Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Web‐based participatory surveillance of infectious diseases: the Influenzanet participatory surveillance experience

Abstract To overcome the limitations of the state-of-the-art influenza surveillance systems in Europe, we established in 2008 a European-wide consortium aimed at introducing an innovative information and communication technology approach for a web-based surveillance system across different European countries, called Influenzanet. The system, based on earlier efforts in The Netherlands and Portugal, works with the participation of the population in each country to collect real-time information on the distribution of influenza-like illness cases through web surveys administered to volunteers reporting their symptoms (or lack of symptoms) every week during the influenza season. Such a large European-wide web-based monitoring infrastructure is intended to rapidly identify public health emergencies, contribute to understanding global trends, inform data-driven forecast models to assess the impact on the population, optimize the allocation of resources, and help in devising mitigation and containment measures. In this article, we describe the scientific and technological issues faced during the development and deployment of a flexible and readily deployable web tool capable of coping with the requirements of different countries for data collection, during either a public health emergency or an ordinary influenza season. Even though the system is based on previous successful experience, the implementation in each new country represented a separate scientific challenge. Only after more than 5 years of development are the existing platforms based on a plug-and-play tool that can be promptly deployed in any country wishing to be part of the Influenzanet network, now composed of The Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, the UK, France, Sweden, Spain, Ireland, and Denmark.
Positive Effects Of Organic Matter And Nutrients On Soil Properties, Microbial Diversity And Accumulation Of Trace Elements On Crops Grown On Sludge Amended Soil

A field trail was carried out on a sandy soil in El-Kata village, Giza governorate, to investigation the consequences of enriching the soil with diverse rates of sewage sludge (10, 20 and 30 tons/fed) on soil properties, microbial diversity, accumulation of trace elements growth and yield of wheat plants. The results indicated a significant rise in soil fertility level, as far as biological, chemical and physical features are considered. Wheat yield under the high rate of sewage sludge application (30t fed -1 ) was significantly higher than that gained under chemical fertilization while, wheat yield under chemical fertilization was significantly higher than that harvested under the low rate of sewage sludge application (10t fed -1 ). The differences in wheat yield between chemically fertilized plots and those receiving 20 tons fed -1 of sewage sludge were not significant. It is worthy to mention that the concentrations of K, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cd and Pb did not increase in seeds or straw subsequent to sewage sludge application. EDTA-extractable Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd concentrations in soil increased with increasing rates of sewage sludge application. However, the accumulation of K, Zn, Mn, Cd, and Pb in soil as a result of sewage sludge use at wheat harvested was barely visible. It is concluded that the use of sewage sludge in agriculture as a partial substitute of mineral fertilizers and as an ameliorating agent for soil physical and biological properties might be seen as a common practice as. Eventual assessment of the accumulation of potential toxic elements in soil is highly recommended.
Photodecomposition of H2S to H2 over Cu2+ Doped Cd0.3In2S4-Zn0.7In2S4 Composite Photocatalysts

The Cd0.3In2S4-Zn0.7In2S4 composite photocatalyst doped with transition metal Cu2+ has been synthesized by hydrothermal method. The physical and photophysical properties of the above-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, UV-Vis, SPS, SEM and XPS. The XRD peaks of Cu2+ doped Cd0.3In2S4-Zn0.7In2S4 were almost the same as the crystal structure of Cd0.3In2S4-Zn0.7In2S4. The UV-Vis absorption edge of Cu2+ doped Cd0.3In2S4-Zn0.7In2S4 shifted monotonically to long wavelength. The photocatalytic activity of Cu2+ doped photocatalysts had been improved as a result of the enhancement of the charge separation efficiency. The results indicated that the photocatalyst of Cu2+(2wt %)-Cd0.3In2S4/Zn0.7In2S4 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with the rate of H2 evolution to be 1141 μmol/(h·g) under visible light irradiation.
Effect of induced metabolic acidosis on human skeletal muscle metabolism during exercise.

