Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visual Object Categorization based on Gabor Filter Generalization Via K-Means Clustering

Content based object recognition systems need informative image properties to obtain good performance results. Filter bank such as Gabor filters is believed to be one of the most popular methods for complete characterization of images by having some important properties such as selectivity to orientation, scale, frequency and smooth parameters. Furthermore, such properties are very effective for compact image description and analysis. However, these functions show a strong dependence on a certain number of different parameter values. Hence, the different filter parameters values used to construct the functions may give different filter responds or properties. Besides, the large number of these filters leads to expensive computation to create maps for feature extraction, thus it is necessary to reduce the number of candidates and identify subset of effective and discriminative filters to avoid overfitting and hinder generalization performance. In this paper, we first compute Gabor filters using a set of different values for filter parameters. After that, the k-means clustering algorithm is used to group these filter responds into k different clusters. Next the k different clusters are used to convolve images and the edge histogram then apply to the filter outputs for image description. After that, we combine all outputs of image descriptors using SVMs. Experiment results on 20 and 101 classes of the Caltect-101 object database show that the method significantly outperforms using the standard Gabor filter approach.
A Decade Mutational Screening: Exon 16 of RET Proto-Oncogene Mutations in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

Objective: Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor and accounts for around 5% of all cases of thyroid cancer. Approximately 75% of cases are sporadic, and 25% are hereditary (Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia [MEN] 2A, MEN2B, and Familial [F] MTC). The REarranged during Transfection ( RET ) proto-oncogene is known to be a genetic cause of MTC, and it seems MTC is the most prevention among endocrine cancer. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify, and quantify the frequency of, germline mutations in exon 16 of the RET proto-oncogene. Methods: A total of 422 participants were assessed. Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes using the standard salting out/proteinase K method, and mutation detection was performed using PCR and direct DNA sequencing. Results: In total, three single nucleotide polymorphisms and one mutation were identified in the study population. As expected, the M918T mutation was found only in MEN2B cases. Cysteine to adenine substitution at position 10:43617610 were found in one FMTC family, with C611Y mutation at exon 10. This had not been previously reported and established in the NCBI BioSystems Database. Conclusion: The data obtained showed the frequency profile of RET mutations in exon 16 among Iranian individuals with MTC and their relatives. Determination of the specific genetic mutation can guide patient management and screening.
G Normal mode coupling due to hemispherical anisotropic structure in Earth’s inner core

SUMMARY We present illustrative calculations of the effect of hemispherical variation in inner core anisotropy on Earth’s normal modes of oscillation. Body wave studies show that the anisotropy in the inner core is not simple cylindrical anisotropy, which is often portrayed in models derived from normal mode data, but varies with longitude. ‘Hemispherical’ or odd degree, structure has to be studied by cross-coupling normal modes, as the self-coupling technique is sensitive only to even degree Earth structure. A completely general deﬁnition of inner core anisotropy would require a prohibitive number of degrees of freedom; however, we show that any existing cylindrical anisotropy model can be conﬁned to only one part of the inner core. Using our new theory, we ﬁnd that hemispherical anisotropy causes signiﬁcant changes in the frequency and quality factor of several inner core sensitive normal modes. The effect of hemispherical inner core anisotropy can also be seen in synthetic seismograms. Radial, PKIKP and PKJKP modes all respond to the presence of hemispherical variation in inner core anisotropy. If the variations in inner core anisotropy seen in body wave data are part of a gross, large-scale pattern, then this structure should also affect normal mode data on an observable scale.
Play-to-Earn: A Qualitative Analysis of the Experiences and Challenges Faced By Axie Infinity Online Gamers Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

