Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Iranian Journal of Neurology © 2014 Original Paper Pulmonary Function Tests in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and the Association between These Tests and Survival

Background: The rapidity of progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to death or respiratory failure impacts patients, clinicians, and clinical investigators. The aim of this study is to evaluate of the pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in patients with ALS and the association between these PFTs and survival Methods: A total of 36 ALS patients who PFTs, including vital capacity (VC), maximum mid-expiratory flow rate (MMEFR), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), were available from the time of diagnosis were included in this study. Non-pulmonary characteristics assessed at the time of PFTs. Data were analyzed using chi-square, Student's independent t-test, Kaplan-Meier, correlation, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The mean age of subjects was 55.36 (SD = 12.24) year, and the male to female ratio was 2.6. Twenty-ve (69.4%) were died in 5 years period of our study. The mean and median survival time (In months) The rate of ALS survival was 74% at 1 st year, 41% at 3 rd year and 10% at 5 th year of starting symptoms. The results of Kaplan-Meier test showed survival was significantly longer in the group with PFTs closer to normal. In addition, ROC analysis showed that FVC < 50% could potentially be a predictor of death in ALS patients (P = 0.003, area under curve = 0.649). Conclusion: We found single measures of upright FVC, FEV1 to be significantly associated with survival, even after controlling for relevant non-pulmonary patient characteristics. Our study demonstrated that upright FVC, FEV1, VC, and MMEFR are useful non-invasive measures in the prediction of survival in ALS.
Recent Tendency on Transition-Metal Phosphide Electrocatalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Media

Hydrogen energy is regarded as an auspicious future substitute to replace fossil fuels, due to its environmentally friendly characteristics and high energy density. In the pursuit of clean hydrogen production, there has been a significant focus on the advancement of effective electrocatalysts for the process of water splitting. Although noble metals like Pt, Ru, Pd and Ir are superb electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), they have limitations for large-scale applications, mainly high cost and low abundance. As a result, non-precious transition metals have emerged as promising candidates to replace their more expensive counterparts in various applications. This review focuses on recently developed transition metal phosphides (TMPs) electrocatalysts for the HER in alkaline media due to the cooperative effect between the phosphorus and transition metals. Finally, we discuss the challenges of TMPs for HER.
Exploring the Mechanism of the Intramolecular Diels–Alder Reaction of (2E,4Z,6Z)-2(allyloxy)cycloocta-2,4,6-trien-1-one Using Bonding Evolution Theory

In the present work, the bond breaking/forming events along the intramolecular Diels–Alder (IMDA) reaction of (2E,4Z,6Z)-2(allyloxy)cycloocta-2,4,6-trien-1-one have been revealed within bonding evolution theory (BET) at the density functional theory level, using the M05-2X functional with the cc-pVTZ basis set. Prior to achieving this task, the energy profiles and stationary points at the potential energy surface (PES) have been characterized. The analysis of the results finds that this rearrangement can proceed along three alternative reaction pathways (a–c). Paths a and b involve two steps, while path c is a one-step process. The first step in path b is kinetically favored, and leads to the formation of an intermediate step, Int-b. Further evolution from Int-b leads mainly to 3-b1. However, 2 is the thermodynamically preferred product and is obtained at high temperatures, in agreement with the experimental observations. Regarding the BET analysis along path b, the breaking/forming process is described by four structural stability domains (SSDs) during the first step, which can be summarized as follows: (1) the breaking of the C–O bond with the transfer of its population to the lone pair (V(O)), (2) the reorganization of the electron density with the creation of two V(C) basins, and (3) the formation of a new C–C single bond via the merger of the two previous V(C) basins. Finally, the conversion of Int-b (via TS2-b1) occurs via the reorganization of the electron density during the first stage (the creation of different pseudoradical centers on the carbon atoms as a result of the depopulation of the C–C double bond involved in the formation of new single bonds), while the last stage corresponds to the non-concerted formation of the two new C–C bonds via the disappearance of the population of the four pseudoradical centers formed in the previous stage. On the other hand, along path a, the first step displays three SSDs, associated with the depopulation of the V(C2,C3) and V(C6,C7) basins, the appearance of the new monosynaptic basins V(C2) and V(C7), and finally the merging of these new monosynaptic basins through the creation of the C2–C7 single bond. The second step is described by a series of five SSDs, that account for the reorganization of the electron density within Int-a via the creation of four pseudoradical centers on the C12, C13, C3 and C6 carbon atoms. The last two SSDs deal with the formation of two C-C bonds via the merging of the monosynaptic basins formed in the previous domains.
Image encryption algorithm based on hyperchaotic system and dynamic DNA encoding

