Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Specificity in Circulating Tumor Cell Identification Is Required for Accurate Evaluation of Programmed Death-Ligand 1

Background Expression of programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is typically evaluated through invasive biopsies; however, recent advances in the identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may be a less invasive method to assay tumor cells for these purposes. These liquid biopsies rely on accurate identification of CTCs from the diverse populations in the blood, where some tumor cells share characteristics with normal blood cells. While many blood cells can be excluded by their high expression of CD45, neutrophils and other immature myeloid subsets have low to absent expression of CD45 and also express PD-L1. Furthermore, cytokeratin is typically used to identify CTCs, but neutrophils may stain non-specifically for intracellular antibodies, including cytokeratin, thus preventing accurate evaluation of PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. This holds even greater significance when evaluating PD-L1 in epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) positive and EpCAM negative CTCs (as in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)). Methods To evaluate the impact of CTC misidentification on PD-L1 evaluation, we utilized CD11b to identify myeloid cells. CTCs were isolated from patients with metastatic NSCLC using EpCAM, MUC1 or Vimentin capture antibodies and exclusion-based sample preparation (ESP) technology. Results Large populations of CD11b+CD45lo cells were identified in buffy coats and stained non-specifically for intracellular antibodies including cytokeratin. The amount of CD11b+ cells misidentified as CTCs varied among patients; accounting for 33–100% of traditionally identified CTCs. Cells captured with vimentin had a higher frequency of CD11b+ cells at 41%, compared to 20% and 18% with MUC1 or EpCAM, respectively. Cells misidentified as CTCs ultimately skewed PD-L1 expression to varying degrees across patient samples. Conclusions Interfering myeloid populations can be differentiated from true CTCs with additional staining criteria, thus improving the specificity of CTC identification and the accuracy of biomarker evaluation.
Beverage consumption and obesity in Kuwaiti school children

Sweetened beverage consumption is particularly important in countries such as Kuwait, where the prevalence of obesity is high, and most children drink sweetened beverages daily. To assess the relationship between three most commonly consumed beverages, (soda, milk, and juice) and the incidence of obesity among Kuwaiti children at the critical age of 10-12 year, Longitudinal cohort data of 6,305 children on initial presentation in 2012 (age, 10 years) and follow-up in 2014 (age, 12 years) were obtained from the Kuwait Healthy Life Study. The servings for the three beverages (soda, juice, and milk) were calculated as servings per day groups (0, 1-2, and 3 servings/day or more). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between developing obesity during 2012-2014 and soda, juice, and milk consumption. Model selection was based on clinically relevant covariates and potential confounders using stepwise model selection. Six percent children become obese between baseline and follow-up visits. High soda drinking showed significant association with developing obesity. High milk consumption (more than 3 servings a day) was also significantly associated with developing obesity. Potential confounders included in the final model were age, sex, governorates, and fitness level, of which none were significant confounders or effect modifiers for the association. Children with high soda consumption had significantly higher prevalence of obesity. High obesity prevalence was observed with high milk consumption at a lower significance level but not with high juice consumption.
Full-Chip Signal Integrity Analysis and Optimization of 3-D ICs

Through-silicon-via (TSV)-to-TSV coupling is a new phenomenon in 3-D ICs, and it becomes a significant source of signal integrity problems. The existing studies on its extraction and analysis, however, become inaccurate when handling more than two TSVs on full-chip scale. In this paper, we investigate the multiple TSV-to-TSV coupling issue and propose a model that can be efficiently used for full-chip extraction. Then, we perform an analysis on the impact of TSV parasitics on coupling and delay. Unlike the common belief that only the closest neighboring TSVs affect the victim, this paper shows that nonneighboring aggressors also cause nonnegligible coupling noise. Based on these observations, we propose an effective method of reducing the overall coupling level.
Movement patterns and shelter choice of spiny-cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus) in a large lake’s littoral zone

