Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An overview of the applications of reinforcement learning to robot programming: discussion on the literature and the potentials

There has been remarkable progress in the field of robotics over the past few years, whether it is stationary robots that perform dynamically changing tasks in the manufacturing sector or automated guided vehicles for warehouse management or space exploration. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), especially reinforcement learning (RL), has contributed significantly to the success of various robotics tasks, proving that the shift toward intelligent control paradigms is successful and feasible. A fascinating aspect of RL is its ability to function both as low-level controller and as a high-level decision-making tool at the same time. An example of this is the manipulator robot whose task is to guide itself through an environment with irregular and recurrent obstacles. In this scenario, low-level controllers can receive the joint angles and execute smooth motion using the Joint Trajectory controllers. On a higher level, RL can also be used to define complex paths designed to avoid obstacles and self-collisions. An important aspect of successful operation of an AGV is the ability to make timely decisions. When Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) based networks are incorporated with RL, agents can decide to direct AGVs to the destination effectively, which is mitigating the risk of catastrophic collisions. Even though many of these challenges can be addressed with classical solutions, devising such solutions takes a great deal of time and effort, making this process quite expensive. With an eye on different categories of RL applications to robotics, this study will provide an overview of the use of RL in robotic applications, examining the advantages and disadvantages of state-of-the-art applications. Additionally, we provide a targeted comparative analysis between classical robotics methods and RL-based robotics methods. Along with drawing conclusions from our analysis, an outline of the future possibilities and advancements that may accelerate the progress and autonomy of robotics in the future is provided.
Lack of Association between Antimicrobial Consumption and Antimicrobial Resistance in a HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: In antibiotic naïve populations, there is a strong association between the use of an antimicrobial and resistance to this antimicrobial. Less evidence is available as to whether this relationship is weakened in populations highly exposed to antimicrobials. Individuals taking HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have a high intake of antimicrobials. We previously found that there was no difference in the prevalence of pheno- and genotypic antimicrobial resistance between two groups of PrEP clients who had, and had not, taken antimicrobials in the prior 6 months. Both groups did, however, have a higher prevalence of resistance than a sample of the general population. Methods: In the current study, we used zero-inflated negative binomial regression models to evaluate if there was an individual level association between the consumption of antimicrobials and 1. the minimum inhibitory susceptibilities of oral Neisseria subflava and 2. the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes in the oropharynges of these individuals. Results: We found no evidence of an association between the consumption of antimicrobials and the minimum inhibitory susceptibilities of oral Neisseria subflava or the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes in these individuals. Conclusions: We conclude that in high-antimicrobial-consumption populations, the association between antimicrobial consumption and resistance may be attenuated. This conclusion would not apply to lower-consumption populations.
CO2-Driven N-Formylation/N-Methylation of Amines Using C-Scorpionate Metal Complexes

C-scorpionate metal complexes, specifically, [NiCl2(tpm)]·3H2O, [CoCl2(tpm)]·3H2O and [PdCl2(tpm)] [tpm = hydrotris(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methane], were effective in the N-formylation and N-methylation of amines using carbon dioxide, as carbon source, in the presence of sodium borohydride. Various parameters were studied, including reaction time, temperature, solvent volume, presence of additives, and catalyst amount. These parameters were found to have a significant impact on the selectivity of the product. [NiCl2(tpm)]·3H2O exhibited good conversion at 80 °C, but its selectivity towards formamide decreased with prolonged reaction time. Increasing the amount of [NiCl2(tpm)]·3H2O, the selectivity changed. [PdCl2(tpm)] showed different selectivity compared to [NiCl2(tpm)]·3H2O, while [CoCl2(tpm)]·3H2O presented poor results. Monitoring the reaction course by 1H NMR revealed the presence of an intermediate species that influenced product formation. These results highlight the versatility and catalytic potential of C-scorpionate metal complexes in the N-formylation/N-methylation of amines in the catalytic system (NaBH4/MeCN/CO2).
Unveiling the Role of Concanavalin A in a Rodent Model of Chemical-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Promising Guide in Understanding Liver Cancer Development

