Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clarifying the complex chemistry of cobalt(II) thiocyanate‐based tests for cocaine using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and spectroscopic techniques

Cobalt(II) thiocyanate‐based tests are routinely used to screen cocaine products, with the formation of a blue species interpreted as a positive response. An array of other organic bases has been identified as false positives – including well‐documented cocaine product adulterant lidocaine and its salt. False positives prompt continued test development, though improvements are hindered by unresolved product structures and reaction pathways. Toward greater clarity, cobalt(II) thiocyanate reactions with cocaine hydrochloride, along with lidocaine and its salt, were investigated using multiple analytical techniques. Reactions involving cocaine hydrochloride yielded glassy, amorphous blue material while reactions of lidocaine hydrochloride monohydrate produced larger, needle‐like crystals whose structure was determined via single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction to be an ion pair (Hlidocaine+)2([Co(SCN)4]2−)·H2O. While the blue precipitate isolated from reactions involving cocaine hydrochloride was unsuitable for crystallographic structure determination, comparative ultraviolet–visible, attenuated total reflectance infrared, and Raman spectroscopic analysis – along with elemental analysis – supports that this solid is comprised of a comparable ion pair (Hcocaine+)2[Co(SCN)4]2−. Pink crystals isolated from lidocaine reaction vessels were identified as coordination compounds cis‐[CoL2(SCN)2] and trans‐[CoL2(SCN)2] where L = lidocaine, while pink crystals from both cocaine hydrochloride and lidocaine hydrochloride monohydrate reaction vessels were the coordination polymer trans‐[Co(H2O)2(SCN)2]·H2O. The results presented herein enable reaction optimization to favor a desired product, whether ion pair or coordination species.
A new 5C pyrrhotite

A unique pyrrhotite, having a new 5C type superstructure, has been found in a specimen from an alpine hydrothermal vein. Precession photographs show that it differs from the previously-described 5C pyrrhotites in that the superstructure reflections are offset from Bragg positions. The composition is FqSro, and this phase is thus a polymorph of so-called hexagonal pyrrhotite of that composition. Fluid inclusion work indicates that it formed at a temperature of at least 160-170'C and that it is highly unlikely that it was quenched from that temperature.
Association Between Intraoperative Landiolol Use and In-Hospital Mortality After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Nationwide Observational Study in Japan

BACKGROUND: Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a major treatment. Landiolol is an ultra–short-acting beta-antagonist known to prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation. However, the effectiveness of intraoperative landiolol on mortality remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the association between intraoperative landiolol use and the in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing CABG. METHODS: To conduct this retrospective cohort study, we used data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database. All patients who underwent CABG during hospitalization between July 1, 2010, and March 31, 2020, were included. Patients who received intraoperative landiolol were defined as the landiolol group, whereas the other patients were defined as the control group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Propensity score matching was used to compare the landiolol and control groups. RESULTS: In total, 118,506 patients were eligible for this study, including 25,219 (21%) in the landiolol group and 93,287 (79%) in the control group. One-to-one propensity score matching created 24,893 pairs. After propensity score matching, the in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the landiolol group than that in the control group (3.7% vs 4.3%; odds ratio 0.85; 95% confidence interval 0.78 to 0.94; P = .010). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative landiolol use was associated with decreased in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing CABG. Further randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.
The importance of NO2 and volatile organic compounds in the urban air from the viewpoint of the OH reactivity

Total OH reactivity was measured in the suburban area, Tokyo, in July and August 2003, by use of a laser‐induced pump and probe technique. More than 90% of the measured data of the OH loss rates were higher than the calculated values with simultaneously measured concentrations of various trace species. The maximum difference between the measured and calculated values is 34.3%. However, this difference was reduced to be 24.6% when using the rate coefficient of the OH + NO2 reaction recommended by IUPAC 1997, which is 40% larger than the most recently recommended value (JPL 2002). We concluded that this disagreement is due to the uncertainty of the OH + NO2 rate coefficient as well as existence of unmeasured VOCs. VOCs were quantitatively important as contribution to the OH loss processes.
The population bottleneck of the Iberian wolf impacted genetic diversity but not admixture with domestic dogs: A temporal genomic approach

