Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Implications of Nadir Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen Levels After Transurethral Enucleation of the Prostate

Objective Prostate-specific antigen levels after transurethral enucleation of the prostate may serve as indicators of residual cancer foci. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the post-transurethral enucleation of the prostate nadir prostate-specific antigen level and prostate cancer. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 428 men who underwent transurethral enucleation of the prostate between March 2015 and April 2021. Based on the following exclusion criteria, we excluded 106 men from our analysis: men with metastatic prostate cancer, incomplete transurethral enucleation of the prostate, and missing prostate-specific antigen or prostate size data. Three hundred and twenty-two patients were finally enrolled in our study. These patients were classified into four groups according to the surgical pathology: benign, transition zone (cancer only in the adenoma or transition zone), peripheral zone, and transition and peripheral zones. The optimal cutoff post-transurethral enucleation of the prostate nadir prostate-specific antigen level that predicted residual prostate cancer was determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results In total, 71 (22.0%) men exhibited prostate cancer (median follow-up, 38.0 months). The benign and combined cancer groups showed similar adenoma removal rates (103.0% and 106.7%, respectively). The median nadir prostate-specific antigen levels after transurethral enucleation of the prostate were 0.76, 0.63, 1.79, and 1.70 ng/ml in the benign, transition zone, peripheral zone, and transition and peripheral zone groups, respectively (p < 0.001), with no difference between the benign and transition zone groups (p = 0.458); this suggested that complete transurethral enucleation of the prostate removed all cancer nests in the adenoma in the transition zone group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that nadir prostate-specific antigen ≧1.7 ng/ml predicted residual cancer (area under the curve: 0.787) or cancer with a Gleason score of ≧7 (area under the curve: 0.816) in the remaining prostate. Limitations include the retrospective design and the perioperative peripheral zone biopsy rate. Conclusions The post-transurethral enucleation of the prostate nadir prostate-specific antigen ≧1.7 ng/ml after complete transurethral enucleation of the prostate can predict significant residual cancer. Prostate cancer patients with low post-transurethral enucleation of the prostate prostate-specific antigen levels can be conservatively managed.
Nomogram model based on preoperative serum thyroglobulin and clinical characteristics of papillary thyroid carcinoma to predict cervical lymph node metastasis

Objective Preoperative evaluation of cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been one of the serious clinical challenges. The present study aims at understanding the relationship between preoperative serum thyroglobulin (PS-Tg) and LNM and intends to establish nomogram models to predict cervical LNM. Methods The data of 1,324 PTC patients were retrospectively collected and randomly divided into training cohort (n = 993) and validation cohort (n = 331). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM). The nomogram models were constructed and further evaluated by 1,000 resampling bootstrap analyses. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) of the nomogram models were carried out for the training, validation, and external validation cohorts. Results Analyses revealed that age, male, maximum tumor size >1 cm, PS-Tg ≥31.650 ng/ml, extrathyroidal extension (ETE), and multifocality were the significant risk factors for CLNM in PTC patients. Similarly, such factors as maximum tumor size >1 cm, PS-Tg ≥30.175 ng/ml, CLNM positive, ETE, and multifocality were significantly related to LLNM. Two nomogram models predicting the risk of CLNM and LLNM were established with a favorable C-index of 0.801 and 0.911, respectively. Both nomogram models demonstrated good calibration and clinical benefits in the training and validation cohorts. Conclusion PS-Tg level is an independent risk factor for both CLNM and LLNM. The nomogram based on PS-Tg and other clinical characteristics are effective for predicting cervical LNM in PTC patients.
Convergence of Electronic Structure Properties in Ionic Oxides Within a Fragment Approach

Embedded-cluster models of crystalline solids are important to allow accurate wave function methods to be applicable to solids. The ab-initio model potential method, in which the crystal is divided into three different fragments, one quantum fragment, one ab-initio model potential fragment and one point-charge fragment, has historically been shown to be a viable tool for describing the electronic structure in ionic solids. The optimal size of these regions is, of course, individual for each crystal. In this study we analyzed the convergence of the electronic structure properties with respect to an increase of the size of the quantum part and the layer of potentials. MgO crystal and Ni: MgO were used for this purpose as examples of an ideal crystal and a crystal with a point defect. We demonstrated that with an increase of the cluster size, the electron density in the inner part of the cluster becomes very similar to the electron density in the periodic model. Clusters, embedded into a layer of model potential and electrostatic field, are a good alternative to periodic description.
Monascin abrogates RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis in RAW264.7 cells via regulating MAPKs signaling pathways

Osteoclasts (OCs) are multinucleated cells that play a major role in osteolytic diseases such as osteoporosis. Monascin (Ms) is one of the active substances in the traditional Chinese medicine red yeast rice. Studies have found that red yeast rice can maintain bone health. In this study, the anti-osteoclastogenesis effects of Ms on RANKL-induced RAW264.7 cells were assessed, and the underlying mechanism was investigated. Ms exhibited inhibitory effects on OC differentiation and formation in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed the bone-resorbing activity of mature OCs. Ms blocked OCs-typical genes (c-Fos, NFATc1, CSTK, MMP-9, TRAP, ITG-β3, OSCAR and DC-STAMP). Furthermore, Ms treatment considerably inhibited the activation of MAPKs, JNK and p38. Taken together, Ms suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis of RAW264.7 cells by restraining MAPKs signaling pathways and is a potential therapeutic option as a novel OC inhibitor to mitigate bone erosion.
Proteome Informatics in Tibetan Sheep (Ovis aries) Testes Suggest the Crucial Proteins Related to Development and Functionality

Testis has an indispensable function in male reproduction of domestic animals. Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) is a locally adapted breed of sheep raised in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with outsized roles in providing the livelihood for millions of residents. Nevertheless, less is known on how protein expression and their functional roles in developmental testes of such breed limit their use in breeding efforts. In this study, we obtained comprehensive protein profiles from testes of Tibetan sheep at three developmental stages (including pre-puberty, post-puberty, and adulthood) using data-independent acquisition-based proteomic strategy to quantitatively identify the differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) associated with testicular development and function and to unravel the molecular basis of spermatogenesis. A total of 6,221 proteins were differentially expressed in an age-dependent manner. The reliability of the gene expression abundance was corroborated by quantitative PCR and targeted parallel reaction monitoring. These DAPs were significantly enriched to biological processes concerning spermatid development and sperm deformation, mitosis, glycolytic process, cell-cell/extracellular matrix (ECM) junctions, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration and to the pathways including, developmental process and sexual reproduction-related (such as VEGF, estrogen, insulin, GnRH, Hippo, PI3K-Akt, mTOR, MAPK, and AMPK), and testicular cell events-related pathways (such as tight/gap/adherens junctions, ECM-receptor interaction, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, glycolysis, cell cycle, and meiosis). Based on these bioinformatics analysis, we constructed four protein–protein interaction network, among which the proteins are involved in mitosis, meiosis, spermiogenesis, and testicular microenvironment, respectively. Altogether, these bioinformatics-based sequencing results suggest that many protein-coding genes were expressed in a development-dependent manner in Tibetan sheep testes to contribute to the testicular cell development and their surrounding microenvironment remodeling at various stages of spermatogenesis. These findings have important implications for further understanding of the mechanisms underlying spermatogenesis in sheep and even other plateau-adapted animals.
Congruent aero-tactile stimuli bias perception of voicing continua

Multimodal integration is the formation of a coherent percept from different sensory inputs such as vision, audition, and somatosensation. Most research on multimodal integration in speech perception has focused on audio-visual integration. In recent years, audio-tactile integration has also been investigated, and it has been established that puffs of air applied to the skin and timed with listening tasks shift the perception of voicing by naive listeners. The current study has replicated and extended these findings by testing the effect of air puffs on gradations of voice onset time along a continuum rather than the voiced and voiceless endpoints of the original work. Three continua were tested: bilabial (“pa/ba”), velar (“ka/ga”), and a vowel continuum (“head/hid”) used as a control. The presence of air puffs was found to significantly increase the likelihood of choosing voiceless responses for the two VOT continua but had no effect on choices for the vowel continuum. Analysis of response times revealed that the presence of air puffs lengthened responses for intermediate (ambiguous) stimuli and shortened them for endpoint (non-ambiguous) stimuli. The slowest response times were observed for the intermediate steps for all three continua, but for the bilabial continuum this effect interacted with the presence of air puffs: responses were slower in the presence of air puffs, and faster in their absence. This suggests that during integration auditory and aero-tactile inputs are weighted differently by the perceptual system, with the latter exerting greater influence in those cases where the auditory cues for voicing are ambiguous.
Thirty Years of Mungbean Genome Research: Where Do We Stand and What Have We Learned?

