Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Updated Global Estimates of Respiratory Mortality in Adults ≥30Years of Age Attributable to Long-Term Ozone Exposure

Background: Relative risk estimates for long-term ozone (O3) exposure and respiratory mortality from the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II (ACS CPS-II) cohort have been used to estimate global O3-attributable mortality in adults. Updated relative risk estimates are now available for the same cohort based on an expanded study population with longer follow-up. Objectives: We estimated the global burden and spatial distribution of respiratory mortality attributable to long-term O3 exposure in adults ≥30y of age using updated effect estimates from the ACS CPS-II cohort. Methods: We used GEOS-Chem simulations (2×2.5º grid resolution) to estimate annual O3 exposures, and estimated total respiratory deaths in 2010 that were attributable to long-term annual O3 exposure based on the updated relative risk estimates and minimum risk thresholds set at the minimum or fifth percentile of O3 exposure in the most recent CPS-II analysis. These estimates were compared with attributable mortality based on the earlier CPS-II analysis, using 6-mo average exposures and risk thresholds corresponding to the minimum or fifth percentile of O3 exposure in the earlier study population. Results: We estimated 1.04–1.23 million respiratory deaths in adults attributable to O3 exposures using the updated relative risk estimate and exposure parameters, compared with 0.40–0.55 million respiratory deaths attributable to O3 exposures based on the earlier CPS-II risk estimate and parameters. Increases in estimated attributable mortality were larger in northern India, southeast China, and Pakistan than in Europe, eastern United States, and northeast China. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the potential magnitude of health benefits of air quality policies targeting O3, health co-benefits of climate mitigation policies, and health implications of climate change-driven changes in O3 concentrations, are larger than previously thought. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1390
CHLAMYDIA PSITTACI IN FERAL ROSY-FACED LOVEBIRDS (AGAPORNIS ROSEICOLLIS) AND OTHER BACKYARD BIRDS IN MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, USA

Abstract: In 2013, a mortality event of nonnative, feral Rosy-faced Lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis) in residential backyards in Maricopa County, Arizona, US was attributed to infection with Chlamydia psittaci. In June 2014, additional mortality occurred in the same region. Accordingly, in August 2014 we sampled live lovebirds and sympatric bird species visiting backyard bird feeders to determine the prevalence of DNA and the seroprevalence of antibodies to C. psittaci using real-time PCR-based testing and elementary body agglutination, respectively. Chlamydia psittaci DNA was present in conjunctival-choanal or cloacal swabs in 93% (43/46) of lovebirds and 10% (14/142) of sympatric birds. Antibodies to C. psittaci were detected in 76% (31/41) of lovebirds and 7% (7/102) of sympatric birds. Among the sympatric birds, Rock Doves (Columba livia) had the highest prevalence of C. psittaci DNA (75%; 6/8) and seroprevalence (25%; 2/8). Psittacine circovirus 1 DNA was also identified, using real-time PCR-based testing, from the same swab samples in 69% (11/16) of species sampled, with a prevalence of 80% (37/46) in lovebirds and 27% (38/142) in sympatric species. The presence of either Rosy-faced Lovebirds or Rock Doves at residential bird feeders may be cause for concern for epizootic and zoonotic transmission of C. psittaci in this region.
Risky Region Localization with Point Supervision

We study the problem of localizing regions in an image that depict potentially risky areas. In particular, we focus on images acquired by a front camera mounted on a car with the goal of localizing image regions where pedestrians are likely to enter the scene suddenly. In this case, we define the risk value at every pixel as the likelihood that a pedestrian will occupy those pixels shortly. This task is very challenging because the risk areas are not easily characterized by appearances of single objects, and therefore these regions exhibit large visual variations. Additionally, the boundaries of the risk regions in the image are not easily defined by human annotators, as they do not tend to correspond to object boundaries. This causes the annotation process to be ambiguous and costly. To overcome the ambiguity in the boundaries of risky regions, we adopt a weakly supervised method for risk region localization and risk value estimation that only requires single point supervision at training time. To evaluate our approach, we augment the Caltech Pedestrian dataset with risk region annotations. Our results show that our weak supervised method outperform fully supervised approaches in risk region localization and risk value estimation.
N-Butane Partial Oxidation to Maleic Anhydride : Experimental and Kinetic Studies Under Transient Conditions

