Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamics and motion of a gas bubble in a viscoplastic medium under acoustic excitation

We investigate the dynamics of the buoyancy-driven rise of a bubble inside a viscoplastic material when it is subjected to an acoustic pressure field. To this end, we develop a simplified model based on the Lagrangian formalism assuming a pulsating bubble with a spherical shape. Moreover, to account for the effects of a deformable bubble, we also perform detailed two-dimensional axisymmetric simulations. Qualitative agreement is found between the simplified approach and the detailed numerical simulations. Our results reveal that the acoustic excitation enhances the mobility of the bubble, by increasing the size of the yielded region that surrounds the bubble, thereby decreasing the effective viscosity of the liquid and accelerating the motion of the bubble. This effect is significantly more pronounced at the resonance frequency, and it is shown that bubble motion takes place even for Bingham numbers (Bn) that can be orders of magnitude higher than the critical Bn for bubble entrapment in the case of a static pressure field.
Pupil Size Is Sensitive to Low-Level Stimulus Features, Independent of Arousal-Related Modulation

Visual Abstract Similar to a camera aperture, pupil size adjusts to the surrounding luminance. Unlike a camera, pupil size is additionally modulated both by stimulus properties and by cognitive processes, including attention and arousal, though the interdependence of these factors is unclear. We hypothesized that different stimulus properties interact to jointly modulate pupil size while remaining independent from the impact of arousal. We measured pupil responses from human observers to equiluminant stimuli during a demanding rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task at fixation and tested how response amplitude depends on contrast, spatial frequency, and reward level. We found that under constant luminance, unattended stimuli evoke responses that are separable from changes caused by general arousal or attention. We further uncovered a double-dissociation between task-related responses and stimulus-evoked responses, suggesting that different sources of pupil size modulation are independent of one another. Our results shed light on neural pathways underlying pupillary response.
Gastric emptying and nutrient absorption of pea protein products differing in heat treatment and texture: a randomized in vivo crossover trial and in vitro digestion study

Background: Pea protein is an interesting alternative for animal-based proteins due to its good availability, low cost and relatively balanced amino acid (AA) profile. Its digestibility may be affected by heat treatment and food texture. Objectives: To study in-vivo AA absorption kinetics and gastric behavior of pea protein products differing in heat treatment and texture and compare this with in-vitro digestion. Design: Fourteen males participated in a randomized crossover trial. Iso-caloric and iso-volumetric treatments were a 420-mL heated drink, 420-mL unheated drink and 105-g heated gel (semi-solid) consumed with 315 mL water, all containing 20 g pea protein. Gastric MRI scans were made until 90 minutes post-prandial. Blood samples were collected at baseline and up to five hours. All treatments were tested with an in-vitro digestion model (INFOGEST). Results: Heat treatment did not alter AA absorption kinetics and gastric emptying. Time to maximum peak was delayed for the gel treatment (total AAs: 66.9 versus 48.0 min for both drinks, essential AAs: 75.4 versus 50.0 and 46.6 min for the drinks). For the gel treatment initial emptying was faster due to the rapid passage of water. In-vitro, the degree of hydrolysis was highest for the unheated drink in the gastric phase and for the gel treatment in the intestinal phase. Conclusion: Heat treating pea protein products does not affect digestion. In contrast, texture of pea protein products can be altered to influence the rate of gastric emptying and AA absorption without affecting total AA absorption.
Next-generation proteomics technologies in Alzheimer’s disease: from clinical research to routine diagnostics

ABSTRACT Introduction Clinical proteomics studies of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research aim to identify biomarkers useful for clinical research, diagnostics, and improve our understanding of the pathological processes involved in the disease. The rapidly increasing performance of proteomics technologies is likely to have great impact on AD research. Areas covered We review recent proteomics approaches that have advanced the field of clinical AD research. Specifically, we discuss the application of targeted mass spectrometry (MS), labeling-based and label-free MS-based as well as affinity-based proteomics to AD biomarker development, underpinning their importance with the latest impactful clinical studies. We evaluate how proteomics technologies have been adapted to meet current challenges. Finally, we discuss the limitations and potential of proteomics techniques and whether their scope might extend beyond current research-based applications. Expert opinion To date, proteomics technologies in the AD field have been largely limited to AD biomarker discovery. The recent development of the first successful disease-modifying treatments of AD will further increase the need for blood biomarkers for early, accurate diagnosis, and CSF biomarkers that reflect specific pathological processes. Proteomics has the potential to meet these requirements and to progress into clinical routine practice, provided that current limitations are overcome.
Evaluating vegetated buffer zones for phosphorus retention in cereal and grass production

