Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empagliflozin and Liraglutide Differentially Modulate Cardiac Metabolism in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy in Rats

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are antihyperglycemic agents with cardioprotective properties against diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, the distinctive mechanisms underlying GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is in DCM are not fully elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of GLP1RAs and/or SGLT2is on myocardial energy metabolism, cardiac function, and apoptosis signaling in DCM. Biochemistry and echocardiograms were studied before and after treatment with empagliflozin (10 mg/kg/day, oral gavage), and/or liraglutide (200 μg/kg every 12 h, subcutaneously) for 4 weeks in male Wistar rats with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg intraperitoneally)-induced diabetes. Cardiac fibrosis, apoptosis, and protein expression of metabolic and inflammatory signaling molecules were evaluated by histopathology and Western blotting in ventricular cardiomyocytes of different groups. Empagliflozin and liraglutide normalized myocardial dysfunction in diabetic rats. Upregulation of phosphorylated-acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1β, cluster of differentiation 36, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator, and downregulation of glucose transporter 4, the ratio of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α2 to adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α2, and the ratio of phosphorylated protein kinase B to protein kinase B in diabetic cardiomyocytes were restored by treatment with empagliflozin or liraglutide. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing 3, interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and cleaved caspase-1 were significantly downregulated in empagliflozin-treated and liraglutide-treated diabetic rats. Both empagliflozin-treated and liraglutide-treated diabetic rats exhibited attenuated myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis. Empagliflozin modulated fatty acid and glucose metabolism, while liraglutide regulated inflammation and apoptosis in DCM. The better effects of combined treatment with GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is may lead to a potential strategy targeting DCM.
Warsaw Glacial Quartz Sand with Different Grain-Size Characteristics and Its Shear Wave Velocity from Various Interpretation Methods of BET

After obtaining the value of shear wave velocity (VS) from the bender elements test (BET), the shear modulus of soils at small strains (Gmax) can be estimated. Shear wave velocity is an important parameter in the design of geo-structures subjected to static and dynamic loading. While bender elements are increasingly used in both academic and commercial laboratory test systems, there remains a lack of agreement when interpreting the shear wave travel time from these tests. Based on the test data of 12 Warsaw glacial quartz samples of sand, primarily two different approaches were examined for determining VS. They are both related to the observation of the source and received BE signal, namely, the first time of arrival and the peak-to-peak method. These methods were performed through visual analysis of BET data by the authors, so that subjective travel time estimates were produced. Subsequently, automated analysis methods from the GDS Bender Element Analysis Tool (BEAT) were applied. Here, three techniques in the time-domain (TD) were selected, namely, the peak-to-peak, the zero-crossing, and the cross-correlation function. Additionally, a cross-power spectrum calculation of the signals was completed, viewed as a frequency-domain (FD) method. Final comparisons between subjective observational analyses and automated interpretations of BET results showed good agreement. There is compatibility especially between the two methods: the first time of arrival and the cross-correlation, which the authors considered the best interpreting techniques for their soils. Moreover, the laboratory tests were performed on compact, medium, and well-grained sand samples with different curvature coefficient and mean grain size. Investigation of the influence of the grain-size characteristics of quartz sand on shear wave velocity demonstrated that VS is larger for higher values of the uniformity coefficient, while it is rather independent of the curvature coefficient and the mean grain size.
Unlocking the Diversity of Pyrroloiminoquinones Produced by Latrunculid Sponge Species

Sponges of the Latrunculiidae family produce bioactive pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids including makaluvamines, discorhabdins, and tsitsikammamines. The aim of this study was to use LC-ESI-MS/MS-driven molecular networking to characterize the pyrroloiminoquinone secondary metabolites produced by six latrunculid species. These are Tsitsikamma favus, Tsitsikamma pedunculata, Cyclacanthia bellae, and Latrunculia apicalis as well as the recently discovered species, Tsitsikamma nguni and Tsitsikamma michaeli. Organic extracts of 43 sponges were analyzed, revealing distinct species-specific chemical profiles. More than 200 known and unknown putative pyrroloiminoquinones and related compounds were detected, including unprecedented makaluvamine-discorhabdin adducts and hydroxylated discorhabdin I derivatives. The chemical profiles of the new species T. nguni closely resembled those of the known T. favus (chemotype I), but with a higher abundance of tsitsikammamines vs. discorhabdins. T. michaeli sponges displayed two distinct chemical profiles, either producing mostly the same discorhabdins as T. favus (chemotype I) or non- or monobrominated, hydroxylated discorhabdins. C. bellae and L. apicalis produced similar pyrroloiminoquinone chemistry to one another, characterized by sulfur-containing discorhabdins and related adducts and oligomers. This study highlights the variability of pyrroloiminoquinone production by latrunculid species, identifies novel isolation targets, and offers fundamental insights into the collision-induced dissociation of pyrroloiminoquinones.
Risk Variants in Three Alzheimer’s Disease Genes Show Association with EEG Endophenotypes

