Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Honey classification from semi-arid, Atlantic and transitional forest zones in Bahia, Brazil

In this study, samples of honey produced in three different regional climates in the southwest Bahia, Brazil (semi-arid, Atlantic and Transitional Forest Zones) were characterized on the basis of their mineral and trace elements, ash content and electrical conductivity. The metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The cluster and principal component analysis (PCA) methods were applied to the chemical concentration data in order to study the chemistry variables capable of promoting a characterization of the honey produced in each area. Cluster analysis and PCA distinguishes the different groups of honey samples corresponding to each region of the three geographical origins. The high correlation between electrical conductivity and Cu observed in honey samples from transitional forest zones suggested a coupling to the nutrient cycle, and can be attributed to use of copper compounds in coffee production, a major activity developed in all transitional forest zones.
Expenditures for treating schizophrenia: a population-based study of Georgia Medicaid recipients.

The study analyzed all claims data for reimbursable medical services and drugs rendered to 18- to 50-year-old Medicaid recipients in the State of Georgia over a 3-year period. A cohort of 6,443 schizophrenia patients were identified by inspecting the medical history data for claims indicative of schizophrenia (ICD-9-CM 295.xx). A crude prevalence of 6.02 percent was identified. Use patterns and charges associated with schizophrenia were stratified by major areas of service including ambulatory services, hospitalizations, and pharmacological treatment. The incidence of rehospitalization for chronic schizophrenia patients based on a 12-month hospitalization index format was also identified. Findings are discussed regarding using these data to focus strategies for assessing schizophrenia treatment outcome in relation to treatment cost.
Online Detection of Driver Fatigue Using Steering Wheel Angles for Real Driving Conditions

This paper presents a drowsiness on-line detection system for monitoring driver fatigue level under real driving conditions, based on the data of steering wheel angles (SWA) collected from sensors mounted on the steering lever. The proposed system firstly extracts approximate entropy (ApEn) features from fixed sliding windows on real-time steering wheel angles time series. After that, this system linearizes the ApEn features series through an adaptive piecewise linear fitting using a given deviation. Then, the detection system calculates the warping distance between the linear features series of the sample data. Finally, this system uses the warping distance to determine the drowsiness state of the driver according to a designed binary decision classifier. The experimental data were collected from 14.68 h driving under real road conditions, including two fatigue levels: “wake” and “drowsy”. The results show that the proposed system is capable of working online with an average 78.01% accuracy, 29.35% false detections of the “awake” state, and 15.15% false detections of the “drowsy” state. The results also confirm that the proposed method based on SWA signal is valuable for applications in preventing traffic accidents caused by driver fatigue.
Global Expression of Molecular Transporters in the Human Vaginal Tract: Implications for HIV Chemoprophylaxis

Background Pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrECP) using antiretroviral agents is a promising strategy for the prevention of sexual HIV transmission in women. Molecular transporters in the human vaginal tract (VT) may play a pivotal role in determining drug disposition and, consequently, pharmacodynamic outcomes in these efforts. Little is known, however, on the expression of these transporters in vaginal tissues, representing a critical knowledge gap. Methodology/Principal Findings Our study analyzed the genome-wide transcriptome in 44 vaginal tissue samples from 6 reproductive-age women undergoing gynecologic surgeries. The analysis revealed that, unexpectedly, a large number (43%) of gene isoforms corresponding to membrane transporters were over-expressed (above the median expression level) in all samples. A subset of 12 highly expressed membrane transporters was identified and contained 10 members (83%) of the solute carrier superfamily. The largest difference in membrane transporter gene expression was observed across subjects, but more subtle differential expression also was found along the anterior-posterior axis of the VT. Cross-validation of the microarray analyses with measurements RT-qPCR demonstrated high concordance between these data sets. Immunofluorescence labeling of membrane transporter proteins in vaginal tissues was highly dependent on tissue/cell types. Conclusions/Significance Antiretroviral PrECP drugs currently under evaluation are substrates for molecular transporters that were commonly expressed, but fell into both over- or under-expressed categories in all samples, suggesting a complex role for carrier-mediated processes in determining the disposition of these xenobiotics in vaginal tissues. These findings hold important implications for the successful development of products, either oral or intravaginal, for female-controlled HIV PrECP.
Node Centralities and Classification Performance for Characterizing Node Embedding Algorithms

