Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between acrylamide exposure and sex hormones in males: NHANES, 2003–2004

Introduction Acrylamide is widely present in heat-processed food, cigarette smoke and environment. Reproductive toxicity was reported in animals treated with acrylamide, particularly in males. The reproductive toxicity of acrylamide and its active metabolite, glycidamide, was reported to be mainly mediated through DNA damage in spermatocytes. However, the effect of acrylamide on sex hormones in men is unknown. Methods There were 468 male subjects (age ≧ 12 years) enrolled to determine the relationships between hemoglobin adducts of acrylamide (HbAA) and hemoglobin adducts of glycidamide (HbGA) with several sex hormones using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2003 to 2004. All potential confounding variables in the data set were properly adjusted. Results We found that one unit increase in the natural log-transformed HbAA level was associated with an increase in natural log transformed serum inhibin B level by 0.10 (SE = 0.05; P = 0.046), and natural log transformed serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) by 0.15 (SE = 0.15; P = 0.036). With respect to HbGA, one unit increase in the natural log-transformed HbGA level was associated with an increase in natural log transformed serum anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level by 0.31 (SE = 0.00; P = 0.003). Conclusion In this representative cohort, we identified positive associations between acrylamide exposure and several sex hormones in men. The HbAA is positively associated with inhibin B and SHBG, and HbGA is positively associated with AMH. Other than genotoxicity, our findings suggested that altered sex hormones might also play a role in acrylamide-related reproductive toxicity in males.
Comparison of the efficacy of oral fenugreek seeds hydroalcoholic extract versus placebo in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; a randomized, triple-blind controlled pilot clinical trial

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to investigate the therapeutic property of hydroalcoholic extract of Fenugreek seeds in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adult patients. METHODS: This randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel trial was conducted from November 2014 to June 2017. Patients aged between 18 and 70 years old with confirmed NAFLD were recruited from the Motahhari clinic, affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Participants either received 1 g hydroalcoholic extract of Fenugreek seeds or placebo daily for 3 months. The primary outcomes were changes in serum alanine transaminase and FibroScan controlled attenuation parameter score. Secondary outcome measures were changes in other laboratory data, liver stiffness measure, liver steatosis percent, and anthropometric variables. Participants were randomly assigned to the groups using blocked randomization method. Participants, investigators, and statistician were blinded to treatments allocation. RESULTS: After screening eighty patients, thirty patients met the inclusion criteria and were divided into two groups (1:1). After 3 months, two and four patients did not complete the trial in Fenugreek and placebo group, respectively. The changes in the anthropometrics, laboratories and FibroScan measurements were not statistically significant between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The evidence to prove the efficacy of the Fenugreek seeds' hydroalcoholic extract in NAFLD was not strong enough; hence, further experiments are still needed to assess the possible efficacy of Fenugreek on the treatment of NAFLD.
Sensitivities of crop models to extreme weather conditions during flowering period demonstrated for maize and winter wheat in Austria

SUMMARY The objective of the present study was to compare the performance of seven different, widely applied crop models in predicting heat and drought stress effects. The study was part of a recent suite of model inter-comparisons initiated at European level and constitutes a component that has been lacking in the analysis of sources of uncertainties in crop models used to study the impacts of climate change. There was a specific focus on the sensitivity of models for winter wheat and maize to extreme weather conditions (heat and drought) during the short but critical period of 2 weeks after the start of flowering. Two locations in Austria, representing different agro-climatic zones and soil conditions, were included in the simulations over 2 years, 2003 and 2004, exhibiting contrasting weather conditions. In addition, soil management was modified at both sites by following either ploughing or minimum tillage. Since no comprehensive field experimental data sets were available, a relative comparison of simulated grain yields and soil moisture contents under defined weather scenarios with modified temperatures and precipitation was performed for a 2-week period after flowering. The results may help to reduce the uncertainty of simulated crop yields to extreme weather conditions through better understanding of the models’ behaviour. Although the crop models considered (DSSAT, EPIC, WOFOST, AQUACROP, FASSET, HERMES and CROPSYST) mostly showed similar trends in simulated grain yields for the different weather scenarios, it was obvious that heat and drought stress caused by changes in temperature and/or precipitation for a short period of 2 weeks resulted in different grain yields simulated by different models. The present study also revealed that the models responded differently to changes in soil tillage practices, which affected soil water storage capacity.
A systematic review of interventions addressing limited health literacy to improve asthma self-management

