Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Soft lithography for microfluidics: a review

Soft lithography has provided a low-expertise route toward micro/nanofabrication and is playing an important role in microfluidics, ranging from simple channel fabrication to the creation of micropatterns onto a surface or within a microfluidic channel. In this review, the materials, methods, and applications of soft lithography for microfluidics are briefly summarized with a particular emphasis on integrated microfluidic systems containing physical microstructures or a topographically patterned substrate. Relevant exemplary works based on the combination of various soft lithographic methods using microfluidics are introduced with some comments on their merits and weaknesses.
Recommendation of Workplaces in a Coworking Building: A Cyber-Physical Approach Supported by a Context-Aware Multi-Agent System

Recommender systems are able to suggest the most suitable items to a given user, taking into account the user’s and item`s data. Currently, these systems are offered almost everywhere in the online world, such as in e-commerce websites, newsletters, or video platforms. To improve recommendations, the user’s context should be considered to provide more accurate algorithms able to achieve higher payoffs. In this paper, we propose a pre-filtering recommendation system that considers the context of a coworking building and suggests the best workplaces to a user. A cyber-physical context-aware multi-agent system is used to monitor the building and feed the pre-filtering process using fuzzy logic. Recommendations are made by a multi-armed bandit algorithm, using ϵ-greedy and upper confidence bound methods. The paper presents the main results of simulations for one, two, three, and five years to illustrate the use of the proposed system.
Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation of popular Indica rice Ratna (IET 1411)

This is the first report of genetic transformation of indica rice cultivar Ratna (IET 1411). Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA 4404 carrying a binary vector pCAMBIA1301 harboring the CaMV35S promoter driven modified GUS gene was used. Various parameters critical to rice transformation were optimized including callus induction medium, bacterial concentration, co-cultivation conditions, concentration of the plant growth regulator 2,4-D and the concentration of acetosyringone. The transformed lines were analyzed using PCR for marker sequence and gusA gene expression by GUS activity assays. The regeneration and transformation frequency were calculated to be 70 and 47% respectively. This is a reproducible high efficiency transformation technique for the Indica rice cultivar Ratna (IET 1411). Keywords: Indica rice, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, callus induction, transformation, regeneration, GUS. African Journal of Biotechnology , Vol 13(31) 3187-3197
Blood mercury levels and the stopover refueling performance of a long-distance migratory songbird

I examined the relationship between total mercury (THg) and plasma triglyceride (TRIG; an indicator of body mass change) levels in the blood of migrating Northern Waterthrushes (Parkesia noveboracensis (Gmelin, 1789)) to test the hypothesis that mercury has a negative influence on the stopover refueling rates of migratory birds. THg levels averaged 0.42 ppm and ranged 0.09–2.08 ppm. Model selection indicated that THg was not important for explaining variation in TRIG relative to capture time, body mass, and year. Summed model weights also indicated that THg had low relative importance. Capture time appeared alone in the global best model and had the greatest relative importance. Subsets of birds in the 25th and 75th percentiles of THg level did not have different levels of TRIG. THg in most birds was higher than mean blood levels reported for several other long-distance migrants from the same geographic region, but below the lowest blood level recently determined to cause adverse effects (reduced reproduc.
“This Research Is Cool”: Engaging Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Research on Reproductive and Sexual Health

ABSTRACT Youth experiencing homelessness face myriad barriers and inequities regarding their reproductive and sexual health and rights. Moreover, homeless youth are often characterized as “disaffiliated” and depicted as difficult to engage in research. This study qualitatively explored homeless youths’ attitudes, beliefs, and needs regarding reproductive and sexual health, and sought their perspectives on being involved in research on such topics, which are often thought of as “taboo” or sensitive. Youth were enthusiastic about openly discussing such issues, which they deemed as highly relevant to their daily lives. Youth identified that how they were engaged in such research, and having opportunities for longer-term contributions to such efforts, were both important and exciting to them. Future social work and public health research efforts should seek to further disrupt narratives of homeless youth as “disaffiliated” and difficult to engage, and in doing so, develop more creative, participatory, and youth-led opportunities for including this group in reproductive and sexual health research.
The Clinical Frailty Scale: Do Staff Agree?

The term frailty is being increasingly used by clinicians, however there is no strict consensus on the best screening method. The expectation in England is that all older patients should have the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) completed on admission. This will frequently rely on junior medical staff and nurses, raising the question as to whether there is consistency. We asked 124 members of a multidisciplinary team (consultants, junior doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals; physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, speech and language therapists) to complete the CFS for seven case scenarios. The majority of the participants, 91/124 (72%), were trainee medical staff, 16 were senior medical staff, 12 were allied health professions, and 6 were nurses. There was broad agreement both between the professions and within the professions, with median CFS scores varying by a maximum of only one point, except in case scenario G, where there was a two-point difference between the most junior trainees (FY1) and the nursing staff. No difference (using the Mann–Whitney U test) was found between the different staff groups, with the median scores and range of scores being similar. This study has confirmed there is agreement between different staff members when calculating the CFS with no specific preceding training.
Sp1 involvement in the 4β‐phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (TPA)‐mediated increase in resistance to methotrexate in Chinese hamster ovary cells

4β-Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) increases the number of colonies resistant to methotrexate (MTX), mainly by amplification of the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) locus. We showed previously that inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) prevents this resistance. Here, we studied the molecular changes involved in the development of TPA-mediated MTX resistance in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. TPA incubation increased the expression and activity of DHFR. Because Sp1 controls the dhfr promoter, we determined the effect of TPA on the expression of Sp1 and its binding to DNA. TPA incubation increased Sp1 binding and the levels of Sp1 protein. The latter effect was due to an increase in Sp1 mRNA. Dephosphorylation of nuclear extracts from control or TPA-treated cells reduced the binding of Sp1. Stable transfectants of PKCα showed increased Sp1 binding, and when treated with MTX, developed a greater number of resistant colonies than control cells. Seventy-five percent of the isolated colonies showed increased copy number for the dhfr gene. Transient expression of PKCα increased DHFR activity. Over-expression of Sp1 increased resistance to MTX, and inhibition of Sp1 binding by mithramycin decreased this resistance. We conclude that one mechanism by which TPA enhances MTX resistance, mainly by gene amplification, is through an increase in Sp1 expression which leads to DHFR activation.
Monoclonal Antibodies for Detection and Serotyping of Cucumber Mosaic Virus

Two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were selected from a panel of MAbs for use in the direct DAS (double antibody sandwich)-ELISA. Two different test procedures were developed: an ELISA with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies (mixed ELISA) for the routine detection of CMV and a MAb-ELISA with two MAbs directed against different epitopes for the specific detection of the N serotype which is prevalent in GDR. The conventional two-step incubation of plates precoated with IgG was compared with simultaneous incubation of test sample and labelled antibody (one-step incubation). The mixed ELISA proved to be more sensitive than the direct DAS-ELISA with polyclonal antisera in detecting CMV in crude sap of infected plants. On the other hand, the MAb-ELISA could be used for serotyping of CMV isolates which is important in epidemiological investigations and in resistance breeding. Both the two-step and the one-step procedures gave similar results with some advantages of the latter procedure. One-step incubation is not only time-saving but seems to be also more sensitive with regard to the detection limit. However, care must be taken to circumvent the hook-effect occurring at high virus concentrations.
In Vitro Assays: Friends or Foes of Cell-Penetrating Peptides

The cell membrane is a complex and highly regulated system that is composed of lipid bilayer and proteins. One of the main functions of the cell membrane is the regulation of cell entry. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are defined as peptides that can cross the plasma membrane and deliver their cargo inside the cell. The uptake of a peptide is determined by its sequence and biophysicochemical properties. At the same time, the uptake mechanism and efficiency are shown to be dependent on local peptide concentration, cell membrane lipid composition, characteristics of the cargo, and experimental methodology, suggesting that a highly efficient CPP in one system might not be as productive in another. To better understand the dependence of CPPs on the experimental system, we present a review of the in vitro assays that have been employed in the literature to evaluate CPPs and CPP-cargos. Our comprehensive review suggests that utilization of orthogonal assays will be more effective for deciphering the true ability of CPPs to translocate through the membrane and enter the cell cytoplasm.
Attempted isolation and success in the culturing of a broad spectrum of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi

summary Isolation into pure culture was attempted on 1183 species (2238 specimens) of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi from diverse ecosystems and systematic groups (covering 14 ascomycete orders, 77 families and 280 genera), in 20 countries. Four hundred and ninety three species (42%) were successfully isolated either from ascospores (or basidiospores, or conidia) or photobiont-free fragments from thallus macerates. Of the total number of isolation attempts from ascospores (1609) and thallus fragments (719), 30% and 32% respectively were successful. The reasons for failure to isolate from ascospores were: ascospores did not germinate (43%) > ascospores were not discharged (30%) > ascospores germinated but growth was not sustained (19%) > discharged spores were heavily contaminated (8%). 59% of isolation failures with fragments were due to lack of growth and 41% were due to contamination. The orders from which mycobionts were most readily isolated were the Ostropales (70% of species attempted were isolated), Dothideales (63%), Pertusariales (53%) and Lecanorales (45%); those orders least readily yielding isolates were Vemicariales (10%), Gyalectales (20%), Arthoniales (30%), Lichinales (29%) and Peltigerales (27%). Members of the Lecanorales comprised c. 60% of species collected of which Porpidiaceae (80% of species successfully isolated), Cladoniaceae (69%), Lecideaceae (67%), Rhizocarpaceae (62%), Umbilicartaceae (60%), Ramalinaceae (60%) and Lecanoraceae (54%) were comparatively successful families and Alectoriceae (18%), Catillariaceae (8%), Pannariaceae (8%) Collemataceae (7%), and Micareaceae (6%) were least successful. Of those species containing a cyanobacterium (either as the primary photobiont or in cephalodia), only 22% yielded isolates compared with 46%, and 43%, of lichens containing only a chlorococcoid photobiont or Trentepohlia, respectively. Success was even lower (17%) in species containing a cyanobacterium as the primary photobiont. Among non-cyanobacterial lichens, isolation of mycobionts was achieved in 56% of fruticose species collected compared with 43% and 40% for crustose/squamulose and foliose taxa respectively. Mycobionts of fruticose lichens cultured particularly readily from fragments, with 56% of green algal species to which this method was applied coming into culture compared to 37% of non-cyanobacterial foliose species. Lichenicolous fungi cultured less readily, with only 31% of species yielding isolates. In many species viability of ascospores varied between collections. Weather conditions at the time of collection, environmental conditions during transportation, and developmental stage of ascomata of pyrenocarpous lichens might partly explain this variation.
Temporal Variation in Songbird Abundance on Grasslands in Canaan Valley, West Virginia

Abstract Grassland songbirds have been declining due to loss of habitat. In Canaan Valley, WV, grassland habitats primarily consist of active and idle pastures and hayfields. Our objectives were to document the species of breeding birds that occurred on grasslands of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and evaluate temporal patterns of abundance among months and years. This study took place on 3 idle hayfields and 3 idle pastures in the Refuge during the summers of 1999 and 2000. At the conclusion of the first field season, half of each field was mowed. A total of 28 species—13 in 1999 and 27 in 2000—was documented. Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Bobolink), Sturnella magna (Eastern Meadowlark), Passerculus sandwichensis (Savannah Sparrow), and Agelaius phoeniceus (Red-winged Blackbird) were dominant. Additional species observed included Ammodramus savannarum (Grasshopper Sparrow) and Circus cyaneus (Northern Harrier). Species diversity, species richness, and total bird abundance varied among months (P < 0.05). Densities were higher in July than in May, June, and August; however, total number of birds peaked later in 1999 than in 2000. Species richness and diversity were lower in August than other months. Temporal variations in grassland bird diversity, richness, and abundance were likely influenced by precipitation patterns and land-use practices on and adjacent to the Refuge.
Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations Are Associated with Mental Health and Psychosocial Stress in Young Adults

We aimed to test the hypothesis that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D) concentration is associated with mental health and life stress measures in young adults and investigate gender and racial disparities in these associations. This study comprised 327 black and white participants. Depression, trait anxiety, perceived stress, and hostility were measured by the following validated instruments: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Cook–Medley Hostility Scale (CMHS). Linear regression was used to estimate correlations between serum 25(OH)D concentration and mental health measurements in the total population and in subgroups stratified by gender and race. In this sample (28.2 ± 3.1 years, 52% female, 53% black), serum 25(OH)D concentration was negatively related to BDI, STAI, PSS, total CMHS score, and the majority of CMHS subscale scores (p-values < 0.05). Stratified by gender, most of these associations remained significant only in women (p-values < 0.05). Stratified by race, higher 25(OH)D concentrations in white participants were significantly related to lower BDI, STAI, PSS, and CMHS-cynicism subscales (p-values < 0.05); 25(OH)D concentrations in the black participants were only inversely associated with CMHS and most CMHS subscales (p-values < 0.05) but not with BDI, STAI, and PSS. We present novel findings of consistent inverse relationships between serum 25(OH)D concentration and various measures of mental health and life stress. Long-term interventional studies are warranted in order to investigate the roles of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention and mitigation of depression, anxiety, and psychological stress in young adults.
Newborn Iodine Status Is Not Related to Congenital Hypothyroidism.

