Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Link Between Childhood Adversity and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Role of Cerebral and Systemic Vasculature

Abstract Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events during the first years of life that are associated with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) during adulthood. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a core region in the brain that modulates emotions and is directly involved in the cardiovascular response to stress by increasing vascular resistance. In the present study we examined the relationship between ACEs, mPFC and peripheral vascular function. Forty-five, adults (33±5 yrs.) participated in the present study to evaluate cerebral hemodynamics and peripheral vascular function. The impact of adverse experiences was evaluated through the ACE questionnaire. Among those that experienced ACEs (ACE group, n = 22), there was a significantly (P < 0.001) reduced activation of the mPFC as well as greater peripheral vascular resistance observed in the small (P ≤ 0.035), conduit (P ≤ 0.042) and large (P ≤ 0.001) blood vessels, when compared to those that did not report ACEs (Control group, n = 23). In addition, relationships between the number of ACEs and mPFC activation (rs = −0.428; P = 0.003) and peripheral vascular function (rs≤ −0.373; P ≤ 0.009) were observed. Findings from the present study support that adults who experienced ACEs exhibit a reduced activation of the mPFC along with systemic vascular dysfunction. In addition, individuals exposed to more childhood traumatic events exhibited a progressively greater inactivation of the mPFC and an increased peripheral vasoconstriction in a dose-dependent manner. These findings provide novel insights into the potential role that the brain and the peripheral vasculature may have in connecting adverse childhood events to the increased risk of CVD.
The Antimicrobial Efficacy Against Selective Oral Microbes, Antioxidant Activity and Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of Zingiber officinale

Abstract Introduction Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been one of the most commonly consumed herbal medicines for a long time to treat several common diseases. Antibacterial activity, antioxidant properties and many bioactive compounds in ginger have been identified previously, which could be used as an alternative method to treat many infectious diseases. Methods The current study evaluates ginger’s biochemical profile using qualitative and quantitative analysis and its bioactive potentials using antioxidant and antimicrobial assays against Streptococcus mutans and selective oral microbes. HPLC analysis was performed for the quantitative analysis. DPPH and disc diffusion assays were used for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial activity was checked against Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus spp. , and Lactobacillus spp. All solvents were removed by rotary evaporation before testing the dried extracts. Results The observed IC50 value showed that distilled water extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (43.9), followed by ethanol extract (52.4), and the lowest activity was observed in n-butanol extract (91.2) and n-hexane (90.6). Different plant extracts have shown significant antibacterial activity (p = 0.001) against each bacterium. The highest antibacterial activity against tested bacteria was observed in n-hexane, chloroform and ethanol extracts. In comparison, the ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water extracts showed low antibacterial activity. Conclusion This study emphasizes that Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale) against Gram-positive bacteria is an effective antimicrobial herb. Furthermore, it can be used as a potential natural source of antioxidants. Further studies on the toxicity analysis of ginger are recommended.
Contactless Waveguide Characterization of Piezoresistive Materials for Wireless Strain Sensors

Stretchable materials are widely used for the realization of various sensors, but their radio frequency behavior has not been fully characterized so far. Here, an innovative method is proposed for deriving the surface impedance of this kind of materials. The material characterization represents a fundamental step for exploiting the material as a sensing element within a radio frequency device. Indeed, the proposed method is capable of retrieving the surface impedance of the material while it is being stretched, thus deriving a correspondent calibration curve. The characterization approach is based on a contactless measurement of the scattering parameters using waveguides. By exploiting the measured scattering parameters, the variation in the surface impedance as a function of both frequency and strain is recovered through an analytical inversion procedure. Numerical simulations were initially performed trough a numerical electromagnetic simulator, and subsequently, experimental validation was carried out using a dedicated test bench designed to ensure a contactless measurement of the stretchable material.
Pteruthiidae and Erpornithidae (Aves: Corvides): two new family-group names for babbler-like outgroups of the vireos (Vireonidae)

