Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Similarity Analysis of 3D Models Based on Convolutional Neural Networks with Threshold

The structure of a three-dimensional (3D) model will mutate into various shapes when it does deformation. Indeed, various shapes look different from the original 3D model. What is more, the two-dimensional (2D) image of the deformed 3D model is dissimilar to the 2D image of the undeformed model. Therefore, how to find a proper method to analyze the 3D model similarity always be the research hotspot. In these years, with the wide spread of deep learning technology, the research of similarity and retrieval system of 3D models has set off a new technical revolution. However, the data processing method of the 3D model is distinct with the methods of the 2D image, which is more complex. In consequence, the paper presents the similarity analysis method of 3D models based on convolutional neural networks with threshold (t-CNN). The trained and test datasets are multi-view colored 2D images of 3D models which the color is computed by the heat kernel signature (HKS). Meanwhile, in order to improve the accuracy of retrieval, a threshold is added to the CNN before confirming the final category. The experiments show that the colored dataset construction method proposed in the paper makes the data processing easier and improves the classification precision. Similarity analysis of 3D models based on the t-CNN in recall and precision is better than the other methods.
Caffeine and resistance exercise: the effects of two caffeine doses and the influence of individual perception of caffeine

Abstract Although caffeine is a widely used ergogenic resource, some information regarding its effects on resistance exercises is still lacking. The objective of the present study was to verify the acute effect of the ingestion of two different doses of caffeine on performance during a session of resistance exercises and to analyze the perception of the subjects in relation to the intake of caffeine. Following a double-blind, randomised, cross-over, controlled, and non-placebo design, 14 trained and healthy men (24.7 ± 6.8 years; 79.8 ± 9.8 kg; 177.3 ± 8.5 cm) performed a training session in chest-press, shoulder-press, and biceps curl exercises (3 sets until exhaustion; 70% 1RM; 3 min rest interval; 2 s for each concentric and eccentric phase) on three non-consecutive days after ingestion of 3 mg.kg−1 caffeine (CAF3), 6 mg.kg−1 caffeine (CAF6), or no substance (CON). Subjects were informed that one of the caffeine doses would be placebo. The total number of repetitions performed in CON (93.6 ± 22.4) was significantly lower than in CAF3 (108.0 ± 19.9, P = 0.02) and in CAF6 (109.3 ± 19.8, P = 0.03) and there were no differences between caffeine doses. Eight subjects noticed that caffeine was in CAF3 and six in CAF6 and there were no differences in the number of repetitions between sessions in which the subjects perceived and did not perceive caffeine. In conclusion, caffeine doses of 3 or 6 mg.kg−1 similarly increased performance in resistance upper limb exercises, independent of the subject's perception of substance ingestion.
Predictive factors of malignancy in dogs with focal liver lesions using clinical data and ultrasonographic features

A definitive diagnosis of focal liver lesions (FLLs) requires invasive procedures for histopathologic examination. Thus, a simpler noninvasive diagnostic method, such as conventional ultrasonography combined with clinical data, is needed for the prediction of liver malignancy. The objective of this study was to examine the diagnostic accuracy of clinical data and ultrasonographic (US) features to differentiate benign and malignant liver lesions. Medical records and US images from dogs with FLLs that underwent abdominal US and histopathologic examinations following surgery or liver biopsy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical data, including signalment, clinical signs and laboratory findings, and the US features of liver lesions that could act as predictive factors were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate the associations between predictive factors and liver malignancy. Based on the histopathologic results, 55 dogs with malignant lesions and 28 dogs with benign lesions were included in the study. The results of univariate analysis showed that several US features and platelet count were significantly associated with liver malignancy. Multivariate analysis revealed that the platelet count (thrombocytosis; odds ratio [OR]: 4.13, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.81−9.41), lesion size (4.1 cm or greater; OR: 23.83, 95% CI: 3.74−151.95) and echotexture of FLLs (heterogenous; OR: 8.44; 95% CI: 1.37−51.91) were independent predictors for differentiating benign and malignant liver lesions, suggesting that a combination of clinical data and US findings of FLLs could predict liver malignancy in dogs.
Low dose allopurinol is associated with modest but significant improvements in glycemic control (GC) and glycemic variability (GV) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), gout, and asymptomatic hyperuricemia are inter-connected pathologies. Glycemic control (GC), involving a range of treatments is central to the management of DM, whereas allopurinol continues to be the most widely recommended urate lowering agent. Allopurinol has been shown to possess anti-oxidant properties: this study explores the favorable potential effect of allopurinol on glucose homeostasis.MethodsThis is an observational study with a cross-sectional design performed on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), recruited from centers in Saudi Arabia. Patients were divided into two groups; allopurinol users; (for gout or asymptomatic hyperuricemia) and matching control patients. Patient demographics, co-morbid conditions, biochemical tests, and pharmacological treatments were extracted from electronic records to investigate the effect of allopurinol therapy on Glycemic control (GC), as assessed by glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c as primary endpoint), and on parameters of glycaemic variability (GV) (secondary endpoints). ResultsA total of 194 patients with type 2 DM were recruited (97 in both groups). The two groups were matched for age and sex: mean age: 59.4 years, 73% males in the allopurinol group vs 59.6 years, 73% males in the control group. Allopurinol, daily dose 100 mg, was prescribed for 77% of the patients, with median duration of 39.5 months treatment. HbA1c values were; 6.90% (6.20, 7.80) in the allopurinol group vs 7.30% (6.60, 8.40) in the control group (P=0.010). Parameters of GV were calculated from 3 consecutive fasting blood sugar (FBS) readings: variability independent of the mean (VIM) was 0.140 in the allopurinol group vs 0.987 in the control group (P<0.001). ConclusionConcomitant low-dose allopurinol therapy in patients with type 2 DM was associated with modest but significant improvements in GC and GV.
Genetic and epigenetic sex-specific adaptations to endurance exercise

