Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reverse Transcription Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Coupled with CRISPR-Cas12a for Facile and Highly Sensitive Colorimetric SARS-CoV-2 Detection

The outbreak of the pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) calls for an urgent unmet need for developing a facial and cost-effective detection method. The requirement of well-trained personnel and sophisticated instrument of current primary mean (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, RT-PCR) may hinder the practical application worldwide. In this regard, a reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) coupled with CRISPR-Cas12a colorimetric assay is proposed for the SARS-CoV-2 detection. The methodology we have described herein utilizes DNA-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a universal colorimetric readout and can specifically target ORF1ab and N regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. After the virus genome is amplified through RT-RPA, the resulting abundant dsDNA will bind and activate Cas12a. Under trans-cleavage degradation, the capped DNA substrate will be hydrolyzed gradually from AuNPs, demonstrating a change in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR), which can be facially monitored by UV–vis absorbance spectroscopy and naked eye observation. The high amplification efficiency from RT-RPA and Cas12a trans-cleavage process bring the sensitivity of our method to 1 copy of viral genome sequence per test. Notably, under the dual variations inspecting from the isothermal amplification and Cas12a activation process, the false positive events from other beta coronavirus members can be effectively avoided and thus significantly improve the specificity. Furthermore, the reliability of this colorimetric assay is validated by standard clinical samples from the hospital laboratory department. Through integration of the inherently high sensitivity and specificity from an RPA-coupled Cas12a system with the intrinsic simplicity of AuNP-based colorimetric assay, our method increases the practical testing availability of SARS-CoV-2.
Subjective and Objective Assessment of Monoenergetic and Polyenergetic Images Acquired by Dual-Energy CT in Breast Cancer

Objective To objectively and subjectively assess and compare the characteristics of monoenergetic images [MEI (+)] and polyenergetic images (PEI) acquired by dual-energy CT (DECT) of patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods This retrospective study evaluated the images and data of 42 patients with breast cancer who had undergone dual-phase contrast-enhanced DECT from June to September 2019. One standard PEI, five MEI (+) in 10-kiloelectron volt (keV) intervals (range, 40–80 keV), iodine density (ID) maps, iodine overlay images, and Z effective (Zeff) maps were reconstructed. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were calculated. Multiple quantitative parameters of the malignant breast lesions were compared between the arterial and the venous phase images. Two readers independently assessed lesion conspicuity and performed a morphology analysis. Results Low keV MEI (+) at 40–50 keV showed increased CNR and SNRbreast lesion compared with PEI, especially in the venous phase ([CNR: 40 keV, 20.10; 50 keV, 14.45; vs. PEI, 7.27; p < 0.001], [SNRbreast lesion: 40 keV, 21.01; 50 keV, 16.28; vs. PEI, 10.77; p < 0.001]). Multiple quantitative DECT parameters of malignant breast lesions were higher in the venous phase images than in the arterial phase images (p < 0.001). MEI (+) at 40 keV, ID, and Zeff reconstructions yielded the highest Likert scores for lesion conspicuity. The conspicuity of the mass margin and the visual enhancement were significantly better in 40-keV MEI (+) than in the PEI (p = 0.022, p = 0.033, respectively). Conclusion Compared with PEI, MEI (+) reconstructions at low keV in the venous phase acquired by DECT improved the objective and subjective assessment of lesion conspicuity in patients with malignant breast lesions. MEI (+) reconstruction acquired by DECT may be helpful for the preoperative evaluation of breast cancer.
Phase 3 Trials of Tirbanibulin Ointment for Actinic Keratosis.

