Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ameliorative effect of Cassia singueana extract against acute ketamine induced cognitive impairment in murine models of schizophrenia

Introduction: In the quest for search of novel pharmacotherapy from medicinal plants for psychiatric disorders, it has progressed appreciably for the past few decades and their therapeutic potential has been evaluated in a variety of murine models. Cassia singueana Del. is a commonly used medicinal plant in Nigeria for management of insanity and as lactation enhancer. Aim: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the cognitive potential of Cassia singueana extract against ketamine-induced cognitive impairment in mice. Methods: The phytochemicals and elemental minerals present in the extract were determined using standard protocol and antioxidant potential of the extract was evaluated using TBA-TCAA protocols, while its oral median lethal dose (LD50) in mice was estimated by OECD protocol. The effect of Cassia singueana extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) on neurobehavioral deficit was evaluated in mice using behavioural paradigms: Y- maze, novel object recognition, forced swim test, open field test and catalepsy test. Results: The phytochemical constituents of Cassia singueana were alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids and triterpenes. The extract also significantly decreased the level of MDA and increased the level of SOD and GSH. Oral LD50 was estimated to be >5000 mg/kg. Cassia singueana extract significantly (P< 0.05) increased the exploration time of novel object and percentage recognition index during the retention phase of the NORT. In Y-maze test, the extract significantly (p<0.05) increased the number of actual alternation and the percentage spontaneous alternation. It also significantly (p<0.05) decreased the duration of immobility in forced swim test. The extract also significantly (p<0.05) increased the number of central and peripheral square cross in open field. The extract also did not prolong the duration of catalepsy induced by haloperidol in glass bar test. Conclusion: Cassia singueana extract contained phytochemicals that could ameliorate cognitive impairment and negative symptoms of schizophrenics.
Regulation of ribonucleoprotein condensates by RNase L during viral infection

In response to viral infection, mammalian cells activate several innate immune pathways to antagonize viral gene expression. Upon recognition of viral double‐stranded RNA, protein kinase R (PKR) phosphorylates the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) on serine 51. This inhibits canonical translation initiation, which broadly antagonizes viral protein synthesis. It also promotes the assembly of cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein complexes termed stress granules (SGs). SGs are widely thought to promote cell survival and antiviral signaling. However, co‐activation of the OAS/RNase L antiviral pathway inhibits the assembly of SGs and promotes the assembly of an alternative ribonucleoprotein complex termed an RNase L‐dependent body (RLB). The formation of RLBs has been observed in response to double‐stranded RNA, dengue virus infection, or SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Herein, we review the distinct biogenesis pathways and properties of SGs and RLBs, and we provide perspective on their potential functions during the antiviral response.
Alterations in UPR Signaling by Methylmercury Trigger Neuronal Cell Death in the Mouse Brain

Methylmercury (MeHg), an environmental toxicant, induces neuronal cell death and injures specific areas of the brain. MeHg is known to induce oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway has a dual nature in that it regulates and protects cells from an overload of improperly folded proteins in the ER, whereas excessively stressed cells are eliminated by apoptosis. Oxidative stress/ER stress induced by methylmercury exposure may tilt the UPR toward apoptosis, but there is little in vivo evidence of a direct link to actual neuronal cell death. Here, by using the ER stress-activated indicator (ERAI) system, we investigated the time course signaling alterations of UPR in vivo in the most affected areas, the somatosensory cortex and striatum. In the ERAI-Venus transgenic mice exposed to MeHg (30 or 50 ppm in drinking water), the ERAI signal, which indicates the activation of the cytoprotective pathway of the UPR, was only transiently enhanced, whereas the apoptotic pathway of the UPR was persistently enhanced. Furthermore, detailed analysis following the time course showed that MeHg-induced apoptosis is strongly associated with alterations in UPR signaling. Our results suggest that UPR modulation could be a therapeutic target for treating neuropathy.
Assimilating Surface Mesonet Observations with the EnKF to Improve Ensemble Forecasts of Convection Initiation on 29 May 2012

