Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological characterization of chronic antibody‐mediated rejection in ABO‐identical or ABO‐compatible pediatric liver graft recipients

This study aims to define the morphological profile associated with the presence of donor‐specific antibodies (DSAs) and/or C4d immunostaining in ABO‐identical or compatible pediatric liver grafts. Ten‐year protocol liver graft biopsies performed at 131.3 ± 15.3 months after transplantation in 53 pediatric liver graft recipients were reviewed. Immunostaining for C4d was systematically performed and semiquantitatively analyzed. DSAs were concurrently quantified, and results were available for 44 patients. All biopsies demonstrated fibrotic changes with a mean liver allograft fibrosis score (LAFSc) of 5.1 ± 2.2. A total of 31 (58%) biopsies exhibited C4d positivity. DSAs were detected in 20 (45%) patients, and mean maximal mean fluorescence intensity was 12,977 ± 6731. LAFSc (6.3 ± 1.3 versus 3.9 ± 2.2; P = 0.008), perivenular fibrosis (2.7 ± 0.5 versus 1.3 ± 1.0; P < 0.001), and portal inflammation (1.4 ± 0.8 versus 0.3 ± 0.5; P = 0.009) were significantly higher in the double‐DSA and C4d‐positive group versus the double‐negative group. We defined a histological scoring system from these results, which was integrated with the 2016 Banff definition and allowed reclassifying patients for the diagnosis of chronic active antibody‐mediated rejection (cAMR; 11/53 versus 13/53). Diagnoses of probable cAMR according to Banff 2016 (n = 4) were unchanged, but 2 among the 9 patients classified as possible cAMR according to the 2016 Banff definition were excluded for this diagnostic when using our histological score. In conclusion, our results confirmed that perivenular fibrosis and portal inflammation in late pediatric liver graft biopsies are features of cAMR. Our histological score could improve the accuracy of the 2016 Banff definition for the diagnosis of cAMR. Liver Transplantation 24 897–907 2018 AASLD.
Leptomonas seymouri: Adaptations to the Dixenous Life Cycle Analyzed by Genome Sequencing, Transcriptome Profiling and Co-infection with Leishmania donovani

The co-infection cases involving dixenous Leishmania spp. (mostly of the L. donovani complex) and presumably monoxenous trypanosomatids in immunocompromised mammalian hosts including humans are well documented. The main opportunistic parasite has been identified as Leptomonas seymouri of the sub-family Leishmaniinae. The molecular mechanisms allowing a parasite of insects to withstand elevated temperature and substantially different conditions of vertebrate tissues are not understood. Here we demonstrate that L. seymouri is well adapted for the environment of the warm-blooded host. We sequenced the genome and compared the whole transcriptome profiles of this species cultivated at low and high temperatures (mimicking the vector and the vertebrate host, respectively) and identified genes and pathways differentially expressed under these experimental conditions. Moreover, Leptomonas seymouri was found to persist for several days in two species of Phlebotomus spp. implicated in Leishmania donovani transmission. Despite of all these adaptations, L. seymouri remains a predominantly monoxenous species not capable of infecting vertebrate cells under normal conditions.
Exploiting observers' judgements for nonverbal group interaction analysis

Incorporating annotators' knowledge into a machine-learning framework for detecting psychological traits using multimodal data is an open issue in human communication and social computing. We present a model that is designed to exploit the subjective judgements of multiple annotators on a social trait labeling task. Our two-stage model first estimates a ground truth by modeling the annotators using both the annotations and annotators' self-reported confidences. In the second stage, we train a classifier using the estimated ground truth as labels. We also define ways to verify the consistency of our model and validate it using annotations and nonverbal cues for a dominance estimation task in a group interaction scenario on the publicly available DOME corpus, in addition to synthetically generated data. Our models give satisfactory results, outperforming the commonly used majority voting as well as other approaches in the literature.
The Exocyst Protein Sec10 Interacts with Polycystin-2 and Knockdown Causes PKD-Phenotypes

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is characterized by formation of renal cysts that destroy the kidney. Mutations in PKD1 and PKD2, encoding polycystins-1 and -2, cause ADPKD. Polycystins are thought to function in primary cilia, but it is not well understood how these and other proteins are targeted to cilia. Here, we provide the first genetic and biochemical link between polycystins and the exocyst, a highly-conserved eight-protein membrane trafficking complex. We show that knockdown of exocyst component Sec10 yields cellular phenotypes associated with ADPKD, including loss of flow-generated calcium increases, hyperproliferation, and abnormal activation of MAPK. Sec10 knockdown in zebrafish phenocopies many aspects of polycystin-2 knockdown—including curly tail up, left-right patterning defects, glomerular expansion, and MAPK activation—suggesting that the exocyst is required for pkd2 function in vivo. We observe a synergistic genetic interaction between zebrafish sec10 and pkd2 for many of these cilia-related phenotypes. Importantly, we demonstrate a biochemical interaction between Sec10 and the ciliary proteins polycystin-2, IFT88, and IFT20 and co-localization of the exocyst and polycystin-2 at the primary cilium. Our work supports a model in which the exocyst is required for the ciliary localization of polycystin-2, thus allowing for polycystin-2 function in cellular processes.
Graphene transparent electrodes grown by rapid chemical vapor deposition with ultrathin indium tin oxide contact layers for GaN light emitting diodes

By virtue of the small active volume around Cu catalyst, graphene is synthesized by fast chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in a cold wall vertical system. Despite being highly polycrystalline, it is as conductive and transparent as standard graphene and can be used in light emitting diodes as transparent electrodes. 7-10 nm indium tin oxide (ITO) contact layer is inserted between the graphene and p-GaN to enhance hole injection. Devices with forward voltage and transparency comparable to those using traditional 240 nm ITO are achieved with better ultraviolet performances, hinting the promising future for application-oriented graphene by rapid CVD.
Plasma medicine: an introductory review

This introductory review on plasma health care is intended to provide the interested reader with a summary of the current status of this emerging field, its scope, and its broad interdisciplinary approach, ranging from plasma physics, chemistry and technology, to microbiology, biochemistry, biophysics, medicine and hygiene. Apart from the basic plasma processes and the restrictions and requirements set by international health standards, the review focuses on plasma interaction with prokaryotic cells (bacteria), eukaryotic cells (mammalian cells), cell membranes, DNA etc. In so doing, some of the unfamiliar terminology—an unavoidable by-product of interdisciplinary research—is covered and explained. Plasma health care may provide a fast and efficient new path for effective hospital (and other public buildings) hygiene—helping to prevent and contain diseases that are continuously gaining ground as resistance of pathogens to antibiotics grows. The delivery of medically active ‘substances’ at the molecular or ionic level is another exciting topic of research through effects on cell walls (permeabilization), cell excitation (paracrine action) and the introduction of reactive species into cell cytoplasm. Electric fields, charging of surfaces, current flows etc can also affect tissue in a controlled way. The field is young and hopes are high. It is fitting to cover the beginnings in New Journal of Physics, since it is the physics (and non-equilibrium chemistry) of room temperature atmospheric pressure plasmas that have made this development of plasma health care possible.
Building KCNQ 1 / KCNE 1 Channel Models and Probing their Interactions by Molecular-Dynamics Simulations

The slow delayed rectifier (IKs) channel is composed of KCNQ1 (pore-forming) and KCNE1 (auxiliary) subunits, and functions as a repolarization reserve in the human heart. Design of IKs-targeting anti-arrhythmic drugs requires detailed three-dimensional structures of the KCNQ1/KCNE1 complex, a task made possible by Kv channel crystal structures (templates for KCNQ1 homology-modeling) and KCNE1 NMR structures. Our goal was to build KCNQ1/KCNE1 models and extract mechanistic information about their interactions by molecular-dynamics simulations in an explicit lipid/solvent environment. We validated our models by confirming two sets of model-generated predictions that were independent from the spatial restraints used in model-building. Detailed analysis of the molecular-dynamics trajectories revealed previously unrecognized KCNQ1/KCNE1 interactions, whose relevance in IKs channel function was confirmed by voltageclamp experiments. Our models and analyses suggest three mechanisms by which KCNE1 slows KCNQ1 activation: by promoting S6 bending at the Pro hinge that closes the activation gate; by promoting a downward movement of gating charge on S4; and by establishing a network of electrostatic interactions with KCNQ1 on the extracellular surface that stabilizes the channel in a pre-open activated state. Our data also suggest how KCNE1 may affect the KCNQ1 pore conductance.
Green's functions in lossy layered media: integration along the imaginary axis and asymptotic behavior

This paper presents an efficient technique for evaluating Green's functions associated to layered media, when formulated as Sommerfeld integrals in the space domain. The key step in the formulation is that Sommerfeld integrals are computed choosing a suitable integration path which is closed through the imaginary axis of the complex spectral plane. It is shown that with this original choice of the integration contour, the numerical effort usually involved in the evaluation of Sommerfeld integrals can be greatly reduced, specially when large source-observer distances are involved. One asset of this technique is that it can be easily incorporated into integral equation based CAD packages for the efficient analysis of complex printed microwave circuit and antennas. In addition, the theoretical developments needed to set up the numerical algorithm throw a new light on the asymptotic behavior of the layered media Green's functions for large source-observer distances.
Determinants of Fruit, Vegetable, and Dairy Consumption in a Sample of Schoolchildren, Northern Serbia, 2012

Introduction Insufficient intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products among children is a serious nutrition-related concern. The aim of our study was to determine behavioral and environmental factors that influence fruit, vegetable, and dairy consumption among Serbian schoolchildren. Methods We used 24-hour recall to measure fruit, vegetable, and dairy intake of schoolchildren (N = 212) aged 8 to 11 years from 2 elementary schools in a local community in Serbia. We evaluated potential determinants of intake by using a 48-item questionnaire that asked about children’s behaviors, perceptions of others’ expectations and behaviors, reinforcement of children’s behaviors, and availability of fruits, vegetables, and dairy at home and school. Children completed written questionnaires during 1 school class under teacher supervision. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze determinants of fruit, vegetable, and dairy intake. Results Negative predictors of fruit intake were expectations from teacher and parents (P <.001) to eat fruit and availability of fruit in school. Vegetable intake was positively related to paternal modeling behavior (P <.001) and availability of vegetables at home (P = .04). Dairy intake was positively influenced by parental reinforcement (P = .03). Conclusion Various personal and environmental factors are associated with children’s intake of fruits, vegetables, and dairy. Interventions to promote fruit, vegetable, and dairy consumption in Serbian schoolchildren should focus on modeling and reinforcement by parents and teachers and increasing availability at school and at home.
The Relationship Between Social Capital and Self-Concept in Adolescents With Thalassemia Major

Background: Thalassemia is among the most common hematological diseases, but it has no definitive cure. The self-concept in adolescents with thalassemia major changes due to changes in their facial form. Among the factors affecting the patient’s self-concept is social capital. Objectives: The study aims to examine the relationship between social capital and self-concept in adolescents with thalassemia major, using a sample of patients admitted to Shafa hospital in Ahvaz, Iran in 2014. Patients and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 146 adolescents (age range, 13 - 18 years) with thalassemia major who were referred to the hemoglobinopathy ward of Shafa hospital in Ahvaz, Iran to receive blood. The sampling method was a census. Data collection was completed using the Onyx and Bullen social capital questionnaire and Piers Harris’s children’s self-concept scale. After obtaining the informed consent of the patients’ parents, questionnaires were handed to patients in different shifts and answered in the presence of the researcher. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics and analytical statistics (mean, std. deviation, and Pearson correlation) were carried out (CI 95%). Results: The mean and standard deviation of patients’ age was 1.76 ± 15.88. 53.4% were male. 58.7% of the sample had an average self-concept and 63.2% had average social capital. The mean score of the total sample’s self-concept was 11.50 ± 53.36, which is moderate. The average social capital of all adolescents with thalassemia major was 17.02 ± 87.38, i.e. in the mid-range. Among the aspects of self-concept, about 70% of participants had an average or poor appearance, attitude, and anxiety. For social trust, more than 90% of participants were average or weak and 75.2% had poor social participation. The dimensions of fame and popularity, appearance, and happiness all had maximal correlation with social capital (P = 0.0001). All aspects of social capital except for relations with neighbors and pioneering in social activities had a significant relationship with self-concept (P < 0.05). This study shows that a statistically significant relationship exists between social capital and self-concept (P = 0.001 and r = 0.280). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate a significant relationship between social capital and self-concept and its dimensions; therefore, self-concept can be increased in adolescent patients by promoting their social capital components.
Curcumin: an adjuvant therapeutic remedy for liver cancer

The molecular signalling pathways for hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatoblastoma have been extensively studied. The treatment of these highly vascular tumors mainly revolves around chemotherapy and surgery. Yet there is a high associated morbidity and mortality due to advanced stages, adverse effects owing to chemotherapy and recurrence. The role of Curcumin as an adjuvant remedy is explored in this article. Curcumin stimulates apoptosis of cancer cells, acts as anti-proliferative agent, has anti-angiogenic action, prevents tumor invasiveness and metastasis and prevents recurrence. It also has been proven to decrease the adverse effects of chemotherapeutic agents and has a synergistic anticancer action. It acts at the molecular level and affects the various metabolic pathways involved in tumorigenesis. It also promotes healing and has antiinflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-infective action. This natural phytocompounds has immense anti-cancer potential and holds future promise as an adjuvant remedy to treat liver cancer.
Correlation of Total Phenolic, Flavonoid and Carotenoid Content of Sesbania sesban (L. Merr) Leaves Extract with DPPH Scavenging Activties

Antioxidants are found in many plants and can neutralize free radicals. Sesbania sesban (L.)Merr is a plant that has been used empirically by Indonesian people and its proven have many pharmacologycal activity. The objectives of this research were to study antioxidant activity Sesbania sesban leaves extract using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method and correlation with its total phenolic, flavonoid and carotenoid content. Extraction was performed by reflux using different polarity solvent. The extracts were vaporated using rotary evaporator. Antioxidant activity was tested using DPPH assay. Determination of total phenolic, flavonoid and carotenoid content were performed by UV-visible spectrophotometry and its correlation with inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) DPPH scavenging activity were analyzed by Pearson’s method. Nhexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of Sesbania sesban leaves had IC50 DPPH  50 g/ml and it can be classified as very strong antioxidant. Ethanol extract of Sesbania sesban had the highest of total phenolic content (5.18 g GAE/100 g) and highest total flavonoid content (4.56 g QE/100 g), while the highest total carotenoid content (4.56 g BE/100 g) was given by n-hexane extract. Total phenolic content in Sesbania sesban leaves extracts had significant and negative correlation with their IC50 DPPH scavenging activities. Phenolic compounds in Sesbania sesban leaves extracts were contributor major in its antioxidant activities by DPPH method.
Influence of lowland forests on subsurface salt accumulation in shallow groundwater areas

In flat sedimentary plains in areas with a sub-humid climate, as a result of deep rooting and high water uptake of trees, groundwater levels drop and subsurface salt accumulation increases under tree plantations. Tree planting has expanded globally and its effects were studied in the Great Hungarian Plain where forests are planted in a region with widespread shallow groundwater. Accumulated tree biomass was positively correlated with soil salinization rates following tree planting, being also affected by species (poplar > common oak > black locust) and stand age. Differences among tree species effects appeared to be related to their growth rates.
Suspect breast lesions: findings at dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging correlated with mammographic and pathologic features.

PURPOSE To prospectively correlate dynamic contrast enhancement at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with mammographic and pathologic features of suspect breast lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-nine patients with 51 breast lesions underwent gadolinium-enhanced spoiled gradient-recalled echo (SPGR) MR imaging at 1.5 T, as well as excisional biopsy or cyst aspiration. RESULTS Twenty-two of 22 (100%) invasive carcinomas 8 mm or more in diameter, including three (12%) not evident on dense mammograms, enhanced 2.0 or more times the unenhanced intensity. One of three predominantly ductal carcinomas in situ and 10 of 26 (38%) benign lesions enhanced 2.0 or more times. Time-intensity curves were not statistically significantly different among enhancing carcinomas, fibroadenomas, or other benign lesions and showed no statistically significant correlations with pathologic size, nodal status, or hormone receptor status of invasive carcinomas. CONCLUSION MR imaging enhancement of 2.0 or more times had high sensitivity (100%) for invasive carcinomas 8 mm or more in diameter, with moderate specificity (65%). Time-intensity curves showed no significant difference between enhancement of benign and malignant lesions.
Variation in growth of Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings and energetic impacts on their host parents

I tested several hypotheses about the plasticity of avian growth by comparing growth of Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings in 20 different host species. Growth of cowbird nestlings was not strongly correlated with host adult mass and nearly all hosts were able to provision cowbirds with enough food to grow at nearly the highest observed rate. Cowbird growth was positively correlated with site latitude (which negatively covaried with maximum temperature) and negatively correlated with the nestling period of the host species. The metabolizable energy expenditure of cowbird and host nestlings was estimated as an approximate measure of the food provisioned by parents. As host adult mass varied from 6 to 113 g, one cowbird nestling was equivalent to 3.4-0.56 host nestlings in terms of peak daily energy intake. Cowbird nestlings impose a substantial energetic demand on smaller host parents that may reduce their future survival or fecundity. The quantity of energy delivered to parasitized nests demonstrates that parents are often willing to provision nests at a much higher rate than for an average clutch of their own young.
Applications of quartz tuning forks in spectroscopic gas sensing

A recently introduced approach to photoacoustic detection of trace gases utilizing a quartz tuning fork (TF) as a resonant acoustic transducer is described in detail. Advantages of the technique called quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) compared to conventional resonant photoacoustic spectroscopy include QEPAS sensor immunity to environmental acoustic noise, a simple absorption detection module design, and its capability to analyze gas samples ∼1mm3 in volume. Noise sources and the TF properties as a function of the sampled gas pressure, temperature and chemical composition are analyzed. Previously published results for QEPAS based chemical gas sensing are summarized. The achieved sensitivity of 5.4×10−9cm−1W∕√Hz is compared to recent published results of photoacoustic gas sensing by other research groups. An experimental study of the long-term stability of a QEPAS-based ammonia sensor is presented. The results of this study indicate that the sensor exhibits very low drift, which allows da.
Therapeutic Potential of Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Modulating Astroglyosis of Surgical Induced Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) unsuccessful regeneration was due to glial scar development. It was a major obstacle to axonal restoration. Safe therapeutic intervention by the use of bone marrow derived stem cells (BMMSCs) transplantation applied in the present study could reduce spinal disability. Material and methods: Forty male albino rats were divided into four groups: GI: negative control (n = 10 rats); GII: positive control after SCI (n = 10 rats); GIII: SCI + BM － MSCs intravenous injected and GIV: SCI + BM － MSCs intra lesion injected (n = 10 rats in each group). The samples were taken from spinal cord tissues around the region of injury and were subjected to histological, immunohistochemical assessment. RNA extraction and real time PCR for detection of nerve regeneration and astrocyte response to the injury were also performed. Results: Clinical improvement occurred by the enhancement in the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) score after SCI. Histological examinations showed positive regenerative responses in GIV compared to GIII. Conclusion: BM-MSCs transplantation has a promising role in enhancing the microenvironment for nerve regeneration through stumbling the glial scaring formation and inflammatory response after chronic spinal cord injury especially by using intra-lesion route injection.