Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiomics Provide Insights into the Key Molecules and Pathways Involved in the Physiological Adaptation of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) to Chemotherapeutic-Induced Oxidative Stress

Although chemotherapeutics are used to treat infections in farmed fish, knowledge on how they alter host physiology is limited. Here, we elucidated the physiological consequences of repeated exposure to the potent oxidative chemotherapeutic peracetic acid (PAA) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts. Fish were exposed to the oxidant for 15 (short exposure) or 30 (long exposure) minutes every 15 days over 45 days. Unexposed fish served as the control. Thereafter, the ability of the remaining fish to handle a secondary stressor was investigated. Periodic chemotherapeutic exposure did not affect production performance, though survival was lower in the PAA-treated groups than in the control. Increased ventilation, erratic swimming, and a loss of balance were common behavioural manifestations during the oxidant exposure. The plasma reactive oxygen species levels increased in the PAA-treated groups, particularly after the third exposure, suggesting an alteration in the systemic oxidative stress status. Plasma indicators for internal organ health were affected to a certain degree, with the changes mainly observed after the second and third exposures. Metabolomics disclosed that the oxidant altered several circulating metabolites. Inosine and guanosine were the two metabolites significantly affected by the oxidative stressor, regardless of exposure time. A microarray analysis revealed that the gills and liver were more responsive to the oxidant than the skin, with the gills being the most sensitive. Moreover, the magnitude of the transcriptomic modifications depended on the exposure duration. A functional analysis showed that genes involved in immunity and ribosomal functions were significantly affected in the gills. In contrast, genes crucial for the oxidation-reduction process were mainly targeted in the liver. Skin mucus proteomics uncovered that the changes in the mucosal proteome were dependent on exposure duration and that the oxidant interfered with ribosome-related processes. Mucosal mapping revealed gill mucous cell hypertrophy after the second and third exposures, although the skin morphological parameters remained unaltered. Lastly, repeated oxidant exposures did not impede the ability of the fish to mount a response to a secondary stressor. This study provides insights into how a chemical oxidative stressor alters salmon physiology at both the systemic and mucosal levels. This knowledge will be pivotal in developing an evidence-driven approach to the use of oxidative therapeutics in fish, with some of the molecules and pathways identified as potential biomarkers and targets for assessing the physiological cost of these treatments.
On the Calibration of a Numerical Model for Concrete-to-Concrete Interface

The study was devoted to the numerical modelling of concrete-to-concrete interfaces. Such an interface can be found in many modern composite structures, so proper characterisation of its behaviour is of great importance. A strategy for calibration of a model based on cohesive finite elements and the elastic-damage traction–separation constitutive law available by default in the Abaqus code was proposed. Moreover, the default interface material model was enhanced with the user-field-variables subroutine to include a real strength envelope for such interfaces. Afterwards, the modelling approach was validated with numerical simulation of the most popular tests for determining the strength characteristics of concrete-to-concrete interfaces: three-point bending beam with a notch, splitting bi-material cubic specimens, and slant-shear tests. The results of own pilot studies were used as well as those reported by other researchers. The performed simulations proved the accuracy of the proposed modelling strategy (the mean ratio of ultimate forces obtained with numerical models and from experiments was equal to 1.01). Furthermore, the presented examples allowed us to better understand the basic test methods for concrete interfaces and the observed mechanisms of failure during them.
Study of Thermal, Mechanical and Barrier Properties of Biodegradable PLA/PBAT Films with Highly Oriented MMT

In order to improve the properties of biodegradable polylactide (PLA), mixtures with polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) were prepared. PLA is a bio-based and renewable biodegradable material, made from starch. PBAT is a biodegradable polyester for compostable film. In order to improve the composite properties, two types of additives were implemented via melt mixing, a chain extender (CE) and montmorillonite (MMT). CE was used as an interfacial modifier to enhance the adhesion between components. Montmorillonite is a widely studied clay added to polymer nanocomposites. Due to the lamellar structure, it improves the barrier properties of materials. PLA/PBAT films were oriented in the extrusion process and the amounts of filler introduced into the PLA/PBAT nanocomposites were 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0%. The improvement in the PLA barrier properties by the addition of PBAT and 5% of MMT was confirmed as the oxygen permeability decreased almost by a factor of 3. The addition of the biodegradable polymer, chain extender, montmorillonite, and the implemented orientation process resulted in a decrease in composite viscosity and an increase in the PLA crystallinity percentage (up to 25%), and the wettability tests confirmed the synergic behavior of the selected polymer blend.
COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Safety Profile and Reasons for Opting against Vaccination

