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Objective: Broccoli is a ``functional food'' that contains bioactive compounds and phytochemicals that have beneficial health-promoting effects. This study aimed at investigating the effects of broccoli consumption on lipid and glucose metabolism and gut microbiota. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice (7-8 wk old) were fed ad libitum with a normal diet supplemented with or without 10% (w/w) broccoli florets or broccoli stalks. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed at week 15. After 17 wk, blood and tissues were collected. Serum parameters, histology, gene and protein expression, and intestinal microbiota composition were evaluated. Results: Stalk supplementation led to reductions in fasting glucose levels, serum insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index. Liver enzymes improved in both experimental groups, and broccoli florets decreased total triacylglycerols. The stalks group had elevated fatty acid oxidation-related genes and proteins (AMPK, PPARa, and CPT1). Diverse microbiota populations were observed in both broccoli groups. Broccoli stalks were found to be richer in Akkermansia muciniphila, while broccoli florets reduced Mucispirillum schaedleri abundance and increased bacterial richness. Conclusions: Long-term whole broccoli supplementation decreased inflammation, improved lipid parameters and insulin sensitivity, and altered the gut microbiome in mice. Our data provide new information regarding the potential benefits of broccoli stalks in metabolic parameters. (C) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ObjectiveBroccoli is a “functional food” that contains bioactive compounds and phytochemicals that have beneficial health-promoting effects. This study aimed at investigating the effects of broccoli consumption on lipid and glucose metabolism and gut microbiota. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice (7–8 wk old) were fed ad libitum with a normal diet supplemented with or without 10% (w/w) broccoli florets or broccoli stalks. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed at week 15. After 17 wk, blood and tissues were collected. Serum parameters, histology, gene and protein expression, and intestinal microbiota composition were evaluated. Results Stalk supplementation led to reductions in fasting glucose levels, serum insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index. Liver enzymes improved in both experimental groups, and broccoli florets decreased total triacylglycerols. The stalks group had elevated fatty acid oxidation–related genes and proteins (AMPK, PPARα, and CPT1). Diverse microbiota populations were observed in both broccoli groups. Broccoli stalks were found to be richer in Akkermansia muciniphila, while broccoli florets reduced Mucispirillum schaedleri abundance and increased bacterial richness. Conclusions Long-term whole broccoli supplementation decreased inflammation, improved lipid parameters and insulin sensitivity, and altered the gut microbiome in mice. Our data provide new information regarding the potential benefits of broccoli stalks in metabolic parameters.

Progressive loss of muscle and muscle function is associated with significant fibrosis in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients. Halofuginone, an analog of febrifugine, prevents fibrosis in various animal models, including those of muscular dystrophies. Effects of (+)/(-)-halofuginone enantiomers on motor coordination and diaphragm histopathology in mdx mice, the mouse model for DMD, were examined. Four-week-old male mice were treated with racemic halofuginone, or its separate enantiomers, for 10 weeks. Controls were treated with saline. Racemic halofuginone-treated mice demonstrated better motor coordination and balance than controls. However, (+)-halofuginone surpassed the racemic form's effect. No effect was observed for (-)-halofuginone, which behaved like the control. A significant reduction in collagen content and degenerative areas, and an increase in utrophin levels were observed in diaphragms of mice treated with racemic halofuginone. Again, (+)-halofuginone was more effective than the racemic form, whereas (-)-halofuginone had no effect. Both racemic and (+)-halofuginone increased diaphragm myofiber diameters, with no effect for (-)-halofuginone. No effects were observed for any of the compounds tested in an in-vitro cell viability assay. These results, demonstrating a differential effect of the halofuginone enantiomers and superiority of (+)-halofuginone, are of great importance for future use of (+)-halofuginone as a DMD antifibrotic therapy.

