Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gaining Insights Into Metabolic Networks Using Chemometrics and Bioinformatics: Chronic Kidney Disease as a Clinical Model

Because of its ability to generate biological hypotheses, metabolomics offers an innovative and promising approach in many fields, including clinical research. However, collecting specimens in this setting can be difficult to standardize, especially when groups of patients with different degrees of disease severity are considered. In addition, despite major technological advances, it remains challenging to measure all the compounds defining the metabolic network of a biological system. In this context, the characterization of samples based on several analytical setups is now recognized as an efficient strategy to improve the coverage of metabolic complexity. For this purpose, chemometrics proposes efficient methods to reduce the dimensionality of these complex datasets spread over several matrices, allowing the integration of different sources or structures of metabolic information. Bioinformatics databases and query tools designed to describe and explore metabolic network models offer extremely useful solutions for the contextualization of potential biomarker subsets, enabling mechanistic hypotheses to be considered rather than simple associations. In this study, network principal component analysis was used to investigate samples collected from three cohorts of patients including multiple stages of chronic kidney disease. Metabolic profiles were measured using a combination of four analytical setups involving different separation modes in liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry. Based on the chemometric model, specific patterns of metabolites, such as N-acetyl amino acids, could be associated with the different subgroups of patients. Further investigation of the metabolic signatures carried out using genome-scale network modeling confirmed both tryptophan metabolism and nucleotide interconversion as relevant pathways potentially associated with disease severity. Metabolic modules composed of chemically adjacent or close compounds of biological relevance were further investigated using carbon transfer reaction paths. Overall, the proposed integrative data analysis strategy allowed deeper insights into the metabolic routes associated with different groups of patients to be gained. Because of their complementary role in the knowledge discovery process, the association of chemometrics and bioinformatics in a common workflow is therefore shown as an efficient methodology to gain meaningful insights in a clinical context.
Sinapic Acid and Sinapate Esters in Brassica: Innate Accumulation, Biosynthesis, Accessibility via Chemical Synthesis or Recovery From Biomass, and Biological Activities

Sinapic acid (SinA) and corresponding esters are secondary metabolites abundantly found in plants of Brassica family. Belonging to the family of p-hydroxycinnamic acids, SinA and its esters analogues are present in different plant parts and involved in multiple biological processes in planta. Moreover, these metabolites are also found in relatively large quantities in agro-industrial wastes. Nowadays, these metabolites are increasingly drawing attention due to their bioactivities which include antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and UV filtering activities. As a result, these metabolites find applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. In this context, this article reviews innate occurrence, biosynthesis, accessibility via chemical synthesis or direct extraction from agro-industrial wastes. Biological activities of SinA and its main corresponding esters will also be discussed.
Ceramides and Sphingosino-1-Phosphate in Obesity

Obesity is a growing worldwide problem, especially in developed countries. This disease adversely affects the quality of life and notably contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disorders. It is characterised by excessive lipids accumulation in the subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue. Considering the secretory function of adipose tissue, this leads to impaired adipokines and cytokines release. Changes in adipose tissue metabolism result in chronic inflammation, pancreatic islets dysfunction and peripheral insulin resistance. In addition to saturating various adipocytes, excess lipids are deposited into non-adipose peripheral tissues, which disturbs cell metabolism and causes a harmful effect known as lipotoxicity. Fatty acids are metabolised into bioactive lipids such as ceramides, from which sphingolipids are formed. Ceramides and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) are involved in intracellular signalling, cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Studies demonstrate that bioactive lipids have a crucial role in regulating insulin signalling pathways, glucose homeostasis and β cell death. Data suggests that ceramides may have an opposite cellular effect than S1P; however, the role of S1P remains controversial. This review summarises the available data on ceramide and sphingolipid metabolism and their role in obesity.
Protein Phosphatase 2A Mediates YAP Activation in Endothelial Cells Upon VEGF Stimulation and Matrix Stiffness

Angiogenesis is an essential process during development. Abnormal angiogenesis also contributes to many disease conditions such as tumor and retinal diseases. Previous studies have established the Hippo signaling pathway effector Yes-associated protein (YAP) as a crucial regulator of angiogenesis. In ECs, activated YAP promotes endothelial cell proliferation, migration and sprouting. YAP activity is regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mechanical cues such as extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness. However, it is unclear how VEGF or ECM stiffness signal to YAP, especially how dephosphorylation of YAP occurs in response to VEGF stimulus or ECM stiffening. Here, we show that protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is required for this process. Blocking PP2A activity abolishes VEGF or ECM stiffening mediated YAP activation. Systemic administration of a PP2A inhibitor suppresses YAP activity in blood vessels in developmental and pathological angiogenesis mouse models. Consistently, PP2A inhibitor also inhibits sprouting angiogenesis. Mechanistically, PP2A directly interacts with YAP, and this interaction requires proper cytoskeleton dynamics. These findings identify PP2A as a crucial mediator of YAP activation in ECs and hence as an important regulator of angiogenesis.
Modern World Applications for Nano-Bio Materials: Tissue Engineering and COVID-19