The incidence of COVID-19 infection in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is similar to that in the general population, but the mortality rate is much higher. COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for PAH/CTEPH patients. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to identify reasons why PAH/CTEPH patients refused vaccination against COVID-19. Moreover, we assessed the safety profile of approved COVID-19 vaccines in PAH/CTEPH patients. We examined 261 patients (164 PAH patients and 97CTEPH patients) with a median age of 60 (18–92) years, 62% of which were female. Sixty-one patients (23%) refused to be vaccinated. The main reason for unwillingness to be vaccinated was anxiety about adverse events (AEs, 61%). Age and fear of COVID-19 in the univariate analysis and age ≥60 years in the multivariate regression analysis were factors that impacted willingness to be vaccinated (OR = 2.5; p = 0.005). AEs were reported in 61% of vaccinated patients after the first dose and in 40.5% after the second dose (p = 0.01). The most common reported AEs were pain at the injection site (54.5%), fever (22%), fatigue (21%), myalgia (10.5%), and headache (10%). A lower percentage of AEs was reported in older patients (OR = 0.3; p = 0.001). The COVID-19 vaccines are safe for PAH/CTEPH patients. The results obtained in this study may encourage patients of these rare but severe cardio-pulmonary diseases to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Optimal Transactive Energy Trading of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations With On-Site PV Generation in Constrained Power Distribution Networks

This paper presents a two-level transactive energy market framework, that enables energy trading among electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs). At the lower level, the discharging capability of EVs and on-site PV generation are leveraged by individual EVCS for participating in the transactive trading with their peers. Once the lower-level trading is completed, EVCSs trade energy at the upper level through the power grid network managed by the distribution system operator (DSO). The upper-level market is cleared while satisfying the power distribution network constraints. A cooperative game-based model is proposed to model the energy trading among EVCSs. To this end, the asymmetric Nash bargaining method is applied to allocate the grand coalition’s payoff to each EVCS at the upper-level market, while a weighted proportional allocation method is used to allocate individual EVCS’s payoff to its respective EVs at the lower-level market. The upper-level market formulation is further decomposed into two subproblems representing an energy scheduling and trading subproblem which maximizes EVCS payoffs, and a bargaining subproblem which allocates EVCS payoffs. The effectiveness of the proposed framework for incentivizing transactive trades among EVs and EVCSs is validated in case studies.
Dynamic Security Assessment of Western Danish Power System Based on Ensemble Decision Trees

With the increasing penetration of renewable energy resources and other forms of dispersed generation, more and more uncertainties will be brought to the dynamic security assessment (DSA) of power systems. This paper proposes an approach that uses ensemble decision trees (EDT) for online DSA. Fed with online wide-area measurement data, it is capable of not only predicting the security states of current operating conditions (OC) with high accuracy, but also indicating the confidence of the security states 1 minute ahead of the real time by an outlier identification method. The results of EDT together with outlier identification show high accuracy in the presence of variance and uncertainties due to wind power generation and other dispersed generation units. The performance of this approach is demonstrated on the operational model of western Danish power system with the scale of around 200 lines and 400 buses.
Assessing different approaches to estimate single-subject metabolic connectivity from dynamic [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography data

Metabolic connectivity is conventionally calculated in terms of correlation of static positron emission tomography (PET) measurements across subjects. There is increasing interest in deriving metabolic connectivity at the single-subject level from dynamic PET data, in a similar way to functional magnetic resonance imaging. However, the strong multicollinearity among region-wise PET time-activity curves (TACs), their non-Gaussian distribution, and the choice of the best strategy for TAC standardization before metabolic connectivity estimation, are non-trivial methodological issues to be tackled.In this work we test four different approaches to estimate sparse inverse covariance matrices, as well as three similarity-based methods to derive adjacency matrices. These approaches, combined with three different TAC standardization strategies, are employed to quantify metabolic connectivity from dynamic [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) PET data in four healthy subjects.
EN 338 STRENGTH GRADE AND UNCERTAINTY MODELS OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES FOR NIGERIAN GROWN TERMINALIA SUPERBA (WHITE AFARA) TIMBER SPECIE

In this paper, the EN 338 strength class of Nigerian grown Terminalia superba timber specie was determined. This will enable the utilisation of the specie in the design of timber structures using Eurocode 5. The uncertainty models (mean, coefficients of variation and theoretical distribution models) of the tested specie were also generated. This information is required if structural reliability analysis and design is to be undertaken. The strength classification and the material properties were based on detailed laboratory experiment conducted on samples of the tested timber specie based on EN 408 (2004) and EN 13153-1 (2002). The laboratory data was analysed using an open source statistical computer package, Easyfit (2010) in accordance with EN 384 (2004). Terminalia superba was found to be of strength class D24 according to EN 338 (2009). The statistical analysis revealed that the coefficient of variation of modulus of elasticity is 21%. The coefficient of variations of both the bending strength and density is 19%. It was also found that, the best theoretical distribution models for density is normal distribution, while lognormal distribution was found to be the best distribution model for both bending strength and modulus of elasticity. Due to the high coefficients of variation of material properties of timber as indicated in this study, it is recommended that EN 338 strength class should include the information on the statistical parameters of timber. With this, the design criteria of timber structures using Eurocode 5 can be enhanced by the use of structural reliability method in order to fully accommodate uncertainties. http://dx.doi. org/10.4314/njt.v34i1. 3
Implications of the Theory of Planned Behavior in the returned migrant’s entrepreneurial intention

The objective of this research was to analyze the application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in the Entrepreneurial Intention of the returned migrant applying a Systematic Literature Review. The results identified a lack of research focused on the application of the TPB for knowledge of the entrepreneurial intention in the returnee migrant. Finally, no empirical evidence was found related to the application of TPB and Entrepreneurial Intention in returning migrants, so it is recommended that future research be carried out applying TPB in returning migrants, considering that this segment of people reveals highly entrepreneurial characteristics.
Folgen der Digitalisierung für die Arbeitswelt: Substituierbarkeitspotenziale von Berufen in Deutschland

"Recently, terms such as 'industry 4.0' (Industrie 4.0) or 'working environment 4.0' (Arbeitswelt 4.0) play a dominant role in several public debates. It is clear that the ongoing digitalisation may have large effects on the future working environment. To consider the development of the future working environment, we first have to clarify the current status of Germany. How much are occupations substitutable because tasks performed by employees today will be substituted by computers in the near future? In this paper, we determine for single occupations the share of tasks that could be currently substituted by computers. We calculate the substitution potentials of occupations based on German occupational data from the expert data base BERUFENET of the Federal Employment Agency. Thus, we can directly consider the specific characteristics of the German labour market. Our results show that 15 per cent of employees subject to social insurance contributions have a high substitution potential in the year 2013 in Germany, i.e. they are employed in an occupation in which more than 70 per cent of the tasks could already be substituted by computers. We present our results for requirement levels, occupational segments and occupational segments in combination with the requirement level of the German Classification of Occupations 2010. Furthermore, we provide results in the appendix for the occupational main groups in combination with the requirement level of the German Classification of Occupations 2010 and the BIBB fields of occupations. " (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Hier finden Sie den IAB-Kurzbericht zum Thema
Hemp Seeds in Post-Arthroplasty Rehabilitation: A Pilot Clinical Study and an In Vitro Investigation

Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from the breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone. Due to their antioxidants and anti-inflammatory action, the phytochemical constituents of many vegetable varieties could represent a new frontier for the treatment of patients with Osteoarthritis and are still being explored. The aim of this pilot human study was to investigate the effects of pasta enriched with hemp seed flour on osteoarticular pain and bone formation markers in patients in post-arthroplasty rehabilitation. Another purpose was to evaluate the effect of hemp seed extract on bone metabolism, in vitro. A pilot, controlled, clinical study was conducted to verify the feasibility of pain symptom reduction in patients with Osteoarthritis undergoing arthroplasty surgery. We also investigated the effect of hemp seed extract on the Wnt/β-catenin and ERK1/2 pathways, alkaline phosphatase, RANKL, RUNX-2, osteocalcin, and COL1A on Saos-2. After 6 weeks, the consumption of hemp seed pasta led to greater pain relief compared to the regular pasta control group (−2.9 ± 1.3 cm vs. −1.3 ± 1.3 cm; p = 0.02). A significant reduction in serum BALP was observed in the participants consuming the hemp seed pasta compared to control group (−2.8 ± 3.2 µg/L vs. 1.1 ± 4.3 µg/L; p = 0.04). In the Saos-2 cell line, hemp seed extract also upregulated Wnt/β-catenin and Erk1/2 pathways (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03) and osteoblast differentiation markers (e.g., ALP, OC, RUNX2, and COL1A) and downregulated RANKL (p = 0.02), compared to the control. Our study demonstrated that hemp seed can improve pain symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis undergoing arthroplasty surgery and also improves bone metabolism both in humans and in vitro. However, more clinical studies are needed to confirm our preliminary findings.
The oral microbiome in alcohol use disorder: a longitudinal analysis during inpatient treatment

ABSTRACT Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD)-induced disruption of oral microbiota can lead to poor oral health; there have been no studies published examining the longitudinal effects of alcohol use cessation on the oral microbiome. Aim To investigate the oral microbiome during alcohol cessation during inpatient treatment for AUD. Methods Up to 10 oral tongue brushings were collected from 22 AUD patients during inpatient treatment at the National Institutes of Health. Alcohol use history, smoking, and periodontal disease status were measured. Oral microbiome samples were sequenced using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results Alpha diversity decreased linearly during treatment across the entire cohort (P = 0.002). Alcohol preference was associated with changes in both alpha and beta diversity measures. Characteristic tongue dorsum genera from the Human Microbiome Project such as Streptococcus, Prevotella, Veillonella and Haemophilus were highly correlated in AUD. Oral health-associated genera that changed longitudinally during abstinence included Actinomyces, Capnocytophaga, Fusobacterium, Neisseria and Prevotella. Conclusion The oral microbiome in AUD is affected by alcohol preference. Patients with AUD often have poor oral health but abstinence and attention to oral care improve dysbiosis, decreasing microbiome diversity and periodontal disease-associated genera while improving acute oral health.
Emotion Regulation and Romantic Partners’ Relationship Satisfaction: Self-Reports and Partner Reports

Studies investigating the effects of emotion regulation on romantic partners’ relationship satisfaction (RS) found that proneness to use cognitive reappraisal exerts positive, whereas expressive suppression negative effects on both one’s own and partner’s satisfaction. However, no studies explored the effects of partner reported use of the two emotion regulation strategies on RS, which might allow the exclusion of method-related explanations of the previous findings and offer new insights into the mechanisms involved. We tested the hypotheses about the effects of reappraisal and suppression on RS on a sample of 205 romantic couples by using round-robin design and actorpartner interdependence modelling (APIM). Although the effects were relatively small, they were still in line with the assumptions that cognitive reappraisal has positive intraand interpersonal effects on RS, that they can be generalized across selfand partner reports to a certain extent, and that they are somewhat stronger in women. Considering expressive suppression, only women’s selfreported suppression exerted significant negative intrapersonal effect on RS. Implications of selfand partner reports of emotion regulation for the understanding of the mechanisms mediating its effects on RS are discussed.
EMS-Net: Enhanced Multi-Scale Network for Polyp Segmentation

In recent years, polyp segmentation plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Accurate segmentation of polyps is very challenging due to different sizes, shapes, and unclear boundaries. Making full use of multi-scale contextual information to segment polyps may bring better results. In this paper, we propose an enhanced multi-scale network for accurate polyp segmentation. It is composed of a multi-scale connected baseline (U-Net+++), a multi-scale backbone (Res2Net), three Receptive Field Block (RFB) modules, and four Local Context Attention (LCA) modules. Specifically, the baseline’s multi-scale skip connections can aggregate features in both low-level and high-level layers. We have evaluated our model on three publicly available and challenging datasets (EndoScene, CVC-ClinicDB, Kvasir-SEG). Compared with other methods, our model achieves SOTA performance. It is noteworthy that our model is the only network that has achieved over 0.900 mean Dice on EndoScene and CVC-ClinicDB.
Categorization in the Wild: Category and Feature Learning across Languages

Categories such as ANIMAL or FURNITURE play a pivotal role in processing, organizing, and communicating world knowledge. Many theories and computational models of categorization exist, but evaluation has disproportionately focused on artificially simplified learning problems (e.g., by assuming a given set of relevant features or small data sets); and on English native speakers. This paper presents a large-scale computational study of category and feature learning. We approximate the learning environment with natural language text, and scale previous work in three ways: We (1) model the full complexity of the learning process, acquiring learning categories and structured features jointly; (2) study the generalizability of categorization models to five diverse languages; and (3) learn categorizations comprising hundreds of concepts and thousands of features. Our experiments show that meaningful representations emerge across languages. We further demonstrate a joint model of category and feature acquisition produces more relevant and coherent features than simpler models, suggesting it as an exploratory tool to support cross-cultural categorization studies.
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATIONARY STRUCTURAL STATES OF A BOUNDARY LUBRICANT MAKING USE OF THE RELATION BETWEEN THE DENSITY-MODULATION AND EXCESS-VOLUME ORDER PARAMETERS

A second-order phase transition between the structural states of a boundary lubricant sandwiched between atomically smooth solid surfaces has been described in the framework of the Landau theory of phase transitions, by using the density modulation and the excess volume as the order parameters. A relation between those order parameters is found. The stationary states of a lubricant and their dependences on such control parameters as the lubricant temperature, the elastic strain in the lubricant layer, and the external load on the friction surfaces are studied. The melting kinetics was simulated in the framework of a mechanical analog of the tribological system with elasticity.