Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Palmitic acid induces insulin resistance by a mechanism associated with energy metabolism and calcium entry in neuronal cells

Palmitic acid (PA) is a saturated fatty acid whose high consumption has been largely associated with the development of different metabolic alterations, such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Particularly in the brain, insulin signaling disruption has been linked to cognitive decline and is considered a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Cumulative evidence has demonstrated the participation of PA in the molecular cascade underlying cellular insulin resistance in peripheral tissues, but its role in the development of neuronal insulin resistance and the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. It has generally been accepted that the brain does not utilize fatty acids as a primary energy source, but recent evidence shows that neurons possess the machinery for fatty acid β‐oxidation. However, it is still unclear under what conditions neurons use fatty acids as energy substrates and the implications of their oxidative metabolism in modifying insulin‐stimulated effects. In the present work, we have found that neurons differentiated from human neuroblastoma MSN exposed to high but nontoxic concentrations of PA generate ATP through mitochondrial metabolism, which is associated with an increase in the cytosolic Ca2+ and diminished insulin signaling in neurons. These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which saturated fatty acids produce Ca2+ entry and insulin resistance that may play a causal role in increasing neuronal vulnerability associated with metabolic diseases.
Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing for the Rapid Detection of Fluconazole Resistance in Candida Isolates

Background Given the increased fluconazole resistance (FR) among Candida isolates, we assessed the suitability of disk diffusion susceptibility testing (DDT) for the early detection of FR using well-characterized Candida isolates. Methods In total, 188 Candida isolates, including 66 C. albicans (seven Erg11 mutants), 69 C. glabrata (33 Pdr1 mutants), 29 C. parapsilosis (15 Erg11 mutants), and 24 C. tropicalis (eight Erg11 mutants) isolates, were tested in this study. FR was assessed using DDT according to the standard CLSI M44-ED3 method, except that two cell suspensions, McFarland 0.5 (standard inoculum) and 2.5 (large inoculum), were used, and the inhibition zones were read at 2-hour intervals from 10 hours to 24 hours. Results DDT results for the standard inoculum were readable after 14 hours (C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. tropicalis) and 20 hours (C. parapsilosis) for >95% of the isolates, whereas the results for the large inoculum were readable after 12 hours (C. glabrata and C. tropicalis), 14 hours (C. albicans), and 16 hours (C. parapsilosis) for >95% of the isolates. Compared with the results produced using the CLSI M27-ED4 broth microdilution method, the first readable results from the DDT method for each isolate exhibited an agreement of 97.0%, 98.6%, 72.4%, and 91.7% for the standard inoculum and 100%, 98.6%, 96.6%, and 95.8% for the large inoculum for C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis, respectively. Conclusions DDT using large inoculum may detect FR rapidly and reliably in the four most common Candida species.
Charge-Enhanced Dry Impregnation: A Simple Way to Improve the Preparation of Supported Metal Catalysts

A simple variation in the method of incipient wetness can dramatically improve metal dispersion in supported metal catalysts. This very common method, also known as dry impregnation or pore filling, often suffers from the absence of metal precursor-support interaction during metal deposition, which usually leads to extensive sintering and poor distribution of the metal phase after pretreatment. In past work, our group has demonstrated the synthesis of ultrasmall nanoparticles in tight size distributions by inducing strong electrostatic interactions between the dissolved metal precursor and support. We have normally employed “wet impregnation” involving thin solution-support slurries, but now show that electrostatic interactions can be induced at incipient wetness. This is done by acidifying or basifying the impregnating solution to the (surprisingly) great extent needed to charge up the surface. With this simple variation we have demonstrated vast improvements in Pt dispersion over carbon, silica, and alu.
Functional brain network topology across the menstrual cycle is estradiol dependent and correlates with individual well‐being

