Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heme Catabolism by Heme Oxygenase-1 Confers Host Resistance to Mycobacterium Infection

ABSTRACT Heme oxygenases (HO) catalyze the rate-limiting step of heme degradation. The cytoprotective action of the inducible HO-1 isoform, encoded by the Hmox1 gene, is required for host protection against systemic infections. Here we report that upregulation of HO-1 expression in macrophages (Mϕ) is strictly required for protection against mycobacterial infection in mice. HO-1-deficient (Hmox1 −/−) mice are more susceptible to intravenous Mycobacterium avium infection, failing to mount a protective granulomatous response and developing higher pathogen loads, than infected wild-type (Hmox1 +/+) controls. Furthermore, Hmox1 −/− mice also develop higher pathogen loads and ultimately succumb when challenged with a low-dose aerosol infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The protective effect of HO-1 acts independently of adaptive immunity, as revealed in M. avium-infected Hmox1 −/− versus Hmox1 +/+ SCID mice lacking mature B and T cells. In the absence of HO-1, heme accumulation acts as a cytotoxic pro-oxidant in infected Mϕ, an effect mimicked by exogenous heme administration to M. avium-infected wild-type Mϕ in vitro or to mice in vivo. In conclusion, HO-1 prevents the cytotoxic effect of heme in Mϕ, contributing critically to host resistance to Mycobacterium infection.
Quantitative pore network analysis and permeability evaluation of porous carbonate reservoir rocks using X-ray computed microtomography images

The texture and the morphology of the pore network exerts a primary control in the fluid storage and migration of geofluids within porous carbonates reservoirs. The architecture of the pore network of porous carbonates are highly variable because of primary depositional settings, diagenesis processes and deformation. This issue represents an important challenge for the characterization and exploitation plan of this type of reservoirs in different industries such as, hydrocarbon, ground water and geothermal energy. This type of rocks is widely studied because they represent important reservoirs for geofluids around the globe. However, there are few studies assessing the control exerted by the pore network properties (e.g. porosity, pore size distribution, connectivity, tortuosity) on the permeability. In this work the control exerted by the pore network on the storage and migration capacity in porous carbonates is evaluated by combining synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography (SR micro-CT) and computational fluid dynamics. The studied rock samples are mainly porous grainstones exposed in south and central Italy. Some samples may content deformation structures (i.e. deformation bands) or may be altered by diagenesis. Previous studies have reported permeability differences and significant variability of the in-situ hydrocarbon distribution in the studied rocks. The SR micro-CT imaging experiments were performed at the SYRMEP (SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics) beamline (Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste laboratory, Italy). This beamline was suitable for studying the rocks samples due to its nearly-parallel geometry and a high spatial coherence allowing the phase contrast effects to enhance the visibility of objects with similar linear attenuation coefficients. In this study, the selected spatial resolution of the images is variable (1.0-9.0 μm) depending on the grain size distribution of the rock sample. The SR micro-CT images were used for both performing a quantitative pore network analysis of the studied rock samples and performing computational fluid dynamics experiments. These experiments consist in simulating a pressure-driven flow by using the lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) with multiple relaxation time (MRT) approach. This method generates viscosity-independent results of permeability. The permeability of the volume was calculated using Darcy’s law once steady conditions were reached. To evaluate isotropy, the results of permeability and the pore network properties were calculated in three dimensions. The results indicate that deformation and diagenetic processes may have and important impact on the pore network properties and therefore on storage (porosity) and migration (permeability) capacity of the studied rocks.
Towards a Semantic Contexts Maintenance Model *

