Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Standardized Bait Trapping Approaches and Climatic Factors That Influence Wireworm Catch in the Canadian Prairies

Abstract Wireworms are significant pests of a variety of economically important crops grown in the Canadian Prairies. These soil-dwelling larvae of click beetles feed on and burrow into the accessible underground plant tissues, which can result in cosmetic injury, stunting, wilting, and plant death. Successful management of wireworms relies on accurate estimations of their abundance and activity in infested fields. Bait trapping is the most commonly used method for sampling wireworms and standardized approaches have been developed; however, little work has been done to optimize trapping efficacy in different geographical regions. In this study, we evaluated the effect of bait trapping duration, seed formulation, and the causal relationship with CO2 production and soil temperature on the wireworm catch in three fields located in Manitoba, Canada. As expected, wireworm catch increased with trapping duration and placing traps in ground for 8 d is adequate in most cases. Both barley and wheat were more effective baits than soybean; however, barley released more CO2 (i.e., an attractant for wireworms) and performed better at elevated soil temperatures. Overall, the results of this study will serve as valuable guidelines to improve current wireworm sampling methods, and can be integrated into strategies aimed at managing these important pests to crop production.
Long wavelength semiconductor lasers

The current status and future applications to lightwave transmission of long-wavelength semiconductor lasers emitting near 1.3 and 1.55- mu m are described. Bit-error-rate curves for a transmission experiment at 8 Gb/s over 76 km of fiber are shown, and schematics of a high-speed distributed feedback laser and a multielectrode distributed Bragg reflector laser are presented. <<ETX>>
Tissue‐Scale Biomechanical Testing of Brain Tissue for the Calibration of Nonlinear Material Models

Brain tissue is one of the most complex and softest tissues in the human body. Due to its ultrasoft and biphasic nature, it is difficult to control the deformation state during biomechanical testing and to quantify the highly nonlinear, time‐dependent tissue response. In numerous experimental studies that have investigated the mechanical properties of brain tissue over the last decades, stiffness values have varied significantly. One reason for the observed discrepancies is the lack of standardized testing protocols and corresponding data analyses. The tissue properties have been tested on different length and time scales depending on the testing technique, and the corresponding data have been analyzed based on simplifying assumptions. In this review, we highlight the advantage of using nonlinear continuum mechanics based modeling and finite element simulations to carefully design experimental setups and protocols as well as to comprehensively analyze the corresponding experimental data. We review testing techniques and protocols that have been used to calibrate material model parameters and discuss artifacts that might falsify the measured properties. The aim of this work is to provide standardized procedures to reliably quantify the mechanical properties of brain tissue and to more accurately calibrate appropriate constitutive models for computational simulations of brain development, injury and disease. Computational models can not only be used to predictively understand brain tissue behavior, but can also serve as valuable tools to assist diagnosis and treatment of diseases or to plan neurosurgical procedures. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
The clinical dilemma of JAK inhibitor failure in myelofibrosis: Predictive characteristics and outcomes

Two Janus‐associated kinase inhibitors (JAKi) (initially ruxolitinib and, more recently, fedratinib) have been approved as treatment options for patients who have intermediate‐risk and high‐risk myelofibrosis (MF), with pivotal trials demonstrating improvements in spleen volume, disease symptoms, and quality of life. At the same time, however, clinical trial experiences with JAKi agents in MF have demonstrated a high frequency of discontinuations because of adverse events or progressive disease. In addition, overall survival benefits and clinical and molecular predictors of response have not been established in this population, for which the disease burden is high and treatment options are limited. Consistently poor outcomes have been documented after JAKi discontinuation, with survival durations after ruxolitinib ranging from 11 to 16 months across several studies. To address such a high unmet therapeutic need, various non‐JAKi agents are being actively explored (in combination with ruxolitinib in first‐line or salvage settings and/or as monotherapy in JAKi‐pretreated patients) in phase 3 clinical trials, including pelabresib (a bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibitor), navitoclax (a B‐cell lymphoma 2/B‐cell lymphoma 2‐xL inhibitor), parsaclisib (a phosphoinositide 3‐kinase inhibitor), navtemadlin (formerly KRT‐232; a murine double‐minute chromosome 2 inhibitor), and imetelstat (a telomerase inhibitor). The breadth of data expected from these trials will provide insight into the ability of non‐JAKi treatments to modify the natural history of MF.
Validity and correlation of quantitative flow ratio with fractional flow reserve for assessment of intermediate coronary lesions

