Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The evolution of planetary nebulae. III - Position-velocity images of butterfly-type nebulae

Observations of the motions of the shells of the planetary nebulae NGC 2346, NGC 2371-2, NGC 2440, NGC 6058, NGC 6210, IC 1747, IC 5217, J-320, and M2-9 are presented. These are all 'butterfly' type PNs, and show evidence for bipolar shocks. The observations are interpreted in terms of a fast spherical wind, driven by the central star into a quasi-toroidal envelope deposited earlier by the star, during its slow-wind phase on the asymptotic giant branch. It is shown that this model, which is a straightforward extension of a mechanism previously invoked to account for elliptical PNs, reproduces the essential kinematic features of butterfly PNs. It is inferred that the envelopes of butterflies must have a considerable equator-to-pole density gradient, and it is suggested that the origin of this asphericity must be sought in an as yet unknown mechanism during the AGB, Mira, or OH/IR phases of late stellar evolution. 28 references.
A compact OPO/SFG laser for ultraviolet biological sensing

A compact parametric oscillator (OPO) with intracavity sum-frequency generation (SFG) to generate 293 nm UV laser irradiation, was developed. The OPO/SFG device was pumped by a 100 Hz Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) of own design, including subsequent second harmonic generation (SHG) in an external periodically poled KTiOPO4 (KTP) crystal. The whole system could be used to deliver more than 30 μJ laser irradiation per pulse (100 Hz) at 293 nm. The UV laser light was introduced in an optical fiber attached to a sample compartment allowing detection of fluorescence emission using a commercial spectrometer. Aqueous samples containing biomolecules (ovalbumin) or bacteria spores (Bacillus subtilis) were excited by the UV-light at 293 nm resulting in strong fluorescence emission in the range 325 - 600 nm.
Telomerase reverse transcriptase ameliorates lung fibrosis by protecting alveolar epithelial cells against senescence

Mutations in the genes encoding telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase's RNA components as well as shortened telomeres are risk factors for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, where repetitive injury to the alveolar epithelium is considered a key factor in pathogenesis. Given the importance of TERT in stem cells, we hypothesized that TERT plays an important role in epithelial repair and that its deficiency results in exacerbation of fibrosis by impairing this repair/regenerative process. To evaluate the role of TERT in epithelial cells, we generated type II alveolar epithelial cell (AECII)–specific TERT conditional knockout (SPC-Tert cKO) mice by crossing floxed Tert mice with inducible SPC-driven Cre mice. SPC-Tert cKO mice did not develop pulmonary fibrosis spontaneously up to 9 months of TERT deficiency. However, upon bleomycin treatment, they exhibited enhanced lung injury, inflammation, and fibrosis compared with control mice, accompanied by increased pro-fibrogenic cytokine expression but without a significant effect on AECII telomere length. Moreover, selective TERT deficiency in AECII diminished their proliferation and induced cellular senescence. These findings suggest that AECII-specific TERT deficiency enhances pulmonary fibrosis by heightening susceptibility to bleomycin-induced epithelial injury and diminishing epithelial regenerative capacity because of increased cellular senescence. We confirmed evidence for increased AECII senescence in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lungs, suggesting potential clinical relevance of the findings from our animal model. Our results suggest that TERT has a protective role in AECII, unlike its pro-fibrotic activity, observed previously in fibroblasts, indicating that TERT's role in pulmonary fibrosis is cell type–specific.
Top Quark Asymmetries

The production of top quark pairs (tt¯) via the quark-antiquark initial state is not symmetric under the exchange of top quark and antiquark. Calculations of this next-to-leading order effect predict asymmetries of about one to a few percent, depending on the centre-of-mass energy and the selected phase space. Experimentally, this charge asymmetry of tt¯ production manifests itself in differences in angular distributions between top quarks and antiquarks. Sensitive observables are the rapidities of the produced top quarks and antiquarks as well as their energies. In dileptonic tt¯ events, the asymmetry of the tt¯ system is reflected in a similar asymmetry in the system of the produced lepton pair, with the crucial advantage of a simpler reconstruction procedure. In this article we review the measurements of this effect in different final states and using different observables by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations in LHC collisions at three different centre-of-mass energies.
A characterization of sets of n points which determine n hyperplanes

Suppose N is a set of points of a d-dimensional incidence space S and {Ha}, a ∈ I, a set of hyperplanes of S such that Hi ∈ {Ha} if and only if Hi ∩ N spans Hi. N is then said to determine {Ha}. We are interested here in the case in which N is a finite set of n points in S and I = {1, 2,…, n}; that is to say when a set of n points determines precisely n hyperplanes. Such a situation occurs in E3, for example, when N spans E3 and is a subset of two (skew) lines, or in E2 if N spans the space and n − 1 of the points are on a line. On the other hand, the n points of a finite projective space determine precisely n hyperplanes so that the structure of a set of n points determining n hyperplanes is not at once transparent.
Summary of Convective Storm Initiation and Evolution during IHOP: Observational and Modeling Perspective

