Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bridging Between Disease, Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus : A Review

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the oldest diseases known to man. DM is a chronic metabolic disorder resulting from a reduced insulin secretion by the pancreas or insulin action in the body or both. Currently 200 million people worldwide are found to be affected with DM and it is estimated and expected to reach 300 million by 2025. People can live normal with a healthy live by combining the elements of a balanced and nutritious diet, regular exercise or physical activity and proper medication. A regular blood glucose testing at intervals will be a guide to control the disease. Despite the publication of numerous original and review articles on the subject and availability of many natural as well as synthetic marketed products the effective management and treatment is not understood. This article highlights an overview of the historical background of the diabetes, classification (i.e., Type-I, Type-II, gestational, genetic defects of the β-cell), pathological changes and complications. It is briefed on treatment and management of the diabetes and the novel drug delivery systems such as nanoparticles, liposomes, aquasomes, emulsosomes, ethosomes, transdermals, microspheres, and implant in therapy. Thus, a better understanding concerning the DM and novel approaches in formulation technology and therapy could guide the formulation scientists and clinicians towards successful management of DM.
Cerebellar volume loss in radiologically isolated syndrome

Radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), in which asymptomatic demyelinating-appearing lesions are detected incidentally on MRI, can be a pre-clinical form of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we measured cerebellar volumes on 3D T1-weighted 3T MR images in 21 individuals with RIS and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Normalized cerebellar white matter volume and the anterior cerebellar gray matter volume were significantly decreased in RIS compared to HC (p = 0.003 and p = 0.005, respectively). Our findings support reports of regional brain atrophy in RIS prior to the development of a seminal attack related to inflammatory demyelination.
Revealing the Metabolic Activity of Persisters in Mycobacteria by Single-cell D2O Raman Imaging Spectroscopy.

The metabolic activity of bacterial cells largely differentiates even within a clonal population. Such metabolic divergence among cells is thought to play an important role for phenotypic adaptation to ever-changing environmental conditions, such as antibiotic persistence. It has long been thought that persisters are in a state called dormancy, in which cells are metabolically inactive and do not grow. However, recent studies suggest that some types of persisters are not necessarily dormant, triggering a debate about the mechanisms of persisters. Here, we combined single-cell Raman imaging spectroscopy and D2O labeling to analyze metabolic activities of bacterial persister cells. Metabolically active cells uptake deuterium through metabolic processes and give distinct C-D Raman bands, which are direct indicators of metabolic activity. Using this imaging method, we characterized the metabolic activity of Mycobacterium smegmatis, a fast-growing model for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We found that persister cells of M. smegmatis show certain metabolic activity and active cell growth in the presence of the antibiotic rifampicin. Interestingly, persistence is not correlated with growth rate prior to antibiotic exposure. These results show that dormancy is not responsible for the persistence of M. smegmatis cells against rifampicin, suggesting that the mechanism of persistence largely varies depending on the type of antibiotics and bacteria. Our results successfully demonstrate the potential of our perfusion based single-cell D2O Raman imaging system for the analysis of the metabolic activity and growth of bacterial persister cells.
Pulsed Facilitation of Corticospinal Excitability by the Sensorimotor μ-Alpha Rhythm

Alpha oscillations (8–14 Hz) are assumed to gate information flow in the brain by means of pulsed inhibition; that is, the phasic suppression of cortical excitability and information processing once per alpha cycle, resulting in stronger net suppression for larger alpha amplitudes due to the assumed amplitude asymmetry of the oscillation. While there is evidence for this hypothesis regarding occipital alpha oscillations, it is less clear for the central sensorimotor μ-alpha rhythm. Probing corticospinal excitability via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the primary motor cortex and the measurement of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), we have previously demonstrated that corticospinal excitability is modulated by both amplitude and phase of the sensorimotor μ-alpha rhythm. However, the direction of this modulation, its proposed asymmetry, and its underlying mechanisms remained unclear. We therefore used real-time EEG-triggered single- and paired-pulse TMS in healthy humans of both sexes to assess corticospinal excitability and GABA-A-receptor mediated short-latency intracortical inhibition (SICI) at rest during spontaneous high amplitude μ-alpha waves at different phase angles (peaks, troughs, rising and falling flanks) and compared them to periods of low amplitude (desynchronized) μ-alpha. MEP amplitude was facilitated during troughs and rising flanks, but no phasic suppression was observed at any time, nor any modulation of SICI. These results are best compatible with sensorimotor μ-alpha reflecting asymmetric pulsed facilitation but not pulsed inhibition of motor cortical excitability. The asymmetric excitability with respect to rising and falling flanks of the μ-alpha cycle further reveals that voltage differences alone cannot explain the impact of phase. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The pulsed inhibition hypothesis, which assumes that alpha oscillations actively inhibit neuronal processing in a phasic manner, is highly influential and has substantially shaped our understanding of these oscillations. However, some of its basic assumptions, in particular its asymmetry and inhibitory nature, have rarely been tested directly. Here, we explicitly investigated the asymmetry of modulation and its direction for the human sensorimotor μ-alpha rhythm. We found clear evidence of pulsed facilitation, but not inhibition, in the human motor cortex, challenging the generalizability of the pulsed inhibition hypothesis and advising caution when interpreting sensorimotor μ-alpha changes in the sensorimotor system. This study also demonstrates how specific assumptions about the neurophysiological underpinnings of cortical oscillations can be experimentally tested noninvasively in humans.
Effect and features of information technology-based interventions on self-management in adolescent and young adult kidney transplant recipients: a systematic review

