Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extreme diving in mammals: first estimates of behavioural aerobic dive limits in Cuvier's beaked whales

ABSTRACT We analysed 3680 dives from 23 satellite-linked tags deployed on Cuvier's beaked whales to assess the relationship between long duration dives and inter-deep dive intervals and to estimate aerobic dive limit (ADL). The median duration of presumed foraging dives was 59 min and 5% of dives exceeded 77.7 min. We found no relationship between the longest 5% of dive durations and the following inter-deep dive interval nor any relationship with the ventilation period immediately prior to or following a long dive. We suggest that Cuvier's beaked whales have low metabolic rates, high oxygen storage capacities and a high acid-buffering capacity to deal with the by-products of both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, which enables them to extend dive durations and exploit their bathypelagic foraging habitats. Highlighted Article: Long dives in Cuvier's beaked whales are not followed by prolonged recovery periods, suggesting that diving metabolism is reduced and/or undescribed mechanisms are used to process products of anaerobic metabolism.
Analysis of crystal structure and magnetic properties of strontium substituted bismuth ferrite thin films

Thin films of Bi(1−x)Sr x FeO3 (X = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.30) are synthesized on ultra-cleaned glass substrates by simple spray pyrolysis method at 550 °C. The crystal structures of the thin films are investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The Rietveld refinement data for all the thin films are confirmed a single-phase ABO3 type of rhombohedral structure belonging to the R3c space group. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis reveals the size of grains from hexagonal to spherical shape with the addition of Sr doping. The vibrational modes are studied by Raman spectroscopy. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis unravels the influence of Sr2+ in the creation of Fe2+ defects and oxygen vacancies. The room temperature magnetic measurements of the thin films are carried out within a magnetic field range of ±10 kOe. Magnetic hysteresis loop confirms a significant increase in magnetization in Sr modified bismuth ferrite thin films. The composition i.e. X = 0.20 shows maximum enhancement of magnetic properties with saturation and Remanent magnetization values of 5.99 emu g−1 and 1.77 emu g−1, respectively.
What does the American public know about child marriage?

Global efforts to eradicate ‘child marriage’ (<18 years) increasingly target governments, the private sector and the general public as agents of change. However, understanding of child marriage may be subject to popular misconceptions, particularly because of ambiguity in the age threshold implied by the term ‘child’, and because awareness campaigns routinely emphasize extreme scenarios of very young girls forcibly married to much older men. Here, we ascertain public knowledge of child marriage via an online survey. Half of those surveyed mistakenly believed that the cut-off for child marriage is younger than the threshold of 18 years, and nearly three-quarters incorrectly believed that most child marriages occur at 15 years or below (it primarily occurs in later adolescence). Most participants also incorrectly believed that child marriage is illegal throughout the USA (it’s illegal in only 4/50 states), substantially overestimated its global prevalence, and mistakenly believed that it primarily takes place among Muslim-majority world regions. Our results highlight important popular misconceptions of child marriage that may ultimately undermine global health goals and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. Organizations seeking to empower women by reducing child marriage should be cautious of these misunderstandings, and wary of the potential for their own activities to seed misinformation.
Prevalence of depressive symptoms and related risk factors in Japanese patients with pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteriosis

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to administer commonly used tools, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – Depression subscale (HADS-D), to screen for depressive symptoms in patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). In addition, we sought to identify whether differences existed in the prevalence of depressive symptoms as assessed by CES-D and HADS-D, and by various predictors of depression. The presence of depressive symptoms in 95 patients with NTM-PD was assessed using the CES-D and HADS-D. Data regarding age, body mass index, pulmonary function, dyspnea, cough, and exercise capacity were obtained to examine their independent contribution as predictors of depressive symptoms. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 37.9% based on CES-D and 26.3% based on HADS-D. The prevalence of depressive symptoms based on CES-D and HADS-D revealed significant differences between the two instruments. Analysis suggested that the presence of cough is a significant predictor of depressive symptoms as assessed by both CES-D and HADS-D. Countermeasures are necessary because some patients with NTM-PD disease have depressive symptoms. It is possible that assessment of the prevalence of depressive symptoms differs in accordance with the screening tool used.
SG-APSIC1011: Factors associated with improved knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and control following a training of healthcare workers in Vietnam