Mungbean is a socioeconomically important legume crop in Asia that is currently in high demand by consumers and industries both as dried beans and in plant-based protein foods. Marker-assisted and genomics-assisted breeding are promising approaches to efficiently and rapidly develop new cultivars with improved yield, quality, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although mungbean was at the forefront of research at the dawn of the plant genomics era 30 years ago, the crop is a “slow runner” in genome research due to limited genomic resources, especially DNA markers. Significant progress in mungbean genome research was achieved only within the last 10 years, notably after the release of the VC1973A draft reference genome constructed using next-generation sequencing technology, which enabled fast and efficient DNA marker development, gene mapping, and identification of candidate genes for complex traits. Resistance to biotic stresses has dominated mungbean genome research to date; however, research is on the rise. In this study, we provide an overview of the past progress and current status of mungbean genomics research. We also discuss and evaluate some research results to provide a better understanding of mungbean genomics.
Microstrip triplexer using a common triple‐mode resonator

An all‐resonator based triplexer is presented using a double‐stub‐loaded resonator (DSLR) that acts as a common resonator at the junction of the three channels. The open stub DSLR has been analyzed using even and odd‐mode method to reveal the relationship between the three resonant modes. The design offers flexibility of frequency selection. The DSLR resonator is coupled with three sets of hairpin resonators to form the triplexer at 1.8, 2.1, and 2.6 GHz for mobile communication applications. The measurement results are in very good agreement with the simulations.
Polymyxin Resistance in Clinical Isolates of K. pneumoniae in Brazil: Update on Molecular Mechanisms, Clonal Dissemination and Relationship With KPC-Producing Strains

In Brazil, the production of KPC-type carbapenemases in Enterobacteriales is endemic, leading to widespread use of polymyxins. In the present study, 502 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were evaluated for resistance to polymyxins, their genetic determinants and clonality, in addition to the presence of carbapenem resistance genes and evaluation of antimicrobial resistance. Resistance to colistin (polymyxin E) was evaluated through initial selection on EMB agar containing 4% colistin sulfate, followed by Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determination by broth microdilution. The susceptibility to 17 antimicrobials was assessed by disk diffusion. The presence of bla KPC, bla NDM and bla OXA-48-like carbapenemases was investigated by phenotypic methods and conventional PCR. Molecular typing was performed by PFGE and MLST. Allelic variants of the mcr gene were screened by PCR and chromosomal mutations in the pmrA, pmrB, phoP, phoQ and mgrB genes were investigated by sequencing. Our work showed a colistin resistance frequency of 29.5% (n = 148/502) in K. pneumoniae isolates. Colistin MICs from 4 to >128 µg/mL were identified (MIC50 = 64 µg/mL; MIC90 >128 µg/mL). All isolates were considered MDR, with the lowest resistance rates observed for amikacin (34.4%), and 19.6% of the isolates were resistant to all tested antimicrobials. The bla KPC gene was identified in 77% of the isolates, in consonance with the high rate of resistance to polymyxins related to its use as a therapeutic alternative. Through XbaI-PFGE, 51 pulsotypes were identified. MLST showed 21 STs, with ST437, ST258 and ST11 (CC11) being the most prevalent, and two new STs were determined: ST4868 and ST4869. The mcr-1 gene was identified in 3 K. pneumoniae isolates. Missense mutations in chromosomal genes were identified, as well as insertion sequences in mgrB. Furthermore, the identification of chromosomal mutations in K. pneumoniae isolates belonging from CC11 ensures its success as a high-risk epidemic clone in Brazil and worldwide.
Acoustic-Based Automatic Addressee Detection for Technical Systems: A Review

Objective Acoustic addressee detection is a challenge that arises in human group interactions, as well as in interactions with technical systems. The research domain is relatively new, and no structured review is available. Especially due to the recent growth of usage of voice assistants, this topic received increased attention. To allow a natural interaction on the same level as human interactions, many studies focused on the acoustic analyses of speech. The aim of this survey is to give an overview on the different studies and compare them in terms of utilized features, datasets, as well as classification architectures, which has so far been not conducted. Methods The survey followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We included all studies which were analyzing acoustic and/or acoustic characteristics of speech utterances to automatically detect the addressee. For each study, we describe the used dataset, feature set, classification architecture, performance, and other relevant findings. Results 1,581 studies were screened, of which 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies utilized German or English speech corpora. Twenty-six percent of the studies were tested on in-house datasets, where only limited information is available. Nearly 40% of the studies employed hand-crafted feature sets, the other studies mostly rely on Interspeech ComParE 2013 feature set or Log-FilterBank Energy and Log Energy of Short-Time Fourier Transform features. 12 out of 23 studies used deep-learning approaches, the other 11 studies used classical machine learning methods. Nine out of 23 studies furthermore employed a classifier fusion. Conclusion Speech-based automatic addressee detection is a relatively new research domain. Especially by using vast amounts of material or sophisticated models, device-directed speech is distinguished from non-device-directed speech. Furthermore, a clear distinction between in-house datasets and pre-existing ones can be drawn and a clear trend toward pre-defined larger feature sets (with partly used feature selection methods) is apparent.
Measuring the impact of suppression on visual acuity in children with amblyopia using a dichoptic visual acuity chart

