Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An in vitro study of the origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz & P. H. Davis and Coriandrum sativum L. essential oils as chronic tonsillitis therapeutics: antibacterial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities

ABSTRACT The chemical composition and biological activity of essential oils (EOs) from leaves of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz & P.H. Davis, and seeds of Coriandrum sativum L. were investigated. Chemical analyses of EOs were performed and the major components were carvacrol (81.5%) and linalool (69.6%), respectively. The antimicrobial activity was assessed against several bacteria originating from the tonsillar tissue. Activities of EOs against Staphylococcus aureus biofilm were investigated, as well as the effect of the mixture of these EOs and antibiotics against the pathogen. The antioxidant activity of both EOs was determined by TBARS assay, and examined wild oregano EO showed better activity. Also, cytotoxicity of EOs was evaluated in vitro and both EOs showed potential to inhibit further proliferation of tumor cells. This study reported for the first time the effects of EOs on chronic tonsillitis causative pathogens, supporting their role as a natural bioactive therapeutic agent with possible antimicrobial applications.
Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey of Biosafety Professionals

Introduction: Biosafety professionals were called to action during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were tasked with prescribing measures to keep workers and the community safe while often not having accurate information at their fingertips. Understanding biosafety professionals' experiences may help shape new approaches that could further advance preparedness and resilience goals for future pandemics. This article discusses the overall response efforts of the biosafety community. Objectives: The main objective of this article is to quantitatively and qualitatively interrogate the responses to an email survey sent to individuals with biosafety responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article catalogues those responses and the different aspects in how biosafety professionals were involved in the pandemic. The focus of this research was on aggregate data and summarized results. Results: A total of 609 out of 654 respondents fully completed the survey, equating to a 93.1% completion rate. Respondents were individuals with varying levels of COVID-19–related responsibilities participating in emergency preparedness and planning, developing laboratory diagnostic capabilities, reviewing clinical trials, developing safety guidelines, writing return-to-work and quarantine procedures, and participating in press releases and communications. Conclusions: Biosafety professionals played important roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, from developing safety protocols for laboratories to resourcing personal protective equipment during a global shortage. They experienced challenges when balancing their home/work lives. Some biosafety professionals were very involved in clinical trials and vaccination efforts, but most were not. Overall, there were significant differences in how biosafety professionals were involved in pandemic response efforts.
Review of the methodological landscape of literacy and social media research

Social media affects and is affected by our literacies — the way we make, share, and produce a sense of what is happening in these digital spaces. The purpose of this paper is to explore the methodological landscape of literacy research on social media. To achieve this, 161 papers that have explored social media and literacies were systematically reviewed. Results show that most of the research studies reviewed relied on qualitative methods as the dominant mode of obtaining information, although many integrated several data sources. Additionally, findings show that most studies do not use social media data and instead rely on traditional data sources, such as surveys. Overall, this study highlights opportunities for researchers to explore the connection between social media and literacies in innovative ways.
Modeling and testing of component-based systems

In spite of several decades of research, assuring the quality of software systems still represents a major and serious problem nowadays for the industry with respect to both results and costs. This thesis comes within the scope of a proposal centered on a generic unified framework for both complex software systems modeling and testing. The contribution of this paper is then twofold: first, it defines a unified framework for modelling generic components, as well as a formalization of integration rules to combine their behaviour. This is based on a coalgebraic definition of components, which is a categorical representation allowing the unification of a large family of formalisms for specifying state-based systems. Second, it studies compositional conformance testing i.e. checking whether an implementation made from correct interacting components combined with integration operators conforms to its specification
Practical Runtime Universe Type Inference

The Universe type system provides means to structure the heap memory into so-called Universes. This structuring makes it easier to reason about object structures on the heap by assigning all references an additional Universe type. These additional types specify the access rights of the holder of such a reference. In this work, we extended an existing Runtime Inference tool that infers Universe annotations for existing Java programs through runtime observation of a test case. We have added the possibility to handle arrays and static methods. Furthermore, we developed a method body inference algorithm using abstract interpretation of the types on the method’s operand stack and registers. The abstract interpretation is a static analysis that uses the results of the runtime inference as input. The tool is now able to infer types of local variables, newstatements, static method invocations, and it is able to insert Universe type casts where it is necessary. To improve the code coverage of our Runtime Inference Tool, we have added the possibility to combine several test cases. The dynamic heap structure of the different test cases is globally harmonized and Universe annotations for the source code is inferred. The possibility to join several test cases increases the quality of the inferred annotations significantly.
THE CERN SPS LOW LEVEL RF: THE BEAM-CONTROL

The Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) Low Level RF (LLRF) has been completely upgraded during the CERN long shutdown (LS2, 2019-2020). The old NIM and VME based, mainly analog system has been replaced with modern digital electronics implemented on a MicroTCA platform. The architecture has also been reviewed, with synchronization between RF stations now resting on the White Rabbit (WR) deterministic link. This paper is the first of a series of three on the SPS LLRF upgrade. It covers the Beam-Control part, that is responsible for the generation of the RF reference frequency from a measurement of the magnetic field, and beam phase and radial position. It broadcasts this frequency word to the RF stations, via a White Rabbit network. The paper presents the architecture, gives details on the signal processing, firmware, hardware and software. Finally, results from the first year of beam commissioning are presented (2021). OVERVIEW OF THE LLRF UPGRADE The CERN LHC Injectors Upgrade (LIU) project plans doubling the proton intensity extracted from the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) for injection into the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), therefore requiring a major upgrade [1]. Also planned is the doubling of the Lead ion beam intensity in the LHC, using a slip-stacking scheme in the SPS [2]. The Beam-Control has been upgraded along with the 200 MHz Cavity-Controllers [3,4] and the high level RF system. The two additional RF cavities (now six in total) and the need to control them individually called for a new architecture. The transition from a mostly analog to a digital system allows for new RF manipulations and an improvement of the beams’ characteristics. In addition, parts of the system were aging and were difficult to maintain. After the long shutdown (January 2019 March 2021), the SPS commissioning with beam started in mid-April 2021 and the first proton beam was accelerated to 450 GeV/c by mid-May. During the year proton beams were delivered to the following experiments: Fixed Target, AWAKE and HiRadMat. From October to December, tests were conducted with the SPS Lead ion beam and with low intensity protons extracted to the LHC transfer lines. The first quarter of 2022 was dedicated to beam intensity increase and fine tuning of the different beams for the start of physics.
Enhanced Prognostic Model for Lithium Ion Batteries Based on Particle Filter State Transition Model Modification

This paper focuses on predicting the End of Life and End of Discharge of Lithium ion batteries using a battery capacity fade model and a battery discharge model. The proposed framework will be able to estimate the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) and the Remaining charge through capacity fade and discharge models. A particle filter is implemented that estimates the battery’s State of Charge (SOC) and State of Life (SOL) by utilizing the battery’s physical data such as voltage, temperature, and current measurements. The accuracy of the prognostic framework has been improved by enhancing the particle filter state transition model to incorporate different environmental and loading conditions without retuning the model parameters. The effect of capacity fade in the reduction of the EOD (End of Discharge) time with cycling has also been included, integrating both EOL (End of Life) and EOD prediction models in order to get more accuracy in the estimations.
Disconnection More Problematic for Adolescent Self-Esteem than Heavy Social Media Use: Evidence from Access Inequalities and Restrictive Media Parenting in Rural America

Some argue that social media use displaces time that adolescents spend with friends and family and is therefore associated with lower psychological well-being. They reason that young people who experience “disconnection,” because their parents actively restrict media use, or they have limited material access to the Internet, are better protected from psychological harm. Prior research has misspecified and exaggerated the magnitude of the relationship between screen time and adolescent psychological well-being. If the harm associated with heavy (excessive) or even average use of new media has been overstated, then the recommendation of disconnection may also be problematic. New media use is heavily integrated into youth culture and sociality, restrictive media parenting practices or digital inequalities may rob adolescents of experiences that would otherwise be protective of self-esteem. We conducted a survey of rural adolescents, who are more likely to experience disconnection at home because of a lack of physical availability of broadband, not simply affordability. Based on that survey, we find that a negative relationship between screen time and lower self-esteem is eclipsed by a more substantive, negative relationship to inequalities in material access to the Internet and restrictive mediation of media by parents. Findings show that new media use does not substantively displace time spent socializing with family and friends and in other social activities (e.g., volunteering). Omitting the supportive, indirect relationship between time on social media and self-esteem, through time spent socializing, exaggerates the negative relationship between social media use and adolescent well-being for girls, and for boys, misspecified the direction of the relationship. Adolescents, who experience heavy restrictive mediation of media by parents or have limited Internet access at home, tend to report substantively lower self-esteem than heavy users of any new media.
Mathematical Modeling of a Multi-Chamber Pneumatic Soft Actuator

Owing to their compliance with most shapes, soft actuators are regarded as cost-effective solutions for grasping irregular objects. The material properties of nonlinear elastic polymers are considered necessary for the correct implementation of these actuators. The analysis tends to be complex even for simple movements defined by theoretically infinite degrees of freedom. This study offers a mathematical model that outlines a relationship between the energy provided by a pressure source and the expected behavior of multi-chamber pneumatic soft actuators through hyper-elastic material deformation interpretation, geometric approximations, and the vectorial representations of their segments. Digitally analyzed empirical results measured through lateral pictures of an actuator were taken at different pressure references. Direct comparisons between the average value of the tested angles and those calculated through the tuned mathematical model provide a maximum error of 0.647° for small deformations and an improved accuracy at higher pressure inputs. This study offers a valid tool applicable to the design of soft actuators and their further analysis without the need for overly complex methods.
On a Correlation Inequality for Cauchy Type Measures

In this paper we present a correlation inequality with respect to Cauchy type measures. To prove our inequality, we transport the problem onto the Riemannian sphere then state and solve some special cases for a spherical correlation problem. This method, as we shall explain, opens up a new class of interesting problems related to correlation type inequalities.
Appraising the State of Knowledge of the Valuation of Contaminated Freshwater Ecosystem of the Niger Delta

The valuation practice utilised in valuing natural resources in the Niger Delta has shown signs of the paucity of professional knowledge, thus necessitating an appraisal of the state of knowledge possessed by valuers practicing in the Niger Delta. This paper assesses the state of knowledge among Niger Delta valuers in contaminated freshwater on the applicability of the methods of valuation for assessing damaged freshwater resources. With reference to freshwater ecosystem valuation, a survey of practicing valuation firms was conducted on 102 valuation firms using census sampling, and (11) expert valuers were interviewed purposively. Findings indicate a poor knowledge of environmental valuation techniques and a constant recourse to using a predetermined compensation rate in valuing contaminated natural resources. It thus recommends the intensive training and education of practicing valuers on methods of environmental valuation and the valuation of contaminated natural resources.
β1 Integrin induces adhesion and migration of human Th17 cells via Pyk2‐dependent activation of P2X4 receptor

Integrin‐mediated T‐cell adhesion and migration is a crucial step in immune response and autoimmune diseases. However, the underlying signalling mechanisms are not fully elucidated. In this study, we examined the implication of purinergic signalling, which has been associated with T‐cell activation, in the adhesion and migration of human Th17 cells across fibronectin, a major matrix protein associated with inflammatory diseases. We showed that the adhesion of human Th17 cells to fibronectin induces, via β1 integrin, a sustained release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from the mitochondria through the pannexin‐1 hemichannels. Inhibition of ATP release or its degradation with apyrase impaired the capacity of the cells to attach and migrate across fibronectin. Inhibition studies identified a major role for the purinergic receptor P2X4 in T‐cell adhesion and migration but not for P2X7 or P2Y11 receptors. Blockade of P2X4 but not P2X7 or P2Y11 receptors reduced cell adhesion and migration by inhibiting activation of β1 integrins, which is essential for ligand binding. Furthermore, we found that β1 integrin‐induced ATP release, P2X4 receptor transactivation, cell adhesion and migration were dependent on the focal adhesion kinase Pyk2 but not FAK. Finally, P2X4 receptor inhibition also blocked fibronectin‐induced Pyk2 activation suggesting the existence of a positive feedback loop of activation between β1 integrin/Pyk2 and P2X4 purinergic signalling pathways. Our findings uncovered an unrecognized link between β1 integrin and P2X4 receptor signalling pathways for promoting T‐cell adhesion and migration across the extracellular matrix.
Design of a Low-Enrichment Uranium Reactor to Power a Future Martian Colony

Abstract The Megawatt Implementation of a NuclEar ReActor using Low-enrichment uranium (MINERAL) is designed to deliver 2 MW(electric) of steady-state electricity to a colony established on the surface of Mars with a minimum lifetime of 10 years. The main challenge associated with a low-enrichment uranium fission surface power system is reducing the total mass, which will be higher than that of an equivalent high-enrichment uranium system. Optimizing the mass of the system is crucial to limit the amount of Earth-Mars cargo needed to deploy a MINERAL unit. The use of yttrium hydride as a moderator has shown promise in reducing the overall mass of the reactor. An in-house Python framework evaluates the neutronic, thermal-hydraulic, and heat rejection performance throughout the design process. The final design iteration uses a CO2 Brayton cycle cooled by a passive heat rejection system consisting of six panels with a total surface area of 4752 m2. The cylindrical core is fueled with low-enrichment uranium monocarbide with 0.83 wt% of pure 157Gd moderated with yttrium hydride and surrounded by a beryllium oxide reflector. The reactivity is controlled by ten control drums and a central control rod, which provide enough margin to operate the reactor and ensure its subcriticality in case of a submersion accident. The mass of the core with the reflector, reactivity control system, and shield is 7.2 tonnes.
Geometric properties of certain linear integral transforms

AbstractFor λ > 0 and 0 < µ < n, let U n (λ,µ) denote the class of all normalizedanalytic functions f in the unit disc ∆ of the form f(z) = z + P ∞k=n+1 a k z k such that f ′ (z)  zf(z)  µ+1 −1 < λ, z ∈ ∆,where n ∈ N is ﬁxed. In addition to the discussion of the basic properties ofthe class U n (λ,µ), we ﬁnd conditions so that U n (λ,µ) is included in S γ , theclass of all strongly starlike functions of order γ (0 < γ ≤ 1). We also ﬁndnecessary conditions so that f ∈ U n (λ,µ) implies that zf ′ (z)f(z)−12β <12β, for all z ∈ ∆,or 1 +zf ′′ (z)f ′ (z)−12β <12β, for |z| < r < 1,where r = r(λ,µ,n) will be speciﬁed. ∗ The work of the ﬁrst author was supported by a Sponsored Research project (Ref No.DST/MS/092/98) from the Department of Science and Technology (India) and the work of thesecond author was supported by National Board for Higher Mathematics (India) in the form of aPostdoctoral Fellowship.Received by the editors September 2002.Communicated by R. Delanghe.1991 Mathematics Subject Classiﬁcation : 30C45, 30C55.Key words and phrases : Univalent, starlike and convex functions, subordination, and integraltransform.Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. 12(2005), 95–108
Dual Mechanism of Action of Curcumin in Experimental Models of Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by a combination of inflammatory and demyelination processes in the spinal cord and brain. Conventional drugs generally target the autoimmune response, without any curative effect. For that reason, there is a great interest in identifying novel agents with anti-inflammatory and myelinating effects, to counter the inflammation and cell death distinctive of the disease. Methods and results: An in vitro assay showed that curcumin (Cur) at 10 µM enhanced the proliferation of C8-D1A cells and modulated the production of Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines in the cells stimulated by LPS. Furthermore, two in vivo pathophysiological experimental models were used to assess the effect of curcumin (100 mg/kg). The cuprizone model mimics the de/re-myelination aspect in MS, and the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model (EAE) reflects immune-mediated events. We found that Cur alleviated the neurological symptomatology in EAE and modulated the expression of lymphocytes CD3 and CD4 in the spinal cord. Interestingly, Cur restored motor and behavioral deficiencies, as well as myelination, in demyelinated mice, as indicated by the higher index of luxol fast blue (LFB) and the myelin basic protein (MBP) intensity in the corpus callosum. Conclusions: Curcumin is a potential therapeutic agent that can diminish the MS neuroimmune imbalance and demyelination through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Music appreciation phenotypes in patients with frontotemporal dementia: A pilot study

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) can present with changes in music appreciation. Research has suggested a relationship of altered music appreciation phenotypes with typical socio‐emotional changes. We aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of music appreciation phenotypes in FTD and study the relationship with emotion recognition capacities in order to examine whether they could serve as a proxy for changes in socio‐emotional functioning.
Effect of probiotic fermented camel milk containing Oat milk on hyperglycemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The present study was conducted to evaluate physicochemical, rheological, microbiological, antioxidant and sensory properties of probiotic fermented camel milk made from camel milk mixed with Oat milk. Fermented camel milk was made from camel milk served as a control, and the other treatments were made from camel milk after mixing with 25 and 50 % Oat milk. Results revealed that mixing of camel's milk with Oat milk were more effective in increasing the total solids, protein, ash, fiber , acidity , viscosity, phenolic content and antioxidant activity and these increments were proportional to the mixing ratio. Fermented camel milk containing 50 % Oat milk had the highest scores for sensory properties compared to other fermented camel milk treatments. This blend (fermented camel milk containing 50 % Oat milk) was evaluated as hypoglycaemic agent streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In this respect, twenty four male adult albino rats of Sprague Dawely strain weighing 150- 185 g were divided into 4 groups as follows: Group (1) non-treated non- diabetic rats (negative control). diabetic rats Streptozotocin BW) fermented camel milk (10g/day) by epi gastric tube. Group diabetic rats basal diet these factors, compared to the positive control group (untreated diabetic rats). Also in this study, for the first time, we demonstrated that administration of fermented camel milk containing 50 % Oat milk in diabetic rats resulted in enhanced of blood complications compared to the untreated diabetic group, indicating that fermented camel milk containing 50 % Oat milk can play a preventive role in such patients.