Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diffusion plateaus in the velocity distributions of fast solar wind protons

[1] In a collisionless plasma, such as the fast solar wind, wave-particle interactions play the decisive role in determining the shape of particle velocity distribution functions (VDFs). In this paper we provide observational evidence for cyclotron-resonant interaction of ion cyclotron Alfven waves, which propagate outward from the Sun along the interplanetary magnetic field, with fast solar wind protons. According to quasi-linear theory, the protons thereby diffuse in velocity space, a process leading to the formation of plateaus in the VDF. This diffusion plateau formation naturally explains the observed thermal anisotropies in the core of the proton VDFs. In this respect, we investigated a large number of data from several distinct fast solar wind streams between 0.3 and 1 AU. All measurements were made on Helios 2 during the solar minimum in 1976 and 1977. The proton VDFs as provided by the plasma instrument are modeled by a superposition of multiple Gaussians, such that the plasma dispersion relation for parallel propagating cyclotron waves can readily be solved numerically. Thus the details of the proton VDFs are well represented and are reflected in the dispersion relation, which makes our analysis as self-consistent as possible. Proton thermal effects on the wave dispersion relation are naturally taken into account.
Immunogenicity and safety of seasonal influenza vaccines in children under 3 years of age

ABSTRACT Introduction Despite children aged 6–35 months developing more severe influenza infections, not all countries include influenza vaccines in their national immunization programs. Areas covered This literature review examines the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines (TIVs) and quadrivalent influenzae vaccines (QIVs) in children 6–35 months old to determine if greater valency promotes greater protection while maintaining a similar safety profile. Expert opinion TIVs and QIVs are safe for children under 3 years old. TIVs and QIVs provided good seroprotection, and immunogenicity (GMT, SCR, and SPR) meeting recommended levels set by CHMP (European) and CBER (USA). However, as QIVs carry two influenza B strains and TIVs only one, QIVs has an overall higher seroprotection against particularly influenza B. Vaccines containing adjuncts had better immunogenicity, particularly after the first dose. Seroprotection of all vaccines lasted 12 months. Increasing the dosage from 0.25 mL to 0.5 mL did not cause more systemic or local side-effects. Further comparisons of efficacy, and wider promotion of influenza vaccines in general are required in preschool children.
Expression Silencing of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 Interacting Protein-1 Conferred Its Role in Pancreatic β-Cell Physiology and Insulin Secretion

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 interacting protein-1 (MAPK8IP1) gene has been recognized as a susceptibility gene for diabetes. However, its action in the physiology of pancreatic β-cells is not fully understood. Herein, bioinformatics and genetic analyses on the publicly available database were performed to map the expression of the MAPK8IP1 gene in human pancreatic islets and to explore whether this gene contains any genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Moreover, a series of functional experiments were executed in a rat insulinoma cell line (INS-1 832/13) to investigate the role of the Mapk8ip1 gene in β-cell function. Metabolic engineering using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data confirmed higher expression levels of MAPK8IP1 in human islets compared to other metabolic tissues. Additionally, comparable expression of MAPK8IP1 expression was detected in sorted human endocrine cells. However, β-cells exhibited higher expression of MAPK8IP1 than ductal and PSC cells. Notably, MAPK8IP1 expression was reduced in diabetic islets, and the expression was positively correlated with insulin and the β-cell transcription factor PDX1 and MAFA. Using the TIGER portal, we found that one genetic variant, “rs7115753,” in the proximity of MAPK8IP1, passes the genome-wide significance for the association with T2D. Expression silencing of Mapk8ip1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) in INS-1 cells reduced insulin secretion, glucose uptake rate, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In contrast, insulin content, cell viability, and apoptosis without cytokines were unaffected. However, silencing of Mapk8ip1 reduced cytokines-induced apoptosis and downregulated the expression of several pancreatic β-cell functional markers including, Ins1, Ins2, Pdx1, MafA, Glut2, Gck, Insr, Vamp2, Syt5, and Cacna1a at mRNA and/or protein levels. Finally, we reported that siRNA silencing of Pdx1 resulted in the downregulation of MAPK8IP1 expression in INS-1 cells. In conclusion, our findings confirmed that MAPK8IP1 is an important component of pancreatic β-cell physiology and insulin secretion.
Cytoprotective and Antioxidant Effects of Hydrolysates from Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens)

