Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bacterial polysaccharides—A big source for prebiotics and therapeutics

Bacterial polysaccharides are unique due to their higher purity, hydrophilic nature, and a finer three-dimensional fibrous structure. Primarily, these polymers provide protection, support, and energy to the microorganism, however, more recently several auxiliary properties of these biopolymers have been unmasked. Microbial polysaccharides have shown therapeutic abilities against various illnesses, augmented the healing abilities of the herbal and Western medicines, improved overall health of the host, and have exerted positive impact on the growth of gut dwelling beneficial bacteria. Specifically, the review is discussing the mechanism through which bacterial polysaccharides exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. In addition, they are holding promising application in the 3D printing. The review is also discussing a perspective about the metagenome-based screening of polysaccharides, their integration with other cutting-edge tools, and synthetic microbiome base intervention of polysaccharides as a strategy for prebiotic intervention. This review has collected interesting information about the bacterial polysaccharides from Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Up to our knowledge, this is the first of its kind review article that is summarizing therapeutic, prebiotics, and commercial application of bacterial polysaccharides.
The enfacement illusion in autism spectrum disorder: How interpersonal multisensory stimulation influences facial recognition of the self

At its most basic level, the sense of self is built upon awareness of one's body and the face holds special significance as the individual's most important and distinctive physical feature. Multimodal sensory integration is pivotal to experiencing one's own body as a coherent visual “self” representation is formed and maintained by matching felt and observed sensorimotor experiences in the mirror. While difficulties in individual facial identity recognition and in both self-referential cognition and empathy are frequently reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), studying the effect of multimodal sensory stimulation in this population is of relevant interest. The present study investigates for the first time the specific effect on Interpersonal Multisensory Stimulation (IMS) on face self-recognition in a sample of 30 adults with (n = 15) and without (n = 15) ASD, matched on age and sex. The results demonstrate atypical self-face recognition and absence of IMS effects (enfacement illusion) in adults with ASD compared to controls, indicating that multisensory integration failed in updating cognitive representations of one's own face among persons with this disorder. The results are discussed in the light of other findings indicating alterations in body enfacement illusion and automatic imitation in ASD as well as in the context of the theories of procedural perception and multisensory integration alterations.
The Big Compost Experiment: Using citizen science to assess the impact and effectiveness of biodegradable and compostable plastics in UK home composting

Compostable and biodegradable plastics are growing in popularity but their environmental credentials need to be more fully assessed to determine how they can be a part of the solution to the plastic waste crisis. We present results and analysis on home compostable packaging. This type of packaging requires the citizen to be able to correctly identify the packaging as “home compostable,” to have composting facilities at home, and to successfully compost the plastic. Using a citizen science approach, we engaged with 9,701 UK citizens geographically spread across the UK to examine their capability, opportunity, and motivation to do this. Of this cohort 1,648 citizens performed home compost experiments to test the environmental performance of compostable plastics. We report on the type of plastics they tested and their disintegration under real home composting conditions. The results show that the public are confused about the meaning of the labels of compostable and biodegradable plastics. 14% of sampled plastic packaging items tested were certified “industrial compostable” only and 46% had no compostable certification. Of the biodegradable and compostable plastics tested under different home composting conditions, the majority did not fully disintegrate, including 60% of those that were certified “home compostable. ” We conclude that for both of these reasons, home composting is not an effective or environmentally beneficial waste processing method for biodegradable or compostable packaging in the UK.
Design of 2.87 GHz Frequency Synthesizer with Programmable Sweep for Diamond Color Defect based CMOS Quantum Sensing Applications