Since the existing DNA encryption algorithms only have fixed DNA coding and decoding rules and a single algorithm that cannot meet more complex and more secure encryption requirements, an image encryption algorithm based on hyperchaotic system and dynamic DNA coding is proposed. The algorithm proposes two new operation methods in the DNA operation rules, namely the equal-additive column transformation and the equal-subtractive column transformation. which combine the SHA-256 function and the external key to generate the initial value of the chaotic system to ensure that key and plaintext of algorithm are correlated. In the encryption process, the plaintext image is firstly converted into a two-dimensional matrix for rotation and scrambling. Then the chaotic sequence generated by the hyperchaotic Chen system is used to perform DNA dynamic encoding, decoding and operation on the scrambled matrix and block matrix generated by logistic chaotic sequence. Finally, the encrypted matrix is scrambled in one dimension. Simulation results show that the improved encryption algorithm has a larger key space, breaks the strong correlation between image pixel layers, and can effectively resist multiple attacks.
Driver Response to Take-Over Requests in Real Traffic

Existing research on control-transitions from automated driving (AD) to manual driving mainly stems from studies in virtual settings. There is a need for studies conducted in real settings to better understand the impacts of increasing vehicle automation on traffic safety. This study aims specifically to understand how drivers respond to take-over requests (TORs) in real traffic by investigating the associations between 1) where drivers look when receiving the TOR, 2) repeated exposure to TORs, and 3) the drivers’ response process. In total, thirty participants were exposed to four TORs after about 5–6 min of driving with AD on public roads. While in AD, participants could choose to engage in nondriving-related tasks (NDRTs). When they received the TOR, for 38% of TORs, participants were already looking on path. For those TORs where drivers looked off path at the time of the TOR, the off-path glance was most commonly towards an NDRT item. Then, for 72% of TORs (independent on gaze direction), drivers started their response process to the TOR by looking towards the instrument cluster before placing their hands on the steering wheel and their foot on the accelerator pedal, and deactivating automation. Both timing and order of these actions varied among participants, but all participants deactivated AD within 10 s from the TOR. The drivers’ gaze direction at the TOR had a stronger association with the response process than the repeated exposure to TORs did. Drivers can respond to TORs in real traffic. However, the response should be considered as a sequence of actions that requires a certain amount of time.
Understanding the sorption behavior of tri, tetra and hexavalent f cations on metal–organic framework (MOF), ZIF-67: experimental and theoretical investigation

ABSTRACT Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of compounds with modern-age technological importance due to diverse structural topologies, porosity, and modularity. ZIF-67 has been synthesized for efficient extraction of f cations in different oxidation states (UO22+, Th4+ and Eu3+) from aqueous pH medium exhibiting the trend in sorption efficiency as: KdTh(6.19 × 103) > KdU (5.20 × 103) > KdEu (1.58 × 103) in accordance to their chemical potential. Langmuir isotherm was found to be predominate with sorption capacity 85.9 mg g−1, 137.4 mg g−1 and 50.6 mg g−1 for U, Th and Eu, respectively. The sorption predominantly proceeded via pseudo 2nd order rate kinetics with rate constants: k2U ~0.089 g mg−1 min−1, k2Th ~0.011 g mg−1 min−1 and k2Eu ~0.04 g mg−1 min−1. The processes were found to be spontaneous as revealed from negative ΔG values; and endothermic in nature (ΔHU ~10.5 kJ mol−1; ΔHTh ~12.8 kJ mol−1; ΔHEu ~8.3 kJ mol−1). The sorption proceeded via the formation of an inner sphere complex as indicated from their enhancement in the entropy values on sorption due to the release of water molecules. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) predicted selectivity using binding energy (ZIF-67-Eu3+ ~ -60.90 eV, ZIF-67-Th4+ ~ -70.78 eV, ZIF-67-Th4+ ~ -69.52 eV) is in line with the experimental selectivity of Th4+ > UO22+ > Eu3+. Total density of states (TODS) and Projected density of States (PODS) were estimated in order to understand the interaction between the ZIF-67 and f cations.
Topological visualization and graph analysis of rough sets via neighborhoods: A medical application using human heart data

