Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological and Quantitative Evidence for Altered Mesenchymal Stem Cell Remodeling of Collagen in an Oxidative Environment—Peculiar Effect of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are involved in the process of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling where collagens play a pivotal role. We recently demonstrated that the remodeling of adsorbed collagen type I might be disordered upon oxidation following its fate in the presence of human adipose-derived MSC (ADMSCs). With the present study we intended to learn more about the effect of polyphenolic antioxidant Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), attempting to mimic the conditions of oxidative stress in vivo and its putative prevention by antioxidants. Collagen Type I was isolated from mouse tail tendon (MTC) and labelled with FITC before being oxidized according to Fe2+/H2O2 protocol. FITC-collagen remodeling by ADMSC was assessed morphologically before and after EGCG pretreatment and confirmed via detailed morphometric analysis measuring the anisotropy index (AI) and fluorescence intensity (FI) in selected regions of interest (ROI), namely: outside the cells, over the cells, and central (nuclear/perinuclear) region, whereas the pericellular proteolytic activity was measured by de-quenching fluorescent collagen probes (FRET effect). Here we provide morphological evidence that MTC undergoes significant reorganization by the adhering ADMSC and is accompanied by a substantial activation of pericellular proteolysis, and further confirm that both processes are suppressed upon collagen oxidation. An important observation was that this abrogated remodeling cannot be prevented by the EGCG pretreatment. Conversely, the detailed morphometric analysis showed that oxidized FITC-collagen tends to accumulate beneath cells and around cell nuclei, suggesting the activation of alternative routes for its removal, such as internalization and/or transcytosis. Morphometric analysis also revealed that both processes are supported by EGCG pretreatment.
Quantifying the faint structure of galaxies

Ground-based surveys have mapped the stellar outskirts of Local Group disc galaxies in unprecedented detail, but extending this work to other galaxies is necessary in order to overcome stochastic variations in evolutionary history and provide more stringent constraints on cosmological galaxy formation models. As part of our continuing programme of ultra-deep imagery of galaxies beyond the Local Group, we present a wide-field analysis of the isolated late-type spiral NGC 2403 using data obtained with Suprime-Cam on the Subaru telescope. The surveyed area reaches a maximum projected radius of 30 kpc or a deprojected radius of R-dp similar to 60 kpc. The colourmagnitude diagram reaches 1.5 mag below the tip of the metal-poor red giant branch (RGB) at a completeness rate >50 per cent for R-dp greater than or similar to 12 kpc. Using the combination of diffuse light photometry and resolved star counts, we are able to trace the radial surface brightness (SB) profile over a much larger range of radii and SB than is possible with either technique alone. The exponential disc as traced by RGB stars dominates the SB profile out to greater than or similar to 8 disc scalelengths, or R-dp similar to 18 kpc, and reaches a V-band SB of mu V similar to 29 mag arcsec(-2). Beyond this radius, we find evidence for an extended structural component with a significantly flatter SB profile than the inner disc and which we trace to R-dp similar to 40 kpc and mu V similar to 32 mag arcsec(-2). This component can be fit with a power-law index of gamma similar to 3, has an axial ratio consistent with that of the inner disc and has a V-band luminosity integrated over all radii of 1-7 per cent that of the whole galaxy. At R-dp similar to 20-30 kpc, we estimate a peak metallicity [M/H] =-1.0 +/- 0.3 assuming an age of 10 Gyr and zero alpha-element enhancement. Although the extant data are unable to discriminate between stellar halo or thick disc interpretations of this component, our results support the notion that faint, extended stellar structures are a common feature of all disc galaxies, even isolated, low-mass systems.
Systematic Investigation of Corner Flow Impact in Forced Imbibition