AbstractSurface data assimilation (DA) has the potential to improve forecasts of convection initiation (CI) and short-term forecasts of convective evolution. Since the processes driving CI occur on scales inadequately observed by conventional observation networks, mesoscale surface networks could be especially beneficial given their higher temporal and spatial resolution. This work aims to assess the impact of high-frequency assimilation of mesonet surface DA on ensemble forecasts of CI initialized with ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) analyses of the 29 May 2012 convective event over the southern Great Plains.Mesonet and conventional surface observations were assimilated every 5 min for 3 h from 1800 to 2100 UTC and 3-h ensemble forecasts were produced. Forecasts of CI timing and location were improved by assimilating the surface datasets in comparison to experiments where mesonet data were withheld. This primarily occurred due to a more accurate representation of the boundary layer moisture profile across .
Shear strain induced modulation to the transport properties of graphene

Applying shear strain has been considered as a hopeful method to open a band gap of graphene. To study the transport properties of graphene under shear strain, a device was fabricated to apply shear strain, up to 16.7%, to graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition method. A top gate with ionic liquid as the dielectric material was used to tune the carrier density. The conductance of the Dirac point and carrier mobility is found to increase with a comparatively small increasing strain but then decrease with a larger one. Such a behavior might be related to several factors: the wrinkles, the transverse conducting channels, and the grain boundaries of graphene. Our study is helpful to further understand the strain engineering in graphene.
Optimized texture classification by using hierarchical complex network measurements

Texture characterization and classification remains an important issue in image processing and analysis. Much attention has been focused on methods involving spectral analysis and co-occurrence matrix, as well as more modern approaches such as those involving fractal dimension, entropy and criteria based in multiresolution. The present work addresses the problem of texture characterization in terms of complex networks: image pixels are represented as nodes and similarities between such pixels are mapped as links between the network nodes. It is verified that several types of textures present node degree distributions which are far distinct from those observed for random networks, suggesting complex organization of those textures. Traditional measurements of the network connectivity, including their respective hierarchical extensions, are then applied in order to obtain feature vectors from which the textures can be characterized and classified. The performance of such an approach is compared to co-occurrence methods, suggesting promising complementary perspectives.
The Anti-Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Study on 1,3-diamino-7H-pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinazoline Compounds

As a major public health problem, the prevalence of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) infections in hospitals due to the pathogen’s multiple-antibiotic resistance has attracted extensive attention. We previously reported a series of 1,3-diamino-7H-pyrrolo[3,2-f]quinazoline (PQZ) compounds, which were designed by targeting Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR), and exhibited potent antibacterial activities. In the current study, based on our molecular-modeling study, it was proposed that PQZ compounds may function as potent A. baumannii DHFR (abDHFR)-inhibitors as well, which inspired us to consider their anti-A. baumannii abilities. We further found that three PQZ compounds, OYYF-171, -172, and -175, showed significant antibacterial activities against A. baumannii, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, which are significantly stronger than the typical DHFR-inhibitor, trimethoprim (TMP), and superior to, or comparable to, the other tested antibacterial agents belonging to β-lactam, aminoglycoside, and quinolone. The significant synergistic effect between the representative compound OYYF-171 and the dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS)-inhibitor sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) was observed in both the microdilution-checkerboard assay and time-killing assay, which indicated that using SMZ in combination with PQZ compounds could help to reduce the required dosage and forestall resistance. Our study shows that PQZ is a promising scaffold for the further development of folate-metabolism inhibitors against MDR A. baumannii.
Activated PyK2 and Its Associated Molecules Transduce Cellular Signaling from the Cancerous Milieu for Cancer Metastasis

PyK2 is a member of the proline-rich tyrosine kinase and focal adhesion kinase families and is ubiquitously expressed. PyK2 is mainly activated by stimuli, such as activated Src kinases and intracellular acidic pH. The mechanism of PyK2 activation in cancer cells has been addressed extensively. The up-regulation of PyK2 through overexpression and enhanced phosphorylation is a key feature of tumorigenesis and cancer migration. In this review, we summarized the cancer milieu, including acidification and cancer-associated molecules, such as chemical reagents, interactive proteins, chemokine-related molecules, calcium channels/transporters, and oxidative molecules that affect the fate of PyK2. The inhibition of PyK2 leads to a beneficial strategy to attenuate cancer cell development, including metastasis. Thus, we highlighted the effect of PyK2 on various cancer cell types and the distribution of molecules that affect PyK2 activation. In particular, we underlined the relationship between PyK2 and cancer metastasis and its potential to treat cancer cells.
The role of vowel transitions in the perception of Mandarin sibilants

Vocalic formant transitions have been reported to play a role in identification of sibilants in English (e.g., Whalen, 1981), Shona (Bladon et al., 1987), and other languages. In distinguishing the Mandarin /s/-/ʂ/ contrast, while F2 at vowel onset is suggested to reflect the vocal tract configuration at the moment of fricative release into the vowel (Stevens et al., 2004), it has never been studied whether this acoustic cue contributes to phoneme perception. This study used a F2 continuum spliced between a fricative highly confusable between /s/ and /ʂ/ and the vowel /a/ for an identification task on 16 native listeners. The results did not show a categorical perception effect on /sa/ and /ʂa/ distinction along the F2 continuum. The second experiment used the naturally produced /sa/ and /ʂa/ whose vocalic transitions were cross-spliced to investigate if the listeners were affected by misleading formant transitions. Listeners' goodness ratings revealed no sensitivity to the acoustic manipulation. It was concluded that F2 is not a primary cue for the place distinction of Mandarin /s/ and /ʂ/. Our findings support Wagner et al.'s (2006) observation that the contribution of formant transitions to fricative perception is language-specific and depends on spectral similarity among target fricatives.
Evolution from Ferroelectric to Relaxor Behavior in the (1 − x)BaTiO3 − xLa(Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3 System

Abstract Ceramics of (1 − x)BaTiO3−xLa(Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3 series (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1) were dielectrically investigated. Based on the dielectric and X-ray diffraction data, phase diagram of the system for the studied composition range has been determined. Apparent relaxor behavior was revealed to set in when the BaTiO3-type sequence of three phase transitions is reduced to only diffuse transition. No clear boundary was found between ferroelectric and relaxor compositions of the system. It was observed the continuous crossover from ferroelectric to relaxor behavior.
Real-time evidence of two-magnon scattering in exchange-coupled bilayers

Coherent spin waves in exchange biased bilayers have been excited by ultrafast photomodulation of the exchange bias anisotropy. Photoinduced precession in CoFe∕IrMn samples with different IrMn thicknesses, thus, different exchange bias fields, has been studied in real time by time-resolved Kerr effect magnetometry. The extracted effective damping parameter is proportional to the square of the exchange bias field. Two-magnon scattering of the coherent precession of the ferromagnetic layer at local interfacial fluctuations of the exchange bias field can account for the observed increase. Hence, there is a time-domain evidence of two-magnon damping involved in the relaxation of photoexcited spins.
Landscape Change Affects Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization and Greenhouse Gas Production in Coastal Wetlands

Plant invasion and aquaculture activities have drastically modified the landscape of coastal wetlands in many countries, but their impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization and greenhouse gas production remain poorly understood. We measured SOC mineralization rate and soil CO2 and CH4 production rates in three habitat types from 21 coastal sites across the tropical and subtropical zones in China: native mudflats (MFs), Spartina alterniflora marshes (SAs), and aquaculture ponds (APs). Landscape change from MFs to SAs or APs increased total and labile fraction of SOC, as well as carbon mineralization rate and greenhouse gas production, but there were no discernible differences in SOC source‐sink dynamics between SAs and APs. SOC mineralization rate was highest in SAs (20.4 μg g−1 d−1), followed by APs (16.9 μg g−1 d−1) and MFs (11.9 μg g−1 d−1), with CO2 as the dominant by‐product. Bioavailable SOC was less than 2% and was turned over within 60 days in all three habitat types. Proliferation of S. alterniflora marshes and expansion of AP construction had resulted in a net increase in soil CO2‐eq production of 0.4–4.3 Tg yr−1 in the last three decades. Future studies will benefit from better census and monitoring of coastal habitats in China, complementary in situ measurements of greenhouse gas emissions, and more sampling in the southern provinces to improve spatial resolution.
Risk of total hip arthroplasty after elite sport: linking 3304 former world-class athletes with the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register

Objectives At present, there is no cure for osteoarthritis (OA), but severe hip joint degeneration can require total hip arthroplasty (THA). The literature on OA after elite sport is limited. We hypothesise that elite athletic activity increases the risk of receiving a THA later in life. Methods We linked a cohort of former Norwegian world-class athletes (1402 females and 1902 males, active 1936–2006) to the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register (THA performed 1987–2020). We used standardised incidence ratio (SIR), one-minus Kaplan-Meier and relative Cox regression (relative HR, RHR), with 95% CIs, and funnel plots at age 75, to assess THA risk for different sport disciplines, joint impact categories of sport disciplines and sex. The risk of THA for the corresponding general Norwegian population was used as reference. Results We found an overall increased risk for THA for the former elite athletes (SIR 2.11, 95% CI 1.82 to 2.40) at age 75 years, compared with the general population. THA risk at age 75 years was 11.6% for female athletes and 8.3% for male athletes. SIR was 1.90 (95% CI 1.49 to 2.31) for female and 2.28 (95% CI 1.87 to 2.70) for male athletes. Among males, high joint impact sport disciplines were associated with increased risk compared with low-impact sport disciplines (RHR 1.81, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.08, p=0.029). Conclusion Having been an elite athlete was associated with a doubling of THA risk compared with the general population for both sexes. High joint impact sport disciplines were associated with subsequent THA for male athletes.
Differential diagnosis of ulcerative colitis with increased diarrhea; collagenous colitis or irritable bowel syndrome? A case report

A 50-year-old man with a 20-year history of left-sided ulcerative colitis (UC) presented to our hospital with sudden onset of watery diarrhea. To this point, he had been treated with mesalazine 2.0 g/day for UC and had maintained remission. We considered that the UC had worsened. We immediately performed surveillance colonoscopy, which revealed a normal mucous membrane. The results of blood laboratory examinations were normal. Histopathology of colonic biopsies revealed new-onset collagenous colitis (CC), with a thickened subepithelial collagen band (SECB) and inactive UC. We herein report the importance of random colonic biopsies to diagnose CC even when the endoscopic appearance of the colon is normal in patients with inflammatory bowel disease with worsened diarrhea.
A New Approach for Prediction of the Mutual Coupling Between Antennas on a Complex Platform

Mutual coupling between antennas on a complex platform (e.g., battleplane, aerotransport) is successfully predicted by Cascade Equivalence Approach (CEA). Based on the Huygens' Principle and Equivalence Principle, the originally examined area is divided into three ones and results obtained in the first subarea are regarded as equivalent driving source for the next. The validity as well as efficiency of this approach are then verified by numerical examples. Finally, CEA is employed to solve the mutual coupling between two antennas on an electrically large fighter plane which is hardly solve by any other algorithm at current computer configuration.
Two‐scale finite element modelling of reinforced concrete structures: Effective response and subscale fracture development

A two‐scale model is derived from a fully resolved model where the response of concrete, steel reinforcement, and bond between them are considered. The pertinent “effective” large‐scale problem is derived from selective homogenisation in terms of the equilibrium of reinforced concrete considered as a single‐phase solid. Variational formulations of the representative volume element problem are established in terms of the subscale displacement fields for the plain concrete continuum and the reinforcement bars. Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions (BCs) are imposed on the concrete (pertaining to uniform boundary displacement and constant boundary traction, respectively) and on the reinforcement bars (pertaining to prescribed boundary displacement and vanishing sectional forces, respectively). Different representative volume element sizes and combinations of BCs were used in FE2 analyses of a deep beam subjected to four‐point bending. Results were compared with those of full resolution (single‐scale). The most reliable response was obtained for the case of Dirichlet‐Dirichlet BCs, with a good match between the models in terms of the deformed shape, force‐deflection relation, and average strain. Even though the maximum crack widths were underestimated, the Dirichlet‐Dirichlet combination provided an approximate upper bound on the structural stiffness.
Total Variation Asymptotics for Poisson Process Approximations of Logarithmic Combinatorial Assemblies

Assemblies are the decomposable combinatorial constructions characterized by the exponential formula for generating functions : Σp(n)s n /n ! = exp(Σm i s i /i ! ). Here p(n) is the total number of constructions that can be formed from a set of size n, and m n is the number of these structures consisting of a single component. Examples of assemblies include permutations, graphs, 2-regular graphs, forests of rooted or unrooted trees, set partitions and mappings of a set into itself. If an assembly is chosen uniformly from all possibilities on a set of size n, the counts C i (n) of components of size i are jointly distributed like independent nonidentically distributed Poisson variables Z i conditioned on the event Z i + 2Z 2 +. + nZ n = n. We consider assemblies for which the process of component-size counts has a nontrivial limit distribution, without renormalizing. These include permutations, mappings, forests of labelled trees and 2-regular graphs, but not graphs and not set partitions. For some of these assemblies, the distribution of the component sizes may be viewed as a perturbation of the Ewens sampling formula with parameter θ. We consider d b (n), the total variation distance between (Z 1 ,., Z b ) and (C 1 ( n),. , C b ( n )), counting components of size at most b. If the generating function of an assembly satisfies a mild analytic condition, we can determine the decay rate of d b (n). In particular, for b = b(n) = o(n/log n) and n → ∞, d b (n) = o(b/n) if θ = 1 and d b (n) ∼ c(b)b/n if θ ? 1. The constant c(b) is given explicitly in terms of the m i : c(b) = |1 - θ|E|T 0b - ET 0b |/(2b), where T 0b = Z 1 + 2Z 2 +. + bZ b . Finally, we show that for θ ? 1 there is a constant c θ such that c(b) ∼ c θ b as b → ∞. Our results are proved using coupling, large deviation bounds and singularity analysis of generating functions.
A note on random fixed point theorem in probabilistic analysis

In this paper we first prove that the assumptions between basic Theorem 1 and 2, hence main Theorem 3 and 4, in Chang [ 1 ] are equivalent. We then give several common fixed point theorems which are proved under considerably weaker conditions. We finally point out three mistakes in Chang [ 1 ] and correct them. The method used in this paper defers from the method used by Chang [ 1 ]
Absorption and Velocity of Acoustical Waves in Binary Solutions of Poly(Ethylene Glycol) and Water

The velocity and absorption of ultrasonic waves have been measured in aqueous solutions of poly (ethylene glycol). The velocity of ultrasonic waves has been obtained in the frequency range 1MHz-12MHz over a wide range of temperature. The concentration (by weight) ranged from 1% to 10% of poly (ethylene glycol) in water. The shear viscosity has also been measured. Measurements were carried out in the temperature range 35 oC to 65 oC. It has been observed that the velocity of ultrasonic waves increases with temperature at a given concentration, while as concentration is increased at a given temperature, velocity is found to increase. The shear viscosity and density also decrease with temperature
Development of Employability Skills of Hospitality Students through Interactive Multimedia Approaches at Medan Tourism Polytechnics

The article aims to analyze how to develop employability skills for Medan tourism polytechnic students through a multimedia system approach at the Medan tourism polytechnic. By interviewing several academics at the Medan Polytechnic tourism Department, we have obtained valuable data, including how academicians prepare students to develop their working skills in the hospitality world with a technological approach. We designed this study qualitatively with semi-structured interviews and reviewed secondary data. We finally got some valuable input. The coordinators and lecturers of the Medan Tourism Polytechnic have developed the abilities of their students who are ready to enter the world of a career in the future. The skills they prepared include, for example, being flexible workers, having industry awareness then, having attention to detail skills, time management, interpersonal skills and communication skills, and so on. Hopefully, these findings will become input for developing help studies and labeling skills for future students. Keywords: Employability Skills, Multimedia Interactive, Multimedia Approaches