The Old World genera Erpornis Hodgson, 1844, and Pteruthius Swainson, 1832, were long considered babblers Timaliidae This was based on gross morphology (in Erpornis , similarity to Yuhina ; in Pteruthius , bold plumage pattern reminiscent of, e.g., the laughingthrush genus Garrulax ) and biogeography (presence alongside many ‘other’ species of babblers in the Oriental region), rather than phylogenetic analysis. Paradisaeidae*, Laniidae*, Corvidae*, Melampittidae, Ifritidae*, Monarchidae*, Machaerirhynchidae, Artamidae*, Cracticidae*, Rhagologidae, Aegithinidae, Pityriasidae*, Malaconotidae*, Platysteiridae*, Vangidae*, Sylviidae, Zosteropidae, Timaliidae, Pellorneidae, Leiotrichidae, Polioptilidae, Troglodytidae, Buphagidae, Sturnidae, Mimidae, Urocynchramidae, Ploceidae, Amblyospizidae, Viduidae*, Estrildidae*, Passeridae, Fringillidae, Plectrophenacidae*, Rhodinocichlidae*, Emberizidae*, Calyptophilidae*, Mitrospingidae*, Thraupidae*, Cardinalidae*, Passerellidae*, Phaenicophilidae*, Icteridae* and Parulidae*.
Thickening Time Compatibility of Geopolymer Cement for Drilling Application

This paper investigates the composition of geopolymer cement for thickening time under elevated temperature and pressure. Geopolymer based-cement becoming popular in construction industries because of its improved properties either chemically and physically as compared to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). At the same time, replacement of OPC with geopolymer cement able to eliminate CO2 emission due to calcination burning process. However, applications of geopolymer cement to oil and gas industry for cementing job are not well recorded. Fly ash based geopolymer cement with different percentages of slag from 0% to 10% were mixed using sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate as alkali activators. Density, fluid loss and compressive strengths were determined. The sample were cured at 3,000 psi and 65°C for 24 hours. Results show that the addition of slag reduces the thickening time from 30 minutes to just only 18 minutes with almost 40% reduction in time. In terms of density and compressive strength, an increment of slag is directly proportional as the value increased from 14.3 ppg to 15.0 ppg for density and 1,120 psi to 2,155 psi for compressive strength. For fluid loss test, increment of slag results in decrement of fluid loss from 0.64 ml to just only 0.38 ml.
Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review with Focus on the Visual System

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a major global public health problem. Neurological damage from TBI may be mild, moderate, or severe and occurs both immediately at the time of impact (primary injury) and continues to evolve afterwards (secondary injury). In mild (m)TBI, common symptoms are headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Visual impairment is especially prevalent. Insomnia, attentional deficits and memory problems often occur. Neuroimaging methods for the management of TBI include computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The location and the extent of injuries determine the motor and/or sensory deficits that result. Parietal lobe damage can lead to deficits in sensorimotor function, memory, and attention span. The processing of visual information may be disrupted, with consequences such as poor hand-eye coordination and balance. TBI may cause lesions in the occipital or parietal lobe that leave the TBI patient with incomplete homonymous hemianopia. Overall, TBI can interfere with everyday life by compromising the ability to work, sleep, drive, read, communicate and perform numerous activities previously taken for granted. Treatment and rehabilitation options available to TBI sufferers are inadequate and there is a pressing need for new ways to help these patients to optimize their functioning and maintain productivity and participation in life activities, family and community.
THE INFLUENCE OF NON-CHEMICAL METHODS OF PLANT PROTECTION ON THE PRESENCE OF HERBIVOROUS BEETLES IN BROAD BEANS GROWING

