Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protective role of remote ischemic conditioning in renal transplantation and partial nephrectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective Studies have shown that remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) can effectively attenuate ischemic-reperfusion injury in the heart and brain, but the effect on ischemic-reperfusion injury in patients with kidney transplantation or partial nephrectomy remains controversial. The main objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate whether RIC provides renal protection after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients undergoing kidney transplantation or partial nephrectomy. Methods A computer-based search was conducted to retrieve relevant publications from the PubMed database, Embase database, Cochrane Library and Web of Science database. We then conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that met our study inclusion criteria. Results Eleven eligible studies included a total of 1,145 patients with kidney transplantation or partial nephrectomy for systematic review and meta-analysis, among whom 576 patients were randomly assigned to the RIC group and the remaining 569 to the control group. The 3-month estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was improved in the RIC group, which was statistically significant between the two groups on kidney transplantation [P < 0.001; mean difference (MD) = 2.74, confidence interval (CI): 1.41 to 4.06; I2 = 14%], and the 1- and 2-day postoperative Scr levels in the RIC group decreased, which was statistically significant between the two groups on kidney transplantation (1-day postoperative: P < 0.001; MD = 0.10, CI: 0.05 to 0.15, I2 = 0; 2-day postoperative: P = 0.006; MD = 0.41, CI: 0.12 to 0.70, I2 = 0), but at other times, there was no significant difference between the two groups in Scr levels. The incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) decreased, but there was no significant difference (P = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.26). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of cross-clamp time, cold ischemia time, warm ischemic time, acute rejection (AR), graft loss or length of hospital stay. Conclusion Our meta-analysis showed that the effect of remote ischemia conditioning on reducing serum creatinine (Scr) and improving estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) seemed to be very weak, and we did not observe a significant protective effect of RIC on renal ischemic-reperfusion. Due to small sample sizes, more studies using stricter inclusion criteria are needed to elucidate the nephroprotective effect of RIC in renal surgery in the future.
Does the Prompt γ-Ray Emission of Gamma-Ray Bursts Arise from Resonant Inverse Compton Scattering?

We argue that the dominant radiation mechanism responsible for the early prompt γ-ray emission of gamma-ray bursts could be the resonant inverse Compton scattering of relativistic electrons in an intense magnetic field. By using this mechanism, some problems in the field of gamma-ray bursts could be clarified, e.g., the origin of the Amati relation, the formation of the observed broken power-law spectra, and the related deadline problem, among others. Our model also predicts that the emitted γ-rays could be highly polarized.
What is beyond the current generation of groundbased 8-m to 10-m class telescopes and the VLT-I?

The tremendous growth in the building of large 8 m and 10 m telescopes, which give substantial gains in sensitivity over the current 4 m telescopes, presents a significant challenge to the builder of a future 21st Centrum groundbased telescope. To try and explore the possible scientific motivations that may drive a future groundbased facility, I have chosen a current observational project whose completion is beyond the capabilities of our new generation of telescopes. By examining what is required of a groundbased facility to undertake spectroscopy on the majority of the objects in the Hubble deep field (HDF), it becomes apparent this project will need a very large imaging infrared array (VLIA) or a 50 m telescope. The main conclusion of this comparison is that any groundbased facility capable of undertaking this project is likely to cost at least one billion dollars. The choice between the two differing approaches should therefore be driven by the scientific aspirations of the 21st century community of astronomers. Superficially, the 'scientific edge' probably belongs to the VLIA facility, with its ability to probe structures at infrared wavelengths down to the milli-arcsecond scale. The more profound issue is whether it is time for groundbased astronomers to begin looking to space for the placement of their next 21st Century telescope.
A three-dimensional circularly polarized antenna with a low profile and a wide 3-dB beamwidth

