Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and comparison of new layer-coated silica nanoparticles and bulky molecularly imprinted polymers for the solid-phase extraction of glycine

Imprinted polymers were prepared using bulky and layer-coated silica nanoparticles to analyze trace glycine in human urine. In the layer-coated silica nanoparticle-imprinted polymer, the polymerizable double bonds were first grafted on the surface of silica nanoparticles through silylation to induce the selective occurrence of surface polymerization. Then, glycine templates were imprinted into the polymer-coated layer through interactions with functional monomers. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and SiO2–MIP were tested in batch experiments to evaluate their binding properties and then used as SPE sorbents for the selective removal and pre-concentration of glycine. The glycine-imprinted polymer nanoparticles presented higher selectivity and affinity to glycine than the bulky imprinted polymer. Glycine was directly extracted from spiked human urine. The MIP and SiO2–MIP allowed glycine to be pre-concentrated while removing interfering compounds from the matrix. The SiO2–MIP showed high efficiency for the enrichment of glycine in real samples.
Effect of Tetramethylpyrazine on Neuroplasticity after Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion in Rats

Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) has been widely used in ischemic stroke in China. The regulation of neuroplasticity may underlie the recovery of some neurological functions in ischemic stroke. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established in this study. Rats were divided into three groups: sham group, model group, and TMP group. The neurological function was evaluated using modified neurological severity score (mNSS). Following the neurological function test, expression of synaptophysin (SYP) and growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) were analyzed through immunohistochemistry at 3 d, 7 d, 14 d, and 28 d after MCAO. Finally, the synaptic structural plasticity was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TMP group showed better neurological function comparing to the model group. SYP levels increased gradually in ischemic penumbra (IP) in the model group and could be enhanced by TMP treatment at 7 d, 14 d, and 28 d, whereas GAP-43 levels increased from 3 d to 7 d and thereafter decreased gradually from 14 d to 28 d in the model group, which showed no significant improvement in the TMP group. The results of TEM showed a flatter synaptic interface, a thinner postsynaptic density (PSD), and a wider synaptic cleft in the model group, and the first two alterations could be ameliorated by TMP. Then, a Pearson's correlation test revealed mNSS markedly correlated with SYP and synaptic ultrastructures. Taken together, TMP is capable of promoting functional outcome after ischemic stroke, and the mechanisms may be partially associated with regulation of neuroplasticity.
Combined method of spectroscopic ellipsometry and photometry as an efficient tool for the optical characterisation of chalcogenide thin films

The optical characterisation of the As33Se67 and Ge2Sb2Te5 chalcogenide thin films is carried out using the combined method of VASE and SR. This method permits to determine both structural and dispersion parameters describing the thin films exhibiting various defects. The structural model is based on including roughness, overlayers and thickness non-uniformity. The dispersion models are based on parametrisation of the joint density of states. These models, unlike the classical models derived from the Lorentz oscillator model, can describe finite bands which allows to introduce a parameter proportional to the density of electrons. It is shown that this method enables to investigate quantitatively changes in the electronic structure of the materials caused by phase transitions which is demonstrated on the Ge2Sb2Te5. It is shown that the combined method with including true structural and dispersion models is a powerful tool for the optical characterisation of thin films exhibiting disordered structure.
Renal Auto-Transplantation for Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome Using a Multidisciplinary Team Model: Intermediate-Term Results

Background Patients with loin pain hematuria syndrome (LPHS) can find relief via multiple modalities, few provide long-term pain control like renal auto-transplantation (RAT). This study evaluates the intermediate effectiveness of the RAT procedure’s ability to achieve long-term pain control and quality of life improvement. Methods All patients with suspected LPHS were seen by a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) composed of urologists, interventional radiologists, and transplant surgeons. Clinical history and physical exam, lab values, imaging findings, and response to renal hilar block (RHB) were used to determine LPHS and candidacy for potential RAT. Preoperative, one-year, three-year, and five-year postoperative pain assessment scores and quality of life surveys were administered to each LPHS and potential RAT patient. Results Eighty-four LPHS patients were referred for the evaluation of and consultation for the option of RAT. Sixty-four of these patients underwent RHB of which 60 (93.8%) had a positive response, defined as a temporary reduction of pain score by >50%. Forty-six of the 60 patients who responded favorably proceeded to RAT. At the one-year follow-up, there was a 75% reduction in pain with 88.9% of patients experiencing a 50% reduction in pain. At one year, the mean Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) decreased by 65.4%, from an average of 23.7 to 8.2. Similarly, at three years (n = 5) and five years (n = 3), the mean pain scores were 2 and 1. Conclusions The MDT evaluation of potential LPHS patients with our protocol and treatment results in an improvement in pain and depression scores in these selected patients.
Global translational landscape of the Candida albicans morphological transition