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a pressing global health issue, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality in humans. Chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis B and C infections and cirrhosis, are often associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, necessitating ongoing research for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Animal models, including both spontaneous and chemically induced models like diethylnitrosamine, play a pivotal role in understanding hepatocellular carcinoma mechanisms. Metabolic alterations in tumoral hepatocytes contribute significantly to cancer initiation and progression, impacting energy metabolism and cell survival. Lectins, specifically Concanavalin A, provide valuable insights into altered glycosylation patterns in cancer cells. This study employs lectin histochemistry to assess hepatic alterations in Concanavalin A expression in a murine model of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. Utilizing confocal laser scanning microscopy, our study unveils notable changes in Concanavalin A subcellular localization and intensity distribution in hepatocellular carcinoma compared with healthy liver tissue. A significant increase in the Concanavalin A labeling within the tumoral cells and a shifting of the expression within the perinuclear space is observed. These findings offer valuable insights into molecular changes in hepatocellular carcinoma, providing potential avenues for diagnostic and therapeutic advancements.
Improved Activities of Daily Living With Adjunctive Intravenous Steroids in Bacterial Meningitis: A Nationwide, Population-Based Medical Database Study

The benefit of using adjunctive intravenous steroids (IVS) to reduce the neurological sequelae in bacterial meningitis remains inconclusive. This study evaluated the effect of IVS on improving the subsequent Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in bacterial meningitis by analyzing data from a large nationwide administrative medical database in Japan. Data from 1,132 hospitals, covered by the administrative Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) payment system from 2016 to 2022, were evaluated. The ADL levels at admission and discharge were measured using the Barthel Index (BI). Out of the cumulative 47,366,222 patients hospitalized, 8,736 were diagnosed with acute bacterial meningitis and had BI data available. The BI at discharge, adjusted for sex, age, and BI at admission, was significantly better among those treated with IVS (p<0.0001). Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested that this benefit is expected across a broad spectrum of bacterial species. In summary, the use of IVS for improving the subsequent ADL level in bacterial meningitis was suggested.
Engineered Chimera Protein Constructs to Facilitate the Production of Heterologous Transmembrane Proteins in E. coli

To delve into the structure–function relationship of transmembrane proteins (TMPs), robust protocols are needed to produce them in a pure, stable, and functional state. Among all hosts that express heterologous TMPs, E. coli has the lowest cost and fastest turnover. However, many of the TMPs expressed in E. coli are misfolded. Several strategies have been developed to either direct the foreign TMPs to E. coli’s membrane or retain them in a cytosolic soluble form to overcome this deficiency. Here, we summarize protein engineering methods to produce chimera constructs of the desired TMPs fused to either a signal peptide or precursor maltose binding protein (pMBP) to direct the entire construct to the periplasm, therefore depositing the fused TMP in the plasma membrane. We further describe strategies to produce TMPs in soluble form by utilizing N-terminally fused MBP without a signal peptide. Depending on its N- or C-terminus location, a fusion to apolipoprotein AI can either direct the TMP to the membrane or shield the hydrophobic regions of the TMP, maintaining the soluble form. Strategies to produce G-protein-coupled receptors, TMPs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, HIV-1 Vpu, and other TMPs are discussed. This knowledge could increase the scope of TMPs’ expression in E. coli.
A Multichannel Approach and Testbed for Centimeter-Level WiFi Ranging

Latest advancements in WiFi ranging enable the use of both timestamps and channel frequency response (CFR) measurements supporting the recently released IEEE 802.11az Next Generation Positioning standard. However, resolution limitations are imposed by the single-channel bandwidth of operation, and WiFi devices that can only operate using 20 MHz channels on a given time instance suffer from limited ranging capabilities. While devices can frequency hop to multiple channels to obtain CFR measurements across larger bandwidths, changes in local oscillator phase offsets and time offsets per channel prevent direct stitching of the CFR. To overcome these challenges and achieve phase-coherent multichannel (PCMC) CFR measurements, we propose a two-way CFR approach that embeds timestamp information in the phase. We develop a software-defined radio testbed to evaluate our proposed multichannel ranging technique and answer hardware implementation challenges. For range estimation, we employ multiple signal classification and a complexity reduction strategy to accommodate large bandwidths with many subcarriers. Utilizing our proposed PCMC technique with 16 channels, we demonstrate a median error of 2.7 cm and a 90th percentile error of 9.5 cm in indoor line-of-sight conditions.
How social media usage and the fear of missing out impact minimalistic consumption

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of social media usage (SMU) on minimalist consumption and how the fear of missing out (FoMO) underlies this effect. Design/methodology/approach Four preregistered correlational/experimental studies (n = 1,763) are used. A pilot study (n = 436) examines the correlations between SMU, FoMO and minimalism. Studies 1 (n = 409), 2 (n = 415) and 3 (n = 503) further investigate the influence of SMU on minimalist consumption intentions, including mindful purchase, forgoing free products and decluttering, and test for evidence of mediation via FoMO by measuring or manipulating FoMO. Findings The results show that a high SMU makes consumers susceptible to FoMO, leading to impulsive purchases and careless product acquisition. However, when campaigners promote minimalism as a social media movement, they can activate FoMO, persuading consumers to practice decluttering. Research limitations/implications Future research might examine how subjective age affects FoMO and minimalist consumption tendencies. Could campaigners use young social cues to make older consumers more susceptible to FoMO appeals? Could old social cues cause younger consumers to perceive greater social responsibility and to embrace minimalist consumption? Practical implications Minimalist lifestyles can promote sustainable consumption. This research provides insights into how SMU is a double-edged sword – it can cause FoMO users to disdain minimalism. However, it can promote minimalism if a minimalist campaign is strategically positioned as a social media movement using a FoMO-laden appeal. Originality/value Extant consumer behavior research on minimalism has just begun to investigate the antecedents of minimalist consumption. FoMO is conceptually related to minimalism, but the relationship between FoMO and minimalist consumption has not yet been empirically tested. This research fills these gaps by examining SMU and the associated FoMO as antecedents of minimalist consumption. Empirical evidence for the impact of SMU on various minimalist consumption behaviors and the mediating role of FoMO is provided.
The Boy Who Lived Well: Harry Potter as a Novel Tool for Teaching Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Skills to Youth

After accidental injury, mental disorders including depression are the leading cause of disability globally in those aged 10-241 and the leading cause of death (by suicide) in high-income countries.2 In the United States, the yearly cost of treating depression has been estimated to be $23 billion, and that number doubles when costs associated with lost productivity are included.1,2
Two-stage granitoid-forming event from an isotopically homogeneous crustal source: The Los Pedroches batholith, Iberian Massif, Spain

The Los Pedroches batholith is an aligned series of late Hercynian age plutons located in the Iberian Massif of Spain. It consists of two main high-K plutonic units: an elongate granodioritic pluton and a group of monzogranitic plutons trending slightly oblique to the granodiorite. This twofold distinction is supported by several lines of geologic, petrographic, and mineralogical evidence, as well as by contrasting associated mineralization. Chemical variation plots clearly show a compositional gap between the two groups, pointing to an origin from two different sets of magmas. This discontinuity is very clear for MgO, CaO, Sr, Zr, rare earth elements, Fe t /(Fe t +Mg), TiO 2 /Zr, and Eu/Eu* at ∼70 wt% SiO 2 . The overall similarity of initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and Nd isotopic ratios, however, suggests that both plutonic suites were derived from source reservoirs that were similar in terms of time-integrated Rb/Sr and Sm/Nd ratios. In any case, we conclude that no single-stage process (e.g., magma mixing) can account for the variation observed. Fractional crystallization could theoretically explain the chemical variation found within each of the granitoid groups. If a single magma series is considered, however, modeling of the observed gap requires unlikely scenarios. We suggest that the two sequences were derived from two different parental magma types extracted from isotopically similar sources; each magma evolved separately by fractional crystallization. On the basis of new isotopic and age data, we suggest that these high-K granitoids were generated in the lower crust from a mafic to intermediate, transitional to high-K calc-alkaline, metaigneous source material. Two-stage partial melting of this crustal source material is proposed to explain the evolutionary sequences. Melting could have been triggered by a rise of isotherms related to a transtensional tectonic regime. These granite series show that major contrasts in granite mineralogy, chemistry, and associated mineral deposits do not necessarily signal major differences in the isotopic signatures of the corresponding source regions.
Imiquimod Solubility in Different Solvents: An Interpretative Approach

Imiquimod (IMQ) has been successfully formulated to date mainly as semi-solid lipophilic formulations for topical application. In this study, we investigated the solubility of IMQ in solvents suitable for developing innovative formulations in the form of powder obtained, for instance, by spray drying; thus, water, ethanol, methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide were tested at different temperatures. Temperature variations, stirring intensity, and the contact time between IMQ and the solvent greatly affected the evaluation of IMQ equilibrium solubility. The attainment of the solid–liquid equilibrium requires 13 days starting from solid IMQ and 2 days from a cooled-down supersaturated IMQ solution. A correlation between IMQ solubility and the solubility parameters of solvents was not found. IMQ solutions in water, ethanol, methanol, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide were neither ideal nor regular. The Scatchard–Hildebrand equation does not apply to IMQ solutions because of association phenomena due to intermolecular hydrogen bonds and/or π-stacking, as supported by the hyperchromic effect that was very pronounced in highly polar solvents, such as water, with the increase in temperature. Finally, IMQ solubility values measured in acetone cannot be considered reliable due to the reaction with the solvent, leading to the formation of new molecules.
Theoretical Analysis of GeSn Quantum Dots for Photodetection Applications

