Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Friends in Low-Entropy Places: Orthographic Neighbor Effects on Visual Word Identification Differ Across Letter Positions

Visual word recognition is facilitated by the presence of orthographic neighbors that mismatch the target word by a single letter substitution. However, researchers typically do not consider where neighbors mismatch the target. In light of evidence that some letter positions are more informative than others, we investigate whether the influence of orthographic neighbors differs across letter positions. To do so, we quantify the number of enemies at each letter position (how many neighbors mismatch the target word at that position). Analyses of reaction time data from a visual word naming task indicate that the influence of enemies differs across letter positions, with the negative impacts of enemies being most pronounced at letter positions where readers have low prior uncertainty about which letters they will encounter (i.e., positions with low entropy). To understand the computational mechanisms that give rise to such positional entropy effects, we introduce a new computational model, VOISeR (Visual Orthographic Input Serial Reader), which receives orthographic inputs in parallel and produces an over-time sequence of phonemes as output. VOISeR produces a similar pattern of results as in the human data, suggesting that positional entropy effects may emerge even when letters are not sampled serially. Finally, we demonstrate that these effects also emerge in human subjects' data from a lexical decision task, illustrating the generalizability of positional entropy effects across visual word recognition paradigms. Taken together, such work suggests that research into orthographic neighbor effects in visual word recognition should also consider differences between letter positions.
Learning Complete and Discriminative Direction Pattern for Robust Palmprint Recognition

Palmprint direction patterns have been widely and successfully used in palmprint recognition methods. Most existing direction-based methods utilize the pre-defined filters to achieve the genuine line responses in the palmprint image, which requires rich prior knowledge and usually ignores the vital direction information. In addition, some line responses influenced by noise will degrade the recognition accuracy. Furthermore, how to extract the discriminative features to make the palmprint more separable is also a dilemma for improving the recognition performance. To solve these problems, we propose to learn complete and discriminative direction patterns in this study. We first extract the complete and salient local direction patterns, which contains a complete local direction feature (CLDF) and a salient convolution difference feature (SCDF) extracted from the palmprint image. Afterwards, two learning models are proposed to learn sparse and discriminative directions from CLDF and to achieve the underlying structure for the SCDFs in the training samples, respectively. Lastly, the projected CLDF and the projected SCDF are concatenated forming the complete and discriminative direction feature for palmprint recognition. Experimental results on seven palmprint databases, as well as three noisy datasets clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Template‐Directed Synthesis of Pillared‐Porous Carbon Nanosheet Architectures: High‐Performance Electrode Materials for Supercapacitors

Scheme 1 . Illustration of the formation of 3D pillared-porous carbon nanosheet architectures. Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials such as graphene, which possess a large open fl at layer with a high surface area and excellent electronic transportation properties, have attracted tremendous attention owing to their unique properties and potential applications in the areas of energy storage and conversion. [ 1–9 ] More interestingly, 2D nanomaterials of individual sheets do not depend on the distribution of pores in a solid support to give them their large surface areas, which is benefi cial for the improvement of electrode kinetics by decreasing ion-transport resistance and diffusion distance. Unfortunately, due to intersheet van der Waals attractions, aggregation or restacking inevitably occurs in graphene assemblies, resulting in signifi cant compromise or degradation of the unique properties of individual sheets, [ 3 , 10–12 ] such as their high specifi c surface area and fast ion-transport behaviors. [ 6 , 13 ] Therefore, the exploitation of graphene-based electrode materials remains a great challenge. To exploit the unique physical characteristics of graphene, KOH-activated graphene with a high surface area has been shown to be a promising electrode material for advanced electrochemical/electrical energy-storage devices. [ 5 ] In addition,
Allopatry, hybridization, and reproductive isolation in Arctostaphylos.

