Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent applications and potential of near-term (interannual to decadal) climate predictions

Following efforts from leading centres for climate forecasting, sustained routine operational near-term climate predictions (NTCP) are now produced that bridge the gap between seasonal forecasts and climate change projections offering the prospect of seamless climate services. Though NTCP is a new area of climate science and active research is taking place to increase understanding of the processes and mechanisms required to produce skillful predictions, this significant technical achievement combines advances in initialisation with ensemble prediction of future climate up to a decade ahead. With a growing NTCP database, the predictability of the evolving externally-forced and internally-generated components of the climate system can now be quantified. Decision-makers in key sectors of the economy can now begin to assess the utility of these products for informing climate risk and for planning adaptation and resilience strategies up to a decade into the future. Here, case studies are presented from finance and economics, water management, agriculture and fisheries management demonstrating the emerging utility and potential of operational NTCP to inform strategic planning across a broad range of applications in key sectors of the global economy.
Non-pharmacologic approaches to treatment of pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) affect up to 25% of children in the United States. These disorders are more recently known as disorders of “brain-gut” interaction. The diagnosis is based on the ROME IV criteria, and requires the absence of an organic condition to explain the symptoms. Although these disorders are not completely understood, several factors have been involved in the pathophysiology including disordered gut motility, visceral hypersensitivity, allergies, anxiety/stress, gastrointestinal infection/inflammation, as well dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. The pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments for FAPDs are directed to modifying these pathophysiologic mechanisms. This review aims to summarize the non-pharmacologic interventions used in the treatment of FAPDs including dietary modifications, manipulation of the gut microbiome (neutraceuticals, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and fecal microbiota transplant) and psychological interventions that addresses the “brain” component of the brain-gut axis (cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, breathing and relaxation techniques). In a survey conducted at a large academic pediatric gastroenterology center, 96% of patients with functional pain disorders reported using at least 1 complementary and alternative medicine treatment to ameliorate symptoms. The paucity of data supporting most of the therapies discussed in this review underscores the need for large randomized controlled trials to assess their efficacy and superiority compared to other treatments.
Maximal parathyroid gland diameter as a predictive factor for autograft-dependent recurrent secondary hyperparathyroidism after total parathyroidectomy

Introduction Following total parathyroidectomy (PTx), transcervical thymectomy, and forearm autograft for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), recurrent SHPT can occur in the autografted forearm. However, few studies have investigated the factors contributing to re-PTx due to autograft-dependent recurrent SHPT before the completion of the initial PTx. Methods A total of 770 patients who had autografted parathyroid fragments derived from only one of the resected parathyroid glands (PTGs) and who had undergone successful initial total PTx and transcervical thymectomy—defined by serum intact parathyroid hormone level < 60 pg/mL on postoperative day 1—between January 2001 and December 2022 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Factors contributing to re-PTx due to graft-dependent recurrent SHPT before the completion of the initial PTx were investigated using multivariate Cox regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to obtain the optimal maximum diameter of PTG for autograft. Results Univariate analysis showed that dialysis vintage and maximum diameter and weight of the PTG for autograft were significant factors contributing to graft-dependent recurrent SHPT. However, multivariate analysis revealed that dialysis vintage (P=0.010; hazard ratio [HR], 0.995; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.992–0.999) and the maximum diameter of the PTG for autograft (P=0.046; HR, 1.107; 95% CI, 1.002–1.224) significantly contributed to graft-dependent recurrent SHPT. ROC curve analysis showed that < 14 mm was the optimal maximum diameter of PTG for autograft (area under the curve, 0.628; 95% CI, 0.551–0.705). Conclusions The dialysis vintage and maximum diameter of PTG for autograft may contribute to re-PTx due to autograft-dependent recurrent SHPT, which can be prevented by using PTGs with a maximum diameter of < 14 mm for autograft.
Benzoxazine/amine-based polymer networks featuring stress-relaxation and reprocessability

Amines as additives in benzoxazines are known to beneficially affect the polymerization temperature and furthermore to allow for partially reversible reaction steps yielding however a non-dynamic polybenzoxazine network. This contribution proves that the polymerization behavior of a two-component polymer of the polyetheramine Jeffamine® ED-600 and a bisphenol-A-based benzoxazine features stress-relaxation and reprocessability usually known from vitrimers. With the aim to gain a deeper understanding of the material properties of this system and the corresponding polymer structure, the reaction mechanism of a monofunctional benzoxazine and monoamine model system was studied revealing at first primary, and then secondary amine induced opening of oxazine rings, leading at first to linear polymer chains and then to covalently crosslinked networks. Both consist of repeated phenolic benzoxazine/amine motifs with permanently incorporated polyetheramine chains that do not impact the mechanical properties, compared to pure polybenzoxazine. Thermal, spectroscopic, and extraction analyses show that the addition of Jeffamine® reduces the polymerization temperature and introduces material properties such as reprocessability at the same time. Stress-relaxation measurements support the assumption that the reprocessability point to vitrimer-like molecular processes. The material shows rapid stress-relaxation of up to 11 s, a corresponding bond-exchange activation energy of 146 kJ/mol, and a topology freezing temperature of 97°C.
Pain catastrophizing moderates the relationship between chronic pain and insomnia severity in persons with opioid use disorder

