Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bunch length measurement using a traveling wave RF deflector

RF deflectors can be used for bunch length measurement with high resolution. This paper describes a completed S-band traveling wave RF deflector and the bunch length measurement of the electron beam produced by the photocathode RF gun of the Shanghai DUV-FEL facility. This is the first time that such a transverse RF deflector has been developed and used to measure the bunch length of picosecond order in China. The deflector's VSWR, is 1.06, the whole attenuation 0.5 dB, and the bandwidth 4.77 MHz for VSWR less than I. I. With a laser pulse width of 8.5 ps, beam energy of 4.2 MeV, and bunch charge of 0.64 nC, the bunch lengths for different RF input power into the deflector were measured, and an averaged rms bunch length of 5.25 ps was obtained. A YAG crystal is used as a screen downstream of the deflector, with the calibrated value of 1 pix = 136 mu m.
Heating and cooling in clusters of galaxies

On s'interesse au role du mouvement des galaxies dans l'echauffement du gaz intergalactique. On montre que si les galaxies du cœur des amas ont des rapports masse-luminosite M/L B plus grands que 30 environ, l'echauffement par freinage gravitationnel peut compenser les pertes par rayonnement, meme dans les amas ou le temps de refroidissement est court devant le temps de Hubble
Fatty Acid Induced Hypermethylation in the Slc2a4 Gene in Visceral Adipose Tissue Is Associated to Insulin-Resistance and Obesity

De novo lipogenesis (DNL) in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with systemic insulin sensitivity. DNL in VAT is regulated through ChREBP activity and glucose uptake through Glut4 (encoded by Slc2a4). Slc2a4 expression, ChREBP activity, and DNL are decreased in obesity, the underlying cause however remains unidentified. We hypothesize that increased DNA methylation in an enhancer region of Slc2a4 decreases Slc2a4 expression in obesity and insulin resistance. We found that SLC2A4 expression in VAT of morbidly obese subjects with high HbA1c (>6.5%, n = 35) is decreased, whereas DNA methylation is concomitantly increased compared to morbidly obese subjects with low HbA1c (≤6.5%, n = 65). In diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, DNA methylation of Slc2a4 persistently increases with the onset of obesity and insulin resistance, while gene expression progressively decreases. The regulatory impact of DNA methylation in the investigated enhancer region on SLC2A4 gene expression was validated with a reporter gene assay. Additionally, treatment of 3T3 pre-adipocytes with palmitate/oleate during differentiation decreased DNA methylation and increased Slc2a4 expression. These findings highlight a potential regulation of Slc2a4 by DNA methylation in VAT, which is induced by fatty acids and may play a role in the progression of obesity and insulin resistance in humans.
Methodology of a comprehensive risk assessment of the degree of geodynamic hazard of the state of the Earth’s crust block during the development of coal deposits

Geodynamic risks were studied during the development of coal deposits in the Russian Federation at the end of the last century, due to the difficulties in implementing green energy. The main directions of their development are established, their sectorial focus is noted, and a new methodological approach is proposed. Therefore, the purpose of the research is to develop a methodology for assessing the risk of geodynamic hazard of the earth’s crust block state in the areas of coal deposits’ development in the Russian Federation in order to ensure safety, which is a complex scientific task. The proposed risk assessment methodology includes an integrated approach taking into account geodynamic zoning, monitoring and industrial safety. The proposed risk assessment methodology includes a systematic approach, taking into account geodynamic zoning, monitoring and industrial safety. The practical use of the implementation of the proposed methodology is to expand the use of digital technologies for collecting information, as well as to gain new knowledge about the impact of geodynamic processes on safety and sustainable development of territories
Aptamer-functionalized mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes for targeted delivery of SN38 to colon cancer cells

