Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Dysphagia on Quality of Life in Stroke Survivors

Background: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common problem in stroke survivors. Dysphagia and its complications have negative effects on quality of life in stroke survivors. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of dysphagia on quality of life in Iranian stroke survivors and to determine potential relationships between demographic variables and the domains of quality of life. Methods: Sixty stroke survivors (aged 60 - 75 years old) with a diagnosis of dysphagia participated in this cross-sectional study. The swallowing function of patients was evaluated by Mann Assessment Swallowing Ability (MASA). The Persian version of the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) was used to determine the impacts of swallowing disorder on the quality of life. Results: The mean total and SD of DHI was 73.03 ± 10.16. There was no statistically significant relationship between sex; age, time post-onset of stroke, and DHI total score as well as its subscales (P > 0.05), whereas there was a relationship between the functional subscale of the DHI and the level of education (r = 0.27, P = 0.037) and also with severity of dysphagia on the base of MASA scores (r = 0.267, P = 0.039). Besides, the severity of dysphagia was positively correlated with DHI’s total scores (r = 0.312, P = 0.017); this means that the higher the severity of dysphagia, resulting in even greater the DHI total scores, which indicates a further reduction in the patient’s quality of life. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that dysphagia in stroke survivors has negative impacts on the quality of life. The relationship between clinical measures of dysphagia severity and quality of life also indicates that the higher the dysphagia severity the lower the quality of life. Dysphagia’s negative impact on the quality of life does not depend on age and gender.
Varnishes with Biocidal Activity: A New Approach to Protecting Artworks

Keeping agents that cause biodeterioration under control is a common task in restoring and conserving artworks. However, there are very few studies, specifically those concentrating on pictorial works, that provide solutions compatible with the complex mix of organic and inorganic materials to be found in such cultural assets. This study aims to use biocide products that are commonly used in this field (benzalkonium chloride, o-phenylphenol, and tributyltin naphthenate) and which are associated with natural varnishes with a long tradition in artistic practices, in order to protect paintings and polychrome sculptures from environmental fungi and bacteria without altering the original materials or the visual appearance of the artworks. The effectiveness or innocuousness of the treatments was tested chemically and visually via optical microscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and a multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS); the treatments produced good results as regards the inhibition of microbial growth and scarce interaction with the artistic materials being studied.
What Is Evaluation?: Perspectives of How Evaluation Differs (or Not) From Research

With a lack of consensus of what evaluation is within the field of evaluation, there is a difficulty in communicating to nonevaluators what evaluation is and how evaluation differs from research. To understand how evaluation is defined, both evaluators and researchers were asked how they defined evaluation and, if at all, differentiated evaluation from research. Overall, evaluators believed research and evaluation intersect, whereas researchers believed evaluation is a subcomponent of research. Furthermore, evaluators perceived greater differences between evaluation and research than researchers did, particularly in characteristics relevant at the beginning (e.g., purpose, questions, audience) and end (e.g., rendering value judgments, disseminating results) of studies. This study suggests that greater consensus on a definition of evaluation is needed to be able to distinguish the field and discipline of evaluation from related fields and to be able to communicate this information to nonevaluators.
Evaluation of sequential applications of quizalofop-P-ethyl and florpyrauxifen-benzyl in acetyl CoA carboxylase-resistant rice

