Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Climate feedback to stratospheric aerosol forcing: the key role of the pattern effect

Volcanic aerosol forcing has previously been found to cause a weak global mean temperature response, compared to CO2 radiative forcing of equal magnitude: its efficacy is supposedly low, but for reasons which are not fully understood. In order to investigate this, we perform idealized, time-invariant stratospheric sulfate aerosol forcing simulations with the MPI-ESM-1.2 and compare them to 0.5 × CO2 and 2 × CO2 runs. While the early decades of the aerosol forcing simulations are characterized by strong negative feedback (i.e. low efficacy), the feedback weakens on the decadal to centennial time scale. Although this effect is qualitatively also found in CO2-warming simulations, it is more pronounced for stratospheric aerosol forcing. The strong early and weak late cooling feedbacks compensate, leading to an equilibrium efficacy of approximately one in all simulations. The 0.5 × CO2 cooling simulations also exhibit strong feedback changes over time, albeit less than in the idealized aerosol forcing simulations. This suggests that the underlying cause for the feedback change is not exclusively specific to aerosol forcing. One critical region for the feedback differences between simulations with negative and positive radiative forcing is the tropical Indo-Pacific warm pool region (30°S - 30°N, 50°E - 160°W). In the first decades of cooling, the temperature change in this region is stronger than the global average, while it is stronger outside of it for 2 × CO2 warming. In cooling scenarios, this leads to an enhanced activation of the warm pool region’s strongly negative lapse rate feedback.
Factors Affecting Employees Work Engagement in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Background: Improving the labor productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is essential because of the aging population and predicted reduction in the labor force. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that employees are in good health to work for long times. In this regard, the purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between work engagement (WE) and related variables among SME employees. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the baseline data of the prospective cohort study, which included 377 employees from three SMEs headquartered in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Results: A multiple regression analysis was performed to see the associations between Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) scores and other variables. Significant associations were found with job satisfaction, age, health literacy (HL), and quality of sleep (all, p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference observed in WE, quality of sleep, concern for own body, job satisfaction, and family life satisfaction (all, p < 0.001) with respect to high and low HL levels. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal that while implementing health and productivity management in SMEs to increase WE, it is best to concentrate on raising HL, job satisfaction, and sleep quality. To increase generalizability, further research could be conducted with more SMEs companies.
Exopolysaccharide-Producing Bifidobacterium adolescentis Strains with Similar Adhesion Property Induce Differential Regulation of Inflammatory Immune Response in Treg/Th17 Axis of DSS-Colitis Mice

Intestinal bifidobacteria benefit human health by promoting and modulating the gut flora, and boosting therapeutic efficiency for chronic metabolic diseases and cancer. Recently, Bifidobacterium adolescentis strains with high adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells were associated with induction of T-helper 17 (Th17) cells in humans and rodents. Here, two B. adolescentis strains with similar adhesive ability but different aggregation properties were investigated for specific immunoregulatory effects, including the underlying cellular pathway, on macrophage and T-regulatory (Treg)/Th17 axis activation in vitro and in the colon of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-colitis mice in vivo. In-vitro, the auto-aggregative B. adolescentis strain IF1-11 induced significantly higher IL-6 and lower IL-10 secretion from immune cells, and it induced abundant Th17 cells. The non-aggregating strain IF1-03 induced significantly higher IL-10, less IL-6 and a high proportion of Treg/Th17 cells compared to total T cells. In vivo, orally administered IF1-03 protected DSS-colitis mice via activation of dendritic cells or macrophages and skewing of Treg/Th17 cells, consistent with Treg cell induction in vitro. IF1-03 exopolysaccharides showed a functional recognition pattern similar to IF1-03 for IL-10 cytokine secretion and Treg cell-differentiation induction, both dependent on the toll-like receptor 2–ERK/p38 MAPK-signaling cascade for macrophage activation. We suggest that B. adolescentis exopolysaccharide-associated enterocyte adhesion/aggregation phenotypes determine strain-specific adaptive immune responses in the gut via the macrophage-regulated Treg/Th17 axis.
KINEMATICS OF AND EMISSION FROM HELICALLY ORBITING BLOBS IN A RELATIVISTIC MAGNETIZED JET