In this research thesis, the transient redox activity of the DuPont’s vanadyl pyrophosphate (VPP) catalyst has been studied for partial oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride (MA). The main objectives have been to characterize the influence of redox parameters on the catalyst activity with an aim to optimize the MA productivity as well as to propose a transient kinetic model, which could be applied to the relatively wide range of the studied conditions. The major redox parameters include: redox feed composition, catalyst oxidation time, temperature and pressure. In the first part of the thesis, the steady state redox behaviour of the VPP catalyst was analyzed in a lab scale fluidized bed. The industrial reactor data collected in DuPont’s commercial circulating fluidized bed (CFB) for MA production were also studied. The objective was to study the effect of different feeding configurations and extra oxygen injection on the observed improvement in the MA production rates at different reactor scales. The lab scale reactor was equipped with a feed sparger adjustable at different bed heights. The commercial scale reactor had also the provisions of feeding extra oxygen to the reaction zone through multiple pre-installed nozzles at different reactor heights. The lab scale sparger experiments showed that both MA selectivity and n-butane conversion increase by decreasing the distance between n-butane and oxygen feeds. The highest MA yields were achievable by co-feeding oxygen at relatively high n-butane concentrations. The same observation was confirmed in the commercial scale reactor. The MA production rate could be improved by about 15 % only by feeding extra oxygen into the lower section of the fast bed reactor. These findings suggested that the VPP catalyst is extremely sensitive to the reactor feed configuration and the presence of adequate amounts of oxygen is essential for optimal catalytic performance especially at relatively high n-butane concentrations. The improvement in the MA yield was attributed to maintaining higher catalyst oxidation state while providing adequate oxygen to the reaction zone.
Mit faserbewehrtem Kunststoff (FRP) verstärkte Tragwerke aus Mauerwerk: Eine experimentelle Studie des Haftens zwischen faserverstärkten Kunststoffplatten (CFRP) und Werksteinen / Masonry Structures strengthened with FRP Sheets: Experimental Investigation of Bond between FRP Laminates and Ashlars

The need to repair and/or upgrade masonry structures is becoming an important issue in the field of Civil Engineering. The use of FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic) reinforcement for strengthening masonry structures seems to be very effective and therefore candidate in substituting traditional techniques, due to many advantages as the low weight, the absence of electrochemical corrosion, the easier placing in cast, the possibility of removing. One of the most important aspects when FRPs are used for strengthening masonry structures is the bond between the reinforcement and the substrate that influences to a great extent the effectiveness of the reinforcing technique. In fact, a premature and brittle failure at the interface, known as delamination, can occur compromising the global structural response. Bond performance between FRP sheets and concrete has been widely studied in the last decades, but still few researches have been carried out on the use of composite materials in masonry structures. Further investigations should be addressed on this topic considering the increasing need of strengthening masonry structures that in many cases represent a monumental and historical heritage.The paper presents an experimental analysis, part of a wider planned investigation, on bond performance between FRP sheets and masonry varying some significant parameters.
Genetic disruption of oncogenic Kras sensitizes lung cancer cells to Fas receptor-mediated apoptosis

Significance Oncogenic KRAS underlies 30–90% of lung, colon, and pancreatic cancers, but despite more than 30 y of research, clinical inhibitors of KRAS—and potential resistance mechanisms—remain elusive. Using CRISPR-mediated genome editing of oncogenic Kras, we show that some lung cancer cells can survive Kras knockout, indicating the existence of mechanisms that allow tumors to escape Kras oncogene addiction. We identify genes highly expressed in Kras knockout cells, including the Fas receptor gene. Antibodies that activate Fas receptor selectively induced apoptosis in Kras-independent lung cancer cells, suggesting a potential strategy for combinatorial therapies against Kras-driven tumors. These findings have direct translational implications for the treatment of lung cancer and other KRAS mutant cancer types. Genetic lesions that activate KRAS account for ∼30% of the 1.6 million annual cases of lung cancer. Despite clinical need, KRAS is still undruggable using traditional small-molecule drugs/inhibitors. When oncogenic Kras is suppressed by RNA interference, tumors initially regress but eventually recur and proliferate despite suppression of Kras. Here, we show that tumor cells can survive knockout of oncogenic Kras, indicating the existence of Kras-independent survival pathways. Thus, even if clinical KRAS inhibitors were available, resistance would remain an obstacle to treatment. Kras-independent cancer cells exhibit decreased colony formation in vitro but retain the ability to form tumors in mice. Comparing the transcriptomes of oncogenic Kras cells and Kras knockout cells, we identified 603 genes that were specifically up-regulated in Kras knockout cells, including the Fas gene, which encodes a cell surface death receptor involved in physiological regulation of apoptosis. Antibodies recognizing Fas receptor efficiently induced apoptosis of Kras knockout cells but not oncogenic Kras-expressing cells. Increased Fas expression in Kras knockout cells was attributed to decreased association of repressive epigenetic marks at the Fas promoter. Concordant with this observation, treating oncogenic Kras cells with histone deacetylase inhibitor and Fas-activating antibody efficiently induced apoptosis, thus bypassing the need to inhibit Kras. Our results suggest that activation of Fas could be exploited as an Achilles’ heel in tumors initiated by oncogenic Kras.
Differential involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex across variants of contextual fear conditioning

