Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Baseline Arterial CO2 Pressure Regulates Acute Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Phrenic Long-Term Facilitation in Rats

Moderate acute intermittent hypoxia (mAIH) elicits a progressive increase in phrenic motor output lasting hours post-mAIH, a form of respiratory motor plasticity known as phrenic long-term facilitation (pLTF). mAIH-induced pLTF is initiated by activation of spinally-projecting raphe serotonergic neurons during hypoxia and subsequent serotonin release near phrenic motor neurons. Since raphe serotonergic neurons are also sensitive to pH and CO2, the prevailing arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO2) may modulate their activity (and serotonin release) during hypoxic episodes. Thus, we hypothesized that changes in background PaCO2 directly influence the magnitude of mAIH-induced pLTF. mAIH-induced pLTF was evaluated in anesthetized, vagotomized, paralyzed and ventilated rats, with end-tidal CO2 (i.e., a PaCO2 surrogate) maintained at: (1) ≤39 mmHg (hypocapnia); (2) ∼41 mmHg (normocapnia); or (3) ≥48 mmHg (hypercapnia) throughout experimental protocols. Although baseline phrenic nerve activity tended to be lower in hypocapnia, short-term hypoxic phrenic response, i.e., burst amplitude (Δ = 5.1 ± 1.1 μV) and frequency responses (Δ = 21 ± 4 bpm), was greater than in normocapnic (Δ = 3.6 ± 0.6 μV and 8 ± 4, respectively) or hypercapnic rats (Δ = 2.0 ± 0.6 μV and −2 ± 2, respectively), followed by a progressive increase in phrenic burst amplitude (i.e., pLTF) for at least 60 min post mAIH. pLTF in the hypocapnic group (Δ = 4.9 ± 0.6 μV) was significantly greater than in normocapnic (Δ = 2.8 ± 0.7 μV) or hypercapnic rats (Δ = 1.7 ± 0.4 μV). In contrast, although hypercapnic rats also exhibited significant pLTF, it was attenuated versus hypocapnic rats. When pLTF was expressed as percent change from maximal chemoreflex stimulation, all pairwise comparisons were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). We conclude that elevated PaCO2 undermines mAIH-induced pLTF in anesthetized rats. These findings contrast with well-documented effects of PaCO2 on ventilatory LTF in awake humans.
BIODEGRADACIÓN DE UN CRUDO MEDIANO EN SUELOS DE DIFERENTE TEXTURA CON Y SIN AGENTE ESTRUCTURANTE

Biodegradation of a medium crude oil in soils of different texture with and without bulking agents Soil texture and bulking agents play an important role in the bioremediation of hydrocarbons. In this sense, we study the biodegradation of a medium crude oil in two soils of different texture, with and without the addition of bulking agents (litter). The soils tested were a sandy-textured soil composed of quartz and illite, and a sandy-clay-loam composed of quartz and kaolinite. Four treatments were evaluated in triplicate in microcosms with initial oil content of 5 % (m/m) to which N and P fertilizers were added to obtain C/N = 60 and C/P = 800 ratios. The microcosms were raked periodically for aeration and humidity was adjusted to 40 - 60% of moisture pot capacity. Total petroleum hydrocarbons concentration was obtained for 1, 15, 30, 45 and 90 days through Sohxlet extraction and the concentration of saturated, aromatic, resins and asphaltenes fractions was obtained through precipitation for asphaltenes and by adsorption chromatography for maltenes (saturated, aromatic and resins). Saturated biomarkers analyses were performed by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. We found that the sandy-clay-loam texture favored the process of biodegradation of total hydrocarbons, particularly of the saturated components. The bulking agents also positively influenced the rate of biodegradation of saturated hydrocarbons, so these factors should be considered in the application of bioremediation techniques to restore soils and treating wastes polluted with medium crude oil.
Metabolism of Dendritic Cells in Tumor Microenvironment: For Immunotherapy

Dendritic cells (DCs) are a type of an antigen-presenting cell which undertake a job on capturing antigens coming from pathogens or tumors and presenting to T cells for immune response. The metabolism of DCs controls its development, polarization, and maturation processes and provides energy support for its functions. However, the immune activity of DCs in tumor microenvironment (TME) is inhibited generally. Abnormal metabolism of tumor cells causes metabolic changes in TME, such as hyperglycolysis, lactate and lipid accumulation, acidification, tryptophan deprivation, which limit the function of DCs and lead to the occurrence of tumor immune escape. Combined metabolic regulation with immunotherapy can strengthen the ability of antigen-presentation and T cell activation of DCs, improve the existing anti-tumor therapy, and overcome the defects of DC-related therapies in the current stage, which has great potential in oncology therapy. Therefore, we reviewed the glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism of DCs, as well as the metabolic changes after being affected by TME. Together with the potential metabolic targets of DCs, possible anti-tumor therapeutic pathways were summarized.
Pathologically Relevant Mouse Models for Epstein–Barr Virus–Associated B Cell Lymphoma

The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is endemic in humans and can efficiently transform infected B cells under some circumstances. If an EBV carrier experiences immune suppression, EBV+ B cells can turn into lymphoblasts and exhibit growth expansion that may cause lymphoproliferative diseases which often develop into lymphoma. Our immune system conducts surveillance for EBV+ B cells in order to block spontaneous tumor formation. Here, we summarize the EBV products involved in tumorigenesis, EBV-associated lymphomas, and pathologically relevant mouse models. Preclinical mouse models for a range of EBV-associated diseases not only clear the path to new therapeutic approaches but also aid in our understanding of the nature of lymphomagenesis and immune surveillance.
Association of Trimethylamine N-Oxide Levels and Calcification in Culprit Lesion Segments in Patients With ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Evaluated by Optical Coherence Tomography

The presence of calcified plaques is one of the pathological phenotypes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and can be frequently found in culprit lesion segments. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is reported to be involved in vascular calcification and plaque instability. This study investigated the relationship between plasma TMAO levels and calcified lesions in culprit lesion segments in STEMI patients. A prospective series of 179 patients with STEMI were enrolled, and calcified lesions from 127 patients were analyzed by OCT. The plasma TMAO levels were measured by using stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median plasma TMAO level. The prevalence of intimal calcified lesions in the high TMAO group was significantly higher than that in the low TMAO group (90.6 vs. 57.1%, p < 0.001; 84.4 vs. 44.4%, p < 0.001). After adjustment of traditional risk factors and medication history, patients with calcification in their culprit lesion segments had higher plasma TMAO levels than those without calcification. Moreover, plasma TMAO levels were significantly positively associated with the parameters of calcium burden, including maximal calcification arc (r = 0.392, p < 0.001), maximal calcification thickness (r = 0.443, p < 0.001), and calcified length (r = 0.466, p < 0.001). These results suggested that the level of TMAO is significantly correlated with the incidence of calcification in the culprit lesion segment, and the measurement of TMAO levels might improve clinical management in patients with heavy calcification. Clinical Trial Registration: This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03593928.
Effects of Apigenin Treatment on Random Skin Flap Survival in Rats

Random skin flaps are often used in plastic surgery, but the complications of marginal flap ischemia and necrosis often limit their wider clinical application. Apigenin (Api) is a flavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables. Api has been shown to promote angiogenesis, as well as reduce oxidative stress, membrane damage, and inflammation. In this study, we assessed the effects of Api treatment on random skin flap survival. Dorsal McFarlane skin flaps were transplanted into rats, which were randomly divided into three groups: control (normal saline), low-dose Api (20 mg/kg), and high-dose Api (50 mg/kg). Seven days after the surgery, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Histological analyses were performed to determine flap survival and tissue edema. H&E staining was performed to assess the histopathological changes in skin flaps, and the levels of microvascular density (MVD) were determined. Laser doppler flowmetry was used to assess microcirculation blood flow. Flap angiography was performed by injection of lead oxide/gelatin. The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interlukin-1β (IL-lβ) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Rats in the high-dose Api group exhibited higher average flap survival area, microcirculatory flow, increased SOD activity, and higher VEGF expression levels compared with the other two groups. Furthermore, the levels of MDA and pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly decreased in rats treated with high-dose Api. Our findings suggest the potential usefulness of Api in preventing skin flap tissue necrosis.
Self-Assembly of n-Alkanethiols: A Kinetic Study by Second Harmonic Generation

