Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modulating Polymer Ultrathin Film Crystalline Fraction and Orientation with Nanoscale Curvature

We investigated the effect of nanoscale curvature on the structure of thermally equilibrated poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) ultrathin films. The curvature-induced effects were investigated with synchrotron grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Our results demonstrate that nanoscale curvature reduces the polymer crystalline fraction and the crystal length. The first effect is strongest for the lowest curvature and results in a decrease in the out-of-plane thickness of the polymer crystals. On the other hand, the crystal in-plane length decreases with the increase in substrate curvature. Finally, the semi-quantitative analysis of crystal anisotropy shows a marked dependence on the substrate curvature characterized by a minimum at curvatures between 0.00851 nm−1 and 0.0140 nm−1. The results are discussed in terms of a curvature-dependent polymer fraction, which fills the interstices between neighboring particles and cannot crystallize due to extreme space confinement. This fraction, whose thickness is highest at the lowest curvatures, inhibits the crystal nucleation and the out-of-plane crystal growth. Moreover, because of the adhesion to the curved portion of the substrates, crystals adopt a random orientation. By increasing the substrate curvature, the amorphous fraction is reduced, leading to polymer films with higher crystallinity. Finally, when the thickness of the film exceeds the particle diameter, the curvature no longer affects the crystal orientation, which, similarly to the flat case, is predominantly edge on.
Pediatric Burns: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Epidemiology, Gender Distribution, Risk Factors, Management, and Outcomes in Emergency Departments

Pediatric burns pose a significant public health concern, ranking as the fifth most common nonfatal injury globally. This review consolidates data on the epidemiology, outcomes, and management of pediatric burns presenting to emergency departments. A systematic review was conducted across multiple databases, yielding 22 articles from 1992 to 2020. Utilizing the methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS) instrument, non-comparative studies scored from 2 to 11 with an average of 6.87, while comparative studies ranged from 12 to 16, averaging 13.67. The review included a total of 828,538 pediatric patients who were evaluated in the systematic review. Predominantly male victims ranged from 53% to 83%. The youngest victims were aged between 0 to 4 years. Burn etiology was largely attributed to scalds. A majority suffered from second-degree burns, with some studies reporting up to 89%. Limited data on total body surface area (TBSA) were documented, with only 2.5% requiring hospitalization. Common interventions included immediate resuscitation and skin grafting. Essential areas for future research are identified, including household risks, pre-treatment decisions, and the significant role of family dynamics in burn injury recovery. Pediatric burns remain a considerable concern, particularly among males and in household environments. The data underline the imperative for prevention strategies and optimized emergency care to positively influence outcomes for burn victims. Future research areas range from evaluating pre-treatment decisions to assessing community awareness regarding burn first aid.
Utilizing Extraepitopic Amino Acid Substitutions to Define Changes in the Accessibility of Conformational Epitopes of the Bacillus cereus HlyII C-Terminal Domain

Hemolysin II (HlyII)—one of the pathogenic factors of Bacillus cereus, a pore-forming β-barrel toxin—possesses a C-terminal extension of 94 amino acid residues, designated as the C-terminal domain of HlyII (HlyIICTD), which plays an important role in the functioning of the toxin. Our previous work described a monoclonal antibody (HlyIIC-20), capable of strain-specific inhibition of hemolysis caused by HlyII, and demonstrated the dependence of the efficiency of hemolysis on the presence of proline at position 324 in HlyII outside the conformational antigenic determinant. In this work, we studied 16 mutant forms of HlyIICTD. Each of the mutations, obtained via multiple site-directed mutagenesis leading to the replacement of amino acid residues lying on the surface of the 3D structure of HlyIICTD, led to a decrease in the interaction of HlyIIC-20 with the mutant form of the protein. Changes in epitope structure confirm the high conformational mobility of HlyIICTD required for the functioning of HlyII. Comparison of the effect of the introduced mutations on the effectiveness of interactions between HlyIICTD and HlyIIC-20 and a control antibody recognizing a non-overlapping epitope enabled the identification of the amino acid residues N339 and K340, included in the conformational antigenic determinant recognized by HlyIIC-20.
Clinical Chemistry and Haematology Values of a Captive Population of Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti)

