Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating the Achievable Benefits of Airport Surface Metering

†The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently pursuing acquisition of a system referred to as the Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM). One of the proposed TFDM capabilities is a Decision Support Tool (DST) to assist controllers in sequencing and scheduling airport surface traffic with a goal of shifting delay from the taxi phase (where engines are presumably running) to the gate or non-movement area possibly allowing delays to be taken in an environment where the engines are off. The opportunity for taxi-time reduction using a virtual queue is recognized and well-documented. Less understood is the amount of the taxi-time shortfall that is realistically recoverable given operational constraints. We estimate the impact of two factors that limit the achievable benefit: gate availability and the need to ensure runway loading. Potential taxi-time savings results are produced for 43 US airports using a year of operational data at each site. The results examine the sensitivity to the two limiting factors and compare to other recent surface metering demonstrations and measurements.
Developmental Maturation of Causal Signaling Hubs in Voluntary Control of Saccades and Their Functional Controllability.

The ability to adaptively respond to behaviorally relevant cues in the environment, including voluntary control of automatic but inappropriate responses and deployment of a goal-relevant alternative response, undergoes significant maturation from childhood to adulthood. Importantly, the maturation of voluntary control processes influences the developmental trajectories of several key cognitive domains, including executive function and emotion regulation. Understanding the maturation of voluntary control is therefore of fundamental importance, but little is known about the underlying causal functional circuit mechanisms. Here, we use state-space and control-theoretic modeling to investigate the maturation of causal signaling mechanisms underlying voluntary control over saccades. We demonstrate that directed causal interactions in a canonical saccade network undergo significant maturation between childhood and adulthood. Crucially, we show that the frontal eye field (FEF) is an immature causal signaling hub in children during control over saccades. Using control-theoretic analysis, we then demonstrate that the saccade network is less controllable in children and that greater energy is required to drive FEF dynamics in children compared to adults. Our findings provide novel evidence that strengthening of causal signaling hubs and controllability of FEF are key mechanisms underlying age-related improvements in the ability to plan and execute voluntary control over saccades.
Physicochemical characteristics and antimicrobial activity of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil and carvacrol on cariogenic bacteria: an in vitro and in silico study

Abstract Natural antimicrobial products have been historically used for the prevention and control of biofilm-dependent oral diseases. We determined the physicochemical characteristics of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil (OEO) and carvacrol (CAR), and their in vitro antimicrobial activity against cariogenic bacteria. In silico analysis was further carried out to examine the pharmacokinetics of CAR. The antimicrobial activity of OEO and CAR was determined through agar diffusion test, biofilm assays, and the checkboard test. Data were analyzed by Tukey's post hoc test. OEO showed inhibitory activity on bacterial growth, which was enhanced with the addition of CAR and greater than that of CAR alone. In silico analysis indicated good theoretical bioavailability of CAR. CAR showed effective physicochemical characteristics as an antimicrobial drug due to its favorable theoretical absorption and distribution kinetics. Collectively, our findings suggest that OEO and CAR warrant further investigations as promising natural products for controlling cariogenic biofilms. Graphical Abstract
Pan-cancer analysis reveals NUP37 as a prognostic biomarker correlated with the immunosuppressive microenvironment in glioma

Nucleoporin 37 kDa (NUP37), a member of the nucleoporin family, has been reported to regulate the proliferation and apoptosis of several tumor types. However, its role in the tumor immune microenvironment is unclear. Here, we evaluated the expression, methylation, copy number alteration, and prognostic significance of NUP37 using RNA-seq and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We observed higher expression of NUP37 in 28 of 29 tumor types, and high NUP37 expression predicted worse survival status of patients in 15 tumors. Using data from the cBioportal database, we described the gene variation of NUP37 in glioma and pan-cancer. We further assessed the role of NUP37 in the tumor immune microenvironment using immune infiltration data. NUP37 expression was positively associated with the infiltration levels of immunosuppressive cells, such as nTregs, iTregs, and tumor-associated macrophages, and negatively correlated with immune killer cells, such as CD8+ T and NK cells across cancers. Furthermore, NUP37 expression was associated with immune checkpoints and immune regulation-related genes. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of anti-cancer drugs were obtained from the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in the Cancer database. The correlation between half-maximal inhibitory concentration and NUP37 expression was evaluated. The patients with the evaluated expression of NUP37 were resistant to several anti-cancer drugs. These results suggest that NUP37 is a potential oncogene and prognostic biomarker in glioma and pan-cancer. Tumor tissues with high NUP37 expression exist in a relatively immunosuppressive microenvironment and are resistant to several anti-cancer drugs.
Microscopic Analysis of the Chlamydia abortus Inclusion and Its Interaction with Those Formed by Other Chlamydial Species

The Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular pathogens that develop and multiply within a poorly characterized parasitophorous vacuole (the inclusion) during growth. Chlamydia abortus is a major pathogen of sheep and other ruminants, and its inclusion development is poorly characterized. We used immunofluorescence microscopy, quantitative culture, and qPCR to examine C. abortus inclusion development and to examine the interaction of C. abortus inclusions with those formed by other species. ABSTRACT The Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular pathogens that develop and multiply within a poorly characterized parasitophorous vacuole (the inclusion) during growth. Chlamydia abortus is a major pathogen of sheep and other ruminants, and its inclusion development is poorly characterized. We used immunofluorescence microscopy, quantitative culture, and qPCR to examine C. abortus inclusion development and to examine the interaction of C. abortus inclusions with those formed by other species. Antibodies used in these studies include sera from ewes from production facilities that were naturally infected with C. abortus. Multiple inclusions are often found in C. abortus-infected cells, even in populations infected at very low multiplicity of infection. Labeling of fixed cells with sera from infected sheep revealed fibrous structures that extend away from the inclusion into the cytoplasm of the host cell. C. abortus inclusions fused with C. caviae and C. psittaci inclusions in coinfected cells. Inclusions formed by C. abortus and C. caviae did not fuse with inclusions formed by C. trachomatis, C. pneumoniae, or C. pecorum. The ability of inclusions to fuse was correlated with the overall genomic relatedness between species, and with sequence similarity in the inclusion membrane protein IncA. Quantitative PCR data demonstrated that C. abortus grows at a decreased rate during coinfections with C. caviae, while C. caviae growth was unaffected. The collected data add depth to our understanding of inclusion development in this significant zoonotic veterinary pathogen.
Should a prescription database be used to search uncontrolled severe asthmatics?

INTRODUCTION Many uncontrolled severe asthmatics are not on biologic therapy. We hypothesized that using a prescription database could help us identify them. MATERIAL AND METHODS 3,309 patients who received at least one Montelukast prescription in 2019 were extracted from our prescription database. Number of packages/year, types and dosages of ICS, LABA, ICS/LABA, LAMA and monoclonal antibodies were considered for each patient. In our analysis, for subjects that took > 7 packages of ICS/LABA + LTRA +/- LAMA (high adherent) the number of oral corticosteroids (OC) packets prescribed for each of them was also looked upon. RESULTS Patients that took ICS/LABA or ICS/LABA + LAMA continuously with high ICS doses were 188 (25.6%) and 117 (39.3%) respectively (total: 305 - 29.5%). Among them, 58 (30.9%) and 53 (45.3%) (total: 111 - 36.4%) were prescribed more than 2 OC packages. Whereas, 21 (11.2%) and 24 (20.5%) patients (total: 45 - 14.75%) received at least 4 OC package prescriptions. CONCLUSION Approximately 36% of patients in continuous step-4/5 of GINA guidelines treatment may have severe uncontrolled asthma (overusing OC) which needed biologic treatment. In our opinion, a prescription archiving database may be a tool that can help us identify such uncontrolled asthma patients.
Endometrial and luteal responses to a prostaglandin F2alpha pulse: a comparison between heifers and mares

Abstract In heifers and mares, multiple pulses of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF) are generally associated with complete luteal regression. Although PGF pulses occur before and during luteolysis, little is known about the role of minor PGF pulses during preluteolysis on subsequent luteal and endometrial PGF production that may initiate luteolysis. Heifers (n = 7/group) and mares (n = 6/group) were treated with a single minor dose of PGF (3.0 and 0.5 mg, respectively) during mid-luteal phase (12 and 10 days postovulation respectively). After treatment, a transient decrease in progesterone (P4) concentrations occurred in heifers between Hours 0 and 2 but at Hour 4 P4 was not different from pretreatment. In mares, P4 was unaltered between Hours 0 and 4. Concentrations of P4 decreased in both species by Hour 24 and complete luteolysis occurred in mares by Hour 48. Luteal and endometrial gene expression were evaluated 4 h posttreatment. In heifers, luteal mRNA abundance of PGF receptor and PGF dehydrogenase was decreased, while PTGS2, PGF transporter, and oxytocin receptor were increased. In the heifer endometrium, receptors for oxytocin, P4, and estradiol were upregulated. In mares, luteal expression of PGF receptor was decreased, while PGF transporter and oxytocin receptor were increased. The decrease in P4 between Hours 4 and 24 and changes in gene expression were consistent with upregulation of endogenous synthesis of PGF. The hypotheses were supported that a single minor PGF treatment upregulates endogenous machinery for PGF synthesis in heifers and mares stimulating endogenous PGF synthesis through distinct regulatory mechanisms in heifers and mares. Summary Sentence A minor PGF pulse causes a transient decrease in P4 in heifers but not in mares and upregulates endogenous machinery for PGF synthesis in both species through distinct endometrial, luteal, and hormonal responses to PGF. Graphical Abstract
Understanding why consumers in China switch between wild, farmed, and synthetic bear bile products

An important rationale for legally farmed and synthetic wildlife products is that they reduce illegal, wild‐sourced trade by supplying markets with sustainable alternatives. For this to work, more established illegal‐product consumers must switch to legal alternatives than new legal‐product consumers switch to illegal wild products. Despite the widespread debate on the magnitude and direction of switching, studies among actual consumers are lacking. We used an anonymous online survey of 1421 traditional Chinese medicine consumers in China to investigate switching among legal farmed, synthetic, and illegal wild bear bile. We examined the past consumption behavior, applied a discrete choice experiment framed within worsening hypothetical disease scenarios, and used latent class models to investigate groups with shared preferences. Bear bile consumers (86% respondents) were wealthier, more likely to have family who consumed bile, and less knowledgeable about bile treatments than nonconsumers. Consumer preferences were heterogenous, but most consumer preferences switched between bile types as disease worsened. We identified five distinct latent classes within our sample: law‐abiding consumers (34% respondents), who prefer legal products and were unlikely to switch; two all‐natural consumer groups (53%), who dislike synthetics but may switch between farmed and wild; and two nonconsumer groups (12%), who prefer not to buy bile. People with past experience of bile consumption had different preferences than those without. Willingness to switch to wild products was related to believing they were legal, although the likelihood of switching was mediated by preferences for cheaper products sold in legal, familiar places. We found that consumers of wild bile may switch to legal alternatives, given the availability of a range of products, whereas legal‐product consumers may switch to illegal products if the barriers to doing so are small. Understanding preferences that promote or impede switching should be a key consideration when attempting to predict consumer behavior in complex wildlife markets.
Species-dependent hepatic and intestinal metabolism of selective oestrogen receptor degrader LSZ102 by sulphation and glucuronidation

Abstract LSZ102 is an orally bioavailable selective oestrogen receptor degrader in clinical development for the treatment of breast cancer. Preclinical studies showed efficacy in xenograft models on oral dosing. However, oral bioavailability was relatively low in several preclinical species (7–33%), and was associated with first-pass metabolism, particularly intestinal first-pass. To investigate metabolism and first-pass effects, metabolites were analysed in human plasma samples after oral dosing of LSZ102 to patients, rat plasma samples after oral dosing of [14C]LSZ102, and in vitro incubations of [14C]LSZ102 with human and rat hepatocytes and intestinal S9 fractions. The kinetics of human sulfotransferase (SULT) enzymes potentially involved in metabolism of LSZ102 was characterised. Sulphate metabolites were found to be the major components in human plasma, as well as in human hepatocytes and intestinal S9 fractions. Contrastingly, glucuronidation was predominant in rat plasma, hepatocytes and intestinal S9. LSZ102 was found to be metabolised by several human SULTs expressed in liver and intestine. The combined metabolism data in rat and human provide supporting evidence for an extensive intestinal first-pass metabolism effect via sulphation in human but glucuronidation in rat. As LSZ102 is metabolised by a number of different SULTs, drug-drug interactions resulting from the inhibition of one SULT are unlikely. Despite the observed species difference in metabolism, the major human metabolites of LSZ102, sulphate M5, glucuronide M4, and secondary glucuronide/sulphate metabolite M12, have no or weak pharmacological activity and are not considered a toxicity risk as they are phase II conjugative metabolites.
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Optimierung des temperaturzyklischen Betriebs von Halbleitergassensoren

Zusammenfassung Wir stellen ein Verfahren zur Optimierung des temperaturzyklischen Betriebs (TCO, temperature cycled operation) im Hinblick auf Sensorsignal, Sensitivität und Selektivität vor. Dieses basiert auf der Grundlage eines Sensormodells unter der Annahme, dass die Leitwertänderung durch die Besetzungsänderung mit ionosorbierten Sauerstoff auf dem Sensor hervorgerufen wird. Das Verfahren wurde mit einem SnO2-Sensor (AS-MLV, ams Sensor Solutions Germany GmbH, Reutlingen) auf einem Membransubstrat getestet, welches aufgrund der geringen thermischen Masse eine schnelle Temperaturänderung zulässt. Das Optimierungsverfahren kann sehr hohe Sensorsignale (GGas/GLuft − 1) erzielen, beispielsweise ein Sensorsignal von ca. 8000 bei 1 ppm ethanolhaltiger synthetischer Luft, die das isotherme Sensorsignal um den Faktor 800 übertrifft. Der Zusammenhang zwischen dem Sensorsignal und der Gaskonzentration kann für die meisten Zeitpunkte im TCO durch eine Potenzfunktion mit Exponenten von 0,5 bis 4 beschrieben werden. Es zeigt sich, dass direkt nach einem Temperaturabfall das Modell so stark vereinfacht werden kann, dass nur noch ein freier Modellparameter bleibt. Die Geschwindigkeit der Relaxation bei reduzierendem Gasangebot kann durch Ratenkonstanten beschrieben werden, die in guter Näherung proportional zur Gaskonzentration sind. Die Temperaturcharakteristik der Ratenkonstanten variiert für verschiedene Gase unabhängig von der Konzentration. Daher kann auch die Selektivität optimiert werden, wie am Beispiel von ethanol- und benzolhaltiger synthetischer Luft gezeigt wird.
Accurate Neurosurgery for the Establishment of the Electric Kindling Model of Epilepsy in Mice

Abstract This article describes in detail the essential stereotaxic neurosurgery to develop the electric experimental kindling model in mice. To date, available literature describing the methodology of the kindling model is very poor and usually neglects many relevant details about the neurosurgery, such as the manufacture of the electrodes, accurate stereotaxic coordinates of the amygdala nuclei, and the general surgery procedures (e.g., anesthesia, postsurgical recovery, fit survival of the animal’s). The electric kindling model produces a progressive development of generalized tonic-clonic seizures, which can be assessed by electroencephalography and behavioral responses. The seizures displayed are produced by a repeated low-intensity electrical stimulation in specific regions of the brain that is achieved through the previous implantation of electrodes. In this study, the aim was to implant the electrodes in basolateral amygdaloid nucleus (BLA). In order to successfully establish the kindling experimental model, neurosurgery to place the electrodes is an essential step to develop the epileptogenic phenomenon. It crucial that the surgery is carried out with exceptional exactitude, because in that way the experimental model represents an accurate and valid tool to study and understand epilepsy and the results obtained can be used to develop further strategies in epilepsy clinical research.
Applied Bioinformatics and Public Health Microbiology: challenges, discoveries and innovations during a pandemic

The eighth Applied Bioinformatics and Public Health Microbiology (ABPHM) conference showcased the recent acceleration of bioinformatic approaches used in public health settings. This included approaches for the surveillance of infectious diseases, understanding microbial evolution and diversity and pathogen interactions. Overall, the meeting highlighted the importance of data-driven approaches used by scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reliability and validity of modified Four Square Step Test (mFSST) performance in individuals with Parkinson’s disease

ABSTRACT Background Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex disorder marked with non-motor and motor impairments, including gait abnormalities and postural instability. As a result of balance dysfunction and postural instability, falls and injuries are common composite impairments of PD. The modified Four Square Step Test (mFSST) replaces the canes utilized in the traditional Four Square Step Test (FSST) with tape to evaluate dynamic standing balance while stepping in multiple directions. Purpose Determine the reliability and validity of the mFSST in individuals with PD. Methods Twenty-seven participants diagnosed with PD on medication H&Y I–III, mean age 73.07 ± 6.4, completed the FSST and mFSST. Participants performed both assessments two times using the fastest time for interrater reliability and concurrent validity. To determine the test–retest reliability, participants performed the mFSST again 20–60 min following initial assessment. Results The interrater and test–retest reliability was excellent (r = 0.916–0.999, ICC2,2 = 0.96–0.99). The mFSST and FSST were highly correlated for concurrent validity (r = 0.823, p < .01). Conclusion The mFSST demonstrates excellent reliability and validity while assessing dynamic standing balance in individuals with PD. The mFSST can be completed while requiring little equipment, space, and time in multiple rehabilitation settings.