jimnoneill/paper-to-field-training huggingface dataset:
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Enhances Healing of a Meniscal Tear and Mitigates Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis in a Rat Model

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Background: Meniscal tears in the avascular region are thought to rarely heal and are a considerable challenge to treat. Although the therapeutic effects of a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) have been extensively studied in a variety of orthopaedic disorders, the effect of a PEMF on meniscal healing has not been reported. Hypothesis: PEMF treatment would promote meniscal healing and prevent osteoarthritis progression. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 72 twelve-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats with full-thickness longitudinal medial meniscal tears in the avascular region were divided into 3 groups: control (G con ), treatment with a classic signal PEMF (G classic ), and treatment with a high–slew rate signal PEMF (G HSR ). Macroscopic observation and histological analysis of the meniscus and articular cartilage were performed to evaluate the meniscal healing and progression of osteoarthritis. The synovium was harvested for histological and immunofluorescent analysis to evaluate the intra-articular inflammation. Meniscal healing, articular cartilage degeneration, and synovitis were quantitatively evaluated according to their scoring systems. Results: Dramatic degenerative changes of the meniscus and articular cartilage were noticed during gross observation and histological evaluation in G con at 8 weeks. However, the menisci in the 2 treatment groups were restored to normal morphology, with a smooth surface and shiny white color. Particularly, the HSR signal remarkably enhanced the fibrochondrogenesis and accelerated the remodeling process of the regenerated tissue. The meniscal healing scores of the PEMF treatment groups were significantly higher than those in G con at 8 weeks. Specifically, the HSR signal showed a significantly higher meniscal repair score than did the classic signal at week 8 ( P < .01). Additionally, the HSR signal significantly downregulated the secretion levels of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the meniscus and synovium as compared with the control group. When compared with the 2 treatment groups, G con had significantly higher degeneration scores (G con vs G classic , P < .0001; G con vs G HSR , P < .0001). The HSR signal also exhibited significantly lower synovitis scores compared with the other two groups (G con vs G classic , P < .0001; G classic vs G HSR , P = .0002). Conclusion: A PEMF promoted the healing of meniscal tears in the avascular region and restored the injured meniscus to its structural integrity in a rat model. As compared with the classic signal, the HSR signal showed increased capability to promote fibrocartilaginous tissue formation and modulate the inflammatory environment, therefore protecting the knee joint from posttraumatic osteoarthritis development. Clinical Relevance: Adjuvant PEMF therapy may offer a new approach for the treatment of meniscal tears attributed to the enhanced meniscal repair and ameliorated osteoarthritis progression.
Gain-Control-Free Near-Efficient Phase Acquisition for QAM Constellations

Field: Computer Science (Physical Sciences)

This paper introduces a novel, not data aided, phase offset estimator for quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) signals. Contrarily to near-efficient existing phase acquisition techniques, this estimator does not require a preliminary gain adjustment stage while its accuracy preserves the slope of Cramér–Rao bound for medium-high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) ranges, where it typically outperforms existing blind estimators, with significant improvement for dense and crossQAMconstellations. Moreover, it needs only a very rough estimate of the SNR. Like other gain-control- free blind phase-offset estimators, it measures the amount of the cyclic shift by which the (four-folded) phase probability density function (pdf) is rotated under an unknown phase-offset. Estimation of the phase-offset-induced cyclic shift is conducted first by measuring the received data phase pdf by a canonical phase histogram procedure, then by estimating the phase-offset-induced cyclic shift through a cyclic cross correlation-based procedure between the measured phase histogram and a reference phase pdf evaluated within the zero phase-offset hypothesis. Actually, the estimation procedure is presented in a generalized version that considers a tomographic projection of the bidimensional (magnitude/ phase) pdf of suitable nonlinear transformations of the received data. The tomographic projection performs a magnitude weighing on the pdf, and this, in turn, results in an improved overall estimation accuracy, as shown by theoretical analysis and numerical simulations here performed to assess the estimator performance.
Reinvestigation of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Sex Pheromone for Improved Attractiveness and Greater Specificity

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg.) is recognized as an invasive species in the Caribbean, the United States, and Mexico. Prior work using hexane extracts of sex glands showed that the sex pheromone of this species has 54% of (Z, E) ‐9.12 ‐14: acetate, 42% of (Z, E) ‐9.12 -14:OH and 4% of Z9‐14: Ac. Although traps baited with this mixture are effectively to attract males of the cactus moth, it is necessary to determine whether the pheromone can be optimized and to determinate if female diet may impact pheromone composition. Experiments with insects were made at the USDA‐ARS Crop in Tifton, Georgia, where there is a colony maintained on cactus and another on an artificial diet. Solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) was used to collect pheromones in the headspace above a single calling female and by rubbing the excised female sex gland with SPME fibers. Rubbing the gland directly with SPME fiber revealed that the pheromone consists of the compounds cited above plus Z9‐14:Ac. With dynamic aeration and capture of volatiles with fiber only captured two compounds. In addition, our results indicated that natural or artificial diet does not influence the composition of the sex pheromone.
SMAD2/3 activation and myofibroblast conversion of corneal fibroblasts is fully dependent on the activation of MELK by the noncanonical TGFβ1 pathway