Imbibition in porous media plays a crucial role in many engineering and industrial processes, such as enhanced oil recovery and groundwater contamination remediation. Due to the instabilities at the two‐phase interface, the defending fluids in these processes are often not effectively displaced. Therefore, it is of great significance to study imbibition in natural rocks at the pore scale, especially under the completely wetting and viscously unfavorable conditions due to their contribution to interfacial instability. In this work, numerical simulations of forced imbibition in three natural rocks are carried out at four different injection rates based on the color lattice Boltzmann model. The interfacial evolution and in situ fluid distribution are analyzed from several perspectives. Results show that as the capillary number, expressed in logarithms, varies from −2.5 to −4.0, the flow characteristics of the invading fluid change from leading films on the solid surface of large pores to corner flow along the pore corners of pores with different sizes, the dominant pore filling event changes from ganglion dynamics to snap‐off trapping, and the morphology of the displacement front changes from viscous fingering to a rough but uniform characteristic. These changes at the two‐phase interface determine the fluid distribution and fluid structure, controlling the microscopic displacement efficiency, interface area and fluid connectivity. This work systematically investigates for imbibition of the local and global flow physics and dynamics, the mechanical nature and the resulting effects of interfacial instability under unfavorable conditions, which help to deepen our understanding of the microscopic mechanism of forced imbibition.
Overview of spittlebugs of the family Cercopidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) from Mexico, with keys to genera and species

The Cercopidae family constitute the largest group of xylem sap-sucking insects. Several species are important pests of sugar cane and grasses. In America there are 460 species and 65 subspecies in 60 genera. In Mexico, the total number of species is unknown and there is no inventory of specimens in the collections or taxonomic keys. In the present research, we study entomological collections to trace the distribution of genera and species and constructed taxonomic keys for their identification, based on external morphology and male genitalia. The Cercopidae of the country included 3 recognized tribes, Neaenini Fennah, 1968, Ischnorhinini Schmidt, 1920 and Tomaspidini Schmidt, 1922, in addition to the recently proposed Microsarganini Hamilton, 2016. We reported 39 described species, 1 subspecies and 1 undescribed, belonging to 10 genera. The most diverse genera were Ocoaxo Fennah with 16 species and Prosapia Fennah with 8. Aeneolamia Fennah includes 3 species and 1 subspecies, Iphirhina Fennah and Neaenus Fowler 3 species each, Microsargane Fowler and Olcotomaspis Lallemand 2 species each, and Mahanarva Distant, Huaina Fennah and Zulia Fennah 1 species each. This is the first complete compilation of the Cercopidae recorded for Mexico.
A Partial wave analysis of the pi- pi- pi+ and pi- pi0 pi0 systems and the search for a J**PC = 1-+ meson

A partial wave analysis (PWA) of the $\pi^- \pi^- \pi^+$ and $\pi^- \pi^0 \pi^0$ systems produced in the reaction $\pi^- p \to (3\pi)^-p$ at 18 GeV/$c$ was carried out using an \emph{isobar} model assumption. This analysis is based on 3.0M $\pi^- \pi^0 \pi^0$ events and 2.6M $\pi^- \pi^-\pi^+$ events and shows production of the $a_1(1260)$, $a_2(1320)$, $\pi_2(1670)$ and $a_4(2040)$ resonances. Results of detailed studies of the stability of partial wave fits are presented. An earlier analysis of 250K $\pi^- \pi^- \pi^+$ events from the same experiment showed possible evidence for a $J^{PC}=1^{-+}$ exotic meson with a mass of $\sim$1.6 GeV/$c^2$ decaying into $\rho \pi$. In this analysis of a higher statistics sample of the $(3\pi)^-$ system in two charged modes we find no evidence of an exotic meson.
Improved high-resolution direction-finding through use of homogeneous constraints

The authors present results that illustrate how incorporation of homogeneous linear constraints can improve the effectiveness of well-known high-resolution direction-finding methods. Results include: the demonstration that the resolution performance of MUSIC can be improved by incorporating suitable constraints; the use of constraints to clarify the relationship between the MUSIC and MinNorm algorithms, and to 'explain' the improved resolution threshold of MinNorm; and a procedure for constructing a reduced directional spectrum of minimum polynomial degree for common high-resolution techniques. <<ETX>>
Prevalence and factors associated with Dirofilaria immitis infection in dogs in Sertão Paraibano, Northeast Brazil

ABSTRACT: Dirofilaria immitis is a heart and large vessel parasite that mainly affects domestic dogs and has shown a re-emerging zoonosis in recent years. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, associated factors, and geographic areas of D. immitis in dogs in the city of Sousa, Paraíba, Northeast Brazil. A total of 320 dogs were selected and evaluated, 160 domiciled and 160 wandering, from the 32 districts of the city. Clinical examination, blood collection, and epidemiological data retrieval were performed for each animal. The sanitation conditions of the environment were visually observed at the time of evaluation. Three methods were used to investigate the morphometric diagnosis of microfilariae: capillary blood smear (ESC), peripheral blood smear (ESP), and modified Knott test. The data were subjected to univariate and multivariate statistics for the observation of risk factors and qualitative assessment of the examinations. Of the 17.5% (56/320) of animals testing positive for D. immitis, 25% (40/160) were wandering and 10% (16/160) were domiciled dogs. Positive dogs were found in 24 of the 32 neighborhoods evaluated, with Angelim and Doutor Zezé having the highest percentages of 1.56% (5/320) each. Only the categories of cardiac alterations (OR 6.231 [1,539-25,236]) and stray dogs (OR 2.463 [1,281-4,735]) demonstrated potential risk factors for infection. Of the 56 positive animals, 28 were positive in the three tests, and another 28 showed variance between methods and/or between prepared slides. No other filaridae were observed. The city of Sousa is considered to have a significant prevalence of infection by D. immitis, and forms of control and prophylaxis are required to reduce the risks of transmission to animals, as well as to humans.
Exploring the Birthday Problem with Spreadsheets.

The "birthday problem" is one of several exam ples (Shaughnessy 1977,1992) that illustrate students' tendency to underestimate the prob ability of an event's occurring at least once. Moore and McCabe (1993, 297) give the real-life example of "at least one false positive AIDS test result" when all persons tested are actually free of AIDS. Lesser (1997) discusses the event that at least one of six lotto numbers drawn without replacement was also drawn in the previous drawing. Mathematical probability theory itself was triggered in the mid seventeenth century by examining the probability of at least one "double six" in twenty-four rolls of two dice (Katz 1993,411). The birthday-problem question, posed by Richard von Mises in 1939, is typically stated as "How many people must be in a room before the probability that some share a birthday, ignoring the year and ignoring leap days, becomes at least 50 percent? " A less common version is "Since a 100 percent chance of a match exists with 366 people even if the first 365 people in the room had differ ent birthdays, the pigeonhole principle forces the 366th person to match one of them? how many peo ple are needed for a 99 percent chance of at least one match? " Take a moment to guess answers to these two questions before reading further,
ournal of C osmology and A stroparticle hysics J Probing the diﬀuse baryon distribution with the lensing-tSZ cross-correlation

Approximately half of the Universe’s baryons are in a form that has been hard to detect directly. However, the missing component can be traced through the cross-correlation of the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (tSZ) eﬀect with weak gravitational lensing. We build a model for this correlation and use it to constrain the extended baryon component, employing data from the Canada France Hawaii Lensing Survey and the Planck satellite. The measured correlation function is consistent with an isothermal β -model for the halo gas pressure proﬁle, and the 1- and 2-halo terms are both detected at the 4 σ level. In addition, we measure the hydrostatic mass bias (1 − b ) = 0 . 79 +0 . 07 − 0 . 10 , which is consistent with numerical simulation results and the constraints from X-ray observations. The eﬀective temperature of the gas is found to be in the range (7 × 10 5 –3 × 10 8 ) K, with approximately 50% of the baryons appearing to lie beyond the virial radius of the halos, consistent with current expectations for the warm-hot intergalactic medium.
Function spaces and partial differential equations

