Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of abyssal circulation changes on Oligocene to Miocene benthic foraminifera in the North Atlantic

Benthic foraminiferal ranges at western North Atlantic Sites 563 and 558 show: 1) gradual Oligocene last occurrences in response to subsidence from the upper to lower abyssal zones; 2) a preponderance of extinctions in the early middle Miocene (about 15.5-13.5 Ma). Comparison of relative and absolute abundance changes at Site 563 sows that percentages of some taxa (e.g. Nuttallides umbonifera) reliably reflect their accumulations while percentages of others vary independently. Regional abundance changes include: 1) maxima N. umbonifera in the middle Oligocene of the deepest sites (10 and 119); 2) increased Planulina wuellerstorfi in the early middle Miocene; 3) increased N. umbonifera in the late middle Miocene. Seismic stratigraphic and delta/sup 13/C evidence indicates a northern bottom-water source for the North Atlantic throughout much of the Oligocene and Miocene. Benthic foraminifera apparently responded to bottom-water changes inferred from carbon isotopic comparisons. The extinction of relict Paleogene taxa and the ascendancy of P. wuellerstorfi in the middle Miocene apparently correlate with increased advection into the eastern Atlantic, subsidence of the Iceland-Faeroe Ridge and increased North Atlantic carbonate sedimentation. The authors speculate that this faunal reorganization was in response to global ocean chemistry changes resulting from increased ventilation of the North Atlantic.
LC-MS-based metabolomics reveals the mechanism of anti-gouty arthritis effect of Wuwei Shexiang pill

Wuwei Shexiang Pill (WSP) is a Tibetan traditional medicine, which has been demonstrated to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory and anti-gout effects. However, the specific pharmacological mechanism is not elucidated clearly. In the present study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics was applied to investigate the alteration of serum metabolites induced by WSP treatment in MSU-induced gouty rats. Subsequently, bioinformatics was utilized to analyze the potential metabolic pathway of the anti-gout effect of WSP. The pharmacodynamic data discovered that WSP could ameliorate ankle swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration, as well as downregulate the protein expression of IL-1β, p-NF-κB p65, and NLRP3 in the synovial membrane and surrounding tissues of gouty ankles. LC-MS-based metabolomics revealed that there were 30 differential metabolites in the serum between sham-operated rats and gouty ones, which were mainly involved in the metabolism of fructose and mannose, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and cholesterol metabolism. However, compared to the model group, WSP treatment upregulated 11 metabolic biomarkers and downregulated 31 biomarkers in the serum. KEGG enrichment analysis found that 27 metabolic pathways contributed to the therapeutic action of WSP, including linoleic acid metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis. The comprehensive analysis-combined network pharmacology and metabolomics further revealed that the regulatory network of WSP against gout might be attributed to 11 metabolites, 7 metabolic pathways, 39 targets, and 49 active ingredients of WSP. In conclusion, WSP could ameliorate the inflammation of the ankle in MSU-induced gouty rats, and its anti-gout mechanism might be relevant to the modulation of multiple metabolic pathways, such as linoleic acid metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis. This study provided data support for the secondary development of Chinese traditional patent medicine.
Nutritional and Sensory Quality Attributes of Bread Produced from Wheat-Sprouted Finger Millet Flour

The current study was conducted to investigate the nutritional and sensory quality of wheat flour supplemented with sprouted finger millet flour in varying ratio to produce bread. Phytochemical screening of the ethanol extract of the flour samples confirmed the presence of many phytochemicals including flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, alkaloids and tannins. The results of flavonoid, phenolic and alkaloid content of white wheat flour (WWF) are 1.34 ± 0.05 (mg QE/g), 2.25 ± 0.05 (mg GAE/g) and 1.26 ± 0.01 (%) respectively. The mean concentration of raw finger millet flour (RFF) : sprouted finger millet flour (SFF) for flavonoid, phenolic and alkaloid are 2.15 ± 0.15 mg QE/g : 2.87 ± 0.05 mg QE/), 4.24 ± 0.04 mg GAE/g : 5.10 ± 0.11 mg GAE/g and 2.56 ± 0.03 (%) : 2.58 ± 0.05 (%). The results of moisture content, ash and carbohydrate of the bread increases from 8.28-10.18 %, 1.70-2.55 %, and 69.30-70.21 % while crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber of the bread decreases from 12.80-11.20 %, 3.62-2.01 %, and 4.30-3.90 %. The sensory score results revealed that bread made with 100 % WWF (sample A) was most acceptable. The study has revealed that acceptable nutrient dense bread can be made from wheat and sprouted finger millet flour up to 30 % substitution.
Mining activities in Panasqueira area : impact and threats in ecosystems and human health in rural communities

