Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Intestinal In Vitro Platform for Profiling Amino Acid Digestion and Absorption of a Complete Diet

Simple Summary The generation of an artificial intestine could minimize the use of in vivo trials, which are presently necessary for testing aquafeeds. As well as being lengthy and expensive, they also require the use of many animals. Furthermore, although in vivo screening allows for a precise evaluation of the final effect of each feed, it does not improve our basic knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that determine the end results. This, in turn, severely limits our ability to understand and predict the biological value of ingredients, both individually and in differing combinations thereof. To circumvent these constraints, we previously derived and characterized two novel cell lines from the proximal (RTpi-MI) and distal intestine (RTdi-MI) of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), demonstrating that the two cell lines retain the main properties of the intestinal tracts from which they originate. In the present work, we used these cells to set up a functional intestinal barrier on a permeable membrane support to investigate the digestion and absorption of dietary amino acids in fish feed. The results demonstrate that the procedure we developed enables the quantification of individual amino acids that cross the intestinal wall. This new platform will now be used to screen and select new feed ingredients/formulations. Abstract The ever-increasing number and variation of raw materials utilized to provide alternative feed formulations continues to allow for a more sustainable and flexible approach. Testing all these options in vivo is still the most robust and reliable manner to pick the best raw material candidates, but it requires the use of large numbers of animals and is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, we are developing an in vitro platform that can provide a reliable evaluation of new ingredients. The main aim of this work was to combine an in vitro digestion protocol of extruded, commercially relevant aquafeeds with the exposure of intestinal epithelial cells to the extracted bio-available fraction (BAF). The results show that 250,000 cells/cm2 represents the optimal seeding density and that up to 50% BAF concentration for up to 24 h had no negative effects on the epithelial barrier morphology and function. It is possible to determine amino acid digestibility and bioavailability in all the experimental conditions (with and without BSA, at 25% and 50% dilution) and at all time points (0, 6, and 24 h). However, BAF concentration, the medium used for its dilution, and the length of exposure to the different epithelial cell lines can all influence the results and, therefore, must be selected according to the final aim of the experiment.
Regional homogeneity and functional connectivity of freezing of gait conversion in Parkinson’s disease

Background Freezing of gait (FOG) is common in the late stage of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which can lead to disability and impacts the quality of life. Therefore, early recognition is crucial for therapeutic intervention. We aimed to explore the abnormal regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) in FOG converters and evaluate their diagnostic values. Methods The data downloaded from the Parkinson’s Disease Progression Markers Project (PPMI) cohort was subdivided into PD-FOG converters (n = 16) and non-converters (n = 17) based on whether FOG appeared during the 3-year follow-up; 16 healthy controls were well-matched. ReHo and FC analyses were used to explore the variations in spontaneous activity and interactions between significant regions among three groups of baseline data. Correlations between clinical variables and the altered ReHo values were assessed in FOG converter group. Last, logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were used to predict diagnostic value. Results Compared with the non-converters, FOG converters had reduced ReHo in the bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus (SFGmed), which was negatively correlated with the postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) score. ReHo within left amygdala/olfactory cortex/putamen (AMYG/OLF/PUT) was decreased, which was correlated with anxiety and autonomic dysfunction. Also, increased ReHo in the left supplementary motor area/paracentral lobule was positively correlated with the rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder screening questionnaire. FOG converters exhibited diminished FC in the basal ganglia, limbic area, and cognitive control cortex, as compared with non-converters. The prediction model combined ReHo of basal ganglia and limbic area, with PIGD score was the best predictor of FOG conversion. Conclusion The current results suggested that abnormal ReHo and FC in the basal ganglia, limbic area, and cognitive control cortex may occur in the early stage of FOG. Basal ganglia and limbic area dysfunction combined with higher PIGD score are useful for the early recognition of FOG conversion.
Recent results of inclusive and differential top quark pair production cross section measurements at CMS

