Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dead Time Duration and Active Reset Influence on the Afterpulse Probability of InGaAs/InP Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes

We have performed a detailed study of the dependence of afterpulse probability in InGaAs/InP sine-gated SPAD on the dead time and the existing approach for its implementation. We demonstrated an electrical scheme combining sinusoidal gating and active reset. We have shown when such solutions are beneficial from the key distribution point of view, and enough to use a simple scheme with a snatching comparator. We have also proposed a precise method for measuring the afterpulse and presented a model describing the non-markovian dynamic of this effect. We have demonstrated that our afterpulsing measurement approach makes these measurements less dependent on the parameters of the flow of the diode and the laser pulses’ power changes, in contrast to the other methods considered in this paper.
Mapping ethical and social aspects of biomarker research and its application in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis: a systematic review of reason

Biomarker research is associated with high hopes for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis research. Although various effective treatments have been developed, many challenges remain concerning diagnostics and the development of targeted treatments, but also regarding a number of ethical and social issues. In this paper, building on a systematic literature review and review of reason, we examine the ethical and social debate on biomarker research for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. We discuss topics such as risks and benefits of stratification of patient groups, ethical aspects of big data and advanced analytics for biomarker use in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Our systematic literature review of reason, based on established methodological standards, includes argument‐based ethics publications and scientific literature with implicitly ethically relevant aspects. The first search of biomarker research in dermatology and adjacent fields (e.g., oncology) resulted in a large amount of literature concerning general normative aspects of biomarker research, but suggested a lack of explicit argument‐based ethical literature in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis research. We, therefore, conducted a second systematic search, focusing specifically on atopic dermatitis and psoriasis biomarker research. The 43 relevant articles identified through both systematic searches were clustered into three topic groups: (i) ethical aspects of stratification and precision medicine, (ii) digital ethics and (iii) research ethics with a focus on complexity and validation. We found that compared to other fields, such as cancer research, the ethical aspects of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are rarely explained and addressed in detail. In particular, more work is required on scientific standards, digital ethics and responsible clinical application of biomarkers for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, patient participation and ethical implications of biomarker use for children or young people with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. We close with suggestions on how to address the ethical and social dimension of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis research and practice more directly in future.
Histopathological changes in root and stem of mungbean exposed to Macrophomina phaseolina and dry biomass of Chenopodium quinoa

Mungbean production is affected by a fungal pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina. A pot experiment was carried out to check the effect of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) dry biomass on the histopathological features of mungbean exposed to M. phaseolina. For this, 1%, 2% and 3% (wt/wt) of C. quinoa dry biomass was mixed in the soil inoculated with M. phaseolina. The highest disease incidence (36%) was recorded in the positive control (only M. phaseolina). Different treatments of quinoa dry mass reduced disease incidence to 4–7%. After 4 weeks of germination, stem and root sections were stained in phloroglucinol‐HCl, ferric chloride and Lugol's iodine stains for the detection of lignin, polyphenols and starch granules, respectively, and studied under light microscope. Plants of positive control showed damaged cells, and heavy deposition of lignin, phenolics and starch granules as compared to plants of the negative control and those grown in the soil amended with different doses of dry biomass of quinoa. For better understanding, plant root and stem sections were studied under a scanning electron microscope. Plant sections from positive control exhibited the presence of M. phaseolina sclerotial bodies and hyphal growth, whereas in negative control normal cell structures were observed. However, C. quinoa amended stem and root sections revealed the presence of high gel deposition with normal cell structures and no pathogen establishment. This study concludes that application of C. quinoa is an effective and natural remedy to activate the resistance mechanism in plants and to combat the adverse effects of M. phaseolina.
Propulsion optimization of a jellyfish-inspired robot based on a nonintrusive reduced-order model with proper orthogonal decomposition

In this research, the propulsion of the proposed jellyfish-inspired mantle undulated propulsion robot (MUPRo) is optimized. To reliably predict the hydrodynamic forces acting on the robot, the proposed nonintrusive reduced-order model (NIROM) based on proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) additionally considers the POD basis that makes an important contribution to the features on the specified boundary. The proposed model establishes a mapping between the parameter-driven motion of the mantle and the evolution of the fluid characteristics around the swimmer. Moreover, to predict new cases where the input needs to be updated, the input of the proposed model is taken from the kinematics of the robot rather than extracted from full-order high-fidelity models. In this paper, it takes approximately 950 s to perform a simulation using the full-order high-fidelity model. However, the computational cost for one prediction with the proposed POD-NIROM is around 0.54 s, of which about 0.2 s is contributed by preprocessing. Compared with the NIROM based on the classic POD method, the proposed POD-NIROM can effectively update the input and reasonably predict the characteristics on the boundary. The analysis of the hydrodynamic performance of the MUPRo pinpoints that, over a certain period and with a certain undulation amplitude, the hydrodynamic force generated by the swinging-like mantle motion (k < 0.5) is greater, outperforming Aequorea victoria in startup acceleration. It is demonstrated that considering a certain power loss and a certain tail beat amplitude, the wave-like mantle motion (k > 0.5) can produce greater propulsion, which means higher propulsion efficiency.
Investigating the benefits of a secondary education interaction design thinking course inside and outside the classroom

In this study we investigated how an interaction design-thinking course benefited secondary school students in grades 9 and 10. This study investigated the benefits for students within the classroom and unlike previous studies, it also articulated the potential for students to utilize their skills to interpret and apply or transfer knowledge in the service of solving issues in everyday life situations or non-design courses. As part of a multiple case study, we developed, implemented, and studied an interaction design course for secondary students. We gathered research data through interviewing the students and teachers after completion of the course, and observing their activities and performances during the course. The findings of this study showed the benefits of the course for students in three main themes: 1) interaction design thinking as open exploration, 2) interaction design thinking as connected activities, and 3) interaction design thinking in real-life challenges. The findings indicate that the course was beneficial for students in transferring their knowledge gained from the educational context to everyday life situations. Such pedagogy helped students to develop their own design-based meta-cognitive strategies that enabled them to solve unknown problems.
Resource Orchestration of Cloud-Edge–based Smart Grid Fault Detection

Real-time smart grid monitoring is critical to enhancing resiliency and operational efficiency of power equipment. Cloud-based and edge-based fault detection systems integrating deep learning have been proposed recently to monitor the grid in real time. However, state-of-the-art cloud-based detection may require uploading a large amount of data and suffer from long network delay, while edge-based schemes do not adequately consider the detection requirement and thus cannot provide flexible and optimal performance. To solve these problems, we study a cloud-edge based hybrid smart grid fault detection system. Embedded devices are placed at the edge of the monitored equipment with several lightweight neural networks for fault detection. Considering limited communication resources, relatively low computation capabilities of edge devices, and different monitoring accuracies supported by these neural networks, we design an optimal communication and computational resource allocation method for this cloud-edge based smart grid fault detection system. Our method can maximize the processing throughput of the system and improve resource utilization while satisfying the data transmission and processing latency requirements. Extensive simulations are conducted and the results show the superiority of the proposed scheme over comparison schemes. We have also prototyped this system and verified its feasibility and performance in real-world scenarios.
Software/Hardware Co-design of 3D NoC-based GPU Architectures for Accelerated Graph Computations

Manycore GPU architectures have become the mainstay for accelerating graph computations. One of the primary bottlenecks to performance of graph computations on manycore architectures is the data movement. Since most of the accesses in graph processing are due to vertex neighborhood lookups, locality in graph data structures plays a key role in dictating the degree of data movement. Vertex reordering is a widely used technique to improve data locality within graph data structures. However, these reordering schemes alone are not sufficient as they need to be complemented with efficient task allocation on manycore GPU architectures to reduce latency due to local cache misses. Consequently, in this article, we introduce a software/hardware co-design framework for accelerating graph computations. Our approach couples an architecture-aware vertex reordering with a priority-based task allocation technique. As the task allocation aims to reduce on-chip latency and associated energy, the choice of Network-on-Chip (NoC) as the communication backbone in the manycore platform is an important parameter. By leveraging emerging three-dimensional (3D) integration technology, we propose design of a small-world NoC (SWNoC)-enabled manycore GPU architecture, where the placement of the links connecting the streaming multiprocessors (SMs) and the memory controllers (MCs) follow a power-law distribution. The proposed 3D SWNoC-enabled software/hardware co-design framework achieves 11.1% to 22.9% performance improvement and 16.4% to 32.6% less energy consumption depending on the dataset and the graph application, when compared to the default order of dataset running on a conventional planar mesh architecture.
The Public Option

Abstract People value highly the digital technologies that are so pervasive in everyday life and work, certainly as measured by economists. Yet there are also evident harms associated with them, including the likelihood that they are affecting political discourse and choices. The features of digital markets mean they tend toward monopoly, so great economic and political power lies in the hands of a small number of giant companies. While tougher regulation may be one way to tackle the harms they create, it does not get at the structural problem, which is their advertising-driven business model. The hunt for people's attention drives algorithmic promotion of viral content to get ever-more clicks. An alternative policy intervention to reclaim public space would be to create a public service competitor that could drive competition along other dimensions. Online space must be reclaimed as a public space from the privately-owned US and Chinese digital giants.
Treatment of anger problems in previously deployed post‐911 veterans: A randomized controlled trial