Abstract Information on performance of sequential treatments of quizalofop-P-ethyl with florpyrauxifen-benzyl on rice is lacking. Field studies were conducted in 2017 and 2018 in Stoneville, MS, to evaluate sequential timings of quizalofop-P-ethyl with florpyrauxifen-benzyl included in preflood treatments of rice. Quizalofop-P-ethyl treatments were no quizalofop-P-ethyl; sequential applications of quizalofop-P-ethyl at 120 g ha–1 followed by (fb) 120 g ai ha–1 applied to rice in the 2- to 3-leaf (EPOST) fb the 4-leaf to 1-tiller (LPOST) growth stages or LPOST fb 10 d after flooding (PTFLD); quizalofop-P-ethyl at 100 g ha–1 fb 139 g ha–1 EPOST fb LPOST or LPOST fb PTFLD; quizalofop-P-ethyl at 139 g ha–1 fb 100 g ha–1 EPOST fb LPOST and LPOST fb PTFLD; and quizalofop-P-ethyl at 85 g ha–1 fb 77 g ha–1 fb 77 g ha–1 EPOST fb LPOST fb PTFLD. Quizalofop-P-ethyl was applied alone and in mixture with florpyrauxifen-benzyl at 29 g ai ha–1 LPOST. Visible rice injury 14 d after PTFLD (DA-PTFLD) was no more than 3%. Visible control of volunteer rice (‘CL151' and ‘Rex') 7 DA-PTFLD was similar and at least 95% for each quizalofop-P-ethyl treatment. Barnyardgrass control with quizalofop-P-ethyl at 120 fb 120 g ha–1 LPOST fb PTFLD was greater (88%) in mixture with florpyrauxifen-benzyl. The addition of florpyrauxifen-benzyl to quizalofop-P-ethyl increased rough rice yield when quizalofop-P-ethyl was applied at 100 g ha–1 fb 139 g ha–1 EPOST fb LPOST. Sequential applications of quizalofop-P-ethyl at 120 g ha–1 fb 120 g ha–1 EPOST fb LPOST, 100 g ha–1 fb 139 g ha–1 EPOST fb LPOST, or 139 g ha–1 fb 100 g ha–1 EPOST fb LPOST controlled grass weed species. The addition of florpyrauxifen-benzyl was not beneficial for grass weed control. However, because quizalofop-P-ethyl does not control broadleaf weeds, florpyrauxifen-benzyl could provide broadspectrum weed control in acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase–resistant rice. Nomenclature: Florpyrauxifen-benzyl, quizalofop-P-ethyl; barnyardgrass, Echinochloa crus-galli L. Beauv. ECHCG; volunteer rice, Oryza sativa L. ORYSA; rice, Oryza sativa L. ‘PVL01'
Growth, productive performance, and udder health of crossbred Holstein x Simmental cows and purebred Holstein cows

The crossbreeding between dairy cow breeds has been used as an alternative to improve some characteristics such as milk composition, udder health, and reproductive aspects on dairy herds. The aim was to compare growth, milk yield and composition, and mammary gland health of crossbred Holstein x Simmental and purebred Holstein cows. Data were gathered from a farm located in Santa Catarina state, south of Brazil. Cow growth was assessed by weighing calves and heifers monthly. Yet for milk yield and udder health, data were taken from records of the official Dairy Herd Improvement Program carried out in the evaluated farm. These data were subjected to variance analysis using the MIXED procedure of SAS statistical software. Non-linear regressions were used to adjust the data to the growth curves. The crossbred Holstein x Simmental cows produced more milk than did purebreds (31.8 kg/day vs. 30.4 kg/day; p < 0.05), with higher contents of lactose (4.63% vs. 4.53%) and protein (3.14% vs. 3.03%), but no differences in fat content (3.00 vs. 2.96). Purebred cows had higher somatic cell score (SCS) 4.49 vs. 2.93 (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, no differences were found for the growth of calves and heifers. In conclusion, crossbred Holstein x Simmental cows have higher energy corrected milk as the Holstein ones, whit greater uncorrected milk yield only for cows with three or more lactations. Crossbreeds cows produce milk with better quality, indicated by lower SCS and higher solids content, besides showing a lower SCS and no differences regarding weight gain of calves and heifers.
Insect diversity in post-mining areas: Investigating their potential role as bioindicator of reclamation success

Buchori D, Rizali A, Rahayu GA, Mansur I. 2018. Insect diversity in post-mining areas: Investigating their potential role as bioindicator of reclamation success. Biodiversitas 19: 1696-1702. Reclamation can be a pivotal process to return an ecosystem to its condition prior to human disturbance, by recreating a landscape so that its structure and function closely resemble a natural community. Unfortunately, there is a lack of empirical data as to whether reclamation efforts successfully establish sustainable of the ecosystem or not. The objective of this research was to study insect diversity in post-mining areas and investigate their potential role as bioindicators of reclamation success. An ecological research was conducted in post-mining reclamation areas managed by PT. Berau Coal in Binungan, East Kalimantan. We selected sub-areas that had been subject to reclamation efforts for varying periods, ranging from 2 to 10 years, for observation. We also used an area of undisturbed natural forest as a comparison. Inside each of these subareas of different reclamation age, insects were sampled using pitfall traps and malaise traps along a 100-meter transect. Our results showed that insect diversity differed in areas of different reclamation age. Based on CCA revealed that environmental factors i.e. pioneer tree age, vegetation diversity and soil chemistry (N total) affected the diversity of insects in the reclamation area. In particular, NMDS analysis showed different species composition in ant communities found in subareas of varying reclamation age. We conclude that ants are the most useful potential bioindicator to assess reclamation success in post-mining areas.
Microbial Abundance and Enzyme Activity Patterns: Response to Changing Environmental Characteristics along a Transect in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard Islands)

Svalbard archipelago is experiencing the effects of climate changes (i.e., glaciers’ thickness reduction and glacier front retreat), but how ice melting affects water biogeochemistry is still unknown. Microbial communities often act as environmental sentinels, modulating their distribution and activity in response to environmental variability. To assess microbial response to climate warming, within the ARctic: present Climatic change and pAst extreme events (ARCA) project, a survey was carried out along a transect in Konsfjorden from off-shore stations towards the Kronebreen glacier. Total bacterial abundance and the fraction of actively respiring cells (labelled by cyanotetrazolium chloride, CTC), cultivable heterotrophic bacterial abundance, and extracellular enzymatic activities (leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), beta-glucosidase (GLU), and alkaline phosphatase (AP)) were measured. In addition, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total suspended matter (TSM), particulate and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and inorganic compounds were determined, in order to evaluate whether variations in microbial abundance and metabolism were related with changes in environmental variables. Colder waters at surface (3.5–5 m) depths and increased turbidity, TSM, and inorganic compounds found at some hydrological stations close to the glacier were signals of ice melting. CDOM absorption slope values (275–295 nm) varied from 0.0077 to 0.0109 nm−1, and total bacterial cell count and cultivable heterotrophic bacterial abundance were in the order of 106 cells/mL and 103 colony forming units/mL, respectively. Enzymatic rates <1.78, 1.25, and 0.25 nmol/L/h were recorded for AP, LAP, and GLU, respectively. Inorganic compounds, TSM, and turbidity correlated inversely with temperature; AP was significantly related with CDOM absorption spectra and heterotrophic bacteria (r = 0.59, 0.71, p < 0.05); and LAP with Chl-a, Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Particulate Organic Nitrogen (PON) (0.97, 0.780, 0.734, p < 0.01), suggesting that fresh material from ice melting stimulated the metabolism of the cultivable fraction.
Positive Correlation between Activated CypA/CD147 Signaling and MMP-9 Expression in Mice Inflammatory Periapical Lesion

Aim Cyclophilin A (CypA)/CD147 signaling plays critical roles in the regulation of inflammation and bone metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the participation of CypA/CD147 in mice periapical lesions progression and its relationship with bone resorption. Methodology Periapical lesions were induced by pulp exposure in the first lower molars of 40 C57BL/6J mice. The mice were sacrificed on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49. Mandibles were harvested for X-ray imaging, microcomputed tomography scanning, histologic observation, immunohistochemistry, enzyme histochemistry, and double immunofluorescence analysis. Western blot was employed to further detect the related molecular signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells treated with CypA inhibitor. Results The volume and area of the periapical lesions increased from day 0 to day 35 and remained comparably stable until day 49. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the CypA expression levels also increased from day 0 to day 35 and decreased until day 49, similar to CD147 expression (R2 = 0.4423, P < 0.05), osteoclast number (R2 = 0.5101, P < 0.01), and the expression of osteoclastogenesis-related matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) (R2 = 0.4715, P < 0.05). Serial sections further confirmed the colocalization of CypA and CD147 on osteoclasts with immunohistochemistry. And the distribution of CypA-positive or CD147-positive cells was positively correlated with the dynamics of MMP-9-positive cells by using immunofluorescence analysis. Furthermore, CD147 and MMP-9 expression in RAW 264.7 cells were both downregulated with CypA inhibitor treatment (P < 0.05). Conclusions The present study reveals the positive correlation of CypA/CD147 signaling and osteoclast-related MMP-9 expression in mice inflammatory periapical lesions progression. Therefore, intervention of CypA/CD147 signaling could probably provide a potential therapeutic target for attenuating inflammatory bone resorption.
Multi-Species Assessment of Injury, Mortality, and Physical Conditions during Downstream Passage through a Large Archimedes Hydrodynamic Screw (Albert Canal, Belgium)

