Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HHLA2 Used as a Potential Prognostic and Immunological Biomarker and Correlated with Tumor Microenvironment in Pan-Cancer

Background The role of HERV–H LTR-associating 2 (HHLA2) in cancer remains still unclear. This study analyzed the correlation between the prognosis and immune infiltrate function of HHLA2 in pan-cancers. Methods HHLA2 expression in pan-cancers was analyzed using the databases of TCGA, GTEx, TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, and GSEA databases. Multiple bioinformatic methods were used to investigate the correlation of HHLA2 expression with survival, pathological stage, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor microenvironment (TME), immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoint gene (ICG), and gene functional enrichment was performed by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA). Results HHLA2 was aberrantly expressed and was strongly correlated with positive or negative prognosis in multiple human cancers, which revealed that HHLA2 might play a vital role during cancer formation and development. Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves across cancers revealed that HHLA2 expression was correlated with overall survival (OS) in eight cancers, disease-specific survival (DSS) in seven cancers, disease-free interval (DFI) in four cancers, and progression-free interval (PFI) in nine cancers. Furthermore, HHLA2 expression was positively correlated with TMB in 6 cancer types and negatively associated with TMB in 7 cancer types, respectively. The former included ESCA, HNSC, KIRP, PAAD, PRAD, and PCPG; the latter contained COAD, LGG, LUAD, LUSC, THYM, THCA, and UCEC. Additionally, we found HHLA2 expression was negatively related to MSI in ACC, COAD, PAAD, and UCEC. More importantly, HHLA2 expression was remarkably correlated with the degree of tumor-infiltrating immune in many cancers, including B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells and strongly associated with immune checkpoint genes in 13 tumor types. Furthermore, KEGG pathway analyses indicated that HHLA2 could potentially impact cancer etiology or pathogenesis by functioning in amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, cytosolic DNA sensing pathway, and peroxisome pathways. Meanwhile, GSVA analysis results all indicate that HHLA2 was correlated with TSC/mTOR, RTK, RAS/MAPK, PI3K/AKT, EMT, DNA Damage Response, Cell Cycle, and Apoptosis pathways in various cancers. Conclusion HHLA2 can function as a prognostic biomarker and correlate with tumor immunity in human pan-cancer due to its important role in tumorigenesis and immune infiltration, which provides new insight into developing new targeted treatments in cancers.
Environmental, spatial and biotic factors affect the tadpole distribution in Brazilian savannas

Multiple factors contribute to explaining the composition and structure of communities, and the niche is still the most used theory to describe how organisms interact with such factors to generate biological communities’ patterns. Both biotic and abiotic aspects of the environment along with the geographic space interact in complex ways with the behavior and physiological tolerance of organisms to structure a community. In this study, we tested the potential effects of the environment, space and competition and assess how the may determine the distribution of tadpoles in aquatic habitats located at Emas National Park. To this end, we sampled 23 aquatic habitats, described their environmental characteristics, recorded their geographic location, and carried out a survey of the tadpoles found. Later, we evaluated the effect of environmental and spatial variables on the distribution of species, through a Partial Redundancy analysis, using matrices of environmental descriptors and geographic location. We found that both environmental and spatial factors drive the distribution and the species composition of the studied assemblages. Also, when we analyzed the pattern of co‐occurrence, we observed that the number of co‐occurrence pairs of species in the Emas National Park is less frequent than expected by chance, suggesting that besides the effect of abiotic components (environmental and spatial factors), competition is a co‐structuring factor in the assemblages of tadpoles.
The Outcome of Tumor Ablation Therapies is Determined by Stress Signaling Networks

Increasingly prominent roles in interventional oncology are held by various tumor ablation therapies performed by direct applications of local acute trauma-inducing insult to the targeted lesion aiming for its rapid in situ destruction. These therapies include treatments based on various forms of thermal energy delivery (photothermal, cryoablation, microwave ablation, radiofrequency ablation), non-thermal illumination (photodynamic therapy), electric field exposure, or high hydrostatic pressure [1-3]. Common injury inflicted in cells of tumors treated by ablation therapies is the impairment of proteostasis due to accumulation of misfolded/damaged proteins. This is sensed by afflicted cells as a trauma typically associated with thermal or oxidative stress that threatens the integrity and homeostasis at the affected site [4]. These types of stress provoke evolutionary well conserved canonic protection mechanisms based on cellular stress signaling network that serves to re-balance biochemical activities within the cell. They work by conversing the incoming signal (appearance of stressor molecule) towards downstream effector molecules involved in transcriptome reprogramming aimed at activation or inhibition of targeted biochemical tasks [4,5]. The aim of this commentary is to emphasize that the activity of the engaged intracellular signaling pathways determines the fate of involved tumor cells and ultimately the outcome of the applied therapies.
Have Your Cake and Log it Too: A Pilot Study Leveraging IMU Sensors for Real-time Food Journaling Notifications

: To monitor diet, nutritionists employ food journaling approaches, which rely on the subject’s memory. Ac-cordingly, a real-time reminder during eating can help subjects adhere to a journaling routine more strictly. Although previous works used sensors to detect eating activities, no study accounted for the time impact of delivering notiﬁcations. Our study presents an approach to notify subjects for food journaling within three to six minutes from eating. We achieved this by collecting wrist motion data using an inertial measurement unit. Twenty-two features were extracted from the collected data. Those were used as input to a random forest model to classify an eating activity. To train and test the model, we collected data from four subjects in a semi-controlled environment and daily life. The f1-score for testing data was between 0.74 to 0.78 for four subjects, but they still received notiﬁcations for all meals. Additionally, we tested this approach with data collected for one and a half days from a new subject. We observed notiﬁcations for four out of ﬁve meals. The robust detection criterion reduced the false notiﬁcations. Our pilot study results suggest that considering the delivery time of notiﬁcation can lead to better food journaling
Surface Discharges Performance of ETFE- and PTFE-Insulated Wires for Aircraft Applications

Compared to their predecessors, the next generations of aircrafts will be more electrified, require more electrical power and operate at higher voltage levels to meet strict weight and volume constraints. The combined effect of low-pressure environments, increased voltage levels and compact designs intensifies the risks of premature insulation degradation due to electrical discharge activity. This paper studies the resistance to surface discharges of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene), two insulation materials widely used in today’s aircraft wiring systems due to their outstanding properties, such as a wide temperature operation range and a high dielectric strength. The study is carried out in a low-pressure chamber, which was pressurized within the pressure range of 10–100 kPa that includes most aircraft applications. There is a compelling need for experimental data to assess the resistance of insulation materials to surface discharges at a very early stage as a function of the environmental pressure. Data on resistance to surface discharges in low-pressure environments for aeronautical applications are lacking, while most standards for insulation systems are based on tests under standard pressure conditions. The results provided in this work can be useful to design wiring systems for future more electric aircrafts, as well as to design fault detection systems for an early detection and identification of faults related to surface discharges. Therefore, the data and analysis included in this paper could be of great interest to design and develop insulation systems for wiring systems and standard assessment methods, as well as to design fault detection strategies for the early detection and identification of surface discharges for future generations of more electric aircrafts.
Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy as an option management of syndrome-related congenital dacryocystocele: a case report

Congenital dacryocystocele (CD) is a rare anomaly of the medial region of the orbit, caused by distal at the level of the valve of Hasner and proximal at the level of the valve of Rosenmuller obstruction of the lacrimal system. It may present as isolated abnormalities or maybe associated with syndromes. We described a neonate with a history of bilateral enlarged lacrimal sacs below medial canthal tendon with blue-grayish color and epiphora. Computed tomography (CT) scan resulted in congenital dacryocystocele. She was given topical antibiotics and Crigler massage as conservative treatment. In the first week, the right eye got a complete resolution. Otherwise, the left eye’s lesion was worsening. The patient underwent endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (En-DCR) and silicone intubation on the left eye. Epiphora resolved with no recurrence at one month follow up. Conservative treatment and En-DCR have a success rate with no complication and widely used nowadays. In the case of CD associated with a syndrome, multidiscipline workups and treatment are essential.
Stratospheric Influence on the Development of the 2018 Late Winter European Cold Air Outbreak

Using ensemble forecasts from the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) and controlled integrations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, we explore the stratospheric influence on the development of the 2018 European severe cold air outbreak (CAO). The 2018 CAO set in on 22 February, and its evolution was closely related to a growing tropospheric blocking ridge over the North Atlantic in late February that brought cold air mass into Europe. The event was also preceded by a split of the stratospheric polar vortex on 12 February, after which one child vortex persisted over northeastern Canada. GEFS forecasts initialized 1 week prior to this CAO substantially underestimated its severity, exhibiting large spread correlated with the strength and location of the Atlantic ridge, while forecasts initialized closer to the event captured its severity with higher fidelity. Based on a set of nudged simulations, we show that capturing the evolution of the stratospheric child vortex over northeastern Canada, particularly in the lowermost stratosphere, is of great importance for predicting this CAO, since it substantially affects the strength and location of the Atlantic ridge that in turn determines the evolution and severity of this CAO. When the stratosphere is nudged toward the observed evolution, the northward flow between the child vortex and the Atlantic ridge advects more low potential vorticity air into the Atlantic ridge, and therefore amplifies it. Further experiments demonstrate that the impact of the stratosphere on the development of the ridge is particularly strong over the North Atlantic.
Association between Dietary Protein Intake, Regular Exercise, and Low Back Pain among Middle-Aged and Older Korean Adults without Osteoarthritis of the Lumbar Spine

