Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Guarding Health: A Comprehensive Review of Nosocomial Infections in Sickle Cell Anemia, a Multifaceted Approach to Prevention

This comprehensive review explores the complex dynamics of nosocomial infections in individuals with sickle cell anemia (SCA) and advocates for a collaborative strategy to enhance prevention. SCA patients, marked by compromised immunity and susceptibility to infections, face unique challenges that necessitate tailored preventive measures. The review underscores the importance of vaccination, antibiotic prophylaxis, education, and environmental hygiene in mitigating the risk of nosocomial infections. Addressing socioeconomic factors, healthcare system limitations, patient-related issues, and cultural considerations is imperative for effective prevention. The call to action emphasizes the pivotal roles of healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and community engagement in implementing targeted interventions. By fostering a collective effort, this review envisions an improved landscape for infection prevention in SCA patients, enhancing their overall health outcomes and quality of life.
Exposure and Health Risks Posed by Potentially Toxic Elements in Soils of Metal Fabrication Workshops in Mbarara City, Uganda

Metal fabrication workshops (MFWs) are common businesses in Ugandan cities, and especially those producing metallic security gates, window and door frames (burglar-proof), and balcony and staircase rails. The objective of this study was to comparatively assess the pollution levels and potential health risks of manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pd) and nickel (Ni) in pooled surface soil samples from four 5-, 7-, 8-, and 10-year-old MFWs (n = 28) and a control site (n = 8) in Mbarara City, Uganda. The concentration of the potentially toxic elements (PTEs) was determined using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry. Contamination, ecological, and human health risk assessment indices and models were used to identify any risks that the PTEs could pose to the pristine environment and humans. Our results showed that PTE pollution of soils is occuring in the MFWs than at the control site. The mean concentrations of the PTEs (mg kg−1) in the samples were: Mn (2012.75 ± 0.23–3377.14 ± 0.31), Cr (237.55 ± 0.29–424.93 ± 0.31), Cd (0.73 ± 0.13–1.29 ± 0.02), Pb (107.80 ± 0.23–262.01 ± 0.19), and Ni (74.85 ± 0.25–211.37 ± 0.14). These results indicate that the PTEs could plausibly derive from the fabrication activities in these workshops, which is supported by the high values of contamination factors, index of geoaccumulation, and the overall increase in pollution load indices with the number of years of operation of the MFWs. Human health risk assessment showed that there are non-carcinogenic health risks that could be experienced by children who ingest PTEs in the soils from the 7-, 8- and 10-year-old MFWs. The incremental life cancer risk assessment suggested that there are potential cancerous health effects of Cd and Ni that could be experienced in children (who ingest soils from all the four MFWs) and adults (ingesting soils from the 8- and 10-year-old MFWs). This study underscores the need to implement regulatory guidelines on the operation and location of MFWs in Uganda. Further research should be undertaken to investigate the emission of the PTEs during welding operations in the MFWs.
Development, Transition and Agricultural Performance in Asia

