Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biodiesel Generation from Palm Kernel Biomass via an In-situ Transesterification Approach

This study investigated an in-situ transesterification of palm kernel biomass at variable reaction times (4 h, 5 h and 6 h) and catalyst loading (2 wt%, 3 wt.% and 5 wt.%). The biodiesel yields were observed to vary with these parameters. GC-MS analysis showed high fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) contents for all the prepared biodiesel samples (C-18:1, C-14:0, C-16:0, and C-18:0). 2 wt. % catalyst loading and 4 h reaction time were observed to be the best reaction conditions from the experimented parameters that gave the best biodiesel yield at 300 rpm mixing intensity. The in-situ method recorded a higher degree of oil extraction and efficient conversion of oil to biodiesel (93.93%) compared to the conventional transesterification method which gave 89.45%. The kinematic viscosity, acid value and iodine value of 3.96 mm 2 /s, 0.56 mg KOH g –1 and 120 g 100 g –1 were found to be within the limits of ASTM D6751-09 and EN14214 standards. These results confirm that efficient production of biodiesel from palm kernel biomass could be possible through an in-situ acidic transesterification process.
Body Mass Index

The body mass index (BMI) is the metric currently in use for defining anthropometric height/weight characteristics in adults and for classifying (categorizing) them into groups. The common interpretation is that it represents an index of an individual’s fatness. It also is widely used as a risk factor for the development of or the prevalence of several health issues. In addition, it is widely used in determining public health policies.The BMI has been useful in population-based studies by virtue of its wide acceptance in defining specific categories of body mass as a health issue. However, it is increasingly clear that BMI is a rather poor indicator of percent of body fat. Importantly, the BMI also does not capture information on the mass of fat in different body sites. The latter is related not only to untoward health issues but to social issues as well. Lastly, current evidence indicates there is a wide range of BMIs over which mortality risk is modest, and this is age related. All of these issues are discussed in this brief review.
Thalamocortical model for a propofol-induced alpha rhythm associated with loss of consciousness

Recent data reveal that the general anesthetic propofol gives rise to a frontal α -rhythm at dose levels suf ﬁ cient to induce loss of consciousness. In this work, a computational model is developed that suggests the network mechanisms responsible for such a rhythm. It is shown that propofol can alter the dynamics in thalamocortical loops, leading to persistent and synchronous α -activity. The synchrony that forms in the cortex by virtue of the involvement of the thalamus may impede responsiveness to external stimuli, thus providing a correlate for the unconscious state.
Competitive Repression of the artPIQM Operon for Arginine and Ornithine Transport by Arginine Repressor and Leucine-Responsive Regulatory Protein in Escherichia coli. Frontiers Microbiology , 10 , 1563.

Two out of the three major uptake systems for arginine in Escherichia coli are encoded by the artJ - artPIQM gene cluster. ArtJ is the high-affinity periplasmic arginine-specific binding protein (ArgBP-I), whereas artI encodes the arginine and ornithine periplasmic binding protein (AO). Both ArtJ and ArtI are supposed to combine with the inner membrane-associated ArtQMP 2 transport complex of the ATP-binding cassette-type (ABC). Transcription of artJ is repressed by arginine repressor (ArgR) and the artPIQM operon is regulated by the transcriptional regulators ArgR and Leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp). Whereas repression by ArgR requires arginine as corepressor, repression of P artP by Lrp is partially counteracted by leucine, its major effector molecule. We demonstrate that binding of dimeric Lrp to the artP control region generates four complexes with a distinct migration velocity, and that leucine has an effect on both global binding affinity and cooperativity in the binding. We identify the binding sites for Lrp in the artP control region, reveal interferences in the binding of ArgR and Lrp in vitro and demonstrate that the two transcription factors act as competitive repressors in vivo , each one being a more potent regulator in the absence of the other. This competitive behavior may be explained by the partial steric overlap of their respective binding sites. Furthermore, we demonstrate ArgR binding to an unusual position in the control region of the lrp gene, downstream of the transcription initiation site. From this unusual position for an ArgR-specific operator, ArgR has little direct effect on lrp expression, but interferes with the negative leucine-sensitive autoregulation exerted by Lrp. Direct arginine and ArgR-dependent repression of lrp could be observed with a 25-bp deletion mutant, in which the ArgR binding site was artificially moved to a position immediately downstream of the lrp transcription initiation site. This finding is reminiscent of a previous observation made for the carAB operon encoding carbamoylphosphate synthase, where ArgR bound in overlap with the downstream promoter P2 does not block transcription initiated 67 bp upstream at the P1 promoter, and further supports the hypothesis that ArgR does not act as an efficient roadblock.
Does the choice of stock selection criteria a ﬀ ect the performance of Shar ī ʿ ah-compliant equity portfolios?