Introduction Adolescent and young adult periods are characterized by increased risk-taking, impulsive behavior, and nonadherence issues, which makes it equally challenging for patients and their health care professionals. Health information technology (IT) has the potential to empower patients. Objective Determine the effects and features of IT-based interventions for self-management of adolescents and young adults in kidney transplant recipients. Materials and Methods A comprehensive survey was done on Medline and Scopus in September 2018. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies focused on automated IT-based interventions. Studies contained information about adolescent and young adult kidney transplant recipients aged under 25, all published in English. The articles were combined with each other based on the classification of outcomes, the type of interventions, and their impact. The studies were categorized based on the impact of interventions as positive and statistically significant, with no effect, or a combined effect (both positive significance and without effect). Results In this review, of a total of 2,242 retrieved articles, collected from Scopus and PubMed databases, 5 studies met the full-text inclusion criteria. Interventions were performed using computerized systems (3 studies), smartphone application/personal digital ass (PDA) (1 study), and multiple components (1 study). These studies evaluated 15 outcomes, including 7 care process and 8 clinical outcomes. In 6 of 15 outcomes (40%), interventions had a statistically significant positive effect. Conclusion IT-based interventions such as mobile health/personal digital assistant(PDA), computer systems and multi-component have the potential to improve self-management in adolescents and young adult kidney transplant recipients (care process outcomes). It is recommended to conduct complementary research to examine the effect of IT-based self-management interventions on clinical outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.
Effects of Fat Supplementation in Dairy Goats on Lipid Metabolism and Health Status

Simple Summary There is an increasing demand for information on the nutraceutical properties of food. Due to its bioactive components and high digestibility, goat milk is an excellent functional food. Dietary fat supplementation can further enrich the value of goat milk by modifying its acidic profile. Nevertheless, animal health can also benefit from lipids supplied with rations. In this review, the relationships between dietary fats and goat health status are summarized. Particular attention is paid to describing the effects of specific fatty acids on lipid metabolism and immune functionality. Abstract Fat supplementation has long been used in dairy ruminant nutrition to increase the fat content of milk and supply energy during particularly challenging production phases. Throughout the years, advances have been made in the knowledge of metabolic pathways and technological treatments of dietary fatty acids (FAs), resulting in safer and more widely available lipid supplements. There is an awareness of the positive nutraceutical effects of the addition of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to fat supplementation, which provides consumers with healthier animal products through manipulation of their characteristics. If it is true that benefits to human health can be derived from the consumption of animal products rich in bioactive fatty acids (FAs), then it is reasonable to think that the same effect can occur in the animals to which the supplements are administered. Therefore, recent advances in fat supplementation of dairy goats with reference to the effect on health status have been summarized. In vivo trials and in vitro analysis on cultured cells, as well as histological and transcriptomic analyses of hepatic and adipose tissue, have been reviewed in order to assess documented relationships between specific FAs, lipid metabolism, and immunity.
Formation and Reconnection of Three-dimensional Current Sheets with a Guide Field in the Solar Corona

We analyze a series of three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations of magnetic reconnection in a model solar corona to study the effect of the guide-field component on quasi-steady-state interchange reconnection in a pseudostreamer arcade configuration. This work extends the analysis of Edmondson et al. by quantifying the mass density enhancement coherency scale in the current sheet associated with magnetic island formation during the nonlinear phase of plasmoid-unstable reconnection. We compare the results of four simulations of a zero, weak, moderate, and a strong guide field, , to quantify the plasmoid density enhancement’s longitudinal and transverse coherency scales as a function of the guide-field strength. We derive these coherency scales from autocorrelation and wavelet analyses, and demonstrate how these scales may be used to interpret the density enhancement fluctuation’s Fourier power spectra in terms of a structure formation range, an energy continuation range, and an inertial range—each population with a distinct spectral slope. We discuss the simulation results in the context of solar and heliospheric observations of pseudostreamer solar wind outflow and possible signatures of reconnection-generated structure.
Real Estate Investment in Global Financial Centers: Risk, Return and Contagion

