Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A simple unsymmetric 4‐node 12‐DOF membrane element for the modified couple stress theory

In this work, the recently proposed unsymmetric 4‐node 12‐DOF (degree‐of‐freedom) membrane element (Shang and Ouyang, Int J Numer Methods Eng 113(10): 1589‐1606, 2018), which has demonstrated excellent performance for the classical elastic problems, is further extended for the modified couple stress theory, to account for the size effect of materials. This is achieved via two formulation developments. Firstly, by using the penalty function method, the kinematic relations between the element's nodal drilling DOFs and the true physical rotations are enforced. Consequently, the continuity requirement for the modified couple stress theory is satisfied in weak sense, and the symmetric curvature test function can be easily derived from the gradients of the drilling DOFs. Secondly, the couple stress field that satisfies a priori the related equilibrium equations is adopted as the energy conjugate trial function to formulate the element for the modified couple stress theory. As demonstrated by a series of benchmark tests, the new element can efficiently capture the size‐dependent responses of materials and is robust to mesh distortions. Moreover, as the new element uses only three conventional DOFs per node, it can be readily incorporated into the standard finite element program framework and commonly available finite element programs.
Simulating the Climate of the Last Millennium

Tephra as a Taphonomic Guide Tephra has so far been under-utilized as a taphonomic guide. As the tephra fall is assumed to occur at least within a single year, we can make a good assessment of post depositional processes by looking at the vertical spread of the tephra in a sediment core. Spreading can also be the result of delayed deposition of particles stored for more or less time in the watershed or the lake basin. As the particle size of the typical tephra layer is of the same order as that of pollen, for example, it can suggest the extent to which pollen and other microfossils may have been moved vertically in the sediment profile. For example, if the tephra were spread over 5 cm, there would be little point in undertaking a pollen study at a resolution of 1 cm.
Valorization of face mask waste as an adsorbent for cationic dye adsorption

The increasing environmental pollution caused by the disposal of untreated dye-containing effluent and face mask wastes in landfills has become a significant concern. To address this issue, this work focuses on the utilization of face mask wastes as alternative adsorbents for the adsorption of malachite green (MG) dye. These adsorbents offer advantages such as ease of operation, cost-effectiveness, high efficiency, and ready availability. In this study, the raw face mask wastes (RFM) undergo a thermal treatment process in a furnace at 800°C for 21 h before conducting the adsorption tests. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed the presence of various functional groups, including alkane, alkene, alcohol, and carbonyl, in both the treated face mask adsorbent (TFMA) and RFM. The scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis displayed the surface morphologies of RFM as a porous and homogeneous carbon sorbent structure, while TFMA exhibited a heterogeneous and flaky structure. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis indicated that RFM primarily consisted of carbon elements, followed by oxygen and calcium elements, whereas TFMA predominantly comprised calcium and oxygen elements with a limited amount of carbon. The adsorption experiments, considering various parameters such as initial dye concentration (1,000–1,200 mg/L) and contact time (5–1,500 min), demonstrated that increasing the contact time and initial concentration led to an enhanced adsorption capacity. The maximum adsorption capacity of 2,127 mg/g confirmed the effectiveness of TFMA as an adsorbent for MG. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption process was sponta-neous and endothermic. The isotherm and kinetic studies showed a good fit between the adsorption data and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and pseudo-second-order models as evidenced by high R 2 values and low error function values, suggesting a heterogenous adsorption of MG on TFMA.
Investigating Personalization Methods in Text to Music Generation

In this work, we investigate the personalization of text-to-music diffusion models in a few-shot setting. Motivated by recent advances in the computer vision domain, we are the first to explore the combination of pre-trained text-to-audio diffusers with two established personalization methods. We experiment with the effect of audio-specific data augmentation on the overall system performance and assess different training strategies. For evaluation, we construct a novel dataset with prompts and music clips. We consider both embedding-based and music-specific metrics for quantitative evaluation, as well as a user study for qualitative evaluation. Our analysis shows that similarity metrics are in accordance with user preferences and that current personalization approaches tend to learn rhythmic music constructs more easily than melody. The code, dataset, and example material of this study are open to the research community.
Severe pneumonia and pathogenic damage in human airway epithelium caused by Coxsackievirus B4

ABSTRACT Coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4) has one of the highest proportions of fatal outcomes of other enterovirus serotypes. However, the pathogenesis of severe respiratory disease caused by CVB4 infection remains unclear. In this study, 3 of 42 (7.2%, GZ-R6, GZ-R7 and GZ-R8) patients with severe pneumonia tested positive for CVB4 infection in southern China. Three full-length genomes of pneumonia-derived CVB4 were sequenced and annotated for the first time, showing their high nucleotide similarity and clustering within genotype V. To analyze the pathogenic damage caused by CVB4 in the lungs, a well-differentiated human airway epithelium (HAE) was established and infected with the pneumonia-derived CVB4 isolate GZ-R6. The outcome was compared with that of a severe hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD)-derived CVB4 strain GZ-HFM01. Compared with HFMD-derived CVB4, pneumonia-derived CVB4 caused more intense and rapid disruption of HAE polarity, leading to tight-junction barrier disruption, loss of cilia, and airway epithelial cell hypertrophy. More pneumonia-derived CVB4 were released from the basolateral side of the HAE than HFMD-derived CVB4. Of the 18 cytokines tested, only IL-6 and IL-1b secretion significantly increased on bilateral sides of HAE during the early stage of pneumonia-derived CVB4 infection, while multiple cytokine secretions significantly increased in HFMD-derived CVB4-infected HAE. HFMD-derived CVB4 exhibited stronger neurovirulence in the human neuroblastoma cells SH-SY5Y than pneumonia-derived CVB4, which is consistent with the clinical manifestations of patients infected with these two viruses. This study has increased the depth of our knowledge of severe pneumonia infection caused by CVB4 and will benefit its prevention and treatment.
Hepatitis B virus promotes its own replication by enhancing RAB5A-mediated dual activation of endosomal and autophagic vesicle pathways

ABSTRACT Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains one of the major global public health concerns, and it develop into liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent evidence suggests that endosomal and autophagic vesicles are beneficial for HBV replication. However, it has not been well elucidated how HBV exploits such intracellular vesicle systems for its replication. RAB5A, a member of small GTPase family, plays crucial roles in early endosome biogenesis and autophagy initiation. We observed that RAB5A mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased in HBV-expressing hepatoma cell lines as well as in liver tissue samples from chronic HBV-infected patients. Moreover, RAB5A silencing inhibited HBV replication and subviral particle (SVP) expression significantly in HBV-transfected and -infected hepatoma cells, whereas RAB5A overexpression increased them. Mechanistically, RAB5A increases HBV replication through enhancement of early endosome (EE) – late endosome (LE) activation by interacting with EEA1, as well as enhancing autophagy induction by interacting with VPS34. Additionally, HBV infection enhances RAB5A-mediated dual activation of EE-LE system and autophagy. Collectively, our findings highlight that HBV utilizes RAB5A-mediated dual activation of endosomal and autophagic vesicle pathways for its own replication and persistence. Therefore, RAB5A is a potential target for chronic HBV infection treatment.
Innovation Labs in South American Governments: Congruencies and Peculiarities

This study aims to identify and characterize innovation laboratories in South American governments by employing a comprehensive and exploratory multiple-case study approach. Data were obtained from documentary and bibliographic sources, as well as through structured questionnaires containing both open and closed questions. The collected data were then classified using the content analysis technique. The findings revealed consistencies and peculiarities between the labs, corroborating the extant literature. Specifically, there is a greater prevalence of government labs with a focus on organizational aspects, particularly at the local and regional levels, compared to citi-zen-oriented labs. Furthermore, these labs primarily serve as educators (77
High‐grade vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia: comprehensive characterization and long‐term vulvar carcinoma risk

Adequate diagnosis of human papillomavirus (HPV)‐associated high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and HPV‐independent vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) is essential but can be challenging. We comprehensively characterized a large population‐based series of vulvar lesions, originally reported as high‐grade VIN, and assessed the cancer risk.
Microscopic Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites in Gastrointestinal Disordered Patients in Wasit Province, Iraq

Background: Intestinal parasites (IPs) have been a big concern for low-income countries as they are the major cause of high morbidity and mortality. Aims: Identification the prevalence of IPs in gastrointestinal disordered patients, with estimation relationship of these pathogens to hematological and some epidemiological parameters. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 individuals with a history of abdominal pain, anal itching, colic, diarrhea, dysentery, and nausea or vomiting were selected, and asked to obtain of fecal and blood samples. Traditional microscopic methods were used to detect the parasites; while, Automated Hematology Analyser was served for blood counting. Results: There were 59.5% positive patients with intestinal parasites; in which, 68.91% with single infection (particularly Entamoeba histolytica, Enterobius vermicularis and Giardia lamblia), and 31.09% with mixed infections (particularly Enterobius vermicularis and Ascaris lumbricoides as well as Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica). Concerning risk factors, significant higher values of positivity were showed in patients of 3-7 years old, males more than females, and in rural more than urban areas. Regarding hematology, insignificant variation was recorded between infested and non-infested individuals, but macrocytic type of RBCs was highly prevalent in infested individuals. Subsequently, macrocytic type was increased significantly prevalent in patients with Ascaris lumbricoides; while, normocytic and microcytic types were seen in Balantidium coli. In patients with mixed infections, macrocytic type was recorded significantly in patients having Enterobius vermicularis and Ascaris lumbricoides as well as in those having Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica; while, microcytic type was identified in patients with Enterobius vermicularis and Ascaris lumbricoides, and those with Enterobius vermicularis, Giardia lamblia and Balantidium coli. However, normocytic type was seen significantly in patients with Entamoeba histolytica and Balantidium coli; Entamoeba histolytica and Enterobius vermicularis; and Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica. Conclusions: The findings imply that intestinal parasites among gastrointestinal patients were prevalent as single or mixed infections. Age, sex and areas were related significantly with the existence of parasitic infection, in addition to the effect of these parasites on shape of RBCs. However, annual surveillance appears of great importance to detect the prevalence of intestinal parasites in different individuals.
A biogeochemistry approach on the bivalves: REE distribution of white clam in Off Hatsushima cold seepage

THE cold seepage has been revealed in Off Hatsushima located at western Sagami Bay, central Japan in1984 by the submersible Shinkai 2000, which is characterized in dense deep-sea biological communitiesdominated by the White Clam Calyptogena soyoae. The clam communities stretch for 7 km along the footof a steep escarpment off Izu Peninsula at water depths of 900-1200 m. The area is located near theconvergence from the northern tip of the Philippine Sea Plate, which is subducting beneath the Eurasianand North American plates. Although numerous studies have become active around this region since1986, most of previous works were focused on biology, geology and physics. The geochemical data areextremely limited. The source of the cold seep fluid is not well known. In order to understand the control
Telerehabilitation Intervention in Transitional Care for People with COVID-19: Pre-Post Study with a Non-Equivalent Control Group

