Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From breakup to coiling and buckling regimes in buoyant viscoplastic injections

Abstract We study the injection flow of a heavy viscoplastic fluid into a light Newtonian fluid, via modelling and experiments. The injection is carried out downward, via an eccentric inner pipe inside a vertical closed-end outer pipe. This configuration results in a core viscoplastic fluid surrounded by an annular Newtonian fluid. The flow is structured and mixing is negligible. As the injection rate increases in a typical experiment, we observe three distinct flow regimes, associated with the core fluid behaviour, namely the breakup, coiling and buckling (bulging) regimes. In the breakup regime, the core fluid is yielded due to the extension caused by buoyancy, while in the buckling regime the yielding occurs due to the compression promoted by the pressure and the interfacial shear stress applied by the upward flow of the annular fluid. For the coiling regime, the core fluid remains largely unyielded until it exhibits a coiling behaviour. We develop a lubrication approximation model, using the Herschel–Bulkley constitutive equation, with dimensionless flow parameters including the Bingham number, the power-law index, the buoyancy number, the viscosity ratio, the diameter ratio, the eccentricity and the aspect ratio. Based on a reasonable prediction to the yielding onset, the model allows us to classify the flow regimes versus an elegant combination of the dimensionless numbers.
Preventing the mental health consequences of war in refugee populations

Abstract The refugee experience is associated with several potentially traumatic events that increase the risk of developing mental health consequences, including worsening of subjective wellbeing and quality of life, and risk of developing mental disorders. Here we present actions that countries hosting forcibly displaced refugees may implement to decrease exposure to potentially traumatic stressors, enhance subjective wellbeing and prevent the onset of mental disorders. A first set of actions refers to the development of reception conditions aiming to decrease exposure to post-migration stressors, and a second set of actions refers to the implementation of evidence-based psychological interventions aimed at reducing stress, preventing the development of mental disorders and enhancing subjective wellbeing.
Numerical investigation of turbulent features past different mechanical aortic valves

Abstract Flow through mechanical aortic valves (MAVs) has been constantly associated to higher haemolysis and platelet activation levels with respect to native valves, due to non-physiologic haemodynamic features. Both computational and experimental investigations have correlated the blood damage to augmented levels of turbulent stress downstream of MAVs. This study provides a computational estimation, drawn from high-resolution direct numerical simulations, of turbulent and fluctuating viscous stresses in three different MAV configurations, at subsequent stages of the cardiac cycle. The configurations comprise a St. Judes Medical Regent valve (SJMV), a Lapeyre-Triflo FURTIVA valve (LTFV) with three leaflets, and a SJMV with vortex generators (VGs). Non-standard configurations are expected to mitigate the mean stress level on blood constituents reducing the turbulent production. Computations are carried out by means of a finite-difference flow solver with a direct-forcing immersed boundary technique to handle fixed and moving bodies. The VGs are found to provide instabilities which corrupt the Kármán-like vortex shedding downstream of the leaflets, reducing the intensity of turbulent kinetic energy at the peak flow rate, thus lowering the local Reynolds shear stress. Conversely, the LTFV configuration provides comparable haemodynamic performance at peak flow rate but further reduced stress level in the deceleration phase. These interpretations are supported by probability density distributions from three-dimensional fields, and further corroborated by a pointwise mapping of the Taylor length scale and local energy spectra. The outcomes of this study might potentially be exploited to improve the design of new-generation MAVs, with the aim of decreasing the risk of thromboembolic complications.
Production of growing rabbits in large pens with and without multilevel platforms

The experiment was conducted at the Kaposvár University using the maternal line (Pannon Ka) of the Pannon Breeding Program. A total of 174 rabbits of both sexes, weaned at 5 weeks of age were studied. They were randomly divided into three groups: 2 pens without platform, 2 pens with two-level wire-mesh elevated platforms, 2 pens with two-level plasticmesh elevated platforms. The size of each pen was 1.0 x 1.83 m (29 rabbits/pen, 16 rabbits/m2 calculated for bottom level or 9.14 rabbits/m2 calculated with the surface of platforms). Body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, morbidity and mortality were not significantly different among the groups. It can be concluded that the enriched pens, the greater possibilities for movement (using platform), the lower stocking density did not influence the production of growing rabbits.
The Reference Frame of Robotic Limbs Contributes to the Sense of Embodiment and Motor Control Process

