Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospects of Microfluidic Technology in Nucleic Acid Detection Approaches

Conventional diagnostic techniques are based on the utilization of analyte sampling, sensing and signaling on separate platforms for detection purposes, which must be integrated to a single step procedure in point of care (POC) testing devices. Due to the expeditious nature of microfluidic platforms, the trend has been shifted toward the implementation of these systems for the detection of analytes in biochemical, clinical and food technology. Microfluidic systems molded with substances such as polymers or glass offer the specific and sensitive detection of infectious and noninfectious diseases by providing innumerable benefits, including less cost, good biological affinity, strong capillary action and simple process of fabrication. In the case of nanosensors for nucleic acid detection, some challenges need to be addressed, such as cellular lysis, isolation and amplification of nucleic acid before its detection. To avoid the utilization of laborious steps for executing these processes, advances have been deployed in this perspective for on-chip sample preparation, amplification and detection by the introduction of an emerging field of modular microfluidics that has multiple advantages over integrated microfluidics. This review emphasizes the significance of microfluidic technology for the nucleic acid detection of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The implementation of isothermal amplification in conjunction with the lateral flow assay greatly increases the binding efficiency of nanoparticles and biomolecules and improves the limit of detection and sensitivity. Most importantly, the deployment of paper-based material made of cellulose reduces the overall cost. Microfluidic technology in nucleic acid testing has been discussed by explicating its applications in different fields. Next-generation diagnostic methods can be improved by using CRISPR/Cas technology in microfluidic systems. This review concludes with the comparison and future prospects of various microfluidic systems, detection methods and plasma separation techniques used in microfluidic devices.
Sécurité et performance de dispositifs de distribution quantique de clés à variables continues

This thesis focuses on a cryptographic primitive that allows two distant parties, usually called Alice and Bob, to generate an arbitrary amount of secret key even in the presence of an eavesdropper, provided that they share a short initial secret message. This primitive is called quantum key distribution, or in short QKD; and differs from classical key distribution primitives in the sense that no assumption on the capacities of the eavesdropper is required to prove the security of the scheme. While several QKD protocols exist, we focus our study on continuous-variable protocols, which encode the information on the quadratures of the electromagnetic field. Some of these protocols are of particular interest because they can be implemented with standard fiber-based telecommunication components and feature an interferometric detection scheme that exhibits a high resistance to the noise induced by potential adjacent classical channels that propagate on the same optical fiber. The advantage of QKD over classical primitives relies on fundamental quantum physics principles such as the uncertainty principle: in a carefully designed QKD protocol, an eavesdropper cannot interact with the quantum system without introducing some noise which can be quantified by the parties of the protocol. However, even when there is no active eavesdropper, some errors inevitably occur during the transmission of quantum states between Alice and Bob. Alice and Bob must correct these errors to agree on a common bit string. Since this step is done by revealing some information on a public channel, it results in a limitation of the protocol in terms of tolerance to noise and losses. To overcome this, we develop efficient errorcorrecting codes that allow to extend the range of a QKD protocol based on a Gaussian modulation of the quadratures of the electromagnetic field. Security proofs for QKD protocols typically consider an ideal description of the protocol. In practice, however, one has to consider the distance between a practical implementation of a QKD protocol and its theoretical description. We study different aspects of a practical implementation of a Gaussian continuous-variable QKD protocol, such as the imperfect statistical estimation (in the finite-size scenario) of the parameters that are relevant to the security of the protocol and the quality of the practical Gaussian modulation of coherent states. We also consider a calibration attack that can lead to a powerful eavesdropping strategy. We demonstrate experimentally the distribution of secret keys over a 80 km fiber link when taking into account all the known imperfections of our system. Finally, we make initial deployment tests involving our QKD system and wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) classical channels on the same fiber link. We also demonstrate the long-term stability of our system in combination with high-speed classical encryptors.
Machine Learning-Based Classification to Disentangle EEG Responses to TMS and Auditory Input

The combination of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG) offers an unparalleled opportunity to study cortical physiology by characterizing brain electrical responses to external perturbation, called transcranial-evoked potentials (TEPs). Although these reflect cortical post-synaptic potentials, they can be contaminated by auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) due to the TMS click, which partly show a similar spatial and temporal scalp distribution. Therefore, TEPs and AEPs can be difficult to disentangle by common statistical methods, especially in conditions of suboptimal AEP suppression. In this work, we explored the ability of machine learning algorithms to distinguish TEPs recorded with masking of the TMS click, AEPs and non-masked TEPs in a sample of healthy subjects. Overall, our classifier provided reliable results at the single-subject level, even for signals where differences were not shown in previous works. Classification accuracy (CA) was lower at the group level, when different subjects were used for training and test phases, and when three stimulation conditions instead of two were compared. Lastly, CA was higher when average, rather than single-trial TEPs, were used. In conclusion, this proof-of-concept study proposes machine learning as a promising tool to separate pure TEPs from those contaminated by sensory input.
Dynamic Malware Analysis Based on API Sequence Semantic Fusion

