Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ATF5 Attenuates the Secretion of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Activated Microglia

The highly dynamic changes in microglia necessary to achieve a rapid neuroinflammatory response require a supply of energy from mitochondrial respiration, which leads to the accumulation of unfolded mitochondrial proteins. We previously reported that microglial activation is correlated with the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) in a kaolin-induced hydrocephalus model, but we still do not know the extent to which these changes in microglia are involved in cytokine release. Here, we investigated the activation of BV-2 cells and found that treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 48 h increased the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This increase was accompanied by a concurrent decrease in oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), in association with the up-regulation of the UPRmt. Inhibition of the UPRmt by knockdown of ATF5, a key upstream regulator of the UPRmt, using small-interfering RNA against ATF5 (siATF5) not only increased production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), but also decreased MMP. Our results suggest that ATF5-dependent induction of the UPRmt in microglia acts as a protective mechanism during neuroinflammation and may be a potential therapeutic target for reducing neuroinflammation.
Validation of the Volume of Fluid Method for Free Surface Calculation: The Broad-Crested Weir

Abstract This paper describes the validation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for modelling free surface flows over common hydraulic structures. A series of CFD simulations are compared against an existing set of experimental data for the free surface flow over a broad-crested weir. By fixing the upstream and downstream water depths in the CFD model, it was possible to reproduce the experimental free surface profiles, pressure and velocity profiles and discharges over the weir for a range of discharge rates. The sensitivity of the results to the choice of turbulence model is presented. Gaining confidence in a modeling technique in this way, allows for the future modeling of more complex hydraulic structures and the introduction of the more complex physics required for modeling processes such as scour.
Adaptive Refining-Aggregation-Separation Framework for Unsupervised Domain Adaptation Semantic Segmentation

Unsupervised domain adaptation has attracted widespread attention as a promising method to solve the labeling difficulties of semantic segmentation tasks. It trains a segmentation network for unlabeled real target images using easily available labeled virtual source images. To improve performance, clustering is used to obtain domain-invariant feature representations. However, most clustering-based methods indiscriminately cluster all features mapped by category from both domains, causing the centroid shift and affecting the generation of discriminative features. We propose a novel clustering-based method that uses an adaptive refining-aggregation-separation framework, which learns the discriminative features by designing different adaptive schemes for different domains and features. The clustering does not require any tunable thresholds. To estimate more accurate domain-invariant centroids, we design different ways to guide the adaptive refinement of different domain features. A critic is proposed to directly evaluate the confidence of target features to solve the absence of target labels. We introduce a domain-balanced aggregation loss and two adaptive separation losses for distance and similarity respectively, which can discriminate clustering features by combining the refinement strategy to improve segmentation performance. Experimental results on GTA $5\rightarrow $ Cityscapes and SYNTHIA $\rightarrow $ Cityscapes benchmarks show that our method outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods.
Association between Alcohol Consumption and Body Composition in Russian Adults and Patients Treated for Alcohol-Related Disorders: The Know Your Heart Cross-Sectional Study

There is conflicting evidence about the association between alcohol consumption and body composition (BC). We aimed to investigate this association in Russian adults. The study population included 2357 residents of Arkhangelsk aged 35–69 years, and 272 in-patients treated for alcohol problems (narcological patients) who participated in the Know Your Heart (KYH) cross-sectional study in 2015–2017. The participants were divided into five subgroups based on their alcohol use characteristics: non-drinkers, non-problem drinkers, hazardous drinkers, harmful drinkers, and narcological patients. Considering men, hazardous drinkers had a larger waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and percentage of body fat mass (%FM) compared to non-problem drinkers. In harmful drinking men, these differences were the opposite: a lower body mass index (BMI), hip circumference (HC), and %FM. Men among narcological patients had the lowest mean BMI, WC, HC, WHR, and %FM compared to other subgroups of men. As for women, non-drinkers had a lower BMI, WC, HC, and %FM compared to non-problem drinkers. Women among narcological patients had the lowest mean BMI and HC but an increased WHR compared to other subgroups of women. In conclusion, alcohol consumption levels had an inverted J-shaped association with adiposity-related BC parameters: they were elevated in hazardous drinkers but were reduced in harmful drinkers, and were even lower in patients with alcohol-related diagnoses.
Effect of Processing and In Vitro Digestion on Bioactive Constituents of Powdered IV Range Carrot (Daucus carota, L.) Wastes