Objective(s): Known as natural nanovesicles, exosomes have attracted increased attention as biocompatible carriers throughout recent years, which can provide appropriate sources for incorporating and transferring drugs to desired cells in order to improve their effectiveness and safety. Materials and Methods: This study implicates the isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from adipocyte tissue (ADSCs) to acquire a proper amount of exosomes for drug delivery. As the exosomes were separated by ultracentrifugation, SN38 was entrapped into ADSCs-derived exosomes through the combination method of incubation, freeze-thaw, and surfactant treatment (SN38/Exo). Then, SN38/Exo was conjugated with anti-MUC1 aptamer (SN38/Exo-Apt), and its targeting ability and cytotoxicity towards cancer cells were investigated. Results: Encapsulation efficiency of SN38 into exosomes (58%) was significantly increased using our novel combination method. Furthermore, the in vitro results were indicative of the great cellular uptake of SN38/Exo-Apt and its significant cytotoxicity on Mucin 1 overexpressing cells (C26 cancer cells) without noticeable cytotoxicity on normal cells (CHO cells). Conclusion: The results propose that our approach developed an efficient method for loading SN38 as a hydrophobic drug into exosomes and decorating them with MUC1 aptamer against Mucin 1 overexpressing cells. So, SN38/Exo-Apt could be considered a great platform in the future for the therapy of colorectal cancer.
Adaptation and validation of the quality of contraceptive counseling (QCC) scale for use in Ethiopia and India

We adapted the Quality of Contraceptive Counseling (QCC) scale, originally constructed in Mexico, for Ethiopia and India to expand its utility for measurement of client experiences with counseling. Scale items were modified based on prior research on women’s preferences for counseling in each country, and refined through cognitive interviews (n = 20 per country). We tested the items through client exit surveys in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (n = 599), and Vadodara, India (n = 313). Psychometric analyses revealed the adapted scales were valid and reliable for use, and the final scales retained content validity according to the original published QCC construct definition. Specifically, confirmatory factor analysis revealed high factor loadings for almost all items on the original dimensions: Information Exchange, Interpersonal Relationship, Disrespect and Abuse. Internal consistency reliability was high in both settings (Alpha = 0.92 for QCC-Ethiopia and 0.74 for QCC-India). Final item pools contained 26 items in the QCC-Ethiopia Scale and 23 in the QCC-India Scale. Correlation analyses established convergent validity. QCC Scales and subscales fill a gap in measurement tools for ensuring high quality of care and fulfillment of human rights in contraceptive services, and consistent findings across continents suggest versatility in use across different contexts.
Randomized phase III study of daratumumab versus bortezomib plus daratumumab as maintenance therapy after D-MPB for transplant-ineligible patients with untreated multiple myeloma (JCOG1911, B-DASH study)

Abstract Daratumumab, melphalan, prednisolone and bortezomib followed by daratumumab maintenance is a standard regimen for transplant-ineligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. A large-scale clinical trial demonstrated that progression-free survival declined more sharply during the maintenance phase than during the daratumumab, melphalan, prednisolone and bortezomib induction phase, which suggests the necessity of reinforcing maintenance therapy. This randomized phase III trial aims to confirm the superiority of daratumumab plus bortezomib to daratumumab as maintenance therapy in terms of progression-free survival for transplant-ineligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (JCOG1911, B-DASH). First registration (222 patients, within 5 years) was before daratumumab, melphalan, prednisolone and bortezomib administration; those who responded to daratumumab, melphalan, prednisolone and bortezomib were included in the second registration. They were randomized to the daratumumab or daratumumab plus bortezomib maintenance arm. This trial is registered in the Japan Registry for Clinical Trials as jRCT031200320 (https://jrct.niph.go.jp/). An ancillary study examining the association of genetic alterations in myeloma cells with prognosis and drug resistance, using next-generation sequencing, is ongoing.
On the prime graph of Dn(q) where q ∊ {2, 5}

