Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Theranostics Role of Mast Cells in the Pathophysiology of Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disorder that adversely affects patient's health and quality of life due to the complex course and the need for repeated treatment. The exact molecular mechanisms of rosacea are unclear. Mast cells are innate immune cells that can be found in virtually all tissues. Recently, increasing evidence has indicated that mast cells have important effects on the pathogenesis of rosacea. In this review article, we describe recent advances of skin mast cells in the development of rosacea. These studies suggested that mast cells can be an important immune cell that connected innate immunity, nerves, and blood vessels in the development of rosacea. Moreover, we review the inhibition of mast cells for the potential treatment of rosacea.
Genomic Diversity Evaluation of Populus trichocarpa Germplasm for Rare Variant Genetic Association Studies

Genome-wide association studies are powerful tools to elucidate the genome-to-phenome relationship. In order to explain most of the observed heritability of a phenotypic trait, a sufficient number of individuals and a large set of genetic variants must be examined. The development of high-throughput technologies and cost-efficient resequencing of complete genomes have enabled the genome-wide identification of genetic variation at large scale. As such, almost all existing genetic variation becomes available, and it is now possible to identify rare genetic variants in a population sample. Rare genetic variants that were usually filtered out in most genetic association studies are the most numerous genetic variations across genomes and hold great potential to explain a significant part of the missing heritability observed in association studies. Rare genetic variants must be identified with high confidence, as they can easily be confounded with sequencing errors. In this study, we used a pre-filtered data set of 1,014 pure Populus trichocarpa entire genomes to identify rare and common small genetic variants across individual genomes. We compared variant calls between Platypus and HaplotypeCaller pipelines, and we further applied strict quality filters for improved genetic variant identification. Finally, we only retained genetic variants that were identified by both variant callers increasing calling confidence. Based on these shared variants and after stringent quality filtering, we found high genomic diversity in P. trichocarpa germplasm, with 7.4 million small genetic variants. Importantly, 377k non-synonymous variants (5% of the total) were uncovered. We highlight the importance of genomic diversity and the potential of rare defective genetic variants in explaining a significant portion of P. trichocarpa's phenotypic variability in association genetics. The ultimate goal is to associate both rare and common alleles with poplar's wood quality traits to support selective breeding for an improved bioenergy feedstock.
Advances in Anti-Tumor Treatments Targeting the CD47/SIRPα Axis

CD47 is an immunoglobulin that is overexpressed on the surface of many types of cancer cells. CD47 forms a signaling complex with signal-regulatory protein α (SIRPα), enabling the escape of these cancer cells from macrophage-mediated phagocytosis. In recent years, CD47 has been shown to be highly expressed by various types of solid tumors and to be associated with poor patient prognosis in various types of cancer. A growing number of studies have since demonstrated that inhibiting the CD47-SIRPα signaling pathway promotes the adaptive immune response and enhances the phagocytosis of tumor cells by macrophages. Improved understanding in this field of research could lead to the development of novel and effective anti-tumor treatments that act through the inhibition of CD47 signaling in cancer cells. In this review, we describe the structure and function of CD47, provide an overview of studies that have aimed to inhibit CD47-dependent avoidance of macrophage-mediated phagocytosis by tumor cells, and assess the potential and challenges for targeting the CD47-SIRPα signaling pathway in anti-cancer therapy.
Managing Cross-Border Conflicts Through Volunteer Commitment: A Comparative Study Between Religious and Non-profit Organizations in the San Diego–Tijuana Area

San Diego and Tijuana configure two big cities that have faced each other across the international boundary between United States and Mexico for over 180 years. Within this context, the relationship emerging at the border can be characterized under different categories of individual, social, economic, and political situations connecting each side. Additionally, in recent years, the literature on cross-border conflicts has extensively focused on volunteers as informal agents helping children and other groups of population, but relatively little research has addressed the practical and managerial work and implications of the volunteers themselves. As actors of cross-border communities, volunteers play a relevant role in effective short-term migrants’ settlement, but it is also observed that the profile of volunteers in religious organizations differs from those belonging to non-profit institutions. Grounded on the theories of Planned Behavior and Reasoned Action suggesting that intentions to cooperate with non-government institutions are influenced directly by attitudinal values and indirectly by their beliefs related to social conflicts, this paper analyzes the nature of volunteer commitment in religious and non-profit organizations (NPOs) providing information about managerial practices for newly arrived migrants. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relevance of volunteer commitment as an instrument for managing cross-border conflicts in the particular context of San Diego and Tijuana Area. Based on research using interview data collected from beneficiaries by volunteers, institutional representatives, and documentary references, this manuscript highlights a psychological and individual-centric perspective of volunteer commitment, but it also explores a collective communicative action expanding the range of relevant voices in decisions about volunteering. Moreover, this study provides new insights into how organizational and relational elements impact sustainable volunteer management and points out the role played by attitudes toward non-government institutions such as religious and NPOs demonstrating the relevance of volunteer commitment, transforming part of the positive attitude toward social problems into a significant intention to cooperation. Understanding the importance of the organization’s images in order to attract volunteers, these results show that commitment may become a key determinant of the volunteers’ identity linked to strategies devoted to organizational activities.
The Role of Context in Translating Colour Metaphors: An Experiment on English into Estonian Translation