Simple Summary Blood reference intervals are important for the correct interpretation of blood results but are missing for many wild species. The aim of the present study was therefore to establish specific reference intervals for a series of clinical chemistry and haematology analytes for captive Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti). The results indicate that the factors of sex and age should be considered when interpreting the results of haematological and clinical biochemistry assays. Abstract Reference intervals for clinical chemistry and haematology analytes are essential for the interpretation of blood results, but limited data are available for Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) in zoological collections as well as in the wild. The aim of the present study was therefore to establish reference intervals for a series of clinical chemistry and haematology analytes in a single zoological population of Humboldt penguins. Furthermore, possible variations of the analytes influenced by the age and sex of the individuals were investigated. Lithium heparinized plasma and whole blood samples from 39 animals were analysed and statistically evaluated. The following clinical chemistry analytes were significantly higher in females: glutamate dehydrogenase (p = 0.0003), alanine transaminase (p = 0.0005), alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.0245), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.0043), creatine kinase (p = 0.0016), lactate dehydrogenase (p < 0.0001), inorganic phosphorus (p = 0.0223), and sodium (p = 0.0415). No significant differences between males and females were found for any haematology analyte. Cholesterol (p = 0.0233; −0.39), white blood cell count (p = 0.0208; −0.40), and absolute heterophiles (p = 0.0148; −0.42) had significant negative correlations with the age of the penguins. The results indicate that the factors of sex and age should be considered when interpreting the results of haematological and clinical biochemistry assays, and further studies are needed to determine whether there are more differences in other age groups or seasons.
Involvement of essential trace elements in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus‑related chronic liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Essential trace elements are involved in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease (CLD), which causes hepatic inflammation, steatosis and fibrosis. The present study investigated the roles of essential trace elements in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus-related CLD (CLD-C) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and compared the levels of these trace elements between the two groups. Serum zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), copper (Cu) and ferritin levels were measured in patients with CLD-C (n=66) and NASH (n=26). Subsequently, the correlations between the levels of these essential trace elements in patient sera and the biochemical or pathological parameters of patients with CLD-C and NASH were determined. The results demonstrated that the serum ferritin levels were significantly correlated with serum alanine aminotransferase levels in both the CLD-C and NASH groups. In both groups, the serum Zn and Se levels were significantly associated with serum albumin levels, and inversely associated with the stages of hepatic fibrosis. Furthermore, serum ferritin levels were positively associated, and serum Zn levels were inversely correlated with the grades of hepatic steatosis in patients with CLD-C, whereas serum Se levels were closely associated with the grades of hepatic steatosis only in patients with NASH. In both groups, serum ferritin levels were positively correlated, and serum Zn levels were inversely correlated with homeostasis model for the assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values, and serum Se was negatively correlated with the HOMA-IR values in patients with CLD-C only. In conclusion, these results indicated that the involvement of essential trace elements in insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis may differ slightly between patients with CLD-C and those with NASH.
Event and model dependent rainfall adjustments to improve discharge predictions

ABSTRACT Most conceptual rainfall–runoff models use as input spatially averaged rainfall fields which are typically associated with significant errors that affect the model outcome. In this study, it was hypothesised that a simple spatially and temporally averaged event-dependent rainfall multiplier can account for errors in the rainfall input. The potentials and limitations of this lumped multiplier approach were explored by evaluating the effects of multipliers on the accuracy and precision of the predictive distributions. Parameter sets found to be behavioural across a range of different flood events were assumed to be a good representation of the catchment dynamics and were used to identify rainfall multipliers for each of the individual events. An effect of the parameter sets on identified multipliers was found; however, it was small compared to the differences between events. Accounting for event-dependent multipliers improved the reliability of the predictions. At the cost of a small decrease in precision, the distribution of identified multipliers for past events can be used to account for possible rainfall errors when predicting future events. By using behavioural parameter sets to identify rainfall multipliers, the method offers a simple and computationally efficient way to address rainfall errors in hydrological modelling.
The effect of a naturally fragmented landscape on the spider assemblages

As the Kiskunsag sanddune region in the Great Hungarian Plain is a network of poplar forest fragments surrounded by open grasslands, it offers an opportunity to study the ecological effects of natural, long-term fragmentation on the invertebrate assemblages. The spider assemblages of 15 forest patches and the grassland matrix in between them were sampled using pitfall traps. A Principle Coordinate Analysis revealed three distinct groups of forest assemblages: (1) small patches with high species diversity, similar to the surrounding grassland, (2) medium sized patches and (3) large forests. The only significant relationship was observed between the frequency of forest specialist species and the fragment size.
Crowdfunding Platform as an Open Innovation Model: The Importance of Effective Platform Governance

