Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Role of miR-155 in the Pathogenesis of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications

Substantial evidence indicates that microRNA-155 (miR-155) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications. A number of clinical studies reported low serum levels of miR-155 in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Preclinical studies revealed that miR-155 partakes in the phenotypic switch of cells within the islets of Langerhans under metabolic stress. Moreover, miR-155 was shown to regulate insulin sensitivity in liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. Dysregulation of miR-155 expression was also shown to predict the development of nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy in DM. Here, we systematically describe the reports investigating the role of miR-155 in DM and its complications. We also discuss the recent results from in vivo and in vitro models of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and T2D, discussing the differences between clinical and preclinical studies and shedding light on the molecular pathways mediated by miR-155 in different tissues affected by DM.
Stroke injury induced by distal middle cerebral artery occlusion is resistant to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonism in FVB/NJ mice

Although N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonism has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect in many preclinical stroke models, the efficacy of this antiexcitotoxicity strategy in clinical trials in stroke patients has been disappointing. Interestingly, it has been reported that NMDAR antagonism is not neuroprotective in C57BL/6 mice subjected to distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO), supporting the notion that whether these treatments are neuroprotective depends on the type of cerebral ischemia. However, because C57BL/6 mice are inherently resistant to excitotoxicity, the reported lack of neuroprotection could also be explained by the difference in the mouse strain studied rather than the stroke model used. Here we examined the neuroprotective efficacy of NMDAR antagonism in FVB/NJ mice, an excitotoxicity-prone mouse strain, subjected to dMCAO. Although C57BL/6 mice are known to have an excitotoxicity-resistant genetic background and FVB/NJ mice are known to have an excitotoxicity-prone genetic background, the infarct volume and density of neurodegenerating neurons were similar in the two mouse strains following dMCAO. In addition, none of the antiexcitotoxicity agents studied, including the canonical NMDAR antagonist MK801 and the therapeutic peptides Tat-NR2B9c and L-JNKI-1, protected the FVB/NJ mouse brain against ischemic damage induced by dMCAO. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that FVB/NJ mice are no more susceptible to cerebral ischemia than C57BL/6 mice and that NMDAR antagonism is ineffective in mice, even in an excitotoxicity-prone strain, subjected to dMCAO.
Antitumor effects of 3‐bromoascochlorin on small cell lung cancer via inhibiting MAPK pathway

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) was defined as a recalcitrant cancer, and novel therapies are urgently needed. Marine natural products (MNPs) may bring continuing hope for treatment of SCLC. In this study, 3‐bromoascochlorin (BAS), an MNP isolated from the coral‐derived fungus Acremonium sclerotigenum GXIMD 02501, was primarily screened out with antiproliferative activity towards SCLC cell lines. Then western blot analysis (WB) and flow cytometry were conducted, and we found BAS could induce the apoptosis of H446 and H69AR cells. Besides, BAS could suppress the invasion and migration of H446. In an SCLC xenograft mice model, BAS inhibited the growth of tumor without affecting the body weight of mice. Finally, the underlying mechanisms were preliminarily explored. According to the results of RNA‐seq, reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and WB, our results revealed that BAS exerted antitumor activity via inhibiting mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK) pathway. Collectively, these results indicated that BAS can be used as a promising compound for the treatment of human SCLC.
Drought stress and plant ecotype drive microbiome recruitment in switchgrass.

