Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the 3D-microstructure of human alveolar and fibula bone in microvascular autologous bone transplantation: a synchrotron radiation μ-CT study

Introduction: Autologous bone transplantation is successfully used in reconstructive surgery of large/critical-sized bone defects, whereby the microvascular free fibula flap is still regarded as the gold standard for the reconstruction of such defects in the head and neck region. Here, we report the morphological and lacunar properties of patient-paired bone samples from eight patients from the jaw (AB; recipient site) and the fibula (FB; donor site) on the micron length-scale using Synchrotron µ-CT. Insights into differences and similarities between these bone structures could offer a better understanding of the underlying mechanism for successful surgical outcomes and might clear the path for optimized, nature-inspired bone scaffold designs. Methods: Spatial vessel-pore arrangements, bone morphology, fluid-simulation derived permeability tensor, osteocyte lacunar density, and lacunar morphology are compared. Results: The orientation of the vessel system indicates a homogenous vessel orientation for AB and FB. The average mineral distance (50%) to the closest vessel boundary is higher in AB than in FB (the mean is 96 μm for AB vs. 76 μm for FB; p = 0.021). Average osteocyte lacunar density is found to be higher in AB than in FB (mean 22,874 mm3 vs. 19,376 mm3 for FB; p = 0.038), which might compensate for the high distance from the mineral to the nearest vessel. No significant differences in lacunar volume are found between paired AB and FB. Discussion: A comparable vessel network and similar distribution of vessel porosity between AB and FB may allow the FB graft to exhibit a high regeneration potential when connected to AB, and this might correlate with a high osteoinductive and osteoconductive potential of FB when connected to AB. Since widely used and potent synthetic bone grafts exist, new insight into the bone structure of well-established autologous bone grafts, such as the free fibula flap, could help to improve the performance of such materials and therefore the design of 3D scaffolds.
Biodegradation of Waste Lubricant Oil by a Novel Isolated Biosurfactant Producer- Achromobacter xylosoxidans PSA5

Abstract Waste lubricant oil (WLO) is a critical environmental issue because of its recycle and disposal challenges. A potent biosurfactant-producing bacterial strain was isolated by the enrichment culture technique using WLO as the sole carbon source from the oil-contaminated soils. The strain was identified as Achromobacter xylosoxidans (NCBI GenBank accession number: MW673656) based on the morphological, biochemical, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The preliminary characterization of the produced biosurfactant by biochemical methods revealed its glycolipid nature. The strain possessed extensive biodegradative potential and degraded various components present in WLO. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that the strain could degrade hydrocarbons (C7-C22) and diethyl phthalate, a priority pollutant, with a relative degradation of 43.87% within 7 days of incubation. The biodegradation of WLO by the strain confers its use in the bioremediation of oil-polluted environments, and the simultaneous biosurfactant production is undoubtedly a step toward greener technology.
Green Technologies: The Role of Green Patents for Innovation, Preservation and Sustainable Development

Objective: Demonstrate how the Green Patents Program contributes to the encouragement and development of technologies that benefit the environment. Theoretical framework: In the current scenario of environmental degradation, green technologies are linked to the need for technological and economic development in order to contribute to the environment and sustainable development. In fostering research and development of environmentally sustainable products, the patent system acts in favor of innovation and technology aimed at solving environmental issues around the world. In Brazil, the Green Patents Program of the National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI) seeks to speed up the examination of patent applications related to technologies aimed at the environment. Method: Systematic review of the literature with a qualitative approach to the data. Results and conclusion: Green patents stimulate the creation and development of technologies capable of reducing and/or controlling environmental impacts by making use of the industrial property system by accelerating procedures involving the granting of patents, favoring both socioeconomic growth and development sustainable as today's society and future generations. Research implications: The academic, managerial and social contribution of knowing green patents lies in their relevance in innovation, preservation and sustainable development that reach the environment, public and private institutions and society. Originality/value: Contribute to the enrichment and dissemination of information on actions that encourage the use of green patents.
Statistical Physics and Modeling of Human Mobility

