Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sampling VOCs with Porous Suction Samplers in the Presence of Ethanol: How Much Are We Losing?

Porous suction samplers have been widely used to obtain ground water samples from the vadose zone. However, previous studies identified different mechanisms that may compromise the sample’s representativeness, such as volatilization and sorption. This issue is particularly important when dealing with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as in gasoline spills. Ethanol is common in modern fuels and so may be present in ground water contamination from fuel releases. The objective of this work was to evaluate the losses of VOCs in the presence of ethanol when using porous suction samplers. Laboratory experiments were performed using a ceramic porous suction sampler to sample test solution containing benzene, toluene, xylenes, trimethylbenzenes, naphthalene, and different volumetric fractions of ethanol. Significant losses were found up to 30% for ethylbenzene. Ethanol was found to affect the accuracy of the readings by two main mechanisms: first, negatively, by increasing the headspace in the sampling tube, and second, positively, increasing partition to the aqueous phase due to the cosolvent effect and therefore decreasing the mass loss by volatilization. As a consequence, the highest losses of VOCs were found at intermediate ethanol volume fractions: 10% and 20% (v/v). The losses can be anticipated by measuring the ratio of gas to water in the sampling line and then by applying simple partition models considering cosolvency by ethanol. The importance of adequate purging when using porous suction samplers was also shown.
The role of CDX2 in renal tubular lesions during diabetic kidney disease

Renal tubules are vulnerable targets of various factors causing kidney injury in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and the degree of tubular lesions is closely related to renal function. Abnormal renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) differentiation and depletion of cell junction proteins are important in DKD pathogenesis. Caudal-type homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2), represents a key nuclear transcription factor that maintains normal proliferation and differentiation of the intestinal epithelium. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of CDX2 on RTECs differentiation and cell junction proteins in DKD. The results demonstrated that CDX2 was mainly localized in renal tubules, and downregulated in various DKD models. CDX2 upregulated E-cadherin and suppressed partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which can alleviate hyperglycemia-associated RTECs injury. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) was regulated by CDX2 in NRK-52E cells, and CFTR interfered with β-catenin activation by binding to Dvl2, which is an essential component of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. CFTR knockdown abolished the suppressive effects of CDX2 on Wnt/β-catenin signaling, thereby upregulating cell junction proteins and inhibiting partial EMT in RTECs. In summary, CDX2 can improve renal tubular lesions during DKD by increasing CFTR amounts to suppress the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
An analytical retention model for SONOS nonvolatile memory devices in the excess electron state

For the first time, we present a SONOS retention model that incorporates both T-B and TE detrapping mechanisms. First, the influences of gate dielectric thickness, temperature and trap energy on the electron decay are discussed, based on calculations of detrapping time constants. Next, an analytical SONOS retention model is presented, considering an arbitary trap energy distribution in the silicon nitride. Finally, the model is verified with a good agreement between measured and simulated SONOS retention characteristics at temperatures from 22/spl deg/C to 225/spl deg/C.
The effects of various pre‐treatments on the freeze‐etching of root tips

Results of experiments on the pre‐treatment of root tips for freeze‐etching are outlined. Successful freeze‐fixation of viable roots was obtained using seedlings of Avena, Triticum and Zea. The seeds were germinated in contact with water, then placed on top of tubes of filter paper impregnated with glycerol; this allowed aeration of the roots. Most roots grew slightly on exposure to glycerol and remained turgid. Avena and Triticum gave good freeze‐fixation after 7 days in contact with 20% glycerol and after contact with 20% glycerol for 3 days followed by 25% glycerol for 3 days. Good preservation was also obtained with Zea but results were more variable than in Avena and Triticum.
LAMC2 promotes cancer progression and gemcitabine resistance through modulation of EMT and ATP-binding cassette transporters in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis. Gemcitabine remains an effective option for the majority of PDAC patients. Unfortunately, currently no reliable prognostic and predictive biomarkers of therapeutic response are available for the patients with PDAC. Laminin γ2 (LAMC2) is overexpressed in several cancers, and its high expression facilitates cancer development and chemoresistance. However, its functional role in PDAC remains unclear, and a better understanding of this will likely help improve the prognosis of PDAC patients. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical and biological role of LAMC2 in PDAC. We first analyzed the expression levels of LAMC2 by real-time reverse transcription PCR in a cohort of 114 PDAC patients. Interestingly, higher expression of LAMC2 significantly correlated with poor survival in PDAC cohort. In addition, elevated LAMC2 expression served as a potential prognostic marker for survival. Subsequently, functional characterization for the role of LAMC2 in PDAC was performed by small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown in pancreatic cancer (PC) cell lines. Interestingly, inhibition of LAMC2 in PC cells enhanced the gemcitabine sensitivity and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, it inhibited colony formation ability, migration, and invasion potential. Furthermore, LAMC2 regulated the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. In addition, LAMC2 significantly correlated with genes associated with the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters in PC cells and PDAC patients. In conclusion, these results suggest that LAMC2 regulates gemcitabine sensitivity through EMT and ABC transporters in PDAC and may be a novel therapeutic target in PDAC patients.
A New Generation of Portable Coarse, Fine, and Ultrafine Particle Concentrators for use in Inhalation Toxicology

