Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empagliflozin significantly prevents QTc prolongation due to amitriptyline intoxication.

AIM Empagliflozin (EMPA) is a sodium-glucose transporter-2 inhibitor used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and has positive effects on cardiovascular outcomes. Amitriptyline (AMT) can be used in many clinical indications but leads to cardiotoxicity by causing QT prolongation. Our aim in this study was to determine how the effects of the concomitant use of empagliflozin and amitriptyline, which have been shown to have effects on sodium and calcium metabolism in cardiomyocytes, would cause an effect on QT and QTc intervals in clinical practice. METHODS Twenty-four male Wistar albino rats were randomised into four groups. The control group received only physiological serum (1 ml) via orogastric gavage (OG). The EMPA group received empagliflozin (10 mg/kg) via OG. The AMT group received amitriptyline (100 mg/kg) via OG. The AMT + EMPA group (n = 6) received amitriptyline (100 mg/kg) and empagliflozin (10 mg/kg). Under anaesthesia, QT and QTc intervals were measured at baseline, and in the first and second hours. RESULTS In the AMT group, QT intervals and QTc values were found to be statistically longer than in the control group (p ≤ 0.001). Empagliflozin significantly ameliorated amitriptyline-induced QT and QTc prolongation. In the AMT + EMPA group, QT and QTc intervals were significantly lower compared to that in the AMT group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION In this study, we determined that empagliflozin significantly ameliorated amitriptyline-induced QT and QTc prolongation. This effect was probably due to the opposite effects of these two agents in the intracellular calcium balance. With more clinical trials, the routine use of empagliflozin may be suggested to prevent QT and QTc prolongation in diabetic patients receiving amitriptyline.
Comparison of Direct Examination and In Vitro Culture for the Detection of Blastocystis spp. in Orang Asli Stool Samples

Microscopy-based technique has been widely used in the detection of Blastocystis sp. This study was conducted to compare the techniques used for screening of Blastocystis sp. , namely in vitro cultivation of stool specimens in Jones’ medium (IVC) followed by Wheatley Trichrome staining and direct examination of stool samples preserved with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) followed by Wheatley Trichrome staining with single-round polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the reference technique. The study was performed on 466 stool samples obtained from the aboriginal community in Pahang, Malaysia. IVC showed higher detection rate of Blastocystis sp. (35.6%) than PVA (20.0%). Single-round PCR detected Blastocystis sp. in 41.0% of the stool specimens. The sensitivity and specificity of PVA and IVC in comparison to the reference technique were 75.3% (95% CI: 65.2-83.6) and 68.5% (CI: 63.7-73.3) and 88.6% (CI: 82.7-93.0) and 86.3% (CI: 81.9-90.0), respectively. The agreement between the reference technique and PVA showed statistically significant fair agreement by Cohen Kappa statistics of (K=0.318, p<0.001), meanwhile statistically significant substantial agreement was observed between PCR and IVC by Cohen Kappa (K=0.727, p<0.001). Therefore, in vitro cultivation in Jones’ medium followed by Wheatley Trichrome staining of stool specimens should be used as a screening technique in the detection of Blastocystis sp. infections.
Comparative assessment of alternative water supply contributions across five data-scarce cities

ABSTRACT Alternative water sources offer opportunities to contribute to the water supply to meet non-potable urban demand, closing water supply–demand gaps. Detailed assessments of these schemes are often data intensive, which can be a barrier in resource-scarce locations. A data-light approach is proposed and applied to assess the potential contribution of alternative water sources in five cities in the Global South, and to identify barriers preventing their widespread uptake. These barriers include perception, space, cost, home ownership and capacity constraints. This approach is applicable elsewhere, supporting assessment for city water planners/managers for preliminary planning to promote discussion on alternative sources to water security.
Cytotoxic activity of quinolinone Alkaloids and acylphloroglucinol from the leaves of Melicope denhamii

Two quinolinone alkaloids, N-methylflindersine (1), flindersine (2) and two acylphloroglucinols, evodionol (3), methylevodionol (4) were isolated from the leaves of Melicope denhamii. Structures of compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic methods such as UV, IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. Compounds 1-4 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against P-388 cells, compound 2 showed moderate activity with IC50 4.86 μg/ml.
Exploring the Level of Post Traumatic Growth in Kidney Transplant Recipients via Network Analysis

Although kidney transplant can lead to psychiatric disorders, psychosocial syndromes and demoralization, a positive post-traumatic growth (PTG) can occur in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). However, the PTG-Inventory (PTGI), a reliable tool to measure PTG is scarcely used to explore the effect of this stressful event in KTRs. Thus, the purpose of our study was to assess the level of PTG and its correlation with demoralization, physical and emotional symptoms or problems via network analysis in KTRs. Additionally, we aimed at exploring the association of PTG with psychiatric diagnoses, Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) conditions, and medical variables. A total of 134 KTRs were tested using MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview 6.0 (MINI 6.0), DCPR interview, PTGI, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), Canadian Problem Checklist (CPC) and Demoralization scale (DS-IT). PTGI was used to investigate the positive psychological experience of patients after KT. It consists of 21 items divided in five factors. Routine biochemistry, immunosuppressive agents, socio-demographic and clinical data were collected. A symptom network analysis was conducted among PTGI, ESAS and DS-IT. Mean score of PTGI total of sample was 52.81 ± 19.81 with higher scores in women (58.53 ± 21.57) than in men (50.04 ± 18.39) (p < 0.05). PTGI-Relating to Others (16.50 ± 7.99) sub-score was markedly higher than other PTGI factor sub-scores. KTRs with DCPR-alexithymia or International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (ICD-10) anxiety disorders diagnosis had lower PTGI total score and higher PTGI-Personal Strength sub-score, respectively (p < 0.05). The network analysis identified two communities: PTGI and ESAS with DS-IT. DS-IT Disheartenment, DS-IT Hopelessness and PTGI Relating to Others were the most central items in the network. After 1000 bootstrap procedures, the Exploratory graph analysis revealed the presence of a median of two communities in the network in 97.5% of the bootstrap iterations. A more extensive use of PTGI should be encouraged to identify and enhance the positive psychological changes after KT.
Surface and optical properties of indium-rich InGaN layers grown on sapphire by migration-enhanced plasma assisted metal organic chemical vapor deposition

In-rich InGaN nanoscale thin films grown on (0001) sapphire (Al2O3) using migration enhanced plasma-assisted metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MEPA-MOCVD) method are characterized by high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HR-XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman scattering spectroscopy (RSS), as well as variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE). Theoretical calculations were performed to acquire the optical constants and vibrational properties of the films. The indium composition x (In) values determined by HR-XRD and from the surface area calculated by XPS are in good agreement with each other. The valence band maxima of InxGa1−xN films (x = 0.65–0.80) were observed to shift to lower binding energy with the increase of indium concentration. The RSS results confirmed the one-phonon behavior for the A1(LO) and E2(high) modes with x (In)—independent of phonon frequencies of the substrate. The simulated refractive index n was found to increase with In composition, the band gap (Eg) shifted, however, towards the lower energy side. For a given In composition and by increasing the measurement temperature from 30 °C to 600 °C, the variations of optical constants (n and Eg) showed similar trends as in samples with increasing In composition.
Square Wave Voltammetric Determination of Penicillin V in Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Containing Media on Glassy Carbon Electrode

The effect of adding sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a surface-active agent to acetate buffer solution containing penicillin V was investigated. The voltammetric responses of penicillin V on glassy carbon electrode was a function of the concentration of penicillin V, surfactant and pH. Addition of SDS to the penicillin V containing acetate buffer solution (ABS) was found to enhance the voltammetric oxidation current signal by about 10 times with insignificant shift of the oxidation potentials. With this electrochemical method, the optimal pH and SDS concentration were found to be pH 4.5 and 0.347M respectively. Using cyclic voltammetry, the oxidation potential for penicillin V were found to be 1.61V vs. Ag/AgCl in SDS/ABS, pH 4.5 and 1.55V vs. Ag/AgCl in ABS, pH 4.5. Linear concentration range were also investigated using square wave voltammetry and found to lie in the range of 0.04 – 34. 6µM penicillin V in SDS/ABS, pH 4.5 and 3.5 – 14. 0µM penicillin V in ABS, pH 4.5. Limits of detection were also found to be 0.04µM penicillin V in SDS/ABS, pH 4.5 and 3.5µM penicillin V in ABS, pH 4.5 and limits of quantitation were 0. 12µM penicillin V in SDS/ABS, pH 4.5 and 14µM penicillin V in ABS, pH 4.5. Foreign substances like Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Zn 2+ , Ca 2+ , Fe 3+ , Cu 2+ , Cl - , NO 3 - , PO 4 3- and SO 4 2- did not have any significant effect on the voltammetric currents of penicillin V. These results confirm that this electrochemical method is sensitive enough to be used in the determination of penicillin V in diverse environmental and clinical samples.
Selenium improves physiological responses and nutrient absorption in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under salinity

Abstract Salinity is a serious limiting factor for crop growth and production. The present study was conducted to investigate the response of wheat grown at salinities of 0.12, 0.30 and 0.60 S m−1 on soil supplemented with 0, 0.5, 1 and 4 mg kg−1 Se as selenite. Chlorophyll a and b, carotenoid contents, Fe, Zn and Se in shoots as well as shoot dry weight were negatively affected by increased salinity. Se had a dual effect: at 0.5 mg kg−1, chlorophyll b, proline, and shoot Fe content were increased, catalase activity was stimulated; there was no effect on Zn content and shoot dry weight. At the two higher concentrations, Se led to decreases in chlorophyll content, nutrient concentration, and shoot dry weight. Thus, moderate addition of Se to soil could be a strategy to improve physiological responses and micronutrient status in wheat under salinity stress.
Impact of Post-Procedural Change in Left Ventricle Systolic Function on Survival after Percutaneous Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair

Objectives: To investigate how the changes of left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) between admission and discharge affected the long-term outcome in patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair for secondary mitral regurgitation. Background: An acute impairment of LVEF after surgical repair of mitral regurgitation, known as afterload mismatch, has been associated with increased all-cause mortality. Afterload mismatch after percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair has been postulated to be a transient phenomenon. Methods: This study is based on a single-center, retrospective, observational registry of patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair with the MitraClip (Abbot Vascular) system for the treatment of symptomatic, moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation. We included data on 399 patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair for secondary mitral regurgitation. Expert echocardiographers assessed LVEF before the procedure and at discharge. The patients were divided into three groups according to the difference of periprocedural LVEF measurements: unchanged (n = 318), improved (n = 40), and decreased (n = 41) LVEF. Results: The median follow-up time was 2.0 years. When adjusted for gender, NYHA class and estimated glomerular filtration rate, decreased postprocedural LVEF was associated with an increased risk of death (adjusted HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.26–3.34) and increased postprocedural LVEF with a reduced risk of death (adjusted HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.24–0.91) compared to unchanged LVEF. Conclusion: Among patients who underwent percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair, decreased postprocedural LVEF was associated with increased mortality, while improved LVEF was associated with lower mortality compared to unchanged LVEF.
The Rorschach and Violent Crime

