Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The resilient city : on the déterminants of successful urban economies.

The Resilient City: On the Determinants of Successful Urban Economies The paper proposes a critical examination of the determinants of successful urban economies; specifically, those that allow cities to overcome outside shocks. “Resilience”, it is argued, takes two shapes: a) the ability to survive shocks, called a-Resilience; b) the ability to change in the face of shocks, called b-Resilience. Examples of the first are New Orleans (Hurricane Katrina), Nagasaki (atom bomb), and German cities devastated during the last war. a-Resilience is found to be an almost universal characteristic. Cities do not die, although they can decline. b-Resilience is a different matter. Change in the face of events (boundary changes, technological change.) that undermine a city’s economic base is more difficult. Cities like Boston and Chicago have successfully managed to reinvent themselves, in contrast to Manchester, England, which continues to falter. The US and UK experience suggest that the negative after-effects of a Rustbelt legacy are difficult to overcome. A city’s role as central place – for a region or wider area – is often a key factor in success.
Seagrass blade motion under waves and its impact on wave decay

The hydrodynamic drag generated by seagrass meadows can dissipate wave-energy, causing wave decay. It is well known that this drag depends on the relative motion between the water and the seagrass blades, yet the impact of blade motion on drag and wave-energy dissipation remains to be fully characterized. In this experimental study, we examined the impact of blade motion on wave decay by concurrently recording blade posture during a wave cycle and measuring wave decay over a model seagrass meadow. We also identified a scaling law that predicts wave decay over the model meadow for a range of seagrass blade density, wave period, wave height, and water depth scaled from typical field conditions. Blade flexibility led to significantly lower drag and wave decay relative to theoretical predictions for rigid, upright blades. To quantify the impact of blade motion on wave decay, we employed an effective blade length, le, defined as the rigid blade length that leads to equivalent wave-energy dissipation. We estimated le directly from images of blade motion. Consistent with previous studies, these estimates showed that the effective blade length depends on the dimensionless Cauchy number, which describes the relative magnitude of the wave hydrodynamic drag and the restoring force due to blade rigidity. As the hydrodynamic forcing increases, the blades exhibit greater motion. Greater blade motion leads to smaller relative velocities, reducing drag, and wave-energy dissipation (i.e., smaller le).
Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis in Asians: Current Perspectives and Future Directions

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a subset of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which, apart from excess fat in the liver, may be characterised by some level of inflammatory infiltration and fibrogenesis, occasionally progressing to liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of the current review is to elucidate the rising prevalence, the role of microbiome and genetics in pathogenesis, diagnostic challenges, and novel treatment alternatives for NASH. Newer diagnostic techniques are being developed since using liver biopsy in a larger population is not a reasonable option and is primarily restricted to clinical research, at least in developing countries. Besides these technical challenges, another important factor leading to deviation from guideline practice is the lack of health insurance coverage in countries like India. It leads to reluctance on the part of physicians and patients to delay required tests to curb out-of-pocket expenditure. There is no cure for NASH, with liver transplantation remaining the last option for those who progress to end-stage liver disease (ESLD) or are detected with early-stage HCC. Thus, lifestyle modification remains the only viable option for many, but compliance and long-term adherence remain major challenges. In obese individuals, bariatric surgery and weight reduction have shown favourable results. In patients with less severe obesity, endoscopic bariatric metabolic therapies (EBMT) are rapidly emerging as less invasive therapies. However, access and acceptability remain poor for these weight reduction methods. Therefore, intense research is being conducted for potential newer drug classes with several agents currently in phase II or III of clinical development. Some of these have demonstrated promising results, such as a reduction in hepatic fat content, and attenuation of fibrosis with an acceptable tolerability profile in phase II studies. The developments in the management of NASH have been fairly encouraging. Further well-designed long-term prospective studies should be undertaken to generate evidence with definitive results.
Astrometric surveys in the Gaia era

