Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physical, chemical and faunal characteristics of a perennial stream in arid northern Oman

Abstract A study of a 1·5 km stretch of a perennial stream in arid northern Oman describes the physical, chemical and faunal characteristics of riffles, runs and pools. Air temperature seems to influence invertebrate recruitment. Flooding is the most important catastrophic event that alters the physical and chemical environment. Current velocity and substrate composition are also probable factors affecting the community structure. All other chemical conditions except nitrate (–N) were significantly similar in all biotopes. Three vertebrate and 33 invertebrate taxa were recorded. The low faunal diversity is a reflection of a physically controlled system.
Control of a Bilinear System in Conditions of Uncertainty

The control and estimation problems for a nonlinear control system with uncertainty in initial states and in the matrix of linear members of the state velocities of a dynamic system are considered. It is assumed that the values of the uncertain initial states and admissible controls are constrained by related ellipsoids. Based on the application of the results and methods of the theory of ellipsoidal estimation for set-valued motions of a system of this type, the problems of guaranteed control of a tube of trajectories of a nonlinear dynamic system with uncertainty are studied.
Durable Suppression and Low Rate of Virologic Failure 3 Years After Switch to Dolutegravir + Rilpivirine 2-Drug Regimen: 148-Week Results From the SWORD-1 and -2 Randomized Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND The SWORD trials showed that in participants who achieved virologic suppression taking 3- or 4-drug regimens, switching to the 2-drug regimen dolutegravir plus rilpivirine was non-inferior in maintaining HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL at the Week 48 primary endpoint. We present pooled Week 148 analysis results from both studies. SETTING SWORD-1: 65 centers, 13 countries; SWORD-2: 60 centers, 11 countries. METHODS SWORD-1 and SWORD-2 are identical, open-label, phase III studies. Participants with screening HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL for ≥6 months; no prior virologic failure; and no documented resistance-associated major PI, INI, NRTI, or NNRTI mutations or integrase resistance-associated substitution R263K were randomly assigned 1:1 to switch to once-daily dolutegravir 50 mg plus rilpivirine 25 mg on Day 1 (Early-Switch group) or to continue their current antiretroviral regimen and, if virologically suppressed at Week 48, switch to dolutegravir plus rilpivirine at Week 52 (Late-Switch group) until Week 148. RESULTS Using Snapshot algorithm at Week 148, 432/513 (84%) Early-Switch participants (148 weeks of exposure) and 428/477 (90%) Late-Switch participants (96 weeks of exposure) maintained HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL. Eleven participants (1%) on dolutegravir plus rilpivirine met the confirmed virologic withdrawal criterion through Week 148 (Early-Switch group, n=8; Late-Switch group, n=3) with no integrase resistance identified. NNRTI resistance-associated mutations were identified in 6 participants (<1%). Drug-related adverse events (grades 2-4) were observed in 31 (6%) Early-Switch and 16 (3%) Late-Switch participants. Significant improvements in bone biomarkers were observed. Significant improvements were observed in renal biomarkers in participants taking tenofovir disoproxil fumarate pre-switch. CONCLUSION Switching to the 2-drug regimen dolutegravir plus rilpivirine maintained virologic suppression for a high proportion of participants through 3 years, with low rates of virologic failure and a well-tolerated safety profile.
Determination of the Microbial and Chemical Loads in Rivers from the Quito Capital Province of Ecuador (Pichincha)—A Preliminary Analysis of Microbial and Chemical Quality of the Main Rivers

Contamination of natural water sources is one of the main health problems worldwide, which could be caused by chemicals, metals, or microbial agents. This study aimed to analyze the quality of 18 rivers located in Quito, the capital province of Pichincha, Ecuador, through physico-chemical and microbial parameters. The E. coli and total coliforms assessments were performed by a counting procedure in growth media. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was realized to detect several microbial genera, as well as Candida albicans, two parasites (Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp.) and E. coli pathotypes: enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). Additionally, physico-chemical parameters and major and trace metals were analyzed in each surface water sample. Our results demonstrated that most of the rivers analyzed do not comply with the microbial, physico-chemical, and metal requirements established by the Ecuadorian legislation. In terms of microbial pollution, the most polluted rivers were Monjas, Machángara, Pisque, and Pita Rivers. Furthermore, three out of four analyzed E. coli pathotypes (EIEC, EHEC, and EAEC) were detected in certain rivers, specifically: Monjas River showed the presence of EIEC and EHEC; in the Machángara River, EAEC and EIEC were detected; and finally, EIEC was present in the Guayllabamba River. Several physico-chemical parameters, such as pH, CODtotal, and TSS values, were higher than the Ecuadorian guidelines in 11, 28, and 28% of the rivers, respectively. Regarding heavy metals, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Mn surpassed the established values in 94, 89, 61, 22, 22, and 17% of the rivers, respectively. Machangara River was the only one that registered higher Cr concentrations than the national guidelines. The values of Al and Fe were above the recommended values in 83 and 72% of the rivers. Overall, based on the physical-chemical and microbiological parameters the most contaminated rivers were Machángara and Monjas. This study revealed severe contaminations in Ecuadorean Rivers; further studies should evaluate the sources of contamination and their impact on public health.
Pindolol potentiates the antidepressant effect of venlafaxine by inhibiting 5-HT1A receptor in DRN neurons of mice

