Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Characterization of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Cattle from Khartoum State and East Darfur State, Sudan

Ticks transmit many pathogens with public health and veterinary importance. Despite the wide distribution of tick-borne pathogens in Sudan, the information on the tick–pathogen relationship needs to be updated, particularly using modern molecular techniques. This cross-sectional study, conducted between September and November 2019, used morphology, PCR, and sequencing to confirm the identity of adult cattle ticks (male and female; n = 536) from Khartoum State (n = 417) and East Darfur State (n = 119). Moreover, the presence of Theileria annulata, Babesia bigemina, B. bovis, Anaplasma marginale, and Ehrlichia ruminantium was detected and confirmed in each tick using species-specific PCR or nested PCR and sequencing. The most economically important tick genera, Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, and Amblyomma, were prevalent in the study area, and 13 different tick species were identified. The most prevalent tick species were Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (34.3%) and Hyalomma anatolicum (57.3%) in Khartoum State, and Rhipicephalus annulatus (27%), Rhipicephalus decoloratus (25%), and Hyalomma rufipes (29%) in East Darfur State. We detected all five pathogens in both states. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the presence of E. ruminantium, its vector Amblyomma variegatum, and B. bovis in Khartoum State. Further, this is the first report on most tick and pathogen species identified in East Darfur State. Our findings indicate the migration of some tick and pathogen species beyond their distribution areas in the country, and this consideration is necessary to develop future control strategies.
A Review of the Applications and Biodegradation of Polyhydroxyalkanoates and Poly(lactic acid) and Its Composites

Overconsumption of plastic goods and improper handling of petroleum-derived plastic waste have brought a plethora of negative impacts to the environment, ecosystem and human health due to its recalcitrance to degradation. These drawbacks become the main driving force behind finding biopolymers with the degradable properties. With the advancement in biopolymer research, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and poly(lacyic acid) (PLA) and its composites have been alluded to as a potential alternative to replace the petrochemical counterpart. This review highlights the current synthesis process and application of PHAs and PLA and its composites for food packaging materials and coatings. These biopolymers can be further ameliorated to enhance their applicability and are discussed by including the current commercially available packaging products. Factors influencing biodegradation are outlined in the latter part of this review. The main aim of this review article is to organize the scattered available information on various aspects of PHAs and PLA, and its composites for packaging application purposes. It is evident from a literature survey of about 140 recently published papers from the past 15 years that PLA and PHA show excellent physical properties as potential food packaging materials.
Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Modified inside and out for ON:OFF pH-Modulated Cargo Release

Highly efficient pH-modulated cargo release was achieved with a new hybrid nanocarrier composed of a mesoporous silica core with functionalized pores and a grafted pH-responsive crosslinked polymer shell of 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate (pKa ≈ 6.5). The retention/release performance of the system was optimized by a novel approach using selective functionalization of the silica pores to tune the carrier-cargo interaction and by tunning the amount of grafted polymer. The system features excellent retention of cationic cargo at low pH and a burst release at higher pH. This results from the expanded-collapsed conformation transition of the pH-responsive polymer shell and the simultaneous change in the interaction between the cargo and the polymer shell and the modified pore walls. At low pH, the electrostatic interaction of the cationic cargo with the protonated amine groups of the extended polymer shell retains the cargo, resulting in very low leakage (OFF state). At high pH, the electrostatic interaction with the cargo is lost (due to deprotonation of the polymer amine groups), and the polymer shell collapses, squeezing out the cargo in a burst release (ON state). Pore functionalization in combination with the stimuli-responsive polymer shell is a very promising strategy to design high-performance ON:OFF smart hybrid nanocarriers for stimuli-actuated cargo release, with great potential for application in the controlled release of drugs and other biologically active agents.
Improving the Safety–Performance Nexus: A Study on the Moderating and Mediating Influence of Work Motivation in the Causal Link between Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHSM) Practices and Work Performance in the Oil and Gas Sector

The preventive systems required to ensure workers are protected from occupational accidents and injuries dwell heavily on effective occupational health and safety management (OHSM) systems and practices. In this study, the concepts of the job demand-resource model (JD-R), self-determination theory (SDT), and perceived organizational support for safety (POSS) theory were adopted to develop a holistic conceptual model that seeks to unravel moderating and mediating effects of work motivation on the causal link between OHSM practices and work performance in the oil and gas sector. The study measured OHSM practices from six distinct safety dimensional perspectives and work performance using a two-dimensional distinct construct that assesses different aspects of positive work behaviours. A quantitative research approach through the structural equation modelling analysis technique was applied. A total of 1310 participants were selected across three major organizations that represent downstream, upstream, and middle stream of the Ghanaian oil and gas sector. Respondents were recruited through stratified, purposive, and convenient sampling techniques. The findings from the path estimate through the SEM analysis suggested that OHSM practices positively and significantly influenced both safety performance and task performance of employees. However, OHSM practices indicated a higher positive significant influence on task performance than safety performance. The significant influence of OHSM practices on both task and safety performance was significantly moderated and partially mediated by work motivation, while both task performance and safety performance were significantly determined by work motivation. In this study, the dimensions for assessing work performance extend the performance theories established in previous literature, whereas the integrated multifaceted OHSM practices employed diverge from the traditional individualistic approach by providing insights into more flexible managerial practices that are employee-centred and outcome-oriented. The findings from this study address the need for organizations to appreciate the importance of managing workers’ perception of OHSM practices as a motivational drive that induces work performance.
Combined Intense Pulsed Light and Low-Level Light Therapy for the Treatment of Dry Eye: A Retrospective Before–After Study with One-Year Follow-Up

