Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of cyclodextrin complexes with amino acids in incubated solutions and in eluates of gel permeation chromatography

1:1 complexes of beta-cyclodextrin (CD) with three amino acids (Gly, Phe and Trp) have been detected as ions in the gas phase using infusion positive and negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In contrast with the positive ion ESI mass spectra of simple aqueous solutions, the aggregates and adducts usually formed in the ESI process did not appear in the positive ion ESI spectra of solutions buffered with ammonium acetate (NH4Ac), even at higher analyte concentrations, These studies suggest that addition of buffer and/or use of a low analyte concentration should be used to overcome formation of aggregates and metal ion adducts in such mass spectrometry studies. Also, the deprotonated complexes are dissociated by collision induced dissociation (CID) to form an abundant product ion, the deprotonated CD, requiring transfer of a proton to the amino acid carboxyl group, To understand formation of complexes in the gas phase, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was used to separate free amino acids (AAs) from complexes in an incubated solution. The ESI mass spectra of the GPC fractions show the presence of 1:1 complexes of both CD-aromatic amino acids and CD-aliphatic amino acids. Compared with CD-aliphatic amino acid complexes, CD-aromatic amino acid complexes appear to be destabilized in the gas phase, possibly because the hydrophobic interaction which binds the aromatic group of amino acids in the CD cavity in solution may become repulsive when solvent evaporates from the droplets during the electrospray process, whereas those complex ions formed as proton bound dimers are stabilized by electrostatic forces, the major binding force for such complexes in the gas phase. In addition, the GPC technique coupled with off-line ESI-MS can rapidly separate CD complexes by size, and provides some information on the character of the complexes in solution. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Report on a Family with TMTC3-Related Syndrome and Review

Recessive mutations in the TMTC3 gene have been reported in thirteen patients to date exhibiting development delay, intellectual disability (ID), seizures, and muscular hypotonia, accompanied occasionally by neuronal migration defects expressed as either cobblestone lissencephaly or periventricular hypertopia. Here, we report a new case of a TMTC3-related syndrome in a Lebanese family with two affected siblings showing severe psychomotor retardation, intellectual disability, microcephaly, absence of speech, muscular hypotonia, and seizures. Whole exome sequencing revealed a homozygous pathogenic variant c.211 C > T (p.R71C) in the TMTC3 gene in both siblings. A review of the literature on TMTC3-related syndrome and its causal mutations is provided.
Effect of surface roughness of the neutralization grid on the energy and flux of fast neutrals and residual ions extracted from a neutral beam source

A directional fast neutral beam was extracted from an inductively coupled argon plasma in contact with a neutralization grid. Ions expelled from the plasma converted into fast neutrals by grazing angle collisions with the internal surfaces of the openings of the grid. The effect of surface roughness of the neutralization grid was studied experimentally by using two grids: an array of holes drilled in an aluminum plate, and a set of atomically smooth Si parallel plates. With the atomically smooth Si grid, the ion translational energy lost in the surface collision was relatively small, and agreed well with the prediction of a specular reflection model. For the relatively rough metal grid, however, the translational energy loss was substantial due to the reduced probability of specular reflection from the rough surface. The residual ion flux and fast neutral flux were observed to be two to four times higher for the Si grid than for the metal grid, due to a higher percent open area and specular reflections of.
Integration of tools and social science into food safety risk assessments

Abstract The European Food Risk Assessment (EU‐FORA) Fellowship work programme ‘Integration of tools and social science into food safety risk assessments’ was proposed and delivered by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), UK. The Food Standards Agency is a non‐ministerial government department of the UK, responsible for protecting public health in relation to food in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The programme was tailored to several different activities to provide an overview of the different tools that can be employed in food safety risk assessment also accounting for the interaction between risk assessment and social science. In order to structure the proposed work, the programme was split into four modules to run over the 12‐month period of ‘learning‐by‐doing’. In the first module, the fellow was introduced to Microbiological Risk Assessment (MRA), in the second to Chemical Risk Assessment (CRA), in the third to Social Science, and finally, in the fourth to the Risk Prioritization Tools and Networks in UK ‐ National Dietary Data (NDNS), collection methodology, coding and analysis. The fellow was assigned to the Risk Assessment Unit within the Science, Evidence and Research Department which brings together specialist expertise from Microbiological, Chemical Risk Assessment, and Analytics Units, under one department together with additional staff from the food allergy and radiological risk assessment fields. The aim was to be fully integrated in the organisation's work gaining first‐hand experience, increase knowledge of scientific aspects relevant to food safety risk assessment, and more importantly, to enhance network connection activities in the EU food risk assessment environment.
Directed evolution of glucoamylase to improve thermal stability

Introduction The Structure of Glucoamylase The Catalvtic Domain The Starch-Binding Domain The Linker Region The Reaction Mechanism of Glucoamylase The Evolution of Glucoamylase Industrial Uses of Glucoamylase Protein Thermal Stability Glucoamylase Thermal Stability The Genetic Engineering of Glucoamylase to Increase Its Thermal Stability Research Objectives Directed Evolution of Glucoamylase Materials and Methods Plasmids Media LB medium SOC medium 2XYT medium SD+ Histidine+ 1 % Starch medium YPD medium Ligation of DNA Restriction Digests DNA Sequencing vii 1 1 4 6 9 12 14 20 22 27 29
PHOTORESPONSES OF SEMICONDUCTOR POLYCRYSTALLITES SEPARATING TWO AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Solar cells using polycarbonate membranes, with CdS deposited on them, were made by a very simple way; the CdS‐containing membrane separates a Lucite cell into two compartments. On illumination, about 150 mV photovoltage (Vop) and 0.5 μA cm‐2 photocurrent (Isc) could be produced; one side of the membrane acted as photoanode, and the other side as photocathode. By means of coating Victoria Blue B (VBB) onto the membrane before CdS deposition, the maximum Vop and Isc of the CdS‐deposited membrane could reach 500 mV and 3.0 (μA cm‐2, respectively. A mixture of CdS and CdSe deposited membrane has also been tested and found to have both the advantages of high photovoltage (over 400 mV) and good stability after modification. Even more interesting results were also obtained with CdSe pellets in place of the CdS‐deposited membrane, in which Vop and Isc of the cell were 1.2 V and 6 mA cm‐2, respectively. The essential aspect of the system, modelled after the photosynthetic thylakoid membrane, contains an asymmetrical, ultrathin semiconductor crystallite layer separating two aqueous solutions.
Flow-Injection Spectrophotometric Determination of Nitrite and Nitrate in Biological Samples

Nitrite and nitrate in biological samples can act as an indicator of nitric oxide generated in vivo and have attracted a lot of attention as a messenger of diverse physiological processes. For the determination of such nitrogen oxides, a simple and sensitive flow-injection method coupled with a successful pretreatment method was developed. Nitrite and nitrate in sample solution were injected into a carrier solution containing EDTA and ammonium buffer, and flowed into the copperized cadmium (Cd/Cu) reduction column installed on-line. Here the nitrate was reduced to nitrite, and then nitrite was determined spectrophotometrically on the basis of a diazotization/coupling reaction. The detection limits for nitrite and nitrate were 5×10^−8 M, and the sampling rate was about 40 samples per hour for nitrate determination. The biological samples, such as serum, plasma and cell culture medium, were deproteinized using a batchwise NaOH–ZnSO_4 method before FIA measurement. The NaOH–ZnSO_4 deproteinization method was very effective in term of the recovery of nitrate and the maintenance of the reduction efficiency of the Cd/Cu column. The relative standard deviations were 2.1–3.1%, and the recoveries were 95–100% for the determination of nitrite and nitrate in serum samples through the whole procedure. In the case of cell culture medium, the proposed deproteinization was especially effective for removing the interfering amino acids containing sulfur atom by using the reaction between Zn^2+ in deproteinization agent and sulfur atom in analytical substances.
The Revised OB-1 Method for Metal-Water Systems