Abstract Introduction Antidepressants increase the level of 5-HT in the somatodendritic region of the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) neurons in the first few days of their usage, which, in turn, inhibits the serotonergic neurons locally. Pindolol may eliminate this inhibition when used in combination with antidepressants. Material and methods We aimed to determine the effect of pindolol on 5-HT1A receptor response in the DRN neurons, using voltage clamp recordings and prove the potentiation of antidepressant effect of venlafaxine by pindolol through behavior experiments. Balb/c mice, 28–35 days-old were used. Results 5-HT application (25 µM) induced an outward current by 23.36 ± 3.79 pA at the neurons in the dorsal subnucleus of DRN. This effect was inhibited by pre-administration of WAY-100135 (21 µM) and pindolol (10 µM) separately. The current induced by 5-HT and 8-OHDPAT have no statistically significance. 8-OHDPAT (30 µM) induced a 5-HT-like outward current, which was inhibited by pre-administration of pindolol (10 µM). Combination of venlafaxine (20 mg/kg/day) and pindolol (15 mg/kg/day) significantly reduced immobilization time when compared to the control group in tail suspension test and forced swim test without any significant change in locomotor activity. Administration of venlafaxine (20 mg/kg/day) alone or pindolol (15 mg/kg/day) alone did not significantly reduce immobilization time. Conclusion Pindolol has the potential to prevent the inhibition of serotonergic neurons after antidepressant use. Hence, we, for the first time, demonstrated that pindolol can potentiate antidepressant effect of venlafaxine. In the mood disorders, pindolol is likely to increase the effectiveness of antidepressant drugs when given in combination.
Growth and nutrient dynamics of Douglas-fir seedlings raised with exponential or conventional fertilization and planted with or without fertilizer

The effects of two operational nursery fertilization regimes on the growth and nutrient dynamics of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) seedlings after planting were compared. Seedlings were grown in a nursery with nutrients added at a constant rate (conventional fertilization) or at a rate that increased exponentially by 2%·day–1 (exponential fertilization) and planted near Barriere and Victoria, British Columbia. At the time of planting, half of the conventionally fertilized seedlings were planted with slow-release fertilizer packets. Growth and nutrient allocation was observed for 2 years following planting. Although the exponential fertilization regime provided 25% more N in the nursery compared with the conventional fertilization regime, exponentially fertilized seedlings were smaller at the time of planting, did not differ significantly in foliar N concentration, and showed no lasting benefits in growth or nutrient allocation. Two years after planting, there were no sign.
Multi-Variant eXecution: State-of-the-Art and Research Challenges

As Internet security issues are becoming increasingly serious, many scholars and experts are exploring new defense strategies. The availability of multi-core computers and cloud computing resources has brought back the original costly defense methods to people’s vision. Among them, the Multi-Variant eXecution (MVX) defense has received widespread attention and is considered a security technology that may change the rules of cyberspace games. In this paper, we analyze and summarize the current MVX defense technology, focusing on the evolution of the architecture and the key technologies. Finally, we point out the challenges to MVX and discuss future research, which is of great significance for the next work.
Diet Composition Affects Liver and Mammary Tissue Transcriptome in Primiparous Holstein Dairy Cows