The context preexposure facilitation effect (CPFE) is a contextual fear conditioning paradigm in which learning about the context, acquiring the context-shock association, and retrieving/expressing contextual fear are temporally dissociated into three distinct phases. In contrast, learning about the context and the context-shock association happens concurrently in standard contextual fear conditioning (sCFC). By infusing the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol into medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in adolescent Long-Evans rats, the current set of experiments examined the functional role of the mPFC in each phase of the CPFE and sCFC. In the CPFE, the mPFC is necessary for the following: acquisition and/or consolidation of context memory (Experiment 1), reconsolidation of a context memory to include shock (Experiment 2), and expression of contextual fear memory during a retention test (Experiment 3). In contrast to the CPFE, inactivation of the mPFC prior to conditioning in sCFC has no effect on acquisition, consolidation, or retention of a contextual fear memory (Experiment 4). Interestingly, the mPFC is not required for acquiring a context-shock association (measured by post-shock freezing) in the CPFE or sCFC (Experiment 2b and 4). Taken together, these results indicate that the mPFC is differentially recruited across stages of learning and variants of contextual fear conditioning (CPFE versus sCFC). More specifically, separating out learning about the context and the context-shock association necessitates activation of the medial prefrontal cortex during early learning and/or consolidation.
Plastid Translation Elongation Factor Tu Is Prone to Heat-Induced Aggregation Despite Its Critical Role in Plant Heat Tolerance1[OPEN]

Despite its critical roles in plant heat stress responses, plastid translation factor EF-Tu rapidly becomes insoluble at high temperatures, which leads to its inactivation. Translation elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) is a conserved GTP-binding protein essential for protein translation in prokaryotes and in eukaryotic mitochondria and plastids. EF-Tu also has a GTP/GDP-independent chaperone activity that may function in acclimation to heat. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plastid EF-Tu, Rabe1b, rapidly becomes insoluble at temperatures as low as 35°C in vitro and 41°C in vivo, with more than 90% aggregation after 9 h at 45°C in vivo. Based on its established function in protein translation, heat-induced aggregation likely inactivates Rabe1b. To determine the effect of heat-induced aggregation, we isolated an Arabidopsis rabe1b knockdown mutant and discovered it to be highly compromised in heat tolerance. Overexpression of constitutive GTP- or GDP-bound mutant forms of Rabe1b in Arabidopsis and virus-induced silencing of Rabe1b in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) also reduced heat tolerance. Compromised heat tolerance in the Arabidopsis rabe1b mutant and in the lines overexpressing constitutive GTP- or GDP-bound mutant Rabe1b proteins was associated with reduced plastid translation under heat stress. The Arabidopsis rabe1b mutant also showed compromised heat-induced expression of HsfA2 and its target genes. Constitutive overexpression of HsfA2 activated its target genes but only partially restored the heat tolerance of the rabe1b mutant. These results strongly suggest that the plastid protein EF-Tu is heat sensitive and acts as a critical limiting factor in plant heat stress responses, primarily functioning in plastid protein translation but also in protein folding and retrograde signaling of nuclear heat-responsive gene expression.
Percutaneous and endoscopic gallbladder drainage for acute cholecystitis: international multicenter comparative study using propensity score‐matched analysis

Tokyo Guideline 2013 (TG13) proposed three drainage techniques for the treatment of acute cholecystitis. We evaluated the clinical efficacy and adverse events between percutaneous transhepatic intervention (PTGBI) including percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) and percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration (PTGBA) and endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (EGBD).
Endocytic activity of HIV‐1 Vpu: Phosphoserine‐dependent interactions with clathrin adaptors

HIV‐1 Vpu modulates cellular transmembrane proteins to optimize viral replication and provide immune‐evasion, triggering ubiquitin‐mediated degradation of some targets but also modulating endosomal trafficking to deplete them from the plasma membrane. Interactions between Vpu and the heterotetrameric clathrin adaptor protein (AP) complexes AP‐1 and AP‐2 have been described, yet the molecular basis and functional roles of such interactions are incompletely defined. To investigate the trafficking signals encoded by Vpu, we fused the cytoplasmic domain (CD) of Vpu to the extracellular and transmembrane domains of the CD8 α‐chain. CD8‐VpuCD was rapidly endocytosed in a clathrin‐ and AP‐2‐dependent manner. Multiple determinants within the Vpu CD contributed to endocytic activity, including phosphoserines of the β‐TrCP binding site and a leucine‐based ExxxLV motif. Using recombinant proteins, we confirmed ExxxLV‐dependent binding of the Vpu CD to the α/σ2 subunit hemicomplex of AP‐2 and showed that this is enhanced by serine‐phosphorylation. Remarkably, the Vpu CD also bound directly to the medium (μ) subunits of AP‐2 and AP‐1; this interaction was dependent on serine‐phosphorylation of Vpu and on basic residues in the μ subunits. We propose that the flexibility with which Vpu binds AP complexes broadens the range of cellular targets that it can misdirect to the virus' advantage.
Are the classic diagnostic methods in mycology still state of the art?

