Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age and Giardia intestinalis Infection Impact Canine Gut Microbiota

Giardia intestinalis is a flagellated protozoan responsible for giardiosis (also called giardiasis in humans), the most prevalent and widespread parasitic infection in humans and mammals worldwide. The intestinal microbiota is highly diverse and any alteration in its composition may impact on the health of the host. While studies on the mouse model of giardiosis described the role of the gut microbiota in host susceptibility to infection by the parasite, little is known about the gut microbiota during natural infections in dogs and particularly in puppies. In this study, we monitored naturally G. intestinalis-infected puppies for 3 months and quantified cyst excretion every 2 weeks. All puppies remained subclinically infected during the sampling period as confirmed by fecal examination. In parallel, we performed 16S Illumina sequencing of fecal samples from the different time points to assess the impact of G. intestinalis infection on gut microbiota development of the puppies, as well as gut health markers of immunity such as fecal IgA and calprotectin. Sequencing results revealed that the canine fecal microbiota of Giardia-infected puppies becomes more complex and less diverse with increasing age. In addition, significant differences in the structure of the microbiota were observed between puppies with high and low Giardia cyst excretion. Chronic subclinical G. intestinalis infection appears to be associated with some detrimental structural changes in the gut microbiota. G. intestinalis-associated dysbiosis is characterized by an enrichment of facultative anaerobic, mucus-degrading, pro-inflammatory species and opportunistic pathogens, as well as a reduction of Lactobacillus johnsonii at specific time points. Calprotectin levels increased with age, suggesting the establishment of chronic low-grade inflammation in puppies. Further work is needed to demonstrate whether these alterations in the canine gut microbiota could lead to a dysbiosis-related disease, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Adsorbents Reduce Aflatoxin M1 Residue in Milk of Healthy Dairy Cow Exposed to Moderate Level Aflatoxin B1 in Diet and Its Exposure Risk for Humans

This study investigated the effect of moderate risk level (8 µg/kg) AFB1 in diet supplemented with or without adsorbents on lactation performance, serum parameters, milk AFM1 content of healthy lactating cows and the AFM1 residue exposure risk in different human age groups. Forty late healthy lactating Holstein cows (270 ± 22 d in milk; daily milk yield 21 ± 3.1 kg/d) were randomly assigned to four treatments: control diet without AFB1 and adsorbents (CON), CON with 8 μg/kg AFB1 (dry matter basis, AF), AF + 15 g/d adsorbent 1 (AD1), AF + 15 g/d adsorbent 2 (AD2). The experiment lasted for 19 days, including an AFB1-challenge phase (day 1 to 14) and an AFB1-withdraw phase (day 15 to 19). Results showed that both AFB1 and adsorbents treatments had no significant effects on the DMI, milk yield, 3.5% FCM yield, milk components and serum parameters. Compared with the AF, AD1 and AD2 had significantly lower milk AFM1 concentrations (93 ng/L vs. 46 ng/L vs. 51 ng/L) and transfer rates of dietary AFB1 into milk AFM1 (1.16% vs. 0.57% vs. 0.63%) (p < 0.05). Children aged 2–4 years old had the highest exposure risk to AFM1 in milk in AF, with an EDI of 1.02 ng/kg bw/day and a HI of 5.11 (HI > 1 indicates a potential risk for liver cancer). Both AD1 and AD2 had obviously reductions in EDI and HI for all population groups, whereas, the EDI (≥0.25 ng/kg bw/day) and HI (≥1.23) of children aged 2–11 years old were still higher than the suggested tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.20 ng/kg bw/day and 1.00 (HI). In conclusion, moderate risk level AFB1 in the diet of healthy lactating cows could cause a public health hazard and adding adsorbents in the dairy diet is an effective measure to remit AFM1 residue in milk and its exposure risk for humans.
Two Luminescent Iridium Complexes with Phosphorous Ligands and Their Photophysical Comparison in Solution, Solid and Electrospun Fibers: Decreased Aggregation-Caused Emission Quenching by Steric Hindrance