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has been recognized as one of the most promising insect species for its ability to valorize organic waste while producing a valuable larval biomass with a great potential as a sustainable source of nutrients, including proteins and bioactive molecules. In the present study, BSF larvae were used to produce and characterize the protein hydrolysates (BPHs) that were then evaluated for their potential biological activity in vitro. The BPHs obtained from the BSF larvae proteins by enzymatic digestion were characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and assessed for their antioxidant activity (BPHs in the range of 0.1 to 1.5 mg/mL) in L-929 cells. Our findings show that BPHs can exert a dose-dependent cytoprotective role against H2O2-iduced oxidative stress in cells. This antioxidant activity relies on the reduction of ROS levels in challenged cells as measured by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, together with the induction and nuclear translocation of Nrf2, as evaluated by qPCR and indirect immunofluorescence analysis, respectively. Overall, our findings on the remarkable biological activity of the BPHs obtained in a large-scale process strongly suggest the application of BPHs as ingredients promoting animal health in feed formulations.
MicroRNA-183/96/182 cluster in immunity and autoimmunity

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression in ubiquitous biological processes, including immune-related pathways. This review focuses on the miR-183/96/182 cluster (miR-183C), which contains three miRNAs, miR-183, -96, and -182, having almost identical seed sequences with minor differences. The similarity among seed sequences allows these three miRNAs to act cooperatively. In addition, their minor differences permit them to target distinct genes and regulate unique pathways. The expression of miR-183C was initially identified in sensory organs. Subsequently, abnormal expression of miR-183C miRNAs in various cancers and autoimmune diseases has been reported, implying their potential role in human diseases. The regulatory effects of miR-183C miRNAs on the differentiation and function of both innate and adaptive immune cells have now been documented. In this review, we have discussed the complex role of miR-183C in the immune cells in both normal and autoimmune backgrounds. We highlighted the dysregulation of miR-183C miRNAs in several autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS), and ocular autoimmune disorders, and discussed the potential for utilizing miR-183C as biomarkers and therapeutic targets of specific autoimmune diseases.
Dual Effects of miR-181b-2-3p/SOX21 Interaction on Microglia and Neural Stem Cells after Gamma Irradiation

Ionizing radiation induces brain inflammation and the impairment of neurogenesis by activating microglia and inducing apoptosis in neurogenic zones. However, the causal relationship between microglial activation and the impairment of neurogenesis as well as the relevant molecular mechanisms involved in microRNA (miR) remain unknown. In the present study, we employed immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR to study the microglial activation and miRNA expression in mouse brains. Real-time RT-PCR, western blot, ELISA, cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assay were used in BV2 and mouse neural stem cells (NSCs). In the mouse model, we found the acute activation of microglia at 1 day and an increased number of microglial cells at 1, 7 and 120 days after irradiation at postnatal day 3 (P3), day 10 (P10) and day 21 (P21), respectively. In cell models, the activation of BV2, a type of microglial cell line, was observed after gamma irradiation. Real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed a deceased expression of miR-181b-2-3p and an increased expression of its target SRY-related high-mobility group box transcription factor 21 (SOX21) in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The results of the luciferase reporter assay confirmed that SOX21 was the target of miR-181b-2-3p. Furthermore, SOX21 knockdown by siRNA inhibited the activation of microglia, thereby suggesting that the direct interaction of 181b-2-3p with SOX21 might be involved in radiation-induced microglial activation and proliferation. Interestingly, the gamma irradiation of NSCs increased miR-181b-2-3p expression but decreased SOX21 mRNA, which was the opposite of irradiation-induced expression in BV2 cells. As irradiation reduced the viability and proliferation of NSCs, whereas the overexpression of SOX21 restored the impaired cell viability and promoted the proliferation of NSCs, the findings suggest that the radiation-induced interaction of miR-181b-2-3p with SOX21 may play dual roles in microglia and NSCs, respectively, leading to the impairment of brain neurogenesis.
Low-Noise Block Downconverter based on COTS and SIW Filters for Ku-band Cubesat Transponders

This paper proposes a Low-Noise Block (LNB) downconverter operating in the Ku-band for Cubesat transponders. The frontend is composed by a Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA) and two switchable Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) filters, providing a frequency reconfigurability to the system. The LNB is completed by a downconversion unit, constituted by a mixer, a PLL frequency synthesizer and an IF amplifier. A first breadboard features an overall gain of 54 dB with a 2.3 dB noise figure. The worst case linearity performance indicates an input-referred 1 dB compression point (P1dB) and a third-order intercept point (IIP3) equal to -27 dBm and -16 dBm respectively. This work is important since demonstrates a low-cost solution for satellite radio apparatuses based on commercial components and standard PCB.
Ursolic Acid Ameliorates Myocardial Ischaemia/Reperfusion Injury by Improving Mitochondrial Function via Immunoproteasome-PP2A-AMPK Signalling

Cardiac ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury causes cardiomyocyte apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction. Ursolic acid (UA), as a pentacyclic triterpenoid carboxylic acid, exerts several bioactivities in animal models of different diseases, but the preventive role of UA in I/R-induced myocardial dysfunction remains largely unknown. Male wild-type mice were pre-administered with UA at a dosage of 80 mg/kg i.p. and then subjected to cardiac I/R injury for 24 h. Cardiac function and pathological changes were examined by echocardiography and histological staining. The protein and mRNA levels of the genes were determined using qPCR and immunoblotting analysis. Our results revealed that UA administration in mice significantly attenuated the I/R-induced decline in cardiac function, infarct size, myocyte apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Mechanistically, UA increased three immunoproteasome catalytic subunit expressions and activities, which promoted ubiquitinated PP2A degradation and activated AMPK-PGC1α signalling, leading to improved mitochondrial biosynthesis and dynamic balance. In vitro experiments confirmed that UA treatment prevented hypoxia/reperfusion (H/R)-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction through activation of AMPK signalling. In summary, our findings identify UA as a new activator of the immunoproteasome that exerts a protective role in I/R-induced myocardial dysfunction and suggest that UA supplementation could be beneficial for the prevention of cardiac ischaemic disease.
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced T-Cell Response after Three Doses in People Living with HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy Compared to Seronegative Controls (CTN 328 COVAXHIV Study)

People living with HIV (PLWH) may be at risk for poor immunogenicity to certain vaccines, including the ability to develop immunological memory. Here, we assessed T-cell immunogenicity following three SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses in PLWH versus uninfected controls. Blood was collected from 38 PLWH on antiretroviral therapy and 24 age-matched HIV-negative controls, pre-vaccination and after 1st/2nd/3rd dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Flow cytometry was used to assess ex vivo T-cell immunophenotypes and intracellular Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α/interferon(IFN)-γ/interleukin(IL)-2 following SARS-CoV-2-Spike-peptide stimulation. Comparisons were made using Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired variables and Mann–Whitney for unpaired. In PLWH, Spike-specific CD4 T-cell frequencies plateaued post-2nd dose, with no significant differences in polyfunctional SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell proportions between PLWH and uninfected controls post-3rd dose. PLWH had higher frequencies of TNFα+CD4 T-cells and lower frequencies of IFNγ+CD8 T-cells than seronegative participants post-3rd dose. Regardless of HIV status, an increase in naive, regulatory, and PD1+ T-cell frequencies was observed post-3rd dose. In summary, two doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine induced a robust T-cell immune response in PLWH, which was maintained after the 3rd dose, with no significant differences in polyfunctional SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell proportions between PLWH and uninfected controls post-3rd dose.
Hand injuries with mole gun: A hidden danger

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Mole guns are handmade destructive tools used in the fight against harmful rodents in agricultural areas. Accidental triggering of these tools at the wrong time can result in major hand injuries that impair hand functionality and cause permanent hand disability. This study aims to draw attention to the fact that mole gun injuries cause severe loss of hand functionality and that these tools should be considered within the scope of firearms. METHODS: Our study is a retrospective, observational cohort study. The demographic characteristics of the patients, the clinical features of the injury, and the surgical methods applied were recorded. The severity of the hand injury was assessed by the Modified Hand Injury Severity Score. The Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire was used to evaluate the upper extremity-related disability of the patient. The patients’ hand grip strength and palmar and lateral pinch strengths, and functional disability scores were compared with healthy controls. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients with mole gun hand injuries were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 63.0±16.9 (22–86), and all but one were male. Dominant hand injury was found in more than half of the patients (63.6%). More than half of the patients had major hand injuries (59.1%). The functional disability scores of the patients were significantly higher than the controls, and the grip strengths and palmar pinch strengths were significantly lower. CONCLUSION: Even after years from the injury, our patients had hand disabilities, and their hand strengths were lower than that of the controls. Public awareness should be raised on this issue, and mole guns should be prohibited and considered in the scope of firearms.
STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF NANOPARTICLE SIZE ON THE DIELECTRIC CONSTANT AND CONCENTRATION OF CHARGE CARRIERS OF Si AND CdS MATERIALS

In this research, the effect of nanoparticle size on the dielectric constant and the concentration of charge carriers in silicon (Si) material and cadmium sulfide (CdS) is studied. These properties are studied by using a computer program in MATLAB version (17). This program depends on the Brus model and the characteristic matrix theory. The results indicate that the dielectric constant increases with the increase in the granular size of the material and when the granular size decreases the dielectric constant decreases. As for the concentration of the charge carriers, we notice that it decreases with the decrease of the granular size of the material.
Sex- and age-specific association between outdoor light at night and obesity in Chinese adults: A national cross-sectional study of 98,658 participants from 162 study sites

Background Exposure to light at night (LAN) is a potent disruptor of the circadian system. Whether LAN exposure exerts a sex- or age-specific influence on obesity needs investigation. Objectives To estimate the sex- and age-specific associations of exposure to outdoor LAN and obesity based on a national and cross-sectional survey. Methods The study included a nationally representative sample of 98,658 adults aged ≥ 18 years who had lived in their current residence for ≥ 6 months from 162 study sites across mainland China in 2010. Outdoor LAN exposure was estimated from satellite imaging data. General obesity was defined as body-mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 kg/m2 and central obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥ 90 cm in men and ≥ 85 cm in women. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between LAN exposure and prevalent obesity in sex and age categories. Results A monotonically increasing association of outdoor LAN with BMI, waist circumference was observed in all sex and age categories, except for adults aged 18-39 years. Significant associations of LAN exposure with prevalent obesity were observed in each sex and age category, especially in men and older people. Per 1-quintile increase in LAN was associated with 14% increased odds of general obesity in men (odds ratio, OR=1.14, 95% confidence interval, CI=1.07-1.23) and 24% in adults aged ≥ 60 years (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.14-1.35). Per 1-quintile increase in LAN was associated with 19% increased odds of central obesity in men (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.11-1.26) and 26% in adults aged ≥ 60 years (OR=1.26, 95% CI=1.17-1.35). Conclusions Increased chronic outdoor LAN exposure was associated with increased prevalence of obesity in sex- and age- specific Chinese populations. Public health policies on reducing light pollution at night might be considered in obesity prevention.
On‐chip purification of tetracycline from food matrices

