in C. jejuni isolates. Most of the isolates harbored the genes flaA (83.3%) and flaB (78.8%). The wlaN gene associated with the Guillain–Barré syndrome was detected in nine (13.6%) isolates. The genes for resistance to ampicillin (blaOXA), tetracycline [tet(O)], neomycin [aph(3')-IIIa], streptomycin (aadE) and streptothricin (sat4) were detected in isolated C. jejuni using WGS. A gene cluster comprising the genes sat4, aph(3′)-IIIa and aadE was present in six isolates. The single point mutation T86I in the housekeeping gene gyrA conferring resistance to quinolones was retrieved in 93.6% of phenotypically fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates. Five phenotypically erythromycin-susceptible isolates carried the mutation A103V in the gene for the ribosomal protein L22 inferring macrolide resistance. An assortment of 13 β-lactam resistance genes (blaOXA variants) was detected in 58 C. jejuni isolates. Out of 66 sequenced isolates, 28 (42.4%) carried plasmid-borne contigs. Six isolates harbored a pTet-like plasmid-borne contig which carries the tet(O) gene. This study emphasized the potential of whole-genome sequencing to ameliorate the routine surveillance of C. jejuni. Whole-genome sequencing can predict antimicrobial resistance with a high degree of accuracy. However, resistance gene databases need curation and updates to revoke inaccuracy when using WGS-based analysis pipelines for AMR detection.
A computational stream function method for two‐dimensional incompressible viscous flows

This work concerns the development of a numerical method based on the stream function formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations to simulate two‐dimensional—plane or axisymmetric—viscous flows. The main features of the proposed method are: the use of the high order finite‐difference compact method for the discretization of the stream function equation, the implicit pseudo‐transient Newton–Krylov‐multigrid matrix free method for the stationary stream function equation and the fourth order Runge–Kutta method for the integration of non‐stationary flows. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Control of light-output polarization for surface-emitting-laser type device by strained active layer grown on misoriented substrate

We propose and demonstrate control of light-output polarization for surface-emitting laser-type devices by using strained quantum-well active layers grown on a misoriented substrate. This structure has slightly asymmetric strain tensor elements on the surface plane. Due to orbital-strain interaction, the valence band structures change and the optical transition matrix element depends on the polarization of the light. Here, theoretical analysis and experimental results on the direction of misorientation are described, and it is shown that how the polarization of the light-output is related to asymmetry in strain tensors. For the devices, which have In/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As active layers grown on a 2-degree-off-(100) GaAs substrate toward (111)B, the light-output is polarized in [01~1] with the reproducibility of as high as 88%. This highly controlled polarization is probably due to the combination of converse piezoelectric effect and asymmetry in the lattice mismatch on the surface caused by misorientation. >
Sociodemographic Factors Related To The Use Of Modern Contraception In Sleman Yogyakarta

The coverage of the use of modern contraception in Sleman exceeded Indonesia’s achievements in 2017-2019. It’s vital to research sociodemographic factors that influence the use of modern contraception in Sleman as an example for other areas. The purpose of this research is to determine the relationship between sociodemographic factors with the recent contraception use. This study is an observational descriptive model using secondary data from HDSS Sleman. Bivariable analysis was carried out using the chi-square test and followed by multivariable analysis using logistic regression. The result showed that the proportion of modern contraceptive use is 54.1%. Sociodemographic factors that significantly related to the use of modern contraception were the husband’s education and the number of children. Husbands with a high level of education (AOR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.34-0.90) had a 44% lower chance of using modern contraception than husbands with low levels of education. Couples with ≥2 children (AOR = 4.29; 95% CI: 3.41-5.39) were 4.29 times more likely to use modern contraception than couples with 0-1 children. The conclusion is sociodemographic factors significantly related to the use of modern contraceptive methods are the husband’s education and the number of children.
Visualization of sound reflection and diffraction using finite difference time domain method

Visualization of sound field helps us to intuitively understand mechanisms of various acoustic phenomena and therefore the technique is much effective for both of educational and engineering purposes. This paper presents some examples of sound field visualization based on numerical analysis. In order to analyze such complicated acoustic phenomena as reflection, diffraction and interference, the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method based on the wave theory is applied to the calculation. In the FDTD algorithm, all of the sound field is computed in discrete time steps and therefore transient acoustic phenomena can be easily animated. As an application of the numerical technique to environmental noise control engineering, sound reflection and diffraction around noise barriers with a variety of cross sectional shapes and noise propagation from depressed/semi-underground road structures are introduced in this paper.
Communicating diagnoses to individuals with a first episode psychosis: A qualitative study of individuals perspectives

Background Receiving the label of a psychotic disorder influences self-perception and may result in negative outcomes such as self-stigma and decreased self-esteem. The way the diagnosis is communicated to individuals may affect these outcomes. Aims This study aims to explore the experiences and needs of individuals after a first episode of psychosis with regard to the way in which information about diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis is communicated with them. Design and methods A descriptive interpretative phenomenological approach was used. Fifteen individuals who experienced a first episode of psychosis participated in individual semi-structured open-ended interviews on their experiences and needs regarding the process of providing information about diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze the interviews. Results Four recurring themes where identified (1) timing (when); (2) content (what); and (3) the way information is provided (how). Individuals also reported that the provided information could elicit an emotional reaction, for which they would require specific attention, therefore the fourth theme is (4) reactions and feelings. Conclusion This study provides new insights into the experiences and specific information needed by individuals with a first episode of psychosis. Results suggest that individuals have different needs regarding the type of (what), how and when to receive information about diagnosis and treatment options. This requires a tailor-made process of communicating diagnosis. A guideline on when, how and what to inform, as well as providing personalized written information regarding the diagnosis and treatment options, is recommended.
Thrombotic microangiopathy following chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy

Introduction: Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and is associated with a variety of conditions and following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is a novel immunotherapeutic approach using genetically modified autologous T cells. CAR-T therapy has been linked with injuries to vascular endothelium, but a direct association between CAR-T and TMA has not been reported. Case reports: Two cases of TMAs following CAR-T treatment are reported here. In each case, clinical evidence of kidney injury, thrombocytopenia, and hemolytic anemia became apparent 2 – 3 months following CAR-T infusion. We describe the clinical course, management, and outcome of these experiences. Discussion/Conclusion: CAR-T cell therapy-associated TMA (CAR-T TMA) appear to be an entity that shares overlapping clinical features with transplant-associated TMA (TA-TMA). Based on our preliminary clinical observations, we discuss the best clinical diagnosis/classification criteria, underlying pathophysiology, and the implication of the apparently self-limiting course. With increasing use of CAR-T cell treatment in hematologic malignancies, systematic studies will be necessary to improve management of CAR-T TMA.
Spark-based deep classifier framework for imbalanced data classification

ABSTRACT Imbalanced data are those datasets that have an uneven distribution of observations across the target class; one class label has a very high number of observations while the other has a very low number. The data imbalance occurs when the data are biased towards a certain class and exclude the minority class, which has major significance in the accomplishment of the classifier. The data imbalance problem provides a consequence of poor predictive performance and to avoid this, multiple researchers are engaged in developing multiclass classification techniques for handling imbalance issues. In this research, the data imbalance problem is conquered using Synthetic Minority Oversampling technique (SMOTE) technique that equally distributes the data. The multiclass classification is boosted by employing the Spark architecture and the classification is executed utilising the Lupusbug-deep Convolutional Neural Network (Lupusbug optimisation-deep CNN) classifier that effectively classifies the data through finding the optimal weights of the classifier. Importantly, incremental learning is initiated in this research based on the error function and the selection criterion that facilitates the classifier remodelling and improves the tendency to deal with the incremental data. The proposed method attains 94.348% accuracy, 93.510% precision and 96.121% recall, which was quite efficient and outperforms the existing methods.