This study aims to investigate interregional and intercountry differences in terms of the magnitude and direction of agricultural growth in Asian countries. In the paper we give special attention to the transition economies. This study utilizes a parametric output distance function approach to decompose total factor productivity (TFP) growth into its associated components. The paper also examines how input and output intensities shift in response to the adoption of innovations. The most recent Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) data set of 27 Asian countries over the period from 1980-2004 is used. Our major finding indicates that Asian countries on average achieved TFP growth at nearly 2 percent per annum. However, there were large differences among the transition countries in terms of the magnitude and direction of TFP growth. Some transition countries such as China and Mongolia exhibited above average growth. Others, such as, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Laos, and Vietnam did not do so well. งานวจยนมวตถประสงคเพอตรวจสอบและเปรยบเทยบความแตกตางของผลการดำเนนการทางการเกษตรของ ประเทศตางๆ ในทวปเอเชย โดยมงศกษาถงผลการดำเนนการของกลมประเทศเปลยนผานในภมภาคน แบบจำลอง การประมาณคาตวแปรจากฟงกชนระยะทางผลผลตถกกำหนดขนเพอใชแยกคาการเตบโตผลตภาพทางการเกษตร ออกเปนองคประกอบตางๆ ทสำคญ นอกจากนน งานวจยนยงไดกำหนดแบบจำลองเพอใชศกษาถงผลของการใชปจจย การผลตและผลผลตชนดตางๆ ทไดทสงผลตอการนำเอาเทคโนโลยใหมๆ มาใชในกระบวนการผลต โดยงานวจยน อาศยฐานขอมลการผลตทางการเกษตรของประเทศตางๆ ในทวปเอเชยจำนวน 27 ประเทศขององคกรอาหารและ การเกษตรของสหประชาชาต ระหวางป ค. ศ. 1980-2004 ผลการศกษาแสดงใหเหนวา คาเฉลยการเตบโตผลต ภาพปจจยการผลตรวมทางการเกษตรในทวปเอเชยมคาเทากบ 2 เปอรเซนตตอประหวางป ค. ศ. 1980-2004 ปจจยหลก ทสงผลตอการเตบโตผลตภาพทางการเกษตร คอ การเปลยนแปลงเทคโนโลย นนแสดงวาประเทศตางๆ ไดมการนำเอาเทคโนโลยใหมๆ มาใชในกระบวนการผลตเพอสงเสรมใหเกดการเตบโตผลตภาพทางการเกษตรขนในภมภาค ผลการศกษายงแสดงใหเหนวาคาการเตบโตผลตภาพปจจยการผลตรวมของประเทศตางๆ ในภมภาคเอเชยมความ แตกตางกนมาก ประเทศทแสดงคาการเตบโตผลตภาพปจจยการผลตรวมทางการเกษตรอยในเกณฑสง ไดแก ประเทศ จน และมองโกเลย ในขณะทประเทศครกซสถาน อซเบกสถาน ลาว และเวยดนาม แสดงคาการเตบโตผลตภาพปจจย การผลตรวมทางการเกษตรอยในเกณฑตา
Orbital‐scale droughts in central‐northern Mexico during the late Quaternary and comparison with other subtropical and tropical records

Palaeoclimate research in subtropical arid Mexico is mainly focused to infer dynamics and geographic distributions of different precipitation regimes, but droughts have received less attention. We present a new sedimentary core record indicating orbital‐scale dynamics of droughts that occurred in central‐northern Mexico during the late Quaternary. This record is reconstructed from abundances of authigenic carbonate and windblown clastic sediments in a 1026‐cm‐long sediment core from the Santiaguillo ephemeral lake. The Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 lacked drought, and at least two different droughts were centred at c. 13.5 ka and at c. 7 ka during the MIS 1. The drought of c. 13.5 ka in the Santiaguillo ephemeral lake was contemporary to an interval of droughts in the Basin of Mexico (central Mexico) and stronger aeolian activity in the Baja California peninsula (northwestern Mexico). This synchronous arid condition, observed in the subtropical as well as tropical Mexico, occurred during an interval of higher spring insolation, relatively warmer but fluctuating global temperature, and stronger El Niño‐Southern Oscillation. Unsuccessful radiocarbon dating for the lower part of the sediment core led to an assignment of uncertain chronology to droughts that occurred possibly between MIS 5 and MIS 3. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multi-Omics Research Accelerates the Clarification of the Formation Mechanism and the Influence of Leaf Color Variation in Tea (Camellia sinensis) Plants

Tea is a popular beverage with characteristic functional and flavor qualities, known to be rich in bioactive metabolites such as tea polyphenols and theanine. Recently, tea varieties with variations in leaf color have been widely used in agriculture production due to their potential advantages in terms of tea quality. Numerous studies have used genome, transcriptome, metabolome, proteome, and lipidome methods to uncover the causes of leaf color variations and investigate their impacts on the accumulation of crucial bioactive metabolites in tea plants. Through a comprehensive review of various omics investigations, we note that decreased expression levels of critical genes in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll and carotenoids, activated chlorophyll degradation, and an impaired photosynthetic chain function are related to the chlorina phenotype in tea plants. For purple-leaf tea, increased expression levels of late biosynthetic genes in the flavonoid synthesis pathway and anthocyanin transport genes are the major and common causes of purple coloration. We have also summarized the influence of leaf color variation on amino acid, polyphenol, and lipid contents and put forward possible causes of these metabolic changes. Finally, this review further proposes the research demands in this field in the future.
Metformin increases 3-hydroxy medium chain fatty acids in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional pharmacometabolomic study