In the field of medical applications, graph theory offers diverse topological models for representing the human heart. The key challenge is identifying the optimal structure as an effective diagnostic model. This paper explains the rationale behind using topological visualization, graph analysis, and rough sets via neighborhood systems. We introduce the novel $ 1 $-neighborhood system ($ 1 $-$ NS $) tools, enabling rough set generalization and a heart topological graph model. Exploring minimal and core minimal neighborhoods, vital for classifying subsets and accuracy computation, these approaches outperform existing methods while preserving Pawlak's properties. Multiple topologies are constructed and examined using these systems. The paper presents a real-world example showcasing innovative topological spaces through a human heart's vertex network. These spaces enhance understanding of the heart's structural organization. Two algorithms are introduced for decision-making and generating graph topologies, defining unique spaces. Beyond graph theory, these techniques apply to medical contexts like blood circulation and geographical scenarios such as community street mapping. Implemented using MATLAB, they are valuable tools.
Chitosan improves the efficacy of gentamicin against MDR and biofilm-forming URO pathogenic E. coli

Uropathogenic E. coli is the most common cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs), accounting for 80-90% of community-acquired UTIs and 30-50% of hospital-acquired UTIs. Uropathogenic E. coli that form biofilms are linked to chronic and persistent inflammation, resulting in severe and recurring UTIs. Biofilms promote antibiotic resistance and the horizontal transfer of virulence genes, promoting the formation of multidrug-resistant organisms. This study aimed to combine low-molecular-weight chitosan with aminoglycoside gentamicin to improve its efficacy against biofilm formation and MDR E. coli. Different strains of bacteria were isolated from urine samples of different patients at the Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, out of which 16 were identified as E. coli by API (Analytical Profile Index) 20E. The antibiotic sensitivity profile was determined using the disk diffusion method, and the results showed that a total of 10 isolates were found to be multidrug-resistant MDR (N=62.5%). Biofilm formation was tested using the TCP method, a total of 7 isolates were found to be strong biofilm producers (N=44%). Gentamicin exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against 10 isolates of E.coli, with MIC-p ranges of 4 and 2 µg/ml, respectively, while 6 isolates showed resistance to gentamicin with MIC-p ranges >512 µg/ml.
Automatische Auswertung von Molekularer Dynamik mittels Maschinellen Lernens

Die breite Verfugbarkeit einer grosen Menge an Datenverarbeitungsleistung fuhrt zu groseren Datensatzen, welche immer schneller berechnet werden konnen. Ein haufiges Beispiel in der Computerchemie ist die Molekulare Dynamik, welche viele grose Trajektoriendateien generiert. Die ublichen Wege der Analyse dieser Trajektorien sind simple Algorithmen, welche fur jeden einzelnen Anwendungsfall (um-) konzipiert werden, und die menschliche Fahigkeit der Mustererkennung, welche durch intensives Video schauen beansprucht wird. Eine elegantere und zuverlassigere Art der Mustererkennung und der Analyse wird in dieser Arbeit vorgestellt: Eine vollautomatische Analyse von Molekularer Dynamik mit maschinellen Lerntechniken. Um die Generalisierung und Vergroberung zu vereinfachen und die bekannten Probleme bei der Ahnlichkeitsmessung in internen Molekulkoordinaten zu umgehen, wird ein anderer, voxel-basierter Ansatz genutzt, welcher unabhangig von der Anzahl der Atome ist. Die Voxel werden durch die Umwandlung einer molekularen Struktur in eine octTree Reprasentation generiert. Aus diesen Voxeln werden Superstrukturen konstruiert, welche die Datenbasis fur die Algorithmen des maschinellen Lernens bilden. Die unuberwachte maschinelle Lerntechnik, (Hierarchisches) Clustern, wird fur eine automatische Bewertung und eine Auswahl eines passenden Trainingssatzes aus einem grosen Satz von Trajektorien verwendet. Ein trainierter Random-Forest-Algorithmus klassifiziert jeden einzelnen Schnappschuss in jeder Trajektorie. Schlieslich wird ein Markov-Zustands-Modell fur die Klassifikation jeder einzelnen Trajektorie in dem grosen Satz von Trajektorien verwendet und ahnliche werden gruppiert. Dies eliminiert weitgehend die Voreingenommenheit und die uninteressante Arbeit bei der Trajektorienauswertung, erlaubt die Fokussierung der menschlichen Anstrengungen auf vorausgewahlte interessante Falle und die weitere Einbindung der extrahierten Information in das "mechanistische" Gesamtbild.
The role of bacteriophages in shaping bacterial composition and diversity in the human gut

The microbiota of the gut has continued to co-evolve alongside their human hosts conferring considerable health benefits including the production of nutrients, drug metabolism, modulation of the immune system, and playing an antagonistic role against pathogen invasion of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The gut is said to provide a habitat for diverse groups of microorganisms where they all co-habit and interact with one another and with the immune system of humans. Phages are bacterial parasites that require the host metabolic system to replicate via the lytic or lysogenic cycle. The phage and bacterial populations are regarded as the most dominant in the gut ecosystem. As such, among the various microbial interactions, the phage-bacteria interactions, although complex, have been demonstrated to co-evolve over time using different mechanisms such as predation, lysogenic conversion, and phage induction, alongside counterdefense by the bacterial population. With the help of models and dynamics of phage-bacteria interactions, the complexity behind their survival in the gut ecosystem was demystified, and their roles in maintaining gut homeostasis and promoting the overall health of humans were elucidated. Although the treatment of various gastrointestinal infections has been demonstrated to be successful against multidrug-resistant causative agents, concerns about this technique are still very much alive among researchers owing to the potential for phages to evolve. Since a dearth of knowledge exists regarding the use of phages for therapeutic purposes, more studies involving experimental models and clinical trials are needed to widen the understanding of bacteria-phage interactions and their association with immunological responses in the gut of humans.
An analysis of groundwater quality in the Morven, Glenavy and Ikawai area, South Canterbury, New Zealand

The quality of groundwater beneath land surfaces can be influenced by activities carried out on the land. The combination of these activities and effects of the physical environment can cause groundwater contamination, being the threshold at which human or animal health is at risk. The physical environment can induce unacceptable levels of chemicals to groundwater and these may be measured by indicators such as pH and hardness. Particular activities leading to contamination in rural environments include farming activities utilising irrigation and chemicals to enhance production. An outcome of these activities may include the disposal of animal wastes which is a direct contaminant input having the potential to reach groundwater. Settlement patterns, in particular small settlements which are unsewered, can also contribute to groundwater contamination through sewage disposal from septic tanks. This thesis explores how these activities may influence groundwater quality of the Morven, Glenavy and Ikawai area in South Canterbury, New Zealand. In doing so it utilises groundwater measurements taken by the Canterbury Regional Council from 90 wells in February and May 1996. The results from these measur~ments are related using a Geographic Information System to various human activities, namely farm type, irrigation, waste disposal and settlement patterns and two physical parameters, soil permeability and groundwater depth or piezometric surface. Patterns emerge which indicate contamination from settlement patterns and activities such as waste disposal, but not so much from dairying or irrigation. Levels of hardness are highesr near the Waikakahi Downs, coinciding with the pattern of less permeable soils near the Downs. It is important that other factors, such as temporal changes, are not overlooked or neglected.
Comparative Analysis of Different Proteins and Metabolites in the Liver and Ovary of Local Breeds of Chicken and Commercial Chickens in the Later Laying Period

