Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Species identification and genetic relationships in the squid family Gonatidae (Teuthida, Cephalopoda) based on partial sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear genes

Abstract Squids of the family Gonatidae are key components in oceanic communities. However, issues related to correct species identification, number of species, and their genetic relatedness remain. To address these issues, sequences from three mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [CO1], 16S rRNA, and 12S rRNA) and two nuclear (18S and 28S) genes were analysed in the Gonatidae. Four of the five sequences (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, 28S, and CO1) yielded rather similar patterns of genetic relationships among the species. Molecular evidence suggested intra-familial subdivision into two major groups of species having either five or seven longitudinal rows of teeth in the radula. The former group included all species of the genus Gonatus and two sister-species of Gonatopsis s. str. suggesting that all gonatid species with five rows of radular teeth represent a single taxonomic unit of a genus or subfamily level. Species with seven rows of radular teeth formed several ‘species’ clusters. Sequence analysis also addressed species identification issues in the Gonatidae. Two genetically divergent groups were found among squid which conformed to the description of Gonatus berryi. Molecular evidence suggested sister-species relationships between ‘large’ and ‘small’ forms of Boreoteuthis borealis with size-at-maturity as the only reported difference between these two cohorts. Sequence variation was observed within Gonatus pyros. Inclusion of gonatid sequences from the GenBank into the analysis suggested probable species misidentification in several cases. Combined use of several mitochondrial and nuclear sequences served as a valuable tool for species identification and provided a solid background for unravelling molecular genetic and taxonomic relationships in the Gonatidae.
Morphology of the vertical structure of precipitation over India and adjoining oceans based on long‐term measurements of TRMM PR

The spatial and seasonal variability of the vertical structure of precipitation has been studied using 15 years of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission's Precipitation Radar (TRMM PR) version 7 data over India and adjoining oceans. Special emphasis has been put on six different climatic rain regimes and on different types of precipitation including the virga rain. The distribution of reflectivity factor (Z) above the freezing level height is broader in northwest India (NWI) and narrower over the Arabian Sea and west coast of India (ASWC) than in other selected regions, due to dominance of deep and shallow convective rain, respectively, in those regions. The height variation of contours in normalized distributions for Z indicates that evaporation of raindrops (low‐level hydrometeor growth) could be significant in NWI (ASWC and Bay of Bengal). All the above features show clear seasonal variation and are observed predominantly during the southwest monsoon. The occurrence of virga rain clearly shows land‐ocean contrast (less over the oceans) and seasonal variation (preponderant during premonsoon). Among different rain categories, the stratiform (convective) rain had highest (lowest) fraction of virga rain of >15–30% (<10%) over land regions. 1. The storm height (SH) vertical distributions show a peak in the vicinity of bright band (BB) in all regions, except for those regions and seasons, where convective precipitation is dominant. The well‐defined BB feature and SH exhibit significant seasonal and regional variations, which are linked to variations in the occurrence of stratiform rain and height of BB. The spatial and seasonal variations of mean SH and the occurrence of deep and overshooting convective rain show good correspondence with the spatial variation of convective available potential energy.
Immune-nutritional indices in female Nigerian breast cancer patients with different tumour characteristics

Breast cancer presents varied and complex clinicopathological features which make its management individualistic, prolonged and expensive, thus the need to differentiate each type of breast cancer using cheap and easy to perform investigations. This study evaluated the differentiation potential of extensive immune-nutritional indices which combined serum C-reactive protein (CRP), haemoglobin, albumin levels, blood lymphocyte and platelet counts in breast cancer patients of different status. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pre-treatment Onodera’s prognostic nutritional index (OPNI), CRP-Albumin-Lymphocyte (CALLY) index and the Haemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte and Platelet (HALP) scores differ with breast cancer characteristics. We enrolled a total of 135 consecutive newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who were not on any treatment from Radiation Oncology Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Lymphocyte count, platelet count and haemoglobin levels were determined using auto-analyser while serum CRP and albumin levels were measured using ELISA. Immune-nutritional indices (OPNI, CALLY and HALP) were calculated. Haemoglobin concentration, serum albumin level, OPNI, CALLY and HALP were significantly decreased while serum CRP was significantly raised in breast cancer patients compared with control. Mean values of OPNI, CALLY and HALP were significantly decreased in late stage breast cancer patients compared with early stage breast cancer patients, while only CALLY was significantly decreased in poorly differentiated and metastatic breast cancer patients compared with well differentiated and non-metastatic breast cancer patients respectively. This study confirmed the presence of malnutrition and inflammation in breast cancer patients, especially late-stage, poorly differentiated and metastatic groups. This calls for monitoring of liver functions in all cases of breast cancer.
A Life Course Approach on Older Portuguese Gay and Bisexual People: The Multifactorial Development of Sexual Identity

