Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Equatorial cold-water tongue in the Late Ordovician

The eastern equatorial Pacific cold tongue (EEP-CT) today asserts a vital influence on ocean-atmosphere CO2 exchange and global climate patterns. Here, we report a similar equatorial cold tongue in the Late Ordovician peri-Gondwana region during drastic greenhouseicehouse climate swings and the first mass extinction. Paleontological, sedimentological, and new stable-oxygen-isotope data from conodont apatite point to a change from warm-water to cool-water tropical depositional environments in the South China plate from Early to Late Ordovician. This apparently contradicts the current paleogeographic reconstructions of a coeval northward drift of South China from subtropical peri-Gondwana to the equator. The trend of climate cooling coincided with the origin and diversification of the Foliomena fauna in South China during the Late Ordovician, and the absence of reef-building sponges and corals. This was in sharp contrast with the Calathium calcareous sponge reefs in Early Ordovician warm-water settings. In this study, we compare the paleogeographic setting of the South China plate in the Late Ordovician with the EEP-CT today where cool-water depositional environments prevail because of cold upwelling and westerly currents.
Analytic study on low-n external ideal infernal modes in tokamaks with large edge pressure gradients

The problem of pressure driven infernal type perturbations near the plasma edge is addressed analytically for a circular limited tokamak configuration which presents an edge flattened safety factor. The plasma is separated from a metallic wall, either ideally conducting or resistive, by a vacuum region. The dispersion relation for such types of instabilities is derived and discussed for two classes of equilibrium profiles for pressure and mass density.
Bond Repurchase Objectives and the Repurchase Method Choice

This study investigates how firm׳s bond repurchase objective affects its choice of repurchase method. Unlike tender offers, open-market repurchases are not pre-announced and buyer׳s identity is unknown to the seller. We provide evidence that firms are likely to repurchase on the open-market when bonds are mispriced and when firms seek to manage their financial reports, either to meet earnings targets or avert debt covenant violations. When firms seek to amend indenture terms, they prefer tender offers. We also find that firm׳s information quality affects the likelihood of mispricing exploitation behavior and that insiders buy firm׳s stocks around open-market repurchases.
Innovation and Performance in Latin-American Small Family Firms

The study of innovation in family firms is gaining more and more interest among researchers and academics. Although it is a relatively recent issue in the literature, there is not enough theoretical and empirical evidence of the existing relationship with other constructs, such as the case of business performance. Therefore, using a sample of 1,400 family small businesses from 20 Latin American countries and applying a structural equations modeling of second order, which allows to know in greater depth the relationship between innovation and business performance. The fundamental objective of this empirical study is to investigate the relationship between innovation and business performance in family small business in Latin America. The results indicate that the innovation has a significant positive effect on the business performance of Latin American family small business.
Effects of terlipressin infusion on blood loss and transfusion needs during liver resection: A randomised trial

Blood loss and perioperative blood transfusion requirements affect the long‐term survival after liver resection for malignant tumours. Terlipressin is a synthetic vasopressin analogue with relative specificity for the splanchnic circulation where it causes vasoconstriction with subsequent reduction of blood loss during abdominal surgeries. We tried to examine the impact of terlipressin on blood loss and blood transfusion needs during liver resection.
Obesity and Erectile Dysfunction: From Bench to Clinical Implication

Obesity is a major public health issue worldwide and is frequently associated with erectile dysfunction (ED). Both conditions may share an internal pathologic environment, also known as common soil. Their main pathophysiologic processes are oxidative stress, inflammation, and resultant insulin and leptin resistance. Moreover, the severity of ED is correlated with comorbid medical conditions, including obesity. Therefore, amelioration of these comorbidities may increase the efficacy of ED treatment with phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, the first-line medication for patients with ED. Although metformin was originally developed as an insulin sensitizer six decades ago, it has also been shown to improve leptin resistance. In addition, metformin has been reported to reduce oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and body weight, as well as improve ED, in animal and human studies. Moreover, administration of a combination of metformin and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors improves erectile function in patients with ED who have a poor response to sildenafil and are insulin resistant. Thus, concomitant treatment of metabolic derangements associated with obesity in patients with ED who are obese would improve the efficacy and reduce the refractory response to penile vasodilators. In this review, we discuss the connecting factors between obesity and ED and the possible combined treatment modalities.
GpTx‐1 and [Ala5, Phe6, Leu26, Arg28]GpTx‐1, two peptide NaV1.7 inhibitors: analgesic and tolerance properties at the spinal level

