Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Some lessons that Peru did not learn before the second wave of COVID‐19

Peru, one of the most affected countries by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID ‐ 19) pandemic, imposed one of the earliest and toughest lockdowns in the world. 1 Despite regional variations, the overall picture situates Peru amongst the worst hit in the number of cases, deaths per million, and total excess deaths. 2 Factors contributing to these results are diverse, including geopolitics, international supply chain, political instability, social and economic crisis, and corruption. 4 raised political management effective 2
The Formation of Natural Gas Hydrate From SDS-Solutions and Decomposition By Microwave Heating in a Static Reactor

Gas mixture hydrates were quiescently produced from sodium dodecyl sulfate solutions of 20 ppm, 50 ppm, and 300 ppm to examine the potential for natural gas storage. Owing to the presence of C2H6 and C3H8, the concentration of 20 ppm is sufficient to promote the hydrate formation, although higher concentrations are better. The porous hydrate trapping more free water shows better microwave absorption and a higher decomposition rate. While conducting the work, pre-depressurization may weaken the water activity by forming ice.
Reduction in new cardiac electronic device implantations in Catalonia during COVID-19

Abstract Aims During the COVID-19 pandemic, concern regarding its effect on the management of non-communicable diseases has been raised. However, there are no data on the impact on cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) implantation rates. We aimed to determine the impact of SARS-CoV2 on the monthly incidence rates and type of pacemaker (PM) and implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) implantations in Catalonia before and after the declaration of the state of alarm in Spain on 14 March 2020. Methods and results Data on new CIED implantations for 2017–20 were prospectively collected by nine hospitals in Catalonia. A mixed model with random intercepts corrected for time was used to estimate the change in monthly CIED implantations. Compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, an absolute decrease of 56.5% was observed (54.7% in PM and 63.7% in ICD) in CIED implantation rates. Total CIED implantations for 2017–19 and January and February 2020 was 250/month (>195 PM and >55 ICD), decreasing to 207 (161 PM and 46 ICD) in March and 131 (108 PM and 23 ICD) in April 2020. In April 2020, there was a significant fall of 185.25 CIED implantations compared to 2018 [95% confidence interval (CI) 129.6–240.9; P < 0.001] and of 188 CIED compared to 2019 (95% CI 132.3–243.7; P < 0.001). No significant differences in the type of PM or ICD were observed, nor in the indication for primary or secondary prevention. Conclusions During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a substantial decrease in CIED implantations was observed in Catalonia. Our findings call for measures to avoid long-term social impact.
Revisiting tRNA chaperones: new players in an ancient game

tRNAs undergo an extensive maturation process including posttranscriptional modifications that influence secondary and tertiary interactions. Precursor and mature tRNAs lacking key modifications are often recognized as aberrant and subsequently targeted for decay, illustrating the importance of modifications in promoting structural integrity. tRNAs also rely on tRNA chaperones to promote the folding of misfolded substrates into functional conformations. The best characterized tRNA chaperone is the La protein, which interacts with nascent RNA polymerase III transcripts to promote folding and offers protection from exonucleases. More recently, certain tRNA modification enzymes have also been demonstrated to possess tRNA folding activity distinct from their catalytic activity, suggesting that they may act as tRNA chaperones. In this review, we will discuss pioneering studies relating posttranscriptional modification to tRNA stability and decay pathways, present recent advances into the mechanism by which the RNA chaperone La assists pre-tRNA maturation, and summarize emerging research directions aimed at characterizing modification enzymes as tRNA chaperones. Together, these findings shed light on the importance of tRNA folding and how tRNA chaperones, in particular, increase the fraction of nascent pre-tRNAs that adopt a folded, functional conformation.
Brachypodium Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL) Promotes Antiviral Defenses against Panicum mosaic virus and Its Satellites

