Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survival Rate of Cells Sent by a Low Mechanical Load Tube Pump: The “Ring Pump”

A ring pump (RP) is a useful tool for microchannels and automated cell culturing. We have been developing RPs (a full-press ring pump, FRP; and a mid-press ring pump, MRP). However, damage to cells which were sent by the RP and the MRP was not investigated, and no other studies have compared the damage to cells between RPs and peristaltic pumps (PPs). Therefore, first, we evaluated the damage to cells that were sent by a small size FRP (s-FRP) and small size MRPs (s-MRPs; gap = 25 or 50 μm, respectively). “Small size” means that the s-FRP and the s-MRPs are suitable for microchannel-scale applications. The survival rate of cells sent by the s-MRPs was higher than those sent by the s-FRP, and less damage caused by the former. Second, we compared the survival rate of cells that were sent by a large size FRP (l-FRP), a large size MRP (l-MRP) (gap = 50 μm) and a PP. “Large size” means that the l-FRP and the l-MRP are suitable for automated cell culture system applications. We could not confirm any differences among the cell survival rates. On the other hand, when cells suspended in Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline solution were circulated with the l-MRP (gap = 50 μm) and the PP, we confirmed a difference in cell survival rate, and less damage caused by the former.
Genotyping by RAD Sequencing Analysis Assessed the Genetic Distinctiveness of Experimental Lines and Narrowed down the Genomic Region Responsible for Leaf Shape in Endive (Cichorium endivia L.)

The characterization of genetic diversity in elite breeding stocks is crucial for the registration and protection of new varieties. Moreover, experimental population structure analysis and information about the genetic distinctiveness of commercial materials are essential for crop breeding programs. The purpose of our research was to assess the genetic relationships of 32 endive (Cichorium endivia L.) breeding lines, 18 from var. latifolium (escarole) and 14 from var. crispum (curly), using heterologous Cichorium intybus-derived simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers. We found that 14 out of 29 SSR markers were successfully amplified, but only 8 of them were related to polymorphic loci. To overcome the limitation of the low number of informative SSR marker loci, an alternative SNP-based approach was employed. The 4621 SNPs produced by a restriction site-associated DNA marker sequencing approach were able to fully discriminate the 32 endive accessions; most importantly, as many as 50 marker loci were found to distinguish the curly group from the escarole group. Interestingly, 24 of the marker loci mapped within a peripheral segment of chromosome 8 of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), spanning a chromosomal region of 49.6 Mb. Following Sanger sequencing-based validation, three genes were determined to carry nonsynonymous SNPs, and one of them matched a putative ortholog of AtELP1, subunit 1 of the Elongator complex. Considering that several previously characterized Elongator complex subunit mutants exhibited elongated and/or curly leaf phenotypes, this gene should be taken into consideration for a better understanding of the underlying mechanism controlling leaf shape in endive.
3D Digital Impression Systems Compared with Traditional Techniques in Dentistry: A Recent Data Systematic Review

The advent of new technologies in the field of medicine and dentistry is giving improvements that lead the clinicians to have materials and procedures able to improve patients’ quality of life. In dentistry, the last digital techniques offer a fully digital computerized workflow that does not include the standard multiple traditional phases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate all clinical trials and clinical randomized trials related to the digital or dental impression technique in prosthetic dentistry trying to give the readers global information about advantages and disadvantages of each procedure. Data collection was conducted in the main scientific search engines, including articles from the last 10 years, in order to obtain results that do not concern obsolete impression techniques. Elsevier, Pubmed and Embase have been screened as sources for performing the research. The results data demonstrated how the working time appears to be improved with digital workflow, but without a significant result (P = 0.72596). The papers have been selected following the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) question, which is related to the progress on dental impression materials and technique. The comparison between dentists or practitioners with respect to classic impression procedures, and students open to new device and digital techniques seem to be the key factor on the final impression technique choice. Surely, digital techniques will end up supplanting the analogical ones altogether, improving the quality of oral rehabilitations, the economics of dental practice and also the perception by our patients.
Using intraindividual variability as an indicator of cognitive improvement in a physical exercise intervention of older women with mild cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVES Intervention programs designed to improve cognitive ability in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have often focused on physical exercise as a means to improve traditional measures of cognition, with mixed success. Individuals with MCI show high levels of intraindividual variability (IIV) in response speed, and IIV may be sensitive to intervention-related changes. The current study evaluated if participants who participated in a physical activity intervention (aerobic or resistance training) showed a reduction in IIV, compared to a balance and tone control group. METHOD This study was a secondary analysis of the EXercise for Cognition and Everyday Living (EXCEL) Study. Women Aged 70-80 years with probable MCI (n = 86) participated in a 6-month randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the effects of different physical exercises on cognitive ability. Participants completed 1-back, task switching, and spatial working memory tasks at baseline, 13 weeks (midpoint) and upon completion of the program. RESULTS Analyses were conducted following both the intent-to-treat principle and complier average casual effect (CACE) modeling. Participants in the intervention group who complied with the program showed reduced IIV on task switching in the CACE models. The intent-to-treat analyses were all nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS Physical exercise resulted in improved IIV in older adults with probable MCI, showing that IIV is modifiable by lifestyle engagement. IIV may be a useful complementary index of cognitive plasticity particularly among those with cognitive impairment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Benzoic acid production via cascade biotransformation and coupled fermentation‐biotransformation

As an important bulk chemical, benzoic acid is currently manufactured from nonrenewable feedstocks under harsh conditions. Although there are natural pathways for biosynthesis of benzoic acid, they are often inefficient and subjected to complex regulation. Here we develop a nonnatural enzyme cascade to efficiently produce benzoic acid from styrene or biogenic L‐phenylalanine under mild conditions. By using a modular approach, two whole‐cell catalysts Escherichia coli LZ305 and LZ325 are engineered for coexpressing seven and nine enzymes for production of 133–146 mM benzoic acid (16.2–17.8 g/Laq) with 88–97% conversion via seven‐ and nine‐step cascade biotransformation of styrene and L‐phenylalanine, respectively. The seven‐step cascade represents a formal high‐yielding biocatalytic oxidative cleavage of styrene, and the nine‐step cascade showcases the high efficiency of extended nonnatural enzyme cascades. Moreover, to achieve benzoic acid production directly from low‐cost renewable glycerol, a novel coupled fermentation‐biotransformation process was developed by integration of fermentative production of L‐phenylalanine with in situ biotransformation to give 63–70 mM benzoic acid (7.6–8.6 g/Laq), which is around 20 times higher than the reported value via a natural pathway. The coupled fermentation‐biotransformation process could be generally applicable to microbial production of growth‐inhibitory or toxic chemicals in high concentrations.
Estimating Reference Shape Model for Personalized Surgical Reconstruction of Craniomaxillofacial Defects

Objective: To estimate a patient-specific reference bone shape model for a patient with craniomaxillofacial (CMF) defects due to facial trauma. Methods: We proposed an automatic facial bone shape estimation framework using pre-traumatic conventional portrait photos and post-traumatic head computed tomography (CT) scans via a 3D face reconstruction and a deformable shape model. Specifically, a three-dimensional (3D) face was first reconstructed from the patient's pre-traumatic portrait photos. Second, a correlation model between the skin and bone surfaces was constructed using a sparse representation based on the CT images of training normal subjects. Third, by feeding the reconstructed 3D face into the correlation model, an initial reference shape model was generated. In addition, we refined the initial estimation by applying non-rigid surface matching between the initially estimated shape and the patient's post-traumatic bone based on the adaptive-focus deformable shape model (AFDSM). Furthermore, a statistical shape model, built from the training normal subjects, was utilized to constrain the deformation process to avoid overfitting. Results and Conclusion: The proposed method was evaluated using both synthetic and real patient data. Experimental results show that the patient's abnormal facial bony structure can be recovered using our method, and the estimated reference shape model is considered clinically acceptable by an experienced CMF surgeon. Significance: The proposed method is more suitable to the complex CMF defects for CMF reconstructive surgical planning.
Flexible omnibus test in 1:M matched case-crossover study with measurement error in covariate

The matched case-crossover study design is used in public health, biomedical, and epidemiological research with clustered binary outcomes. Conditional logistic regression is commonly used for analysis because any effects associated with the matching covariates by stratum can be removed. However, some matching covariates often play an important role as effect modifications, causing incorrect statistical testing. The covariates in such studies are often measured with error, so that not accounting for this error can also lead to incorrect inferences for all covariates in the model. However, the methods available for simultaneously evaluating effect modification by matching covariates as well as assessing and characterizing error-in-covariates are limited. In this paper, we propose a flexible omnibus test for testing (1) the significance of a functional association between the clustered binary outcomes and covariates with the measurement error, (2) the existence of effect modifications by matching covariates, and (3) the significance of an interaction effect between the measurement error covariate and other covariates, without specifying the functional forms for these testings. The proposed omnibus test has the flexibility to allow inferences on various hypothesis settings. The advantages of the proposed flexible omnibus test are demonstrated through simulation studies and 1:4 bidirectional matched data analyses from an epidemiology study.
A CRANIOMETRIC INVESTIGATION OF THE FIELD VOLE MICROTUS AGRESTIS IN DENMARK - POPULATION SUBSTRUCTURE

A craniometric investigation using univariate and principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on 91 skull traits of 472 field voles, collected on nine islands and from the Jutland peninsula in Denmark in order to reveal possible geographical differences in skull shape and size. Because of missing values in the skulls due to various damages, only 186 individuals were measured for the dorsal side of the skull, 174 individuals for the ventral side and 154 individuals for the mandible. Of these traits, from the dorsal side of the skull 28 traits were measured, from the ventral side 33 traits and from the mandible 30 traits. With few exceptions, differences in skull shape were found between samples collected from the different islands, and also between samples from islands and samples from the Jutland peninsula. It is therefore suggested that field voles have a genetic differentiation between island and island and between island and mainland at the loci determining the shape of the skull. The field voles from some islands and the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula had the largest skulls compared with field voles from other islands and other parts of the Jutland peninsula. The origin of size differences is discussed and attributed to be due to several environmental factors as geographic variation in habitat quality but also as a consequence of the island syndrome.
Structural and Functional Peculiarities of α-Crystallin

α-Crystallin is the major protein of the eye lens and a member of the family of small heat-shock proteins. Its concentration in the human eye lens is extremely high (about 450 mg/mL). Three-dimensional structure of native α-crystallin is unknown. First of all, this is the result of the highly heterogeneous nature of α-crystallin, which hampers obtaining it in a crystalline form. The modeling based on the electron microscopy (EM) analysis of α-crystallin preparations shows that the main population of the α-crystallin polydisperse complex is represented by oligomeric particles of rounded, slightly ellipsoidal shape with the diameter of about 13.5 nm. These complexes have molecular mass of about 700 kDa. In our opinion, the heterogeneity of the α-crystallin complex makes it impossible to obtain a reliable 3D model. In the literature, there is evidence of an enhanced chaperone function of α-crystallin during its dissociation into smaller components. This may indirectly indicate that the formation of heterogeneous complexes is probably necessary to preserve α-crystallin in a state inactive before stressful conditions. Then, not only the heterogeneity of the α-crystallin complex is an evolutionary adaptation that protects α-crystallin from crystallization but also the enhancement of the function of α-crystallin during its dissociation is also an evolutionary acquisition. An analysis of the literature on the study of α-crystallin in vitro led us to the assumption that, of the two α-crystallin isoforms (αA- and αB-crystallins), it is αA-crystallin that plays the role of a special chaperone for αB-crystallin. In addition, our data on X-ray diffraction analysis of α-crystallin at the sample concentration of about 170–190 mg/mL allowed us to assume that, at a high concentration, the eye lens α-crystallin can be in a gel-like stage. Finally, we conclude that, since all the accumulated data on structural-functional studies of α-crystallin were carried out under conditions far from native, they cannot adequately reflect the features of the functioning of α-crystallin in vivo.
Dielectric Spectroscopy of Water Dynamics in Functionalized UiO-66 Metal-Organic Frameworks

We present a dielectric spectroscopy study of dipolar dynamics in the hydrated UiO-66(Zr) type metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) functionalized with −NH2 and −F groups. Experiments are performed in a broad temperature and frequency ranges allowing us to probe several dipolar relaxations. For both samples at temperature below 220 K, we observe confined supercooled water dynamics, which can be described by the Arrhenius law. At slightly higher temperature, a second less pronounced dipolar relaxation is identified, and its origin is discussed. At even higher temperature, the dielectric permittivity exhibits anomalous increase with increasing temperature due to the proton conductivity. Upon further heating, the permittivity shows a sudden decrease indicating a reversible removal of water molecules. Measurements of the dehydrated samples reveal absence of all three dipolar processes.
Forest Protection in the Philippines: Policy Evolution and Sector Outcomes

The Philippines has a total land mass of 30 million hectares, 52.7 percent of which is classified as forestlands. Various management strategies have been laid in place through policies and laws to protect the forestlands, but forest degradation and extractive industry-focused legislations have significantly contributed to the loss of forest cover. To address these problems, three forest protection initiatives were looked into across three case study areas, namely, tenurial arrangements, apprehension and enforcement mechanisms, and the National Greening Program (NGP). Lapses in the implementation process characterized by the absence of site-species matching and failure to incorporate site demographics and topographical issues, and weak institutionalization of the legal support, particularly at the subnational level, remained present. In response, best practices were identified from each area and recommendations were drawn to improve the current policy landscape. These included the use of controlled use zones as management tool, stronger interface with local stakeholders, strengthening of legal support for City Environment and Natural Resources Office, use of Electronic Filing and Monitoring System portal, institutionalization of the Lawin Program, practice of site-species matching, and stronger stakeholder participation in the NGP. Reforms in the structure of oversight agencies and an update in the national baseline policy were sought in the form of an Environmental Protection and Enforcement Bureau proposal and the persistent lobbying for the Sustainable Forest Management Bill.
Activities of Student Centralization, Questionnaire, Modelling and KBAT among Science and Non-Science Students

The purpose of this study was to identify whether or not there was a significant difference in the variables of student centralization, teacher questioning, teacher modelling and high-level thinking skills of students based on class stream for low-performing school students in Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia. This quantitative study used a survey method involving 250 respondents from the stated population. This study referred to the Absorption Learning Model (Swartz, Fischer and Parks, 1998) as the basis model for the study. The data were analyzed using the T-test with Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 22. Based on the class stream in Kudat district, the findings showed that there was a significant difference in the involvement of student centralization between Science and non-Science students; there was no significant difference in teachers' questioning between Science and non-Science students; there was no significant difference in teacher modelling between Science and non-Science students; there was a significant difference in thinking skills level between Science and nonScience students. It is hoped that this study can provide useful inputs for improving the practice of teaching infusion of teachers to students from every class stream in Kudat region in particular and throughout Malaysia in general.
Service Quality and Public Satisfaction at Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) Kuala Lumpur (KL)

This study deals with the analysis of service quality and public satisfaction at UTC KL. This is a quantitative study where 341 questionnaires were distributed to the public directly when getting services at UTC KL. This study was conducted to examine the level of service quality provided to customers, to identify which part of the service provided was most influential to public satisfaction and to investigate whether the service quality provided by public organizations located at UTC KL can influence public satisfaction. Based on the research findings the level of service quality provided is moderate. This means they must strive to increase their service quality delivery. Besides that, the empathy dimension of service quality is the dimension that most influences public satisfaction compared to other dimensions. Lastly, the researcher found that empathy and responsiveness have a correlation to public satisfaction and the other three dimensions of service quality do not correlate with public satisfaction. The public organizations located at UTC KL should be more responsive to the public in order to increase the satisfaction of public toward government services. The government should understand public’s needs in order to increase the level of service quality as well as public satisfaction.
A Novel Assay for the Quantification of Active Transcription Factors

Transcription factors are a family of DNA-binding proteins involved in the regulation of all cellular processes. One particular area of transcription factor function is the process of apoptosis, the deregulation of which is involved in cancer. The study of transcription factors may therefore provide a novel perspective on cancer aetiology, as well as insight into potential treatment opportunities. However, research into transcription factor activity has traditionally been hindered by technical limitations. Firstly, transcription factors being such potent molecules need only be present at a low concentration within a cell, thus requiring sensitive methods of detection, or a large cell sample for analysis. Secondly, their tertiary protein structures present problems for interactions with inhibitory pharmaceutical agents, limiting their clinical application. The aim of this project was to develop a method to overcome these obstacles; a method for the quantification of active transcription factors, with the sensitivity for analysing endogenous transcription factors, and the high throughput adaptability as a screen for testing molecules altering a transcription factor’s DNA-binding activity. This method is based on the isolation of a synthetic oligonucleotide probe complexed with the transcription factor of interest, using Protein-A conjugated magnetic bead immunopurification. The synthetic oligonucleotide is subsequently quantified using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. The complex of synthetic oligonucleotide, transcription factor and antibody was shown by the Electromobility supershift assay to form under a defined set of experimental conditions, and the synthetic oligonucleotide reliably detected by quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. Following optimisation, this method was able to quantify purified p53, with a sensitivity of 5 ng, However, in the scope of this project, performance was not sufficient for detection of endogenous p53 from LS174T cells. Further optimisations are required to reach this goal in order to compete with commercially available Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay based methods.