Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carnation Italian Ringspot Virus p36 Expression Induces Mitochondrial Fission and Respiratory Chain Complex Impairment in Yeast

Positive-strand RNA virus replication invariably occurs in association with host cell membranes, which are induced to proliferate and rearrange to form vesicular structures where the virus replication complex is assembled. In particular, carnation Italian ringspot virus (CIRV) replication takes place on the mitochondrial outer membrane in plant and yeast cells. In this work, the model host Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to investigate the effects of CIRV p36 expression on the mitochondrial structure and function through the determination of mitochondrial morphology, mitochondrial respiratory parameters, and respiratory chain complex activities in p36-expressing cells. CIRV p36 ectopic expression was shown to induce alterations in the mitochondrial network associated with a decrease in mitochondrial respiration and the activities of NADH–cyt c, succinate–cyt c (C II-III), and cytochrome c oxidase (C IV) complexes. Our results suggest that the decrease in respiratory complex activity could be due, at least in part, to alterations in mitochondrial dynamics. This yeast-based model will be a valuable tool for identifying molecular targets to develop new anti-viral strategies.
Decay rate of fluid-induced seismicity after termination of reservoir stimulations

We present a model describing the seismicity rate of fluid injection-induced seismicity. We put the focus on seismicity induced after termination of fluid injections. Here, our primary objective is the identification of parameters controlling the decay rate of seismicity. The particular importance of a theoretical model for postinjection seismicity is underlined by observations after stimulations of geothermal reservoirs at different locations. For instance, the postinjection phase is relevant for a seismic risk, which up to now has been difficult to control, because processes leading to postinjection events are not well understood. Based on the assumption of pore pressure diffusion as the governing mechanism leading to the triggering of seismic events, we develop a method to calculate the seismicity rate during and after fluid injections. We find that the decay rate of seismicity after termination of injection is very similar to the Omori law, which describes the decay rate of aftershock activity after t.
Real-Time Gait Symmetry Enhancement in People with Unilateral Knee Injuries Using Deep Learning for Modulation of Knee Exoskeleton

Gait rehabilitation is critical for postoperative rehabilitation to improve the quality of life in people with unilateral knee injuries. Although some studies have studied the effects of using rehabilitation exoskeletons for patients rehabilitation, the improvement of patient gait quality with a single knee exoskeleton has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, a deep neural network-based biological torque controller is presented for realtime control of the unilateral knee exoskeleton. The aim was to improve the gait quality of patients by enhancing their gait symmetry. A lightweight unilateral knee exoskeleton system with low passive impedance and well transparent was used to develop and validate the controller during both treadmill and level walking modes. The proposed control strategy is characterized by accurate assisted output torque even when the motion pattern is changed, and does not require controller parameter adjustment. To test it, five able-bodied subjects used an exoskeleton with an artificial blocking device at the knee joint position that simulated the patient’ s defective postoperative pathological gait(i.e., reduced knee flexion). The subjects walked continuously on a treadmill and a flat surface. The experimental results demonstrated that the control strategy effectively improved the gait quality of the participants.
Perioperative Urinary Catheter Use and Association to (Gram-Negative) Surgical Site Infection after Spine Surgery

This study evaluates potential associations between the perioperative urinary catheter (UC) carriage and (Gram-negative) surgical site infections (SSIs) after spine surgery. It is a retrospective, single-center, case-control study stratifying group comparisons, case-mix adjustments using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Around half of the patients (2734/5485 surgeries) carried a UC for 1 day (median duration) (interquartile range, 1–1 days). Patients with perioperative UC carriage were compared to those without regarding SSI, in general, and Gram-negative, exclusively. The SSI rate was 1.2% (67/5485), yielding 67 revision surgeries. Gram-negative pathogens caused 16 SSIs. Seven Gram-negative episodes revealed the same pathogen concomitantly in the urine and the spine. In the multivariate analysis, the UC carriage duration was associated with SSI (OR 1.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1–1.1), albeit less than classical risk factors like diabetes (OR 2.2, 95%CI 1.1–4.2), smoking (OR 2.4, 95%CI 1.4–4.3), or higher ASA-Scores (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.4–3.6). In the second multivariate analysis targeting Gram-negative SSIs, the female sex (OR 3.8, 95%CI 1.4–10.6) and a UC carriage > 1 day (OR 5.5, 95%CI 1.5–20.3) were associated with Gram-negative SSIs. Gram-negative SSIs after spine surgery seem associated with perioperative UC carriage, especially in women. Other SSI risk factors are diabetes, smoking, and higher ASA scores.
Daphnia magna Multigeneration Exposure to Carbendazim: Gene Transcription Responses

