Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating the hepatitis C virus and dengue virus interactions with host lipid pathways : from circulating human microRNAs to lipid modulating agents

ii Preface . iii Table of Contents . iv List of Tables . vii List of Figures . viii List of Abbreviations . x Acknowledgements . xv Dedication . xvi Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 1.1 Host lipid metabolism . 1 1.1.1 Lipoproteins . 1 1.1.2 Low-­‐density lipoprotein receptor . 2 1.1.3 Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 . 3 1.1.4 The SREBP pathway . 6 1.1.5 Subtilisin kexin isozyme-­‐1/site-­‐1 protease . 6 1.1. 6. Viral dysregulation of host lipid homeostasis . 8 1.2 MicroRNAs . 9 1.2. 1 Discovery of microRNAs . 9 1.2. 2 MicroRNA biogenesis . 10 1.2. 3 Post-­‐transcriptional repression by microRNAs . 10 1.2. 4 Circulating microRNAs . 12 1.2. 5 Emerging role of microRNAs in regulating lipid metabolism . 15 1.2. 6 Role of microRNAs during viral infection . 16 1.3 Hepatitis C virus (HCV) . 18 1.3. 1 HCV discovery and diversity . 19 1.3. 2 HCV pathogenesis . 20 1.3. 3 HCV proteins . 21 1.3. 4 HCV lifecycle . 23 1.3. 5 HCV antivirals . 25 1.3. 6 HCV and lipid metabolism . 27 1.3. 7 MicroRNAs during HCV infection . 28 1.4 Dengue virus (DENV) biology . 29 1.4. 1 DENV epidemiology and clinical disease . 30 1.4. 2 DENV pathogenesis . 31 1.4. 3 DENV biology and lifecycle . 32 1.4. 4 DENV vaccine and treatment . 34 1.4. 5 DENV and lipid metabolism . 35 1.5 Research hypothesis and rationale . 36 1.5. 1 Aim 1 . 37 1.5. 2 Aim 2 . 38 1.5. 3 Aim 3 . 38
How and when spiritual leadership enhances employee innovative behavior

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between spiritual leadership and employee innovative behavior by testing the mediating role of autonomous motivation and the moderating role of employee power distance orientation.Design/methodology/approachThe author predicted an indirect relationship between spiritual leadership and employee innovative behavior via autonomous motivation. Also, the author predicted the positive effect of spiritual leadership on employee innovative behavior will be stronger when employee power distance orientation is high. Hypotheses are tested with data gathered from 174 participants.FindingsResults showed that spiritual leadership was positively related to employee innovative behavior via autonomous motivation. And, the positive relationship between spiritual leadership and autonomous motivation was stronger when employee power distance orientation was high. Furthermore, the indirect effect of autonomous motivation was stronger when employee power distance orientation was high.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides a new theoretical perspective – self-determination theory – to test how and when spiritual leadership enhances employee innovative behavior by suggesting autonomous motivation as a mediator and employee power distance orientation as a boundary condition.Practical implicationsThe results of this research provide suggestions for leaders to adopt spiritual leadership as well as enhance interactions between them and employees to increase employee innovative behavior.Originality/valueThis study highlights the moderating role of employee power distance orientation and uses self-determination theory to examine how and when spiritual leadership plays a positive role.
Characterization, mechanical, and antibacterial properties of nanofibers derived from olive leaf, fumitory, and terebinth extracts

In this study, nanofiber structures were obtained with convenient polymers (PVA [polyvinyl alcohol] and PCL [poly o-caprolactone]) derived from the herbal extracts of olive leaves, fumitory, and terebinth plants. Optimum nanofiber structures were identified by measuring viscosity and conductivity values and performing morphological analysis, characterization, and mechanical tests of the prepared solutions. The potential use for wound healing at the most efficient level was determined as a result of antibacterial analysis of the structures obtained. APT (PVA/terebinth) and BFO (PCL/fumitory) nanofibers had the thinnest diameter range and the highest strength values. In terms of the determination of antibacterial effects, nanofiber structures of all 3 plant species proved to be effective against bacteria. The greatest effect was observed against Escherichia coli in the nanofiber structure containing olive leaves, with a zone diameter of 32 mm. In addition, APT and BFO nanofibers had the highest values of thinness and strength. In these 2 samples, using BFO against Staphylococcus aureus and APT against Candida albicans increased their areas of activity. In the literature review, no study was available about obtaining nanofibers, especially from fumitory and terebinth plants. This study aimed to increase knowledge on obtaining nanofiber structures, including various polymers derived from olive leaves, fumitory, and terebinth plants.
Sex-specific Associations of Alcohol Withdrawal in Patients Admitted for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder.