(1) Background: Chiral nanoparticular systems have recently emerged as a compelling platform for investigating stereospecific behavior at the nanoscopic level. We describe chiroselective supramolecular interactions that occur between DNA oligonucleotides and chiral polyurea nanocapsules. (2) Methods: We employ interfacial polyaddition reactions between toluene 2,4-diisocyanate and lysine enantiomers that occur in volatile oil-in-water nanoemulsions to synthesize hollow, solvent-free capsules with average sizes of approximately 300 nm and neutral surface potential. (3) Results: The resultant nanocapsules exhibit chiroptical activity and interact differentially with single stranded DNA oligonucleotides despite the lack of surface charge and, thus, the absence of significant electrostatic interactions. Preferential binding of DNA on D-polyurea nanocapsules compared to their L-counterparts is demonstrated by a fourfold increase in capsule size, a 50% higher rise in the absolute value of negative zeta potential ($\zeta$-potential), and a three times lower free DNA concentration after equilibration with the excess of DNA. (4) Conclusions: We infer that the chirality of the novel polymeric nanocapsules affects their supramolecular interactions with DNA, possibly through modification of the surface morphology. These interactions can be exploited when developing carriers for gene therapy and theranostics. The resultant constructs are expected to be highly biocompatible due to their neutral potential and biodegradability of polyurea shells.

From mammals to fish, reproduction is driven by luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) temporally secreted from the pituitary gland. Teleost fish are an excellent model for addressing the unique regulation and function of each gonadotropin cell since, unlike mammals, they synthesize and secrete LH and FSH from distinct cells. Only very distant vertebrate classes (such as fish and birds) demonstrate the mono-hormonal strategy, suggesting a potential convergent evolution. Cell-specific transcriptome analysis of double-labeled transgenic tilapia expressing GFP and RFP in LH or FSH cells, respectively, yielded genes specifically enriched in each cell type, revealing differences in hormone regulation, receptor expression, cell signaling, and electrical properties. Each cell type expresses a unique GPCR signature that reveals the direct regulation of metabolic and homeostatic hormones. Comparing these novel transcriptomes to that of rat gonadotrophs revealed conserved genes that might specifically contribute to each gonadotropin activity in mammals, suggesting conserved mechanisms controlling the differential regulation of gonadotropins in vertebrates.

From mammals to fish, reproduction is driven by luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) temporally secreted from the pituitary gland. Teleost fish are an excellent model for addressing the unique regulation and function of each gonadotropin cell since, unlike mammals, they synthesize and secrete LH and FSH from distinct cells. Only very distant vertebrate classes (such as fish and birds) demonstrate the mono-hormonal strategy, suggesting a potential convergent evolution. Cell-specific transcriptome analysis of double-labeled transgenic tilapia expressing GFP and RFP in LH or FSH cells, respectively, yielded genes specifically enriched in each cell type, revealing differences in hormone regulation, receptor expression, cell signaling, and electrical properties. Each cell type expresses a unique GPCR signature that reveals the direct regulation of metabolic and homeostatic hormones. Comparing these novel transcriptomes to that of rat gonadotrophs revealed conserved genes that might specifically contribute to each gonadotropin activity in mammals, suggesting conserved mechanisms controlling the differential regulation of gonadotropins in vertebrates.

This article explores the engagement of the Pakistani Jamaʿat-i Islami (JI) with the Iranian Revolution. I argue that the Islamist JI was drawn to the events because it reflected a core concern and signature idea of Abu ’l-Aʿla Maududi, namely to establish the sovereignty of God (hakimiyya) on earth. My analysis of various travelogues and JI publications from the 1980s demonstrates that JI observers were deeply familiar with internal revolutionary dynamics and Iran's Shiʿi identity. The prospect of seeing a proper Islamic system in action, with potentially global consequences for their cause, initially crowded out any sectarian concerns for the JI. At the same time, certain JI leaders began to voice criticism of what they perceived as rash revolutionary policies that differed from Maududi's careful, irenic understanding of a proper Islamic revolution. They also took note of sectarian messages that damaged Iran's ecumenical outreach. It was, however, the more general geopolitical climate in the Middle East and South Asia which forced the JI to publicly downplay its ties with Iran. By the late 1980s, being accused of harbouring affinities for the ‘deviant Islam’ of Shiʿism was a charge that had to be avoided at all costs in Pakistan and beyond.

Quantum entanglement occurs when two separate entities become strongly linked in a way that cannot be explained by classical physics; it is a powerful resource in quantum communication protocols and advanced technologies that aim to exploit the enhanced capabilities of quantum systems. To date, entanglement has generally been limited to microscopic quantum units such as pairs or multiples of single ions, atoms, photons, and so on. Kotler et al. and Mercier de Lépinay et al. demonstrate the ability to extend quantum entanglement to massive macroscopic systems (see the Perspective by Lau and Clerk). Entanglement of two mechanical oscillators on such a large length and mass scale is expected to find widespread use in both applications and fundamental physics to probe the boundary between the classical and quantum worlds.Science, this issue p. 622, p. 625; see also p. 570Quantum entanglement of mechanical systems emerges when distinct objects move with such a high degree of correlation that they can no longer be described separately. Although quantum mechanics presumably applies to objects of all sizes, directly observing entanglement becomes challenging as masses increase, requiring measurement and control with a vanishingly small error. Here, using pulsed electromechanics, we deterministically entangle two mechanical drumheads with masses of 70 picograms. Through nearly quantum-limited measurements of the position and momentum quadratures of both drums, we perform quantum state tomography and thereby directly observe entanglement. Such entangled macroscopic systems are poised to serve in fundamental tests of quantum mechanics, enable sensing beyond the standard quantum limit, and function as long-lived nodes of future quantum networks.

Optical  fluorescencemicroscopy  is  shown  to  enable  both  highspatial  and  temporal  resolution  of  redox-dependent  fluorescencein  flowing  electrolytes.  We  report  the  use  of  fluorescence  micro-scopy coupled with electrochemistry to directly observe the reac-tion and transport of redox-active quinones within porous carbonelectrodesin  operando.  We  observe  surprising  electrolyte  chan-neling features within several porous electrodes, leading to spatiallydistinguishable  advection-dominated  and  diffusion-dominated  re-gions. These results challenge the common assumption that trans-port in porous electrodes can be approximated by a homogeneousDarcy-like permeability, particularly at the length scales relevant tomany  electrochemical  systems  such  as  redox  flow  batteries.  Thiswork  presents  a  new  platform  to  provide  highly  resolved  spatialand   temporal   insight   into   electrolyte   reactions   and   transportbehavior within porous electrodes.

Importance: To date, little is known about the extent to which occupational therapy practitioners have adopted the core insights of disability studies. Objective: To examine the degree to which occupational therapy practitioners endorse the medical model of disability versus the social model of disability in theory and in practice. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Physical rehabilitation facilities, ranging from hospital to community settings. Participants: One hundred two Israeli occupational therapy practitioners. Outcomes and Measures: The Orientation toward Disability Scale, constructed for this study, has two dimensions that distinguish between the medical and social models of disability: locus of intervention (the person or environment) and client involvement (extent to which the practitioner fosters the client’s autonomy in the rehabilitation process). Each dimension addresses both theoretical and practical endorsements. Results: Greater support for the social model of disability was mostly evident in the client involvement dimension, whereas support for the medical model of disability was mostly evident in the locus of intervention dimension. Over both dimensions, the medical model of disability was significantly more endorsed in practice than in theory. Work setting and prior exposure to the social model of disability were found to affect practitioners’ disability orientation. Conclusions and Relevance: Occupational therapy practitioners working in physical rehabilitation are still relatively far from fully adopting the critical insights of the social model of disability. This finding is especially relevant when their actual practice, rather than their theoretical views, is considered and when rehabilitation takes place in out-of-home settings. What This Article Adds: This study offers unique insight into the disability orientation of occupational therapy practitioners, showing a need for more training programs to expose students to the social model of disability. These programs should use critical discussions of the challenges that this model presents to the profession and barriers to implementing it in practice.