Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Droughts, cyclones, and intimate partner violence: A disastrous mix for Indian women

India has reported a high prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) against women over the years. Previous Western research have found an increased IPV risk among women in the aftermath of natural disasters, underscoring the need for such studies in India. We could not locate any study focusing on the impact of slow-onset versus rapid-onset disasters, which might have differing impacts on the vulnerable, especially on the incidence of IPV in India. Using data on ever-married women from the National Family Health Survey-4, we investigated the association of residing in districts exposed to a drought (N=31,045 ), and separately, to two cyclones (N=8469), with three forms of self-reported IPV against women (emotional, physical, and sexual). Survey-adjusted logistic regression models showed that exposure to cyclone was positively associated with emotional IPV (AOR: 1.59, CI: 1.20, 2.10) after adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. Although not statistically significant, exposure to cyclone was also positively associated with physical and sexual IPV, and drought with physical IPV. However, we did not find an association of drought with emotional and sexual violence. Notably, we corroborated previous findings that women from wealthier households, educated, and whose husbands had no history of alcohol consumption, were less likely to experience any form of IPV independent of the influence of other factors. These results highlight the potential increased risk of IPV following natural disasters. In a patriarchal society such as India vulnerable to climate change, these sobering results highlight the need to prepare for the social disasters that might accompany natural disasters.
Exploiting the functionality of root systems for dry, saline, and nutrient deficient environments in a changing climate

Increasing episodes of drought, lack of sufficient nutrients, exposure to toxic minerals, and soil compaction are just a few examples of the environmental constraints that the roots are exposed to during plant growth. Understanding how roots respond to these stresses is crucial for improving crop production under such conditions. Yet, investigating roots is a very difficult task and, therefore, very little is known about the precise role that the roots play in contributing to plant adaptation to hostile environments. It is assumed that while the root depth and abundance would contribute to drought tolerance, profuse rooting would enhance nutrient capture, and where the membrane transporters would exclude salts from the root cells. However, a great deal is still unknown about how these mechanisms actually operate; for example which particular characteristics of roots and root hydraulics actually contributes to water uptake in a way that confers increased tolerance, how the stress signaling from the roots affects the physiological relations in the shoot and those between the shoot and the root, how water and nutrient absorption relate to one another when both are limiting, or how roots avoid the loading of salt in xylem vessels. In this paper, our intention is not an exhaustive review of roots, but to highlight a few research topics related to abiotic stresses - mostly drought stress, but also nutrient limitation (especially phosphorus) and salt stress - where roots and their hydraulics are at the center stage. First, we provide an update on root structure, root hydraulics, and modes of water and nutrient absorption, mainly focusing on how inter- and intra-specific variations in these aspects can modify the way roots respond to a range of abiotic stresses. We then review scattered reports across a range of crops showing the contribution of roots to stress tolerance, and then report our own assessment of the role of roots using near isogenic lines (NILs)
TESTING AND COMPARING OXIDATIVE STABILITY OF VEGETABLE OILS AND FATS AT FRYING TEMPERATURE

A new method has been developed to estimate the stabilising activity of synthetic and natural food additives at frying. Non-refined and refined vegetable fats and oils were heated at a temperature of 170°C after adding water-conditioned silica gel for two hours. The degraded products were measured to assess the oil stability at frying temperature. The determination of polymeric triglycerides by size exclusion high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was carried out for the estimation of the oxidative heat stability of vegetable fats and oils. Tocopherols, various tocopherol esters and phytosterol fractions, phenolic compounds, like quercetin, oryzanol, ferulic acid, squalene, butyl hydroxytoluol (BHT), butyl hydroxyanisol (BHA), and other compounds, like ascorbic acid 6-palmitate and gallates, are added to refined sunflower and rapeseed oil and their efficacy determined. Both linoleic and oleic rich oils gave comparable results for the activity of the various compounds. α-tocopherol, tocopherol esters, and BHA have low effects at frying temperature. Ascorbic acid 6-palmitate and some phytosterol fractions were found to have the greatest antioxidant activity. Corn oil was more stable than soybean oil and rapeseed oil better than olive oil. It was also observed that non-refined oils proved to have a better stability at elevated temperature than refined oils. The results show that the stability of the vegetable oils at frying temperature is a function of more than just the fatty acid composition. There is evidence which supports a co-relationship between the unsaponifiable matter content and oxidative stability. It is believed that a radical peroxidation mechanism predominates at lower temperatures. When a large volume of oil is heated in a fryer and the oxygen supply is poor, non-radical reactions such as elimination (acid catalysed dehydration) or nucleophilic substitution take place.
Identification of factors associated with morbidity and postoperative length of stay in surgically managed chronic subdural haematoma using electronic health records: a retrospective cohort study

