Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Prebiotics on Growth of the Selected Lactobacilli Culture Isolated from Dairy Products

Prebiotics beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of one or limited number of bacteria such as bifidobacteria, lactobacilli in the colon that can improve the host health. Inulin and gum acacia are the most commonly available prebiotics. The ability of lactobacilli cultures (i.e. Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei) to utilize inulin, gum acacia, honey and fructo-oligosaccharide @ 2% for different time intervals (6, 12 and 24 h) were tested. The growth rate of Lactobacillus acidophilus was found be higher in 2% honey than other isolates as well as prebiotics taken. Potential probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus isolated from curd were allowed to grow in selected prebiotics, i.e., honey at different concentrations (2.0, 3.0 and 4.0%) for a time period of 0–24 h. Lactobacillus acidophilus, could utilize all the concentrations of honey (2.0, 3.0, and 4.0%) with control (glucose, 1%) and exhibited maximum growth 4.5 x 107 at 6 h interval, 5.4 x 108 at 12 h time period and 6.3x109 after 24 h of incubation. At 2% honey concentration the growth rate is nearly similar to that of 3% honey. Whereas, at 4% honey the growth of probiotic bacteria decrease in comparison to that of 2 and 3%. When combining both lactobacilli cultures (potential probiotics) and a prebiotic in a single food product, the expected benefits are an improved survival during the passage of probiotic bacteria through the upper intestinal tract. Keywords: prebiotics, lactobacilli, host health
Hexobarbital Sleep Test for Predicting the Susceptibility or Resistance to Experimental Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Hexobarbital sleep test (HST) was performed in male Wistar rats (hexobarbital 60 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 days prior to stress exposure. Based on the duration of hexobarbital-induced sleep, rats were divided into two groups, animals with high intensity (fast metabolizers (FM), sleep duration <15 min) or low intensity of hexobarbital metabolism (slow metabolizers (SM), sleep duration ≥15 min). The SM and FM groups were then divided into two subgroups: unstressed and stressed groups. The stressed subgroups were exposed to predator scent stress for 10 days followed by 15 days of rest. SM and FM rats from the unstressed group exhibited different behavioral and endocrinological patterns. SM showed greater anxiety and higher corticosterone levels. In stressed animals, anxiety-like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) behavior was aggravated only in SM. Corticosterone levels in the stressed FM, PTSD-resistant rats, were lower than in unstressed SM. Thus, HST was able to predict the susceptibility or resistance to experimental PTSD, which was consistent with the changes in glucocorticoid metabolism.
Effect of Strain Variations on Lassa Virus Z Protein-Mediated Human RIG-I Inhibition

Mammarenaviruses include several known human pathogens, such as the prototypic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) that can cause neurological diseases and Lassa virus (LASV) that causes endemic hemorrhagic fever infection. LASV-infected patients show diverse clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic infection to hemorrhage, multi-organ failures and death, the mechanisms of which have not been well characterized. We have previously shown that the matrix protein Z of pathogenic arenaviruses, including LASV and LCMV, can strongly inhibit the ability of the innate immune protein RIG-I to suppress type I interferon (IFN-I) expression, which serves as a mechanism of viral immune evasion and virulence. Here, we show that Z proteins of diverse LASV isolates derived from rodents and humans have a high degree of sequence variations at their N- and C-terminal regions and produce variable degrees of inhibition of human RIG-I (hRIG-I) function in an established IFN-β promoter-driven luciferase (LUC) reporter assay. Additionally, we show that Z proteins of four known LCMV strains can also inhibit hRIG-I at variable degrees of efficiency. Collectively, our results confirm that Z proteins of pathogenic LASV and LCMV can inhibit hRIG-I and suggest that strain variations of the Z proteins can influence their efficiency to suppress host innate immunity that might contribute to viral virulence and disease heterogeneity.
Influence of the Maturity Stage on the Phytochemical Composition and the Antioxidant Activity of Four Andean Blackberry Cultivars (Rubus glaucus Benth) from Ecuador

Andean blackberries (Rubus glaucus Benth) are fruits rich in phytocomponents with high antioxidant activity. In this work, the changes in the total polyphenol content (TPC), the total flavonoid content (TFC), and the total anthocyanin content (TAC) of four blackberry varieties at three maturity stages (E1-25%, E2-50%, and E3-100%) were measured. The antioxidant activity (AA) was evaluated using the 2,2’azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazolin 6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. TPC and TFC content decreased with the increase in the maturity stage. The blackberry Brazos cultivar presented TPC values of 51.26, 38.16, and 31.59 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight (DW) at E1, E2, and E3, respectively. The TAC and soluble solids increased with the increase in the maturity stage of the fruits. The Andimora variety at E3 presented a high TPC content, and the Colombiana variety presented a high TFC content. The blackberry Colombiana cultivar presented TAC values of 1.40, 2.95, and 12.26 mg cy-3-glu/100g DW at E1, E2, and E3, respectively. The blackberry Colombiana cultivar presented a high AA value at 1278.63 µmol TE/g DW according to the ABTS method and 1284.55 µmol TE/g DW according to the FRAP method. The TPC and TFC showed a high correlation with the AA according to the ABTS and the FRAP methods. The Pearson correlation between the TFC and AA/ABTS has a value of r = 0.92. The TFC and AA/FRAP present a value of r = 0.94.
Antimicrobial efficacy of extracts from Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum. against human pathogenic bacteria and fungi.

The antimicrobial activity of three solvent extracts (ethanol, petroleum ether & chloroform) of three different plant parts of Alpinia purpurata (leaves, roots and rhizomes) was studied in vitro against six reference strains of bacteria and four pathogenic fungi using disc diffusion assay. Ethanolic extracts of rhizomes showed a wide spectrum of activity against all tested bacteria, but no notable activity against any fungi except Candida albicans. Highest inhibition zone of (14.4 ± 0.4 mm) was recorded for the ethanolic extracts of rhizomes against Enterobacter aerogens. Petroleum ether and chloroform extracts did not show any highlighting results. The antimicrobial potential of rhizomes of A. purpurata is well substantiated than any other parts tested.
Redox Status, Dose and Antioxidant Intake in Healthcare Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between blood redox status, dose and antioxidant dietary intake of different hospital staff groups exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation (LDIR) (Interventional Radiology and Cardiology, Radiation Oncology, and Nuclear Medicine) and non-exposed. Personal dose equivalent (from last year and cumulative), plasma antioxidant markers (total antioxidant capacity, extracellular superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio), oxidative stress markers (nitrites and nitrates, and lipid peroxidation) and dietary intake (antioxidant capacity using ORAC values) were collected and analyzed from 28 non-exposed healthcare workers and 42 healthcare workers exposed to LDIR. Hospital staff exposed to LDIR presented a redox imbalance in blood that seems to correlate with dose. Workers from the Nuclear Medicine Unit were the most affected group with the lowest value of plasma antioxidant response and the highest value of plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS (indicator of lipid peroxidation) of all four groups. Cumulative personal dose equivalent positively correlated with nitrites and negatively correlated with total antioxidant capacity in blood. The diet of healthcare workers from Nuclear Medicine Unit had higher ORAC values than the diet of non-exposed. Therefore, occupational exposure to LDIR, especially for the Nuclear Medicine Unit, seems to produce an imbalanced redox status in blood that would correlate with cumulative personal dose equivalent.
Finding a Jill for JAK: Assessing Past, Present, and Future JAK Inhibitor Combination Approaches in Myelofibrosis

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm hallmarked by the upregulation of the Janus kinase (JAK)—signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway with associated extramedullary hematopoiesis and a high burden of disease-related symptoms. While JAK inhibitor therapy is central to the management of MF, it is not without limitations. In an effort to improve treatment for MF patients, there have been significant efforts to identify combination strategies that build upon the substantial benefits of JAK inhibition. Early efforts to combine agents with additive therapeutic profiles have given way to rationally designed combinations hoping to demonstrate clinical synergism and modify the underlying disease. In this article, we review the preclinical basis and existing clinical data for JAK inhibitor combination strategies while highlighting emerging strategies of particular interest.
Herbaceous-Layer and Overstory Species in Clear-cut and Mature Central Appalachian Hardwood Forests

The current interest among resource managers in ecosystem management necessitates a better understanding of the response of plant species diversity to forest management practices. This study attempted to assess the effects of one forest management practice-clear-cutting-on plant biodiversity in a mid-Appalachian hardwood forest by comparing species composition and diversity between two young (a20 yr following clear- cutting) and two "mature" (>70 yr following selective cutting) watersheds. Sampling was confined to the herbaceous layer (vascular plants l 1 -m in height) and woody overstory (stems ? 2.5 cm diameter at 1.5-m height). The important tree species occurred on all watersheds, but the relative importance of these species varied greatly with stand age. Less shade-tolerant species, such as black cherry (Prunus serotina) and tulip poplar (Lirioden- dron tulipifera), are replaced by more-tolerant species, such as northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum), as the stand matures. Analysis of tree species richness per plot suggests that the competitive thinning process decreases species evenness as the stand develops. Important herb-layer species included stinging nettle (Laportea canadensis), violets (Viola spp.), seedlings of striped maple (A. pensylvanicum), and several fern species. In sharp contrast with the trees, these species appeared to vary little with stand age. Species diversity (H') did not vary with stand age for either the overstory or the herbaceous layer. Detrended correspondence analysis showed a significant correlation between species composition of the two strata for the mature watersheds, but not the young, clear-cut watersheds. Thus, we suggest a temporal shift in processes influencing species composition following disturbance from allogenic factors (e.g., soil characteristics) to au- togenic factors (e.g., stand characteristics), which lead to a linkage between forest strata later in succession. The degree to which forest management alters species composition in these central Appalachian forest ecosystems may be tied to the degree of alteration of the link between strata.
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Activity during a Brain Training Game Predicts Cognitive Improvements after Four Weeks’ Brain Training Game Intervention: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial †

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that brain activities using NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) at baseline during cognitive tasks (e.g., N-back task) can predict the cognitive benefits of a cognitive training. In this study, we investigated whether brain activities during brain training game (BT) at baseline would predict benefits to cognitive functions after the intervention period. Methods: In a four-week double-blinded randomized control trial (RCT) 72 young adults were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: participants in the BT group played specific game, called the Brain Age. Participants in an active control group (ACT) played the puzzle game Tetris. We measured brain activity during the training games using two channel NIRS before the intervention period. Cognitive functions were tested before and after the four-week intervention period. Results: The BT showed significant improvements in inhibition, processing speed, and working memory performance compared to ACT. The left and right DLPFC (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) brain activities during the BT at baseline were associated with improvements in inhibition and processing speed. Discussion: This randomized control trial first provides scientific evidence that DLPFC activities during BT at baseline can predict cognitive improvements after a four-week intervention period.
Language Experience Is Associated with Infants’ Visual Attention to Speakers

Early social-linguistic experience influences infants’ attention to faces but little is known about how infants attend to the faces of speakers engaging in conversation. Here, we examine how monolingual and bilingual infants attended to speakers during a conversation, and we tested for the possibility that infants’ visual attention may be modulated by familiarity with the language being spoken. We recorded eye movements in monolingual and bilingual 15-to-24-month-olds as they watched video clips of speakers using infant-directed speech while conversing in a familiar or unfamiliar language, with each other and to the infant. Overall, findings suggest that bilingual infants visually shift attention to a speaker prior to speech onset more when an unfamiliar, rather than a familiar, language is being spoken. However, this same effect was not found for monolingual infants. Thus, infants’ familiarity with the language being spoken, and perhaps their language experiences, may modulate infants’ visual attention to speakers.
The Subgenera of Percina (Percidae: Etheostomatini)

Conclusons based on a program of numerical taxonomy utilizing 45 characters measured in 32 species of darters resulted in the transfer of Percina crassa and P. roanoka from the subgenus Ericosma to Alvordius, the reduction of Hypohomus to a monotypic subgenus, and the creation of a ninth subgenus (Odontopholis) to contain P. cymatotaenia and an undescribed species. Diagnoses for all nine subgenera of Percina and a phylogeny of the genus are given.
Recovery and Stabilization of Anthocyanins and Phenolic Antioxidants of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) with Hydrophilic Deep Eutectic Solvents

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have got huge interest as new green and sustainable solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds from plants in recent decades. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of hydrophilic DES for the extraction of anthocyanin and polyphenol antioxidants from Roselle. A natural hydrophilic DES constituted of sodium acetate (hydrogen bond acceptor) and formic acid (hydrogen bond donor) designed to evaluate the total phenolic compound (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), total anthocyanin (TACN), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values of Roselle. Distilled water, 70% ethanol, and 80% methanol used as conventional solvents for comparison. The results indicated that the DES prepared in molarity ratio (SAFAm) was the most efficient. Subsequently, this prominent DES selected for the optimization and the optimum extraction conditions were 1:3.6 molarity ratio, 0% additional water, and 10 mL solvent. TPC, TFC, TACN, FRAP, and DPPH radical scavenging at the optimum point were 233.26 mg GAE/g, 10.14 mg ECE/g, 10.62 mg D3S/g, 493.45 mmol ISE/g, and 343.41 mmol TE/g, respectively. The stability tests showed that anthocyanins were more stable in SAFAm. These findings revealed that SAFAm is an effective green solvent for the extraction of polyphenols from various plants.
Initial Report From a Swedish High-Volume Transplant Center After The First Wave of The COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients may be more vulnerable to COVID-19. Data on the clinical course of COVID-19 in immunosuppressed patients are limited, and the optimal management strategy for these patients is yet unclear. METHODS We present 53 SOT recipients (31 kidney, 8 liver, 5 heart, 5 lung, 3 liver-kidney and one kidney-after-heart), transplanted at a Swedish high-volume transplant center and each diagnosed with COVID-19 between February 21, 2020, and June 22, 2020. Demographic, clinical, and treatment data were extracted from the electronic patient files. RESULTS Patients reported fever (61%), cough (43%), diarrhea (31%), and upper respiratory symptoms (29%). The median age was 56 years, and 57% were male. According to severity, 55% had mild, 13% had moderate, 19% had severe, and 13% had critical disease. Thirty-seven patients (70%) were hospitalized, with 8 requiring intensive care. Thirteen of the 37 patients were initially managed as outpatients but later hospitalized. One patient received hydroxychloroquine, and no patients received antivirals. Antimetabolites and calcineurin inhibitors were held or reduced in two thirds. Twenty-seven out of 37 hospitalized patients (73%) received low molecular weight heparin. Five (13,5%) hospitalized patients died. Overall survival for the entire cohort was 94%. No rejection episodes were noted. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalization, lowering of immunosuppression, and prophylactic anticoagulation were the most common therapeutic interventions for SOT recipients with COVID-19. A significant proportion of patients could be managed on an outpatient basis, while keeping a low threshold for admission. Mild and moderate disease forms seems to have good outcome.
Mechanical Enhancement of Cytocompatible 3D Scaffolds, Consisting of Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals and Natural Biomolecules, Through Physical Cross-Linking

Bioinspired scaffolds mimicking natural bone-tissue properties holds great promise in tissue engineering applications towards bone regeneration. Within this work, a way to reinforce mechanical behavior of bioinspired bone scaffolds was examined by applying a physical crosslinking method. Scaffolds consisted of hydroxyapatite nanocrystals, biomimetically synthesized in the presence of collagen and l-arginine. Scaffolds were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microcomputed tomography, and nanoindentation. Results revealed scaffolds with bone-like nanostructure and composition, thus an inherent enhanced cytocompatibility. Evaluation of porosity proved the development of interconnected porous network with bimodal pore size distribution. Mechanical reinforcement was achieved through physical crosslinking with riboflavin irradiation, and nanoindentation tests indicated that within the experimental conditions of 45% humidity and 37 °C, photo-crosslinking led to an increase in the scaffold’s mechanical properties. Elastic modulus and hardness were augmented, and specifically elastic modulus values were doubled, approaching equivalent values of trabecular bone. Cytocompatibility of the scaffolds was assessed using MG63 human osteosarcoma cells. Cell viability was evaluated by double staining and MTT assay, while attachment and morphology were investigated by SEM. The results suggested that scaffolds provided a cell friendly environment with high levels of viability, thus supporting cell attachment, spreading and proliferation.
Influence of the Architecture of Soft Polymer-Functionalized Polymer Nanoparticles on Their Dynamics in Suspension

The behavior of nanogels in suspension can be dramatically affected by the grafting of a canopy of end-tethered polymer chains. The architecture of the interfacial layer, defined by the grafting density and length of the polymer chains, is a crucial parameter in defining the conformation and influencing the dynamics of the grafted chains. However, the influence of this architecture when the core substrate is itself soft and mobile is complex; the dynamics of the core influences the dynamics of the tethered chains, and, conversely, the dynamics of the tethered chains can influence the dynamics of the core. Here, poly(styrene) (PS) particles were functionalized with poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) chains and swollen in a common solvent. NMR relaxation reveals that the confinement influences the mobility of the grafted chain more prominently for densely grafted short chains. The correlation time associated with the relaxation of the PMA increased by more than 20% when the grafting density increased for short chains, but for less than 10% for long chains. This phenomenon is likely due to the steric hindrance created by the close proximity to the rigid core and of the neighboring chains. More interestingly, a thick layer of a densely grafted PMA canopy efficiently increases the local mobility of the PS cores, with a reduction of the correlation time of more than 30%. These results suggest an interplay between the dynamics of the core and the dynamics of the canopy.
Effects of density and food availability on habitat selection in a net-spinning caddis larva, Hydropsyche siltalai

Habitat selection is often regarded as the result of only one decision, to select the habitat or not. However, the number of individuals in a habitat is affected by the rate at which individuals establish as well as leaving and mortality rates. In this paper I examine how establishment and emigration/mortality rates are affected by density, dominance relationships and habitat quality in net-spinning Hydropsyche siltalai larvae. A field experiment involved release of marked larvae onto artificiaI substrates occupied by different densities of residents. The experiment was performed at two sites, differing with respect to food availability. After one day, establishment was highest at intermediate densities, but did not differ between the two sites. The number of larvae that had emigrated and/or died after 10 days was unaffected by density but was higher at the low food site compared to the high food site