Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Foreign Body Reaction, Retinal Degeneration, and Epiretinal Membranes Associated With Intravitreal Administration of PLGA Rods

Long-acting delivery platforms for intravitreal therapies are an active area of research in ophthalmic drug development. The aim of these platforms is to decrease the burden of intravitreal therapies for patients, by increasing the period between intravitreal injections. This brief communication describes the in-life, histologic and immunohistochemical findings associated with repeat-dose intravitreal administration of poly D, L sustained lactide-co-glycolide polymeric rods, an intravitreal depot, in the cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). These nonclinical investigations illustrate a pattern of foreign body reaction around intravitreal depots at the temporal pars plana and demonstrated the histopathologic and immunohistologic features of retinal degeneration and epiretinal membrane formation in the inferior retina.
Elemental sulfur reduction by a deep-sea hydrothermal vent Campylobacterium Sulfurimonas sp. NW10.

Sulfurimonas species (class Campylobacteria, phylum Campylobacterota) were globally distributed and especially predominant in deep-sea hydrothermal environments. They were previously identified as chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), whereas little is known about their potential in sulfur reduction. In this report, we found that the elemental sulfur reduction is quite common in different species of genus Sulfurimonas. To gain insights into the sulfur reduction mechanism, growth tests, morphology observation, as well as genomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed on a deep-sea hydrothermal vent bacterium Sulfurimonas sp. NW10. Scanning electron micrographs and dialysis tubing tests confirmed that elemental sulfur reduction occurred without direct contact of cells with sulfur particles while direct access strongly promoted bacterial growth. Furthermore, we demonstrated that most species of Sulfurimonas probably employ both periplasmic and cytoplasmic polysulfide reductases, encoded by genes psrA1 B1 CDE and psrA2 B2 , respectively, to accomplish cyclooctasulfur reduction. This is the first report showing two different sulfur reduction pathways coupled to different energy conservations could co-exist in one sulfur-reducing microorganism. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Effects of increased nitrogen and phosphorus availability on the photosynthesis and nutrient relations of three arctic dwarf shrubs from Svalbard

The effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on the relationship between leaf photosynthesis, biomass and nutrient concentrations were investigated in Cassiope tetragona, Dryas octopetala and Salix polaris at Ny Alesund, Svalbard (79 o N). Cassiope, an evergreen, had the greatest leaf biomass and specific leaf weight but the lowest nutrient concentrations, rates of photosynthesis and photosynthetic nutrient-use efficiencies. In contrast Salix, a deciduous shrub, had the lowest leaf biomass and specific leaf weight but the highest nutrient concentrations, rates of photosynthesis and photosynthetic nutrient-use efficiencies (.)
Environmental Health and Ecological Risk Assessment of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution in the Coastal Cities of Estuarine Bay—A Case Study of Hangzhou Bay, China

Shanghai is the major city on the north shore of Hangzhou Bay, and the administrative regions adjacent to Hangzhou Bay are the Jinshan district, Fengxian district, and Pudong new area (Nanhui district), which are the main intersection areas of manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture in Shanghai. In this paper, we collected a total of 75 topsoil samples from six different functional areas (agricultural areas (19), roadside areas (10), industrial areas (19), residential areas (14), education areas (6), and woodland areas (7)) in these three administrative regions, and the presence of 10 heavy metals (manganese(Mn), zinc(Zn), chromium(Cr), nickel(Ni), lead(Pb), cobalt(Co), cadmium(Cd), mercury(Hg), copper(Cu), and arsenic(As)) was investigated in each sample. The Nemerow pollution index (NPI), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were calculated to assess the soil pollution levels. The hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) assessment models were used to assess the human health risks posed by the concentrations of the heavy metals. The CR and HQ for adults and children in different functional areas descended in the following order: industrial areas > roadside areas > woodland areas > residential areas > education areas > agricultural areas. The HQ of Mn for children in industrial areas was higher than 1, and the risk was within the acceptable range.
The Role of Oxide Traps Aligned With the Semiconductor Energy Gap in MOS Systems

This work demonstrates that when inelastic tunneling between oxide traps and semiconductor bands is considered, the traps with energy aligned to the semiconductor bandgap play a significant role in the frequency dispersion of the capacitance–voltage (<italic>C–V</italic>) and conductance–voltage (<italic>G–V</italic>) characteristics of metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) systems. The work also highlights that a nonlocal model for tunneling into interface states is mandatory to reproduce experiments when carrier quantization in the inversion layer is accounted for. A model, including these ingredients, is used to evaluate the energy and depth distribution of oxide traps in a n-In<sub>0.53</sub>Ga<sub>0.47</sub>As/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> MOS system and is able to accurately fit the <italic>C–V</italic> frequency dispersion from depletion to weak inversion. The oxide trap distribution determined from the <italic>C–V</italic> response predicts the corresponding <italic>G–V</italic> dispersion with frequency.
SPECIALIZATION AND FORAGING EFFICIENCY OF SOLITARY BEES

