Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perturbation of intestinal stem cell homeostasis and radiation enteritis recovery via dietary titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Small intestinal health and enteritis incidence are tightly coupled to the homeostasis of intestinal stem cells (ISCs), which are sensitive to dietary alterations. However, little is known about the impact of food additives on ISC pool. Here, we demonstrate that chronic exposure to low‐dose TiO2 NPs, a commonly used food additive, significantly hampers primary human and mouse ISC‐derived organoid formation and growth by specifically attenuating Wnt signal transduction. Mechanistically, TiO2 NPs alter the endocytic trafficking of the Wnt receptor LRP6 and prevent the nuclear entry of β‐catenin. Notably, dietary TiO2 NPs elicit modest chronic stress in healthy intestines and considerably impede the recovery of radiation enteritis by perturbing the homeostasis of ISCs in vivo. Our results identify a health concern of TiO2 NP exposure on ISC homeostasis and radiation enteritis recovery. These findings suggest extra precaution during the treatment of radiation enteritis and provide new insights into food additive‐ISC interaction.
Statin's role on blood pressure levels: Meta‐analysis based on randomized controlled trials

Statins have been proven to be effective in minimizing the risk of cardiovascular adverse events, however, their effect on BP variability is debatable with respect to their significance and their use as a potential anti‐hypertensive. Using a meta‐analysis approach, the aim of this study was to explore whether certain statins have the potential to lower blood pressure (BP). For the period 2002–2022, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for the studies that examined the effect of statins on blood pressure in normotensive or hypertensive individuals. Randomized controlled clinical trials that investigated this effect were included based on our inclusion criteria. Our primary outcomes were changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The final analysis of the study included 49 RCTs involving 45 173 participants randomized to receive either statins or placebo. Among the two groups, the total weighted mean difference (WMD) for systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP) was –1.42 (95% CI: –2.38, –0.46; p = .004) and diastolic blood pressure (ΔDBP) was 0.82 (95% CI: –1.28, –0.36; p = .0005). Despite various studies suggesting the efficacy of statins in blood pressure lowering to be significant and non‐significant both, we observed a decrease in SBP and DBP both, although the change was not as large and could be considered significant. A large multicenter, multi‐ethnic, large sample pool size, and a long period follow‐up study is still required to assert these claims.
Output-Feedback and Inverse Optimal Control of a Class of Stochastic Nonlinear Systems with More General Growth Conditions

This paper investigates the problem of output-feedback stabilization for a class of stochastic nonlinear systems in which the nonlinear terms depend on unmeasurable states besides measurable output. We extend linear growth conditions to power growth conditions and reduce the control effort. By using backstepping technique, choosing a high-gain parameter, an output-feedback controller is designed to ensure the closed-loop system to be globally asymptotically stable in probability, and the inverse optimal stabilization in probability is achieved. The efficiency of the output-feedback controller is demonstrated by a simulation example.
Swarm particle optimizacion apply to the searching of reflection points over nurbs surfaces

A new method to find reflection points on NURBS surfaces is presented. The technique uses the swarm particle optimization to perform the points' searching. The points are referred to the parametric coordinates of the surface and a cost function, based on the Snell's Law and the Fermat's Principle, is applied to find the best position. The technique is an alternative to another minimization methods like the conjugate gradient, and can be applied to cases with bad convergence.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein MoxR1 enhances virulence by inhibiting host cell death pathways and disrupting cellular bioenergetics

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) utilizes the multifunctionality of its protein factors to deceive the host. The unabated global incidence and prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains warrant the discovery of novel drug targets that can be exploited to manage TB. This study reports the role of M. tb AAA+ family protein MoxR1 in regulating host-pathogen interaction and immune system functions. We report that MoxR1 binds to TLR4 in macrophage cells and further reveal how this signal the release of proinflammatory cytokines. We show that MoxR1 activates the PI3K-AKT-MTOR signalling cascade by inhibiting the autophagy-regulating kinase ULK1 by potentiating its phosphorylation at serine 757, leading to its suppression. Using autophagy-activating and repressing agents such as rapamycin and bafilomycin A1 suggested that MoxR1 inhibits autophagy flux by inhibiting autophagy initiation. MoxR1 also inhibits apoptosis by suppressing the expression of MAPK JNK1/2 and cFOS, which play critical roles in apoptosis induction. Intriguingly, MoxR1 also induced robust disruption of cellular bioenergetics by metabolic reprogramming to rewire the citric acid cycle intermediates, as evidenced by the lower levels of citric acid and electron transport chain enzymes (ETC) to dampen host defence. These results point to a multifunctional role of M. tb MoxR1 in dampening host defences by inhibiting autophagy, apoptosis, and inducing metabolic reprogramming. These mechanistic insights can be utilized to devise strategies to combat TB and better understand survival tactics by intracellular pathogens.
C9orf72 expansions are the most common cause of genetic frontotemporal dementia in a Southeast Asian cohort

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) encompasses a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders, including behavioural variant FTD (bvFTD), semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) and non‐fluent variant PPA (nfvPPA). While a strong genetic component is implicated in FTD, genetic FTD in Asia is less frequently reported. We aimed to investigate the frequency of Southeast Asian FTD patients harbouring known genetic FTD variants.
Engineering the plant metabolic system by exploiting metabolic regulation.

