Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacologic Inhibition of ADAM10 Attenuates Brain Tissue Loss, Axonal Injury and Pro-inflammatory Gene Expression Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice

The α-secretase A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) regulates various physiological and pathophysiological processes. Despite its broad functional implications during development, plasticity, and disease, no pharmacological approaches to inhibit ADAM10 in acute brain injury have been reported. Here, we examined the effects of the ADAM10 inhibitor GI254023X on the neurological and histopathological outcome after experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). C57BL/6N mice were subjected to the controlled cortical impact (CCI) model of TBI or sham procedure and received GI254023X or vehicle during the acute phase of injury (n = 40, 100 mg/kg, 25% DMSO, 0.1 M Na2CO3, intraperitoneal, 30 min and 24 h after TBI). GI254023X treatment did not improve neurological deficits from 1 to 7 days post-injury (dpi) but animals treated with GI254023X exhibited smaller brain lesions compared to vehicle treatment. Determination of brain mRNA expression by quantitative PCR showed that TBI-induced up-regulation of Adam10 and Adam17 was not influenced by GI254023X but the up-regulation of the matrix metalloproteinase genes Mmp2 and Mmp9 was attenuated. GI254023X treatment further increased the T cell marker Cd247 but did not affect blood brain barrier integrity, as assessed by Occludin mRNA expression and IgG brain extravasation. However, in agreement with neuroprotective effects of ADAM10 inhibition, GI254023X treatment attenuated axonal injury, as indicated by decreased generation of spectrin breakdown products (SBDPs) and decreased immunostaining using anti-non-phosphorylated neurofilament (SMI-32). Interestingly, reduced axonal injury in GI254023X-treated animals coincided with subtle mRNA dysregulation in the glutamate receptor subunit genes Gria1 and Grin2b. Quantitative PCR also revealed that GI254023X mitigated up-regulation of the pro-inflammatory markers Il6, Tnfa, and Lcn2 but not the up-regulation of the pan-microglia marker Aif1, the M2 microglia marker Arg1 and the reactive astrocyte marker Gfap. Taken together, the ADAM10 inhibitor GI254023X attenuates brain tissue loss, axonal injury and pro-inflammatory gene expression in the CCI model of TBI. These results suggest that ADAM10 may represent a therapeutic target in the acute phase of TBI.
Modern Circular Economy: Corporate Strategy, Supply Chain, and Industrial Symbiosis

This paper analyses the firms’ chances to consider circular economy as a part of the corporate strategy. The analysis of four Italian firms engaged in circular economy programs allows us to detect its connections with the corporate strategy, the real activities involved, the supply chain network ensuring circularity, the industrial symbiosis, as well as the links with performance. Our findings highlight that circular economy is a true business lever when the corporate strategy complements and supports its development. This allows firms to achieve high level targets that go beyond the traditional targets of social, environmental, and economic performance, and include circular supply chain, eco-innovations, and industrial symbiosis.
Mapping Forest Fire Risk - A Case Study in Galicia (Spain)

The optimization of forest management in roadsides is a necessary task in terms of wildfire prevention in order to mitigate their effects. Forest fire risk assessment identifies high-risk locations, while providing a decision-making support about vegetation management for firefighting. In this study, nine relevant parameters: elevation, slope, aspect, road distance, settlement distance, fuel model types, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), fire weather index (FWI), and historical fire regimes, were considered as indicators of the likelihood of a forest fire occurrence. The parameters were grouped in five categories: topography, vegetation, FWI, historical fire regimes, and anthropogenic issues. This paper presents a novel approach to forest fire risk mapping the classification of vegetation in fuel model types based on the analysis of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) was incorporated. The criteria weights that lead to fire risk were computed by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and applied to two datasets located in NW Spain. Results show that approximately 50% of the study area A and 65% of the study area B are characterized as a 3-moderate fire risk zone. The methodology presented in this study will allow road managers to determine appropriate vegetation measures with regards to fire risk. The automation of this methodology is transferable to other regions for forest prevention planning and fire mitigation.
Embedded piezoelectric transducers based early-age hydration monitoring of cement concrete added with accelerator/retarder admixtures

