Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in 2D monolayer and scalable 3D suspension bioreactor cultures with reduced batch-to-batch variations

Human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are promising candidates to treat myocardial infarction and other cardiac diseases. Such treatments require pure cardiomyocytes (CMs) in large quantities. Methods: In the present study we describe an improved protocol for production of hiPSC-CMs in which hiPSCs are first converted into mesodermal cells by stimulation of wingless (Wnt) signaling using CHIR99021, which are then further differentiated into CM progenitors by simultaneous inhibition of porcupine and tankyrase pathways using IWP2 and XAV939 under continuous supplementation of ascorbate during the entire differentiation procedure. Results: The protocol resulted in reproducible generation of >90% cardiac troponin T (TNNT2)-positive cells containing highly organized sarcomeres. In 2D monolayer cultures CM yields amounted to 0.5 million cells per cm2 growth area, and on average 72 million cells per 100 mL bioreactor suspension culture without continuous perfusion. The differentiation efficiency was hardly affected by the initial seeding density of undifferentiated hiPSCs. Furthermore, batch-to-batch variations were reduced by combinatorial use of ascorbate, IWP2, and XAV939. Conclusion: Combined inhibition of porcupine and tankyrase sub-pathways of Wnt signaling and continuous ascorbate supplementation, enable robust and efficient production of hiPSC-CMs.
Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and carotid media‐intima thickness: A systematic review and a meta‐analysis

The relationship between cardiovascular disorders and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been extensively studied. To better pool this data and make a more definite conclusion, we performed a meta‐analysis to evaluate the association between NAFLD and the thickness of media and intima of carotid artery (CIMT) and cardiovascular disorders.
Regionalisation of rainfall erosivity in northern Algeria

The risk of erosion and desertification is a major problem in the Mediterranean region in general and Algeria in particular. Algeria has a known downward trend of very high rainfall since 1975, especially in the Central and Western regions. In this work, the spatial pattern and temporal trend of the modified Fournier index (MFI) are investigated. Also, it is aimed to answer the question of whether a change has occurred or not in the concentration of rainfall using the precipitation concentration index (PCI). A total of 117 rainfall stations are used to determine these two indices as well as the development of a formula for calculating MFI based on annual rainfall. For mapping the modified Fournier index, 273 stations are used. The results show no change in the seasonal distribution of rainfall. However, a downward trend of about 30% of MFI is present in the Central and Western regions. The eastern regions of the North Algeria have not experienced this decline. The spatial variability shows that the MFI value increases from the west to east and from the south to north.
Soil properties influencing surface sealing of some sandy soils in the Sahel

Degraded Sahelian Alfisols are prone to sealing because of low soil organic matter content and exposure of finer textured subsoil attributable to erosion. We characterized the occurrence of surface seals on a watershed in Niger and related spatial distribution and structure of surface seals to selected soil properties. Study sites were located on six soil series of the Hamdallaye watershed (500 ha), with soil textures ranging from sandy loam to sand, classified as Psammentic Kandiustalf and Petroferric Kanhaplustult. All seals sampled in the watershed were structural seals and were morphologically similar, with a 0.1 to 1.0 mm thick continuous plasmic clay layer within 4 mm of the surface. Clay content averaged 12.1% in the crust samples (0-3 mm depth), which was five times greater than the clay content of unsealed sites at 0-50 mm depth (2.5%). Sand content was significantly lower in the sealed than in the unsealed 0 to 50-mm soil layer. Of the 12 sites sampled in the Hamdallaye watershed, all those with more than 5% clay at 0-50 mm depth were sealed, whereas all sites with less than 5% clay were unsealed. pH values of sealed sites were 1.3 units lower than those of unsealed sites and were similar to those ofthe subsoil. Organic C contents of sealed sites and were low (1-2 g kg -1 ) at 0-50 mm depth and slightly higher at unsealed sites. Sealed sites had greater drystable and greater wet-stable aggregation than unsealed sites because of higher clay content; however, aggregation was too weak to withstand raindrop impact. Extractable Fe and Al contents of the six soil series were related to clay content, which was likely the controlling factor of seal formation. With simulated rainfall of 90 mm h -1 , the same six soils formed a seal during the initial 30-minute rainfall event in most cases, with no change in layer thickness thereafter. Soil with more than 15% (silt+clay) content formed a 2-layer structural seal, whereas coarser textured soils developed 4-layer structural seals. Seal structure of intact field samples and rainfall simulator-prepared samples differed in that many field samples did not have characteristic layers above the clay accumulation layer, which was attributed to erosion.
Adrenal Incidentaloma : Picking out the High-Risk Patients

