Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Graphene Oxide and Reduced Derivatives, as Powder or Film Scaffolds, Differentially Promote Dopaminergic Neuron Differentiation and Survival

Emerging scaffold structures made of carbon nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide (GO) have shown efficient bioconjugation with common biomolecules. Previous studies described that GO promotes the differentiation of neural stem cells and may be useful for neural regeneration. In this study, we examined the capacity of GO, full reduced (FRGO), and partially reduced (PRGO) powder and film to support survival, proliferation, differentiation, maturation, and bioenergetic function of a dopaminergic (DA) cell line derived from the mouse substantia nigra (SN4741). Our results show that the morphology of the film and the species of graphene (GO, PRGO, or FRGO) influences the behavior and function of these neurons. In general, we found better biocompatibility of the film species than that of the powder. Analysis of cell viability and cytotoxicity showed good cell survival, a lack of cell death in all GO forms and its derivatives, a decreased proliferation, and increased differentiation over time. Neuronal maturation of SN4741 in all GO forms, and its derivatives were assessed by increased protein levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT), the glutamate inward rectifying potassium channel 2 (GIRK2), and of synaptic proteins, such as synaptobrevin and synaptophysin. Notably, PRGO-film increased the levels of Tuj1 and the expression of transcription factors specific for midbrain DA neurons, such as Pitx3, Lmx1a, and Lmx1b. Bioenergetics and mitochondrial dysfunction were evaluated by measuring oxygen consumption modified by distinct GO species and were different between powder and film for the same GO species. Our results indicate that PRGO-film was the best GO species at maintaining mitochondrial function compared to control. Finally, different GO forms, and particularly PRGO-film was also found to prevent the loss of DA cells and the decrease of the α-synuclein (α-syn) in a molecular environment where oxidative stress has been induced to model Parkinson's disease. In conclusion, PRGO-film is the most efficient graphene species at promoting DA differentiation and preventing DA cell loss, thus becoming a suitable scaffold to test new drugs or develop constructs for Parkinson's disease cell replacement therapy.
En Route to a Chiral Melanin: The Dynamic “From-Imprinted-to-Template” Supramolecular Role of Porphyrin Hetero-Aggregates During the Oxidative Polymerization of L-DOPA

Chiral porphyrin hetero-aggregates, produced from meso-tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl) porphyrin H2T4 and copper(II) meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin CuTPPS by an imprinting effect in the presence of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), are shown herein to serve as templates for the generation of chiral structures during the oxidative conversion of the amino acid to melanin. This remarkable phenomenon is suggested to involve the initial role of L-DOPA and related chiral intermediates like dopachrome as templates for the production of chiral porphyrin aggregates. When the entire chiral pool from DOPA is lost, chiral porphyrin hetero-aggregate would elicit axially chiral oligomer formation from 5,6-dihydroxyindole intermediates in the later stages of melanin synthesis. These results, if corroborated by further studies, may open unprecedented perspectives for efficient strategies of asymmetric melanin synthesis with potential biological and technological applications.
Sex Influence on Heart Failure Prognosis

Heart failure (HF) affects 1–2% of the population in developed countries and ~50% of patients living with it are women. Compared to men, women are more likely to be older and suffer hypertension, valvular heart disease, and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Since the number of women included in prospective HF studies has been low, much information regarding HF in women has been inferred from clinical trials observations in men and data obtained from registries. Several relevant sex-related differences in HF patients have been described, including biological mechanisms, age, etiology, precipitating factors, comorbidities, left ventricular ejection fraction, treatment effects, and prognosis. Women have greater clinical severity of HF, with more symptoms and worse functional class. However, females with HF have better prognosis compared to males. This survival advantage is particularly impressive given that women are less likely to receive guideline-proven therapies for HF than men. The reasons for this better prognosis are unknown but prior pregnancies may play a role. In this review article we aim to describe sex-related differences in HF and how these differences might explain why women with HF can expect to survive longer than men.
Diagnosis of peri-implantitis in the absence of baseline data: a diagnostic accuracy study.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of clinical and radiographic evaluations made at a single time point during follow-up in identifying (i) a history of peri-implant bone loss and (ii) the presence of peri-implantitis. MATERIAL & METHODS 427 patients provided with implant-supported reconstructions 9 years earlier were evaluated clinically by Probing Pocket Depth, Bleeding or Suppuration on Probing (PPD, BoP & SoP) and radiographically. Bone levels were assessed relative to the most coronal point of the intra-osseous part of the implant. A history of bone loss and diagnosis of peri-implantitis was confirmed through baseline documentation (direct evidence). Diagnostic accuracy of radiographic bone levels at 9 years and clinical findings (indirect evidence/secondary case definition) in identifying a history of bone loss and peri-implantitis were evaluated through correlation and multi-level regression analyses as well as Receiver Operating Characteristic curves. Results were expressed as sensitivity/specificity and area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS Bone levels observed at 9 years were highly accurate in identifying pronounced bone loss (>2 mm; AUC=0.96; 95%CI 0.95-0.98). In the absence of baseline documentation, a secondary case definition based on the presence of BoP/SoP & bone level ≥1 mm (indirect evidence) provided the overall best diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.80; 95%CI 0.77-0.82) in identifying peri-implantitis cases (direct evidence: BoP/SoP & bone loss >0.5 mm). Moderate/severe peri-implantitis (BoP/SoP & bone loss >2 mm) was most accurately identified by the combination of BoP/SoP & bone level ≥2 mm (AUC=0.93; 95%CI 0.91-0.96). Sensitivity of the secondary case definition suggested by the 2017 World Workshop of Periodontology (WWP) (BoP/SoP ≥1 site & bone level ≥3 mm & PPD ≥6 mm) was low. CONCLUSIONS The present results underline the importance of baseline documentation for the correct diagnosis of peri-implantitis, especially in its early/incipient forms. The secondary case definition of peri-implantitis suggested at the 2017 WWP demonstrated a high level of specificity but low sensitivity. Moderate/severe peri-implantitis was most accurately identified by the combination of BoP/SoP & bone level ≥2 mm.
Physical Activity and Well-Being of High Ability Students and Community Samples During the COVID-19 Health Alert

The health alert caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown have caused significant changes in people’s lives. Therefore, it has been essential to study the quality of life, especially in vulnerable populations, including children and adolescents. In this work, the psychological well-being, distribution of tasks and routines, as well as the physical activity done by children and adolescents from two samples: community and high abilities, have been analyzed. The methodology used was Mixed Method Research, through a survey conducted online through social networks. The informants were the parents of the children and adolescents, 209 in the community sample and 116 in the high ability sample. The instrument used was a questionnaire implemented through Google Forms, with open and closed questions, including the Kidscreen-27 scale to measure well-being. The assessment of the adequacy of the physical activity levels was analyzed through ALCESTE. The results showed the absence of differences between students from community samples and those with high capacities in well-being and physical activity. Parents residing in Spain observed less play time in the high ability sample, and more time spent on homework, whether or not they have a diagnosis of high ability. It is concluded that these results question the misconceptions held about high ability students in terms of poorer personal adjustment and better interest in physical activities.
Effects of Nutrient Fertility on Growth and Alkaloidal Content in Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom)

Leaves harvested from the Southeast Asian tree Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) have a history of use as a traditional ethnobotanical source of medicine to combat fatigue, improve work productivity, and to reduce opioid-related withdrawal symptoms. Kratom leaves contain an array of alkaloids thought to be responsible for the bioactivity reported by users. Interest in the consumptive effects of kratom has led to its recent popularity and use in North America, Western Europe, and Australia. Although the chemistry and pharmacology of select kratom alkaloids are understood, studies have not examined the influence of production environment on growth and alkaloidal content. To directly address this need, 68 kratom trees were vegetatively propagated from a single mother stock to reduce genetic variability and subjected to four varying fertilizer application rates. Leaves were analyzed for chlorophyll concentration, biomass, and alkaloidal content to understand the physiological response of the plant. While increasing rates of fertilizer promoted greater plant growth, relationships with alkaloidal content within leaves were highly variable. Fertility rate had little influence on the concentration of mitragynine, paynantheine, speciociliatine, mitraphylline, and corynoxine per leaf dry mass. 7-Hydroxymitragynine was below the lower limit of quantification in all the analyzed leaf samples. Low to medium rates of fertilizer, however, maximized concentrations of speciogynine, corynantheidine, and isocorynantheidine per leaf dry mass, suggesting a promotion of nitrogen allocation for secondary metabolism occurred for these select alkaloids. Strong correlations (r2 = 0.86) between extracted leaf chlorophyll and rapid, non-destructive chlorophyll evaluation (SPAD) response allowed for development of a reliable linear model that can be used to diagnose nutrient deficiencies and allow for timely adjustment of fertilization programs to more accurately manage kratom cultivation efforts. Results from this study provide a greater understanding of the concentration and synthesis of nine bioactive alkaloids in fresh kratom leaves and provide foundational information for kratom cultivation and production.
Relationship Between Type 2 Diabetes and White Matter Hyperintensity: A Systematic Review

White matter (WM) disease is recognized as an important cause of cognitive decline and dementia. White matter lesions (WMLs) appear as white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brain. Previous studies have shown that type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with WMH. In this review, we reviewed the literature on the relationship between T2DM and WMH in PubMed and Cochrane over the past five years and explored the possible links among the presence of T2DM, the course or complications of diabetes, and WMH. We found that: (1) Both from a macro- and micro-scopic point of view, most studies support the relationship of a larger WMH and a decrease in the integrity of WMH in T2DM; (2) From the relationship between brain structural changes and cognition in T2DM, the poor performance in memory, attention, and executive function tests associated with abnormal brain structure is consistent; (3) Diabetic microangiopathy or peripheral neuropathy may be associated with WMH, suggesting that the brain may be a target organ for T2DM microangiopathy; (4) Laboratory markers such as insulin resistance and fasting insulin levels were significantly associated with WMH. High HbA1c and high glucose variability were associated with WMH but not glycemic control.
Identification and Functional Assessment of the First Placental Adhesin of Treponema pallidum That May Play Critical Role in Congenital Syphilis

Syphilis is a global, re-emerging sexually transmitted infection and congenital syphilis remains a major cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes due to bacterial infection in developing nations with a high rate of fetus loss. The molecular mechanisms involved in pathogenesis of the causative agent, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum remain poorly understood due to the difficulties of working with this pathogen, including the inability to grow it in pure culture. To reduce the spread of syphilis, we must first increase our knowledge of the virulence factors of T. pallidum and their contribution to syphilis manifestations. Tp0954 was predicted to be a surface lipoprotein of T. pallidum. Therefore, we experimentally demonstrated that Tp0954 is indeed a surface protein and further investigated its role in mediating bacterial attachment to various mammalian host cells. We found that expression of Tp0954 in a poorly adherent, but physiologically related derivative strain of the Lyme disease causing spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi B314 strain promotes its binding to epithelial as well as non-epithelial cells including glioma and placental cell lines. We also found that Tp0954 expression facilitates binding of this strain to purified dermatan sulfate and heparin, and also that bacterial binding to mammalian cell lines is mediated by the presence of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate in the extracellular matrix of the specific cell lines. These results suggest that Tp0954 may be involved not only in initiating T. pallidum infection by colonizing skin epithelium, but it may also contribute to disseminated infection and colonization of distal tissues. Significantly, we found that Tp0954 promotes binding to the human placental choriocarcinoma BeWo cell line, which is of trophoblastic endocrine cell type, as well as human placental tissue sections, suggesting its role in placental colonization and possible contribution to transplacental transmission of T. pallidum. Altogether, these novel findings offer an important step toward unraveling syphilis pathogenesis, including placental colonization and T. pallidum vertical transmission from mother to fetus during pregnancy.
Ice nucleation active bacteria and their potential role in precipitation

Certain bacteria that are commonly found on plants have the capacity to catalyze the freezing of supercooled water at temperatures as warm as −1 ◦ C. This is conferred by a protein in the outer membrane of the bacterial cell. Because of the abundance of these bacteria and the warm temperature at which they function as ice nuclei, they are considered to be among the most active of the naturally-occurring ice nuclei. As plant pathogens, antagonists of plant pathogens and as causal agents of frost damage, these bacteria have well- studied interactions with plants. Here we propose that these bacteria also play a role in atmospheric processes leading to rain, given that they are readily disseminated into the atmosphere and have been found in clouds at altitudes of several kilometers. That they participate in a sort of biological cycle of precipitation - whereby they are transported into clouds from plant canopies and incite rain thereby causing favorable conditions for their growth on plant surfaces - was proposed about 20 years ago. Today, sufficient evidence and meteorological tools have emerged to re-ignite interest in bioprecipitation and in the ways in which plants play a role as cloud seeders.
Economic and Behavioral Influencers of Vaccination and Antimicrobial Use

Despite vast improvements in global vaccination coverage during the last decade, there is a growing trend in vaccine hesitancy and/or refusal globally. This has implications for the acceptance and coverage of a potential vaccine against COVID-19. In the United States, the number of children exempt from vaccination for “philosophical belief-based” non-medical reasons increased in 12 of the 18 states that allowed this policy from 2009 to 2017 (1). Meanwhile, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, especially in young children, have led to increasing rates of drug resistance that threaten our ability to treat infectious diseases. Vaccine hesitancy and antibiotic overuse exist side-by-side in the same population of young children, and it is unclear why one modality (antibiotics) is universally seen as safe and effective, while the other (vaccines) is seen as potentially hazardous by some. In this review, we consider the drivers shaping the use of vaccines and antibiotics in the context of three factors: individual incentives, risk perceptions, and social norms and group dynamics. We illustrate how these factors contribute to the societal and individual costs of vaccine underuse and antimicrobial overuse. Ultimately, we seek to understand these factors that are at the nexus of infectious disease epidemiology and social science to inform policy-making.
Moderating Effect of the Situation of Return or Relocation on the Well-Being and Psychosocial Trauma of Young Victims of the Armed Conflict in Colombia

Colombia is the second country with the highest number of internally displaced persons. In the last 10 years, more than 400,000 young people carry, in their life experiences, the title of victims. The psychological and social circumstances that determine the lives of displaced young people in the world are not unknown. Fear, the poor resources for social adaptation available to them, and the possible reproduction of the cycle of violence, represent psychosocial risk factors in the young and displaced population. In this context, the Victims Law in Colombia stipulated various measures of repairment, including Relocation (the person or household victim of forced displacement decides to settle in some place, other than the one they were forced to leave) and Return (the person or the household victim of forced displacement decides to return to the place from which they were displaced, in order to settle indefinitely) provided the conditions of voluntariness, security, and dignity are present. A hypothesis that well-being will be better in the returnees was set, since they would strengthen the social support networks between neighbors and other victims in their old spaces of life. To test the hypothesis, the scales of Psychological Well-being, Social Well-being, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Psychosocial Trauma Scale were applied to young returnees (n = 129) and relocated (n = 259) in Colombia. The Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed to extract the general measure of well-being and psychosocial trauma followed by the comparison between the groups. Significance, power, and effect size indicators were obtained, and finally, the partial correlation between the groups was made in relation to psychosocial trauma and well-being. Results showed that returnees have greater well-being and clearer indicators (d = 0.365, 1-β = 0.996), with respect to that of relocated. In addition, the well-being of returnees has fewer trauma factors, who in turn are quasi-moderated by the situation of return or relocation.
Characterizing the Foreshock, Main Shock, and Aftershock Sequences of the Recent Major Earthquakes in Southern Alaska, 2016–2018

For each of three major M ≥ 7.0 earthquakes (i.e., the January 24, 2016, M7.1 earthquake 86 km E of Old Iliamna; the January 23, 2018, M7.9 earthquake 280 km SE of Kodiak; and the November 30, 2018, M7.1 earthquake 14 km NNW of Anchorage, Alaska), the study considers characterization of the foreshock and aftershock sequences in terms of their variations and scaling properties, including the behavior of the control parameter η of the unified scaling law for earthquakes (USLE), along with a detailed analysis of the surface wave records for reconstruction of the source in the approximation of the second moments of the stress glut tensor to obtain integral estimation of its length, orientation, and development over time. The three major earthquakes at 600 km around Anchorage are, in fact, very different due to apparent complexity of earthquake flow dynamics in the orogenic corner of the Pacific and North America plate boundary. The USLE generalizes the classic Gutenberg-Richter relationship taking into account the self-similar scaling of the empirical distribution of earthquake epicenters. The study confirms the existence of the long-term periods of regional stability of the USLE control parameter that are interrupted by mid- or even short-term bursts of activity associated with major catastrophic events.
The Effect of Emotion on Prosocial Tendency: The Moderating Effect of Epidemic Severity Under the Outbreak of COVID-19

During the outbreak of COVID-19, information on the epidemic inundated people’s lives and led to negative emotions (e.g., tension, anxiety, and fear) in many people. This study aims to explore the effect of various emotions on prosocial tendencies during the COVID-19 outbreak and the moderating effect of the severity of the epidemic. We explore these effects by conducting a text analysis of the content of posts by 387,730 Weibo users. The results show that the severity of the epidemic promotes prosocial tendencies; anger motivates prosocial tendencies significantly; and the severity of the epidemic moderates the effects of three emotions—anger, sadness, and surprise—on prosocial tendencies. These findings provide a reference for exploring the positive significance of major disasters.
Effective surface passivation of crystalline silicon using ultrathin Al2O3 films and Al2O3/SiNx stacks

We measure surface recombination velocities (SRVs) below 10 cm/s on p‐type crystalline silicon wafers passivated by atomic–layer–deposited (ALD) aluminium oxide (Al2O3) films of thickness ≥10 nm. For films thinner than 10 nm the SRV increases with decreasing Al2O3 thickness. For ultrathin Al2O3 layers of 3.6 nm we still attain a SRV < 22 cm/s on 1.5 Ω cm p‐Si and an exceptionally low SRV of 1.8 cm/s on high‐resistivity (200 Ω cm) p‐Si. Ultrathin Al2O3 films are particularly relevant for the implementation into solar cells, as the deposition rate of the ALD process is extremely low compared to the frequently used plasma‐enhanced chemical vapour deposition of silicon nitride (SiNx). Our experiments on silicon wafers passivated with stacks composed of ultrathin Al2O3 and SiNx show that a substantially improved thermal stability during high‐temperature firing at 830 °C is obtained for the Al2O3/SiNx stacks compared to the single‐layer Al2O3 passivation. Al2O3/SiNx stacks are hence ideally suited for the implementation into industrial‐type silicon solar cells where the metal contacts are made by screen‐printing and high‐temperature firing of metal pastes. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)