Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Intracellular Hyperthermia of Iron Oxide Magnetic Nanoparticles, Synthesized at High Temperature by a Polyol Process

We report the synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles (IOMNPs) using the polyol method performed at elevated temperature (300 °C) and high pressure. The ferromagnetic polyhedral IOMNPs exhibited high saturation magnetizations at room temperature (83 emu/g) and a maximum specific absorption rate (SAR) of 2400 W/gFe in water. The uniform dispersion of IOMNPs in solid matrix led to a monotonous increase of SAR maximum (3600 W/gFe) as the concentration decreased. Cytotoxicity studies on two cell lines (cancer and normal) using Alamar Blues and Neutral Red assays revealed insignificant toxicity of the IOMNPs on the cells up to a concentration of 1000 μg/mL. The cells internalized the IOMNPs inside lysosomes in a dose-dependent manner, with higher amounts of IOMNPs in cancer cells. Intracellular hyperthermia experiments revealed a significant increase in the macroscopic temperatures of the IOMNPs loaded cell suspensions, which depend on the amount of internalized IOMNPs and the alternating magnetic field amplitude. The cancer cells were found to be more sensitive to the intracellular hyperthermia compared to the normal ones. For both cell lines, cells heated at the same macroscopic temperature presented lower viability at higher amplitudes of the alternating magnetic field, indicating the occurrence of mechanical or nanoscale heating effects.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediates larval zebrafish fin duplication following exposure to benzofluoranthenes.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) mediates developmental toxicity of several xenobiotic classes including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Using embryonic zebrafish, we previously identified four PAHs that caused a novel phenotype among AHR ligands - growth of a lateral, duplicate caudal fin fold. The window of sensitivity to the most potent inducer of this phenotype, benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), was prior to 36 hours post-fertilization (hpf), although the phenotype was not manifest until 60 hpf. AHR dependency via Ahr2 was demonstrated using morpholino knockdown. Hepatocyte ablation demonstrated that hepatic metabolism of BkF was not required for the phenotype, nor was it responsible for the window of susceptibility. RNA sequencing performed on caudal trunk tissue from BkF-exposed animals collected at 48, 60, 72, and 96 hpf showed upregulation of genes associated with AHR activation, appendage development, and tissue patterning. Genes encoding fibroblast growth factor and bone morphogenic protein ligands, along with retinaldehyde dehydrogenase, were prominently upregulated. Gene ontology (GO) term analysis revealed that upregulated genes were enriched for mesoderm development and fin regeneration, while downregulated genes were enriched for Wnt signaling and neuronal development. MetaCore (Clarivate Analytics) systems analysis of orthologous human genes predicted that R-SMADs, AP-1, and LEF1 regulated the expression of an enriched number of gene targets across all time points. Our results demonstrate a novel aspect of AHR activity with implications for developmental processes conserved across vertebrate species.
Validity of Ultrasound Imaging in Measuring Quadriceps Muscle Thickness and Cross-Sectional Area in Hemodialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND Muscle wasting, prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients diagnosed with protein energy wasting, represents an assessment challenge in the outpatient HD setting. Quadriceps muscle thickness (QMT) and cross-sectional area (CSA) assessment by ultrasound (US) is a potential surrogate measure for muscle wasting. We aimed to determine the validity of US to measure QMT and CSA against the gold standard, computed tomography (CT). METHODS Twenty-six HD patients underwent US and CT scans on the same day, post-dialysis session. QMT for rectus femoris (RF) and vastus intermedius (VI) muscles was taken at the mid-point and 2/3 of both thighs and CSA of the RF muscle (RFCSA ), respectively. Correlation between US and CT measurements was determined by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS ICC (95% CI) computed between US and CT was 0.94 (0.87-0.97), 0.97 (0.93-0.99), 0.94 (0.87-0.97), 0.94 (0.86-0.97) and 0.92 (0.83-0.97) for RFMID, VIMID, RF2/3 VI2/3 and RFCSA , respectively (all p<0.001). Bland-Altman analysis indicated no bias in agreement between both methods. CONCLUSION The US imaging offers a valid and quick bedside assessment approach to assess muscle wasting in HD patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Arabidopsis LAZY1 is a peripheral membrane protein of which the carboxy-terminal fragment potentially interacts with microtubules