The clinical relevance of autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) in pa­ tients with adrenal incidentalomas has been widely recognized in the last years. This condition has usually been defined in patients with alteration of hormonal values, including a combination of ele­ vated cortisol after dexamethasone suppression test, reduced ACTH, or high urinary free cortisol or late­night cortisol, in the ab­ sence of a clear phenotype of Cushing’s syndrome. Until 2016, different diagnostic criteria have been used in several studies pub­ lished in the last 20 years, generating difficulties in the interpreta­ tion of the co­morbidities associated with mild hypercortisolism [1]. Eventually, the recent guidelines published in 2016 have clarified several aspects of diagnosis and management of patients with ad­ renal incidentalomas and ACS, pointing toward the central role of dexamethasone suppression test (DST) as a diagnostic tool [1]. ACS is defined by cortisol levels after DST > 1.8 μg/dL (possible) or > 5 μg/dL (confirmed) in patients with adrenal incidentalomas with­ out catabolic signs of Cushing’s syndrome. Several studies have clearly shown that a mild and persistent cortisol hypersecretion is associated with harmful clinical consequences. However, several uncertainties remain on the identification of patient at elevated risk who may benefit from targeted treatments. The aim of this re­ view is to evaluate the current evidence on the main clinically­rel­ Di Dalmazi Guido. Adrenal Incidentaloma: Picking out . Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2018; 00: 00–00 Adrenal Incidentaloma: Picking out the High-Risk Patients
The future of world religions: population growth projections, 2010-2015

Environmental effects of reactive nitrogen (Nr) are a result of intense anthropogenic activities.1 Thy are evident in different parts of the world. Proper treatment is, inter alia, a scale issue. With individual countries in mostof Europe too small for comprehensive coverage of all effects, regulation of pollution in Europe co-emerged with political inegration in general. In this article, we describe the most important frameworks of international regulation in Europe. We als discuss the interaction of such institutional setting with the scientific initiatives at the samelevel, and finaly assess how scientific results have been fed with some success into strategies to mitigate pollution levels.
Petrogenesis of rare-metal pegmatites in high-grade metamorphic terranes: A case study from the Lewisian Gneiss Complex of north-west Scotland

Abstract Many rare metals used today are derived from granitic pegmatites, but debate continues about the origin of these rocks. It is clear that some pegmatites represent the most highly fractionated products of a parental granite body, whilst others have formed by anatexis of local crust. However, the importance of these two processes in the formation of rare-metal pegmatites is not always evident. The Lewisian Gneiss Complex of NW Scotland comprises Archaean meta-igneous gneisses which were highly reworked during accretional and collisional events in the Palaeoproterozoic (Laxfordian orogeny). Crustal thickening and subsequent decompression led to melting and the formation of abundant granitic and pegmatitic sheets in many parts of the Lewisian Gneiss Complex. This paper presents new petrological, geochemical and age data for those pegmatites and shows that, whilst the majority are barren biotite–magnetite granitic pegmatites, a few muscovite–garnet (rare-metal) pegmatites are present. These are mainly intruded into a belt of Palaeoproterozoic metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks known as the Harris Granulite Belt. The rare-metal pegmatites are distinct in their mineralogy, containing garnet and muscovite, with local tourmaline and a range of accessory minerals including columbite and tantalite. In contrast, the biotite–magnetite pegmatites have biotite and magnetite as their main mafic components. The rare-metal pegmatites are also distinguished by their bulk-rock and mineral chemistry, including a more peraluminous character and enrichments in Rb, Li, Cs, Be, Nb and Ta. New U–Pb ages (c. 1690–1710 Ma) suggest that these rare-metal pegmatites are within the age range of nearby biotite–magnetite pegmatites, indicating that similar genetic processes could have been responsible for their formation. The peraluminous nature of the rare-metal pegmatites strongly points towards a metasedimentary source. Notably, within the Lewisian Gneiss Complex, such pegmatites are only found in areas where a metasedimentary source is available. The evidence thus points towards all the Laxfordian pegmatites being formed by a process of crustal anatexis, with the formation of rare-metal pegmatites being largely controlled by source composition rather than solely by genetic process. This is in keeping with previous studies that have also challenged the widely accepted model that all rare-metal pegmatites are formed by fractionation from a parental granite, and raises questions about the origin of other mineralised pegmatites worldwide.
Title: Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide–gated 2 (HCN2) ion channels drive pain in mouse models of diabetic neuropathy

Citing this paper Please note that where the full-text provided on King's Research Portal is the Author Accepted Manuscript or Post-Print version this may differ from the final Published version. If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination, volume/issue, and date of publication details. And where the final published version is provided on the Research Portal, if citing you are again advised to check the publisher's website for any subsequent corrections.
Nonlinear Control Systems