The voltage‐gated sodium channel NaV1.7 is considered a therapeutic target for pain treatment based on human genetic evidence. GpTx‐1 and its potent analogue [Ala5, Phe6, Leu26, Arg28]GpTx‐1 (GpTx‐1‐71) were recently characterized as NaV1.7 inhibitors in vitro. Furthermore, the present work was conducted to investigate the analgesic properties of these two peptides in different pain models after spinal administration.
One-Pot Transformation of Technical Lignins into Humic-Like Plant Stimulants through Fenton-Based Advanced Oxidation: Accelerating Natural Fungus-Driven Humification

Commercial humic acids mainly obtained from leonardite are in increasing demand in agronomy, and their market size is growing rapidly because these materials act as soil conditioners and direct stimulators of plant growth and development. In nature, fungus-driven nonspecific oxidations are believed to be a key to catabolizing recalcitrant plant lignins, resulting in lignin humification. Here we demonstrated the effective transformation of technical lignins derived from the Kraft processing of woody biomass into humic-like plant fertilizers through one-pot Fenton oxidations (i.e., artificially accelerated fungus reactions). The lignin variants resulting from the Fenton reaction, and manufactured using a few different ratios of FeSO4 to H2O2, successfully accelerated the germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds and increased the tolerance of this plant to NaCl-induced abiotic stress; moreover, the extent of the stimulation of the growth of this plant by these manufactured lignin variants was comparable or superior to that induced by commercial humic acids. The results of high-resolution (15 T) Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, electrostatic force microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analyses strongly indicated that oxygen-based functional groups were incorporated into the lignins. Moreover, analyses of the total phenolic contents of the lignins and their sedimentation kinetics in water media together with scanning electron microscopy- and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller-based surface characterizations further suggested that polymer fragmentation followed by modification of the phenolic groups on the lignin surfaces was crucial for the humic-like activity of the lignins. A high similarity between the lignin variants and commercial humic acids also resulted from autonomous deposition of iron species into lignin particles during the Fenton oxidation, although their short-term effects of plant stimulations were maintained whether the iron species were present or absent. Finally, we showed that lignins produced from an industrial-scale acid-induced hydrolysis of wood chips were transformed with the similar enhancements of the plant effects, indicating that our fungus-mimicking processes could be a universal way for achieving effective lignin humification.
Diabetic Retinopathy Stage Classification Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) stage classification has been regarded as a critical step for evaluation and management of diabetes retinopathy. Because of damages of the retina blood vessels caused by the high blood glucose level, different extent of microstructures, such as micro-anuerysms, hard exudates, and neovascularization, could occupy the retina area. Deep learning based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has recently been proved a promising approach in biomedical image analysis. In this work, representative Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) images have been aggregated into five categories according to the expertise of ophthalmologist. A group of deep Convolutional Neural Network methods have been employed for DR stage classification. State-of-the-art accuracy result has been achieved by InceptionNet V3, which demonstrates the effectiveness of utilizing deep Convolutional Neural Networks for DR image recognition.
Influence of baseline modified Rheumatic Disease Comorbidity Index (mRDCI) on drug survival and effectiveness of biological treatment in patients affected with Rheumatoid arthritis, Spondyloarthritis and Psoriatic arthritis in real‐world settings

To assess the impact of baseline modified Rheumatic Disease Comorbidity Index (mRDCI) a simple comorbidity count, on overall survival of treatments with biological drugs in patients affected with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Spondyloarthritis (SpA) and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) in real‐world settings.
Comparison of Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical and Dental Students towards HIV/AIDS in Pakistan

The number of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases is increasing in Pakistan while it has seen a decline globally. A survey conducted recently has found that 132,000 people in Pakistan suffer from HIV. This study aims to check the levels of knowledge and attitudes about HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among medical and dental students. This cross-sectional study was designed and conducted at Combined Military Hospital Lahore Medical College and the Institute of Dentistry (CMH LMC) in Lahore, Pakistan in 2016. Students enrolled in the courses of the MBBS and BDS were included in this study. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographics, knowledge and attitude. A total of 414 students completed the questionnaire and out of them, 286 were medical students while the rest were dental students. The mean ± standard deviation score for the students was 10.02 ± 4.37 out of 17 for knowledge related to HIV and AIDS. For acceptable attitude towards AIDS and patients afflicted with the disease, an outcome of 1.93 ± 0.75 out of 4 was observed. The results of this study indicate lack of knowledge about HIV, especially about the modes of transmission and prevention techniques. Therefore, regular interactive workshops and seminars, besides teaching sessions, focused lectures on HIV/AIDS, need to be conducted.
Midwave Infrared Quantum Dot Quantum Cascade Photodetector Monolithically Grown on Silicon Substrate

