Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Out of the core: the impact of focal ischemia in regions beyond the penumbra

The changes in the necrotic core and the penumbra following induction of focal ischemia have been the focus of attention for some time. However, evidence shows, that ischemic injury is not confined to the primarily affected structures and may influence the remote areas as well. Yet many studies fail to probe into the structures beyond the penumbra, and possibly do not even find any significant results due to their short-term design, as secondary damage occurs later. This slower reaction can be perceived as a therapeutic opportunity, in contrast to the ischemic core defined as irreversibly damaged tissue, where the window for salvation is comparatively short. The pathologies in remote structures occur relatively frequently and are clearly linked to the post-stroke neurological outcome. In order to develop efficient therapies, a deeper understanding of what exactly happens in the exo-focal regions is necessary. The mechanisms of glia contribution to the ischemic damage in core/penumbra are relatively well described and include impaired ion homeostasis, excessive cell swelling, glutamate excitotoxic mechanism, release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and phagocytosis or damage propagation via astrocytic syncytia. However, little is known about glia involvement in post-ischemic processes in remote areas. In this literature review, we discuss the definitions of the terms “ischemic core”, “penumbra” and “remote areas. ” Furthermore, we present evidence showing the array of structural and functional changes in the more remote regions from the primary site of focal ischemia, with a special focus on glia and the extracellular matrix. The collected information is compared with the processes commonly occurring in the ischemic core or in the penumbra. Moreover, the possible causes of this phenomenon and the approaches for investigation are described, and finally, we evaluate the efficacy of therapies, which have been studied for their anti-ischemic effect in remote areas in recent years.
AIstructure-Copilot: Assistant for Generative AI-Driven Intelligent Design of Building Structures

: The rapid advancement of intelligent design technology in building structures has been primarily implemented in engineering practice through the use of local or cloud-based software to offer intelligent design services. However, local intelligent design services are time-consuming and require high-end hardware, whereas cloud-based designs fail to integrate seamlessly with existing design processes. Consequently, providing convenient intelligent design support for engineering practices is challenging. To address these problems, this study proposes a local–cloud collaborative intelligent design technology called AIstructure-Copilot, which serves as a structural intelligent design assistant. In this system, the local end performs routine graphical operations that align with engineers' design habits, whereas the cloud end executes generative artificial intelligence (AI) for intelligent design, thereby enhancing efficiency and effectively combining the strengths of both services. Specifically, this technology achieves a high level of automation and intelligence throughout the entire process, encompassing architectural design, structural design, and the establishment and execution of structural analysis models. This is accomplished by constructing a local–cloud collaborative mode, introducing a comprehensive data transmission format, and developing a cloud interface for generative AI algorithms. The effectiveness of the AIstructure-Copilot model was validated using a typical case study. The results demonstrate that AI design improves design efficiency by more than tenfold, satisfies the regulatory requirements of design schemes, and exhibits a discrepancy of approximately 20% when compared with designs created by competent engineers.
Spatiotemporal Variations in Mercury Bioaccumulation at Fine and Broad Scales for Two Freshwater Sport Fishes

Bioaccumulation of mercury in sport fish is a complex process that varies in space and time. Both large-scale climatic as well as fine-scale environmental factors are drivers of these space-time variations. In this study, we avail a long-running monitoring program from Ontario, Canada to better understand spatiotemporal variations in fish mercury bioaccumulation at two distinct scales. Focusing on two common large-bodied sport fishes (Walleye and Northern Pike), the data were analyzed at fine- and broad-scales, where fine-scale implies variations in bioaccumulation at waterbody- and year-level and broad-scale captures variations across 3 latitudinal zones (~5° each) and eight time periods (~5-year each). A series of linear mixed-effects models (LMEMs) were employed to capture the spatial, temporal and spatiotemporal variations in mercury bioaccumulation. Fine-scale models were overall better fit than broad-scale models suggesting environmental factors operating at the waterbody-level and annual climatic conditions matter most. Moreover, for both scales, the space time interaction explained most of the variation. The random slopes from the best-fitting broad-scale model were used to define a bioaccumulation index that captures trends within a climate change context. The broad-scale trends suggests of multiple and potentially conflicting climate-driven mechanisms. Interestingly, broad-scale temporal trends showed contrasting bioaccumulation patterns—increasing in Northern Pike and decreasing in Walleye, thus suggesting species-specific ecological differences also matter. Overall, by taking a scale-specific approach, the study highlights the overwhelming influence of fine-scale variations and their interactions on mercury bioaccumulation; while at broad-scale the mercury bioaccumulation trends are summarized within a climate change context.
Particulate Matter and Staff Exposure in an Air-Conditioned Office in Akwa Ibom State University – Nigeria