One of the most in-demand and divisive of these new games that allow players to collect tradeable crypto currencies is the Axie Infinity. Non-employed, along with the students, are finding it difficult to find stable employment since this pandemic brought many setbacks to employed and more particularly to unemployed students. This study explores the lived experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms of Axie Infinity Players amidst the pandemic. The study employed the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with 20 participants. The following conclusions were drawn based on the study's findings: (1 )For the most part, playing Axie Infinity is not as easy as it looks. (2) Most of the Axie Infinity players are students and it takes a lot of their time playing Axie Infinity that most of their time is spent playing instead of resting and studying just to reach their quota for that day. (3)Axie Infinity is both a blessing and stress. The Axie Infinity play-to-earn game is described as a blessing because it became the number one source of income of the participants despite being amid this pandemic. It also became their source of stress because it adds pressure, tension, and strain to their lives as both a player and a student. (4) Axie Infinity players need a strong support system in their psychological, spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects to withstand the situation of lacking sleep and rest, the pressure of the need to reach the quota, slow internet connection, judgments of the people that surround them, and not being able to focus in both playing and studying. (5) Finally, Axie Infinity players value themselves by coping with negative experiences and challenges they have been through.
Involvement of Antibiotic Efﬂux Machinery in Glutathione-Mediated Decreased Ciproﬂoxacin Activity in Escherichia coli

We have analyzed the contribution of different efﬂux components to glutathione-mediated abrogation of ciproﬂoxacin’s activity in Escherichia coli and the underlying potential mechanism(s) behind this phenomenon. The results indicated that glutathione increased the total active efﬂux, thereby partially contributing to glutathione-mediated neutralization of ciproﬂoxacin’s antibacterial action in E. coli . However, the role of glutathione-mediated increased efﬂux becomes evident in the absence of a functional TolC-AcrAB efﬂux pump.
CRRT in patients with HIV/AIDS CURRENT STATUS: ACCEPTED

Background: AKI is a common complication among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)--infecting patients and resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. CRRT is a useful method and instrument in critically ill patients with fluid overload and metabolic disarray, especially in those who are unable to tolerate the intermittent hemodialysis. However, the epidemiology, influence factors of CRRT and mortality in patients with HIV/AIDS are still unclear in China. This study aims to study the HIV-infected patients admitted in ICU and explore the influence factors correlated with CRRT and prognosis. Methods: We performed a retrospective case-control study, in ICU of Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University, which is a top three hospital majoring in infectious diseases. From June 1,2005 to May 31,2017, 225 cases were enrolled in this research eventually. Results: 122(54.2%) patients were diagnosed with AKI during their stay in ICU, the number and percentage of AKI stage 1/2/3 were respectively 38(31.1%)/23(18.9%)/61(50%). 26.2% of AKI patients received CRRT during the stay of ICU. 56.25% CRRT patients died in ICU. The 28-day mortality was 62.5%, and the 90-day mortality was 75%. By multivariate logistics analysis, it showed that the use of vasoactive agents (OR=174.31,95% CI 1.743-65.271, p=0.018), diagnosis of PCP(OR=27.136,95% CI 1.855-397.066, p=0.016) and longer duration of CRRT (OR=1.034,95% CI 1.004-1.065, p=0.028) were independent risk factors for predicting patients’ death of CRRT in ICU. The Cox Analysis for the cumulative survival of AKI 3 patients between the CRRT and non-CRRT groups shows no significant differences (p =0.309). Conclusions: The incidence of AKI was 54.2% in HIV-infected patients admitted to the ICU, and about 26.2% AKI patients received CRRT during the stay of ICU.56.25%CRRT patients died in ICU. The 28-day mortality was 62.5%, and the 90-day mortality was 75%. The use of vasoactive agents, diagnosis of PCP were independent risk factors for predicting patients’ death of CRRT in ICU. The cumulative survival of AKI 3 patients between CRRT and non-CRRT groups shows no significant differences.
Clinical efﬁcacy and safety of remdesivir in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objectives: We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to provide updated information regarding the clinical efﬁcacy of remdesivir in treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, clinical trial registries of ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched for relevant articles published up to 18 November 2020. Results: Five RCTs, including 13544 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. Among them, 3839 and 391 patients were assigned to the 10day and 5day remdesivir regimens, respectively. Patients receiving 5day remdesivir therapy presented greater clinical improvement than those in the control group [OR=1.68 (95% CI 1.18–2.40)], with no signiﬁcant difference observed between the 10day and placebo groups [OR= 1.23 (95% CI 0.90–1.68)]. Patients receiving remdesivir revealed a greater likelihood of discharge [10day remdesivir versus control: OR= 1.32 (95% CI 1.09–1.60); 5day remdesivir versus control: OR= 1.73 (95% CI 1.28–2.35)] and recovery [10day remdesivir versus control: OR= 1.29 (95% CI 1.03–1.60); 5day remdesivir versus control: OR= 1.80 (95% CI 1.31–2.48)] than those in the control group. In contrast, no mortality beneﬁt was observed following remdesivir therapy. Furthermore, no signiﬁcant association was observed between remdesivir treatment and an increased risk of adverse events. Conclusions: Remdesivir can help improve the clinical outcome of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and a 5day regimen, instead of a 10day regimen, may be sufﬁcient for treatment. Moreover, remdesivir appears as tolerable as other comparators or placebo. heterogeneity and inconsistency. In addition, a design-based decomposition of Cochran’s Q was performed to divide the Q-statistic into between-design inconsistency and within-design heterogeneity. 27 Furthermore, we performed net-splitting analysis (also called node-splitting analysis) with a back-calculation method. Results for direct and indirect comparisons were split for evaluating local consistency in network meta-analysis. 28 Ranking oftreatment, which isan analogue of the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA), was calculated using the P value; a higher probability indicates better treatment. 29 The network graphs were also plotted for each outcome. The nodes represent treatment and the edges represent the number of studies that provided results of direct com-parisonbetweenthetwotreatments.Thesizeofthenodeswasproportion- al to the number of patients included in the treatment and the thickness of the edges was proportional to the number of included studies with direct evidence.
Title: The role of South American grazing lands in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. A reply to: Reassessing the role of grazing lands in carbon-balance estimations: Meta-analysis and 2

