Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High potential of stable carbon sequestration in phytoliths of China's grasslands

Phytolith carbon (C) sequestration plays a key role in mitigating global climate change at a centennial to millennial time scale. However, previous estimates of phytolith‐occluded carbon (PhytOC) storage and potential in China's grasslands have large uncertainties mainly due to multiple data sources. This contributes to the uncertainty in predicting long‐term C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems using Earth System Models. In this study, we carried out an intensive field investigation (79 sites, 237 soil profiles [0–100 cm], and 61 vegetation assessments) to quantify PhytOC storage in China's grasslands and to better explore the biogeographical patterns and influencing factors. Generally, PhytOC production flux and soil PhytOC density in both the Tibetan Plateau and the Inner Mongolian Plateau had a decreasing trend from the Northeast to the Southwest. The aboveground PhytOC production rate in China's grassland was 0.48 × 106 t CO2 a–1, and the soil PhytOC storage was 383 × 106 t CO2. About 45% of soil PhytOC was stored in the deep soil layers (50–100 cm), highlighting the importance of deep soil layers for C stock assessments. Importantly, the Tibetan Plateau had the greatest contribution (more than 70%) to the PhytOC storage in China's grasslands. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that altitude and soil texture significantly influenced the spatial distribution of soil PhytOC, explaining 78.1% of the total variation. Soil phytolith turnover time in China's grasslands was mainly controlled by climatic conditions, with the turnover time on the Tibetan Plateau being significantly longer than that on the Inner Mongolian Plateau. Our results offer more accurate estimates of the potential for phytolith C sequestration from ecological restoration projects in degraded grassland ecosystems. These estimates are essential to parameterizing and validating global C models.
Understanding professional stratification and hybridisation in the medical profession: exploratory evidence from Brazilian federal university hospitals

Abstract This paper explores drivers, implications, and trends of professional stratification and hybridisation in the medical profession employed in Brazilian substituir por: federal university hospitals (HUFs). Drawing on exploratory findings, we examine some repercussions of the migration of university hospitals to EBSERH, a public company established by the federal government to manage and organise HUFs integrated into the Unified Health System (SUS). Our research shows that transferring hospital administration to EBSERH has led to further internal stratification of the medical workforce. The shift from the logic of medical-academic professionalism to the new logic of business-like healthcare, with the adoption of distinct job contracts and more managerial logics of work and control, may well be changing subjective and formal links established between professionals, universities, and hospitals. We identify and discuss trends towards hybridisation and dehybridisation. These findings are relevant because this shift can have profound implications for the academic nature of HUFs and for the future of professionalism within these health and teaching organisations.
The Role of Independent Commissioners and Audit Committee in Moderating the Influence of Related Party Transactions on Firm Value

This research aims to investigate the impact of related party transactions on firm value moderated by the Independent Commissioner and the Audit Committee. The sample used in this research is companies in the manufacturing sector that were listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange in period 2017-2019. Purposive sampling method was used to produce a sample of 167 firm-years. By using multiple regression analysis, this study found related party transactions in assets and liabilities have a positive effect on firm value, while related party transactions on sales and expenses have no effect on firm value. This study also finds that the Independent Commissioner weakens the positive effect of related party transactions on assets and liabilities on firm value, while the Audit Committee strengthens the positive effect of related party transactions on assets and liabilities on firm value. The results of this study suggest that the efficient transaction hypothesis is supported. Affiliated companies in one business group can use resources together, so that they can benefit from economies of scale and economies of scope, transactions like this are included in the efficient category because they benefit shareholders as a whole. This study also shows the role of the Audit Committee in encouraging companies to conduct efficient related party transactions.
Antioxidant Activity of Resveratrol Diastereomeric Forms Assayed in Fluorescent-Engineered Human Keratinocytes

Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant molecule. In the human diet, its most important source is in Vitis vinifera grape peel and leaves. Resveratrol exists in two isoforms, cis- and trans. The diastereomeric forms of many drugs have been reported as affecting their activity. The aim of this study was to set up a cellular model to investigate how far resveratrol could counteract cytotoxicity in an oxidant agent. For this purpose, a keratinocyte cell line, which was genetically engineered with jelly fish green fluorescent protein, was treated with the free radical promoter Cumene hydroperoxide. The antioxidant activity of the trans-resveratrol and its diastereomeric mixture was evaluated indirectly in these treated fluorescent-engineered keratinocytes by analyzing the cell number and cell proliferation index. Our results demonstrate that cells, which were pre-incubated with resveratrol, reverted the oxidative damage progression induced by this free radical agent. In conclusion, fluorescent-engineered human keratinocytes represent a rapid and low-cost cellular model to determine cell numbers by studying emitted fluorescence. Comparative studies carried out with fluorescent keratinocytes indicate that trans-resveratrol is more efficient than diastereomeric mixtures in protecting cells from the oxidative stress.
Monitoring Circulating Immune Checkpoint Proteins as Predictors of Non-AIDS Morbid Events in People With HIV Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract Background Although cell surface immune checkpoint proteins (ICPs) such as PD-1 expressed on T cells are associated with T-cell exhaustion, HIV disease progression, and AIDS events, they have shown limited utility in predicting non-AIDS morbidity. Given that ICPs also exist in soluble forms and are elevated in ART-treated HIV infection, we tested the hypothesis that soluble ICPs may be predictive of non-AIDS events in adults initiating ART. Methods Utilizing a nested case–control study from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group ALLRT cohort, we measured plasma levels of 15 soluble inhibitory and activating ICPs by Luminex. Participants (134 cases, 292 matched controls) were evaluated pre-ART, a year post-ART, and immediately preceding a non-AIDS event, which included myocardial infarction (MI)/stroke, malignancy, serious bacterial infection, and nonaccidental death. Results Conditional logistic regression analysis determined that higher levels of soluble CD27 were associated with increased risk of non-AIDS events at all time points. Higher levels of CD40 at baseline and pre-event and CD80 at pre-event were associated with increased risk of non-AIDS events. Examining specific non-AIDS events, multiple ICPs were associated with malignancy at baseline and pre-event, whereas only higher CD27 levels were associated with increased risk of MI/stroke at year 1 and pre-event. Conclusions While select soluble ICPs were associated with non-AIDS events, CD27 emerged as a consistent marker irrespective of ART. Our data may offer guidance on new targets for early clinical monitoring in people with HIV who remain at greater risk of specific non-AIDS events.
Charge Transport Characteristics of Molecular Electronic Junctions Studied by Transition Voltage Spectroscopy

The field of molecular electronics is prompted by tremendous opportunities for using a single-molecule and molecular monolayers as active components in integrated circuits. Until now, a wide range of molecular devices exhibiting characteristic functions, such as diodes, transistors, switches, and memory, have been demonstrated. However, a full understanding of the crucial factors that affect charge transport through molecular electronic junctions should yet be accomplished. Remarkably, recent advances in transition voltage spectroscopy (TVS) elucidate that it can provide key quantities for probing the transport characteristics of the junctions, including, for example, the position of the frontier molecular orbital energy relative to the electrode Fermi level and the strength of the molecule–electrode interactions. These parameters are known to be highly associated with charge transport behaviors in molecular systems and can then be used in the design of molecule-based devices with rationally tuned electronic properties. This article highlights the fundamental principle of TVS and then demonstrates its major applications to study the charge transport properties of molecular electronic junctions.
Total parietal peritonectomy for 61 patients: a retrospective study

