Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Targeting Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Using a Supervised Machine Learning Approach Based on Mechanomyography

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) provides a promising therapy option for individuals with injured spinal cords and multiple sclerosis patients with spasticity and gait deficits. Before the therapy, the examiner determines a suitable electrode position and stimulation current for a controlled application. For that, amplitude characteristics of posterior root muscle (PRM) responses in the electromyography (EMG) of the legs to double pulses are examined. This laborious procedure holds potential for simplification due to time-consuming skin preparation, sensor placement, and required expert knowledge. Here, we investigate mechanomyography (MMG) that employs accelerometers instead of EMGs to assess muscle activity. A supervised machine-learning classification approach was implemented to classify the acceleration data into no activity and muscular/reflex responses, considering the EMG responses as ground truth. The acceleration-based calibration procedure achieved a mean accuracy of up to 87% relative to the classical EMG approach as ground truth on a combined cohort of 11 healthy subjects and 11 patients. Based on this classification, the identified current amplitude for the tSCS therapy was in 85%, comparable to the EMG-based ground truth. In healthy subjects, where both therapy current and position have been identified, 91% of the outcome matched well with the EMG approach. We conclude that MMG has the potential to make the tuning of tSCS feasible in clinical practice and even in home use.
Nutritional quality and safety of organic foods

A about negative environmental impacts of conventional farming techniques, coupled with positive consumer perceptions of the safety and quality of organic foods have contributed to growth in their demand. It has been demonstrated that organically produced foods have lower levels of pesticides and veterinary drug residues, and in many cases, lower nitrate contents. Organic production methods lead to increases in nutrient content, particularly organic acids and polyphenolic compounds, many of which are considered to have potential human health benefits as antioxidants. Organic crops tend to have more vitamin C, sugars and phenolics and fewer nitrates than conventionally grown produce. It has been estimated that organic crops, overall, contain 21% more iron and 29% more magnesium than their conventional counterparts. Organic crops showed higher phosphorus and dry matter content and lower nitrogen content than conventional crops. The quality of amino acids was higher in organic products indicating that more essential amino acids were available. Increased amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid in organic dairy were noted. Consumption of organic foods provides protection against exposure to organophosphorus pesticides commonly used in agricultural practices. Organic fruits and vegetables appear to have the potential to diminish the mutagenic action of toxic compounds and inhibit the proliferation of certain cancer cell lines. For prevention of allergic dermatitis, the consumption of organic dairy and meats can make a significant difference in health outcomes. This review discusses the differences between organic foods and conventional foods on the parameters of food safety and nutritional composition.
Clinical implications of trichomonads detected in bronchoalveolar fluid by metagenomic next-generation sequencing: a multicenter retrospective study

Background Pulmonary trichomoniasis is considered a neglected disease due to failures in recognizing it, stemming from insensitive microbial methods and a lack of specific clinical features. This study aims to analyze the clinical implications of trichomonads detected in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). Methods This multicenter retrospective study included patients diagnosed with pneumonia, admitted to three tertiary hospitals in China from July 2018 to September 2022, with trichomonads detected in BALF through mNGS. The analysis covered demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, laboratory findings, mNGS results, clinical treatment, and outcomes of these patients. Results A total of 17 patients were enrolled, comprising 14 males and 3 females. Trichomonas tenax and Trichomonas vaginalis were detected by mNGS in BALF samples of 15 and 2 patients, respectively. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence of risk factors for trichomonad infection, including immunocompromised conditions, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, oral/periodontal diseases, and aspiration. Among 11 patients with risk factors (Case 1-11), 4 received nitromidazoles as part of comprehensive treatment, achieving a 100% treatment success rate. The remaining 7 patients, who did not receive nitromidazoles, had only one achieving relief after broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, resulting in a 14.3% treatment success rate. For the 6 patients without any risk factors for trichomonad infection (Case 12-17), none received nitromidazoles during hospitalization. However, 4 out of these 6 patients (66.7%) eventually recovered. Conclusion mNGS proves to be an efficient tool for detecting trichomonads in BALF samples. Comprehensive analysis of clinical features and laboratory indicators is essential to distinguish between infection and colonization of trichomonads. Pulmonary trichomoniasis should not be overlooked when trichomonads are detected in BALF from patients with risk factors.
Dual Modification of Cassava Starch Using Physical Treatments for Production of Pickering Stabilizers