1 to: “Reassessing the role of grazing lands in carbon-balance estimations: Meta-analysis and 2 review”, by Viglizzo et al., (2019). 3 Sebastián H. Villarino, Priscila Pinto, Tomas Della Chiesa, Esteban G. Jobbágy, Guillermo A. 4 Studdert, Bruno Bazzoni, Georgina Conti, Mariana Rufino, Roberto Álvarez, Robert Boddey, 5 Cimélio Bayer, Paulo C. de F. Carvalho, Roberto J. Fernández, Fernando A. Lattanzi, Martín 6 Oesterheld, Walter Oyhantçabal, José M. Paruelo, Virginia Pravia, and Gervasio Piñeiro. 7 Affiliations: 8 1 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina 9 2 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias (FCA), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Argentina. 10 3 IFEVA-Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Argentina. 11 4 Grupo de Estudios Ambientales IMASL, Universidad Nacional de San Luis y CONICET. Ejército de 12 los Andes 950 (5700) San Luis. Argentina 13 5 Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y 14 Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, IMBiV (CONICET-UNC), Córdoba, Argentina 15
Hematological parameters, liver integrity and growth of Nile tilapia fingerlings fed diets supplemented with propolis extract

Aim of study: To assess the effects of propolis extract supplementation in diets for Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) fingerlings on growth performance, hematological and histological parameters. Area of study: The study was carried out in Paraná (Brazil). Material and methods: The experimental design was based on six treatments including the control diet and propolis supplementation (2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% in the diet). Three hundred Nile tilapia fingerlings, with an initial weight of 0.61± 0.02 g, were distributed in 30 plastic mesh hapas (0.15 m 3 each) arranged in a concrete tank of 25 m 3 of water volume. The duration of the experimental period was 90 days. Main results: The increasing levels of propolis did not influence the growth performance and proximate composition of fishes. Red blood cells and hematological indices were not affected by propolis supplementation. However, total leukocytes and thrombocytes were higher in fish fed on propolis diets, being significant in fish fed 2% and 8%, and 6% and 8% supplemented diets groups, respectively. Research highlights: The supplementation of propolis alcoholic extract in the range of 2, 4, 6 and 8% in the diet for Nile tilapia finger lings promote healthier fish with increased immunity in the evaluated culture conditions. MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration); MCV (mean cor puscular volume). Authors’ contributions: Conception and design of study: GMRM and AF. Performance of the experiments: GMRM, DZD and FB. Laboratory analysis: GMRM, MLB and LAST. Writing of the paper: GMRM, DZD and MLR. Review of the manuscript: FB and AF. Citation: Maccari, GMR; Damasceno, DZ; Lins-Rodrigues, M; Bittencourt, F; Bruschi, ML; Toledo, LAS; Feiden, A (2021). Hema tological parameters, liver integrity and growth of Nile tilapia fingerlings fed diets supplemented with propolis extract. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, .
DMSO_A_251574 1899..1909