Fish passing downstream through hydraulic structures and turbines may be exposed to an elevated risk of injury and mortality. The majority of live fish studies are single-species laboratory investigations and field studies of Kaplan turbines, with a limited number of studies in Francis and screw turbines. In addition to these studies, the physical conditions during turbine passage can be directly measured using passive sensors. In this study, we investigate the multispecies risk of injury and mortality during downstream passage through a large Archimedes hydrodynamic screw for bream (Abramis brama), eel (Anguilla anguilla), and roach (Rutilus rutilus) in conjunction with passive sensors that record the pressure, acceleration, and rate of rotation. This work proposes several new metrics to assess downstream passage including the times and durations of impact events, the kinetic energies of translation and rotation, and the pressure gradient. The major findings of this work are three-fold: (1) Significant differences in injury and mortality were observed between the three investigated species with 37% mortality for bream, 19% for roach, and 3% for eel on average. (2) The operational scenario was found to be significant only for a limited number of species-specific injuries and mortality rates. (3) In contrast to studies in Kaplan turbines, the sensor data revealed highly chaotic physical conditions in the Archimedes hydrodynamic screw, showing little difference in the physical metrics between operational scenarios.
Single-cell molecular connectomics of intracortically-projecting neurons

The neocortex is organized into distinct areas, whose interconnectivity underlies sensorimotor transformations and integration1–7. These behaviorally critical functions are mediated by intracortically-projecting neurons (ICPN), which are a heterogeneous population of cells sending axonal branches to distinct cortical areas as well as to subcortical targets8–10. Although population-based11–14 and single-cell15–19 intracortical wiring diagrams are being identified, the transcriptional signatures corresponding to single-cell axonal projections of ICPN to multiple sites remain unknown. To address this question, we developed a high-throughput approach, “ConnectID”, to link connectome and transcriptome in single neurons. ConnectID combines MAPseq projection mapping17,20 (to identify single-neuron multiplex projections) with single-cell RNA sequencing (to identify corresponding gene expression). Using primary somatosensory cortex (S1) ICPN as proof-of-principle neurons, we identify three cardinal targets: (1) the primary motor cortex (M1), (2) the secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) and (3) subcortical targets (Sub). Using ConnectID, we identify transcriptional modules whose combined activities reflect multiplex projections to these cardinal targets. Based on these findings, we propose that the combinatorial activity of connectivity-defined transcriptional modules serves as a generic molecular mechanism to create diverse axonal projection patterns within and across neuronal cell types.
Unraveling the Formation Mechanism for the Bursts of Electron Butterfly Distributions: Test Particle and Quasilinear Simulations

Energetic electron dynamics is highly affected by plasma waves through quasilinear and/or nonlinear interactions in the Earth's inner magnetosphere. In this letter, we provide physical explanations for a previously reported intriguing event from the Van Allen Probes observations, where bursts of electron butterfly distributions at tens of keV exhibit remarkable correlations with chorus waves. Both test particle and quasilinear simulations are used to reveal the formation mechanism for the bursts of electron butterfly distribution. The test particle simulation results indicate that nonlinear phase trapping due to chorus waves is the key process to accelerate electrons to form the electron butterfly distribution within ~30 s, and reproduces the observed features. Quasilinear simulation results show that although the diffusion process alone also contributes to form the electron butterfly distribution, the timescale is slower. Our study demonstrates the importance of nonlinear interaction in rapid electron acceleration at tens of keV by chorus waves.
Effects of Proximity to Multifamily Housing on Property Values in Little Rock, Arkansas, 2000–2016

ABSTRACT A common form of not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) activism is resistance to multifamily housing. Although NIMBY activism often targets both market-rate and subsidized multifamily development, studies of the effects of multifamily housing primarily focus on subsidized rental apartments. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the effects of condominiums and market-rate apartments as well as subsidized rental housing. Taking Little Rock, Arkansas, as a case study, this research uses a difference-in-differences approach to measure the effects of five types of multifamily housing on nearby single-family home sales prices: condominiums, market-rate rental apartments, subsidized rental apartments, senior and special needs apartments, and other multifamily housing (such as dormitories). The results suggest that most forms of multifamily housing have either no effect or a positive effect on sales prices for single-family homes within 2,000 feet of a new multifamily housing development.
Two Independent Spontaneous Mutations Related to Anthocyanin-less Flower Coloration in Matthiola incana Cultivars

Matthiola incana is a popular winter-flowering plant, and white is considered a valuable flower color for marketed cultivars. In this study, we aimed to identify the genes responsible for white flower coloration in six commercial cultivars of M. incana used as cut and potted flowers. The expression levels of chalcone synthase, flavanone 3-hydroxylase, flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, anthocyanidin synthase ( ANS ), and anthocyanidin 3- O -glucosyltransferase in the petals of ‘Kiss me White’ and ‘Pygmy White’ were 0%–48% lower than those in the purple flower ‘Vintage Lavender’, whereas the expression level of basic helix-loop-helix 2 ( bHLH2 ) was two-fold higher. Significantly reduced expression levels of ANS were also detected in four other white flower cultivars: ‘Vintage White’, ‘Iron White’, ‘White Wonder No. 2’, and ‘Quartet White’. All investigated white flower cultivars had a single nucleotide deletion in the first exon of ANS , which we designated as ans-1 . This generates a frameshift mutation and a nonsense codon. In addition to ans-1 , ‘Kiss me White’ and ‘Pygmy White’ have a 481-bp insertion within bHLH2 . This insertion has features of hAT -type transposable elements and was designated as dTmi1 . All white flower cultivars contain the ans-1 mutation, whereas ‘Kiss me White’ and ‘Pygmy White’ are double mutants containing both bhlh2 dTmi1 and ans-1 . ‘Kiss me Yellow’, which accumulates carotenoids, but not anthocyanins, in its petals possesses the bhlh2 dTmi1 allele, but not the ans-1 allele. Therefore, either bhlh2 dTmi1 alone or ans-1 alone can lead to a deficiency in anthocyanin production in commercial cultivars of M. incana . We also developed co-dominant DNA markers that can distinguish between wild-type and mutant alleles of both bHLH2 and ANS . In combination with other previously developed markers that can distinguish between single- and double-flowered individuals, these markers will be useful for nursery plant management and breeding of commercial M. incana .
Study on the genetic aspect of the performance efficiency index in a flock of WLH pullets.

Data were collected on 448 pullets belonging to 24 sires of WLH strain to determine the Performance Efficiencylndex at different stages of part production viz 28 wk, 32 wk, 36 wk and 40 wk of age. The PEI at 32 wk was observed to be higher (27.45 + 0.30). The estimate of heritability was found to be low (0.065 + 0.025). However, the genetic & phenotypic correlations of PEI at 32 wk with different economic traits at 32 wk and 40 wk showed desirable trend. PEI at 32 wk showed negative association with age at 1st egg (AFE), Feed efficiency traits (FC/KE, FC/DE) both at 32 wk and 40 wk of age. The Performance Efficiency Index show­ ed a highly positive genetic correlation with body weight (BW),egg weight (EW), egg number (EN) and egg mass both at 32 wk and 40 wk of age. Result indicated the usefulness of Performance Efficiency Index at 32 wk as selection criterion for simultaneous improvement in egg number and egg weight in flocks where genetic variance may be greater.