Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive bistable stochastic resonance based weak signal reception in additive Laplacian noise

Weak signal reception is a very important and challenging problem for communication systems especially in the presence of non-Gaussian noise, and in which case the performance of optimal linear correlated receiver degrades dramatically. Aiming at this, a novel uncorrelated reception scheme based on adaptive bistable stochastic resonance (ABSR) for a weak signal in additive Laplacian noise is investigated. By analyzing the key issue that the quantitative cooperative resonance matching relationship between the characteristics of the noisy signal and the nonlinear bistable system, an analytical expression of the bistable system parameters is derived. On this basis, by means of bistable system parameters self-adaptive adjustment, the counterintuitive stochastic resonance (SR) phenomenon can be easily generated at which the random noise is changed into a benefit to assist signal transmission. Finally, it is demonstrated that approximately 8dB bit error ratio (BER) performance improvement for the ABSR-based uncorrelated receiver when compared with the traditional uncorrelated receiver at low signal to noise ratio (SNR) conditions varying from −30dB to −5dB.
A Multipath Routing Mechanism by Packet Replication and Elimination for Reliable Communications

The current Internet adopts best-effort forwarding mode, making it difficult to provide Quality of Service (QoS) and reliability assurance. Inspired by $1+1$ protection, we propose a reliable multipath routing mechanism through packet replication and elimination. This mechanism replicates packets at the sender, forwards them through multiple disjoint paths, and eliminates duplicate packets at the receiver, thereby ensuring timely and reliable transmission of packets. Specifically, we use P4 language to implement packet replication and elimination functions on the programmable data plane, and adopt SDN controller to calculate multiple reliable paths for establishing flexible multicast or anycast on any node, so as to prevent critical services from network failure or congestion. The experimental results show that compared to single-path and multi-path routing mechanisms, our proposed reliable routing mechanism only increases processing latency by 14% and 5% under no network load, but reduces the average packet latency by 85% and 71% respectively under high network load, and also has more stable throughput and lower delay jitter, which is suitable for network services that require high reliability, delay, and jitter.
Gene expression of multidrug-resistant ATP-binding cassette transporter (MDR1/ABCB1) in bovine mastitis

Purpose: To investigate the expression of multidrug-resistant ATP binding cassette transporter Pglycoprotein (MDR1/ABCB1/P-gp) in mastitis and its correlation with the expression of apoptosis regulation. Methods: Mastitic and normal mammary gland samples were collected after clinical examination and confirmed using field California mastitis test. Total RNA was extracted followed by cDNA synthesis and real-time PCR to detect the expression pattern of P-gp. Tissue sections were examined for pathological changes and immune reactivity to the apoptotic regulator, Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX). Results: Stained sections from mastitic samples showed congestion, infiltration of inflammatory cells and hemorrhage. Using immunohistochemistry, it was shown that mastitis is associated with overexpression of the apoptosis regulator, Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX). There was increased expression of the pro-apoptotic factor, Bax, in mastitic alveolar lining and lactic tubules compared with normal mammary gland tissues. Using real-time PCR, the expression level of MDR1/ABCB1 was determined to be 2.6-fold higher in mastitic tissues than in normal mammary tissues. Conclusion: Higher MDR1/P-gp level can modulate drug interventions by preventing intracellular accumulation of chemotherapeutics or anti-inflammatories via continuous efflux or export to extracellular fluids. Keywords: ABC transporter, P-glycoprotein, Drug exporters, Mastitis, Mammary gland
Spectrum of genetic variants in bilateral sensorineural hearing loss