Abstract Let G be a finite group. The prime graph Γ(G) of G is defined as follows. The vertices of Γ(G) are the primes dividing the order of G and two distinct vertices p, p′ are joined by an edge if G has an element of order pp′. Let L = Dn(q) have disconnected prime graph and q ∊ {2, 5}. In this paper, we determine finite groups G with the same prime graph as L, i.e. Γ(G) = Γ(L).
Identification of illness representational patterns and examining differences of self-care behavior in the patterns in chronic kidney disease

Self-care behavior is considered important for preventing the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although lifestyle interventions are popular, they have not been sufficiently effective. According to studies on other chronic diseases, illness representation has been found to formulate a pattern, and self-care behavior could differ depending on the pattern, which suggests difference in self-care behavior based on illness representation. This study examined what kind of illness representational patterns exist among CKD patients and whether there is a difference in self-care behavior depending on the pattern. A survey was conducted from the beginning of June to the end of October 2019 on 274 CKD patients who were either outpatients or hospitalized at general hospitals in Western Japan. The Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised was used to assess illness representation and the Japanese Chronic Kidney Disease Self-Care scale was used to assess self-care behavior. Two-stage cluster analysis was used to identify clusters. Cluster features were examined using analysis of variance and Tukey HSD tests. Differences in self-care behavior scores among identified clusters were investigated. Two hundred and forty-four questionnaires were received, and 212 were analyzed. Participants were aged 64.9±12.9, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate was 33.7±15.8. Three clusters were identified: Cluster 1 represented the difficulty of making sense of the changed condition caused by the disease and easily falling into misunderstanding; Cluster 2 represented patients with disease conditions that impacted their daily life and emotional responses; Cluster 3 represented the controllability and understandability of the disease. Total self-care behavior scores indicated a significant difference between Cluster 1 (52.1 ± 9.7) and Cluster 3 (57.7 ± 8.2). In conclusion, we showed that three representational patterns exist among CKD patients. In addition, a difference was found in self-care behavior depending on the illness representational pattern, suggesting the need to focus on illness representation.
Anti-oxidant effect of nitrite in the pancreatic islets of type 2 diabetic male rats

Objective(s): Nitrite, a nitric oxide (NO) donor, increases insulin secretion from pancreatic islets and has positive metabolic effects in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here, we test the hypothesis of whether nitrite-induced insulin secretion is due to blunting of diabetes-induced oxidative stress in the islets. Materials and Methods: T2D was created in male rats using a combination of streptozotocin at 25 mg/kg and a high-fat diet. Wistar rats were assigned to 3 groups (n=6 in each group), including control, T2D, and T2D+nitrite; the latter group consumed drinking water containing sodium nitrite (50 mg/l) for eight weeks. At the end of the study, mRNA levels of NADPH oxidase (Nox1, 2, 3, and 4), superoxide dismutase (SOD1, 2, and 3), glutathione peroxides (GPX1 and 7), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase, thioredoxin (TXN1 and 2), and thioredoxin reductase (TXNRD1) were measured in the isolated pancreatic islets. Results: In the islets of diabetic rats, mRNA expressions of Nox1, 2, and 4 were higher, whereas expressions of SOD1, 2, catalase, GPX1, 7, GR, and TXN1 were lower than controls. Nitrite significantly (all P-values<0.05) decreased gene expression of Nox1 (0.39-fold) and Nox4 (0.23-fold) and increased gene expression of SOD1 (2.2-fold), SOD2 (2.8-fold), catalase (2.7-fold), GPX1 (2.2-fold), GPX7 (6.0-fold), GR (3.0-fold), TXN1 (2.1-fold), and TXNRD1 (2.3-fold) in diabetic rats. Conclusion: Nitrite decreased oxidative stress in isolated pancreatic islets of rats with T2D by suppressing oxidants and augmenting anti-oxidants. These findings favor the notion that nitrite-induced insulin secretion is partially due to decreased oxidative stress.
Temporal image stacking for noise reduction and dynamic range improvement