Study objectives Chronic pain and insomnia commonly co-occur among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and are associated with adverse treatment outcomes and reduced quality of life. Exploring factors that influence these relationships may help identify relevant treatment targets. The present study investigated whether pain catastrophizing moderates the presence of chronic pain and insomnia severity in individuals with OUD. Methods Participants with OUD symptoms (N = 154) were recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk, and completed screening measures for chronic pain, insomnia, and pain catastrophizing. Moderation analyses were used to explore whether pain catastrophizing moderated the relationship between chronic pain and insomnia severity. Results Results suggested that chronic pain was only associated with insomnia severity symptoms among individuals with higher levels of pain catastrophizing but was unrelated at lower levels of pain catastrophizing. Conclusions These results suggest that pain catastrophizing may represent a modifiable risk factor among individuals with co-occurring OUD, insomnia, and chronic pain. Future longitudinal and experimental research that examines changes in insomnia, pain severity, and pain catastrophizing over time in OUD may be beneficial.
Maternal glucose intolerance during pregnancy affects offspring POMC expression and results in adult metabolic alterations in a sex-dependent manner

Introduction Gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with negative outcomes in mothers and their offspring, including greater risks of macrosomia at birth and the development of metabolic disorders. While these outcomes are well-established, the mechanisms by which this increased metabolic vulnerability is conferred on the offspring are comparatively lacking. One proposed mechanism is that maternal glycemic dysregulation alters the development of the hypothalamic regions related to metabolism and energy balance. Methods To investigate this possibility, in this study, we first examined the effects of STZ-induced maternal glucose intolerance on the offspring on pregnancy day (PD) 19, and, in a second experiment, in early adulthood (postnatal day (PND) 60). Whether effects would be influenced by sex, or exposure of offspring to a high-fat diet was also investigated. The impact of maternal STZ treatment on POMC neuron number in the ARC of offspring at both time points was also examined. Results As expected, STZ administration on PD 7 decreased maternal glucose tolerance, and increased risk for macrosomia, and loss of pups at birth. Offspring of STZ-treated mothers were also more vulnerable to developing metabolic impairments in adulthood. These were accompanied by sex-specific effects of maternal STZ treatment in the offspring, including fewer POMC neurons in the ARC of female but not male infants in late pregnancy and a higher number of POMC neurons in the ARC of both male and female adult offspring of STZ-treated dams, which was exacerbated in females exposed to a high-fat diet after weaning. Discussion This work suggests that maternal hyperglycemia induced by STZ treatment, in combination with early-life exposure to an obesogenic diet, leads to adult metabolic alterations that correlate with the increased hypothalamic expression of POMC, showing that maternal glycemic dysregulation can impact the development of hypothalamic circuits regulating energy state with a stronger impact on female offspring.
The Mechanism of Information Storage in Open Systems

This article is devoted to the description of the mechanism of the transformation of negative entropy (negentropy) coming into the system from outside, into information by doubling bits of information originally presented in the system. The present investigation uses the model of one-dimensional chain of bi-stable elements which is connected with the nearest neibours. Â The bifurcative character of this phenomenon is revealed.
Decoding the fibromelanosis locus complex chromosomal rearrangement of black-bone chicken: genetic differentiation, selective sweeps and protein-coding changes in Kadaknath chicken

Black-bone chicken (BBC) meat is popular for its distinctive taste and texture. A complex chromosomal rearrangement at the fibromelanosis (Fm) locus on the 20th chromosome results in increased endothelin-3 (EDN3) gene expression and is responsible for melanin hyperpigmentation in BBC. We use public long-read sequencing data of the Silkie breed to resolve high-confidence haplotypes at the Fm locus spanning both Dup1 and Dup2 regions and establish that the Fm_2 scenario is correct of the three possible scenarios of the complex chromosomal rearrangement. The relationship between Chinese and Korean BBC breeds with Kadaknath native to India is underexplored. Our data from whole-genome re-sequencing establish that all BBC breeds, including Kadaknath, share the complex chromosomal rearrangement junctions at the fibromelanosis (Fm) locus. We also identify two Fm locus proximal regions (∼70 Kb and ∼300 Kb) with signatures of selection unique to Kadaknath. These regions harbor several genes with protein-coding changes, with the bactericidal/permeability-increasing-protein-like gene having two Kadaknath-specific changes within protein domains. Our results indicate that protein-coding changes in the bactericidal/permeability-increasing-protein-like gene hitchhiked with the Fm locus in Kadaknath due to close physical linkage. Identifying this Fm locus proximal selective sweep sheds light on the genetic distinctiveness of Kadaknath compared to other BBC.
Planning sentence production in aphasia: evidence from structural priming and eye-tracking

