Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
LINC00261 Inhibits Esophageal Cancer Radioresistance by Down-Regulating microRNA-552-3p and Promoting DIRAS1

Objective Esophageal cancer (EC) represents a life-threatening tumor with an ever-increasing incidence rate. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNAs (LINCs) have also become a topic of interest in EC. In a similar light, the current study aimed to investigate the role of LINC00261 in EC radioresistance. Methods Firstly, radioresistant EC cell lines TE-1-R and TE-5-R were established using TE-1 and TE-5 cells. Subsequently, LINC00261, microRNA (miR)-552-3p, and DIRAS1 expression patterns in EC tissues and adjacent normal tissues and EC cells were evaluated. In addition, survival fraction (SF), colony formation, apoptosis, and γ-H2AX levels were analyzed, followed by the detection of the binding relation between LINC00261 and miR-552-3p and between miR-552-3p and DIRAS1. Lastly, xenograft transplantation was carried out to confirm the effects of LINC00261 on EC radioresistance in vivo. Results LINC00261 and DIRAS1 were poorly-expressed in EC tissues and cells, but miR-552-3p was over-expressed. In EC cells with X-ray radiation, over-expression of LINC00261 reduced SF and cell viability, strengthened γ-H2AX levels, and promoted apoptosis, while all these trends were counteracted by miR-522-3p over-expression or DIRAS1 silencing. Mechanistic investigation further validated the binding relation between LINC00261 and miR-552-3p, and between miR-552-3p and DIRAS1. Moreover, LINC00261 over-expression suppressed tumor growth and reduced EC radioresistance in vivo. Conclusion Altogether, our findings indicated that LINC00261 exerts a suppressive effect on EC radioresistance via the competing endogenous RNA network to sponge miR-552-3p and up-regulate DIRAS1 transcription.
EFFECT OF DIETARY BETAINE AND LOW METHIONINE ON MULARD DUCK PERFORMANCE, BLOOD PARAMETERS AND LIPOGENESIS GENE EXPRESSION

The effects of dietary methionine and betaine (Bet) on productive performance, blood biochemical parameters and mRNA expression levels of fat acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), were investigated in Mulard ducks which raised in summer season. Three hundred one-day old healthy Mulard ducklings with similar body weight were randomly distributed into six groups with five replicates per treatment and ten ducks per replicate. Six diets were prepared as following: control diet (C); low methionine diet (ML); diet supplemented with Bet (0.25% Bet); diet supplemented with Bet (0.5% Bet); diet supplemented with 0.25% Bet and low in methionine (0.25% Bet + ML); diet supplemented with 0.5% Bet and low in methionine (0.5% Bet + ML). Regarding allover growth performance results revealed that increasing dietary Bet significantly increased ( P <0.05) body gain of ducks by 13% when compared with the control diet, moreover both groups fed on 0.5% Bet and 0.5%Bet +ML diet exhibited the improved feed conversion ratio (1.88 and 1.93, respectively) when compared with control (2.13) and ML (2.29) groups. Inclusion of Bet either in control or ML diet significantly increased carcass yield, breast and thigh meat yield percent and decreased breast, thigh skin and abdominal fat percent. Nutrient digestibility was improved by adding Bet even in ML diet. Serum total lipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol constituents were significantly decreased in all group supplemented with Bet. Dietary Bet significantly decreased ( P <0.05) mRNA expression of fatty acid synthase, acetyl-coA carboxylase genes, this decline was more obvious in control group with Bet than in ML with Bet. In conclusion, the role of Bet in ML diet was clear by improving productive performance of ducks, thus Bet can partially replace methionine in duck’s diet. Key words: Betaine; methionine; performance; carcass; lipogenesisgenes; Mulard ducklings
Extreme Weather Events Affect Agronomic Practices and Their Environmental Impact in Maize Cultivation

