Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ankle joint flexibility affects undulatory underwater swimming speed

The movement of undulatory underwater swimming (UUS), a swimming technique adapted from whales, is mainly limited by human anatomy. A greater ankle joint flexibility could improve the imitation of the whale's flap of the fin and therefore enhance USS performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ankle joint flexibility on swimming velocity and kick efficiency during UUS by comparing kinematics of swimming trials with reduced, normal, and enhanced maximum angles of plantar flexion. Ten well trained swimmers (5m and 5f; 22 ± 4years; 177 ± 7cm; 74 ± 15kg), performed multiple trials of UUS with normal, restricted, and increased ankle joint flexibility on two separate days in randomized order. Kick frequency was controlled by a metronome. Plantar flexion (PF) was restricted by tape application on both feet and increased by passive-dynamic stretching. All trials were filmed. Kinematics were obtained with two-dimensional motion analysis. Tape application restricted maximum PF by 10.42% while stretching increased PF by 6.87% compared to normal PF. Swimming velocity and kick efficiency significantly decreased during swimming with restricted PF (1.13 ± 0.13m*s−1; 0.69 ± 0.09m) compared to normal (1.20 ± 0.14 m*s−1; 0.72 ± 0.10m) and increased (1.22 ± 0.15m*s−1; 0.73 ± 0.10m) PF. Swimming velocity and kick efficiency did not differ between normal and increased PF. Body height normalized swimming velocity correlated significantly with PF angle (r = 0.538). The results suggest that UUS velocity is affected by impaired PF. Particularly swimmers with low or average maximum PF angles may benefit from a long-term ankle joint flexibility program to improve their UUS performance.
Digestibility of wheat alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors using a caricain digestive supplement

Wheat is a major source of nutrition, though in susceptible people it can elicit inappropriate immune responses. Wheat allergy and non-celiac wheat sensitivity are caused by various wheat proteins, including alpha-amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs). These proteins, like the gluten proteins which can cause celiac disease, are incompletely digested in the stomach such that immunogenic epitopes reach the lower digestive system where they elicit the undesirable immune response. The only completely effective treatment for these immune reactions is to eliminate the food trigger from the diet, though inadvertent or accidental consumption can still cause debilitating symptoms in susceptible people. One approach used is to prevent the causal proteins from provoking an immune reaction by enhancing their digestion using digestive protease supplements that act in the stomach or intestine, cleaving them to prevent or quench the harmful immune response. In this study, a digestive supplement enriched in caricain, an enzyme naturally present in papaya latex originally designed to act against gluten proteins was assessed for its ability to digest wheat ATIs. The digestion efficiency was quantitatively measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, including examination of the cleavage sites and the peptide products. The peptide products were measured across a digestion time course under conditions that mimic gastric digestion in vivo, involving the use of pepsin uniquely or in combination with the supplement to test for additive effects. The detection of diverse cleavage sites in the caricain supplement-treated samples suggests the presence of several proteolytic enzymes that act synergistically. Caricain showed rapid action in vitro against known immunogenic ATIs, indicating its utility for digestion of wheat ATIs in the upper digestive tract.
Interferon-γ augments GABA release in the developing neocortex via nitric oxide synthase/soluble guanylate cyclase and constrains network activity

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), a cytokine with neuromodulatory properties, has been shown to enhance inhibitory transmission. Because early inhibitory neurotransmission sculpts functional neuronal circuits, its developmental alteration may have grave consequences. Here, we investigated the acute effects of IFN-γ on γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA)ergic currents in layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the somatosensory cortex of rats at the end of the first postnatal week, a period of GABA-dependent cortical maturation. IFN-γ acutely increased the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous/miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (s/mIPSC), and this could not be reversed within 30 min. Neither the increase in amplitude nor frequency of IPSCs was due to upregulated interneuron excitability as revealed by current clamp recordings of layer 5 interneurons labeled with VGAT-Venus in transgenic rats. As we previously reported in more mature animals, IPSC amplitude increase upon IFN-γ activity was dependent on postsynaptic protein kinase C (PKC), indicating a similar activating mechanism. Unlike augmented IPSC amplitude, however, we did not consistently observe an increased IPSC frequency in our previous studies on more mature animals. Focusing on increased IPSC frequency, we have now identified a different activating mechanism—one that is independent of postsynaptic PKC but is dependent on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). In addition, IFN-γ shifted short-term synaptic plasticity toward facilitation as revealed by a paired-pulse paradigm. The latter change in presynaptic function was not reproduced by the application of a nitric oxide donor. Functionally, IFN-γ-mediated alterations in GABAergic transmission overall constrained early neocortical activity in a partly nitric oxide–dependent manner as revealed by microelectrode array field recordings in brain slices analyzed with a spike-sorting algorithm. In summary, with IFN-γ-induced, NO-dependent augmentation of spontaneous GABA release, we have here identified a mechanism by which inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) plausibly modulates neuronal development.
Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the postpartum depression literacy scale

