Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aircraft Instrument for Comprehensive Characterization of Aerosol Optical Properties, Part I: Wavelength-Dependent Optical Extinction and Its Relative Humidity Dependence Measured Using Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy

High-quality in situ observations of aerosol particle optical properties, namely extinction, scattering, and absorption, provide important information needed to constrain the role of aerosols in the climate system. This paper outlines the design and performance of an aircraft instrument utilizing cavity ringdown spectroscopy for the measurement of aerosol extinction. The 8-channel cavity ringdown spectrometer measures extinction at multiple wavelengths (405, 532, and 662 nm) and at multiple relative humidities (e.g., 10%, 70%, and 95%). Key performance characteristics include a 1-s detection limit better than 0.1 Mm−1, accuracy of <2% for dry aerosol measurements, and a 1-s precision better than 40% for extinction levels of >10 Mm−1. Laboratory and field data demonstrate that the 1-s precision is limited by the statistics of aerosol particles in the laser beam rather than the precision of the extinction measurement per se. The measurement precision improves with averaging to 5% at 60 s for extinction levels of >10 Mm−1. Field data collected during a recent airborne campaign in California, which involved eighteen research flights during May and June 2010, are used to demonstrate the in-flight performance of new instrument.
New Reagent for Detection of Amino Acids on TLC Plates

Determination of protein structure is very dependent on amino acid detection, because these compounds form the backbones of proteins, and also for determination of the C-terminal units of degraded proteins. Several selective and nonselective reagents have been used for detection and identification of amino acids on thin-layer chromatograms [1–20]. Among the reagents used, ninhydrin is the most well-known nonselective reagent. It is widely used, because of its high sensitivity [2], but produces same color, purple–violet, for all amino acids except proline and hydroxyproline (yellow). To overcome this problem 2,3dichloro-1,4-naphthaquinone and isatin have been introduced as a new reagent which produces distinguishable and stable colors (more or less stable for 24 to 48 h) with many amino acids and enables convenient and easy detection of these compounds on silica gel G TLC plates with very high sensitivity (detection limit between 0.01 and 0.3 μg).
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Pelvic Girdle Pain During Pregnancy in Australian Women

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text The point-prevalence of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) in a large random sample of Australian women was 44%. The identified risk factors associated with PPGP included parity, country of birth, greater duration of time spent standing, previous low back pain and/or pelvic girdle pain, and a family history of PPGP. Study Design. Cross-sectional study conducted between December 2017 and October 2019. Objective. To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) in Australia. Summary of Background Data. PPGP is a common condition worldwide yet the prevalence and associated risk factors are not known in Australia. Methods. A random sample of pregnant women (N = 780) of (mean [SD]) 31 (5) years of age between 14 and 38 weeks gestation attending ante-natal care in a tertiary referral hospital in Sydney, Australia was conducted. The main outcome measure was point-prevalence of PPGP as classified by recommended guidelines including a physical examination. A number of potential risk factors, including socio-demographic characteristics, country of birth, ethnicity, history of low back pain (LBP) and PPGP, family history of PPGP, occupational factors, and physical activity were investigated with logistic regression. Results. The point-prevalence of PPGP in a random sample of 780 Australian women was 44% with the odds of having PPGP increasing with each additional week of gestation (odds ratio [OR]) (OR 1.02). Increasing parity (P = 0.03, OR 1.15), country of birth (P = 0.03), and greater duration of time spent standing (P = 0.009, OR 1.06) were associated with PPGP. The strongest predictors of PPGP were previous LBP and/or PPGP both pregnancy (P < 0.001, OR 4.35) and not pregnancy related (P < 0.001, OR 2.24), and a family history of PPGP (P < 0.001, OR 3.76). Conclusion. The prevalence of PPGP in Australian women was high with almost half the sample classified with PPGP, matching data reported worldwide. The identified risk factors associated with PPGP can be included in routine ante-natal care to screen women and identify those at risk of this common and disabling condition. Level of Evidence: 1
Graphic Representation of Hourly Activity Counts May Identify Discharge Outcomes for Older Adults After Critical Illness

