Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neutrophil extracellular traps contribute to immunothrombosis in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract COVID-19 affects millions of patients worldwide, with clinical presentation ranging from isolated thrombosis to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring ventilator support. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) originate from decondensed chromatin released to immobilize pathogens, and they can trigger immunothrombosis. We studied the connection between NETs and COVID-19 severity and progression. We conducted a prospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients (n = 33) and age- and sex-matched controls (n = 17). We measured plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO)-DNA complexes (NETs), platelet factor 4, RANTES, and selected cytokines. Three COVID-19 lung autopsies were examined for NETs and platelet involvement. We assessed NET formation ex vivo in COVID-19 neutrophils and in healthy neutrophils incubated with COVID-19 plasma. We also tested the ability of neonatal NET-inhibitory factor (nNIF) to block NET formation induced by COVID-19 plasma. Plasma MPO-DNA complexes increased in COVID-19, with intubation (P < .0001) and death (P < .0005) as outcome. Illness severity correlated directly with plasma MPO-DNA complexes (P = .0360), whereas Pao 2/fraction of inspired oxygen correlated inversely (P = .0340). Soluble and cellular factors triggering NETs were significantly increased in COVID-19, and pulmonary autopsies confirmed NET-containing microthrombi with neutrophil-platelet infiltration. Finally, COVID-19 neutrophils ex vivo displayed excessive NETs at baseline, and COVID-19 plasma triggered NET formation, which was blocked by nNIF. Thus, NETs triggering immunothrombosis may, in part, explain the prothrombotic clinical presentations in COVID-19, and NETs may represent targets for therapeutic intervention.
Cellular Communications Coverage Prediction Techniques: A Survey and Comparison

A lot of effort and time is utilized in the planning and building of the cellular wireless networks to use minimum infrastructural components to provide the best network coverage as well as delivery of quality of service. Generally, path loss models are used for the prediction of wireless network coverage. Therefore, detailed knowledge of the appropriate path loss model suitable for the proposed geographical area is needed to determine the coverage quality of any wireless network design. However, to the best of our knowledge, despite the importance of path loss models, as used for the prediction of wireless network coverage, there doesn’t exist any comprehensive survey in this field. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to survey the existing techniques and mechanisms which can be addressed in this domain. Briefly, the contributions of this paper are: (1) providing a comprehensive and up to date survey of the various network coverage prediction techniques, indicating the different frequency ranges the models were developed, (2) the different suitable terrains for each of the model and the best suit mobile generation were presented, and lastly, (3) providing comparative analysis to aid the planning and implementation of the cellular networks.
Gaussian Pseudospectral Longitudinal Trajectory Optimization Algorithm of a Solar Powered Communication/Remote-Sensing UAV

Existing empirical rules-based flight scheme of the solar powered communication/remote-sensing UAV is difficult to meet all the constraints. In order to get a more reasonable flight strategy, the flight path must be optimized globally. The design of solar energy flow track is defined and analyzed mathematically. The track optimization of the solar UAV is defined as a classical control optimization problem. The optimal trajectory of solar UAV is designed and verified by Gaussian pseudospectral method. Multiple simulation conclusions show that the optimized trajectory can meet the set constraints well.
Ranking node influence according to dynamic network load

When a mobile network suffering attacks, ranking and then protecting influential nodes to ensure the security of the network are critical. Many methods have been proposed to evaluate nodes influences. However, most of such methods are based on network topology analysis through graph theory only. As a result, the most influential node chosen by such methods may be a rarely used one for packets transmissions. We devise NodeRank, Direct Principal Component Ranking (DPCR) and Comprehensive Principal Component Ranking (CPCR) algorithms to rank node influence according to dynamic network load changes, where NodeRank is a single-dimensional method with higher efficiency; DPCR and CPCR are multi-dimensional methods with higher accuracy. DPCR applies the rule that the first principle component takes all in the measurement; CPCR applies a moderate rule that uses linear-weight comprehensive evaluation which takes the importance from each principal component in the measurement. Simulation results show that our proposed schemes outperform the known methods such as Degree Centrality (DC), Betweenness Centrality (BC), Closeness Centrality (CC) and Eigenvalue Centrality (EC) for node ranking. To the best of our knowledge, DPCR and CPCR are the first known schemes that can rank node influence with respect to the direction of packets transmissions in networks.
Network Function Placement for Service Chains with Server Maintenance Cost