In this paper, we prepared two phosphorescent Ir complexes with ligands of 2-phenyl pyridine (ppy), and two phosphorous ligands with large steric hindrance, hoping to allow enough time for the transformation of the highly phosphorescent 3MLLCT (metal-to-ligand-ligand-charge-transfer) excited state. Their large steric hindrance minimized the π-π interaction between complex molecules, so that the aggregation-induced phosphorescence emission (AIPE) influence could be minimized. Their single crystals indicated that they took a distorted octahedral coordination mode. Photophysical comparison between these Ir complexes in solution, in the solid state and in electrospun fibers was performed to confirm the realization of limited aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ). The potential surface crossing and energy transfer from 3MLBPECT/3MLBPELppyCT to 3MLppyCT in these Ir complexes were revealed by density functional theory calculation and temperature-dependent emission. It was confirmed that these two phosphorous ligands offered large steric hindrance, which decreased the ACQ effect, allowing the efficient emissive decay of the 3MLppyCT excited state. This is one of the several luminescent Ir complexes with a high emission yield (Φ = 0.27) and long emission lifetime (0.43 μs) in the solid state.
Nutrient Enrichment Predominantly Affects Low Diversity Microbiomes in a Marine Trophic Symbiosis between Algal Farming Fish and Corals

While studies show that nutrient pollution shifts reef trophic interactions between fish, macroalgae, and corals, we know less about how the microbiomes associated with these organisms react to such disturbances. To investigate how microbiome dynamics are affected during nutrient pollution, we exposed replicate Porites lobata corals colonized by the fish Stegastes nigricans, which farm an algal matrix on the coral, to a pulse of nutrient enrichment over a two-month period and examined the microbiome of each partner using 16S amplicon analysis. We found 51 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) shared among the three hosts. Coral microbiomes had the lowest diversity with over 98% of the microbiome dominated by a single genus, Endozoicomonas. Fish and algal matrix microbiomes were ~20 to 70× more diverse and had higher evenness compared to the corals. The addition of nutrients significantly increased species richness and community variability between samples of coral microbiomes but not the fish or algal matrix microbiomes, demonstrating that coral microbiomes are less resistant to nutrient pollution than their trophic partners. Furthermore, the 51 common ASVs within the 3 hosts indicate microbes that may be shared or transmitted between these closely associated organisms, including Vibrionaceae bacteria, many of which can be pathogenic to corals.
Candida tropicalis Systemic Infection Redirects Leukocyte Infiltration to the Kidneys Attenuating Encephalomyelitis

Environmental factors, including infections, are strongly associated with the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), which is an autoimmune and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Although classically associated with bacterial and viral agents, fungal species have also been suspected to affect the course of the disease. Candida tropicalis is an opportunistic fungus that affects immunocompromised individuals and is also able to spread to vital organs. As C. tropicalis has been increasingly isolated from systemic infections, we aimed to evaluate the effect of this fungus on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model to study MS. For this, EAE was induced in female C57BL/6 mice 3 days after infection with 106 viable C. tropicalis yeasts. The infection decreased EAE prevalence and severity, confirmed by the less inflammatory infiltrate and less demyelization in the lumbar spinal cord. Despite this, C. tropicalis infection associated with EAE results in the death of some animals and increased urea and creatinine serum levels. The kidneys of EAE-infected mice showed higher fungal load associated with increased leukocyte infiltration (CD45+ cells) and higher expression of T-box transcription factor (Tbx21) and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3). Altogether, our results demonstrate that although C. tropicalis infection reduces the prevalence and severity of EAE, partially due to the sequestration of leukocytes by the inflamed renal tissue, this effect is associated with a poor disease outcome.
Engineering Mitochondriotropic Carbon Dots for Targeting Cancer Cells

