Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cellular and mitochondrial taurine depletion in bile duct ligated rats: a justification for taurine supplementation in cholestasis/cirrhosis

Taurine (TAU) is a free amino acid abundant in the human body. Various physiological roles have been attributed to TAU. At the subcellular level, mitochondria are the primary targets for TAU function. Meanwhile, it has been found that TAU depletion is associated with severe pathologies. Cholestasis is a severe clinical complication that can progress to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatic failure. Bile duct ligation (BDL) is a reliable model for assessing cholestasis/cirrhosis and related complications. The current study was designed to investigate the effects of cholestasis/cirrhosis on tissue and mitochondrial TAU reservoirs. Cholestatic rats were monitored (14 and 42 days after BDL surgery), and TAU levels were assessed in various tissues and isolated mitochondria. There was a significant decrease in TAU in the brain, heart, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, intestine, lung, testis, and ovary of the BDL animals (14 and 42 days after surgery). Mitochondrial levels of TAU were also significantly depleted in BDL animals. Tissue and mitochondrial TAU levels in cirrhotic animals (42 days after the BDL operation) were substantially lower than those in the cholestatic rats (14 days after BDL surgery). These data indicate an essential role for tissue and mitochondrial TAU in preventing organ injury induced by cholestasis/cirrhosis and could justify TAU supplementation for therapeutic purposes.
The Importance of Spin for Observing Gravitational Waves from Coalescing Compact Binaries with LIGO and Virgo

General Relativity predicts the existence of gravitational waves, which carry information about the physical and dynamical properties of their source. One of the many promising sources of gravitational waves observable by ground-based instruments, such as in LIGO and Virgo, is the coalescence of two compact objects (neutron star or black hole). Black holes and neutron stars sometimes form binaries with short orbital periods, radiating so strongly in gravitational waves that they coalesce on astrophysically short timescales. General Relativity gives precise predictions for the form of the signal emitted by these systems. The most recent searches for theses events used waveform models that neglected the effects of black hole and neutron star spin. However, real astrophysical compact objects, especially black holes, are expected to have large spins. We demonstrate here a data analysis infrastructure which achieves an improved sensitivity to spinning compact binaries by the inclusion of spin effects in the template waveforms. This infrastructure is designed for scalable, low-latency data analysis, ideal for rapid electromagnetic followup of gravitational wave events.
Research advances in airway remodeling in asthma: a narrative review

Background and Objective Asthma is a common chronic disorder of the airway, and its disability and mortality rates continue to increase each year. Due to the lack of an ideal treatment, asthma control in China remains unsatisfactory. Airway remodeling is the pathological basis for the eventual development of the fixed airflow limitation in asthmatic patients. Early diagnosis and the prevention of airway remodeling has the potential to decrease disease severity, to improve control, and to prevent disease expression. Methods This article presents an overview. The literature was combed through via CNKi and PubMed according to the listed keywords. We considered Chinese and English original publications (basic science and clinical), reviews and abstracts of 21th Century. Key Content and Findings We review the pathological features and pathogenesis of, and the interventional treatment options for airway remodeling in asthmatic patients, emphasizing the importance of airway remodeling in asthma and providing novel insights into the prevention and control of asthma. Conclusions Thus, there have been research advances in airway remodeling, especially in the areas of slowing down or reversing airway remodeling. As growing studies showed, treating airway remodeling is a promising strategy in preventing the occurrence and progression of asthma. Breakthroughs in these difficulties airway remodeling still facing will open up new avenues in the research and treatment of asthma.
Temporal refuges of a subordinate carnivore vary across rural–urban gradient

Abstract Animals exhibit variation in their space and time use across an urban–rural gradient. As the top‐down influences of apex predators wane due to human‐driven declines, landscape‐level anthropogenic pressures are rising. Human impacts can be analogous to apex predators in that humans can drive increased mortality in both prey species and carnivores, and impact communities through indirect fear effects and food subsidies. Here, we evaluate the time use of a common mesocarnivore across an urban–rural gradient and test whether it is influenced by the intensity of the use of a larger carnivore. Using multiple camera‐trap surveys, we compared the temporal response of a small carnivore, the raccoon (Procyon lotor), to the larger coyote (Canis latrans) in four study areas across Michigan that represented a gradient of pressure from humans. We found that raccoon time use varied by study area and was most unique at the rural extreme. Raccoons consistently did not shift their activity pattern in response to coyotes in the study area with the highest anthropogenic pressures despite the considerable interannual variation, and instead showed stronger responses to coyotes in more rural study areas. Temporal shifts were characterized by raccoons being more diurnal in areas of high coyote activity. We conclude that raccoons may shift time use in the presence of coyotes, dependent on the level of anthropogenic pressure. Our results highlight that the variation in raccoon time use across the entirety of the urban–rural gradient needed to be considered, as anthropogenic pressures may dominate and obscure the dynamics of this interaction.
Novel pathogenic variant combination in LPL causing familial chylomicronemia syndrome in an Asian family and experimental validation in vitro: a case report