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary protein intake and regular exercise on low back pain (LBP) using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 2367 middle-aged and older adults (≥50 years) who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and plain radiography of the lumbar spine were included. LBP was defined using a questionnaire to determine the presence of LBP lasting more than 30 days in the preceding three months. Twenty-four-hour dietary recall data were used to estimate protein intake, and regular exercise was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that men who did not perform regular exercise had a high probability of LBP (odds ratio [OR] 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24–4.44). Low protein intake (<0.8 g/kg/day) was associated with high odds for LBP in women (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.12–2.99). Low protein intake and lack of regular exercise were also associated with a higher probability of LBP in women (OR 2.91; 95% CI 1.48–5.72). We recommend that women over 50 years of age consume the recommended daily amount of protein to prevent LBP and engage in regular exercise.
The Influence of the Process Parameters on the Mechanical Properties of PLA Specimens Produced by Fused Filament Fabrication—A Review

Polylactic acid (PLA) is produced from renewable materials, has a low melting temperature and has a low carbon footprint. These advantages have led to the extensive use of polylactic acid in additive manufacturing, particularly by fused filament fabrication (FFF). PLA parts that are 3D printed for industrial applications require stable mechanical properties and predictability regarding their dependence on the process parameters. Therefore, the development of the FFF process has been continuously accompanied by the development of software packages that generate CNC codes for the printers. A large number of user-controllable process parameters have been introduced in these software packages. In this respect, a lot of articles in the specialized literature address the issue of the influence of the process parameters on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed specimens. A systematic review of the research targeting the influence of process parameters on the mechanical properties of PLA specimens additively manufactured by fused filament fabrication was carried out by the authors of this paper. Six process parameters (layer thickness, printing speed, printing temperature, build plate temperature, build orientation and raster angle) were followed. The mechanical behavior was evaluated by tensile, compressive and bending properties.
Performance Analysis of Massive Hybrid Directional Modulation With Mixed Phase Shifters

To reduce the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) loss of analog directional modulation (DM) with finite radio frequency (RF) phase shifters (PSs), a hybrid analog and digital (HAD) DM with mixed PSs is proposed. Using the law of large numbers, the closed-form expressions of SINR performance loss (PL), secrecy rate (SR), and bit error rate (BER) are derived. In accordance with the closed-form expression of SINR loss, it is clear that the SINR PL at desired receiver (Bob) gradually decreases as the fraction <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\eta$</tex-math></inline-formula> of the low-resolution phase shifter decreases, where <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\eta$</tex-math></inline-formula> is defined as the ratio of the number of low-resolution shifters to the total number of shifters. The simulation results show that the SINR PL, SR PL, and BER gradually decrease as the number of quantization bits increases. When the fraction of low-resolution shifters is equal to 50%, 2 bits is sufficient for low-resolution shifters to achieve a SINR PL less than 0.5 dB and a negligible BER degradation. Also, when the number of quantization bits of low-resolution shifters is equal to 2, the SR PL is about 0.3 bits/s/Hz. Thus, compared with analog DM, the HAD DM structure strikes a good balance between PL and circuit cost.
Proactive Anomaly Detection for Robot Navigation with Multi-Sensor Fusion

Despite the rapid advancement of navigation algorithms, mobile robots often render anomalous behaviors that can lead to navigation failures. The ability to detect such anomalous behaviors is a key component in modern robots to achieve high-levels of autonomy. Reactive anomaly detection methods identify anomalous task executions based on the current robot state and thus lack the ability to alert the robot before an actual failure occurs. Such an alert delay is undesirable due to the potential damage to both the robot and the surrounding objects. We propose a proactive anomaly detection network (PAAD) for robot navigation in unstructured and uncertain environments. PAAD predicts the probability of future failure based on the planned motions from the predictive controller and the current observation from the perception module. Multi-sensor signals are fused effectively to provide robust anomaly detection in the presence of sensor occlusion as seen in field environments. Our experiments on agricultural robot data demonstrates superior failure identification performance than previous methods, and that our model can capture anomalous behaviors in real-time while maintaining a low false detection rate in cluttered fields.
Conditional Contrastive Domain Generalization for Fault Diagnosis

Data-driven fault diagnosis plays a key role in stability and reliability of operations in modern industries. Recently, deep learning has achieved remarkable performance in fault classification tasks. However, in reality, the model can be deployed under highly varying working environments. As a result, the model trained under a certain working environment (i.e., certain distribution) can fail to generalize well on data from different working environments (i.e., different distributions). The naive approach of training a new model for each new working environment would be infeasible in practice. To address this issue, we propose a novel conditional contrastive domain generalization (CCDG) approach for fault diagnosis of rolling machinery, which is able to capture shareable class information and learn environment-independent representation among data collected from different environments (also known as domains). Specifically, our CCDG attempts to maximize the mutual information of similar classes across different domains while minimizing mutual information among different classes, such that it can learn domain-independent class representation that can be transferable to new unseen domains. Our proposed approach significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods on two real-world fault diagnosis datasets with an average improvement of 7.75% and 2.60%, respectively. The promising performance of our proposed CCDG on new unseen target domain contributes toward more practical data-driven approaches that can work under challenging real-world environments.
Policy and Behavior: Comparisons between Twitter Discussions about the US Tobacco 21 Law and Other Age-Related Behaviors

To combat the e-cigarette epidemic among young audiences, a federal law was passed in the US that raised the minimum legal sales age of tobacco to 21 years (commonly known as Tobacco 21). Little is known about sentiment toward this law. Thus, the purpose of our study was to systematically explore trends about Tobacco 21 discussions and comparisons to other age-restriction behaviors on Twitter. Twitter data (n = 4628) were collected from September to December of 2019 that were related to Tobacco 21. A random subsample of identified tweets was used to develop a codebook. Two trained coders independently coded all data, with strong inter-rater reliability (κ = 0.71 to 0.93) found for all content categories. Associations between sentiment and content categories were calculated using χ2 analyses. Among relevant tweets (n = 955), the most common theme—the disjunction between ages for military enlistment and tobacco use—was found in 17.8% of all tweets. Anti-policy sentiment was strongly associated with the age of military enlistment, alcohol, voting, and adulthood (p < 0.001 for all). Opposition to Tobacco 21 propagates on social media because the US federal law does not exempt military members. However, the e-cigarette epidemic may have fueled some support for this law.
Using Distributed Lag Non-Linear Models to Estimate Exposure Lag-Response Associations between Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease

Long-term air pollution exposure increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, but little is known about the temporal relationships between exposure and health outcomes. This study aims to estimate the exposure-lag response between air pollution exposure and risk for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke incidence by applying distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs). Annual mean concentrations of particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) were estimated for participants in five Swedish cohorts using dispersion models. Simultaneous estimates of exposure lags 1–10 years using DLNMs were compared with separate year specific (single lag) estimates and estimates for lag 1–5- and 6–10-years using moving average exposure. The DLNM estimated no exposure lag-response between PM2.5 total, BC, and IHD. However, for PM2.5 from local sources, a 20% risk increase per 1 µg/m3 for 1-year lag was estimated. A risk increase for stroke was suggested in relation to lags 2–4-year PM2.5 and BC, and also lags 8–9-years BC. No associations were shown in single lag models. Increased risk estimates for stroke in relation to lag 1–5- and 6–10-years BC moving averages were observed. Estimates generally supported a greater contribution to increased risk from exposure windows closer in time to incident IHD and incident stroke.
IKKα contributes to ischemia-induced autophagy after acute cerebral ischemic injury

Background The function of IκB kinase α (IKKα) in the brain is largely unknown. This study examined the effects of IKKα on autophagy after cerebral ischemia. Methods Permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) was conducted in C57/BL6 mice. Oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) was performed to mimic ischemia injury in neuro-2A (N2A) cells in vitro. Autophagy activation was assessed by detecting the ratio of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3β (LC3B)-II/LC3B-I and Cyto-ID autophagic fluorescence. The infarct volume was verified by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Neurological functions were evaluated using the modified Garcia test. Cell death after dMCAO was confirmed with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. To determine the role of IKKα, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was transfected into N2A cells or injected intracerebroventricularly. Results IKKα and LC3B II/I expression levels were increased both in OGD/R treated N2A cells and dMCAO mice. Under the same conditions, IKKβ expression was not altered. IKKα siRNA significantly decreased the infarct volume and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) related to brain edema, and promoted the neurological outcomes after dMCAO. Furthermore, inhibition of IKKα attenuated ischemia- induced the conversion of LC3B I to LC3B II both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, IKKα siRNA alleviated the formation of autophagic vacuoles and LC3 positive puncta after cerebral ischemia. Conclusions These findings indicate that IKKα, but not IKKβ, plays a critical role in ischemia-induced autophagy. Inhibition of IKKα protects the brain from ischemia injury and this may have potential benefits in stroke therapy.