Aiming to understand and enhance the capacity of carbon dots (CDs) to transport through cell membranes and target subcellular organelles—in particular, mitochondria—a series of nitrogen-doped CDs were prepared by the one-step microwave-assisted pyrolysis of citric acid and ethylenediamine. Following optimization of the reaction conditions for maximum fluorescence, functionalization at various degrees with alkylated triphenylphosphonium functional groups of two different alkyl chain lengths afforded a series of functionalized CDs that exhibited either lysosome or mitochondria subcellular localization. Further functionalization with rhodamine B enabled enhanced fluorescence imaging capabilities in the visible spectrum and allowed the use of low quantities of CDs in relevant experiments. It was thus possible, by the appropriate selection of the alkyl chain length and degree of functionalization, to attain successful mitochondrial targeting, while preserving non-toxicity and biocompatibility. In vitro cell experiments performed on normal as well as cancer cell lines proved their non-cytotoxic character and imaging potential, even at very low concentrations, by fluorescence microscopy. Precise targeting of mitochondria is feasible with carefully designed CDs that, furthermore, are specifically internalized in cells and cell mitochondria of high transmembrane potential and thus exhibit selective uptake in malignant cells compared to normal cells.
Free Radical-Mediated Protein Radical Formation in Differentiating Monocytes

Free radical-mediated activation of inflammatory macrophages remains ambiguous with its limitation to study within biological systems. U-937 and HL-60 cell lines serve as a well-defined model system known to differentiate into either macrophages or dendritic cells in response to various chemical stimuli linked with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Our present work utilizes phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) as a stimulant, and factors such as concentration and incubation time were considered to achieve optimized differentiation conditions. ROS formation likely hydroxyl radical (HO●) was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In particular, U-937 cells were utilized further to identify proteins undergoing oxidation by ROS using anti-DMPO (5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide) antibodies. Additionally, the expression pattern of NADPH Oxidase 4 (NOX4) in relation to induction with PMA was monitored to correlate the pattern of ROS generated. Utilizing macrophages as a model system, findings from the present study provide a valuable source for expanding the knowledge of differentiation and protein expression dynamics.
Fabrication of Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Block Using a Hydrogel Core-Mediated Method

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are extremely low-frequency cells in the bloodstream. As those cells have detached from the primary tumor tissues and it circulates throughout the whole body, they are considered as promising diagnostic biomarkers for clinical application. However, the analysis of CTC is often restricted due to their rarity and heterogeneity, as well as their short-term presence. Here we proposed formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) CTC block method, in combination manner with the hydrogel core-mediated CTC accumulation and conventional paraffin tissue block preparation. The hydrogel core specifically captures and releases cancer cells with high efficiency with an immunoaffinity manner. An additional shell structure protects the isolated cancer cells during the FFPE CTC block preparation process. The fabricated FFPE CTC block was sectioned and cytopathologically investigated just the same way as the conventional tissue block. Our results demonstrate that rare cells such as CTCs can also be prepared for FFPE cell blocks and shows great promise for cytopathological CTC studies.
HOX Gene Expressions in Cultured Articular and Nasal Equine Chondrocytes

Simple Summary Once articular cartilage is damaged, it is unable to regain its original tissue integrity, which leads to osteoarthritis including degeneration of the joint, suffering and pain. In equine medicine there is no therapy available to repair joint defects. Hyaline cartilage of nasal septum shows a high basal collagen II expression, which may have a positive effect on damaged articular cartilage. Therefore, nasal septum could be a potential source for chondrocytes for autologous implantation in the future. Abstract Osteoarthritis the quality and span of life in horses. Previous studies focused on nasal cartilage as a possible source for autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) in cartilage defects in humans. “HOX gene-negative” nasal chondrocytes adapted articular HOX patterns after implantation into caprine joint defects and produced cartilage matrix proteins. We compared the HOX gene profile of equine chondrocytes of nasal septum, anterior and posterior fetlock to identify nasal cartilage as a potential source for ACI in horses. Cartilage was harvested from seven horses after death and derived chondrocytes were cultured in a monolayer to fourth subcultivation. HOX A3, D1, D8 and chondrocyte markers COL2 and SOX9 were analyzed with qPCR in chondrocytes of three different locations obtained during passage 0 and passage 2. HOX gene expression showed no significant differences between the locations but varied significantly between the horses. HOX genes and SOX9 remained stable during culturing. Cultured nasal chondrocytes may be a target for future research in cell-based regenerative therapies in equine osteoarthritis. The involvement of HOX genes in the high regenerative and adaptive potential of nasal chondrocytes observed in previous studies could not be confirmed.
Effect of the Heating Rate to Prevent the Generation of Iron Oxides during the Hydrothermal Synthesis of LiFePO4