In ubiquitous computing, applications and services must be adapted to changing contexts in highly dynamic environments. In order to build such adaptive ubiquitous applications, maintaining the coherence of a context becomes an essential problem. A context-aware application requires an appropriate context maintenance model for maintaining the coherences of contexts. We suggest two kinds of contexts, context predicates and semantic contexts, to represent richer contexts in ubiquitous environment using ontologies. In this paper, we propose a semantic context maintenance model to provide an automatic method for maintaining coherence of semantic context databases. Semantic context maintenance model adds semantic contexts to the context model only when they are justified and automatically remove the semantic contexts if their justifications go away. Based on our semantic context maintenance model, ubiquitous applications can reason about context models free of contradictions.
Detection of high resistance earth faults in medium voltage networks using higher harmonics

The paper presents a method for detecting non-linear high resistance earth faults in compensated medium voltage networks, based on the criterion of reactive power of higher harmonics of zero sequence current and voltage. Harmonics content of currents and voltages as the function of network parameters and nonlinear fault resistance was estimated. The model of earth fault protection using that criterion was described. Detection examples of low and very high-resistance earth-faults were attached.
Planar dual-band omni-directional UHF antennas employing a composite right/left-handed double-sided metal layer structure

This article presents planar dual-band omni-directional antennas employing a composite right/left-handed (CRLH) metamaterial for UHF applications. The antennas are compact and in a simple double-sided planar configuration without using vias or lumped-elements and have an omni-directional radiation pattern regardless of having a ground plane at the backside. A dual-band antenna operating at a pair of the negative (ƒ<inf>−1</inf>) and positive (ƒ<inf>+1</inf>) resonant frequencies is designed at 373/817MHz and the dual-band operation with omni-directional radiation patterns are demonstrated. The physical size of the presented antenna is λ<inf>−1</inf>/13 × λ<inf>−1</inf>/18 × λ<inf>−1</inf>/1005 at ƒ<inf>−1</inf>, and λ<inf>+1</inf>/8 × λ<inf>+1</inf>/6 × λ<inf>+1</inf>/459 at ƒ<inf>+1</inf>, where λ<inf>−1</inf> and λ<inf>+1</inf> are free space wavelengths at ƒ<inf>−1</inf> and ƒ<inf>+1</inf>, respectively. Maximum measured gains at ƒ<inf>−1</inf> and ƒ<inf>+1</inf> are −13.8dBi and −0.5dBi, respectively.
Recurrent nets that time and count

The size of the time intervals between events conveys information essential for numerous sequential tasks such as motor control and rhythm detection. While hidden Markov models tend to ignore this information, recurrent neural networks (RNN) can in principle learn to make use of it. We focus on long short-term memory (LSTM) because it usually outperforms other RNN. Surprisingly, LSTM augmented by "peephole connections" from its internal cells to its multiplicative gates can learn the fine distinction between sequences of spikes separated by either 50 or 49 discrete time steps, without the help of any short training exemplars. Without external resets or teacher forcing or loss of performance on tasks reported earlier, our LSTM variant also learns to generate very stable sequences of highly nonlinear, precisely timed spikes. This makes LSTM a promising approach for real-world tasks that require to time and count.
Farmers perceptions of the effectiveness of strategies for managing wildlife crop depredation in Ghana

Wildlife crop depredation represents a serious human-wildlife conflict around protected areas globally. It undermines farming livelihoods and local support for long-term conservation. Though studies have focused on different aspects such as the economics, spatiotemporal and vulnerability of farms to crop depredation, little attention has been given to the farmers’ evaluation of the effectiveness of the strategies used to manage crop depredation. This paper aimed to examine the strategies used to manage wildlife by smallholding farmers who are among those closest to national parks, and how they evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies around Bui National Park in Ghana. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, involving 17 farmers from Makala community living close to the park. The results indicated that farmers apply a single strategy and/or a multiple strategies, to manage crop depredation. The single strategy is generally ineffective in the long-term, but short-term and temporary successes were observed. However, farmers sought effective results by using strategies in different combinations depending on the major crop cultivated, the wildlife diversity involved, and the frequent experience of farm damage. Understanding the effectiveness of the strategies provides knowledge about how the strategies could be made effective against crop depredation to protect farms and facilitate local support for wildlife conservation. Key words: Crop depredation, wildlife species, effectiveness, human-wildlife conflict, strategies, protected areas.
EMERGENT TRENDS IN LIBRARY SERVICES DELIVERY: THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

