Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exposure to Phenols, Phthalates, and Parabens and Development of Metabolic Syndrome Among Mexican Women in Midlife

Background: Evidence suggests exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can influence Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) risk in adults, but it is unclear if EDCs impact women during midlife. We examined if EDCs measured in adult women were predictive of MetS and its components 9 years later. Methods: We measured urinary phthalate metabolites, phenols, and parabens collected in 2008 among 73 females from the ELEMENT study. MetS and its components (Abdominal Obesity, Hypertriglyceridemia, Cholesterolemia, Hypertension, and Hyperglycemia) were assessed in 2017. We regressed log-transformed EDC concentrations on MetS and MetS components using logistic regression, adjusting for age and physical activity. Results: At follow-up, the mean (SD) age was 46.6 (6.3) years; the prevalence of MetS was 34.3%. Sum of dibutyl phthalate metabolites (ΣDBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), and monoethyl phthalate (MEP) were associated with an increased odds of hypertriglyceridemia. 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5 DCP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4 DCP) were associated with increased odds of hypertriglyceridemia. The odds of hypertension were 4.18 (95% CI: 0.98, 17.7, p < 0.10) and 3.77 (95% CI: 0.76, 18.62, p < 0.10) times higher for every IQR increase in MCOP and propyl paraben, respectively. The odds of hyperglycemia were 0.46 (95% CI: 0.18, 1.17 p < 0.10) times lower for every IQR increase in the sum of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate metabolites (ΣDEHP), and the odds of abdominal obesity were 0.70 (95% CI: 0.40, 1.21, p < 0.10) lower for every IQR increase in the concentration of triclosan. Conclusion: We found EDCs measured in 2008 were marginally predictive of hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension 9 years later. Results suggest that lower exposure to certain toxicants was related to lower markers of metabolic risk among midlife women.
Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Adiposity and Alter Glucocorticoid-Associated Transcripts in Epididymal White Adipose Tissue of C57BL/6 Male Mice Raised on a High Fat Diet

Methods: 3-week old C57BL/6 male mice were weaned onto a high fat diet that would result in obesity and metabolic dysfunction with long-term consumption. After 3 weeks, experimental mice were switched to a high fat diet rich in n-3 PUFAs. Concomitantly, half of each dietary group received GC (40 mg/m2/day) in the form of oral prednisolone. All animals remained on their respective diets/treatments for an additional 4 weeks. Weight gain, glucose homeostasis, fatty liver and inflammation were measured, and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) transcriptome analysed.
Evolution of Bacterial Tolerance Under Antibiotic Treatment and Its Implications on the Development of Resistance

Recent laboratory evolution studies have shown that upon repetitive antibiotic treatments, bacterial populations will adapt and eventually became tolerant and resistant to the drug. Drug tolerance rapidly evolves upon frequent, intermittent antibiotic treatments, and such emerging drug tolerance seems to be specific to the treatment conditions, complicating clinical practice. Moreover, it has been shown that tolerance often promotes the development of resistance, which further reinforces the need of clinical diagnostics for antibiotic tolerance to reduce the occurrence of acquired resistance. Here, we discuss the laboratory evolution studies that were performed to track the development of tolerance in bacterial populations, and highlight the urgency of developing a comprehensive knowledge base of various tolerance phenotypes and their detection in clinics. Finally, we propose future directions for basic research in this growing field.
The Structure of Finite Algebras and the Constraint Satisfaction Problem

The Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP) appears in computer science in many forms. In the most general version a CSP instance consists of variables and constraints, and the goal is to evaluate the variables so that that all the constraints are satisﬁed. In a version of CSP particularly amenable to theoretical approach each constraint takes a form of a pair: a tuple of variables and a list of allowed evaluations. This restriction immediately makes the problem complete for NP. However, by further restricting the constraints allowed to appear in instances, we arrive at a very general framework capturing many natural problems in computer science. The list of allowed evaluations in a constraint can be viewed as a relation of appropriate arity. In the parametrized (a.k.a non-uniform) version of CSP the set of relations allowed to appear in a constraint is restricted and called the language of the CSP . The famous dichotomy conjecture of Feder and Vardi
Determination of elemental concentrations of iron gall ink components by PIXE