The study of individual movement patterns and habitat choice is a fundamental step to assess an invasive species' range extension and to inform possible management options. The spiny-cheek crayfish is an invasive species currently spreading in Europe and also in Lake Constance. This is of concern because the greater Lake Constance area still holds refugial populations of native crayfish that might be endangered by the invader. In invasive crayfish , individual movement patterns and the availability of suitable shelters can predict an invasive population's spread. In a radio telemetry and mark-recapture study and in semi-natural outdoor experiments, we investigated movement patterns and shelter choice of spiny-cheek crayfish . In the field, radio-tagged and marked crayfish moved distances up to 1200 m within 4 and 13 days, respectively and mostly prevailed within the littoral zone at less than 3 m depth. Tracked crayfish resided close to artificial structures such as boat harbours in the study area. In the outdoor experiments spiny-cheek crayfish used litter as daytime shelter but also chose natural stones and macrophytes. We provide the first large -lake telemetry data on crayfish movement and our results suggest that spiny-cheek crayfish will expand its range within the lake moving along the shoreline. Artificial structures such as boat harbours and litter might facilitate this spread by providing suitable shelters. Our results can help to inform the implementation of countermeasures against the spread of invasive crayfish populations.
Fewer features perform well at Native Language Identification task

This paper describes our results at the NLI shared task 2017. We participated in essays, speech, and fusion task that uses text, speech, and i-vectors for the task of identifying the native language of the given input. In the essay track, a linear SVM system using word bigrams and character 7-grams performed the best. In the speech track, an LDA classifier based only on i-vectors performed better than a combination system using text features from speech transcriptions and i-vectors. In the fusion task, we experimented with systems that used combination of i-vectors with higher order n-grams features, combination of i-vectors with word unigrams, a mean probability ensemble, and a stacked ensemble system. Our finding is that word unigrams in combination with i-vectors achieve higher score than systems trained with larger number of n-gram features. Our best-performing systems achieved F1-scores of 87.16%, 83.33% and 91.75% on the essay track, the speech track and the fusion track respectively.
A novel current mode instrumentation amplifier (CMIA) topology

A novel CMIA configuration based on CCII+ is presented. Some of the advantages of this configuration over the traditional Voltage Mode Instrumentation Amplifier (VMIA) are: a wideband differential voltage gain independent of gain magnitude and a high common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) without requiring well-matched resistors. Compared to other previously presented current mode instrumentation amplifiers (CMIAs), each of which showed a limited number of special advantages, this topology benefits from most of those individual advantages, those being: small size, circuit simplicity very inexpensive price, complete circuit symmetry, high voltage gain, and CMRR. In addition, due to the application of the current feedback technique, the topology has acquired further superior qualities such as weaker voltage and current error signals, making it ideal for working with general purpose ICs, higher voltage gains, and much higher CMRR than other topologies. A suggestion is also given to widen the CMRR bandwidth. To prove these advantages and superiorities, a detailed theoretical analysis is given as well as some experiments being performed with AD844AN (the general purpose type) inside a Faraday's cage, with an attenuation better than 60 dB. Both theoretical and experimental investigations are repeated for Wilson and Kaulberg topologies which are claimed to be the best configurations. Results are compared to prove the advantages of the new topology.
The Heterotrimeric G‐protein Complex Modulates Light Sensitivity in Arabidopsis thaliana Seed Germination