Network function virtualization (NFV) is a technique of building new network architecture that can decouple network functions from proprietary equipment and thus increase the flexibility of network services deployment while reducing the total cost significantly. In the NFV scheme, network functions are placed on generic servers over the network. When a network service is requested, it will be implemented by chaining several Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) placed on servers to form a Service Function Chain (SFC). The deployment of SFC faces an unprecedented challenge: when several network services are requested, which servers should be chosen to form service function chains while minimizing the total cost? Many existing optimization models consider the feasibility of placing the SFCs or minimizing the resource consumed by the VNFs. However, activate and maintain a server to hold VNFs also consume a huge amount of energy, and it's possible to lower the total energy cost by carefully arrange the servers with low maintenance cost. Therefore, in this paper, to investigate the network function placement for service chains with server maintenance cost, we propose a heuristic algorithm, which firstly construct a server set that may accommodate all service chains with low server maintenance cost. Then it formulates a linear programming to find the schemes of chaining the VNFs (also called placement configurations) with minimum communication cost in the server set, and obtain its optimal fractional solutions. Eventually, we perform a rounding scheme to achieve integer solutions that out-performs the greedy scheme in many evaluations.
A Hybrid Multitrack-Sigma Converter with Integrated Transformer for Wide Input Voltage Regulation

This paper presents a hybrid multitrack converter with the capability of partial power regulation. This converter incorporates the merits of the Multitrack converter and Sigma converter. The input power is distributed and transferred by a DC transformer (DCX) and a two-stage circuit, whose front stage is a PWM converter to realize voltage regulation and the next stage works as DCX. The two DCXs are integrated into one transformer. The proposed converter realizes reduced device ratings, partial power regulation and integrated transformer. A 32-75V input, 5V, 20A output isolated dc-dc converter for data center applications is built to verify the effectiveness of the proposed circuit structure. The peak efficiency of 95.1% is achieved at 48V nominal input voltage with 190W/inch3 power density.
An Event-Based Interaction Sampled-Control for Consensus of Multi-Agents With Multiple Time-Varying Delays

An event-based consensus filtering control scheme for multi-agents with multiple mixing delays is proposed in the paper. Firstly, a piece-wise sampling model with transmission delay defined from sensors to controllers is built, and the effect of time-varying delay on sampling is analyzed. Secondly, a self-triggered scheme is proposed to take into consideration of reducing redundant data and complexity. Thirdly, to fully utilize the available information, by employing an improved generalized free-weighting matrix inequality, a novel Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional approach is proposed to achieve global asymptotically synchronization. At last, an example of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles is offered to show the effectiveness of proposed method.
Efficiency Evaluation of Laser Based Wireless Power Transmission System

The laser based wireless power transmission (LWPT) system is one of the most promising system in the long- range wireless power transfer field. However, there have been few studies focused on the efficiency characteristics of the LWPT system. Therefore, it is difficult to make the best use of laser and PV array in the system. In this digest, the efficiency characteristics of laser and PV array under different operation modes are investigated. The results have shown that the duty cycle of laser input current is one key factor to improve the system efficiency. Therefore, by controlling the duty cycle of laser input current, it can offer a chance to explore the best performances of the system.
Characterization of Acid-Aluminium Sensitive Mutants of Soybean Symbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum Generated by Transposon Mutagenesis

Acid-aluminium sensitive mutants of symbiotic bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum BJ11 (designated as AAS11) and KDR15 (designated as AAS15) were constructed by mini-Tn5 transposon mutagenesis to study genes involved in acid-aluminium tolerance (AAT) in B. japonicum. Transposon delivery was carried out through conjugation between B. japonicum strains as recipients and Escherichia coli S17-1 (e pir) carrying pUTmini- Tn5Km1 as a donor strain. The result showed that frequency of transconjugation was in the range of 6.7 x 10-7 to 7.1 x 10-6 cell per recipients. AAS11 and AAS15 mutants did not grow on Ayanaba media (pH 4.5) containing 50 μM Aluminium. These mutants remained able to form root nodules of Siratro (Macroptilium arthropurpureum) plants revealing genes interrupted by transposon which were responsible for acid-Al tolerance did not correlate with the nodulation genes. Strains tolerant to acid-aluminium and their mutants with a wild type sensitive to acidaluminium were characterized by accumulating phosphate and aluminium absorption. Compared to the wild type acid-aluminium tolerant B. japonicum, there was approximately a three- to eight-times decrease in phosphate accumulation and a five- to seven-times increase in aluminium absorption by these mutants. These results suggest that aluminium and phosphate contents in the bacterial cells may be involved in mechanisms of acid-Al tolerance of B. japonicum grown in acid-aluminium stress conditions.
Analysis of Spectral Efficiency in Hybrid Networks with Full Duplex Base Stations and TDD Users