Embedding graph nodes into a vector space can allow the use of machine learning to e.g. predict node classes, but the study of node embedding algorithms is immature compared to the natural language processing field because of a diverse nature of graphs. We examine the performance of node embedding algorithms with respect to graph centrality measures that characterize diverse graphs, through systematic experiments with four node embedding algorithms, four or five graph centralities, and six datasets. Experimental results give insights into the properties of node embedding algorithms, which can be a basis for further research on this topic.
Modification of sample processing for the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay enhances detection of inflammogenic endotoxin in intact bacteria and organic dust

The pro-inflammatory potency and causal relationship with asthma of inhaled endotoxins have underscored the importance of accurately assessing the endotoxin content of organic dusts. The Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay has emerged as the preferred assay, but its ability to measure endotoxin in intact bacteria and organic dusts with similar sensitivity as purified endotoxin is unknown. We used metabolically radiolabeled Neisseria meningitidis and both rough and smooth Escherichia coli to compare dose-dependent activation in the LAL with purified endotoxin from these bacteria and shed outer membrane (OM) blebs. Labeled [14C]-3-OH-fatty acids were used to quantify the endotoxin content of the samples. Purified meningococcal and E. coli endotoxins and OM blebs displayed similar specific activity in the LAL assay to the purified LPS standard. In contrast, intact bacteria exhibited fivefold lower specific activity in the LAL assay but showed similar MD-2-dependent potency as purified endotoxin in inducing acute airway inflammation in mice. Pre-treatment of intact bacteria and organic dusts with 0.1 M Tris-HCl/10 mM EDTA increased by fivefold the release of endotoxin. These findings demonstrate that house dust and other organic dusts should be extracted with Tris/EDTA to more accurately assess the endotoxin content and pro-inflammatory potential of these environmental samples.
Testing Edges by Truncations

We consider the problem of testing whether two variables should be adjacent (either due to a direct effect between them, or due to a hidden common cause) given an observational distribution, and a set of causal assumptions encoded as a causal diagram. In other words, given a set of edges in the diagram known to be true, we are interested in testing whether another edge ought to be in the diagram. In fully observable faithful models this problem can be easily solved with conditional independence tests. Latent variables make the problem significantly harder since they can imply certain non-adjacent variable pairs, namely those connected by so called inducing paths, are not independent conditioned on any set of variables. We characterize which variable pairs can be determined to be non-adjacent by a class of constraints due to dormant independence, that is conditional independence in identifiable interventional distributions. Furthermore, we show that particular operations on joint distributions, which we call truncations are sufficient for exhibiting these non-adjacencies.This suggests a causal discovery procedure taking advantage of these constraints in the latent variable case can restrict itself to truncations.
Investigation of Numerical Dissipation in Classical and Implicit Large Eddy Simulations

The quantitative measure of dissipative properties of different numerical schemes is crucial to computational methods in the field of aerospace applications. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to examine the resolving power of Monotonic Upwind Scheme for Conservation Laws (MUSCL) scheme with three different slope limiters: one second-order and two third-order used within the framework of Implicit Large Eddy Simulations (ILES). The performance of the dynamic Smagorinsky subgrid-scale model used in the classical Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach is examined. The assessment of these schemes is of significant importance to understand the numerical dissipation that could affect the accuracy of the numerical solution. A modified equation analysis has been employed to the convective term of the fully-compressible Navier–Stokes equations to formulate an analytical expression of truncation error for the second-order upwind scheme. The contribution of second-order partial derivatives in the expression of truncation error showed that the effect of this numerical error could not be neglected compared to the total kinetic energy dissipation rate. Transitions from laminar to turbulent flow are visualized considering the inviscid Taylor–Green Vortex (TGV) test-case. The evolution in time of volumetrically-averaged kinetic energy and kinetic energy dissipation rate have been monitored for all numerical schemes and all grid levels. The dissipation mechanism has been compared to Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) data found in the literature at different Reynolds numbers. We found that the resolving power and the symmetry breaking property are enhanced with finer grid resolutions. The production of vorticity has been observed in terms of enstrophy and effective viscosity. The instantaneous kinetic energy spectrum has been computed using a three-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). All combinations of numerical methods produce a k − 4 spectrum at t * = 4 , and near the dissipation peak, all methods were capable of predicting the k − 5 / 3 slope accurately when refining the mesh.
Nifedipine increases fetoplacental perfusion