Release of dormancy and induction of seed germination are complex traits finely regulated by hormonal signals and environmental cues such as temperature and light. The Red (R):Far‐Red (FR) phytochrome photoreceptors mediate light regulation of seed germination. We investigated the possible involvement of heterotrimeric G‐protein complex in the phytochrome signaling pathways of Arabidopsis thaliana seed germination. Germination rates of null mutants of the alpha (Gα) and beta (Gβ) subunits of the G‐protein (Atgpa1‐4 and agb1‐2, respectively) and the double mutant (agb1‐2/gpa1‐4) are lower than the wildtype (WT) under continuous or pulsed light. The Gα and Gβ subunits play a role in seed germination under hourly pulses of R lower than 0.1 μmol m−2 s−1 whereas the Gβ subunit plays a role in higher R fluences. The germination of double mutants of G‐protein subunits with phyA‐211 and phyB‐9 suggests that AtGPA1 seems to act as a positive regulator of phyA and probably phyB signaling pathways, while the role of AGB1 is ambiguous. The imbibition of seeds at 4°C and 35°C alters the R and FR light responsiveness of WT and G‐protein mutants to a similar magnitude. Thus, Gα and Gβ subunits of the heterotrimeric G‐protein complex modulate light induction of seed germination by phytochromes and are dispensable for the control of dormancy by low and high temperatures prior to irradiation. We discuss the possible indirect role of the G‐protein complex on the phytochrome‐regulated germination through hormonal signaling pathways.
Skin of the Cretaceous mosasaur Plotosaurus: implications for aquatic adaptations in giant marine reptiles

The physical nature of water and the environment it presents to an organism have long been recognized as important constraints on aquatic adaptation and evolution. Little is known about the dermal cover of mosasauroids (a group of secondarily aquatic reptiles that occupied a wide array of predatory niches in the Cretaceous marine ecosystems 92–65 Myr ago), a lack of information that has hindered inferences about the nature and level of their aquatic adaptations. A newly discovered Plotosaurus skeleton with integument preserved in three dimensions represents not only the first documented squamation in a mosasaurine mosasaur but also the first record of skin in an advanced member of the Mosasauroidea. The dermal cover comprises keeled and possibly osteoderm-reinforced scales that presumably contributed to an anterior–posterior channelling of the water flow and a reduction of microturbulent burst activities along the surface of the skin. Thus, hydrodynamic requirements of life in the water might have influenced the evolution of multiple-keeled body scales in advanced mosasauroids.
Signal enhancement by time-frequency peak filtering

Time-frequency peak filtering (TFPF) allows the reconstruction of signals from observations corrupted by additive noise by encoding the noisy signal as the instantaneous frequency (IF) of a frequency modulated (FM) analytic signal. IF estimation is then performed on the analytic signal using the peak of a time-frequency distribution (TFD) to recover the filtered signal. This method is biased when the peak of the Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) is used to estimate the encoded signal's instantaneous frequency. We characterize a class of signals for which the method implemented using the pseudo WVD is approximately unbiased. This class contains deterministic bandlimited nonstationary multicomponent signals in additive white Gaussian noise (WGN). We then derive the pseudo WVD window length that gives a reduced bias when TFPF is used for signals from this class. Testing of the method on both synthetic and real life newborn electroencephalogram (EEG) signals shows clean recovery of the signals in noise level down to a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of -9 dB.
Ventral Premotor–Motor Cortex Interactions in the Macaque Monkey during Grasp: Response of Single Neurons to Intracortical Microstimulation

Recent stimulation studies in monkeys and humans have shown strong interactions between ventral premotor cortex (area F5) and the hand area of primary motor cortex (M1). These short-latency interactions usually involve facilitation from F5 of M1 outputs to hand muscles, although suppression has also been reported. This study, performed in three awake macaque monkeys, sought evidence that these interactions could be mediated by short-latency excitatory and inhibitory responses of single M1 neurons active during grasping tasks. We recorded responses of these M1 neurons to single low-threshold (≤40 μA) intracortical microstimuli delivered to F5 sites at which grasp-related neurons were recorded. In 29 sessions, we tested 232 M1 neurons with stimuli delivered to between one and four sites in F5. Of the 415 responses recorded, 142 (34%) showed significant effects. The most common type of response was pure excitation (53% of responses), with short latency (1.8–3.0 ms) and brief duration (∼1 ms); purely inhibitory responses had slightly longer latencies (2–5 ms) and were of small amplitude and longer duration (5–7 ms). They accounted for 13% of responses, whereas mixed excitation then inhibition was seen in 34%. Remarkably, a rather similar set of findings applied to 280 responses of 138 F5 neurons to M1 stimulation; 109 (34%) responses showed significant effects. Thus, with low-intensity stimuli, the dominant interaction between these two cortical areas is one of short-latency, brief excitation, most likely mediated by reciprocal F5–M1 connections. Some neurons were tested with stimuli at both 20 and 40 μA; inhibition tended to dominate at the higher intensity.
Gliding hexapods and the origins of insect aerial behaviour

