Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatially resolved transcriptomics for evaluation of intracranial vessels in a rabbit model: Proof of concept

Background Better understanding of vessel biology and vascular pathophysiology is needed to improve understanding of cerebrovascular disorders. Tissue from diseased vessels can offer the best data. Rabbit models can be effective for studying intracranial vessels, filling gaps resulting from difficulties acquiring human tissue. Spatially-resolved transcriptomics (SRT) in particular hold promise for studying such models as they build on RNA sequencing methods, augmenting such data with histopathology. Methods Rabbit brains with intact arteries were flash frozen, cryosectioned, and stained with H&E to confirm adequate inclusion of intracranial vessels before proceeding with tissue optimization and gene expression analysis using the Visium SRT platform. SRT results were analyzed with k-means clustering analysis, and differential gene expression was examined, comparing arteries to veins. Results Cryosections were successfully mounted on Visium proprietary slides. Quality control thresholds were met. Optimum permeabilization was determined to be 24 min for the tissue optimization step. In analysis of SRT data, k-means clustering distinguished vascular tissue from parenchyma. When comparing gene expression traits, the most differentially expressed genes were those found in smooth muscle cells. These genes were more commonly expressed in arteries compared to veins. Conclusions Intracranial vessels from model rabbits can be processed and analyzed with the Visium SRT platform. Face validity is found in the ability of SRT data to distinguish vessels from parenchymal tissue and differential expression analysis accurately distinguishing arteries from veins. SRT should be considered for future animal model investigations into cerebrovascular diseases.
Application of high order observer in EO stabilized platform

As Electric-Optic(EO)stabilized platform is effected by the disturbance of friction,windage,unbalance and base motion in stabilizing a Line of Sight(LOS),this paper explores the mechanism and method to eliminate the disturbance torque by a high order observer.The observer is consist of an inverse system of the control object and a modified filter,and the modified filter is implemented by a high order design.The observer is used for observing the disturbance torque,then the current loop with a very high bandwidth is utilized to compensate the disturbance torque.The eliminating disturbance ability of the system is simulated.The results show that the high-order disturbance observer has the ability to eliminate the high-order disturbance model:the 3th order observer eliminates the disturbance by 100% for the step and ramp disturbance;and eliminates the disturbance by99.9999996%for the parabola disturbance.Moreover,the observer also has good robustness to the perturbation of the control object.The method improves the response speed of the servo system mean-while ensuring the robustness of the system,so that it satisfies the application requirements of the EO stabilized platform.
JUpdate: A JSON Update Language

Although JSON documents are being used in several emerging applications (e.g., Big Data applications, IoT, mobile computing, smart cities, and online social networks), there is no consensual or standard language for updating JSON documents (i.e., creating, deleting or changing such documents, where changing means inserting, deleting, replacing, copying, moving, etc., portions of data in such documents). To fill this gap, we propose in this paper an SQL-like language, named JUpdate, for updating JSON documents. JUpdate is based on a set of six primitive update operations, which is proven complete and minimal, and it provides a set of fourteen user-friendly high-level operations with a well-founded semantics defined on the basis of the primitive update operations.
Correlations and Asymptotic Behaviors of the Shape Parameters of Floating Bubbles Using an Improved Numerical Procedure

An improved numerical procedure is used to present the correlations between the shape parameters and Bond numbers of floating bubbles for a wider range of Bond numbers (5 × 10−5 < Bo < 5000) than the previously reported range of Bond numbers (0.003 < Bo < 241), and their asymptotic relations as Bo → 0 and Bo → ∞. The proposed method is proven to be more precise and robust than the conventional methods in comparison with previous numerical and experimental results. In addition, the profile of floating bubbles and the related parameters are presented for a wide range of bubble sizes. The shape parameters are divided into three distinct Bond number regions, and are fitted with a fifth-order polynomial as a function of Bond number on a log-log scale for each region. The parameters show two asymptotes, which can be expressed in a simple power law. In addition, the dimensionless maximum depth of the floating bubble is obtained as H = 0.7290105 when Bo = 4.755563. These correlations and asymptotic relations are expected to assist in the development of scale models of dynamic bubble-related phenomena such as bubble bursting.
Not all noise-reduction methods for fMRI preprocessing are created equal

