Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metformin Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis and Inflammation without Altering Adipose Phenotype in Diet-Induced Obesity

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance. To better understand the pathophysiology of obesity-associated NAFLD, the present study examined the involvement of liver and adipose tissues in metformin actions on reducing hepatic steatosis and inflammation during obesity. C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks to induce obesity-associated NAFLD and treated with metformin (150 mg/kg/d) orally for the last four weeks of HFD feeding. Compared with HFD-fed control mice, metformin-treated mice showed improvement in both glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Also, metformin treatment caused a significant decrease in liver weight, but not adiposity. As indicated by histological changes, metformin treatment decreased hepatic steatosis, but not the size of adipocytes. In addition, metformin treatment caused an increase in the phosphorylation of liver AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which was accompanied by an increase in the phosphorylation of liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase and decreases in the phosphorylation of liver c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and in the mRNA levels of lipogenic enzymes and proinflammatory cytokines. However, metformin treatment did not significantly alter adipose tissue AMPK phosphorylation and inflammatory responses. In cultured hepatocytes, metformin treatment increased AMPK phosphorylation and decreased fat deposition and inflammatory responses. Additionally, in bone marrow-derived macrophages, metformin treatment partially blunted the effects of lipopolysaccharide on inducing the phosphorylation of JNK1 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 and on increasing the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Taken together, these results suggest that metformin protects against obesity-associated NAFLD largely through direct effects on decreasing hepatocyte fat deposition and on inhibiting inflammatory responses in both hepatocytes and macrophages.
Ion exchange resin for PFAS removal and pilot test comparison to GAC

Amec Foster Wheeler and Emerging Compounds Treatment Technologies, Inc. tested pilot-scale ex situ treatment technologies for treatment of poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater. The pilot test compared ion exchange resin to granular activated carbon (GAC) and evaluated in-place regeneration of the resin to restore PFAS removal capacity. During the pilot test, both resin and GAC removed perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) below U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) health advisories (HAs) of 0.070 micrograms per liter (μg/L) combined. Compared at a common empty bed contact time (EBCT) of five minutes, the resin treated over eight times as many bed volumes (BVs) of groundwater as GAC before PFOS exceeded the USEPA HA and six times as many BVs for PFOA. On a mass-to-mass basis, resin removed over four times as much total PFAS per gram as GAC before breakthrough was observed at the USEPA HA. A solution of organic solvent and brine was used to regenerate the resin in the lead vessel, which had treated water up to the point of PFOS and PFOA breakthrough exceeding the USEPA HAs. The pilot test demonstrated successful in-place regeneration of the resin to near-virgin conditions. The regenerated resin was then used to treat the contaminated groundwater up to the same breakthrough point. Compared to the virgin resin loading cycles, PFAS removal results for the regenerated resin were consistent with virgin resin.
High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)

determinations. plan laws/regulations; including Coverage Policies and; the specific of the Each on own clinical and individual coverage determinations. Coverage Policies exclusively the administration of health benefit plans. Coverage Policies are not recommendations for treatment and should be used as treatment guidelines. In certain markets, delegated guidelines used to support necessity and other coverage determinations. focused ultrasound (HIFU). Patients (n=625) underwent primary focal HIFU using a Sonablate 500 device. The study included patients diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer with a Gleason score 6–9, stage T1c– 3bN0M0 and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of ≤ 30 ng/ml. The primary outcome measured the failure-free survival (FFS) at five years which was defined as avoidance of local salvage therapy (surgery or radiotherapy), systemic therapy, metastases, and prostate cancer-specific death. Secondary outcomes included metastasis-free survival and prostate cancer-specific mortality and overall mortality. The study also reported biopsy outcomes when carried out, as well as adverse events and side effects. Urinary continence was defined as being completely pad-free and socially continent (0–1 pads/day). Additionally, complete pad-free and leak-free urinary continence were reported. Physicians assessed postoperative adverse events during follow-up visits. Functional outcomes were assessed using validated questionnaires collected at 1–2 and 2–3 years after focal HIFU et was conducted on the safety and efficacy of transrectal HIFU for BPH. Outcomes included international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL), uroflowmetric findings and transrectal ultrasound and incidence of complications. At the12-month follow-up after the operation, maximum urine flow rate (p<0.01), post void residual (p<0.01) and prostatic volume (p<0.05) were significantly improved.
Simultaneous Degradation of αII- and βII-Spectrin by Caspase 3 (CPP32) in Apoptotic Cells*

