Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INSULIN THERAPY ADHERENCE AND GLYCATED HAEMOGLOBIN (HbA1c) AMONG PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS ATTENDING A COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC

Insulin therapy is a recommended treatment for diabetes mellitus. Despite knowing insulin is one of the recommended treatments for glycemic control, adherence to insulin therapy still plays the main challenge in achieving good control of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). This study aims to determine adherence and compare HbA1c levels before and after six months of insulin therapy among type 2 diabetes patients (T2DM). This cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 participants with T2DM at Sungai Buloh community health clinic, Selangor. A self-administered questionnaire Morisky Insulin Adherence Scale (MIAS), was used to measure the study adherence variable. Data were analysed using a statistical package for the social science (SPSS) version 23. 11 (3.7%) of respondents had good adherence,109 (36.3%) had moderate adherence, and 180 (60%) were poor adherence. The mean HbA1C at baseline is 9.654 mmol/L and reduced to 9.194 mmol/L after six months of insulin therapy. Education shows an association towards adherence level with p-value = 0.004 and significantly found an association between HbA1c and insulin adherence with p < 0.05. The study found that most respondents have poor adherence to insulin therapy. Therefore, essential to highlight adherence issued to achieve good glycaemic control.
Differential Immune-Modulating Activities of Cell Walls and Secreted Metabolites from Probiotic Bacillus coagulans JBI-YZ6.3 under Normal versus Inflamed Culture Conditions

Spore-forming probiotic bacteria, including Bacillus coagulans, are resilient and produce a variety of beneficial metabolites. We evaluated the immune-modulating effects of the novel probiotic strain Bacillus coagulans JBI-YZ6.3, where the germinated spores, metabolite fraction, and cell wall fraction were tested in parallel using human peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures under both normal and lipopolysaccharide-induced inflamed culture conditions. The expression of CD25 and CD69 activation markers was evaluated via flow cytometry. Supernatants were tested for cytokines, interferons, chemokines, and growth factors using Luminex arrays. The germinated spores were highly immunogenic; both the cell wall and metabolite fractions contributed significantly. Under normal culture conditions, increased levels of immune activation were observed as increased expressions of CD25 and CD69 relative to natural killer cells, suggesting an increased ability to attack virus-infected target cells. On monocytes, a complex effect was observed, where the expression of CD25 increased under normal conditions but decreased under inflamed conditions. This, in combination with increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) and decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production under inflamed conditions, points to anti-inflammatory effects. The production of the stem cell-related growth factor granulocyte colony-stimulating Factor (G-CSF) was enhanced. Further research is warranted to characterize the composition of the postbiotic metabolite fraction and document the characteristics of immunomodulating agents secreted by this probiotic strain.
Geochemistry of a large impoundment, Part I: solute sources, mixing dynamics, and seasonal anoxia

Lake Texoma is a large impoundment on the border of Texas and Oklahoma, formed from the confluence of two river systems with different salinities, the Red River (total dissolved salt, TDS, of 2700–11 900 mg/l, average of 4862 mg/l) and the Washita River (TDS of 420–915 mg/l, average of 701.4 mg/l). Systematic analyses for major and trace elements were conducted of water samples collected spatially and with depth in the lake in different seasons. Overall, Lake Texoma waters are characterized by Na-Ca-Cl-SO4-type waters with spatial distribution shifting from Na-Cl type to Ca-SO4 type from the Red River arm to the main lake and to the Washita River arm. In addition, vertical and seasonal variations in major and trace elements concentrations indicate major elements in the lake are mainly controlled by different bedrock weathering from the two river systems. Trace elements that exhibit different distribution patterns to the major species are associated with variable sources such as river inflow, summer stratification effects, biological effects and anthropogenic activities. In Lake Texoma, differential inflow volumes and summer stratification are principal factors controlling the variation and geochemistry of lake waters and mixing dynamics. Supplementary material: Summary of major and trace element chemistry in the five zones of Lake Texoma for summer, fall and spring seasons (2003–2004) is available at http://www.geolsoc. org.uk/SUP18771
Indian Ocean Dipolelike Variability in the CSIRO Mark 3 Coupled Climate Model

Abstract Coupled ocean–atmosphere variability in the tropical Indian Ocean is explored with a multicentury integration of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Mark 3 climate model, which runs without flux adjustment. Despite the presence of some common deficiencies in this type of coupled model, zonal dipolelike variability is produced. During July through November, the dominant mode of variability of sea surface temperature resembles the observed zonal dipole and has out-of-phase rainfall variations across the Indian Ocean basin, which are as large as those associated with the model El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In the positive dipole phase, cold SST anomaly and suppressed rainfall south of the equator on the Sumatra–Java coast drives an anticyclonic circulation anomaly that is consistent with the steady response (Gill model) to a heat sink displaced south of the equator. The northwest–southeast tilting Sumatra–Java coast results in cold sea surface temperature .
Mechanisms of high temperature frictional sliding in Westerly granite

The mechanisms of frictional sliding in faulted Westerly granite were studied in two ways. Firstly, the experimental activation energy was measured from 300 to 700 °C at 2.5 kbar (2.5 × 105 kPa) pressure and sliding rates from 10−5 to 10−2 cm/s. Secondly, fault samples were examined with an optical and a transmission electron microscope. Below 500 °C the activation energy was about 30 kcal/mol (1.3 × 105 J/mol). The fault gouge was porous and consisted of angular randomly oriented grains. The quartz and the feldspars were unstrained, similar to the grains in a room-temperature fault. Above 500 °C the activation energy increased to about 85 kcal/mol (3.6 × 105 J/mol). Plasticity in quartz about 500 °C was observed optically by the presence of highly strained gouge grains and with the transmission electron microscope by a marked increase in dislocation density from 3 × 108 cm−2 initially to greater than 1011 cm−2 at 700 °C. The quartz grains away from the fault were strain-hardened with inhomogeneously dist.
Seasonal, latitudinal and diurnal distributions of whistler-induced electron precipitation events

The seasonal, latitudinal, and diurnal distributions of whistler-induced electron precipitation events, detected as subionospheric signal perturbations (Trimpi events), have been studied by means of data sets acquired in 1982-1983 at Palmer and Siple stations, Antarctica. The data sets, substantially larger than any previously examined, confirm previous indications of a broad (∼ 4 hour) maximum in hourly event occurrence rates. The peak was centered ∼ 1-2 hours after local midnight at Palmer for the roughly north-south Argentina Omega 12.9-kHz path, but was shifted several hours later for the 23.4-kHz NPM path, which has a westerly arrival bearing at Palmer. The previously reported seasonal variation, with peaks at the equinoxes, was confirmed; activity persisted in the austral winter, particularly following a magnetic storm, but in general occurred on fewer days and during shorter daily periods. Comparisons of occurrence data at Siple (L ≃ 4.3) and Palmer (L ≃ 2.4) for particular signal sources showed the number of days of activity to be larger at Palmer by a factor of ∼ 2 or more. Comparisons of five months of simultaneous Palmer and Siple receptions of 21.4-kHz NSS signals on north-south paths suggest that most of the events observed at Siple occurred as the result of ionospheric perturbations relatively close to the L shell of Palmer, that is, in the range L = 2 – 3. This result is consistent with the expected variation with latitude of the energy of electrons precipitated due to equatorial gyroresonance at typical whistler frequencies.
Sensitivity Optimization of Au/Ti Based-SPR Sensor by Controlling Light Incident Wavelength for Gas Sensing Application

