Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mice with renal-specific alterations of stem cell-associated signaling develop symptoms of chronic kidney disease but surprisingly no tumors

Previously, we found that Wnt and Notch signaling govern stem cells of clear cell kidney cancer (ccRCC) in patients. To mimic stem cell responses in the normal kidney in vitro in a marker-unbiased fashion, we have established organoids from total single adult mouse kidney epithelial cells in Matrigel and serum-free conditions. Deep proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses revealed that the organoids resembled renewal of adult kidney tubular epithelia, since organoid cells displayed activity of Wnt and Notch signaling, long-term proliferation and expression of markers of proximal and distal nephron lineages. In our wish to model stem cell-derived human ccRCC, we have generated two types of genetic double kidney mutants in mice: Wnt-β-catenin-GOF together with Notch-GOF and Wnt-β-catenin-GOF together with a most common alteration in ccRCC, Vhl-LOF. An inducible Pax8-rtTA-LC1-Cre was used to drive recombination specifically in adult kidney epithelial cells. We confirmed mutagenesis of β-catenin, Notch and Vhl alleles on DNA, protein and mRNA target gene levels. Surprisingly, we observed symptoms of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in mutant mice, but no increased proliferation and tumorigenesis. Thus, the responses of kidney stem cells in the organoid and genetic systems produced different phenotypes, i.e. enhanced renewal versus CKD.
Bearded or smooth? Awns improve yield when wheat experiences heat stress during grain fill

The presence or absence of awns – whether wheat heads are ”bearded” or ”smooth”– is the most visible phenotype distinguishing wheat cultivars. Previous studies suggest that awns may improve yields in heat or water-stressed environments, but the exact contribution of awns to yield differences remains unclear. Here we leverage historical phenotypic, genotypic, and climate data to estimate the yield effects of awns under different environmental conditions over a 12-year period in the Southeast US. Lines were classified as awned or awnless based on sequence data, and observed heading dates were used to associate grain fill periods of each line in each environment with climatic data and grain yield. In most environments, awn suppression was associated with higher yields, but awns were associated with better performance in heat-stressed environments more common at southern locations. Wheat breeders in environments where awns are only beneficial in some years may consider selection for awned lines to reduce year-to-year yield variability, and with an eye towards future climates.
How is Emotional Evidence from Multiple Sources Used in Perceptual Decision Making?

Judging the emotional nature of a scene requires us to deliberately integrate pieces of evidence with varying intensity of emotion. Our existing knowledge about emotion-related perceptual decision making is largely based on paradigms using single stimulus and, when involving multiple stimuli, rapid decisions. Consequently, it remains unclear how we sample and integrate multiple pieces of emotional evidence deliberately to form an overall judgment. Findings from non-emotion rapid decision-making studies show humans down-sample and downweight extreme evidence. However, deliberate decision making may rely on a different attention mode than in rapid decision making; and extreme emotional stimuli are inherently salient. Given these critical differences, it is imperative to directly examine the deliberate decision-making process about multiple emotional stimuli. In the current study, human participants (N=33) viewed arrays of faces with expressions ranging from extremely fearful to extremely happy freely with their eye movement tracked. They then decided whether the faces were more fearful or happier on average. In contrast to conclusions drawn from non-emotion and rapid decision-making studies, eye movement measures revealed that participants attentionally sampled extreme emotional evidence more than less extreme evidence. Computational modeling results showed that even though participants exhibited biased attention distribution, they weighted various emotional evidence equally. These findings provide novel insights into how people sample and integrate multiple pieces of emotional evidence, contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of emotion-related decision making, and shed light on the mechanisms of pathological affective decisions.
Time perception reflects individual differences in motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

Dopaminergic signaling in the striatum has been shown to play a critical role in the perception of time. Decreasing striatal dopamine efficacy is at the core of Parkinson’s disease (PD) motor symptoms and changes in dopaminergic action have been associated with many comorbid non-motor symptoms in PD. We hypothesize that patients with PD perceive time differently and in accordance with their specific comorbid non-motor symptoms and clinical state. We recruited patients with PD and compared individual differences in patients’ clinical features with their ability to judge millisecond to second intervals of time (500ms-1100ms) while on or off their prescribed dopaminergic medications. We show that individual differences in comorbid non-motor symptoms, PD duration, and prescribed dopaminergic pharmacotherapeutics account for individual differences in time perception performance. We report that comorbid impulse control disorder is associated with temporal overestimation; depression is associated with decreased temporal accuracy; and PD disease duration and prescribed levodopa monotherapy are associated with reduced temporal precision and accuracy. Observed differences in time perception are consistent with hypothesized dopaminergic mechanisms thought to underlie the respective motor and non-motor symptoms in PD, but also raise questions about specific dopaminergic mechanisms. In future work, time perception tasks like the one used here, may provide translational or reverse translational utility in investigations aimed at disentangling neural and cognitive systems underlying PD symptom etiology. One Sentence Summary Quantitative characterization of time perception behavior reflects individual differences in Parkinson’s disease motor and non-motor symptom clinical presentation that are consistent with hypothesized neural and cognitive mechanisms.
Development of a novel epigenetic clock resistant to changes in immune cell composition

Epigenetic clocks are age predictors that use machine-learning models trained on DNA CpG methylation values to predict chronological or biological age. Increases in predicted epigenetic age relative to chronological age (epigenetic age acceleration) are connected to aging-associated pathologies, and changes in epigenetic age are linked to canonical aging hallmarks. However, epigenetic clocks rely on training data from bulk tissues whose cellular composition changes with age. We found that human naive CD8+ T cells, which decrease during aging, exhibit an epigenetic age 15–20 years younger than effector memory CD8+ T cells from the same individual. Importantly, homogenous naive T cells isolated from individuals of different ages show a progressive increase in epigenetic age, indicating that current epigenetic clocks measure two independent variables, aging and immune cell composition. To isolate the age-associated cell intrinsic changes, we created a new clock, the IntrinClock, that did not change among 10 immune cell types tested. IntrinClock showed a robust predicted epigenetic age increase in a model of replicative senescence in vitro and age reversal during OSKM-mediated reprogramming.
Near-Shortest Simple Paths on a Network with Imprecise Edge Weights

We present an algorithm to obtain the near-shortest simple (cycle free) paths between a pair of specified vertices s and t on a network whose edge weights are of imprecise nature. In particular, we have considered the weights as interval numbers and triangular fuzzy numbers. Existing ideas on addition and comparison between two imprecise numbers of same types are introduced. Initially, a fuzzy optimal path is obtained to which the decision-maker always satisfies with different grades of satisfaction. On the basis of the obtained fuzzy shortest path, different sets of nearshortest simple paths are produced within specified tolerance limit. Retaining only the first k such paths according to their weights, the k-shortest simple paths problem is also solved.
Theoretical study of the odd parity levels and transition probabilities in Pt II

A theoretical study of five odd configurations of singly ionized platinum was performed in the framework of the Slater-Racah theory. This led to the interpretation of all 202 experimentally known energy levels. In the earlier analysis we altered the J-values of five levels and removed the indeterminacies in J-values of another 13 levels. Twenty-eight new levels were found in the vicinity of the predictions, and the lowest levels of 5d87p and 5d66s26p were identified at 106 995 and 104 625 cm−1, respectively. The transition probabilities computed in the HXR option of the Cowan code are in good agreement with observed intensities of Sansonetti J E, Reader J, Sansonetti C J and Acquista N (1992 J. Res. NIST 97, 1). One hundred and fifty-one newly classified lines are reported in the range 1077-4104 A.
A Brief Review of Educational Data Mining to Improve Intelligent Learning Environments

Learning environments and educational platforms have become ubiquitous in current education. These systems produce an increasing volume of data about different aspects of education. The analysis of this data yields useful knowledge to understand the interrelations and individual states of actors in education, such as students, pedagogical actions, tutorial decisions, learning strategies and learning outcomes. These insights can be used in many ways to improve learning and education, for example, improving intelligent tutoring systems and intelligent learning environments. We are developing two intelligent tutoring systems and we are analyzing data from educational contexts to model the different components of the intelligent tutors through applying several educational data mining techniques. The initial mining approach is presented along with a brief review of literature on educational data mining.
Maximum Matching via Maximal Matching Queries

We study approximation algorithms for Maximum Matching that are given access to the input graph solely via an edge-query maximal matching oracle . More specifically, in each round, an algorithm queries a set of potential edges and the oracle returns a maximal matching in the subgraph spanned by the query edges that are also contained in the input graph. This model is more general than the vertex-query model introduced by binti Khalil and Konrad [FSTTCS’20], where each query consists of a subset of vertices and the oracle returns a maximal matching in the subgraph of the input graph induced by the queried vertices. In this paper, we give tight bounds for deterministic edge-query algorithms for up to three rounds. In more detail:
Tip‐induced anodization of titanium surfaces by scanning tunneling microscopy: A humidity effect on nanolithography

A scanning tunneling microscope was employed for tip‐induced anodization of titanium (Ti) surfaces. Spatial resolution of fabricated patterns was remarkably affected by the tip shape and humidity in the atmosphere. The amount of adsorbed water on the Ti surface determined by humidity has a key role in controlling the resolution, and the resolution becomes worse with increasing humidity. Under the optimized conditions, tip‐induced anodization of Ti was successfully achieved with a spatial resolution of 30 nm.
Optimización de mecanismos planos de 4 y 6 eslabones para el desarrollo de un prototipo de prótesis transfemoral

This paper presents an optimization procedure for the synthesis of 4-and 6-bar planar mechanisms, based on evolutionary computation techniques: Genetic Algorithms (GA) and Diﬀerential Evolutionary Algorithm (DEA). The objective is to compare the results obtained and determine which technique and which mechanism complies with the tracking of the poloid (characteristic curve describing the Instantaneous
CARLA 0.9: Now with more Analytics!

E-Learning offers new mechanisms for easing interactions with learning environments. In an earlier work the Conversational Agent based in viRtual reaLity with Analytics (CARLA) was introduced. This is a chatbot that provides interaction within a virtual reality E-Learning platform through spoken dialogue. However, its knowledge base was restricted to a local database. To expand it, a search engine is integrated into the chatbot. Furthermore, to recommend new knowledge a recommender system can be employed which is dependable on a semantic similarity measure. Therefore, in this work we improve the CARLA framework by including a search engine for the dialogue manager, and provide support for recommendations. In particular, the recommender system is built upon the Normalized Web Distance which allows semantic comparison of words and concepts using a large corpus. Results using the Google and Wikipedia search engines show a high correlation against expert and common knowledge respondents, emphasizing that the Normalized Web Distance can be employed to suggest users new knowledge through the chatbot based on topic similarity and user queries.
Generalized Moment Problems for Estimation of Spectral Densities and Quantum Channels

