Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Propagation of VLF waves below a curved and stratified anisotropic ionosphere

The surface impedances are calculated below a spherical multilayer isotropic ionosphere and below a continuously stratified cylindrical anisotropic ionosphere in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. The propagation characteristics are obtained by applying the modal equation of a spherical geometry. In another approach the planar surface impedance is referred to a height above the lower ionospheric boundary, but the attenuation rates per 1000 km computed by the two methods agree within a fraction of 1 db. The computed attenuation rates are also compared with measurements.
Theory of Mind and Parental Mental-State Talk in Children with CIs

Abstract Previous studies have suggested that parents may support the development of theory of mind (ToM) in their child by talking about mental states (mental state talk; MST). However, MST has not been sufficiently explored in deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs). This study investigated ToM and availability of parental MST in deaf children with CIs (n = 39, Mage = 62.92, SD = 15.23) in comparison with their peers with typical hearing (TH; n = 52, Mage = 52.48, SD = 1.07). MST was measured during shared storybook reading. Parents’ narratives were coded for cognitive, emotional, literal, and non-mental references. ToM was measured with a parental questionnaire. Children with CIs had lower ToM scores than their peers with TH, and their parents used more literal references during shared storybook reading. There were no significant differences in the frequencies of cognitive and emotional references between groups. Parental emotional references contributed positively to children’s ToM scores when controlling for the child’s age and receptive grammar only in the CI group. These results indicated some distinctive features in parents of deaf children with CIs’ MST and highlighted the role of MST in the development of ToM abilities in this group.
Improvement of obsessive–compulsive disorder after pallidothalamic tractotomy for cervical dystonia

A 30‐year‐old woman with tardive dystonia in the cervical region from long‐term antipsychotic meds was treated with radiofrequency ablation of the right pallidothalamic tract in the fields of Forel. The patient showed improvement in both cervical dystonia and obsessive–compulsive disorder after the procedure, with 77.4% improvement in cervical dystonia and 86.7% improvement in obsessive–compulsive disorder. Although the treatment site in this case was intended to treat cervical dystonia, the lesion was located in the optimal stimulation network for both obsessive–compulsive disorder and cervical dystonia, suggesting that neuromodulation of this region could potentially treat both simultaneously.
Skill and relative economic value of the ECMWF ensemble prediction system

The economic value of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) operational ensemble prediction system (EPS) is assessed relative to the value of a perfect deterministic forecast. The EPS has substantial relative value throughout the medium range. Probability forecasts derived from the EPS are of greater benefit than a deterministic forecast produced by the same model. Indeed, for many users, the probability forecasts have more value than a shorter‐range deterministic forecast. Based on the measures used here, the additional information in the EPS (reflecting the uncertainty in the initial conditions) provides a benefit to users equivalent to many years' development of the forecast model and assimilation system.
Effect of local treatment in patients with oligo‐recurrence after surgery of distal bile duct cancer: A bi‐institutional study

Distal extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer is highly recurrent. More than 50% of patients suffer from disease relapse after curative resection. Some patients present with oligo‐recurrence which could be a single loco‐regional mass or lesions limited to a single solid organ. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of local control (surgical resection or radiofrequency ablation) on survival outcomes in patients with oligo‐recurrent distal EHBD cancer.
[11C]PBB3 binding in Aβ(–) or Aβ(+) corticobasal syndrome

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is associated with 4‐repeat tauopathy and/or Alzheimer's disease pathologies. To examine tau and amyloid‐β (Aβ) deposits in CBS patients using positron emission tomography (PET). Eight CBS patients and three healthy individuals lacking amyloid pathology underwent PET with [11C]PBB3 for tau imaging, and [11C]AZD2184 for Aβ. Subcortical and cortical binding of [11C]PBB3 was compared between Aβ(–) and Aβ(+) CBS patients and reference group. Postmortem analysis was done in one CBS patient. Three CBS patients were considered Aβ(+). Total binding was higher in all patients compared to the reference group. Similar regional binding profiles of [11C]PBB3 in Aβ(+) and Aβ(–) CBS patients were found. Elevated [11C]PBB3 binding in pallidum was observed in all CBS patients. Cortical [11C]PBB3 binding was higher in Aβ(+) compared to Aβ(–) patients. Postmortem analysis of a CBS patient revealed corticobasal degeneration neuropathology and [11C]PBB3 autofluorescence in some tau‐positive structures. [11C]PBB3 is elevated in CBS patients with binding in relevant areas capturing some, but not all, 4‐repeat tauopathy in CBS.
An approximation theorem for infinite games