Purpose – There are a number of differences in the current Shar ī ʿ ah screening guidelines formulated by Shar ī ʿ ah scholars associated with world-renowned index providers and ﬁ nancial institutions. The purpose of this study is to highlight the consequences of such differences on the portfolio level outcomes for Shar ī ʿ ah- compliant investors. This study also investigates the cost of adopting an alternative stock selection methodology. Design/methodology/approach – Seven Shar ī ʿ ah-compliant equity portfolios (SCEPs) are created from the active constituents of the S&P 500. Size, sector allocation and ﬁ nancial performance of the resulting seven portfolios are evaluated for the period 1984 – 2019. Style analysis is performed to attribute the difference in ﬁ nancial performance caused by the choice of selection criteria to different risk factors. The cost of switching theselectioncriteria is evaluated with turnover analysis andbreak-even transactioncost. Findings – The choice of stock selection criteria has a signi ﬁ cant effect on the size, sector bets and ﬁ nancial performance of the portfolios. Those portfolios which are constructed with market capitalization-based screens outperform portfolios constructed with total assets-based screens. The turnover analysis revealed that SCEPsarerelatively costly in practice. Originality/value – This study investigates the performance of Shar ī ʿ ah-compliant portfolios in the context of seven different screening guidelines. The effects of transaction cost and performance attribution to different risk factors represent thekeycontributions ofthis study. Standard deviation is used as a measure of This study reports the risk of monthly losses at a 95% con ﬁ dence interval through value at risk (VaR), computed as the 5% quantile of monthly returns. The SCEPs are also investigated for maximum loss in the given time period by reporting the value of maximum drawdown (MDD). The MDD is measured as the percentage loss at time t from the previous highest peak to the lowest trough in historical returns. To provide better insight on the effect of risk factors, this study also reports the Sharpe ratio (SR) and the Jensen ’ s alpha (estimated with four factor model of Carhart [1997]).
A CLOSED GEODESIC A SPHERE

Let M be a Riemannian manifold homeomorphic to S 2 . The pur-pose of this paper is to establish the new inequality for the length of a shortest closed geodesic, l ( M ), in terms of the area A of M . This result improves pre-viously known inequalities by C.B. Croke (1988), by A. Nabutovsky and the author (2002) and by S. Sabourau (2004).
The comparison of H2CO (110–111), C18O (1–0) and the continuum towards molecular clouds

We present large scale observations of C18O (1–0) towards four massive star forming regions: MON R2, S156, DR17/L906 and M17/M18. The transitions of H2CO (110–111), C18O (1–0) and the 6 cm continuum are compared in these four regions. Our analysis of the observations and the results of the Non—LTE model shows that the brightness temperature of the formaldehyde absorption line is strongest in a background continuum temperature range of about 3 – 8 K. The excitation of the H2CO absorption line is affected by strong background continuum emission. From a comparison of H2CO and C18O maps, we found that the extent of H2CO absorption is broader than that of C18O emission in the four regions. Except for the DR17 region, the maximum in H2CO absorption is located at the same position as the C18O peak. A good correlation between intensities and widths of H2CO absorption and C18O emission lines indicates that the H2CO absorption line can trace the dense, warm regions of a molecular cloud. We find that N(H2CO) is well correlated with N(C18O) in the four regions and that the average ratio of column densities is 〈N(H2CO)/N(C18O)〉 ∼ 0.03.
Tumor Cells Metalloproteinase-Independent Invasion by Promotes Matrix The Process of Macrophage Migration

