Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ensemble Variability in Rainfall Forecasts of Hurricane Irene (2011)

Tropical cyclones (TCs) moving into the midlatitudes can produce extreme precipitation, as was the case with Hurricane Irene (2011). Despite the high-impact nature of these events, relatively few studies have explored the sensitivity of TC precipitation forecasts to model initial conditions. Here, the physical processes that modulate precipitation forecasts over the Northeast United States during Irene are investigated using an 80-member 0.58 Global Forecasting System (GFS) ensemble. The members that forecast the highest total precipitation over the Catskill Mountains in New York (i.e., wet members) are compared with the members that predicted the least precipitation (i.e., dry members). Results indicate that the amount of rainfall is tied to storm track, with the wetter members forecast to move farther west than the dry members. This variability in storm track appears to be associated with variability in analyzed upper-tropospheric potential vorticity (PV), such that the wetter members feature greater cyclonic PV southwest of Irene when Irene is off the Carolina coast. By contrast, the wetter members of a 3-km Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model ensemble, initialized from the same GFS ensemble forecasts, show little sensitivity to track. Instead, the wetter members are characterized by stronger lower-tropospheric winds perpendicular to the eastern face of the Catskills, allowing maximum upslope forcing and horizontal moisture flux convergence during the period of heaviest rainfall. The drier members, on the other hand, have the greatest quasigeostrophic forcing for ascent, implying that the members’ differences in mesoscale topographic forcing are the dominant influence on rainfall rate.
Metal Complexes as Antimicrobial Agents

The treatment of infectious diseases still remains an important and challenging problem because of a combination of factors including emerging infectious diseases and the increasing number of multi-drug resistant microbial pathogens. In spite of a large number of antibiotics and chemotherapeutics available for medical use, at the same time the emergence of old and new antibiotic resistance created in the last decades revealed a substantial medical need for new classes of antimicrobial agents. There is a real perceived need for the discovery of new compounds endowed with antimicrobial activity, possibly acting through mechanism of action, which is distinct from those of well-known classes of antimicrobial agents to which many clinically relevant pathogens are now resistant.
The Immunomodulatory Potential of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative central nervous system (CNS) disorder, characterized by focal inflammation, demyelination, irreversible axonal loss and neurodegeneration. The proposed mechanism involves auto-reactive T lymphocytes crossing the blood–brain barrier (BBB), contributing to inflammation and demyelination. Pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes are pivotal in MS pathogenesis, highlighting an imbalanced interaction with regulatory T cells. Dysbiosis in the gut microbiota, characterized by microbial imbalance is implicated in systemic inflammation, yet its exact role in MS remains elusive. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including valerate, butyrate, propionate, and acetate, produced through dietary fiber fermentation by the gut microbiota, modulate inflammation and immune responses. Particularly, butyrate and propionate exhibit pronounced anti-inflammatory effects in both the gut and CNS. These SCFAs influence regulatory T lymphocyte expression and BBB permeability. This review discusses the potential therapeutic implications of SCFA in MS, highlighting their ability to modulate the gut–brain axis and restore immune balance.
Mesh optimization

We present a method for solving the following problem: Given a set of data points scattered in three dimensions and an initial triangular mesh M 0 , produceamesh M , ofthesametopologicaltypeas M 0 , that ﬁtsthe data well and has a small number of vertices. Our approach is to minimize an energy function that explicitly models the competing desires of conciseness of representation and ﬁdelity to the data. We show that mesh optimization can be effectively used in at least two applications: surface reconstruction from unorganized points, and mesh simpliﬁcation (the reduction of the number of vertices in an initially dense mesh of triangles).
Perception and Action Selection Dissociate Human Ventral and Dorsal Cortex