Thiolate formation of n-alkanethiols (CH3(CH2)m-1SH) adsorbing on polycrystalline gold was studied in situ and in real time under a variety of experimental conditions. The chain length of the thiols studied varied from m = 4 to m = 22. The influence of the thiol concentration in different solvents (ethanol, hexane, dodecane, and hexadecane) was examined in the range between 0.5 and 20.0 μmol/L. Among the models proposed in the literature, only Langmuir kinetics can explain the data, irrespective of the experimental conditions. As will be shown, all other kinetic models fail to describe the measured formation kinetics of thiolate films on a polycrystalline gold surface. However, small but significant differences between the experimental data and the Langmuir model assuming statistical adsorption are identified. A modified Kisliuk model accounting for different adsorption sites yields the best agreement with the experimental data. On the basis of these results we propose a kinetic model of thiolate formatio.
NADAL: A Neighbor-Aware Deep Learning Approach for Inferring Interpersonal Trust Using Smartphone Data

Interpersonal trust mediates multiple socio-technical systems and has implications for personal and societal well-being. Consequently, it is crucial to devise novel machine learning methods to infer interpersonal trust automatically using mobile sensor-based behavioral data. Considering that social relationships are often affected by neighboring relationships within the same network, this work proposes using a novel neighbor-aware deep learning architecture (NADAL) to enhance the inference of interpersonal trust scores. Based on analysis of call, SMS, and Bluetooth interaction data from a one-year field study involving 130 participants, we report that: (1) adding information about neighboring relationships improves trust score prediction in both shallow and deep learning approaches; and (2) a custom-designed neighbor-aware deep learning architecture outperforms a baseline feature concatenation based deep learning approach. The results obtained at interpersonal trust prediction are promising and have multiple implications for trust-aware applications in the emerging social internet of things.
DIDDOS: An approach for detection and identiﬁcation of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) cyberattacks using Gated Recurrent Units (GRU)

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks can put the communication networks in instability by throwing malicious trafﬁc and requests in bulk over the network. Computer networks form a complex chain of nodes resulting in a formation of vigorous structure. Thus, in this scenario, it becomes a challenging task to provide an efﬁcient and secure environment for the user. Numerous approaches have been adopted in the past to detect and prevent DDoS attacks but lack in providing efﬁcient and reliable attack detection. As a result, there is still notable room for improvement in providing security against DDoS attacks. To overcome the problem of DDoS attacks detection, in this paper, a novel high-efﬁcient approach is proposed named DIDDOS to protect against real-world new type DDoS attacks using Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) a type of Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). For effective performance results different classiﬁcation algorithms are applied Gated Recurrent Units (GRU), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), Naive Bayes (NB), and Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO) are utilized to detect and identify DDoS attacks. For the performance evaluation metrics like accuracy, recall, f1-score, precision are used to evaluate the efﬁciency of the machine and deep learning classiﬁers. Experimental results yield the highest accuracy of 99.69% for DDoS classiﬁcation in case of reﬂection attacks and 99.94% for DDoS classiﬁcation in case of exploitation attacks using GRU.
Binding of Methylene Blue to Polyelectrolytes Containing Sulfonate Groups

The interaction between methylene blue (MB) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), poly(sodium vinylsulfonate) (PVS), and the more hydrophobic poly[sodium 2-(N-acrylamido)-2-methyl-propanesulfonate] (PAMPS), is investigated. The main driving forces for the interaction with PSS are supposed to be short-range aromatic/aromatic interactions, which explain the smaller dissociation constant, the resistance to the cleaving effect of NaCl, and the prevention of MB self-aggregation around the macromolecules under a moderate excess of the polymer. On the contrary, as a consequence of long-range interactions, a higher local concentration of MB around PAMPS and, more significantly, around PVS results in MB self-aggregation that can be quenched in the presence of NaCl.
Trading-Off Machine Learning Algorithms towards Data-Driven Administrative-Socio-Economic Population Health Management

