Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhance Embedding Capacity of Generalized Exploiting Modification Directions in Data Hiding

Data hiding is a useful technology to protect secret data through the Internet. Exploiting modification direction (EMD)-based data hiding uses a group of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula> cover-pixels to embed secret data. It achieves good image quality and high security level of resisting RS detection. However, the embedding capacity of EMD decreases fast when <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula> increases. In 2013, a Generalized EMD (GEMD) was proposed to improve the embedding capacity of EMD, which is always more than 1 bpp (bits per pixel), and keeps the good stego-image quality. In this paper, we propose an enhanced GEMD by dividing a group of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula> cover-pixels into multiple groups. By this method, the embedding capacity can be further improved from GEMD. Our scheme maintains the good image quality and can resist the RS detection as well.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote coexistence and niche divergence of sympatric palm species on a remote oceanic island

Summary Microbes can have profound effects on their hosts, driving natural selection, promoting speciation and determining species distributions. However, soil‐dwelling microbes are rarely investigated as drivers of evolutionary change in plants. We used metabarcoding and experimental manipulation of soil microbiomes to investigate the impact of soil and root microbes in a well‐known case of sympatric speciation, the Howea palms of Lord Howe Island (Australia). Whereas H. forsteriana can grow on both calcareous and volcanic soils, H. belmoreana is restricted to, but more successful on, volcanic soil, indicating a trade‐off in adaptation to the two soil types. We suggest a novel explanation for this trade‐off. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are significantly depleted in H. forsteriana on volcanic soil, relative to both H. belmoreana on volcanic soil and H. forsteriana on calcareous soil. This is mirrored by the results of survival experiments, where the sterilization of natural soil reduces Howea fitness in every soil–species combination except H. forsteriana on volcanic soil. Furthermore, AMF‐associated genes exhibit evidence of divergent selection between Howea species. These results show a mechanism by which divergent adaptation can have knock‐on effects on host–microbe interactions, thereby reducing interspecific competition and promoting the coexistence of plant sister species.
Enzymatic activity of Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes from breeding rabbits with and without skin lesions

Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes are zoophilic dermatophytes which can cause skin infections in animals and humans. The clinical expression of this infection strongly varies depending on host, fungal species as well as enzyme production. No comparative studies are available on the enzymatic activities of M. canis and T. mentagrophytes isolated from breeding rabbits. Thus, the aim of this work was to assess the capability of M. canis and T. mentagrophytes isolated from rabbits both with and without lesions in producing different enzymes. The relationship of dermatophyte enzymatic activities and presence/absence of skin lesions has also been investigated. A total of 260 isolates of T. mentagrophytes and 25 isolates of M. canis sampled both from healthy and lesioned skin of rabbits, as well as from air samples of positive farms were examined. The results showed that T. mentagrophytes and M. canis from rabbits produce different enzymes. However, only elastase and gelatinase were linked to the appearance of lesions in T. mentagrophytes infections, whereas lipase in those by M. canis.
A report on the clinical-pathological correlations of 788 gingival lesion

Background The diagnosis and treatment of a variety of non-plaque related gingival diseases have become an integrated aspect of everyday dentistry. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between clinical appearance and histopathological features of gingival lesions in a large Northern Italian population. Material and Methods A retrospective study of 788 cases of gingival and alveolar mucosal biopsies was set up. Statistical analysis was performed by calculating the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (C.I.), in order to assess the degree of association between the clinical parameters considered (primary lesions) and the single pathologies, statistically evaluated by Mantel-Haenszel tests. The correlation between clinical and histological diagnosis was classified as follow: 1) expected data (ED): provisional clinical diagnosis; 2) real data (RD): final histopathology diagnosis; 3) concordant data (CD): correspondence between the expected data and real data. The correlation was calculated as follow: CC (complete concordance) = CD x 100 / ED, this expressing the percentage in which the clinical and the histological diagnosis overlapped. Results The most frequently observed and biopsied primary lesions resulted to be exophytic, followed by mucosal colour changes and finally by losses of substance. The statistically significant association between primary lesion and their manifestation in gingival pathologies was reported. Volume increases, for instance, were positively correlated to plasma cell epulis, pyogenic granuloma, fibrous reactive hyperplasia and hemangioma. Verrucous-papillary lesions were most often seen in verrucous carcinoma, verrucous leukoplakia and mild dysplasia. White lesion resulted to be related to leukoplakia or oral lichen planus. Red lesions resulted to be related only oral lichen planus. Erosive vesicle-bullous lesions were linked to disimmune pathologies. Ulcerative lesions were positively associated to oral squamous cell cancer. Finally, potentially malignant disorders have the most percentage high concordance. Among the malignant lesions, the correlation increased up to the squamous cell carcinoma and leukaemia. Conclusions This article presented the frequency and the clinico-pathological concordance of all primary lesions and the histopathological diagnosis of gingival lesions. For every primary lesion, it is possible to correlate a specific histopathological diagnosis in a statistical manner. This can be a valuable aid for not specialist clinicians who daily observe mucosae and have the opportunity to intercept major diseases. Key words:Gingival lesions; clinical appearance; histological analysis; clinico-pathological correlation.
PGC-1α regulates alanine metabolism in muscle cells