The roles of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), glycogen phosphorylase (Phos), and their regulators in lactate (Lac-) metabolism were examined during incremental exercise after ingestion of 0.3 g/kg of either NH4Cl [metabolic acidosis (ACID)] or CaCO3[control (CON)]. Subjects were studied at rest, at rest postingestion, and during continuous steady-state cycling at three stages (15 min each): 30, 60, and 75% of maximal oxygen uptake. Radial artery and femoral venous blood samples, leg blood flow, and biopsies of the vastus lateralis were obtained during each power output. ACID resulted in significantly lower intramuscular concentration of [Lac-] (ACID 40.8 vs. CON 56.9 mmol/kg dry wt), arterial whole blood [Lac-] (ACID 4.7 vs. CON 6.5 mmol/l), and leg Lac- efflux (ACID 3.05 vs. CON 6.98 mmol ⋅ l-1 ⋅ min-1). The reduced intramuscular [Lac-] resulted from decreases in pyruvate production due to inhibition of glycogenolysis, at the level of Phos a, and phosphofructokinase, together with an increase in the amount of pyruvate oxidized relative to the total produced. The reduction in Phos a activity was mediated through decreases in transformation, decreases in free inorganic phosphate concentration, and decreases in the posttransformational allosteric regulator free AMP. Reduced PDH activity occurred with ACID and may have resulted from alterations in the concentrations of acetyl-CoA, free ADP, pyruvate, NADH, and H+, leading to greater relative activity of the kinase. The results demonstrate that imposed metabolic acidosis in skeletal muscle results in decreased Lac-production due to inhibition of glycogenolysis at the level of Phos and increased pyruvate oxidation at PDH.
Fluid absorption related to ion transport in human airway epithelial spheroids.

Airway epithelium explants from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and non-CF subjects formed monolayered spheres, with the apical ciliated cell membrane facing the bath and the basolateral cell membrane pointing toward a fluid-filled lumen. With the use of two microelectrodes, transepithelial potential difference and changes in potential difference in response to passage of current pulses were recorded, and epithelial resistance and the equivalent short-circuit current were calculated. Non-CF control potential difference and short-circuit current values were significantly lower than the CF values, and amiloride inhibited both values. Fluid transport rates were calculated from repeated measurements of spheroid diameters. The results showed that 1) non-CF and CF spheroids absorbed fluid at identical rates (4.4 μl ⋅ cm-2 ⋅ h-1), 2) amiloride inhibited fluid absorption to a lower residual level in non-CF than in CF spheroids, 3) Cl--channel inhibitors increased fluid absorption in amiloride-treated non-CF spheroids to a level equal to that of amiloride-treated CF spheroids, 4) hydrochlorothiazide reduced the amiloride-insensitive fluid absorption in both non-CF and CF spheroids, and 5) osmotic water permeabilities were equal in non-CF and CF spheroids (∼27 × 10-7cm ⋅ s-1 ⋅ atm-1).
Effect of anthropogenic low‐frequency noise on the foraging ecology of Balaenoptera whales

The human contribution to ambient noise in the ocean has increased over the past 50 years, and is dominated by low‐frequency (LF) sound (frequencies <1000 Hz) from shipping, oil and gas development, defence‐related and research activities. Mysticete whales, including six endangered species, may be at risk from this noise pollution because all species produce and probably perceive low‐frequency sound. We conducted a manipulative field experiment to test the effects of loud, LF noise on foraging fin blue (B. musculus) and (Balaenoptera physalus) whales off San Nicolas Island, California. Naive observers used a combination of attached tracking devices, ship‐based surveys, aerial surveys, photo‐identification and passive monitoring of vocal behaviour to examine the behaviour and distribution of whales when a loud LF source (US Navy SURTASS LFA) was and was not transmitting. During transmission, 12‐30% of the estimated received levels of LFA of whales in the study area exceeded 140 dB re 1 μPa. However, whales continued to be seen foraging in the region. Overall, whale encounter rates and diving behaviour appeared to be more strongly linked to changes in prey abundance associated with ceanographic parameters than to LF sound transmissions. In some cases, whale vocal behaviour was significantly different between experimental and non‐experimental periods. However, these differences were not consistent and did not appear to be related to LF sound transmissions. At the spatial and temporal scales examined, we found no obvious responses of whales to a loud, anthropogenic, LF sound. We suggest that the cumulative effects of anthropogenic LF noise over larger temporal and spatial scales than examined here may be a more important consideration for management agencies.
Uniaxial Compaction‐Based Manufacturing Strategy and 3D Microstructural Evaluation of Near‐Net‐Shaped ZrO2‐Toughened Al2O3 Acetabular Socket  

