Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurement of Pressure Distribution in a Supersonic Micronozzle

Micronozzles have recently commanded considerable attention because of their potential applications, such as in flow control of microspacecraft. It is difficult to understand fundamental physical phenomena in microscale flow due to the lack of suitable quantitative measurement tools (pressure and temperature sensors, etc.). Pressure-sensitive paint is one of the most promising options for global distribution measurement in microscale flow. In this paper, pressure distribution in a supersonic micronozzle with a nozzle throat of 250 μm was investigated using pressure-sensitive paint, and the experimental results were compared with numerical simulation by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations in three-dimensional space. The pressure-sensitive paint measurement technique demonstrated its validity for quantitative measurement of pressure distribution in microscale flow and revealed that the performance of the present micronozzle is critically affected by the boundary layer along the side wall.
Water and Nitrogen Coupling Increased the Water-Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Oilseed Flax

Increasing water shortages and environmental pollution from excess chemical nitrogen fertilizer use necessitate the development of irrigation-nitrogen conservation technology in oilseed flax production. Therefore, a two-year split-plot design experiment (2017–2018) was conducted with three types of irrigation (I) levels (no irrigation (I0), irrigation of 1200 m3 ha−1 (I1200), and 1800 m3 ha−1 (I1800)) as the main plot and three nitrogen (N) application rates (0 (N0), 60 (N60) and 120 (N120) kg N ha−1) as the subplot in Northwest China to determine the effects of irrigation and N rates on oilseed flax grain yield, yield components, water-use efficiency (WUE), and N partial factor productivity (NPFP). The results show that I1800 optimized the farmland water storage and water storage efficiency (WSE), which gave rise to greater above-ground biomass. Under I1800, the effective capsule (EC) number increased significantly with increasing irrigation amounts, which increased significantly with increasing nitrogen application rate (0–120 kg ha−1). Both irrigation and nitrogen indirectly affect GY by affecting EC; the highest grain yield was observed at the I1800N60 treatment, which increased by 69.04% and 22.80% in 2017 and 2018 compared with the I0N0 treatment, respectively. As a result, both irrigation and N affect grain yield by affecting soil water status, improving above-ground biomass, and finally affecting yield components. In addition, I1800N60 also obtained a higher WUE and the highest NPFP due to a higher grain yield and a lower N application rate. Hence, our study recommends that irrigation with 1800 m3 ha−1 coupled with 60 kg N ha−1 could be a promising strategy for synergistically improving oilseed flax WUE, grain yield and yield components within this semi-arid region.
Maternal Renal Dysfunction in Late Pregnancy in Twin and Singleton Pregnancies: Retrospective Study

This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the impact on maternal renal function between singleton and twin pregnancies in the second half of pregnancy. It retrospectively enrolled 1711 pregnant women consisting of 1547 singleton pregnancies and 164 twin pregnancies from Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center Nagoya Daiichi Hospital from January 2019 to June 2021. Patients underwent renal function tests (serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)) at least one month before delivery. The main outcome measure was maternal renal dysfunction, defined as a serum creatinine level above 0.8 mg/dL. The serum creatinine level was significantly higher and the eGFR was significantly lower in twin than in singleton pregnancies (p < 0.001). In addition, the rate of renal dysfunction was significantly higher in twin than in singleton pregnancies (7.9% vs. 2.6%; p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that twin pregnancy (odds ratio (OR) 3.38), nulliparity (OR 2.31), and preeclampsia (OR 3.64) were significant risk factors for maternal renal dysfunction. Maternal renal dysfunction was observed in 13 twin pregnancies, all of which recovered to within normal limits during the early months of the postpartum period. Twin pregnancy is a significant risk factor for maternal renal dysfunction; renal function should be carefully monitored in twin pregnancies.
The effect of tempeh flour on LDL (low-density lipoprotein)-level lowering in
Rattus norvegicus fed a high-fat diet

Tempeh is an antioxidant-rich food that can prevent LDL cholesterol oxidation in the arteries. The primary antioxidants from tempeh are isoflavone aglycones, which potently lower cholesterol levels in the blood. This research aimed to determine the effect of tempeh flour on the LDL levels of rats fed a high-fat diet. The experimental design included a completely randomized design (CRD) and pretest-posttest control group design. In this study, twenty-four male Rattus Norvegicus rats were divided into four groups. The rats were acclimatized for seven days and then supplied with a high-fat diet in the form of pork oil for 14 days. The pork oil was administered at 2 mL/kg body weight/ day. In addition, tempeh flour was also administered at three doses as an intervention for 14 days. The dosage groups were as follows: P1 with 50 g, P2 with 75 g, and P3 with 100 g. All the dosages were converted with a dose conversion table for rats so that the final dosages were P1 1.9 g, P2 1.35 g, and P3 1.8 g. The positive control group was given 0.18 mg simvastatin. The LDL level was measured by using the CHOD-PAP method. In addition, the data were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA. The results indicated that the implementation of Tempeh flour intervention significantly altered the LDL levels of rats. There was a significant decrease in LDL levels after the administration of Tempeh flour at all three (0.9 g, 1.35 g, and 1.8 g) doses for 14 days. Moreover, the most effective dosage compared to the control group was the 1.35 g dosage.
Use of effective detective quantum efficiency to optimise radiographic exposures for chest imaging with computed radiography

