Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Herbivore regulation of plant abundance in aquatic ecosystems

Herbivory is a fundamental process that controls primary producer abundance and regulates energy and nutrient flows to higher trophic levels. Despite the recent proliferation of small‐scale studies on herbivore effects on aquatic plants, there remains limited understanding of the factors that control consumer regulation of vascular plants in aquatic ecosystems. Our current knowledge of the regulation of primary producers has hindered efforts to understand the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems, and to manage such ecosystems effectively. We conducted a global meta‐analysis of the outcomes of plant–herbivore interactions using a data set comprised of 326 values from 163 studies, in order to test two mechanistic hypotheses: first, that greater negative changes in plant abundance would be associated with higher herbivore biomass densities; second, that the magnitude of changes in plant abundance would vary with herbivore taxonomic identity. We found evidence that plant abundance declined with increased herbivore density, with plants eliminated at high densities. Significant between‐taxa differences in impact were detected, with insects associated with smaller reductions in plant abundance than all other taxa. Similarly, birds caused smaller reductions in plant abundance than echinoderms, fish, or molluscs. Furthermore, larger reductions in plant abundance were detected for fish relative to crustaceans. We found a positive relationship between herbivore species richness and change in plant abundance, with the strongest reductions in plant abundance reported for low herbivore species richness, suggesting that greater herbivore diversity may protect against large reductions in plant abundance. Finally, we found that herbivore–plant nativeness was a key factor affecting the magnitude of herbivore impacts on plant abundance across a wide range of species assemblages. Assemblages comprised of invasive herbivores and native plant assemblages were associated with greater reductions in plant abundance compared with invasive herbivores and invasive plants, native herbivores and invasive plants, native herbivores and mixed‐nativeness plants, and native herbivores and native plants. By contrast, assemblages comprised of native herbivores and invasive plants were associated with lower reductions in plant abundance compared with both mixed‐nativeness herbivores and native plants, and native herbivores and native plants. However, the effects of herbivore–plant nativeness on changes in plant abundance were reduced at high herbivore densities. Our mean reductions in aquatic plant abundance are greater than those reported in the literature for terrestrial plants, but lower than aquatic algae. Our findings highlight the need for a substantial shift in how biologists incorporate plant–herbivore interactions into theories of aquatic ecosystem structure and functioning. Currently, the failure to incorporate top‐down effects continues to hinder our capacity to understand and manage the ecological dynamics of habitats that contain aquatic plants.
DETECTION OF DUCTILE TO BRITTLE TRANSITION IN MICROINDENTATION AND MICROSCRATCHING OF SINGLE CRYSTAL SILICON USING ACOUSTIC EMISSION

Machining of brittle materials entails two modes of material removal: pure plastic deformation and brittle fracture. The mode of material removal is generally identified by surface quality observations in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or an atomic force microscope (AFM) after machining. Hence, there is a need for the development of in-process monitoring technology in order to detect whether the mode of material removal is ductile or brittle, and thereby predict surface quality. In the present paper, acoustic emission (AE) is proposed as a means of monitoring the ductile to brittle transition. Microindentation and microscratching tests of single crystal silicon were conducted using an ultrafine-motion table with very small motion error. The obtained AE signals were correlated with crack initiation and the ductile to brittle transition. The critical force f c defined as the force at which AE was induced during the microindentation and microscratching tests was measured to be 40 ∼ 50 mN. AFM observations revealed the critical depth of cut d c to be 0.20 μm in the microscratching test.
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Treatment for Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients with No Option of Revascularization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective To evaluate bone marrow stem cell treatment (BMSC) in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and no option of revascularization. Background Autologous BMSC therapy has emerged as a novel approach to treat patients with acute myocardial infarction or chronic ischemia and heart failure following percutaneous or surgical revascularization, respectively. However, the effect of the treatment has not been systematic evaluated in patients who are not eligible for revascularization. Methods MEDLINE (1950–2012), EMBASE (1980–2012), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue 8) and ongoing trial databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials. Trials where participants were diagnosed with IHD, with no option for revascularization and who received any dose of stem cells by any delivery route were selected for inclusion. Study and participant characteristics, details of the intervention and comparator, and outcomes measured were recorded by two reviewers independently. Primary outcome measures were defined as mortality and measures of angina; secondary outcomes were heart failure, quality of life measures, exercise/performance and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Results Nine trials were eligible for inclusion. BMSC treatment significantly reduced the risk of mortality (Relative Risk 0.33; 95% Confidence Interval 0.17 to 0.65; P = 0.001). Patients who received BMSC showed a significantly greater improvement in CCS angina class (Mean Difference −0.55; 95% Confidence Interval −1.00 to −0.10; P = 0.02) and significantly fewer angina episodes per week at the end of the trial (Mean Difference −5.21; 95% Confidence Interval −7.35 to −3.07; P<0.00001) than those who received no BMSC. In addition, the treatment significantly improved quality of life, exercise/performance and LVEF in these patients. Conclusions BMSC treatment has significant clinical benefit as stand-alone treatment in patients with IHD and no other treatment option. These results require confirmation in large well-powered trials with long-term follow-up to fully evaluate the clinical efficacy of this treatment.
Is anticoagulating haemodialysis patients with non‐valvular atrial fibrillation too risky?