The article presents computer‐aided design approach and discusses an integrated manufacturing protocol to fabricate ZrO2‐toughened Al2O3 (ZTA) prototype with excellent geometrical conformity. In particular, a powder mixture of 95 wt% Al2O3–5 wt% ZrO2 with 800 ppm MgO sinter aid is uniaxially compacted at 200 kN, followed by pre‐sintering‐machining‐final sintering. The finishing of ZTA socket to obtain submicron surface roughness (Ra ≈ 0.01 μm) is accomplished using polymer rheological medium with silicon carbide abrasives. Summarizing, the uniqueness of uniaxial compaction‐based processing approach is established to fabricate scalable near‐net‐shaped acetabular ceramic sockets having uniform ZrO2 distribution in 3D microstructure of ZTA, as analyzing using microcomputed tomography.
Model Selection for Multi-class SVMs

In the framework of statistical learning, fitting a model to a given problem is usually done in two steps. First, model selection is performed, to set the values of the hyperparameters. Second, training results in the selection, for this set of values, of a function performing satisfactorily on the problem. Choosing the values of the hyperparameters remains a difficult task, which has only been addressed so far in the case of bi-class SVMs. We derive here a solution dedicated to M-SVMs. It is based on a new bound on the risk of large margin classifiers.
Mechanism for secretagogue-induced surfactant protein A binding to lung epithelial cells.

Secretagogues stimulate both secretion and reuptake of surfactant components by pulmonary type II cells as well as enhance surfactant protein A (SP-A) binding. We have evaluated the possibility that the observed increase in SP-A binding is due to the movement of SP-A receptors from an intracellular pool to the plasma membrane. We utilized an anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody, A2R, which recognizes an SP-A binding protein on type II cell membranes. Immunocytochemistry studies showed that A2R reacted with cellular antigens on type II cell membranes and paranuclear granules. A2R inhibited cell association of125I-SP-A to type II cells plated on Transwell membranes as well as those plated on plastic dishes and also inhibited the SP-A-stimulated incorporation of phosphatidylcholine liposomes into type II cells. On exposure to secretagogues, the binding of 125I-A2R and125I-SP-A to type II cells increased in parallel. With permeabilized type II cells on Transwell membranes, one-sixth of the binding sites were located on the plasma membrane, with the remainder being intracellular; phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate treatment increased the binding of A2R to the cell surface but did not affect the total binding of A2R. Ligand blots of type II cell plasma membranes showed that SP-A and A2R both bound proteins with molecular masses of ∼32 and 60 kDa, respectively, reduced. Under nonreducing conditions, the mass of the SP-A and A2R binding protein was ∼210 kDa, indicating that the SP-A receptor is composed of disulfide-linked subunits. The results support our hypothesis that secretagogues increase SP-A binding sites by accelerating recruitment of receptors to the cell surface.
Understanding Overbidding in Second Price Auctions: An Experimental Study

This paper presents results from a series of second price private value auction (SPA) experiments in which bidders are either given for free, or are allowed to purchase, noisy signals about their opponents' value. Even though theoretically such information about opponents' value has no strategic use in the SPA, it provides us with a convenient instrument to change bidders' perception about the "strength" (i.e., the value) of their opponent. We argue that the empirical relationship between the incidence and magnitude of overbidding and bidders' perception of the strength of their opponent provides the key to understand whether overbidding in second price auctions are driven by "spite" motives or by the "joy of winning. " The experimental data show that bidders are much more likely to overbid, though less likely to submit large overbid, when they perceive their rivals to have similar values as their own. We argue that this empirical relationship is more consistent with a modified "joy of winning" hypothesis than with the "spite" hypothesis. However, neither of the non-standard preference explanations are able to fully explain all aspects of the experimental data, and we argue for the important role of bounded rationality. We also find that bidder heterogeneity plays an important role in explaining their bidding behavior.
Occurrence of Functional Molecules in the Flowers of Tea (Camellia sinensis) Plants: Evidence for a Second Resource