Background Metformin is a drug with a long history of providing benefits in diabetes management and beyond. The mechanisms of action of metformin are complex, and continue to be actively debated and investigated. The aim of this study is to identify metabolic signatures associated with metformin treatment, which may explain the pleiotropic mechanisms by which metformin works, and could lead to an improved treatment and expanded use. Methods This is a cross-sectional study, in which clinical and metabolomic data for 146 patients with type 2 diabetes were retrieved from Qatar Biobank. Patients were categorized into: Metformin-treated, treatment naïve, and non-metformin treated. Orthogonal partial least square discriminate analysis and linear models were used to analyze differences in the level of metabolites between the metformin treated group with each of the other two groups. Results Patients on metformin therapy showed, among other metabolites, a significant increase in 3-hydroxyoctanoate and 3-hydroxydecanoate, which may have substantial effects on metabolism. Conclusions This is the first study to report an association between 3-hydroxy medium chain fatty acids with metformin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes. This opens up new directions towards repurposing metformin by comprehensively understanding the role of these metabolites.
Combined Effect of ENSO-Like and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation SSTAs on the Interannual Variability of the East Asian Winter Monsoon

AbstractUsing long-term observational data and numerical model experiments, this study found that the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) affects the influence of ENSO-like sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs, which contain the variability of both El Nino–Southern Oscillation and Pacific decadal oscillation) on the interannual change in the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). In the observations, the out-of-phase relationship between the variations in ENSO and the EAWM was significantly intensified when the AMO and ENSO-like SSTAs were in phase. Warmer-than-normal winters occurred across East Asia when the ENSO-like SSTAs and AMO were positively in phase, with a significantly weakened Siberian high and anomalous anticyclones over the western North Pacific. The opposite patterns occurred under negative in-phase conditions. In contrast, when the ENSO-like and AMO SSTAs were out of phase, the anomalies related to the EAWM tended to exhibit relatively weaker features. Numerical model experiments confir.
Cytotoxic CD8+ Temra cells show loss of chromatin accessibility at genes associated with T cell activation

As humans age, their memory T cell compartment expands due to the lifelong exposure to antigens. This expansion is characterized by terminally differentiated CD8+ T cells (Temra), which possess NK cell-like phenotype and are associated with chronic inflammatory conditions. Temra cells are predominantly driven by the sporadic reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV), yet their epigenomic patterns and cellular heterogeneity remain understudied. To address this gap, we correlated their gene expression profiles with chromatin openness and conducted single-cell transcriptome analysis, comparing them to other CD8+ subsets and CMV-responses. We confirmed that Temra cells exhibit high expression of genes associated with cytotoxicity and lower expression of costimulatory and chemokine genes. The data revealed that CMV-responsive CD8+ T cells (Tcmv) were predominantly derived from a mixed population of Temra and memory cells (Tcm/em) and shared their transcriptomic profiles. Using ATAC-seq analysis, we identified 1449 differentially accessible chromatin regions between CD8+ Temra and Tcm/em cells, of which only 127 sites gained chromatin accessibility in Temra cells. We further identified 51 gene loci, including costimulatory CD27, CD28, and ICOS genes, whose chromatin accessibility correlated with their gene expression. The differential chromatin regions Tcm/em cells were enriched in motifs that bind multiple transcriptional activators, such as Jun/Fos, NFkappaB, and STAT, whereas the open regions in Temra cells mainly contained binding sites of T-box transcription factors. Our single-cell analysis of CD8+CCR7loCD45RAhi sorted Temra population showed several subsets of Temra and NKT-like cells and CMC1+ Temra populations in older individuals that were shifted towards decreased cytotoxicity. Among CD8+CCR7loCD45RAhi sorted cells, we found a decreased proportion of IL7R+ Tcm/em-like and MAIT cells in individuals with high levels of CMV antibodies (CMVhi). These results shed new light on the molecular and cellular heterogeneity of CD8+ Temra cells and their relationship to aging and CMV infection.
Descriptive norms and entrepreneurial intentions: the mediating role of anticipated inaction regret

Previous research has mainly focused on the cognitive-based theory of planned behavior (TPB) model to predict entrepreneurial intentions. However, given the close relationship between cognition and emotion, researchers may need to pay more attention to how emotional reactions help predict entrepreneurial intentions. To fill this gap, we apply both cognitive (i.e., descriptive norms) and emotional (i.e., anticipated inaction regret) aspects to understand predictors of entrepreneurial intentions. Specifically, we employ the affect-as-information perspective as a complementary theoretical lens to TPB to test whether the role of descriptive norms on entrepreneurial intentions is affected by anticipated inaction regret as a form of emotional reaction to descriptive social norms. We conducted two survey-based studies with diverse samples (i.e., online Mturk panels of adults in the US and undergraduate students in Korea). This study demonstrates (1) a positive and significant relationship between descriptive norms and entrepreneurial intentions and (2) a mediating role of anticipated inaction regret between descriptive norms and entrepreneurial intentions. Our results contribute to the entrepreneurial intentions literature by exploring the mechanism between cognition and emotion, and highlighting an indirect emotional link (i.e., anticipated inaction regret) in understanding entrepreneurial intentions.
Micro radiocarbon dating of the particulate organic carbon fraction in Alpine glacier ice: method refinement, critical evaluation and dating applications

This work focuses on radiocarbon dating of the Particulate Organic Carbon fraction (POC) of Alpine glacier ice. This organic carbon fraction was chosen, because the initially preferred Dissolved Organic Carbon fraction (DOC) was found to be biased by incorporation of in situ produced 14C at high Alpine sites. Concentrations of POC in high Alpine ice are generally very low, ranging on average between 10 and 50 µgC per kg ice. Thus, POC 14C dating of Alpine ice cores, where available masses for dating are not exceeding a few hundred grams of ice, becomes a large challenge. Within this work, a unique sample preparation system (REFILOX), with a process blank reproducibly at a total carbon mass of (1.5 +/- 1.0) µgC or even below detection limit for combustion at 340 °C, has been deployed. This system was complemented by the setup of a gas ion source for direct CO2 AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) 14C measurements. Together, these novel sample preparation systems allow reliable dating of samples down to 2 µgC with a relative error not exceeding 10% for ages up to 15 000 years BP. For comprehensive age interpretation,POC age biasing effects such as input of old Saharan dust or sediment material have been investigated. The Saharan dust consistently featured an age range of 2200-2800 years BP and the sediment samples showed ages up to more than 20 000 years BP. POC combustion temperature investigations revealed that such biases by incorporated aged material can be avoided best by combustion at a temperature not higher than 340 °C. A first application of the method to ice block samples from Titlis glacier (Swiss Alps, 3020 m a.s.l.) yielded a consistent basal ice age of almost 5000 years BP. Additionally, 16 samples from an ice core drilled at the high Alpine glacier saddle Colle Gnifetti (Swiss Alps, 4500 m a.s.l.) have been POC micro-radiocarbon dated and revealed a so far not fully explained systematic age offset to younger ages than proposed by the annual layer counting based working chronology.
Local Application of Acibenzolar-S-Methyl Treatment Induces Antiviral Responses in Distal Leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a plant defense mechanism that provides protection against a broad spectrum of pathogens in distal tissues. Recent studies have revealed a concerted function of salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP) in the establishment of SAR against bacterial pathogens, but it remains unknown whether NHP is also involved in SAR against viruses. We found that the local application of acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a synthetic analog of SA, suppressed plantago asiatica mosaic virus (PlAMV) infection in the distal leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. This suppression of infection in untreated distal leaves was observed at 1 day, but not at 3 days, after application. ASM application significantly increased the expression of SAR-related genes, including PR1, SID2, and ALD1 after 1 day of application. Viral suppression in distal leaves after local ASM application was not observed in the sid2-2 mutant, which is defective in isochorismate synthase 1 (ICS1), which is involved in salicylic acid synthesis; or in the fmo1 mutant, which is defective in the synthesis of NHP; or in the SA receptor npr1-1 mutant. Finally, we found that the local application of NHP suppressed PlAMV infection in the distal leaves. These results indicate that the local application of ASM induces antiviral SAR against PlAMV through a mechanism involving NHP.
Contrasting Isotopic Mantle Sources for Proterozoic Lamproites and Kimberlites from the Cuddapah Basin and Eastern Dharwar Craton: Implication for Proterozoic Mantle Heterogeneity Beneath Southern India