In this thesis, we extend some ideas of statistical physics to describe the properties of human mobility. By using a database containing GPS measures of individual paths (position, velocity and covered space at a spatial scale of 2 Km or a time scale of 30 sec), which includes the 2% of the private vehicles in Italy, we succeed in determining some statistical empirical laws pointing out "universal" characteristics of human mobility. Developing simple stochastic models suggesting possible explanations of the empirical observations, we are able to indicate what are the key quantities and cognitive features that are ruling individuals' mobility. To understand the features of individual dynamics, we have studied different aspects of urban mobility from a physical point of view. We discuss the implications of the Benford's law emerging from the distribution of times elapsed between successive trips. We observe how the daily travel-time budget is related with many aspects of the urban environment, and describe how the daily mobility budget is then spent. We link the scaling properties of individual mobility networks to the inhomogeneous average durations of the activities that are performed, and those of the networks describing people's common use of space with the fractional dimension of the urban territory. We study entropy measures of individual mobility patterns, showing that they carry almost the same information of the related mobility networks, but are also influenced by a hierarchy among the activities performed. We discover that Wardrop's principles are violated as drivers have only incomplete information on traffic state and therefore rely on knowledge on the average travel-times. We propose an assimilation model to solve the intrinsic scattering of GPS data on the street network, permitting the real-time reconstruction of traffic state at a urban scale.
What If Root Nodules Are a Guesthouse for a Microbiome? The Case Study of Acacia longifolia

Simple Summary Acacia longifolia is an invasive plant highly dispersed in the Mediterranean region. Being a legume, the association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (i.e., rhizobia) allows access to readily fixed nitrogen, facilitating its growth, development, and dispersal. The extent to which this relation is restricted to bacteria was investigated in this study. We aimed to (i) characterize the microbial community inside root nodules, i.e., structures where nitrogen fixation occurs, and (ii) understand how these partners change following a fire event. In fact, fire potentiates A. longifolia invasion, so it is of remarkable interest to understand the role of nodulation in dispersal. We found that root nodules are a guesthouse for microorganisms and, while some are common between unburnt and burnt sites, others shift, particularly considering fungal community. Abstract Acacia longifolia is one of the most aggressive invaders worldwide whose invasion is potentiated after a fire, a common perturbation in Mediterranean climates. As a legume, this species establishes symbioses with nitrogen-fixing bacteria inside root nodules; however, the overall microbial diversity is still unclear. In this study, we addressed root nodules’ structure and biodiversity through histology and Next-Generation Sequencing, targeting 16S and 25S-28S rDNA genes for bacteria and fungi, respectively. We wanted to evaluate the effect of fire in root nodules from 1-year-old saplings, by comparing unburnt and burnt sites. We found that although having the same general structure, after a fire event, nodules had a higher number of infected cells and greater starch accumulation. Starch accumulated in uninfected cells can be a possible carbon source for the microbiota. Regarding diversity, Bradyrhizobium was dominant in both sites (ca. 77%), suggesting it is the preferential partner, followed by Tardiphaga (ca. 9%), a non-rhizobial Alphaproteobacteria, and Synechococcus, a cyanobacteria (ca. 5%). However, at the burnt site, additional N-fixing bacteria were included in the top 10 genera, highlighting the importance of this process. Major differences were found in the mycobiome, which was diverse in both sites and included genera mostly described as plant endophytes. Coniochaeta was dominant in nodules from the burnt site (69%), suggesting its role as a facilitator of symbiotic associations. We highlight the presence of a large bacterial and fungal community in nodules, suggesting nodulation is not restricted to nitrogen fixation. Thus, this microbiome can be involved in facilitating A. longifolia invasive success.
Australian grey nomads and American snowbirds : similarities and differences

The Grey Nomad phenomenon is a growing one in Australia. Grey Nomads are defined within this paper as people aged over 50 years, who adopt an extended period of travel (at least 3 months) independently within their own country. They travel by caravan, motor-home, campervan or converted bus for at least three months, but often up to several years, moving around Australia. They are not part of any commercial tourist event. While it is difficult to establish accurate numbers, the Bureau of Tourism Research estimates that in a single year Australian retirees undertake approximately 200,000 caravan trips of more than six weeks duration (Carter, 2002). These numbers are likely to increase with the ageing population of Australia.
A systematic evaluation and meta-analysis of early prediction of post-thrombotic syndrome