This study presents the development of prototype portable coarse, fine and ultrafine particle concentrators. A single-round nozzle virtual impactor operating at an intake flow of 120 L/min is used to concentrate coarse particles (e.g., 2.5–10 µm) by a factor up to 40 depending on the minor flow rate. Fine and ultrafine particles are concentrated by first growing to supermicrometer sizes via supersaturation. This is accomplished by first drawing these particles over a pool of warm, deionized, distilled water to achieve saturation and then through a condenser that allows the particles to grow to supermicrometer size, followed by concentration in a virtual impactor. After concentration, particles are returned back to their original size distribution and relative humidity by removing excess moisture in a diffusion drier. The performance of these concentrators was evaluated using generated monodisperse particles as well as ambient air particles. Average concentration enrichment factors were 9.5, 20, and 37 for a minor flow of 12, 6, and 3 L/min, respectively. The average concentration enrichment based on particulate sulfate and nitrate was by a factor of 20 and 22.6, respectively. The HEADS sampler was used as the reference sampler. The enrichment values based on particulate nitrate indicate that no nitrate loss occurs during particle concentration enrichment. The concentration of particular elemental (EC) and organic carbon (OC) was also evaluated, using the MOU DI as a reference sampler. The average concentration enrichment factors obtained for EC and OC were 20.4 and 21.6, respectively. Our experimental results indicated that the enrichment in concentration is not dependent on particle size and chemical composition. Because of their compact size and high concentration efficiency, the concentrators described in this study are inexpensive and portable so can be moved easily to several locations over seasons that differ in PM chemical composition and source profiles.
Toward a Comprehensive Analysis of Posttranscriptional Regulatory Networks: a New Tool for the Identification of Small RNA Regulators of Specific mRNAs

With the recognition of the importance of posttranscriptional regulation mediated by bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs), their contribution to global gene expression regulatory networks needs to be addressed in a truly comprehensive manner. While a single sRNA targets multiple RNAs, an mRNA can be regulated by multiple sRNAs that can be either transcribed individually or derived by processing of mRNAs. ABSTRACT A number of computational or experimental tools have been developed to identify targets of small RNA (sRNA) regulation. Here, we modified one of these methods, based on in vivo proximity ligation of sRNAs bound to their targets, referred to as rGRIL-seq, that can be used to capture sRNA regulators of a gene of interest. Intracellular expression of bacteriophage T4 RNA ligase leads to a covalent linking of sRNAs base-paired with mRNAs, and the chimeras are captured using oligonucleotides complementary to the mRNA, followed by sequencing. This allows the identification of known as well as novel sRNAs. We applied rGRIL-seq toward finding sRNA regulators of expression of the stress response sigma factor RpoS in Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Vibrio cholerae. In E. coli, we confirmed the regulatory role of known sRNAs and discovered a new negative regulator, asYbiE. When applied to P. aeruginosa and V. cholerae, we identified two novel sRNAs (s03661 and s0223) in P. aeruginosa and two known sRNAs (TfoR and Vcr043) in V. cholerae as direct regulators of rpoS. The use of rGRIL-seq for defining multiple posttranscriptional regulatory inputs into individual mRNAs represents a step toward a more comprehensive understanding of the workings of bacterial regulatory networks. IMPORTANCE With the recognition of the importance of posttranscriptional regulation mediated by bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs), their contribution to global gene expression regulatory networks needs to be addressed in a truly comprehensive manner. While a single sRNA targets multiple RNAs, an mRNA can be regulated by multiple sRNAs that can be either transcribed individually or derived by processing of mRNAs. In this paper, we developed a tool (referred to as rGRIL-seq) to identify sRNAs that regulate mRNAs regardless of their origin. We demonstrated the utility of this approach by identifying positive and negative sRNA regulators of the rpoS mRNA in three bacterial species. We not only described known sRNAs of E. coli or P. aeruginosa that control rpoS but also identified several new rpoS regulators in V. cholerae. Therefore, rGRIL-seq can be used to identify species-specific sRNAs targeting a conserved mRNA, and they likely play an important role in bacterial adaptation to specific environmental niches.
Effects of low temperature on blood‐to‐plasma ratio measurement

