Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The gastrointestinal uptake of titanium dioxide nanoparticles : studies on Caco-2 cells, perfused intestine and in vivo dietary intake in the rat (Rattus norvegicus)

The use of nanomaterials (NMs) in orally ingestible products raises concerns about potential hazards. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles (of which some are incidentally produced at the nanoscale) are used in cosmetics, biological remediation (photocatalysis), toothpastes, ingestible pharmaceuticals and food products. The increased surface area to mass ratio of nanoparticles (NPs) potentially makes them more biologically reactive than their coarser (bulk) material counterparts. There is limited data available on the uptake kinetics across the mammalian gastrointestinal tract, and the potential hazard posed to humans. In this study, the uptake and accumulation of TiO2 (nano and bulk) into and across the human intestinal cell line, the isolated perfused rat jejunum and the whole rat were evaluated. Caco-2 monolayers exhibited time-dependent, accumulation, uptake and transport of Ti/TiO2 from TiO2 exposures of 1 mg L -1 over 24 h, which was influenced by the crystal type, irrespective of cell maturity and growth substrate (Chapters 2-3). Electron micrographs of the Caco-2 monolayer showed the presence of particles inside the cells within vesicles and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the composition as TiO2. Addition of pharmacological inhibitors altered the Ti concentration in the cells suggesting diffusion is not the primary mechanism of uptake, rather, an active process is responsible (Chapter 2). Whole gut sacs exposures of 1 mg L bulk or nano TiO2 demonstrated the primary regions of the gut associated with accumulation are the small and large intestine, with 70 % or more of
Casein Kinase 1 Regulates Cytorhabdovirus Replication and Transcription by Phosphorylating a Phosphoprotein Serine-Rich Motif

Casein kinase 1 regulates cross-kingdom infections of a cytorhabdovirus in host plants and insect vectors by phosphorylating an intrinsically disordered region of viral phosphoprotein. Casein kinase 1 (CK1) family members are conserved Ser/Thr protein kinases that regulate important developmental processes in all eukaryotic organisms. However, the functions of CK1 in plant immunity remain largely unknown. Barley yellow striate mosaic virus (BYSMV), a plant cytorhabdovirus, infects cereal crops and is obligately transmitted by the small brown planthopper (SBPH; Laodelphax striatellus). The BYSMV phosphoprotein (P) exists as two forms with different mobilities corresponding to 42 kD (P42) and 44 kD (P44) in SDS-PAGE gels. Mass spectrometric analyses revealed a highly phosphorylated serine-rich (SR) motif at the C-terminal intrinsically disordered region of the P protein. The Ala-substitution mutant (PS5A) in the SR motif stimulated virus replication, whereas the phosphorylation-mimic mutant (PS5D) facilitated virus transcription. Furthermore, PS5A and PS5D associated preferentially with nucleocapsid protein–RNA templates and the large polymerase protein to provide optimal replication and transcription complexes, respectively. Biochemistry assays demonstrated that plant and insect CK1 protein kinases could phosphorylate the SR motif and induce conformational changes from P42 to P44. Moreover, overexpression of CK1 or a dominant-negative mutant impaired the balance between P42 and P44, thereby compromising virus infections. Our results demonstrate that BYSMV recruits the conserved CK1 kinases to achieve its cross-kingdom infection in host plants and insect vectors.
Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells Must Partner with the Myeloid–Macrophage Lineage for Long-Term Postviral Lung Disease

Key Points ILC2s are activated even after injury from respiratory viral infection is resolved. ILC2s contribute to a chronic type 2 immune response after viral infection. ILC2s depend on myeloid–macrophage lineage cells to drive postviral disease. Visual Abstract Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are implicated in host defense and inflammatory disease, but these potential functional roles need more precise definition, particularly using advanced technologies to better target ILC2s and engaging experimental models that better manifest both acute infection and chronic, even lifelong, disease. In this study, we use a mouse model that applies an improved genetic definition of ILC2s via IL-7r–conditional Rora gene targeting and takes advantage of a distinct progression from acute illness to chronic disease, based on a persistent type 2 immune response to respiratory infection with a natural pathogen (Sendai virus). We first show that ILC2s are activated but are not required to handle acute illness after respiratory viral infection. In contrast, we find that this type of infection also activates ILC2s chronically for IL-13 production and consequent asthma-like disease traits that peak and last long after active viral infection is cleared. However, to manifest this type of disease, the Csf1-dependent myeloid–macrophage lineage is also active at two levels: first, at a downstream level, this lineage provides lung tissue macrophages (interstitial macrophages and tissue monocytes) that represent a major site of Il13 gene expression in the diseased lung; and second, at an upstream level, this same lineage is required for Il33 gene induction that is necessary to activate ILC2s for participation in disease at all, including IL-13 production. Together, these findings provide a revised scheme for understanding and controlling the innate immune response leading to long-term postviral lung diseases with features of asthma and related progressive conditions.
Prospects and Challenges of Translational Corneal Bioprinting