Latest results on inclusive top quark pair production cross sections are presented using proton-proton collision data collected by CMS at different centre-of-mass energies, including 5 TeV. Final states with at least one charged lepton and one b-jet are explored to measure the inclusive production cross sections. The first top quark pair production cross sections measurements in proton-lead collisions are discussed. The first differential top quark pair production cross sections using data collected by CMS in 2016 are discussed with respect to kinematic variables in final states with at least one lepton.
Padé approximation of the adiabatic electron contribution to the gyrokinetic quasi-neutrality equation in the ORB5 code

This work aims at completing the implementation of a solver for the quasineutrality equation using a Padé approximation in the global gyrokinetic code ORB5. Initially [Dominski, Ph.D. thesis, 2016], the Pade approximation was only implemented for the kinetic electron model. To enable runs with adiabatic or hybrid electron models while using a Pade approximation to the polarization response, the adiabatic response term of the quasi-neutrality equation must be consistently modified. It is shown that the Pade solver is in good agreement with the arbitrary wavelength solver of ORB5 [Dominski, Ph.D. thesis, 2016]. To perform this verification, the linear dispersion relation of an ITG-TEM transition is computed for both solvers and the linear growth rates and frequencies are compared.
Safety-I and Safety-II: Contributions of Uas Safety Monitoring on Construction Sites

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) have been incorporated into safety management systems to facilitate hazard identification and propose corrective actions on time, meaning practices related to the Safety-I approach. However, its impacts on understanding and dealing with everyday operations in front of adverse conditions, meaning Safety-II practices, are still unknown. Thus, this study investigates the contribution of safety monitoring using UAS to support Safety-I and Safety-II practices in everyday operations. Two case studies in construction projects were conducted, involving the following steps: (a) proposition of UAS monitoring protocol integrated into safety management routines; (b) field tests to monitor safety performance using UASs; (c) data analysis considering Safety-I, Safety-II and Resilience Engineering. As a main result, resilience mechanisms were identified, such as adaptation in the lifeline safety systems, use of photos and videos to improve workers’ awareness, and collaborative work between frontline workers. Regarding the Safety-I approach, most of the identified non-conformities were classified as precarious structures on the construction sites, failures in the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) use, and safety barriers. The perceived limitations emphasized the difficulty in promoting corrective actions due to the lack of flexibility in the constructive processes, availability of resources timely, and absence of slack.
Low-Cost Real-Time Locating System Solution Development and Implementation in Manufacturing Industry

The present work originates from a previous study in which a low-cost Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) based on Ultra-Wideband signals was developed and tested both in a laboratory and in a real industrial environment for assessing its performance and determining the best configuration, according to some selected KPIs. Starting from the future research directions depicted, the evolution herein presented is twofold. First, tests performed in the laboratory are refined and deepened in terms of (i) different anchors’ arrangements and orientation; (ii) the increased number of tested tags; and (iii) the tags’ battery capacity test. Second, the development and deployment of the industrial solution as well is improved by means of a case for hosting tags to be positioned on the asset to be tracked, realized through 3D printing, in line with the industrial context requirements. Finally, an economic analysis is performed so as to demonstrate the convenience of the investment and the feasibility of the solution. Results are positive and promising in terms of both economic sustainability and implementation of the system in a real industrial environment and may constitute guidelines for practitioners and managers.
Mediating role of tawakkul between religious orientation and stress among Muslim adults

ABSTRACT Being an important Islamic concept, tawakkul is a fundamental and core value in the Islamic belief system. The present research intended to investigate the role of tawakkul between religious orientation and stress. A purposive sample of (N = 350) Muslim adults aged 25 years and above (M = 31.92, SD = 8.72) was recruited for the study. Tawakkul Scale, the Urdu version of the Stress Subscale of DASS-21, and the Urdu version of the Religious Orientation Scale were used for measuring the focal constructs. Results indicated that tawakkul had a negative relationship with stress and extrinsic social religious orientation and a positive relationship with intrinsic religious orientation and extrinsic personal religious orientation. Tawakkul also mediated the relationships of intrinsic and extrinsic personal religious orientations with stress. Implications of the study and suggestions for future investigations have been discussed.
Tablet Geometry Effect on the Drug Release Profile from a Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery System