The liver and ovary perform a vital role in egg production in hens. In the later laying period, the egg-laying capacity of female hens, particularly that of local breeds, declines significantly. Hence, it is essential to study the features and conditions of the ovary and liver during this period. In this research, we characterized the proteins and metabolites in the liver and ovary of 55-week-old Guangyuan gray chickens (Group G) and Hy-Line gray chickens (Group H) by using liquid chromatography chip/electrospray ionization quadruple time-of-flight/mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). In total, 139 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and 186 differential metabolites (DMs) were identified in the liver, and 139 DEPs and 36 DMs were identified in the ovary. The upregulated DEPs and DMs in both the liver and ovary of Group G were primarily enriched in pathways involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. This suggests that energy metabolism was highly active in the Guangyuan gray chickens. In contrast, the upregulated DEPs and DMs in Group H were mainly enriched in pathways associated with lipid metabolism, which may explain the higher egg production and the higher fatty liver rate in Hy-Line gray hens in the later laying period. Additionally, it was found that the unique protein s-(hydroxymethyl) glutathione dehydrogenase (ADH4) in Group G was implicated in functions such as fatty acid degradation, glycolysis, and pyruvate metabolism, whereas the unique proteins, steroid sulfatase (STS), glucosylceramidase (LOC107050229), and phospholipase A2 Group XV (PLA2G15), in Group H were involved in the metabolism of steroid hormones and glycerol phosphate. In conclusion, variations in how carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids are processed in the liver and ovary of local breeds of chicken and commercial hens towards the end of their laying period could explain the disparities in their egg production abilities.
Prevalence of pneumatization patterns of the sphenoid sinus in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis in the delta region

Background: Multiple classifications of the types of Sphenoid Sinus (SS) pneumatization exist as Conchal, presellar, sellar and postsellar according to extension of the pneumatization to the sellar turcica. The pneumatization patterns of the SS have significant surgical implications due to their associated inconsistent neurovascular relations. Aim: To study the pneumatization patterns of SS in patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) in the Delta Region. Methods: This is a prospective prevalence study which was performed on 200 CONSECUTIVE patients with CRS proved by radiological signs. Patients selected from the outpatient clinic of the Otorhinolaryngology Department of Tanta University Hospital during the period between February 2021 to July 2021. Results: There was significant statistical difference between ethmoidal, sphenoidal CRS and other types (maxillary, frontal and pansinusitis) in relation to SS pneumatization patterns. Ages of patients range between 16 years to 60 years. Conclusions: The sellar type of SS pneumatization was found to be the most clinically relevant variant among our population in 35% of the patients. There was significant statistical difference between ethmoidal, sphenoidal CRS and other types of rhinosinusitis in relation to sphenoid pneumatization patterns. There were no significant statistical differences between either gender or age in chronic rhinosinusitis. The preoperative CT evaluation of the sellar region is a necessary whenever transsphenoidal surgery is considered to determine the location and extent of SS walls, to shorten the operative time, and to minimize morbid consequences.
TSUNAMI EVACUATION IN A MASSIVE CROWD EVENT USING AN AGENT-BASED MODEL

Under emergencies, individuals tend to move faster than during normal conditions, i.e., evacuation vs non-evacuation scenarios (Helbing et al., 2000; Cornes et al., 2019; Chen et al., 2018). Evacuations because of false alarms, terrorist attacks, fires, or disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis can quickly increase stress levels in people. Activities such as carnivals, festivals, sports, pilgrimages, and marches gather thousands of people in one place. In the literature, open space tsunami evacuations in places such as beaches are scarce. Studies from Takabatake et al. (2018) and Lanza et al. (2021) have integrated beach users in their simulations. However, studies involving massive tsunami evacuations including socio-psychological interactions, to our knowledge, are not documented. The main objective of this study is to assess human behavior in a hypothetical scenario such as a massive tsunami evacuation in a coastal area, using Valparaíso City as a case study.