Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abnormal liver blood tests in patients with hyperthyroidism: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Abnormal liver blood tests (LBT) in hyperthyroid patients are not uncommonly encountered. One major adverse event of antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy is drug-induced hepatotoxicity. Abnormal LBTs in the hyperthyroidism scenario is a main diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. We aimed to assess the prevalence and the response to ATD therapy of LBT abnormalities in newly diagnosed and uncomplicated hyperthyroidism through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS A literature search was performed reporting LBTs at presentation and after ATD therapy in hyperthyroid patients. A proportion meta-analysis was performed with random-effects model. Pooled data were presented with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). I2 statistic index was used to quantify the heterogeneity. Sensitivity analyses for prevalence of hyperthyroid patients with at least one abnormal LBT were performed. p-value of <0.05 was regarded as significant. RESULTS The literature search yielded 2,286 studies of which 25 were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. The prevalence of untreated hyperthyroid and Graves' disease patients with at least one abnormal LBT was 55% (CI 46-63%, I2 96%) and 60% (CI 53-67%, I2 92%), respectively. The prevalence of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (BIL), and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) abnormalities in hyperthyroid patients were 33% (CI 24-44%, I2 95%), 23% (CI 17-29%, I2 89%), 44% (CI 35-52%, I2 93%), 12% (CI 7-20%, I2 92%), and 24% (CI 16-36%, I2 95%), respectively. ATD therapy, along with euthyroidism restoration, was accompanied by normalization of LBT abnormalities in the following percentage of cases: ALT 83% (CI 72-90%, I2 46%), AST 87% (CI 74-94%, I2 2%), ALP 53% (CI 32-73%, I2 76%), BIL 50% (CI can not be calculated) and GGT 70% (CI 47-87%, I2 74%). The sensitivity analyses showed similar results as those of the main analyses. The publication bias was not statistically significant for all outcomes, except for the prevalence of resolved BIL abnormalities that was not calculable. CONCLUSIONS LBT abnormalities are common in newly diagnosed and untreated hyperthyroidism setting. A high chance of safely normalize elevated transaminases up to 5-fold above the upper limit of normal accompanies the use of ATDs in the treatment of hyperthyroidism.
Direct Optimization across Computer-Generated Reaction Networks Balances Materials Use and Feasibility of Synthesis Plans for Molecule Libraries

The synthesis of thousands of candidate compounds in drug discovery and development offers opportunities for computer-aided synthesis planning to simplify the synthesis of molecule libraries by leveraging common starting materials and reaction conditions. We develop an optimization-based method to analyze large organic chemical reaction networks and design overlapping synthesis plans for entire molecule libraries so as to minimize the overall number of unique chemical compounds needed as either starting materials or reaction conditions. We consider multiple objectives, including the number of starting materials, the number of catalysts/solvents/reagents, and the likelihood of success of the overall syntheses plan, to select an optimal reaction network to access the target molecules. The library synthesis planning task was formulated as a network flow optimization problem, and we design an efficient decomposition scheme that reduces solution time by a factor of 5 and scales to instance with 48 target molecules and nearly 8000 intermediate reactions within hours. In four case studies of pharmaceutical compounds, the approach reduces the number of starting materials and catalysts/solvents/reagents needed by 32.2 and 66.0% on average and up to 63.2 and 80.0% in the best cases. The code implementation can be found at https://github.com/Coughy1991/Molecule_library_synthesis.
Molecular Dysfunctions of Mitochondria-Associated Membranes (MAMs) in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative pathology characterized by a progressive decline of cognitive functions. Alteration of various signaling cascades affecting distinct subcellular compartment functions and their communication likely contribute to AD progression. Among others, the alteration of the physical association between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, also referred as mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs), impacts various cellular housekeeping functions such as phospholipids-, glucose-, cholesterol-, and fatty-acid-metabolism, as well as calcium signaling, which are all altered in AD. Our review describes the physical and functional proteome crosstalk between the ER and mitochondria and highlights the contribution of distinct molecular components of MAMs to mitochondrial and ER dysfunctions in AD progression. We also discuss potential strategies targeting MAMs to improve mitochondria and ER functions in AD.
Electrochemical scanning probe analysis used as a benchmark for carbon forms quality test

