Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chemical Composition of Essential Oils Obtained from Heteromorpha arborescens (Spreng.) Cham. and Schltdl Leaves Using Two Extraction Methods

This study was aimed at comparing the essential oils obtained from Heteromorpha arborescens leaves by Solvent-Free Microwave Extraction (SFME) and Hydrodistillation (HD) methods in terms of their chemical compositions, yield, CO2 emission, and energy consumption. The solvent-free microwave extraction method indicated a higher oil yield of 0.7 mL/200 g (0.35%) as compared to 0.59 mL/200 g (0.295%) obtained through hydrodistillation. GC-MS analysis of the oils revealed a total of 52 chemical components from both methods with the presence of 35 (96.52%) and 30 (71.15%) chemical constituents for HD and SFME, respectively. The major constituents observed in the essential oil extracted by SFME methods include α-pinene (6%), D-limonene (11.27%), β-ocimene (9.09%), β-phellandrene (6.33%), β-mycene (8.49%), caryophyllene (5.96%), and camphene (4.28%). However, in the hydrodistillation method, the oil was majorly composed of a-pinene (4.41%), β-pinene (10.68%), β-ocimene (6.30%), germacrene-D (5.09%), humulene (5.55%), and α-elemene (6.18%). The SFME method was better in terms of saving energy (0.25 kWh against 4.2 kWh of energy consumed), reduced CO2 emission (200 g against 3360 g of CO2), a higher yield, and better quality of essential oil due to the presence of higher valuable oxygenated compounds (8.52%) against that of the hydrodistillation method (2.96%). The SFME method is, therefore, a good alternative for extracting the oils of H. arborescens leaves since the essential oil yield is higher with more oxygenated compounds, considerable energy savings, lower cost, and reduced environmental burden at substantially reduced extraction time (30 min as opposed to 180 min).
Expression and phylogeny of multidrug resistance protein 2 and 4 in African white backed vulture (Gyps africanus)

Diclofenac toxicity in old world vultures is well described in the literature by both the severity of the toxicity induced and the speed of death. While the mechanism of toxicity remains unknown at present, the necropsy signs of gout suggests primary renal involvement at the level of the uric acid excretory pathways. From information in the chicken and man, uric acid excretion is known to be a complex process that involves a combination of glomerular filtration and active tubular excretion. For the proximal convoluted tubules excretion occurs as a two-step process with the basolateral cell membrane using the organic anion transporters and the apical membrane using the multidrug resistant protein to transport uric acid from the blood into the tubular fluid. With uric acid excretion seemingly inhibited by diclofenac, it becomes important to characterize these transporter mechanism at the species level. With no information being available on the molecular characterization/expression of MRPs of Gyps africanus, for this study we used next generation sequencing, and Sanger sequencing on the renal tissue of African white backed vulture (AWB), as the first step to establish if the MRPs gene are expressed in AWB. In silico analysis was conducted using different software to ascertain the function of the latter genes. The sequencing results revealed that the MRP2 and MRP4 are expressed in AWB vultures. Phylogeny of avian MRPs genes confirms that vultures and eagles are closely related, which could be attributed to having the same ancestral genes and foraging behavior. In silico analysis confirmed the transcribed proteins would transports anionic compounds and glucose.
Comparative genomic analysis of the principal Cryptosporidium species that infect humans

Cryptosporidium parasites are ubiquitous and can infect a broad range of vertebrates and are considered the most frequent protozoa associated with waterborne parasitic outbreaks. The intestine is the target of three of the species most frequently found in humans: C. hominis, C. parvum, and. C. meleagridis. Despite the recent advance in genome sequencing projects for this apicomplexan, a broad genomic comparison including the three species most prevalent in humans have not been published so far. In this work, we downloaded raw NGS data, assembled it under normalized conditions, and compared 23 publicly available genomes of C. hominis, C. parvum, and C. meleagridis. Although few genomes showed highly fragmented assemblies, most of them had less than 500 scaffolds and mean coverage that ranged between 35X and 511X. Synonymous single nucleotide variants were the most common in C. hominis and C. meleagridis, while in C. parvum, they accounted for around 50% of the SNV observed. Furthermore, deleterious nucleotide substitutions common to all three species were more common in genes associated with DNA repair, recombination, and chromosome-associated proteins. Indel events were observed in the 23 studied isolates that spanned up to 500 bases. The highest number of deletions was observed in C. meleagridis, followed by C. hominis, with more than 60 species-specific deletions found in some isolates of these two species. Although several genes with indel events have been partially annotated, most of them remain to encode uncharacterized proteins.
Imaging of enthesitis by an LED-based photoacoustic system

