Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Green Synthesis, Characterization, and Antileishmanial Activity of the Silver Nanoparticles Alone and Along with Meglumine Antimoniate against Leishmania major Infection

Background: The most commonly available drugs for leishmaniasis are pentavalent antimony compounds; whereas the recent studies showed various complications and limitations of these drugs. We aimed to green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and study the promising antileishmanial and synergic effects of green synthesized silver nanoparticles alone and combined with glucantime. Methods: The precipitation technique was used to drop silver ions via an extract of Astragalus spinosus to AgNPs at Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia in 2022. Then, its anti-amastigotes, caspase-3-like activity, triggering the nitric oxide (NO) as well as its cytotoxicity effects on macrophage cells as well as effects on leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice infected by L. major were measured. Results: The size of the AgNPs were ranging from 30–40 nm. The IC50 value for AgNPs, AgNPs+ meglumine antimoniate (MA), and MA was 59.3, 18.6, and 51.2 μg/mL, respectively. The determined FIC value for AgNPs and MA was found to be 0.31 and 0.36, respectively; demonstrating the synergistic potency of AgNPs when combined with MA. The diameter of CL lesions treated with various doses of AgNPs and AgNPs+MA notably (p<0.001) decreased. AgNPs, particularly at the concentrations of ½ IC50 and IC50, considerably triggered the caspase-3 activation. The calculated CC50 of AgNPs and MA was 612.5 and 789.8 μg/mL, respectively. Green synthesized AgNPs, especially in combination with MA had synergic antileishmanial effects and displayed a promising drug candidate for treating L. major CL. Conclusion: We found satisfactory findings in the parasite reduction in both in vitro and animal models. Still, more studies are expected to explain the precise action mechanisms of AgNPs and their efficacy in humans.
Genome-wide association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with diabetic nephropathy and estimated glomerular filtration rate in FIND study

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by a chronic increase in blood glucose levels due to a dysfunction of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, which in turn are the result of insulin resistance and/or insulin action disturbances. Its cardinal symptoms include polyuria, thirst and weight loss; its long term complications include neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. It is predicted that this rate will increase to 9.9% of the adult population by 2030. Although the rate of new cases of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) in 2011 decreased 4.2% compared to the year 2010, nephropathy due to diabetes continued to be the most common cause of ESRD in the USA. In this study a genome-wide association approach has been performed to identify loci associated with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and variation in estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) value in three distinct ethnic groups, i.e. African American, Mexican American and European American; additionally, the effect of sex has also been studied to reveal potential sex dependency on the loci associated with DN and eGFR value. Dataset provided in "The Family Investigation of Nephropathy and Diabetes” (FIND) Study, contains genotype of 1454 individuals with DN and 1168 individuals without DN . After conducting genome-wide association analyses, in this study, the strongest association with DN and/or eGFR values have been detected on the regions located on the 2p, 2q, 3q, 4q, 5q, 7q, 8q, 9q, 12q, 14q, 15q and Xq chromosomes.
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Sequential Assessment of Cardiac Fibrosis in Mice: Technical Advancements and Reverse Translation.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has become an essential technique for the assessment of cardiac function and morphology, and is now routinely used to monitor disease progression and intervention efficacy in the clinic. Cardiac fibrosis is a common characteristic of numerous cardiovascular diseases and often precedes cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. Hence, the detection of cardiac fibrosis is important for both early diagnosis and the provision of guidance for interventions/therapies. Experimental mouse models with genetically and/or surgically induced disease have been widely used to understand mechanisms underlying cardiac fibrosis, and to assess new treatment strategies. Improving the appropriate applications of CMR to mouse studies of cardiac fibrosis has the potential to generate new knowledge, and more accurately examine the safety and efficacy of anti-fibrotic therapies. In this review, we provide 1) a brief overview of different types of cardiac fibrosis, 2) general background on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 3) a summary of different CMR techniques used in mice for the assessment of cardiac fibrosis including experimental and technical considerations (contrast agents and pulse sequences), and 4) provide an overview of mouse studies that have serially monitored cardiac fibrosis during disease progression and/or therapeutic interventions. Clinically established CMR protocols have advanced mouse CMR for the detection of cardiac fibrosis, and there is hope that discovery studies in mice will identify new anti-fibrotic therapies for patients; highlighting the value of both reverse translation and bench-to-bedside research.
Black carbon measurements in the Pearl River Delta region of China