Accelerator/retarder admixtures are often added into concrete to improve its early-age strength, which needs to be effectively monitored during its hardening process. The electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique has validated its effectiveness for concrete hydration monitoring, this study attempted to extend the EMI technique to monitor 28-day age of strength gain in concrete that added with accelerator/retarder admixtures. Two types of new piezoelectric (PZT) transducers namely cement/aluminum embedded PZT (CEP/AEP) were proposed for EMI monitoring. The feasibility of the CEP and AEP was first verified via finite element analysis, where hydration heat effect on the two types of transducers was comparatively evaluated by numerical modeling. In the experiment, CEP/AEP transducers were applied to monitor the strength gain in concrete cubes, where characteristics of EMI signature and its statistical indices including root mean square deviation (RMSD) and mean absolute percentage deviation (MAPD) were analyzed and correlated to strength development in concrete. Monitoring results demonstrated that concrete hydration triggered by retarder/accelerator were successfully captured by EMI signature. RMSD and MAPD indices further indicated that AEP had preferable performance than CEP transducer for monitoring early-age strength gain of concrete, as it could immune from hydration heat effect.
DETERMINANTS OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN LIBYAN TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY

The aim of this study is to identify the determinants of knowledge management strategies in the Libyan transportation industry for organizational performance. This study began to propose the research method through an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), after proposing a testable conceptual framework, where the items of further research can have some light to move forward. For this analysis, the sample size was 529 and simple random sampling was employed. The results of this research indicate that the main aspects of organizational performance in the Libyan Transportation Industry are the knowledge management system, knowledge management process, knowledge management strategy, organizational performance. Through proposing an empirically validated research model that could be an important implementation tool for the success of the performance of the Transportation Industry, this research has added to established knowledge. JEL: L10; L25; L91 Article visualizations:
Desenvolvimento, caracterização físico-química e análise sensorial de pães integrais adicionados de resíduo da fabricação de cerveja estilo Pilsen e Porter

A geração de resíduos pela agroindústria pode configurar um problema ambiental. O bagaço de malte, originado em grande quantidade na produção de cerveja, corresponde até a 85% dos resíduos gerados nesse processo e tem como principal destino a alimentação animal ou aterros sanitários. Devido sua constituição nutricional, pode ser utilizado na elaboração de alimentos para consumo humano. Nesse sentido, buscou-se desenvolver e avaliar pães elaborados a partir do resíduo de malte proveniente da produção de cervejas estilo Pilsen e Porter. Para isso, os pães foram produzidos utilizando o bagaço de malte, seguindo uma formulação previamente determinada e, posteriormente avaliados em relação aos parâmetros de umidade, pH, cinzas, proteínas, lipídios, fibra bruta e carboidratos totais. Ainda, os pães foram analisados sensorialmente, onde caracterizou-se o perfil dos provadores, a preferência entre os produtos elaborados, a aceitação por escala hedônica e a intenção de compra. Como resultados principais, os pães apresentaram valores importantes nutricionalmente, com atenção para fibras, que variou de 2,15 a 2,20% para Porter e Pilsen e proteínas, de 9,31 a 11%, respectivamente. Na análise sensorial, não houve diferença estatística na avaliação de preferência. Os pães obtiveram notas médias acima de 6 (gostei ligeiramente) para todos os atributos avaliados e a intenção de compra demonstrou que 37% dos julgadores comprariam ambos os produtos elaborados. Dessa forma, a elaboração de pães a partir de resíduo da indústria de cerveja mostrou-se como uma opção promissora para dar uma destinação mais nobre para esse resíduo, além de apresentar-se nutricionalmente positiva.
Late-onset Fetal Growth Restriction: Or Just Ultrasound?