Purpose To assess the effectiveness of a combination of intense pulsed light and low-level light therapy (IPL/LLLT) for the treatment of dry eye. Study Design Retrospective before-after single-center clinical study. Materials and Methods Patients diagnosed with dry eye, refractory to conventional treatment, underwent four sessions of combined IPL/LLLT over 3 months. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, non-invasive breakup time (NIBUT), tear film osmolarity and meniscus height were measured 6 months before intervention, at baseline, post-intervention (3 months), 9 and 15 months. Results NIBUT, osmolarity and meniscus height significantly worsened during the 6 months before treatment, whereas symptoms did not change. OSDI scores significantly improved at post-intervention (MD = −44.0, 95% CI −38.1, −50.0), and then increased again until the at last follow-up, but still significantly different from baseline (MD = −30.0, 95% CI −23.4, −36.8). The three clinical signs showed a similar pattern, with one-year improvements of 3.6 seconds for the NIBUT (95% CI 3.1, 4.2, p <0.001), 28 mOsm/L for osmolarity (95% CI 23.6, 32.4, p <0.001) and 0.03 mm for meniscus height (95% CI 0.02, 0.04, p <0.001). No adverse effects were observed. Conclusion IPL/LLLT is safe and produces an important reduction in symptoms and signs of dry eye disease, still relevant one year after the end of treatment in a sample with high symptoms’ severity. Therefore, it represents a promising treatment option for patients who do not improve with conventional treatment. Randomized trials are needed to determine the added benefit provided by LLLT.
Detection of Paratuberculosis in Dairy Herds by Analyzing the Scent of Feces, Alveolar Gas, and Stable Air

Paratuberculosis is an important disease of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Early detection is crucial for successful infection control, but available diagnostic tests are still dissatisfying. Methods allowing a rapid, economic, and reliable identification of animals or herds affected by MAP are urgently required. This explorative study evaluated the potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to discriminate between cattle with and without MAP infections. Headspaces above fecal samples and alveolar fractions of exhaled breath of 77 cows from eight farms with defined MAP status were analyzed in addition to stable air samples. VOCs were identified by GC–MS and quantified against reference substances. To discriminate MAP-positive from MAP-negative samples, VOC feature selection and random forest classification were performed. Classification models, generated for each biological specimen, were evaluated using repeated cross-validation. The robustness of the results was tested by predicting samples of two different sampling days. For MAP classification, the different biological matrices emitted diagnostically relevant VOCs of a unique but partly overlapping pattern (fecal headspace: 19, alveolar gas: 11, stable air: 4–5). Chemically, relevant compounds belonged to hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, furans, and aldehydes. Comparing the different biological specimens, VOC analysis in fecal headspace proved to be most reproducible, discriminatory, and highly predictive.
Damage Inside Borosilicate Glass by a Single Picosecond Laser Pulse

We investigate damage inside the bulk of borosilicate glass by a single shot of IR picosecond laser pulse both experimentally and numerically. In our experiments, bulk damage of borosilicate glass with aspect ratio of about 1:10 is generated. The shape and size of the damage site are shown to correspond to an electron cloud with density of about 1020 cm−3. The underlying mechanism of electron generation by multiphoton ionization and avalanche ionization is numerically investigated. The multiphoton ionization rate and avalanche ionization rate are determined by fitting experimental results. The relative role of multiphoton ionization and avalanche ionization are numerically studied and the percentage of electron contribution from each ionization channel is determined.
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Driving Cardiovascular Disease in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome: Lessons Learned from Animal Models