The dynamic range of an imager is determined by the ratio of the pixel well capacity to the noise floor. As the scene dynamic range becomes larger than the imager dynamic range, the choices are to saturate some parts of the scene or “bury” others in noise. In this paper we propose an algorithm that produces high dynamic range images by “stacking” sequentially captured frames which reduces the noise and creates additional bits. The frame stacking is done by frame alignment subject to a projective transform and temporal anisotropic diffusion. The noise sources contributing to the noise floor are the sensor heat noise, the quantization noise, and the sensor fixed pattern noise. We demonstrate that by stacking images the quantization and heat noise are reduced and the decrease is limited only by the fixed pattern noise. As the noise is reduced, the resulting cleaner image enables the use of adaptive tone mapping algorithms which render HDR images in an 8-bit container without significant noise increase.
Age-class distribution and the forest fire cycle

The expected age-class structure of a forest dependent on random periodic fire for disturbance and renewal is derived and presented. It is simply the negative exponential distribution, well known in probability mathematics. An important feature of this concept is that the present age-class structure of such a forest is the key to its past fire history. Its limitations are discussed, and the computer simulation of variations, including the interaction of fire and logging, is described. Three examples of its use in interpreting fire history are given.
Symmetric diagnostics for the analysis of the residuals in regression models

Typical alternative hypotheses in the analysis of residuals of a standard regression model are considered, and for each one a Bayesian diagnostic based on a symmetric form of the Kullback--Leibler divergence is determined. The results include an explicit expression for the diagnostic when the alternative hypothesis is that the errors are generated by an unknown distribution function with a Dirichlet process prior. This expression is immediately interpretable, exactly computable and endowed with important asymptotic connections. A linear approximation of the diagnostic reveals close links with the class of Lagrange multiplier test statistics. When the alternative hypothesis is that the errors are generated by an autoregressive process the linear approximation is proportional to the Box--Pierce statistic or to the Ljung--Box statistic, according to the characteristics of the prior, if the observations have zero mean; it depends on the Durbin--Watson statistic if the errors are first-order autoregressive, and it is related to the Cliff--Ord statistic if they are generated by a first-order spatial autoregression. The sensitivity to the prior of the diagnostic and of its linear approximation is also discussed. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.
An evaluation of isocentre shift magnitude and treatment site on image‐guided radiation therapy online decision analysis times

The ability to capture more anatomical detail in cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging compared to kilovoltage (kV) and megavoltage (MV) imaging, has seen a documented shift towards CBCT image verification and staff adopting more extensive image analysis processes. The timeframe associated with assessing online CBCT images, termed the online decision analysis time, if drawn out, can affect treatment efficiency and accuracy. This study aimed to determine the current CBCT online decision analysis time at Radiation Oncology Princess Alexandra Ipswich Road (ROPAIR) and investigate the influence of isocentre shift magnitude and treatment site considerations on this timeframe.
How to convert whole‐blood donors to plasma donors: An investigation of the mechanisms of awareness of need for plasma and donors' perception of response efficacy

Blood donation services need to increase plasma donations to match the rising demand. However, evidence on how to best recruit donors among whole‐blood donors is limited. Therefore, this study evaluated the effectiveness of a conversion strategy based on two different mechanisms that drive donor behavior: (a) awareness of the need for plasma donation and (b) perception of response efficacy regarding plasma donation.
Experimental assessment of cardiovascular physiology in the chick embryo

High resolution assessment of cardiac functional parameters is crucial in translational animal research. The chick embryo is a historically well‐used in vivo model for cardiovascular research due to its many practical advantages, and the conserved form and function of the chick and human cardiogenesis programs. This review aims to provide an overview of several different technical approaches for chick embryo cardiac assessment. Doppler echocardiography, optical coherence tomography, micromagnetic resonance imaging, microparticle image velocimetry, real‐time pressure monitoring, and associated issues with the techniques will be discussed. Alongside this discussion, we also highlight recent advances in cardiac function measurements in chick embryos.
Melatonin attenuated chronic visceral pain by reducing Nav1.8 expression and nociceptive neuronal sensitization