Background Grammatical encoding is impaired in many persons with aphasia (PWA), resulting in deficits in sentence production accuracies and underlying planning processes. However, relatively little is known on how these grammatical encoding deficits can be mediated in PWA. This study aimed to facilitate off-line (accuracy) and real-time (eye fixations) encoding of passive sentences through implicit structural priming, a tendency to better process a current sentence because of its grammatical similarity to a previously experienced (prime) sentence. Method Sixteen PWA and Sixteen age-matched controls completed an eyetracking-while-speaking task, where they described a target transitive picture preceded by a comprehension prime involving either an active or passive form. We measured immediate and cumulative priming effects on proportions of passives produced for the target pictures and proportions of eye fixations made to the theme actor in the target scene before speech onset of the sentence production. Results and conclusion Both PWA and controls produced cumulatively more passives as the experiment progressed despite an absence of immediate priming effects in PWA. Both groups also showed cumulative changes in the pre-speech eye fixations associated with passive productions, with this cumulative priming effect greater for the PWA group. These findings suggest that structural priming results in gradual adaptation of the grammatical encoding processes of PWA and that structural priming may be used as a treatment component for improving grammatical deficits in aphasia.
MBOAT7 rs641738 (C>T) is associated with NAFLD progression in men and decreased ASCVD risk in elder Chinese population

Background and aim The MBOAT7 rs641738 (C>T) variant has demonstrated an association with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in both adult and pediatric patients, while few studies have been conducted in elderly populations. Hence, a case–control study was undertaken to assess their correlation in elderly residents in a Beijing community. Materials and methods A total of 1,287 participants were included. Medical history, abdominal ultrasound, and laboratory tests were recorded. Liver fat content and fibrosis stage were detected by Fibroscan. Genotyping of genomic DNA was performed using the 96.96 genotyping integrated fluidics circuit. Results Of the recruited subjects, 638 subjects (56.60%) had NAFLD, and 398 subjects (35.28%) had atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). T allele carriage was associated with higher ALT (p=0.005) and significant fibrosis in male NAFLD patients (p=0.005) compared to CC genotype. TT genotype was associated with reduced risk of metabolic syndrome (OR=0.589, 95%CI: 0.114–0.683, p=0.005) and type 2 diabetes (OR=0.804, 95%CI: 0.277–0.296, p=0.048) in NAFLD population when compared to the CC genotype. In addition, TT genotype was also associated with reduced risk of ASCVD (OR=0.570, 95%CI:0.340–0.953, p=0.032) and less obesity (OR=0.545, 95%CI: 0.346–0.856, p=0.008) in the whole population. Conclusion MBOAT7 rs641738 (C>T) variant was associated with fibrosis in male NAFLD patients. The variant also reduced risk of metabolic traits and type 2 diabetes in NAFLD and ASCVD risk in Chinese elders.
Facilitating or disturbing? An investigation about the effects of auditory frequencies on prefrontal cortex activation and postural sway

Auditory stimulation activates brain areas associated with higher cognitive processes, like the prefrontal cortex (PFC), and plays a role in postural control regulation. However, the effects of specific frequency stimuli on upright posture maintenance and PFC activation patterns remain unknown. Therefore, the study aims at filling this gap. Twenty healthy adults performed static double- and single-leg stance tasks of 60s each under four auditory conditions: 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 Hz, binaurally delivered through headphones, and in quiet condition. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to measure PFC activation through changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration, while an inertial sensor (sealed at the L5 vertebra level) quantified postural sway parameters. Perceived discomfort and pleasantness were rated through a 0–100 visual analogue scale (VAS). Results showed that in both motor tasks, different PFC activation patterns were displayed at the different auditory frequencies and the postural performance worsened with auditory stimuli, compared to quiet conditions. VAS results showed that higher frequencies were considered more discomfortable than lower ones. Present data prove that specific sound frequencies play a significant role in cognitive resources recruitment and in the regulation of postural control. Furthermore, it supports the importance of exploring the relationship among tones, cortical activity, and posture, also considering possible applications with neurological populations and people with hearing dysfunctions.
Validation of the intercultural sensitivity scale in the Spanish context

The aim of this study was to validate the Intercultural Sensitivity Inventory (ISI) in the Spanish context, testing the five, four, and three-dimensional models of the construct and examining its relationship with other psychological variables. A Spanish sample of 872 participants aged between 18 and 80 years old (M = 52.50; SD = 17.41) was used. The main results indicated an adequate fit for the three correlated dimensions model (two of them include two dimensions of the original scale). In addition, an adequate fit for the original five-dimensional model or the theoretical four-dimensional alternative was not observed. Lastly, differences were observed based on the gender of the participants in the three dimensions of intercultural sensitivity, as well as in beliefs about the inclusion of immigrants in education and the rights of immigrants. The scope and limitations of the study are discussed, as well as the relationships with the observed psychosocial constructs.
PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND LUMINESCENCE PROPERTIES OF Eu DOPED CaAl2O4 NANOCONES

Europium doped CaAl2O4 nanocones have been grown first time by thermal evaporation method. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to analyze the morphology, size and crystal structure of the nanocones. The body of the nanocones are about 2–20 μm in length and their diameters are 200 nm to 1 μm at one end and tapers off to a ~ 40–200 nm at the tip end. The as-synthesized nanocones are single crystalline in monoclinic structure and grow along the [010] direction and the normal direction of (100) and (001). The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectrum measurement reveals that CaAl2O4:Eu2+ nanocones emit light at about 440 nm.
Model Averaging Over Nonparametric Estimators

It is known that model averaging estimators are useful when there is uncertainty governing which covariates should enter the model. We argue that in applied research there is also uncertainty as to which method one should deploy, prompting model averaging over user-defined choices. Specifically, we propose, and detail, a nonparametric regression estimator averaged over choice of kernel, bandwidth selection mechanism and local-polynomial order. Simulations and an empirical application are provided to highlight the potential benefits of the method.
The electromotive force in multi-scale flows at high magnetic Reynolds number

Recent advances in dynamo theory have been made by examining the competition between small and large-scale dynamos at high magnetic Reynolds number Rm. Small-scale dynamos rely on the presence of chaotic stretching whilst the generation of large-scale fields occurs in flows lacking reflectional symmetry via a systematic electromotive force (emf). In this paper we discuss how the statistics of the emf (at high Rm) depend on the properties of the multi-scale velocity that is generating it. In particular, we determine that different scales of flow have different contributions to the statistics of the emf, with smaller-scales contributing to the mean without increasing the variance. Moreover we determine when scales in such a flow act independently in their contribution to the emf. We further examine the role of large-scale shear in modifying the emf. We conjecture that the distribution of the emf, and not simply the mean, largely determines the dominant scale of the magnetic field generated by the flow.
Evaluation of the Potential for Drug-Drug Interactions with Inhaled Itraconazole Using Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modelling, Based on Phase 1 Clinical Data

Itraconazole is a potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), associated with numerous drug-drug interactions (DDI). PUR1900, a dry powder formulation of itraconazole for oral inhalation, results in high lung and low systemic exposure. This project used physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to assess the DDI potential of inhaled PUR1900, using midazolam as a “victim drug. ” The basic and mechanistic static models evaluated the DDI potential of PUR1900, assuming 5 mg of midazolam coadministration at steady-state itraconazole exposure. Subsequently, Simcyp® PBPK simulation software and pharmacokinetic data from a Phase 1 clinical trial with PUR1900 (NCT03479411) were used to optimize an existing itraconazole PBPK model. The model was applied to investigate the potential for CYP3A4 DDI when 5 mg of midazolam is co-administered with inhaled PUR1900 at a steady state in a virtual healthy population at PUR1900 doses up to 40 mg per day. The basic static and mechanistic static models suggested a strong likelihood for DDI with inhaled PUR1900. The PBPK model was consistent with PUR1900 Phase 1 trial data. The geometric mean Cmax and AUC ratios of midazolam at a maximum dose of 40 mg PUR1900 were 1.14 and 1.26, respectively, indicating a minimal likelihood of DDI with inhaled PUR1900. The low systemic exposure of itraconazole when administered as PUR1900 results in minimal to no CYP3A4 inhibition, reducing the concern of drug-drug interactions. As the risk of CYP3A4 DDI is predicted to be significantly lower when itraconazole is administered via oral inhalation as PUR1900, it is likely that PUR1900 can be safely used for the treatment of pulmonary fungal infections in patients taking pharmaceuticals currently contraindicated with oral itraconazole.