Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biological and Advanced Treatment of Sulfate Pulp Bleaching Effluents

Spent bleaching effluents (from chlorination (C) and extraction (E) stages) of a sulfate pulp mill were subjected to bench-scale biological and advanced treatment. Although > 90 % of the influent BOD5 could be removed in an activated sludge process, the effluent still contained high amounts of resistant substances. The maximum COD removal was about 50 %; the removal rates achieved in the parameters TOC, DOC, AOX, SAK (254 nm) were even lower. The biological treatment led to an increase in color (436 nm) up to 40 %. The biologically pretreated effluent was further treated by ozone or ozone/irradiation. The DOC, COD, color (436 nm), SAK (254 nm) and AOX removal rates amounted to 61 %, 81 %, 98 %, 92 % and 92 %, respectively. These methods led simultaneously to an increase in biological biodegradability as reflected by an increase in BOD5. A comparison of the results obtained for raw and biologically pretreated wastewaters showed that biodegradable substances should first be removed from the wastewater since otherwise the effectiveness of these methods decreased. The coagulation/flocculation of biologically pretreated effluent showed that FeCl3 was the most effective coagulant and that removal rates > 90 % could be achieved. The treatment with various powder activated carbons showed that a dosage of 10 g/l was required to achieve elimination rates > 90 % in the parameters DOC, COD, color (436 nm) and SAK (254 nm). Adsorption isotherms were developed for every activated carbon and adsorption constants were calculated.
Self-awareness in Transient Global Amnesia: distinguishing the effects of transient memory disorder vs. pre-existing vulnerability factors

ABSTRACT Numerous evidences suggest the existence of relationships between the impairment of episodic memory, acute stress exposure and variations in self-awareness (SA). Here, we examined 27 patients presenting transient global amnesia (TGA), a clinical condition which combines episodic amnesia and high anxiety, thanks to state and trait questionnaires of SA. We observed variation of SA depending on the stage of TGA (acute, recovery and follow-up). We also found preexisting differences in patient’s awareness of their own image when the precipitating event was physical, encouraging us to give more consideration to the social determinants of stress in physiological cascade of TGA.
Depression and coronary artery disease.

In their prospective study, Rosic et al. (2020) evaluated anxiety, depression, and quality of life in 170 patients that underwent ambulatory cardiac rehabilitation (ACR) after major cardiac events, elective revascularization, valve replacement, or cardiac implantable electronic devises. They reported that after a median ACR duration of 12 weeks, it was noted decrease of both anxiety and depression, and improvement of most components of quality of life. The duration of ACR was correlated with the degree of anxiety and depression improvement. The authors concluded that a 3-month ACR after major cardiac events resulted in significant improvement of depression, anxiety and quality of life in most patients. In our previous study (Fotopoulos et al. 2020), we described overall relative findings with the study by Rosic et al. (2020). Specifically, we investigated the existence of depression and anxiety in 80 patients (59 men and 21 women) who were subjected to myocardial perfusion imaging single photon emission tomography (MPI SPECT), either for minor cardiac complaints, or for follow up of known myocardial and coronary artery disease (CAD) (Fotopoulos et al. 2020, Gianopoulos et al. 2017). MPI SPECT consists of an accurate non-invasive imaging method for evaluation of the myocardial status in patients with various diseases (Kotsalou et al. 2007). Cardiac risk factors (obesity, smoking, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and cardiac heredity) were also studied (Fotopoulos et al. 2020). MPI was performed in all patients with 1 day stress/rest protocol according to guidelines and evaluated visually using a 17-segment polar map as previously reported (Gianopoulos et al. 2017). We found that both anxiety and depression were possible contributing risk factors for myocardial dysfunction. Additionally, when obesity or cardiac heredity coexisted with depression, the risk for CAD and myocardial dysfunction was higher in both sexes (Fotopoulos et al. 2020). Other investigators have also found that depression and anxiety frequently occur in patients with CAD and significantly affect their health-related quality of life. In addition, previous studies reported that the depression and anxiety were worse in women compared to men (Lu et al. 2019). Furthermore, genetic predisposition to major depression may increase the risk for CAD and myocardial infarction (Lu et al. 2021). It has been suggested that patients with CAD and depression demonstrated increased response to stress in parietal cortex and decreased in anterior cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex in comparison to patients with CAD without depression (Bremner et al. 2019). In any event, ACR as it is reported in the current study by Rosic et al. (2020), may not only effectively reduce depression, anxiety and improve the quality of life, but it also may decrease the severity of myocardial dysfunction.
Is orthodontic treatment associated with changes in self-esteem during adolescence? A longitudinal study