[1] The Pearl River Delta (PRD) region in southeastern China is one of the most polluted industrial and metropolitan areas in the world. We report single-particle measurements of the refractory black carbon (rBC) component in ambient aerosol in the region, and we interpret the results to improve understanding of the importance of rBC for radiative forcing in this region and others like it. A Single-Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) provided rBC mass loadings, size distributions, and mixing state information. Average rBC loadings are approximately an order of magnitude higher than those measured near Houston, Texas, a major U.S. metropolitan area. The rBC in the PRD is also more often internally mixed with nonrefractory materials than is rBC around Houston. Localized atmospheric heating from rBC solar absorption reached an average rate of 0.4 K d−1. A one-dimensional discrete ordinates radiative transfer (DISORT) model coupled with the average measured rBC is used to illustrate the potential local contribution of rBC mass and associated scattering aerosol to the radiative forcing. Solar energy deposition rates in the atmosphere at the sampling site due to rBC absorption are estimated to have an average value of 17 W m−2 and be largest in the first 1 km above the ground. These results indicate that rBC has significant potential to influence local meteorology and climate parameters in the PRD region.
P o S ( H Q L 2 0 1 2 ) 0 1 1 Review of Inclusive Semileptonic B Decays and B → D ( ∗ ) τν

A review of measurements of inclusive semileptonic decays of B mesons at the B Factories is presented. Results are reported for final states with and without charmed hadrons, and the resulting determinations of the CKM matrix elements |Vub| and |Vcb| are shown. Inclusive measurements are internally consistent, however both |Vcb| and |Vub| show a mild discrepancy with respect to determinations with exclusive semileptonic decays. A recent measurement of B→ D(∗)τν decays at BABAR is also discussed. The results exceed the Standard Model expectation at the 3. 4σ level. This excess cannot be explained by a charged Higgs boson in the type II two-Higgs-doublet model.
Report of the JARE-54 and BELARE 2012-2013 joint expedition to collect meteorites on the Nansen Ice Field, Antarctica

This paper reports on a joint expedition (JARE-54 and BELARE 2012⊖ 2013) that conducted a search for meteorites on the Nansen Ice Field, Antarctica, in an area south of the Sør Rondane Mountains (72°30′⊖73°S, 23°⊖25°E; elevation 2900⊖3000 m). The expedition took place over a period of 39 days during the austral summer, between 26 1 情報 ・システム研究機構国立極地研究所. National Institute of Polar Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Midori-cho 10⊖3, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518. 2 総合研究大学院大学複合科学研究科極域科学専攻. Department of Polar Science, School of Multidisciplinary Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Midori-cho 10⊖3, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518. 3 ブリュッセル自由大学. Université Libre de Bruxelles, Département des Sciences de la Terre et de l'Environnement, CP160/02, Ave. F.D. Roosevelt 50, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. 4 (現所属 present affiliation):有明登山案内人組合(元国立極地研究所). Ariake Alpine Guide Union, Aisome 11867⊖1, Ikeda, Nagano 399-8602. 5 ブリュッセル自由大学. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. 6 東京大学大学院理学系研究科地球惑星科学専攻. Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, 7⊖3⊖1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033. * Corresponding author. E-mail: imae@nipr.ac. jp 南極資料,Vol. 59,No. 1,38⊖72,2015 Nankyoku Shiryo^ (Antarctic Record), Vol. 59, No. 1, 38⊖72, 2015 C 2015 National Institute of Polar Research 39 Report of the JARE-54 and BELARE 2012‒2013 joint expedition to collect meteorites December 2012 and 2 February 2013. The team consisted of ten members: three researchers and one field assistant from the 54th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-54), and five researchers and one field assistant from the Belgian Antarctic Expedition (BELARE) 2012⊖2013. Previously, this area had only been searched by JARE29. The team collected 424 meteorites, which had a total weight of about 70 kg. The search tracks of the ten members of the expedition were recorded using hand-held GPS units, and this allowed the distribution of meteorites within the searched area to be mapped. The resultant data will be useful for planning future expeditions and can be used to clarify the meteorite concentration mechanism on the ice field. This paper focuses on the activities of JARE-54 during the joint expedition.
Simulation of time-dependent crack propagation in a quasi-brittle material under relative humidity variations based on cohesive zone approach : application to wood

