Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of Targeted Flurbiprofen Biomimetic Nanoparticles for Management of Arthritis: In Vitro and In Vivo Appraisal

Flurbiprofen (FLUR) is a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for the management of arthritis. Unfortunately, its therapeutic effect is limited by its rapid clearance from the joints following intra-articular injection. To improve its therapeutic efficacy, hyaluronic acid-coated bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (HA-BSA NPs) were formulated and loaded with FLUR to achieve active drug targeting. NPs were prepared by a modified nano-emulsification technique and their HA coating was proven via turbidimetric assay. Physicochemical characterization of the selected HA-BSA NPs revealed entrapment efficiency of 90.12 ± 1.06%, particle size of 257.12 ± 2.54 nm, PDI of 0.25 ± 0.01, and zeta potential of −48 ± 3 mv. The selected formulation showed in-vitro extended-release profile up to 6 days. In-vivo studies on adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model exhibited a significant reduction in joint swelling after intra-articular administration of FLUR-loaded HA-BSA NPs. Additionally, there was a significant reduction in CRP level in blood as well as TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in serum and joint tissues. Immunohistochemical study indicated a significant decrease in iNOS level in joint tissues. Histopathological analysis confirmed the safety of FLUR-loaded HA-BSA NPs. Thus, our results reveal that FLUR loaded HA-BSA NPs have a promising therapeutic effect in the management of arthritis.
SCMTHP: A New Approach for Identifying and Characterizing of Tumor-Homing Peptides Using Estimated Propensity Scores of Amino Acids

Tumor-homing peptides (THPs) are small peptides that can recognize and bind cancer cells specifically. To gain a better understanding of THPs’ functional mechanisms, the accurate identification and characterization of THPs is required. Although some computational methods for in silico THP identification have been proposed, a major drawback is their lack of model interpretability. In this study, we propose a new, simple and easily interpretable computational approach (called SCMTHP) for identifying and analyzing tumor-homing activities of peptides via the use of a scoring card method (SCM). To improve the predictability and interpretability of our predictor, we generated propensity scores of 20 amino acids as THPs. Finally, informative physicochemical properties were used for providing insights on characteristics giving rise to the bioactivity of THPs via the use of SCMTHP-derived propensity scores. Benchmarking experiments from independent test indicated that SCMTHP could achieve comparable performance to state-of-the-art method with accuracies of 0.827 and 0.798, respectively, when evaluated on two benchmark datasets consisting of Main and Small datasets. Furthermore, SCMTHP was found to outperform several well-known machine learning-based classifiers (e.g., decision tree, k-nearest neighbor, multi-layer perceptron, naive Bayes and partial least squares regression) as indicated by both 10-fold cross-validation and independent tests. Finally, the SCMTHP web server was established and made freely available online. SCMTHP is expected to be a useful tool for rapid and accurate identification of THPs and for providing better understanding on THP biophysical and biochemical properties.
Astronomical Analysis: Viral Video of the Sun Rising from the North in Jeneponto

This study aims to conduct an astronomical analysis of the viral video of the Sunrise from the north on Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Jeneponto Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The video shows a man testifying to the Sun's position in the north and associating this phenomenon as one of the signs of the Day of Judgment. It attracts much attention to become a trending topic, both of social, national, and international media. This research is descriptive with a qualitative approach using library research methods and content analysis of location, calculations, and images. Primary data was obtained through the interview, while secondary data came from related articles and books. Data collection techniques used documentations and relevant data or theories to the research question. Furthermore, the collected data were analyzed inductively and comparatively. Location analysis was carried out using the Google Maps application, and it was found that the coordinates of MAN Binamu Jeneponto were at 5.67o South (S) and 119.73 East (E). Through calculation analysis, it is known that day the Sun rose in Jeneponto at 06.08 WITA with an azimuth of 66° 35' 23". The comparative analysis between the video displays and google maps was then applied and found that the north direction shown in the video was not the actual one. The confirmation process concluded that the Sun did not rise from the north but the east (towards the northeast). The misunderstanding of Qiblah leading the west causes the observer's misidentification of the Sun's position.
Current Understanding of the Pathogenesis of Porcine Circovirus 3