Exposure to harmful gases may cause health problems like bone marrow deficiency, which eventually drops the number of red blood cells, causing anemia and many other dangerous diseases. This work was carried out to study the potential development of a highly sensitive Kretschmann-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for gas sensing applications using hybrid thin films of gold/titanium (Au/Ti). To optimize the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPP), the light incident wavelength was varied from visible to infrared spectra. The thickness of Au thin film with a refractive index of n= 0.1758 + 3.4101k was fixed at 50 nm. Meanwhile, the thicknesses of Ti were controlled between 1 nm to 5 nm to optimize the SPR signal. Four different types of gas samples, such as benzene, methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, were exposed to the sensor's surface. The proposed Au/Ti-based SPR sensor with thicknesses of Ti within 1 nm to 5 nm using visible and IR wavelengths able to detect various types of gaseous. Apparently, the deployment of infrared wavelength (λ=1550 nm) at Ti thickness of 3 nm resulted in the highest sensitivity up to 2412.06°/RIU and showed excellent selectivity to differentiate different types of gases. In conclusion, Au/Ti thin films are promising hybrid materials for gas sensing applications. Obviously, the sensor's sensitivity with total hybrid thin films of 53 nm was successfully enhanced as additional material, Ti, coated on the Au thin film's surface.
Evaluation of Feeding Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB) to Mouse Dams during Gestation on Birth Weight and Growth Variation of Offspring

Simple Summary In litter-bearing species, fetal competition during pregnancy can decrease the availability of nutrients to some offspring, which can increase the prevalence of low body weight at birth and variability of birth weights. Low birth weight can increase the chance of death early in life and compromise lifetime growth and health. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a nutritional intervention, β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB), to improve uniformity of birth weight in mice. Mice received HMB at low and high doses and during a critical time during pregnancy. Dietary HMB did not influence average birth weight, uniformity of birth weight, growth performance, or body composition of mouse pups born to dams fed HMB during pregnancy. In our mouse model, dietary HMB fed to pregnant mice did not reduce prevalence of low-birth-weight offspring. Abstract This study was designed to determine if feeding β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) to pregnant mice would improve birth weight uniformity and growth performance of offspring. Dams (Agouti Avy) were assigned to one of four treatments: control (CON; n = 13), low-level HMB (LL; 3.5 mg/g; n = 14), high-level HMB (HL; 35 mg/g; n = 15), and low-level pulse dose fed from gestational days 6 to 10 (PUL; 3.5 mg/g; n = 14). Randomly selected dams (n = 27) were euthanized on gestational day 18 to collect placentae and pup weights. The remaining dams gave birth and lactated for 28 days. Dams only received HMB during gestation. Dietary HMB did not influence the performance of dams. Dietary treatment during gestation did not affect litter size or birth weight of pups. Variation was not different among treatments in terms of birth weight of offspring. Placental weights were not affected by treatments. Overall, growth performance of offspring after weaning was similar among all treatments. Body composition of offspring at 5 and 8 weeks of age was similar regardless of HMB treatment during gestation. In conclusion, dietary HMB supplementation in pregnant mice did not affect birth weight, variations in birth weight, or growth performance of offspring.
EFFECTS OF UNTREATED AND CHEMICALLY DISPERSED OIL ON TROPICAL MARINE COMMUNITIES: A LONG-TERM FIELD EXPERIMENT

ABSTRACT A multidisciplinary long-term field experiment was conducted to evaluate the use of chemical dispersants to reduce the adverse environmental effects of oil spills in nearshore, tropical waters. Three study sites, whose intertidal and subtidal components consisted of mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs, were studied in detail before, during, and after exposure to untreated crude oil or chemically dispersed oil. This study simulated an unusually high (“worst case”) exposure level of dispersed oil and a moderate exposure level of untreated oil. The third site served as an untreated reference site. Assessments were made of the distribution and extent of contamination by hydrocarbons over time, and the short- and long-term effects on survival, abundance, and growth of the dominant flora and fauna of each habitat. The whole, untreated oil had severe, long-term effects on survival of mangroves and associated fauna, and relatively minor effects on seagrasses, corals, and associated organisms. Chemi.
Frequency, Associated Factors, Clinical Symptoms, and Subtypes of Blastocystis sp. in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Healthy Individuals: A Case-Control Study