The existing dynamic malware detection methods based on API call sequences ignore the semantic information of functions. Simply mapping API to numerical values does not reflect whether a function has performed a query or modification operation, whether it is related to network communication, the file system, or other factors. Additionally, the detection performance is limited when the size of the API call sequence is too large. To address this issue, we propose Mal-ASSF, a novel malware detection model that fuses the semantic and sequence features of the API calls. The API2Vec embedding method is used to obtain the dimensionality reduction representation of the API function. To capture the behavioral features of sequential segments, Balts is used to extract the features. To leverage the implicit semantic information of the API functions, the operation and the type of resource operated by the API functions are extracted. These semantic and sequential features are then fused and processed by the attention-related modules. In comparison with the existing methods, Mal-ASSF boasts superior capabilities in terms of semantic representation and recognition of critical sequences within API call sequences. According to the evaluation with a dataset of malware families, the experimental results show that Mal-ASSF outperforms existing solutions by 3% to 5% in detection accuracy.
nNOS Increases Fiber Type-Specific Angiogenesis in Skeletal Muscle of Mice in Response to Endurance Exercise

We studied the relationship between neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) expression and capillarity in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of mice subjected to treadmill training. The mRNA (+131%) and protein (+63%) levels of nNOS were higher (p ≤ 0.05) in the TA muscle of C57BL/6 mice undergoing treadmill training for 28 days than in those of littermates remaining sedentary, indicating an up-regulation of nNOS by endurance exercise. Both TA muscles of 16 C57BL/6 mice were subjected to gene electroporation with either the pIRES2-ZsGreen1 plasmid (control plasmid) or the pIRES2-ZsGreen1-nNOS gene-inserted plasmid (nNOS plasmid). Subsequently, one group of mice (n = 8) underwent treadmill training for seven days, while the second group of mice (n = 8) remained sedentary. At study end, 12–18% of TA muscle fibers expressed the fluorescent reporter gene ZsGreen1. Immunofluorescence for nNOS was 23% higher (p ≤ 0.05) in ZsGreen1-positive fibers than ZsGreen1-negative fibers from the nNOS-transfected TA muscle of mice subjected to treadmill training. Capillary contacts around myosin heavy-chain (MHC)-IIb immunoreactive fibers (14.2%; p ≤ 0.05) were only higher in ZsGreen1-positive fibers than ZsGreen1-negative fibers in the nNOS-plasmid-transfected TA muscles of trained mice. Our observations are in line with an angiogenic effect of quantitative increases in nNOS expression, specifically in type-IIb muscle fibers after treadmill training.
A Feature Point Tracking Method Based on The Combination of SIFT Algorithm and KLT Matching Algorithm

In order to track target stably and accurately by the feature point tracking algorithm when the target changes in size and attitude,a new feature points tracking algorithm is proposed based on the combination of SIFT algorithm and KLT matching algorithm.Through the optimization of the SIFT algorithm,the feature points distribute relative uniform and there is no over-clustering of feature points.The matching accuracy is improved a lot when the target moves fast by the hierarchically iterative matching of the KLT matching algorithm.According to the results of feature points matching,the exact location of target is obtained with the combination of the Greedy Algorithm.Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can adapt to objective changes in attitude and size and it can track target with complex structure stably.It has stronger robustness and reliability and get more accurate location of target than KLT tracking algorithm.
An Overview of Diet and Physical Activity for Healthy Weight in Adolescents and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: Lessons Learned from the ACT1ON Consortium

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) now parallels that of the general population. Excess adiposity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is already elevated up to 10-fold in T1D, underscoring a compelling need to address weight management as part of routine T1D care. Sustainable weight management requires both diet and physical activity (PA). Diet and PA approaches must be optimized towards the underlying metabolic and behavioral challenges unique to T1D to support glycemic control throughout the day. Diet strategies for people with T1D need to take into consideration glycemic management, metabolic status, clinical goals, personal preferences, and sociocultural considerations. A major barrier to weight management in this high-risk population is the challenge of integrating regular PA with day-to-day management of T1D. Specifically, exercise poses a substantial challenge due to the increased risk of hypoglycemia and/or hyperglycemia. Indeed, about two-thirds of individuals with T1D do not engage in the recommended amount of PA. Hypoglycemia presents a serious health risk, yet prevention and treatment often necessitates the consumption of additional calories, which may prohibit weight loss over time. Exercising safely is a concern and challenge with weight management and maintaining cardiometabolic health for individuals living with T1D and many healthcare professionals. Thus, a tremendous opportunity exists to improve exercise participation and cardiometabolic outcomes in this population. This article will review dietary strategies, the role of combined PA and diet for weight management, current resources for PA and glucose management, barriers to PA adherence in adults with T1D, as well as findings and lessons learned from the Advancing Care for Type 1 Diabetes and Obesity Network (ACT1ON).
A CMOS Temperature Sensor with a Smart Calibrated Inaccuracy of ±0.11 (3σ)

This paper presents a BJT-based smart CMOS temperature sensor. The analog front-end circuit contains a bias circuit and a bipolar core; the data conversion interface features an incremental delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter. The circuit utilizes the chopping, correlated double sampling, and dynamic element matching techniques to mitigate the effects of process bias and nonideal device characteristics on measurement accuracy. Furthermore, based on the principle of charge conservation, the dynamic range utilization of the ADC increases. We propose a neural network that uses a multilayer convolutional perceptron to calibrate the sensor output results. Using the algorithm, the sensor achieves an inaccuracy of ±0.11 °C (3σ), exceeding the accuracy of ±0.23 °C (3σ) achieved without calibration. We implement the sensor in a 0.18 µm CMOS process, occupying an area of 0.42 mm2. It achieves a resolution of 0.01 °C and has a conversion time of 24 ms.
Sex and Brain: The Role of Sex Chromosomes and Hormones in Brain Development and Parkinson’s Disease

Sex hormones and genes on the sex chromosomes are not only key factors in the regulation of sexual differentiation and reproduction but they are also deeply involved in brain homeostasis. Their action is crucial for the development of the brain, which presents different characteristics depending on the sex of individuals. The role of these players in the brain is fundamental in the maintenance of brain function during adulthood as well, thus being important also with respect to age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we explore the role of biological sex in the development of the brain and analyze its impact on the predisposition toward and the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, we focus on Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that has a higher incidence in the male population. We report how sex hormones and genes encoded by the sex chromosomes could protect from the disease or alternatively predispose toward its development. We finally underline the importance of considering sex when studying brain physiology and pathology in cellular and animal models in order to better understand disease etiology and develop novel tailored therapeutic strategies.
Oswaldocruzia ukrainae (Nematoda: Molineidae)—A Parasite of European Green Toad Bufotes viridis: Morphological and Molecular Data

Simple Summary Roundworms of the genus Oswaldocruzia are common parasites of the small intestine of amphibians and reptiles. Our recent study revealed that only one species, Oswaldocruzia filiformis, parasitizes anurans, lizards and snakes in European Russia. In this work we studied nematodes of the genus Oswaldocruzia in the European green toads from the Middle Volga region using traditional morphological and molecular genetic methods. Descriptions, original drawings, and data on molecular phylogenetic analysis for studied nematodes were produced. The results of our study showed that green toads are parasitized by two Oswaldocruzia species, Oswaldocruzia ukrainae and O. filiformis. We found broad variability in morphology of the studied nematodes, which can lead to inaccurate identification of closely related species of Oswaldocruzia. The data obtained in our study should contribute to the knowledge of Oswaldocruzia nematodes and host-parasite associations in general. Abstract Nematodes of the genus Oswaldocruzia are common parasites of the small intestine of amphibians and reptiles. Our recent molecular analysis of Oswaldocruzia nematodes revealed that only Oswaldocruzia filiformis, which possesses high morphological variability, parasitizes amphibians and reptiles in European Russia. Here we present the study of Oswaldocruzia nematodes from the European green toad Bufotes viridis (Anura, Bufonidae) collected at different localities of the Middle Volga region in 2018–2022. We analyzed the morphological characteristics of the Oswaldocruzia spp. taxonomy together with novel molecular phylogenetic data. The data on phylogenetic analysis (based on partial CoxI mtDNA gene sequences) showed that Bufotes viridis is parasitized by two Oswaldocruzia species, the host-specific parasite Oswaldocruzia ukrainae and species generalist Oswaldocruzia filiformis. Broad morphological variability was revealed in O. ukrainae nematodes both from the same host specimen and from various toad individuals from different localities. Our results highlight the need for further biodiversity research of morphologically similar Oswaldocruzia species from amphibians and reptiles in the Western Palearctic using molecular genetic methods.
Attitudes towards mother tongue education in Manipur, Northeast India

Abstract The significance of the mother tongue, and particularly mother tongue education, is widely acknowledged across the world. This study aims to investigate mother tongue attitudes of students, teachers, parents, and community members in Manipur. A self-report survey was used to collect data from 463 participants, and an exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics and attitudes towards mother tongue education. The findings were used to better comprehend the affective, behavioural, and cognitive (ABC) model. The overall findings of the study shows that participants had a favourable attitude towards mother language education, however the majority believe that it is not promoted at the policy level. This study suggests that, given the favourable attitude towards the mother tongue, there is an urgent need to recognise and promote mother tongue education at the policy level-developing multilingual education programmes-to increase educational quality and explore the barriers to its success and sustainability.
Real-time MTF Measurement System for Projection Lens

