Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation on biomechanical responses in bilateral semicircular canals and nystagmus in vestibulo-ocular reflex experiments under different forward-leaning angles

Different head positions affect the responses of the vestibular semicircular canals (SCCs) to angular movement. Specific head positions can relieve vestibular disorders caused by excessive stimulating SCCs. In this study, we quantitatively explored responses of human SCCs using numerical simulations of fluid-structure interaction and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) experiments under different forward-leaning angles of the head, including 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, and 60°. It was found that the horizontal nystagmus slow-phase velocity and corresponding biomechanical responses of the cupula in horizontal SCC increased with the forward-leaning angles of the head, reached a maximum when the head was tilted 30° forward, and then gradually decreased. However, no obvious vertical or torsional nystagmus was observed in the VOR experiments. In the numerical model of bilateral SCCs, the biomechanical responses of the cupula in the left anterior SCC and the right anterior SCC showed the same trends; they decreased with the forward-leaning angles, reached a minimum at a 40° forward tilt of the head, and then gradually increased. Similarly, the biomechanical responses of the cupula in the left posterior SCC and in the right posterior SCC followed a same trend, decreasing with the forward-leaning angles, reaching a minimum at a 30° forward tilt of the head, and then gradually increasing. Additionally, the biomechanical responses of the cupula in both the anterior and posterior SCCs consistently remained lower than those observed in the horizontal SCCs across all measured head positions. The occurrence of these numerical results was attributed to the consistent maintenance of mutual symmetry in the bilateral SCCs with respect to the mid-sagittal plane containing the axis of rotation. This symmetry affected the distribution of endolymph pressure, resulting in biomechanical responses of the cupula in each pair of symmetrical SCCs exhibiting same tendencies under different forward-leaning angles of the head. These results provided a reliable numerical basis for future research to relieve vestibular diseases induced by spatial orientation of SCCs.
Tumor-specific activation of folate receptor beta enables reprogramming of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment

Folate receptors can perform folate transport, cell adhesion, and/or transcription factor functions. The beta isoform of the folate receptor (FRβ) has attracted considerable attention as a biomarker for immunosuppressive macrophages and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, however, its role in immunosuppression remains uncharacterized. We demonstrate here that FRβ cannot bind folate on healthy tissue macrophages, but does bind folate after macrophage incubation in anti-inflammatory cytokines or cancer cell-conditioned media. We further show that FRβ becomes functionally active following macrophage infiltration into solid tumors, and we exploit this tumor-induced activation to target a toll-like receptor 7 agonist specifically to immunosuppressive myeloid cells in solid tumors without altering myeloid cells in healthy tissues. We then use single-cell RNA-seq to characterize the changes in gene expression induced by the targeted repolarization of tumor-associated macrophages and finally show that their repolarization not only changes their own phenotype, but also induces a proinflammatory shift in all other immune cells of the same tumor mass, leading to potent suppression of tumor growth. Because this selective reprogramming of tumor myeloid cells is accompanied by no systemic toxicity, we propose that it should constitute a safe method to reprogram the tumor microenvironment.
MJO‐related intraseasonal variation of gravity waves in the Southern Hemisphere tropical stratosphere revealed by high‐resolution AIRS observations

The intraseasonal variability of gravity waves (GWs) in the austral summer middle stratosphere was examined using dedicated high‐resolution temperature retrieval from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder data. Composite maps were made of stratospheric GW temperature variances, large‐scale zonal winds around the tropopause, and precipitation based on the real‐time multivariate Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) index. Regional distributions of these quantities are synchronized with the MJO: The GW variances are larger for stronger precipitation and for more strongly westward wind around the tropopause at a given precipitation. These results suggest that the GWs observed by Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) in the stratosphere originate from convection. Moreover, it is shown that the zonal wind around the tropopause likely controls the GW propagation into the stratosphere by a critical level filtering mechanism and/or the GW generation by an obstacle source effect. This means that the MJO can modulate the middle atmospheric circulation by regulating the GWs in two ways, namely, generation and propagation.
Documentation o f a Highly ENSO-Related SST Région in thé Equatorial Pacific