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

Abstract Purpose: To identify the role of noncanonical responses to TGFβ on the early canonical response and the subsequent fibroblasts into myofibroblasts conversion (FMC). Methods: Human corneal fibroblasts were seeded in a serum‐free medium for 48 h. TGFβ1 (TGFβ‐2 n/ml) was added and cultures were lysed 1–15 min later. Kinase inhibitors were added 10 min beforehand. Identical amounts of soluble protein were then used for Western blot, to measure the level of expression of p.SMAD2 (S465/467), p.SMAD3(S423/425), p.TAK1 (S412), p.JNK1/2 (JNK;T183/185), p.p38 (T180/182), p.MELK(T167/171), α‐SMA, and GAPDH. MELK esiRNA was electroporated 48 h prior to the addition of TGFβ. FMC was assessed by α‐SMA immunohistology and morphology. Results: In the corneal fibroblasts, the TGFβ‐induced SMAD2/3 phosphorylation (canonical response), displayed a 6–8 min latency period that was followed by rapid, p.SMAD2/3 accumulation to peak response within 10 min. Overt de novo expression of α‐SMA and morphological FMC was observed after 48 h. Inhibition of MELK, a leucine zipper kinase, by OTSS167 or MELK8A, or its downregulation by esiRNA, blocked both responses. In contrast to the delayed canonical response, phosphorylation of TAK1 (noncanonical response), reached its peak within 1 min, as did JNK and p38, TAK1 downstream targets in the mitogen‐activated kinase cascade. The temporal difference was exploited to examine the relationship between the two responses. Inhibition of TAK1 by TAKinib or 5Z‐7‐oxozeaenol blocked the phosphorylation of JNK, p38, MELK, and SMAD2/3 and the FMC. In turn, inhibition of JNK by SP600125 blocked the phosphorylation of MELK and SMAD2/3; p38 inhibition had no effect. MELK inhibition did not inhibit the phosphorylation of either TAK1 or JNK. Finally, phosphorylation of JNK and MELK via TNFα or LPS, did not induce p.SMAD2/3 or blocked the effect of TGFβ on SMAD. These results are consistent with the event sequence, TGFβ → p.TAK → p.JNK1/2 → p.MELK + TGFβ → p.SMAD2/3. Conclusions: SMAD2/3 activation is fully dependent on TAK1 activity, challenging the notion of separated canonical ‐ noncanonical responses. MELK, a previously unknown component of the response to TGFβ, plays a central role in SMAD phosphorylation. The molecular interaction between the TGFβ receptor, MELK, and SMAD2/3 remains to be elucidated.
Step-size effect in the time-transformed leapfrog integrator on elliptic and hyperbolic orbits

Field: Mathematics (Physical Sciences)

A drift-kick-drift (DKD) type leapfrog symplectic integrator applied for a time-transformed separable Hamiltonian (or time-transformed symplectic integrator; TSI) has been known to conserve the Kepler orbit exactly. We find that for an elliptic orbit, such feature appears for an arbitrary step size. But it is not the case for a hyperbolic orbit: when the half step size is larger than the conjugate momenta of the mean anomaly, a phase transition happens and the new position jumps to the nonphysical counterpart of the hyperbolic trajectory. Once it happens, the energy conservation is broken. Instead, the kinetic energy minus the potential energy becomes a new conserved quantity. We provide a mathematical explanation for such phenomenon. Our result provides a deeper understanding of the TSI method, and a useful constraint of the step size when the TSI method is used to solve the hyperbolic encounters. This is particular important when an (Bulirsch-Stoer) extrapolation integrator is used together, which requires the convergence of integration errors.
The raw and the cooked : a study on the effects of cooking on three aboriginal plant foods from Southeast Queensland

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences (Physical Sciences)

Cooking is an essentially human activity, embodying the transformation from the natural to the cultural and increasing the palatability and availability of food resources. Plants probably formed the major part of the hunter-gatherer Aboriginal Australian diet and plant residues on stone tools used for processing have been identified by Australian archaeologists. Ethnohistories also record the cooking and processing of plants by Aboriginal people, but very little direct archaeological evidence of plant food cooking has been confirmed. Â In this vein, replicative cooking and stone tool processing of three ethnohistorically recorded starchy plant foods from southeast Queensland (Alocasia macrorrhiza [native taro], Blechnum indicum [fern-root] and Castanospermum australe [Moreton Bay chestnut]) was undertaken. The resulting residues were compared using microscopy and a biological stain, in order to test the effects of cooking on starch grains, which demonstrate irrefutable changes after being affected by heat. Results revealed that the main morphological effects of cooking on starch are swelling, and disruption of the extinction-cross; and that Congo Red dye stains gelatinised, and otherwise damaged, starch such that raw grains are distinguishable from cooked grains. Application of the Congo Red stain to the residues of three bevel-edged artefacts (functionally associated with B. indicum processing) produced consistently reliable results, allowing identification and differentiation of cooked, damaged and raw starch. Several grains seen on these artefacts were similar to those in cooked B. indicum Â reference samples. This thesis reports the first successful archaeological use of Congo Red, and the first detailed evidence of the effects of cooking on starchy plants known to have been cooked and processed by past Aboriginal people. The results of this study may be used by archaeologists to infer archaeological residues deriving from cooked starchy foods and thus identify cooking as a specific form of activity in past subsistence behaviour.
The Role of Magnesium and Calcium in Governing Yeast Agglomeration

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

"Grit" formation by agglomerating cells of baker's yeast is an idiosyncratic phenomenon of irreversible cellular aggregation that is detrimental to yeast quality. Agglomeration results in failure of rehydrated dried yeast to evenly resuspend and has economic consequences for both yeast manufacturers and bakers. Several environmental factors are implicated in governing yeast agglomeration, but no significant differences between 'gritty' and 'non-gritty' yeast in terms of cell hydrophobicity or flocculence have been reported. In this study, analysis of cellular metal ions has revealed high levels of calcium in 'gritty' strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which suggests that calcium ions may positively influence agglomeration. In contrast, it was found that cellular magnesium levels were higher in 'non-gritty' yeast. Furthermore, by increasing magnesium concentrations in molasses yeast growth media, a reduction in cellular calcium was observed and this concomitantly reduced the tendency of cells to agglomerate and form grit. Magnesium thus acted antagonistically against calcium-induced agglomeration, possibly by blocking calcium binding to yeast cell surface receptors. Results suggested that yeast agglomeration and metal ion bioavailability were inextricably linked and the findings are discussed in relation to possible measures of alleviating cellular agglomeration in the production of baker's yeast.
Anti-microbial Efficacy of Commercially Available Herbal Dentifrices on Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans

Field: Dentistry (Health Sciences)

Dental caries is a multi-factorial disease .Various chemically derived antimicrobial agents are incorporated to dentifrices to curb cariogenic microorganisms. There has been renewed interest in naturally occurring products in recent years, the side effects encountered with the use of synthetic formulations led to the surge for novel alternatives. To compare the efficacy of herbal dentifrices on oral microflora using antibiotic susceptibility tests. Two strains of microorganisms- Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans were taken and incubated in Mutans media, Sabouraud Dextrose agar respectively. Different dilutions (1:5, 1:10, 1:15) of several brands of toothpastes with different compositions were made. Sterile discs were incorporated with equal amounts of prepared toothpaste formulations. Then these discs were placed equidistant to each other followed by plates were incubated for 24 hours. Zone of inhibition is found to be higher in Ayush (30 mm), followed by Dant kanti, Colgate vedshakti, Meswak, Dantajeevan and Dabur red showing inhibition zones of 26 mm, 24 mm, 17 mm and 14 mm respectively. Results show that herbal toothpaste formulations were effective in controlling the oral microflora. The antimicrobial properties of the six dentifrices concluded that almost all the commercially available herbal dentifrices had antimicrobial activity to some extent.
Preparation and Charaterization of MoAb SZ118 and SZ118-scFv Against Platelet Glycoprotein VI.