Purpose To develop a novel dichoptic visual acuity chart that measures the impact of interocular suppression on the visual acuity of each eye when two eyes are open. Methods Fifty-four subjects (19 anisometropic amblyopia, 20 treated amblyopia, and 15 normal children) participated in this study. The visual acuity that was tested under dichoptic-optotypes condition (i.e., presented optotypes to the untested eye) was compared with that under monocular condition (i.e., cover the untested eye with opaque patch). Visual acuity differences between these two conditions were compared among the three groups. The correlations between visual acuity differences and the depth of interocular suppression were then computed. Some participants performed the visual acuity test under dichoptic-luminance condition (i.e., presented mean luminance to the untested eye), and the test-retest reliability was established. Results A reduced visual acuity of the non-dominant eye was found in the dichoptic-optotypes condition for the amblyopia group (P < 0.001) and the treated group (P = 0.001); the difference in the treated group was less than that in the amblyopia group (P < 0.001) but more than that in the normal group (P = 0.026). A significant correlation was found between the visual acuity differences and the depth of suppression, which was tested with a binocular phase combination task (P = 0.005). No change was found in the dichoptic-luminance condition. Conclusion The amblyopic eye and the previous amblyopic eye seem to suffer from a reduced visual acuity when two eyes are open due to suppression. This was successfully captured by our novel and reliable dichoptic-optotypes visual acuity chart.
Why biogeography matters: historical biogeography vs. phylo ‐ geography and community phylogenetics for inferring ecological and evolutionary processes

Phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches have become widespread in evolutionary biol ‐ ogy, ecology, and biogeography. However, analyses that incorporate inferences from historical biogeog ‐ raphy (e.g., timing of colonization of a region) may be essential to answer the most important large ‐ scale questions in these fields, but they remain infrequently used. I focus on two examples here. First, I argue that understanding the origins of biodiversity hotspots (and other high ‐ diversity regions) requires comparing the timing of biogeographic colonization and diversification rates among regions. In contrast, phylogeographic studies (e.g., analyses within species within a region) may themselves say little about why a region is diverse relative to others. Second, incorporating hist orical biogeograpy can help address the processes that determine community species richness and structure, such as dispersal, in ‐ situ trait evolution, and in ‐ situ speciation. In contrast, the widespread “community phylogenetics” approach (focusing on relatedness of species in communities) may have limited ability to explain community rich ‐ ness and structure.
Adaptive Unbalance Compensation for a Three-Pole Active Magnetic Bearing System

Mass imbalance frequently exists in a rotating machine. It may induce unbalance force, causing undesirable vibrations and noise. Active magnetic bearing (AMB) has been found to be a good device to deal with such problem. This paper is concerned with the unbalance compensation for a three-pole AMB system. An adaptive compensation scheme is proposed based on the theory of immersion and invariance (I&I) control. It is to immerse a higher-order system into a lower-order target system. The lower-order target system in this paper is the three-pole AMB system with known mass imbalance and with a stabilizing integral sliding mode controller (ISMC). On the other hand, the higher-order system is the three-pole AMB system with both the ISMC levitation controller and the adaptive compensator. The adaptive compensator is designed to deal with the case that the mass imbalance may be unknown and may be changing during operation in practical applications. It estimates the information of mass imbalance online and is incorporated into the ISMC so that the unbalance force can be eliminated. Both numerical simulations and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive compensator for mass imbalance.
Applied Force and sEMG Muscle Activity Required To Operate Pistol Grip Control in an Electric Utility Aerial Bucket

Electric utility line workers report high levels of fatigue in forearm muscles when operating a conventional pistol grip control in aerial buckets. This study measured the applied force and surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals from four upper extremity muscles required to operate the pistol grip control in two tasks. The first task was movement of the pistol grip in six directions (up/down, forward/rearward, clockwise/counter-clockwise), and the second task was movement of the bucket from its resting position on the truck bed to an overhead conductor on top of a 40 ft tall pole. The force applied to the pistol grip was measured in 14 aerial bucket trucks, and sEMG activity was measured on eight apprentice line workers. The applied force required to move the pistol grip control in the six directions ranged from 12 to 15 lb. The sEMG activity in the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) forearm muscle was approximately twice as great or more than the other three muscles (flexor digitorum superficialis, triceps, and biceps). Line workers exerted 14 to 30% MVCEMG to move the pistol grip in the six directions. Average %MVCEMG of the EDC to move the bucket from the truck platform to an overhead line ranged from 26 to 30% across the four phases of the task. The sEMG findings from this study provide physiologic evidence to support the anecdotal reports of muscle fatigue from line workers after using the pistol grip control for repeated, long durations.