Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Purging disorder: psychopathology and treatment outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To characterize a tertiary care treatment-seeking sample and assess post-treatment remission and completion rates for purging disorder (PD). METHOD Consecutively admitted women with PD (n = 122), anorexia nervosa (AN) restricting subtype (AN-R; n = 146), AN binge-purge subtype (AN-B; n = 154), and bulimia nervosa-purging subtype (BN-P; n = 415) were compared on general and eating disorder specific psychopathology. A subsample (n = 256) attended a day treatment program and were assessed for post-treatment remission and completion rates. RESULTS PD occurred in 17.3% of eating disorders not otherwise specified and 6.7% of total eating disorder referrals. PD patients were similar to AN-B and BN-P, but had higher levels than AN-R, on general and eating disorder psychopathology. PD individuals did not have different post-treatment remission or completion rates compared to other eating disorders. DISCUSSION The results add to a growing literature on the utility of PD as a diagnosis.
Metabolic Profiles and Blood Biomarkers to Discriminate between Benign Thyroid Nodules and Papillary Carcinoma, Based on UHPLC-QTOF-ESI+-MS Analysis

In this study, serum metabolic profiling of patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and benign thyroid pathologies (BT) aimed to identify specific biomarkers and altered pathways when compared with healthy controls (C). The blood was collected after a histological confirmation from PTC (n = 24) and BT patients (n = 31) in parallel with healthy controls (n = 81). The untargeted metabolomics protocol was applied by UHPLC-QTOF-ESI+-MS analysis and the statistical analysis was performed using the MetaboAnalyst 5.0 platform. The partial least squares-discrimination analysis, including VIP values, random forest graphs, and heatmaps (p < 0.05), was complemented with biomarker analysis (with AUROC ranking) and pathway analysis, suggesting a model for abnormal metabolic pathways in PTC and BT based on 166 identified metabolites. There were 11 classes of putative biomarkers selected that were involved in altered metabolic pathways, e.g., polar molecules (amino acids and glycolysis metabolites, purines and pyrimidines, and selenium complexes) and lipids including free fatty acids, bile acids, acylated carnitines, corticosteroids, prostaglandins, and phospholipids. Specific biomarkers of discrimination were identified in each class of metabolites and upregulated or downregulated comparative to controls, PTC group, and BT group. The lipidomic window was revealed to be more relevant for finding biomarkers related to thyroid carcinoma or benign thyroid nodules, since our study reflected a stronger involvement of lipids and selenium-related molecules in metabolic discrimination.
Stellar dynamics of blue compact galaxies: I. Decoupled star-gas kinematics in ESO 400-G43

In this letter we present the first results from a program aimed at measuring the stellar kinematics of blue compact galaxies by observing the near-infrared Calcium triplet. We show the first results for ESO 400-G43 based on deep VLT/FORS2 spectroscopy. The instabilities found in the central gaseous velocity field are not seen in the solid body stellar rotation curve, indicating that stars and gas are kinematically decoupled in this galaxy. Even if this galaxy has a perturbed gaseous velocity field, the stellar velocity dispersion on average agrees well with that derived from the nebular lines.
Late Early Cretaceous (Albian) Sasayama Flora from the Sasayama Group in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Abstract. Plant fossils are reported on from the Lower Cretaceous Upper Formation of the Sasayama Group, including the new species Otozamites toshioensoi sp. nov. The Sasayama Flora proposed here is characterized by an abundance of microphyllous conifers such as Brachyphyllum spp. and Pseudofrenelopsis sp. , as well as by the rare occurrence of pteridophytes. These floristic components suggest that an arid climate prevailed in the land of the Sasayama Group and that the Ryoseki-type flora, which generally represents the Outer Zone of Japan during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, flourished in the Inner Zone of Japan during the late Early Cretaceous. Albian or Cenomanian ages have previously been proposed for the Upper Formation of the Sasayama Group by radiometric datings, but an Albian age is preferred here in regards to the extremely rare occurrence of possible angiosperms.
Early identification and treatment of eating disorders: prodrome to syndrome

The onset of eating disorder psychopathology is most common in the adolescent age group. Acute psychopathology or subsyndromal eating disorders are perhaps less intractable in these young patients. Subsyndromal eating disorders in children and adolescents are not only clinically significant in their present state, but may represent legitimate candidates for preventive efforts in light of: (i) a risk of progression from subthreshold anorexia nervosa (SAN) to AN or subthreshold bulimia nervosa (SBN) to BN; (ii) the detrimental effects on outcome of delaying treatment; and (iii) the refractory, severe nature of eating disorders once the diagnostic threshold is crossed. Moreover, children and adolescents with SAN and SBN may in fact be exhibiting early ‘caseness’ of these disorders. Given that AN is notoriously difficult to treat, and there are limited efficacy data for adolescent BN, attempts to disrupt these disorders in what is arguably their early phases is an important goal in preventing more chronic and treatment‐resistant forms of these disorders. Future research should address whether the best interventions for SAN and SBN should be derived from the prevention or intervention fields.
A multistep procedure to prepare pre-vascularized cardiac tissue constructs using adult stem sells, dynamic cell cultures, and porous scaffolds

The vascularization of tissue engineered products represents a key issue in regenerative medicine which needs to be addressed before the translation of these protocols to the bedside can be foreseen. Here we propose a multistep procedure to prepare pre-vascularized three-dimensional (3D) cardiac bio-substitutes using dynamic cell cultures and highly porous biocompatible gelatin scaffolds. The strategy adopted exploits the peculiar differentiation potential of two distinct subsets of adult stem cells to obtain human vascularized 3D cardiac tissues. In the first step of the procedure, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are seeded onto gelatin scaffolds to provide interconnected vessel-like structures, while human cardiomyocyte progenitor cells (hCMPCs) are stimulated in vitro to obtain their commitment toward the cardiac phenotype. The use of a modular bioreactor allows the perfusion of the whole scaffold, providing superior performance in terms of cardiac tissue maturation and cell survival. Both the cell culture on natural-derived polymers and the continuous medium perfusion of the scaffold led to the formation of a densely packaged proto-tissue composed of vascular-like and cardiac-like cells, which might complete maturation process and interconnect with native tissue upon in vivo implantation. In conclusion, the data obtained through the approach here proposed highlight the importance to provide stem cells with complementary signals in vitro able to resemble the complexity of cardiac microenvironment.
Effect of enriched bio digested bone sludge compost on the yield and economics of rice cultivation var. ADT 43

A field experiment was conducted at Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar during the cropping year of 2022, to find out the effect of utilization of bone sludge, by-product of ossein industry as manure with other organic manures viz., bone sludge compost, pressmud compost, poultry manure compost, goat manure compost and farmyard manure on the growth and yield of rice. The results of the experiment revealed that among the different treatments tested, application of bone sludge compost @ 5 t/ha + Pressmud compost @ 5 t/ha along with balance N and K through fertilizers (T 4 ) excelled all treatments and gave significantly higher grain yield of 6170 kg/ha and benefit-cost ratio of 2.50 when compared to other treatments. Considering the results of the present investigation, it can be concluded that application of bone sludge compost @ 5 t/ha + Pressmud compost @ 5 t/ha along with balance N and K through fertilizers registered highest values in growth parameters, yield attributes
The Potential of Acorn Extract Treatment on PUFAs Oxidative Stability: A Case Study on Fish Cooking Wastewater

