Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distributed Estimation Under Sensor Attacks

This paper studies multi-agent distributed estimation under sensor attacks. Individual agents make sensor measurements of an unknown parameter belonging to a compact set, and, at every time step, a fraction of the agents' sensor measurements may fall under attack and take arbitrary values. The goal of this paper is to develop a distributed estimation algorithm to ensure that all, even those whose sensors are under attack, correctly estimate the parameter of interest. We assume a fully distributed setup; there is no fusion center and inter-agent collaboration is restricted to message exchanges between neighboring agents, the neighborhoods corresponding to a pre-specified, possibly parse, communication graph. We present two versions of the Saturated Innovation Update (SIU) algorithm for distributed estimation resilient to sensor attacks. The SIU algorithm is a consensus + innovations type estimator: agents iteratively estimate the parameter of interest by combining estimates of neighbors (consensus) and local sensing information (innovations). In the SIU algorithm, each agent applies a local, time-varying scalar gain to its innovation term to ensure that the energy of the scaled innovation lies below a threshold. Under the first version of SIU, which uses constant combination weights, if less than three tenths of agent sensors fall under attack, then, all of the agents' estimates converge exponentially fast to the true parameter. Under the second version, which uses time-decaying weights, if less than one half of the agent sensors fall under attack, then, all of the agents' estimates converge at a polynomial rate to the true parameter. We show that the resilience of SIU to sensor attacks does not depend on the topology of the inter-agent communication network, as long as it remains connected. Finally, we demonstrate the performance of SIU with numerical examples.
A Transcriptional Analysis Showing the Effects of GH12 Combined with Fluoride for Suppressing the Acidogenicity of Streptococcus mutans Biofilms

The acidogenicity of Streptococcus mutans is important for caries development. The antimicrobial peptide GH12 can affect the integrity of cellular membranes and the virulence factors of S. mutans. Combining GH12 and NaF (GF) efficiently controlled the development of caries, but its mechanisms remained unrevealed. This research intended to verify the effects of GF on the acidogenicity of S. mutans biofilms and to reveal the mechanisms. Lactic acid production assays and pH monitoring assays were conducted to investigate the regulatory effects of the GF treatment on the acidogenicity of S. mutans biofilms. RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were conducted to screen the transcriptional profile affected by the GF treatment. The results demonstrated the GF group had significantly less lactic acid and maintained the broth’s pH values above 5.0 for longer times. Thereafter, GO/KEGG enrichment analyses and RT-qPCR validation revealed that the GF treatment mainly restrained the expression of genes related to the carbohydrates’ internalization and metabolism. Compared with NaF, the GF treatment further downregulated the carbohydrates transportation genes. Moreover, compared with GH12, the GF treatment affected the membrane’s integrity more significantly. Generally, GF treatment could arrest the acidogenicity of S. mutans biofilms, mainly through suppressing carbohydrates transportation and inhibiting overall metabolism.
Lexical Borrowings from Spanish into Wayuunaiki: Contact, Classification, and Motivations

This study identifies and analyzes lexical borrowings from Spanish into Wayuunaiki (an Arawak language spoken in Colombia and Venezuela). The analysis, based on bibliographic documentation and fieldwork, focuses on the borrowability and semantic domains of Spanish loanwords and the factors motivating Spanish loanword adoption into Wayuunaiki. The results show that, despite the typological distance, Wayuunaiki is prone to adopting lexical items from Spanish, as evident in the moderate number of lexical borrowings identified. A key motivating factor for Spanish loanword incorporation is Wayuunaiki speakers’ need for lexical items to refer to new concepts adopted from the dominant Spanish-speaking culture. This phenomenon is partly due to the contact dynamics between Wayuunaiki and Spanish. Besides expanding on the description of the Wayuunaiki language and its contact with Spanish, this study contributes to identifying factors and motivations favoring the adoption of loanwords between typologically distant languages.
Acceleration-Level Pseudo-Dynamic Visual Servoing of Mobile Robots With Backstepping and Dynamic Surface Control

In this paper, we propose an acceleration-level pseudo-dynamic visual servoing structure for the nonholonomic mobile robots, based on which we design two different adaptive controllers—backstepping and dynamic surface control (DSC) in the presence of unknown depth information. Different from existing kinematic controllers, which directly regard linear and angular velocities as control inputs, this paper designs acceleration control that is integrated to easily obtain smooth velocity signals to be accurately executed by the robot. Two controllers are designed and analyzed with Lyapunov techniques: 1) a backstepping controller yielding asymptotical stability and 2) a dynamic surface controller ensuring system errors to be ultimately uniformly bounded. The unknown depth is handled by designing an adaptive parameter estimation law in both methods. Finally, a comparison between backstepping and DSC is given based on the experimental results and the design procedures.
Investigating Tree-Based Classifiers and Selected Ensemble Learning on Iris Flower Species Classification