Problems with anger and aggression affect many veterans who have deployed to a warzone, resulting in serious impairment in multiple aspects of functioning. Controlled studies are needed to improve treatment options for these veterans. This randomized controlled trial compared an individually delivered cognitive behavioral therapy adapted from Novaco's Anger Control Therapy to a manualized supportive therapy to control for common therapeutic factors.
An ultrasonography‐based approach for tissue modelling to inform photo‐therapy treatment strategies

Currently, diagnostic medicine uses a multitude of tools ranging from ionising radiation to histology analysis. With advances in piezoelectric crystal technology, high‐frequency ultrasound imaging has developed to achieve comparatively high resolution without the drawbacks of ionising radiation. This research proposes a low‐cost, non‐invasive and real‐time protocol for informing photo‐therapy procedures using ultrasound imaging. We combine currently available ultrasound procedures with Monte Carlo methods for assessing light transport and photo‐energy deposition in the tissue. The measurements from high‐resolution ultrasound scans are used as input for optical simulations. Consequently, this provides a pipeline that will inform medical practitioners for better therapy strategy planning. While validating known inferences of light transport through biological tissue, our results highlight the range of information such as temporal monitoring and energy deposition at varying depths. This process also retains the flexibility of testing various wavelengths for individual‐specific geometries and anatomy.
Caching scheme for information‐centric networks with balanced content distribution

Information‐centric network (ICN) emphasizes on content retrieval without much bothering about the location of its actual producer. This novel networking paradigm makes content retrieval faster and less expensive by shifting data provisioning into content holder rather than content owner. Caching is the feature of ICN that makes content serving possible from any intermediate device. An efficient caching is one of the primary requirements for effective deployment of ICN. In this paper, a caching approach with balanced content distribution among network devices is proposed. The selection of contents to be cached is determined through universal and computed using Zipf's law. The dynamic change in popularity of contents is also considered to take make caching decisions. For balancing the cached content across the network, every router keeps track of its neighbor's cache status. Three parameters, the proportionate distance of the router from the client (pd), the router congestion (rc), and the cache status (cs), are contemplated to select a router for caching contents. The new caching approach is evaluated in the simulated environment using ndnSIM‐2.0. Three state‐of‐the‐art approaches, Leave Copy Everywhere (LCE), centrality measures‐based algorithm (CMBA), and a probability‐based caching (probCache), are considered for comparison. The proposed method of caching shows the better performance compared to the other three protocols used in the comparison.
Hypercaloric diet triggers transient molecular rearrangements of astrocytes selectively in the arcuate nucleus

Hypothalamic astrocytes are particularly affected by energy-dense food consumption. How the anatomical location of these glial cells and their spatial molecular distribution in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC) determine the cellular response to a high caloric diet remains unclear. In this study, we investigated their distinctive molecular responses following the exposure to a high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) diet, specifically in the ARC. Using RNA sequencing and proteomics, we showed that astrocytes have a distinct transcriptomic and proteomic profile dependent on their anatomical location, with a major proteomic reprogramming in hypothalamic astrocytes. By ARC single-cell sequencing, we observed that a HFHS diet dictates time- and cell-specific transcriptomic responses, revealing that astrocytes have the most distinct regulatory pattern compared to other cell types. Lastly, we topographically and molecularly characterized astrocytes expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein and/or aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member L1 in the ARC, of which the abundance was significantly increased, as well as the alteration in their spatial and molecular profiles, with a HFHS diet. Together, our results provide a detailed multi-omics view on the spatial and temporal changes of astrocytes particularly in the ARC during different time points of adaptation to a high caloric diet.
Higher Dementia Risk in People With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Real-World Evidence

Background Whether or not patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have a higher risk of developing subsequent dementia remains unknown, and no observational evidence from population-based data is available. This study was to determine whether patients with GERD have a higher future risk of developing dementia. Methods For the period 2000–2012, datasets from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID, subset of National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan) were analyzed. Definition of GERD was based on ICD-9-CM codes 530.11 and 530.81 and prescriptions for PPIs. After matching gender, age, index year, and comorbidities, each GERD patient was matched with four control patients without GERD. Future risk of dementia was evaluated, and sensitivity analysis of subgroups was conducted to clarify the potential association. Results In the present study, 13,570 patients were included in the GERD cohort and 54,280 patients were included in the control cohort. Patients with GERD showed higher risk developing dementia than control group, with an aHR of 1.34 (95% C.I., 1.07, 1.67). In GERD patients between above 70 years old, the risk of developing dementia was higher than that of the control groups (aHR = 1.34; 95% C.I., 1.01, 1.77). Conclusion Patients with GERD showed higher incidence of dementia, and elder patients had the highest risk of developing dementia. Clinicians should be concern of the association between GERD and dementia and should develop strategies to prevent dementia while managing patients with GERD.
Clinical Characteristics of Bloodstream Infection in Immunosuppressed Patients: A 5-Year Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction Immunosuppressed patients with bloodstream infection are at risk of mortality. Our objective was to assess the independent risk factors of bloodstream infection with mortality in immunosuppressive states. Methods The medical data of a total of 896 patients who were hospitalized in our hospital were collected from January 2015 to December 2019. Evaluation of the independent risk factors of mortality was done by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results Of the 896 immunosuppressed patients with bloodstream infection, 698 had over 60-day survivals and 198 had 60-day mortality. In our study, PCT (mean ±; standard: 11.40 ±; 31.89 µg/l vs. 62.45 ±; 17.10 µg/l, p = 0.007) and presence of age >60 years (40% vs. 14.19%, p = 0.001) were significantly different between situations with and without 60-day survivals in both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Age >60 years and PCT could be used as indicators for bloodstream infection with 60-day death in immunosuppressive states; the OR (95% CI) were 1.532 (1.099–2.135) and 2.063 (1.413–3.013), respectively. In different subgroups, PCT and age were also independent risk factors of blood system diseases, Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, diabetes, and ICU-stay subgroups. Conclusions Age and PCT were independently associated with mortality in immunosuppressive states, which may help to identify the highly risky situation of bloodstream infection in immunosuppressive states.
The Role of microRNAs in the Drosophila Melanogaster Visual System

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs (∼22 nucleotides in length) that negatively regulate protein-coding gene expression post-transcriptionally by targeting mRNAs and triggering either translational repression or RNA degradation. MiRNA genes represent approximately 1% of the genome of different species and it has been estimated that every miRNA can interact with an average of 200 mRNA transcripts, with peaks of 1,500 mRNA targets per miRNA molecule. As a result, miRNAs potentially play a fundamental role in several biological processes including development, metabolism, proliferation, and apoptotic cell death, both in physiological and pathological conditions. Since miRNAs were discovered, Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a model organism to shed light on their functions and their molecular mechanisms in the regulation of many biological and behavioral processes. In this review we focus on the roles of miRNAs in the fruit fly brain, at the level of the visual system that is composed by the compound eyes, each containing ∼800 independent unit eyes called ommatidia, and each ommatidium is composed of eight photoreceptor neurons that project into the optic lobes. We describe the roles of a set of miRNAs in the development and in the proper function of the optic lobes (bantam, miR-7, miR-8, miR-210) and of the compound eyes (bantam, miR-7, miR-9a, miR-210, miR-263a/b, miR-279/996), summarizing also the pleiotropic effects that some miRNAs exert on circadian behavior.
Polyglutamine Expansion in Huntingtin and Mechanism of DNA Damage Repair Defects in Huntington’s Disease

Emerging evidence suggests that DNA repair deficiency and genome instability may be the impending signs of many neurological diseases. Genome-wide association (GWAS) studies have established a strong correlation between genes that play a role in DNA damage repair and many neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease (HD), and several other trinucleotides repeat expansion-related hereditary ataxias. Recently, many reports have documented a significant role played by the DNA repair processes in aging and in modifying many neurodegenerative diseases, early during their progression. Studies from our lab and others have now begun to understand the mechanisms that cause defective DNA repair in HD and surprisingly, many proteins that have a strong link to known neurodegenerative diseases seem to be important players in these cellular pathways. Mutations in huntingtin (HTT) gene that lead to polyglutamine repeat expansion at the N-terminal of HTT protein has been shown to disrupt transcription-coupled DNA repair process, a specialized DNA repair process associated with transcription. Due to the recent progress made in understanding the mechanisms of DNA repair in relation to HD, in this review, we will mainly focus on the mechanisms by which the wild-type huntingtin (HTT) protein helps in DNA repair during transcription, and the how polyglutamine expansions in HTT impedes this process in HD. Further studies that identify new players in DNA repair will help in our understanding of this process in neurons. Furthermore, it should help us understand how various DNA repair mechanism(s) coordinate to maintain the normal physiology of neurons, and provide insights for the development of novel drugs at prodromal stages of these neurodegenerative diseases.