Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
BLADE turbo gradient- and spin-echo in the assessment of sinonasal lesions: a comprehensive comparison of image quality in readout-segmented echo-planar imaging

Background A two-dimensional turbo gradient-echo and spin-echo diffusion-weighted pulse sequence with a non-Cartesian BLADE trajectory (TGSE BLADE) can eliminate image artifacts and distortion with clinically acceptable scan times. This process has the potential to overcome the shortcomings of current diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) techniques, especially in the sinonasal region. Purpose To investigate the feasibility of TGSE BLADE in the assessment of sinonasal lesions and compare the quality of TGSE BLADE with RESOLVE images both qualitatively and quantitatively. Material and Methods A total of 36 patients with sinonasal lesions were included in this prospective study. DW images acquired using TGSE BLADE and RESOLVE were performed with the same acquisition time. Two independent observers evaluated the qualitative parameters (overall image quality, lesion visibility, and geometric distortion) and quantitative parameters (geometric distortion ratio [GDR], signal-to-noise ratio [SNR], contrast, contrast-to-noise ratio [CNR], and apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC] value) of the two sequences. Results Qualitative assessment revealed that TGSE BLADE exhibited higher overall image quality (P < 0.001) and lesion visibility (P < 0.001) and less geometric distortion (P < 0.001) than RESOLVE. Quantitative assessment showed that TGSE BLADE images exhibited higher contrast (P < 0.001) and CNR (P < 0.001) and lower GDR (P < 0.05) and SNR (P < 0.001) than RESOLVE images. The ADC value of TGSE BLADE was significantly lower than that of RESOLVE (P < 0.05). Conclusion TGSE BLADE can reduce susceptibility artifacts and geometric distortion more than RESOLVE and appears to be a promising diffusion imaging sequence for the assessment of sinonasal lesions.
Loss of Christianson Syndrome Na+/H+ Exchanger 6 (NHE6) Causes Abnormal Endosome Maturation and Trafficking Underlying Lysosome Dysfunction in Neurons

Loss-of-function mutations in endosomal Na+/H+ exchanger 6 (NHE6) cause the X-linked neurologic disorder Christianson syndrome. Patients exhibit symptoms associated with both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative abnormalities. While loss of NHE6 has been shown to overacidify the endosome lumen, and is associated with endolysosome neuropathology, NHE6-mediated mechanisms in endosome trafficking and lysosome function have been understudied. Here, we show that NHE6-null mouse neurons demonstrate worsening lysosome function with time in culture, likely as a result of defective endosome trafficking. NHE6-null neurons exhibit overall reduced lysosomal proteolysis despite overacidification of the endosome and lysosome lumen. Akin to Nhx1 mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we observe decreased endosome-lysosome fusion in NHE6-null neurons. Also, we find premature activation of pH-dependent cathepsin D (CatD) in endosomes. While active CatD is increased in endosomes, CatD activation and CatD protein levels are reduced in the lysosome. Protein levels of another mannose 6-phosphate receptor (M6PR)-dependent enzyme, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, were also decreased in lysosomes of NHE6-null neurons. M6PRs accumulate in late endosomes, suggesting defective M6PR recycling and retromer function in NHE6-null neurons. Finally, coincident with decreased endosome-lysosome fusion, using total internal reflection fluorescence, we also find a prominent increase in fusion between endosomal multivesicular bodies and the plasma membrane, indicating enhanced exosome secretion from NHE6-null neurons. In summary, in addition to overacidification of endosomes and lysosomes, loss of NHE6 leads to defects in endosome maturation and trafficking, including enhanced exosome release, contributing to lysosome deficiency and potentially leading to neurodegenerative disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Loss-of-function mutations in the endosomal Na+/H+ exchanger 6 (NHE6) cause Christianson syndrome, an X-linked neurologic disorder. Loss of NHE6 has been shown to overacidify endosomes; however, endosome trafficking mechanisms have been understudied, and the mechanisms leading to neurodegeneration are largely unknown. In NHE6-null mouse neurons in vitro, we find worsening lysosome function with days in culture. Notably, pH-dependent lysosome enzymes, such as cathepsin D, have reduced activity in lysosomes yet increased, precocious activity in endosomes in NHE6-null neurons. Further, endosomes show reduced fusion to lysosomes, and increased fusion to the plasma membrane with increased exosome release. This study identifies new mechanisms involving defective endosome maturation and trafficking that impair lysosome function in Christianson syndrome, likely contributing to neurodegeneration.
Economic burden of road traffic injuries in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of existing literature