Preprocessing fMRI data requires striking a fine balance between conserving signals of interest and removing noise. Typical steps of preprocessing include motion correction, slice timing correction, spatial smoothing, and high-pass filtering. However, these standard steps do not remove many sources of noise. Thus, noise-reduction techniques such as CompCor and FIX have been developed to further improve the ability to draw meaningful conclusions from the data. The ability of these techniques to minimize noise while conserving signals of interest has been tested almost exclusively in resting-state fMRI datasets and, only rarely, in task-related fMRI datasets. Application of noise-reduction techniques to task-related fMRI is particularly important given that such procedures have been shown to reduce false positive rates. However, little remains known about the impact of different noise reduction techniques on the retention of signal, particularly during tasks that may be associated with systemic physiological changes. In this paper, we compared two noise-reduction techniques, i.e. FIX and CompCor, in an fMRI dataset including noxious heat stimulation and non-noxious auditory stimulation. Results show that preprocessing including FIX noise-reduction technique conserves significantly more signal than a preprocessing protocol including CompCor noise-reduction technique in both noxious heat and non-noxious auditory stimulations, while removing only slightly less noise. These results suggest that FIX might be the most appropriate technique to achieve the balance between conserving signals of interest and removing noise.
#Arttothepeople? An exploration of Instagram’s unfulfilled potential for democratising museums

ABSTRACT Today, most museums in Europe and the United States present themselves as democratic institutions. Meanwhile, scholarly literature puts much emphasis on the democratising potential of social media for museum practice. Prompted by the scarcity of factual data on museums’ employment of social media, this article presents an empirical study on how art museums use Instagram. Specifically, the research focuses on the extent to, and the ways in which, art museums are harnessing Instagram in order to fulfil their democratic aspirations. Through content analysis, the study shows that Instagram’s potential for a more democratic museology is being harnessed to a very limited extent. Museums predominantly use Instagram for more traditional promotional purposes or adopt an authoritative knowledge-telling attitude in their posts. Nevertheless, we present several promising exceptions, that we analyse through close reading. These examples pave the way to a more democratic museum practice on Instagram.
Embodiment design of soft continuum robots

This article presents the results of a multidisciplinary project where mechatronic engineers worked alongside biologists to develop a soft robotic arm that captures key features of octopus anatomy and neurophysiology. The concept of embodiment (the dynamic coupling between sensory-motor control, anatomy, materials and environment that allows for the animal to achieve adaptive behaviours) is used as a starting point for the design process but tempered by current engineering technologies and approaches. In this article, the embodied design requirements are first discussed from a robotic viewpoint by taking into account real-life engineering limitations; then, the motor control schemes inspired by octopus nervous system are investigated. Finally, the mechanical and control design of a prototype is presented that appropriately blends bio-inspiration and engineering limitations. Simulated and experimental results show that the developed continuum robotic arm is able to reproduce octopus-like motions for bending, reaching and grasping.
Influence of Chromium Stress on Chlorophyll Content, Polyphenol Oxidase and Peroxidase Activity in Horse Gram (Dolichos biflorus L)

The presence of heavy metals in solid and liquid wastes is a significant issue in terms of the environment degradation. These are one of the most serious environmental pollutants, and reaching dangerous levels will need more investigation. Chromium, in particular, has become a global environmental problem among heavy metals. This research looked at the effects of Cr207 stress on Dolichos biflorus L. , a kind of horse grain that plays an essential role in Indian agriculture. D. biflorus seeds were cultivated in the dark under laboratory conditions with a Sodium chromate concentration of (0-3.0mg/L). The control treatment was distilled water. Seven-day-old seedlings were utilized to study the effects of chromate stress on peroxidase activity and chlorophyll content. The findings showed that when the quantity of Sodium chromate increased, the chlorophyll content of D. biflorus seedlings increased considerably (p 0.9). Increased polyphenyloxiase and peroxidase activity indicated the appearance of a scavenging mechanism in plants under heavy metal stress, whereas increased peroxidase quantity indicated the generation of free radicals. The drop in chlorophyll concentration indicates that the plants' development has slowed, resulting in a fall in production.
Place Making for Knowledge Generation and Innovation: Planning and Branding Brisbane's Knowledge Community Precincts

Abstract Knowledge generation and innovation have been a priority for global city administrators particularly during the last couple of decades. This is mainly due to the growing consensus in identifying knowledge-based urban development as a panacea for burgeoning economic problems. Place making has become a critical element for success in knowledge-based urban development as planning and branding places is claimed to be an effective marketing tool for attracting investment and talent. This paper aims to investigate the role of planning and branding in place making by assessing the effectiveness of planning and branding strategies in the development of knowledge and innovation milieus. The methodology of the study comprises reviewing the literature thoroughly, developing an analysis framework, and using this framework to analyze Brisbane's knowledge community precincts—namely Boggo Road Knowledge Precinct, Kelvin Grove Urban Knowledge Village, and Sippy Downs Knowledge Town. The analysis findings generate invaluable insights into Brisbane's journey in place making for knowledge and innovation milieus and communities. The results suggest as much as good planning, branding strategies, and good practice, the requirements of external and internal conditions also need to be met for successful place making in knowledge community precincts.
InCoPE-App: Study protocol for the usability and effectiveness of the individualized, tablet-based multimodal exercise program for institutionalized individuals with dementia delivered by nursing home employees. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND The Covid-19 pandemic has drastic consequences on everyday life in nursing homes. Limited personal resources and high hygiene standards often lead to interrupting physical exercise treatment. As a consequence, individuals with dementia (IWD) profiting from individualized exercise programs, are affected by the pandemic’s impact. OBJECTIVE Our goal is to develop an easily applicable application allowing nursing home employees (NHE) to test cognitive function and physical performance, and subsequently train IWD by a multimodal individualized exercise program. METHODS We will evaluate the InCoPE-App by applying a mixed method design. NHE will use the InCoPE-app for 18-weeks assessing cognitive function and physical performance of 44 IWD every three weeks and applying the individualized exercise program. We will record usability by log events, Post-Study System Usability and ISONORM 9241/10 questionnaires, as well as interviews focusing on satisfaction. Perceived hedonic and pragmatic quality will be assessed by AttrakDiff questionnaire. The effectiveness will be evaluated by changes in the quality of life as well as cognitive function and physical performance. RESULTS Enrollment of the study will be completed in the first half of 2022. We expect an improvement of the quality of life of IWD accompanied by improvements in cognitive function and physical performance. The usability of the InCoPE-App is expected to be well rated by NHE. CONCLUSIONS To date, there is no scientifically evaluated app available that enables NHE without expertise in sports science to deliver an individualized exercise program. A high usable and effective InCoPE-App allows NHE to test cognitive function and physical performance of IWD and, based thereon, select and deliver the most appropriate individualized exercise program, even in times of the pandemic. CLINICALTRIAL The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. German Register of Clinical Trials, drks.de. Identifier: DRKS00024069. Date of registration: 23 March 2021.
The Double Engines and Single Checkpoint Theory of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic disease characterized by the ectopic localization of the endometrial tissue in the peritoneal cavity. Consequently, it causes local pathological changes and systemic symptoms, affecting at least one in every ten women. This disease is difficult to diagnose early, it is prone to dissemination, is difficult to eradicate, tends to recur, and is regarded as “a cancer of no kill”. Indeed, the development of endometriosis closely resembles that of cancer in the way of mutagenesis, pelvic spreading, and immunological adaptation. While retrograde menstruation has been regarded as the primary cause of endometriosis, the role of ovulation and menstrual stimuli in the development of endometriosis has long been overlooked. The development of ovarian and peritoneal endometrioses, similar to the development of high-grade serous carcinoma in the fallopian tube fimbriae with intraperitoneal metastasis, depends highly on the carcinogens released during ovulation. Moreover, endometriosis carries an extremely hypermutated genome, which is non-inferior to the ultra-mutated endometrial cancer. The hypermutation would lead to an overproduction of new proteins or neoantigens. Because of this, the developing endometriosis may have to turn on the PD-1/PDL-1 “self-tolerance” checkpoint to evade immune surveillance, leaving an Achilles tendon for an immune checkpoint blockade. In this review, we present the double engines and single checkpoint theory of the genesis of endometriosis, provide the current pieces of evidence supporting the hypothesis, and discuss the new directions of prevention and treatment.
Microtitulación para la determinación de la acidez titulable de tés (Camellia sinensis)

Se desarrolló un método a microescala para la determinación de la acidez titulable de té (Camellia sinensis) y se comparó con el método recomendado. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el método desarrollado es satisfactorio: los valores obtenidos son muy similares a los del método de referencia y mostraron una correlación lineal con un valor de R2 = 0.8901. El método desarrollado se puede emplear como método de enseñanza en los laboratorios de química para la caracterización fisicoquímica de bebidas elaboradas a base de Camellia sinensis.
Hexa-band planar antenna with asymmetric fork-shaped radiators for multiband and broadband communication applications

Empirical results are presented for a novel hexa-band coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed antenna that consists of three asymmetric fork-shaped radiating elements incorporating U-shaped radiators with a slit. Each of the three branched radiators generates triple resonant frequencies within the L, S, C and X bands. U-shaped elements with a slit contribute toward generating resonant frequencies at lower band of the antenna. The asymmetrical fork-shaped elements enhance the impedance matching properties of the antenna and reduce its stopband. The proposed antenna design resonates at 1.3, 1.75, 3.35, 4.85, 6.5 and 7.6 GHz that covers the following wireless communications standards: global system for mobile communications (GSM) (880–960 MHz), digital cellular system (DCS) (1.71–1.88 GHz), personal communication system (PCS) (1.85–1.99 GHz), Bluetooth (2.402–2.480 GHz), wireless local area network (2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (2.3–2.4/2.496–2.690/3.3–3.8 GHz), wireless fidelity (2.412–2.4835/4.9–5.9 GHz). A prototype hexa-band antenna was fabricated and tested. The measured results conform to the simulated ones. The proposed antenna essentially radiates omnidirectionally in both the E and H planes with a peak gain of 5.27 dBi and efficiency of 81.3% at 4.85 GHz. The antenna has dimensions of 35 × 26 mm2. The antenna is an excellent candidate for multiband and broadband communication applications.
SDF‐based tracking control for state‐constrained nonholonomic systems with disturbances via relay switching control: Theory and experiment

This article investigates the tracking control problem for a kind of chained‐form nonholonomic systems in the presence of unknown time‐varying disturbances and full‐state constraints. First, a finite‐time tracking controller is constructed to drive the action of relay switching, which converts the whole control system into two design stages. In order to handle with the predefined asymmetric state constraints, the original tracking error system is turned into an unconstrained system on the basis of state‐dependent function (SDF) function transformations. In this framework, an adaptive tracking control strategy is proposed by means of backstepping and dynamic surface control. Correspondingly, another tracking control law is also constructed to assure the stability of the tracking error system before the action of switching. The theoretical analysis of stability indicates that the proposed tracking control scheme can guarantee that the output state tracking errors converge to zero and the desired state constraints are not violated. At the same time, all the closed‐loop system signals maintain bounded in entire control process. Finally, the validity of the presented tracking control algorithm is demonstrated by simulation and experiment results.
Challenges of Glaucoma Management in Patients with Type I Boston Keratoprosthesis

Abstract Type I Boston keratoprosthesis is implanted in patients with severely diseased eyes who are considered poor candidates for traditional keratoplasty. Glaucoma is considered a major visual comorbidity following the implantation of type I Boston keratoprosthesis (KPro). Eyes that receive a Boston KPro are at high risk of progression of pre-existing glaucoma and the development of de novo glaucoma. Both complications can limit best-corrected visual acuity postoperatively. Diagnosis and surveillance for glaucoma in KPro eyes are fundamental to mitigate the risk of visual morbidity. However, managing these patients presents several challenges. The diagnosis of glaucoma after KPro implantation is usually hindered by inaccurate intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements and unreliable ophthalmic investigations such as visual field testing and optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL). In these eyes, medical management of glaucoma with topical medications is usually insufficient, and glaucoma surgery is usually warranted either prior to or during KPro implantation. Options for glaucoma surgery include glaucoma drainage device (GDD) and cyclodestructive procedures. The aim of this article is to highlight the incidence, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management options of glaucoma in eyes that have undergone type I Boston keratoprosthesis.
oVRcome – Self-guided virtual reality for specific phobias: A randomised controlled trial

Objective: Mobile health applications for mental health are widely accessible but most have had limited research evaluation. Virtual reality exposure therapy is an emerging treatment for specific phobias. Most virtual reality studies have investigated high-end virtual reality devices, typically only available in research and limited clinical settings for a single phobia. This study evaluated the effectiveness of oVRcome, a mobile health application combining self-guided virtual reality exposure and cognitive behaviour therapy, for five specific phobias. Methods: This is a 2-arm 6-week randomised controlled trial, with a waitlist control group and follow-up at week 12. Participants were required to live in New Zealand; be aged 18–64 years; have a fear of flying, heights, spiders, dogs and needles; score above 4 on the Brief Standard Self-rating scale for phobic patients; and have access to a smartphone and Internet. oVRcome consists of six modules of psychoeducation, relaxation, mindfulness, cognitive techniques, exposure through virtual reality and relapse prevention over 6 weeks. The primary outcome was the change from baseline to week 6 on the Severity Measures for Specific Phobia – Adults. All analyses were performed on intention-to-treat set. Results: A total of 126 participants were randomised, and 109 completed the follow-up at week 6, for a retention rate of 86.5%. The mean change in Severity Measures for Specific Phobia – Adults score from baseline to week 6 was greater in the active group compared with the waitlist group (active group −20.53 [standard deviation = 8.24]; waitlist group: − 12.31 [standard deviation = 10.66]; p < 0.001). The effect size for this difference was 0.86. Conclusion: Self-guided use of the oVRcome app was effective at reducing severity of specific phobia symptoms in a sample of people with a self-reported fear of flying, heights, spiders, dogs or needles. Trial registry clinicaltrials.gov NCT04909177.