Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cohort-Specific Peptide Reagents Broaden Depth and Breadth Estimates of the CD8 T Cell Response to HIV-1 Gag Potential T Cell Epitopes

An effective HIV vaccine will need to stimulate immune responses against the sequence diversity presented in circulating virus strains. In this study, we evaluate breadth and depth estimates of potential T-cell epitopes (PTEs) in transmitted founder virus sequence-derived cohort-specific peptide reagents against reagents representative of consensus and global sequences. CD8 T-cells from twenty-six HIV-1+ PBMC donor samples, obtained at 1-year post estimated date of infection, were evaluated. ELISpot assays compared responses to 15mer consensus (n = 121), multivalent-global (n = 320), and 10mer multivalent cohort-specific (n = 300) PTE peptides, all mapping to the Gag antigen. Responses to 38 consensus, 71 global, and 62 cohort-specific PTEs were confirmed, with sixty percent of common global and cohort-specific PTEs corresponding to consensus sequences. Both global and cohort-specific peptides exhibited broader epitope coverage compared to commonly used consensus reagents, with mean breadth estimates of 3.2 (global), 3.4 (cohort) and 2.2 (consensus) epitopes. Global or cohort peptides each identified unique epitope responses that would not be detected if these peptide pools were used alone. A peptide set designed around specific virologic and immunogenetic characteristics of a target cohort can expand the detection of CD8 T-cell responses to epitopes in circulating viruses, providing a novel way to better define the host response to HIV-1 with implications for vaccine development.
Application of Mobile-Based Games in The Rehabilitation of Stroke Survivors

Background Stroke, as a cerebral vascular accident, leads to brain injury which is characterized by interrupted blood flow. Indeed, impairments in the face, arms, and speech are usual symptoms of a stroke. A variety of disorders emerges after stroke, specific rehabilitation programs are used to restore the lost functions and improve the health status of the patient, mainly if they are applied early. In this study, we tried to present a comprehensive appraisal of recent findings and innovations in mobile games intended for the rehabilitation of stroke survivors. Methods Using keywords of interest including rehabilitation, stroke, mobile/computer, and application/game, a thorough search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Retrieved papers were scrutinized based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results Unfortunately, due to the limitations in the resources and facilities, early rehabilitation is not feasible in most cases. However, mobile technology is a promising avenue to address this hurdle, substantiating in the early rehabilitation practices in stroke patients. Mobile games hopefully brings a bunch of valuable outcomes and benefits, such as innovation, low-cost, and exciting approaches, both in clinical and home settings. Indeed, mobile devices save time, which could be spent to improve fine motor functions, leading to the acceleration of treatment for patients who are at home after discharge from hospitals. Conclusion Acceptable motor improvement, visual perception, cognition, quality of life, satisfaction, and preferences of the patients are essential factors that should be considered in the design of these applications. It was shown that conventional strategies combined with such modern computer-based technologies might have synergistic effects on restoring the lost skills in stroke patients.
Differential Expression of AP-2 Transcription Factors Family in Lung Adenocarcinoma and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma—A Bioinformatics Study

Members of the activator protein 2 (AP-2) transcription factor (TF) family are known to play a role in both physiological processes and cancer development. The family comprises five DNA-binding proteins encoded by the TFAP2A to TFAP2E genes. Numerous scientific reports describe differential expression of these TF and their genes in various types of cancer, identifying among them a potential oncogene or suppressor like TFAP2A or TFAP2C. Other reports suggest their influence on disease development and progression, as well as response to treatment. Not all members of this AP-2 family have been comprehensively studied thus far. The aim of the present article is to gather and discuss knowledge available in bioinformatics databases regarding all five members of this family and to differentiate them in relation to the two most common lung cancer subtypes: adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). In addition, to assess the difference in levels depending on a number of clinicopathological factors, the impact on patient survival and interactions with tumor-infiltrating immune cells. This article may help to identify the target for further original research that may contribute to the discovery of new diagnostic biomarkers and define the molecular differences between LUAD and LUSC, which may affect the therapy effectiveness improvement and longer survival.
Release Profiles of Carvacrol or Chlorhexidine of PLA/Graphene Nanoplatelets Membranes Prepared Using Electrospinning and Solution Blow Spinning: A Comparative Study

