Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental Impact on Male (In)Fertility via Epigenetic Route

In the last 40 years, male reproductive health—which is very sensitive to both environmental exposure and metabolic status—has deteriorated and the poor sperm quality observed has been suggested to affect offspring development and its health in adult life. In this scenario, evidence now suggests that epigenetics shapes endocrine functions, linking genetics and environment. During fertilization, spermatozoa share with the oocyte their epigenome, along with their haploid genome, in order to orchestrate embryo development. The epigenetic signature of spermatozoa is the result of a dynamic modulation of the epigenetic marks occurring, firstly, in the testis—during germ cell progression—then, along the epididymis, where spermatozoa still receive molecules, conveyed by epididymosomes. Paternal lifestyle, including nutrition and exposure to hazardous substances, alters the phenotype of the next generations, through the remodeling of a sperm epigenetic blueprint that dynamically reacts to a wide range of environmental and lifestyle stressors. With that in mind, this review will summarize and discuss insights into germline epigenetic plasticity caused by environmental stimuli and diet and how spermatozoa may be carriers of induced epimutations across generations through a mechanism known as paternal transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
The Effects of a Vasodilator on Transluminal Attenuation Gradient at Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

Objective To evaluate the effects of vasodilators on contrast enhancement and transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG) of coronary arteries at coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed CCTA scans of patients who underwent double-acquisition CCTA; CCTA without a vasodilator, and CCTA during a intravenous (IV) infusion of nitrate. Among them, we enrolled 19 patients who had no significant atherosclerotic lesions or coronary spasms. In the control group, 28 patients were enrolled who showed normal coronary arteries on CCTA, which was acquired by a conventional method (sublingual vasodilator). We measured the TAG and Hounsfield units for each of the three major epicardial coronary arteries (reported as ‘ProxHU’) and then compared the results between the nitrate administration methods (CT without vasodilator [CTpre], CT with IV vasodilator [CTiv], and CT with sublingual vasodilator [CTsub]). Results The mean TAG showed a significant difference between the coronary arteries (right coronary artery [RCA] > left anterior descending artery [LAD] > left circumflex artery [LCX], p < 0.05), while there was no difference in ProxHU of each coronary artery in all three types of nitrate administration methods (p > 0.05). The TAG of CTpre group showed steeper slope than those of vasodilator groups (CTiv and CTsub) on LAD and LCX ([LAD: CTpre = −22.1 ± 6.66, CTiv = −16.76 ± 5.78, and CTsub = −16.47 ± 5.78, p = 0.005], [LCX: CTpre = −31.26 ± 17.43, CTiv = −23.74 ± 14.06, and CTsub = −20.94 ± 12.15, p = 0.051]), while that of RCA showed no significant differences (p = 0.600). When comparing proxHU, CTiv showed higher proxHU than that of CTpre or CTsub, especially on LCX (CTpre = 426.7 ± 68.3, CTiv = 467.9 ± 84.9, and CTsub = 404.9 ± 63.3, p = 0.013). ProxHU showed a negative correlation with TAG on all three of methods (r = −0.280, p < 0.001). Conclusion TAG in CCTA was significantly affected by vasodilator administration. Both TAG and ProxHU of coronary arteries tend to increase with vasodilator administration on CCTA.
The Relationship between Choline Bioavailability from Diet, Intestinal Microbiota Composition, and Its Modulation of Human Diseases

Choline is a water-soluble nutrient essential for human life. Gut microbial metabolism of choline results in the production of trimethylamine (TMA), which, upon absorption by the host is converted into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) in the liver. A high accumulation of both components is related to cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and chronic kidney disease. However, the relationship between the microbiota production of these components and its impact on these diseases still remains unknown. In this review, we will address which microbes contribute to TMA production in the human gut, the extent to which host factors (e.g., the genotype) and diet affect TMA production, and the colonization of these microbes and the reversal of dysbiosis as a therapy for these diseases.
C O ] 4 J an 2 01 5 Constraining chameleon models with cosmology

