Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vascular Patterning and Its Application in Cancer and Choroidal Neovascularization

Endothelial cells, which line the inner walls of blood vessels, self-organize into quasirandom networks of solid vascular cords in vitro and in vivo. The physical mechanisms of network formation are a current subject of debate and are important during development, wound healing, Age-Related Macular Degeneration and tumor growth. During vasculogenesis, vascular endothelial cells begin randomly and nearly homogeneously distributed in tissues like the limb-bud and aggregate to form a non-directional, multiply connected random network (called a capillary plexus) resembling random, threedimensional (3D) chicken-wire. Later remodeling of this capillary plexus during angiogenesis results in the familiar branched hierarchical vascular tree. Although patterning mechanisms during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis are closely related biologically, most computational models describe sprouting at the level of the blood vessel, ignoring how cell behavior drives branch splitting during sprouting. Merks et al. [1] have developed a cell-based Glazier–Graner–Hogeweg model (GGH) (also called Cellular Potts Model) that simulates the initial patterning before the vascular cords form lumens, based on plausible behaviors of endothelial cells. In this model, the endothelial cells secrete a chemoattractant, which attracts other endothelial cells. As in the classic Keller–Segel model, chemotaxis by itself causes cells to aggregate into isolated clusters. However, including experimentally observed VE-cadherin–mediated contact inhibition of chemotaxis in the simulation causes randomly distributed cells to organize into networks and cell aggregates to sprout, reproducing aspects of both de novo and sprouting blood-
Compensation of Laser Phase Noise Using DSP in Multichannel Fiber-Optic Communications

One of the main impairments that limit the throughput of fiber-optic communication systems is laser phase noise, where the phase of the laser output drifts with time. This impairment can be highly correlated across channels that share lasers in multichannel fiber-optic systems based on, e.g., wavelength-division multiplexing using frequency combs or space-division multiplexing. In this thesis, potential improvements in the system tolerance to laser phase noise that are obtained through the use of joint-channel digital signal processing are investigated. To accomplish this, a simple multichannel phase-noise model is proposed, in which the phase noise is arbitrarily correlated across the channels. Using this model, high-performance pilot-aided phase-noise compensation and data-detection algorithms are designed for multichannel fiber-optic systems using Bayesian-inference frameworks. Through Monte Carlo simulations of coded transmission in the presence of moderate laser phase noise, it is shown that joint-channel processing can yield close to a 1 dB improvement in power efficiency. It is further shown that the algorithms are highly dependent on the positions of pilots across time and channels. Hence, the problem of identifying effective pilot distributions is studied. The proposed phase-noise model and algorithms are validated using experimental data based on uncoded space-division multiplexed transmission through a weakly-coupled, homogeneous, single-mode, 3-core fiber. It is found that the performance improvements predicted by simulations based on the model are reasonably close to the experimental results. Moreover, joint-channel processing is found to increase the maximum tolerable transmission distance by up to 10% for practical pilot rates. Various phenomena decorrelate the laser phase noise between channels in multichannel transmission, reducing the potency of schemes that exploit this correlation. One such phenomenon is intercore skew, where the spatial channels experience different propagation velocities. The effect of intercore skew on the performance of joint-core phase-noise compensation is studied. Assuming that the channels are aligned in the receiver, joint-core processing is found to be beneficial in the presence of skew if the linewidth of the local oscillator is lower than the light-source laser linewidth. In the case that the laser phase noise is completely uncorrelated across channels in multichannel transmission, it is shown that the system performance can be improved by applying transmitter-side multidimensional signal rotations. This is found by numerically optimizing rotations of four-dimensional signals that are transmitted through two channels. Structured four-dimensional rotations based on Hadamard matrices are found to be near-optimal. Moreover, in the case of high signal-to-noise ratios and high signal dimensionalities, Hadamard-based rotations are found to increase the achievable information rate by up to 0.25 bits per complex symbol for transmission of higher-order modulations.
Software solution for Testing Image Processing Algorithm on Conveyor-Based Vision Systems

Vision systems have been used in many applications that intends to reduce the need for human operators. This is especially true for tasks that are simple but repetitive in nature, which is largely applicable to most manufacturing and agriculture’s post-harvest processes. Many such processes utilize conveyor-based systems where the objects being processed are placed on a conveyor belt that runs through multiple processing stations. Implementing a vision system to capture images of an object that is moving usually requires setting up an imaging device to a working conveyor system. Getting a working conveyor system to be ready can take some time and consequently delay development work on the vision system itself, especially those involving image processing algorithms. This paper proposes a software solution that can be used to expedite initial work on such systems. The solution is written in C and is therefore easily ported to any development machine. A basic image processing library has also been developed so that it does not depend on any development library or suite, which is usually huge in size. Thus, the solution can easily be compiled and run on embedded development boards like Raspberry Pi - for a more portable solution.
Quantitative Assessment for the Dynamics of the Main Ecosystem Services and their Interactions in the Northwestern Arid Area, China