Nanofibrous membranes are often the core components used to produce devices for a controlled release and are frequently prepared by electrospinning (ES). However, ES requires high production times and costs and is not easy to scale. Recently, solution blow spinning (SBS) has been proposed as an alternative technique for the production of nanofibrous membranes. In this study, a comparison between these two techniques is proposed. Poly (lactic acid)-based nanofibrous membranes were produced by electrospinning (ES) and solution blow spinning (SBS) in order to evaluate the different effect of liquid (carvacrol, CRV) or solid (chlorhexidine, CHX) molecules addition on the morphology, structural properties, and release behavior. The outcomes revealed that both ES and SBS nanofibrous mat allowed for obtaining a controlled release up to 500 h. In detail, the lower wettability of the SBS system allowed for slowing down the CRV release kinetics, compared to the one obtained for ES membranes. On the contrary, with SBS, a faster CHX release can be obtained due to its more hydrophilic behavior. Further, the addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) led to a decrease in wettability and allowed for a slowing down of the release kinetics in the whole of the systems.
The Meteorological Model BOLAM at the National Observatory of Athens: Assessment of Two-Year Operational Use

Abstract Since November 1999, the hydrostatic meteorological Bologna Limited-Area Model (BOLAM) has been running operationally at the National Observatory of Athens. The assessment of the model forecast skill during the 2-yr period included (a) calculation of the root-mean-square errors (model vs gridded analyses) of geopotential height and temperature at 850 and 500 hPa, (b) evaluation of the model's quantitative precipitation forecast skill for the most important events, and (c) evaluation of the model skill in the prediction of surface winds in comparison with buoy observations. Comparison of the verification results with those provided in the literature showed that BOLAM has a high forecast skill, even for precipitation, which is the most difficult parameter to forecast. Especially for precipitation, the comparison between coarse (∼21 km) and fine (∼6.5 km) grid spacing forecasts showed that for the low and medium precipitation amounts, the finer-grid forecasts are not as good as the coarse-grid forec.
Creation and Analysis of a Respiratory Sensor Using the Screen-Printing Method and the Arduino Platform

The aim of this paper is to present novel highly sensitive and stretchable strain sensors using data analysis to report on human live parameters using the Arduino embedded system as a proof of concept in developing new and innovative solutions for health care. The article introduces the solution of textile sensor origination with electrical resistance measurement using the mobile Arduino microcontroller in the designed/elaborated textile printed sensor. The textile sensor was developed by the screen printing technique based on the water dispersion of carbon nanotubes during printing composition. By stretching and squeezing the T-shirt during breathing, the electrical resistances of the printed sensor were changed. The measured resistance corresponded to the number of breaths of the person wearing the T-shirt. The microcontroller calculated the number of breaths as a number of electrical resistance peaks, which then led to monitoring human live parameters.
Analysis of Modal Split of Intra-urban Trips in a Centenary City: A Case Study of Enugu, Nigeria

The mode choice of commuters is an important element in the formulation and design of transportation policy. It gives policymakers a better understanding of the dynamics of intra urban trips. However, most of the studies on the modal split of intra urban trips found in the literature focused on Europe, America, and Southeast Asia with little emphasis on Africa. The lacuna this trend creates motivates this study to present evidence from Nigeria using the centenary city of Enugu as a case study. This study is critical for knowledge production that drives explicit outline strategies for the development of a sustainable urban transportation system in Nigeria. Data on modal split and determinant factors were collected from primary source through the use of a questionnaire. Discriminant analysis was used to classify the modal split of intra urban trips in Enugu into two groups’ namely public and private transport. Although public transport modes are the most used for intra urban trips, the mode share indicates that private transport mode (car) is the most used single mode for intra urban trips. More than three-quarters of commuters that use private transport for intra urban trips prefer the mode, whereas a little less than one-fifth of commuters will switch to public transport modes. On the other hand, most of the commuters that use public transport for intra urban trips prefer the modes and very few others will switch to private transport. Car ownership has the strongest influence on the modal split. The study identifies the need for policy interventions that reflects better understating of the dynamics of intra urban trips.
Associations between Autonomic Function and Cognitive Performance among Patients with Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Data linking heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive status remains controversial and scarce, particularly in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) patients. Whether the association between HRV and cognitive performance exists in CSVD patients is unclear. Hence, we aimed to investigate the association between HRV and cognitive performance in patients with CSVD. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 117 CSVD patients. All patients underwent HRV assessment and global cognitive evaluation by the Mini-Mental-State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate the association between HRV and cognitive status. The mean age of study population was 59.5 ± 11.8 years and 39.3% were female. After adjusting for confounding factors, a higher high frequency (HF) norm was independently associated with better MMSE scores (β = 0.051; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.012~0.090; p = 0.011) and MoCA scores (β = 0.061; 95% CI: 0.017~0.105; p = 0.007), while a higher low frequency (LF)/HF ratio was independently associated with worse MMSE scores (β = −0.492; 95% CI: −0.893~−0.092; p = 0.017) and MoCA scores (β = −0.691; 95% CI: −1.134~−0.248; p = 0.003). The HF norm was positively associated with global cognitive performance, whereas the LF/HF ratio was negatively associated with global cognitive performance among CSVD patients. Further study of the relationship between autonomic function and cognitive performance is warranted.
Vadose Zone Soil Flushing for Chromium Remediation: A Laboratory Investigation to Support Field‐scale Application

Cr(VI) flushing from the vadose zone to the groundwater (with subsequent Cr(VI) removal in groundwater by pump‐and‐treat system) is a promising remedial technique that has recently been used at field scale. This laboratory study was conducted to provide the technical basis to design a field soil flushing strategy. The objectives were to (1) quantify the relationship between sediment Cr(VI) and Cr(III) mass and release rates and subsequent Cr(VI) leaching; (2) investigate different methodologies to maximize Cr(VI) leaching, and (3) investigate methods to minimize leaching of remaining residual Cr. Characterization of Cr‐contaminated sediments (Hanford Site, WA) exhibited Cr(VI) showed that leach rates that were correlated to different Cr surface phases. Sediments with low leachable Cr(VI) (<2 μg/g) leached Cr rapidly, so slow infiltration of water in a single pulse was sufficient to leach most Cr. In contrast, sediments with high Cr (2 to 200 μg/g) released some Cr(VI) quickly but 10 to 50% Cr(VI) slowly (tens to hundreds of hours). Efficient unsaturated leaching of these sediments required a different infiltration strategy that includes: multiple slow leach pulses with time between flushing cycles; the use of a surfactant to increase Cr leaching from low‐permeability zones, and the use of a reductant (Na‐dithionite or Ca‐polysulfide) in the final leach water was highly effective at decreasing residual Cr leaching. This study clearly demonstrated that the methodology of basing laboratory Cr flushing on parameters such as Cr release mass and rates could be used to improve the efficiency of soil flushing at field scale.
CREB Is Activated by the SCF/KIT Axis in a Partially ERK-Dependent Manner and Orchestrates Survival and the Induction of Immediate Early Genes in Human Skin Mast Cells

cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) functions as a prototypical stimulus-inducible transcription factor (TF) that initiates multiple cellular changes in response to activation. Despite pronounced expression in mast cells (MCs), CREB function is surprisingly ill-defined in the lineage. Skin MCs (skMCs) are critical effector cells in acute allergic and pseudo-allergic settings, and they contribute to various chronic dermatoses such as urticaria, atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, psoriasis, prurigo, rosacea and others. Using MCs of skin origin, we demonstrate herein that CREB is rapidly phosphorylated on serine-133 upon SCF-mediated KIT dimerization. Phosphorylation initiated by the SCF/KIT axis required intrinsic KIT kinase activity and partially depended on ERK1/2, but not on other kinases such as p38, JNK, PI3K or PKA. CREB was constitutively nuclear, where phosphorylation occurred. Interestingly, ERK did not translocate to the nucleus upon SCF activation of skMCs, but a fraction was present in the nucleus at baseline, and phosphorylation was prompted in the cytoplasm and nucleus in situ. CREB was required for SCF-facilitated survival, as demonstrated with the CREB-selective inhibitor 666-15. Knock-down of CREB by RNA interference duplicated CREB’s anti-apoptotic function. On comparison with other modules (PI3K, p38 and MEK/ERK), CREB was equal or more potent at survival promotion. SCF efficiently induces immediate early genes (IEGs) in skMCs (FOS, JUNB and NR4A2). We now demonstrate that CREB is an essential partaker in this induction. Collectively, the ancient TF CREB is a crucial component of skMCs, where it operates as an effector of the SCF/KIT axis, orchestrating IEG induction and lifespan.
Evolution of Spatial and Temporal cis-Regulatory Divergence in Sticklebacks

Abstract Cis-regulatory changes are thought to play a major role in adaptation. Threespine sticklebacks have repeatedly colonized freshwater habitats in the Northern Hemisphere, where they have evolved a suite of phenotypes that distinguish them from marine populations, including changes in physiology, behavior, and morphology. To understand the role of gene regulatory evolution in adaptive divergence, here we investigate cis-regulatory changes in gene expression between marine and freshwater ecotypes through allele-specific expression (ASE) in F1 hybrids. Surveying seven ecologically relevant tissues, including three sampled across two developmental stages, we identified cis-regulatory divergence affecting a third of genes, nearly half of which were tissue-specific. Next, we compared allele-specific expression in dental tissues at two timepoints to characterize cis-regulatory changes during development between marine and freshwater fish. Applying a genome-wide test for selection on cis-regulatory changes, we find evidence for lineage-specific selection on several processes between ecotypes, including the Wnt signaling pathway in dental tissues. Finally, we show that genes with ASE, particularly those that are tissue-specific, are strongly enriched in genomic regions of repeated marine-freshwater divergence, supporting an important role for these cis-regulatory differences in parallel adaptive evolution of sticklebacks to freshwater habitats. Altogether, our results provide insight into the cis-regulatory landscape of divergence between stickleback ecotypes across tissues and during development, and support a fundamental role for tissue-specific cis-regulatory changes in rapid adaptation to new environments.
Quasi-Biweekly Oscillation of the Convection around Sumatra and Low-Level Tropical Circulation in Boreal Spring

Abstract The quasi-biweekly oscillation (QBWO) of the tropical convection around Sumatra and its relation to the low-level circulation over the tropical Indian Ocean in boreal spring is investigated. From March to May, the convection over northern Sumatra increases continuously and oscillates with a pronounced period of 10–20 days. Time-lag cross correlations among the QBWOs of the convection, the apparent heat source, and winds in the lower troposphere reveal a possible mechanism of QBWO maintenance. In the strongest phase of the QBWO of the convection around Sumatra, there is an anomalous convective heating symmetric about the equator. The atmospheric Rossby wave response to the heating produces twin cyclones straddling the equator in the west of the convection area. The development of the twin cyclones induces an anomalous southerly north of the equator and a northerly south of the equator at 850 hPa, giving rise to the divergence of the low-level wind field, which weakens the convection around Sumatra.
Developing and Disseminating a New Historical Geospatial Database from Kitchener's 19th Century Map of Cyprus

Extraction and dissemination of historical geospatial data from early maps are major goals of historical geographic information systems (HGISs) in the context of the spatial humanities. This paper illustrates the process of interpreting, georeferencing, organizing, and visualizing the content of a historical map of Cyprus in the context of GISs and highlights the development of a national-scale spatial database of the island in the 19th century. This method was applied to Lord Kitchener’s historical map of Cyprus (published in 1885), which is considered the product of the first scientific topographic survey of Cyprus, is rich in geographic information about the area, and covers the entire island at a scale of 1:63,360. Previous attempts to create historical geodatabases have either focused on small areas or, when conducted on a national scale, have been thematically focused. The positional accuracy of the map was found to be 1.08 mm in map units, which was equivalent to 68.76 m on the ground. Accordingly, the main categories of geographic content (land cover, administrative units, settlements, transportation/communication networks, stream networks/water bodies, points of interest, annotations) were digitized from the georeferenced historical map. The Web-based application developed in this study supported the visualization of the historical geographic content of the map and its comparison with modern basemaps. The creation of the geodatabase presented in the study provides a template for similar studies and a basis for further development of the historical geodatabase of Cyprus.
Formulation of novel niosomal repaglinide chewable tablets using coprocessed excipients: in vitro characterization, optimization and enhanced hypoglycemic activity in rats

Abstract Repaglinide (RPG), a monotherapy insulin secretagogue used to treat diabetes mellitus-type II yet, it suffers from poor water solubility and variable bioavailability (∼ 50%) due to hepatic first pass metabolism. In this study, 2FI I-Optimal statistical design was employed to encapsulate RPG into niosomal formulations using cholesterol,span 60 and peceolTM. The optimized niosomal formulation (ONF) showed particle size 306.60 ± 84.00 nm, zeta potential −38.60 ± 1.20 mV, polydispersity index 0.48 ± 0.05 and entrapment efficiency 92.00 ± 2.60%. ONF showed > 65% RPG release that lasted for 3.5 h, and significantly higher sustained release compared to Novonorm® tablets after 6 h (p < 0.0001). TEM for ONF showed spherical vesicles with dark core and light-colored lipid bilayer membrane. RPG peaks disappeared in FTIR confirming successful RPG entrapment. To eliminate dysphagia associating conventional oral tablets, chewable tablets loaded with ONF were prepared using coprocessed excipients; Pharmaburst® 500, F-melt® and Prosolv® ODT. Tablets showed friability <1%, hardness 3.9 ± 0.423-4.7 ± 0.410 Kg, thickness 4.1 ± 0.045-4.4 ± 0.017 mm and acceptable weight.All tablets showed robust RPG release at 30 min compared to Novonorm® tablets. At 6h, chewable tablets containing only Pharmaburst® 500 and F-melt® showed sustained and significantly increased RPG release compared to Novonorm® tablets (p < 0.05). Pharmaburst® 500 and F-melt® tablets showed rapid in vivo hypoglycemic effect with 5 and 3.5 fold significant reduction in blood glucose compared to Novonorm® tablets (p < 0.05) at 30 min. Also, at 6h the same tablets showed 1.5 and 1.3 fold significant extended reduction in blood glucose compared to the same market product (p < 0.05). It could be concluded that chewable tablets loaded with RPG ONF represent promising novel oral drug delivery systems for diabetic patients suffering from dysphagia.
The Relationship between a Growth Mindset and Junior High School Students’ Meaning in Life: A Serial Mediation Model

A growth mindset is an individual’s belief that human intelligence can be changed through continuous practice and effort. The meaning in life signifies that individuals understand or see the meaning of their own life and are aware of their own goals and the values of their own life. Previous studies have shown that a growth mindset positively promotes individual emotional health and life happiness, but its relationship with meaning in life needs to be clarified. In this study, taking the self-determination theory and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions as a basis, we constructed a serial mediation effect model to test the mechanism of psychological capital and core self-evaluation in the relationship between a growth mindset and the meaning in life. A total of 565 students from Chinese junior middle schools participated in this study. The growth mindset, meaning in life, psychological capital, and core self-evaluation scales were used to collect the data for the study. The results indicated the following: (1) meaning in life was significantly predicted by growth mindset (β = 0.181, p < 0.001); (2) psychological capital and core self-evaluations played a mediating role in the influence of growth mindset on junior high school students’ meaning in life. The mediating role includes three mediating paths: the individual mediating effects of psychological capital, the individual mediating effects of core self-evaluations, the serial mediating effects of psychological capital and core self-evaluations. The results of this study confirm the benefits of a growth mindset, as well as the potential mechanism by which they impact meaning in life, which positively impacts junior high school students meaning in life.