OBJECTIVES There are sex differences in the pattern of alcohol consumption and in the complications of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We aimed to identify sex-specific differences in the factors associated with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) among patients that requested a first treatment for AUD. METHODS We enrolled 313 patients (75% men) with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) AUD diagnosis that started treatment between 2014 and 2016. We collected socio-demographics, the type and amount of alcohol and other substances consumed, and clinical and laboratory parameters. According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) AUD criteria, AWS occurred when patients experienced 2 or more clinical signs/symptoms and/or consumed alcohol to relieve symptoms. Logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with AWS according to sex. RESULTS The median age of participants was 50 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 43-54 years). The median age of starting alcohol consumption was 16 years (IQR: 14-18 years). Notably, 69% of participants smoked tobacco, and 61% had a family history of AUD; 18% currently used cannabis, and 7.7% used cocaine. Overall, 73% of patients exhibited AWS criteria, and men (76.5%) were more likely than women (64.6%) to report AWS (P = 0.038). In the adjusted analysis, factors associated with AWS were the age at starting alcohol consumption (odds ratio [OR] for every 5 years = 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.69-2.08), and cannabis use (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.04-7.7) in men, and a family history of AUD in women (OR = 2.85 95% CI: 1.07-7.54). CONCLUSIONS factors associated with AWS differ by sex which may have clinical implications for proactive management of AWS during treatment for AUD.
Seasonal specialization in diet of the Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) in California and the importance of prey size

Carnivorous mammals < 25 kg typically prey on species < 50% of their body mass but can choose prey whose energy value varies from small proportions of their daily needs to exceeding them. We hypothesized that for carnivores < 25 kg specializing in vertebrate prey, prey sizes closest to meeting daily energy needs would be most frequently depredated. We tested this hypothesis by reconstructing the diet of Humboldt martens using 528 scats and calculating the proportion of metabolizable energy (PME) that each prey taxon contributed to the diet. Overall, mammals dominated the diet (PME = 72%), followed by birds (PME = 22%), with berries, insects, and reptiles contributing < 10% PME. Sciurids comprised the largest proportion of all prey, representing 42% of overall PME, ranging from 29% (spring) to 51% (summer). While > 37 prey taxa were identified in the annual diet, only 11 contributed > 5% PME in any single season and the 4 dominant prey taxa in any single season represented 59–64% of that season's PME. Medium-sized prey (85–225 g) composed 55–66% PME from summer through winter and 2.6 to 8.4 times PME compared to small (< 40 g) and large (> 250 g) prey during these 3 seasons, respectively. When PME for the most frequently consumed individual medium-sized prey (e.g., chipmunks) declined seasonally, martens switched to alternative medium-sized prey (2.8- and 2.5-fold increases in medium-sized birds and flying squirrels, respectively), increased use of large prey (> 8-fold increase), but changed use of small prey least. The annual importance of medium-sized prey, and seasonal shifts to similar-sized or larger prey during winter-spring seasons, both support our hypothesis that the most frequently depredated prey in the diet of Humboldt martens have body sizes closest to meeting daily energy needs.
Isolation and Identification of Psychotropic Fungal Contamination in Food Storage Refrigerators in Ahvaz City Restaurants

