Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A global meta-analysis of the ecological impacts of alien species on native amphibians

The exponential increase in species introductions during the Anthropocene has brought about a major loss of biodiversity. Amphibians have suffered large declines, with more than 16% considered to be threatened by invasive species. We conducted a global meta-analysis of the impacts of alien species on native amphibians to determine which aspects of amphibian ecology are most affected by plant, invertebrate, fish, amphibian, reptile, or mammal introductions. Measures of fitness were most strongly affected; amphibian performance was consistently lower in the presence of alien species. While exposure to alien species caused a significant decrease in amphibian behavioural activity when compared with a no species control, this response was stronger towards a control of native impacting species. This indicates a high degree of prey naiveté towards alien species and highlights the importance of using different types of controls in empirical studies. Alien invertebrates had the greatest overall impact on amphibians. This study sets a new agenda for research on biological invasions, highlighting the lack of studies investigating the impacts of alien species on amphibian terrestrial life-history stages. It also emphasizes the strong ecological impacts that alien species have on amphibian fitness and suggests that future introductions or global spread of alien invertebrates could strongly exacerbate current amphibian declines.
Cost of peripheral neuropathy in patients receiving treatment for multiple myeloma: a US administrative claims analysis

Background: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a common consequence of multiple myeloma (MM) among those commonly treated with older-generation proteasome inhibitors (PIs). In this study, we evaluated the economic burden attributable to PN among MM patients in real-world practice settings in the US. Methods: Adults diagnosed with MM and first treated (index event) between 1 July 2006 and 28 February 2017 were identified from MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare claim databases. Continuous enrollment for at least 12 months without treatment and PN diagnoses were required pre-index. Patients were followed for at least 3 months until inpatient death or end of data. The International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes were used to identify PN. Propensity-score matching was applied to match every patient with PN to two MM patients without a PN diagnosis (controls). Healthcare utilization and expenditures per patient per month (PPPM) in the postindex period were estimated. Results: Of 11,851 patients meeting the study criteria, 15.5% had PN. After matching 1387 patients with PN and 2594 controls were identified. Baseline characteristics were well balanced between cohorts; mean follow up was 23–26 months. PPPM total costs were significantly higher by $1509 for patients with PN than controls, driven by higher hospitalization (PN 77.4%, controls 67.2%; p < 0.001) and emergency department rates (PN 67.8%, controls 58.4%; p < 0.001) and more outpatient hospital-based visits PPPM (PN 13.5 ± 14.7, controls 11.5 ± 18.0; p < 0.001). Conclusions: PN is a prevalent MM treatment complication associated with a significant economic burden adding to the complexity and cost of MM treatment. Highly effective novel treatments such as carfilzomib may reduce the overall disease burden.
Relations Between Lexical and Biological Perspectives on Personality: New Evidence Based on HEXACO and Affective Neuroscience Theory

Abstract We provide evidence on the convergence of language-based questionnaire and biological perspectives on personality traits. The first study, conducted on Serbian students, provided evidence on the position of Panksepp’s Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS) in the personality space defined by HEXACO facets. The second, replicatory study was conducted on a sample of German young adults. Results show that the instruments based on these 2 approaches target highly similar personality phenomena, which is revealed in the high canonical correlations between them (the first 3 being above .70 in both samples). Despite the overlap, the scales measuring emotional systems do not map onto HEXACO factors one-to-one, and mostly have substantial loading on more than 1 HEXACO factor. The pattern of correlations between HEXACO and ANPS scales was highly similar in the 2 samples. The importance of the findings for the personality taxonomy and theory is discussed.
MicroRNA‐223 Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Cancer by Targeting Multiple Inflammatory and Oncogenic Genes in Hepatocytes

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a spectrum of diseases ranging from simple steatosis to more severe forms of liver injury including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In humans, only 20%‐40% of patients with fatty liver progress to NASH, and mice fed a high‐fat diet (HFD) develop fatty liver but are resistant to NASH development. To understand how simple steatosis progresses to NASH, we examined hepatic expression of anti‐inflammatory microRNA‐223 (miR‐223) and found that this miRNA was highly elevated in hepatocytes in HFD‐fed mice and in human NASH samples. Genetic deletion of miR‐223 induced a full spectrum of NAFLD in long‐term HFD‐fed mice including steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and HCC. Furthermore, microarray analyses revealed that, compared to wild‐type mice, HFD‐fed miR‐223 knockout (miR‐223KO) mice had greater hepatic expression of many inflammatory genes and cancer‐related genes, including (C‐X‐C motif) chemokine 10 (Cxcl10) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ‐binding motif (Taz), two well‐known factors that promote NASH development. In vitro experiments demonstrated that Cxcl10 and Taz are two downstream targets of miR‐223 and that overexpression of miR‐223 reduced their expression in cultured hepatocytes. Hepatic levels of miR‐223, CXCL10, and TAZ mRNA were elevated in human NASH samples, which positively correlated with hepatic levels of several miR‐223 targeted genes as well as several proinflammatory, cancer‐related, and fibrogenic genes. Conclusion: HFD‐fed miR‐223KO mice develop a full spectrum of NAFLD, representing a clinically relevant mouse NAFLD model; miR‐223 plays a key role in controlling steatosis‐to‐NASH progression by inhibiting hepatic Cxcl10 and Taz expression and may be a therapeutic target for the treatment of NASH.
Diagnostic value of pediatric blood culture bottles for acute postoperative endophthalmitis

OBJECTIVE: To report our experience using conventional culture methods (CM) and pediatric blood culture bottles (PBCBs) for vitreous sample culture of acute postoperative endophthalmitis. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital das Clinicas, HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, BR, from January 2010 to December 2015, and it included 54 patients with clinically suspected acute postoperative endophthalmitis. Vitreous samples were obtained by vitreous tap or vitrectomy. Samples from January 2010 to December 2011 were cultivated in CM, whereas samples from January 2012 to December 2015 were inoculated in PBCBs. The measured outcome was the yield of positive cultures. RESULTS: Twenty cases were included in the CM group, and 34 cases were included in the PBCB group. The yield of positive cultures in PBCBs (64.7%) was significantly higher than that in conventional CM (35%, p=0.034). Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus viridans were the two most commonly found agents. CONCLUSION: PBCBs can be used successfully in clinically suspected endophthalmitis. The method showed a higher yield of positive cultures than the conventional method. This technique appears to have several advantages over the traditional method: it saves time, as only one medium needs to be inoculated; transportation to a laboratory is easier than in the traditional method, and there is no need to maintain a supply of fresh agar media. The use of PBCBs may be recommended as the primary method for microbiological diagnosis and is especially suitable for office settings and remote clinics.
The understanding of solid electrolyte interface (SEI) formation and mechanism as the effect of flouro‐o‐phenylenedimaleimaide (F‐MI) additive on lithium‐ion battery

Solid electrolyte interface (SEI) is a critical factor that influences battery performance. SEI layer is formed by the decomposition of organic and inorganic compounds after the first cycle. This study investigates SEI formation as a product of electrolyte decomposition by the presence of flouro‐o‐phenylenedimaleimaide (F‐MI) additive. The presence of fluorine on the maleimide‐based additive can increase storage capacity and reversible discharge capacity due to high electronegativity and high electron‐withdrawing group. The electrolyte containing 0.1 wt% of F‐MI‐based additive can trigger the formation of SEI, which could suppress the decomposition of remaining electrolyte. The reduction potential was 2.35 to 2.21 V vs Li/Li+ as examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) cell with F‐MI additive showed the lowest SEI resistance (Rsei) at 5898 Ω as evaluated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The morphology and element analysis on the negative electrode after the first charge‐discharge cycle were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS result showed that MCMB cell with F‐MI additive provides a higher intensity of organic compounds (RCH2OCO2Li) and thinner SEI than MCMB cell without an additive that provides a higher intensity of inorganic compound (Li2CO3 and Li2O), which leads to the performance decay. It is concluded that attaching the fluorine functional group on the maleimide‐based additive forms the ideal SEI formation for lithium‐ion battery.
Assessment of Safety Practices and Farmers Behaviors Adopted When Handling Pesticides in Rural Kano State, Nigeria

