Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
East Australian current adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef

Hydrographic data from a series of cruises during 1980-1981 are used to determine the circulation in the western Coral Sea region immediately adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. The data show flow westward towards the Great Barrier Reef, bifurcating just north of 18oS. During the monsoon season (December to February), the bifurcation point moves north to at least 14os. The geostrophic westward flow has a subsurface maximum at a depth of about 150 m. South of the bifurcation point, the flow is south-eastward on the upper continental slope and north-eastward offshore. North of the bifurcation point, the surface flow and transport (relative to 900 dbar) are northward. However, there is sometimes a south-eastwards near-surface shear. Near the bifurcation point, the surface currents are weak and variable. All of these features of the surface flow are reflected in the paths followed by satellite-tracked drifters. Although the drifters were fixed infrequently, the drifter data indicate the possible presence of small cyclonic eddies in the region of the bifurcation. All of the satellite-tracked drifters went aground in the Great Barrier Reef within 30 days of entering the region offshore from the Reef. The data are consistent with recent models of the wind-driven circulation in the South Pacific that propose that the westward flow bifurcates at about 20oS. , with 17 x 106 m3 s-1 flowing through the Indonesian Archipelago from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
Reducing lumbar spine flexion using real-time biofeedback during patient handling tasks

BACKGROUND: Patient handling activities require caregivers to adopt postures that increase the risk of back injury. Training programs relying primarily on didactic methods have been shown to be ineffective at reducing this risk. The use of real-time biofeedback has potential as an alternative training method. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of real-time biofeedback on time spent by caregivers in end-range lumbar spine flexion. METHODS: Novice participants were divided into intervention (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups and were asked to perform a set of simulated care activities eight times on two consecutive days. Individuals in the intervention group watched a training video on safer movement strategies and received real-time auditory feedback from a wearable device (PostureCoach) in four training trials whenever their lumbar spine flexion exceeded a threshold (70% of maximum flexion). Changes in end-range lumbar spine flexion were compared between groups and across trials. RESULTS: Participants in the intervention group saw reductions in end-range lumbar spine flexion during the simulated patient handling tasks at the end of the training compared to their baseline trials while there was no change for the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The training program including PostureCoach has the potential to help caregivers learn to use safer postures that reduce the risk of back injury.
Protect Pregnant and Lactating Women with COVID-19 Through Research, Not from Research.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, more and more women are giving birth while battling SARS-CoV-2. New evidence suggests that remdesivir may be a promising therapy for severe disease, and the United States Food and Drug Administration has authorized the drug for emergency use. However, we have no data on whether the drug is present in human milk, leaving clinicians with minimal information to counsel lactating mothers with severe disease. Before the FDA’s emergency use authorization, remdesivir was available for compassionate use for pregnant women and for children <18 years. However, women receiving compassionate use treatment were forbidden to breastfeed, posing a dilemma for women giving birth with critical COVID-19 disease. Should she access potentially life-saving therapy, or provide human milk for her infant, which confers innate and specific immune protection, and may contain Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies that will protect her infant from contracting COVID-19? Breastfeeding mothers were also excluded from clinical trials of remdesivir; thus nursing mothers with severe COVID-19 had to choose between continuing to breastfeed during a global pandemic and potential access to effective therapy. And because lactating women were excluded, there are no data on presence of the drug in milk, or on outcomes among infants breastfed while mothers were on therapy. The only data are a single case report of a newborn with Ebola treated with remdesivir. What we do know is that remdesivir is administered intravenously. It is a relatively small molecule, so it may transfer into milk, but to affect the infant’s health, it would have to be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract in its active form. According to breastfeeding pharmacologist Tom Hale, the molecule would be unstable in the stomach and would be easily broken down before oral absorption, thus it is only administered intravenously. It is, therefore, very unlikely that the active drug would reach the infant’s circulation. Although clinical trials and compassionate use protocols forbid breastfeeding, the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization Fact Sheet leaves some room for shared decision making. In the risk summary, it states:
Collateral damage of COVID‐19 pandemic: Delayed medical care

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, emergency room visits have drastically decreased for non‐COVID conditions such as appendicitis, heart attack, and stroke. Patients may be avoiding seeking medical attention for fear of catching the deadly condition or as an unintended consequence of stay‐at‐home orders. This delay in seeking care can lead to increased morbidity and mortality, which has not been figured in the assessment of the extent of damage caused by this pandemic. This case illustrates an example of “collateral damage” caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. What would have been a standard ST‐elevation myocardial infarction treated with timely and successful stenting of a dominant right coronary artery occlusion, became a much more dangerous postinfarction ventricular septal defect; all because of a 2‐day delay in seeking medical attention by an unsuspecting patient.
Impact of cyclodextrin derivatives on systemic release of duloxetine HCl via buccal route