We test theories about the functional organization of the human cortex by correlating brain activity with demands on perception versus action selection. Subjects covertly searched for a target among an array of 4, 8, or 12 items (perceptual manipulation) and then, depending on the color of the array, made a saccade toward, away from, or at a right angle from the target (action manipulation). First, choice response times increased linearly as the demands increased for each factor, and brain activity in several cortical areas increased with increasing choice response times. Second, we found a double dissociation in posterior cortex: Activity in ventral regions (occipito-temporal cortex) increased linearly with perceptual, but not action, selection demands; conversely, activity in dorsal regions (parietal cortex) increased linearly with action, but not perceptual, selection demands. This result provides the clearest support of the theory that posterior cortex is segregated into two distinct streams of visual processing for perception and action. Third, despite segregated anatomical projections from posterior ventral and dorsal streams to lateral pFC, we did not find evidence for a functional dissociation between perception and action selection in pFC. Increasing action, but not perceptual, selection demands evoked increased activation along both the dorsal and the ventral lateral pFC. Although most previous studies have focused on perceptual variables (e.g., space vs. object), these data suggest that understanding the computations underlying action selection will be key to understanding the functional organization of pFC.
Platelets Mediate Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein–Induced Monocyte Extravasation and Foam Cell Formation

Objective— A growing body of evidence indicates that platelets contribute to the onset and progression of atherosclerosis by modulating immune responses. We aimed to elucidate the effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) on platelet–monocyte interactions and the consequences of these interactions on platelet phagocytosis, chemokine release, monocyte extravasation, and foam cell formation. Approach and Results— Confocal microscopy and flow cytometric analysis revealed that in vitro and in vivo stimulation with OxLDL resulted in rapid formation of platelet–monocyte aggregates, with a preference for CD16+ monocyte subsets. This platelet–monocyte interaction facilitated OxLDL uptake by monocytes, in a process that involved platelet CD36–OxLDL interaction, release of chemokines, such as CXC motif ligand 4, direct platelet–monocyte interaction, and phagocytosis of platelets. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase with acetylsalicylic acid and antagonists of ADP receptors, P2Y1 and P2Y12, partly abrogated OxLDL-induced platelet–monocyte aggregates and platelet-mediated lipid uptake in monocytes. Platelets also enhanced OxLDL-induced monocyte transmigration across an endothelial monolayer via direct interaction with monocytes in a transwell assay. Importantly, in LDLR−/− mice, platelet depletion resulted in a significant decrease of peritoneal macrophage recruitment and foam cell formation in a thioglycollate-elicited peritonitis model. In platelet-depleted wild-type mice, transfusion of ex vivo OxLDL-stimulated platelets induced monocyte extravasation to a higher extent when compared with resting platelets. Conclusions— Our results on OxLDL-mediated platelet–monocyte aggregate formation, which promoted phenotypic changes in monocytes, monocyte extravasation and enhanced foam cell formation in vitro and in vivo, provide a novel mechanism for how platelets potentiate key steps of atherosclerotic plaque development and plaque destabilization.
Iliopsoas Haematoma: An Uncommon Differential Diagnosis for Groin Pain

Bleeding complications should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient on warfarin therapy. A 66-year-old man presenting with right groin pain due to a spontaneous iliopsoas hematoma is reported. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis at the emergency department confirmed the diagnosis. Fresh frozen plasma was given to correct the clotting derangement. The patient was managed conservatively. He was subsequently discharged well without complication. Iliopsoas haematoma or spontaneous retroperitoneal haemorrhage is an uncommon complication that needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient on warfarin therapy with abdominal, flank or groin pain.
New-Onset Heart Failure Due to Heart Muscle Disease in Childhood: A Prospective Study in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Background— We undertook the first prospective, national, multicenter study to describe the incidence and outcome of heart muscle disease–induced heart failure in children. Methods and Results— Data were collected on patients admitted to a hospital through 2003 with a first episode of heart failure in the absence of congenital heart disease. All 17 pediatric cardiac centers in the United Kingdom and Ireland participated. Follow-up data were obtained to a minimum of 1 year. The incidence was 0.87/100 000 population <16 years (n=104; 53 girls; 95% confidence interval 0.71 to 1.05 per 100 000). Median age at presentation was 1 year, with 82% in New York Heart Association class III to IV. Causes of heart failure included dilated cardiomyopathy (50 idiopathic, 8 familial), probable myocarditis (23), occult arrhythmia (7), anthracycline toxicity (5), metabolic disease (4), left ventricular noncompaction (3), and other (4). Overall 1-year survival was 82%, and event (death or transplantation)-free survival was 66%. Regression analysis showed older age and reduced systolic function on admission echocardiogram increased the event risk. Only 8% of event-free survivors (n=69) remained in New York Heart Association class III to IV, but 35 required readmission during the study period, and all but 8 remained on medication. Conclusions— This first national prospective study of new-onset heart failure in children has shown an incidence of 0.87/100 000. Multivariable analysis of survival data indicates a better outcome for younger children and for those with better systolic function at presentation, but overall, one third of children die or require transplantation within 1 year of presentation.
Mycophenolic Acid Activation of p53 Requires Ribosomal Proteins L5 and L11*

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), a prodrug of mycophenolic acid (MPA), is widely used as an immunosuppressive agent. MPA selectively inhibits inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), a rate-limiting enzyme for the de novo synthesis of guanine nucleotides, leading to depletion of the guanine nucleotide pool. Its chemotherapeutic effects have been attributed to its ability to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. MPA treatment has also been shown to induce and activate p53. However, the mechanism underlying the p53 activation pathway is still unclear. Here, we show that MPA treatment results in inhibition of pre-rRNA synthesis and disruption of the nucleolus. This treatment enhances the interaction of MDM2 with L5 and L11. Interestingly, knockdown of endogenous L5 or L11 markedly impairs the induction of p53 and G1 cell cycle arrest induced by MPA. These results suggest that MPA may trigger a nucleolar stress that induces p53 activation via inhibition of MDM2 by ribosomal proteins L5 and L11.
New lower bounds for convex hull problems in odd dimensions

We show that in the worst case, Ω(ndd/2e−1 +n logn) sidedness queries are required to determine whether the convex hull of n points in Rd is simplicial or to determine the number of convex hull facets. This lower bound matches known upper bounds in any odd dimension. Our result follows from a straightforward adversary argument. A key step in the proof is the construction of a quasi-simplicial n-vertex polytope with Ω(ndd/2e−1) degenerate facets. While it has been known for several years that d-dimensional convex hulls can have Ω(nbd/2c) facets, the previously best lower bound for these problems is only Ω(n logn). Using similar techniques, we also obtain simple and correct proofs of Erickson and Seidel’s lower bounds for detecting affine degeneracies in arbitrary dimensions and circular degeneracies in the plane. As a related result, we show that detecting simplicial convex hulls in Rd is dd/2esum-hard in the sense of Gajentaan and Overmars.
Simultaneous radio and satellite optical measurements of high-altitude sprite current and lightning continuing current

Received 21 April 2006; revised 17 July 2006; accepted 18 July 2006; published 19 October 2006. [1] We report coordinated measurements of lightning and resulting sprites using ground-level magnetic field sensors (<0.1 Hz to 30 kHz bandwidth) and the ISUAL instrument on the FORMOSAT-2 satellite. These measurements demonstrate two distinct elements of the connection between the radio and optical emissions. First, the quasi-static magnetic field signature is tightly correlated with the low-altitude optical emissions from the lightning flash, indicating that this radio signature is produced by continuing lightning current. Second, in two events with strong postreturn stroke extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic pulses, the optical emissions demonstrate that there are no observable intensifications of low-altitude optical emissions associated with those pulses. If they were produced by a lightning process, such as an M-component, the connection between optical emissions and current seen in the return stroke and the continuing current suggests they should be visible. However, as has been observed previously, the bright, high-altitude optical emissions associated with the sprite are simultaneous with the ELF pulse. This is strong evidence that these ELF pulses originate in high-altitude electric current in the sprite itself and are not produced by a low-altitude lightning process.
Oral Hydralazine Therapy for Chronic Refractory Heart Failure

