Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aerosols are not Spherical Cows: Using Discrete Dipole Approximation to Model the Properties of Fractal Particles

The optical properties of particulate-matter aerosols, within the context of exoplanet and brown dwarf atmospheres, are compared using three different models: Mie theory, Modified Mean Field (MMF) Theory, and Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA). Previous results have demonstrated that fractal haze particles (MMF and DDA) absorb much less long-wavelength radiation than their spherical counterparts (Mie), however it is shown here that the opposite can also be true if a more varying refractive index profile is used. Additionally, it is demonstrated that absorption/scattering cross-sections, and the asymmetry parameter, are underestimated if Mie theory is used. Although DDA can be used to obtain more accurate results, it is known to be much more computationally intensive; to avoid this, the use of low-resolution aerosol models is explored, which could dramatically speed up the process of obtaining accurate computations of optical cross-sections within a certain parameter space. The validity of DDA is probed for wavelengths of interest for observations of aerosols within exoplanet and brown dwarf atmospheres (0.2 − 15 μm). Finally, novel code is presented to compare the results of Mie, MMF and DDA theories (CORAL: Comparison Of Radiative AnaLyses), as well as to increase and decrease the resolution of DDA shape files accordingly (STAG: Simulated Three-dimensional Aerosol Geometries). Both codes can be applied to a range of other interesting astrophysical environments in addition to exoplanet atmospheres, for example dust grains within protoplanetary disks.
Circle of Willis Configuration and Thrombus Localization Impact on Ischemic Stroke Patient Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: The published literature highlights the fact that the integrity of the Circle of Willis has a direct impact on stroke outcome, especially in cases of distal internal carotid T occlusion. The aim of this study was to review the available data on the Circle of Willis configuration and thrombus location impact on patient outcome in cases of ischemic stroke. Materials and Methods: A systematic search according to PRISMA guidelines was performed in PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases to identify studies investigating the influence of Circle of Willis variants on ischemic stroke outcomes published up to March 2023. The manuscripts were reviewed by three researchers separately and scored on the quality of the research using the MINORS criteria. Results: After screening 157 manuscripts, 11 studies (n = 4643) were included. Circle of Willis integrity plays a vital role in stroke outcome, especially when T-form occlusions are present. Despite this, in the event of M1 occlusion Circle of Willis configuration does not play an important role. In cases of distal internal carotid artery occlusion, the presence of a fully developed contralateral A1 segment and anterior communicating artery is essential for a favorable stroke outcome. Conclusions: The preserved integrity of the Circle of Willis has great significance for collateral flow in the event of ischemic stroke and helps patients to achieve more favorable outcomes, as it determines the affected brain territory. The clinical outcome of the ischemic stroke appears to be significantly better if only one artery territory is affected, compared to two or more.
Formulation and evaluation of solid lipid nanoparticles of naringin to enhance its bioavailability

The objective of the present work was to formulate solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with naringin for improving the bioavailability of naringin. The SLNs loaded with naringin were prepared by using different ratio of palmitic and stearic acid as the lipids and Tween 80 as the surfactant. The method nanoprecipitation was used for preparation of the SLNs. The surfactant (Tween 80) helps in steric stabilization of the SLNs. The size range of SLNs obtained on sonicating for 7 was found to be 429 ± 76 nm when stearic acid was used and 365 ± 28 nm when palmitic acid was used for the preparation of SLNs. The zeta potential of all the SLNs ranged from -16 to -27 mV suggesting a stable formulation. The percentage of drug incorporated during nanoparticle preparation was determined by centrifuging the drug loaded nanoparticles at 15,000 rpm for 15 min and separating the supernatant. The highest encapsulation of naringin (71.7 ± 8.6 %) was obtained when the concentration of palmitic acid was 0.14 mmol. The in vitro release of naringin from the SLNs was measured by dialysis method using simulated gastric fluid as the dissolution medium. In vitro release kinetics studies for naringin loaded SLNs exhibited a sustained release pattern. Sustained release was observed over a period of 3 days. The stability of NSLN-7 was studied by storing at 4 ± 1 °C for 30 days. The particle size remained stable at the end of the study with drug entrapment of 71.5 %. This suggests that the SLNs prepared are stable on storage.
Sedimentary architecture and 3D ground‐penetrating radar analysis of gravelly meandering river deposits (Neckar Valley, SW Germany)

Sedimentological outcrop analysis and sub‐surface ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) surveys are combined to characterize the three‐dimensional sedimentary architecture of Quaternary coarse‐grained fluvial deposits in the Neckar Valley (SW Germany). Two units characterized by different architectural styles are distinguished within the upper part of the gravel body, separated by an erosional unconformity: (i) a lower unit dominated by trough‐shaped depositional elements with erosional, concave‐up bounding surfaces that are filled by cross‐bedded sets of mainly openwork and filled framework gravel; and (ii) an upper unit characterized by gently inclined sheets of massive and openwork gravels with thin, sandy interlayers that show lateral accretion on a lower erosional unconformity. The former is interpreted as confluence scour pool elements formed in a multi‐channel, possibly braided river system, the latter as extensive point bar deposits formed by the lateral migration of a meandering river channel. The lateral accretion elements are locally cut by chute channels mainly filled by gravels rich in fines, and by fine‐grained abandoned channel fills. The lateral accretion elements are associated with gravel dune deposits characterized by steeply inclined cross‐beds of alternating open and filled framework gravel. Floodplain fines with a cutbank and point bar morphology cover the gravel deposits. The GPR images, revealing the three‐dimensional geometries of the depositional elements and their stacking patterns, confirm a change in sedimentary style between the two stratigraphic units. The change occurred at the onset of the Holocene, as indicated by 14C‐dating of wood fragments, and is related to a re‐organization of the fluvial system that probably was driven by climatic changes. The integration of sedimentological and GPR results highlights the heterogeneity of the fluvial deposits, a factor that is important for modelling groundwater flow in valley‐fill aquifers.
Water Quality Assessment and Nutrient Management by SWAT from Sanitation and Agricultural Sources in Warana River Basin, MH, India

The Warana river watershed in Western Maharashtra, India has been recognized for exporting some of the highest nitrate-nitrogen loadings in western Maharashtra and is also a major source of sediment and other nutrient loadings. An integrated modeling framework has been constructed with Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and the interactive SWAT CUP. The simulation framework includes a detailed land use and management data such as different crop rotations and an array of nutrient and tillage management schemes, derived from the various source including the state department of Agriculture. This paper presents the calibration and validation of SWAT for the streamflow, sediment losses, and nutrient loadings in the watershed. Streamflow, sediment yield, and nitrate loadings were calibrated for the 1979-1984 period and validated for the 1984-2014 period. Secondary field data on organic nitrogen, organic phosphorus, and mineral phosphorus is used in model to validate for the 2007-2014 period. Model predictions generally performed very well on both an annual and monthly basis during the calibration and validation periods, as indicated by coefficient of determination (R2) and Nash-Sutcliffe simulation efficiency (E) values that exceeded 0.7 in most cases. The first scenario set with application of fertilizer and no sanitation practices and set of land use change scenarios based on taking cropland out of production indicated a significant benefit in reducing sediment yield at the watershed outlet. A second scenario set found that relatively small reductions in nutrient applications resulted in significant reductions in nitrate loadings at the watershed outlet, without affecting crop yields significantly.
Modified Algorithm for Privacy Preservation of Gathered Data

The extensive prevalence of computing technologies in our daily lives and physical landscapes has led to the generation of vast datasets for analysis. Although, there is a growing uncertaintyregarding potential privacy breaches, as sensitive data could be exposed if not adequately protected during analysis. Many existing privacy-preserving methods encounter challenges such as inefficiency, scalability limitations, and the delicate balance between data utility and privacy conservation. In this study, we introduce an algorithm known as PABIDOT. PABIDOT employs optimal geometric transformations to safeguard privacy within the realm of big data. We assess the efficacy of PABIDOT through a series of experiments involving nine distinct datasets and five classification algorithms. Our results highlight PABIDOT's exceptional execution speed, scalability, resilience against potential attacks,andits accuracy in large-scale datasets.In addition, we delve into the practical implications of PABIDOT in real-world scenarios, emphasizing its adaptability across diverse industries and applications. The algorithm's robustness in safeguarding sensitive information while maintaining data integrity sets a new standard in privacy preservation. Moreover, the study sheds light on potential avenues for further advancements in the field of secure data analytics, paving the way for more comprehensive and effective privacy solutions in the era of burgeoning data generation and utilization.
Comparative performance of AVHRR‐based multichannel sea surface temperatures

A brief outline of the basic concepts of cloud filtering and atmospheric attenuation corrections used in the Multi-channel Sea Surface Temperature (MCSST) method is given. The operational MCSST procedures and products are described in detail. The comparative performance of AVHRR-based MCSST'S is discussed via the use of the results of the JPL Satellite-Derived Sea Surface Temperature workshops. For the four data periods there is surprisingly good correspondence in the sign and location of the major monthly mean SST anomaly features derived from MCSST's and those from a screened set of ship-based SST's. With the partial exception of the one data period severely affected in some areas by volcanic aerosol from El Chichon eruptions, global statistical measures of the MCSST anomalies relative to the the ship data are as follows: biases, 0.3–0.4°C (MCSST lower than ship); standard deviations, 0.5–0.6°C; and cross-correlations, +0.3 to +0.7. A refined technique in use with NOAA 9 data in 1985 has yielded consistent biases and rms differences near −0.1°C and 0.5°C, respectively.
Exploring the impact of data curation criteria on the observed geographical distribution of mosses