Daucus carota L. is an important food crop utilized worldwide and a rich source of bioactive compounds. Carrot processing generates residues which are discarded or underused, for which using them as a source for obtaining new ingredients or products is an opportunity for the development of healthier and more sustainable diets. In the present study, the impact of different milling and drying procedures and in vitro digestion on the functional properties of carrot waste powders was evaluated. Carrot waste was transformed into powders by disruption (grinding vs. chopping), drying (freeze-drying or air-drying at 60 or 70 °C) and final milling. Powders were characterized in terms of physicochemical properties (water activity, moisture content, total soluble solids and particle size) nutraceuticals (total phenol content, total flavonoid content antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS methods, as well as carotenoid content (α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein, lycopene). Antioxidants and carotenoid content during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion were also evaluated; the latter in different matrices (directly, in water, in oil, and in oil-in-water emulsion). Processing allowed to reduce water activity of samples and obtain powders rich in antioxidant compounds and carotenoids. Both disruption and drying had a significant impact on powders’ properties freeze-drying led to finer powders with higher carotenoid content but lower antioxidant values, whereas air-drying implied chopped air-dried powders exhibited higher phenols content and improved antioxidant activity. Simulated in vitro digestion studies revealed that digestion helps release bioactive compounds which are bound to the powder structure. The solubilization of carotenoids in oil was low, but fat co-ingestion notably increased their recovery. According to the results, carrot waste powders containing bioactive compounds could be proposed as functional ingredients to increase the nutritional value of foods, thus contributing to the concepts of more sustainable food systems and sustainable healthy diets.
Invisible Disabilities and Inequality

In this address, I consider the realized and potential contributions of sociological social psychology to research on inequality based on invisible disabilities and the challenges that invisible disabilities pose to current social psychological theories. Drawing from the social structure and personality framework, I advance the general notion of invisible disability as a dimension of inequality, consider how four basic social psychological processes (social categorization, identity, status, and stigmatization) have and can help us understand how invisible disabilities shape outcomes over the life course, and suggest new lines of research social psychologists could pursue. I close with brief comments about the benefits of such an agenda for sociological social psychology as well as how these lines of research can inform theories of stratification.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors: Latest Concepts in Disease Pathogenesis and Clinical Management

Simple Summary Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a soft tissue sarcoma with limited therapeutic interventions and a poor prognosis. This review summarized the current understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms behind MPNST and the latest concepts in clinical management from diagnosis to therapeutic intervention. Additionally, the developments in molecular diagnosis and targeted therapies for MPNST are highlighted. It concluded with the challenges and prospects of MPNST management. Abstract Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma with limited therapeutic options and a poor prognosis. Although neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and radiation exposure have been identified as risk factors for MPNST, the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying MPNST pathogenesis have only lately been roughly elucidated. Plexiform neurofibroma (PN) and atypical neurofibromatous neoplasm of unknown biological potential (ANNUBP) are novel concepts of MPNST precancerous lesions, which revealed sequential mutations in MPNST development. This review summarized the current understanding of MPNST and the latest consensus from its diagnosis to treatment, with highlights on molecular biomarkers and targeted therapies. Additionally, we discussed the current challenges and prospects for MPNST management.
Healthcare-seeking experiences of older citizens in Bangladesh: A qualitative study

Despite improvements in many health indicators in the last few decades, providing access to affordable and quality healthcare for older citizen remains a considerable challenge in Bangladesh. This study aimed to understand individuals ‘experiences regarding their healthcare-seeking, treatment cost, accessibility and coping mechanisms for the promotion of appropriate strategies to enhance the quality of life of the older citizens of Bangladesh.A qualitative descriptive approach was used in this study. A total of 27 In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) were conducted in a district in Bangladesh with older people between January and February 2020, where gender distribution was equal. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by trained and experienced interviewers regarding healthcare-seeking and accessibility, affordability, and healthcare coping strategy. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the data. It was found that the health condition of the older population is not satisfactory. Most of them had been suffering from several diseases such as benign tumor, chronic kidney disease, body aches, gastric ulcers for a longer period of time. The majority of the participants were suffering from multiple non-communicable diseases while diabetes and hypertension were the foremost of all diseases. This study provides insight into the challenges of managing healthcare services for older citizens in Bangladesh. Healthcare facilities were available, but high out-of-pocket payments, lack of caregivers, and time distance created a barrier to the service provision. The findings indicated that geriatric care policymakers and service providers should prioritize the older-friendly health infrastructures with affordable cost of treatment for the betterment of the health status of older citizens in Bangladesh.
Theories of Learning and Teaching What Do They Mean for Educators