Background and aim The postpartum depression literacy (PoDLi) of perinatal women is closely related to the occurrence, recognition, and treatment of postpartum depression, therefore valid instruments for evaluating the level of PoDLi are of great significance for both research and clinical practice. This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the postpartum depression literacy scale (PoDLiS) into Chinese and to test its psychometric properties among Chinese perinatal women. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2022 in a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. 619 out of the 650 perinatal women that were approached via a convenience sampling method completed the Chinese version of the PoDLiS (C-PoDLiS). Content validity [the content validity index of items (I-CVI) and scale-level content validity index (S-CVI)] was evaluated by an expert panel. Psychometric properties, including item analysis, structure validity (exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis), convergent and discriminant validity, reliability (internal consistency, test-retest reliability), criterion validity (concurrent validity, predictive validity), and floor/ceiling effect were examined. Results The final version of C-PoDLiS is a six-factor structure consisting of 27 items, which explained 61.00% of the total variance. Adequate content validity (I-CVI = 0.833–1.00, S-CVI = 0.920) was ensured by the expert panel. The modified confirmatory factor analysis model revealed that the 6-factor model fitted the data well (χ2/df = 1.532, root mean square error of approximation = 0.042, goodness of fit = 0.900, incremental fit index = 0.949, comparative fit index = 0.948, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.940). The total Cronbach’s α was 0.862, the total McDonald’s ω was 0.869, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.856. Results of convergent validity (average variance extracted = 0.486–0.722) and discriminant validity provided good or acceptable psychometric support. Significant correlations between scores of the C-PoDLiS and Mental health literacy scale (r = 0.155–0.581, p < 0.01) and Attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help short form scale (r = 0.361–0.432, p < 0.01) supported good concurrent and predictive validity, respectively. No floor/ceiling effect was found. Conclusion The C-PoDLiS was demonstrated to be a sound instrument with good reliability and validity for evaluating Chinese perinatal women’s PoDLi levels. Its use in the future can facilitate data aggregation and outcome comparisons across different studies on this topic.
Multiparametric analysis of host and parasite elements in new world tegumentary leishmaniasis

Tegumentary leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Clinically, the disease presents a broad spectrum of symptoms, the mechanisms underlying the development of lesions remaining to be fully elucidated. In the present work, we performed a correlation and multiparametric analysis to evaluate how parasite- and host-related aspects associate with each other, and with the different clinical manifestations of tegumentary leishmaniasis. This cross-sectional study involved 75 individuals from endemic areas of Brazil, grouped according to their symptoms. Leishmania species were determined by DNA sequencing, and parasite load, antibody production, and cytokine profile were evaluated by kDNA qPCR, ELISA, and flow cytometry. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, principal component analysis, canonical discriminant analysis, and correlation analysis. Among the recruited patients, 23 (31%) were asymptomatic, 34 (45%) had primary cutaneous leishmaniasis, 10 (13%) presented recurrent cutaneous leishmaniasis, and eight (11%) had mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Leishmania species identified included L. amazonensis, L. braziliensis, and L. guyanensis. Surprisingly, no Leishmania RNA virus infection was detected in any sample. In summary, our work showed that parasite load, antibody production, and cytokine levels alone are not determinants for tegumentary leishmaniasis symptoms. However, the correlation analysis allowed us to observe how these factors are correlated to each other within the groups, which revealed a unique network for each clinical manifestation. Our work reinforces the complexity of tegumentary leishmaniasis outcomes - which are associated with multiple host and parasite-related elements and provides a holistic model of the disease.
Industrial Air Pollution Leads to Adverse Birth Outcomes: A Systematized Review of Different Exposure Metrics and Health Effects in Newborns

Objectives: To review the evidence of associations between adverse birth outcomes (ABO) and industrial air pollution. Methods: Searches were conducted in PubMed, and Scopus databases, and additional articles were found from snowball search techniques. The included studies feature a study population of mothers with live-born babies exposed to industrial air pollutants, and they examine the effects of industrial pollutants on adverse birth outcomes—namely, low birth weight, term low birth weight, preterm birth, and small for gestational age. Results: Altogether, 45 studies were included in this review. Exposure to PM2.5, PAHs, benzene, cadmium, and mixtures of industrial air pollutants and living near an industrial area affect birth outcomes. Conclusion: This study concludes that industrial air pollution is an important risk factor for ABO, especially low birth weight and preterm birth. The strongest evidence is associations between ABO and air pollution from power plants and petrochemical industries. Understanding of specific chemicals that are critical to birth outcomes is still vague. However, the evidence is strongest for more specific air pollutants from the industry, such as PAH, benzene, BTEX, and cadmium.
Raman and fluorescence micro-spectroscopy applied for the monitoring of sunitinib-loaded porous silicon nanocontainers in cardiac cells

