Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Crystal structure of bovine herpesvirus 1 glycoprotein D bound to nectin-1 reveals the basis for its low-affinity binding to the receptor

BHV-1 gD structures reveal that viral ligand has a unique G-strand/α2-helix interloop interfering with nectin-1 binding. Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) has received increasing attention for its potential oncolytic applications. BHV-1 recognizes nectin-1 for cell entry via viral glycoprotein D (gD) but represents a low-affinity nectin-1 binding virus. The molecular basis underlying this low receptor-binding affinity, however, remains unknown. Here, the crystal structures of BHV-1 gD in the free and nectin-1–bound forms are presented. While showing an overall resembled nectin-1 binding mode to other alphaherpesvirus gDs, BHV-1 gD has a unique G-strand/α2-helix interloop that disturbs gD/nectin-1 interactions. Residue R188 residing in this loop is observed to otherwise cause strong steric hindrance with the bound receptor, making a large conformational change of the loop a prerequisite for nectin-1 engagement. Subsequently, substitution of R188 with glycine markedly enhances the affinity of the BHV-1-gD/nectin-1 interaction (by about fivefold). These structural and functional data delineate the receptor-recognition basis for BHV-1, which might facilitate BHV-1–based oncolytic design in the future.
Hostel Management

The overwhelming majority of recently founded educational institutions manage their assets, in particular housing facilities, utilizing outmoded conventional methods. The inherent limitations and restrictions of outdated approaches have significantly harmed the organizational performance of educational institutions in general. The development of an automated system for managing hostel accommodations is advised by this study. According to the web-based system for managing hostels, the university hostel can successfully house college students. The computerized upkeep of the hostel records is useful. The major goal is to assist in automating the crucial chores of hostel management. The created system is more graphical user interface (GUI) focused, dependable, efficient, and secured with access control mechanisms, outperforming the shortcomings of conventional hostel administration techniques.
Evaluation of a continuous neonatal temperature monitor for low-resource settings: a device feasibility pilot study

Objective Evaluate a novel continuous temperature monitor in a low-resource neonatal ward. Design We developed a low-cost continuous neonatal temperature monitor (NTM) for use in low-resource settings. Accuracy of NTM was initially assessed in the laboratory. Clinical evaluation then was performed in a neonatal ward in a central hospital in Malawi; eligible neonates (<1 week of age) were recruited for continuous temperature monitoring with NTM and a Philips Intellivue MP30 Patient Monitor. Interventions and outcome measures The temperature probes of NTM and the reference patient monitor were attached to the infant’s abdomen, and core temperature was continuously recorded for up to 3 hours. Axillary temperatures were taken every hour. We compared temperatures measured using NTM, the patient monitor and the axillary thermometer. Results Laboratory temperature measurements obtained with NTM were within 0.059°C (range: −0.035°C to 0.195°C) of a reference thermometer. A total of 39 patients were recruited to participate in the clinical evaluation of NTM; data from four patients were excluded due to faulty hardware connections. The mean difference in measured temperatures between the NTM and the Intellivue MP30 was −0.04°C (95% CI −0.52°C to 0.44°C). Conclusion NTM meets ISO 80601-2-56 standards for accuracy and is an appropriate, low-cost continuous temperature monitor for neonatal wards in low-resource settings. Trial registration numbers NCT03965312 and NCT03866122.
Uncoupling protein-2 regulates M1 macrophage infiltration of gingiva with periodontitis

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease accompanied by alveolar bone loss. Moreover, M1 macrophages play a critical role in the development of periodontal disease. Uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) is a mitochondrial transporter protein that controls M1 macrophage activation by modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We investigated the role of UCP2 in M1 macrophage infiltration in gingival tissues with periodontitis. We found that the expression of UCP2 was upregulated in M1 macrophages infiltrating human periodontal tissues with periodontitis. Macrophage-specific knockout of UCP2 could increase the infiltration of macrophage and exacerbate inflammatory response in a mouse gingiva affected with periodontitis, induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis-LPS (Pg-LPS) injection. The loss of UCP2 may contribute to the enhanced abilities of proliferation, migration, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and ROS production in Pg-LPS-treated macrophages. Our results indicate that UCP2 has an important role in M1 macrophage polarization in the periodontal tissue with periodontitis. It might be helpful to provide theoretical basis for design of new therapeutic strategies for periodontitis.
Legionella pneumophila couples fatty acid flux to microbial differentiation and virulence