The rhizosheath, a layer of soil grains that adheres firmly to roots, is beneficial for plant growth and adaptation to drought environments. Switchgrass is a perennial C4 grass that can form contact rhizosheath under drought conditions. In this study, we characterized the microbiomes of four different rhizocompartments of two switchgrass ecotypes (Alamo and Kanlow) grown under drought or well-watered conditions via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. These four rhizocompartments, the bulk soil, rhizosheath soil, rhizoplane, and root endosphere, harbored both distinct and overlapping microbial communities. The root compartments (rhizoplane and root endosphere) displayed low-complexity communities dominated by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Compared to bulk soil, Cyanobacteria and Bacteroidetes were selectively enriched, while Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were selectively depleted, in rhizosheath soil. Taxa from Proteobacteria or Firmicutes were specifically selected in Alamo or Kanlow rhizosheath soil. Following drought stress, Citrobacter and Acinetobacter were further enriched in rhizosheath soil, suggesting that rhizosheath microbiome assembly is driven by drought stress. Additionally, the ecotype-specific recruitment of rhizosheath microbiome reveals their differences in drought-stress responses. Collectively, these results shed light on rhizosheath microbiome recruitment in switchgrass and lay the foundation for the improvement of drought tolerance in switchgrass by regulating the rhizosheath microbiome. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Two Antibiotics, Ampicillin and Tetracycline, Exert Different Effects in HT-29 Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cells in Terms of Cell Viability and Migration Capacity

Antibiotics are considered the cornerstone of modern medicine; however, currently, antibiotic resistance has become a global health issue. Antibiotics also find new uses in the treatment of other pathologies as well as cancer. The present study aimed to verify the impact of tetracycline and ampicillin in a colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line, HT-29. The effects of the two antibiotics on cell viability and nucleus were evaluated by the means of MTT assay and the Hoechst staining method, respectively. The irritant potential at vascular level of the chorioallantoic membrane was tested by the HET-CAM assay. Treatment of HT-29 cells with the two antibiotics determined different effects: (i) tetracycline induced a dose- and time-dependent cytotoxic effect characterized by decreased cell viability, changes in cells morphology, apoptotic features (nuclear fragmentation), and inhibition of cellular migration, whereas (ii) ampicillin exerted a biphasic response—cytotoxic at low doses and proliferative at high concentrations. In terms of effect on blood vessels, both antibiotics exerted a mild irritant effect. These results are promising and could be considered as starting point for further in vitro studies to define the molecular mechanisms involved in the cytotoxic/proliferative effects.
Approved drugs ezetimibe and disulfiram enhance mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and suppress cardiac arrhythmogenesis

Treatment of cardiac arrhythmia remains challenging due to severe side effects of common anti‐arrhythmic drugs. We previously demonstrated that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in cardiomyocytes represents a promising new candidate structure for safer drug therapy. However, druggable agonists of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake suitable for preclinical and clinical studies are still missing.
Prevalence of Cannabidiol Use in Patients With Spine Complaints: Results of an Anonymous Survey

ABSTRACT Background: Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabis derivative that has been popularized as a medicinal product with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Given the anecdotal observations that several patients have reported use of CBD for spine-related pain, this study was designed to characterize CBD consumption patterns and perceived effects in patients with spine-related complaints. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional survey. Over a 4-week period, an anonymous paper survey was administered to all patients presenting for evaluation by 1 of 9 spine surgeons at a single institution. Surveys were given upon registration for the office visit and collected by the office manager or nurse before evaluation by the surgeon. Patients were included regardless of surgical status (ie, preoperative, postoperative, or nonoperative) or region of pathology (lumbar, thoracic, or cervical). The survey consisted of multiple-choice questions on patient patterns of CBD use. Results: Out of 300 surveys, 214 (71%) were completed. CBD use for spine-related pain was reported by 54 (25.2%) patients. CBD was initially used for potential relief of back pain (66.7%), neck pain (37.0%), leg pain (35.2%), and/or arm pain (9.3%). Users also sought improvements in insomnia (25.9%) and mood (18.5%). Oil was the most popular formulation (64.8%). CBD was most often consumed 2–5 times (40.7%) or 6–10 times (31.5%) per week. The most common source of initial recommendation for CBD was friends or family (75.9%). Reported benefits were pain relief (46.3%), improved sleep (33.3%), and reduced anxiety (20.4%); however, 24.1% of patients reported no benefit from CBD use. The most reported side effect was fatigue (7.4%). Most users (63.0%) would recommend CBD to a friend for pain relief. Conclusion: CBD is already used by many patients, and further high-quality research on this supplement is essential. Level of Evidence: 4. Clinical Relevance: CBD is a commonly used by spine patients as an off label treatment.
Family Empowerment (FAME): A feasibility trial of preventive multifamily groups for asylum seeker families in the Netherlands