Abstract Aim: The aim of this work was to develop buccoadhesive tablets for the systemic delivery of duloxetine HCl (DXT) using more soluble derivatives of β-cyclodextrin, i.e. hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) and sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBEβCD) and to investigate enhanced cellular uptake of inclusion complexed drug. Materials and methods: Freeze dried and spray dried complexes of both cyclodextrin derivatives with DXT (1:1 molar) were prepared and characterized with DSC, FTIR, and PXRD techniques. C971 and PC, on the basis of swelling behavior, erosion and in vitro residence time, were selected for further study at different levels (−1, 0, +1) to optimize the formulation in terms of enhanced drug release and ex vivo permeation. Results: SBEβCD based complexes show more aqueous solubility of DXT (0.782 and 0.958 mM) and more complexation efficiency compared to HPβCD at 25 °C and 37 °C, respectively. Apparent stability constant was reported to be higher (1109.94 and 1693.25 M−1) for DXT-SBEβCD at 25 °C and 37 °C, respectively, than the corresponding values for DXT-HPβCD systems. Enhanced cellular uptake using fibroblast cells was revealed for complexed drug compared to free drug . Conclusion: Both cyclodextrin derivatives are able to enhance drug release and permeation in vitro and ex vivo.
Resource control by territorial male cichlid fish in Lake Malawi

1. The rocky habitat communities of Lake Malawi contain a high diversity of ecologically similar, predominantly herbivorous, cichlid fish species. How so many species can coexist is still unknown. 2. Adult males of the majority of these species hold permanent territories which form dense multispecies mosaics across the shores. 3. The study examined six coexisting species of cichlids from the rocky habitat where males are known to control access to the algal food resources within their territorial space. These included four sibling species of the Pseudotropheus (Tropheops) species complex, which are specialized epilithic algal herbivores, and two sibling species of the trophically more generalist P. (Maylandia) species complex which feed upon both epilithic algae and plankton. 4. The hypotheses that both intraspecific and interspecific territoriality occur in these communities and that interspecific aggression initiated by territorial males is preferentially directed at species with the most similar diets to their own were tested. 5. It was found that males preferred to exclude conspecific intruders, while they tolerated intruders with different diets to their own. Also, male P. (Tropheops) preferentially excluded similar heterospecific dietary specialists, while male P. (Maylandia) tolerated similar heterospecific dietary generalists. 6. Based on this study, it is proposed that interspecific territoriality may be reducing competition between species with different diets and promoting their coexistence, while it may be enhancing competition between species with the same diet. Furthermore, it suggests that ecological generalism may be reducing the intensity of interspecific competition, while specializations for the same resources may be increasing competition.
Effect and Fate of the Insect Growth Regulator Pyriproxyfen After Application to the Horn Fly (Diptera: Muscidae)

Laboratory studies demonstrated that the insect growth regulator (IGR) pyriproxyfen effectively inhibits development of the horn fly, Haemotobia irritans (L.). The primary IGR response elicited by pyriproxyfen-suppression of the emergence of F1 adult progeny of treated parents—is similar to that observed in comparable studies of horn flies and other dipterans treated with juvenile hormone analogues. Pyriproxyfen is effective when adult females are treated topically (LC50 = 0.96 μg/per insect), adults of mixed sexes are exposed to residues on glass (LC50 = 12.83 μg/cm2), and the IGR is incorporated with the larval rearing medium (LC50 = 9.3 ppb); it was ineffective as a direct application to eggs. Timing of treatment of adults is an important factor in their response to pyriproxyfen. Adult females are most susceptible to topical applications on the second day after emergence; their response to residues on glass is minimum the first day after emergence and then increases significantly each day as the time of exposure increases over a 4-d period. Studies of the fate of topically applied [14C] pyriproxyfen in adult females demonstrated that cuticular penetration is extremely rapid (≈95% in 8 h), and that relatively large proportions of the applied concentration accumulate internally because of slow metabolism and excretion.
Relationship between intraocular pressure and parameters of obesity in ocular hypertension.

