Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Four Novel Dammarane-Type Triterpenoids from Pearl Knots of Panax ginseng Meyer cv. Silvatica

Panax ginseng Meyer cv. Silvatica (PGS), which is also known as “Lin-Xia-Shan-Shen” or “Zi-Hai” in China, is grown in forests and mountains by broadcasting the seeds of ginseng and is harvested at the cultivation age of 15–20 years. In this study, four new dammarane-type triterpenoids, ginsengenin-S1 (1), ginsengenin-S2 (2), ginsenoside-S3 (3), ginsenoside-S4 (4), along with one known compound were isolated from pearl knots of PGS. Ginsengenin-S2 significantly alleviated oxidative damage when A549 cells were exposed to cigarette smoke (CS) extract. In addition, ginsengenin-S2 could inhibit the CS-induced inflammatory reaction in A549 cells. Protective effects of ginsengenin-S2 against CS-mediated oxidative stress and the inflammatory response in A549 cells may involve the Nrf2 and HDAC2 pathways.
Which firms leave multi‐stakeholder initiatives? An analysis of delistings from the
 United Nations Global Compact

: This study analyzes which firms leave multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) for corporate social responsibility. Based on an analysis of all active and delisted participants from the UN Global Compact between 2000 and 2015 (n= 15,853), we find that SMEs are more likely to be delisted than larger and publicly-listed firms; that early adopters face a higher risk of being delisted; and that the presence of a local network in a country reduces the likelihood of being delisted. We theorize that MSIs face a participant self-selection bias over time and that local networks enable legitimacy spillover effects that prevent firms from exiting.
Impact of Developmental enamel defects on quality of life in 5-year-old children.

BACKGROUND Developmental enamel defects (DDE) represent one of the prevalent oral problems in childhood; however, few studies have evaluated its impact on quality of life in the children's own perception. AIM To evaluate the DDE impact on quality of life of 5-year-old children. METHODS This cross-sectional observational study assessed 566 children aged 5 years old, in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, according to their self-perceptions. Children answered the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 and Oral Health Scale. The dmft index, modified DDE index and Foster and Hamilton criteria were used to diagnose dental caries, DDE and malocclusion, respectively. A single examiner performed the clinical examination. Descriptive analyses and Poisson regression with robust variance were performed. RESULTS The prevalence of DDE was 33.7%. For children's self-reports, the presence of DDE had a negative association with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL; PR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.15). Enamel hypoplasia had a negative impact on the physical function (PR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01-1.10) and oral health (PR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.11) domains. Diffuse opacity had a negative impact on the social aspect (PR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.18). CONCLUSIONS Enamel defects had a negative impact on OHRQoL according to the self-reports of the children.
The Regenerative Applicability of Bioactive Glass and Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate in Bone Tissue Engineering: A Transformation Perspective

The conventional applicability of biomaterials in the field of bone tissue engineering takes into consideration several key parameters to achieve desired results for prospective translational use. Hence, several engineering strategies have been developed to model in the regenerative parameters of different forms of biomaterials, including bioactive glass and β-tricalcium phosphate. This review examines the different ways these two materials are transformed and assembled with other regenerative factors to improve their application for bone tissue engineering. We discuss the role of the engineering strategy used and the regenerative responses and mechanisms associated with them.
Relationship of Health Locus of Control with Breast Cancer Screening Belief of Iranian Women

