Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Williams syndrome and autism: dissimilar socio-cognitive profiles with similar patterns of abnormal gene expression in the blood

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Williams Syndrome (WS) are complex cognitive conditions exhibiting quite opposite features in the social domain: whereas people with ASD are mostly hyposocial, subjects with WS are usually reported as hypersocial. At the same time, ASD and WS share some common underlying behavioral and cognitive deficits. It is not clear, however, which genes account for the attested differences (and similarities) in the socio-cognitive domain. In this paper we adopted a comparative-molecular approach and looked for genes that might be differentially (or similarly) regulated in the blood of people with these conditions. We found a significant overlap between genes dysregulated in the blood of patients compared to neurotypical controls, with most of them being upregulated or, in some cases, downregulated. Still, genes with similar expression trends can exhibit quantitative differences between conditions, with most of them being more dysregulated in WS than in ASD. Differentially-expressed genes are involved in aspects of brain development and function (particularly, dendritogenesis) and are expressed in brain areas (particularly, the cerebellum, the thalamus and the striatum) of relevance for the ASD and the WS etiopathogenesis. Overall, these genes emerge as promising candidates for the similarities and differences between the ASD and the WS socio-cognitive profiles.
Predicting or Forecasting Earthquakes and the Resulting Ground‐Motion Hazards: A Dilemma for Earth Scientists

Recent earthquakes, particularly the 2008 Wenchuan (China), 2009 L’Aquila (Italy), 2010 Haiti, 2011 Christchurch (New Zealand), and 2011 Tohoku (Japan), events, have renewed debate among scientists (e.g., Jordan et al. , 2011; Stein et al. , 2011; Peresan et al. , 2012; Stirling, 2012; Jordan, 2013; Jordan et al. , 2014; Wang and Rogers, 2014) on predicting or forecasting earthquakes and their resulting ground‐motion hazards. The main reason for this debate is societal demand for predicting or forecasting. In other words, scientists, seismologists in particular, feel compelled to provide predictions or forecasts to society. The initial sentencing of six years in prison for six Italian scientists following the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake demonstrates this. However, it is well understood that earthquakes and their resulting ground‐motion hazards cannot be predicted or forecasted reliably. Thus, the statement by Jordan et al. (2014, p. 959), “though communicating OEF (operational earthquake forecast) and its uncertainties is a difficult issue, not communicating is hardly an option,” illustrates the dilemma. > Scientists, seismologists in particular, feel compelled to provide earthquake predictions or forecasts to society. The differences between predicting and forecasting have to do with how they quantify and communicate uncertainty. Location, magnitude, and recurrence interval of earthquakes have large uncertainty. For example, the estimated magnitudes for earthquakes in the New Madrid Seismic Zone range from M 6.6 to M 8.0, and estimates of the recurrence interval range from 500 to 50,000 years (Petersen et al. , 2014). Uncertainties of this scale indicate that earthquakes cannot be predicted or forecasted reliably. One such example is Iben Browning’s forecast: a 50% chance of a major earthquake with a magnitude of about 7 in the New Madrid Seismic Zone within a few days of 3 December 1990 (Stein, 2010). Even though the 1975 Haicheng, China, earthquake has been claimed as …
Prediction of rock electrical conductivity from mercury injection measurements

We show that mercury injection can be used to characterize the portions of rock pore space that dominate both the electrical conductivity and the absolute permeability. The resulting new expression for the conductivity formation factor is fundamentally different from the classical Archie's law but will appear similar to it in some circumstances. The predictions of our theory for both conductivity and permeability agree with the experimental measurements within expected errors. The results indicate that the absolute permeability and the conductivity formation factor can be predicted from mercury injection measurements with no adjustable parameters.
Transethnic genome-wide association study provides insights in the genetic architecture and heritability of long QT syndrome Running title: Genome-wide association study in long QT syndrome

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Differential Cytokine Signatures of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Influenza Infection Highlight Key Differences in Pathobiology

