Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ON THE GROWTH OF ATMOSPHERIC NANOPARTICLES BY ORGANIC VAPORS

Atmospheric aerosol particles affect the visibility, damage human health and influence the Earth’s climate by scattering and absorbing radiation and acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Considerable uncertainties are associated with the estimates of aerosol climatic effects and the extent of these effects depends on the particles size, composition, concentration and location in the atmosphere. Improved knowledge on the processes affecting these properties is of great importance in predicting future climate. Significant fraction of the atmospheric aerosol particles are formed in the atmosphere from trace gases through a phase change, i.e. nucleation. The freshly nucleated secondary aerosol particles are about a nanometer in diameter, and they need to grow tens of nanometers by condensation of vapors before they affect the climate. During the growth, the nanoparticles are subject to coagulational losses, and their survival to CCN sizes is greatly dependent on their growth rate. Therefore, capturing the nanoparticle growth correctly is crucial for representing aerosol effects in climate models. A large fraction of nanoparticle growth in many environments is expected to be due to organic compounds. However a full identification of the compounds and processes involved in the growth is lacking to date. In this thesis the variability in atmospheric nanoparticle growth rates with particle size and ambient conditions was studied based on observations at two locations, a boreal forest and a Central European rural site. The importance of various organic vapor uptake mechanisms and particle phase processes was evaluated, and two nanoparticle growth models were developed to study the effect of acid-base chemistry in the uptake of organic compounds by nanoparticles. Further, the effect of inorganic solutes on the partitioning of organic aerosol constituents between gas and particle phase was studied based on laboratory experiments. Observations of the atmospheric nanoparticle growth rates supported the hypothesis of organic compounds controlling the particle growth. The growth rates of particles with diameter < 20 nm vary with particle size, and the processes covering the uptake of organic vapors and limiting the nanoparticle growth were concluded to be size dependent. Formation of organic salts in the particle phase is likely to play a role in nanoparticle growth, however, according to the model predictions, it does not explain the uptake of semi-volatile organic compounds entirely. Small amount of inorganic salt does not seem to affect the volatility of organic acids, however with an increased inorganic content the case is not as clear.
Weed control with methyl bromide alternatives

Methyl bromide (MeBr) has been used for several decades for preplant (PRE) soil fumigation in high-value agricultural and horticultural crops because it can provide broad-spectrum control of insects, nematodes, pathogens, and weeds. However, MeBr has been identified as an ozonedepleting chemical and is associated with hazards to human heath, plants, and animals. Therefore, a global agreement to gradually phase-out ozone depleting chemicals was made with the signing of the ‘Montreal Protocol’ in 1987 and research for effective and sustainable alternatives to MeBr has been a priority since 1995. Several alternative fumigants and non-chemical alternatives for weed control have been tested. In many agricultural systems the phase-out of MeBr presents a critical challenge because alternative pest control measures are ineffective, costly, or pose hazards to the environment and human health. In this paper, we review the status of MeBr alternatives with a focus on weed control in high-value cropping systems. It is concluded that no currently available alternative chemical or management practice has the same broad-spectrum efficacy and consistency as MeBr. Because the development of a single alternative to MeBr is unlikely, weed control in many high-value fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crops will become an even greater challenge in the absence of MeBr. Development of crop- and region-specific integrated pest management systems that include appropriate fumigants, herbicides and cultural practices will be necessary to maintain productivity at levels and prices that meet current grower and consumer expectations.
Sexual dysfunctions in psoriatic patients

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated disorder with a worldwide occurrence characterized by well-defined infiltrated erythematous papules and plaques, covered by silvery white or yellowish scales. It is a physically, socially and emotionally invalidating disorder that affects 1-2% of the population. Sexual health is an important part of general health and sexual dysfunctions can negatively affect self-esteem, confidence, interpersonal relationships and the quality of life. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) and the Impact of Psoriasis on Quality of Life (IPSO) questionnaire are all questionnaires used to assess the quality of life of patients with psoriasis and each has one question regarding sexual dysfunction. Several scales were also designed to particularly assess sexual satisfaction in men and women. The aim of this paper is to perform an overview of the existing studies on sexual dysfunction in psoriatic patients.
EVALUATION OF POLYPHENOLIC PROFILE ANDANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF SOME SPECIESCULTIVATED IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

