Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time‐based investigation of urinary metabolic markers for Type 2 diabetes: Metabolomics approach for diabetes management

Diabetes is considered one of the most important health emergencies worldwide and Egypt has 8.2 million diabetic patients according to the International Diabetes Federation report in 2017. The objective of this study was to monitor the time‐course variation in the metabolic profile of diabetic rats to detect urinary metabolic biomarkers using the metabolomics approach. Type 2 diabetes was induced in male Wistar albino rats using a single intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg of streptozotocin following oral administration of 10% fructose in drinking water for 3 weeks. Then, urine was collected for 24 h from rats at three time points (0, 2, and 4 weeks after confirmation of diabetes), and were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (H1‐NMR), followed by multivariate data analysis. The results from H1‐NMR pointed out that d‐glucose, taurine, l‐carnitine, l‐fucose, 1,5‐anhydrosorbitol, and d‐galactose levels showed consistent significant variation (p < 0.05) between the positive (diabetic) and negative (normal) controls during the whole experimental period. Also, with the disease progression, myoinositol, and l‐phenylalanine levels were significantly altered (p < 0.05) after 2 weeks and this alteration was maintained till the end of the 4‐week experimental period in the positive control group. From the results of the present study, it could be concluded that we cannot depend only on glucose levels for prognostic purposes since there are other metabolic disturbances in diabetes which need to be tracked for better disease prognosis.
The Short Forms of the Hewitt and Flett’s Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale: Which Factor Structure Better Fits Italian Data?

Abstract One of the most used instruments to assess perfectionism is Hewitt and Flett's Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (HFMPS). This article reports result of two studies aimed at evaluating and comparing two short HFMPS versions provided by literature in Italian samples. In Study 1, two previously proposed short forms–Cox and colleagues' and Hewitt and colleagues'–were compared in terms of factor structure and concurrent validity in a community sample of 324 participants. In Study 2, validity and reliability of the two short scales in 102 university students and 58 patients with a primary diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder were examined. Results revealed mixed findings concerning which of the two short form should be preferred.
Werner helicase is a synthetic-lethal vulnerability in Mismatch Repair-Deficient Colorectal Cancer Refractory to Targeted Therapies, Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy.

Targeted therapies, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy are used to treat patients with mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC). The clinical effectiveness of targeted therapy and chemotherapy is limited by resistance and drug toxicities, and about half of immunotherapy patients are refractory to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Loss of Werner syndrome ATP-dependent helicase (WRN) is a synthetic-lethality in dMMR/MSI-H cells. To inform the development of WRN as a therapeutic target, we performed WRN knockout or knockdown in 60 heterogeneous dMMR CRC preclinical models, demonstrating that WRN dependency is an almost universal feature and a robust marker for patient selection. Furthermore, models of resistance to clinically relevant targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy retain WRN dependency. These data show the potential of therapeutically targeting WRN in dMMR/MSI-H CRC patients, and support WRN as a therapeutic option for patients with dMMR/MSI-H cancers refractory to current treatment strategies.
Radiotherapy dose calculations in high-Z materials: comprehensive comparison between experiment, Monte Carlo, and conventional planning algorithms

Purpose. To compare the accuracies of the AAA and AcurosXB dose calculation algorithms and to predict the change in the down-stream and lateral dose deposition of high energy photons in the presence of material with densities higher that commonly found in the body. Method. Metal rods of titanium (d = 4.5 g cm−3), stainless steel (d = 8 g cm−3) and tungsten (d = 19.25 g cm−3) were positioned in a phantom. Film was position behind and laterally to the rods to measure the dose distribution for a 6 MV, 18 MV and 10 FFF photon beams. A DOSXYZnrc Monte Carlo simulation of the experimental setup was performed. The AAA and AcurosXB dose calculation algorithms were used to predict the dose distributions. The dose from film and DOSXYZnrc were compared with the dose predicted by AAA and AcurosXB. Results. AAA overestimated the dose behind the rods by 15%–25% and underestimated the dose laterally to the rods by 5%–15% depending on the range of materials and energies investigated. AcurosXB overestimated the dose behind the rods by 1%–18% and underestimated the dose laterally to the rods by up to 5% depending on the range of material and energies investigated. Conclusion. AAA cannot deliver clinically acceptable dose calculation results at a distance less than 10 mm from metals, for a single field treatment. Acuros XB is able to handle metals of low atomic numbers (Z ≤ 26), but not tungsten (Z = 74). This can be due to the restriction of the CT-density table in EclipseTM TPS, which has an upper HU limit of 10501.
Continuous monitoring of cell transfection efficiency with micropatterned substrates