Cette these est consacree a la simulation du comportement a la rupture de bois sous des chargements a long terme et sous des conditions d'Humidite Relatives (HR) de l'air variables. Il est connu que le bois est un materiau fortement hygroscopique, ses proprietes mecaniques et de rupture sont en effet tres dependantes de sa teneur en eau. En outre, la stabilite d'une fissure existante dans un element structural peut etre fortement influencee parles variations, en particulier brusques, d'humidite relative qui peut conduire a la rupture inattendue de l'element.L'approche thermodynamique proposee integre l'effet de mecanosorption dans l'expression analytique de la deformation, en decouplant les deformations mecaniques et celles dues au comportement mecanosorptif du materiau. En outre, la rupture quasi-fragile du materiau boisest traduite par un modele de zone cohesive dont les parametres de cohesion sont fonctions de la teneur en eau afin de simuler l’effet de l'humidite sur les proprietes de rupture. Sur cette base, une formulation incrementale permet l'integration de l'effet des variations soudaines d’humidite relative (autrement dit, le choc hydrique) sur la zone d’elaboration(zone cohesive) en introduisant un champ de contraintes supplementaires le long de cette zone. Fonction de la variation de HR, ce champ de contraintes supplementaires depend de l'etat de contrainte et de l'ouverture de la fissure le long de la zone cohesive, mais egalement de l'humidite en pointe de fissure (materiau non endommage). Dans l'analyse par elements finis, un operateur tangent algorithmique est utilise pour resoudre le probleme non lineaire en combinant le modele de mecanosorption et le modele de zone cohesive et en integrant l'effet du choc hydrique.La simulation du comportement d'une eprouvette entaillee soumise a un chargement constant et a des variations cycliques de HR montre un fort couplage entre le comportement mecanosorptif et l'effet du choc hydrique HR sur la zone d’elaboration. Ce couplage entraine une augmentation de la propagation des fissures et conduit a une fissuration plus precoce par rapport a celle obtenue a partir du modele de mecanosorption seul ou a partir du modele de zone cohesive en integrant l'effet des variations soudaines de HR. En outre, le couplage entre le modele mecanosorptif et le modele de zone cohesive en integrant l'effet du chochydrique montre l'interet d'une telle approche numerique pour decrire le comportement complexe des elements de charpente en bois soumis a des conditions climatiques variables,comportement qui ne peut etre predit par une simple superposition des deux modelisations.
International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering

- This paper presents comparative study of different single image SR algorithms and takes deep drive on a new approach to single-image super-resolution, based upon Sparse Mixing Estimators. We introduce a class of inverse problem estimators computed by mixing adaptively a family of linear estimators corresponding to different priors. Sparse mixing weights are calculated over blocks of coefﬁcients in a frame providing a sparse signal representation. They minimize an l 1 norm taking into account the signal regularity in each block. Adaptive directional image interpolations are computed over a wavelet frame with an algorithm, providing state-of-the-art numerical results [1]. This algorithm generates high-resolution images that are competitive or even superior in quality to images produced by other similar SR methods.
Diversity and species abundance patterns of the Early Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 3) Chengjiang Biota from China

Abstract Lagerstätten from the Precambrian–Cambrian transition have traditionally been a relatively untapped resource for understanding the paleoecology of the “Cambrian explosion. ” This quantitative paleoecological study is based on 10,238 fossil specimens belonging to 100 animal species, 11 phyla, and 15 ecological categories from the lower Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 3) Chengjiang biota (Mafang locality near Haikou, Yunnan Province, China). Fossils were systematically collected within a 2.5-meter-thick sequence divided into ten stratigraphic intervals. Each interval represents an induced time-averaged assemblage of various event (obrution) beds of unknown duration. Overall, the different fossil assemblages are taxonomically and ecologically similar, suggesting the presence of a single community type recurring throughout the Mafang section. The Mafang community is dominated by epibenthic vagile hunters or scavengers, sessile suspension feeders, and infaunal vagile hunters or scavengers represented primarily by arthropods, brachiopods, and priapulids, respectively. Most species have low abundance and low occurrence frequencies, whereas a few species are numerically abundant and occur frequently. Overall, in structure and ecology the Mafang community is comparable to the Middle Cambrian (Series 3, Stage 5) Burgess Shale biota (Walcott Quarry, Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada). This suggests that, despite variations in species identity within taxonomic and ecological groups, the structure and ecology of Cambrian Burgess Shale-type communities remained relatively stable until at least the Middle Cambrian (Series 3, Stage 5) in subtidal to relatively deep-water offshore settings in siliciclastic soft-substrate environments.
Impact of Groins on Beach Morphology: A Case Study near Gopalpur Port, East Coast of India

Abstract MOHANTY, P.K. ; PATRA, S.K. ; BRAMHA, S. ; SETH, B. ; PRADHAN, U. ; BEHERA, B. ; MISHRA, P., and PANDA, U.S., 2012. Impact of groins on beach morphology: a case study near Gopalpur Port, east coast of India. Gopalpur Port is being developed as an all-weather open seaport from a fair-weather port which has existed since 1987. Two groins, a 530-m south groin and a 370-m north groin, were constructed during the periods from August 2007 to November 2009 and October 2007 to September 2008, respectively, on the north and south of the 500-m jetty which existed earlier. Port authorities are planning to construct a southern breakwater and a series of seven northern groins. Therefore, it is essential to assess the impacts of coastal structures on beach morphology and shoreline change in the present context and to predict future trends. To achieve this, a long-term observational programme has been conducted since May 2008. Observations include beach profile, shoreline change (berm position), littoral environment observations, and sedimentological characteristics at monthly intervals north and south of the port, covering a total distance of about 5 km. From the analysis of results, erosion is observed north of the northern groin, particularly during the monsoon season. From October to January, deposition is observed mostly in the foreshore which replenishes the erosive environment observed during monsoon. On the other hand, a constant depositional trend is noticed south of the southern groin for 1.5 km. To assess the impacts of the present groins, beach profile and sediment characteristics were compared with observations made from February 2002 to February 2003. The comparison distinctly shows the impact of groins on erosion and deposition on the north and south beaches of the port. Volume, beach width, and beach area estimates indicate that the rate of deposition on the south beach is much faster than the rate of erosion on the north.
Dissolved gas dynamics in perennially ice‐covered Lake Fryxell, Antarctica

We use the concentrations of noble gases (He, Ne, and Ar), helium isotopes, and tritium to characterize the mechanisms and rates of ventilation for Lake Fryxell, Antarctica, as well as the physical processes controlling dissolved gases. The upper oxic zone is ventilated on timescales of several decades. The anoxic bottom waters are weakly ventilated, with a turnover time of ∼3,800 years. In the upper euphotic zone, helium and neon are greatly undersaturated with respect to solubility equilibrium with the atmosphere, whereas argon is greatly supersaturated owing to equilibrium partitioning of the gases between ice, water, and air inclusions in the ice. In the bottom waters, the inert dissolved gas concentrations may be remnants of a near‐desiccation event that occurred ∼2,000 years B.P., consistent with current paleoclimatic theories.
Learning, Public Involvement and Environmental Assessment: A Canadian Case Study