During its life cycle, Legionella pneumophila alternates between at least two phenotypes: a resilient, infectious form equipped for transmission and a replicative cell type that grows in amoebae and macrophages. Considering its versatility, we postulated that multiple cues regulate L. pneumophila differentiation. Beginning with a Biolog Phenotype MicroArray screen, we demonstrate that excess short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) trigger replicative cells to cease growth and activate their panel of transmissive traits. To co‐ordinate their response to SCFAs, L. pneumophila utilizes the LetA/LetS two‐component system, but not phosphotransacetylase or acetyl kinase, two enzymes that generate high‐energy phosphate intermediates. Instead, the stringent response enzyme SpoT appears to monitor fatty acid biosynthesis to govern transmission trait expression, as an altered distribution of acylated acyl carrier proteins correlated with the SpoT‐dependent differentiation of cells treated with either excess SCFAs or the fatty acid biosynthesis inhibitors cerulenin and 5‐(tetradecyloxy)‐2‐furoic acid. We postulate that, by exploiting the stringent response pathway to couple cellular differentiation to its metabolic state, L. pneumophila swiftly acclimates to stresses encountered in its host or the environment, thereby enhancing its overall fitness.
Effects of trypsin inhibitor on plasma antioxidant activity and lipid levels in mice from sweet potato roots

BACKGROUND: Several inflammatory diseases are thought to be related to oxidative injury and reactive oxygen species have been proposed as important causative agents of heart disease and ageing. This study was designed to investigate the effects of sweet potato trypsin inhibitor (SPTI) on antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation and lipid profiles in mice. RESULTS: Twenty mice were randomly divided into four groups and fed with TI (10, 50 and 100 mg kg−1 BW) as treatment and with saline as a control in addition to regular diets. After 35 days, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol levels in plasma and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in liver were measured. Serum from the group that had received the the highest oral dose of SPTI (100 mg kg−1 BW) had the highest total antioxidant activity (expressed as 3.59 ± 0.237 mmol L−1 TEAC). The SOD, catalase and GPx activity of SPTI groups were significantly increased compared with the control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly lower in all experimental groups compared with the control one. No significant differences in the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol was found, but high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol tended to decrease. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the oral intake of SPTI in mice may trigger inflammatory responses which result in an increase in antioxidant enzyme activities, and a decrease in MDA, TG and total cholesterol, which are known risk factors of inflammatory and heart disease. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Neutrophils activated by BJcuL, a C-type lectin isolated from Bothrops jararacussu venom, decrease the invasion potential of neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells in vitro

ABSTRACT Background: Neuroblastoma is a pediatric tumor with a mortality rate of 40% in the most aggressive cases. Tumor microenvironment components as immune cells contribute to the tumor progression; thereby, the modulation of immune cells to a pro-inflammatory and antitumoral profile could potentialize the immunotherapy, a suggested approach for high-risk patients. Preview studies showed the antitumoral potential of BJcuL, a C- type lectin isolated from Bothrops jararacussu venom. It was able to induce immunomodulatory responses, promoting the rolling and adhesion of leukocytes and the activation of neutrophils. Methods: SK-N-SH cells were incubated with conditioned media (CM) obtained during the treatment of neutrophils with BJcuL and fMLP, a bacteria-derived peptide highly effective for activating neutrophil functions. Then we evaluated the effect of the same stimulation on the co-cultivation of neutrophils and SK-N-SH cells. Tumor cells were tested for viability, migration, and invasion potential. Results: In the viability assay, only neutrophils treated with BJcuL (24 h) and cultivated with SK-N-SH were cytotoxic. Migration of tumor cells decreased when incubated directly (p < 0.001) or indirectly (p < 0.005) with untreated neutrophils. When invasion potential was evaluated, neutrophils incubated with BJcuL reduced the total number of colonies of SK-N-SH cells following co-cultivation for 24 h (p < 0.005). Treatment with CM resulted in decreased anchorage-free survival following 24 h of treatment (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Data demonstrated that SK-N-SH cells maintain their migratory potential in the face of neutrophil modulation by BJcuL, but their invasive capacity was significantly reduced.
Cross-amplification of 10 new isolated polymorphic microsatellite loci for red mullet (Mullus barbatus) in striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus): Primer note

