Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro genome editing activity of Cas9 in somatic cells after random and transposon-based genomic Cas9 integration

Due to its close resemblance, the domesticated pig has proven to be a diverse animal model for biomedical research and genome editing tools have contributed to developing porcine models for several human diseases. By employing the CRISPR-Cas9 system, porcine embryos or somatic cells can be genetically modified to generate the desired genotype. However, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) of modified somatic cells and embryo manipulation are challenging, especially if the desired genotype is detrimental to the embryo. Direct in vivo edits may facilitate the production of genetically engineered pigs by integrating Cas9 into the porcine genome. Cas9 expressing cells were generated by either random integration or transposon-based integration of Cas9 and used as donor cells in SCNT. In total, 15 animals were generated that carried a transposon-based Cas9 integration and two pigs a randomly integrated Cas9. Cas9 expression was confirmed in muscle, tonsil, spleen, kidney, lymph nodes, oral mucosa, and liver in two boars. Overall, Cas9 expression was higher for transposon-based integration, except in tonsils and liver. To verify Cas9 activity, fibroblasts were subjected to in vitro genome editing. Isolated fibroblasts were transfected with guide RNAs (gRNA) targeting different genes (GGTA1, B4GALNT2, B2M) relevant to xenotransplantation. Next generation sequencing revealed that the editing efficiencies varied (2–60%) between the different target genes. These results show that the integrated Cas9 remained functional, and that Cas9 expressing pigs may be used to induce desired genomic modifications to model human diseases or further evaluate in vivo gene therapy approaches.
Physiological adaptations and myocellular stress in short-term, high-frequency blood flow restriction training: A scoping review

Background High frequency (1–2 times per day) low-intensity blood flow restriction (BFR) training has been recommended as a prescription approach for short durations of time to maximize relevant physiological adaptations. However, some studies demonstrate negative physiological changes after short periods of high-frequency BFR training, including prolonged strength decline and muscle fiber atrophy. Objectives To provide a comprehensive overview of short-term, high-frequency blood flow restriction training, including main adaptations, myocellular stress, limitations in the literature, and future perspectives. Methods A systematic search of electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed®, and Web of Science) was performed from the earliest record to April 23, 2022. Two independent reviewers selected experimental studies that analyzed physical training protocols (aerobic or resistance) of high weekly frequency (>4 days/week) and short durations (≤3 weeks). Results In total, 22 studies were included in this review. The samples were composed exclusively of young predominantly male individuals. Muscle strength and hypertrophy were the main outcomes analyzed in the studies. In general, studies have demonstrated increases in strength and muscle size after short term (1–3 weeks), high-frequency low-intensity BFR training, non-failure, but not after control conditions (non-BFR; equalized training volume). Under failure conditions, some studies have demonstrated strength decline and muscle fiber atrophy after BFR conditions, accompanying increases in muscle damage markers. Significant limitations exist in the current HF-BFR literature due to large heterogeneities in methodologies. Conclusion The synthesis presented indicates that short-term, high-frequency BFR training programs can generate significant neuromuscular adaptations. However, in resistance training to failure, strength declines and muscle fiber atrophy were reported. Currently, there are no studies analyzing low-frequency vs. high-frequency in short-term BFR training. Comparisons between resistance exercises of similar intensities (e.g., combined effort) are lacking, limiting conclusions on whether the effect is a product of proximity to failure or a specific effect of BFR.
Breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy among mothers with infant and young child in rural Ethiopia

Background Breastfeeding has several benefits for both mothers and their children. Despite strong evidence in support of the practice, its prevalence has remained low worldwide, particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy among mothers with index infants and young children in the rural community of Southwest Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2022 as baseline data for a cluster of randomized control trials. Multistage sample techniques followed by systematic random sampling techniques were employed. The Chi-square and Fisher’s exact probability tests were used to assess the baseline differences in the socio-demographic characteristics of the two groups. An independent sample t-test was used to determine the mean differences. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association. All tests were two-tailed, and a statistically significant association was declared at a p-value ≤ 0.05. Results A total of 516 mothers (258 from the intervention and 258 from the control group) were interviewed. A total of 516 mothers (258 from the intervention group and 258 from the control group) were interviewed. Except for the child’s sex and age, no significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups in terms of socio-demographic variables (p > 0.05). Independent t-tests found no significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05) in terms of the mean score of maternal breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy at baseline. After adjusting for other covariates, maternal age (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 0.69, 3.07), educational status (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 0.56,2.33), occupation (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI, 1.04, 3.69), ANC (antenatal care) (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI, 1.11, 4.09), received breastfeeding information (AOR = 1.69, 95% CI, 1.33, 5.04), postnatal care (PNC) (AOR = 3.85, 95% CI, 2.01, 5.77) and parity (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI, 1.08, 4.19) were significantly associated high level breastfeeding knowledge. The positive attitude was associated with maternal age (AOR = 2.41, 95% CI, 1.18, 5.67), education status (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI, 0.99,4.03), ANC (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI, 1.44,5.13), last child breastfeeding history (AOR = 1.77, 95% CI, 1.21,4.88) and high level of breastfeeding knowledge (AOR = 2.02, 95% CI, 1.56,4.04). Finally, high breastfeeding self-efficacy was associated with ANC (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.04,3.83), parity (AOR = 4.05, 95% CI, 1.49, 5.03) and high knowledge level (AOR = 1.69, 95% CI, 0.89,2.85). Conclusions The study concluded that mothers in both the intervention and control groups have a low level of breastfeeding knowledge, a neutral attitude, and medium self-efficacy. Therefore, nutrition education interventions using tailored messages appropriate to the sociocultural context in the rural setting should be developed and evaluated continuously.
Reply to Oppersma et al.