A new ENSO SST index is documented that is strongly correlated to the core ENSO phenomenon. The SST anomaly in much ofthe east-central and eastern tropical Pacific is closely related to ENSO. However, the anomaly from approximately the centre of the eastern half ofthe equatorial Pacific westward to near the date Une is suggested to be most strongly ENSO-related when data spanning the most recent several decades are used. This is the case both with respect to (l ) strength of association with other oceanic/atmospheric ENSO-related anomalies (both simultaneously and as a time-delayed predictand), and (2) impact on remote Worldwide climate anomalies. This observational insight was lacking in the early 1980s when the four "Nino" regions were developed. While a firmer dynamical foundation for this regional preference still needs to be established, the region straddling Nino 3 and Nino 4 may be regarded as an appropriate general SST index of the ENSO state by researchers, diagnosticians and fore caste rs. A dataset of this index, called "Nino 3.4" (5°N-5°S, 120-170°W), is maintained on the Internet, shown in the Climate Diagnostics Bulletin, and provided in the Appendix of this note. RESUME Un nouvel indice ENSO TSM est documente, c 'est-a-dire qu 'il est fortement carrele au centre du phenomene de l'ENSO. L'anomalie TSM est liee etroitement a l'ENSO en grande partie dans le centre est et l'est du Pacifique equatorial. Cependant, l'anomalie, allant approximativement du centre de la moitie est du Pacifique equatorial vers l'ouest pres de la ligne de changement de date, est suggeree etre plus fortement liee a l'ENSO lorsqu'on utilise des donnees reparties au cours des plus recentes decennies. C'est le cas, a la fois, en ce qui concerne (1) la force d'association avec d'autres anomalies oceaniques ou atmospheriques liees a l'ENSO (utilisant les variables predites, a la fois simultanement et en dephasage temporel), et (2) l'impact sur les anomalies climatiques mondiales eloignees. Cette observation faisait defaut au debut des annees de 1980 lorsque
A Scoping Review of Engineering Textbooks to Quantify the Teaching of Uncertainty

Zachary del Rosario is an Assistant Professor of Engineering and Applied Statistics at Olin College. His goal is to help scientists and engineers reason under uncertainty. Zach uses a toolkit from data science and uncertainty quantification to address a diverse set of problems, including reliable aircraft design and AI-assisted discovery of novel materials
Feedback Type May Change the EMG Pattern and Kinematics During Robot Supported Upper Limb Reaching Task

Haptic interfaces and virtual reality (VR) technology have been increasingly introduced in rehabilitation, facilitating the provision of various feedback and task conditions. However, correspondence between the feedback/task conditions and movement strategy during reaching tasks remains a question. To investigate movement strategy, we assessed velocity parameters and peak latency of electromyography. Ten neuromuscularly intact volunteers participated in the measurement using haptic interface and VR. Concurrent visual feedback and various terminal feedback (e.g., visual, haptic, visual and haptic) were given. Additionally, the object size for the reaching task was changed. The results demonstrated terminal haptic feedback had a significant impact on kinematic parameters; showed <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.7\,\pm {\,1.4}$</tex-math></inline-formula> s (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$p\,< .05$</tex-math></inline-formula>) shorter movement time and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.01\,\pm {\,0.08}$</tex-math></inline-formula> m/s (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$p\,< .05$</tex-math></inline-formula>) higher mean velocity compared to no terminal feedback. Also, smaller peak latency was observed in different muscle regions based on the object size.
Neuroimmune mechanisms connecting violence with internalizing symptoms: A high‐dimensional multimodal mediation analysis

Abstract Violence exposure is associated with worsening anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents. Mechanistically, social defeat stress models in mice indicate that violence increases peripherally derived macrophages in threat appraisal regions of the brain, which have been causally linked to anxious behavior. In the present study, we investigate if there is a path connecting violence exposure with internalizing symptom severity through peripheral inflammation and amygdala connectivity. Two hundred and thirty‐three adolescents, ages 12–15, from the Chicago area completed clinical assessments, immune assays and neuroimaging. A high‐dimensional multimodal mediation model was fit, using violence exposure as the predictor, 12 immune variables as the first set of mediators and 288 amygdala connectivity variables as the second set, and internalizing symptoms as the primary outcome measure. 56.2% of the sample had been exposed to violence in their lifetime. Amygdala–hippocampus connectivity mediated the association between violence exposure and internalizing symptoms (ζ^Hippπ^Hipp=0.059, 95%CIboot=0.009,0.134). There was no evidence that inflammation or inflammation and amygdala connectivity in tandem mediated the association. Considering the amygdala and the hippocampus work together to encode, consolidate, and retrieve contextual fear memories, violence exposure may be associated with greater connectivity between the amygdala and the hippocampus because it could be adaptive for the amygdala and the hippocampus to be in greater communication following violence exposure to facilitate evaluation of contextual threat cues. Therefore, chronic elevations of amygdala–hippocampal connectivity may indicate persistent vigilance that leads to internalizing symptoms.
Generative artificial intelligence in drug discovery: basic framework, recent advances, challenges, and opportunities