Objective: To evaluate the morbidity of total parietal peritonectomy (TPP) during cytoreduction surgery, and its impact on the site of recurrence of different peritoneal surface malignancies (PSM). Methods: We led a retrospective study in a French tertiary cancer institution (Centre Oscar Lambret Lille) experienced in treating PSM over a 6-year period from 2012 to 2018. All patients underwent a total parietal peritonectomy during a debulking surgery for PSM including ovarian cancer, appendiceal pseudomyxoma peritonei or peritoneal mesothelioma. Results: Among the 61 patients included in this study, 49 patients(80.3%) had an ovarian cancer. The rate of complete tumor resection reached 86.9% with almost 69% of surgeries being highly complex. 73.8% were transfused during the surgical procedure. The median length of hospital stay was 10 days including 7 days in Intensive Care Unit. Overall, 19 patients (31.1%) had an early postoperative complication, including 3 with a grade IIIB complication of Clavien Dindo classification. With a median follow-up of 30 months, the estimated disease-free survival in the ovarian cancer subgroup who had an initial peritonectomy (n = 42) was 84.7% at 1 year and 12.0% at 3 year. The main site of first and second recurrence was peritoneal (42% and 14%). Conclusion: TPP is a safe surgical procedure to treat peritoneal surface malignancies and their recurrences with a low rate of grade IIIB morbidity and no treatment-related death and allow optimal surgery. In this study there is no atypical recurrence site, such as abdominal muscle involvement.
Is the Tyme Wear Smart Shirt Reliable and Valid at Detecting Personalized Ventilatory Thresholds in Recreationally Active Individuals?

The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the Tyme Wear smart shirt is as reliable and valid in detecting personalized ventilatory thresholds when compared to the Parvo Medics TrueOne 2400. In this validation study, 19 subjects were recruited to conduct two graded exercise test (GXT) trials. Each GXT trial was separated by 7 to 10 days of rest. During the GXT, gas exchange and heart rate data were collected by the TrueOne 2400 (TRUE) in addition to the ventilation data collected by the Tyme Wear smart shirt (S-PRED). Gas exchange data from TRUE were used to detect ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1) and ventilatory threshold 2 (VT2). TRUE and S-PRED VT1 and VT2 were compared to determine the reliability and validity of the smart shirt. Of the 19 subjects, data from 15 subjects were used during analysis. S-PRED exhibited excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient—CC > 0.90) reliability for detection of VT1 and VT2 utilizing time point and workload and moderate (0.90 > ICC > 0.75) reliability utilizing heart rate. TRUE exhibited excellent reliability for detection of VT1 and VT2 utilizing time point, workload, and heart rate. When compared to TRUE, S-PRED appears to underestimate the VT1 workload (p > 0.05) across both trials and heart rate (p < 0.05) for trial 1. However, S-PRED appears to underestimate VT2 workload (p < 0.05) and heart rate (p < 0.05) across both trials. The result from this study suggests that the Tyme Wear smart shirt is less valid but is comparable in reliability when compared to the gold standard. Moreover, despite the underestimation of S-PRED VT1 and VT2, the S-PRED-detected personalized ventilatory thresholds provide an adequate training workload for most individuals. In conclusion, the Tyme Wear smart shirt provides easily accessible testing to establish threshold-guided training zones but does not devalue the long-standing laboratory equivalent.
Fever management in acute brain injury

Purpose of review Fever is common after acute brain injury and is associated with poor prognosis in this setting. Recent findings Achieving normothermia is feasible in patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage and traumatic brain injury. Pharmacological strategies (i.e. paracetamol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are frequently ineffective and physical (i.e. cooling devices) therapies are often required. There are no good quality data supporting any benefit from therapeutic strategies aiming at normothermia in all brain injured patients when compared with standard of care, where mild-to-moderate fever is tolerated. However, recent guidelines recommended fever control in this setting. Summary As fever is considered a clinically relevant secondary brain damage, we have provided an individualized therapeutic approach to treat it in brain injured patients, which deserved further validation in the clinical setting.
Probing the Dynamics of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 Endonuclease Bound to the sgRNA Complex Using Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry

The Cas9 endonuclease is an essential component of the CRISPR–Cas-based genome editing tools. The attainment of high specificity and efficiency of Cas9 during targetted DNA cleavage is the main problem that limits the clinical application of the CRISPR–Cas9 system. A deep understanding of the Cas9 mechanism and its structural-functional relationships is required to develop strategies for precise gene editing. Here, we present the first attempt to describe the solution structure of Cas9 from S. pyogenes using hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) coupled to molecular dynamics simulations. HDX data revealed multiple protein regions with deuterium uptake levels varying from low to high. By analysing the difference in relative deuterium uptake by apoCas9 and its complex with sgRNA, we identified peptides involved in the complex formation and possible changes in the protein conformation. The REC3 domain was shown to undergo the most prominent conformational change upon enzyme-RNA interactions. Detection of the HDX in two forms of the enzyme provided detailed information about changes in the Cas9 structure induced by sgRNA binding and quantified the extent of the changes. The study demonstrates the practical utility of HDX-MS for the elucidation of mechanistic aspects of Cas9 functioning.
Effectiveness of Luliconazole for the Treatment of Tinea Infections: A Retrospective Study

Background: Real-world evidence supporting luliconazole is needed to strengthen the usage of luliconazole for the treatment of dermatophyte infections. Objective: To evaluates the effectiveness of luliconazole in real-world settings. Methods: This is a retrospective, EMR based study conducted on 145 patients with tinea infections treated with luliconazole 1% cream for four weeks, and the effectiveness was assessed at the end treatment. Results: Of 145 patients, 115 (79.31%) had Tinea cruris, and the treatment outcome for 138 (95.17%) was recorded as recovered significantly (p-value <0.05). Fifty-one (96.23%) females and 87 (94.57%) males recovered from the infections during treatment period. A 100% recovery rate observed among patients aged 46-60 years. Of 88 patients below 30 years, 82 (93.18%) recovered, while 44 (97.78%) patients recovered in the age group of 31-45 years. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the current study, luliconazole demonstrated effectiveness in treating Tinea corporis, Tinea cruris, and Tinea pedis infections.
Cystatin C: A Potential Predictor for Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Community Acquired Pneumonia

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP), and associated with poor prognosis. Cystatin C had been demonstrated to be a biomarker for the early detection AKI in in several other clinical settings. Therefore, in this study we evaluated whether AKI in patients with CAP could be well predicted by serum Cystatin C within 24 hours after admission.Methods: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate independent factors of AKI in patients with CAP. Prediction performance of all independent factors for AKI was measured using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs). Results: 2716 patients with CAP were eligible in this study, and 766 (28%) patients developed AKI. After multivariate logistic regression analysis, Cystatin C, albumin, uric acid, platelet count, white blood cell count, CURB-65 score, and acute respiratory failure were independent factors for AKI in patients with CAP. The maximum AUC was reported for serum Cystatin C within 24 hours after admission. Cystatin C had an AUC of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.79–0.83, P < 0.001) for predicting AKI, with an optimal cut-off value of 1.37 mg/L, computing 68% sensitivity, 80% specificity, 57% positive predictive value and 86% negative predictive value. In the stratification analyses, Cystatin C still had a good performance for predicting AKI in all the subgroups (AUCs: 0.69-0.84). Conclusions: The level of serum Cystatin C within 24 hours after admission appears to be a good biomarker for predicting of AKI in patients with CAP.
The effect of systemic and topical ophthalmic medications on choroidal thickness: A review

The choroid plays an important role in various ocular pathologies and retinal blood supply. There is a knowledge gap on how the choroid is affected by systemic and topical medications. Systemic medications that affect microvasculature elsewhere in the body can also affect the microvasculature of the choroid. This review summarizes current knowledge on associations between systemic and topical medications and changes in choroidal thickness (CT). This review included 71 studies on mydriatics/cycloplegics, intraocular pressure (IOP)‐lowering therapies, antihypertensives, adrenergic antagonists, statins, corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine, isotretinoin, hormonal contraceptives, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, antipsychotics, antineoplastic agents, ethanol, caffeine and nicotine. IOP‐lowering therapies, atropine eye drops, and systemic administration of β blockers and ethanol are associated with a significant increase in CT. Cyclopentolate and phenylephrine are associated with a CT reduction. Systemic medications that decrease CT include caffeine and nicotine. Tropicamide, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, statins, corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine and hormonal contraceptives have mixed findings. CT increase associated with IOP‐lowering therapies is possibly achieved by enhancing aqueous humour flow to the choroid thus elevating choroidal blood flow and thickness. CT changes appear to be independent from systemic blood pressure changes, suggesting that a significant association with an antihypertensive could be due to an idiosyncratic drug property. Statins and candesartan decrease macrophage accumulation and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 expression in the choroid. The choroid and its response to various disease processes and systemic medication can be further investigated to improve patient care, particularly in patients with choroid and retina pathologies.
Protective Effects of Curcumin in Cardiovascular Diseases—Impact on Oxidative Stress and Mitochondria

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) contribute to a large part of worldwide mortality. Similarly, two of the major risk factors for these diseases, aging and obesity, are also global problems. Aging, the gradual decline of body functions, is non-modifiable. Obesity, a modifiable risk factor for CVDs, also predisposes to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Moreover, it affects not only the vasculature and the heart but also specific fat depots, which themselves have a major impact on the development and progression of CVDs. Common denominators of aging, obesity, and T2DM include oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic abnormalities such as altered lipid profiles and glucose metabolism, and inflammation. Several plant substances such as curcumin, the major active compound in turmeric root, have been used for a long time in traditional medicine and for the treatment of CVDs. Newer mechanistic, animal, and human studies provide evidence that curcumin has pleiotropic effects and attenuates numerous parameters which contribute to an increased risk for CVDs in aging as well as in obesity. Thus, curcumin as a nutraceutical could hold promise in the prevention of CVDs, but more standardized clinical trials are required to fully unravel its potential.
Hotspots of Yield Loss for Four Crops of the Belt and Road Terrestrial Countries under 1.5 °C Global Warming

The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC) shows that climate change poses severe risks to the Belt and Road region and could cut future crop production. Identifying the positions and features of hotspots, which refer to regions with severe yield loss at 1.5 °C global warming, is the key to developing proper mitigation and adaptation policies to ensure regional food security. This study examined yield loss hotspots of four crops (maize, rice, soybean and wheat) at 1.5 °C global warming under RCP8.5. Yield data were derived from simulations of multiple climate-crop model ensembles from the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP). Hotspots were identified by setting a threshold of the 10th percentile of crop yields during the reference period (1986–2005). To quantify the likelihood of crop yield loss hotspots within multi-model ensembles, the agreement of model combinations for hotspots was calculated for each crop at the grid scale with 0.5° × 0.5° spatial resolution. Results revealed spatial heterogeneity of cultivation structure and hotspot likelihood for four crops. The four crops’ production of SA (South Asia) and SEA (Southeast Asia) accounts for more than 40% of the total production in the Belt and Road region, roughly four times the amount produced in CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) and NEA (Northeast Asia). Besides, the hotspots likelihood of maize, rice and soybean is generally larger in SA/SEA than that in CEE/NEA which means the risk of yield reduction is higher in the current main agricultural area. According to IPCC’s classification rules for likelihood, four crops’ hotspot patterns were displayed under the 1.5 °C global warming. As the highest-yielding crop, maize shows the largest proportion of “likely” hotspots (hotspot likelihood > 66%), which is about 6.48%, accounting for more than four times that of the other three crops. In addition, four crops’ hotspots are mainly distributed in SEA and SA. Overall, SEA and SA are vulnerable subregions and maize is the vulnerable crop of the Belt and Road region. Our results could provide information on target areas where mitigation or adaptations are needed to reduce the adverse influence of climate change in the agricultural system.