Indoor air quality parameters were investigated in an occupied air–conditioned office and unoccupied air–conditioned office located in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences Complex in Akwa Ibom State University – Nigeria, during the rainy (June – July) and dry (November – December) seasons of 2016. Particulate matter (PM1, PM2, PM5, PM10), temperature, relative humidity, carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels were simultaneously measured in fourteen (14) sampling days using Fluke 985 Particle Counter and Fluke 975 AirMeter. The concentrations of particulate matter in the occupied air–conditioned office during the rainy season ranged from 5152 – 5984 μg/m3 for PM1; 2744 – 3015 μg/m3 for PM2; 137 – 149 μg/m3 for PM5 and 36 – 50 μg/m3 for PM10 and in the unoccupied air–conditioned office, the concentrations of particulate matter ranged from 1898 – 2556 μg/m3 for PM1; 987 – 1311 μg/m3 for PM2; 38 – 59 μg/m3 for PM5 and 15 – 24 μg/m3 for PM10. During the dry season, the concentrations of particulate matter in the occupied air–conditioned office ranged from 5852 – 6510 μg/m3 for PM1; 4490 – 4992 μg/m3 for PM2; 335 – 362 μg/m3 for PM5 and 59 – 69 μg/m3 for PM10 and in the unoccupied air–conditioned office, the concentrations of particulate matter ranged from 2598 – 3112 μg/m3 for PM1; 1168 – 1694 μg/m3 for PM2; 153 – 257 μg/m3 for PM5 and 29 – 42 μg/m3 for PM10. This study has revealed that the particulate matter (PM1, PM2, PM5, PM10) concentrations in an occupied air–conditioned office were significantly (P 10 obtained in the present study were found to be much lower than the ambient maximum contaminant level for airborne PM10 standard promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (150 μg/m3 daily average and 50 μg/m3 annual average) and World Health Organization (WHO) PM10 guidelines values (50 μg/m3 daily average and 20 μg/m3 annual average). Although there were no significant relationships among PM1, PM2, PM5, and PM10 in occupied air-conditioned office, correlation analysis indicated that PM1, PM2 and PM5 were significantly correlated at P 2 were below detection limit (BDL), they indicated adequate air exchange at the time of the assessment in the air–conditioned office during the sampling period. The results obtained have revealed important contributions towards the understanding of particulate matter distribution patterns and provided baseline data that can be used for potential identification of human health risks associated with airborne particulate matter in air–conditioned offices in Akwa Ibom State University – Nigeria.
The Dominant Role of Extreme Precipitation Events in Antarctic Snowfall Variability

Antarctic snowfall consists of frequent clear‐sky precipitation and heavier falls from intrusions of maritime airmasses associated with amplified planetary waves. We investigate the importance of different precipitation events using the output of the RACMO2 model. Extreme precipitation events consisting of the largest 10% of daily totals are shown to contribute more than 40% of the total annual precipitation across much of the continent, with some areas receiving in excess of 60% of the total from these events. The greatest contribution of extreme precipitation events to the annual total is in the coastal areas and especially on the ice shelves, with the Amery Ice Shelf receiving 50% of its annual precipitation in less than the 10 days of heaviest precipitation. For the continent as a whole, 70% of the variance of the annual precipitation is explained by variability in precipitation from extreme precipitation events, with this figure rising to over 90% in some areas.
Late Cretaceous Temperature Evolution of the Southern High Latitudes: A TEX86 Perspective