Background: Dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder, which much of heritability remains unexplained. At the clinical level, one of the most common physiological alterations is the slowing of oscillatory brain activity, measurable by electroencephalography (EEG). Relative power (RP) at the conventional frequency bands (i.e., delta, theta, alpha, beta-1, and beta-2) can be considered as AD endophenotypes. Objective: The aim of this work is to analyze the association between sixteen genes previously related with AD: APOE, PICALM, CLU, BCHE, CETP, CR1, SLC6A3, GRIN2 β, SORL1, TOMM40, GSK3 β, UNC5C, OPRD1, NAV2, HOMER2, and IL1RAP, and the slowing of the brain activity, assessed by means of RP at the aforementioned frequency bands. Methods: An Iberian cohort of 45 elderly controls, 45 individuals with mild cognitive impairment, and 109 AD patients in the three stages of the disease was considered. Genomic information and brain activity of each subject were analyzed. Results: The slowing of brain activity was observed in carriers of risk alleles in IL1RAP (rs10212109, rs9823517, rs4687150), UNC5C (rs17024131), and NAV2 (rs1425227, rs862785) genes, regardless of the disease status and situation towards the strongest risk factors: age, sex, and APOE ɛ4 presence. Conclusion: Endophenotypes reduce the complexity of the general phenotype and genetic variants with a major effect on those specific traits may be then identified. The found associations in this work are novel and may contribute to the comprehension of AD pathogenesis, each with a different biological role, and influencing multiple factors involved in brain physiology.
Nursing management at a Chinese fever clinic during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Background The rampant spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has assumed pandemic proportions across the world. Attempts to contain its spread have entailed varying early screening and triage strategies implemented in different countries and regions. Aim To share the experience of scientific and standardized management of fever clinics in China, which provide the first effective checkpoint for the prevention and control of COVID‐19. Introduction A fever clinic was established at our hospital in Tianjin, China, for initially identifying suspected cases of COVID‐19 and controlling the spread of the disease. Methods The management system covered the following aspects: spatial layout; partitioning of functional zones; a work management system and associated processes; management of personnel, materials and equipment; and patient education. Results Within two months of introducing these measures, there was a comprehensive reduction in the number of new COVID‐19 cases in Tianjin, and zero infections occurred among medical staff at the fever clinic. Discussion The fever clinic plays an important role in the early detection, isolation and referral of patients presenting with fevers of unknown origin. Broad screening criteria, an adequate warning mechanism, manpower reserves and staff training at the clinic are essential for the early management of epidemics. Conclusion The spread of COVID‐19 has been effectively curbed through the establishment of the fever clinic, which merits widespread promotion and application. Implications for nursing and health policies Health managers should be made aware of the important role of fever clinics in the early detection, isolation and referral of patients, and in the treatment of infectious diseases to prevent and control their spread. In the early stage of an epidemic, fever clinics should be established in key areas with concentrated clusters of cases. Simultaneously, the health and safety of health professionals require attention.
A Transcriptomic Approach to the Recruitment of Venom Proteins in a Marine Annelid

The growing number of known venomous marine invertebrates indicates that chemical warfare plays an important role in adapting to diversified ecological niches, even though it remains unclear how toxins fit into the evolutionary history of these animals. Our case study, the Polychaeta Eulalia sp. , is an intertidal predator that secretes toxins. Whole-transcriptome sequencing revealed proteinaceous toxins secreted by cells in the proboscis and delivered by mucus. Toxins and accompanying enzymes promote permeabilization, coagulation impairment and the blocking of the neuromuscular activity of prey upon which the worm feeds by sucking pieces of live flesh. The main neurotoxins (“phyllotoxins”) were found to be cysteine-rich proteins, a class of substances ubiquitous among venomous animals. Some toxins were phylogenetically related to Polychaeta, Mollusca or more ancient groups, such as Cnidaria. Some toxins may have evolved from non-toxin homologs that were recruited without the reduction in molecular mass and increased specificity of other invertebrate toxins. By analyzing the phylogeny of toxin mixtures, we show that Polychaeta is uniquely positioned in the evolution of animal venoms. Indeed, the phylogenetic models of mixed or individual toxins do not follow the expected eumetazoan tree-of-life and highlight that the recruitment of gene products for a role in venom systems is complex.
Influence of rotational speed on torque/force generation and shaping ability during root canal instrumentation with continuous rotation and optimum torque reverse motion.