Abstract The data-rich International H2O Project (IHOP_2002) experiment is used to study convective storm initiation and subsequent evolution for all days of the experiment. Initiation episodes were almost evenly divided between those triggered along surface-based convergence lines and elevated initiation episodes that showed no associated surface convergence. The elevated episodes occurred mostly at night, and the surface-based episodes occurred during the afternoon and evening. Surface-based initiations were mostly associated with synoptic fronts and gust fronts and less so with drylines and bores. Elevated initiations were frequently associated with observable convergent or confluent features in the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) wind analysis fields between 900 and 600 hPa. The RUC10 3-h forecast of the precipitation initiation episodes were correct 44% of the time, allowing a tolerance of 250 km in space and for the forecast being early by one period. However, the accuracy was closely tied to the scale of .
Consumption of Sugary Drinks among Urban Adults in Colombia: Association with Sociodemographic Factors and Body Adiposity

Introduction: Calories from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) contribute to the development of noncommunicable diseases. There is limited knowledge of the intake of SSBs and their correlates in developing countries. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the consumption of multiple SSBs and their sociodemographic correlates in an urban adult population from Colombia, South America. Methods: This was a probabilistic, population-level study of adults aged 18 to 75 from five cities representing different regions of Colombia. Dietary intake was assessed employing a 157-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire that inquired about intake over the last year. The consumption of regular soda, low-calorie soda, homemade and industrialized fruit juices, energy drinks, sport drinks, malt drinks and traditional sugar cane infusion (“agua de panela”) was analyzed for the total sample and subgroups defined by sociodemographic and clinical factors of interest. Results: The study included 1491 individuals (female: 54.2%, mean age: 45.3, overweight: 38.0%, obese: 23.3%). Sugary beverages contributed, on average, 287 Cal/d among women and 334 Cal/d among men, representing 8.9% of total daily calories (TDC). Women in the lowest SEL consumed 10.6% of their TDC from sugary drinks, as opposed to 6.6% for those in a high SEL. For men, this difference was not present (p-value for interaction = 0.039). Interestingly, a higher educational level correlated with a lower consumption of calories from sugary drinks only among men. Fruit juices were by far the main source of sugary drinks, and their consumption did not change sizably by sex and socioeconomic or educational level. Among women, there was a negative association between socioeconomic level (SEL) and consumption of regular soda, a 50% difference between extreme levels. The intake of low-calorie soda was much higher among men than women, and it more than tripled in the highest vs. lowest SEL among men. The consumption of energy drinks was heavily concentrated in men of low SEL. Conclusion: Colombian urban adults obtain a considerable proportion of their calories from sugary drinks, especially vulnerable groups such as women with lower education. Given the recent acceleration of the obesity epidemic in Latin America, strategies to limit the intake of such liquid calories may provide important public health benefits.
Do Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Pal-KTTKS Make Bacterial Cellulose a Superior Wound Dressing or Skin Scaffold?

ABSTRACT Due to its promising features and cost-effectiveness, bacterial cellulose (BC) has been widely investigated as a wound dressing and tissue engineering scaffold. However, it fails to support cell adhesion and proliferation faultlessly, which is necessary to ensure cell viability and subsequent tissue regeneration. In this work, to bypass weak cell adhesion and proliferation, introducing the carboxyl functional group into BC was performed through in situ modification with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). In addition, to endow CMC-modified BC with the ability to stimulate collagen synthesis and improve wound healing, Pal-KTTKS peptide was incorporated onto the scaffold. The pore size, fiber diameter, fiber architecture, and porosity of each scaffold were evaluated using SEM analysis. FTIR, XRD, and water contact angle (WCA) were performed to assess the physicochemical properties of scaffolds. The cell adhesion, morphology, proliferation, and spreading were investigated through DAPI staining and SEM. The modification of BC with CMC led to minor changes in physical properties and improved cell adhesion and proliferation. In addition, the enriched scaffolds with Pal-KTTKS did not cause any significant cytotoxicity. Findings suggest that CMC modification improves BC performance in terms of cell adhesion and proliferation. Thus, this modification approach holds remarkable promise for using CMC-modified BC sole or with Pal-KTTKS in various tissue engineering applications like wound tissue regeneration. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT Schematic illustration of the pristine and modified BC scaffolds preparation. Pristine BC, CMC-modified BC (CMC-BC), KTTKS-modified CMC-BC (KTTKS-CMC-BC).
Observations for Sjögren’s Pigment Epithelial Reticular Dystrophy in a 16-Year-Old Boy—An Extremely Rare Retinal Case Report