The world population is experiencing colossal growth and thus demand for food, leading to an increase in the use of pesticides. Persistent pesticide contamination, such as carbendazim, remains a pressing environmental concern, with potentially long-term impacts on aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, Daphnia magna was exposed to carbendazim (5 µg L−1) for 12 generations, with the aim of assessing gene transcription alterations induced by carbendazim (using a D. magna custom microarray). The results showed that carbendazim caused changes in genes involved in the response to stress, DNA replication/repair, neurotransmission, ATP production, and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism at concentrations already found in the environment. These outcomes support the results of previous studies, in which carbendazim induced genotoxic effects and reproduction impairment (increasing the number of aborted eggs with the decreasing number of neonates produced). The exposure of daphnids to carbendazim did not cause a stable change in gene transcription between generations, with more genes being differentially expressed in the F0 generation than in the F12 generation. This could show some possible daphnid acclimation after 12 generations and is aligned with previous multigenerational studies where few ecotoxicological effects at the individual and populational levels and other subcellular level effects (e.g., biochemical biomarkers) were found.
Lowered oxidative capacity in spinal muscular atrophy, Jokela type; comparison with mitochondrial muscle disease

Introduction Spinal muscular atrophy, Jokela type (SMAJ) is a rare autosomal dominantly hereditary form of spinal muscular atrophy caused by a point mutation c.197G>T in CHCHD10. CHCHD10 is known to be involved in the regulation of mitochondrial function even though patients with SMAJ do not present with multiorgan symptoms of mitochondrial disease. We aimed to characterize the cardiopulmonary oxidative capacity of subjects with SMAJ compared to healthy controls and patients with mitochondrial myopathy. Methods Eleven patients with genetically verified SMAJ, 26 subjects with mitochondrial myopathy (MM), and 28 healthy volunteers underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test with lactate and ammonia sampling. The effect of the diagnosis group on the test results was analysed using a linear model. Results Adjusted for sex, age, and BMI, the SMAJ group had lower power output (p < 0.001), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) (p < 0.001), and mechanical efficiency (p < 0.001) compared to the healthy controls but like that in MM. In the SMAJ group and healthy controls, plasma lactate was lower than in MM measured at rest, light exercise, and 30 min after exercise (p ≤ 0.001–0.030) and otherwise lactate in SMAJ was lower than controls and MM, in longitudinal analysis p = 0.018. In MM, the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen was higher (p = 0.040), and the fraction of end-tidal CO2 lower in maximal exercise compared to healthy controls (p = 0.023) and subjects with SMAJ. Conclusion In cardiopulmonary exercise test, subjects with SMAJ showed a similar decrease in power output and oxidative capacity as subjects with mitochondrial myopathy but did not exhibit findings typical of mitochondrial disease.
The Influence of Time on the Epidemiology and Clinical Manifestations of Behçet’s Disease in Brazil