AIM To evaluate the correlation between intraocular pressure (IOP) and various obesity-related health factors in patients with ocular hypertension in Korea. METHODS A total of 40 850 subjects underwent age, sex, body weight, and height assessments and automated multiphasic tests, including non-contact tonometry, automated perimetry, fundus photography, systolic/diastolic blood pressure measurement, and evaluation of obesity-related health parameters such as obesity index, body mass index (BMI), a body shape index (ABSI), and waist-to-height ratio (WtHR). Subjects were divided into ocular hypertension group and normal IOP group according to IOP after matching of age and sex. RESULTS Of 40 850 participants, 1515 (3.7%) had ocular hypertension, and 1515 with normal IOP were selected as controls using propensity score matching. The mean IOP of control group was 15.3±2.3 mm Hg, compared with 23.3±1.6 mm Hg in ocular hypertension group. Height, obesity index, BMI, and WtHR in the ocular hypertension group were significantly higher than in the normal IOP group (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.009, P=0.002). IOP of ocular hypertension was positively correlated with obesity index (P=0.027) and BMI (P=0.016), whereas IOP of control was positively correlated with blood pressure (P<0.001, P=0.002), obesity index (P<0.001), BMI (P<0.001), and WHtR (P=0.002). Systolic blood pressure (β=0.022, P<0.001) and body weight (β=0.016, P=0.02) were precursors of IOP in normal subjects, but sex (male; β=-0.231, P=0.008) and obesity index (β=-0.007, P=0.017) were precursors of ocular hypertension according to multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSION Among various obesity-related health parameters, obesity index is the best indicator for further increase in IOP in ocular hypertension group.
A feed restriction milieu for Pekin meat ducks that may improve gait characteristics but also affects gut leakiness

In a previous study, we demonstrated that a 15% feed restriction (FR) during the first 2 wk after hatch could improve gait in Pekin meat ducks, but did result in reduced breast mass. We hypothesized that feed restriction after day 5 following muscle satellite cell development would allow the full growth of the breast meat. To accomplish this goal, 300 1-day-old ducklings (Maple Leaf Farms Inc.) were randomly allocated to 1 of the 3 groups (n = 4 pens, 25 ducks per pen): (1) Control group fed to ad libitum; (2) 85% daily feed intake from days 1 to 14 (FR 85% 1–14); 85% daily feed intake from days 5 to 14 (FR 85% 5–14). All ducks were vaccinated with inactivated Salmonella enteritidis on day 14 and boosted on day 26. The FR 85% 5–14 did show similar production standards to controls, and improved gait characteristics (P < 0.05). To determine if the partial feed restriction would have an impact on intestinal epithelial tight junction integrity, we treated ducks on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 with 8.32 mg/kg FITC-d in water per os and blood samples were obtained via the tibial vein 1 h later. Serum samples were analyzed for presence and quantification of FITC-d. Feed restriction elicited a significant increase in FITC-d permeability at all points of evaluation. Anti-S. enteritidis specific IgY responses were assessed by ELISA from serum collected at 14 D, 28 D, and 35 D. Although all ducks showed an increase humoral immune response to the S. enteritidis, both feed restricted groups showed reduced IgY production compared to ad lib controls. Our data suggest that although the FR 5–14 feed restriction paradigm may reduce gait abnormalities without affecting production rates, some challenges exist due to increased gut leakiness or decreased acquired immune activity. Future studies will look at altering the feed restriction milieu to ameliorate these challenges.
Level and change in N-terminal pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide and kidney function and survival to age 90.

BACKGROUND Many traditional cardiovascular risk factors do not predict survival to very old age. Studies have shown associations of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) with cardiovascular disease and mortality in older populations. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of the level and change in eGFR and NT-pro-BNP with longevity to age 90 years. METHODS The population included participants (n=3,645) in the Cardiovascular Health Study, aged between 67-75 at baseline. The main exposures were eGFR, calculated with the Berlin Initiative Study equation (BIS2), and NT-pro-BNP, and the main outcome was survival to age 90. Mixed models were used to estimate level and change of the main exposures. RESULTS There was an association between baseline level and change of both eGFR and NT-pro-BNP and survival to 90, and this association persisted after adjustment for covariates. Each 10 ml/min per 1.73 m2 higher eGFR level was associated with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.34) of survival to 90, and a 0.5 ml/min/ 1.73 m2 slower decline in eGFR was associated with an OR of 1.51 (95% CI: 1.31, 1.74). A 2-fold higher level of NT-pro-BNP level had an adjusted OR of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.61, 0.73), and a 1.05-fold increase per year in NT-pro-BNP had an OR of 0.53 (95% CI: 0.43, 0.65) for survival to age 90. CONCLUSION eGFR and NT-pro-BNP appear to be important risk factors for longevity to age 90.
Competition and Abiotic Stress Among Trees and Shrubs in Northwest Colorado

