Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Curculigoside attenuates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore

The aim of the present study was to determine whether curculigoside protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. An in vitro model of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) was established by culturing H9c2 cells under hypoxic conditions for 12 h, followed by reoxygenation for 1 h. Cell Counting kit-8 and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays were subsequently used to examine cell viability and the degree of cell injury. In addition, isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30 min of ischemia followed by 1 h of reperfusion to establish a MIRI model. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was performed to measure the infarct size. Furthermore, TUNEL staining and flow cytometry were employed to evaluate cell apoptosis. The opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) and changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were assessed. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis were performed to investigate the expression levels of mitochondrial apoptosis-related proteins. Curculigoside pre-treatment significantly improved cell viability, decreased cell apoptosis and LDH activity, and reduced the infarct size and myocardial apoptosis in vitro and ex vivo, respectively. Moreover, curculigoside markedly inhibited MPTP opening and preserved the ΔΨm. In addition, curculigoside significantly decreased the expression of cytochrome c, apoptotic protease activating factor-1, cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3. Notably, atractyloside, a known MPTP opener, abrogated the protective effects of curculigoside. On the whole, the present study demonstrated that curculigoside protected against MIRI, potentially by decreasing the levels of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis via the inhibition of MPTP opening. Therefore, the results obtained in the present study may provide the theoretical basis for the future clinical application of curculigoside.
Application of Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing Methods in Image Adaptive Processing

: Image Adaptive Processing is a Key Part of Image Processing. Based on the Rapid Development of Information Technology Such as the Internet, Technologies in the Field of Artificial Intelligence Such as Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing Technologies. They Play an Increasingly Important Role in Image Adaptive Processing and Have Attracted Widespread Attention. However, the Operation of Artificial Intelligence Technology Requires High Programming and Working Ability. This Paper Mainly Studies and Explains the Specific Application of These Two Technical Operation Methods and Related Precautions, and Provides Some Insights for the Application of Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing Methods in Image Adaptive Processing. At the Same Time, a Low Illumination Image Adaptive Enhancement Algorithm is Proposed.
The Effects of Trust on Policyholders’ Purchase Intentions in an Online Insurance Platform

ABSTRACT This study investigates the three dimensions of trust belief on policyholders’ purchase intentions in a third-party online insurance platform. Extending existing studies, we further explore the antecedent factors of trust. We collected 332 samples from the insurance platform Zuihuibao. The results show that two dimensions of trust belief, ability and integrity, can significantly affect policyholders’ purchase intentions. Additionally, reputation, system quality, cooperation, financial risk and benefit serve as crucial antecedent factors that affect policyholders’ trust beliefs. The theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed based upon the findings.
Effect of the inoculation strategy of non-Saccharomyces yeasts on wine malolactic fermentation

Interest in some non-Saccharomyces yeasts has increased recently, because they have been associated with an improvement in wine quality. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the effect that the use of these yeasts may have on malolactic fermentation (MLF). In this study, the strains Torulaspora delbrueckii Biodiva and Metschnikowia pulcherrima Flavia were evaluated by co-inoculation and sequential fermentation with S. cerevisiae QA23. A fermentation with S. cerevisiae as a single starter was also performed as a control, then MLF was performed inoculating Oenococcus oeni PSU-1 in all wines. Finally, the wines obtained after alcoholic fermentation and MLF were characterised. The results of the coinoculated fermentations were similar to those of the S. cerevisiae control fermentations. Nevertheless, significant differences were observed in sequential fermentations in terms of lower content of acetic, L-malic and succinic acids. These differences were particularly noticeable in fermentations carried out with T. delbrueckii.
Data Mining on Prediction of Crime and Legal Judgements: A State of an Art