This thesis is concerned with two generalized moment problems arising in the estimation of stochastic models. Firstly, we consider the THREE approach, introduced by Byrnes Georgiou and Lindquist, for estimating spectral densities. Here, the output covariance matrix of a known bank of filters is used to extract information on the input spectral density which needs to be estimated. The parametrization of the family of spectral densities matching the output covariance is a generalized moment problem. An estimate of the input spectral density is then chosen from this family. The choice criterium is based on the minimization of a suitable divergence index among spectral densities. After the introduction of the THREE-like paradigm, we present a multivariate extension of the Beta divergence for solving the problem. Afterward, we deal with the estimation of the output covariance of the filters bank given a finite-length data generated by the unknown input spectral density. Secondly, we deal with the quantum process tomography. This problem consists in the estimation of a quantum channel which can be thought as the quantum equivalent of the Markov transition matrix in the classical setting. Here, a quantum system prepared in a known pure state is fed to the unknown channel. A measurement of an observable is performed on the output state. The set of the employed pure states and observables represents the experimental setting. Again, the parametrization of the family of quantum channels matching the measurements is a generalized moment problem. The choice criterium for the best estimate in this family is based on the maximization of maximum likelihood functionals. The corresponding estimate, however, may not be unique since the experimental setting is not "rich" enough in many cases of interest. We characterize the minimal experimental setting which guarantees the uniqueness of the estimate. Numerical simulation evidences that experimental settings richer than the minimal one do not lead to better performances
Lipschitz stability criteria for functional differential systems of fractional order

In this paper, a class of fractional functional differential equations is investigated. Using differential inequalities and Lyapunov-like functions, Lipschitz stability, uniform Lipschitz stability, and global uniform Lipschitz stability criteria are proved. Since the problem of Lipschitz stability of dynamic systems is relevant in various contexts, including many inverse and control problem, our results can be applied in the qualitative investigations of many practical problems of diverse interest.
Radio Recombination Lines

At the time of the last review of radio recombination line research in these pages (Dupree & Goldberg 1970), the subject was still very much in its infancy and was concentrated almost exclusively on the observation and interpretation of lines from the classic bright radio H II regions, e.g. Orion A and M 17. However, with continuing improvements in the sensitivity of telescopes and receivers, it has now become possible to use radio recombination lines to explore a much broader range of phenomena. Recent areas of investigation include the study of planetary nebulae (e.g. Terzian & Balick 1972, Churchwell, Terzian & Walmsley 1976), the nuclei of some radio galaxies (e.g. Shaver, Churchwell & Rots 1976, Seaquist & Bell 1977), and the distributed ionized gas in the galactic plane, which may not be associated with identifiably discrete sources (e.g. Gottesman & Gordon 1970, Mebold et al. 1976). Besides the study of the thermodynamic structure of ionized regions, recombination lines have been used for purposes as diverse as the measurement of magnetic fields (Troland & Heiles 1977), abundance determinations in extragalactic nebulae (e.g. Huchtmeier & Churchwell 1974, McGee, Newton & Batchelor 1975), and kinematic studies of galactic structure (e.g. Mezger 1970, Lockman 1977). A new type of object, the C II region in isolated molecular clouds, has been discovered (Brown & Knapp 1974) and studied in lines of carbon (e.g. Pankonin & Walmsley 1976) and heavier elements (e.g. Chaisson 1975, Knapp et al. 1976b, Pankonin et al. 1977a). Moreover, the observations are no longer limited to single-dish measurements at centimetric wavelengths, but have now been made over virtually the entire radio spectrum, from 86 GHz (Waitman et al. 1973) to 242 MHz (Pedlar et al. 1977) using both single-dish and aperture synthesis techniques (Wellington et al. 1976).
Formulation and Characterization of Buccal Films Containing Valsartan with Additional Support from Image Analysis

The present study was aimed to the development and characterization of valsartan-containing buccal films with an introduction to a novel technique of image analysis. Visual inspection of the film provided a wealth of information that was difficult to quantify objectively. The obtained images of the films observed under the microscope were embedded in a convolutional neural network (CNN). The results were clustered according to their visual quality and on the basis of data distances. Image analysis proved to be a promising method to characterize buccal films appearance and their visual properties. The differential behavior of film composition was investigated using a reduced combinatorial experimental design. Formulation properties such as dissolution rate, moisture content, valsartan particle size distribution, film thickness, and drug assay were evaluated. In addition, more advanced methods such as Raman microscopy and image analysis were used to characterize the developed product in more detail. The results of dissolution tests using four different dissolution apparatuses showed a significant difference between the formulations containing the active ingredient in different polymorphic states. The dynamic contact angle of a water droplet on the surface of the films was measured, which correlated well with the dissolution times at 80% of the released drug (t80). Graphical Abstract
Electromagnetic scattering from a corrugated wedge