Abstract: The Panasqueira mine is a Sn–W mineralization hosted by metasediments with quartz veins rich in ferberite. The paragenesis also comprises sulphides, carbonates and silver sulphosalts. The mining and beneficiation processes produces arsenic-rich mine wastes deposited in huge tailings and dams that are the main source of pollution in the surrounding area, due to sulphides oxidation and acid mine generation. A geochemical survey was undertaken, in order to investigate the contamination impact, in vegetables, rhizosphere soils, street dusts and topsoil samples in S. Francisco Assis (SFA; downstream tailing) and Casegas villages (background). Vegetables ( Solanum tubersum sativa – potatoes and Brassica oleracea L. – cabbage) which constitute a significant part of the inhabitant’s diet, are affected by rhizosphere and street dusts chemistry. The Potential Ecological Risk Factor (PERI) and the Risk Index reveal the SFA topsoil and rhizosphere soil enrichment. Rhizosphere PERI values ranges 631–3,993. Topsoil PERI reveals 62.5% samples with a very high potential ecological risk in SFA contrasting with 79% Casegas samples with low to moderate potential ecological risk. The street dusts, have high metal(loids) concentrations in both villages, confirming the rejected materials aeolian dispersion, 3affecting even the considered background area. Potatoes and cabbages, from both areas, reveal a high arsenic ingestion risk. The SFA potatoes also display a Cu and Pb ingestion risk, while cabbages disclose a considerable Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn risk. The results indicate that the local population is, probably, exposed to some health risks through the intake of potentially toxic elements via consuming their vegetables. Keywords: Soils, Street dusts, Edible plants, Risk, Panasqueira mine. Resumo: A mina activa da Panasqueira (Sn-W) e exemplo tipico de mineralizacao hidrotermal associada a plutonismo Hercinico com a ocorrencia de uma serie de veios de quartzo hidrotermais sub-horizontais ricos em ferberite. A paragenese e complexa e inclui sulfuretos, carbonatos e sulfossais de prata. Os processos de exploracao e tratamento deram origem a grandes quantidades de estereis ricos em arsenio depositadas em escombreiras e barragens de lamas, constituindo a maior fonte de poluicao da area envolvente. Foi efectuado um levantamento geoquimico de forma a avaliar o possivel impacte da contaminacao em vegetais, solos de rizosfera, poerias de estrada e solos superficiais nas localidades de S. Francisco Assis (jusante escombreira da Barroca Grande) e Casegas (fundo geoquimico). Os vegetais (
Heterogeneity in Long-Term Returns to Eduction – An Inconvenient Truth

This paper studies the long-term relationship between parental and child education in Germany, where children are tracked into academic and non-academic track schools at the age of 10. On average, children are more likely to attend an academic track school if their parents attended one. Estimating marginal treatment effect curves, we find that there is no effect for disadvantaged individuals, suggesting that educational policies attempting to improve the educational prospect of disadvantaged individuals may fail to reduce inequalities in the long run. Low labor market returns despite better education is the main explanation for the null effect for these individuals.
Estimating genetic parameters of immunocompetent traits in Rhode Island Red chicken

The study aimed to estimate genetic parameters of immunocompetent traits in Rhode Island Red (RIR) chicken. Five to six weeks aged pedigreed RIR chicks of a selected (79 chicks) and a control (74 chicks) line maintained at the Central Avian Research Institute were immunized against 1% (v/v) SRBC suspension. Sera collected on 5th day post immunization were analyzed through haemagglutination (HA) test to assess humoral immune response. Serum lysozyme and immunoglobulin-G (IgG) concentrations were assessed through agarose lysoplate and single radial immunodiffusion assay. The data were analyzed by least squares analysis of variance. The least squares mean estimates of serum lysozyme and IgG were significantly influenced by sires in the selected line, but any estimate was not affected by sex in any line. The selected line had more serum lysozyme than the control line, which contained more HA titre and serum IgG. The traits were heritable at a range of 0.105 to 0.398, and correlated with a low to high range (0.134 to 0.552) of genetic correlations and least to low range (0.007 to 0.170) of phenotypic correlations. The information generated could be important while selecting birds for improvement in general immune responsiveness.
Extracts of Talaromyces purpureogenus Strains from Apis mellifera Bee Bread Inhibit the Growth of Paenibacillus spp. In Vitro