Background: Hearing loss (HL) is an impairment of auditory function with identified genetic forms that can be syndromic (30%) or non-syndromic (70%). HL is genetically heterogeneous, with more than 1,000 variants across 150 causative genes identified to date. The genetic diagnostic rate varies significantly depending on the population being tested. Countries with a considerably high rate of consanguinity provide a unique resource for studying rare forms of recessive HL. In this study, we identified genetic variants associated with bilateral sensorineural HL (SNHL) using whole-exome sequencing (WES) in 11 families residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Results: We established the molecular diagnosis in six probands, with six different pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in the genes MYO15A, SLC26A4, and GJB2. One novel nonsense variant, MYO15A:p.Tyr1962Ter*, was identified in a homozygous state in one family, which has not been reported in any public database. SLC26A4 and GJB2 were found to be the most frequently associated genes in this study. In addition, six variants of uncertain significance (VUS) were detected in five probands in the genes CDH23, COL11A1, ADGRV1, NLRP3, and GDF6. In total, 12 variants were observed in eight genes. Among these variants, eight missense variants (66.7%), three nonsense variants (25.0%), and one frameshift (8.3%) were identified. The overall diagnostic rate of this study was 54.5%. Approximately 45.5% of the patients in this study came from consanguineous families. Conclusion: Understanding the genetic basis of HL provides insight for the clinical diagnosis of hearing impairment cases through the utilization of next-generation sequencing (NGS). Our findings contribute to the knowledge of the heterogeneous genetic profile of HL, especially in a population with a high rate of consanguineous marriage in the Arab population.
Integrated Analysis of the Transcriptome and Microbial Diversity in the Intestine of Miniature Pig Obesity Model

Obesity, a key contributor to metabolic disorders, necessitates an in-depth understanding of its pathogenesis and prerequisites for prevention. Guangxi Bama miniature pig (GBM) offers an apt model for obesity-related studies. In this research, we used transcriptomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to discern the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) within intestinal (jejunum, ileum, and colon) tissues and variations in microbial communities in intestinal contents of GBM subjected to normal diets (ND) and high-fat, high-carbohydrate diets (HFHCD). After a feeding duration of 26 weeks, the HFHCD-fed experimental group demonstrated notable increases in backfat thickness, BMI, abnormal blood glucose metabolism, and blood lipid levels alongside the escalated serum expression of pro-inflammatory factors and a marked decline in intestinal health status when compared to the ND group. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a total of 1669 DEGs, of which 27 had similar differences in three intestinal segments across different groups, including five immune related genes: COL6A6, CYP1A1, EIF2AK2, NMI, and LGALS3B. Further, we found significant changes in the microbiota composition, with a significant decrease in beneficial bacterial populations within the HFHCD group. Finally, the results of integrated analysis of microbial diversity with transcriptomics show a positive link between certain microbial abundance (Solibacillus, norank_f__Saccharimonadaceae, Candidatus_Saccharimonas, and unclassified_f__Butyricicoccaceae) and changes in gene expression (COL6A6 and NMI). Overall, HFHCD appears to co-contribute to the initiation and progression of obesity in GBM by aggravating inflammatory responses, disrupting immune homeostasis, and creating imbalances in intestinal flora.
Secure Transmission of Joint Radar and Communication Systems Assisted by NOMA

In this paper, we investigate a dual-function radar and communication (DFRC) system assisted by non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) with mixed multicast-unicast messages for simultaneously communicating and sensing. The dual-function base station (BS) is communicating with the communication-centric user (C-user) and radar-centric user (R-user) by the mixed messages, while simultaneously sensing the R-user. The multicast signal is aimed at both C-user and R-user, while the unicast signal is aimed at C-user only. Furthermore, the R-user is regarded as a potential eavesdropper that wants to intercept the unicast message received by C-user. The goal of this paper is for maximizing the secrecy rate of unicast signal by jointly designing the multicast beamforming vector and unicast beamforming vector from the BS. Due to the mutual coupling between the variables, a non-convex optimization problem is arised. For this non-convex optimization problem, a low-complexity iterative algorithm based on successive convex approximation (SCA) and semidefinite programming (SDP) is proposed for obtaining the transmit beamformings. Simulation results show that the confidentiality performance of proposed scheme outperforms the existing schemes.
Effects of Different Anti-Epileptic Drug Groups and Brushing on the Color Stability of Restorative Materials Used in Pedodontics: An In Vitro Evaluation