The harmful effects of the iron gall ink on the supporting media (i.e. paper, parchment) are known for a long time. High contents of the catalytic ions and acids present in the ink can cause corrosion of the support and even its irreversible damage. Several historical documents from National and University Library (NUL) are being studied. The samples were measured nondestructively by the in‐air PIXE for determination of the iron gall elemental composition. The measured concentrations prove that the analyzed inks contain a variety of different transition metals, which may influence the ink’s corrosive character. For already measured documents dating from 14th to 19th century the ink and paper elemental concentrations and their ratios to iron were studied by the statistical methods.
The New 14C Analysis Laboratory in Jena, Germany

The new accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) Radiocarbon Analysis Laboratory in Jena is described. The laboratory developed a combustion system for solid samples and a CO2 extraction system for air samples. Thus far, sample preparation, including graphitization, was performed in the laboratory, and the samples were measured subsequently by other AMS facilities. Currently, the laboratory owns a 3MV AMS system from HVEE (Netherlands) that has passed the acceptance tests and will be used for routine 14C determinations in the near future. The AMS system is equipped with 2 ion sources, one suitable for graphite targets and the second for both graphite and CO2 targets.
COMPOUNDS OF THE TYPE M5X2: Pd5As2, Ni5Si2, AND Ni5P2

Space group, lattice parameters, and powder data indicate that Pd5As2 Ni5Si2, and Ni5P2 are structurally related. Single crystal studies have established that Pd5As2 exhibits polytypism. Pd5As2 has a = 7.31 ± 0.01 A but c-values of 13.7, 10.34, 27.48, and 96.2 A were observed on different crystals corresponding to a "single layer" repeat distance of 3.43 A along the c-axis. The last three cells have trigonal symmetry, space group , , P3m1 , or P321 and the first cell has hexagonal symmetry, space group P6322. The Guinier focussing camera pattern of polycrystalline Pd5As2 can be indexed on a hexagonal cell with a = 7.320 ± 0.002, c = 96 A. Single crystal and focussing camera studies of Ni5Si2 showed it to be of trigonal symmetry with a = 6.68 ± 0.02, c = 12.28 ± 0.03 A, and space group P321, P3m1, or . A Guinier pattern of Ni5P2 can be indexed with hexagonal parameters a = 13.220 ± 0.002 A, c = 24.632 ± 0.002 A; a subcell with a = 6.610 and c = 12.316 A can be used to index the strong lines. Comparison of .
Sensory Effects of Consuming Cheese Prior to Evaluating Red Wine Flavor

The aim of this study was to assess, through descriptive analysis, the way in which the flavor perception of red wine was influenced by the wine pairing with a variety of cheeses. A panel of 11 trained judges evaluated the flavor of eight wines of four different varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot noir, and Syrah) before and after tasting cheese. Eight cheeses were selected: two soft (Mozzarella and Teleme), two medium-hard (Cheddars from Vermont and New York), two hard (Emmental and Gruyere), and two blue (Gorgonzola and Stilton). The results obtained by descriptive analysis showed that the cheese had significant effects on red wine flavor. Some attributes, such as astringency, bell pepper, and oak flavor, significantly decreased when the wine was evaluated after tasting cheese. Only butter aroma was significantly enhanced by cheese. It was also found that there was no significant wine-cheese interaction effect; in other words, the effect of any given cheese is equivalent for all wines. Although there were significant effects, the overall sensory profiles of wines without prior cheese tasting and as affected by cheese were very similar.
Characterizations of iron-containing MCM-41 and its catalytic properties in epoxidation of styrene with hydrogen peroxide