Abstract Biodiversity data records contain inaccuracies and biases. To overcome this limitation and establish robust geographic patterns, ecologists often curate records keeping those that are most suitable for their analyses. Yet, this choice is not straightforward and the outcome of the analysis may vary due to a trade‐off between data quality and volume. This problem is particularly recurrent for less‐studied groups with patchy sampling effort. The latitudinal pattern of mosses richness remains inconsistent across studies and these may emerge purely from sampling artefacts. Our main objective here is to assess the effect of different curation criteria on this spatial pattern in the Temperate Northern Hemisphere (above 20° latitude). We contrasted the geographical distribution of moss species records and the latitude‐species richness relation obtained under different data curation scenarios. These scenarios comprehend five sources of taxonomical standardisations and eight data cleaning filters. The analyses are based on the selection of well‐surveyed cells at 100 km cell resolution. The application of some ‘data curation scenarios’ severely affects the number of records selected for analysis and substantially changes the proportion of richness per cell. The sensitivity to data curation becomes detectable at regional and at the cell scales showing a large shift in the latitudinal richness peak in Europe, from 60° N to 45° N latitude, when only preserved specimens are selected and duplicates based on date of collection and coordinates are excluded. Our results stress the importance of justifying the criteria used for filtering biodiversity data retrieved from biodiversity databases to avoid detecting misleading patterns. Curating records under particular criteria compromises the information in some areas displaying different spatial information of mosses. This problem can be ameliorated if data filtering is combined with identifying well‐surveyed cells, render relatively constant results under different combinations of filtering even for less well‐known groups such as mosses.
Interannual variability in Antarctic ozone depletion controlled by planetary waves and polar temperature

The dependence of Antarctic ozone depletion on midlatitude planetary wave activity and South Pole temperatures was examined from 1979–2003 using NCEP/NCAR reanalyses and column ozone data. The annual severity of Antarctic ozone depletion was quantified using the seasonal mean of daily ozone mass deficit (OMD). The dependence of annual mean OMD on effective equivalent stratospheric chlorine (EESC) was removed to produce an anomaly time series (OMD′). Similar anomaly time series for 100 hPa South Pole temperatures (T′) and 20 hPa, 60°S midlatitude planetary wave activity (PWA′) were calculated. Regression of OMD′ against T′ and PWA′ shows that most of the interannual variability in Antarctic ozone depletion can be explained by variability in midlatitude planetary wave activity and South Pole temperatures. To estimate how future changes in South Pole temperatures, midlatitude wave activity and EESC will affect Antarctic ozone depletion, the regression model was applied to T′ and PWA′ values from a chemistry‐climate model run (1975–2019).
Cabbeling due to Isopycnal Mixing in Isopycnic Coordinate Models

Abstract The cabbeling that arises as a consequence of isopycnal mixing in a North Atlantic model based on MICOM (the Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Model) is quantified. Annually averaged over the model Atlantic, the diapycnal volume flux associated with cabbeling reaches 1.5 Sv, with an associated net density flux of 2 × 106 kg s−1 (equivalent to an annual-basin mean cooling of 0.6 W m−2). Over the range of densities that incorporate the major water masses of the model Atlantic, cabbeling effectively weakens the density flux due to parameterized diapycnal turbulent mixing by ∼25%. The strength of cabbeling varies in proportion to the isopycnal mixing of heat and salt, the local buoyancy frequency, and a “cabbeling parameter” (which is inversely proportional to temperature). As a consequence of these dependencies, cabbeling is highly localized and seasonal. In the model, strongest cabbeling occurs during summer at the subpolar front in the northwest Atlantic. Model cabbeling arises both physically (due to th.
The efficacy and safety of oral microecological agents as add‐on therapy for atopic dermatitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials

Abstract Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease that is hard to completely cure in a short time. Guidelines recommend the use of topical corticosteroids (TCS) as first‐line anti‐inflammatory therapy for AD, but long‐term use has significant side effects. Microecological agents (MA), including probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics, have been widely reported as a potential adjunctive therapy of AD, but whether MA can contribute to AD treatment is currently controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to investigate whether MA as an add‐on therapy for AD has synergistic and attenuated effects and to further understand the role of MA in clinical interventions for AD. Methods We systematically searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO databases up to Apr 11, 2023, and bibliographies were also manually searched, for potentially relevant studies regarding MA as additional therapy of AD. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for assessing risk of bias was used to assess the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Two reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias independently. The primary outcomes (SCORAD scores and the number of adverse events) and the secondary outcomes (pruritus scores, the quality of life and the frequency of TCS) were extracted from each article. The data were combined and analyzed to quantify the safety and efficacy of the treatment. R (V4.4.3) software was used for data synthesis. The certainty of the evidence was evaluated with the Grade of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. We also performed a trial sequential analysis to assess the reliability of the evidence. Results A total of 21 studies, including 1230 individuals, were identified, 20 of which met the eligibility criteria for the meta‐analysis. Our pooled meta‐analyses showed that compared with controls, oral MA as an add‐on therapy was associated with significantly lower SCORAD scores (MD = −5.30, 95% CI −8.50, −1.55, p < 0.01, I 2 = 81%). However, adverse events, pruritus scores, quality of life, and frequency of TCS use showed no significant difference in this meta‐analysis study (p > 0.05). Conclusions This meta‐analysis showed that MA plus TCS could be an effective and safe treatment for patients with AD to relieve relevant symptoms, which might be used as an add‐on therapy in the treatment of AD. However, due to the limited number of studies, results should be interpreted with caution. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to explore the optimal protocol of MA plus TCS.
A tailed mirtron promotes longevity in Drosophila

Abstract Thousands of atypical microRNAs (miRNAs) have been described in the genomes of animals; however, it is unclear if many of these non-canonical miRNAs can measurably influence phenotypes. Mirtrons are the largest class of non-canonical miRNAs that are produced from hairpins excised by splicing, which after debranching become substrates for Dicer and load into RISC. Most mirtrons require additional processing after splicing to remove ‘tail’ residues interposed between one of the host intron splice sites and base of the hairpin precursor structure. Despite most mirtrons requiring tail removal no function has been elucidated for a tailed species, indeed for all mirtrons identified function has only been assigned to a single species. Here we study miR-1017, a mirtron with a 3′ tail, which is well expressed and conserved in Drosophila species. We found that miR-1017 can extend lifespan when ectopically expressed in the neurons, which seems partly due to this miRNA targeting its host transcript, acetylcholine receptor Dα2. Unexpectedly we found that not only did miR-1017 function in trans but also in cis by affecting splicing of Dα2. This suggests a mechanism for mirtron evolution where initial roles of structural elements in splicing lead to secondary acquisition of trans-regulatory function.
Influencia de la actividad física y el sobrepeso en el rendimiento académico: revisión teórica

Physical activity is an issue of global concern today. Its implications on people’s physical and mental health are highly documented. Physical inactivity is ranked as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality and also is a direct cause of overweight and, at a higher extent, of obesity, so it leads to higher public costs by Health Systems. Physical activity produces a series of physiological processes that are highly related with cognitive processes, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor segregation. Processes such as memory and attention are increased by regular physical activity. Therefore, there exist scientific evidence for the relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Furthermore, both overweight and obesity have raised as variables negatively associated to academic performance and some psychological aspects, such as self-concept. The objective of this review , therefore, is to make a compilation and description of the results of various investigations regarding the benefits of physical activity on academic performance and adverse effects of childhood overweight and obesity on it too.
Isolation, Expansion, and Endoscopic Delivery of Autologous Enteric Neuronal Stem Cells in Swine

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is an extensive network of neurons and glia within the wall of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that regulates many essential GI functions. Consequently, disorders of the ENS due to developmental defects, inflammation, infection, or age-associated neurodegeneration lead to serious neurointestinal diseases. Despite the prevalence and severity of these diseases, effective treatments are lacking as they fail to directly address the underlying pathology. Neuronal stem cell therapy represents a promising approach to treating diseases of the ENS by replacing the absent or injured neurons, and an autologous source of stem cells would be optimal by obviating the need for immunosuppression. We utilized the swine model to address key questions concerning cell isolation, delivery, engraftment, and fate in a large animal relevant to human therapy. We successfully isolated neural stem cells from a segment of small intestine resected from 1-month-old swine. Enteric neuronal stem cells (ENSCs) were expanded as neurospheres that grew optimally in low-oxygen (5%) culture conditions. Enteric neuronal stem cells were labeled by lentiviral green fluorescent protein (GFP) transduction, then transplanted into the same swine from which they had been harvested. Endoscopic ultrasound was then utilized to deliver the ENSCs (10,000–30,000 neurospheres per animal) into the rectal wall. At 10 and 28 days following injection, autologously derived ENSCs were found to have engrafted within rectal wall, with neuroglial differentiation and no evidence of ectopic spreading. These findings strongly support the feasibility of autologous cell isolation and delivery using a clinically useful and minimally invasive technique, bringing us closer to first-in-human ENSC therapy for neurointestinal diseases.