The degradation of αII- and βII-spectrin during apoptosis in cultured human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells was investigated. Immunofluorescent staining showed that the collapse of the cortical spectrin cytoskeleton is an early event following staurosporine challenge. This collapse correlated with the generation of a series of prominent spectrin breakdown products (BDPs) derived from both αII- and βII-subunits. Major C-terminal αII-spectrin BDPs were detected at ≈150, 145, and 120 kDa (αII-BDP150, αII-BDP145, and αII-BDP120, respectively); major C-terminal βII-spectrin BDPs were at ≈110 and 85 kDa (βII-BDP110 and βII-BDP85, respectively). N-terminal sequencing of the major fragments produced in vitro by caspase 3 revealed that αII-BDP150 and αII-BDP120 were generated by cleavages at DETD1185*S1186 and DSLD1478*S1479, respectively. For βII-spectrin, a major caspase site was detected at DEVD1457*S1458 , and both βII-BDP110 and βII-BDP85 shared a common N-terminal sequence starting with Ser1458. An additional cleavage site near the C terminus, at ETVD2146*S2147, was found to account for βII-BDP85. Studies using specific caspase or calpain inhibitors indicate that the pattern of spectrin breakdown during apoptosis differs from that during non-apoptotic cell death. We postulate that in concert with calpain, caspase rapidly targets critical sites in both αII- and βII-spectrin and thereby initiates a rapid dissolution of the spectrin-actin cortical cytoskeleton with apoptosis.
Discrepancies in mother and child perceptions of spina bifida medical responsibilities during the transition to adolescence: associations with family conflict and medical adherence.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated mother-child discrepancies over perceptions of who is responsible for spina bifida (SB) medical tasks in relation to family conflict and medical adherence. METHOD 140 youth with SB and their mothers completed questionnaires regarding who is responsible for specific SB medical tasks, family conflict, and medical adherence. An observational measure was also used to assess family conflict. RESULTS Although children viewed themselves as more responsible for medical management than mothers did, mother-child discrepancies were not associated with family conflict or medical adherence. Interaction effects revealed that adherence was better when family conflict was low and when parents were responsible for medical tasks. CONCLUSIONS Parental involvement in SB medical care is essential for optimal medical adherence during adolescence. The presence of family conflict also plays an influential role on SB medical adherence. Future research should evaluate the relations between discrepancies, family conflict, and medical adherence across time.
How Entrepreneurship Education Can Help Student Thrive in the Digital Age? : The Implications of Creative and Innovative Learning

This study aims to identify the essential entrepreneurial skills required for students to tackle challenges and capitalize on opportunities in the present circumstances. Additionally, it provides information on how educators can utilize technology to create conducive learning environments that enhance students’ entrepreneurial skills. This study employed a systematic literature review method adapted from PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Qualitative data collection techniques were employed, followed by thematic analysis for data interpretation. Studies were retrieved from the Scopus database that published between 2018 and 2023. The findings revealed three key aspects to enhance students’ skills: personal, interpersonal, and digital aspects. The personal aspect encompassed creativity and innovation, initiative, self-efficacy, and resilience, as well as risk-taking. The interpersonal aspect included leadership, effective communication, collaboration, networking, and a positive attitude. The digital aspect comprised digital awareness, digital literacy, digital content, digital communication, digital creativity, and digital critical thinking. The study also found that experiential learning and project-based learning have been widely used in entrepreneurship education. This indicated that the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education for students can be achieved through learning experiences, problem-solving, and practical applications in an entrepreneurial environment. By employing various creative, innovative, and technology-based teaching techniques, educators can capture students’ engagement and provide added value to their learning experience.
Bovine Leukemia Virus Small Noncoding RNAs Are Functional Elements That Regulate Replication and Contribute to Oncogenesis In Vivo

