Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deep Eutectic Solvent Formulations and Alginate-Based Hydrogels as a New Partnership for the Transdermal Administration of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

The transdermal administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is a valuable and safer alternative to their oral intake. However, most of these drugs display low water solubility, which makes their incorporation into hydrophilic biopolymeric drug-delivery systems difficult. To overcome this drawback, aqueous solutions of bio-based deep eutectic solvents (DES) were investigated to enhance the solubility of ibuprofen, a widely used NSAID, leading to an increase in its solubility of up to 7917-fold when compared to its water solubility. These DES solutions were shown to be non-toxic to macrophages with cell viabilities of 97.4% (at ibuprofen concentrations of 0.25 mM), while preserving the anti-inflammatory action of the drug. Their incorporation into alginate-based hydrogels resulted in materials with a regular structure and higher flexibility. These hydrogels present a sustained release of the drug, which is able, when containing the DES aqueous solution comprising ibuprofen, to deliver 93.5% of the drug after 8 h in PBS. Furthermore, these hydrogels were able to improve the drug permeation across human skin by 8.5-fold in comparison with the hydrogel counterpart containing only ibuprofen. This work highlights the possibility to remarkably improve the transdermal administration of NSAIDs by combining new drug formulations based on DES and biopolymeric drug delivery systems.
The Sectorial Code - an inquiry into the contemporary sector development activities in the Danish construction industry

2 List of Content . 7 Chapter 1 The sectorial code . 9 Motivating the research agenda . 12 Outline of the thesis . 15 Chapter 2 Understanding strategic sector development . 18 Systems, regimes and fields . 18 Transformation and agency . 30 Conclusion . 54 Chapter 3 Analysing strategic sector development . 58 Strategic sector development as an actor network. 59 The empirical research strategy . 75 Empirical design and case selection . 79 Chapter 4 – Empirical introduction . 89 The Danish construction industry as a sectorial object of development. 89 Chapter 5 The contemporary sector development processes . 97 Conclusion on the 1993-2001 sector development activities . 109 Chapter 6 Digital Construction . 113 The Theorization of DC . 114 The concretization of DC . 127 The institutionalization of DC . 145 Conclusion . 162 Chapter 7 Building Lab DK . 165 The theorization of Building Lab DK . 165 The concretization of Building Lab DK . 178 The institutionalization of Building Lab DK . 193
An evaluation of internal and external workload metrics in games in women’s collegiate lacrosse

The purpose of this study was to statistically evaluate internal and external workload metrics in women’ s collegiate lacrosse games. Twelve Division I collegiate female lacrosse players wore a heart rate (HR) monitor and microtechnology during 17 intercollegiate games. Seven measures were used to determine game workload: two internal measures (mean HR and training impulse [TRIMP]) and five external measures (total distance, high-intensity distance [HID], average speed, accelerations, and decelerations). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine which metrics were most associated with each game segment. A permutation test validated the number of components retained for each PCA, and a bootstrap ratio test validated which measures significantly loaded on each component. For the whole game and each half all variables significantly loaded as factors onto only one principal component. For the whole game, the workload variables explained 54% of the variance (p < .001). The same metrics explained 53% of the variance for the first half (p < .001), and 58% of the variance for the second half (p < .001). External workload measures were highly intercorrelated and internal measures provided less information to the structure across all three PCAs analyzed. Analyses showed similar factor-loading patterns for the three PCAs indicating very little difference in importance of workload variables by game section. The loaded metrics should be compared to a complementary analysis for drills to ensure that training workload metrics are similar.
Functional Study of TMEM163 Gene Variants Associated with Hypomyelination Leukodystrophy