Information extraction and analysis on legal documents are the core research aspects lying in the stream of applying machine learning in jurisprudence. In the real world of lawsuits, the judgements consist of number of subtasks that are to be viewed in phenomenal form. In this paper a detailed analysis on data mining techniques that are applied on bother prediction of crime and decision-making process using the knowledge extracted from legal documents. The core intension of the paper is to list out the data mining mechanisms that were proposed for dealing the factor of judgement analysis.
Sediment type and the clonal size greatly affect the asexual reproduction, productivity, and nutrient absorption of Vallisneria natans

Most aquatic vegetation restorations involve the transplantation of submerged macrophytes. Sediment type and the clonal size are of great significance as they determine the fate of submerged macrophytes. In order to ensure successful restoration, a simulation experiment was conducted using aquarium mesocosms to investigate the response of stolon propagation capacity, the morphological features and productivity of Vallisneria natans for four types of sediment (lake mud [L], lake mud + sand [L + S, 50:50, v/v mixture], sand [S], clay [C]), and three types of clonal sizes. Results showed that sediment types significantly affected V. natans biomass accumulation, stolon propagation ability, ramet morphological characteristics, and productivity, where the asexual reproduction ability and productivity ranked as L > L + S > S > C in four sediment types. Total biomass, maximum net production, number of ramets, root diameter, number of stolons, and stolon propagation rate were all highest in L. In L and L + S, the plant chlorophyll content was higher than in S and C. The root diameter and the ratio of aboveground/underground biomass in S were the smallest among the four sediments. Moreover, when more V. natans seedlings were linked, more ramets and biomass were produced. The stolon propagation rate was ranked as the stolon with single seedling greater than the stolon with two‐linked seedlings greater than the stolon with three‐linked seedlings in L and L + S. The concentration of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and NO3−‐N in water was remarkably reduced in four aquariums. Findings provide a scientific basis for restoring submerged macrophytes in different sediment settings.
Justification of Sustainable Investment by the Management Theories of Sustainable Goal Setting and Stakeholder

Shifting societal understanding of sustainability can be tied to the potential of long-term growth of a company. This is reflected in the organization’s approach to sustainable investment and its management. Mostly, sustainable investment is based on the theories of economics and there is no clear consensus regarding the justification of sustainable investment by the theories of management.The purpose of this paper is to justify the benefits of sustainable investment for organizations by the two theories of management (modern and classic): Sustainable goal setting and Stakeholder theory. Those two theories have been chosen because they are believed to better correspond with the principles of sustainable investment.The question of the research is how to justify sustainable investment by Sustainable goal setting and Stakeholder theories. The aim of the research is to justify sustainable investment by Sustainable goal setting and Stakeholder theories.It has been found out that Sustainable goal setting theory and Stakeholder theory are related, overlapping and equally important in sustainable investment.
Hydrodynamic analysis of an axial impeller in a non‐Newtonian fluid through particle image velocimetry

The rheology of non-Newtonian fluids in agitated vessels is complex making equipment sizing more an art than a science. To increase our understanding and to resolve the data gap for computational fluid dynamics validation, we present a detailed particle image velocimetry study of the hydrodynamics of Carbopol encountered in a 70 L mechanically mixed (A310) tank at three different rotational speeds (100, 250, 500 rpm). Bulk flow visualizations show that the flow field below the impeller is highly influenced by the rheological behavior of the fluid. Moreover, an analysis of the shear rate and viscosity revealed important spatial heterogeneities. An estimation of the Reynolds number classified the rotational speeds as the onset of the transitional regime (100), in the transitional regime (250) and turbulent conditions (500 rpm). This data set consists of local mean and fluctuating velocities at different locations below the impeller, which are available for validation and further study.
Physiological and genomic analysis of “Candidatus Nitrosocosmicus agrestis”, an ammonia tolerant ammonia-oxidizing archaeon from vegetable soil

The presences of ammonia tolerant ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in environments are always underestimated and their adaption to complex habitats has also rarely been reported. Here we present the physiological and genomic characteristics of an ammonia tolerant soil AOA strain Candidatus Nitrosocosmicus agrestis. This strain was able to form aggregates and adhere on the surface of hydrophobic matrix. Ammonia-oxidizing activities were still observed at 200 mM NH4+ (> 1500 μM of free ammonia) and 50 mM NO2-. Urea could be used as sole energy source but exogenous organics had no significant effect on the ammonia oxidation. Besides the genes involving in ammonia oxidation, carbon fixation and urea hydrolysis, the genome also encodes a full set of genes (GTs, GHs, CEs, MOP, LPSE, etc) that responsible for polysaccharide metabolism and secretion, suggesting the potential production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Moreover, a pathway connecting urea cycle, polyamines synthesis and excretion was identified in the genome, which indicates the NH4+ in cytoplasm could potentially be converted into polyamines and excreted out of cell, and then contributes to the high ammonia tolerance. Genes encoding the cytoplasmic carbonic anhydrase and putative polyamine exporter are unique in Ca. Nitrosocosmicus agrestis or the genus Ca. Nitrosocosmicus, suggesting the prevalence of ammonia tolerance in this clade. The proposed mechanism of ammonia tolerance via polyamines synthesis and export was verified by using transcriptional gene regulation and polyamines determination. IMPORTANCE AOA are ubiquitous in different environments and play a major role in nitrification. Though AOA have higher affinities for ammonia, their maximum specific cell activity and ammonia tolerance are usually much lower than AOB, resulting in low contribution to the global ammonia oxidation and N2O production. However, in some agricultural soils, the AOA activity would not be suppressed by the fertilization with high concentration of ammonium nitrogen, suggesting the presence of some ammonia tolerant species. This study provides some physiological and genomic characteristics for an ammonia tolerant soil AOA strain Ca. Nitrosocosmicus agrestis and proposes some mechanisms of this AOA adapting to a variety of environments and tolerating to high ammonia. Ammonia tolerance of AOA was always underestimated in many previous studies, physiological and genomic analyses of this AOA clade are benefit to uncover the role of AOA playing in global environmental patterns.
K-NEAREST NEIGHBORS METHOD FOR PREDICTION OF FUEL CONSUMPTION IN TRACTOR-CHISEL PLOW SYSTEMS

Most important farm operations require a significant amount of energy, and this consumes a major portion of the farm’s budget. Consequently, analyzing the fuel consumption of agricultural machinery for farm operations of different sizes makes it possible to predict fuel consumption to set an appropriate budget for energy. The main purpose of this study was to determine the ability of the k-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm to predict the fuel consumption of tractor–chisel plow systems correctly. A training-set design of 139 points of 173 data points obtained from the literature was utilized, and the remaining 34 data points were applied as a test set. The input parameters were tractor power, plowing width, depth and speed of plowing, soil percentages of sand, silt, and clay, initial soil moisture content, and initial soil bulk density. The predictive power of the KNN method was compared with that of multiple linear regression (MLR), and experimental data were used to determine the predictive power of both methods. The KNN method generated better results than the multiple linear regression method. The test dataset correlation coefficients were 0.817 for the KNN (k = 2) method and 0.422 for the multiple linear regression method. This study suggests that the KNN method with k = 2 (two nearest neighbors) is suitable for estimating the fuel consumption of tractor–chisel plow systems for input values within the studied range.
A New Look at the Causes of Heart Failure at Old Age

Most of the time, researchers in different fields of Science develop certain ideas or conceptions For some time these conceptions exist separately, but from time to time something happens, and these separate ideas, like small parts of a complex puzzle, begin to fell into much larger Scientific picture. In this brief review we make an attempt to bind together recently published new data regarding age-associated mutations of mtDNA, roles of mitochondrial phospholipids cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PEA) in mitochondrial functions, oxidation of fatty acids in the heart’s energy metabolism and in oxidative stress, for better understanding of the mechanisms of aging and age-associated heart diseases. We came to conclusion that increased β-oxidation of fatty acids in people at the ages after 50 60 accelerates production of perhydroxyl radical, which activates in the heart the nonenzymatic autoxidation of CL and PEA and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Autooxidation of PUFA produces a racemic mixture of hundreds of toxic molecules that gradually make mitochondria dysfunctional. Due to a large redundancy of mitochondrial enzymes these widely variable harms remain unnoticed for a long time. We conclude that not mutated mtDNA, but slowly accumulating dysfunctions cause wear and tear of the heart.
Performance engineering for real and complex tall & skinny matrix multiplication kernels on GPUs

General matrix-matrix multiplications with double-precision real and complex entries (DGEMM and ZGEMM) in vendor-supplied BLAS libraries are best optimized for square matrices but often show bad performance for tall & skinny matrices, which are much taller than wide. NVIDIA’s current CUBLAS implementation delivers only a fraction of the potential performance as indicated by the roofline model in this case. We describe the challenges and key characteristics of an implementation that can achieve close to optimal performance. We further evaluate different strategies of parallelization and thread distribution and devise a flexible, configurable mapping scheme. To ensure flexibility and allow for highly tailored implementations we use code generation combined with autotuning. For a large range of matrix sizes in the domain of interest we achieve at least 2/3 of the roofline performance and often substantially outperform state-of-the art CUBLAS results on an NVIDIA Volta GPGPU.
Relative Permeability of Porous Media with Nonuniform Pores

Most classical predictive models of relative permeability conceptualize the pores in porous media as assemblies of uniform capillary tubes with different sizes. However, this simplification may overestimate the transport capacity of porous media due to overlooking the effects of the pore nonuniformity. This study presents a simple way to quantify the effect of the nonuniformity of pore cross section on the transport characteristic of unsaturated porous media. The way is based on the index relationship between the porosity of a newly defined reference cross section and that of porous media, which satisfies the intrinsic constraints for the nonuniform porosity of cross sections in porous media. Moreover, the index factor can be captured by a newly defined parameter, called the nonuniformity factor, which is used to establish an extended Darcy’s law. Based on these, a fractal-based continuous analytical model and a fractal-based Monte Carlo model of relative permeability as well as a permeability-porosity model are established. Experimental data of five wetting-nonwetting phase systems, including the water-air, water-steam, water-nitrogen, water-oil, and oil-gas systems, are selected to assess the performance of the proposed model. The results confirm the proposed model’s capacity in capturing the transport properties of various porous media. It is found that the nonuniformity of pores can significantly increase the resistance of fluid flow and thus reduce the transport capacity of porous media.
Low iron-induced small RNA BrrF regulates central metabolism and oxidative stress responses in Burkholderia cenocepacia

BrrF is a Fur-regulated small RNA highly upregulated in Burkholderia cenocepacia under conditions of iron depletion. Its computationally predicted targets include iron-containing enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle such as aconitase and succinate dehydrogenase, as well as iron-containing enzymes responsible for the oxidative stress response, such as superoxide dismutase and catalase. Phenotypic and gene expression analysis of BrrF deletion and overexpression mutants show that the regulation of these genes is BrrF-dependent. Expression of acnA, fumA, sdhA and sdhC was downregulated during iron depletion in the wild type strain, but not in a BrrF deletion mutant. TCA cycle genes not predicted as target for BrrF were not affected in the same manner by iron depletion. Likewise, expression of sodB and katB was dowregulated during iron depletion in the wild type strain, but not in a BrrF deletion mutant. BrrF overexpression reduced aconitase and superoxide dismutase activities and increased sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide. All phenotypes and gene expression changes of the BrrF deletion mutant could be complemented by overexpressing BrrF in trans. Overall, BrrF acts as a regulator of central metabolism and oxidative stress response, possibly as an iron-sparing measure to maintain iron homeostasis under conditions of iron starvation. Importance Regulatory small RNAs play an essential role in maintaining cell homeostasis in bacteria in response to environmental stresses such as iron starvation. Prokaryotes generally encode a large number of RNA regulators, yet their identification and characterisation is still in its infancy for most bacterial species. Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic pathogen with high innate antimicrobial resistance, which can cause the often fatal cepacia syndrome in individuals with cystic fibrosis. In this study we characterise a small RNA which is involved in the response to iron starvation, a condition that pathogenic bacteria are likely to encounter in the host.
The role of endoscopic surgery in the treatment of painful conditions of an aging spine: State of the art

Endoscopic spine surgeons bridge the major gap between fusion-oriented spinal surgeons and pain management physicians. Current surgical philosophy by traditionally trained spinal surgeons focuses on decompression with or without fusion as the “ultimate cure” for a painful spinal segment, while pain management uses spinal injections and techniques such as peripheral nerve and spinal cord neuro-modulation to relieve pain. Endoscopic surgery is the least invasive of current minimally invasive surgical options-focuses on treating the patho-anatomy of the pain generator. This represents a path between traditional open decompression with or without fusion and the more temporary techniques of pain management.
Stable Ln-MOFs as multi-responsive photoluminescence sensors for the sensitive sensing of Fe3+, Cr2O72−, and nitrofuran

Two families of lanthanide(III) metal–organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) constructed from a 2-(4-pyridyl)-terephthalic acid (H2pta) ligand, namely [Ln4(pta)5(Hpta)2(H2O)4]·xH2O (1-Eu, 2-Gd) and [Ln(Hpta)(C2O4)]·3H2O (3-Tb, 4-Dy, 5-Er and 6-Ho) (C2O4 = oxalic acid), have been discovered using the solvothermal method. On the basis of thermodiffractometry, all MOFs retain their crystallinity and main structure below 370 °C. Utilizing their excellent water stability and chemical stability, luminescence studies have been carried out. Notably, the Eu-metal organic framework (MOF) and Tb-MOF demonstrate pronounced luminescence, as well as high stability in water and other organic solvents. The luminescence explorations reveal that the Eu-MOF possesses good selectivity for testing Fe3+ in the aqueous phase via fluorescence quenching, while the Tb-MOF behaves as a multifunctional chemical sensor for the detection of Fe3+ cations and Cr2O72− anions in aqueous media and the recognition of nitrofuran (NIF) in DMF solvent. The recyclability and stability of Eu-MOF and Tb-MOF after the sensing experiments were observed to be adequate. By virtue of the superior stability, detection efficiency, applicability and reusability, Eu-MOF and Tb-MOF could be promising fluorescent materials for practical sensing applications.
Redesigning a Pharmacology Course to Promote Active Learning

Objective. To incorporate active-learning sessions into a lecture-based pharmacology course, assess the impact on student learning and attitudes, and address commonly perceived barriers to implementing active learning. Methods. Prior to the redesign, the course met twice a week for 75 minutes. As part of the redesign, the two weekly lecture sessions were reduced to 50 minutes each. Additionally, students were assigned to one of three sections that met separately once a week for a 50-minute recitation session in which they applied course concepts to cases, problems, and situations. Data from the two years before the redesign and two years after it were assessed. Results. Students’ average course grade increased 2.5% after the redesign. Average ratings of the course and instructor on student evaluations each increased significantly (around 0.3 points on a 5-point scale). Conclusion. Student knowledge and performance in a pharmacology course increased when a portion of the time previously devoted to lecture was replaced with an active-learning session. This experience can serve as a blueprint for how to convert a lecture-only course into a hybrid lecture and recitation model.
Textes fondateurs de l'ostéopathie dans le champ crânien

Broche, 334 pages - Format : 200 x 270 mm - ISBN : 978-2911074424 - Prix : 50 € Traduction : Henri O. Louwette, DO. MRO (F) Descriptif "Tout ce qui n'est pas transmis est perdu. " C'est avec cet esprit de partage du savoir que cet ouvrage reunit les textes fondateurs de l'osteopathie dans le champ crânien. Pris separement, chacun de ces ecrits presentait deja un interet majeur pour la publication mais, assembles et annotes, ils se reinscrivent dans leur conception dynamique initiale et installent des (.)