Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expressão do gene Blmh e caracterização dos polimorfismos dos genes Blmh e apolipoproteína e em pacientes com a Doença de Alzheimer

A Doenca de Alzheimer (DA) e definida como uma afeccao neurodegenerativa irreversivel e progressiva, de inicio insidioso caracterizada principalmente pela diminuicao da cognicao, perda de memoria e confusao mental. O alelo E4 do gene da apolipoproteina E (APOE) tem sido associado a DA e e considerado o principal fator de risco genetico para doenca, e o gene BLMH e tem sido citado como possivel gene envolvido na DA. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar as frequencias genotipicas do gene APOE e do polimorfismo do gene BLMH 1450G>A e, alem da expressao do gene BLMH, por meio, respectivamente, das tecnicas de PCR RFLP e RT-qPCR em amostras de sangue de tres grupos: paciente com Doenca de Alzheimer, controle idoso e controle jovem; correlacionando os achados referentes aos genes da APOE e BLMH entre os grupos pesquisados. Os resultados encontrados indicam um diferenca estatistica significante da expressao relativa do gene BLMH quando comparados os tres grupos estudados (p=0,015) ja que ocorreu uma reducao da expressao conforme o envelhecimento; e as frequencias genotipicas do APOE e do BLMH mantiveram o quilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg (p=NS) com uma maior frequencia do genotipo 3/3 (61,1%) e no grupo DA uma maior frequencia do lelo 4, porem essas frequencias nao foram estatisticamente significantes. Em suma, o presente estudo encontrou uma significância estatistica sobre a expressao BLMH relacionada com a sua diminuicao quando comparados todos os grupos. Estes resultados podem corroborar com outros estudos e ajudar a determinar novos resultados sobre a AD.
Properties and Reactivities of Niclosamide in Different Media, a Potential Antiviral to Treatment of COVID-19 by Using DFT Calculations and Molecular Docking

In this work, the structural, electronic, topological and vibrational properties of potential antiviral to treatment of COVID-19, niclosamide (NCL) have been studied in different media together with its reactivities by combination of DFT calculations with molecular docking. Properties of two most stable conformers of niclosamide (C1 and C2) were reported in gas phase and water, ethanol and chloroform solvents. Calculations using the integral equation formalism variant polarised continuum (IEFPCM) and solvation methods in the different solutions have revealed solvation energy values for C1 and C2 in aqueous solution (GC= -78.43 and -64.53 kJ/mol, respectively) comparable with that observed for the antiviral agent zalcitabine (-78.92 kJ/mol). Probably, the high stability of C1, predicted by NBO studies, explains the experimental existence of C1 in the solid phase. Comparisons of frontier orbitals with eleven antiviral agents have evidenced the high reactivity of C2 slightly higher than brincidofovir, an antiviral agent used in the treatment to ebola disease. Possibly, the presence of deactivating groups (NO2 and Cl) in the chloro-4-nitrophenyl and hydroxybenzamide rings of both forms of NCL could explain the higher reactivities predicted in the different media. Here, the harmonic force fields and force constants for both forms are reported together with the assignments of 80 vibration modes expected in the experimental infrared spectrum of NCL. The predicted UV-Vis spectra in the different solvents suggest the presence of both forms of NCL in solution. Molecular docking results were discussed basing on the type of interaction between the ligands and several amino acid residues.
Pacific Conservation Biology and Clarivate’s Web of Science

Databases of the research literature are critical tools for practi-tioners and academics working in conservation. They provide speedy, economical data retrieval relative to searching hard copy, thereby facilitating meta-analyses, literature reviews, staying abreast of new developments, and following collabo-ration networks. Databases are selective, though, so awareness of published literature is dependent on where it is indexed.
Factors affecting soil seed banks of riparian communities in an agricultural ecosystem: potential for conservation of native plant diversity