Background: Blastocystis sp. is a widespread gastrointestinal inhabitant in human fecal samples that may present with diarrhea, vomiting, stomachache, and even irritating bowel syndrome (IBS). The probable association between Blastocystis infection and IBS has been the focus of many recent studies. Objectives: The current study investigated the frequency, associated risk factors, clinical symptoms, and subtypes of Blastocystis sp. among IBS and control individuals. Materials and Methods: In total, 202 stool samples (101 IBS patients and 101 control group) were collected upon giving consent. In addition, a questionnaire was completed by individuals, including demographic information. Fecal examination was performed using the direct microscopic, culture (DMEM), and molecular method. Results: The mean±standard deviation for the age of the involved subjects was 40.86±15.36 and 38.89±15.57 in the case and control groups, respectively. Further, among IBS patients and the control group, 53 (52.48%) and 50 (49.51%) were males and 48 (47.52%) and 51 (50.49%) were females, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age and gender (P>0.05). In this study, 35 (17.32%), 68 (33.66%), and 62 (30.69%) using direct, culture, and molecular methods, respectively, were positive regarding Blastocystis sp. , and no statistically significant difference was observed in this regard (P>0.05). Based on molecular findings, subtypes 1 (21.28%) and 3 (6.93%) were the most common in both groups, which did not demonstrate a statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion: In general, although the predominant subtype in the IBS group is subtype 1, this difference between the case and control groups was not statistically significant. Specific subtypes of Blastocystis have only been associated with gut dysbiosis. The accurate diagnosis of this parasite, especially at the phenotypic and genotypic levels, along with its correlation with the gut microbiota, should be considered in future studies on IBS patients.
Identification of trends and interannual variability of sulfate and black carbon in the Canadian High Arctic: 1981–2007

[1] Trends and interannual variations of the Canadian High Arctic aerosol record at Alert, Canada (82.5°N), from 1981 to 2007 are investigated and attributed to the influences of anthropogenic emissions and long-range transports. Sulfate and black carbon (BC) atmospheric mass concentrations declined from the mid 1980s to the late 1990s but have been relatively steady since. These tendencies are closely associated with those of the anthropogenic emissions of Eurasia (Europe and the Asian part of the former Soviet Union) and North America (United States and Canada). Interannual variations correlate with two indices derived from the 700 hPa geopotential heights. Variations in the emissions and the geopotential height indices can be used to reproduce up to 75% of the variations of the observed Arctic sulfate and BC mass concentrations. Over the 27 years of observational record, the relative contribution to sulfate and BC at Alert from Eurasia has decreased from more than 90% to about 75%. During the same time, the contributions from North American emissions has increased from less than 10% to about 25%. The increasing influence from North America was due to the faster reductions of sulfur and black carbon emissions in Eurasia during the period of these observations.
Investigation the longevity of hepatitis B surface antibody in vaccinated students of Hormozgan university of medical sciences

Background and Objectives: Hepatitis B is a common chronic viral infection in humans. Universal use of hepatitis B vaccine is crucial for controlling the infection, but the duration of vaccine-induced immunity remains uncertain. This study aimed to assess hepatitis B antibody levels (anti-HBs) after vaccination in infancy and adolescence, and explore the relationship between immunity levels and variables such as age, sex, BMI, place of birth, and duration since last vaccination among students at Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences from 2019 to 2021. Materials and Methods: The study included 1134 students who completed a questionnaire and provided blood samples for ELISA-based measurement of antibody titers. Results: The findings revealed that 727 students (64.1%) had no protective antibody level (anti-HBs <10 mIU/ml), 299 (26.4%) had partial immunity (anti-HBs 10-100 mIU/ml), and 108 (9.5%) had complete immunity (anti-HBs >100 mIU/ml). No statistically significant relationships were observed between anti-HBs titer and age, sex, or BMI. However, antibody titer decreased with increasing time since last vaccination (P<0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights the decline in antibody titer over time following primary vaccination. Sustained immunity against hepatitis B virus relies on antibody durability or robust immunological memory, suggesting the importance of timing booster vaccinations.
Ecology of Economically Important Palms in Peruvian Amazonia

Most palm species are used by Amazonian natives and provide a variety of products, such as edible fruits, oil, palm heart, building materials, and basketry. However, only a few species have significant economic potential. These palms occur essentially in seasonal swamp forests on waterlogged soils covering vast areas in Peruvian Amazonia, or on sandy soils. Three especially promising species- Jessenia bataua, Mauritia flexuosa and Euterpe pre- catoria-constitute dense populations on these soils, which are generally considered as unfit for agriculture. The management of promising palm populations will contribute to increasing the economic value of such soils by transforming seasonal swamp forests into productive agroforestry fields.
Two Decades of Liver Transplants for Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Comparative Study of Living Donors vs. Deceased Donor Liver Transplantations

