Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neutrophil as a Carrier for Cancer Nanotherapeutics: A Comparative Study of Liposome, PLGA, and Magnetic Nanoparticles Delivery to Tumors

Insufficient drug accumulation in tumors is still a major concern for using cancer nanotherapeutics. Here, the neutrophil-based delivery of three nanoparticle types—liposomes, PLGA, and magnetite nanoparticles—was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Confocal microscopy and a flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that all the studied nanoparticles interacted with neutrophils from the peripheral blood of mice with 4T1 mammary adenocarcinoma without a significant impact on neutrophil viability or activation state. Intravital microscopy of the tumor microenvironment showed that the neutrophils did not engulf the liposomes after intravenous administration, but facilitated nanoparticle extravasation in tumors through micro- and macroleakages. PLGA accumulated along the vessel walls in the form of local clusters. Later, PLGA nanoparticle-loaded neutrophils were found to cross the vascular barrier and migrate towards the tumor core. The magnetite nanoparticles extravasated in tumors both via spontaneous macroleakages and on neutrophils. Overall, the specific type of nanoparticles largely determined their behavior in blood vessels and their neutrophil-mediated delivery to the tumor. Since neutrophils are the first to migrate to the site of inflammation, they can increase nanodrug delivery effectiveness for nanomedicine application.
Comparative genomic analysis of pleurotus species reveals insights into the evolution and coniferous utilization of Pleurotus placentodes

Pleurotus placentodes (PPL) and Pleurotus cystidiosus (PCY) are economically valuable species. PPL grows on conifers, while PCY grows on broad-leaved trees. To reveal the genetic mechanism behind PPL’s adaptability to conifers, we performed de novo genome sequencing and comparative analysis of PPL and PCY. We determined the size of the genomes for PPL and PCY to be 36.12 and 42.74 Mb, respectively, and found that they contain 10,851 and 15,673 protein-coding genes, accounting for 59.34% and 53.70% of their respective genome sizes. Evolution analysis showed PPL was closely related to P. ostreatus with the divergence time of 62.7 MYA, while PCY was distantly related to other Pleurotus species with the divergence time of 111.7 MYA. Comparative analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZYmes) in PPL and PCY showed that the increase number of CAZYmes related to pectin and cellulose degradation (e.g., AA9, PL1) in PPL may be important for the degradation and colonization of conifers. In addition, geraniol degradation and peroxisome pathways identified by comparative genomes should be another factors for PPL’s tolerance to conifer substrate. Our research provides valuable genomes for Pleurotus species and sheds light on the genetic mechanism of PPL’s conifer adaptability, which could aid in breeding new Pleurotus varieties for coniferous utilization.
Monitoring of Older Adult’s Joint Pain Management by Families Based on Information Technology (IT) Platform

Older adults experience an aging process that impacts a decrease in physiological function. Joint pain is one of the negative consequences of decreased physiological function. Older adults need a continuum of care to deal with the perceived vulnerability due to the effects of pain. The family has a role in self-management at home, but sometimes families experience difficulties in the mentoring process because of their high productivity outside the home. The research aims to explain monitoring on the pain scale, knowledge, skills, self-efficacy of older adults, and the level of family independence based on Information Technology (IT) platform. The method used is a case report on an older adult and the family for two months of monitoring. The intervention consisted of 4 meetings using psychoeducational techniques, cognitive restructuring, demonstration, and problem-solving. The result showed a decrease in the pain scale and an increase in the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of older adults. In addition, the result showed increased family independence after intervention. The family has an essential role in accompanying older adults during the joint pain management process. This result is expected to be a recommendation for health workers to maximize the part of the family in treating pain management in older adults.
A Case of Stiff Person Syndrome Treated Using Intrathecal Baclofen

Introduction: Stiff Person Syndrome is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder with chronic muscle spasms leading to chronic pain and debilitation. Case Report: We describe a case of a 57-year-old man with the history of Diabetes mellitus type 1 diagnosed 15 years back with high-titer positive anti-GAD antibodies and poorly controlled blood sugar levels under highly dosed insulin treatment. Discussion: Intrathecal baclofen showed a marked improvement for the relief of spasticity with the choice of a baclofen pump for similar patients.
A Case Study on the Pre-Career Activities and Its Effects on the Career Success of College Graduates