Objective: Modifications in the severity and clinical expression of Behçet’s disease (BD) have been described in some areas that are considered endemic for the disease. This study aims to evaluate the chronological changes in epidemiology and clinical characteristics of BD patients in a referral center in Brazil, which is considered a non-endemic area for the disease. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study involving BD patients divided into two groups: group 1 patients were diagnosed and followed between 1988 and 2010, and group 2 were diagnosed and followed between 2011 and 2022. Results: No significant differences were found regarding gender and age at onset of symptoms between groups. We found a significant decrease in the frequency of bilateral ocular involvement, posterior uveitis, and retinal vasculitis. Conclusion: The demographic dates of this group of Brazilian BD patients remained similar over the last decade. Our study supports the notion that BD is becoming lighter in some regions. BD is a severe blinding disorder, and we found a lower frequency of ocular involvement over time. These findings may be attributed to a higher level of education of patients and a growing awareness of the disease. Newer immunomodulating and biologic agents may offer an improved prognosis in patients with BD with severe manifestations.
Interaction between prerift salt and detachment faulting in hyperextended rift systems: The example of the Parentis and Mauleon basins (Bay of Biscay and western Pyrenees)

Prerift salt layers associated with extensional detachment faults exhuming mantle and deeper crustal rocks at the sea floor are observed in the Parentis and Arzacq-Mauleon basins located at the eastern termination of the Bay of Biscay. How detachment faults interact with salt in hyperextended rift systems is yet little understood. Based on field observations and drill-hole and seismic data, we propose a new model to explain the interaction between salt tectonics and extensional detachment systems. We demonstrate that the presence of a thick prerift salt layer in an area undergoing extreme crustal thinning can control the geometry and evolution of rift systems and obscure the rift-related structures in the underlying basement. During an initial stage of rifting, prerift salt layers act as a decoupling horizon between sub- and suprasalt units and hinder crustal detachment faults to cut through the salt layers and form breakaways at the sea floor. As a consequence, they sole out along the ductile salt layer and no subsalt material can be exhumed to the sea floor. Thus, sub- and suprasalt layers deform by different deformation modes, which makes that detachment fault difficult to identify on seismic images. In a later stage, when salt has migrated and thinned out, sub- and suprasalt layers can locally couple and detachment faults can be exposed at the surface, resulting in windows of exhumed basement surrounded by extensional allochthons formed by suprasalt sedimentary units.
Water quality and micro-organisms of leachate-contaminated pond

The physical and chemical analyses of leachate and leachate-contaminated pond water were investigated. Leachate was observed to have significantly (P 0.05) than DO levels recorded for stations I and II. This study has shown the possibility of leachate contamination of water bodies from near by waste dump sites. Leachate exerted negative impact on water quality parameters of the pond which were either elevated or reduced to acceptable but stressful levels for fish production especially in station I. Pond water was also found to be contaminated with micro-organisms, some of which have public health implications. There is a need for strict legislation on environmental waste management against the siting of waste dumps near water bodies. This will prevent the possible transfer of contaminants from leachatepolluted waters by fish to man.
Variations in northern vegetation activity inferred from satellite data of vegetation index during 1981 to 1999

The northern high latitudes have warmed by about 0.8°C since the early 1970s, but not all areas have warmed uniformly [Hansen et al., 1999]. There is warming in most of Eurasia, but the warming rate in the United States is smaller than in most of the world, and a slight cooling is observed in the eastern United States over the past 50 years. These changes beg the question, can we detect the biotic response to temperature changes? Here we present results from analyses of a recently developed satellite-sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data set for the period July 1981 to December 1999: (1) About 61% of the total vegetated area between 40°N and 70°N in Eurasia shows a persistent increase in growing season NDVI over a broad contiguous swath of land from central Europe through Siberia to the Aldan plateau, where almost 58% (7.3×106 km2) is forests and woodlands; North America, in comparison, shows a fragmented pattern of change in smaller areas notable only in the forests of the southeast and grasslands of the upper Midwest, (2) A larger increase in growing season NDVI magnitude (12% versus 8%) and a longer active growing season (18 versus 12 days) brought about by an early spring and delayed autumn are observed in Eurasia relative to North America, (3) NDVI decreases are observed in parts of Alaska, boreal Canada, and northeastern Asia, possibly due to temperature-induced drought as these regions experienced pronounced warming without a concurrent increase in rainfall [Barber et al., 2000]. We argue that these changes in NDVI reflect changes in biological activity. Statistical analyses indicate that there is a statistically meaningful relation between changes in NDVI and land surface temperature for vegetated areas between 40°N and 70°N. That is, the temporal changes and continental differences in NDVI are consistent with ground-based measurements of temperature, an important determinant of biological activity. Together, these results suggest a photosynthetically vigorous Eurasia relative to North America during the past 2 decades, possibly driven by temperature and precipitation patterns. Our results are in broad agreement with a recent comparative analysis of 1980s and 1990s boreal and temperate forest inventory data [United Nations, 2000].
Studies of the General Circulation of the Atmosphere with a Simplified Moist General Circulation Model

