Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parametric excitation of optically trapped aerosols

The Brownian dynamics of an optically trapped water droplet is investigated across the transition from over to under-damped oscillations. The spectrum of position fluctuations evolves from a Lorentzian shape typical of overdamped systems (beads in liquid solvents), to a damped harmonic oscillator spectrum showing a resonance peak. In this later under-damped regime, we excite parametric resonance by periodically modulating the trapping power at twice the resonant frequency. We also derive from Langevin dynamics an explicit numerical recipe for the fast computation of the power spectra of a Brownian parametric oscillator. The obtained numerical predictions are in excellent agreement with the experimental data.
The Challenge of Developing Statistical Reasoning

This paper defines statistical reasoning and reviews research on this topic. Types of correct and incorrect reasoning are summarized, and statistical reasoning about sampling distributions is examined in more detail. A model of statistical reasoning is presented, and suggestions are offered for assessing statistical reasoning. The paper concludes with implications for teaching students in ways that will facilitate the development of their statistical reasoning.
White-spotted flower chafer (Protaetia brevitarsis) ameliorates inflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages

White-spotted flower chafer (Protaetia brevitarsis) is an edible insect and P. brevitarsis larvae are used in traditional Oriental medicine. However, the molecular mechanisms behind the anti-inflammatory action of P. brevitarsis larvae are unknown. We investigated the effects of P. brevitarsis larvae ethanol extract (PBLE) on the inflammatory response as well as the molecular mechanisms underpinning this effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. PBLE effectively inhibited the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) through inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 protein expression and 20 μM PBLE suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, at a dose of. Further investigation of the mechanisms revealed that PBLE attenuated phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) inhibitor alpha (IκB-α) and NF-κB p65 and interfered selectively with extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and p38 phosphorylation. These findings provide the first molecular basis that PBLE could be a potential candidate for attenuating proinflammatory NO induction via selective inhibition of the NF-κB, ERK, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways. It is necessary to verify the anti-inflammatory action of PBLE and to ascertain the related mechanisms, both in in vivo models and in clinical studies, to enable the application of PBLE as a potential therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases.
Non Fungible Gratings as Physical Unclonable Functions

Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are physical devices exploiting intrinsic randomness through the fabrication process that can be used for authentication and secure key generation. In this article, we describe a novel weak PUF architecture based on the inscription of random gratings in an optical fiber, which can be easily interrogated by a commercial instrument due to the enhanced backscatter. With PUF lengths of only 40 mm, we show that the false positive and false negative probabilities can reach below 10−27. We also describe a temperature and strain compensation algorithm to mitigate environmental fluctuations. Furthermore, we describe an alternative technique which increases the number of bits used for digitizing the PUF's signature, thus significantly decreasing the false identification probabilities by almost two orders of magnitude.
Wide-angle wideband SAR matched filter image formation for enhanced detection performance

This paper contains the first step in an overall approach to low- frequency SAR target detection and classification through direct exploitation of signature physics. The SAR imaging algorithm has been modified to take some of the available signature information into account. More specifically, a simple detection filter is constructed to approximately match the dominant dihedral response from a side of a man-made vehicle, which is not dominant in tree responses. The matching takes place along the image formation integration path in raw dwell data that produces a single image pixel. This integration path measures response versus viewing angle. Since target orientation is unknown, a filter bank is used. Although the dihedral RCS is also matched in frequency, the primary filter gain comes from matching the limited azimuthal response of the dihedral. Further gain may be provided by polarization diversity, but this is unknown since the radar under study measures only HH polarization. In a detection performance comparison with conventional image formation and processing techniques, the current matched filter image formation technique appears to be the only one offering significant improvement. Since the technique is fundamentally limited by the ability to view a vehicle side, it is recommended to increase the radar azimuthal beamwidth to ninety degrees or more. Our overall concept to detection and classification uses a multistep, decision-directed, signature-primitive-based approach that follows the current imaging technique with two layers of complex spatial matched filtering, one for final detection and one for classification, as described at the end.
Exploring the Inhibitory Activity of Selected Lactic Acid Bacteria against Bread Rope Spoilage Agents