Background Supported asthma self-management improves health outcomes. However, people with limited health literacy, especially in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), may need tailored interventions to enable them to realise the benefits. We aimed to assess the clinical effectiveness of asthma self-management interventions targeted at people with limited health literacy and to identify strategies associated with effective programmes. Methods Following Cochrane methodology, we searched ten databases (January 1990 – June 2018; updated October 2019), without language restriction. We included controlled experimental studies whose interventions targeted health literacy to improve asthma self-management. Selection of papers, extraction of data and quality assessment were done independently by two reviewers. The primary outcomes were clinical (asthma control) and implementation (adoption/adherence to intervention). Analysis was narrative. Results We screened 4318 titles and abstracts, reviewed 52 full-texts and included five trials. One trial was conducted in a LMIC. Risk of bias was low in one trial and high in the other four studies. Clinical outcomes were reported in two trials, both at high risk of bias: one of which reported a reduction in unscheduled care (number of visits in 6-month (SD); Intervention:0.9 (1.2) vs Control:1.8 (2.4), P = 0.001); the other showed no effect. None reported uptake or adherence to the intervention. Behavioural change strategies typically focused on improving an individual’s psychological and physical capacity to enact behaviour (eg, targeting asthma-related knowledge or comprehension). Only two interventions also targeted motivation; none sought to improve opportunity. Less than half of the interventions used specific self-management strategies (eg, written asthma action plan) with tailoring to limited health literacy status. Different approaches (eg, video-based and pictorial action plans) were used to provide education. Conclusions The paucity of studies and diversity of the interventions to support people with limited health literacy to self-manage their asthma meant that the impact on health outcomes remains unclear. Given the proportion of the global population who have limited health literacy skills, this is a research priority. Protocol registration PROSPERO CRD 42018118974
Behavioural and biochemical changes in the feeding system of Lymnaea induced by the dopamine and serotonin neurotoxins 6-hydroxydopamine and 5,6- dihydroxytryptamine

The neurotoxins 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OH-DA) were used to examine the role of monoamines in the feeding system of the snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Biting responses to sucrose were monitored up to 25 days after injection with drugs. Cerebral and buccal ganglia and cerebro-buccal connectives from the same groups of snails were examined for changes in serotonin and dopamine levels by high performance liquid chromatography and the glyoxylic acid histo-fluorescence technique. Twelve to eighteen days after injection with 5,6-DHT only 57% of the snails responded to sucrose with biting movements, compared with 98% of controls. Those that did respond had a longer latency to the first bite and the bites were of shorter duration and occurred at a lower rate when compared with controls. This was accompanied by a 39% drop in 5-HT levels in the cerebro-buccal commissure and nerves and a loss of fluorescence in the axons of the paired cerebral giant cells, the main serotonergic neurons involved in feeding. Earlier behavioural effects of injecting 5,6-DHT at 20 min and 3-4 h after injection could not be explained by specific changes in 5-HT levels. Recovery of both behavioural response and serotonin levels occurred between 22-25 days after injection. Injection of 6-OH-DA also inhibited feeding responses but the effects were quicker (1-3 days) and more dramatic, with only 40% of snails showing any biting response to food compared with a 98% response in controls. Reduction in dopamine (DA) levels of 40%, together with a loss of DA fluorescence in nerve fibres accompanied the reduction of behavioural responsiveness. An early (3-4 h) effect of 6-OH-DA injection could not be correlated with a specific reduction in DA levels. Behavioural responses and DA levels returned to normal by 4-7 days after injection. Both neurotoxins inhibited uptake of their target monoamines and this appeared to be the main mechanism for depleting 5-HT and DA. Early effects of neurotoxin injection probably directly inhibited monoamine uptake, whereas long-term inhibition was a secondary effect because of degeneration of nerve fibres. Neither neurotoxin caused release of monoamines. Results from both neurotoxins suggest that monoamines play an important role in the initiation and maintainance of the feeding response, the consummatory phase of feeding. Neither neurotoxin prevented the occurrence of the initial appetitive phase of feeding when snails orientate towards food in the experimental chamber.
Brd2 haploinsufficiency extends lifespan and healthspan in C57B6/J mice

Aging in mammals is the gradual decline of an organism’s physical, mental, and physiological capacity. Aging leads to increased risk for disease and eventually to death. Here, we show that Brd2 haploinsufficiency (Brd2+/-) extends lifespan and increases healthspan in C57B6/J mice. In Brd2+/- mice, longevity is increased by 23% (p<0.0001), and, relative to wildtype animals (Brd2+/+), cancer incidence is reduced by 43% (p<0.001). In addition, relative to age-matched wildtype mice, Brd2 heterozygotes show healthier aging including: improved grooming, extended period of fertility, and lack of age-related decline in kidney function and morphology. Our data support a role for haploinsufficiency of Brd2 in promoting healthy aging. We hypothesize that Brd2 affects aging by protecting against the accumulation of molecular and cellular damage. Given the recent advances in the development of BET inhibitors, our research provides impetus to test drugs that target BRD2 as a way to understand and treat/prevent age-related diseases.
Multipactor in parallel-plate transmission line partially filled with dielectric material

Due to the poor conductivity of the dielectrics, if an electron collides with the dielectric material, a charge will be deposited on the surface as a consequence of the secondary electron emission. Thus, the multipactor process in dielectric-loaded microwave devices differs from those in metallic devices. The objective of this paper is to study the self-extinguishing physical mechanism of the multipactor in parallel-plate transmission lines partially filled with dielectric layers by particle-in-cell simulation. The self-consistent field generated by the electrons in the simulation is assumed to be neglected, since there do not exist too many electrons in the self-extinguishing process. To illustrate the self-extinguishing phenomenon in a dielectric-loaded waveguide device, the strength of electric field in the vacuum area needs to be the same as that in a metallic device. When the input power is slightly higher than the multipactor threshold, the self-extinguishing phenomenon occurs after the initial electron multiplication while the number of electrons increases exponentially with the simulation duration in metallic device. Based on this fact, the physical mechanism of self-extinguishing phenomenon is investigated in detail. By analyzing the temporal evolution of the electrons and the average secondary electron yield (SEY), it can be concluded that the self-extinguishing phenomenon is caused by the electrostatic field generated by the charges deposited on the surface of the dielectric. Moreover, the average SEY of the dielectric tends to be one or greater than one when the number of electrons drops to nearly zero. Hence, it is necessary to further analyze the ability to continue accumulating charges on the dielectric surface when extra electrons are injected into the simulation region at the instant when the number of electrons is close to zero. For the former case, the charges deposited on the dielectric surface remain steady all along, while the charges reach to a stable state eventually as the number of injected electrons increases for the latter one. Both of them mean that the average SEY of the dielectric surface will be unity in the end. Since the electrostatic field generated by the charge deposited on the dielectric surface can reduce the risk of occurrence of multipactor, the electret material could be used in the design of the dielectric-loaded microwave devices to improve the multipactor threshold.
Effects of dam parity and rearing rank on the glucose and fat metabolism, and adrenal function of post-pubertal single and twin-ewe progeny