Abstract Background The angiographic percent diameter stenosis (%DS) do not assess the physiological significance of epicardial coronary stenosis. The currently practised physiological indices require pressure wires with or without adenosine-induced hyperaemia. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is an angiography-based method to determine the functional significance of coronary stenosis. The present study aimed to analyse the diagnostic performance of QFR in comparison to fractional flow reserve (FFR) in intermediate coronary lesions. Materials and methods It was a single centre retrospective study to analyse the diagnostic performance of offline QFR with the previously performed FFR in the last six years. A total of 56 interrogated vessels were included for the analysis. Offline QFR analysis was performed and correlated with FFR values in the intermediate coronary stenoses. Results The mean age of the study population was 62.4 ± 9.1 years, including 81% men. The left anterior descending artery (50%) was the most common analysed vessel followed by left circumflex (27%) and right coronary (21%) arteries. The mean % DS and % area stenosis were 45.25 ± 11.22% and 57.45% ± 16.25%, respectively. The mean FFR and QFR values were 0.83 ± 0.06 and 0.82 ± 0.10, respectively. A strong positive correlation was found between FFR and QFR with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.56. Receiver operating curve analysis for QFR and %DS with a FFR cut off value <0.80 showed an area under the curve of 0.97 and 0.77, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of QFR were 87.5%, 95% and 92.8%, respectively. There was a discordance in four vessels (7.1%) between QFR and FFR. Conclusion QFR has a good diagnostic performance in comparison to the gold standard FFR for physiological assessment of intermediate lesions. Its performance is significantly better than the anatomical % DS (p < 0.001).
Virtual Reality Assisted Motor Imagery for Early Post-Stroke Recovery: A Review

Stroke is a serious neurological disease that may lead to long-term disabilities and even death for stroke patients worldwide. The acute period, ($\le$1 mo post-stroke), is crucial for rehabilitation but the current standard clinical practice may be ineffective for patients with severe motor impairment, since most rehabilitation programs involve physical movement. Imagined movement – the so-called motor imagery (MI) – has been shown to activate motor areas of the brain without physical movement. MI therefore offers an opportunity for early rehabilitation of stroke patients. MI, however, is not widely employed in clinical practice due to a lack of evidence-based research. Here, we review MI-based approaches to rehabilitation of stroke patients and immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies to potentially assist MI and thus, promote recovery of motor function.
Performance of a rectifier inverter structure under nonideal load conditions meeting the new IEEE standard

In Industry, the traditional switching strategy used for voltage and current source inverters (VSI, CSI) are the pulse width modulation or sinusoidal pulse width modulation (PWM, SPWM). However, it is shown that VSI with a proportional integral current controller offers superiority. The advantages include instantaneous current control and wave shaping, and practically fixed inverter switching frequency independent of the output frequency resulting in only known harmonics. Such structure can be used as a rear end inverter in a static frequency changer where the front-end rectifier is constructed with bidirectional switches to allow regeneration. This paper verifies the controller performance for instantaneous current control capabilities under normal load, unbalanced load, load outage and load short-circuit conditions. The front end rectifier as well as the motor input PF is evaluated under the above mentioned motor load conditions. The rectifier input PF is improved drastically using input filter to comply with the latest IEEE Standard 519.
Extensions of the concept of suction analogy to prediction of vortex lift effect

Flow field data for a double delta wing at low speed were used to determine the location of a vortex action point. The result was found to be consistent with what was determined for a delta wing. In supersonic flow, the action point location was determined empirically. For a wing with rounded leading edges, an assumption for initial vortex separation was shown to be equivalent to initial leading edge bubble separation for airfoils. A theoretical formulation by the section analogy to determine the delayed vortex separation on a cambered wing with rounded leading edges was presented. The method of suction analogy was further shown to be applicable to predicting the body vortex lift.
Perillaldehyde mitigates virulence factors and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates, by acting on the quorum sensing mechanism in vitro

The incidence of biofilm linked catheter‐associated urinary tract infections is increasing worldwide and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the major causes. Perillaldehyde (PLD): as a natural, widely used flavouring agent, has been reported to possess various pharmacological properties. We hypothesized that PLD can inhibit biofilm formation and virulence factor (VF) production by P. aeruginosa by hampering the quorum sensing (QS) system(s).
Comparison between three different high fluence UVA levels in corneal collagen cross-linking for treatment of experimentally induced fungal keratitis in rabbits