Abstract Contemporary theory on metaphor states that metaphor is conceptual, conventional, and part of the ordinary system of thought and language. It has been argued that metaphors can become a translation problem, since transferring them from one language and culture to another may be restricted by linguistic and cultural differences. We investigated how colour metaphors are translated from English into Estonian. To understand how metaphors are translated, a cognitive empirical study was carried out with 21 colour metaphors. The experiment was conducted with two separate groups of volunteers. The first group participated in a context-based translation task, the second in a context-free one. The experiment indicates that colour metaphors are culture specific. It also revealed that context plays a crucial role in the comprehension and translation of colour metaphors. The more novel and original the metaphor is, the more varied are the translation strategies used by the participants (e.g. yellow-bellied person). Differences in translation choices were obvious between translators and non-translators. Qualitative differences appeared as translators were more target culture oriented and non-translators more source culture oriented, for example.
Development of an IoT Solution for Detergent Supervision in Industrial Washing Machines

Abstract Automation of industrial activities aims to improve the efficiency of the productive processes while reducing costs and increasing safety. In industrial laundries, detergent management is a key factor that can lead to severe economic and environmental impacts if left uncontrolled. This paper documents the solution devised for an integrated detergent control and supervision system based on Internet-of Things paradigms. This solution follows from a problem put forward by the laundry services of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Bragança, located in Portugal, to the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança. In order to keep track of the detergent in a centralised dispensing system, a Wi-Fi based measurement system was developed which enables real-time monitoring of the chemicals level. In order to facilitate the physical installation of the developed hardware, a custom-made enclosure was designed and 3D printed. The acquired data is then sent to a database connected to a data processing web-based platform which is responsible for the analytics.
EEG data processing with neural network

Abstract Machine-learning techniques allow to extract information from electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings of brain activity. By processing the measurement results of a publicly available EEG dataset, we were able to obtain information that could be used to train a feedforward neural network to classify two types of volunteer activities with high efficiency.
The Distribution of the Alien Species Penaeus aztecus Ives, 1891 (Decapoda, Penaeidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract The present paper is based on the literature review and the recent information about the distribution range of the alien brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives, 1891 in the Mediterranean Sea. This alien species has spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea (especially the eastern part) mainly through ship/ballast water introductions and has presently been reported by eight countries (27 localities). Introduction pathways and chronological distribution patterns of the alien brown shrimp species are discussed. Penaeus aztecus forms dense populations along the coast of the Turkish Mediterranean Sea, and it has a potential for colonising the native habitats of autochthonous species.
Tracing the (Hidden) Spatialities of Digital Agendas: The Case of ‘Digital Hungary’

Abstract Policies that aim at bringing about a digital transformation (seek to) create the conditions for particular spatial development trajectories. Yet, the understandings, explicit and implicit, of space advanced by digital agendas have remained rather underexposed to date. This paper addresses this gap by developing a Foucauldian-inspired discourse-analytical framework and applies it to the programme of ‘Digital Hungary’. It is argued that policies of digitalisation in Hungary only to a minor extent consider the spatial dimension, and their impact potentially undermines the declared aims of spatial development at different scales.
Molecular docking study of L-Asparaginase I from Vibrio campbellii in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

Abstract The potential use of asparaginases has gained tremendous significance in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Earlier studies suggest L-asparaginases (L-ASP) extracted from Escherichia coli and Erwinia aroideae regulates L-asparagine (L-Asn) from the circulating blood. Prolonged exposure to these enzymes may lead to hypersensitivity reactions. So, it is important to find novel asparaginases with anti-cancer properties. The three-dimensional structure of L-ASP I from Vibrio campbellii was determined by homology modeling using EasyModeller v.4. 0. The structure was validated with quality indexing tools and was deposited in Protein Model DataBase. Molecular docking was performed between L-ASP I and ligand substrate L-Asn to study enzyme-substrate interactions. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of L-ASP I enzyme was found to be reliable and stable with a significant protein quality factor (LG score: 7.129). The enzyme is a dimer, belongs to α/β class of proteins. The active sites comprises of N-glycosylation site and a catalytic triad (T14-S117-D92). The binding energy of the docked complex was calculated to be -7.45 kcal/mol. The amino acid T14 identified as a primary nucleophile essential for catalytic reaction. The enzyme L-ASP I of V. campbellii provides a detailed view of structure and functional aspects with ligand substrate L-Asn. This in silico investigation has explicitly demonstrated for the first time that cytosolic L-ASP Type I of V. campbellii to have a catalytic triad which was attributed only to periplasmic L-ASP Type II. Thus, L-ASP I can serve as anti-leukemic agent in the treatment, management and control of ALL.
The current status of orchard meadows in Central Europe: Multi-source area estimation in Saxony (Germany) and the Czech Republic