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an important crop, and its leaves are used to make the most widely consumed beverage, aside from water. People have been using leaves from tea plants to make teas for a long time. However, less attention has been paid to the flowers of tea plants, which is a waste of an abundant resource. In the past 15 years, researchers have attempted to discover, identify, and evaluate functional molecules from tea flowers, and have made insightful and useful discoveries. Here, we summarize the recent investigations into these functional molecules in tea flowers, including functional molecules similar to those in tea leaves, as well as the preponderant functional molecules in tea flowers. Tea flowers contain representative metabolites similar to those of tea leaves, such as catechins, flavonols, caffeine, and amino acids. The preponderant functional molecules in tea flowers include saponins, polysaccharides, aromatic compounds, spermidine derivatives, and functional proteins. We also review the safety and biological functions of tea flowers. Tea flower extracts are proposed to be of no toxicological concern based on evidence from the evaluation of mutagenicity, and acute and subchronic toxicity in rats. The presence of many functional metabolites in tea flowers indicates that tea flowers possess diverse biological functions, which are mostly related to catechins, polysaccharides, and saponins. Finally, we discuss the potential for, and challenges facing, future applications of tea flowers as a second resource from tea plants.
PENETRATION DEPTH OF HEATED PLUGGER ON SOFTENED GUTTA PERCHA

Objectives: To assess the depth in Gutta Percha (GP), upto which cutter tip can be plunged, the temperature profile, thermal flux and thermal gradient, using finite element analysis. Materials and Methods: Endodontic obturator tips are used by dental surgeons extensively as heated cutter tips for treating root canal and other obturation procedures. Biocompatible cutter design involves challenges of both structural and thermal loads in the vicinity of the root canal area. natural gutta percha is very similar to natural rubber, which is mainly used as filler material to seal off the prepared root canal cavity against bacterial infections. The cutter is being used to heat, soften, condense and cut off the excess GP from the apical region of tooth crown with ease. The GP cutter tip geometry is selected initially based on ideal root canal geometry available. Results: In the present paper thermal model for the heat conduction behavior in GP is formed. The depth in GP cutter tip upto which the thermal effects are observed is outlined using a FEA tool as ANSYS10.0, and the temperature at the interface of GP and the wall of the tapered cavity at an axial distance of about 2.5 mm is found to be 46.706 o C, which gives the temperature profile, thermal flux and thermal gradient. The maximum displacement can be observed at the point of application of load (15 N). It is 0.033673 mm. The maximum stress occurs at the interface of the GP and the dentine wall on the face of the application of the load and is 22 MPa. Conclusion: FEA is a proven cost saving tool and can reduce design cycle time therefore it can be used as accurate tool to investigate thermal profile in GP and the effects of heat at the interface of GP and dentine.
Many LH peaks are needed to physiologically stimulate testosterone secretion: modulation by fasting and NPY.

The pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone secretions were studied during serial blood collections performed at 7-min time intervals in the male rat. In fed rats, a discontinuous pattern of LH secretion was observed. Periods without secretion alternated with active secretory episodes consisting in trains of three to four LH peaks that triggered testosterone secretion usually 1-2 h later. The magnitude of the testosterone response was not correlated with the amplitude of the LH peaks. Isolated, single peaks of LH did not evoke clear testosterone responses. Forty-eight hours after initiation of fasting, testosterone secretion was markedly decreased, but integrated LH secretion was only partly reduced. Chronic infusion of neuropeptide Y (NPY; 18 μg/day, icv) reduced testosterone secretion to very low levels and abolished pulsatile LH secretion or testosterone response to isolated LH peaks. In conclusion, the stimulation of testosterone secretion by LH necessitates several LH peaks organized in a proper sequence, and the testosterone response is not immediate. Low testosterone secretion in fasting rats appears to result from disappearance of coordinated, multiple LH peaks of sufficient size. Inhibition of the gonadotropic axis achieved by central NPY administration is due to either absence of LH peak "clusters" or occurrence of nonfunctional single LH peaks.
Connection‐based and object‐based grouping in multiple‐object tracking: A developmental study

Developmental research on Gestalt laws has previously revealed that, even as young as infancy, we are bound to group visual elements into unitary structures in accordance with a variety of organizational principles. Here, we focus on the developmental trajectory of both connection‐based and object‐based grouping, and investigate their impact on object formation in participants, aged 9–21 years old (N = 113), using a multiple‐object tracking paradigm. Results reveal a main effect of both age and grouping type, indicating that 9‐ to 21‐year‐olds are sensitive to both connection‐based and object‐based grouping interference, and tracking ability increases with age. In addition to its importance for typical development, these results provide an informative baseline to understand clinical aberrations in this regard. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? The origin of the Gestalt principles is still an ongoing debate: Are they innate, learned over time, or both? Developmental research has revealed how each Gestalt principle has its own trajectory and unique relationship to visual experience. Both connectedness and object‐based grouping play an important role in object formation during childhood. What does this study add? The study identifies how sensitivity to connectedness and object‐based grouping evolves in individuals, aged 9–21 years old. Using multiple‐object tracking, results reveal that the ability to track multiple objects increases with age. These results provide an informative baseline to understand clinical aberrations in different types of grouping.
Lipid peroxidation products are elevated in fish oil diets even in the presence of added antioxidants.

Purified corn and fish oil diets with different types and concentrations of antioxidants were evaluated for oxidation products. In addition, a determination of different organ and carcass oxidation product levels was performed. Peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid assays were performed on the diets immediately after mixing (0 h) and 24, 48 and 72 h after being fed to mice. The AIN-recommended level of antioxidant addition (butylated hydroxytoluene, 0.02 g/100 g oil) and even the addition of 100 times this level (2 g/100 g oil), although decreasing the level of oxidation products, failed to totally prevent oxidative deterioration in diets high in fish oil. Furthermore, other antioxidants added in excess to the fish oil diets also failed to completely suppress oxidative deterioration of the diets and, in addition, when fed daily to mice for a period of 4 wk, caused an accumulation of lipid peroxidation products in certain organs (e.g., heart, skeletal muscle, mammary glands) and in the carcass. These results provide evidence that in the preparation of fish oil diets, the addition of antioxidants at the AIN-recommended level, or even levels substantially higher, does not completely suppress oxidative deterioration of experimental diets.
ttention allocation patterns in naturalistic driving inn -

The key to safe driving is the adequate distribution of the driver’s attention to the forward area and to other non-forward focal points. However, thus far, current methods are not able to well quantify the entire process of a driver’s attention allocation. Therefore, this study proposed a novel concept of renewal cycles for representing and analyzing driver attention allocation. Using the 100-car naturalistic glance data, this study found that 90.74% of drivers’ attention allocations were 2-glance renewal cycles. The findings suggest that the sample drivers usually separated their lapses of attention from the forward direction into several sequences by directing their vision back to the forward direction after each visual shift away from it. In addition, although a markedly smaller number of cycles were more than 3-glances (2.09% renewal cycles), drivers were certainly less aware of the frontal area and at a higher risk of having an accident during such cycles. This finding might have striking implications for accident prevention. This area of study deserves further attention. Among the generated renewal cycles, lots of them repeated frequently, especially cycles related to invehicle distractions. To analyze the different characteristics among various attributes, distribution of the common renewal cycles under different conditions was examined. As expected, drivers displayed different renewal cycles under various road conditions and with various driver intentions. Although these sample drivers were not representative, the preliminary research results were promising and fruitful for potential applications, particularly educating novice drivers.