We formulate a simplified moist general circulation model (GCM) and use this model to study several topics in the moist general circulation of the atmosphere. The model consists of the full primitive equations on the sphere, with simplified physical parameterizations which isolate certain climate feedbacks and facilitate simulation over a wide range of parameters. A key simplification is the use of grey radiative transfer, in which water vapor and other constituents have no effect on radiative fluxes. We first consider a set of experiments with no convection scheme (large scale condensation only) and study the effect of moisture on midlatitude static stability, eddy scales, and energy transports (this section is in collaboration with Isaac Held and Pablo Zurita-Gotor). We vary the moisture content of the atmosphere over a wide range, from dry to 10 times the moisture of the current climate, by varying a parameter in the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. In these simulations, the midlatitude static stability is found to be remarkably neutral with respect to moist convection. Despite the large changes in dry stability as the moisture content is increased, the eddy length scales in the simulations remain nearly constant, a fact we interpret with the Rhines scale at the jet latitude. Finally, as moisture content is increased, the poleward fluxes of energy are remarkably constant as well, indicating a high degree of compensation between dry static energy fluxes and moisture fluxes (the compensation is 99% from the control case to the dry limit). We interpret these findings with energy balance models, including a model with exact compensation, and a model which predicts the jet latitude and strength, and moist static energy diffusivity. We then shift our focus to the tropics, first by deriving a one-dimensional model to study the effect of moisture on large-scale dynamics on the equator. We use this to formulate a theory for “precipitation fronts” in the tropical atmosphere, which mark the boundary between precipitating and non-precipitating regions in the tropics. This section is in collaboration with Andy Majda and Olivier Pauluis.
Does the HyFlex Learning Environment Affect Student Likelihood to Whistle-Blow on Academic Dishonesty?

The reality of possible disruptions in daily life such as the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated increased adoptions of flexible hybrid learning, namely the HyFlex modality. With greater use of online or hybrid learning, concerns about academic dishonesty are more prevalent. Despite the empirical evidence that shows that whistleblowing reduces academic dishonesty, accounting education empirical literature on whistleblowing has mostly focused on traditional classroom modalities. This paper administered a survey to 232 students in HyFlex accounting classes and provides empirical evidence that HyFlex learning environment’s characteristics of engagement and campus connectedness are positively linked to whistleblowing likelihood, whereas HyFlex students who prefer in-person attendance are less likely to whistle-blow. Open-ended questions analyzing ways to increase whistleblowing revealed that students who feel engaged in HyFlex classes are more likely motivated to report on misconduct when they are incentivized and provided protected anonymity.
Autophagy and Apoptosis Cross-Talk in Response to Epigallocatechin Gallate in NALM-6 Cell Line

