Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of natural attenuation, phytoremediation and hybrid technologies in the remediation of a refinery soil with old/recent petroleum hydrocarbons contamination

Within a search for a biological remediation technology to remove petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) from a contaminated soil from a refinery, the potential of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) was compared with the use of transplants of Cortaderia selloana both in the absence and in the presence of soil amendments. After 31 months of experiments, MNA was effective in removing most of the recent PHC contamination (50% of the initial total contamination) at 5–20 cm depth. The presence of weathered contamination explains the existence of an established community of PHC degraders, as can be inferred by the most probable number technique. C. selloana, in its turn, showed capacity to mobilize the most recalcitrant fraction of PHC to its roots, nevertheless masking its remediation capacity. The use of a hybrid technology (C. selloana together with treatments with a surfactant and a bioaugmentation product) improved the removal of PHC at 15–20 cm depth, the presence of C. selloana facilitating the migration of additives into the deeper layers of soil, which can be considered a secondary but positive role of the plant. In the surface soil layer, which was exposed to both microorganisms and the atmosphere, a further 20% of weathered PHC contamination disappeared (70% total removal) as a result of photo- and chemical degradation. Periodic revolving of the soil, like tillage, to expose all the contaminated soil to the atmosphere will therefore be a reliable option for reducing the contamination of the refinery soil if conditions (space and equipment) permit this operation.
Computational material property simulation for laminated composites

Mechanical property of laminated composite plate, such as substrate and printed circuit board are critical in package mechanical modeling, especially for package overall response and die stresses. These laminates are often orthotropic materials, which has a set of 9 independent parameters. Layers in the laminates may consist of different materials. Material composition and distribution patterns affect the layer properties, which in tern affect the properties of the laminates. There are literatures regarding computing of some material parameters of laminates, but fall short to provide all independent parameters. Lack of entire set of material parameters for a laminate makes it difficult to provide input data for mechanical simulation. A computational material property simulation method is presented in this work. As the first step, the mechanical and CTE properties of each laminate layer are simulated. An FEM mesh is first generated based on bit map form of circuit physical layout. Each layer is simulated with one thermal loading and 6 mechanical loadings: three simple tensions and three shears. From simulation results, 12 orthotropic material properties and three CTE values are obtained, among which three Poisson's ratios are dependent. The dependency relations are used to verify the simulation validity. With material properties of each layer, the laminate model can be modeled and simulated in the way similar to the layer simulation. The simulation processes are automated with ANSYS APDL language. The results are compared with available theoretical cases and show excellent agreement
Insulin‐specific T cell help to TNP‐specific B cells requires activation via the antigen T cell receptor

In the present study, the production of large numbers of insulin (Ins)‐specific, H‐2‐ restricted T helper (Th) cell clones is described. Among 148 clones analyzed, 121 clones had Th cell function, and these were divided into 75 Ins‐specific Th cell clones and 52 autoreactive clones. The 148 clones were isolated from Ins‐specific T cell lines produced by in vitro stimulation of T lymphocytes from (b ± d)F1 mice immunized with Ins 7, 14, 32 or 56 days before. The following characteristics were tested with regard to the Th, cell clones: restriction specificity and antigen requirement for optimal help or interleukin 2 (IL2) production. No differences in these characteristics were found among clones originating from day 7, 14, 32 or 56 T cell lines. A preference for H‐2b as restriction element and an antigen concentration of about 0.01 μg trinitrophenylated (TNP)‐Ins/ml for optimal help were general traits. Optimal IL2 release is not yet obtained with 100 ug TNP‐Ins/ml. Thus, the antigen requirement for optimal help and IL 2 release differs by a factor 104 at least.
Relationship between Monokaryotic Growth Rate and Mating Type in the Edible Basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus

ABSTRACT The edible fungus Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) is an industrially produced heterothallic homobasidiomycete whose mating is controlled by a bifactorial tetrapolar genetic system. Two mating loci (matA and matB) control different steps of hyphal fusion, nuclear migration, and nuclear sorting during the onset and progress of the dikaryotic growth. Previous studies have shown that the segregation of the alleles present at thematB locus differs from that expected for a single locus because (i) new nonparental B alleles appeared in the progeny and (ii) there was a distortion in the segregation of the genomic regions close to this mating locus. In this study, we pursued these observations by using a genetic approach based on the identification of molecular markers linked to the matBlocus that allowed us to dissect it into two genetically linked subunits (matBα and matBβ) and to correlate the presence of specific matBα and matAalleles with differences in monokaryotic growth rate. The availability of these molecular markers and the mating type dependence of growth rate in monokaryons can be helpful for marker-assisted selection of fast-growing monokaryons to be used in the construction of dikaryons able to colonize the substrate faster than the competitors responsible for reductions in the industrial yield of this fungus.
Thiol‐based redox proteomics in cancer research

Cancer cells maintain their intracellular ROS concentrations at required levels for their survival. Changes in ROS concentrations can regulate biochemical signaling mechanisms that control cell function. It has been demonstrated that ROS regulate the cellular events through redox regulation of redox‐sensitive proteins (redox sensors). Upon oxidative stress, redox sensors undergo redox modifications that cause the allosteric changes of these proteins and endow them with different functions. Understanding the altered functions of redox sensors and the underlying mechanisms is critical for the development of novel cancer therapeutics. Recently, a series of high‐throughput proteomics approaches have been developed for screening redox processes. In this manuscript, we review these methodologies and discuss the important redox sensors recently identified that are related to cancer.
A Network Comparison on Safety Profiling of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Lung Cancer

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become one of the standard treatment options for advanced lung cancer. However, adverse events (AEs), particularly immune–related AEs (irAEs), caused by these drugs have aroused public attention. The current network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to compare the risk of AEs across different ICI–based regimens in patients with advanced lung cancer. Methods We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases (from inception to 19 April 2021) for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared two or more treatments, with at least one ICI administered to patients with advanced lung cancer. The primary outcomes were treatment–related AEs and irAEs, including grade 1–5 and grade 3–5. The secondary outcomes were grade 1–5 and grade 3–5 irAEs in specific organs. Both pairwise and network meta-analyses were conducted for chemotherapy, ICI monotherapy, ICI monotherapy + chemotherapy, dual ICIs therapy, and dual ICIs + chemotherapy for all safety outcomes. Node–splitting analyses were performed to test inconsistencies in network. Sensitivity analyses were adopted by restricting phase III RCTs and studies that enrolled patients with non–small cell lung cancer. Results Overall, 38 RCTs involving 22,178 patients with advanced lung cancer were enrolled. Both pooled incidence and NMA indicated that treatments containing chemotherapy increased the risk of treatment–related AEs when compared with ICI-based regimens without chemotherapy. As for grade 1–5 irAEs, dual ICIs + chemotherapy was associated with the highest risk of irAEs (probability in ranking first: 50.5%), followed by dual-ICI therapy (probability in ranking second: 47.2%), ICI monotherapy (probability in ranking third: 80.0%), ICI monotherapy + chemotherapy (probability in ranking fourth: 98.0%), and finally chemotherapy (probability in ranking fifth: 100.0%). In grade 3–5 irAEs, subtle differences were observed; when ranked from least safe to safest, the trend was dual ICIs therapy (60.4%), dual ICIs + chemotherapy (42.5%), ICI monotherapy (76.3%), ICI monotherapy + chemotherapy (95.0%), and chemotherapy (100.0%). Furthermore, detailed comparisons between ICI–based options provided irAE profiles based on specific organ/system and severity. Conclusions In consideration of overall immune–related safety profiles, ICI monotherapy + chemotherapy might be a better choice among ICI–based treatments for advanced lung cancer. The safety profiles of ICI–based treatments are various by specific irAEs and their severity. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/prospero, identifier CRD42021268650
Transformational leadership and turnover intention: The mediating effects of trust and job performance on café employees in Thailand

ABSTRACT Immediate managers are the number one predictor of employee turnover. Immediate managers’ transformational leadership style might reduce turnover intention through the employees’ trust in their manager and their perceived job performance. To support the contention, a study was conducted among 187 employees of cafés in Bangkok, hypothesizing that transformational leadership would negatively predict turnover intention and that trust and job performance would mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and turnover intention. Results support the hypotheses. Transformational leadership seems to have an impact to reduce turnover intention and organizations may benefit from development programs to instill transformational leadership style among their immediate managers.
Retrovirus Vectors Bearing Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus Env Transduce Human Cells by Using a New Receptor Localized to Chromosome 3p21.3

ABSTRACT Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is a type D retrovirus associated with a contagious lung tumor of sheep, ovine pulmonary carcinoma. Other than sheep, JSRV is known to infect goats, but there is no evidence of human infection. Until now it has not been possible to study the host range for JSRV because of the inability to grow this virus in culture. Here we show that the JSRV envelope protein (Env) can be used to pseudotype Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV)-based retrovirus vectors and that such vectors can transduce human cells in culture. We constructed hybrid retrovirus packaging cells that express the JSRV Env and the MoMLV Gag-Pol proteins and can produce JSRV-pseudotype vectors at titers of up to 106 alkaline phosphatase-positive focus-forming units/ml. Using this high-titer virus, we have studied the host range for JSRV, which includes sheep, human, monkey, bovine, dog, and rabbit cells but not mouse, rat, or hamster cells. Considering the inability of the JSRV-pseudotype vector to transduce hamster cells, we used the hamster cell line-based Stanford G3 panel of whole human genome radiation hybrids to phenotypically map the JSRV receptor (JVR) gene within the p21.3 region of human chromosome 3. JVR is likely a new retrovirus receptor, as none of the previously identified retrovirus receptors localizes to the same position. Several chemokine receptors that have been shown to serve as coreceptors for lentivirus infection are clustered in the same region of chromosome 3; however, careful examination shows that the JSRV receptor does not colocalize with any of these genes.
Multi-objective Reactive Power Management using Differential Evolution