Evaluating changes in the spatial–temporal patterns of ecosystem services (ESs) and their interrelationships provide an opportunity to understand the links among them, as well as to inform ecosystem-service-based decision making and governance. To research the development trajectory of ecosystem services over time and space in the northwestern arid area of China, three main ecosystem services (carbon sequestration, soil retention, and sand fixation) and their relationships were analyzed using Pearson’s coefficient and a time-lagged cross-correlation analysis based on the mountain–oasis–desert zonal scale. The results of this study were as follows: (1) The carbon sequestration of most subregions improved, and that of the oasis continuously increased from 1990 to 2015. Sand fixation decreased in the whole region except for in the Alxa Plateau–Hexi Corridor area, which experienced an “increase–decrease” trend before 2000 and after 2000; (2) the synergies and trade-off relationships of the ES pairs varied with time and space, but carbon sequestration and soil retention in the most arid area had a synergistic relationship, and most oases retained their synergies between carbon sequestration and sand fixation over time. Most regional relationships of sand fixation and soil retention with a weak trade-off during the before-2000 stage turned into weak synergies at the after-2000 stage; (3) the ES pairs of carbon sequestration and sand fixation had significant time-lagged trade-off relationships in most arid areas, and these time trade-offs were generally maintained for 2–6 years, where a higher absolute value of the maximum time-lagged correlation coefficient corresponded to a longer time-lag. This study could assist us in understanding the trade-off and synergy of ESs and will provide quantitative zonal information for the ecosystem-services-based ecomanagement of arid areas.
Drying of Oblate Spheroidal Solids via Model Based on the Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics

Food drying is one of the most used methods of preservation. To accurately describe moisture migration within biological products (grains, fruits, vegetables, etc.) during drying and explain the effects of this process on the quality of the material, have been proposed several mathematical models, but few incorporate the phenomena of simultaneous heat and mass transport applied to complex geometry. In this sense, this paper aims to present a mathematical model, based on the thermodynamics of irreversible processes to describe the heat and mass transfer (liquid and vapor) during the drying of bodies with oblate spheroidal geometry. This model was applied to describe drying of lentil, considering the variables transport coefficients and equilibrium conditions at the surface of the solid. Results of the average moisture content, average temperature, liquid flux, vapor flux, and moisture content and temperature distributions inside a lentil kernel during drying process, at different temperatures (40 and 60 oC) were presented and analyzed.
The neural computations for stimulus presence and modal identity diverge along a shared circuit

The brain is comprised of neural circuits that are able to flexibly represent the complexity of the external world. In accomplishing this feat, one of the first attributes the brain must code for is whether a stimulus is present and subsequently what sensory information that stimulus contains. One of the core characteristics of that information is which sensory modality(ies) are being represented. How information regarding both the presence and modal identity of a given stimulus is represented and transformed within the brain remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated how the brain represents the presence and modal identity of a given stimulus while tactile, audio, and audio-tactile stimuli were passively presented to non-human primates. We recorded spiking activity from primary somatosensory (S1) and ventral pre-motor (PMv) cortices, two areas known to be instrumental in transforming sensory information into motor commands for action. Using multivariate analyses to decode stimulus presence and identity, we found that information regarding stimulus presence and modal identity were found in both S1 and PMv and extended beyond the duration of significant evoked spiking activity, and that this information followed different time-courses in these two areas. Further, we combined time-generalization decoding with cross-area decoding to demonstrate that while signaling the presence of a stimulus involves a feedforward-feedback coupling between S1-PMv, the processing of modal identity is largely restricted to S1. Together, these results highlight the differing spatiotemporal dynamics of information flow regarding stimulus presence and modal identity in two nodes of an important cortical sensorimotor circuit. Significance Statement It is unclear how the structure and function of the brain support differing sensory functions, such as detecting the presence of a stimulus in the environment vs. identifying it. Here, we used multivariate decoding methods on monkey neuronal data to track how information regarding stimulus presence and modal identity flow within a sensorimotor circuit. Results demonstrate that while neural patterns in both primary somatosensory (S1) and ventral pre-motor (PMv) cortices can be used to detect and discriminate between stimuli, they follow different time-courses. Importantly, findings suggest that while information regarding the presence of a stimulus flows reciprocally between S1 and PMv, information regarding stimulus identity is largely contained in S1.
Manejo clínico-odontológico del paciente con cardiopatía isquémica: actualización