BACKGROUND Severe iodine deficiency or excess during pregnancy can cause congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Iodine deficiency is common in pregnant women in the United States. OBJECTIVES We conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of ∼2.5 million births in California to determine whether iodine status is related to CH in a US population. METHODS Dried blood spots from 907 newborns with CH identified by newborn screening and 909 unaffected controls matched by month of birth were obtained from the California Newborn Screening Program to measure whole-blood iodine concentration. Iodine status was compared between cases and controls, and logistic regression was used to assess the association between CH status and blood iodine concentrations. Iodine status was also compared between cases and controls among infants treated in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) because CH has been reported in infants exposed to high levels of iodine in the NICU. RESULTS Blood iodine concentrations did not differ significantly between cases (median: 20.0 ng/mL; IQR: 12.1-29.8 ng/mL) and controls (median: 20.3 ng/mL; IQR: 12.5-30.9 ng/mL; P = 0.59). Neither extremely high nor extremely low blood iodine concentrations (1st, 5th, 95th, and 99th percentiles of the distribution) were more common in cases. Among infants treated in NICUs, however, cases had significantly (P = 0.01) higher iodine (median: 22.7 ng/mL; IQR: 16.4-32.1 ng/mL) compared with controls (median: 17.3 ng/mL; IQR: 8.3-26.6 ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS CH cases did not have significantly higher or lower iodine in this population, which is reassuring given that maternal iodine deficiency is common in the United States. Among newborns in the NICU, CH cases had higher blood iodine concentrations compared with controls, suggesting that excess iodine exposure in the NICU could be causing CH. It may be beneficial to monitor iodine exposure from surgical procedures, imaging, and iodine-containing disinfectants and to consider non-iodine alternatives.
Distributed Formation Navigation of Constrained Second-Order Multiagent Systems With Collision Avoidance and Connectivity Maintenance

In this article, we consider the distributed formation navigation problem of second-order multiagent systems subject to both velocity and input constraints. Both collision avoidance and connectivity maintenance of the network are considered in the controller design. A control barrier function method is employed to achieve multiple control objectives simultaneously while satisfying the velocity and input constraints. First, a nominal distributed leader-following formation controller is proposed which satisfies the velocity and input constraints uniformly and handles switching communication graphs. A nonsmooth analysis is employed to prove the global convergence of the controller. Then, a topology-based connectivity maintenance strategy using a new notion of the formation-guided minimum cost spanning tree is proposed and the corresponding barrier function-based constraints are derived. The barrier function-based collision-avoidance conditions are also developed. All barrier function-based constraints are then combined to formulate a quadratic programming problem which modifies the nominal controller when necessary to achieve both collision avoidance and connectivity maintenance. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
A crowned devil: new species of Cerastes Laurenti, 1768 (Ophidia, Viperidae) from Tunesia, with two nomenclatural comments

A distinctive new species of the viperid genus Cerastes is described form Tunisia. It is closely related to Cerastes vipera but easily distinguishable from this invariably hornless species by having tufts of erected supraocular scales form- ing little crowns above the eyes. These crown-like tufts consist of several vertically erect, blunt scales which differ dras- tically from the supraocular horns of C. cerastes or C. gasperettii that consist of one long, pointed scale only. Although the new species is based on only one single specimen, further specimens had originally been available but were subse- quently lost in private terraria. The taxonomic status of the nomen "Cerastes cerastes karlhartli" is discussed and the name is found to be unavailable (nomen nudum). Also the authorship of "Cerastes cornutus" is discussed and ascribed to Boulenger.
Feeding, Muscle and Packaging Effects on Meat Quality and Consumer Acceptability of Avileña-Negra Ibérica Beef

In order to achieve an attractive and differentiated product for the consumer and to optimize and to maximize profitability for the farmers within the EU Protected Geographical Indication “Carne de Ávila”, 24 yearling males of Avileña-Negra Ibérica breed were used to evaluate the effect of 2 feeding systems, concentrate (CON) and maize silage (SIL), and 2 packaging systems, vacuum (VAC) and modified atmosphere (MAP), on fatty acid composition, proximate analysis, water holding capacity and consumer acceptability of meat in 2 muscles: Longissimus thoracis (LT) and Semitendinosus (ST). Animals fed with concentrate showed higher carcass weight. However, feeding did not affect the proximate analysis of the meat. The use of maize silage improved the amount of conjugated linoleic acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the relation n-6 PUFA/n-3 PUFA. In LT muscle, feeding influenced texture, samples from SIL being more tender. The VAC packaging showed higher cooking losses than MAP in both muscles. Aging increased tenderness and cooking losses but decreased thawing losses. LT samples from SIL feeding were better accepted by consumers and VAC packaging showed higher scores than MAP. We can conclude that the use of maize silage could be an alternative feeding for this type of animals improving some aspects of the quality of the meat.