Background. Several inflammatory cytokines are upregulated in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We compared cytokines in COVID-19 versus influenza to define differentiating features of the inflammatory response to these pathogens and their association with severe disease. Because elevated body mass index (BMI) is a known risk factor for severe COVID-19, we examined the relationship of BMI to cytokines associated with severe disease. Methods. Thirty-seven cytokines and chemokines were measured in plasma from 135 patients with COVID-19, 57 patients with influenza, and 30 healthy controls. Controlling for BMI, age, and sex, differences in cytokines between groups were determined by linear regression and random forest prediction was used to determine the cytokines most important in distinguishing severe COVID-19 and influenza. Mediation analysis was used to identify cytokines that mediate the effect of BMI and age on disease severity. Results. Interleukin-18 (IL-18), IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were significantly increased in COVID-19 versus influenza patients, whereas granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IFN-λ1, IL-10, IL-15, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 2 were significantly elevated in the influenza group. In subgroup analysis based on disease severity, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α were elevated in severe COVID-19, but not in severe influenza. Random forest analysis identified high IL-6 and low IFN-λ1 levels as the most distinct between severe COVID-19 and severe influenza. Finally, IL-1RA was identified as a potential mediator of the effects of BMI on COVID-19 severity. Conclusions. These findings point to activation of fundamentally different innate immune pathways in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and infection, and emphasize drivers of severe COVID-19 to focus both mechanistic and therapeutic investigations.
Geochronology of Eocene plutonism and metamorphism in northwest

In northwest Turkey Eocene calc-alkaline intrusions with isotopic ages of 53 Ma to 35 Ma form a WNW-ESE trending belt, ~400 km long and ~60 km wide. In the east, the plutons intrude blueschists representing a subducted passive continental margin sequence with Late Cretaceous (~80 Ma) metamorphic ages. In the vicinity of one of these granitoids a low pressure - high temperature metamorphism has resulted in complete transformation of the blueschist metapelites into andalusite micaschists. The andalusite + cordierite + biotite + muscovite + quartz + K-feldspar + plagioclase paragenesis in the micaschists indicates a pressure of 2 ± 1 kbar and a temperature of 575 ± 50° C during the metamorphism. Rb-Sr muscovite and biotite ages of a micaschist sample are 46 ± 3 and 39 ± 1 Ma, respectively, similar to the 45.0 ± 0.2 Ma U-Pb zircon and Rb-Sr biotite ages from the neighbouring pluton. Development of folds and a new foliation in the andalusite micaschists suggest regional rather than contact metamorphism. The Eocene granitic magmatism and associated LP/HT metamorphism in northwest Turkey have probably formed above a NE directed subduction zone located along the Vardar suture.
Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE): insights into FASD using mouse models of PAE 1

The potential impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) varies considerably among exposed individuals, with some displaying serious alcohol-related effects and many others showing few or no overt signs of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). In animal models, variables such as nutrition, genetic background, health, other drugs, and stress, as well as dosage, duration, and gestational timing of exposure to alcohol can all be controlled in a way that is not possible in a clinical situation. In this review we examine mouse models of PAE and focus on those with demonstrated craniofacial malformations, abnormal brain development, or behavioral phenotypes that may be considered FASD-like outcomes. Analysis of these data should provide a valuable tool for researchers wishing to choose the PAE model best suited to their research questions or to investigate established PAE models for FASD comorbidities. It should also allow recognition of patterns linking gestational timing, dosage, and duration of PAE, such as recognizing that binge alcohol exposure(s) during early gestation can lead to severe FASD outcomes. Identified patterns could be particularly insightful and lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying FASD. third ventricle, and pituitary regions compared with the controls (Lipinski et al. 2012). These data suggest that late gastrulation PAE (GD8–8.5) produces a different studies of brains from individuals with major depressive disorder and brains of PAE mice show alterations in glucocorticoid receptor signalling in the cortex and hippocampus, suggesting the possibility that alterations in glucocorticoid receptor function and thus in ivity and regulation may underlie at least some of the mental health problems in individuals with FASD. These studies demonstrate that chronic first-to-second trimester PAE mouse models can produce similar, but not as severe, craniofacial malformations or brain abnormalities as acute exposure (GD7, 8, 8.5, 9) PAE models and compared to the first trimester exposure studies Sulik’s group Godin Lipinski nor do those malformations resemble the FASD sentinel facial features. Furthermore, the brain alterations seen tend to reflect changes in specific brain regions such as the olfactory bulbs, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex Thus, the alterations produced by chronic first-to-second trimester PAE exposure may resemble the types of alterations observed in FASD, rather than the more severe craniofacial malformations normally observed in children with FASD with sentinel features An advantage of using first-to-second trimester models of PAE is that it allows researchers to study behavioral outcomes and possibly link them to the structural deficits Furthermore, acute second trimester PAE models allow researchers to study the effects of alcohol exposure during organogenesis, and the effect of alcohol on organ development in
Wave Scattering by Submerged Vertical Plate-Type Breakwater Using Composite Bem

In this paper, a composite boundary element method (Composite BEM) is formulated and applied to study the reflection coefficient of a submerged vertical plate-type breakwater, which is modeled as a thin or non-thickness structure. In the theory, two-dimensional motion with the wave crests parallel to the submerged breakwater and the linearized irrotational flow are assumed. The accuracy of the solution obtained using the numerical technique is demonstrated by comparing the numerical values with those obtained from experiments and with other analytical solutions. In addition, numerical results of wave reflection for both a submerged rectangular dike and a vertical plate-type breakwater are presented and discussed.
Traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spread to most of the world's countries during its first and subsequent waves, often increasing in an almost exponential trend. Traditional Chinese medicine has played a vital role in this epidemic. Nonetheless, size of effect, certainty of the evidence, optimal therapy regimen, and selection of patients who are likely to benefit most are factors that remain to be evaluated. This study aims to assess and rank where appropriate the relative effects of interventions for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Method: This study will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols. We will search Chinese electronic database (CBM, Wanfang and CNKI) and international electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) for identify all relevant published studies. Study selection, data collection and assessment of study bias will be conducted independently by a pair of independent reviewers. The Cochrane risk of bias tool will be used for the risk of bias assessment. We will use the advance of GRADE to rate the certainty of network meta-analysis. Data analysis will be performed with R-3.6. 1 and WinBUGS software. Results: The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Conclusion: This systematic review and network meta-analysis will use both direct and indirect evidence to compare the differences of all Traditional Chinese medicine treatment for COVID-19 patients, providing decision-makers and clinical practitioners with a complete, high-quality and up-to-date synthesis of evidence.
Cardiac Biomarkers and Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with CKD

Key Points Four different cardiac risk markers were strongly associated with interim atherosclerotic disease in a cohort of participants with CKD. These associations may highlight important mechanisms for the development of atherosclerosis in CKD. Visual Abstract Background Several cardiac biomarkers of cardiac stress, inflammation, and fibrosis (N-terminal pro brain-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP], high-sensitivity troponin T [hsTnT], growth differentiation factor 15 [GDF-15], and soluble ST2 [sST2]) have been associated with atherosclerotic disease in the general population. We hypothesized that these cardiac biomarkers may also be associated with the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients with CKD. Methods We analyzed levels of NT-proBNP, hsTnT, GDF-15, and sST2 in a cohort of 2732 participants with mild to moderate CKD from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study. Outcomes included incident atherosclerotic disease, defined as the first instance of myocardial infarction, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease. We used Cox proportional hazard models to the test the association of each cardiac biomarker with risk of incident atherosclerotic disease, adjusting for multiple possible confounders. Results When modeled continuously (per SD increase in the log-transformed biomarker), NT-proBNP, hsTnT, GDF-15, and sST2 were significantly associated with incident atherosclerotic disease after adjustment for multiple potential confounders: (NT-proBNP HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.27 to 1.81; hsTnT HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.38 to 1.89; GDF-15 HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.73; and sST2 HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.36). Conclusions NT-proBNP, hsTnT, GDF-15, and sST2 were significantly associated with incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients with CKD. These associations may highlight important mechanisms for the development of atherosclerotic disease in CKD.
Bluetooth and sensor networks: a reality check

The current generation of sensor nodes rely on commodity components. The choice of the radio is particularly important as it impacts not only energy consumption but also software design (e.g., network self-assembly, multihop routing and in-network processing). Bluetooth is one of the most popular commodity radios for wireless devices. As a representative of the frequency hopping spread spectrum radios, it is a natural alternative to broadcast radios in the context of sensor networks. The question is whether Bluetooth can be a viable alternative in practice. In this paper, we report our experience using Bluetooth for the sensor network regime. We describe our tiny Bluetooth stack that allows TinyOS applications to run on Bluetooth-based sensor nodes, we present a multihop network assembly procedure that leverages Bluetooth's device discovery protocol, and we discuss how Bluetooth favorably impacts in-network query processing. Our results show that despite obvious limitations the Bluetooth sensor nodes we studied exhibit interesting properties, such as a good energy per bit sent ratio. This reality check underlies the limitations and some promises of Bluetooth for the sensor network regime.
Modeling riparian soil nitrogen removal based on a modified SWAT model coupled with remote sensing data