Iron-containing mesoporous molecular sieves (Fe–MCM-41) synthesized by both direct hydrothermal (DHT) and template-ion exchange (TIE) methods have been characterized and used as catalysts for the liquid-phase epoxidation of styrene with diluted H2O2. The characterizations with XRD, diffuse reflectance UV–vis, ESR, and EXAFS suggest that iron cations are highly dispersed and tetrahedrally coordinated with oxygen in the DHT samples with iron content lower changes as meant? if not, please recast sentence for clarity than ca. 0.9–1.1 wt% (Si/Fe=105–86). This coordination environment is similar to that in a ferrisilicate zeolite with MFI structure and contributes to the increase in relative strong acidic sites, as indicated by NH3-TPD studies. On the other hand, the TIE samples mainly contain small iron oxide clusters. The conversion of styrene over the DHT catalyst increases significantly with increasing iron content up to 1.1 wt%. The selectivity to styrene oxide and the efficiency of H2O2 for the epoxidation can be improved by adding H2O2 slowly to keep the H2O2 concentration low during the reaction. As compared with the DHT catalyst, the TIE catalyst shows a much poorer performance for the epoxidation of styrene. It is suggested that the atomically isolated iron sites account for the epoxidation reaction with hydrogen peroxide. The iron cations incorporated inside the framework of MCM-41 do not leach during the reaction, whereas the small iron oxide clusters leach out into the liquid phase and do not contribute to the catalytic reaction.
2,4,5-Trimethylbenzoic Acid

The X-ray structure of the title compound, C 10 H 12 O 2 , has been determined. The carboxyl and its o-methyl group display typical evasive in-plane splaying away from each other. The carboxyl is coplanar with the benzene ring and displays some minor disordering; the para-methyl group shows rotational disorder. Pairs of molecules form centrosymmetric carboxyl dimers [O.O 2.640(2) A].
Effect of sulphur supplementation on growth and yield of blackgram in Typic Rhodustalf

The effect of soil and foliar application of sulphur was investigated on blackgram in Typic Rhodustalf of pulses growing areas of Madurai district. The field experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with recommended doses of fertiliser with two levels of different sulphur sources as gypsum, ammonium sulphate and potassium sulphate which were supplied through soil and foliar application. The growth and yield components of blackgram were significantly increased viz plant height (54.7cm), number of leaves per plant (53), number of pods per plant (35), number of seeds per pod (7), 100-grain weight (4.81 g), dry matter production (2832 kg/ha), grain yield (1145 kg/ha) and haulm yield (1645 kg/ha). Among the treatments application of 100 per cent recommended dose of fertiliser (RDF) with potassium sulphate 20 kg/ha plus foliar spray of 0.5 per cent K2SO4 increased the growth and yield components of blackgram.
Focused, Nanoscale Electron-Beam-Induced Deposition and Etching

Focused electron-beam-induced (FEB-induced) deposition and etching are versatile, direct-write nanofabrication schemes that allow for selective deposition or removal of a variety of materials. Fundamentally, these processes are governed by an electron-induced reaction with a precursor vapor, which may either result in decomposition to a solid deposit or formation of a volatile etch by-product. The ability to induce such localized reactions by placement of a nanometer-sized focused electron probe has recently drawn considerable attention. In response, we have reviewed much of the relevant literature pertaining to both focused electron-beam-induced etching and deposition. Because these nanoscale processing techniques are still in their relative infancy, a significant amount of scientific research is being conducted to understand, and hence improve, the processes. This article summarizes the associated physics of electron-solid-vapor interactions, discusses related physical processes, and provides an introduction to electron-beam-induced etching (EBIE) and electron-beam-induced deposition (EBID). Additionally, specific applications of FEB-induced processes are discussed and several FEB computer model and simulation results are reviewed.
Effect of free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) on microbial biomass in paddy field soil

Abstract To determine the effect of free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE)on microbial biomass in paddy soil, a field experiment was conducted in an Andosol field in Shizukuishi (Iwate Prefecture, Japan). Rice plants were grown under ambient CO2 or FACE (ambient +200 ppmv CO2 ) during the growing season in 1998 and 1999. Soil samples were collected at 5 different times from the upper (0–1 cm) and lower (1–10 cm) layers and analyzed for the amounts of microbial biomass C (B c) and N (B N) and mineralizable N (Min. N). The amount of chlorophylltype compounds (ChIs), an index of algal growth, in the upper soil layers was also measured. During the first growing season (1998), FACE treatment did not cause any significant difference in the above-measured parameters except for B C at harvest, compared to the ambient CO2 treatment. However in 1999, FACE caused a significant increase in the amounts of B N, Min. N, and ChIs in the upper soil layers at harvest, compared to ambient CO2. Furthermore, FACE significantly increased the amount of Be in both soil layers, from mid-plant growth until harvest. From early plant growth until harvest, the upper soil layers subjected to both FACE and ambient CO2 treatments exhibited significantly higher values for B C, B N and Min. N than those in the lower soil layers. The amount of ChIs in the FACE treatment increased compared to that in the ambient CO2 treatment, especially at harvest. These findings suggest that FACE exerted a positively significant effect on the amounts of B C and B N, Min. N, and ChIs in paddy soil, particularly in the surface soil layers.
Electron-nitrogen molecular collisions in high-temperature nonequilibrium air

