Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Numerical Analysis of Body Sway for Evaluation of 3D Sickness

We have applied this artificial intelligence (AI) system to numerical simulations of the stabilogram whose randomness is remarkably greater than that of the other bio-signal in accordance with the nonlinear analysis. We have succeeded in findings of the mathematical models of the body sway in the elderly with use of the Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Trying to visualize internal state of the discriminator layer in our GAN, we can discuss how the AI captures the feature of patterns in the stabilograms recorded during the 3D sickness. Especially in the stabilograms measured during the 3D sickness, cusp patterns could be extracted as a high contribution to the output of the discriminator.
Indirect Field Oriented Control Technology for Asynchronous Motor of Electric Vehicle

In this paper, according to the technical requirements of the asynchronous motor drive system for electric vehicle, the motor model of the asynchronous motor in the synchronous rotating coordinate system is derived, and the vector control scheme of the rotor flux indirect orientation is presented, and A set of simulation system based on MATLAB / Simulink and a set of test platform of asynchronous motor for electric vehicle based on TMS320128335 are developed, and the dynamic and static performances are carried out. Simulation and experimental results show that the scheme can obtain good dynamic and steady state control effect.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL DYNAMICS OF THE GOLGI APPARATUS OF PAROTID ACINAR CELLS AS ANALYZED BY COMPUTER GRAPHICS OF CYTOCHEMICALLY-MARKED SERIAL SECTIONS

To correlate the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus, we employed computergenerated three-dimensional reconstruction from electron micrographs of serial sections treated for thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase) cytochemistry. Three-dimensional analyses were conducted for rat parotid acinar cells in a resting state, in the course of mitotic division, and during postnatal development.In resting acinar cells, the TPPase-positive trans elements are the same size as the TPPase-negative middle/cis elements horizontally, and they mutually overlap from side to side. During the mitotic stage, TPPase activity disappears from the disorganized Golgi apparatus and no secretory granule formation is observed. Recovery of the stacked structure and TPPase activity take place in daughter cells at the telophase, which are followed by secretory granule formation. During the differentiation of Golgi apparatus in postnatally developing acinar cells, TPPase activity is expressed following formation of the stacked structure, and then granule formation is initiated. These results clearly demonstrate the close relationship among the stacked structure, TPPase activity and the exocrine function of the Golgi apparatus.
Adenosine Signaling in Autoimmune Disorders

The molecular components of the purinergic system (i.e., receptors, metabolizing enzymes and membrane transporters) are widely expressed in the cells of the immune system. Additionally, high concentrations of adenosine are generated from the hydrolysis of ATP in any “danger” condition, when oxygen and energy availability dramatically drops. Therefore, adenosine acts as a retaliatory metabolite to counteract the nucleotide-mediated boost of the immune reaction. Based on this observation, it can be foreseen that the recruitment with selective agonists of the receptors involved in the immunomodulatory effect of adenosine might represent an innovative anti-inflammatory approach with potential exploitation in autoimmune disorders. Quite surprisingly, pro-inflammatory activity exerted by some adenosine receptors has been also identified, thus paving the way for the hypothesis that at least some autoimmune disorders may be caused by a derailment of adenosine signaling. In this review article, we provide a general overview of the roles played by adenosine on immune cells with a specific focus on the development of adenosine-based therapies for autoimmune disorders, as demonstrated by the exciting data from concluded and ongoing clinical trials.
Performance Analysis of a Hybrid 100G CO-OFDM-CDMA System with 2D Signature for LR-PONs

A hybrid coherent optical (CO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing-code division multiplexing access (OFDM-CDMA) system is numerically demonstrated for long-reach passive optical networks (LR-PONs) at 100 Gb/s using an advanced 2D-OCDMA signature. To this end, we investigate key parameters limitations, such as the overlap of OFDM subcarriers, the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), and the multiple access interference (MAI) for up to 180 users and 64-quadrature amplitude modulation (64-QAM). It is shown that the maximum achievable transmission-reach of CO-OFDM-CDMA with 2D-hybrid coding is 83.5 km, which is almost double compared to a conventional OCDMA-wavelength division multiplexing (OCDMA-WDM) system. Likewise, our proposed technique can enhance the total power budget by 17 dB compared to 2D-OCDMA-WDM.
A personal view on basic education in reproduction: Where are we now and where are we going?

Abstract This article explores the current and expected direction of education in reproduction at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University. The current reproductive course in the Bachelor's programme is described. Based on the yearly routine course evaluation, changes have been started and continue to be implemented, and the educational ideas behind it are defined. Interactive e‐learning modules that combine knowledge clips, animations, and quizzes have been developed. For the practical classes, e‐modules with instructional videos have been paired to the written material. Using these new tools during self‐study, students have to prepare for the necessary face‐to‐face classes that contain more in‐depth discussions and practical training. In the second part, the author describes his expectations for further educational development. The growth of effective self‐study using e‐learning, besides traditional textbooks, before more in‐depth face‐to‐face classes is likely to occur. With the growth of modern possibilities, such as the haptic technique and virtual reality, a better preparation in laboratory skills before practical training with animals is expected. In the author's opinion, despite all new learning methods and material, small group, face‐to‐face lectures, and practical classes with animals or animal material remain absolutely necessary. This article concludes with some lessons learned during the current adaptation of the course.
Comparison of Accuracy and Clinical Outcomes of Robot-Assisted Versus Fluoroscopy-Guided Pedicle Screw Placement in Posterior Cervical Surgery

Study Design: This was a prospective controlled study. Objective: To compare the accuracy and clinical outcomes of robot-assisted (RA) and fluoroscopy-guided (FG) pedicle screw placement in posterior cervical surgery. Methods: This study included 58 patients. The primary outcome measures were the 1-time success rate and the accuracy of pedicle screw placement according to the Gertzbein-Robbins scales. The secondary outcome measures, including the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, cumulative radiation time, radiation dose, intraoperative advent events, and postoperative complications, were recorded and analyzed. The Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) scores and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were used to assess the neurological function of patients before and at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Results: The rate of grade A was significantly higher in the RA group than in the FG group (90.6% and 71.1%; P < .001). The clinically acceptable accuracy was 97.2% in the RA group and 90.7% in the FG group (P = .009). Moreover, the 1-time success rate was significantly higher in the RA group than in the FG group. The RA group had less radiation time (P < .001) and less radiation dose (P = .002) but longer operative time (P = .001). There were no significant differences in terms of intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, intraoperative adverse events, postoperative complications, JOA scores, and NDI scores at each follow-up time point between the 2 groups. Conclusions: The RA technique achieved higher accuracy and 1-time success rate of pedicle screw placement in posterior cervical surgery while achieving comparable clinical outcomes.
The mechanisms involved in intercellular adhesion molecule 1and hyaluronan synthase 2 induction following monocyte - fibroblast interaction

An influx of leucocytes, particularly macrophages, into the glomerulus and cortical interstitium, is characteristic of most forms of progressive renal disease. Previous work in our lab has demonstrated that leucocyte adherence to primary cultures of human renal fibroblasts stimulated ICAM-1 induction (1). Induction was initiated as a result of the ICAM-1/ β2 integrin interaction, and was mimicked by crosslinking ICAM-1 with specific antibodies. The aim of my research was to examine the effect of leucocyte/fibroblasts interaction on ICAM-1 and HAS2 expression, and to investigate the mechanisms involved. I have shown induction of HAS 2 mRNA, the principal synthase involved in generation of the extracellular matrix polysaccharide hyaluronan (HA), in parallel with ICAM-1 in the fibroblasts. There were both cell-contact and soluble factor-mediated components to this activation. In addition there was an exponential rise in this induction when monocytes were activated. This was mediated by ICAM-1 on the fibroblast surface. Two major pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNFα and IL 1β, were shown to be potential soluble factor involved. In conclusion, I was able to show two possible mechanisms through which mononuclear cells activate fibroblasts and induce ICAM 1 and HAS 2, thus perpetuating an inflammatory reaction. The first was through interaction with ICAM-1 on the fibroblast surface the second was through the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Hydraulic resistance of plants. II: Effects of rooting medium, and time of day, in barley and lupin

Barley and lupin plants were grown in pots designed to fit inside a pressure chamber. The pots contained sand, soil, or nutrient solution. Transpiration rates were varied over a wide range. At a given transpiration rate, Q, the balancing pressure, p, of a plant was determined; p is the pneumatic pressure that must be applied to the roots in the pressure chamber to have a cut in the xylem of the shoot on the verge of bleeding. The relation between p and Q, p(Q), was non-linear and hysteretic for solution- grown plants, but was remarkably linear for plants grown in sand or soil, i.e. the data for a given plant on a given occasion conformed closely to the equation p =po + rQ, where po and r were constants. Even though p(Q) was linear for the plants grown in sand or soil, po was often much larger than Δπ, the difference in osmotic pressure between the external solution and the xylem of the root, so that the apparent hydraulic resistance of the plants, i.e. (p-Δπ)/Q, depended strongly on Q. Furthermore, po changed diurnally and was typically 100-200 kPa higher in the afternoon than in the morning. These results are discussed in relation to the equations that are commonly used to describe water flow through plants. It is postulated that r represents the true hydraulic resistance of the plant, which is independent of Q in the plants grown in soil or sand but may vary diurnally, and that the discrepancy between po and Δπ represents either an additional and hitherto unrecognized difference in osmotic pressure across the membranes of the root that intercept the transpiration stream, or a pressure required to open valves through which the water has to pass, with the valves possibly being located in the plasmodesmata.
Event-Triggered Quantized Communication-Based Consensus in Multiagent Systems via Sliding Mode