Recently, diamond color defect based quantum sensing applications such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center magnetometry have emerged in CMOS technology, which use optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) for sensing magnetic field strengths $(|\tilde{\mathrm{B}}|)$ from different environmental physical quantities. For ODMR based sensing, CMOS quantum sensors seek an onchip 2.87 GHz microwave (MW) signal generator. Moreover, in order to sense smaller $|\tilde{\mathrm{B}}|$, these CMOS quantum sensors also require that MW signal should be swept with sufficiently small step-size near 2.87 GHz. In this work, we present a fractional-N synthesizer based 2.87 GHz MW-generator (MWG) with an extremely small programmable sweep step-size for improved sensitivity of $|\tilde{\mathrm{B}}|$ measurements in CMOS NV magnetometry. The proposed MWG is implemented in 180 nm CMOS technology and simulations were done to validate the proposed design. Post-layout simulation results show that the proposed MWG achieves a minimum sweep-step size of 50 kHz, which can be used to sense $|\tilde{\mathrm{B}}|\lt 0.9\;\mu \mathrm{T}$ and exhibits a phase noise of −114.5 dBc/Hz at an offset of 1 MHz near 2.87 GHz center frequency.
Explicit and implicit compact high-resolution shock-capturing methods for multidimensional Euler equations 1: Formulation

Two classes of explicit compact high-resolution shock-capturing methods for the multidimensional compressible Euler equations for fluid dynamics are constructed. Some of these schemes can be fourth-order accurate away from discontinuities. For the semi-discrete case their shock-capturing properties are of the total variation diminishing (TVD), total variation bounded (TVB), total variation diminishing in the mean (TVDM), essentially nonoscillatory (ENO), or positive type of scheme for 1-D scalar hyperbolic conservation laws and are positive schemes in more than one dimension. These fourth-order schemes require the same grid stencil as their second-order non-compact cousins. One class does not require the standard matrix inversion or a special numerical boundary condition treatment associated with typical compact schemes. Due to the construction, these schemes can be viewed as approximations to genuinely multidimensional schemes in the sense that they might produce less distortion in spherical type shocks and are more accurate in vortex type flows than schemes based purely on one-dimensional extensions. However, one class has a more desirable high-resolution shock-capturing property and a smaller operation count in 3-D than the other class. The extension of these schemes to coupled nonlinear systems can be accomplished using the Roe approximate Riemann solver, the generalized Steger and Warming flux-vector splitting or the van Leer type flux-vector splitting. Modification to existing high-resolution second- or third-order non-compact shock-capturing computer codes is minimal. High-resolution shock-capturing properties can also be achieved via a variant of the second-order Lax-Friedrichs numerical flux without the use of Riemann solvers for coupled nonlinear systems with comparable operations count to their classical shock-capturing counterparts. The simplest extension to viscous flows can be achieved by using the standard fourth-order compact or non-compact formula for the viscous terms.
Eight weeks of core stability training improves landing kinetics for freestyle skiing aerials athletes

Freestyle skiing aerials are characterized by technical elements including strength, flexibility and balance. Core stability in aerials can improve sporting performance. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect of 8 weeks of core stability training on core stability performance in aerials. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to a control group (CG; n = 4male + 5female; age 15.89 ± 1.54 years; height 163.11 ± 6.19 cm; weight 55.33 ± 5.07 Kg) and a training group (TG; n = 4male+5female; age 16.11 ± 2.47 years; height 161.56 ± 5.25 cm; weight 57.56 ± 8.11 Kg). Body shape, the performance of core stability, and landing kinetics were measured after 8 weeks of core stability training. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare baseline values between groups. A two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) (time × group) was used. Results: The TG improved body shape, and waist circumference (t = −2.333, p = 0.020). Performance of core stability, squat (t = −4.082, p = 0.004), trunk flexion isometric test (t = −4.150, p = 0.003), trunk lateral bending isometric test (t = −2.668, p = 0.008), trunk rotation isometric test (t = −2.666, p = 0.008), side bridge (t = −2.666, p = 0.008), back hyperextension (t = −4.116, p = 0.003), single foot triple jump (t = −4.184, p = 0.003), and single-leg balance with eyes closed (t = 4.167, p = 0.003). Performance in landing kinetics, End/Phase (t = −4.015, p = 0.004), sagittal axes (t = −4.598, p = 0.002), frontal axis (t = 3.116, p = 0.014), peak power hip changing range (t = 2.666, p = 0.017), peak power knee changing range (t = 2.256, p = 0.049). Conclusion: Core stability training leads to improvements in body shape, the performance of core stability, and landing kinetics. Therefore, these improvements can improve the sporting performance in aerials competitions.
Climate change conditions the selection of rust-resistant candidate wild lentil populations for in situ conservation

Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) are a valuable source of genetic diversity that can be transferred to commercial crops, so their conservation will become a priority in the face of climate change. Bizarrely, in situ conserved CWR populations and the traits one might wish to preserve in them are themselves vulnerable to climate change. In this study, we used a quantitative machine learning predictive approach to project the resistance of CWR populations of lentils to a common disease, lentil rust, caused by fungus Uromyces viciae-fabae. Resistance is measured through a proxy quantitative value, DSr (Disease Severity relative), quite complex and expensive to get. Therefore, machine learning is a convenient tool to predict this magnitude using a well-curated georeferenced calibration set. Previous works have provided a binary outcome (resistant vs. non-resistant), but that approach is not fine enough to answer three practical questions: which variables are key to predict rust resistance, which CWR populations are resistant to rust under current environmental conditions, and which of them are likely to keep this trait under different climate change scenarios. We first predict rust resistance in present time for crop wild relatives that grow up inside protected areas. Then, we use the same models under future climate IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) scenarios to predict future DSr values. Populations that are rust-resistant by now and under future conditions are optimal candidates for further evaluation and in situ conservation of this valuable trait. We have found that rust-resistance variation as a result of climate change is not uniform across the geographic scope of the study (the Mediterranean basin), and that candidate populations share some interesting common environmental conditions.
A Novel Full-duplex Relay Selection and Resource Management in Cooperative SWIPT NOMA Networks

Background and Objectives: Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is a promising solution to meet a high data rate demand in the new generation of cellular networks. Moreover, simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) was introduced to enhance the performance in terms of energy efficiency. In this paper, a single-cell cooperative NOMA system with energy harvesting full-duplex (FD) relaying is proposed to improve the sum rate and energy efficiency. Methods: A downlink model consisting of a base station (BS), two cell-center users (nearly located users), and two cell-edge users (far located users) are considered. In each signalling interval, the BS transmits a superposition signal of cell-center and cell-edge users based on the power domain (PD) NOMA strategy. Employing a relay selection criterion, a cell-center user is paired with a cell-edge user and acts as an FD decode and forward (DF) relay to improve the cell-edge user performance. An energy harvesting (EH) model is considered where a power splitting (PS) protocol is adopted at the relay node. The other cell-center user saves the harvested energy from the BS to exploit in the subsequent signalling intervals. Two problems of power allocation for sum rate and energy efficiency maximization in constraints of the minimum required data rate for each user and maximum transmit power at the BS are formulated for the proposed scheme. Due to the non-convexity, the optimization problems are transformed and approximated to the convex optimization problems and solved by iterative algorithms. Difference of convex (DC) programming is employed for solving the sum rate maximization problem where an effective combination of DC programming, bisection method, and Dinkelbach algorithm is utilized for dealing with the energy efficiency maximization problem. Results: The sum rate and energy efficiency over maximum available power at the BS are presented. Also, the effects of the power splitting factor and the cell radius on the sum rate and energy efficiency are investigated. Moreover, a comparison with the OMA and NOMA schemes is studied for the different minimum required data rates. Conclusion: Simulation results validate that the proposed scheme outperforms the OMA and NOMA schemes in terms of sum rate in all SNR regimes. Moreover, the energy efficiency of the proposed scheme achieves considerably better performance than OMA for all SNR values and obtains remarkable better performance than NOMA in most SNR values.
Experimental and theoretical investigations of quantum state transfer and decoherence processes in quasi-one-dimensional systems in multiple-quantum NMR experiments

Multiple quantum (MQ) NMR methods1 are applied to the analysis of various problems of quantum information processing. It is shown that the two-spin/two-quantum Hamiltonian1 describing MQ NMR dynamics is related to the flip-flop Hamiltonian of a one-dimensional spin system in the approximation of the nearest neighbor interactions. As a result, it is possible to organize quantum state transfer along a linear chain. MQ NMR experiments are performed on quasi-one-dimensional chains of 19F nuclei in calcium fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F. Relaxation of the MQ NMR coherences is considered as the simplest model of decoherence processes. A theory of the dipolar relaxation of the MQ NMR coherences in one-dimensional systems is developed. A good agreement of the theoretical predictions and the experimental data is obtained.
Lectures on Higher-Gauge Symmetries from Nambu Brackets and Covariantized M(atrix) Theory

This lecture consists of three parts. In part I, an overview is given on the so-called Matrix theory in the light-front gauge as a proposal for a concrete and non-perturbative formulation of M-theory. I emphasize motivations towards its covariant formulation. Then, in part II, I turn the subject to the so-called Nambu bracket and Nambu mechanics, which were proposed by Nambu in 1973 as a possible extension of the ordinary Hamiltonian mechanics. After reviewing briefly Nambu's original work, it will be explained why his idea may be useful in exploring higher symmetries which would be required for covariant formulations of Matrix theory. Then, using this opportunity, some comments on the nature of Nambu mechanics and its quantization are given incidentally: though they are not particularly relevant for our specialized purpose of constructing covariant Matrix theory, they may be of some interests for further developments in view of possible other applications of Nambu mechanics. The details will be relegated to forthcoming publications. In part III, I give an expository account of the basic ideas and main results from my recent attempt to construct a covariantized Matrix theory on the basis of a simple matrix version of Nambu bracket equipped with some auxiliary variables, which characterize the scale of M-theory and simultaneously play a crucial role in realizing (dynamical) supersymmetry in a covariant fashion.
The Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project (DSHARP). IV. Characterizing Substructures and Interactions in Disks around Multiple Star Systems

To characterize the substructures induced in protoplanetary disks by the interaction between stars in multiple systems, we study the 1.25 mm continuum and the 12CO(J = 2–1) spectral line emission of the triple systems HT Lup and AS 205, at scales of ≈5 au, as part of the “Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project” (DSHARP). In the continuum emission, we find two symmetric spiral arms in the disk around AS 205 N, with a pitch angle of 14°, while the southern component AS 205 S, itself a spectroscopic binary, is surrounded by a compact inner disk and a bright ring at a radius of 34 au. The 12CO line exhibits clear signatures of tidal interactions, with spiral arms, extended arc-like emission, and high velocity gas, possible evidence of a recent close encounter between the disks in the AS 205 system, as these features are predicted by hydrodynamic simulations of flyby encounters. In the HT Lup system, we detect continuum emission from all three components. The primary disk, HT Lup A, also shows a two-armed symmetric spiral structure with a pitch angle of 4°, while HT Lup B and C, located at 25 and 434 au in projected separation from HT Lup A, are barely resolved with ∼5 and ∼10 au in diameter, respectively. The gas kinematics for the closest pair indicates a different sense of rotation for each disk, which could be explained by either a counter rotation of the two disks in different, close to parallel, planes, or by a projection effect of these disks with a close to 90° misalignment between them.
The Association Between Dietary Acidity and Clinical Symptoms in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary acidity load and clinical symptoms in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This case-control study examined 55 patients with RA and 215 healthy individuals in a Ravansar non-communicable diseases (RaNCDs) cohort study, Iran. Participants’ food intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. The dietary acidity was calculated using potential renal acid load (PRAL), net endogenous acid production (NEAP), and dietary acid load (DAL) scores. The patients with RA were identified based on the self-reporting, medications history, and the approval of the cohort center physician following patients’ examination. The odds ratio (OR) of joint stiffness in fully adjusted model was greater in the upper median of dietary acidity than in the lower median (PRAL: odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59–2.36), but there was no statistically significant difference. The OR of joint pain in the upper median of dietary acidity was less than in the lower median in fully adjusted model (PRAL: OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.46–1.29), but the difference was not statistically significant. After adjusting potential confounders, people in the upper median of dietary acidity had a higher OR of developing RA than those in the lower median (PRAL: OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.70–2.76); however, it was not statistically significant. There was not any statistically significant relationship among dietary acidity and the odds of joint pain, joint stiffness, and developing RA.
Selectively Sharing Experiences Improves Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning

We present a novel multi-agent RL approach, Selective Multi-Agent Prioritized Experience Relay, in which agents share with other agents a limited number of transitions they observe during training. The intuition behind this is that even a small number of relevant experiences from other agents could help each agent learn. Unlike many other multi-agent RL algorithms, this approach allows for largely decentralized training, requiring only a limited communication channel between agents. We show that our approach outperforms baseline no-sharing decentralized training and state-of-the art multi-agent RL algorithms. Further, sharing only a small number of highly relevant experiences outperforms sharing all experiences between agents, and the performance uplift from selective experience sharing is robust across a range of hyperparameters and DQN variants. A reference implementation of our algorithm is available at https://github.com/mgerstgrasser/super.
Rice’s whales in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: call variation and occurrence beyond the known core habitat

: The endangered Rice’s whale Balaenoptera ricei , with fewer than 100 individuals re -maining, is the only year-round resident baleen whale found in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and occurs primarily along the northeastern shelf break near De Soto Canyon. Historical whaling records and predictive density modeling suggest that these whales potentially could occur more broadly throughout the GOM. High levels of anthropogenic activities in the GOM, including oil and gas exploration and extraction, fisheries, shipping, and the unprecedented Deepwater Horizon oil spill, highlight the need to better understand the distribution, ecology, and threats to this small population to improve protection of these endangered whales. We used long-term passive acoustic recordings from the northwestern GOM shelf break to explore the extent of Rice’s whale distribution in the northern GOM and to evaluate whether they exhibit seasonal movements throughout this range. We describe 6 new stereotyped variants of Rice’s whale long-moan calls, found predominantly in the western GOM, that share distinctive features with typical eastern long-moans, including a 150 Hz starting tone, an approximately 100 Hz tail with amplitude modulation, and a long call duration ranging from 10 to 35 s. Western long-moan variants were detected at 3 northwestern sites, occurring sporadically throughout the year on as many as 16% of days at the westernmost site, and infrequently at an eastern core-habitat site. These results indicate that some whales persistently occur over a broader range in the GOM than previously understood, which is important to consider when designating critical habitat and assessing threats to this Critically Endangered species.
The Proper Motion of NGC 6522 in Baade's Window

We have detected seven stars with a common proper motion that are located within 2. ′5 of the globular cluster NGC 6522 in the Baade's window field of the Galactic bulge. We argue that these stars are members of the cluster, and derive a weighted mean proper motion and heliocentric radial velocity of l = 1.4 ± 0.2 mas yr-1, b = -6.2 ± 0.2 mas yr-1 and = -28.5 ± 6.5 km s-1. We rederive the distance to NGC 6522 [(0.91 ± 0.04)R0, where R0 is the Galactocentric distance] and metallicity ([Fe/H] = -1.28 ± 0.12), making use of recent revisions in the foreground extinction toward the cluster (AV = 1.42 ± 0.05). We find the spatial velocity of the cluster and conclude that the cluster stays close to the Galactic center, and may have experienced significant bulge/disk shocking during its lifetime.