Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Flood Citizen Observatory: a crowdsourcing-based approach for flood risk management in Brazil

The number and intensity of floods have increased worldwide due to climate change, causing more damage, deaths and economic impacts than any other natural disaster. Coping with this type of disaster requires up-to-date, complete and accurate information about the current state of environmental variables. To make a contribution in this context, this paper proposes a crowdsourcing-based approach for obtaining useful volunteer information for the context of flood risk management. Furthermore, an experimental evaluation was performed in order to verify the effectiveness of this approach. KeywordsFlood Risk Management; Volunteered Geographic Information; VGI; Crowdsourcing; Citizen Observatory
Entropic fluctuations in statistical mechanics: I. Classical dynamical systems

Within the abstract framework of dynamical system theory we describe a general approach to the transient (or Evans–Searles) and steady state (or Gallavotti–Cohen) fluctuation theorems of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. Our main objective is to display the minimal, model independent mathematical structure at work behind fluctuation theorems. In addition to its conceptual simplicity, another advantage of our approach is its natural extension to quantum statistical mechanics which will be presented in a companion paper. We shall discuss several examples including thermostated systems, open Hamiltonian systems, chaotic homeomorphisms of compact metric spaces and Anosov diffeomorphisms.
Metabolic interactions among intestinal microorganisms.

Several important microbial ecosystems can be characterized as open and dynamic and somewhat analogous to continuous culture systems. Examples include the intestinal tract systems including the rumen, the large intestine and the cecum; the oral cavity; the soil; and sewage decomposition systems. Nutrients and water enter these ecosystems which contain large populations of diverse microbial species. The microorganisms obtain energy for growth from the catabolism of input substrates. Catabolic products, microorganisms, and water move away more or less continuously from the sites of microbial metabolism. The rumen, large intestine and cecum are anaerobic and energy for growth and maintenance of the microbial population is derived from the fermentation of organic substrates, mainly carbohydrates. The major products of the fermentation are short-chain volatile fatty acids and the gases H2 , CH4 and CO2 . Acetic, propionic and butyric acids are the main acids
The emerging role of immune checkpoint based approaches in AML and MDS

Abstract The development of immune checkpoint inhibitors represents a major breakthrough in the field of cancer therapeutics. Pursuant to their success in melanoma and numerous solid tumor malignancies, these agents are being investigated in hematological malignancies including acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Although AML/MDS have traditionally been considered to be less immunogenic than solid tumor malignancies, recent pre-clinical models suggest a therapeutic role for immune checkpoint inhibition in these diseases. CTLA-4 inhibition may be especially effective in treating late post-allogeneic stem cell transplant relapse of AML in patients with limited or no graft versus host disease. Immune checkpoint inhibition, specifically PD-1 inhibition, demonstrated limited single agent efficacy in patients with relapsed AML and with MDS post-hypomethylating therapy. Rationally designed combinations of PD-1 inhibitors with standard anti-leukemic therapy are needed. Hypomethylating agents such as azacitidine, up-regulate PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 in patients with AML/MDS and up-regulation of these genes was associated with the emergence of resistance. The combination of azacitidine and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition may be a potential mechanism to prevent or overcome resistance to 5-azacitidine. A number of such combinations are being evaluated in clinical trials with early encouraging results. Immune checkpoint inhibition is also an attractive option to improve relapse-free survival or eliminate minimal residual disease post induction and consolidation by enhancing T-cell surveillance in patients with high-risk AML. The ongoing clinical trials with checkpoint inhibitors in AML/MDS will improve our understanding of the immunobiology of these diseases and guide us to the most appropriate application of these agents in the therapy of AML/MDS.
Reasoning training in veteran and civilian traumatic brain injury with persistent mild impairment

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a chronic health condition. The prevalence of TBI, combined with limited advances in protocols to mitigate persistent TBI-related impairments in higher order cognition, present a significant challenge. In this randomised study (n = 60), we compared the benefits of Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART, n = 31), a strategy-based programme shown to improve cognitive control, versus an active learning programme called Brain Health Workshop (BHW, n = 29) in individuals with TBI with persistent mild functional deficits. Outcomes were measured on cognitive, psychological health, functional, and imaging measures. Repeated measures analyses of immediate post-training and 3-month post-training demonstrated gains on the cognitive control domain of gist reasoning (ability to abstract big ideas/goals from complex information/tasks) in the SMART group as compared to BHW. Gains following the SMART programme were also evident on improved executive function, memory, and daily function as well as reduced symptoms associated with depression and stress. The SMART group showed an increase in bilateral precuneus cerebral blood flow (CBF). Improvements in gist reasoning in the SMART group were also associated with an increase in CBF in the left inferior frontal region, the left insula and the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex. These results add to prior findings that the SMART programme provides an efficient set of strategies that have the potential to improve cognitive control performance and associated executive functions and daily function, to enhance psychological health, and facilitate positive neural plasticity in adults with persistent mild impairment after TBI.
Collective Action and Armed Group Presence in Colombia

