Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Severity of muscle impairment and its progression assessed using musculoskeletal magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tension imaging in 78 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a retrospective study

Purpose Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy. Current diagnostic tests like genetic testing, needle electromyography, and muscle biopsy are either not easily available or invasive, and they are impractical for assessing disease progression and treatment outcomes. Therefore, there is a need for a non-invasive and accurate investigative modality for DMD. In recent years, musculoskeletal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-MSK) along with fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have become major non-invasive tools. Material and methods T1-weighted MRI-MSK and FA measures of DTI of 78 DMD patients were retrospectively studied to identify the distinct pattern of muscle involvement and fatty infiltration as age and/or disease progresses. Correlation analysis was performed between MRI-MSK grade score vs. age, muscle strength, and Vignos scale. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used. Results As age increased, the MRI grade score and Vignos score increased. There was a statistically significant high positive correlation between MRI-MSK grade score and age, and low positive correlation with Vignos scores. With increasing age, the muscle strength on manual muscle testing (MMT) and FA value decreased. There was high negative correlation with muscle strength on MMT and low positive correlation between FA values and MMT score. Conclusions On T1-weighted MRI, a distinct pattern, extent, and distribution of lower limb muscle involvement can be seen. MRI-MSK grade score worsens with progressing age, reducing strength, and increasing functional impairment. FA alone may not be an accurate marker in assessing progression of DMD. MRI-MSK and other DTI measures should be further explored as diagnostic and prognostic tools for DMD.
Rhizosphere microbial community enrichment processes in healthy and diseased plants: implications of soil properties on biomarkers

Plant health states may influence the distribution of rhizosphere microorganisms, which regulate plant growth and development. In this study, the response of rhizosphere bacteria and fungi of healthy and diseased plants compared to bulk microbes was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. Plant adaptation strategies of plants under potato virus Y (PVY) infection have been studied from a microbial perspective. The diversity and community structure of bacteria and fungi varied between bulk and rhizosphere soils, but not between healthy and diseased rhizosphere soils. A LEfSe analysis revealed the significant differences between different treatments on bacterial and fungal community compositions and identified Roseiflexaceae, Sphingomonas, and Sphingobium as the bacterial biomarkers of bulk (BCK), healthy rhizosphere (BHS), and diseased rhizosphere (BIS) soils, respectively; Rhodotorula and Ascomycota_unidentified_1_1 were identified as the fungal biomarkers of bulk (FCK) and healthy rhizosphere (FHS) soils. Bacterial networks were found to be more complex and compact than fungal networks and revealed the roles of biomarkers as network keystone taxa. PVY infection further increased the connectedness among microbial taxa to improve rhizosphere microbial community stability and resistance to environmental stress. Additionally, water content (WC) played an apparent influence on bacterial community structure and diversity, and pH showed significant effects on fungal community diversity. WC and pH greatly affected the biomarkers of bacterial rhizosphere communities, whereas the biomarkers of bulk bacterial communities were significantly affected by soil nutrients, especially for Sphingobium. Overall, the rhizosphere microbial community enrichment processes were different between healthy and diseased plants by changing the community compositions and identifying different biomarkers. These findings provide insight into the assemblage of rhizosphere microbial communities and soil physicochemical properties, which contributes to a deeper understanding of the establishment of an artificial core root microbiota to facilitate plant growth and bolstering resistance mechanisms. This knowledge contributes to a deeper understanding of the establishment of an artificial core root microbiota, thereby facilitating plant growth and bolstering resistance mechanisms.
Magnetic Jack Type Control Element Drive Mechanism for Precision Position Control of the Control Element Assembly

Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a magnet jack type control rod drive apparatus for a reactor control rod precise position control. The control rod driving device includes a top motor assembly and a lower motor assembly for raising or lowering a control rod drive shaft. The control rod driving device includes a control device for driving the control rod driving device in such a manner that the lift clearance of the upper motor assembly is D1, D2, a distance between the teeth of the control rod drive shaft is D3, an interval between the upper latch disposed in the upper motor assembly and the lower latch disposed in the lower motor assembly is D4, and the upper motor assembly or the lower motor assembly is operated, A distance P between the tooth and the upper latch or the lower latch when the upper latch or the lower latch is inserted between the teeth of the control rod drive shaft is defined as D5 time, (1) D1 = D2 = P + D5 (2) D3 = P x 2 (3) D4 = D3 x (N - 1/2), where N is an arbitrary natural number, And the condition is satisfied.
Mapping Saturn's Nightside Plasma Sheet Using Cassini's Proximal Orbits

Between April and the end of its mission on 15 September, Cassini executed a series of 22 very similar 6.5‐day‐period proximal orbits, covering the mid‐latitude region of the nightside magnetosphere. These passes provided us with the opportunity to examine the variability of the nightside plasma sheet within this time scale for the first time. We use Cassini particle and magnetic field data to quantify the magnetospheric dynamics along these orbits, as reflected in the variability of certain relevant plasma parameters, including the energetic ion pressure and partial (hot) plasma beta. We use the University College London/Achilleos‐Guio‐Arridge magnetodisk model to map these quantities to the conjugate magnetospheric equator, thus providing an equivalent equatorial radial profile for these parameters. By quantifying the variation in the plasma parameters, we further identify the different states of the nightside ring current (quiescent and disturbed) in order to confirm and add to the context previously established by analogous studies based on long‐term, near‐equatorial measurements.
Active-learning laboratory session to teach the four M's of diabetes care.