ABSTRACT In recent years, the interest in personalised interventions such as medicine, nutrition, and exercise is rapidly rising to maximize health outcomes and ensure the most appropriate treatments. Exercising regularly is recommended for both healthy and diseased populations to improve health. However, there are sex-specific adaptations to exercise that often are not taken into consideration. While endurance exercise training alters the human skeletal muscle epigenome and subsequent gene expression, it is still unknown whether it does so differently in men and women, potentially leading to sex-specific physiological adaptations. Elucidating sex differences in genetics, epigenetics, gene regulation and expression in response to exercise will have great health implications, as it may enable gene targets in future clinical interventions and may better individualised interventions. This review will cover this topic and highlight the recent findings of sex-specific genetic, epigenetic, and gene expression studies, address the gaps in the field, and offer recommendations for future research.
Association between PTPN22‐1123G/C and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) varies greatly among different ethnic groups, suggesting genetic susceptibility. The several genetic variants of protein tyrosine phosphatase, non‐receptor type 22 (PTPN22‐1123G/C, rs2488457) have been widely examined. We systematically evaluated the association of PTPN22‐1123 and RA risk by pooling the related studies conducted in different races.
Rice recycling: a simple strategy to improve conidia production in solid‐state cultures

Here we studied at a laboratory scale a potential strategy to revalorize the residual rice remaining at the end of a conventional conidia production process in solid‐state culture. The conidia production of Trichoderma asperellum Th‐T4 (3) and Metarhizium robertsii Xoch‐8.1 started with the use of fresh rice (unrecycled rice) as the substrate (cycle one), and continued with the use of recycled rice in successive cycles of conidia production. The rice remaining at the end of the first cycle was reused without any further sterilization or reinoculation. As a result, it was observed that the conidia production and productivity significantly increased in both fungi. Conidia production in T. asperellum Th‐T4 (3) increased from 1 × 109 (first cycle) to 2·9 × 109 conidia per gram of initial dry substrate (con⋅gds−1) (second cycle using recycled rice), while in M. robertsii Xoch‐8.1, this parameter increased form 5·7 × 108 to 1·4 × 109 con⋅gds−1. Both fungi grew faster and conidiated earlier when recycled rice was used as the substrate, therefore, conidia productivity was also significantly improved. Furthermore, the use of recycled rice did not affect conidia viability. This is the first report about a recycling methodology completely free of extra‐processing steps, and useful to increase conidia production and productivity.
Locating the source of large-scale outbreaks of foodborne disease

In today’s globally interconnected food system, outbreaks of foodborne disease can spread widely and cause considerable impact on public health. We study the problem of identifying the source of emerging large-scale outbreaks of foodborne disease; a crucial step in mitigating their proliferation. To solve the source identification problem, we formulate a probabilistic model of the contamination diffusion process as a random walk on a network and derive the maximum-likelihood estimator for the source location. By modelling the transmission process as a random walk, we are able to develop a novel, computationally tractable solution that accounts for all possible paths of travel through the network. This is in contrast to existing approaches to network source identification, which assume that the contamination travels along either the shortest or highest probability paths. We demonstrate the benefits of the multiple-paths approach through application to different network topologies, including stylized models of food supply network structure and real data from the 2011 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli outbreak in Germany. We show significant improvements in accuracy and reliability compared with the relevant state-of-the-art approach to source identification. Beyond foodborne disease, these methods should find application in identifying the source of spread in network-based diffusion processes more generally, including in networks not well approximated by tree-like structure.
Investigation Into Boundary Layer Transition Using Wall-Resolved LES and Modeled Inflow Turbulence