The skeletal muscle is the largest organ in the human body, depositing energy as protein/amino acids, which are degraded in catabolic conditions such as fasting. Alanine is synthesized and secreted from the skeletal muscle that is used as substrates of gluconeogenesis in the liver. During fasting, the expression of PGC-1α, a transcriptional coactivator of nuclear receptors, is increased in the liver and regulates gluconeogenesis. In the present study, we observed increased mRNA expression of PGC-1α and alanine aminotransferase 2 (ALT2) in the skeletal muscle during fasting. In C2C12 myoblast cells overexpressing PGC-1α, ALT2 expression was increased concomitant with an increased alanine level in the cells and medium. In addition, PGC-1α, along with nuclear receptor ERR, dose-dependently enhanced the ALT2 promoter activity in reporter assay using C2C12 cells. In the absence of glucose in the culture medium, mRNA levels of PGC-1α and ALT2 increased. Endogenous PGC-1α knockdown in C2C12 cells reduced ALT2 gene expression level, induced by the no-glucose medium. Taken together, in the skeletal muscle, PGC-1α activates ALT2 gene expression, and alanine production may play roles in adaptation to fasting.
A Novel Interference Alignment Scheme Based on Sequential Antenna Switching in Wireless Networks

Interference alignment (IA) is a promising technique that can effectively eliminate the interference in wireless networks. However, in traditional IA schemes, the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) may significantly degrade, and the quality of service (QoS) may be unacceptable. In this paper, a novel IA scheme based on antenna switching (AS-IA) is proposed to improve the SINR of the received signal while guaranteeing the QoS in IA wireless networks. In the proposed scheme, some of the antennas are replaced by reconfigurable ones that can switch among preset modes, and the best channel coefficients are selected. Furthermore, to reduce the computational complexity, a sequential antenna switching IA (SAS-IA) scheme is proposed with only one antenna switching in each time slot, and the communication proceeds during the process of searching for the optimal solution. To further improve the performance of the SAS-IA scheme under imperfect channel state information (CSI), a filtering SAS-IA scheme is proposed through averaging the estimated CSI during the iterations of the distributed IA algorithm. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed schemes in improving the QoS of IA wireless networks.
Tropical cloud forest climate variability and the demise of the Monteverde golden toad

Widespread amphibian extinctions in the mountains of the American tropics have been blamed on the interaction of anthropogenic climate change and a lethal pathogen. However, limited meteorological records make it difficult to conclude whether current climate conditions at these sites are actually exceptional in the context of natural variability. We use stable oxygen isotope measurements from trees without annual rings to reconstruct a century of hydroclimatology in the Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica. High-resolution measurements reveal coherent isotope cycles that provide annual chronological control and paleoclimate information. Climate variability is dominated by interannual variance in dry season moisture associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation events. There is no evidence of a trend associated with global warming. Rather, the extinction of the Monteverde golden toad (Bufo periglenes) appears to have coincided with an exceptionally dry interval caused by the 1986–1987 El Niño event.
Sequence Domain Harmonic Modeling of Type-IV Wind Turbines

A sequence domain (SD) harmonic model of a grid-connected voltage-source converter is developed for decoupling converter generated voltage harmonics from voltage harmonics in the external grid. The modeling procedure includes a derivation of the baseband frequency response for regular-sampled pulse width modulation and an analysis of converter generated voltage harmonics due to compensated dead-time. The decoupling capabilities of the proposed the SD harmonic model are verified through a power quality (PQ) assessment of a 3 MW Type-IV wind turbine. The assessment shows that the magnitude and phase of low-order odd converter generated voltage harmonics are dependent on the converter operating point and the phase of the fundamental component of converter current, respectively. The SD harmonic model can be used to make PQ assessments of Type-IV wind turbines or incorporated into harmonic load flows for computation of PQ in wind power plants.
Remote monitoring of heart failure: benefits for therapeutic decision making