Nanomaterials are a central pillar in modern medicine. They are thought to optimize drug delivery, enhance therapeutic efficacy, and reduce side-effects. To foster this technology, analytical methods are needed to validate not only the localization and distribution of these nanomaterials, but also their compatibility with cells, drugs, and drug release. In the present work, we assessed nanoparticles based on porous silicon (pSiNPs) loaded with the clinically used tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib for their effectiveness of drug delivery, release, and toxicity in colon cancer cells (HCT 116 cells) and cardiac myoblast cells (H9c2) using Raman micro-spectroscopy, high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, along with biological methods for toxicological effects. We produced pSiNPs with a size of about 100 nm by grinding mesoporous silicon layers. pSiNPs allowed an effective loading of sunitinib due to their high porosity. Photoluminescence properties of the nanoparticles within the visible spectrum allowed the visualization of their uptake in cardiac cells. Raman micro-spectroscopy allowed not only the detection of the uptake and distribution of pSiNPs within the cells via a characteristic silicon Raman band at about 518–520 cm−1, but also the localization of the drug based on its characteristic molecular fingerprints. Cytotoxicity studies by Western blot analyses of apoptotic marker proteins such as caspase-3, and the detection of apoptosis by subG1-positive cell fractions in HCT 116 and MTT analyses in H9c2 cells, suggest a sustained release of sunitinib from pSiNPs and delayed cytotoxicity of sunitinib in HCT 116 cells. The analyses in cardiac cells revealed that pSiNPs are well tolerated and that they may even protect from toxic effects in these cells to some extent. Analyses of the integrity of mitochondrial networks as an early indicator for apoptotic cellular effects seem to validate these observations. Our study suggests pSiNPs-based nanocontainers for efficient and safe drug delivery and Raman micro-spectroscopy as a reliable method for their detection and monitoring. Thus, the herein presented nanocontainers and analytical methods have the potential to allow an efficient advancement of nanoparticles for targeted and sustained intracellular drug release that is of need, e.g., in chronic diseases and for the prevention of cardiac toxicity.
Clinical features, prognostic factors, and survival of patients with antisynthetase syndrome and interstitial lung disease

Objective This study aimed to analyze the clinical features and prognostic factors of imaging progression and survival in patients with antisynthetase syndrome (ASS) complicated by interstitial lung disease (ILD) in a large Chinese cohort. Methods Medical records, imaging, and serological data of 111 patients with ASS-ILD (positive for at least one of the following autoantibodies: anti-Jo1, anti-PL7, anti-PL12, and anti-EJ) from the Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University database were retrospectively investigated. According to the changes in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) outcomes at 1 year follow-up, Patients were categorized into three groups: the regression, stability, and deterioration groups. Univariate analysis was performed to evaluate the possible prognostic factors of ILD outcome and death, and multivariate analysis was performed to determine the independent predictors of ASS-ILD outcome and death by logistic regression. Results The number of CD3-CD19+ cells and initial glucocorticoid dosage were correlated with imaging progression, and may be independent risk factors for ILD deterioration. Dyspnea as the first symptom, hypohemoglobinemia, the serum ferritin level, oxygen partial pressure at diagnosis, and different treatment types were important factors affecting survival, and the initial serum ferritin level may be an independent risk factor for survival. Conclusions The clinical characteristics of patients with ASS-ILD with different antisynthetase antibody subtypes are different. An increase in the CD3-CD19+ cell level is an independent risk factor for the deterioration of HRCT imaging. Early intensive treatment with high-dose glucocorticoids can effectively improve imaging prognosis of ILD. Patients with significantly elevated serum ferritin levels should be treated intensively.
Does Extratropical Transition Impact Tornado Production in Tropical Cyclones?

The conditions favoring tropical cyclone (TC) tornadoes are likely also present during extratropical transi- tion (ET) including strong ambient deep-tropospheric vertical wind shear, sufﬁcient convective-scale lower-tropospheric vertical wind shear, and thermodynamic instability, and supercellular convection. However, no previous studies have investigated how ET tornado occurrence may differ from the remainder of the TC lifespan. Hence, our objective is to investigate differences in tornado frequency and location between ET and non-ET TCs using tornado data, TC track data, and reanalysis-derived cyclone phase space data. These results showed that ET does increase 6-h tornado frequency compared to non-ET TCs. However, there was no change in the frequency of damaging tornadoes in ET versus non-ET cases. Regarding location, we found that tornadoes in ET cases are mostly conﬁned to the U.S. east coast, while TC tornadoes widely occur in the southern U.S. These results are also consistent with the location of ET and non-ET TCs. Together, this research will provide the foundation for improving tornado forecasts in landfalling ET cases.
Turbocharger Axial Turbines for High Transient Response, Part 1: A Preliminary Design Methodology