1. Marrazzo F, Spina S, Forlini C, Guarnieri M, Giudici R, Bassi G, et al. Effects of trunk inclination on respiratory mechanics in patients with COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome: let’s always report the angle! [letter] Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2022; 205:582–584. 2. de Ryk J, Thiesse J, Namati E, McLennan G. Stress distribution in a three dimensional, geometric alveolar sac under normal and emphysematous conditions. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2007;2:81–91. 3. Lee HJ, Lee HJ, Lee JS, Kang YN, Koo JC. A built-up-type deformable phantom for target motion control to mimic human lung respiration. Rev Sci Instrum 2020;91:054106. 4. Samimian S, Ashrafi S, Khaleghdoost Mohammadi T, Yeganeh MR, Ashraf A, Hakimi H, et al. The correlation between head of bed angle and intra-abdominal pressure of intubated patients; a pre-post clinical trial. Arch Acad Emerg Med 2021;9:e23.
Forecasting and change point test for nonlinear heteroscedastic time series based on support vector regression

SVR-ARMA-GARCH models provide flexible model fitting and good predictive powers for nonlinear heteroscedastic time series datasets. In this study, we explore the change point detection problem in the SVR-ARMA-GARCH model using the residual-based CUSUM test. For this task, we propose an alternating recursive estimation (ARE) method to improve the estimation accuracy of residuals. Moreover, we suggest using a new testing method with a time-varying control limit that significantly improves the detection power of the CUSUM test. Our numerical analysis exhibits the merits of the proposed methods in SVR-ARMA-GARCH models. A real data example is also conducted using BDI data for illustration, which also confirms the validity of our methods.
Linear Statistical Inference for Random Fuzzy Data

The paper presents first steps towards linear statistical inference with random fuzzy data. In establishing best linear unbiased estimators (BLUE) or best linear predictors (BLP) it is necessary to consider a suitable notion of expectation and variance for random fuzzy variables. Using x-cuts of the random fuzzy variables, the mathematical problem can be formulated within the theory of random closed sets (RCS). As a methodological guide we use the Frechet-approach which leads for a given metric to an associated expectation and variance. In particular, we prove that the well known Aumann expectation is a Frechet expectation and that the associated variance appears as a reasonable definition for a variance of RCS's. This associated variance has the advantage that at least special fuzzy number data can formally be handled like Euclidean vectors. Due to the special addition and scalar multiplication these “vectors”, however, fail to build a linear space which leads to somewhat more complicated optimization pr.
Length-based assessment of five small pelagic fishes in the Senegalese artisanal fisheries

Fisheries management is an important strategy for ensuring sustainable use of resources. However, in West Africa, in the absence of quality data for many stocks and effective stock assessment models, the cases where this has been truly successful are notable for their rarity. In West Africa, small pelagic fish are of great socio-economic importance, as well as good indicators of fish stressors. Here, historical data (2004–2019) of five small pelagic species (Sardina pilchardus, Ethmalosa fimbriata, Trachurus trecae, Scomber colias and Mugil cephalus) were collected in Senegalese waters. The B/BMSY results showed stocks to be collapsed (B/BMSY = 0.13 and 0.1 for M. cephalus and S. pilchardus, respectively) and heavily overfished (B/BMSY = 0.24; E. fimbriata). Only S. colias and T. trecae stock were considered to be in good condition (B/BMSY = 1.7 and 1.4 respectively). The Lc/Lc_opt ratio was ≤ 1 for E. fimbriata and M. cephalus, suggesting that the individuals caught for these species were too small. To reverse these bad stock statuses, catching individuals at Lc_opt, 25, 21, 43 and 18 cm for S. colias, E. fimbriata, M. cephalus and S. pilchardus, respectively should be a natural guarantee against recruitment failure and allow individuals to ensure the long-term survival of populations, in a context of data poor fisheries. In conclusion, this study shows that, despite limitations, the LBB model can provides indicators of stock status for species to encourage management measures, especially in data poor countries. It is hoped that these results can help to better assess many stocks currently considered too data poor to be assessed or at least encourage data collection effort on stocks discerned as in bad or critical status.
Maturity of Operational Numerical Weather Prediction: Medium Range

Abstract In 1939 Rossby demonstrated the usefulness of the linearized perturbation of the equations of motion for weather prediction and thus made possible the first successful numerical forecasts of the weather by Charney et al. In 1951 Charney wrote a paper on the science of numerical weather prediction (NWP), where he predicted with remarkable vision how NWP would evolve until the present. In the 1960's Lorenz discovered that the chaotic nature of the atmosphere imposes a finite limit of about two weeks to weather predictability. At that time this fundamental discovery was “only of academic interest” and not really relevant to operational weather forecasting, since at that time the accuracy of even a 2-day forecast was rather poor. Since then, however, computer-based forecasts have improved so much that Lorenz's limit of predictability is starting to become attainable in practice, especially with ensemble forecasting, and the predictabilty of longer-lasting phenomena such as El Nino is beginning to be .
Influence of Environmental Humidity on Tropical Cyclone Size

Abstract Observations demonstrate that the radius of maximum winds in tropical cyclones (TCs) can vary by an order of magnitude; similar size differences are evident in other spatial measures of the wind field as well as in cloud and precipitation fields. Many TC impacts are related to storm size, yet the physical mechanisms that determine TC size are not well understood and have received limited research attention. Presented here is a hypothesis suggesting that one factor controlling TC size is the environmental relative humidity, to which the intensity and coverage of precipitation occurring outside the TC core is strongly sensitive. From a potential vorticity (PV) perspective, the lateral extent of the TC wind field is linked to the size and strength of the associated cyclonic PV anomalies. Latent heat release in outer rainbands can result in the diabatic lateral expansion of the cyclonic PV distribution and balanced wind field. Results of idealized numerical experiments are consistent with the hypothe.
Corticospinal Excitability During a Perspective-Taking Task : Implications for Self Vs. Other Processing

Only by understanding the uniquely human ability to take a firstsecondand third-person perspective, can we begin to elucidate the neural processes responsible for one’s inimitable conscious experience. The current study examined differences in hemispheric laterality during a first-person perspective (1PP) and third-person perspective (3PP) taking task, using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Subjects were asked to take either the 1PP or 3PP in identifying the number of spheres in a virtual scene. During this task, single­ pulse TMS was delivered to the motor cortex of both the left and right hemispheres of 10 healthy volunteers. Measures of TMS-induced motor-evoked potentials (MEP’s) of the contralateral abductor pollicus brevis (APB) were used as an indicator of lateralized cortical activation. The data suggest that the right hemisphere is an integral component for discriminating between 1PP and 3PP and that the link between the primaryrepresentational “self” (1PP) and the metarepresentational state of 3PP may lie within the LH. Corticospinal Excitability and Taking Perspectives 2 MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY CORTICOSPINAL EXCITABILITY DURING A PERSPECTIVE-TAKING TASK: IMPLICATIONS FOR SELF VS. OTHER PROCESSING by Elizabeth M. Murray A Master’s Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Montclair State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts May 2007 School fç )' S> S________________ Thesis Committee:
Textural Characteristics of Oyster Mushroom–Soy Protein Extrudates and Master Curve of Specific Mechanical Energy

: The effects of screw speed and oyster mushroom (OM) addition on the texture characteristics (hardness, gumminess, and chewiness) and specific mechanical energy (SME) were determined via factorial experiment design. Increasing screw speeds alone exhibited an insignificant effect ( p > 0.05) compared to the effect exhibited by OM addition. The combined effects of screw speed and OM addition significantly reduced ( p ≤ 0.05) all the texture characteristics. The hardness (3521.35 g) and gumminess (2717.85) of the meat analogue extruded at the maximum screw speed of 160 rpm and 15% OM addition were close to the characteristics of the chicken breast, respectively. The OM–soy protein (SP) extrudates were chewier than the non-hydrated texturised vegetable protein (TVP) and chicken meat. The SME values of the single-screw extrusion were linearly affected by the increasing screw speed, which also lies in the range < 200 kJ/kg for producing meat analogues with acceptable characteristics. Applying the superposition technique has successfully shifted the individual curves of the SME into a smooth master curve horizontally, allowing an interpolating in the prediction of SME value at a given screw speed value. An adequate low-grade OM content and extrusion screw speed value in the SP-based meat imitation provide hardness and gumminess that resembles the chicken breast. A prediction value on the specific mechanical energy of the SP-based meat analogue extrusion may be interpolated by a given screw speed value by using an established master curve.
An Isolated Circular Synthetic Jet in Cross-Flow at Low Momentum-Flux Ratio

A joint experimental and computational investigation was carried out for a round synthetic jet issuing normal to a turbulent boundary layer at a momentum-flux ratio of one. Distributions of velocity and turbulence intensity were measured by hot-wire anemometry. Numerical results were obtained using unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) computations. Time and phase-averaged flow properties were compared on the cross sectional plane at x/D = 0.53, 5 and 10 as well as on the axial plane of symmetry. Overall, the numerical results agreed well with the experimental data. CFD predicted a somewhat larger velocity deficit in regions of low-momentum fluid pulled up from the boundary layer. Phase- averaged velocity contours at the plane of symmetry indicated good match between experiments and CFD regarding the size and the position of the periodic flow structure. However, some differences occurred in details such as the shape and inclination of the low- speed flow structure.
On-ground investigation of space accelerometers noise with an electrostatic torsion pendulum

A torsion pendulum has been used to measure very weak forces that limit the resolution of highly sensitive space accelerometers. A new method is described to measure damping with a feedback loop. The main results are (i) an upper limit to time evolution of contact potential differences inside electrostatic space accelerometers, (ii) the stiffness and damping from a very thin conducting wire, and (iii) an additional damping from unknown source. Consequences for space accelerometers design are derived.
MWC 349 : a bipolar nebula with a very hot central star.

New high-resolution VLA observations of MWC 349 at 2 cm reveal it to be an axisymmetric object split by a dark lane about 0.1 arcsec wide. The radio morphology can be explained by a model in which the density of the wind from the central star is large in the equatorial plane but decreases toward the poles of the system; such a model was suggested by Morris (1981) to explain the optical appearance of bipolar nebulae. Observations of this peculiar object from radio to optical wavelengths are consistent with the interpretation that MWC 349 is an edge-on bipolar nebula with a very hot central star. Dust forms in the wind only in the equatorial plane, where it is shielded from the star's ionizing radiation. Study of MWC 349 should help elucidate the mechanisms for formation and destruction of dust under extreme conditions. 48 references.
Monte-Carlo simulations of strongly interacting dipolar fluids between two conducting walls

We report Monte-Carlo simulation results for a strongly interacting dipolar soft sphere (DSS) fluid confined between two conducting, planar walls. The long-range dipolar interactions, including contributions from the “image dipoles” in the metal, are handled by mapping onto a problem with three-dimensional (3d) periodicity which can be treated by conventional Ewald summation methods. Considering two different wall separations our results indicate the occurence of wall-induced local and long-range ordering very similar to the related case of insulating walls. To understand this behavior we present ground-state (lattice) calculations on the basis of the Ewald sums, as well as simple macroscopic arguments appropriate for dipolar systems between conducting walls.
Experimental and numerical investigation of flow forces in a seat valve using a damping sleeve with orifices

The power of hydraulic piston engines is much affected by the on-off valves which control the fuel injection of the piston assembly. Therefore, the opening time of the seat valve used as the on-off valve is optimized by minimizing the axial flow forces on the spool. A damping sleeve with orifices is proposed to change the valve internal geometry. Experimental and numerical investigations of the flow forces acting on the spool with and without the proposed damping sleeve are carried out to identify the differences in the flow field and to minimize the forces’ effect. The simulated results fit the experimental results well. Both results show that the proposed damping sleeve affects the pressure distribution along the spool cone surface and the jet stream direction significantly. The effects of the orifice’s width, height, and relative sleeve installation positions on the flow field and cavitation are assessed using simulation methods. As a result of the flow field changing, the damping sleeve can reduce the flow forces significantly and even reverse the forces’ direction at the cost of a little flow loss. The opening time of the seat valve can be reduced by 31% to 0.67 ms by using the proposed damping sleeve.
MERLIN observations of bipolar outflow from HM Sagittae

We observed HM Sagittae with the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN*) at 6 cm and 18cm. We find non-thermal bipolar outflow in the east-west direction, associated with optical emission lines, and thermal ridges to the north and south associated with the UV nebulosity detected by the HST.
Systematic properties of compact groups of galaxies.

One hundred compact groups of galaxies have been identified by a systematic search of the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey red prints. Each group contains four or more galaxies within a 3 mag range, has an estimated mean surface brightness brighter than 26.0 mag arcsec/sup -1/, and satisfies an isolation criterion. An analysis of estimated galaxy magnitudes, morphology, and group angular size indicates: (1) There is no correlation between group density and magnitude difference between the first and second-ranked galaxies, and no preferred morphological type for the first-ranked galaxies, many of which are spiral. (2) The groups contain fewer spirals than a comparable sample of field galaxies. The spiral fraction decreases from 60% in the least compact groups which do not. (3) There appears to be a deficiency of faint galaxies in comparison with rich cluster and field galaxies. This apparent deficiency is more severe in groups with elliptical first-ranked galaxies. Possible implications of these results for dynamical evolution are considered.