Although the role of plant defense mechanisms against viruses are relatively well studied in dicots and in incompatible plant-microbe interactions, studies of their roles in compatible interactions and in grasses are lagging behind. In this study, we leveraged the emerging grass model Brachypodium and genetic resources to dissect Panicum mosaic virus (PMV)- and its satellite virus (SPMV)-compatible grass-virus interactions. ABSTRACT Brachypodium distachyon has recently emerged as a premier model plant for monocot biology, akin to Arabidopsis thaliana. We previously reported genome-wide transcriptomic and alternative splicing changes occurring in Brachypodium during compatible infections with Panicum mosaic virus (PMV) and its satellite virus (SPMV). Here, we dissected the role of Brachypodium phenylalanine ammonia lyase 1 (PAL1), a key enzyme for phenylpropanoid and salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis and the induction of plant defenses. Targeted metabolomics profiling of PMV-infected and PMV- plus SPMV-infected (PMV/SPMV) Brachypodium plants revealed enhanced levels of multiple defense-related hormones and metabolites such as cinnamic acid, SA, and fatty acids and lignin precursors during disease progression. The virus-induced accumulation of SA and lignin was significantly suppressed upon knockdown of B. distachyon PAL1 (BdPAL1) using RNA interference (RNAi). The compromised SA accumulation in PMV/SPMV-infected BdPAL1 RNAi plants correlated with weaker induction of multiple SA-related defense gene markers (pathogenesis related 1 [PR-1], PR-3, PR-5, and WRKY75) and enhanced susceptibility to PMV/SPMV compared to that of wild-type (WT) plants. Furthermore, exogenous application of SA alleviated the PMV/SPMV necrotic disease phenotypes and delayed plant death caused by single and mixed infections. Together, our results support an antiviral role for BdPAL1 during compatible host-virus interaction, perhaps as a last resort attempt to rescue the infected plant. IMPORTANCE Although the role of plant defense mechanisms against viruses are relatively well studied in dicots and in incompatible plant-microbe interactions, studies of their roles in compatible interactions and in grasses are lagging behind. In this study, we leveraged the emerging grass model Brachypodium and genetic resources to dissect Panicum mosaic virus (PMV)- and its satellite virus (SPMV)-compatible grass-virus interactions. We found a significant role for PAL1 in the production of salicylic acid (SA) in response to PMV/SPMV infections and that SA is an essential component of the defense response preventing the plant from succumbing to viral infection. Our results suggest a convergent role for the SA defense pathway in both compatible and incompatible plant-virus interactions and underscore the utility of Brachypodium for grass-virus biology.
Early life adversity promotes resilience to opioid addiction-related phenotypes in male rats and sex-specific transcriptional changes

Significance Opioid use disorder is on the rise, as are efforts to understand vulnerability to misuse. However, understanding resilience to drug abuse is also critical to the development of novel treatments. Here we demonstrate that a brief postnatal exposure to a low-resource environment—using the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) manipulation—promoted resilience to addiction-related phenotypes in adult male rats. Specifically, LBN reduced impulsivity, morphine self-administration, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) glutamate transmission in males, effects not seen in females. By comparing the sexes, we found that changes in NAc gene transcription unique to LBN males may contribute to resilience. Importantly, these molecular changes reveal new targets that could guide the development of pharmacotherapies for opioid use disorder. Experiencing some early life adversity can have an “inoculating” effect that promotes resilience in adulthood. However, the mechanisms underlying stress inoculation are unknown, and animal models are lacking. Here we used the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) model of adversity to evaluate stress inoculation of addiction-related phenotypes. In LBN, pups from postnatal days 2 to 9 and their dams were exposed to a low-resource environment. In adulthood, they were tested for addiction-like phenotypes and compared to rats raised in standard housing conditions. High levels of impulsivity are associated with substance abuse, but in males, LBN reduced impulsive choice compared to controls. LBN males also self-administered less morphine and had a lower breakpoint on a progressive ratio reinforcement schedule than controls. These effects of LBN on addiction-related behaviors were not found in females. Because the nucleus accumbens (NAc) mediates these behaviors, we tested whether LBN altered NAc physiology in drug-naïve and morphine-exposed rats. LBN reduced the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in males, but a similar effect was not observed in females. Only in males did LBN prevent a morphine-induced increase in the AMPA/NMDA ratio. RNA sequencing was performed to delineate the molecular signature in the NAc associated with LBN-derived phenotypes. LBN produced sex-specific changes in transcription, including in genes related to glutamate transmission. Collectively, these studies reveal that LBN causes a male-specific stress inoculation effect against addiction-related phenotypes. Identifying factors that promote resilience to addiction may reveal novel treatment options for patients.
Self-face and emotional faces—are they alike?

Abstract The image of one’s own face is a particularly distinctive feature of the self. The self-face differs from other faces not only in respect of its familiarity but also in respect of its subjective emotional significance and saliency. The current study aimed at elucidating similarities/dissimilarities between processing of one’s own face and emotional faces: happy faces (based on the self-positive bias) and fearful faces (because of their high perceptual saliency, a feature shared with self-face). Electroencephalogram data were collected in the group of 30 participants who performed a simple detection task. Event-related potential analyses indicated significantly increased P3 and late positive potential amplitudes to the self-face in comparison to all other faces: fearful, happy and neutral. Permutation tests confirmed the differences between the self-face and all three types of other faces for numerous electrode sites and in broad time windows. Representational similarity analysis, in turn, revealed distinct processing of the self-face and did not provide any evidence in favour of similarities between the self-face and emotional (either negative or positive) faces. These findings strongly suggest that the self-face processing do not resemble those of emotional faces, thus implying that prioritized self-referential processing is driven by the subjective relevance of one’s own face.
Bioavailable inorganic forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in extracts of herbs, flowers and bark of medicinal plants

Abstract The concentrations of total nitrogen and phosphorus, and their water-extractable inorganic chemical forms – nitrate nitrogen and – phosphate phosphorus, were analyzed in a set of 58 samples of Polish medicinal plant materials: herbs, flowers and bark. Total and extractable inorganic phosphorus were determined spectrophotometrically by the molybdenum blue method, the total nitrogen was based on Nessler reaction, and the nitrate nitrogen on the nitration method. On a dry weight basis, the total nitrogen covered the values from 4.69 to 27.42 mg/g in herbs, from 11.10 to 40.67 mg/g in flowers and from 5.92 to 9.77 mg/g in bark samples. Total phosphorus was found from 2.70 to 10.19 mg/g in herbs, from 2.15 to 8.82 mg/g in flowers and from 0.46 to 1.30 mg/g in bark samples. On average, the nitrate nitrogen represented the fraction from 2.6% (flowers) to 15.1% (bark) of the total amount of nitrogen, whereas inorganic phosphate phosphorus was from 28.3% (herbs) to 60.2% (bark) of the total amount of this element. Correlation analysis revealed that the total N is not correlated with N–NO3 except the bark samples, but P–PO4 was positively related to the total P level, with the exception of herbs (a<0.05). Student’s t-test confirmed a statistically significant difference between the level of N, P and their water-extractable inorganic forms determined in bark with the comparison with the values found in herbs and flowers. Potentially bioavailable inorganic forms of nitrogen and phosphorus were compared with the nutritional norms of WHO/FAO and RDA, indicating that they can deliver significant amounts of N and P to humans.
EFFECT OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING AND TEMPERATURE ON THE SHELF LIFE OF SLICED PASTIRMA PRODUCED FROM FROZEN/THAWED MEAT

Pastirma is a dry-cured meat product and is categorized as an intermediate moisture food. Nonsliced pastirma can be stored without refrigeration. Pastirma is consumed sliced without cooking. For preservation of quality characteristics, sliced pastirma needs to be packaged and stored at fairly low temperatures (<10C). In this study, pastirma was made from frozen M. Longissimus dorsi muscle stored at−18C for 240 days and then thawed at 10C for 24 h. Pastirma produced from frozen/thawed meat was sliced. The sliced pastirma samples were stored in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (50% N2 + 50% CO2) at 4C and 10C for 150 days and thiobarbutiric acid reactive substances, free fatty acids, nonprotein nitrogen, pH, L*, a* and b* values, total aerobic and lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, yeast-mold, and Enterobacteriaceae counts in sliced product were determined during storage (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days). Results showed that sliced pastirma samples made from frozen/thawed meat and MAP can be stored at 4C and 10C for 150 days.
Examining the Personal and Perceived Organizational Characteristics Associated With Juvenile Probation Staff Job Satisfaction

Satisfied employees are essential to an organization, as they are often the primary means for meeting organizational needs. Job satisfaction is particularly important among criminal justice agencies, specifically probation agencies that largely rely on personnel for the supervision and rehabilitation of individuals. Yet, the correlates of job satisfaction among juvenile probation staff are largely unknown. Following organizational climate theory, the current study utilizes baseline data from the Juvenile Justice–Translational Research on Adolescents in the Legal System (JJ-TRIALS) initiative, a project conducted in seven states with 36 participating juvenile probation agencies. Factor analysis and structural equation modeling were utilized to examine the latent structure of organizational characteristics and potential mediating effects. Regression analyses were utilized to examine the direct relationship between job satisfaction and personal and organizational factors. Results highlight the importance of workplace factors and suggest efforts toward improving job satisfaction should focus on the improvement of organizational characteristics.
What Gets Measured in Reentry Research? A Scoping Review on Community Reentry From Jail and Prison for Persons With Mental Illnesses

Research on reentry for individuals with mental illnesses leaving jails and prisons lacks outcome specificity and standardization needed to advance knowledge about the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions. This scoping review aims to provide clarity about reentry outcomes by: (a) ascertaining what outcomes are a focus in reentry research, (b) explicating how outcomes are defined, and (c) identifying commonalities or gaps in outcomes reported. A search of multiple databases yielded 415 articles for potential inclusion. After independent document review by two of the authors, 61 articles were included in the review. Recidivism was the most used construct, accounting for 58% of total outcomes and 95% of criminal legal outcomes. Behavioral health indicators were reported the second most frequently and other outcomes were rarely reported. Increasing the specificity of commonly used concepts while also expanding the breadth of outcomes considered is needed to build an evidence base this area of research.
ThunderGP: HLS-based Graph Processing Framework on FPGAs

FPGA has been an emerging computing infrastructure in datacenters benefiting from features of fine-grained parallelism, energy efficiency, and reconfigurability. Meanwhile, graph processing has attracted tremendous interest in data analytics, and its performance is in increasing demand with the rapid growth of data. Many works have been proposed to tackle the challenges of designing efficient FPGA-based accelerators for graph processing. However, the largely overlooked programmability still requires hardware design expertise and sizable development efforts from developers. In order to close the gap, we propose ThunderGP, an open-source HLS-based graph processing framework on FPGAs, with which developers could enjoy the performance of FPGA-accelerated graph processing by writing only a few high-level functions with no knowledge of the hardware. ThunderGP adopts the Gather-Apply-Scatter (GAS) model as the abstraction of various graph algorithms and realizes the model by a build-in highly-paralleled and memory-efficient accelerator template. With high-level functions as inputs, ThunderGP automatically explores the massive resources and memory bandwidth of multiple Super Logic Regions (SLRs) on FPGAs to generate accelerator and then deploys the accelerator and schedules tasks for the accelerator. We evaluate ThunderGP with seven common graph applications. The results show that accelerators on real hardware platforms deliver 2.9 times speedup over the state-of-the-art approach, running at 250MHz and achieving throughput up to 6,400 MTEPS (Million Traversed Edges Per Second). We also conduct a case study with ThunderGP, which delivers up to 419 times speedup over the CPU-based design and requires significantly reduced development efforts. This work is open-sourced on Github at https://github.com/Xtra-Computing/ThunderGP.
DChannel: Accelerating Mobile Applications With Parallel High-bandwidth and Low-latency Channels

Interactive mobile applications like web browsing and gaming are known to benefit significantly from low latency networking, as applications communicate with cloud servers and other users’ devices. Emerging mobile channel standards have not met these needs: 5G’s general-purpose eMBB channel has much higher bandwidth than 4G but empirically offers little improvement for common latency-sensitive applications, while its ultra-low-latency URLLC channel is targeted at only specific applications with very low bandwidth requirements. We explore a different direction for wireless channel de-sign to address the fundamental bandwidth-latency tradeoff: utilizing two channels – one high bandwidth, one low latency – simultaneously to improve performance of common Internet applications. We design DChannel, a fine-grained packet-steering scheme that takes advantage of these parallel channels to transparently improve application performance. With 5G channels, our trace-driven and live network experiments show that even though URLLC offers just 1% of the bandwidth of eMBB, using both channels can improve web page load time and responsiveness of common mobile apps by 16-40% compared to using exclusively eMBB. This approach may provide service providers important incentives to make low latency channels available for widespread use.
NetCracker: A Peek into the Routing Architecture of Xilinx 7-Series FPGAs

Novel applications have triggered significant changes at the system level of FPGA architecture design, such as the introduction of embedded VLIW processor arrays and hardened NoCs. However, the routing architecture of the soft logic fabric has largely remained unchanged in recent years. Since hunger for acceleration of ever more varied tasks with various power budgets---as well as complications related to technology scaling---is likely to remain significant, it is foreseeable that the routing architecture too will have to evolve. In this work, we do not try to suggest how routing architectures of tomorrow should look like. Instead, we analyze an existing architecture from a popular commercial FPGA family, discussing the possible origins of various design decisions and pointing out aspects that may merit future research. Moreover, we present an open-source tool that greatly eases such analyses, relying only on data readily available from the vendor CAD tools. Our hope is that this work will help the academic research community in catching up with the current developments in industry and accelerate its contributions to FPGA architectures of the future.
Resource Sharing in Dataflow Circuits

To achieve resource-efficient hardware designs, HLS tools share (i.e., time-multiplex) functional units among operations of the same type. This optimization is typically performed together with operation scheduling to ensure the best possible unit usage at each point in time. Dataflow circuits have emerged as an alternative HLS approach to efficiently handle irregular and control-dominated code. Yet, these circuits do not have a predetermined schedule—in its absence, it is challenging to determine which operations can share a functional unit without a performance penalty. Furthermore, although sharing seems to imply only some trivial circuitry, time-multiplexing units in dataflow circuits may cause deadlock by blocking certain data transfers and preventing operations from executing. In this paper, we present a technique to automatically identify performance-acceptable resource sharing opportunities in dataflow circuits and we describe a sharing mechanism that achieves deadlock-free dataflow designs. On benchmarks obtained from C code, we show that our approach effectively implements resource sharing: it results in significant area savings (i.e., a DSP reduction of up to 81%) compared to dataflow circuits which do not support this feature and matches the sharing capabilities of a state-of-the-art HLS tool.