- Eloquence, hope, knowledge, the ability to communicate effectively, and faith are some of the meanings associated with the iris flower in the language of flowers. Iris has different species types, and each type has its own medicinal purpose. Classifying the flower has become a serious task for researchers due to the high volume of datasets (big data), hence the introduction of machine learning algorithms for accurate and reliable classification. This paper focuses on the classification of the Iris flower using five tree-based algorithms; Best First Tree (BFTree), Least Absolute deviation Tree (LADTree), Cost-Sensitive Decision Forest (CSForest), Functional Tree (FT) and Random Tree (RT). Three selected ensemble learning (Bagging, Dagging and cascade generalisation) were equally implemented in the algorithm. The dataset that was utilised in this investigation is open source and may be downloaded without cost from a public repository (kaggle.com). The result of the classification showed that the FT classifiers outperform other tree-based classifiers with an accuracy of 96.67% and an AUC of 1.00. The ensemble algorithm has a significant impact on the performance of single classifiers (tree-based). Outperform tree based. AUC/ROC (Area Under Curve/Receiver Operating Characteristics) was used to evaluate the algorithm's performance. Bagging ensemble outperforms other ensembles (Dagging and Cascade) with an accuracy of 96.00% and AUC of 1.00.
N6-Methyladenosine Directly Regulates CD40L Expression in CD4+ T Lymphocytes

Simple Summary The tight regulation of the expression of cytokines, surface receptors and co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules is necessary for a well-functioning immune system. There are various cellular processes that regulate the expression of these immune regulatory proteins, for instance at the RNA transcript level. Epitranscriptomic regulation, involving RNA binding proteins and modifications, can determine the turnover and translation of mRNA transcripts. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant RNA modification in eukaryotic cells and it was demonstrated that m6A is involved in the early differentiation of CD4+ T lymphocytes. However, the function of m6A in CD4+ T cell activation and function is still incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that m6A regulates the activation of CD4+ T lymphocytes via the regulation of CD40 ligand expression, a key co-stimulatory molecule expressed on the cell surface of CD4+ T cells. The discovery of this novel function of m6A and its regulatory proteins contributes to our general understanding of CD4+ T cell activation, gene expression regulation and autoimmune disease pathogenesis. Abstract T cell activation is a highly regulated process, modulated via the expression of various immune regulatory proteins including cytokines, surface receptors and co-stimulatory proteins. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an RNA modification that can directly regulate RNA expression levels and it is associated with various biological processes. However, the function of m6A in T cell activation remains incompletely understood. We identify m6A as a novel regulator of the expression of the CD40 ligand (CD40L) in human CD4+ lymphocytes. Manipulation of the m6A ‘eraser’ fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and m6A ‘writer’ protein methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) directly affects the expression of CD40L. The m6A ‘reader’ protein YT521-B homology domain family-2 (YTHDF2) is hypothesized to be able to recognize and bind m6A specific sequences on the CD40L mRNA and promotes its degradation. This study demonstrates that CD40L expression in human primary CD4+ T lymphocytes is regulated via m6A modifications, elucidating a new regulatory mechanism in CD4+ T cell activation that could possibly be leveraged in the future to modulate T cell responses in patients with immune-related diseases.
The Effect of Capsaicin on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Immunity and Gut Micro-Organisms of Calves

Simple Summary Pre-weaned calves have immature immune systems, lack immunocompetence, and often suffer from stress and disease. Diarrhea is a common disease in nursing calves. Antibacterials are widely used in calf production as a common treatment for diarrhea. However, the extensive use of antibacterials can lead to the development of drug-resistant pathogens and endanger public health and safety. Capsaicin is a natural plant extract with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant bioactivities. In this study, we investigated the effects of capsaicin on growth performance, fecal scores, fecal fermentation parameters, antioxidant and immune capacity and the gut microbiota of nursing calves. The results showed that the addition of capsaicin had no effect on calf growth performance and fecal fermentation parameters, improved the antioxidant and immune abilities of calves and also improved the gut microbial environment, which was beneficial for the healthy growth of calves. Abstract Capsaicin is the active ingredient of the red pepper plant of the genus Capsicum. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different doses of capsaicin on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity, fecal fermentation parameters and gut microbial composition in nursing calves. Twenty-four newborn Holstein calves were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, which each consisted of eight calves. The milk replacer was supplemented with 0, 0.15 or 0.3 mL/d of capsaicin in each of the three treatment groups. During the 4-week experiment, intake was recorded daily, body weight and body size parameters were measured at the beginning and end of the trial and serum samples and rectal fecal samples were collected at the end of the trial to determine serum parameters, fecal fermentation parameters and fecal microbiome compartments. The results showed that both doses of capsaicin had no negative effect on the growth performance or the fecal fermentation parameters of calves, and the higher dose (0.3 mL/d) of capsaicin significantly improved the antioxidant capacity and immunity of calves. The calves in the high-dose capsaicin-treated group had lower fecal scores than those recorded in the control group. High doses of capsaicin increased glutathione antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M and interleukin-10 levels and decreased malondialdehyde and bound bead protein levels. In addition, capsaicin regulated the gut microbiota, reducing the abundance of diarrhea-associated bacteria, such as Eggerthella, Streptococcus, Enterococcus and Enterobacteriaceae, in the gut of calves in the treated group. Therefore, high doses of capsaicin can improve the antioxidant and immune capacity of calves without affecting growth performance, as well as improve the gut microbiological environment, which enables the healthy growth of calves.
Computational Modeling of Human Serum Albumin Binding of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Employing QSAR, Read-Across, and Docking

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals in widespread use that have been shown to be toxic to wildlife and humans. Human serum albumin (HSA) is a known transport protein that binds PFAS at various sites, leading to bioaccumulation and long-term toxicity. In silico tools like quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), read-across, and quantitative read-across structure-property relationship (q-RASPR) are proven techniques for modeling chemical toxicity based on experimental data which can be used to predict the toxicity of untested and new chemicals, while at the same time, help to identify the major features responsible for toxicity. Classification-based and regression-based QSAR models are employed in the present study to predict the binding affinities of 24 PFAS to HSA. Regression-based QSAR models revealed that the packing density index (PDI) and quantitative estimation of drug-likeness (QED) descriptors were both positively correlated with higher binding affinity, while the classification-based QSAR model showed the average connectivity index of order 4 (X4A) descriptor was inversely correlated with binding affinity. Whereas molecular docking studies suggested that PFAS with the highest binding affinity to HSA create hydrogen bonds with Arg348 and salt bridges with Arg348 and Arg485, PFAS with lower binding affinity either showed no interactions with either amino acid or only interactions with Arg348. Among the studied PFAS, perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) with large carbon chain length (>C10) have one of the lowest binding affinities, compared to PFAA with carbon chain length ranging from 7 to 9, which showed the highest affinity to HSA. Generalized Read-Across (GenRA) was used to predict toxicity outcomes for the top five highest binding affinity PFAS based on 10 structural analogs for each and found that all are predicted as being chronic to sub-chronically toxic to HSA. The developed in silico models presented in this work can provide a framework for designing PFAS alternatives, screening compounds currently in use, and for the study of PFAS mixture toxicity, which is an area of intense research.
Progress in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer: a review

Historically, the chief focus of lymph node metastasis research has been molecular and clinical studies of a few essential pathways and genes. Recent years have seen a rapid accumulation of massive omics and imaging data catalyzed by the rapid development of advanced technologies. This rapid increase in data has driven improvements in the accuracy of diagnosis of lymph node metastasis, and its analysis further demands new methods and the opportunity to provide novel insights for basic research. In fact, the combination of omics data, imaging data, clinical medicine, and diagnostic methods has led to notable advances in our basic understanding and transformation of lymph node metastases in rectal cancer. Higher levels of integration will require a concerted effort among data scientists and clinicians. Herein, we review the current state and future challenges to advance the diagnosis of lymph node metastases in rectal cancer.
Inverted Pedicled Internal Limiting Membrane Flap Attached to an Optic Disc with Autologous Blood Clot for Large Macular Holes

Purpose An inverted ILM flap might be accidentally separated from the retina or sucked away during surgery for large macular holes (MHs). This article is to determine the efficacy of a new inverted pedicled internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap attached to an optic disc with an autologous blood clot (ABC) technique for the treatment of large MHs. Methods An inverted pedicled ILM flap connected to the optic disc with ABC was used to treat 12 consecutive patients with significant macular holes (>600 m). The ILM was first peeled off around MH as a semidiameter of about 1.5 diameters of the optic disc. The superior residual ILM was used to produce a pedicled ILM flap that was connected to the optic disc and was later inverted to cover the MH. The macular hole was covered with a repositioned flap larger than 2 MH diameters in an inverted way. ABC was used to fasten the flap, followed by fluid-air exchange with air or C3F8 as tamponade. Spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were performed at each postoperative follow-up. Results The mean aperture and base macular hole diameters were 737.9 ± 109.6 µm (range, 607–982 µm) and 1244.3 ± 227.4 µm (range, 975–1658 µm). All macular holes (100%) were closed after a single surgery without intraoperative or postoperative complications related to the ILM transposition technique. At the last postoperative visit, we found one eye with a U-shaped closure, three eyes with W-shaped closures, and eight eyes with V-shaped closures. No postoperative flap closures were noted in all cases. The preoperative mean BCVA was 1.5 ± 0.3 (range, 1.1–2.0). After a mean follow-up of 5.3 ± 4.8 (range, 3–16) months, the postoperative mean BCVA was 0.8 ± 0.2 (range, 0.6–1.1), and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion This novel technique is safe and suitable for large MHs and can be an alternative option for accidental ILM flap loss during other inverted ILM flap operations.
Comparative study of photo-produced ionosphere in the close environment of comets

Context. The Giotto and Rosetta missions gave us the unique opportunity of probing the close environment of cometary ionospheres of 1P/Halley (1P) and 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P). The plasma conditions encountered at these two comets were very different from each other, which mainly stem from the different heliocentric distances, which drive photoionization rates, and from the outgassing activities, which drive the neutral densities. Aims. We asses the relative contribution of different plasma processes that are ongoing in the inner coma: photoionization, transport, photoabsorption, and electron–ion dissociative recombination. The main goal is to identify which processes are at play to then quantitatively assess the ionospheric density. Methods. We provide a set of analytical formulas to describe the ionospheric number density profile for cometary environments that take into account some of these processes. We discuss the validity of each model in the context of the Rosetta and Giotto missions. Results. We show that transport is the dominant loss process at large cometocentric distances and low outgassing rates. Chemical plasma loss through e−-ion dissociative recombination matters around 67P near perihelion and at 1P during the Giotto flyby: its effects increase as the heliocentric distance decreases, that is, at higher outgassing activity and higher photoionization frequency. Photoabsorption is of importance for outgassing rates higher than 1028 s−1 and only close to the cometary nucleus, well below the location of both spacecraft. Finally, regardless of the processes we considered, the ion number density profile always follows a 1∕r law at large cometocentric distances.
Occupation-Related Stress and Stress-Related Risk Factors among Nurses in West Africa

Occupational stress has for many decades remained a major concern Worldwide. In West Africa region, it is an amplified discussion owing to technological deficit, deficiency of work-relieving physical and social amenities, unemployment and underemployment and corruption. Nurses are health workers involved in the healthcare and management of people. The review was designed to examine various stress–relating risk factors among nurses in West Africa. A literature search was done using Web-based databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search was done using several terms and text words. Increased workload, hazard exposure, shortage of staff, poor incentives, poor patient attitude, increased length and frequency of duty, shortage of resources and equipment, work environment, high energy involvement and limited opportunity for professional advancement were risk factors for occupation-related stress among nurses in West Africa. The most predominant risk factor was increased workload followed by shortage of equipment and resources.
Jump to platform faster? Gender, institutional change, and pre-entrant entrepreneurial attempt

PurposeThe authors enrich and extend the existing institutional anomie theory (IAT) in the hope of sharpening the understanding of the joint effects of selected cultural values and social institutional changes on women's pre-entrant entrepreneurial attempts. The authors theorize that women are culturally discouraged to pursue pre-entrant entrepreneurial attempts or wealth accumulation in a specific culture. This discouragement creates an anomic strain that motivates women to deviate from cultural prescriptions by engaging in pre-entrant entrepreneurial attempts at a faster speed. Building on this premise, the authors hypothesize that changes in social institutions facilitate the means of achievement for women due to the potential opportunities inherent in such institutional changes.Design/methodology/approachUsing a randomly selected sample of 1,431 registered active individual users with a minimum of 10,000 followers on a leading entertainment live-streaming platform in the People's Republic of China, the authors examined a unique mix of cultural and institutional changes and their effects on the speed of women's engagement in live-streaming platform activity.FindingsThe authors find support for the impact of the interaction between changes in social institution conditions and cultural values. Unexpectedly, the authors also find a negative impact of cultural values on women's speed of engaging in pre-entrant entrepreneurial attempts.Originality/valueThe authors add institutional change to the IAT framework and provide a novel account for the variation in the pre-entrant entrepreneurial attempts by women on the platform.