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder, and its specific pathogenesis is still unclear. We have previously reported that TTX-resistant (TTX-R) sodium channels in colon-specific dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were sensitized in a rat model of visceral hypersensitivity induced by neonatal colonic inflammation (NCI). However, the detailed molecular mechanism for activation of sodium channels remains unknown. This study was designed to examine roles for melatonin (MT) in sensitization of sodium channels in NCI rats. Methods Colorectal distention (CRD) in adult male rats as a measure of visceral hypersensitivity. Colon-specific dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were labeled with DiI and acutely dissociated for measuring excitability and sodium channel current under whole-cell patch clamp configurations. Western blot and Immunofluorescence were employed to detect changes in expression of Nav1.8 and MT2. Results The results showed that rats exhibited visceral hypersensitivity after NCI treatment. Intrathecal application of melatonin significantly increased the threshold of CRD in NCI rats with a dose-dependent manner, but has no role in the control group. Whole-cell patch clamp recording showed that melatonin remarkably decreased the excitability and the density of TTX-R sodium channel in DRG neurons from NCI rats. The expression of MT2 receptor at the protein level was markedly lower in NCI rats. 8MP, an agonist of MT2 receptor, enhanced the distention threshold in NCI rats. Application of 8MP reversed the enhanced hypersensitivity of DRG neurons from NCI rats. 8MP also reduced TTX-R sodium current density and modulated dynamics of TTX-R sodium current activation. Conclusions These data suggest that sensitization of sodium channels of colon DRG neurons in NCI rats is most likely mediated by MT2 receptor, thus identifying a potential target for treatment for chronic visceral pain in patients with IBS.
The Image of the Mathematician

During recent correspondence with Henry Alder, Secretary of the Association, I expressed concern over the apparent fact, as I have been able to observe the educational-industrial-governmental scene, that the image of the professional mathematician as held by American society has undergone serious deterioration in the last few years. If my observation is valid, the future demand for persons with degrees in mathematics will probably be depressed to an even lower level than that which has been anticipated. Professor Alder informed Professor John W. Brace, Chairman of the Committee on the Exchange of Information on Mathematics, of my concern. The following letter, slightly edited and published here at the request of the editor, was written as a reply to a letter which I received from Professor Brace. Dear Professor Brace: I appreciated your letter of March 16, for, as Henry Alder has informed you, I have become greatly concerned by the nature of the image of the mathematician presently held by many members of American society. Since writing my original letter to Henry, an article has appeared in the New Yorker, written by Alfred Adler, that contains such sentences as the following: "Mathematicians are often expected to manage brilliantly in the fields of business and finance. Of course, they do nothing of the kind. Their non-mathematical efforts are, on the whole, pitifully inept. The qualities embedded in the mind of the mathematician by the discipline of mathematics fail to extend beyond the boundaries of mathematics. " Such comments, I must emphasize, represent a very common point of view; thus one hears the question often repeated, "Unless a person expects to teach mathematics, why should he study courses in mathematics beyond the most elementary ? " Such a question is given support by the scientist who says, "I learned my mathematics in my courses in science," and by the industrialist who says, "I do not know what to do with a mathematician after I employ him, for it has been my experience that he is unable to isolate and frame the problems that are to be solved. " Henry Alder sent me, as you indicate, a copy of the report of the Committee of which you are the Chairman. The thesis of that report, as further stated in your letter of March 16, is that American mathematics faces a serious problem in communication.
Effect of manipulating the vergence/accommodation and image size mismatches of the ±2D flipper test on the frequency and precision of accommodative facility

The ±2.00 D accommodative facility test presents several limitations, including the lack of objective information and inherent characteristics such as vergence/accommodative conflict, change in apparent size of the image, subjective criteria for judging blur and motor reaction time. By using free‐space viewing conditions and an open‐field autorefractor to monitor the refractive state, we examined the impact of manipulating these factors on the qualitative and quantitative assessment of accommodative facility.