The views presented in this publication should not be construed as representing the policy or position of the National Education Association. The publication expresses the views of its authors and is intended to facilitate informed discussion by educators, policymakers, and others interested in educational reform. A limited supply of complimentary copies of this publication is available from NEA Research for NEA state and local associations, and UniServ staff. Additional copies may be purchased from Reproduction: No part of this report may be reproduced in any form without permission from NEA Research, except by NEA-affiliated associations. Any reproduction of the report materials must include the usual credit line and copyright notice. Address communications to Editor, NEA Research. iii The Authors Suzanne M. Wilson is a professor of education and director of the Center for the Scholarship of Teaching at Michigan State University. Her research interests include teacher learning, teacher knowledge, and connections between education reform and practice.
Standardization of attenuation formula for radio waves propagation through free space (LOS) communication links

This article presents the review and derivation of new attenuation formula for the radio waves propagation in free space communication links, based on the existing radio propagation loss formula for the same links. The new and existing formulas are computed numerically and validated by experimental measurements of the free space propagation loss characteristics of 92.1MHz radio wave propagating at 2.5kW from the transmitter antenna as the receiving antenna is moved away every 1km from the transmitting antenna up to about 64km. The two formulas correlate very well (R² value = 1), but the root mean square error (rmse) between the two formulas is ~0.11%. Also, the formulas show good correlation (R² value~0.81) respectively with the measurements, but rmse of the new and existing formulas when compared with the measurements are ~0.27% and ~0.38% respectively. It is evident in this study that the new formula, as well as the existing formula, can also be employed to determine the propagation loss of the radio waves propagation through free space communication links.
Control of irreversible thermodynamic processes using port-Hamiltonian systems defined on pseudo-Poisson and contact structures

Dans cette these nous presentons les resultats sur l'emploi des systemes Hamiltoniens a port et des systemes de contact commandes pour la modelisation et la commande de systemes issus de la Thermodynamique Irreversible. Premierement nous avons defini une classe de pseudo-systemes Hamiltoniens a port, appelee systemes Hamiltoniens a port irreversibles, qui permet de representer simultanement le premier et le second principe de la Thermodynamique et inclut des modeles d'echangeurs thermiques ou de reacteurs chimiques. Ces systemes ont ete releves sur l'espace des phases thermodynamiques muni d’une forme de contact, definissant ainsi une classe de systemes de contact commandes, c'est-a-dire des systemes commandes non-lineaires definis par des champs de contacts stricts. Deuxiemement, nous avons montre que seul un retour d'etat constant preserve la forme de contact et avons alors resolu le probleme d'assignation d'une forme de contact en boucle fermee. Ceci a mene a la definition de systemes de contact entree-sortie et l'analyse de leur equivalence par retour d'etat. Troisiemement, nous avons montre que les champs de contact n'etaient en general pas stables en leur zeros et avons alors traite du probleme de la stabilisation sur une sous-variete de Legendre en boucle fermee.
Oscillatory behavior of solutions of certain second order nonlinear differential equations

Abstract In this paper some simple inequalities are used to offer sufficient conditions for the oscillation of all solutions of the differential equation[formula]where 0 p / q with p , q odd integers, or p even and q odd integers. Several examples which dwell upon the importance of our results are also included.
Experiences of Preconception Counseling among Pregnant Women with Preexisting Diabetes: Opportunities to Improve Patient-Centered Care

Available research suggests that patients with diabetes do not regularly receive preconception counseling, but information on patients’ experiences of counseling is scant. We conducted a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 22 patients between October 2020 and February 2021. Pregnant patients with preexisting diabetes were recruited from a specialty diabetes and pregnancy clinic at a large academic medical center in Northern California. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using an inductive and deductive content analysis approach. A total of 27% reported they did not have any pregnancy-related discussions with a health care provider before pregnancy. Of those that did, many sought out counseling; this was often connected to how “planned” the pregnancy was. Few participants, nearly all with type 1 diabetes, reported having a formal preconception care visit. Participants described receiving information mostly about the risks associated with diabetes and pregnancy. While participants who sought out counseling generally reported their providers were supportive of their desire for pregnancy, there were a few exceptions, notably all among patients with type 2 diabetes. The varied experiences of participants indicate gaps in the delivery of pre-pregnancy counseling to patients with diabetes and suggest counseling may vary based on diabetes type. There are opportunities to improve the patient-centeredness of counseling.
High gradient magnetic separation: Theory versus experiment

The experimental performance of a high gradient magnetic separator has been previously reported by other workers in some detail for a CuO/Al 2 O 3 slurry. Less detailed results were also reported for slurries of Mn 2 O 3 , Al, and α-Fe 2 O 3 particles with Al 2 O 3 representing a 20:1 range in particle sizes and a 200:1 range in magnetic susceptibility. Examination of these results indicates that many layers of particles build up on each filter fiber. Accordingly, in this paper we extend the original particle trajectory model for the calculation of filter performance, to include the build-up of multiple layers of particles on the fibers. Good agreement is obtained between the calculated recoveries and purities for all of the particles and the experimentally reported values using a filter packing efficiency and a mechanical trapping term, derived from the CuO data, as adjustable parameters.
Risk Factors for Adhesion-Related Readmission and Abdominal Reoperation after Gynecological Surgery: A Nationwide Cohort Study

More than half of women in developed countries undergo surgery during their lifetime, putting them at risk of adhesion-related complications. Adhesion-related complications include small bowel obstruction, chronic (pelvic) pain, subfertility, and complications associated with adhesiolysis during reoperation. The aim of this study is to predict the risk for adhesion-related readmission and reoperation after gynecological surgery. A Scottish nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted including all women undergoing a gynecological procedure as their initial abdominal or pelvic operation between 1 June 2009 and 30 June 2011, with a five-year follow-up. Prediction models for two- and five-year risk of adhesion-related readmission and reoperation were constructed and visualized using nomograms. To evaluate the reliability of the created prediction model, internal cross-validation was performed using bootstrap methods. During the study period, 18,452 women were operated on, and 2719 (14.7%) of them were readmitted for reasons possibly related to adhesions. A total of 2679 (14.5%) women underwent reoperation. Risk factors for adhesion-related readmission were younger age, malignancy as indication, intra-abdominal infection, previous radiotherapy, application of a mesh, and concomitant inflammatory bowel disease. Transvaginal surgery was associated with a lower risk of adhesion-related complications as compared to laparoscopic or open surgeries. The prediction model for both readmissions and reoperations had moderate predictive reliability (c-statistics 0.711 and 0.651). This study identified risk factors for adhesion-related morbidity. The constructed prediction models can guide the targeted use of adhesion prevention methods and preoperative patient information in decision-making.
Lagrangian heuristic-based neighbourhood search for the multiple-choice multi-dimensional knapsack problem

This article addresses a Lagrangian heuristic-based neighbourhood search for the multiple-choice multi-dimensional knapsack problem, an NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem. The problem is solved by using a cooperative approach that uses a local search for exploring a series of neighbourhoods induced from the Lagrangian relaxation. Each neighbourhood is submitted to an optimization process using two alternative strategies: reducing and moving strategies. The reducing strategy serves to reduce the current search space whereas the moving strategy explores the new search space. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated on benchmark instances taken from the literature. Its obtained results are compared with those reached by some recent methods available in the literature. New solutions have been obtained for almost 80% of the instances tested.
The nature of network oscillations

We examine time-series of spectral data obtained from the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) and the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation instrument (SUMER) onboard the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, in the period 30-31 July 1996. The observations were obtained in lines, ranging in temperature from 12 000 K to 10 6 K, covering the low chromosphere to the corona. We report here on a time series analysis, using wavelet methods, of small individual network regions in the quiet Sun. The wavelet analysis allows us to derive the duration as well as the periods of the oscillations. The statistical significance of the oscillations was estimated by using a randomisation method. The oscillations are considered to be due to waves, which are produced in short bursts with coherence times of about 10-20 min. The low chromospheric and transition region lines show intensity and velocity power in the 2-4 mHz range. The coronal line Mg x does not show any statistically significant power in this range. In general, it is thought likely that the chromosphere and possibly the transition region oscillates in response to forcing by the p-modes, but they are also influenced strongly by the presence of magnetic fields. The observed 2-4 mHz network oscillations can thus be interpreted in terms of kink and sausage waves propagating upwards along thin magnetic flux tubes. We perform a linear numerical computation comparing the results with our observations.
On the solvability of the Lyapunov equation for nonselfadjoint differential operators of order 2m with nonlocal boundary conditions

This paper is devoted to the solvability of the Lyapunov equation A∗U + UA = I, where A is a given nonselfadjoint differential operator of order 2m with nonlocal boundary conditions, A∗ is its adjoint, I is the identity operator and U is the selfadjoint operator to be found. We assume that the spectra of A∗ and −A are disjoint. Under this restriction we prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution of the Lyapunov equation in the class of bounded operators.