Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ozone Treatment Reduces Blood Oxidative Stress and Pancreas Damage in a Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Model in Rats

In spite of the fact that ozone has been used as a therapeutical agent and beneficial effects have been observed, so far only a few biochemical and pharmacodynamic mechanisms have been studied. We have demonstrated that controlled ozone administration may promote an oxidative preconditioning or adaptation to oxidative stress, preventing the damage induced by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) through preservation of antioxidant endogenous systems. Taking into account that STZ produces ROS generation, which promotes pancreas damage with loss of its function, we studied ozone effects on blood oxidative stress and its relationship with pancreas injury mediated by STZ. Five groups of rats were classified as follows: (1) Non-diabetic control group treated only with citrate buffer solution; (2) positive control group using as a diabetes inductor; (3) Ozone group, receiving 10 treatments (1.1 mg/kg) one per day after STZinduced diabetes; (4) Oxygen (26 mg/kg) one per day, as in group 3 but using oxygen only; (5) control ozone, as group 3, but without STZ. Ozone + STZ treatment improved glycemic control with regard to STZ group (16.1 ± 1.45 vs 27.12 ± 2.12 mmol/L). Blood oxidative stress was controlled by ozone as it was showed in the reduction of malondialdehyde, total hydroperoxides and peroxidation potential. In addition, antioxidant endogenous systems were increased (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione). In line with these results, there was a decrease in the percentage of damaged pancreatic islets by ozone treatment. Ozone antioxidant properties preserved β-cells functions and reduced hyperglycemia. Taken together, these results suggest that this complementary medical approach may represent a potential alternative in the treatment of diabetes and its complications.
A First Account of Freshwater Potamolepid Sponges (Demospongiae, Spongillina, Potamolepidae) from the Middle Eocene: Biogeographic and Paleoclimatic Implications

Abstract We report the oldest fossil occurrence of freshwater potamolepid sponges (Demospongiae, Spongillina, Potamolepidae) to date, originating from middle Eocene lake sediments accumulated in the Giraffe kimberlite maar, northern Canada. Sponges are represented by strongyle spicules that are gemmuloscleres. These are described herein as belonging to a new species, Potamophloios canadensis. Because the most similar extant potamolepid sponges inhabit subtropical to tropical water bodies, these observations provide further evidence of biogeographic reorganizations in response to warm high-latitude Eocene paleoclimates.
Nerve growth factor stimulates axon outgrowth through negative regulation of growth cone actomyosin restraint of microtubule advance

Nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation of embryonic mouse sensory axon outgrowth is MII dependent. NGF regulates two actomyosin processes: transverse actin bundling and peripheral retrograde (radial) network actin flow. These two processes oppose microtubule advance and differentially involve MIIA and MIIB, respectively.
Influence of temperature, moisture, salt, cleaner compounds and rainwater on the expansion of intumescent fire seals

The expected lifetime of many parts of a building can be very long. All elements are subjected to different types of degradation and ageing mechanisms. Thus, the fire resistance of the elements can decline by e.g. degradation of intumescent fire seals that are typically used in passive fire protection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different environmental parameters on the thermal behaviour of fire seals. Eight different fire seals were conditioned in eight different environments such as drying, water storage, salt solution, rain and cleaner compound, before exposing them to heat. Thermal behaviour, thermal expansion and reaction temperature, of the fire seals were examined. The results of the measurements indicated that the thermal behaviour of the selected fire seals was sensitive, to varying degrees, to different environmental parameters.
Effect of Coupling Agents on Mechanical Properties and Morphology of CaCO3-filled Recycled High Density Polyethylene

This research presents mechanical properties and morphology of recycled high density polyethylene (r-HDPE) filled with 10 wt. % CaCO3. The influence of treatment of CaCO3 with various coupling agents, including stearic acid (SA), aminopropyltriethoxy silane (AMPTES), glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy silane (GPTMS) and maleic anhydride grafted HDPE (MA-g-HDPE), was investigated. This study clearly demonstrated that the addition of coupling agent to CaCO3 modifies the mechanical properties of the rHDPE/CaCO3 composites. It was also found that each coupling agent gives rise to increases in a particular mechanical properties due to its characteristics. In the case of AMPTES, the best mechanical properties was observed at 2 wt. % whereas GPTMS and MA-g-HDPE showed the best performance at 3 wt. % and 4 wt. %, respectively. SEM micrographs of the fractured surfaces of the composites revealed a strong interfacial interaction between r-HDPE and CaCO3, resulting in improvement of the fracture toughness.
Flexural Bending and Axial Compression of Architectural Sandwich Panels by Combined Finite-Prim-Strip Method

In this paper, the flexural and axial compressive behavior of the prefabricated architectural sandwich panels are studied. The sandwich panel is approximated by the finite-prism-strip model. Such method is simple to program and save considerable computing effort than the finite element method. The results are compared with the available analytical solution.
Alkaloids Modulate Motility, Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Alkaloid-containing natural compounds have shown promise in the treatment of microbial infections. However, practical application of many of these compounds is pending a mechanistic understanding of their mode of action. We investigated the effect of two alkaloids, piperine (found in black pepper) and reserpine (found in Indian snakeroot), on the ability of the uropathogenic bacterium Escherichia coli CFT073 to colonize abiotic surfaces. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of both compounds (0.5 to 10 µg/mL) decreased bacterial swarming and swimming motilities and increased biofilm formation. qRT-PCR revealed a decrease in the expression of the flagellar gene (fliC) and motility genes (motA and motB) along with an increased expression of adhesin genes (fimA, papA, uvrY). Interestingly, piperine increased penetration of the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and azithromycin into E. coli CFT073 biofilms and consequently enhanced the ability of these antibiotics to disperse pre-established biofilms. The findings suggest that these alkaloids can potentially affect bacterial colonization by hampering bacterial motility and may aid in the treatment of infection by increasing antibiotic penetration in biofilms.
Targeting the Hippo Pathway Is a New Potential Therapeutic Modality for Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) constitutes a very aggressive tumor that arises from the pleural or peritoneal cavities and is highly refractory to conventional therapies. Several key genetic alterations are associated with the development and progression of MM including mutations of the CDKN2A/ARF, NF2, and BAP1 tumor-suppressor genes. Notably, activating oncogene mutations are very rare; thus, it is difficult to develop effective inhibitors to treat MM. The NF2 gene encodes merlin, a protein that regulates multiple cell-signaling cascades including the Hippo pathway. MMs also exhibit inactivation of Hippo pathway components including LATS1/2, strongly suggesting that merlin-Hippo pathway dysregulation plays a key role in the development and progression of MM. Furthermore, Hippo pathway inactivation has been shown to result in constitutive activation of the YAP1/TAZ transcriptional coactivators, thereby conferring malignant phenotypes to mesothelial cells. Critical YAP1/TAZ target genes, including prooncogenic CCDN1 and CTGF, have also been shown to enhance the malignant phenotypes of MM cells. Together, these data indicate the Hippo pathway as a therapeutic target for the treatment of MM, and support the development of new strategies to effectively target the activation status of YAP1/TAZ as a promising therapeutic modality for this formidable disease.
Archaic Hominin Introgression in Africa Contributes to Functional Salivary MUC7 Genetic Variation

Abstract One of the most abundant proteins in human saliva, mucin-7, is encoded by the MUC7 gene, which harbors copy number variable subexonic repeats (PTS-repeats) that affect the size and glycosylation potential of this protein. We recently documented the adaptive evolution of MUC7 subexonic copy number variation among primates. Yet, the evolution of MUC7 genetic variation in humans remained unexplored. Here, we found that PTS-repeat copy number variation has evolved recurrently in the human lineage, thereby generating multiple haplotypic backgrounds carrying five or six PTS-repeat copy number alleles. Contrary to previous studies, we found no associations between the copy number of PTS-repeats and protection against asthma. Instead, we revealed a significant association of MUC7 haplotypic variation with the composition of the oral microbiome. Furthermore, based on in-depth simulations, we conclude that a divergent MUC7 haplotype likely originated in an unknown African hominin population and introgressed into ancestors of modern Africans.
Aging-associated oxidative stress inhibits liver progenitor cell activation in mice

