Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temperature responses of photosynthesis and respiration in evergreen trees from boreal to tropical latitudes

Summary Evergreen species are widespread across the globe, representing two major plant functional forms in terrestrial models. We reviewed and analysed the responses of photosynthesis and respiration to warming in 101 evergreen species from boreal to tropical biomes. Summertime temperatures affected both latitudinal gas exchange rates and the degree of responsiveness to experimental warming. The decrease in net photosynthesis at 25°C (A net25) was larger with warming in tropical climates than cooler ones. Respiration at 25°C (R 25) was reduced by 14% in response to warming across species and biomes. Gymnosperms were more sensitive to greater amounts of warming than broadleaved evergreens, with A net25 and R 25 reduced c. 30–40% with > 10°C warming. While standardised rates of carboxylation (V cmax25) and electron transport (J max25) adjusted to warming, the magnitude of this adjustment was not related to warming amount (range 0.6–16°C). The temperature optimum of photosynthesis (T optA) increased on average 0.34°C per °C warming. The combination of more constrained acclimation of photosynthesis and increasing respiration rates with warming could possibly result in a reduced carbon sink in future warmer climates. The predictable patterns of thermal acclimation across biomes provide a strong basis to improve modelling predictions of the future terrestrial carbon sink with warming.
COVID-19 and Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health

According to the World Health Organization, 6.7 million people have died from COVID19 as of the start of 2023. These deaths are tragic with many societal ramifications. For example, more than 10 million children have lost caregivers globally through 1 May 2022 [1], while many others have suffered dramatic losses in educational attainment [2]. At times, the pandemic has overwhelmed healthcare services that have resulted in additional non-COVID death and suffering. COVID-19 has also caused sharp declines in mental health, particularly among children and adolescents [3, 4]. Mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are often debilitating and long-lasting, thus contributing greatly to years lived with disability. Some bright spots have also occurred, including the marked reduction in deaths due to influenza in the first year of the pandemic due to masking and social isolation and the rapid rollout of vaccines using new technologies such as mRNA vaccines, which offer great promise in battling other infectious diseases. One lesson from the pandemic is the importance of interdisciplinary approaches for addressing complex problems. We cannot control a viral pandemic with just virology. We need epidemiologists, engineers, sociologists, political scientists, historians, medical doctors, economists, statisticians, anthropologists, mathematicians and geographers (among others! ) to comprehend the interconnections of human behavior, disease transmission, government interventions, global transport and trade, and the production and distribution of vaccines and treatments. Evolutionary biology is another field that has been crucial for making sense of the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of evolutionary biology’s importance are many, including identifying selective pressures that lead to the rise of new variants of concern, understanding human responses to disease in relation to past evolutionary pressures from other infectious diseases, and investigating the breadth of hosts that coronaviruses infect and the ecological context of their spillover among hosts. In many cases, these evolutionary perspectives are also crucial to mitigation efforts. For example, phylogenetic approaches can reveal the origins of a new human pathogen from other species, helping guide surveillance efforts in wildlife or domesticated animals, while also revealing transmission pathways among human populations. In the early months of the pandemic, for example, many of us spent hours on NextStrain (https:// nextstrain.org/) examining the most up-to-date phylogenies of SARS-CoV-2 to help make sense of its global movement. We can see the breadth of these evolutionary perspectives on COVID-19 in the pages of Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health (EMPH). So far, EMPH has published 24 scientific articles EDITORIAL BY INVITATION ONLY
Construct validity and reliability of the Malay version of the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND): A confirmatory factor analysis

INTRODUCTION The Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) was forward-backwards translated into the Malay language (FTND-M) and administered to 152 daily smokers who sought treatment for smoking cessation in government health clinics in Selangor state, Malaysia. METHODS Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), four measurement models with the best relative fit were compared, one uni-dimensional model, and three different two-domain (morning and daytime smoking) models. RESULTS The findings indicate that the best model of the FTND-M was a two-domain model, wherein domain one represented morning smoking (time to first cigarette of the day, smoking more in the morning, and which cigarette would you hate to give up) and domain two represented daytime smoking (cigarettes per day, difficulty refraining from smoking, and smoking when ill) which showed good model fit [χ2/df=1.932, goodness of fit (GFI) of 0.967, comparative fix index (CFI) of 0.945, incremental fit index (IFI) of 0.98, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) of 0.95 and a real mean square end of approximation (RMSEA) of 0.079, and substantial reliability >0.70]. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that the FTND-M can be used to assess these two dimensions of nicotine addiction among daily smokers in a clinical setting.
Contributions of Heating and Forcing to the High-Latitude Lower Thermosphere: Dependence on the Interplanetary Magnetic Field