Directed aerial descent (i.e. gliding and manoeuvring) may be an important stage in the evolution of winged flight. Although hypothesized to occur in ancestrally wingless insects, such behaviour is unexplored in extant basal hexapods, but has recently been described in arboreal ants. Here we show that tropical arboreal bristletails (Archaeognatha) direct their horizontal trajectories to tree trunks in approximately 90 per cent of falls. Experimental manipulation of the median caudal filament significantly reduced both success rate (per cent of individuals landing on a tree trunk) and performance (glide index) versus controls. The existence of aerial control in the ancestrally wingless bristletails, and its habitat association with an arboreal lifestyle, are consistent with the hypothesis of a terrestrial origin for winged flight in insects.
The chemical compound bubblin induces stomatal mispatterning in Arabidopsis by disrupting the intrinsic polarity of stomatal lineage cells

ABSTRACT Stem cell polarization is a crucial step in asymmetric cell division, which is a universal system for generating cellular diversity in multicellular organisms. Several conventional genetics studies have attempted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying cell polarization in plants, but it remains largely unknown. In plants, stomata, which are valves for gas exchange, are generated through several rounds of asymmetric divisions. In this study, we identified and characterized a chemical compound that affects stomatal stem cell polarity. High-throughput screening for bioactive molecules identified a pyridine-thiazole derivative, named bubblin, which induced stomatal clustering in Arabidopsis epidermis. Bubblin perturbed stomatal asymmetric division, resulting in the generation of two identical daughter cells. Both cells continued to express the stomatal fate determinant SPEECHLESS, and then differentiated into mispatterned stomata. Bubblin-treated cells had a defect in the polarized localization of BREAKING OF ASYMMETRY IN THE STOMATAL LINEAGE (BASL), which is required for asymmetric cell fate determination. Our results suggest that bubblin induces stomatal lineage cells to divide without BASL-dependent pre-mitotic establishment of polarity. Bubblin is a potentially valuable tool for investigating cell polarity establishment in stomatal asymmetric division. Summary: In Arabidopsis, a pyridine-thiazole derivative, bubblin, disrupts polarity in stomatal stem cells, resulting in ectopic retention of the key transcription factor SPEECHLESS and stomatal mispatterning.
Infant vocabulary development assessed with a British communicative development inventory

Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) were collected from 669 British children aged between 1;0 and 2;1. Comprehension and production scores in each age group are calculated. This provides norming data for the British infant population. The influence of socio-economic group on vocabulary scores is considered and shown not to have a significant effect. The data from British infants is compared to data from American infants (Fenson, Dale, Reznick, Bates, Thal & Pethick, 1994). It is found that British infants have lower scores on both comprehension and production than American infants of the same age.
Association between the Rosén and Lundborg Score and the Screening Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness scale in hand functional evaluation of patients with leprosy diagnosis

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the association of results from the Rosén and Lundborg Score and the screening activity limitation and Safety Awareness scale for the assessment of hand in patients diagnosed with leprosy. Method: An association between the Rosén and Lundborg Score and the Screening Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness scale for hand was evaluated in a cross-section study with 25 people of a mean age of 51 years old (SD 14), undergoing drug treatment for leprosy. Results: The mean quantitative score in the Screening Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness scale was 27.9 (SD 10.5). Rosén and Lundborg Score for the median nerve were 2.43 (SD 0.38) on the right hand and 2.41 (SD 0.54) on the left hand whilst for the ulnar nerve, the scores observed were 2.33 (SD 0.42) for the right hand and 2.31 (SD 0.61) for the left hand. Significant correlations between the two instruments in assessment of the median and ulnar nerves on both hands were found. Conclusions: Due to the association found between the scales, the Rosén and Lundborg Score may be used in assessment of the hand in patients diagnosed with leprosy, as a tool to assist the result evaluation after the drug treatment, surgical treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up in the hand dysfunction in leprosy. Implications for Rehabilitation The leprosy inflammatory neuropathy may cause limitations and disabilities related to hand functions of patients. Instruments with quantitative scores provide a reliable basis for therapeutic intervention prognosis. New evaluation methods promote a better monitoring of treatment and hand function evolution of people with leprosy.
Inducing G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis through Generation Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Mediated Mitochondria Pathway in HT-29 Cells by Dentatin (DEN) and Dentatin Incorporated in Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin (DEN-HPβCD)