The purpose of this publication is to present an extremely rare case of Sjögren’s pigment epithelial reticular dystrophy. So far, 10 such publications have been found in world literature. A 16-year-old boy was diagnosed due to a slight loss of visual acuity, confirmed in static perimetry/24-2/. Abnormal dense clusters of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells forming a reticular network pattern (resembling a fishing net) with marked knots were detected by fundoscopy in the macular area and the mid-periphery of the retina. No abnormalities were found in the anterior segment, intraocular pressure, kinetic perimetry, Ishihara or Farnsworth D-15 tests or OCT. Fluorescein angiography confirmed blocked fluorescence from the choroidal vessels caused by the pigment in RPE. An autofluorescence test showed hypofluorescent foci corresponding to symmetrical and bilateral retinal hyperpigmentation with an RPE reticular pattern. Multifocal ERG (mfERG) revealed slight cone photoreceptor and bipolar bioelectrical dysfunction. Electrooculography (EOG) showed significant asymmetry (Arden Ratio 1.8), suggesting bioelectrical dysfunction of RPE/photoreceptors. Flash ERG (ERG) revealed only slight increase in implicit time of the a and b waves of the rod and cone responses and exclude cone-rod dystrophies. This article highlights the importance of the results of ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein angiography, autofluorescence, mfERG, fERG, EOG and genetic tests for Sjögren’s reticular dystrophy with a pathogenic variant in the region of the C2 gene-c. 841_849+19del (dbSNP rs9332736).
Expectations do not need to be accurate to be maintained: Valence and need for cognitive closure predict expectation update vs. persistence

Expectations about us and our environment serve to successfully anticipate the future, make accurate predictions, and guide behavior and decisions. However, when expectations are not accurate, individuals need to resolve or minimize incongruence. Coping is especially important when expectations affect important domains such as students’ academic self-concept. Whether expectations are adjusted after expectation violation (accommodation), maintained by denying the discrepancy (immunization), or whether individuals modify behavior to minimize the likelihood of future expectation violations (assimilation) depends on situational and dispositional predictors. In our experiment, we examined valence of expectation violation (positive vs. negative) as a situational predictor together with need for cognitive closure (NCC) as a dispositional predictor with N = 297 participants in a word riddle study. MANCOVA revealed that students tended to assimilate and accommodate more strongly after worse-than-expected achievement, and also NCC promoted both stronger accommodation and assimilation. NCC interacted with the valence of expectation violation: individuals with high NCC reported more assimilation and accommodation only after worse-than-expected achievement. The results replicate and extend previous findings: individuals do not always strive to have the most accurate expectations possible. Instead, both affective (valence) and cognitive (NCC) predictors appear to affect which coping strategy is preferred by the individual.
Performance Analysis of Heat Sinks With Phase-Change Materials Subjected to Transient and Cyclic Heating

Phase-change cooling technique is a suitable method for thermal management of electronic equipment subjected to transient or cyclic heat loads. The thermal performance of a phase-change based heat sink under cyclic heat load depends on several design parameters, namely, applied heat flux, cooling heat transfer coefficient, thermophysical properties of phase-change materials (PCMs), and physical dimensions of phase-change storage system during melting and freezing processes. A one-dimensional conduction heat transfer model is formulated to evaluate the effectiveness of preliminary design of practical PCM-based energy storage units. In this model, the phase-change process of the PCM is divided into melting and solidification subprocesses, for which separate equations are written. The equations are solved sequentially and an explicit closed-form solution is obtained. The efficacy of analytical model is estimated by comparing with a finite-volume-based numerical solution for both transient and cyclic heat loads.
Mid-titer human convalescent plasma administration results in suboptimal prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 infection in rhesus macaques

Introduction SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory pathogen currently causing a worldwide pandemic, with resulting pathology of differing severity in humans, from mild illness to severe disease and death. The rhesus macaque model of COVID-19 was utilized to evaluate the added benefit of prophylactic administration of human post-SARS-CoV-2 infection convalescent plasma (CP) on disease progression and severity. Methods A pharmacokinetic (PK) study using CP in rhesus monkeys preceded the challenge study and revealed the optimal time of tissue distribution for maximal effect. Thereafter, CP was administered prophylactically three days prior to mucosal SARS-CoV-2 viral challenge. Results Results show similar viral kinetics in mucosal sites over the course of infection independent of administration of CP or normal plasma, or historic controls with no plasma. No changes were noted upon necropsy via histopathology, although there were differences in levels of vRNA in tissues, with both normal and CP seemingly blunting viral loads. Discussion Results indicate that prophylactic administration with mid-titer CP is not effective in reducing disease severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the rhesus COVID-19 disease model.
Alteration of the Functional Connectivity of the Cortical Areas Characterized by the Presence of Von Economo Neurons in Schizophrenia, a Pilot Study