Abstract Purpose After transitioning from an intensive care unit (ICU), hospitalized older adults are inactive, which may affect discharge outcomes. We examined trends between post-ICU hourly activity counts and discharge disposition among hospitalized older ICU survivors. Design A prospective, exploratory research design was used in this study. Methods We enrolled older ICU survivors within 24–48 hours of ICU discharge. Actigraphy measured post-ICU hourly activity counts (0:00 a.m.–23:59 p.m.). Chart review provided discharge disposition. Analyses were conducted to illustrate trends between post-ICU hourly activity counts and discharge disposition. Findings Mean hourly activity was about 2,233 ± 569 counts/hour. Graphs revealed trends between hourly activity counts and discharge disposition. Participants with lower post-ICU activity counts, especially during daytime hours, tended to be discharged to a care facility. Conclusions Future nursing research should determine whether post-ICU inactivity during hospitalization is a modifiable risk factor for worse discharge outcomes. Clinical Relevance Activity could be a prognostic indicator of discharge disposition for older ICU survivors.
The effects of performance-based financing on neonatal health outcomes in Burundi, Lesotho, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Abstract Maternal and newborn care has been a primary focus of performance-based financing (PBF) projects, which have been piloted or implemented in 21 countries in sub-Saharan Africa since 2007. Several evaluations of PBF have demonstrated improvements to facility delivery or quality of care. However, no studies have measured the impact of PBF programmes directly on neonatal health outcomes in Africa, nor compared PBF programmes against another. We assess the impact of PBF on early neonatal health outcomes and associated health care utilization and quality in Burundi, Lesotho, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We pooled Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys and apply difference-in-differences analysis to estimate the effect of PBF projects supported by the World Bank on early neonatal mortality and low birthweight. We also assessed the effect of PBF on intermediate outputs that are frequently explicitly incentivized in PBF projects, including facility delivery and antenatal care utilization and quality, and caesarean section. Finally, we examined the impact among births to poor or high-risk women. We found no statistically significant impact of PBF on neonatal health outcomes, health care utilization or quality in a pooled sample. PBF was also not associated with better health outcomes in each country individually, though in some countries and among poor women PBF improved facility delivery, antenatal care utilization or antenatal care quality. There was no improvement on the health outcomes among poor or high-risk women in the five countries. PBF had no impact on early neonatal health outcomes in the five African countries studied and had limited and variable effects on the utilization and quality of neonatal health care. These findings suggest that there is a need for both a deeper assessment of PBF and for other strategies to make meaningful improvements to neonatal health outcomes.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase plays a dual role—As an adhesin and as a receptor for plasmin(ogen)

The spread of infection is directly determined by the ability of a pathogen to invade and infect host tissues. The process involves adherence due to host–pathogen interactions and traversal into deeper tissues. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) primarily infects the lung but is unique in its ability to infect almost any other organ of the human host including immune privileged sites such as the central nervous system (CNS). The extreme invasiveness of this bacterium is not fully understood. In the current study, we report that cell surface Mtb glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) functions as a virulence factor by multiple mechanisms. Firstly, it serves as a dual receptor for both plasminogen (Plg) and plasmin (Plm). CRISPRi‐mediated silencing of this essential enzyme confirmed its role in the recruitment of Plg/Plm. Our studies further demonstrate that soluble GAPDH can re‐associate on Mtb bacilli to promote plasmin(ogen) recruitment. The direct association of plasmin(ogen) via cell surface GAPDH or by the re‐association of soluble GAPDH enhanced bacterial adherence to and traversal across lung epithelial cells. Furthermore, the association of GAPDH with host extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins coupled with its ability to recruit plasmin(ogen) may endow cells with the ability of directed proteolytic activity vital for tissue invasion.
New solvent for polyrotaxane. II. Dissolution behavior of polyrotaxane in ionic liquids and preparation of ionic liquid-containing slide-ring gels

The dissolution behavior of polyrotaxanes, consisting of α-cyclodextrin and poly(ethylene glycol), with different molecular weights (2000 and 35,000) was investigated. Halogen-containing ionic liquids, such as chlorides or bromides, were found to be good solvents for polyrotaxanes, regardless of their cations. Dissolution required a high temperature (above 90 °C), while intensive heating over 105 °C seemed to cause decomposition of the polyrotaxane. The discovery of new solvents for polyrotaxane was applied in the preparation of ionic liquid-containing slide-ring gels (SR gels), that is supramolecular networks of polyrotaxane swollen with ionic liquids, using a devised “non-drying” technique accompanied by solvent exchange. Significant swelling of the SR gels with the ionic liquids was confirmed by dynamic mechanical measurements. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1985–1994, 2006
Exploring beliefs and distress in patients with facial palsies

ABSTRACT Evidence suggests that people with facial palsy may experience higher levels of distress, but the reasons for this are yet to be explored. This study aimed to explore people’s illness beliefs, emotions, and behaviours in relation to their facial palsy and understand how distress is experienced by this group. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted in the UK with adults with facial palsy. Interview questions were theoretically informed by the Common-Sense Self-Regulatory Model (CS-SRM). Thematic Analysis was conducted following a combined inductive and deductive approach. Twenty people with facial palsy participated (70% female; aged 29–84). Patient distress was accounted for by illness beliefs (symptoms, cause, control and treatment, timeline and consequences), and four additional themes (coping behaviours, social support, identity and health service provision). Experiences of anxiety, depression, and anger were widespread, and some participants experienced suicidal ideation. The burden of managing a long-term condition, altered self-perception, and social anxiety and isolation were key drivers of distress. There is a need for more integrated psychological support for patients with facial palsy. Within clinical consultations, patient’s beliefs about facial palsy should be identified and systematically addressed. Service development should include appropriate referral to specialist psychological support via an established care pathway.
Time trends in comorbidity and management of hypertension and self-reported diabetes: A 15-year nationwide longitudinal study in China.