In this study, a wide pool of lactic acid bacteria strains deposited in two recognized culture collections was tested against ropy bread spoilage bacteria, specifically belonging to Bacillus spp. , Paenibacillus spp. , and Lysinibacillus spp. High-throughput and ex vivo screening assays were performed to select the best candidates. They were further investigated to detect the production of active antimicrobial metabolites and bacteriocins. Moreover, technological and safety features were assessed to value their suitability as biocontrol agents for the production of clean-label bakery products. The most prominent inhibitory activities were shown by four strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (NFICC19, NFICC 72, NFICC163, and NFICC 293), two strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus (NFICC10 and NFICC341), and Leuconostoc citreum NFICC28. Moreover, the whole genome sequencing of the selected LAB strains and the in silico analysis showed that some of the strains contain operons for bacteriocins; however, no significant evidence was observed phenotypically.
Nationwide analysis of antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from diseased swine over 29 years in Japan

Pathogenic Escherichia coli strains are important causes of several swine diseases that result in significant economic losses worldwide. In Japan, the use of antimicrobials in swine is much higher than that in other farm animals every year. Antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic E. coli strains also heavily impacts the swine industry due to the limited treatment options and an increase in the potential risk of the One Health crisis. In 2016, we investigated 684 Japanese isolates of swine pathogenic E. coli belonging to four major serogroups and reported the emergence and increase in the highly multidrug-resistant serogroups O116 and OSB9 and the appearance of colistin-resistant strains. In the present study, by expanding our previous analysis, we determined the serotypes and antimicrobial resistance of 1,708 E. coli strains isolated from diseased swine between 1991 and 2019 in Japan and found recent increases in the prevalences of multidrug-resistant strains and minor serogroup strains. Among the antimicrobials examined in this study that have been approved for animal use, a third-generation cephalosporin was found to be effective against the most isolates (resistance rate: 1.2%) but not against highly multidrug-resistant strains. We also analyzed the susceptibilities of the 1,708 isolates to apramycin and bicozamycin, both which are available for treating swine in Japan, and found that the rates of resistance to apramycin and bicozamycin were low (6.7% and 5.8%, respectively), and both antimicrobials are more effective (resistance rates: 2.7% and 5.4%, respectively) than third-generation cephalosporins (resistance rate: 16.2%) against highly multidrug-resistant strains.
Flow Pattern and Void Fraction of Refrigerant Two-phase Flow in a Horizontal Pipe

An experiment on a refrigerant two-phase flow in a horizontal pipe was performed for flow pattern observation and void fraction measurement. Refrigerants used were R12 and R22, and the saturation pressure range was from 5.7 to 19.6 bar. From obtained data it was found that the flow pattern of the refrigerant two-phase flow can be presented on a revised Baker map, where the property correction factor on surface tension was modified. It was also found that the influence of the shut-off speed in void fraction measurement is negligible. Experimental data on void fraction agree well with Zivi, Thom and Baroczy correlation approximated by Butterworth.
3D electron microscopy and volume-based bouton sorting reveal the selectivity of inputs onto geniculate relay cell and interneuron dendrite segments

Introduction The visual signals evoked at the retinal ganglion cells are modified and modulated by various synaptic inputs that impinge on lateral geniculate nucleus cells before they are sent to the cortex. The selectivity of geniculate inputs for clustering or forming microcircuits on discrete dendritic segments of geniculate cell types may provide the structural basis for network properties of the geniculate circuitry and differential signal processing through the parallel pathways of vision. In our study, we aimed to reveal the patterns of input selectivity on morphologically discernable relay cell types and interneurons in the mouse lateral geniculate nucleus. Methods We used two sets of Scanning Blockface Electron Microscopy (SBEM) image stacks and Reconstruct software to manually reconstruct of terminal boutons and dendrite segments. First, using an unbiased terminal sampling (UTS) approach and statistical modeling, we identified the criteria for volume-based sorting of geniculate boutons into their putative origins. Geniculate terminal boutons that were sorted in retinal and non-retinal categories based on previously described mitochondrial morphology, could further be sorted into multiple subpopulations based on their bouton volume distributions. Terminals deemed non-retinal based on the morphological criteria consisted of five distinct subpopulations, including small-sized putative corticothalamic and cholinergic boutons, two medium-sized putative GABAergic inputs, and a large-sized bouton type that contains dark mitochondria. Retinal terminals also consisted of four distinct subpopulations. The cutoff criteria for these subpopulations were then applied to datasets of terminals that synapse on reconstructed dendrite segments of relay cells or interneurons. Results Using a network analysis approach, we found an almost complete segregation of retinal and cortical terminals on putative X-type cell dendrite segments characterized by grape-like appendages and triads. On these cells, interneuron appendages intermingle with retinal and other medium size terminals to form triads within glomeruli. In contrast, a second, presumed Y-type cell displayed dendrodendritic puncta adherentia and received all terminal types without a selectivity for synapse location; these were not engaged in triads. Furthermore, the contribution of retinal and cortical synapses received by X-, Y- and interneuron dendrites differed such that over 60% of inputs to interneuron dendrites were from the retina, as opposed to 20% and 7% to X- and Y-type cells, respectively. Conclusion The results underlie differences in network properties of synaptic inputs from distinct origins on geniculate cell types.
Fully integrated Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) based on hybrid 3D integration of silicon nitride and polymer photonic circuits with operation in the kHz regime