Circoviruses are closed, circular, single-stranded DNA viruses belonging to the family Circoviridae and the genus Circovirus. To date, at least four porcine circoviruses (PCVs) have been recognized, including PCV1 to PCV4, respectively. Similar to PCV2 pathogenesis, PCV3 has been reported worldwide with myriad clinical and pathological presentations such as reproductive disorders, respiratory diseases, diarrhea etc. Current understanding of PCV3 pathogenesis is very limited since the majority of studies were mostly field observations. Interpretation of the results from such studies is not always simple. Various confounding factors affect the clinical appearance and pathological changes of the infected pigs. Recently, several experimental PCV3 infection studies have been reported, providing a better understanding of its pathogenesis. In this review, we focused on novel findings regarding PCV3 pathogenesis from both field observation and experimental infection studies. Possible factors involved in the conflicting results among the experimental infection studies are also discussed. This review article provides important insight into the current knowledge on PCV3 pathogenesis which would aid in prioritizing research in order to fill the knowledge gaps.
Low-frequency atmospheric variability patterns and synoptic types linked to large floods in the lower Ebro River basin

This study analyzes the atmospheric variability that caused the largest floods affecting the town of Tortosa in the mouth of the Ebro River (northeast Iberian Peninsula). The Tortosa flood database and flood marks in the nearby town of Xerta are used to define the more relevant flooding episodes (discharges > 2900 m3s−1) of the 1600-2005 period. We explore the atmospheric variability based on low-frequency patterns and synoptic types applying a multivariable analysis to grids at sea-level pressure and geopotential at 500 hPa provided by the 20th Century V3 Reanalysis Project for the instrumental period (since 1836). Output from the Last Millennium Ensemble Project was used to analyze the sea-level pressure over the pre-instrumental period (before 1836). Our analysis includes 33 flood episodes. Four synoptic types are related to floods in Tortosa since 1836, characterized by low-pressure systems that interact with the Mediterranean warm air-mass and promote the atmosphere destabilization. Flooding in Tortosa is related to relative high values of solar activity, positive Northern Hemisphere temperature anomalies and NAO in positive phase. This indicates that the major floods are related to zonal atmospheric circulations (west to east cyclone transfer). During winter, the main impact of the floods is located at the western part of the basin, while the Pyrenean sub-basins are affected during autumn. The major finding is that similar flood behavior is detected since 1600, improving our understanding of past climates, enhancing the knowledge base for some aspects and impacts of climate change and reducing uncertainty about future outcomes.
Sustainability in the Coffee Supply Chain and Purchasing Policies: A Case Study Research

The literature shows that companies increasingly need to become more sustainable. To achieve sustainable development, supply chain management needs to be related to sustainable business practices, which include relevant values and sustainable purchasing policies. Focusing on these principles on the topic of coffee, this study shows the difficulties associated with this product. The study finds that coffee production is dependent on factors unrelated to management. This paper presents a case study of Delta Cafés owned by Grupo Nabeiro, a Portuguese company that shows relevant ways of achieving sustainable business methods to be incorporated in supply chain management. Our research shows a business based on sustainable, efficient handling of the food safety of its product and certification along the supply chain, as well as an adaptable purchasing policy. By reviewing the literature and information provided by the company, we confirm that the case study is a business leader in innovation, thought process, and action related to sustainability practices. Our research illustrates how business operations and culture can be explored to achieve sustainable buying processes and practices.
Analysis of Learning Interests and Student Responses in Online Learning Using E-Learning

This study aims to analyze interest in learning and student responses in online learning using e-learning media in Universitas Bengkulu. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire distributed using google form. Questionnaire analysis was carried out using a mini step application with the Rasch model. The population in this study was 193 science education students with a total sample of 64 people. The results showed that the interest in learning science education students in general chemistry 2 had a conversion value of 78.56, which was in the high category. Meanwhile, the student person towards online learning using e-learning media also showed good results, with a conversion value of 60.42, which was in the good category.
Population-level genome-wide STR discovery and validation for population structure and genetic diversity assessment of Plasmodium species

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are highly informative genetic markers that have been used extensively in population genetics analysis. They are an important source of genetic diversity and can also have functional impact. Despite the availability of bioinformatic methods that permit large-scale genome-wide genotyping of STRs from whole genome sequencing data, they have not previously been applied to sequencing data from large collections of malaria parasite field samples. Here, we have genotyped STRs using HipSTR in more than 3,000 Plasmodium falciparum and 174 Plasmodium vivax published whole-genome sequence data from samples collected across the globe. High levels of noise and variability in the resultant callset necessitated the development of a novel method for quality control of STR genotype calls. A set of high-quality STR loci (6,768 from P. falciparum and 3,496 from P. vivax) were used to study Plasmodium genetic diversity, population structures and genomic signatures of selection and these were compared to genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping data. In addition, the genome-wide information about genetic variation and other characteristics of STRs in P. falciparum and P. vivax have been available in an interactive web-based R Shiny application PlasmoSTR (https://github.com/bahlolab/PlasmoSTR).
Market Segmentation Using Intrinsic Product Attributes: Evidence From the Tunisian Olive Oil Market

