Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Origin, Composition, and Flux of Dissolved Organic Carbon in the Hubbard Brook Valley

The concentration, composition, and flux of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were measured in the Hubbard Brook Valley, New Hampshire. Data on precipitation, throughfall, soil solution, streamside seeps, stream water, and lake water are presented for 1976-1980. Characterization of DOC included analysis of phenolics, monomeric and polymeric carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, primary amines, and aldehydes. DOC concentrations increased with passage of water through the forest canopy and forest floor, decreased due to abiotic sorption in the mineral soil, and remained relatively low in most downstream ecosystems (streamside seeps, streams, and Mirror Lake). Average flux of DOC is estimated as 17, 47, 263, 54, 23, and 20 kg{center dot}ha{sup {minus}1}{center dot}yr{sup {minus}1} in precipitation, throughfall, soil solution (E, upper B, and B horizons), and streamflow, respectively. The composition of DOC, in particular the relative proportions of carbohydrates, appears to be related to the degree of biological activity at a given site in the landscape. Carbohydrates are particularly high in both absolute and relative terms in throughfall and lake water, which are the areas of highest photosynthetic activity within the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, respectively.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS VARIATIONS OF ESSENTIAL OILS FROM RHIZOMES OF FOUR ZINGIBERACEAE SPECIES.

The essential oils were extracted using the hydrodistillation method from four Zingiberaceae species; Zingiber officinale var.rubrum, Zingiber amaricans, Kaempferia galanga, and Boesenbergia pandurata. Volatile components of all extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The major constituents of Zingiber officinale, Zingiber amaricans, Kaempferia galanga, and Boesenbergia pandurata were identified as E-citral (20.98%), zerumbone (40.70%), ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (58.47%) and camphor (57.97%), respectively. Kaempferia galanga and Zingiber amaricans were rich in sesquiterpenes whereas Boesenbergia pandurata and Zingiber officinale var. rubrum contained mostly monoterpenes.
Effect of hydraulic conditions and disinfectants on biofilm in model distribution systems

Adopting a traditional culture method and PCR–DGGE, this paper discusses the biofilm development on a polyethylene pipeline in model water distribution systems. When chlorine is absent, different hydraulic conditions had no effect on biofilm development. Biofilm HPCs developed up to a stable level in 7 days and maintained at 105 CFU/cm2. The diversity of bacteria increased as time went on, and some kinds of bacteria changed greatly: Sphingomonas sp. tended to excrete extracellular polymers and Mycobacterium sp. had a highly hydrophobic surface, gradually taking the place of some other kinds. When chlorine is present, biofilm HPCs under shear stress 0.95 N/m2 was about a quarter of that of 0.18 N/m2. The diversity of the bacteria decreased relatively, and Acinetobacter baumannii, with a good drug-fast ability, became the dominant bacterium.
An electrochemical sensor based on iron(II,III)@graphene oxide@molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles for interleukin-8 detection in saliva

A novel electrochemical sensor for interleukin-8 (IL-8) detection based on Fe3O4@graphene oxide (GO)@molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanoparticles was constructed. IL-8 was surface imprinted on GO modified super-paramagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the synthesized Fe3O4@GO@MIP nanoparticles were self-assembled onto a Au film electrode under a magnetic field. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to characterize the core–shell structure of the nanoparticles. Cyclic voltammetry measurements were used to monitor the electrochemical process and its optimization, which illustrated that IL-8 could selectively bind to the Fe3O4@GO@MIP nanoparticle based sensor and cause a decrease of the measured current (the higher the concentration of IL-8, the larger the decrease of the current). The results revealed that the sensor displayed superb resistance to non-specific binding, a very attractive detection limit as low as 0.04 pM, and a wide linear range from 0.1 to 10 pM towards IL-8. Furthermore, the sensor was also successfully used for the detection of IL-8 in saliva. Therefore, the Fe3O4@GO@MIP nanoparticle based sensor might provide a sensitive, rapid, selective and cost-effective method for IL-8 determination and related cancer marker analysis.
Molecular-Scale Structure of the Cation Modified Muscovite Mica Basal-Plane

The muscovite mica basal plane surface was investigated directly with atomic force microscopy (AFM), zeta potential, and contact angle measurements after H + , Li + , K + , and Mg 2+ ion exchange followed by heating at a temperature of 300 o C. Typical AFM images of the H- and K-mica showed an ideal array of light spots corresponding to one to five oxygen ions on the surface crystallographic layer of the muscovite mica. No spots were observed in the cavity surrounded by the light spots. In particular, the ideal image of H-mica, which should correspond to a bare basal plane where no interlayer cation exists, indicated that the calcination did not damage the mica basal plane
Recalibrating pandemic risk leadership: Thirteen crisis ready strategies for COVID-19

