Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transport of Nitrates Through Clay Using Electrokinetics

In this paper, the results of laboratory experiments to investigate the feasibility of using electrokinetics to transport nitrates (a nutrient) through a low-permeability soil are presented. Tests were conducted using a kaolinite soil consolidated from a slurry under a vertical stress of 127 kPa. Sodium nitrate was introduced in a chamber in front of a graphite electrode that becomes the cathode in the electrokinetic process. A hydraulic head was used to reduce the osmotic pressures. The results of the tests reveal that, under laboratory conditions, nitrates can be transported through low-permeability soils using electrokinetics.
Providing Reliable Prognosis to Patients with Gastric Cancer in the Era of Neoadjuvant Therapies: Comparison of AJCC Staging Schemata

Purpose Patients with gastric cancer who receive neoadjuvant therapy are staged before treatment (cStage) and after treatment (ypStage). We aimed to compare the prognostic reliability of cStage and ypStage, alone and in combination. Materials and Methods Data for all patients who received neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma from 2004 to 2015 were extracted from the National Cancer Database. Kaplan-Meier (KM)curves were used to model overall survival based on cStage alone, ypStage alone, cStage stratified by ypStage, and ypStage stratified by cStage. P-values were generated to summarize the differences in KM curves. The discriminatory power of survival prediction was examined using Harrell's C-statistics. Results We included 8,977 patients in the analysis. As expected, increasing cStage and ypStage were associated with worse survival. The discriminatory prognostic power provided by cStage was poor (C-statistic 0.548), while that provided by ypStage was moderate (C-statistic 0.634). Within each cStage, the addition of ypStage information significantly altered the prognosis (P<0.0001 within cStages I–IV). However, for each ypStage, the addition of cStage information generally did not alter the prognosis (P=0.2874, 0.027, 0.061, 0.049, and 0.007 within ypStages 0–IV, respectively). The discriminatory prognostic power provided by the combination of cStage and ypStage was similar to that of ypStage alone (C-statistic 0.636 vs. 0.634). Conclusions The cStage is unreliable for prognosis, and ypStage is moderately reliable. Combining cStage and ypStage does not improve the discriminatory prognostic power provided by ypStage alone. A ypStage-based prognosis is minimally affected by the initial cStage.
Comorbidity among Danish lung cancer patients before and after initial cancer diagnosis

ABSTRACT Objective: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. This population-based longitudinal study investigates survival rates and the burden of comorbidity before and after being diagnosed with lung cancer in Denmark. Methods: From the Danish National Patient Registry (NPR) and the Danish Civil Registration System (CPR), 53,749 patients with lung cancer were identified and matched with 214,304 controls on age, gender, region of residence and marital status in the period 1998–2010. From the NPR, data on survival and comorbidity, registered as ICD-10 diagnoses, were extracted. Comorbidity was assessed using the Deyo-Charlson comorbidity score (DCcs) and mortality using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Results: 1-year survival rate for Danish lung cancer patients was 51.7 % (CI 51.3-52.1) and 5-year survival rate was 14.7 % (CI 14.3-15.0) compared to 96.8 % (CI 96.7-96.8) and 84.0 % (CI 83.9-84.2) for controls respectively. Overall, cases had significantly more comorbidity compared to controls before being diagnosed with lung cancer. Prior to being diagnosed with lung cancer, more cases than controls had been diagnosed with other malignancies (11.4 % vs 6.0 % p<0.005), diseases of the circulatory system (16.4 % vs 13.0 % p<0.005) and respiratory diseases (12.2 % vs 4.8 % p<0.005). Among lung cancer patients 21.8 % had a DCcs ≥ 1 compared to 13.3 % among controls (P<0.005). The 1-year survival for DCcs =0 was 54.8 % (CI 54.3-55.3) for lung cancer patients and 97.8 % (CI 97.7-97.9) for controls. Decreasing survival with increasing DCcs was found in both groups. Conclusion: This study provides unique nationwide comorbidity data on patients before and after being diagnosed with lung cancer. We found increased mortality with increasing comorbidity, however more pronounced among controls compared to patients with lung cancer.
MicroRNA-21 Contributes to Acute Liver Injury in LPS-Induced Sepsis Mice by Inhibiting PPARα Expression