The aim of this study was to assess the polyphenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of the medicinal plants from the collection of the Scientific Center of Medicinal Plants Cultivation of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy: agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria L. (Rosaceae), chicory Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae.), artichoke Cynara scolymus L. (Asteraceae) and St John's-wort Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae). A qualitative and quantitative characterization of the main phenolic compounds from ethanolic extracts was carried out by HPLC method. The total polyphenolic and flavonoid contents were measured by spectrophotometric methods. The in vitro antioxidant activity of these extracts was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical cation scavenging and metal chelating activity. Considering the obtained results, the following order in antioxidant activities was established: A. eupatoria> C. inthybus> H. perforatum> C. scolymus. All species contain significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds and they may be considered an important source of natural antioxidants for pharmaceutical
THE ABDUS SALAM INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS BOSE-CONDENSATE TUNNELING DYNAMICS: MOMENTUM-SHORTENED PENDULUM WITH DAMPING

Bose-Einstein condensates in a double-well trap, as well He-B baths connected by micropores, have been shown to exhibit Josephson-like tunneling phenomena. Unlike the superconductor Josephson junction of phase difference 4> that maps onto a rigid pendulum of energy cos(4>), these systems map onto a momentumshortened pendulum of energy -Jl-pfCosify and length yj\-p% where pj, is a population imbalance between the wells/baths. We study here the effect of damping on the four distinct modes of the nonrigid pendulum, characterized by distinct temporal mean values, {</>} and (p^). Damping is shown to produce different decay trajectories to the final equilibrium 4> = 0 = p^, state that are characteristic dynamic signatures of the initial oscillation modes. In particular, damping causes 77-state oscillations with (4>)=TT to increase in amplitude and pass through phase-slip states, before equilibrating. Similar behavior has been seen in He-B experiments.
In situ activation and heterologous production of a cryptic lantibiotic from a plant-ant derived Saccharopolyspora species

Most clinical antibiotics are derived from actinomycete natural products (NPs) discovered at least 60 years ago. Repeated rediscovery of known compounds led the pharmaceutical industry to largely discard microbial NPs as a source of new chemical diversity but advances in genome sequencing revealed that these organisms have the potential to make many more NPs than previously thought. Approaches to unlock NP biosynthesis by genetic manipulation of the strain, by the application of chemical genetics, or by microbial co-cultivation have resulted in the identification of new antibacterial compounds. Concomitantly, intensive exploration of coevolved ecological niches, such as insect-microbe defensive symbioses, has revealed these to be a rich source of chemical novelty. Here we report the novel lanthipeptide antibiotic kyamicin generated through the activation of a cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster identified by genome mining Saccharopolyspora species found in the obligate domatia-dwelling ant Tetraponera penzigi of the ant plant Vachellia drepanolobium. Heterologous production and purification of kyamicin allowed its structural characterisation and bioactivity determination. Our activation strategy was also successful for the expression of lantibiotics from other genera, paving the way for a synthetic heterologous expression platform for the discovery of lanthipeptides that are not detected under laboratory conditions or that are new to nature. Importance The discovery of novel antibiotics to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance is impeded by difficulties in accessing the full biosynthetic potential of microorganisms. The development of new tools to unlock the biosynthesis of cryptic bacterial natural products will greatly increase the repertoire of natural product scaffolds. Here we report an activation strategy that can be rapidly applied to activate the biosynthesis of cryptic lanthipeptide biosynthetic gene clusters. This allowed the discovery of a new lanthipeptide antibiotic directly from the native host and via heterologous expression.
mTORC1 signaling is not essential for the maintenance of muscle mass and function in adult sedentary mice

Background The balance between protein synthesis and degradation (proteostasis) is a determining factor for muscle size and function. Signaling via the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) regulates proteostasis in skeletal muscle by affecting protein synthesis and autophagosomal protein degradation. Indeed, genetic inactivation of mTORC1 in developing and growing muscle causes atrophy resulting in a lethal myopathy. However, systemic dampening of mTORC1 signaling by its allosteric inhibitor rapamycin is beneficial at the organismal level and increases lifespan. Whether the beneficial effect of rapamycin comes at the expense of muscle mass and function is yet to be established. Methods We conditionally ablated the gene coding for the mTORC1-essential component raptor in muscle fibers of adult mice (iRAmKO). We performed detailed phenotypic and biochemical analyses of iRAmKO mice and compared them with RAmKO mice, which lack raptor in developing muscle fibers. We also used polysome profiling and proteomics to assess protein translation and associated signaling in skeletal muscle of iRAmKO mice. Results Analysis at different time points reveal that, as in RAmKO mice, the proportion of oxidative fibers decreases, but slow-type fibers increase in iRAmKO mice. Nevertheless, no significant decrease in body and muscle mass, or muscle fiber area was detected up to 5 months post-raptor depletion. Similarly, ex vivo muscle force was not significantly reduced in iRAmKO mice. Despite stable muscle size and function, inducible raptor depletion significantly reduced the expression of key components of the translation machinery and overall translation rates. Conclusions Raptor depletion and hence complete inhibition of mTORC1 signaling in fully-grown muscle leads to metabolic and morphological changes without inducing muscle atrophy even after 5 months. Together, our data indicate that maintenance of muscle size does not require mTORC1 signaling, suggesting that rapamycin treatment is unlikely to negatively affect muscle mass and function.
Functional Anabolic Network Analysis of Human-associated Lactobacillus Strains