Abstract Market segmentation using consumer preferences is important for the marketing strategy. For staple foods, like olive oil in the Mediterranean region, intrinsic attributes of the product lead these preferences and should prevail in determining consumer groups. In this paper, we apply conjoint analysis and clustering methods to identify olive oil consumer segments in the Tunisian market. A survey was carried out among 274 consumers who were required to blind taste of samples and give scores for 12 different samples of Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). Results revealed three differentiated segments of consumers; 43.8% of consumers prefer strongly flavored olive oil with deep green color while 38.9% support light yellow olive oil with lower flavor. These preferences are described by age, income category, and consumption frequency. Our results indicate that in countries where olive oil is a traditional food ingredient, the marketing strategy must focus on the product’s intrinsic attributes to better target customers.
The Influence of Farmers' Socio-Economic Characteristics on Their Choice of Opinion Leaders: Social Knowledge Systems

Smallholder farmers’ social knowledge systems are evolving in connecting key actors within and outside their knowledge systems. These key actors play a vital role in navigating the complexity and the dynamics of organisations, and effectively influence the community. This study identified the opinion leaders of smallholder farmers and measured the extent of their influence on the quality of these farmers’ knowledge of agriculture. Furthermore, the study explored the reasons why farmers choose their opinion leaders. A structured questionnaire was administered to 219 purposively selected smallholder farmers in the rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data were captured and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and STATA to run multinomial logistic regression model (MNL). The results showed that farmers participated in field visits and attended farmers’ group meetings to communicate with agricultural advisors and group leaders. In addition, the findings showed that interactions could be a crucial element of knowledge and learning for farmers. This showed that the farmers required a consistent flow of material resources and knowledge. The time and energy spent by farmers building social relationships with these opinion leaders reflected the accumulation of information and resources gathered. Issues related to accessibility, availability and, quick feedback regarding farmers’ problems emerged, which seemed to influence the farmers’ choice of an opinion leader. The language and accessibility to sources of knowledge and feedback were crucial to the smallholder farmers included in the study. Furthermore, the results revealed that farmers’ educational level, farmers who engaged in agriculture for household consumption, and opinion agricultural skills have statistical significance on farmers’ choice of opinion leaders. Considering the findings, it is suggested that efforts to improve farmers’ active knowledge systems and access to the opinion leaders within these active knowledge systems should take into consideration the socio-economic factors that influence farmers’ choices and participation in social systems and social interactions. These findings may help agents develop a better understanding of the dynamics of local communities and the social complexity that shapes farmers’ environments and decisions. To be a progressive and effective opinion leader, constant, continuous assessment is needed to increase leadership skills. In addition, the enhancement of programmes, which will recognise the active opinion leaders within the communities, are needed to strengthen the efforts and impact for more resilient outcomes.
Berbamine Suppresses the Growth of Gastric Cancer Cells by Inactivating the BRD4/c-MYC Signaling Pathway

Purpose Berbamine (Ber), a bioactive constituent extracted from a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has been shown to exhibit broad inhibitory activity on a panel of cancer cell types. However, its effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms on gastric cancer (GC) remain poorly understood. Methods The anti-growth activity of Ber on two GC cell lines and normal gastric epithelial cell line were evaluated using MTS and clone formation assay. Flow cytometry analysis was employed to evaluate the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis of GC cells. Western blot and quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis were employed to investigate the anti-GC mechanism of Ber. The inhibitory activity and binding affinity of Ber against BRD4 were evaluated by homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay, respectively. Molecular docking and molecular simulations were conducted to predict the interaction mode between BRD4 and Ber. Results The results demonstrated that Ber reduced the proliferation of GC cell lines SGC-7901 and BGC-823 and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistically, Ber was identified as a novel natural-derived BRD4 inhibitor through multiple experimental assay, and its anti-GC activity was probably mediated by BRD4 inhibition. Molecular modeling studies suggested that Ber might bind to BRD4 primarily through hydrophobic interactions. Conclusion Our study uncovered the underlying anti-GC activity of Ber in vitro and suggested that Ber holds promise as a potential lead compound in the discovery of novel BRD4 inhibitors.
Do Creators of New Markets Meet SDGs? Analysis of Platform Companies