The aim of the study was to determine the impact of accompanying plants: sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima L.) and white mustard (Synapis alba L.), on the incidence of pests of the broad bean (Vicia faba L.) variety Bartek, in the intercropping system. The observations of the number of the beetles of Bruchus rufimanus Boh. and Sitona spp were made. The broad bean was grown along with two other plants in varying spacing (the distances between rows were 50, 65 and 80 cm) and in homogeneous cultivation (the distances between rows were 50 cm). Broad bean in a homogeneous cultivation served as a control. In addition, the broad bean from homogeneous cultivation subjected to a standard protection by chemical insecticides was also analyzed. The measurements were carried out in field conditions, by using an entomological bucket, through the shedding of insects from randomly selected 30 plants per plot. The sweet alyssum as an accompanying plant showed no significant influence on the occurrence of herbivorous beetles of Bruchus rufimanus Boh. and Sitona spp. , regardless of the spacing between the rows. The white mustard as a companion plant showed a significant impact on increasing the number of Bruchus rufimanus Boh. beetles in the middle row spacing (65 cm). The impact of white mustard on other beetles has not been detected.
Simulation-Based Comparison of Holding Strategies for a Multibranch Light Rail Service

Light rail transit services face many operational challenges, such as capacity constraints, mixed-traffic interference, and branch junctions. The service plans developed for these lines typically specify a precise schedule for each vehicle. Running time and demand variability, special events, and incidents make it challenging to adhere to schedules. Operators can enact real-time control actions to mitigate delays. This research compared the effectiveness of schedule- and headway-based holding strategies applied en route and at terminals (i.e., dispatching) on a simulation model of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Green Line, a four-branch light rail line. The effects of control point placement at terminals, along branches, along a central trunk, and in combinations of these three were studied, as were the effects of limiting holding at midroute stations. Holding strategies were compared on the basis of service and passenger-oriented performance. Headway-based holding was found to be a more effective method for ensuring that passengers experienced reasonable wait times within scheduled headways. Holding at terminals appeared to be the most beneficial to passengers; additional holding along the branches and limited holding along the trunk were shown to enhance these benefits. Holding only within the trunk of a multibranch service worsened service because of blockages from held trains.
Identification and expression analysis of capsaicin biosynthesis pathway genes at genome level in Capsicum chinense

Abstract Capsicum chinense is one of the best ingredients for making chili sauces and extracting capsaicin. In this study, we identified 59 genes associated with shikimic acid, phenylpropane, unsaturated fatty acids, phenylalanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine and other metabolic pathways based on pepper genome. In the present study, 58 of the 59 genes involved in capsaicin synthesis were found to be unevenly distributed on 11 chromosomes, and several genes with the same number of exons and high homology were found to be clustered in a duplication region of the chromosome. The promoter regions of these genes were predicted and analyzed, and multiple gene promoters were found to contain MYB binding sites, which provided a reference for the subsequent exploration of MYB target genes. At the same time, the expression levels of genes related to capsaicin synthesis were analyzed based on different transcriptomes, and it was found that these genes showed significant differences in different plant development stages and different tissues. The results of this study will be helpful to further study the synthesis mechanism of capsaicin in Capsicum chinense and the functional relationship between genes.
A sustainable strategy for eliminating DDT from disease vector control programs and reducing malaria: the Mexican Model

Malaria continues to be one of the most significant health problems, causing approximately 200 million cases a year with between one and two million deaths. World efforts have been focused on vector control through the use of insecticides, applied residually on the walls of homes or impregnated in bednets, and through early diagnosis and treatment of those infected with this illness. In response to the resistance of mosquitoes and parasites to insecticides and respectively, there is increasingly more research on these phenomena and some important advances have been made, although these threats have not been erased.
Vision Based Online Multi-Stream Behavior Detection Applying Bayesian Networks