We present a general relativistic (GR) model of jet variability in active galactic nuclei due to orbiting blobs in helical motion along a funnel or cone-shaped magnetic surface anchored to the accretion disk near the black hole. Considering a radiation pressure driven flow in the inner region, we find that it stabilizes the flow, yielding Lorentz factors ranging between 1.1 and 7 at small radii for reasonable initial conditions. Assuming these as inputs, simulated light curves (LCs) for the funnel model include Doppler and gravitational shifts, aberration, light bending, and time delay. These LCs are studied for quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) and the power spectral density (PSD) shape, and yield an increased amplitude (∼12%), a beamed portion and a systematic phase shift with respect to that from a previous special relativistic model. The results strongly justify implementing a realistic magnetic surface geometry in Schwarzschild geometry to describe effects on emission from orbital features in the jet close to the horizon radius. A power-law-shaped PSD with a typical slope of −2 and QPOs with timescales in the range of (1.37–130.7) days consistent with optical variability in blazars, emerges from the simulations for black hole masses M • = ( 0.5 − 5 ) × 10 8 M ⊙ ? > and initial Lorentz factors γ jet , i = 2 − 10 ? > . The models presented here can be applied to explain radio, optical, and X-ray variability from a range of jetted sources including active galactic nuclei, X-ray binaries, and neutron stars.
Endogenous and Exogenous Modulation of Nrf2 Mediated Oxidative Stress Response in Bovine Granulosa Cells: Potential Implication for Ovarian Function

Nrf2 is a redox sensitive transcription factor regulating the expression of antioxidant genes as defense mechanism against various stressors. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential role of noncoding miRNAs as endogenous and quercetin as exogenous regulators of Nrf2 pathway in bovine granulosa cells. For this cultured granulosa cells were used for modulation of miRNAs (miR-28, 153 and miR-708) targeting the bovine Nrf2 and supplementation of quercentin to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of the Nrf2 antioxidant system. Moreover, cultured cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative stress in those cells. Our results showed that, oxidative stress activated the expression of Nrf2 as a defense mechanism, while suppressing the expression of those miRNAs. Overexpression of those miRNAs resulted in downregulation of Nrf2 expression resulted in higher ROS accumulation, reduced mitochondrial activity and cellular proliferation. Quercetin supplementation showed its protective role against oxidative stress induced by H2O2 by inducing the expression of antioxidant enzymes. In conclusion, this study highlighted the involvement of miR-153, miR-28 and miR-708 in regulatory network of Nrf2 mediated antioxidant system in bovine granulosa cells function. Furthermore, quercetin at a low dose played a protective role in bovine granulosa cells against oxidative stress damage.
Prevalence of Bullying and Its Association With Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adolescents in Jazan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and aim: Bullying is one of the most significant problems that has emerged across the world. It has negative effects on physical, psychological, and social health, especially among adolescents. No previous studies have been conducted in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia to investigate the association between bullying and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of bullying and its association with HRQOL among adolescents in Jazan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 461 adolescents in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. They were selected from nine schools by a convenient type of sampling, using snowball technique. HRQOL was tested using the Arabic version of KIDSCREEN-27. Data were collected using a web survey and analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Results: The study revealed that 35.3% of all participants were labeled as victims. Victimization was more common among boys (17.78%) than girls (17.57%) (P = 0.001). Most of the victims were bullied verbally (75.6%), and most of them were bullied by friends (57.67%). Regarding sex differences, cyberbullying was more prevalent among girls (18.04%) than among boys (9.82%) (P = 0.01). Bullying was more common in elementary schools (39.5%) than in others. Associations were found between bullying and all aspects of HRQOL that were evaluated (P<0.0001). Conclusions: Bullying prevalence is high among adolescents of the Jazan region and is associated with a poorer quality of life. This requires more attention from families and sectors of education, health, and social services.
Tenecteplase or Alteplase Better in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Due to Large Vessel Occlusion: A Single Center Observational Study