Abstract. The objective of the present paper is to investigate the transition scenario of the flow around a typical section of a wind turbine blade exposed to different levels of inflow turbulence. As a first step towards this objective, a rather low Reynolds number of Rec = 105 is studied at a fixed angle of attack but under five different turbulence intensities (TI) up to TI = 11.2 %. Using wall-resolved large-eddy simulations combined with an inflow procedure relying on synthetically generated turbulence and a source-term formulation for its injection within the computational domain, relevant flow features such as the separation bubble, inflectional instabilities and streaks can be investigated. The study shows that the transition scenario significantly changes with rising TI, where the influence of inflectional instabilities due to an adverse pressure gradient decreases, while the influence of streaks increases resulting in a shift from the classical scenario of natural transition to bypass transition. The primary instability mechanism in the separation bubble is found to be inflectional and its origin is traced back to the region upstream of the separation. Thus, the inviscid inflectional instability of the separated shear layer is an extension of the instability of the attached adverse pressure gradient boundary layer observed upstream. The boundary layer is evaluated to be receptive to external disturbances such that the initial energy within the boundary layer is proportional to the square of the turbulence intensity. Boundary layer streaks were found to influence the instantaneous separation location depending on their orientation. A varicose mode of instability is observed on the overlap of the leading edge of a high-speed streak with the trailing edge of a low-speed streak. The critical amplitude of this instability was analyzed to be about 32 % of the free-stream velocity.
Impacts of Psychological Stress on Osteoporosis: Clinical Implications and Treatment Interactions

The significant biochemical and physiological effects of psychological stress are beginning to be recognized as exacerbating common diseases, including osteoporosis. This review discusses the current evidence for psychological stress-associated mental health disorders as risk factors for osteoporosis, the mechanisms that may link these conditions, and potential implications for treatment. Traditional, alternative, and adjunctive therapies are discussed. This review is not intended to provide therapeutic recommendations, but, rather, the goal of this review is to delineate potential interactions of psychological stress and osteoporosis and to highlight potential multi-system implications of pharmacological interventions. Review of the current literature identifies several potentially overlapping mechanistic pathways that may be of interest (e.g., glucocorticoid signaling, insulin-like growth factor signaling, serotonin signaling) for further basic and clinical research. Current literature also supports the potential for cross-effects of therapeutics for osteoporosis and mental health disorders. While studies examining a direct link between osteoporosis and chronic psychological stress are limited, the studies reviewed herein suggest that a multi-factorial, personalized approach should be considered for improved patient outcomes in populations experiencing psychological stress, particularly those at high-risk for development of osteoporosis.
Implementation of an Architecture for Streaming Data Acquisition Incorporating Quality Attributes

The volume of data that humanity is producing is a phenomenon that arouses research interest, considering different aspects and contexts involved. In this subject, data quality requires attention for acquisition and proper handling in order to provide accurate results in analytical processes. Nevertheless, data from sensors are sensitive to intercurrences that can compromise decisions guided by indicators constructed in this process. The objective of this work is to implement an architecture capable of producing a layer of data quality associated with the data collected from sensors, in real time. The proposed architecture evaluates the dimensions of accuracy, reliability, completeness, data volume and punctuality. The implemented artifacts were adapted for testing with indoor temperature and humidity measurement sensors. The collected data received quality indicators calculated in the sensor controller, packaged by time windows and transmitted directly to the server. Preliminary results showed efficiency in the acquisition and generation of quality indicators. The final product can be used to other contexts that use data acquisition through sensors.
State of the art about use of IoT in education

Every day the devices connected autonomously to the communication networks are increased. New applications arise for this type of interconnected objects, thus offering new alternatives for solutions of any kind, through the use of technology based on ubiquitous computing. That is why this work is inspired by these new technologies for its application in the educational field, with the purpose of contributing to the imposition of the use of IoT as a tool1 in the classroom.
Substitution Mapping of Two Closely Linked QTLs Controlling Grain Chalkiness and Grain Shape on Rice Chromosome 8

Background: Rice varieties are required to have high yield and good grain quality. Grain chalkiness and grain shape are two important traits of rice grain quality. Low chalkiness slender grains are preferred by most rice consumers. Here, we dissected two closely linked quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling grain chalkiness and grain shape on rice chromosome 8 by substitution mapping. Results: Two closely linked QTLs controlling grain chalkiness and grain shape were identified using single-segment substitution lines (SSSLs). The two QTLs were then dissected on rice chromosome 8 by secondary substitution mapping. qPGC8.1 was located in an interval of 1382.6 kb and qPGC8.2 was mapped in a 2057.1 kb region. The maximum distance of the two QTLs was 4.37 Mb and the space distance of two QTL intervals was 0.72 Mb. qPGC8.1 controlled grain chalkiness and grain width. qPGC8.2 was responsible for grain chalkiness and for grain length and grain width. The additive effects of qPGC8.1 and qPGC8.2 on grain chalkiness were not affected by heat stress. Conclusions: Two closely linked QTLs qPGC8.1 and qPGC8.2 were dissected on rice chromosome 8. They controlled the phenotypes of grain chalkiness and grain shape. The two QTLs were insensitive to high temperature.
Consumers’ Willingness to Pay For Organic Beef In Cagayan Valley