Sustainable and profitable crop production has become a challenge due to frequent weather extremes, where unstable crop yields are often followed by the negative impacts of agronomic practices on the environment, i.e., nitrate leaching in irrigated and nitrogen (N)-fertilized crop production. To study this issue, a three-year field study was conducted during quite different growing seasons in terms of weather conditions, i.e., extremely wet, extremely dry, and average years. Over three consecutive years, the irrigation and N fertilizers rates were tested for their effect on grain yield and composition, i.e., protein, starch, and oil content of the maize hybrids; soil N level (%); and nitrate leaching. The results showed that the impact of the tested factors and their significance was year- or weather-condition-dependent. The grain yield result stood out during the extremely wet year, where the irrigation rate reduced the grain yield by 7.6% due to the stress caused by the excessive amount of water. In the remainder of the study, the irrigation rate expectedly increased the grain yield by 13.9% (a2) and 20.8% (a3) in the extremely dry year and 22.7% (a2) and 39.5% (a3) during the average year. Regardless of the weather conditions, the N fertilizer rate increased the grain yield and protein content. The soil N level showed a typical pattern, where the maximum levels were at the beginning of the study period and were higher as the N fertilizer rate was increased. Significant variations in the soil N level were found between weather conditions (r = −0.719) and N fertilizer rate (r = 0.401). Nitrate leaching losses were expectedly found for irrigation and N fertilizer treatments with the highest rates (a3b3 = 79.8 mg NO3− L).
Efficient separation of l-phosphinothricin from enzymatic reaction solution using cation-exchange resin

ABSTRACT The separation of l-phosphinothricin from reaction solution using cation-exchange resin was investigated. The adsorption and desorption capacities of seven different resins were first tested, and resin 001 × 7 was selected as the suitable resin. The equilibrium adsorption data followed the Freundlich isotherm model, and the adsorption kinetic data fitted with pseudo-second-order equation well. The effect of solution pH on the adsorption and the breakthrough/desorption curves of resin 001 × 7 was studied. The results indicated that under the optimized separation conditions (solution pH value 2.0, feed rate, 1.0 BV h−1, and desorption flow rate 0.5 BV h−1), the recovery ratio of l-phosphinothricin from reaction solution reached 98%.
ANÁLISE DE AGRUPAMENTOS HIERÁRQUICOS DA LEPTOSPIROSE NO RECIFE/PE

INTRODUÇÃO A leptospirose é uma zoonose infectocontagiosa de interesse global que acomete animais e humanos. Os principais receptáculos são os roedores das espécies Rattus rattus, Mus musculus e Rattus norvegicus, popularmente conhecidos como rato de telhado ou rato preto, camundongo ou catita e ratazana ou rato de esgoto, respectivamente. Sendo o Rattus norvegicus um dos mais mórbidos para o homem, visto que ele é o principal portador do sorovar Icterohaemorraghiae (BRASIL, 2014; CHAIBLICH, et al., 2017). Esses roedores não desenvolvem a doença, porém, quando infectados abrigam a leptospira nos rins, expelindo-a viva no meio ambiente (GONLAVES et al., 2016). Nos países tropicais, por exemplo o Brasil, acontecem surtos epidêmicos dessa doença, sobretudo em lugares sujeitos a inundações provocada pelas chuvas e o calor. Além disto, o propagação das águas e a incidencias de inundações durante e após os eventos pluviais, amplificam a ocorrência de leptospirose, principalmente em lugares com conglomerados humanos de baixa renda, com alta infestação de roedores e condições improprias de saneamento (BRASIL, 2009, TEXEIRA et al., 2018). Sendo assim, a mesma torna-se uma doença alarmante para saúde pública em razão da gravidade e a forma de propagação em áreas urbanas (GONÇALVES-DE-ALBUQUERQUE, 2012, CHAIBLICH, et al., 2017). De acordo com as observações do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação
State Space Modeling with Non-Negativity Constraints Using Quadratic Forms

