Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Evaluation of a Novel Diammonium Glycyrrhizinate Phytosome for Nasal Vaccination

The objective of the present research was to formulate diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG) into phytosomes (DG-P) to induce nasal immune responses and enhance absorption. Plackett- Burman design was used for process optimization, incorporating specific formulation and process variables to obtain the optimal parameters. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray power diffraction (P-XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for characterization. The adjuvant activity of the DG-P was evaluated by using bone marrow dendritic cells. In vitro nasal mucosal permeation and in situ nasal perfusion were also investigated to evaluate nasal absorption. The DG phytosomes were in the size range of 20~30 nm and zeta-potential range of −30~−40 mV. DG-P demonstrated 4.2-fold increased solubility in n-octanol. Coculturing bone marrow dendritic cells with DG-P led to enhanced dendritic cell maturation. Apparent permeability coefficient of the phytosomal formulation was almost four times higher than that of free DG determined by ex vivo permeation studies on excised porcine mucosa. In situ nasal perfusion studies in rats demonstrated that the nasal absorption of DG-P was significantly higher than that of free DG. Conclusively, the results confirmed that DG-P have potential for use as an adjuvant for nasal vaccine.
Graph-based data analysis: tree-structured covariance estimation, prediction by regularized kernel estimation and aggregate database query processing for probabilistic inference

This dissertation presents a collection of computational techniques for the analysis of data where relationships between objects can be expressed through a graph. Data of this type can be found in many and diverse settings, including genomic and epidemiological applications, web search, social networking and decision making. Although taking relationships into account makes analysis of this type of data more challenging, the graph structure of these relationships can be used to make this analysis viable. In this dissertation, we implement a number of techniques for analyzing this type of data using well-known and tested computational tools. Furthermore, we explore these techniques over a wide array of biological and decision making applications. In Part I, we present a method for estimating tree-structured covariance matrices directly from observed continuous data. Tree-structured covariance matrices encode probabilistic relationships between objects that can be described by rooted trees. In this case, we directly estimate graph structure from observed data under a specific probabilistic model. Part II presents a methodology for graph-based prediction where a predictive model is estimated over data where relationships between objects are encoded by a known graph. We make extensive use of Regularized Kernel Estimation (Lu et al., 2005), a framework for estimating a positive semidefinite kernel from noisy, incomplete and inconsistent distance data. In this case, the graph structure of the data is used to define a distance from which a kernel matrix is estimated. Finally, in Part III, we present techniques for efficiently evaluating aggregate queries of a particular type over views defining a large number of database records. The main assumption is that this view is the result of a stylized join over a number of much smaller tables, and is described by a graph. We make use of this graph structure to reduce the cost of single query evaluation and to cache intermediate results in a query workload setting. This framework was designed in part to address scalable probabilistic inference in relational databases.
Redshift-space distortions of galaxies, clusters and AGN: testing how the accuracy of growth rate measurements depends on scales and sample selections

Redshift-space clustering anisotropies caused by cosmic peculiar velocities provide a powerful probe to test the gravity theory on large scales. However, to extract unbiased physical constraints, the clustering pattern has to be modelled accurately, taking into account the effects of non-linear dynamics at small scales, and properly describing the link between the selected cosmic tracers and the underlying dark matter field. We use a large hydrodynamic simulation to investigate how the systematic error on the linear growth rate, $f$, caused by model uncertainties, depends on sample selections and comoving scales. Specifically, we measure the redshift-space two-point correlation function of mock samples of galaxies, galaxy clusters and Active Galactic Nuclei, extracted from the Magneticum simulation, in the redshift range 0.2 < z < 2, and adopting different sample selections. We estimate $f\sigma_8$ by modelling both the monopole and the full two-dimensional anisotropic clustering, using the dispersion model. We find that the systematic error on $f\sigma_8$ depends significantly on the range of scales considered for the fit. If the latter is kept fixed, the error depends on both redshift and sample selection, due to the scale-dependent impact of non-linearities, if not properly modelled. On the other hand, we show that it is possible to get unbiased constraints on $f\sigma_8$ provided that the analysis is restricted to a proper range of scales, that depends non trivially on the properties of the sample. This can have a strong impact on multiple tracers analyses, and when combining catalogues selected at different redshifts.
Pathological Fractures of Bilateral Neck of Femur in Geriatric Population: Our Experience and Review of Literature

