Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics Are Associated with Reduced Severity of Hepatic Steatosis and Liver Fibrosis Detected by Transient Elastography

Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) proposal for a healthy lifestyle, also known as cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. However, the association between CVH metrics and the severity of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis detected by transient elastography is unknown. We performed a cross-sectional study using the data from the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycle. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were used to evaluate the severity of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis and to define NAFLD, advanced liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis. A total of 2679 participants were included. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that per 1-unit increase in the CVH metric, CAP and LSM decreased by 8.565 units and 0.274 units, respectively. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of NAFLD, advanced liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis were 7, 10, and 6 times higher in the poor CVH group than in the ideal CVH group. Subgroup analysis indicated that CVD patients and non-Hispanic whites could benefit more from ideal CVH. In conclusion, adherence to ideal CVH metrics, as proposed by the AHA, can significantly reduce the risk of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis.
Epigenetic regulation of radioresistance: insights from preclinical and clinical studies

ABSTRACT Introduction Oftentimes, radiation therapy (RT) is ineffective due to the development of radioresistance (RR). However, studies have shown that targeting epigenetic modifiers to enhance radiosensitivity represents a promising direction of clinical investigation. Areas covered This review discusses the mechanisms by which epigenetic modifiers alter radiosensitivity through dysregulation of MAPK-ERK and AKT-mTOR signaling. Finally, we discuss the clinical directions for targeting epigenetic modifiers and current radiology techniques used in the clinic. Methodology We searched PubMed and ScienceDirect databases from April 4th, 2022 to October 18th, 2022. We examined 226 papers related to radioresistance, epigenetics, MAPK, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. 194 papers were selected for this review. Keywords used for this search include, ‘radioresistance,’ ‘radiosensitivity,’ ‘radiation,’ ‘radiotherapy,’ ‘particle radiation,’ ‘photon radiation,’ ‘epigenetic modifiers,’ ‘MAPK,’ ‘AKT,’ ‘mTOR,’ ‘cancer,’ and ‘PI3K. ’ We examined 41 papers related to clinical trials on the aforementioned topics. Outcomes of interest were safety, overall survival (OS), dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), progression-free survival (PFS), and maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Expert opinion Current studies focusing on epigenetic mechanisms of RR strongly support the use of targeting epigenetic modifiers as adjuvants to standard cancer therapies. To further the success of such treatments and their clinical benefit , both preclinical and clinical studies are needed to broaden the scope of known radioresistant mechanisms.
Sparse Techniques in Global Flow Instability with Application to Compressible Leading-Edge Flow

Investigation of linear instability mechanisms is essential for understanding the process of transition from laminar to turbulent flow. Many studies over several decades have reported results in simple one-dimensional steady laminar basic flows, such as the boundary and shear layers. However, most flows of practical engineering significance remain unexplored. The main reason is that the geometry and underlying basic state in most applications depend on an inhomogeneous manner on more than one spatial direction, which does not permit use of simplified equations. The consideration of two or three inhomogeneous directions in the stability problem formulation results in formidable computational costs for completing parametric studies, which are, on the other hand, mandatory from a physical point of view.
Experiments to sort out theoretical models concerning the area ratio law for plasma reactors

For a RF plasma reactor with parallel electrodes, the area ratio law is generally expressed as , where and are the respective areas of the active and the earthed electrodes, and being the corresponding voltage drops through the sheath. In this paper, some theoretical models concerning this law are briefly presented. Using an experimental confinement of argon and nitrogen plasmas, an estimation of the exponent n for a capacitively coupled RF discharge and a comparison among these models are presented.
Anti-SOD1 Nanobodies That Stabilize Misfolded SOD1 Proteins Also Promote Neurite Outgrowth in Mutant SOD1 Human Neurons

ALS-linked mutations induce aberrant conformations within the SOD1 protein that are thought to underlie the pathogenic mechanism of SOD1-mediated ALS. Although clinical trials are underway for gene silencing of SOD1, these approaches reduce both wild-type and mutated forms of SOD1. Here, we sought to develop anti-SOD1 nanobodies with selectivity for mutant and misfolded forms of human SOD1 over wild-type SOD1. Characterization of two anti-SOD1 nanobodies revealed that these biologics stabilize mutant SOD1 in vitro. Further, SOD1 expression levels were enhanced and the physiological subcellular localization of mutant SOD1 was restored upon co-expression of anti-SOD1 nanobodies in immortalized cells. In human motor neurons harboring the SOD1 A4V mutation, anti-SOD1 nanobody expression promoted neurite outgrowth, demonstrating a protective effect of anti-SOD1 nanobodies in otherwise unhealthy cells. In vitro assays revealed that an anti-SOD1 nanobody exhibited selectivity for human mutant SOD1 over endogenous murine SOD1, thus supporting the preclinical utility of anti-SOD1 nanobodies for testing in animal models of ALS. In sum, the anti-SOD1 nanobodies developed and presented herein represent viable biologics for further preclinical testing in human and mouse models of ALS.
Micronutrient Deficiencies in Systemic Sclerosis: A Scoping Review

Purpose The primary aim is to identify the micronutrient deficiencies commonly reported in SSc. The exploratory aim is to evaluate associations between micronutrient deficiencies and SSc clinical manifestations. Patient and Methods We conducted a scoping review of all published reports on SSc and nutrition in PubMed from its inception to August 2020. Clinical trials, observational studies, meta-analyses, and case series (with ≥20 cases) containing data on nutritional deficiency and SSc were included. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for reporting our findings. Two reviewers (ADN and ERV) studied the titles and abstracts of all search results with pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results Among 790 retrieved publications, 35 full-length articles and 3 abstracts met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Included studies took place across multiple geographic locations and included patients with both diffuse and limited cutaneous SSc. Vitamin D deficiency was the most commonly reported deficiency described in SSc, followed by vitamin B12, vitamin B9, selenium, zinc, and iron. In addition, some small studies found deficiencies in vitamins B1, B6, C, E, and A. While some studies reported associations between specific micronutrient deficiencies and SSc disease features (eg, interstitial lung disease was commonly associated with vitamin D deficiency and elevated homocysteine [Hcy]), the evidence to support these associations was not robust. Conclusion Micronutrient deficiencies are common in SSc and are associated with specific SSc features. Routine screening for micronutrient deficiencies may lead to early detection of malnutrition. Future studies are needed to understand how interventions to replete micronutrient deficiencies affect patient outcomes in SSc.
Goodness-of-Fit Tests Based on Nonlinearity in Probability Plots

The problem of testing the composite hypothesis of normality is considered for complete samples. Three related test procedures are developed. The testing procedures have their origins in an attempt to formalize the appearance of nonlinearity in probability plots. The fitting of the ordered observations is accomplished by general linear least squares using the expected values of the standard normal order statistics (snos) as plotting positions. The moments of the snos have been approximated where necessary. The test statistics are ratios involving the squares of linear combinations of order statistics and the usual quadratic estimate of the variance. The percentage points ofthe test statistics aregenerally intractable by analytical methods. However percentage points are estimated using simulation techniques. The test procedures are compared to nine other tests of the composite hypothesis of normality in an empirical power study.
Nonspecular reflection of two‐ and three‐dimensional acoustic beams from fluid‐immersed plane‐layered elastic structures

This paper treats the interaction of two‐ and three‐dimensional acoustic quasi‐Gaussian beams with plane‐layered elastic configurations. Emphasis is placed on the regime of nonspecular reflection, which is characterized by strong coupling between the specularly reflected beam and leaky waves supported by the structure. The present analysis generalizes previously published studies of these phenomena by allowing for arbitrarily collimated two‐ and three‐dimensional beams as well as simultaneous excitation of multiple leaky waves. The substantially enriched range of nonspecular phenomena encountered under these generalized conditions is explained by examining the spectral content of the reflected and leaky wave constituents that participate in the interaction. By use of the complex source point (CSP) method for modeling quasi‐Gaussian beams, the reflection problems are solved rigorously by wave‐number spectral decomposition. Subsequent reduction by uniform asymptotic techniques yields physically meaningful w.
Using in-process measurements of open-gate structures to evaluate threshold voltage of normally-off GaN-based high electron mobility transistors

The parameters of open-gate structures treated with different etching time were monitored during the gate recess process, and their impacts on the threshold voltage (Vth) of final fabricated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) based on open-gate structures were discussed in this paper. It is found that Vth can exceed 0 V when channel resistance in the recessed region (Ron-open) increases over ∼275 Ω mm, maximum current (IDmax) decreases below ∼29 mA/mm, or recessed barrier thickness (tRB) is below ∼7.5 nm. In addition, tRB obtained by atomic force microscopy measurements and C-V measurements are also compared. Finally, theoretical common criteria based on the experimental results of this work for tRB and Ron-open were established to evaluate the Vth of a regular normally-off AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The results indicate that these parameters of open-gate structure can be utilized to achieve normally-off HEMTs with controllable Vth.
Relational Victimization and Video Game Addiction among Female College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Parasocial Relationship