This paper focuses on the application of ICTs in academic libraries as an emergent trend in academic library service delivery. It is strongly believed that libraries of the 21 century are experiencing changes in different areas of their services delivery. This paper, however, believes that this change is championed by the introduction of ICT in these libraries. Literature hold that ICT application in libraries is of utmost importance due to its numerous benefits. Among these benefits are; increase in effectiveness and efficiency of library services, reduction in time of information access, location and retrieval, saving of library’s physical space, etc. Amidst its numerous benefits in library service delivery, some academic libraries are yet to fully apply these ICTs in their services. To some academic libraries where these ICTs are applied, there are numerous challenges facing its utilization. This paper seeks to uncover the service delivery impact of ICTs and the challenges facing the application of the ICTs in academic libraries. In conclusion, ICTs are vital components for library development as well as the promotion of library service delivery and this paper recommends its full application in academic libraries to enhance effective and efficient library services delivery.
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE COASTAL EROSION AT MARATHON EAST ATTICA ( GREECE )

The 7 kilometers long coastline of Marathon Gulf (East Attica, Greece), has been chosen for this study, in order to classify its coastal erosion, using the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) through GIS technology, since several incidents of erosion have been identified during the past decades in the area. The CVI index is used for assessing the vulnerability of a coast to an anticipated future sea-level rise. It relates geological (coastal geomorphology, historical changes of coastline’s position, coastal slopes) and oceanographic (wave height, run up and tidal range) variables in a semi-quantitative manner. We combined different kinds of datasets extracted from high resolution panchromatic aerial photographs of several time periods (1960-2010) and traced the contemporary shoreline by high accuracy surveying with Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS equipment. The interpretation of all shorelines required geo-statistical analysis in a Geographical Information System, in order to estimate the rate of shoreline change for a period of 53 years. Retreating rates were calculated for each section reaching the value of 0.6 m/yr. According to the produced CVI values (10.6139.52), it is found that 46% of the coast has very high vulnerability, 20% high vulnerability, whilst 29% have low vulnerability. The area named “Plesti” at the southern part of the study area, a large segment at the coast of Nea Makri, the northern part of Agios Panteleimonas beach and the eastern estuary of the Inois river are those with the higher risk. These conclusions are in full agreement with the field observations.
hemical variation for fiber cuticular wax levels in upland cotton Gossypium hirsutum L . ) evaluated under contrasting irrigation egimes lison

The fiber from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) makes up approximately 90% of the global cotton produced each year. Fiber quality is important to textile mills for processing and factors into bulk cotton sales. Fiber quality can be affected by many environmental factors, including water deficit, which makes identifying major fiber characteristics an important focus for breeding programs. Cotton fibers are specialized trichomes that are primarily composed of cellulose but have a cuticle composed of free waxes and cutin. Total cuticular wax of cotton fiber has been shown to act as a lubricant during textile processing, but has also been negatively correlated with important quality traits. The objectives of this study were to identify and quantify the cuticular wax compounds of cotton fiber under water-limited (WL) and well-watered (WW) irrigation treatments and assess their relationship with fiber quality from seven upland cotton lines. Through the most detailed characterization of cotton fiber cuticular wax to date, 41 quantifiable compounds were identified including free fatty acids, primary alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes, and tentatively identified alkanediols. Of these 41 compounds and their sum (total waxes), the abundance for nine were significantly different ( = 0.05) between WL and WW conditions. Total wax and 36 compounds were highly repeatable (r ≥ 0.60), indicating they will respond positively to selection in cotton breeding programs. Irrespective of irrigation regime, strong positive correlations (rp 0.64–0.80) were found for fiber length and uniformity with primary alcohols, fatty acids, and aldehydes. These findings suggest that the biosynthetic pathways associated with these compounds are contributing to the phenotypic variability of these two important fiber quality traits and thus the biochemical pathways associated with cuticular fiber wax are candidates for metabolic engineering via molecular breeding approaches. Published by Elsevier B.V.
ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MASS CONSERVATION BASED ALGORITHMS FOR MULTI-PHASE FLOWS