We consider infinite, two person zero sum games played as follows: On the nth move, players A, B select privately from fixed finite sets, A,, Bn, the result of their selections being made known before the next selection is made. A point in the associated sequence space Q = ]7n= (An x B,n) is thus produced upon which B pays A an amount determined by a payoff function defined on U. We show that if the payoff functions of games {GnJ are upper semicontinuous and decrease pointwise to a function which is the payoff for a game, G, then Val(GJ)IVal(G). This shows that a certain class of games can be approximated by finite games. We then give a counterexample to possibly more general approximation theorems by displaying a sequence of games {GJ} with upper semicontinuous payoff functions which increase to the payoff of a game G, and where Val(Gn)=0 for all n but Val(G) =
Athletes with different habitual fluid intakes differ in hydration status but not in body water compartments

Physiological differences have been reported between individuals who have habitual low (LOW) and high (HIGH) water intake (WI). The aims of this study were to explore body water compartments, hydration status, and fat‐free mass (FFM) hydration of elite athletes exposed to different habitual WI. A total of 68 athletes (20.6 ± 5.3 years, 23 females) participated in this observational cross‐sectional study. Total WI was assessed by seven‐day food diaries and through WI, athletes were categorized as HIGH (n = 28, WI≥40.0 mL/kg/d) and LOW (n = 40, WI≤35.0 mL/kg/d). Total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) were determined by dilution techniques and intracellular water (ICW) as TBW‐ECW. Hydration status was assessed by urine‐specific gravity (USG) using a refractometer. Fat (FM) and FFM were assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). The FFM hydration was calculated by TBW/FFM. The USG was statistically different between groups for females (LOW: 1.024 ± 0.003; HIGH: 1.015 ± 0.006; p = 0.005) and males (LOW: 1.024 ± 0.002; HIGH: 1.018 ± 0.005; p < 0.001). No differences between groups were detected in body water compartments and FFM hydration in both sexes (p > 0.05). Multiple regression showed that WI remains a predictor of USG regardless of FFM, age, and sex (β = −0.0004, p < 0.01). We concluded that LOW athletes were classified as dehydrated through USG although their water compartments were not different from HIGH athletes. These results suggest that LOW athletes may expectedly maintain the body water compartments' homeostasis through endocrine mechanisms. Interventions should be taken to encourage athletes to have sufficient WI to maintain optimal hydration.
Premedication with acetazolamide: Is its use for postoperative pain and stress control after laparoscopic ovariectomy in dogs ruled out?

Abstract Background Studies in human medicine have concluded that acetazolamide reduces pain associated with carbon dioxide insufflation during laparoscopic surgery. However, there are no published reports regarding the use of acetazolamide for this purpose in companion animals, despite the increasing popularity of laparoscopic techniques in veterinary medicine due to their advantages over open surgeries. Objectives Thirty mixed‐breed female dogs were included in the study and randomly assigned to one of three groups: OVE (median celiotomy ovariectomy; n = 10), OVEL (laparoscopic ovariectomy, n = 10) and OVELA (laparoscopic ovariectomy with acetazolamide preoperative administration; n = 10). Experienced surgeons performed all procedures, and the anaesthetic and analgesic protocols were identical for all animals. Acetazolamide was administered orally (at a dose of 25 mg/kg) 2 h prior to induction in the OVELA group. Postoperative pain was evaluated using serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and the University of Melbourne Pain Scale (UMPS) Score. Results Any statistical differences were observed in the UMPS scores when the OVELA group was compared to the OVEL group at 1 h after surgery (p = 0.515), 12 h (p = 0.375) and 24 h (p = 0.242). Animals undergoing open surgery (OVE group) had significantly higher pain scores at all times after surgery when compared with OVEL and OVELA groups. A high positive correlation (r = 0.792; p = 0.01) was found between serum and saliva cortisol concentrations. Mean saliva cortisol concentration was not significantly lower for the OVELA group compared to the other groups. Conclusions This study found evidence that preoperative administration of acetazolamide may be beneficial in managing postoperative pain in dogs after laparoscopic surgeries. However, further research with a larger sample size is needed to confirm this and to determine if acetazolamide should be included in a multimodal postoperative analgesia protocol for laparoscopic ovariectomy in dogs.
Numerical Solution for Min-Max Shape Optimization Problems (Minimum Design of Maximum Stress and Displacement)