Corneal transplantation remains the ultimate treatment option for advanced stromal and endothelial disorders. Corneal tissue engineering has gained increasing interest in recent years, as it can bypass many complications of conventional corneal transplantation. The human cornea is an ideal organ for tissue engineering, as it is avascular and immune-privileged. Mimicking the complex mechanical properties, the surface curvature, and stromal cytoarchitecure of the in vivo corneal tissue remains a great challenge for tissue engineering approaches. For this reason, automated biofabrication strategies, such as bioprinting, may offer additional spatial control during the manufacturing process to generate full-thickness cell-laden 3D corneal constructs. In this review, we discuss recent advances in bioprinting and biomaterials used for in vitro and ex vivo corneal tissue engineering, corneal cell-biomaterial interactions after bioprinting, and future directions of corneal bioprinting aiming at engineering a full-thickness human cornea in the lab.
Long-Noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in the Regulation of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF) in Cancer

Hypoxia is dangerous for oxygen-dependent cells, therefore, physiological adaption to cellular hypoxic conditions is essential. The transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is the main regulator of hypoxic metabolic adaption reducing oxygen consumption and is regulated by gradual von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-dependent proteasomal degradation. Beyond physiology, hypoxia is frequently encountered within solid tumors and first drugs are in clinical trials to tackle this pathway in cancer. Besides hypoxia, cancer cells may promote HIF expression under normoxic conditions by altering various upstream regulators, cumulating in HIF upregulation and enhanced glycolysis and angiogenesis, altogether promoting tumor proliferation and progression. Therefore, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial to discover potential future therapeutic targets to evolve cancer therapy. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are a class of non-protein coding RNA molecules with a length of over 200 nucleotides. They participate in cancer development and progression and might act as either oncogenic or tumor suppressive factors. Additionally, a growing body of evidence supports the role of lncRNAs in the hypoxic and normoxic regulation of HIF and its subunits HIF-1α and HIF-2α in cancer. This review provides a comprehensive update and overview of lncRNAs as regulators of HIFs expression and activation and discusses and highlights potential involved pathways.
THE REGULATION OF ALTERNATION OF GENERATION IN FLOWERING PLANTS

The developmental changes involved in the alternation of generation represent the major gene‐switching events in the life history of plants. While a large number of genes are common to both sporophyte and gametophyte, many thousand sequences are specifically expressed in each generation; indeed, certain key constituents (e.g. tubulin) are encoded by different genes in each generation, indicating that sporophyte and gametophyte are responding to different evolutionary pressures. Evidence is accumulating that major gene‐switching events in plants, such as flowering, are regulated by complex control systems which ensures that development occurs only in the correct groups of cells at the appropriate time. A similar, or more sophisticated system might thus be expected to regulate alternation of generation. It is not possible to manipulate alternation of generation in a similar fashion to flowering, but study of apparent aberrations of development occurring in nature and in vitro suggests that alternation only occurs in cells which have become competent to receive particular developmental stimuli. Further, in certain cases, competent cells may be switched either into sporophytic or gametophytic developmental pathways depending upon the nature of the stimulus. Acquisition of competence seems to involve isolation of cells from the symplast, some cytoplasmic dedifferentiation, and perhaps cell cycle arrest or transition. The stimuli in vivo appear metabolic in nature, although embryogenesis may be activated by specific classes of glycoproteins. Interestingly, examination of agamospermic systems suggests that fertilization of the egg per se is not the signal which activates sporophytic development. Once competent cells have received the stimulus they start to develop, with no delay in a ‘determined’ state. Sporophytic and gametophytic development in vivo and in vitro both start with an asymmetric division, except for the female gametophyte which may arise via a range of developmental pathways, depending on the species.
The impact of privacy seal on users? perception in network transactions