Late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) is still a diagnostic challenge. Current criteria are based on ultrasonography in which biometric measurements and Doppler flows are used. Differentiation between the constitutional low birth weight and FGR is still being explored. Diagnostic methods that clearly indicate a group of fetuses with FGR may prove to be key in developing algorithms.
Olefin Cyclopropanation and Carbon-Hydrogen Amination via Carbene and Nitrene Transfers Catalyzed by Engineered Cytochrome P450 Enzymes

Synthetic biology promises to transform organic synthesis by enabling artificial catalysis in living cells. I start by reviewing the state of the art in this young field and recognizing that new approaches are required for designing enzymes that catalyze nonnatural reactions, in order to expand the scope of biocatalytic transformations. Carbene and nitrene transfers to C=C and C-H bonds are reactions of tremendous synthetic utility that lack biological counterparts. I show that various heme proteins, including cytochrome P450BM3, will catalyze promiscuous levels of olefin cyclopropanation when provided with the appropriate synthetic reagents (e.g., diazoesters and styrene). Only a few amino acid substitutions are required to install synthetically useful levels of stereoselective cyclopropanation activity in P450BM3. Understanding that the ferrous-heme is the active species for catalysis and that the artificial reagents are unable to induce a spin-shift-dependent increase in the redox potential of the ferric P450, I design a high-potential serine-heme ligated P450 (P411) that can efficiently catalyze cyclopropanation using NAD(P)H. Intact E. coli whole-cells expressing P411 are highly efficient asymmetric catalysts for olefin cyclopropanation. I also show that engineered P450s can catalyze intramolecular amination of benzylic C-H bonds from arylsulfonyl azides. Finally, I review other examples of where synthetic reagents have been used to drive the evolution of novel enzymatic activity in the environment and in the laboratory. I invoke preadaptation to explain these observations and propose that other man-invented reactions may also be transferrable to natural enzymes by using a mechanism-based approach for choosing the enzymes and the reagents. Overall, this work shows that existing enzymes can be readily adapted for catalysis of synthetically important reactions not previously observed in nature.
Estimating Water Reflectance at Near-Infrared Wavelengths for Turbid Water Atmospheric Correction: A Preliminary Study for GOCI-II

Atmospheric correction is a fundamental process to remove the atmospheric effect from the top-of-atmosphere level. The atmospheric correction algorithm developed by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology employs a near-infrared (NIR) water reflectance model to deal with non-negligible NIR water reflectance over turbid waters. This paper describes the NIR water reflectance models using visible bands of the Second Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI-II). Whereas the previous GOCI uses the 660 nm band to estimate NIR water reflectance (SR660), GOCI-II uses additional 620 and 709 nm bands, which improves estimation of NIR water reflectance. We developed two reflectance models with the additional bands based on a spectral relationship of water reflectance (SR709) and a spectral relationship of inherent optical properties (SRIOP) from red to NIR wavelengths. A preliminary validation of these two reflectance models was performed using both simulations and an in situ dataset. The validation result showed that the mean absolute percentage error of the SR709 model compared with SR660 was reduced by approximately 6% and 10% at 745 and 865 nm, respectively. Moreover, the mean absolute percentage error of the SRIOP model compared with SR660 was reduced by approximately 12% and 16% at 745 and 865 nm, respectively. Note that SR709 produces the most accurate result when there is only one sediment type, and SRIOP shows the most accurate result when various sediment types exist. Users will be able to optionally select the appropriate NIR water reflectance models in the GOCI-II atmospheric correction process to enhance the accuracy of aerosol reflectance correction over turbid waters.
Simultaneous electricity generation and tetracycline removal in continuous flow electrosorption driven by microbial fuel cells