The effect of cell–cell contact on gene transfection is mainly unknown. Usually, transfection is carried out in batch cell cultures without control over cellular interactions, and efficiency analysis relies on complex and expensive protocols commonly involving flow cytometry as the final analytical step. Novel platforms and cell patterning are being studied to control cellular interactions and improve quantification methods. In this study, we report the use of surface patterning of fibronectin for the generation of two types of mesenchymal stromal cell patterns: single‐cell patterns without cell‐to‐cell contact, and small cell‐colony patterns. Both scenarios allowed the integration of the full transfection process and the continuous monitoring of thousands of individualized events by fluorescence microscopy. Our results showed that cell‐to‐cell contact clearly affected the transfection, as single cells presented a maximum transfection peak 6 h earlier and had a 10% higher transfection efficiency than cells with cell‐to‐cell contact.
Outcomes for various dural graft materials after posterior fossa decompression with duraplasty for Chiari malformation type I: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE Posterior fossa decompression with duraplasty (PFDD) is often used for Chiari malformation type I (CM-I), but outcomes associated with different dural graft materials are not well characterized. In this meta-analysis, the authors examined complication rates and outcomes after PFDD for CM-I for autografts and four types of nonautologous grafts. METHODS A literature search of numerous electronic databases (Ovid Medline, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Health Technology Assessment Database, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, and ClinicalTrials.gov) was performed to identify articles detailing complications for dural graft materials after PFDD. Whenever available, data were also extracted regarding the need for revision surgery, symptom changes after PFDD, and syrinx size changes after PFDD. All searches were compliant with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), Institute of Medicine, Standards for Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies guidelines. There were no exclusion criteria based on patient age or presence or absence of syringomyelia. RESULTS The current evidence surrounding outcomes for various dural graft materials was found to be of low or very low quality. Twenty-seven studies were included, encompassing 1461 patients. Five types of dural graft materials were included: autograft (n = 404, 27.6%), synthetic (n = 272, 18.6%), bovine pericardium (n = 181, 12.4%), collagen-based (n = 397, 27.2%), and allograft (n = 207, 14.2%). Autograft was associated with a significantly lower rate of pseudomeningocele compared to collagen-based grafts, allografts, and nonautologous grafts in aggregate. Autograft was also associated with the lowest rates of aseptic meningitis, infectious meningitis, and need for revision PFDD, though these associations did not reach statistical significance. No other graft comparisons yielded significant results. Autograft and nonautologous graft materials yielded similar rates of revision surgery and produced similar improvements in postoperative symptoms and syrinx size. CONCLUSIONS Autograft was the dural graft material that most frequently had the lowest rate of complications and was associated with significantly lower rates of pseudomeningocele compared to collagen-based graft, allograft, and nonautologous graft materials. Autografts and nonautologous grafts yielded similar outcomes for revision surgery, symptoms, and syrinx size. Large prospective studies comparing different graft materials are needed to accurately and precisely characterize outcomes for individual graft types.
Dewatering of coating dispersions : Model experiments and analysis

L'essorage des couleurs des sauces de couchage est un phenomene important qui regit dans une large mesure l'aptitude au passage sur machine des sauces de couchage industrielles. Dans la presente recherche, le comportement a l'essorage des dispersions modeles de sauces de couchage a ete analyse dans des conditions statiques en laboratoire. A l'aide de particules de polystyrene spheriques monodispersees a une teneur initiale de 48% de matieres solides, nous avons procede a des essais de filtrage a une pression constante de 50 kPa. La filtration a ete surveillee de facon non invasive a l'aide d'une technique d'imagerie par resonance magnetique (IRM) basee sur une lecture spirale multicourse. Il a ete demontre qu'il y a un gradient de concentration des particules dans le gâteau filtre, dont on ne tient pas compte dans la theorie traditionnelle de filtrage employee pour le couchage. La teneur en particules etait la plus elevee a la membrane du filtre et diminuait presque de facon lineaire vers la partie superieure du gâteau filtre. Une bonne concordance a ete notee entre un modele de documentation decrivant la filtration avec un gâteau filtre compressible et les gradients de concentration mesures par IRM.
Transcriptomic signatures of temperature adaptation in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica

The large geographic distribution of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, makes it an ideal species to test how populations have adapted to latitudinal gradients in temperature. Despite inhabiting distinct thermal regimes, populations of C. virginica near the species’ southern and northern geographic range show no population differences in their physiological response to temperature. In this study, we used comparative transcriptomics to understand how oysters from either end of the species’ range maintain enantiostasis across three acclimation temperatures (10, 20, and 30°C). With this approach, we identified genes that were differentially expressed in response to temperature between individuals of C. virginica collected from New Brunswick, Canada and Louisiana, USA. We observed a core set of genes whose expression responded to temperature in both populations, but also an even larger set of genes with expression patterns that were unique to each population. Intriguingly, the genes with population‐specific responses to temperature had elevated FST and Ka/Ks ratios compared to the genome‐wide average. In contrast, genes showing only a response to temperature were found to only have elevated FST values suggesting that divergent FST may be due to selection on linked regulatory regions rather than positive selection on protein coding regions. Taken together, our results suggest that, despite coarse‐scale physiological similarities, natural selection has shaped divergent gene expression responses to temperature in geographically separated populations of this broadly eurythermal marine invertebrate.
The facile preparation of novel magnetic zirconia composites with the aid of carboxymethyl chitosan and their efficient removal of dye

Novel composites based on magnetic zirconia was synthesized with the aid of carboxymethyl chitosan (Fe3O4/ZrO2–CMCS) by a facile method. The as-synthesized products were characterized by wide-angle powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The magnetic zirconia carboxymethyl chitosan (Fe3O4/ZrO2–CMCS) composites consisted of particles which show a better regularity and uniform with 200–300 nm in diameter. The as-obtained Fe3O4/ZrO2–CMCS nanocomposites exhibited high adsorption activity and the adsorption capacity for sunset yellow was up to 143.2 mg g−1 without adjusting pH of the solution. Interestingly, after the carboxymethyl chitosan being eliminated by calcining in air, the as-obtained Fe3O4/ZrO2 showed enhanced photocatalytic activity under sunlight irradiation. The degradation rate of rhodamine B as well as sunset yellow was 89% and 84% in 240 min, respectively, due to the addition of the Fe3O4/ZrO2 photocatalyst under sunlight irradiation. Both Fe3O4/ZrO2–CMCS and Fe3O4/ZrO2 can be recycled and reused easily, due to magnetism of iron oxide in the composites. Considering the high adsorption performance of Fe3O4/ZrO2–CMCS and the enhanced photocatalytic activity of Fe3O4/ZrO2 for dye stuff, these two nanocomposites can be applied in treating the waste water contaminated by organic dye stuff.
Links Between Mortality and Socioeconomic Characteristics, Disease Burden, and Biological and Physical Functioning in the Aging Chinese Population.

OBJECTIVES Determinants of mortality may depend on the time and place where they are examined. China provides an important context in which to study the determinants of mortality at older ages because of its unique social, economic, and epidemiological circumstances. This study uses a nationally representative sample of persons in China to determine how socioeconomic characteristics, early-life conditions, biological and physical functioning, and disease burden predict four-year mortality after age 60. METHODS We used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). We employed a series of Cox proportional hazard models based on exact survival time to predict four-year all-cause mortality between the 2011 baseline interview and the 2015 interview. RESULTS We found that rural residence, poor physical functioning ability, uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, cancer, a high level of systemic inflammation, and poor kidney functioning are strong predictors of mortality among older Chinese. DISCUSSION The results show that the objectively-measured indicators of physical functioning and biomarkers are independent and strong predictors of mortality risk after accounting for several additional self-reported health measures, confirming the value of incorporating biological and performance measurements in population health surveys to help understand health changes and aging processes that lead to mortality. This study also highlights the importance of social and historical context in the study of old-age mortality.
The Unicellular Red Alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae—The Simplest Model of a Photosynthetic Eukaryote

Abstract Several species of unicellular eukaryotic algae exhibit relatively simple genomic and cellular architecture. Laboratory cultures of these algae grow faster than plants and often provide homogeneous cellular populations exposed to an almost equal environment. These characteristics are ideal for conducting experiments at the cellular and subcellular levels. Many microalgal lineages have recently become genetically tractable, which have started to evoke new streams of studies. Among such algae, the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae is the simplest organism; it possesses the minimum number of membranous organelles, only 4,775 protein-coding genes in the nucleus, and its cell cycle progression can be highly synchronized with the diel cycle. These properties facilitate diverse omics analyses of cellular proliferation and structural analyses of the intracellular relationship among organelles. C. merolae cells lack a rigid cell wall and are thus relatively easily disrupted, facilitating biochemical analyses. Multiple chromosomal loci can be edited by highly efficient homologous recombination. The procedures for the inducible/repressive expression of a transgene or an endogenous gene in the nucleus and for chloroplast genome modification have also been developed. Here, we summarize the features and experimental techniques of C. merolae and provide examples of studies using this alga. From these studies, it is clear that C. merolae—either alone or in comparative and combinatory studies with other photosynthetic organisms—can provide significant insights into the biology of photosynthetic eukaryotes.
Commentary on Osland et al.: Tropicalization of temperate ecosystems in North America: The northward range expansion of tropical organisms in response to warming winter temperatures