Candida albicans undergoes a reversible transition from single budding yeast to filamentous cells that is required for virulence. Here, Mundodi et al use ribosome profiling to determine the first global translational profile associated with the C. albicans morphological transition. They find that many important virulence factors strongly induced at the transcriptional level show significantly reduced translational efficiency. Overall, their findings suggest that key virulence processes in C. albicans, and most likely other fungal pathogens, are under widespread translational control.
Isolation and Characterization of Antisuppressor Mutations in Escherichia coli

Nonsense mutations in lacI have been shown to be useful as indicators of the efficiency of nonsense suppression. From strains containing supE and a lacl nonsense mutation, selection for LacImutants has resulted in the isolation of four antisuppressor mutations. TnlO insertions linked to these mutations were isolated and used to group the four mutations into three loci. The asuAl and asuA2 mutations are linked to trp, reduce suppression by supE approximately twofold, and affect a variety of suppressors. The asuB3 mutation was mapped by P1 cotransduction to rpsL but does not confer resistance to streptomycin. The asuC4 mutation reduced suppression by supE by 95% and was shown biochemically to result in the loss of two pseudouridine modifications from the 3' side of the anticodon stem and loop of tRNA2 '. This mutation is linked to purF, suggesting that it is a new allele of hisT.
Single crystal X-Ray structure and DFT-D3 studies on 2-amino-4-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-6-phenylnicotinonitrile

The crystal structure of 2-amino-4-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-6 phenylnicotinonitrile (ADPN) was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure showed two independent molecules with very similar geometric parameters and different environments. Density functional theory (DFT) and DFT dispersion corrected (DFT-D3) calculations were applied to study the structural and chemical properties of ADPN and its dimer. To have a better insight into the properties of the synthesized molecule, quantum chemistry calculations were performed. Based on the calculated results, the dispersion forces have remarkable effects on the stability of ADPN crystal. Moreover, hydrogen bond interactions between ADPN molecules due to molecular orbital interactions can be a driving force for the dimerization process.
ECG Markers of Cardiovascular Toxicity in Adult and Pediatric Cancer Treatment

When a cardiologist is asked to evaluate the cardiac toxic effects of chemotherapy, he/she can use several tools: ECG, echocardiography, coronary angiography, ventriculography, and cardiac MRI. Of all these, the fastest and easiest to use is the ECG, which can provide information on the occurrence of cardiac toxic effects and can show early signs of subclinical cardiac damage. These warning signs are the most desired to be recognized by the cardiologist, because the dose of chemotherapeutics can be adjusted so that the clinical side effects do not occur, or the therapy can be stopped in time, before irreversible side effects. This review addresses the problem of early detection of cardiotoxicity in adult and pediatric cancer treatment, by using simple ECG recordings.
Complications of Tranexamic Acid in Orthopedic Lower Limb Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective Tranexamic acid (TXA) is increasingly used in orthopedic surgery to reduce blood loss; however, there are concerns about the risk of venous thromboembolic (VTE) complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate TXA safety in patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgical procedures. Design A meta-analysis was performed on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases in January 2020 using the following string (Tranexamic acid) AND ((knee) OR (hip) OR (ankle) OR (lower limb)) to identify RCTs about TXA use in patients undergoing every kind of lower limb surgical orthopedic procedures, with IV, IA, or oral administration, and compared with a control arm to quantify the VTE complication rates. Results A total of 140 articles documenting 9,067 patients receiving TXA were identified. Specifically, 82 studies focused on TKA, 41 on THA, and 17 on other surgeries, including anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, intertrochanteric fractures, and meniscectomies. The intravenous TXA administration protocol was studied in 111 articles, the intra-articular in 45, and the oral one in 7 articles. No differences in terms of thromboembolic complications were detected between the TXA and control groups neither in the overall population (2.4% and 2.8%, respectively) nor in any subgroup based on the surgical procedure and TXA administration route. Conclusions There is an increasing interest in TXA use, which has been recently broadened from the most common joint replacement procedures to the other types of surgeries. Overall, TXA did not increase the risk of VTE complications, regardless of the administration route, thus supporting the safety of using TXA for lower limb orthopedic surgical procedures.
Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation Improves Neurorehabilitation after Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Mice

Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) regulates neural activity in different brain regions in humans and animals. However, the role of ultrasound stimulation in modulating neural activity and promoting neurorehabilitation in the ischemic brain is largely unknown. In the present study, we explored the effect of tFUS on neurological rehabilitation and the underlying mechanism. Adult male ICR mice (n=42) underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. One week after brain ischemia, low frequency (0.5 MHz) tFUS was applied to stimulate the ischemic hemisphere of mice for 7 consecutive days (10 minutes daily). Brain infarct volume, neurobehavioral tests, microglia activation, IL-10 and IL-10R levels were further assessed for up to 14 days. We found that the brain infarct volume was significantly reduced in the tFUS treated mice compared to that in the non-treated mice (p<0.05). Similarly, neurological severity scores, elevated body swing test, and corner test improved in the tFUS treated mice (p<0.05). We also demonstrated that tFUS resulted in increased M2 microglia in the ischemic brain region. The expression of IL-10R and IL-10 levels were also substantially upregulated (p<0.05). We concluded that tFUS served as a unique technique to promote neurorehabilitation after brain ischemia by promoting microglia polarization and further regulating IL-10 signaling in the ischemic brain.
Parallelizing Intra-Window Join on Multicores: An Experimental Study

The intra-window join (IaWJ), i.e., joining two input streams over a single window, is a core operation in modern stream processing applications. This paper presents the first comprehensive study on parallelizing the IaWJ on modern multicore architectures. In particular, we classify IaWJ algorithms into lazy and eager execution approaches. For each approach, there are further design aspects to consider, including different join methods and partitioning schemes, leading to a large design space. Our results show that none of the algorithms always performs the best, and the choice of the most performant algorithm depends on: (i) workload characteristics, (ii) application requirements, and (iii) hardware architectures. Based on the evaluation results, we propose a decision tree that can guide the selection of an appropriate algorithm.
A preliminary study on photogrammetry for the FAST main reflector measurement

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) is the largest single-dish radio telescope in the world. In this paper, we apply photogrammetry to measure local area surface accuracy of the FAST main reflector. Contrast with the existing photogrammetric methods that need to stick the cooperation target on the panel. In this paper, we directly detect nodes according to their natural feature. Analyzing the FAST reflector composition, we propose a two-step Hough transform method for node detection. Due to the high similarity of the neighboring area around nodes, it is hard to match two images by the feature matching method. Therefore, we apply the nodes combination approach to obtain the homography matrix between two photos for nodes matching. After nodes detection and matching, triangulation and bundle adjustment algorithms are adopted for 3D reconstruction. During the experiment, the adjusted node position deform a local area of the FAST main reflector into a spherical cap with a radius of 300 m. The experimental result shows that the measurement accuracy of the sphere with a radius of 300 m is 12.299 mm, indicating that it is feasible to apply photogrammetry for the FAST main reflector measurement.
Improving the Formal Verification of Reachability Policies in Virtualized Networks

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) are new emerging paradigms that changed the rules of networking, shifting the focus on dynamicity and programmability. In this new scenario, a very important and challenging task is to detect anomalies in the data plane, especially with the aid of suitable automated software tools. In particular, this operation must be performed within quite strict times, due to the high dynamism introduced by virtualization. In this article, we propose a new network modeling approach that enhances the performance of formal verification of reachability policies, checked by solving a Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) problem. This performance improvement is motivated by the definition of function models that do not work on single packets, but on packet classes. Nonetheless, the modeling approach is comprehensive not only of stateless functions, but also stateful functions such as NATs and firewalls. The implementation of the proposed approach achieves high scalability in complex networked systems consisting of several heterogeneous functions.
Information and Communication Technology: A Veritable Instrument for Distance Education

journals@arcnjournals.org 17 | P a g e Abstract: The problem of demand for education versus actual supply of educational services contributed to the acceptance, growth and implementation of distance education programmes as it bridges the gap between demand and supply. In view of the above, this paper examines the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Distance education. It examines the concepts of Distance education, Information and Communication Technology, Technology-based media for Distance education and factors that need to be put into consideration before utilizing ICTs for instruction.
Factorial Design Based Optimization of Hydroxyzine Hydrochloride Fast Dissolving Tablets

