Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fungal Pathogens Associated with Crown and Root Rot in Wheat-Growing Areas of Northern Kyrgyzstan

Fungal species associated with crown and root rot diseases in wheat have been extensively studied in many parts of the world. However, no reports on the relative importance and distribution of pathogens associated with wheat crown and root rot in Kyrgyzstan have been published. Hence, fungal species associated with wheat crown/root rot were surveyed in three main wheat production regions in northern Kyrgyzstan. Fungal species were isolated on 1/5 strength potato-dextrose agar amended with streptomycin (0.1 g/L) and chloramphenicol (0.05 g/L). A total of 598 fungal isolates from symptomatic tissues were identified using morphological features of the cultures and conidia, as well as sequence analysis of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the translation elongation factor 1α (TEF1), and the RNA polymerase II beta subunit (RPB2) genes. The percentage of fields from which each fungus was isolated and their relative percentage isolation levels were determined. Bipolaris sorokiniana, the causal agent of common root rot, was the most prevalent pathogenic species isolated, being isolated from 86.67% of the fields surveyed at a frequency of isolation of 40.64%. Fusarium spp. accounted for 53.01% of all isolates and consisted of 12 different species. The most common Fusarium species identified was Fusarium acuminatum, which was isolated from 70% of the sites surveyed with an isolation frequency of 21.57%, followed by Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium nygamai, Fusarium oxysporum, and Fusarium equiseti, all of which had a field incidence of more than 23%. Inoculation tests with 44 isolates representing 17 species on the susceptible Triticum aestivum cv. Seri 82 revealed that Fusarium pseudograminearum and F. culmorum isolates were equally the most virulent pathogens. The widespread distribution of moderately virulent B. sorokiniana appears to be a serious threat to wheat culture, limiting yield and quality. With the exception of F. culmorum, the remaining Fusarium species did not pose a significant threat to wheat production in the surveyed areas because common species, such as F. acuminatum, F. nygamai, F. oxysporum, and F. equiseti, were non-pathogenic but infrequent species, such as Fusarium redolens, Fusarium algeriense, and F. pseudograminearum, were highly or moderately virulent. Curvularia inaequalis, which was found in three different fields, was mildly virulent. The remaining Fusarium species, Fusarium solani, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium burgessii, and Fusarium tricinctum, as well as Microdochium bolleyi, Microdochium nivale, and Macrophomina phaseolina, were non-pathogenic and considered to be secondary colonizers. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Standardized Uptake Values on SPECT/CT: A Promising Alternative Tool for Treatment Evaluation and Prognosis of Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumours

(1) Background: The aim of our study was to assess the feasibility of 99mTcEDDA/HYNIC-TOC SPECT/CT quantitative analysis in evaluating treatment response and disease progression in patients with NETs. (2) Methods: This prospective monocentric study evaluated 35 SPECT/CT examinations performed on 14 patients with neuroendocrine tumours who underwent a baseline and at least one follow-up 99mTcEDDA/HYNIC-TOC scan as part of their clinical management. The examination protocol included a whole-body scan acquired 2 h after the radiotracer’s administration, with the SPECT/CT performed 4 h post-injection. Images were analyzed by two experienced physicians and patients were classified into response categories based on their changes in SUV values. (3) Results: We evaluated 14 baseline studies and 21 follow-up scans, accounting for 123 lesions. A statistically positive correlation has been found between the SUVmax and SUVpeak values in tumoral lesions (p < 0.05). No correlation has been found between the SUV values and the ki67 proliferation index. Finally, 64.29% patients were classified as SD at the end of the study, with only 14.29% of patients exhibiting PD and 21.43% patients with PR. (4) Conclusions: The quantitative analysis of 99mTcEDDA/HYNIC-TOC SPECT/CT data in patients with neuroendocrine tumours could represent an alternative to 68Ga-DOTA-peptides PET/CT for the monitoring and prognosis of NETs.
Experimental investigation of thermal plasma formation from thick aluminum surfaces by pulsed multimegagauss magnetic field

The thermal ionization of a thick metal surface by pulsed multimegagauss magnetic field has been examined experimentally. Thick 6061-alloy Al rods with initial radii (R0) from 1.00 to 0.25 mm, larger than the magnetic field skin depth, are pulsed to 1.0 MA peak current in 100 ns. Surface fields (Bs) rise at 30−80 MG/μs and reach 1.5 and 4 MG, respectively. For this range of parameters, plasma forms at a threshold level of Bs=2.2 MG. Novel load hardware ensures that plasma formation is thermal, by Ohmic or compression heating. Surface-plasma formation is conclusively indicated through radiometry, extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy, and gated imaging. When R0=0.50 mm rods reach peak current, Bs=3 MG, the surface temperature is 20 eV, and Al3+ and Al4+ spectra and surface instabilities are observed. In contrast, R0=1.00 mm rod surfaces [Bs(t)<2.2 MG] reach only 0.7 eV and remain extremely smooth, indicating that no plasma forms.
Multibody system dynamics and mechatronics

Mechatronics as an interdisciplinary combination of domains of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, and computer science has developed in industry and universities since the eighties of the last century, and it is meanwhile fully established in many technical areas. The main focus of the mechatronic approach is to extend and to complete the design process of mechanical and more general engineering systems by incorporating from the very beginning sensors and controllers – which includes also the required information processing – and thus being able to generate partly intelligent products. The components and modules of such systems originate from mechanical engineering, from electrical engineering or from other engineering domains. Methods for describing and designing these components and modules are based in the fields of applied mechanics, electrical engineering, system theory, control and automation theory, and information processing. In particular, in mechatronic systems like robots, manipulation systems, machine tools, or all kinds of vehicles, the multibody systems approach offers a powerful tool to model the mechanical properties of the system in an appropriate manner. In this paper, methodologies for the development of formalisms and software for modeling and simulation of multibody and mechatronic systems will be presented and illustrated by examples from automotive systems and robotics.
ASSESSING THE INFORMATIVENESS OF THE CONTROLLED PARAMETERS IN THE TASK OF IDENTIFYING THE STATE OF THE SYSTEM

The effectiveness of solving the problem of identifying the system state significantly depends on the number of controlled parameters and the degree of their informativeness. The traditional method for assessing the informativeness of these parameters is based on the measure of distance between the probability distributions of the values of the controlled parameter for different states of the system proposed by Kullback. The shortcomings of Kullback measure have been revealed. Firstly, the value of this measure is not normalised and is not limited from above. Secondly, this measure is asymmetric, i.e. its numerical value depends on the way its components enter the calculation ratio. The method for calculating the informativeness criterion proposed in this paper takes into account the uncertainty that arises due to the fuzzy description of the boundaries of the areas of possible values of the controlled parameters for each of the possible states of the system. An important enhancement of the known methods for assessing the informativeness of the controlled parameters is to take into account the real existing inaccuracy in estimating the values of the results of measuring these parameters themselves. These circumstances determine the subject and purpose of the study that is the development of a method for calculating the distance between the distributions of fuzzy values of the controlled parameter, free from the shortcomings of the Kullback measure. To calculate the measure of the distance between the distributions of the values of the controlled parameter under conditions of uncertainty of the initial data, described in terms of fuzzy mathematics, a symmetric criterion is proposed, which is easily calculated. Examples of the criterion calculation are given. The possibilities of increasing the level of informativeness of the criterion using analytical descriptions of membership functions of fuzzy values of the controlled parameter for different states of the system are considered.
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Kazakhstani Women with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Case–Control Study

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is associated with increased incidence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress, and screening for these comorbidities following miscarriages is beneficial for women with RPL who are planning future pregnancies. This study aims to investigate depression, anxiety, and stress among Kazakhstani women with RPL. Methods: This was a case–control study involving 70 women with confirmed RPL and 78 ethnically matched control women. Depression, anxiety, and stress were evaluated using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)-21 instrument. Linear regression and correlation analysis were used in assessing the association of RPL with symptoms of depression, and/or anxiety, and/or stress, after adjusting for key covariates. Results: Women with RPL were found to have significantly higher mean scores for depression (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), and stress (p < 0.001) symptoms. Mild–moderate stress and mild–moderate and severe–extreme depression and anxiety symptoms were more frequent in the RPL group than in the control group. Regression analysis demonstrated that RPL was the only significant variable associated with anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that women with RPL are more likely to experience heightened symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Proper psychological counseling is recommended for women with RPL, as well as their spouses.
Antibacterial Activity of Biodegradable Films Incorporated with Biologically-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles and the Evaluation of Their Migration to Chicken Meat

The food industry has been exploring the association of polymers with nanoparticles in packaging production, and active products are essential to increase the shelf life of food and avoid contamination. Our study developed starch-poly (adipate co-terephthalate butyl) films with silver nanoparticles produced with Fusarium oxysporum components (bio-AgNPs), intending to control foodborne pathogens. The bio-AgNPs showed activity against different Salmonella serotypes, including multidrug-resistant Salmonella Saint Paul and Salmonella Enteritidis, with minimum bactericidal concentrations ranging from 4.24 to 16.98 µg/mL. Biodegradable films with bio-AgNPs inhibited the growth of up to 106 Salmonella isolates. Silver migration from the films to chicken was analyzed using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and the results showed migration values (12.94 mg/kg and 3.79 mg/kg) above the limits allowed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (0.05 mg/kg). Thus, it is necessary to improve the technique to avoid the migration of silver to chicken meat, since these concentrations can be harmful.
Flatness based control design for a nonlinear heavy chain model

Abstract Flatness based trajectory generation and control design for the spatially distributed nonlinear model of a planar heavy chain with freely movable suspension point is presented. By means of the method of characteristics it is shown, that the solution of the governing equations can be parametrized by the trajectory of the uncontrolled end of the chain using time-delays and advances.
Dissipative dynamics of granular media investigated by forced torsion pendulum

The oscillating probe of a low-frequency (1 Hz) forced torsion pendulum is immersed into a granular medium, and the dynamic moduli are measured. A first layer of grains is firmly fixed to the probe surface. The energy losses of the system are determined by the statistical properties of force-chains opposing the rotation of the pendulum. The position of the observed loss peak is found to be quadratically dependent on the radius and on the depth of immersion of a cylindrical probe, and proportional to the coefficient of static friction between the grains. The logarithmic moisture-induced ageing effect is also observed.
Modular neural net architecture for automatic target recognition

Multilayer perceptrons (MLP) have been widely applied to pattern recognition. It is found that when the data has a multi-modal distribution, a standard MLP is apt to local minima and a valid neural net classifier is difficult to obtain. In this paper, we propose a two-phase learning modular (TLM) neural net architecture to tackle the local minimum problem. The basic idea is to transform the multi- modal distribution into a known and more learnable distribution before using a global MLP to classify the data. We applied the TLM to the inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) automatic target recognition (ATR), and compared its performance with that of the MLP. Experiments show that the MLP's learning often leads to a fatal minimum if its net size or the initial point is not chosen properly. Its performance depends strongly on the number of training samples as well as the architecture parameters. On the other hand, the TLM is much easier to train and can yield good recognition accuracy, at least comparable to that of the MLP. In addition, the TLM's performance is more robust.
State of the Art and Future of Stem Cell Therapy in Ischemic Stroke: Why Don’t We Focus on Their Administration?

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, so there is an urgent need to find a therapy for the tragic outcomes of this cerebrovascular disease. Stem cells appeared to be a good solution for many conditions, so different experiments were made to establish stem cells as a feasible therapy for stroke. The aim of this review is to analyze the state of the art of stem cell therapy for stroke and if the route of administration could represent a valid adjusting point for ameliorating the therapy’s outcome. To obtain this, we searched the scientific literature of the last 10 years for relevant in vitro and in vivo evidence regarding stem cells’ potential in stroke therapy. In vitro evidence points to hypoxia, among the preconditioning strategies, as the most used and probably efficient method to enhance cells qualities, while in vivo results raise the question if it is the type of cells or how they are administrated which can make the difference in terms of efficiency. Unfortunately, despite the number of clinical trials, only a few were successfully concluded, demonstrating how urgent the necessity is to translate pre-clinical results into clinics. Since any type of stem cell seems suitable for therapy, the chosen route of administration corresponds to different engraftment rates, distribution and efficiency in terms of the beneficial effects of stem cells. Intravenous administration was widely used for delivering stem cells into the human body, but recently intranasal administration has given promising results in vivo. It allows stem cells to efficiently reach the brain that was precluded to intravenous administration, so it is worth further investigation.
Coatings of Cyclodextrin/Citric-Acid Biopolymer as Drug Delivery Systems: A Review

In the early 2000s, a method for cross-linking cyclodextrins (CDs) with citric acid (CTR) was developed. This method was nontoxic, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive compared to the others previously proposed in the literature. Since then, the CD/CTR biopolymers have been widely used as a coating on implants and other materials for biomedical applications. The present review aims to cover the chemical properties of CDs, the synthesis routes of CD/CTR, and their applications as drug-delivery systems when coated on different substrates. Likewise, the molecules released and other pharmaceutical aspects involved are addressed. Moreover, the different methods of pretreatment applied on the substrates before the in situ polymerization of CD/CTR are also reviewed as a key element in the final functionality. This process is not trivial because it depends on the surface chemistry, geometry, and physical properties of the material to be coated. The biocompatibility of the polymer was also highlighted. Finally, the mechanisms of release generated in the CD/CTR coatings were analyzed, including the mathematical model of Korsmeyer–Peppas, which has been dominantly used to explain the release kinetics of drug-delivery systems based on these biopolymers. The flexibility of CD/CTR to host a wide variety of drugs, of the in situ polymerization to integrate with diverse implantable materials, and the controllable release kinetics provide a set of advantages, thereby ensuring a wide range of future uses.
Detection of across-frequency differences in fundamental frequency

Listeners discriminated between pairs of complex sounds, each consisting of two groups of components. Two harmonic complexes were played out through separate channels, and each filtered to obtain a ‘‘lower’’ and a ‘‘higher’’ group. The ‘‘carrier fundamental frequencies (F0s)’’ of both groups were usually 125 Hz; only those components in the lower group were resolvable by the peripheral auditory system. For the standard stimulus, the F0s of the two groups were frequency modulated coherently with each other, so that they were always equal. For the signal, the F0s of the two groups were modulated incoherently (π modulator delay), so that they differed by an amount that varied sinusoidally between values proportional to the depth of FM (the dependent variable). Stimuli were usually presented in continuous pink noise. The results showed that (i) when the components were added in sine or cosine phase, the mean threshold across listeners corresponded to a zero‐peak modulation depth of 6%–7% (rms mistuning=8.5%–1.
Modelling and numerical analysis of heat treatments on aluminium parts

A theoretical model suitable for the modelling and analysis of heat treatment problems is described. The presented formulations are implemented incrementally with a non‐linear rate‐dependent constitutive model, adequate to the simulation of a wide range temperature processes. The large deformation model is based on the additive decomposition of the strain rate tensor in elastic, thermal and viscoplastic parts. The flow rule is a function of the equivalent stress and the deviatoric stress tensor of the temperature field and of a set of internal state variables. The thermal problem is solved by a prediction/correction algorithm. The prediction, which uses a semi‐implicit integration, provides a first estimation of the temperature field. The correction stage, performed with a Newton–Raphson implicit scheme, improves the solution until a satisfactory result is found. The thermomechanical coupled problem is solved with a staggered approach. The finite element formulations for coupled analysis of deformation and heat transfer given in this article are validated and applied to the process of quenching of aluminium parts into boiling water. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved tunnel magnetoresistance of magnetic tunnel junctions with Heusler Co2FeAl0.5Si0.5 electrodes fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy

The authors have developed a magnetic tunnel junction of Co2FeAl0.5Si0. 5 electrodes and a MgO barrier fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy and observed that this device had a tunnel magnetoresistance ratio of 386% at approximately 300 K and 832% at 9 K. The lower Co2FeAl0.5Si0. 5 electrode was annealed during and after deposition resulting in a highly ordered structure with small roughness. This highly ordered structure could be obtained by annealing treatment even at low temperatures. Furthermore, a weak temperature dependence of the tunnel magnetoresistance ratio was observed for the developed magnetic tunnel junction.
Central Regulation of Brown Fat Thermogenesis in Response to Saturated or Unsaturated Long-Chain Fatty Acids

Sensing of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in the hypothalamus modulates energy balance, and its disruption leads to obesity. To date, the effects of saturated or unsaturated LCFA on hypothalamic-brown adipose tissue (BAT) axis and the underlying mechanisms have remained largely unclear. Our aim was to characterize the main molecular pathways involved in the hypothalamic regulation of BAT thermogenesis in response to LCFA with different lengths and degrees of saturation. One-week administration of high-fat diet enriched in monounsaturated FA led to higher BAT thermogenesis compared to a saturated FA-enriched diet. Intracerebroventricular infusion of oleic and linoleic acids upregulated thermogenesis markers and temperature in brown fat of mice, and triggered neuronal activation of paraventricular (PaV), ventromedial (VMH) and arcuate (ARC) hypothalamic nuclei, which was not found with saturated FAs. The neuron-specific protein carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1-C (CPT1C) was a crucial effector of oleic acid since the FA action was blunted in CPT1C-KO mice. Moreover, changes in the AMPK/ACC/malonyl-CoA pathway and fatty acid synthase expression were evoked by oleic acid. Altogether, central infusion of unsaturated but not saturated LCFA increases BAT thermogenesis through CPT1C-mediated sensing of FA metabolism shift, which in turn drive melanocortin system activation. These findings add new insight into neuronal circuitries activated by LCFA to drive thermogenesis.
Nonlinear frequency response of comb-driven microscanners

Accurate prediction of the dynamic behavior of comb-driven MEMS microscanners is important to optimize the actuator and structure design. In this paper, a numerical and an analytical model for the dynamic analysis of comb-driven microscanners under different excitation schemes are presented. The numerical model is based on a second order nonlinear differential equation. Due to the nature of the torque function, this governing equation of motion is a parametric nonlinear ODE, which exhibits hysteretic frequency domain behavior and subharmonic oscillations. Experimental results and approximate analytical expressions for this nonlinear torque function of the comb-drive are presented. Amplitude and phase relationship between the excitation signal and the resultant oscillations at different excitation frequencies are measured and we show that they are in close agreement with the numerical simulations. Analytical model uses perturbation methods to reach approximate close-form expressions for the dynamic behavior of the device in the first parametric resonance region. It is also utilized to predict the stability regions on the frequency-excitation voltage plane, where the device exhibit hysterical characteristics. Analytical and numerical modeling approaches proposed in this paper provides a simple yet powerful way to analyze the nonlinear frequency response of comb-driven actuators and simplify the design process for a microscanner based system.