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel and highly infectious virus. An effective response requires rapid training of healthcare workers (HCWs). We measured the change in knowledge related to COVID-19 and associated factors before and after training of HCWs in Vietnam. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate HCW knowledge related to prevention and control of SARS-CoV-2 before and after attending a 2-day training-of-trainers course. Between June and September 2020, 963 HCWs from 194 hospitals in 21 provinces received the training. HCW knowledge was assessed using a 20-item questionnaire consisting of multiple-choice questions at the beginning and closing of the training course. A participant received 1 point for each correct answer. He or she was considered to have improved knowledge the posttest score was higher than the pretest score with a score ≥15 on the posttest. We applied the McNemar test and logistic regression model to test the level of association between demographic factors and change in knowledge of COVID-19. Results: Overall, 100% of HCWs completed both the pretest and posttest. At baseline, only 14.7% scored ≥15. Following the training, 78.4% scored ≥15 and 64.3% had improved knowledge according to the predetermined definition. Questions related to the order of PPE donning and doffing and respiratory specimen collection procedures were identified as having the greatest improvement (44.6% and 60.7%, respectively). Being female (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.0), having a postgraduate degree (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4–4.4), working in a nonmanager position (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.1), previous contact with a COVID-19 patient (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.0), and working in northern Vietnam (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4–2.6), were associated with greater knowledge improvement. Conclusions: Most HCWs demonstrated improved knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and control after attending the training. Particular groups may benefit from additional training: those who are male, leaders and managers, those who hold an undergraduate degree, and those who work in the southern provinces.
The Influence of the Addition of Plant-Based Natural Fibers (Jute) on Biocemented Sand Using MICP Method

The microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) method has gained intense attention in recent years as a safe and sustainable alternative for soil improvement and for use in construction materials. In this study, the effects of the addition of plant-based natural jute fibers to MICP-treated sand and the corresponding microstructures were measured to investigate their subsequent impacts on the MICP-treated biocemented sand. The fibers used were at 0%, 0.5%, 1.5%, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20% by weight of the sand, while the fiber lengths were 5, 15, and 25 mm. The microbial interactions with the fibers, the CaCO3 precipitation trend, and the biocemented specimen (microstructure) were also evaluated based on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) values, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and fluorescence microscopy. The results of this study showed that the added jute fibers improved the engineering properties (ductility, toughness, and brittleness behavior) of the biocemented sand using MICP method. Furthermore, the fiber content more significantly affected the engineering properties of the MICP-treated sand than the fiber length. In this study, the optimal fiber content was 3%, whereas the optimal fiber length was s 15 mm. The SEM results indicated that the fiber facilitated the MICP process by bridging the pores in the calcareous sand, reduced the brittleness of the treated samples, and increased the mechanical properties of the biocemented sand. The results of this study could significantly contribute to further improvement of fiber-reinforced biocemented sand in geotechnical engineering field applications.
A systematic review of the determinants of seafood consumption

Abstract Although seafood is considered to be an important part of a balanced diet, many national food consumption surveys suggest that seafood is not consumed in sufficient amounts. As consumers are moving to diversify their diet from animal-based protein, it is important to understand the factors influencing consumption of marine foods. This review aims to assess the characteristics of seafood consumers as well as the influences on seafood consumption in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Systematic search strategies were used to identify relevant journal articles from three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Embase). Three searches were carried out and identified 4405 unique publications from which 121 met the criteria for the review process. The reviewed studies revealed that seafood consumers were more likely to be older, more affluent and more physically active and were less likely to smoke compared with non-seafood consumers. Sex and BMI did not appear to have a directional association with seafood consumption. The most commonly reported barriers to seafood consumption were cost, followed by sensory or physical barriers, health and nutritional beliefs, habits, availability and cooking skills. The most commonly reported influences were beliefs about the contribution of seafood to health, environmental influences and personal preferences. Based on the findings of this review, future intervention strategies to increase seafood consumption may need to consider affordability and education in terms of health, nutrition and cooking skills. More research is needed to explore the effectiveness of specific interventions at increasing the consumption of seafood.
Electrochemical Behavior of Ti6Al4V Alloy Used in Dental Implants Immersed in Streptococcus gordonii and Fusobacterium nucleatum Solutions

The titanium alloy, Ti6Al4V, is used in dentistry for dental implants because of its excellent resistance to corrosion and its high biocompatibility. However, periimplantitis is considered the main reason for treatment failure. The Ti6Al4V alloy was used to study the corrosion behavior for dental implant applications, using an experimental arrangement of three electrodes with the bacteria Streptococcus gordonii and Fusobacterium nucleatum, in addition to Ringer’s lactate as electrolytes, at 37 °C and a pH of 5.6. Their electrochemical behavior was studied by open circuit potential (OCP) and cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP) according to ASTM G3-14 and ASTM G61-11, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to determine the morphology of the alloy studied. An experimental model, in situ, was established with the bacteria present in an oral environment to understand the electrochemical behavior of the alloy used in dental implants. The greatest corrosion in Ti6Al4V alloy was produced by the medium that contained the bacterium Streptococcus gordonii, which is considered a primary colonizer. In addition, the Ti6Al4V alloy presented uniform corrosion in the three solutions at the different exposure times showing a negative hysteresis in CPP.
Woodland caribou relative to landscape patterns in Northeastern Alberta