This work is concerned with the implementation and testing, of four incompressible-segregated multi-phase flow algorithms that belong to the Mass Conservation Based Algorithms (MCBA) group in which the pressure correction equation is derived from overall mass conservation. The pressure correction schemes in these algorithms are based on SIMPLE, SIMPLEX, PISO, and PRIME. Solving two one-dimensional two-phase flow problems spanning the spectrum from bubbly to gas-solid flows assesses the performance and accuracy of the multiphase algorithms. The main outcome of this study is a clear demonstration of the capability of all MCBA algorithms to deal with multi-phase flow situations. Moreover, results displayed in terms of convergence history plots and CPU-times, indicate that the performances of the MCBA versions of SIMPLE and SIMPLEX are very close. As expected, the PRIME algorithm is found to be the most expensive due to its explicit treatment of the phasic momentum equations. The PISO algorithm is generally more expensive than SIMPLE and its performance depends on the type of flow and solution method used.
A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE AND PROTRACTED GAMMA-RADIATION ON THE GROWTH OF SEEDLINGS OF VICIA FABA. I. EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS.

SummarySeedlings of Vicia faba were used to compare the effect of gamma-radiation delivered over a wide range of dose-rates. The interpretation of radiation damage would be complicated if cell-division continued during the exposure and so seedlings were stored and irradiated at 3·5°c, at which temperature root growth and cell division in the meristem is temporarily halted. The radiation damage was assessed in terms of root-growth after the seedlings had been restored to 19°c. It was found that the effect of a given dose of radiation decreased as the dose-rate was reduced from 122 rads/min to 8·4 rads/hour, and again to 1·5 rads/hour. However, subsequent lowering of the dose-rate to 0·89 rads/hour did not further decrease the effect of the radiation. It was inferred that at these very low dose-rates, the processes of radiation damage are dose-rate independent, i.e. ‘single hit’ processes.
Add‐on combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil induces renal impairment in patients with lamivudine‐refractory hepatitis B virus

Summary. Combination therapy with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) and lamivudine (LAM) is recommended for patients infected with LAM‐refractory hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, the effects of such therapy on renal function and serum phosphorus levels have not been fully evaluated. Combination therapy with ADV and LAM was given to 37 patients infected with LAM‐refractory HBV, including 17 with hepatic cirrhosis. Serum HBV DNA levels decreased to below 2.6 log10 copies/mL in 23 (62%) of 37 patients at 12 months, 25 (78%) of 32 patients at 24 months, and 16 (84%) of 19 patients at 36 months. Except for one cirrhotic patient, serum alanine aminotransferase levels were below 50 IU/L in all patients during combination therapy. Serum creatinine levels increased in 14 (38%) of 37 patients, and serum phosphate levels decreased to below 2.5 mg/mL in 6 (16%) of 37 patients during combination therapy. Patients who received combination therapy for 36 months or longer had a significantly incidence of elevated serum creatinine levels. Fanconi syndrome occurred in a 57‐year‐old woman with cirrhosis after ADV was added to LAM. Combination therapy with ADV and LAM can maintain biochemical remission in patients with LAM‐refractory HBV. However, the dosing interval of ADV should be adjusted according to renal function and serum phosphate levels in patients receiving long‐term treatment.
Evaluation of fatigue life calculation algorithm of the multiaxial stress-based concept applied to S355 steel under bending and torsion

This paper presents the results of a study into the stress-based fatigue life calculation algorithm applied to cyclic and random multiaxial proportional and non-proportional loading. This method for high-cycle fatigue, covers both infinite and finite life region, and is based on a critical plane approach combined with rain flow cycle counting and linear damage accumulation. Algorithm based on the method for equivalent scaling of the normal stress in material planes in dependence on the stress state, proposed by Gaier and Danbauer. For analysis the calculated fatigue lives are compared to the experimental results for steel S355 under proportional and non-proportional bending with torsion.
A whole genome view of prokaryotic haem biosynthesis.