The specialist bee, Hoplitis anthocopoides, foraged for pollen from Echium vulgare, its preferred plant, more efficiently than did four generalist species. Efficiency was measured as the weight of pollen (the larval food) harvested from Echium flowers per unit handling time, divided by the weight of the discrete pollen mass required to rear one offspring. This measure of efficiency corresponds more closely to reproductive output than does the usual measure, net energy gained per unit time. The specialists produced more potential offspring per unit handling time because they manipulated flowers faster and collected more pollen per flower than did generalists. The specialists also flew between flowers more rapidly than did the generalists. The specialists did not defend the flowers against generalists. These results support the assumption in models of resource partitioning and optimal foraging theory, and in hypotheses explaining the evolution of pollen-specializing bee species, that specialists are more efficient at using their preferred resources than are generalists.
Superoxide is known to affect vascular physiology in several ways and has also been recognized to contribute significantly to vascular physiopathology. Here we discuss the emerging role of super- oxide as an essential signaling molecule in normal physiology.

ife in an oxygen-containing environment is necessarily accompanied by the production of oxygen-derived radicals. In fact, many biological processes, and probably life as we know it, are only possible because of the reactivity of oxygen and the formation of oxygen radical intermediates. The survival of organisms under these “noxious” conditions has been facilitated by the evolutionary development of suitable protection mechanisms against radical impact. In this way, organisms from bacteria to mammals contain specific enzyme systems that sense and inactivate reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, when these primary protection mechanisms are overwhelmed by excessive ROS production, one encounters a situation of oxidative stress that can result in the modification of cellular macromolecules. For these situations, most organisms have developed a secondary defense strategy that includes a variety of repair mechanisms. However, because oxygen is omnipresent and because of the evolution of life in an oxygen-containing environment, most organisms have also developed signaling mechanisms that utilize ROS. This role of ROS has only recently begun to be appreciated. Still, only little is known about where and how these radicals are produced, which radicals are used in signaling, and where and how they are sensed to exert a specific effect.
Polarization Dynamics of Mode-Locked Fiber Laser

By using a new vector model of Erbium-doped fiber laser with a mode-locking mechanism based on a nonlinear polarization rotation, we demonstrate, for the first time, a transition from a stable mode-locking with a locked state of polarization (SOP) to an unstable mode-locking with periodically and chaotically evolved SOP. The chaotically evolving SOP corresponds to the intermittent behavior of the pulse energy (alteration between the chaotic and laminar phase regimes) similar to the experimentally observed.
Advanced Optoelectronic Devices for Neuroscience

Advances in optogenetics and optical imaging techniques have progressively changed the approach used to record functional signals related to neural activity. Besides standard electrophysiology techniques, in the last 20 years the use of light sensitive molecular tools for triggering and monitoring brain functions increased the demand for the development of novel optoelectronic devices for light delivery, light collection, and electrical recording from the living brain. This goal can be achieved by combining different devices or integrating both optical and electrical elements on the same implantable probe. Here we review the latest advancements in this field with particular emphasis on fiber-based optrodes and non-planar manufacturing techniques.
From symptom to cancer diagnosis: Perspectives of patients and family members in Alberta, Canada

Background Significant intervals from the identification of suspicious symptoms to a definitive diagnosis of cancer are common. Streamlining pathways to diagnosis may increase survival, quality of life post-treatment, and patient experience. Discussions of pathways to diagnosis from the perspective of patients and family members are crucial to advancing cancer diagnosis. Aim To examine the perspectives of a group of patients with cancer and family members in Alberta, Canada, on factors associated with timelines to diagnosis and overall experience. Methods A qualitative approach was used. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with patients with cancer (n = 18) and patient relatives (n = 5) were conducted and subjected to a thematic analysis. Findings Participants struggled emotionally in the diagnostic period. Relevant to their experience were: potentially avoidable delays, concerns about health status, and misunderstood investigation process. Participants emphasized the importance of their active involvement in the care process, and had unmet supportive care needs. Conclusion Psychosocial supports available to potential cancer patients and their families are minimal, and may be important for improved experiences before diagnosis. Access to other patients’ lived experiences with the diagnostic process and with cancer, and an enhanced supportive role of family doctors might help improve experiences for patients and families in the interval before receiving a diagnosis of cancer, which may have a significant impact on wellbeing.
Association of Dance-Based Mind-Motor Activities With Falls and Physical Function Among Healthy Older Adults