Introduction: Bilateral neck of femur stress fractures is rare clinical presentation in elderly population. Diagnosis of such fractures when presented can be difficult with inconclusive radiographs and hence their early diagnosis by high index of suspicion and their management can avoid further complications in this age group. In this case series, we report three elderly patients with different predisposing factors for their fractures and treatment options chosen with detailed discussion about the management. Case Report: These case series of three elderly patients with bilateral neck of femur fracture were associated with different predisposing factors. Grave’s disease or primary thyrotoxicosis, steroid induced osteoporosis, and renal osteodystrophy were the identified risk factors in these patients. Biochemical evaluation for osteoporosis in these patients revealed significant derangement in levels of vitamin D, Alkaline phosphatase, and serum calcium. One of these patients was operated with hemiarthroplasty and osteosynthesis with percutaneous screw fixation on the other side. Management of osteoporosis, dietary modifications, and lifestyle changes in these patients also had significant impact on their prognosis. Conclusion: Stress fractures occurring in elderly individuals with simultaneous bilateral presentation are rare and can be prevented if taken care on their risk factors. As radiographs remain inconclusive few times in these kinds of fracture, a high degree of suspicion is to be kept in mind. With advanced diagnostic tools and surgeries, they carry good prognosis if timely intervention is provided.
On Generating Representative Data for Multiple Aspects Trajectory Data

Trajectory data mining and analysis tasks have been widely studied in recent years. These tasks are complex due to the large volume of data generated and its heterogeneity. A solution to minimize these problems is the summarization of these data, aiming to generate representative data. Few works in the literature address these solutions, and none were found that consider all dimensions of a trajectory (spatial, temporal and unlimited semantic aspects), analyzing the peculiarities and singularities of each aspect. This doctoral thesis proposes a method based on a spatial grid for summarizing multi-aspect trajectories, called MAT-SG. Its main contributions are: (i) segmentation of trajectories in a spatial grid according to the dispersion of points; (ii) from a set of input trajectories, a representative trajectory is generated as a sequence of representative points with representative values ​​for each dimension, considering the particularities of each type of aspect. An example demonstrates the potential of the proposal, being evaluated the volume reduction and the accuracy of the summarization.
DC–DC Converters for Bipolar Microgrid Voltage Balancing: A Comprehensive Review of Architectures and Topologies

DC microgrids initiated the change of a paradigm regarding the concept about electrical distribution networks, especially in the context of the distributed generation associated with renewable energies. However, this new reality opens a new area of research, in which several aspects must be carefully studied. Indeed, the bipolar design is one of the principal dc microgrid configurations considering its characteristic wiring. Although holding many promising advantages, the bipolar dc microgrid has a tendency toward voltage and current imbalances due to the unequal distribution of the loads and generators between the two poles. Thus, specific power electronic-based solutions are required to ensure the balance of these dc microgrids. Within this frame, this article gives a comprehensive review of the multiple architectures and power electronic topologies proposed to mitigate/eliminate this undesired condition. The following provides an insightful classification and discussion with the pros and cons of these solutions. This work can serve as a timely review for researcher/engineers who want to enter the voltage balancing field in the bipolar dc grids and promote the innovation of their power electronics-enabled solutions.
@WeatherNit: uma Plataforma Orientada a Dados para Monitoramento de Chuvas e Ocorrências de Eventos Climáticos

O número de eventos climáticos extremos têm aumentado em todo planeta, impactando fortemente grandes centros urbanos, em especial aqueles que cresceram de forma desordenada. Nessas regiões, enchentes e deslizamentos de terras são responsáveis por muitas mortes, todos os anos. Por isso, planejamentos que ajudem a se antecipar, reagir e evitar tais eventos são de fundamental importância. Neste artigo, apresentamos uma plataforma chamada @WeatherNit para o monitoramento de chuvas e eventos climáticos na cidade de Niterói. A plataforma permite a visualização interativa de dados históricos e de tempo real de volumes acumulados de chuvas e de ocorrências de enchentes e deslizamentos, integrados e armazenados usando um Data Lakehouse. A plataforma foi avaliada com um estudo de caso utilizando dados do CEMADEN e da Prefeitura de Niterói que demonstrou o potencial da abordagem no monitoramento de crises e no apoio ao desenvolvimento de políticas públicas.
Statistical characteristics of particle injections throughout the equatorial magnetotail

Energetic particle injections are critical for supplying particles and energy to the inner magnetosphere. Recent case studies have demonstrated a good correlation between injections and transient, narrow, fast flow channels as well as earthward reconnection (dipolarization) fronts in the magnetotail, but statistical observations beyond geosynchronous orbit (GEO) to verify the findings were lacking. By surveying trans‐geosynchronous injections using Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS), we show that their likely origin is the earthward traveling, dipolarizing flux bundles following near‐Earth reconnection. The good correlation between injections and fast flows, reconnection fronts and impulsive, dawn‐dusk electric field increases is not limited to within 12 RE but extends out to 30 RE. Like near‐Earth reconnection, both ion and electron injections are most probable in the premidnight sector. Similar to bursty bulk flows (BBFs), injection‐time flow speeds are faster farther from Earth. With faster flows, injection intensity generally increases and extends to higher energy channels. With increased geomagnetic activity, injection occurrence rate increases (akin to that of BBFs) and spectral hardening occurs (κ decreases). The occurrence rate increase within the inner magnetosphere suggests that injections populate the radiation belts more effectively under enhanced activity. Our results are inconsistent with the classical concept of an azimuthally wide injection boundary moving earthward from ~9 to 12 RE to GEO under an enhanced cross‐tail electric field. Rather, particle injection and transport occur along a large range of radial distances due to effects from earthward penetrating, azimuthally localized, transient, strong electric fields of recently reconnected, dipolarizing flux bundles.
An Improved Physical Model Considering Mirco-Nano Scale Effects for Numerical Simulation of Pirani Vacuum Gauges

An improved physical model was proposed for accurate electrothermal modeling Pirani vacuum gauges (PVG) by accounting for the micro-nano scale effects of heat transfer in sensitive elements and the non-negligible corner heat dissipation from multiple heat sinks. This model is verified by published experimental data and can reveal the influences of geometrical, physical and process parameters, such as device dimensional size, temperature and doping concentrations, on the micro-nano scale heat transfer process, which is a great consideration for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) PVG designing. Although the model is initially envisaged for MEMS PVG, it could be straightforwardly adopted for the thermal sensors with silicon heaters. Finally, the characteristics of PVG were comprehensively investigated based on the presented model validated by the experimental data. The results show that expanding the area ratio of heat sinks to heater and the thermal resistance ratio of heater to gas is an effective design idea to optimise the maximum sensitivity and central pressure of device.
Ivermectin and Allium cepa Protect against Cadmium-Induced Ovarian and Uterine Damage in Adult Wistar Rats

Background: Female reproductive organs are more susceptible to the risk of increased cadmium accumulation. Ivermectin is a known therapeutic drug in general medicine, while Allium cepa possesses antioxidant ability. This study investigated the effects of Ivermectin and Allium cepa on cadmium-induced ovarian and uterine damage in adult Wistar rats. Methodology: Twenty-Eight adult female Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups. Group (A); control group, Group (B); treated with 1.2 mg/kg b.w of Ivermectin, Group (C); treated with 1.2 mg/kg BW of Ivermectin and 2 mg/kg BW Cadmium respectively, Group (D); treated with 2 mg/kg BW Cadmium, Group (E); treated with 2 mg/kg BW Cadmium and 1.5 ml Allium cepa respectively, and Group (F); treated with 1.5 ml Allium cepa. The administration was done orogastrically and daily for four weeks. Animals were euthanized by cervical dislocation twenty- four hours after the last administration, Ovary and Uterus excised following abdominal incision, tissues for histological observation fixed in Bouins’ fluid for H/E stain, Masson trichrome, fuelgen stain, and toluidine blue stain respectively. Samples for enzymes assay were homogenized in 5% sucrose solution for lipid peroxidation using; MDA and the antioxidant enzymes using SOD and CAT. Result: Cadmium treatment exerted oxidative stress, elevated the enzyme markers for oxidative damage in the ovary and uterus, and increased lipid peroxidation leading to cell membrane damage. Histological alterations, degeneration of ovarian follicles, and loss of endometrial lining characterized the animals exposed to cadmium. Allium cepa increased the antioxidant enzymes; SOD and CAT while lowering the MDA activities in Cadmium-induced oxidative stress. Histological integrity of the ovary and uterus was maintained; follicular development was evident at various stages, and the endometrial lining integrity was maintained. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the protective role of Allium cepa and Ivermectin against cadmium toxicity on the reproductive organs in female adult Wistar rats
In Defense of Public Debt

Public debts have exploded to levels unprecedented in recent history as governments responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. These rising levels of debt prompted apocalyptic warnings about the dangers of heavy debts—about the drag they will place on economic growth and the burden they impose on future generations. This book adds the other side of the equation: drawing on history, the authors provide a defense of public debt. Their account shows that the ability of governments to borrow has played a critical role in meeting emergencies, from wars and pandemics to economic and financial crises, as well as in funding essential public goods and services such as transportation, education, and healthcare. In these ways, the capacity to issue debt has been integral to state building. Transactions in public debt securities have also contributed to developing private financial markets and, through this channel, to economic growth. None of this is to deny that debt problems, debt crises, and debt defaults occur. But these dramatic events, which attract much attention, are not the entire story. In Defense of Public Debt redresses the balance. The book develops its arguments historically, recounting two millennia of public debt experience. It deploys a comprehensive database to identify the factors behind rising public debts and the circumstances under which high debts are successfully reduced. Finally, it brings the story up to date, describing the role of public debt in managing, from 2020 onward, the COVID-19 pandemic and suggesting a way forward once governments, now more heavily indebted than before, finally emerge from the crisis.
The HAWC observatory as a GRB detector