Abstract Good leadership is widely regarded as a crucial component of risk and crisis management and remains an enduring theme of more than 40 years of inquiry into emergencies, disasters, and controversies. Today, the question of good leadership has come under the spotlight again as a key factor shaping how successfully nations have dealt with the COVID-19 global health crisis. Amidst plummeting levels of public trust, the worst recession of the G7, and the highest death toll in Europe, the UK’s pandemic leadership response has faced especially stern accusations of incompetence and culpability for what has been described as the most catastrophic science policy failure for a generation. Addressing these issues, this paper argues for the adoption of a more pluralised UK leadership approach for handling COVID-19. Particularly, it is contended that as COVID-19 is a multifaceted problem that presents many varied and distributed challenges, UK leadership should employ a differentiated range of strategic mechanisms and processes to help improve substantive understandings and decision-making, support collective resilience, and build adaptive capacities as the crisis continues. The paper accordingly identifies and elaborates thirteen strategies, drawing on lessons and insights from the risk and crisis management field, that are proposed to serve as a useful heuristic to help guide UK pandemic leadership in this endeavour. To illustrate the value and application of each strategy, examples are provided of noteworthy leadership responses to COVID-19 observed internationally thus far, as well as leadership problems that have hampered the UK’s pandemic response. In conclusion, it is suggested that in as far as the conduct expected of leaders during a pandemic, or any other crisis, should maintain and be reflective of democratic values and standards of legitimacy, these strategies may also provide broadly applicable normative criteria against which leadership performance in handling COVID-19 may be judged as crisis ready.
Sponges in a Changing Climate: Survival of Agelas oroides in a Warming Mediterranean Sea

Sponges hold a key role in benthic environments, and specifically in the Mediterranean Sea. Past events of mass mortality in sponge communities have been linked to extended periods of high-temperature anomalies, yet it is unknown how a gradual change, such as the constant rise in global seawater temperatures, will affect biodiversity. Here we present a case study of Agelas oroides, a common massive sponge in the Mediterranean Sea, found at a wide depth range of 1–150 m. Last documented in the 1970s, A. oroides was considered lost from the Israeli coastal fauna. However, its recent rediscovery in mesophotic depths, where environmental conditions are stable, provided an opportunity to examine whether it can survive the present conditions in the shallow Israeli coast – where temperatures increased by 3°C during the past 60 years, while the nutrients concentration decreased following the damming of the Nile River. To test this hypothesis, A. oroides individuals were collected during winter from mesophotic sponge grounds (100–120 m) and transplanted to a shallow rocky habitat (10 m). Control individuals were transplanted back to the mesophotic habitat. Sponge survival, temperature, and nutrient concentrations were measured in both habitats. The shallow-transplanted sponges’ survival decreased only when the ambient temperature exceeded 28°C. In contrast, the control group at the mesophotic depth, where the temperature never rose above 20°C, survived the duration of the experiment. Our findings suggest that a prolonged period of high temperatures may constitute a major factor in A. oroides survival and disappearance from the Israeli shallow habitats.
Ring Chromosome 20 Syndrome: Genetics, Clinical Characteristics, and Overlapping Phenotypes

Ring chromosome 20 [r(20)] syndrome is a rare condition characterized by a non-supernumerary ring chromosome 20 replacing a normal chromosome 20. It is commonly seen in a mosaic state and is diagnosed by means of karyotyping. r(20) syndrome is characterized by a recognizable epileptic phenotype with typical EEG pattern, intellectual disability manifesting after seizure onset in otherwise normally developing children, and behavioral changes. Despite the distinctive phenotype, many patients still lack a diagnosis—especially in the genomic era—and the pathomechanisms of ring formation are poorly understood. In this review we address the genetic and clinical aspects of r(20) syndrome, and discuss differential diagnoses and overlapping phenotypes, providing the reader with useful tools for clinical and laboratory practice. We also discuss the current issues in understanding the mechanisms through which ring 20 chromosome causes the typical manifestations, and present unpublished data about methylation studies. Ultimately, we explore future perspectives of r(20) research. Our intended audience is clinical and laboratory geneticists, child and adult neurologists, and genetic counselors.
Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated From Different Forages as Silage Inoculants for Improving Fermentation Quality and Aerobic Stability