Haem is the prosthetic group of proteins involved in many processes, and is also a regulatory molecule that mediates cellular responses to oxygen, iron and haem itself. Haem is synthesized in a multistep biosynthetic pathway with well-defined intermediates. Accordingly, the enzymes of the pathway are, to a large extent, conserved among prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although individual haem biosynthesis genes and enzymes have been studied in many prokaryotic systems, only in few organisms has the entire pathway been examined. The availability of whole genome sequences allows an initial snapshot of the entire pathway at the genetic level in many diverse organisms. Unlike model systems, the genome represents a starting point for the detailed characterization of some unusual prokaryotes, and therefore examining haem synthesis genes can give important insight into core metabolism on which to lay the foundation for future experiments.
MAP POLLUTION IN AN UNCONTROLLED SOLID WASTE DUMPSITE: THE IMPACTS OF A METRO INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOIL AND WATER RESOURCES

The common perception is that large scale infrastructure projects can only damage the environment even though very strict environmental requirements are imposed by the Authorities. This was not the case in Eleona Attikis region in Greece where a METRO facility was eventually built. During the construction phase, hazardous solid waste materials were found buried in the urban area where the METRO facility (station, tunnel and the depot) is located, bringing up serious environmental issues for the natural environment of the region as well as for the public health. The protection and restoration of the environment in an uncontrolled waste dumpsite require accurate estimation of the extent and the intensity of the pollution in the subsurface.
Practical considerations for goal attainment scaling during rehabilitation following acquired brain injury.

OBJECTIVE Goal attainment scaling represents a unique approach to identifying and quantifying individualized, meaningful treatment outcomes, and its use in the rehabilitation medicine setting is increasing. The aim of this paper is to discuss the available literature for goal attainment scaling in patients with acquired brain injury, in terms of its advantages, disadvantages and practical application, including examples of goal setting and scaling.
Mechanisms of cerebrovascular autoregulation and spreading depolarization-induced autoregulatory failure : a literature review

Cerebrovascular autoregulation maintains brain hemostasis via regulating cerebral flow when blood pressure fluctuation occurs. Monitoring autoregulation can be achieved by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, the pressure reactivity index (PRx) can serve as a secondary index of vascular deterioration, and outcome and prognosis are assessed by the low-frequency PRx. Although great changes in arterial blood pressure (ABP) occur, complex neurogenic, myogenic, endothelial, and metabolic mechanisms are involved to maintain the flow within its narrow limits. The steady association between ABP and cerebral blood flow (CBF) reflects static cerebral autoregulation (CA). Spreading depolarization (SD) is a sustained depolarization of neurons with concomitant pronounced breakdown of ion gradients, which originates in patients with brain ischemia, hemorrhage, trauma, and migraine. It is characterized by the propagation of an extracellular negative potential, followed by an increase in O2 and glucose consumption. Immediately after SD, CA is transiently impaired but is restored after 35 min. This process initiates a cascade of pathophysiological mechanisms, leading to neuronal damage and loss if consecutive events are evoked. The clinical application of CA in regulating CBF is to dilate the cerebral arteries as a compensatory mechanism during low blood pressure, thus protecting the brain from ischemia. However, transient impairment of CBF autoregulation due to the mechanism regulated by SD autoregulation has not been reported previously. In this review, we found that SD serves as a vital factor that disrupts CBF autoregulation, and these findings provide insight into the mechanical complexities of SD-induced autoregulatory failure.