Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ketogenic Diet Regulates Cardiac Remodeling and Calcium Homeostasis in Diabetic Rat Cardiomyopathy

A ketogenic diet (KD) might alleviate patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Myocardial function and arrhythmogenesis are closely linked to calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis. We investigated the effects of a KD on Ca2+ homeostasis and electrophysiology in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Male Wistar rats were created to have diabetes mellitus (DM) using streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), and subsequently treated for 6 weeks with either a normal diet (ND) or a KD. Our electrophysiological and Western blot analyses assessed myocardial Ca2+ homeostasis in ventricular preparations in vivo. Unlike those on the KD, DM rats treated with an ND exhibited a prolonged QTc interval and action potential duration. Compared to the control and DM rats on the KD, DM rats treated with an ND also showed lower intracellular Ca2+ transients, sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+ content, sodium (Na+)-Ca2+ exchanger currents (reverse mode), L-type Ca2+ contents, sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase contents, Cav1.2 contents. Furthermore, these rats exhibited elevated ratios of phosphorylated to total proteins across multiple Ca2+ handling proteins, including ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) at serine 2808, phospholamban (PLB)-Ser16, and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Additionally, DM rats treated with an ND demonstrated a higher frequency and incidence of Ca2+ leak, cytosolic reactive oxygen species, Na+/hydrogen-exchanger currents, and late Na+ currents than the control and DM rats on the KD. KD treatment may attenuate the effects of DM-dysregulated Na+ and Ca2+ homeostasis, contributing to its cardioprotection in DM.
Estudo morfométrico e estereológico digital da mucosa do intestino delgado de crianças eutróficas e desnutridas com diarréia persistente

OBJECTIVES: to test the hypothesis that the proximal small intestines of children with persistent diarrhea present morphometric and stereologic changes proportional to their nutritional status, using microscope images stored in a computer. METHODS: cross-sectional study with 65 pediatric patients, whose ages ranged from 4 months to 5 years, with persistent diarrhea for over 14 days. The nutritional assessment was performed according to the z-scores for weight/age (W/A), weight/height (W/H) and height/age (H/A) ratios, divided into: well-nourished = z > 2SD and malnourished = z 2SD, nutritional risk = z < -1SD and malnourished = z < -2SD; and continuously, in descending order, using the NCHS charts. After obtaining the computer images using the software Scion Image, villous height, crypt depth, mucosal thickness, total mucosal thickness, and villous/crypt ratio were measured in the fragments of the small intestinal mucosa, enlarged 100 times. When images were enlarged 500 times, enterocyte height, nuclear height and brush-border height were measured. Stereologic analysis was performed using cycloid arcs. RESULTS: for W/A, W/H and H/A z-scores, divided into two nutritional status categories, no statistically significant difference was observed in regard to villous height, crypt depth, mucosal thickness, total mucosal thickness and villous/crypt ratio. Enterocyte height presented the most significant difference between well-nourished and malnourished groups, for W/A and W/H ratios, with a 500x enlargement, although this difference was not statistically significant. When z-scores were subdivided into three nutritional status categories, a digital morphometric analysis showed a statistically significant difference for villous/crypt ratio between the well-nourished and slightly malnourished group and the well-nourished and mild to severe malnourished group (p = 0.048). The villous/crypt ratio was higher among well-nourished children. Using the Spearman coefficient, the variables enterocyte height, height of enterocyte nucleus and brush-border height presented a clear association with the W/A ratio (r = 0.25; p = 0.038), W/H ratio (r = 0.029; p = 0.019). The height of the enterocyte and the brush-border height were associated with W/H ratio. CONCLUSIONS: the observed associations between nutritional status and the analyzed small intestinal mucosa variables showed a positive correlation with patients' weight. Although these associations were of a slight to moderate magnitude, we observed a tendency of enterocyte size reduction, as well as a reduction in the size of its nucleus and brush-border, as the level of malnutrition increases.
A Novel Thiol-Ene-Epoxy Polymer Based Optical Waveguide for Refractometric Sensing

The utility of planar optical waveguides constructed from a novel thiol-ene-epoxy polymer has been demonstrated for refractive index sensing. The propagating modes supported by this planar structure were excited as well as taken out of the waveguide using the prism coupling method, and detected using an indigenously developed photodetector system comprising a commercial charge-coupled device (CCD) array and an Arduino microcontroller. The mode-dependent refractive index sensitivity was established by considering a monochromatic laser light excitation at 632.8 nm wavelength. The highest sensitivity of this waveguide sensor was found to be 21.84/RIU (refractive index units) and the corresponding refractive index resolution was 4.92 × 10−4 RIU. The miniaturized version of this optical waveguide sensor has the potential to be integrated within a photonic system for plasmonic-based point-of-care device development.
Comparison of Ketamine to Haloperidol for Preventing Delirium in ICU Elderly Patients