ABSTRACT Introduction: Chronic heart failure is a cardiovascular disorder with high prevalence and incidence worldwide. The course of heart failure is characterized by periods of stability and instability. Decompensation of heart failure is associated with frequent and prolonged hospitalizations and it worsens the prognosis for the disease and increases cardiovascular mortality among affected patients. It is therefore important to monitor these patients carefully to reveal changes in their condition. Remote monitoring has been designed to facilitate an early detection of adverse events and to minimize regular follow-up visits for heart failure patients. Several new devices have been developed and introduced to the daily practice of cardiology departments worldwide. Areas covered: Currently, special tools and techniques are available to perform remote monitoring. Concurrently there are a number of modern cardiac implantable electronic devices that incorporate a remote monitoring function. All the techniques that have a remote monitoring function are discussed in this paper in detail. All the major studies on this subject have been selected for review of the recent data on remote monitoring of HF patients and demonstrate the role of remote monitoring in the therapeutic decision making for heart failure patients. Expert commentary: Remote monitoring represents a novel intensified follow-up strategy of heart failure management. Overall, theoretically, remote monitoring may play a crucial role in the early detection of heart failure progression and may improve the outcome of patients.
Animal models: an important tool in mycology

Abstract Animal models of fungal infections are, and will remain, a key tool in the advancement of the medical mycology. Many different types of animal models of fungal infection have been developed, with murine models the most frequently used, for studies of pathogenesis, virulence, immunology, diagnosis, and therapy. The ability to control numerous variables in performing the model allows us to mimic human disease states and quantitatively monitor the course of the disease. However, no single model can answer all questions and different animal species or different routes of infection can show somewhat different results. Thus, the choice of which animal model to use must be made carefully, addressing issues of the type of human disease to mimic, the parameters to follow and collection of the appropriate data to answer those questions being asked. This review addresses a variety of uses for animal models in medical mycology. It focuses on the most clinically important diseases affecting humans and cites various examples of the different types of studies that have been performed. Overall, animal models of fungal infection will continue to be valuable tools in addressing questions concerning fungal infections and contribute to our deeper understanding of how these infections occur, progress and can be controlled and eliminated.
Investigational therapies targeting CD37 for the treatment of B-cell lymphoid malignancies

ABSTRACT Introduction: While chemotherapy still remains a cornerstone of oncologic therapy, immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies has steadily improved the treatment strategy for several hematologic malignancies. New treatment options need to be developed for relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients. Currently, novel agents targeting specific molecules on the surface of lymphoma cells, such as anti-CD37 antibodies, are under considerable investigation. Here we report on anti-CD37 targeting for the treatment of patients with B-cell NHL. Areas covered: CD37 seems to be the perfect therapeutic target in patients with NHL. The CD37 antigen is abundantly expressed in B-cells, but is absent on normal stem cells and plasma cells. It is hoped that anti-CD37 monoclonal antibodies will increase the efficacy and reduce toxicity in patients with both newly diagnosed and relapsed and refractory disease. Recent clinical trials have shown promising outcomes for these agents, administered both as monotherapy and in combination with standard chemotherapeutics. Expert opinion: The development of new therapeutic options might help to avoid cytotoxic chemotherapy entirely in some clinical settings. This article presents the latest state of the art on the new treatment strategies in NHL patients. It also discusses recently approved agents and available clinical trial data.
Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of a fixed-dose combination of olmesartan 40 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 12.5/25 mg in daily practice

Background The safety and efficacy of olmesartan 40 mg and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) as a fixed-dose combination has been investigated in clinical trials leading to its approval. The aims of the present study were to confirm these data in an unselected patient population in daily practice and to determine the impact of physical activity on blood pressure control. Methods In a multicenter, noninterventional study, 3,333 patients with either insufficient blood pressure control on olmesartan 40 mg alone or on a fixed/free combination of olmesartan 40 mg and HCTZ 12.5/25 mg were primarily assessed for safety and tolerability of the fixed-dose combination of olmesartan 40 mg and HCTZ 12.5/25 mg at 24 ± 2 weeks. Secondary objectives were blood pressure reduction, treatment compliance, and impact of physical activity as measured by the sum of weekly energy costs. Results The mean patient age was 63.2 ± 11.46 years, mean baseline blood pressure was 159.6 ± 15.28/93.5 ± 9.52 mmHg, and 70.9% had at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor. Adverse drug reactions were rare (n = 19), and no serious adverse drug reactions occurred. Compliance with drug therapy was at least sufficient in more than 99% of patients at the end of the study. Blood pressure at the last available visit was reduced by 26.1 ± 15.5/13.0 ± 10.1 mmHg versus baseline (P < 0.0001), but had reduced effectiveness in patients ≥75 years with diabetes or impaired renal function. In 69% of patients, blood pressure was normalized (<140/90 mmHg). No noteworthy differences in baseline characteristics or baseline blood pressure were found between patients with an activity level (sum of weekly energy costs) above or below the median of 9,460.6. A higher versus lower physical activity score had no impact on blood pressure reduction. Conclusion Our data confirm randomized trial data concerning safe and efficient blood pressure reduction using a fixed-dose combination of olmesartan 40 mg and HCTZ 12.5/25 mg in a large, unselected patient population, independent of physical activity level.
A framework for directional and higher-order reconstruction in photoacoustic tomography

Photoacoustic tomography is a hybrid imaging technique that combines high optical tissue contrast with high ultrasound resolution. Direct reconstruction methods such as filtered back-projection, time reversal and least squares suffer from curved line artefacts and blurring, especially in the case of limited angles or strong noise. In recent years, there has been great interest in regularised iterative methods. These methods employ prior knowledge of the image to provide higher quality reconstructions. However, easy comparisons between regularisers and their properties are limited, since many tomography implementations heavily rely on the specific regulariser chosen. To overcome this bottleneck, we present a modular reconstruction framework for photoacoustic tomography, which enables easy comparisons between regularisers with different properties, e.g. nonlinear, higher-order or directional. We solve the underlying minimisation problem with an efficient first-order primal-dual algorithm. Convergence rates are optimised by choosing an operator-dependent preconditioning strategy. A variety of reconstruction methods are tested on challenging 2D synthetic and experimental data sets. They outperform direct reconstruction approaches for strong noise levels and limited angle measurements, offering immediate benefits in terms of acquisition time and quality. This work provides a basic platform for the investigation of future advanced regularisation methods in photoacoustic tomography.
Nrf2 activation attenuates genetic endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by a mutation in the phosphomannomutase 2 gene in zebrafish

Significance Nrf2 is a master regulator of the antioxidant response and xenobiotic metabolism. In this paper, we demonstrate that Nrf2 also plays a critical role in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response using a zebrafish mutant in which Nrf2 is spontaneously activated. The gene responsible for this mutant was phosphomannomutase 2 (pmm2), the enzyme required for the N-glycosylation. Human PMM2 is known to be the gene responsible for PMM2-CDG (congenital disorders of glycosylation), which currently has no therapeutic options. pmm2 mutant larvae showed up-regulated ER stress and ER stress-dependent Nrf2 activation. Of note, the ER stress in mutant larvae was attenuated following treatment with the Nrf2 activator sulforaphane, suggesting that the pathological conditions of ER stress-associated diseases may be improved by taking Nrf2-activating foods. Nrf2 plays critical roles in animals’ defense against electrophiles and oxidative stress by orchestrating the induction of cytoprotective genes. We previously isolated the zebrafish mutant it768, which displays up-regulated expression of Nrf2 target genes in an uninduced state. In this paper, we determine that the gene responsible for it768 was the zebrafish homolog of phosphomannomutase 2 (Pmm2), which is a key enzyme in the initial steps of N-glycosylation, and its mutation in humans leads to PMM2-CDG (congenital disorders of glycosylation), the most frequent type of CDG. The pmm2it768 larvae exhibited mild defects in N-glycosylation, indicating that the pmm2it768 mutation is a hypomorph, as in human PMM2-CDG patients. A gene expression analysis showed that pmm2it768 larvae display up-regulation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, suggesting that the activation of Nrf2 was induced by the ER stress. Indeed, the treatment with the ER stress-inducing compounds up-regulated the gstp1 expression in an Nrf2-dependent manner. Furthermore, the up-regulation of gstp1 by the pmm2 inactivation was diminished by knocking down or out double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), one of the main ER stress sensors, suggesting that Nrf2 was activated in response to the ER stress via the PERK pathway. ER stress-induced activation of Nrf2 was reported previously, but the results have been controversial. Our present study clearly demonstrated that ER stress can indeed activate Nrf2 and this regulation is evolutionarily conserved among vertebrates. Moreover, ER stress induced in pmm2it768 mutants was ameliorated by the treatment of the Nrf2-activator sulforaphane, indicating that Nrf2 plays significant roles in the reduction of ER stress.
A Rare Case of Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis Caused by TSH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature

A 28-year-old man manifested thyrotoxicosis and periodic quadriplegia with hypokalemia. Further examination showed that he had inappropriate TSH secretion and a pituitary tumor. He was suspected as having thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) due to TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma. Therefore, transsphenoidal surgery was performed. The adenoma only stained positive for TSH. TPP is mostly associated with Basedow’s disease. Our case is rare and the 6th reported TPP case caused by TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma. Our results suggest that TPP is not caused by an autoimmune mechanism, but thyroid hormones instead. We review five other rare cases of TPP caused by TSHsecreting pituitary adenoma.