Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inflammation as a Regulator of the Airway Surface Liquid pH in Cystic Fibrosis

The airway surface liquid (ASL) is a thin sheet of fluid that covers the luminal aspect of the airway epithelium. The ASL is a site of several first-line host defenses, and its composition is a key factor that determines respiratory fitness. Specifically, the acid–base balance of ASL has a major influence on the vital respiratory defense processes of mucociliary clearance and antimicrobial peptide activity against inhaled pathogens. In the inherited disorder cystic fibrosis (CF), loss of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) anion channel function reduces HCO3− secretion, lowers the pH of ASL (pHASL), and impairs host defenses. These abnormalities initiate a pathologic process whose hallmarks are chronic infection, inflammation, mucus obstruction, and bronchiectasis. Inflammation is particularly relevant as it develops early in CF and persists despite highly effective CFTR modulator therapy. Recent studies show that inflammation may alter HCO3− and H+ secretion across the airway epithelia and thus regulate pHASL. Moreover, inflammation may enhance the restoration of CFTR channel function in CF epithelia exposed to clinically approved modulators. This review focuses on the complex relationships between acid–base secretion, airway inflammation, pHASL regulation, and therapeutic responses to CFTR modulators. These factors have important implications for defining optimal ways of tackling CF airway inflammation in the post-modulator era.
Elucidating the Role of Noncovalent Interactions in Favipiravir, a Drug Active against Various Human RNA Viruses; a 1H-14N NQDR/Periodic DFT/QTAIM/RDS/3D Hirshfeld Surfaces Combined Study

Favipiravir (6-fluoro-3-hydroxypyrazine-2-carboxamide, FPV), an active pharmaceutical component of the drug discovered and registered in March 2014 in Japan under the name Avigan, with an indication for pandemic influenza, has been studied. The study of this compound was prompted by the idea that effective processes of recognition and binding of FPV to the nucleic acid are affected predominantly by the propensity to form intra- and intermolecular interactions. Three nuclear quadrupole resonance experimental techniques, namely 1H-14N cross-relaxation, multiple frequency sweeps, and two-frequency irradiation, followed by solid-state computational modelling (density functional theory supplemented by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, 3D Hirshfeld Surfaces, and reduced density gradient) approaches were applied. The complete NQR spectrum consisting of nine lines indicating the presence of three chemically inequivalent nitrogen sites in the FPV molecule was detected, and the assignment of lines to particular sites was performed. The description of the nearest vicinity of all three nitrogen atoms was used to characterize the nature of the intermolecular interactions from the perspective of the local single atoms and to draw some conclusions on the nature of the interactions required for effective recognition and binding. The propensity to form the electrostatic N−H···O, N−H···N, and C−H···O intermolecular hydrogen bonds competitive with two intramolecular hydrogen bonds, strong O−H···O and very weak N−H···N, closing the 5-member ring and stiffening the structure, as well as π···π and F···F dispersive interactions, were analysed in detail. The hypothesis regarding the similarity of the interaction pattern in the solid and the RNA template was verified. It was discovered that the -NH2 group in the crystal participates in intermolecular hydrogen bonds N–H···N and N–H···O, in the precatalytic state only in N–H···O, while in the active state in N–H···N and N–H···O hydrogen bonds, which is of importance to link FVP to the RNA template. Our study elucidates the binding modes of FVP (in crystal, precatalytic, and active forms) in detail and should guide the design of more potent analogues targeting SARS-CoV-2. Strong direct binding of FVP-RTP to both the active site and cofactor discovered by us suggests a possible alternative, allosteric mechanism of FVP action, which may explain the scattering of the results of clinical trials or the synergistic effect observed in combined treatment against SARS-CoV-2.
Detection Threshold for Correlated Erdős-Rényi Graphs via Densest Subgraph

The problem of detecting edge correlation between two Erdős-Rényi random graphs on <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula> unlabeled nodes can be formulated as a hypothesis testing problem: under the null hypothesis, the two graphs are sampled independently; under the alternative, the two graphs are independently sub-sampled from a parent graph which is Erdős-Rényi <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {G}(n, p)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> (so that their marginal distributions are the same as the null). We establish a sharp information-theoretic threshold when <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$p = n^{-\alpha +o({1)}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\alpha \in (0, 1]$ </tex-math></inline-formula> which sharpens a constant factor in a recent work by Wu, Xu and Yu. A key novelty in our work is an interesting connection between the detection problem and the densest subgraph of an Erdős-Rényi graph.
Quantification of thermal fluctuations in stripe domain patterns