BACKGROUND The tubulin polymerization and Src kinase signaling inhibitor tirbanibulin is being investigated as a topical treatment for actinic keratosis, a precursor of squamous-cell carcinoma. METHODS In two identically designed double-blind trials, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, adults with actinic keratoses on the face or scalp to receive either topical tirbanibulin or vehicle (placebo) ointment. The ointment was applied by the patients to a 25-cm2 contiguous area containing four to eight lesions once daily for 5 consecutive days. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients with a complete (100%) reduction in the number of lesions in the application area at day 57. The secondary outcome was the percentage of patients with a partial (≥75%) reduction in the number of lesions within the application area at day 57. The incidence of recurrence was evaluated at 1 year. Local reactions were scored with the use of 4-point scale (ranging from 0 [absent] to 3 [severe]). RESULTS A total of 702 patients were enrolled in the two trials (351 patients per trial). Complete clearance in trial 1 occurred in 44% of the patients (77 of 175) in the tirbanibulin group and in 5% of those (8 of 176) in the vehicle group (difference, 40 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 32 to 47; P<0.001); in trial 2, the percentages were 54% (97 of 178 patients) and 13% (22 of 173), respectively (difference, 42 percentage points; 95% CI, 33 to 51; P<0.001). The percentages of patients with partial clearance were significantly higher in the tirbanibulin groups than in the vehicle groups. At 1 year, the estimated percentage of patients with recurrent lesions was 47% among patients who had had a complete response to tirbanibulin. The most common local reactions to tirbanibulin were erythema in 91% of the patients and flaking or scaling in 82%. Adverse events with tirbanibulin were application-site pain in 10% of the patients and pruritus in 9%, all of which resolved. CONCLUSIONS In two identically designed trials, tirbanibulin 1% ointment applied once daily for 5 days was superior to vehicle for the treatment of actinic keratosis at 2 months but was associated with transient local reactions and recurrence of lesions at 1 year. Trials comparing tirbanibulin with conventional treatments and that have longer follow-up are needed to determine the effects of tirbanibulin therapy on actinic keratosis. (Funded by Athenex; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT03285477 and NCT03285490.).
Platelet Dysfunction During Mechanical Circulatory Support

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Objective: Mechanical circulatory support has emerged as lifesaving therapy for patients with advanced heart failure. However, mechanical circulatory support remains limited by a paradoxical coagulopathy accompanied by both thrombosis and bleeding. While mechanisms of mechanical circulatory support thrombosis are increasingly defined, mechanical circulatory support-related bleeding, as related to shear-mediated alteration of platelet function, remains poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that platelet exposure to elevated shear stress, while a defined prothrombotic activator of platelets, coordinately induces downregulation of key platelet adhesion receptors GPIb-IX-V, αIIbβ3, and P-selectin, thus decreasing platelet functional responsiveness to physiological stimuli. Approach and Results: Human gel-filtered platelets were exposed to continuous or pulsatile shear stress in vitro. Surface expression of platelet receptors and platelet-derived microparticle generation were quantified by flow cytometry. Shedding of receptor soluble forms were assessed via ELISA, and platelet aggregation was measured by optical aggregometry. We demonstrate that platelet exposure to elevated shear stress led to a downregulation of GPIb and αIIbβ3 receptors on platelets with a progressive increase in the generation of platelet-derived microparticles expressing elevated levels of αIIbβ3 and GPIb on their surface. No shear-mediated shedding of GPIb and β3 subunit soluble fragments was detected. Soluble P-selectin was extensively shed from platelets, while surface expression of P-selectin on platelets was not significantly altered by shear. Shear-mediated downregulation of GPIb and αIIbβ3 on platelets was associated with an evident decrease of platelet aggregatory response induced by ADP and TRAP 6 (thrombin receptor activating peptide 6). Conclusions: Our data clearly indicate that accumulation of shear stress, consistent with supraphysiologic conditions characterizing device-supported circulation (1) induces adequate platelet degranulation, yet (2) causes downregulation of primary platelet adhesion receptors via ejection of receptor-enriched platelet-derived microparticles, thus mechanistically limiting platelet activation and the aggregatory response.
Kinetically Controlled, Scalable Synthesis of γ‐FeOOH Nanosheet Arrays on Nickel Foam toward Efficient Oxygen Evolution: The Key Role of In‐Situ‐Generated γ‐NiOOH