Abstract : The principal goal of this three years research effort was to enhance the research base which would support efforts to systematically control, or take advantage of, dominant nonlinear or distributed parameter effects in the evolution of complex dynamical systems. Such an enhancement is intended to support the development of flight controllers for increasing the high angle of attack or high agility capabilities of existing and future generations of aircraft and missiles. The principal investigating team has succeeded in the development of a systematic methodology for designing feedback control laws solving the problems of asymptotic tracking and disturbance rejection for nonlinear systems with unknown, or uncertain, real parameters. Another successful research project was the development of a systematic feedback design theory for solving the problems of asymptotic tracking and disturbance rejection for linear distributed parameter systems. The technical details which needed to be overcome are discussed more fully in this final report.
A new Late Miocene to Pleistocene palynomorph zonation for the western offshore Niger Delta

Existing biozonation schemes for the Niger Delta are mainly qualitative with zonal intervals too large to record subtle events. This has made it necessary to look for additional palynological events to enable recognition of shorter, more refined interval zones to improve stratigraphical definition. Hitherto unrecognised occurrence trends of palynomorphs were discovered and used to construct a new zonation scheme that can be applied in the offshore delta area. Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene sediments have been divided into five principal assemblage zones: FF1, Anthoceros abundance zone; FF2, Elaeis guineensis—Echiperiporites icacinoides zone; FF3, Lycopodium—Retibrevitricolporites obodoensis/protrudens zone; FF4, Cyperaceae abundance zone; and FF5, Echitriletes pliocenicus—Podocarpus milanjianus zone. The zones are further subdivided into 16 sub-zones based on quantitative events with some having finer subdivisions into (a) and (b). Examples of the zonations applied to three exploration wells from the western delta region are provided.
THE IMPACT OF DOUBLE LAYERS ON ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN THE SOLAR CORONA

Title of dissertation: THE IMPACT OF DOUBLE LAYERS ON ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN THE SOLAR CORONA Tak Chu Li, Doctor of Philosophy, 2013 Dissertation directed by: Professor James F. Drake Department of Physics The problem of flare-heated electron transport from the corona to the chromosphere is crucial to understanding energy release in solar flares. Observations of coronal X-ray emissions suggested two opposite scenarios: free propagation and confinement of energetic electrons. Confinement is implied in the unexplained prolonged lifetime of the electrons compared to their transit time across the source region. Theoretical modeling of electron transport in solar flares has invoked anomalous resistivity resulting in anomalous conduction. However, there has been no clear evidence for anomalous conduction in numerical simulations. We explore the mechanisms of energetic electron transport in the solar corona by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. We demonstrate that hot electron transport is significantly inhibited by the formation of nonlinear, highly localized electrostatic potential drops, in the form of double layers (DLs). The electrons are either reflected by the potential and therefore confined in the source or decelerated and can therefore escape. An increasing number of DLs are generated in larger-scale simulations, pointing to a more likely picture for future space missions probing the corona. Hot electrons stream along magnetic fields through regions of cold plasma. A stream of cold return current electrons develops to maintain a system with zero net current. The DLs are generated through an ion-electron streaming instability due to the drift of the return current electrons interacting with the ions. The effectiveness of transport suppression by a DL is linked to the strength of the DL as defined by its potential drop. We demonstrate that the strength is limited by the formation of parallel shocks. Using PIC simulations and analytic modeling, we show that the maximum strength scales linearly with the hot electron temperature. At the maximum strength, a DL is capable of confining a substantial fraction of electrons in the source. This study has important implications for electron transport during solar flares. It shows transport suppression begins when the energetic electrons start to propagate away from a coronal acceleration site. It also reveals confinement of electrons with kinetic energies less than the total potential of the DLs for the DLs’ lifetime, which is much longer than the electron transit time through the source region. Our results are consistent with observations of both free propagation and confinement of X-ray producing electrons in the corona, corresponding to the escaping and reflected electrons, respectively. THE IMPACT OF DOUBLE LAYERS ON ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN THE SOLAR CORONA
Collection of wild rice (Oryza L.) in east and southern Africa in response to genetic erosion

D.K. Kiambi1*, B.V. Ford-Lloyd2, M.T. Jackson3, L. Guarino4, N. Maxted2 and H.J. Newbury2 1 International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Regional Office for Sub-Saharan Africa, P.O. Box 30677, Nairobi, Kenya. Email: dionysious.kiambi@mail.mcgill. ca 2 School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK 3 Genetic Resources Center, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Banos, Philippines 4 International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Regional Office for the Americas, c/o CIAT, AA 6713, Cali, Colombia
Irradiation Induced Biochemical Changes in Human Mandibular Bone: A Raman Spectroscopic Study