espanolLa cardiopatia isquemica es la primera causa de mortalidad en los paises desarrollados. Los protocolos tradicionales a seguir para realizar el tratamiento dental en estos pacientes con angina de pecho o infarto de miocardio se basaban en la clasificacion de riesgo ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) y en la espera minima de un periodo de 6 meses postinfarto para poder realizar un manejo mas seguro. Los avances en las tecnicas diagnosticas y en los tratamientos medicos y quirurgicos en estos enfermos han permitido desarrollar patrones de valoracion del riesgo mas precisos y poder realizar los tratamientos odontologicos y de cirugia bucal en un periodo de tiempo menor desde que se sufrio el infarto con margenes de seguridad aceptables. EnglishIschemic heart disease is the most common cause of death in developed countries. The classical protocols for providing dental care in these patients with chest angina or myocardial infarction were based on the classification of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), postponing therapy for a minimum of 6 months after infarction in order to ensure safer dental treatment. However, advances in diagnostic techniques and medical and surgical treatments in patients with heart disease have led to the development of more precise risk assessment protocols, thus allowing earlier post-infarction dental treatments and oral surgery, with acceptable safety margins
Sustainable exchange rates in China: Is there the heterogeneous effect of economic policy uncertainty?

This study is to investigate the heterogeneous effect of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on the exchange rate volatility of China using quantile regression for the period Jan 2003–Jan 2019. This paper significantly contributes to the empirical literature by taking into account the effect in individual and distributional heterogeneity and exploring the transmission mechanism of heterogeneity. The results demonstrate that, first, EPU from different countries have a heterogeneous impact on China’s exchange rate volatility both direction as well as distribution. Second, this paper further assesses the EPU transmission mechanism of bilateral trading and interest rate difference is mixed. These results provide policymakers with critical policy recommendations that contribute to the reduction of the exchange rate volatility and ensure stable economic development in China.
Coastal Adaptation Planning in Fairbourne, Wales: lessons for Climate Change Adaptation

ABSTRACT Adaptation to climate change is emerging as a central objective and policy frame for coastal communities. This paper examines recent climate change adaptation efforts in the UK, centring on the case of Fairbourne, Wales. The village is facing the long-term prospect of flooding and inundation due to the impacts of sea level rise. The recent Shoreline Management Plan for the area has recommended realignment of the coast and eventual decommissioning of Fairbourne. The paper draws on a qualitative research methodology of interviews, policy review and observation to narrate the case and provide key insights and lessons for planners working in environmentally vulnerable coastal settings and managing climate adaptation processes.
Determine Teaching Content using a Bottom-up Approach

The bottom-up approach refers to listing the knowledge points needed for some practical applications and then combining these knowledge points into a knowledge system. Practice courses or elective courses are generally more suitable for using the bottom-up approach. This paper focused on determining the teaching content bottom-up and proposed four teaching organization method for different situations taking account for the quantity and the volume of the supplementary knowledge points, by which a well-organized teaching arrangement could be obtained.
Practicum tutorials in initial teacher training: conditions, strategies, and effects of reflective practice

ABSTRACT This paper systematizes the research findings of publications in the last 5-years related to reflective practice in practicum tutorials in initial teacher training, by means of a literature review. The objective is to contribute new knowledge about reflective practice, structuring it around its conditions, development strategies, and effects, considering metacognitive and generative factors, enriching theory about how to teach reflection. The results show there is progress in the field in terms of proposals for different devices and strategies to teach reflective practice in initial teacher training, and emerging findings regarding its effects.
Gender in the gig economy: Men and women using digital platforms to secure work in Australia

This article explores the characteristics, experiences, and motivations of men and women who secure work through digital platforms. Drawing on quantitative survey data – the first of its kind – of Australian men (n = 251) and women (n = 253) it finds that the gig economy, much like the wider economy, is highly gender-segregated. Men dominate platforms which specialise in what might be considered traditionally male tasks like transport and women dominate platforms which specialise in more traditional female tasks like caring. The results suggest that the gig economy may be an alternative for women in the creative industries. Men and women are both drawn to the gig economy for income-related reasons, despite a significant proportion of them holding a job outside the gig economy. Flexibility was an important motivator for both genders, but women were more likely than men to report that they did gig work because it ‘fitted with their schedule’, indicating that non-work commitments such as family constrain women more than men. More men than women reported that gig work was effective in generating income.
Agroforestación: una alternativa a la forestación de tierras agrarias para la domesticación del paisaje rural