SUMMARY The hemodynamic effects of oral hydralazine were investigated in ten patients (nine in NYHA Class IV and one in Class III) with chronic refractory heart failure. With hemodynamic monitoring, adequate oral doses of hydralazine (50 or 75 mg) were determined and then administered every six hours. Hemodynamics were determined at 2–3, 6–8 and 24 hours on hydralazine therapy. Arterial pressure decreased slightly (5%) and systemic vascular resistance decreased significantly (42%). Cardiac and stroke volume index increased by 70 and 66%, respectively, without any significant change in heart rate, pulmonary capillary wedge or right atrial pressure. Hemodynamic improvement was associated with clinical improvement without a major complication. During the follow-up period of 3–7 months, seven of nine patients were in NYHA Class II and one in Class III. One other patient died suddenly six weeks after discharge. These findings suggest that hydralazine is an effective oral vasodilator for the treatment of refractory heart failure.
CD81 and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a global public health problem affecting over 160 million individuals worldwide. Its symptoms include chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV is an enveloped RNA virus mainly targeting liver cells and for which the initiation of infection occurs through a complex multistep process involving a series of specific cellular entry factors. This process is likely mediated through the formation of a tightly orchestrated complex of HCV entry factors at the plasma membrane. Among HCV entry factors, the tetraspanin CD81 is one of the best characterized and it is undoubtedly a key player in the HCV lifecycle. In this review, we detail the current knowledge on the involvement of CD81 in the HCV lifecycle, as well as in the immune response to HCV infection.
Removing Circulation Effects to Assess Central U.S. Land‐Atmosphere Interactions in the CESM Large Ensemble

Interannual variability of summer surface air temperature (SAT) in the central United States (U.S.) is influenced by atmospheric circulation and land surface feedbacks. Here a method of dynamical adjustment is used to remove the effects of circulation on summer SAT variability over North America in the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble. The residual SAT variability is shown to reflect thermodynamic feedbacks associated with land surface conditions. In particular, the central U.S. is a “hot spot” of land‐atmosphere interaction, with residual SAT accounting for more than half of the total SAT variability. Within the “hot spot,” residual SAT anomalies show higher month‐to‐month persistence through the warm season and a redder spectrum than dynamically induced SAT anomalies. Residual SAT variability in this region is also shown to be related to preseason soil moisture conditions, surface flux variability, and local atmospheric pressure anomalies.
Homeostatic Interplay between Bacterial Cell-Cell Signaling and Iron in Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria use interconnected multi-layered regulatory networks, such as quorum sensing (QS) networks to sense and respond to environmental cues and external and internal bacterial cell signals, and thereby adapt to and exploit target hosts. Despite the many advances that have been made in understanding QS regulation, little is known regarding how these inputs are integrated and processed in the context of multi-layered QS regulatory networks. Here we report the examination of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa QS 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs) MvfR regulatory network and determination of its interaction with the QS acyl-homoserine-lactone (AHL) RhlR network. The aim of this work was to elucidate paradigmatically the complex relationships between multi-layered regulatory QS circuitries, their signaling molecules, and the environmental cues to which they respond. Our findings revealed positive and negative homeostatic regulatory loops that fine-tune the MvfR regulon via a multi-layered dependent homeostatic regulation of the cell-cell signaling molecules PQS and HHQ, and interplay between these molecules and iron. We discovered that the MvfR regulon component PqsE is a key mediator in orchestrating this homeostatic regulation, and in establishing a connection to the QS rhlR system in cooperation with RhlR. Our results show that P. aeruginosa modulates the intensity of its virulence response, at least in part, through this multi-layered interplay. Our findings underscore the importance of the homeostatic interplay that balances competition within and between QS systems via cell-cell signaling molecules and environmental cues in the control of virulence gene expression. Elucidation of the fine-tuning of this complex relationship offers novel insights into the regulation of these systems and may inform strategies designed to limit infections caused by P. aeruginosa and related human pathogens.
Restriction endonuclease DNA analysis of Clostridium difficile