Over the past years, biomaterials-based nano cues with multi-functional characteristics have been engineered with high interest. The ease in fine tunability with maintained compliance makes an array of nano-bio materials supreme candidates for the biomedical sector of the modern world. Moreover, the multi-functional dimensions of nano-bio elements also help to maintain or even improve the patients’ life quality most securely by lowering or diminishing the adverse effects of in practice therapeutic modalities. Therefore, engineering highly efficient, reliable, compatible, and recyclable biomaterials-based novel corrective cues with multipurpose applications is essential and a core demand to tackle many human health-related challenges, e.g., the current COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, robust engineering design and properly exploited nano-bio materials deliver wide-ranging openings for experimentation in the field of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary scientific research. In this context, herein, it is reviewed the applications and potential on tissue engineering and therapeutics of COVID-19 of several biomaterials. Following a brief introduction is a discussion of the drug delivery routes and mechanisms of biomaterials-based nano cues with suitable examples. The second half of the review focuses on the mainstream applications changing the dynamics of 21st century materials. In the end, current challenges and recommendations are given for a healthy and foreseeable future.
Editorial: Physiology, Application, and Bioengineering of Oleaginous Microorganisms

Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States, 2 State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, 4 Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, 5 SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, China
Progression of cerebral infarction before and after thrombectomy is modified by prehospital pathways

Background Evidence of the consequences of different prehospital pathways before mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in large vessel occlusion stroke is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the infarct extent and progression before and after MT in directly admitted (mothership) versus transferred (drip and ship) patients using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS). Methods ASPECTS of 535 consecutive large vessel occlusion stroke patients eligible for MT between 2015 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed for differences in the extent of baseline, post-referral, and post-recanalization infarction between the mothership and drip and ship pathways. Time intervals and transport distances of both pathways were analyzed. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the association between infarct progression (baseline to post-recanalization ASPECTS decline), patient characteristics, and logistic key figures. Results ASPECTS declined during transfer (9 (8–10) vs 7 (6-9), p<0.0001), resulting in lower ASPECTS at stroke center presentation (mothership 9 (7–10) vs drip and ship 7 (6–9), p<0.0001) and on follow-up imaging (mothership 7 (4–8) vs drip and ship 6 (3–7), p=0.001) compared with mothership patients. Infarct progression was significantly higher in transferred patients (points lost, mothership 2 (0–3) vs drip and ship 3 (2–6), p<0.0001). After multivariable adjustment, only interfacility transfer, preinterventional clinical stroke severity, the degree of angiographic recanalization, and the duration of the thrombectomy procedure remained predictors of infarct progression (R 2=0.209, p<0.0001). Conclusions Infarct progression and postinterventional infarct extent, as assessed by ASPECTS, varied between the drip and ship and mothership pathway, leading to more pronounced infarction in transferred patients. ASPECTS may serve as a radiological measure to monitor the benefit or harm of different prehospital pathways for MT.
Assessment and management of peripheral arterial disease: what every cardiologist should know

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Reuse permitted under CC BYNC. No commercial reuse. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. INTRODUCTION Peripheral artery disease (PAD) typically refers to atherosclerotic narrowing and/or occlusion of all arterial disease other than coronary arteries and the aorta (carotid and vertebral arteries, coeliac and mesenteric arteries, renal arteries and upper and lower limb arteries) (figure 1). As a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis, PAD is associated with greatly increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and impairment in quality of life. Because of the frequent overlap between ischaemic heart disease and PAD, cardiologists are in a unique position to screen, diagnose and treat PAD. The body of clinical evidence in patients with PAD is not as robust as the evidence in patients with heart disease, however the treatment goals are similar for both coronary artery disease (CAD) and PAD: to prevent ischaemic outcomes with lifestyle changes and medical therapy and to weigh the risks and benefits of revascularisation (Table 1). This article reviews the basic evaluation and management of the most common types of PAD from a cardiologist’s perspective.
Social Security Enrollment as an Indicator of State Fragility and legitimacy: A Field Experiment in Maghreb Countries

State legitimacy and effectiveness could be seen by the way to deliver welfare to citizens to mitigate social grievances, that could eventually lead to conflicts (Kivimäki, 2021). Social security systems in Maghreb countries are quite similar in their architecture and aims to provide social insurance to all the workers in the labor market. However, they suffer from the same main problem: the low rate of enrollment of workers. Many workers (employees and self-employed) work informally without any social security coverage. The issue of whether informal jobs are chosen voluntarily by workers or as a strategy of last resort is controversial. Many authors recognize that the informal sector is heterogeneous and it is made up of workers who voluntary choose it and others who are pushed inside because of entry barriers to the formal sector (Günther & Launov, 2012). Using the SAHWA survey and discrete choice models, this article confirms the heterogeneity of the informal labor market in three Maghreb countries: Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Furthermore, this article highlights the profiles of workers who voluntarily choose informality, which is missing from previous studies. Finally, this article proposes policy recommendations in order to extend social security to informal workers and to include them in the formal labour market.
Scotland's Rural College Chinese cropping systems are a net source of greenhouse gases despite soil carbon sequestration

31 Soil carbon sequestration is being considered as a potential pathway to mitigate climate change. 32 Cropland soils could provide a sink for carbon that can be modified by farming practices, however, they 33 can also act as a source of greenhouse gases (GHG), including not only nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane 34 (CH4), but also the upstream carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with agronomic management. 35 These latter emissions are also sometimes termed “hidden” or “embedded” CO2. In this paper, we estimated 36 the net GHG balance for Chinese cropping systems by considering the balance of soil carbon sequestration, 37 N2O and CH4 emissions, and the upstream CO2 emissions of agronomic management from a life cycle 38 perspective during 2000–2017. Results showed that although soil organic carbon (SOC) increased by 39 23.2±8.6 Tg C yr -1 , the soil N2O and CH4 emissions plus upstream CO2 emissions arising from agronomic 40 management added 269.5±21.1 Tg C-eq yr -1 to the atmosphere. These findings demonstrate that Chinese 41 cropping systems are a net source of GHG emissions, and that total GHG emissions are about 12 times 42 larger than carbon uptake by soil sequestration. There were large variations between different cropping 43 systems in the net GHG balance ranging from 328 to 7567 kg C-eq ha -1 yr -1 , but all systems act as a net 44 GHG source to the atmosphere. The main sources of total GHG emissions are nitrogen fertilization 45 (emissions during production and application), power use for irrigation, and soil N2O and CH4 emissions. 46 Optimizing agronomic management practices, especially fertilization, irrigation, plastic mulching, and crop 47 residues to reduce total GHG emissions from the whole chain is urgently required in order to develop 48 a low carbon future for Chinese crop production. 49 50
Hedonic Shopping Motivation and Impulse Buying: The Effect of Website Quality on Customer Satisfaction

The sophistication of technology information has led to a series of innovative activities in the economy, particularly in buying and selling products and services both conventionally and online. Currently online activities provide opportunities for customers to get the desired needs. The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of website quality, hedonic shopping motivation, and impulse buying on customers’ satisfaction of online shopping in Indonesia. Eight online marketplaces are the focus of this research. This study uses a quantitative approach. This is a structural equation research with data obtained from 177 students through an online questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale; the selection criteria is having shopped online from various universities in Indonesia. The statistical testing tool used is SPSS 26.0, with the effect between variables determined using Partial Least Square (SmartPLS 3.0). The findings of this study indicate that the nine proposed hypotheses are accepted, positively and significantly, directly or indirectly, which are supported by previous research to reinforce the findings that have been found. The interesting attributes associated with this study are hedonic shopping motivation and impulse buying that mediate the relationship between website quality and customer satisfaction of online shopping in Indonesia’s marketplace.
Investigation on Performance and Emission Characteristics of CI Engine Fuelled with Cucurbita Pepo L. and Prosopis Juliflora Seed Oil Biodiesel Blends

Recent researches of different countries have used traditional seed oils such as sunflower oil, soybean oil for the synthesis of biodiesel. In the present investigation, (pumpkin) Cucurbita pepo.L and prosopis juliflora seed oil was used for the synthesis of biodiesel. Since these are produced in large quantities in India, oil cost is low. Diethyl ether as additive was added to the above blend and performance and emission parameters were compared. Performance tests were conducted using biodiesel blend in water cooled, constant speed, CI engine and the emission characteristics were analyzed using a five-gas analyser. It was observed that there was 9.89 % increase in Brake Thermal efficiency and 14.35 % reduction in Brake Specific Fuel consumption at the maximum load for B20 blend with 5mladditive. It was also noted that emission of CO reduced by 0.65 % than that of diesel. CO2 by 10.3 % and NO by 21.1 % for B20 blend and further, emission of CO reduced by 14.3 %; CO2 by 13.8 % and NO by 25.83 % was noticed when additive was added to B20 blend. HC emission and smoke opacity increased by 33.8 % and 16.56 % respectively for B20 blend and increased by 26.47 % and 5.15 % for B20 blend with additive which indicates reduction of HC emission and smoke opacity by adding additive to biodiesel. The combustion characteristics of blended biodiesel (50:50 for Cucurbita pepo L and prosopis juliflora) with additive closely follow that of diesel. Hence this blend is used as fuel in CI engine without any engine modification.
Radiation Damage Mechanisms of Chemotherapeutically Active Nitroimidazole Derived Compounds

Photoionization mass spectrometry, photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectroscopic technique, and computational methods have been combined to investigate the fragmentation of two nitroimidazole derived compounds: the metronidazole and misonidazole. These molecules are used in radiotherapy thanks to their capability to sensitize hypoxic tumor cells to radiation by “mimicking” the effects of the presence of oxygen as a damaging agent. Previous investigations of the fragmentation patterns of the nitroimidazole isomers (Bolognesi et al., 2016; Cartoni et al., 2018) have shown their capacity to produce reactive molecular species such as nitric oxide, carbon monoxide or hydrogen cyanide, and their potential impact on the biological system. The results of the present work suggest that different mechanisms are active for the more complex metronidazole and misonidazole molecules. The release of nitric oxide is hampered by the efficient formation of nitrous acid or nitrogen dioxide. Although both metronidazole and misonidazole contain imidazole ring in the backbone, the side branches of these molecules lead to very different bonding mechanisms and properties.
Comparison of Efficacy in Depression and Stigma Reduction in Virtual In-Office Psychiatric Encounters with Virtual Out-of-Office Psychiatric Encounters among Adults in Louisiana

The primary purpose of this study was to conduct a clinical trial to compare the provision of psychiatric evaluation and medication interventions in a Virtual Out of Office format (VOO) with the provision of psychiatric evaluation and medication interventions in a Virtual in-Office psychiatric encounter (VIO) among adults in Louisiana seeking psychiatric services for the treatment of depression. This study was classified as a pretest-posttest control group noninferiority double-blind experimental design. Each patient took a self-rated instrument at baseline and at week 8. The study tested the two interventions (VOO and VIO) by way of changes in overall function, changes in perceptions of stigma, and changes in rates of presentism. The final sample was 150 total number randomly assigned and 120 eligible participants providing usable data with 75 participants in VIO treatment group and 45 participants in VOO treatment group. The Virtual-Out-of-Office (VOO) treatment level was more effective in reducing the perceived Stigma associated with receiving psychiatric treatment than for the Virtual-in- Office (VIO) treatment. The VOO group had a significant reduction in the overall Stigma score (pre-test mean=1.97, post-test mean=1.52, t=2.629, df=24, p=0.015) and the Stigma-Intrinsic sub-scale score (pre-test mean=2.02, posttest mean=1.46, t=2.697, df=24, p=0.013) in the study. The VIO group showed no significant difference in any of the Stigma scores between pre-test and post-test measurements. The Virtual-Out-of-Office (VOO) treatment level was more efficacious in treating Depression associated with receiving psychiatric treatment than for the Virtual-in- Office (VIO) treatment group. The VOO group had a significant reduction in the Depression score (pre-test mean=3.05, post-test mean=1.71, t=5.406, df=24, p ≤ 0.001) in the study. Although the VIO group showed a significant reduction in the Depression score (pre-test mean=2.89, post-test mean=2.32, t=3.265, df=46, p=0.002), the VOO group showed a substantially greater reduction in Depression scores. Both treatment groups were effective in reducing depression which is consistent with literature and the practice of treating depression.
EPCSAC - Extensible Platform for Cloud Scheduling Algorithm Comparison

When developing a new cloud scheduling algorithm, simulation is the most used approach to test the algorithm, mainly due to the impossibility of controlling all the cloud variables and also because of the costs involved. However, setting up the simulation environment can be a difﬁcult task and each environment can be conﬁgured its own way, resulting in no easy way of reproducing the results with other published algorithms neither comparing both under the same circumstances. To solve both of these problems, we propose the EPCSAC, an online open-source platform that allows researchers to worry only about the creation of their algorithm. They are able to create a set of simulation parameters, test their algorithm under these parameters, and compare their results with other algorithms on the platform. This way, there is an improved reproducibility and a reduced overhead of development. Researchers may have access to the platform at epcsac.lasdpc. icmc.usp. br/.