Simple Summary Corn stover (CS) diets are still adopted by small dairy farms in China. Compared with mixed forage (MF) diets, feeding CS diet affects milk composition, digestibility, feed intake, ruminal fermentation, and lactation performance. Mammary gland and liver are two of the most important organs for lactation in cows. However, research related to the effect of CS diet on the metabolism of liver and mammary tissues of dairy cows is limited. Overall evaluation of the biological response of liver and mammary tissues of dairy cows to changes in CS diet compared with MF diet is essential. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the overall adaptation of liver and mammary tissue to a CS diet in mid-lactation primiparous dairy cows. Modest effect on the transcriptome of the liver and mammary tissue by the CS diet was observed. The analysis of the genes affected by CS indicated mammary gland responding to lower level of linoleate from the diet (lower in CS vs. MF) by activating the associated biosynthesis metabolism while the liver adaptively activated potassium transport to compensate for a lower K ingestion. The results of this study may facilitate the development of better feeding and management strategies and the increase of profitability of dairy farms. Abstract The objective of the present study was to evaluate the overall adaptations of liver and mammary tissue to a corn stover (CS) compared to a mixed forage (MF) diet in mid-lactation primiparous dairy cows. Twenty-four primiparous lactating Holstein cows were randomly allocated to 2 groups receiving either an alfalfa forage diet (MF, F:C = 60:40) with Chinese wildrye, alfalfa hay and corn silage as forage source or a corn stover forage diet (CS, F:C = 40:60). A subgroup of cows (n = 5/diet) was used for analysis of liver and mammary transcriptome using a 4 × 44K Bovine Agilent microarray chip. The results of functional annotation analysis showed that in liver CS vs. MF inhibited pathways related to lipid metabolism while induced the activity of the potassium channel. In mammary tissue, fatty acid metabolism was activated in CS vs. MF. In conclusion, the analysis of genes affected by CS vs. MF indicated mammary gland responding to lower level of linoleate from the diet (lower in CS vs. MF) by activating the associated biosynthesis metabolic pathway while the liver adaptively activated potassium transport to compensate for a lower K ingestion.
Multiple Leaf Measurements Improve Effectiveness of Chlorophyll Meter for Durum Wheat Nitrogen Management

Simple and rapid methods are needed to mea - sure durum wheat ( Triticum durum L.) nitrogen (N) status and make on-site N application deci - sions for increased crop yield and grain quality. Although chlorophyll meters (S pAD meters) have been widely tested for cereal crop N manage - ment, significant variation in SpAD meter read - ings among growing seasons, locations, and crop cultivars makes them challenging. Experi - ments with six durum wheat cultivars and six N fertilizer rates were conducted in Arizona in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 growing seasons to test whether multiple leaf SpAD readings on the same plants can improve estimation of crop N status by SpAD meters. The relationships between N nutrition index (NNI) and S pAD read - ings on the most recent fully expanded leaves (SpAD1), Sufficiency Index or normalized Sp AD index (SI), Normalized difference S pAD index
Gene therapy, a novel therapeutic tool for neurological disorders: Current progress, challenges and future prospective.

Neurological disorders are one of the major threat for health care system as it puts enormous socioeconomic burden. All aged population are susceptible to one or other neurological problems with symptoms of neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction. At present available pharmacotherapeutics are insufficient to treat these diseased conditions and in most cases they provide only palliative effect. It was also found that the molecular etiology of neurological disorders are directly linked with the alteration in genetic makeup which can be inherited or triggered by the injury, environmental toxins and by some existing disease. Therefore, to take care of this situation, gene therapy has emerged as an advanced modality that claims to permanently cure the disease by deletion, silencing or edition of faulty genes and by insertion of healthier genes. In this modality, vectors (viral and non-viral) are used to deliver targeted gene into a specific region of the brain via various routes. At present, gene therapy has shown positive outcomes in complex neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington disease, Multiple sclerosis, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and in lysosomal storage disease. However, there are some limitations such as immunogenic reactions non-specificity of viral vectors and lack of effective biomarkers to understand the efficacy of therapy. Considerable progress has been made to improve vector design, gene selection and targeted delivery. This review article deals with the current status of gene therapy in neurological disorders along with its clinical relevance, challenges and future prospective.
Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Psychiatric Help for Depression: The Serial Mediation Effect of Self-Stigma and Depression on Public Stigma and Attitudes Toward Psychiatric Help

This study aimed to examine the mediating effects of self-stigma and depression on the public stigma and nurses’ attitudes toward psychiatric help. A cross-sectional study with 184 nurses at one general hospital in South Korea was conducted employing a self-administered survey, using the Attitudes toward Seeking Psychological Help Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-II Scale, and the modified Depression Stigma Scale. A multiple-mediation analysis procedure was applied to analyze the data. Each indirect effect of self-stigma (B = −0.0974, bootLLCI, bootULCI: −0.1742, −0.0436) and depression (B = −0.0471, bootLLCI, bootULCI: −0.1014, −0.0060) is statistically significant in the relationship between public stigma and attitudes toward psychiatric help. The individualized intervention for enhancing positive attitude or motivation for seeking help at the personal level of the nurse and depression tests—including regular physical health check-ups—is necessary.
Distribution, abundance and behaviour of Buller’s, Chatham Island and Salvin's Albatrosses off Chile and Peru