Policy makers and scholars have shown increased interest in the learning outcomes of resource and environmental management initiatives. This applies to environmental assessment (EA) as well as to processes that more explicitly incorporate learning-related objectives, such as adaptive management. Using a transformative framework and a qualitative methodology, in this paper we investigate learning outcomes from involvement in an EA of a major hog processing facility in Brandon, Canada. We also examine implications for EA process design, and the pursuit of key social objectives of sustainability. The extent to which the EA in this case facilitated emancipatory learning was quite limited, that is, the process deviated substantially from the ideal conditions of learning. As well, the EA was at best legitimating, and was by no means participatory, empowering, or equitable. The emancipatory potential of involvement in EA, and opportunities for mutual learning, could be increased with earlier involvement, higher degrees of participation, and more open decision-making.
Research concerning the organic carbon quantity of National Park Piatra Craiului and the C/N ratio.

In our country we have 25 National and Natural Parks of 552,174.80 ha area. Piatra Craiului National Park has a surface of 14,800 ha. The total protected areas surface has 1,234,710 hectares, representing 5.18% of the country. We have analysed, in this paper, 10 profiles of 31 horizons, the soil samples being collected from the National Park Piatra Craiului. The following parameters were analyzed: pH, organic C, total N. The pH was electrochemically determined in calcium chloride, and the carbon and the nitrogen have been analysed by the dry Dumars combustion method. The results have shown that the mountain forest soils are strongly acidic, with a pH between 2.5–5 in saline extract, except the 5 horizons with a pH between 6.2-7.2. The soils are richest in organic carbon and nitrogen. Regarding the C/N ratio values, their correlation with altitude showed a degree of normal fertility.
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC SƯ PHẠM TP HỒ CHÍ MINH

We investigated the effect of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in overcoming imatinib mesylate -resistance in chronic myeloid leukaemia cells. Cell proliferation was determined by trypan blue dye exclusion test. Western blot analysis was performed to test the expression of key proteins. EGCG showed anti-proliferative effects in TCCY cells (IC50 = 23 μM), TCCY/T315I cells (IC50 = 19 μM) and wild type and mutant BCR-ABL-transfected Ba/F3 cells (IC50 from 30 to 33 μM). Moreover, treatment with EGCG (4 hours) resulted in decrease of BCR-ABL expression. Finally, EGCG treatment inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and MAPK and induced apoptosis in these cells.
OCEAN INFORMATICS MONOGRAPH Ocean Informatics Initiative: an Ethnographic Study (2002-2006) Part 1: Report

The report presents an initial monograph on Ocean Informatics (OI), an information infrastructure initiative in the ocean science community. Using ethnographic methods, we observed and analyzed the development of the OI Initiative based at Scripps Institution of Oceanography over a period of 4 years (2002-2006). The focus of the report is the formation of an information environment that provides information management and information systems design expertise focusing on biological and ecological oceanography in particular. OI is specifically framed as conducive to support of scientific data practices, data curation, design practices, and information managers’ professional development when our understanding of these elements is under development amidst an era of transitions relating to digital data production and access. The effort aims to address short-term needs for information management while formulating and planning for the growth of infrastructure over the long-term. As an interdisciplinary initiative that spans multiple organizational units, its development is framed by a keystone relationship with the scientific environments with which it partners and within which it is embedded. It began as an oceanographic site in the Long-Term Ecological Research program (LTER) and subsequently partnered with the California Cooperative Fisheries Investigations (CALCOFI) as well. In bringing new attitudes and insights relating to living systems, the ecological perspective may also have significant ramifications in considering digital configurations. The OI Initiative highlights the envisioning of infrastructure efforts as having local, situated elements and how such efforts contribute to science today. The report captures the views of the diverse participants associated with the Initiative, thus providing a living portrait of Ocean Informatics whose development continues today. The report is in two parts with appendices appearing in a separate volume as Part 2.