Mid-infrared photodetector based on submonolayer (SML) quantum dot quantum cascade structure monolithically grown on silicon substrate has been demonstrated in this paper. Both the optical and electrical characteristics of the SML quantum dot quantum cascade photodetectors (QD-QCD) were analyzed quantitatively. The performances of these devices were compared with that on native GaAs substrate. A large resistance-area (<italic>R</italic><sub>0</sub><italic>A </italic>) product of 1.13 × 10<sup>7</sup> Ω. cm<sup>2</sup> is achieved at 77 K for the silicon-based devices, which is only roughly one order less than that on GaAs substrate. The device shows a normal-incident peak responsivity of 0.59 mA/W under zero bias at the wavelength of 6.2 <italic>μ</italic>m at 77 K, indicating a photovoltaic operation mode. Johnson noise limited specific detectivity is 3 × 10<sup>10</sup> cm•Hz<sup> 1/2</sup>/W at 77 K, with photoresponse up to 100 K. These results suggest that the silicon-based QD-QCD in this paper is a very promising candidate for large format mid-infrared focal plane array and mid-infrared silicon photonics applications.
Propensity matched comparison of in‐hospital outcomes of TAVR vs. SAVR in patients with previous history of CABG: Insights from the Nationwide inpatient sample

The incidence of patients with previous history of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) presenting for aortic valvular replacement has been consistently on the rise. Repeat sternotomy for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) carries an inherent risk of morbidity and mortality when compared to Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
TBX18 transcription factor overexpression in human‐induced pluripotent stem cells increases their differentiation into pacemaker‐like cells

The discovery of gene‐ and cell‐based strategies has opened a new area to investigate novel approaches for the treatment of many conditions caused by cardiac cell failure. The TBX18 (T‐box 18) transcription factor is considered as a prominent factor in the sinoatrial node (SAN) formation during the embryonic development. In this in vitro study, the effect of TBX18 gene expression on human‐induced pluripotent‐stem‐cell‐derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS‐CMs) to induce pacemaker‐like cells was examined.
Bringing a GAN to a Knife-Fight: Adapting Malware Communication to Avoid Detection

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have been successfully used in a large number of domains. This paper proposes the use of GANs for generating network traffic in order to mimic other types of traffic. In particular, our method modifies the network behavior of a real malware in order to mimic the traffic of a legitimate application, and therefore avoid detection. By modifying the source code of a malware to receive parameters from a GAN, it was possible to adapt the behavior of its Command and Control (C2) channel to mimic the behavior of Facebook chat network traffic. In this way, it was possible to avoid the detection of new-generation Intrusion Prevention Systems that use machine learning and behavioral characteristics. A real-life scenario was successfully implemented using the Stratosphere behavioral IPS in a router, while the malware and the GAN were deployed in the local network of our laboratory, and the C2 server was deployed in the cloud. Results show that a GAN can successfully modify the traffic of a malware to make it undetectable. The modified malware also tested if it was being blocked and used this information as a feedback to the GAN. This work envisions the possibility of self-adapting malware and self-adapting IPS.
Trends in Adult Alcohol Use and Binge Drinking in the Early 21st‐Century United States: A Meta‐Analysis of 6 National Survey Series

BACKGROUND Recent trends in alcoholic liver disease, alcohol-related emergency room admissions, and alcohol use disorder prevalence as measured by general-population surveys have raised concerns about rising alcohol-related morbidity and mortality in the United States. In contrast, upward trends in per capita alcohol consumption have been comparatively modest. METHODS To resolve these discordant observations, we sought to examine trends in the prevalence of alcohol use and binge drinking from 6 regularly or periodically administered national surveys using a meta-analytic approach. Annual or periodic prevalence estimates for past-12-month or past-30-day alcohol use and binge drinking were estimated for available time points between the years 2000 and 2016. Estimates were combined in a random-effects regression model in which prevalence was modeled as a log-linear function of time to obtain meta-analytic trend estimates for the full population and by sex, race, age, and educational attainment. RESULTS Meta-analysis-derived estimates of average annual percentage increase in the prevalence of alcohol use and binge drinking were 0.30% per year (95% CI: 0.22%, 0.38%) and 0.72% per year (95% CI: 0.46%, 0.98%), respectively. There was substantial between-survey heterogeneity among trend estimates, although there was notable consistency in the degree to which trends have impacted various demographic groups. For example, most surveys found that the changes in prevalence for alcohol use and binge drinking were large and positive for ages 50 to 64 and 65 and up, and smaller, negative, or nonsignificant for ages 18 to 29. CONCLUSIONS Significant increases in the prevalence of alcohol use and of binge drinking over the past 10 to 15 years were observed, but not for all demographic groups. However, the increase in binge drinking among middle-aged and older adults is substantial and may be driving increasing rates of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.
Additive Manufacturing of Ka-Band Dual-Polarization Waveguide Components