Hypomyelinating leukodystrophies (HLDs) are a rare group of heterogeneously genetic disorders characterized by persistent deficit of myelin observed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To identify a new disease-associated gene of HLD, trio-based whole exome sequencing was performed for unexplained patients with HLD. Functional studies were performed to confirm the phenotypic effect of candidate protein variants. Two de novo heterozygous variants, c.227T>G p.(L76R) or c.227T>C p.(L76P) in TMEM163 were identified in two unrelated HLD patients. TMEM163 protein is a zinc efflux transporter localized within the plasma membrane, lysosomes, early endosomes, and other vesicular compartments. It has not been associated with hypomyelination. Functional zinc flux assays in HeLa cells stably-expressing TMEM163 protein variants, L76R and L76P, revealed distinct attenuation or enhancement of zinc efflux, respectively. Experiments using a zebrafish model with knockdown of tmem163a and tmem163b (morphants) showed that loss of tmem163 causes dysplasia of the larvae, locomotor disability and myelin deficit. Expression of human wild type TMEM163 mRNAs in morphants rescues the phenotype, while the TMEM163 L76P and L76R mutants aggravated the condition. Moreover, poor proliferation, elevated apoptosis of oligodendrocytes, and reduced oligodendrocytes and neurons were also observed in zebrafish morphants. Our findings suggest an unappreciated role for TMEM163 protein in myelin development and add TMEM163 to a growing list of genes associated with hypomyelination leukodystrophy.
E-Learning as an Alternative Platform for Enhancing Knowledge and Managerial Skills: Evidence from Ahmadu Bello University in Sub-Saharan Africa

The advancement in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has revolutionised activities across all facets of human endeavours including learning and management. e-learning is an evolving educational platform and the scheme like other ICT-inclined sectors is facing series and peculiar challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. These challenges range from poor infrastructure, poor funding, poor/low oriented masses, inadequate government policies, poor infrastructure such as electricity, technological deficiency on the part of service providers among many others. Nevertheless, e-learning has proven to possess the capacity to offer an alternative learning environment to boost knowledge and by extension enhance managerial skills, especially for those whose job schedules offer them limited time to travel over some relatively long distances to acquire knowledge through the conventional system. Thus, using the Ahmadu Bello University Distance Learning Centre (ABU DLC) in Nigeria as a case study, the paper argues that, the prospects offered by the e-learning platform can improve on Nigeria’s educational sector and individual managerial skills as well as organisational outputs. Therefore, using primary and secondary/documentary information, the paper stresses that e-learning in Nigeria though challenging, can add value to both individuals and the country’s educational sector and by extension boost managerial skills. When adequate resources among others are committed and properly harness to e-learning, it can comfortably serve as an alternative platform for learning, especially for interested individuals as obtainable in advanced countries in the contemporary global society.
Stochastic Buckling Analysis of Non-Uniform Columns Using Stochastic Finite Elements with Discretization Random Field by the Point Method

This study examined the discretization random field of the elastic modulus by a point method to develop a stochastic finite element method for the stochastic buckling of a non-uniform column. The formulation of stochastic analysis of a non-uniform column was constructed using the perturbation method in conjunction with the finite element method. The spectral representation was used to generate a random field to employ the Monte Carlo simulation for validation with a stochastic finite element approach. The results of the stochastic buckling problem of non-uniform columns with the random field of elastic modulus by comparing the first-order perturbation technique were in good agreement with those obtained from the Monte Carlo simulation. The numerical results showed that the response of the coefficient of variation of critical loads increased when the ratio of the correlation distance of the random field increased.
Diagnostic Value of microRNA-375 as Future Biomarker for Prostate Cancer Detection: A Meta-Analysis