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have gained much interest in recent years because of the increasing energy demand and the relentless progression of climate change. About 30% of the manufacturing cost for LIBs is spent on cathode materials, and its level of development is lower than the negative electrode, separator diaphragm and electrolyte, therefore becoming the “controlling step”. Numerous cathodic materials have been employed, LiFePO4 being the most relevant one mainly because of its excellent performance, as well as its rated capacity (170 mA·h·g−1) and practical operating voltage (3.5 V vs. Li+/Li). Nevertheless, producing micro and nanoparticles with high purity levels, avoiding the formation of iron oxides, and reducing the operating cost are still some of the aspects still to be improved. In this work, we have applied two heating rates (slow and fast) to the same hydrothermal synthesis process with the main objective of obtaining, without any reducing agents, the purest possible LiFePO4 in the shortest time and with the lowest proportion of magnetite impurities. The reagents initially used were: FeSO4, H3PO4, and LiOH, and a crucial phenomenon has been observed in the temperature range between 130 and 150 °C, being verified with various techniques such as XRD and SEM.
Assessing the Bacterial Community Composition of Bivalve Mollusks Collected in Aquaculture Farms and Respective Susceptibility to Antibiotics

Aquaculture is a growing sector, providing several products for human consumption, and it is therefore important to guarantee its quality and safety. This study aimed to contribute to the knowledge of bacterial composition of Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus spp. and Ruditapes decussatus, and the antibiotic resistances/resistance genes present in aquaculture environments. Two hundred and twenty-two bacterial strains were recovered from all bivalve mollusks samples belonging to the Aeromonadaceae, Bacillaceae, Comamonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae, Micrococcaceae, Moraxellaceae, Morganellaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Shewanellaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Streptococcaceae, Vibrionaceae, and Yersiniaceae families. Decreased susceptibility to oxytetracycline prevails in all bivalve species, aquaculture farms and seasons. Decreased susceptibilities to amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, colistin, ciprofloxacin, flumequine, nalidixic acid and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole were also found. This study detected six qnrA genes among Shewanella algae, ten qnrB genes among Citrobacter spp. and Escherichia coli, three oqxAB genes from Raoultella ornithinolytica and blaTEM-1 in eight E. coli strains harboring a qnrB19 gene. Our results suggest that the bacteria and antibiotic resistances/resistance genes present in bivalve mollusks depend on several factors, such as host species and respective life stage, bacterial family, farm’s location and season, and that is important to study each aquaculture farm individually to implement the most suitable measures to prevent outbreaks.
Cellular Organelles Involved in Hepatitis E Virus Infection

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), a major cause of acute hepatitis worldwide, infects approximately 20 million individuals annually. HEV can infect a wide range of mammalian and avian species, and cause frequent zoonotic spillover, increasingly raising public health concerns. To establish a successful infection, HEV needs to usurp host machineries to accomplish its life cycle from initial attachment to egress. However, relatively little is known about the HEV life cycle, especially the functional role(s) of cellular organelles and their associated proteins at different stages of HEV infection. Here, we summarize current knowledge regarding the relation of HEV with the different cell organelles during HEV infection. Furthermore, we discuss the underlying mechanisms by which HEV infection is precisely regulated in infected cells and the modification of host cell organelles and their associated proteins upon HEV infection.
Calmodulin-Dependent Regulation of Overexpressed but Not Endogenous TMEM16A Expressed in Airway Epithelial Cells

