Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Liquid Biopsies in Lung Cancer: Four Emerging Technologies and Potential Clinical Applications

Background: Liquid biopsies offer a promising alternative to tissue samples, providing non-invasive diagnostic approaches or serial monitoring of disease evolution. However, certain challenges remain, and the full potential of liquid biopsies has yet to be reached. Here we report several methodological approaches to interrogate liquid biopsies using circulating tumour cell (CTC) enumeration and characterisation, transcriptomics, Raman spectroscopy, and copy number instability (CNI) scores using blood samples of lung cancer (LC) patients. Methods: We choose LC; since it still is the most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, and therefore there is a need for development of new non-invasive diagnostic/prognostic technologies. Changes in gene expression were assessed using RNA-seq, and in CTCs using ImageStream, an imaging flow-cytometer. CNI scores, from paired tissue/ctDNA were also explored. Raman spectroscopy was used to provide chemical fingerprints of plasma samples. Results: CTCs were detected in all LC patients (n = 10). We observed a significant increase in CTC levels in LC patients (n = 10) compared to controls (n = 21). A similar CNI was noted in the tissue and plasma of 2 patients, where higher CNI scores corresponded with poorer outcome. Significant changes in Raman spectra (carotenoid concentrations) were noted in LC patients (n = 20) compared to controls (n = 10). RNA-seq revealed differential expression of 21 genes between LC cases and controls in both LC tissue and blood samples. Conclusions: Liquid biopsies can potentially provide a more comprehensive picture of the disease compared to a single tissue biopsy. CTC enumeration is feasible and sensitive for LC patients. Molecular profiling of CTCs is also possible from total blood. CNI scores and Raman spectra require further investigation. Further work is being undertaken to explore these methods of detection in a larger LC cohort.
Magi‐1 scaffolds Nav1‐8 and Slack KNa channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons regulating excitability and pain

Voltage‐dependent sodium (Nav) 1.8 channels regulate action potential generation in nociceptive neurons, identifying them as putative analgesic targets. Here, we show that Nav1.8 channel plasma membrane localization, retention, and stability occur through a direct interaction with the postsynaptic density‐95/discs large/zonula occludens‐l‐and WW domain‐containing scaffold protein called membrane‐associated guanylate kinase with inverted orientation (Magi)‐l. The neurophysiological roles of Magi‐1 are largely unknown, but we found that dorsal root ganglion (DRG)‐specific knockdown of Magi‐1 attenuated thermal nociception and acute inflammatory pain and produced deficits in Nav1.8 protein expression. A competing cell‐penetrating peptide mimetic derived from the Nav1.8 WW binding motif decreased sodium currents, reduced Nav1.8 protein expression, and produced hypoexcitability. Remarkably, a phosphorylated variant of the very same peptide caused an opposing increase in Nav1.8 surface expression and repetitive firing. Likewise, in vivo, the peptides produced diverging effects on nocifensive behavior. Additionally, we found that Magi‐1 bound to sequence like a calcium‐activated potassium channel sodium‐activated (Slack) potassium channels, demonstrating macrocomplexing with Nav1.8 channels. Taken together, these findings emphasize Magi‐1 as an essential scaffold for ion transport in DRG neurons and a central player in pain. —Pryce, K. D. , Powell, R. , Agwa, D. , Evely, K. M. , Sheehan, G. D. , Nip, A. , Tomasello, D. L. , Gururaj, S. , Bhattacharjee, A. Magi‐1 scaffolds Nav1.8 and Slack KNa channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons regulating excitability and pain. FASEB J. 33, 7315–7330 (2019). www.fasebj. org
Sunflower seed sorting based on Convolutional Neural Network

Crop seeds sorting is an important task for industrial production. In the sunflower seed production processing, a large number of impurities are mixed into the seeds. Besides, the image of sunflower seeds has the characteristics of random distribution, various kinds of bad sunflower seeds. In addition, the distinction between the bad seeds and normal seeds is not obvious. the recognition rate of traditional methods suffer from a low accuracy is not meeting the actual requirements. In the past few years, many methods based on convolutional neural network (CNN) has made great success in object detection and recognition. However, these networks have a large model size. In this paper, we developed a CNN model with eight convolutional layers to extract the image feature and a skip connection is used to increase the learning ability of the model. Compared with the classical convolution network, it has smaller size without reducing the accuracy. However, because of the CNN features obtained by the convolutional layers are seldom investigated due to their high dimensionality and lack of global representation. Therefore, we introduced a channel attention mechanism adaptive to recalibrate the channel-wise features by considering dependencies among feature channels to strengthen the image features that are import to the classification tasks. Extensive experiments show that our model with attention mechanism achieves better accuracy on the sunflower seed images dataset compared with several classical networks.
A comparison study for image compression based on compressive sensing