Background and Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis with Tenecteplase before thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients compared with previous results using Alteplase. Previous trials for Tenecteplase have indicated an increased incidence of vascular reperfusion. In April 2021, we started to primarily give Tenecteplase to patients eligible to undergo thrombectomy. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective observational single-center non-randomized study, we analyzed directly admitted patients with AIS who had occlusion of the internal carotid, middle cerebral, or basilar artery and who underwent thrombectomy, as well as the recanalization rate for these patients at the first angiographic assessment (mTICI score 2b–3), and complications. Results: We included 184 patients (demographic characteristics did not differ between Tenecteplase and Alteplase groups (mean age 68.4 vs. 73.0 years; female sex 53.3% vs. 51.1%, NIHSS 14 (IQR 4–26) vs. 15 (2–31). Forty-five patients received Tenecteplase and 139 Alteplase before endovascular treatment (EVT). Pre-EVT (endovascular treatment) recanalization was more likely to occur with Tenecteplase rather than Alteplase (22.2% vs. 8.6%, p = 0.02). Successful reperfusion (mTICI 2b–3) after EVT was achieved in 155 patients (42 (93.4%) vs. 113 (81.3), p = 0.07). Hemorrhagic imbibition occurred in 15 (33.3%) Tenecteplase-treated patients compared with 39 (28.1%) Alteplase-treated patients (p = 0.5). Patients treated with Tenecteplase had higher odds of excellent functional outcome than Alteplase-treated patients (Tenecteplase 48.6% vs. Alteplase 26.1%; OR 0.37 (95% CI 0.17–0.81), p = 0.01). Conclusions: Tenecteplase (25 mg/kg) could have superior clinical efficacy over Alteplase for AIS patients with large-vessel occlusion (LVO), administered before EVT. The improvement in reperfusion rate and the better excellent functional outcome could come without an increased safety concern.
Metaplastic Breast Cancer: Characteristics and Survival Outcomes

Objectives Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a rare neoplasm accounting for <1% of all breast cancer. We evaluated the clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of MBC. Methods Patients diagnosed with pathologically proven MBC were reviewed from the institutional breast cancer database from 2000 to 2017. Results A total of 136 patients diagnosed with MBC were included in the study. The median age of the diagnosis was 60 years, and 60% of patients were stage II at diagnosis, and 22% were stage III. About two-thirds of the patients were triple-negative; 93% had nuclear grade III, and 25% had a lymphovascular invasion. Squamous differentiation (29%) was the most common histologic subtype, followed by the spindle subtype (21%). The most common distant metastases were lung (22%), followed by bone (13%). Moreover, 60% had a mastectomy, 19% had endocrine therapy, 58% had radiation, 51% received anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 26% had non-anthracycline chemotherapy, and 22% received no chemotherapy. In the entire cohort, the two-year overall survival (OS) and five-year OS were 79% and 69%, respectively, and the two-year progression-free survival (PFS) and five-year PFS were 72% and 61%, respectively. On multivariable analysis, the stage of MBC (stage III: hazard ratio (HR), 5.065 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-25.27) (p=0.048)), poor functional status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, 2; HR, 24.736 (95% CI, 1.92-318.73) (p=0.014)), and distant metastasis to the brain (HR, 8.453 (95% CI, 1.88-38.04) (p=0.005)) and lung (HR, 42.102 (95% CI, 7.20-246.36) (p<0.001)) were significant predictors of decreased OS. Conclusions MBC demonstrated early disease progression and poor overall survival. The stage of MBC, decreased performance status, and metastasis to the lung and brain were independent poor prognostic factors.
Sharing is caring: willingness to share personal data through contact tracing apps in China, Germany, and the US