Chameleon fields may modify gravity on cluster scales while recovering general relativity locally. This article reviews signatures of chameleon modifications in the nonlinear cosmological structure, comparing different techniques to model them, summarising the current state of observational constraints, and concluding with an outlook on prospective constraints from future observations and applications of the analytic tools developed in the process to more general scalar-tensor theories. Particular focus is given to the Hu-Sawicki and designer models of f(R) gravity.
The effects of a hydroconductive dressing on wound biofilm

Bacteria possess the ability to cause infection in two very distinct ways. 1 The first way is when an individual bacterium with its unique genome uses one portion of its genes to stay a free-floating, motile cell (planktonic phenotype) that has a strategy in a host environment to breach and kill cells with its virulence factors to create a source of nutrition. The second way is that the very same bacterium can up-regulate a separate group of genes, which lets it attach to a host structure. Once attached to the host, the bacterium secretes a polysaccharide matrix around itself and its progeny. When this small group reaches a sufficient number (quorum), signalling molecules (quorum-sensing molecules) direct the gene expression of each bacterium throughout the colony. This lets a community of bacteria develop within the protection of the matrix, which gives colony defences against host immunity, including antibodies and white blood cells. 2 Given that a biofilm requires attachment, it cannot use the host tissue to which it is adhered for a nutritional source and, therefore, successful biofilm uses local inflammation to produce plasma exudate on which it can nourish itself. 3
Phosphorus removal from wastewater using oven dried alum sludge

The present study deals with the removal of phosphorus from wastewater by using oven-dried alum sludge (ODS) as adsorbent that was collected from Al-Qadisiya treatment plant (Iraq); it was heated in an oven at 105∘C for 24 h and then cooled at room temperature. The sludge particles were then crushed to produce a particle size of 0.5–4.75 mm. Two modes of operation are used, batch mode and fixed bed mode, in batch experiment the effect of oven-dried alum sludge doses 10–50 g/L, pH of solution 5–8 with constant initial phosphorus concentration of 5 mg/L, and constant particle size of 0.5 mm were studied. The results showed that the percent removal of phosphorus increases with the increase of oven-dried alum sludge dose, but pH of solution has insignificant effect. Batch kinetics experiments showed that equilibrium time was about 6 days. Adsorption capacity was plotted against equilibrium concentration, and isotherm models (Freundlich, Langmuir, and Freundlich-Langmuir) were used to correlate these results. In the fixed bed isothermal adsorption column, the effect of initial phosphorus concentration (𝐶𝑜) 5 and 10 mg/L, particle size 2.36 and 4.75 mm, influent flow rate (Q) 6 and 10 L/hr, and bed depth (H) 0.15–0.415 m were studied. The results showed that the oven-dried alum sludge was effective in adsorbing phosphorus, and percent removal of phosphorus reaches 85% with increasing of contact time and adsorbent surface area (i.e., mass of adsorbent 50 g/L with different pH).
Export of Asian pollution during two cold front episodes of the TRACE-P experiment.

[1] Two cold front episodes were sampled during the two flights out of Yokota, Japan, during the Transport and Chemical Evolution Over the Pacific (TRACE-P) experiment during March 2001. The data from these two flights are examined using a mesoscale three-dimensional model. We show how these cyclonic systems have impacted the export of pollution out of the Asian continent. We contrast the relative role of convection and ascent in the warm conveyor belts associated with the cyclone during these two episodes. Although the necessary meteorological conditions for an efficient export of pollution are met during flight 13 (i.e., the occurrences of the warm conveyor belt near the source regions), no significant pollution is simulated in the mid-Pacific in the lower and middle troposphere. The efficient ventilation of the WCB by convection near the coast, the advection by the anticyclonical flow above 700 hPa, and the downward motion associated with the Pacific high in the remote ocean significantly prevent any long-range transport of undiluted pollution in the WCB. During flight 15 the conveyor belts have already moved to the remote ocean. The polluted plume is split by the rising air in the warm conveyor belt which transports CO-poor air northward and by the oceanic convection which transports clean air masses upward. These mechanisms lead to the dilution of Asian pollution in WCB en route to North America and add to the episodic nature of the Asian outflow by fragmenting the pollution plume.
Application of Decision-making Methods for Evaluation of Complex Information System Functioning Quality