In the age of big data, the issue of online privacy has attracted much attention from all sectors. The introduction and establishment of an evaluation system for the privacy agreement based on a third party, together with the establishment of a safer internet transaction environment, can help to establish mutual trust between users and the platform. With the research background links to the online trading platform, this article investigates how the privacy seal which is provided by the third-party evaluation organization inﬂuences and addresses trust-awareness and privacy concerns of users, as well as exposing information and purchasing data. According to this investigation, the application of a privacy seal not only increases the trust-awareness of the users, but can also encourage the intention to disclose information and engage in a transaction. However, it might not totally alleviate the users’ privacy concerns. The results of our research and practical application indicate that the promotion and guarantee of the independence and expertise of the third-party evaluating organization, the effective supervision of privacy policy implementation by the online trading platform, and measures that protect the privacy of the users, all play a vital role in establishing an effective privacy agreement evaluation system.
Targeted Medical School Admissions: A Strategic Process for Meeting Our Social Mission.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Increased medical school class sizes and new medical schools have not addressed the workforce inadequacies in primary care or underserved settings. While there is substantial evidence that student attributes predict practice specialty and location, little is known about how schools use these factors in admissions processes. We sought to describe admissions strategies to recruit students likely to practice in primary care or underserved settings. METHODS We surveyed admissions personnel at US allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in 2018 about targeted admissions strategies aimed at recruitment and selection of students likely to practice rurally, in urban underserved areas, or in primary care Results: One hundred thirty-three of 185 (71.8%) US medical schools responded. Respondents reported targeted admissions strategies as follows: rural, 69.2%; urban underserved, 67.4%; and primary care, 45.3%. Nearly 90% reported some type of recruitment outreach to 4-year universities, but much less to community colleges. Student characteristics used to identify those likely to practice in targeted areas were largely evidence-based. Strategies to select students varied widely. CONCLUSIONS Most responding US medical schools reported a targeted process to recruit and select students likely to practice in rural, urban underserved, or primary care settings, indicating widespread awareness of workforce challenges. This study also demonstrates varying approaches to and allocation of resources toward admissions targeting, especially the application and interviewing processes. Understanding how schools identify and admit students likely to practice in these fields is a first step in identifying best practices for selective admissions focused on addressing workforce gaps.
The survival of a mutant under general conditions

In genetics it is of considerable interest to be able to calculate the probabilities that a mutant gene will either be lost to the population or that its allele will be lost, since, in general, if no further mutation occurs, one of these two events must ultimately take place in any finite population. A good deal of research has been done on this problem by Fisher (l) and Kimura (3) and the purpose of this paper is to extend their results to more general situations and to discuss the validity of their approximations.
New phenolic compounds from Calothamnus quadrifidus R.Br. aerial parts and their antioxidant activity

Abstract Two new compounds calothphenone (1) and 6-methoxy kaempferol 3-O-(6″-E-p-coumaroyl)-β- d-glucopyranoside (6-methoxy tiliroside) (2) along with six known compounds viz gallic acid (3), methyl gallate (4), kaempferol 3-O-(6″-E-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (tiliroside) (5), castalagin (6), kaempferol (7) and quercetin (8) were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of 80% aqueous methanol extract of Calothamnus quadrifidus aerial parts. Their structure was established based on different chemical and spectroscopic techniques (1H-/13C-NMR and 2D NMR). Antioxidant activity for EAF and compounds 1, 2 and 5 was evaluated using DPPH, superoxide radical and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition methods. EAF exhibited strong activity to inhibit DPPH, superoxide and NO radicals. Moreover, all tested compounds demonstrated a close high ability to inhibit superoxide and NO radicals in comparison to ascorbic acid, but they exerted lower activity towards DPPH radical.
Resistência e mecanismos envolvidos em genótipos de milho em relação ao ataque do gorgulho, Sitophilus zeamais Mots. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

As result of preliminary tests, free choice tests were carried out with 10 corn genotypes selected (M 9560, XHT 12, A 952, AG 5011, X 9557, Z 8452, C 615, C 435, DINA 888, C 606) to evaluate the attractiveness and preference for oviposition. The corn genotypes Z 8452 (3.1%) and M 9560 (3.2%) were the less attractive while C 615 (24.7%) was the most attractive. Nonpreference for oviposition was observed for A 952, M 9560 and XHT 12 genotypes with mean number of 2.0, 3.0 and 3.4 eggs per container. M 9560, A 952 and Z 8452 genotypes showed feeding nonpreference and/or antibiosis type resistance. The genotypes C 435, C 444, C 606 and AG 8010, were highly susceptible.
Analysis of the Implementation of Celebrity Endorsement as a Destination Marketing Instrument

This study will investigate the implementation potential of celebrity endorsement to market destinations. Nine marketing experts in endorsement strategies expressed their views of the key elements to effective celebrity destination endorsement. Content analysis was used to find three categories that may moderate the effectiveness of celebrity endorsers, High‐Involvement Products, Celebrity Credibility and Celebrity Expertise. It seems that when products are high in psychological or social risk, such as the annual main holiday destination, the ‘right’ celebrity endorser could make an appropriate match and create a more favorable evaluation of the advertisement than a non‐endorsed advertisement. On the other hand, various issues regarding the tourist decision‐making process suggest that the choice for celebrity endorsement to market a destination is less appropriate. This study is partly based on the author's Master's thesis at the Bournemouth University, UK with Alan Fyall serving as thesis advisor. The author wants to thank him for his guidance.
Poststroke shoulder pain in subacute patients and its correlation with upper limb recovery after robotic or conventional treatment: A secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Background and aims Poststroke shoulder pain is a common complication. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of poststroke shoulder pain, with attention to the neuropathic component, and the relationship between poststroke shoulder pain and upper limb improvement in motor function, strength, disability, and quality of life after upper limb rehabilitation. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial to compare upper limb conventional or robotic rehabilitation on 224 patients enrolled in eight rehabilitation centers. We assessed poststroke shoulder pain (using the Numerical Rating Scale and the Douleur Neuropathique 4), and upper limb motor function, strength, disability, and quality of life at baseline (T0), after 30 rehabilitation sessions (T1), and three months after the end of rehabilitation (T2). Results A moderate/severe poststroke shoulder pain was reported by 28.9% of patients, while 19.6% of them showed a neuropathic component. At T0, the intensity of pain was higher in women and in patients with neglect syndrome, positively correlated with the time since stroke and disability and negatively correlated with motor function, strength, and the physical aspects of the quality of life. Moderate/severe pain and neuropathic component significantly reduced after both treatments and this reduction was maintained at T2. Finally, the intensity of pain at baseline was negatively correlated with the improvement of upper limb motor function. Conclusions Poststroke shoulder pain negatively impact on motor performance, strength, disability, and physical aspects of the quality of life as well as on upper limb motor recovery; however, it can be reduced after a robotic or a conventional rehabilitation. Therefore, we suggest considering poststroke shoulder pain when planning the rehabilitation intervention.
MCCIP ARC Science Review 2010-11 Marine Mammals

In more temperate regions, environmental changes will likely be reflected mainly in responses to changes in prey abundance and distribution as a result of warmer sea temperatures, and enhanced stratification forcing earlier occurrence of the spring phytoplankton bloom and potential cascading effects through the food chain. There may also be effects through changes in the locations of fronts and water masses, and overall reduced primary and secondary plankton production.
Exploring the Experiences of Adults With Microtia: A Qualitative Study

Objective: Microtia is a medically complex condition, with the option of surgery to address hearing and reconstruct the ear. The current study explored adults’ experiences of microtia, with a particular focus on the psychosocial impact and experiences of ear reconstruction. The ultimate aim was to identify areas for support and future research that could improve patient care. Design: Fifteen adults (12 females) aged between 20 and 62 years took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes were identified in the data: microtia as an invisible difference, surgery as a welcome opportunity, and living well with microtia. Participants had incorporated microtia into their self-concept and did not report a lasting negative impact on their lives. However, some psychosocial challenges were reported, including anxiety about showing their ears (even after reconstruction), disclosing their diagnosis to romantic partners, surgical decision-making, and feeling unsupported in the work environment. Conclusion: Individuals with microtia may benefit from psychosocial interventions to increase confidence, access to support for treatment decision-making, and guidance around disclosing microtia to employers.
Global Vitamin C Status and Prevalence of Deficiency: A Cause for Concern?

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that must be obtained through the diet in adequate amounts to prevent hypovitaminosis C, deficiency and its consequences—including the potentially fatal deficiency disease scurvy. Global vitamin C status and prevalence of deficiency has not previously been reported, despite vitamin C’s pleiotropic roles in both non-communicable and communicable disease. This review highlights the global literature on vitamin C status and the prevalence of hypovitaminosis C and deficiency. Related dietary intake is reported if assessed in the studies. Overall, the review illustrates the shortage of high quality epidemiological studies of vitamin C status in many countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries. The available evidence indicates that vitamin C hypovitaminosis and deficiency is common in low- and middle-income countries and not uncommon in high income settings. Further epidemiological studies are required to confirm these findings, to fully assess the extent of global vitamin C insufficiency, and to understand associations with a range of disease processes. Our findings suggest a need for interventions to prevent deficiency in a range of at risk groups and regions of the world.
The influence of the ability to disperse on generation length and population size in the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Abstract. 1 In Tribolium castaneum Herbst, in which dispersal is genetically determined, it is possible to select for strains that are characterized by high and low dispersal, High dispersal (HD) beetles are better adapted than low dispersal (LD) beetles for colonization, as can be seen from differences that exist between the two groups with regard to several life‐history parameters. 2 Comparisons were made between the dynamics of seventy‐two HD and seventy‐two LD populations. Generation length in HD populations was significantly shorter than in LD populations. After 91/2 weeks, in open treatments (from which dispersal away from the set was allowed), HD populations had more beetles than LD populations, whereas in closed treatments (from which dispersal away from the set was not allowed) the opposite was true. 3 These findings may explain the maintenance of the genetic variability of dispersal behaviour in natural populations of T.castmeurn.