Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of ecotypic variation in driving worldwide colonization by a cosmopolitan plant

Short-living plants meet their main energy demand by photosynthesis of rosette leaves. These leaves optimize their yield as required for successful growth in so many different locations around the world. Do they cope with varying conditions by one general-purpose genotype and phenotypic plasticity or by ecotypic differentiation with a specific genetic background? How did leaves of a plant like Shepherd’s Purse, a weed colonizing all continents and climatic regions during a time period of only 500 years, evolve? We demonstrate that a combination of physiological, anatomical and morphological differentiation might allow such tremendous colonization success.
Full-order observer based IGBT temperature online estimation

An online temperature estimation method is presented, based on a full-order state observer. To ensure the accuracy of the developed model, FEA (Finite Element Analysis) method is applied into deriving a Cauer type thermal network where the observer is modelled on. The developed observer enables estimation of temperatures at any reliability critical locations only measuring one accessible location. As the observer includes all of system dynamic information, it can estimate high dynamic temperature with a lower dynamic temperature sensor. The proposed temperature estimation method is verified experimentally. Although the experiment is developed for a specific IGBT, the proposed strategy is of general validity for multilayer-structure devices.
Thirty‐Three Years of Ocean Benthic Warming Along the U.S. Northeast Continental Shelf and Slope: Patterns, Drivers, and Ecological Consequences

Abstract The U.S. Northeast Continental Shelf is experiencing rapid warming, with potentially profound consequences to marine ecosystems. While satellites document multiple scales of spatial and temporal variability on the surface, our understanding of the status, trends, and drivers of the benthic environmental change remains limited. We interpolated sparse benthic temperature data along the New England Shelf and upper Slope using a seasonally dynamic, regionally specific multiple linear regression model that merged in situ and remote sensing data. The statistical model predicted nearly 90% of the variability of the data, resulting in a synoptic time series spanning over three decades from 1982 to 2014. Benthic temperatures increased throughout the domain, including in the Gulf of Maine. Rates of benthic warming ranged from 0.1 to 0.4°C per decade, with fastest rates occurring in shallow, nearshore regions and on Georges Bank, the latter exceeding rates observed in the surface. Rates of benthic warming were up to 1.6 times faster in winter than the rest of the year in many regions, with important implications for disease occurrence and energetics of overwintering species. Drivers of warming varied over the domain. In southern New England and the mid‐Atlantic shallow Shelf regions, benthic warming was tightly coupled to changes in SST, whereas both regional and basin‐scale changes in ocean circulation affect temperatures in the Gulf of Maine, the Continental Shelf, and Georges Banks. These results highlight data gaps, the current feasibility of prediction from remotely sensed variables, and the need for improved understanding on how climate may affect seasonally specific ecological processes.
Memory T cells are significantly increased in rejected liver allografts of rhesus monkeys

The rhesus monkey (RM) is an excellent preclinical model in kidney, heart, and islet transplantation that has provided the basis for new immunosuppressive protocols for clinical studies. However, there remain relatively few liver transplantation (LT) models in nonhuman primates. In this study, we analyzed the immune cell populations of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and secondary lymphoid organs along with livers of normal RMs and compared them with those of rejected LT recipients following withdrawal of immunosuppression. We undertook 5 allogeneic ABO compatible orthotopic LTs in monkeys using 5 normal donor monkey livers. We collected tissues including lymph nodes, spleens, blood, and recipient livers, and we performed flow cytometric analysis using isolated immune cells. We found that CD4 or CD8 naïve T cells were normally seen at low levels, and memory T cells were seen at high levels in the liver rather than lymphoid organs or PBMC. However, regulatory cells such as CD4+ forkhead box P3+ T cells and CD8+ CD28– cells remained in high numbers in the liver, but not in the lymph nodes or PBMC. The comparison of CD4/8 T subpopulations in normal and rejected livers and the various tissues showed that naïve cells were dramatically decreased in the spleen, lymph node, and PBMCs of rejected LT monkeys, but rather, the memory CD4/8 T cells were increased in all tissues and PBMC. The normal liver has large numbers of CD4 regulatory T cells, CD8+ CD28–, and myeloid‐derived suppressor cells, which are known immunosuppressive cells occurring at much higher levels than those seen in lymph node or peripheral blood. Memory T cells are dramatically increased in rejected liver allografts of RMs compared with those seen in normal RM tissues. Liver Transplantation 24 256–268 2018 AASLD.
Optimal Xeno-free Culture Condition for Clinical Grade Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth

Background and Objectives Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) are a promising clinical resource for various tissue defects, including lumbar spondylosis, neural compression, and cleft palate. Use of media containing animal-derived serum carries potential risk of infectious diseases and unwanted immunogenicity. To increase the potential utility of SHED for clinical application, SHED was adapted to xeno-free conditions. Methods Define xeno-free culture media were compared with the conventional serum containing media in the culture of SHED. Cultured SHED in different media were further characterized through proliferative capacities, cellular phenotype, and differentiation potential. Results Selected xeno-free media were capable of supporting the growth of SHED. MSCGM-CD Bulletkit medium greatly increased the number and proliferate capacity of colony-forming unit-fibroblast than SHED cultured in other media. In addition, the characteristic surface markers expression and multipotent differentiation potential of SHED in the MSCGM-CD Bulletkit medium were comparable to those observed with serum-containing medium. Conclusions The xeno-free medium described herein has the potential to be further used for the safe expansion and to determine efficient way to produce clinical grade dental stem cells for therapeutic applications.
Advantages and Limitations of Current Imaging Techniques for Characterizing Liposome Morphology

There are currently a number of imaging techniques available for evaluating the morphology of liposomes and other nanoparticles, with each having its own advantages and disadvantages that should be considered when interpreting data. Controlling and validating the morphology of nanoparticles is of key importance for the effective clinical translation of liposomal formulations. There are a number of physical characteristics of liposomes that determine their in vivo behavior, including size, surface characteristics, lamellarity, and homogeneity. Despite the great importance of the morphology of nanoparticles, it is generally not well-characterized and is difficult to control. Appropriate imaging techniques provide important details regarding the morphological characteristics of nanoparticles, and should be used in conjunction with other methods to assess physicochemical parameters. In this review, we will discuss the advantages and limitations of available imaging techniques used to evaluate liposomal formulations.
Directional core selection approach and dynamic tree reorganization for delay and delay variation multicast routing

Multicast communication constrained by end‐to‐end and interdestination delay variation is known as delay and delay variation–bounded multicast. These constraints are salient for real‐time multicast communications. In this paper, we propose a directional core selection algorithm for core selection and delay variation–bounded multicast tree generation. Another algorithm, based on k‐shortest paths, is proposed to further decrease the interdestination delay variation of the trees generated by directional core selection. We also propose the dynamic version of both algorithms that respond to dynamic join and leave requests to the ongoing multicast session by reorganizing the tree and avoiding session disruption. Simulations show that the proposed algorithms surpass existing algorithms in end‐to‐end delay, interdestination delay variation, execution time, and failure probability.
Synchrotron-Refraktions-Computertomografie — eine neue Methode zur Erkennung von Grenzflächen

