Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum IgG4 cut-off of 70 mg/dL is associated with a shorter time to cirrhosis decompensation and liver transplantation in primary sclerosing cholangitis patients

Abstract BACKGROUND Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an immune-mediated biliary disorder of unknown etiology with no effective treatment. The purpose of this study was to better prognosticate the development of cirrhosis, decompensation, and requirement for liver transplantation (LT) in PSC patients based on serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) levels. METHODS A retrospective chart review was conducted on PSC patients seen at the University of Alberta Hospital between 2002 and 2017. PSC patients were categorized as high IgG4 group (≥70 mg/dL) or normal IgG4 group (<70 mg/dL). Laboratory parameters, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were compared between the groups. RESULTS One hundred and ten patients were followed over a mean period of 7.3 (SD 5) years. Seventy-two patients (66%) were male, the mean age at diagnosis of PSC was 35 (SD 15) years, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was present in 80 patients (73%). High IgG4 levels were found in 37 patients (34%). PSC patients with high IgG4 had a shorter mean cholangitis-free survival time (5.3 versus 10.4 years, p = 0.02), cirrhosis-free survival time (8.7 versus 13.0 years, p = 0.02), and LT-free survival time (9.3 years versus 18.9 years, p <0.001). IgG4 ≥70 mg/dL was independently associated with liver decompensation and LT-free outcomes. A cut-off IgG4 value of ≥70 mg/dL performed better than a cut-off value of ≥140 mg/dL to predict time to LT (area under the curve [AUC] 0.68, p = 0.03, sensitivity 72%, specificity 78%). CONCLUSIONS Serum IgG4 ≥70 mg/dL in PSC predicts a shorter time to cirrhosis decompensation and LT.
Particle leakage through the exhalation valve on a face mask under flow conditions mimicking human breathing: A critical assessment

In today's era of active personal protections against airborne respiratory disease, general interest in the multiphase flow physics underlying face masks is greater than ever. The exhalation valves, installed on some masks to mitigate the breathing resistance, have also received more attention. However, the current certification protocol of evaluating airflow leakage only when suction pressure is applied is insufficient to capture practical aspects (particle penetration or leakage). Here, we experimentally measure two-phase flow across valve-type masks under conditions mimicking actual breathing. During exhalation, a high-speed jet through the valve accelerates the transmission of particles from inside while reasonable protection from external pollutants is achieved during inhalation, which supports the warnings from various public health officials. Based on the mechanism of particle penetration found here, we hope a novel design that both achieves high-efficiency shielding and facilitates easy breathing can be developed.
Effects of pressurized steam-treated Corni Fructus extract on osteoblast differentiation and osteoclast formation

This study investigated the effects of pressurized steam-treated Corni Frutus (PSC) extract on osteoblast differentiation and osteoclast formation. The osteoblast differentiation effect of the extract was evaluated by measuring cellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, cell matrix ALP staining, alizarin Red S staining and von Kossa staining on proliferating MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. The results confirmed that ALP activity, cell matrix ALP staining, alizarin Red S staining and von Kossa staining were all increased as proliferation increased from 1 to 14 days, without cytotoxicity. The osteoclast formation effect of the PSC extract was evaluated by measuring the cellular tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity and cell matrix TRAP staining on receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-induced RAW264.7 osteoclast cells. Treating RAW264.7 cells with RANKL for 7 days increased matrix staining for TRAP and cellular TRAP activity. The PSC extract decreased these changes in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, PSC is expected to be a natural source for developing health functional foods and medicinal agents to prevent bone-related diseases, such as osteoporosis, by increasing osteoblast differentiation and reducing osteoclast activity.
Tuning Brønsted Acid Strength by Altering Site Proximity in CHA Framework Zeolites

This study examines how Bronsted acid strengths—as predicted by dispersion-corrected periodic DFT calculations of deprotonation energy (DPE), dehydrogenation energy (DHE), and NH3 binding energy (NH3 BE)—are affected by site proximity in proton-form zeolites and how adsorbates on one acid site alter the strength of nearby acids. Protons can bind to four distinct O atoms around the single crystallographically unique T-site of CHA, and all such locations were examined as bare and NH3-occupied sites. Protons prefer to bind to O1 atoms and orient within the plane of six-membered-ring (6MR) structures of CHA. NH4+ cations show a strong preference for binding in 8MR windows; 6MR structures are too small to solvate them. These preferences govern proximity effects on acid strength, studied here by probing the strength of a Bronsted acid site while a second site is placed in 23 locations separated by 1–3 T-sites. Placing a second acid in the 6MR of CHA decreased DPE and NH3 BE values for the first site by >10 kJ m.
Importance of Spatial Autocorrelation in Machine Learning Modeling of Polymetallic Nodules, Model Uncertainty and Transferability at Local Scale

Machine learning spatial modeling is used for mapping the distribution of deep-sea polymetallic nodules (PMN). However, the presence and influence of spatial autocorrelation (SAC) have not been extensively studied. SAC can provide information regarding the variable selection before modeling, and it results in erroneous validation performance when ignored. ML models are also problematic when applied in areas far away from the initial training locations, especially if the (new) area to be predicted covers another feature space. Here, we study the spatial distribution of PMN in a geomorphologically heterogeneous area of the Peru Basin, where SAC of PMN exists. The local Moran’s I analysis showed that there are areas with a significantly higher or lower number of PMN, associated with different backscatter values, aspect orientation, and seafloor geomorphological characteristics. A quantile regression forests (QRF) model is used using three cross-validation (CV) techniques (random-, spatial-, and cluster-blocking). We used the recently proposed “Area of Applicability” method to quantify the geographical areas where feature space extrapolation occurs. The results show that QRF predicts well in morphologically similar areas, with spatial block cross-validation being the least unbiased method. Conversely, random-CV overestimates the prediction performance. Under new conditions, the model transferability is reduced even on local scales, highlighting the need for spatial model-based dissimilarity analysis and transferability assessment in new areas.
Investigations about porosity analyzing of AAC

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) as a building material is characterized by its very good thermal insulation. This is achieved by a very high porosity of the microstructure. The size of the pores ranges from millimeters to nanometers and depends on the position as well as on the origin of the pore. It can be distinguished in propellant pores, web pores, and intercrystalline or interparticle pores. Because of the broad pore size range it is not fully understood until now, which pore sizes significantly and to what extent affect the building material qualities. The AAC's entire pore size distribution can only be detected by the combination of different microstructure analysis methods. For this purpose the nitrogen sorption analysis, mercury intrusion, and 3‐D microcomputer tomography was used as an effective combination. AAC samples that show different mineralogical phase compositions because of the differentiation of the formulation, were tested. On the basis of these samples and the pore size distribution, which is usually used for the description of the frost and frost‐deicing salt resistance of concrete, initial insights into the influence of the respective pore size on building material properties of the AAC could be gained.
Design of High-Power High-Efficiency Wireless Charging Coils for EVs with MnZn Ferrite Bricks

In wireless power transmission systems, the inductance, equivalent resistance, and quality factors of the coils are the main factors that influence the system’s transmission efficiency. When designing high-power wireless charging coils for electric vehicles (EVs), ferrite bricks that increase magnetic flux can be selected to increase the self-inductance of the coils, improving the wireless transmission distance and transmission efficiency. In this paper, the effects of the ferrite bricks, the size of the coils, the charging distance, and many other factors in real applications have been extensively studied. After theoretical analysis and simulation, the wireless transmission system has been fabricated and measured. The measured and simulated results are in good agreement. High-power high-efficiency wireless power transmission has been achieved for EVs compared with many other previous literatures.
Diverse northern Asian and Jomon-related genetic structure discovered among socially complex Three Kingdoms period Gaya region Koreans

The genetic history of prehistoric and protohistoric Korean populations is not well understood due to the lack of ancient Korean genomes. Here, we report the first paleogenomic data from Korea; eight shotgun-sequenced genomes (0.7×∼6.1× coverage) from two archeological sites in Gimhae: Yuha-ri shell mound and Daesung-dong tumuli, the most important funerary complex of the Gaya confederacy. All eight individuals are from the Korean Three Kingdoms period (4th-7th century CE), during which there is archaeological evidence of extensive trade connections with both northern (modern-day China) and eastern (modern-day Japan) kingdoms. All genomes are best modeled as an admixture between a northern-Chinese Iron Age genetic source and a Japanese-Jomon-related ancestry. The proportion of Jomon-related ancestry suggests the presence of two genetic groups within the population. The observed substructure indicates diversity among the Gaya population that is not related to either social status or sex. Teaser 1,700-year-old genomes reveal the genetic diversity of ancient Koreans in the Gimhae region.
MicroRNAs in Molecular Classification and Pathogenesis of Breast Tumors