Abstract The Gaia first data release (DR1) already provides an almost error free optical reference frame on the milli-arcsecond (mas) level allowing significantly better calibration of ground-based astrometric data than ever before. Gaia DR1 provides positions, proper motions and trigonometric parallaxes for just over 2 million stars in the Tycho-2 catalog. For over 1.1 billion additional stars DR1 gives positions. Proper motions for these, mainly fainter stars (G ≥ 11.5) are currently provided by several new projects which combine earlier epoch ground-based observations with Gaia DR1 positions. These data are very helpful in the interim period but will become obsolete with the second Gaia data release (DR2) expected in April 2018. The era of traditional, ground-based, wide-field astrometry with the goal to provide accurate reference stars has come to an end. Future ground-based astrometry will fill in some gaps (very bright stars, observations needed at many or specific epochs) and mainly will go fainter than the Gaia limit, like the PanSTARRS and the upcoming LSST surveys.
Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis in the Testis of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Simple Summary Spermatogenesis, an important process in reproduction, is conserved across species but has unique aspects in silkworms, such as the maintenance of the spermatogonium by a somatic single cell and coordinated fertilization by nucleated and anucleated sperm. Despite some histological research, the molecular mechanisms of silkworm spermatogenesis remain largely unexplored. Taking advantage of advances in RNA-seq analysis technology, this study characterizes genes expressed in silkworm testis via a comprehensive transcriptome analysis, contrasting different tissues and regions within the testis and making comparisons with fruit flies. Our investigation revealed extensive gene expression (86.5% of all genes) in the silkworm testis, the highest number of tissue-specific genes among examined tissues in silkworm testis. We also identified region-specific enriched genes in undifferentiated and differentiated germ cells. Moreover, cross-species transcriptome comparisons confirmed conserved gene expression patterns. Further analysis of region-specific enriched genes in the silkworm testis revealed the enrichment of genes associated with the biological process, corroborating findings in silkworms and other organisms. This study extends our understanding of silkworm spermatogenesis and fills an important gap for future investigations. Abstract Spermatogenesis is an important process in reproduction and is conserved across species, but in Bombyx mori, it shows peculiarities, such as the maintenance of spermatogonia by apical cells and fertilization by dimorphic spermatozoa. In this study, we attempted to characterize the genes expressed in the testis of B. mori, focusing on aspects of expression patterns and gene function by transcriptome comparisons between different tissues, internal testis regions, and Drosophila melanogaster. The transcriptome analysis of 12 tissues of B. mori, including those of testis, revealed the widespread gene expression of 20,962 genes and 1705 testis-specific genes. A comparative analysis of the stem region (SR) and differentiated regions (DR) of the testis revealed 4554 and 3980 specific-enriched genes, respectively. In addition, comparisons with D. melanogaster testis transcriptome revealed homologs of 1204 SR and 389 DR specific-enriched genes that were similarly expressed in equivalent regions of Drosophila testis. Moreover, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was performed for SR-specific enriched genes and DR-specific enriched genes, and the GO terms of several biological processes were enriched, confirming previous findings. This study advances our understanding of spermatogenesis in B. mori and provides an important basis for future research, filling a knowledge gap between fly and mammalian studies.
Clinical Applications of Nasal Nitric Oxide in Allergic Rhinitis: A Review of the Literature

Allergic rhinitis, a common allergic disease affecting a significant number of individuals worldwide, is observed in 25% of children and 40% of adults, with its highest occurrence between the ages of 20 and 40. Its pathogenesis, like other allergic diseases, involves innate and adaptive immune responses, characterized by immunologic hypersensitivity to environmental substances. This response is mediated by type 2 immunity. Within type 2 allergic diseases, certain molecules have been identified as clinical biomarkers that contribute to diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy monitoring. Among these biomarkers, nitric oxide has shown to play a key role in various physiological and pathological processes, including neurotransmission, immunity, inflammation, regulation of mucus and cilia, inhibition of microorganisms, and tumor cell growth. Therefore, measurement of nasal nitric oxide has been proposed as an objective method for monitoring airway obstruction and inflammation in different settings (community, hospital, rehabilitation) and in various clinical conditions, including upper airways diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses. The purpose of this review is to analyze the potential mechanisms contributing to the production of nasal nitric oxide in allergic rhinitis and other related health issues. Additionally, this review aims to identify potential implications for future research, treatment strategies, and long-term management of symptoms.
Is There Any Relation Between Smartphone Usage and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic?: A Study by Exploring Two Objective App Usage Datasets

BACKGROUND: Though smartphone is popular and loneliness is higher among the youth, in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) such as Bangladesh, the relation of loneliness with actual app usage is unexplored amid pandemic. Also, the studies conducted in developed countries are limited by exploration of some app categories. METHODS: We conducted two studies in Bangladesh: in 2020 (N1=100) and 2021 (N2=105). We collected participant’s ULS-8 score and 7 days’ actual app usage. We extracted app usage behavioral data from 1.69 million events and did semi-partial and partial correlation analyses. RESULTS: Our analysis did not present any significant relation which may indicate a negative impact on loneliness. However, we found higher usage of Social Media, Communication, Education, Books, and Shopping apps and higher entropy of Browser apps had significant (q<.05) relation with lower loneliness. CONCLUSION: Smartphone may not negatively impact loneliness. Instead, some app categories can play a role to mitigate loneliness.
Impedance effects on beam stability

In 2012, attempts to increase the bunch intensity, de-crease the emittance and reduce the collimators gaps in the LHC, will potentially make the detrimental effects due to the machine impedance more critical. Extrapolating the data accumulated in 2010 and 2011, in several foreseen scenarios, the headtail modes at top energy will require an increase of the current in the octupoles installed in the LHC. In the worst case, instead of around 200 A in the defocusing octupoles and − 200 A in the focusing ones as at the end of the 2011 physics run, the octupoles’ current will have to be increased to around ± 450 A.
Niche and ecosystem preference of earliest diverging fungi in soils

ABSTRACT Within the supergroup Rotosphaeromycetes, or “Holomycota”/“Nucletmycea”, there are several well-recognised unicellular clades in the earliest diverging fungi (EDF). However, we know little about their occurrence. Here, we investigated EDF in the rhizosphere and bulk soils from cropland, forest, orchard, and wetland ecosystems around the Beijing-Hebei area, China, to illustrate their niche and ecosystem preference. More than 500 new operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of EDF were detected based on the 18S rRNA genes. Microsporida and Aphelida constitute dominant groups, whereas Rozellosporida was quite rare. Although the EDF community was site-specific, the soil chemical characteristics, vegetation, and other eukaryotic microorganisms were the key factors driving the occurrence of EDF. Moreover, the stochastic process consisted the most of the EDF community assembly.
Mesoporous Starch Cryoaerogel Material as an Emerging Platform for Oral Drug Delivery: Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation

In this study, a starch cryoaerogel formulation was developed as a carrier for poorly water-soluble drugs, like atorvastatin. Cryoaerogels were generated through a sol–gel method combined with a freeze-drying technique, and atorvastatin was incorporated into the obtained mesoporous systems during the solvent exchange stage. The formulated drug-loaded polymer structures were characterized in terms of their physicochemical properties, solid-state behavior, and cytotoxicity. They had a pore size of 27.56 nm and a drug loading size of 38.60%. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses indicated that atorvastatin was successfully incorporated into the cryoaerogel pores. The amorphous nature of the loaded drug was confirmed via X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, after the atorvastatin incorporation into the cryogel, the volume of nitrogen adsorbed on one gram of cryoaerogel (Vm), as well as the specific surface area (aBET) were reduced. The comparison between the drug release profiles of crystalline atorvastatin and the loaded formulation of atorvastatin showed that by including the drug into the pores of the developed cryoaerogel matrix its solubility was significantly improved—the time for the dissolution of 30% pure atorvastatin (t30%) was approximately 4 h, whereas the determined t30% for the formulated cryoaerogels was only 1 h. Moreover, the data from the MTT assay illustrated that the designed cryoaerogel could be used as a safe oral atorvastatin delivery system. According to obtained results, it could be concluded that the starch cryoaerogel formulation is a promising candidate for oral delivery of poorly water-soluble therapeutic agents.
Predicting and Moderating COVID-Fear and Stress among College Students in Argentina and the USA

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected mental health worldwide and college students were particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects. This longitudinal study was designed to highlight and compare the COVID experiences of college students in Argentina and the USA (N = 361). Specifically, we examined individual factors (gender, emotional regulation, and social support) assessed prior to the pandemic for their role as predictors or moderators of COVID-fear and psychological stress during the first months of the pandemic. The results supported measurement invariance for brief measures of COVID-fear and indicated that, overall, COVID-fear was highest during the second wave of the study (March–April 2020), lowest during the third wave (June 2020), and then rose again during the fourth wave (September 2020). Several interaction effects emerged, revealing important country-level differences in COVID-fear effects for the emotion regulation and social support factors. More so in the Argentina sample than in the USA sample, higher levels of social support at Time 1 were associated with increases in the effect of COVID-fear on stress among students. We discussed the implications of these and other findings for future cross-cultural pandemic-related stress studies.
A novel model for predicting tenacity and unevenness of ring-spun yarn: a special case in textile engineering

This study aimed to model the unevenness and tenacity of ring-spun yarn in a special case in textile engineering using response surface methodology. Yarn number and front roll speed were input variables, while yarn tenacity and unevenness were response/output variables. This study showed that the response surface methodology (RSM) could predict the yarn’s tenacity and unevenness with the yarn coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.99 and 0.98 and with the error sum of square (SS residual) values 0.00187 and 0.003215, respectively. We also found that an artificial neural network (ANN) could predict the yarn's tenacity and unevenness with the yarn coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.51 and 0.63 and with the error sum of square (SS residual) values 1.48 and 0.856, respectively. It was concluded that the response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) could predict the yarn's tenacity and unevenness. Response surface methodology (RSM) predicts yarn characteristics better than ANN with MIMO (multiple inputs, multiple outputs) modeling. The novelty of this study is that we used RSM and ANN for the first time to obtain the tenacity and unevenness of ring-spun yarn accurately. A simpler approach was employed in this study for predicting tenacity and unevenness using RSM and ANN; however, future research holds the potential for incorporating advanced mathematical models to enhance the prediction. This research suggests that RSM and ANN can be applied to predicting the tenacity and unevenness of ring-spun yarn. The scientific application of this research is that the investigation will benefit practitioners in the textile industry to optimize yarn parameters by ring spinning machines.
Knowledge of lateralized brain function can contribute to animal welfare