State space model representation is widely used for the estimation of nonobservable (hidden) random variables when noisy observations of the associated stochastic process are available. In case the state vector is subject to constraints, the standard Kalman filtering algorithm can no longer be used in the estimation procedure, since it assumes the linearity of the model. This kind of issue is considered in what follows for the case of hidden variables that have to be non-negative. This restriction, which is common in many real applications, can be faced by describing the dynamic system of the hidden variables through non-negative definite quadratic forms. Such a model could describe any process where a positive component represents “gain”, while the negative one represents “loss”; the observation is derived from the difference between the two components, which stands for the “surplus”. Here, a thorough analysis of the conditions that have to be satisfied regarding the existence of non-negative estimations of the hidden variables is presented via the use of the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions.
Examining changes in teachers’ perceptions of external and internal barriers in their integration of educational digital resources in K-12 classrooms

Abstract This study examined changes in teachers’ perceptions of external barriers, internal barriers, and their integration of digital educational resources across two years through variable-centered and person-centered approaches. Participants included 301 in-service middle and high school teachers from 18 schools in the United States. The results of variable-centered approaches showed some significant changes in external barriers and teacher behavior but not in internal barriers. However, person-centered approaches revealed that perceived changes in external barriers significantly predicted nuanced changes in the patterns of teachers’ educational digital resource integration and their beliefs about technology. As teachers perceived a stronger technology vision and commitment to professional development in their school environments, their personal practices and beliefs shifted together.
On intensities in high pressure neutron powder diffraction using single and polycrystalline diamond anvils: small versus large sample volumes

ABSTRACT We report a quantitative comparison of measured intensities of neutron powder diffraction data collected in a single-crystal diamond anvil cell and in large-volume sintered diamond anvils. As expected from the difference in sample volumes, the latter provides 1–2 orders of magnitude higher intensities, depending on the anvil material. The remaining differences are due to effects of absorption and angular aperture.
Did exposure to COVID-19 affect vote choice in the 2020 presidential election?

An important body of literature shows that citizens evaluate elected officials based on their past performance. In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, the conventional wisdom in both media and academic discourse was that Donald Trump would have been a two-term president absent an unprecedented, global force majeure. In this research note, we address a simple question: did exposure to COVID-19 impact vote choice in the 2020 presidential election? Using data from the Cooperative Election Study, we find that Trump’s vote share decreased because of COVID-19. However, there is no evidence suggesting that Joe Biden loses the election when no voter reports exposure to coronavirus cases and deaths. These negligible effects are found at both the national and state levels, and are robust to an exhaustive set of confounders across model specifications.
Impacts of hydraulic fracturing on surface and groundwater water resources: A case study from Louisiana, USA.

Background: Unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, frequently referred to as shale plays , have been gaining more attention in recent years. Hydraulic fracturing is performed to extract fossil fuels from unconventional reservoirs. Besides possible environmental implications, a better understanding of the potential stress that fracking may cause to water resources at the local or regional scale is still needed. The goal of this study is to assess the impact of current and projected future water demands for fracking on water resources in two main shale plays in Louisiana, USA. Methods: The analysis is performed in Louisiana’s two main shale plays, the Haynesville Shale and the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, using the Water Supply Stress Index (WaSSI) framework. WaSSI is used to evaluate the stress at a fine watershed scale (HUC12) for annual-average conditions. The study analyzes different scenarios of historical and two future projected fracking conditions that simulate different extraction rates. In each fracking scenario, stresses on both surface and groundwater are evaluated separately. The study is based on a multitude of water supply and withdrawals datasets assembled and disaggregated to the watershed scale. Results: Under existing conditions, the impact of fracking water demands on surface water resources is within the low stress category in most watersheds in both shale plays. This impact remains low under more aggressive future fracking scenarios. In contrast, groundwater resources appear to be highly vulnerable under both the historical and projected fracking scenarios, especially in the Haynesville Shale where 20 out of the 94 watersheds become medium or highly stressed. If groundwater resources remained as a main source for fracking water, the number of stressed watersheds increased to 39 and 86 under the two projected future fracking scenarios. The least exploited Tuscaloosa Marine Shale remains mostly under low stress, except in the most aggressive future fracking scenario. Conclusions: Surface water resources in Louisiana’s shale plays seem abundant enough for fracking activities to rely on this source instead of groundwater whenever possible. Groundwater resources in Louisiana are clearly vulnerable to fracking activities, especially for the Haynesville shale play, under current and future projected fracking conditions.
Flexible Heavy Tail Distributions for Surface Ozone for Selected Sites in the United States of America