The platform economy is the embodiment of the activities carried out by its influential players, which by their very nature are new markets, facilitating the matching of suppliers and customers. A new market entails access to or even joint use of underused assets, provision of new working places, and simplification of human life with online transactions and services, which serves the assumption that the platform economy is able to undertake sustainable development and may meet a number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) introduced in 2015. First, this paper aims to study whether the platform business model entails sustainability as its integral core concept. Second, it attempts to assess if platform companies from two selected industries—ride-sharing services and EdTech—meet SDGs comparably better than their predecessor linear companies in transportation and education. The study carries out an empirical analysis of eight companies. The results indicate that platform companies demonstrate a relatively lower commitment to SDGs compared to linear transnational firms, which can be explained by the level of maturity of platform companies and their still mostly non-public nature.
Fasciola hepatica is refractory to complement killing by preventing attachment of mannose binding lectin (MBL) and inhibiting MBL-associated serine proteases (MASPs) with serpins

The complement system is a first-line innate host immune defence against invading pathogens. It is activated via three pathways, termed Classical, Lectin and Alternative, which are mediated by antibodies, carbohydrate arrays or microbial liposaccharides, respectively. The three complement pathways converge in the formation of C3-convertase followed by the assembly of a lethal pore-like structure, the membrane attack complex (MAC), on the pathogen surface. We found that the infectious stage of the helminth parasite Fasciola hepatica, the newly excysted juvenile (NEJ), is resistant to the damaging effects of complement. Despite being coated with mannosylated proteins, the main initiator of the Lectin pathway, the mannose binding lectin (MBL), does not bind to the surface of live NEJ. In addition, we found that recombinantly expressed serine protease inhibitors secreted by NEJ (rFhSrp1 and rFhSrp2) selectively prevent activation of the complement via the Lectin pathway. Our experiments demonstrate that rFhSrp1 and rFhSrp2 inhibit native and recombinant MBL-associated serine proteases (MASPs), impairing the primary step that mediates C3b and C4b deposition on the NEJ surface. Indeed, immunofluorescence studies show that MBL, C3b, C4b or MAC are not deposited on the surface of NEJ incubated in normal human serum. Taken together, our findings uncover new means by which a helminth parasite prevents the activation of the Lectin complement pathway to become refractory to killing via this host response, in spite of presenting an assortment of glycans on their surface.
The Status and the Role of ‘Chocolate’ Silicite in the Bohemian Neolithic

The article focuses on the chronological status of the distribution of ‘chocolate’ silicite originating from the area of south-east Poland in the prehistory of the Czech lands. The flow of ‘chocolate’ silicite across the Carpathian Mountains culminated in the period of the Stroke-Ornamented Ware culture (5100/5000–4500/4400 cal BC) in the area studied. Based on the analysis of the contexts of finds and the classification of the artefacts, the raw material is interpreted as an indicator of the presence of individuals or groups with an exclusive social status. Both the pattern of distribution and the status are common to other ‘exotic’ raw materials, especially for Carpathian obsidian, in the studied area in that same period. By comparing the spatial and chronological image expansion of both materials can lead to similar conclusions in their assessment
Determinants of Behavioural Intention Towards Travel Applications in an Emerging African Economy: A Perspective on the Hospitality Industry

This study is aimed at uncovering the determinants of behavioural intention towards travel applications in an emerging economy of South Africa. A descriptive and quantitative design was employed, and primary data (n=420) was gathered from participants using an online questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was applied to examine the theoretical connection between the dimensions of experiencescape, memorability, satisfaction, and behavioural intention. The results prove that the dimensions of experiencescape (entertainment, escapism, and aesthetics), memorability, satisfaction, and behavioural intention are positively and significantly related. Therefore, the promotion of experiencescape, memorability, and satisfaction is an important area of concern among hospitality providers in developing a consistent and enduring service experience that can stimulate behavioural intention towards travel applications.
Design and Implementation of a Metadata Repository about UML Class Diagrams. A Software Tool Supporting the Automatic Feeding of the Repository

Model-Driven Engineering is largely recognized as the most powerful method for the design of complex software. This study deals with the automated archival of metadata about the content of UML class diagrams (a particularly relevant category of models) into a pre-existing repository. To define the structure of the repository, we started from the definition of a UML metamodel. From the latter, we derived the schema of the metadata repository. Then, a parser was developed that is responsible for extracting the useful information from the XMI file about class diagrams and enters it as metadata into the repository. The parser has been implemented as a Java web interface, while the metadata repository has been implemented as a PostgreSQL database based on the JSONB data type. The metadata repository is thought to support modelers in the initial phase of the process of the development of new models when looking for artifacts to start from. The schema of the metadata repository and the Java code of the parser are available from the authors.