Reactive Power Management (RPM) is one of the most significant tasks for proper operation and control of a power system. Reactive Power Management reduces power system losses by adjusting the reactive power control variables such as generator voltages, transformer tap-settings and other sources of reactive power such as capacitor banks or FACTS devices. RPM provides better system voltage control resulting in improved voltage profile, system security, power transfer capability and overall system operation. RPM is a complex combinatorial optimization problem involving nonlinear functions having multiple local minima and nonlinear and discontinuous constraints. In this paper, the RPM problem is formulated as nonlinear constrained multi-objective optimization problem with equality and inequality constraints for minimization of power losses and voltage deviation simultaneously. This multi-objective problem is solved using Differential Evolution (DE), which is a population based search algorithm. Weighing factor method has been employed for finding Pareto optimal set for RPM problem. Fuzzy membership function is used to find the best compromise solution out of the available Pareto-optimal solutions. The proposed approach has been demonstrated on the standard IEEE-30 bus system.
Decreased Hydrodynamic Resistance in the Two‐Phase Flow of Blood Through Small Vertical Tubes at Low Flow Rates

The aggregation of red blood cells in blood flowing through small tubes at very low shear rates leads to the two-phase flow of an inner core of rouleaux surrounded by a cell-depleted peripheral layer. The formation of this layer is known to be accompanied by a decrease in hydrodynamic resistance to flow. To quantitate this effect, we measured the pressure gradient, flow rate, and the radius of the red blood cell core in suspensions flowing through tubes of 172-μm radius at mean linear flow rates (Ū) from 50 to 0.15 tube diameters · sec−1. Washed red blood cells were suspended in 1.5% buffered dextran 110 at hematocrits of 34–52%. Using syringe pumps, blood flowed from a stirred reservoir through a vertical 12-cm length of tube in either the upward or downward direction. The pressure drop was measured with transducers. Mean values in distributions in the core radius were obtained by analyzing cine films of flow taken through a microscope with flow in the upward direction, measuring the core radius at five equally spaced axial positions of the tube in each of 100 frames. At 34% and 46% hematocrit, the hydrodynamic resistance increased as Ū decreased from 50 sec−1, reaching a maximum at Ū∼2 sec−1. It then decreased to a minimum at Ū<0.5 sec−1 as the red blood cell core formed in the tube, and the mean core radius/tube radius ratio decreased from 0.98 to 0.74 with marked axial fluctuations at the lower Ū. At higher hematocrits, both the increase and decrease in hydrodynamic resistance were greater. In a red blood cell albumin–saline suspension, where there is no aggregation of red blood cells and no two-phase flow, hydrodynamic resistance increases linearly with decreasing Ū. The experimental results were compared with the predictions of a two-phase steady-flow model, assuming axisymmetric flow of a core surrounded by cell-free suspending medium. Two models were considered, one in which the core is solid, the other in which the rheological properties of the suspension in the core are given by the Quemada equation. The effects of sedimentation of the core resulting in a zero net flow pressure gradient were taken into account. Provided that an experimentally extrapolated value for the zero pressure gradient was used, the Quemada-fluid model gave good agreement with the experimentally observed core radius as a function of Ū and hematocrit.
A Multilevel Analysis of the Impact of Unit Tightness vs. Looseness Culture on Attitudes and Behaviors in the Workplace

This study examines the impact of work unit-level perceived Tightness vs. Looseness (T-L) culture on individual-level perceived stress, intention to leave, organizational deviance, job satisfaction, effort investment, and organizational commitment. Using quantitative cross-sectional data (N=417) collected from preexisting work units (N=57) in different organizations in Italy, multilevel analysis results revealed that a perceived cultural tightness at the unit level was significantly and positively related to individual-level job satisfaction, effort investment, and organizational commitment and significantly and negatively related to individual-level stress, intention to leave, and organizational deviance. The findings suggest that organizations should promote a culture of tightness to positively influence employee attitudes and behaviors. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Time‐Lapse Microscopy Approaches to Track Cell Cycle and Lineage Progression at the Single‐Cell Level

Time‐lapse microscopy can be described as the repeated collection of an image (in n‐dimensions; x, y, z, λ) or field of view from a microscope at discrete time intervals. The duration of the time interval defines the temporal resolution, which in turn characterizes the type of event detected. This unit describes the implementation of time‐lapse microscopy to link initial cell cycle position during acute exposures to anti‐cancer agents with anti‐proliferative consequences for individual cells. The approach incorporates fundamental concepts arising from the ability to capture simple video sequences of cells from which it is possible to extract kinetic descriptors that reflect the interplay of mitosis and cell death in the growth of an unsynchronized tumor population. Utilizing a multi‐well format enables the user to screen different drug derivatives, multiple dose ranges, or cell cultures with unique genetic backgrounds. The objective of this unit is to present the basic methodology for capturing time‐lapse sequences and touch upon subsequent mining of the data for deriving event curves and possible cell lineage maps. Curr. Protoc. Cytom. 64:12.4. 1‐12.4. 13. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Immune Infiltration, Cancer Stemness, and Targeted Therapy in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Objective To investigate the characteristics of the tumor immune microenvironment in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and identify cancer stem-like properties of GIST to screen potential druggable molecular targets. Methods The gene expression data of 60 patients with GIST was retrieved from the Array Express database. CIBERSORT was applied to calculate the level of immune infiltration. ssGSEA and ESTIMATE were used to calculate the cancer stemness index and tissue purity. The Connectivity Map (CMAP) database was implemented to screen targeted drugs based on cancer stem-like properties of GIST. Result There was a difference in the level of immune infiltration between the metastasis and non-metastasis GIST groups. The low level of T-cell infiltration was correlated with high tumor purity and tumor stemness index, and the correlation coefficients were -0.87 and -0.61 (p < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between cancer stemness index and cell purity (p < 0.001). The cancer stemness index in the metastasis group was higher than that in the non-metastasis group (p = 0.0017). After adjusting for tumor purity, there was no significant correlation between T-cell infiltration and cancer stemness index (p = 0.086). Through the pharmacological mechanism of topoisomerase inhibitors, six molecular complexes may be the targets of GIST treatment. Conclusion Immune infiltration in GIST patients is related to cancer stem-like properties, and the correlation relies on tumor purity. Cancer stemness index can be used as a new predictive biomarker of tumor metastasis and targets of drug therapy for GIST patients.
Magnetic Field-Tuned Quantum Criticality in the Metallic Ruthenate Sr3Ru2O7

The concept of quantum criticality is proving to be central to attempts to understand the physics of strongly correlated electrons. Here, we argue that observations on the itinerant metamagnet Sr3Ru2O7 represent good evidence for a new class of quantum critical point, arising when the critical end point terminating a line of first-order transitions is depressed toward zero temperature. This is of interest both in its own right and because of the convenience of having a quantum critical point for which the tuning parameter is the magnetic field. The relationship between the resultant critical fluctuations and novel behavior very near the critical field is discussed.
Steady‐state approximation of enzyme activation and inhibition

This article deals with the effects of the initial concentration of effector (inhibitor or activator) on the steady‐state approximation of enzyme kinetics. The results could be summarized as follows: (1) In competitive inhibition, the increase in the initial concentration of inhibitor led to the reduction of steady state time. (2) In noncompetitive and uncompetitive inhibitions, the steady state time was not changed with the increase in the initial concentration of inhibitor. (3) In nonessential activation, the increase in the initial concentration of activator led to the reduction of steadystate time. (4) It was specially noted that in nonessential activation, even if the reaction is in the steady‐state, activation constant (KA) can not be determined exactly unless the initial concentration of activator is very small.
GABAB receptor gene expression in monkey thalamus

Expression of γ‐amino butyric acid type B (GABAB) receptor gene transcripts was examined in the macaque monkey thalamus by in situ hybridization, using monkey‐specific cRNA probes. GABAB transcript expression was widespread and of much higher density in the dorsal thalamus than in the reticular nucleus and other parts of the ventral thalamus and was highest in the epithalamus. In the dorsal thalamus, highest mRNA levels were found in the anteroventral nucleus and in the parafascicular nucleus. Sensory relay nuclei showed moderate GABAB mRNA levels. Neurons of all sizes were labeled, suggesting expression in relay cells and interneurons, and there was no labeling of neuroglial cells. Following 10‐day periods of monocular deprivation, levels of GABAB mRNA were decreased in the deprived magno‐ and parvo‐cellular laminae of the dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei, indicating activity‐dependent regulation. High levels of GABAB receptors in the dorsal thalamus are likely to reflect the high density of synaptic inputs from the reticular nucleus while low expression in the reticular nucleus implies weak, GABAB‐mediated intrareticular inhibition. J. Comp. Neurol. 394:118–126, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.