Kimberlites intruding the Precambrian basement towards the western margin of the Cuddapah basin near Anantapur (1090 Ma) and Mahbubnagar (1360 Ma) in Andhra Pradesh have initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr between 0.70205 to 0.70734 and eNd between +0.5 to +4.68. Mesoproterozoic lamproites (1380 Ma) from the Cuddapah basin (Chelima and Zangamarajupalle) and its NE margin (Ramannapeta) have initiail 87 Sr/ 86 Sr between 0.70520 and 0.7390 and eNd from -6.43 to -8.29. Combined Sr- and Nd-isotopic ratios suggest that lamproites were derived from "enriched" sources which have time-averaged higher Rb/Sr and lower Sm/Nd ratios than the Bulk Earth whereas kimberlites were derived from "depleted" source with lower Rb/Sr and higher Sm/Nd ratios. Calculated T DM model ages suggest that the lamproite source enrichment (∼2 Ga) preceded that of kimberlites (∼1.37 Ga). Our work demonstrates the existence of isotopically contrasting upper mantle sources for southern Indian kimberlites and lamproites and provides evidence for a lateral, isotopically heterogeneous mantle beneath the Cuddapah basin and eastern Dharwar craton. The significance of our results in the context of diamond exploration is also highlighted.
Late Jurassic flare‐up of the Coast Mountains arc system, NW Canada, and dynamic linkages across the northern Cordilleran orogen

Short‐lived, high‐volume magmatic events or flare‐ups in Cordilleran‐style accretionary systems are presumably triggered by the rapid underthrusting of melt‐fertile lithosphere beneath a continental arc during extreme retroarc shortening. New zircon U‐Pb age and trace element geochemical studies of the Coast Mountains batholith were conducted to test this hypothesis and investigate cross‐orogen linkages between the Coast Mountains arc system and adjacent retroarc elements of the Canadian Cordillera. Late Jurassic (155–147 Ma) granitoids of the Saint Elias plutonic suite in southwestern Yukon were emplaced during a widespread magmatic event and correspond to an intrusive rate of ~350 km2/Myr, analogous to the scale of 160–150 Ma flare‐up activity in the Sierra Nevada batholith. The timing of Late Jurassic high‐volume magmatism was coincident with forearc and intraarc deformation events along the length of the Coast Mountains arc from Alaska to British Columbia. Whole‐rock and zircon rare earth element geochemical results from the Saint Elias plutonic suite confirm that continental lithosphere was a key source component for Late Jurassic granitoids, which strengthens the implied relationship between high‐volume arc magmatism and crustal recycling. Well‐documented episodes of late Middle to early Late Jurassic hinterland thrusting and metamorphism in the Intermontane and Omineca belts of the Canadian Cordillera preceded this high‐volume event and therefore support the hypothesis that retroarc shortening was dynamically linked to flare‐up activity. Late Jurassic magmatism was followed by a 140–125 Ma lull in most of the Coast Mountains batholith, which may be linked to ridge subduction, lithospheric delamination, mantle cooling, or plate reorganization.
Effects of model physics on hypoxia simulations for the northern Gulf of Mexico: A model intercomparison

A large hypoxic zone forms every summer on the Texas-Louisiana Shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico due to nutrient and freshwater inputs from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River System. Efforts are underway to reduce the extent of hypoxic conditions through reductions in river nutrient inputs, but the response of hypoxia to such nutrient load reductions is difficult to predict because biological responses are confounded by variability in physical processes. The objective of this study is to identify the major physical model aspects that matter for hypoxia simulation and prediction. In order to do so, we compare three different circulation models (ROMS, FVCOM, and NCOM) implemented for the northern Gulf of Mexico, all coupled to the same simple oxygen model, with observations and against each other. By using a highly simplified oxygen model, we eliminate the potentially confounding effects of a full biogeochemical model and can isolate the effects of physical features. In a systematic assessment, we found that (1) model-to-model differences in bottom water temperatures result in differences in simulated hypoxia because temperature influences the uptake rate of oxygen by the sediments (an important oxygen sink in this system), (2) vertical stratification does not explain model-to-model differences in hypoxic conditions in a straightforward way, and (3) the thickness of the bottom boundary layer, which sets the thickness of the hypoxic layer in all three models, is key to determining the likelihood of a model to generate hypoxic conditions. These results imply that hypoxic area, the commonly used metric in the northern Gulf which ignores hypoxic layer thickness, is insufficient for assessing a model's ability to accurately simulate hypoxia, and that hypoxic volume needs to be considered as well.