OBJECTIVE To implement an active-learning methodology for teaching diabetes care to pharmacy students and evaluate its effectiveness. DESIGN Laboratory instruction was divided into 4 primary areas of diabetes care, referred to by the mnemonic, the 4 M's: meal planning, motion, medication, and monitoring. Students participated in skill-based learning laboratory stations and in simulated patient experiences. A pretest, retrospective pretest, and posttest were administered to measure improvements in students' knowledge about diabetes and confidence in providing care to diabetes patients. ASSESSMENT Students knowledge of and confidence in each area assessed improved. Students enjoyed the laboratory session and felt it contributed to their learning. CONCLUSION An active-learning approach to teaching diabetes care allowed students to experience aspects of the disease from the patient's perspective. This approach will be incorporated in other content areas.
Survey on public perceptions of outdoor air quality issues in the city of Prince George

A public opinion survey was conducted with five hundred area residents within the city of Prince George, British Columbia to determine public perceptions of outdoor air quality issues in the area. Information gathered from this survey will be used to incorporate public input into the Prince George Air Quality Management Plan. The survey contained 53 Likert-type, yes/no and open-ended questions which were organized under six separate section headings: public satisfaction with air quality, air quality as a priority in the community, perception of sources of outdoor air pollution, woodstove and fireplace inventory, transportation issues, and public participation and education. Survey results suggested that Prince George residents were not satisfied with current airshed conditions, they believed poor air quality affected their quality of life and they were pessimistic about future improvements to air quality. Industrial and mobile sources were identified by respondents as the primary contributors to air pollution. Additionally, residents expressed a need for more education on air quality issues and called for increased public awareness of the negative impacts and human health consequences of poor air quality in the city. A majority of respondents also indicated that they would participate in pollution-reducing activities if it would help improve outdoor air quality. Based on survey results, recommendations for future management of the Prince George airshed were identified.
Low‐photobleaching line‐scanning confocal microscopy using dual inclined beams

Confocal microscopy is an indispensable tool for biological imaging due to its high resolution and optical sectioning capability. However, its slow imaging speed and severe photobleaching have largely prevented further applications. Here, we present dual inclined beam line‐scanning (LS) confocal microscopy. The reduced excitation intensity of our imaging method enabled a 2‐fold longer observation time of fluorescence compared to traditional LS microscopy while maintaining a good sectioning capability and single‐molecule sensitivity. We characterized the performance of our method and applied it to subcellular imaging and three‐dimensional single‐molecule RNA imaging in mammalian cells.
Tracing mantle sources in the northern Lau back-arc basin by independent component analysis of basalt isotopic compositions

ABSTRACT The northern Lau back-arc basin (NLB) lavas display a diverse geochemical nature caused by complex geological processes in this region. Independent component (IC) analysis was applied to investigate the nature of mantle sources in the NLB, based on a compiled geochemical data set from the NLB, central-southern Lau Basin (C-SLB), Pacific and Indian Ocean ridges, and Samoan islands. We identified three ICs in the five-dimensional space of Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic ratios, which can account for 96.5% of the isotopic variance. The correlations between the ICs and the incompatible trace elements ratios were further used to examine the origin of these ICs. The first IC (IC1) separates Samoan islands (IC1 < −1) from the other groups, and shows negative correlation with (La/Sm)N ratios. The second IC (IC2) discriminates mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) from Pacific (IC2 > 0) and Indian (IC2 < 0) Ocean ridges as well as the C-SLB (IC2 > 0) and NLB (IC2 < 0) lavas. IC2 correlates positively with Ba/Th ratios. The third IC (IC3) distinguishes MORBs (IC3 > 0) and back-arc basin lavas (IC3 < 0), and displays a negative correlation with Th/Nb values. On a regional scale in the NLB, there is a broad increase in IC1, IC2, and IC3 from the north to the south. Only IC3 presents obvious decrease from the west to the east, i.e. with decreasing distance from the arc. The geochemical nature and the statistical properties of these ICs suggest that IC1 is related to an enriched mantle component most likely from the nearby Samoan plume, and the IC2 corresponds to a fluid-rich component from the subducting Pacific slab. The IC3 may represent partial melt of recycled subducted sediment or recycled continental crustal materials. The geographic distribution of three ICs supports that the relatively recent mixing of Samoan plume materials with the subduction-metasomatized back-arc mantle may be responsible for the observed geochemical diversity in NLB lavas.
Creating understandings of relationships through video interaction guidance : an exploration of resilience