In order to achieve the optimal level of effectiveness and safety of drugs, it is necessary to control the drug release rate. Therefore, it is important to discover the factors affecting release profile from a drug delivery system. Geometry is one of these effective factors for a tablet-shaped drug delivery system. In this study, an attempt has been made to answer a general question of how the geometry of a tablet can affect the drug release profile. For this purpose, the drug release process of theophylline from two hundred HPMC-based tablets, which are categorized into eight groups of common geometries in the production of oral tablets, was simulated using finite element analysis. The analysis of the results of these simulations was carried out using statistical methods including partial least squares regression and ANOVA tests. The results showed that it is possible to predict the drug release profile by knowing the geometry type and dimensions of a tablet without performing numerous dissolution tests. Another result was that, although in many previous studies the difference in the drug release profile from several tablets with different geometries was interpreted only by variables related to the surface, the results showed that regardless of the type of geometry and its dimensions, it is not possible to have an accurate prediction of the drug release profile. Also, the results showed that without any change in the dose of the drug and the ingredients of the tablet and only because of the difference in geometry type, the tablets significantly differ in release profile. This occurred in such a way that, for example, the release time of the entire drug mass from two tablets with the same mass and materials but different geometries can be different by about seven times.
Reduction of the reaching time with adaptive slope sliding mode control

In this article, a method based on sliding mode control, named adaptive slope sliding mode control is proposed to increase the response speed of the system outputs. In this method, the difference between the surface and the state is maintained at its minimum value by constantly changing the slope of the surface, making the states converge faster. Compared to fixed slope methods, it can be said that by changing the slope of the system, not only the response speed of the system is increased, but also the output accuracy increases as well. To evaluate the effects of adding a variable slope to sliding mode controllers, the proposed controller is applied to the grid synchronization of a wind turbine system.
Observing the magnetosphere through global auroral imaging: 1. Observables

Over the years, it has become clear that there are fundamental limitations in observing magnetospheric processes through their auroral footprints. Most electron auroras are formed in the auroral acceleration region relatively close to the Earth at altitudes (<2 RE). There are four distinct auroral types: (1) downward field‐aligned current (FAC) regions where ion precipitation is dominant, (2) pitch angle diffusion aurora (or briefly “diffusion aurora”) region without significant FAC, (3) upward FAC regions of precipitating electrons and monoenergetic auroral arc formations, and (4) Alfvénic auroral regions, where low‐energy electrons from the ionosphere are accelerated by incoming Alfvén waves. Alfvénic auroras are the footprints of magnetospheric regions where waves are produced by dynamic events such as reconnection, substorm onset initiation, and magnetic field dipolarization. Based on the mean energy and density of the precipitating electrons, ground‐based and spacecraft‐based optical observations can be used to distinguish between auroras where the source is the plasma sheet (types 1, 2, and 3) and Alfvénic auroras, where the source is the ionosphere (type 4). Imaging of the Alfvénic auroral region could be used to map the dynamically active regions of the magnetosphere. The energy distribution of the most significant precipitating ions, protons, can be measured from the Doppler profile of the hydrogen emission lines. Mapping of the time dependent global energy distribution of proton precipitation would allow the observation of the associated magnetospheric boundaries.
Teacher Self-Care Mandates as Institutional Gaslighting in a Neoliberal System