Fish byproducts are valuable sources of Ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Their valorization potentially alleviates pressure on this sector. This study uses a circular economy approach to investigate the oil fraction from sardine cooking wastewater (SCW). Analysis of its fatty acid (FA) profile revealed promising PUFA levels. However, PUFAs are highly susceptible to oxidation, prompting the exploration of effective and natural strategies to replace synthetic antioxidants and mitigate their associated risks and concerns. An antioxidant extract from acorn shells was developed and evaluated for its efficacy in preventing oxidative degradation. The extract exhibited significant levels of total phenolic compounds (TPC: 49.94 and 22.99 mg TAE or GAE/g DW) and antioxidant activities (ABTS: 72.46; ORAC: 59.60; DPPH: 248.24 mg TE/g DW), with tannins comprising a significant portion of phenolics (20.61 mg TAE/g DW). LC-ESI-UHR-QqTOF-MS identified ellagic acid, epicatechin, procyanidin B2 and azelaic acid as the predominant phenolic compounds. The extract demonstrated the ability to significantly reduce the peroxide index and inhibit PUFA oxidation, including linoleic acid (LA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This approach holds promise for developing stable, functional ingredients rich in PUFAs. Future research will focus on refining oil extraction procedures and conducting stability tests towards the development of specific applications.
Simple and practical rate adaptation algorithms for wireless networks

Wireless devices can exploit the knowledge of channel conditions to their advantage in achieving high throughput and robust communication. Current systems support multiple transmission rates and the ability to select a desirable rate. Higher transmission rates can be chosen when the channel quality is good thereby maximizing the throughput. Lower transmission rates can be selected when the channel quality is poor ensuring reliable message delivery. In order to achieve this, a wireless device needs some intelligence so it can assess the channel quality and adapt its transmission rate accordingly. This paper presents two novel algorithms to achieve throughput maximization and robust communication using intelligent link rate adaptation algorithms in the wireless device. The first of the two algorithms operates entirely at the sender and uses current channel quality information to guide the rate adaptation decision in finding the next transmission rate. The second algorithm relies on sender-receiver coordination in which feedback on current channel conditions at the recipient is provided to the sender via the rate used to transmit an acknowledgement (ACK). These algorithms were implemented in the ns-2 network simulator and their performance was evaluated against the classic Auto Rate Fallback (ARF) algorithm. Results from this study indicate that the proposed algorithms attain up to twice the throughput attained by ARF in certain scenarios. The results also confirm the limitations of ARF highlighted by previous studies.
A Novel Method of Obtaining Prostate Tissue for Gene Expression Profiling

Gene expression profiling by DNA microarray analysis is a technique with great promise in cancer biology. The multifocality and heterogeneity of many prostate cancers makes the collection of adequate biological samples for such profiling particularly challenging. Current methods, such as laser capture microdissection, are not widely available and can have significant limitations. In this article, a novel method of prostatic sampling, which does not affect the histopathological assessment of the surgical specimen and provides adequate RNA yield for microarray analysis is described. This method is simple, inexpensive, easily reproducible, and has been validated as having >95% sensitivity and 99% specificity for histological prediction of tissue obtained. This method can be adopted by other investigators to perform DNA microarray analysis on prostate tumors.
ADHD, lead exposure and prevention: how much lead or how much evidence is needed?

Under this per-spective, genes can be used to gauge thetrue strength of environmental influencesmore accurately, by showing how strongthese effects are in the portion of the pop-ulation that is genetically liable to the dis-order. A third influence is the recognitionthat disorders like ADHD are sufficientlycostly to society and difficult to treatonce they bloom that investments in pre-vention are well justified if only an effec-tive and ethically acceptable preventivestrategy can be identified. This confluence of concerns has begunto move identification of environmentaleffects up the research agenda forADHD. Identifying such preventionopportunities relies as much on targetingthe relevant environments as the relevantgenes. It opens up important areas ofinquiry, such as toxicogenomics, toexamine how toxins affect the genome tocreate disease.With regard to prevention strategies,such environmental targets fall into atleast two major classes. In the first classare those injurious experiences under thecontrol of individual parents, oftenalready known to be harmful. Examplesin this class are prenatal cigarette andalcohol exposure (in the case of ADHDand related conditions
Dynamic Network Drivers of Seizure Generation, Propagation and Termination in Human Neocortical Epilepsy

The epileptic network is characterized by pathologic, seizure-generating ‘foci’ embedded in a web of structural and functional connections. Clinically, seizure foci are considered optimal targets for surgery. However, poor surgical outcome suggests a complex relationship between foci and the surrounding network that drives seizure dynamics. We developed a novel technique to objectively track seizure states from dynamic functional networks constructed from intracranial recordings. Each dynamical state captures unique patterns of network connections that indicate synchronized and desynchronized hubs of neural populations. Our approach suggests that seizures are generated when synchronous relationships near foci work in tandem with rapidly changing desynchronous relationships from the surrounding epileptic network. As seizures progress, topographical and geometrical changes in network connectivity strengthen and tighten synchronous connectivity near foci—a mechanism that may aid seizure termination. Collectively, our observations implicate distributed cortical structures in seizure generation, propagation and termination, and may have practical significance in determining which circuits to modulate with implantable devices.
An Association between OXPHOS-Related Gene Expression and Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptibility in Human Skeletal Muscle Biopsies

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a pharmacogenetic condition of skeletal muscle that manifests in hypermetabolic responses upon exposure to volatile anaesthetics. This condition is caused primarily by pathogenic variants in the calcium-release channel RYR1, which disrupts calcium signalling in skeletal muscle. However, our understanding of MH genetics is incomplete, with no variant identified in a significant number of cases and considerable phenotype diversity. In this study, we applied a transcriptomic approach to investigate the genome-wide gene expression in MH-susceptible cases using muscle biopsies taken for diagnostic testing. Baseline comparisons between muscle from MH-susceptible individuals (MHS, n = 8) and non-susceptible controls (MHN, n = 4) identified 822 differentially expressed genes (203 upregulated and 619 downregulated) with significant enrichment in genes associated with oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fatty acid metabolism. Investigations of 10 OXPHOS target genes in a larger cohort (MHN: n = 36; MHS: n = 36) validated the reduced expression of ATP5MD and COQ6 in MHS samples, but the remaining 8 selected were not statistically significant. Further analysis also identified evidence of a sex-linked effect in SDHB and UQCC3 expression, and a difference in ATP5MD expression across individuals with MH sub-phenotypes (trigger from in vitro halothane exposure only, MHSh (n = 4); trigger to both in vitro halothane and caffeine exposure, MHShc (n = 4)). Our data support a link between MH-susceptibility and dysregulated gene expression associated with mitochondrial bioenergetics, which we speculate plays a role in the phenotypic variability observed within MH.
Pilot study of massage in veterans with knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES To (1) assess the feasibility and acceptability of Swedish massage among Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care users with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and (2) collect preliminary data on efficacy of Swedish massage in this patient group. DESIGN Experimental pilot study. SETTING Duke Integrative Medicine clinic and VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. PATIENTS Twenty-five veterans with symptomatic knee OA. INTERVENTIONS Eight weekly 1-hour sessions of full-body Swedish massage. OUTCOME MEASURES Primary: Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and global pain (Visual Analog Scale [VAS]). Secondary: National Institutes of Health Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Pain Interference Questionnaire 6b (PROMIS-PI 6b), 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12 v1) and the EuroQol health status index (EQ-5D-5L), knee range of motion (ROM), and time to walk 50 feet. RESULTS Study feasibility was established by a 92% retention rate with 99% of massage visits and 100% of research visits completed. Results showed significant improvements in self-reported OA-related pain, stiffness and function (30% improvement in Global WOMAC scores; p=0.001) and knee pain over the past 7 days (36% improvement in VAS score; p<0.001). PROMIS-PI, EQ-5D-5L, and physical composite score of the SF-12 also significantly improved (p<0.01 for all), while the mental composite score of the SF-12 and knee ROM showed trends toward significant improvement. Time to walk 50 feet did not significantly improve. CONCLUSIONS Results of this pilot study support the feasibility and acceptability of Swedish massage among VA health care users as well as preliminary data suggesting its efficacy for reducing pain due to knee OA. If results are confirmed in a larger randomized trial, massage could be an important component of regular care for these patients.
Maternal serum oestrogen and androgen concentrations in preeclamptic and uncomplicated pregnancies.

BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies show a substantially reduced risk of breast cancer in adult daughters of preeclamptic pregnancies, and modest risk reductions have been demonstrated for mothers also. Alterations in pregnancy hormone concentrations, particularly lower in utero exposure to oestrogen, are hypothesized to mediate this association. METHODS Pregnancy hormone concentrations were measured in maternal sera collected at hospital admission for labour and delivery from 86 preeclamptic and 86 uncomplicated, singleton pregnancies matched on length of gestation, maternal age, parity, and type of delivery. RESULTS Case and control pregnancies were similar in several maternal and pregnancy factors. Serum unconjugated oestradiol, oestrone, and oestriol concentrations were not lower in preeclamptic pregnancies in a matched analysis with adjustment for race and whether blood was collected before or after labour commenced. Serum unconjugated androstenedione (506.3 versus 316.0 ng/dl; P = 0.0007) and testosterone concentrations (214.5 versus 141.9 ng/dl; P = 0.004), however, were significantly higher in preeclamptic compared with control pregnancies, whereas dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulphate did not differ. CONCLUSIONS These data do not support the hypothesis that cancer risk in mothers and offspring of preeclamptic pregnancies is explained by exposure to lower maternal blood oestrogen concentrations, but raise the possibility that androgens play a role.
Zyxin Mediation of Stretch-Induced Gene Expression in Human Endothelial Cells

Rationale: Prolonged exposure to enhanced stretch, such as in hypertension, triggers endothelial dysfunction, a hallmark of pathological vascular remodeling processes. Despite its clinical relevance, little is known about stretch-induced gene expression in endothelial cells. Objective: Here, we have characterized a new stretch-inducible signaling pathway and the subsequent changes in endothelial gene expression in response to stretch. Methods and Results: Using human primary endothelial cells, we observed that the protein zyxin translocates from focal adhesions to the nucleus solely in response to stretch. There, it orchestrates complex changes in gene expression by interacting with a novel cis-acting element found in all zyxin-regulated genes analyzed so far. By way of DNA microarray pathway analyses, stretch-induced changes in endothelial cell gene expression were systematically explored, revealing that zyxin mainly regulates proinflammatory pathways. Conclusions: Stretch appears to be an important factor in the development of endothelial dysfunction with zyxin as a potential therapeutic target to interfere with these early changes in endothelial cell phenotype.
Assessing the Surface Radiation Balance and Associated Components in an Intertidal Wetland

ABSTRACT Vitale, A.J.; Genchi, S.A. , and Piccolo, M.C. , 2019. Assessing the surface radiation balance and associated components in an intertidal wetland. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(1), 158–164. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Knowledge of the surface radiation balance and associated components in intertidal wetlands is essential to the understanding of the ecosystem. The aim of this study is to assess the behavior of the radiation balance (or net radiation) and its components in a salt marsh environment (Bahía Blanca Estuary, Argentina), taking into consideration two different tidal conditions: nonflooded salt marsh (NFS) and flooded salt marsh (FS). In situ measurements were made during a 1-year period. An adequate measurement system to record meteorological and oceanographic parameters by using a floating structure was implemented. The results showed that the tide led to an increase of 5% in net radiation for a typical summer day (NFS = 3485 W m-2 d-1; FS = 3663 W m-2 d-1), while for a typical winter day, the net radiation under NFS and FS conditions was similar (NFS = -616 W m-2 d-1; FS = -615 W m-2 d-1) but showing differences throughout the day. With the purpose of strengthening the results, a spectral analysis using Fourier and wavelet transforms was performed on the net radiation and tide level time series.