Together with population ageing, the number of people suffering from multimorbidity is increasing, up to more than half of the population by 2035. This part of the population is composed by the highest-risk patients, who are, at the same time, the major users of the healthcare systems. The early identification of this sub-population can really help to improve people’s quality of life and reduce healthcare costs. In this paper, we describe a population health management tool based on state-of-the-art intelligent algorithms, starting from administrative and socio-economic data, for the early identification of high-risk patients. The study refers to the population of the Local Health Unit of Central Tuscany in 2015, which amounts to 1,670,129 residents. After a trade-off on machine learning models and on input data, Random Forest applied to 1-year of historical data achieves the best results, outperforming state-of-the-art models. The most important variables for this model, in terms of mean minimal depth, accuracy decrease and Gini decrease, result to be age and some group of drugs, such as high-ceiling diuretics. Thanks to the low inference time and reduced memory usage, the resulting model allows for real-time risk prediction updates whenever new data become available, giving General Practitioners the possibility to early adopt personalised medicine.
Assay of chitinase and N‐acetylglucosaminidase activity in forest soils with 4‐methylumbelliferyl derivatives

Chitinase and N-acetylglucosaminidase activities in forest soils were examined by a highly sensitive method using 4-methylumbelliferyl (4MU) derivatives of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine oligomers as substrates. The method involves the fluorometric estimation of the 4-MU released through the activity of the soil enzymes when a soil sample and the substrate are incubated in a buffer. The activities of both enzymes decreased markedly with depth in the 4 forest soil profiles studied (i.e. Andosol, Podzol, 2 Cambisols). The activities of these soil enzymes were highly correlated with the carbon and nitrogen content of the soils. Analyse der Aktivitat von Chitinase und N-Acetylglucosaminidase in Waldboden mit Hilfe von 4-Methylumbelliferon-Derivaten Die Aktivitat von Chitinase und N-Acetylglucosaminidase in Waldboden wurde mit Hilfe einer sehr empfindlichen Mesmethode, die 4-Methyumbelliferon (4-MU)-Derivate von N-Acetylglucosamin-Oligomeren als Substrat ausnutzt, untersucht. Die Methode besteht u.a. aus einer fluorometrischen Schatzung der Menge des 4-MU, das, nach Inkubation von Bodenproben und Oligomeren in einem Puffer, gebildet wird. Es wurden Profile eines Andosol, eines Podsol, und zweier Cambisole untersucht. Die Aktivitat beider Enzyme sank mit der Bodentiefe. Die Enzymaktivitat war eng mit den C- und N-Gehalten der Boden korreliert.
Methods for the determination of phthalates in food

This report summarises details of 19 methods of analysis for the determination of phthalates in food as reported by European food control laboratories to the JRC. This information is completed by information from a survey on the same topic conducted among German official food control laboratories, and data retrieved from scientific publications. The scopes of the methods range from simple matrices such as beverages to complex total diet samples, and from the determination of single phthalates to a broad range of different phthalates including complex isomeric mixtures. However, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) makes part of the set of analytes in most laboratories. The next most frequently determined phthalate is dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) whose occurrence in food was recently discussed among risk managers is considered in only about a quarter of the described analysis procedures. The analysis procedures are mostly composed of rather simple extraction procedures followed by sample clean up based on either liquid/liquid partitioning or gel permeation chromatography. Separation and detection of the analytes is mainly performed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and only rarely by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection respectively electron capture detection.
Spectrophotometric determination of pH and its application to determination of thermodynamic equilibrium constants

Highly accurate pH estimations are conveniently made by evaluation of the spectra of an acid-base indicator suitable for the pH range of interest, if the pK a,ind is accurately known. Stoichiometric pH values were to determine pK a,ind to an accuracy of ±0.008 or better, utilizing a neutralization titration of a reference standard week acid or base
Does academic streams influence alcohol use in colleges?