An improved three-dimensional circularly polarized quadrifilar helix antenna (QHA) with low profile and wide 3-dB beamwidth is proposed and its performance is investigated both numerically and experimentally. The proposed modified QHA is comprised of a short-circuited quadrifilar helical antenna printed on a thin FR4 substrate, with its four ports terminated by 50 Ω resistances. In addition, four monopoles with 90° phase progression are positioned around the quadrifilar helical antenna, and four Archimedean spirals are used to top-load the monopoles. Simulated and measured results show that the proposed antenna achieves a bandwidth of 23.8%, has a 3-dB beamwidth greater than 170°, and its axial ratio is less than three in the entire upper hemisphere over a wide frequency band.
Responders and nonresponders to topical capsaicin display distinct temporal summation of pain profiles

Responders and nonresponders to topical capsaicin have different central facilitatory pain mechanisms. Abstract Introduction: Topical application of capsaicin can produce an ongoing pain state in healthy participants. However, approximately one-third report no pain response (ie, nonresponders), and the reasons for this are poorly understood. Objectives: In this study, we investigated temporal summation of pain (TSP) profiles, pain ratings and secondary hyperalgesia responses in responders and nonresponders to 1% topical capsaicin cream. Methods: Assessments were made at baseline and then during an early (ie, 15 minutes) and late (ie, 45 minutes) time points post-capsaicin in 37 healthy participants. Results: Participants reporting a visual analogue scale (VAS) rating of >50 were defined as responders (n = 24) and those with <50 VAS rating were defined as nonresponders (n = 13). There was a facilitation of TSP during the transition from an early to the late time point post-capsaicin (P<0.001) and the development of secondary hyperalgesia (P<0.05) in the responder group. Nonresponders showed no changes in TSP or secondary hyperalgesia during the early and late time points. There was an association between baseline TSP scores and the later development of a responder or nonresponder phenotype (r = 0.36; P = 0.03). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that baseline TSP works as a good response predictor at an individual level (area under the curve = 0.75). Conclusion: These data suggest that responders and nonresponders have different facilitatory pain mechanisms. The assessment of TSP may help to identify participants with stronger endogenous pain facilitation who may be more likely to respond to topical capsaicin.
A Screening Model of Antibacterial Agents Based on Escherichia coli Cell-Division Protein

Pathogenic Escherichia coli cannot be killed by most antibiotics (including colistin, a last-resort drug) due to the rapid development of antibiotic resistance. A highly conserved prokaryotic mitotic protein, filamenting temperature-sensitive protein Z (FtsZ) with GTPase activity, plays a key role in cell division and has become a promising target for screening novel antibacterial agents. In this study, the amplified ftsZ gene was inserted into cloning/expression vectors and recombinantly produced in E. coli; the recombinant FtsZ protein was purified by the Ni2+-NTA affinity column and then was used to screen for natural antibacterial agents. The results showed that the ftsZ gene with a size of 1170 bp was successfully amplified from E. coli and inserted into the pET-28a expression vector. After induction with 0.2 mM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), FtsZ was expressed in E. coli BL21 as inclusion bodies. After purification, the recombinant FtsZ protein showed GTPase activity. The highest GTPase activity (0.998 nmol/mL/min) of FtsZ was observed at a GTP concentration of 1.25 mM. Several alkaloids were screened by a constructed model of FtsZ inhibitors. Sanguinarine chloride exhibited higher antibacterial activity against E. coli and Salmonella enteritidis (with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.04–0.16 mg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of 0.16–0.32 mg/mL) than tetrandrine (0.16–0.32 mg/mL) and berberine hydrochloride (0.32–0.64 mg/mL). Berberine hydrochloride prevented FtsZ polymerization in a concentration-dependent manner and bound to FtsZ protein by hydrogen bonding interaction. This study suggested that the FtsZ-based E. coli screening model could be exploited for the development of novel antibacterial agents for clinical applications.
Application of Machine Learning Algorithms for the Validation of a New CoAP-IoT Anomaly Detection Dataset