This paper presents a numerical shape optimization method for continua that minimizes some maximum local measure such as stress or displacement. A method of solving such min-max problems subject to a volume constraint is proposed. This method uses the Kreisselmeier-Steinhauser function to transpose local functionals to global integral functionals so as to avoid non-differentiability. With this function, a multiple loading problem is recast as a single loading problem. The shape gradient functions used in the proposed traction method are derived theoretically using Lagrange multipliers and the material derivative method. Using the traction method, the optimum domain variation that reduces the objective functional is numerically and iteratively determined while maintaining boundary smoothness. Calculated results for two- and three-dimensional problems are presented to show the effectiveness and practical utility of the proposed method for min-max shape design problems.
Thermal-Fluid MEMS Devices: A Decade of Progress and Challenges Ahead

Microdevices are becoming more prevalent and important in current and future technologies. Over the past decade, countless studies have been conducted in developing thermal microdevices. This paper focuses on the progress of research made during the last decade regarding heat transfer and fluid flow in microheat sinks, micropumps, microturbines, microengines, micromixers, as well as microsensors. Recent experimental techniques in the thermal microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) field have also been presented. Although some thermal MEMS devices have penetrated the commercial market, the mass implementation of thermal MEMS devices in future technology is still quite far, and is highly desirable. During the next decade, vast amounts of research need to be conducted before other microdevices can infiltrate the mainstream. Possible future directions of research have also been provided.
Effects of heavy metal pollution and soil physicochemical properties on the Sphagnum farmland soil microbial community structure in Southern Guizhou, China

Abstract Farmland soil pollution is a serious problem worldwide threatening environment and human health. Microbial communities plays a key role in soil function. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between microbial structure and soil physicochemical properties under different heavy metal pollution levels, find out heavy metal tolerant species under different environmental conditions, then provide useful reference for the bioremediation of contaminated farmland. In this study, 16s rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology was used, multiple comparisons and correlation analyses of the data were performed using R software. The results showed that study area A was contaminated by heavy metal Cd, and study area A, B and C were contaminated by heavy metal Hg. From the analysis of the community structure of the samples, it can be seen that the dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and 10 others. Correlation and RDA analysis of samples showed that the heavy metals Hg and As in peat were related to dominant bacteria phyla, and the physicochemical properties of soil potential of hydrogen (pH), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), and soil organic matter (SOM) were significantly positively correlated with the bacteria (Acidobacterta and Chloroflexi). Moreover, Chloroflexi was more tolerant to the heavy metals Hg and As. There was a significant correlation between bacterial community abundance and diversity in the four study areas. Soil heavy metal concentration and soil physicochemical properties affected the main phyla, bacterial community abundance and bacterial diversity of peat soil. These results indicate that some microorganisms have strong tolerance to heavy metal pollution and certain heavy metal digestion ability, which can create a good environment for farmland soil remediation. NOVELTY STATEMENT This manuscript is the first study on a new crop—Sphagnum in China. It mainly discusses the reaction of soil bacteria and microorganisms of Sphagnum in farmland to heavy metals and soil physical-chemical properties.
Development of a log file analysis tool for proton patient QA, system performance tracking, and delivered dose reconstruction