LAZY1 is a protein involved in gravity signaling of shoot gravitropism of rice, maize and Arabidopsis. Although the lazy1 mutants have been well-characterized, the function of the LAZY1 protein is still largely unknown. In this study, we used fluorescence microscopy to examine the subcellular localization of Arabidopsis LAZY1 (AtLAZY1) and its truncated proteins fused to GFP in tobacco leaves. We found that AtLAZY1 localizes to the plasma membrane through the C-terminal region, suggesting that the putative trans-membrane domain in the N-terminal half is not required for localization. Next, we took a biochemical approach to investigate the membrane association of AtLAZY1. Transiently expressed AtLAZY1 in transgenic Arabidopsis was fractionated in an insoluble fraction that contained membranous compartments. AtLAZY1 was solubilized by a non-ionic detergent or at a high pH condition, suggesting that AtLAZY1 is a peripheral membrane protein. We also found that when expressed in tobacco the C-terminal part of AtLAZY1 co-localized with microtubules. A microtubule binding assay showed that the C-terminal half of AtLAZY1, which localized to the plasma membrane, interacted with microtubules in vitro. These results suggest that AtLAZY1 may function with microtubules at the periphery of the plasma membrane in the gravity signaling process.
Perturbation of oocyte meiotic division by hypergravity in Caenorhabditis elegans

We identified the aspect(s) of growth and development in the life cycle that are affected by hypergravity using an experimental model animal Caenorhabditis elegans. More than 100 G hypergravity decreased the hatching (survival) rate of eggs laid by adult hermaphrodites but had little effect on the brood size. Polar bodies were not excluded in the dead eggs that had been laid under hypergravity. In addition, hypergravity caused abnormal distribution of PAR2 protein that regulates polarization of the anterior-posterior axis. However, when the meiotic divisions following fertilization were allowed to take place at 1 G, after which the gravity was raised to 200 G, the resulting embryos developed normally and grew to adulthood. When adult hermaphrodites cultured at 100 G were transferred to 1 G, the fertilized eggs after the shift developed normally and their hatching rate recovered completely. In addition, at 100 G, the oocytes matured normally, as they showed activation of a MAP kinase MPK1. These results suggest that hypergravity affects a reproductive process, namely, oocyte meiotic division for exclusion of polar bodies and the anterior-posterior polarization, that require meiotic-specific cytoskeletal systems shortly after fertilization, in the C. elegans life cycle.
Global warming shifts the composition of the abundant bacterial phyllosphere microbiota as indicated by a cultivation dependent and independent study of the grassland phyllosphere of a long-term warming field-experiment.

The leaf colonizing bacterial microbiota was studied in a long-term warming experiment of a permanent grassland, which had been continuously exposed to increased surface temperate (+2°C) for more than six years. Two abundant plant species, Arrhenatherum elatius and Galium album, were studied. Surface warming reduced stomata opening and changed leaf metabolite profiles. Leaf surface colonization and the concentration of leaf-associated bacterial cells were not affected. However, bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon Illumina sequencing showed significant temperature effects on the plant species-specific phyllosphere microbiota. Warming partially affected the concentrations of cultured bacteria and had a significant effect on the composition of most abundant cultured plant species-specific bacteria. The abundance of Sphingomonas spp. was significantly reduced. Sphingomonas spp. isolates from warmed plots represented different phylotypes, had different physiological traits, and were better adapted to higher temperatures. Among Methylobacterium spp. , a novel phylotype with a specific mxaF-type was cultured from plants of warmed plots while the most abundant phylotype cultured from control plots was strongly reduced. This study clearly showed a correlation of long-term surface warming with changes of the plant physiology and the development of a physiologically and genetically adapted phyllosphere microbiota.
Narrated Dissection Videos and Peer‐Mentoring to Enhance Anatomy Performance of Underrepresented Minority Students in Physical Therapy Education

