Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systematic Alignment Analysis of Neural Transplant Cells in Electrospun Nanofibre Scaffolds

Spinal cord injury is debilitating with functional loss often permanent due to a lack of neuro-regenerative or neuro-therapeutic strategies. A promising approach to enhance biological function is through implantation of tissue engineered constructs, to offer neural cell replacement and reconstruction of the functional neuro-architecture. A key goal is to achieve spatially targeted guidance of regenerating tissue across the lesion site to achieve an aligned tissue structure lost as a consequence of injury. Electrospun nanofibres mimic the nanoscale architecture of the spinal cord, can be readily aligned, functionalised with pro-regenerative molecules and incorporated into implantable matrices to provide topographical cues. Crucially, electrospun nanofibers are routinely manufactured at a scale required for clinical use. Although promising, few studies have tested whether electrospun nanofibres can guide targeted spatial growth of clinically relevant neural stem/precursor populations. The alignment fate of daughter cells (derived from the pre-aligned parent cells) has also received limited attention. Further, a standardised quantification methodology to correlate neural cell alignment with topographical cues is not available. We have adapted an image analysis technique to quantify nanofibre-induced alignment of neural cells. Using this method, we show that two key neural stem/precursor populations of clinical relevance (namely, neural stem cells (NSCs) and oligodendrocyte precursor cells), reproducibly orientate their growth to aligned, high-density electrospun nanofiber meshes, but not randomly distributed ones. Daughter populations derived from aligned NSCs (neurons and astrocytes) maintained their alignment following differentiation, but oligodendrocytes did not. Our data show that pre-aligned transplant populations can be used to generate complex, multicellular aligned-fibre constructs for neural implantation.
Primary non-functional pancreatic paraganglioma: A case report and review of the literature

Primary pancreatic paragangliomas are rare. They are mainly non-functional tumours that lack typical clinical manifestations. Definite diagnosis relies on histopathology and immunohistochemistry, and the main treatment is surgery. We report here a case of primary, non-functional, pancreatic paraganglioma in a 49-year-old woman. The tumour was approximately 5.0 × 3.2 ×4.7 cm in size and located in the pancreatic neck and body. We undertook 3D laparoscopic complete resection of the tumour. The patient developed a pancreatic fistula (biochemical leak) post-surgery, but she recovered and was discharged from hospital 11 days after surgery. We describe this case study and briefly summarize previous related reports.
Characterizing Ex situ Value: A Customer-Dominant Perspective on Value

Customer value, an important requirement for the success of tourism, is commonly seen as a phenomenon co-created between the tourist and the tourism provider. Positioned in the customer-dominant logic, this paper focuses on the tourist’s perspective and introduces the notion of ex situ value formed outside of the tourist-provider’s interaction and the on-site experiences. The forthcoming qualitative study, which is conducted in the context of an online travel community, explores customers’ travel-related experiences within their own lifeworld. The main contribution is the notion of ex situ value, which involves individual and collective experiences and develops a nuanced view of value emerging in customers’ experiential lifeworld. Thus, the article invites researchers to expand the boundaries of value into the customer lifeworld domain and encourages tourism providers to consider the tourists’ contexts outside the standard measurements of value (tourist and provider interactions as well as on-site experiences) as sources of customer value.
Volatile organic compounds emissions from gasoline and diesel powered vehicle

In this research, volatile organic compound emissions were characterized from gasoline and diesel vehicles. Sampling campaigns in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City were designed and carried out in tunnels, crossroads, and truck and bus terminals. The samples were analyzed with gas chromatography getting more than 250 different compounds, being more or less 60 of them the 80% of all the emissions. The most abundant are the two carbon compounds, as a result of the combustion, and compounds related to fuels composition, like isopentane, xylenes, toluene among others. The profiles obtained in tunnels and crossroads were very similar with the exception of the 3 and 4 carbon compounds, which were found in bigger proportion in the profiles at crossroads. This may probably be due to the blend with the ambient air. The profiles corresponding to trucks and buses have a smaller content of two carbon compounds and a bigger content of xylenes, toluene and ethylbenzene. The variations in the proportion of the compounds allow to differentiate the profiles of vehicles using gasoline and diesel.
Convergence theory for multi-input discrete-time iterative learning control with Coulomb friction, continuous outputs, and input bounds