In this manuscript, I argue that narratives of self-care for educators in the midst of pandemic teaching are a form of gaslighting, supported and exacerbated by a neoliberal school system that reinforces individualist, White-normed conceptions of teaching and learning. To make this argument, I use several excerpts from practicing teachers’ writing to illustrate the deep sense of frustration and betrayal that teachers felt when inundated with self-care messages without regard for more systemic support and change.
Structure-based multi-ligand molecular modeling to predict the synergistic effects of limonin and obacunone from Simiao pill against nitric oxide synthase 3 associated with hyperuricemia

Hyperuricemia (HUA) mainly occurs because of purine metabolism disorders. We recently proposed that limonin from Simiao pill may have therapeutic effects on nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) that is related to HUA. Concurrently, our previous work employed a new method, structure-based multi-ligand molecular modeling, to identify potential agents from a herbal formula that may produce synergistic effects and may have the potential to develop combination drugs. Therefore, we employed multi-ligand modeling to seek compounds with potential synergistic effects with limonin against NOS3. We obtained 403 multi-ligand docking results between 403 compounds and the limonin-NOS3 complex (average affinity –8.297 kcal/mol). Then we selected the top 10 highest binding affinity compounds for virtual pharmacokinetic and toxicity screening and we found that only obacunone passed all filters. We further subjected obacunone, bound to limonin and NOS3, to molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the NOS3-limonin-obacunone complex was more stable than the NOS3-limonin complex, based on the root mean square deviation of backbone Cα atoms and root mean square fluctuation, which suggests that synergistic effects may exist between limonin and obacunone. Further cell and animal experimental research is required to verify our results.
Transforming Dental Caries Diagnosis Through Artificial Intelligence-Based Techniques

Diagnosing dental caries plays a pivotal role in preventing and treating tooth decay. However, traditional methods of diagnosing caries often fall short in accuracy and efficiency. Despite the endorsement of radiography as a diagnostic tool, the identification of dental caries through radiographic images can be influenced by individual interpretation. Incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into diagnosing dental caries holds significant promise, potentially enhancing the precision and efficiency of diagnoses. This review introduces the fundamental concepts of AI, including machine learning and deep learning algorithms, and emphasizes their relevance and potential contributions to the diagnosis of dental caries. It further explains the process of gathering and pre-processing radiography data for AI examination. Additionally, AI techniques for dental caries diagnosis are explored, focusing on image processing, analysis, and classification models for predicting caries risk and severity. Deep learning applications in dental caries diagnosis using convolutional neural networks are presented. Furthermore, the integration of AI systems into dental practice is discussed, including the challenges and considerations for implementation as well as ethical and legal aspects. The breadth of AI technologies and their prospective utility in clinical scenarios for diagnosing dental caries from dental radiographs is presented. This review outlines the advancements of AI and its potential in revolutionizing dental caries diagnosis, encouraging further research and development in this rapidly evolving field.
Five-year Variations in Air Pollutant Emissions with Ultra-low Emission Retrofits in a 660 MW Coal-fired Power Unit

10 China has enacted the ultra-low emission (ULE) transform in coal-fired power plants. Various 11 studies have focused on the model simulation of pollutant emission variations on a national scale, 12 while the specific data for a concrete generation unit was still lacking. We deployed a five-year online 13 data collection campaign in a 660 MW unit to investigate the durative emission reductions of dust, 14 NO x , and SO 2 , and increases in pollutant removal efficiencies. The result indicated that a time slag 15 appeared between the ULE execution and meeting discharge standards. Since the ULE 16 implementation in late 2014, the pollutant emissions exhibited a decreasing trend, while it was not 17 until 2016 that the emission amounts reached the ULE standards with the actual emissions of 30.7 ± 18 4.43, 12.3 ± 3.49, and 1.80 ± 0.425 mg m –3 for NO x , SO 2 , and dust, respectively. It was particularly 19 pointed out that emissions increased again in 2017 though they still met the ULE standards, indicating 20 the comprehensive consideration should be taken between the emission reductions and high cost of 21 the ULE policy. What’s more, the ULE transformation weaken the correlation between pollutant 22 emissions (in mg m –3 ) and corresponding removal efficiencies of control devices, evidencing the
Molecular Characterization of Rotavirus C from Rescued Sloth Bears, India: Evidence of Zooanthroponotic Transmission