Objective Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is the most common long-term complication in patients with deep venous thrombosis, and the prevention of PTS remains a major challenge in clinical practice. Some studies have explored early predictors and constructed corresponding prediction models, whereas their specific application and predictive value are controversial. Therefore, we conducted this systematic evaluation and meta-analysis to investigate the incidence of PTS and the feasibility of early prediction. Methods We systematically searched databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science up to April 7, 2023. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of the included articles, and the OR values of the predictors in multi-factor logistic regression were pooled to assess whether they could be used as effective independent predictors. Results We systematically included 20 articles involving 8,512 subjects, with a predominant onset of PTS between 6 and 72 months, with a 2-year incidence of 37.5% (95% CI: 27.8–47.7%). The results for the early predictors were as follows: old age OR = 1.840 (95% CI: 1.410–2.402), obesity or overweight OR = 1.721 (95% CI: 1.245–2.378), proximal deep vein thrombosis OR = 2.335 (95% CI: 1.855–2.938), history of venous thromboembolism OR = 3.593 (95% CI: 1.738–7.240), history of smoking OR = 2.051 (95% CI: 1.305–3.224), varicose veins OR = 2.405 (95% CI: 1.344–4.304), and baseline Villalta score OR = 1.095(95% CI: 1.056–1.135). Meanwhile, gender, unprovoked DVT and insufficient anticoagulation were not independent predictors. Seven studies constructed risk prediction models. In the training set, the c-index of the prediction models was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.74–0.80) with a sensitivity of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.68–0.81) and specificity of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.60–0.77). In the validation set, the c-index, sensitivity and specificity of the prediction models were 0.74(95% CI: 0.69–0.79), 0.71(95% CI: 0.64–0.78) and 0.72(95% CI: 0.67–0.76), respectively. Conclusions With a high incidence after venous thrombosis, PTS is a complication that cannot be ignored in patients with venous thrombosis. Risk prediction scoring based on early model construction is a feasible option, which helps to identify the patient's condition and develop an individualized prevention program to reduce the risk of PTS.
Effects of 6 Weeks of Low-Volume Combined Training on Muscle Power, Muscular Strength, and Aerobic Power in Active Young Adults

The effects of combined training (CE) on athletic performance are well established, as is the potential of low-volume exercise on physical fitness. However, the efficacy of low-volume CT on measures of physical fitness requires further investigation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of 6-week low-volume CT on muscle power, muscle strength, and maximal aerobic power (Wmax). Eighteen healthy and active young adult men (mean ± SD, 20.06 ± 1.66 years; 22.23 ± 2.76 kg/m2) underwent low-volume CE (GE, n=9) or maintained a normal life (GC, n=9). The EC was composed of strength training (EF), 2 series of 3 exercises with 80 to 85% 1RM) followed by high intensity interval training (HIIT), 5 series of 60'' with 95% Wmax). Measurements of jump height, 1 repetition maximum (1RM) in bench press and back squat, Wmax, and internal load were obtained before and after training for analysis. In addition, an ANOVA test of repeated measures and paired samples with p ≤ 0.05 was used. The main results demonstrated that the low volume CT increased jump height (p ≤ 0.05), bench press and back squat 1RM (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) and Wmax (p ≤ 0.01). , despite the fact that the internal load did not have significant differences between weeks (p > 0.05). For active young adults, low-volume CT is an effective and time-efficient strategy to improve jump height, bench press and squat 1RM, and Wmax without increasing internal load. Keywords: Exercise, Concurrent training, Physical fitness, Performance, Cardiorespiratory fitness, Untrained.
Surveilling the web, mobile, and language accessibility of Communication’s digital presence within institutions of higher education globally

This study aims to understand the general web accessibility of digital information networks which may serve as barriers for access to the global discipline of Communication through institutional and departmental websites, specifically for persons with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency (LEP). Our exploratory content analysis relies on computer-aided software to systematically analyze the departmental home pages of websites of institutional members of the International Communication Association (ICA), N = 77, representing 26 countries, globally. Findings from this study help us to: (1) better understand the general web, language, and mobile accessibility of discipline-related online information; (2) identify strengths and opportunities for improvement; and, (3) to reflect upon the anticipated barriers impacting persons with disabilities when accessing higher education information online.
The Mechanism of the Gut-Brain Axis in Regulating Food Intake

With the increasing prevalence of energy metabolism disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and anorexia, the regulation of feeding has become the focus of global attention. The gastrointestinal tract is not only the site of food digestion and absorption but also contains a variety of appetite-regulating signals such as gut-brain peptides, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids (BAs), bacterial proteins, and cellular components produced by gut microbes. While the central nervous system (CNS), as the core of appetite regulation, can receive and integrate these appetite signals and send instructions to downstream effector organs to promote or inhibit the body’s feeding behaviour. This review will focus on the gut-brain axis mechanism of feeding behaviour, discussing how the peripheral appetite signal is sensed by the CNS via the gut-brain axis and the role of the central “first order neural nuclei” in the process of appetite regulation. Here, elucidation of the gut-brain axis mechanism of feeding regulation may provide new strategies for future production practises and the treatment of diseases such as anorexia and obesity.
Soil Water Parameters and Soil Quality

Water, comprising two-thirds of the Earth's surface, is fundamental to life on this planet, and soil water is essential to soil organisms and plant life. Soil organisms such as ants, beetles, and earthworms reside in the soil matrix but much of the microfauna, which includes protozoa, rotifers, and nematodes, reside in soil water. Soil is a porous media in which soil water and air are found in the pores. Consequently, the nonlimiting water range for plant and microbial activity is greatly influenced by soil aeration and mechanical resistance, particularly so in dense, poorly structured soils (Letey, 1985). When soil is water-saturated and air is excluded for long periods of time, many soil organisms suffer from a lack of 02 . Plant and soil organisms require optimum levels of both water and O2, so the ratio of waterto air-filled pores is critical. Linn and Doran (1984) noted that soil microbial activity under different tillage systems appears to be closely related to water-filled pores (percentage of saturation) of soil but aeration drives the system. Relationships or interactions between soil and water are complex. Not only does soil water contain various chemicals that influence its behavior, but flow and retention of water in soils are keys to our understanding of soil processes. In addition to its considerable impact on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, water plays a major role in soil formation and its changes over time. As water moves through soil, it leaches chemicals and small soil particles from the upper soil and displaces them within the lower soil profile. Water flows through soil under the force of gravity and the influence of soil matrix and other potentials. On the other hand, water is retained in the soil by soil adhesive forces. The
STEER: An Architecture to Support Self-adaptive IoT Networks for Indoor Monitoring Applications

IoT infrastructures are becoming increasingly more difficult to manage. One of the main issues is the high volatility present in the infrastruture, which increasingly demands self-adaptive solutions. As a proposal to handle this challenge, this paper presents STEER (Sdn-based inTEnt drivEn iot netwoRks), a new approach for the dynamic adaptation of IoT networks for indoor monitoring applications, based on the unification of Intent-Driven Networks (IDN) and Software-Defined Networks (SDN). Particularly, we explore the ability of IDNs to dynamically interpret an application’s intent, using an IDN-based mediator attached to an SDN-controller to autonomously adapt the IoT network behavior at runtime, thus realizing the intent according to the current operating context of the network. We demonstrate the approach using a representative application scenario related to IoT indoor environment monitoring in the domain of indoor air quality monitoring. The experiments allowed us to validate the applicability of the approach and show the system-wide effect of dynamic adaptation to the current operating environment on improving performance according to the metric under consideration, in this case, the number of application-level messages exchanged in the network.
In situ measurements of high frequency electrical conductivity and permittivity of oil shale

The in situ high frequency electrical conductivity and permittivity of Colorado oil shale were recently measured. The measurements were made at 45 MHz (45 million cps) by transmitting from one borehole to two receiving boreholes, all boreholes in line. A differential measurement using the received signals was used to calculate the conductivity and permittivity. 10 references, 2 figures, 2 tables.
The role of organisational culture in conflict management among university stakeholders

Organisational conflict is a pervasive issue in university systems, particularly in South Africa, which can harm the work environment and productivity if left unaddressed. This research investigates how organisational culture affects conflict management practices among university stakeholders and proposes measures to establish a culture that promotes effective conflict resolution. Drawing on the competing values framework (CVF) and social identity theory (SIT), the study adopts a transformative paradigm perspective, utilising a participatory research design to encourage collaborative problem-solving. Ten prominent stakeholders were purposefully selected from a specific university, including two deans, two heads of departments, two lecturers, two student leaders, and two non-teaching staff members. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data, which were then analysed thematically. The results indicate that a culture of respect, inclusivity, and openness, as well as training and resources, significantly affect conflict resolution. Consequently, open communication, active listening, collaboration, and a culture of diversity, inclusivity, and respect were identified as practical approaches to create a culture of effective conflict resolution. The study concludes that establishing a culture that promotes effective conflict resolution in universities necessitates prioritising open communication, active listening, and collaboration and fostering a culture of diversity, inclusivity, and respect.
Decision making for basketball clutch shots: A data driven approach

Decision making is considered one of the most important aspects for winning a basketball game. In the final minutes of the game (clutch time), these decisions become even more crucial. In particular –who shall take the final, game-winning shots? While some coaches believe it is the team’s star, others may prefer the ‘clutch’ player (who seemingly performs better in clutch time), or the ‘hot’ player who was having a great game that night. In this work we study policy making in clutch minutes. Specifically, we introduce different policies for choosing the shot-taker (for example, according to field goal percentage). Then, we compare the policies and rank them to create a policy hierarchy, which serves as a decision guide for the coach. We show that when our recommendations are implemented (i.e., the highest ranked player takes the shot) the success rate is significantly greater: 51.2%, compared to 41.3% in commonly taken clutch shots. Furthermore, our results indicate that players who excelled in past clutch shots are more likely to succeed, independently to their performance in the current game.