Background: Delirium is a common concern among elderly intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Ketamine’s effectiveness in preventing delirium remains controversial despite its demonstrated neuroprotective properties and cognitive benefits in previous studies. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of ketamine and haloperidol in preventing delirium in elderly ICU patients. Methods: This randomized clinical trial involved 44 non-intubated patients aged over 65 years in a general ICU. The patients received low-dose intravenous ketamine (20 mg) or intramuscular haloperidol (2.5 mg). Delirium was assessed using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) at 5, 10, and 15 minutes. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients achieving adequate sedation (RASS ≤ +1). The secondary outcome was time to reach adequate sedation. Adverse effects and physician satisfaction were evaluated after 60 minutes. Results: No significant difference in delirium was observed between the groups after interventions or within each group over time. However, the ketamine group had significantly lower delirium incidence at 5 minutes. The percentage of patients achieving adequate sedation was higher in the ketamine group (86.4%) than in the haloperidol group (36.4%) (P = 0.002). There was a delirium difference between groups at 10 minutes (P = 0.31) or 15 minutes (P = 0.082). Physician satisfaction did not differ significantly (P = 0.144). Conclusions: The present study suggests that the administration of low-dose ketamine to elderly ICU patients might reduce delirium incidence, supporting its beneficial effect for delirium control.
Fatigue as a key factor for testing knee stability with single leg drop landing for injury prevention and return to play tests

Objectives Fatigue can decrease knee stability and increase the injury risk. However, fatigue is rarely being applied throughout movement analysis. The aim of this study was to investigate if the knee stability throughout SLDLs differ between cyclic and acyclic sports, before and after fatigue in general, and between the dominant and non-dominant leg of soccer players. Methods A total of 43 active male (n = 34) and female (n = 9) athletes (age: 26.5 ± 7.2) participated in this study with a pre-post-design. Subjects performed a single leg drop landing (SLDL) from a plyobox. For each leg, the two-dimensional frontal plane projection angle (FPPA) was analyzed. After pretesting the shuttle run test was performed until exhaustion, before repeating the measurements. Results ANOVA with repeated measures was applied and identified no significance difference for the FPPA between cyclic and acyclic sports (F = 0.98, p = 0.33), a significant difference before and after fatigue (F = 12.49, p = 0.002) and no significant difference between the dominant and non dominant leg of soccer players (F = 4.35, p = 0.26). Discussion Fatigue seems to be able to have a significant influence on knee stability in the frontal axis. Therefore, fatigue should be included in motion analysis for injury prevention and return to play tests because during this physical state most injuries happen.
Early Ordovician Lingulate Brachiopods from New South

Lingulate brachiopods from the Lower Ordovician (lower Oepikodus evae conodont zone) Rowena Formation in the far west of New South Wales are revised, and determined as Hyperobolus mootwingeensis (Fletcher, 1964), Lingulobolus gnaltaensis (Fletcher, 1964), and the new genus Rowenaglossa, with type species R. brunnschweileri (Fletcher, 1964). Specimens possibly conspecific with Lingulobolus gnaltaensis are illustrated from Pine Gap, near Alice Springs, Northern Territory. In central western NSW, Early Ordovician (Lancefieldian-Bendigonian) brachiopods are represented in the Yarrimbah Formation of the Parkes region by the new species Palaeoglossa yarrimbahensis, a probable zhanatellid and an indeterminate acrotretide. Allochthonous limestones in the Hensleigh Siltstone, south of Wellington, of slightly younger (Bendigonian) age, yield Otariconulus sp. cf. O. intermedia and an unnamed new ephippelasmatid. Although broadly contemporaneous, the lingulide brachiopods documented in this paper lived in contrasting environmental settings. Those from the Koonenberry Belt in the far west inhabited nearshore predominantly sandy substrates, whereas faunas from central western NSW lived in deeper water outer shelf and slope to basinal environments flanking the Macquarie Arc.
GIS Assessment of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in OBIO/AKPOR L.G.A., Rivers State, Nigeria

The study assesses the spatio-temporal land use and land cover changes between 1986 and 2000 for the whole Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria covering about 270.86 km 2 . Landsat images of 30 m × 30 m resolution of both 1986 and 2000 were used whereby seven land use types were detected and captured as polygons (shapefiles) in Arcview 3.3 version after the images have been geo-rectified. The land use types include farmland, built up area, water, sparse vegetation, primary forest, secondary forest and mangrove. The area in square kilometers of each land use type in each year was calculated and thereafter the change was determined by subtracting the area of the same land use type in 1986 from 2000 and the percentage of change is therefore calculated. In addition, the probability of change of twenty years was also determined from one land use type to another using Markovian Transition Estimator (MTE) from IDRISI Andes. The study reveals that farmland, mangrove, primary forest and sparse vegetation reduced over time by 45.34, 37.06, 43.06 and 8.09%, respectively while secondary forest, built up area and water increased by 5.88, 74.55 and 3.43%, respectively. It is also projected by MTE that in 2020 farmland has the probability of 0.570 (57%) of changing to secondary forest and 0.154 (15.4%) of changing to built up area. Primary forest has the probability of 0.186 (18.6%) to change to built up area. It is recommended among others that laws should be promulgated to prevent unlawful expansion of construction of any form and that the people in the communities in the study area should be enlightened and educated on the effects of deforestation on the environment.
Determination the Smoothing Constant that Minimizes Mean Absolute Error and Mean Square Deviation

Exponential smoothing technique has become one of the quantitative techniques are very important in forecasting. The accuracy of forecasting based on this method depends on a parameter called the smoothing constant. Selection of smoothing constant value becomes very crucial because in forecasting prosecuted forecasting error is minimal. This paper discusses the selection of the optimal smoothing constant value which minimizes the mean square error (MSE) and the mean absolute deviation (MAD). Trial and error method is used to determine the optimal value of the smoothing constant based on the two criterias (MSE and MAD). Based on the analysis carried out, there was no regularity of the relationship between the amount of data and the smoothing constant value that minimized MAD and MSE.
Investigation on the possibility to enhancing honey spray drying process and powders properties by ultrafiltration pre-treatment

Linden honey ultraﬁltration (15 kDa MWCO ceramic membrane) was performed as honey solution pre-treatment before spray drying. Feed and retentate solutions with the addition of maltodextrin as a carrier were spray dried. Drying yield and physical properties of powders were studied (after drying and after 12 weeks of storage). During ultraﬁltration it was possible to remove some amount of sugars responsible for honey low glass transition temperature, while keeping protein compounds. Yet, it did not have a signiﬁcant impact on the drying performance and improvement of powder physical properties immediately after drying and after storage. However, the possibility to remove sugars from honey solution by ultraﬁltration can be an encouragement for further research.
The response of heterotrophic CO 2 flux to soil warming

In a forest ecosystem at steady state, net carbon (C) assimilation by plants and C loss through soil and litter decomposition by heterotrophic organisms are balanced. However, a perturbation to the system, such as increased mean soil temperature, will lead to faster decay, enhancing CO2 release from decomposers, and thus upsetting the balance. Recent in situ experiments have indicated that the stimulation of soil respiration following a step increase in annual average soil temperature declines over time. One possible explanation for this decline may be changes in substrate availability. This hypothesis is examined by using the ecosystem model G’DAY, which simulates C and nitrogen (N) dynamics in plants and soil. We applied the model to observations from a soil-warming experiment in a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst. ) stand by simulating a step increase of soil temperature. The model provided a good qualitative reproduction of the observed reduction of heterotrophic respiration (Rh) under sustained warming. The simulations showed how the combined effects of faster turnover and reduced substrate availability lead to a transient increase of Rh. The simulated annual increase in Rh from soil was 60% in the first year after perturbation but decreased to 30% after a decade. One conclusion from the analysis of the simulations is that Rh can decrease even though the temperature response function for decomposition remains unchanged. G’DAY suggests that acclimation of Rh to soil warming is partly an effect of substrate depletion of labile C pools during the first decade of warming as a result of accelerated rates of mineralization. The response is attributed mainly to changing levels of C in pools with short time constants, reflecting the importance of high-quality soil C fractions. Changes of the structure or physiology of the decomposer community were not invoked. Therefore, it becomes a question of definition whether the simulated dynamics of the declining response of CO2 release to the warming should be named acclimation or seen as a natural part of the system dynamics.
THE INFLUENCE OF TAX SOCIALIZATION, TAX KNOWLEDGE AND THE APPLICATION OF THE E-FILLING SYSTEM ON TAXPAYER COMPLIANCE IN STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITAS PAMULANG

Taxation serves as the principal source of revenue for countries and plays a crucial role in promoting community welfare during the development process. Over time, the number of taxpayers has been steadily increasing, leading to a corresponding rise in tax revenue. This research aims to investigate the impact of tax socialization, tax knowledge, and the implementation of the e-filing system on taxpayer compliance. The study focuses on students enrolled in the accounting program at Pamulang University. A sample of 105 students from the accounting program at Pamulang University participated in the study, and primary data were collected through the distribution of questionnaires to the respondents. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to analyze the data. The findings of the study indicate the following: 1) Tax socialization significantly influences taxpayer compliance, as evidenced by an F statistic of 34.985 with a significant value of 0.000. 2) Tax socialization positively impacts taxpayer compliance with a significance level of 0.003. 3) Tax knowledge, on the other hand, does not significantly affect taxpayer compliance, as indicated by a significance level of 0.691. 4) The application of the e-filing system has a positive and significant effect on taxpayer compliance. 5) When considered together, tax socialization, tax knowledge, and the application of the e-filing system have a collective significant effect of 0.000 on taxpayer compliance among students at Pamulang University.
Droplet digital PCR quantification of selected microRNAs in raw mastitic cow’s milk from the west of Poland