Key Points Question Are dance-based mind-motor activities associated with benefits for fall prevention and better physical functions, such as balance, mobility, and strength, in healthy adults 65 years and older? Findings This systematic review and meta-analysis of 29 randomized clinical trials found that dance-based mind-motor interventions were associated with a statistically significant reduction (37%) in fall risk and a statistically significant reduced rate (31%) of falls. There was a statistically significant association between favorable physical function outcomes and dance-based mind-motor activities for participants in the dance-based mind-motor intervention groups compared with those in the control groups. Meaning Dance-based mind-motor activities may help fall prevention efforts in healthy older adults.
Skin Cancer Diagnosis Using an Improved Ensemble Machine Learning model

In recent years skin cancer is becoming more and more threatening because of its fast and significant spread worldwide. This evidence has increased interest and efforts in the development of automatic diagnostic computational systems to assist early diagnosis. Several approaches have been proposed to assist in skin lesion diagnosis which used machine learning and ensemble learning. In some cases, a classifier can correctly predict the output class while others fail and vice versa. So the idea is to use different machine learning and ensemble learning to classify skin cancer. In this paper, we propose an improved ensemble learning method to classify skin cancer. Features used are the best combination of extracted features from different characteristics, i.e., shape, color, texture, and skeleton of the lesion, then we classify these features using different algorithms to predict the classes. Globally, the experimented results show a promoting result.
Chest CT Computerized Aided Quantification of PNEUMONIA Lesions in COVID-19 Infection: A Comparison among Three Commercial Software

Purpose: To compare different commercial software in the quantification of Pneumonia Lesions in COVID-19 infection and to stratify the patients based on the disease severity using on chest computed tomography (CT) images. Materials and methods: We retrospectively examined 162 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. All cases were evaluated separately by radiologists (visually) and by using three computer software programs: (1) Thoracic VCAR software, GE Healthcare, United States; (2) Myrian, Intrasense, France; (3) InferRead, InferVision Europe, Wiesbaden, Germany. The degree of lesions was visually scored by the radiologist using a score on 5 levels (none, mild, moderate, severe, and critic). The parameters obtained using the computer tools included healthy residual lung parenchyma, ground-glass opacity area, and consolidation volume. Intraclass coefficient (ICC), Spearman correlation analysis, and non-parametric tests were performed. Results: Thoracic VCAR software was not able to perform volumes segmentation in 26/162 (16.0%) cases, Myrian software in 12/162 (7.4%) patients while InferRead software in 61/162 (37.7%) patients. A great variability (ICC ranged for 0.17 to 0.51) was detected among the quantitative measurements of the residual healthy lung parenchyma volume, GGO, and consolidations volumes calculated by different computer tools. The overall radiological severity score was moderately correlated with the residual healthy lung parenchyma volume obtained by ThoracicVCAR or Myrian software, with the GGO area obtained by the ThoracicVCAR tool and with consolidation volume obtained by Myrian software. Quantified volumes by InferRead software had a low correlation with the overall radiological severity score. Conclusions: Computer-aided pneumonia quantification could be an easy and feasible way to stratify COVID-19 cases according to severity; however, a great variability among quantitative measurements provided by computer tools should be considered.
Approximate analytic expressions for the electrophoretic mobility of spheroidal particles

Approximate analytic expressions are derived for the electrophoretic mobility of spheroidal particles (prolate and oblate) carrying low zeta potential in an electrolyte solution under an applied tangential or transverse electric field. The present approximation method, which is based on the observation that the electrophoretic mobility of a particle is determined mainly by the distortion of the applied electric field by the presence of the particle. The exact expression for the equilibrium electric potential distribution around the particle, which can be expressed as an infinite sum of spheroidal wave functions, is not needed in the present approximation. The electrophoretic mobility values calculated with these approximate expressions for spheroidal particles with constant surface potential or constant surface charge density are in excellent agreement with the exact numerical results of previous reports with the relative errors less than about 4%.
Biosynthesis of the sactipeptide Ruminococcin C by the human microbiome: Mechanistic insights into thioether bond formation by radical SAM enzymes

Despite its major importance in human health, the metabolic potential of the human gut microbiota is still poorly understood. We have recently shown that biosynthesis of Ruminococcin C (RumC), a novel ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide (RiPP) produced by the commensal bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus, requires two radical SAM enzymes (RumMC1 and RumMC2) catalyzing the formation of four Cα-thioether bridges. These bridges, which are essential for RumC's antibiotic properties against human pathogens such as Clostridium perfringens, define two hairpin domains giving this sactipeptide (sulfur-to-α-carbon thioether–containing peptide) an unusual architecture among natural products. We report here the biochemical and spectroscopic characterizations of RumMC2. EPR spectroscopy and mutagenesis data support that RumMC2 is a member of the large family of SPASM domain radical SAM enzymes characterized by the presence of three [4Fe-4S] clusters. We also demonstrate that this enzyme initiates its reaction by Cα H-atom abstraction and is able to catalyze the formation of nonnatural thioether bonds in engineered peptide substrates. Unexpectedly, our data support the formation of a ketoimine rather than an α,β-dehydro-amino acid intermediate during Cα-thioether bridge LC–MS/MS fragmentation. Finally, we explored the roles of the leader peptide and of the RiPP precursor peptide recognition element, present in myriad RiPP-modifying enzymes. Collectively, our data support a more complex role for the peptide recognition element and the core peptide for the installation of posttranslational modifications in RiPPs than previously anticipated and suggest a possible reaction intermediate for thioether bond formation.
Working in Virtual Teams: A Systematic Literature Review and a Bibliometric Analysis