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disease that recapitulates many symptoms of physiological aging and precipitates death. Patients develop severe vascular alterations, mainly massive vascular smooth muscle cell loss, vessel stiffening, calcification, fibrosis, and generalized atherosclerosis, as well as electrical, structural, and functional anomalies in the heart. As a result, most HGPS patients die of myocardial infarction, heart failure, or stroke typically during the first or second decade of life. No cure exists for HGPS, and therefore it is of the utmost importance to define the mechanisms that control disease progression in order to develop new treatments to improve the life quality of patients and extend their lifespan. Since the discovery of the HGPS-causing mutation, several animal models have been generated to study multiple aspects of the syndrome and to analyze the contribution of different cell types to the acquisition of the HGPS-associated cardiovascular phenotype. This review discusses current knowledge about cardiovascular features in HGPS patients and animal models and the molecular and cellular mechanisms through which progerin causes cardiovascular disease.
Bioactive Compounds in Different Buckwheat Species

The accumulation of valuable nutrients in cereal grains depends on a number of factors, including species, cultivars, and environment conditions. The aim of this study was to compare protein, some polyphenols and rutin content, as well as mineral composition in Fagopyrum tataricum and Fagopyrum esculentum genotypes growing in Polish conditions. A field experiment was conducted on pseudopodsolic soil in 2017–2018 at the Experimental Station in Osiny (51°35′, 21°55′), following randomized complete block method with three replications. Two cultivars of Fagophyrum esculentum (Kora and Panda), two cultivars of Fagopyrum tataricum (LIT1 and 63181) and two forms of Fagopyrum esculentum (Red Corolla and Green Corolla) were used in this experiment. We found differences in the tested compounds (protein, phenolic acids, rutin, and mineral composition) between cultivars and genotypes. Total phenolic acid and rutin contents were higher in the Fagopyrum tataricum compared to Fagopyrum esculentum. Ferulic and coumaric acids were prominent in the Kora and Panda cultivars, however vanillic and syringic acids accumulated more in Green Corolla and Red Corolla. The common buckwheat seeds contained more Cu, Mn, and Mg and less Ca than tartary buckwheat. Moreover Fagopytum esculentum genotype contains more protein compared to Fagopyrum tataricum.
Expression of E-Cadherin in Epithelial Cancer Cells Increases Cell Motility and Directionality through the Localization of ZO-1 during Collective Cell Migration

Collective cell migration of epithelial tumor cells is one of the important factors for elucidating cancer metastasis and developing novel drugs for cancer treatment. Especially, new roles of E-cadherin in cancer migration and metastasis, beyond the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, have recently been unveiled. Here, we quantitatively examined cell motility using micropatterned free edge migration model with E-cadherin re-expressing EC96 cells derived from adenocarcinoma gastric (AGS) cell line. EC96 cells showed increased migration features such as the expansion of cell islands and straightforward movement compared to AGS cells. The function of tight junction proteins known to E-cadherin expression were evaluated for cell migration by knockdown using sh-RNA. Cell migration and straight movement of EC96 cells were reduced by knockdown of ZO-1 and claudin-7, to a lesser degree. Analysis of the migratory activity of boundary cells and inner cells shows that EC96 cell migration was primarily conducted by boundary cells, similar to leader cells in collective migration. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that tight junctions (TJs) of EC96 cells might play important roles in intracellular communication among boundary cells. ZO-1 is localized to the base of protruding lamellipodia and cell contact sites at the rear of cells, indicating that ZO-1 might be important for the interaction between traction and tensile forces. Overall, dynamic regulation of E-cadherin expression and localization by interaction with ZO-1 protein is one of the targets for elucidating the mechanism of collective migration of cancer metastasis.
Kinsenoside Alleviates 17α-Ethinylestradiol-Induced Cholestatic Liver Injury in Rats by Inhibiting Inflammatory Responses and Regulating FXR-Mediated Bile Acid Homeostasis

Cholestasis is an important predisposing factor of liver diseases, such as hepatocyte necrosis, liver fibrosis and primary biliary cirrhosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Kinsenoside (KD), a natural active ingredient of Anoectochilus roxburghii, on estrogen-induced cholestatic liver injury in Sprague-Dawley rats and the underlying mechanism. The rats were randomly divided into six groups: control group, model group, low-dose KD group (50 mg/kg body weight, KD-L), medium-dose KD group (100 mg/kg body weight, KD-M), high-dose KD group (200 mg/kg body weight, KD-H) and ursodeoxycholic acid group (40 mg/kg body weight, UDCA). 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE) was used to establish an experimental animal model of estrogen-induced cholestasis (EIC). The results demonstrated that KD alleviated liver pathologic damage, serum biochemical status and inhibited hepatocellular microstructure disorder and bile duct hyperplasia in EE-induced cholestatic rats. Mechanically, KD alleviated EE-induced cholestatic liver injury by inhibiting inflammatory responses and regulating bile acid homeostasis. Concretely, KD reduced the expression of IL-1β and IL-6 by inhibiting NF-κB p65 to suppress EE-mediated inflammation in rat liver. KD enhanced the expression of FXR and inhibited EE-mediated reduction of FXR in vitro and in vivo. It was the potential mechanism that KD mitigates cholestasis by increasing efflux and inhibiting uptake of bile acids via FXR-mediated induction of bile salt export pump (BSEP) and reduction of Na+-dependent taurocholate cotransport peptide (NTCP) to maintain bile acid homeostasis. Moreover, KD repressed the bile acid synthesis through reducing the expression of synthetic enzyme (CYP7A1), thereby normalizing the expression of metabolic enzyme (SULT2A1) of bile acid. In conclusion, our results revealed that KD may be an effective drug candidate for the treatment of cholestasis.
Expression of NK Cell Receptor Ligands on Leukemic Cells Is Associated with the Outcome of Childhood Acute Leukemia