Dentatin (DEN), purified from the roots of Clausena excavata Burm f. , has poor aqueous solubility that reduces its therapeutic application. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of DEN-HPβCD (hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin) complex as an anticancer agent in HT29 cancer cell line and compare with a crystal DEN in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The exposure of the cancer cells to DEN or DEN-HPβCD complex leads to cell growth inhibition as determined by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. To analyze the mechanism, in which DEN or DEN-HPβCD complex causes the death in human colon HT29 cancer cells, was evaluated by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELIZA)-based assays for caspase-3, 8, 9, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The findings showed that an anti-proliferative effect of DEN or DEN-HPβCD complex were via cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and eventually induced apoptosis through both mitochondrial and extrinsic pathways. The down-regulation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) which leaded to apoptosis upon treatment, was investigated by Western-blotting. Hence, complexation between DEN and HPβCD did not diminish or eliminate the effective properties of DEN as anticancer agent. Therefore, it would be possible to resolve the conventional and current issues associated with the development and commercialization of antineoplastic agents in the future.
Control Strategy of Flyback Microinverter With Hybrid Mode for PV AC Modules

This paper presents a control strategy of a flyback microinverter with hybrid operation mode for photovoltaic ac modules. The proposed control strategy consists of two components: the proportional-resonant (PR) controller with the harmonic compensator (HC) and the hybrid nominal duty ratio. Compared to the conventional control strategy using the proportional-integral controller, the PR controller with HC provides a higher system gain at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies of the grid without using a high proportional gain in both operation modes. Then, it enhances the tracking speed and disturbance rejection performances satisfying the desired stability. Moreover, by applying the hybrid nominal duty ratio yielded from the proposed operation mode selection, the disturbance rejection is achieved more effectively, and the control burden is reduced. Finally, the simulation and experimental results were shown to verify the tracking speed and disturbance rejection performances of the proposed control strategy.
Rutin ameliorates cisplatin‐induced reproductive damage via suppression of oxidative stress and apoptosis in adult male rats

Cisplatin (CP) treatment causes damage in the male reproductive system. Rutin (RUT) is a naturally occurring flavonoid glycoside that has antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate effects of RUT against cisplatin‐induced reproductive toxicity in male rats. Twenty‐one adult male Sprague Dawley rats were used. The control group received physiological saline with oral gavage during 14 days, and physiological saline was injected intraperitoneally (IP) in 10th days of study. CP Group received physiological saline during 14 days, and 10 mg kg−1 CP was injected IP in 10th day. RUT + CP group received RUT (150 mg kg−1) during 14 days, and 10 mg kg−1 CP was injected IP in 10th day. Spermatological parameters (including motility, cauda epididymal sperm density, dead sperm percentage and morphological sperm abnormalities), biochemical (MDA, GSH, GSH‐px, SOD and CAT), histological (H&E dye) and immunochemistry evaluations of testicles were evaluated. CP treatment caused damage on some spermatological parameters, increased the oxidative stress and induced testicular degeneration and apoptosis when compared to the control group. However, RUT treatment mitigates these side effects when compared to the CP alone group. IT is concluded that RUT treatment may reduce CP‐induced reproductive toxicity as a potential antioxidant compound.