Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved Antioxidant and Mechanical Properties of Food Packaging Films Based on Chitosan/Deep Eutectic Solvent, Containing Açaí-Filled Microcapsules

The development of biobased antioxidant active packaging has been valued by the food industry for complying with environmental and food waste concerns. In this work, physicochemical properties for chitosan composite films as a potential active food packaging were investigated. Chitosan films were prepared by solution casting, plasticized with a 1:2 choline chloride: glycerol mixture as a deep eutectic solvent (DES) and incorporated with 0–10% of optimized açaí oil polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs). Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the chitosan composite films were continuous and contained well-dispersed PECs. The increased PECs content had significant influence on the thickness, water vapor permeability, crystallinity (CrD) and mechanical and dynamic behavior of the films, as well as their antioxidant properties. The tensile strength was reduced in the following order: 11.0 MPa (control film) > 0.74 MPa (5% DES) > 0.63 MPa (5% DES and 5% PECs). Films containing 2% of PECs had an increased CrD, ~6%, and the highest elongation at break, ~104%. Films with 1% of PECs displayed the highest antioxidant properties against the ABTS and DPPH radicals, ~6 and ~17 mg TE g−1, respectively, and highest equivalent polyphenols content (>0.5 mg GAE g−1). Films with 2% of particles were not significantly different. These results suggested that the chitosan films that incorporated 1–2% of microparticles had the best combined mechanical and antioxidant properties as a potential material for food packaging.
Synergistic Antibiotic Activity of Ricini Semen Extract with Oxacillin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Resistant bacteria are emerging as a critical problem in the treatment of bacterial infections by neutralizing antibiotic activity. The development of new traditional mechanisms of antibiotics is not the optimal solution. A more reasonable approach may be to use relatively safe, plant-based compounds in combination with conventional antibiotics in an effort to increase their efficacy or restore their activity against resistant bacteria. We present our study of mixing Ricini Semen extract, or its constituent fatty acids, with oxacillin and testing the effects of each on the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Changes in the cell membrane fluidity of methicillin-resistant S. aureus were found to be a major component of the mechanism of synergistic antibiotic activity of Ricini Semen extract and its constituent fatty acids. In our model, changes in cellular membrane fluidity disrupted the normal function of bacterial signaling membrane proteins BlaR1 and MecR1, which are known to detect oxacillin, and resulted in the incomplete expression of penicillin-binding proteins 2a and β-lactamase. Utilizing the mechanism presented in this study presents the possibility of developing a method for treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria using traditional antibiotics with plant-based compounds.
Application of Potassium Humate and Salicylic Acid to Mitigate Salinity Stress of Common Bean

In the current study, we investigated the effect of potassium humate (Kh) and salicylic acid (SA) in mitigating the salinity stress of common bean plants. Common bean seedlings were treated with 0.2 g/L SA as a foliar application and 0.3 g/L Kh as a soil application individually or in combination. After 7 days of germination, plants were treated with 50 mM NaCl and normal water as a control. Our results indicate that salt treatment reduced the plant growth (fresh and dry shoots and roots), leaf pigments (total chlorophyll and carotenoids), ascorbic acid (AA), glutathione (GSH), and potassium (K) contents. On the contrary, proline content; sodium (Na); hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); superoxide anion (O2•−); and antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were increased by saline stress. However, applying either individual Kh and SA or their combination stimulated seedling growth under salinity stress by increasing growth parameters, leaf pigment contents, AA, GSH, proline content, K content, and antioxidant enzymes compared with the control. Additionally, Na content, H2O2, and O2•− were reduced by all applications. The application of the Kh (0.3 g/L) + SA (0.2 g/L) combination was more effective than using the individual compounds. In conclusion, applications of Kh + SA can mitigate salt stress and improve the seedling growth of common bean.
Optimized Baby Step-Giant Step Methods

Shanks' baby step-giant step algorithm is known to be a generic method for computing element orders and discrete logarithms in any finite abelian group. We show how this method can be optimized in various applications where more is known about the underlying group than just the group operation itself. Additional information includes situations when the distribution of the solution in a given search interval is known, when symmetries in the search interval or less expensive inversions exist, and when baby steps are less expensive than giant steps. In each case, this additional information can be readily used to obtain a speed-up of the algorithm. We apply the optimized methods to the computation of invariants of hyperelliptic function fields. Hereby, we are able to verify the speed-up in an important application.
Anisotropic Turbulence Models for Acoustic Propagation Through the Neutral Atmospheric Surface Layer