Questions Do agricultural land use and nitrogen enrichment have negative effects on riparian soil seed banks? What is the potential of the soil seed bank for the conservation and restoration of native riparian plant diversity? Are non-native dominant grass species affected by agriculture and do they affect species richness? Location South Nation River watershed (an agricultural watershed), Ontario, Canada. Methods We examined the riparian aboveground vegetation at 24 sites located across a large (~4000 km2) North American watershed and identified the corresponding soil seed bank composition from soil cores using the seedling emergence method. The aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank species compositions were compared in terms of species richness, percentage of non-native species and a floristic quality index. Factors affecting these descriptors of plants communities (concentration of in-stream nitrate and the percentages of surrounding natural habitat and annual crop land) were assessed. The effects of agriculture on two dominant non-native grasses species and their effects on species richness were also assessed. Results In total, 274 plant taxa were identified, including 181 taxa in the soil seed bank and 231 taxa in the vegetation. Overall species richness was high in both the soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation and was unaffected by measures of agricultural intensity (surrounding annual crop land and nitrogen enrichment). Aboveground vegetation species richness was strongly negatively affected by the widespread and dominant non-native grasses, Phalaris arundinacea and Bromus inermis, whereas soil seed bank species richness was unaffected. The community compositions of both the soil seed bank and vegetation were negatively affected by the loss of natural habitat and by nitrogen enrichment. In fact, an increase in the percentage of non-native species and a decrease in floristic quality were observed along a gradient of agricultural intensity. Conclusions Species richness of the soil seed bank demonstrated resilience to invasions by P. arundinacea and B. inermis and the soil seed bank showed good potential for conservation of taxonomic diversity. However, the loss of natural habitat and nitrogen enrichment had negative effects on the soil seed bank community composition that may lead to an eventual decline in aboveground species richness. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Distrust of the State and observance of the law among peasants in the San Nicolas Valley

Abstract In Colombia, political decisions related to the countryside preserve an unjust social order, maintaining inequities and obstacles to the well-being and life quality of farmers. In this scenario the Territorial Arrangement Planning of the San Nicolas Valley, in the East of the department of Antioquia, has generated a series of rural conflicts that accentuate the vulnerabilities of rural residents, threatening the agricultural tradition in this subregion. Thus, this study inquired about the perceptions of legality in the peasant population of the area. A descriptive-correlational study with non-probabilistic sampling was carried out, including 380 peasants, members of civic-rural associations of the San Nicolas Valley, evaluating in four scales: beliefs, values, knowledge of the law and perceived legality in the context. Statistical analyses were performed in SPSS v.22 software. The findings indicated significant relationships between the study variables. Despite the state abandonment of the proletariat to market forces in an area with socioeconomic imbalances, no determining link was found between low income and violation of the law.
Ichnodiversity and bathymetric range of microbioerosion traces in polar barnacles of Svalbard