Simple Summary Breast cancer is an ideal model of a heterogeneous disease that is triggered by genetic changes in the normal mammary epithelial cells and manifest as variants of breast tumor subtypes in individuals. Advancement in molecular and genomic profiling techniques, in particular the microRNA profiling have improved the ambiguity related to the presence of multiple breast tumor subtypes. This review discusses in detail, the efficient categorization of breast tumor subtypes based on expression of microRNAs and also highlights the significant role of microRNAs in regulating both the tumor cells and the host microenvironment in driving tumor initiation, progression, chemoresistance and eventual spread of the disease. MicroRNAs may be rightfully deemed as excellent biomolecules deserving a detailed investigation. Abstract The current clinical practice of breast tumor classification relies on the routine immunohistochemistry-based expression analysis of hormone receptors, which is inadequate in addressing breast tumor heterogeneity and drug resistance. MicroRNA expression profiling in tumor tissue and in the circulation is an efficient alternative to intrinsic molecular subtyping that enables precise molecular classification of breast tumor variants, the prediction of tumor progression, risk stratification and also identifies critical regulators of the tumor microenvironment. This review integrates data from protein, gene and miRNA expression studies to elaborate on a unique miRNA-based 10-subtype taxonomy, which we propose as the current gold standard to allow appropriate classification and separation of breast cancer into a targetable strategy for therapy.
Dispersion solid-phase extraction of flavonoid with amphiphilic monomers N-vinyl pyrrolidone and 1H,1H,7H-dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate based poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) and silica

A range of materials were synthesized based on different matrices of poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) (PS-DVB) and silica (Si). N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) and 1H,1H,7H-dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DMFA) were the functional monomers for the synthesis of PS-DVB–NVP, PS-DVB–NVP–DMFA, Si–NVP and Si–NVP–DMFA. The structures of the obtained materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and thermogravimetric analysis. The results demonstrated that NVP and DMFA can change the structure of the matrix pores. Using response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal proportion for synthesizing the materials was 330.00 μL of DMFA and 11.00 mg of AIBN at 80 °C. P–N–F showed the best recognition for pyrocatechin and quercetin, and the adsorption abilities were 12.14 μg mg−1 and 6.76 μg mg−1, respectively. In terms of applications, the method's recoveries of pyrocatechin and quercetin were in the range of 78.06–83.43% and 79.05–83.63% with associated intra-day relative standard deviations of less than 2.92% and 2.84%, respectively. P–N–F showed satisfactory results in that recoveries for pyrocatechin and quercetin were 83.43% and 83.63%, respectively. This showed potential for the rapid purification of flavonoids in an apple sample combined with dispersion solid-phase extraction (DSPE).
Tandem CAR-T cells targeting FOLR1 and MSLN enhance the antitumor effects in ovarian cancer

Given the heterogeneity of solid tumors, single-target CAR-T cell therapy often leads to recurrence, especially in ovarian cancer (OV). Here, we constructed a Tandem-CAR targeting two antigens with secretory activity (IL-12) to improve the effects of CAR-T cell therapy. Twenty coexpressed upregulated genes were identified from the GEO database, and we found FOLR1 (folate receptor 1) and MSLN (mesothelin) were specifically and highly expressed in cancer tissues and only 11.25% of samples were negative for both antigens. We observed an increased proliferation rate for these three CAR-T cells, and Tandem CAR-T cells could efficiently lyse antigen-positive OV cells in vitro and secrete higher levels of cytokines than single-target CAR-T cells. More importantly, in vivo experiments indicated that Tandem CAR-T cells markedly decreased tumor volume, exhibited enhanced antitumor activity, and prolonged mouse survival. Furthermore, the infiltration and persistence of T cells in the Tandem-CAR group were higher than those in the MSLN-CAR and Control-T groups but comparable to those in the FOLR1-CAR group. Collectively, this study demonstrated that Tandem CAR-T cells secreting IL-12 could enhance immunotherapeutic effects by reducing tumor antigen escape and increasing T cell functionality, which could be a promising therapeutic strategy for OV and other solid tumors.
Performance analysis of 10MWp grid-connected photovoltaic system in the Mediterranean climate using PVsyst software

This paper presents performance analysis and assessment of a simulated 10MWp grid-connected Photovoltaic System in the Mediterranean climate of Alexandria, Egypt using PVsyst simulation tool. The Photovoltaic plant was designed to achieve the highest performance. The system has a performance ratio of 84% when using polycrystalline module type and 83% using monocrystalline modules, the energy injected into the grid for the full year of 153.5 GWh/year and 152.6 GWh/year using polycrystalline and monocrystalline modules respectively, as results under the total amount of incident energy in collector plan of 2279.5 kWh/m2.day. The system showed a good performance and viability of installation. However, it is not on one of the hottest spots in Egypt, but as per cities planning and electrical energy distribution in the country, this result would give a good indicator helping taking the decision before starting any installations of photovoltaic power plants in Egypt for future projects, especially locations with a Mediterranean climate.
Hope in the context of chronic musculoskeletal pain: relationships of hope to pain and psychological distress