The purpose of the work was to test if effective detective quantum efficiency (eDQE) could be useful for optimisation of radiographic factors for computed radiography (CR) for adult chest examinations. The eDQE was therefore measured across a range of kilovoltage, with and without an anti-scatter grid. The modulation transfer function, noise power spectra, transmission factor and scatter fraction were measured with a phantom made of sheets of Aluminum and Acrylic. The entrance air kerma was selected to give an effective dose of 4.9 μSv. The effective noise equivalent quanta (eNEQ) is introduced in this work. eNEQ can be considered equal to the number of X-ray quanta equivalent in the image corrected for the amount of scatter and the blurring processes. The eNEQ was then normalised to account for slight differences in the effective dose (eNEQED). The peak eNEQED was largest at 80 kV and 100 kV with no grid and with grid respectively. At each kilovoltage, the eNEQED and eDQE were between 10% and 70% larger when the grid was not used. The results show that 80 kV without grid is the most suitable exposure conditions for CR in chest. This is consistent with clinical practice in the UK and previous publications recommending a low kV technique for CR for average sized adult chest imaging.
Differential effects of size-specific particulate matter on the number of visits to outpatient fever clinics: A time-series analysis in Zhuhai, China

Introduction While many studies have investigated the adverse effects of particulate matter (PM), few of them distinguished the different effects of PM2.5, PM10, and coarse PM (PMc) on outpatients with fever. Our study aimed to estimate and compare the acute cumulative effects of exposure to three size-specific particles on the number of visits to outpatient fever clinics. Methods To examine the association between daily PM concentrations and outpatients in fever clinics, a generalized additive Poisson model was applied, stratified by sex, age, and season. Results Our study included 56,144 outpatient visits in Zhuhai, from January 2020 to June 2021. On the current day, each 10 mg/m3 increment of PM10 and PMc were estimated to increase fever clinic visits by 1.74% (95% CI: 0.59%, 2.91%) and 4.42 % (2.30%, 6.58%), respectively. Cumulative effects enhanced from lag01 to lag05 for PM10 and PMc, and PMc had the strongest impact [ER = 8.92% (5.91%, 12.01%) at lag05]. Female outpatients and outpatients aged 14 years and above had an increased PM-related risk. During the cold season, significant effects could be observed for the three-size PM, while only PMc showed the impact during the warm season. Discussion Overall, the three size-specific PM exerted different effects on the fever clinic visits. Strategies to control the concentrations of PM are still necessary, especially against PM10 and PMc.
Stress and its Influencing Factors among Intern Nurses during Pandemic Outbreak of Covid - 19

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of stress and its influencing factors among intern nurses during the pandemic outbreak of Covid-19 in Karachi, Pakistan.Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted among intern nurses who were working in different hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan from 15th August to 15th September 2021. A total of 400 intern nurses were enrolled by using purposive sampling technique. Inclusion criteria: Intern nurses who were assigned in Covid-19 department/units. Exclusion criteria: Intern nurses who were not willing or absent at the time of data collection. Data were collected through a questionnaire and consists of three sections: First section included a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Second section is about influencing factors of stress, and third section encompassed with demographic information. The data were analyzed by using SPSS 20.Results: Out of total 400 intern nurses, n=305 (76%) were in a high stress and n=95 (24 %) were reported a low stress. Four influencing factors were significantly (P-value<0.05) associated with level of stress of intern nurses. i.e.: Chances of having an infection (P- value=0.005), inadequate personal protective equipment (P- value= 0.000), guilt to be a nurse (P- value= 0.003), and long hours of duties (P- value= 0.001). Conclusion: Present study had explored that majority of intern nurses were in high stress and four influencing factors were significantly associated with level of stress. Such as chances of having an infection, inadequate personal protective equipment and guilt to be a nurse, long duty hours.
Flow behaviour in vented brake discs with straight and airfoil-shaped radial vanes