In the asymmetric and time-variant traffic, the hybrid network with a full duplex (FD) base station (BS) and multiple time division duplex (TDD) user equipment (UE) is more flexible than the traditional TDD network, since it is not limited by the fixed TDD frame structure. This paper focuses on the specific hybrid network with FD BS and TDD UE. First, applying the hybrid network must ensure that the intra-cell co-frequency interference (CI) has been suppressed. To achieve this goal, a spatial isolation method and its corresponding resource allocation are proposed in the specific hybrid network with FD BS and TDD UE. Then, to evaluate the gain of the hybrid network compared with the TDD network, the spectral efficiency is derived and analyzed. Theoretical and simulation results show that the gain of hybrid network increases with the number of users and decreases with the number of sub-regions when compared with the TDD network. Furthermore, the uplink gain increases with the ratio of the number of time slots for the uplink to that for the downlink (UDR) in the TDD frame, and can be greater than 2 when UDR is adequately small, while the downlink is reversed. However, the total gain of spectral efficiency is smaller than 2, which is the FD upper bound restricted by FD system structure. Therefore, when compared with the symmetric and time-invariant traffic, it is more efficient to apply FD in networks with asymmetric and time-variant traffic where the performance of the TDD network is severely limited.
A Novel Stator Frequency Control Method of DFIG-DC System Based on Regulating Air Gap Flux Vector

The dominant problems of stator frequency control for DFIG-DC system are the parameter dependence and dc sampling offset, which will cause power control inaccuracy and fundamental frequency pulsation. In this paper, an air gap flux orientation method is adopted to eliminate the dependence on inductance parameters. The stator frequency and orientation angle are obtained through the stator active power control loop instead of calculating them based on voltage or current model, which can eliminate the sampling offset problem. Through controlling the q-axis air gap flux to be zero, the air gap flux orientation can be achieved. Since the product of stator flux magnitude and stator frequency is constant, the stator frequency can be controlled by regulating the d-axis rotor current directly. In this way, the stator frequency and output power can both be controlled accurately which are validated by the simulation results and experimental results will be done in final paper.
Research advances of indoor navigation for blind people: A brief review of technological instrumentation

Blind persons need electronic traveling aid (ETA) solutions for better orientation and navigation in unfamiliar indoor environments, with embedded features for detection and recognition of both obstacles and desired destinations such as rooms, staircases, and elevators. Because the use of GPS for locational references is impractical indoors, the development of such navigation systems is challenging and requires a systematic review and evaluation of different technological approaches. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method, we evaluated and compared current research papers that deal with the prototyping of assistive devices (visual sensory perception substitution with audio and haptic signals) for blind and visually impaired persons. We conducted an instructional assessment of selected indoor navigation prototypes using three main criteria: navigation technologies, sensors, and computer vision approaches. For the latter category, we conducted a separate systematic review, as papers in this research area primarily specialize in software computer vision solutions rather than hardware. The paper provides useful insights for researchers regarding technological instrumentation for the development of ETA solutions for blind and visually impaired (VI) persons in the field of indoor orientation and navigation.
Data-Driven Semi-Supervised Anomaly Detection Using Real-World Call Data Record

5G and beyond networks are expected to provide ubiquitous, ultra-reliable low latency connectivity to cellular users. Maintaining this stringent B5 performance requirement will be a challenging task for cellular service providers. A key factor that may affect network performance will be anomalies such as sleeping cells or congestion due to high traffic volumes. In the worst cases, these anomalies may cause a partial or complete networkoutage.Traditionaloutagemanagementtechnique s,such as drive-testing, may prove unsuitable in the B5G era as they are time consuming and costly. These outdated mechanisms are also unable to provide real-time data analysis. Hence future networks will rely on data-driven self-organizing networks (SON) with selfhealing capabilities to detect anomalies. Machine learning will be an essential component of such systems. In this paper we have proposed a semi-supervised learning algorithm to detect anomaly using real-world Spatio-temporal call data records (CDRs). We will demonstrate that our proposed algorithm can detect anomalies with high accuracy. The CDR is collected for the entire city of Milan, Italy in the form of spatial grids. We will demonstrate that once trained using the single-cell grid record, our model can accurately predict anomalies for the neighboring grids as well.
Enigmatic new ungulates from the Early Middle Eocene of central Anatolia, Turkey

Abstract Four new ungulate species described here from the early middle Eocene Uzunçarsidere Formation, near Ankara, Turkey present a phylogenetic and biogeographic puzzle. The four species, known from jaws, teeth, and skull and postcranial fragments, share a suite of diagnostic dental features (selenolophodont molars, all lower molars lacking hypoconulids, premolars with metacones small or absent, and narrow, short premolar talonids) and are included in a single new genus, Hilalia. Hilalia saribeya, H. selanneae, H. sezerorum, and H. robusta are distinguished from each other by size and details of premolar morphology. Cladistic analysis indicates that although Hilalia shares a common ancestor with perissodactyls, hyracoids and some “condylarths” to the exclusion of artiodactyls, its position relative to those taxa is unresolved—the calcaneum lacks derived features of artiodactyl, perissodactyl or hyracoid calcanea, some features of Hilalia's molar morphology are convergent with features in some hyracoids, perissodactyls, and selenolophodont “condylarths”, and Hilalia has more primitive premolars than most members of those groups. The affinities of some other members of the Uzunçarsidere mammal fauna, including an embrithopod, marsupials, and a possible proboscidean, have suggested that central Anatolia may have served as a biogeographic crossroads for mammalian dispersal among Asia, Africa, and Europe during the early Paleogene. However, the absence of convincing links between Hilalia and any of the increasingly well-known Paleogene ungulates of Asia, Indo-Pakistan, and Africa, or those of Europe and North America suggests that our understanding of early Paleogene ungulate evolution and biogeography is far from complete.
Spatial Distribution of Adults and Nymphs of Euschistus heros (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) on Bt and Non-Bt Soybean

The knowledge of the arrangements of dispersion of insect pests in soybean cultivars is needed to improve the monitoring and control. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of adults and nymphs of Euschistus heros in Bt and non-Bt soybean into two regions, under field conditions. The experimental area located in Dourados and Douradina, Mato Grosso do Sul. For the evaluations we used the method of cloth-to- beat, where we collected one sample per plot randomly from each experimental area. Evaluations were performed at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70, 77, 84, 91, 98 days after emergence (DAE). For data analysis, the rates of dispersion (variance/average Morisita index and exponent k. Negative Binomial Distribution) and theoretical frequency distributions (Poisson, Binomial and Negative Binomial Positive) were estimated at 1-5 % probability. Adults of E. heros are arranged differently for Bt and non-Bt soybean and between regions, since in both cultivars and locations, individuals of the populations evaluated in probabilistic set arrangements negative binomial distribution (aggregate), Poisson (random) and positive binomial distribution (uniform), as the days after soybean emergence. The nymphs of E. heros showed aggregated spatial arrangement, being distributed similarly for Bt and non-Bt soybean and regions, setting a negative binomial distribution model.
Taxonomic basis for variation in the colonization strategy of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Summary • Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important components of terrestrial communities but the basic ecology of individual AMF, including their colonization strategy, remains unclear. The colonizing behaviours of 21 AMF isolates from three families (Acaulosporaceae, Gigasporaceae and Glomaceae) were compared to test for a relationship between AMF taxonomy and colonization strategy. • Both the rate and extent of colonization were considered by measuring percentage root colonization, root fungal biomass, soil hyphal length and soil fungal biomass over 12 wk. • Most Glomaceae isolates colonized roots before Acaulosporaceae and Gigasporaceae isolates. The fastest colonizers were also often the most extensive. Taxonomic differences were apparent in the amount and proportion of fungal biomass found in roots vs in soil. Glomaceae isolates had high root colonization but low soil colonization, Gigasporaceae isolates showed the opposite trend whereas Acaulosporaceae isolates had low root and soil colonization. These results were similar for four different host plants. • The results indicate that the colonizing strategies of AM fungi differ considerably and that this variation is taxonomically based at the family level. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal taxonomy therefore has a functional basis.
Effect of natural antimicrobials against Salmonella, Escherichia coli o157:h7 and Listeria monocytogenes

Effect of Natural Antimicrobials Against Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. (May 2007) Mary Pia Cuervo Pliego, B.S., Instituto Tecnólogico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Alejandro Castillo Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes are pathogens that have caught the attention of federal agencies and researchers due to their great economic impact when illnesses occur. To reduce the presence of these pathogens, different approaches have been used. However, since the global consumer’s demand for natural ingredients is steadily increasing, the investigation of the effectiveness of potential natural antimicrobials is necessary. In this study, the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa L extracts against Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes was investigated. Furthermore, H. sabdariffa L and ε-polylysine were evaluated to reduce populations of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of H. sabdariffa L extracts against Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 was 6,489 μg/mL and for L. monocytogenes, 5,309 μg/mL. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of H. sabdariffa L extracts against Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes was 19,467, 58,400 and 29,200 μg/mL, respectively. The exposure to 58,400 μg/mL of H. sabdariffa extract at 25 C for 12 h resulted in reductions of more than 6.0 log CFU/mL for any of the 3