In ultrathin ferromagnetic films with perpendicular anisotropy a spin-reorientation transition from out-of-plane to in-plane orientation of the magnetization vector may occur. The competition of exchange and dipole interaction leads to the formation of stripe domain patterns in the vicinity of the spin reorientation transition. Here we investigate fluctuations of domain patterns in ultrathin epitaxial Ni/Fe films grown on Cu(001) using the technique of threshold photoemission magnetic circular dichroism in combination with photoemission electron microscopy allowing real-time observation of the domain pattern dynamics. The key finding of our experiments is that fluctuations can easily be quantified by calculating thermodynamic susceptibilities from a series of time resolved images. We analyze the strength of fluctuations with respect to temperature and externally applied out-of-plane magnetic fields.
Comparing Two Independent Groups Via Multiple Quantiles

Typically two independent groups are compared in terms of some measure of location, usually the mean, or a method based on ranks. A concern about both of these approaches, already raised in statistical references, is that they can miss important differences. For example, a new treatment method might be beneficial for some subjects but detrimental for others. Details are given in this paper. An approach to this problem is to compare two groups in terms of multiple quantiles. The paper describes and illustrates a method for accomplishing this
Association between Sex-Related ALOX5 Gene Polymorphisms and Lung Atopy Risk

Atopy is an exaggerated IgE-mediated immune response to foreign antigens in which metabolic abnormalities of the leukotrienes (LTs) pathway play a crucial role. Recent studies have described sex as a key variable in LT biosynthesis, partly explaining why treatment with anti-LT drugs in atopic subjects leads to better control of symptoms in women. In addition, variability in LT production is often associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5) gene, which encodes the leukotriene-synthesizing enzyme machinery, 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). This study aimed to investigate whether two SNPs of ALOX5 are implicated in sex differences in allergic diseases in a prospective cohort of 150 age- and sex-matched atopic and healthy subjects. Rs2029253 and rs2115819 were genotyped using allele-specific RT-PCR, and serum levels of 5-LO and LTB4 were measured by ELISA. Both polymorphisms are significantly more common in women than in men, and their influences on LT production vary as a function of sex, leading to a decrease in men’s and an increase in women’s serum levels of 5-LO and LTB4. These data represent a new resource for understanding sex-related differences in lung inflammatory diseases, partly explaining why women are more likely to develop allergic disorders than men.
C-Terminal Fibronectin Exerts Beneficial Effects in Reducing Tissue Damage and Modulating Macrophage Function in a Murine Septic Model

Background Fibronectin (FN) can improve organ function and slow the progression of sepsis, but full-length FN is hard to be exacted as a therapeutic. Objective This study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of C-terminal heparin-binding domain polypeptide of FN (rhFNHC-36) in a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-mediated murine septic model and explore its regulatory effects on macrophages. Methods Mice were randomly assigned to four groups: unoperated control (Normal), sham operation control (Sham), CLP-operation with intravenous injection of phosphate-buffered saline (CLP+PBS), and CLP-operation with rhFNHC-36 treatment (CLP+rhFNHC-36). Blood and abdominal fluid samples were subjected to bacterial colony formation assays. Organs (liver, spleen, and lung) were undergone histopathological analyses and/or weighed to obtain organ indices. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, nitric oxide (NO) release from isolated abdominal macrophages, and chemotactic effect of macrophages were measured with commercial kits. Surface programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on macrophages was measured by flow cytometry. Results Mice in the CLP+PBS group showed a lower survival rate than that in the CLP+rhFNHC-36 group. Improved survival was associated with better clearance of bacterial pathogens, as evidenced by colony formation assays. The CLP-induced decrease in thymus and spleen indices was attenuated by rhFNHC-36 treatments. rhFNHC-36 alleviated sepsis-associated tissue damage in liver, spleen, and lung. CLP-mediated increases in plasma IL-6 levels were reversed by rhFNHC-36 treatment. NO levels in peritoneal macrophages after lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulation in the CLP+rhFNHC-36 group were lower than that in the CLP+PBS group. Notably, macrophages from the CLP+rhFNHC-36 group retained better chemotaxis ability. After LPS challenge, these macrophages had a reduced percentage of PD-L1-positive cells compared to those in the CLP+PBS group. Conclusion rhFNHC-36 improved survival of mice with CLP-induced sepsis by reducing tissue damage and modulating macrophage function. Our work provides critical insight for developing FN-based and macrophages-targeted therapeutics for treating sepsis.
The Evaporation, Temperature and Thermal Relaxation-Time of Freely Falling Waterdrops.

Abstract A theoretical and experimental study of the physical behavior of freely falling waterdrops is carried out. The influence of ventilation and environment upon the evaporation and equilibrium temperature is formulated in quantitative terms. The theoretical approach emphasizes the vapor and heat transferred to packets of environmental air that make transient contact with the liquid sphere. The basic psychrometric equation is derived for a freely-falling spherical drop. Measurements of the evaporation, equilibrium temperature and time to reach equilibrium were carried out for single drops and compared with theory. Evaporation data are presented for drops from the largest size down to those of cloud size. New methods and apparatus especially devised to study freely falling drops are described.
High VEGFA Expression Is Associated with Improved Progression-Free Survival after Bevacizumab Treatment in Recurrent Glioblastoma

Simple Summary Glioblastoma (GB) is a deadly tumor that demands for relevant biomarkers, particularly regarding patients’ response to treatment. MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGFA, and YKL40 are important molecules, given their implication in the infiltrative and angiogenic phenotype of GBs. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGFA, and YKL40 in GB tissues and the patients’ response to temozolomide (first-line treatment) or bevacizumab (second-line treatment). Our results showed that increased VEGFA is significantly associated with an improved response to bevacizumab, while having no correlation with the response to temozolomide. Additionally, YKL40 expression may also be important regarding information about the extent of antiangiogenic treatment in GB patients. Abstract Glioblastoma (GB) is one of the deadliest human cancers. Many GB patients do not respond to treatment, and inevitably die within a median of 15–18 months post-diagnosis, highlighting the need for reliable biomarkers to aid clinical management and treatment evaluation. The GB microenvironment holds tremendous potential as a source of biomarkers; several proteins such as MMP-2, MMP-9, YKL40, and VEGFA have been identified as being differentially expressed in GB patient samples. Still to date, none of these proteins have been translated into relevant clinical biomarkers. This study evaluated the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, YKL40, and VEGFA in a series of GBs and their impact on patient outcome. High levels of VEGFA expression were significantly associated with improved progression-free survival after bevacizumab treatment, thus having potential as a tissue biomarker for predicting patients’ response to bevacizumab. Noteworthily, VEGFA expression was not associated with patient outcome after temozolomide treatment. To a lesser extent, YKL40 also provided significant information regarding the extent of bevacizumab treatment. This study highlights the importance of studying secretome-associated proteins as GB biomarkers and identifies VEGFA as a promising marker for predicting response to bevacizumab.
Statistical Correlation Between DEMETER Satellite Electronic Perturbations and Global Earthquakes With M ≥ 4.8

Upon obtaining a relatively low false discovery rate (FDR) of alarms and a low false negative rate (FNR) of earthquakes, several previous long-term statistical researches concluded that ionospheric perturbations recorded by satellites are statistically related to earthquakes. However, overly large time–space windows for correlating perturbations with earthquakes will also contribute to low FDR and FNR. In this study, a new score—the number of non-randomly successful alarms—is used to quantitatively describe the sensitivity of electron density perturbations (EDPs) recorded by the Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) satellite to global earthquakes with $M \ge4.8$ . Results show that the EDPs are significantly related to global medium-to-strong earthquakes and that optimal parameters for removing EDPs which are non-related to earthquakes and the optimal time–space windows for correlating earthquakes and EDPs are variable in space. Moreover, our results show that the intensity of EDPs makes little contribution to distinguishing the perturbations related to earthquakes with different magnitudes and perturbations non-related to earthquakes, while the $K_{\mathrm {p}}$ index is effective for improving the signal/noise ratio of our model, where signal/noise refers to the EDPs related/non-related to earthquakes. Finally, using the optimal time–space windows for correlating EDPs and earthquakes, we construct several earthquake prediction models and quantitatively evaluate their power. We find that these EDP-based earthquake predictions are better than the spatially variable Poisson model showing the great potential of predicting earthquakes based on satellite-based Earth observation techniques. However, the spatio-temporal accuracy of these models for predicting earthquakes is not satisfactory, as the alerted time–space volume is big.
The Assessment of the Rank of Torque Control during Incisor Retraction and Its Impact on the Resorption of Maxillary Central Incisor Roots According to Incisive Canal Anatomy—Systematic Review

Background: Root resorption is one of the complications of orthodontic treatment, and has a varied and unclear aetiology. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between upper incisor resorption and contact with the incisive canal and the risk of resorption during orthodontic treatment associated with upper incisor retraction and torque control. Search methods: According to PRISMA guidelines, the main research question was defined in PICO. Scientific databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for linking keywords: Resorption of roots incisive canal, Resorption of roots nasopalatine canal, Incisive canal retraction and Nasopalatine canal retraction. Selection criteria: No time filters were applied due to the significantly limited number of studies. Publications in the English language were selected. Based on the information provided in the abstracts, articles were selected according to the following criteria: controlled clinical prospective trials and case reports. No randomised clinical trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical prospective trials (CCTs) were found. Articles unrelated to the topic of the planned study were excluded. The literature was reviewed, and the following journals were searched: American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, International Orthodontics, Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, Angle Orthodontist, Progress in Orthodontics, Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research, Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics, European Journal of Orthodontics and Korean Journal of Orthodontics. Data collection and analysis: The articles were subjected to risk of bias and quality assessment using the ROBINS-I tool. Results: Four articles with a total of 164 participants were selected. In all studies, differences in root length were observed after contact with the incisive canal, which was statistically significant. Conclusions and implications: The contact of incisor roots with the incisive canal increases the risk of resorption of these roots. IC anatomy should be considered in orthodontic diagnosis using 3D imaging. The risk of resorption complications can be reduced by appropriate planning of the movement and extent of the incisor roots (torque control) and the possible use of incisor brackets with built-in greater angulation. Registration CRD42022354125.
Optical Soft Tactile Sensor Algorithm Based on Multiscale ResNet

When grabbing an object, a robot needs to be installed with a sensor on its finger to sense the position of the object and the intensity of the contact force. Therefore, the accuracy of the tactile sensor’s recognition is very important to grasp the object successfully. In our work, we design a data acquisition scheme and establish the corresponding deep-learning dataset taking the optical-fiber-based tactile sensor as the research object. This kind of sensor is composed of different layers. Those layers are deformed when the force is applied to the surface. Since the extent of deformation is proportional to the value of the force, the color and brightness of the collected pictures will change according to the Poisson effect. A novel multiscale (MS) ResNet is proposed and compared with some mainstream networks such as AlexNet, ResNet, VGG, DenseNet, and GoogLeNet under the same dataset. The dataset we collected contains normal force, shear force, and torsion. It can provide better calibrations between the image change and force value. The proposed network is investigated experimentally. The results demonstrate that it can achieve enhanced performance by extracting image features of different scales. This MS ResNet can be widely applied to the deep-learning training of mechanic sensors based on the image and is also well-suited for the calibration tasks such as classification and regression prediction of mechanics sensors based on multiple data features.
Genetic Screening of Targeted Region on the Chromosome 22q11.2 in Patients with Microtia and Congenital Heart Defect

Microtia is a congenital malformation characterized by a small, abnormally shaped auricle (pinna) ranging in severity. Congenital heart defect (CHD) is one of the comorbid anomalies with microtia. However, the genetic basis of the co-existence of microtia and CHD remains unclear. Copy number variations (CNVs) of 22q11.2 contribute significantly to microtia and CHD, respectively, thus suggesting a possible shared genetic cause embedded in this genomic region. In this study, 19 sporadic patients with microtia and CHD, as well as a nuclear family, were enrolled for genetic screening of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) and CNVs in 22q11.2 by target capture sequencing. We detected a total of 105 potential deleterious variations, which were enriched in ear- or heart-development-related genes, including TBX1 and DGCR8. The gene burden analysis also suggested that these genes carry more deleterious mutations in the patients, as well as several other genes associated with cardiac development, such as CLTCL1. Additionally, a microduplication harboring SUSD2 was validated in an independent cohort. This study provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms for the comorbidity of microtia and CHD focusing on chromosome 22q11.2, and suggests that a combination of genetic variations, including SNVs and CNVs, may play a crucial role instead of single gene mutation.
Flexible Regulation of Active and Reactive Power for a Fully Controllable V2G Wireless Charger

Electric vehicles (EVs) will be an important asset in future power grids, with a dual role as flexible loads and mobile generators. To implement a complete set of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services, the EV chargers should be adapted for bidirectional power flow considering both active and reactive power. This article proposes a simple but effective four-quadrant controller to adjust the two types of power (active and reactive) consumed or generated by the EV. Based on a theoretical analysis, it is developed the formulation to configure the power converts given a command of active and reactive power generated/consumed. As a novelty compared with previous works, any combination of the powers is possible to enable a flexible operation of the V2G wireless charger so that the vehicle can also participate in a wide range of V2G services through a wireless charger. The system is based on the series-series (SS) compensation topology, which is one of the most typical structures in wireless chargers. Experimental results at charging power up to 1 kW with a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2954 EV charger prototype demonstrate the validity of the analytical study, in each of the eight operation modes.