Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Basal cell carcinoma stem cells exhibit osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potential

Specific cell subpopulations identified as cancer stem cells (CSCs) can be found in basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Generally, CSCs have a marked trans-differentiation potential that could potentially be used in differentiation therapies. However, there are no studies regarding BCC CSCs multipotency. The aim of the study was to analyze the characteristic of CSCs of BCC with emphasis on their differentiation potential upon specific induction. Specific staining and cell morphology were used for differentiation confirmation, along with the expression analysis of osteogenic (ALP, BSP, Runx2, OCN, BMP2), chondrogenic (COL1 and COL2A1), adipogenic (PPAR-γ) and neurogenic (Nestin and MAP2) markers. BCC CSCs differentiated into osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages, as judged by staining and high expression of specific markers (from 2-to 92-fold higher upon induction). Concomitantly with differentiation, the levels of cancer stem cell markers decreased in the cultures. Adipo-differentiation and neuro-differentiation were unsuccessful. In conclusion, BCC CSCs exhibit the capacity to trans-differentiate, a characteristic that may potentially be useful in the development of new strategies for the treatment of aggressive BCCs.
Organic versus inorganic fertilizers: Response of soil properties and crop yield

The decrease in soil productivity and quality caused by the continuous and abusive use of mineral fertilizers makes necessary to adopt more sustainable agricultural soil management strategies that help to maintain soil edaphic fertility. In light of these considerations, we have evaluated the effect of organic vs. inorganic fertilization on soil microbial communities, soil quality, and crop yield in a melon crop. The following treatments were tested: i) aerobic sewage sludge from a conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) using aerobic bacteria (SS); ii) aerobic sewage sludge from a WWTP using a bacteria-microalgae consortium (B); iii) N-P-K mineral fertilizer (M); iv) a treatment in which 50% of the N was contributed by SS and 50% by mineral fertilizer (M + SS); v) a treatment in which 50% of the N was contributed by B and 50% by mineral fertilizer (M + B); and vi) a no-fertilized control soil. Melon yield and fruit quality were determined in addition to several soil physical, chemical, biochemical and microbiological parameters. Organic fertilizers (SS and B) increased the percentage of soil water-stable aggregates (52 and 60% respectively) as well as the content of organic C (18 and 31%), water soluble C (21 and 41%), N (15 and 41%) and available P content (41 and 82%) compared to inorganic fertilization. They also stimulated bacterial and fungal abundance to a greater extent than mineral fertilizers (189 and 242% vs 85%, and 57 and 122% vs 29%, respectively), as well as soil respiration, and dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, phosphatase, urease, and glycine aminopectidase activities. The analysis of principal components with parameters linked to soil quality clearly showed that organic fertilizers cause a greater improvement in soil characteristics and microbial community than mineral fertilizers. Results demonstrate that organic and combined fertilization could be used as substitutes for nitrogen mineral fertilizers in melon crop, since these treatments led to similar melon production and quality while improving soil characteristics and microbial population size and activity.
Effects of Saline Water and Irrigation Interval on Soybean (Glycine max) Yield

The declining availability of fresh water has become a worldwide problem, which maintains the development of alternative, secondary quality water resources for agricultural use. Several studies recommend that give attention for selected crops that can tolerate a degree of water and salinity stresses when saline water is used for irrigation. In this study, the effects of different irrigation intervals at different salinity levels of irrigation water on Soybean yield and their impacts investigated using three irrigation intervals (I1 =3 days, I2=4 days and I3=5 days) with four salinity levels (S1=4 dSm-1, 5 dSm-1 and 6 dSm-1) in a factorial combination using CRD with three replications. The result showed that salinity, irrigation interval and their interaction were highly significance effects (p<0.001) on number of pod per plant, number of seed per plant and grain yield of Soybean. The highest number of pod number (88.33), grain yield (2.31 ton/ha) and number of seed per plant (172.33) was recorded from Soybean which was irrigated with the first salinity level, i.e., fresh water (S1) with irrigation interval one (3 days), S1I1; while the lowest pod number per plant (6.67), number of seed per plant (12.67) and minimum grin yield (0.034 ton/ha) was obtained from Soybean irrigated by salinity level four (S4) with 5 days irrigation interval (S4I3).
The Antifungal Activity and Phytochemical Screening of a Traditional South American Remedy: Kyllinga vaginata Against Fusarium graminearum