Objectives: This study will evaluate the effects of anti-epileptic drugs and brushing used in children on the color change of three restorative materials by creating an in vitro study model. Methods: Forty samples of polyacid-modified composite resin (compomer), glass ionomer cement (GIC), and composite resin (CR) were prepared. Samples were split into four groups (n = 10) and soaked in three anti-epileptic drugs (Tegretol, Depakine, Keppra) and distilled water. For each group (n = 5), two subgroups (brushing and non-brushing) were created. Discolorations [CIEDE2000 (ΔE00)] were determined initially and on days 7 and 14. The data were analyzed with a four-factor repeated measures ANOVA analysis, and a post hoc analysis Bonferroni test was used. Results: After the second week, the highest ΔE00 value was seen in the non-brushed compomer material in the Tegretol drug group (8.59 ± 0.43). In contrast, the lowest value was seen in GIC filling material-brushing-Depakine drug (3.45 ± 2.14). ΔE00 values in the brushing groups were statistically significantly lower than those in the no brushing groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It has been determined that the color stability of aesthetic restorative dental materials used in pediatric dentistry is affected by antiepileptic drugs. In addition, it has been determined that tooth brushing positively affects the color stability of restorative materials. Therefore, pediatric dentists should advise their patients and their relatives about this issue and take precautions.
Carbon and water fluxes of a laurisilva cloud forest in Anaga Biosphere Reserve (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

The consequences of fog in the gas exchange dynamics of cloud forests are not fully understood. Eddy covariance and meteorological measurements were carried out above a laurisilva cloud forest in Anaga Biosphere Reserve (Tenerife, Canary Islands) during a three-month period. Fog affected CO2 fluxes ($FCO_{2}$) and evapotranspiration (ET) such that ${FCO}_{2}$ and $ET$ were significantly lower during times when fog water was artificially collected at the site. Despite such a reduction in diurnal carbon net assimilation due to fog presence, CO2 fluxes remained relatively high (FCO2 > 5 μ mol m-2 s-1) most of the day, thus leading to a greater water use efficiency of the laurisilva vegetation under cloud immersion.
Joint User Association and Handover Strategy for Large Scale LEO Satellite Constellation Networks

With the rapid development of large scale low earth orbit satellite constellation networks (LS-LEOSCN), user association and handover techniques become more important in improving the service performance and reducing the handover times. This paper analyzed the relationship between user association and handover in LS-LEOSCN, to decrease the propagation delay jitter (PDJ) and handover times (HOT). Specifically, the following two questions are focused: 1) How should the user terminals (UTs) choose a proper satellite? 2) When the UTs should handover to another satellite? Grouping-based user association strategy is proposed based on analyzing the cross seam effect. A Grouping-based biased handover strategy is designed hereinafter. Simulation results show that the proposed joint user association and handover (JUAH) strategy works well in both polar and walker LS-LEOSCN. The PDJ and HOT can be significantly decreased by 39.83%, 63.25% compared with traditional max-SINR user association and typical handover strategy, respectively.
On the relationship between the Madden‐Julian Oscillation and 2 m air temperature over central Asia in boreal winter

Linear regression is used to explore the relationship between the Madden‐Julian oscillation (MJO) and 2 m air temperature (T2M) over central Asia in boreal winter during 1979–2012. During MJO phases 3 and 4 (7 and 8), T2M anomalies exhibit a significantly strong, negative (positive) response to the MJO from the Arabian Sea to northwestern China. The anomalies of T2M are essentially influenced by surface net downward long (Ldown) and shortwave radiations, which are caused by the changes in total cloud cover (TCC) and low‐level tropospheric air temperature. The anomalies of Ldown that are caused by TCC account for 20–65% of total Ldown. The remaining anomalies of total Ldown are explained by low‐level air temperature changes. The 850 hPa air temperature (T850) tendency is mainly affected by the vertical motion over central Asia during MJO phases 1, 2, 4–6, and 8, as well as over northern India during phases 3 and 7. Over Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and northwestern China, the anomalies of T850 tendency are mainly explained by the temperature advection during phases 3 and 7. TCC and vertical motion are affected by the evolution of the MJO event. The cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation related to the MJO over central Asia during phases 3 and 4 (7 and 8) causes the transport of cold (warm) air over central Asia. The MJO can be a useful intraseasonal signal to predict winter T2M over central Asia, where temperatures would be colder (warmer) than normal during MJO phases 3 and 4 (7 and 8).
Data Collection for HD Map Updates through MEC-assisted Vehicle Crowdsourcing: A Trade off between Accuracy and Cost