The robotic limbs using a body remapping approach often follow either the user’s reference frame 1) fixed outside the user’s body (Space frame), 2) centered on a user’s torso (Torso frame), or 3) centered on a user’s head (Head frame). In this study, we investigate the effect of the reference frame on the sense of embodiment and the user’s motor control process. We asked 12 participants to perform some point-to-point tasks with the virtual robotic limbs remapped to the participants’ feet. The virtual robotic limbs tip followed the participants’ feet and each reference frame condition (Space frame, Torso frame, and Head frame). As a result, the reaction time, the movement straightness, and the movement priority were significantly high rate in the Torso frame condition. The subjective score on the sense of embodiment showed that the reference frame condition contributed to the sense of embodiment.
Defining Power and Agency in Gender Relations in El Salvador: Consequences for Intimate Partner Violence and Women’s Mental Health

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects thousands of women around the world and is prevalent in the Global South. Unequal social structures perpetuate hierarchies and maintain women’s vulnerability to violence. Difficulties women face in accessing education, economic resources, and employment diminish their power in intimate relationships, increasing the likelihood of IPV. These factors can also have a significant effect on women’s mental health. However, some studies show that economic empowerment does not necessarily translate into greater agency for women if they cannot use the resources they earn to pursue whatever goals or values they regard as important in life. Agency is women’s ability to identify their life goals and act upon them through critical evaluation (intrinsic agency) and autonomous decision-making (instrumental agency). In this article, we aim to analyze the relationship between women’s power (educational and economic) and agency and their influence on intimate partner violence and on women’s mental health in the context of El Salvador. Currently, El Salvador has one of the highest percentages of femicide worldwide. We used data from the first national survey on violence against women in El Salvador to determine empowerment indicators and investigated their influence on intimate partner violence and women’s mental health. Results from a representative sample of 1,274 women aged between 15 and 64 years old and, using a structural equation modeling revealed that education was a protective factor against IPV, but economic power appeared to put women at greater risk of IPV. Education was positively related to both intrinsic and instrumental agency, but only instrumental agency was negatively associated with the likelihood of being a victim of IPV. Finally, both intrinsic and instrumental agencies were positively related to women’s mental health. We discuss the importance of identifying specific factors related to women’s power and agency to prevent IPV and mental health problems and to promote more gender equity in the Global South.
Nutraceutical Molecules Slow Down Retinal Degeneration, in Tvrm4 Mice a Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa, by Genetic Modulation of Anti-oxidant Pathway

Rhodopsin (RHO) mutations are responsible for 25–40% of the dominant cases of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) with different severity and progression rates. The Tvrm4 mice, heterozygous for an I307N dominant mutation of RHO, display a normal retinal phenotype when raised in ambient light conditions, but undergo photoreceptor degeneration when briefly exposed to strong white light. Here, The Tvrm4 mice is pre-treated with naringenin 100 mg/kg/die, quercetin 100 mg/kg/die, naringenin 50 + quercercetin 100 mg/kg/die or vehicle dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO 0.025%) in the drinking water for 35 days. On the 30th day, retinal degeneration was induced by exposure for 1 min to the white light of 12,000 lux intensity, and the treatment was repeated for another 5 days. At the end of the protocol retinal functionality was tested by recording an electroretinogram (ERG). The retinal tissue was collected and was used for further analyses, including immunohistochemically, biochemical, and molecular biology assays. The data obtained show that treatment with nutraceutical molecules is effective in counteracting retinal degeneration by preserving the functionality of photoreceptors and increasing the antioxidant and anti-apoptotic pathways of retinal cells. The present data confirm that nutraceutical molecules are effective in slowing photoreceptor degeneration in a mutation-independent way by modulating the antioxidant response of the retina at the gene expression level.
The Association Between Hyperuricemia and Obesity Metabolic Phenotypes in Chinese General Population: A Retrospective Analysis

Purpose Serum uric acid (UA) not only affects the development of obesity but also alters the metabolic status in obese subjects; thus we investigated the relationship between serum UA and the overweight/obese metabolic phenotypes. Methods The demographic, biochemical, and hematological data were collected for 12,876 patients undergoing routine physical examination, and 6,912 participants were enrolled in our study. Participants were classified into four obesity metabolic phenotypes according to their BMI and the presence of metabolic syndrome: metabolically healthy overweight/obese (MHOO), metabolically healthy and normal weighted (MHNW), metabolically abnormal and overweight/obese (MAOO), and metabolically abnormal but normal weighted (MANW). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, stratified analysis, and also interaction analysis were conducted to analyze the relationship between serum UA and obesity metabolic phenotypes. Results Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that hyperuricemia was positively associated with MHOO, MANW, and MAOO phenotypes relative to MHNW. After adjusting for the confounding factors, the odds ratios (OR) for individuals with hyperuricemia to be MHOO, MANW, and MAOO phenotypes were 1.86 (1.42–2.45), 2.30 (1.44–3.66), and 3.15 (2.34–4.24), respectively. The ORs for having MHOO, MANW, and MAOO increased 6% [OR: 1.06 (1.05–1.07), P < 0.0001], 5% [OR: 1.05 (1.03–1.07), P < 0.0001], and 11% [OR: 1.11 (1.10–1.13), P < 0.0001] for each 10 unit (μmol/L) of increase in serum UA level. Stratification analysis as well as an interaction test showed that sex and age did not interfere with the association of hyperuricemia with each metabolic phenotype. In terms of the components of the metabolic syndrome, after adjusting for other confounding factors including all of the metabolic indicators except itself, hyperuricemia was positively associated with increased BMI [OR: 1.66 (1.32–2.09), P < 0.0001], hypertriglyceridemia [OR: 1.56 (1.21–2.02), P = 0.0006], and hypertension [OR: 1.22 (1.03–1.46), P = 0.0233], while it had no significant association with hyperglycemia and low HDL-C (all P > 0.05). Conclusion In our study, we discovered that hyperuricemia was positively associated with MHOO, MANW, and MAOO phenotypes, and this relationship was independent of sex and age.
Analysis of the Group of Pediatric Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Data From the Czech National Registry

Importance Multiple sclerosis can also affect children. Approximately 3–10% of patients develop multiple sclerosis before the age of 16. Objective The aim of this analysis is to describe the characteristics of pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis who started their treatment with disease-modifying drugs in 2013–2020, with data obtained from the Czech National Registry of patients with multiple sclerosis. Design and Setting A method of retrospective analysis conducted with 134 pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis was used. Results The findings reveal that the mean age at the date of the introduction of the first disease-modifying drugs treatment is 15.89 years, and gender does not play any role. In addition, moderate (51.6%) and mild (45.2%) relapses are predominant in these young patients. Seventy five percent of patients will not experience a confirmed progression of the expanded disability status scale within 54.7 months from starting the treatment. Furthermore, the results confirm that the first-choice treatment is interferon beta-a and glatiramer acetate, which is common for adult patients. However, some factors, such as a low efficacy or a lack of tolerance may impact on treatment discontinuation in children. Conclusion More research should be performed on novel disease-modifying drugs for this target group.
Bilateral Interactions in the Mouse Dorsal Inferior Colliculus Enhance the Ipsilateral Neuronal Responses and Binaural Hearing

The inferior colliculus (IC) is a critical centre for the binaural processing of auditory information. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICC), and less is known about the dorsal nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICD). Here, we first examined the characteristics of the neuronal responses in the mouse ICD and compared them with those in the inferior colliculus under binaural and monaural conditions using in vivo loose-patch recordings. ICD neurons exhibited stronger responses to ipsilateral sound stimulation and better binaural summation than those of ICC neurons, which indicated a role for the ICD in binaural hearing integration. According to the abundant interactions between bilateral ICDs detected using retrograde virus tracing, we further studied the effect of unilateral ICD silencing on the contralateral ICD. After lidocaine was applied, the responses of some ICD neurons (13/26), especially those to ipsilateral auditory stimuli, decreased. Using whole-cell recording and optogenetic methods, we investigated the underlying neuronal circuits and synaptic mechanisms of binaural auditory information processing in the ICD. The unilateral ICD provides both excitatory and inhibitory projections to the opposite ICD, and the advantaged excitatory inputs may be responsible for the enhanced ipsilateral responses and binaural summation of ICD neurons. Based on these results, the contralateral ICD might modulate the ipsilateral responses of the neurons and binaural hearing.
Bacterioplankton Community Profiling of the Surface Waters of Kuwait

The marine waters of Kuwait are highly dynamic and strongly influenced by extreme environmental conditions and high levels of anthropogenic activities. This study explored the bacterioplankton community composition and diversity in Kuwait Bay and at four offshore sites close to urbanized coastal areas during two seasons, autumn (October) and spring (April). 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing detected higher bacterial diversity and richness in spring than in autumn. Also, bacterial community beta diversity revealed a significant seasonal partitioning between the two sampling periods but no clear spatial variation could be depicted. Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Flavobacteriia, and Acidimicrobiia dominated the seasonal samples, and SARII clade Ia, SARII clade II, Synechococcus, and SUP05 cluster were among the most abundant taxa in the seasonal samples. However, the strong temporal shift in bacterial community composition was related to Synechococcus abundance. The prevailing physicochemical parameters displayed a significant influence on the bacterioplankton community composition, which was mainly driven by shifts in temperature and nutrient inputs. Furthermore, functional prediction by PICRUSt analysis revealed a relatively stable conserved functional profile in Kuwait’s waters. However, functional genes related to membrane transport were enriched in eutrophic spring waters, while photosynthetic genes were enriched in autumn. Our results provide in-depth insights into the temporal and spatial variations of bacterioplankton dynamics in Kuwait waters and highlight the strong seasonal influence of natural and anthropogenic stressors on their composition and predicted functional capabilities.
The Dopamine Assisted Synthesis of MoO3/Carbon Electrodes With Enhanced Capacitance in Aqueous Electrolyte

A capacitance increase phenomenon is observed for MoO3 electrodes synthesized via a sol-gel process in the presence of dopamine hydrochloride (Dopa HCl) as compared to α-MoO3 electrodes in 5M ZnCl2 aqueous electrolyte. The synthesis approach is based on a hydrogen peroxide-initiated sol-gel reaction to which the Dopa HCl is added. The powder precursor (Dopa)xMoOy, is isolated from the metastable gel using freeze-drying. Hydrothermal treatment (HT) of the precursor results in the formation of MoO3 accompanied by carbonization of the organic molecules; designated as HT-MoO3/C. HT of the precipitate formed in the absence of dopamine in the reaction produced α-MoO3, which was used as a reference material in this study (α-MoO3-ref). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show a nanobelt morphology for both HT-MoO3/C and α-MoO3-ref powders, but with distinct differences in the shape of the nanobelts. The presence of carbonaceous content in the structure of HT-MoO3/C is confirmed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy measurements. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement analysis demonstrate the presence of α-MoO3 and h-MoO3 phases in the structure of HT-MoO3/C. The increased specific capacitance delivered by the HT-MoO3/C electrode as compared to the α-MoO3-ref electrode in 5M ZnCl2 electrolyte in a −0.25–0.70 V vs. Ag/AgCl potential window triggered a more detailed study in an expanded potential window. In the 5M ZnCl2 electrolyte at a scan rate of 2 mV s−1, the HT-MoO3/C electrode shows a second cycle capacitance of 347.6 F g−1. The higher electrochemical performance of the HT-MoO3/C electrode can be attributed to the presence of carbon in its structure, which can facilitate electron transport. Our study provides a new route for further development of metal oxides for energy storage applications.
Nrf2 Activation Protects Against Organic Dust and Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure Induced Epithelial Barrier Loss and K. pneumoniae Invasion

Agriculture workers report various respiratory symptoms owing to occupational exposure to organic dust (OD) and various gases. Previously, we demonstrated that pre-exposure to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) alters the host response to OD and induces oxidative stress. Nrf2 is a master-regulator of host antioxidant response and exposures to toxicants is known to reduce Nrf2 activity. The OD exposure-induced lung inflammation is known to increase susceptibility to a secondary microbial infection. We tested the hypothesis that repeated exposure to OD or H2S leads to loss of Nrf2, loss of epithelial cell integrity and that activation of Nrf2 rescues this epithelial barrier dysfunction. Primary normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells or mouse precision cut-lung slices (PCLS) were treated with media, swine confinement facility organic dust extract (ODE) or H2S or ODE+H2S for one or five days. Cells were also pretreated with vehicle control (DMSO) or RTA-408, a Nrf2 activator. Acute exposure to H2S and ODE+H2S altered the cell morphology, decreased the viability as per the MTT assay, and reduced the Nrf2 expression as well as increased the keap1 levels in NHBE cells. Repeated exposure to ODE or H2S or ODE+H2S induced oxidative stress and cytokine production, decreased tight junction protein occludin and cytoskeletal protein ezrin expression, disrupted epithelial integrity and resulted in increased Klebsiella pneumoniae invasion. RTA-408 (pharmacological activator of Nrf2) activated Nrf2 by decreasing keap1 levels and reduced ODE+H2S-induced changes including reversing loss of barrier integrity, inflammatory cytokine production and microbial invasion in PCLS but not in NHBE cell model. We conclude that Nrf2 activation has a partial protective function against ODE and H2S.
NIBAN1, Exploring its Roles in Cell Survival Under Stress Context

Cell survival must quickly activate specific mechanisms that enable to detect changes in the cellular microenvironment. The impact of these cell alteration has direct consequences on cellular homeostasis. Cellular stress, as well as its regulation and implication, has been studied in different pathologies. In this sense, the alteration in NIBAN1 expression seems to act in response to different cellular disturbances. Over the years, the knowledge of NIBAN1 functions has improved, demonstrating its important cell roles, favoring the cell survival under stress context. In response to the disturbances, NIBAN1 seems to be involved in the decision-making process between cell survival and death. The increase in NIBAN1 expression has been related to cellular mechanisms that seek to minimize the damage caused to cellular homeostasis. In this review, the main biological insights attributed to the NIBAN1 gene in different cellular contexts and its role as a mediator of cellular stress are discussed.