Background Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, typically caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene. Lipoprotein lipase, encoded by the LPL gene, catalyzes the hydrolysis of triglycerides, and its deficiency or dysfunction can lead to chylomicronemia and potentially fatal recurrent acute pancreatitis. Case Description Here, we report an Asian child with FCS due to compound heterozygous LPL variants. The 4-year-old patient presented with splenomegaly and severe hypertriglyceridemia, specifically chylomicronemia which resulted in abnormal coagulation measured by a turbidity-based assay. Based on the clinical features and family history, the diagnosis of FCS was suspected, and confirmed by the identification of compound heterozygous variants in the LPL gene (c.461A>G; p.His154Arg and c.788T>A; p.Leu263Gln) in the patient, inheriting one from each parent. According to the clinical and genetic findings, the patient was diagnosed with FCS. In vitro experimental validation found that the LPL p.H154R variant reduced the expression of lipoprotein lipase and decreased its lipolytic activity, while the LPL p.L263Q variant mainly impaired its lipolytic activity. Conclusions FCS was molecularly diagnosed using whole exome sequencing in the case presented. When interpreting abnormal coagulation profiles measured by turbidity-based assay, the possibility of lipemic blood (or chylomicronemia) should be considered and the presence of this phenomenon might indicate the diagnosis of FCS. In vitro experiments showed that the two LPL variants impaired lipoprotein lipase expression and/or function making them likely to be pathogenic.
Highway Traffic Flow Prediction Algorithm Based on Multiscale Transformation and Convolutional Networks

In order to solve the problem that the traditional long-term high-speed traffic forecasting algorithm is affected by the approximation ability of the function and easy to fall into the local mass value, we wrote a multivariate-based highway traffic forecasting algorithm scaling and convolutional networks. Because the feedforward wavelet neural network algorithm predicts the short-term traffic flow in different areas, it is necessary to examine the ability to predict the difference between different models. From the standard feedforward wavelet neural network algorithm using global optimization capabilities, we improve the wolf pack algorithm, improve the search accuracy of the algorithm, get the best solution of the estimated value of the work according to the search results when completing the research objectives, and get the ability to predict the work of the model. Feedforward neural network algorithm: we develop and obtain the best short-term high-speed traffic forecast values. The results are as follows: after using the author’s algorithm, the processing time increases by 1.5 seconds, but the average percentage of errors decreases by more than 50%, in fact the error and the root mean square error decreased by about 30%, and the smoothing coefficient increased by about 1%. The prediction of the author’s algorithm for short-term high-speed traffic is better than the wavelet neural network prediction algorithm, and the prediction accuracy and stability of the author’s algorithm are higher.
Current fluctuations in a dissipative environment

We have recently developed methods for calculating the statistics of a single counted quantity in a stochastic transport process described by a non‐Markovian generalized master equation. Here, we expand on these ideas and extend our formalism to several counted quantities, allowing us to study cross‐correlations between different variables. As an illustrative example, we consider charge transport through a double quantum dot capacitively coupled to a quantum point contact. We calculate the cross‐correlations between the current through the double quantum dot and the current through the quantum point contact, and demonstrate the sensitivity of this cross‐correlator to measurement quantum back‐action.
Scalable Manufacturing Process and Multifunctional Performance of Cotton Fibre-Reinforced Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA) Bio-Composites Coated by Graphene Oxide

Natural fibre biopolymer composites with both fibres and matrix being derived from biomaterials are increasingly used in demanding applications, such as sensing, packaging, building, and transport, and require good electrical, thermal, and flame retardant properties. Herein, an investigation of the effectiveness of functionalising nonwoven cotton/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibre mats with graphene oxide nanosheets has been reported by using a facile dip-coating method followed by thermal reduction for enhancing the electric, thermal, and abrasion-resistance properties. The manufacturing processes for preparing biocomposites and introducing functionality are readily scalable. Experimental results reveal that with the addition of less than 0.5 wt% graphene nanoplatelets, the biocomposites showed significant improvements in abrasion resistance, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and diffusivity. Furthermore, the composite shows excellent piezo-resistivity to act as strain sensors with a gauge factor of 2.59 at strains up to 1%.
Radioactivity observed in scintillation counters during the HEAO‐1 mission

The UCSD/MIT Hard X‐ray and Low‐Energy Gamma‐Ray Experiment (A4) was carried on the HEAO‐1 satellite to perform a survey of the sky at energies between 10 keV and 10 MeV. Observation of radiation from cosmic sources in this energy range has been difficult because of high internal background counting rates from radioactivity induced in the material of the detectors. The activation is caused by ambient charged particles and neutrons, and leads to complex, time‐variable energy loss spectra. We report here on the results of an extensive analysis of the radioactivity induced in the NaI Medium Energy Detectors of this experiment during the 500‐day HEAO‐1 mission. These 7.5 cm dia by 2.5 cm thick crystals operated from 40 keV to 2 MeV. Various radioactive nuclides were identified through their observed spectra and decay times. The incident charged particle flux was monitored with three NE 102 plastic scintillators. Model activities at a variety of expected half‐lives were calculated from this charged particle in.
VIPERS: An Unprecedented View of Galaxies and Large-Scale Structure Halfway Back in the Life of the Universe

The VIMOS Public Extragalactic Redshift Survey (VIPERS) is an ongoing ESO Large Programme to map in detail the large-scale distribution of galaxies at 0.5 < z <1.2. With a combination of volume and sampling density that is unique for these redshifts, it focuses on measuring galaxy clustering and related cosmological quantities as part of the grand challenge of understanding the origin of cosmic acceleration. VIPERS has also been designed to guarantee a broader legacy, allowing detailed investigations of the properties and evolutionary trends of z~1 galaxies. The survey strategy exploits the specific advantages of the VIMOS spectrograph at the VLT, aiming at a final sample of nearly 100,000 galaxy redshifts to iAB = 22.5 mag, which represents the largest redshift survey ever performed with ESO telescopes. In this introductory article we describe the survey construction, together with early results based on a first sample of ~55,000 galaxies.
Innermost structure and near-infrared radiation of dusty clumpy tori in active galactic nuclei

The dusty clumpy torus surrounds the central black hole (BH) and the accretion disk in active galactic nuclei, and governs the growth of super-massive BHs via gas fueling towards the central engine. Near-infrared (NIR) monitoring observations have revealed that the torus inner radius is determined by the dust sublimation process. However, the observed radii are systematically smaller than the theoretical predictions by a factor of three. We take into account the anisotropic illumination by the central accretion disk to the torus, and calculate the innermost structure of the torus and the NIR time variablity. We then show that the anisotropy naturally solves the systematic descrepancy and that the viewing angle is the primary source to produce an object-to-object scatter of the NIR time delay. Dynamics of clumps at the innermost region of the torus will be unveiled via future high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy (e.g., Astro-H).
Investigating the impact of adopting Python and C languages for introductory engineering programming courses

Programming is one of the most fundamental initial skills for engineering students. Institutions that offer engineering courses have the challenge of deciding how to deliver this subject since it requires unique thinking from students. This paper addresses the impact of adopting C and Python programming languages in introductory programming courses for engineering students. A case study was conducted in the university's introductory programming course, analyzing student data. This approach divides the students into two groups according to the programming language: C and Python. Data were gathered and analyzed about their learning experiences through questionnaires, assignment scores, and students' questions posted in the class online forums. The experiment was repeated in two consecutive semesters. The main results favor Python regarding learning confidence, motivation, and general programming design decisions while favoring C for the easiness of learning data structures. This study may be helpful for institutions considering designing a new introductory programming course or redesigning existing ones.
Organizational Aspects and Practices for Enhancing Organizational Project Management Maturity

An organization’s performance in a project is determined by its ability to implement project management knowledge and practices. This ability reflects the organization’s level of project management maturity (PMM). PMM is premised on the belief that the higher the PMM level, the higher the ability to successfully deliver a project. With this in mind, the current paper aims to determine the type of organizational aspects and practices that could influence the success of PMM implementation in organizations. For this purpose, a systematic literature review (SLR) was performed on 23 articles published between 2011 and 2021 that studied PMM. The findings showed that most articles stressed organizational culture and integration with strategic organizational initiatives. Among all the studied industries, the information technology industry stood out. Content analysis was used for analyzing data, which were thematized using ATLAS.ti. Ten sub-themes emerged, with six sub-themes under organizational aspects and four sub-themes under organizational practices. These sub-themes, which were intertwined with the implementation and growth of PMM in organizations, positively impact project delivery performance. Based on this, several future research opportunities were proposed.
Selected elementary criteria for evaluating propeller-induced surface force excitation

This paper is a review and assessment of existing simple prescriptions that can be used to evaluate hull geometries for limiting problems with propeller-induced hull surface force excitation. A general description is provided for the categories of excitation and of the pertinent propeller-hull-wake parameters that are involved. Available elementary criteria and estimation formulas useful for making preliminary judgments on the acceptability of a given arrangement are discussed in some detail. Critiques of the applicability of these criteria are offered in light of their use with example ships, and their usefulness in implementing early stage design for vibration avoidance.
International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering (IJECE)

