Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ratio of selenium concentrations between soil, forage plants and blood serum of beef cattle studied in organic and conventional farms

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to compare the selenium (Se) status of beef cattle from conventional farms with the status of cattle from organic farms located in western Pomerania and to determine the ratios of Se concentration between soil, forage plants and animals at these locations. The mean total Se (SeT) content in soil was 0.208 mg/kg dry matter (DM) on organic farms and 0.254 mg/kg DM on conventional farms. Animals from conventional farms had significantly (p < 0.05) higher serum Se concentration than those on organic farms. As Se deficiency were classified in 75% of animals from organic farms and in 42% animals from conventional farms. A lack of Se supplementation is associated with a serious risk of deficiency in ruminants, particularly in areas with low Se levels in the soil–plant system. Therefore, more attention should be devoted to increasing the bioavailability of Se for plants by enhancing the physicochemical properties of soil. In addition, the composition of swards for grazing should be adjusted to increase the share of forage plants capable of collecting larger amounts of Se from soil.
Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Risk in Family Caregivers of Adults With Chronic Conditions

Background Family caregivers experience psychological distress or physical strain that may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Objective This systematic review aimed to describe the current evidence and gaps in the literature on measures used to assess CVD outcomes in family caregivers, the association of caregiving with CVD incidence/risk outcomes, and associated factors in family caregivers of patients with chronic disease. Methods Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed studies published from 2008 to 2020 that examined CVD incidence and risk among family caregivers of adults with chronic conditions. Results Forty-one studies were included in this review. The measures used to assess CVD risk were categorized into biochemical, subclinical markers, components of metabolic syndrome, and global risk scores. Compared with noncaregivers, caregivers were more likely to have higher CVD incidence rates and objectively measured risk. Cardiovascular disease risks were also increased by their caregiving experience, including hours/duration of caregiving, caregivers' poor sleep status, psychological symptoms, poor engagement in physical/leisure activities, and care recipient's disease severity. Conclusions Although there were limited longitudinal studies in caregivers of patients with diverse health conditions, we found evidence that caregivers are at high risk of CVD. Further research for various caregiver groups using robust methods of measuring CVD risk is needed. Caregiver factors should be considered in developing interventions aimed at reducing CVD risk for caregivers.
Prevalence and early‐life risk factors of school‐age allergic multimorbidity: The EuroPrevall‐iFAAM birth cohort

Coexistence of childhood asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis is higher than can be expected by chance, suggesting a common mechanism. Data on allergic multimorbidity from a pan‐European, population‐based birth cohort study have been lacking. This study compares the prevalence and early‐life risk factors of these diseases in European primary school children.
Preparation and Spectroscopic Studies of Some Metal Ion Complexes of 2-((4-Formyl-3-Hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl) Diazenyl) Benzoic Acid

New azo ligand 2-((4-formyl-3-hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl) diazenyl) benzoic acid (H2L) was synthesized from the reaction of 2-aminobenzoic acid and2-hydroxy1-naphthaldehyde. Monomeric complexes of this ligand, of general formulae [M II (L)(H2O)] with (M II = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, Cd and Hg ) were reported. The compounds were isolated and characterized in solid state by using 1 H-NMR, FT-IR, UV–Vis and mass spectral studies, elemental microanalysis, metal content, magnetic moment measurements, molar conductance and chloride containing. These studies revealed tetrahedral geometries for all complexes except Pd II complex is Square planar. The study of complexes formation via molar ratio of (M:L) as (1:1). Theoretical treatments of compounds in gas phase were studied using Hyper Chem-8 program has.
Structural Gray and White Matter Correlates of Awareness in Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND Unawareness of disease is a common feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but few studies explored its neural correlates. Additionally, neural correlates according to the object of awareness are unexplored. OBJECTIVE To investigate structural brain correlates in relation to different objects of awareness. METHODS 27 people with AD underwent MRI scanning on a 3T Siemens Prisma. T1-MPRAGE was used to investigate cortical thickness and white matter microstructure was defined by DTI as fractional anisotropy, mean, axial, and radial diffusivity. Preprocessing used FreeSurfer6.0, ExploreDTI, and FSL-TBSS. Awareness of disease, cognitive deficits, emotional state, relationships, and functional capacity were assessed with the short version of the Assessment Scale of Psychosocial Impact of the Diagnosis of Dementia. Voxel-wise correlations between brain structure and awareness were determined by FSL-PALM. Analyses were corrected for multiple comparisons using Threshold Free Cluster Enhancement and FWE. RESULTS Lower left hemisphere cortical thickness was related to poorer disease awareness uncorrected and corrected for age, sex, and MMSE. In the uncorrected model, mainly right-sided, but also left temporal lower cortical thickness was related to decreased awareness of cognitive deficits. Correcting for age, sex, and MMSE eliminated correlations for the right hemisphere, but extensive correlations in the left hemisphere remained. For white matter integrity, higher right hemisphere MD was related to lower cognitive awareness deficits, and lower FA was related to lower functional capacity awareness. CONCLUSION Findings suggest that extensive regions of the brain are linked to self-awareness, with particular frontal and temporal alterations leading to unawareness, in agreement with theoretical models indicating executive and mnemonic forms of anosognosia in AD.
Comparative Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Latinos