*These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: The prevalence of general obesity (commonly defined by body mass index (BMI) in kg/m) and abdominal obesity (commonly assessed by waist circumference (WC)) has increased rapidly in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of traditional cut-offs for BMI or WC to identify general or abdominal obesity in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients and propose optimal cut-offs. Patients and Methods: BMI and WC were obtained from 1539 type 2 diabetic patients. Body fat percentage and visceral fat area measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were set as the gold standard to identify general and abdominal obesity. We assessed the diagnostic power of traditional cut-offs for BMI and WC to define obesity, and analyzed receive operating characteristic (ROC) curves to obtain the optimal cut-offs to identify obesity in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients. Results: In Chinese type 2 diabetic patients, the optimal BMI was 25 kg/m with the best trade-off between sensitivity and specificity (men: 74.6% (95% CI: 70.7–78.2%) and 65.1% (95% CI: 59.7–70.3%), AUC 0.78 (95% CI: 0.75–0.81), p<0.05; women: 65.8% (95% CI: 60.3–71.0%) and 80.3% (95% CI: 75.7–84.3%), AUC 0.80 (95% CI: 0.77–0.83), p<0.05) in both genders. The optimal WC was 93 cm in men and 90 cm in women with the best tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity (men: 87.2% (95% CI: 84.3–89.8%) and 80.2% (95% CI: 74.9–84.8%), AUC 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88–0.92), p<0.05; women: 81.0% (95% CI: 76.9– 84.6%) and 88.7% (95% CI: 83.9–92.4%), AUC 0.92 (95% CI: 0.90–0.94), p<0.05). Conclusion: For the Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes, the optimal cut-offs for BMI or WC to identify general or abdominal obesity need to be reconsidered.
Inﬂuence of larval behavior on transport and population connectivity in a realistic simulation of the California Current System Larval dispersal and recruitment can

Using an implementation of the Region Ocean Modeling System, we investigate the inﬂuence of larval vertical swimming on spring dispersal for nearshore invertebrate species in the California Current System (CCS), with a focus on central California and the Bodega Bay area. Larvae are given a suite of idealized behaviors designed to reveal the importance of the surface boundary layer (SBL) to transport and settlement. Larvae remain near 5 m, 30 m, or transition between these depths using various strategies, including diel vertical migration (DVM) and ontogenetic vertical migration. Some behaviors result in modeled densities qualitatively similar to observed cross-shelf larval distributions. By remaining primarily below the SBL, larvae released from central California are 500 times more likely to be retained within 5 km of the coast at 30 days from release relative to those that stay near surface, and 145 times more likely to settle along the coast within a 30 to 60 day pelagic larval duration. For most behaviors, nearshore retention over time could be approximated as a modiﬁed exponential decay process. Vertical swimming also greatly affects alongshore dispersal, with each behavior resulting in a unique structure of alongshore settlement. Maintaining a depth near 30 m increases settlement throughout most of the CCS by at least an order of magnitude relative to passive larvae. Remaining near surface reduces settlement from Pt. Conception to Pt. Arena, but has less of an effect north of Cape Mendocino. Relative to passive larvae, DVM increases settlement in regional “hotspots,”butdoesnotgreatlyalteroverallrecruitmentintheCCS,andontogeneticverticalmigrationincreasessettlementforcentralCaliforniaregionssouthofBodegaBay.
Spectral Properties of Short Gamma‐Ray Bursts