In this paper, we present the development of a miniaturized Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) system, based on the 3D hybrid integration of the Si3N4 platform of LioniX (TriPleX) and the polymer platform of FhG-HHI (PolyBoard). The photonic integrated circuit (PIC) supports all the functionalities of an LDV system including the splitting of the input light to the measurement and the reference beam, the introduction of an optical frequency shift up to 100 kHz, polarization handling and detection of the reflected measurement beam, using a heterodyne detection technique. The optical frequency shift is accommodated in the TriPleX section of the PIC based on a simple serrodyne scheme, where a phase modulator is driven with a sawtooth signal with the desired frequency. The modulation of the optical field is based on the stress-optic effect utilizing thin-films of PZT deposited on top of the waveguide structures of the TriPleX platform, capable of supporting modulation frequencies up to several MHz. The PolyBoard part enables polarization handling and heterodyne detection of the reflected beam using micro-optic elements on chip, including a polarization beam splitter (PBS), a half wave plate (HWP), and a pair of balanced detectors with four photodiodes that are flip chip bonded on the top. The TriPleX and the PolyBoard platform were brought together based on the 3D hybrid integration, using mode size converters and vertical directional couplers with coupling losses lower than 15 dB. On-chip beating, using the integrated photodiodes is experimentally demonstrated.
Multiwindow bispectral estimation

The bispectral density provides crucial information about non-Gaussian and/or non-linear properties of stochastic processes. In practice however, bispectral estimators are prone to be inaccurate and statistically inconsistent. In this paper we have discussed the statistical properties of non-parametric direct bispectral estimators. Several multitaper based bispectral estimators are presented, including a recently developed approach giving better frequency resolution. We will show that the bias and variance of these estimators are governed mainly by a quantity we call the total bispectral window. Our conclusion is that classical bispectral estimations, using biperiodograms in combination with tapering and/or bifrequency smoothing, are outperformed by the multitaper based bispectral estimators presented in this paper.
Finite-Dimensional Filtering and Control for Continuous-Time Nonlinear Systems

Abstract A partially observed stochastic control problem is considered in continuous time where both the state and observation processes are given by non-linear dynamics. Measure change techniques applied to the cost process allow both state and observation processes to be thought of as linear. If the cost is given a special form, this transformation changes the original non-linear problem into a linear one.
Editorial: Targeting triple negative breast cancer by natural compounds

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women globally and a major global health concern. One in every twelve women worldwide will be diagnosed with this malignancy at some point in their lifetime. Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with diverse clinical and molecular characteristics. Treatment decisions for advance-stage breast cancer are guided by the expression of three major therapeutic targets, viz. estrogen receptor-α (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) (Shuaib et al., 2022). While ER-positive breast cancers are treated with ER antagonists such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, HER2-positive tumors are treated with HER2 inhibitors such as herceptin. Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) that do not express these receptors account for 15%–24% of all breast cancers. The prevalence of TNBC seems to be on the rise in developing nations (Thakur et al., 2018). TNBC treatment is difficult because of disease’s aggressiveness, poor clinical prognosis, and propensity for relapse. It has been extremely difficult to develop more effective treatments for TNBC because of the lack of actionable targets (Diana et al., 2020). Although chemotherapy with taxanes is still a standard-of-care treatment for advanced-stage TNBC, the response is typically short, linked to chemo-resistance, and has a dismal prognosis, with a median overall survival of 9–12 months. As such, strategies for early prevention and/or treatment are needed. Natural agents are known for their role in disease prevention and therapeutic potential, which substantiates the importance of these molecules in human life (Prajapati et al., 2022). Natural products are well known for their minimal side-effect and cost effectiveness. Natural compound-based standalone or combination therapy could be utilized for the better management of triple-negative breast cancer (Kushwaha et al., 2019). The present Research Topic, “Targeting Triple Negative Breast Cancer by Natural Compounds,” has assembled four articles, including original research articles contributed by researchers working in the area of triple-negative breast cancer and its treatment by natural compounds. In the present research article Wei et al. studied the effect of Cordycepin (an active phytoconstituent present in Cordyceps mushroom) on metastasis modulation in mouse TNBC model. The study highlighted that Cordycepin inhibits cellular growth and decreases migration and invasion potential in TNBC cells (BT549 and 4T1 cells) at micromolar concentrations. Mechanistically the study showed that Cordycepin treatment of TNBC cells reversed the OPEN ACCESS
Asymptotic behaviour of solutions of planar elliptic systems with strong competition