Crowdfunding Platform (CFP) is another financing model that is different from the traditional financial institutions. CFP serves not only as a fundraising tool but also as a source of knowledge. CFP has several forms, namely equity-based, lending-based, reward-based, and donation-based. These forms of CFP divided into two classes, investment-based and non-investment-based. CFP is one form of platform Open Innovation (OI), where multiple stakeholders are involved in a funded project. OI refers to the collaborative innovation process. The involvement of multiple parties in OI leads to various risks that can result in collaboration failure, thus preventing the achievement of established CFP goals. Therefore, there is a need for effective governance in OI to manage potential conflicts, coordinate efficient knowledge sharing among the involved parties, and achieve the main objectives of the collaboration.
Dehydrin CaDHN2 Enhances Drought Tolerance by Affecting Ascorbic Acid Synthesis under Drought in Peppers

Peppers (Capsicum annuum L.), as a horticultural crop with one of the highest ascorbic acid contents, are negatively affected by detrimental environmental conditions both in terms of quality and productivity. In peppers, the high level of ascorbic acid is not only a nutrient substance but also plays a role in environmental stress, i.e., drought stress. When suffering from drought stress, plants accumulate dehydrins, which play important roles in the stress response. Here, we isolated an SK3-type DHN gene CaDHN2 from peppers. CaDHN2 was located in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane. In CaDHN2-silenced peppers, which are generated by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), the survival rate is much lower, the electrolytic leakage is higher, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is greater when compared with the control under drought stress. Moreover, when CaDHN2 (CaDHN2-OE) is overexpressed in Arabidopsis, theoverexpressing plants show enhanced drought tolerance, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, and lower ROS content. Based on yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), GST-pull down, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) results, we found that CaDHN2 interacts with CaGGP1, the key enzyme in ascorbic acid (AsA) synthesis, in the cytoplasm. Accordingly, the level of ascorbic acid is highly reduced in CaDHN2-silenced peppers, indicating that CaDHN2 interacts with CaGGP1 to affect the synthesis of ascorbic acid under drought stress, thus improving the drought tolerance of peppers. Our research provides a basis for further study of the function of DHN genes.
Short-offset TEM technique with a grounded wire source for deep sounding

Although the loop-source TEM near-field survey system has been widely used,this method still cannot meet the demand for large-area 3D data acquisition and fine probing of deep ore bodies.Based on the advantage of near-field survey,a new configuration called short-offset TEM with a grounded wire-source(named SOTEM by authors) has been proposed and the detecting technique has been studied to solve the problem of detecting underground deep ore targets at high resolution.Analysis of the detection capability of this system such as time-domain response as well as investigation depth suggests that the SOTEM has more merits than the long-offset TEM(LOTEM). Apparent resistivity formula suiting for whole field area has been used to calculate apparent resistivity response of geo-electric models in the short-offset TEM system and the results are consistent with that of the designed geo-electric models.The field data have been collected and the results agree with the drilling data.It is concluded that the proposed method is more easily in exploration and has larger detecting depths and higher detection accuracy.It also shows that the SOTEM is a kind of methods worth to be widely applied.
KRITI – the vegetation of Crete database

The TURBOVEG database on the Cretan covers the South Aegean island of Crete including surrounding islands. It contains plot data on all kinds of woody and non-woody vascular plant vegetation. Bryophytes are included in exceptional cases. It includes releves from all available sources but chiefly own unpublished releves. The database provides information on about 90% of the regional flora and of more than 100 endemics. KRITI (GIVD ID EU-GR-001) is a database to be continued. Publications dealing with selected vegetation types or areas have been published.
Application of Injectable Hydrogels as Delivery Systems in Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurological injury caused by traffic accidents, trauma, or falls, which leads to significant loss of sensory, motor, and autonomous functions and seriously affects the patient’s life quality. Although considerable progress has been made in mitigating secondary injury and promoting the regeneration/repair of SCI, the therapeutic effects need to be improved due to drug availability. Given their good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low immunogenicity, injectable hydrogels can be used as delivery systems to achieve controlled release of drugs and other substances (cells and proteins, etc.), offering new hope for SCI repair. In this article, we summarized the types of injectable hydrogels, analyzed their application as delivery systems in SCI, and further discussed the mechanisms of hydrogels in the treatment of SCI, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, and pro-neurogenesis. Moreover, we highlighted the potential benefits of hydrogels in the treatment of SCI in combination with therapies, including the recent advances and achievements of these promising tools. Our review may offer new strategies for the development of SCI treatments based on injectable hydrogels as delivery systems.
Unwinding the SARS-CoV-2 Ribosomal Frameshifting Pseudoknot with LNA and G-Clamp-Modified Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides Inhibits Viral Replication