We consider the problem of discrete-time iterative learning control (ILC) for position trajectory tracking of multiple-input, multiple-output systems with Coulomb friction, bounds on the inputs, and equal static and sliding coefficients of friction. Only position measurements are assumed available. No velocity measurements are assumed available. We present an ILC controller and a proof of convergence to zero tracking error, provided the associated learning gain matrices are scalar-scaled with a sufficiently small positive scalar. We also show that non-diagonal learning gain matrices satisfying the same prescribed conditions do not lead to the same convergence property. To the best of our knowledge, for problems with Coulomb friction, this paper represents a first convergence theory for the discrete-time ILC problem with multiple-inputs and multiple-bounded-outputs; previous work presented the theory only for the single-input, single-output problem.
ABCG2 transporter plays a key role in the biodistribution of melatonin and its main metabolites

The ATP‐binding cassette G2 (ABCG2) is an efflux transporter expressed in the apical membrane of cells from a large number of tissues, directly affecting bioavailability, tissue accumulation, and secretion into milk of both xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. The aim of this work was to characterize the role of ABCG2 in the systemic distribution and secretion into milk of melatonin and its main metabolites, 6‐hydroxymelatonin, and 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin. For this purpose, we first showed that these three molecules are transported by this transporter using in vitro transepithelial assays with MDCK‐II polarized cells transduced with different species variants of ABCG2. Second, we tested the in vivo effect of murine Abcg2 in the systemic distribution of melatonin and its metabolites using wild‐type and Abcg2−/− mice. Our results show that after oral administration of melatonin, the plasma concentration of melatonin metabolites in Abcg2−/− mice was between 1.5 and 6‐fold higher compared to the wild‐type mice. We also evaluated in these animals differences in tissue accumulation of melatonin metabolites. The most relevant differences between both types of mice were found for small intestine and kidney (>sixfold increase for 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin in Abcg2−/− mice). Finally, melatonin secretion into milk was also affected by the murine Abcg2 transporter, with a twofold higher milk concentration in wild‐type compared with Abcg2−/− lactating female mice. In addition, melatonin metabolites showed a higher milk‐to‐plasma ratio in wild‐type mice. Overall, our results show that the ABCG2 transporter plays a critical role in the biodistribution of melatonin and its main metabolites, thereby potentially affecting their biological and therapeutic activity.
Momentum deposition on Wolf-Rayet winds: Nonisotropic diffusion with effective gray opacity

We derive the velocity and mass-loss rate of a steady state Wolf-Rayet (WR) wind, using a nonisotropic diffusion approximation applied to the transfer between strongly overlapping spectral lines. Following the approach of Friend & Castor (1983), the line list is assumed to approximate a statistically parameterized Poisson distribution in frequency, so that photon transport is controlled by an angle-dependent, effectively gray opacity. We show the nonisotropic diffusion approximation yields good agreement with more accurate numerical treatments of the radiative transfer, while providing analytic insight into wind driving by multiple scattering. We illustrate, in particular, that multiple radiative momentum deposition does not require that potons be repeatedly reflected across substantial distances within the spherical envelope, but indeed is greatest when photons undergo a nearly local diffusion, e.g., through scattering by many lines closely spaced in frequency. Our results reiterate the view that the so-called 'momentum problem' of Wolf-Rayet winds is better characterized as an 'opacity problem' of simply identfying enough lines. One way of increasing the number of thick lines in Wolf-Rayet winds is to transfer opacity from saturated to unsaturated lines, yielding a steeper opacity distribution than that found in OB winds. We discuss the implications of this perspective for extending our approach to W-R wind models that incorporate a more fundamental treatment of the ionization and excitation processes that determine the line opacity. In particular, we argue that developing statistical descriptions of the lines to allow an improved effective opacity for the line ensemble would offer several advantages for deriving such more fundamental W-R wind models.
Current Density Dependence for Dark-Line Defect Growth Velocity in Strained InGaAs / AlGaAs Quantum Well Laser Diodes