There is an increasing understanding of the risks from atrial fibrillation (AF) in the current era. In patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis, the prevalence of AF is significantly higher compared to the general population and those with earlier stages of CKD. Although anticoagulation of these patients may seem appropriate, there is a lack of conclusive evidence that it provides the same protection from thromboembolic complications as it does in patients not on dialysis. In addition, the increased risk of bleeding in patients requiring dialysis makes the use of anticoagulants less favourable. This article aims to discuss the problem of AF in dialysis patients, summarise the current evidence around the use of oral anticoagulants for AF in ESRD and provide some practical suggestions on management of AF in the haemodialysis population.
An experimental analysis of the hydrodynamic contribution of textured thrust bearings during steady-state operation: A comparison with the untextured parallel surface configuration

Textured surfaces are the subject of a great deal of research work in tribology, which mainly involves numerical studies of lubricated contacts. A variety of shapes and arrangements of textures can be found, these being as numerous as the different authors. Depending on the configuration, it has been shown that the presence of the texture can provide better lubrication efficiency through both a reduction of friction and an increase in load-carrying capacity. However, improving bearing performance implies a specific geometrical configuration for given operating conditions. The improvement in lubricated contact performance by texturing the active surface has been demonstrated using experimental studies concerning, for example, pin-on-disk, mechanical seal, camshaft, journal bearing, thrust bearing, and piston ring set-ups. The objective of the present experimental analysis is to provide, using local measurements, a better understanding of the influence of surface texturing on the steady-state behavior of thrust bearings. To achieve this goal, the experimental device is equipped with 80 sensors such as thermocouples and pressure transducers which allowed a proper assessment of the phenomenology at the film/pad interface. The tests are conducted on five hydrodynamic thrust bearings, among which four are textured. Results show that, for the studied configurations, the textured thrust bearings can help to reduce friction up to 30% at low loads while for heavy loads, their performance is equivalent or even lower than that of an untextured planar bearing.
Effect of nanosilica and microsilica on microstructure and hardened properties of cement pastes and mortars

This paper reports the effects of nanosilica (nS), microsilica (silica fume, SF) and their simultaneous use (nS+SF) on “both” the microstructure of cement pastes and the mechanical properties of mortars. After water curing at 21°C for 7, 28 and 90 days, samples with water/binder w/b ratio of 0·35 were characterised by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and compressive strength test. Single or mixed mineral additions did not generate “any” distinct hydration phases compared to the reference material without additives. A decrease in the calcium hydroxide contents in later curing ages indicated a pozzolanic effect of nS and SF. The chemical action promoted by nS together with the physical effect due to the small particle size distribution given by SF result in higher compressive strength and better hardened properties, suggesting the synergistic action of nS+SF compared with single additions.
Love, lust and the emotional context of multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships among young Swazi adults

Men and women in Swaziland who are engaged in multiple or concurrent sexual partnerships, or who have sexual partners with concurrent partners, face a very high risk of HIV infection. Ninety-four in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 Swazi men and women (14 of each sex) between the ages of 20 and 39 to explore participants' sexual partnership histories, including motivations for sexual relationships which carried high HIV risk. Concurrency was normative, with most men and women having had at least one concurrent sexual partnership, and all women reporting having had at least one partner who had a concurrent partner. Men distinguished sexual partnerships that were just for sex from those that were considered to be 'real relationships', while women represented most of their relationships, even those which included significant financial support, as being based on love. Besides being motivated by love, concurrent sexual partnerships were described as motivated by a lack of sexual satisfaction, a desire for emotional support and/or as a means to exact revenge against a cheating partner. Social and structural factors were also found to play a role in creating an enabling environment for high-risk sexual partnerships. These factors included social pressure and norms; a lack of social trust; poverty and a desire for material goods; and geographical separation of partners.
iPhone app adherence to expert-recommended guidelines for pediatric obesity prevention.