From 1991 through 1994, 65 adult woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) were radiocollared and monitored across 20,000 km 2 of northeastem Alberta. Adult survival averaged 0.88 ± 0.03, and did not differ among years. Calf survival was 18 calves/100 cows in March of both years it was measured, with calves composing a mean of 9.0% of the March populations. Highest calf mortality occurred during the first month of life. The population rate-of-increase, r, was -0.08 (A = 0.92), suggesting the population was declining. Caribou locations were restricted to peatlands, with 98.7% of locations falling within the 5 fen complexes in the study area. There was little permanent movement (5% of individuals over 4 yr) among fen complexes. Multi-year home ranges (100% minimum convex polygon; MCP) averaged 711 km 2 , with the size of individual home ranges (HR) correlated with the area of fen complexes. Summer HRs were smaller than winter HRs, and smaller for females than males in summer, but not winter. Locations were further from fen/upland boundaries in winter than in summer, and further from fen/upland boundaries than random points within fens in both seasons. Movement rates were highest in winter and lowest in summer, and did not differ between sexes. There was a negative correlation between movement rate and snow depth at month-end. Monthly trends in group size paralleled those in movement rates, while group composition was relatively stable throughout most of the year. Trends in group size, movement, and spatial distribution suggest caribou increased spacing among themselves during summer, and were more concentrated during winter. The study area consisted of 2 different landscapes, varying in the amount and configuration of fen patches. When we compared caribou biology between the 2 areas, we found lower calf survival and smaller home ranges in the landscape with smaller fen patches and a higher proportion of upland.
Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid Protects Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Oxidative Injury and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress In Vitro

Retinal degeneration is characterized by the dysfunction of retinal cells. Oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of retinal degeneration. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) has been demonstrated to have protective effects in in vitro and in vivo retinal degeneration models. To fully understand the molecular mechanisms of TUDCA’s protection, we first treated human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, ARPE-19, with H2O2 or H2O2 plus TUDCA for 24 h. RPE cells co-exposed to TUDCA had higher cell viability and lower cell death rate compared to cells exposed to H2O2 alone. TUDCA significantly increased antioxidant capacity in H2O2-treated RPE cells by decreasing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Malondialdehyde (MDA), upregulating the expression of antioxidant genes, and increasing the generation of glutathione (GSH). TUDCA also inhibited inflammation in H2O2-challenged RPE cells by decreasing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, TUDCA suppressed thapsigargin-induced ER stress in RPE cells, as demonstrated by decreased the expression of CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and apoptosis. Our present study suggests that TUDCA can protect RPE cells against oxidative damage, inflammation, and ER stress and may benefit patients with retinal degeneration.
Circulating MicroRNAs as Novel Biomarkers for Osteoporosis and Fragility Fracture Risk: Is There a Use in Assessment Risk?

Osteoporosis is a multifactorial skeletal disease that is associated with both bone mass decline and microstructure damage. The fragility fractures—especially those affecting the femur—that embody the clinical manifestation of this pathology continue to be a great medical and socioeconomic challenge worldwide. The currently available diagnostic tools, such as dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) score, and bone turnover markers, show limited specificity and sensitivity; therefore, the identification of alternative approaches is necessary. As a result of their advantageous features, such as non-invasiveness, biofluid stability, and easy detection, circulating cell-free miRs are promising new potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and low-traumatic fracture risk assessment. However, due to the absence of both standardized pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical protocols for their measurement and universally accepted guidelines for diagnostic use, their clinical utility is limited. The aim of this review was to record all the data currently available in the literature concerning the use of circulating microRNAs as both potential biomarkers for osteoporosis diagnosis and fragility fracture risk evaluation, and group them according to the experimental designs, in order to support a more conscious choice of miRs for future research in this field.
Computational Analysis of Clinical and Molecular Markers and New Theranostic Possibilities in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a paramount cause of irreversible visual disability worldwide. We focus on identifying clinical and molecular facts that may help elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease. By using ophthalmological approaches (biomicroscopy, ocular fundus, optical coherence tomography, and perimetry) and experimental tests (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and Western blot/immunoblotting) directed to evaluate the oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and neurodegeneration processes, we gather information to build a network of data to perform a computational bioinformatics analysis. Our results showed strong interaction of the above players and its downstream effectors in POAG pathogenesis. In conclusion, specific risk factors were identified, and molecules involved in multiple pathways were found in relation to anterior and posterior eye segment glaucoma changes, pointing to new theranostic challenges for better managing POAG progression.
Bayesian learning of multiple directed networks from observational data