13. Maximal Function Bounding Averages and Pointwise Convergence 14. Harmonic-Hardy Spaces hp(H) 15. Sobolev Spaces A Resolution of the Dirichlet Principle 16. Singular Integral Operators and Vector-Valued Inequalities 17. Littlewood-Paley Theory, Lp-Multipliers and Function Spaces 18. Morrey and Campanato vs. Hardy and John-Nirenberg Spaces 19. Layered Potentials, Jump Relations and Existence Theorems 20. Second Order Equations in Divergence Form: Continuous Coefficients 21. Second Order Equations in Divergence Form: Measurable Coefficients A. Partition of Unity B. Total Boundedness and Compact Subsets of Lp C. Gamma and Beta Functions D. Volume of the Unit n-Ball E. Integrals Related to Abel and Gauss Kernels F. Hausdorff Measures Hs G. Evaluation of Some Integrals Over H. Sobolev Spaces
NUMERICAL ENTROPY PRODUCTION OF THE ONE-AND-A-HALF-DIMENSIONAL SHALLOW WATER EQUATIONS WITH TOPOGRAPHY

Numerical entropy production can be used as a smoothness indicator of solutions to conservation laws. By definition the entropy production is non-positive. However some authors, using a finite volume method framework, showed that positive overshoots of the numerical entropy production were possible for conservation laws (no source terms involved). Note that the one-and-a-half-dimensional shallow water equations without source terms are conservation laws. A report has been published regarding the behaviour of the numerical entropy production of the one-and-a-half-dimensional shallow water equations without source terms. The main result of that report was that positive overshoots of the numerical entropy production were avoided by use of a modified entropy flux which satisfies a discrete numerical entropy inequality. In the present article we consider an extension problem of the previous report. We take the one-and-a-half-dimensional shallow water equations involving topography. The topography is a source term in the considered system of equations. Our results confirm that a modified entropy flux which satisfies a discrete numerical entropy inequality is indeed required to have no positive overshoots of the entropy production. DOI : http://dx.doi. org/10.22342/jims.21. 1.198. 35-43
Numerical simulation of flow and dam body sediment over a movable bed due to an earthfill dam break

This paper presents the numerical simulations of flow and dam body sediment transport over a movable bed due to an earthfill dam break. The RANS equations, together with the k-ω SST turbulent model, are employed. The phase characteristic parameter is used as the phases of air, water, sediment, and bulk of dam body. The system of equations is solved numerically using the PISO algorithm. The numerical model is first verified using the dam break experimental data from the literature. The model successfully captures the temporal changes in the measured flow depths, pressures, wave fronts, and arrival times. The verified model is then applied to simulate the flow and sediment transport as a result of an artificial earthfill dam break having an obstacle at its downstream section. The simulations show that there is a noticeable decrease in the shock pressures at all points around the obstacle and there is an increase in the water levels. The bulk dam body sediment moves together with the water flow while spreading. It takes longer time for the sediment laden flow to reach the obstacle. The investigation of dam body formed by different soils shows that the soil type has minor effect while the transport of sediment can raise the water levels and change the morphology of the downstream section. Cite this article as: T ayfur G , I ssakhov A , Z handulet Y . Numerical simulation of flow and dam body sediment over a movable bed due to an earthfill dam break. Sigma J Eng Nat Sci 2022;40(3): 543 – 557 .
G25.5 + 0.2: a very young galactic supernova remnant

Radio emission has been detected from a compact source which satisfies the criteria for a very young galactic supernova remnant. The source, G25.5 + 0.2 has a partially-filled shell structure, a total integrated flux density at 20 cm of 315 mJy, and a flat spectrum between 2 and 20 cm. Observations at 843 and 327 MHz indicate thermal absorption at low frequencies with a turnover in the spectrum near 1 GHz. It is suggested that the lower limit for the age of the supernova remnant is 25 yr, while the upper limit is about 100 yr. It is concluded that G25.5 + 0.2 could be the youngest known supernova remnant in the Galaxy.
Lightweight Anonymous Authentication and Key Agreement Protocol Based on CoAP of Internet of Things