GeSn alloys have recently emerged as complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible materials for optoelectronic applications. Although various photonic devices based on GeSn thin films have been developed, low-dimensional GeSn quantum structures with improved efficiencies hold great promise for optoelectronic applications. This study theoretically analyses Ge-capped GeSn pyramid quantum dots (QDs) on Ge substrates to explore their potential for such applications. Theoretical models are presented to calculate the effects of the Sn content and the sizes of the GeSn QDs on the strain distributions caused by lattice mismatch, the band structures, transition energies, wavefunctions of confined electrons and holes, and transition probabilities. The bandgap energies of the GeSn QDs decrease with the increasing Sn content, leading to higher band offsets and improved carrier confinement, in addition to electron–hole wavefunction overlap. The GeSn QDs on the Ge substrate provide crucial type–I alignment, but with a limited band offset, thereby decreasing carrier confinement. However, the GeSn QDs on the Ge substrate show a direct bandgap at higher Sn compositions and exhibit a ground-state transition energy of ~0.8 eV, rendering this system suitable for applications in the telecommunication window (1550 nm). These results provide important insights into the practical feasibility of GeSn QD systems for optoelectronic applications.
Avian influenza and co-infections : investigation of the interactions in the poultry models

Ce travail vise a estimer l’impact de co-infections sur le terrain et a mieux comprendre le synergisme possible entre agents pathogenes en conditions experimentales. Nous nous sommes interesses a E. coli (O78) et au virus influenza faiblement pathogene (LPAIV, H6N1) dans le modele dinde. Les oiseaux ont ete infectes par voie aerosole pour reproduire l’infection respiratoire. L’excretion virale ainsi que les lesions ont ete plus importantes lors de la co-infection, ce qui suggere une patho-genicite accrue. Ces resultats montrent que E. coli et LPAIV ont un effet additif sur la maladie respiratoire lors qu’ils ont ete inocules soit simultanement soit en differe (a 3 jours d’intervalle) a des dindes naives. En parallele, nous avons etudie les virus respiratoires en circulation dans les elevages pakistanais. Des co-infections avec le LPAIV H9 (lignage G1) et le virus de la maladie de Newcastle (genotype VII) ont ete frequemment observees.
PERCEIVING MENTAL AILMENTS IN SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGH EMOTIONAL PATTERNS THE CASE OF ANOREXIA

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in four people will be affected by mental disorders at some point in their lives. However, in many parts of the world, patients do not actively seek professional diagnosis because of stigma attached to mental illness, ignorance of mental health and its associated symptoms. In this paper, we propose a model for passively detecting mental disorders using conversations on Reddit. Specifically, we focus on a subset of mental disorders that are characterized by distinct emotional patterns (henceforth called emotional disorders): major depressive, anxiety
An Analysis of Students’ Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in Virtual Practicum of Science Learning for Prospective Islamic Elementary School Teachers

The purpose of this study was to analyze the intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation of MI/SD (Islamic Elementary School/Elementary School) teacher candidate students when conducting virtual practicums. This is a survey research with a quantitative approach. The data collection instrument used was a validated questionnaire. The research samples consisted of 71 students from semester 5 of the PGMI Study Programme (Madrasa Ibtidaiyah Teacher Education) who programmed the MI/SD Basic Science Concepts Course. Data were descriptively analysed using percentages. The analysis of students' intrinsic motivation in the virtual practicum of MI/SD Science learning yielded the highest proportion of self-determination. The aspect of talent is the acquisition of the lowest percentage of intrinsic motivation. According to the study's findings of student extrinsic motivation, the aspect of friends receives the highest percentage when compared to the environmental and familial aspects. Overall, external factors are more dominant than student internal factors in the use of virtual labs.
Sub-Diffraction Readout Method of High-Capacity Optical Data Storage Based on Polarization Modulation

The big data era demands an efficient and permanent data storage technology with the capacity of PB to EB scale. Optical data storage (ODS) offers a good candidate for long-lifetime storage, as the developing far-field super-resolution nanoscale writing technology improves its capacity to the PB scale. However, methods to efficiently read out this intensive ODS data are still lacking. In this paper, we demonstrate a sub-diffraction readout method based on polarization modulation, which experimentally achieves the sub-diffraction readout on Disperse Red 13 thin film with a resolution of 500 nm, exceeding the diffraction limit by 1.2 times (NA = 0.5). Differing from conventional binary encoding, we propose a specific polarization encoding method that enhances the capacity of ODS by 1.5 times. In the simulation, our method provides an optical data storage readout resolution of 150 nm, potentially to 70 nm, equivalent to 1.1 PB in a DVD-sized disk. This sub-diffraction readout method has great potential as a powerful readout tool for next-generation optical data storage.