Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of mating on mRNA and protein expression of beta nerve growth factor and its receptor, TrKA, in the oviduct of llama (Lama glama)

Copulation produces different stimuli in the female reproductive tract in camelids, which lead to ovulation. Expression of β‐nerve growth factor (β‐NGF) and its specific receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrKA), was studied comparing the oviductal microenvironment of mated and nonmated llamas. β‐NGF and TrKA were expressed in the llama ampulla, isthmus, and utero‐tubal‐junction (UTJ), and they were mainly colocalized in the apical region of the oviductal mucosa. A TrKA immunosignal was also found in muscle cells and blood vessels, with the highest mark in UTJ muscle cells of copulated females. Both β‐NGF and TrKA transcripts were expressed in the three oviductal segments. Relative TrKA abundance did not differ between mated and nonmated females, but relative β‐NGF abundance was higher in the UTJ of copulated females (p < .05). β‐NGF might not be secreted into the oviductal fluid (OF) since the protein was not found in the OF of mated or nonmated females. Therefore, it can be concluded that the llama oviduct expresses the β‐NGF/TrKA system and that an increase in β‐NGF gene expression in the UTJ 24 h after copulation along with an increase in TrKA protein expression may indicate an important role in the gamete transport and fertilization process in llamas.
Effects of Fluoride Long-Term Exposure over the Cerebellum: Global Proteomic Profile, Oxidative Biochemistry, Cell Density, and Motor Behavior Evaluation

Although the literature does not provide evidence of health risks from exposure to fluoride (F) in therapeutic doses, questions remain about the effects of long-term and high-dose use on the function of the central nervous system. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term exposure to F at levels similar to those found in areas of artificial water fluoridation and in areas of endemic fluorosis on biochemical, proteomic, cell density, and functional parameters associated with the cerebellum. For this, mice were exposed to water containing 10 mg F/L or 50 mg F/L (as sodium fluoride) for 60 days. After the exposure period, the animals were submitted to motor tests and the cerebellum was evaluated for fluoride levels, antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP), lipid peroxidation (MDA), and nitrite levels (NO). The proteomic profile and morphological integrity were also evaluated. The results showed that the 10 mg F/L dose was able to decrease the ACAP levels, and the animals exposed to 50 mg F/L presented lower levels of ACAP and higher levels of MDA and NO. The cerebellar proteomic profile in both groups was modulated, highlighting proteins related to the antioxidant system, energy production, and cell death, however no neuronal density change in cerebellum was observed. Functionally, the horizontal exploratory activity of both exposed groups was impaired, while only the 50 mg F/L group showed significant changes in postural stability. No motor coordination and balance impairments were observed in both groups. Our results suggest that fluoride may impair the cerebellar oxidative biochemistry, which is associated with the proteomic modulation and, although no morphological impairment was observed, only the highest concentration of fluoride was able to impair some cerebellar motor functions.
Immune Remodeling of the Extracellular Matrix Drives Loss of Cancer Stem Cells and Tumor Rejection

Antitumor immune responses shape the tumor microenvironment (TME). There is an inverse relationship between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and T-cell infiltration, whereby effective antitumor T-cell responses reduce ECM and cancer stem cells in the TME. The nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) influences the ability of tumor-specific T cells to control tumor growth. In this study, we performed an unbiased comparison of the TME of regulatory T-cell (Treg)–replete and Treg-depleted carcinogen-induced tumors, including Treg-depleted responding (regressing) and non-responding (growing) tumors. This analysis revealed an inverse relationship between extracellular matrix (ECM) and T-cell infiltrates where responding tumors were T-cell rich and ECM poor, whereas the converse was observed in non-responder tumors. For this reason, we hypothesized that the ECM acted as a barrier to successful T-cell infiltration and tumor rejection. However, further experiments revealed that this was not the case but instead showed that an effective T-cell response dramatically altered the density of ECM in the TME. Along with loss of ECM and high numbers of infiltrating T cells, responder tumors were distinguished by the development of lymphatic and blood vessel networks with specialized immune function. ECM-rich tumors exhibited a stem cell–like gene expression profile and superior tumor-initiating capacity, whereas such features were absent in responder tumors. Overall, these findings define an extended role for an effective immune response, not just in direct killing of tumor cells but in widescale remodeling of the TME to favor loss of ECM, elimination of cancer stem cells, and propagation of adaptive immunity.
Yogurt consumption and colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