Video game addiction, a common behavioral problem among college students, has been more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time, females’ video game usage has also attracted considerable research attention. Against this background and under the perspective of social interaction, this study aimed to examine the relationship between relational victimization and video game addiction among female college students, as well as its underlying mechanism—the mediating roles of social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters. Female college students (N = 437) were recruited to complete a set of questionnaires voluntarily in June 2022. Through the mediating effect analysis, the results found that (1) relational victimization was positively associated with female college students’ video game addiction; (2) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters could independently mediate this relation; (3) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters were also the serial mediators in this association. These findings not only expand previous studies by revealing the social motivation of video game usage and the underlying mechanism accounting for video game addiction, but also provide basis and guidance for the prevention and intervention of video game addiction in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revised structural phase diagram of (Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3)-(BaZr0.2Ti0.8O3)

The temperature-composition phase diagram of barium calcium titanate zirconate (x(Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3)-(1 − x)(BaZr0.2Ti0.8O3); BCTZ) has been reinvestigated using high-resolution synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction. Contrary to previous reports of an unusual rhombohedral-tetragonal phase transition in this system, we have observed an intermediate orthorhombic phase, isostructural to that present in the parent phase, BaTiO3, and we identify the previously assigned T-R transition as a T-O transition. We also observe the O-R transition coalescing with the previously observed triple point, forming a phase convergence region. The implication of the orthorhombic phase in reconciling the exceptional piezoelectric properties with the surrounding phase diagram is discussed.
The effects of long‐term drainage and short‐term restoration on dissolved organic C concentrations and optical properties in the Baijianghe Peatland

Peatlands are important reservoirs of terrestrial carbon (C), whose fate can have implications for the global C cycle and climate change. Many peatlands around the world have been drained for agriculture and forestry and restored later on hoping to reduce C emissions and improve water quality. However, the actual effects of these management practices remain unclear. To address this, we investigated the concentration and quality of dissolved organic C (DOC) and water chemistry (nutrient and Fe concentrations) in the surface water (creeks and ditches) of the natural, drained, and restored areas along an elevation gradient of the Baijianghe (BJH) peatland in northeast China from 2017 to 2020. We found significantly higher DOC concentrations in the natural than the drained area, with a heavier, more fulvic, and less aromatic DOC composition upslope, but the difference in DOC quality became smaller downslope. Restoration, on the other hand, did not bring DOC concentrations or quality back to the natural conditions within 2 years. These variations in DOC concentration and quality were closely associated with dissolved Fe concentration, highlighting the role of the Fe redox cycle, as Fe(II) can catalyse phenol oxidation activities and promote DOC production. Vegetation also affected DOC characteristics, as the drained and restored areas were dominated by shrubs with woodier tissues, which probably released less in amount but more recalcitrant DOC. Our study features rare side‐by‐side comparisons between pristine, drained, and restored areas of the same peatland, and sheds light on factors affecting peatland DOC under different management practices.
The Implementation of Paycheck Protection Program on the Recovery of Restaurant Industry in COVID-19

The epidemic has had a significant negative impact on many industries that rely on foot traffic for profit, with the restaurant industry being the most representative. The government also implemented different levels of lockdowns and subsidies at the beginning of the outbreak to control the spread of the epidemic while subsidizing the affected companies. This paper analyzes the extent to which the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARESA) for small companies helped the restaurant industry. Even with the limitations of incomplete information on small companies, the results indicate that the first round of the PPP loans helped the restaurant industry's transaction rate, but many restaurants decided to lay off employees because they did not receive follow-up subsidies. Therefore, it is inferred that the help of the PPP is phased, bringing significant boost effect immediately but not sustaining long-term economic recovery. This analysis also provides the basis for a more effective and applicable emergency relief program in the future.
Development of a nationwide approach for large scale estimation of green roof retrofitting areas and roof-top solar energy potential using VHR natural colour orthoimagery and DSM data over Thessaloniki, Greece

Buildings, and other engineered structures that form cities, are responsible for a significant portion of the local and global impacts of climate change. Therefore, there is a need for the increase and large-scale implementation of energy-efficient and renewable energy-generation technologies. In this paper, we investigate a remotely sensed approach for assessing the potential capacity of installing rooftop photovoltaic systems and/or implementing green roof retrofitting measures in an urbanized area. In particular, we analyse the ways in which freely available, no-cost, very high spatial resolution orthoimagery and Digital Surfaces Models, along with geospatial vector data, can assist in delineating available roof area at the level of individual buildings across a Mediterranean city. The available data-sets are integrated and processed within a Geographical Object Based Image Analysis framework. The method was developed on the basis of a test area consisting of the town of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. The correlation between the automated extracted roof area and the manual digitized reference data had a value of up to 0.9. The described approach can be applied nationwide across Greece, considering the national availability coverage of the data-sets, while the semantics can readily be transferred to neighbouring Mediterranean countries.
Linking evapotranspiration seasonal cycles to the water balance of headwater catchments with contrasting land uses

Land use affects evapotranspiration rates and is a primary driver of the catchment water balance. The water balance of two catchments in southeastern Australia dominated by either grazed pasture or blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantation was studied, focusing on the patterns of evapotranspiration (ET) throughout the year. Rainfall, streamflow, and groundwater levels measured between 2015 and 2019 were combined to estimate annual ET using a water balance equation. In the pasture, eddy covariance was used to measure ET from the catchment. Sap flow measurements were used to estimate tree transpiration in May 2017–May 2018 and Feb 2019–Feb 2021 in two different plots within the plantation. The tree transpiration rates were added to interception, estimated as a percentage of annual rainfall, to calculate ET from the plantation catchment. ET in the pasture showed strong seasonal cycles with very low ET rates in summer and ET rates in spring that were larger than the transpiration rates in the plantation, where trees transpired consistently throughout the year. The estimated annual ET from the water balance equation was comparable to ET estimated from other measurements. In the pasture, ET on average accounted for 88% of annual rainfall, while ET in the plantation was on average 93% of rainfall, exceeding it in the years with annual rainfall lower than about 500 mm. The difference between the ET rates in the plantation and the pasture was approximately 30–50 mm y−1. The larger ET rates in the plantation were reflected in a gradual decrease in the groundwater storage. The larger ET rates were enough to cause a decrease in groundwater storage in the plantation but not in the pasture, where groundwater levels remained stable.
Deep Reinforcement Learning for Quantitative Finance: Time Series Forecasting using Proximal Policy Optimization

Investment and financial management has existed as a field of study for quite some time, with roots in practical application. One of the approaches used in order to assist with investment decision making is the broad area of modelling. Modelling approaches can be found within multiple distinct, but still related, unique fields. These include statistics, machine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, discrete mathematics, dynamic programming, and many more. Not only are there multiple modelling approaches belonging to multiple different fields, but there are also different unique problems in investment management. In this work, the focus is on price prediction and concurrent strategy building. The modelling approach chosen for this is of the deep reinforcement learning type, and actor-critic class. Specifically, in this work the proximal policy optimization (PPO) architecture is employed individually on each stock’s market history in order to try and solve the price prediction problem. A custom RL environment was built to run the proposed experimental sequence and to test which parameter values should be used in regards to learning rate, discount factor, feature space, action space, and look-back length. These values were subsequently used for experiments on different datasets, exploring the portability of the model, effect of transfer learning, as well as portability of the parameter configuration. The results show our experimental sequence was successful at determining optimal values for training and that the PPO model can be effectively used for the price prediction problem, and in some instances outperform a practical B&H strategy.
Development of Biocompatible Bulk MgZnCa Metallic Glass with Very High Corrosion Resistance in Simulated Body Fluid

Magnesium-zinc-calcium (Mg-Zn-Ca) alloys as a biomaterial have attracted much attention recently, owing to their excellent biocompatibility, similar mechanical properties to natural bone, and biodegradable properties. Despite the numerous advantages of MgZnCa alloys, the rapid degradation of magnesium proved challenging as the implant in unable to retain its structural integrity for a sufficient duration of time. For metallic glasses, the capability to produce a bulk sample that is sufficiently large for useful applications have been far less successful owing to challenging processing parameters that are required for rapid cooling. In this study, Mg65Zn30Ca5 melt-spun ribbons were produced using melt-spinning followed by spark plasma sintering under high pressure (60 MPa) at different temperatures (130–170 °C) to provide an insight into the consolidation, mechanical, and corrosion behavior. Microstructural interfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy while the thermal stability of the amorphous phase was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Here, pellets with 10 mm diameter and 10 mm height with a complete amorphous structure were achieved at a sintering temperature of 150 °C with densification as high at ~98%. Sintering at higher temperatures, while achieving higher densification, resulted in the presence of nano-crystallites. The mechanical properties were characterized using microhardness and compression tests. The hardness values of the sintered products were relatively higher to those containing crystallite phases while the ultimate compressive strength increased with increasing sintering temperature. Bio-corrosion properties were characterized via electrochemical testing with PBS as the electrolyte at 37 °C. The corrosion results suggest that the sintered samples have a significantly improved corrosion resistance as compared to as-cast samples. More notably, SPS150 (samples sintered at 150 °C) exhibited the best corrosion resistance (35× compared to as-cast in the context of corrosion current density), owing to its single-phase amorphous nature. This study clearly shows the potential of spark plasma sintering in consolidating amorphous ribbons to near-full density bulk pellets with high corrosion resistance for bio-applications.