Background Latinos, the fastest growing ethnic minority group in the United States, are at a high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about effective strategies to reduce CVD risk in this population. Objective The aim of this study was to systematically review and synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials that examined the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to reduce CVD risk in Latinos living in the United States. Methods Four electronic databases were searched for relevant peer-reviewed English- and Spanish-language articles published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2019. Four reviewers independently completed article screening, data abstraction, and quality appraisal. At least 2 reviewers completed data abstraction and quality appraisal for each article, and a third reviewer was assigned to settle disagreements. Data on study characteristics and outcomes were abstracted. Results We retrieved 1939 articles. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 17 articles were included. Most interventions were led by community health workers (n = 10); 2 family-based interventions were identified. None of the included studies was nurse led. Behavioral factors were assessed across all included studies, whereas only 4 studies reported on psychosocial outcomes. Improvements were observed in dietary habits and psychosocial outcomes. Findings for physical activity and biological outcomes were mixed. We identified no differences in outcomes based on intervention modalities used or the role of those who led the interventions. Conclusion Existing evidence is mixed. Future research should assess the effectiveness of understudied treatment modalities (including nurse-led, mobile health, and family-based interventions) in reducing CVD risk in Latinos.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein kinase G acts as an unusual ubiquitinating enzyme to impair host immunity

Upon Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, protein kinase G (PknG), a eukaryotic‐type serine‐threonine protein kinase (STPK), is secreted into host macrophages to promote intracellular survival of the pathogen. However, the mechanisms underlying this PknG–host interaction remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that PknG serves both as a ubiquitin‐activating enzyme (E1) and a ubiquitin ligase (E3) to trigger the ubiquitination and degradation of tumor necrosis factor receptor‐associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and TGF‐β‐activated kinase 1 (TAK1), thereby inhibiting the activation of NF‐κB signaling and host innate responses. PknG promotes the attachment of ubiquitin (Ub) to the ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme (E2) UbcH7 via an isopeptide bond (UbcH7 K82‐Ub), rather than the usual C86‐Ub thiol‐ester bond. PknG induces the discharge of Ub from UbcH7 by acting as an isopeptidase, before attaching Ub to its substrates. These results demonstrate that PknG acts as an unusual ubiquitinating enzyme to remove key components of the innate immunity system, thus providing a potential target for tuberculosis treatment.
High density lipoprotein cholesterol / C reactive protein ratio in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

The impacts of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) as an anti‐inflammatory and C reactive protein (CRP) as inflammatory properties on the pathogenesis of heart failure were reported. At present, the clinical significance of the HDL‐C/CRP ratio in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients remains unknown.
Consequences of Amide Connectivity in the Supramolecular Polymerization of Porphyrins: Spectroscopic Observations Rationalized by Theoretical Modelling

Abstract The correlation between molecular structure and mechanism of supramolecular polymerizations is a topic of great interest, with a special focus on the pathway complexity of porphyrin assemblies. Their cooperative polymerization typically yields highly ordered, long 1D polymers and is driven by a combination of π‐stacking due to solvophobic effects and hydrogen bonding interactions. Subtle changes in molecular structure, however, have significant influence on the cooperativity factor and yield different aggregate types (J‐ versus H‐aggregates) of different lengths. In this study, the influence of amide connectivity on the self‐assembly behavior of porphyrin‐based supramolecular monomers was investigated. While in nonpolar solvents, C=O centered monomers readily assemble into helical supramolecular polymers via a cooperative mechanism, their NH centered counterparts form short, non‐helical J‐type aggregates via an isodesmic pathway. A combination of spectroscopy and density functional theory modelling sheds light on the molecular origins causing this stunning difference in assembly properties and demonstrates the importance of molecular connectivity in the design of supramolecular systems. Finally, their mutual interference in copolymerization experiments is presented.
Initiation of efficient C4 pathway in response to low ambient CO2 during the bloom period of a marine dinoflagellate.