Tumor-associated macrophages are known to amplify the malignant potential of tumors by secreting a variety of cytokines and proteases involved in tumor cell invasion and metastasis, but how these macrophages inﬁltrate tumors and whether the macrophage migration process facilitates tumor cell invasion remain poorly documented. To address these questions, we used cell spheroids of breast carcinoma SUM159PT cells as an in vitro model of solid tumors. We found that macrophages used both the mesenchymal mode requiring matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the amoeboid migration mode to inﬁltrate tumor cell spheroids. Whereas individual SUM159PT cells invaded Matrigel using an MMP-dependent mesenchymal mode, when they were grown as spheroids, tumor cells were unable to invade the Matrigel surrounding spheroids. When spheroids were inﬁltrated or in contact with macrophages, tumor cell invasiveness was restored. It was dependent on the capacity of macrophages to remodel the matrix and migrate in an MMP-independent mesenchymal mode. This effect of macrophages was much reduced when spheroids were inﬁltrated by Matrigel migration-defective Hck 2 / 2 macrophages. In the presence of macrophages, SUM159PT migrated into Matrigel in the proximity of macrophages and switched from an MMP-dependent mesenchymal migration to an amoeboid mode resistant to protease inhibitors.Thus, in addition to the well-described paracrine loop between macrophages and tumor cells, macrophages can also contribute to the invasiveness of tumor cells by remodeling the extracellular matrix and by opening the way to exit CA) supplemented with 5% FCS, 100 U/ml penicillin (Life Technologies), 100 m g/ml streptomycin (Life Technologies), 2 mM glutamine (Life Technologies), 2 m g/ml hy-drocortisone (Sigma-Aldrich), and 0.1 U/ml insulin (Novo Nordisk, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) (29). The noninvasive human breast tumor cell line T47D was cultured in RMPI 1640 medium (Life Technologies) supple- mented with 5% FCS, 100 U/ml penicillin (Life Technologies), 100 m g/ml streptomycin (Life Technologies), 2 mM glutamine (Life Technologies), and 0.1 U/ml insulin (Novo Nordisk). Spheroids were generated by the hanging drop technique (30). Brieﬂy, 24-well tissue culture plates were coated with 500 m l of 2% agar per well. The human breast tumor cell line SUM159PT was harvested and 10 3 cells/20 m l plated in the lid of tissue culture plates. After 7 d, each spheroid was transferred into wells with 500 m l culture medium. Preliminary studies have established that after 20– 24 d of culture for SUM159PT and after 12–14 d of culture for T47D, spheroids reached a diameter of ∼ 400 m m.
Genetic Characterization and Risk Strati ﬁ cation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

: The most common acute leukemia in adults is acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The pathophysiology of the disease associates with cytogenetic abnormalities, gene mutations and aberrant gene expressions. At the molecular level, the disease manifests as changes in both epigenetic and genetic signatures. At the clinical level, two aspects of AML should be taken into account. First, the molecular changes occurring in the disease are important prognostic and predictive markers of AML. Second, use of novel therapies targeting these molecular changes. Currently, cytogenetic abnormalities and molecular alterations are the common biomarkers for the prognosis and choice of treatment for AML. Finding a panel of multiple biomarkers is a crucial diagnostic step for patient classi ﬁ cation and serves as a prerequisite for individualized treatment strategies. Furthermore, the most important way of identifying relevant targets for new treatment approaches is de ﬁ ning speci ﬁ c patterns or a spectrum of driver gene mutations occurring in AML. Then, an algorithm can be established by the use of several biomarkers, to be used for personalized medicine. This review deals with molecular alterations, risk strati ﬁ cation, and relevant therapeutic decision-making in AML.
HOW TO DERIVE AN ANALYTICAL NETWORK MECHANICS THEORY

This report was originally written as a part of the course material in the FPIRC course Paper Mechanics given at STFI/KTH. The aim of the report is to explain the ideas behind analytical network theories based on the homogeneous strain assumption in a simple way. One example, corresponding to the Cox model, [2], is also worked out in detail in the report.
BIROn - Birkbeck Institutional Research Online through

Psychiatric genomics research protocols are increasingly incorporating tools of deep phenotyping to observe and examine phenotypic abnormalities amongst individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. In particular, photography and the use of two- and three-dimensional facial analysis is thought to shed further light on the phenotypic expression of the genes underlying neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as provide potential diagnostic tools for clinicians. In this paper, I argue that the research use of photography to aid facial phenotyping raises deeply fraught issues from an ethical point of view. First, the process of objectification through photographic imagery and facial analysis could potentially worsen the stigmatisation of persons with neurodevelopmental disorders. Second, the use of photography for facial phenotyping has worrying parallels with the historical misuse of photography to advance positive and negative eugenics around race, ethnicity, and intellectual disability. The paper recommends ethical caution in the use of photography and facial phenotyping in psychiatric genomics studies exploring neurodevelopmental disorders, outlining certain necessary safeguards, such as a critical awareness of the history of anthropometric photography use amongst scientists, as well as the exploration of photographic methodologies that could potentially empower individuals with disabilities.
Systemic Delivery of Dysferlin Overlap Vectors Provides Long-Term Gene Expression and Functional Improvement for Dysferlinopathy

Dysferlinopathies comprise a family of disorders caused by mutations in the dysferlin (DYSF) gene, leading to a progressive dystrophy characterized by chronic muscle fiber loss, fat replacement, and fibrosis. To correct the underlying histopathology and function, expression of full-length DYSF is required. Dual adeno-associated virus vectors have been developed, defined by a region of homology, to serve as a substrate for reconstitution of the full 6.5 kb dysferlin cDNA. Previous work studied the efficacy of this treatment through intramuscular and regional delivery routes. To maximize clinical efficacy, dysferlin-deficient mice were treated systemically to target all muscles through the vasculature for efficacy and safety studies. Mice were evaluated at multiple time points between 4 and 13 months post treatment for dysferlin expression and functional improvement using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy and membrane repair. A systemic dose of 6 × 1012 vector genomes resulted i.
Association of social jetlag with gestational diabetes: Qazvin Maternal and Neonatal Metabolic Study