Ten polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for the red mullet (Mullus barbatus). Allele variability was tested on both the red mullet and its congener the striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus). Characterization of 30 individuals of both species from the western Mediterranean showed moderate to high allelic diversity ranging from two to 26 alleles per locus (mean 10.9). Three loci showed departures from Hardy–Weinberg proportions. No evidence of significant association between genotypes at pairs of loci was observed. These polymorphic loci could be suitable for population genetic assessments of both species.
Endogenous short interfering RNAs of chalcone synthase genes associated with inhibition of seed coat pigmentation in soybean

Most commercial soybean varieties have yellow seeds due to loss of pigmentation in the seed coat. The inhibition of seed coat pigmentation is due to naturally occurring posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) of the chalcone synthase (CHS) genes. In the present study, RNA gel blot analysis in different tissues indicated that endogenous CHS siRNAs are accumulated only in the seed coat, supporting the suggestion that CHS PTGS is seed coat-specific. The probe region of a CHS gene was divided into several parts, each of which was used for RNA gel blot analysis in the seed coat. Interestingly, endogenous CHS siRNAs were only detected with probes corresponding to the exon 2 region. The results were confirmed by deep sequencing analysis of CHS siRNAs in the seed coat, i.e., CHS siRNAs were predominantly derived from the 3′-half of exon 2 of the CHS gene. Mapping of CHS siRNA sequences on CHS genes and an inverted repeat region of the CHS pseudogene (pseudoCHS3) suggested that primary CHS siRNAs may be generated from double-stranded RNA of pseudoCHS3, and subsequently secondary CHS siRNAs may be produced according to the two-hit model, which has been proposed to explain siRNA amplification by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
Two-Step Optimization to Develop a Transdermal Film Loaded With Dapoxetine Nanoparticles: A Promising Technique to Improve Drug Skin Permeation

Dapoxetine (DPX) is an orally administered drug for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). One of the challenges of administering DPX orally as a tablet is its poor bioavailability (ie, 42%) due to extensive first-pass metabolism. Thus, it is vital to develop a new formulation and mode of delivery to achieve the unmet needs of PE treatment. In this study, an optimized DPX polymeric nanoparticle (PNP) was developed and subsequently loaded into a transdermal film. The Box–Behnken design was utilized to optimize 3 formulation factors affecting the particle size and entrapment efficiency (EE) of chitosan (CS)-alginate (ALG) PNPs. A 3-level factorial design was used to study the effect of 2 variables affecting DPX cumulative percent released and percent elongation from transdermal films loaded with DPX-PNPs. Permeation parameters were calculated following ex vivo permeation study through rat skin. Transport of the PNPs across the skin layers was investigated using a fluorescence laser microscope. Results revealed that an optimized PNPs formulation was developed with a particle size 415.94 nm and EE 37.31%. Dapoxetine was successfully entrapped in the polymeric matrix. Chitosan and ALG interacted electrostatically with the studied cross-linking agents to form a polyelectrolyte complex. The ex vivo study illustrated a sustained release profile of DPX with enhanced skin permeation from the film loaded PNPs. Moreover, the PNPs was able to penetrate deeper into skin layers. Therefore, DPX transdermal film developed in this work could be considered as a successful drug delivery with better patient compliance for the treatment of PE.
Mechanical evaluation of tibial fixation of the hamstring tendon in anterior cruciate ligament double-bundle reconstruction with and without interference screws