To solve the problem regarding the lack of a lightweight and secure authentication and key agreement protocol in the Constrained Application Protocol of the Internet of Things environment, we explore the security flaws and applicability problems in the current related research. Then, we propose a new lightweight authentication and key agreement protocol based on the CoAP framework. The scheme adopts shared secret and elliptic curve public key technology, which ensures the anonymity of the communicators and provides strong security and anti-attack capacity. In terms of security analysis, the Dolev–Yao Adversary model and a security model checking analysis method based on CPN Tools are improved, in order to verify the correctness and security of the proposed scheme. Compared with other schemes, regarding communication overhead, computational cost, and security, the proposed scheme provides a robust and comprehensive security guarantee, although it is not the lightest.
Combinations of liver lobe and spleen volumes obtained on magnetic resonance imaging to predict esophagogastric variceal bleeding in hepatitis B-related cirrhotic patients: A prospective cohort study

To evaluate whether combinations of liver lobe and spleen volumes obtained on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could predict esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EVB) in hepatitis B-related cirrhotic patients. Ninety-six consecutive patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis underwent upper abdominal contrast-enhanced MRI within 1 week after initial hospitalization, and grouped based on outcomes of EVB during the 2 years’ follow-up after being discharged. Total liver volume (TLV), spleen volume (SV) and 4 liver lobe volumes including right lobe volume (RV), left medial lobe volume (LMV), left lateral lobe volume (LLV), and caudate lobe volume (CV) were measured on MRI. Percentages of individual liver lobe volumes in TLV (including RV/TLV, LMV/TLV, LLV/TLV, and CV/TLV), ratios of SV to individual liver lobe volumes (including SV/RV, SV/LMV, SV/LLV, and SV/CV), and SV/TLV were statistically analyzed to predict EVB. Patients with EVB had lower RV than without EVB (P value = .001), whereas no differences in LMV, LLV, CV, and TLV were found (P values >.05 for all). Among percentages of individual liver lobe volumes in TLV, RV/TLV was lower whereas LMV/TLV and LLV/TLV were greater in patients with EVB than without EVB (P values <.05 for all). SV, ratios of SV to individual liver lobe volumes, and SV/TLV in patients with EVB were larger than without EVB (P values <.05 for all). Among parameters with difference between patients with and without EVB, SV/RV could best predict EVB with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84. SV/RV could best predict EVB in hepatitis B-related cirrhotic patients.
Explaining the Racial School Climate Gap: Evidence From Georgia

Research documents positive associations between school climate and student outcomes, and, as such, many policymakers have positioned it among their chief priorities for school improvement. Despite this increased focus, extant research has offered mixed findings on the presence and magnitude of racial school climate disparities. The present study uses administrative data of middle and high schools in Georgia to examine disparities in school-climate perceptions and factors predicting them. I find that Black and “Other” students consistently report worse perceptions on nearly all measures of school climate compared to White students and that these disparities persist within school. Furthermore, Black teachers moderate Black students’ climate perceptions and are critical protective factors against the risks they face in school. Implications suggest that an increased focus on school climate is unlikely to yield equitable returns absent ancillary policy and practices that improve schooling conditions influencing disparities in students’ school climate perceptions.
Modeling of Gasdynamic and Relaxation Phenomena in Mixed Flow Lasers

In molecular systems such as mixing gasdynamic lasers (MGDLs), where inversions are produced by the selective thermal excitation of the pumping components, the final state of the laser mixture in the cavity is strongly influenced by 1) the choice of initial conditions, 2) the nozzle and mixing region geometry, and 3) the rate at which relaxation phenomena occur in the flow upstream of the cavity. The final state of such a molecular system can be described by using a kinetic relaxation model and a suitable (instantaneous, laminar, or turbulent) model to account for mixing effects. Such an approach has been taken in the present work. The "parabolic" approximation of the steady-state Navier-Stokes equations is used to described the two-dimensional flow of a CO2 + N2 + He mixture. Turbulent transfer of mass, momentum, and energy is described using the twoparameter k-e approach generally used for boundary-type flows. The influence of spatial pressure gradients on mixing is analyzed and a discussion of the role played by the pressure and translational temperature recovery effects is presented. Calculations of the gain coefficients are also included. The importance of the choice of initial conditions (velocities, preturbulence levels, concentrations, and temperature) is investigated. The results are compared with experimental data. The model can be used to select the range of conditions necessary to optimize the system.