SARS-CoV-2 infection and its resulting sequelae have increased the prevalence of people with respiratory symptoms, with impacts on functional capacity, quality of life, anxiety, depression, and mental health. To mitigate this problem, one challenge has been the design and implementation of interventions that simultaneously allow for education, rehabilitation, and monitoring of people with long COVID, at a time when health services were on the verge of rupture due to the volume of people with active COVID and in need of intensive care. Telerehabilitation emerged as a mode for providing rehabilitative care that brought professionals closer to patients and enabled continuity of care. The present study aimed to evaluate the results of a telerehabilitation intervention for people with injuries associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospital-community transitions, considering their degree of dependence in performing activities of daily living, respiratory symptoms, fatigue, gait capacity, muscle strength, and experience with anxiety and depression. A pre-post study with a non-equivalent control group was carried out with a total of 49 participants (intervention group n = 24; control group n = 25). The post-intervention results showed an increase in saturation, a decrease in heart rate, an improvement in the impact of post-COVID functionality, a decrease in fatigue, a decrease in perceived effort, and a decrease in depressive and anxiety symptoms. The telerehabilitation intervention, which combined educational strategies with respiratory and motor rehabilitation, helped improve global functionality and self-care, with clinical and functional impacts.
Assessment of stress among pharmacy educators: Validation of the faculty stress index and 2-year cross-sectional follow-up in a Lebanese pharmacy school

Background: Exploring faculty stress and coping strategies among pharmacy educators has not been previously addressed among Lebanese pharmacy schools. The study’s aim was to validate the Faculty Stress Index (FSI) among pharmacy educators and to assess stress and coping strategies in a school of pharmacy in Lebanon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered web-based questionnaire. Results: The FSI structure was validated with factor analysis. All items had good factor loading that ranged from 0.561 to 0.926. All models were verified to be adequate with satisfactory KMO measures of sampling adequacy and a significant Bartlett’s test of sphericity with p < 0.001. FSI reliability was confirmed by the very good to excellent Cronbach’s alpha values for each stress area that ranged from 0.851 to 0.972. Faculty members had mean total stress scores of 129.43 (±56.90) and 115.59 (±57.34) over 2 academic years, respectively, with higher scores indicating more stress. The greatest stress areas were Time Constraint and Satisfaction with Online Courses. Spending time with family, spirituality, and getting enough sleep were the stress coping strategies considered by the majority of faculty members. Conclusion: This study provided a watchful apprehension of stress levels and key areas precipitating stress among pharmacy educators.
A multi-laboratory preclinical trial in rodents to assess treatment candidates for acute ischemic stroke

Human diseases may be modeled in animals to allow preclinical assessment of putative new clinical interventions. Recent, highly publicized failures of large clinical trials called into question the rigor, design, and value of preclinical assessment. We established the Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN) to design and implement a randomized, controlled, blinded, multi-laboratory trial for the rigorous assessment of candidate stroke treatments combined with intravascular thrombectomy. Efficacy and futility boundaries in a multi-arm multi-stage statistical design aimed to exclude from further study highly effective or futile interventions after each of four sequential stages. Six independent research laboratories performed a standard focal cerebral ischemic insult in five animal models that included equal numbers of males and females: young mice, young rats, aging mice, mice with diet-induced obesity, and spontaneously hypertensive rats. The laboratories adhered to a common protocol and efficiently enrolled 2615 animals with full data completion and comprehensive animal tracking. SPAN successfully implemented treatment masking, randomization, prerandomization inclusion and exclusion criteria, and blinded assessment of outcomes. The SPAN design and infrastructure provide an effective approach that could be used in similar preclinical, multi-laboratory studies in other disease areas and should help improve reproducibility in translational science. Description It is feasible to evaluate candidate treatments in a multi-laboratory preclinical network using utmost rigor and adaptive statistical methods. Editor’s summary Preclinical science faces a reproducibility crisis. This hampers clinical translation and has led to the call for more rigorous and unbiased preclinical trials. Here Lyden and colleagues present the outcome of a randomized and blinded preclinical trial to assess stroke interventions, conducted by the Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network. Two thousand six hundred fifteen mice and rats were enrolled across six research laboratories that adhered to standardized protocols. Using a multi-arm multi-stage design, the authors tested six treatment candidates in four stages comprising different rodent models of ischemic stroke. Interventions that did not meet statistical criteria were eliminated after each stage. Only one intervention, uric acid, exceeded the efficacy threshold at the last stage of the trial. These results show that standardized preclinical trials across multiple laboratories are feasible. —Daniela Neuhofer
A discretization of phase mass balance in fractional step algorithms for the drift-flux model