There is no standard method for the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) measurement of projection lens,so we analyze a real-time MTF measurement system based on image analysis for projection lens in this paper. Using CCD as an image receiver and based on image analysis,a method of MTF measurement is discussed. According to analyzing a single pixel image,the method can acquire tangential and sagittal MTF data at one measurement. The structure and theoretical model of the test system are expounded. The importance of system parameter calibration and how to calibrate correctly are emphatically analyzed. The factors that influence the results and how to correct the noise effect are also analyzed. Compared measurement results of a qualified projection lens and an unqualified projection lens with the designed datum,the comparison experiment show the validity of the system and the method.
Elite middle school students’ citizenship competence learning in Shanghai

With specific reference to Shanghai city in China, this study investigates elite middle school students’ citizenship competence learning – political identity, scientific spirit, legal awareness, and public participation. The study uses a mixed methodology of questionnaires, classroom observations, document analyses, and interviews to collect data and identifies three patterns of students’ citizenship competence learning. This study provides empirical data that supplement the existing literature on elite students’ citizenship learning in the context of China.
Spells of Low-Frequency Oscillations and Weather Regimes in the Northern Hemisphere.

Abstract The low-frequency variability in the midlatitudes is described through an analysis of the oscillatory phenomena. In order to isolate nearly periodic components of the atmospheric flow, the multichannel version of the singular spectrum analysis (M-SSA) is developed and applied to an NMC 32-year long set of 700-hPa geopotential heights. In the same way that principal component analysis identifies the spatial patterns dominating the variability, M-SSA identifies dynamically relevant space–time patterns and provides an adaptive filtering technique. Three major low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) are found, with periods of 70 days, 40–45 days, and 30–35 days. The 70-day oscillation consists of fluctuations in both position and amplitude of the Atlantic jet, with a poleward-propagating anomaly pattern. The 40–45-day oscillation is specific to the Pacific sector and has a pronounced Pacific/North American (PNA) structure in its high-amplitude phase. The 30–35-day mode is confined over the Atlantic region,.
Interleukin-33: Friend or Foe in Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers?

Accumulating evidence suggests that Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a member of the IL-1 family, has crucial roles in tissue homeostasis and repair, type 2 immunity, inflammation, and viral infection. IL-33 is a novel contributing factor in tumorigenesis and plays a critical role in regulating angiogenesis and cancer progression in a variety of human cancers. The partially unraveled role of IL-33/ST2 signaling in gastrointestinal tract cancers is being investigated through the analysis of patients’ samples and by studies in murine and rat models. In this review, we discuss the basic biology and mechanisms of release of the IL-33 protein and its involvement in gastrointestinal cancer onset and progression.
Effect of a priori Information about the Target Location on Optimal Trajectories of Multiple Cooperative UAVs

This paper investigates how a priori localization information on a stationary ground target a ﬀ ects the optimal trajectories of cooperative unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for estimating the target location. Each UAV is assumed to be equipped with a bearing-only sensor which always directs to the target. In order to formally incorporate the e ﬀ ect of a priori information into the estimation process, a Bayesian framework is employed: The optimal ﬂ ying directions and paths of the multiple UAVs are determined by minimizing the Bayesian Cramér-Rao Lower Bound (BCRLB) with prior information on the ground target location represented via a bivariate Gaussian Probability Density Function (PDF). The e ﬀ ect of the prior information is examined with varying parameters that handle the size and shape of the prior PDF. It turns out that the more elliptical the prior PDF support, the more orthogonal the ﬂ ying directions to the major principal axis of the ellipse in order to reduce the information imbalance in the direction of the major principal axis. In order to reduce the computational load for the calculation of the BCRLB, we employ the Bayesian Monte-Carlo integration method, which is shown to be fast enough to compute the BCRLB online in small UAVs.
Transverse and Longitudinal Lambda Polarization in Lepton Scattering by Unpolarized Nucleons at HERMES

Transverse and longitudinal polarization of Λ hyperons has been studied. The transfere of polarization from high-energy positron to Λ0 hyperon has been measured. The longitudinal spin transverse coefficient is found to be DLL′Λ = 0.11 ± 0.10(stat) ± 0.03(sys). The transverse polarization of Λ and Λ hyperons has been measured in inclusive quasireal photoproduction process for various target nuclei. The polarization observed is positive for light target nuclei and compartaible with zero for heavy target nuclei.