With the rise in smart devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been established as one of the preferred emerging platforms to fulfil their need for simple interconnections. The use of specific protocols such as constrained application protocol (CoAP) has demonstrated improvements in the performance of the networks. However, power-, bandwidth-, and memory-constrained sensing devices constitute a weakness in the security of the system. One way to mitigate these security problems is through anomaly-based intrusion detection systems, which aim to estimate the behaviour of the systems based on their “normal” nature. Thus, to develop anomaly-based intrusion detection systems, it is necessary to have a suitable dataset that allows for their analysis. Due to the lack of a public dataset in the CoAP-IoT environment, this work aims to present a complete and labelled CoAP-IoT anomaly detection dataset (CIDAD) based on real-world traffic, with a sufficient trace size and diverse anomalous scenarios. The modelled data were implemented in a virtual sensor environment, including three types of anomalies in the CoAP data. The validation of the dataset was carried out using five shallow machine learning techniques: logistic regression, naive Bayes, random forest, AdaBoost, and support vector machine. Detailed analyses of the dataset, data conditioning, feature engineering, and hyperparameter tuning are presented. The evaluation metrics used in the performance comparison are accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and kappa score. The system achieved 99.9% accuracy for decision tree models. Random forest established itself as the best model, obtaining a 99.9% precision and F1 score, 100% recall, and a Cohen’s kappa statistic of 0.99.
Beyond Conventional Sensing: Hybrid Plasmonic Metasurfaces and Bound States in the Continuum

Fano resonances result from the strong coupling and interference between a broad background state and a narrow, almost discrete state, leading to the emergence of asymmetric scattering spectral profiles. Under certain conditions, Fano resonances can experience a collapse of their width due to the destructive interference of strongly coupled modes, resulting in the formation of bound states in the continuum (BIC). In such cases, the modes are simultaneously localized in the nanostructure and coexist with radiating waves, leading to an increase in the quality factor, which is virtually unlimited. In this work, we report on the design of a layered hybrid plasmonic-dielectric metasurface that facilitates strong mode coupling and the formation of BIC, resulting in resonances with a high quality factor. We demonstrate the possibility of controlling Fano resonances and tuning Rabi splitting using the nanoantenna dimensions. We also experimentally demonstrate the generalized Kerker effect in a binary arrangement of silicon nanodisks, which allows for the tuning of the collective modes and creates new photonic functionalities and improved sensing capabilities. Our findings have promising implications for developing plasmonic sensors that leverage strong light-matter interactions in hybrid metasurfaces.
On the serial correlation for number in system in the stationary GI/M/1 bulk arrival and GI/Em /1 queues

The generating functions for the serial covariances for number in system in the stationary GI/M/1 bulk arrival queue with fixed bulk sizes, and the GI/Em /1 queue, are derived. Expressions for the infinite sum of the serial correlation coefficients are also presented, as well as the first serial correlation coefficient in the case of the bulk arrival queue. Several numerical examples are considered.
Exploring the Dose–Effect Relationship of Bifidobacterium longum in Relieving Loperamide Hydrochloride-Induced Constipation in Rats through Colon-Released Capsules

Constipation is a common disease affecting humans. Bifidobacterium longum is reportedly effective in relieving constipation. Current studies generally focus on the dose–response relationship of oral doses; however, the dose–effect relationship of B. longum in the colon, which is the primary site where B. longum exerts constipation-relieving effects, to treat constipation has not been studied. Herein, three strains of B. longum (FGSZY6M4, FJSWXJ10M2, and FSDJN6M3) were packaged in colon-released capsules to explore the dose–effect relationship in the colon. For each strain, three groups of capsules (104, 106, and 108 CFU/capsule, respectively) and one group of free probiotics (108 CFU/mL) were used to explore the colonic dose effect of B. longum. The results showed that the three strains of B. longum improved fecal water content and promoted intestinal motility by regulating gastrointestinal peptide (MTL, GAS, and VIP), aquaporin-3, and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels while promoting gastrointestinal motility and relieving constipation by regulating the intestinal flora composition of constipated rats and changing their metabolite content (short-chain fatty acids). Among the three free bacterial solution groups (108 CFU/mL), FGSZY6M4 was the most effective in relieving constipation caused by loperamide hydrochloride in rats. The optimal effective dose of each strain was 6M4 (104 CFU/day), 10M2 (106 CFU/day), and S3 (108 CFU/day) of the colon-released capsules. Therefore, for some effective strains, the dose of oral probiotics can be reduced by colon-released capsules, and constipation can be relieved without administering a great number of bacterial solutions. Therefore, investigating the most effective dose of B. longum at the colon site can help to improve the efficiency of relieving constipation.
Predicting NOx Distribution in a Micro Rich–Quench–Lean Combustor Using a Variational Autoencoder