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare two postero-lateral bundle (PLB) tibial fixation techniques for the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with double bundle: a technique without the use of an interference screw, preserving the native tibial insertion of the tendons of the gracilis and semitendineous muscles, and a technique with the use of an interference screw and without preserving the insertion of the tendons. METHODS: A comparative study was conducted in cadavers with a universal mechanical test machine. In total, 23 cadaver knees were randomized for tibial fixation of the PLB using the two techniques: Maintaining the tibial insertion of the tendons during reconstruction, without the use of an interference screw (group A, 11 cases); and fixating the graft with an interference screw, without maintaining the insertion of the tendons (group B, 12 cases). A continuous traction was performed (20 mm/min) in the same direction as the produced tunnel, and force (N), elongation (mm), rigidity (N/mm), and tension (N/mm2) were objectively determined in each group. RESULTS: Group A exhibited a maximum force (MF) of 315.4±124.7 N; maximum tension of 13.57±3.65 N/mm2; maximum elongation of 19.73±4.76 mm; force at the limit of proportionality (FLP) of 240.6±144.0 N; and an elongation at the limit of proportionality of 14.37±6.58 mm. Group B exhibited a MF of 195.7±71.8 N; maximum tension of 8.8±3.81 N/mm2; maximum elongation of 15.3±10.73 mm; FLP of 150.1±68.7 N; and an elongation at the limit of proportionality of 6.86±2.42 mm. When comparing the two groups, significant differences were observed in the variables of maximum force (p=0.016), maximum tension (p=0.019), maximum elongation (p=0.007), and elongation at the limit of proportionality (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The use of the native insertion of the semitendineous and gracilis tendons, without an additional fixation device, presented mechanical superiority over their fixation with interference screws.
Acceptance of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Launching Point

Background Because neonatology is a relatively new medical specialty, it is host to on-going, rapid adaptation and evolution of medical treatments and practices. This process has almost exclusively focused on Western, biomedical treatment modalities, without inclusion of potentially beneficial Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. It is unclear how receptive health-care providers in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and families of NICU patients would be to the introduction of adapted Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments into the NICU environment. Objective To assess the potential for engagement of patients, families, and staff in the NICU with Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies and to provide targeted education and low-risk Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments to support the health and well-being of those 3 groups. Methods A feasibility pilot study including weekly walk-in Traditional Chinese Medicine sessions within the NICU for parents and staff, and neonatal patient consultations, both of which included hands-on therapies and education tailored to each participant's unique needs. Pre- and postsurveys were administered over 3 phases. Results Walk-in sessions were attended by 83 adults and participants reported benefits, with no ill effects. There were 5 neonatal consultations with staff expressing an interest in more. Several obstacles to accessing Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities were identified in pre-surveys and were addressed with education and preemptive modifications to the therapies offered. Conclusion Acceptance of Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities in the NICU opens the door to future studies implementing integrative health services into the NICU care model.
Transfer Learning Based Effective Approach for Classification of Flowers

Deep learning algorithms are being used to do complex tasks like extracting meaningful features, segmenting, and semantic classification of images. In recent years, these methodologies have had a substantial impact on the classification of flower types. Deep neural networks are a type of image recognition system that has been widely used in computer vision applications because of the similarities between classes and intraclass variance. Due to a greater number of flower species that are similar in shape, color, and visualization, classifying flowers is a tough task. Classification of flowers is used for different purposes, like Recognition of medicinal plants. In this paper, we implemented VGG19 and EfficientNetV2L architecture for the classification of flowers. We have fine-tuned our model compared to other methods to obtain higher accuracy. By normalizing and scaling our flower images, we underwent pre-processing. Then we input the pre-trained model of the images. we divided our flower dataset into train, test, and validation. We achieved an accuracy of 88.21 for VGG19 for 20 epochs and 96.28 for 20 epochs which provides the best accuracy than other proposed architectures in the Kaggle dataset.
Isolation and structural identification of a new T1-conotoxin with unique disulfide connectivities derived from Conus bandanus