Antibiotics are widespread both to treat human and animal diseases and to improve growth in food animals. However, their overuse in food‐producing animals has led to critical issues for human health, such as the direct toxicity and the development of antibiotic‐resistant bacterial strains. Therefore, the identification of traces of antibiotic in food before entering the market has became extremely important and brought out the need for novel bioanalytical methods and protocols. To meet this need, here, a microfluidic system was set up for the purification of tetracycline (TC) from raw milk, honey, and eggs. The system is based on the use of magnetic beads exposing copper ions, which are loaded in a microfluidic chamber and actuated by a ready‐made device. Tetracycline is captured by copper ions present on the microbeads, purified from the unwanted raw material present in the initial sample and recovered by a suitable elution solution. Different elution solutions were tested and results were evaluated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and visible spectrometry. The microfluidic system was successfully employed for the purification of TC from raw milk, honey, and eggs after an initial dilution in buffer. The overall protocol was, therefore, demonstrated to efficiently purify tetracycline, laying the bases for a future implementation of in‐field on‐chip tests.
Inner-shell resonant photodetachment of C−: the dramatic role of dynamical relaxation in collective response

The near-threshold strong resonance in 1s inner-shell photodetachment of the carbon negative ion is investigated and the role of collective effects in its formation is evaluated. The shape resonance parameters, the resonance energy of εres = 0.857 eV and width of Γ = 0.122 eV, are determined using the many-body theory (RPAE&DEM) method. The complex mixed (‘shape-Feshbach’) nature of the resonance is revealed. The calculated cross sections are in fair agreement with the recent experiment (Gorczyca T W 2004 Rad. Phys. Chem. 70 407–15). The collective character of the response to the external electromagnetic field in the strongly correlated C− target is clearly demonstrated. The dynamical relaxation of the core is the most pronounced feature in the interplay of collective effects.
What drives enterprise asset-backed securitization in China?

ABSTRACT Using transaction-level data on enterprise asset-backed securities (ABS), we investigate the relationship between ABS issuance, interest savings, and firm characteristics in China. About half of the ABS deals were issued by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and around 70% of the issues carry a coupon rate lower than the average interest rate on bank loans. Firms issue more ABS when the interest savings are high, or when they face more restricted access to credit. Private firms are most responsive to the benefits provided by the enterprise ABS market compared to state-owned enterprises and foreign companies.
Analysis and Application of a Surface Admittance Operator for Combined Magnetic and Dielectric Contrast in Emerging Interconnect Topologies

In state-of-the-art interconnect design, topologies including magnetic materials, such as the so-called superlattice conductors, are rapidly emerging as a novel strategy to handle the challenges associated with the evolution toward higher operating frequencies and integration densities. Consequently, it is imperative that the newly developed full-wave electromagnetic solvers rigorously model these innovative materials and still accurately capture phenomena such as the skin and proximity effect in good conductors. In this article, we propose such a method to rigorously characterize this important class of interconnects with arbitrary, possibly frequency-dependent, material properties, including combined dielectric and magnetic contrast. To that end, a 2-D differential surface admittance (DSA) operator is used, which invokes a single-source equivalence theorem to model both nonmagnetic and magnetic conductors efficiently. This operator is combined with the electric field integral equation (EFIE), yielding a comprehensive formalism to extract the pertinent per-unit-of-length (p.u.l.) resistance and inductance parameters of the modeled structures. The numerical properties of our technique are studied in detail, with particular attention to the influence of magnetic materials. Finally, various relevant application examples are considered to establish its correctness and versatility.
A new view of the solar corona from the transition region and coronal explorer (TRACE)

The TRACE Observatory is the first solar-observing satellite in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Small Explorer series. Launched April 2, 1998, it is providing views of the solar transition region and low corona with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. The corona is now seen to be highly filamented, and filled with flows and other dynamic processes. Structure is seen down to the resolution limit of the instrument, while variability and motions are observed at all spatial locations in the solar atmosphere, and on very short time scales. Flares and shock waves are observed, and the formation of long-lived coronal structures, with consequent implications for coronal heating models, has been seen. This overview describes the instrument and presents some preliminary results from the first six months of operation.