Regulation of the Ca2+-activated Cl− channel TMEM16A by Ca2+/calmodulin (CAM) is discussed controversially. In the present study, we compared regulation of TMEM16A by Ca2+/calmodulin (holo-CAM), CAM-dependent kinase (CAMKII), and CAM-dependent phosphatase calcineurin in TMEM16A-overexpressing HEK293 cells and TMEM16A expressed endogenously in airway and colonic epithelial cells. The activator of the Ca2+/CAM-regulated K+ channel KCNN4, 1-EBIO, activated TMEM16A in overexpressing cells, but not in cells with endogenous expression of TMEM16A. Evidence is provided that CAM-interaction with TMEM16A modulates the Ca2+ sensitivity of the Cl− channel. Enhanced Ca2+ sensitivity of overexpressed TMEM16A explains its activity at basal (non-elevated) intracellular Ca2+ levels. The present results correspond well to a recent report that demonstrates a Ca2+-unbound form of CAM (apo-CAM) that is pre-associated with TMEM16A and mediates a Ca2+-dependent sensitization of activation (and inactivation). However, when using activators or inhibitors for holo-CAM, CAMKII, or calcineurin, we were unable to detect a significant impact of CAM, and limit evidence for regulation by CAM-dependent regulatory proteins on receptor-mediated activation of endogenous TMEM16A in airway or colonic epithelial cells. We propose that regulatory properties of TMEM16A and and other members of the TMEM16 family as detected in overexpression studies, should be validated for endogenous TMEM16A and physiological stimuli such as activation of phospholipase C (PLC)-coupled receptors.
A Higher Intake of Energy at Dinner Is Associated with Incident Metabolic Syndrome: A Prospective Cohort Study in Older Adults

A higher energy intake (EI) at night has been associated with a higher risk of obesity, while a higher EI at lunch may protect against weight gain. This study examined the association between EI throughout the day and incident metabolic syndrome (MetS) among older adults. A cohort of 607 individuals aged ≥ 60 free from MetS at baseline was followed from 2008–2010 until 2015. At baseline, habitual EI was assessed on six eating occasions: breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and snacking. MetS was defined according to the harmonized definition. Statistical analyses were performed with logistic regression and adjusted for the main confounders, including total EI, diet quality, and physical activity/sedentary behavior. During follow-up, 101 new MetS cases occurred. Compared to the lowest sex-specific quartile of EI at dinner, the OR (95% confidence interval) for incident MetS were: 1.71 (0.85–3.46) in the second, 1.70 (0.81–3.54) in the third, and 2.57 (1.14–5.79) in the fourth quartile (p-trend: 0.034). Elevated waist circumference and triglycerides were the MetS components that most contributed to this association. A higher EI at dinner was associated with a higher risk of MetS in older adults. Reducing EI at dinner might be a simple strategy to prevent MetS.
Identification of a Variant in APOB Gene as a Major Cause of Hypobetalipoproteinemia in Lebanese Families

Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) is a codominant genetic disorder characterized by reduced plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B. To our knowledge, no study on FHBL in Lebanon and the Middle East region has been reported. Therefore, we conducted genetic studies in unrelated families and probands of Lebanese origin presenting with FHBL, in order to identify the causes of this disease. We found that 71% of the recruited probands and their affected relatives were heterozygous for the p.(Arg490Trp) variant in the APOB gene. Haplotype analysis showed that these patients presented the same mutant haplotype. Moreover, there was a decrease in plasma levels of PCSK9 in affected individuals compared to the non-affected and a significant positive correlation between circulating PCSK9 and ApoB levels in all studied probands and their family members. Some of the p.(Arg490Trp) carriers suffered from diabetes, hepatic steatosis or neurological problems. In conclusion, the p.(Arg490Trp) pathogenic variant seems a cause of FHBL in patients from Lebanese origin, accounting for approximately 70% of the probands with FHBL presumably as a result of a founder mutation in Lebanon. This study is crucial to guide the early diagnosis, management and prevention of the associated complications of this disease.