Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empirical models for predicting the production of wild mushrooms in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in the Central Pyrenees

Mushroom picking has become a widespread autumn recreational activity in the Central Pyrenees and other regions of Spain. Predictive models that relate mushroom production or fungal species richness with forest stand and site characteristics are not available. This study used mushroom production data from 24 Scots pine plots over 3 years to develop a predictive model that could facilitate forest management decisions when comparing silvicultural options in terms of mushroom production. Mixed modelling was used to model the dependence of mushroom production on stand and site factors. The results showed that productions were greatest when stand basal area was approximately 20 m2 ha−1. Increasing elevation and northern aspect increased total mushroom production as well as the production of edible and marketed mushrooms. Increasing slope decreased productions. Marketed Lactarius spp. , the most important group collected in the region, showed similar relationships. The annual variation in mushroom production correlated with autumn rainfall. Mushroom species richness was highest when the total production was highest. RésuméLa cueillette de champignons est devenue une activité de loisir très répandue dans les Pyrénées centrales ainsi que dans d’autres régions d’Espagne. Aucun modèle prédictif de production ou de richesse en espèces en fonction des caractéristiques des peuplements et des stations n’est disponible actuellement. La présente étude s’est basée sur des données de récolte de champignons de 24 placettes de pin sylvestre suivies pendant 3 ans pour développer un modèle prédictif pouvant servir de modèle d’aide à la décision pour des opérations de gestion forestière. Un modèle mixte a été mis en œuvre pour analyser les relations entre facteurs stationnels et de peuplement. Les résultats montrent que la production était maximale quand la surface terrière était de l’ordre de 20 m2 ha−1. La production totale ainsi que celle de champignons comestibles et commercialisables augmentaient avec l’altitude et dans les pentes orientées au nord. Le groupe des Lactaires (Lactarius spp.) le plus important champignon commercialisable de la région, présentait des réponses similaires. La variabilité interannuelle de production était étroitement corrélée à celle des pluies automnales. La richesse en espèce était étroitement corrélée à la production totale.
On motion planning of mobile robots which coexist and cooperate with human

In this paper a motion planning method for mobile robots that coexist and cooperate with human beings to avoid collision is proposed. Human motion, which has large uncertainty, is predicted by a motion predictor using a stochastic process model to generate probability distribution maps of human existence. An evaluating function is defined considering the danger of collision and efficiency of trajectories. A genetic algorithm determines the robot trajectory by optimizing the function. This procedure is repeated for each sampling time. The robot moves maintaining high safety against various possible human motion. Simulation results revealed that robots can reach goals avoiding danger along appropriate trajectories and that this method is effective especially for the case where optimal trajectories dynamically vary according to change of human motion.
Efficacy and safety of metformin for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Insulin is an essential therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). With the progression of the disease, many patients with T1DM may have an increased prevalence of insulin resistance; thus the common standard insulin therapy requires a high insulin dosage (>1 unit/kg/day) and is usually associated with many side effects. Studies have shown that metformin may benefit those insulin-resistant individuals with T1DM. This meta-analysis was performed to provide the evidence of clinical efficacy and safety of metformin in T1DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a search on Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for relevant studies published before May 2014 based on "metformin" and "diabetes mellitus, type 1. " The following outcomes were evaluated: hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), lipid metabolism, weight, insulin dosage, hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, or gastrointestinal adverse events (AEs). The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager version 5.2 software (The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark). RESULTS In total, eight randomized controlled trials were included. Metformin was associated with a reduction in daily insulin dosage, body weight, total cholesterol level, low-density lipoprotein level, and high-density lipoprotein level but an increase in risk of gastrointestinal AEs compared with placebo treatment in T1DM patients. No significant difference was found between the metformin group and the placebo group in HbA1c level, FPG level, or triglycerides level. No significant difference was found between the metformin group and the placebo group in the risk of severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis. CONCLUSIONS Metformin may decrease the daily insulin dosage, body weight, and lipid levels in T1DM. However, metformin does not increase the incidence of hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis. High-quality, large-sample, and long-term follow-up clinical trials are needed to confirm these conclusions.
Deterioration in Driving Performance During Sleep Deprivation Is Similar in Professional and Nonprofessional Drivers

Objective: There is some suggestion in the literature that professional drivers might self-select to be more resistant to the effects of sleep deprivation; however, this question has not been directly examined. The current laboratory study aimed to compare performance changes during acute sleep deprivation between professional and nonprofessional drivers. Methods: Twenty volunteer male professional drivers and 20 nonprofessional drivers performed a simulated driving task (AusEd) and the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) during 24 hours of continuous wakefulness. Ratings of subjective sleepiness were also examined. Results: There was a progressive and significant increase in lateral lane position and speed variability on the simulated driving task and an increase in PVT reaction times and lapses after participants had been awake for 17 to 24 hours (Ps < .01). There was no difference in performance changes between the professional and nonprofessional drivers. Conclusions: Professional drivers in this study had the same susceptibility to sleep deprivation as nonprofessional drivers. This finding does not support the concept that professional drivers are resistant to sleep loss.
Duplication of Escherichia coli during inhibition of net phospholipid synthesis

In Escherichia coli BB26-36, the inhibition of net phospholipid synthesis during glycerol starvation affected cell duplication in a manner that was similar in some respects to that observed during the inhibition of protein synthesis. Ongoing rounds of chromosome replication continued, and cells in the D period divided. The initiation of new rounds of chromosome replication and division of cells in the C period were inhibited. Unlike the inhibition of protein synthesis, however, the accumulation of initiation potential in dnaA and dnaC mutants at the nonpermissive temperature was not affected by the inhibition of phospholipid synthesis. Furthermore, proteins synthesized during the inhibition of phospholipid synthesis can be utilized later for division. The results are consistent with a dual requirement for protein and phospholipid synthesis for both the inauguration of new rounds of chromosome replication and the initiation of septum formation. Once initiated, both processes progress to completion independent of continuous phospholipid and protein synthesis.
Short-Term Effects of Smoking Cessation on Blood Antioxidant Parameters and Paraoxonase Activity in Healthy Asymptomatic Long-Term Cigarette Smokers

The aim of this study was to compare short-term effects of smoking cessation on blood oxidant/antioxidant status, cholesterol levels, and paraoxonase activity. Sixteen healthy, asymptomatic long-term cigarette smokers (mean age: 35 ± 9 yr) participated in the study in the smoking cessation program. After and before smoking cessation, subjects were examined for oxidant/antioxidant status, cholesterol level, paraoxonase activity, breath carbon monoxide levels, and blood carboxyhemoglobin values. When compared to previous values, subjects were revealed statistically significant decreases in malondialdehyde and carbon monoxide levels 4 wk after smoking cessation. The ratio of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was found to be increased. Significantly increased to paraoxonase activity was also observed in the bood samples obtained after cigarette cessation period. It was concluded that all these changes observed after smoking cessation might be of importance in the reduction of cardiovascular risk parameters in the smokers.
Investigating Web impact factors of type 1, type 2 and type 3 medical universities in Iran

Investigation of the web impact factor and analysis of the web links belong to webometric studies. A high impact factor, accompanied by more frequent links to a particular website, can indicate greater influence and better accessibility of that particular site. In this regard, bearing in mind the significance of medical universities' web sites for education and research, the current study compared and analyzed their impact factors, their web links and web pages, using AltaVista search engine. The investigation included different ranks of medical universities, commonly referred to as type 1, type 2 and type 3 universities in Iran. The median was used as a measure of central tendency of the scores. The search engines of AltaVista were adopted on 26 February 2010 to collect the data. According to the results, in terms of indexed pages, Shahid Baheshti of type 1, Guilan of type 2, and Shahrekord of type 3 universities had the best records. Regarding web links, medical universities of Iran, Kermanshah and Lorestan, from type 1, type 2 and type 3 universities had the best records and, in terms of impact factor, universities of Ahvaz (type 1), Zahedan (type 2), and Fessa (type 3) manifested the greatest influence. As the results imply, the universities are expected to pay more attention to webometric issues; they are also recommended to allocate more budget to enhance their web pages.
Oxidant‐antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation in generalized vitiligo

Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder of the skin with selective destruction of melanocytes. The pathogenetic mechanisms in vitiligo have not been completely clarified. The aim of our investigation was to evaluate the oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of generalized vitiligo. Twenty‐seven patients with generalized vitiligo and 24 phototype‐, age‐, and sex‐matched healthy controls were included in this study. We analysed serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and serum activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and xanthine oxidase (XO) in the patients with vitiligo and in the controls. We found significantly higher levels of MDA and XO activity (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively), and a significantly lower level of serum SOD activity (P < 0.05) in patients with vitiligo compared with the controls. However, the increase in the level of serum NO was insignificant (P > 0.05). These results suggest that lipid peroxidation of cellular membrane of melanocytes by free radicals may have a significant role in the pathogenesis of generalized vitiligo.
STRUCTURE OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS, METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND PROCESS CONTROL CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS IN PHARMACEUTICAL ANALYSIS (A REVIEW)

The review is devoted to applications of the rapidly developing method of capillary electrophoresis (CE) in pharmaceutical analysis: from the first experience in the analysis of drugs up to the most recent achievements. The general information concerning the CE method is presented and the application of CE techniques to the determination of parent drugs, detection of impurities, enantioselective separation, analysis of vitamins, and stoichiometry evaluation is described. Special attention is focused on the detection of anions and cations in the course of stoichiometric analysis. Numerous practical approaches and potential applications of CE are considered.
On the regulation of bile acid formation in the rat liver.

Summary. 1Bile fistula rats, ranging in weight from 200 to 300 g, were continuously injected into the intestine with 2.6, 5, 7.5, 10 and 15 mg sodium taurochenodesoxycholate (NaTCD) per hour. The excretion of cholic acid was determined, and it was found, that injection of 5–10 mg XaTCD per hour, depending on the weight of the rat, brought about a very appreciable decrease in the formation of cholic acid as compared to non-injected bile fistula rats. In the case of rats weighing approx. 200 g, the values found are of the same order of magnitude as is calculated for the synthesis of cholic acid in the intact rat. 2It is concluded, that the concentration of bile acids supplied to the liver via the portal blood, influences the rate of synthesis of bile acids in the liver.
Quantitative analysis of mycotoxins in cereal foods by collision cell fragmentation-high-resolution mass spectrometry: performance and comparison with triple-stage quadrupole detection

A liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2), ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 and HT-2 toxins in wheat flour, barley flour and crisp bread was developed. Mycotoxin fragmentation patterns obtained by high-energy collision dissociation (HCD) were investigated to obtain quantitative and confirmatory information (two characteristic masses per mycotoxin) using Orbitrap™-based high-resolution mass spectrometry. LC-HRMS (full-scan) detection carried out by HCD allows the monitoring of the pseudo-molecular ion and an additional characteristic fragment (for each mycotoxin) with mass accuracy in the range 0.1–3.9 ppm, meeting current European regulatory requirements for LC-MS confirmatory analysis. A sample preparation procedure based on polymeric solid-phase extraction cartridges was applied, allowing recoveries higher than 74% for nine mycotoxins, with a relative standard deviation lower than 13%. Detection limits in the range 0.5–3.4 µg kg−1 were obtained for three cereal matrices. A critical comparison between the proposed method and a validated method based on triple quadrupole mass spectrometry showed similar performance in terms of detection limits, recoveries and repeatability, and matrix effects. Based on an efficient sample extraction and clean-up, the LC-HCD-HRMS method reported here represents a reliable and robust alternative tool for mycotoxin analysis in food matrices as compared with well-established triple quadrupole-based approaches.
Diffusion tensor imaging using single‐shot SENSE‐EPI

SENSitivity Encoding (SENSE) greatly enhances the quality of diffusion‐weighted echo‐planar imaging (EPI) by reducing blurring and off‐resonance artifacts. Such improvement would also be desirable for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), but measures derived from the diffusion tensor can be extremely sensitive to any kind of image distortion. Whether DTI is feasible in combination with SENSE has not yet been explored, and is the focus of this study. Using a SENSE‐reduction factor of 2, DTI scans in eight healthy volunteers were carried out with regular‐ and high‐resolution acquisition matrices. To further improve the stability of the SENSE reconstruction, a new coil‐sensitivity estimation technique based on variational calculus and the principles of matrix regularization was applied. With SENSE, maps of the trace of the diffusion tensor and of fractional anisotropy (FA) had improved spatial resolution and less geometric distortion. Overall, the geometric distortions were substantially removed and a significant resolution enhancement was achieved with almost the same scan time as regular EPI. DTI was even possible without the use of quadrature body coil (QBC) reference scans. Geometry‐factor‐related noise enhancement was only discernible in maps generated with higher‐resolution matrices. Error boundaries for residual fluctuations in SENSE reconstructions are discussed. Our results suggest that SENSE can be combined with DTI and may present an important adjunct for future neuroimaging applications of this technique. Magn Reson Med 48:128–136, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Joint Beamforming And Power Splitting For Multi-User MISO SWIPT System

This paper considers a multi-user MISO broadcast system for simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT), where multiple receivers receive energy and infor mation simultaneously from the signal broadcast by a base stat ion based on dynamic power splitting (DPS). We aim to minimize the total transmission power by joint beamforming and power splitting under both the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) constraints and energy harvesting (EH) constraints . The joint beamforming and power splitting problem is a nonconvex problem which is complicated by the coupling of transmit beamformers and power splitting ratios. We apply semidefini te relaxation method to the problem and derive a relaxed but convex problem. By dealing with the dual problem of the relaxed problem, we propose a joint beamforming and power splitting algorithm and moreover present some conditions under which the relaxation solution is optimal. Simulation results show that more transmission power can be saved by using dynamic power splitting as compared with using fixed power splitting.
The dual dopamine‐glutamate phenotype of growing mesencephalic neurons regresses in mature rat brain

Coexpression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) mRNAs in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and colocalization of these proteins in axon terminals of the nucleus accumbens (nAcb) have recently been demonstrated in immature (15‐day‐old) rat. After neonatal 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) lesion, the proportion of VTA neurons expressing both mRNAs and of nAcb terminals displaying the two proteins was enhanced. To determine the fate of this dual phenotype in adults, double in situ hybridization and dual immunolabeling for TH and VGLUT2 were performed in 90‐day‐old rats subjected or not to the neonatal 6‐OHDA lesion. Very few neurons expressed both mRNAs in the VTA and substantia nigra (SN) of P90 rats, even after neonatal 6‐OHDA. Dually immunolabeled terminals were no longer found in the nAcb of normal P90 rats and were exceedingly rare in the nAcb of 6‐OHDA‐lesioned rats, although they had represented 28% and 37% of all TH terminals at P15. Similarly, 17% of all TH terminals in normal neostriatum and 46% in the dopamine neoinnervation of SN in 6‐OHDA‐lesioned rats were also immunoreactive for VGLUT2 at P15, but none at P90. In these three regions, all dually labeled terminals made synapse, in contradistinction to those immunolabeled for only TH or VGLUT2 at P15. These results suggest a regression of the VGLUT2 phenotype of dopamine neurons with age, following normal development, lesion, or sprouting after injury, and a role for glutamate in the establishment of synapses by these neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 517:873–891, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Modelling the mosaic organization of rod and cone photoreceptors with a minimal‐spacing rule

The mosaic of photoreceptors is regarded as a prime example of the precise control of cellular positioning in the vertebrate nervous system. This study was undertaken with the idea that understanding the intrinsic geometrical features of photoreceptor mosaics is a necessary step to unveil the biological mechanisms governing their formation. We show in the retina of the ground squirrel that the arrays of both the rods and S cones are non‐random, but that nothing more than a simple minimal‐spacing rule constraining receptor positioning is sufficient to account for the spatial organization of both mosaics. The size of this ‘exclusion zone’ is an intrinsic characteristic of each cell type, and it is simply the difference in the size of this domain that accounts for the regularity of the S cone array and the irregularity of the rod array at identical density. Consequently, regularity in receptor mosaics is produced by two independent biological events, one embodying the exclusion zone, and another specifying the local density of a given receptor type.
Asthma Control Test (ACT): Comparison with Clinical, Functional, and Biological Markers of Asthma Control

Background. Asthma Control Test (ACT) is a simple tool for assessing the level of asthma control in clinical practice, and it has been validated in comparison with a general clinical assessment of asthma control, including forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1). Objective. To evaluate the relationship between ACT score and clinical and functional findings of asthma control and biomarkers of airway inflammation. Methods. A total of 68 asthmatic patients observed in our asthma clinic (33 regularly treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and 35 ICS-naïve) filled ACT questionnaire and underwent the following measurements: (a) FEV1 before and after salbutamol; (b) exhaled nitric oxide; (c) bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine; (d) sputum eosinophil count; and (e) daytime and nighttime symptoms, rescue salbutamol, and twice-daily peak expiratory flow (PEF) recording on a 4-week diary card. Results. ACT score significantly correlated with symptom score, rescue medication use, and PEF variability, but not with FEV1, FEV1 reversibility, and markers of airway inflammation, which could not distinguish controlled from uncontrolled patients according to ACT, regardless of ICS treatment. Conclusion. ACT score is a valid tool to simply assess the current level of asthma control in terms of symptoms, rescue medication use, and PEF variability. Pulmonary function and biomarkers of airway inflammation are not related to the clinical asthma control as assessed by ACT and may represent additional measurements potentially useful in asthma management.
Modified mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MMFCC) in robust text-dependent speaker identification

In this paper a new approach in close-set speaker identification has been presented. The traditional melfrequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC) feature has been modified and it's name was given modified MFCC (MMFCC). Text-dependent dataset has been used to test the presented method's speaker identification rate. The speaker identification rate of the presented study was estimated in both clean and contaminated conditions. Four types of noises were added to clean signal to get noisy signals for a limit of signal to noise ratios (SNRs) from −5dB to 10 dB. Moreover, the obtained performance was compared with the performance of the traditional features like MFCC- and Gammatone frequency cepstral coefficient (GFCC)-based methods. The evaluated results showed the proposed method achieves significant improved performance over conventional MFCC- and GFCC-based methods performance under noisy conditions.
Purification and Characterization of a Dimethoate-Degrading Enzyme of Aspergillus niger ZHY256, Isolated from Sewage

ABSTRACT A dimethoate-degrading enzyme from Aspergillus nigerZHY256 was purified to homogeneity with a specific activity of 227.6 U/mg of protein. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 66 kDa by gel filtration and 67 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The isoelectric point was found to be 5.4, and the enzyme activity was optimal at 50°C and pH 7.0. The activity was inhibited by most of the metal ions and reagents, while it was induced by Cu2+. The Michaelis constant (Km) andVmax for dimethoate were 1.25 mM and 292 μmol min−1 mg of protein−1, respectively.