Abstract Introduction MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of noncoding small RNAs, have been recognised as potential biomarkers of mammary gland conditions, including bovine mastitis diagnosis. The aim of this study was to quantify selected miRNAs in the milk of mastitic cows. Material and Methods Milk samples (n = 90) were collected from healthy and mastitic dairy cows originating from local dairy cattle farms located in the west of Poland. MicroRNAs of the miR-21a, miR-92a, miR-146a and miR-383 species were quantified using the highly sensitive droplet digital PCR method. Direct measurement of somatic cell count (SCC) was performed using a cell counter. Cows were divided into three groups: those with an SCC below 200,000/mL were designated Low (n = 25), those with an SCC between 200,000 and 999,999 were Medium (n = 34), and those with an SCC of 1,000,000 or higher were High (n = 31). Microbiological analyses were performed using standard culture testing. Results The level of miR-383 was very low and this miRNA was excluded from analysis. The miR-92a was used to normalise miR-21a and miR-146a expression levels. The obtained results of expression of miR-21a and miR-146a correlated with somatic cell number (R = 0.53 and 0.79, respectively). Conclusion These results show that ddPCR is a useful method for quantifying miRNAs in raw cow milk. It seems that miR-146a is a promising marker for bovine mastitis, although further studies are needed to select a panel of miRNAs that can be used in mastitis monitoring in Poland.
SYNTHESIS OF CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL EVENTS IN TETHYAN LOWER AND MIDDLE JURASSIC SUCCESSIONS

This paper is a synthesis of calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy for the Lower and Middle Jurassic of the Mediterranean Province based on several sections from Northern and Central Italy. Nannofossil events were calibrated with ammonite biostratigraphy and, when necessary, ammonite-controlled sections in South East France were incorporated. Data derive from previously published biostratigraphies and unpublished data of the authors.The large data-set allowed estimates of reliability and reproducibility of single events. As a result, in the Hettangian-Bathonian interval we propose 47 main events based on diagenesis-resistant and common taxa, 17 events based on rare but ubiquitous taxa and 12 potential events requiring further investigations due to taxonomic problems and sporadic occurrence. A biostratigraphic scheme, consisting of 11 zones and 15 subzones, is proposed for the Tethyan Lower and Middle Jurassic. The proposed biostratigraphy is compared to recent schemes compiled for Portugal, Morocco, Switzerland and the Boreal Realm. Only 27 events are reproducible in various regions, but diachroneity of most events seems to derive from different ammonite biostratigraphies applied in different areas. A very high stratigraphic resolution is achieved in Italy/France for the Pliensbachian to Lower Bajocian interval. The Sinemurian and Bathonian are characterized by the lowest resolution, and very few sections with ammonite control and/or favourable lithologies are available for improvement of nannofossil biostratigraphy. This study confirms the potential of calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy for dating Lower and Middle Jurassic successions as well as for intra- and inter-regional correlations.
Comparison of Laryngoscopic Glottic Views Obtained via Macintosh vs Miller Blade in Adults Undergoing General Anesthesia with Endotracheal Intubation

Objective: To compare the glottic views obtained through Miller and Macintosh blade laryngoscopy in adults undergoing general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Methodology: This quasi-experimental study was conducted at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, from June 2022 to September 2022. Sixty patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: Miller blade group (n=30) and Macintosh blade group (n=30). The anesthesiologist conducting the intubation recorded the Cormack Lehane grade obtained. Data analysis utilized SPSS version 27.0, employing independent-sample t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-square, or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In the Miller blade group, comprising 30 patients, the mean age was 44.60+13.310 years, and 53.3% were male. Cormack-Lehane grades were distributed as follows: 76.7% grade I, 20.0% grade II, and 3.3% grade III. In the Macintosh blade group, with 30 patients, the mean age was 40.93+12.798 years, and 46.7% were male. Cormack-Lehane grades were distributed as follows: 30.0% grade I, 50.0% grade II, 13.3% grade III, and 6.7% grade IV. Conclusion: The study concluded that Miller blade laryngoscopy provides superior glottic views compared to Macintosh blade laryngoscopy. However, the ease of intubation and the time taken for intubation were not investigated, suggesting areas for exploration in future studies.