To better understand the physical processes that maintain the high-latitude lower thermospheric dynamics, we have identified relative contributions of the momentum forcing and the heating to the high-latitude lower thermospheric winds depending on the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and altitude. For this study, we performed a term analysis of the potential vorticity equation for the high-latitude neutral wind field in the lower thermosphere during the southern summertime for different IMF conditions, with the aid of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere- Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR-TIEGCM). Difference potential vorticity forcing and heating terms, obtained by subtracting values with zero IMF from those with non-zero IMF, are influenced by the IMF conditions. The difference forcing is more significant for strong IMF B y condition than for strong IMF B z condition. For negative or positive B y conditions, the difference forcings in the polar cap are larger by a factor of about 2 than those in the auroral region. The difference heating is the most significant for negative IMF B z condition, and the difference heat- ings in the auroral region are larger by a factor of about 1.5 than those in the polar cap region. The magnitudes of the difference forcing and heating decrease rapidly with descending altitudes. It is confirmed that the contribution of the forcing to the high-latitude lower thermospheric dynamics is stronger than the contribution of the heating to it. Espe- cially, it is obvious that the contribution of the forcing to the dynamics is much larger in the polar cap region than in the auroral region and at higher altitude than at lower altitude. It is evident that when B z is negative condition the contribu- tion of the forcing is the lowest and the contribution of the heating is the highest among the different IMF conditions.
On Frequency Domain Stability for Evolution Equations in Hilbert Spaces via the Algebraic Riccati Equation

We establish Lyapunov type stability for an evolution equation in a Hilbert space by using some energy functions which are obtained via the algebraic Riccati equation. We discuss also briefly the advantages and limitations of this infinite-dimensional extension of a well-known method. Our abstract setting is motivated by some special systems arising in reactor dynamics and retarded differential difference equations.
Identification of immunogenic cell death‐associated subtypes and characterization of the tumor microenvironment in endometrial cancer

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is one of the mechanisms regulating cell death, which activates adaptive immunity in immunocompetent hosts and is associated with tumor progression, prognosis and therapeutic response. Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common malignancies of the female genital tract, and the potential role of immunogenic cell death‐related genes (IRGs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. We describe the variation of IRGs and assess the expression patterns in EC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus cohorts. Based on the expression of 34 IRGs, we identified two different ICD‐related clusters and subsequently differentially expressed genes between the two ICD‐related clusters were used for the identification of two ICD gene clusters. We identified the clusters and found that alterations in the multilayer IRG were associated with patient prognosis and TME cell infiltration characteristics. On this basis, ICD score risk scores were calculated, and ICD signatures were constructed and validated for their predictive power in EC patients. To help clinicians better apply the ICD signature, an accurate nomogram was constructed. The low ICD risk group was characterized by high microsatellite instability, high tumor mutational load, high IPS score and stronger immune activation. Our comprehensive analysis of IRGs in EC patients suggested a potential role in the tumor immune interstitial microenvironment, clinicopathological features and prognosis. These findings may improve our understanding of the role of ICDs, and provide a new basis for assessing prognosis and developing more effective immunotherapeutic strategies in EC.
Particle beams generated by a 6–12.5 kJ dense plasma focus

Particle beam diagnostic tools involving an ion beam Faraday cup, an electron beam Faraday cup, an electron magnetic spectrometer and solid-state nuclear track detectors have been used to measure the parameters of the particle beams generated by a Mather-type dense plasma focus. At a capacitor bank energy of 12.5 kJ, the energy spectra of the electron and ion beams are found to obey the same power laws: dN/dE ∝ E−x where x ≅ 3.5 ± 0.5. Primary electron beam current and energy spectra were measured as a function of main bank current at pinch time, IMB. The primary electron beam current was found to scale as , reaching a magnitude of 17 kA for a device energy of 12.5 kJ. The exponent x of the electron energy spectra was found to scale as . These results are incorporated into an axial beam target model for neutron production, and it is found that this model could account for the magnitude and scaling of the observed neutron yield with IMB.
Impact of evidence-based bundles on ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION This review aimed at investigating the impact of bundle components on the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in adults and the elderly. METHODOLOGY The databases consulted were PubMed, EBSCO, and Scielo. The terms Bundle and Pneumonia were searched in combination. The original articles were selected in Spanish and English; published between January 2008 and December 2017. After eliminating the duplicate papers, an analysis of the titles and the abstracts was performed in order to select the assessed articles. A total of 18 articles were included in this review that were evaluated according to the following criteria: research reference, country of data collection, type of study, characteristics of the studied patients, analysis and intervention performed, bundle items investigated and their results, and research outcome. RESULTS Four bundle items were presented in all the investigated papers. 61% of those works were considered from seven to eight bundle items. Daily evaluation of sedation interruption and daily assessment for verifying extubation condition, head-of-bed elevation at 30 degrees, cuff pressure monitoring, coagulation prophylaxis, and oral hygiene were the most reported bundle items. One study described the increased mortality of patients under mechanical ventilation when omitted the bundle items of oral hygiene and stress ulcer prophylaxis. Head-of-bed elevation at 30 degrees was the item reported in 100% of the studied papers. CONCLUSIONS Existing research demonstrated that VAP reduction occurred when bundle items were performed for adults and the elderly. Four works showed the relevance of team education as a central approach to the event reduction related to the ventilator.
Bacterial virulence regulation through soluble peptidoglycan fragments sensing and response: knowledge gaps and therapeutic potential