Received Aug 24, 2021 Revised May 31, 2022 Accepted Jun 29, 2022 In this article, a frequency reconfigurable honey-bee compact microstrip monopole antenna is proposed which is fed by a microstrip line (50 Ω) having the capability of providing dual-band as well as triple-band operation in eight distinct modes. By embedding three PIN diodes overs the honey bee arms, the effective current distribution is controlled hence resonant frequency is also changed in eight distinct modes in real-time. This is the reason the proposed antenna is portrayed as a frequency reconfigurable antenna in this paper which is suitable for cognitive radio application. This proposed antenna can be used for various wireless application such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), wireless local area network (WLAN), C-band, and X-band applications. The proposed antenna possesses a planner geometry of 39×34×0.87 mm which is printed on a substrate as flexible FR-4 (lossy) (εr=4.4 and tanδ=0.019). The proposed antenna exhibits voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR)<2 for all 19 resonant frequencies of interest and perceptible radiation pattern over entire frequency bands with a positive gain. CST microwave studio is used to find out all simulated results of antenna parameters.
Open Muscle-Preserving Pedicle Screw Fixation Versus Conventional Open Posterior Approach in Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture without Neurologic Injury: A Prospective Cohort Study

The thoracolumbar spine is the most common site of spinal damage fracture ( 1,2 ) . The rib bearing thoracic spine and more mobile lumbar spine join at the thoracolumbar junction, causing significant force in this area during injury and motion. Pain, deformity, loss of mobility, and neurological damage are among the complications of ineffective treatments (3-5) . Current treatment Purpose: Patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures without neurological deficits often require surgical treatment. Conventional open posterior approach has some disadvantages, including postoperative pain, blood loss, and increased operating time. Minimally invasive approach for open muscle-preserving pedicle screw fixation was proposed to be more beneficial than the conventional approach. This study compared the clinical and perioperative outcomes of thoracolumbar burst fracture fixation using open muscle-preserving and conventional open posterior approaches. Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of the open muscle-preserving pedicle screw fixation approach from June 2016 to June 2017 and compared with a historical control of the conventional open posterior approach from May 2015 to May 2016. Postoperative pain score, blood loss, duration of surgery, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Results: This study included 23 patients in the muscle-preserving approach group and 27 patients treated with the conventional open posterior approach in a control group. Postoperative visual analog scores were significantly better in the muscle-preserving group (P<0.001). The mean operating time was significantly shorter in the muscle-preserving group (60.4 ± 17.3 vs. 90.9 ± 18.9 min, P<0.001). Moreover, the mean intraoperative blood loss in the muscle-preserving group was also significantly lower (156.96 ± 96.3 vs. 269.26 ± 147.6 mL, P=0.003). Conclusions: Our results indicate superiority of the open muscle-preserving approach over the conventional open posterior approach for thoracolumbar burst fractures without neurologic injury in terms of postoperative pain score, blood loss, and duration of operation. Therefore, open muscle-preserving approach is an alternative treatment option for thoracolumbar burst fractures.
Ju l 2 00 6 PROPER GROUPOIDS AND MOMENTUM MAPS : LINEARIZATION , AFFINITY , AND CONVEXITY GROUPOÏDES PROPRES

We show that proper Lie groupoids are locally linearizable. As a consequence, the orbit space of a proper Lie groupoid is a smooth orbispace (a Hausdorff space which locally looks like the quotient of a vector space by a linear compact Lie group action). In the case of proper (quasi-)symplectic groupoids, the orbit space admits a natural integral affine structure, which makes it into an affine orbifold with locally convex polyhedral boundary, and the local structure near each boundary point is isomorphic to that of a Weyl chamber of a compact Lie group. We then apply these results to the study of momentum maps of Hamiltonian actions of proper (quasi-)symplectic groupoids, and show that these momentum maps preserve natural transverse affine structures with local convexity properties. Many convexity theorems in the literature can be recovered from this last statement and some elementary results about affine maps. Résumé. Nous montrons que les groupoides de Lie propres sont localement linéarisables. En particulier, l’espace des orbites d’un groupoide de Lie propre est localement isomorphe au quotient d’un espace vectoriel par une action linéaire d’un groupe de Lie compact. Dans le cas des groupoides (quasi)sympletiques propres, l’espace des orbites est une orbifold qui admet une structure affine naturelle avec des propriétés de convexité locale. Nous appliquons ces résultats à l’étude des actions hamiltoniennes de groupoides (quasi)symplectiques propres, et montrons que les applications moment de telles actions ont une caractère affine et des propriétés de convexité. Nous retrouvons plusieurs théorèmes de convexité bien connus dans ce contexte. Dedicated to Alan Weinstein on the occasion of his 60th birthday