Abstract Orchard meadows are appreciated as an integrated land use of high cultural and biological value. While such meadows are typical habitats for temperate Europe, they experienced a decline in their total area during the second half of the 20th century, both in Western and Eastern Europe. In this contribution, we compare their current area and status in terms of semantics, law, public support in general, and the efficiency of public support in both Saxony and the Czech Republic. We estimated the area in Saxony on the basis of three public mapping projects. In the Czech Republic, where no recent mapping included orchard meadows as a specific land-use type, we carried out our own mapping. Hence, we mapped 124 randomly selected plots of 1 km2. To cross-reference results from both countries, we used the pan-EU project LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area frame Survey). According to various different sources, the orchard meadows cover 0.09–0.55% of Saxony and 0.01–0.72% of the Czech Republic. Interestingly, the results of the three mapping projects conducted in Saxony vary from each other. Although orchard meadows are supported by financial incentives of the respective governments in both countries, the Saxon approach concentrating more on individual activities (sanitation of old trees, planting, grassland management), seems more focused than the single measure practised in the Czech Republic. One key to a greater public awareness of the orchard meadow problematic can lie in the promotion of a simple expression referring to this specific landscape feature in Czech, similar to the phrase common in the German language: ‘Streuobstwiese’. Our suggestion for the Czech language is: ‘luční sad’.
On the polysemy of the Polish complete path construction: A corpus-based exploratory study

Abstract In this article, we present a corpus-based analysis of two major types of the Polish Complete Path (CP) construction in which a source-PP, headed by od+GEN, is immediately followed by a goal-PP, headed by do+GEN or po+ACC, as in od jesieni 1920 do jesieni 1921 ‘from autumn 1920 to autumn 1921’ and od kreskówek po rysunki techniczne ‘from cartoons to technical drawings’. The aim of the study is to shed some light on the polysemous structure of the CP construction on the basis of its usage patterns. To this end, we used a random sample of over 500 instances of both construction types retrieved from the National Corpus of Polish. The data were annotated for a number formal and semantic features and subsequently explored using hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis. When interpreting the results of several analyses performed on different sets of variables, we gave special attention to three levels of semantic granularity encoded in the data, concluding that, on the whole, all analyses point towards a distinction between the spatial, temporal and abstract meanings of the construction under investigation.
The fate of socialist agricultural premises: To agricultural ‘brownfields’ and back again?

Abstract The variety of post-socialist agricultural transitions in four different rural regions located in South Bohemia (Czech Republic), with respect to the utilisation of the older premises, is subject to analysis in this article. A complete database was constructed, containing the identification of agricultural premises in 1989 and their use in 2004 and 2017. From 1989 to 2004, a number of agricultural brownfields emerged, and many sites had been utilised for non-agricultural purposes. After 2004, the acreage of agricultural brownfields was reduced and new land-use utilisation for housing and, especially other non-agricultural activities, significantly increased. The transition in the utilisation of pre-1989 agricultural premises is strongly influenced by the social and economic contexts in which particular sites are located. Proximity to an upper-level regional centre is of crucial importance for decisions with respect to how (and if) the site will be reused. The peripheral location of the site also affects the level and the selection of options for the ways in which particular pre-1989 agricultural premises are used. In the case studies reported here, the marginality of particular regions is increased by their location in the border regions of outer peripheries, where the probability of the presence of agricultural brownfields and the probability of long-term abandonment of agricultural premises is higher. For the traditional developed countryside, we found a typical low level of the share of long-term agricultural brownfields. After 2004, the re-use of pre-1989 agricultural brownfields for agriculture was ascertained, which is complemented by their use for housing.
Rheological properties and small-angle X-ray scattering studies of phosphate dust obtained from baghouse collectors

Abstract Baghouse dust collectors are using in the drying unit of Beni Idir situated in Beni-Idir Khouribga city, Morocco, to retrieve phosphates particles from dust air-drying before its expulsion through the smokestacks. The phosphate dust samples used in this study were taken from the filtration chamber of the baghouse dust collectors. The first sample (S1) is untreated calcium phosphate dust, the second (S2) is the calcium phosphate dust from the outside of filter media while the third one (S3) is the calcium phosphate dust from the inside of filter media which causes clogging depth. In this paper, the rheology and the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) of the three samples were investigated to elucidate the changes in terms of local structure, the viscosity, and the shear stress parameters. The rheological behavior of the dust samples was investigated for a solid mass concentration ranging from 50 to 60%, the three samples (S1) (S2) and (S3) had a solid mass concentration of C1=60%, C2=55% and C3=50% and a shear rate in the range from 1 to 1000 s−1. The results indicated that during the filtration process, the pseudo-plastic behavior of the dust phosphate changed to that of Bingham. Comparing the results of the sample’s viscosity, we found that the viscosity decreased during the process filtration. The SAXS results suggested that the dust phosphate samples possess a fractal surface structure of enormous dust particles with a rough surface interface. This new study highlights the rheological behavior of grain phosphates that could be extrapolated to other mining powder as grains material or in solution. It is important to understand the rheological characteristics of materials, their flow, and the subsequent deformation of matter as a result of the flow.
Cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase and D1 dopamine receptors regulate diacylglycerol lipase‐α and synaptic 2‐arachidonoyl glycerol signaling

Brain endocannabinoids serve as retrograde neurotransmitters, being synthesized in post‐synaptic neurons “on demand” and released to bind pre‐synaptic cannabinoid receptors and suppress glutamatergic or GABAergic transmission. The most abundant brain endocannabinoid, 2 arachidonoyl glycerol (2‐AG), is primarily synthesized by diacylglycerol lipase‐α (DGLα), which is activated by poorly understood mechanisms in response to calcium influx following post‐synaptic depolarization and/or the activation of Gq‐coupled group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors. However, the impact of other neurotransmitters and their downstream signaling pathways on synaptic 2‐AG signaling has not been intensively studied. Here, we found that DGLα activity in membrane fractions from transfected HEK293T cells was significantly increased by in vitro phosphorylation using cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA). Moreover, PKA directly phosphorylated DGLα at Ser798 in vitro. Elevation of cAMP levels in HEK293 cells expressing DGLα increased Ser798 phosphorylation, as detected using a phospho‐Ser798‐specific antibody, and enhanced DGLα activity; this in situ enhancement of DGLα activity was prevented by mutation of Ser798 to Ala. We investigated the impact of PKA on synaptic 2‐AG mobilization in mouse striatal slices by manipulating D1‐dopamine receptor (D1R) signaling and assessing depolarization‐induced suppression of excitation, a DGLα‐ and 2‐AG‐dependent form of short‐term synaptic depression. The magnitude of depolarization‐enhanced suppression of excitation in direct pathway medium spiny neurons was increased by pre‐incubation with a D1R agonist, and this enhancement was blocked by post‐synaptic inhibition of PKA. Taken together, these findings provide new molecular insights into the complex mechanisms regulating synaptic endocannabinoid signaling.
Evaluation of geometrical uncertainties on localized prostate radiotherapy of patients with bilateral metallic hip prostheses using 3D-CRT, IMRT and VMAT: A planning study.

OBJECTIVE Since most radiation treatment plans are based on computed tomography (CT) images, which makes it difficult to define the targeted tumor volume located near a metal implant, this study aims to evaluate and compare three treatment plans in order to optimally reduce geometrical uncertainty in external radiation treatment of localized prostate cancer. METHODS Experimental subjects were three prostate patients with bilateral hip prosthesis who had undergone radical radiotherapy. The treatment plans were five-field three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), fixed 5-field intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using similar gantry angles, and single-arc volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). The monitor units (MUs), dose volume histograms (DVHs), the dose indices of planning target volume (PTV), clinical target volume (CTV) and rectum were compared among the three techniques. The geometrical uncertainties were evaluated by shifting the iso-center (2- 10 mm in the anterior, posterior, left, right, superior, and inferior directions). The CTV and rectum dose indexes with and without the iso-center shifts were compared in each plan. RESULTS The Conformity Index of PTV were 1.35 in 3D-CRT, 1.12 in IMRT, and 1.04 in VMAT, respectively. The rectum doses in 3D-CRT are also higher than those in IMRT and VMAT. The iso-center shift little affected the CTV dose when smaller than the margin size. The rectum dose increased especially after a posterior shift. Additionally, this dose increase was larger in the VMAT plan than in the 3D- CRT plan. However, the VMAT achieved a superior rectum DVH to that of 3D- CRT, and this effect clearly exceeded the rectum-dose increase elicited by the iso-center shift. CONCLUSION For radiotherapy treatment of localized prostate cancer in patients with hip prosthesis, the dose distribution was better in the VMAT and MAR- CT image methods than the conventional methods. Because the anatomical structure of the male pelvic region is relatively constant among individuals, we consider that VMAT is a valid treatment plan despite analyzing just three cases.