Layered γ‐type iron oxyhydroxide (γ‐FeOOH) is a promising material for various applications; however, its sheet‐shaped structure often suffers from instability that results in aggregation and leads to inferior performance. Herein, a kinetically controlled hydrolysis strategy is proposed for the scalable synthesis of γ‐FeOOH nanosheets arrays (NAs) with enhanced structural stability on diverse substrates at ambient conditions. The underlying mechanisms for the growth of γ‐FeOOH NAs associated with their structural evolution are systematically elucidated by alkalinity‐controlled synthesis and time‐dependent experiments. As a proof‐of‐concept application, γ‐FeOOH NAs are developed as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), where the sample grown on nickel foam (NF) exhibits superior performance of high catalytic current density, small Tafel slope, and exceptional durability, which is among the top level of FeOOH‐based electrocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations suggest that γ‐NiOOH in situ generated from the electrooxidation of NF would induce charge accumulation on the Fe sites of γ‐FeOOH NAs, leading to enhanced OER intermediates adsorption for water splitting. This work affords a new technique to rationally design and synthesize γ‐FeOOH NAs for various applications.
How Does Reciprocal Exchange of Social Support Alleviate Individuals’ Depression in an Earthquake-Damaged Community?

There is ample evidence to indicate the direct effects of receiving social support on mental health during and after a disaster. However, the importance of reciprocal exchanges of social support (i.e., balanced receipt and provision of social support) in maintaining the mental health status of individuals is not widely recognized. Using equity theory and reciprocity norms as a conceptual base, we distinguished two types of social support, namely, emotional support and instrumental support, and examined the effects of reciprocal exchanges of types of support on depression in survivors of an earthquake-damaged community. To collect data, in 2019, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 295 survivors of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in a rural village in Nepal. Our results showed that the relationship between reciprocal exchange of support and depression varied depending on the types of support. The amount of emotional support received by the individual alleviated his/her depression only when accompanied by giving emotional support. By contrast, the net amount of instrumental support given by the individual increased his/her depression. The practical implications of the study are discussed.
Learning Latent Representations of Environments and Grasping Motions for Fast Database Retrieval of Collision-Free Motions

Grasping and transporting objects such as cups and bottles are common aspects of household support. Humans perform these actions with little to no conscious cognitive effort, and would expect the same from household support robots. However, computing non-colliding grasp trajectories can be computationally challenging, particularly in obstacle-rich environments. This issue is further compounded by limitations in computation power imposed by affordability considerations. Consequently, it makes sense to make smart use of collections of precomputed grasping trajectories. Such strategies require a mechanism for quickly retrieving suitable candidate trajectories for the current environment from a large set of pre-computed trajectories. In this work we address this challenge, by proposing a strategy for learning representations of grasping motions and environments that facilitate quick database retrieval of candidate motions for a given environment, using small-scale neural networks.
Unification-based Reconstruction of Multi-hop Explanations for Science Questions

This paper presents a novel framework for reconstructing multi-hop explanations in science Question Answering (QA). While existing approaches for multi-hop reasoning build explanations considering each question in isolation, we propose a method to leverage explanatory patterns emerging in a corpus of scientific explanations. Specifically, the framework ranks a set of atomic facts by integrating lexical relevance with the notion of unification power, estimated analysing explanations for similar questions in the corpus. An extensive evaluation is performed on the Worldtree corpus, integrating k-NN clustering and Information Retrieval (IR) techniques. We present the following conclusions: (1) The proposed method achieves results competitive with Transformers, yet being orders of magnitude faster, a feature that makes it scalable to large explanatory corpora (2) The unification-based mechanism has a key role in reducing semantic drift, contributing to the reconstruction of many hops explanations (6 or more facts) and the ranking of complex inference facts (+12.0 Mean Average Precision) (3) Crucially, the constructed explanations can support downstream QA models, improving the accuracy of BERT by up to 10% overall.
Determination of saxitoxin by liquid chromatography/thermospray–mass spectrometry

The determination of the paralytic shellfish poison saxitoxin by liquid chromatography/thermospray-mass spectrometry (LC/TS-MS) was investigated. It was found that a commercial sample contained an impurity, which was identified as the plasticizer tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate. Spraying of saxitoxin in acid solution at pH 2 led to a useful TS mass spectrum, containing some fragment ions in addition to the protonated molecule. Using pentafluoropropionic acid as a counter-ion, saxitoxin could be determined by LC/TS-MS on a C18 re versed-phase column. By injecting the relatively large volume of 1 mL, a concentration of 30 ng/mL could be measured. Copyright © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanism studies of LiFePO4 cathode material: lithiation/delithiation process, electrochemical modification and synthetic reaction

Olivine-structured lithium ion phosphate (LiFePO4) is one of the most competitive candidates for fabricating energy-driven cathode material for sustainable lithium ion battery (LIB) systems. However, the high electrochemical performance is significantly limited by the slow diffusivity of Li-ion in LiFePO4 (ca. 10−14 cm2 s−1) together with the low electronic conductivity (ca. 10−9 S cm−1), which is the big challenge currently faced by us. To resolve the challenge, many efforts have been directed to the dynamics of the lithiation/delithiation process in LixFePO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), mechanism of electrochemical modification, and synthetic reaction process, which are crucial for the development of high electrochemical performance for LiFePO4 material. In this review, in order to reflect the recent progress ranging from the very fundamental to practical applications, we specifically focus on the mechanism studies of LiFePO4 including the lithiation/delithiation process, electrochemical modification and synthetic reaction. Firstly, we highlight the Li-ion diffusion pathway in LixFePO4 and phase translation of LixFePO4. Then, we summarize the modification mechanism of LiFePO4 with high-rated capability, excellent low-temperature performance and high energy density. Finally, we discuss the synthetic reaction mechanism of high-temperature carbothermal reaction route and low-temperature hydrothermal/solvothermal reaction route.
Colour band fusion and region enhancement of spectral image using multivariate histogram

ABSTRACT Multi-spectral satellite remote sensing imagery have several applications including detection of objects or distinguishing land surface areas based on amount of greenery or water etc. The enhancement of spectral images helps extracting and visualizing spatial and spectral features. This paper identifies some specific regions of interest (RoI) of the earth's surface from the remotely sensed spectral or satellite image. The RoI are extracted and identified as major segments. Trivially, uni-variate histogram thresholding is used for gray images as a tool of segmentation. However, for color images multivariate histogram is effective to get control on color bands. It also helps emphasizing color information for clustering purpose. In this paper, the 2D and 3D histograms are used for clustering pixels in order to extract the RoI. The RGB color bands along with the infrared (IR) band information are used to form the multivariate histogram. Two datasets are used to carry out the experiment. The first one is an artificially designed dataset and the next is Indian Remotely Sensed (IRS-1A) satellite imagery. This paper proves the correctness of the proposed mathematical implication on the artificial dataset and consequently perform the application on LandSat Spectral data. The test result is found to be satisfactory.
Skin tissue repair materials from bacterial cellulose by a multilayer fermentation method

Using an improved method, the multilayer fermentation method, bacterial cellulose (BC) was produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus. The structure and morphology were analysed by an electronic microscope. The surface area and tensile strength were characterised. In vitro, the cytotoxicity of BC was determined by the proliferation, adhesion property, morphology, and viability of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). Full-thickness skin wounds were made on the backs of 35 mice. The wounds were subsequently treated with two types of gauzes, two types of BC films, and three types of skin grafts using 5 mice per group, respectively. The improved method was reproducible and more efficient to control the thickness and homogeneity of BC. Low cytotoxicity of the BC film and good proliferation of hASCs on the BC film were observed. Histological examinations demonstrated significant fresh tissue regeneration and capillary formation in the wound area in the BC groups on day 7 compared with those in other groups. Pathological studies also showed a faster and better healing effect and less inflammatory response in the BC groups than those in other groups. These results indicate high clinical potential of the BC biosynthesized by our improved method.
Intact Proactive Motor Inhibition after Unilateral Prefrontal Cortex or Basal Ganglia Lesions

Abstract Previous research provided evidence for the critical importance of the PFC and BG for reactive motor inhibition, that is, when actions are cancelled in response to external signals. Less is known about the role of the PFC and BG in proactive motor inhibition, referring to preparation for an upcoming stop signal. In this study, patients with unilateral lesions to the BG or lateral PFC performed in a cued go/no-go task, whereas their EEG was recorded. The paradigm called for cue-based preparation for upcoming, lateralized no-go signals. Based on previous findings, we focused on EEG indices of cognitive control (prefrontal beta), motor preparation (sensorimotor mu/beta, contingent negative variation [CNV]), and preparatory attention (occipital alpha, CNV). On a behavioral level, no differences between patients and controls were found, suggesting an intact ability to proactively prepare for motor inhibition. Patients showed an altered preparatory CNV effect, but no other differences in electrophysiological activity related to proactive and reactive motor inhibition. Our results suggest a context-dependent role of BG and PFC structures in motor inhibition, being critical in reactive, unpredictable contexts, but less so in situations where one can prepare for stopping on a short timescale.
Contribution of phenolic compounds to virgin olive oil quality

Hydrophilic phenols are the most abundant natural antioxidants of virgin olive oil (VOO), in which, however, tocopherols and carotens are also present. The prevalent classes of hydrophilic phenols found in VOO are phenolic alcohols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans and secoiridoids. Secoiridoids including aglycon derivatives of oleuropein, demethyloleuropein and ligstroside, that are present in olive fruit, are the most abundant phenolic antioxidants of VOO. In this paper, the phenolic composition of VOO as well as the agronomic and technological parameters that affect their concentration in the oil are discussed. The olive cultivar and the ripening stage of fruit, in fact, have always been the most studied agronomic aspects that affect phenolic concentration in VOO. However, the malaxation conditions and the extraction systems used to separate oil from olive pastes (i.e. pressure three-phases and two-phases centrifugation systems) are also of great importance.
Effect of laser inclination angle on mechanical properties of Hastelloy X processed by selective laser melting

Abstract Selective laser melting at various laser inclination angles was used to prepare Hastelloy X alloy specimens. The morphology, fracture, tensile strength, stress, and strain of Hastelloy X alloy specimens were studied using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and a tensile tester. The temperature field of the manufacturing process was analyzed based on finite element analysis, and the internal relationship between the temperature field and the process was constructed in terms of cooling speed. The results show that the temperature field is a dynamic process with a high cooling rate; the average cooling rate reaches 3.23 × 106 °C × s−1. The greater the inclination angle, the greater the thermal gradient, resulting in higher cooling rates. Due to the cross-influence of grain refinement at high cooling rates and residual stress, the tensile strength and yield strength of Hastelloy X alloy showed first increasing and then decreasing trends with respect to inclination angle. However, at an inclination angle of 30°, the voids and crack defects of Hastelloy X alloy fractures were reduced, and the tensile strength and yield strength reached 881.38 and 701.60 MPa, respectively. At this angle, the mechanical properties were excellent and met the requirements of the aviation industry.
In Situ Coating Carbon Nanotubes with Wurtzite ZnS Nanocrystals

A new wet-chemical method to coat multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) with wurtzite ZnS nanocrystals was developed. The method involved modification of MWNTs with polyethyleneimine or sodium dodecyl sulfate, and reflux of modified MWNTs, ZnCl2, and thiourea in ethylene glycol solution at 150°C. The composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and UV-visible absorption spectrum. The results showed that MWNTs were coated with a layer of ZnS nanoparticles with a size of 6 nm, and their electronic structure was not destroyed after coating with ZnS. The MWNTs/ZnS composites showed a slight blue shift because of the quantum size effect.