Plants are the most sophisticated biofactories and sources of food and biofuels present in nature. Engineering the plant metabolism can increase the production of desired compounds and improve the nutritional or commercial value of the plant species. However, this can be challenging because of the complexity of the regulation of multiple genes and the involvement of different protein interactions. To improve metabolic engineering (ME) capabilities, different tools and strategies for rerouting the metabolic pathways have been developed, including genome editing and transcriptional regulation approaches. In addition, cutting-edge technologies have provided new methods for understanding uncharacterized biosynthetic pathways, protein degradation mechanisms, protein-protein interactions, or allosteric feedback, enabling the design of novel ME approaches.
A comparative study of structure of vertical motions in the lower troposphere over Pune, a tropical Indian station in March 2004 and 2005 using Wind Profiler data

Abstract. An extended heat wave condition affected Pune (18.31° N, 73.58° E), India and surrounding region during the pre-monsoon month of March 2004, when surface temperatures were observed to be above normal. In contrast, March 2005 showed a long spell of below normal temperatures. The vertical velocity measurements from UHF (404 MHz) Wind Profiler at Pune have been used to understand the role of vertical motions in the lower troposphere in maintenance of long spells of above (in March 2004) and below (in March 2005) normal surface temperatures over the station. The altitude profiles of vertical wind velocities showed different behavior in the two contrasting years 2004 and 2005. It is observed that for a major part of the month and at all heights, downward motions (subsidence) dominate during March 2004. Strong downward motions persisted for spells of 2 to 3 days when high surface temperatures (above 38°C) were recorded over this station. A positive relation between surface temperature anomalies and depth of subsidence points to the role of subsidence. March 2005 showed the persistence of upward motion for longer time duration during morning hours which prevented the surface temperatures from reaching high values with weak subsidence during afternoon hours. This is supported by observation of more frequent and organized thermal plumes extending right into the free troposphere. There are distinct episodes of advective warmings during March 2004 while March 2005 showed weak or absence of temperature advection from north. Hence a combination of meridional transport of heat and persistent subsidence in the lower troposphere seemed to have led to recording of above normal surface temperatures during March 2004 over the station.
A correspondence between Nuprl and the Ramified Theory of Types

In RusselPs Ramified Theory of Types RTT, two hierarchical concepts dominate: orders and types. The use of orders has as a consequence that the logic part of RTT is predicative. The concept of order however, is almost dead since Ramsey eliminated it from RTT. This is why we find Church's simple theory of types (which uses the type concept without the order one) at the bottom of the Barendregt Cube rather than RTT. Despite the disappearence of orders which have a strong correlation with predicativity, predicative logic still plays an influential role in Computer Science. An important example is the proof checker Nuprl, which is based on Martin-LoPs Type Theory which uses type universes. Those type universes, and also degrees of expressions in AUTHOMATH, are closely related to orders. In this paper, we concentrate on Nuprl. We describe Nuprl as a Pure Type System and relate it to Russell's RTT. To be successful at so doing, we are forced to explicitly typing Nuprl (but this is not restrictive). We show also that Russell's orders playa crucial role in understanding the hierarchy of Nuprl.
The Role of Anxiety and Depression in the Emotion Regulation Strategies of People Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract Researchers have explored the links between cognitive emotion regulation, impaired cognitive functioning, and anxiety-depression, including the link to anxiety and depression levels. However, very few studies have examined these dimensions in clinical populations with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A sample of 183 participants was divided into three groups: 59 trauma-exposed with PTSD, 61 trauma-exposed without PTSD, and 63 non-trauma-exposed non-PTSD (controls). All participants were assessed on the following dimensions: PTSD (PCL-5), cognitive emotion regulation (CERQ), anxiety and depression (HADS). Results indicate a specific profile of emotion regulation associated with PTSD. Compared to other groups, participants with PTSD showed more difficulty managing their emotions, with more rumination, self-blame, and catastrophizing. Moreover, these difficulties were also correlated with levels of anxiety and depression, that is, participants with PTSD who had higher anxiety and depression scores used more maladaptive strategies. The PTSD group used significantly more maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies than the other groups, with distinct profiles related to anxiety and depressive symptomatology.
An alternative optical design for x-ray telescopes

A two-reflection optical design for nested X-ray telescopes is described in which the two grazing incidence angles are equal for each ray collected by each mirror, so that the total reflectivity is maximized. A specific design is discussed and its optical performances are compared to a reference type I Wolter optics. In the selected design scenario, a 16% reduction in the number of mirror shells and a 6% increase of the effective area between 1 keV and 10 keV is achieved, along with a small 2.6% decrease of the angular resolution over 12 armin field of view.
Resting-state neural correlates of visual Gestalt experience

Abstract Subjective perceptual experience is influenced not only by bottom-up sensory information and experience-based top-down processes, but also by an individual’s current brain state. Specifically, a previous study found increased prestimulus insula and intraparietal sulcus (IPS) activity before participants perceived an illusory Gestalt (global) compared with the non-illusory (local) interpretation of a bistable stimulus. That study provided only a snapshot of the brain state that favors the illusory interpretation. In the current study, we tested whether areas that differentiate between the illusory and non-illusory perception, immediately before stimulus onset, are also associated with an individual’s general tendency to perceive it, which remains stable over time. We examined individual differences in task-free functional connectivity of insula and IPS and related them to differences in the individuals’ duration of the two stimulus interpretations. We found stronger connectivity of the IPS with areas of the default mode and visual networks to be associated with shorter local perceptual phases, i.e. a faster switch to an illusory percept, and an opposite effect for insula connectivity with the early visual cortex. Our findings suggest an important role of IPS and insula interactions with nodes of key intrinsic networks in forming a perceptual tendency toward illusory Gestalt perception.
OrthoPhy: A Program to Construct Ortholog Data Sets Using Taxonomic Information

Abstract Species phylogenetic trees represent the evolutionary processes of organisms, and they are fundamental in evolutionary research. Therefore, new methods have been developed to obtain more reliable species phylogenetic trees. A highly reliable method is the construction of an ortholog data set based on sequence information of genes, which is then used to infer the species phylogenetic tree. However, although methods for constructing an ortholog data set for species phylogenetic analysis have been developed, they cannot remove some paralogs, which is necessary for reliable species phylogenetic inference. To address the limitations of current methods, we developed OrthoPhy, a program that excludes paralogs and constructs highly accurate ortholog data sets using taxonomic information dividing analyzed species into monophyletic groups. OrthoPhy can remove paralogs, detecting inconsistencies between taxonomic information and phylogenetic trees of candidate ortholog groups clustered by sequence similarity. Performance tests using evolutionary simulated sequences and real sequences of 40 bacteria revealed that the precision of ortholog inference by OrthoPhy is higher than that of existing programs. Additionally, the phylogenetic analysis of species was more accurate when performed using ortholog data sets constructed by OrthoPhy than that performed using data sets constructed by existing programs. Furthermore, we performed a benchmark test of the Quest for Orthologs using real sequence data and found that the concordance rate between the phylogenetic trees of orthologs inferred by OrthoPhy and those of species was higher than the rates obtained by other ortholog inference programs. Therefore, ortholog data sets constructed using OrthoPhy enabled a more accurate phylogenetic analysis of species than those constructed using the existing programs, and OrthoPhy can be used for the phylogenetic analysis of species even for distantly related species that have experienced many evolutionary events.
Thermonuclear reaction rates for dense binary-ionic mixtures

Enhancement factors for the thermonuclear reaction rates in dense binary-ionic mixtures (BIMs) with charge ratio R Z ≤5 are calculated through detailed examination of the screening potentials at short ranges obtained by the Monte Carlo simulation method. Small but nonnegligible deviations of the screening distances from the constant electron-density, ion-sphere scaling are discovered at R Z ∼5 for the lighter elements; the deviations act further to enhance the reaction rates. The triple-α reactions in He-C mixtures are treated as an example
Feasibility and reliability of comprehensive three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography screening process for transcatheter mitral valve replacement

Abstract Aims The procedural planning of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) requires a specific imaging assessment to establish patient eligibility. Computed tomography (CT) is considered the reference method. In this setting, data regarding the role of transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) are lacking. We evaluated the feasibility and reliability of a comprehensive 3D-TOE screening in TMVR candidates. Methods and results We performed a retrospective observational study including 72 consecutive patients who underwent a pre-procedural CT and 3D-TOE for TMVR evaluation. The measurements of mitral annulus (MA), length of anterior mitral leaflet (AML), native left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), and predicted neo-LVOT acquired with CT and 3D-TOE were compared using a novel semi-automated software for post processing analysis (3 mensio Structural Heart 10.1—3mSH, Pie Medical Imaging, Bilthoven, Netherlands). The final suitability decision was given by the valve manufacturer based on CT measurements and clinical conditions. Among 72 patients screened, all patients had adequate image quality for 3D-TOE analysis. 3D-TOE and CT measurements for AML length (r = 0.97), MA area (r = 0.90), perimeter (r = 0.68), anteroposterior (r = 0.88), and posteromedial-anterolateral (r = 0.74) diameters were found highly correlated, as well as for native LVOT (r = 0.86) and predicted neo-LVOT areas (r = 0.96) (all P-values <0.0001). An almost perfect agreement between CT and 3DTOE was found in assessing the eligibility for TMVR implantation (Cohen kappa 0.83, P < 0.001). Conclusion 3D-TOE appraisements showed good correlations with CT measurements and high accuracy to predict TMVR screening success.
Cup Anemometer Behavior in Turbulent Environments

Abstract The behavior of the cup anemometer rotor in turbulent atmospheric flow is discussed in terms of a general equation of motion. This equates the rate of change s of the rotation rate s of the rotor to a forcing F(s, h, w), which is proportional to the torque and a function of s and of the total horizontal and the vertical wind velocity components, h, and w, respectively. To determine the so-called overspeeding, it is necessary to carry out first-and second-order perturbation calculations around the response curve obtained in a laminar flow. From this curve, which for the purpose of this paper can be considered linear, five constraints are derived between the first and second partial derivatives of F. These constraints provide sufficient information for deriving an expression for the overspeeding to which four distinctly different biases contribute—one for each of the velocity components and one from the covariance between streamwise velocity components ũ and w. A phenomenological model of.
Wavefront fitting with discrete orthogonal polynomials in a unit radius circle

Zernike polynomials have been used for some time to fit wavefront deformation measurements to a two-dimensional polynomial. Their orthogonality properties make them ideal for this kind of application. The typical procedure consists of first obtaining the fitting using x-y polynomials and then transforming them to Zernike polynomials by means of a matrix multiplication. Here, we present a new method for making this fitting faster by using a set of orthogonal polynomials on a discrete base of data points on a unitary circle.
Proposed experimental tests of a theory of fine microstructure and the two-well problem

Predictions are made based on an analysis of a new nonlinear theory of martensitic transformations introduced by the authors. The crystal is modelled as a nonlinear elastic material, with a free-energy function that is invariant with respect to both rigid-body rotations and the appropriate crystallographic symmetries. The predictions concern primarily the two-well problem, that of determining all possible energy-minimizing deformations that can be obtained with two coherent and macroscopically unstressed variants of martensite. The set of possible macroscopic deformations obtained is completely determined by the lattice parameters of the material. For certain boundary conditions the total free energy does not attain a minimum , and the finer and finer oscillations of minimizing sequences are interpreted as corresponding to microstructure. The predictions are am enable to experimental tests. The proposed tests involve the comparison of the theoretical predictions with the mechanical response of properly oriented plates subject to simple shear.
Long-term supplementation with a combination of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, arginine, and glutamine for pressure ulcer in sedentary older adults: a retrospective matched case-control study

Background Growing evidence suggests that beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), arginine (Arg), and glutamine (Gln) positively affect wound recovery. This study investigated the effects of long-term administration of HMB/Arg/Gln on pressure ulcer (PU) healing in sedentary older adults admitted to geriatric and rehabilitation care facilities. Methods This was a pilot retrospective case (standard of care and HMB/Arg/Gln)-control (standard of care alone) clinical study. Outcome measures were relative healing rates and Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) scores (calculated after 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks) and time to healing. Results The study subpopulation was comprised of 14 participants (four males, 28.6%) with the median age of 85.5 years (interquartile range [IQR], 82.0–90.2 years). The control subpopulation was comprised of 31 participants (18 males, 58.1%) with the median age of 84.0 years (IQR, 78.0–90.0 years). At the beginning of follow-up, there were no statistically significant demographic (sex and age) and clinical (main diagnosis, baseline area, and PU perimeter) differences between the groups. During the study period, there were no significant differences in the relative healing rates and PUSH scores between the subpopulations. The median time to complete healing in the study and control populations was 170.0 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 85.7–254.3) and 218.0 days (95% CI, 149.2–286.7) (log-rank, chi-square=3.99; p<0.046), respectively. Conclusion More than 20 weeks of HMB/Arg/Gln supplementation had a positive effect on difficult PU healing in older adults with multiple comorbidities.