Global financial activity is heavily concentrated in a small number of world cities –international financial centers. The office markets in those cities receive significant flows of investment capital. The growing specialization of activity in IFCs and innovations in real estate investment vehicles lock developer, occupier, investment, and finance markets together, creating common patterns of movement and transmitting shocks from one office market throughout the system. International real estate investment strategies that fail to recognize this common source of volatility and risk may fail to deliver the diversification benefits sought.
Effect of autogenous growth factors released from platelet concentrates on the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament fibroblasts: a comparative study

Background Platelet concentrates have been used in tissue regeneration. The purpose of this study was to examine effects of growth factors released from leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) and concentrated growth factor (CGF) on the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs). Methods Leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrins, CGFs and PDLFs were obtained from New Zealand rabbits. The release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) from L-PRFs and CGFs was measured at 5 h and 1, 3, 5, 7 days, using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The PDLFs were treated with exudates of L-PRF or CGF. After the treatment, cell counting kit-8 assay was performed at day 1, 3, 5 and 7. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay and Western blotting were applied at day 7. Three blocking antibodies were used to neutralize the proteins of bFGF, BMP-2 and TGF-β1. Results Leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin and CGF showed different growth factor release pattern, but similar accumulated concentration of these growth factors. PDLFs proliferation was significantly promoted by both L-PRF and CGF at day 1, 3 and 7, and CGF group was superior to L-PRF group at day 1 and 3. Both L-PRF and CGF significantly enhanced PDLFs ALP activity and protein expression of osteogenic markers. The osteopontin level was higher in CGF group than in L-PRF group, but no significant differences were found between two groups for ALP activity. Three blocking antibodies significantly downregulated both L-PRF and CGF induced osteogenic markers expression. Conclusion Both CGF and L-PRF can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of PDLFs. The bFGF, BMP-2 and TGF-β1 are involved in both L-PRF and CGF induced osteogenic differentiation of PDLFs.
Factors Influencing the Presentation of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: The Relative Importance of Sex, Associated Neurological Disorder, and Context of Referral to Polysomnography.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To identify the interrelation and relative influence of sex, associated neurological disorder, and polysomnography (PSG) context on the manifestations of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD). METHODS Fifty-seven patients with RBD were assessed with video PSG regarding sleep structure, muscular activity, and motor events (ME) during REM sleep. Patients were categorized according to sex, associated neurological disorder (clinically isolated RBD [iRBD] versus RBD associated with an overt α-synucleinopathy [sRBD]) and motive for PSG (direct referral due to RBD symptoms [First, n = 14]; referred after screening procedures [Screening, n = 13]; referred during clinical follow-up for other disorders [Follow-up, n = 22]; referred for symptoms other than RBD [Incidental, n = 8]). RESULTS Phasic muscular activity index and the relative number of myoclonic and trunk ME were significantly higher in males and segmental ME in female patients. sRBD was associated with Screening and iRBD with First categories. There was a higher severity of ME in patients with iRBD. Global motor severity of ME was significantly higher in the First category. In multivariate analysis, both motive for PSG and associated neurological disorder had a significant and independent influence in the global severity of ME. CONCLUSIONS Associated neurological disorder and motive for PSG can significantly influence RBD presentation. Male sex is related with higher muscular phasic activity and a different pattern of ME, which could contribute to prevalence variations across studies. Having iRBD and being directly referred for a first consultation because of complaints compatible with RBD are interrelated and contribute independently to a higher severity of ME.
Breeding Biology and Population Dynamics of Slender-billed Gulls at the Ebro Delta (Northwestern Mediterranean)