There are two main ways to discover or design small drug molecules. The first involves fine-tuning existing molecules or commercially successful drugs through quantitative structure-activity relationships and virtual screening. The second approach involves generating new molecules through de novo drug design or inverse quantitative structure-activity relationship. Both methods aim to get a drug molecule with the best pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. However, bringing a new drug to market is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, with the average cost being estimated at around $2.5 billion. One of the biggest challenges is screening the vast number of potential drug candidates to find one that is both safe and effective. The development of artificial intelligence in recent years has been phenomenal, ushering in a revolution in many fields. The field of pharmaceutical sciences has also significantly benefited from multiple applications of artificial intelligence, especially drug discovery projects. Artificial intelligence models are finding use in molecular property prediction, molecule generation, virtual screening, synthesis planning, repurposing, among others. Lately, generative artificial intelligence has gained popularity across domains for its ability to generate entirely new data, such as images, sentences, audios, videos, novel chemical molecules, etc. Generative artificial intelligence has also delivered promising results in drug discovery and development. This review article delves into the fundamentals and framework of various generative artificial intelligence models in the context of drug discovery via de novo drug design approach. Various basic and advanced models have been discussed, along with their recent applications. The review also explores recent examples and advances in the generative artificial intelligence approach, as well as the challenges and ongoing efforts to fully harness the potential of generative artificial intelligence in generating novel drug molecules in a faster and more affordable manner. Some clinical-level assets generated form generative artificial intelligence have also been discussed in this review to show the ever-increasing application of artificial intelligence in drug discovery through commercial partnerships.
Promoting Tsunami Risk Awareness through Service Learning and the Application of the Disaster Imagination Game (DIG) in Ocean Engineering: an Analysis of Students’ Perceptions Years Later

The Disaster Imagination Game (DIG) is a Japanese method to promote disaster risk awareness and resilience. It is a simple, low-cost, versatile, and effective methodology for strengthening local capacities for disaster prevention. The game’s core is a teamwork exercise around a printed map, where people discuss and record information about the territory under study. We used an adaptation of the DIG methodology in the context of a service-learning third-year course in an Ocean Engineering program at a regional university in Chile. During the course, students were first introduced to the theoretical and empirical aspects of earthquakes and tsunamis. Then, they were guided through the conceptual and practical learning of the game to prepare them as facilitators. At the end of the course, students led a DIG workshop with community members that allowed participants to identify evacuation routes and vulnerabilities in the city. After more than two years and a pandemic hiatus, we wonder: how might this experience have impacted students’ tsunami and earthquake awareness? In this article, we present a small qualitative inquiry. We interviewed students who actively participated in the service-learning experience to analyze their perceptions of their disaster risk awareness learning promoted by the course. The results indicate that students value the experience as a catalyst for their risk awareness, identified in actions such as paying attention to evacuation routes in diverse settings or creating preparation strategies. Moreover, students value the opportunity to work closely with the community as a contribution to their professional identity. Findings offer implications for engineering educators interested in applying service-learning experiences to promote professional learning and community engagement.
“Every Time It Comes Time for Another Shot, It’s a Re-Evaluation”: A Qualitative Study of Intent to Receive COVID-19 Boosters among Parents Who Were Hesitant Adopters of the COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine coverage remains low for US children, especially among those living in rural areas and the Southern/Southeastern US. As of 12 September 2023, the CDC recommended bivalent booster doses for everyone 6 months and older. Emerging research has shown an individual may be vaccine hesitant and also choose to receive a vaccine for themselves or their child(ren); however, little is known regarding how hesitant adopters evaluate COVID-19 booster vaccinations. We used an exploratory qualitative descriptive study design and conducted individual interviews with COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant adopter parents (n = 20) to explore COVID-19 parental intentions to have children receive COVID-19 boosters. Three primary themes emerged during the analysis: risk, confidence, and intent, with risk assessments from COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine confidence often related to an individual parent’s intent to vaccinate. We also found links among individuals with persistent concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine and low COVID-19 vaccine confidence with conditional and/or low/no intent and refusal to receive recommended boosters for children. Our findings suggest that healthcare providers and public health officials should continue making strong recommendations for vaccines, continue to address parental concerns, and provide strong evidence for vaccine safety and efficacy even among the vaccinated.
Localization Techniques and Their Challenges in Underwater Wireless Sensor Network

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) are widely used to explore aqueous environment. In UWSN, determining the location of sensor nodes is a critical issue. Sensed data is meaningful only when sensing node is localized. There are many techniques available for localization in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) but they are not applicable in UWSN. GPS signals cannot be used underwater for localization. Underwater communication is based on acoustic waves. This paper explores the different localization schemes available for UWSN and challenges to meet the localization issue. Node mobility, high propagation delay, time synchronization and high bit error rate are the main challenges that need to be addressed. KeywordsUnderwater Wireless Sensor Network,Localization, Acoustic Communication.
Precision USPIO-PEG-SLex Nanotheranostic Agent Targeted Photothermal Therapy for Enhanced Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapy to Treat Immunotherapy Resistance