This study shows the potential importance of hope in understanding adjustment to chronic musculoskeletal pain which brings forward future direction for psychological assessment and intervention. Abstract Introduction: The cognitive model of hope suggests that people with high levels of hope are able to think about the ways to goals (pathways) and motivated to pursue those pathways to reach their goals (agency). We hypothesized that higher levels of hope would be related to lower levels of pain and less psychological distress (ie, anxiety and depression) and better adjustment. Objectives: This study aims to examine the relationship, if any, between cognition of hope and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Methods: One hundred and six patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain were recruited by convenient sampling from 2 public hospitals in Hong Kong. We assessed the hope level, psychological distress, and health outcomes by psychometric inventories. Results: Zero-order correlation results showed that hope was inversely associated with psychological distress (ie, anxiety and depression) and positively related to subjective self-efficacy. There was no significant relationship with severity of pain. Patients presented with longer duration of chronic musculoskeletal pain have higher hope level while pain developed after injury on duty have lower hope level. Conclusion: The findings of this cross-sectional study highlight the potential importance of hope in understanding adjustment to chronic musculoskeletal pain. Future longitudinal research could help reveal how hope and adjustment interact over the treatment of chronic pain cases.
Biogeosciences Perspectives on Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) Science

This article is composed of three independent commentaries about the state of Integrated, Coordinated, Open, Networked (ICON) principles in the American Geophysical Union Biogeosciences section, and discussion on the opportunities and challenges of adopting them. Each commentary focuses on a different topic: (a) Global collaboration, technology transfer, and application (Section 2), (b) Community engagement, community science, education, and stakeholder involvement (Section 3), and (c) Field, experimental, remote sensing, and real‐time data research and application (Section 4). We discuss needs and strategies for implementing ICON and outline short‐ and long‐term goals. The inclusion of global data and international community engagement are key to tackling grand challenges in biogeosciences. Although recent technological advances and growing open‐access information across the world have enabled global collaborations to some extent, several barriers, ranging from technical to organizational to cultural, have remained in advancing interoperability and tangible scientific progress in biogeosciences. Overcoming these hurdles is necessary to address pressing large‐scale research questions and applications in the biogeosciences, where ICON principles are essential. Here, we list several opportunities for ICON, including coordinated experimentation and field observations across global sites, that are ripe for implementation in biogeosciences as a means to scientific advancements and social progress.
The binary gas sorption in the bituminous coal of the Huaibei Coalfield in China

Knowledge of the gas sorption characteristics of a coal not only helps to explain the mechanism of enhanced coalbed methane recovery but also provides an important basis for simultaneous coal and gas extraction. In consequence, the pure and binary gas excess sorption capacity of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen of bituminous coal samples derived from the Xutuan Coal Mine in Huaibei coalfield, in Anhui Province in China, was measured using the volumetric method. The fitting analysis of the pure gas Langmuir adsorption model was carried out. The binary gas excess sorption measurement showed that the final sorption capacity of bituminous samples was the same no matter what the gas adsorption order of competitive adsorption and displacement adsorption. Hence, coal gas adsorption is physical adsorption, i.e. the different adsorption and desorption process of gas molecules does not affect the final adsorption amount of coal to each component of gas. Using the fitting parameters obtained by the Langmuir equation, the extended Langmuir equation was used to predict the adsorption capacity for each component of the binary gas. The comparison between predicted adsorption capacity and measured adsorption capacity showed that the extended Langmuir equation can better describe the trend of the adsorption isotherm curves of a binary gas under different pressures. The separation coefficient and displacement coefficient were defined from Langmuir adsorption theory. The separation coefficient involves the proportion of each component in the free phase and the proportion of each component in the adsorption phase. The displacement coefficient involves the displacement ability of gas molecules at adsorption sites by free gas molecules.
On the Rational Design of Zeolite Clusters for Converging Reaction Barriers: Quantum Study of Aldol Kinetics Confined in HZSM-5

We have performed density functional theory calculations to investigate the convergence of reaction barriers with respect to zeolite cluster size, for multistep reactions catalyzed in HZSM-5. We constructed cluster models of HZSM-5 using the delta-cluster approach reported previously by us. We then computed barriers for different reaction types to determine the cluster sizes and neighbor-list radii needed to fully treat zeolite confinement effects. In particular, we studied the acid-zeolite-catalyzed aldol reactions of acetone with formaldehyde, furfural, and hydroxymethyl-furfural, in three steps: keto/enol tautomerization of acetone, combination between each aldehyde and the enol, and aldol dehydration. We found that the delta-cluster radius of 4.0 A consistently converges barriers with respect to cluster size, yielding complete treatments of confinement in HZSM-5 with clusters containing up to 99 atoms. For comparison, periodic density functional theory (DFT) on HZSM-5 includes 288 atoms, requiring 19 .