To handle the common existing constraints, that is, limited energy supplies and limited communication bandwidth in multiagent systems (MASs), this article investigates the consensus problem in MASs with event-triggered communication (ETC) and state quantization. In order to compensate for the effect brought by mismatched disturbances, we also propose a novel multiple discontinuous sliding-mode surface, and the corresponding sliding-mode control law is constructed by considering the event-triggered and dynamic quantized mechanisms jointly. Under such a scheme, it is shown that the state trajectories of all the agents will be regulated to achieve consensus asymptotically and the Zeno behavior can be avoided completely. We further extend this work to self-triggered and periodic event-triggered cases. Particularly, in a periodic event-triggered approach, the new form of triggering conditions and upper bound of the sampling periods are provided explicitly. As a result, all agents can reach bounded consensus. Moreover, the upper bound of the consensus error can be arbitrarily adjusted by appropriately selecting parameters, and the periodic event-triggered case will be reduced to the event-triggered case when the bound approaches 0 (sampling periods approach 0 at the same time). A numerical example is illustrated to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
The influence of footwear on walking biomechanics in individuals with chronic ankle instability

Background/Purpose The effects of footwear on the walking kinematics, kinetics and electromyography (EMG) of individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) at different speeds are still unknown. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the kinematic, kinetic and electromyography differences between shod and barefoot walking at comfortable (CW) and fast (FW) speeds in individuals with CAI. Methods Twenty-one individuals with CAI walked on a 5-meter walkway shod and barefoot at CW and FW speeds. A force plate was used to record the ground reaction forces, a 3-D motion analysis system to record the lower limb kinematics and a surface EMG system to collect the gluteus medius, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, peroneus longus and tibialis anterior muscles activity. The dependent variables were ankle and knee angles and moments and normalized muscle activity. The shod and barefoot data during CW and FW were compared using a one-dimensional non-parametric mapping analysis. Results The main results of this study were that individuals with CAI exhibited more ankle dorsiflexion angle, knee extension and tibialis anterior muscle activation during the beginning of the stance phase during shod compared to barefoot walking. Also, the biomechanical effects of shoes are similar during walking at FW and CW. Conclusion The biomechanical deficits associated with CAI were partly attenuated during the shod compared to the barefoot condition and these effects were similar at CW and FW. These findings are compatible with the concept that locomotor interventions using suitable shoes may enhance gait abilities in individuals with CAI.
Contrasting physiological traits of shade tolerance in Pinus and Podocarpaceae native to a tropical Vietnamese forest: Insight from an aberrant flat-leaved pine.

The absence of pines from tropical forests is a puzzling biogeographical oddity potentially explained by traits of shade intolerance. Pinus krempfii, a flat-leaved pine endemic to the Central Highlands of Vietnam, provides a notable exception as it seems to compete successfully with shade-tolerant tropical species. Here, we test the hypothesis that successful conifer performance at the juvenile stage depends on physiological traits of shade tolerance by comparing the physiological characteristics of P. krempfii to coexisting species from two taxa: the genus Pinus, and a relatively abundant and shade tolerant conifer family found in pantropical forests, the Podocarpaceae. We examined leaf photosynthetic, respiratory and biochemical traits. Additionally, we compiled attainable maximum photosynthesis, maximum RuBP carboxylation (Vcmax) and maximum electron transport (Jmax) values for Pinus and Podocarpaceae species from the literature. In our literature compilation, P. krempfii was intermediate between Pinus and Podocarpaceae in its maximum photosynthesis and its Vcmax. Pinus exhibited a higher Vcmax than Podocarpaceae, resulting in a less steep slope in the linear relationship between Jmax and Vcmax. These results suggest that Pinus may be more shade intolerant than Podocarpaceae with P. krempfii falling between the two taxa. However, in contrast, Vietnamese conifers' leaf mass per areas and biochemical traits did not highlight the same intermediate nature of P. krempfii. Furthermore, regardless of leaf morphology or family assignation, all species demonstrated a common and extremely high carbon gain efficiency. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of shade tolerant photosynthetic traits for conifer survival in tropical forests. However, they also demonstrate a diversity of shade tolerance strategies, all of which lead to the persistence of Vietnamese juvenile conifers in low-light tropical understories.
Alzheimer’s Disease Warning Signs: Gender and Education Influence Modifiable Risk Factors—A Pilot Survey Study