During 15 cruises between 1980 and 1995, we studied three species of albatross that nest in New Zealand but occur as non-breeders along the Pacific coast of South America: Buller's Thalassarche bulleri, Chatham Island T. eremita, and Salvin's Albatross T. salvini. We logged 547 h of observation, surveying 7638 km 2 of ocean surface, and recorded 86, 27, and 475 individuals, respectively, of the three species. Chatham Island and Salvin's Albatrosses occurred throughout the Humboldt Current, but habitats differed. Buller's and Salvin's Albatrosses preferred the continental slope, while Chatham Island Albatrosses frequented mostly pelagic waters. On a latitudinal basis, Salvin's Albatross distribution was skewed northward in the austral autumn and southward in spring; Chatham Island Albatross occurred southward during autumn, but was everywhere scarce in spring; and Buller's Albatross occurred almost exclusively in the south (30°S to 40°S) in both seasons. Upwelling and wind speed were positively correlated with densities of Buller's and Salvin's Albatrosses. Densities of Chatham Island Albatrosses also were positively correlated with wind speed, but they occurred further offshore in more stratified waters (with less mixing/upwelling) than did the other two. Pelagic population estimates for the Humboldt Current system, analysed using generalized additive models, peaked at 26 700 individuals for Buller's Albatross (95% confidence interval (CI) 13 100-37 100); 6790 for Chatham Island Albatross (CI 3900-11 100); and 133 100 for Salvin's Albatross (CI 82 800-183 600). Based on adult:subadult ratios observed in the study area, our best estimates for the number of wintering adults were 9100, 5800 and 114 400 birds, respectively, or 20%, 73% and 75% of the numbers estimated (44 500, 8000 and 153 300 birds) for the breeding populations at respective colonies. If we subtract from the autumn count the number of adult-plumaged birds seen in spring (assumed to be non-breeders), then respective percentages were 0%, 73% and 65%. Foraging locations and attraction by these birds to commercial fishing operations makes them susceptible to mortality as a result of the recent development of a longline fishery on the continental slope of Chile.
Composite outcome measurement in clinical research: the triumph of illusion over reality?

Abstract Composite measures that combine different types of indicators are widely used in medical research; to evaluate health systems, as outcomes in clinical trials and patient-reported outcome measurement. The potential advantages of such indices are clear. They are used to summarise complex data and to overcome the problem of evaluating new interventions when the most important outcome is rare or likely to occur far in the future. However, many scientists question the value of composite measures, primarily due to inadequate development methodology, lack of transparency or the likelihood of producing misleading results. It is argued that the real problems with composite measurement are related to their failure to take account of measurement theory and the absence of coherent theoretical models that justify the addition of the individual indicators that are combined into the composite index. All outcome measures must be unidimensional if they are to provide meaningful data. They should also have dimensional homogeneity. Ideally, a specification equation should be developed that can predict accurately how organisations or individuals will score on an index, based on their scores on the individual indicators that make up the measure. The article concludes that composite measures should not be used as they fail to apply measurement theory and, consequently, produce invalid and misleading scores.
Energy drink expectancies among college students

Abstract Objective Since the late ‘90 s, energy drink consumption has increased. The purpose of this investigation was to examine energy drink expectancies of college students. Participants: The university registrar randomly selected fifty university classes to be surveyed. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used to assess the prevalence of energy drink consumption and energy drink expectancies. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to ascertain which expectancies explained energy drink consumption. Results: The expectancy factors of 1,246 participants accounted for 25.8% of the variance in past 30-day energy drink consumption. Energy enhancement, anxiety/negative physical effects, withdrawal, and appetite suppression were each found to be significantly related to energy drink consumption. Conclusions: Energy enhancement and anxiety/negative effects were the strongest predictors of energy drink consumption among college students. The results from this study can be used to design interventions to challenge erroneous expectancies and reinforce others that promote moderation or abstinence.
Inheritance of deep seed dormancy and stratification-mediated dormancy alleviation in Amaranthus tuberculatus

Amaranthus tuberculatus is a weed species that has shifted emergence patterns over the past few years, presumably due to changes in seed dormancy in response to selection in agricultural fields. Although it is recognized that the seed dormancy phenotype is greatly affected by the environment, it is also acknowledged that the genotype plays a significant role. However, the importance of the genotype in determining intra-population seed dormancy variability, and the effect on emergence patterns, is not well understood. The objective of the present study was to determine the importance of the genotype on deep dormancy and the stratification-mediated dormancy alleviation in A. tuberculatus. Wild populations differing in seed dormancy were crossed and F2 families were generated. These families were used to determine narrow sense heritability of dormancy and stratification-mediated dormancy alleviation at the individual (hi2) and family (hf2) levels. hi2 ranged from 0.13 to 0.4 and 0.04 to 0.06 for the dormancy and stratification response, respectively. In the case of hf2, the values ranged from 0.76 to 0.91 for deep dormancy and from 0.33 to 0.58 for the stratification response. The genetic correlation between these two traits was below 0.075, indicating that different genes control them. High temperature strengthened the dormancy of deeply dormant seeds, making them less sensitive to stratification. However, high temperature promoted the germination of non-deeply dormant seeds. It is proposed that delayed weed emergence can be generated by selecting genes that control stratification response, and not necessarily only the genes that are directly responsible for deep dormancy.