Carbon forms (graphite, pyrolytic graphite, highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), glassy carbon, carbon foam, graphene, buckypaper, etc) are a wide class of materials largely used in technology and energy storage. The huge request of carbon compounds with reliable and tunable physical and chemical properties is tackled by contriving new production protocols and/or compound functionalizations. To achieve these goals, new samples must be tested in a trial-and-error strategy with techniques that provide information in terms of both specimen quality and properties. In this work, we prove that electrochemical scanning probe techniques allow testing the performances of carbon compounds when are used as an electrode inside an electrochemical cell. Comparing the results with a reference sample (namely, HOPG) gives an insight on defects in the specimen structure, performances, and possible applications of the new samples. In this study, we concentrate on traditional carbon forms already employed in many fields versus new recently-developed specimens, in view of possible applications to the field of energy storage.
Chimeric Antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells targeting Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) can inhibit tumor growth in ovarian cancer mouse model

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal solid tumors with poor prognosis. In 2017, two chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell drugs were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and continuously optimized CAR-T cells therapy might be the novel hope for OC patient. EpCAM are known to be over-expressed in OC cells and could be targeted by CAR-T cells. However, the feasibility of using EpCAM-CAR-T cells to treat OC still needs to be verified. We engineered the 3rd-generation EpCAM-CAR containing a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) EpCAM-scFv that targeting EpCAM, a CD8 transmembrane domain, the costimulatory domains from both CD28 and 4-1BB, and activating domain CD3ζ and then transduced the CAR into T-cells via lentivirus. In addition, the cytotoxicity and cytokine releasing ability of the EpCAM-CAR-T cells against OC cell SKOV3 were verified in vitro. The in vivo data also showed that EpCAM-CAR-T cells significantly reduced the tumor size in OC xenograft mouse models. The anti-tumor activity of EpCAM-CAR-T cells against OC in vitro and in vivo indicated that the CAR-T might provide a promising therapeutic approach to OC.
Predicting the transfer of contaminants in ruminants by models - potentials and challenges.

Certain undesirable substances in feed can transfer into foods of animal origin after ingestion by livestock animals. They become contaminants in food that may threaten the consumers' health. Commonly, feeding trials with animals are conducted to assess the transfer of undesirable substances into animal tissues or milk. Such feeding trials explore the effects on transfer of the various physiological systems (e.g. ruminant and non-ruminant gastro-intestinal tracts) as well as different livestock production intensities. Using alternative methods to mimic the complex physiological processes of several organs is highly challenging. This review proposes a potential cascade of in vitro and ex vivo models to investigate the transfer of contaminants from feed into foods of animal origin. One distinct challenge regarding the models for ruminants is the simulation of the forestomach system, with the rumen as anaerobic fermentation chamber and its epithelial surfaces for absorption. Therefore, emphasis was given to in vitro systems simulating the rumen with its microbial ecosystem as well as ex vivo systems to replicate epithelial absorption. Ruminants contribute significantly to the food sector, not only through meat but also through milk production. The transfer from blood into milk has to be evaluated by employing a suitable model. At the end, in silico approaches are introduced that can fill the gaps or substitute in vitro and ex vivo models. The integratory in silico method of physiologically-based toxicokinetics puts together the information gained from all alternative methods to simulate the transfer of ingested undesirable substances into foods of animal origin.
An Application of the List Experiment to Estimate Abortion Prevalence in Karachi, Pakistan.

CONTEXT Abortion is particularly difficult to measure, especially in legally restrictive settings such as Pakistan. The List Experiment-a technique for measuring sensitive health behaviors indirectly-may minimize respondents' underreporting of abortion due to stigma or legal restrictions, but has not been previously applied to estimate abortion prevalence in Pakistan. METHODS A sample of 4,159 married women of reproductive age were recruited from two communities of Karachi in 2018. Participants completed a survey that included a double list experiment to measure lifetime abortion prevalence, as well as direct questions about abortion and other background characteristics. Data were used to calculate direct and indirect estimates of abortion prevalence for the overall sample and by sociodemographic characteristics, as well as to test for a design effect. Regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between characteristics and abortion reporting from direct questioning and the list experiment. RESULTS The estimate of abortion prevalence from the list experiment was 16%; the estimate from the direct question was 8%. No evidence of a design effect was found. Abortion reporting was associated with most selected characteristics in the regression model for direct questioning, but with few in the list experiment models. CONCLUSIONS That the estimate of abortion prevalence in Karachi generated from the list experiment was twice that generated from direct questioning suggests that the indirect method reduced underreporting, and may have utility to estimate abortion in similar settings and to improve the accuracy of data collecting for other sensitive health topics.
Analysis of Interurban Mobility in University Students: Motivation and Ecological Impact

The management of mobility in large cities is a complex issue of great interest due to its economic, social, and environmental impact. In this work, the interurban mobility of engineering students from two campuses of the University of Seville is studied. Specifically, this work carries out an analysis of the preferences of students in terms of mobility to their study centres and determines the environmental impact of such mobility in terms of kg of CO2 per student. Three constructs can be found to describe the motivation for their choice of transport: those related to comfort and speed, those related to sustainability and price, and those related to safety. Based on the responses obtained, groups of students are established that enable the design of specific actions in accordance with each of the profiles. From the analysis of the results obtained, recommendations are made for policymakers, and a reflection is given on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this issue.
Phenomenological Description of the Spectral Function for the Pseudogap and Superconducting Phases of High-T$_c$ Cuprates

We present a phenomenological Green's function to characterize the superconducting and pseudogap phases of the cuprates based on a microscopic theory of doped Mott insulators. In this framework, the "Fermi arc" and "kink" phenomena observed by angular-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) experiments in the pseudogap phase can be systematically explained as a function of doping, which are further connected to the two-gap feature in the superconducting phase with dichotomy between the nodal and antinodal physics. We demonstrate that the phase-string-induced fractionalization plays the key role in giving rise to such a peculiar Green's function with a two-component structure.
Nonlinear and thermo-optical characterisation of bare imidazolium ionic liquids

Nonlinear optical (NLO) and thermo-optical properties of two pure ionic liquids, BMIOMe.NTf2 and BMIOMe.N(CN)2, were examined in this study. This was the first nonlinear refractive index determination of a pristine ionic liquid by a standard self-refraction experiment. The NLO characterisations were performed using Z-scan and EZ-scan techniques in the thermally managed approach, with a mode-locked femtosecond laser source. Thermal properties were analysed concomitantly, and the thermo-optical coefficient, thermal characteristic time, and lens strength were characterised. These results define the parameters to be adopted in the method of nanoparticles formation by laser ablation in an ionic liquid solution and indicate that BMIOMe.NTf2 is a prominent material to be engineered for photonics applications.
Loneliness and depression among adults living on MS Gulf Coast: Individual, interpersonal and community predictors

Loneliness and depression are mental health problems prevailing in United States as well as the world. The primary goal of this study was to identify risk and protective factors associated with loneliness and depression at the individual, interpersonal and community levels among adults living on Mississippi Gulf Coast. Survey data on 310 adults from three coastal counties was analysed. Bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine correlates and predictors of loneliness and depression. Bivariate analyses showed that loneliness was correlated with marital status, insurance, income, perceived social support and community resilience. Depression was found to be correlated with marital status, insurance, education, income, perceived social support and community resilience. As expected, a significant correlation was found between loneliness and depression. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that race, marital status, income, perceived social support and community resilience predicted loneliness, while income and perceived social support served as predictors of depression. Results make it clear that in addition to addressing individual and interpersonal factors, community is important in reducing the incidence of loneliness.
A Weighted Average Phase Velocity Inversion Model for Depth-Resolved Elasticity Evaluation in Human Skin In-Vivo

Objective: In current surface acoustic wave (SAW) elastography field, wavelength-depth inversion model is a straightforward and widely used inversion model for depth-resolved elasticity profile reconstruction. However, the elasticity directly evaluated from the wavelength-depth relationship is biased. Thus, a new inversion model, termed weighted average phase velocity (WAPV) inversion model, is proposed to provide depth-resolved Young's modulus estimate with better accuracy. Methods: The forward model for SAW phase velocity dispersion curve generation was derived from the numerical simulations of SAWs in layered materials, and inversion was implemented by matching the measured phase velocity dispersion curve to the one generated from the forward model using the least squares fitting. Three two-layer agar phantoms with different top-layer thicknesses and one three-layer agar phantom were tested to validate the proposed inversion model. Then the model was demonstrated on human skin at various sites (palm, forearm and back of hand) in-vivo. Results: In multi-layered agar phantoms, depth-resolved elasticity estimates provided by the model have a maximal total inversion error of 15.2% per sample after inversion error compensation. In in-vivo human skin, the quantified bulk Young's moduli (palm: 212 ± 78 kPa; forearm: 32 ± 11 kPa and back of hand: 29 ± 8 kPa) are comparable to the reference values in the literature. Conclusion: The WAPV inversion model can provide accurate depth-resolved Young's modulus estimates in layered biological soft tissues. Significance: The proposed model can predict depth-resolved elasticity in layered biological soft tissues with a reasonable accuracy which traditional wavelength-depth inversion model cannot provide.
Morphological and functional characteristics of satellite glial cells in the peripheral nervous system.

Satellite glial cells are specialized cells that form a functional perineuronal sheath around sensory ganglion neurons. There are a large number of studies that reveal the morphological and functional characteristics of these cells. Satellite glial cells have been studied both in intact ganglions and in tissue cultures, using light and transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemical and other methods. Satellite glial cells have polygonal form; they are mononuclear and have developed synthetic organelles, numerous receptors, adhesion molecules and ion channels, which enable them to interact with adjacent neurons, as well as transmit signals in the ganglions of the peripheral nervous system. Based on the literature data, satellite glial cells thanks to their characteristics can receive signals from other cells and react to changes in their surroundings. Previous studies have investigated the potential role of satellite glial cells in the formation of the blood-nervous tissue barrier of the peripheral nervous system, as well as in the neuropathic pain genesis. Some recent discoveries support the fact that satellite glial cells can participate in controlling of local viral infections and protecting pseudounipolar neurons from mentioned infections.
Front-of-Package Food Labeling to Reduce Caries: Economic Evaluation

Front-of-package food labeling (FoPFL) is increasingly advocated as an effective intervention to facilitate behavior changes toward healthier food purchasing and consumption, particularly in relation to products with added sugar. The present study assessed the potential caries-related impacts of FoPFL, using Germany as an example. The outcomes of interest were caries lesions prevented, dental treatment costs avoided, productivity loss reductions, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. The baseline consumption of added sugar was derived from the German National Nutrition Survey. The reduction in sugar intake due to FoPFL was modeled according to estimates from a recent meta-analysis. Microsimulations were performed for 500,000 individuals and over a time horizon of 10 y. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to check the robustness of results. For the period from 2017 to 2027, FoPFL was identified to prevent 2,370,715 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2,062,730–2,678,700) caries lesions and avert 677.62 (95% CI, 589.59–765.65) DALYs. Treatment cost savings amounted to €175.67 million (95% CI, €152.85–€198.49), and productivity losses reduced by €27.33 million (95% CI, €23.78–€30.88). Sensitivity analyses showed that the magnitude of the effects is highly dependent on consumers’ response to FoPFL. Our findings suggest that FoPFL has the potential to substantially reduce caries increment, caries-related morbidity, and economic burden. In addition, our study allows for the inclusion of oral health estimates in overall health estimates for sugar-related food labeling. Before prioritizing a strategy to tackle sugar consumption, decision makers should carefully consider all relevant context-specific factors and implementation costs.
Ecological study on the dynamics of soil organic matter and its related properties in shifting cultivation systems of Northern Thailand

Abstract There is a large number of hill people in northern Thailand, who practices shifting cultivation. In order to analyze the soil ecological problems involved in the transition from traditional shifting cultivation to more intensive upland farming, the authors carried out comparative studies on the dynamics of organic matter and its related properties in soils both in the traditional shifting cultivation systems adopted by Karen people and more intensive upland farming practiced by Thai and Hmong people in the area. The contents of organic matter and available N in the surface 10 cm layers of soil from the fields continuously cultivated were lower than those in soils under prolonged fallow (more than 10 y) or natural forest. Based on the rate of soil respiration, the amount of organic matter decomposed within 1 y was estimated to reach nearly 10% of that stored in the upper 50 cm layers of the soil profile in the upland crop fields. These results indicate that the organic matter-related resources mar.
Alterações químicas em solos ácidos após a aplicação de resíduos vegetais

Understanding the chemistry behavior in acid soils during the decomposition of plant residues is very important for the management of these soils. The effects of incubation (0, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days) of finely ground residues of oil seed radish (Raphanus sativus), soybean (Glycine max) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) (at 2 and 4%) with samples of Bw horizon of three Oxisols of the state of Parana, Brazil, on the soil pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soluble and exchangeable Al, Ca, Mg and K were verified during 1995-1996. DOC and total and soluble Ca, Mg and K were determined in the plant residues. Immediately after application of plant residues (zero time), there were increases in pH, in exchangeable and soluble Ca, Mg, and K, in soluble Al and DOC and a decrease in exchangeable Al. The intensity of these changes was associated with the DOC and with the soluble Ca, Mg and K in the residues, in the following order: oil seed radish > soybean > wheat. During incubation, the DOC of the soil solution rapidly decreased. DOC decrease with the incubation time did not affect K, but drastically reduced Al, Ca and Mg in the soil solution, showing the importance of DOC in the maintenance of cations in solution through the formation mechanism of organic complexes. The chemical speciation estimated that more than 90% of the total Al in solution was in the organic form. The organic and inorganic compositions of the water soluble fraction of plant residues were the main factor responsible for the chemical changes observed in the acid soil samples.