Introduction Chronic subdural haematoma (cSDH) tends to occur in older patients, often with significant comorbidity. The incidence and effect of medical complications as well as the impact of intraoperative management strategies are now attracting increasing interest. Objectives We used electronic health record data to study the profile of in-hospital morbidity and examine associations between various intraoperative events and postoperative stay. Design, setting and participants Single-centre, retrospective cohort of 530 cases of cSDH (2014–2019) surgically evacuated under general anaesthesia at a neurosciences centre in Cambridge, UK. Methods and outcome definition Complications were defined using a modified Electronic Postoperative Morbidity Score. Association between complications and intraoperative care (time with mean arterial pressure <80 mm Hg, time outside of end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) range of 3–5 kPa, maintenance anaesthetic, operative time and opioid dose) on postoperative stay was assessed using Cox regression. Results 53 (10%) patients suffered myocardial injury, while 24 (4.5%) suffered acute renal injury. On postoperative day 3 (D3), 280 (58% of remaining) inpatients suffered at least 1 complication. D7 rate was comparable (57%). Operative time was the only intraoperative event associated with postoperative stay (HR for discharge: 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95 to 0.99)). On multivariable analysis, postoperative complications (0.61 (0.55 to 0.68)), anticoagulation (0.45 (0.37 to 0.54)) and cognitive impairment (0.71 (0.58 to 0.87)) were associated with time to discharge. Conclusions There is a high postoperative morbidity burden in this cohort, which was associated with postoperative stay. We found no evidence of an association between intraoperative events and postoperative stay.
Distribution of Gambusia (Poeciliidae) in a Southeastern River System and the Use of Fin Ray Counts for Species Determination

Abstract Recent collections from the Conasauga River system revealed the presence of Gambusia holbrooki, previously unreported in the Coosa River portion of the Mobile River drainage. We analyzed Gambusia specimens in 36 collections from the Conasauga River system to determine the relative distribution of G. affinis, G. holbrooki, or their hybrid progeny. We used gonopodial characters and ray counts from the anal and dorsal fins, which required reconciling differences among published accounts, to make species determinations. We counted all fin rays separately for dorsal and anal fins and recommend this method to clarify discrepancies among previous reports. This method yielded counts of seven dorsal and 10 anal rays for G. affinis and eight dorsal and 11 anal rays for G. holbrooki. Both species and their hybrids were collected in the Conasauga River system. Gambusia affinis is widespread in the Conasauga River system and is presumably native. Gambusia holbrooki currently has a limited distribution but appears to be expanding its range. We attribute the occurrence of G. holbrooki to human introduction.
Light Regulation of Chlorophyll and Glycoalkaloid Biosynthesis During Tuber Greening of Potato S. tuberosum

Potato, S. tuberosum, is one of the most important global crops, but has high levels of waste due to tuber greening under light, which is associated with the accumulation of neurotoxic glycoalkaloids. However, unlike the situation in de-etiolating seedlings, the mechanisms underlying tuber greening are not well understood. Here, we have investigated the effect of monochromatic blue, red, and far-red light on the regulation of chlorophyll and glycoalkaloid accumulation in potato tubers. Blue and red wavelengths were effective for induction and accumulation of chlorophyll, carotenoids and the two major potato glycoalkaloids, α-solanine and α-chaconine, whereas none of these accumulated in darkness or under far-red light. Key genes in chlorophyll biosynthesis (HEMA1, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme glutamyl-tRNA reductase, GSA, CHLH and GUN4) and six genes (HMG1, SQS, CAS1, SSR2, SGT1 and SGT2) required for glycoalkaloid synthesis were also induced under white, blue, and red light but not in darkness or under far-red light. These data suggest a role for both cryptochrome and phytochrome photoreceptors in chlorophyll and glycoalkaloid accumulation. The contribution of phytochrome was further supported by the observation that far-red light could inhibit white light-induced chlorophyll and glycoalkaloid accumulation and associated gene expression. Transcriptomic analysis of tubers exposed to white, blue, and red light showed that light induction of photosynthesis and tetrapyrrole-related genes grouped into three distinct groups with one group showing a generally progressive induction by light at both 6 h and 24 h, a second group showing induction at 6 h in all light treatments, but induction only by red and white light at 24 h and a third showing just a very moderate light induction at 6 h which was reduced to the dark control level at 24 h. All glycoalkaloid synthesis genes showed a group one profile consistent with what was seen for the most light regulated chlorophyll synthesis genes. Our data provide a molecular framework for developing new approaches to reducing waste due to potato greening.
Natural and Applied Control of Insects by Protozoa

Protozoa have been recognized as important factors in the natural regula­ tion of the densities of certain insects. However, they have been given little consideration as applied microbial agents because entomophilic species cause chronic or debilitative infections in a narrow range of hosts. From a control standpoint, and ultimately from an economic standpoint, they could not compete with the more rapid, broad spectrum action of chemical insec­ ticides or the more virulent pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and certain fungi. Protozoa appeared useful only when low levels of pests could be tolerated, as in forests. Gradually, interest in protozoa as potential biological control agents has been increasing (98). Primarily, this is a result of pest management concepts that emphasize conservation and augmentation of existing natural control agents. This has been demonstrated by an increase in published research reports on applied use of protozoan microbial agents, along with some excellent reviews of certain aspects of protozoa (8, 9, 77, 78, 98). The body of literature dealing with natural and applied control by protozoa now is so extensive that no single review can provide a fully comprehensive treat­ ment of the subject. Since the review by McLaughlin (77) provided a fairly complete assessment of the subject prior to 1970 it seems appropriate that it should serve as a starting point for this review in order to demonstrate the progress over the past decade.
Hacia una sintesis biogeografica de Mexico

EL RECONOCIMIENTO DE COMPONENTES BIOTICOS CONSTITUYE UNA PRIMERA ETAPA HACIA UNA TEORIA BIOGEOGRAFICA SINTETICA. EN MEXICO PODEMOS CARACTERIZAR 3 COMPONENTES BIOTICOS PRINCIPALES, CADA UNO CON UNA COMBINACION DIFERENTE DE ELEMENTOS BIOTICOS. EL COMPONENTE NEARTICO (REGION NEARTICA) INCLUYE LAS AREAS ARIDAS SUBTROPICALES DEL NORTE DEL PAIS, EN LAS PROVINCIAS BIOGEOGRAFICAS DE CALIFORNIA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, SONORA, ALTIPLANO MEXICANO Y TAMAULIPAS. EN ESTE COMPONENTE PREDOMINA EL ELEMENTO ORIGINAL (SEPTENTRIONAL ANTIGUO O PALEOAMERICANO), JUNTO CON OTRO DE DISPERSION MAS RECIENTE (NEARTICO) Y UN TERCERO NEOTROPICAL ANTIGUO. LOS EVENTOS VICARIANTES ASOCIADOS CON LA EVOLUCION BIOTICA DEL COMPONENTE NEARTICO SE RELACIONAN CON LA FORMACION DE LA SIERRA MADRE OCCIDENTAL, QUE AISLO EL DESIERTO DE CHIHUAHUA DE LOS DESIERTOS DE SONORA Y MOHAVE; Y LA EXPANSION DEL MAR DE CORTES, QUE AISLO LA PENINSULA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA DEL CONTINENTE. EL COMPONENTE TRANSICIONAL (ZONA DE TRANSICION MEXICANA) INCLUYE LAS AREAS BASICAMENTE MONTANOSAS DEL CENTRO DEL PAIS, QUE SE ASIGNAN A LAS PROVINCIAS BIOGEOGRAFICAS DE LA SIERRA MADRE ORIENTAL, SIERRA MADRE OCCIDENTAL, EJE VOLCANICO TRANSMEXICANO, CUENCA DEL BALSAS Y SIERRA MADRE DEL SUR. EN ESTE COMPONENTE COEXISTEN LOS ELEMENTOS PALEOAMERICANO, NEARTICO, MESOAMERICANO TROPICAL Y MESOAMERICANO DE MONTANA. LOS EVENTOS VICARIANTES ASOCIADOS CON LA EVOLUCION BIOTICA DEL COMPONENTE TRANSICIONAL SE RELACIONAN CON EL DESARROLLO DE LAS SIERRAS MADRE Y EL VULCANISMO DEL EJE VOLCANICO TRANSMEXICANO. EL COMPONENTE NEOTROPICAL (REGION NEOTROPICAL) INCLUYE AREAS TROPICALES HUMEDAS Y SUBHUMEDAS DEL SUR DE MEXICO, ASIGNADAS A LAS PROVINCIAS BIOGEOGRAFICAS DE LA COSTA PACIFICA MEXICANA, GOLFO DE MEXICO, CHIAPAS Y PENINSULA DE YUCATAN. EN ESTE PREDOMINA EL ELEMENTO MESOAMERICANO TROPICAL, AUNQUE TAMBIEN PRESENTA LOS ELEMENTOS NEARTICO Y ANTILLANO. LOS EVENTOS VICARIANTES ASOCIADOS CON LA EVOLUCION BIOTICA DEL COMPONENTE NEOTROPICAL SE RELACIONAN CON EL DESARROLLO DE LOS ISTMOS DE TEHUANTEPEC Y PANAMA Y LA INUNDACION DE LAS TIERRAS BAJAS DE NICARAGUA Y DE LA PENINSULA DE YUCATAN.
Phospholipase C From Alternaria alternata Is Induced by Physiochemical Cues on the Pear Fruit Surface That Dictate Infection Structure Differentiation and Pathogenicity

To investigate the mechanisms of phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated calcium (Ca2+) signaling in Alternaria alternata, the regulatory roles of PLC were elucidated using neomycin, a specific inhibitor of PLC activity. Three isotypes of PLC designated AaPLC1, AaPLC2, and AaPLC3 were identified in A. alternata through genome sequencing. qRT-PCR analysis showed that fruit wax extracts significantly upregulated the expression of all three PLC genes in vitro. Pharmacological experiments showed that neomycin treatment led to a dose-dependent reduction in spore germination and appressorium formation in A. alternata. Appressorium formation was stimulated on hydrophobic and pear wax-coated surfaces but was significantly inhibited by neomycin treatment. The appressorium formation rates of neomycin treated A. alternata on hydrophobic and wax-coated surfaces decreased by 86.6 and 47.4%, respectively. After 4 h of treatment, exogenous CaCl2 could partially reverse the effects of neomycin treatment. Neomycin also affected mycotoxin production in alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), altenuene (ALT), and tentoxin (TEN), with exogenous Ca2+ partially reversing these effects. These results suggest that PLC is required for the growth, infection structure differentiation, and secondary metabolism of A. alternata in response to physiochemical signals on the pear fruit surface.
Repeated stimulation or tonic-signaling chimeric antigen receptors drive regulatory T cell exhaustion

Regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy is a promising approach to improve outcomes in transplantation and autoimmunity. In conventional T cell therapy, chronic stimulation can result in poor in vivo function, a phenomenon termed exhaustion. Whether or not Tregs are also susceptible to exhaustion, and if so, if this would limit their therapeutic effect, was unknown. We studied how two methods which induce conventional T cell exhaustion – repetitive stimulation or expression of a tonic-signaling chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) – affect human Tregs. With each repetitive polyclonal stimulation Tregs progressively acquired an exhausted phenotype, and became less suppressive in vitro. Tregs expressing a tonic-signaling CAR rapidly acquired an exhausted phenotype and had major changes in their transcriptome and metabolism. Although tonic-signaling CAR-Tregs remained stable and suppressive in vitro, they lost in vivo function, as tested in a model of xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease. The finding that human Tregs are susceptible to exhaustion has important implications for the design of Treg adoptive immunotherapy strategies.
Carotenoid Content and Color in Diploid Potatoes