Abstract Aim: Our aim is to evaluate the effect of nifedipine on fetoplacental hemodynamic parameters. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary center with 30 patients for whom nifedipine treatment was used as a tocolytic therapy for preterm labor. Initiation of this treatment was at 31.6±2.5 weeks of gestation. We combined the pulse Doppler imaging parameters with grayscale imaging via the Bernoulli theorem, which is called the “continuity equation”, to get the fetoplacental perfusion (FPP). Evaluated parameters were the resistance index (RI), the pulsatility index (PI), systole/diastole ratios (S/D), the velocity-time integral of the umbilical artery (VTI), the radius of the umbilical artery, the peak systolic velocity and the mean pressure gradient in the umbilical artery. From these parameters, the FPP was acquired. Results: We found that the RI, the PI and the S/D ratio did not change after treatment with nifedipine. The mean pressure gradient, the VTI and the peak systolic velocity increased after treatment with nifedipine. Nifedipine increases FPP from 166±73.81 beat.cm3/min to 220±83.3 beat.cm3/min. Discussion: Although nifedipine had no effect on the PI, the RI or the S/D, it increased the mean pressure gradient, the VTI and FPP.
Design and Fabrication of a Three-Dimensional In Vitro System for Modeling Vascular Stenosis

Abstract Vascular stenosis, the abnormal narrowing of blood vessels, arises from defective developmental processes or atherosclerosis-related adult pathologies. Stenosis triggers a series of adaptive cellular responses that induces adverse remodeling, which can progress to partial or complete vessel occlusion with numerous fatal outcomes. Despite its severity, the cellular interactions and biophysical cues that regulate this pathological progression are poorly understood. Here, we report the design and fabrication of a three-dimensional (3D) in vitro system to model vascular stenosis so that specific cellular interactions and responses to hemodynamic stimuli can be investigated. Tubular cellularized constructs (cytotubes) were produced, using a collagen casting system, to generate a stenotic arterial model. Fabrication methods were developed to create cytotubes containing co-cultured vascular cells, where cell viability, distribution, morphology, and contraction were examined. Fibroblasts, bone marrow primary cells, smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and endothelial cells (ECs) remained viable during culture and developed location- and time-dependent morphologies. We found cytotube contraction to depend on cellular composition, where SMC-EC co-cultures adopted intermediate contractile phenotypes between SMC- and EC-only cytotubes. Our fabrication approach and the resulting artery model can serve as an in vitro 3D culture system to investigate vascular pathogenesis and promote the tissue engineering field.
Relationship between Undescended Testis Position and Prevalence of Testicular Appendices, Epididymal Anomalies, and Patency of Processus Vaginalis