After decades of intense persecution, the Iberian wolf subspecies faced a severe bottleneck in the 1970s that considerably reduced its range and population size, nearly leading to its extinction in central and southern Iberian Peninsula. Such population decline could have impacted the genetic diversity of Iberian wolves through different processes, namely genetic drift and dynamics of hybridization with domestic dogs. By contrasting the genomes of 68 contemporary with 54 historical samples spanning the periods before and immediately after the 1970s bottleneck, we found evidence of its impact on genetic diversity and dynamics of wolf–dog hybridization. Our genome‐wide assessment revealed that wolves and dogs form two well‐differentiated genetic groups in Iberia and that hybridization rates did not increase during the bottleneck. However, an increased number of hybrid individuals was found over time during the population re‐expansion, particularly at the edge of the wolf range. We estimated a low percentage of dog ancestry (~1.4%) in historical samples, suggesting that dog introgression was not a key driver for wolf extinction in central and southern Iberia. Our findings also unveil a significant decline in genetic diversity in contemporary samples, with the highest proportion of homozygous segments in the genome being recently inherited. Overall, our study provides unprecedented insight into the impact of a sharp decline on the Iberian wolf genome and refines our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary drivers of wolf–dog hybridization in the wild.
Development of engineered endolysins with in vitro intracellular activity against streptococcal bovine mastitis‐causing pathogens

Bacteriophage‐derived endolysins are a novel class of antimicrobials known to rapidly kill bacteria, including antibiotic‐resistant strains. We here engineered endolysins against the bovine mastitis pathogens Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus dysgalactiae, also targeting intracellular survival and biofilm formation. For this purpose, high‐throughput DNA assembly was used to create a library with >80,000 theoretical endolysin variants for screening of their bacteriolytic activity against Gram‐positive isolates from (sub)clinically affected cows. This lytic activity was evaluated by turbidity reduction and time‐kill assays in phosphate‐buffered saline and pasteurized whole cow's milk to allow a rank up of the most potent leading candidates. A top candidate was selected with a 4.0 log killing efficacy against S. uberis, also showing similar activity against S. agalactiae and S. dysgalactiae. This top candidate eradicated S. uberis biofilm and showed intracellular activity in two bovine mammary epithelial cell lines as was confirmed by confocal microscopy. A potentiating effect on cloxacillin, a beta‐lactam penicillin used to intramammarily treat bovine Gram‐positive mastitis, was observed for this top candidate endolysin in raw cow's milk from (sub)clinically infected udders. Our in vitro results indicate that engineered endolysins may have a future role as add‐on in the treatment of bovine streptococcal mastitis.
Efficacy of a Commercial Physical Activity Monitor in Longitudinal Tracking of Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension: A Pilot Study

Abstract Background Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension have quality-of-life limitations, decreased exercise capacity, and poor prognosis if the condition is left untreated. Standard exercise testing is routinely performed to evaluate patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension but may be limited in its ability to monitor activity levels in daily living. Objective To evaluate the validity of the commercial Fitbit Charge HR as a tool to assess real-time exercise capacity as compared with standard exercise testing. Methods Ambulatory pediatric and adult patients were enrolled and given a Fitbit with instructions to continuously wear the device during waking hours. Patients underwent a 6-minute walk test, cardiopulmonary exercise test, and a 36-Item Short Form Health Survey on the day of enrollment and follow-up. Twenty-seven ambulatory patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension were enrolled, and 21 had sufficient data for analyses (median age, 25 years [range, 13-59 years]; 14 female participants). Results Daily steps measured by the Fitbit had a positive correlation with 6-minute walk distance (r = 0.72, P = .03) and an inverse trend with World Health Organization functional class. On the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, 77% of patients reported improvement in vitality (P = .055). At follow-up, there was a strong correlation between number of steps recorded by Fitbit and role limitations because of physical problems (r = 0.88, P = .02) and weaker correlations with other quality-of-life markers. Conclusion The findings of this pilot study suggest activity monitors may have potential as a simple and novel method of assessing longitudinal exercise capacity and activity levels in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Further study in larger cohorts of patients is warranted to determine which accelerometer measures correlate best with outcomes.
Hypertension Trends and White Matter Brain Injury in the Offspring Framingham Heart Study Cohort

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the most potent stroke risk factor and is also related to cerebral small vessel disease. We studied the relation between mid-to-late-life hypertension trends and cerebral white matter injury in community-dwelling individuals from the FHS (Framingham Heart Study). METHODS: FHS Offspring cohort participants with available mid-life and late-life blood pressure measurements and brain magnetic resonance imaging were included. Multiple regression analyses were used to relate hypertension trends (normotension-normotension [reference], normotension-hypertension, and hypertension-hypertension) to white matter injury metrics on diffusion tensor imaging (free water, fractional anisotropy, and peak skeletonized mean diffusivity) and Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (white matter hyperintensity volume) by different blood pressure cutoffs (130/80, 140/90, and 150/90 mm Hg). RESULTS: We included 1018 participants (mean age 47.3±7.4 years at mid-life and 73.2±7.3 at late-life). At the 140/90 mm Hg cutoff, the hypertension-hypertension trend was associated with higher free water (β, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.03–0.30]; P=0.021) and peak skeletonized mean diffusivity (β, 0.15 [95% CI, 0.01–0.29]; P=0.033). At a 130/80 mm Hg cutoff, the hypertension-hypertension trend had significantly higher free water (β, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.01–0.30]; P=0.035); and the normotension-hypertension (β, 0.24 [95% CI, 0.03–0.44]; P=0.027) and hypertension-hypertension (β, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.04–0.41]; P=0.022) trends had significantly increased white matter hyperintensity volume. Exploratory stratified analysis showed effect modifications by APOE ɛ4 allele and age. CONCLUSIONS: Mid-to-late-life hypertension exposure is significantly associated with microstructural and to a lesser extent, visible white matter injury; the effects are observed at both conventional and lower blood pressure cutoffs and are associated with longer duration of hypertension.
The essential role of clathrin-mediated endocytosis and early endosomes in the trafficking of begomoviruses through the primary salivary glands of their whitefly vectors

ABSTRACT Begomoviruses are significant constraints to the production of many crops worldwide. Efficient passage of the circulatively transmitted begomoviruses through the midgut and primary salivary gland (PSG) of their whitefly vector is an essential step in productive virus transmission. While how begomoviruses transport across the whitefly midgut wall has been characterized, the mechanisms underlying the trafficking of begomoviruses through whitefly PSG remain poorly understood. In this study, we combined direct injection of purified virions into the whitefly hemolymph with inhibitor and dsRNA treatment and investigated the roles of endocytosis and endosomes in the entry and intracellular trafficking of begomoviruses in whitefly PSG. We found that clathrin-mediated endocytosis and early endosomes mediated the entry of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) into whitefly PSG. Additionally, late and recycling endosomes were not involved in TYLCV trafficking in PSG. Notably, the regulating proteins of vesicle trafficking such as Arp2/3 complex; CORVET complex subunits Vps8, Vps11, and Vps33a; and sorting nexin Snx12 did not seem to play a role in TYLCV entry into PSG. Furthermore, clathrin-mediated endocytosis and early endosomes were found to mediate the entry of another begomovirus into PSG, indicating it might be a conserved pathway exploited by begomoviruses to enter PSG. Our results uncovered the key whitefly components that mediate the trafficking of begomoviruses in PSGs of their insect vectors. IMPORTANCE Many plant viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in a circulative manner. For efficient transmission, the entry of the virus from vector hemolymph into the primary salivary gland (PSG) is a step of paramount importance. Yet, vector components mediating virus entry into PSG remain barely characterized. Here, we demonstrate the role of clathrin-mediated endocytosis and early endosomes in begomovirus entry into whitefly PSG. Our findings unravel the key components involved in begomovirus transport within the whitefly body and transmission by their whitefly vectors and provide novel clues for blocking begomovirus transmission. Many plant viruses are transmitted by insect vectors in a circulative manner. For efficient transmission, the entry of the virus from vector hemolymph into the primary salivary gland (PSG) is a step of paramount importance. Yet, vector components mediating virus entry into PSG remain barely characterized. Here, we demonstrate the role of clathrin-mediated endocytosis and early endosomes in begomovirus entry into whitefly PSG. Our findings unravel the key components involved in begomovirus transport within the whitefly body and transmission by their whitefly vectors and provide novel clues for blocking begomovirus transmission.
16- Directional Geographical Traceback (DGT16) with Generalization to 2 n (n>4) Directions

DoS / DDoS(Distributed Denial of Service) attacks deny regular, internet services from being accessed by legitimate users, either by blocking the services completely, or by disturbing it completely, so as to cause customer baulking. Several traceback schemes are available to mitigate these attacks. DGT8, directional geographical trackback scheme (1), with 8 directions is one of them.
Association of Smoke and Nicotine Product Consumption With Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Population-Level Analysis

Objective To test the hypothesis that use of cigarettes or other products with either cigarette-like smoke profile or high nicotine content by young populations increases the odds of developing sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting TriNetX US Collaborative Network (2003–2022). Patients Approximately 3.6 million patients at least 18 years old. Intervention None. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome of interest was diagnosis of SNHL, defined using medical billing codes (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Current Procedural Terminology, etc.). Cohort inclusion criteria included electronic health record entry after 2003, age 18 to 54 or 55+ years at index, and status of cigarette, noncigarette nicotine, or cannabis use. Covariates were controlled via 1:1 propensity score matching for SNHL-related conditions, including diabetes mellitus and ischemic diseases. Odds for developing SNHL were calculated against control subjects aged 18 to 54 years who have no record of nicotine/cannabis use. Results Odds for developing SNHL are higher for people 18 to 54 years old who use any nicotine product (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 5.91 [5.71–6.13]), cigarettes only (4.00 [3.69–4.33]), chewing tobacco only (9.04 [7.09–11.63]), or cannabis only (3.99 [3.60–4.44]) compared with control. People 55+ years old who use no products also showed increased odds for SNHL (4.73 [4.63–4.85]). Conclusions Both nicotine and smoke exposure seem to be strongly associated with increased odds for developing SNHL, with chewing tobacco having the strongest association.
Does Afternoon Precipitation Occur Preferentially over Dry or Wet Soils in Oklahoma

AbstractSoil moisture is an integral part of the climate system and can drive land–atmosphere interactions through the partitioning of latent and sensible heat. Soil moisture feedback to precipitation has been documented in several regions of the world, most notably in the southern Great Plains. However, the impact of soil moisture on precipitation, particularly at short (subdaily) time scales, has not been resolved. Here, in situ soil moisture observations and satellite-based precipitation estimates are used to examine if afternoon precipitation falls preferentially over wet or dry soils in Oklahoma. Afternoon precipitation events during the warm season (May–September) in Oklahoma from 2003 and 2012 are categorized by how favorable atmospheric conditions are for convection, as well as the presence or absence of the Great Plains low-level jet. The results show afternoon precipitation falls preferentially over wet soils when the Great Plains low-level jet is absent. In contrast, precipitation falls prefere.
Escin‐sorafenib synergy up‐regulates LC3‐II and p62 to induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common solid cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Sorafenib is the first drug used to treat HCC but its effectiveness needs to be improved, and it is important to find ways to treat cancer that combine sorafenib with other drugs. Synergistic therapies lower effective drug doses and side effects while enhancing the anticancer effect.
“No-reflow” phenomenon in acute ischemic stroke

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) afflicts millions of individuals worldwide. Despite the advancements in thrombolysis and thrombectomy facilitating proximal large artery recanalization, the resultant distal hypoperfusion, referred to “no-reflow” phenomenon, often impedes the neurological function restoration in patients. Over half a century of scientific inquiry has validated the existence of cerebral “no-reflow” in both animal models and human subjects. Furthermore, the correlation between “no-reflow” and adverse clinical outcomes underscores the necessity to address this phenomenon as a pivotal strategy for enhancing AIS prognoses. The underlying mechanisms of “no-reflow” are multifaceted, encompassing the formation of microemboli, microvascular compression and contraction. Moreover, a myriad of complex mechanisms warrant further investigation. Insights gleaned from mechanistic exploration have prompted advancements in “no-reflow” treatment, including microthrombosis therapy, which has demonstrated clinical efficacy in improving patient prognoses. The stagnation in current “no-reflow” diagnostic methods imposes limitations on the timely application of combined therapy on “no-reflow” post-recanalization. This narrative review will traverse the historical journey of the “no-reflow” phenomenon, delve into its underpinnings in AIS, and elucidate potential therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. Our aim is to equip readers with a swift comprehension of the “no-reflow” phenomenon and highlight critical points for future research endeavors.
Clinical performance of the novel full‐genotyping OncoPredict HPV Quantitative Typing assay using the VALGENT framework

Clinical validation of human papillomavirus (HPV) assays according to international criteria is prerequisite for their implementation in cervical cancer screening. OncoPredict HPV Quantitative Typing (QT) assay (Hiantis Srl, Milan, Italy) is a novel full‐genotyping multiplex real‐time PCR quantitative assay targeting E6/E7 genes, allowing individual viral load determination of 12 high‐risk (HR) HPV types. Quality controls for sample adequacy, efficiency of nucleic acid extraction and PCR inhibition are included in the assay. Clinical performance of OncoPredict HPV QT test was assessed as part of the “Validation of HPV Genotyping Tests” (VALGENT‐2) framework, consisting of 1300 cervical liquid‐based cytology (LBC) samples of women aged between 20 and 60 years who had originally attended for routine cervical screening in Scotland. The clinical accuracy of the OncoPredict HPV QT (index test) for the detection of CIN2+ was assessed relative to the GP5+/6+ Enzyme ImmunoAssay (GP5+/6+ EIA) (comparator test), using noninferiority criteria. Intra‐ and interlaboratory reproducibility of the assay was assessed on a subpopulation, comprising 526 samples. The relative sensitivity and specificity for OncoPredict HPV QT vs GP5+/6+‐PCR‐EIA were 1.01 (95% CI: 0.99‐1.03) and 1.03 (95% CI: 1.0‐1.06) respectively. The P‐values for noninferiority were ≤0.001. The intra‐ and inter‐laboratory reproducibility demonstrated a high concordance (>98.7%) with kappas for individual types ranging from 0.66 to 1.00. OncoPredict HPV QT fulfills the international validation criteria for the use of HPV tests in cervical cancer screening.
Pheromone trapping for control of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

We study the impact of pheromone control against the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, a principal vector of diseases in citrus cultures. The model is expressed as a piecewise smooth ODE system, and its long-term behavior is analyzed. In particular, through qualitative analysis and applying an open-loop control approach, we identify the threshold in terms of two external parameters related to the pheromone traps, the amount of pheromones to be released and the male-killing rate, to ensure local elimination of the wild psyllid population. We also show that a feedback control with periodic assessments of the wild population sizes is applicable and then deduce that a mixed-type control, combining the open- and closed-loop control approaches, provides the best results. We present several simulations to illustrate our theoretical findings and to estimate the minimal amount of pheromones and time needed to reach the local elimination of wild psyllids. Finally, we discuss possible implementations of our results as a part of Integrated Pest Management programs.