The Late Cretaceous was a greenhouse world, characterized by elevated temperatures and high atmospheric pCO2. Even in the context of an extreme greenhouse climate, existing planktic foraminiferal δ18O data from the Falkland Plateau (paleolatitude of ~55°S) suggest anomalous warmth, with sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs) >30 °C for much of the Late Cretaceous, followed by sudden cooling in the Campanian. Over the last two decades, there has been discussion as to whether these high δ18O‐based SSTs reflect a genuine temperature signal and, if so, whether there was a local temperature anomaly in the South Atlantic or whether the data are representative of zonal paleotemperatures at 55°S. To provide new insights into the degree of ocean warming in the southern high latitudes during the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Campanian), new SST records from the Falkland and Kerguelen Plateaus are presented here using the organic geochemical paleothermometer TetraEther indeX of 86 carbon atoms (TEX86). Overall, the TEX86 data support the δ18O data, indicating extreme and widespread warmth in the middle to high southern latitudes in the Late Cretaceous, with SSTs from 27 to 37 °C. Crucially, the TEX86 data show slow, steady cooling from the Turonian to the Campanian and suggest that temperature gradients during the Campanian did not become as steep as suggested by some planktic foraminiferal data.
El gasto municipal en Centroamérica y República Dominicana

Este estudio pretende examinar el proceso de descentralización fiscal (DF) en Centroamérica --un lugar común en los planes de desarrollo y en el discurso político durante toda la década de 1990-- bajo dos premisas básicas. La primera es considerar a la DF como un factor potencial de la modernización del Estado, el cual se justifica en razón de su eventual impacto sobre el bienestar colectivo y no en su propio mérito. En segundo lugar, se debe mencionar explícitamente que, si bien la evidencia en favor de la DF parece indicar que ésta ejerce una influencia favorable en áreas tales como educación y salud, no está aún definido qué forma concreta debe asumir este proceso en la esfera normativa. En este marco, se intenta indagar el grado en el cual lo avanzado en materia de autonomía municipal cumple con las condiciones mínimas necesarias para generar una efectiva modernización del Estado. Se abordan los casos de Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá y República Dominicana.
Hypolipidemic Effect of Rice Bran Oil Extract Tocotrienol in High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Induced by High-Fat Diet

In recent years, the potent influence of tocotrienol (T3) on diminishing blood glucose and lipid concentrations in both Mus musculus (rats) and Homo sapiens (humans) has been established. However, the comprehensive exploration of tocotrienol’s hypolipidemic impact and the corresponding mechanisms in aquatic species remains inadequate. In this study, we established a zebrafish model of a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model through high-fat diet administration to zebrafish. In the T2DM zebrafish, the thickness of ocular vascular walls significantly increased compared to the control group, which was mitigated after treatment with T3. Additionally, our findings demonstrate the regulatory effect of T3 on lipid metabolism, leading to the reduced synthesis and storage of adipose tissue in zebrafish. We validated the expression patterns of genes relevant to these processes using RT-qPCR. In the T2DM model, there was an almost two-fold upregulation in pparγ and cyp7a1 mRNA levels, coupled with a significant downregulation in cpt1a mRNA (p < 0.01) compared to the control group. The ELISA revealed that the protein expression levels of Pparγ and Rxrα exhibited a two-fold elevation in the T2DM group relative to the control. In the T3-treated group, Pparγ and Rxrα protein expression levels consistently exhibited a two-fold decrease compared to the model group. Lipid metabolomics showed that T3 could affect the metabolic pathways of zebrafish lipid regulation, including lipid synthesis and decomposition. We provided experimental evidence that T3 could mitigate lipid accumulation in our zebrafish T2DM model. Elucidating the lipid-lowering effects of T3 could help to minimize the detrimental impacts of overfeeding in aquaculture.
Formation and Evolution Mechanisms for Two Extreme Haze Episodes in the Yangtze River Delta Region of China During Winter 2016