Additive manufacturing (AM) is emerging as a key technology for the minimization and integration of microwave antenna systems. Among the several AM processes, selective laser melting (SLM) is rather convenient for waveguide components, since it allows for all-metal parts with a mechanical accuracy within 30–60 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and an equivalent surface electrical resistivity in the range of 10–20 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \Omega \text {cm}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. This paper reports on the assessment of the SLM applicability to the manufacturing of dual-polarization waveguide components operating in Ka-band, namely, a septum polarizer, a smooth-wall feed horn integrated with the septum polarizer, and an orthomode transducer (OMT). In order to achieve high electromagnetic performance in the Ka-band, the architectures have been optimized for the manufacturing process, above all in terms of orientation on the building platform and minimization of supporting structures. As a consequence, the corresponding prototypes exhibit measured performances in significant agreement with the predicted values. As an example, the return loss of all the components has been measured to be as high as 25 dB, while the measured isolation between the rectangular waveguide ports of the OMT is better than 47 dB.
Transmission Line Reflection Coefficient Including High-Frequency Effects

This paper deals with the analytic determination of the current reflection coefficient for a wire above ground. The trajectory of the wire at the wire terminal is arbitrary and the wire is connected to the ground with an impedance. The reflection coefficient is approximated by an iterative approach for the solution of the so-called mixed potential integral equations. The iteration is initialized by the classical transmission line solution. The tangential electric field on the surface of the thin wire corresponding to the classical solution is then used as a distributed source to determine a correction term for the current. By this way, the scattering of the transverse electromagnetic modes at the discontinuity is included. Very good agreement between the analytic solution and a numerical one is observed. It is shown that broadband matching is not possible with a frequency-independent load. The importance of the incorporation of the high-frequency effects is highlighted by the evaluation of the natural frequencies for two specific wire configurations.
Quality of care provided to children with cerebral palsy, Alexandria, Egypt.

Background Assessing the quality of care has become increasingly important to health care providers, regulators and purchasers of care. Aims This study assessed the quality of care provided to children with cerebral palsy attending Alexandria University Children's Hospital, Egypt. Methods Paediatric neurology residents (n = 15) who provided care to children with cerebral palsy at the hospital completed a structured checklist assessing their compliance with generic care standards. The medical records of 84 children with cerebral palsy who received care at the hospital were reviewed using the same checklist. Another checklist was completed by the head of the paediatric neurology unit, medical director of the hospital, head of physical medicine and head nurse to assess adherence to process and service improvement standards. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the caregivers/parents of the children using a client satisfaction questionnaire. Results Based on what was reported by health care providers, most did not adhere to the recommended practices in the care of children with cerebral palsy. Review of the medical records also showed a lack of compliance with standards. The mean total satisfaction percentage score of parents/caregivers was 55.43% (SD 18.16). Satisfaction was particularly low for waiting time, waiting area and availability of required facilities for their child's care. Conclusions There is a wide gap between the actual care provided to children with cerebral palsy and the recommended standards. Moreover, the documentation system in the hospital is poor. A quality improvement plan is needed for the provision of care to children with cerebral palsy.
Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for Diagnosing Malignant Pleural Effusions

Background Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) enables “in vivo” microscopic tissue diagnosis based on tissue reflectance or tissue fluorescence upon application of fluorescence agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CLE as a new diagnostic approach for differentiation between malignant versus non-malignant pleural effusions. Material/Methods In 100 patients with pleural effusions, thoracentesis was performed. Cresyl violet and acriflavine were used as contrast agents for probe-based CLE of effusions. CLE video sequences were assessed by 4 independent investigators (2 experienced in this technique, 2 with only basic knowledge). In addition, all CLE samples were evaluated by an expert pathologist (p). Results were compared with conventional cytology of effusions and histology of cell blocks. Results CLE reliably permitted identification of malignant cells in pleural effusions. Sensitivity for detection of malignant effusions was 87% (p: 87%) and 81% (p: 72%) for acriflavine and cresyl violet, respectively. With regard to specificity, acriflavine and cresyl violet yielded a mean value of 99% (p: 100%) and 92% (p: 100%). Conclusions In this pilot study, CLE permitted simple and rapid detection of malignant pleural effusions. Larger prospective studies are warranted to corroborate our findings.
Dental genetics in Brazil: Where we are

Dentistry constitutes the basic nucleus of professionals of higher level of health in Brazil with one of the largest concentrations of dentists per capita in the world. However, the genetic in dentistry in Brazil is explored, basically, in research field. Future actions need to be performed in order to deep the whole knowledge about diagnosis and treatment of diseases with genetic basis in dentistry, in Brazil.