Abstract Purpose/Objective(s) To describe a log file–based patient‐specific quality assurance (QA) method and develop an in‐house tool for system performance tracking and dose reconstruction in pencil‐beam scanning proton therapy that can be used for pre‐treatment plan review. Materials/Methods The software extracts beam‐specific information from the treatment delivery log file and automatically compares the monitor units (MU), lateral position, and size of each spot against the intended values in the treatment plan to identify any discrepancies in the beam delivery. The software has been used to analyze 992 patients, 2004 plans, 4865 fields, and more than 32 million proton spots from 2016 to 2021. The composite doses of 10 craniospinal irradiation (CSI) plans were reconstructed based on the delivered spots and compared with the original plans as an offline plan review method. Results Over the course of 6 years, the proton delivery system has proved stable in delivering patient QA fields with proton energies of 69.4–221.3 MeV and an MU range of 0.003–1.473 MU per spot. The planned mean and standard deviation (SD) of the energy and spot MU were 114.4 ± 26.4 MeV and 0.010 ± 0.009 MU, respectively. The mean and SD of the differences in MU and position between the delivered and planned spots were 9.56 × 10−8 ± 2.0 × 10−4 MU and 0.029/−0.007 ± 0.049/0.044 mm on the X/Y‐axis for random differences and 0.005/0.125 ± 0.189/0.175 mm on the X/Y‐axis for systematic differences. The mean and SD of the difference between the commissioning and delivered spot sizes were 0.086/0.089 ± 0.131/0.166 mm on the X/Y‐axis. Conclusion A tool has been developed to extract crucial information about the performance of the proton delivery and monitor system and provide a dose reconstruction based on delivered spots for quality improvement. Each patient's plan was verified before treatment to ensure accurate and safe delivery within the delivery tolerance of the machine.
Food Is All Around: How Contexts Create Misbeliefs About the Health–Taste Relationship

We investigated a novel cognitive-ecological account for misbeliefs about the relationship between food healthiness and tastiness. We propose that different frequencies of healthy and tasty foods in contrasting contexts can trigger perceptions that health and taste are related in ways that diverge from the actual health–taste correlation in the presented food. To investigate this proposal, we conducted three studies (total N = 369), including a taste test, with adult Prolific academic participants from the United Kingdom and undergraduate psychology students from Austria. Our results showed that different frequencies of healthy and tasty food across contrasting contexts can trigger misbeliefs about the relationship between health and taste. These findings demonstrate that properties of the food ecology combined with basic cognitive processes can help explain the formation of beliefs about food such as that unhealthy food tastes better than healthy food. Our study extends the existing explanations for food beliefs and provides a perspective on how they can be changed.
Local administration of mesenchymal stromal cells is safe and modulates the immune compartment in ulcerative proctitis

BACKGROUND Due to their immunoregulatory and tissue regenerative features, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising novel tool for the management of ulcerative proctitis (UP). Here we report on a phase IIa clinical study that evaluated the impact of local MSC therapy on UP. METHODS Thirteen refractory UP patients, with an endoscopic Mayo score (EMS) of 2 or 3, were included. Seven patients received 20–40 million allogeneic MSCs (cohort 1), while 6 patients received 40–80 million MSCs (cohort 2). Adverse events (AEs) were assessed at baseline and on weeks 2, 6, 12, and 24. Clinical, endoscopic, and biochemical parameters were assessed at baseline and on weeks 2 and 6. Furthermore, we evaluated the engraftment of MSCs, the presence of donor-specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSAs), and we determined the impact of MSC therapy on the local immune compartment. RESULTS No serious AEs were observed. The clinical Mayo score was significantly improved on weeks 2 and 6, and the EMS was significantly improved on week 6, compared with baseline. On week 6, donor MSCs were still detectable in rectal biopsies from 4 of 9 patients and DSAs against both HLA class I and class II were found. Mass cytometry showed a reduction in activated CD8+ T cells and CD16+ monocytes and an enrichment in mononuclear phagocytes and natural killer cells in biopsies after local MSC therapy. CONCLUSION Local administration of allogeneic MSCs is safe, tolerable, and feasible for treatment of refractory UP and shows encouraging signs of clinical efficacy and modulation of local immune responses. This sets the stage for larger clinical trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT, 2017-003524-75) and the Dutch Trial Register (NTR7205). FUNDING ECCO grant 2020.
Whey protein concentrate ameliorates the methotrexate-induced liver and kidney damage