The severity of sepsis may be associated with excessive inflammation, thus leading to acute liver injury. MicroRNA-21 is highly expressed in the liver of a variety of inflammation-related diseases, and PPARα is also proved to participate in regulating inflammation. In the present study, the LPS-induced sepsis model was established. We found that microRNA-21 expression was upregulated in the liver of sepsis mice, and microRNA-21 inhibition significantly reduced the liver injury. The expression of liver injury markers, inflammation cytokines, and PPARα in the septic mice was higher than in antagomir-21 treated septic mice. In addition, we also found that PPARα is the target gene of microRNA-21; PPARα antagonist GW6471 could reverse the effect of antagomir-21. In conclusion, our study illustrated that microRNA-21 exacerbate acute liver injury in sepsis mice by inhibiting PPARα expression.
Characterization of transient discharges under atmospheric-pressure conditions applying nitrogen photoemission and current measurements

The plasma parameters such as electron distribution function and electron density of three atmospheric-pressure transient discharges namely filamentary and homogeneous dielectric barrier discharges in air, and the spark discharge of an argon plasma coagulation (APC) system are determined. A combination of numerical simulation as well as diagnostic methods including current measurement and optical emission spectroscopy (OES) based on nitrogen emissions is used. The applied methods supplement each other and resolve problems, which arise when these methods are used individually. Nitrogen is used as a sensor gas and is admixed in low amount to argon for characterizing the APC discharge. Both direct and stepwise electron-impact excitation of nitrogen emissions are included in the plasma-chemical model applied for characterization of these transient discharges using OES where ambiguity arises in the determination of plasma parameters under specific discharge conditions. It is shown that the measured current solves this problem by providing additional information useful for the determination of discharge-specific plasma parameters.
Development of an Immunoassay for the Detection of Amyloid Beta 1-42 and Its Application in Urine Samples

Amyloid beta peptides (Aβ1-42) have been found to be associated with the cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia. Currently, methods for detecting Aβ1-42 are complicated and expensive. The present study is aimed at developing an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) to detect Aβ1-42 by using a polyclonal antibody from alpaca, an application used in urine samples. The serum was collected from the alpaca after immunizing it with Aβ1-42 at 500 μg/injection 5 times. The ic-ELISA was developed and showed a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 103.20 ng/ml. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.39 ng/100 μl. The cross-reactivity was tested with Aβ1-40 and 8 synthesized peptides that had sequence similarities to parts of Aβ1-42. The cross-reactivity of Aβ1-40 and peptide 1 (DAEFRHDSGYE) was 55% and 69.4%, respectively. The ic-ELISA was applied to analyze Aβ1-42 in the urine and precipitated protein urine samples. This method can be used for detecting a normal level of total soluble Aβ (approximately 1 ng in 5 mg of precipitated urine protein) and can be used for detecting the early stages of AD. It is considered to be an easy and inexpensive method for monitoring and diagnosing AD.
Routine Multiple Duodenal Biopsy during Endoscopy of Dyspeptic Patients Seems Unnecessary for Screening of Celiac Disease