Abstract : Several anisotropic models for the three-dimensional spectra of velocity fluctuations in shear dominated, atmospheric surface layer turbulence are presented and discussed. These models include a generalized Gaussian model, two forms of generalized von Karman models; the Kristensen, Lenschow, Kirkegaard, and Courtney model; and the Mann model. The distinction between a 'top-down' and 'bottom up' approach to the design of a model is discussed, and how the bottom up approach generally leads to more satisfactory models is shown. The effects of turbulent an isotropy on acoustic propagation are explored by calculating mutual coherence functions (MCFs) (describing the coherence of a propagating acoustic wave) for the different models. An isotropy effects have been found that they can be quite significant, even when the separation between the acoustic sensors is small.
Characterization of the Tumor Microenvironment in Jaw Osteosarcomas, towards Prognostic Markers and New Therapeutic Targets

Simple Summary Jaw osteosarcoma (JO) differs from its long-bones counterpart in many ways. The pathophysiology of this disease is still unknown, but the tumor microenvironment seems to play an important role in the progression of the disease and might offer new therapeutic perspectives. Through an immunohistochemical study performed on 50 biopsies of JO, we investigated various parameters associated with bone resorption, vascular and immune infiltrates. We demonstrated a strong and significant correlation between CD163 staining and lower survival in patients. Also, high levels of RANK and RANKL were found in the tumor samples and correlated with lower disease-free survival, while the T cells markers (CD4+ and CD8+) and the immune checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1 were poorly detected in the samples. Abstract Background—The purpose of this study was to investigate the bone resorption, as well as the vascular and immune microenvironment, of jaw osteosarcomas (JO) and to correlate these features with patient clinical outcomes. Methods—We studied 50 JO biopsy samples by immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays (TMAs). We investigated the bone remodeling markers RANK/RANKL/OPG, the endothelial glycoprotein CD146, and biomarkers of the immune environment (CD163 and CD68 of macrophages, CD4+ and CD8+ of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and an immune checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1). The biomarkers were analyzed for their influence on progression (recurrence and metastasis), overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS). Results—A strong and significant correlation has been found between CD163 staining and lower OS and DFS. The level of CD4+ and CD8+ staining was low and non-significantly associated with survival outcomes. High levels of RANK and RANKL were found in the tumor samples and correlated with lower DFS. Conclusion—Our findings suggest that CD163+ TAMs represent markers of poor prognosis in JO. Targeting TAMs could represent a valuable therapeutic strategy in JO.
Wavelength-Tunable and OAM-Switchable Ultrafast Fiber Laser Enabled by Intracavity Polarization Control

Ultrafast laser that directly emits vortex beam has broad application prospects in many research fields and applications, such as telecommunication, bio-sampling and quantum information science. In this article, we demonstrate a wavelength-tunable and OAM-switchable ultrafast fiber laser enabled by intracavity polarization controlling elements. The mode-locked laser can emit vortex beam outputs with a topological charge of l = +1 or l = −1 and the center wavelength can be continuously tuned from 1015 nm to 1038nm. The obtained output pulse has a pulse energy of 3.3 nJ and a compressed pulse duration of 87 fs. Compared with previous results, this laser can emit OAM-switchable output with a shorter pulse duration and a broad wavelength tuning range. The concept of adding polarization control elements to a mode-locked fiber laser can be further expanded to build laser with more sophisticated and customizable outputs.
Sharpness applied to the adaptive beamforming of acoustic data from a towed array of unknown shape

When a vessel towing a horizontal line array of underwater acoustic sensors changes course, the array responds by changing its shape so that the sensors no longer lie along a straight line. However, the spatial processing of the acoustic data still proceeds on the assumption that the array is straight with the positions of the sensors being known and invariant. When the array adopts a nonlinear shape so that the actual locations of the sensors no longer coincide with the assumed positions, the performance of the beamformer is observed to deteriorate. This degradation is most marked when an adaptive beamformer is used to optimize the array gain. The adaptive beamformer considered here is a constrained optimum beamformer that is based on the inversion of the observed (signal‐plus‐noise) cross‐spectral matrix of the sensor outputs. The adaptive beamformer responds to any deviation of the sensors from their nominal positions by suppressing the received signals so that the output signal‐to‐noise ratio of the b.
Innitelymany solutionsfor anellipticsystem withnonlinear boundary conditions

In this paper we prove the existence of innitely many nontrivial solutions of the system u = u; v = v;with nonlinear coupling at the smooth boundary of a bounded domain of R N . The proof, under suitable assumptions on the Hamiltonian, is based on variational arguments and on the Fountain Theorem of the critical point theory.
Ag/Ag3PO4 Nanoparticle-Decorated Hydroxyapatite Functionalized Calcium Carbonate: Ultrasound-Assisted Sustainable Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity

Silver nanoparticles are usually prepared by the reduction of silver cations through chemical and non-sustainable procedures that involve the use of reducing chemical agents. Therefore, many efforts have been made in the search for sustainable alternative methods. Among them, an ultrasound-assisted procedure could be a suitable and sustainable method to afford well-dispersed and nanometric silver particles. This paper describes a sustainable, ultrasound-assisted method using citrate as a reducing agent to prepare silver@hydroxyapatite functionalized calcium carbonate composites. For comparison, an ultrasound-assisted reduction was performed in the presence of NaBH4. The composites obtained in the presence of these two different reducing agents were compared in terms of nanoparticle nature, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxic activity. The nanoparticle nature was investigated by several techniques, including X-ray powder diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopic measurements, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Nanoparticles with a predominance of Ag or Ag3PO4 were obtained according to the type of reducing agent used. All composites were tested for antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively) bacteria and for cytotoxicity towards human skin keratinocytes and human fibroblasts. The nature of the nanoparticles, Ag or Ag3PO4, and their predominance seemed to affect the in vitro silver release and the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities. The composites obtained by the citrate-assisted reduction gave rise to the best results.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Adult Patients with Strabismus—Translation and Psychometric Testing of the Adult Strabismus Questionnaire (AS-20) into Finnish

(1) Strabismus has an impact on individuals’ health-related quality of life. The impact should be assessed with valid patient-reported outcome measures such as the Adult Strabismus Questionnaire (AS-20). The AS-20 was further refined using a Rasch analysis for the American population. The aims of the study were to translate and culturally adapt the AS-20 into Finnish and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Finnish AS-20. (2) The guidelines of the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research steered the process and four items were added from the original data as Finnish additions. The construct and convergent validity and internal consistency were evaluated via psychometric testing for three potential Finnish AS-20 structures. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist was applied. (3) The participants (n = 137) reported that the translation was clear and understandable. All structures showed high reliability and internal consistency as measured using Cronbach alpha values. The convergent validity assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficients between the structures and one item of Satisfaction with Life Scale indicated very low to moderate positive correlations. The construct validity evaluated using a confirmatory factor analysis revealed the refined AS-20 structure to be satisfactory. (4) The refined AS-20 can be used in clinical practice and research, but further validation is recommended.
Corruption and Embedded Autonomy: A Cross-National Analysis of Forest Loss

Previous research finds that the influences of colonial heritage on cultural norms and practices may have an effect on corruption levels. On the one hand, researchers argue that former colonies have higher levels of perceived corruption, due to the patrimonial systems colonizers set up. Others argue that the different legal systems colonizers imposed on nations are more susceptible to corruption than others, and some find this effect diminishes over time or where colonizers remained a minority. Moreover, scholars also suggest that non-colonized nations do not have the legal structures, political stability, and support from colonizers, and thus have higher levels of corruption. While this previous research contributes to our understanding of corruption as embedded in larger, historical structures, it does not consider how colonial processes shape how corruption impacts material outcomes in nations. Building on this previous research, the present study uses ordinary least squares regression (OLS) for a sample of 95 low- and middle-income nations from 2001 to 2014 to test how the impact of colonial forces, measured as domestic and international autonomy (the extent to which a nation is free of the direct control of external political actors), moderates the effect of corruption on forest loss.
A New Regulatory Network Controls Chilling Injury in Peach Fruit by γ-Aminobutyric Acid

The control of chilling injury in peach fruit by a new regulator network, that exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) regulates the metabolisms of polyamines (PAs), the GABA shunt, and proline, is still unclear. This study found that GABA induced an increase in the expression of PpADC and PpODC and a decrease in the expression of PpPAO expression, resulting in the accumulation of PAs. There was also an increase in the expression of PpGAD, which improved GABA content, and an increase in the expression of PpP5CS and PpOAT, which improved proline content. The correlation analysis showed that an increase in PpADC/PpP5CS expression was closely associated with the accumulation of putrescine and that the synergistic increase in the expression of PpODC and PpGAD/PpP5CS/PpOAT was closely related to the accumulation of spermine, proline, and GABA induced by GABA. Importantly, arginine and PpADC played a key role in putrescine accumulation, whereas ornithine and PpODC/PpOAT played a crucial role in the synergistic accumulation of spermine, proline, and GABA induced by GABA. This study provides new information on GABA-induced cold tolerance in peach fruit.
Pairs of finite-type power series spaces

Let be sequences of positive numbers. We study the problem on isomorphic classification of pairs (Error rendering LaTeX formula) . For this purpose we introduce the sequence of so-called m -rectangle characteristics . It is shown that the system of all these characteristics is a complete quasidiagonal invariant on the class of pairs of finite type power series spaces. Using some new linear topological invariants (compound invariants) we prove that m -rectangle characteristics are invariant on the class of such pairs. Some applications to pairs of spaces of analytic functions are considered.
Unique sink orientations of cubes

Subject of this thesis is the theory of unique sink orientations of cubes. Such orientations are suitable to model problems from different areas of combinatorial optimization. In particular, unique sink orientations are closely related to the running time of the simplex algorithm. In the following, we try to answer three main questions: How can optimization problems be translated into the framework of unique sink orientations? What structural properties do unique sink orientations have? And how difficult is the algorithmic problem of finding the sink of a unique sink orientation? In connection to the first question, the main result is a reduction from linear programming to unique sink orientations. Although the connection to linear programming was the core motivation for our studies, it was not clear in the beginning how general linear programs can be fit into the theory of unique sink orientations. The reduction presented in this thesis closes this gap. For the second question we can provide several construction schemes for unique sink orientations. On the one hand we know schemes which allow us to construct all unique sink orientations. On the other hand we present easier constructions, which are still powerful enough to provide us with a number of interesting orientations. The hope that unique sink orientations on their own carry an interesting algebraic structure turns out to be wrong. Equipped with the construction schemes just mentioned we are able to give some answers to the third question about the algorithmic complexity. The true complexity of the problem of finding a sink of a unique sink orientation remains open. But we can provide first lower bounds for special algorithms as well as for the general case. Furthermore, it turns out that the algorithmic problem is NP-hard only if NP=coNP.
Taxonomic Advances from Fungal Flora Associated with Ferns and Fern-like Hosts in Northern Thailand

Ferns are one of the most significant plant groupings that comprise a substantial proportion of the plant flora due to the fact of their great diversity, especially in tropical areas. The biodiversity of fungi associated with ferns and fern-like hosts has also received little attention in studies. Plant samples were collected from diseased and dead plants of ten fern or fern-like species from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. Forty-one isolates were selected from the obtained isolates for molecular and morphological analysis, with a focus on pathogenic fungal genera and consideration of the diversity in host and geographical location. Twenty-six species belonging to seven genera (Colletotrichum, Curvularia, Diaporthe, Fusarium, Lasiodiplodia, Neopestalotiopsis, and Pestalotiopsis) in six families were identified. Thirty new hosts, eight new geographical hosts, and one new species, Colletotrichum polypodialium, are described. Nepestalotiopsis phangngaensis, N. pandancola, Diaporthe tectonendophytica, D. chiangraiensis, and D. delonicis were isolated for the first time from leaf spots. Additionally, new reservoirs and geographical locations for species previously isolated from leaf spots or whose pathogenicity was established were found. However, more studies are necessary to prove the pathogenicity of the fungi isolated from the leaf spots and to identify the fungi associated with other species of ferns.
Exhaled Biomarkers for Point-of-Care Diagnosis: Recent Advances and New Challenges in Breathomics

Cancers, chronic diseases and respiratory infections are major causes of mortality and present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for health care. There is an unmet medical need for non-invasive, easy-to-use biomarkers for the early diagnosis, phenotyping, predicting and monitoring of the therapeutic responses of these disorders. Exhaled breath sampling is an attractive choice that has gained attention in recent years. Exhaled nitric oxide measurement used as a predictive biomarker of the response to anti-eosinophil therapy in severe asthma has paved the way for other exhaled breath biomarkers. Advances in laser and nanosensor technologies and spectrometry together with widespread use of algorithms and artificial intelligence have facilitated research on volatile organic compounds and artificial olfaction systems to develop new exhaled biomarkers. We aim to provide an overview of the recent advances in and challenges of exhaled biomarker measurements with an emphasis on the applicability of their measurement as a non-invasive, point-of-care diagnostic and monitoring tool.
Remote Sensing Image Scene Classification: Advances and Open Challenges

Deep learning approaches are gaining popularity in image feature analysis and in attaining state-of-the-art performances in scene classification of remote sensing imagery. This article presents a comprehensive review of the developments of various computer vision methods in remote sensing. There is currently an increase of remote sensing datasets with diverse scene semantics; this renders computer vision methods challenging to characterize the scene images for accurate scene classification effectively. This paper presents technology breakthroughs in deep learning and discusses their artificial intelligence open-source software implementation framework capabilities. Further, this paper discusses the open gaps/opportunities that need to be addressed by remote sensing communities.