The present study reports the detection and molecular characterisation of rotavirus C (RVC) in sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) rescued from urban areas in India. Based on an RVC VP6 gene-targeted diagnostic RT-PCR assay, 48.3% (42/87) of sloth bears tested positive for RVC infection. The VP6, VP7, and NSP4 genes of three sloth bear RVC isolates (UP-SB19, 21, and 37) were further analysed. The VP6 genes of RVC UP-SB21 and 37 isolates were only 37% identical. The sequence identity, TM-score from structure alignment, and selection pressure (dN/dS) of VP6 UP-SB37 with pig and human RVCs isolates were (99.67%, 0.97, and 1.718) and (99.01%, 0.93, and 0.0340), respectively. However, VP6 UP-SB21 has an identity, TM-score, and dN/dS of (84.38%, 1.0, and 0.0648) and (99.63%, 1.0, and 3.7696) with human and pig RVC isolates, respectively. The VP7 genes from UP-SB19 and 37 RVC isolates were 79.98% identical and shared identity, TM-score, and dN/dS of 88.4%, 0.76, and 5.3210, along with 77.98%, 0.77, and 4.7483 with pig and human RVC isolates, respectively. The NSP4 gene of UP-SB37 RVC isolates has an identity, TM-score, and dN/dS of 98.95%, 0.76, and 0.2907, along with 83.12%, 0.34, and 0.2133 with pig and human RVC isolates, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the sloth bear RVC isolates assigned the isolate UP-SB37 to genotype G12, I2 for RVC structural genes VP7 and VP6, and E1 for NSP4 genes, respectively, while isolates UP-SB19 and UP-SB21 were classified as genotype G13 and GI7 based on the structural gene VP7, respectively. The study suggests that the RVCs circulating in the Indian sloth bear population are highly divergent and might have originated from pigs or humans, and further investigation focusing on the whole genome sequencing of the sloth bear RVC isolate may shed light on the virus origin and evolution.
Components of the metabolic syndrome in girls with Turner syndrome treated with growth hormone in a long term prospective study

Background Components of the metabolic syndrome are more common in patients with Turner syndrome (TS) than in the general population. Long-term growth hormone (GH) treatment also affects the parameters of carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, all these factors should be monitored in girls with TS. Objective To assess the occurrence of metabolic syndrome components in TS girls before GH treatment and to monitor changes in metabolic parameters throughout GH therapy. Patients and method 89 TS patients were enrolled in the study. Clinical and laboratory data after the 1st (V1), 3rd (V3), 5th (V5) and 10th (V10) year of GH therapy was available respectively in 60, 76, 50 and 22 patients. The patients’ biochemical phenotypes were determined by glucose 0’, 120’, insulin 0’, 120’, HOMA-IR, Ins/Glu ratio, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides (TG) concentration. Results Obesity was found during V0 in 7.9% of patients,V1 - 5%, V3 - 3.9%, V5 - 2%, V10 – 0%. No patient met diagnostic criteria for diabetes. A significant increase in the basal plasma glucose 0’ was found in the first five years of therapy (pV0-V1 < 0.001; pV0-V3 = 0.006; pV0-V5 < 0.001). V10 glucose 120’ values were significantly lower than at the onset of GH treatment (pV0-V10 = 0.046). The serum insulin 0’ and 120’ concentrations as well as insulin resistance increased during treatment. No statistically significant differences in serum TG and HDL-cholesterol levels during GH therapy were found. Conclusion The development of insulin resistance and carbohydrate metabolism impairment have the greatest manifestations during GH therapy in girls with TS. Monitoring the basic parameters of carbohydrate-lipid metabolism in girls with TS seems particularly important.