Background: Food-borne pathogens are one of the most important problems in less developed and developed countries. Commercial refrigerators are a potential source of fungal contamination that causes food spoilage, food-borne intestinal infectious diseases or mycotoxin diseases. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of psychotropic fungi in food storage refrigerators (n = 50) with temperatures above and below 0ºC at selected restaurants (n = 25) located in the city of Ahvaz, Iran. Methods: Samples were collected from the surfaces of the refrigerators by using sterile swab sticks pre-moistened with sterile distilled water, and then each collected sample was plated out on Sabouraud dextrose agar medium. Finally, all fungi were counted and identified based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Results: According to our results, 100% of the sample refrigerators showed fungal contamination. Cladosporium sp. (42.34%) and Mucor sp. (0.06%) had the highest and the lowest frequency of fungi recovered from our research, respectively. Furthermore, the P value calculated indicated a significant correlation between refrigerators above 0ºC and refrigerators below 0ºC (P < 0.00001). Conclusions: The presence of fungi in commercial refrigerators could be an indicator of a potential source of food spoilage and food-borne diseases. Therefore increased education, and proper packaging and refrigerator management are recommended since regular cleaning of these refrigerators is important in order to prevent food-borne diseases and other health risks.
Suitability Of Plum And Prune Cultivars, Grown In A High Density Planting System, For Mechanical Harvesting With A Canopy Contact, Straddle Harvester

Abstract The relation of hand-harvesting cost in plum and prune production to the total costs amounts to 25-40%. Mechanical harvesting makes it possible to cut drastically both the harvesting and total costs. To test the suitability of plum and prune species to be mechanically harvested, an experimental grove (area 0.8 ha) was established in 2008. Three plum cultivars and one prune cultivar grafted on semi-dwarf and vigorous rootstocks were planted at high density (1250; 1666; 2500 trees·ha−1). During the span of full yielding (2012-2014), fruits were harvested mechanically with a canopy contact, straddle harvester in continuous motion, designed at the Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice, to harvest tart cherry, and later adapted to harvesting plums and prunes. Trees grafted on semi-dwarf rootstock (‘Wangenheim Prune’) appeared to be more suitable for mechanical harvesting than strong-growing trees grafted on Prunus cerasifera clone ‘Myrobalan’. Cumulative yield per ha (years 2012-2014) was the highest at the highest planting density. Trees grafted on the semi-dwarf rootstock had a higher productivity index than trees grafted on the vigorous rootstock. There was no significant difference in fruit quality related to planting distance. Mechanical harvesting was nearly 40 times more efficient than hand picking. The efficiency of mechanical harvest was from 85% to 90%. Over 5% of fruits were lost on the ground and from 1 to 5% of fruits were left on the tree. Up to 18% of the plums and no more than 10% of the prunes harvested mechanically showed some damage. They can be fully acceptable for processing, for up to 10 days, providing the potential deterioration processes are inhibited by cold storage. The large-fruited cultivars seem to be more susceptible to bruising than the small-fruited ones. For the latter, the share of marketable quality fruits within the mechanically harvested crop amounted to about 80%, which could be a good prognostic justifying further trials on the prune harvester.
Pedagogy training among political scientists: Opportunities, interest, and obstacles

Abstract Over the last two decades there have been periodic calls for improved teacher training and a growth in scholarship on teaching and learning. Yet, we know little about opportunities and participation in training programs. What kinds of training are political scientists collectively engaging in, especially for tenured and tenure track faculty? Are political science departments providing training programs for both faculty and graduate students? With the cooperation of the American Political Science Association, we included five questions about pedagogical training in a survey of Teaching and Learning Conference participants and in a survey of APSA members in 2018. We find that there is interest in different kinds of training experiences, but most of the training takes place outside the department. Within departments, there may be resource and culture-related obstacles to offerings and participation. Results indicate a need for more resources and career-related incentives in order to encourage participation in these opportunities.
Carbon‐nanotube‐loaded planar gas and humidity sensor

This paper reports a gas and humidity sensor design with improved sensitivity. The design is based on a planar antenna loaded with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Sensing is achieved by the conductivity change of the CNT film when exposed to various gases or humidity levels. The sensitivity improvement was achieved by replacing a portion of the patch conductor at the dominant edge with a strip of CNT film, and accordingly having the CNT film exercise the maximum effect on the antenna's radiation. The fabricated sensor was tested in a sealed chamber by filling the chamber with several different gases and then with water vapor. The experimental results were excellent, and the gas sensing capability of the CNT‐loaded patch antenna was better than previously reported designs. The sensor was designed for 2.4 GHz so that it can easily be compatible with Wi‐Fi and Bluetooth devices, and the sensor geometry can be easily scaled to other frequencies, which shows great promise for applications of the proposed wireless sensor in environmental monitoring and weather forecasting.
Comparison of Serum Level of Bone Resorption Markers with Bone Densitometry in Elderly Individuals in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Introduction: This study concentrated on serum bone markers, N and Ctelopeptide and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), and their concentrations were evaluated in the serum of elderly participants and compared with that of the young of the same gender. Markers for bone resorption are proteins, and they are mainly measured in the urine and serum, where they serve to assess bone turnover. Methodology: A cross-sectional prospective study conducted at the orthopaedic and Family Medicine Departments of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, a public tertiary healthcare facility located in Choba and Alakahia communities of Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers state, Nigeria, among elderly patients aged 60 years and above. Results: Considering the age of the test population, all the females were post-menopausal and no statistical difference was observed in relation to the results for gender in the study. Also, the Original Research Article Adekemi et al.; JAMMR, 32(11): 72-79, 2020; Article no.JAMMR. 59148 73 plasma creatinine, calcium and albumin results of both controls and participants were within normal reference range. The study was necessitated by the fact that, in the environment of the study (Port Harcourt), elderly individuals frequently complain of bone pain, thus, the serum levels of the aforementioned bone resorption markers (N and C telopeptide and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase) was estimated among these elderly individuals, with the view that its outcome can help physicians to initiate protocols that will prevent the consequences of increased bone resorption, intervenes before bone becomes fragile and aid the prediction of osteoporosis. Conclusion: This study was able to establish that the serum levels of NTX, CTX and TRAP were increased in elderly participants above the age of sixty years than controls.
Impacts of chronic stress on urinary bladder function & recovery through modification of PACAP signaling

Stress can cause or contribute to bladder dysfunction though specific effects remain unclear. Individuals with interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS) experience increased symptom severity with stress, including pain and increased urgency and frequency of voiding. Further research can identify stressrelated changes to urinary mechanisms, such as changes in sensory neurotransmitters and subsequent receptor expression. These factors could then become targets for future therapies providing bladder dysfunction relief. Alterations in PACAP and TRPV channel expression have been shown in sensory pathways in response to disease. My research studied the effects of chronic stress on bladder function and the potential for PACAP(6-38), a PACAP antagonist, to recover normal function. Mice went through a repeated variate stress regime followed by bladder tube implant and cystometrogram recording. Bladder, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and spinal cord tissues were collected and immunostained for the presence of TRPV1, TRPV4, and PACAP expression. Chronic stress decreased inter-contraction interval (ICI) and bladder capacity while increasing bladder pressures. Both control and stressed male and female mice showed improvement following a 30-minute intravesical infusion of PACAP(6-38), with ICI and bladder capacity measures having the most consistent improvement across groups. PACAP and TRPV1 expression was upregulated in the bladder afferent pathway. These findings suggest that chronic stress can contribute to bladder dysfunction, and it seems to be mediated in part by upregulation of PACAP and TRPV channel activity. With further research, these factors may be valid molecular targets for therapy. As chronic stress
Zinc and genomic stability.