Research shows that successful development of sexual identity is essential for healthy and well-adjusted ageing. Gay and bisexual (GB) older people have experienced cumulative events throughout their lives that may have affected the development of their identity. In addition, the few previous studies show an alarming lack of community connectedness among older GB people in Portugal. This study assessed the factors that have contributed to the development of sexual identity in Portuguese GB older adults throughout their lives, using an inductive qualitative cross-sectional approach based on Life Course Theory. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were carried out with older (60+ years) GB people living in the community and using the lifeline technique. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis with a codebook approach. Results suggest a multifactorial contribution of factors throughout the life cycle that have affected the development of GB older people’s sexual identity. These include historical–cultural factors (e.g., sexual repression and traditionalism of the dictatorship), psychosocial factors (e.g., cumulative sexual stigma), relational factors (e.g., relational clandestinity) and intrapersonal factors (e.g., concealment of sexual orientation). The existence of the Internalized Sexual Minority Disconnectedness phenomenon and its contribution to the formation of the sexual identity of older GB adults were also verified. These results reveal important clues about the development of older GB people in Portugal and the factors that may be affecting the current invisibility of these people in the social and health-related context. Relevant implications for the clinical context are also discussed.
Geophysical–Geochemical Reconstruction of Ancient Population Size – the Early Bronze Age Settlement of Fidvár (Slovakia)

Population estimates are a vital backdrop to our understanding of ancient societies' socio‐economic structures and development. In order to facilitate such an informational mise en scène in terms of the early Bronze Age settlement of Fidvár in southwestern Slovakia, a new geophysical–geochemical approach is presented here, the first results of which are very promising. The crux of the new methodology utilizes the population's chemical fingerprint in relation to total anthropogenic phosphorus input as a proxy for different population models. These methods suggest an early Bronze Age population of 300–600 individuals, in accordance with the comparative analysis of a magnetic survey, and also matches initial archaeological estimates. Further methodological adjustments suggest an even higher population of up to 1000 inhabitants. In light of these figures, it is likely that Fidvár was one of the centres of the early Bronze Age socio‐economic system of the northern Pannonian Basin. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A contribution to the Ethnobotanical studies of some plants of Loralai District, Baluchistan

A survey of District Loralai, Baluchistan, Pakistan was carried out during 2011-2012 to document the ethnobotanical data on locally found important plants by interviewing the local people through a questionnaire. A total of 28 plant species belonging to 19 families, out of which 1 gymnosperm family and 18 families of angiosperms were documented. The data on plants included botanical names, vernacular names, the parts used and specific purpose of use. Asteraceae was found dominant family with 5 species. The plant species collected were identified mainly with the help of Flora of Pakistan and after mounting on herbarium sheets were submitted to Dr. Sultan Ahmad Herbarium GC University, Lahore after pasting voucher numbers.
Gene Distribution in Pediatric-Onset Inherited Peripheral Neuropathy: A Single Tertiary Center in Thailand

Background: Inherited peripheral neuropathy presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to its association with mutations in over 100 genes. This condition leads to long-term disability and poses a substantial healthcare burden on society. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the distribution of genes and establish the genotype-phenotype correlations, focusing on pediatric-onset cases. Methods: Exome sequencing and other analytical techniques were employed to identify pathogenic variants, including duplication analysis of the PMP22 gene. Each patient underwent physical examination and electrophysiological studies. Genotypes were correlated with phenotypic features, such as age at disease onset and ulnar motor nerve conduction velocity. Results: We identified 35 patients with pediatric-onset inherited peripheral neuropathy. Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were confirmed in 24 out of 35 (68.6%) patients, with 4 of these variants being novel. A confirmed molecular diagnosis was achieved in 90.9% (10/11) of patients with demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) and 56.3% (9/16) of patients with axonal CMT. Among patients with infantile-onset CMT (≤2 years), the most common causative genes were MFN2 and NEFL, while GDAP1 and MFN2 were frequent causes among patients with childhood- or adolescent-onset CMT (3–9 years). Conclusions: The MFN2 gene was the most commonly implicated gene, and the axonal type was predominant in this cohort of Thai patients with pediatric-onset inherited peripheral neuropathy.
Mechanical and Thermal Characteristics of Concrete Reinforced with Crushed Glass and Glass Fiber: An Experimental Study