ABSTRACT Are citizens more willing to share private data in (health) crises? We study citizens’ willingness to share personal data through COVID-19 contact tracing apps (CTAs). Based on a cross-national online survey with 6,464 respondents from China, Germany, and the US, we find considerable variation in how and what data respondents are willing to share through CTAs. Drawing on the privacy calculus theory and the trade-off model of privacy and security, we find that during the COVID-19 pandemic, crisis perceptions seem to have only limited influence on people’s willingness to share personal data through CTAs. The findings further show that the data type to be shared determines the suitability of the privacy calculus theory to explain people’s willingness to transfer personal data: the theory can explain the willingness to share sensitive data, but cannot explain the willingness to share less sensitive data.
Ultrastructural Characterization of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells during SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Morphological Comparison of Wild-Type and CFTR-Modified Cells

SARS-CoV-2 replicates in host cell cytoplasm. People with cystic fibrosis, considered at risk of developing severe symptoms of COVID-19, instead, tend to show mild symptoms. We, thus, analyzed at the ultrastructural level the morphological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on wild-type (WT) and F508del (ΔF) CFTR-expressing CFBE41o- cells at early and late time points post infection. We also investigated ACE2 expression through immune-electron microscopy. At early times of infection, WT cells exhibited double-membrane vesicles, representing typical replicative structures, with granular and vesicular content, while at late time points, they contained vesicles with viral particles. ∆F cells exhibited double-membrane vesicles with an irregular shape and degenerative changes and at late time of infection, showed vesicles containing viruses lacking a regular structure and a well-organized distribution. ACE2 was expressed at the plasma membrane and present in the cytoplasm only at early times in WT, while it persisted even at late times of infection in ΔF cells. The autophagosome content also differed between the cells: in WT cells, it comprised vesicles associated with virus-containing structures, while in ΔF cells, it comprised ingested material for lysosomal digestion. Our data suggest that CFTR-modified cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 have impaired organization of normo-conformed replicative structures.
An Area Efficient Low-Power mmWave PRBS Generator in FDSOI

This paper presents a miniature, low-power pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) generator based on true single-phase-clock (TSPC) flip-flops that form a linear-feedback shift register (LFSR). Operating at a supply voltage of 0.88 V it generates a 211-1 m-sequence with a maximum data rate of 33 Gb/s. The circuit is fabricated in a 22-nm fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) CMOS technology and occupies a core area of only 42 µm2. With a core power consumption of only 1.3 mW at the maximum data rate, it is well suited for its application as a baseband signal generator in a phase-modulated continuous-wave (PMCW) radar transmitter. The PRBS generator exhibits a figure of merit (FoM) of only 8 fJ /bit. This is an improvement by the factor of five compared to the current state of the art to the best of authors' knowledge.
Inhibition of Russell’s Viper Venom using Silver Nanoparticle-Bovine Serum Albumin-Curcumin Conjugates

Pangam et al. : Anti-Venom Effect of Nanoparticle-Bovine Serum Albumin-Curcumin Complex Russell’s viper being one of the most venomous snake species in Asia causes significant amount of snake bites and deaths due to neurotoxicity, coagulopathy, haemorrhage, cardiotoxicity, myotoxicity, hypotension, oedema, tissue damage and convulsion. Treatment with monoclonal antibodies, anti-snake venom is the only medically approved treatment available for snake envenomation and has many limitations and side effects such as anaphylactic shock, skin rashes, nausea to vomiting and fever, chills, hypotension, seizures, serum sickness, pruritus, urticaria, arthralgia, lymphadenopathy, encephalopathy etc. Recently, nanoscience and nanotechnology are playing an important role in medical field and has proven to be quite beneficial. In present study, chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (40±3 nm) are used to inhibit Russell’s viper venom activity. The silver nanoparticles and albumin conjugated with curcumin was prepared and characterized using spectroscopic techniques. Venom inhibitory potency of the prepared conjugate was analysed using acidimetry, protease assay and whole blood clotting test. The ultraviolet-visible spectra showed enhancement in absorbance of venom with significant hyperchromic shift and thus confirmed modification of venom by silver nanoparticles. This also led to the enhanced interaction with bovine serum albumin-curcumin conjugates. Fluorescence data also showed strong interaction between the conjugates and venom. Interestingly the activity of Russell’s viper venom was reduced to 75 %-96 %. The possible mechanism of action of bovine serum albumin-curcumin complex on venom treated with silver nanoparticles is explained at molecular level and biocompatibility of the same was also analysed. Blood agglutination by bovine serum albumin-curcumin complex showed its in vitro biocompatibility.
Modeling Chinese ionospheric layer parameters based on EOF analysis

Using 24‐ionosonde observations in and around China during the 20th solar cycle, an assimilative model is constructed to map the ionospheric layer parameters (foF2, hmF2, M(3000)F2, and foE) over China based on empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. First, we decompose the background maps from the International Reference Ionosphere model 2007 (IRI‐07) into different EOF modes. The obtained EOF modes consist of two factors: the EOF patterns and the corresponding EOF amplitudes. These two factors individually reflect the spatial distributions (e.g., the latitudinal dependence such as the equatorial ionization anomaly structure and the longitude structure with east‐west difference) and temporal variations on different time scales (e.g., solar cycle, annual, semiannual, and diurnal variations) of the layer parameters. Then, the EOF patterns and long‐term observations of ionosondes are assimilated to get the observed EOF amplitudes, which are further used to construct the Chinese Ionospheric Maps (CIMs) of the layer parameters. In contrast with the IRI‐07 model, the mapped CIMs successfully capture the inherent temporal and spatial variations of the ionospheric layer parameters. Finally, comparison of the modeled (EOF and IRI‐07 model) and observed values reveals that the EOF model reproduces the observation with smaller root‐mean‐square errors and higher linear correlation coefficients. In addition, IRI discrepancy at the low latitude especially for foF2 is effectively removed by EOF model.
The Influence of Evangelical and Political Identity on Climate Change Views

Abstract The roles religion and politics play in the climate change arena have received greater attention in the past decade. Nonetheless, the relationship between religion and politics in how they shape climate change views is poorly understood, particularly among American evangelicals. This study uses data from a probability-based mail survey of residents in the political swing state of Florida, USA to examine the relationships between evangelical identity, religiosity, partisan affiliation and three measures of climate-related views: global warming knowledge, belief, and risk perception. Findings from structural equation modeling demonstrate that evangelical identity, mediated by religiosity, exerts significant negative influences on climate measures, even when partisan affiliation is considered. We discuss these results, exploring the nuanced relationships between these variables and the implications they have on the climate change views of a large and influential segment of the public.
Carry‐over effects and fitness trade‐offs in marine life histories: The costs of complexity for adaptation

Most marine organisms have complex life histories, where the individual stages of a life cycle are often morphologically and ecologically distinct. Nevertheless, life‐history stages share a single genome and are linked phenotypically (by “carry‐over effects”). These commonalities across the life history couple the evolutionary dynamics of different stages and provide an arena for evolutionary constraints. The degree to which genetic and phenotypic links among stages hamper adaptation in any one stage remains unclear and yet adaptation is essential if marine organisms will adapt to future climates. Here, we use an extension of Fisher's geometric model to explore how both carry‐over effects and genetic links among life‐history stages affect the emergence of pleiotropic trade‐offs between fitness components of different stages. We subsequently explore the evolutionary trajectories of adaptation of each stage to its optimum using a simple model of stage‐specific viability selection with nonoverlapping generations. We show that fitness trade‐offs between stages are likely to be common and that such trade‐offs naturally emerge through either divergent selection or mutation. We also find that evolutionary conflicts among stages should escalate during adaptation, but carry‐over effects can ameliorate this conflict. Carry‐over effects also tip the evolutionary balance in favor of better survival in earlier life‐history stages at the expense of poorer survival in later stages. This effect arises in our discrete‐generation framework and is, therefore, unrelated to age‐related declines in the efficacy of selection that arise in models with overlapping generations. Our results imply a vast scope for conflicting selection between life‐history stages, with pervasive evolutionary constraints emerging from initially modest selection differences between stages. Organisms with complex life histories should also be more constrained in their capacity to adapt to global change than those with simple life histories.