This study on “Consumers’ willingness to pay for organic beef in Cagayan Valley region” aimed to analyze the consumers’ willingness to pay premium for organic beef in Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya and Cagayan. Data was obtained through “face to face” interview with 407 sample respondents using semi-structured questionnaire adopting “Contingent Valuation Methodology” (CVM) and subjected to multivariate Logistic Regression analysis. Descriptive statistics like arithmetic mean, standard deviation, percentages, and ranking were employed to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. Five level Likert Scale and the Chi-Square test were used to depict the consumers’ awareness of organic products and to measure the goodness of fit of the data, respectively. Majority of the respondents were females, married, with an average age of 47.22, and belonged to household size of 4.7. The respondents were predominantly Roman Catholics, Ilocanos, and had attended formal school. Most of them were government employees earning Php20,000–Php24,999 per month and a quarter belonged to various categories of occupation. Analysis of the consumers’ perception regarding conventional and organic beef in consideration of the given variables revealed that the perceived attributes are significant. Given the price choice scenario, majority favored the minimum price of Php340/kg. The respondents are willing to pay premium for organic beef if they feel that the price is reasonable and that they get value for their money. The most important attributes of organic products that have greater influence to consumers’ WTP premium for organic beef are price, quality, health factor, and use of synthetic chemicals.
A computational analysis of the binding free energies of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 inhibitors from different chemotypes

ABSTRACT Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) has recently emerged as an attractive molecular target for pharmaceutical intervention. Several classes of small-molecular ASK1 inhibitors have been identified. In this article, we analysed the binding of small-molecular inhibitors from different chemotypes with ASK1 using molecular dynamic simulations. The umbrella sampling technique was used to calculate the binding free energy (ΔG) for these compounds with ASK1 ATP-binding pocket. According to the obtained results, umbrella sampling gave correct ranking of the binding affinities for investigated inhibitors relative to their experimental pIC50 values and can be useful for further structure-based design of ASK1 inhibitors to accelerate lead optimisation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02466516.
T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 in unexposed South African women

Background: A potential explanation for the fact that the high rate of infection of SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa did not translate into high rates of severe illness and death may be the presence of cross-reactive immunity induced by common cold coronaviruses (CCoV). Methods: We used SARS-CoV-2 peptide pools and whole virus antigen to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected pre-2020 from South African women. Dual-colour FluoroSpot assay was used to measure interferon gamma (IFNγ) and interleukin 2 (IL2) production. Results: Among the 97 study participants, IFNγ responses were observed in 29.9% of the women and IL2 among 39.2%. Overall, 51.6% of women demonstrated response to at least one stimulant. Conclusion: We demonstrate the presence of cross-reactive immunity to SARS-CoV-2, which might have been induced by past exposure to CCoV.
Effects of Enzyme Loading, Incubation Time and Incubation Temperature on Sawdust Hydrolysis by Locally Produced Bacterial Xylanase

The present study aims to investigate the enzymatic hydrolysis conditions of bacterial xylanase on alternative cheaper substrate which is hardwood sawdust (SD) in order to produce reducing sugars (xylose). The bacterial xylanase was produced and secreted from the Bacillus sp. The wood industry in Malaysia has become a major source of foreign exchange across the globe for developing the countries. Therefore, more wood residues (sawdust) are produced during the logging and processing of wood. Most of the sawdust will be disposed into the landfills. In actual, the sawdust can be utilised into more valuable products such as in producing reducing sugars. Thus, previous researches have studied on xylose production from wooden sawdust using commercial xylanases, but only few with the bacterial xylanase. Therefore, a study on the best conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis in producing xylose from sawdust using bacterial xylanase is essential. Prior to the enzymatic hydrolysis, the hardwood sawdust was pre-treated by autoclave at 121°C for 20 min in order to breakdown the lignin linkage and obtain the hemicellulosic xylan (delignification). The enzymatic hydrolysis conditions such as enzyme loading, incubation time and incubation temperature were experimented by One-Factor-At-Time (OFAT) method. Based on the experiment, the fifth cycle pre-treated autoclaved sawdust showed 5.5-fold higher than the untreated sawdust. The best enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for xylose production were enzyme loading of 1.4%, incubation time of 30 min, and incubation temperature of 56.9 °C. These conditions also succeeded in producing 2.5-fold higher xylose than the one without the enzymatic hydrolysis.