Abstract. Significance: One key pathological characteristic of seronegative spondyloarthropathy (SpA) is inflammation at the insertion of tendons and ligaments into the bone (enthesitis). Aim: We explore the potential of the emerging photoacoustic (PA) imaging in diagnosis of SpA and review its feasibility in detecting SpA-associated Achilles tendon enthesitis. Approach: A light-emitting diode (LED)-based PA and ultrasound combined system was employed. The PA images, both along the long and the short axes of each Achilles tendon insertion region, were acquired at 850-nm wavelength, which is sensitive in depicting increased blood volume (i.e., hyperemia). To assess the hyperemia indicating enthesis inflammation, two parameters were quantified in the imaged tendons, including the average intensity and the density of the color pixels in the pseudo-color PA images. Ten SpA patients, all of which met Assessment of SpA International Society (ASAS) criteria for SpA and were found to have Achilles enthesitis by clinical exam according to a board-certified rheumatologist, were included in the study. Results: The PA and Doppler ultrasound imaging of Achilles enthesitis resulting from these 10 SpA patients were compared to those from 10 healthy volunteers, leading to statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the applied t-tests. Conclusions: This preliminary clinical study suggests that the LED-based PA imaging holds a promise for sensitive and objective assessment of SpA enthesitis in an outpatient setting of the rheumatology clinic.
Transversus abdominis plane block as a sole anesthetic technique for open appendectomy in patient with Treacher Collins syndrome: a case report

Abstract Patients with Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) present serious challenges to anesthetist in securing of airway; upper airway obstruction and difficult tracheal intubation are considered complex entity in these patients. This case report describes the significance of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block as a sole anesthetic choice in appendectomy where airway management can be avoided. A 17-year-old boy, known case of TCS, presented with acute appendicitis underwent emergency laparotomy. Surgery was successfully performed by TAP block with dexmedetomidine infusion. Open appendectomy can be performed successfully in certain circumstances under TAP block with adjunctive use of dexmedetomidine infusion where airway handling is avoided. Further studies are warranted to distinct its use as sole anesthetic choice in lower abdominal surgeries.
Neural network models for DMT-induced visual hallucinations

Abstract The regulatory role of the serotonergic system on conscious perception can be investigated perturbatorily with psychedelic drugs such as N,N-Dimethyltryptamine. There is increasing evidence that the serotonergic system gates prior (endogenous) and sensory (exogenous) information in the construction of a conscious experience. Using two generative deep neural networks as examples, we discuss how such models have the potential to be, firstly, an important medium to illustrate phenomenological visual effects of psychedelics—besides paintings, verbal reports and psychometric testing—and, secondly, their utility to conceptualize biological mechanisms of gating the influence of exogenous and endogenous information on visual perception.
Antiamylase, Antilipase, Antimicrobial, and Cytotoxic Activity of Nonea obtusifolia (Willd.) DC. from Palestine

Background Medicinal plants are widely used in many cultures, traditions, and civilizations worldwide. Plants with high contents of the valuable biological compounds can efficiently cure many diseases. This study is aimed at assessing, for the first time, the anti-α-amylase, antilipase, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of Nonea obtusifolia (Willd.) DC. of five extracts from Palestine. Methods The antimicrobial activity was estimated using well diffusion method for N. obtusifolia plant of five extracts against eight ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) and clinical isolates. The cytotoxic effects for these extracts were evaluated against HeLa (cervical) carcinoma cells using MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) assay. Moreover, the lipase and α-amylase inhibitory properties were determined using standard biomedical assays. Results The acetone extract of N. obtusifolia plant showed a more potent α-amylase inhibitory compared with acarbose with IC50 values of 25.7 ± 0.08 and 28.18 ± 1.22 μg/ml, respectively. Additionally, the acetone and methanol extracts revealed moderate antilipase activity compared to orlistat with IC50 values of 30.19 ± 0.11, 33.11 ± 0.13, and 12.3 ± 0.35 μg/ml, respectively. The methylene chloride extract was found to inhibit the growth of all the tested bacterial and fungal strains and also found to have potential cytotoxic effect against HeLa cancer cell line. Conclusion This research work reports for the first time the biological activity of N. obtusifolia from Palestine, and the results were promising indicating that N. obtusifolia extracts contain valuable bioactive molecules that have a potential anti-α-amylase, antilipase, antibacterial, and antifungal cytotoxic potentials. Therefore, N. obtusifolia could have a medical significance in the future.
Bionic Silk Fibroin Film Induces Morphological Changes and Differentiation of Tendon Stem/Progenitor Cells