Members of the Lactobacillus genus are frequently utilized in the probiotic industry with many species conferring demonstrated health benefits; however, these effects are largely strain-dependent. We designed a method called PROTEAN (Probabilistic Reconstruction Of constituent Anabolic Networks) to computationally analyze the genomic annotations and predicted metabolic production capabilities of 144 strains across 16 species of Lactobacillus isolated from human intestinal, oral, and vaginal body sites. Using PROTEAN we conducted a genome-scale metabolic network comparison between strains, revealing that metabolic capabilities differ by isolation site. Notably, PROTEAN does not require a well-curated genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction to provide biological insights. We found that predicted metabolic capabilities of lactobacilli isolated from the vaginal microbiota cluster separately from intestinal and oral isolates, and we also uncovered an overlap in the predicted metabolic production capabilities of intestinal and oral isolates. Using machine learning, we determined the most informative metabolic products driving the difference between predicted metabolic capabilities of intestinal, oral, and vaginal isolates. Notably, intestinal and oral isolates were predicted to have a higher likelihood of producing D-alanine, D/L-serine, and L-proline, while the vaginal isolates were distinguished by a higher predicted likelihood of producing L-arginine, citrulline, and D/L-lactate. We found the distinguishing products to be consistent with published experimental literature. This study showcases a systematic technique, PROTEAN, for comparing the predicted functional metabolic output of microbes using genome-scale metabolic network analysis and computational modeling and provides unique insight into human-associated Lactobacillus biology. Importance The Lactobacillus genus has been shown to be important for human health. Lactobacilli have been isolated from human intestinal, oral, and vaginal sites. Members of the genus contribute significantly to the maintenance of vaginal health by providing colonization resistance to invading pathogens. A wide variety of clinical studies have indicated that Lactobacillus-based probiotics confer health benefits for several gut- and immune-associated diseases. Microbes interact with the human body in several ways, including the production of metabolites that influence physiology or other surrounding microbes. We have conducted a strain-level genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction analysis of human-associated Lactobacillus strains, revealing that predicted metabolic capabilities differ when comparing intestinal/oral isolate to vaginal isolates. The technique we present here allows for direct interpretation of discriminating features between the experimental groups.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE NEMATICIDAL EFFECT OF FUSARIUM SOLANI ON THE ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE, MELOIDOGYNE JAVANICA

The effects of 10 strains of Fusarium solani on Meloidogyne javanica were tested in vitro and in controlled conditions. Culture filtrates of the strains varied with respect to parasitism on eggs and females of M. javanica and nematicidal activity in terms of juvenile mortality. Mortality in boiled culture filtrates was slightly lower than that caused by un-boiled filtrates, but substantial nematicidal activity was retained, pointing to the relative thermostability of the active principle(s) involved. Aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of F. solani produced higher nematicidal activity than a hexane extract indicating that the active compound(s) were polar in nature. Conidial suspensions of F. solani strains Fs5, Fs9 and Fs10 used as soil drench significantly reduced nematode populations in soil and root-knot disease severity, resulting in enhanced growth of tomato plants. There was no significant difference among F. solani strains on shoot fresh weight. Strain Fs5 was frequently reisolated from surface sterilized tomato roots. When evaluated in a field test, strain Fs5, reduced M. javanica reproductive potential, promoting growth of tomato plants. However, root length and fresh root weights were slightly lower in Fs5-treated plants.
The Cultural Aspects of Design Jordanian Websites: An Empirical Evaluation of University, News, and Government Website by Different User Groups

This study attempts to describe a comparative study of evaluate a number of Jordanian local websites used in Jordan. The purpose of the study was to determine the different kind of “cultural markers” that influence user’s website usability. Furthermore, this study attempts to identify Jordanian cultural sensitive design elements to use for culturallycentered Jordanian website design. In addition to that, this paper studied the effect of both cultural dimensions and users interface components on users acceptance using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The outcome shows similar preference perceptions, whilst others differ.
Explaining the Emergence of Political Fragmentation on Social Media: The Role of Ideology and Extremism