The incorporation of waste glass and glass fiber, as replacements for fine aggregate and cement respectively, offers a sustainable strategy to mitigate landfilling and virgin aggregate extraction. The present study delves into the influence of these waste derivatives on the mechanical and thermal attributes of concrete. Fine aggregate was substituted by crushed glass shards in a weight-to-weight ratio ranging from 5% to 30%, and cement was replaced by glass fiber in a weight-to-weight ratio of 1%. Mechanical attributes such as compressive, flexural, and splitting strength were evaluated, along with thermal characteristics of the concrete. A concrete mix ratio of 1:2:4 and a water/cement ratio of 0.45 were employed. The results revealed that concrete designated as Mcf20% demonstrated superior mechanical properties compared to the reference concrete. After 28 days, compressive strength of 51.2 MPa, flexural strength of 6.5 MPa, and splitting tensile strength of 3.78 MPa were recorded for Mcf20% concrete, signifying the beneficial effects of the combined use of glass fiber and crushed glass. Furthermore, an inverse relationship was observed between the percentage of waste additives and thermal conductivity. This investigation underscores the potential of recycling glass and glass fiber as eco-friendly additives in concrete, improving both mechanical properties and thermal performance, thus endorsing their use in structural and architectural concrete applications.
Characterizing the role of human behavior in the effectiveness of contact-tracing applications

Introduction Although numerous countries relied on contact-tracing (CT) applications as an epidemic control measure against the COVID-19 pandemic, the debate around their effectiveness is still open. Most studies indicate that very high levels of adoption are required to stop disease progression, placing the main interest of policymakers in promoting app adherence. However, other factors of human behavior, like delays in adherence or heterogeneous compliance, are often disregarded. Methods To characterize the impact of human behavior on the effectiveness of CT apps we propose a multilayer network model reflecting the co-evolution of an epidemic outbreak and the app adoption dynamics over a synthetic population generated from survey data. The model was initialized to produce epidemic outbreaks resembling the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and was used to explore the impact of different changes in behavioral features in peak incidence and maximal prevalence. Results The results corroborate the relevance of the number of users for the effectiveness of CT apps but also highlight the need for early adoption and, at least, moderate levels of compliance, which are factors often not considered by most policymakers. Discussion The insight obtained was used to identify a bottleneck in the implementation of several apps, such as the Spanish CT app, where we hypothesize that a simplification of the reporting system could result in increased effectiveness through a rise in the levels of compliance.
Observations of the vertical and regional variability of aerosol optical properties over central and eastern North America

Aerosol optical properties were measured in situ from a research aircraft during three recent field experiments in the central and eastern parts of North America as well as over areas of the western Atlantic Ocean. Regional and vertical variability of the aerosol properties for boundary layer and free tropospheric air were determined. In general, the differences between distributions of aerosol properties measured at low (planetary boundary layer) and high (free troposphere) altitudes were small but statistically significant at the 3% level or better. However, most of the aerosol optical thickness of the layers studied (∼5 km down to ∼100 m) was encountered in the lowest 1 km of each layer. As a result, the near-surface measurements of aerosol optical properties adequately represented the portion of the lower column that dominates the radiative effects. The estimated error encountered by using near-surface aerosol measurements to calculate the layer forcing was typically <10%.
Multiple Myeloma in 2023 Ways: From Trials to Real Life

Multiple myeloma is a chronic hematologic malignancy that obstinately tends to relapse. Basic research has made giant strides in better characterizing the molecular mechanisms of the disease. The results have led to the manufacturing of new, revolutionary drugs which have been widely tested in clinical trials. These drugs have been approved and are now part of the therapeutic armamentarium. As a consequence, it is essential to combine what we know from clinical trials with real-world data in order to improve therapeutic strategies. Starting with this premise, our review aims to describe the currently employed regimens in multiple myeloma and compare clinical trials with real-life experiences. We also intend to put a spotlight on promising therapies such as T-cell engagers and chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) which are proving to be effective in changing the course of advanced-stage disease.
Qualitative analysis of tree species in evergreen forests of Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India

Current study provides information on the characteristics of tree species in five forests types in the Kumaun Himalaya. On the basis of importance value index, it was observed that Pinus roxburghii is the common tree species at site 1 and 2,Quercus leucotricophora is common at site 3, 4 and 5 is dominated by Quercusfloribunda and Quercus semecarpifolia, respectively. Tree density (individual/100 m2) varied from 5.3 to 9.4 in different forest sites. Diversity and dominance indices showed a range of 0.1 to 1.6 and 0.6 to 1.0, respectively. Equitability index in different sites varied from 1.1 to 4.4. It was noticed that with an increase in species richness, diversity and equitability increases. Dominance value decreases with an increase in equitability and diversity indicating inverse relationship between diversity and dominance. Key words: Diversity index, dominance index, equitability, Kumaun Himalaya.
Long-Term Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Profile and Seroclearance Following Antiviral Treatment: A Single-Center, Real-World Cohort Study

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance, an indicator of recovery from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, is uncommon in long-term nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) therapy. We compared the incidence of HBsAg seroclearance in patients with and without NUC discontinuation to identify predictors of HBsAg seroclearance. This retrospective study enrolled adult patients with a chronic HBV infection followed for ≥12 months after NUC discontinuation (finite group) and those treated with NUCs for >3 years (non-finite group). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed. The study cohort included 978 patients, including 509 and 469 patients in the finite and non-finite groups, respectively. Cumulative HBsAg seroclearance incidence was significantly higher in the finite group than in the non-finite group (p = 0.006). The 5- and 10-year cumulative HBsAg seroclearance incidence were 6.6% and 18.9% in the finite group and 3% and 14.6% in the non-finite group, respectively. The likelihood of HBsAg seroclearance was higher in those with end of treatment (EOT) HBsAg levels of <100 IU/mL and in those without clinical relapse (CR). The cumulative 3-year CR incidence was 16.8%. The incidence of liver decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma were 4.1 and 0.4 per 1000 person-years, respectively. The hepatocellular carcinoma incidence did not significantly differ between the finite and non-finite groups (p = 0.941). In conclusion, higher HBsAg seroclearance incidence in patients receiving finite therapy, and the increased likelihood of HBsAg seroclearance in those with EOT HBsAg levels of <100 IU/mL and in those without CR should be considered during decision-making of treatment options.
Silicon-Air-Silicon DBRs for Electrostatically Actuated Infrared Filter Applications

This paper presents the design, modeling, fabrication and optical characterization of electrostatically-actuated silicon-based thin film Fabry-Pérot filters for spectroscopic sensing applications at mid-wave infrared (MWIR: 3–5 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula>) wavelengths. The distributed Bragg reflectors of the FP filters consist of silicon and air-gap layers in order to enhance the refractive index contrast and performance of the filter. A peak-to-peak surface variation of less than 30 nm in the fabricated micromachined structures was achieved across a large spatial area of 1 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{m}\text{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula> × 1 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{m}\text{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula>. Although, spectral measurements on released Fabry-Pérot actuated filters show good agreement with optical simulations the filter performance indicates there is a significant peak-to-peak surface variation within the main air optical cavity. The fabricated Fabry-Pérot filters demonstrate peak transmittance values between 38% and 50%, with measured full width at half maximum values in the range of 70 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathrm{n}\text{m}$</tex-math></inline-formula> making them promising devices for use in spectral sensing and imaging in the MWIR wavelength range.
COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF SWELLING PRESSURE

Two testing methods for the measurement of swelling pressure of expansive soils were conducted. These are the constant volume method and the oedometer method. Identical samples were subjected to the two testing methods. Results obtained show that the oedometer method gives higher swelling pressure values than the constant volume method. Plasticity index, swell percent and dry density were correlated to the two testing methods.
Scottish debris flow events of August 2004

In August 2004 Scotland experienced rainfall substantially in excess of the norm. Some areas of Scotland received more than 300% of the 30-year average August rainfall, while in the Perth & Kinross area figures of the order of between 250% and 300% were typical. Although the percentage rainfall during August reduced to the west, parts of Stirling and Argyll & Bute still received between 200% and 250% of the monthly average (Source: http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/2004/august/maps.html). The 30-year average rainfall for August in Scotland varies between 67 mm on the east coast and 150 mm in the west of Scotland (Anon 1989). The rainfall was both intense and long lasting and a large number of landslides, in the form of debris flows, were experienced in the hills of Scotland. A small number of these intersected the trunk or strategic, road network, notably the A83 between Glen Kinglas and to the north of Cairndow (9 August), the A9 to the north of Dunkeld (11 August), and the A85 at Glen Ogle (18 August). These locations are illustrated in Figure 1. Fig. 1 Map showing the trunk and motorway network in Scotland (© Crown Copyright). The locations of the three main debris flow event areas in Scotland in August 2004 are also shown. While there were no major injuries to those affected, 57 people had to be airlifted to safety when they became trapped between the two main debris flows at Glen Ogle. However, the real impacts of the events were economic and social, in particular the severance of access to and from relatively remote communities. The A85, carrying up to 5600 vehicles per day (all vehicles two-way, 24 hour AADT – Annual Average Daily Traffic), was closed for four days. The A83, which carries around 5000 vehicles per day, was closed for slightly over a day …