Career success is the accomplishment of desirable work-related outcomes at any point in a person’s work experiences over time. This can be quantified objectively through salary, position, and promotion. The study investigated the relationship of college graduates’ involvement and performance in co-curricular and extra-curricular or collectively known as pre-career activities to their career success after graduating from college. Furthermore, this study explored the personal and interactive skills acquired by students in pre-career activities that are key to advancing their careers. For data gathering, Graduates from Mapua University with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Chemical Engineering were asked to answer a questionnaire. Numerical methods such as ANOVA was used to assess whether pre-career activities have a significant effect on career success while Regression Analysis was utilized for determining the relationship between student leader development and professional career success. The results of the study showed that there is a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the career success of graduates with and without pre-career activities during their years of stay in the university. Also, it is more probable that students joining such activities will obtain a personal skill such as determination and interactive skills such as Teamwork and Leadership. To conclude, one must be in the leader position rather than just a member in the academic organization to maximize the benefits of pre-career activities.
Venomous Noodles: The Evolution of Toxins in Nemertea through Positive Selection and Gene Duplication

Some, probably most and perhaps all, members of the phylum Nemertea are poisonous, documented so far from marine and benthic specimens. Although the toxicity of these animals has been long known, systematic studies on the characterization of toxins, mechanisms of toxicity, and toxin evolution for this group are scarce. Here, we present the first investigation of the molecular evolution of toxins in Nemertea. Using a proteo-transcriptomic approach, we described toxins in the body and poisonous mucus of the pilidiophoran Lineus sanguineus and the hoplonemertean Nemertopsis pamelaroeae. Using these new and publicly available transcriptomes, we investigated the molecular evolution of six selected toxin gene families. In addition, we also characterized in silico the toxin genes found in the interstitial hoplonemertean, Ototyphlonemertes erneba, a meiofaunal taxa. We successfully identified over 200 toxin transcripts in each of these species. Evidence of positive selection and gene duplication was observed in all investigated toxin genes. We hypothesized that the increased rates of gene duplications observed for Pilidiophora could be involved with the expansion of toxin genes. Studies concerning the natural history of Nemertea are still needed to understand the evolution of their toxins. Nevertheless, our results show evolutionary mechanisms similar to other venomous groups.
Cidades Amazônicas: Surtos Econômicos e Perspectivas

Results from investigations on Amazonian cities are presented in five articles which appear in this number. Taken together we try to demonstrate the crucial role of cities in frontier regional planning over time. Even if not always explicit in my research, the articulation of Amazonian cities to regional development has been a constant theme in my studies. Recent research applies the theory of growth surges of cities to specific empirical studies of six Amazonian cities: Manaus, Belem, Rio Branco, Santarem, Parintins e Imperatriz. The study of each of these cities was undertaken by different researchers of the Laboratorio de Gestao do Territorio of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, who participated in a CNPq project. Except for Belem economic and growth surges of the other major historical cities of the Amazon are treated separately in the articles which follow. This introduction provides the theoretical basis of the studies and the rise of cities in the colonial period.
Evidence for eustasy at the Kinderhookian-Osagean (Mississippian) boundary in the United States: Response to late Tournaisian glaciation?

Evidence for eustasy at the Kinderhookian-Osagean boundary is presented here in a new synthesis based on detailed analysis of the boundary in the central Appalachian Basin and regional mapping of the Kinderhookian-Osagean boundary unconformity in the conterminous United States. Detailed stratigraphic analysis within the central Appalachian Basin shows that coarse-grained, fl uvial sandstones (Black Hand, Burgoon, Big Injun, Purslane) are associated with valley incision up to 60 m and a widespread sequence boundary (SB2) that is inferred to have resulted from a forced regression during the Kinderhookian-Osagean boundary interval. The extent of unconformity at the boundary was evaluated by mapping the inferred positions of shorelines during the Kinderhookian, Kinderhookian-Osagean boundary interval, and early Osagean based on stratigraphic data from Correlation of Stratigraphic Units of North America (COSUNA) charts. This analysis shows areas of extensive unconformity at the Kinderhookian-Osagean boundary across the United States inferred to be the result of sea-level fall and recovery during a period of ~2 m.y. or less, based on missing conodont zones. The Kinderhookian-Osagean boundary is equivalent in age to the global Tn2-Tn3 boundary, and supporting evidence for global regression and eustasy at this boundary is also reviewed. The combination of this evidence for eustasy with recently reported middle to early late Tournaisian (Tn2a-Tn3b) diamictites in South America permits the inference of continental glaciation at this time. Previous studies of oxygen and carbon isotope data from marine carbonates and fossils have shown strong positive anomalies suggestive of global cooling at the Kinderhookian-Osagean and Tn2-Tn3 boundary, providing further support for the hypothesis of continental glaciation in the late Tournaisian.
Early life programming by diet can play a role in risk reduction of otitis in dogs

