Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles ameliorate Alzheimer's disease-like phenotypes in a preclinical mouse model

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 44 million people worldwide. Despite the high disease burden, there is no effective treatment for people suffering from AD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells that have been widely studied due to their therapeutic potential. However, administration of cells has been found to have a multitude of limitations. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from MSCs have been studied as a therapeutic candidate, as they exhibit similar immunoprotective and immunomodulatory abilities as the host human MSCs. Methods: To test the potential therapeutic effects of MSC EVs, human bone-marrow derived MSCs were grown in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture, and small EVs were harvested using differential ultracentrifugation. These small EVs were given to non-transgenic (NT) or 5XFAD (5 familial Alzheimer's disease mutations) mice intranasally (IN) every 4 days for 4 months. The mice were then required to perform a variety of behavioral assays to measure changes in learning and memory. Afterwards, immunohistochemistry was performed on brain slices to measure amyloid beta (Aβ) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels. Results: The data revealed that 5XFAD mice that received hMSC-EV treatment behaved significantly better in cognitive tests than saline treated 5XFAD mice, with no significant change between EV-treated 5XFAD mice and NT mice. Additionally, we found lower Aβ plaque load in the hippocampus of the EV-treated mice. Finally, less colocalization between GFAP and Aβ plaques was found in the brain of EV-treated mice compared to saline. Conclusions: Taken together, these data suggest that IN administration of MSC-derived EVs can slow down AD pathogenesis.
IMMUNO-MODULATORY EFFECT OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES-LOADED WITH METRONIDAZOLE ON EXPERIMENTAL BLASTOCYSTOSIS By

175 THERAPEUTIC AND IMMUNO-MODULATORY EFFECT OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES-LOADED WITH METRONIDAZOLE ON EXPERIMENTAL BLASTOCYSTOSIS By DOAA A. AHMED, NAGWA M. KAMAL, AMAL A. MOHAMED, HALA E. ABDEL-HAMIED AND KHADYGA H. ABDELFADIL Departments of Medical Parasitology, and Histopathology, Faculty of Medicine for Girls Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Post Code: 11884, Egypt (Correspondence: doaaamer85@yahoo.com). Abstract Blastocystis is one of the commonest enteric protozoa in many hosts. This study evaluated the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNps) loaded with metronidazole (MTZ) on mice infected with Blastocystis. They were subjected to parasitological, histopathological, immunological, and immunohistochemical studies. The parasitological results revealed a powerful effect of Ag NPs loaded with MTZ over either MTZ or Ag Nps; where the reduction of cysts count in stool were (90. 7%, 87.33% & 59.33%) respectively as compared to infected non-treated group. Histopathological results showed that AgNPs loaded with MTZ were the best in reducing inflammatory changes followed by MTZ then AgNPs. Regarding IgA, IgM & IgG, Ag NPs loaded with MTZ treated mice showed the best result followed by MTZ treated mice then Ag NPs treated mice; where the reduction of mean concentration of IgA were (30.5%, 26.24% & 2.13%) respectively, while that of IgM were (15.2%, 12.8% & 2.8%) respectively and IgG were (23.1%, 12.3% & 5.2%) respectively as compared to infected non-treated group. The synergistic effect of both Ag NPS & MTZ provoked the best reduction of CD3 & CD20 expression and augmented counter modulation of the immune response to restore normal immune homeostasis. Key wards: Blastocystis, Metronidazole, Silver nanoparticles, Experimental mice
College students’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory study

This study explored college student’s well-being priorities and capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 2 213 South African undergraduate students answered an open-ended question to elicit interpretive, reflective, analytic, and evaluative written response types on the factors that support their well-being at university. Two thirds of the participants were female, almost half (48.94%) were black African, and most (67.46%) were between 18 and 21 years of age. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) of the data revealed COVID-19 mitigation that prioritised support from family, friends, and lecturers by spending time together and connecting online. The students also relied on a variety of spiritual coping strategies to manage feelings of despair and despondency, and to cope with high workloads, social distancing, and online learning. The study revealed high resourcefulness of undergraduate students in supporting their own well-being.
Algorithmic human resource management: Synthesizing developments and cross-disciplinary insights on digital HRM

Algorithmic human resource management: Synthesizing developments and cross-disciplinary insights on digital HRM Jeroen Meijerink, Mark Boons, Anne Keegan & Janet Marler To cite this article: Jeroen Meijerink, Mark Boons, Anne Keegan & Janet Marler (2021) Algorithmic human resource management: Synthesizing developments and cross-disciplinary insights on digital HRM, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32:12, 2545-2562, DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2021. 1925326 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021. 1925326
Poaching of Domestic Protected Species in China: Using Legal Cases to Understand the Poaching of Wild Boars

ABSTRACT The illegal hunting and trading of protected species is a global issue. While China is often discussed in general terms as a destination country for protected species, the sociological and criminological discussion of poaching within China remains underdeveloped. This study discusses the targets, modus operandi, and drivers of poaching in China. Based on the analysis of 245 published Chinese cases, this study discovered that 115 unique species have been targeted in China, with wild boar being the most common target. Most boar poaching was driven by a desire for meat, and hunting occurred in both protected and non-protected areas. Most poachers do not actively pursue wild boars with weapons but prefer to lay homemade traps. The study concludes with a discussion of how prevention efforts can draw on data such as these and suggests avenues for further research.
New Product Introduction Success for Private Label Products Compared to Branded by Product Category

Abstract This research reveals the success rate of new private label products and compares the PL results to branded new products. The data is based on the GNP database from Mintel. New product success is defined as the product still available two years after introduction. A sample of the new product introductions from 2010 to 2012 was drawn. An amount of 10% was randomly selected each food category. A total of 2,810 new products that were sampled from 17 food categories. An amount of 43% of new private label products was successful, greater than ±30% found in the literature. It was, lower than the success rate for branded at 71%.
Public Reminiscence and Official Commemoration: The Paris Commune of 1871 and the Gezi Protests of 2013

Abstract On Paris’ Montmartre hill, the visitor is confronted by a puzzling number of padlocks, objects of reminiscence left by individuals on the surrounding railings. As individual acts of reminiscence, these padlocks are indifferent to the historicized design materiality and the discursive space of the basilica, which oscillates between manifestations of Catholic piety in late nineteenth-century France and a grim reminder of the disproportionate suppression of the Commune of 1871. Sacré-Coeur offers a framework for understanding the rhetorical function of the commemorative practices connected with Turkey’s authoritarian AKP regime and its new mosques. They similarly set up a paradox between the manifestations of an oppressive political rhetoric – expressed through a historicized architectural style – and the individually driven cultural responses they provoke. This essay examines the amalgamation of these design materialities and politics, which, it suggests, are open to reinterpretation through group and individual actions that alter the way people experience monuments.
The confounding effects of sub-thermoneutral housing temperatures on aerobic exercise-induced adaptations in mouse subcutaneous white adipose tissue

Mice are the most commonly used model organism for human biology, and failure to acknowledge fundamental differences in thermal biology between these species has confounded the study of adipose tissue metabolism in mice and its translational relevance to humans. Here, using exercise biochemistry as an example, we highlight the subtle yet detrimental effects sub-thermoneutral housing temperatures can have on the study of adipose tissue metabolism in mice. We encourage academics and publishers to consider ambient housing temperature as a key determinant in the methodological conception and reporting of all research on rodent white adipose tissue metabolism.
Determination of the membrane topology of PORCN, an O-acyl transferase that modifies Wnt signalling proteins

Wnt gradients elicit distinct cellular responses, such as proliferation, specification, differentiation and survival in a dose-dependent manner. Porcupine (PORCN), a membrane-bound O-acyl transferase (MBOAT) that resides in the endoplasmic reticulum, catalyses the addition of monounsaturated palmitate to Wnt proteins and is required for Wnt gradient formation and signalling. In humans, PORCN mutations are causal for focal dermal hypoplasia (FDH), an X-linked dominant syndrome characterized by defects in mesodermal and endodermal tissues. PORCN is also an emerging target for cancer therapeutics. Despite the importance of this enzyme, its structure remains poorly understood. Recently, the crystal structure of DltB, an MBOAT family member from bacteria, was solved. In this report, we use experimental data along with homology modelling to DltB to determine the membrane topology of PORCN. Our studies reveal that PORCN has 11 membrane domains, comprising nine transmembrane spanning domains and two reentrant domains. The N-terminus is oriented towards the lumen while the C-terminus is oriented towards the cytosol. Like DltB, PORCN has a funnel-like structure that is encapsulated by multiple membrane-spanning helices. This new model for PORCN topology allows us to map residues that are important for biological activity (and implicated in FDH) onto its three-dimensional structure.
Quantifying the differences in call detail records

The increasing availability of mobile phone data has attracted the attention of several researchers interested in studying our collective behaviour. Our interactions with the phone network can take several forms, from SMS messages to phone calls and data usage. Typically, mobile phone data are released to researchers in the form of call detail records, which contain records of different types of interactions, and can be used to analyse various aspects of our behaviour. However, the inherently behavioural nature of these interactions may result in differences between how we make phone calls and receive text messages. Studies which rely on data derived from these interactions, therefore, need to carefully consider these differences. Here, we aim to investigate differences and limitations of different types of mobile phone interactions data by analysing a large mobile phone dataset. We study the relationship between different types of interactions and show how it changes over time. We anticipate our findings to be of interest to all researchers working in the area of computational social science.
X-RAY TOMOGRAPHIC MICROSCOPY AS A MEANS TO SYSTEMATICALLY TRACK EXPERIMENTAL DECAY AND FOSSILIZATION

Abstract: Laboratory-based decay experiments have become commonly used to supplement our understanding of how organisms enter the fossil record. Differences in how these experiments are designed and evaluated, however, including dissimilarities in qualitative decay-scoring indices superimposed on variability in model organisms, renders any semblance of comparison between studies unreliable. Here, we introduce the utility of X-ray tomographic microscopy (µCT) as a means for reliable and repeatable analysis of soft-tissue decay experiment products. As proof-of-concept, we used a relatively simple experimental design with classic studies as comparators, and present our analytical protocol using µCT for capturing the entire volume of the decay subject. Segmentation software then allows for 3D volume analysis and high-resolution internal and external character identification. We describe the workflow from sample preparation, contrast-staining, and data collection to processing and analysis of the resulting data, using peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) as model organisms, and compare our results to previous taphonomic studies. These methods allow for improved visualization and quantification of decay and internal volume analysis with minimal handling as compared to traditional qualitative scoring methods. Using the same scoring criteria as previous studies, this study revealed similar decay results for certain features, while we were additionally able to detect other feature loss or alteration earlier—importantly without need for potentially distortive sample handling. We conclude that µCT is a more effective, straightforward, and exact means for extracting quantitative data on the progression of decay and should be adopted in future studies, where available, to streamline and standardize comparisons.
Soil and microbe interactions in two populations of Appalachian black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.)1

Abstract. Soil and whole plant samples were collected from two natural populations of Appalachian black cohosh (Actaea racemose L.) to assess soil-plant-microbe interactions and determine seasonal mineral acquisition by the species. A. racemosa is one among medicinal forest plants subject to excessive harvesting, and there is increasing concern over the sustainability of natural populations. Following standard procedures, mineral content and chemistry of soils sampled from the two sites were determined, and monthly (May to August) A. racemosa root, stem, and leaf mineral content were analyzed. Fresh tissue samples were processed for isolation and genotyping of associated endophytic organisms, and classical root staining was used to assess presence and extent of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis. Results showed that forest soils in the natural habitat of A. racemosa are slightly acidic (pH 4.5–6.0; 40–70% base saturation) with high organic matter (6–25%) and microelement content. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) variation was observed in seasonal concentration of key elements in leaf, stem, and root samples, with high levels of iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) sequestered in root tissues. Root colonization by AM fungi was found to be high (85–100%) at both locations throughout the sampling period. A total of 22 fungal and 24 bacterial endophytes were isolated from A. racemosa root, shoot, and flower organs. Molecular characterization revealed bacterial isolates to be primarily Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Serratia spp. , whereas fungal isolates included Alternaria, Cadophora, Diaporthe, Penicillium, and Volutella spp. We conclude that potential exists for managed cultivation of black cohosh in arable land. Further, our findings confirm endophytic (mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal) associations in A. racemosa. We believe associated organisms could play a role in the adaptation of A. racemosa to the Appalachian ecosystem and recommend further examination of these relationships.
Prevalence and Incidence of Frailty Among Community-dwelling Older Adults in Slovenia

Abstract Introduction Frailty is recognized as one of the most important global health challenges as the population is aging. The aim of this study was to evaluate prevalence and incidence of frailty, and associated factors, among the population of older adults in Slovenia compared to other European countries. Methods The prevalence and 4-year incidence of frailty among older adults (≥65 years) were evaluated using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Frailty was defined by the SHARE operationalization of Frailty phenotype. Multiple logistic regression model was used to explore factors associated with frailty. Results Age-standardized prevalence (95% CI) of frailty and pre-frailty in Slovenia were 14.9% (13.3-16.5) and 42.5% (39.8-45.2), respectively. Factors (OR, 95% CI) associated with increased frailty in Slovenia included age (7584 years: 5.03 (3.08-8.22); ≥85 years 21.7 (10.6-44.7) vs. 65-74 years), self-rated health (fair: 4.58 (2.75-7.61), poor: 54.6 (28.1-105.9) vs. excellent/very good/good), number of chronic diseases (1.20 (1.03-1.40)), and polypharmacy (yes: 3.25 (1.93-5.48) vs. no). Female gender and lower education were significantly associated with pre-frailty, but not frailty, in the adjusted model. Independently of these characteristics, age-standardized prevalence of frailty varied among geographical regions. Age-standardized 4-year incidence of frailty and pre-frailty in Slovenia were 6.6% (3.0-10.1) and 40.2% (32.7-47.6), respectively. Conclusion Among the Slovenian population of older adults aged 65 years and older, the age-standardized prevalence of frailty is 15% and 4-year incidence of frailty is 7%. Regional differences in Slovenia show the lowest prevalence in central Slovenian regions and the highest in northeastern Slovenian regions.
Pro-oxidant Potency of Clothianidin in Rainbow Trout

Abstract Clothianidin is a systemic neonicotinoid insecticide interfering with the central nervous system by acting as a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. Although previous studies on fish report low toxicity, its proven toxic potential for aquatic invertebrates and lack of data on its effect on juvenile fish have prompted us to investigate its adverse effects in environmentally relevant concentrations of 3, 15 and 30 μg/L for 7, 14 and 21 days on heart and spleen tissues of 10-month-old rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). We detected a conspicuous increase in protein carbonyl and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, which triggered antioxidant response of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), resulting in increased levels of glutathione (GSH). Clothianidin inhibited the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and lowered tissue protein levels. Heart tissue weight increased, while that of spleen decreased significantly. The effects were time- and concentration-dependent. What raises particular concern is the inhibition of AChE in the trout, even though clothianidin is claimed to be selective for insect receptors. Increased antioxidant activity in response to oxidative stress was clearly insufficient to keep MDA and protein carbonyl at normal levels, which evidences the pro-oxidant potency of the insecticide. All this calls for further investigation into potential adverse effects on biological pathways in different fish species.
Differences in Fungal Contamination of Broiler Litter between Summer and Winter Fattening Periods

Abstract This study aimed to compare fungal contamination of poultry litter between warm and cold seasons. It was carried out in commercial production conditions over two five-week fattening periods: one in the summer (July-August) and one in the winter (December-January). Broilers were reared on a litter composed of chopped straw and sawdust. Litter fungal concentration and composition were investigated weekly, along with litter temperature, moisture, and pH. Litter concentration of total fungi increased over both fattening periods, with no differences in median concentrations between them. Season also had no effect on yeast, Aspergillus section Nigri, and Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Rhizopus spp. concentrations, while the Aspergillus section Flavi and Aspergillus spp. combined showed higher concentrations in the summer, and Mucor and Penicillium spp. in the winter. Total fungal concentration highly correlated with litter temperature, moisture, and pH, regardless of the season. Our findings can be useful in the assessment and control of potential harmful effect of fungi on the health of poultry and poultry farm workers.
In and Out of Self-Employment, Are You Really an Entrepreneur: The Rise of a New Division?

Abstract This paper examines self-employed individuals in the UK Labour market. We use an amalgamated dataset, the British Household Panel Survey, from the years 1991 to 2008, and its successor the United Kingdom Longitudinal Study, from years 2010 to 2014, following 11,657 respondents in the UK for 23 years. We explore the characteristics of different self-employed groups and create a new division that differentiates those who sustain in self-employment from those who move between self-employment and employee jobs. The sample size consists of 1146 sustained self-employed, 1149 dabbled self-employed and 9362 paid workers. We found that dabblers exhibit unique set of attributes that place them in a distinct position compared to sustained self-employed and/or employees. Dabblers seem to be ‘pulled’ rather than ‘pushed’ into self-employment, reflecting a labour market ‘power’ instead of deficiency. Thus, bringing key insight into a group who have not been separately identified in the labour market to date, the self-employed dabblers.
A novel approach for exploring annotated data with interactive lenses

We introduce a novel approach for assisting users in exploring 2D data representations with an interactive lens. Focus‐and‐context exploration is supported by translating user actions to the joint adjustments in camera and lens parameters that ensure a good placement and sizing of the lens within the view. This general approach, implemented using standard device mappings, overcomes the limitations of current solutions, which force users to continuously switch from lens positioning and scaling to view panning and zooming. Navigation is further assisted by exploiting data annotations. In addition to traditional visual markups and information links, we associate to each annotation a lens configuration that highlights the region of interest. During interaction, an assisting controller determines the next best lens in the database based on the current view and lens parameters and the navigation history. Then, the controller interactively guides the user's lens towards the selected target and displays its annotation markup. As only one annotation markup is displayed at a time, clutter is reduced. Moreover, in addition to guidance, the navigation can also be automated to create a tour through the data. While our methods are generally applicable to general 2D visualization, we have implemented them for the exploration of stratigraphic relightable models. The capabilities of our approach are demonstrated in cultural heritage use cases. A user study has been performed in order to validate our approach.
A Survey of Human‐Centered Evaluations in Human‐Centered Machine Learning

Visual analytics systems integrate interactive visualizations and machine learning to enable expert users to solve complex analysis tasks. Applications combine techniques from various fields of research and are consequently not trivial to evaluate. The result is a lack of structure and comparability between evaluations. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive overview of evaluations in the field of human‐centered machine learning. We particularly focus on human‐related factors that influence trust, interpretability, and explainability. We analyze the evaluations presented in papers from top conferences and journals in information visualization and human‐computer interaction to provide a systematic review of their setup and findings. From this survey, we distill design dimensions for structured evaluations, identify evaluation gaps, and derive future research opportunities.