Background: Chemotherapy, the primary treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), often yields inadequate responses. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been shown to significantly affect tumor cells through various mechanisms, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy. Objectives: The objective of this study is to explore the impact of EGCG on autophagy, apoptosis, and the interplay between them in NALM-6, a pre-B-ALL cell line. Methods: NALM-6 cells were subjected to various concentrations of EGCG for 24 and 48 hours. Additionally, NH4Cl 10 mM was used as an autophagy inhibitor to examine this mechanism. The EGCG effect on cell viability and apoptosis was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), trypan blue exclusion assay, and flow cytometry. Moreover, western blot analysis and real-time PCR were performed to investigate autophagy. Results: Our findings demonstrated that EGCG significantly affected cell proliferation and viability. It reduced cell viability by 55.24 ± 8.43% (P < 0.0001) while inducing apoptosis by 51.04 ± 1.88% (P = 0.006). Furthermore, in the presence of NH4Cl, EGCG led to a 3.92 ± 1.76-fold increase in LC3 protein level (P = 0.001). It also resulted in an approximately 1.34 ± 0.34-fold enhancement in DRAM1 mRNA expression levels (P = 0.013), while reducing of LC3B by 33.3 ± 30.5% (P = 0.008), P62/SQSTM1 by 46.5 ± 28.26% (P < 0.001), and Atg2B by 45.5 ± 16.25% (P < 0.001). However, the inhibition of autophagy did not alter the apoptosis rate in either untreated or EGCG-treated cells. Conclusions: Overall, our findings suggest that EGCG can trigger apoptosis and autophagy in the NALM-6 cell line. However, blockage of autophagy does not appear to impact apoptosis in this cell line.
Farmers' Awareness on Climate Change Related Issues at some Irrigable Areas of Batticaloa District, Sri Lanka

The research was conducted at ten irrigation command area of Batticaloa district during the period from January 2011 to May 2011 to assess the socio-economic condition of farmers, awareness on recent change in extreme climatic events such as flood, increasing trend of rainfall and existing adaptation methods against those events. The primary and secondary data were collected among 300 farmers through questionnaire survey, key informant discussion and direct observations. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in the data analysis using SPSS software and MS Excel. The results show that, 70% and 61% of the farmers are aware about the changing pattern and the increasing trend of flood and drought respectively. As far as the adaptation is concerned, 43% of the farmers are adapting new agronomic practices in paddy cultivation such as reuse of drainage water, increase the number of ploughing, shifting the cultivation period and use of tolerant crop variety. It is concluded that the awareness on recent climate change impacts on productivity among the people residing in the study area is inadequate and the agronomical adaptation percentage of the farmers were less compare to the increased trend of climate change. Therefore, conducting awareness programme by the respective authority will create some awareness on climate change and adaptation techniques among those people.
Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Early Pleistocene Rocks from the Continental Margin in the Bering Sea

Rocks dredged from the continental margin in eastern Bering Sea in and near the Pribilof Canyon indicate that the acoustic basement represents the upper surface of thoroughly lithified turbidite beds of graywacke and siltstone of Late Cretaceous age. The stratified sequence covering the acoustic basement is gently deformed and includes marine clastic and diatomaceous sediments ranging in age from middle or late Miocene through early Pleistocene. Dense argillite, siltstone, and calcareous sandstone of early Tertiary age in and near the Zhemchug Canyon probably represent an older part of this sequence. The main layered sequence accumulated above the acoustic basement in shallow water, and, because the older beds now lie as much as 1000 m below sea level, the continental margin must have undergone considerable subsidence during late Tertiary and Quaternary time. A rich pollen flora indicates that the shoreline lay only a few tens of kilometers away from the site of the Pribilof Canyon during late Miocene time.
Water Demand Estimation Under Block Rate Pricing: A Simultaneous Equation Approach

A model of demand for potable water is developed and estimated simultaneously with observations on rural water district customers. The estimation technique incorporates the error structure in an attempt to provide more efficient estimates and eliminate potential ordinary least squares bias in single equation models of demand for goods sold through block rate pricing systems because of possible price endogeneity. The model also tests alternative specifications for price variables. The simultaneous equation model estimates from three-stage-least squares were slightly more efficient compared to two-stage-least squares estimates. The findings are not generally supportive of the Taylor-Nordin specification of consumer demand for block rate priced potable water. The similarity between three-stage-least squares and single equation ordinary least squares estimates provides some validation for the use of simpler single equation demand models of potable water when water is sold under block rate pricing schedules.