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) prompts liver transplantation (LT) due to cholestasis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. Despite lower MELD scores, recent studies highlight higher PBC waitlist mortality, intensifying the need for alternative transplantation strategies. Living donor liver transplant (LDLT) has emerged as a solution to the organ shortage. This study compares LDLT and deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) outcomes in PBC patients via retrospective analysis of the UNOS database (2002–2021). Patient survival, graft failure, and predictors were evaluated through Kaplan–Meier and Cox-proportional analyses. Among 3482 DDLTs and 468 LDLTs, LDLT showed superior patient survival (92.3%, 89.1%, 87.6%, 85.0%, 77.2% vs. 91.5%, 88.3%, 86.3%, 82.2%, 71.0%; respectively; p = 0.02) with no significant graft survival difference at 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 10-years post-LT (91.0%, 88.0%, 85.7%, 83.0%, 75.4% vs. 90.5%, 87.4%, 85.3%, 81.3%, 70.0%; respectively; p = 0.06). Compared to DCD, LDLT showed superior patient and graft survival (p < 0.05). Younger male PBC recipients with a high BMI, diabetes, and dialysis history were associated with mortality and graft failure (p < 0.05). Our study showed that LDLT had superior patient survival to DDLT. Predictors of poor post-LT outcomes require further validation studies.
Comparison of production characteristics of BLRI-developed layer strain-2 (Shorna) with commercial ISA Brown

The existing research program was undertaken to associate the presentation of Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) settled layer strain-2 "Shorna" with a commercial strain (ISA Brown). To conduct this study, a total of 120 ISA Brown and 120 Shorna pullets were selected at chance from the prevailing batch at the age of twelve weeks. Birds were arranged in a completely randomized design, with six replications having 20 birds in each replication. Non-significant results were found in the case of feather sexing accuracy between two brown egg-laying strains. The egg weight and the egg mass production were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Shorna than in ISA Brown, whereas the egg production rate fell for Shorna compared to ISA Brown. In terms of body weight or feed consumption, there was no statistically significant difference between Shorna and ISA brown, and neither of the studied layer chickens had an impact on their FCR. Higher serum phosphorus and antibody titer levels were found in Shorna than in ISA brown (P<0.05). Additionally, the Shorna strain had more ovarian follicles than the ISA brown strain (P<0.05). Therefore, it may be assumed that these results prove Shorna is equivalent to an ISA brown laying chicken.
Non-Ventilated Patients with Spontaneous Pneumothorax or Pneumomediastinum Associated with COVID-19: Three-Year Debriefing across Five Pandemic Waves

Spontaneous pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum (SP–SPM) are relatively rare medical conditions that can occur with or independently of COVID-19. We conducted a retrospective analysis of SP–SPM cases presented to the emergency departments (EDs) of two University-affiliated tertiary hospitals from 1 March 2020 to 31 October 2022. A total of 190 patients were identified: 52 were COVID-19 cases, and 138 were non-COVID-19 cases. The primary outcome we were looking for was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes concerned the disease severity assessed by (a) days of hospitalization; (b) required mechanical ventilation (MV); and (c) required intensive care (IC). All were investigated in the context of the five pandemic waves and the patients’ age and comorbidities. The pandemic waves had no significant effect on the outcomes of these patients. Logistic regression found age (OR = 1.043; 95%CI 1.002–1.085), COVID-19 (OR = 6.032; 95%CI 1.757–20.712), number of comorbidities (OR = 1.772; 95%CI 1.046–3.001), and ground-glass opacities over 50% (OR = 5.694; 95%CI 1.169–27.746) as significant risk predictors of in-hospital death while controlling for gender, smoking, the pandemic wave, and the extension of SP–SPM. The model proved good prediction performance (Nagelkerke R-square = 0.524) and would hold the same significant predictors for MV and IC.