Honey bees coexist with fungi that colonize hive surfaces and pollen. Some of these fungi are opportunistic pathogens, but many are beneficial species that produce antimicrobial compounds for pollen conservation and the regulation of pathogen populations. In this study, we tested the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Talaromyces purpureogenus strains isolated from bee bread against Paenibacillus alvei (associated with European foulbrood disease) and three Aspergillus species that cause stonebrood disease. We found that methanol extracts of T. purpureogenus strains B18 and B195 inhibited the growth of P. alvei at a concentration of 0.39 mg/mL. Bioactivity-guided dereplication revealed that the activity of the crude extracts correlated with the presence of diketopiperazines, a siderophore, and three unknown compounds. We propose that non-pathogenic fungi such as Talaromyces spp. and their metabolites in bee bread could be an important requirement to prevent disease. Agricultural practices involving the use of fungicides can disrupt the fungal community and thus negatively affect the health of bee colonies.
Influence of organic and inorganic nutrients on growth and yield attributes of tomato.

omato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) belongs to family Solanaceae, is an annual vegetable crop grown throughout the world and ranks second in importance after potato. The tomato is believed to have been originated in central Africa and south America (Vavilov, 1951). In India it is an introduced crop and in being grown on an area of 571.700 hectare with annual production of 10260.6000 metric tonnes (Anonymous, 2008). In Jammu and Kashmir states, tomato is grown on an area of 1.700 ha with an annual production of 37000 metric tonnes (Anonymous, 2008). With the introduction of hybrids the demand for nutrients has significantly increased because of their tremendous yield potential as compared to traditional varieties thus, for harvesting higher yield in hybrids adequate nutrient supply is a pre-requisite, which can be met both from organic as well as inorganic sources. It has been observed that neither the chemical sources of nutrients nor the organic sources are able to sustain the soil productivity. Present investigation was undertaken under Kashmir conditions, to assess the beneficial effects of organic and inorganic sources of plant nutrients both as sole applications as well as in conjugation on Shalimar tomato hybrid-1. Members of the Research Forum
Characterization of gas and particle emissions from open burning of household solid waste from South Africa

Abstract. Open burning of household and municipal solid waste is a frequent practice in many developing countries. Due to limited resources for collection and proper disposal, solid waste is often disposed of in neighborhoods and open-burned in piles to reduce odors and create space for incoming waste. Emissions from these ground-level and low-temperature burns cause air pollution, leading to adverse health effects among community residents. In this study, laboratory combustion experiments were conducted to characterize gas and particle emissions from 10 waste categories representative of those burned in South Africa: paper, leather/rubber, textiles, plastic bottles, plastic bags, vegetation (with three different moisture content levels), food discards, and combined materials. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured in real time to calculate modified combustion efficiencies (MCEs). MCE is used along with video observations to determine fuel-based emission factors (EFs) during flaming and smoldering phases as well as the entire combustion process. Fuel elemental composition and moisture content have strong influences on emissions. Plastic bags have the highest carbon content and the highest combustion efficiency, leading to the highest EFs for CO2. Textiles have the highest nitrogen and sulfur content, resulting in the highest EFs for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Emissions are similar for vegetation with 0 % and 20 % moisture content; however, EFs for CO and particulate matter (PM) from the vegetation with 50 % moisture content are 3 and 20–30 times, respectively, those from 0 % and 20 % moisture content. This study also shows that neglecting carbon in the ash and PM can lead to significant overestimation of EFs. Results from this study are applicable to emission inventory improvements as well as air quality management to assess the health and climate effects of household-waste open burning.
Antibacterial Activity and 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Homemade Fermented Milk in Medan, Indonesia

Research indicates that fermented products have nutritional and non-nutritional components that can improve health. Milk is commonly used for fermentation products because its rich nutrients support the growth of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB). This paper investigates antibacterial activity and 16S rRNA gene sequencing of LAB from homemade fermented milk in Medan City, Indonesia. This paper was an experimental study by In Vitro Models conducted in August-October 2019. This study used three different homemade fermented milk (SF2-4) and positive control of manufactured fermented milk (SF1). All isolated LABs underwent an antibacterial assay by the Disc diffusion method against two pathogens, including Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive). In addition, there was molecular identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The zone of inhibition from samples against Escherichia coli ranged from 5.600-12.23 mm. The most potent antibacterial activity was found in SF4 (12.23 mm) and the least in SF2 (5.60 mm). Some samples (SF1 and SF2) showed no antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria was found only in SF2 and SF3, which were 6.60 mm and 7.14 mm, respectively. Based on the characteristics, enumeration, and antibacterial activity, the authors chose isolated LAB from SF4 for molecular identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. SF4 isolates had a similar 16S rRNA molecule to Lactobacillus fermentum strain NBRC 15885 with a homology level of 99.78%. In conclusion, some homemade fermented milk in Medan City, Indonesia, are potential probiotics.
Estimating behavioral changes for transportation modes after terrorist attacks in London, Madrid, and Tokyo