Ab initio calculation of vibrational excitation and deexcitation cross sections of N2 by low energy resonant electron impact have been carried out. The calculation includes initial target state in v = 0-12 and final target state in v = 0-17. The calculated cross sections are found to agree with available experimental data to within reported experimental error. Effect of target rotation has been investigated. Comparison of vibrational excitation cross sections at J = 0, 50, and 150 shows that the major effect of target rotation is to lower the resonance energy. Vibrational excitation and deexcitation rate coefficients are tabulated for electron temperatures of 1100-55,000 K. The present tabulation supercedes an earlier compilation by the Naval Research Laboratory that was derived from experimental data with a factor-of-two error. The tabulated rate coefficients are suited for flowfield modeling of aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles.
The magnetic, electronic, and Mössbauer spectral properties of several trinuclear iron(III) carboxylate complexes

Each of the formate, acetate, monochloroacetate, trichloroacetate, phenylacetate, and benzoate complexes iron (III), prepared and characterized for study is triangular trinuclear in structure and contains six bridging carboxylate ligands and a central bridging oxygen. Magnetic susceptibility measurements from room temperature to 20 K indicate non-equivalent, antiferromagnetic coupling of the three high-spin iron (III) ions. The Mossbauer spectrum of each of the complexes exhibits quadrupole line asymmetry, which is attributed to the Gol'danskii–Karyagin effect. The i.r. spectrum and electronic spectrum of each complex are reported and discussed in terms of the observed antiferromagnetic coupling.
ALUMINUM EFFECTS ON FATTY ACID COMPOSITION AND LIPID PEROXIDATION OF A PURIFIED PLASMA MEMBRANE FRACTION OF ROOT APICES OF TWO SORGHUM CULTIVARS

Aluminum (Al) effects on fatty acid composition and on the lipid peroxidation of a purified plasma membrane fraction of root apices of two sorghum cultivars were studied. Palmitic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids in the root apices of sorghum, independent of the Al presence in nutrient solution. After Al treatment, the C18:0/C18:3 and C18:2/C18:3 ratios increased, while the C18:2/C16:0 ratio remained unchanged in the Al-sensitive cultivar but all three ratios decreased in the Al-tolerant cultivar. The double bond index and unsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio decreased in both cultivars but with higher intensity in the Al-sensitive cultivar. The linolenic and palmitic acids were probably the most important fatty acids associated with Al tolerance in the two sorghum cultivar studied. In the presence of Al, these two fatty acids decreased in the Al-sensitive cultivar but increased in the Al-tolerant cultivar. Plasma membranes obtained from the entire root system of the Al-sensitive cultivar showed higher concentration of malonaldehyde-thiobarbituric acid complex than the Al-tolerant cultivar, independent of the Al treatment. In root apices, in the absence of Al, there was no difference between cultivars. In the presence of Al, however, the concentration of the malonaldehyde-thiobarbituric acid complex increased about 43% but only in the Al-sensitive cultivar. So, under Al treatment, the Al-sensitive cultivar produced 36% more malonaldehyde-thiobarbituric acid complex than the Al-tolerant cultivar, which was taken as indicative of higher reactive oxygen species production and higher fatty acid peroxidation of the plasma membrane of this cultivar.
Assessment and comparison of Anopore and cross flow filtration methods for the determination of dissolved iron size fractionation into soluble and colloidal phases in seawater

The two most frequently used methods for determining the size fractionation of dissolved iron (dFe) in seawater, 0.02 µm pore size Anopore membrane filtration and cross flow filtration using a 10 kDa regenerated cellulose filter, were evaluated and compared. Anopore filtration was found to produce consistent soluble Fe (sFe) concentrations in the filtrate even after > 1 L unfiltered seawater was filtered, indicating that clogging is not an issue for typical open ocean filtration volumes. Cross flow filtration (CFF) only achieved a 70% to 75% mass balance regardless of flow rate and seawater preconditioning; however, Fe losses arose largely from the colloidal (not soluble) size fraction, and Fe loss was constrained to Fe clogging in/on the CFF membrane. Both Anopore membrane and cross flow filtration methods reproducibly size fractionated dFe in seawater samples. Additionally, sFe arising from these two filtration methods were compared for the first time using seawater samples from the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. sFe from CFF was always lower than sFe from Anopore filtration, with the ratio of sFe in CFF/Anopore filtration averaging 68 ± 23% (n = 23). This sFe difference is attributed to a combination of the smaller effective pore size of the regenerated cellulose CFF system and the spatial variability in the concentration and composition of dFe in the 10 kDa ‐ 0.02 µm size fraction. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of each method were reviewed to offer future users a suite of factors with which to choose their ideal ultrafiltration method.
Analysis of the Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Organic Aerosols by Mass Spectrometry

Although secondary organic aerosol (SOA) makes up a substantial fraction of the organic mass observed in tropospheric fine particulate matter, there remain significant uncertainties in the true impact of atmospheric aerosols on climate and health due to the lack of full knowledge of the sources, composition, and mechanisms of formation of SOA. This thesis demonstrates how the detailed chemical characterization of both laboratory-generated and ambient organic aerosol using advanced mass spectrometric techniques has been critical to the discovery of previously unidentified sources (i.e., role heterogeneous chemistry) of SOA. The focal point of this thesis is given to the detailed chemical characterization of isoprene SOA formed under both high- and low-NOx conditions. Until recently, the formation of SOA from isoprene, the most abundant non-methane hydrocarbon emitted into the troposphere, was considered insignificant owing to the volatility of its oxidation products. In conjunction with the chemical characterization of gas-phase oxidation products, we identify the role of two key reactive intermediates, epoxydiols of isoprene (IEPOX) and methacryloylperoxynitrate (MPAN), that are formed during isoprene oxidation under low- and high-NOx conditions, respectively. Increased uptake of IEPOX by acid-catalyzed particle-phase reactions is shown to enhance low-NOx SOA formation. The similarity of the composition of SOA formed from the photooxidation of MPAN to that formed from isoprene and methacrolein demonstrates the role of MPAN in the formation of isoprene high-NOx SOA. More specifically, the further oxidation of MPAN leads to SOA by particle-phase esterification reactions. Reactions of IEPOX and MPAN in the presence of anthropogenic pollutants could be a substantial source of "missing urban SOA" not included in current SOA models. Increased aerosol acidity is found to result in the formation of organosulfates, which was a previously unrecognized source of SOA. By comparing the tandem mass spectrometric and accurate mass measurements collected for both the laboratory generated and ambient aerosol, previously uncharacterized ambient organic aerosol components are found to be organosulfates of isoprene, α pinene, β pinene, and limonene-like monoterpenes, demonstrating the ubiquity of organosulfate formation in ambient SOA. We estimate that the organosulfate contribution to the total organic mass fraction in certain locations could be substantial (upwards of 30%).
A TiO2 modified abiotic–biotic process for the degradation of the azo dye methyl orange

To investigate the feasibility of titanium dioxide (TiO2) employed as a modifier in the sodium alginate immobilization system, the degradation of methyl orange with the strain Delftia sp. A2(2011) (STT01) was carried out using a TiO2 modified sodium alginate system (TiO2/SA) and a non-TiO2 modified sodium alginate system (SA). It was found that the decolorization of methyl orange was enhanced from 76.5% to 100%, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was increased from 35.6% to 52.7%. The results further revealed that the TiO2 played a crucial role in the cell immobilization system, and the potential modification mechanisms of dye sensitization and TiO2–SA complex-mediated photocatalysis were investigated. Additionally, the intrinsic bright color of the bacterial strain STT01 could be ingeniously employed as an indicator for the degradation efficiency. This work not only presents a promising opportunity for developing novel cell immobilization techniques but also affords a direct and visually observed treatment for azo dye wastewater.