Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Resolve Lipid Load in High Fat Diet-Induced Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice by Mitochondria Donation

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) increasingly emerge as an option to ameliorate non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a serious disease, which untreated may progress to liver cirrhosis and cancer. Before clinical translation, the mode of action of MSC needs to be established. Here, we established NASH in an immune-deficient mouse model by feeding a high fat diet. Human bone-marrow-derived MSC were delivered to the liver via intrasplenic transplantation. As verified by biochemical and image analyses, human mesenchymal stromal cells improved high-fat-diet-induced NASH in the mouse liver by decreasing hepatic lipid content and inflammation, as well as by restoring tissue homeostasis. MSC-mediated changes in gene expression indicated the switch from lipid storage to lipid utilization. It was obvious that host mouse hepatocytes harbored human mitochondria. Thus, it is feasible that resolution of NASH in mouse livers involved the donation of human mitochondria to the mouse hepatocytes. Therefore, human MSC might provide oxidative capacity for lipid breakdown followed by restoration of metabolic and tissue homeostasis.
Novel Zero Headspace Solid-Liquid Extraction for the Recovery of Polyphenolic Fractions from Grape Pomace

Grape pomace (GP) is a good source of high-value compounds as up to 60% of grape polyphenols remain in it after wine-making. To overcome traditional membrane technologies’ d rawbacks, such as fouling, a novel Zero Head Space extraction (ZHE) procedure was developed. The reaction vessel comprised a filtration device with a nitrocellulose membrane. The separation was performed at 50 lb/in2 and 23 °C, with no headspace during the process. Water and methanol (both acidifie d) were evaluated as solvents during two extraction stages for the recovery and fractionation of polyphenols. Aqueous extract (AE) was mainly constituted by monomeric polyphenols while Methanol extract (ME) presented less soluble compounds, as well as a higher concentration of total anthocyanin content than AE. Additional methanolic (CE) and acetone (CAE) extractions of residual GP showed CE presented a similar profile to ME (at a lower concentration), indicating ZHE efficiency at extracting polyphenols in GP. CAE presented a non-resolved hump, characteristic of high proanthocyanidins’ polydispersity. ZHE rendered a monomeric fraction in ME (mean Degree of Polymerization, mDP of 1.38). Residual GP (cake) extractions demonstrated oligomeric polyphenol retention; mDP up to 3.05 when acetone was used. Fractionation of GP polyphenols was successfully established using a Zero Head space extractor.
Stocking density affects transcriptome changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and reproductive performance in ducks

Abstract The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis plays a central role in mediating physiological responses related to the reproductive system under any stressful condition. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of stress on physiology still needs to be elucidated. This study demonstrated that increasing the stocking density from 4 to 8 birds/m2 during the laying period decreased the egg production rate of laying ducks by 13.04 − 63.55% and feed intake by 7.40 − 23.44%. Transcriptome analysis between high- and low-feeding-density laying ducks revealed 469, 509, 428 and 210 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary and follicular membrane, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs in the hypothalamus and pituitary were primarily enriched in the biostimulation and dopamine secretion pathways. The major enrichment pathways in the ovarian and follicular membranes involved lipid metabolism, negative regulation of inflammatory response, and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Among the DEGs in the HPG system, POMC and GnRH1 were identified, which may be manifesting their crucial roles in regulating the stress response and reproduction. Our data showed that a high stocking density as environmental stress negatively affects the reproductive performance in ducks through transcriptional changes in the HPG axis. Highlights Raising the stocking density from 4 to 8 birds/m2 decreased the egg production rate and feed intake in laying ducks. The transcriptome indicated that stocking density affects the stress response of laying ducks through the hypothalamus-pituitary. The stress signals are subsequently transmitted to affect gene expression related to the reproduction process in laying ducks’ ovarian and follicular tissues. The hypothalamic expression of POMC and GnRH1 may play a central role in integrating stress signals and the reproductive processes of laying ducks.
Seismic Vulnerability Analysis of RC Bridges Based on Kriging Model