Abstract. Over the years, a significant number of Rorschach studies have been conducted with forensic adult and adolescent samples, partly motivated by the use of the test in forensic psychological evaluations. Could the Rorschach, as a performance-based personality assessment tool, provide unique information that is not as vulnerable to distortion on the part of the examinee as self-report measures are? This article provides a review of Rorschach studies on relevant Rorschach variables, including those with different forensic samples. Empirical findings are mixed; there is not a one-on-one relationship between certain Rorschach variables and forensically relevant traits, such as psychopathy or hostility. This does not mean the Rorschach cannot provide useful information in answering psychological questions before the court. A case illustration of a male college student, who committed a (first) violent offense, illustrates the unique contribution of the Rorschach for understanding the psychological dynamics behind a violent act that was seemingly out of character.
Pressure dependence on electronic structures, charge distribution and bond orders of solid nitromethane using nonlocal DFT functional

ABSTRACT The electronic properties of solid nitromethane are studied using nonlocal exchange-correlation functional (optPBE–vdW) under hydrostatic compression up to 40 GPa. We found that the optPBE–vdW functional can reproduce well the crystalline structures compared with the experiments, and an isomorphic phase transition has been verified by their P–V curve. Bader’s charge analysis shows the electron flows from CH3 group to NO2 group with the pressure. Moreover, the calculated bond orders show that the pressure only strengthens the intermolecular C–N bond and intermolecular C–H···O hydrogen bonds though it shortens all bond lengths. Furthermore, the electronic structure and its pressure dependence have also been discussed in detail.
Influence of Mass Media on Italian Web Users During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Infodemiological Analysis

Background Concurrently with the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has been facing a growing infodemic, which has caused severe damage to economic and health systems and has often compromised the effectiveness of infection containment regulations. Although this infodemic has spread mainly through social media, there are numerous occasions on which mass media outlets have shared dangerous information, giving resonance to statements without a scientific basis. For these reasons, infoveillance and infodemiology methods are increasingly exploited to monitor information traffic on the web and make epidemiological predictions. Objective The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impact of Italian mass media on users’ web searches to understand the role of press and television channels in both the infodemic and the interest of Italian netizens in COVID-19. Methods We collected the headlines published from January 2020 to March 2021 containing specific COVID-19–related keywords published on PubMed, Google, the Italian Ministry of Health website, and the most-read newspapers in Italy. We evaluated the percentages of infodemic terms on these platforms. Through Google Trends, we searched for cross-correlations between newspaper headlines and COVID-19–related web searches. Finally, we analyzed the web interest in infodemic content posted on YouTube. Results During the first wave of COVID-19, the Italian press preferred to draw on infodemic terms (rate of adoption: 1.6%-6.3%) and moderately infodemic terms (rate of adoption: 88%-94%), while scientific sources favored the correct names (rate of adoption: 65%-88%). The correlational analysis showed that the press heavily influenced users in adopting terms to identify the novel coronavirus (cross-correlations of ≥0.74 to ≤0.89, P value <.001; maximum lag=1 day). The use of scientific denominations by the press reached acceptable values only during the third wave (approximately 80%, except for the television services Rai and Mediaset). Web queries about COVID-19 symptoms also appeared to be influenced by the press (best average correlation=0.92, P<.007). Furthermore, web users showed pronounced interest in YouTube videos of an infodemic nature. Finally, the press gave resonance to serious “fake news” on COVID-19, which caused pronounced spikes of interest from web users. Conclusions Our results suggest that the Italian mass media have played a decisive role in spreading the COVID-19 infodemic and addressing netizens’ web interest, thus favoring the adoption of terms that are unsuitable for identifying COVID-19. Therefore, the directors of news channels and newspapers should be more cautious, and government dissemination agencies should exert more control over such news stories.
THE EFFECT OF APPARATUS ABILITY ON WORK MOTIVATION AND ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC SERVICE PERFORMANCE OF REGIONAL SECRETARIAT OF PIDIE JAYA REGENCY