viii DECLARATION ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS x PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARISING FROM THE THESIS xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xv Chapter 1: The Role of Zinc in Genomic Stability 1 1.1 Abstract 3 1.2 Introduction 3 1.2.1 Genomic stability and cancer; the role of nutrition 3 1.2.2 Zinc functions 5 1.3 Zinc deficiency, DNA damage and chromosomal instability 13 1.4 Zinc excess, DNA damage and toxicity 20 1.5 Zinc and telomeres 27 1.6 Knowledge gaps and future directions 26 Chapter 2: Aims, Hypotheses and Models 30 2.1 Aims and hypotheses 31 2.2 Experimental models 31 2.2.1 In vitro model 31 2.2.2 In vivo model 34 Chapter 3: The Effect of Zinc Sulphate and Zinc Carnosine on Genome Stability and Cytotoxicity in WIL2-NS Lymphoblastoid Cell Line 35 3.1 Abstract 38 3.2 Introduction 39 3.3 Materials and methods 42
Coopetition Among Social Enterprises: A Three-Level Dynamic Motivated by Social and Economic Goals

While scholars have analyzed the emergence and characteristics of social enterprises, and their internal tensions between conflicting logics, we have little understanding of the dynamics at the interorganizational level between social enterprises. Based on an in-depth, qualitative study with work integration social enterprises in the secondhand clothes industry, we uncover the dynamics of simultaneous cooperation and competition. Our analysis shows that social enterprises simultaneously—rather than sequentially—engage in coopetitive actions at three levels of action: operational, stakeholder, and environmental interface. At each level, social enterprises engage in different coopetitive actions that do not easily fall under the commercial–social tension usually studied in the social entrepreneurship literature. Social and economic goals motivate both competition and cooperation, but we argue that this plays out differently at each level of coopetition. We conclude with implications for theory and practice.
How to be “groupy” matters: Groups with shared traits and shared goals engender distinct patterns of social judgments

By bringing in the Big-Two model of social perception, the present research extended previous literature regarding how people perceive homogeneous and cohesive groups from the process level to the content level. We compared the effects of intragroup similarity and interaction on warmth and competence judgments about groups. The similarity or interaction (high or low) of the novel groups (Study 1) and an international group (Study 2) was manipulated by descriptions. Participants were asked to rate the target groups on warmth- and competence-related traits. Consistent with our hypotheses, similarity polarized both warmth and competence judgments, whereas interaction polarized warmth judgments but enhanced competence judgments. The current research not only advances group perception research but also provides practical implications for improving group image and intergroup relations.
Post-Hype Uses of Drones in News Reporting: Revealing the Site and Presenting Scope

Camera-equipped drones have emerged as an increasingly commonplace tool for media to acquire aerial imagery. Previous research has mainly focused on the innovative aspects and creative potential of the technology. This article argues that early optimistic projections reflected a novelty effect, typical of a culturally embedded idea that new and better technologies continuously replace older ones. Using a historical theory which distinguishes techno-optimistic innovation discourse from actual observations of technology in use, photojournalists were interviewed on the role of drones in news reporting. The results show that the practitioners historicise drones, relating them to previous aerial technologies, and they reflect on current and future uses of drones in journalism based on a notion of phases, where early hype gives way to subsequent drone fatigue. Drones are seen by many as a more convenient tool to do things that journalism has done before, but the convenience increases the use of aerial imagery. The results also show that, although photojournalists see a wide range of potential uses, there are also limitations, including the ideals of the invisible observer, safety concerns, and the perils of over-aesthetic imagery. The post-hype uses of drone photography were summarized in two categories: (a) revealing the site, establishing ‘this happened here’ and (b) presenting scope, or showing how vast or large something is.
Protruding Nanostructured Surfaces for Antimicrobial and Osteogenic Titanium Implants

Protruding nanostructured surfaces have gained increasing interest due to their unique wetting behaviours and more recently their antimicrobial and osteogenic properties. Rapid development in nanofabrication techniques that offer high throughput and versatility on titanium substrate open up the possibility for better orthopaedic and dental implants that deter bacterial colonisation while promoting osteointegration. In this review we present a brief overview of current problems associated with bacterial infection of titanium implants and of efforts to fabricate titanium implants that have both bactericidal and osteogenic properties. All of the proposed mechano-bactericidal mechanisms of protruding nanostructured surfaces are then considered so as to explore the potential advantages and disadvantages of adopting such novel technologies for use in future implant applications. Different nanofabrication methods that can be utilised to fabricate such nanostructured surfaces on titanium substrate are briefly discussed.