ABSTRACT This paper presents a Kriging model-based method for seismic vulnerability analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) bridges. It aims at reducing the computational effect when the Monte Carlo technique is used for establishing the structural vulnerability curves. The general procedure of the proposed method is put forward firstly. In the procedure, the uncertainties existing in the structures and ground motions are both taken into account, and the uniform design (UD) technique is adopted for generating the random samples. The reliability of the proposed method is demonstrated by the vulnerability analysis of an single degree of freedom (SDOF) system using the Latin hypercube simulation (LHS) method. Vulnerability analysis of an RC bridge system is then carried out using the proposed method. The vulnerability curves of the bridge obtained by the Kriging model-based method are compared with those obtained by the LHS method. Additionally, three simulation schemes adopting different UD tables are employed to investigate the convergence and stability of the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method used for the seismic vulnerability analysis of RC bridges can reduce the computational effort and time to a large extent without much compromise on the accuracy.
Application of Seismic Architecture Interpretation in Pre-salt Carbonate Reservoirs of the Buzios Field, Santos Basin, Offshore Brazil

ABSTRACT. The Brazilian pre-salt carbonate reservoirs, in deep water, are examples of interesting places for oil and gas industry exploration due to their high production capacity. Oil and gas companies are often collecting information about the geology and the reservoir’s characteristics to improve its understanding and consequently optimize the production results. Seismic interpretation is mandatory for the understanding of geology, always pondering reducing the risks during exploration. Seismic and well data are commonly used together as a useful approach to comprehend the geological history and provide a good reservoir characterization. In this paper, we performed the seismic interpretation of the pre-salt carbonate reservoirs of the Buzios Field, Santos Basin, and used seismic attributes to obtain a better comprehension, as the TecVA attribute. Also, we generated isopach maps for a better understanding of reservoir intervals. As a result, we achieved a better definition of fault distribution and tectonic behavior, as well as determined the main interval thickness and the possibility of build-up and coquina bank occurrence.Keywords: seismic interpretation, reservoir characterization, pre-salt. Aplicação da interpretação da arquitetura sísmica em reservatórios carbonáticos do pré-sal no Campo de Buzios, Bacia de Santos, offshore do BrasilRESUMO. Os reservatórios carbonáticos do pré-sal brasileiro, em águas profundas, consistem em um dos locais mais procurados pela indústria de energia devido à sua capacidade de produção. Empresas de óleo e gás estão frequentemente adquirindo novas informações sobre a geologia e a caracterização de reservatórios, para melhorar seu entendimento e, consequentemente, otimizar os resultados da produção. Dados sísmicos e de poços são comumente usados juntos como uma abordagem útil para compreender a história geológica e fornecer uma boa caracterização do reservatório. A interpretação sísmica é obrigatória para o entendimento da geologia, sempre pensando em reduzir os riscos durante a exploração e a produção, auxiliando na compreensão da história geológica, além de fornecer informações necessárias para a caracterização do reservatório. Neste trabalho, realizamos a interpretação sísmica das principais discordâncias da seção do pré-sal do Campo de Búzios, Bacia de Santos, com o auxílio do atributo TecVA. Mapas de isópacas também foram gerados para um melhor entendimento das seções dos reservatórios. Como resultados, obtivemos uma melhor definição da distribuição de falhas e comportamento tectônico, bem como determinamos a espessura do intervalo principal e a localização de possíveis build-ups e bancos de coquinas. Palavras-chave: interpretação sísmica, caracterização de reservatórios, pré-sal.
Chemometric Differentiation of Sole and Plaice Fish Fillets Using Three Near-Infrared Instruments