BACKGROUND Yogurt is a commonly consumed fermented food. Regular yogurt consumption may contribute to a favorable gut microbiome and gut health, but few epidemiologic studies have considered the relation between regular yogurt consumption and the incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer. OBJECTIVES We used data from 2 large, prospective cohort studies, the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, to examine the role of yogurt consumption on colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. METHODS During 32 years of follow-up in 83,054 women (mean age at baseline, 45.7 years) and 26 years of follow-up in 43,269 men (mean age at baseline, 52.3 years), we documented a total of 2666 newly diagnosed cases of colorectal cancer in these cohorts. We modeled yogurt consumption at baseline and cumulatively updated it throughout follow-up. Results: Baseline yogurt consumption was associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer in age-adjusted analyses (P for trend < 0.001). Associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for potential confounders, including calcium and fiber intake (P for trend = 0.03), and were restricted to proximal colon cancer. The consumption of 1 + servings per week of yogurt at baseline, compared to no yogurt consumption, was associated with a multivariable HR of 0.84 (95% CI, 0.70-0.99; P trend = 0.04) for the proximal colon cancer incidence. Latency analyses suggested that the most important window of opportunity for regular yogurt consumption to prevent colorectal cancer was 16-20 years in the past. When yogurt consumption was cumulatively updated, associations attenuated and were no longer significant. No statistically significant inverse trend was observed between yogurt consumption and the colorectal cancer mortality. CONCLUSIONS In these large cohorts, the frequency of yogurt consumption was associated with a reduced risk of proximal colon cancer with a long latency period. No significant inverse trend was observed for colorectal cancer mortality.
De novo variant in AMOTL1 in infant with cleft lip and palate, imperforate anus and dysmorphic features

AMOTL1 belongs to the Motin family of proteins that are involved in organogenesis and tumorigenesis through regulation of cellular migration, tube formation, and angiogenesis. While involvement of all AMOTs in development or suppression of cancers is relatively well described, little is known about the congenital phenotype of pathogenic variants in these genes in humans. Recently, a heterozygous variant in AMOTL1 was published in association with orofacial clefts and cardiac abnormalities in an affected father and his daughter. However, studies in mice did not recapitulate the human phenotype and the case was summarized as inconclusive. We present a female infant with cleft lip and palate, imperforate anus and dysmorphic features, in whom trio exome sequencing revealed a de novo variant in AMOTL1 affecting a highly conserved amino acid (c.479C>T; p.[Pro160Leu]). Bioinformatic predictions and in silico modeling supported pathogenicity. This case reinforces the conjecture regarding the disruptive effect of pathogenic variants in AMOTL1 on organ formation in humans. Studies of additional families will reveal the full phenotypic spectrum associated with this multiple malformation syndrome.
Determination of dihydrochlorides of drugs by linear titration method

A linear graphic method for the determination of the equivalence points of dihydrochlorides of drugs is presented in order to replace the traditional non-aqueous titration in pharmaceutical analysis. The titration is carried out potentiometrically. Equal volumes of the titrant are added stepwisely. The detection of end points of the titration by means of linear regression analysis is also recommended. The titration data can be treated by a programmable pocket calculator such as TI-59, and more satisfactory results are obtained than those when the salts are simply treated as a monohydrochloride. It is discussed further-more that the result from the method represents the part having the physiological activity of the drug, not the part of the hydrochloric acid redical.
Classification of Rhythmic Cortical Activity Elicited by Whole-Body Balance Perturbations Suggests the Cortical Representation of Direction-Specific Changes in Postural Stability

Postural responses that effectively recover balance following unexpected postural changes need to be tailored to the characteristics of the postural change. We hypothesized that cortical dynamics involved in top-down regulation of postural responses carry information about directional postural changes (i.e., sway) imposed by sudden perturbations to standing balance (i.e., support surface translations). To test our hypothesis, we evaluated the single-trial classification of perturbation-induced directional changes in postural stability from high-density EEG. We analyzed EEG recordings from six young able-bodied individuals and three older individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke, which were acquired while individuals reacted to low-intensity balance perturbations. Using common spatial patterns for feature extraction and linear discriminant analysis or support vector machines for classification, we achieved classification accuracies above random level (p < 0.05; cross-validated) for the classification of four different sway directions (one vs. the rest scheme). Screening of spectral features (3-50 Hz) revealed that the highest classification performance occurred when low-frequency (3-10 Hz) spectral features were used. Strikingly, the participant-specific classification results were qualitatively similar between young able-bodied individuals and older individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Our findings demonstrate that low-frequency spectral components, corresponding to the cortical theta rhythm, carry direction-specific information about changes in postural stability. Our work presents a new perspective on the cortical representation of postural stability and the possible role of the theta rhythm in the modulation of (directional) reactive balance responses. Importantly, our work provides preliminary evidence that the cortical encoding of direction-specific changes in postural stability is present in chronic hemiparetic stroke.
Single crystal, Hirshfeld surface and theoretical analysis of methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, a common cosmetic, drug and food preservative—Experiment versus theory

Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, commonly known as methyl paraben, is an anti-microbial agent used in cosmetics and personal-care products, and as a food preservative. In this study, the single crystal X-ray structure of methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate was determined at 120 K. The crystal structure comprises three methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate molecules condensed to a 3D framework via extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed to determine the intermolecular interactions and the crystal packing. In addition, computational calculations of methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate were obtained using the Gaussian 09W program, and by quantum mechanical methods, Hartree Fock (HF) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) with the 6–311G(d,p) basis set. The experimental FT-IR spectrum strongly correlated with the computed vibrational spectra (R2 = 0.995). The energies of the frontier orbitals, HOMO and LUMO, were used to calculate the chemical quantum parameters. The lower band gap value (ΔE) indicates the molecular determinants underlying the known pharmaceutical activity of the molecule.
Appropriate and inappropriate polypharmacy—Choosing the right strategy

Prescribing of medicines is one of the most common and important healthcare interventions that will be experienced by most patients, particularly those who are old, and have multiple medical conditions. The prescribing of multiple medicines has been described as polypharmacy, but there is no precise or accepted definition of this term. Numerical thresholds have often been used, but increasingly, this is not seen as helpful. Gurwitz has stated that the use of larger numbers of medicines would always be a key part in the medical management of older (American) patients, and stated that polypharmacy could be a 'new paradigm for quality drug therapy'. Increasingly, there has been a move to differentiating between inappropriate polypharmacy (too many medicine) and appropriate polypharmacy (many medicines), with the legitimate goal of managing multiple medical conditions in the same patient. So how do we reach the optimal balance between the prescribing of many medicines (appropriate polypharmacy) and the prescribing of too any medicines (inappropriate polypharmacy) and what strategies should we adopt?
Trophic strategy of Atlantirivulus riograndensis (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae), a non-annual rivulid threatened by extinction, in a perennial environment, Brazil)

Rivulidae includes non-annual fish of perennial habitats and annual fish of temporary wetlands. The objective of this research was to investigate the trophic strategy of Atlantirivulus riograndensis in a perennial environment. Sampling occurred in an environmental conservation unit in the Pampa biome, Brazil. Quantification of the diet followed the volumetric method. Consumption of autochthonous material as the main food source of the species followed the pattern of Rivulidae. Species is zooplanktonic when young. Food spectrum is broadened and insectivorousness increases with ontogeny, revealing a specialist trend in the feeding strategy of A. riograndensis. The most diverse feeding occurs in the spring and summer seasons in which the presence of larger fish was more frequent than in other seasons. The increased consumption of microcrustaceans in the fall was related to smaller individuals, captured in greater quantities in this post-reproductive period. The lowest diversity of dietary items occurs during the winter and may reflect the lower diversity of food resources available in this season or the transition from juvenile to adult diet, with consumption of autochthonous Diptera by medium sized fish.
Research on anchor chain visualization for a ship anchoring simulation training system

In the development of ship anchorage training systems, the problems of low efficiency and poor fidelity exist in the simulation of flexible anchor chains, and a position-based dynamics (PBD) method is proposed to express the chain movement. To satisfy the requirements of simulating anchoring manipulation, the PBD method modifies the position of anchor chain particles by controlling constraints. Using the original distance constraint and bending constraint of the PBD approach, two novel constraints, namely, the long-range attachment (LRA) constraint and pin constraint, are developed to simulate the bending and stretching of the anchor chain. Simulation of ordinary ropes can be achieved using distance and bending constraints. The developed LRA constraint is capable of preventing anchor chain particles from being overstretched. Adoption of the pin constraint is proposed to integrate two particles into one to be calculated as an attempt to simulate the connection between the chain and the anchor. The continuous collision detection (CCD) constraint method considering friction and viscosity is used to detect collisions in the ship anchoring training system. Collision detection covers chain collisions with other objects and chains. Finally, the PBD method is more efficient and robust than the Newton method. Since it has sufficient visual plausibility and can realize real-time visualization, the simulation system developed by the PBD method effective for training crew members.
Crossmodal Phase Reset and Evoked Responses Provide Complementary Mechanisms for the Influence of Visual Speech in Auditory Cortex