Retroviruses are not expected to encode miRNAs because of the potential problem of self-cleavage of their genomic RNAs. This assumption has recently been challenged by experiments showing that bovine leukemia virus (BLV) encodes miRNAs from intragenomic Pol III promoters. The BLV miRNAs are abundantly expressed in B-cell tumors in the absence of significant levels of genomic and subgenomic viral RNAs. Using deep RNA sequencing and functional reporter assays, we show that miRNAs mediate the expression of genes involved in cell signaling, cancer and immunity. We further demonstrate that BLV miRNAs are essential to induce B-cell tumors in an experimental model and to promote efficient viral replication in the natural host.
A proof of alon's second eigenvalue conjecture

A d-regular graph has largest or first (adjacency matrix) eigenvalue λ1 = d. In this paper we show the following conjecture of Alon. Fix an integer d > 2 and a real ε > 0. Then for sufficiently large n we have that "most" d-regular graphs on n vertices have all their eigenvalues except λ1 = d bounded above by 2√d-1 + ε. Our methods, being trace methods, also bound those eigenvalues below by -2√d-1 - ε.
An Empirical Study of MDL Model Selection with Infinite Parametric Complexity

Parametric complexity is a central concept in MDL model selection. In practice it often turns out to be infinite, even for quite simple models such as the Poisson and Geometric families. In such cases, MDL model selection as based on NML and Bayesian inference based on Jeffreys’ prior can not be used. Several ways to resolve this problem have been proposed. We conduct experiments to compare and evaluate their behaviour on small sample sizes. We find interestingly poor behaviour for the plug-in predictive code; a restricted NML model performs quite well but it is questionable if the results validate its theoretical motivation. The Bayesian model with the improper Jeffreys’ prior is the most dependable.
A double large prime variation for small genus hyperelliptic index calculus

In this article, we examine how the index calculus approach for computing discrete logarithms in small genus hyperelliptic curves can be improved by introducing a double large prime variation. Two algorithms are presented. The first algorithm is a rather natural adaptation of the double large prime variation to the intended context. On heuristic and experimental grounds, it seems to perform quite well but lacks a complete and precise analysis. Our second algorithm is a considerably simplified variant, which can be analyzed easily. The resulting complexity improves on the fastest known algorithms. Computer experiments show that for hyperelliptic curves of genus three, our first algorithm surpasses Pollard's Rho method even for rather small field sizes.
Glycosaminoglycan Stabilization Reduces Tissue Buckling in Bioprosthetic Heart Valves

Currently, bioprosthetic heart valves are crosslinked with glutaraldehyde to prevent tissue degradation and to reduce tissue antigenicity. Glutaraldehyde forms stable crosslinks with collagen via a Schiff base reaction of the aldehyde with an amine group of the hydroxylysine/lysine in collagen. However, within a decade of implantation, 2030% of these bioprostheses will become dysfunctional and over 50% will fail due to degeneration within 12-15 years post-operatively [1, 2]. Gylcosaminoglycans, a major constituent of valvular tissue, play an important role in maintaining a hydrated environment necessary for absorbing compressive loads, modulating shear stresses, and resisting tissue buckling. One of the disadvantages of glutaraldehyde crosslinking is its incomplete stabilization of GAGs [3, 4], which lack the amine functionalities necessary for fixation by aldehyde addition. Previous studies have reported a greater depth of buckling in glutaraldehyde crosslinked aortic valves, one of the major causes of failure in these bioprostheses [5, 6]. Buckling occurs at sites of sharp bending, producing large stresses that can eventually lead to mechanical fatigue and consequent valvular degeneration. Local structural collapse occurs at these areas of tissue buckling to minimize compressive stresses, which subsequently causes a reduction in tissue length. Previous studies have reported the loss of GAGs in glutaraldehyde crosslinked porcine cusps during fixation, storage, in vitro fatigue experimentation, and in vivo subdermal implantation due to enzyme-mediated GAG degradation [3, 4, 7, 8].
Exploring the Impact of Leader Bottom-Line Mentality on Subordinate Learning from Work Failures: A Social Information Processing Perspective

Learning from work failures is not only beneficial for individual development but also crucial for improving organizational performance and achieving sustainable development. We hypothesize that leader bottom-line mentality, which is commonly used by leaders to prevent profit and performance losses, may reduce subordinates learning from work failures. Drawing on social information processing theory, this paper examines how and when leader bottom-line mentality negatively affects subordinates learning from work failures. We tested our hypotheses through a three-wave survey of 245 employees from several high-tech companies in China. For data analysis, we used SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.0 to test the theoretical model and research hypotheses. The results indicated that leader bottom-line mentality has a negative indirect effect on subordinates learning from work failures through the mediating role of subordinates’ psychological availability. In addition, subordinate self-compassion can mitigate this negative mediating mechanism. The present study has several theoretical and practical implications for the current literature.
Anthropogenic causes of intraplate earthquakes in Oklahoma, USA

Statistical and physical models indicated the evolution of events in the country depends on the human actions. In this analysis, we divided the USA conterminous in three regions seismological active and by Earth’s crust thickness variation as Western (25 km), Central (45km) and eastern (~ 25km). Oklahoma is in the midcontinent and the region is one of the thickest crust in the country. In ancient times was supposed to be an inner ocean now covered by the Great Plains. Fracking in this area increasing since 2009 and nowadays more than 4000 wastewater wells are active in the state, most at the Mississippi Lime are in the Oklahoma/ Kansas border. Wastewater disposal wells typically operate for longer duration and inject much more fluid than hydraulic fracturing, making them more likely to induce earthquakes. Enhanced oil recovery, injects fluid into rock layers where oil and gas were extracted, while wastewater injection occurs in never-beforetouched rocks and beneath surface areas. This study around Oklahoma pointed out that most of the area located in a former inner sea. In this location most of the fracking occurring with an extraordinary enhancement of earthquakes. Reviewing the entire system, we found that stratigraphy and tectonic may explain the improvement of the events due to the increasing of oil/gas exploration. Injection rate and the total volume of wastewater injected allied to the unknown presence of faults; fractures will trigger earthquakes which magnitude increased. The human action as liquid/ injection, hydraulic fracturing, enhancement of oil recovery, all together will boost earthquakes at a higher rate. The explanation associates the unevenness of the earth’s crust and the lack of information for investigators about the earth’s structure. The continuity of stress and exploration in the region by humans will rise the magnitude of earthquakes observed since the inner earth’s structure is included with an eventual collapse. The last observations pointed out an M6 earthquake and the increasing in depth around Perry with two occurrences one in 2014 (23.2 km) and 2015 (56.2km).
The Analysis of the Islamic Community Member Engagement Based on Instagram Content Types

This study aims to determine differences in the level of Islamic community member engagement based on Instagram content types, namely photos, videos, and carousels. The results of this research are expected to contribute to social media users, especially Instagram, in determining the most appropriate types of content posts. This study is an ex post facto and uses secondary data from all posts of the most popular smartphone application-based Islamic community accounts in Indonesia, resulting in a total of 18,026 posts. Engagement rate is measured based on the number of likes and comments. Data is collected by documenting secondary data on Instagram. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling with the criteria of prioritizing new posts over old ones, considering that new posts tend to have a higher engagement; thus, the data will be more easily observed. The data analysis technique used is ANOVA. The findings demonstrated that there were notable distinctions in the number of likes and comments between photo posts and video posts, that photo posts had a higher degree of engagement than video posts, and that there were notable distinctions in the number of likes and comments between photo posts and carousel posts. Regarding likes and comments, photo posts receive more than carousel posts, and there is no difference between carousel posts and video posts; carousel posts and video posts receive the same amount of engagement. Based on the findings, it can be suggested that Islamic community managers pay attention to the choice of content type when uploading a post to an Instagram account to get optimal engagement. In addition, posting a single image often elicits more attention or engagement compared to video posts and carousels as well.
Classifiers in Japanese-to-English Machine Translation