Three‐dimensional virtual technology (3DVT) educational tools and peer‐tutoring have proven to be effective teaching strategies in improving student learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) compare the anatomy academic performance between underrepresented minority (URM) and non‐minority (non‐URM) students, (2) compare the voluntary use of 3DVT dissection videos and peer‐mentoring between these two cohorts, and (3) estimate the association between the use of these teaching strategies on anatomy examinations and course grades at a school of physical therapy. Three‐dimensional virtual technology narrated dissection videos and peer‐mentoring were made available to all students. Time accessing the video and attending peer‐mentoring sessions was measured throughout the course for all students. Three practical and four written examinations and the final course grade were calculated. Numerous one‐way ANOVAs were used to compare examination/course grades between student cohorts (URM and non‐URM) and usage of the two educational strategies (3DVT and peer‐mentoring). Multiple linear regressions were performed with teaching strategies as predictors and grades as outcomes. Underrepresented minority students demonstrated significantly lower practical examination scores (P = 0.04), lower final course grades (P = 0.01), and a greater use of mentorship hours (P = 0.001) compared to non‐URM. The regression models with both predictors (3DVT and peer‐mentoring) combined demonstrated the greatest association with grades for both URM and non‐URM. For both groups of students, the association between predictors and practical examination scores, although fair, was not statistically significant. Peer‐mentoring seems to be the most effective teaching strategy in helping URM students succeed in anatomy.
Spatiotemporal Regulation of Signaling: Focus on T Cell Activation and the Immunological Synapse

In a signaling network, not only the functions of molecules are important but when (temporal) and where (spatial) those functions are exerted and orchestrated is what defines the signaling output. To temporally and spatially modulate signaling events, cells generate specialized functional domains with variable lifetime and size that concentrate signaling molecules, enhancing their transduction potential. The plasma membrane is a key in this regulation, as it constitutes a primary signaling hub that integrates signals within and across the membrane. Here, we examine some of the mechanisms that cells exhibit to spatiotemporally regulate signal transduction, focusing on the early events of T cell activation from triggering of T cell receptor to formation and maturation of the immunological synapse.
Increasing Tax Morale by Reward and Punishment Mechanism to Support Green Economy and Sustainable Development in the Tax Sector

Taxation is an important source of revenue for a country. Unfortunately, countries by tax system still have problem with tax compliance because low tax morale and low tax sanction enforcement. This condition invites my attention to conduct research related to the effect of tax sanction by combining reward and punishment against tax morale in order to increase tax compliance. Research is undertaken through online survey, As a result, respondents agree toward reward and punishment mechanism in the tax sanction and this mechanism can enhance the tax morale. Therefore, I recommend the implementation of tax sanction in the form of easiness (reward) and uneasiness (punishment) in obtaining public services. It is considered more humane than imprisonment sanction to people, who have contributed to the country by taxes paid and more smooth to increase tax morale, so that the green economy and sustainable developments in the tax sector can be realized.
Effects of parasite concentrations on infection dynamics and proliferative kidney disease pathogenesis in brown trout (Salmo trutta).