Abstract Given the growing clinical–epidemiological threat posed by the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, new therapeutic options are urgently needed, especially against top nosocomial pathogens such as those within the ESKAPE group. In this scenario, research is pushed to explore therapeutic alternatives and, among these, those oriented toward reducing bacterial pathogenic power could pose encouraging options. However, the first step in developing these antivirulence weapons is to find weak points in the bacterial biology to be attacked with the goal of dampening pathogenesis. In this regard, during the last decades some studies have directly/indirectly suggested that certain soluble peptidoglycan-derived fragments display virulence-regulatory capacities, likely through similar mechanisms to those followed to regulate the production of several β-lactamases: binding to specific transcriptional regulators and/or sensing/activation of two-component systems. These data suggest the existence of intra- and also intercellular peptidoglycan-derived signaling capable of impacting bacterial behavior, and hence likely exploitable from the therapeutic perspective. Using the well-known phenomenon of peptidoglycan metabolism-linked β-lactamase regulation as a starting point, we gather and integrate the studies connecting soluble peptidoglycan sensing with fitness/virulence regulation in Gram-negatives, dissecting the gaps in current knowledge that need filling to enable potential therapeutic strategy development, a topic which is also finally discussed.
Liver transplantation with donation after medical assistance in dying: Case series and systematic review of the literature

Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) has been a legally approved practice in Canada since 2016. Only recently have patients undergoing MAiD also been considered as donors for liver transplantation (LT). This study aimed to evaluate a case series of LT outcomes for recipients with MAiD donors and was paired with a systematic literature review of studies assessing the efficacy of MAiD-associated liver donation. A retrospective chart review of patients registered within the LT Registry at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) in London, Ontario, Canada, that had received MAiD donor LT was conducted to develop a case series. Descriptive statistics were produced based on available patient outcomes information. The systematic review included euthanasia due to MAiD being a term exclusive to Canada. Case series had a 100% 1-year graft survival rate, with 50% of patients experiencing early allograft dysfunction but having no significant clinical outcome. A single case of postoperative biliary complication was reported. Median warm ischemic time ranged from 7.8–13 minutes among case series and literature reviews. Utilization of donation after circulatory death allografts procured after MAiD appears to be promising. Mechanisms associated with potential impact in postoperative outcomes include relatively lower warm ischemic time relative to donation after circulatory death Maastricht III graft recipients.
Emergence of multidrug-resistant ST11 blaKPC-2 producing Klebsiella pneumoniae coharboring blaCTX-M and blaSHV in Pakistan.

INTRODUCTION Carbapenemases are primarily responsible for the intensified spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae by virtue of antibiotics overuse. Therefore, frequent investigation of high-risk clones especially from developing world is crucial to curtail global spread. METHODOLOGY In this observational study, 107 K. pneumoniae were retrieved and confirmed genotypically from April 2018 to March 2020 from tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. Carbapenemases and extended-spectrum β-lactamases were verified by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Sanger sequencing. Multilocus sequence typing and plasmid replicon typing were used to assign clonal lineages and plasmid replicons. RESULTS Among the K. pneumoniae, 72.9% (78/107) strains were carbapenem resistant (CR) with 65.4% (51/78) exhibiting carbapenemase producing phenotype. Among CR K. pneumoniae 38.5% (30/78) strains exhibited the following carbapenemase genotypes: blaNDM-1 (26.7%, 8/30), blaOXA-48 (26.7%, 8/30), blaKPC-2 (20.0%, 6/30), blaVIM (10.0%, 3/30), blaNDM-1/blaOXA-48 (10.0%, 3/30), blaOXA-48/blaVIM (3.3%, 1/30) and blaOXA-48/blaIMP (3.3%, 1/30). Tigecycline and polymyxin-B retained susceptible profile. β-lactam drugs showed intermediate to high resistance. The occurrence of CR K. pneumoniae infections was significantly associated with wound (39.7%, p = 0.0007), pus (38.5%, p = 0.009), general surgery (34.6%, p = 0.002) and intensive-care unit (26.9%, p = 0.04). blaKPC-2 producing K. pneumoniae coharboring blaCTX-M/blaSHV (66.7%) and blaCTX-M (33.3%) exhibited sequence type (ST) 258 (n = 4) and ST11 (n = 2) sequence types with IncFII, IncN, IncFIIA, IncL/M and IncFIIK plasmids. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report describing the emergence of MDR blaKPC-2 producing K. pneumoniae ST11 coharboring blaCTX-M and blaSHV in Pakistan.
Mitotic CDK1 and 4E-BP1 II: A single phosphomimetic mutation in 4E-BP1 induces glucose intolerance in mice