Promoting breast cancer screening (BCS) behavior of women can lead to a reduction in mortality. The health locus of control affects cancer screening behavior of women; however, there is not sufficient evidence regaring this issue in Iran. The overall goal of our study is to determine the relationship of the health locus of control with the breast cancer screening belief of Iranian Women. This is a cross-sectional study carried out on 325 women in Tehran. The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC), Breast Cancer Screening Belief Questionnaire (BCSBQ), and Demographic questionnaire were used for collecting data. Statistical analyze was performed by the SPSS version 17 software. The Pearson correlation and regression model were used for data analyze. In this study, 325 women, age 18 to 75 years, participated in this study. The mean±SD of BCSBQ and MHLC score was 40.72±10.41 and 67.78±17.67 respectively. The regression analysis showed that for the one-unit increase in the Internal Health Locus of Control (IHLC), Powerful others Health Locus of Control (PHLC), and Chance Health Locus of Control (CHLC) score (dimensions of Health Locus of Control), the total BCSBQ scores increased 0.54, 0.31, and 0.57 respectively. For each unit increase in age and education, the knowledge and perceptions of the BC score increased 0.05 and 0.23 units respectively. For the one-unit increase in the IHLC, PHLC, age, and education dimensions, the attitudes towards the general health check-up score increased 0.17, 0.1, 0.05, and 0.188 respectively. The current study provided new insights about the BCSB of Iranian women with MHLC. In the study, all the dimensions of the health locus of control were useful in predicting the breast cancer screening belief of the participants.
Diabetic lung, an underrated complication from restrictive functional pattern to pulmonary hypertension

In patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), respiratory function abnormalities have been reported with regard to lung volumes, pulmonary diffusing capacity, control of ventilation, bronchomotor tone, and neuroadrenergic bronchial innervation. Indeed, the decrease in lung volumes and the impairment of diffusing capacity might have important clinical implications. Furthermore, there is an increasing evidence of a link between DM and pulmonary hypertension (PH) related to an involvement of the pulmonary vascular structures. These findings support the view of the lung as target organ in DM. In this paper, we briefly describe the main derangements of the respiratory system in DM and the inherent mechanisms.
Engagement with tNOX (ENOX2) to Inhibit SIRT1 and Activate p53-Dependent and -Independent Apoptotic Pathways by Novel 4,11-Diaminoanthra[2,3-b]furan-5,10-diones in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary malignancy of the liver and is among the top three causes of cancer-associated death worldwide. However, the clinical use of chemotherapy for HCC has been limited by various challenges, emphasizing the urgent need for novel agents with improved anticancer properties. We recently synthesized and characterized a series of 4,11-diaminoanthra[2,3-b]furan-5,10-dione derivatives that exhibit potent apoptotic activity against an array of cancer cell lines, including variants with multidrug resistance. Their effect on liver cancer cells, however, was unknown. Here, we investigated three selected 4,11-diaminoanthra[2,3-b]furan-5,10-dione derivatives (compounds 1–3) for their cytotoxicity and the underlying molecular mechanisms in wild-type or p53-deficient HCC cells. Cytotoxicity was determined by WST-1 assays and cell impedance measurements and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. The interaction between compounds and tumor-associated NADH oxidase (tNOX, ENOX2) was studied by cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA). We found that compound 1 and 2 induced significant cytotoxicity in both HepG2 and Hep3B lines. CETSA revealed that compounds 1 and 2 directly engaged with tNOX, leading to a decrease in the cellular NAD+/NADH ratio. This decreased the NAD+-dependent activity of Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) deacetylase. In p53-wild-type HepG2 cells, p53 acetylation/activation was enhanced, possibly due to the reduction in SIRT1 activity, and apoptosis was observed. In p53-deficient Hep3B cells, the reduction in SIRT1 activity increased the acetylation of c-Myc, thereby reactivating the TRAIL pathway and, ultimately leading to apoptosis. These compounds thus trigger apoptosis in both cell types, but via different pathways. Taken together, our data show that derivatives 1 and 2 of 4,11-diaminoanthra[2,3-b]furan-5,10-diones engage with tNOX and inhibit its oxidase activity. This results in cytotoxicity via apoptosis through tNOX-SIRT1 axis to enhance the acetylation of p53 or c-Myc in HCC cells, depending on their p53 status.
Evolution of rectangular and triangular initial beam profiles in positive Kerr local medium