We address in this paper a parabolic equation used to model the phases mass balance in two-phase flows, which differs from the mass balance for chemical species in compressible multi-component flows by the addition of a non-linear term of the form $\dive \rho \phi(y) \, u_r$, where $y$ is the unknown mass fraction, $\rho$ stands for the density, $\phi(\cdot)$ is a regular function such that $\phi(0)=\phi(1)=0$ and $u_r$ is a (non-necessarily divergence free) velocity field. We propose a finite-volume scheme for the numerical approximation of this equation, with a discretization of the non-linear term based on monotone flux functions \cite{eym-00-fin}. Under the classical assumption \cite{lar-91-how} that the discretization of the convection operator must be such that it vanishes for constant $y$, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution, together with the fact that it remains within its physical bounds, \ie\ within the interval $[0,1]$. Then this scheme is combined with a pressure correction method to obtain a semi-implicit fractional-step scheme for the so-called drift-flux model. To satisfy the above-mentioned assumption, a specific time-stepping algorithm with particular approximations for the density terms is developed. Numerical tests are performed to assess the convergence and stability properties of this scheme.
Spatial and temporal variation in the spectral reflectance of seagrass

Recent developments in sensors and processing methodologies have led to an increase in the use of hyperspectral and high resolution multispectral remote sensing techniques for environmental applications such as the mapping and monitoring of the coastal zone. High spectral and spatial resolution imagery provides researchers with the potential to map vegetation to species level, provided that the plant species under study are spectrally distinct. [Extract]
Fireproofing the Lawn: Reclaimed Water and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Tampa Bay

Reclaimed water has increased in popularity as a means to recycle water and thus decrease the amount of wasteful water use. This process is widely used in Tampa Bay for watering of lawns. This increase in popularity and use has raised questions as to what contaminants are in the reclaimed water. The purpose of this study was to analyze reclaimed water for contaminants believed to be detrimental to health and conduct interviews to ascertain perceptions of risk in the local population. As water reuse grows in popularity further research will need to be conducted to address potential human health concerns. This research shows that there are potential health concerns related to reclaimed water when we use dioxin as a surrogate compound. Additionally, the research shows that local governments aren‟t doing enough to communicate information to local communities. Any policy that moves forward in regards to supplementing drinking water with reclaimed water must incorporate local communities in the decision making process. Decisions made in the absence of information can be misguiding and the first feedback of these decisions is felt by local communities. With their input in the beginning, throughout the decision making process, and during the evaluation period, new
The Optimization of Pressure-Assisted Microsyringe (PAM) 3D Printing Parameters for the Development of Sustainable Starch-Based Patches

The aim of this work was to develop sustainable patches for wound application, using the biopolymer starch, created using a low-cost 3D printing PAM device. The composition of a starch gel was optimized for PAM extrusion: corn starch 10% w/w, β-glucan water suspension (filler, 1% w/w), glycerol (plasticizer, 29% w/w), and water 60% w/w. The most suitable 3D printing parameters were optimized as well (nozzle size 0.8 mm, layer height 0.2 mm, infill 100%, volumetric flow rate 3.02 mm3/s, and print speed 15 mm/s). The suitable conditions for post-printing drying were set at 37 °C for 24 h. The obtained patch was homogenous but with low mechanical resistance. To solve this problem, the starch gel was extruded over an alginate support, which, after drying, becomes an integral part of the product, constituting the backing layer of the final formulation. This approach significantly improved the physicochemical and post-printing properties of the final bilayer patch, showing suitable mechanical properties such as elastic modulus (3.80 ± 0.82 MPa), strength (0.92 ± 0.08 MPa), and deformation at break (50 ± 1%). The obtained results suggest the possibility of low-cost production of patches for wound treatment by additive manufacturing technology.