The yellow pigment in potato (Solanum L. sp.) tuber flesh is caused by various carotenoids that may protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and macular eye degeneration. The objectives of this research were to 1) identify and quantify the carotenoids present in 11 diploid clones from a hybrid population of Solanum phureja ssp. phureja Juz. & Bukasov-S. stenotomum ssp. stenotomum Juz. & Bukasov and two tetraploid potato cultivars (the yellow-fleshed 'Yukon Gold' and the white-fleshed 'Superior'), and 2) determine the relationship between tuber yellow intensity and carotenoid content. Yellow intensity was measured by a colorimeter programmed to calculate a yellowness index, YI E-313. Carotenoid analyses were performed on an automated high-performance liquid chromatography system with software for integration and quantitation with detection at 450 nm using a diode array detector. Six major carotenoids were detected: neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein-5,6-epoxide, lutein, zeaxanthin, and an unknown carotenoid. Total carotenoid content in the yellow-fleshed diploid clones was 3 to 13 times higher than 'Yukon Gold' and 4 to 22 times higher than 'Superior'. Both total and individual carotenoid contents were positively correlated with tuber yellow intensity. There was an exponential relationship between total carotenoid content and tuber yellow intensity. This suggests that selecting for more intense yellow flesh will result in higher levels of carotenoids. These specific diploid clones were selected for this study because they produced at least five percent 2 n pollen; they have the potential to make significant contributions to improving the nutritional status of tetraploid potatoes through 4x-2x hybridizations. intensity on a clonal mean basis as 0.93. Haynes et al. (1994) also found that for a given clone, tuber size, as measured by weight,
Lateralized Deficits of Disgust Processing After Insula-Basal Ganglia Damage

A growing body of evidence suggests a role of the insular cortex (IC) and the basal ganglia (BG) in the experience, expression, and recognition of disgust. However, human lesion research, probing this structure-function link, has yielded rather disparate findings in single cases of unilateral and bilateral damage to these areas. Comparative group approaches are needed to elucidate whether disgust-related deficits specifically follow damage to the IC-BG system, or whether there might be a differential hemispheric contribution to disgust processing. We examined emotional processing by means of a comprehensive emotional test battery in four patients with left- and four patients with right-hemispheric lesions to the IC-BG system as well as in 19 healthy controls. While single tests did not provide clear-cut separations of patient groups, composite scores indicated selective group effects for disgust. Importantly, left-lesioned patients presented attenuated disgust composites, while right-lesioned patients showed increased disgust composites, as compared to each other and controls. These findings propose a left-hemispheric basis of disgust, potentially due to asymmetrical representations of autonomic information in the human forebrain. The present study provides the first behavioral evidence of hemispheric lateralization of a specific emotion in the human brain, and contributes to neurobiological models of disgust.
Fulminant Guillain–Barré Syndrome and Spontaneous Intraventricular Hemorrhage: A Case Report and Literature Review

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute, immune-mediated inflammatory peripheral polyneuropathy that is characterized by flaccid paralysis. A few cases have reported that GBS can be caused by head trauma or neurosurgery, but it has never been associated with intraventricular hemorrhage. Here, we report an uncommon case of fulminant GBS that occurred after spontaneous intraventricular hemorrhage. A 73-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital after sudden unconsciousness and vomiting. A head computed tomography (CT) scan following the incident showed a newly developed intraventricular hemorrhage, which led to an immediate ventriculostomy. After 5 days, the endotracheal tube was removed. Two days later, the external ventricular drainage tube was also removed. At this time, the patient was alert and the neurological examination was normal. However, the patient suddenly presented with acute respiratory failure and bilateral limb weakness 3 days later. An analysis of the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed that albuminocytologic dissociation was present. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (0.4 g/kg/day) for 5 days. Despite timely medical intervention in the hospital, the patient passed away 2 months later. After a cerebral hemorrhagic injury, limb and respiratory muscle weakness can occur on occasion in the ICU. In this context, the potential involvement of GBS should not be ignored. Importantly, the pathogenic mechanism of GBS has been discussed for over a century, and it still remains a mystery. We speculate that the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of GBS following intraventricular hemorrhage. The prognosis of most patients with GBS is usually good, but cerebral hemorrhage and mechanical ventilation may serve as risk factors that exacerbate the condition. This case is reported to remind clinicians to consider the possibility of GBS when patients present limb and respiratory muscle weakness after intraventricular hemorrhage, and to provide a starting point to discuss potential mechanisms of GBS after intraventricular hemorrhage.