We aimed at isolating lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from different plant materials to study their crossed-fermentation capacity in silos and to find strains able to confer enhanced aerobic stability to silage. A total of 129 LAB isolates were obtained from lucerne (alfalfa), maize, sorghum, ryegrass, rice, barley, canola, Gatton panic, Melilotus albus, soy, white clover, wheat, sunflower, oat, and moha. Four Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum strains (isolated from oat, lucerne, sorghum, or maize) were selected for their growth capacity. Identity (16S sequencing) and diversity (RAPD-PCR) were confirmed. Fermentative capacity (inoculated at 104, 105, 106, 107 CFU/g) was studied in maize silage and their cross-fermentation capacity was assessed in oat, lucerne, sorghum, and maize. Heterofermentative strains with the highest acetic acid production capacity conferred higher aerobic stability to maize silages. Regardless the source of isolation, L. plantarum strains, inoculated at a rate of 106 CFU/g, were effective to produce silage from different plant materials. From more than 100 isolates obtained, the application of a succession of experiments allowed us to narrow down the number of potential candidates of silage inoculants to two strains. Based on the studies made, L. plantarum LpM15 and Limosilactobacillus fermentum LfM1 showed potential to be used as inoculants, however further studies are needed to determine their performance when inoculated together. The former because it positively influenced different quality parameters in oat, lucerne, sorghum, and maize silage, and the latter because of its capacity to confer enhanced aerobic stability to maize silage. The rest of the strains constitute a valuable collection of autochthonous strains that will be further studied in the future for new applications in animal or human foods.
Primary Cognitive Categories Are Determined by Their Invariances

The world as we perceive it is structured into objects, actions and places that form parts of events. In this article, my aim is to explain why these categories are cognitively primary. From an empiricist and evolutionary standpoint, it is argued that the reduction of the complexity of sensory signals is based on the brain's capacity to identify various types of invariances that are evolutionarily relevant for the activities of the organism. The first aim of the article is to explain why places, object and actions are primary cognitive categories in our constructions of the external world. It is shown that the invariances that determine these categories have their separate characteristics and that they are, by and large, independent of each other. This separation is supported by what is known about the neural mechanisms. The second aim is to show that the category of events can be analyzed as being constituted of the primary categories. The category of numbers is briefly discussed. Some implications for computational models of the categories are also presented.
Daphnetin Attenuated Cisplatin-Induced Acute Nephrotoxicity With Enhancing Antitumor Activity of Cisplatin by Upregulating SIRT1/SIRT6-Nrf2 Pathway

Cisplatin (CDDP) is a widely used drug for cancer treatment that exhibits major side effects in normal tissues, such as nephrotoxicity in kidneys. The Nrf2 signaling pathway, a regulator of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation, is a potential therapeutic target in CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity. We explored the underlying mechanisms in wild-type (WT) and Nrf2−/− mice on CDDP-induced renal dysfunction in vivo. We found that Nrf2 deficiency aggravated CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity, and Daph treatment significantly ameliorated the renal injury characterized by biochemical markers in WT mice and reduced the CDDP-induced cell damage. In terms of the mechanism, Daph upregulated the SIRT1 and SIRT6 expression in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, Daph inhibited the expression level of NOX4, whereas it activated Nrf2 translocation and antioxidant enzymes HO-1 and NQO1, and alleviated oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, Daph suppressed CDDP-induced NF-κB and MAPK inflammation pathways, as well as p53 and cleaved caspase-3 apoptosis pathways. Notably, the protective effects of Daph in WT mice were completely abrogated in Nrf2−/− mice. Moreover, Daph enhanced, rather than attenuated, the tumoricidal effect of CDDP.
How Can Drug Metabolism and Transporter Genetics Inform Psychotropic Prescribing?

Many genetic variants in drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters have been shown to be relevant for treating psychiatric disorders. Associations are strong enough to feature on drug labels and for prescribing guidelines based on such data. A range of commercial tests are available; however, there is variability in included genetic variants, methodology, and interpretation. We herein provide relevant background for understanding clinical associations with specific variants, other factors that are relevant to consider when interpreting such data (such as age, gender, drug–drug interactions), and summarize the data relevant to clinical utility of pharmacogenetic testing in psychiatry and the available prescribing guidelines. We also highlight areas for future research focus in this field.
Correlation of lattice distortion with optical and electrical properties of In2O3:Sn films

Polycrystalline In2O3:Sn (ITO) films were prepared by direct current magnetron sputtering at substrate temperatures between 150 and 400 °C and at various oxygen admixtures to the sputter gas. X-ray diffraction peaks (position and width) were evaluated with respect to lattice distortion (net increase and fluctuations of the lattice constant). The characteristic optical parameters of the films were obtained by dielectric modeling of experimental transmittance and reflectance spectra. The plasma edge was evaluated with respect to electron density and mobility. The electron density decreases linearly with the lattice distortion. This confirms a model of oxygen incorporation into the lattice during sputtering and allows an estimation of the density of oxygen interstitials from x-ray spectra. The electron mobility inside the grains decreases with decreasing electron density. This is well explained by a model based on scattering at ionized Sn donors that are partially compensated by interstitial oxygen ions. The.
Molecular Regulators of Cellular Mechanoadaptation at Cell–Material Interfaces

Diverse essential cellular behaviors are determined by extracellular physical cues that are detected by highly orchestrated subcellular interactions with the extracellular microenvironment. To maintain the reciprocity of cellular responses and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix, cells utilize a variety of signaling pathways that transduce biophysical stimuli to biochemical reactions. Recent advances in the micromanipulation of individual cells have shown that cellular responses to distinct physical and chemical features of the material are fundamental determinants of cellular mechanosensation and mechanotransduction. In the process of outside-in signal transduction, transmembrane protein integrins facilitate the formation of focal adhesion protein clusters that are connected to the cytoskeletal architecture and anchor the cell to the substrate. The linkers of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton molecular complexes, collectively termed LINC, are critical signal transducers that relay biophysical signals between the extranuclear cytoplasmic region and intranuclear nucleoplasmic region. Mechanical signals that involve cytoskeletal remodeling ultimately propagate into the nuclear envelope comprising the nuclear lamina in assistance with various nuclear membrane proteins, where nuclear mechanics play a key role in the subsequent alteration of gene expression and epigenetic modification. These intracellular mechanical signaling cues adjust cellular behaviors directly associated with mechanohomeostasis. Diverse strategies to modulate cell-material interfaces, including alteration of surface rigidity, confinement of cell adhesive region, and changes in surface topology, have been proposed to identify cellular signal transduction at the cellular and subcellular levels. In this review, we will discuss how a diversity of alterations in the physical properties of materials induce distinct cellular responses such as adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and chromosomal organization. Furthermore, the pathological relevance of misregulated cellular mechanosensation and mechanotransduction in the progression of devastating human diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and aging, will be extensively reviewed. Understanding cellular responses to various extracellular forces is expected to provide new insights into how cellular mechanoadaptation is modulated by manipulating the mechanics of extracellular matrix and the application of these materials in clinical aspects.
The Role of the CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 Chemokine Axis in Cancer

Chemokines are a family of small, secreted cytokines which regulate a variety of cell functions. The C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) binds to C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7). The interaction of CXCL12 and its receptors subsequently induces downstream signaling pathways with broad effects on chemotaxis, cell proliferation, migration, and gene expression. Accumulating evidence suggests that the CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis plays a pivotal role in tumor development, survival, angiogenesis, metastasis, and tumor microenvironment. In addition, this chemokine axis promotes chemoresistance in cancer therapy via complex crosstalk with other pathways. Multiple small molecules targeting CXCR4/CXCR7 have been developed and used for preclinical and clinical cancer treatment. In this review, we describe the roles of the CXCL12/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis in cancer progression and summarize strategies to develop novel targeted cancer therapies.
PASS: A Multimodal Database of Physical Activity and Stress for Mobile Passive Body/ Brain-Computer Interface Research

With the burgeoning of wearable devices and passive body/brain-computer interfaces (B/BCIs), automated stress monitoring in everyday settings has gained significant attention recently, with applications ranging from serious games to clinical monitoring. With mobile users, however, challenges arise due to other overlapping (and potentially confounding) physiological responses (e.g., due to physical activity) that may mask the effects of stress, as well as movement artifacts that can be introduced in the measured signals. For example, the classical increase in heart rate can no longer be attributed solely to stress and could be caused by the activity itself. This makes the development of mobile passive B/BCIs challenging. In this paper, we introduce PASS, a multimodal database of Physical Activity and StresS collected from 48 participants. Participants performed tasks of varying stress levels at three different activity levels and provided quantitative ratings of their perceived stress and fatigue levels. To manipulate stress, two video games (i.e., a calm exploration game and a survival game) were used. Peripheral physical activity (electrocardiography, electrodermal activity, breathing, skin temperature) as well as cerebral activity (electroencephalography) were measured throughout the experiment. A complete description of the experimental protocol is provided and preliminary analyses are performed to investigate the physiological reactions to stress in the presence of physical activity. The PASS database, including raw data and subjective ratings has been made available to the research community at http://musaelab.ca/pass-database/. It is hoped that this database will help advance mobile passive B/BCIs for use in everyday settings.