This paper proposes an analysis of classifiers into four major types: UNIT, METRIC, GROUP and SPECIES, based on properties of both Japanese and English. The analysis makes possible a uniform and straightforward treatment of noun phrases headed by classifiers in Japanese-to-English machine translation, and has been implemented in the MT system ALT-J/E. Although the analysis is based on the characteristics of, and differences between, Japanese and English, it is shown to be also applicable to the unrelated language Thai.
The Decline of Social Entrenchment: Social Network Cohesion and Board Responsiveness to Shareholder Activism

Shareholder activism through corporate governance proposals is a prominent avenue for investors to voice their concerns in corporate governance matters. However, shareholder proposals have an uneven effect on corporate governance. This paper contributes to research on shareholder activism by joining social movement approaches to activism with network theoretic approaches to corporate governance. The paper examines how firms’ position within cohesive sections of the board interlock network, termed “social entrenchment,” predicts (1) the likelihood of being targeted by activist investors and (2) firms’ responsiveness to proposal demands. First, a firm’s position in the board network serves as a salient network prism, attracting activists’ attention. This is especially true for activist investors who lack other backchannel avenues for engagement or seek to use public reputational penalties as part of their activism strategy. Second, the board network traditionally served as an important collective infrastruc.
A dynamic programming approach to de novo peptide sequencing via tandem mass spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry fragments a large number of molecules of the same peptide sequence into charged molecules of prefix and suffix peptide subsequences and then measures mass/charge ratios of these ions. The de novo peptide sequencing problem is to reconstruct the peptide sequence from a given tandem mass spectral data of k ions. By implicitly transforming the spectral data into an NC-spectrum graph G (V, E) where /V/ = 2k + 2, we can solve this problem in O(/V//E/) time and O(/V/2) space using dynamic programming. For an ideal noise-free spectrum with only b- and y-ions, we improve the algorithm to O(/V/ + /E/) time and O(/V/) space. Our approach can be further used to discover a modified amino acid in O(/V//E/) time. The algorithms have been implemented and tested on experimental data.
Oxygen Relieves the CO2 and Acetate Dependency of Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 533

Oxygen relieves the CO2 and acetate dependency of Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 533. The probiotic Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 533 is relatively sensitive to oxidative stress; the presence of oxygen causes a lower biomass yield due to early growth stagnation. We show however that oxygen can also be beneficial to this organism as it relieves the requirement for acetate and CO2 during growth. Both on agar- and liquid-media, anaerobic growth of L. johnsonii NCC 533 requires CO2 supplementation of the gas phase. Switching off the CO2 supply induces growth arrest and cell death. The presence of molecular oxygen overcomes the CO2 dependency. Analogously, L. johnsonii NCC 533 strictly requires media with acetate to sustain anaerobic growth, although supplementation at a level that is 100-fold lower (120 microM) than the concentration in regular growth medium for lactobacilli already suffices for normal growth. Analogous to the CO2 requirement, oxygen supply relieves this acetate-dependency for growth. The L. johnsonii NCC 533 genome indicates that this organism lacks genes coding for pyruvate formate lyase (PFL) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), both CO2 and acetyl-CoA producing systems. Therefore, C1- and C2- compound production is predicted to largely depend on pyruvate oxidase activity (POX). This proposed role of POX in C2/C1-generation is corroborated by the observation that in a POX deficient mutant of L. johnsonii NCC 533, oxygen is not able to overcome acetate dependency nor does it relieve the CO2 dependency.