The OB-1 method for the calculation of the minimum critical mass (mcm) of fissile actinides in metal/water systems was described in a 2008 Nuclear Science and Engineering (NS&E) article. The purpose of the present work is to update and expand the application of this method with current nuclear data, including data uncertainties. The mcm and the hypothetical fissile metal density ({rho}{sub F}) in grams of metal/liter are obtained by a fit to values predicted with transport calculations. The input parameters required are thermal values for fission and absorption cross sections and nubar. A factor of ({radical}{pi})/2 is used to convert to Maxwellian averaged values. The uncertainties for the fission and capture cross sections and the estimated nubar uncertainties are used to determine the uncertainties in the mcm, either in percent or grams.
Gemcitabine, cisplatin, and dexamethasone and ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide regimens have similar efficacy as salvage treatment for relapsed/refractory aggressive lymphoma

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract In this study, our aim was to compare the efficacy and toxicity profiles of gemcitabine, cisplatin, and dexamethasone (GDP) and ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) regimens in the salvage treatment of relapsed/refractory lymphoma. A total of 110 patients with refractory/relapsed classical Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 22) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 88) who received GDP or ICE salvage regimens from January 2011 to July 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 110 patients, 50 patients received GDP, and 60 patients received ICE. The response could be evaluated in all patients. In the GDP group, 30 (60.0%) patients achieved overall response rate (ORR), and in the ICE group, the ORR was 56.6%. Of the classical Hodgkin lymphoma patients, the ORR were 72.8% and 54.6% in the GDP and ICE groups, respectively. Of the non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, the ORR were 56.4% and 57.1% in the GDP and ICE groups, respectively. Grade I-II toxicity occurred in 16 (32.0%) patients in the GDP group and 18 patients (30.0%) in the ICE group; 14 (28.0%) patients had Grade III-IV toxicity in the GDP group, as did 20 (33.3%) patients in the ICE group. As a result, both GDP and ICE regimens are suitable for the treatment of recurrent/refractory lymphoma. The overall adverse reactions of both regimens are acceptable.
Hypomania, Depression, Euthymia: New Evidence in Parkinson's Disease

The field related to mood disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) is fragmented. The aim of this cohort observational study was to evaluate whether the episodes of mood alteration could appear in different disease stages and to verify how nonmotor symptoms were led off into different stages. We enrolled 93 PD outpatients (three groups: drug naive—DN; not exhibiting motor fluctuations—n-MF; and exhibiting motor fluctuations—MF) and 50 healthy controls. Mood state was assessed through the Internal State Scale (ISS) while depressive symptoms were evaluated through the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), nonmotor symptoms by means of the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), and the presence of impulse control disorders (ICDs) with the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease (QUIP). Clinical and pharmacological data have also been recorded. No significant differences in mood state distribution between groups were observed. Nevertheless, as regards the mood state distribution within groups, in n-MF (47.6%) and MF patients (50%), (hypo)mania presence was significantly higher than other symptoms. In DN patients, hypomania showed a prevalence of 38.1% although it was not significant. At least one ICD was reported in 29.3% of n-MF and 50% of MF patients. In the MF group, a moderate positive correlation between ISS ACTivation subscale scores and the presence of ICDs and compulsive medication use emerged. Finally, MF patients reported higher BDI-II total scores than DN. Our results show that mood alterations in PD, considering both depressive symptoms and mood elevation, are related to the advanced stages of the disease as well as the presence of ICDs, and dopaminergic therapy would not always be able to restore a normal mood condition.
Pharmacy professionals’ preparedness to use Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) behaviors

Background: There is a need to train healthcare professionals to provide first aid to people experiencing a mental health crisis. Research testing the association between Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and the use of MHFA behaviors could provide evidence of program effectiveness in the pharmacy setting. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to measure the preparedness of pharmacy professionals to function in a MHFA role, and compare preparedness and the use of MHFA behaviors based on demographic characteristics. Methods: Pharmacists and student pharmacists attended MHFA training under a multi-state pharmacy initiative in 2018. An anonymous electronic survey was administered to 227 participants using 4 contacts in May to June, 2019. The survey evaluated if participants had recommended MHFA to others, their preparedness to engage in MHFA behaviors (13 items), and their frequency of performing a set of MHFA behaviors (7 items). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and ANOVA were used to describe the sample and compare these variables across groups. Results: The analysis was based on 96 responses (42.3%). Almost all respondents (96%) had recommended MHFA training to others. Respondents reported that the training program prepared them to provide a range of MHFA behaviors for multiple mental health conditions, particularly for depression and anxiety. Participants most often reported asking about a distressed mood and listening non-judgmentally. Almost half of participants had asked someone if they were considering suicide and a similar percent had referred someone considering suicide to resources. Those reporting the highest levels of preparedness engaged in significantly more MHFA behaviors than those with lower levels of preparedness (p=0.017). Preparedness and use of MHFA behaviors were not significantly associated with respondent demographic characteristics. Conclusion: These data suggest that pharmacy professionals who had MHFA training felt prepared to engage in MHFA and many used behaviors like asking about suicide and making referrals since being trained in MHFA. Research is warranted to better understand what makes someone feel maximally prepared to use MHFA behaviors compared to lower feelings of preparedness.
Applying the Ecological Model to understand pregnant women's perspectives on the modifiable constraints to physical activity during pregnancy

Abstract The benefits of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy are widely reported; however, PA practice is seemingly not a valued habit among pregnant women attending public antenatal health centres in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Guided by the ecological model, we sought to explore modifiable barriers to PA among pregnant women. Semi-structured interviews involved a purposive sample of 15 pregnant women. Interview questions were guided by the ecological model constructs at intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental level. Thematic analysis was applied to summarise the modifiable barriers to PA during pregnancy. Three main themes emerged, based on the modifiable barriers to PA during pregnancy that belong to the varying Ecological Model constructs. On the intrapersonal level, 5 themes emerged, namely, time-constraint beliefs, feeling of tiredness, low energy, lack of motivation, and a lack of knowledge on benefits and types of PA. Two themes emerged for the interpersonal level, lack of PA advice and lack of information on PA recommendations and guidelines. Another theme defined the environmental level lacking resources. Most themes related to individual factors, which prevent PA-promoting behaviour. Overall, intrapersonal factors relating to tiredness and exhaustion, lack of time beliefs, work and household commitments, and lack of motivation were key modifiable barriers to PA by the women. The findings provide insights into possible interventional strategies to optimise PA during pregnancy among women in this setting. Appropriate knowledge, education and advice on the benefits, types, and intensity of PA in pregnancy are needed.
Effect of Chinese herbal medicine compound on breast hyperplasia

Abstract Background: Data supporting the use of Chinese herbal medicine compound (CHMC) on breast hyperplasia (BH) based on the data from previous studies. However, the results are still contradictory. Thus, this study aims to compare the results obtained for effect on case-controlled study (CCS) of CHMC on BH. Methods: This study will include CCS assessing the effect of CHMC on BH. A literature search will be carried out in Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from inception to the present. We will not apply language limitation to any electronic database. Study quality will be evaluated using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and statistical analysis will be performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: This study will summarize the up-to-date evidence to assess the effect of CHMC on BH. Conclusion: The results of this study may exert helpful evidence to determine whether CHMC is effective on BH. OSF registration number: osf.io/3k8ch.
The Effect of Variable Properties on Rayleigh-Benard Convection in an Enclosure Filled with Al2O3-EG-Water Nanofluid

In this paper, the natural convection heat transfer of Al2O3-EG-water nanofluid in a rectangular cavity which is heated from the bottom and is cooled from the top has been investigated numerically. The governing equations for a Newtonian fluid have been solved numerically with a finite volume approach using the SIMPLER algorithm. The main focus of the current study is on the effects of variable thermophysical properties of nanofluid on the heat transfer in natural convection. The influence of pertinent parameters such as Rayleigh number (Ra=105-107) and volume fractions of nanoparticles (0≤Φ≤0.05) on the heat transfer characteristics of natural convection have been studied. The results have shown that the average Nusselt number is reduced by increasing the volume fraction of nanoparticles. To study the significance of temperature effect on thermophysical properties of nanofluid, the results obtained by using variable properties of nanofluid are compared with those of constant properties.
Fangcang shelter hospitals during the COVID-19 epidemic, Wuhan, China

Abstract Objective To design models of the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan and the effect of Fangcang shelter hospitals (rapidly-built temporary hospitals) on the control of the epidemic. Methods We used data on daily reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, recovered cases and deaths from the official website of the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission to build compartmental models for three phases of the COVID-19 epidemic. We incorporated the hospital-bed capacity of both designated and Fangcang shelter hospitals. We used the models to assess the success of the strategy adopted in Wuhan to control the COVID-19 epidemic. Findings Based on the 13 348 Fangcang shelter hospitals beds used in practice, our models show that if the Fangcang shelter hospitals had been opened on 6 February (a day after their actual opening), the total number of COVID-19 cases would have reached 7 413 798 (instead of 50 844) with 1 396 017 deaths (instead of 5003), and the epidemic would have lasted for 179 days (instead of 71). Conclusion While the designated hospitals saved lives of patients with severe COVID-19, it was the increased hospital-bed capacity of the large number of Fangcang shelter hospitals that helped slow and eventually stop the COVID-19 epidemic in Wuhan. Given the current global pandemic of COVID-19, our study suggests that increasing hospital-bed capacity, especially through temporary hospitals such as Fangcang shelter hospitals, to isolate groups of people with mild symptoms within an affected region could help curb and eventually stop COVID-19 outbreaks in communities where effective household isolation is not possible.
The Use of the Adaptation Potential Reduction Model for Reproductive Toxicity Research In Vivo

The modeling of adaptation potential decrease in rats due to modification of the diet's vitamin–mineral composition allows to increase animals' sensitivity to toxic load in reprotoxicological experiments. The threshold values of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 and mineral substances Fe3+ and Mg2+ in the diet, which lead to a considerable reduction of laboratory animals' adaptation potential, have been determined as 19% (from the basic level in the diet) for males and 18% for females. The efficiency of this model has been confirmed in a reprotoxicological experiment with glyphosate as a toxic factor: the action of the toxic factor against the background of reduced availability of B vitamins and salts Fe3+ and Mg2+ led to significant changes in such indicators of reproductive function as mating efficiency, postimplantation loss, and the total number of alive pups, while the toxic effect of glyphosate was not so pronounced against the normal level of essential substances. The obtained results prove that this adaptation potential reduction model can be recommended for the research of the low-toxicity objects reproductive toxicity in rats and for the safety assessment of novel food, in particular.
Identification of Novel Biomarkers for Predicting Kidney Injury Due to Drugs Using “Omic” Strategies

Abstract Drug-induced kidney injury accounts for 20% of community- and hospital-acquired cases of acute kidney injury (AKI). The incidence is higher among older individuals, who often have co-existing morbidities and are exposed to more diagnostic procedures and therapies. While demographic and clinical components have been identified as risk factors, the proposed cellular mechanisms of drug-induced kidney injury are numerous and complicated. There are also limitations recognized in the use of traditional biomarkers, such as serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, to provide high sensitivity, specificity, and timeliness to identification of drug-induced kidney injury. Therefore, novel biomarkers are currently being investigated, identified, developed, and validated for their performance over the traditional biomarkers. This review will provide an overview of drug-induced kidney injury and will discuss what is known regarding “omic” (proteomic, genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic) biomarker strategies for drugs known to induce nephrotoxicity.