OBJECTIVES To examine time trends in comorbidity of hypertension and self-reported type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and their diagnosis, treatment, and management in China during 2000-2015 and study factors associated with these outcomes. METHODS Longitudinal data collected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) during 2000-2015 were analyzed. 143, 351 and 338 had both hypertension and self-reported T2DM were selected in 2000, 2011 and 2015, respectively. Average systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and hypertension prevalence among T2DM participants, and treatment and control of hypertension and self-reported T2DM among participants with both conditions were examined for all and by sex and weight status. Poisson regression model assessed the associations. RESULTS From 2000 to 2015, among participants with self-reported T2DM, hypertension prevalence dropped from 88.4% to 83.0% and BPs decreased (P < 0.05). Men and overweight/obese participants had greater decreases in hypertension prevalence and DBP, while women had a larger decrease in SBP than men. Over time, among participants with both hypertension and self-reported T2DM, rates of hypertension treatment (45.3% to 57.7%), hypertension control (3.0% to 10.9%) and self-reported T2DM treatment (90.0% to 95.6%) increased (all P < 0.001). Older, women, ever-smoking, heavier drinking, better income level, higher education level, and obesity had higher rates of prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension, and self-reported T2DM treatment among participants with both hypertension and self-reported T2DM. CONCLUSIONS Rates of hypertension treatment and control among participants with both hypertension and self-reported T2DM have improved in recent years, but were still low.
Development of Plasmodium‐specific liver‐resident memory CD8+ T cells after heat‐killed sporozoite immunization in mice

Malaria remains a major cause of mortality in the world and an efficient vaccine is the best chance of reducing the disease burden. Vaccination strategies for the liver stage of disease that utilise injection of live radiation‐attenuated sporozoites (RAS) confer sterile immunity, which is mediated by CD8+ memory T cells, with liver‐resident memory T cells (TRM) being particularly important. We have previously described a TCR transgenic mouse, termed PbT‐I, where all CD8+ T cells recognize a specific peptide from Plasmodium. PbT‐I form liver TRM cells upon RAS injection and are capable of protecting mice against challenge infection. Here, we utilize this transgenic system to examine whether nonliving sporozoites, killed by heat treatment (HKS), could trigger the development of Plasmodium‐specific liver TRM cells. We found that HKS vaccination induced the formation of memory CD8+ T cells in the spleen and liver, and importantly, liver TRM cells were fewer in number than that induced by RAS. Crucially, we showed the number of TRM cells was significantly higher when HKS were combined with the glycolipid α‐galactosylceramide as an adjuvant. In the future, this work could lead to development of an antimalaria vaccination strategy that does not require live sporozoites, providing greater utility.
Absolute targets for HCV elimination and national health policy paradigms: Foreseeing future requirements

The World Health Organization (WHO) targets for eliminating HCV by 2030 may be overambitious for many high‐income countries. Recent analyses (ie, data from 2017 to 2019) show that only 11 countries are on track for meeting WHO’s elimination targets. For a country to be truly on track, it is important that the majority of infected individuals be identified and treated. There is still a need for country and population‐specific evaluations within the different HCV screening and treatment strategies available, in order to assess their cost‐effectiveness and sustainability and support an evidence‐based policy for HCV elimination. Any health policy model is affected by the diversity and quality of the available data and by gaps in data. Given the differences among countries, comparing progress based on fixed global targets will not necessarily be suitable in the same measure for each country. In a recent document, the European Collaborators of Polaris Observatory provide insight into the limitations of the current WHO targets. The absolute targets identified by each country in accordance with the measures set by WHO would be essential in reaching the HCV elimination. All analytic models to assess the progress towards HCV elimination are based on projections to 2030 not including the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on hepatitis‐related services. With specific regard to the achievement of WHO hepatitis elimination goals, all measures that will be put in place during and after COVID‐19 pandemic could be transferred in increasing diagnosis and linkage to care of people with hepatitis.
Use of a simplex technique and contour diagrams for the determination of the reaction rate constants between glutathione and thiram in the presence of NADPH

The Modified Simplex Method (MSM) coupled with contour diagrams is used to determine the rate constants of a kinetic scheme involving three sequential second order processes. Reaction between glutathione and the dithiocarbamate fungicide tetramethylthiuram disulfide produces the oxidized form of glutathione which is then reduced in the presence of NADPH. The concentration of the reducing agent is monitored as a function of time. In the absence of simplifying assumption a closed form solution of the rate equations does not exist. Computed curves of NADPH concentration versus time were generated using the software SIMULCIN. The rate constant values are optimized by the MSM procedure to obtain the best agreement between calculated and experimental data. The significance, validity limits of the estimated rate constants and the relevance of these in vitro data to previous in vivo studies are discussed.
Deficits in attentional modulation of auditory N100 in first‐episode schizophrenia

Reductions of the auditory N100 are present in schizophrenia, even at the first episode (FESz). Because most studies examine auditory N100 on active target detection oddball tasks, it remains unclear if the abnormality in FESz results from sensory deficits or impaired enhancement of N100 by selective attention, or both. N100 was recorded from 21 FESz and 22 matched healthy controls (HC) on a single‐tone task and a two‐tone oddball task. Overall, N100 was smaller in FESz (p = .036). Attention enhanced N100 amplitude (p < .001), but this differed between groups, with FESz impaired in N100 modulation (group x attention, p = .012). The oddball task showed greater N100 enhancement than the single‐tone task (p < .001) in both groups. Group differences in N100 enhancement in the oddball task were large (Cohen's d = 0.85). Exploratory correlations showed that better N100 enhancement on the oddball task in FESz was associated with better MATRICS Overall Composite scores (cognitive tasks highly sensitive to psychosis), lower PANNS Negative factor and SANS scores, and better interpersonal (social) and role functioning in the last year. N100 during ignore conditions showed no significant difference between groups, albeit smaller in FESz, with small to medium effect sizes. Although sensory deficits in N100 are likely present, they are compounded by a failure to enhance N100 with attention. The failure of N100 enhancement by attentional gain control in FESz suggests functional dysconnection between cognitive control areas and the sensory cortex. N100 amplitude on active attention tasks may be a useful outcome biomarker for targeted enhancement of the cognitive control system.
Immunomodulatory and anti-cytokine therapeutic potential of curcumin and its derivatives for treating COVID-19 – a computational modeling

Abstract The unavailability of vaccine and medicines raised serious issues during COVID-19 pandemic and peoples from different parts of world relied on traditional medicine for their immediate recovery from COVID-19 and it found effective also. The current research aims to target COVID-19 immunological human host receptors i.e. angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 using curcumin derivatives to prevent viral infection and control overproduction of early clinical responses of COVID-19. Targeting these host proteins will mitigate the infection and will filter out many complications caused by these proteins in COVID-19 patients. It is proven through computer-aided computational modeling approaches, total 30 compounds of curcumin and its derivatives were chosen. Drug-likeness parameters were calculated for curcumin and its derivatives and 20 curcumin analogs were selected for docking analysis. From docking analysis of 20 curcumin analogs against five chosen human host receptor targets reveals 11 curcumin analogs possess least binding affinity and best interaction at active sites subjected to absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) analysis. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis of five final shortlisted curcumin derivatives was done to show least binding affinity toward chosen host target protein. Molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) was performed to observe behavior and interaction of potential drug hydrazinocurcumin against target proteins ACE-2 and PAR-1. It was performed at 100 nanoseconds and showed satisfactory results. Finally, our investigation reveals that hydrazinocurcumin possesses immunomodulatory and anti-cytokine therapeutic potential against COVID-19 and it can act as COVID-19 warrior drug molecule and promising choice of drug for COVID-19 treatment, however, it needs further in vivo clinical evaluation to commercialize as COVID-19 drug. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
ATI1 (ATG8-interacting protein 1) and ATI2 define a plant starvation-induced reticulophagy pathway and serve as MSBP1/MAPR5 cargo receptors

ABSTRACT Reticulophagy, the selective autophagy of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) components, is known to operate in eukaryotes from yeast and unicellular algae to animals and plants. Thus far, only ER-stress induced reticulophagy was reported and analyzed in plants. In this study we characterize a reticulophagy pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana that is triggered by dark-induced starvation but not by ER stress. This pathway is defined by the previously reported ATG8-interacting proteins, ATI1 and ATI2. We further identified the ER-localized MSBP1 (Membrane Steroid Binding Protein 1) as an ATI1- and ATI2-interacting protein and an autophagy cargo, and show that ATI1 and ATI2 serve as its cargo receptors. Together, these findings expand our knowledge on plant responses during energy deprivation and highlight the role of this special type of reticulophagy in this process. Abbreviations: AGO1: ARGONAUTE 1; ATI: ATG8-Interacting Protein; BiFC: Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation; BR: brassinosteroid; conA: concanamycin A; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxid; DTT: dithiothreitol; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; GFP: green fluorescent protein; MAPR: Membrane-Associated Progesterone Binding Protein; MSBP: Membrane Steroid Binding Protein; SD: standard deviation; SE: standard error; TM: tunicamycin; TOR: target of rapamycin; Y2H: yeast two-hybrid.