Abstract This study evaluated the feasibility of Family Empowerment (FAME), a preventive multifamily program for asylum seeker families in the Netherlands. FAME aims to reinforce the parent–child relationship, family functioning, and social support. We used an uncontrolled pre‐test–post‐test design, embedded in a mixed‐methods approach. FAME was offered to 46 asylum seeker families, mostly originating from Eritrea, Armenia, or Syria. Twenty‐seven parents gave consent to participate in this study. Program integrity and evaluations of participating parents and trainers were assessed. Family functioning and parental symptoms of depression and anxiety were measured pre‐ and post‐FAME. Six participants completed all assessments. Most participants valued gathering with multiple families. Although FAME might coincide with decreases in anxiety and depression, the program had a limited impact on family functioning. Possibly, the aims of FAME did not align with some families’ current needs. Lessons learned and recommendations to further improve interventions for refugee families are discussed.
Structures of the TetR‐like transcription regulator RcdA alone and in complexes with ligands

RcdA is a helix‐turn‐helix (HTH) transcriptional regulator belonging to the TetR family. The protein regulates the transcription of curlin subunit gene D, the master regulator of biofilm formation. Moreover, it was predicted that it might be involved in the regulation of up to 27 different genes. However, an effector of RcdA and the environmental conditions which trigger RcdA action remain unknown. Herein, we report the first crystal structures of RcdA in complexes with ligands, trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO) and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), which might serve as RcdA effectors. Based on these structures, the ligand‐binding pocket of RcdA was characterized in detail. The conservation of the amino acid residues forming the ligand‐binding cavity was analyzed and the comprehensive search for RcdA structural homologs was performed. This analysis indicated that RcdA is structurally similar to multidrug‐binding TetR family members, however, its ligand‐binding cavity differs significantly from the pockets of its structural homologs. The interaction of RcdA with TMAO and Tris indicates that the protein might be involved in alkaline stress response.
Looking back and moving forward:

Dr. Neilson (Ph.D. Queen’s University, Marketing and MIS) is an Assistant Professor at the Sprott School of Business. She taught Information Systems courses in her previous appointment at the University of Guelph, and currently teaches in the Marketing area at the Sprott School. Her research focuses on social and cultural influences on consumption, consumer culture theory, morality in marketplace cultures, and the influence of collective memory on consumption, especially touristic consumption. Dr. Neilson has a particular interest in marketing and consumption history and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Historical Research in Marketing. Abstract
Glide paths for a retirement plan with deferred annuities

Abstract We construct investment glide paths for a retirement plan using both traditional asset classes and deferred annuities (DAs). The glide paths are approximated by averaging the asset proportions of stochastic optimal investment solutions. The objective function consists of power utility in terms of secured retirement income from purchased DAs, as well as a bequest that can be withdrawn before retirement. Compared with conventional glide paths and investment strategies, our DA-enhanced glide paths provide the investor with higher welfare gains, more efficient investment portfolios and more responsive retirement income patterns and bequest levels to different fee structures and personal preferences.
An Element Potential Based Chemical Equilibrium Solver for Gas/Surface Thermochemistry

The element potential method is applied for solving gas/surface thermochemical equilibrium problems. This method was popularized in the STANJAN1 and CEA2,3 chemical equilibrium solvers, and more recently discussed by Camberos.4 A significant advantage of the element potential method is that the number of equations that must be solved is proportional to the number of chemical elements present in the system, not the number of species. Thus, consideration of a large number of chemical species does not lead to a larger system of equations. This differs from several other thermochemistry codes, such as ACE,5 MAT,6 and Mutation,7 which are based on the equilibrium constant approach. The equilibrium constant method scales with the number of species present in the system, however the computational cost can be eased by linear equation reduction techniques. This paper discusses the details and implementation of the element potential method and applies it solve several gas/surface thermochemistry problems of interest.
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE DETECTION USING THIN FILM OF NANOCOMPOSITES

Many techniques for structural health monitoring (SHM) have been studied with the objective of ensuring the structural integrity of aeronautic structures. One of the most recent solutions for this problem is the use of continuous sensors, constituted by thin films made of nanocomposites. Since the nanocomposites, as any other composite material, can be tailored according to the application needs, there is a vast range of material that have the properties needed to detect damage, what makes them widely studied. This work proposes the use of a new kind of sensor to coat the surface with nanowires or nanobelts of ITO (indium tin oxide) inserted in a polymeric matrix, such as PMMA (Poly(methyl methacrylate) or acrylic). PMMA is transparent and it gives a very nice appearance in the monitored surface. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of this method, several tests are proposed. These tests consists on monitoring the behavior of the nanocomposites when affected by some kind of damage, which can be a mass addition, excessive strains or even a cut made with a saw. Preliminary tests showed promising results, where the constructed sensors do form a neural network capable of sensing structural variations. The present work is still at its preliminary phase and more tests are going to be performed to test the viability of this method.
DB-ALM Method Summary n° 455 : Transactivation Assays to Detect Estrogen Receptor Agonists and Antagonists In Vitro with Stably Transfected Human Cell Lines

BG1Luc ERTA assay uses the BG1Luc-4E2 cell line, derived from a human ovarian adenocarcinoma. It has been first developed and evaluated in the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center, Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University (USA), as a part of the US EPA Endocrine Disruptor-Screening Program (EDSP), mandated by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (Hecker and Hollert, 2011).
Simultaneous Quantification of Propofol and its Non-Conjugated Metabolites in Several Biological Matrices Using Gas Chromatography/Ion Trap – Mass Spectrometry Method

Propofol is an important compound used for anaesthetic purposes in clinical practice. Nevertheless, in the recent years, the use of propofol has also been reported for recreational, abusive or even for suicidal and criminal purposes. So far, there is a lack of practical techniques validated for simultaneous quantification of propofol and its non-conjugated metabolites (2,6-diispropyl-1,4-quinol and 2,6-diispropyl-1,4-quinone) in plasma and organs, to optimize therapeutics, to prevent undesired effects, and for application in forensic settings. A simple gas chromatography/ Ion trap – mass spectrometry method was optimized for the detection and quantification of propofol and its non-conjugated metabolites in plasma and organ (liver, heart, kidney and lungs) samples. All compounds were simultaneously extracted from 0.5 mL of plasma and 0.2 g of each organ, following a straightforward and rapid procedure using thymol as internal standard. This method was validated according to international guidelines for analytical methods. The standard curve ranged from 0.005 to 100 μg/mL for propofol and 0.005 to 50 μg/mL for the non-conjugated metabolites. Intra and inter-assay variability for propofol and its metabolites was less than 15% and the average recovery was greater than 90%. The proof of applicability of this methodology allowed the successful measurement of propofol and its non-conjugated metabolites in plasma and solid tissues from seven New Zealand White rabbits that were submitted to a long-term anaesthesia protocol with a continuous infusion of propofol ranging from 20 to 60 mg/kg/h. This optimized and validated assay may also be suitable in the monitoring of sedated or anaesthetised animals and humans with continuous infusions of propofol and for use in pharmacokinetic and toxicological studies.
About the In(cid:13)uence of Neuronal Variability in a Mean{Field Model of the Visual Cortex