We study a class of planar nonlinear elliptic systems with competition which includes the Hartree–Fock type approximation for a system of Bose–Einstein condensates in multiple hyperfine states as derived by Esry et al (1997 Phys. Rev. Lett. 78 3594–7). We study the limit behaviour of solutions in the case where the repulsive interaction tends to infinity and phase separation is expected. In particular, we prove the continuity of the limit shape and derive limit equations satisfied within its nodal sets. By this we complement recent work of Chang et al (2004 Physique D 196 341–61) where additional assumptions had to be made.
Do Not Forget about Hormonal Therapy for Recurrent Endometrial Cancer: A Review of Options, Updates, and New Combinations

Simple Summary Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the developed world and in the recurrent setting has a dismal prognosis. As the endometrium is a hormonally active tissue, hormonal therapy has long been an integral treatment modality. There are many options for hormonal therapy including progesterones, agents that target the estrogen pathway, and combinations with targeted therapies, which are described in detail in this review. High disease control rate, long duration of response, and easy tolerability make hormonal therapy an excellent option for patients with low-grade hormone receptor-positive disease who would like to avoid or cannot tolerate cytotoxic chemotherapy or other targeted therapies. Abstract Hormonal therapy has long been a treatment modality for recurrent endometrial cancer. It is appealing for patients with low-grade, slow-growing tumors or in patients for which other treatment types may be too toxic. Hormonal therapy is well tolerated and has response rates ranging from 9 to 33%. Hormonal treatment options take advantage of the estrogen-dependent molecular pathways in endometrial cancers. Current options for hormonal therapies include progesterone therapy (medroxyprogesterone acetate and megestrol acetate) as a single agent or in combination and agents that target the estrogen pathway. Aromatase inhibitors have had modest single-agent activity, but synergistic effects have been found when used in combination with targeted therapy including mTOR inhibitors and cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors. Molecular profiling of endometrial cancers has begun to help individualize treatments. This review will report on existing data and ongoing trials investigating novel hormonal therapy agents.
Structural and immunological basis of cross-reactivity between dengue and Zika infections: Implications in serosurveillance in endemic regions

Dengue and Zika are arthropod-borne viral diseases present in more than 100 countries around the world. In the past decade, Zika emerged causing widespread outbreaks in new regions, where dengue has been endemic-epidemic for a long period. The wide and extensive dissemination of the mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti, and Ae. albopictus, favor the co-existence of both infections in the same regions. Together with an important proportion of asymptomatic infections, similar clinical manifestations, and a short time window for acute infection confirmatory tests, it is difficult to differentially estimate both dengue and Zika incidence and prevalence. DENV and ZIKV flavivirus share high structural similarity, inducing a cross-reactive immune response that leads to false positives in serological tests particularly in secondary infections. This results in overestimation of recent Zika outbreaks seroprevalence in dengue endemic regions. In this review, we address the biological basis underlying DENV and ZIKV structural homology; the structural and cellular basis of immunological cross reactivity; and the resulting difficulties in measuring dengue and Zika seroprevalence. Finally, we offer a perspective about the need for more research to improve serological tests performance.
Calibration and characterization of piezoelectric elements as used in scanning tunneling microscopy

We investigated the behavior of piezoelectric elements used in an STM for fine positioning of the tip. Special attention was paid to the influence of hysteresis. We found that the expansion coefficient of the elements depends on the magnitude of the displacements they produce. If the range is limited to several nanometers, the sensitivity can be taken constant and hysteresis can be neglected. However,if displacements of about a micron are involved, the sensitivity is about 40% higher and the hysteresis will significantly disturb the image. We also compared different calibration methods. An inductive displacement transducer yields results which correspond to those obtained with the known height of steps on a flat gold surface. A Michelson interferometer yields results which are valid for large displacements which cannot be used if small‐scale structures are imaged.