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is an emerging disease of salmonids which is exacerbating with increasing water temperature. Its causative agent, the myxozoan parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, exploits freshwater bryozoans as primary hosts and salmonids as intermediate hosts. Our experiments showed that the manipulation of exposure concentrations of infective malacospores had relatively minor impacts for the disease outcomes in the fish host. In this study brown trout (Salmo trutta) were exposed to three different exposure concentrations of T. bryosalmonae malacospores: 1) a single low parasite concentration (LC), 2) a single high parasite concentration (HC) and 3) three times a low concentration (repeat exposure, RE). Parasite dynamics in the fish host and release of fish malacospores were quantified and fish kidney histopathology was evaluated to determine PKD pathogenesis. Infection prevalence was always lower in the LC group than in the other groups over the course of the study. While the parasite proliferation phase was slower in the LC group, the maximum parasite burden did not differ significantly amongst treatments. The onset of fish malacospore release (day 45 post-exposure), indicated by detection of T. bryosalmonae DNA in the tank water, occurred at the same time point for all groups. Reduced intensity of kidney pathological development was observed in the LC treatment indicating lower disease severity. While the LC treatment also resulted in reduced outcomes across several infection parameters (infection prevalence, parasite proliferation, total fish malacospores released), the overall differences were small. The RE and HC treatment outcomes were for most parameters comparable. Our results suggest that repeated exposure, as is likely to occur in the wild during the summer months, might play a more important role in the dynamics of PKD as an emerging infectious disease than the actual concentration of spores.
Toll-like receptor-2 mediates systemic inflammation in gentamicin-induced rat nephrotoxicity.

Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic commonly administrated to patients with gram-negative infections. Gentamicin induced nephrotoxicity by functional and structural impairment. Toll like receptors (TLRs) as key mediators in the innate and adaptive immune system response involved in gentamicin induced-nephrotoxicity. The present study aimed to investigate the gene expression of TLR2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the renal tissues and buffy coat of the whole blood in gentamicin treated rats. Twenty adult male Sprague Dawley rats weighting 180-200 were randomly divided into gentamicin (100 mg/kg, i.p) and control groups (n=10). After 10 days, the serum creatinine (Cr) levels and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured. The mRNA levels of TLR2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and MCP-1 were investigated in the renal tissue and buffy coat by qRT-PCR. Kidney histological analysis performed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Functional disturbance is characterized by a significant increase in the serum levels of Cr and BUN in the gentamicin group. Renal tissue slides of the gentamicin group indicated severe glomerular and tubular damages including lobulation of the glomerular tuft, Bowman's space enlargement, acute tubular necrosis, and proximal tubular destruction. The mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1, and TLR2 increased in the buffy coat, but all of them except TLR2 decreased in the renal tissues in the gentamicin group compared with controls. Gentamicin administration induced relative systemic inflammation, which may be related to increase in the mRNA levels of TLR2 results in gene expression of proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines including IL-1β, TNF-α, and MCP-1 in immune cells.
Corneal lenticule extraction assisted by a low-energy femtosecond laser.

A lenticule of intrastromal corneal tissue was cut together with 2 small incisions of 3 mm using a low-energy femtosecond laser system, FEMTO LDV Z8; 1 incision led to the posterior plane and 1 to the anterior, allowing dissection of the lenticule. When needed, re-centering of the treatment area was possible without repeating the docking stage. Five eyes were operated and a complete dissection and removal of the lenticule was achieved in all cases without any intraoperative complications. In addition, at postoperative day 1, all patients had a clear cornea. In conclusion, guided lenticule extraction using a low-energy femtosecond laser was a promising and easy procedure.
An EHBP-1-SID-3-DYN-1 axis promotes membranous tubule fission during endocytic recycling

The ACK family tyrosine kinase SID-3 is involved in the endocytic uptake of double-stranded RNA. Here we identified SID-3 as a previously unappreciated recycling regulator in the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine. The RAB-10 effector EHBP-1 is required for the endosomal localization of SID-3. Accordingly, animals with loss of SID-3 phenocopied the recycling defects observed in ehbp-1 and rab-10 single mutants. Moreover, we detected sequential protein interactions between EHBP-1, SID-3, NCK-1, and DYN-1. In the absence of SID-3, DYN-1 failed to localize at tubular recycling endosomes, and membrane tubules breaking away from endosomes were mostly absent, suggesting that SID-3 acts synergistically with the downstream DYN-1 to promote endosomal tubule fission. In agreement with these observations, overexpression of DYN-1 significantly increased recycling transport in SID-3-deficient cells. Finally, we noticed that loss of RAB-10 or EHBP-1 compromised feeding RNAi efficiency in multiple tissues, implicating basolateral recycling in the transport of RNA silencing signals. Taken together, our study demonstrated that in C. elegans intestinal epithelia, SID-3 acts downstream of EHBP-1 to direct fission of recycling endosomal tubules in concert with NCK-1 and DYN-1.
The cancellation effect at the group level

