Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of N6-methyladenosine Related Signature as New Biomarker for Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Correlates with Sorafenib and anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy Treatment Response

Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification plays an essential role in diverse key biological processes and may take part in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we systematically analyzed expression profiles and prognostic values of 13 widely reported m6A modification related genes in HCC.Methods: mRNA expression of 13 m6A modification related genes and clinical parameters of HCC patients were downloaded from TCGA, ICGC, GSE109211 and GSE78220. Univariate and LASSO analysis was used to develop risk signature. Time-dependent ROC was performed to assess the predictive accuracy and sensitivity of risk signature.Results: FTO, YTHDC1, YTHDC2, ALKBH5, KIAA1429, HNRNPC, METTL3, RBM15, YTHDF2, YTHDF1 and WTAP were significantly overexpressed in HCC patients. YTHDF1, HNRNPC, RBM15, METTL3, YTHDF2 were independent prognostic factors for OS and DFS in HCC patients. Next, a risk signature was also developed and validated with five m6A modification related genes in TCGA and ICGC HCC cohort. It could effectively stratify HCC patients into high risk patients with shorter OS and DFS and low risk patients with longer OS and DFS and showed good predictive efficiency in predicting OS and DFS. Moreover, significantly higher proportions of macrophages M0 cells, neutrophils and Tregs were found to be enriched in HCC patients with high risk score, while significantly higher proportions of memory CD4 T cells, gamma delta T cells and naive B cells were found to be enriched in HCC patients with high low score. Finally, significantly lower risk scores were found at sorafenib treatment responders and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy responders compared to that in non-responders, and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy treated patients with lower risk score had better OS than patients with higher risk score. Conclusion: A risk signature developed with the expression of 5 m6A related genes could improve the prediction of prognosis of HCC and correlate with sorafenib treatment and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy response.
Facile Arm-First Synthesis of Star Block Copolymers via ARGET ATRP with ppm Amounts of Catalyst

Star polymers with block copolymer arms were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) via an arm-first method. Several macroinitiators based on block copolymers (MIs), PBA-b-PtBA–Br, PtBA-b-PBA–Br, PSAN-b-PBA–Br, and PBA-b-PtBA–Br, were prepared by activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) ATRP to maintain high chain-end functionality. Then the MIs were reacted with divinylbenzene as a cross-linker to form star-shaped polymers via ARGET ATRP. Several parameters including concentration of reducing agent, copper catalyst concentration, degree of polymerization (DP) of MIs, and composition of MIs were investigated. A high level of control was achieved by sequential feeding of the reducing agents for DPMI ≤ 100. Stars in >95% yield and with narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn < 1.3) were obtained under the optimized polymerization condition.
How Other Minorities Gained Access: The War on Poverty and Asian American and Latino Community Organizing

In the early twentieth century, Asian Americans and Latinos organized along national origin lines and focused on assimilation; By the 1960s and 1970s, community organizers from both groups began to form panethnic community service organizations (CSOs) that emphasized solidarity. I argue that focusing on the rise of panethnic CSOs reveals an underappreciated mechanism that has mobilized Asian Americans and Latinos—the welfare state. The War on Poverty programs incentivized non-black minority community organizers to form panethnic CSOs to gain access to state resources and serve the economically disadvantaged in their communities. Drawing on extensive archival research, I identify this mechanism and test it with my original dataset of 818 Asian American and Latino advocacy organizations and CSOs. Leveraging the Reagan budget cut, I show that dismantling the War on Poverty programs reduced the founding rate of panethnic CSOs. I further estimated that a 1 percent increase in federal funding was associated with the increase of the two panethnic CSOs during the War on Poverty. The findings demonstrate how access to state resources forces activists among non-primary beneficiary groups to build new political identities that fit the dominant image of the policy beneficiaries.
Ultrahigh removal of methyl orange, acid blue-92 and malachite green by a novel triazine-based polyamine resin: synthesis, isotherm and kinetic studies

ABSTRACT A novel triazine-based resin (APP-TRIAZ) has been synthesised for the highly efficient and rapid removal of methyl orange (MO), acid blue 92 (AB92) and malachite green (MG) from aqueous solution. The mesoporous APP-TRIAZ displayed excellent adsorptive performance with maximum adsorption capacities (Qmax) of 454.96 mg g−1, 329.56 mg g−1 and 424.81 mg g−1 for MO, AB92 and MG, respectively. The experimental adsorption data were examined by non-linear curve fitting of four isotherm models which hinted that Lagergren’s pseudo-second-order model as a best-fitted kinetics model in describing adsorption of these dyes. The kinetics studies indicated a faster rate of adsorption for these dyes, with adsorption capacities ~ 90%, in the first 4 hours. The thermodynamics calculations revealed that adsorption was exothermic and physical in nature. Adsorption at varied pH indicated that electrostatic forces, hydrogen-bonding and π-π stacking interaction are the main adsorption mechanisms involved. The APP-TRIAZ is thermally stable(Td = 375 °C) and mesoporous in nature, established by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, respectively. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of MO- and AB92-loaded resins revealed two additional peaks owing to S 2p and O 1s at around 164.80 eV and 529.13 eV, suggesting the presence of sulphur-based function on the surface of the loaded resin. The resin exhibits good reusability, retaining adsorption efficiency of 61–76% after four cycles of adsorption-desorption process. The APP-TRIAZ extensively characterised by field emission scanning electron spectroscopy (FESEM), solid state 13C (CP-MAS) NMR, FT-IR,and energy dispersion spectroscopic (EDS) analysis.
Graphene oxide composite membranes as a potential candidate for a desalination system

Availability of clean water is a critical issue all over the world. In order to solve this problem, many efforts such as distillation and membrane based filtration were attempted to obtain clean water from seawater as it is an earth abundant water source. Forward osmosis research has recently been interested worldwide for desalination to supply drinking water, industrial water and agricultural water because a conventional reverse osmosis required high operating pressure which increases the running cost of desalination facilities. Currently, the graphene materials have been significantly studied because of their outstanding properties such as multifunctional surface and favourable hydrogen bonding with water molecules. In this study, we report comparative studies of commercially available forward osmosis membrane (aquaporin, sterlitech) with graphene oxides and carbon nano-tubes. The morphologies of graphene oxides and carbon nano-tubes coated aquaporin protein membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the salt rejection from conductivity measurement of draw solutions and the water flux of graphene oxides and carbon nano-tubes composite membranes in forward osmosis system were studied, respectively. From these results, we realized that among the characterized membrane graphene oxide coated aquaporin membrane showed higher water flux and salt rejection properties because of hydrophilic surface and functional groups such as hydroxyl (-OH), a carboxyl (-COOH) and an epoxide (-O-) which are hydrophilic water molecules.
Advanced Water Management in PEFCs: Diffusion Layers with Patterned Wettability III. Operando Characterization with Neutron Imaging

Following our two previous publications on material synthesis and on ex situ characterization, we present an experimental in situ study to evaluate the effects of using gas diffusion layers with patterned wettability at the cathode side of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The operando performance was assessed using traditional electrochemical diagnostics (such as polarization curves) combined with the pulsed gas analysis (PGA) method, which allows measuring the mass transport losses. Neutron radiography was performed simultaneously in order to image the water distribution during operation. Using this methodology, the effects of changing the pattern, including a microporous layer (MPL), and varying the operation conditions (temperature and relative humidity of the cathode gas) have been systematically evaluated. It has been confirmed that water redistributes according to the engineered pattern and that the power density is significantly increased thanks to reduced mass transport losses under various conditions. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by ECS. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 License (CC BY-NC-ND, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is not changed in any way and is properly cited. For permission for commercial reuse, please email: oa@electrochem.org. [DOI: 10.1149/2.0891613jes] All rights reserved.
The effect of organic matter application on carbon sequestration and soil fertility in upland fields of different types of Andosols

ABSTRACT We evaluated the effect of long-term application of organic matter on soil organic carbon (SOC), and physico-chemical properties of different types of Andosols in the cool temperate zone. In 2012, a soil survey was conducted in 34 fields in Toya, Hokkaido, Japan, using reference data collected from 2001 to 2003 in the same fields. The region contains three groups of soil series (K1, K2 and HO), with soils of K1 (Vitric Andosols) being strongly affected by newly (1769–2000) erupted volcanic ash compared with K2 and HO (Silandic Andosols). The mean application rate of organic matter was 1.45 ± 1.27 Mg carbon (C) ha−1 yr−1. Mean SOC contents in 2001–2003 and 2012 were 26.5 ± 8.1 and 25.7 ± 5.7 g C kg−1, respectively, and mean SOC stocks were 39.6 ± 10.2 and 37.9 ± 7.4 Mg C ha−1 0.15 m−1, respectively. There were no significant differences in either SOC content or stock. However, the rate of change in SOC between 2001–2003 and 2012 (ΔSOC) was significantly higher in K1 than in K2, and SOC decreased significantly in K2. There was a significant negative correlation between initial SOC and rate of ΔSOC: rate of ΔSOC content (g C kg−1 yr−1) = −0.046 × Initial SOC content (g C kg−1) + 1.12 and rate of ΔSOC stock (Mg C ha−1 0.15 m−1 yr−1) = −0.052 × Initial SOC stock (Mg C ha−1 0.15 m−1) + 2.09. The thresholds of initial SOC content and stock (intercept at the x-axis) were calculated as 24.3 g C kg−1 and 36.1 Mg C ha−1 0.15 m−1, respectively. These values were higher than those obtained in previous studies conducted in croplands probably because of the specific features of Andosols. ΔSOC content was significantly negatively correlated with Δbulk density, Δavailable phosporus and base saturation, but positively correlated with Δtotal porosity, Δphosphate absorption coefficient and cation exchange capacity. These findings indicate that application of organic matter increases SOC and improves soil fertility when the initial SOC is lower than the threshold, and highlight the difficulties in maintaining or accumulating SOC in Andosols because of the high SOC.
A Report of Two Cases of Bacteremia by Leuconostoc lactis in Immunocompromised Patients

Background Leuconostoc lactis (L lactis) are gram positive cocci and generally considered to be environmental organisms. They were widely regarded as non-pathogenic and therefore of limited clinical significance. Molecular identification is one technique to identify bacteria.Case reports We presented two cases of bacteremia caused by L lactis. They were both advanced age, history of various diseases, intravenous catheter implantation, parenteral nutrition, longer hospital stay and using of multiple antibiotics. The 16S rRNA genes of the isolates of these two patients´ blood were sequenced. Conclusions When immunocompromised patients with risk factors develop bacteremia caused by L lactis, adequate attention and effective treatment measures should be given.
Divergence

Since the function and form of Comenian pansophia derived from the previous post-Ramist tradition, its sources and basic working methods naturally betrayed the same family resemblance. Far from proceeding on strictly empirical principles, Comenius adopted from Alsted the idea that pansophia must derive from the ‘three books of God’: sense, reason, and revelation (section 8.i). Like Alsted, Comenius also collected and processed this huge variety of material within a system of commonplaces; while Hartlib and Dury, for their part, proposed using Alsted’s Encyclopaedia as the structure of a collaborative information processing centre known as the Office of Address for Communications. However bookish these methods may seem, they were not as far removed from Bacon’s actual practice as is commonly supposed (section 8.ii). The fatal disjuncture underlying the universal reform programme was not between empiricism and commonplacing but between philosophical and pedagogical goals. The fundamental objective was to expound a reformed system of universal knowledge in the systematic manner in which it could be propagated universally. But the reformation of knowledge in the patient, incremental manner advocated by Bacon required resistance to premature systematization. The Baconian pansophists were therefore forced to choose between pursuing the best means of transmitting received knowledge and the best means of transforming it. Since there was no point in communicating knowledge which remained fundamentally flawed, the universal reform agenda collapsed amongst Hartlib’s successors into the more coherent and manageable task of reforming natural philosophy alone (section 8.iii).
Real Earnings Management, Manipulation Incentives and Accounting Conservatism:Evidence from China

ABSTRACT This study examines the effects of real earnings management on accounting conservatism, based on 2,121 A-share listed firms in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2005 to 2017. The results indicate that real earnings management has a significant negative impact on listed firms’ accounting conservatism. The real earnings management based on loss avoidance, seasoned equity offerings (SEO), maintaining growth and reversing loss reduces accounting conservatism, while that based on earnings smoothing incentive improves accounting conservatism. Real earnings management of firms with poor corporate governance has a more significant impact on accounting conservatism than firms with good corporate governance. The findings also offer reference for further strengthening listed firms’ financial supervision, improving corporate governance structure, and promoting the healthy development of the securities market.
Development of mass spectrometric methods to understand the mechanism of action of transition metal-based anticancer compounds

Metal based anti-cancer drugs (metallodrugs) such as cisplatin are a cornerstone of cancer chemotherapy. However, development of this class of compound has been hindered by our lack of understanding of how they function. This is mainly because existing method to study the mechanism of action of metallodrugs are lacking as they were either directly adapted from methods to study organic drugs which have very different chemical properties or current limits in technology and knowledge were a bottleneck to the development of suitable methods. Mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a powerful tool which can be applied to study the mechanism of action of metallodrugs. Many different MS methods exist which can be adapted to study different aspects of drug action while accounting for the unique chemical nature of metallodrugs. In this dissertation, we develop MS strategies to study how platinum and ruthenium metallodrugs work and study a few important aspects of their function. Firstly, the in vitro distribution of and ligand state of metallodrugs were studied by imaging mass spectrometry. Next, we attempted to find novel protein targets of metallodrugs using a novel protein expression profiling approach. Promising metallodrug protein targets obtained from this study were then validated via biochemical methods. To facilitate the application of MS based protein-metallodrug fragmentation experiments for finding binding sites of metallodrugs on proteins, we developed and optimized web-based tools for automatic processing of complex spectra from these experiment. We then applied these tools to study the interaction of metallodrugs on relevant proteins, which provided insight into the specific binding properties of metallodrugs on proteins.
An Improved Technique to Minimize Cation Adsorption in Neutral Solutions

The increase in the number of operational nuclear reactors and the need in the near future to begjn final disposal of the accumulated wastes from the reprocessing of inadiated fuel has stimulated research programs in the behavior of certain fission products and, more particularly, of the actinide elements in near neutral and slightly basic solutions. In such solutions, polyvalent cations, even at tracer level concentrations below solubility limits, are likely to experience hydrolysis and to adsorb to surfaces of suspended particulates and the walls of experimental equipment. This has made it very difficult to obtain reliable, reproducible data on the behavior of such cations in such systems. SILVA et a/. [1 ] studied the loss of Am(III), Pu(IV), Np(V) and U(VI) from a Solution phase of pH 6 6 . 5 distilled water in cleaned Polyethylene Containers at 5 X 10"' M concentration of each metal cation. They found that within 2 days 80% of the Pu(IV) and 50% of the Am(III) had been removed from Solution but the Np(V) (i.e., NpOj ) and U(VI) (i.e., UOj^ ) remained in the Solution phase. In laboratory experiments with higher surface-to-volume ratios on g^ass surfaces, we have measured over 90% adsorption of Am(III) at pH 8 within an hour (Fig. 1). We also found that filtration of solutions prior to addition of the tracers resulted in a greater apparent loss from the Solution phase in subsequent samplings. Since the prefiltration had removed the suspended particulate matter, we assume that the higher Solution concentrations of actinides in unfUtered solutions is due to adsorption onto the suspended particulates and not due to true Solution phase solubility. This paper describes procedures we have found effective in minimizing adsorption losses of actinides to walls and to suspended particulates. All solutions were filtered prior to addition of tracer. To transfer solutions, etc., we used syringes equipped with cellulose nitrate filters of 25 mm diameter and 0.2 micron pore size. These filters had to be washed thoroughly to lemove any water soluble Compounds prior to use. The sample Containers (commerdal glass scintillation vials) were rinsed at least three times with filtered blank solutions. Working solutions were filtered immediately before use. To minimize recontamination, all Operations were conducted in a dust-free, laminar flow hood. To minimize wall adsorption we made the walls hydrophobic by using a trimethylsilane coatii^. Initially we tried a commercial silanizing Solution to coat our sample vials; however, only erratic and, at best, temporary improvement was obtained. A more satisfactory treatment was as foUows. The Standard, borosilicate glass 20 ml scintillation vials were washed for 1 hour in 1 M NaOH, soaked in 3 M HQ for one day, washed with deionized water and dried at 100°C. The diy vials were treated for 3 hours with a Solution containing 5% trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) and 5% hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) in dry toluene [2]. The reaction is:
AIR-WATER INTERACTION OF PADDLE WAVES UNDER WIND FORCING

The air-water interaction has been long studied in ocean physics, due to its importance to natural hazard and impact on human activities. Several studies in the literature provided advancements for a better comprehension of gases, mass and momentum exchanges at the interface. However, the subject is wide and many aspects are still unsolved, especially it is quite hard to extract data from the air and water boundary layer. A non-intrusive useful method to acquire data at the air-water interface is Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), which can extrapolate a huge amount of information in water. We perform an experimental study of regular waves generated by paddles propagating under the action of the wind. We discuss the importance of sea surface boundary layer under waves and winds based on laboratory experiments and scale analysis.Recorded Presentation from the vICCE (YouTube Link): https://youtu.be/X-3OQnJKMf8
Developmental trajectories in infant pointing: The effects of vocalisation and communicative intention

The goal of this intensive longitudinal study was to trace the developmental trajectories of infant pointing production, through consideration of the modality (i.e. pointing alone vs pointing–vocal coupling) and the communicative intention (i.e. imperative vs declarative). Multilevel analysis was used to model the normative trend and the individual differences in pointing trajectories. Eighteen Italian infants participated in this study and were followed monthly from 9 to 18 months of age. The infants were involved in a structured task designed to elicit imperative and declarative pointing (T-POINT). The proportion of pointing for each participant as a function of age, modality (pointing alone vs pointing–vocal coupling) and context (imperative vs declarative), and the interactional effects, were modelled. Random effects among participants for age trends were estimated. This analysis defined the following: (1) a significant linear increase in pointing production, without and with vocalisation; (2) a significant increase in pointing–vocal coupling over pointing produced alone, in an accelerated form; (3) that the context does not appear to moderate linear and quadratic trends; and (4) that infants differed in their developmental trajectories with respect to the quadratic component, which means that some of the infants developed faster with age than the others. Results are discussed with respect to the hypothesis of strong integration between different systems of communication, further underlining the progression of pointing–vocal coupling.