Fish species substitution is one of the most common forms of fraud all over the world, as fish identification can be very challenging for both consumers and experienced inspectors in the case of fish sold as fillets. The difficulties in distinguishing among different species may generate a “grey area” in which mislabelling can occur. Thus, the development of fast and reliable tools able to detect such frauds in the field is of crucial importance. In this study, we focused on the distinction between two flatfish species largely available on the market, namely the Guinean sole (Synaptura cadenati) and European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), which are very similar looking. Fifty fillets of each species were analysed using three near-infrared (NIR) instruments: the handheld SCiO (Consumer Physics), the portable MicroNIR (VIAVI), and the benchtop MPA (Bruker). PLS-DA classification models were built using the spectral datasets, and all three instruments provided very good results, showing high accuracy: 94.1% for the SCiO and MicroNIR portable instruments, and 90.1% for the MPA benchtop spectrometer. The good classification results of the approach combining NIR spectroscopy, and simple chemometric classification methods suggest great applicability directly in the context of real-world marketplaces, as well as in official control plans.
Epirubicin Alters DNA Methylation Profiles Related to Cardiotoxicity.

BACKGROUND Epirubicin (EPI) is an important anticancer drug that is well-known for its cardiotoxic side effect. Studying epigenetic modification such as DNA methylation can help to understand the EPI-related toxic mechanisms in cardiac tissue. In this study, we analyzed the DNA methylation profile in a relevant human cell model and inspected the expression of differentially methylated genes at the transcriptome level to understand how changes in DNA methylation could affect gene expression in relation to EPI-induced cardiotoxicity. METHODS Human cardiac microtissues were exposed to either therapeutic or toxic (IC20) EPI doses during 2 weeks. The DNA and RNA were collected from microtissues in triplicates at 2, 8, 24, 72, 168, 240, and 336 hours of exposure. Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation-sequencing (MeDIP-seq) analysis was used to detect DNA methylation levels in EPI-treated and control samples. The MeDIP-seq data were analyzed and processed using the QSEA package with a recently published workflow. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to measure global gene expression in the same samples. RESULTS After processing the MeDIP-seq data, we detected 35, 37, 15 candidate genes which show strong methylated alterations between all EPI-treated, EPI therapeutic and EPI toxic dose-treated samples compared to control, respectively. For several genes, gene expressions changed compatibly reflecting the DNA methylation regulation. CONCLUSIONS The observed DNA methylation modifications provide further insights into the EPI-induced cardiotoxicity. Multiple differentially methylated genes under EPI treatment, such as SMARCA4, PKN1, RGS12, DPP9, NCOR2, SDHA, POLR2A, and AGPAT3, have been implicated in different cardiac dysfunction mechanisms. Together with other differentially methylated genes, these genes can be candidates for further investigations of EPI-related toxic mechanisms. Data Repository: The data has been generated by the HeCaToS project (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies) under accession numbers S-HECA433 and S-HECA434 for the MeDIP-seq data and S-HECA11 for the RNA-seq data. The R code is available on Github (https://github.com/NhanNguyen000/MeDIP).
Analisis Pengaruh Laba Akuntansi, Arus Kas Operasi, Arus Kas Pendanaan, Debt to Equity Ratio, Current Ratio dan Risiko Saham Terhadap Return Saham

The purpose of this study was to determine and examine the effect of Accounting Profit, Operating Cash Flow, Funding Cash Flow, Debt to Equity Ratio, Current Ratio, and Stock Risk on Stock Returns in Companies Listed in LQ45 on the IDX for the 2014-2017 period. The population in this study were 45 companies listed in the LQ45 index as of February 2019, while the sample in this study was 18 companies determined by the purposive sampling technique. Data analysis using eviews 8.0. The results showed that accounting profit had a positive effect on stock returns. Operating cash flow has a positive effect on stock returns. Funding cash flow has no positive effect on stock returns. Debt to equity ratio has no negative effect on stock returns. Current Ratio has a positive effect on stock returns, and stock risk has a positive effect on stock returns of companies listed in LQ45 on the IDX for the 2014-2017 period.
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum exhibiting heart failure associated with severe mitral valve regurgitation: a case report