Kyllinga vaginata Lam. a native species of Paraguay, which is popularly known as “kapiikati”, is marketed by Spanish hebalists known as “yuyeras”. K. vaginata Lam. has many pharmacologic effects such as diuretic, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, also used for the treatment of fungal diseases like leucorrhea. Its secondary metabolites are useful array of natural products with remarkable biological activities in medicinal components, food additives therapies, aromatic, and culinary purposes. In the current research phytochemical experiments revealed that the presence of several natural products in the rhizome of K. vaginata (ethanol crude extract), such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds and lipids. With the evidence of traditional anti-leucorrhea uses, the present study also investigated to explore hidden alternative antifungal activity of K. vaginata . As a result of this translational approach, microorganism inhibition growth tests were performed on these crude EtOH extracts and revealed antifungal activity against Fusarium graminearum , a phytopathogen of wheat. Useful identification features are cited for a fast/economic quality control of the rhizome of K. vaginata , the presence of secondary metabolites are declared and main chemical families of biologically active compounds are proposed for the first time for K. vaginata . Finally antioxidant activity of these roots were studied and the inhibitory activity against F. graminearum , proposed by this translational approach.
Effects of Different Potassium Nitrate Concentrations and Temperature Conditions on the Elemental Composition and Blossom-End Rot in Paprika ( Capsicum annuum L.)

Blossom-end rot (BER) in paprika ( Capsicum annuum L.), as in tomato fruits, is a physiological disorder caused by calcium (Ca) deficiency in fruits. While studies have revealed that excessive nitrogen and potassium fertilization and high temperatures affect Ca transport to fruits and induce BER, few studies have investigated the effects of other elemental concentrations in paprika fruit and their association with BER occurrence. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the changes in the elemental composition and incidence of BER in paprika fruits grown at different potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) concentrations and different temperature conditions. Paprika plants were grown in rockwool blocks in a greenhouse at 25°C and 30°C for approximately four months and irrigated with liquid fertilizer and three different concentrations (0, 27.9, and 74.4 mM) of KNO 3 were added. Subsequently, the total fresh weights of ripe paprika fruits and the incidence of BER were measured, and the elemental compositions in the pericarp of the first and last sampled fruits were analyzed. The total fresh weights significantly decreased and the incidence of BER increased with increasing KNO 3 concentrations and temperature. The profiles of 11 mineral elements in the pericarps of paprika fruits revealed a significant positive or negative correlation between not only the concentration of Ca, but also that of several other elements including boron (which crosslinks pectin in the cell wall like Ca) and the incidence of BER. These results suggest that Ca deficiency may not be the only cause of BER occurrence, and that several elements may also be involved. The insights from this study will contribute to help predict the incidence of BER and stabilize crop production by improving fertilizer application and environmental control.
Oxidative stress indicators in human and bottlenose dolphin leukocytes in response to a pro-inflammatory challenge

Marine mammals undergo cycles of tissue ischemia and reperfusion during the dive response. Reperfusion injury can result in oxidative tissue damage and the activation of a pro-inflammatory immune response. The risk of oxidative damage is reduced by antioxidants. Our hypothesis is that the reported higher antioxidant defenses within marine mammal tissues provide additional protection in situations that produce oxidative stress, like inflammation, in comparison to terrestrial mammal tissues. Leukocytes were isolated from the whole blood of Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gilli) and humans (Homo sapiens) and were exposed to lipopolysaccharides (LPS, 10 μg/mL) in vitro to simulate a pro-inflammatory challenge. Oxidative stress indicators, including superoxide radical (O2 ) production, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase (GST), as well as oxidative protein damage, were quantified by spectrophotometry. Following 48 h under experimental conditions, bottlenose dolphin leukocytes produced 1.9 times more O2 •− but displayed 2.0 times lower protein carbonyl concentrations compared to human leukocytes. Following 48 h under experimental conditions, bottlenose dolphin leukocytes displayed 7.9, 2.0, 11.1, and 3.3 times more activities of CAT, GPx, GR, and GST, respectively, compared to human leukocytes. These results suggest that, under cell culture conditions, the antioxidant defenses in bottlenose dolphin leukocytes provide additional protection against pro-inflammatory challenges in comparison to human leukocytes, likely as an adaptive advantage.
What Matters Most to Student Voters?: A Conjoint Analysis of Political Candidate Attributes