Riparian zone, as the interlaced zone between land and water, plays an important role in society, landscape and environmental quality. Riparian ecosystems have critical impacts on controlling the non-point source pollution (NPSP) and maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems, especially on nitrogen (N) removal. The processes that affect N removal in riparian ecological system mainly include soil nitrous gas emission, plant uptake and sediment retention, of which nitrous gas release by soil denitrification is one of the most important functions for riparian system. Therefore, it's critical to build an N removal model including soil denitrification, nitrification and ammonium volatilization to evaluate the riparian ecological function and management practice. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was extended with algorithms from a simple soil denitrification model and remote sensing data to enhance the model performance with regard to predicting soil N removal in the Guanting reservoir riparian catchment. The N removal model is based on chemical and physical relationships that govern soil heat, moisture and nitrogen movement. Processes considered include denitrification, nitrification and ammonia (NH3) volatilization. SPOT-5 and Landsat5-TM satellite data were used to interpret the spatial land surface information and derive model parameters. Results of laboratory-scale anaerobic incubation experiment were applied to estimate the soil denitrification model parameters for the different soil types. In an in situ field-scale experiment conducted to calibrate and validate models and an indirect method was used to test simulated N removal load in the Guanting reservoir riparian catchment. Results showed that the process-based model performed well and produced sound simulation results for the riparian reservoir catchment, with the coefficient of determination (R2) between the simulated and observed values being 0.71.
On the distribution of nitrogen dioxide in the high‐latitude stratosphere

A time dependent two-dimensional model has been used to study the behavior of nitrogen species in the atmosphere. The model employs a residual mean meridional circulation for the transport of photochemical species, and this transport yields large column abundances for NOx (N + NO + NO2 + NO3 + 2 × N2O5 + HNO4) at high latitudes, with the altitude of maximum density occurring in the lower stratosphere. New temperature dependent absorption cross sections are employed for N2O5. It is shown that this photochemical-dynamical formulation results in the conversion of most of the stratospheric NOx to N2O5 at high latitudes in winter, yielding low NO2 column abundances there, in agreement with observations. Calculated seasonal and diurnal variations in NO2 are also shown to be comparable to observations, even at high latitudes. The effects of departures from zonally symmetric flow on NO2 abundance are examined and found to be consistent with observations.
Regionalizing global trade patterns, 1981–2001: application of a new method

This paper investigates the establishment of trading regions in the global economy at the national level using a measure of trade intensity and a regional assignment algorithm that generates economically meaningful trading regions. Although there is definite regionalization in the global economy with regard to international trade, there is no evidence of an increase in the concentration of that regionalization over time. The geography of international trade is incredibly dynamic, with change related to political, historical and economic forces. Overall, trading regions have relatively few members and are increasingly a set of geographically close countries. La regionalisation des tendances commerciales mondiales de 1981 a 2001: application d'une nouvelle methode Cet article s'interesse a la creation de regions commerciales au sein de l'economie mondiale a l'echelle nationale a l'aide d'une mesure de l'intensite des echanges et d'un algorithme d'affectation regionale permettant de constituer des regions commerciales significatives sur le plan economique. Il en decoule que, meme s'il existe une reelle regionalisation de l'economie mondiale en ce qui concerne le commerce international, rien ne prouve que cette regionalisation tend vers la concentration. La geographie du commerce international se distingue par un dynamisme remarquable et connait une evolution constante qui depend des forces politiques, historiques et economiques. Dans l'ensemble, le nombre de membres dans les regions commerciales est relativement faible, et celles-ci sont de plus en plus constituees par un groupe de pays proches geographiquement.
The ω Subunit Governs RNA Polymerase Stability and 1 Transcriptional Specificity in Staphylococcus aureus 2

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes infection in a wide variety of 22 sites within the human body. Its ability to adapt to the human host, and to produce a successful 23 infection, requires precise orchestration of gene expression. While DNA-dependent RNA 24 polymerase (RNAP) is generally well characterized, the role of several small accessory subunits 25 within the complex has yet to be fully explored. This is particularly true for the omega (ω or 26 RpoZ) subunit, which has been extensively studied in Gram-negative bacteria, but largely 27 neglected in Gram-positive counterparts. In Escherichia coli , it has been shown that ppGpp 28 binding, and thus control of the stringent response, is facilitated by ω. Interestingly, key residues 29 that facilitate ppGpp binding by ω are not conserved in S. aureus , and consequently, survival 30 under starvation conditions is unaffected by rpoZ deletion. Further to this, ω-lacking strains of S. 31 aureus display structural changes in the RNAP complex, which result from increased 32 degradation and misfolding of the β’ subunit, alterations in δ and σ-factor abundance, and a 33 general dissociation of RNAP in the absence of ω. Through RNA-sequencing analysis we 34 detected a variety of transcriptional changes in rpoZ -deficient strains, presumably as a response 35 to the negative effects of ω-depletion on the transcription machinery. These transcriptional 36 changes translated to an impaired ability of Δ rpoZ mutant strains to resist stress, and to fully 37 form a biofilm. Collectively, our data underlines, for the first time, the importance of ω for RNAP 38 stability, function and cellular physiology in S. aureus . 39 (Labconco). Peptides 233 resuspended in H 2 O/0.1% using a x cm C18 reversed-phase-HPLC column (New Objective) on a NanoLC Ultra (Eksigent) a 120 minute 235