Orientation{selective neurons in monkeys and cats show contrast saturation and contrast{invariant orientation tuning. Recently, several studies for the emergence of these phenomena from cortical circuity have been carried out [2,1] which were based on a mean{(cid:12)eld description of the activities of neuron populations. For each orientation column (cid:18), all excitatory (e) and all inhibitory (i) neurons were described collectively by their mean activations me((cid:18);t) and mi((cid:18);t). Their time evolution was guided by a(cid:11)erent and intracortical input fed through thresholded semilinear activation functions ge;i, with threshold and gain of the inhibitory cells being higher than that of the excitatory cells. These models predict contrast invariant orientation tuning but no contrast saturation at high coupling strengths (top (cid:12)gure), whereas at lower coupling strengths the contrast response saturats but the tuning widths are contrast dependent [3,1]
Efficient Resolution of cis-(±)-Dimethyl 1-Acetylpiperidine-2,3-dicarboxylate with Soluble Candida antarctica Lipase B (CAL B)

(2S,3R)-Dimethyl 1-acetylpiperidine-2,3-dicarboxylate, a valuable intermediate for moxifloxacin, was prepared by CAL B catalyzed kinetic resolution of the racemic diester. The reaction has an optimum temperature of 45–50 °C and an optimum pH of 7.5. It follows typical Michaelis–Menten kinetics with Vmax,obsd = 0.061 ± 0.008 M/h/g, Km,obsd = 0.2 ± 0.045 M at 45 °C. The reaction is highly enantioselective with an enantioselectivity E value of 80 at 45 °C and pH 7.5. Preparative scale enzymatic resolution was carried out in 0.01 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.5 at 45 °C using a substrate loading of 8% (w/w) and a substrate-to-enzyme ratio of 2:1 (w/w). The reaction was complete in 16 h. The enantiomerically pure diester (ee >99%) is obtained in 47.5% yield (95% of theoretical). The unwanted hydrolyzed half ester (ee 87%) was easily converted back to racemic diester in 5 simple steps and 75% overall yield.
Digital Simulation Programming Technology of Contaminated Surface Water boundaries

A 3D unsteady model in homogenous anisotropic media is developed to simulate the contaminate transport in surface runoff. The model technology is based on a numerical solution of the partial differential diffusion-advection equation. A finite difference numerical solution is preferred. A model technology firstly requires to discretize the model domain into finite number of meshes and the implementation of the base map. The case study indicates that concentration ratio C/Co is lowered to be (0.1) at 1600m downstream of the pollutant setting point. The model is so flexible in the input and output of the data.
Content-Based Image Retrieval Using a Combination of Texture and Color Features

Image retrieval is headed towards the ultimate goal of achieving the performance very similar to human cognitive ability. As an attempt of such work, this paper proposes a content-based image retrieval using a combination of texture features extracted from Gabor local correlation and uniform magnitude local binary pattern in value component and color features from color autocorrelogram in hue and saturation components. The texture features have multi-resolution multi-direction characteristics. In contrast, the color features have spatial structural information for color, which is rotation-invariant. Further, the HSV color space used herein is similar to the human visual system. Especially, two-dimensional (2D) Gabor transform used to extract parts of texture features, mimics the biological visual strategy of embedding angular and spectral analysis within global spatial coordinates, as using empirical 2D receptive field profiles obtained from orientation-selective neurons in cat visual cortex as the weighting functions. Based on the experimental results, we confirm that the proposed combined method outperforms compared existing methods and the methods using partial ones stemming from the proposed features in terms of retrieval performance.
Study of Chemical Quench of High Temperature Syngas

Quench of high temperature raw syngas to a certain degree is of great importance for the availability of a gasifier, and it influences the economical running of whole energy utilization system. Chemical quench is one of the best choices for high temperature syngas quench. Based on the Gibbs free energy minimization approach, thermodynamic analyses are carried out to elucidate the quench process of high temperature syngas. The optimal quench temperature and optimal feeding rate of coal are achieved with the consideration of effects such as inlet syngas temperature, steam input and moisture content in the coal. The results show that chemical quench is an effective way for high temperature syngas quench. The higher the temperature of syngas is, the better the chemical quench effect is. Steam input to the syngas can enhance the chemical quench reaction for the same coal feeding rate, while the effect of moisture content in coal on chemical quench is negligible.