The specialized functions of each hemisphere of the vertebrate brain are summarized together with the current evidence of lateralized behavior in farm and companion animals, as shown by the eye or ear used to attend and respond to stimuli. Forelimb preference is another manifestation of hemispheric lateralization, as shown by differences in behavior between left- and right-handed primates, left- and right-pawed dogs and cats, and left- and right-limb-preferring horses. Left-limb preference reflects right hemisphere use and is associated with negative cognitive bias. Positive cognitive bias is associated with right-limb and left-hemisphere preferences. The strength of lateralization is also associated with behavior. Animals with weak lateralization of the brain are unable to attend to more than one task at a time, and they are more easily stressed than animals with strong lateralization. This difference is also found in domesticated species with strong vs. weak limb preferences. Individuals with left-limb or ambilateral preference have a bias to express functions of the right hemisphere, heightened fear and aggression, and greater susceptibility to stress. Recognition of lateralized behavior can lead to improved welfare by detecting those animals most likely to suffer fear and distress and by indicating housing conditions and handling procedures that cause stress.
Vascular Loop of the Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery (AICA) as a Cause of Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL): A Case Report

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the most common causes of hearing loss worldwide. Although highly prevalent, many patients often present with SNHL of unknown cause. Related to SNHL is tinnitus, which often presents with SNHL and can have debilitating effects on patients. The idiopathic nature of SNHL and tinnitus often makes treatment difficult, however, a relatively new etiology has been suggested as a cause of SNHL and tinnitus -- vascular loops within the internal auditory canal (IAC). This report presents the case of a 36-year-old male with bilateral SNHL and tinnitus treated with oral steroids. The patient reported subjective improvement of hearing loss and tinnitus, and the audiogram demonstrated hearing improvement, except in higher frequencies. After initial treatment, MRI revealed a vascular loop of the anterior inferior cerebral artery (AICA) in the right IAC, in contact with the vestibulocochlear nerve. Thus, this case report seeks to present a conservative strategy for SNHL and tinnitus in the presence of a vascular loop of the AICA. As a controversial cause of SNHL and tinnitus, there is no standard of treatment for AICA loops of the IAC which are often treated surgically. This case highlights the importance of an initial conservative prior to surgical intervention. Thus, we seek to contribute to the growing body of literature by further elucidating the relationship between SNHL, tinnitus, and vascular loops and discussing potential pathophysiological mechanisms to guide optimal management strategies.
Embarazo parto y puerperio

Objetivo: comprender las vivencias y experiencias de gestantes, durante el trabajo de parto y parto en una clínica de Bogotá, con el fin de proponer estrategias de asistencia humanizada. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio cualitativo fenomenológico. Se realizaron entrevistas a profundidad en una muestra a conveniencia conformada por 16 maternas en puerperio mediato de parto vaginal, con nacido vivo y mayores de 18 años. La recolección de información se realizó hasta la saturación de los datos. Resultados: el desconocimiento del sentir de la materna fue la categoría que permitió evidenciar de manera contundente formas de violencia obstétrica relatadas por las mujeres entrevistadas, mencionan aspectos como la soledad, la no deambulación, no alimentación, negación de la analgesia, entre otros. Conclusión: el proceso de parto y puerperio sigue siendo un acto medicalizado en donde la materna no cumple un rol protagónico y cede su cuidado a figuras autoritarias.
Revolutionizing work-life balance: Unleashing the power of telecommuting on work engagement and exhaustion levels

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has forced employees to telecommute. Telecommuting has resulted in a work overload in secret places. This has eroded the line between personal and professional life, increasing the risk of conflict. This article reviews the existing research on work-life balance and examines the impact of telecommuting on work-life balance. The study found that work-life interaction and workplace factors influence employee engagement and exhaustion. Work-related expectations, such as emotional and time demands, must be addressed to decrease work-family conflict and create a good work-life balance. This review adds to the body of knowledge by establishing the importance of work-life balance for telecommuting. This review produced two scholarly contributions to work-life balance. Beginning with an overview of existing research topics and organized work-life balance concepts, second, it identified crucial study areas to understand distant work-life balance better. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed as well.