Recent studies have discovered aging-associated changes of adult stem cells in various tissues and organs, which potentially contribute to the organismal aging. However, aging-associated changes of liver progenitor cells (LPCs) remain elusive. Employing young (2-month-old) and old (24-month-old) mice, we found diverse novel alterations in LPC activation during aging. LPCs in young mice could be activated and proliferate upon liver injury, whereas the counterparts in old mice failed to respond and proliferate, leading to the impaired liver regeneration. Surprisingly, isolated LPCs from young and old mice did not exhibit significant difference in their clonogenic and proliferative capacity. Later, we uncovered that the decreased activation and proliferation of LPCs were due to excessive reactive oxygen species produced by neutrophils infiltrated into niche, which was resulted from chemokine production from activated hepatic stellate cells during aging. This study demonstrates aging-associated changes in LPC activation and reveals critical roles for the stem cell niche, including neutrophils and hepatic stellate cells, in the negative regulation of LPCs during aging.
A low-cost Kinect TM for Windows ® v 2-based gait analysis system A feasibility study with healthy subjects

The high cost and required space of current gait analysis and instrumented walkway systems could explain their limited use in the clinical setting. We hypothesized that a Kinect v2-based system would overcome these limitations and enable reliable estimation of gait characteristics. To test this, we have evaluated the most widespread used spatiotemporal (stride time, length, and velocity) and kinematic variables (hip and knee flexion) of 257 healthy individuals divided in different decades of age (from 10 to 80 years old) with a low-cost Kinect-v2 gait analysis system. The experimental system was able to evidence age-related differences in spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters (previously described using laboratory-grade systems), which support the use of the Kinect v2-based system as a promising low-cost alternative for gait analysis. Keywords—gait; kinematics; Kinect v2; low-cost; stroke; Parkinson’s desease; multiple sclerosis
Friction-Enhancing Properties of ZDDP Antiwear Additive: Part II—Influence of ZDDP Reaction Films on EHD Lubrication

In a companion paper, Part I, it was shown that the friction enhancement produced in mixed lubrication conditions by ZDDP reaction films is not due to surface roughening as has previously been supposed. Instead, optical measurement of elastohydrodynamic film thickness shows that the presence of a ZDDP reaction layer inhibits the entrainment of liquid lubricant into rolling/sliding contacts. As a result, these contacts operate in boundary lubrication, with consequently high friction, up to higher speeds than would otherwise be the case and the attainment of full film elastohydrodynamic lubrication is also postponed. Possible mechanisms by which ZDDP reaction films might inhibit fluid entrainment are discussed.
Diurnal variation in repeated sprint performance cannot be offset when rectal and muscle temperatures are at optimal levels (38.5°C)

ABSTRACT The present study investigated whether increasing morning rectal temperatures (Trec) to evening levels, or increasing morning and evening Trec to an “optimal” level (38.5°C), resulting in increased muscle temperatures (Tm), would offset diurnal variation in repeated sprint (RS) performance in a causal manner. Twelve trained males underwent five sessions [age (mean ± SD) 21.0 ± 2.3 years, maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O2max) 60.0 ± 4.4 mL.kg–1 min–1, height 1.79 ± 0.06 m, body mass 78.2 ± 11.8 kg]. These included control morning (M, 07:30 h) and evening (E, 17:30 h) sessions (5-min warm-up), and three further sessions consisting of a warm-up morning trial (ME, in 39–40°C water) until Trec reached evening levels; two “optimal” trials in the morning and evening (M38.5 and E38.5, in 39–40°C water) respectively, until Trec reached 38.5°C. All sessions included 3 × 3-s task-specific warm-up sprints, thereafter 10 × 3-s RS with 30-s recoveries were performed a non-motorised treadmill. Trec and Tm measurements were taken at the start of the protocol and following the warm-up periods. Values for Trec and Tm at rest were higher in the evening compared to morning values (0.48°C and 0.69°C, p < 0.0005). RS performance was lower (7.8–8.3%) in the M for distance covered (DC; p = 0.002), average power (AP; p = 0.029) and average velocity (AV; p = 0.002). Increasing Trec in the morning to evening values or optimal values (38.5°C) did not increase RS performance to evening levels (p = 1.000). However, increasing Trec in the evening to “optimal” level through a passive warm-up significantly reduced DC (p = 0.008), AP (p < 0.0005) and AV (p = 0.007) to values found in the M condition (6.0–6.9%). Diurnal variation in Trec and Tm is not wholly accountable for time-of-day oscillations in RS performance on a non-motorised treadmill; the exact mechanism(s) for a causal link between central temperature and human performance are still unclear and require more research.
Relative Bioavailability of Iron in Bangladeshi Traditional Meals Prepared with Iron-Fortified Lentil Dal