It is well known that short GRBs have harder spectra than long GRBs, but the spectral differences between these two modes of the duration distribution have not been examined in detail. Using a database of standard model fits to GRBs in the BATSE 4B catalog, we compare the distributions of spectral parameters of short and long bursts. We also investigate the duration dependence of the same parameters within each mode. We find a consistent pattern of duration dependence: the mean values of all parameters differ significantly between the two duration classes, with short bursts being consistently harder. However, the same parameters show only weak dependence on duration within each class. We discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of GRBs.
risk variants are associated with altered high-density lipoprotein pro ﬁ les in African Americans

Background. Two independent coding variants in the apolipoprotein L1 gene ( APOL1 ), G1 and G2, strongly associate with nephropathy in African Americans; associations with cardiovascular disease are more controversial. Although APOL1 binds plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), data on APOL1 risk variant associations with HDL subfractions are sparse. Methods. Two APOL1 G1 single nucleotide polymorphisms and the G2 insertion/deletion polymorphism were genotyped in 2010 Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in magnetic resonance spectroscopy-based lipoprotein subfraction measurements. Linear regression was used to model associations between numbers of APOL1 G1/G2 risk variants and HDL subfractions, adjusting for demographic, clinical and ancestral covariates. Results. Female sex and higher percentage of African ancestry were positively associated with the number of APOL1 G1/G2 risk alleles. In the unadjusted analysis, mean (standard error) small HDL concentrations ( μ mol/L) for participants with zero, one and two G1/G2 risk alleles were 19.0 (0.2), 19.7 (0.2) and 19.9 (0.4), respectively (P = 0.02). Adjustment for age, sex, diabetes and African ancestry did not change the results but strengthened the statistical signi ﬁ cance (P = 0.004). No signi ﬁ cant differences in large or medium HDL, very low-density lipoprotein or low-density lipoprotein particle concentrations were observed by APOL1 genotype. Conclusions. Greater numbers of APOL1 G1/G2 risk alleles were associated with higher small HDL particle concentrations in African Americans. These results may suggest novel areas of investigation to uncover reasons for the association between APOL1 risk variants with adverse outcomes in African Americans.
BMC Cell Biology Mimitin – a novel cytokine-regulated mitochondrial protein

Background: The product of a novel cytokine-responsive gene discovered by differential display analysis in our earlier studies on HepG2 cells was identified as mimitin – a small mitochondrial protein. Since proinflammatory cytokines are known to affect components of the respiratory chain in mitochondria, and mimitin was reported as a possible chaperone for assembly of mitochondrial complex I, we looked for the effects of modulation of mimitin expression and for mimitin-binding partners. Results: By blocking mimitin expression in HepG2 cells by siRNA we found that mimitin has no direct influence on caspase 3/7 activities implicated in apoptosis. However, when apoptosis was induced by TNF and cycloheximide, and mimitin expression blocked, the activities of these caspases were significantly increased. This was accompanied by a slight decrease in proliferation of HepG2 cells. Our observations suggest that mimitin may be involved in the control of apoptosis indirectly, through another protein, or proteins. Using the yeast two-hybrid system and coimmunoprecipitation we found MAP1S among proteins interacting with mimitin. MAP1S is a recently identified member of the microtubule-associated protein family and has been shown to interact with NADH dehydrogenase I and cytochrome oxidase I. Moreover, it was implicated in the process of mitochondrial aggregation and nuclear genome destruction. The expression of mimitin is stimulated more than 1.6-fold by IL-1 and by IL-6, with the maximum level of mimitin observed after 18–24 h exposure to these cytokines. We also found that the cytokine-induced signal leading to stimulation of mimitin synthesis utilizes the MAP kinase pathway. Conclusion: Mimitin is a mitochondrial protein upregulated by proinflammatory cytokines at the transcriptional and protein levels, with MAP kinases involved in IL-1-dependent induction. Mimitin interacts with a microtubular protein (MAP1S), and some changes of mimitin gene expression modulate activity of apoptotic caspases 3/7, suggesting that this protein may indirectly participate in apoptosis.