The menstrual cycle (MC) is a sex hormone‐related phenomenon that repeats itself cyclically during the woman's reproductive life. In this explorative study, we hypothesized that coordinated variations of multiple sex hormones may affect the large‐scale organization of the brain functional network and that, in turn, such changes might have psychological correlates, even in the absence of overt clinical signs of anxiety and/or depression. To test our hypothesis, we investigated longitudinally, across the MC, the relationship between the sex hormones and both brain network and psychological changes. We enrolled 24 naturally cycling women and, at the early‐follicular, peri‐ovulatory, and mid‐luteal phases of the MC, we performed: (a) sex hormone dosage, (b) magnetoencephalography recording to study the brain network topology, and (c) psychological questionnaires to quantify anxiety, depression, self‐esteem, and well‐being. We showed that during the peri‐ovulatory phase, in the alpha band, the leaf fraction and the tree hierarchy of the brain network were reduced, while the betweenness centrality (BC) of the right posterior cingulate gyrus (rPCG) was increased. Furthermore, the increase in BC was predicted by estradiol levels. Moreover, during the luteal phase, the variation of estradiol correlated positively with the variations of both the topological change and environmental mastery dimension of the well‐being test, which, in turn, was related to the increase in the BC of rPCG. Our results highlight the effects of sex hormones on the large‐scale brain network organization as well as on their possible relationship with the psychological state across the MC. Moreover, the fact that physiological changes in the brain topology occur throughout the MC has widespread implications for neuroimaging studies.
Broken symmetry between RNA enantiomers in a crystal lattice

Abstract Explaining the origin of the homochirality of biological molecules requires a mechanism of disrupting the natural equilibrium between enantiomers and amplifying the initial imbalance to significant levels. Authors of existing models have sought an explanation in the parity-breaking weak nuclear force, in some selectively acting external factor, or in random fluctuations that subsequently became amplified by an autocatalytic process. We have obtained crystals in which l- and d-enantiomers of short RNA duplexes assemble in an asymmetric manner. These enantiomers make different lattice contacts and have different exposures to water and metal ions present in the crystal. Apparently, asymmetry between enantiomers can arise upon their mutual interactions and then propagate via crystallization. Asymmetric racemic compounds are worth considering as possible factors in symmetry breaking and enantioenrichment that took place in the early biosphere.
Fatal opioid overdoses in the U.S. declined more than reported between 2017 and 2018

ABSTRACT Background: In U.S. death records, many drug overdoses do not have classified drug involvement, which challenges surveillance of opioid overdoses across time and space.Objective: To estimate the 2017–2018 change in opioid overdose deaths that accounts for probable opioid involvement in unclassified drug overdose deaths.Methods: In this retrospective design study, data on all drug overdose decedents from 2017–2018 in the U.S. were used to calculate the year-to-year change in known opioid overdoses, predict opioid involvement in unclassified drug overdoses, and estimate the year-to-year change in corrected opioid overdoses, which include both known and predicted opioid deaths. We used the Multiple Cause of Death (MCOD) data from CDC.Results: We estimated that the decrease in the age-adjusted opioid overdose death rate from 2017–2018 was 7.0%. There is a striking variation across states. Age-adjusted opioid overdose death rates decreased by 9.9% in Ohio and more than 5.0% in other Appalachian states (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky), while they increased by 6.8% in Delaware.Conclusions: Our models suggest that opioid overdose-related mortality declined from 2017 to 2018 at a higher rate than reported (7.0% versus than the reported 2.0%), potentially indicating that clinical efforts and federal, state, and local government policies designed to control the epidemic have been effective in most states. Our local area estimates can be used by researchers, policy-makers and public health officials to assess effectiveness of state policies and interventions in smaller jurisdictions implemented in response to the crisis.
On‐chip determination of tissue‐specific metastatic potential of breast cancer cells

Metastasis is one of the major obstacles for breast cancer patients. Limitations of current models demand the development of custom platforms to predict metastatic potential and homing choices of cancer cells. Here, two organ‐on‐chip platforms, invasion/chemotaxis (IC‐chip) and extravasation (EX‐chip) were used for the quantitative assessment of invasion and extravasation towards specific tissues. Lung, liver and breast microenvironments were simulated in the chips using tissue‐specific cells embedded in matrigel. In the IC‐chip, invasive MDA‐MB‐231, but not noninvasive MCF‐7 breast cancer cells invaded into lung and liver microenvironments. In the EX‐chip, MDA‐MB‐231 cells extravasated more into the lung compared to the liver and breast microenvironments. In addition, lung‐specific MDA‐MB‐231 clone invaded and extravasated into the lung microenvironment more efficiently than the bone‐specific clone. Both invasion/chemotaxis and extravasation results were in agreement with published clinical data. Collectively, our results show that IC‐chip and EX‐chip, simulating tissue‐specific microenvironments, can distinguish different in vivo metastatic phenotypes, in vitro. Determination of tissue‐specific metastatic potential of breast cancer cells is expected to improve diagnosis and help select the ideal therapy.
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in urgent transcatheter mitral valve repair: A National Inpatient Sample analysis

Cardiac interventions performed urgently are known to be associated with poor outcomes compared with electively performed procedures. Transcatheter edge‐to‐edge mitral valve repair (TMVr) has developed as a reasonable alternative to mitral valve surgery in certain patient populations. We aimed to leverage a national database to identify predictors of urgent versus elective TMVr, as well as the association between urgency and outcomes.
Observer-Based Output Feedback Event-Triggered Adaptive Control for Linear Multiagent Systems Under Switching Topologies

The consensus problem of general linear multiagent systems (MASs) is studied under switching topologies by using observer-based event-triggered control method in this article. On the basis of the output information of agents, two kinds of novel event-triggered adaptive control schemes are designed to achieve the leaderless and leader-follower consensus problems, which do not need to utilize the global information of the communication networks. Finally, two simulation examples are introduced to show that the consensus error converges to zero and Zeno behavior is eliminated in MASs. Compared with the existing output feedback control research, one of the significant advantages of our methods is that the controller protocols and triggering mechanisms do not rely on any global information, are independent of the network scale, and are fully distributed ways.
Integrated Constraint Programming Scheduling Approach for Automated Wet-Etch Stations in Semiconductor Manufacturing

This article addresses a challenging resource constrained flow shop scheduling problem from automated wet-etch stations (AWSs) in wafer fabrication of semiconductor manufacturing facilities by means of a constraint programming (CP) methodology. Wet etching in wafer fabrication is a difficult process considering the material handling limitations and mixed intermediate policies. The proposed integrated approach consists of both a CP model and an efficient search strategy in order to handle the different features of the process. The domain-specific search strategy significantly improves the computational performance, a key aspect given the high combinatorial complexity of the problem. The search strategy objective is to avoid losing time due to early bad choices in the exploration and to produce good quality solutions with low computational effort. The applicability of the proposed integrated CP methodology is successfully tested with several examples taken from the literature, featuring a different number o.
How to fairly allocate scarce medical resources? Controversial preferences of healthcare professionals with different personal characteristics

Abstract The scarcity of medical resources is widely recognized, and therefore priority setting is inevitable. This study examines whether Portuguese healthcare professionals (physicians vs nurses): (i) share the moral guidance proposed by ethicists and (ii) attitudes toward prioritization criteria vary among individual and professional characteristics. A sample of 254 healthcare professionals were confronted with hypothetical prioritization scenarios involving two patients distinguished by personal or health characteristics. Descriptive statistics and parametric analyses were performed to evaluate and compare the adherence of both groups of healthcare professionals regarding 10 rationing criteria: waiting time, treatment prognosis measured in life expectancy and quality of life, severity of health conditions measured in pain and immediate risk of dying, age discrimination measured in favoring the young over older and favoring the youngest over the young, merit evaluated positively or negatively, and parenthood. The findings show a slight adherence to the criteria. Waiting time and patient pain were the conditions considered fairer by respondents in contrast with the ethicists normative. Preferences for distributive justice vary by professional group and among participants with different political orientations, rationing experience, years of experience, and level of satisfaction with the NHS. Decision-makers should consider the opinion of ethicists, but also those of healthcare professionals to legitimize explicit guidelines.
Myopic shift after Salzmann nodule excision