Dark-line defects (DLDs) of threading dislocation origin in strained InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum well laser diodes were observed by the electron-beam induced current technique. Current density dependence for the DLD growth velocity was compared quantitatively with that for unstrained GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well laser diodes for the first time. The <110>DLD growth velocity in InGaAs QW laser diodes is estimated to be about 1/100 of that for the <100>DLD growth in the GaAs QW laser diodes, showing linear dependence on injected current densities.
Optical compressive sensing: a new field benefiting from classical optical signal processing techniques

Compressive sensing is a relatively new theory that has introduced a dramatic breakthrough in signal acquisition. In the context of imaging, it asserts that for common types of objects and with proper system design, it is possible to capture N2-pixel images with much fewer than N2 measurements. This implies that it is possible to capture signals with a larger space-bandwidth product than that of the system. Implementation of compressive imaging (CI) systems requires optical design that differs drastically from that for conventional imaging. Fortunately, CI design may benefit from concepts previously developed by Prof. Caulfield and others for optical signal processing.
Dynamic Event-Triggered Adaptive Formation With Disturbance Rejection for Marine Vehicles Under Unknown Model Dynamics

This article investigates the dynamic event-triggered adaptive neural coordinated disturbance rejection for marine vehicles with external disturbances as the sinusoidal superpositions with unknown frequencies, amplitudes and phases. The vehicle movement mathematical models are transformed into parameterized expressions with the neural networks approximating nonlinear dynamics. The parametric exogenous systems are exploited to express external disturbances, which are converted into the linear canonical models with coordinated changes. The adaptive technique together with disturbance filters realize the disturbance estimation and rejection. By using the vectorial backstepping, the dynamic event-triggered adaptive neural coordinated disturbance rejection controller is derived with the dynamic event-triggering conditions being incorporated to reduce execution frequencies of vehicle's propulsion systems. The coordinated formation control can be achieved with the closed-loop semi-global stability. The dynamic event-triggered adaptive disturbance rejection scheme achieves the disturbance estimation and cancellation without requiring the a priori marine vehicle's model dynamics. Illustrative simulations and comparisons validate the proposed scheme.
The Origin of Translation: Bridging the Nucleotides and Peptides

Extant biology uses RNA to record genetic information and proteins to execute biochemical functions. Nucleotides are translated into amino acids via transfer RNA in the central dogma. tRNA is essential in translation as it connects the codon and the cognate amino acid. To reveal how the translation emerged in the prebiotic context, we start with the structure and dissection of tRNA, followed by the theory and hypothesis of tRNA and amino acid recognition. Last, we review how amino acids assemble on the tRNA and further form peptides. Understanding the origin of life will also promote our knowledge of artificial living systems.
8. Mover-Stayer Models for Analyzing Event Nonoccurrence and Event Timing with Time-Dependent Covariates: An Application to an Analysis of Remarriage