Introduction Otitis in dogs is often chronic while local treatment primarily consists of flushing, antibiotics, and/or antifungals. We were interested in finding early life variables that associate with otitis later in life, preferably some that could be modified. Methods A cross-sectional hypothesis-driven study with longitudinal data was performed to search for associations between pre- and postnatal exposures, and the incidence of owner-reported otitis in dogs at over 1 year of age. The multivariate logistic regression analysis study included data from 3,064 dogs and explored 26 different early life variables at four early life stages: prenatal, neonatal, postnatal, and puppyhood. We compared two feeding patterns, a non-processed meat-based diet (NPMD, raw) and an ultra-processed carbohydrate-based diet (UPCD, dry). Results We report that eating a NPMD diet significantly decreased the risk of otitis later in life, while eating a UPCD diet significantly increased the risk. This was seen in different life stages of mother or puppy: The maternal diet during pregnancy (p=0.011) and the puppies’ diet from 2 to 6 months of age (p=0.019) were both significantly associated with otitis incidence later in life, whereas the puppies’ first solid diet, was associated in the same way, but did not reach significance (p=0.072). Also, analyzing food ratios showed that when puppies were consuming >25% of their food as NPMD it significantly decreased their incidence of otitis later in life, while a ratio of >75% UPCD in their diet significantly increased their risk of otitis. Also, if the dog was born in the current family, was exposed to sunlight for more than 1 hour daily, and was raised on a dirt floor during puppyhood, there was a lower risk of otitis development later in life. Discussion The findings only suggest causality, and further studies are required. However, we propose that veterinarians, breeders, and owners can impact otitis risk by modifying factors such as diet and environment.
A centralized real-time controller for the reservoir's management on the Seine River using ensemble weather forecasting

The reservoirs on the Seine River, upstream of Paris, are regulated with the objective of reducing floods and supporting low flows. The current management of these reservoirs is empirical, reactive, and decentralized, mainly based on filling curves, constructed from an analysis of historical floods and low flows. When inflows are significantly different from their seasonal average, this management strategy proves inefficient. Climate change is also a challenge, for the possible modification of future hydrologic conditions. To improve such management strategy, in this study we investigate the use of Tree-Based Model Predictive Control (TB-MPC), a proactive and centralized method that uses all the information available in real-time, including ensemble weather forecasting. In TB-MPC, a tree is generated from an ensemble of weather forecast. The tree structure summarizes the information contained in the ensemble, specifying the time, along the optimization horizon, when forecast trajectories diverge and thus uncertainty is expected to be resolved. This information is then used in the model predictive control framework. The TB-MPC controller is implemented in combination with the integrated model of the water system, including a semi-distributed hydrologic model of the watershed, a simplified hydraulic model of the river network, and the four reservoir models. Optimization takes into account the cost associated to floods and low-flows, and a penalty cost based on the final reservoir storages. The performances of the TB-MPC controller will be simulated and compared with those of deterministic MPC and with the actual management performances. This work is part of the Climaware European project (2010-2013) set up to develop and to assess measures for sustainable water resources management regarding adaptation to climate change.
Ergonomic Risk Assessment for Musculoskeletal Disorders among Ultrasonologists of Peshawar: A Cross- Sectional Survey

Background: Ergonomics is the study of analyzing the demands of a task and aligning them with the abilities of the worker to establish an optimal work environment that minimizes the likelihood of injuries while maximizing efficiency. In safety and ergonomic literature, risk factors and consequent risks are common conceptions. Ergonomics has an impact on the adapted posture of workers developed due to the demand of their work procedure. Disorders related to bad posture and usage of different equipment and tools in a workplace can be solved through better ergonomics. Objective: To determine the ergonomic risk assessment for musculoskeletal disorders among Ultrasonologists of Peshawar. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 117 participants from both public and private sector hospitals of Peshawar. Census sampling technique was used to select the participants. Consent was obtained and data was recorded using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) questionnaire. Results: Among the participants (n=117), majority were from the age group 31-40 years, n=48 (41%) with a mean age of 36 ± 7. Regarding the gender distribution, males were greater in number, n=88 (75.2%). The ergonomic risk for musculoskeletal disorders reveals that, majority of the participants fall in the medium risk, followed by low risk, negligible risk and very high risk, respectively. The analysis showed statistically significant association of ergonomics risk with age, gender, working hours, organization and work experience. Conclusions: It was concluded that the ergonomic risk for musculoskeletal disorders among Ultrasonologists is moderate to low followed by high risk. Males have higher ergonomic risk compared to females. Further investigations are needed.
Siple Dome shallow ice cores: a study in coastal dome microclimatology

Abstract. Ice cores at Siple Dome, West Antarctica, receive the majority of their precipitation from Pacific Ocean moisture sources. Pacific climate patterns, particularly the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), affect local temperature, atmospheric circulation, snow accumulation, and water isotope signals at Siple Dome. We examine borehole temperatures, accumulation, and water isotopes from a number of shallow ice cores recovered from a 60 km north–south transect of the dome. The data reveal spatial gradients partly explained by orographic uplift, as well as microclimate effects that are expressed differently on the Pacific and inland flanks. Our analyses suggest that while an ENSO and SAM signal are evident at Siple Dome, differences in microclimate and possible postdepositional movement of snow makes climate reconstruction problematic, a conclusion which should be considered at other West Antarctic coastal dome locations.
Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange

Recent research has increasingly questioned the bilingual advantage for executive functions (EF). We used structural equation modeling in a large sample of Turkish immigrant and German monolingual children (N = 337; aged 5–15 years) to test associations between bilingualism and EF. Our data showed no significant group differences between Turkish immigrant and German children’s EF skills while taking into account maternal education, child gender, age, and working memory (i.e., digit span backwards). Moreover, neither Turkish immigrant children’s proficiency in either language nor their home language environment predicted EF. Our findings offer important new evidence in light of the ongoing debate about the existence of a bilingual advantage for EF.
Observations of the habitats and biodiversity of the submarine canyons at Sodwana Bay

The discovery of coelacanths, Latimeria chalumnae, in Jesser Canyon off Sodwana Bay in northern KwaZulu-Natal in 2000 triggered renewed interest in the deep subtidal habitats associated with submarine canyons. Information stemming from three recreational Trimix diving expeditions in Wright and Jesser canyons between April 1998 and June 2001 revealed distinct and diverse invertebrate and fish communities in the canyons of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park (GSLWP). In total, 69 invertebrate taxa were collected from Wright Canyon, including at least 15 new records for South Africa plus 11 potential new species and 16 range or depth extensions. Divers documented the first five coelacanth specimens and obtained information on fish distribution and abundance. Five different habitat types were recognized support- ing distinct biological communities; the sandy plains outside of the canyons, scattered rock outcrops within the sandy plains, the canyon margin, canyon walls and caves and overhangs. The canyon margin is the richest habitat and supports dense communi- ties of invertebrate suspension feeders, as well as a diverse and abundant fish fauna. Dominant canyon invertebrates included sponges, black corals, gorgonians, alcyonarian soft corals and stylasterine lace corals. These invertebrates support a diverse epifauna including basket- and brittlestars, winged oysters and other molluscs. The canyons within the GSLWP protect large popu- lations of commercially important linefish species including the sparids, Chrysoblephus puniceus, C. anglicus, Polysteganus prae- orbitalis and P. caeruleopunctatus, as well as several species of serranids and lutjanids. Additional biological sampling and stan- dardized quantitative sampling within the canyons and deep reefs is required to develop a better understanding of their biological communities and the factors that shape them.
Analysis of Recent and Historical Salt-Crust Thickness Measurements and Assessment of their Relationship to the Salt Laydown Project, Bonneville Salt Flats, Tooele County, Utah

Abstract The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) conducted a bore-hole drilling program on the Bonneville Salt Flats in October 2003 to obtain current salt-crust thickness measurements for comparison with 1988 thickness measurements previously made by BLM. A total of 69 bore holes were drilled, and two different measurement methods were compared in 55 of the 69 bore holes (BLM mud auger and Utah State Department of Highways UDOT pole). Differences in accuracy and precision between the two methods were analyzed, and we determined that the mud-auger method produced more reliable measurements. Salt-crust volumes were computed from 1988 and 2003 thickness measurements and their respective salt-crust boundaries to see if measurable changes could be observed. We concluded from our analysis of the 1988 and 2003 measurements and their respective calculated volumes that 1) salt-crust volumes determined by the 2003 mud auger measurements were 7% larger than those determined by the 2003 UDOT pole measurements, 2) there was virtually no difference between salt-crust volumes determined by the 1988 and 2003 pole measurements, and 3) the Laydown Project produced no measurable change in salt crust thickness, but did help maintain the ion mass balance in the shallow-brine aquifer, which contributes to maintenance of the existing salt-crust volume.
Travel to Work in Australian Capital Cities, 1976–2006

This report uses data from 1976 to 2006 Australian censuses to identify the major trends in travel to work in Australia's capital cities over three decades. These findings demonstrate the need for significant changes to federal and state transport policies; especially if Australia is to meet its obligations to combat global warming. Transport is the second-largest source of greenhouse emissions after electricity generation, and the level of transport emissions is growing rapidly. The census data show that treating traffic problems by building more roads is an ineffective response. By contrast, the performance of public transport and walking can be improved more cheaply and would produce superior environmental outcomes. The former federal government's Auslink funding program has exacerbated the problems identified in this report, because it is biased in favour of roads and against public transport. It needs to be replaced by a new 'mode-neutral' funding model which is tied to environmental outcomes, especially the reduction of greenhouse emissions. State governments also need to change their transport policies, which remain dominated by motorway-building. In addition, they need to reform the governance and management of public transport, especially in Sydney and Melbourne, both of which lack competent, dynamic regional public transport agencies.