Understanding the biochemical changes in irradiated human mandible after radiotherapy of cancer patients is critical for oral rehabilitation. The underlying mechanism for radiation-associated changes in the bone at the molecular level could lead to implant failure and osteoradionecrosis. The study aimed to assess the chemical composition and bone quality in irradiated human mandibular bone using Raman spectroscopy. A total of 33 bone biopsies from 16 control and 17 irradiated patients were included to quantify different biochemical parameters from the Raman spectra. The differences in bone mineral and matrix band intensities between control and irradiated groups were analyzed using unpaired Student’s t-test with statistical significance at p < 0.05. Findings suggest that the intensity of the phosphate band is significantly decreased and the carbonate band is significantly increased in the irradiated group. Further, the mineral crystallinity and carbonate to phosphate ratio are increased. The mineral to matrix ratio is decreased in the irradiated group. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on the local radiation dose and biopsy time interval of irradiated samples did not show any specific classification between irradiation sub-groups. Irradiation disrupted the interaction and bonding between the organic matrix and hydroxyapatite minerals affecting the bone biochemical properties. However, the normal clinical appearance of irradiated bone would have been accompanied by underlying biochemical and microscopical changes which might result in radiation-induced delayed complications. Graphical Abstract
Ductile‐brittle transition in pre‐Alpine amphibolite facies mylonites during evolution from water‐present to water‐deficient conditions (Mont Mary nappe, Italian Western Alps)

In the Austroalpine Mont Mary nappe (Italian Western Alps) discrete zones of mylonites–ultramylonites developed from coarse‐grained, upper amphibolite facies metapelites of pre‐Alpine age. The syn–mylonitic mineral assemblage is quartz–biotite–muscovite–plagioclase–garnet–sillimanite–ilmenite–graphite, and formed via the model hydration reaction: Grt1+Kfs+H2O=Bt2+Ilm2+Qtz+Ms± Sil . Grain‐size reduction of about three orders of magnitude was accompanied by extensive recrystallization of all minerals except sillimanite, and by compositional changes of garnet and biotite. Deformation took place at temperatures of 510–580 °C under low‐pressure conditions (0.25–0.45 GPa) and corresponds to the latest stages of pre‐Alpine metamorphic evolution. The pre‐Alpine mylonitization conditions were close to the brittle‐ductile transition, as indicated by syn–mylonitic generation of pseudotachylytes and high differential stress inferred from quartz grain‐size piezometry. The brittle‐ductile behaviour at a relatively high temperature, and the absence of annealing textures in quartz aggregates, are suggestive of water‐deficient conditions during mylonitization. These were accomplished through progressive consumption of water by syn–kinematic hydration reaction and by adsorption onto the greatly increased grain boundary area resulting from dynamic recrystallization.
Cochrane Corner

The “Cochrane Corner” is a section in the Journal that highlights systematic reviews relevant to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, with invited commentary to aid clinical decision making. This installment features a pair of related Cochrane Reviews on surgical interventions for chronic rhinosinusitis, which identify only low-quality evidence that is insufficient for definitive conclusions. The related expert commentary, however, should help clinicians make the best treatment decisions based on the studies and outcomes identified in these Cochrane Reviews.
Regulation

The elemental composition of particulate organic matter in the surface ocean signiﬁcantly aﬀects the eﬃciency of the ocean’s store of carbon. Though the elemental composition of primary producers is an important factor, recent observations from the western North Atlantic Ocean revealed that carbon-to-nitrogen ratios (C:N) of phytoplankton were signiﬁcantly higher than the relatively homeostatic ratio of the total particulate pool (particulate organic carbon:particulate organic nitrogen; POC:PON). Here we use an idealized ecosystem model to show how interactions between primary and secondary producers maintain the mean composition of surface particulates and the diﬀerence between primary producers and bulk material. Idealized physiological models of phytoplankton and microzooplankton, constrained by laboratory data, reveal contrasting autotrophic and heterotrophic responses to nitrogen limitation: under nitrogen limitation, phytoplankton accumulate carbon in carbohydrates and lipids while microzooplankton deplete internal C reserves to fuel respiration. Global ecosystem simulations yield hypothetical global distributions of phytoplankton and microzooplankton C:N ratio predicting elevated phytoplankton C:N ratios in the high-light, low-nutrient regions of the ocean despite a lower, homeostatic POC:PON ratio due to respiration of excess carbon in systems subject to top-down control. The model qualitatively captures and provides a simple interpretation for, a global compilation of surface ocean POC:PON data.