The integration of vehicle crowdsourcing with Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) has emerged as an efficient way for real-time data collection for high-definition (HD) map updates. In this context, a substantial volume of data must be up-loaded to ensure the precision of HD map updates. However, most existing works ignore differences in vehicle sensing capabilities and upload delays, which pose significant hurdles in achieving both enhanced accuracy and reduced communication costs in HD map updates. This paper addresses the aforementioned issue by offering a comprehensive consideration of vehicle sensing capabilities and upload delays, thereby ensuring the utility of HD map updates within the framework of MEC-assisted vehicle crowdsourcing. We propose an innovative data collection scheme that effectively navigates the balance between accuracy and communication costs while meeting application accuracy and latency requirements. This is achieved by optimizing the vehicle selection process on a small time scale and concurrently adjusting data collection parameters on a larger time scale. Extensive simulation shows that the proposed scheme has superior performance than those baselines.
Nitrogen assimilation, grain protein and yield of wheat in response to irrigation and method of fertilizer N application

A field experiment was conducted with wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv PBW 343) during 1999-2000, to assess the interactive effects of timings of irrigation and fertilizer N on nitrogen assimilation, grain yield and proteincontent on a sandy loam soil. The experiment consisted of nine irrigation treatments ranging from nil to four in the main plots and three N treatments viz. no fertilizer N and 120 kg N ha - 1 (a) drilled at the time of sowing and (b) broadcast before presowing irrigation (BPSI) applied one week before sowing in the sub-plots. Mineral N distribution in the soil profile, determined at the time of sowing, showed that presowing irrigation transported 63 percent of the applied N to the sub-soil. Nitrate reductase activity (NRA) of the flag leaf during grain filling was significantly enhanced by both amount and method of N application. The grain protein content (GPC) increased significantly (p=0.05) from 10.3 percent in 120 kg N ha-1 drilled at sowing to 12.7 percent in broadcast. However, there was a decline in GPC with increase in irrigation number. Further, NRA showed a curvilinear relationship with GPC and grain N uptake. N recovery was found to be 30 percent in drill and 60 percent in BPSI method. There was a significant (p=0.05) increase in 1000-grain weight, grain yield, biomass and total N uptake with irrigation. Similarly, fertilizer N drilled at sowing increased total biomass, ears per m 2 , grain number per ear, grain N uptake and total N uptake over no N. Application of the same amount of N with BPSI further brought a significant improvement in these parameters. However, the grain size was significantly reduced with both fertilizer N rate and method of application.
The Brown Sugar Mediated Carbon Quantum Dots as a Novel Fluorescence Sensor for Sensitive Detection of Gentamicin and Its Application in Foods

In this work, a novel fluorescence sensing strategy was proposed for the detection of gentamicin based on fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Herein, the CQDs were green-synthesized for the first time via a one-step hydrothermal method utilizing brown sugar as the precursor. In the presence of citrate-stabilized AuNPs, the fluorescence of CQDs was quenched efficiently. Gentamicin, on the other hand, had a higher affinity for AuNPs and was able to compete with CQDs for a preferential binding to AuNPs, which ultimately led to the aggregation of AuNPs and freeing of CQDs in solution, causing the fluorescence recovery of CQDs. Based on the above phenomenon, the concentrations of gentamicin could be ascertained by detecting the variations in fluorescence intensity of CQDs. This sensing strategy exhibited excellent selectivity in various antibiotics. At the same time, the method displayed outstanding sensitivity for gentamicin, which was successfully applied to real samples detection.
Cardiorespiratory fitness predicts greater hippocampal volume and rate of episodic associative learning in older adults