Purpose Tendon injuries are common musculoskeletal system disorders, but the ability for tendon regeneration is limited. Silk fibroin (SF) film may be suitable for tendon regeneration due to its excellent biocompatibility and physical properties. This study is aimed at evaluating the application value of bionic SF film in tendon regeneration. Methods Tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs) were isolated from rat Achilles tendon and characterized based on their surface marker expression and multilineage differentiation potential. SF films with smooth or bionic microstructure surfaces (5, 10, 15, 20 μm) were prepared. The morphology and mechanical properties of natural tendons and SF films were characterized. TSPCs were used as the seed cells, and the cell viability and cell adhesion morphology were analyzed. The tendongenesis-related gene expression of TSPCs was also evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results Compared to the native tendon, only the 10, 15, and 20 μm SF film groups had comparable maximum loading and ultimate stress, with the exception of the breaking elongation rate. The 10 μm SF film group had the highest percentage of oriented cells and the most significant changes in cell morphology. The most significant upregulations in the expression of COL1A1, TNC, TNMD, and SCX were also observed in the 10 μm SF film group. Conclusion SF film with a bionic microstructure can serve as a tissue engineering scaffold and provide biophysical cues for the use of TSPCs to achieve proper cellular adherence arrangement and morphology as well as promote the tenogenic differentiation of TSPCs, making it a valuable customizable biomaterial for future applications in tendon repair.
Analysis of 44 Vibrio anguillarum genomes reveals high genetic diversity

Vibriosis, a hemorrhagic septicemic disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio anguillarum, is an important bacterial infection in Danish sea-reared rainbow trout. Despite of vaccination, outbreaks still occur, likely because the vaccine is based on V. anguillarum strains from abroad/other hosts than rainbow trout. Information about the genetic diversity of V. anguillarum specifically in Danish rainbow trout, is required to investigate this claim. Consequently, the aim of the present investigation was to sequence and to characterize a collection of 44 V. anguillarum strains obtained primarily from vibriosis outbreaks in Danish rainbow trout. The strains were sequenced, de novo assembled, and the genomes examined for the presence of plasmids, virulence, and acquired antibiotic resistance genes. To investigate the phylogeny, single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified, and the pan-genome was calculated. All strains carried tet(34) encoding tetracycline resistance, and 36 strains also contained qnrVC6 for increased fluoroquinolone/quinolone resistance. But interestingly, all strains were phenotypic sensitive to both oxytetracycline and oxolinic acid. Almost all serotype O1 strains contained a pJM1-like plasmid and nine serotype O2A strains carried the plasmid p15. The distribution of virulence genes was rather similar across the strains, although evident variance among serotypes was observed. Most significant, almost all serotype O2 and O3 strains, as well as the serotype O1 strain without a pJM1-like plasmid, carried genes encoding piscibactin biosynthesis. Hence supporting the hypothesis, that piscibactin plays a crucial role in virulence for pathogenic strains lacking the anguibactin system. The phylogenetic analysis and pan-genome calculations revealed great diversity within V. anguillarum. Serotype O1 strains were in general very similar, whereas considerable variation was found among serotype O2A strains. The great diversity within the V. anguillarum serotype O2A genomes is most likely the reason why vaccines provide good protection from some strains, but not from others. Hopefully, the new genomic data and knowledge provided in this study might help develop an optimized vaccine against V. anguillarum in the future to reduce the use of antibiotics, minimize economic losses and improve the welfare of the fish.
Multilevel Logistic Regression Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence and Its Associated Factors in Ethiopia

Background Intimate Partner Violence is a great public health concern with economic, physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health consequences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of intimate partner violence against women and associated factors in Ethiopia.Methods A secondary data analysis was carried out based on the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Both single and multilevel logistic regressions were employed.Results Among ever-married women (15-49 years old) who have been participated in this study, 22.3%, 7.6% and 6.1% of women have experienced emotional, sexual and physical violence respectively. The prevalence of intimate partner violence was found to be 25.6%. Partner’s desire for children, number of living children, women ever chewed chat, husband/partner drinks alcohol, respondent's occupation, number of other wives, type of place of residence were found to be significant determinants of intimate partner violence.Conclusion More than 1 in 4 ever married women in Ethiopia have experienced violence from their intimate partners. The government’s effort towards elimination of violence against women should be well strengthened by addressing intimate partner violence disparity in Ethiopian regions and also taking in to account other identified factors of intimate partner violence in this study.
The unsettling Story about Allan Boesak’s Involvement in the Struggle against Apartheid

The poststructuralist assertion is that all meaning and knowledge are discursively construed through language and other signifying practices. In order to decipher the story of Boesak, the author made use of the notions of poststructuralists, namely Foucault, Spivey, Milne, and so forth. The media has been the major authority that delimited, designated, named and established Boesak as an object of the discourse. The media constitutes Allan Boesak and simultaneously constitutes the dominant, prevailing discourse regarding his life and work. The legacy of Boesak is, therefore, portrayed as constituted socially and is consequently inherently unstable. The following subsections are being discussed in the article, namely: the role of the media in construing Boesak; the formation of Boesak as the object of the discourse; Boesak’s early involvement; Boesak’s engagement with church and society during 1982–1990; and Boesak our leader, we are not throwing a friend to the wolves.
Crop diversity increases disease suppressive capacity of soil microbiomes