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a rare inherited systemic disease of connective tissue that primarily affects the skin, retina, and cardiovascular system due to mutations in the ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 6 (ABCC6) gene (1). The most common cardiovascular involvement includes premature atherosclerosis, which leads to coronary artery disease in the absence of traditional risk factors (2-5). Moreover, histopathological analyses have revealed that the endocardium and valves are also affected among patients with PXE (6-8). Thus, the etiology of heart failure in this rare condition might be associated with a variety of situations, including coronary artery disease, valvular disease, and cardiomyopathy. However, the studies available to date did not explore the management or complications that may arise in patients with PXE and concomitant cardiovascular disease. Herein, we describe a case of PXE Case Report
Female Teacher Workload, Problem, and Social Competence: A Study on Secondary School Teachers

Heavy workload has become a problem of many female teachers in the world. Finding out how workload has impacted teachers’ job effectiveness worth searching. The respondents of the research were were 78 secondary school female teachers in Tanah Datar Regency. The data of the research were collected through a google-form. The data were analyzed through Descriptive Statistics. The study results show that female teachers are over-burdened with their tasks at school and at home, face many problems like having negative feeling to themselves, having no leisure time, lacking of social responsibility and participation in school activities and house work, being not optimal in job performance, being exhausted, feeling lack of energy, getting problem in time management, doing social withdrawal, and having lower social competence after the issuance of the new regulation. Therefore, it is recommended that the new government regulation of teacher workload be quitted in order that better education quality is achieved.
Satisficing: Integrating Two Traditions

In 1955, Herbert Simon introduced the notion of satisficing: an agent satisfices by searching for an alternative that meets an aspiration level but does not optimize. We survey more than 60 years of advances in understanding satisficing in economics, psychology, and management, identifying two research traditions that address two classes of situations: under risk, satisficing is typically inferior to optimization strategies and modeled according to the neoclassical framework; under uncertainty, satisficing strategies are often derived empirically and can be highly effective. We integrate the two research traditions and show the conditions under which satisficing can be rational. (JEL D11, D80, D90)
Trends in Computer Instruction in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Waterloo Part 2: Microcomputer Instruction in First Year

Following an evaluation of undergraduate computing requirements in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Waterloo (see Part 1 of this paper), students in Mechanical Engineering were ‘strongly recommended’ to purchase their own microcomputers. To complement this recommendation, introductory lectures in microcomputer basics were presented in the autumns of 1987 and 1988 to all first-term general engineering (includes civil, computer, electrical, geological and mechanical) and chemical engineering students as part of existing courses on engineering concepts. The introduction included hands-on experience on the *WATSTAR microcomputer network during a two-hour tutorial in the first week, followed during the term by eight lectures on microcomputer hardware, selected software, and some engineering applications of microcomputers. Wordprocessor and spreadsheet software were taught in sufficient detail for students to use them for some of their course assignments. A survey of students in December 1987 indicated that the microcomputer lectures had been well received. Further, in their second term at university, students of both years exhibited a significant increase in familiarity and acceptance of microcomputers. For example, second-term computer language courses in FORTRAN and PASCAL were completed with fewer late assignments and significantly fewer failures. A further benefit to engineering students was the ability of all students to utilize more effectively microcomputer software during the first work term of their cooperative or thin sandwich program.
A Case of Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome With Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome and Heart Failure

A 48-year-old Mongolian man developed bilateral leg edema after suffering from a fever for three months. He lost his appetite, and the edema gradually spread from the legs, becoming systemic. In addition, he had difficulty in moving. He had a history of being diagnosed with numerous venous malformations and Kasabach-Merritt syndrome when he was a child. On arrival, he had numerous venous malformations over pale skin, edema at each extremity, and anemic conjunctiva. Chest roentgen showed bilateral pleural effusion, and cardiac echography findings showed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% with diffuse hypokinesis. The results of a blood analysis showed coagulopathy, which was compatible with disseminated intravascular coagulation and pancytopenia. He was diagnosed with blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome and heart failure. Use of diuretics, thiamine, iron, phytonadione, carbazochrome, and tranexamic acid, in addition to intermittent transfusion resulted in the improvement of his Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. Radical management of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome was deemed impossible by dermatologists due to the large amount of venous malformations. We encountered an extremely rare case of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome with Kasabach-Merritt and heart failure. Multimodal therapy might help manage Kasabach-Merritt syndrome following improvement in coagulopathy and pancytopenia.
A five-year open follow up of a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of intralymphatic immunotherapy for birch and grass reveals remaining beneficial effects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT) has been proposed as a novel, less time-consuming alternative to conventional allergy immunotherapy (AIT). Few previous studies have evaluated its long-term effects. The objective of the study was to complete a 5-year follow-up of a previously performed randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of ILIT for a combination of birch and grass allergens. METHODS Fifty-eight patients with allergic rhinitis were treated with either placebo or a combination of ALK Alutard Birch and Grass 1000 SQ-U, three intralymphatic injections with one-month intervals. A year after the vaccination, symptoms induced by nasal provocation were significantly reduced. 5-6 years later, 20 out of 26 actively treated patients were followed up with a nasal provocation test (NPT), seasonal registration of the combined symptoms and medications score (CSMS), IgE and IgG4 levels in the blood and immunological markers in blood and lymph nodes and compared with 13 unvaccinated controls. RESULTS The ILIT induced reduction in the NPT response seen in year one could not be convincingly reproduced in year five. The new CSMS scores were markedly lower among the previously treated patients than for the control group. Further, grass-specific IgG4 was increased, grass-specific IgE decreased, FcεR1 on basophils reduced, and the amount of memory T-cells in the lymph nodes increased. CONCLUSION The combination of seasonal derived clinical data and immunological parameters supports the notion of a long-lasting effect of ILIT. These data support the concept of ILIT as a good alternative to traditional AIT in pollen-induced allergic rhinitis.
Palmer amaranth control in furrow-irrigated rice with florpyrauxifen-benzyl

Abstract Palmer amaranth is a common weed on levees in rice fields but has become increasingly problematic with the adoption of furrow-irrigated rice and lack of an established flood. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl previously has been found effective for controlling Palmer amaranth in rice, but the efficacy of low rates of florpyrauxifen-benzyl and the effect of Palmer amaranth size on controlling it is unknown. The objective of this research was to determine the level of Palmer amaranth control expected with single and sequential applications of florpyrauxifen-benzyl at varying weed heights. The first study was conducted near Marianna, AR, in 2019 and 2020, to determine the effect of florpyrauxifen-benzyl rate on control of <10 cm (labeled size) and 28- to 32-cm-tall (larger-than-labeled size) Palmer amaranth. The second experiment was conducted in 2020 at two locations in Arkansas to compare single applications of florpyrauxifen-benzyl at low rates to sequential applications at the same rates with a 14-d interval on 20- and 40-cm-tall Palmer amaranth. Results revealed that florpyrauxifen-benzyl at 15 g ae ha–1 was as effective as 30 g ae ha–1 in controlling <10-cm-tall Palmer amaranth (92% and 95% mortality in 2019). Sequential applications of florpyrauxifen-benzyl at 8 g ae ha–1 were as effective as single or sequential applications at 30 g ae ha–1. However, no rate of florpyrauxifen-benzyl applied to 20- or 40-cm-tall Palmer amaranth was sufficient to provide season-long control of the weed, with the escaping female plants producing as many as 6,120 seed per plant following a single application. Nomenclature: Florpyrauxifen-benzyl; rice; Oryza sativa L. ; Palmer amaranth; Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson