Clay fine fissuring monitoring using miniature geo-electrical resistivity arrays

Abstract This article describes a miniaturised electrical imaging (resistivity tomography) technique to map the cracking pattern of a clay model. The clay used was taken from a scaled flood embankment built to study the fine fissuring due to desiccation and breaching process in flooding conditions. The potential of using a miniature array of electrodes to follow the evolution of the vertical cracks and number them during the drying process was explored. The imaging technique generated two-dimensional contoured plots of the resistivity distribution within the model before and at different stages of the desiccation process. The change in resistivity associated with the widening of the cracks were monitored as a function of time. Experiments were also carried out using a selected conductive gel to slow down the transport process into the cracks to improve the scanning capabilities of the equipment. The main vertical clay fissuring network was obtained after inversion of the experimental resistivity measurements and validated by direct observations

Feature-by-Feature – Evaluating De Novo Sequence Assembly

The whole-genome sequence assembly (WGSA) problem is among one of the most studied problems in computational biology. Despite the availability of a plethora of tools (i.e., assemblers), all claiming to have solved the WGSA problem, little has been done to systematically compare their accuracy and power. Traditional methods rely on standard metrics and read simulation: while on the one hand, metrics like N50 and number of contigs focus only on size without proportionately emphasizing the information about the correctness of the assembly, comparisons performed on simulated dataset, on the other hand, can be highly biased by the non-realistic assumptions in the underlying read generator. Recently the Feature Response Curve (FRC) method was proposed to assess the overall assembly quality and correctness: FRC transparently captures the trade-offs between contigs' quality against their sizes. Nevertheless, the relationship among the different features and their relative importance remains unknown. In particular, FRC cannot account for the correlation among the different features. We analyzed the correlation among different features in order to better describe their relationships and their importance in gauging assembly quality and correctness. In particular, using multivariate techniques like principal and independent component analysis we were able to estimate the “excess-dimensionality” of the feature space. Moreover, principal component analysis allowed us to show how poorly the acclaimed N50 metric describes the assembly quality. Applying independent component analysis we identified a subset of features that better describe the assemblers performances. We demonstrated that by focusing on a reduced set of highly informative features we can use the FRC curve to better describe and compare the performances of different assemblers. Moreover, as a by-product of our analysis, we discovered how often evaluation based on simulated data, obtained with state of the art simulators, lead to not-so-realistic results

Single-cell sequencing reveals Hippo signaling as a driver of fibrosis in hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by abscesses, nodules, dissecting/draining tunnels, and extensive fibrosis. Here, we integrate single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and immunostaining to provide an unprecedented view of the pathogenesis of chronic HS, characterizing the main cellular players and defining their interactions. We found a striking layering of the chronic HS infiltrate and identified the contribution of 2 fibroblast subtypes (SFRP4+ and CXCL13+) in orchestrating this compartmentalized immune response. We further demonstrated the central role of the Hippo pathway in promoting extensive fibrosis in HS and provided preclinical evidence that the profibrotic fibroblast response in HS can be modulated through inhibition of this pathway. These data provide insights into key aspects of HS pathogenesis with broad therapeutic implications.</p

Single-cell sequencing reveals Hippo signaling as a driver of fibrosis in hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by abscesses, nodules, dissecting/draining tunnels, and extensive fibrosis. Here, we integrate single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and immunostaining to provide an unprecedented view of the pathogenesis of chronic HS, characterizing the main cellular players and defining their interactions. We found a striking layering of the chronic HS infiltrate and identified the contribution of 2 fibroblast subtypes (SFRP4+ and CXCL13+) in orchestrating this compartmentalized immune response. We further demonstrated the central role of the Hippo pathway in promoting extensive fibrosis in HS and provided preclinical evidence that the profibrotic fibroblast response in HS can be modulated through inhibition of this pathway. These data provide insights into key aspects of HS pathogenesis with broad therapeutic implications.</p

Outcomes of Patients With Takotsubo Syndrome Compared With Type 1 and Type 2 Myocardial Infarction

Background Takotsubo syndrome (TS) and myocardial infarction (MI) share similar clinical and laboratory characteristics but have important differences in causes, demographics, management, and outcomes. Methods and Results In this observational study, the National Inpatient Sample and National Readmission Database were used to identify patients admitted with TS, type 1 MI, or type 2 MI in the United States between October 1, 2017, and December 31, 2019. We compared patients hospitalized with TS, type 1 MI, and type 2 MI with respect to key features and outcomes. Over the 27‐month study period, 2 035 055 patients with type 1 MI, 639 075 patients with type 2 MI, and 43 335 patients with TS were identified. Cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia were more prevalent in type 1 MI (4.02%, 3.2%, and 7.2%, respectively) compared with both type 2 MI (2.8%, 0.8%, and 5.4% respectively) and TS (2.7%, 1.8%, and 5.3%, respectively). Risk of mortality was lower in TS compared with both type 1 MI (3.3% versus 7.9%; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.3; P<0.001) and type 2 MI (3.3% versus 8.2%; adjusted OR, 0.3; P<0.001). Mortality rate (OR, 1.2; P<0.001) and cardiac‐cause 30‐day readmission rate (adjusted OR, 1.7; P<0.001) were higher in type 1 MI than in type 2 MI. Conclusions Patients with type 1 MI had the highest rates of in‐hospital mortality and cardiac‐cause 30‐day readmission. Risk of all‐cause 30‐day readmission was highest in patients with type 2 MI. The risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with TS is lower than in patients with type 1 MI but higher than in patients with type 2 MI

Enraizamento de estacas semilenhosas de oliveira sob efeito de diferentes épocas, substratos e concentrações de ácido indolbutírico Rootings of semi-woody cuttings of olive tree under effects of collection time, substrate, and concentrations of indol-3-butiric acid (IBA)

Com o objetivo de avaliar o enraizamento de estacas semilenhosas de oliveira (Olea europaea L.), sob efeito de diferentes épocas, substratos e concentrações de ácido indolbutírico (AIB), foram conduzidos na Fazenda Experimental da EPAMIG em Maria da Fé, MG, dois experimentos, sob condições de casa-de-vegetação rústica. As estacas foram coletadas da cultivar Ascolano 315, e os experimentos instalados nos meses de fevereiro de 2000 (09/02) e abril de 2000 (27/04). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 4 x 4, compreendendo, respectivamente, quatro substratos: areia, vermiculita, areia/terra 1/1(v/v) e terra, e quatro concentrações: 0, 1.000, 3.000 e 5.000 mg.L-1 de AIB, com quatro repetições. Pelos resultados, observa-se que é possível o enraizamento de estacas dessa espécie em instalações rústicas, obtendo-se 48,44% de enraizamento no substrato areia/terra 1:1(v/v) e 44,28% quando utilizou-se o tratamento com AIB na concentração de 3.000 mg.L-1 de estacas coletadas em fevereiro 2000.<br>Aiming to evaluate the rooting of semi-woody cuttings of olive tree (Olea europaea L.) under effect of combinations of different times, substrates, and concentrations of indol-3-butiric acid (IBA), two experiments, under greenhouse conditions, were carried out on the EPAMIG experimental farm at Maria da Fé, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The cuttings were collected from the cultivar 'Ascolano 315', on the same day of the experiment installation, March 2nd, 2000 and April 27th, 2000. The experimental design used in the two experiments was randomized blocks in 4 × 4 factorial scheme with four substrates (sand, vermiculite, sand/earth 1/1, and earth) and four concentrations of IBA (0, 1000, 3000, and 5000 mg L-1), with four replicates. The results indicate rooting of this species is possible in rustic facilities, obtaining 48% of rooting for the substrate sand/earth 1:1 (v/v, and 44% when treated with IBA at the concentration of 3000 mg L-1, for cuttings collected on February 9th, 2000