ABSTRACT The generalized extreme value distribution, generalized Pareto distribution, Pareto type-I distribution, Pareto type-II distribution, Burr distribution, log-logistic distribution, Fréchet distribution, log-normal distribution, log-Cauchy distribution, Lévy distribution, and Dagum distribution are fitted to four data-sets consisting of surface-level ozone for Weaverville, California (WVR); Tundra Lab, Niwot Ridge, Colorado (TUN); South Pole, Antarctica (SPO); and Mauna Loa, Hawaii (MLO) sites in the USA. Based on the probability distribution with the smallest Akaike information criterion, Bayesian information criterion, corrected Akaike information criterion, mean square error, mean absolute deviation, and maximum deviation values and probability-probability plots, the Dagum distribution emerged as the best fitting distribution for Weaverville, the Burr distribution emerged as the best fitting distribution for Niwot Ridge and Mauna Loa, and the log-Cauchy distribution emerged as the best fitting distribution for the South Pole site. The value at risk for each of the ozone sites is given and a backtest based on the Kupiec test is used to verify the appropriateness of the selected distributions.
Discrete‐time modified repetitive sliding mode control for uncertain linear systems

This article presents a design strategy and stability analysis of modified repetitive sliding mode controller for uncertain linear systems. A modified repetitive controller is adopted to simultaneously track and reject periodic signals. A discrete‐time sliding mode controller is combined to compensate the slow response of repetitive control and to provide robustness against plant parameters uncertainties. Stability analysis is provided to prove boundedness of the proposed control law and the convergence of sliding function and the tracking error. Comparative simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is able to accurately track reference signal and to reject disturbance with fast transient response. The results also indicate that the closed‐loop system remains stable in the presence of plant parameter changes.
The associations of butyrate-producing bacteria of the gut microbiome with diet quality and muscle health

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the relationships between diet quality, the relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria of the gut microbiome and muscle mass, strength and function. In this cross-sectional study, n = 490 men (64.4 ± 13.5 years) from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study provided food frequency questionnaire data, from which the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) and Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score were calculated. Muscle mass (skeletal muscle index from DXA-derived lean mass), muscle strength (handgrip strength) and muscle function (Timed Up-and-Go test) were measured. Participants provided stool samples for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. There was no evidence of associations between alpha or beta diversity and muscle health measures. A healthier ARFS score was positively associated with the relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria (β 0.09, 95%CI 0.03, 0.15) and a higher (pro-inflammatory) DII score was associated with lower relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria (β −0.60, 95%CI −1.06, −0.15). The relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria was positively associated with healthier muscle mass, strength and function; however, these relationships were attenuated in multivariable models. These findings support the role of diet quality in achieving a healthier gut microbiome, however, further evidence is required for a gut-muscle axis in humans.
A Statistical Assessment of Blending Hydrogen into Gas Networks

The deployment of low-carbon hydrogen in gas grids comes with strategic benefits in terms of energy system integration and decarbonization. However, hydrogen thermophysical properties substantially differ from natural gas and pose concerns of technical and regulatory nature. The present study investigates the blending of hydrogen into distribution gas networks, focusing on the steady-state fluid dynamic response of the grids and gas quality compliance issues at increasing hydrogen admixture levels. Two blending strategies are analyzed, the first of which involves the supply of NG–H2 blends at the city gate, while the latter addresses the injection of pure hydrogen in internal grid locations. In contrast with traditional case-specific analyses, results are derived from simulations executed over a large number (i.e., one thousand) of synthetic models of gas networks. The responses of the grids are therefore analyzed in a statistical fashion. The results highlight that lower probabilities of violating fluid dynamic and quality restrictions are obtained when hydrogen injection occurs close to or in correspondence with the system city gate. When pure hydrogen is injected in internal grid locations, even very low volumes (1% vol of the total) may determine gas quality violations, while fluid dynamic issues arise only in rare cases of significant hydrogen injection volumes (30% vol of the total).
Serum antioxidant status and mortality from influenza and pneumonia in US adults

Abstract Objective: We examined the association between serum antioxidant status and mortality from influenza and pneumonia in US adults. Design: Serum concentrations of antioxidants included vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, sum of α- and β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein + zeaxanthin and lycopene. We computed total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as a measure of composite antioxidant status in serum. Survey-weighted Cox proportional hazard models were used to compute hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI comparing quartiles of each antioxidant and TAC. Setting: Data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)-III. Participants: A total of 7428 NHANES-III participants ≥45 years of age. Results: With a weighted-median follow-up of 16·8 years, 154 participants died from influenza/pneumonia. After adjustment for covariates, serum vitamin C, the sum of α- and β-carotene and TAC were nonlinearly associated with influenza/pneumonia mortality, with the statistically significant smallest HR at the third quartile v. the first quartile (HR = 0·38 (95 % CI: 0·19, 0·77), 0·29 (0·16, 0·51) and 0·30 (0·15, 0·59), respectively). HR comparing the fourth v. the first quartiles were weaker and nonsignificant: 0·57 (95 % CI: 0·27, 1·17), 0·70 (0·41, 1·19) and 0·65 (0·31, 1·35), respectively. Serum lycopene had a monotonic association with influenza/pneumonia mortality (HR = 0·43 (95 % CI: 0·23, 0·83) comparing the fourth v. the first quartile, P for trend = 0·01). Conclusions: The current study suggests that antioxidant intake as reflected by serum concentrations may reduce mortality risk from influenza or pneumonia in the US general population. These findings warrant further confirmation in other populations with different settings (e.g. a shorter-term association with influenza infection).
Thinking with theory in college student success research: investigating the influence of theoretical leanings in analyzing data

Abstract Using Jackson and Mazzei’s thinking with theory, this paper centers the stories of three researchers who practiced critical self-reflection while engaging in secondary analysis of data from The Pedagogy of Student Success Project, a study intended to learn about graduate students’ evolving conceptualizations of student success. In particular, the researchers were interested in how their individual theoretical leanings influenced how they interacted with the data and how their collaborations in turn shaped their thinking. To explore this phenomena, the authors analyzed qualitative data from two participants, wrote reflective memorandums, and held conversations about their theoretical leanings. The three researchers addressed how the Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework, Black Feminisms, and Intersectionality shaped their analysis of qualitative data. Findings reveal how scholars' theoretical leanings inform how they analyze and interpret student success research, in addition to showing how research collaborations play a role in thinking with theory.
Phenotypic variation in male Calopteryx splendens damselflies: the role of wing pigmentation and body size in thermoregulation

For ectothermic insects, their colour and size are important determinants of body temperature: larger bodies require more heat to reach a certain temperature, and dark colours absorb heat more efficiently. These dark colours are expressed using melanin, which has been intimately linked with the thermoregulatory capabilities of insects. Melanin is also linked with immune defence and is often used as a secondary sexual character in insects. There is a potential trade-off situation between thermoregulatory capabilities, immune defence and secondary sexual characters, all of which use melanin. Some Calopteryx damselflies, such as Calopteryx splendens, have melanin-based wing pigmentation that is sexually selected and drives intra- and interspecific territorial aggression. Our goal was to study experimentally how the wing pigmentation and body size of C. splendens males affect their thermoregulation and, especially, their ability to become active (hereafter, ‘activate’) after being cooled down. Our results were in line with our hypotheses, showing that individuals with larger wing spots had significantly faster activation times than those with smaller wing spots, and that individuals with larger body size had significantly slower activation times than those with smaller body size. Both variables showed an interaction and are therefore important in damselfly warm-up and activation. We discuss the role of wing pigmentation and thermoregulation in the behavioural patterns observed in Calopteryx species.