Background: Alcohol use among college students is a major public health priority owing to its high prevalence and numerous negative outcomes. Most interventions targeting alcohol use among college students consider them as a homogenous entity. There is preliminary evidence from high-income countries that patterns of alcohol use differ across academic streams. This remains unstudied in India. Aims: To compare the prevalence and correlates of alcohol use among students enrolled in various collegiate educational streams (medical, nursing, engineering, arts and science, and others [law/fisheries]) in the state of Kerala, India. Settings and Design: This is a cross-sectional survey conducted among college students. Materials and Methods: 5784 students completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing alcohol use and its correlates in the psycho-social domains. Statiscal Analysis: Lifetime prevalence and severity of alcohol use was determined across examined academic streams. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was done separately for each course, to identify factors influencing alcohol use. Results: The lifetime prevalence of alcohol use varied between 10.6% among nursing students to 41.7% among students pursuing “other” stream (law/fisheries). Students pursuing medicine and nursing had a relatively lower proportion of hazardous users. Consistently across all academic streams, being male and using tobacco increased the risk, while those from the Muslim community had a lower risk of alcohol use. Other examined psychosocial correlates showed varying relationship across courses. Conclusion: The prevalence and psychosocial correlates of alcohol use vary among students pursuing various academic streams. This finding has public health importance as the incorporation of course level characteristics in intervention programs will improve effectiveness.
Recent advances and future directions on the use of optical coherence tomography in neuro-ophthalmology

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive imaging technique used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze various layers of the retina. OCT of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) is particularly useful in neuro-ophthalmology for the evaluation of patients with optic neuropathies and retrochiasmal visual pathway disorders. OCT allows for an objective quantification of edema and atrophy of the RNFL and GCIPL, which may be evident before obvious clinical signs and visual dysfunction develop. Enhanced depth imaging OCT allows for visualization of deep structures of the optic nerve and has emerged as the gold standard for the detection of optic disc drusen. In the evaluation of compressive optic neuropathies, OCT RNFL and GCIPL thicknesses have been established as the most important visual prognostic factor. There is increasing evidence that inclusion of OCT as part of the diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) increases its sensitivity. Moreover, OCT of the RNFL and GCIPL may be helpful in the early detection and monitoring the treatment of conditions such as MS and Alzheimer's disease. OCT is an important aspect of the neuro-ophthalmologic assessment and its use is likely to increase moving forward.
Comparison of aerosol box intubation with C-MAC video laryngoscope and direct laryngoscopy—A randomised controlled trial

Background and Aims: Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly infectious disease and healthcare workers are at constant risk for contracting it. Nowadays, aerosol box is used in conjunction with WHO-recommended safety kits, to avoid health workers from getting SARS-CoV-2 infection during aerosol-generating procedures. In our study, we compared the ease of oral intubation with C-MAC video laryngoscope and direct laryngoscopy, when the aerosol box was used. The secondary objectives were to compare the incidence of airway loss, haemodynamic changes, number of attempts, and time required for intubation between these two techniques. Methods: This prospective randomised controlled study was conducted on 60 non-coronavirus disease (COVID) patients presenting for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups:C and D using a computer-generated random sequence of numbers by closed envelope technique. In group D, laryngoscopy was performed with Macintosh blade and in group C, with Storz® C-MAC video laryngoscope. Results: The ease of intubation was better (grade 1) in group C than D (68.6% vs. 31.4% respectively) with a P value of < 0.001. 10% of patients required more than one intubation attempt in group D compared to none in group C, but this difference was not statistically significant. The intubation time was comparable between the two groups. There were no incidences of loss of airway or failure to intubate in both groups. Conclusion: The use of C-MAC video-laryngoscopy resulted in easier orotracheal intubation as compared to intubation with direct laryngoscopy when the aerosol box was used.