Abstract Objective The aim of this research was to determine the relationships among diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease warning signs, and lifestyle factors such as fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity. Method Adults over the age of 50 (N = 147) responded to a survey about their health, family history, and experience of Alzheimer’s warning signs in the previous year. Results Pearson’s correlation revealed significant relationships between fruit and vegetable intake and education, gender, and physical activity. Alzheimer’s warning signs were associated with relatives having an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. Other results were nonsignificant. Conclusions Diabetes impacts one-third of older adults in the United States and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This survey revealed that women, who are more at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, are less likely to engage in physical activity, a behavior that could decrease their risk. Similarly, those with higher education were more likely to consume colorful fruits and vegetables, potentially decreasing their risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Effects of Caffeine against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease: Insight into the Role of Nrf-2 and A2AR Signaling

This paper reviews the results of studies conducted on the role of caffeine in the management of different neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To highlight the potential role of caffeine in managing different neurodegenerative diseases, we identified studies by searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar by scrutinizing the lists of pertinent publications. According to the collected overall findings, caffeine may reduce the elevated oxidative stress; inhibit the activation of adenosine A2A, thereby regulating the accumulation of Aβ; reduce the hyperphosphorylation of tau; and reduce the accumulation of misfolded proteins, such as α-synuclein, in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The studies have suggested that caffeine has promising protective effects against different neurodegenerative diseases and that these effects may be used to tackle the neurological diseases and/or their consequences. Here, we review the ongoing research on the role of caffeine in the management of different neurodegenerative disorders, focusing on AD and PD. The current findings suggest that caffeine produces potent antioxidant, inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects against different models of neurodegenerative disease, including AD, PD, and other neurodegenerative disorders. Caffeine has shown strong antagonistic effects against the adenosine A2A receptor, which is a microglial receptor, and strong agonistic effects against nuclear-related factor-2 (Nrf-2), thereby regulating the cellular homeostasis at the brain by reducing oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, regulating the accumulation of α-synuclein in PD and tau hyperphosphorylation, amyloidogenesis, and synaptic deficits in AD, which are the cardinal features of these neurodegenerative diseases.
Diagnostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in Bell’s palsy

Background Bell’s palsy (BP) is the most common form of acute facial nerve disorder and is characterized by rapid onset peripheral facial palsy of unknown etiology. Purpose To explore the diagnostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imagine (MRI) in patients with BP particularly in involved segments. Material and Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the patients with BP who underwent routine MRI examinations and volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) sequence-based DCE-MRI before surgery in our department from January 2015 to July 2020. DCE-MRI data postprocessing was performed on Siemens Workstation Extended MR Work Space 2.6. 3.5. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS®v.19. 0. The inter-observer reliability was evaluated with kappa identity test and McNemar’s test. Results Twenty-three patients were included. On conventional contrast-enhanced MRI, the two observers were inconsistent in their diagnosis of lesion segments of facial nerve (Kappa 0.426, P = 0.009). Compared to the results of the surgery, the diagnostic consistency of both observers was general (Kappa 0.476, P < 0.001 and Kappa 0.430, P < 0.001, respectively). The diagnostic results of DCE-MRI for lesion segments of the facial nerve were consistent between the two observers (Kappa 0.929, P < 0.001). Compared to the results of the surgery, the diagnostic consistency of both observers was good (Kappa 0.753, P < 0.001 and Kappa 0.731, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion Compared to conventional MRI, DCE-MRI has good stability and repeatability in the diagnosis of the lesion segments of the facial nerve as well as a good specificity and accuracy.
Prevalence of alternative AUG and non-AUG translation initiators and their regulatory effects across plants

Translation initiation is a key step determining protein synthesis. Studies have uncovered a number of alternative translation initiation sites (TISs) in mammalian mRNAs and showed their roles in reshaping the proteome. However, the extent to which alternative TISs affect gene expression across plants remains largely unclear. Here, by profiling initiating ribosome positions, we globally identified in vivo TISs in tomato and Arabidopsis and found thousands of genes with more than one TIS. Of the identified TISs, >19% and >20% were located at unannotated AUG and non-AUG sites, respectively. CUG and ACG were the most frequently observed codons at non-AUG TISs, a phenomenon also found in mammals. In addition, although alternative TISs were usually found in both orthologous genes, the TIS sequences were not conserved, suggesting the conservation of alternative initiation mechanisms but flexibility in using TISs. Unlike upstream AUG TISs, the presence of upstream non-AUG TISs was not correlated with the translational repression of main open reading frames, a pattern observed across plants. Also, the generation of proteins with diverse N-terminal regions through the use of alternative TISs contributes to differential subcellular localization, as mutating alternative TISs resulted in the loss of organelle localization. Our findings uncovered the hidden coding potential of plant genomes and, importantly, the constraint and flexibility of translational initiation mechanisms in the regulation of gene expression across plant species.