Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of novel graphdiyne-based materials with large second-order nonlinear optical properties

In this study, we designed a series of new alkali metal-adsorbed graphdiyne (GDY) structures (denoted as AM3@GDY (AM = Li, Na, K)) with an intramolecular electron donor–acceptor framework using density functional theory calculations. It is found that the three alkali metals are energetically preferred to be adsorbed on the three hollows of the largely delocalized π-conjugated GDY surface, while the adsorption of alkali metals largely affects the electronic properties of the complexes, and reduces the vertical ionization potentials. More interestingly, the doping of alkali metal atoms dramatically enhances the static first hyperpolarizabilities (βtot) of AM3@GDY, of which the K3@GDY cluster possesses a remarkably giant βtot value of ∼1.61 × 105 a.u. , which is enough for it to exhibit strong nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior. These findings may provide new insights into the design of novel graphdiyne-based NLO materials and promote further potential applications in optoelectronic nanodevices.
Semiarid Watershed Response to Low-Tech Porous Rock Check Dams

Abstract Rock check dams are used throughout the world to mitigate erosion problems on degraded lands. Many restoration efforts on rangelands in the southwestern United States incorporate such structures; however, their impact on watershed response and channel morphology is not well quantified. In 2008, 37 porous rock structures were built on two small (4.0 and 3.1 ha) instrumented watersheds on an alluvial fan at the base of the Santa Rita Mountains in southern Arizona. Thirty-five years of historical rainfall, runoff, and sediment data are available to compare with 7 years of data collected after check dam construction. In addition, postconstruction measurements of channel geometry and longitudinal channel profiles were compared with preconstruction measurements. The primary impact of the check dams was retention of channel sediment and reduction in channel gradient; however, response varied between the proximal watersheds, with 80% of the check dams on one of the watersheds filled to 100% of their capacity after seven runoff seasons. Precipitation runoff ratios changed after construction, but the change was not persistent after check dams filled to capacity. The contrasting watershed experiences lower sediment yields, and only 20% of the check dams on this watershed was filled to capacity. Within the watersheds, the mean gradient of the channel reach immediately upstream of the structures has been reduced by 35% (from 0.061 to 0.039) and 34% (from 0.071 to 0.047).
Expression of Dominant-Negative Thyroid Hormone Receptor Alpha1 in Leydig and Sertoli Cells Demonstrates No Additional Defect Compared with Expression in Sertoli Cells Only

Background In the testis, thyroid hormone (T3) regulates the number of gametes produced through its action on Sertoli cell proliferation. However, the role of T3 in the regulation of steroidogenesis is still controversial. Methods The TRαAMI knock-in allele allows the generation of transgenic mice expressing a dominant-negative TRα1 (thyroid receptor α1) isoform restricted to specific target cells after Cre-loxP recombination. Here, we introduced this mutant allele in both Sertoli and Leydig cells using a novel aromatase-iCre (ARO-iCre) line that expresses Cre recombinase under control of the human Cyp19(IIa)/aromatase promoter. Findings We showed that loxP recombination induced by this ARO-iCre is restricted to male and female gonads, and is effective in Sertoli and Leydig cells, but not in germ cells. We compared this model with the previous introduction of TRαAMI specifically in Sertoli cells in order to investigate T3 regulation of steroidogenesis. We demonstrated that TRαAMI-ARO males exhibited increased testis weight, increased sperm reserve in adulthood correlated to an increased proliferative index at P3 in vivo, and a loss of T3-response in vitro. Nevertheless, TRαAMI-ARO males showed normal fertility. This phenotype is similar to TRαAMI-SC males. Importantly, plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels, as well as mRNA levels of steroidogenesis enzymes StAR, Cyp11a1 and Cyp17a1 were not affected in TRαAMI-ARO. Conclusions/Significance We concluded that the presence of a mutant TRαAMI allele in both Leydig and Sertoli cells does not accentuate the phenotype in comparison with its presence in Sertoli cells only. This suggests that direct T3 regulation of steroidogenesis through TRα1 is moderate in Leydig cells, and that Sertoli cells are the main target of T3 action in the testis.
On Persistent Poverty in a Rich Country

We examine differences in income within the United States, and the regions of persistent poverty that have arisen, using a newly assembled county-level data set linking 19th century Census data with contemporary data. We identify the roles of current differences in aggregate production technologies and factor endowments, together with contributions of historical institutions, culture, geography, and human capital. We allow for possible cross-county factor mobility via a correlated random effects GMM estimator and find evidence of significant regional differences in production technologies. Our decompositions of the poor/nonpoor income gap suggest that at least three-fourths of the gap is explained by differences in productive factors. Persistently poor counties are different (and poorer) primarily because they have lower levels of factors of production, not because they use the factors they have less efficiently. Together, historical and contemporary human capital explain over half of the overall income gap between persistently poor and nonpoor counties.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment

Importance Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is relatively common, with the prevalence of 0.05% to 4.10%, yet many patients receive inadequate treatment. Objective To review the diagnosis, epidemiology, and treatment of HS with an emphasis on advances in the last 5 years. Evidence Review A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE (Medical Subject Headings [MeSH]), and EMBASE to include recently published treatment studies (searched from September 1, 2011, to May 1, 2017). Reviews, guidelines, conference abstracts, and studies with less than 10 patients were excluded. Furthermore, internet searches for guidelines on hidradenitis suppurativa using Baidu, Bing, Google, and Qwant browsers were performed. Findings The diagnosis of HS is made by lesion morphology (nodules, abscesses, tunnels, and scars), location (axillae, inframammary folds, groin, perigenital, or perineal), and lesion progression (2 recurrences within 6 months or chronic or persistent lesions for ≥3 months). HS is more common than was previously thought based on epidemiological analysis (0.05%-4.10%). Disability from HS can be significant. Patients with HS may have significant comorbidities (eg, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and arthritis) and increased all-cause mortality (incidence rate ratio, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.15-1.59]). Antibiotic treatment with combinations of clindamycin and rifampicin, or ertapenem followed by combination rifampicin, moxifloxacin, and metronidazole for 6 months is effective. Adalimumab is effective in a significant proportion of patients and treatment with IL-1 and IL-12 receptor subunit beta 1 (Rb1) antibodies may also be useful. Tissue-sparing surgical techniques and carbon dioxide laser treatments also are available, but the evidence on clinical outcomes with these approaches is limited. Conclusions and Relevance Hidradenitis suppurativa is more common than previously thought and may be treated by an array of pharmacological and surgical techniques. Hidradenitis suppurativa should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nodular lesions or sinus tracts present in the axillae, groin, perineal, and mammillary fold regions.
Colorectal cancer patients’ preferences for type of caregiver during survivorship care

Abstract Purpose: Colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors are currently included in a secondary care-led survivorship care programme. Efforts are underway to transfer this survivorship care to primary care, but met with some reluctance by patients and caregivers. This study assesses (1) what caregiver patients prefer to contact for symptoms during survivorship care, (2) what patient factors are associated with a preferred caregiver, and (3) whether the type of symptom is associated with a preferred caregiver. Methods: A cross-sectional study of CRC survivors at different time points. For 14 different symptoms, patients reported if they would consult a caregiver, and who they would contact if so. Patient and disease characteristics were retrieved from hospital and general practice records. Results: Two hundred and sixty patients participated (response rate 54%) of whom the average age was 67, 54% were male. The median time after surgery was seven months (range 0–60 months). Patients were divided fairly evenly between tumour stages 1–3, 33% had received chemotherapy. Men, patients older than 65 years, and patients with chronic comorbid conditions preferred to consult their general practitioner (GP). Women, patients with stage 3 disease, and patients that had received chemotherapy preferred to consult their secondary care provider. For all symptoms, patients were more likely to consult their GP, except for (1) rectal blood loss, (2) weight loss, and (3) fear that cancer had recurred, in which case they would consult both their primary and secondary care providers. Patients appreciated all caregivers involved in survivorship care highly; with 8 out of 10 points. Conclusions: CRC survivors frequently consult their GP in the current situation, and for symptoms that could alarm them to a possible recurrent disease consult both their GP and secondary care provider. Patient and tumour characteristics influence patients’ preferred caregiver.
Muscle Activation and Inertial Motion Data for Noninvasive Classification of Activities of Daily Living

<italic>Objective:</italic> Remote monitoring of physical activity using body-worn sensors provides an objective alternative to current functional assessment tools. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of classifying categories of activities of daily living from the functional arm activity behavioral observation system (FAABOS) using muscle activation and motion data. <italic>Methods:</italic> Ten nondisabled, healthy adults were fitted with a Myo armband on the upper forearm. This multimodal commercial sensor device features surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors, an accelerometer, and a rate gyroscope. Participants performed 17 different activities of daily living, which belonged to one of four functional groups according to the FAABOS. Signal magnitude area (SMA) and mean values were extracted from the acceleration and angular rate of change data; root mean square (RMS) was computed for the sEMG data. A <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k-$</tex-math></inline-formula> nearest neighbors machine learning algorithm was then applied to predict the FAABOS task category using these raw data as inputs. <italic>Results:</italic> Mean acceleration, SMA of acceleration, mean angular rate of change, and RMS of sEMG were significantly different across the four FAABOS categories (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $p<0.001$</tex-math></inline-formula> in all cases). A classifier using mean acceleration, mean angular rate of change, and sEMG data was able to predict task category with 89.2% accuracy. <italic>Conclusion:</italic> The results demonstrate the feasibility of using a combination of sEMG and motion data to noninvasively classify types of activities of daily living. <italic>Significance:</italic> This approach may be useful for quantifying daily activity performance in ambient settings as a more ecologically valid measure of function in healthy and disease-affected individuals.
Circuit parameters extraction algorithm for a lithium-ion battery charging system incorporated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

In recent years, battery chargers are not only capable of charging a battery, but also can measure the internal impedance spectrum of a battery in real-time. Measured battery impedance represents electrochemical characteristics, which are used to analyze the internal conditions of a battery and can be represented by a circuit model. This paper presents an equivalent circuit parameter extraction algorithm based on the impedance spectrum measurement of a battery. The proposed algorithm is designed using the Nyquist theory and is applicable to lithium ion batteries specifically. The circuit simulation, ac perturbation, and parameter extraction are processed with the measured circuit parameters, which are obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test of a 1000mAh Li-ion battery. It shows 0. 0216mΩ difference for Ohmic resistance extraction based on the proposed simulation results and the selected parameters from experiment. The presented algorithm could be applicable to the battery charger, which is capable of obtaining on-line electrochemical impedance spectrum. The algorithm could be useful for a battery management system as well.
Use of a Piglet Model for the Study of Anesthetic-induced Developmental Neurotoxicity (AIDN): A Translational Neuroscience Approach

Anesthesia cannot be avoided in many cases when surgery is required, particularly in children. Recent investigations in animals have raised concerns that anesthesia exposure may lead to neuronal apoptosis, known as anesthesia-induced developmental neurotoxicity (AIDN). Furthermore, some clinical studies in children have suggested that anesthesia exposure may lead to neurodevelopmental deficits later in life. Nonetheless, an ideal animal model for preclinical study has yet to be developed. The neonatal piglet represents a valuable model for preclinical study, as they share a striking number of developmental similarities with humans. The anatomy and physiology of piglets allow for implementation of rigorous human perioperative conditions in both survival and non-survival procedures. Femoral artery catheterization allows for close monitoring, thus enabling prompt correction of any deviation of the piglet's vital signs and chemistries. In addition, there are multiple developmental similarities between piglets and human neonates. The techniques required to use piglets for experimentation will require experience to master. A pediatric anesthesiologist is a critical member of the investigative team. We describe, in a general sense, the appropriate use of a piglet model for neurodevelopmental study.
Toughening linear low-density polyethylene with halloysite nanotubes

Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)-based composites were prepared through melt compounding and hot pressing using both untreated and treated halloysite nanotubes (HNT) up to filler contents of 8 wt% to assess the role of the filler exfoliation and surface treatment on the thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties of the resulting composites. The addition of treated nanoparticles resulted in a better dispersion of the filler within the matrix, as confirmed by observations conducted at scanning and transmission electron microscopies. A decrease in both complex viscosity and shear storage modulus was recorded for all LLDPE-HNT nanocomposites in the molten state. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis evidenced that HNT addition produced an increase of the crystallization peak temperature, while thermogravimetric analysis showed a remarkable improvement of the thermal stability with the nanofiller content. The addition of treated HNT nanoparticles induced better improvements in elastic modulus and tensile properties at break without significant loss in ductility. The fracture toughness, evaluated by the essential work of fracture approach, showed remarkable improvements (up to a factor of 2) with addition of treated HNT. Conversely, incorporation of untreated HNT produced an adverse effect on the fracture toughness when considering the nanocomposite filled with 8 wt% HNT. Both creep tests and dynamic mechanical analyses showed an overall enhancement of the viscoelastic properties due to addition of HNT, revealing higher improvements in nanocomposites added with treated HNT. POLYM. COMPOS. , 36:869–883, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Blind Interference Alignment for the $K$ -User MISO BC Under Limited Symbol Extension

In this paper, we study the achievable degrees of freedom (DoFs) for <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-user multiple-input single-output broadcast channel (BC) in the absence of channel state information at the transmitter under the finite channel coherent time. For the considered <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K$</tex-math></inline-formula>-user BC, a transmitter is equipped with multiple conventional antennas, and receivers are equipped with a reconfigurable antenna that is capable of dynamically modifying the receiving beam radiation pattern. In this system, we propose a blind interference alignment scheme that is able to allocate an asymmetric number of information symbols to each user, which is essentially required to improve DoFs under limited symbol extension. A generalized systematic construction method of transmit beamforming vectors and receiving mode selection patterns to deal with such asymmetric allocation is established. As a consequence, for a broad class of network configurations and symbol extension constraints, the proposed scheme attains an improved sum DoF compared to the previous works, allowing only for the same number of information symbols for all users.
Frankenstein: Learning Deep Face Representations Using Small Data

Deep convolutional neural networks have recently proven extremely effective for difficult face recognition problems in uncontrolled settings. To train such networks, very large training sets are needed with millions of labeled images. For some applications, such as near-infrared (NIR) face recognition, such large training data sets are not publicly available and difficult to collect. In this paper, we propose a method to generate very large training data sets of synthetic images by compositing real face images in a given data set. We show that this method enables to learn models from as few as 10 000 training images, which perform on par with models trained from 500 000 images. Using our approach, we also obtain state-of-the-art results on the CASIA NIR-VIS2.0 heterogeneous face recognition data set.
Update of Antitubercular Prodrugs from a Molecular Perspective: Mechanisms of Action, Bioactivation Pathways, and Associated Resistance

The place of prodrugs in the current antitubercular therapeutic arsenal is preponderant, since two of the four first‐line antitubercular agents, isoniazid (INH) and pyrazinamide (PZA), need to be activated by Mycobacterium tuberculosis before exerting their activity. In addition, six other prodrugs can be found in the second‐ and third‐line therapeutic regimens. The emergence of mycobacterial strains resistant to one or several antitubercular agents is one of the main issues of the antitubercular therapy. In the case of prodrugs, the resistance phenomenon is often related to a mutation in the gene encoding for the activation enzymes, resulting thus in a default of these enzymes that are no more able to activate prodrugs. Consequently, identification of the prodrugs targets and a better understanding of their modes of action and also of their activation mechanisms are of crucial importance. Related to their molecular mechanism of activation, these prodrugs may thus be classified in four categories: activation via oxidation (catalase–peroxidase (KatG) or flavin monooxygenase (EthA) enzymes), condensation (FolP1 and FolC), hydrolysis (by the amidase PncA) and reduction (by the nitroreductase DnD) mechanisms. For each prodrug, these mechanisms are described in details, as well as the mechanism of action of its active metabolite. Finally, the reported resistance related to these mechanisms of activation/action are also addressed in a molecular perspective.
Follow-up care for breast cancer survivors: improving patient outcomes

Background Appropriate follow-up care is important for improving health outcomes in breast cancer survivors (BCSs) and requires determination of the optimum intensity of clinical examination and surveillance, assessment of models of follow-up care such as primary care-based follow-up, an understanding of the goals of follow-up care, and unique psychosocial aspects of care for these patients. The objective of this systematic review was to identify studies focusing on follow-up care in BCSs from the patient’s and physician’s perspective or from patterns of care and to integrate primary empirical evidence on the different aspects of follow-up care from these studies. Methods A comprehensive literature review and evaluation was conducted for all relevant publications in English from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2013 using electronic databases. Studies were included in the final review if they focused on BCS’s preferences and perceptions, physician’s perceptions, patterns of care, and effectiveness of follow-up care. Results A total of 47 studies assessing the different aspects of follow-up care were included in the review, with a majority of studies (n=13) evaluating the pattern of follow-up care in BCSs, followed by studies focusing on BCS’s perceptions (n=9) and preferences (n=9). Most of the studies reported variations in recommended frequency, duration, and intensity of follow-up care as well as frequency of mammogram screening. In addition, variations were noted in patient preferences for type of health care provider (specialist versus non-specialist). Further, BCSs perceived a lack of psychosocial support and information for management of side effects. Conclusion The studies reviewed, conducted in a range of settings, reflect variations in different aspects of follow-up care. Further, this review also provides useful insight into the unique concerns and needs of BCSs for follow-up care. Thus, clinicians and decision-makers need to understand BCS’s preferences in providing appropriate follow-up care tailored specifically for each patient.
Gut Microbial Changes, Interactions, and Their Implications on Human Lifecycle: An Ageing Perspective

Gut microbiota is established during birth and evolves with age, mostly maintaining the commensal relationship with the host. A growing body of clinical evidence suggests an intricate relationship between the gut microbiota and the immune system. With ageing, the gut microbiota develops significant imbalances in the major phyla such as the anaerobic Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes as well as a diverse range of facultative organisms, resulting in impaired immune responses. Antimicrobial therapy is commonly used for the treatment of infections; however, this may also result in the loss of normal gut flora. Advanced age, antibiotic use, underlying diseases, infections, hormonal differences, circadian rhythm, and malnutrition, either alone or in combination, contribute to the problem. This nonbeneficial gastrointestinal modulation may be reversed by judicious and controlled use of antibiotics and the appropriate use of prebiotics and probiotics. In certain persistent, recurrent settings, the option of faecal microbiota transplantation can be explored. The aim of the current review is to focus on the establishment and alteration of gut microbiota, with ageing. The review also discusses the potential role of gut microbiota in regulating the immune system, together with its function in healthy and diseased state.