This first comprehensive investigation of microbioerosion traces in polar barnacles addresses two bathymetrical transects from the intertidal down to subtidal water depths in two different carbonate factories in the Svalbard Archipelago: the bay Mosselbukta and the ocean bank Bjornoy-Banken. Scanning electron microscopy of epoxy resin casts of barnacle shells yielded 20 different microendolithic bioerosion traces, probably produced by cyanobacteria (three), chlorophytes (two), rhodophytes (one), sponges (one), foraminifera (three), fungi (nine) and bacteria (one). The lowest ichnodiversity in both locations was observed in the shallow euphotic zone and is likely a result of strong temperature fluctuations, extreme seasonality of light levels and episodic sea-ice cover. At 25–150 m water depth, the ichnodiversity remains relatively constant (9–13 ichnospecies), albeit with differing ichnospecies composition, generally dominated by borings from chlorophytes and fungi. Ichnotaxa at Mosselbukta and Bjornoy-Banken were similar in numbers but differed in abundance and slightly also in ichnospecies composition. Statistical tests indicate that water depth (affecting the availability of light) is the most significant driver for the development of different microbioerosion trace assemblages across the bathymetrical transects. In contrast, no significant differences in ichnodisparity were found, indicating a comparable suite of architectural designs of the micro-borings throughout bathymetry and location. The comparison of our results with literature data confirms a decrease in ichnodiversity from lower to higher latitudes, although targeted bioerosion analyses from other polar environments are needed to gain a more complete picture of the role of bioerosion in polar carbonate factories.
Dental Professionals Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards to COVID-19: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Dental professions are at high risk of contracting novel corona virus (COVID-19) infections during the dental procedure due to the droplets and aerosols generated during various dental procedures on infected patients. To prevent and avoid the cross-infection of the infection to dental professionals or the patients attending the dental clinic, good knowledge of the infection and its prevention mechanisms is mandatory among the professionals. Until to date, there is no pooled estimate on the knowledge,attitude and practice (KAP) of dental professionals to COVID-19 in the globe. Hence, this study aimed to determine the pooled estimate of KAP of dental professionals in this pandemic disease. Methods: Article search was done electronically using Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, SciELO and Google Scholar from June 1, 2020 to August 20, 2020. All studies that assessed the KAP of dental professionals to COVID-19 were searched and included in this review after passing the inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis of their knowledge (sign and symptom, mode of transmission and prevention mechanisms), attitude (their concern, intention to treat suspected patients) and practice (face mask usage, hand washing and alcohol based hand rub usage, handshaking practice, deferred procedures and checkup of patients temperature) was computed using RevMan 5.3 and random effect model was used. The presence of publication bias was assessed using the funnel plot. Results: Twelve articles with a total of 5,362 study participants were included in this study. The pooled estimate revealed that 59.91% of the dental professionals had good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Two-third of dental professionals know the prevention mechanisms of the infection, and 70.13% had enough knowledge of the transmission modalities of the infection. The professional attitude revealed that only 36.43% of the participants had intention to treat a patient with cough or suspected COVID-19 (36.43%, 95%CI: 8.57, 64.29). Moreover, 47.85% of the dentists were concerned about their life, and the fate of their profession due to this pandemic disease (47.85%, 95%CI: 26.74, 68.97). The pooled analysis showed only 50.86% (95%CI: 18.64, 83.09) of the study participants worn face mask and 52.63% (95%CI: 10.54, 94.71) had avoided handshaking practice during this pandemic period. Non-emergency dental procedures were canceled by 83.98%. Conclusion: The dental professional KAP is not optimal. Thus, dental professionals should be aware of the recently updated knowledge about COVID-19 and practice according to the standards of treatment guidelines, and the recommended infection control measures in dental settings. Moreover, as saliva and droplets are the major sources of infection, dentists should follow essential protocols to regulate droplet and aerosol contamination in the dental practice
The impact of gender and working hours on pulmonary physician burnout

Background Physician burnout has attracted an increasing amount of attention as a global public health problem. It is associated with negative clinical and organizational outcomes, including lower patient satisfaction, patient safety, and quality of care. The work of pulmonary physicians involves high levels of stress, putting them at higher risk of burnout. This study aimed to evaluate the personal and professional characteristics associated with burnout among pulmonary physicians. Methods Between March 2020 and May 2020, a survey to evaluate burnout and career satisfaction among pulmonary physicians was conducted in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. The survey collected information on physician characteristics, career satisfaction, and burnout. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the gold standard tool for measuring burnout, was used to measure burnout symptoms. Self-reported professional satisfaction in relation to career, specialty, and work–life balance was recorded. Results Of 130 pulmonary physicians contacted, 125 (96.1%) completed full-length surveys. Ninety-one (72.8%) of these 125 physicians were female. The survey participants had a median age of 40 years. Of the respondents, 48.8% had at least one symptom of burnout according to high emotional exhaustion (EE) score and/or high depersonalization (DP) score. Univariable analysis showed female gender, the number hours worked per week, the number of nights on call per month, and the number of calls per night shift to be factors associated with burnout. Gender and hours worked per week were independent factors associated with burnout in multivariate analysis. Conclusions The MBI was able to characterize burnout experienced by pulmonary physicians in our hospital. Gender and the number of hours worked per week were the significant factors independently associated with burnout among the physicians in our study.
An Experimental Method for Estimating Combined Friction Torque in Vane Type Pneumatic Semi Rotary Actuators

In this paper, an experimental method is proposed for estimation of friction torque in vane type pneumatic semi rotary actuators. The friction is modelled in the form of fully combined Stribeck model since this combined friction model provides good solutions for precise control applications. The study aims estimating static friction torque, Coulomb friction torque, Stribeck speed and viscous friction&damping coefficient which is included in fully combined Stribeck model for both counterclockwise and clockwise directions of the rotary actuator since these unknown parameters show differences when direction of motion is altered. For that purpose, an experimental setup is designed which includes pressure sensors for measuring the chamber pressures of actuator, analogue potentiometer for reading angular position as well as speed of vane and Arduino microcontroller card for data acquisition. A proper MATLAB Simulink block diagram is prepared for the simultaneous estimation of processed data from experimental data. Nonlinear curve fitting operation is applied and the unknown friction parameters are estimated on the fitted curve easily.
The Prevalence of Philosophical Assumptions Described in Mixed Methods Research in Education

Philosophical arguments are expected to provide the foundation of research and should be mentioned when reporting research. This study explores the presentation of philosophical assumptions in 1,026 mixed methods research (MMR) articles from the field of education. Eighty-one papers (7.9%) provided philosophical commitments, and 31 distinct stances were claimed. Philosophy was presented with different roles, including that philosophical stance can direct the decision to use mixed methods or result from that choice. This article contributes the field of MMR by highlighting an oversight in the reporting practices of the MMR community. Possible causes for the findings include weaknesses in research education and knowledge. Alternative models of the research process may be required to accurately match descriptions of research practice.
Efeito de stresse salino em sementes de Phaseolus vulgaris

Saline soils tend to impair germination and plant growth of various crops, resulting in agroeconomic problems. This study aimed to verify the physiological performance of common bean seeds submitted to salt stress. The research was conducted in the Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Animal Science, UNESP, Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil, in May 2014, using common bean cv. Perola seeds. The design was completely randomized, with six treatments (0; 1,309; 1,964; 2,620; 3,273 and 3,928 g NaCl L-1) and four replications. The observations were recorded for: % germination, number of abnormal seedlings, root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight of the roots, shoots and cotyledons, electrical conductivity and accelerated aging. The different levels of saline tested did not affect the germination parameters, number of abnormal seedlings and electrical conductivity. Consequently, for these parameters, the seeds of the cultivar Perola had good physiological performance. The root and shoot length parameters, were sensitive to higher salinity
NITRATE INDUCED TOXICITY ON SOME HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF CHARLES FOSTER RATS

Nitrate can cause multiple physiological effects if allowed to build up to high concentrations in animals. This work is concerned with the study of short term (14 days oral intoxication) nitrate exposure to male and female Charles foster rats that were divided into 4 groups. I st group was allowed free access to distilled water whereas II nd , III rd and IV th groups were provided with water possessing nitrate concentration 45 mgL -1 , 90 mgL -1 and 135 mgL -1 NO3 - respectively. Under these conditions the haematological parameters such as T-RBC count, Hct and Hb showed increasing trend while TLC and blood platelets showed decrease in response to the stress imposed. Certain variations were observed in differential leucocytes count. Nitrate contaminated water seems to have disturbed the physiology and metabolism of experimental mammals (rats).
Dna Double Strand Breaks Suppress Expression Of The Rag Recombinase: Mechanisms And Consequences

Developing B and T lymphocytes must rearrange the genomic sequence of antigen receptor genes by V(D)J recombination. The lymphocyte-specific endonuclease RAG, composed of Rag1 and Rag2, initiates this process by cleaving specific sites within antigen receptor loci. RAG expression must be carefully regulated to ensure that V(D)J recombination occurs only under appropriate circumstances. The Bassing laboratory has previously demonstrated that Igκ locus cleavage by RAG in pre-B cells initiates a feedback-inhibition signal suppressing RAG expression. Here, we show that DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) induced by a variety of genotoxic agents have a similar effect in suppressing mRNA expression of Rag1 and Rag2. This effect can be observed in pro-B cells, pre-B cells, and DN thymocytes, but is not found in DP thymocytes. Using primary pre-B cells as a model system, we show that DSBs activate ATM and Nemo to rapidly suppress transcription of Rag1 and Rag2. In pre-B cells, loss of Rag1 and Rag2 mRNA expression leads to loss of Rag1 protein, but Rag2 protein is more stable and persists in the absence of Rag2 mRNA. Suppression of Rag1 expression by DSBs is associated with suppressed RAG-mediated cleavage of the Igκ locus or an artificial recombination substrate in Abelson-transformed pre-B cells. However, simply over-expressing Rag1 does not allow cells to complete V(D)J recombination in the presence of DSBs, suggesting that other factors may also play a role in suppressing V(D)J recombination. Parallel studies indicate that that RAG-induced DSBs created during V(D)J recombination activate this suppressive signal to enforce allelic exclusion of IgH, TCRβ, and Igκ antigen receptor proteins. We discuss the importance of Rag1 and Rag2 suppression in the context of allelic exclusion and propose a role in maintaining genomic stability of developing B and T lymphocytes. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Immunology First Advisor Craig H. Bassing
Functional and Molecular Diversity of the Diatom Family Leptocylindraceae

The focus of this PhD project is the functional and molecular diversity of Leptocylindraceae diatom species, the study of which can lead to a better understanding of long standing questions regarding the ecology and evolution of phytoplankton. A wide range of tools, spanning from microscopical observations and physiological measurements to molecular techniques and high throughput sequencing, is utilized during this attempt. The genus Leptocylindrus has been chosen as the main target species due its worldwide and at the same time local importance in the Gulf of Naples and also because of the already extended study of the species in Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) towards the direction mentioned above. Leptocylindraceae are centric diatoms that occupy a basal position in the diatom phylogeny and are abundant in marine plankton worldwide. In the Gulf of Naples (GoN), five out of the six species are found; L. minimus is known to be absent from the Mediterranean environment. The family shows a morphological conservation but the seasonal patterns between the species differ considerably. Indeed, physiological experiments of two Leptocylindrus species that show contrasting seasonality confirmed their opposed preferences regarding temperature as well as a high intraspecific phenological variability. In addition, the analysis of transcriptomes acquired for the three temperatures of one of them (L. aporus) indicated the possibly important role of transposable elements in response to stress and diatom adaptation. Furthermore, the transcriptomes of all Leptocylindrus species were explored in order to detect basic intra- and interspecific similarities and/or differences. HTS sequencing data from the MareChiara station in GoN and from the Tara expedition in the world’s seas were analyzed in order to assess the actual diversity of this important diatom family. A significant level of intraspecific variability was detected while the distribution of species and populations at spatial and temporal scale supported the functional differences among them that account for their distinct seasonality and their adaptation to different environmental conditions.
Plant aquaporins: the origin of NIPs

Many of the aquaporin genes in Cyanobacteria belong to the AqpN-clade. This clade was also the cradle of plant NIPs (nodulin-26 like intrinsic proteins) whose members are transporters for glycerol and several hydroxylated metalloids. The superphylum of Archaeplastida acquired the primordial NIP-gene most likely from the cyanobacterium that, some 1500 million years ago, became the ancestor of all plastids.