A novel continuous flow electrosorption driven by microbial fuel cells (MFCs) was developed for the first time to remove tetracycline, the second most commonly used antibiotic, from synthetic wastewater. The MFC-sorption proved to be cost-effective without any external power consumption. Various operating parameters including pH, electrolyte concentration, initial concentration of tetracycline, number of MFCs connected in series and flow rate were investigated, and the adsorption kinetics of tetracycline removal were studied. Three MFCs connected in series in the continuous flow MFC-sorption system reached an adsorption capacity of 23.12 mg g−1, higher than that with two MFCs (16.76 mg g−1) and that with only one MFC (14.16 mg g−1). The performance was compared with that in the batch mode, and it was confirmed that the continuous flow was practical for tetracycline removal. This work confirmed that continuous flow electrosorption driven by MFCs was cost-effective and an environmentally friendly removal of tetracycline.
Lagrangian descriptions of dissipative systems: a review

In this paper, we review classical and recent results on the Lagrangian description of dissipative systems. After having recalled Rayleigh extension of Lagrangian formalism to equations of motion with dissipative forces, we describe Helmholtz conditions, which represent necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a Lagrangian function for a system of differential equations. These conditions are presented in different formalisms, some of them published in the last decades. In particular, we state the necessary and sufficient conditions in terms of multiplier factors, discussing the conditions for the existence of equivalent Lagrangians for the same system of differential equations. Some examples are discussed, to show the application of the techniques described in the theorems stated in this paper.
Predicting Employee Attrition Using Machine Learning Techniques

There are several areas in which organisations can adopt technologies that will support decision-making: artificial intelligence is one of the most innovative technologies that is widely used to assist organisations in business strategies, organisational aspects and people management. In recent years, attention has increasingly been paid to human resources (HR), since worker quality and skills represent a growth factor and a real competitive advantage for companies. After having been introduced to sales and marketing departments, artificial intelligence is also starting to guide employee-related decisions within HR management. The purpose is to support decisions that are based not on subjective aspects but on objective data analysis. The goal of this work is to analyse how objective factors influence employee attrition, in order to identify the main causes that contribute to a worker’s decision to leave a company, and to be able to predict whether a particular employee will leave the company. After the training, the obtained model for the prediction of employees’ attrition is tested on a real dataset provided by IBM analytics, which includes 35 features and about 1500 samples. Results are expressed in terms of classical metrics and the algorithm that produced the best results for the available dataset is the Gaussian Naïve Bayes classifier. It reveals the best recall rate (0.54), since it measures the ability of a classifier to find all the positive instances and achieves an overall false negative rate equal to 4.5% of the total observations.
Biolubricant synthesis from waste cooking oil via enzymatic hydrolysis followed by chemical esterification

BACKGROUND Lubricants manufactured conventionally from non-renewable mineral oil resources are not biodegradable and are liable to cause adverse environmental impacts. Biodegradable vegetable oils present a promising lubricant feedstock alternative. Waste cooking oil (WCO), which otherwise finds no immediate potential utilization can be successfully used to synthesize bio-lubricant. A novel synthetic method was developed by using the two-step process of C. rugosa lipase-mediated hydrolysis of WCO to free fatty acids (FFA) followed by Amberlyst 15H esterification of FFA with octanol. The octyl esters produced was the desired biolubricant. RESULTS The effect of different physico-chemical parameters like temperature, catalyst loading, agitation speed, molar ratio of octanol:FFA and the presence of different desiccants on the esterification reaction was examined. The optimum conditions to get maximum yield of biolubricant in minimum time were, octanol:FFA molar ratio = 3:1, temperature = 80 °C, catalyst = 2 g and desiccant (preferably silica gel powder) = 50% weight of FFA. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the product formed was ester. CONCLUSION Biolubricant (octyl esters) was prepared efficiently from WCO by the two-step process developed. This novel approach represents a viable means of producing lubricants from wastes which are renewable in nature and can be an alternative to non-renewable mineral oil feedstocks. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Raman characterization of carbonaceous matter in CONCORDIA Antarctic micrometeorites

Abstract– We report a multi‐wavelength Raman spectroscopy study of carbonaceous matter in 38 Antarctic micrometeorites (AMMs) from the 2006 CONCORDIA collection. The particles were selected as a function of their degree of thermal alteration developed during the deceleration in the atmosphere. These samples range from unmelted (fine‐grained—Fg; ultracarbonaceous—UCAMMs) to partially melted AMMs (scorias—Sc) and completely melted particles (cosmic spherules—CS). More than half of the analyzed AMMs contain a substantial amount of polyaromatic carbonaceous matter with a high degree of disorder. The proportion of particles where carbon is not detected increase from the Fg to the Fg‐Sc and to the Sc‐AMMs, and no carbon is detected in CS. In addition, the spectral characteristics of the G and D bands of the carbonaceous matter in Sc‐AMMs plot apart from the trend formed by the data from Fg‐AMMs and UCAMMs. These results suggest that oxidation processes occurred during the deceleration of the particles in the atmosphere. In Fg‐AMMs and UCAMMs, the spectral characteristics of the G and D bands reveal the high degree of disorder of the carbonaceous matter, precluding a long duration thermal metamorphism on the parent body and suggesting that AMMs have a connection with C1–C2 chondrites. The Raman parameters of the deuterium‐rich carbonaceous matter of UCAMMs do not differ from that of Fg‐AMMs. Using a 244 nm excitation, we detected the cyanide (–CN) functional group for the first time in a UCAMM, reinforcing the likely cometary origin of this type of micrometeorites.
Phase diagram and dynamics of Yukawa systems

The phase diagram and dynamical properties of systems of particles interacting through a repulsive screened Coulomb (Yukawa) potential have been calculated using molecular and lattice dynamics techniques. The phase diagram contains both a melting transition and a transition from fcc to bcc crystalline phases. These phase transitions have been studied as a function of potential shape (screening length) and compared to phenomenological criteria for transition temperatures such as those of Lindemann and of Hansen and Verlet. The transition from fcc to bcc with increasing temperature is shown to result from a higher entropy in the bcc phase because of its softer shear modes. Even when the stable solid phase below the melting temperature is fcc, bcc‐like local order is found in the liquid phase. This may substantially slow crystallization. The calculated phase diagram and shear modulus are in good agreement with experiments on colloidal suspensions of polystyrene spheres. The single particle dynamics of Yukawa.
Magnesium‐doped cuprous oxide (Mg:Cu2O) thin films as a transparent p‐type semiconductor

The lack of a successful p‐type transparent semiconductor delays the future implementation of transparent electronics. In the group semiconducting compounds, cuprous oxide (Cu2O) presents promising electrical and manufacturing features that establish it as a suitable candidate for p‐type transparent semiconductors. However, high absorbance in the visible range reduces its application practical devices.
Analysis of raster imprints parameters on the basis of models and experimental research

Structural scheme of models for determining the integral density of raster scale of an imprint, raster tone in percentage, optical density of scales on the basis of the measured optical density of the solid area and other characteristics have been worked out. The results of imitation design in the form of characteristics for different parameters have been provided. Optical density of raster scales obtained on the models has been found out to be quite similar to the results of experimental studies.
Two-component “Onionlike” micelles with a PPO core, a PDMAEMA shell and a PEO corona: formation and crosslinking

BACKGROUND: Chemical or physical crosslinking of supramolecular assemblies gives them stability in a wide range of environments. Much attention is paid to multilayer (onion-like) polymeric micelles because their functionality is higher than classic core-shell micelles. This work reports on the formation and crosslinking of onion-like micelles prepared by mixing two different block copolymers containing a crosslinkable poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) block. RESULTS: Block copolymers of a crosslinkable PDMAEMA block were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) from poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) or poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) macroinitiators. The (PDMAEMA13)-block-PPO69-block-(PDMAEMA13) triblock formed wormlike core-shell micelles, which were converted into ellipsoidal onion-like micelles on mixing with the PEO45-block-P(DMAEMA8-co-MMA4) diblock. Onion-like micelles were crosslinked by quaternization of DMAEMA units. CONCLUSION: Formation of onion-like micelles by mixing two different AB (ABA) and B′C block copolymers and their subsequent crosslinking is a valuable approach towards stabilized supramolecular assemblies of a higher complexity and functionality than the individual constitutive components. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry