Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synergistic antimicrobial activity of Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Colebr. (Burseraceae) essential oil with various azoles against pathogens associated with skin, scalp and nail infections

Antimicrobials from natural sources have gained immense importance in recent times to combat the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. Essential oils are implicated in antimicrobial action against several species. Here, we have screened nine commercially available essential oils for their antimicrobial activity against organisms associated with skin, scalp and nail infections mainly Propionibacterium acnes, Malassezia spp. , Candida albicans and Trichophyton spp. Among nine essential oils, Boswellia serrata essential oil demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity against all the micro‐organisms and surprisingly it showed maximum activity against Trichophyton spp. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of B. serrata oil indicates a major composition of α thujene, ρ cymene and sabinene. Additionally, B. serrata oil was found to inhibit Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm, and its combination with azoles has shown synergistic activity against azole‐resistant strain of C. albicans. These broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activities of B. serrata oil will make it an ideal candidate for topical use.
Silica-Reinforced Natural Rubber Prepared by the Sol-Gel Process of Ethoxysilanes in Rubber Latex

Silica-reinforced natural rubber (NR) composite was prepared by using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as a precursor to generate silica particles inside the rubber. The silica was generated in situ by the sol–gel process of TEOS that was mixed directly into commercial-graded NR latex having 60% dry rubber content and 0.7% ammonia. The conversions of TEOS to silica inside the rubber were ranging from 90 to 97%. The silica particles dispersed evenly without extensive aggregation with sizes between 100 and 500 nm, as determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An experimental design methodology, namely “two-level factorial design,” was used to evaluate the influence of the amounts of TEOS, ammonia, and gelation time on the tensile modulus, tensile strength, and tear strength of the vulcanizates. The mechanical properties were significantly affected by the amount of TEOS added into the latex. Ammonia in the amount of 0.7% (w/w) present in the commercial latex was found to be sufficient for the conversion reaction of TEOS to silica. Bis-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)tetrasulfide or TESPT, a coupling agent regularly used in rubber industry, was also added with TEOS to prepare the silica-filled composite. The presence of TESPT resulted in an increase of the mechanical properties and the rate of sulfur cure. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Development and mechanical properties of bagasse fiber reinforced composites

Environment-friendly composites reinforced with bagasse fiber (BF), a kind of natural fiber as the remains from squeezed sugarcane, were fabricated by injection molding and press molding. As appropriate matrices for injection molding and press molding, polypropylene (PP) and polycaprolactone-cornstarch (PCL-C) were selected, as a typical recyclable resin and biodegradable resin, respectively. The mechanical properties of BF/PP composites were investigated in view of fiber mass fraction and injection molding conditions. And the mechanical properties and the biodegradation of BF/PCL composites were also evaluated. In the case of injection molding, the flexural modulus increased with an increase in fiber mass fraction, and the mechanical properties decreased with an increase in cylinder temperature due to the thermal degradation of BF. The optimum conditions increasing the flexural properties and the impact strength were 90°C mold temperature, 30 s injection interval, and in the range of 165 to 185°C cylinder temperature. On the other hand, as to BF/PCL-C fully-green composites, both the flexural properties and the impact strength increased with an increase in fiber mass fraction. It is considered that the BF compressed during preparation could result in the enhancement in mechanical properties. The results of the biodegradability test showed the addition of BF caused the acceleration of weight loss, which increased further with increasing fiber content. This reveals that the addition and the quantities of BF could promote the biodegradation of fully-green composites.
Altered Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Endogenous Inhibitors in a Human Isogenic Stem Cell Model of Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive movement disorder, psychiatric symptoms, and cognitive impairments. HD is caused by a CAG repeat expansion encoding a stretch of polyglutamine residues in the N-terminus of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein. Proteolytic processing of mHTT yields toxic fragments, which cause neurotoxicity and massive neuronal cell death predominantly in the striatum and cortex. Inhibition of mHTT cleavage reduces neuronal toxicity suggesting mHTT proteolysis contributes to HD pathogenesis. A previously conducted unbiased siRNA screen in our lab for known human proteases identified matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as modifiers of mHTT proteolysis and toxicity. To further study MMP activation in HD, isogenic HD, and control corrected (C116) neural stem cells (NSCs) prepared from HD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells were used to examine the role of MMPs and their endogenous inhibitors in this highly relevant model system. We found altered expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 (gelatinases), MMP-3/10, and MMP-14, activity in HD-NSCs when compared to control C116-NSCs. Dysregulation in MMP activity was accompanied with concomitant changes in levels of endogenous inhibitors of MMPs, called tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Specifically, we observed decreased levels of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in HD-NSCs, suggesting part of the altered expression and activity of MMPs is due to lower abundance of these endogenous inhibitors. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed increased MMP/TIMP localization in the nucleus or aggregates of HD-NSCs, suggesting potential interaction with mHTT. TIMP-1 was found to associate with mHTT aggregates in discrete punctate structures in HD-NSCs. These events collectively contribute to increased neurotoxicity in HD. Previous characterization of these NSCs revealed transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) pathway as the top dysregulated pathway in HD. TGF-β was significantly upregulated in HD-NSCs and addition of TGF-β to HD-NSCs was found to be neuroprotective. To determine if TGF-β regulated MMP and TIMP activity, C116- and HD-NSCs were exogenously treated with recombinant TGF-β. TIMP-1 levels were found to be elevated in response to TGF-β treatment, representing a potential mechanism through which elevated TGF-β levels confer neuroprotection in HD. Studying the mechanism of action of MMPs and TIMPs, and their interactions with mHTT in human isogenic patient-derived NSCs elucidates new mechanisms of HD neurotoxicity and will likely provide novel therapeutics for treatment of HD.
β-HPV Infection Correlates with Early Stages of Carcinogenesis in Skin Tumors and Patient-Derived Xenografts from a Kidney Transplant Recipient Cohort

Many malignancies that occur in high excess in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are due to viruses that thrive in the setting of immunosuppression. Keratinocyte carcinoma (KC), the most frequently occurring cancer type in KTR, has been associated with skin infection by human papillomavirus (HPV) from the beta genus. In this report, we extend our previous investigation aimed at identifying the presence of active β-HPV infection in skin tumors from KTRs through detection of viral protein expression. Using a combination of antibodies raised against the E4 and L1 proteins of the β-genotypes, we were able to visualize infection in five tumors [one keratoacanthoma (KA), three actinic keratoses (AKs), and one seborrheic keratoses (SKs)] that were all removed from two patients who had been both transplanted twice, had developed multiple KCs, and presented with a long history of immunosuppression (>30 years). These infected tissues displayed intraepidermal hyperplasia and increased expression of the ΔNp63 protein, which extended into the upper epithelial layers. In addition, using a xenograft model system in nude mice displaying a humanized stromal bed in the site of grafting, we successfully engrafted three AKs, two of which were derived from the aforementioned KTRs and displayed β-HPV infection in the original tumor. Of note, one AK-derived xenograft, along with its ensuing lymph node metastasis, was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In the latter, both β-HPV infection and ΔNp63 expression were no longer detectable. Although the overall success rate of engrafting was very low, the results of this study show for the first time that β-HPV+ and ΔNp63+ intraepidermal hyperplasia can indeed progress to an aggressive SCC able to metastasize. Consistent with a series of reports attributing a causative role of β-HPV at early stages of skin carcinogenesis through ΔNp63 induction and increased keratinocytes stemness, here we provide in vivo evidence that these events are also occurring in the affected skin of KTRs. Due to these β-HPV-driven molecular pathways, the nascent tumor cell is able to acquire a high enough number of carcinogenic insults that its proliferation and survival will eventually become independent of viral gene expression.
The Effect of Remote Masking on the Reception of Speech by Young School-Age Children.

Purpose Psychoacoustic data indicate that infants and children are less likely than adults to focus on a spectral region containing an anticipated signal and are more susceptible to remote masking of a signal. These detection tasks suggest that infants and children, unlike adults, do not listen selectively. However, less is known about children's ability to listen selectively during speech recognition. Accordingly, the current study examines remote masking during speech recognition in children and adults. Method Adults and 7- and 5-year-old children performed sentence recognition in the presence of various spectrally remote maskers. Intelligibility was determined for each remote-masker condition, and performance was compared across age groups. Results It was found that speech recognition for 5-year-olds was reduced in the presence of spectrally remote noise, whereas the maskers had no effect on the 7-year-olds or adults. Maskers of different bandwidth and remoteness had similar effects. Conclusions In accord with psychoacoustic data, young children do not appear to focus on a spectral region of interest and ignore other regions during speech recognition. This tendency may help account for their typically poorer speech perception in noise. This study also appears to capture an important developmental stage, during which a substantial refinement in spectral listening occurs.
Model-free tests of equality in binary data under an incomplete block design

ABSTRACT Using Prescott’s model-free approach, we develop an asymptotic procedure and an exact procedure for testing equality between treatments with binary responses under an incomplete block crossover design. We employ Monte Carlo simulation and note that these test procedures can not only perform well in small-sample cases but also outperform the corresponding test procedures accounting for only patients with discordant responses published elsewhere. We use the data taken as a part of the crossover trial comparing two different doses of an analgesic with placebo for the relief of primary dysmenorrhea to illustrate the use of test procedures discussed here.
In Vitro “Wound” Healing: Experimentally Based Phenomenological Modeling

We discuss the applicability of some elementary models for the closure of in vitro “wounds” that are inflicted in monolayer cell cultures (also termed “wound healing assays”). These models can be applied to the simulation of healing of superficial wounds as long as they only concern the epidermis. We test several models that are based on a curvature driven displacement, a simple partial differential equation based model in which the actual cellular density is tracked. Finally, a semi‐stochastic cellular based model is evaluated.
The longitudinal effects of emotion regulation on physical and psychological health: A latent growth analysis exploring the role of cognitive fusion in inflammatory bowel disease

OBJECTIVE This study thus aims to test differences between patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) regarding IBD symptomatology, cognitive fusion, and psychological and physical health, as well as to explore whether the maladaptive emotion regulation process of cognitive fusion longitudinally impacts on the baseline and evolution of these outcomes over a period of 18 months. DESIGN AND METHODS Participants include 116 IBD patients with a mean age of 36.76 (SD = 11.39) of both genders (69.83% females) that completed the self-report measures of interest in three different times, equally spaced 9 months apart, over a period of 18 months. Latent growth curve models were conducted using structural equation modelling to estimate the growth trajectory of the variables in study. RESULTS Inflammatory bowel disease symptomatology and cognitive fusion's levels were negatively associated with psychological health and physical health's baseline levels. Furthermore, IBD symptomatology did not influence the growth of psychological health, while cognitive fusion did (β = .30, p = .007). The same result was found for physical health (β = .26, p = .024). These findings indicate that individuals with higher levels of cognitive fusion present lower levels of psychological health and physical health that tend to further decrease over the time through the effects of this maladaptive emotion regulation process. CONCLUSIONS This study implies that it is of crucial importance to include psychotherapeutic interventions in the health care of patients with IBD. If successful, these interventions could represent decreases in the cost of IBD treatment and in the use of drugs with adverse side effects, in addition to improving patients' mental health and quality of life. Further implications for clinical and research work are discussed. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Research has demonstrated the impact of emotion regulation on both physical and mental health. Nevertheless, the longitudinal effects of the specific emotion regulation process of cognitive fusion on physical and psychological health have never been explored. Additionally, no study has yet examined the causal role of emotion regulation in evolution of physical health in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). What does this study add? Cognitive fusion longitudinally impacted on IBD patients' physical and mental health. These variables were measured over a period of 18 months. Treatment for IBD should include interventions aiming to diminish maladaptive emotion regulation.
Angular default mode network connectivity across working memory load

Initially identified during no‐task, baseline conditions, it has now been suggested that the default mode network (DMN) engages during a variety of working memory paradigms through its flexible interactions with other large‐scale brain networks. Nevertheless, its contribution to whole‐brain connectivity dynamics across increasing working memory load has not been explicitly assessed. The aim of our study was to determine which DMN hubs relate to working memory task performance during an fMRI‐based n‐back paradigm with parametric increases in difficulty. Using a voxel‐wise metric, termed the intrinsic connectivity contrast (ICC), we found that the bilateral angular gyri (core DMN hubs) displayed the greatest change in global connectivity across three levels of n‐back task load. Subsequent seed‐based functional connectivity analysis revealed that the angular DMN regions robustly interact with other large‐scale brain networks, suggesting a potential involvement in the global integration of information. Further support for this hypothesis comes from the significant correlations we found between angular gyri connectivity and reaction times to correct responses. The implication from our study is that the DMN is actively involved during the n‐back task and thus plays an important role related to working memory, with its core angular regions contributing to the changes in global brain connectivity in response to increasing environmental demands. Hum Brain Mapp 38:41–52, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fluency Over Adequacy: A Pilot Study in Measuring User Trust in Imperfect MT

Although measuring intrinsic quality has been a key factor in the advancement of Machine Translation (MT), successfully deploying MT requires considering not just intrinsic quality but also the user experience, including aspects such as trust. This work introduces a method of studying how users modulate their trust in an MT system after seeing errorful (disfluent or inadequate) output amidst good (fluent and adequate) output. We conduct a survey to determine how users respond to good translations compared to translations that are either adequate but not fluent, or fluent but not adequate. In this pilot study, users responded strongly to disfluent translations, but were, surprisingly, much less concerned with adequacy.
Effects of Gloves and Pulling Task on Achievable Downward Pull Forces on a Rung

Objective We examined the impacts of pulling task (breakaway and pull-down tasks at different postures), glove use, and their interaction on achievable downward pull forces from a ladder rung. Background Posture, glove use, and the type of pulling task are known to affect the achievable forces. However, a gap in the literature exists regarding how these factors affect achievable downward pulling forces, which are relevant to recovery from a perturbation during ladder climbing. Methods Forty subjects completed four downward pulling tasks (breakaway force; pull force at maximum height, shoulder height, and a middle height), using three glove conditions with varying coefficient of friction (COF) levels (cotton glove, low COF; bare hand, moderate COF; and latex-coated glove, high COF) with their dominant and nondominant hand. The outcome variable was the maximum force normalized to body weight. Results The highest forces were observed for the highest hand postures (breakaway and maximum height). Increased COF led to higher forces and had a larger effect on breakaway force than the other tasks. The dominant hand was associated with higher forces than the nondominant hand. Male subjects generated greater forces than female subjects, particularly for higher hand positions. Conclusion This study suggests that a higher hand position on the ladder, while avoiding low-friction gloves, may be effective for improving recovery from ladder perturbations. Application This study may guide preferred climbing strategies (particularly those that lead to a higher hand position) for improving recovery from a perturbation during ladder climbing.
Functional Transcriptomics in Diverse Intestinal Epithelial Cell Types Reveals Robust MicroRNA Sensitivity in Intestinal Stem Cells to Microbial Status*

Gut microbiota play an important role in regulating the development of the host immune system, metabolic rate, and at times, disease pathogenesis. The factors and mechanisms that mediate interactions between microbiota and the intestinal epithelium are not fully understood. We provide novel evidence that microbiota may control intestinal epithelial stem cell (IESC) proliferation in part through microRNAs (miRNAs). We demonstrate that miRNA profiles differ dramatically across functionally distinct cell types of the mouse jejunal intestinal epithelium and that miRNAs respond to microbiota in a highly cell type-specific manner. Importantly, we also show that miRNAs in IESCs are more prominently regulated by microbiota compared with miRNAs in any other intestinal epithelial cell subtype. We identify miR-375 as one miRNA that is significantly suppressed by the presence of microbiota in IESCs. Using a novel method to knockdown gene and miRNA expression ex vivo enteroids, we demonstrate that we can knock down gene expression in Lgr5+ IESCs. Furthermore, when we knock down miR-375 in IESCs, we observe significantly increased proliferative capacity. Understanding the mechanisms by which microbiota regulate miRNA expression in IESCs and other intestinal epithelial cell subtypes will elucidate a critical molecular network that controls intestinal homeostasis and, given the heightened interest in miRNA-based therapies, may offer novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases associated with altered IESC function.
Mechanisms for Cell-to-Cell Transmission of HIV-1

While HIV-1 infection of target cells with cell-free viral particles has been largely documented, intercellular transmission through direct cell-to-cell contact may be a predominant mode of propagation in host. To spread, HIV-1 infects cells of the immune system and takes advantage of their specific particularities and functions. Subversion of intercellular communication allows to improve HIV-1 replication through a multiplicity of intercellular structures and membrane protrusions, like tunneling nanotubes, filopodia, or lamellipodia-like structures involved in the formation of the virological synapse. Other features of immune cells, like the immunological synapse or the phagocytosis of infected cells are hijacked by HIV-1 and used as gateways to infect target cells. Finally, HIV-1 reuses its fusogenic capacity to provoke fusion between infected donor cells and target cells, and to form infected syncytia with high capacity of viral production and improved capacities of motility or survival. All these modes of cell-to-cell transfer are now considered as viral mechanisms to escape immune system and antiretroviral therapies, and could be involved in the establishment of persistent virus reservoirs in different host tissues.
Development of cortical motor circuits between childhood and adulthood: A navigated TMS‐HdEEG study

Motor functions improve during childhood and adolescence, but little is still known about the development of cortical motor circuits during early life. To elucidate the neurophysiological hallmarks of motor cortex development, we investigated the differences in motor cortical excitability and connectivity between healthy children, adolescents, and adults by means of navigated suprathreshold motor cortex transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with high‐density electroencephalography (EEG). We demonstrated that with development, the excitability of the motor system increases, the TMS‐evoked EEG waveform increases in complexity, the magnitude of induced activation decreases, and signal spreading increases. Furthermore, the phase of the oscillatory response to TMS becomes less consistent with age. These changes parallel an improvement in manual dexterity and may reflect developmental changes in functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2599–2615, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.