The scattering of a TE-polarized wave from a perfectly conducting wedge with one of its faces loaded with cavities is considered. The proposed formulation reduces the analysis of the original problem to two simpler configurations: one concerning the geometry of the corrugation (internal problem) and one concerning the geometry of the perfectly conducting wedge (external problem). By resorting to a suitable numerical technique, it is possible to account for arbitrarily shaped corrugations filled with inhomogeneous material. Numerical results demonstrate the validity of the technique and its applicability to general shape corrugations. The analysis of corrugated horns is considered and results are shown that demonstrate the flexibility of the procedure to analyze horns with arbitrarily shaped corrugations.
Jean Epstein : Critical Essays and New Translations

Filmmaker en -theoreticus Jean Epstein beinvloedde sterk de filmpraktijk, -kritiek en -receptie in Frankrijk en ver daarbuiten tijdens de jaren twintig van de vorige eeuw. Zijn werk vormde niet alleen de kern van de debatten in die tijd, maar is ook een sleutel voor het begrijpen van latere ontwikkelingen in de filmpraktijk en -theorie. Epsteins filmkritieken zijn uiteenlopende, uitdagende en poetisch geschreven teksten, en zijn vaak adembenemende films bieden belangrijke en moderne inzichten in de cinema. Dit boek verschijnt op het moment dat een aantal van de thema's die centraal staan in het werk van Epstein opnieuw wordt onderzocht, met inbegrip van de theorie van de waarneming, realisme en de relatie tussen cinema en de andere kunsten. De kritische essays vormen een waardevolle inleiding tot het creatieve oeuvre van Epstein.
Wideband electronically tunable microwave bandstop filters using iron film-gallium arsenide waveguide structure

A wideband electronically tunable microwave bandstop (notch) filter has been realized using ultrathin iron film-gallium arsenide (FeGaAs) material structure. A tuning range as large as 8 to 27 GHz for the peak absorption carrier frequency of a propagating microwave has been accomplished.
Photoionisation of atomic sulphur

The photoionisation spectrum of atomic sulphur prepared by the reaction of H atoms with H2S, is presented from its ionisation threshold to 925 AA. Autoionisation peaks assigned to quasidiscrete levels . (2D degrees )nd3S degrees , 3P degrees are sharp, whereas those designated . (2D degrees )nd 3D degrees are broad. This latter feature parallels the discontinuity observed between first-row and heavier elements in the noble gases and halogens. There is evidence for severe perturbation in the . , (2D degrees )nd 3P degrees series, which could conceivably be attributed to a proximate 3s3p5 3P degrees state.
Microstructured Droplet Based Porous Capacitive Pressure Sensor

Devices that imitate the functions of human skin are known as “electronic skin,” and they must have characteristics like high sensitivity, a wide dynamic range, high spatial homogeneity, cheap cost, wide area easy processing, and the ability to distinguish between diverse external inputs. Here, we describe a flexible droplet-based microfluidic-assisted emulsion self-assembly (DMESA) method for producing highly efficient capacitive pressure sensors based on three-dimensional microstructures for electronic skin applications. Our method may produce evenly sized micropores that self-assemble across a vast area in an ordered close-packed manner, leading to excellent spatial homogeneity. Dynamic amplitude and sensitivity were readily regulated to as high as 0.62 kPa -1and up to 100 kPa by adjusting the micropore size, which can be simply adjusted from 100 to 600 µm. Our gadget may be molded into a variety of forms and printed on curved surfaces. These examples show how our method and sensors may be used for a broad range of e-skin applications.