This article presents an approach, which allows to evaluate and, hence, to improve the functioning of complex intellectual systems. Although most of the intellectual systems have one goal – to create a trustful and accurate simulation of real-life program or event, that will allow to make the best tactical and strategic decisions in long or shirt terms, it’s impossible to design universal scheme for these systems, since they vary very much, same as real-life practical tasks. But, to make correct decisions, based on the model and simulation, the experts must be sure that this system is valid and has high quality. Defining the system quality level gives an expert the opportunity to adequately perceive the results of the simulation. To solve this problem, some heuristics are introduced in the article, to link abstract concept of the model with real-life problems. The proposed method allows to calculate and to compare risks that appear in every company, like those, connected to lack of recourses, or inefficient work of its employees. Besides, according to quality levels, and expert can make decisions about replacing inefficient links of the system, to transfer responsibilities between different links, or rank the tasks inside the system according to their importance for the system as a whole. The proposed method can be used with different systems and environments, since it gives an expert the possibility to set necessary coefficients during the preparation stage. So, the preliminary preparation requires more time, but it gives much more possibilities to the experts to verify the system as a whole and prepare its work in different situations.
Ground water purging and sampling methods: History vs. hysteria

Introduction We practice in a field that has seen remarkable progress in approaches to site characterization, monitoring, field instrumentation, and remedial technologies over the past 25 years. Cleanup approaches have been developed and successfully applied to sites that are contaminated with chemical constituents that very few people even knew existed until the mid-90s. It is an exciting field to work in because we have rapidly come a long way. At the same time, it is frustrating that issues that had largely been solved 10 or 20 years ago are still news to some practitioners. It has been over 10 years since the low-flow ground water purging and sampling method was initially reported in the literature. The method grew from the recognition that well purging was necessary to collect representative samples, bailers could not achieve well purging, and highflow purging produced large volumes of potentially contaminated water in need of transport and treatment. Low flow has been widely adopted, leading to documented, consistent performance in diverse hydrogeologic settings for virtually all analytes of interest. ‘‘Problem(s) solved? ’’ Not quite! Despite the fact that the method has been shown to be useful in situations different from those in which the method was initially applied, there are regulators who refuse to approve its use or arbitrarily specify values for flow rate, drawdown, etc. In this review, we draw on the history of ground water purging and sampling methods to underscore the need to bring recognition of what works to assist in the development of regulatory guidance. In addition, we offer an illustrative example of low-flow purging and sampling performance under highand low drawdown conditions.
EELV secondary payload adapter (ESPA): providing increased access to space

In the early 2001, there exist few options for small satellites and space experiments needing access to space. Therefore, many small satellites wait years for access to space. At the same time, many expendable launch vehicles are flown every year with unused payload margin. The EELV Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) is designed to take advantage of this unused payload margin to deploy up to six 181 kg (400 lb) secondary payloads. ESPA consists of an aluminum cylinder with six standardized secondary payload (SPL) mounting locations. The fore and aft flanges on the ESPA ring duplicate the 157.5 cm (62.01 in) EELV Standard Interface Plane, making ESPA transparent to the primary payload. By taking advantage of existing unused payload margin, ESPA will increase access to space for small satellites and space experiments.
Electrochemical Synthesis on Zno Nanopowder Involving Choline Chloride Based Ionic Liquids

Electrochemical Synthesis of ZnO Nanopowder Involving Choline Chloride Based Ionic Liquids Stefania Costovici, Aurora Petica, Claudia-Sorina Dumitru, Anca Cojocaru, Liana Anicai* Center of Surface Science and Nanotechnology, University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 313, 060042, Romania b Leather and Footwear Research Institute (ICPI), Ion Minulescu 93, sector 3, Bucharest, 031215, Romania Depart. Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, Calea Grivitei 132, Romania * lanicai@itcnet.ro
Community‐based recruitment and exome sequencing indicates high diagnostic yield in adults with intellectual disability

Establishing a genetic diagnosis for individuals with intellectual disability (ID) benefits patients and their families as it may inform the prognosis, lead to appropriate therapy, and facilitate access to medical and supportive services. Exome sequencing has been successfully applied in a diagnostic setting, but most clinical exome referrals are pediatric patients, with many adults with ID lacking a comprehensive genetic evaluation.
AN IF-ITEM-DELETED SENSITIVE ANALYSIS OF CRONBACH’S ALPHA TECHNIQUE USING SIMULATED ANNELING ALGORITHM

10.12957/cadest.2014. 15758 This work proposes a nonlinear model and also a solution method to improve the overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient technique, by grouping items of an instrument (questionnaire) that should be considered to deletion. The classical method called if-item-deleted Alpha also improves the overall reliability, however it considerers the deletion of only one item per time. Due to the combinatorial nature of the proposed model, a simulated annealing algorithm was implemented in order to achieve optimal or near optimal solutions. We presented an example for a simulated questionnaire with 15 items and 22 respondents. The obtained solution indicates the deletion of 8 items for maximum alpha or 2 items to exclude the most problematic items.
The Art of Remediating Age-Related Cognitive Decline: Art Therapy Enhances Cognition and Increases Cortical Thickness in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract Objective: Previous research on art therapy (AT) in cognitive aging has been lacking. AT can potentially engender significant cognitive gains, due to its rigorous cognitive involvement, making it useful to tackle age-related cognitive decline. Along with these cognitive gains, associated neuroplastic changes are hypothesized to arise from AT as well. The current intervention examined the effects of an AT intervention on cognitive outcomes and cortical thickness (CT) among participants with mild cognitive impairment. Method: Participants were assigned to AT (n = 22) and an active control group (n = 27). In both, weekly 45-min sessions were carried out across 3 months. Cognitive assessments and structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were carried out at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Whole brain analyses on CT were carried out. Cognitive outcomes were analyzed using hierarchical linear models. Results: Significant gains in immediate memory and working memory span were observed in the AT group, relative to the control group. Significantly increased CT in the AT group, relative to controls, was observed in a right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) cluster. Furthermore, CT changes in this cluster were significantly and positively correlated with changes in immediate memory. Conclusion: These findings highlighted the role of MFG neuroplasticity in enhancing certain cognitive functions in AT. AT is a neuroplastic intervention capable of engendering significant cognitive gains and associated cortical changes in the context of age-related cognitive decline, even when executed as a low-intensity intervention across 3 months. Given the preliminary nature of these findings, future larger sampled studies are needed.
Retrospective study evaluating the safety of administering pegfilgrastim on the final day of 5-fluorouracil continuous intravenous infusion

Background Pegfilgrastim, a long-acting granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor used to prevent neutropenia, is not indicated for administration within 24 h of completion of chemotherapy. The safety of administering pegfilgrastim in gastrointestinal cancer chemotherapy regimens containing continuous intravenous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FUCI) on the day of completion of 5-fluorouracil has not been adequately studied. Methods An institutional review board-approved retrospective analysis of patients with a gastrointestinal malignancy receiving pegfilgrastim on the final day of 5-FUCI was conducted. The primary end point was to determine the incidence of grade 3 and grade 4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia when pegfilgrastim was administered on the final day of 5-FUCI. The secondary endpoint was to determine rate of dose reductions and treatment delays. Results A total of 300 patients were reviewed from January 2010 to May 2017. The most common cancers were colorectal (25%) and pancreatic (60%), with 77% of patients having late stage disease. The risk of a patient developing grade 3 neutropenia was 0.010 (95% CI 0.002–0.029) and grade 4 neutropenia was 0.007 (95% CI 0.001–0.024). The risk of febrile neutropenia was 0.007 (95% CI 0.001–0.024). The risks of treatment delay and treatment reduction were 0.013 (95% CI 0.004–0.034) and 0.010 (95% CI 0.002–0.029), respectively. Conclusion The low risk of grade 3 and grade 4 neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, as well as dose delays and/or reduction suggests that pegfilgrastim can be administered on the final day of 5-FUCI. Limitations of this study were that it was retrospective in nature and was conducted at a single institution.
POLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR THE PROMOTION AND ATTRACTION OF FDI