Due to low Fe bioavailability and low consumption per meal, lentil must be fortified to contribute significant bioavailable Fe in the Bangladeshi diet. Moreover, since red lentil is dehulled prior to consumption, an opportunity exists at this point to fortify lentil with Fe. Thus, in the present study, lentil was Fe-fortified (using a fortificant Fe concentration of 2800 µg g−1) and used in 30 traditional Bangladeshi meals with broad differences in concentrations of iron, phytic acid (PA), and relative Fe bioavailability (RFeB%). Fortification with NaFeEDTA increased the iron concentration in lentil from 60 to 439 µg g−1 and resulted in a 79% increase in the amount of available Fe as estimated by Caco-2 cell ferritin formation. Phytic acid levels were reduced from 6.2 to 4.6 mg g−1 when fortified lentil was added, thereby reducing the PA:Fe molar ratio from 8.8 to 0.9. This effect was presumably due to dephytinization of fortified lentil during the fortification process. A significant (p ≤ 0.01) Pearson correlation was observed between Fe concentration and RFeB% and between RFeB% and PA:Fe molar ratio in meals with fortified lentil, but not for the meal with unfortified lentil. In conclusion, fortified lentil can contribute significant bioavailable Fe to populations at risk of Fe deficiency.
Cortical Activation during Action Observation, Action Execution, and Interpersonal Synchrony in Adults: A functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Study

Introduction: Humans engage in Interpersonal Synchrony (IPS) as they synchronize their own actions with that of a social partner over time. When humans engage in imitation/IPS behaviors, multiple regions in the frontal, temporal, and parietal cortices are activated including the putative Mirror Neuron Systems (Iacoboni, 2005; Buxbaum et al., 2014). In the present study, we compared fNIRS-based cortical activation patterns across three conditions of action observation (“Watch” partner), action execution (“Do” on your own), and IPS (move “Together”). Methods: Fifteen typically developing adults completed a reach and cleanup task with the right arm while cortical activation was examined using a 24-channel, Hitachi fNIRS system. Each adult completed 8 trials across three conditions (Watch, Do, and Together). For each fNIRS channel, we obtained oxy hemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxy hemoglobin (HHb) profiles. Spatial registration methods were applied to localize the cortical regions underneath each channel and to define six regions of interest (ROIs), right and left supero-anterior (SA or pre/post-central gyri), infero-posterior (IP or angular/supramarginal gyri), and infero-anterior (IA or superior/middle temporal gyri) regions. Results: In terms of task-related differences, the majority of the ROIs were more active during Do and Together compared to Watch. Only the right/ipsilateral fronto-parietal and inferior parietal cortices had greater activation during Together compared to Do. Conclusions: The similarities in cortical activation between action execution and IPS suggest that neural control of IPS is more similar to its execution than observational aspects. To be clear, the more complex the actions performed, the more difficult the IPS behaviors. Secondly, IPS behaviors required slightly more right-sided activation (vs. execution/observation) suggesting that IPS is a higher-order process involving more bilateral activation compared to its sub-components. These findings provide a neuroimaging framework to study imitation and IPS impairments in special populations such as infants at risk for and children with ASD.
Reconstruction of Anomalous Portal Venous Branching in Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Malatya Approach