In the present treatise, we propose an approach for a highly congurable image based online person behaviour monitoring system. The particular application scenario is a crew supporting multi-stream on-board threat detection system, which is getting more desirable for the use in public transport. For such frameworks, to work robust in mostly unconstrained environments, many subsystems have to be employed. Although the research eld of pattern recognition has brought up reliable approaches for several involved subtasks in the last decade, there often exists a gap between reliability and the needed computational efforts. However in order, to accomplish this highly demanding task, several straight forward technologies, here the output of several socalled weak classiers using low-level features are fused by a sophisticated Bayesian Network.
Radiographers’ musculoskeletal health in Western Switzerland: WRMSDs symptoms prevalence and risk factors

BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are a significant occupational health concern in radiographers. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe radiographers’ WRMSDs symptoms prevalence and severity, exploring associations with occupational risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore WRMSDs symptoms and occupational risk factors in radiographers of Western Switzerland using an online survey, based on the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Descriptive statistics were conducted to analyze the collected data, and associative statistics to identify the risk factors related to symptoms. RESULTS: Participants (n = 359) presented a high prevalence of WRMSDs symptoms in the last 12 months (94.7%), with a related absenteeism rate of 15.6%. In the last 7 days, symptoms prevalence was 67.7%. The most affected anatomical regions, over both time periods, were the neck (73.0%, 36.8%) and low back (67.4%, 35.7%). Associative statistics underlined risk factors affecting significantly radiographers’ health (OR >2) were the “awkward postures” (OR = 2.86; 95% CI 1.78–4.58) and “feeling anxiety/stress at work” both for low back (OR = 2.38; 95% CI 1.39–4.08), and being a woman for the neck (OR = 2.64; 95% CI 1.51–4.61). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high WRMSDs symptoms prevalence in Western Switzerland radiographers. Radiographers’ work demands namely for awkward postures increases the odds for WRMSDs symptoms presence, affecting predominantly neck, upper and lower back. Our data suggest that further research is needed to implement adapted prevention to this specific context.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function under Simulated Gradient Warming and Grazing

Biodiversity and ecosystem functions and their relationship with environmental response constitute a major topic of ecological research. However, the changes in and impact mechanisms of multi-dimensional biodiversity and ecosystem functions in continuously changing environmental gradients and anthropogenic activities remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze the effects of multi-gradient warming and grazing on relationships between the biodiversity of plant and soil microbial with productivity/community stability through a field experiment simulating multi-gradient warming and grazing in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. We show the following results: (i) Plant biodiversity, soil microbial diversity and community productivity in alpine grasslands show fluctuating trends with temperature gradients, and a temperature increase below approximately 1 °C is beneficial to alpine grasslands; moderate grazing only increases the fungal diversity of the soil surface layer. (ii) The warming shifted plant biomass underground in alpine grasslands to obtain more water in response to the decrease in soil moisture caused by the temperature rise. Community stability was not affected by warming or grazing. (iii) Community stability was not significantly correlated with productivity, and environmental factors, rather than biodiversity, influenced community stability and productivity.
INTEGRATION OF GEOMATIC TECHNIQUES FOR THE 3D REPRESENTATION AND MONITORING OF A VETERAN CHESTNUT TREE

Abstract. This study concerns the application of different geomatic techniques in forestry sector. An accurate 3D model of a veteran chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) has been realised integrating point clouds by Mobile Laser Scanner (MLS) and photogrammetry techniques. The surveys were conducted in two seasons (summer time: July 22nd 2021; autumn time: December 10th 2021), since chestnut is a deciduous tree and thus taking the chance to detect it also without leaves. Therefore, it was obtained tree’s metric data such as the diameter at breast height (DBH), the total height (TH), the crown basal area, the wood and crown volume. Annual surveys will result in a dataset of virtual trees that will be used to monitor the evolution of these noteworthy plants through time, which are expected to be considered as cultural heritage, given their story and their importance at regional and landscape level. The 3D model was then released for virtualization, making it accessible and available as a data container for different users. Such data will also provide historical memory about the presence of these veteran trees that might be lost in the future if affected by species-specific phytopathologies such as Ink Disease (Phytophthora spp.).
Human-robot interaction booth with shape-from-silhouette-based real-time proximity sensor

Industrial robots have been an essential part of production facilities for many years. They allow fast and precise positioning of even the largest loads with very high repeatability. However, there are still many processes which are superiorly or more economically executed by humans. If a component requires several work steps, some of which are better suited to a robot and some to a human worker, cooperation between humans and robots would be beneficial. Due to the enormous power and speed of industrial robots, this poses a considerable risk to the worker. Therefore, tasks to be performed by humans and robots are usually completely decoupled in terms of space or time. We suggest an approach, which allows a human worker to interact safely with a fast industrial robot. We achieve this by constantly monitoring the position of both robot and human and adjusting the robot’s velocity according to its proximity to the worker. We present an interaction booth, which can be entered by a robot arm from the back and a worker from the front such that they can both access the machinery within. A multicamera sensor, which is based on the shape-from-silhouette principle, constantly observes the booth to monitor its occupancy. We demonstrate that within 50 ms, our sensor can (1) detect a change in occupancy in the booth, (2) classify sub-volumes as “robot”, “human”, or “other object”, (3) calculate the distance between human and robot, and (4) output this information to the robot controller. The working speed of the robot is then adjusted according to its distance to the worker.
A Lower Mantle Slab Below the East Asia Margin Constrained by Seismic Waveform Complexity

The precise location, morphology, and physical properties of the slab in the lower mantle provide critical information for deciphering the subduction history. Here, we study the waveform complexity of the data recorded by the dense China National Seismograph Network and delineate a lower mantle slab structure below the East Asia margin. For the events that occurred in the Solomon Island area, we observe fast and strongly multipathed S waveforms at the stations near the Sichuan Basin. Furthermore, the observed multipathing patterns vary among different events, which provide robust constraints for the depth of this lower mantle slab. Through detailed waveform modeling, we confirm that a southeastern‐dipping low‐mantle slab exists at a depth of 1,000 km below the East Asia margin with a shear wave velocity perturbation of 2.5%, a length of 1,000 km, and a thickness of 200 km. The spatial correlation between the imaged lower mantle slab and the plate reconstruction model suggests that this slab may be a fragment of the Izanagi Plate from the late Cretaceous subducted beneath the proto South China Sea. However, this southeastern‐dipping structure may invoke the hypothesis of intraoceanic subduction within the Izanagi Plate since the late Cretaceous, which might exist further south of the western Pacific.
The Macrophyte Indices for Rivers to Assess the Ecological Conditions in the Klina River in the Republic of Kosovo

Macrophytes are important elements of aquatic ecosystems that grow in or near water. Their taxonomic composition, species diversity, depth, and density are indicators of environmental health; as such, Macrophytes are used to assess the ecological status of water bodies. Under the aim of assessing the ecological status of the Klina River in Kosovo, a survey was conducted at eight sampling sites along the river course to analyze macrophyte composition, diversity, density, and cover. Three samples were collected at each sampling site from early June to late September. The following macrophyte indices were used to assess the ecological status of the river: Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR), River Macrophyte Nutrient Index (RMNI), and River Macrophyte Hydraulic Index (RMHI). Our sampling area included the upper reaches of the river where no organic pollution was detected (oligotrophic), the middle reaches where polluted water from farms is discharged into the river, and the lower reaches characterized by heavy organic pollution from settlements and various industrial activities. There is a positive correlation (p < 0.05) between water temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), orthophosphates (PO43−), ammonia (NH4+), nitrites (NO2−), calcium (Ca2+), and potassium (K+) with plant density, RMNI, RMHI, EQR-RMNI, EQR-RMHI, and MIR. Sodium (Na+) has stronger positive correlation (p < 0.01) with RMNI and RMHI indices and negative correlation with EQR-RMNI and EQR-RMHI. Our results show that ecological status along the river varies from high and good upstream to poor, bad, and moderate running downstream.