Objective: This study explored the association between history of orthodontic treatment and changes in self-esteem among British adolescents. Design: Birth cohort study. Setting: United Kingdom. Participants: Data from 2600 participants of the British Cohort Study were analysed. Methods: Participants completed the Lawrence Self-Esteem Questionnaire (LAWSEQ) at the ages of 10 and 16 years. The change in LAWSEQ score over six years was the outcome. Participants were divided into two groups according to parental reports of orthodontic treatment at the same ages. The association between history of orthodontic treatment and six-year changes in LAWSEQ score was tested in linear regression models adjusting for demographic factors (adolescents’ sex and ethnicity), family socioeconomic status (parental social class and mothers’ education), perceived orthodontic treatment need and baseline LAWSEQ score. Results: According to parental reports, 8% of participants had a history of orthodontic treatment. The mean LAWSEQ score at baseline was 13.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.6–13.9) and increased significantly over time by 1.7 units (95% CI 1.5–1.9). Orthodontic treatment history was positively, albeit not significantly, associated with change in LAWSEQ score (coefficient: 0.08, 95% CI –0.56 to 0.72). The direction of the association reversed but remained non-significant after adjustment for all confounders (coefficient: –0.19; 95% CI –0.68 to 0.30). Improvements in self-esteem were positively associated with mothers’ education (coefficient: 0.85; 95% CI 0.09–1.61) and negatively associated with self-esteem at baseline (coefficient –0.79; 95% CI –0.82 to –0.75). Conclusion: This six-year longitudinal study provided no evidence for an association between history of orthodontic treatment and changes in self-esteem during adolescence.
Structure of human ORP3 ORD reveals conservation of a key function and ligand specificity in OSBP-related proteins

Human ORP3 belongs to the oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) family of lipid transfer proteins and is involved in lipid trafficking and cell signaling. ORP3 localizes to the ER-PM interfaces and is implicated in lipid transport and focal adhesion dynamics. Here, we report the 2.6–2.7 Å structures of the ORD (OSBP-related domain) of human ORP3 in apo-form and in complex with phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate. The ORP3 ORD displays a helix grip β-barrel fold with a deep hydrophobic pocket which is conserved in the OSBP gene family. ORP3 binds PI(4)P by the residues around tunnel entrance and in the hydrophobic pocket, whereas it lacks sterol binding due to the narrow hydrophobic tunnel. The heterologous expression of the ORDs of human ORP3 or OSBP1 rescued the lethality of seven ORP (yeast OSH1-OSH7) knockout in yeast. In contrast, the PI(4)P-binding site mutant of ORP3 did not complement the OSH knockout cells. The N-terminal PH domain and FFAT motif of ORP3 are involved in protein targeting but are not essential in yeast complementation. This observation suggests that the essential function conserved in the ORPs of yeast and human is mediated by PI(4)P-binding of the ORD domain. This study suggests that the non-vesicular PI(4)P transport is a conserved function of all ORPs in eukaryotes.
Predicting influenza and rhinovirus infections in airway cells utilizing volatile emissions.

BACKGROUND Respiratory viral infections are common and potentially devastating to patients with underlying lung disease. Diagnosing viral infections often requires invasive sampling, and interpretation often requires specialized laboratory equipment. Here, we test the hypothesis that a breath test could diagnose influenza and rhinovirus infections using an in vitro model of the human airway. METHODS Cultured primary human tracheobronchial epithelial cells were infected with either Influenza A H1N1 or Rhinovirus 1B and compared with healthy control cells. Headspace volatile metabolite measurements of cell cultures were made at 12 h timepoints post-infection using a thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. RESULTS Based on 54 compounds, statistical models distinguished VOC profiles of influenza- and rhinovirus-infected cells from healthy counterparts. Area under the curve values were 0.94 for influenza, 0.90 for rhinovirus, and 0.75 for controls. A regression analysis predicted how many hours prior cells became infected with a root mean square error of 6.35 h for influenza- and 3.32 h for rhinovirus-infected cells. CONCLUSIONS Volatile biomarkers released by bronchial epithelial cells could not only be used to diagnose whether cells were infected, but also the timing of infection. Our model supports the hypothesis that a breath test could serve to diagnose viral infections.
Balance dynamics are related to age and levels of expertise. Application in young and adult tennis players

In tennis, coaches consider balance fundamental for the acquisition of skilled motor performance. However, the potential relationship between balance and tennis expertise and performance has not been explored yet. Therefore, this study assessed the relationship between balance and tennis performance using linear and non-linear parameters through 1) the comparison of tennis players of different ages and levels of expertise, and 2) analyzing the relationship between balance and tennis serving speed and accuracy. One hundred and six recreational and expert male tennis players took part in the study (age range 10–35 years old). Temporal dynamics of postural control during a balance task on an unstable surface were analyzed through the mean velocity and the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFAV) of center of pressure (COP). Tennis serve performance was quantified by measuring accuracy and speed. Traditional variables measuring balance performance only showed differences according to age but not to sport performance. COP showed a reduction of auto-correlated variability (reflected by DFAV) with age but mainly in expert players. COP dynamics was the only balance parameter discriminating sport expertise and it was related to age. Balance dynamics exhibited by expert tennis players DFAV results support the idea that, along the years, sport experience induces balance adaptations characterized by a higher ability to perform postural adjustments. These results also reinforce the use of non-linear analysis to reveal subtle balance adaptations produced by sport practice. Finally, the lack of correlations suggests that balance, measured with scattering variables, in a non-specific task is not a main determinant of sport performance in tennis serve.
The Meaning of Death for Nursing Students and Their Attitudes Toward Dignified Death Principles

This study aims to determine the meaning of death for nursing students and their attitudes toward dignified death principles. The descriptive study was conducted with nursing students studying at a state university in Turkey. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Personal Meanings of Death Scale (PMDS), and the Assessment Scale of Attitudes toward the Principles of Dying with Dignity (ASAPDD). A positive and low-level significant relationship was determined between the students' age and the scores for the PMDS subdimensions and the ASAPDD. It was found that the students had positive perceptions of death and adopted the principles of a dignified death. It was determined that an increase in the students' perceptions of death positively affected their adoption of the principles of a dignified death.
Development of Evidence-Based Rehabilitation Practice in Botanical Garden for People With Mental Health Disorders

Aim: This article aims to make clearer, with supporting evidence, the clinical benefits of the nature-based rehabilitation program (NBRP) and the restorative values of visiting botanical garden for people with stress-related mental disorders. Background: Throughout the years, nature-based therapy has been acknowledged as a valuable rehabilitation practice that integrates specially designed natural environments and nature-related activities for people with mental health conditions. Subject and Methods: The comparative analyses of parallel conducted the NBRP at botanical garden and occupational therapy realised at the Day Hospital of the Institute of Mental Health in Belgrade included 27 participants divided into two groups. The data collection employed a mixed method combining a Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale and on-site observations. Results: The positive findings on the psychological recovery of the participants seem to be related to NBRP. The restorative potential of the garden was recognized through the observed interaction between participants and the natural entities employed through the various themed activities. The observed landscape elements especially solitary plant specimens or tall and single-form trees within the garden can be embraced as design guidelines for the development of an evidence-based practice that can support the recovery process of people with mental health conditions. Conclusion: Our findings endorse that ongoing social development and progressive urbanization have broadened the interest in scientific research involving nature-based solutions that help preserve the physical and mental health of people in low- and middle-income Western Balkan countries with a high prevalence of mental disorders in the urban environment that relates to social inequalities and natural disasters.
Role of macrophage in nanomedicine-based disease treatment

Abstract Macrophages are a major component of the immunoresponse. Diversity and plasticity are two of the hallmarks of macrophages, which allow them to act as proinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and homeostatic agents. Research has found that cancer and many inflammatory or autoimmune disorders are correlated with activation and tissue infiltration of macrophages. Recent developments in macrophage nanomedicine-based disease treatment are proving to be timely owing to the increasing inadequacy of traditional treatment. Here, we review the role of macrophages in nanomedicine-based disease treatment. First, we present a brief background on macrophages and nanomedicine. Then, we delve into applications of macrophages as a target for disease treatment and delivery systems and summarize the applications of macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles. Finally, we provide an outlook on the clinical utility of macrophages in nanomedicine-based disease treatment.
Interferon regulatory factor 4 controls effector functions of CD8+ memory T cells