Cassava starch nanoparticles (SNP) were produced using the nanoprecipitation method after modification of starch granules using ultrasound (US) or heat–moisture treatment (HMT). To produce SNP, cassava starches were gelatinized (95 °C/30 min) and precipitated after cooling, using absolute ethanol. SNPs were isolated using centrifugation and lyophilized. The nanoparticles produced from native starch and starches modified using US or HMT, named NSNP, USNP and HSNP, respectively, were characterized in terms of their main physical or functional properties. The SNP showed cluster plate formats, which were smooth for particles produced from native starch (NSNP) and rough for particles from starch modified with US (USNP) or HMT (HSNP), with smaller size ranges presented by HSNP (~63–674 nm) than by USNP (~123–1300 nm) or NSNP (~25–1450 nm). SNP had low surface charge values and a V-type crystalline structure. FTIR and thermal analyses confirmed the reduction of crystallinity. The SNP produced after physical pretreatments (US, HMT) showed an improvement in lipophilicity, with their oil absorption capacity in decreasing order being HSNP > USNP > NSNP, which was confirmed by the significant increase in contact angles from ~68.4° (NSNP) to ~76° (USNP; HSNP). A concentration of SNP higher than 4% may be required to produce stability with 20% oil content. The emulsions produced with HSNP showed stability during the storage (7 days at 20 °C), whereas the emulsions prepared with NSNP exhibited phase separation after preparation. The results suggested that dual physical modifications could be used for the production of starch nanoparticles as stabilizers for Pickering emulsions with stable characteristics.
Densidad y patrones de actividad del ocelote en la selva Lacandona

The ocelot is the third largest cat that occurs in Mexico. Despite all the information that has been collected regarding its distribution in the country, little is known about its basic ecology in Mexico. In this study we estimated population density of ocelots and their activity patterns for the Greater Lacandona Ecosystem region. Data were obtained through camera traps. We used 33 camera trap stations that were active during 60 consecutive days. The effective sampling effort was 1,920 trap days. Population density was estimated through Bayesian Spatial Explicit Capture-Recapture Models. In addition, the activity pattern of ocelots was determined by the time recorded of all photographs obtained. We estimated a minimal density of 12.9 ± 5.39 ocelots for each 100 km² for the southern Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve. According with the photographic records we identified that ocelots were active both day and night. Our results are similar to those obtained in other areas located in the tropical rain forests of Central America with the classic capture-recapture methods. In addition, this study shows the potential of this preserved area for maintaining long-term population of ocelots in the tropical rain forest of the Greater Lacandona Ecosystem. More information about this species needs to be obtained, especially for regions characterized by habitat fragmentation and human perturbation.
Dairy farmers’ knowledge about milk-borne zoonosis in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

Foodborne zoonosis is a longstanding global issue that limits and continues to threaten the food production industry and public health in several countries. The study’s objective was to evaluate the dairy farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices about milkborne pathogens in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. A total of 139 dairy farmers were interviewed using a semi-structured online questionnaire. The pathogens of interest were Brucella spp. , Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. , Staphylococcus aureus, and Cryptosporidium. Only 20.9% of dairy farmers reported knowledge of Brucella spp. as a milk-borne pathogen. The most known pathogen was E. coli (54.7%), followed by Listeria spp. (41.0%), Staphylococcus spp. (38.8%), and Salmonella spp. (35.3%). In this study, knowledge of milk-borne pathogens was statistically associated (p<0.05) with workplace position. Only a few participants (37.2%) showed knowledge of abortion as an important clinical sign of foodborne pathogens. Also, 84.1% of dairy farmers indicated that they consume unpasteurized milk and sour milk (77%). Some respondents (18.0%) do not believe assisting a cow during calving difficulty without wearing gloves is a risk factor for zoonosis. Knowledge assessment is essential in developing countries that have experienced a foodborne outbreak, such as South Africa. There is an urgent need to educate dairy farmers about milk-borne zoonosis to minimize the threat to food security and public health.
Street view images blur detection

Blurred regions in images can hinder visual analysis and have a notable impact on applications such as navigation systems and virtual tours. Many existing approaches in the literature assume the presence of blurred regions in an image and process the entire image, even when no blurred regions are actually present. This approach leads to unnecessary computational overhead, resulting in inefficiency and resource consumption. In this paper, we introduce a Street-view images Blur Detection Network (SBDNet), consisting of two interconnected subnetworks: the Classifier network and the Identifier network. The Classifier network is responsible for categorizing street-view images as either blurred or not blurred. Once the Classifier network determines that an image is blurred, the Identifier network is then activated to estimate the specific areas that are blurred within the image. High-level semantic features from the Classifier network are used to construct the blur map estimation in the Identifier network, when necessary. The algorithm was trained and evaluated using the Street-View Blur Images dataset (SVBI) and three publicly available blur detection datasets: CUHK, DUT, SZU-BD. Our quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate that SBDNet competes with state of the arts in blur map estimation.
Off-Label Immunosuppressant Drugs in Solid Organ Transplantation

Once a solid organ transplantation (SOT) has been performed, it is necessary to prescribe immunosuppressant medication to prevent graft rejection. This task has the peculiarity that many of these drugs do not have specific indications for transplant use in the technical data sheets. We performed a review of different immunosuppressive drugs’ information available at European and American regulatory agencies in order to analyze the approved indications by the type of SOT. In our work, besides showing these differences between different indication approvals in different SOT modalities, we also attempted to reflect other differences under the approved indications according to age group, formulation type, geographical area, etc. Although consensus documents on the subject have been published, the access to immunosuppressants depends on each country’s regulation and healthcare system, and off-label prescription is a reality that healthcare professionals need to be familiar with.
Seasonal Changes in Sediment Characteristics on the Tidal Flat in Geunso Bay, West Coast of Korea

ABSTRACT Woo, H.J.; Kang, J.; Lee, J.-H. , and Jang, S. , 2016. Seasonal changes in sediment characteristics on the tidal flat in Geunso Bay, west coast of Korea. In: Vila-Concejo, A. ; Bruce, E. ; Kennedy, D.M. , and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 1412 - 1416. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Geunso Bay, located in Taean, western Korean Peninsula, is a semi-enclosed-type bay with a mean tidal range of about 6 m. Tidal flats are largely developed along the sides of the bay. A digital elevation model showed that 95% of the total area of the bay is tidal flat. Observations in both winter and summer of 2009 revealed that the surface sediments in the bay were mainly muddy sand, and the sediments were classified into five sedimentary facies: sandy silt, slightly gravelly sandy mud/sandy mud, slightly gravelly muddy sand/muddy sand, silty sand, and sand. In the eastern tidal flat, the annual sedimentation rate ranged from −71.3 to 12.4 mm/year, with a net erosion rate of −15.0 mm/year. Erosion was dominant on the tidal flat in the middle part of the bay, whereas deposition occurred in the western tidal flat in winter and spring, with a net deposition rate of 10.8 mm/year. Suspended sediments were supplied to the bay in relatively large amount in winter and spring and were transported in an anti-clockwise direction. Winter waves played a limited role in the seasonal variation in sedimentation due to the southwestward-opening bay mouth. It seems that the supply of suspended sediments and the circulation pattern of tidal currents are the most important factors for seasonal variations in sediments on the Geunso tidal flat.
Performance of Goat Fed on Basal Feed and Indigofera zollingeriana