Objective This systematic review aims to explore and synthesise existing literature on the direct and indirect costs from road traffic injuries (RTIs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the quality of existing evidence, methods used to estimate and report these costs, and the factors that drive the costs. Methodology MEDLINE, SCOPUS, ProQuest Central, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, Embase, World Bank Group e-Library, Econlit, Google Scholar and WHO webpages were searched for relevant literature. References of selected papers were also examined for related articles. Screening was done following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles were included in this review if they were published by March 2019, written in English, conducted in SSA and reported original findings on the cost of illness or economic burden of RTIs. The results were systematically examined, and the quality assessed by two reviewers using a modified Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist. Results Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. RTIs can cost between INT$119 and 178 634 per injury and INT$486 and 12 845 per hospitalisation. Findings show variability in costing methods and inadequacies in the quality of existing evidence. Prolonged hospital stays, surgical sundries and severity of injury were the most common factors associated with cost. Conclusion While available data are limited, evidence shows that the economic burden of RTIs in SSA is high. Poor quality of existing evidence and heterogeneity in costing methods limit the generalisability of costs reported.
A low pressure direct gas injection system for a four stroke LPG: Diesel dual fuel engine

ABSTRACT Internal combustion engines running on gaseous fuels produce low torque because the inducted gaseous fuel displaces air and reduces the volumetric efficiency. This can be overcome by injecting the gaseous fuel directly into the cylinder after the intake of air is completed. This work is a step in developing and demonstrating a cost effective system, as such systems are not readily available for small applications. A low-pressure gas injector was mounted on the cylinder barrel of a fully instrumented dual fuel engine. Its location is such that the injector will be exposed to the cylinder gases about 65.5 degrees before bottom dead center, where the cylinder pressure and temperature will be relatively low. An electronic controller was also developed to time the injection process to occur after the intake valve closes and also to control the duration of injection (quantity). Experiments were conducted with LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) as the primary fuel that was injected with this new system and diesel as the pilot fuel at the rated speed of 1500 rpm with different amounts of LPG at 80% and 100% load. Comparisons of performance, combustion and emissions with the conventional manifold injection of LPG were done. The system allowed greater amounts of LPG to be used without knock as compared to manifold injection. On the whole the developed system has potential for application in small dual fuel and spark ignited gas engines and can be taken up for further optimization.
Hybrid Sentiment Analyzer for Opinion Mining: Indian Admission Scenario

Social media has become one of the widely acclaimed tool for sharing information as well as expressing ideas and emotions. The work depicts the dual aspect task of analyzing and comprehending data available on Twitter platform. This is done using NLP techniques. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic technique; the major topics discussed in tweets (of data set taken), have been identified. The input for this Latent Dirichlet Allocation is given by NLP technique – Bag of Words. For further processing, identification of the underlying emotions contained in tweets using the techniques of Sentiment Analysis is done. The result of sentiment analysis is in the polar form. As a case study, a scenario of admissions in India for UG and PG has been considered. The whole process has captured the opinions of stake holders taking part in the admission process. Tweeter data of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) admission has been used to collect the data in order to conduct the experiment. Major topics discussed in tweets and the fundamental emotions contained are obtained as results along with the polarity of the tweets
Computing minimal signature of coherent systems through matrix-geometric distributions

Abstract Signatures are useful in analyzing and evaluating coherent systems. However, their computation is a challenging problem, especially for complex coherent structures. In most cases the reliability of a binary coherent system can be linked to a tail probability associated with a properly defined waiting time random variable in a sequence of binary trials. In this paper we present a method for computing the minimal signature of a binary coherent system. Our method is based on matrix-geometric distributions. First, a proper matrix-geometric random variable corresponding to the system structure is found. Second, its probability generating function is obtained. Finally, the companion representation for the distribution of matrix-geometric distribution is used to obtain a matrix-based expression for the minimal signature of the coherent system. The results are also extended to a system with two types of components.
Measurement of Tan-delta and DC Resistivity of Synthetic Ester Based Oil Filled with Fe2O3, TiO2 and Al2O3 Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT The dielectric properties of insulating liquids are very important for their application as insulation and coolant in electrical devices like transformers. It is important to monitor the health condition of transformers for uninterrupted and economical power supply. For this purpose, the simple insulating materials like pressboard and mineral oils are used. This paper presents an eco-friendly alternative to mineral oil in the form of the synthetic ester oil-based nanofluids. This paper aims to present the effect of nanoparticles on the dielectric dissipation factor and electrical resistivity of ester-based oil. In this paper, we are testing synthetic ester oils for DC resistivity and dielectric dissipation factor (Tan-delta) at different temperatures starting from room temperature up to 80°C by incorporating nanoparticles with 0.02 weight% concentration. Nanoparticles used in this study are Fe2O3, TiO2 and Al2O3. Synthetic ester oil is used as the base oil for testing. These oils are manufactured from raw materials that are basically formed by combining acids and alcohols. The heating chamber is used to heat the oil for different temperatures. Insulation resistance (IR) tester and oil dissipation factor meter are used to determine DC resistivity and dielectric dissipation factor (DDF) of simple synthetic ester oil and nano oil respectively. This paper presents the effect of nanoparticles and temperature on dielectric properties of synthetic ester-based oils.
The Creation of Branded Content Teams in Spanish News Organizations and Their Implications for Structures, Professional Roles and Ethics