Introduction Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic and common cause of dyspepsia with a rising prevalence worldwide. This study is aimed at investigating the prevalence of CD in dyspeptic patients based on serology and biopsy, determining the associated factors, and assessing the necessity of regular duodenal biopsies from normal mucosa in diagnosis of CD among dyspeptic patients. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on 530 adult dyspeptic patients who underwent gastroduodenoscopy in Imam Reza hospital, Mashhad, during 2016-2018. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, and laboratory analyses were extracted from hospital records. CD was diagnosed based on intestinal biopsy and serum antitissue transglutaminase (anti-TTG) levels. Mucosal lesions were classified according to the modified Marsh classification. Data were analyzed in SPSS with P < 0.05 being considered significant. Results Overall, 163 males (30.8%) and 367 females (69.2%) with an average age of 46.38 ± 15.54 years were studied. High anti-TTG levels were seen in 36 (6.8%) patients, and duodenal pathologies were seen in 23 (4.5%) patients. Fifteen (2.8%) were diagnosed with CD based on both serology and biopsy. Bloating was the most common type of dyspepsia in CD patients (7, 46.7%), followed by epigastric pain (6, 40%), and postprandial fullness (2, 13.3%). Two CD patients (13.3%) reported a positive family history for CD. Logistic regression model showed that iron deficiency anemia (IDA), anti-TTG level, and Helicobacter pylori infection were predictors of histological changes of CD, whereas IDA was the only independent predictor of CD in dyspeptic patients (OR = 17.65, 95%CI = 1.53‐202.52, and P = 0.021). Conclusion CD is prevalent in dyspeptic patients, but routine biopsy from normal-appearing duodenal mucosa is not recommended for all patients. Serological studies, complete history, and careful endoscopic evaluation may provide better cost-effective clinical solutions to improve the diagnostic yield of celiac disease in dyspeptic patients.
CONDUCTANCE SPECTRA OF MOLECULAR WIRES

A relatively simple and straightforward procedure for characterizing molecular wires is to measure the conductance spectrum by forming a self-assembled ordered monolayer (SAM) on a metallic surface and using a high scanning-tunneling microscope resolution (STM) tip as the other contact. We find that the conductance spectrum (dI/dV vs. V) can be understood fairly well in terms of a relatively simple model, provided the spatial profile of the electrostatic potential under bias is properly accounted for. The effect of the potential profile is particularly striking and can convert a symmetric conductor into a rectifier and vice versa. The purpose of this paper is to (1) describe the theoretical model in detail, (2) identify the important parameters that influence the spectra and show how these parameters can be deduced directly from the conductance spectrum, and (3) compare the theoretical prediction with experimentally measured conductance spectra for xylyl dithiol and phenyl dithiol.
Silk Hydrogels as Soft Substrates for Neural Tissue Engineering

There is great need for soft biomaterials that match the stiffness of human tissues for tissue engineering and regeneration. Hydrogels are frequently employed for extracellular matrix functionalization and to provide appropriate mechanical cues. It is challenging, however, to achieve structural integrity and retain bioactive molecules in hydrogels for complex tissue formation that may take months to develop. This work aims to investigate mechanical and biochemical characteristics of silk hydrogels for soft tissue engineering, specifically for the nervous system. The stiffness of 1 to 8% silk hydrogels, measured by atomic force microscopy, is 4 to 33 kPa. The structural integrity of silk gels is maintained throughout embryonic chick dorsal root ganglion (cDRG) explant culture over 4 days whereas fibrin and collagen gels decrease in mass over time. Neurite extension of cDRGs cultured on 2 and 4% silk hydrogels exhibit greater growth than softer or stiffer gels. Silk hydrogels release <5% of neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3) over 2 weeks and 11‐day old gels show maintenance of growth factor bioactivity. Finally, fibronectin‐ and NT‐3‐functionalized silk gels elicit increased axonal bundling suggesting their use in bridging nerve injuries. These results support silk hydrogels as soft and sustainable biomaterials for neural tissue engineering.
A NOVEL HUMAN SMALL STRESS PROTEIN SELECTIVELY EXPRESSED IN CARDIOVASCULAR AND INSULIN-SENSITIVE TISSUES*

Starting with computational tools that search for tissue-selective expression of assembled expressed sequenced tags, we have identified by focusing on heart libraries a novel small stress protein of 170 amino acids that we named cvHsp. cvHsp was found as being computationally selectively and highly (0.3% of the total RNA) expressed in human heart. The cvHsp gene mapped to 1p36.23‐p34.3 between markers D1S434 and D1S507. The expression of cvHsp was analyzed with RNA dot, Northern blots, or reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction: expression was high in heart, medium in skeletal muscle, and low in aorta or adipose tissues. In the heart of rat models of cardiac pathologies, cvHsp mRNA expression was either unchanged (spontaneous hypertension), up-regulated (right ventricular hypertrophy induced by monocrotaline treatment), or down-regulated (left ventricular hypertrophy following aortic banding). In obese Zucker rats, cvHsp mRNA was increased in skeletal muscle, brown, and white adipose tissues but remained unchanged in the heart. Western blot analysis using antipeptide polyclonal antibodies revealed two specific bands at 23 and 25 kDa for cvHsp in human heart. cvHsp interacted in both yeast two-hybrid and immunoprecipitation experiments with a-filamin or actin-binding protein 280. Within cvHsp, amino acid residues 56 ‐119 were shown to be important for its specific interaction with the C-terminal tail of a-filamin.
CHANGES IN ORGANIC CARBON AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL AGGREGATES UNDER FIBER FARMING

Interest in intensive forestry systems to produce woody fiber or "fiber farming" (FF) is increasing because of high energy costs and the risks of global warming. The FF-induced changes in soil structural properties at the microscale or aggregate level important to soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and soil-water dynamics are, however, not well understood. Thus, we compared differences in soil physical properties and SOC concentrations in aggregates among tree species after 7 years of plantation establishment on an Onaway fine sandy loam (fine loamy, mixed, active, frigid Inceptic Hapludalfs) at the Upper Peninsula Tree Improvement Center near Escanaba, Mich. Soil samples from 16.8 × 16.8-m plots under six tree taxa and three rates of wood ash application (0, 9, and 18 Mg ha−1) were collected in May, 2005. The six tree taxa were European larch (Larix deciduas Mill.), hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × Populus tremuloides), and four poplar taxa: NE-222 (Populus deltoids × Populus nigra var. caudina), DN-5 (Populus euramericana, cv. "Gelrica"), DN-34 (P. euramericana, cv. "Eugenei"), and NM-6 (P. nigra × Populus maximowiczii). Tree species induced measurable changes in most soil aggregate properties. Larch and DN-34 increased aggregate mean weight diameter more than N-222 and NM-6. Macroaggregates contained 20% more SOC concentration than microaggregates. Ash application increased tensile strength, soil water retention, and SOC concentration, indicating the benefits of applying ash in FF systems. Within both macroaggregates and microaggregates, NM-6 had the highest SOC concentration, whereas aspen had the lowest of all tree species. The SOC concentration increased with increase in biomass input. Results show that differences in aggregate physical properties and aggregate-associated SOC concentration among tree species were relatively small and depended on the soil property.
The Effect of Buoyancy on Flickering in Diffusion Flames

Flame flickering of jet diffusion flames reflects the instability of the hot gases ascending column, This phenomenon, which is related to buoyancy, has been characterized in terms of pressure and gravitational force by experiments conducted on the ground and on board of an aircraft. The measurements show that the relationship between the frequency F and the gravity g is very close to F∼ & g2/3 when the burners have a sufficiently small outlet diameter. These measurements are entirely in agreement with a theoretical model based on the hydrodynamic instability of the layer of burnt gas under the influence of buoyancy. It is also confirmed, by varying the ambient pressure, that a model of the form F ∼ P1/3 closely fits the observed phenomena with gas jet diffusion flames.
Effect of varied soil nitrogen supply on growth and nutrient uptake of young Norway spruce plants grown in a shaded environment

To understand the effect of increased soil N supply on tree growth and nutrient uptake, three-year-old Norway spruce seedlings were grown in pots on low-nutrient mineral forest soil supplemented with N in mineral or organic form. Outdoor shaded growth conditions were used, to test the hypothesis that shaded plants are particularly susceptible to high soil N supply. Plants were harvested eleven months after planting. Shoot growth was not affected by the N supply, but N concentrations in needles and roots were increased in plants supplied with mineral N (150 or 300 mg N [kg soil]—1). Root growth was drastically reduced and root/shoot ratios were decreased in plants with higher N uptake. A high supply of mineral N to soil also decreased the concentrations of other essential elements (P, K) in the needles and thus had effects on plant growth which may impair the stress resistance of trees. Organic N in the form of keratin (150 mg N [kg soil]—1) did not influence plant growth significantly. The adverse effects of high mineral N supply were particularly pronounced under shaded conditions in comparison to results from other experiments using higher light intensity and temperature conditions. Einflus des Stickstoffangebots im Boden auf Wachstum und Nahrstoffaufnahme von Jungfichten unter schattigen Bedingungen Die Auswirkungen eines erhohten Stickstoffangebots auf Wachstum und Nahrstoffaufnahme von dreijahrigen Fichtenjungpflanzen wurden in einem Gefasversuch unter schattigen Freilandbedingungen untersucht. Dabei wurde die Vermutung getestet, das beschattete Fichten besonders empfindlich auf ein hohes Stickstoffangebot reagieren. Nach elf Monaten Versuchsdauer hatte die Stickstoffversorgung des Bodens keinen signifikanten Einflus auf das Sproswachstum. Die Stickstoffkonzentrationen in Nadeln und Wurzeln waren jedoch erhoht, wenn dem Boden mineralischer Stickstoff zugegeben worden war (150 bzw. 300 mg N [kg Boden]—1). Die mit mineralischem Stickstoff versorgten Pflanzen zeigten ein stark vermindertes Wurzelwachstum und ein verringertes Wurzel-/Sprosverhaltnis. In diesen Pflanzen waren auch die Nadelkonzentrationen an Phosphor und Kalium deutlich vermindert. Keratin als organische Stickstoffquelle (150 mg N [kg Boden]—1) hatte keinen Einflus auf das Baumwachstum. Die negativen Effekte hoher Gehalte an mineralischem Stickstoff im Boden waren in diesem Versuch starker ausgepragt als in ahnlichen Versuchen unter optimalen Licht- und Temperaturbedingungen.
A Systematic Review on Barriers to Palliative Care in Oncology

The number of people with cancer and the need for palliative care among this population is increasing in the United States. Despite this growing need, several barriers exist to the utilization of palliative care in oncology. The purpose of this study was to synthesize the evidence on the barriers to palliative care utilization in an oncology population. A systematic review of literature was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, CINAHL, and Psych Info databases were used for the literature search. Articles were included if they: 1) focused on cancer, (2) examined and discussed barriers to palliative care, and c) were peer reviewed, published in English, and had an accessible full text. A total of 29 studies (8 quantitative, 18 qualitative, and 3 mixed-methods) were identified and synthesized for this review. The sample size of the included studies ranged from 10 participants to 313 participants. The barriers to palliative care were categorized into barriers related to the patient and family, b) barriers related to providers, and c) barriers related to the healthcare system or policy. The factors identified in this review provide guidance for intervention development to mitigate the existing barriers and facilitate the use palliative care in individuals with cancer.
Understanding one’s character through the voice: Dimensions of personality perception from Chinese greeting word “Ni Hao”

ABSTRACT Previous western studies revealed a two-dimensional model (valence and dominance) in voice impressions. To explore the cross-cultural validity of this model, the present study recruited Chinese participants to evaluate other people’s personality from recordings of Chinese vocal greeting word “Ni Hao”. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax Rotation and Parallel Analysis was used to investigate the dimensions underlying personality judgments. The results also revealed a two-dimensional model: approachability and capability. The approachability dimension was similar to the valence dimension reported in a previous study. It indicated that the approachability/valence dimension has cross-cultural commonality. Unlike the dimension of dominance which was closely related to aggressiveness, the dimension of capability emphasized the social aspects of capability such as intellectuality, social skills, and tenacity. In addition, the acoustic parameters that were used to infer the personality of speakers, as well as the relationship between vocal attractiveness and the personality dimensions of voice, were also partially different from the findings in Western culture.