This study aimed to measure the potential and basal feed introduction (corn stover, gliricidia leaves, Panicum maximum) with the addition of Indigofera zollingeriana, which is expected to increase the goat performance. Fifteen goats aged 9-12 months, with an initial weight of ±20 kg were randomly assigned in completely randomized design (CRD) to one of three treatments and five replications. The treatment were P1 = 60% basal feed + 40% Indigofera zollingeriana, P2 = 70% basal feed + 30% Indigofera zollingeriana, P3= 80% basal feed + 20% Indigofera zollingeriana. We assessed the study outcomes as follows: daily weight gain (DWG), dry matter intake (DMI), feed efficiency and physiological responses. Data was statistically analyzed with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Duncan’s multiple range test. ANOVA test showed that the treatments significantly affected (p<0.05) the DMI, DWG, feed efficiency and respiratory rate. Based on multiple range tests, treatment P1 was significantly different (p<0.05) than treatment P2 and P3. Mean DMI ranged from 265.8 to 380.32 g/head/day, mean DWG ranged from 33.28 to 65.62 g/head/day, mean feed efficiency ranged from 0.12 to 0.17%, mean respiratory rate ranged from 22 to 32 rate per minute. Statistical analysis showed that the treatment did not significantly (p>0.05) affect rectal temperature and heart rate. Mean rectal temperature and heart rate were 38.2-39.8°C and 80-90 beats per minute, respectively. In conclusion, the administration of 60% basal feed (20% corn straw, 20% gamal leaves and 20% Panicum maximum) and 40% Indigofera zollingeriana could improve the goat’s performance.
Emerging Johannesburg: Perspectives on the Postapartheid City

was known as Krung Thep, into the late 1990s, by which time Bangkok had become a ‘‘global city’’ with economic linkages to powerful metropolises in distant parts of the world, a huge foreign-tourist economy, and many expressions of ultramodern urban landscape. Along the way, Askew provides quite a few statistics about Bangkok’s changing population totals, but perhaps by oversight no total is given for the population in any recent year. The remainder of the book consists of seven chapters that cover the changing character of representative places in and around Bangkok: the noted backpacker district called Banglamphu; Rattanakosin, the historic district at the center of the city, in which many of Thailand’s most famous royal and religious landmarks are located; the sex-industry landscapes of Patpong and Sukhumvit; and representative low-income slum neighborhoods, middle-class suburban housing estates, changing agricultural districts at the rural-urban fringe, and in-city condominium redevelopment sites. In a potentially controversial chapter about the sex industry, Askew departs from the usual social-science perspective, which treats female sex workers as victims of both an unequal Thai sex-gender order and a global political economy of sexual exploitation, and presents them instead as ‘‘active, assertive and skilled agents’’ with the capacity to negotiate for themselves and take charge of their own lives. The book is current, authoritative, and nicely illustrated with original maps, archival photos, and the author’s own photographs, and it is extremely well written. There is, however, a bit too much of the unnecessarily complex language of contemporary cultural studies, which makes the text less accessible to many students and the general public. One of my favorite photographs, representing the author’s keen eye for social process and landscape as well as for irony, shows a high-rise condominium construction site and a billboard advertising the place as ‘‘Las Colinas: Prestige for the Privileged Fews. ’’ The bibliography is a gem, pointing the way to many more resources in English (as well as Thai sources) than I ever imagined existed. I wish that there had been more material about pollution and environmental issues in Bangkok, as well as others among my favorite topics, but they might not have fit well into the book’s tight theme on the cultural construction of place. Bangkok: Place, Practice and Representation is a masterpiece, and is far and away the best profile in English of Bangkok past, present, and a bit into the future.
Using Contaminant Photoreactivity as a Holistic Indicator to Monitor Changes in Wetland Water Characteristics

ii! Acknowledgments . iv! Vita . v! List of Tables . ix! List of Figures . x! Chapter 1: Introduction . 1! 1.1! Scope and Aims of Research . 1! 1.2! Photochemistry of Natural Waters: An Overview . 2! 1.3! Predicting Contaminant Photochemical Fate . 4! 1.4 References . 4! Chapter 2: Contaminant-accelerated photobleaching of colored dissolved organic matter during solar irradiation . 8! 2.
Citric Acid Promotes Immune Function by Modulating the Intestinal Barrier

Amidst increasing concern about antibiotic resistance resulting from the overuse of antibiotics, there is a growing interest in exploring alternative agents. One such agent is citric acid, an organic compound commonly used for various applications. Our research findings indicate that the inclusion of citric acid can have several beneficial effects on the tight junctions found in the mouse intestine. Firstly, the study suggests that citric acid may contribute to weight gain by stimulating the growth of intestinal epithelial cells (IE-6). Citric acid enhances the small intestinal villus–crypt ratio in mice, thereby promoting intestinal structural morphology. Additionally, citric acid has been found to increase the population of beneficial intestinal microorganisms, including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. It also promotes the expression of important protein genes such as occludin, ZO-1, and claudin-1, which play crucial roles in maintaining the integrity of the tight junction barrier in the intestines. Furthermore, in infected IEC-6 cells with H9N2 avian influenza virus, citric acid augmented the expression of genes closely associated with the influenza virus infection. Moreover, it reduces the inflammatory response caused by the viral infection and thwarted influenza virus replication. These findings suggest that citric acid fortifies the intestinal tight junction barrier, inhibits the replication of influenza viruses targeting the intestinal tract, and boosts intestinal immune function.
Evidence of a small, island-associated population of common bottlenose dolphins in the Mariana Islands

Small, island-associated populations of cetaceans have evolved around numerous oceanic islands, likely due to habitat discontinuities between nearshore and offshore waters. However, little is known about the ecology and structure of cetacean populations around the Mariana Islands, a remote archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. We present sighting, photo-identification, and genetic data collected during twelve years of surveys around these islands that reveal the existence of a small, island-associated population of bottlenose dolphins. Nearly half of the photo-identified individuals were encountered in more than one year. Both haplotypic and nuclear genetic diversity among sampled individuals was low (haplotypic diversity = 0.701, nuclear heterozygosity = 0.658), suggesting low abundance. We used mark-recapture analysis of photo-identification data to estimate yearly abundance in the southern portion of the population’s range from 2011 to 2018. Each abundance estimate was less than 54 individuals, with each upper 95% confidence interval below 100. Additional survey effort is necessary to generate a full population abundance estimate. We found extensive introgression of Fraser’s dolphin DNA into both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of the population, suggesting at least two hybridization events more than two generations in the past. The Mariana Islands are used extensively by the U.S. military for land and sea training operations. Thus, this unique bottlenose dolphin population likely faces high exposure to multiple threats.
Functional Electrochemistry: On-Nerve Assessment of Electrode Materials for Electrochemistry and Functional Neurostimulation

Emerging therapies in bioelectronic medicine highlight the need for deeper understanding of electrode material performance in the context of tissue stimulation. Electrochemical properties are characterized on the benchtop, facilitating standardization across experiments. On-nerve electrochemistry differs from benchtop characterization and the relationship between electrochemical performance and nerve activation thresholds are not commonly established. This relationship is important in understanding differences between electrical stimulation requirements and electrode performance. We report functional electrochemistry as a follow-up to benchtop testing, describing a novel experimental approach for evaluating on-nerve electrochemical performance in the context of nerve activation. An ex-vivo rat sciatic nerve preparation was developed to quantify activation thresholds of fiber subtypes and electrode material charge injection limits for platinum iridium, iridium oxide, titanium nitride and PEDOT. Finally, we address experimental complexities arising in these studies, and demonstrate statistical solutions that support rigorous material performance comparisons for decision making in neural interface development.