AIM To evaluate how different rotational speeds affect the torque/force generation and shaping ability of rotary root canal instrumentation using JIZAI (MANI, Japan) nickel-titanium instruments in continuous rotation and optimum torque reverse (OTR) motion. METHODOLOGY Mesial root canals of mandibular molars were instrumented up to size 25, . 04 taper using JIZAI instruments, and anatomically matched canals were selected based on geometric features of the canal [canal volume (mm3 ), surface area (mm2 ), length, 15°-20° curvature and radius of curvature (4-8 mm)] after micro-computed tomographic scanning. An automated root canal instrumentation and torque/force analyzing device was programmed to permit a simulated pecking motion (2 seconds downward and 1 second upward at 50 mm/min). The selected canals were prepared with size 25, . 06 taper JIZAI instruments using continuous rotation or OTR motion and further subdivided according to the rotational speed (300 or 500 rpm, n = 10 each). Real-time clockwise/counterclockwise torque and downward/upward force were recorded using a custom-made torque/force analysing device. Then, the registered pre- and post-operative micro-computed tomographic datasets were examined to evaluate the canal volume changes and centering ratios at 1, 3, 5 and 7 mm from the apical foramen. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction (α = 5%). RESULTS Maximum upward force and clockwise torque were significantly smaller in 500 rpm groups than in 300 rpm groups (P < 0.05); however, no significant difference was found between continuous rotation and OTR motion (P > 0.05). OTR motion developed higher maximum counterclockwise torque than continuous rotation (P < 0.05). Maximum downward force, canal volume changes and centering ratios were not significantly different among all groups (P > 0.05). There was no file fracture in any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS Under laboratory conditions using JIZAI instruments, rotational speed of 500 rpm generated significantly lower maximum screw-in force and torque value than rotational speed of 300 rpm. Continuous rotation and OTR motion performed similarly in shaping the canals.
Listener impressions of alaryngeal communication modalities

Abstract Purpose: Following a total laryngectomy in which the larynx is completely removed, individuals in the USA have three primary options for alaryngeal verbal communication including tracheoesophageal speech (TES), oesophageal speech (ES) and electrolarynx (EL). Using a large sample of participants from across the USA, this study investigated listener impressions of each primary type of alaryngeal communication. As these are the individuals more likely to be participating in social interactions and in positions of hiring for employment, the general public’s impressions of TES, ES and EL may be a vital consideration during the treatment process. Method: A total of 381 individuals rated eight speech samples, including samples from speakers of each alaryngeal communication modality as well samples from age and sex matched laryngeal speakers, with regards to three outcome measures: intelligence, likability and employability. Result: Listener impressions of alaryngeal speech samples were modulated by the type of communication mode. Further, the patterns of results differed by speaker sex, with ES speech rated consistently more favourable for female speakers across all outcome measures and TES rated consistently more favourable for male speakers across all outcome measures. Conclusion: An overall preference for laryngeal speech was noted, particularly with male speakers. The female ES stimuli, interestingly, was the highest rated alaryngeal communication modality. Regardless of speaker sex, all alaryngeal modes greatly affected impressions of employability relative to impressions of likeability and intelligence.
Non-Oncologic Applications of Nanomedicine-Based Photo-Therapy

Phototherapy is widely applied to various human diseases. Nanomedicine-based phototherapy can be classified into photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT). Activated photosensitizer kills the target cells by generating radicals or reactive oxygen species in PDT while generating heat in PTT. Both PDT and PTT have been employed for treating various diseases, from preclinical to randomized controlled clinical trials. However, there are still hurdles to overcome before entering clinical practice. This review provides an overview of nanomedicine-based phototherapy, especially in non-oncologic diseases. Multiple clinical trials were undertaken to prove the therapeutic efficacy of PDT in dermatologic, ophthalmologic, cardiovascular, and dental diseases. Preclinical studies showed the feasibility of PDT in neurologic, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and musculoskeletal diseases. A few clinical studies of PTT were tried in atherosclerosis and dry eye syndrome. Although most studies have shown promising results, there have been limitations in specificity, targeting efficiency, and tissue penetration using phototherapy. Recently, nanomaterials have shown promising results to overcome these limitations. With advanced technology, nanomedicine-based phototherapy holds great potential for broader clinical practice.
The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the quality of life and depression, anxiety, and stress levels of individuals above the age of eighteen