Abstract Background: Conopeptides are neuropharmacological peptides derived from the venomous salivary glands of cone snails. Among 29 superfamilies based on conserved signal sequences, T-superfamily conotoxins, which belong to the smallest group, include four different frameworks that contain four cysteines denominated I, V, X and XVI. In this work, the primary structure and the cysteine connectivity of novel conotoxin of Conus bandanus were determined by tandem mass spectrometry using collision-induced dissociation. Methods: The venom glands of C. bandanus snails were dissected, pooled, and extracted with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in three steps and lyophilized. The venom was fractionated and purified in an HPLC system with an analytical reversed-phase C18 column. The primary peptide structure was analyzed by MALDI TOF MS/MS using collision-induced dissociation and confirmed by Edman's degradation. The peptide’s cysteine connectivity was determined by rapid partial reduction-alkylation technique. Results: The novel conotoxin, NGC1C2(I/L)VREC3C4, was firstly derived from de novo sequencing by MS/MS. The presence of isoleucine residues in this conotoxin was confirmed by the Edman degradation method. The conotoxin, denominated Bn5a, belongs to the T1-subfamily of conotoxins. However, the disulfide bonds (C1-C4/C2-C3) of Bn5a were not the same as found in other T1-subfamily conopeptides but shared common connectivities with T2-subfamily conotoxins. The T1-conotoxin of C. bandanus proved the complexity of the disulfide bond pattern of conopeptides. The homological analysis revealed that the novel conotoxin could serve as a valuable probe compound for the human-nervous-system norepinephrine transporter. Conclusion: We identified the first T1-conotoxin, denominated Bn5a, isolated from C. bandanus venom. However, Bn5a conotoxin exhibited unique C1-C4/C2-C3 disulfide connectivity, unlike other T1-conotoxins (C1-C3/C2-C4). The structural and homological analyses herein have evidenced novel conotoxin Bn5a that may require further investigation.
DNA sequencing by synthesis based on elongation delay detection

The one of most important problem in modern genetics, biology and medicine is determination of the primary nucleotide sequence of the DNA of living organisms (DNA sequencing). This paper describes the label-free DNA sequencing approach, based on the observation of a discrete dynamics of DNA sequence elongation phase. The proposed DNA sequencing principle are studied by numerical simulation. The numerical model for proposed label-free DNA sequencing approach is based on a cellular automaton, which can simulate the elongation stage (growth of DNA strands) and dynamics of nucleotides incorporation to rising DNA strand. The estimates for number of copied DNA sequences for required probability of nucleotide incorporation event detection and correct DNA sequence determination was obtained. The proposed approach can be applied at all known DNA sequencing devices with "sequencing by synthesis" principle of operation.
Fixed Budget Beam Identification in Millimeter Wave Systems via Unimodal Bandits

The millimeter-wave communication systems suffer from significant attenuation loss due to their small wavelengths, which significantly reduces the data rate from gigabits per second to a few megabits per second in 5G networks. To enable their use in the 5G network, it requires that the transmission energy be focused on sharp pencil beams. As any misalignment between the transmitter and receiver beam pair can reduce the data rate significantly, it is important that they are aligned as much as possible. Recent works of Beam Alignment (BA) propose to adaptively select the beams such that the cumulative reward measured in terms of received signal strength or throughput is maximized that continuously performs exploration and exploitation, and hence can incur significant BA latency, reduction in throughput, or outages. In this paper, we develop an algorithm that exploits the unimodal structure of the received signal strengths of the beams to identify the best beam in a finite time using pure exploration strategies, which are more suitable for wireless network protocol design. Our algorithm, named Unimodal Bandit for Best Beam (UB3), identifies the best beam with a high probability in a few rounds. We demonstrate that it outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms through extensive simulations. Moreover, our algorithm is simple to implement and has low computational complexity.