This paper proposes a preliminary design algorithm for application of a turbocharger axial turbine, based on turbine thermodynamic analysis and the Ainley-Mathieson performance model that converges to the optimal design based on a set of input parameters and engine boundary conditions. A design space sweep was conducted, and a preliminary design was generated with a predicted total to static efficiency of 74.94%. CFD (computational fluid dynamics) was used to successfully validate the algorithm and show the preliminary design had a total to static efficiency of 73.98%. The design also produces the required power to support steady-state operation of the compressor in both free flow conditions and with a constrained pressure outlet.
FACTORS DETERMINING LIBYAN BANKING EMPLOYEES’ READINESS TO SUPPORT THE TRANSFORMATION TO A FULL-FLEDGED ISLAMIC BANKING SYSTEM

The purpose of this research is to examine the determinants of banking employees’ readiness to support the transformation to the full-fledged Islamic banking system in Libya. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and employing survey questionnaires of 323 employees of 10 conventional Libyan banks analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). This research revealed that the readiness of Libyan banks’ employees is influenced significantly and positively by attitudinal, religious and subjective norms. Moreover, attitude toward transformation is the most critical factor that determines readiness among bank employees. This indicates that bank employees are willing to support the transformation process toward Islamic banking. Due to the unstable security situation in Libya, this research is confined to two states (Tripoli and Benghazi). Further researches may extend applying the proposed model to other states in the country, which may enhance the generalisability of this research’s findings. Overall, this research provides support for the transformation process to Islamic banking as a way to evaluate the readiness of Libyan banking employees for such change. Also, this research emphasizes the importance of undertaking a pre-implementation evaluation of readiness for change in Libyan commercial banks.
Investigating the Factors Affecting Teacher Leadership: A Qualitative Study*

This study aims to investigate the factors affecting teacher leadership in high schools. This study was designed as a qualitative case study and a total of 21 teachers employed in high schools in Karabuk province participated in the study. Participants of the current study were chosen through maximum variation, convenient and crite- rion sampling which are among purposeful sampling methods. A semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers depending on both the related literature and expert opinions was used to gather data. Content analysis was performed to analyze the data. The findings of the study were gathered under four themes entitled the purpose of teacher leadership, the factors that impact teacher leadership, the problems encountered by teacher leaders and the proliferation of teacher leadership. Results revealed that teachers reported supporting each student’s learning, improving teaching in the school, and building an effective school culture have been among the primary purposes of teacher leadership. According to the results principal leadership, school climate, and school culture are the leading factors that affect teacher leadership. Results also revealed that teacher lea- ders encountered problems depending on insufficient support of school administration for teacher leadership, egalitarian norms among colleagues and exam-oriented education system and that they thought teachers’ career opportunities should be expanded, an adequate increase in their salaries should be supported and practices ensuring teacher autonomy should be performed in order to expand teacher leadership practices.
Biotic factors dominantly determine soil inorganic carbon stock across Tibetan alpine grasslands

Abstract. The soil inorganic carbon (SIC) pool is a major component of soil carbon (C) pools, and clarifying the predictors of SIC stock is urgent for decreasing soil C losses and maintaining soil health and ecosystem functions. However, the drivers and their relative effects on the SIC stock at different soil depths remain largely unexplored. Here, we conducted a large-scale sampling to investigate the effects and relative contributions of abiotic (climate and soil) and biotic (plant and microbe) drivers on the SIC stock between topsoils (0–10 cm) and subsoils (20–30 cm) across Tibetan alpine grasslands. Results showed that the SIC stock had no significant differences between the topsoil and subsoil. The SIC stock showed a significant increase with altitude, pH and sand proportion, but declined with mean annual precipitation (MAP), plant aboveground biomass (PAB), plant coverage (PC), root biomass (RB), available nitrogen (AN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and bacterial abundance (BA) and fungal gene abundance (FA). For both soil layers, biotic factors had larger effects on the SIC stock than abiotic factors did. However, the relative importance of these determinants varied with soil depth, with the effects of plant and microbial variables on SIC stock weakening with soil depth, whereas the importance of climatic and edaphic variables increased with soil depth. Specifically, BA, FA and PC played dominant roles in regulating SIC stock in the topsoil, while soil pH contributed largely to the variation of SIC stock in the subsoil. Our findings highlight differential drivers over SIC stock with soil depth, which should be considered in biogeochemical models for better simulating and predicting SIC dynamics and its feedbacks to environmental changes.