The hyperbolic secant (Sech) shape, as the initial beam profile, is the well-know profile that compensates the diffraction and self-focusing effect during propagation in Kerr medium, and evolves as the bright spatial soliton. The Sech beam can be confined in the Kerr medium and induces its own waveguide. In this work, two initial beam profiles, rectangular and triangular functions, that are different than Sech profile, are considered, and the propagation of these beam profiles in third-order nonlinear (Kerr) medium is investigated. As a result, the initial beam-width played an important role in confining the beam profiles in direction of propagation. In addition, the intensity profiles change to the Sech profile after some initial step of propagation. All the calculations and simulations have been done by the Split-Step numerical method with MATLAB program.
Percutaneous Stenoscopic Lumbar Decompression with Paramedian Approach for Foraminal/Extraforaminal Lesions

The lumbar foramen is affected by different degenerative diseases, including extraforaminal disc herniation, foraminal stenosis (FS), and degenerative or spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. The purpose of this study was to describe percutaneous stenoscopic lumbar decompression with a paramedian approach (para-PSLD) for foraminal/extraforaminal lesions. All operative procedures were performed using a complete uniportal endoscopic instrument system. The para-PSLD can be easily applied to patients with FS and narrow disc space or facet joint hypertrophy. The anatomical view of a para-PSLD is similar to that of a conventional open surgery and allows for good visualization of the foraminal/extraforaminal areas. We suggest that para-PSLD is an alternative and minimally invasive procedure to treat degenerative lumbar foraminal/extraforaminal stenoses.
Randomized field trial on the effects of body weight and short transport on stress and immune variables in 2‐ to 4‐week‐old dairy calves

Abstract Background Whether underweight calves respond differently to transport stress, enhancing their disease risk, is currently unknown. Objective To determine the effects of low body weight and transport stress on immune variables. Animals Twenty‐one 2‐ to 4‐week‐old male Holstein calves, housed on a commercial farm. Methods Randomized clinical trial. Full factorial design with 4 treatment groups: low body weight (≤46 kg)/no transport (LOWCON); low body weight/transport (LOWTRANS); normal body weight (>46 kg)/no transport (NORMCON), and normal body weight/transport (NORMTRANS). Transport duration was 2 hours. Results Transport significantly increased serum cortisol concentration (77.8 μg/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 37.8‐131.6; P < .001), interleukin (IL)‐17A (344.9 pg/mL; 95% CI, 32.2‐556.5; P = .04), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) (218.2 pg/mL; 95% CI, 32.5‐368.3; P = .03) production after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Body weight did not affect any of the studied variables. However, the interaction of transport and body weight was significant. LOWTRANS calves showed increased monocyte count (2.0 × 109/L; 95% CI, 0.6‐4.2; P < .05) and interleukin IL‐17A production (106.0 pg/mL; 95% CI, 4.2‐306.9; P = .03) compared to normal weight calves and increased TNF‐α production (275.6 pg/mL; 95% CI, 2.6‐463.0; P = .02) compared to LOWCON calves in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after transport. Conclusion and Clinical Importance These findings contribute to our understanding of increased disease susceptibility of underweight calves when transported. Gamma globulin concentration was identified as important interfering factor in studies on immune variables in neonatal calves.
Prognostic and Predictive Role of Angiogenic Markers in Non- Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective: Despite the existence of detailed consensus guidelines, challenges remain regarding the role angiogenetic factors on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study was conducted to determine the role of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and angiopoietin2 (Ang2) in patients with NSCLC. Methods: This study included 64 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer, who admitted to clinic. Pre-treatment serum VEGF, IL-8 and Ang2 levels were evaluated. Patients were treated according to internationally accepted guidelines. Results: VEGF and IL-8 serum levels of patients with both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were significantly higher than controls (p<0.05). In addition, IL-8 levels were lower among treatment-responders than non-responders (p:0.031). Impact of elevated or decreased levels of VEGF, Ang2 and IL-8 on survival was evaluated, accepting median level as reference. There was no correlation between the serum levels of VEGF, Ang2, IL-8 and survival. Conclusion: We found that the levels of angiogenic markers were significantly different between non-small cell lung cancer patients and controls. These markers could elicit more information related to stage and prognosis.
An Approach to the Uniform Dispersion of Graphene Nanosheets in Powder Metallurgy Nickel-Based Superalloy

In this paper, a wet-chemical based method was adopted to acquire the uniform dispersion of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) in a powder metallurgy nickel-based superalloy (FGH96) to fabricate a new GNSs reinforced FGH96 metal matrix composite. The surface of the FGH96 powder was modified using a hydrophilic surfactant named polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which has good wettability and strong hydrogen bonding between the –OH groups of PVA and oxygen groups of GNSs such as –COOH, –CHO, and –OH. It was shown that the GNSs displayed much better dispersion uniformity on the PVA modified FGH96 powder than the unmodified one. The existence of PVA improved the adsorptive capacity of the GNSs attached on the powder surface and prevented the agglomeration in the following thermal preparation process. Consequently, the micro-hardness of PVA modified composite with 0.1 wt. % GNSs reached 497.9 HV, 3.4% higher than the unmodified FGH96 alloy. Therefore, this preparation process could act as the foundation of a common strategy for the fabrication of GNSs in metal matrix composites with good dispersion uniformity, which may have great potential application in aerospace applications.
Werner syndrome helicase is a selective vulnerability of microsatellite instability-high tumor cells

Targeted cancer therapy is based on exploiting selective dependencies of tumor cells. By leveraging recent large-scale genomic profiling and functional screening of cancer cell lines we identified Werner syndrome helicase (WRN) as a novel specific vulnerability of microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) cancer cells. MSI, caused by defective mismatch repair is frequently detected in human malignancies, in particular in colorectal, endometrial and gastric cancers. We demonstrate that WRN inactivation selectively impairs the viability of MSI-H but not microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal and endometrial cancer cell lines. In MSI-H cells, WRN loss results in the emergence of chromosome breaks, chromatin bridges and micronuclei highlighting defective genome integrity. WRN variants harboring mutations abrogating the ATPase function of WRN helicase fail to rescue the viability phenotype of WRN-depleted MSI-H colorectal cells. Our study suggests that pharmacological inhibition of WRN helicase function might represent a novel opportunity to develop a targeted therapy for MSI-H cancers.
Competitive Aggressiveness and Market Share of Selected Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Lagos State Nigeria

The performance of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) plays a key role in the growth and development of any economy. Competitive Aggressiveness (CA) has been identified as instrumental to enhancing the control of sizable market share. However, lack of adoption of this important tool has been a challenge for these SMEs leading to decline in performances. The study hence, examined the effect of competitive aggressiveness on the market share of SMEs in Lagos, Nigeria. The study adopted cross-sectional survey research design. The population comprised 8,396 owner/managers of SMEs. The Research Advisors table was used to determine a sample size of 481. A validated questionnaire was administered to 481 respondents for data collection purpose but 430 came back correctly and were used for the study. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients of the constructs ranged from 0.71 to 0.84. The response rate was 89%. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that Competitive aggressiveness does not have a significant effect on the market share of selected small and medium scale enterprises in Lagos state (β = 0.009, R = 0.015 R2, = 0.000, F(1, 428) = 0.100, p >0.05). The study concluded that Competitive aggressiveness does not have a significant effect on market share of small and medium scale enterprises in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study recommended that firms should intensify aggressive competitive effort by working smart, carrying employees along, effective bench marketing, and proper monitoring of operational activities by regulatory bodies. These activities if well executed will increase level of market share of the SMEs in Lagos State, Nigeria.
UV Irradiated Graphene-Based Nanocomposites: Change in the Mechanical Properties by Local HarmoniX Atomic Force Microscopy Detection

Epoxy based coatings are susceptible to ultra violet (UV) damage and their durability can be significantly reduced in outdoor environments. This paper highlights a relevant property of graphene-based nanoparticles: Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) incorporated in an epoxy-based free-standing film determine a strong decrease of the mechanical damages caused by UV irradiation. The effects of UV light on the morphology and mechanical properties of the solidified nanocharged epoxy films are investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), in the acquisition mode “HarmoniX. ” Nanometric-resolved maps of the mechanical properties of the multi-phase material evidence that the incorporation of low percentages, between 0.1% and 1.0% by weight, of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in the polymeric film causes a relevant enhancement in the mechanical stability of the irradiated films. The beneficial effect progressively increases with increasing GNP percentage. The paper also highlights the potentiality of AFM microscopy, in the acquisition mode “HarmoniX” for studying multiphase polymeric systems.
Harmful Effects and Control Strategies of Aflatoxin B1 Produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus Strains on Poultry: Review