Tras más de cinco décadas en las que la superficie forestal arbolada de España no ha dejado de aumentar, el reto hoy es la gestión sostenible de estos recursos forestales. Un nuevo programa de forestación de terrenos agrícolas no debería por tanto preocuparse, como en los programas precedentes, de aspectos técnicos o de aumentar la superficie forestal. Las nuevas iniciativas que busquen restaurar y diversificar el paisaje rural deberían plantear las preguntas fundamentales de quién, dónde, para qué y cómo se va a establecer el nuevo arbolado en el paisaje rural. En este artículo proponemos la Agroforestación, definida como el establecimiento por agricultores de árboles y/o arbustos en terrenos agrícolas como una estrategia más eficaz que la Forestación para mejorar los servicios ambientales de los agroecosistemas. La Agroforestación debe basarse en 4 conceptos clave: 1) El paisaje, considerado como un territorio con elementos biofísicos y naturales, socio-económicos y políticos característicos e interrelacionados; 2) La domesticación del paisaje, entendida como el proceso de selección de ciertos atributos ecosistémicos deseables y la consecuente alteración de otros considerados menos deseables; 3) La agroforestería, como ciencia interdisciplinar que trata de las prácticas de uso del suelo en las que se integran especies leñosas con cultivos y/o ganado, de sus interacciones y de los beneficios que proporcionan, y 4) La participación, o proceso por el que los agricultores y propietarios, en vez de ser considerados simples beneficiarios, forman parte activa en el diseño de estrategias, en la toma de decisiones y en la gestión.
Including Maladaptive Anger in Psychology Courses

Despite clear interpersonal, physiological, behavioral, and emotional consequences, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) and most abnormal psychology textbooks inadequately describe maladaptive anger. Although there is no recent published research on coverage of maladaptive anger in psychology courses, it is reasonable to assume that coverage is lacking, especially compared to coverage of other emotion-rooted disorders like sadness and anxiety. This lack of coverage is particularly troubling, given that researchers have long recognized the potential problems that stem from maladaptive anger and have also developed many approaches for treating problematic anger. This article describes the absence of anger disorders in the DSM-5, outlines the rationale for covering anger in psychology courses, and provides best practices for such coverage.
Physiology-based treatment in stable angina and acute myocardial infarction

Cornerstones in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) are medical therapy and coronary revascularization. In acute settings (ST-elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has proven to improve prognosis. The optimal treatment of stable CAD is subject to great controversy. By using fractional flow reserve to guide PCI, it is possible to stent only those lesions that induce myocardial ischemia. This review aims to reflect on the use of FFR-guided PCI in stable CAD.
Bearing performance degradation assessment based on information-theoretic metric learning and fuzzy c-means clustering

Bearing performance degradation assessment (PDA) is used to construct a degradation index (DI) to track the degradation process effectively and it plays an important role in the intelligent maintenance of rotating mechanical equipment. In order to construct a high quality DI of rolling bearing PDA processes, a bearing PDA model based on information-theoretic metric learning (ITML) and fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering is proposed, which is called ITML-FCM in this paper. Firstly, the acquired vibration acceleration signals are decomposed into a set of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) by variational mode decomposition (VMD) and fault features, such as singular value and relative energy of each IMF, are extracted to construct a high-dimensional feature space. Then, since the traditional distance metrics (i.e. Euclidean distance and Mahalanobis distance) ignore the label information of the samples, a distance metric matrix is learned using the ITML algorithm in the feature space based on the pairwise constraint from labeled training samples with normal and failure states. After that, the cluster centers of both the normal and the failure states are obtained using the FCM clustering algorithm, which is trained with the learned distance metric matrix. Finally, the DI is constructed using test samples' membership of a normal state. To evaluate the DI quality comprehensively, a weighted criterion using four metrics (i.e. trendability, monotonicty, robustness and discreteness) is proposed. Results of the analysis of the rolling bearing experimental data show that the distance metric matrix learned by ITML is conuctive to the classification of bearing degradation severity. Furthermore, the DI constructed by the ITML-FCM model shows superior comprehensive quality and, on average, the weighted criterion value is 8.45% higher than the FCM model using Euclidean distance and 19.71% higher than the FCM model using Mahalanobis distance.