Background The anti-Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (termed aPD-L1) immune checkpoint blockade therapy has emerged as a promising treatment approach for various advanced solid tumors. However, the effect of aPD-L1 inhibitors limited by the tumor microenvironment makes most patients exhibit immunotherapy resistance. Methods We conjugated the Sialyl Lewis X with a polyethylene glycol-coated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO-PEG) to form UPS nanoparticles (USPIO-PEG-SLex, termed UPS). The physicochemical properties of UPS were tested and characterized. Transmission electron microscopy and ICP-OES were used to observe the cellular uptake and targeting ability of UPS. Flow cytometry, mitochondrial membrane potential staining, live-dead staining and scratch assay were used to verify the in vitro photothermal effect of UPS, and the stimulation of UPS on immune-related pathways at the gene level was analyzed by sequencing. Biological safety analysis and pharmacokinetic analysis of UPS were performed. Finally, the amplification effect of UPS-mediated photothermal therapy on aPD-L1-mediated immunotherapy and the corresponding mechanism were studied. Results In vitro experiments showed that UPS had strong photothermal therapy ability and was able to stimulate 5 immune-related pathways. In vivo, when the PTT assisted aPD-L1 treatment, it exhibited a significant increase in CD4+ T cell infiltration by 14.46-fold and CD8+ T cell infiltration by 14.79-fold, along with elevated secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma, comparing with alone aPD-L1. This PTT assisted aPD-L1 therapy achieved a significant inhibition of both primary tumors and distant tumors compared to the alone aPD-L1, demonstrating a significant difference. Conclusion The nanotheranostic agent UPS has been introduced into immunotherapy, which has effectively broadened its application in biomedicine. This photothermal therapeutic approach of the UPS nanotheranostic agent enhancing the efficacy of aPD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade therapy, can be instructive to address the challenges associated with immunotherapy resistance, thereby offering potential for clinical translation.
Supply Chain Specific Investments and Enterprise Performance of SMEs: A Resource Orchestration Perspective

This article examined the impact of the supply chain specific investments (SCSIs) of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on their enterprise performance (EP). In addition, the mediating role of supply chain financing capability (SCFC) and the moderating role of digital technology adoption (DTA) were also investigated. The valid representative sample for this study was drawn from 380 Chinese SMEs. Multiple regression analysis and a structural equation model were used to test the proposed theoretical model and research hypotheses. The analysis illustrated the positive influence of SCSIs (supply chain asset-specific investments and supply chain relationship-specific investments) of SMEs on their EP. Furthermore, SCFC was found to mediate the relationship between SCSIs and EP, while DTA positively moderated the relationship between SCSIs and SCFC of SMEs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the impact of SCSIs on EP of SMEs based on resource orchestration theory. In addition, this study innovatively sheds light on the internal mechanism and contextual mechanism on the effectiveness of SCSIs for SMEs, through the introduction of two factors, namely SCFC and DTA.
Marine projections of warming and ocean acidification in the Australasian region

In response to increasing carbon dioxide emissions the oceans have become warmer and more acidic. In this paper, the ability of Earth System Models to simulate observed temperature and ocean acidification around Australia is assessed. The model results are also compared with observations collected at stations around Australia over recent years to assess how representative the model results are of the coastal domain; and are found to adequately simulate the mean state at most sites.
Research on Computing Resource Measurement and Routing Methods in Software Defined Computing First Network

Computing resource measurement and computing routing are essential technologies in the computing first network (CFN), serving as its foundational elements. This paper introduces a Software Defined Computing First Network (SD-CFN) architecture. Building upon this framework, a Dynamic-Static Integrated Computing Resource Measurement Mechanism (DCRMM) is proposed, incorporating methods such as the entropy weight method and K-Means clustering. The DCRMM algorithm outperforms the Maximum-closest Static Algorithm (MSA) and Maximum Closest Dynamic Algorithm (MDA) in terms of node stability, node utilization, and node matching accuracy. Additionally, a Reinforcement Learning and Software Defined Computing First Networking Routing (RSCR) algorithm is presented as a software-defined computing routing solution within the SD-CFN. RSCR introduces a knowledge plane responsible for computing routing calculations. It comprehensively considers factors such as link latency, available bandwidth, and packet loss rate. Simulation experiments conducted on the GÉANT topology demonstrate that RSCR outperforms the OSPF algorithm in terms of link latency, packet loss rate, and throughput. DCRMM and RSCR offer innovative solutions for computing resource measurement and computing routing in computing first networks.