Abstract The breeding biology of the Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei) is poorly known. Several reproductive parameters have been recorded during ten years (from 1992 to 2001) at the Ebro Delta (northwestern Mediterranean), such as clutch size, egg size and breeding success, as well as the number of breeders during the study and their population dynamics. Average clutch size during the study was 2.57 eggs per nest, with three eggs being the modal size. Slender-billed Gulls can lay a second clutch after egg loss, although clutch size is decreased. Mean egg size for the period 1998-2001 was 38.50 ml (SE 0.11). Although breeding is highly synchronous, females laying first were probably those in best body condition. Average breeding success for the whole period was 0.71 chicks per nest (24% of eggs laid). Compared with other colonies, results suggest that on average, the site may be a high quality colony in terms of availability of food, nest sites and predation rates. However, most of the breeding parameters analyzed showed statistically significant differences between years, and also between breeding areas and sub-colonies within the delta. The number of breeding pairs increased slightly from 388 in 1992 to 468 in 2001 (mean annual growth rate was 1.02 per year), although the rate fluctuated greatly between years, these changes were probably related to emigration-immigration processes at a metapopulation level.
Improved calendar time approach for measuring long-run anomalies

Although a large number of recent studies employ the buy-and-hold abnormal return (BHAR) methodology and the calendar time portfolio approach to investigate the long-run anomalies, each of the methods is a subject to criticisms. In this paper, we show that a recently introduced calendar time methodology, known as Standardized Calendar Time Approach (SCTA),, controls well for heteroscedasticity problem which occurs in calendar time methodology due to varying portfolio compositions. In addition, we document that SCTA has higher power than the BHAR methodology and the Fama–French three-factor model while detecting the long-run abnormal stock returns. Moreover, when investigating the long-term performance of Canadian initial public offerings, we report that the market period (i.e. the hot and cold period markets) does not have any significant impact on calendar time abnormal returns based on SCTA.
Cognitive function in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Relationship to stress hormone(Cortisol)

Chronic hyperglycemia and hypercortisolemia have deleterious effect on the hippocampus, brain area responsible for learning and memory. We aimed to determine the relationship between hypercorticolemia and cognitive function with T2DM. Included were 57 patients. Cognition was tested using battery of psychometric testing (Mini-Mental State Examination or MMSE, Stanford Binet Test (4th edition) or SBST and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised or WMS-R) and by recording P300 component of Event Related Potential (ERPs). Depression was assessed using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). We also measured cortisol at basal state and after dexamethasone injection. Compared to controls (n=40), patients had lower scores of subsets and total scores of cognitive testing (MMSE, SBST and WMS-R) (P=0.004), abnormalities in P300 and higher depression scores (P=0.001). Comprehension, bead memory, memory for sentences, digit forward, digit backward, mental control, logical memory, total scores of cognitive testing, P300 amplitude and depression scores were markedly affected with poor glycemic control. Patients had high levels HbA1c and cortisol at basal state and after dexamethasone. This relationship was only significant in presence of poor glycemic control after controlling for age, duration of illness and dyslipidemia. We concluded that hypercortisolemia appears to exacerbate cognition dysfunction in T2DM only in presence of poor glycemic control.
Evolving farm structures and land use patterns in former socialist countries

The paper reviews the role of land policies in the evolving farm structure of transition countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The discussion shows how different policies for land property rights, degrees of control of land rental and sale markets, and procedures for restructuring former collective or state farms resulted in significantly different farm structures in CEE countries compared with those in the CIS. In particular, secure land rights, greater emphasis on individualization of land, and more liberal land market policies in CEE generated a farmer sector with a relatively large share of family farms and viable corporate farms. On the other hand, limited tenure security, ineffective individualization of land rights, and restrictive land market policies in most of the CIS produced a farming structure dominated by large and generally nonviable jointly-owned farms that function much like the old collective farms. Family farms are slow to emerge in transition countries with inadequate land policies. The agricultural sector in countries dominated by inefficient farm organizations is characterized by low productivity and misallocation
Cadmium Induced Adverse Effects on Fry of Oreochromis mossambicus

This study investigates the effects of Cadmium (Cd) on fry of the Mozambique Tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus using standard toxicity tests. Fry were repeatedly exposed to five concentrations (0.002 – 2.0 mgl-1) of Cd and survival, growth and swimming activity were monitored over 10 days. These trials revealed that all the tested concentrations significantly enhanced mortality of the fry with concentrations above 1.0 mgl-1 resulting in 100% mortality. Mortality was positively related to the exposure level indicating dose-dependency. The LC50 1-10days ranged from 0.02 to7.26 mgl-1. Fry exposed to Cd also exhibited an increase in swimming activity in comparison to those that were not exposed indicating abnormal behaviour. Nevertheless, there was no apparent growth retardation and gross morphological defects during the brief exposure period. These findings are significant because the lethal and sublethal effects in fry were also apparent at Cd concentrations of 0.001 – 0.2 mgl-1, which are typically recorded in fresh waterbodies in Sri Lanka. Keywords: Cadmium, Oreochromis mossambicus , survival, toxicity, Sri Lanka