Background: With the global population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, current agro economy practices are expected to exacerbate human health threat, environmental and land pressures. Feeding the majority of the world population is challenging and the potential presence of using agrochemicals must be investigated to guarantee consumer chemical safety. To overcome this challenge, there is an urgent need to invest in innovative solutions for food production. Objective: This study assesses safety practices and farmer’s behaviors adopted when handling pesticides in Kano State, Nigeria. Methods: A structure questionnaire was developed focusing on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and experience of adverse health effects related to pesticide use, details of work practices and an inventory of pesticides used on the farm. Of the 400 copies of questionnaire administered 392 copies representing 98% of the administered questionnaires were retrieved and found useable. Findings: The result showed that less than half of these farmers who make use of pesticides protect themselves by wearing mask, boot or impermeable clothes, 72.6% of the respondents use stock in mixing pesticides, 17.7% made use of their bare hands while 9.7% use other methods, In terms of what they do after applying pesticides 70.4% wash their hands with soap and water, 25.4% claimed that they wash their hands with waters only, 29.1% store pesticide in their rooms, 38.5% stored it outside house while 32.5% of the respondents stored pesticides inside house, 47.0% of the respondents dispose pesticides containers by throwing it in open field, 38.7% throw it in dustbin while 14.2% returns the containers to the seller. Interpretation: There is need to provide cautionary tales for researchers, various stakeholders, and decision-makers to agree on the data needed to build conﬁdence in using new methods for speciﬁc purposes. Conﬁdence building measures can have the potential to play an increasing role in screening for hazardous properties, prioritizing chemicals for further testing, identifying safer alternatives, assessing environmental media, improving emergency response, and, overall, providing greater protection of public health and the environment. Also, pesticide regulations on farmers should be enforced in a way that will protect public health and those who are being exposed outside of regulations.
INVESTIGANDO O CONHECIMENTO ETNOHERPETOLÓGICO DOS CAFEICULTORES SOBRE AS SERPENTES DO MUNICÍPIO DE INCONFIDENTES, MINAS GERAIS

A relação entre homens e serpentes se demonstra estreita desde os tempos mais antigos, e devido às crenças atribuídas a esse grupo ela se tornou conflituosa e, na maioria das vezes, resulta na supressão desses animais na natureza. Sabendo que a humanidade busca identificar e categorizar os diversos grupos biológicos do planeta, a etnoherpetologia traz um estudo mais específico e delimita seu enfoque ao conhecimento, utilização, classificação e convivência com os répteis. Por isso, o presente estudo investiga o conhecimento sobre as serpentes por parte dos produtores rurais do município de Inconfidentes, localizado no sul do Estado de Minas Gerais. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de questionários estruturados nos meses de agosto de 2016 a agosto de 2017, aplicados em bairros de zona rural do município, totalizando 38 cafeicultores. Foram relatadas crenças e percepções atribuídas às serpentes, bem como de algumas etnoespécies foram registrados dados ecológicos e comportamentais. Percebeu-se uma estreita relação da comunidade com as serpentes, entretanto, como pressuposto, a relação se mostra conflituosa, fazendo-se necessárias ações que busquem reverter essa situação. Sabe-se que as serpentes desempenham um efetivo papel ecológico nos ecossistemas em que estão inseridas, portanto, o presente estudo contribui para conscientização e preservação das serpentes, podendo ainda reduzir a subtração desses animais no ambiente natural.
Pengaruh Komitmen Organisasi dan Perceived Organizational Support terhadap Turnover Intentions pada Karyawan Hotel Sahid Surabaya

This study aims to examine the effect of independent variables Organizational Commitment and Perceived Organizational Support to Employee Turnover Intentions at Hotel Sahid. Data obtained from the results of questionnaires and interviews. Sample in this research counted 86 respondents taken with Probability sampling method. Data collection techniques used is a questionnaire technique distributed directly to respondents in this case is the employee Hotel Sahid Surabaya. Data analysis technique using multiple linear regression analysis. This study uses reliability test techniques, validity and classical assumptions. The results of this study indicate that Organizational Commitment and Perceived Organizational Support variables have a negative and significant effect on Employee Turnover Intentions at Hotel Sahid. Keywords: Organizational Commitment, Perceived Organizational Support , Turnover Intentions
First-principles study of structural phase transformation and dynamical stability of cubic AlN semiconductors

Phase transformation and stability of cubic aluminium nitride (AlN) phases such as zinc-blende and rock-salt have been investigated using first-principles calculations based on density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) within quasi-harmonic approximation (QHA). The phonon dispersion relations of both the cubic phases have been calculated at various high-symmetry points of the Brillouin Zone. The pressure and volume dependence of phonon frequencies have been investigated. The application of pressure results in opposite trend of transverse acoustic (TA) phonon frequencies for rock-salt and zinc-blende AlN phases. The TA frequencies found to increase for the former one and decrease for the latter one with the increase in pressure. The dynamical instability results in a volume expansion of rock-salt AlN close to the equilibrium volume of zinc-blende AlN. Phase transformation of these cubic phases is further investigated by computing an equilibrium pressure-temperature phase diagram within QHA. The cubic rock-salt AlN is found to form at high pressures and temperatures than zinc-blende AlN. The temperature dependence of lattice constant and the corresponding volume thermal expansion coefficient of both the cubic phases have been investigated.Phase transformation and stability of cubic aluminium nitride (AlN) phases such as zinc-blende and rock-salt have been investigated using first-principles calculations based on density functional perturbation theory (DFPT) within quasi-harmonic approximation (QHA). The phonon dispersion relations of both the cubic phases have been calculated at various high-symmetry points of the Brillouin Zone. The pressure and volume dependence of phonon frequencies have been investigated. The application of pressure results in opposite trend of transverse acoustic (TA) phonon frequencies for rock-salt and zinc-blende AlN phases. The TA frequencies found to increase for the former one and decrease for the latter one with the increase in pressure. The dynamical instability results in a volume expansion of rock-salt AlN close to the equilibrium volume of zinc-blende AlN. Phase transformation of these cubic phases is further investigated by computing an equilibrium pressure-temperature phase diagram within QHA. The cubic r.
Multivariate Analysis and Machine Learning in Properties of Ultisols (Argissolos) of Brazilian Amazon

ABSTRACT: Ultisols are the most common soil order in the Brazilian Amazon. The Legal Amazon (LA) has an area of 5 × 106 km2, with few accessible areas, which restricts studies of soils at a detailed level. The pedological properties can be estimated more efficiently using statistical procedures and machine learning techniques, tools which are capable of recognizing patterns in a large soil database. We analyzed the main chemical and physical properties of the B horizons of the Ultisols of [. ]
The Modulatory Effects of Aqueous Extract of the Plant Biebersteinia Multifida on the Gastric Acid Level and Intestinal Cytokines in Ulcerative Colitis Model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract with unknown etiology, which includes crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). Because an effective treatment has not been found so far, the present study was designed to investigate the effects of aqueous extracts of Biebersteinia multifida plant on inflammatory changes of the colon following acetic acidinduced ulcerative colitis in male rats. METHODS: In this experimental study, 32 male wistar rats weighing 200-250 g were used in vivo. Animals were randomly assigned into four groups (each group consisting of 8 rats): 1Intact; 2Acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis; 3Biebersteinia multifida aqueous extract (200 mg /Kg); 4Sulfasalazine treatment group (500 Mg /kg). In each group, the amount of gastric acid and intestinal TNF-α and IL-10 cytokines were measured at 8 days after of ulcerative colitis induction. FINDINGS: The concentration of gastric acid in the induction group of colitis was 2/4533 ± 0.95 mEq/15 min, which in the treatment group with Biebersteinia multifida extract decreased the level of gastric acid to 0.4400 ± 0.17 (p = 0.000). Also, TNF-α changes in the colitis and extract group were 279.68±42.71 and 160.35±28.79, respectively, which was significant (p=0.000). The concentration of IL-10 in the colitis group was 349.75±31.89, which increased to 353.75±66.46 after injection of the extract (p=0.015). CONCLUSION: The results showed that aqueous extract of Biebersteinia multifida in a dose of 200 mg/kg has an effect on colon inflammation and it can be improved.
In silico studies of diarylpyridine derivatives as novel HIV-1 NNRTIs using docking-based 3D-QSAR, molecular dynamics, and pharmacophore modeling approaches

A series of novel diarylpyridine derivatives has recently been identified as HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and most of them exhibited potent activities against HIV-1 strains, with EC50 values in the low nanomolar range. However, the three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationships (3D-QSARs) and pharmacophore characteristics of these compounds remain to be studied. In the present study, forty-two diarylpyridine derivatives were firstly docked into HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, and molecular dynamics (10 ns) simulations were further performed to validate the reliability of the docking results, which indicated that residues Lys101, Tyr181, Tyr188, Phe227, and Trp229 might play important roles in binding with these diarylpyridines. The “U”-shaped docking conformations of all compounds were then used to construct 3D-QSAR and pharmacophore models. The satisfactory statistical parameters of CoMFA (qloo2 = 0.665, rncv2 = 0.989, rpred2 = 0.962, etc.) and CoMSIA (qloo2 = 0.727, rncv2 = 0.988, rpred2 = 0.912, etc.) models demonstrated that both constructed models had excellent predictability, and their contour maps gave insights into the structural requirements of the diarylpyridines for the anti-HIV-1 activity. A docking-conformation-based pharmacophore model, containing three hydrophobic centers, three hydrogen-bond acceptors, and three hydrogen-bond donors, was also established. The observations in this study might provide important information for the rational design and development of novel HIV-1 NNRTIs.
Structural and Thermal Studies on Racemic PbC4H4O6•2H2O Single Crystal

Single crystals of racemic lead tartrate dihydrate, PbC4H4O6·2H2O, were grown at 308 K by the gel method using silica gel as the growth medium. Differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetricdifferential thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on the single crystals. The space group symmetry (orthorhombic Pbca) and the structural parameters were determined at room temperature. The structure consisted of PbO8 polyhedra, C4H4O6 molecules, two independent H2O molecules, and zig-zag hydrogen-bonded chains along the aand b-axes linked by O–H···O hydrogen bonds between adjacent molecules. Weight losses due to thermal decomposition of racemic PbC4H4O6·2H2O occurred in the temperature range of 300–1600 K. We suggested that the weight losses in the ranges of 300–900 K and 900–1600 K were caused by the evolution of gases from 2H2O and C4H4O5, and the evaporation of PbO, respectively.
Citral effect in male NMRI mice nonalcoholic steatosis model: assessing biochemical and histological parameters and PPARα gene expression

*Correspondence: P. Yaghmaei. Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Tel:+98 912 2010222. Fax: +98 21 22363520. E-mail: yaghmaei_p@srbiau.ac.ir A. Ebrahim-Habibi. Biosensor Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal-al-Ahmad Street, Chamran Highway, 1411713137, Tehran, Iran. Tel: +98 21 88220038. Fax: +9821 88220052. E-mail: aehabibi@sina.tums. ac.ir, azadehabibi@yahoo.fr Citral effect in male NMRI mice nonalcoholic steatosis model: assessing biochemical and histological parameters and PPARα gene expression
PET glycolysis optimization using ionic liquid [Bmin]ZnCl3 as catalyst and kinetic evaluation

1Laboratório de Físico-Química, Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo – UFES, Vitória, ES, Brasil 2Laboratório de Eletroquímica e Eletroanalítica, Departamento de Química Inorgânica, Centro de Tecnologia, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil 3Laboratório de Geoquímica Orgânica Molecular e Ambiental, Departamento de Química Inorgânica, Centro de Tecnologia, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil