Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN PREGNANT WOMEN IN URMIA CITY

Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic disease. Infection with toxoplasma especially asymptomatic infection in pregnant women leads to congenital toxoplasmosis, making abortion, congenital abnormalities in the fetus, and severe damages in individuals with immunodeficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate seroepidemiology and the risk factors of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Urmia city. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 346 pregnant women that referred to four health centers in Urmia. The serums of patients were examined for IgG and IgM antibodies against toxoplasma gondii by ELISA technique. Then personal and toxoplasma infection risk related data were obtained by questionnaire interviews and then the data were analyzed with SPSS20. Result: The seroprevalence of anti toxoplasma antibody IgG was 28.32% and IgM was 1.44%. There was a significant correlation between residence (p<0.001), wearing gloves when carrying waste bags, and chopping meat (p<0.001). No significant relations were observed between educational level, consumption of meat, vegetable, unhealthy water, occupation and consumption of raw eggs. Conclusion: This study showed that 248 (71.68%) pregnant women did not have history of infection with toxoplasma and were susceptible to be at high risk for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Based on the results obtained, it is critical to establish a program of health surveillance for toxoplasmosis in order to contribute in diagnosis and early treatment during the prenatal period
The Association of Unsound Sitting Posture and Vertebral Musculoskeletal Pain among University Administrators

Background: This study documented the prevalence of work related musculoskeletal pain of University of Kwa- Zulu Natal staff members who operate a computer for a minimum of 5 hours daily. Method: Subjects completed a self-report musculoskeletal pain questionnaire, which gathered their demographical and work related musculoskeletal pain over the last 12 months. The following descriptive statistics mode, mean, frequency, percentages and inferential statistics, chi-square (p< 0.05) were employed to analyse the data. Results: One hundred and two (68.00%) of the cohort complained of musculoskeletal pain within the last 12 months (X2 (1, N = 150) = 1.03E-05, p<0.0001). The most prevalent anatomical sites of musculoskeletal pain were; lumbar vertebrae (30.27%), shoulder (24.42%), cervical and thoracic vertebrae (22.80%) (X2 (2, N = 102) = 6.65E- 47, p<0.0001). Conclusion: University of Kwa-Zulu Natal staff members complained of a high prevalence of musculoskeletal lumbar, shoulder, cervical and thoracic pain.
The relationship between gene polymorphisms of MTRR A66G, MS D919G, MTHFR C677T and cerebral infarction

Objectives To analyze the relationship between gene polymorphisms of MTRR A66G, MS D919G, MTHFR C677T and cerebral infarction (CI). Methods 136 CI patients confirmed by cranial CT or MRI were involved into the study and 70 subjects without stroke into control group. Gene polymorphisms of MTRR A66G, MS D919G, MTHFR C677T were detected by PCR-RFLP technique. Results There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of the MTRR genotypes between CI and controls( χ2=1.645,P0.05). No difference was found in the gene frequency of the MS genotypes between CI and controls( χ2=1.040,P0.05). There was no difference in the gene frequency of MTHFR genotypes between CI and controls ( χ2=1.399,P0.05). Conclusions Gene polymorphisms of MTRR A66G, MS D919G, MTHFR C677T may not be independent genetical risk factors of CI.
On the use of graphene to improve the performance of concentrator III‐V multijunction solar cells

Graphene has been intensively studied in photovoltaics focusing on emerging solar cells based on thin films, dye‐sensitized solar cells, quantum dots, nanowires, and so forth. However, the typical efficiency of these solar cells incorporating graphene is below 16%. Therefore, the photovoltaic potential of graphene has not yet been shown. In this work, the use of graphene for concentration applications on III‐V multijunction solar cells, which indeed are the solar cells with the highest efficiency, is demonstrated. First, a wide optoelectronic characterization of graphene layers is carried out. Then, the graphene layer is incorporated onto triple‐junction solar cells, which decreases their series resistance by 35% (relative), leading to an increase in fill factor of 4% (absolute) at concentrations of 1000 suns. Simultaneously, the optical absorption of graphene produces a relative short‐circuit current density decrease in the range of 0% to 1.8%. As a result, an absolute efficiency improvement close to 1% at concentrations of 1000 suns was achieved with respect to triple‐junction solar cells without graphene. The impact of incorporating one and two graphene monolayers is also evaluated.
Effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction on the Expression of VEGF, DLL4 Protein and the Content of NO in rats with Myocardial Ischemia