Kurzfassung Röntgenstrahlung eignet sich besonders gut zur zerstörungsfreien Charakterisierung von Werkstoffen. Mit ihrer Hilfe lassen sich z.B. Risse und Poren in Werkstoffen erkennen. Die Risserkennbarkeit ist jedoch von der Rissgröße im Vergleich zum Auflösungsvermögen des Detektors abhängig. Risse, Poren oder Einschlüsse können in Radiogrammen nur dann erkannt werden, wenn sie größer sind als das Detektorelement, das die Röntgenstrahlen registriert. Das hier vorgestellte neuartige Synchrotron-Refraktions-Computertomografie-Verfahren ist jedoch in der Lage, auch Risse zu erkennen, deren Größe weit unterhalb des Auflösungsvermögens des Detektors liegt. Das Verfahren basiert auf dem bisher wenig genutzten Phänomen der Kleinwinkelstreuung durch Brechung von Röntgenstrahlen an den inneren Grenzflächen mikroskopisch strukturierter Objekte. Durch den Vergleich zwischen absorptionsbasierter und refraktionsbasierter Computertomografie-Untersuchungen mit Synchrotronstrahlung an einer geschädigten Faserverbundprobe wird das Potenzial der Synchrotron-Refraktions-Computertomografie demonstriert.
Prognosis communication with older patients with multimorbidity: Assessment after an educational intervention

ABSTRACT This study aimed to assess how internal medicine residents incorporated prognosis to inform clinical decisions and communicated prognosis in primary care visits with older patients with multimorbidity after an educational intervention, and resident and patient perspectives regarding these visits. Assessment used mixed-methods. The authors assessed the frequency and content of prognosis discussions through residents’ self-report and qualitative content analysis of audio-recorded clinic visits. The authors assessed the residents’ perceived effect of incorporating prognosis on patient care and patient relationship through a resident survey. The authors assessed the patients’ perceived quality of communication and trust in physicians through a patient survey. The study included 21 clinic visits that involved 12 first-year residents and 21 patients. Residents reported incorporating patients’ prognoses to inform clinical decisions in 13/21 visits and perceived positive effects on patient care (in 11/13 visits) and patient relationship (in 7/13 visits). Prognosis communication occurred in 9/21 visits by self-report, but only in six of these nine visits by content analysis of audio-recordings. Patient ratings were high regardless of whether or not prognosis was communicated. In summary, after training, residents often incorporated patients’ prognoses to inform clinical decisions, but sometimes did so without communicating prognosis to the patients. Residents and patients reported positive perceptions regarding the visits.
Evaluation Of Continuous And DiscretePhase Models For SimulatingSubmicrometer Aerosol TransportAnd Deposition

Submicrometer aerosols are widely prevalent throughout the environment. Examples of these aerosols include combustion byproducts, ions from radioactive decay, and respiratory-specific viruses. Predicting the transport and fate of these aerosols isimportantinanumberofapplicationsincludinglarge-scaleenvironmentalassessments, determiningpollutantexposurelevelsinmicroenvironments, andevaluating thelungdepositionandpotentialhealtheffectsofinhaledparticles.Numericalsimulationsofsubmicrometeraerosolsarechallengingduetolowdepositionefficiencies, theactionofconcurrentinertialanddiffusivetransportmechanisms, andstiffequationsets.Aswithothertwo-phaseflowsystems, bothcontinuousanddiscretephase models have been used to simulate the transport and deposition of submicrometer aerosols. However, eachoftheseapproacheshasinherentstrengthsandweaknesses. In this review, the performance of continuous and discrete phase models is assessed inaseriesofcasestudiesthatfocusonsubmicrometeraerosoltransportanddeposition in the respiratory tract.The numerical methods considered include a chemical species approach that neglects particle inertia, Lagrangian particle tracking, and a recently proposed drift flux model that utilizes a near-wall analytic solution. The performance of these models is evaluated through comparisons with experimental data sets of deposition in a representative double bifurcation geometry, a realistic model of the upper tracheobronchial region, and a realistic model of the nasal cavity. Comparisons of the mass transport methods considered with experimental data highlight advantages and disadvantages of each approach. These results are intended to provide guidance in selecting appropriate two-phase models for simulating submicrometer aerosol transport and deposition in a variety of applications including exposure analysis, respiratory dosimetry, and respiratory drug delivery.
The modified glasgow prognostic score is an independent prognostic indicator in neoadjuvantly treated adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction

The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) combines the indicators of decreased plasma albumin and elevated CRP. In a number of malignancies, elevated mGPS is associated with poor survival. Aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic role of mGPS in patients with neoadjuvantly treated adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction 256 patients from a prospective database undergoing surgical resection after neoadjuvant treatment between 2003 and 2014 were evaluated. mGPS was scored as 0, 1, or 2 based on CRP (>1.0 mg/dl) and albumin (<35 g/L) from blood samples taken prior (preNT-mGPS) and after (postNT-mGPS) neoadjuvant therapy. Scores were correlated with clinicopathological patients’ characteristics. From 155 Patients, sufficient data was available. Median follow-up was 63.8 months (33.3–89.5 months). In univariate analysis, Cox proportional hazard model shows significant shorter patients OS (p = 0.04) and DFS (p = 0.02) for increased postNT-mGPS, preNT-hypoalbuminemia (OS: p = 0.003; DFS: p = 0.002) and post-NT-CRP (OS: p = 0.03; DFS: p = 0.04). Elevated postNT-mGPS and preNT-hypoalbuminemia remained significant prognostic factors in multivariate analysis for OS (p = 0.02; p = 0.005,) and DFS (p = 0.02, p = 0.004) with tumor differentiation and tumor staging as significant covariates. PostNT-mGPS and preNT-hypoalbuminemia are independent prognostic indicators in patients with neoadjuvantly treated adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction and significantly associated with diminished OS and DFS.
Guest Editorial Distributed Signal Processing for Security and Privacy in Networked Cyber-Physical Systems

The papers in this special section address distributed signal processing applications that support security and privacy in networked cyber-physical systems. Networked cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are engineering systems with integrated computational and communication capabilities that interact with humans through cyber space. The CPSs have recently emerged in several practical applications of significant engineering importance including aerospace, industrial/manufacturing process control, multimedia networks, transportation systems, power grids, and medical systems. The CPSs typically consist of both wireless and wired sensor/agent networks with different capacity/reliability levels where the emphasis is on real-time operations, and performing distributed, secure, and optimal sensing/processing is the key concern. To satisfy these requirements of the CPSs, it is of paramount importance to design innovative “Signal Processing” tools to provide unprecedented performance and resource utilization efficiency.
Functional outcomes of sensate versus insensate free flap reconstruction in oral and oropharyngeal reconstruction: A systematic review

The purposes of this article were to review the literature regarding subjective outcomes, objective functional outcomes, and objective sensation return after sensate and/or insensate free flap reconstruction of the oral cavity and oropharynx. Sensate radial forearm and anterolateral thigh free flaps tend to have better static 2‐point discrimination and pressure threshold sensitivity than insensate flaps. There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on whether sensate flaps improve functional speech and swallowing outcomes measured by videofluoroscopic swallowing studies and percentage of word intelligibility by a listener blinded to the study. These data highlight the complexity and number of variables affecting functional outcomes in patients who have undergone reconstructive surgery after oral and oropharyngeal cancer ablative operations. A prospective randomized multicenter study that properly and rigidly stratifies patients by defect, flap and recipient nerve choice, adjuvant therapies, and uses widely agreed upon pretreatment and posttreatment evaluation tools could help to answer this important question. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1708–1716, 2016
Predictors of health-related quality of life in community-dwelling stroke survivors: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND Impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) post stroke is common, though prevalence estimates vary considerably. Few longitudinal studies explore post-stroke patterns of HRQoL and factors contributing to their change over time. Accurately identifying HRQoL after stroke is essential to understanding the extent of stroke effects. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess change in levels of, and identify independent predictors of, HRQoL over the first 12-months post-stroke. METHODS Design. A prospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Community-dwelling stroke survivors in metropolitan Newcastle, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Consecutively recruited stroke patients (n = 134) participated in face-to-face interviews at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. OUTCOME MEASURE HRQoL (measured using the Assessment Quality-of-life). Independent measures. Physical and psycho-social functioning, including depression and anxiety (measured via Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), disability (Modified Rankin Scale), social support (Multi-dimensional Scale Perceived Social Support) and community participation (Adelaide Activities Profile). ANALYSES A linear mixed model was used to establish the predictors of, change in HRQoL over time. RESULTS On multivariable analysis, HRQOL did not change significantly with time post-stroke. Higher HRQoL scores were independently associated with higher baseline HRQoL (P = 0.03), younger age (P = 0.006), lower disability (P = 0.003), greater community participation (P ≤ 0.001) and no history of depression (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION These results contribute to an understanding of HRQoL in the first year post-stroke. Community participation and stroke-related disability are potentially modifiable risk factors affecting post-stroke HRQoL. Interventions aimed at addressing participation and disability post-stroke should be developed and tested.
Discovering geographic locations in web pages using urban addresses

