Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Anomalous and Galactic Cosmic-Ray Oxygen at 1 au during 1997–2020

Using quiet-time measurements of element oxygen within the energy range 7.3–237.9 MeV nuc−1 from the ACE spacecraft at 1 au, we compare the energy spectra and intensities of anomalous and Galactic cosmic rays (ACRs and GCRs, respectively) during 1997–2020. Our analysis shows that the transition from the ACR-dominated spectrum to the GCR-dominated spectrum occurs at energies ∼15 to ∼35 MeV nuc−1, and the transition energy E t is found to be well anticorrelated with varying solar activity. This is the first study of ACR–GCR transition energy dependence on the solar cycle variation. At energies below E t , the index of the power-law ACR-dominated spectrum (γ 1) ranges from −2.0 to −0.5, whereas the GCR-dominated spectrum has a power-law index (γ 2) changing from 0.3 to 0.8 at energies ranging from E t to 237.9 MeV nuc−1. Both γ 1 and γ 2 are positively correlated with solar activity. In addition, during the solar cycle 24/25 minimum period, the peak GCR intensity observed by ACE spacecraft is about 8% above its 2009 value, setting a new record since the space age, while the peak ACR intensity is almost similar to that of the previous two solar cycles with the same pattern of solar magnetic polarity, indicating a different modulation mechanism between ACRs and GCRs.
High-dimensional Portfolio Optimization using Joint Shrinkage

We consider the problem of optimizing a portfolio of financial assets, where the number of assets can be much larger than the number of observations. The optimal portfolio weights require estimating the inverse covariance matrix of excess asset returns, classical solutions of which behave badly in high-dimensional scenarios. We propose to use a regression-based joint shrinkage method for estimating the partial correlation among the assets. Extensive simulation studies illustrate the superior performance of the proposed method with respect to variance, weight, and risk estimation errors compared with competing methods for both the global minimum variance portfolios and Markowitz mean-variance portfolios. We also demonstrate the excellent empirical performances of our method on daily and monthly returns of the components of the S&P 500 index.
Universal tradeoff relation between speed, uncertainty, and dissipation in nonequilibrium stationary states

We derive universal thermodynamic inequalities that bound from below the moments of first-passage times of stochastic currents in nonequilibrium stationary states of Markov jump processes in the limit where the two thresholds that define the first-passage problem are large. These inequalities describe a tradeoff between speed, uncertainty, and dissipation in nonequilibrium processes, which are quantified, respectively, with the moments of the first-passage times of stochastic currents, the splitting probability of the first-passage problem, and the mean entropy production rate. Near equilibrium, the inequalities imply that mean first-passage times are lower bounded by the Van't Hoff-Arrhenius law, whereas far from thermal equilibrium the bounds describe a universal speed limit for rate processes. When the current is proportional to the stochastic entropy production, then the bounds are equalities, a remarkable property that follows from the fact that the exponentiated negative entropy production is a martingale.
Coexistence of diffusive and ballistic transport in integrable quantum lattice models

We investigate the high-temperature dynamical conductivity σ(ω) in two one-dimensional integrable quantum lattice models: the anisotropic XXZ spin chain and the Hubbard chain. The emphasis is on the metallic regime of both models, where besides the ballistic component, the regular part of conductivity might reveal a diffusive-like transport. To resolve the low-frequency dynamics, we upgrade the microcanonical Lanczos method enabling studies of finite-size systems with up to L ≤ 32 sites for XXZ spin model with the frequency resolution δω ∼ 10−3J . Results for the XXZ chain reveal a fine structure of σ(ω) spectra, which originates from the discontinuous variation of the stiffness, previously found at commensurate values of the anisotropy parameter ∆. Still, we do not find a clear evidence for a diffusive component, at least not for commensurate values of ∆, particularly for ∆ = 0.5, as well as for ∆ → 0. Similar is the conclusion for the Hubbard model away from half-filling, where the spectra reveal more universal behavior.
Strategies to Advance Women: Career Insights From Senior Leadership Women in Professional Sport in Canada

Women remain minimally represented in senior leadership roles in sport, despite increased female participation in both sport, sport management education programs, and in entry levels positions in the industry. Many women prematurely exit mid-level leadership positions in sport, or are often overlooked for senior leadership positions. To uncover the experiences and strategies of women who made it through the process, we interviewed all the women (N = 7) who now hold senior leadership positions with professional sport properties in Canada. Participants revealed they overcame real and perceived barriers, and they suggested women seeking senior leadership roles in the industry: (a) find, and later become role models, mentors, and sponsors; (b) create access to networks and opportunities; (c) strategically self-promote, and; (d) purposefully build a varied career portfolio. Recommendations for the industry and all those who work in the industry are presented with a goal to break the cycle and help ensure more equitable and inclusive leaders in the senior leadership ranks.
Naples Prognostic Score Predicts Tumor Regression Grade in Resectable Gastric Cancer Treated with Preoperative Chemotherapy

Simple Summary Multimodal treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer is still debated today due to controversial results in different trials. Nevertheless, perioperative chemotherapy with radical surgery certainly shows a better long-term outcome than surgery alone, so much so it is the main multimodal treatment offered in Europe, at the present. Tumor regression grade is the objective response to preoperative chemotherapy and its extent, in terms of reduction of neoplastic cells in the resected specimen, is strongly affected by Lauren’s classification, TNM stage, and tumor grading. Therefore, since this information can be achieved only after surgical resection, the return of chemotherapy is quite unpredictable in advance and, in about half cases, it is definitely ineffective. Naples Prognostic Score, that mirrors the immune–nutritional conditions, tested on 59 consecutive advanced gastric cancer patients undergoing multimodal treatment, showed a strong power in predicting tumor regression grade and therefore is strictly correlated with long-term outcome and survival. Abstract Despite recent progresses, locally advanced gastric cancer remains a daunting challenge to embrace. Perioperative chemotherapy and D2-gastrectomy depict multimodal treatment of gastric cancer in Europe, shows better results than curative surgery alone in terms of downstaging, micrometastases elimination, and improved long-term survival. Unfortunately, preoperative chemotherapy is useless in about 50% of cases of non-responder patients, in which no effect is registered. Tumor regression grade (TRG) is directly related to chemotherapy effectiveness, but its understanding is achieved only after surgical operation; accordingly, preoperative chemotherapy is given indiscriminately. Conversely, Naples Prognostic Score (NPS), related to patient immune-nutritional status and easily obtained before taking any therapeutic decision, appeared an independent prognostic variable of TRG. NPS was calculated in 59 consecutive surgically treated gastric cancer patients after neoadjuvant FLOT4-based chemotherapy. 42.2% of positive responses were observed: all normal NPS and half mild/moderate NPS showed significant responses to chemotherapy with TRG 1–3; while only 20% of the worst NPS showed some related benefits. Evaluation of NPS in gastric cancer patients undergoing multimodal treatment may be useful both in selecting patients who will benefit from preoperative chemotherapy and for changing immune-nutritional conditions in order to improve patient’s reaction against the tumor.
Associations between Early-Life Food Deprivation and Risk of Frailty of Middle-Age and Elderly People: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Background: The association between childhood food deprivation (FD) and health in later life has been extensively studied; however, studies on the association between childhood food deprivation and frailty are scarce. This study assessed the associations between childhood FD and the risk of frailty at middle-age and old age. Methods: Three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 11,615 individuals aged over 45 years, were used for this research. Frailty was operationalized according to the FRAIL scale as a sum of fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illness, and the loss of weight. Childhood FD experiences and levels were measured by self-reported FD and historical content. Logistic mixed-effects models and proportional odds ordered logistic regression models were used to analyse the association between childhood FD and frailty. Findings: Childhood FD increased the odds of frailty at old age (1.30, 95% CI: 1.26–1.36). Compared with subjects with mild FD, those with extreme FD experiences had increased risks of frailty (1.34, 95% CI: 1.26–1.43). Subjects exposed to hunger at different ages all had an increased risk of frailty, and subjects who had FD during ages 6–12 (1.15, 95% CI: 1.09–1.22) were more likely to have an increased risk of frailty than those who had experienced FD in younger ages. The interaction of experience of FD at ages 0–6 and the experience of FD at ages 6–12 is not statistically significant after adjusting all covariates. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that childhood FD exerts long-lasting effects on frailty among older adults in China. The prevention of childhood FD may delay or even avert the emergence of frailty in people of middle-age and old age.
Interactions between the Gut Microbiome, Lung Conditions, and Coronary Heart Disease and How Probiotics Affect These

The importance of a healthy microbiome cannot be overemphasized. Disturbances in its composition can lead to a variety of symptoms that can extend to other organs. Likewise, acute or chronic conditions in other organs can affect the composition and physiology of the gut microbiome. Here, we discuss interorgan communication along the gut–lung axis, as well as interactions between lung and coronary heart diseases and between cardiovascular disease and the gut microbiome. This triangle of organs, which also affects the clinical outcome of COVID-19 infections, is connected by means of numerous receptors and effectors, including immune cells and immune-modulating factors such as short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and trimethlamine–N–oxide (TMAO). The gut microbiome plays an important role in each of these, thus affecting the health of the lungs and the heart, and this interplay occurs in both directions. The gut microbiome can be influenced by the oral uptake of probiotics. With an improved understanding of the mechanisms responsible for interorgan communication, we can start to define what requirements an ‘ideal’ probiotic should have and its role in this triangle.
Fear of COVID-19 and the Media Influence on Herbal Medication Use in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created fear in people around the world. This has led to the widespread use of various herbal remedies in its prevention and treatment regardless of the paucity of scientific evidence about their safety and efficacy. This study assessed the fear of COVID-19 and the influence of media on the use of herbal medicine to prevent or treat COVID-19 in Uganda. Methods In the first 2 weeks of July 2021, a descriptive online cross-sectional study was carried out anonymously in the general population in Uganda. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on herbal medicine use and the influence of media. Fear of COVID-19 was rated using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Results We recruited 488 participants, 273 (55.9%) were female, with a median age of 25 (range: 18–73) years. Sixty-seven (57.8%) participants had a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. The mean FCV-19S score was 21.7 SD 5.9 with 53.3% reporting high levels of COVID-19 fear. About 57.4% of participants reported using herbal remedies either to prevent or treat COVID-19-like symptoms. Media was the main source of information, with more than 80% of the participants reporting seeing or accessing information about herbal medication use. Women (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.74, 95% CI: 1.2–2.5, p=0.003) and people with a previously confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis (aOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.35–7.14, p=0.008) had a statistically significantly higher FCV-19S score. Being unemployed (aOR: 1.0, 95% CI: 1.1–2.3, p=0.008) and a female (aOR: 1.0, 95% CI: 1.1–2.3, p=0.012) were statistically significantly associated with herbal medicine use. Participants who used herbal remedies had a higher median FCV-19S score compared to non-users (23 versus 21, p<0.001). Conclusion The use of herbal medicines to treat or prevent COVID-19 is a widespread practice among the general population in Uganda amidst the high levels of fear of COVID-19.
Clinical Evaluation of Pathognomonic Salivary Protease Fingerprinting for Oral Disease Diagnosis

Dental decay (Caries) and periodontal disease are globally prevalent diseases with significant clinical need for improved diagnosis. As mediators of dental disease-specific extracellular matrix degradation, proteases are promising analytes. We hypothesized that dysregulation of active proteases can be functionally linked to oral disease status and may be used for diagnosis. To address this, we examined a total of 52 patients with varying oral disease states, including healthy controls. Whole mouth saliva samples and caries biopsies were collected and subjected to analysis. Overall proteolytic and substrate specific activities were assessed using five multiplexed, fluorogenic peptides. Peptide cleavage was further described by inhibitors targeting matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and cysteine, serine, calpain proteases (CSC). Proteolytic fingerprints, supported by supervised machine-learning analysis, were delineated by total proteolytic activity (PepE) and substrate preference combined with inhibition profiles. Caries and peridontitis showed increased enzymatic activities of MMPs with common (PepA) and divergent substrate cleavage patterns (PepE), suggesting different MMP contribution in particular disease states. Overall, sensitivity and specificity values of 84.6% and 90.0%, respectively, were attained. Thus, a combined analysis of protease derived individual and arrayed substrate cleavage rates in conjunction with inhibitor profiles may represent a sensitive and specific tool for oral disease detection.
Metformin and sodium dichloroacetate effects on proliferation, apoptosis, and metabolic activity tested alone and in combination in a canine prostate and a bladder cancer cell line

An important approach in tumor therapy is combining substances with different action mechanisms aiming to enhance the antineoplastic effect, decrease the therapeutic dosage, and avoid resistance mechanisms. Moreover, evaluating compounds already approved for the treatment of non-neoplastic diseases is promising for new antineoplastic therapies. Sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) reactivates oxidative phosphorylation in the cancer cell mitochondria, reducing apoptosis resistance in cancer cells. Furthermore, metformin inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells and CD133+ cancer -stem-like cells. In the present study, we evaluated the independent and synergistic effect of metformin and DCA on the metabolic activity, cell proliferation, and apoptosis of a canine prostate adenocarcinoma (Adcarc1258) and a transitional cell carcinoma cell line (TCC1506) in comparison to a primary canine fibroblast culture. Determining metformin uptake in tumor cells was performed by quantitative HPLC. Depending on the dosage, metformin as a single agent inhibited the metabolic activity and cell proliferation of the tumor cells, showing only minor effects on the fibroblasts. Furthermore, 1 mM metformin increased apoptosis over 96 h in the tumor cell lines but not in fibroblasts. Additionally, metformin uptake into the tumor cells in vitro was measurable by quantitative HPLC. Synergistic effects for the combination therapy were observed in both neoplastic cell lines as well as in the fibroblasts. Based on these results, metformin might be a promising therapeutic agent for canine urogenital tumors. Further studies on kinetics, toxicology, bioavailability, and application of metformin in dogs are necessary.
A Comparative Study on the Efficiency of Two Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP)-Derived Lipopeptides of L3P and L5P as Capture Antigens in an In-House Milk ELISA Test

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) surface-exposed lipopeptides could be specific capture-antigen molecules targeting antibodies against MAP, in milk, through ELISA. Previous studies have revealed that MAP strains, isolated from sheep (S) or cow (C), could produce specific lipopeptides, L3P or L5P, respectively. In this study, we used L3P and L5P as capture antigens in an in-house milk ELISA (H-MELISA) to assess how these antigens perform, in comparison with other ELISA tests, on well-defined milk samples from MAP-infected sheep. The overall positivity rates of H-MELISA via L3P and L5P varied by the source of milk samples, in which, at bulk-tank-milk (BTM) level, the majority of positive cases (63.83%) reacted more against L5P, whereas a predominant number (69.14%) of milk samples were more responsive against L3P at the individual level. To clarify whether the positivity status of milk samples in H-MELISA L3P/L5P were predictive of MAP strain-types (S/C), strain-typing was carried out using PCR IS1311-restriction enzyme analysis. Although the presence of three MAP strains (S/C/bison types) was detected among the milk samples, the C-type (46.67%) and S-type (75%) MAP strains were detected with higher incidence among BTMs and individual milk samples, respectively. However, further examination on the H-MELISA L3P/L5P-positivity pattern of each C/S-type-MAP sample revealed that some samples had a reverse reactivity against both L3P and L5P. These results could be the consequence of either cross-reactivity between L3P and L5P (due to the similarity in the structures of the two epitopes) or simply a within-herd mixed infection with MAP strains of C and S types. These findings suggest that lipopeptide antigens could contribute a diagnostic test with optimal performance, considering the diversity of MAP strains.
Comparative Mitogenomics and Phylogenetic Analyses of Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

Pentatomoidea is the largest superfamily of Pentatomomorpha; however, the phylogenetic relationships among pentatomoid families have been debated for a long time. In the present study, we gathered the mitogenomes of 55 species from eight common families (Acanthosomatidae, Cydnidae, Dinidoridae, Scutelleridae, Tessaratomidae, Plataspidae, Urostylididae and Pentatomidae), including 20 newly sequenced mitogenomes, and conducted comparative mitogenomic studies with an emphasis on the structures of non-coding regions. Heterogeneity in the base composition, and contrasting evolutionary rates were encountered among the mitogenomes in Pentatomoidea, especially in Urostylididae, which may lead to unstable phylogenetic topologies. When the family Urostylididae is excluded in taxa sampling or the third codon positions of protein coding genes are removed, phylogenetic analyses under site-homogenous models could provide more stable tree topologies. However, the relationships between families remained the same in all PhyloBayes analyses under the site-heterogeneous mixture model CAT + GTR with different datasets and were recovered as (Cydnidae + (((Tessaratomidae + Dinidoridae) + (Plataspidae + Scutelleridae)) + ((Acanthosomatidae + Urostylididae) + Pentatomidae)))). Our study showed that data optimizing strategies after heterogeneity assessments based on denser sampling and the use of site-heterogeneous mixture models are essential for further analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of Pentatomoidea.
Green Space and Health in Mainland China: A Systematic Review

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become a major cause of premature mortality and disabilities in China due to factors concomitant with rapid economic growth and urbanisation over three decades. Promoting green space might be a valuable strategy to help improve population health in China, as well as a range of co-benefits (e.g., increasing resilience to climate change). No systematic review has so far determined the degree of association between green space and health outcomes in China. This review was conducted to address this gap. Five electronic databases were searched using search terms on green space, health, and China. The review of 83 publications that met eligibility criteria reports associations indicative of various health benefits from more green space, including mental health, general health, healthier weight status and anthropometry, and more favorable cardiometabolic and cerebrovascular outcomes. There was insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions on mortality, birth outcomes, and cognitive function, and findings on respiratory and infectious outcomes were inconsistent and limited. Future work needs to examine the health benefits of particular types and qualities of green spaces, as well as to take advantage of (quasi-)experimental designs to test greening interventions within the context of China’s rapid urbanization and economic growth.
Lipopeptides from Bacillus subtilis have potential application in the winemaking process: inhibiting fungal and ochratoxin A contamination and enhancing esters and acids biosynthesis

Background and Aims Aspergillus carbonarius is considered the major cause of ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in grape products, especially wine. The lipopeptides produced by Bacillus subtilis have been found to inhibit A. carbonarius contamination and OTA production in grapes. In order to assess the potential application of these lipopeptides during the winemaking process, they were tested alone or in combination with SO2 to evaluate their effect on fungal growth and OTA contamination. Methods and Results Lipopeptides at 200 and 400 mg/L were added alone or in combination with SO2 during the winemaking process using naturally contaminated grapes. Aspergillus carbonarius was also manually inoculated before fermentation to simulate grapes with a high fungal contamination and to investigate the inhibitory effect of lipopeptides on OTA-producing fungi. The lipopeptides inhibited significantly fungal contamination and OTA production, much stronger than SO2 against OTA-producing A. carbonarius, at an optimum level of 200 mg/L. Yeast growth and biosynthesis of esters and acids were also promoted by lipopeptides during winemaking, which led to an improvement of wine flavour. Conclusions Lipopeptides isolated from B. subtilis had a more potent inhibitory effect on fungal contamination and OTA accumulation than that of SO2 during winemaking. Moreover, lipopeptides had no negative effect on fermentation, wine composition and sensory attributes. Significance of the Study These findings highlight the interesting possibility for the application of lipopeptides to replace or reduce the amount of SO2 added during winemaking, especially when the inhibition of fungal contamination and OTA accumulation is considered.