Abstract Over the last decade, top media organizations have restructured their newsrooms and created branded content teams, or studios, devoted entirely to the production of new native advertising formats in order to leverage this business opportunity. The goal of this exploratory study is to analyse how news organizations in Spain implement this strategy and create branded content teams, changing the structure of their newsrooms and shaping the practices and roles of the editors and journalists involved. Semi-structured interviews with professionals (n = 11) who work at news outlets (n = 8) were carried out in order to explain their structural, professional and ethical challenges. The results show that branded content teams can be classified into three organizational models (integrated, autonomous and emerging) and they are usually formed by hybrid professionals, linking commercial, editorial and design practices. The study participants justify the new practice adopting the role of norm entrepreneurs. Despite the warnings and risks, the interviewees asserted that by inserting an appropriate disclaimer in these new formats, credibility and transparency are not endangered. They also believe that sponsored content will become a fundamental pillar for the business models of their news organizations.
Direct drive friction welding of a multi-phase Al13Cr23.5Fe20Co20Ni23.5 high-entropy alloy

Al13Cr23.5Fe20Co20Ni23. 5 high-entropy alloy with three phases (face-centered cubic [FCC], A2 and B2) was joined successfully by direct drive friction welding. The microhardness of the welded samples gradually increases as approaching the weld interface, which was related to the microstructural evolution across the weld interface. The weld joint can be divided into four regions: dynamic recrystallisation zone, thermal-mechanically affected zone, heat affected zone and base metal. It is found that the volume fraction ratio of FCC to body-centered cubic (BCC) (A2+B2) phases slightly decreases as approaching the weld interface. The hardening of the joint is attributed to the refined structure, large deformation and the increased volume fraction of the hard BCC phases in the weld joint.
Single photon lidar signal attenuation under boreal forest conditions

ABSTRACT Single-photon lidar (SPL100) is a recently commercialized airborne lidar system facilitating efficient wide-area acquisitions of high-density point clouds due to its capacity for higher altitude acquisitions compared to traditional linear-mode lidar (LML) systems. Increased acquisition efficiency and point densities make SPL100 attractive for forest management applications. SPL100 utilizes 532 nm (green wavelength) lasers, wherein there is reduced reflectance from vegetation, increased sensitivity to solar noise, and increased signal attenuation, which may impact the vertical distribution of SPL100 returns in forest canopies. We assessed SPL100 data acquisitions over managed forests in north-eastern Ontario, Canada, using high-density unmanned aerial vehicle-borne laser scanning (ULS) data as reference over a range of forest conditions with variable vertical structure. Signal attenuation depth of individual SPL100 returns was estimated through a surface model normalization approach stratified by a ULS-derived structural index that compared densities of returns in the upper canopy to low vegetation and near ground. Canopy signal attenuation was closely matched in both systems, particularly in the upper canopy and near the ground surface; however, results showed a 31% reduction in the relative characterization of mid-canopy vegetation layers by SPL100 under conditions identified by the structural index as closed canopy, compared to the ULS system.
A Daoist Pedagogy Encountering New Materialism in Art Education

In this article, we explore three Daoist concepts in East Asian historical and cultural contexts, addressing Daoism and its educational significance in connecting with new materialism theory. We argue that Daoism’s nonaction, the interdependence of things and concepts, and nonlinguistic learning allow us to expand art education from the Cartesian focus on the mind to a balanced art education practice of including affects and nonlinguistic ways of exploration. We also provide suggestions for art education pedagogy and practice reflecting on both Daoism and new materialism’s theoretical constructs.
Fast machine learning-based extraction of the peak number from ICESat full-waveform data