Resilience is a much talked about topic and yet the term has defied precise definition (Knight, 2007). Within the field of education, there is a wealth of literature surrounding developing resilience within children and young people (CYP) (Janas, 2002; Lee & Stewart, 2013; Lee, Kwong, Cheung, Ungar, & Cheung, 2010; Martin & Marsh, 2008; Siraj-Blatchford et al., 2011; Stewart & McWhirter, 2007; Stewart, McWhirter, & Knight, 2007; Wong et al., 2009). Yet, much of this literature places resilience as a static, within-child characteristic and fails to consider the notion that resilience will not be present in all situations; rather, it is affected by a multitude of contextual factors (Fergus & Zimmerman, 2005; Ungar, 2006). Despite research suggesting social and environmental factors are of equal influence as individual factors (McMillan & Reed, 1994; Reis, Colbert, & Hébert, 2004; Richardson, 2008; Ungar, 2001a, 2001b, 2006), much research has attempted to measure resilience as a characteristic using self-report measures eg. Lee et al. (2010). Similarly, research by Fergus and Zimmerman (2005), as well as Ungar (2006), suggested individuals will experience challenging situations in different ways, hence their own personal experiences should be explored to gain insight into resilience. In light of this, an approach was taken in this review that took an eco-systemic approach (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and recognised the importance of relationships in resilience. Further to this, a meta-ethnographic approach was applied to qualitative studies to examine the views of children and teachers regarding the role of relationships in the development of resilience in CYP. Six studies were selected and Noblit and Hare’s (1988) seven step process of synthesising qualitative studies was followed. Through this process I interpreted a number of concepts; ‘Interactions’, ‘Educational Support’, ‘Emotional support’ and ‘Making sense of the world’. From these concepts I created a line of argument. My line of argument presents resilience for CYP as being developed by having strong relationships with family members and teachers, which
A Qualitative Study of Adolescents from Refugee Backgrounds Living in Australia: Identity and Resettlement

Identity formation among young people from refugee backgrounds is complex, as it occurs while they are both integrating into a novel cultural landscape and navigating the intricacies of adolescence. The present study explored sense of identity and experiences among refugee youth in the context of resettlement. Nineteen young people (15–18 years) from refugee backgrounds, settled in Brisbane, Australia, took part in the study. An individual semi-structured interview, drawing upon the Tree of Life method, was used. The thematic analysis (TA) methodology was adopted, and several themes emerged: experiencing changes in family roles; experience of belonging; experience of bonds with lost loved ones; dealing with emotions in a new context; experience of self in the context of change. There was one emergent overarching theme of meaning-making in the context of change. These themes were explicated within the framework of social identity and sociocultural theories, which emphasises the dynamic co-construction of identity through the interplay of belonging and meaning-making within specific contextual settings. This study highlights the fundamental role of social context, particularly the fostering of school belonging, in the multifaceted process of identity construction. The findings identify the importance of integrating multiple identities and experiences to develop a comprehensive and resilient sense of personal cohesion and selfhood.
Transcriptome-wide 1-methyladenosine functional profiling of messenger RNA and long non-coding RNA in bladder cancer

Introduction: Post-transcriptional RNA modifications are crucial regulators of tumor development and progression. In many biological processes, N1-methyladenosine (m1A) plays a key role. However, little is known about the links between chemical modifications of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their function in bladder cancer (BLCA). Methods: Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing were performed to profile mRNA and lncRNA m1A methylation and expression in BLCA cells, with or without stable knockdown of the m1A methyltransferase tRNA methyltransferase 61A (TRMT61A). Results: The analysis of differentially methylated gene sites identified 16,941 peaks, 6,698 mRNAs, and 10,243 lncRNAs in the two groups. Gene ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses of the differentially methylated and expressed transcripts showed that m1A-regulated transcripts were mainly related to protein binding and signaling pathways in cancer. In addition, the differentially genes were identified that were also differentially m1A-modified and identified 14 mRNAs and 19 lncRNAs. Next, these mRNAs and lncRNAs were used to construct a lncRNA-microRNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNA network, which included 118 miRNAs, 15 lncRNAs, and 8 mRNAs. Finally, the m1A-modified transcripts, SCN2B and ENST00000536140, which are highly expressed in BLCA tissues, were associated with decreased overall patient survival. Discussion: This study revealed substantially different amounts and distributions of m1A in BLCA after TRMT61A knockdown and predicted cellular functions in which m1A may be involved, providing evidence that implicates m1A mRNA and lncRNA epitranscriptomic regulation in BLCA tumorigenesis and progression.
Non-Invasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation Pre-Treatment Reduces Neurological Dysfunction After Closed Head Injury in Mice

Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) has recently been suggested as a potential therapy for traumatic brain injury (TBI). We previously demonstrated that nVNS inhibits cortical spreading depolarization, the electrophysiological event underlying migraine aura, and is relevant to TBI. Our past work also suggests a role for interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in cognitive deficits after closed head injury (CHI) in mice. We show that nVNS pre-treatment suppresses CHI-associated spatial learning and memory impairment and prevents IL-1β activation in injured neurons, but not endothelial cells. In contrast, nVNS administered 10 min after CHI was ineffective. These data suggest that nVNS prophylaxis might ameliorate neuronal dysfunction associated with CHI in populations at high risk for concussive TBI.
Effect on indigenous die spacer thickness at varied evaporation times

Aim: The present study was conducted to compare the effect of evaporation at different time intervals on film thickness at various applications of indigenous die spacer (S) Surana Enterprises, Mangalore Dental Corporation, India and TRUFIT GEO. TAUB PROD. & FUSION CO. INC. Jersey City, N.J Die spacer on ultrarock KALABHAI, Karsan, India die stone (DI) and Resin modified gypsum SynaRock XR, DFS GmbH, Germany die stone (DII). Materials and Methods: A total of 200 samples were prepared for study, and each sample was used for specific number of die spacer application (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) after its evaporation at specific interval of time (0 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, or 24 h). The specimens so obtained were then sectioned and die spacer thickness was measured using a stereo microscope. One-way analysis of variance was used for study parameters with 5% level of significance followed by Tukey's HSD post hoc test. Results: The highest mean value of die spacer thickness of 32.85 ± 0.28 μm was for SynaRrock die stone sample with 5 applications of TRU-FIT die spacer after 24 hours of evaporation and least of 13.80 ± 0.02 μm for ultrarock die stone sample with 1 application of Surana die spacer after 0 hour of evapouration. There is a significant difference in all subgroups at various evaporation time intervals. Conclusions: Evaporation of volatile substances at various time intervals varies the thickness of die spacer and thus affects the casting relief. The indigenous die spacer and die stone can also be used effectively.
TEMPORAL VARIATION OF THE THERMAL STRATIFICATION IN THE COLD LEG DURING EMERGENCY CORE COOLING INJECTION

The aging of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) can be a limiting factor in life time extension of pressurized water reactors. Important thermal stresses can be generated in the RPV in the case of loss of coolant accidents. Cold emergency core cooling (ECC) water will be injected under high pressure conditions into the cold leg (horizontal pipe) and can come in contact with the hot RPV wall. This process is called pressurized thermal shock (PTS). The efficiency of the PTS is dependent on the mixing between cold ECC water and the hot coolant inventory in the cold leg and the upper downcomer (annular space). Several PTS scenarios have been analyzed experimentally in the TOPFLOW-PTS facility, situated at Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR), Germany. The experimental objective was reproducing whole scenarios of PTS events under realistic small break loss of coolant accident thermal hydraulic conditions. A single phase TOPFLOW experiment is analyzed numerically by two different numerical approaches in order to get access to detailed information on the temporal development of both thermal stratification and flow behavior in the cold leg and the upper downcomer: Large Eddy Simulations with two approaches to account for thermal effects: incompressible fluid hypothesis with Boussinesq approximation and dilatable fluid hypothesis. The CEA in-house CFD code TrioCFD is used. Calculated temperature profiles in the cold leg are compared to detailed temperature measurements for a 400 s ECC injection transient. The dilatable approach reproduces well the experimental results.
Optimization of Array Encoding for Ultrasound Imaging

Objective: The transmit encoding model for synthetic aperture imaging is a robust and flexible framework for understanding the effect of acoustic transmission on ultrasound image reconstruction. Our objective is to use machine learning (ML) to construct scanning sequences, parameterized by time delays and apodization weights, that produce high quality B-mode images. Approach: We use an ML model in PyTorch and simulated RF data from Field II to probe the space of possible encoding sequences for those that minimize a loss function that describes image quality. This approach is made computationally feasible by a novel formulation of the derivative for delay-and-sum beamforming. We demonstrate these results experimentally on wire targets and a tissue-mimicking phantom. Main Results: When trained according to a given set of imaging parameters (imaging domain, hardware restrictions), our ML imaging model produces optimized encoding sequences that improve a number of standard quality metrics including resolution, field of view, and contrast, over conventional sequences. Significance: This work demonstrates that the set of encoding schemes that are commonly used represent only a narrow subset of those available. Additionally, it demonstrates the value for ML tasks in synthetic transmit aperture imaging to consider the beamformer within the model, instead of as purely post-processing.