Severe haze pollution frequently occurred in China during winter. Mechanisms for the formation and evolution of high PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less) episodes, however, remain poorly understood. We characterize two extreme haze episodes in the Yangtze River Delta region of China from 1 to 9 December (Episode I) and 19 to 24 December (Episode II) in 2016 using comprehensive measurements and model analyses. The aqueous sulfur dioxide (SO2) oxidation catalyzed by mineral ions and the heterogeneous uptakes of SO2, sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen trioxide (NO3), nitrogen pentoxide (N2O5), and nitric acid (HNO3) on mineral aerosols are included in the model to better represent the formation of sulfate‐nitrate‐ammonium. The optimized mechanisms substantially improve the simulations of PM2.5 composition, particularly for sulfate and nitrate. The two episodes show different synoptic conditions and evolution stages, with gradual PM2.5 increase under stagnant weather conditions in Episode I (Stage I: Slow Increase Stage, Stage II: Rapid Formation Stage, and Stage III: Dissipation Stage) and with explosive PM2.5 increase mostly associated with cross‐border transport from North China in Episode II (Stage I′: Clean Stage, Stage II′: Fast Transport Stage, and Stage III′: Clear Stage). The concentrations of sulfate‐nitrate‐ammonium increased evidently and became the key components of PM2.5 during haze episodes. The heterogeneous conversion from SO2 to sulfate on mineral aerosols is the main reason for sulfate increase, accounting for more than 50% of sulfate production. This study provides a better understanding of the causes for winter haze in China.
Unveiling the Relationship between Voluntary Environmental Standards and Stock Market Performance: Empirical Insights from Textile Manufacturing Firms in Pakistan

The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of voluntary environmental standards, specifically EMS and eco-labels, on firms' stock market performance. To achieve this aim, fixed-effect regressions were applied using panel data from 96 textile firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange between 2009 and 2022. Data were meticulously sourced from the State Bank of Pakistan (2022), annual reports of manufacturing firms, and their official websites. The findings of this study indicate a positive correlation between the adoption of EMS & eco-labels, and stock market performance among manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Similarly, eco-label also helps to promote sustainable business. Similarly, EMS is also important for EPS. It is also observed that firms having eco-label has significant impact on EPS. Eco-label helps to increase sale, profitability and stock market by ensuring the sustainable production, because, customer satisfaction and loyalty increases. By adopting VES, an industry can achieved increase in profit, reduce cost, improve environmental standards and, also, increase consumer confidence. The outcomes of the study signify the importance of managerial commitment to the adoption and implementation of voluntary environmental standards within these firms.
Design and Evaluation of the Sit-to-Stand Movement Assistive Device for Elderly

The act of standing up is one of the most important movements in daily life, but it often poses challenges for elderly individuals with declining physical functions. To address this issue, we have designed an assistive device for sit-to-stand (STS) movement. This device aids the upper limbs, allowing them to bear some of the weight during the STS movement, thereby improving the force distribution on the lower limbs and enhancing the stability of the body during movement. The connection to the user is very straightforward; one simply needs to place their hands and arms on the lifting mechanism to connect, and after the STS movement is completed, the user can easily disengage, making it very convenient to use. The device is compact, equipped with wheels and a handle, allowing it to be flexibly moved and used in confined spaces such as bedrooms, bathrooms, and balconies. ADAMS-LifeMOD simulations indicate that the use of the STS movement assistive device can significantly improve the force distribution across the joints of the lower limbs and reduce the pressure on the soles of the feet against the ground. Subsequently, a prototype was built, and four volunteers were invited to conduct further experimental validation, comparing the changes in plantar pressure during the STS movement with and without the assistive device, as well as the subjective feelings of the users. The experimental results demonstrate that the device can effectively help users to stand up more easily.
Brief communication: maxillary lateral incisor morphology and uncommon trait expression: a case study from prehistoric Paa-ko, New Mexico

Prehistoric American Southwest exhibits a high frequency of dental morphological variability. This high variability may be the result of gene flow and subsequent genetic drift occurring in early periods (pre CE 900), though few studies report on dental variability in later periods. Morphological traits of the maxillary lateral incisors were analyzed from the Pueblo IV site of Paa-ko, New Mexico (CE 1300-1425) yielding high frequencies of four traits (shovel, double shovel, tuberculum dentale, interruption groove) and uncommon variants (barrel-shovel, triform, peg-shaped). Lateral incisor morphology is underrepresented in the literature but could be useful in determining population migration and affinity.
Solute Transport through Mitochondrial Porins In Vitro and In Vivo

Mitochondria are most likely descendants of strictly aerobic prokaryotes from the class Alphaproteobacteria. The mitochondrial matrix is surrounded by two membranes according to its relationship with Gram-negative bacteria. Similar to the bacterial outer membrane, the mitochondrial outer membrane acts as a molecular sieve because it also contains diffusion pores. However, it is more actively involved in mitochondrial metabolism because it plays a functional role, whereas the bacterial outer membrane has only passive sieving properties. Mitochondrial porins, also known as eukaryotic porins or voltage-dependent anion-selective channels (VDACs) control the permeability properties of the mitochondrial outer membrane. They contrast with most bacterial porins because they are voltage-dependent. They switch at relatively small transmembrane potentials of 20 to 30 mV in closed states that exhibit different permeability properties than the open state. Whereas the open state is preferentially permeable to anionic metabolites of mitochondrial metabolism, the closed states prefer cationic solutes, in particular, calcium ions. Mitochondrial porins are encoded in the nucleus, synthesized at cytoplasmatic ribosomes, and post-translationally imported through special transport systems into mitochondria. Nineteen beta strands form the beta-barrel cylinders of mitochondrial and related porins. The pores contain in addition an α-helical structure at the N-terminal end of the protein that serves as a gate for the voltage-dependence. Similarly, they bind peripheral proteins that are involved in mitochondrial function and compartment formation. This means that mitochondrial porins are localized in a strategic position to control mitochondrial metabolism. The special features of the role of mitochondrial porins in apoptosis and cancer will also be discussed in this article.
Defining innovative areas and prospects to develop the patenting of technological advances in the automotive power plant industry

The object of this study is the field of patenting of technological advances registered in the world in the field of automotive power plants. The subject of the study is the dynamics of patenting in the automotive power plant industry, associated with the need to harmonize the trajectories of technological development with global trends in energy efficiency and manufacturability, in order to ensure sustainable economic growth. Patenting in the industry is considered in the following areas: gasoline engines, diesel engines, hybrid cars, electric cars, hydrogen cars. The relevance of this study is determined by the general desire of society to innovate through the latest tools and the introduction of systemic measures to comprehensively address the problem of increasing energy efficiency and reducing air pollution caused by road transport. The paper analyzes the statistics of patents registered in the world, examines patent activity and trends in the patenting of technological advances in the automotive industry from 2010 to 2022. In the industry of gasoline and diesel engines, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles, the current work investigates through systematization and analysis of important aspects of patenting statistics and innovation dynamics. For the period of 2017–2022, the average increase in the number of registered patents per year compared to the previous period was found to be 1.37 times higher for the area of "hybrid vehicles", 1.3 times higher for the area of "electric vehicles", and 26 times higher for the area of "hydrogen vehicles". A comparative analysis of the number of registered patents by areas was carried out, further patenting rates were predicted, and priority areas of research and innovation were identified