Why do individuals change their behavior after terrorist attacks? To what extent do changes in risk perception explain changes in travel behavior? This project aims to answer these questions by examining three major attacks in recent history on public transit systems: the London bombings in July 2005, the Madrid bombings on March 11, 2004, and the Sarin Gas attacks in Tokyo on March 20, 1995. Each case is found to be unique. Reductions in passenger journeys on attacked transportation modes range from an average of 10 percent over 20 weeks in London to no significant change in Tokyo, while substitution to alternative modes also varies across cases. This variance is likely due to more than cultural difference, with primary attack characteristics, transportation system factors, and the social amplification of risk perceptions also playing a role. Such findings have important implications for policy makers and academics with an interest in transportation security and the behavioral and economic impacts of terrorist attacks.
Non-Professional Phagocytosis Increases in Melanoma Cells and Tissues with Increasing E-Cadherin Expression

Non-professional phagocytosis in cancer has been increasingly studied in recent decades. In malignant melanoma metastasis, cell-in-cell structures have been described as a sign of cell cannibalism. To date, only low rates of cell-in-cell structures have been described in patients with malignant melanoma. To investigate these findings further, we examined twelve primary melanoma cell lines in both adherent and suspended co-incubation for evidence of engulfment. In addition, 88 malignant melanoma biopsies and 16 healthy tissue samples were evaluated. E-cadherin levels were determined in the cell lines and tissues. All primary melanoma cell lines were capable of phagocytosis, and phagocytosis increased when cells were in suspension during co-incubation. Cell-in-cell structures were also detected in most of the tissue samples. Early T stages and increasingly advanced N and M stages have correspondingly lower rates of cell-in-cell structures. Non-professional phagocytosis was also present in normal skin tissue. Non-professional phagocytosis appears to be a ubiquitous mechanism in malignant melanoma. The absence of phagocytosis in metastases may be one reason for the high rate of metastasis in malignant melanoma.
High specificity of metagenomic next-generation sequencing using protected bronchial brushing sample in diagnosing pneumonia in children

Background Lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Timely and accurate pathogen detection is crucial for proper clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. The low detection efficiency of conventional methods and low specificity using respiratory samples seriously hindered the accurate detection of pathogens. Methods In this study, we retrospectively enrolled 1,032 children to evaluate the performance of metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) sample and protected bronchial brushing (BB) sample in diagnosing pneumonia in children. In addition, conventional tests (CTs) were also performed. Results The specificity of BB mNGS [67.3% (95% CI 58.6%–75.9%)] was significantly higher than that of BALF mNGS [38.5% (95% CI 12.0%–64.9%)]. The total coincidence rate of BB mNGS [77.6% (95% CI 74.8%–80.5%)] was slightly higher than that of BALF mNGS [76.5% (95% CI 68.8%–84.1%)] and CTs [38.5% (95% CI 35.2%–41.9%)]. During the epidemics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the detection rate of M. pneumoniae in the >6-year group (81.8%) was higher than that in the 3–6-year (78.9%) and <3-year groups (21.5%). The highest detection rates of bacteria, fungi, and viruses were found in the <3-year, >6-year, and 3–6-year groups, respectively. mNGS detection should be performed at the duration of 5–7 days after the start of continuous anti-microbial therapy or at the duration of 6–9 days from onset to mNGS test. Conclusions This is the first report to evaluate the performance of BB mNGS in diagnosing pulmonary infections in children on a large scale. Based on our findings, extensive application of BB mNGS could be expected.
Multi-objective Optimization-based Selection for Quality-Diversity by Non-surrounded-dominated Sorting

Quality-Diversity (QD) algorithms, a subset of evolutionary algorithms, maintain an archive (i.e., a set of solutions) and simulate the natural evolution process through iterative selection and reproduction, with the goal of generating a set of high-quality and diverse solutions. Though having found many successful applications in reinforcement learning, QD algorithms often select the parent solutions uniformly at random, which lacks selection pressure and may limit the performance. Recent studies have treated each type of behavior of a solution as an objective, and selected the parent solutions based on Multi-objective Optimization (MO), which is a natural idea, but has not lead to satisfactory performance as expected. This paper gives the reason for the first time, and then proposes a new MO-based selection method by non-surrounded-dominated sorting (NSS), which considers all possible directions of the behaviors, and thus can generate diverse solutions over the whole behavior space. By combining NSS with the most widespread QD algorithm, MAP-Elites, we perform experiments on synthetic functions and several complex tasks (i.e., QDGym, robotic arm, and Mario environment generation), showing that NSS achieves better performance than not only other MO-based selection methods but also state-of-the-art selection methods in QD.