BACKGROUND Pediatric obesity is a serious and prevalent problem. Smartphone technology, which is becoming increasingly available to children of diverse backgrounds, presents a unique opportunity to instill healthy behaviors before the onset of obesity. Past studies have examined the use of smartphone applications as tools of health behavior modification for adults. The present study examines the content of children's exercise and nutrition smartphone apps. METHOD Sixty-two iPhone apps were identified and coded by two independent raters for adherence to expert-recommended behaviors (e.g., five fruits/vegetables per day) and strategies (e.g., self-monitoring diet/physical activity) for the prevention of pediatric obesity. RESULTS App behavioral and strategy index scores were uniformly low. Apps were more likely to address expert-recommended behaviors for the prevention of pediatric obesity (93.5%), whereas few apps addressed recommended strategies (20.9%). The most common behaviors addressed included physical activity (53.2%) and fruit/vegetable consumption (48.3%). Other important behaviors (e.g., screen time [1.6%] and family meals together [1.6%]) were rarely addressed. CONCLUSIONS Current children's diet and exercise apps could be improved with increased adherence to expert-recommended guidelines, especially expert-recommended strategies.
Induction chemotherapy vs post-operative adjuvant therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma

ABSTRACT Introduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive neoplasia. Multidisciplinary treatments, including the association of induction and/or adjuvant therapeutic regimens with surgery, have been reported to give encouraging results. Current therapeutic options are not well standardized yet, especially regarding the best association between surgery and medical treatments. The present review aims to assess safety, efficacy and outcomes of different therapies for MPM. Areas covered: This article focuses on the multimodality treatment of mesothelioma. A systematic review was performed by using electronic databases to identify studies that considered induction and adjuvant approaches in MPM therapy in a multidisciplinary setting, including surgery. Endpoints included overall survival, disease free survival, disease recurrence, and complications. Expert commentary: This systematic review offers a comprehensive view of current multidisciplinary therapeutic strategies for MPM, suggesting that multimodality therapy offers acceptable outcomes with better results reported for trimodality approaches. Individualization of care for each patient is fundamental in choosing the most appropriate treatment. The growing complexity of treatment protocols mandates that MPM patients be referred to specialized Centers, in which every component of the interdisciplinary team can provide the necessary expertise and quality of care.
Structurally related odorant ligands of the olfactory receptor OR51E2 differentially promote metastasis emergence and tumor growth

Olfactory receptors are G protein-coupled receptors. Some of them are expressed in tumor cells, such as the OR51E2 receptor overexpressed in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. It is considered a prostate tumor marker. We previously demonstrated that this receptor is able to promote LNCaP cell invasiveness in vitro upon stimulation with its odorant agonist β-ionone, leading to increased generation of metastases in vivo. In the present study, we show that even a relatively short exposure to β-ionone is sufficient to promote metastasis emergence. Moreover, α-ionone, considered an OR51E2 antagonist, in fact promotes prostate tumor growth in vivo. The combination of α-ionone with β-ionone triggers a higher increase in the total tumor burden than each molecule alone. To support the in vivo results, we demonstrate in vitro that α-ionone is a real agonist of OR51E2, mainly sustaining LNCaP cell growth, while β-ionone mainly promotes cell invasiveness. So, while structurally close, α-ionone and β-ionone appear to induce different cellular effects, both leading to increased tumor aggressiveness. This behaviour could be explained by a different coupling to downstream effectors, as it has been reported for the so-called biased ligands of other G protein-coupled receptors.
Removal of ICI and IBI in Wireless Heterogeneous Networks With Timing Misalignment

Since a small cell base station (SBS) of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access heterogeneous network (HetNet) does not intend to align arriving macrocell user signals, inter-carrier interference (ICI) and inter-block interference (IBI) inevitably arise in the uplink demodulation at the SBS. This letter proposes a novel precoding scheme based on interference alignment to remove the uplink ICI and IBI in a HetNet completely. The proposed scheme is able to remove the ceiling effect on the small cell uplink rate and increase the degrees of freedom of the system. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of the scheme.
IGF-1 contributes to the expansion of melanoma-initiating cells through an epithelial-mesenchymal transition process