The buffer zones seem to be effective to stop erosion and trap particle bound P in surface runoff from the autumn ploughed clay soil. On pastures, the buffers are not so important, if P fertiliser is not surface applied and the grazing intensity is not too high. However, the high DRP loss to surface runoff may be a real problem on grass fields in spring. The buffers are not able to uptake nutrients in early spring when the runoff is highest.
Environmental Management for Rural Tourism and Recreation

The pressures of tourism on rural destinations have meant that environmental considerations have become paramount. Practical solutions to delicate problems are being sought. This volume, the result of the EU-funded TOURFOR Project, brings together current thinking and synthesizes it for students and practitioners alike. With case studies of rural destinations - especially woodland and forest - from the UK, Portugal and England, the book is linked to the EU's good management award scheme.
A perspective on the clinical relevance of weak or nonacid reflux

Advances in ambulatory esophageal reflux monitoring that incorporated impedance electrodes to pH catheters have resulted in better characterization of retrograde bolus flow in the esophagus. With pH‐impedance monitoring, in addition to acid reflux episodes identified by pH drops below 4.0, weakly acid reflux (WAR, pH 4–7) and nonacid reflux (NAR, pH >7.0) are also recognized, although both may be included under the umbrella term NAR. However, despite identification of ambulatory pH‐impedance monitoring, data on clinical relevance and prognostic value of NAR are limited. The Lyon Consensus, an international expert review that defines conclusive metrics for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), identifies NAR as “supportive” but not conclusive for GERD.
Advancement in Biopolymer Assisted Cancer Theranostics

Applications of nanotechnology have increased the importance of research and nanocarriers, which have revolutionized the method of drug delivery to treat several diseases, including cancer, in the past few years. Cancer, one of the world’s fatal diseases, has drawn scientists’ attention for its multidrug resistance to various chemotherapeutic drugs. To minimize the side effects of chemotherapeutic agents on healthy cells and to develop technological advancement in drug delivery systems, scientists have developed an alternative approach to delivering chemotherapeutic drugs at the targeted site by integrating it inside the nanocarriers like synthetic polymers, nanotubes, micelles, dendrimers, magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots (QDs), lipid nanoparticles, nano-biopolymeric substances, etc., which has shown promising results in both preclinical and clinical trials of cancer management. Besides that, nanocarriers, especially biopolymeric nanoparticles, have received much attention from researchers due to their cost-effectiveness, biodegradability, treatment efficacy, and ability to target drug delivery by crossing the blood–brain barrier. This review emphasizes the fabrication processes, the therapeutic and theragnostic applications, and the importance of different biopolymeric nanocarriers in targeting cancer both in vitro and in vivo, which conclude with the challenges and opportunities of future exploration using biopolymeric nanocarriers in onco-therapy with improved availability and reduced toxicity.
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF MOTOR VEHICLE-RELATED AIR POLLUTION. IN: HANDBOOK OF TRANSPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Emissions from motor vehicles and related sources, such as petroleum refineries, have a variety of effects on human health. The effects can be as innocuous as itchy eyes, or as serious as chronic lung disease or heart failure. This chapter reviews recent studies of the health effects of air pollution related to use of motor vehicles in the U.S., and also attempts to quantify the impacts. Although the focus is on physical health effects, the authors also review how to combine the estimates of physical effects with their estimated monetary cost to produce an estimate of the total social cost of the health effects of motor vehicle pollution. An overview of motor vehicle emissions and exposure to motor-vehicle related air pollution is provided. The health effects of exposure to motor-vehicle-related air pollution are then discussed. The chapter concludes with a brief summary of the valuation of health effects and of 2 recent estimates of total social cost of the health effects of motor vehicle pollution.
Assessing individual variability of the entorhinal subfields in health and disease

Investigating interindividual variability is a major field of interest in neuroscience. The entorhinal cortex (EC) is essential for memory and affected early in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We combined histology ground‐truth data with ultrahigh‐resolution 7T ex vivo MRI to analyze EC interindividual variability in 3D. Further, we characterized (1) entorhinal shape as a whole, (2) entorhinal subfield range and midpoints, and (3) subfield architectural location and tau burden derived from 3D probability maps. Our results indicated that EC shape varied but was not related to demographic or disease factors at this preclinical stage. The medial intermediate subfield showed the highest degree of location variability in the probability maps. However, individual subfields did not display the same level of variability across dimensions and outcome measure, each providing a different perspective. For example, the olfactory subfield showed low variability in midpoint location in the superior–inferior dimension but high variability in anterior–posterior, and the subfield entorhinal intermediate showed a large variability in volumetric measures but a low variability in location derived from the 3D probability maps. These findings suggest that interindividual variability within the entorhinal subfields requires a 3D approach incorporating multiple outcome measures. This study provides 3D probability maps of the individual entorhinal subfields and respective tau pathology in the preclinical stage (Braak I and II) of AD. These probability maps illustrate the subfield average and may serve as a checkpoint for future modeling.
Lamb–Shaffer syndrome: 20 Spanish patients and literature review expands the view of neurodevelopmental disorders caused by SOX5 haploinsufficiency

Lamb–Shaffer Syndrome (LSS; OMIM #616803; ORPHA #313892; ORPHA #313884) is an infrequent genetic disorder that affects multiple aspects of human development especially those related to the development of the nervous system. LSS is caused by variants in the SOX5 gene. At the molecular level, SOX5 gene encodes for a transcription factor containing a High Mobility Group (HMG) DNA‐Binding domain with relevant functions in brain development in different vertebrate species. Clinical features of Lamb–Shaffer syndrome may include intellectual disability, delayed speech and language development, attention deficits, hyperactivity, autism spectrum disorder, visual problems and seizures. Additionally, patients with the syndrome may present distinct facial dimorphism such as a wide mouth with full lips, small chin, broad nasal bridge, and deep‐set eyes. Other physical features that have been reported in some patients include short stature, scoliosis, and joint hypermobility. Here, we report the clinical and molecular characterization of a Spanish LSS cohort of new 20 patients and review all the patients published so far which amount for 111 patients. The most frequent features included developmental delay, intellectual disability, visual problems, poor speech development and facial dysmorphic features. Strikingly, pain insensitivity and hypermetropia seems to be more frequent than previously reported, based on the frequency seen in the Spanish cohort. Eighty‐three variants have been reported so far, single nucleotide variants (SNV) and copy number variants represent 47% and 53%, respectively, from the total of variants reported. Similarly to previous reports, the majority of the SNVs variants of the novel patients reported herein fall in the HMG domain of the protein. However, new variants, affecting other functional domains, were also detected. In conclusion, LLS is a rare genetic disorder mostly characterized by a wide range of developmental and neurological symptoms. Early diagnosis would allow to start of care programs, clinical follow up, prospective studies and appropriate genetic counseling, to promote clinical and social improvement to have profound lifelong benefits for patients and their families. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms of the syndrome related to SOX5 haploinsufficiency.
Long‐Term Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Alirocumab in 8242 Patients Eligible for 3 to 5 Years of Placebo‐Controlled Observation in the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES Trial

Lipidlowering therapy is ordinarily a longterm intervention to reduce cardiovascular risk. Yet, evaluation of longterm efficacy and safety of lipidlowering therapies is often limited by the duration of randomized clinical trials. The ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial compared alirocumab, a monoclonal antibody to PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), with placebo in 18 924 patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome followed up for up to 5 years. Over a median followup of 2.8 years, alirocumab lowered lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol from a median 2.3 to 1.0 mmol/L at 4 months, reduced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs),1 was associated with fewer deaths,2 and had no excess of adverse events (AEs) except for mildtomoderate local injectionsite reactions.1 However, the efficacy and safety of alirocumab among patients eligible for longer followup have not been fully explored. The current post hoc analyses describe the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of alirocumab versus placebo in a prespecified subgroup2 of patients eligible for ≥3 years of followup (ie, randomized ≥3 years before the common study end date). At each participating site, the study was approved by the responsible institutional review committee, and subjects gave informed consent. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox regression models, and P values were obtained using logrank tests. Analyses were stratified by geographic region. Two assessments were performed for both the MACE and cardiovascular death end points to ensure that the proportional hazards model assumptions over time were met: log{−log[S(t)]} versus log[time] (identifying parallel curves) and interaction treatment×time (Pinteraction=0.19 for MACE, and Pinteraction=0.43 for cardiovascular death). Data that support the findings of
Health effect of household fuel pollution on young children in semi-urban and urban areas of Bangladesh

Household fuel pollution from the use of low quality biomass fuels is considered as a risk factor for respiratory tract infections (RTl) in women and children. Inhalation of fuel-derived pulmonary toxins (e.g. particulate matter (PM2.5µm) , and carbon monoxide (CO) can harm the lungs of young children, due to their under-developed immune defences. In Bangladesh acute respiratory infections (ARI) are the leading cause of child mortality « 5years of age). This thesis aimed to examine the relationship between RTl and household fuel pollution exposure using measured pollution data and medical diagnoses. During an 18-month longitudinal health intervention in northern Bangladesh households (n=408) were interviewed (3 times) on cooking/fuel-use practices and child health. Anthropometric data (height/weight) and finger-prick blood samples for analysis of immune status (c-reactive protein, alpha-I-acidglycoprotein (AGP) and albumin) were collected (n=32 I < 5years of age). All unwell children (62.4%) were medically examined. Household pollution levels (particulate matter (PM2.5µm) and carbon monoxide (CO) were monitored for a 24-hour period (n=61). Moderate/ severe RTI was common (24.8%) (youngest child only n=213). Poor child growth (stunted: 43.8%, underweight=66.7%, wasted: 38.4%) and immunity were detected. 98% of the households used inefficient chimneyless mud stoves and low quality biomass fuels (wood, golden, dung). The measured indoor pollution levels exceeded the WHO safety thresholds (PM2.5 µm range: 85 to 3020 µm/m3 CO range: 0-16 ppm) (PM2.5 µm>25 µm/m3 , CO>9ppm). Longitudinal multivariate GLM showed that cooking practices were associated with child immune status: haemoglobin levels (F= 1.555, p=NS) were significantly associated with Bihari ethnicity and a fixed stove use (F=3.718 and F=3.716, p<0.05 respectively). Elevated 10glO-AGP levels were found (F=4.371, p<0.05) in Saidpur in households using a fixed stove (F=4.123, F=3.780, p<0.05). The patterns in child growth z-scores were due to age only (stunting: F=7.413, p
Systematic characterization of photoperiodic gene expression patterns reveals diverse seasonal transcriptional systems in Arabidopsis

Photoperiod is an annual cue measured by biological systems to align growth and reproduction with the seasons. In plants, photoperiodic flowering has been intensively studied for over 100 years, but we lack a complete picture of the transcriptional networks and cellular processes that are photoperiodic. We performed a transcriptomics experiment on Arabidopsis plants grown in 3 different photoperiods and found that thousands of genes show photoperiodic alteration in gene expression. Gene clustering, daily expression integral calculations, and cis-element analysis then separate photoperiodic genes into co-expression subgroups that display 19 diverse seasonal expression patterns, opening the possibility that many photoperiod measurement systems work in parallel in Arabidopsis. Then, functional enrichment analysis predicts co-expression of important cellular pathways. To test these predictions, we generated a comprehensive catalog of genes in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, overlaid gene expression data, and demonstrated that photoperiod intersects with 2 major phenylpropanoid pathways differentially, controlling flavonoids but not lignin. Finally, we describe the development of a new app that visualizes photoperiod transcriptomic data for the wider community.
Implications of the Warm Corona and Relativistic Reflection Models for the Soft Excess in Mrk 509

We present the analysis of the first Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array observations (∼220 ks), simultaneous with the last Suzaku observations (∼50 ks), of the active galactic nucleus of the bright Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 509. The time-averaged spectrum in the 1–79 keV X-ray band is dominated by a power-law continuum (Γ ∼ 1.8–1.9), a strong soft excess around 1 keV, and signatures of X-ray reflection in the form of Fe K emission (∼6.4 keV), an Fe K absorption edge (∼7.1 keV), and a Compton hump due to electron scattering (∼20–30 keV). We show that these data can be described by two very different prescriptions for the soft excess: a warm (kT ∼ 0.5–1 keV) and optically thick (τ ∼ 10–20) Comptonizing corona or a relativistically blurred ionized reflection spectrum from the inner regions of the accretion disk. While these two scenarios cannot be distinguished based on their fit statistics, we argue that the parameters required by the warm corona model are physically incompatible with the conditions of standard coronae. Detailed photoionization calculations show that even in the most favorable conditions, the warm corona should produce strong absorption in the observed spectrum. On the other hand, while the relativistic reflection model provides a satisfactory description of the data, it also requires extreme parameters, such as maximum black hole spin, a very low and compact hot corona, and a very high density for the inner accretion disk. Deeper observations of this source are thus necessary to confirm the presence of relativistic reflection and further understand the nature of its soft excess.
Astrocyte Responses Influence Local Effects of Whole‐Brain Magnetic Stimulation in Parkinsonian Rats

Excessive glutamatergic transmission in the striatum is implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD) progression. Astrocytes maintain glutamate homeostasis, protecting from excitotoxicity through the glutamate–aspartate transporter (GLAST), whose alterations have been reported in PD. Noninvasive brain stimulation using intermittent theta‐burst stimulation (iTBS) acts on striatal neurons and glia, inducing neuromodulatory effects and functional recovery in experimental parkinsonism.
A novel ablation strategy for recurrent atrial fibrillation: Fractionated signal area in the atrial muscle ablation 1‐year follow‐up

Treatment of recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) is sometimes challenging due to non‐pulmonary vein (PV) foci. Fractionated signal area in the atrial muscle (FAAM) is a valid predictor of the location of non‐PV foci. FAAM ablation has the potential to decrease the recurrence rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia in patients with recurrent AF. We compared the clinical impact of FAAM ablation for recurrent AF, using 1 year follow up date.