Modern developments in technology have changed the way we socialize, communicate and work. Globalization, Information and Communication Technologies, digital culture and the increase in the amount of technology available for online communication mean that more organizations are implementing virtual teams. The growth in the use of virtual teams in organizations has incited researchers to investigate the different aspects, factors and challenges of these teams. This article uses a systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis of virtual teams to identify the most relevant articles on the subject. These articles are then thoroughly reviewed and finally, a summary is made of all the research published over a five-year period. The systematic review of literature proposed by Ramey and Rao [1] and enhanced by Pulsiri and Thesenvitz [2] was used to examine the Scopus and Web of Science databases to identify the theories, research problems, research methodologies and results of 2354 studies on virtual teams published between 2015 and 2019. The main topics of the existing research in the field are reviewed, and the main limitations, problems and existing gaps in research are presented.
Rapid diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection from synovial fluid in blood culture bottles by direct matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Background The aim of this prospective study was to use direct matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to rapidly diagnose periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs). Method Synovial fluid was taken from 77 patients (80 joints, 41 hips and 39 knees) who met the International Consensus Meeting criteria for PJI, and inoculated into blood culture bottles (BCBs) and onto conventional swabs. Positive blood cultures were analyzed using either direct or routine MALDI-TOF MS. Pathogen identification and the time to identification was recorded. Differences between groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Bonferroni's post-hoc test. Results Direct and routine MALDI-TOF MS both detected 64 positive results (80%), compared to 47 (59%) by conventional swabs (p = 0.002). Direct MALDI-TOF MS identified 85.3% of the gram-positive organisms and 92.3% of the gram-negative organisms. No fungi were identified by direct MALDI-TOF MS. In 17 BCBs that were flagged positive, identification by direct MALDI-TOF MS failed. Among the positive results in the direct MALDI-TOF MS group, Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 47%, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (17%), Escherichia coli (9%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (9%). The median time to microorganism identification was significantly shorter with direct MALDI-TOF MS (12.7 h, IQR: 8.9–19.6 h) than with routine MALDI-TOF MS (39.5 h, IQR: 22.8–46.0 h) or swabs (44.4 h, IQR: 27.2–72.6 h) (p < 0.0001). In pairwise comparisons, there were significant differences in the time of microorganism identification between direct MALDI-TOF MS and routine MALDI-TOF MS (p < 0.0001) or swab culture (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference between routine MALDI-TOF MS and swab culture (p = 0.0268). Conclusion Compared with current laboratory practice, direct MALDI-TOF MS shortened the time to microorganism identification and had superior results compared to conventional swabs, except for fungi. Further studies should investigate whether the earlier administration of appropriate antimicrobial agents can improve the treatment outcomes of PJIs.
Lean Manufacturing Critical Success Factors for the Transportation Equipment Manufacturing Industry in Mexico

This research was carried out in the Mexican manufacturing industry, the second most important activity in the country’s industrial sector, specifically in the transportation equipment manufacturing subsector, which generates 19% of the jobs in this industry. Thus, it is important to develop improvement strategies to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness. Currently, Lean Manufacturing projects are considered the most important strategy for manufacturing companies to achieve world-class performance. However, such projects yield different results, depending on the level of Critical Success Factor (CSFs) implementation during their development. This work proposes the design and validation of an instrument to evaluate the implementation of CSFs during the project-improvement phase in the production of transportation equipment in the Mexican manufacturing industry. The instrument is made up of six CSFs selected from the reviewed literature on Lean Manufacturing methodology and improvement projects and measured through 31 items. The instrument was verified and empirically validated through exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis, using the SPSS Amos Ⓡ software program and a sample of 240 valid surveys applied to experienced developers of Lean Manufacturing improvement projects. The results show that the proposed instrument holds enough statistical validity to be used by the companies in the sector in order to assess the impact of critical success factors on the development of improvement projects. Additionally, the survey can help companies to identify areas of opportunity by adopting the Lean Manufacturing methodology and fit models, to assess the interaction of the FCEs in achieving the expected results of improvement projects.