The presence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in poultry diets decreases the hatchability, hatchling weight, growth rate, meat and egg production, meat and egg quality, vaccination efficiency, as well as impairing the feed conversion ratio and increasing the susceptibility of birds to disease and mortality. AFB1 is transferred from poultry feed to eggs, meat, and other edible parts, representing a threat to the health of consumers because AFB1 is carcinogenic and implicated in human liver cancer. This review considers how AFB1 produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus strains can affect the immune system, antioxidant defense system, digestive system, and reproductive system in poultry, as well as its effects on productivity and reproductive performance. Nutritional factors can offset the effects of AFB1 in poultry and, thus, it is necessary to identify and select suitable additives to address the problems caused by AFB1 in poultry.
Fully numerical Hartree‐Fock and density functional calculations. I. Atoms

Although many programs have been published for fully numerical Hartree--Fock (HF) or density functional (DF) calculations on atoms, we are not aware of any that support hybrid DFs, which are popular within the quantum chemistry community due to their better accuracy for many applications, or that can be used to calculate electric properties. Here, we present a variational atomic finite element solver in the HelFEM program suite that overcomes these limitations. A basis set of the type $\chi_{nlm}(r,\theta,\phi)=r^{-1}B_{n}(r)Y_{l}^{m}(\hat{\boldsymbol{r}})$ is used, where $B_{n}(r)$ are finite element shape functions and $Y_{l}^{m}$ are spherical harmonics, which allows for an arbitrary level of accuracy. HelFEM supports nonrelativistic HF and DF including hybrid functionals, which are not available in other commonly available program packages. Hundreds of functionals at the local spin density approximation (LDA), generalized gradient approximation (GGA), as well as the meta-GGA levels of theory are included through an interface with the Libxc library. Electric response properties are achievable via finite field calculations. We introduce an alternative grid that yields faster convergence to the complete basis set than commonly used alternatives. We also show that high-order Lagrange interpolating polynomials yield the best convergence, and that excellent agreement with literature HF limit values for electric properties, such as static dipole polarizabilities, can be achieved with the present approach. Dipole moments and dipole polarizabilities at finite field are reported with the PBE, PBEh, TPSS, and TPSSh functionals. Finally, we show that a recently published Gaussian basis set is able to reproduce absolute HF and DF energies of neutral atoms, cations, as well as anions within a few dozen microhartrees.
NOAA ProbSevere v2.0—ProbHail, ProbWind, and ProbTor

Severe convective storms are hazardous to both life and property and thus their accurate and timely prediction is imperative. In response to this critical need to help fulfill the mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) at the University of Wisconsin (UW) have developed NOAA ProbSevere—an operational short-term forecasting subsystem within the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system, providing storm-based probabilistic guidance to severe convective hazards. ProbSevere extracts and integrates pertinent data from a variety of meteorological sources via multiplatform multiscale storm identification and tracking in order to compute severe hazard probabilities in a statistical framework, using naïve Bayesian classifiers. Version 1 of ProbSevere (PSv1) employed one model—the “probability of any severe hazard” trained on the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) criteria. Version 2 of ProbSevere (PSv2) implements four models, three naïve Bayesian classifiers trained to specific hazards: 1) severe hail, 2) severe straight-line wind gusts, 3) tornadoes; and a combined model for any of the aforementioned hazards, which takes the maximum probability of the three classifiers. This paper overviews the ProbSevere system and details the construction and selection of predictors for the models. An evaluation of the four models demonstrated that v2 is more skillful than v1 for each severe hazard with higher critical success index scores and that the optimal probability threshold varies by region of the United States. The discussion highlights PSv2 in NOAA’s Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) and current and future research for convective nowcasting.