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the quality of life and the depression, anxiety, and stress levels of individuals above the age of eighteen. Design and Methods This study used the snowball method. Data were collected using the sociodemographic question form, the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale‐21, and the SF‐12 Life Quality Scale. Findings A statistically significant relationship (p < .05) was measured between age, gender, health condition, concomitant chronic and mental disease, fear of the COVID‐19 pandemic, home confinement in this particular period, and the need for psychological support as well as mean scores of Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale‐21, and SF‐12 Life Quality Scale. Practice Implications Against the likelihood of facing new pandemics in the future, a guideline could be planned to protect and improve prospective the psychosocial wellness of individuals and society.
All-Optically Reconfigurable Plasmonic Metagrating for Ultrafast Diffraction Management

Hot-electron dynamics taking place in nanostructured materials upon irradiation with fs-laser pulses has been the subject of intensive research, leading to the emerging field of ultrafast nanophotonics. However, the most common description of nonlinear interaction with ultrashort laser pulses assumes a homogeneous spatial distribution for the photogenerated carriers. Here we theoretically show that the inhomogeneous evolution of the hot carriers at the nanoscale can disclose unprecedented opportunities for ultrafast diffraction management. In particular, we design a highly symmetric plasmonic metagrating capable of a transient symmetry breaking driven by hot electrons. The subsequent power imbalance between symmetrical diffraction orders is calculated to exceed 20% under moderate (∼2 mJ/cm2) laser fluence. Our theoretical investigation also indicates that the recovery time of the symmetric configuration can be controlled by tuning the geometry of the metaatom, and can be as fast as 2 ps for electrically connected configurations.
Assessing the use of animal health platforms: user's needs, preferences and constraints.

Animal health information systems or risk analysis tools are indispensable not only for animal health surveillance, but also to observe the evolution and risk of disease incursion into a disease-free area. Given the various information that can be derived from these both animal information systems and risk analysis tools, different international and national organizations have customized or created their own systems/tools to provide specific information for use by the respective countries. Moreover, with the increase of technology and data storage, they have become more accessible and widely used by professionals in animal and human health sciences. This study aimed to establish user's preferences, needs and constraints in respect of these animal information systems and risk analysis tools. An online survey was conducted and answered by 213 respondents from 132 countries. The respondents were animal health or public health professionals in different employment sectors (mostly in government, research and university institutions) and various fields of competency (highest for animal and public health). The majority of respondents used the animal health information systems frequently and on a weekly basis, with prevention measures of diseases being regarded as the most useful information. Descriptive epidemiology was more used/needed than analytical epidemiology. Risk analysis was performed by the majority of the respondents (70%), using a qualitative approach more than a quantitative or semi-qualitative. The primary objectives was to produce risk assessment and preparedness in areas involving origin and spread of animal diseases. The features most sought after in risk analysis tools were pathways of introduction and spread assessment. The level of satisfaction was higher for the platform which is most used by the respondents. Overall, these results could be taken into consideration when improving an already available platform, or when creating a new efficient tool.
Ultrafiltration of Parvovirus

Abstract Ultrafiltration is frequently used in the biotechnology industry for protein purification. The main applications of ultrafiltration are for protein concentration and buffer exchange. This paper focuses on ultrafiltration for purification of parvovirus. The feasibility of using ultrafiltration to remove contaminating host cell proteins from the virus particles has been investigated. Purification of virus particles and virus vectors for clinical applications of gene therapy and in the manufacture of viral vaccines is a major large‐scale separations problem. Today, parvoviruses, such as adeno associated virus, are being extensively investigated as gene therapy vectors. Consequently, development of robust purification operations will be essential. Tangential flow ultrafiltration and high performance tangential flow filtration of Aedes Aegypti densonucleosis virus has been investigated using flat sheet membranes with a nominal molecular weight cut off of 100 and 300 kD. Virus particles were detected in the permeate of the 300 kD membrane for both modes of operation. In tangential flow filtration no virus particles were detected in the permeate from the 100 kD membrane. However, during high performance tangential flow filtration significant passage of virus particles through the membrane was observed. The results obtained here are in general agreement with results obtained in previous studies of high performance tangential flow filtration for protein purification. Optimization in the operating conditions of high performance tangential flow filtration may result in a highly selective unit operation for purification of virus particles and virus vectors.