Group selection models combine selection pressure at the individual level with selection pressure at the group level. Cooperation can be costly for individuals, but beneficial for the group, and therefore, if individuals are sufficiently much assorted, and cooperators find themselves in groups with disproportionately many other cooperators, cooperation can evolve. The existing literature on group selection generally assumes that competition between groups takes place in a well‐mixed population of groups, where any group competes with any other group equally intensely. Competition between groups however might very well occur locally; groups may compete more intensely with nearby than with far‐away groups. We show that if competition between groups is indeed local, then the evolution of cooperation can be hindered significantly by the fact that groups with many cooperators will mostly compete against neighboring groups that are also highly cooperative, and therefore harder to outcompete. The existing empirical method for determining how conducive a group structured population is to the evolution of cooperation also implicitly assumes global between‐group competition, and therefore gives (possibly very) biased estimates.
Consensus Algorithm-Based Distributed Operation of Microgrids During Grid-Connected and Islanded Modes

The existing distributed operation schemes for microgrids lack the ability to determine the power selling to the grid during normal operation mode and are unable to provide service reliability to critical loads, during islanded operation mode. In order to overcome these issues, in this study, we have proposed a distributed operation method for both grid-connected and islanded modes of microgrids. Unlike the existing studies, where the utility grid is considered as a dispatchable generator, the bi-directional flow of power with the grid is considered in this study. Similarly, different load agents are considered for different priority loads to assure the service reliability to the critical loads during islanding. A two-step operation method is proposed for both grid-connected and islanded mode operations. During the first step, each agent in the network shares information with its neighboring agents to determine the total load and available renewable power in the network. Whereas, in the second step, each agent in the network determines the optimal operation points based on the local information received from the neighboring agents. Moreover, a modified cost function for the battery is also proposed in this study, which utilizes the information of market price and load to enhance the battery operation. A comparison is made between the centralized method, conventional distributed method, and the proposed distributed operation method. Simulation results have proved the effectiveness of the proposed method for realizing distributed operation for microgrids in both grid-connected and islanded modes.
Energy Based Control of a Swash Mass Helicopter Through Decoupling Change of Coordinates

We consider a small helicopter structure that is maneuvered through the control of moving masses. It is referred to as a swash mass helicopter (SMH). This paper addresses the trajectory tracking control problem for the SMH, with a specific focus on the decoupling change of coordinates of both rotational and translational dynamics. We propose a control scheme in which position tracking is the primary objective, while the attitude tracking task is considered as a secondary objective. The intermediate control signals related to the attitude dynamics exploit the structural properties of the SMH and are enhanced with terms that grant a more accurate tracking of the target trajectory. The closed-loop system stability under the trajectory tracking objective is obtained following the Interconnection and Damping Assignment Passivity-Based Control (IDA-PBC) approach. In addition, the presence of external disturbances can diminish the trajectory tracking performance. For this reason, a nonlinear outer loop controller is added to the IDA-PBC to compensate the disturbances. Finally, the results of several simulations are reported to evaluate the performance of the control strategy.
Internet of Things Education for MSc Study in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science

The observed digitalization of society and economy transforms the data from the following three “worlds” into digital format: a) the information world (accumulated human knowledge); b) the physical world (information from “things” around people); c) the social world (society and human expertise). Data fusion of these worlds is supported by the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. In this paper, we present an adapted MSc study program for students in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science in Petrozavodsk State University. We show how practical IoT problems become interesting research and development topics for educating the MSc students. The proposed adaptation can be further used for other basic MSc programs.