Simple Summary Natural killer cells (NK cells) of the innate immune system are suspected of playing an important role in eliminating residual leukemia cells during maintenance chemotherapy given to children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia for about two years. This study analyzes the expression of ligands for the receptors that regulate the function of NK cells on leukemic cells of more than one hundred children with acute lymphoid and myeloid leukemia. Our results show that the loss of expression of some molecules involved in the activation of NK cells is associated with poorer survival. In addition, a genetic combination of molecules that interact to regulate NK cell function seems to be associated with a higher relapse rate during/after chemotherapy and shorter patient survival. Children who carry this genetic combination are refractory to current chemotherapy treatments, and stem cell transplantation does not seem to contribute to their cure either, and therefore, they should be considered as candidates for alternative biological therapies that might offer better results. Abstract Acute leukemia is the most common malignancy in children. Most patients are cured, but refractory/relapsed AML and ALL are the first cause of death from malignancy in children. Maintenance chemotherapy in ALL has improved survival by inducing leukemic cell apoptosis, but immune surveillance effectors such as NK cells might also contribute. The outcome of B-ALL (n = 70), T-ALL (n = 16), and AML (n = 16) pediatric patients was evaluated according to leukemic cell expression of ligands for activating and inhibiting receptors that regulate NK cell functioning. Increased expression of ULBP-1, a ligand for NKG2D, but not that of CD112 or CD155, ligands for DNAM-1, was associated with poorer 5-year event-free survival (5y-EFS, 77.6% vs. 94.9%, p < 0.03). Reduced expression of HLA-C on leukemic cells in patients with the KIR2DL1/HLA-C*04 interaction was associated with a higher rate of relapse (17.6% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.035) and lower 5y-EFS (70.6% vs. 92.6%, p < 0.002). KIR2DL1/HLA-C*04 interaction was an independent predictive factor of events (HR = 4.795, p < 0.005) or death (HR = 6.731, p < 0.005) and might provide additional information to the current risk stratification. Children who carry the KIR2DL1/HLA-C*04 interaction were refractory to current chemotherapy treatments, including allogeneic stem cell transplantation; therefore, they should be considered as candidates for alternative biological therapies that might offer better results.
Estrogen Receptor-α Suppresses Liver Carcinogenesis and Establishes Sex-Specific Gene Expression

Simple Summary The hormone estrogen is well known for its role in promoting breast and ovarian cancer. Estrogen has the opposite effect on the liver, which it protects from cancer. We show that this protection requires Estrogen Receptor α, but not Estrogen Receptor β, and correlates with a female pattern of liver gene expression. Female expression in the liver requires Estrogen Receptor α expressed in non-liver cells. Surgical removal of the ovaries, which protect females from liver cancer at least in part through their production of estrogen, does not affect the female-specific liver gene expression pattern. Estrogen may therefore influence liver carcinogenesis through multiple independent mechanisms. We identify six genes that are strong candidates for mediating Esr1′s protection against liver cancer. Abstract Estrogen protects females from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To determine whether this protection is mediated by classic estrogen receptors, we tested HCC susceptibility in estrogen receptor-deficient mice. In contrast to a previous study, we found that diethylnitrosamine induces hepatocarcinogenesis to a significantly greater extent when females lack Esr1, which encodes Estrogen Receptor-α. Relative to wild-type littermates, Esr1 knockout females developed 9-fold more tumors. Deficiency of Esr2, which encodes Estrogen Receptor-β, did not affect liver carcinogenesis in females. Using microarrays and QPCR to examine estrogen receptor effects on hepatic gene expression patterns, we found that germline Esr1 deficiency resulted in the masculinization of gene expression in the female liver. Six of the most dysregulated genes have previously been implicated in HCC. In contrast, Esr1 deletion specifically in hepatocytes of Esr1 conditional null female mice (in which Cre was expressed from the albumin promoter) resulted in the maintenance of female-specific liver gene expression. Wild-type adult females lacking ovarian estrogen due to ovariectomy, which is known to make females susceptible to HCC, also maintained female-specific expression in the liver of females. These studies indicate that Esr1 mediates liver cancer risk, and its control of sex-specific liver gene expression involves cells other than hepatocytes.