Graphical modeling represents an established methodology for identifying complex dependencies in biological networks, as exemplified in the study of co‐expression, gene regulatory, and protein interaction networks. The available observations often exhibit an intrinsic heterogeneity, which impacts on the network structure through the modification of specific pathways for distinct groups, such as disease subtypes. We propose to infer the resulting multiple graphs jointly in order to benefit from potential similarities across groups; on the other hand our modeling framework is able to accommodate group idiosyncrasies. We consider directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) as network structures, and develop a Bayesian method for structural learning of multiple DAGs. We explicitly account for Markov equivalence of DAGs, and propose a suitable prior on the collection of graph spaces that induces selective borrowing strength across groups. The resulting inference allows in particular to compute the posterior probability of edge inclusion, a useful summary for representing flow directions within the network. Finally, we detail a simulation study addressing the comparative performance of our method, and present an analysis of two protein networks together with a substantive interpretation of our findings.
EFFECT OF BORON NUTRITION ON RESISTANCE RESPONSE OF TOMATO AGAINST BACTERIAL WILT CAUSED BY RALSTONIA SOLANACEARUM

This study investigated the effect of boron nutrient on tomato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and the regulation mechanisms. Plants, cultured in nutrient solution and treated with three concentrations of B (0.05, 0.50 and 2.50 mg l-1), were inoculated with R. solanacearum by the method of root dip. Severity of disease development, plant nutrient uptake, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activity, enzymes like peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7), polyphenol oxidase (PPO, EC 1.10.3.2) activities in tomato leaves were analyzed. Disease severity of low, medium and high B treatments were 95.2%, 72.6% and 63.4% respectively. There was no significant difference in plant dry weight, indicating no B toxic or deficiency phenomenon in all treatments. Tomato plants absorbed significantly more Ca and B with the level of B in the nutrient solution increased. In addition, H2O2 level in high B treatment rose faster and reached a higher peak with 11.94 μM gFW-1(96.7% greater than low B plants). The activities of POD and PPO also have a greater increase in high B treatment with 97.12 U gFW-1 and 94.00 U gFW-1 compared to 39.16 U gFW-1 and 70.51 U gFW-1 in low B treatment. These results suggested that the regulation mechanism of B was to increase the Ca and B concentration, improve the rate and the amount of H2O2 accumulation, and increase the activities of POD and PPO in tomato.
Child and Family Factors Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Responses Following a Traumatic Medical Event: The Role of Medical Team Support.

OBJECTIVES This study examined the contribution of pretrauma psychosocial factors (child emotional functioning, family resources, family functioning, and social support) and environmental factors (mother's posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSSs], medical team support [MTS]) to PTSSs of injured or seriously ill children within a pediatric rehabilitation setting. It was hypothesized that psychosocial variables would be strongly associated with child's PTSS; that mother's PTSS and MTS would mediate the association between psychosocial factors and child's PTSS; that mother's report on child's PTSS would mediate the association between mother's PTSS and child's PTSS. METHODS Participants were 196 children hospitalized following an injury/illness and assessed M = 47.7 days postevent. Children completed measures of PTSS, mothers completed measures of their own PTSS, child's PTSS, and pretrauma psychosocial factors. Family's therapist completed a MTS measure. Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the study hypotheses. RESULTS Pretrauma family structure and resources were associated with child's self-reported PTSS; each pretrauma variable and mother's report of child's PTSS was significantly associated. Although mother's PTSS was not directly associated with child's PTSS, this relationship was mediated by mother's report of child's PTSS. MTS mediated the relationship between pretrauma social support and mother's PTSS. CONCLUSION This study further explicates the utility of a biopsychosocial framework in predicting childhood PTSS. Findings confirm the role of pretrauma factors and environmental factors at the peritrauma period in the development of PTSS following a pediatric injury/illness. Mother's PTSS and MTS may be appropriate targets for prevention and early intervention.
Relation of atrial electromechanical delay to P‐wave dispersion on surface ECG using vector velocity imaging in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Heterogeneity of structural and electrophysiologic properties of atrial myocardium is common characteristic in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We assessed the dispersion of atrial refractoriness on surface ECG using P‐wave dispersion (PWD) and its relation to atrial electromechanical functions using vector velocity imaging (VVI) in HCM population.