Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of systemic immune-inflammation index with diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in Chinese population

Objective Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), a novel inflammatory marker, has been reported to be associated with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in the U.S., however, such a close relationship with DKD in other countries, including China, has not been never determined. We aimed to explore the association between SII and DKD in Chinese population. Methods A total of 1922 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) included in this cross-sectional study were divided into three groups based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR): non-DKD group, DKD stages 1–2 Alb group, and DKD-non-Alb+DKD stage 3 Alb group. The possible association of SII with DKD was investigated by correlation and multivariate logistic regression analysis, and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis. Results Moving from the non-DKD group to the DKD-non-Alb+DKD stage 3 Alb group, SII level was gradually increased (P for trend <0.01). Partial correlation analysis revealed that SII was positively associated with urinary ACR and prevalence of DKD, and negatively with eGFR (all P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SII remained independently significantly associated with the presence of DKD after adjustment for all confounding factors [(odds ratio (OR), 2.735; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.840-4.063; P < 0.01)]. Moreover, compared with subjects in the lowest quartile of SII (Q1), the fully adjusted OR for presence of DKD was 1.060 (95% CI 0.773-1.455) in Q2, 1.167 (95% CI 0.995-1.368) in Q3, 1.266 (95% CI 1.129-1.420) in the highest quartile (Q4) (P for trend <0.01). Similar results were observed in presence of DKD stages 1–2 Alb or presence of DKD-non- Alb+DKD stage 3 Alb among SII quartiles. Last, the analysis of ROC curves revealed that the best cutoff values for SII to predict DKD, Alb DKD stages 1- 2, and DKD-non-Alb+ DKD stage 3 Alb were 609.85 (sensitivity: 48.3%; specificity: 72.8%), 601.71 (sensitivity: 43.9%; specificity: 72.3%), and 589.27 (sensitivity: 61.1%; specificity: 71.1%), respectively. Conclusion Higher SII is independently associated with an increased risk of the presence and severity of DKD, and SII might be a promising biomarker for DKD and its distinct phenotypes in Chinese population.
The Relationship between Complements and Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Its Pathogenesis

Age-related macular degeneration is a retinal disease that causes permanent loss of central vision in people over the age of 65. Its pathogenesis may be related to mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, complement, intestinal flora, and lipid disorders. In addition, the patient's genes, age, gender, cardiovascular disease, unhealthy diet, and living habits may also be risk factors for this disease. Complement proteins are widely distributed in serum and tissue fluid. In the early 21st century, a connection was found between the complement cascade and age-related macular degeneration. However, little is known about the effect of complement factors on the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration. This article reviews the factors associated with age-related macular degeneration, the relationship between each factor and complement, the related functions, and variants and provides new ideas for the treatment of this disease.
Au30(PiPr2nBu)12Cl6—An Open Cluster Provides Insight into the Influence of the Sterical Demand of the Phosphine Ligand in the Formation of Metalloid Gold Clusters

Phosphine-stabilized gold clusters are an important subgroup of metalloid gold cluster compounds and are important model compounds for nanoparticles. Although there are numerous gold clusters with different phosphine ligands, the effect of phosphine on cluster formation and structure remains unclear. While the linear alkyl-substituted phosphine gold chlorides result in a Au32 cluster, the bulky tBu3P leads to a Au20 cluster. The reduction of (iPr2nBuP)AuCl, with the steric demand of the phosphine ligand between the mentioned phosphines, results in the successful synthesis and crystallization of a new metalloid gold cluster, Au30(PiPr2nBu)12Cl6. Its structure is similar to the Au32 cluster but with two missing AuCl units. The UV/Vis studies and quantum chemical calculations show the similarities between the two clusters and the influence of the phosphine ligand in the synthesis of metalloid gold clusters.
Coral Reef Conservation Strategies for Everyone

Corals are small animals related to jellyfish. Large groups of these animals live together and form huge interconnected colonies called reefs. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet; an essential habitat for a wide variety of animal and plant species. About 400 million people rely on coral reef fish as a source of protein; about 6 million people make a living by catching and selling coral reef fish and invertebrates; tourism activities like SCUBA diving and snorkeling provide revenue of US $9.6 billion per year; and reefs reduce wave energy by 97%, helping to protect 197 million people in coastal areas from beach erosion, wave energy, and flooding. Learn how you can help protect these fragile, essential ecosystems from threats in this 7-page fact sheet written by Kathryn E. Lohr and Joshua T. Patterson, and published by the Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, September 2016. FA199/FA199: Coral Reef Conservation Strategies for Everyone (ufl.edu)
Towards Automated Assessment of High School Programming

Teaching computer programming has become common in high schools, and often students' programming work needs to be assessed formally. In Aotearoa New Zealand this formal assessment happens primarily in the last three years of high school, and is currently carried out manually by teachers. Here we explore the possibility of automating this assessment with the goal of decreasing teacher workload, and increasing fairness and transparency. To do this, we first report on a multi-part survey of teachers in New Zealand schools. The first part of the survey identifies the range of languages that need to be supported. The second part of the survey, in conjunction with a literature review of automated assessment, gives us a range of tools that are designed to automatically assess programming. We evaluate this group of assessment tools based on a wide range of criteria gathered from the survey of schools and the literature review. This includes the programming languages these tools can check, with a priority given to programming languages teachers are already using in the classroom. We also consider their resilience to common programming mistakes (such as infinite while loops), whether the tools can check style and quality, whether they include gamification, whether they use closure to encourage students, what kinds of programming constraints we can put on questions, and if they are open source. Based on this analysis, CodeRunner was the contender that most strongly stood out for our context, and is the tool we will move forward with in implementing automated assessment in a New Zealand high school environment.
The Impact of Scholarly Concentration Programs on Graduates’ Career Choices and Interest in the Care of Older Patients

Background: More geriatricians are needed to care for the aging population. Geriatric scholarly concentration programs (GSCPs) may promote medical students’ interest in this underserved field or careers working with older adults. Additionally, graduates of GSCPs may be more comfortable and competent in providing care for older adults. Surveys were administered to graduates of GSCPs to determine the role of these programs in shaping medical students’ careers and views about caring for older adults. Methods: The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of GSCPs on medical graduates’ career choices and self-perceived skill and comfort in caring for older adults. A Qualtrics survey (Qualtrics International Inc., Seattle, Washington, United States) was developed and distributed to 83 graduates of four GSCPs in the United States. Data were analyzed using a significance level of p>0.05 for all tests. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize the data. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to test for significant differences in interest in pursuing a career in geriatrics or working with older adults. Qualitative responses were coded and analyzed for themes. Results: A total of 34 out of 83 surveyed graduates of GSCPs indicated a higher interest in geriatrics as a career as well as increased comfort and self-perceived skill in caring for older adults after completing the GSCP. The components of the GSCP that most strongly improved the participants’ ability to care for older adults included the curriculum (n=31, 91%) and mentoring (n=28, 82%). An overwhelming majority of survey participants felt GSCPs should be offered as part of medical school programming (n=33, 97%). Conclusion: This study suggests that GSCPs increase interest and competence in caring for older adults and increase interest in a career in geriatrics. GSCPs should be implemented across medical schools.
Icosahedral viruses defined by their positively charged domains: a signature for viral identity and capsid assembly strategy

Capsid proteins often present a positively charged arginine-rich region at the N and/or C-termini that for some icosahedral viruses has a fundamental role in genome packaging and particle stability. These sequences show little to no conservation at the amino-acid level and are structurally dynamic so that they cannot be easily detected by common sequence or structure comparison. As a result, the occurrence and distribution of positively charged protein domain across the viral and the overall protein universe are unknown. We developed a methodology based on the net charge calculation of discrete segments of the protein sequence that allows us to identify proteins containing amino-acid stretches with an extremely high net charge. We observed that among all organisms, icosahedral viruses are especially enriched in extremely positively charged segments (Q ≥ +17), with a distinctive bias towards arginine instead of lysine. We used viral particle structural data to calculate the total electrostatic charge derived from the most positively charged protein segment of capsid proteins and correlated these values with genome charge arising from the phosphates of each nucleotide. We obtained a positive correlation (r = 0.91, p-value < 0001) for a group of 17 viral families, corresponding to 40% of all families with icosahedral structures described so far. These data indicated that unrelated viruses with diverse genome types adopt a common underlying mechanism for capsid assembly and genome stabilization based on R-arms. Outliers from a linear fit pointed to families with alternative strategies of capsid assembly and genome packaging. Significance Statement Viruses can be characterized by the existence of a capsid, an intricate proteinaceous container that encases the viral genome. Therefore, capsid assembly and function are essential to viral replication. Here we specify virus families with diverse capsid structure and sequence, for each capsid packing capacity depends on a distinctive structural feature: a highly positively charged segment of amino acids residues, preferentially made of arginine. We also show that proteins with the same characteristics are rarely found in cellular proteins. Therefore, we identified a conserved viral functional element that can be used to infer capsid assembly mechanisms and inspire the design of protein nanoparticles and broad-spectrum antiviral treatments.
Comparison of UAV photograph-based and airborne lidar-based point clouds over forest from a forestry application perspective

ABSTRACT In this study, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) image (photograph)-based point clouds and products were compared to airborne lidar-based data and products over a forested area. The test site is located in Germany, 15 km southeast of Jena. A total area of approximately 175 ha was covered during a UAV flight campaign. For this study, a subset of 4 ha (200 m × 200 m) was defined. The UAV–lidar comparison was accomplished at three different data levels: (1) point-like level (raster of maxima), (2) surface level (canopy height models), and (3) tree level (detection rate). In general, a high match between lidar- and UAV-based data/products was observed. The UAV data exhibits more details which are of particular importance for the detection of small trees. While using lidar data, 45 out of 205 trees were not detected, however only 14 trees were missed out when UAV data was used.
Comparative Evaluation of Radio Network Planning for Different 5G-NR Channel Models on Urban Macro Environments in Quito City

The 5th-Generation New Radio (5G-NR) network have been widely deployed around the world in the frequency range 1/range 2 bands. Once specific frequency bands within these ranges can vary across different countries and regions due to regulatory differences, it should be carried out radio network planning to evaluate the 5G coverage considering the particularities of different locations. In this regard, this paper performs a throughly analysis of the following methods for modeling wireless channel propagation in Quito, Ecuador: 3rd Generation Partnership Project, Knife Edge Diffraction (KED), ASTER and Dominant Path model (DPM). Specifically, we focus on KED, ASTER, and DPM for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3.5/28$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-GHz bands to determine the propagation models in three-Dimensional urban macro scenarios. In the radio network planning, the multiple-input multiple-output array antennas, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2\times 2/ 4\times 4$ </tex-math></inline-formula> configuration radiation patterns are deployed using WINPROP tool and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$64\times 64$ </tex-math></inline-formula> array configuration with the ATOLL tool. 5G frequency specifications, path-loss, influence of diffraction, reflection, blocking, and fading between transmitter and receiver have been considered for scenarios of interest, such as dense urban and urban in Quito, by using fixed wireless access applications and Vehicular-to-Everything (V2X) communications. In addition, data rates, throughput, and the quality metrics of the received reference signal, i.e., the signal-to-noise plus interference ratio, the reference signal received quality, the reference signal received power, and the received signal strength indicator, are also assessed for each propagation model. Finally, we provide useful insights into propagation models and design usage rules for the bands mentioned in 5G networks for Quito city.
Acceleration of Electric Machine Structure optimization Using Performance Classifier Enhanced Evolutionary Search

The optimization of electric machine structure can be highly time-consuming, as it often involves an evolutionary search that needs to evaluate numerous samples. Each sample requires computationally intensive finite element analysis (FEA). In this paper, a stacked classification model along with a class-balanced dataset is used to build classifiers of Key Performance Indicator (KPI). These classifiers are used to predict coarse levels of KPIs for structure samples. The structure samples that are classified as inferior with respect to the optimization objectives will not perform expensive FEA simulations, thereby accelerating the search process. To demonstrate its effectiveness, the proposed method is applied to optimize a V-shaped permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) with practical constraints. In the single-objective optimization cases, the proposed method can reduce the computation cost by up to 60% compared to the standard Genetic Algorithm (GA). In the multi-objective optimization cases that balances torque maximization and torque ripple minimization, the Pareto frontier is also improved compared to the standard Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II).
Oral ingestion of Shiikuwasha extract suppresses diabetes progression in db/db mice by preserving β-cell mass

Introduction Nobiletin is a polymethoxyflavonoid abundant in citrus peels and has been reported to have various bioactive effects. We have previously reported that nobiletin inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis in the pancreatic β-cell line INS-1 and that continuous subcutaneous administration of nobiletin suppresses the progression of diabetes by protecting β-cells in type 2 diabetic db/db mice. In the present study, we investigated effects of oral ingestion of Shiikuwasha extract rich in nobiletin on the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes in db/db mice. Materials and methods A Shiikuwasha extract was dissolved in MediDrop sucralose. Twenty-four mice were equally divided in three groups and fed with vehicle or low or high dose of Shiikuwasha extract for 4 weeks. Blood glucose levels, pancreatic β-cell mass, serum insulin levels, pancreatic insulin content, and other biomarkers were measured and compared between the groups. Results The group that freely ingested the Shiikuwasha extract containing higher concentration of nobiletin (Shiikuwasha H) showed lower blood glucose levels. At the end of the experiment, the Shiikuwasha H group exhibited improved glucose tolerance, lower serum glycoalbumin levels, and an increase in β-cell area per pancreas compared with the control group. Body weight, food intake, and serum biomarkers related to liver function and lipid metabolism of the Shiikuwasha H group were not different from those of the control group, although water intake of the former was significantly decreased than that of the latter. Conclusion Our results suggest that the oral ingestion of Shiikuwasha extract preserves pancreatic β-cell mass in diabetic mice, which might be attributed to ameliorating the progression of diabetes.
Biomarkers of the relationship of particulate matter exposure with the progression of chronic respiratory diseases

A high level of particulate matter (PM) in air is correlated with the onset and development of chronic respiratory diseases. We conducted a systematic literature review, searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for studies of biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic respiratory diseases and the progression thereof. Thirty-eight articles on biomarkers of the progression of chronic respiratory diseases after exposure to PM were identified, four of which were eligible for review. Serum, sputum, urine, and exhaled breath condensate biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma had a variety of underlying mechanisms. We summarized the functions of biomarkers linked to COPD and asthma and their biological plausibility. We identified few biomarkers of PM exposure-related progression of chronic respiratory diseases. The included studies were restricted to those on biomarkers of the relationship of PM exposure with the progression of chronic respiratory diseases. The predictive power of biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic respiratory diseases varies according to the functions of the biomarkers.
The Metallotolerance and Biosorption of As(V) and Cr(VI) by Black Fungi

A collection of 34 melanized fungi isolated previously from anthropogenic contaminated sites were assessed for their tolerance to toxic concentrations of As(V) and Cr(VI) anions. Three strains of the species Cyphellophora olivacea, Rhinocladiella similis, and Exophiala mesophila (Chaetothyriales) were identified as hyper-metallotolerant, with estimated IC50 values that ranged from 11.2 to 16.9 g L−1 for As(V) and from 2.0 to 3.4 g L−1 for Cr(VI). E. mesophila and R. similis were selected for subsequent assays on their biosorption capacity and kinetics under different pH values (4.0 and 6.5) and types of biomass (active and dead cells and melanin extracts). The fungal biosorption of As(V) was relatively ineffective, but significant removal of Cr(VI) was observed from liquid cultures. The Langmuir model with second-order kinetics showed maximum sorption capacities of 39.81 mg Cr6+ g−1 for R. similis and 95.26 mg Cr6+ g−1 for E. mesophila on a dry matter basis, respectively, while the kinetic constant for these two fungi was 1.32 × 10−6 and 1.39 × 10−7 g (mg Cr6+ min)−1. Similar experiments with melanin extracts of E. mesophila showed maximum sorption capacities of 544.84 mg Cr6+ g−1 and a kinetic constant of 1.67 × 10−6 g (mg Cr6+ min)−1. These results were compared to bibliographic data, suggesting that metallotolerance in black fungi might be the result of an outer cell-wall barrier to reduce the diffusion of toxic metals into the cytoplasm, as well as the inner cell wall biosorption of leaked metals by melanin.
Toxin gene profiles, genetic diversity, antimicrobial resistance, and coagulase type of Staphylococcus aureus from cream‐filled bakery products

Abstract We determined the toxin gene profile, toxin production, antibiotic resistance coagulase serotype, and genetic diversity of 42 coagulase‐positive Staphylococcus aureus (CPS) isolates collected from 1,464 cream‐filled bakery products in Korea. Among the CPS isolates, 37 (88.1%) produced enterotoxin genes in combination with another toxin; 26 (61.9%) of the strains were positive for sea, 1 (2.4%) for sea‐seb, and 4 (9.5%) for sea‐sec. Among the strains showing antibiotic resistance, 28 (66.7%) showed resistance to only one antibiotic, whereas nine (21.4%) showed resistance to multiple antibiotics: 4 (9.5%) strains were both mecA‐positive and oxacillin‐resistant. Most strains are resistant to at least one antibiotic—benzyl penicillin. The CPS isolates were classified into eight coagulase serotypes. This information will be valuable for assessing the capability risks of CPS food poisoning, contributing a better known of the epidemiology result associated with CPS contamination in bakery products.
Women’s gaze on the city

The gaze the city has traditionally been observed with is that of the flâneur, a man who walks the streets and observes urban movement and change from an external position. Such extraneousness and remoteness do not match the female experience, characterised instead by a gaze that unveils and empathises. Because of their gendered bodies and gender roles, women have never historically read, nor do they read the city as foreign and distant, but – holistically and empathically – in tangible terms of life, commitment, bodies. Through a historical overview of women and their proposals on the city, the article reflects on the different position women have taken in the construction of knowledge and in their approach to planning.