The diagnostic workup of cutaneous fungal infections is traditionally based on microscopic KOH preparations as well as culturing of the causative organism from sample material. Another possible option is the detection of fungal elements by dermatohistology. If performed correctly, these methods are generally suitable for the diagnosis of mycoses. However, the advent of personalized medicine and the tasks arising therefrom require new procedures marked by simplicity, specificity, and swiftness. The additional use of DNA‐based molecular techniques further enhances sensitivity and diagnostic specificity, and reduces the diagnostic interval to 24–48 hours, compared to weeks required for conventional mycological methods. Given the steady evolution in the field of personalized medicine, simple analytical PCR‐based systems are conceivable, which allow for instant diagnosis of dermatophytes in the dermatology office (point‐of‐care tests).
Concurrent Aerobic and Resistance Training Has Anti-Inflammatory Effects and Increases Both Plasma and Leukocyte Levels of IGF-1 in Late Middle-Aged Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an age-related chronic disease associated with metabolic dysregulation, chronic inflammation, and activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a concurrent exercise training program on inflammatory status and metabolic parameters of T2D patients. Sixteen male patients (age range 55–70) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 8), which underwent a concurrent aerobic and resistance training program (3 times a week; 16 weeks), or to a control group, which followed physicians' usual diabetes care advices. Training intervention significantly improved patients' body composition, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and overall fitness level. After training, plasma levels of adipokines leptin (−33.9%) and RBP4 (−21.3%), and proinflammatory markers IL-6 (−25.3%), TNF-α (−19.8%) and MCP-1 (−15.3%) decreased, whereas anabolic hormone IGF-1 level increased (+16.4%). All improvements were significantly greater than those of control patients. Plasma proteomic profile of exercised patients showed a reduction of immunoglobulin K light chain and fibrinogen as well. Training also induced a modulation of IL-6, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3 mRNAs in the PBMCs. These findings confirm that concurrent aerobic and resistance training improves T2D-related metabolic abnormalities and has the potential to reduce the deleterious health effects of diabetes-related inflammation.
EPA Method 1615. Measurement of Enterovirus and Norovirus Occurrence in Water by Culture and RT-qPCR. II. Total Culturable Virus Assay

A standardized method is required when national studies on virus occurrence in environmental and drinking waters utilize multiple analytical laboratories. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Method 1615 was developed with the goal of providing such a standard for measuring Enterovirus and Norovirus in these waters. Virus is concentrated from water using an electropositive filter, eluted from the filter surface with beef extract, and then concentrated further using organic flocculation. Herein we present the protocol from Method 1615 for filter elution, secondary concentration, and measurement of total culturable viruses. A portion of the concentrated eluate from each sample is inoculated onto ten replicate flasks of Buffalo Green Monkey kidney cells. The number of flasks demonstrating cytopathic effects is used to quantify the most probable number (MPN) of infectious units per liter. The method uses a number of quality controls to increase data quality and to reduce interlaboratory and intralaboratory variation. Laboratories must meet defined performance standards. Method 1615 was evaluated by examining virus recovery from reagent-grade and ground waters seeded with Sabin poliovirus type 3. Mean poliovirus recoveries with the total culturable assay were 111% in reagent grade water and 58% in groundwaters.
Long-Term 3D Localization and Pose from Semantic Labellings

One of the major challenges in camera pose estimation and 3D localization is identifying features that are approximately invariant across seasons and in different weather and lighting conditions. In this paper, we present a method for performing accurate and robust six degrees-of-freedom camera pose estimation based only on the pixelwise semantic labelling of a single query image. Localization is performed using a sparse 3D model consisting of semantically labelled points and curves, and an error function based on how well these project onto corresponding curves in the query image is developed. The method is evaluated on the recently released Oxford Robotcar dataset, showing that by minimizing this error function, the pose can be recovered with decimeter accuracy in many cases.
Scale-Free Content Based Image Retrieval (or Nearly so)

When textual annotations of Web and social media images are poor or missing, content-based image retrieval is an interesting way to access them. Finding an optimal trade-off between accuracy and scalability for CBIR is challenging in practice. We propose a retrieval method whose complexity is nearly independent of the collection scale and does not degrade results quality. Images are represented with sparse semantic features that can be stored as an inverted index. Search complexity is drastically reduced by (1) considering the query feature dimensions independently and thus turning search into a concatenation operation and (2) pruning the index in function of a retrieval objective. To improve precision, the inverted index look-up is complemented with an exhaustive search over a fixed size list of intermediary results. We run experiments with three public collections and results show that our much faster method slightly outperforms an exhaustive search done with two competitive baselines.