PREMISE Hybridization plays a key role in introgressive adaptation, speciation, and adaptive radiation as a source of evolutionary innovation. Hybridization is considered common in Arctostaphylos, yet species boundaries are retained in stands containing multiple species. Arctostaphylos contains diploids and tetraploids, and recent phylogenies indicate two clades; we hypothesize combinations of these traits limit or promote hybridization rates. METHODS We statistically analyzed co-occurrence patterns of species by clade membership and ploidy level from 87 random 0.1 ha plots. We sampled multiple sites to analyze for percent hybridization based on morphology. Finally, phenophases were analyzed by scoring herbarium sheets for a large number of taxa from both clades as well as tetraploids, and second, surveying three field sites over two years for divergence in phenological stages between co-occurring taxa. RESULTS Most taxa in Arctostaphylos are allopatric relative to other congenerics. When two taxa co-occur, the patterns are a diploid with a tetraploid, or two diploids from different clades. When three taxa co-occur, the pattern is two diploids from different clades and a tetraploid. Field and herbarium data both indicate flowering phenology is displaced between diploids from the two clades; one of the diploid clades and tetraploids overlap considerably. CONCLUSIONS The two deep clades in Arctostaphylos are genetically distant, with hybrids rare or non-existent when taxa co-occur. Reproductive isolation between clades is enhanced by displaced flowering phenology for co-occurring species. Within clades, taxa appear to have few reproductive barriers other than an allopatric distribution or different ploidy levels.
Vasorelaxant Effect of Boesenbergia rotunda and Its Active Ingredients on an Isolated Coronary Artery

Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of death in developed countries. The regulation of vascular tone is a major approach to prevent and ameliorate vascular diseases. As part of our ongoing screening for cardioprotective natural compounds, we investigated the vasorelaxant effect of rhizomes from Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf. [Boesenbergia pandurata (Roxb.) Schltr. ] used as a spice and herbal medicine in Asian countries. The methanol extract of B. rotunda rhizomes (BRE) exhibited significant vasorelaxation effects ex vivo at EC50 values of 13.4 ± 6.1 μg/mL and 40.9 ± 7.9 μg/mL, respectively, with and without endothelium in the porcine coronary artery ring. The intrinsic mechanism was evaluated by treating with specific inhibitors or activators that typically affect vascular reactivity. The results suggested that BRE induced relaxation in the coronary artery rings via an endothelium-dependent pathway involving NO-cGMP, and also via an endothelium-independent pathway involving the blockade of Ca2+ channels. Vasorelaxant principles in BRE were identified by subsequent chromatographic methods, which revealed that flavonoids regulate vasorelaxant activity in BRE. One of the flavonoids was a Diels-Alder type adduct, 4-hydroxypanduratin A, which showed the most potent vasorelaxant effect on porcine coronary artery with an EC50 of 17.8 ± 2.5 μM. Our results suggest that rhizomes of B. rotunda might be of interest as herbal medicine against cardiovascular diseases.
Electroacupuncture vs Prucalopride for Severe Chronic Constipation: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled, Noninferiority Trial

INTRODUCTION: This multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial compared electroacupuncture with prucalopride for the treatment of severe chronic constipation (SCC). METHODS: Participants with SCC (≤ 2 mean weekly complete spontaneous bowel movements [CSBMs]) were randomly assigned to receive either 28-session electroacupuncture over 8 weeks with follow-up without treatment over 24 weeks or prucalopride (2 mg/d before breakfast) over 32 weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with ≥3 mean weekly CSBMs over weeks 3–8, based on the modified intention-to-treat population, with −10% as the noninferior margin. RESULTS: Five hundred sixty participants were randomized, 280 in each group. Electroacupuncture was noninferior to prucalopride for the primary outcome (36.2% vs 37.8%, with a difference of −1.6% [95% confidence interval, −8% to 4.7%], P < 0.001 for noninferiority); almost the same results were found in the per-protocol population. The proportions of overall CSBM responders through weeks 1–8 were similar in the electroacupuncture and prucalopride groups (24.91% vs 25.54%, with a difference of −0.63% [95% confidence interval, −7.86% to 6.60%, P = 0.864]). Except during the first 2-week treatment, no between-group differences were found in outcomes of excessive straining, stool consistency, and quality of life. Adverse events occurred in 49 (17.69%) participants in the electroacupuncture group and 123 (44.24%) in the prucalopride group. One non-treatment-related serious adverse event was recorded in the electroacupuncture group. DISCUSSION: Electroacupuncture was noninferior to prucalopride in relieving SCC with a good safety profile. The effects of 8-week electroacupuncture could sustain for 24 weeks after treatment. Electroacupuncture is a promising noninferior alternative for SCC (see Visual Abstract, http://links.lww.com/AJG/B776).
Encapsulation of Anguillicola crassus reduces the abundance of adult parasite stages in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla).

Encapsulation of the parasitic nematode Anguillicola crassus Kuwahara, Niimi & Hagaki is commonly observed in its native host, the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica Temminck & Schlegel). Encapsulation has also been described in a novel host, the European eel (A. anguilla L.), and there is evidence that encapsulation frequency has increased since the introduction of A. crassus. We examined whether encapsulation of A. crassus provides an advantage to its novel host in Lake Müggelsee, NE Germany. We provide the first evidence that encapsulation was associated with reduced abundance of adult A. crassus. This pattern was consistent in samples taken 3 months apart. There was no influence of infection on the expression of the two metabolic genes studied, but the number of capsules was negatively correlated with the expression of two mhc II genes of the adaptive immune response, suggesting a reduced activation. Interestingly, eels that encapsulated A. crassus had higher abundances of two native parasites compared with non-encapsulating eels. We propose that the response of A. anguilla to infection by A. crassus may interfere with its reaction to other co-occurring parasites.
A distributed reactivity model for sorption by soils and sediments

Mechanisms of phenanthrene desorption from five subsurface materials in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2) were investigated by measuring isotherms in the presence of fixed quantities of a polar cosolvent (methanol) and by calculating desorption enthalpies from the temperature dependence of the isotherms. The addition of 7.4 mol % methanol to the SC CO2 phase resulted in 2−11-fold reductions in Freundlich capacity factors at 120 atm and 50 °C. The capacity reduction greatly exceeded that expected from the 21% increase in phenanthrene solubility accompanying cosolvent addition. Isotherms became more linear at 120 atm and 50 °C upon methanol addition for all sorbents except a shale sample. Solubility and organic carbon-normalized phenanthrene sorption capacities declined with increasing solvent polarity, in the order dry SC CO2 > methanol-amended SC CO2 > aqueous solution, and declined with sorbent organic carbon content. Sorption enthalpies from an ideal gas reference state ranged from −106 to −70 kJ/mo.
One Responsive Stone, Three Birds: Mn(III)‐Hemoporfin Frameworks with Glutathione‐Enhanced Degradation, MRI, and Sonodynamic Therapy

Ultrasound‐driven sonodynamic therapy (SDT) catches numerous attentions for destroying deep‐seated tumors, but its applications suffer from unsatisfactory therapeutic effects and metabolism. Furthermore, SDT is usually weakened by the complex tumor microenvironment, such as the overexpression of glutathione (GSH). To address these issues, Mn(III)‐hemoporfin frameworks (Mn(III)‐HFs) are reported as nanosonosensitizers by using biocompatible hematoporphyrin monomethyl‐ether (HMME) to coordinate with Mn(III) ions. Mn(III)‐HFs/PEG can react with GSH to produce Mn(II) ions and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), resulting in three fascinating features: 1) the redox reaction facilitates the decomposition of Mn(III)‐HFs/PEG and then collapse of nanostructures, improving the biodegradability; 2) Mn(II) ions with five unpaired 3d‐electrons exhibit better magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ability compared to Mn(III) ions with four electrons; 3) both the depletion of endogenous GSH and the dissociated HMME boost 1O2 generation ability under US irradiation. As a result, when Mn(III)‐HFs/PEG dispersion is intravenously administered into mice, it exhibits high‐contrast T1/T2 dual‐modal MRI and significant suppression for the growth rate of the deep‐seated tumor. Furthermore, Mn(III)‐HFs/PEG can be efficiently metabolized from the mice. Therefore, Mn(III)‐HFs/PEG exhibit GSH‐enhanced degradation, MRI, and SDT effects, which provide some insights on the developments of other responsive nanosonosensitizers.
High‐Performance Poly(vinylidene difluoride)/Dopamine Core/Shell Piezoelectric Nanofiber and Its Application for Biomedical Sensors

Fabrication of soft piezoelectric nanomaterials is essential for the development of wearable and implantable biomedical devices. However, a big challenge in this soft functional material development is to achieve a high piezoelectric property with long‐term stability in a biological environment. Here, a one‐step strategy for fabricating core/shell poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF)/dopamine (DA) nanofibers (NFs) with a very high β‐phase content and self‐aligned polarization is reported. The self‐assembled core/shell structure is believed essential for the formation and alignment of β‐phase PVDF, where strong intermolecular interaction between the NH2 groups on DA and the CF2 groups on PVDF is responsible for aligning the PVDF chains and promoting β‐phase nucleation. The as‐received PVDF/DA NFs exhibit significantly enhanced piezoelectric performance and excellent stability and biocompatibility. An all‐fiber‐based soft sensor is fabricated and tested on human skin and in vivo in mice. The devices show a high sensitivity and accuracy for detecting weak physiological mechanical stimulation from diaphragm motions and blood pulsation. This sensing capability offers great diagnostic potential for the early assessment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and respiratory disorders.
A comparative evaluation of the performance of open-source SDN controllers

— Software-defined Networking (SDN) constitutes a new era in the development of internetworking. The SDN paradigm splits the data plane from the control plane. It uses controller equipment, which is responsible for centrally managing several network devices simultaneously. This study analyzes three open-source controllers for SDN based on the OpenFlow protocol. Specifically, the performance of FloodLight, OpenDayLight (ODL), and Ryu controllers is evaluated in terms of latency, throughput, and scalability. In doing so, the Cbench tool is used in an emulated environment with Mininet. The results show that the Ryu controller presents the lowest performance in all the evaluated parameters; ODL provides lower latency and FloodLight higher throughput. Regarding scalability, we conclude that Floodlight can be used in small networks, whereas ODL can be used in dense networks. Furthermore, we evaluate their main characteristics, which must be considered for their choice prior to implementation and deployment.
A Study on Development of Activated Carbons from Waste Timbers

Using a Pinus koraiensis and Pinus rigida which are normally being discarded in South Korea, optimal conditions of producing activated carbons have been studied to recycle as a higher value-added product. This study consists of two processes, the production process of charcoals from waste timbers by low temperature pyrolysis and the production process of activated carbons from the charcoals by chemical activation reaction. This paper deals with the production process of activated carbons from the charcoals by chemical activation reaction. As an alkali has been generally used as an activating agent, KOH and NaOH which react well with a carbon were used in this study. As a result of the experiments, it is confirmed that activated carbons made with KOH treatment had superior values in physicochemical properties to NaOH, showing that there was no remain of KOH at the surface of the charcoals while there was of NaOH remaining after the experiments. Thus, it is concluded that KOH reacted more actively with a charcoal than NaOH. Moreover, it was also found that values in physicochemical properties when using a Pinus koraiensis are superior to the ones when using a Pinus rigida. The optimal mixing ratio of an activating agent to a charcoal was 400 wt. %. To improve the physicochemical properties, activated carbons were washed out by distilled water after neutralization with SM hydrochloric acid solution. When activated carbons were produced from a Pinus koraiensis in this optimal conditions, value of BET surface area was found to be approx. .
Efficacy and safety of Shexiang Baoxin pill (MUSKARDIA) in patients with stable coronary artery disease: a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase IV randomized clinical trial

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract Background: The Shexiang Baoxin Pill (MUSKARDIA) has been used for treating coronary artery disease (CAD) and angina for more than 30 years in China. Nevertheless, methodologically sound trials on the use of MUSKARDIA in CAD patients are scarce. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of MUSKARDIA as an add-on to optimal medical therapy (OMT) in patients with stable CAD. Methods: A total of 2674 participants with stable CAD from 97 hospitals in China were randomized 1:1 to a MUSKARDIA or placebo group for 24 months. Both groups received OMT according to local tertiary hospital protocols. The primary outcome was the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), or non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure, peripheral revascularization, angina stability and angina frequency. Results: In all, 99.7% of the patients were treated with aspirin and 93.0% with statin. After 2 years of treatment, the occurrence of MACEs was reduced by 26.9% in the MUSKARDIA group (MUSKARDIA: 1.9% vs. placebo: 2.6%; odds ratio = 0.80; 95% confidence interval: 0.45–1.07; P = 0.2869). Angina frequency was significantly reduced in the MUSKARDIA group at 18 months (P = 0.0362). Other secondary endpoints were similar between the two groups. The rates of adverse events were also similar between the two groups (MUSKARDIA: 17.7% vs. placebo: 17.4%, P = 0.8785). Conclusions: As an add-on to OMT, MUSKARDIA is safe and significantly reduces angina frequency in patients with stable CAD. Moreover, the use of MUSKARDIA is associated with a trend toward reduced MACEs in patients with stable CAD. The results suggest that MUSKARDIA can be used to manage patients with CAD. Trial registration chictr.org. cn, No. ChiCTR-TRC-12003513
Subseafloor Archaea reflect 139 kyrs of paleodepositional changes in the northern Red Sea

The vertical distribution of subseafloor archaeal communities is thought to be primarily controlled by in situ conditions in sediments such as the availability of electron acceptors and donors, although sharp community shifts have also been observed at lithological boundaries suggesting that at least a subset of vertically stratified Archaea form a long‐term genetic record of coinciding environmental conditions that occurred at the time of sediment deposition. To substantiate this possibility, we performed a highly resolved 16S rRNA gene survey of vertically stratified archaeal communities paired with paleo‐oceanographic proxies in a sedimentary record from the northern Red Sea spanning the last glacial–interglacial cycle (i.e., marine isotope stages 1–6; MIS1‐6). Our results show a strong significant correlation between subseafloor archaeal communities and drastic paleodepositional changes associated with glacial low vs. interglacial high stands (ANOSIM; R = .73; p = .001) and only a moderately strong correlation with lithological changes. Bathyarchaeota, Lokiarchaeota, MBGA, and DHVEG‐1 were the most abundant identified archaeal groups. Whether they represented ancient cell lines from the time of deposition or migrated to the specific sedimentary horizons after deposition remains speculative. However, we show that the majority of sedimentary archaeal tetraether membrane lipids were of allochthonous origin and not produced in situ. Slow post‐burial growth under energy‐limited conditions would explain why the downcore distribution of these dominant archaeal groups still indirectly reflect changes in the paleodepositional environment that prevailed during the analyzed marine isotope stages. In addition, archaea seeded from the overlying water column such as Thaumarchaeota and group II and III Euryarchaeota, which were likely not have been able to subsist after burial, were identified from a lower abundance of preserved sedimentary DNA signatures, and represented direct markers of paleoenvironmental changes in the Red Sea spanning the last six marine isotope stages.
First COVID-19 molecular docking with a chalcone-based compound: synthesis, single-crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis study.

The first example of molecular docking of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease for COVID-19 [Mpro, Protein Data Bank (PDB) code 7BQY] by a chalcone-based ligand, namely, (E)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)phenyl]prop-2-en-1-one, C19H17Cl2NO2, I, is presented. Two-dimensional (2D) LIGPLOT representations calculated for the inhibitor N3, viz. N-{[(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)carbonyl]alanyl}-L-valyl-N1-((1R,2Z)-4-(benzyloxy)-4-oxo-1-{[(3R)-2-oxopyrrolidin-3-yl]methyl}but-2-enyl)-L-leucinamide, and 7BQY are included for comparison with our chalcone-based complexes. The binding affinity of our chalcone ligand with 7BQY is -7.0 kcal mol-1, a high value which was attributed to the presence of a hydrogen bond, together with many hydrophobic interactions between the drug and the active amino acid residues of the receptor. Docking studies were also performed, employing rigid and flexible binding modes for the ligand. The superposition of N3 and the chalcone docked into the binding pocket of 7BQY is also presented. The synthesis, single-crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis (HSA) and spectral characterization of heterocyclic chalcone-based compound I, are also presented. The molecules are stacked, with normal π-π interactions, in the crystal.