Due to the limitation of the communication system resources, the compression is required to reduce the complexity, the required storage, and the processing time. In traditional compression techniques the signal is sampled according to Shannon-Nyquist theory. Consequently, the complexity of signal processing and the encoder/ decoder increases. In this paper, we study the utilization of Compressive Sensing (CS) to solve this challenge. Compressive sensing considers as an under sampling signal processing technique which can sample the signal with sampling rate under the ShannonNyquist rate and grantee the proper recovery of the signal. The performance of CS is evaluated under different compression ratio. Additionally, we utilize reconstruction compressive sensing techniques including -minimization ( ), 2-minimization ( ), Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP), Compressive Sampling Matching Pursuit (CoSaMP), and Generalized Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (GOMP). The performance is evaluated in terms of peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), Correlation (CORR), Mean Square Error (MSE), Energy ratio (ER), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), Dissimilarity Index (DSSIM) and Recovery Tim (RT). That is to stand on the best recovery technique that suits image transmission over communication systems.
Development and Characterization of Microstructured, Spray-Dried Co-Amorphous Mixture of Antidiabetic Agents Stabilized by Silicate

In the present work, co-amorphous mixture (COAM) of poorly soluble nateglinide (NT) and highly soluble Metformin hydrochloride (MT) was prepared by spray drying method to improve the dissolution rate of NT and the processability of COAM. Binary spray-dried COAM of NT and MT (120 mg: 500 mg) was prepared in its clinical dose ratio whereas 20% Neusilin®US2 (NS) was added to prepare non-sticky, free flowing ternary COAM. Solubility studies of binary and ternary COAM exhibited sevenfold and tenfold rise in the solubility of NT. Complete amorphization of NT was revealed in XRPD and DSC studies of both COAM and hydrogen-bonding interactions were reflected in FTIR-spectra. SEM microphotographs illustrated round-shaped microparticles in ternary COAM against the irregular particles in binary COAM. In vitro dissolution of NT was significantly improved in ternary COAM > binary COAM > NT irrespective of dissolution medium. On contrary, MT has partially transformed to the amorphous form in COAM without altering the solubility. In accelerated stability studies, NT and MT devitrification was not observed in XRPD of ternary COAM in contrast to binary COAM. Therefore, enhanced dissolution of NT, stabilization of spray-dried dispersion, and its improved processability can be achieved by preparing ternary COAM of NT:MT:NS.
Light field camera based automatic algorithm for optimal face search

In recent years, face recognition has achieved high accuracy and has been widely used in many fields. However, the performance of face recognition is not satisfied in some unrestricted situations such as in monitoring scenarios. The light field camera, as an image acquisition equipment, can capture images before focusing them and allows us to achieve clearer images. However, the existing face recognition algorithms based on light field camera need to search the optimal face manually. In this paper, an automatic algorithm for optimal face search is proposed. With this search algorithm, a new face recognition framework based on light field camera is proposed. Two face recognition algorithms are used to test the proposed framework. The experimental results show that the proposed methods combined with the light field camera can achieve better results than with conventional camera and the whole framework does not need extra manual operation.
Nitric Oxide Reverses the Position of the Heart during Embryonic Development

Nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays crucial roles in cardiac homeostasis. Adult cardiomyocyte specific overexpression of eNOS confers protection against myocardial-reperfusion injury. However, the global effects of NO overexpression in developing cardiovascular system is still unclear. We hypothesized that nitric oxide overexpression affects the early migration of cardiac progenitor cells, vasculogenesis and function in a chick embryo. Vehicle or nitric oxide donor DEAN (500 μM) were loaded exogenously through a small window on the broad side of freshly laid egg and embryonic development tracked by live video-microscopy. At Hamburg Hamilton (HH) stage 8, the cardiac progenitor cells (CPC) were isolated and cell migration analysed by Boyden Chamber. The vascular bed structure and heart beats were compared between vehicle and DEAN treated embryos. Finally, expression of developmental markers such as BMP4, Shh, Pitx2, Noggin were measured using reverse transcriptase PCR and in-situ hybridization. The results unexpectedly showed that exogenous addition of pharmacological NO between HH stage 7–8 resulted in embryos with situs inversus in 28 out of 100 embryos tested. Embryos treated with NO inhibitor cPTIO did not have situs inversus, however 10 embryos treated with L-arginine showed a situs inversus phenotype. N-acetyl cysteine addition in the presence of NO failed to rescue situs inversus phenotype. The heart beat is normal (120 beats/min) although the vascular bed pattern is altered. Migration of CPCs in DEAN treated embryos is reduced by 60% compared to vehicle. BMP4 protein expression increases on the left side of the embryo compared to vehicle control. The data suggests that the NO levels in the yolk are important in turning of the heart during embryonic development. High levels of NO may lead to situs inversus condition in avian embryo by impairing cardiac progenitor cell migration through the NO-BMP4-cGMP axis.
Comparison of laboratory indices of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease for the detection of incipient kidney dysfunction

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely linked to insulin resistance and related adverse health outcomes. We investigated the non-invasive index of NAFLD that has the best performance in estimating the renal manifestations of metabolic disturbances. This nation-wide, cross-sectional study included 11,836 subjects, using various non-invasive assessments comprising routinely measured clinical and laboratory variables. The subjects were native Koreans aged 20 years or older and had no diabetes, history of liver or kidney disease. All participants were divided into quintiles according to their fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) results. Participants in the highest quintile were more hypertensive and obese with greater glycemic exposure, poor lipid profiles, and impaired kidney function, than those in the other quintiles. Multiple logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, smoking, systolic blood pressure, white blood cell, platelet, fasting plasma glucose, and triglyceride, demonstrated that FIB-4, the hepatic steatosis index, the aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio, Gholam’s model for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and the BARD score were independently associated with kidney dysfunction. ROC curve analysis revealed that FIB-4 (AUC = 0.6227, 95% CI [0.5929–0.6526], p = 0.0258) was the most precise in predicting kidney dysfunction. Our findings suggest that FIB-4 may be a favorable screening tool for the renal manifestation of hepatic metabolic disturbances.
Environmental, Ecological, and Economic Benefits of Biofuel Production Using a Constructed Wetland: A Case Study in China

Here we show a constructed wetland (CW), a viable alternative wastewater treatment system, be used to produce biofuels from biomass by using nitrogen contained in domestic wastewater. We summarize the potential biomass yield evaluated as cellulosic ethanol bioenergy production, and combine the life cycle analysis with a mass balance approach to estimate the energetic, environmental, and economic performance of a CW biofuel system. The results showed that the annual aboveground biomass yield of a CW in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China, averaged 37,813 kg ha−1 year−1 as the by-product of treating waste N, which is about one order of magnitude larger than traditional biofuel production systems. The biomass yield in the Zhoushan CW system had life cycle environment benefits of 8.8 Mg (1 Mg = 106 g) CO2 equivalent ha−1 year−1 of greenhouse gas emission reduction. The CW in Zhoushan had a net energy gain of 249.9 GJ (1 GJ = 109 J) ha−1 year−1 while the wastewater treatment plant (WTP) consumes 7442.5 GJ ha−1 year−1. Moreover, the CW reduced greenhouse gas emissions to 2714 times less than that of the WTP. The CW also provided various ecosystem services, such as regional climate regulation and habitat conservation. We suggest that the potential use of a CW as biofuel production and carbon sequestration via nitrogen-negative input can be explored more widely in the future.
Gas Mixing and Final Mixture Composition Control in Simple Geometry Micro-mixers via DSMC Analysis

The mixing process of two pressure driven steady-state rarefied gas streams flowing between two parallel plates was investigated via DSMC (Direct Simulation Monte Carlo) for different combinations of gases. The distance from the inlet, where the associated relative density difference of each species is minimized and the associated mixture homogeneity is optimized, is the so-called mixing length. In general, gas mixing progressed very rapidly. The type of gas surface interaction was clearly the most important parameter affecting gas mixing. As the reflection became more specular, the mixing length significantly increased. The mixing lengths of the HS (hard sphere) and VHS (variable hard sphere) collision models were higher than those of the VSS (variable soft sphere) model, while the corresponding relative density differences were negligible. In addition, the molecular mass ratio of the two components had a minor effect on the mixing length and a more important effect on the relative density difference. The mixture became less homogenous as the molecular mass ratio reduced. Finally, varying the channel length and/or the wall temperature had a minor effect. Furthermore, it was proposed to control the output mixture composition by adding in the mixing zone, the so-called splitter, separating the downstream flow into two outlet mainstreams. Based on intensive simulation data with the splitter, simple approximate expressions were derived, capable of providing, once the desired outlet mixture composition was specified, the correct position of the splitter, without performing time consuming simulations. The mixing analysis performed and the proposed approach for controlling gas mixing may support corresponding experimental work, as well as the design of gas micro-mixers.
Real-time, wide-field, and quantitative oxygenation imaging using spatiotemporal modulation of light

Abstract. Quantitative diffuse optical imaging has the potential to provide valuable functional information about tissue status, such as oxygen saturation or blood content to healthcare practitioners in real time. However, significant technical challenges have so far prevented such tools from being deployed in the clinic. Toward achieving this goal, prior research introduced methods based on spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) that allow real-time (within milliseconds) wide-field imaging of optical properties but at a single wavelength. However, for this technology to be useful to clinicians, images must be displayed in terms of metrics related to the physiological state of the tissue, hence interpretable to guide decision-making. For this purpose, recent developments introduced multispectral SFDI methods for rapid imaging of oxygenation parameters up to 16 frames per seconds (fps). We introduce real-time, wide-field, and quantitative blood parameters imaging using spatiotemporal modulation of light. Using this method, we are able to quantitatively obtain optical properties at 100 fps at two wavelengths (665 and 860 nm), and therefore oxygenation, oxyhemoglobin, and deoxyhemoglobin, using a single camera with, at most, 4.2% error in comparison with standard SFDI acquisitions.
Sport supplement use predicts doping attitudes and likelihood via sport supplement beliefs

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to examine: 1) whether sport supplement use is related to doping and 2) whether sport supplement beliefs mediated this relationship. In Study 1, athletes (N = 598), completed measures of sport supplement use, sport supplement beliefs, and doping attitudes. In Study 2, athletes (N = 475) completed measures of sport supplement use, sport supplement beliefs, and doping likelihood. In both studies, sport supplement use predicted doping outcomes indirectly via sport supplement beliefs. Our findings provide novel evidence to suggest that sport supplement users, who strongly believe that sport supplements are effective, are more likely to dope. For anti-doping organisations wishing to prevent doping, targeting an athlete’s beliefs about sport supplements may improve the effectiveness of anti-doping prevention programmes.
Effects of Visually Induced Motion Sickness on Emergency Braking Reaction Times in a Driving Simulator

Objective: The study explores associations of visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) with emergency braking reaction times (RTs) in driving simulator studies. It examines the effects over the progression of multiple simulated drives. Background: Driving simulator usage has many advantages for RT studies; however, if it induces VIMS, the observed driving behavior might deviate from real-world driving, potentially masking or skewing results. Possible effects of VIMS on RT have long been entertained, but the progression of VIMS across simulated drives has so far not been sufficiently considered. Method: Twenty-eight adults completed six drives on 2 days in a fixed-base driving simulator. At five points during each drive, pedestrians entered the road, necessitating emergency braking maneuvers. VIMS severity was assessed every minute using the 20-point Fast Motion Sickness Scale. The progression of VIMS was considered in mixed model analyses. Results: RT predictions were improved by considering VIMS development over time. Here, the relationship of VIMS and RT differed across days and drives. Increases in VIMS symptom severity predicted more prolonged RT after repeated drives on a given day and earlier within each drive. Conclusion: The assessment of VIMS in RT studies can be beneficial. In this context, VIMS measurements in close temporal proximity to the behaviors under study are promising and offer insights into VIMS and its consequences, which are not readily obtainable through questionnaires. Application: Driving simulator–based RT studies should consider cumulative effects of VIMS on performance. Measurement and analysis strategies that consider the time-varying nature of VIMS are recommended.
Introduction of Ebola virus into a remote border district of Sierra Leone, 2014: use of field epidemiology and RNA sequencing to describe chains of transmission

Abstract In early October 2014, 7 months after the 2014–2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa began, a cluster of reported deaths in Koinadugu, a remote district of Sierra Leone, was the first evidence of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in the district. Prior to this event, geographic isolation was thought to have prevented the introduction of Ebola to this area. We describe our initial investigation of this cluster of deaths and subsequent public health actions after Ebola was confirmed, and present challenges to our investigation and methods of overcoming them. We present a transmission tree and results of whole genome sequencing of selected isolates to identify the source of infection in Koinadugu and demonstrate transmission between its villages. Koinadugu's experience highlights the danger of assuming that remote location and geographic isolation can prevent the spread of Ebola, but also demonstrates how deployment of rapid field response teams can help limit spread once Ebola is detected.
Spindly and Bub3 expression in oral cancer: Prognostic and therapeutic implications.

OBJECTIVES Bub3 and Spindly are essential proteins required for the activation and inactivation of the spindle assembly checkpoint, respectively. Here, we explored the clinicopathological significance and the therapeutic potential of the opposing roles of the two proteins in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Bub3 and Spindly expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 62 tissue microarrays from OSCC and by real-time PCR in OSCC cell lines and in normal human oral keratinocytes. The results were analyzed as to their clinicopathological significance. RNA interference-mediated Spindly or Bub3 inhibition was combined with cisplatin treatment, and the effect on the viability of OSCC cells was assessed. RESULTS Overexpression of Bub3 and Spindly was detected in OSCC patients. High expression of Spindly, Bub3, or both was an independent prognostic indicator for cancer-specific survival and was associated with increased cellular proliferation. Accordingly, Bub3 and Spindly were upregulated in OSCC cells comparatively to their normal counterpart. Inhibition of Bub3 or Spindly was cytotoxic to OSCC cells and enhanced their chemosensitivity to cisplatin. CONCLUSIONS The data point out Bub3 and Spindly as potential markers of proliferation and prognosis, and highlight the potential therapeutic benefit of combining their inhibition with cisplatin.