Significance The transcription factor IRF4 controls activation and differentiation of CD8+ T cells; however, its role in memory T cells is unclear. Here, we use a mouse model that allows removal of IRF4 from CD8+ T cells after their activation. We show that IRF4 is differentially required for long-term survival of CD8+ memory T cell subsets. In particular, maintenance of tissue-resident memory T cells appears to depend on IRF4. Upon reactivation, IRF4-deficient CD8+ memory T cells are strongly impaired in their proliferation and cytokine response. Thus, IRF4 is essential for the function CD8+ memory T cells. The transcription factor IRF4 is required for CD8+ T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation to effector cells and thus is essential for robust CD8+ T cell responses. The function of IRF4 in memory CD8+ T cells yet needs to be explored. To investigate the role of IRF4 for maintaining differentiation state and survival of CD8+ memory T cells, we used a mouse model with tamoxifen-inducible Irf4 knockout to preclude effects due to inefficient memory cell differentiation in absence of IRF4. We infected mice with ovalbumin-recombinant listeria and induced Irf4 knockout after clearance of the pathogen. Loss of IRF4 resulted in phenotypical changes of CD8+ memory T cells but did not cause a reduction of the total memory T cell population. However, upon reencounter of the pathogen, CD8+ memory T cells showed impaired expansion and acquisition of effector functions. When compared to CD8+ effector memory T cells, CD8+ tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM cells) expressed higher IRF4 levels. Mice with constitutive Irf4 knockout had diminished CD8+ TRM-cell populations, and tamoxifen-induced Irf4 deletion caused a reduction of this cell population. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that IRF4 is required for effective reactivation but not for general survival of CD8+ memory T cells. Formation and maintenance of CD8+ TRM cells, in contrast, appear to depend on IRF4.
Impact of photoelectric cross section data on systematic uncertainties for Monte Carlo breast dosimetry in mammography

Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are employed extensively in breast dosimetry studies. In the energy interval of interest in mammography energy deposition is predominantly caused by the photoelectric effect, and the corresponding cross sections used by the MC codes to model this interaction process have a direct influence on the simulation results. The present work compares two photoelectric cross section databases in order to estimate the systematic uncertainty, related to breast dosimetry, introduced by the choice of cross sections for photoabsorption. The databases with and without the so-called normalization screening correction are denoted as ‘renormalized’ or ‘un-normalized’, respectively. The simulations were performed with the PENELOPE/penEasy code system, for a geometry resembling a mammography examination. The mean glandular dose (MGD), incident air kerma (K air), normalized glandular dose (DgN) and glandular depth-dose (GDD(z)) were scored, for homogeneous breast phantoms, using both databases. The AAPM Report TG-195 case 3 was replicated, and the results were included. Moreover, cases with heterogeneous and anthropomorphic breast phantoms were also addressed. The results simulated with the un-normalized cross sections are in better overall agreement with the TG-195 data than those from the renormalized cross sections; for MGD the largest discrepancies are 0.13(6)% and 0.74(5)%, respectively. The MGD, K air and DgN values simulated with the two databases show differences that diminish from approximately 10%/3%/6.8% at 8.25 keV down to 1.5%/1.7%/0.4% at 48.75 keV, respectively. For polyenergetic spectra, deviations up to 2.5% were observed. The disagreement between the GDDs simulated with the analyzed databases increases with depth, ranging from −1% near the breast entrance to 4% near the bottom. Thus, the choice of photoelectric cross section database affects the MC simulation results of breast dosimetry and adds a non-negligible systematic uncertainty to the dosimetric quantities used in mammography.
The role of antimicrobial peptides in the evolution of endosymbiotic protein import

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an ancient mechanism for antagonizing microbial opponents, being generated by eukaryotes, eubacteria, and archaea alike [1,2]. Given the dearth in new antibiotics, there has been increasing interest in AMPs. As our understanding has grown, a tantalizing possibility has taken shape: Might these agents of competition be at the heart of the cooperative success story that gave rise to mitochondria and chloroplasts? Striking similarities suggest that the system of protein import into these endosymbiotic organelles may derive from an interplay of AMP attack and defense [3].
Cannabidiol modulation of hippocampal glutamate in early psychosis

Background: Emerging evidence supports the antipsychotic effect of cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating component of cannabis, in people with psychosis. Preclinical findings suggest that this antipsychotic effect may be related to cannabidiol modulating glutamatergic signalling in the brain. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cannabidiol on the neurochemical mechanisms underlying psychosis. Methods: We investigated the effects of a single oral dose of cannabidiol (600 mg) in patients with psychosis, using a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, repeated-measures, within-subject cross-over design. After drug administration, 13 patients were scanned using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure left hippocampal glutamate levels. Symptom severity was rated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale 60 min before drug administration (pre-scan), and 270 min after drug administration (post-scan). Effects of cannabidiol on hippocampal glutamate levels, symptom severity, and correlations between hippocampal glutamate and symptoms were investigated. Results: Compared to placebo, there was a significant increase in hippocampal glutamate (p=0.035), and a significantly greater decrease in symptom severity (p=0.032) in the psychosis patients under cannabidiol treatment. There was also a significant negative relationship between post-treatment total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score and hippocampal glutamate (p=0.047), when baseline Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score, treatment (cannabidiol vs placebo), and interaction between treatment and glutamate levels were controlled for. Conclusions: These findings may suggest a link between the increase in glutamate levels and concomitant decrease in symptom severity under cannabidiol treatment observed in psychosis patients. Furthermore, the findings provide novel insight into the potential neurochemical mechanisms underlying the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol.