Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biochemical and molecular characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from a prosthetic mitral heart valve-bearing patient´s blood cultures

Background: In Brazil, listeriosis is not a notifiable disease; thus, the incidence of Brazilian cases remains unknown. Listeria monocytogenes is not always included in automated systems, and its detection depends on the high skill level of microbiology laboratory professionals. This paper describes the characteristics of L. monocytogenes isolates fortuitously obtained from an endocarditis case in Recife, PE, Brazil. Methods: Six bacterial isolates obtained from six blood cultures from a 28-year-old male bearing a prosthetic mitral heart valve were analyzed by PCR using primers specific of L. monocytogenes to confirm a presumptive identification, determine the serotype and presence of the virulence genes (inlA, inlB, inlC, inlJ, hly, plcA, actA, prfA) in an attempt to determine the Listeria genotype by PCR-ribotyping. Results: The samples were identified as L. monocytogenes 4b. All investigated virulence genes were amplified by PCR, and the identity of the amplified segments was confirmed by sequencing. A deletion of 105 base pairs was detected in the actA gene. All of the samples generated the same PCR-ribotype pattern, clustered into a single ribotype, and were considered a single strain. Conclusion: L. monocytogenes infection should be considered in endocarditis differential diagnoses, especially among high-risk groups, due to its high pathogenicity and the environmental ubiquity.
Maximum CO2‐assimilation rates of vascular plants on an Alaskan arctic tundra slope

Light-saturated CO2-assimilation rates of 19 vascular plant species were measured on a tundra slope in the foothills of the Brooks Range, Alaska. Maximum assimilation capacities on a leaf area basis ranged from 20.3 μmol m−2 s−1 for the forb, Bistorta plumosa, to 6.0 μmol m−2 s−1 for the evergreen, Empetrum hermaphroditicum. Graminoids, deciduous shrubs, and forbs fell within a similar range of maximum photosynthetic rates on a leaf area basis. Evergreens had the lowest rates. On a leaf weight basis, maximum assimilation rates were greatest for forbs, followed by deciduous shrubs, graminoids, and evergreens. Rates of evergreens were less than half those of all other growth forms. Cassiope tetragona had the lowest rates per unit leaf weight of any species tested; mean maximum rates of C. tetragona were only 14% of those of B. plumosa, the species with the highest rates. When the data were subjected to canonical analysis, only a partial correspondence was found between species growth form and photosynthetic characteristics.
Cross-Linked Polyphosphazene Hollow Nanosphere Derived N/P-Doped Porous Carbon with Single Nonprecious Metal Atoms for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Heteroatom-doped polymers or carbon nanospheres have attracted a broad research interest because of their fascinating properties. However, rational synthesis of these nanospheres with controllable uniform morphologies, small particle sizes, and well-designed functionalities is still a great challenge. Herein, we develop an approach to construct cross-linked polyphosphazene nanospheres with tunable hollow structures via a facile template-free one-step method. As comonomers, hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene provides N and P atoms, tannic acid can coordinate with metal ions, and the replaceable third comonomer can endow the materials with various properties. After the carbonization, N/P-doped mesoporous carbon nanospheres were obtained. In addition to the hollow structure, small particle size (~50 nm), and high surface area (411.60 m 2 g -1 ), atomic structural characterizations confirmed that the single atom transition metal sites ( i.e. , Co-N 2 P 2 ) were uniformly dispersed in the carbon shell containing N and P dual coordination. The electrochemical measurements and theoretical simulations revealed the superior oxygen reduction reaction performance of the obtained Co-N 2 P 2 active sites. This work provides a solution for fabricating diverse heteroatom-containing polymer nanospheres and their derived single metal atom doped carbon catalysts toward various applications.
Shifting the Specificity of E. coli Biosensor from Inorganic Arsenic to Phenylarsine Oxide through Genetic Engineering

It has recently been discovered that organic and inorganic arsenics could be detrimental to human health. Although organic arsenic is less toxic than inorganic arsenic, it could form inorganic arsenic through chemical and biological processes in environmental systems. In this regard, the availability of tools for detecting organic arsenic species would be beneficial. Because As-sensing biosensors employing arsenic responsive genetic systems are regulated by ArsR which detects arsenics, the target selectivity of biosensors could be obtained by modulating the selectivity of ArsR. In this study, we demonstrated a shift in the specificity of E. coli cell-based biosensors from the detection of inorganic arsenic to that of organic arsenic, specifically phenylarsine oxide (PAO), through the genetic engineering of ArsR. By modulating the number and location of cysteines forming coordinate covalent bonds with arsenic species, an E. coli cell-based biosensor that was specific to PAO was obtained. Despite its restriction to PAO at the moment, it offers invaluable evidence of the potential to generate new biosensors for sensing organic arsenic species through the genetic engineering of ArsR.
Effects of Supplementing Grape Pomace to Broilers Fed Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Enriched Diets on Meat Quality

Simple Summary Chicken meat and its products are among the first-choice foods in most countries, due to the health benefits they provide and the relatively low price. However, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are highly susceptible to peroxidation, affecting nutritional, sensory characteristics and meat shelf life. A reasonable way and a good tactic to delay their lipid peroxidation would be using a natural antioxidant in feed formulation. Grape pomace (GP) is an agro-industrial by-product with high nutritional value as it is a rich source of polyphenols. The supplementation of broiler diets with grape pomace indicated an intensified color, improved texture and a decrease of lipid peroxidation parameters of broilers’ meat that had been fed with PUFA enriched diets. Abstract The effects of using grape pomace as natural antioxidant in polyunsaturated fatty acids enriched broiler diets (4% flaxseed meal) on color, texture and lipid peroxidation of meat were evaluated. The 4-week feeding trial was conducted on 200, Cobb 500 broilers, assigned to 5 groups and housed in an experimental hall with floored pens. Compared to the control group, the diet for the experimental groups included 3% or 6% of two grape pomace varieties, white and red. Diet formulation enrichment with red grape pomace influenced the meat color parameters, underlining an accentuated total color difference (ΔE) for both breast and thigh as compared to the control. The dietary supplementation with grape pomace led to the increase of meat hardness regardless of the amount and variety added. The grape pomace inclusion in broiler diets positively influenced meat color and texture. Regarding the lipid oxidation parameters, there was a decrease of the value of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in thigh meat in all experimental groups. Additionally, significant differences were highlighted for breast in 3% white grape pomace and 6% red grape pomace supplemented groups when compared to the control group. In conclusion, the supplementation of broiler diets enriched in PUFA with grape pomace improved meat color and texture, which are essential parameters for consumer’s choice. Also, the grape pomace supplementation indicated an improvement of thigh meat oxidative stability, especially regarding the TBARS value.
A strawberry accession with elevated methyl anthranilate fruit concentration is naturally resistant to the pest fly Drosophila suzukii

During the past decade, Drosophila suzukii has established itself as a global invasive fruit pest, enabled by its ability to lay eggs into fresh, ripening fruit. In a previous study, we investigated the impact of different strawberry accessions on the development of D. suzukii eggs, in the search of natural resistance. We identified several accessions that significantly reduced adult fly emergence from infested fruit. In the present study, we aimed at understanding the chemical basis of this effect. We first noted that one of the more resistant accessions showed an unusual enrichment of methyl anthranilate within its fruit, prompting us to investigate this fruit compound as a possible cause limiting fly development. We found that methyl anthranilate alone triggers embryo lethality in a concentration-dependent manner, unlike another comparable organic fruit compound. We also showed that a chemical fraction of the resistant strawberry accession that contains methyl anthranilate carries some activity toward the egg hatching rate. Surprisingly, in spite of the lethal effect of this compound to their eggs, adult females are not only attracted to methyl anthranilate at certain concentrations, but they also display a concentration-dependent preference to lay on substrates enriched in methyl anthranilate. This study demonstrates that methyl anthranilate is a potent agonist molecule against D. suzukii egg development. Its elevated concentration in a specific strawberry accession proven to reduce the fly development may explain, at least in part the fruit resistance. It further illustrates how a single, natural compound, non-toxic to humans could be exploited for biological control of a pest species.
Border beings. Present absences among migrants in the Spanish enclave of Melilla

Abstract Death is a constant feature of lives lived at the borders for migrants trying to reach Europe without the necessary authorizations from nation-states. At the border between Melilla and Morocco, many stories are told about near death experiences during attempts to cross both land and maritime borders, as well as about abandoned bodies. Other common narratives focus on the living dead, on the missing presumed dead, on unidentified bodies, and on the living who continue to be haunted by the disappeared. Drawing on ethnographic material, this paper examines the ways in which migrants’ journeys and subjectivities are shaped by death on the migrant trail to Europe.
Cytogenetic Characterization of a Small Evolutionary Rearrangement Involving Chromosomes BTA21 and OAR18

Both cattle (Bos taurus) and sheep (Ovis aries) belong to the Bovidae family but to different subfamilies, Bovinae and Caprinae, respectively. From a chromosomal point of view, apart from the already known centric fusions (that occurred during the evolutionary process in the Bovidae family) and the small differences in the chromosome classification, the 2 karyotypes are very similar in banding patterns. In this study, the combination of bioinformatics techniques and physical mapping of DNA markers enabled the identification of a micro-rearrangement, a small inversion involving bovine chromosome 21 (BTA21) and the corresponding sheep chromosome 18 (OAR18). The aim of this study was the cytogenetic characterization of this difference in genomic assemblies between cattle and sheep in this single chromosome region. To verify the inversion in FISH experiments, we used the BACs 442H08 and 222H03 from the INRA library and BACs 134H22 and 436P08 from the sheep-specific CHORI library. The results confirmed the presence of the inverted fragment in sheep compared to the cattle genome. Genomic rearrangements may have consequences depending on their influence on gene activity, but in this case no gene or transcribed DNA portion seemed to be involved. In conclusion, we showed for the first time, concerning autosomes, that besides the already known centric fusions also other differences exist between the bovine and sheep karyotypes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the combination of a bioinformatics approach and physical mapping is a valid tool for the identification of currently unknown rearrangements between related species.
Liquid Crystal Emulsions that Intercept and Report on Bacterial Quorum Sensing.

We report aqueous emulsions of thermotropic liquid crystals (LCs) that can intercept and report on the presence of N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs), a class of amphiphile used by many pathogenic bacteria to regulate quorum sensing (QS), monitor population densities, and initiate group activities including biofilm formation and virulence factor production. The concentration of AHL required to promote 'bipolar' to 'radial' transitions in micrometer-scale droplets of the nematic LC 4'-pentyl-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) decreases with increasing carbon number in the acyl tail, reaching a threshold concentration of 7.1 µM for 3-oxo-C12-AHL, a native QS signal in the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The LC droplets in these emulsions also respond to biologically relevant concentrations of the biosurfactant rhamnolipid, a virulence factor produced by communities of P. aeruginosa exclusively under the control of QS. Systematic studies using bacterial mutants support the conclusion that these emulsions respond selectively to the production of rhamnolipid and AHLs, and not to other products produced by bacteria at lower (sub-quorate) population densities. Finally, these emulsions remain configurationally stable in growth media, enabling them to be deployed either in bacterial supernatants or in situ in bacterial cultures to eavesdrop on QS and report on changes in bacterial group behavior that can be detected in real time using polarized light. Our results provide new tools to detect and report on bacterial QS and virulence and a materials platform for the rapid and in situ monitoring of bacterial communication and resulting group behaviors in bacterial communities.
Mechanical Anisotropy and Surface Roughness in Additively Manufactured Parts Fabricated by Stereolithography (SLA) Using Statistical Analysis

In this study, the degree of mechanical anisotropy was investigated through tensile testing of specimens built in different orientations and designed according to the ASTM D638 standard. The mechanical properties that were evaluated include Young’s modulus, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and percentage elongation. Additionally, physical properties, such as mean surface roughness (Ra), density and dimension of the cross-sectional area, were also measured. These properties were then compared with the available standard data to see how SLA performs comparing to the traditional manufacturing methods. The obtained modulus of elasticity and UTS values of the printed samples were 2481 ± 50 MPa and 51.9 ± 1.3 MPa respectively, which were very similar to the standard data (2550 and 52 MPa, respectively) as provided by the material suppliers. The percentage elongation values (4.8% ± 0.4%) were a bit lower than the expected value of 6%. However, the surfaces of all the printed samples were quite smooth, with a surface roughness range of 2.28 ± 0.59 µm. A design of experiments was created to study the influence of the independent variables such as build orientation and angular orientation on the mechanical properties. Extensive statistical analysis, using the Taguchi method and analysis of variance (ANOVA), was performed to examine the effect of these independent variables on the mechanical properties. The SLA printed parts can be classified as isotropic since the build orientation and the angular orientation did not have a statistically significant impact on the mechanical properties. The effect of aging on the mechanical properties was also evaluated and it shows that the specimens that had been aged for a longer time resulted in superior mechanical properties. For example, the UTS increased from 24 to 54 MPa when the sample aligned parallel to the XY plane was aged from 1 week to 6 months, respectively. This significant increase implies that aging has a substantial effect on the mechanical properties of the parts fabricated by stereolithography. The resin used for this study, Visijet Sl Clear, produced very consistent mechanical properties in different directions.
A Microarray Screening Platform with an Experimental Conditions Gradient Generator for the High-Throughput Synthesis of Micro/Nanosized Calcium Phosphates

Calcium phosphates (CaP) represent an impressive kind of biomedical material due to their excellent biocompatibility, bioactivity, and biodegradability. Their morphology and structure highly influence their properties and applications. Whilst great progress has been made in research on biomedical materials, there is still a need to develop a method that can rapidly synthesize and screen micro/nanosized biomedical materials. Here, we utilized a microarray screening platform that could provide the high-throughput synthesis of biomedical materials and screen the vital reaction conditions. With this screening platform, 9 × 9 sets of parallel experiments could be conducted simultaneously with one- or two-dimensions of key reaction condition gradients. We used this platform to establish a one-dimensional gradient of the pH and citrate concentration and a two-dimensional gradient of both the Ca/P ratio and pH to synthesize CaP particles with various morphologies. This screening platform also shows the potential to be extended to other reaction systems for rapid high-throughput screening.
Tailored Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles to Target Breast Cancer Cells Including Cancer Stem-Like Cells

Nanotechnology-based approaches hold substantial potential to avoid chemoresistance and minimize side effects. In this work, we have used biocompatible iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) called MF66 and functionalized with the antineoplastic drug doxorubicin (DOX) against MDA-MB-231 cells. Electrostatically functionalized MNPs showed effective uptake and DOX linked to MNPs was more efficiently retained inside the cells than free DOX, leading to cell inactivation by mitotic catastrophe, senescence and apoptosis. Both effects, uptake and cytotoxicity, were demonstrated by different assays and videomicroscopy techniques. Likewise, covalently functionalized MNPs using three different linkers—disulfide (DOX-S-S-Pyr, called MF66-S-S-DOX), imine (DOX-I-Mal, called MF66-I-DOX) or both (DOX-I-S-S-Pyr, called MF66-S-S-I-DOX)—were also analysed. The highest cell death was detected using a linker sensitive to both pH and reducing environment (DOX-I-S-S-Pyr). The greatest success of this study was to detect also their activity against breast cancer stem-like cells (CSC) from MDA-MB-231 and primary breast cancer cells derived from a patient with a similar genetic profile (triple-negative breast cancer). In summary, these nanoformulations are promising tools as therapeutic agent vehicles, due to their ability to produce efficient internalization, drug delivery, and cancer cell inactivation, even in cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) from patients.
Evaluating reconstruction algorithms for respiratory motion guided acquisition

Conventional thoracic 4DCBCT scans take 1320 projections over 4 min. This paper investigates which reconstruction algorithms best leverage Respiratory-Motion-Guided (RMG) acquisition in order to reduce scan time and dose while maintaining image quality. We investigated a 200 projection, on average 1 min RMG acquisition. RMG acquisition ensures even angular separation between projections at each respiratory phase by adjusting the imaging gantry rotation to the patient respiratory signal in real time. Conventional 1320 projection data and RMG 200 projection data were simulated from 4DCT volumes of 14 patients. Each patient had an initial 4DCT reconstruction, treated as a planning 4DCT, and a 4DCT reconstruction acquired later, used for 4DCBCT data simulation and evaluation. Reconstructions were computed using the Feldkamp-David-Kress (FDK), McKinnon-Bates (MKB), RecOnstructiOn using Spatial and TEmporal Regularization (ROOSTER), and Motion Compensated FDK (MCFDK) algorithms. We also introduced and evaluated a novel MCMKB algorithm. Image quality was evaluated with Root-Mean-Square Error (RMSE), Structural SIMilarity index (SSIM) and Tissue Interface Sharpness (TIS). Rigid registration of the tumor volume regions between the reconstruction and the ground truth was used to evaluate geometric accuracy. Relative to conventional 4DCBCT acquisition, the RMG acquisition delivered 80% less dose and was on average 70% faster. The conventional-acquisition 4DFDK-reconstruction volumes had mean RMSE, SSIM, TIS and geometric error of 94, 0.9987, 2.69 and 1.19 mm respectively. The RMG-acquisition MCFDK-reconstruction volumes had mean RMSE, SSIM, TIS and geometric error of 113, 0.9986, 1.76 and 1.77 mm respectively with minimal increase in computational cost. These results suggest scan time and dose can be significantly reduced with minimal impact on reconstruction quality by implementing RMG acquisition and motion compensated reconstruction.
Feasibility of tocilizumab in ICU patients with COVID‐19

Severe COVID-19 causes cytokine release syndrome and is associated with high mortality. In this retrospective case series, all patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by semi quantitative RT-PCR and hyperinflammatory markers were treated with tocilizumab. The use of tocilizumab was associated with rapid apyrexia, improvement of respiratory, biological parameters and short length of hospitalization (11 days). Moreover, no adverse effect attributed to the treatment was noticed. Tocilizumab seems to be a promising and safe therapy in severe patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Effect of Synthesis Temperature on the Size of ZnO Nanoparticles Derived from Pineapple Peel Extract and Antibacterial Activity of ZnO–Starch Nanocomposite Films

This research investigated the effect of synthesis temperature on the size and shape of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using pineapple peel waste and antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs in starch films. Zinc oxide NPs synthesized at different temperatures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Micrographs of ZnO NPs synthesized at 28 and 60 °C showed that synthesis temperature affected the sizes and shapes of ZnO NPs. The non-heated (28 °C) condition resulted in NPs with diameters in the range of 8–45 nm with a mixture of spherical and rod shapes, whereas the heated (60 °C) condition led to NPs with diameters in the range of 73–123 nm with flower rod shapes. The ZnO–starch nanocomposite films incorporated with 1, 3, and 5 wt. % ZnO NPs were prepared via a film casting method. The antibacterial activity of the films against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was investigated using the disc diffusion method. The results showed an increase in the inhibition zone for Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Bacillus subtilis, when the concentration of ZnO NPs incorporated in the film was increased from 1 to 5 wt. %.