Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polyaniline nanofibers as a new gamma radiation stabilizer agent for PMMA

Polyanilines are reported to exhibit stabilizing effects in rubber mixtures submitted to gamma-irradiation and thermo-oxidative treatment. Such abilities may be explained by their action as radical scavengers. Since radical formation followed by main chain scission is a widely accepted mechanism for radiolytic degradation of PMMA, polyaniline is a promising additive for commercial plastics submitted to radiosterilization processing. In this work, we investigated the ability of polyaniline emeraldine salt nanofibers (PANF-HCl) in preventing radiation damage on PMMA matrix. Effects of gamma-irradiation on PMMA/PANF-HCl composites films were assessed by comparison of the variation of viscosityaverage molar mass (Mv) of PMMA at 25 kGy dose when compared to commercial PMMA films. Samples containing 0.15% PANF-HCl (wt/wt) retained 92% of the initial Mv after irradiation while control sample presented 42% of Mv retention. When exposed to 60–200 kGy doses, PANF-HCl embedded into PMMA matrix preserved their oxidation state but started to exhibit mild deprotonation. PANF-HCl nanofibers were characterized by Diffuse Reflection Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). PMMA/PANF-HCl composites films were characterized by SEM and UV-VIS spectroscopy.
Towards Detecting Crop Diseases and Pest by Supervised Learning

The climate change has caused threats to agricultural production; the extremes of temperature and humidity, and other abiotic stresses are contributing factors to the etiology of disease and pest on crops. About the matter, recent research efforts have focused on predicting disease and pest crops using computer science techniques such as supervised learning algorithms. Therefore in this paper, we present an overview of supervised learning algorithms commonly used in agriculture for the detection of pests and diseases in crops such as corn, rice, coffee, mango, peanut, and tomato, among others, with the aim of selecting the algorithms that give the best performance for the agricultural sector.
Characterizing Influence Factors Affecting Emotion Diffusion in Facebook

Previous studies have claimed that emotion can be transferred from one person to another via social media. As emotion is crucial to one's ability to adjust to the challenges of daily life and affect our relationship with others, this paper aims to characterize the factors influencing the diffusion of emotion in Facebook by using the Independent-Cascade diffusion model describing the diffusion of emotion in Facebook user's status messages and by using Multi- Regression analysis in analyzing the results of the diffusion model. The final results show that there is a significant relationship between the similarity rate of users and the diffusion rate in an emotion diffusion process. Thus, a regression equation with a similarity variable is formulated. The resulting regression equation is Dr�=�0.061�+�0.518S where DristhediffusionrateandSisthesimilarityrateofa� diffusionprocess. This equation may also be useful in investigating interpersonal communication in terms of emotion diffusion between lovers, parents and children, and other relationships we can find in Facebook. Moreover, results of this study can help viral marketers find clues on how to spread positive sentiments from their customers effectively on the internet.
Where to Cross Over? Defining Crossover Sites in Plants

It is believed that recombination in meiosis serves to reshuffle genetic material from both parents to increase genetic variation in the progeny. At the same time, the number of crossovers is usually kept at a very low level. As a consequence, many organisms need to make the best possible use from the one or two crossovers that occur per chromosome in meiosis. From this perspective, the decision of where to allocate rare crossover events becomes an important issue, especially in self-pollinating plant species, which experience limited variation due to inbreeding. However, the freedom in crossover allocation is significantly limited by other, genetic and non-genetic factors, including chromatin structure. Here we summarize recent progress in our understanding of those processes with a special emphasis on plant genomes. First, we focus on factors which influence the distribution of recombination initiation sites and discuss their effects at both, the single hotspot level and at the chromosome scale. We also briefly explain the aspects of hotspot evolution and their regulation. Next, we analyze how recombination initiation sites translate into the development of crossovers and their location. Moreover, we provide an overview of the sequence polymorphism impact on crossover formation and chromosomal distribution.
Tumor-infiltrating Immune Cells in H&E-stained Sections of Colorectal Cancer Tissue as a Reasonable Immunological Biomarker

Background: The density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has been reported to reflect the antitumor immune status, and many reports have shown that tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and total T-lymphocytes may be strong prognostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer. We previously reported that the density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections may be an easily available prognostic biomarker. However, it remains unclear whether the density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections accurately reflects the antitumor immune status. Patients and Methods: A total of 308 patients who underwent curative resection for stage II/III colorectal cancer were enrolled. The density of both tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subsets was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results: The density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections was significantly and positively correlated with that of tumor-infiltrating CD4+/CD8+/total T-lymphocytes. Conclusion: The density of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in H&E-stained sections may be a reasonable immunological biomarker.
MECHANISMS OF ENDOTOXIN TOLERANCE

Bacterial endotoxins were administered by continuous intravenous infusions at constant rates to normal man and rabbits. An initial progressive febrile reaction was followed by progressive defervescence to baseline. The resulting pyrogenic refractory state was characterized as follows: (a) reticuloendothelial blockade with thorotrast neither prevented nor reversed its course; (b) passive transfer was unsuccessful with refractory phase plasma; (c) infusions of normal plasma or fresh whole blood failed to restore responsiveness; (d) a minimum of 4 hours of continuous endotoxin infusion was required for full development of unresponsiveness; (e) circulating antibody titers to endotoxin remained unaltered; (f) peripheral leukocytosis appeared; (g) infusion of febrile phase plasma reevoked an immediate, monophasic fever; (h) endotoxinemia could be demonstrated by pyrogen bioassay; (i) 10-fold increases in endotoxin infusion rates reevoked fever; (j) impaired responsiveness extended to heterologous endotoxins; (k) dermal inflammatory responses to endotoxin were suppressed in man while tuberculin reactivity remained unimpaired; dermal inflammatory responses to endotoxin were enhanced in rabbits; and (l) pyrogenic reactivity to endotoxin reappeared within 24 hours in man; refractoriness persisted in rabbits. It is concluded that the pyrogenic refractory state reflects an inability of the host to continue to mobilize endogenous pyrogen during sustained endotoxinemia. Such observations, together with previous studies, are consistent with two distinct immunologic mechanisms of resistance to endotoxin pyrogenicity: (a) desensitization at the cellular level; and (b) elaboration of circulating antibodies which assist reticuloendothelial clearance and destruction of endotoxin. Whereas both such mechanisms may contribute to pyrogenic tolerance, the characteristics of the pyrogenic refractory state suggest the participation only of the former.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activity of Novel Myricetin Derivatives Containing Amide, Thioether, and 1,3,4-Thiadiazole Moieties

A series of myricetin derivatives containing amide, thioether, and 1,3,4-thiadiazole moieties were designed and synthesized, and their antiviral and antibacterial activities were assessed. The bioassays showed that all the title compounds exhibited potent in vitro antibacterial activities against Xanthomonas citri (Xac), Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs), and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae (Xoo). In particular, the compounds 5a, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, and 5l, with EC50 values of 11.5–27.3 μg/mL, showed potent antibacterial activity against Xac that was better than the commercial bactericides Bismerthiazol (34.7 μg/mL) and Thiodiazole copper (41.1% μg/mL). Moreover, the in vivo antiviral activities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) of the target compounds were also tested. Among these compounds, the curative, protection, and inactivation activities of 5g were 49.9, 52.9, and 73.3%, respectively, which were better than that of the commercial antiviral Ribavirin (40.6, 51.1, and 71.1%, respectively). This study demonstrates that myricetin derivatives bearing amide, thioether, and 1,3,4-thiadiazole moieties can serve as potential alternative templates for the development of novel, highly efficient inhibitors against plant pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
Sublethal Effects of Solanum nigrum Fruit Extract and Its Pure Glycoalkaloids on the Physiology of Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm)

Background: Solanaceae plants produce glycoalkaloids (GAs) that affect various physiological processes of herbivorous insects and they are being tested as potential alternatives for synthetic pesticides. They cause lethal and sublethal effects. Nevertheless, their mode of action remains unclear. Therefore, we examined the effects of Solanum nigrum fruit extracts and pure glycoalkaloids on a model beetle, Tenebrio molitor. Methods: Plant extracts or pure alkaloids were added to the food of the larvae for three days. The lipid, glycogen, and protein content in the fat body and the midgut were determined, and the contractility of the heart, hindgut, and oviduct muscles was tested using the video-microscopy technique. Finally, the ultrastructure of the fat body and the midgut was observed using electron microscopy. Results: No lethal effects were noted. Sublethal changes were observed in the content of biomolecules, malformations of organelles, chromatin condensation, and heart and oviduct contractility. The observed effects differed between the tested glycoalkaloids and the extract. Conclusions: Both the extract and pure GAs have a wide range of effects that may result in impaired development, food intake, and reproduction. Some early effects may be used as bioindicators of stress. The effects of the extract and pure alkaloids suggest that the substances produced by the plant may act additively or synergistically.
Behaviour change interventions for the management of Raynaud’s phenomenon: a systematic literature review

Objectives Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) is a significant cause of morbidity. Vasodilator medications cause unwanted adverse effects, with behavioural and lifestyle changes forming the mainstay of self-management; this is difficult to implement successfully. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of behaviour change interventions for RP and identify learning points for future treatment development. Design Systematic literature review and narrative synthesis of findings. Data sources EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane and PsycINFO were searched for eligible studies on 22 August 2017. Eligibility criteria Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of behaviour change interventions with at least one control comparator arm. Data extraction and synthesis Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias were assessed independently by two reviewers, reaching consensus with a third when necessary. Primary outcomes of interest included severity/impact, frequency and duration of RP episodes, pain, disability, adverse events and study withdrawal. Results Of 638 articles retrieved, eight studies fulfilled criteria for inclusion. Biofeedback was the active behaviour change treatment arm for seven studies, with one study reporting a behavioural intervention. Studies were published 1978–2002; six were USA-based studies, one German and one Swedish. Using Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment, studies were assessed to be overall at high risk of bias, with the exception of one large RCT. The total sample included 495 participants (study median=29), with a median age of 39.5 years and preponderance towards females (73%). Five studies reported significant effects in primary outcomes of interest; however, due to missing data, relative efficacy of interventions could not be reliably assessed. Conclusions There is no evidence to support or refute claims of the efficacy of behaviour change interventions for the management of RP. There remains a strong case for developing and testing behaviour change interventions that focus on self-management; however, theoretical development and advancement in trial quality is imperative to underpin future work. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017049643.
High fidelity sky models

Light sources are an important part of physically-based rendering when accurate imagery is required. High-fidelity models of sky illumination are essential when virtual environments are illuminated via the sky as is commonplace in most outdoor scenarios. The complex nature of sky lighting makes it difficult to accurately model real life skies. The current solutions to sky illumination can be analytically based and are computationally expensive for complex models, or based on captured data. Such captured data is impractical to capture and difficult to use due to temporally inconsistencies in the captured content. This thesis enhances the state-of-the-art in sky lighting by addressing these problems via novel sky illumination methods that are accurate, practical and flexible. This thesis presents two novel sky illumination methods where; the first of which focuses on clear sky lighting and the second one deals with illumination from cloudy skies. The first approach compactly and efficiently represents sky illumination from both existing analytic sky models and from captured environment maps. For analytic models, the approach leads to a low, constant runtime cost for evaluating lighting. When applied to environment maps, this approach approximates the captured lighting at a significantly reduced memory cost, and enables smooth transitions of sky lighting to be created from a small set of environment maps captured at discrete times of day. This makes capture and rendering of real world sky illumination a practical proposition. Results demonstrate less than 4% loss of accuracy compared to ground truth data. The straightforward implementation makes it possible to compute skies at sub milliseconds times on modest GPUs. The second approach focuses on modelling of clouds from whole sky HDR images by using classification and optimisation techniques. This method pre-classifies the input image according to the cloud types of the pixels which improves both the duration and accuracy of the optimisation. The classification process itself compares well with similar processes from meteorological science and classifies whole images with 97% accuracy and individual pixels with an 80% accuracy. The method can be applied to any cloud type as soon as the optical properties are known. When combined with artificial sky lighting models consisting of arbitrary sun position to relight the extracted cloud model any day time simulations can be obtained based on the original single capture. Results for this method demonstrate a performance of 90% accuracy for fully digitally generated environment maps constructed from a single captured environment map when compared with the original capture.
The reliability of evaluating conversations between people with traumatic brain injury and their communication partners via videoconferencing

ABSTRACT There is growing interest in using telehealth to work with people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study investigated whether established rating scales for evaluating conversations of people with TBI are reliable for use over videoconferencing. Nineteen participants with TBI and their communication partners completed two conversation samples during both in-person (IP) and videoconferencing-based (VC) assessment, with randomised order of assessment. Independent clinicians evaluated the conversations using the Adapted Measure of Participation in Conversation (MPC), the Adapted Measure of Support in Conversation (MSC) and the Global Impression scales. Comparisons between IP and VC ratings identified no significant differences on the MPC, MSC, and four out of five of the Global Impression scales. There was a significant difference between IP and VC recordings for “Task Completion” (p = .047), with participants performing significantly better in VC ratings. Inter-rater reliability was fair to excellent for the MPC and Global Impression scales for both IP and VC recordings. For the MSC scale, inter-rater reliability was poor to excellent. This study confirms the potential for using videoconferencing for evaluating conversations of people with TBI. Further development of training and rating procedures for these scales could facilitate more frequent and reliable use of these measures.
In vitro and in silico assessment of the developability of a designed monoclonal antibody library

ABSTRACT Despite major advances in antibody discovery technologies, the successful development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) into effective therapeutic and diagnostic agents can often be impeded by developability liabilities, such as poor expression, low solubility, high viscosity and aggregation. Therefore, strategies to predict at the early phases of antibody development the risk of late-stage failure of antibody candidates are highly valuable. In this work, we employ the in silico solubility predictor CamSol to design a library of 17 variants of a humanized mAb predicted to span a broad range of solubility values, and we examine their developability potential with a battery of commonly used in vitro and in silico assays. Our results demonstrate the ability of CamSol to rationally enhance mAb developability, and provide a quantitative comparison of in vitro developability measurements with each other and with more resource-intensive solubility measurements, as well as with in silico predictors that offer a potentially faster and cheaper alternative. We observed a strong correlation between predicted and experimentally determined solubility values, as well as with measurements obtained using a panel of in vitro developability assays that probe non-specific interactions. These results indicate that computational methods have the potential to reduce or eliminate the need of carrying out laborious in vitro quality controls for large numbers of lead candidates. Overall, our study provides support to the emerging view that the implementation of in silico tools in antibody discovery campaigns can ensure rapid and early selection of antibodies with optimal developability potential.
Sympatric diploid and tetraploid cytotypes of Centaurea stoebe s.l. do not differ in arbuscular mycorrhizal communities and mycorrhizal growth response.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Genome duplication is associated with multiple changes at different levels, including interactions with pollinators and herbivores. Yet little is known whether polyploidy may also shape belowground interactions. METHODS To elucidate potential ploidy-specific interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), we compared mycorrhizal colonization and assembly of AMF communities in roots of diploid and tetraploid Centaurea stoebe s.l. (Asteraceae) co-occurring in a Central European population. In a follow-up greenhouse experiment, we tested inter-cytotype differences in mycorrhizal growth response by combining ploidy, substrate, and inoculation with native AMF in a full-factorial design. KEY RESULTS All sampled plants were highly colonized by AMF, with the Glomeraceae predominating. AMF-community composition revealed by 454-pyrosequencing reflected the spatial distribution of the hosts, but not their ploidy level or soil characteristics. In the greenhouse experiment, the tetraploids produced more shoot biomass than the diploids did when grown in a more fertile substrate, while no inter-cytotype differences were found in a less fertile substrate. AMF inoculation significantly reduced plant growth and improved P uptake, but its effects did not differ between the cytotypes. CONCLUSIONS The results do not support our hypotheses that the cytotype structure in a mixed-ploidy population of C. stoebe is mirrored in AMF-community composition and that ploidy-specific fungal communities contribute to cytotype co-existence. Causes and implications of the observed negative growth response to AMF are discussed.
Quantitative Amyloid Imaging in Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer’s Disease: Results from the DIAN Study Group

Amyloid imaging plays an important role in the research and diagnosis of dementing disorders. Substantial variation in quantitative methods to measure brain amyloid burden exists in the field. The aim of this work is to investigate the impact of methodological variations to the quantification of amyloid burden using data from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network (DIAN), an autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease population. Cross-sectional and longitudinal [11C]-Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB) PET imaging data from the DIAN study were analyzed. Four candidate reference regions were investigated for estimation of brain amyloid burden. A regional spread function based technique was also investigated for the correction of partial volume effects. Cerebellar cortex, brain-stem, and white matter regions all had stable tracer retention during the course of disease. Partial volume correction consistently improves sensitivity to group differences and longitudinal changes over time. White matter referencing improved statistical power in the detecting longitudinal changes in relative tracer retention; however, the reason for this improvement is unclear and requires further investigation. Full dynamic acquisition and kinetic modeling improved statistical power although it may add cost and time. Several technical variations to amyloid burden quantification were examined in this study. Partial volume correction emerged as the strategy that most consistently improved statistical power for the detection of both longitudinal changes and across-group differences. For the autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease population with PiB imaging, utilizing brainstem as a reference region with partial volume correction may be optimal for current interventional trials. Further investigation of technical issues in quantitative amyloid imaging in different study populations using different amyloid imaging tracers is warranted.