Objectives To assess the incidence of testicular appendices (Tas), epididymal anomalies (EAs), and processus vaginalis (PV) patency in patients with undescended testis (UT) according to testicular position and to compare them with human fetuses. Methods We studied 85 patients (108 testes) with cryptorchidism and compared the features with those of 15 fetuses (30 testes) with scrotal testes. We analyzed the relationships among the testis and epididymis, patency of PV, and the presence of TAs. We used the Chi-square test for statistical analysis (p < 0.05). Results In 108 UT, 72 (66.66%) had PV patent, 67 (62.03%) had TAs, and 39 (36.12%) had EAs. Of the 108 UT, 14 were abdominal (12.96%; 14 had PV patency, 9 TAs, and 7 EAs); 81 were inguinal (75%; 52 had PV patency, 45 TAs, and 31 EAs), and 13 were suprascrotal (12.03%; 6 had PV patency, 13 TAs, and 1 EAs). The patency of PV was more frequently associated with EAs (p = 0.00364). The EAs had a higher prevalence in UT compared with fetuses (p = 0.0005). Conclusions Undescended testis has a higher risk of anatomical anomalies and the testes situated in abdomen and inguinal canal have a higher risk of presenting patency of PV and EAs.
Early Activation of Rat Skeletal Muscle IL-6/STAT1/STAT3 Dependent Gene Expression in Resistance Exercise Linked to Hypertrophy

Cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an essential regulator of satellite cell-mediated hypertrophic muscle growth through the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). The importance of this pathway linked to the modulation of myogenic regulatory factors expression in rat skeletal muscle undergoing hypertrophy following resistance exercise, has not been investigated. In this study, the phosphorylation and nuclear localization of STAT3, together with IL-6/STAT3-responsive gene expression, were measured after both a single bout of resistance exercise and 10 weeks of training. Flexor Digitorum Profundus muscle samples from Wistar rats were obtained 2 and 6 hours after a single bout of resistance exercise and 72 h after the last bout of either 2, 4, or 10 weeks of resistance training. We observed an increase in IL-6 and SOCS3 mRNAs concomitant with phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3 after 2 and 6 hours of a single bout of exercise (p<0.05). STAT3-dependent early responsive genes such as CyclinD1 and cMyc were also upregulated whereas MyoD and Myf5 mRNAs were downregulated (p<0.05). BrdU-positive satellite cells increased at 2 and 6 hours after exercise (p<0.05). Muscle fiber hypertrophy reached up to 100% after 10 weeks of training and the mRNA expression of Myf5, c-Myc and Cyclin-D1 decreased, whereas IL-6 mRNA remained upregulated. We conclude that the IL-6/STAT1/STAT3 signaling pathway and its responsive genes after a single bout of resistance exercise are an important event regulating the SC pool and behavior involved in muscle hypertrophy after ten weeks of training in rat skeletal muscle.
SUMMARY OF CORROSION INVESTIGATIONS ON HIGH-TEMPERATURE ALUMINUM ALLOYS. Period covered : February 1955-October 1956

Tests were performed on aluminum alloys to evaluate their behavior in high-temperature, high-pressure. watercooled and -moderated nuclear reactor enviromnents. Test equipment, sample preparation. and test procedures are discussed. Aluminum nickel alloys were found resistant to disintegration for periods up to 60 days in dynamic water at 600 ction prod- F. The corrosion rates of the aluminum alloys M-388 and X-2219 at 600 ction prod- F were found to be too high to merit consideration for cladding materials. The influence of pH. gas content, and velocity of the water on the corrosion of the above alloys was evaluated. Hydrogen addition at startup appeared to increase the degree of corrosion attack on the M-388 alloy. Irradiation tests on aluminum-nickel alloys revealed that the corrosion rate increased with distance from core. In-reactor samples of M-388 exhibited less corrosion attack than out-of-reactor samples. Boiling water corrosion tests were performed on M-388 for 1612 hr at 422 ction prod- F with an average heat flux of 25,000 Btu per hrft/sup 2/. The over- all corrosion rate was 2.9 mil per yr. It is concluded that the corrosion rate of M-388 is more » acceptable for the specified test conditions: (1) absence of radiation: (2) demineralized water at 422 ction prod- F; and (3) heat transfer rates not exceeding 40,000 Btu per ft/sup 2/. No accelerated corrosion attack due to boiling heat transfer and no significant buildup of corrosion products on heat transfer surfaces were noted. Accelerated corrosion of M-388 was noted when coupled with Type 304 stainless steel and exposed to tap water at room temperature, or air-saturated, demineralized water at 680 ction prod- F. A technique for stripping corrosion films from aluminum and aluminum-nickel alloys is given. (C.J.G.) « less
Influence of Humidity on Adhesion: An Atomic Force Microscope Study