This article is a systematic large-scale study of the reasons driving political fragmentation on social media. Making use of a comparative dataset of the Twitter discussion activities of 115 political groups in 26 countries, it shows that groups that are further apart in ideological terms interact less, and that groups that sit at the extremes of the ideological scale are particularly likely to have lower patterns of interaction. Indeed, exchanges between centrists who sit on di ﬀ erent sides of the left – right divide are more likely than connections between centrists and extremists who are from the same ideological wing. In light of the results, theory about exposure to di ﬀ erent ideological viewpoints online is enhanced.
MINI REVIEW : JOURNEY OF SOLID DISPERSION TECHNIQ UE FROM BENCH TO SCALE

Solubility is one of the greatest pitfalls in the design of drug delivery systems. Poorly - soluble drugs not only increases adverse reactions and cost of therapy but also reduces the bioavailability of the drug. Therapeutic effectiveness of a dru g depends upon the bioavailability and ultimately upon the solubility of drug molecules. Many approaches have been discovered for the purpose, among them solid disp ersion is most widely used due to marvellous potential for improving drug solubility , by imp roving bioavailability and dissolution rate . Although there is a great interest in solid dispersion systems from the past four decades to increase solubility of poorly soluble drugs, th eir commercial use has been very limited. This is due to many reasons s uch as difficult to incorporate into dosage forms, laborious and expensive methods of preparation, and stability of the drug and vehicle, primarily because of manufacturing difficulties and stability problems. D ue to these hurdles, the solid dispersion tec hnique has been seeing a setback. The present review focuses on these problems so t hat an elaborate research is carried out and the technique does not recede.
THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES OF LIGNIN AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROWTH OF NAPIER GRASS

The aim of this study was to investigate the lignin composition and structure during Napier grass growth. Napier grass showed an increase in lignin, xylan, glucan content and a decrease in acetone extractives and ash content with its growth, while the content of cellulose and holocellulose reached the highest value after four months growth. In addition, milled-wood lignins (MWL) isolated from Napier grass were characterized with 2D-NMR and Py-GC-MS. The results obtained showed that GSH-type substructures were included in Napier grass lignin, whereas the S-G ratio decreased and the abundance of H-substructures increased during lignification. H-units were deposited at the earlier stages, whereas Napier grass was enriched in G-lignin during the late lignification, and S-units were reduced at the final stage. The differences in deposition of lignin units influenced the distribution of the different linkages of lignin units during Napier grass growth. All lignin samples showed the most abundant β-O-4', β-β' resinol linkages, whereas the data obtained by 2D-NMR indicated the similar development in GSH-type substructures with by Py-GC-MS during all stages of lignification.
Young school children engaged with regular after-school soccer practice present improved physical fitness and cardiovascular risk

Abstract Objective : The present study aimed to investigate the impact of after-school soccer practice in physical activity, physical fitness and cardiovascular risk of young school children. Methods : 71 male children (8-11 years) from the same geographical area were followed. Children were divided in a soccer group (SG; n =33) and control group (CG; n =38). SG was engaged with regular after-school soccer practice, whereas CG was not engaged with any oriented physical activity other than school-based physical education classes. Physical activity, physical fitness, anthropometry and blood pressure were assessed. Results : The anthropometric and body composition characteristics were similar in both groups ( P >0.05), except for percentage of body fat (SG vs. CG, 20.4±5.8 vs. 23.8±8.2%; P =0.005). The groups were also similar for daily sedentary time (391.4±73.1 vs. 404.4±67.8 min; P >0.05). However, SG presented higher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (73.6±26.1 vs. 56.0±22.5 min; P >0.05, d=0.7) and physical fitness composite score (0.34±0.7 vs. 0.36±0.8 AU; p 0.05), exceto na percentagem de massa gorda (GF vs. GC, 20.4±5.8 vs. 23.8±8.2%; P =0.005). Os grupos apresentaram tambem semelhancas no tempo sedentario diario (391.4±73.1 vs. 404.4±67.8 min; P >0.05). No entanto, o SG apresentou maiores niveis diarios de atividade fisica moderada e vigorosa (73.6±26.1 vs. 56.0±22.5 min; P >0.05, d=0.7) e de composito de aptidao fisica (0.34±0.7 vs. 0.36±0.8 unidades arbitrarias; p<0.001, d=0.4). De igual modo, o SG apresentou menores valores de pressao arterial sistolica (108.4±10.6 vs. 114.4±12.5 mmHg; p=0.012, d=0.3) e soma de fatores de risco cardiovascular (6.8±2.8 vs. 8.3±2.9 unidades arbitrarias; p=0.034, d=0.3). Conclusoes : Criancas em idade escolar podem beneficiar da pratica regular de futebol extraescolar como uma estrategia para melhorar os niveis de aptidao fisica e diminuir o risco cardiovascular.