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC) is an air shower array currently under construction in Mexico at an altitude of 4100 m. HAWC will consist of 300 large water tanks covering an area of about 22000 square meters and instrumented with 4 photomultipliers each. The experimental design allows for highly efficient detection of photon-induced air showers in the TeV and sub-TeV range and gamma-hadron separation. We show that HAWC has a reasonable chance to observe the high-energy power law components of GRBs that extend to 50 GeV. In particular, HAWC will be capable of observing events similar to GRB 090510 and GRB 090902B. The observations (or non-observations) of GRBs by HAWC will provide information on the high-energy spectra of GRBs. An engineering array consisting of 6 water tanks was operated at the HAWC site since September 2011, collecting 3 months of data. An upper limit on high energy emission from GRB 111016B is derived from these data.
Ferramentas open-source de qualidade de dados para licitações públicas: Uma análise comparativa

Dados são cada vez mais utilizados como suporte à decisão em diferentes contextos. Para que essas decisões sejam confiáveis e precisas, é necessário garantir a qualidade dos dados. Nesse contexto, este trabalho apresenta um breve comparativo de oito ferramentas open-source de qualidade de dados, e justifica a escolha de uma delas para análise de um armazém de dados reais e volumosos formado por licitações públicas. Finalmente, nossas análises mostram que a ferramenta Great Expectations possui características relevantes para gerar bons indicadores de qualidade de dados, garantindo assim que os dados de licitações públicas possam auxiliar na tomada de decisões.
The p38 MAPK/PMK-1 Pathway Is Required for Resistance to Nocardia farcinica Infection in Caenorhabditis elegance

Nocardia farcinica is an opportunistic pathogen that causes nocardiosis primarily in patients with compromised immune systems. In this study, we used the genetically tractable organism Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study the innate immune responses to N. farcinica infection. We found that unlike other pathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, N. farcinica failed to kill adult worms. In another words, adult worms exposed to N. farcinica exhibited a normal lifespan, compared with those fed the standard laboratory food bacterium Escherichia coli OP50. Interestingly, deletion of three core genes (pmk-1, nsy-1 and sek-1) in the p38 MAPK/PMK-1 pathway reduced the survival of worm exposure to N. farcinica, highlighting a crucial role of this pathway for C. elegans in resistance to N. farcinica. Furthermore, our results revealed that N. farcinica exposure up-regulated the level of PMK-1 phosphorylation. The activation of PMK-1 promoted nuclear translocation of a transcription factor SKN-1/Nrf2, which in turn mediated N. farcinica infection resistance in C. elegans. Our results provide an excellent example that the integrity of immune system is key aspect for counteract with pathogenesis of N. farcinica.
Tissue-specific transcriptomics reveals a central role of CcNST1 in regulating the fruit lignification pattern in Camellia chekiangoleosa, a woody oil-crop

Fruit lignification is of significant economic importance because it affects the quality of fruit and the production of seed oil. The specified lignification pattern in Camellia chekiangoleosa fruits plays critical roles in its seed oil yield, but little is known about how this lignification process is regulated. Here, we report on a comprehensive tissue-specific transcriptomics analysis conducted for C. chekiangoleosa fruit. By mining the differentially expressed genes, we found that lignin biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation pathways were significantly enriched in the lignified tissues. The homolog of NST-like transcription factor, CcNST1 , was highly expressed in lignified seed coat and endocarp tissues; transgenic analyses of CcNST1 in Arabidopsis and hybrid poplar revealed the enhanced lignification levels of various tissues. Gene expression analysis of the transgenic lines uncovered potential downstream genes involved in the regulation of lignin biosynthesis. This work provides a valuable gene expression resource and identified the pivotal role of CcNST1 in regulating the lignin biosynthesis underlying fruit lignification. transcriptomics reveals a central role of CcNST1 in regulating the fruit lignification pattern in Camellia chekiangoleosa , a woody oil-crop. Forestry Research 2:10 https://doi.org/10.48130/FR-2022-0010 chekiangoleosa fruits have a very low level of lignin, which plays a prominent role in regulating the rate of fruit expansion, the size of seeds, and seed oil production [31] . In the present study, a tissue-specific transcriptome analysis of C. chekiangoleosa was conducted to elucidate its fruit lignification pattern. Through gene expre ssion analysis and functional verification of transgenic A. thaliana and poplar, the NAC domain transcription factor, CcNST1 , was revealed as a key regulator of fruit lignin biosyn -thesis. This work presents a genome-wide gene expression profile underlying the patterning of fruit lignification and characterizes the functions of CcNST1 in the regulation of fruit lignin biosynthesis.