Microbiomes can aid in the protection of hosts from infection and disease, but the mechanisms underpinning these functions in complex environmental systems remain unresolved. Soils contain microbiomes that influence plant performance, including their susceptibility to disease. For example, some soil microorganisms produce antimicrobial compounds that suppress the growth of plant pathogens, which can provide benefits for sustainable agricultural management. Evidence shows that crop rotations increase soil fertility and tend to promote microbial diversity, and it has been hypothesized that crop rotations can enhance disease suppressive capacity, either through the influence of plant diversity impacting soil bacterial composition or through the increased abundance of disease suppressive microorganisms. In this study, we used a long-term field experiment to test the effects of crop diversity through time (i.e., rotations) on soil microbial diversity and disease suppressive capacity. We sampled soil from seven treatments along a crop diversity gradient (from monoculture to five crop species rotation) and a spring fallow (non-crop) treatment to examine crop diversity influence on soil microbiomes including bacteria that are capable of producing antifungal compounds. Crop diversity significantly influenced bacterial community composition, where the most diverse cropping systems with cover crops and fallow differed from bacterial communities in the 1-3 crop species diversity treatments. While soil bacterial diversity was about 4% lower in the most diverse crop rotation (corn-soy-wheat + 2 cover crops) compared to monoculture corn, crop diversity increased disease suppressive functional group prnD gene abundance in the more diverse rotation by about 9% compared to monocultures. Identifying patterns in microbial diversity and ecosystem function relationships can provide insight into microbiome management, which will require manipulating soil nutrients and resources mediated through plant diversity.
Dark Control: A Unified Account of Default Mode Function by Control Theory and Reinforcement Learning

The default mode network (DMN) is believed to subserve the baseline mental activity in humans. Its highest energy consumption compared to other brain networks and its intimate coupling with conscious awareness are both pointing to an overarching function. Many research streams support an evolutionarily adaptive role in envisioning experience to anticipate the future. The present paper proposes a process model that tries to explain how the DMN may implement continuous evaluation and prediction of the environment to guide behavior. DMN function is recast in mathematical terms of control theory and reinforcement learning based on Markov decision processes. We argue that our formal account of DMN function naturally accommodates as special cases the previously proposed cognitive accounts on (1) predictive coding, (2) semantic associations, and (3) a “sentinel” role. Moreover, this process model for the neural optimization of complex behavior in the DMN offers parsimonious explanations for recent experimental findings in animals and humans.
Synthetic chromosome - the first element for synthetic life

Synthetic biology is a scientific area, that link together domains such as: biotechnology, microbiology, system biology, genetic engineering and bioinformatics. The main goal of synthetic biology is to constructing and designing artificial biological systems or re-design of existing biological systems for useful purposes synthesizing for knowledge and synthesizing for products. The main structure on which synthetic biologists focus is the chromosome. Thanks to the development of modern genome editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9, or DNA assembly methods in recent years, there are more and more possibilities of creating synthetic chromosomes. The current achievements give hope for the construction of a fully synthetic organism into the future, as well as open up new possibilities related to the synthesis of new products. The following paper presents actual knowledge about synthetic chromosome including the topic of genome editing method and potential applications of synthetic biology.
Building Safe Spaces and Small Craft

J.N. Little (2011) poses the question “what exists between the traditional binary of practice and academia? ” (p.3). This question is articulated in response to a general sense that the theorizing of youth care practice has been overly abstracted at the expense of the human contextual elements that make the practice of youth care a profession about young people and their care. Youth care practice is often described as building safe spaces within which to build relationships with youth. This report documents the theoretical and conceptual foundations for a community boatbuilding program, which, in essence, is a medium through which we can create safe spaces and challenge the dynamics of binary models of community.
Using Topological Rearrangements to Characterize De-mixed Liquid Phases in Bio-membranes

Lateral heterogeneities in bio-membranes play a crucial role in various physiological functions of the cell. Such heterogeneities lead to demixing of lipid constituents and formation of distinct liquid domains in the membrane. We study lateral heterogeneities in terms of the topological rearrangements of lipids, to identify liquid-liquid phase co-existence in model membranes. By quantifying the degree of non-affineness associated with individual lipid, we are able to characterize the liquid ordered (Lo) and liquid disordered (Ld) phases in model lipid bilayers, without any prior knowledge on chemical identity of the lipids. We explore the usage of this method on all atom and coarse-grained lipid bilayer trajectories. This method is helpful in defining the instantaneous Lo-Ld domain boundaries in complex multi-component bilayer systems. The characterization can also highlight the effect of line-active molecules on the phase boundaries and domain mixing. Overall, we propose a framework to explore the molecular origin of spatial and dynamical heterogeneity in bio-membranes systems, which can not only be exploited in computer simulation, but also in experiments.