The main objective of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the mechanisms that shape the relationship between violent conflict and collective action. Conflict dynamics in Colombia allow us to exploit rich variation in armed group presence and individual participation in local organizations. Our identification strategy is based on the construction of contiguous-pairs of rural communities that share common socio-economic characteristics but differ in armed group presence. This allows us to control for unobservable variables that may affect local participation and conflict dynamics simultaneously. The results show that the presence of armed groups increases overall participation in local organizations, with a particularly strong effect on political organizations. Contrary to existing results, we find that stronger individual participation may arise from coercion exercised by armed groups and not from a more vibrant civil society.
Ultrasonic-enhanced and hot water extraction of antioxidant sulfated polysaccharides from Codium tomentosum stackhouse, 1797

Sulfated polysaccharides were isolated from green seaweed Codium tomentosum by using two different extraction processes: Hot water extraction (HEP) and Ultrasound Enhanced Extraction (UEP). The yield, chemical composition and antioxidant activity of isolated polysaccharides were determined and compared. In present study, the ultrasound-enhanced extraction method influenced a usual yield and extraction time. It increases the yield up to 16.2% in 45 min from 12.35% in 5 h of hot water extraction yield. The chemical composition of UEP was also significantly affected and showed higher sulfate and uronic acids content. Both samples presented comparable good antioxidant activities on hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, ABTS, DPPH, deoxyribose radicals. However the UEP exhibited higher antioxidant potential than HEP. The IR spectra of both sulfated polysaccharides revealed characteristic absorption bands. It shows the presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl and sulfate groups. This study revealed that chemical composition and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides obtained from Codium tomentosum vary according to the process for their extraction. Moreover, sulfated polysaccharides obtained by UEP or HEP both can be a good source of natural antioxidants and can be harnessed for further biotechnological applications.
Longitudinal Association Between Human Parechovirus Central Nervous System Infection and Gross-Motor Neurodevelopment in Young Children

Background: A paucity of studies investigated the association between human parechovirus (HPeV) central nervous system (CNS) infection and motor and neurocognitive development of children. This study describes the gross-motor function (GMF) in young children during 24 months after HPeV-CNS infection compared with children in whom no pathogen was detected. Methods: GMF of children was assessed with Alberta Infant Motor Scale, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development or Movement Assessment Battery for Children. We conducted multivariate analyses and adjusted for age at onset, maternal education and time from infection. Results: Of 91 included children, at onset <24 months of age, 11 had HPeV-CNS infection and in 47 no pathogen was detected. Nineteen children were excluded because of the presence of other infection, preterm birth or genetic disorder, and in 14 children, parents refused to consent for participation. We found no longitudinal association between HPeV-CNS infection and GMF (&bgr; = −0.53; 95% confidence interval: −1.18 to 0.07; P = 0.11). At 6 months, children with HPeV-CNS infection had suspect GMF delay compared with the nonpathogen group (mean difference = 1.12; 95% confidence interval: −1.96 to −0.30; P = 0.03). This difference disappeared during 24-month follow-up and, after adjustment for age at onset, both groups scored within the normal range for age. Maternal education and time from infection did not have any meaningful influence. Conclusions: We found no longitudinal association between HPeV-CNS infection and GMF during the first 24-month follow-up. Children with HPeV-CNS infection showed a suspect GMF delay at 6-month follow-up. This normalized during 24-month follow-up.
Efficient implementation of Markov chain Monte Carlo when using an unbiased likelihood estimator

When an unbiased estimator of the likelihood is used within a Metropolis–Hastings chain, it is necessary to trade off the number of Monte Carlo samples used to construct this estimator against the asymptotic variances of the averages computed under this chain. Using many Monte Carlo samples will typically result in Metropolis–Hastings averages with lower asymptotic variances than the corresponding averages that use fewer samples; however, the computing time required to construct the likelihood estimator increases with the number of samples. Under the assumption that the distribution of the additive noise introduced by the loglikelihood estimator is Gaussian with variance inversely proportional to the number of samples and independent of the parameter value at which it is evaluated, we provide guidelines on the number of samples to select. We illustrate our results by considering a stochastic volatility model applied to stock index returns.
L-arginine supplementation in pigs decreases liver protein turnover and increases hindquarter protein turnover both during and after endotoxemia.

BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence suggests that L-arginine, under conditions of septicemia, not only enhances immune function but also improves protein metabolism. OBJECTIVE Because the effect of L-arginine administration on the protein metabolism of different organs is unknown, the aim of the study was to elucidate the effects of exogenous supplementation of L-arginine during endotoxemia on the in vivo protein metabolism of individual organs and at the whole-body level. DESIGN Female pigs were cannulated with catheters in the aorta and the splenic, caval, portal, hepatic, and renal veins, enabling measurements across the hindquarter, portal-drained viscera, liver, and kidneys. Endotoxemia was induced by a 24-h continuous intravenous infusion of endotoxin (3 microg x kg body wt(-1) x h(-1)). At 8 h, an intravenous infusion of L-arginine was started (n = 8). Control pigs (n = 6) received L-alanine. At 24 h, blood was sampled. After cessation of the endotoxin infusion, L-arginine and L-alanine infusions were continued as a supplement in the enterally infused diet. At 48 h, blood samples were obtained during the postendotoxemic and nutritionally supported conditions. Stable isotopes were used to assess protein metabolism and phenylalanine hydroxylation. RESULTS Both during and after the endotoxin challenge, L-arginine administration enhanced protein synthesis and degradation across the hindquarter and simultaneously reduced protein synthesis and degradation in the liver at equal rates. Protein turnover across the kidneys and portal-drained viscera remained unaffected. After endotoxemia, L-arginine infusion decreased whole-body protein turnover without affecting the net protein balance. CONCLUSION L-Arginine administration affects protein turnover of the muscle area and the liver oppositely.
Methods and Challenges in Shot Boundary Detection: A Review

The recent increase in the number of videos available in cyberspace is due to the availability of multimedia devices, highly developed communication technologies, and low-cost storage devices. These videos are simply stored in databases through text annotation. Content-based video browsing and retrieval are inefficient due to the method used to store videos in databases. Video databases are large in size and contain voluminous information, and these characteristics emphasize the need for automated video structure analyses. Shot boundary detection (SBD) is considered a substantial process of video browsing and retrieval. SBD aims to detect transition and their boundaries between consecutive shots; hence, shots with rich information are used in the content-based video indexing and retrieval. This paper presents a review of an extensive set for SBD approaches and their development. The advantages and disadvantages of each approach are comprehensively explored. The developed algorithms are discussed, and challenges and recommendations are presented.
Organizational-Level RFID Technology Adoption in the Hospitality Industry

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of technological, organizational, and environmental factors on the hospitality operators' adoption of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Based on a sample of 125 technology decision makers at major hospitality corporations in the US, the results of the study indicated that except stakeholder pressure, all of the technological, organizational, and environmental factors had significant impact on hospitality operators' intention to adopt RFID technology. By identifying the factors affecting hospitality operators' RFID technology adoption decisions, technology vendors could design appropriate marketing strategies to reach potential adopters and they could educate these adopters better on the benefits of RFID technologies in order to increase the usage of these technologies in the hospitality industry.
Wherever I may roam: social viscosity and kin affiliation in a wild population despite natal dispersal

Lay Summary When it is time to leave home and disperse from the natal area, you might expect siblings to scatter far and wide. But in the great tit, siblings associate more than unrelated birds at feeders, and not only because they start off their journey from the same nest. Complex social behaviors can evolve when relatives cluster, and knowing how those clusters persist despite dispersal is important for understanding the evolution of sociality.
Immunolocalization of Surfactant Proteins SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D in Infantile Labial Glands and Mucosa

Surfactant proteins in different glandular structures of the oral cavity display antimicrobial activity for protection of invading microorganisms. Moreover, they are involved in lowering liquid tension in fluids and facilitate secretion flows. Numerous investigations for studying the occurrence of surfactant proteins in glandular tissues were performed using different methods. In the oral cavity, minor salivary glands secrete saliva continuously for the maintenance of a healthy oral environment. For the first time, we could show that infantile labial glands show expression of the surfactant proteins (SP) SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D in acinar cells and the duct system in different intensities. The stratified squamous epithelium of the oral mucosa revealed positive staining for SPs in various cell layers.
Numerical simulation of the fluid structure interactions in a compliant patient‐specific arteriovenous fistula

The objective of the study is to investigate numerically the fluid‐structure interactions (FSI) in a patient‐specific arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and analyze the degree of complexity that such a numerical simulation requires to provide clinically relevant information. The reference FSI simulation takes into account the non‐Newtonian behavior of blood, as well as the variation in mechanical properties of the vascular walls along the AVF. We have explored whether less comprehensive versions of the simulation could still provide relevant results. The non‐Newtonian blood model is necessary to predict the hemodynamics in the AVF because of the predominance of low shear rates in the vein. An uncoupled fluid simulation provides informative qualitative maps of the hemodynamic conditions in the AVF; quantitatively, the hemodynamic parameters are accurate within 20% maximum. Conversely, an uncoupled structural simulation with non‐uniform wall properties along the vasculature provides the accurate distribution of internal wall stresses, but only at one instant of time within the cardiac cycle. The FSI simulation advantageously provides the time‐evolution of both the hemodynamic and structural stresses. However, the higher computational cost renders a clinical use still difficult in routine. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan serglycin influences protein cargo loading and functions of tumor-derived exosomes