Background and Objectives: Responding to the need for additional biomarkers for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa), mounting studies show that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) possess great potential as future promising diagnostic tools. However, the usefulness of these miRNAs is still highly debated, as the degree of inconsistency between study designs and results is still elevated. Herein, we present a meta-analysis evaluating the diagnostic value and accuracy of circulating miR-375, as it is one of the most studied types of miRs in PCa. Materials and Methods: The diagnostic accuracy of miR-375 was evaluated using the QUADAS-2 tool, analyzing different statistical parameters. The seven studies (from six articles) that matched our selection included 422 PCa patients and 212 controls (70 healthy volunteers + 142 with benign prostate diseases). Results and Conclusion: We obtained a p-value of 0.76 for sensitivity, 0.83 for specificity, 16 for DOR, 4.6 for LR+, 0.29 for LR−, and 0.87 for AUC (95% CI 0.83–0.89). Our results confirm that miRNA-375 has high diagnostic potential for PCa, suggesting its usefulness as a powerful biomarker. More comprehensive studies are warranted to better assess its true value as a diagnostic biomarker for this urologic disease.
Impact of Groundwater Table Fluctuation on Stability of Jointed Rock Slopes and Landslides

Groundwater level plays an important role in triggering landslides. In this paper, Distinct Element Method is used to investigate the impact of groundwater table fluctuation on the stability of jointed rock slopes. For this purpose, 110 cases including different number of joint sets, joint friction angles, joint spacings, and joint angles are considered and the influence of changing groundwater level on the stability of a jointed rock slope is investigated through a series of parametric studies. This study shows that the factor of safety for slopes can decrease significantly with increasing the groundwater level, and the impact is more significant on slopes with steeper joints. Furthermore, as the spacing of the joints decreases, the impact decreases. However, as the joint spacing increases, the groundwater table should rise to a higher elevation to be able to have an impact. Moreover, the impact on the factor of safety is similar for different joint friction angles when the groundwater level elevation is high. This study provides a better understanding of the impact of groundwater table fluctuation on the stability of jointed rock slopes.
Atrial Fibrillation Specific Exercise Rehabilitation: Are We There Yet?

Regular physical activity and exercise training are integral for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Despite recent advances in more holistic care pathways for people with atrial fibrillation (AF), exercise rehabilitation is not provided as part of routine care. The most recent European Society of Cardiology report for AF management states that patients should be encouraged to undertake moderate-intensity exercise and remain physically active to prevent AF incidence or recurrence. The aim of this review was to collate data from primary trials identified in three systematic reviews and recent real-world cohort studies to propose an AF-specific exercise rehabilitation guideline. Collating data from 21 studies, we propose that 360–720 metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes/week, corresponding to ~60–120 min of exercise per week at moderate-to-vigorous intensity, could be an evidence-based recommendation for patients with AF to improve AF-specific outcomes, quality of life, and possibly prevent long-term major adverse cardiovascular events. Furthermore, non-traditional, low-moderate intensity exercise, such as Yoga, seems to have promising benefits on patient quality of life and possibly physical capacity and should, therefore, be considered in a personalised rehabilitation programme. Finally, we discuss the interesting concepts of short-term exercise-induced cardioprotection and ‘none-response’ to exercise training with reference to AF rehabilitation.
The Use of Near-Infrared Imaging (NIR) as a Fast Non-Destructive Screening Tool to Identify Drought-Tolerant Wheat Genotypes

Due to climate change, many agricultural areas will face shortages in water availability; thus, the mission of the upcoming decades is to ensure food security while improving agriculture sustainability. The development of wheat varieties that are more adaptable to the changing climate is mandatory to achieve this goal. Genetic resources can be the key to unlock a wide genetic potential, but faster, high throughput methods are needed to easily screen the huge amount of available genetic resources. Phenotyping is the central element to exploit wheat genetic resources as it allows us to identify superior genotypes and to achieve selection gain. To select contrasting phenotypes within a core set of 149 durum wheat genotypes, belonging to the National Research Council (CNR) germplasm collection, under drought stress conditions, we studied plant water status gained by NIR imaging. By the application of the present method, it was possible to rapidly identify and select a set of putative genotypes highly tolerant to drought, as well as a set of contrasting genotypes, for further studies and/or for breeding programs. This promising approach is scalable to a larger number of genotypes in pre-breeding program.
Ecofriendly Approach for Steroids, Terpenes, and Alkaloids-based Biosurfactant

In the last decade, the investigation of biosurfactants (BS) has been extensively studied due to the application of BS to remove or minimize the use of toxic synthetic surfactants into the ecosystem. Contaminated soil, air, and water cause a serious hazard to human health and the environment. Usually, biosurfactants exhibited remarkable emulsification with minimum surface tension values less than 16.5 dynes/cm. The BS exhibited significant bioactivities against bacterial and fungal pathogens. The plant-based surfactants have a more than 80% free radical scavenging nature and show potential antioxidant activity. BS are amphiphilic motifs obtained from plants and microorganisms' extract. BS has distinct hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, leading to micellization formation. BS has a special molecular structure with hydrophilic glycoside linkage and lipophilic (Hydrophobic) triterpene derivative. BS has a broad spectrum of numerous sectors, including food, agriculture, personal care, petroleum, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, textile. The features of BS are low toxicity, environmental capability, biodegradability, multi-functionality, and availability of resources. The biosurfactant is today's need of society because synthetic surfactants have high toxicity and high ecological impact due to carcinogenic and mutagenic effects on human health. The proteins and polysaccharides act as emulsifiers. The chemical composition of this kind of surfactant is protein, glycolipid, carbohydrates, steroids, terpenoids. We focused on the steroids, terpenes, and alkaloids based surfactants. Currently employed plant and microbes-based surfactants, study their production, chemical composition, and effect of synthetic biosurfactant on human health and ecosystem.
sweater: Speedy Word Embedding Association Test and Extras Using R

The goal of this R package is to detect associations among words in word embedding spaces. Word embeddings can capture how similar or different two words are in terms of implicit and explicit meanings. Using the example in Collobert et al. (2011), the word vector for “XBox” is close to that for “PlayStation”, as measured by a distance measure such as cosine distance. Word embeddings can also be used to study associations among words that are otherwise difficult to detect. For instance, Jing & Ahn (2021) used word embeddings to study how Democrats and Republicans are divided along party lines about COVID-19.
Development of Lateral Flow Assay for the Detection of Tamm Horsfall Protein in Urine

Tamm Horsfall Protein (THP) is the most abundant urinary protein with concentrations of 20-200 mg/day and is known to be involved in a myriad of renal pathological processes such as renal stones and inflammation. THP is produced by renal epithelial cells and is the most abundant urinary protein, which tends to aggregate at higher concentrations. Therefore, our study was aimed to facilitate the detection of THP in urine by a rapid, efficient, and optimum detection using a lateral flow assay system. To develop the assay system, THP was isolated and purified from the urine of a healthy individual and used to generate antibodies in a white male New Zealand rabbit. These anti-THP antibodies were purified from the rabbit serum using the Protein-A column and further conjugated with gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) of the size of 21 nm were synthesized by the chemical reduction method. Conjugation of gold nanoparticles and anti-THP antibodies was optimized by varying pH and concentrations. The developed lateral flow assay was tested with purified THP, and its sensitivity was calculated as 1 mg/ml of THP. This lateral flow immunoassay can detect THP in urine and can be beneficial for the detection of a various pathological or physiological phenomenon involving urinary Tamm Horsefall Protein secretions.
THE EFFECT OF PERCEIVED UNIVERSITY SUPPORT, ENTREPRENEURIAL SELF-EFFICACY AND PROACTIVE PERSONALITY IN PROMOTING STUDENT ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION IN INDONESIA

Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in economic growth for Indonesia. Unfortunately, the number of entrepreneurs in Indonesia is still lagging behind other ASEAN countries. The emergence of knowledge-based entrepreneurship makes universities become one of the vital supply sources for creating entrepreneurs. Even though it has institutional support from the Indonesian government, entrepreneurship is still not considered a promising alternative career choice. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effect of university institutional support (perceived educational support, concept development support, and concept development support) and personal traits variables (self-efficacy and proactive personality) on Indonesian students' entrepreneurial intention. This study was conducted using a judgmental sampling technique on 302 active university students in Indonesia who have received entrepreneurship education. Data analysis in this study was carried out using the PLS-SEM. The findings of this study indicate that perceived educational support directly affects entrepreneurial intention. While, perceived concept development support and perceived business development support positively shape self-efficacy, leading to entrepreneurial intention. This study also confirms self-efficacy and proactive personality as predictors of entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, the study also shows that self-efficacy mediates the relationship between proactive personality and Indonesian students' intentions to be entrepreneurs.
Optimization of Extraction of Phenolic and Antioxidant Activities from Celosia cristata Seeds Using Response Surface Methodology

This study aims to determine the optimal sonication extraction conditions to obtain the highest phenolic and antioxidant compounds from Celosia cristata L. (CCL) seeds. Effects of extraction variables including extraction time (15-60 min), particle size (60-100 mesh), solid-solvent ratio (1:5–1:20 g/mL), and ethanol concentration (50-96%) on the total content Phenolic (TPC) and total antioxidant activity (TAC) by DPPH, FRAP, and CUPRAC methods were determined and optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM). Particle size, solid-solvent ratio, and ethanol concentration significantly affected the yield of TPC and TAC, while extraction time had no significant effect on TPC and TAC in the tested ranges. Optimum CCL seed extraction conditions to achieve maximum TPC (1,687mg GAE/g fw) and TAC methods DPPH (4,352 µmolTE/g fw), FRAP (8,773 µmolTE/g fw) and CUPRAC (25,757 µmolTE/g fw) were extraction time of 15 minutes, particle size of 100 mesh, solid-solvent ratio of 1:20 g/mL, and ethanol concentration of 88%. Under these conditions, the experimental values of TPC were 1.32 mg GAE/g fw, TAC-DPPH 3.23 µmolTE/g fw, TAC-FRAP 6.54 µmolTE/g fw, and TAC-CUPRAC 25.59 µmolTE/g fw. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate the success of RSM in optimizing the extraction conditions of phenolic and antioxidant compounds from CCL seeds.
Uniform Tumor Spheroids on Surface-Optimized Microfluidic Biochips for Reproducible Drug Screening and Personalized Medicine

Spheroids are recognized for resembling the important characteristics of natural tumors in cancer research. However, the lack of controllability of the spheroid size, form, and density in conventional spheroid culture methods reduces the reproducibility and precision of bioassay results and the assessment of drug-dose responses in spheroids. Nonetheless, the accurate prediction of cellular responses to drug compounds is crucial for developing new efficient therapeutic agents and optimizing existing therapeutic strategies for personalized medicine. We developed a surface-optimized PDMS microfluidic biochip to produce uniform and homogenous multicellular spheroids in a reproducible manner. This platform is surface optimized with 10% bovine serum albumin (BSA) to provide cell-repellent properties. Therefore, weak cell-surface interactions lead to the promotion of cell self-aggregations and the production of compact and uniform spheroids. We used a lung cancer cell line (A549), a co-culture model of lung cancer cells (A549) with (primary human osteoblasts, and patient-derived spine metastases cells (BML, bone metastasis secondary to lung). We observed that the behavior of cells cultured in three-dimensional (3D) spheroids within this biochip platform more closely reflects in vivo-like cellular responses to a chemotherapeutic drug, Doxorubicin, rather than on 24-well plates (two-dimensional (2D) model). It was also observed that the co-culture and patient-derived spheroids exhibited resistance to anti-cancer drugs more than the mono-culture spheroids. The repeatability of drug test results in this optimized platform is the hallmark of the reproducibility of uniform spheroids on a chip. This surface-optimized biochip can be a reliable platform to generate homogenous and uniform spheroids to study and monitor the tumor microenvironment and for drug screening.