Tropicalization is, "the transformation of temperate ecosystems by poleward-moving tropical organisms in response to warming temperatures" (Osland et al. 2021). In their newly published Research Review article in Global Change Biology, Osland and colleagues provide important context, diverse examples, and discuss critical knowledge gaps on tropicalization for the lower latitudes of North America where species assemblages are changing via range expansions or invasions.
Antiarrhythmic drugs for atrial fibrillation: lessons from the past and opportunities for the future.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a highly prevalent and troublesome cardiac arrhythmia, associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm (rhythm-control therapy) is an important element of AF management in symptomatic patients. Despite significant advances and increasing importance of catheter ablation, antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) remain a cornerstone of rhythm-control therapy. During the past 50 years, experimental and clinical research has greatly increased our understanding of AADs. As part of the special issue on paradigm shifts in AF, this review summarizes important milestones in AAD research that have shaped their current role in AF management, including (i) awareness of the proarrhythmic potential of AADs; (ii) increasing understanding of the pleiotropic effects of AADs; (iii) the development of dronedarone; and (iv) the search for AF-specific AADs. Finally, we discuss short- and long-term opportunities for better AF management through advances in AAD therapy, including personalization of AAD therapy based on individual AF mechanisms.
How Electrode Position Affects Selective His Bundle Capture: A Modelling Study

In certain cardiac conduction system pathologies, like bundle branch block, block may be proximal, allowing for electrical stimulation of the more distal His bundle to most effectively restore activation. While selective stimulation of the His bundle is sought, surrounding myocardium may also be excited, resulting in nonselective pacing. The myocardium and His bundle have distinct capture thresholds, but the factors affecting whether His bundle pacing is selective or nonselective remain unelucidated. Objective: We investigated the properties which affect the capture thresholds in order to improve selective pacing. Methods: We performed biophysically detailed, computer simulations of a His fibre running through a septal wedge preparation to compute capture thresholds under various configurations of electrode polarity and orientation. Results: The myocardial capture threshold was close to that of the His bundle. The His fibre needed to intersect with the electrode tip to favor its activation. Inserting the electrode fully within the septum increased the myocardial capture threshold. Reversing polarity, to rely on anode break excitation, also increased the ease of selective pacing. Conclusion: Model results were consistent with clinical observations. For selective pacing, the tip needs to be in contact with the His fibre and anodal stimulation is preferable. Significance: This study provides insight into helping establish electrode and stimulation parameters for selective His bundle pacing in patients.
Cytokinetic abscission is part of the midblastula transition in early zebrafish embryogenesis

Significance In this work, we show that the last step of cytokinesis, termed abscission, is delayed in early zebrafish embryos. As a result, sibling cells remain connected to one another by a thin membrane bridge for several cycles, forming clusters of interconnected cells. Bridge severing (i.e., abscission) commences at the 10th cell cycle when embryos enter the midblastula transition switch, in which embryonic cells become individualized and exhibit the characteristics of mature cells. Cells connected by intercellular bridges shared similar cellular behaviors, such as transcription onset and cell shape. Our data suggest that cell–cell connectivity is maintained in early embryos through persistent bridge connections that allow cells to coordinate their behavior during embryonic development. Animal cytokinesis ends with the formation of a thin intercellular membrane bridge that connects the two newly formed sibling cells, which is ultimately resolved by abscission. While mitosis is completed within 15 min, the intercellular bridge can persist for hours, maintaining a physical connection between sibling cells and allowing exchange of cytosolic components. Although cell–cell communication is fundamental for development, the role of intercellular bridges during embryogenesis has not been fully elucidated. In this work, we characterized the spatiotemporal characteristics of the intercellular bridge during early zebrafish development. We found that abscission is delayed during the rapid division cycles that occur in the early embryo, giving rise to the formation of interconnected cell clusters. Abscission was accelerated when the embryo entered the midblastula transition (MBT) phase. Components of the ESCRT machinery, which drives abscission, were enriched at intercellular bridges post-MBT and, interfering with ESCRT function, extended abscission beyond MBT. Hallmark features of MBT, including transcription onset and cell shape modulations, were more similar in interconnected sibling cells compared to other neighboring cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that delayed abscission in the early embryo allows clusters of cells to coordinate their behavior during embryonic development.
Glossary of terms used in extraction (IUPAC Recommendations 2016)

Abstract Approaches for analytical-scale extraction are developing rapidly as new strategies are implemented to improve sample throughput, to minimize material use in laboratory methods, and to develop on-site capabilities. In this contribution, definitions and recommendations for symbols for the terms used in analytical extraction are presented. Exhaustive, microextraction, elevated temperature, microwave- and ultrasound-assisted, parallel batch, flow through systems, and membrane extraction approaches are discussed. An associated tutorial titled “Extraction” provides a detailed introduction to the topic.