Introduction The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of Photo-Activated Chromophore for Keratitis – Corneal Collagen Cross-linking (PACK-CXL) of three different total UVA fluence levels and topical voriconazole in treatment of fungal keratitis experimentally induced in rabbits. Methods This is an interventional experimental study including both eyes of 16 rabbits (32 eyes). Fungal keratitis was induced by intrastromal injection of Fusarium Solani into the cornea. The rabbits were then divided into four groups (8 eyes for each) from which group A received Voriconazole eye drops and considered as control group. Group B, C, D received single PACK-CXL session with total fluence levels of 7.2, 10.0 and 15.0 J/cm2 for each respectively. Daily clinical examination was recorded and all corneas were removed for microbiology and histopathology on day ten. Results The mean clinical signs score eyes treated with high fluence PACK-CXL showed evident clinical improvement from fourth to tenth day of treatment. This improvement was equivalent to that of Voriconazole treatment. The results showed better improvement with increasing the UVA total fluence levels but this difference was not statistically significant (P < 0.05). Similarly, the median CFU/ml declined on increasing UVA fluence but with no statistically significant values. Histopathological examination revealed better improvement of inflammatory signs on higher fluence levels compared to lower ones. Conclusions High intensity PACK-CXL (30 mW/cm2) was as effective as Voriconazole in the treatment of fungal keratitis in rabbits. Increasing the fluence of UVA was associated with slightly better clinical outcomes with no added risks. More clinical studies are needed to confirm these results.
Prevalence of bilateral vestibulopathy among older adults above 65 years on the indication of vestibular impairment and the association with Dynamic Gait Index and Dizziness Handicap Inventory

Abstract Purpose To estimate the prevalence of bilateral vestibulopathy (BV) and evaluate the association with, and concurrent validity of the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) in diagnosing BV based on video head impulse test (vHIT) among older adults ≥65 years referred to a geriatric falls clinic on suspicion of vestibular impairment. Materials and methods The vHIT was applied as a reference standard of BV to estimate diagnostic parameters for optimal cut-off scores of DGI and DHI applied separately and in combination. Results Two-hundred medical records were reviewed (70% women, mean age 79.4 years). The prevalence of BV was 9%. DGI was weakly associated with BV: Odds Ratio (OR) 1.15 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01; 1.31), with a 93% sensitivity and 47% specificity of a cut-off score of 16. The total score of DHI showed no association with BV: OR 1.01 (95% CI: 0.98; 1.04). The concurrent validity for BV and DGI and/or DHI were found to be inadequate. Conclusions A prevalence of 9% underlines the relevance for assessment of BV. Only a weak association between DGI and/or DHI and BV was found. Thus, vHIT remains the preferred test for detecting BV in geriatric fall assessments. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Bilateral vestibulopathy (BV) has numerous negative consequences for older adults and the prevalence is high among older adults referred to a geriatric falls clinic on suspicion of vestibular impairment. The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) are not valid alternatives to the Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) when assessing BV among geriatric outpatients.
Molecular and physiological responses to desiccation indicate the abscisic acid pathway is conserved in the peat moss, Sphagnum

Abstract Mosses of the genus Sphagnum are the main components of peatlands, a major carbon-storing ecosystem. Changes in precipitation patterns are predicted to affect water relations in this ecosystem, but the effect of desiccation on the physiological and molecular processes in Sphagnum is still largely unexplored. Here we show that different Sphagnum species have differential physiological and molecular responses to desiccation but, surprisingly, this is not directly correlated with their position in relation to the water table. In addition, the expression of drought responsive genes is increased upon water withdrawal in all species. This increase in gene expression is accompanied by an increase in abscisic acid (ABA), supporting a role for ABA during desiccation responses in Sphagnum. Not only do ABA levels increase upon desiccation, but Sphagnum plants pre-treated with ABA display increased tolerance to desiccation, suggesting that ABA levels play a functional role in the response. In addition, many of the ABA signalling components are present in Sphagnum and we demonstrate, by complementation in Physcomitrium patens, that Sphagnum ABI3 is functionally conserved. The data presented here, therefore, support a conserved role for ABA in desiccation responses in Sphagnum.
Efficiency assessment of irrigation as an alternative method for improving the regenerative potential of non‐healing wounds

The application of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) in regenerative medicine offers hope for the effective treatment of incurable or difficult‐to‐heal diseases. However, it requires the development of unified protocols for both safe and efficient cell acquisition and clinical usage. The therapeutic effect of fat grafts (containing stem cells) in non‐healing wounds has been discussed in previous studies, although the application requires local or general anaesthesia. The treatment of MSC derived from adipose tissue (ASC) could be a less invasive method, and efficient delivery could lead to more favourable outcomes, which should encourage clinicians to use such therapeutic approaches more frequently. Therefore, the aim of this study was to optimise the methods of ASC isolation, culture and administration while maintaining their high survival, proliferation and colonisation potential. The ASC were isolated by an enzymatic method and were characterised according to International Society for Cellular Therapy and International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science guidelines. To assess the opportunity to obtain a sufficient number of cells for transplantation, long‐term cell cultures in two oxygen concentrations (5% vs. 21%) were conducted. For these cultures, the population doubling time, the cumulative time for cell population doublings and the rate of cell senescence were estimated. In a developed and pre‐defined protocol, ASC can be efficiently cultured at physiological oxygen concentrations (5%), which leads to faster proliferation and slower cell senescence. Subsequently, to select the optimal and minimally invasive methods of ASC transplantation, direct cell application with an irrigator or with skin dressings was analysed. Our results confirmed that both the presented methods of cell application allow for the safe delivery of isolated ASC into wounds without losing their vitality. Cells propagated in the described conditions and applied in non‐invasive cell application (with an irrigation system and dressings) to treat chronic wounds can be a potential alternative or supplement to more invasive clinical approaches.
Mad2 promotes Cyclin B2 recruitment to the kinetochore for guiding accurate mitotic checkpoint

Accurate mitotic progression relies on the dynamic phosphorylation of multiple substrates by key mitotic kinases. Cyclin‐dependent kinase 1 is a master kinase that coordinates mitotic progression and requires its regulatory subunit Cyclin B to ensure full kinase activity and substrate specificity. The function of Cyclin B2, which is a closely related family member of Cyclin B1, remains largely elusive. Here, we show that Mad2 promotes the kinetochore localization of Cyclin B2 and that their interaction at the kinetochores guides accurate chromosome segregation. Our biochemical analyses have characterized the Mad2‐Cyclin B2 interaction and delineated a novel Mad2‐interacting motif (MIM) on Cyclin B2. The functional importance of the Cyclin B2‐Mad2 interaction was demonstrated by real‐time imaging in which MIM‐deficient mutant Cyclin B2 failed to rescue the chromosomal segregation defects. Taken together, we have delineated a previously undefined function of Cyclin B2 at the kinetochore and have established, in human cells, a mechanism of action by which Mad2 contributes to the spindle checkpoint.
Categorizing a Face and Facing a Category: The Constructive Impacts of Ambiguity and Uncertainty in Racial Categorization

The past generation has seen a dramatic rise in multiracial populations and a consequent increase in exposure to individuals who challenge monolithic racial categories. We examine and compare two potential outcomes of the multiracial population growth that may impact people’s racial categorization experience: (a) exposure to racially ambiguous faces that visually challenge the existing categories, and (b) a category that conceptually challenges existing categories (including “biracial” as an option in addition to the monolithic “Black” and “White” categories). Across four studies (N = 1,810), we found that multiple exposures to faces that are racially ambiguous directly lower essentialist views of race. Moreover, we found that when people consider a category that blurs the line between racial categories (i.e., “biracial”), they become less certain in their racial categorization, which is associated with less race essentialism, as well. Importantly, we found that these two effects happen independently from one another and represent two distinct cognitive processes.
Short-term plasticity in the human visual thalamus

While there is evidence that the visual cortex retains a potential for plasticity in adulthood, less is known about the subcortical stages of visual processing. Here, we asked whether short-term ocular dominance plasticity affects the human visual thalamus. We addressed this question in normally sighted adult humans, using ultra-high field (7T) magnetic resonance imaging combined with the paradigm of short-term monocular deprivation. With this approach, we previously demonstrated transient shifts of perceptual eye dominance and ocular dominance in visual cortex (Binda et al., 2018). Here, we report evidence for short-term plasticity in the ventral division of the pulvinar (vPulv), where the deprived eye representation was enhanced over the nondeprived eye. This vPulv plasticity was similar as previously seen in visual cortex and it was correlated with the ocular dominance shift measured behaviorally. In contrast, there was no effect of monocular deprivation in two adjacent thalamic regions: dorsal pulvinar and Lateral Geniculate Nucleus. We conclude that the visual thalamus retains potential for short-term plasticity in adulthood; the plasticity effect differs across thalamic subregions, possibly reflecting differences in their corticofugal connectivity.
The effect of static charge imbalance on the on state behavior of the superjunction power MOSFET: CoolMOS

The effect of static charge imbalance on the forward blocking voltage (FBV) of a superjunction power MOSFET designed for 600 V is investigated with device simulation. It is observed that the presence of the conduction channel and carriers in the drift region in the on state effectively changes the charge balance in the device. As a result, the BV changes substantially with the applied gate voltage. The variation of FBV as function of gate voltage V/sub GS/ is obtained by device simulation, for three cases of superjunction (SJ) drift layer doping variations (i) N/sub a/ = N/sub d/, (ii) N/sub a/ > N/sub d/, (iii) N/sub d/ > N/sub a/. Representative potential contours are also shown for illustration.