In a retrospective review of 73 eyes, Salzmann nodule excision was associated with a myopic shift (mean, 1 diopter) caused by corneal steepening in most eyes. Purpose: To quantify changes in manifest refractive error and mean keratometric power (Km) at 1 month and ≥12 months after Salzmann nodule excision. Setting: Cornea service at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Design: Retrospective consecutive case series. Methods: Changes in manifest refractive error (spherical equivalent), Km, and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) were compared for 73 eyes of 58 patients who underwent Salzmann nodule excision. Eyes with ocular comorbidities were excluded. Comparisons between preoperative and postoperative measurements were made by using generalized estimating equation models. Results: Mean patient age was 66 years, and 53 patients (91%) were female. Spherical equivalent manifest refractive error was −0.27 ± 2.66 diopters (D) before nodule excision and became more myopic (−1.10 ± 2.78 D) at 1 month after nodule excision (n = 69, P < .001) with no change at 12 months (n = 14, P = .13). A myopic shift ≥0.5 D occurred in 65% of eyes and ≥1.0 D in 36% of eyes. Km increased from 42.7 ± 2.11 D before nodule excision to 44.2 ± 1.82 D at 1 month after excision (n = 49, P < .001). CDVA improved from 0.18 ± 0.15 logMAR (Snellen equivalent 20/30) before nodule excision to 0.05 ± 0.09 logMAR (20/22, n = 69, P < .001) at 1 month after excision with no change at 12 months (n = 14, P = .73). Conclusions: In addition to known changes in cylinder, Salzmann nodule excision is associated with a myopic shift in most eyes caused by corneal steepening. Patients should be counseled about the likelihood of refractive changes, and cataract surgery should be deferred until refractive stability is achieved.
Dichlorophene activates aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) to mediate splenotoxicity in rat

Abstract Dichlorophene (DCP) is a halogenated phenolic compound, widely used as fungicide, bactericide and antiprotozoan and also exhibit therapeutic application in several pathological conditions. Taking account of broad use of DCP, its possible effect on spleen (an important immune organ) was investigated in this study. Male albino rats were treated with graded doses of DCP (10%, 20% and 30% of LD50) and spleen and blood were obtained at 24, 48 and 72 hours post treatment. Oxidative stress parameters, proinflammatory cytokines and protein expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), indoleamine-2, 3-Dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) were measured along with histopathological evaluation of spleen. In the present study, DCP perturbs redox status of splenocytes of rats as evidenced by excess ROS generation, lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide production simultaneously with reduction of antioxidant level [glutathione (GSH)] and inhibition of antioxidative enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)]. Two important proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and TNF-α were found to be elevated upon DCP treatment. Moreover, DCP also caused activation of AhR and IDO1 with simultaneous down regulation of Nrf2. All these effects of DCP were found to be dose and duration dependent. DCP also affects the spleen micro-architecture in the present study and these alterations were more prominent in high dose group at 72 hours post treatment. Taken together, all these results suggested that DCP induces oxidative stress and also increases proinflammatory cytokine levels to mount its toxic effect on spleen.
Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Area and Density of Bone and Muscle in Older Adults

ABSTRACT Purpose To examine the efficacy of creatine (Cr) supplementation and any sex differences during supervised whole-body resistance training (RT) on properties of bone and muscle in older adults. Methods Seventy participants (39 men, 31 women; mean age ± standard deviation: 58 ± 6 yr) were randomized to supplement with Cr (0.1 g·kg−1·d−1) or placebo (Pl) during RT (3 d·wk−1 for 1 yr). Bone geometry (radius and tibia) and muscle area and density (forearm and lower leg) were assessed using peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Results Compared with Pl, Cr increased or maintained total bone area in the distal tibia (Cr, Δ +17 ± 27 mm2; Pl, Δ −1 ± 22 mm2; P = 0.031) and tibial shaft (Cr, Δ 0 ± 9 mm2; Pl, Δ −5 ± 7 mm2; P = 0.032). Men on Cr increased trabecular (Δ +28 ± 31 mm2; P < 0.001) and cortical bone areas in the tibia (Δ +4 ± 4 mm2; P < 0.05), whereas men on Pl increased trabecular bone density (Δ +2 ± 2 mg·cm−3; P < 0.01). There were no bone changes in the radius (P > 0.05). Cr increased lower leg muscle density (Δ +0.83 ± 1.15 mg·cm−3; P = 0.016) compared with Pl (Δ –0.16 ± 1.56 mg·cm−3), with no changes in the forearm muscle. Conclusions One year of Cr supplementation and RT had some favorable effects on measures of bone area and muscle density in older adults.
On the Accuracy of Calculated Reduction Potentials of Selected Group 8 (Fe, Ru, and Os) Octahedral Complexes

The theoretical calculations of reduction potentials for the [M(H2O)6]2+/3+, [M(NH3)6]2+/3+, [M(en)3]2+/3+, [M(bipy)3]2+/3+, [M(CN)6]4–/3–, and [MCl6]4–/3– systems (M = Fe, Os, Ru) were carried out. The DFT(PBE)/def2-TZVP//DFT(PBE)/def2-SVP quantum chemical method was employed to obtain presumably accurate ionization energies, whereas the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) was selected as the most suitable method for calculations of solvation energies of the oxidized and reduced forms of the studied species. It has been shown that COSMO-RS may overcome problems related to directionality of hydrogen bonds in the second solvation sphere that previously led to errors of ∼1 V for the [Ru(H2O)6]2+ complex employing PCM-like models. Thus, most of the values for (2+) → (3+) oxidations are now within 0.1–0.2 V from the experimental data, once the anticipated spin–orbit coupling effects in Os complexes (downshifting the calculated reduction potentials by ∼0.3 V) are taken into account. The.
Assessing the impact of a combined nutrition counselling and cash transfer intervention on women’s empowerment in rural Bangladesh: a randomised control trial protocol

Introduction There is growing interest in assessing the impact of health interventions, particularly when women are the focus of the intervention, on women’s empowerment. Globally, research has shown that interventions targeting nutrition, health and economic development can affect women’s empowerment. Evidence suggests that women’s empowerment is also an underlying determinant of nutrition outcomes. Depending on the focus of the intervention, different domains of women’s empowerment will be influenced, for example, an increase in nutritional knowledge, or greater control over income and access to resources. Objective This study evaluates the impact of the Shonjibon Cash and Counselling (SCC) Trial that combines nutrition counselling and an unconditional cash transfer, delivered on a mobile platform, on women’s empowerment in rural Bangladesh. Methods and analysis We will use a mixed-methods approach, combining statistical analysis of quantitative data from 2840 women in a cluster randomised controlled trial examining the impact of nutrition behaviour change communications (BCCs) and cash transfers on child undernutrition. Pregnant participants will be given a smartphone with a customised app, delivering nutrition BCC messages, and will receive nutrition counselling via a call centre and an unconditional cash transfer. This study is a component of the SCC Trial and will measure women’s empowerment using a composite indicator based on the Project-Level Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index, with quantitative data collection at baseline and endline. Thematic analysis of qualitative data, collected through longitudinal interviews with women, husbands and mothers-in-law, will elicit a local understanding of women’s empowerment and the linkages between the intervention and women’s empowerment outcomes. This paper describes the study protocol to evaluate women’s empowerment in a nutrition-specific and sensitive intervention using internationally validated, innovative tools and will help fill the evidence gap on pathways of impact, highlighting areas to target for future programming. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (Ref. PR 17106) and The University of Sydney (Ref: 2019/840). Findings from this study will be shared in Bangladesh with dissemination sessions in-country and internationally at conferences, and will be published in peer-reviewed journals.