Election is an essential instrument in the development of the country. Understanding key voting preferences could resolve issues facing the country through competent elected government officials. The election of future competent officials depends on the preference of the next generation of voters. This study aims to determine how political candidate attributes affect the voting preference of students and determine which of the political candidate attributes is the most important. The study used choice-based conjoint analysis, which simulates the real-world decision-making of choosing a candidate. Students were presented with different presidential candidates, each with a unique set of demographic and political attributes to choose from. Results suggest that student voters give importance to political attributes that reflect competencies such as profession, experience, accomplishments, and priorities. Political leaders must build their image through competence and good governance among student voters.
Topological Interference Management With Inaccurate Topology of Network

In this letter, we investigate the topological interference management (TIM) problem in the presence of measurement error of the network topology. We formulate the TIM problem as a low-rank matrix recovery problem and then solve it through an alternating algorithm to recover the true network topology. Our numerical results demonstrate that the proposed low-rank matrix recovery model can significantly improve the achievable degrees of freedom of the network.
A re-examination of the stationarity of inflation

In a recent examination of the integrated nature of inflation, Culver and Papell (Journal of Applied Econometrics, 1997) applied a range of unit root and stationarity tests to data from a panel of 13 OECD economies. The results obtained were mixed. While little evidence of stationarity was detected using univariate methods, rejection of the unit root hypothesis was observed under panel data unit root testing, although rejection was found to be sensitive to cross-sectional variation. In this note the results of Culver and Papell are reconsidered in light of conditional heteroskedasticity detected in the inflation rate series. Using a more appropriate univariate testing procedure combining local-to-unity detrending and joint maximum likelihood estimation of a unit root testing equation and GARCH process, strong evidence in favour of stationarity is detected in 11 of 13 economies examined. In contrast to the univariate findings of Culver and Papell, the results obtained herein using an alternative univariate procedure provide evidence in support of their I(0) inference drawn using panel methods. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Balancing the COVID-19 Disruption to Undergraduate Learning and Assessment with an Academic Student Support Package: Implications for Student Achievement and Engagement

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic-induced emergency pivot to online teaching and assessment, an Academic Safety Net was implemented at a regional Australian university to provide academic student support. Bayesian hierarchical models were used to compare student performance between 2019 and 2020. More students withdrew from subjects in 2020, while fewer students remained enrolled but failed. While there was no overall year effect for overall student achievement, exam achievement increased and on-course assessment achievement decreased in 2020. When achievement was analysed according to an assessment task change, a year effect emerged, with the magnitude and direction of the effect dependent on the task changes. The results indicate that the enrolment component of the Academic Safety Net was an effective equity measure that enabled students an extended opportunity to self-withdraw in response to general impacts of the pandemic; while the results component protected the integrity of results awarded during the emergency pivot.
Regulatory and clinical perspective on patient access to antidiabetic medicines in Slovenia

Introduction/Objective. Three novel classes of antidiabetic medicines have been introduced onto the market in the last decade, namely dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors. Many factors influence patient access to these medicines and their utilization in clinical practice: these need to be explored. The aim of the study was to gain an insight into patient access to antidiabetic medicines in Slovenia from a regulatory and clinical point of view. Methods. A focus group with five Slovenian experts (representatives of regulatory bodies and prescribers of antidiabetic medicines) was performed in January 2019. The discussion was audiotaped upon obtaining written consent from the experts and transformed into a verbatim transcript. Two researchers independently analyzed the content of the discussion, using NVivo 11 to identify main themes and subthemes. Results. Slovenia provides satisfactory patient access to antidiabetic medicines; however, prescribing restrictions and unequal access to diabetologists in the Slovenian regions may limit patient access to novel antidiabetic medicines. Prescribing restrictions should be aligned with the new evidence on cardiovascular benefit of some antidiabetic medicines. A national registry of patients with diabetes should be established in order to obtain reliable data on patient outcomes and improve the quality of patient care. Conclusion Patient access to antidiabetic medicines could be significantly improved not only in Slovenia but also in other countries by changing prescribing restrictions, establishing national registries of patients with diabetes, and involving multidisciplinary teams in diabetes care.
Delay-Adaptive Predictor Feedback Control of Reaction–Advection–Diffusion PDEs With a Delayed Distributed Input