Von Economo neurons (VENs) are rod, stick, or corkscrew cells mostly located in layer V of the frontoinsular and anterior cingulate cortices. VENs are projection neurons related to human-like social cognitive abilities. Post-mortem histological studies found VEN alterations in several neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SZ). This pilot study aimed to evaluate the role of VEN-containing areas in shaping patterns of resting-state brain activation in patients with SZ (n = 20) compared to healthy controls (HCs; n = 20). We performed a functional connectivity analysis seeded in the cortical areas with the highest density of VENs followed by fuzzy clustering. The alterations found in the SZ group were correlated with psychopathological, cognitive, and functioning variables. We found a frontotemporal network that was shared by four clusters overlapping with the salience, superior-frontal, orbitofrontal, and central executive networks. Differences between the HC and SZ groups emerged only in the salience network. The functional connectivity of the right anterior insula and ventral tegmental area within this network were negatively correlated with experiential negative symptoms and positively correlated with functioning. This study provides some evidence to show that in vivo, VEN-enriched cortical areas are associated with an altered resting-state brain activity in people with SZ.
Bioactive Absorbent Chitosan Aerogels Reinforced with Bay Tree Pruning Waste Nanocellulose with Antioxidant Properties for Burger Meat Preservation

As a transition strategy towards sustainability, food packaging plays a crucial role in the current era. This, carried out in a biorefinery context of agricultural residues, involves not only obtaining desirable products but a comprehensive utilization of biomass that contributes to the circular bioeconomy. The present work proposes the preparation of bioactive absorbent food pads through a multi-product biorefinery approach from bay tree pruning waste (BTPW). In a first step, chitosan aerogels reinforced with lignocellulose and cellulose micro/nanofibers from BTPW were prepared, studying the effect of residual lignin on the material’s properties. The presence of micro/nanofibers improved the mechanical performance (up to 60%) in addition to increasing the water uptake (42%) when lignin was present. The second step was to make them bioactive by incorporating bay leaf extract. The residual lignin in the micro/nanofibers was decisive, since when present, the release profiles of the extract were faster, reaching an antioxidant power of more than 85% after only 30 min. Finally, these bioactive aerogels were used as absorbent pads for fresh meat. With the use of the bioactive aerogels (with ≥2% extract), the meat remained fresh for 10 days as a result of delayed oxidation of the food during storage (20% metmyoglobin proportion).
Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Dentin Hypersensitivity in Periodontally Compromised Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on dentin hypersensitivity (DH) in periodontally compromised patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Methods: This triple-blinded randomised controlled trial included 143 teeth with DH from 23 periodontally compromised patients. Teeth on one side of the dental arch were randomly assigned to the LLLT group (LG), while those on the contralateral side were allocated to the non-LLLT group (NG). After orthodontic treatment commenced, patients’ orthodontic pain (OP) perceptions were documented in pain diaries. DH was assessed chairside by a visual analogue scale (VASDH) at fifteen timepoints across the orthodontic treatment and retention. VASDH scores were compared among timepoints by the Friedman test, among patients with varying OP perceptions using the Kruskal–Wallis tests, and between the LG and NG with the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: DH generally decreased over the observation (p < 0.001). The VASDH scores differed among patients with varying OP perceptions at multiple timepoints (p < 0.05). The generalized estimating equation model showed teeth in the LG had a significantly lower VASDH score than the NG at the 3rd month of treatment (p = 0.011). Conclusion: LLLT could be potentially beneficial in managing DH in periodontally compromised patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Response of the Asian summer monsoon to changes in El Niño properties

Diagnostics from observed precipitation and National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research re‐analysis products reveal that after the 1976–77 climate shift in the Pacific there was a dramatic change in the response of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) to El Niño, particularly during the months of July and August. Based on 1950–75 (PRE76) and 1977–2001 (POST76) El Niño composites: the western North Pacific monsoon (WNPM) was stronger than normal in both periods; the ISM was weaker than normal during the entire monsoon season in PRE76, but in POST76 was weaker only during the onset and withdrawal phases. In terms of observed sea surface temperature (SST) during July–August, the major differences between the two periods are the presence of cold SST anomalies over the Indo–Pacific warm pool and the intensity of warm SST anomalies in the central Pacific in POST76. The effect of these differences on the ISM is investigated in a suite of experiments with an Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) that has a realistic monsoon precipitation climatology.
Attitude determination using vector observations: A fast optimal matrix algorithm

The attitude matrix minimizing Wahba's loss function is computed directly by a method that is competitive with the fastest known algorithm for finding this optimal estimate. The method also provides an estimate of the attitude error covariance matrix. Analysis of the special case of two vector observations identifies those cases for which the TRIAD or algebraic method minimizes Wahba's loss function.