Ribosomal frameshifting (RFS) at the slippery site of SARS-CoV-2 RNA is essential for the biosynthesis of the viral replication machinery. It requires the formation of a pseudoknot (PK) structure near the slippery site and can be inhibited by PK-disrupting oligonucleotide-based antivirals. We obtained and compared three types of such antiviral candidates, namely locked nucleic acids (LNA), LNA–DNA gapmers, and G-clamp-containing phosphorothioates (CPSs) complementary to PK stems. Using optical and electrophoretic methods, we showed that stem 2-targeting oligonucleotide analogs induced PK unfolding at nanomolar concentrations, and this effect was particularly pronounced in the case of LNA. For the leading PK-unfolding LNA and CPS oligonucleotide analogs, we also demonstrated dose-dependent RSF inhibition in dual luciferase assays (DLAs). Finally, we showed that the leading oligonucleotide analogs reduced SARS-CoV-2 replication at subtoxic concentrations in the nanomolar range in two human cell lines. Our findings highlight the promise of PK targeting, illustrate the advantages and limitations of various types of DNA modifications and may promote the future development of oligonucleotide-based antivirals.
Prognostic implication of glomerular filtration rates in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension who have undergone balloon pulmonary angioplasty

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) plays a key role in the deterioration of lung hemodynamics and contributes to secondary dysfunction of the right heart, which is consistently accompanied by systemic malperfusion and a reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The prognosis of CTEPH is markedly influenced by renal function. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value of GFR in patients with CTEPH who have undergone balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA). From December 2012 to September 2020, a total of 47 patients diagnosed with CTEPH who received BPA were retrospectively studied. Patients were categorized according to their renal function on admission into two groups: GFR >53 and ≤53. Biological, clinical and demographic data of the patients were collected. Data for the two groups in hospital and during follow-up were systematically analyzed and compared. All-cause mortality, death from right heart failure (RHF) and rehospitalization associated with RHF were considered major adverse events (MAEs). The results revealed that the 6-min walk distance, N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), Troponin I and right ventricle diameter were significantly lower, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was significantly higher in the GFR >53 group compared with the GFR ≤53 group at final follow-up. In addition, GFR levels were significantly correlated with NT-proBNP at baseline and final follow-up. Furthermore, based on a multivariate analysis, it was determined that the decreased GFR was an independent predictor of MAEs during follow-up. Therefore, it may be concluded that in addition to being associated with right ventricular function, decreased GFR is also a prognostic marker in CTEPH treated with BPA.
Change in streamflow response in unregulated catchments in Sweden over the last century

A Fourier spectral analysis of daily discharge time series over the last century in 79 unregulated catchments in Sweden reveals a significant gradual steepening of the discharge power spectrum slope over time. Where historical meteorological observations are available (the 41 southernmost catchments), the results of our analyses indicate that local land use changes within the catchments have affected discharge power spectra to a greater extent than have changes in precipitation patterns. 1‐D distributed routing analysis based on current and historical maps and scenario modeling in the Törnestorp Catchment suggests that changes in stream network properties have led to increases in the hydraulic Péclet number ( Pe ) and subsequent decreases in the discharge power spectrum over short periods. The analysis displays analytically how a change in stream network properties can result in changes in the power spectra, where the relative importance of the geomorphological and hydrodynamic dispersion effects determines the shape of the streamflow response. The lowering of the discharge power spectrum over short periods observed for many Swedish catchments is likely caused by increasing Pe (a decrease in dispersion) over time, resulting in higher peak values, especially for rapid streamflow responses (i.e., over short periods), demonstrated empirically for the Törnestorp case study. The finding that the discharge power spectrum can change significantly over time highlights the need for hydrological models to account for the effect of the nonstationarity of parameters that result from temporal change caused by land use change and/or climate change that is due to anthropogenic or natural causes.