Melanoma is a particularly virulent human cancer, due to its resistance to conventional treatments and high frequency of metastasis. Melanomas contain a fraction of cells, the melanoma-initiating cells (MICs), responsible for tumor propagation and relapse. Identification of the molecular pathways supporting MICs is, therefore, vital for the development of targeted treatments. One factor produced by melanoma cells and their microenvironment, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF- 1), is linked to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness features in several cancers. We evaluated the effect of IGF-1 on the phenotype and chemoresistance of B16-F10 cells. IGF-1 inhibition in these cells prevented malignant cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and lung colony formation in immunodeficient mice. IGF-1 downregulation also markedly inhibited EMT, with low levels of ZEB1 and mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin, CD44, CD29, CD105) associated with high levels of E-cadherin and MITF, the major regulator of melanocyte differentiation. IGF-1 inhibition greatly reduced stemness features, including the expression of key stem markers (SOX2, Oct-3/4, CD24 and CD133), and the functional characteristics of MICs (melanosphere formation, aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, side population). These features were associated with a high degree of sensitivity to mitoxantrone treatment. In this study, we deciphered new connections between IGF-1 and stemness features and identified IGF-1 as instrumental for maintaining the MIC phenotype. The IGF1/IGF1-R nexus could be targeted for the development of more efficient anti-melanoma treatments. Blocking the IGF-1 pathway would improve the immune response, decrease the metastatic potential of tumor cells and sensitize melanoma cells to conventional treatments.
Evaluation of Long-Term Cochlear Implant Use in Subjects With Acquired Unilateral Profound Hearing Loss: Focus on Binaural Auditory Outcomes

Introduction: Cochlear implantation (CI) in subjects with unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss was investigated. The authors of the present study demonstrated the binaural auditory outcomes in a 12- and 36-month prospective cohort outcome study. The present study aimed to do a long-term (LT) evaluation of the auditory outcomes in an analogous study group. Design: LT evaluation was derived from 12 single-sided deaf (SSD) CI recipients and from 11 CI recipients with asymmetric hearing loss (AHL). A structured interview was conducted with each subjects. Speech perception in noise and sound localization were assessed in a CIOFF and in a CION condition. Four binaural effects were calculated: summation effect (S0N0), squelch effect (S0NCI), combined head shadow effect (SCIN0), and spatial release from masking (SRM). At the LT evaluation, the contribution of a CI or a bone conduction device on speech perception in noise was investigated in two challenging spatial configurations in the SSD group. Results: All (23/23) subjects wore their CI 7 days a week at LT follow-up evaluation, which ranged from 3 to 10 years after implantation. In the SSD group, a significant combined head shadow effect of 3.17 dB and an SRM benefit of 4.33 dB were found. In the AHL group, on the other hand, the summation effect (2.00 dB), the squelch effect (2.67 dB), the combined head shadow effect (3.67 dB), and SRM benefit (2.00 dB) were significant at LT testing. In both the spatial challenging configurations, the speech in noise results was significantly worse in the condition with the bone conduction device compared with the unaided condition. No negative effect was found for the CION condition. A significant benefit in the CION condition was found for sound localization compared with the CIOFF condition in the SSD group and in the AHL group. Conclusion: All subjects wore their CI 7 days a week at LT follow-up evaluation. The presence of binaural effects has been demonstrated with speech in noise testing, sound localization, and subjective evaluation. In the AHL group, all investigated binaural effects were found to be significant. In the SSD group on the other hand, only SRM and the head shadow, the two most robust binaural effects, were significantly present. However, it took 12M before the SSD and the AHL subjects significantly benefit from the head shadow effect. These reported results could guide counseling of future CI candidates with SSD and AHL in general.
Runoff simulation by SWAT model using high-resolution gridded precipitation in the upper Heihe River Basin, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract. Precipitation stations are usually scarce and unevenly distributed in inland river basins, which restrict the application of the distributed hydrological model and spatial analysis of water balance component characteristics. This study regards the upper Heihe River Basin as a case, and daily gridded precipitation data with 3 km resolutions based on the spatial interpolation of gauged stations and the regional climate model is used to construct the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT). This study aims to validate the superiority of high-resolution gridded precipitation for hydrological simulation in data scarce regions. A scale transformation method is proposed by building virtual stations and calculating the lapse rate to overcome the defects of the SWAT model using traditional precipitation station data. The gridded precipitation is upscale from the grid to the sub-basin scale and results in accurate representation of sub-basin precipitation input data. A satisfactory runoff simulation is achieved, and the spatial variability of the water balance components is analysed. Results show that the precipitation lapse rate ranges from 40 mm/km to 235 mm/km and decreases from the southeastern to the northwestern areas; its changes trend is consistent with precipitation. The SWAT model achieves monthly runoff simulation compared with gauged runoff from 2000 to 2014; the determination coefficients are higher than 0.71, the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies are higher than 0.76 and the percent bias are controlled within ±15 %. The meadow and sparse vegetation are the major water yield landscapes, and the elevation band at 3,500 m to 4,500 m is the major water yield area in this basin. Precipitation and evapotranspiration presented a slightly increasing trend, whereas water yield and soil water content presented a slightly decreasing trend. This finding indicates that the high-resolution gridded precipitation data well depicts its spatial heterogeneity, and scale transformation significantly promotes the application of the distributed hydrological model in inland river basins. The spatial variability of water balance components can be quantified to provide references for the integrated assessment and management of basin water resources in data scarce regions.