We tested several hypotheses about the relationship of competition to abiotic stress, using the vegetation of the semiarid Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado. We studied competition among the shrubs Amelanchier utahensis, Artemisia tridentata, and Symphoricarpos oreophilus, and between the trees Pinus edulis and Juniperus osteosperma, in 10 sites. We calculated several indices of abiotic moisture stress, based on the slope, aspect, and elevation of each site. Competition was measured by regressions of the distance separating neighboring plants vs. the sum of their canopy areas. The slope of such a regression (if significant and positive) measures the intensity of competition, and its coefficient of de- termination (r2) measures the importance of competition, between the plants involved. We detected competition among these plants in all but one combination of species and in most sites. No significant differences in the intensity of competition were found within species combinations. Significant differences in the importance of competition were found in one of three interspecific combinations of shrub species, and in two of three combinations of tree species. Neither the intensity nor the importance of competition showed any consistent rela- tionship with any index of abiotic moisture stress. Thus, no hypothesized relationship between abiotic stress and competition is supported. Our data also show no consistent relationship between the importance of competition and its intensity, supporting our hy- pothesis that the intensity and the importance of competition are independent.
Thyrotropin receptor signaling deficiency impairs spatial learning and memory in mice.

Subclinical hyperthyroidism, a condition characterized by decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and normal concentration of thyroid hormone, is associated with an elevated risk for cognitive impairment. TSH is the major endogenous ligand of the TSH receptor (TSHR) and its role is dependent on signal transduction of TSHR. It has not, however, been established whether TSHR signaling is involved in the regulation of cognition. Here, we utilized Tshr knockout mice and found that Tshr deletion led to significantly compromised performance in learning and memory tests. Reduced dendritic spine density and excitatory synaptic density as well as altered synaptic structure in CA1 subfield of the hippocampus were also noted. Furthermore, the synapse-related gene expression was altered in the hippocampus of Tshr-/- mice. These findings suggest TSHR signaling deficiency impairs spatial learning and memory, which discloses a novel role of TSHR signaling in brain function.
Significance of allometry in tropical saplings.

Differences in allometric relationships of understorey saplings (60-300 cm tall) between nine common shade-tolerant species of subcanopy, canopy and emergent trees were examined in an old-growth foothill rain forest in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Interspecific variation was found in the intercept of the regression line between logarithmic dimensions but not in the slope. Detected interspecific differences could be interpreted as a result of a trade-off between height growth (for future exploitation of better-lit conditions at higher levels in the canopy) and leaf area extension (for current exploitation of poor light nearer the base of the canopy). Saplings of emergent Swintonia schwenkii Teijsm. & Binn. ex Hook. f. favoured height growth rather than expansion of assimilative area. Trends of interspecific differences in sapling allometry in tropical rain forest were similar to those in warm-temperate rain forest. Tropical saplings had more slender trunks and greater total leaf area at a given height than warm-temperate saplings, but dry weight proportions among organs were similar. We hypothesize that the advantage of maintaining assimilative area in present height is diminished in a habitat with higher growth rate and/or steeper vertical light gradient such as in
Subtle Changes in Residue 77 of the γ Subunit of α1β2γ2 GABAA Receptors Drastically Alter the Affinity for Ligands of the Benzodiazepine Binding Site*

Recombinant α1β2γ2 γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors were functionally expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Upon the mutation F77L, diazepam and Ro 15-1788 retained the ability to interact with the benzodiazepine binding site, but zolpidem lost this ability. To quantify these data, radioligand binding experiments were performed using membrane preparations of transiently transfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The amino acid γ77, phenylalanine, was also mutated to tyrosine, tryptophan, and isoleucine. Although there was little effect on Ro 15-1788 binding upon mutation to tyrosine, the loss in affinity for diazepam was from 12 to 2,720 nm. The change to leucine, in contrast, resulted in little change in the diazepam affinity, whereas there was a strongly reduced affinity for zolpidem from 17 to 4,870 nm and for methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) from 1.9 to 1,780 nm, respectively. The change to tryptophan resulted in two-phasic displacement curves, and only about 50% of the [3H]flunitrazepam binding could be displaced by zolpidem, DMCM, and Ro 15-1788, respectively, whereas midazolam and diazepam still resulted in 100% displacement, indicating the presence of two sites upon expression of this mutant receptor. Functional expression inXenopus oocytes showed that all mutant channels displayed a comparatively small change (<4.3-fold) in their apparent agonist affinity and that these channels could still be functionally modulated by ligands of the benzodiazepine binding site. We conclude that subtle changes in γF77 drastically affect benzodiazepine pharmacology and that this residue probably interacts directly with most ligands of the benzodiazepine binding site and therefore defines part of the benzodiazepine binding pocket.