In this study we measured the adhesion forces between atomic force microscope (AFM) tips or particles attached to AFM cantilevers and different solid samples to investigate the influence of humidity on the adhesion of nanocontacts. Humidity was adjusted relatively fast to minimize tip wear during experiments. For hydrophobic surfaces, no significant change in adhesion force with humidity was observed. Adhesion force versus humidity curves recorded with hydrophilic surfaces either showed a maximum or continuously increased. We demonstrate that the results can be interpreted with simple continuum theory of the meniscus force. The meniscus force is calculated based on a model that includes surfaces roughness and takes into account different AFM tip (or particle) shapes by a two-sphere model. Experimental and theoretical results show that the precise contact geometry has a critical influence on the humidity dependence of the adhesion force. Changes of tip geometry on the sub-10-nm length scale can completely alter the adhesion force versus humidity curves. Our model can also explain the differences between earlier AFM studies, where different dependencies of the adhesion force on humidity were observed.
Transcriptome profiling reveals infection strategy of an insect maculavirus

Abstract Bombyx mori macula-like virus (BmMLV) is a positive, single-stranded insect RNA virus that is closely related to plant maculaviruses. BmMLV is currently characterized as an unclassified maculavirus. BmMLV accumulates at extremely high levels in cell lines derived from the silkworm, Bombyx mori, but it does not lead to lethality and establishes persistent infections. It is unknown how this insect maculavirus replicates and establishes persistent infections in insect cells. Here, we showed that BmMLV p15, which is located on a subgenomic fragment and is not found in plant maculaviruses, is highly expressed in BmMLV-infected silkworm cells and that p15 protein is required to establish BmMLV infections in silkworm cells. We also showed that two distinct small RNA-mediated pathways maintain BmMLV levels in BmMLV-infected silkworm cells, thereby allowing the virus to establish persistent infection. Virus-derived siRNAs and piRNAs were both produced as the infection progressed. Knockdown experiments demonstrated that the exogenous RNAi pathway alone or RNAi and piRNA pathways function cooperatively to silence BmMLV RNA and that both pathways are important for normal growth of BmMLV-infected silkworm cells. On the basis of our study, we propose a mechanism of how a plant virus-like insect virus can establish persistent infections in insect cells.
Oxytocin and vasopressin receptor distributions in a solitary and a social species of tuco‐tuco (Ctenomys haigi and Ctenomys sociabilis)

The neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin and their receptors have been implicated in elements of mammalian social behavior such as attachment to mates and offspring, but their potential role in mediating other types of social relationships remains largely unknown. We performed receptor autoradiography to assess whether forebrain oxytocin receptor (OTR) or vasopressin V1a receptor (V1aR) distributions differed with social structure in two closely related and ecologically similar species of South American rodents, the colonial tuco‐tuco (Ctenomys sociabilis) and the Patagonian tuco‐tuco (Ctenomys haigi). Long‐term field studies have revealed that C. haigi is solitary, whereas C. sociabilis is social and provides a model of female‐based group living. Our analyses revealed marked differences in OTR and V1aR distributions between these species. For example, only C. sociabilis had OTR binding in the piriform cortex and thalamus and V1aR binding in the olfactory bulbs. In contrast, C. haigi exhibited dramatically higher levels of OTR binding throughout the lateral septum and hippocampus. More generally, the group‐living C. sociabilis exhibited a pattern of nucleus accumbens OTR and ventral pallidum V1aR binding different from that associated with the formation of opposite‐sex pair bonds in microtine rodents. Higher binding in the central nucleus of the amygdala of C. sociabilis was consistent with the hypothesis that formation of social groups in C. sociabilis may be facilitated by reduced social anxiety. Low OTR binding in the lateral septum might also be a permissive factor for group living in C. sociabilis. Future studies will expand on these analyses to explore interspecific differences in ctenomyid receptor binding patterns in a phylogenetic context. J. Comp. Neurol. 507:1847–1859, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.