Objective Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1)/cyclin B1 phosphorylates many of the same substrates as mTORC1 (a key regulator of glucose metabolism), including the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). Only mitotic CDK1 phosphorylates 4E-BP1 at residue S82 in mice (S83 in humans), in addition to the common 4E-BP1 phospho-acceptor sites phosphorylated by both CDK1 and mTORC1. We examined glucose metabolism in mice having a single aspartate phosphomimetic amino acid knock in substitution at the 4E-BP1 serine 82 (4E-BP1S82D) mimicking constitutive CDK1 phosphorylation. Methods Knock-in homozygous 4E-BP1S82D and 4E-BP1S82A C57Bl/6N mice were assessed for glucose tolerance testing (GTT) and metabolic cage analysis on regular and on high-fat chow diets. Gastrocnemius tissues from 4E-BP1S82D and WT mice were subject to Reverse Phase Protein Array analysis. Since the bone marrow is one of the few tissues typically having cycling cells that transit mitosis, reciprocal bone-marrow transplants were performed between male 4E-BP1S82D and WT mice, followed by metabolic assessment, to determine the role of actively cycling cells on glucose homeostasis. Results Homozygous knock-in 4E-BP1S82D mice showed glucose intolerance that was markedly accentuated with a diabetogenic high-fat diet (p = 0.004). In contrast, homozygous mice with the unphosphorylatable alanine substitution (4E-BP1S82A) had normal glucose tolerance. Protein profiling of lean muscle tissues, largely arrested in G0, did not show protein expression or signaling changes that could account for these results. Reciprocal bone-marrow transplantation between 4E-BP1S82D and wild-type littermates revealed a trend for wild-type mice with 4E-BP1S82D marrow engraftment on high-fat diets to become hyperglycemic after glucose challenge. Conclusions 4E-BP1S82D is a single amino acid substitution that induces glucose intolerance in mice. These findings indicate that glucose metabolism may be regulated by CDK1 4E-BP1 phosphorylation independent from mTOR and point towards an unexpected role for cycling cells that transit mitosis in diabetic glucose control.
A Grounded Theory Model of Relationship Decision-Making in Non-Offending Partners of Individuals Accused of Sexual Offending

Non-offending partners of individuals who have committed sexual offenses often choose to end their relationship given the many negative consequences they face as a result of their partner’s offending behavior. Despite a focus on relationships in rehabilitation frameworks and the importance of the relationship for the individual who has offended and their partner, research has thus far failed to examine the process underlying why non-offending partners decide to stay in or leave their relationship following an offense. In this study we developed the first descriptive model of relationship decision-making in non-offending partners. Twenty-three individuals whose current or previous partners were accused of sexual offending were interviewed about affective, behavioral, cognitive, and contextual factors contributing to their decision to stay with or leave their partner. Participants’ narrative accounts were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Our resulting model consists of four main periods: (1) background factors, (2) relationship factors, (3) finding out, and (4) relationship decision-making. Clinical implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
The role of amplitude modulation in auditory distance perception

The ratio of direct to reverberant sound energy (D/R) has been shown to be a primary acoustic cue to perceived sound source distance. Because it is unclear exactly how D/R might be encoded in the auditory system, a variety of more physiologically plausible correlates to D/R have been identified, including: spectral variance, interaural correlation, and temporal cues. Here, following recent neural work by Kuwada and Kim [ARO (2014)], we describe a new correlate to D/R and perceived distance related to the amplitude modulation (AM) depth of the signal at the listener's location. This cue is caused by the change in the modulation transfer characteristics of the room as a function of source distance. Results from an apparent distance estimation task confirm the efficacy of this AM depth cue in a reverberant soundfield (approximate broadband T 60 = 3 s), when level cues are made ineffective. Distance estimates were found to be more accurate when the source signal (1-octave band of noise centered at 4 kHz) had .