This paper presents experimentally obtained flow characteristics inside the vane passage of a vented brake disc and at the brake disc exit. The flow conditions of three different brake discs were compared: a basic design with straight vanes and two prototypes with different vane heights, shapes (airfoil shape) and numbers. The possible effect on brake disc cooling performance was studies. Hot-wire anemometry was applied to measure the pumping performance of different discs, and particle imaging velocimetry was used to map the velocity field. All three discs were tested on a brake disc dynamometer according to the SAE J2522 standard, and the maximum temperature was measured during the thermal capacity test. No prototype outperformed the original brake disc. Moreover, the brake disc with the increased vane thickness and reduced vane height (prototype C) performed significantly worse, whereas prototype B, designed with an increased vane height and increased number of vanes, performed similarly to the original brake disc. A comparison of the flow characteristics of the three discs indicated that the significant decrease in the cooling airflow rate deteriorated the cooling performance of prototype C the most. On the other hand, the improved pumping performance did not improve the cooling performance of prototype B. Only the comparison of the internal cooling air flow pattern of the original and prototype B brake discs revealed the reason. While the characteristic jet-wake flow structure formed within the vane passage of the original brake disc, the inter-vane channel flow within brake disc B was distributed much more uniformly in a circumferential direction, with significantly lower flow velocities near the pressure vane side. This reduced the convective heat transfer on the brake disc vanes, which number, as well as the heat transfer surface area increased without the desired cooling effect.
The Role of Economic Stress, Health Concerns, and Institutional Trust in Supporting Public Protests against COVID-19 Lockdown Measures in Denmark

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, most governments around the world have adopted strict COVID-19 lockdown measures. In Denmark, mainly from January to March 2021, an anonymous protest group called Men in Black organized demonstrations against the Danish COVID-19 lockdown measures in the three major cities in Denmark. Based on an online survey that we carried out in March 2021 in the Danish population aged 16 years and above (n = 2692), we analyze the individual-level factors behind supporting these demonstrations. Based on ordered logit regressions, the results show that being Muslim and being self-employed (business owner) was positively related to supporting the demonstrations, and that age and living in a city municipality was negatively related to supporting the demonstrations. Based on structural equation modeling (SEM), the results showed that the municipal COVID-19 incidence rate mediates the effect of living in a city municipality, that institutional trust mediates the effect of being Muslim, and that COVID-19 health concerns and institutional trust mediate the effect of age. Overall, economic stress among business owners, health concerns, and institutional trust were found to be the main predictors of supporting the demonstrations against the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Denmark.
Oxidative Stress and Lipid Accumulation Augments Cell Death in LDLR-Deficient RPE Cells and Ldlr −/− Mice

Lipid peroxidation from oxidative stress is considered a major contributor to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The retina is abundant with circulating low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which are taken up by LDL receptor (LDLR) in the RPE and Müller cells. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of LDLR in the NaIO3-induced model of dry AMD. Confluent primary human RPE (hRPE) and LDLR-silenced ARPE-19 cells were stressed with 150 µM tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBH) and caspase 3/7 activation was determined. WT and Ldlr −/− mice were administered NaIO3 (20 mg/kg) intravenously. On day 7, fundus imaging, OCT, ERG, and retinal thickness were measured. Histology, TUNEL, cleaved caspase 3 and lipid accumulation were assessed. Treatment of hRPE with tBH markedly decreased LDLR expression. Caspase 3/7 activation was significantly increased in LDLR-silenced ARPE-19 cells treated with tBH. In Ldlr −/− mice, NaIO3 administration resulted in significant (a) retinal thinning, (b) compromised photoreceptor function, (c) increased percentage of cleaved caspase 3 positive and apoptotic cells, and (d) increased lipid droplet accumulation in the RPE, Bruch membrane, choroid, and sclera, compared to WT mice. Our findings imply that LDLR loss leads to lipid accumulation and impaired retinal function, which may contribute to the development of AMD.
Principal Component and Structural Element Analysis Provide Insights into the Evolutionary Divergence of Conotoxins

Simple Summary Conotoxins are small, structured components found in the venom of predatory cone snails. They were proven to be valuable probes and models for drug discovery and protein evolution studies. Conotoxins present an opportunity to study protein divergence and discover potential human therapeutic landscapes. Although there is considerable literature on conotoxin evolution and activity, what pushed conotoxin divergence remains unclear. Hence, in this paper, we conducted a two-phase study that investigated conotoxin evolution in terms of divergence, followed by structural analysis to determine the relevant structural elements. By understanding the evolution of conotoxins, we identified patterns that account for their superior specificity. The results revealed similarities based on the cone snail’s diet preference. The structural elements are in synch with their target prey preference as if cone snails evolved to fine-tune their conopeptide armory to respond to evolutionary pressures by producing conotoxins selective for their prey of choice. We identified several structural elements that account for this specificity. Conservation patterns are observed within diet subgroups but are divergent from other groups. Abstract Predatory cone snails (Conus) developed a sophisticated neuropharmacological mechanism to capture prey, escape against other predators, and deter competitors. Their venom’s remarkable specificity for various ion channels and receptors is an evolutionary feat attributable to the venom’s variety of peptide components (conotoxins). However, what caused conotoxin divergence remains unclear and may be related to the role of prey shift. Principal component analysis revealed clustering events within diet subgroups indicating peptide sequence similarity patterns based on the prey they subdue. Molecular analyses using multiple sequence alignment and structural element analysis were conducted to observe the events at the molecular level that caused the subgrouping. Three distinct subgroups were identified. Results showed homologous regions and conserved residues within diet subgroups but divergent between other groups. We specified that these structural elements caused subgrouping in alpha conotoxins that may play a role in function specificity. In each diet subgroup, amino acid character, length of intervening amino acids between cysteine residues, and polypeptide length influenced subgrouping. This study provides molecular insights into the role of prey shift, specifically diet preference, in conotoxin divergence.
The importance of the scoring system in Fournier’s gangrene

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to investigate risk factors affecting mortality rates in patients with Fournier’s gangrene (FG) and develop methods to increase the survival rate. METHODS: We collected data of 73 patients treated for FG between February 2012 and June 2021 at Istanbul Professor Doctor Cemil Taşçıoğlu City Hospital General Surgery Clinic. The data of living patients (Group 1, n=56) and deceased patients (Group 2, n=17) were analyzed separately. Demographic data of patients were sex, age, infection rate, Uludag FG severity index (UFGSI) scores and FG severity index (FGSI) scores, urea serum levels, the source of infection, the presence of diabetes, obesity, the presence of diversion stoma, duration of vacuum-assisted closure treatment in days, hospitalization time in days, intensive care period in days, and isolated bacterial species. RESULTS: The mortality rate was 23%. A significant difference in age and dissemination score of the infection was found between the two groups. According to UFGSI and FGSI scores, the scores of the two groups of patients were significantly higher. The UFGSI had 100% sensitivity and 68% sensitivity. FGSI had 82% sensitivity and 58% specificity. The cutoff values for UFGSI and FGSI were 8 and 6, respectively. CONCLUSION: Age and dissemination scores of diseases were important factors that cause mortality in patients with FG. However, an accurate scoring system is important in predicting patients to be treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Patients with a UFGSI score above 8 face a higher risk of death and should be treated in the ICU.
Exogenous melatonin improves seed germination and seedling growth in greengram under drought stress

Drought stress diminishes seedling germination and vigor by reducing water uptake, inhibiting plant growth and development. Most of the pulse growing areas are under rainfed ecosystems, which significantly reduces crop yield. Melatonin, a growth-regulating compound, is widely used to mitigate the negative effects of abiotic stresses in pulses. With this background, a laboratory experiment was conducted to standardize the optimum melatonin concentration for seed treatment and foliar application in greengram, to minimize the ill effects of drought stress. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications for each treatment. The treatments consisted of soaking seeds with different melatonin concentrations, viz., 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 μM. Seeds were sown in a perti dishes and the drought stress was imposed using poly ethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) @ - 0.4 MPa, and plates were maintained at room temperature (24-30 °C). After the seedlings emerged, various seedling growth parameters like germination percentage, shoot length, root length, vigor index, promptness index, germination stress tolerance index, fresh and dry weight of the seedlings, plant height stress index and root length stress index were recorded. The experimental results showed that drought stress significantly reduced germination percentage and other growth-related parameters in greengram seedlings compared to the melatonin treatments. Among the melatonin treatments, seeds treated with @ 100 μM concentration recorded the highest germination percentage (99.67 %), promptness index (98.80), vigour index (1631.68), shoot and root length (8.9 cm and 7.5 cm), fresh and dry weight of the seedlings (3.249 and 0.147 mg seedling-1) under PEG induced drought stress condition.
Variáveis ambientais na interação G x A em soja no semiárido

- The objective of the present work was to evaluate the in ﬂ uence of environmental variables on the interaction between genotypes and environments and to identify adapted and stable genotypes for grain seed yield. Twenty-one cultivars were evaluated in randomized blocks with four replications in the years 2016, 2017, and 2018 in the northeastern semi-arid region of Brazil, for seed yield and oil content. Factor regression methodologies and principal component analysis were used with predictions of the sum of the genotypic effects and the interaction to quantify the role of ﬁ ve environmental covariates in the genotype x environment interaction; the Harmonic Mean Method of Relative Performance of Genotypic Values was used for identifying adapted and stable genotypes. The covariance biplot model is useful for relating important environmental factors and indicating their relative effect on seed yield and oil content. Rainfall, relative humidity and maximum temperature contribute positively to increasing oil content while minimum temperature and solar radiation reduce it. Within the limits of the work, the maximum temperature positively in ﬂ uences grain production while the minimum reduces it. The most stable genotypes and those adapted for grain seed yield and oil content are BMX OPUS IPRO, P 98Y70 RR, BRS 333 RR, BRS 9280 RR, M 8644 IPRO, M 8372 IPRO, and ST 920 RR.