Abstract Methotrexate (MTX) is a cytotoxic immunosuppressant that is widely used in the treatment of tumours, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. This study aims to evaluate the effects of whey proteins on MTX-induced liver and kidney damage by focusing on oxidant–antioxidant systems and eating habits. The study was conducted in four groups of thirty Sprague–Dawley rats (control, control + whey protein concentrate (WPC), MTX, MTX + WPC). A single dose of 20 mg/kg MTX was administered intraperitoneally to the MTX groups. Control and MTX groups were given 2 g/kg WPC by oral gavage every day for 10 d. At the end of day 10, blood samples were drawn and liver and kidney tissues were removed. MTX administration increased the lipid peroxidation level and decreased glutathione level, superoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase activities in the liver and kidney. Administration of WPC significantly reduced the damage caused by MTX in the liver and kidney. While a decrease in serum urea level and an increase in serum creatinine level were detected in the MTX group, WPC administration reversed these results up to control group levels. Administration of WPC to the MTX group significantly reversed the histopathological damage scores of the liver and kidney. WPC administration ameliorated the MTX-induced oxidative damage in the liver and kidney tissues due to its antioxidant properties. Liver and kidney damage can be prevented by using whey proteins as a nutraceutical in MTX therapy. In conclusion, whey proteins demonstrated a protective effect against MTX-induced liver and kidney damage.
The extreme 2016 wheat yield failure in France

France suffered, in 2016, the most extreme wheat yield decline in recent history, with some districts losing 55% yield. To attribute causes, we combined the largest coherent detailed wheat field experimental dataset with statistical and crop model techniques, climate information, and yield physiology. The 2016 yield was composed of up to 40% fewer grains that were up to 30% lighter than expected across eight research stations in France. The flowering stage was affected by prolonged cloud cover and heavy rainfall when 31% of the loss in grain yield was incurred from reduced solar radiation and 19% from floret damage. Grain filling was also affected as 26% of grain yield loss was caused by soil anoxia, 11% by fungal foliar diseases, and 10% by ear blight. Compounding climate effects caused the extreme yield decline. The likelihood of these compound factors recurring under future climate change is estimated to change with a higher frequency of extremely low wheat yields.
Intrathecal AAV9/AP4M1 gene therapy for hereditary spastic paraplegia 50 shows safety and efficacy in preclinical studies

Spastic paraplegia 50 (SPG50) is an ultrarare childhood-onset neurological disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in the AP4M1 gene. SPG50 is characterized by progressive spastic paraplegia, global developmental delay, and subsequent intellectual disability, secondary microcephaly, and epilepsy. We preformed preclinical studies evaluating an adeno-associated virus (AAV)/AP4M1 gene therapy for SPG50 and describe in vitro studies that demonstrate transduction of patient-derived fibroblasts with AAV2/AP4M1, resulting in phenotypic rescue. To evaluate efficacy in vivo, Ap4m1-KO mice were intrathecally (i.t.) injected with 5 × 1011, 2.5 × 1011, or 1.25 × 1011 vector genome (vg) doses of AAV9/AP4M1 at P7–P10 or P90. Age- and dose-dependent effects were observed, with early intervention and higher doses achieving the best therapeutic benefits. In parallel, three toxicology studies in WT mice, rats, and nonhuman primates (NHPs) demonstrated that AAV9/AP4M1 had an acceptable safety profile up to a target human dose of 1 × 1015 vg. Of note, similar degrees of minimal-to-mild dorsal root ganglia (DRG) toxicity were observed in both rats and NHPs, supporting the use of rats to monitor DRG toxicity in future i.t. AAV studies. These preclinical results identify an acceptably safe and efficacious dose of i.t. -administered AAV9/AP4M1, supporting an investigational gene transfer clinical trial to treat SPG50.