The blood‐to‐plasma ratio (Rb) is an important property of drug candidates. Rb is applied widely in drug discovery to convert plasma pharmacokinetic parameters to the respective parameters in blood and to develop in vitro–in vivo correlations. Some compounds such as prodrugs, soft drugs, and peptide mimetics are unstable in blood, making accurate in vitro Rb measurement challenging, but necessary. Low temperature often reduces the rate of enzymatic and chemical reactions and increases the stability of labile compounds in biomatrices. In this study, the effects of 4°C on Rb measurement were evaluated using a set of structurally diverse compounds with various binding and red blood cell (RBC) transport mechanisms. The results indicate that a 4°C Rb method provides comparable Rb values to the 37°C method for most compounds and can therefore be applied to measure the Rb of unstable compounds in drug discovery. In some rare cases, when compounds have a high affinity to specific RBC components (e.g., carbonic anhydrase), the 4°C method may underestimate Rb. In these specific cases, the use of appropriate inhibitors to stabilize unstable compounds is recommended.
Ultrastructural Changes of the Mitochondrion During the Life Cycle of Trypanosoma brucei

The mitochondrion is crucial for ATP generation by oxidative phosphorylation, among other processes. Cristae are invaginations of the mitochondrial inner membrane that house nearly all the macromolecular complexes that perform oxidative phosphorylation. The unicellular parasite Trypanosoma brucei undergoes during its life cycle extensive remodeling of its single mitochondrion, which reflects major changes in its energy metabolism. While the bloodstream form (BSF) generates ATP exclusively by substrate‐level phosphorylation and has a morphologically highly reduced mitochondrion, the insect‐dwelling procyclic form (PCF) performs oxidative phosphorylation and has an expanded and reticulated organelle. Here, we have performed high‐resolution 3D reconstruction of BSF and PCF mitochondria, with a particular focus on their cristae. By measuring the volumes and surface areas of these structures in complete or nearly complete cells, we have found that mitochondrial cristae are more prominent in BSF than previously thought and their biogenesis seems to be maintained during the cell cycle. Furthermore, PCF cristae exhibit a surprising range of volumes in situ, implying that each crista is acting as an independent bioenergetic unit. Cristae appear to be particularly enriched in the region of the organelle between the nucleus and kinetoplast, the mitochondrial genome, suggesting this part has distinctive properties.
The effects of pregabalin, solifenacin and their combination therapy on ureteral double-J stent-related symptoms: A randomized controlled clinical trial

ABSTRACT Background: Many medical therapies have been tested to deal with urinary stent-related symptoms (USRS). Several preventive and pharmaceutical methods have been already used for better compatibility of stents. However, the existing evidence for pharmacological treatment is still controversial. This study aims to evaluate the effects of pregabalin, solifenacin, and combination therapy on ureteral double-J stent-related symptoms following ureteroscopy and transureteral lithotripsy (TUL). Materials and methods: In a randomized controlled clinical trial, from November 2017 to March 2019, 256 patients who underwent ureteroscopy were enrolled. Patients were randomly divided into four groups including: group A received pregabalin 75mg BID (twice daily), group B received solifenacin 5mg orally once daily, group C received combination of pregabalin and solifenacin and the group D (control) given no drugs. Results: One hundred and fifty-one (58.9%) males and 101 (41.1%) females were enrolled in this study with a mean age of 43.47±7 (p=0.32, p=0.67). USSQ domains score such as urinary symptoms, pain, general condition, work performance, sexual matters and additional problems were significantly differenced during second and fourth week of follow-up among study groups (p <0.0001). In Tukey's multiple comparison test, urinary symptoms (p=0.735), pain (p=0.954) and sexual matters (p=0.080) in second week and work performance in forth week in group B was not significantly better than group D. Only group C in all indexes of USSQ showed significantly beneficial effects over group D (p <0.0001). Conclusion: Combination therapy of pregabalin and solifenacin has a significant effect on stent-related symptoms and is preferred over monotherapy of the respected medications.
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome in a Canadian First Nations Population

ABSTRACT Purpose To characterize presentations, characteristics and outcomes of uveitis in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome in a North American First Nations (FN) population. Methods Charts of 27 Canadian FN patients with VKH uveitis were retrospectively reviewed to characterize demographics, disease characteristics, management, complications and visual outcomes. Results Average age at uveitis onset was 30.9 ± 13.8 years. Twenty-six patients 10 (96.3%) were female. Nine patients (33.3%) demonstrated complete VKH, 8 (29.6%) incomplete, and 10 (37%) probable VKH. Systemic associations included integumentary (19 patients, 70%), neurologic (17 patients, 63%), and auditory (13 patients, 48%) findings. Initial rates of mild, moderate and severe vision loss were 19 eyes (35.2%), 12 eyes (22.2%), and 23 eyes (42.6%), respectively, compared with final rates of 19 eyes (35.2%), 14 eyes (25.6%) and 21 eyes (38.9%), respectively. Average change in visual acuity was 15 0.1 ± 6.3 Snellen lines. Rates of immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) use (10 patients, 37%) fell short of targets. Conclusions VKH may cause potentially severe uveitis in this population. Comorbidities including tuberculosis and diabetes, in addition to unique cultural, linguistic and geographic factors, may necessitate complex, individualized management strategies.
Effects of completing a postgraduate residency or fellowship program on primary care nurse practitioners' transition to practice

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. ABSTRACT Background: To prepare new graduate nurse practitioners (NPs) for transition to practice, postgraduate residency or fellowship programs have been spreading across the nation in the past decade. Purpose: We examined the effects of completing a postgraduate residency or fellowship program on role perception, practice autonomy, team collaboration, job satisfaction, and intent to leave among primary care NPs (PCNPs). Methods: We analyzed 8,400 PCNP respondents, representing a total of 75,963 PCNPs nationwide, to the 2018 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. We conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses to examine whether completing a postgraduate training program was associated with increased role perception, greater practice autonomy, improved team collaboration, increased job satisfaction, and decreased intent to leave in their work, controlling for NP personal and practice characteristics. Results: About 10% of PCNPs completed some form of postgraduate training. Primary care NPs who had completed a residency or fellowship program were more likely to have a minority background (e.g., non-White and male) and also see more underserved populations (e.g., minority background, with limited English proficiency) than those without residency training. We found that PCNPs with residency training were more likely to report enhanced confidence in independent roles, greater practice autonomy, improved team collaboration, increased job satisfaction, and decreased intent to leave than those without residency training. Implications for Practice: This study supports further expansion of such programs, which would have positive effects for NPs, health care organizations, and patients, necessitating a long-overdue conversation about real public funding for primary care graduate nursing education.
HIV Testing by Public Health Centers and Municipalities and New HIV Cases During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Background: During the COVID-19 outbreak, facility capacity for HIV testing has been limited. Furthermore, people may have opted against HIV testing during this period to avoid COVID-19 exposure. We investigated the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV testing and the number of reported HIV cases in Japan. Methods: We analyzed quarterly HIV/AIDS-related data from 2015 to the second quarter of 2020 using an anomaly detection approach. The data included the number of consultations, the number of HIV tests performed by public health centers or municipalities, and the number of newly reported HIV cases with and without an AIDS diagnosis. We further performed the same analysis for 2 subgroups: men who have sex with men (MSM) and non-Japanese persons. Results: The number of HIV tests (9,584 vs. 35,908 in the year-before period) and consultations (11,689 vs. 32,565) performed by public health centers significantly declined in the second quarter of 2020, whereas the proportion of new HIV cases with an AIDS diagnosis (36.2% vs. 26.4%) significantly increased after removing the trend and seasonality effects. HIV cases without an AIDS diagnosis decreased (166 vs. 217), but the reduction was not significant. We confirmed similar trends for the men who have sex with men and non-Japanese subgroups. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the current HIV testing system in Japan seems to have missed more cases of HIV before developing AIDS. Continuously monitoring the situation and securing sufficient test resources by use of self-testing is essential to understand the clear epidemiological picture of HIV incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Self-perceived cognitive status and cognitive challenges associated with cardiac rehabilitation management: experiences of elderly myocardial infarction patients

Abstract Purpose The study aimed to explore the self-perceived cognitive status and cognitive challenges associated with lifestyle changes in cardiac rehabilitation among elderly myocardial infarction (MI) patients (≥65 years). Further, the study explored coping strategies developed to manage these challenges in the everyday life. Methods Nine patients were included in the study. Data were collected by telephone or in person, between 6 and 12 weeks post MI, using semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed inductively, using thematic analysis. Results Four major themes were identified, highlighting elderly MI patients’ experiences of their cognitive status and cardiac rehabilitation management: (1) A change in cognition over time, (2) Situating the MI within a challenging and changing life context, (3) Navigating the hurdles of cardiac rehabilitation, and (4) Being seen within the healthcare system. Conclusion Elderly MI patients are situated in a complex life context, dealing with a transition to retirement, multiple health issues and age-related cognitive decline. In this context, the MI experience is marginalised, and cognitive decline normalized. By adopting individually tailored interventions and improving healthcare provider continuity and accessibility, cognitive challenges associated with cardiac rehabilitation could be easier to overcome. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Self-perceived cognitive impairment, in particular regarding memory, seems fairly common among elderly MI patients and should likely be identified prior to hospital discharge in order to optimize the prospects of self-care. There seems to exist an unmet need to implement the practice of individually adapted education and information further, in accordance with current recommendations for elderly cardiac patients. The overall health and cognitive status, social network and the objective living conditions (e.g., distance from service and housing) should be taken into account when planning the patient’s cardiac rehabilitation management. Healthcare providers likely need to strengthen the continuity of care and increase its accessibility for elderly MI patients, in particular following the transfer from hospital care to local health centres.