ABSTRACT As an important waveform feature, the number of peaks indicates the complexity of the surface coverage within the laser footprint. At present, the common methods of determining the number of peaks are based on waveform decomposition because the full waveform can be regarded as the superposition of multiple Gaussian waves. However, the empirical thresholds can affect the performance of the algorithms, and the process is time-consuming and inefficient. This study attempts to develop an automatic peak-number-driven classifier and picker based on machine learning (ML) and convolutional neural network (CNN) models. Waveforms were divided into four categories according to the peak-number. The results of five classifiers show good agreement with the verification data from GLAH14, with overall accuracies of 90.65%, 92.69%, 92.45%, 91.95%, and 93.05%. Moreover, F 1 score was calculated to evaluate the classification performance of each classifier for different categories. The results indicate that each classifier accurately distinguishes waveforms with different numbers of crests, especially invalid and single-peak waveforms. The ability to quickly and automatically extract the number of peaks based on ML methods will be of great benefit for specific research to screen suitable experimental data
Choledocholithiasis: Long‐term follow‐up in patients without stone clearance at first endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Complete clearance during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for choledocholithiasis is not always successful and biliary stenting is commonplace. Strategies vary between temporary stent placement (TSP) with interval ERCP or permanent stent placement (PSP) and watchful waiting for recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO). This study aimed to describe outcomes in these two groups and stent patency rates in PSP.
Thymidine starvation promotes c-di-AMP dependent inflammation during infection

Antibiotics remain one of the most effective methods for controlling bacterial infection. However, the diverse impacts of antimicrobials on bacterial physiology and host immunity remain unclear. A comprehensive antibiotic screen revealed that disruption of thymidine synthesis in Firmicutes with anti-folate antibiotics promoted elevated levels of the bacterial second messenger cyclic di-AMP, and consequently induced host STING activation during infection. Extensive exposure to antibiotics targeting folate synthesis drives the emergence of thymidine-dependent Staphylococcus aureus SCVs (TD-SCVs). Respiratory infections with TD-SCVs are common among children with cystic fibrosis and are associated with worse clinical outcomes, although the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain to be defined. Our study reveals that TD-SCV isolates exhibited excessive c-di-AMP production and STING activation in a thymidine-dependent manner. Murine lung infection with TD-SCVs revealed STING-dependent elevation of proinflammatory cytokines, leading to higher airway neutrophil infiltration and activation comparing to normal colony S. aureus and hemin-dependent SCV. Our results suggest the elevated inflammatory capacity of TD-SCVs contribute to their pathogenesis and revealed a new aspect of STING signaling in the airway by characterizing its role in neutrophil recruitment.
Effects of cell packing on chemoattractant distribution within a tissue

Diffusible signals provide critical information to cells in biological systems, often in a concentration-dependent manner. In animal development, such signals can determine different cell fates or guide motile cells to their proper locations. It is well-known that migrating cells respond to graded chemoattractant cues by moving toward areas of higher concentrations. However, it is not clear how cell-dense animal tissues impact the distribution of chemoattractants in three dimensions. We leverage the simple architecture of the Drosophila egg chamber to explore this idea. In this context, sixteen large germline cells are packed together, enveloped by a somatic epithelium. A small set of epithelial cells, the border cells, form a motile cell cluster and respond to guidance signals by moving across the egg chamber during oogenesis. We created a geometrically-realistic model of the egg chamber and determined the distribution of the chemoattractants through that domain using a reaction-diffusion system. We used this information to determine reasonable biophysical parameters of chemoattractant that would facilitate gradient formation in the appropriate developmental time, and to explore the effects of different secretion locations in the egg chamber. Our model revealed several interesting features: The chemoattractant is more concentrated and the gradient sets up more quickly in a cell-packed space, and cell packing creates dips in the concentration and changes in gradient along the migratory path. We simulated migration with our calculated chemoattractant gradient and compared it to that with a constant gradient. We found that with our calculated gradient, migration was slower initially than in the constant gradient, which could be due to the exponential nature of the gradient or other variation in signal due to the heterogeneous domain. Given the many situations in which cell migration occurs in complex spatio-temporal environments, including development, immune response, and cancer metastasis, we believe modeling chemoattractant distribution in heterogeneous domains is widely relevant.
Decoding the olfactory map: targeted transcriptomics link olfactory sensory neurons to glomeruli

Sensory processing in vertebrate olfactory systems is organized across olfactory bulb glomeruli, wherein axons of peripheral sensory neurons expressing the same olfactory receptor co-terminate to transmit receptor-specific activity to central neurons. Understanding how receptors map to glomeruli is therefore critical to understanding olfaction. High-throughput spatial transcriptomics is a rapidly advancing field, but low-abundance olfactory receptor expression within glomeruli has previously precluded high-throughput mapping of receptors to glomeruli. Here we combined spatial sectioning along the anteroposterior, dorsoventral, and mediolateral axes with target capture enrichment sequencing to overcome low-abundance target expression. This strategy allowed us to spatially map 86% of olfactory receptors across the olfactory bulb and uncover a relationship between OR sequence and glomerular position. ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY Targeted enrichment of olfactory receptor mRNA in olfactory bulb sections determines spatial positions for murine glomeruli.