Tumor cells produce and utilize exosomes to promote tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor-cell-derived exosomes deliver cargos that partially mimic the contents of the parent cell to nearby or distant normal or abnormal cells, thereby reprogramming the recipient cells to support tumor progression. Mechanisms by which tumor-derived exosomes subserve the tumor are under intense investigation. Here we demonstrate a critical role of the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan serglycin in regulating the protein cargo and functions of myeloma cell-derived exosomes. Previous studies have shown that serglycin, the only known intracellular proteoglycan, functions mainly in the storage of basically charged components within the intracellular granules/vesicles via serglycin’s densely clustered, negatively charged glycosaminoglycan chains. Here we demonstrate that serglycin plays a critical role in the protein cargo loading of tumor-derived exosomes. Serglycin was detected in exosomes derived from cell culture supernatants of human myeloma cell lines and serum of myeloma patients. Mass spectrometry analysis of exosomal proteins identified significantly fewer protein components within exosomes derived from serglycin-knockdown myeloma cells than within exosomes from control cells. On gene ontology analysis, exosomes derived from serglycin-knockdown cells, but not from control cells, lacked many proteins that are required for mediating different cellular processes. In functional assays, exosomes from serglycin-knockdown cells failed to induce an invasive phenotype in myeloma cells and failed to promote migration of macrophages. These findings reveal that serglycin plays an important role in maintaining the protein cargo in tumor-derived exosomes and suggest that targeting serglycin may temper the influence of these exosomes on cancer progression.
Water-miscible, emulsified, and solid forms of retinol supplements are more toxic than oil-based preparations.

BACKGROUND It is well established that an excessive intake of retinol (vitamin A) is toxic; however, it has been > 25 y since the last extensive treatise of case reports on this subject. OBJECTIVE The objectives were to identify and evaluate all individual cases of retinol toxicity published in the scientific literature that assessed the thresholds and symptoms induced by high intakes of retinol and to compare the toxicity of different physical forms of retinol preparations. DESIGN We performed a meta-analysis of case reports on toxicity claimed to be induced by intakes of excessive amounts of dietary retinol (ie, retinol and retinyl esters in foods or supplements). Using free text and MESH (medical subheading) strategies in PubMed, we identified 248 articles in the scientific literature. From these initial articles we identified other relevant citations. The final database consisted of 259 cases in which individual data on dose, sex, age, time of exposure, and symptoms are reported. RESULTS Chronic hypervitaminosis A is induced after daily doses of 2 mg retinol/kg in oil-based preparations for many months or years. In contrast, doses as low as 0.2 mg retinol. kg(-1). d(-1) in water-miscible, emulsified, and solid preparations for only a few weeks caused chronic hypervitaminosis A. Thus, water-miscible, emulsified, and solid preparations of retinol are approximately 10 times as toxic as are oil-based retinol preparations. The safe upper single dose of retinol in oil or liver seems to be approximately 4-6 mg/kg body wt. These thresholds do not vary considerably with age. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study indicate that the physical form of retinol supplements is a major determinant of toxicity. The use of water-miscible, emulsified, and solid preparations of retinol should therefore be carefully considered before being used in supplements and fortifications.
Species-specific responses to landscape fragmentation: implications for management strategies

Habitat fragmentation affects the integrity of many species, but little is known about species‐specific sensitivity to fragmentation. Here, we compared the genetic structure of four freshwater fish species differing in their body size (Leuciscus cephalus; Leuciscus leuciscus; Gobio gobio and Phoxinus phoxinus) between a fragmented and a continuous landscape. We tested if, overall, fragmentation affected the genetic structure of these fish species, and if these species differed in their sensitivity to fragmentation. Fragmentation negatively affected the genetic structure of these species. Indeed, irrespective of the species identity, allelic richness and heterozygosity were lower, and population divergence was higher in the fragmented than in the continuous landscape. This response to fragmentation was highly species‐specific, with the smallest fish species (P. phoxinus) being slightly affected by fragmentation. On the contrary, fish species of intermediate body size (L. leuciscus and G. gobio) were highly affected, whereas the largest fish species (L. cephalus) was intermediately affected by fragmentation. We discuss the relative role of dispersal ability and effective population size on the responses to fragmentation we report here. The weirs studied here are of considerable historical importance. We therefore conclude that restoration programmes will need to consider both this societal context and the biological characteristics of the species sharing this ecosystem.