Micro gas turbines are widely used in distributed power generation systems. However, the combustion of gas turbine combustors produces a large amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which pollute the environment and endanger human life. To reduce environmental pollution, low-emission combustors have been developed. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the use of low-heat-value gas fuels, and it is necessary to study the NOx emissions from low heat value gas fuel combustors. Data-driven deep learning methods have been used in many fields in recent years. In this study, a variational autoencoder was introduced for the prediction of NOx production inside the combustor. The combustor used was a micro rich–quench–lean combustor designed by the research group using coal bed gas as a fuel. The internal NO distribution contour was obtained as the dataset using simulation methods, with a size of 60 images. The model architecture parameters were obtained through hyperparameter exploration using the grid search method. The model accurately predicted the distribution of NO inside the combustor. The method can be applied in the prediction of a wider range of parameters and offers a new way of designing combustors for the power industry.
A biogeochemical model of mineral-based ocean alkalinity enhancement: impacts on the biological pump and ocean carbon uptake

Minimizing anthropogenic climate disruption in the coming century will likely require carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from Earth’s atmosphere in addition to deep and rapid cuts to greenhouse gas emissions. Ocean alkalinity enhancement—the modification of surface ocean chemistry to drive marine uptake of atmospheric CO2—is seen as a potentially significant component of ocean-based CDR portfolios. However, there has been limited mechanistic exploration of the large-scale CDR potential of mineral-based ocean alkalinity enhancement, potential bottlenecks in alkalinity release, and the biophysical impacts of alkaline mineral feedstocks on marine ecology and the marine biological carbon pump. Here we a series of biogeochemical models to evaluate the gross CDR potential and environmental impacts of ocean alkalinity enhancement using solid mineral feedstocks. We find that natural alkalinity sources—basalt and olivine—lead to very low CDR efficiency while strongly perturbing marine food quality and fecal pellet production by marine zooplankton. Artificial alkalinity sources—the synthetic metal oxides MgO and CaO—are potentially capable of significant CDR with reduced environmental impact, but their deployment at scale faces major challenges associated with substrate limitation and process CO2 emissions during feedstock production. Taken together, our results highlight distinct challenges for ocean alkalinity enhancement as a CDR strategy and indicate that mineral-based ocean alkalinity enhancement should be pursued with caution.
Analytic formulation of Cauchy integrals for boundaries with curvilinear geometry

A general framework for analytic evaluation of singular integral equations with a Cauchy kernel is developed for higher order line elements of curvilinear geometry. This extends existing theory which relies on numerical integration of Cauchy integrals since analytic evaluation is currently published only for straight lines, and circular and hyperbolic arcs. Analytic evaluation of Cauchy integrals along straight elements is presented to establish a context coalescing new developments within the existing body of knowledge. Curvilinear boundaries are partitioned into sectionally holomorphic elements that are conformally mapped from a local curvilinear Z-plane to a straight line in the -plane. Cauchy integrals are evaluated in these planes to achieve a simple representation of the complex potential using Chebyshev polynomials and a Taylor series expansion of the conformal mapping. Bell polynomials and the Faà di Bruno formula provide this Taylor series for mappings expressed as inverse mappings and/or compositions. Examples illustrate application of the general framework to boundary-value problems with boundaries of natural coordinates, Bezier curves and B-splines. Strings formed by the union of adjacent curvilinear elements form a large class of geometries along which Dirichlet and/or Neumann conditions may be applied. This provides a framework applicable to a wide range of fields of study including groundwater flow, electricity and magnetism, acoustic radiation, elasticity, fluid flow, air flow and heat flow.
Intelligent Prediction for Scattering Properties Based on Multihead Attention and Target Inherent Feature Parameter

In this communication, an artificial intelligent method based on the prevailing multihead attention mechanism for prediction of scattering properties of 2-D targets is presented. To make the predicting approach independent of the incident direction of an excitation plane wave, a kind of inherent feature parameters (IFPs) for a specific target is defined and applied as the output of the artificial neural network (ANN). Two types of targets are experimented, one of which is composed of polygons and the other of smooth shapes. Numerical results show that the proposed method has satisfactory prediction accuracy and computing speed, as well as good generalization ability.
Highly Efficient Capture of Heavy Metal Ions on Amine-Functionalized Porous Polymer Gels

Porous polymer gels (PPGs) are characterized by inherent porosity, a predictable structure, and tunable functionality, which makes them promising for the heavy metal ion trap in environmental remediation. However, their real-world application is obstructed by the balance between performance and economy in material preparation. Development of an efficient and cost-effective approach to produce PPGs with task-specific functionality remains a significant challenge. Here, a two-step strategy to fabricate amine-enriched PPGs, NUT-21-TETA (NUT means Nanjing Tech University, TETA indicates triethylenetetramine), is reported for the first time. The NUT-21-TETA was synthesized through a simple nucleophilic substitution using two readily available and low-cost monomers, mesitylene and α, α′-dichloro-p-xylene, followed by the successful post-synthetic amine functionalization. The obtained NUT-21-TETA demonstrates an extremely high Pb2+ capacity from aqueous solution. The maximum Pb2+ capacity, qm, assessed by the Langmuir model was as high as 1211 mg/g, which is much higher than most benchmark adsorbents including ZIF-8 (1120 mg/g), FGO (842 mg/g), 732-CR resin (397 mg/g), Zeolite 13X (541 mg/g), and AC (58 mg/g). The NUT-21-TETA can be regenerated easily and recycled five times without a noticeable decrease of adsorption capacity. The excellent Pb2+ uptake and perfect reusability, in combination with a low synthesis cost, gives the NUT-21-TETA a strong potential for heavy metal ion removal.
Botryococcus terribilis Ethanol Extract Exerts Anti-inflammatory Effects on Murine RAW264 Cells

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Botryococcus terribilis ethanol extract (BTEE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW264 cells. BTEE significantly attenuated LPS-induced nitric oxide production and inflammatory cytokines release, including Ccl2, Cox2, and Il6. On the other hand, several anti-inflammatory mediators, such as Pgc1β and Socs1, were increased in BTEE-treated cells. Further, we performed an untargeted whole-genome microarray analysis to explore the anti-inflammatory molecular mechanism of BTEE. Enrichment analysis showed BTEE significantly downregulated ‘response to stimulus’, ‘locomotion’, and ‘immune system response’ and upregulated ‘cell cycle’ gene ontologies in both 6- and 17-h post-LPS stimulation conditions. Pathway analysis revealed BTEE could downregulate the expressions of chemokines of the CC and CXC subfamily, and cytokines of the TNF family, TGFβ family, IL1-like, and class I helical. PPI analysis showed AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (Axl), a receptor tyrosine kinase from the TAM family, and its upstream transcription factors were downregulated in both conditions. Node neighborhood analysis showed several Axl coexpressed genes were also downregulated. Further, kinase enrichment and chemical perturbation analyses supported Axl inhibition in BTEE-treated conditions. Altogether, these findings suggest anti-inflammatory effects of BTEE that are mediated via the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and predict its potential as an Axl inhibitor.