Declining episodic memory is common among otherwise healthy older adults, in part due to negative effects of aging on hippocampal circuits. However, there is significant variability between individuals in severity of aging effects on the hippocampus and subsequent memory decline. Importantly, variability may be influenced by modifiable protective physiological factors such as cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). More research is needed to better understand which aspects of cognition that decline with aging benefit most from CRF. The current study evaluated the relation of CRF with learning rate in the Episodic Associative Learning (EAL) task, a task designed specifically to target hippocampal-dependent relational binding and to evaluate learning with repeated occurrences. Results show that higher CRF was associated with larger hippocampal volume and faster learning rate. Larger hippocampal volume was also associated with faster learning rate, and hippocampal volume partially mediated the relationship between CRF and learning rate. Further, to support the distinction between learning item relations and learning higher-order sequences, which declines with aging but is largely reliant on extra-hippocampal learning systems, we found that EAL learning rate was not related to motor sequence learning on the alternating serial reaction time task. Motor sequence learning was also not correlated with hippocampal volume. Thus, for the first time we show that higher CRF in healthy older adults is related to enhanced rate of relational memory acquisition, in part mediated by benefits on the hippocampus.
Higher remnant cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a community-based cross-sectional study

Background and aims Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is the most common subtype of MCI, which carries a significantly high risk of transitioning to Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, increasing attention has been given to remnant cholesterol (RC), a non-traditional and previously overlooked risk factor. The aim of this study was to explore the association between plasma RC levels and aMCI. Methods Data were obtained from Brain Health Cognitive Management Team in Wuhan (https://hbtcm.66nao.com/admin/). A total of 1,007 community-dwelling elders were recruited for this project. Based on ten tools including general demographic data, cognitive screening and some exclusion scales, these participants were divided into the aMCI (n = 401) and normal cognitive groups (n = 606). Physical examinations were conducted on all participants, with clinical indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids collected. Results The aMCI group had significantly higher RC levels compared to the normal cognitive group (0.64 ± 0.431 vs. 0.52 ± 0.447 mmol/L, p < 0.05). Binary logistics regression revealed that occupation (P<0.001, OR = 0.533, 95%CI: 0.423–0.673) and RC (p = 0.014, OR = 1.477, 95% CI:1.081–2.018) were associated factors for aMCI. Partial correlation analysis, after controlling for occupation, showed a significant negative correlation between RC levels and MoCA scores (r = 0.059, p = 0.046), as well as Naming scores (r = 0.070, p = 0.026). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that RC levels had an independent predictive efficacy in predicting aMCI (AUC = 0.580, 95%CI: 0.544 ~ 0.615, P < 0.001). Conclusion Higher RC levels were identified as an independent indicator for aMCI, particularly in the naming cognitive domain among older individuals. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to validate the predictive efficacy of RC.
Towards a Bioinspired Soft Robotic Gripper for Gentle Manipulation of Mushrooms

Soft Robotics showed great potential in applications where safety and compliance are key factors for the interaction of the robot with delicate objects and the environment. Mushroom harvesting nowadays is mainly performed by human harvesters and requires both dexterity and a gentle touch to preserve the quality of fresh products. Indeed, improper contact may lead to blemishes on the mushroom surface representing a loss for the market. The inherent mechanical compliance of soft grippers is a major advantage for gripping delicate produce, as the soft robotic structure can passively conform around the object to distribute its contact load, however clear specifications on the maximum forces that can be exerted are crucial for the design. This work presents a soft finger-based pneumatic gripper inspired by human hand capabilities in the manipulation of white buttom mushrooms, with the final aim of integrating into a robotic platform to automate the mushroom picking process. Bruising analysis on fresh mushrooms has been performed to evaluate the range of normal force that can be exerted without causing damage to the fresh products. The results show that mushroom cell walls can tolerate normal forces up to 7 N without breaking and exhibiting bruises. This value is significantly higher than the average normal force exerted by the expert harvester (2-3N) and it should be considered as the upper limit of the normal force which can be exerted by the gripper. These preliminary results pave the way to integrate the proposed soft gripper into mushroom shelves as the first step towards the automatizing of the harvesting process.