HindIII restriction enzyme digests of genomic DNA from nine distinct strains of Clostridium difficile were undertaken, and the results were related to those of a previously established typing method based on [35S]methionine-labeled protein profiles. Each of the typed strains identified by its protein profile could also be distinguished by its unique DNA digestion pattern. Analysis of strains isolated from 10 patients during a hospital outbreak of antibiotic-associated colitis revealed identical DNA profiles, confirming a single strain as the source of cross-infection. Characterization of isolates from worldwide sources revealed similar digestion patterns within the same strain type. Restriction endonuclease DNA analysis provides a sensitive and useful technique for studying the epidemiology of C. difficile.
Glymphatic stasis at the site of the lamina cribrosa as a potential mechanism underlying open‐angle glaucoma

The underlying pathophysiology of primary open‐angle glaucoma remains unclear, but the lamina cribrosa seems to be the primary site of injury, and raised intraocular pressure is a major risk factor. In recent years, a decreased intracranial pressure, leading to an abnormally high trans‐lamina cribrosa pressure difference, has gained interest as a new risk factor for glaucoma. New research now lends support to the hypothesis that a paravascular transport system is present in the eye analogous to the recently discovered ‘glymphatic system’ in the brain, which is a functional waste clearance pathway that promotes elimination of interstitial solutes, including β‐amyloid, from the brain along paravascular channels. Given that β‐amyloid has been reported to increase by chronic elevation of intraocular pressure in glaucomatous animal models and to cause retinal ganglion cell death, the discovery of a paravascular clearance system in the eye may provide powerful new insights into the pathophysiology of primary open‐angle glaucoma. In this review, we provide a new conceptual framework for understanding the pathogenesis of primary open‐angle glaucoma, present supporting preliminary data from our own post‐mortem study and hypothesize that the disease may result from restriction of normal glymphatic flow at the level of the lamina cribrosa owing to a low intracranial pressure and/or a high trans‐lamina cribrosa pressure gradient. If confirmed, this viewpoint could offer new perspectives for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this devastating disorder.
Characteristics of Subpacket Structures in Ground EMIC Wave Observations

Recent studies using satellite observations have reported that subpacket structures play an important role in determining the characteristics of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) rising/falling tone emissions. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the subpacket structure characteristics in the ground observations of the EMIC waves. It will help us understand the effect of propagation on the EMIC subpacket structures. The induction coil magnetometer observations from Maitri, Antarctica (Geog. 70.77°S, 11.75°E, Geomag. 63.11°S, 53.59°E, L = 5), are used. Six quiet time EMIC events during 2015–2016 are analyzed and their details are presented. Based on their frequency extent in the power spectrum, four (two) events are speculated to be linked with proton (helium) band EMIC waves. For these events, the EMIC rising tone occurrence periods are estimated to be 1.9–6.7 min. Our analysis suggests that the amplitude‐frequency dependence of EMIC subpacket structures is less significantly affected during their prorogation to the ground. Overall, it is found that more than 70% of the time the EMIC waves are right‐handed elliptical polarized. An interesting feature is that the duration of the subpacket structure is found to be directly proportional to the EMIC wave amplitude. The observed characteristics and tendencies followed by EMIC subpacket structures on the ground are examined in the light of existing nonlinear wave theory and they are in good agreement. The EMIC wave amplitudes on the ground are found to be 16–80 times lower than the expected theoretical estimates of the wave amplitudes in the source region.