Objective: To investigate the effect of Xuefu zhuyu Decoction on angiogenesis in ischemic myocardium in rats with myocardial ischemia and the mechanism of removing blood stasis for promoting tissue regeneration. Methods: The ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery was applied to establish rat acute myocardial ischemia model, with intervention of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction. The rats were killed in 7 th and 14 th day respectively for blood. NO in serum was detected by nitrate reductase method. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of ischemic cardiac muscle; Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the myocardial ischemic vascular endothelial cell growth factor(VEGF), Delta like ligand 4(Delta-like ligand4, DLL4) protein expressions. Results: Compared with the sham operation group, the content of NO in model group decreased significantly(P0.01), and VEGF and DLL4 protein expression increased(P0.05); Compared with the model group, the content of NO in serum were increased(P0.05) in Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction group and Shexiang Baoxin Pill group, and the expression of VEGF and DLL4 protein in ischemic myocardium was significantly increased(P0.01) in Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction group and Shexiang Baoxin Pill group. Conclusion: Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction can promote angiogenesis in ischemic myocardium in rats with myocardial ischemia. The mechanism of removing blood stasis for promoting tissue regeneration is related to the increase the content of NO in serum and protein expression of VEGF and DLL4 in ischemia myocardium.
Clinical effects of Zhengqing Fengtongning on ankylosing spondylitis

Objective To observe the effects of Zhengqing Fengtongning on ankylosing spondylitis.Results A total of 122 patients with ankylosing spondylitis were divided into two groups(trial group and control group) at random.The control group was given NSAIDS,methotrexate,sulfasalazine and heteropathy.The trial group was given Zhengqing Fengtongning(120 mg,twice per day) besides the medicine used in the control group.The course of treatment is one year.The parameters,such as BASDAI,BASFI,duration of morning stiffness,total body pain and spinal pain,chest expansion,finger to floor distance,occiput to wall distance,Schobers test,ESR and CRP,were measured.Methods After one year's treatment,all the patients(except 4 ones in the trial group and 3 ones in the control group) had different degree of improvement.With a total efficiency of 89.5% and without obvious side reaction,the trial group responded to in the treatment better than the control group(P0.05). Conclusion It is indicated that Zhengqing Fengtongning has significant treatment effects on ankylosing spondylitis.
Effects of Edible Coatings Based on Ultrasound-treated Fish Proteins Hydrolysate in Quality Attributes of Chilled Bonito Fillets

ABSTRACT Fish by-products which occur during the processing steps in seafood industry, have a potential utilization in production of value-added products such as protein hydrolysates. Innovative edible coatings were prepared from fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) produced from trout by-products, by conventionally enzymatically (CH) and ultrasound-assisted enzymatically (UH) to extend the quality and shelf life of bonito (Sarda sarda) fillets stored at 4 ± 1°C. For this purpose, FPH with 86.40 g/100 g (CH) and 86.75 g/100 g (UH) protein contents were used as the coating forming material with glycerol in a ratio of 2:1 as plasticizer. Bonito fillets were protected by means of the functionalized coatings stored for 15 days at 4 ± 1°C. Coated bonito fillets exhibited higher antimicrobial efficiency against mesophilic, psychrophilic, and coliform bacteria and yeast and mold. Lower total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and trimethylamine (TMA) production were observed in coated fillets during the storage. All sensory criteria of control group fell below 4.00 point on the 9th day but CHCG and UHCG were acceptable up to the 12th day of storage.
Samples in Research on Prenatal Cocaine Exposure: Vexing Problems and Practical Solutions

Although research methodology in study of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure has markedly Improved as this complex field has matured, there remain vexing methodological difficulties. Comparing findings across different cohort studies is challenging because of variations in how samples are described or because important sample characteristics are not documented. A few studies of prenatal poly-drug exposure with problems in sample design continue to be published, the implications of sample design for research questions need consideration, and sample attrition is a continuing problem. This paper explains these problems, and suggests some practical solutions. Examples are drawn from the current literature and the authors' experience with the Seattle Cocaine and Pregnancy Study, an early cohort study of cocaine effects.
The Cellular Transfer of Cutaneous Hypersensitivity to Tuberculin

In studies on experimental drug allergy, it has been found that specific hypersensitiveness of the “delayed type” is transferable to normal guinea pigs by means of cells in exudates recovered from sensitized guinea pigs. 1 Resemblances between the delayed type of reaction to drugs and the classical tuberculin reaction have prompted investigation as to whether cells from tuberculin-sensitive animals may likewise transfer tuberculin sensitivity. The experiments show that guinea pigs receiving such cells acquire for a limited time a skin hypersensitivity that exhibits the essential features of the typical tuberculin reaction. Guinea pigs were rendered hypersensitive to tuberculin by subcutaneous injection of killed human tubercle bacilli suspended in paraffin oil,2,3 usually mixed with vaseline; each animal received 0.5 to 2.5 mg of dried tubercle bacilli in a total inoculum of 1 cc. Between 5 and 9 weeks later, the cutaneous reactivity to tuberculin then being pronounced, exudates were induced by the intraperitoneal injection of about 28 cc paraffin oil into each of a group of guinea pigs so sensitized. After 48 hours, the peritoneal cavities were washed out with heparinized Tyrode solution containing gelatin or normal guinea pig serum. The washings were combined and the cells recovered from the aqueous layer by minimal centrifugation. The sedimented cells were resuspended in fresh washing fluid by gentle pipetting, and again spun down. A similar washing was made, using Tyrode solution mixed with 1/10 volume of normal guinea pig serum. The washed cells were then suspended in serum-Tyrode and immediately injected into male albino guinea pigs. The yield of cells amounted to 0.1 to 0.15 cc per donor, and recipients were usually given the cells of between 2 and 10 donors. The cells were comprised of 15 to 30% of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, 20 to 35% of lymphocytes, and 50 to 65% of large mononuclear cells.
The Role of Human α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Mediating Neuroprotective Action of Curcumin

Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Curcumin has been demonstrated to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Moreover, it has been shown to exhibit beneficial effects in the treatment of several neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. However, the molecular and cellular targets mediating the pharmacological actions of curcumin remain largely unknown. In this study, the effects of curcumin application on the functional properties of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, a prototype for ligand gated ion channels were investigated. Using the two-electrode voltage clamp technique, the results showed that curcumin co-application caused a significant potentiation of the action of human α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChR) expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Importantly, curcumin was found less effective on other nicotinic receptor subunit combinations and other members of ligand-gated ion channels. Curcumin significantly decreased desensitization of α7-nAChR suggesting that it acts as a type II PAM. High affinity binding site for curcumin on α7-nAChR was also verified by molecular docking study. In the second part of this study, the neuroprotective effects of curcumin in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease was investigated. Stereotaxic micro-neurosurgery was successfully established (for the first time in our university) and used to induce the toxin based (6-hydroxydopamine; 6-OHDA) animal model of Parkinson’s disease. This was followed by testing the behavior of the animals, tissue collection, immunohistochemistry, striatal fiber density measurement, and stereological data analysis. Systemic administration of curcumin alleviated 6-OHDA-induced motor abnormalities and protected against substantia nigra pars compacta dopaminergic neuronal loss, through an α7-nAChRs-mediated mechanism. The protective effects of curcumin were completely reversed by the administration of the α7-nAChR-selective antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA). In summary, the results of this study suggest that α7-nAChR-mediated activation is an important mechanism for the neuroprotective effects of curcumin in toxin-based (6-hydroxydopmine; 6-OHDA) animal model of Parkinson’s disease.
Chapter 6 Multi vs single application of enzymes to degrade fibre in diets for pigs

The largest quantities of fibre in most commercial diets for pigs originate from cereal grains and cereal grain co-products. The quantitatively most important fibre components in such diets are arabinoxylans and cellulose, which are poorly digested by endogenous and microbial enzymes in pigs. To increase fermentability of these components it is, therefore, necessary to add exogenous enzymes to the diets. Theoretically, four enzymes are needed to hydrolyse cellulose, whereas nine enzymes are needed to hydrolyse arabinoxylans. The greatest energy value of fermented cellulose will be obtained if cellulose can be fermented in the small intestine, but to achieve that, all four cellulose degrading enzymes need to be added to the diets. However, for arabinoxylans, the objective is not to achieve complete hydrolysis in the small intestine because absorbed pentoses do not contribute to the energy status of the pig. Instead, the objective is to hydrolyse arabinoxylans in the hindgut of pigs and microbial fermentation in the hindgut may be aided by addition of at least four enzymes to the diets. There are, however, only few studies with documented effects of addition of multiple enzymes to diets for pigs and more research in this area is needed.
Self-assembled monolayers to create novel surfaces utilising peptides identified by phage display for in vitro study of cancer stem cells

Systematic analyses of global cancer rates suggest the annual number of head and neck cancer (HNC) cases is approaching 1 million and in England 5-year survival rates are remain around 50%. This is due to metastasis and recurrence which are thought to be driven by a subset of cells within the tumour with stem cell-like properties, so-called cancer stem cells (CSCs). Within HNC further sub-populations of CSCs with a mesenchymal phenotype have been identified. To better understand the role of these epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) cells in cancer progression in vitro models are used. One rapid way of creating a system with a controlled surface environment for studying cell behaviour is to use self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Here we use a peptide-based SAM to immobilise hyaluronic acid (HA), which plays a role in HNC progression, to create and characterise a model surface for studying the interaction with cells in vitro. This surface can support the culture of cancer cells and, when compared to existing methods of HA immobilisation, has different properties, including roughness and hydrophobicity and was seen to influence cell migration. In vitro use of HA-inspired glycopolymers was also assessed for their ability to mimic HA’s effects on cancer cell behaviour, with a view to reducing the use of animal-derived HA. In parallel studies phage display was used to identify a peptide which showed enhanced binding to the EMT subset of CSCs. This peptide can then be used in the previously established SAM system to create a surface with the potential to probe cancer cell behaviour in a well-defined surface. Looking ahead this surface could be used for crude enrichment of the EMT fraction and determining the peptide’s cell surface binding partner could provide an additional marker for FACS-based isolation of this population.
Development of Shelf Life Prediction Model in Rainbow Trout Stored at Different Temperatures

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to develop a shelf life prediction model for aerobically stored gutted and whole rainbow trout. Logistic model was used to determine the specific growth rates of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total psychrophilic aerobic bacteria, Pseudomonas spp. , Enterobacteriaceae, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for the samples stored at different temperatures (2°C, 5°C, 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, and 25°C). To describe the effect of temperature on the growth of bacteria, the square root model was used. The validation of the developed shelf life prediction model was carried out using whole (ungutted) rainbow trout at constant temperatures. The bias and accuracy factors of predicted values were within the range of 0.80–1.20, where the model could be valid. The shelf life of whole and gutted aerobically stored rainbow trout can be predicted by the model accurately at any temperature between 2-25°C.
Spatial distribution of cloud droplet size properties from Airborne Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter (AirHARP) measurements

Abstract. The global variability of clouds and their interactions with aerosol and radiation make them one of our largest sources of uncertainty related to global radiative forcing. The droplet size distribution (DSD) of clouds is an excellent proxy that connects cloud microphysical properties with radiative impacts on our climate. However, traditional radiometric instruments are information-limited in their DSD retrievals. Radiometric sensors can infer droplet effective radius directly but not the distribution width, which is an important parameter tied to the growth of a cloud field and to the onset of precipitation. DSD heterogeneity hidden inside large pixels, a lack of angular information, and the absence of polarization limit the amount of information these retrievals can provide. Next-generation instruments that can measure at narrow resolutions with multiple view angles on the same pixel, a broad swath, and sensitivity to the intensity and polarization of light are best situated to retrieve DSDs at the pixel level and over a wide spatial field. The Airborne Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter (HARP) is a wide-field-of-view imaging polarimeter instrument designed by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), for retrievals of cloud droplet size distribution properties over a wide swath, at narrow resolution, and at up to 60 unique, co-located view zenith angles in the 670 nm channel. The cloud droplet effective radius (CDR) and variance (CDV) of a unimodal gamma size distribution are inferred simultaneously by matching measurement to Mie polarized phase functions. For all targets with appropriate geometry, a retrieval is possible, and unprecedented spatial maps of CDR and CDV are made for cloud fields that stretch both across the swath and along the entirety of a flight observation. During the NASA Lake Michigan Ozone Study (LMOS) aircraft campaign in May–June 2017, the Airborne HARP (AirHARP) instrument observed a heterogeneous stratocumulus cloud field along the solar principal plane. Our retrievals from this dataset show that cloud DSD heterogeneity can occur at the 200 m scale, much smaller than the 1–2 km resolution of most spaceborne sensors. This heterogeneity at the sub-pixel level can create artificial broadening of the DSD in retrievals made at resolutions on the order of 0.5 to 1 km. This study, which uses the AirHARP instrument and its data as a proxy for upcoming HARP CubeSat and HARP2 spaceborne instruments, demonstrates the viability of the HARP concept to make cloud measurements at scales of individual clouds, with global coverage, and in a low-cost, compact CubeSat-sized payload.
Advancing fabrication and properties of three-dimensional graphene–alginate scaffolds for application in neural tissue engineering

Neural tissue engineering provides enormous potential for restoring and improving the function of diseased/damaged tissues and promising opportunities in regenerative medicine, stem cell technology, and drug discovery. The conventional 2D cell cultures have many limitations to provide informative and realistic neural interactions and network formation. Hence, there is a need to develop three-dimensional (3D) bioscaffolds to facilitate culturing cells with matched microenvironment for cell growth and interconnected pores for penetration and migration of cells. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of 3D composite bioscaffolds based on graphene-biopolymer with porous structure and improved performance for tissue engineering. A simple, eco-friendly synthetic method is introduced and optimized for synthesis of this hybrid fibrous scaffold by combining Graphene Oxide (GO) and Sodium Alginate (Na-ALG) which are specifically selected to match the mechanical strength of the central nervous system (CNS) tissue and provide porous structure for connective tissue engineering. Properties of the developed scaffold in terms of the structure, porosity, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and electrical conductivity are presented. These properties were optimised through key synthesis conditions including GO concentrations, reduction process and crosslinking time. In contrast to other studies, the presented structure maintains its stability in aqueous media and uses a bio-friendly reducing agent which enable the structure to enhance neuron cell interactions and act as nerve conduits for neurological diseases.