In an effort to increase the number of lambs produced per ewe’s productive lifetime in New Zealand, an increasing number of ewe lambs (8–9 months old) are being bred. This, in turn, results in an increased proportion of second-parity 2-year-old ewes in New Zealand’s breeding flock, rather than the more usual first-parity 2-year olds. The longer-term effects of dam parity on resulting ewe progeny are of interest and few studies have examined this. The present study was designed to determine whether parity (first or second) of Romney 2-year-old dams had any effect on the metabolic function of their single- and twin-born and reared ewe lamb progeny at 10 months of age. Ten-month-old, single and twin ewe lamb progeny born to first- or second-parity dams (n = 8 per group) were catheterised and given intravenous glucose (0.17 g/kg liveweight) (GTT), insulin (0.15 IU/kg liveweight) (ITT) and epinephrine (1 μg/kg liveweight) (ETT) tolerance tests to assess their glucose and fat metabolism and adrenal function. Rearing rank reduced (P < 0.05) the insulin response of twins to a glucose challenge, but increased (P < 0.05) their glucose response to an insulin challenge. Offspring from first-parity dams had higher (P < 0.05) basal plasma concentrations of cortisol and cortisone, whereas their cortisol/cortisone responses to an insulin challenge were unaffected by either dam parity or rearing rank. Neither dam parity nor rearing rank appeared to influence responses to an epinephrine challenge. The present study suggests that both dam parity and rearing rank alter the glucose and insulin metabolism of the offspring, which may have longer-term impacts on the growth and reproductive efficiency of the animal.
Behavioural factors affecting foraging effort of breeding wandering albatrosses

Summary 1. The study examined the behavioural factors that influence variation in foraging costs of wandering albatrosses ( Diomedea exulans Linnaeus) during two consecutive years. This was performed by measuring simultaneously foraging activities and metabolic rates (W kg ‐1 ) of breeding birds during the incubation periods of 1998 and 1999.
Distribución del género Bursera en el Estado de Morelos, México y su relación con el clima

Se analizo la influencia de las variables climaticas en la distribucion de 15 especies del genero Bursera en Morelos, Mexico. Se obtuvieron datos de presencia de especies y de variables climaticas de 47 estaciones meteorologicas, y se elaboraron mapas de distribucion real y potencial de cada especie, por medio de un SIG; la influencia de las variables climaticas en la distribucion se evaluo mediante analisis de componentes principales y de conglomerados. Las especies se distribuyen en un intervalo altitudinal de 800 a 2 800 m; la riqueza es mayor en las areas mas calidas y relativamente mas secas del sur del estado. Se identificaron 2 grandes grupos de especies: a), las de distribucion restringida a sitos relativamente calidos y b), las de distribucion mas amplia, incluyendo sitios menos calidos. La precipitacion, las temperaturas maxima y minima, la evapotranspiracion y su estacionalidad influyeron en la distribucion de las especies. Bursera bicolor, B. bipinnata, B. cuneata, B. copallifera, B. fagaroides, B. grandifolia y B. glabrifolia se presentan en sitios con temperatura minima relativamente baja (5-10° C) y mas humedos, mientras que B. aptera, B. ariensis, B. lancifolia, B. linanoe, B. longipes, B. morelensis, B. schlechtendalii y B. submoniliformis se encuentran en zonas con temperaturas minimas mas altas (≥ 14° C) y condiciones mas secas.
Female infidelity and genetic compatibility in birds: the role of the genetically loaded raffle in understanding the function of extrapair paternity

Despite two decades of research into over one hundred species, the function of extrapair paternity to female birds remains unclear. Recent studies have demonstrated patterns between extrapair paternity and the genetic similarity of females with social partners and extrapair males. We believe that selection on females to gain genetically compatible fathers for their offspring offers a possible general explanation for the function of extrapair paternity. The idea of sexual selection being driven by genetic compatibility is widely considered by workers on other taxa but has been largely ignored by studies of birds. Genetic compatibility could be optimised by females through a behavioural process before copulation or through a postcopulatory process. Postcopulatory processes such as cryptic female choice have been recently demonstrated in birds and would allow female birds to use a ‘genetically loaded raffle’ to target compatible genes through sperm competition. We discuss the general weaknesses of studies of extrapair paternity to date and suggest a number of avenues for future research that will help to elucidate the function of extrapair paternity and widespread genetic polyandry in birds.
The general specifications of the MEDITS surveys

An international bottom trawl survey was designed from a European Commission´s initiative to produce biological data on the demersal resources in the Mediterranean Sea. Nine Mediterranean countries are associated in the programme, which covers all the trawlable areas along their coasts from 10 to 800 m depth. From 1994 to 2000, one survey was carried out each year, applying common standardized protocols. Seven yearly surveys have therefore been done, with a total of 7,500 stations prospected. This paper presents the methods adopted to carry out the surveys.
Growth, Leaf Chlorophyll Concentration, and Morphological Adaptation of Selected Wax Apple Cultivars in Response to Flooding

Growth, leaf chlorophyll concentration and morphological adaptation of young wax apple (Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merrill & Perry) cvs. Plastic (PT), Thunklao (TK), Phetnamphueng (PP) and Thapthimchan (TC) and Malay apple (Syzygium malaccense) (MA) plants under flooding conditions were investigated. Potted wax apple and Malay apple plants were flooded to 5 cm above the soil surface for 70 days continuously. MA, TK, PP and TC plants survived under this flooding duration while PT plants had gradually died after flooding for 30 days. Vertical splitting of the outer bark was observed immediately above and below the flood level in all cultivars after flooding for 12 – 21 days followed by a development of adventitious roots at stem base below the flood level in most cultivars except for MA plants. Flooded PT plants formed adventitious roots faster than other cultivars while flooded TC plants had greatest mass of adventitious roots. Flooding significantly decreased shoot length, leaf number, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll concentration and dry weight of leaves and roots but increased shoot to root ratio. Severe growth restriction was observed in flooded MA and PT plants. Based on the ability to maintain growth under flooding conditions, PP was the most flood tolerance cultivar with profuse adventitious roots followed by TK and TC, respectively, while PT was the least flood tolerance in this study. MA plants restricted their growth and maintained leaf chlorophyll level to survive flooding without adventitious root formation. The results suggested that these selected wax apple cultivars and Malay apple tolerated to flooding differently and flooding tolerance was not generally associated with the ability to form adventitious roots under flooding conditions.
Nationwide profiling of insecticide resistance in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Cameroon

The Asian mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), is an invasive mosquito which has become one of the most important vectors of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses worldwide. This species was reported for the first time in Cameroon in early 2000s and became the dominant Aedes species in the urban areas in the southern part of Cameroon but remain poorly characterized. Here, we assessed the susceptibility profile of A. albopictus collected throughout Cameroon and investigated the potential resistance mechanisms involved. Immature stages of A. albopictus were collected between March and July 2017 in 15 locations across Cameroon and reared until G1/G2 generation. Larval, adult bioassays, and synergists [piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and diethyl maleate (DEM)] assays were carried out according to WHO recommendations. F1534C mutation was genotyped in field collected adults (Go) using allele specific PCR. All tested populations were susceptible to both larvicides, temephos and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), after larval bioassays. Adult bioassays revealed a high level of resistance of A. albopictus to 4% DDT with mortality rates ranging from 12.42% in Bafang to 75.04% in Kumba. The resistance was reported also in 0.05% deltamethrin, 0.25% permethrin, and 0.1% propoxur in some locations. A loss of susceptibility to 0.1% bendiocarb was found in one of three populations analysed. A full susceptibility to 1% fenitrothion were observed across the country. A full recovery or partial of susceptibility was observed in A. albopictus when pre-exposed to PBO or DEM and then to DDT and permethrin, respectively. The F1534C kdr mutation was not detected in A. albopictus. This study showed that the susceptibility profile of A. albopictus to insecticide vary according to the sampling location and insecticides used. These findings are useful to planning vector control program against arbovirus vectors in Cameroon and can be used as baseline data for further researches.