Dinoflagellates are important primary producers and major causative agents of harmful algal blooms in the global ocean. Despite the great ecological significance, the photosynthetic carbon acquisition by dinoflagellates is still poorly understood. The pathways of photosynthetic carbon assimilation in a marine dinoflagellate Prorocentrum donghaiense under both in situ and laboratory-simulated bloom conditions were investigated using a combination of metaproteomics, qPCR, stable carbon isotope and targeted metabolomics approaches. A rapid consumption of dissolved CO2 to generate high biomass was observed as the bloom proceeded. The carbon assimilation genes and proteins including intracellular carbonic anhydrase 2, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and RubisCO as well as their enzyme activities were all highly expressed at the low CO2 level, indicating that C4 photosynthetic pathway functioned in the blooming P. donghaiense cells. Furthermore, δ13 C values and content of C4 compound (malate) significantly increased with the decreasing CO2 concentration. The transition from C3 to C4 pathway minimizes the internal CO2 leakage and guarantees efficient carbon fixation at the low CO2 level. This study demonstrates the existence of C4 photosynthetic pathway in a marine dinoflagellate and reveals its important complementary role to assist carbon assimilation for cell proliferation during the bloom period. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Quantitative assessment of acquisition imaging parameters on MRI radiomics features: a prospective anthropomorphic phantom study using a 3D-T2W-TSE sequence for MR-guided-radiotherapy.

Background MRI pulse sequences and imaging parameters substantially influence the variation of MRI radiomics features, thus impose a critical challenge on MRI radiomics reproducibility and reliability. This study aims to prospectively investigate the impact of various imaging parameters on MRI radiomics features in a 3D T2-weighted (T2W) turbo-spin-echo (TSE) pulse sequence for MR-guided-radiotherapy (MRgRT). Methods An anthropomorphic phantom was scanned using a 3D-T2W-TSE MRgRT sequence at 1.5T under a variety of acquisition imaging parameter changes. T1 and T2 relaxation times of the phantom were also measured. 93 first-order and texture radiomics features in the original and 14 transformed images, yielding 1,395 features in total, were extracted from 10 volumes-of-interest (VOIs). The percentage deviation (d%) of radiomics feature values from the baseline values and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) with the baseline were calculated. Robust radiomics features were identified based on the excellent agreement of radiomics feature values with the baseline, i.e., the averaged d% <5% and ICC >0.90 in all VOIs for all imaging parameter variations. Results The radiomics feature values changed considerably but to different degrees with different imaging parameter adjustments, in the ten VOIs. The deviation d% ranged from 0.02% to 321.3%, with a mean of 12.5% averaged for all original features in all ten VOIs. First-order and GLCM features were generally more robust to imaging parameters than other features in the original images. There were also significantly different radiomics feature values (ANOVA, P<0.001) between the original and the transformed images, exhibiting quite different robustness to imaging parameters. 330 out of 1395 features (23.7%) robust to imaging parameters were identified. GLCM and GLSZM features had the most (42.5%, 153/360) and least (3.8%, 9/240) robust features in the original and transformed images, respectively. Conclusions This study helps better understand the quantitative dependence of radiomics feature values on imaging parameters in a 3D-T2W-TSE sequence for MRgRT. Imaging parameter heterogeneity should be considered as a significant source of radiomics variability and uncertainty, which must be well harmonized for reliable clinical use. The identified robust features to imaging parameters are helpful for the pre-selection of radiomics features for reliable radiomics modeling.
A guided‐inquiry investigation of genetic variants using Oxford nanopore sequencing for an undergraduate molecular biology laboratory course

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has become an important tool in the biological sciences and has a growing number of applications across medical fields. Currently, few undergraduate programs provide training in the design and implementation of NGS applications. Here, we describe an inquiry‐based laboratory exercise for a college‐level molecular biology laboratory course that uses real‐time MinION deep sequencing and bioinformatics to investigate characteristic genetic variants found in cancer cell‐lines. The overall goal for students was to identify non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell‐lines based on their unique genomic profiles. The units described in this laboratory highlight core principles in multiplex PCR primer design, real‐time deep sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis for genetic variants. We found that the MinION device is an appropriate, feasible tool that provides a comprehensive, hands‐on NGS experience for undergraduates. Student evaluations demonstrated increased confidence in using molecular techniques and enhanced understanding of NGS concepts. Overall, this exercise provides a pedagogical tool for incorporating NGS approaches in the teaching laboratory as way of enhancing students' comprehension of genomic sequence analysis. Further, this NGS lab module can easily be added to a variety of lab‐based courses to help undergraduate students learn current DNA sequencing methods with limited effort and cost.
Horace Barlow and the Nexus Between Perception and Neurophysiology

Tony Movshon’s (2021) admirable obituary made me recall with appreciation Horace Barlow’s role in the mid-20th century revision of the place occupied by neurophysiology in the study of perception. No apology is offered for using these terms rather than the current “neuroscience” and “cognition:” The tale started at a time when Sherrington was still alive, when Shannon had recently formulated information theory, and when the gist of the discipline could be contained, for the profession, in Fulton’s moderate-sized volume “Physiology of the Nervous System,” (Fulton, 1943) or, for the student of experimental psychology, in 80 of the 1400 pages of Stevens’ (1951) handbook. Perception had, of course, been an enduring topic. At the time, as an escape from the conceptual constraints of positivism and behaviorism on one side, and underdefined formulations of Gestalt on the other, reductionism offered a program. But it was only that, a program. No path charted the course between Fechner’s K€ orper and Seele. So when experimental science emerged newly energized after its success in helping win WWII, it tackled the problem at its edges. The first target was the front-end—the eye, its optics and the retina, the ear and cochlea, the muscle spindle. We knew that the nervous system, often called the brain, was interposed between the physical changes that acted as a stimulus and the resultant changed state of the organism, and we were not deterred by the philosophical tangle that one would expect on the journey’s completion. The strategy we adopted in the early 1950s can be well described by reference to the Artificial Neural Nets of today’s Artificial Intelligence: thorough characterization of the input, stipulation as to the output layer, and a multiplicity of intermediate interconnected nodes, whose activation and the traffic between them we accepted as proceeding in an unknown manner. Attempts to tap into the system were not too promising, even in the best of hands, in part because of limitations in technology, of restrictions to anesthetized preparations, and of the sheer magnitude of the number of involved elements In our laboratories, we either lumped
Casual, Colloquial, Commonsensical: A News Values Stylistic Analysis of a Populist Newsfeed

ABSTRACT This study explores a mediated variety of right-wing populist discourse in the digital context, given the populists’ inclination to bypass legacy media to connect directly to the citizens to garner political support. It analyzes a sample of the Tea Party’s newsfeed headlines posted in the spring of 2019. A corpus of 308 headlines collected according to a “constructed week” formula has been coded first according to selected news values parameters (Bednarek and Caple 2017), and then with respect to stylistic devices operationalized in terms of “casual,” “colloquial” and “commonsensical” expressions. Methodologically, the study aims to combine the perspectives of newsworthiness and stylistics in order to offer a protocol for the analysis of (right-wing) populist styles regarding the genre of party newsfeeds that use headlines to cultivate prospective supporters. The conducted exploratory analysis finds that, notwithstanding the high incidence of Proximity and Personalization characteristic of popular media appeals, the construction of newsworthiness is mainly done through Negativity, Eliteness, Unexpectedness and Impact. Moreover, populist outlets strive for the stylistic alignment with the target audience’s assumed affective and cognitive preferences for news representation though manufacture of informality, authenticity and entertainment.
Dissolution of cellulose in ionic liquid: A review

Dissolution of cellulose with ionic liquids (IL) and deep eutectic solvent (DES) lets the comprehensive dissolution of cellulose. Basically, cellulose can be dissolved, in some hydrophilic ionic liquids, such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) and 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AMIMCl). Chloride based ionic liquids are suitable solvents for cellulose dissolution. Although the ILs is very useful in fine chemical industry, its application in the pharmaceutical and food industry have been very limited due to issues with toxicity, purity, and high cost. Seeing to these limitations, new green alternative solvent which is DES was used. This green solvents, may be definitely treated as the next-generation reagents for more sustainable industrial development. Thus, this review aims to discuss the dissolution of cellulose either with ionic liquids or DES and its application.
Investigation of solidification modes of high Manganese steels

ABSTRACT The solidification modes of high manganese steels were measured by experiments and comparatively calculated by different predicted methods. The DSC experiments indicate the same phase transformation sequence as the isothermal solidification experiments. It is demonstrated that the solidification modes of the Fe–0.028C–21.1Mn–5.72Al, Fe–0.28C–21.0Mn–5.80Al and Fe–0.64C–21.0Mn–5.80Al alloys are F mode, FA1 mode and FA2 mode. The change of heating/cooling rate influences the position and shape of the peaks in the DSC curves but has no effect on the solidification mode. By comparison with different calculation methods, the equilibrium model is shown to be a valuable tool to predict the solidification sequence of the high-Mn steel, from which the critical carbon range for the Fe–C–20Mn–5Al alloy is calculated to be 0.062∼0.427 wt-%.
Religious Literacy in Teacher Education

Abstract This article explores two questions: What is religious literacy in the context of teacher education? and Why does teacher education matter for the promotion of religious literacy? The current absence of attention to religious literacy in pre-service education for both generalist and specialist teachers in United States and Canada, particularly Quebec, has implications for educators’ abilities to prepare young people for citizenship in religiously diverse societies. A unique form of religious literacy for educators is described in the Pedagogical Content Knowledge about Religion framework. Equipping religiously literate educators is a first step in fostering a religiously literate public.