Natural conversation is multisensory: when we can see the speaker's face, visual speech cues improve our comprehension. The neuronal mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. The two main alternatives are visually mediated phase modulation of neuronal oscillations (excitability fluctuations) in auditory neurons and visual input-evoked responses in auditory neurons. Natural conversation is multisensory: when we can see the speaker's face, visual speech cues improve our comprehension. The neuronal mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. The two main alternatives are visually mediated phase modulation of neuronal oscillations (excitability fluctuations) in auditory neurons and visual input-evoked responses in auditory neurons. Investigating this question using naturalistic audiovisual speech with intracranial recordings in humans of both sexes, we find evidence for both mechanisms. Remarkably, auditory cortical neurons track the temporal dynamics of purely visual speech using the phase of their slow oscillations and phase-related modulations in broadband high-frequency activity. Consistent with known perceptual enhancement effects, the visual phase reset amplifies the cortical representation of concomitant auditory speech. In contrast to this, and in line with earlier reports, visual input reduces the amplitude of evoked responses to concomitant auditory input. We interpret the combination of improved phase tracking and reduced response amplitude as evidence for more efficient and reliable stimulus processing in the presence of congruent auditory and visual speech inputs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Watching the speaker can facilitate our understanding of what is being said. The mechanisms responsible for this influence of visual cues on the processing of speech remain incompletely understood. We studied these mechanisms by recording the electrical activity of the human brain through electrodes implanted surgically inside the brain. We found that visual inputs can operate by directly activating auditory cortical areas, and also indirectly by modulating the strength of cortical responses to auditory input. Our results help to understand the mechanisms by which the brain merges auditory and visual speech into a unitary perception.
Per‐ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Surface Water Near US Air Force Bases: Prioritizing Individual Chemicals and Mixtures for Toxicity Testing and Risk Assessment

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of persistent chemicals used for decades in industrial and commercial applications. A key challenge with regard to estimating potential risk to ecological (and human) receptors associated with PFAS exposure lies in the fact that there are many different PFAS compounds and several to many can co‐occur in any given environmental sample. We applied a data science approach to characterize and prioritize PFAS and PFAS mixtures from a large dataset of PFAS measurements in surface waters associated with US Air Force Installations with a history of the use of aqueous film‐forming foams (AFFFs). Several iterations of stakeholder feedback culminated in a few main points that advanced our understanding of a complex dataset and the larger ecotoxicological problem. First, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was often a dominant PFAS in a given surface water sample, frequently followed by perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS). Second, a 4‐chemical mixture generally accounted for >80% of the sum of all routinely reported PFAS in a sample, and the most representative 4‐chemical mixture was composed of PFOS, PFHxS, perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). We suggest that these results demonstrate the utility of formalized data science analysis and assessment frameworks to address complex ecotoxicological problems. Specifically, our example dataset results can be used to provide perspective on toxicity testing, ecological risk assessments, and field studies of PFAS in and around AFFF‐impacted sites. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:871–882. © 2020 SETAC
Hypouricemia and Mortality Risk in the US General Population

The most recent European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for gout advise against maintaining a serum urate (SU) level of <3 mg/dl for prolonged periods of time. While several Asian cohort studies have shown higher rates of mortality in individuals with extremely low SU levels, data from non‐Asian cohort studies are scarce, and the relationship between hypouricemia, cardiovascular risk, and mortality remains unclear.
THE INFLUENCE OF GREEN ATMOSPHERICS ON STORE IMAGE, STORE LOYALTY AND GREEN PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR

The use of green atmospherics is gaining momentum in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail sector in South Africa. With the aid of the Mehrabian and Russell (M-R) model, this study investigated the influence of green atmospherics on store image, store loyalty and green purchase behaviour. The study was based on South Africa’s FMCG retail sector using a quantitative research design. Cross-sectional data were collected from consumers drawn from retailers in Johannesburg with the aid of a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Standard multiple regression analysis was used to test the posited hypotheses. The results indicate that green ambience has a positive significant effect on green store image, implying that, among other green atmospheric cues, consumers perceived green ambience favourably. Green design and green social service were found to be related negatively to green store image. The study also showed that store image was related negatively to store loyalty and green purchase behaviour. The findings of the study have important implications for future research and use of green atmospherics in the FMCG retail sector in South Africa.