Hydroxyzine hydrochloride is a histamine H1 receptor antagonist used in the treatment for chronic urticaria, dermatitis, and histamine-mediated pruritus. Hydroxyzine hydrochloride has a bitter taste. The bitter taste of drug was masked by using a combination of flavor and complexing with β-cyclodextrines adopting solid dispersion technique. The taste masking ability of solid dispersions was evaluated by in vivo taste evaluation in healthy human volunteers. The Optimized taste masked solid dispersion of drug was developed as fast dissolving tablets by direct compression method using superdisintegrants like sodium starch glycolate, croscarmellose sodium and crospovidone in different concentration as per 23 factorial design model. Tablets were evaluated for their physico-chemical properties, in vitro release studies. The hardness (3.8-4.2 kg/cm2), friability (0.22 %-0.43 %), drug content (91.7 %-99.5 %) and disintegration time (3.24-4.22 min) of fast dissolving tablets were found uniform and within the specified limits. Analysis of variance was used to identify significant effect on disintegration time, Coefficient of determination R2=0.995. Obtained value of F was larger than critical F-value, and the result was found to be significant at that level of probability (p<0.05). Similar R2=0.9023 value was obtained in case of dissolution rate for F value and the result was found to be significant at that level of probability (p<0.05). From the statistical results, optimized formula F9 was developed which gave disintegration time of 3.58±0.87 min and in vitro drug release of 95.89 %. The formulations followed first order mechanism of release (r2=0.953-0.991). Hence taste masked Hydroxyzine hydrochloride fast dissolving tablets could be successfully developed using factorial design modele.
Enhancement of Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) in Image Denoising by using DWT

The term peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) is an expression for the ratio between the maximum possible value (power) of a signal and the power of distorting noise that affects the quality of its representation. Because many signals have a very wide dynamic range, (ratio between the largest and smallest possible values of a changeable quantity) the PSNR is usually expressed in terms of the logarithmic decibel scale. Image enhancement or improving the visual quality of a digital image can be subjective. Saying that one method provides a better-quality image could vary from person to person. For this reason, it is necessary to establish quantitative/empirical measures to compare the effects of image enhancement algorithms on image quality. This paper introduces an audit of some huge work in the zone of picture de noising. After a short presentation, some famous methodologies are characterized into various gatherings and a review of different calculations and examination is given. Wavelet calculations are extremely helpful device for flag handling, for example, picture pressure and picture de noising. The principal point demonstrates the aftereffect of Mathematical parameter new premise, clamor with depends limit expelled information. Experiences and potential future patterns in the region of de noising are likewise examined.
FINANCIAL EVALUATION OF SOME AGRICULTURAL INITIATIVE PROJECTS IN IRAQ

This research aims to identify the financial feasibility of some agricultural activities benefiting from the initiative's lending funds, as well as to show the impact of the agricultural initiative on those projects in terms of raising the financial feasibility of their establishment, in the light of the results of the evaluation criteria addressed in the research. Between the years 2009-2011, the financial accounts of the projects were monitored until 2018 to obtain cash flows for the studied projects. Some projects, despite their high investment costs, have been shown to be able to recover the funds invested in a relatively short period of time, and feed plants and similar projects have the potential to recover their costs in a relatively short period. The index of profitability index also showed that most of the productive activities generate a return that exceeds the dinar invested in close proportions, and loans have a significant role in raising the efficiency and profitability of some projects that the state wishes to revitalize despite the non-profit projects in the natural conditions. The NPV values ​​calculated using a discount factor of 10% in the studied projects were positive, indicating the feasibility of investing in these projects, with the exception of the dairy cattle breeding project, which has a net present value of about -8,730,905 dinars. Results came from the discounted profitability index standard. The project also achieved the largest value of the profitability index, as the value of the index reached about 2.408. The research recommended that the need to use lending funds for the agricultural initiative as a tool to raise the efficiency and feasibility of agricultural projects that would contribute to the process of agricultural development in Iraq.
Comparison of neo-pharmatherapy and volume building therapy in USSL

Background: Objective of the study was to identify healthy individuals with idiopathic unilateral sudden hearing loss (USSL) and treating them under either of two different therapeutic protocols to judge the hearing recovery.Methods: Prospective crossover series study of 72 adult patients (males and females) of Indian origin was performed. Diagnosis of USSL and treating under two different protocols as; Group "A" was treated with oral combination form of Vinpocetine, Q-enzyme, Piracetam and B. Serrata over 3 months; while Group "B" was treated with Plasma expander IV Dextran, IV Dexamethasone, I/M Cyanocobalamine and Cyclandelate for 5 days followed by oral Dexametasone for 5 days Methycobalamine over 3 months. Common audiological and communicative parameters were applied in both treated groups to assess and analyse the responses incurred at the end of treatment. The graded system was applied to evaluate the SRT. Better outcomes based on the trialed drugs and their action is assessed. Results: 61 of 72 patients successfully completed the regimes. After applying Siegel's grading for judging the SRT gains; group A had 16, 10 and 5 with grade I, II, III recovery while group B had 8, 6, 16 with grades I, II, III recovery respectively. It was noticed that group A patients showed earlier recovery of higher frequencies.Conclusions: Both subject groups showed improved BC gains at end treatment. There was marked hearing recovery (Gr. I, II-Siegel's classification) in group "A" was (78%) which is significant over group "B" (50%) and above natural recovery rate.