Reconstruction of anomalous portal vein branching (APVB) during right lobe living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) can be challenging. The goal of this article is to describe our surgical technique, named the Malatya Approach, in case of APVB during right lobe LDLT. The technique unifies the APVB and obtains a funnel‐shaped common extension with a circumferential fence by a saphenous vein conduit. In total, 126 (10.6%) of 1192 right lobe grafts had APVB that were divided into 2 groups according to the adopted surgical techniques: the Malatya Approach group (n = 91) and the previously defined other techniques group (n = 35). Both groups were compared regarding portal vein thrombosis (PVT), postoperative 90‐day mortality and survival. PVT developed in 3 patients (3.3%) in the Malatya Approach group and developed in 10 (28.6%) patients for the other group (P < 0.001). There were 8 (8.8%) 90‐day mortalities in the Malatya Approach group (1 PVT related) and 15 patients (9 PVT related) died in the other techniques group (P < 0.001). Mean follow‐up time for both groups was similar (999.1 days for the Malatya Approach group versus 1024.7 days for the other group; P = 0.47), but longterm survival in the Malatya Approach group was better than in the other group (84.6% versus 40%; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the Malatya Approach group showed less PVT development and longer survival (P < 0.001). This technique is promising to avoid PVT and mortalities in cases of APVB during right lobe LDLT. Liver Transplantation 23 751–761 2017 AASLD.
Turbulent Mixing of Hot and Cold Air in HVAC Unit for Automobile (Thermal Mixing in Planar Shear Layer)

In HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning) unit used in an automobile air-conditioning system, hot air heated by a heater core and cold air cooled by an evaporator is mixed to control the air temperature blown into the compartment. In simulating numerically the temperature control characteristics of the HVAC, the modeling of turbulent mixing process of hot and cold air is a key issue for improving the performance of the simulation. Detailed knowledge on the turbulent air mixing in HVAC unit is, however, quite scarce. Hence, as the first step to make clear the air mixing process in HVAC, we have made an experimental study on trubulent thermal mixing in a simple planar shear layer. In particular, the distributions of turbulent heat fluxes and turbulent Prandtl number over the mixing layer have been measured for two velocity ratios, and based on the experimental data, the production mechanism of the turbulent heat fluxes has been examined in detail.
Aerial Mapping of Forests Affected by Pathogens Using UAVs, Hyperspectral Sensors, and Artificial Intelligence

The environmental and economic impacts of exotic fungal species on natural and plantation forests have been historically catastrophic. Recorded surveillance and control actions are challenging because they are costly, time-consuming, and hazardous in remote areas. Prolonged periods of testing and observation of site-based tests have limitations in verifying the rapid proliferation of exotic pathogens and deterioration rates in hosts. Recent remote sensing approaches have offered fast, broad-scale, and affordable surveys as well as additional indicators that can complement on-ground tests. This paper proposes a framework that consolidates site-based insights and remote sensing capabilities to detect and segment deteriorations by fungal pathogens in natural and plantation forests. This approach is illustrated with an experimentation case of myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) on paperbark tea trees (Melaleuca quinquenervia) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The method integrates unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), hyperspectral image sensors, and data processing algorithms using machine learning. Imagery is acquired using a Headwall Nano-Hyperspec® camera, orthorectified in Headwall SpectralView®, and processed in Python programming language using eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL), and Scikit-learn third-party libraries. In total, 11,385 samples were extracted and labelled into five classes: two classes for deterioration status and three classes for background objects. Insights reveal individual detection rates of 95% for healthy trees, 97% for deteriorated trees, and a global multiclass detection rate of 97%. The methodology is versatile to be applied to additional datasets taken with different image sensors, and the processing of large datasets with freeware tools.
"Letting myself go forward past wrongs": How regulatory modes affect self-forgiveness

The present research addresses the question of whether regulatory-mode orientations affect self-forgiveness. We expected that people with a strong locomotion orientation would be more inclined to self-forgiveness because of their tendencies toward movement and change, which focus them on the future, whereas people with a strong assessment orientation would refrain from self-forgiveness due to their evaluative tendencies which focus them on the past. These hypotheses were supported by the results in four studies that tested the relation between regulatory modes and self-forgiveness by measuring (Studies 1, 3 and 4) and manipulating (Study 2) regulatory-mode-orientations. Finally, in Study 4 we examined more closely our hypothesis that the relation between self-forgiveness and regulatory modes is mediated by past and future temporal foci. The implications of the results for regulatory mode theory are also discussed.