We consider a system of reaction–advection–diffusion partial differential equation (PDE) with a distributed input subject to an unknown and arbitrarily large time delay. Using Lyapunov technique, we derive a delay-adaptive predictor feedback controller to ensure the global stability of the closed-loop system in the $L^2$ sense. More precisely, we express the input delay as a 1-D transport PDE with a spatial argument leading to the transformation of the time delay into a spatially distributed shift. For the resulting mixed transport and reaction–advection–diffusion PDE system, we employ a PDE backstepping design and certainty equivalence principle to derive the suitable adaptive control law that compensates for the effect of the unknown time delay. Our controller ensures the global stabilization in the $L^2$ sense. Our result is the first delay-adaptive predictor feedback controller with a PDE plant subject to a delayed distributed input. The feasibility of the proposed approach is illustrated by considering a mobile robot that spread a neutralizer over a polluted surface to achieve efficient decontamination with an unknown actuator delay arising from the noncollocation of the contaminant diffusive process and the moving neutralizer source. Consistent simulation results are presented to prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Quasi-Reflectionless Filters Using Simple Coupled Line and T-Shaped Microstrip Structures

In this paper, two simple structures, i.e., coupled line and T-shaped microstrip structures, are used to construct four types of quasi-reflectionless (QR) filters, including single-and two-port QR bandpass filters (BPFs) and bandstop filters (BSFs). First, the characteristics of the coupled line and T-shaped microstrip structures are analyzed in details using each two electrical parameters. Then, the single-port QR BPF and BSF are designed using duplexer architectures formed by these two simple structures. Subsequently, the two-port QR BPF and BSF are constructed through loading an additional absorption channel near the output port based on the architectures of single-port QR filters. The relations between the fractional bandwidth (FBW) of each type of QR filters and 3-dB FBWs of the two simple structures are provided, which give a guidance of the QR filter design with desired specifications. Moreover, a brief design procedure for the proposed QR filters is summarized. Finally, to validate the feasibility of the proposed approach, two proof-of-concept microstrip prototypes of the two-port QR filters are fabricated, whose simulations and measurements agree well with each other. This work will facilitate the design of QR filters with different desired specifications and simplify their design procedures.
Learning Multimodal Representations for Drowsiness Detection

Drowsiness detection is a crucial step for safe driving. A plethora of efforts has been invested on using pervasive sensor data (e.g., video, physiology) empowered by machine learning to build an automatic drowsiness detection system. Nevertheless, most of the existing methods are based on complicated wearables (e.g., electroencephalogram) or computer vision algorithms (e.g., eye state analysis), which makes the relevant systems hardly applicable in the wild. Furthermore, data based on these methods are insufficient in nature due to limited simulation experiments. In this light, we propose a novel and easily implemented method based on full non-invasive multimodal machine learning analysis for the driver drowsiness detection task. The drowsiness level was estimated by self-reported questionnaire in pre-designed protocols. First, we consider involving environmental data (e.g., temperature, humidity, illuminance, and further more), which can be regarded as complementary information for the human activity data recorded via accelerometers or actigraphs. Second, we demonstrate that the models trained by daily life data can still be efficient to make predictions for the subject performing in a simulator, which may benefit the future data collection methods. Finally, we make a comprehensive study on investigating different machine learning methods including classic ‘shallow’ models and recent deep models. Experimental results show that, our proposed methods can reach 64.6% unweighted average recall for drowsiness detection in a subject-independent scenario.
Biodegradation profiles of chitin, chitosan and titanium reinforced polylactide biocomposites as scaffolds in bone tissue engineering

Abstract In this study, chitin (Ct), chitosan (Ch) and titanium powder (Ti) were melt-blended with polylactide (PLA) to produce three composites of PLA. The samples were subjected to multiple characterisations, which includes immersion in a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) for ten weeks. The results showed that the three fillers reduced the hydrophobicity of PLA, making the reinforced samples to be more hydrophilic. In addition, the organic reinforced PLA composites became more amorphous while the PLA/Ti samples became more crystalline when compared with unreinforced PLA. The results of the samples’ immersion in PBS showed that the organic reinforced PLA presented a biodegradation profile that would allow for the required gradual transfer of load to the partially healed fractured bone. Except for the chitin reinforced PLA (PLA/Ct) with 16.67 wt. %, all other composites produced using the organic fillers gave a swelling percentage which was less than 17%. However, titanium-reinforced PLA (PLA/Ti) composites were found to continue to swell after ten weeks of the immersion of the samples. Although all the samples formed apatite on their surfaces (except the unreinforced PLA), the biodegradation profile of PLA/Ti was deemed unsuitable as an implant because of the possibility of postoperative palpability.