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

Abstract GlycoproteinVI (GPVI ), one of the platelet collagen receptors, plays an important role in platelet activation and thrombosis. GPVI participates in platelet adhesion to exposed collagen under high shear rate condition, and leads to platelet activation and thrombus formation. GPVI is widely recognized as a requisite factor for the formation of platelet aggregates on the collagen surface under blood flow. There were growing evidences showed that impairment of GPVI function could result in a long-term antithrombotic protection and less bleeding side-effect, which potentialized that GPVI might be an interesting target for safe anti-adhesion and anti-thrombotic therapy. Recently monoclonal antibodies directed against GPVI were developed, which impaired the interaction of platelets and collagen. A human soluble recombinant GPVI (rGPVI), consisting of extracellular domain of GPVI, was expressed in E. coli. After immunizing Balb/C mice with the purified rGPVI, a monoclonal antibody, SZ118, was developed. Meanwhile the gene encoding for the light-and heavy-chain variable regions of SZ118 had been cloned by RT-PCR from murine hybridoma cells. After ligated into the vector pET20b(+), expression plasmid pET20b(+)-SZ118-scFv was contructed, and SZ118-scFv fragment was expressed in E.coli. The parallel plate perfusion chamber and platelet aggregometer were used to study the effects of SZ118 and SZ118-scFv on the platelet adhesion and aggregation to collagen. The citrated whole blood with or without SZ118 was perfused over the surface of type I fibrillar collagen (Chrono Log, at 80μg/ml) at high shear rate (1000 s−1) for 5 min. The platelet aggregates were visualized by the phase-contrast microscope, the coverage rates of the platelet aggregates were measured. Monoclonal antibody SZ118 and SZ118-scFv could bind to human platelets exclusively by flow cytometry. SZ118 inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation in PRP in dose-dependent manner, nearly full inhibition being attained at the concentration of 110 ug•mL−1. Similarly SZ118-scFv inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation with maximum inhitition rate 84.3%±5.6%. And also SZ118 and SZ118-scFv had part effect on convulxin-induced platelet aggregation, but having little effect on ADP. After treating the citrated whole blood with SZ118 or SZ118-scFv at final concentration 50μg/ml at 37° for 10 min, the platelet adhesion on the surface of collagen was markedly inhibited with the coverage rates of 1.03%±0.22%, respectively (22.7%±5.7% for control), which indicated that the platelets adhesion to collagen was inhibited by 95.5%by SZ118 and 68.3% by SZ118-scFv. It was concluded that the MoAb SZ118 inhibited platelet aggregation to collagen and platelet adhesion to immobilized fibrillar collagen under high shear rate condition.
Management of combined oral antithrombotic therapy by an antithrombotic stewardship program: A prospective study

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Aims Antithrombotic management initiatives could prevent inappropriate prescribing and improve patient outcomes especially in patients on combined antithrombotic therapy. To investigate this, a multidisciplinary antithrombotic stewardship program (ASP) was implemented in our hospital. The primary aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of this ASP by assessing the number of patients on combined antithrombotic therapy for whom one or more interventions were needed. Methods A prospective cohort study in a large teaching hospital was conducted. Hospitalized patients were included who received combined antithrombotic therapy in which an oral anticoagulant was combined with one (double therapy) or two (triple therapy) platelet aggregation inhibitors. The ASP proactively evaluated the appropriateness of this combined antithrombotic therapy. If needed, ASP improved the concerned therapy. Each improvement measurement recommended by the ASP was counted as one intervention. Results A total of 460 patients were included over a period of 12 months. Of these, 251 (54.6%) patients required at least one intervention from the ASP. The most common interventions were: (1) to define and document the maximum duration of the combined antithrombotic therapy needed instead of lifetime use of the combination (65.5%), (2) to discontinue antithrombotic therapy as the proper indication was lacking (19.4%), and (3) to adjust the dosage (8.1%). Conclusion An intervention was needed in more than half of the patients on combined antithrombotic therapy. Implementation of a dedicated ASP evaluating combined antithrombotic therapy improves the use and safety of antithrombotic medication.
Probing thermopower on the microscale

Field: Materials Science (Physical Sciences)

Abstract Thermoelectric (TE) generators provide electrical energy from direct conversion of heat by means of the Seebeck effect; without moving parts, completely silent, and with negligible maintenance. As any other heat engine this conversion exploits only a fraction of the Carnot efficiency (Rowe (ed.), CRC Handbook of Thermoelectrics (CRC Press Inc., 1995), p. 19 1 ). The TE efficiency is linked to the thermoelectric figure of merit Z , which itself is given by basic material properties: Z = S 2 σ / κ . These are the electrical conductivity σ , the thermal conductivity κ and the Seebeck coefficient or thermopower S , which is known as the factor of proportionality between voltage output and applied temperature difference in a given TE sample. A distinct sensitivity to the carrier concentration and structural variations make the control and stabilisation of thermopower very challenging in complex material structures since degradation by diffusion, decomposition or evaporation can be observed in many cases during synthesis, operation and even in the process of characterisation of TE semiconductors; particularly at elevated temperatures. Investigating structural and compositional properties, stability, and performance of TE materials, and consequently aiming to understand their interaction, mainly methods like X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or integral temperature dependent measurements of particular transport properties are used. Although TE materials research satisfies highest requirements on accuracy, the above mentioned techniques are not perfectly qualified to investigate promising material classes thoroughly. Against the background of usually complex material structures this article aims to show, that an efficient characterisation of TE materials becomes accessible for several questions by use of a spatially resolved determination of the thermopower.
The Rorschach test in clinical diagnosis— a brief commentary

Field: Psychology (Social Sciences)

In this commentary, an attempt has been made to put the 1947 article by Garfield in historical perspective, and to make some critical references to emphases made in the review article on the Rorschach Test in Clinical Diagnosis. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 56: 431–434, 2000.