This paper introduces a novel extension of mover-stayer models for duration data that allows time-dependent covariates to be used for both a pair of regression equations, one that identifies the determinants of event timing and one that identifies the determinants of the probability of ultimate event nonoccurrence. Existing models intended to distinguish covariate effects on event timing from those on event nonoccurrence cannot use time-dependent covariates in the equation for the probability of ultimate event nonoccurrence. This paper applies the new model to an analysis of remarriage among American women. The analysis generally demonstrates that some covariates effect remarriage timing while others affect the probability of ultimate remarriage nonoccurrence. Some differences in patterns of remarriage between black women and white women are also reported. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
Test-Retest Reliability and Agreement of Single Pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Measuring Activity in Motor Cortex in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is often used to examine neurophysiology. We aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability and agreement of single pulse TMS in hospitalised acute ischemic stroke patients. Methods: Thirty-one patients with first-time acute ischemic stroke (median age 72 (IQR 64-75), 35% females) underwent TMS motor threshold (MT) assessment in 4 muscles bilaterally, conducted by 1 of 2 physiotherapists. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using a two-way random effects model (2,1) absolute agreement-type Interclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) and Smallest Detectable Change (SDC) were used to evaluate agreement. Results: Reliability, SEM, and SDC of TMS was found to be moderate in right opponens pollicis (0.78 [CI 95% 0.55-0.89], SEM: 4.51, SDC: 12.51), good in right vastus medialis and tibial anterior (0.88 [CI 95% 0.72-0.96], SEM: 2.89, SDC: 8.01 and 0.88 [CI 95% 0.76-0.94], SEM: 2.88, SDC: 7.98 respectively), and excellent in right and left biceps brachii (0.98 [CI 95% 0.96-0.99], SEM: 1.79 SDC: 4.96, and 0.94 [CI 95% 0.89-0.97], SEM: 2.17 SDC: 6.01), opponens pollicis (0.92 [CI 95% 0.83-0.96], SEM: 2.68 SDC: 8.26, vastus medialis (0.92 [CI 95% 0.84-0.96], SEM: 2.87 SDC: 7.95), and tibial anterior (0.93 [CI 95% 0.86-0.96], SEM: 2.51 SDC: 6.95). Conclusion: The TMS demonstrated moderate to excellent inter-rater reliability confirming the ability of these measures to reliably discriminate between individuals in the current study sample. Improvements of less than 4.96 to 12.51 could be a result of measurement error and may therefore not be considered a true change.
G8,2 Geometric Algebra, DCGA

The metric we use for G8;2 is (1; 1; 1; 1; i1; 1; 1; 1; 1; i1). This metric makes it very simple to use the CGA subalgebras of the CGA1 and CGA2 subspaces in a way fully compatible with CGA. These two CGAs are used as mirror copies or doubles to create bivector-valued entities for points and surfaces. As such, the G8;2 geo- metric algebra of these new bivector-valued point and surface entities could be called Double-Conformal Geometric Algebra (DCGA), or even Bi-conformal Geometric Algebra (Bi-CGA or 2-CGA). The G8;2 DCGA surface entities include all of the types of surface entities avail- able in G4;1 CGA and in the G6;3 geometric algebra (10) known as G6;3 Quadric Geometric Algebra (QGA) (2)(6). DCGA also includes a new toroid (torus) surface entity. All DCGA entities (both GIPNS and their GOPNS duals) can be rotated, isometrically dilated, and translated by versor operations on the entities. The DCGA rotor, dilator, and translator are each a new form of bi-versor or double-versor of multivector-grade four. The DCGA entities will refer to all entities of the DCGA algebra, and the bi-CGA entities will refer specically to the CGA-subset of entities (points, lines, circles, planes, and spheres) as they exist in DCGA. The CGA1 and CGA2 entities also exist within their CGA subalgebras, oering theexibility to use them separately, or also to double them to form bi-CGA entities when it is desired to bring them into the larger DCGA space.
Delta Opioid Peptide Targets Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells Reducing Apoptosis to Relieve Hypoxia-Ischemic/Reperfusion Injury

Abstract Stroke is one of the leading causes of death. (D-ala2, D-leu5) enkephalin (DADLE) is a synthetic peptide and highly selective delta opioid receptor (δOR) agonist that has exhibited protective properties in ischemia. However, the specific target and mechanism are still unclear. The present study explores the expression of δOR on brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) and whether DADLE could relieve I/R-induced injury by reducing apoptosis. A lateral ventricular injection of DADLE for pretreatment, the neurofunctional behavior score, and TTC staining, were used to evaluate the protective effect of DADLE. Immunofluorescence technology was used to label different types of cells with apoptosis-positive signals to test co-localization status. Primary cultured BMECs were separated and treated with DADLE, accompanied by OGD/R. The CCK-8 test was conducted to evaluate cell viability and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-end Labelling (TUNEL) staining to test apoptosis levels. The levels of apoptosis-related proteins were analyzed by Western blotting. The co-localization results showed that BMECs, but not astrocytes, microglia, or neurons, presented mostly TUNEL-positive signals, especially in the Dentate gyrus (DG) area of the hippocampus. Either activation of δORs on rats’ brains or primary BMECs mainly reduce cellular apoptosis and relieve the injury. Interference with the expression δOR could block this effect. DADLE also significantly increased levels of Bcl-2 and reduced levels of Bax. δOR’s expressions can be detected on the BMECs, but not on the HEK293 cells, by Western blotting and IFC. Therefore, DADLE exerts a cytoprotective effect, primarily under hypoxia-ischemic injury/reperfusion conditions, by targeting BMECs to inhibit apoptosis.
Rectangular microstrip patch antennas with infinite and finite ground plane dimensions

The rectangular microstrip patch antenna has been extensively analyzed with regard to its input impedance and resonant frequency, both for infinite and finite ground plane dimensions. For infinite ground planes existing formulas have been compared and improved parameters presented. The influence from the side current radiation has been discussed as well. For finite ground plane dimensions the contribution from the ground plane edge diffraction has been accounted for in an equivalent radiation conductance and an equivalent diffraction susceptance. Formulas for these parameters have been developed on the basis of different theories. They are valid under the condition that only one of the ground plane dimensions are finite at the same time. Experimental investigations are carried out to test the accuracy of the developed formulas, showing good accuracy under the given conditions.
Temperature Dependence of the Submillimeter Absorption Coefficient of Amorphous Silicate Grains

We have measured mass absorption coefficients of amorphous silicate materials for wavelengths between 100 μm and 2 mm (5-100 cm-1) and at temperatures between 300 and 10 K. For both interstellar analog MgSiO3 and simple silica SiO2, we find evidence for a strong temperature and frequency dependence. We define two distinct wavelength regimes, 500 μm-1 mm and 100-250 μm, for which the absorption coefficient presents different trends with frequency. To evaluate this frequency dependence, we fit our absorption coefficient using two power laws with spectral index β that varies with temperature. We do not find a significant variation of β with temperature between 100 and 250 μm, whereas between 500 μm and 1 mm a pronounced anticorrelation between T and β exists. Globally, β-values decrease from 2.5 to 1.5 between 10 and 300 K. This anticorrelation for interstellar analog grains has the same trend as the one observed using the balloon-borne experiment PRONAOS. We show that physisorbed water is not responsible for the observed temperature and frequency dependence and that OH groups could be at the origin of the submillimeter properties of the materials. As discussed in the literature, OH groups are often related to tunneling processes in two-level systems (TLS). In the case of the more complex MgSiO3 silicates, TLS could also be produced by the Mg+2 ions, which act as network modifiers, similar to how they act with OH groups.
Cardiorespiratory, Metabolic, and Performance Changes from the Effects of Creatine and Caffeine Supplementations in Glucose—Electrolyte-Based Sports Drinks: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the additive effects of creatine and caffeine on changes in the cardiorespiratory system, metabolism, and performance of soccer players. Seventeen male soccer players randomly ingested three sports drinks comprising the following: glucose–electrolyte-based (Drink 1, control; D1), glucose–electrolyte-based drink + 5 g creatine (Drink 2; D2), and glucose–electrolyte-based drink + 5 g creatine + 35 mg caffeine (Drink 3; D3) during a 15 min recovery period after the modified Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST) on a standard outdoor soccer field. Then, a 20-m repeated intermittent sprinting activity was performed. The results showed no significant differences in cardiorespiratory and gas exchange variables. The non-significant levels of blood glucose concentrations among drinks with higher blood lactate concentrations were detected in parallel with increased heart rate during intermittent sprinting as a result of exercise intensities. Significantly longer sprinting time was found in D3 than D1 (p < 0.05), with no significant differences between D2 and D3. From this study, we conclude that the additive effect of caffeine–creatine supplements in a glucose–electrolyte drink during the 15 min recovery period enhances repeated 20-m high-intensity running in soccer players with no negative effect on cardiorespiratory functions.