ABSTRACT The association of social jetlag (SJL), as a quantitative measure of circadian misalignment, with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome has been reported. The present study was designed to investigate the association of SJL with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Pregnant women with gestational age ≤14 weeks were enrolled in this longitudinal study. The participants with pre-GDM, shift workers and those who used alarms for waking up on free days were excluded from the study. SJL as well as behavioral and psychological parameters were evaluated at enrollment. The participants were categorized based on each 1-h increment of SJL. The association of SJL with the occurrence of GDM in the late second trimester was evaluated using univariate and multivariate methods. In total, 821 pregnant women entered the study, and after omitting individuals with excluding criteria, analyses were performed on 557 participants. The frequencies of SJL < 1 h,1 ≤ SJL < 2 h and SJL ≥ 2 h were 44.7%, 37.2% and 18.1%, respectively. Average sleep duration was higher in SJL < 1 h compared with the two other groups (p < 0.001). During follow-up, 90 (16.1%) women with GDM were identified. SJL ≥ 2 h was associated with a 4.4–5.6 times higher risk of GDM in different models of adjustment (p < 0.05). Pregnant women with high SJL are at a higher risk of GDM. Further studies for evaluating the mechanisms by which SJL affects GDM are warranted.
The effect of Fumaria parviflora on the expression of sexual hormones along with their receptors in testicles of adult rats induced by varicocele

Varicocele (VCL) is a pathological dilation of the venous pampiniform plexus of the spermatic cord and is also classified as male factor infertility. The current experiment aimed to examine the protective effect of Fumaria parviflora (FP), as a powerful antioxidant, against reproductive damage induced by VCL. In this experimental study, 32 male rats were randomly allocated into four groups, namely sham (simple laparotomy without additional intervention), FP (healthy rats administered 250 mg/kg FP), VCL + FP (underwent VCL and received 250 mg/kg FP), VCL (underwent VCL without receiving any treatment). The results showed that the number of Sertoli and germ cells were markedly reduced in the VCL group in comparison to the FP‐treated and sham groups. The VCl + FP group had significantly higher serum levels of testosterone (T), FSH, and LH hormones than the VCL group. The quality and motility of spermatozoa were reduced in the VCL group compared with other groups (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, our findings demonstrated that the administration of FP considerably enhanced the mRNA levels of CatSper‐1 and ‐2, SF‐1, 3β‐HSD, 17β‐HSD3, LHCGR, and FSHR (p ≤ 0.05). Based on the obtained results, treatment with FP is capable of preventing testicular dysfunction and elevating the concentration of hormones and some crucial genes, such as CatSper1 and 2, SF‐1, 3β‐HSD, 17β‐HSD3, LHCGR, and FSHR that contribute to the spermatogenesis process.
Resting-state functional connectivity patterns associated with childhood maltreatment in a large bicentric cohort of adults with and without major depression

Abstract Background Childhood maltreatment (CM) represents a potent risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD), including poorer treatment response. Altered resting-state connectivity in the fronto-limbic system has been reported in maltreated individuals. However, previous results in smaller samples differ largely regarding localization and direction of effects. Methods We included healthy and depressed samples [n = 624 participants with MDD; n = 701 healthy control (HC) participants] that underwent resting-state functional MRI measurements and provided retrospective self-reports of maltreatment using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. A-priori defined regions of interest [ROI; amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)] were used to calculate seed-to-voxel connectivities. Results No significant associations between maltreatment and resting-state connectivity of any ROI were found across MDD and HC participants and no interaction effect with diagnosis became significant. Investigating MDD patients only yielded maltreatment-associated increased connectivity between the amygdala and dorsolateral frontal areas [pFDR < 0.001; η2partial = 0.050; 95%-CI (0.023–0.085)]. This effect was robust across various sensitivity analyses and was associated with concurrent and previous symptom severity. Particularly strong amygdala-frontal associations with maltreatment were observed in acutely depressed individuals [n = 264; pFDR < 0.001; η2partial = 0.091; 95%-CI (0.038–0.166)). Weaker evidence – not surviving correction for multiple ROI analyses – was found for altered supracallosal ACC connectivity in HC individuals associated with maltreatment. Conclusions The majority of previous resting-state connectivity correlates of CM could not be replicated in this large-scale study. The strongest evidence was found for clinically relevant maltreatment associations with altered adult amygdala-dorsolateral frontal connectivity in depression. Future studies should explore the relevance of this pathway for a maltreated subgroup of MDD patients.