This paper presents an approach that helps to discover geographic locations from the recognition, extraction, and geocoding of urban addresses found in Web pages. Experiments that evaluate the presence and incidence of urban addresses in Web pages are described. Experimental results, based on a collection of over 4 million documents from the Brazilian Web, show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Bottled SAFT: A Web App Providing SAFT-γ Mie Force Field Parameters for Thousands of Molecular Fluids

Coarse-grained molecular simulation has become a popular tool for modeling simple and complex fluids alike. The defining aspects of a coarse grained model are the force field parameters, which must be determined for each particular fluid. Because the number of molecular fluids of interest in nature and in engineering processes is immense, constructing force field parameter tables by individually fitting to experimental data is a futile task. A step toward solving this challenge was taken recently by Mejía et al., who proposed a correlation that provides SAFT-γ Mie force field parameters for a fluid provided one knows the critical temperature, the acentric factor and a liquid density, all relatively accessible properties. Building on this, we have applied the correlation to more than 6000 fluids, and constructed a web application, called "Bottled SAFT", which makes this data set easily searchable by CAS number, name or chemical formula. Alternatively, the application allows the user to calculate parameters for components not present in the database. Once the intermolecular potential has been found through Bottled SAFT, code snippets are provided for simulating the desired substance using the "raaSAFT" framework, which leverages established molecular dynamics codes to run the simulations. The code underlying the web application is written in Python using the Flask microframework; this allows us to provide a modern high-performance web app while also making use of the scientific libraries available in Python. Bottled SAFT aims at taking the complexity out of obtaining force field parameters for a wide range of molecular fluids, and facilitates setting up and running coarse-grained molecular simulations. The web application is freely available at http://www.bottledsaft. org . The underlying source code is available on Bitbucket under a permissive license.
Micafungin Enhances the Human Macrophage Response to Candida albicans through β-Glucan Exposure

ABSTRACT Micafungin belongs to the antifungal family of echinocandins, which act as noncompetitive inhibitors of the fungal cell wall β-1,3-d-glucan synthase. Since Candida albicans is the most prevalent pathogenic fungus in humans, we study the involvement of micafungin in the modulation of the inflammatory response developed by human tissue macrophages against C. albicans. The MIC for micafungin was 0.016 μg/ml on the C. albicans SC5314 standard strain. Micafungin induced a drastic reduction in the number of exponential SC5314 viable cells, with the fungicidal effect being dependent on the cellular metabolic activity. Notably, micafungin also caused a structural remodelling of the cell wall, leading to exposure of the β-glucan and chitin content on the external surface. At the higher doses used (0.05 μg/ml), the antifungal also induced the blowing up of budding yeasts. In addition, preincubation with micafungin before exposure to human tissue macrophages enhanced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), and IL-10 cytokines. Our results strongly suggest that in C. albicans treatment with micafungin, in addition to having the expected toxic antifungal effect, it potentiates the immune response, improving the interaction and activation of human macrophages, probably through the unmasking of β-glucans on the cell wall surface.