This study aims to examine the effect of the ability of the state civil apparatus on work motivation and its impact on the performance of public services at the Regional Secretariat of Pidie Jaya Regency (SetdakabPijay), Indonesia. In this study there were 2 types of population, the first population was all employees of the SetdakabPijay, totaling 221 employees and the second population was the people of Pidie Jaya regency. The method used in this study for the first population was the census method, while the number of people who were not known, it was determined that the number of the sample taken was as much as the number of employees who work at the SetdakabPijay. The research model was analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results of the descriptive hypothesis test show the ability of the apparatus, work motivation, and performance of public services at the SetdakabPijayare already in good condition (H1). The results of direct hypothesis testing indicate that the ability of the apparatus has a positive and significant effect on work motivation (H2), the ability of the apparatus has a positive and significant effect on public service performance (H3), and work motivation has a positive and significant effect on public service performance (H4). The results of indirect hypothesis testing (H5) prove that work motivation partially mediates the effect of the ability of the apparatus on the performance of public services at the SetdakabPijay. Thus, the results of the model test prove that the public service performance improvement model at the SekdakabPijay is acceptable, namely to improve public service performance the predictor that must be improved is the apparatus ability, so that it will have a direct impact on public service performance or will affect the increase in work motivation at the beginning and ends in improving public service performance. Keyword: Apparatus Ability, Work Motivation, Public Service Performance.
Influence of preparation and analysis methods on determination of Rh, Pd and Pt content in automotive catalysts samples

Use of catalytic converters is of great importance in modern transportation allowing conversion of exhaust gases produced during combustion of fuel into less toxic pollutants. The catalysts itself are mostly precious metals dispersed onto catalyst carrier which should be mechanically resistant and guarantee high surface area required for effective utilization of catalytic converter. Precious metals like rhodium, palladium and platinum commonly used in automotive catalytic converters are expensive and their content remains important even in scrapped converters from which they are extracted. In this paper various approaches for determination of precious metals in used and unused automotive catalysts were described. Two analytical techniques were applied: Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry and Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence and three methods of sample preparation differing in terms of time and cost: (a) microwave-assisted digestion with inorganic acids, (b) fusion with flux and (c) pressed powder method. The latter two methods were used for WD XRF measurements while the first one for the ICP OES. Statistical data analysis was applied in order to assess accuracy and precision of the results obtained and to compare different sample preparation and analytical techniques. Repeatability of sample preparation and measurement, calibration curves, selectivity and recovery were presented.
The high-pressure anisotropic thermoelastic properties of a potential inner core carbon-bearing phase, Fe7C3, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction

Abstract Carbon has been suggested as one of the light elements existing in the Earth’s core. Under core conditions, iron carbide Fe7C3 is likely the first phase to solidify from a Fe-C melt and has thus been considered a potential component of the inner core. The crystal structure of Fe7C3, however, is still under debate, and its thermoelastic properties are not well constrained at high pressures. In this study, we performed synchrotron-based single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiment using an externally heated diamond-anvil cell to determine the crystal structure and thermoelastic properties of Fe7C3 up to 80 GPa and 800 K. Our diffraction data indicate that Fe7C3 adopts an orthorhombic structure under experimentally investigated conditions. The pressure-volume-temperature data for Fe7C3 were fitted by the high-temperature Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, yielding ambient-pressure unit-cell volume V0 = 745.2(2) Å3, bulk modulus K0 = 167(4) GPa, its first pressure derivative K0′$\begin{array}{} \displaystyle K_{0}^{\prime} \end{array}$ = 5.0(2), dK/dT = -0.02(1) GPa/K, and thermal expansion relation αT = 4.7(9) × 10–5 + 3(5) × 10–8 × (T – 300) K–1. We also observed anisotropic elastic responses to changes in pressure and temperature along the different crystallographic directions. Fe7C3 has strong anisotropic compressibilities with the linear moduli Ma > Mc > Mb from zero pressure to core pressures at 300 K, rendering the b axis the most compressible upon compression. The thermal expansion of c3 is approximately four times larger than that of a3 and b3 at 600 and 700 K, implying that the high temperature may significantly influence the elastic anisotropy of Fe7C3. Therefore, the effect of high temperature needs to be considered when using Fe7C3 to explain the anisotropy of the Earth’s inner core.