In this paper we present results of the research conducted with the goal to test main determinants that influence FDI stock in services, in order to propose policies and strategies for promoting FDI in services for transition countries, more precisely in CEE countries. Some of the conceptual issues identified under FDI in services that we started with are: 1)What are the most important determinants of FDI in services in CEE? ; and 2) Which policies and strategies for promotion and attraction of FDI in services could developing economies – CEE use? The dependent variable used in this paper is the FDI stock p/c – NACE 1-digit - into the service sector for each observed CEE country in the period 1997-2006. In the case of our sample of countries, we have chosen from the pool of traditional and institutional-related determinants in the literature, and based on the availability of relevant indicators, the following set of possible FDI determinants have been chosen. Using the set of data for CEE countries over ten years, empirical analysis was conducted by the regression assessment of panel data. We estimated OLS with panel-corrected standard errors (PCSEs) using Prais-Winsten to take into account the AR(1) process. Based on results of the research we created a proposal for sets of policies and strategies acceptable for the service sector and for attracting FDI in services.
A 28-Day-Old Boy with Multifocal Osteomyelitis Mimicking Non-Accidental Injury

A 28-day-old male was presented during a night shift to our emergency department with restricted movement of the left arm and excessive crying. A trauma could not be ruled out due to language barriers. Pregnancy, birth and his neonatal medical history had been unremarkable. On examination, the boy was afebrile, in pain and hard to soothe. A swollen and tender non-erythematous left elbow joint was noted, the arm being held in extension and pronation. An ultrasound of the elbow showed an extensive hyperechogenic joint effusion, suggestive of a traumatic incident (▶Fig. 1a). Subsequently, the arm was immobilized with a Desault’s bandage and the boy was admitted to the hospital with suspected child abuse.
The Impact of Economic Bonding on Audit Quality: Evidence from Audit Working Papers

In this study we examine the effect of auditor economic bonding (financial dependency on a client) on audit quality. We consider financial dependency as either abnormally high fees in relation to expected hours or vice versa. We consider audits to have credence goods properties where the client has limited ways to assess audit quality that is (likely to be) delivered. This setting provides opportunities for different auditor business strategies. We base our results on a unique, proprietary dataset of audit fees, audit hours, materiality, risk assessments, error detection and auditor reporting decisions taken from the working papers of 681 audit engagements with 2,209 engagement-year observations over the period 2006 to 2011. First, we predict and find that high effort audit engagements (i.e., abnormal high audit hours) are associated with a higher probability of detecting audit differences than low effort audit engagements. Simultaneously, we predict and find that financial dependency on a client lowers the audit quality achieved by high effort as reflected by waiving proposed audit differences. Moreover, our results suggest that auditors facing high independence threats are more highly associated with overstated earnings than when independence threats are low. Consequently, the findings suggest that the negative effects of financial dependency, i.e. economic bonding threats, are a result of the auditors’ business relationship with a given client and how the auditor responds to competitive markets.
The Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov Superconductivity in Disordered Systems

The Fulde‐Ferrell‐Larkin‐Ovchinnikov phase, with a spatially oscillating order parameter, may be induced by strongly magnetic field at low temperature. It is believed that the Fulde‐Ferrell‐Larkin‐Ovchinnikov phase can exist only in homogeneous superconductors, and even weak impurity potential can lead to its destruction. The analysis of the Fulde‐Ferrell‐Larkin‐Ovchinnikov phase in the Bogoliubov‐de Gennes equation shows however, that this phase can exist in the presence of weak disorder. Using Bogoliubov‐de Gennes equations, we discussed the influence of diagonal and o-diagonal