Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nanostructured lipid carriers loaded with Melaleuca alternifolia Oil preparation, physicochemical assessment, and evaluation of antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus epidermidis

1Food & Drug Safety Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 2Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 3Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 4Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran 5Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 6Dental and Periodontal Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 7Department of Basic Sciences, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
Direct Probing of Protein-Protein Interactions

This project aimed to establish feasibility of using experimental techniques based on direct measurements of interaction forces on the single molecule scale to characterize equilibrium interaction potentials between individual biological molecules. Such capability will impact several research areas, ranging from rapid interaction screening capabilities to providing verifiable inputs for computational models. It should be one of the enabling technologies for modern proteomics research. This study used a combination of Monte-Carlo simulations, theoretical considerations, and direct experimental measurements to investigate two model systems that represented typical experimental situations: force-induced melting of DNA rigidly attached to the tip, and force-induced unbinding of a protein-antibody pair connected to flexible tethers. Our results establish that for both systems researchers can use force spectroscopy measurements to extract reliable information about equilibrium interaction potentials. However, the approaches necessary to extract these potentials in each case--Jarzynski reconstruction and Dynamic Force Spectroscopy--are very different. We also show how the thermodynamics and kinetics of unbinding process dictates the choice between in each case.
The Recalled Age of Initiation of Multiple Tobacco Products among 26–34 Year Olds: Findings from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 1 (2013–2014)

This study examined the recalled age of initiation of seven different tobacco products (TPs) and explored potential influences of sex, race/ethnicity, and cigarette-smoking status on tobacco use initiation among adults 26–34 years old using the PATH study. Methods: Secondary analyses were conducted in the adult restricted PATH wave 1 (2013–2014) dataset. Weighted statistics are reported using the balanced repeated replication method and Fay’s correction to account for PATH’s complex study design. Distributions and histograms of the recalled age of initiation of seven different TPs (cigarettes, cigarillos, traditional cigars, filtered cigars, hookah, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes) are reported, as well as the impact of sex and race/ethnicity using Cox proportional hazard models. The impact of cigarette-smoking status on the recalled age of initiation of each tobacco product other than cigarettes was explored. Results: The highest modes of the recalled age of initiation of cigarette use were at 14–15 and 15–16 years old. The distributions of the recalled age of initiation of cigarillos, traditional cigars, filtered cigars, hookah, and smokeless tobacco occurred later, with the highest modes at 15–16 and 17–18 years old. The distribution of the recalled age of initiation of e-cigarettes had a different shape than the other TPs, with the highest mode reported at 27–28 years old. Conclusion: Due to the ever-changing tobacco marketplace, understanding when contemporary adults aged 26–34 years recall initiating TP use is important and will inform prevention researchers.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Radical Surgery versus Concurrent Chemo-Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis

Abstract Objectives This study aims to evaluate oncological outcomes in women affected by locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical surgery (NACT + RS) or concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT). Methods This was a multicenter retrospective analysis of data related to women with LACC (FIGO stage IB2-IVA), who were treated by NACT + RS or CCRT between November 2006 and January 2018. The first endpoints were the evaluation of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS); univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for identifying the prognostic factors independently associated with these oncological outcomes. Results Overall, 106 women were included in the analysis; 55 of them (51.9%) underwent NACT + RS and 51 (48.1%) CCRT, respectively. Patients in the NACT + RS group had a significant better five-year DFS and five-year OS than those in the CCRT group (77.4% vs. 33.4%, p < .001 and 93.8% vs. 56.5%, p = .003). In the multivariate analyses, treatment choice (NACT + RS or CCRT) was the only independent prognostic factor for predicting both DFS (HR = 3.954; 95 CI = 1.898–8.236; p < 0.001) and OS (HR = 5.330; 95 CI = 1.563–18.178; p = 0.008). Conclusions This retrospective study demonstrated an improved survival outcome for patients undergoing NACT + RS compared with those undergoing CCRT. Our findings seem to support the use of NACT before RS as an effective alternative option to CCRT standard therapy.
Seguridad y efecto antiinflamatorio del extracto hidroalcohólico de las hojas de Senna alata (L.) Roxb (dormilona) en ratas con inducción a inflamación aguda

1 Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Interamericana para el Desarrollo. Lima, Perú 2 Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Privada Norbert Wiener. Lima, Perú a Doctor en Salud b Maestro en Farmacología con mención en Farmacología Experimental c Maestro en Administración de la Educación d Estudiantes de Farmacia y Bioquímica ______________________________________________________________________
Development and Evaluation of Polymeric Nanosponge Hydrogel for Terbinafine Hydrochloride: Statistical Optimization, In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Terbinafine hydrochloride, although one of the prominent antifungal agents, suffers from low drug permeation owing to its hydrophobic nature. The approach of nanosponge formulation may thus help to resolve this concern. Thus, the present research was envisioned to fabricate the nanosponge hydrogel of terbinafine hydrochloride for topical delivery since nanosponge augments the skin retentivity of the drug. The optimized formulation was obtained using Box Behnken Design. The dependent and independent process parameters were also determined wherein polyvinyl alcohol (%), ethylcellulose (%), and tween 80 (%) were taken as independent process parameters and particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and entrapment efficiency (EE) were the dependent parameters. The nanosponge was then incorporated into the hydrogel and characterized. In-vitro drug release from the hydrogel was 90.20 ± 0.1% which was higher than the drug suspension and marketed formulation. In vitro permeation potential of the developed formulation through rat skin showed a flux of 0.594 ± 0.22 µg/cm2/h while the permeability coefficient was 0.059 ± 0.022 cm/s. Nanosponge hydrogel was evaluated for non-irritancy and antifungal activity against C. albicans and T. rubrum confirming the substantial outcome. Tape stripping studies exhibited ten times stripping off the skin quantified 85.6 ± 0.21 μg/cm2. The confocal analysis justified the permeation potential of the prepared hydrogel. The mean erythemal score was 0.0, confirming that the prepared hydrogel did not cause erythema or oedema. Therefore, based on results obtained, nanosponge hydrogel formulation is a potential carrier for efficient topical delivery of terbinafine hydrochloride.
Muscle Force Estimation Based on Neural Drive Information From Individual Motor Units

Estimation of muscle contraction force based on the macroscopic feature of surface electromyography (SEMG) has been widely reported, but the use of microscopic neural drive information has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, a novel method is proposed to process individual motor unit (MU) activities (firing sequences and action potential waveforms) derived from the decomposition of high density SEMG (HD-SEMG), and it is applied to muscle force estimation. In the proposed method, a supervised machine learning approach was conducted to determine the twitch force of each MU according to its action potential waveforms, which enables separate calculation of every MU’s contribution to force. Thus, the muscle force was predicted through a physiologically meaningful muscle force model. In the experiment, HD-SEMG data were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis muscles of eight healthy subjects during their performance of thumb abduction with the force increasing gradually from zero to four force levels (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% of the maximal voluntary contraction), while the true muscle force was measured simultaneously. When the proposed method was used, the root mean square difference (RMSD) of the error of the estimated force with respect to the measured force was reported to be 8.3% ± 2.8%. The proposed method also significantly outperformed the other four common methods for force estimation (RMSD: from 11.7% to 20%, ${p} < 0.001$ ), demonstrating its effectiveness. This study offers a useful tool for exploiting the neural drive information towards muscle force estimation with improved precision. The proposed method has wide applications in precise motor control, sport and rehabilitation medicine.
Physiological, Transcriptomic, and Metabolic Responses of Ginkgo biloba L. to Drought, Salt, and Heat Stresses

Ginkgo biloba L. is highly adaptable and resistant to a range of abiotic stressors, allowing its growth in various environments. However, it is unclear how G. biloba responds to common environmental stresses. We explored the physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolic responses of G. biloba to short-term drought, salt, and heat stresses. Proline, H2O2, and ABA contents, along with CAT activity, increased under all three types of stress. SOD activity increased under salt and heat stresses, while soluble protein and IAA contents decreased under drought and salt stresses. With respect to metabolites, D-glyceric acid increased in response to drought and salt stresses, whereas isomaltose 1, oxalamide, and threonine 2 increased under drought. Piceatannol 2,4-hydroxybutyrate and 1,3-diaminopropane increased under salt stress, whereas 4-aminobutyric acid 1 and galactonic acid increased in response to heat stress. Genes regulating nitrogen assimilation were upregulated only under drought, while the GRAS gene was upregulated under all three types of stressors. ARF genes were downregulated under heat stress, whereas genes encoding HSF and SPL were upregulated. Additionally, we predicted that miR156, miR160, miR172, and their target genes participate in stress responses. Our study provides valuable data for studying the multilevel response to drought, salinity, and heat in G. biloba.
Evaluation of the splint-supported Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device in skeletal Class II growing subjects.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the use of the Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device (FFRD), supported with bimaxillary splints, in treatment of skeletal Class II malocclusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data from 46 skeletal Class II females who received either conventional Forsus alone (FFRD group) (15 patients, 12.54 ± 0.90 years), FFRD and bimaxillary splints (splint-FFRD group) (15 patients, 12.29 ± 0.82 years), or were untreated controls (16 subjects, 12.1 ± 0.9 years) were retrieved from previous clinical trials. FFRD was inserted onto the mandibular archwire in the FFRD group after leveling and alignment with multibracket appliances. In the splint-FFRD group, Forsus was inserted between fixed maxillary and mandibular splints. Treatment continued until reaching an edge-to-edge incisor relationship. RESULTS Both treatment groups failed to induce significant mandibular skeletal effects compared to the normal growth exhibited by untreated controls. The splint-FFRD group showed significant reduction of SNA (-0.88° ± 0.51°) and ANB (-1.36° ± 0.87°). The mandibular incisors showed significant proclination in the FFRD (9.17° ± 2.42°) and splint-FFRD groups (7.06° ± 3.34°). CONCLUSIONS The newly proposed splint-supported FFRD was equally effective as the conventional FFRD in treatment of Class II malocclusion with dento-alveolar changes and additional maxillary restricting effect. It has an additional advantage of immediate initiation of the Class II correction.
Evaluation of the effect of myelotomy on nerve function in rats with spinal cord injury by diffusion tensor imaging

Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe central nervous system injury that can generally induce different degrees of sensory and motor dysfunction Purpose To clarify the changes of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters after spinal cord myelotomy in rats with SCI. Material and Methods Eighteen Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the Sham group (n=6), SCI group (n=6), and Mye group (n=6), respectively. The DTI values at 1, 3, 7, and 21 days after modeling were collected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The spinal specimen at the injury site was collected on the 21st day for Nissl’s staining to assess the changes in neurons. Results The fractional anisotropy (FA) values in both the SCI group and Mye group significantly decreased. In addition, the FA values between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) values all decreased and then increased (P < 0.001). Pearson correlation test showed that the ADC, MD, and AD values were positively correlated with the Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) score. Nissl’s staining showed a higher number of Nissl’s bodies, and deep staining of Nissl’s bodies in the Mye group, while the morphology of neurons was relatively good. The number of neurons in the Mye group was significantly higher after myelotomy compared to the SCI group (P < 0.001). Conclusion The DTI parameters, especially ADC values, could non-invasively and quantifiably evaluate the efficacy of myelotomy for rats with SCI.
Corrosion inhibition effect of spiropyrimidinethiones on mild steel in 15% HCl solution: insight from electrochemical and quantum studies

The effect of synthesized spiropyrimidinethiones, namely, 6′-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1′-phenyl-2′-thioxo-2′,3′-dihydro-1′H-spiro[indoline-3,4′-pyrimidine]-2-one (MPTS) and 6′-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1′-phenyl-2′-thioxo-2′,3′-dihydro-1′H-spiro[indoline-3,4′-pyrimidine]-2-one (CPTS) on the corrosion of mild steel in 15% HCl solution was investigated by using weight loss and electrochemical methods. Both inhibitors act as mixed inhibitors and their adsorption on mild steel obeyed Langmuir's adsorption isotherm. The potential of zero charge (EPZC) for the mild steel was determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy, FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the surface morphology of the uninhibited and inhibited mild steel specimens. Density Functional Theory (DFT) was employed for theoretical calculations.
Influence of Subclinical Ketosis in Dairy Cows on Ingestive-Related Behaviours Registered with a Real-Time System

Simple Summary Earlier disease detection may benefit cows by improving responses to treatment. We expected that changes in rumination before evident clinical signs of subclinical ketosis would result in the earlier identification of disease. Cows with subclinical ketosis showed lesser average values for the following parameters: rumination time and rumination chews (1.48 and 1.68 times respectively; p < 0.001), drinking time (1.50 times; p < 0.001), chews per minute, bolus and chews per bolus (1.12, 1.45 and 1.51 times; p < 0.001). From the 15th day before the diagnosis of ketosis, rumination time in the healthy group was greater than that in subclinical ketosis cows from −0.96% (−17 day) to 187.79% (0 days, p < 0.001). Eating time at the beginning of the experiment in healthy cows was 48.92% and at the end of the period was −91.97% lesser compared to subclinical ketosis (p < 0.001). Abstract According to the literature, rumination time can be used as biomarker in the diagnosis of subclinical ketosis (SCK). We hypothesized that SCK in cows influences ingestive-related behaviours registered with the real-time system. The aim of the current study was to determine the influence of SCK on dairy cows’ ingestive-related behaviours registered with a real-time system. Twenty Lithuanian Black and White breed dairy cows were selected based on the following criteria: First day after calving, having two or more lactations (on average 3.0 ± 0.13 lactations), and being clinically healthy. The experiment lasted 18 days. Cows were tested 24 h a day for 17.5 days. On the day of diagnosis (day 0), data were recorded for 12 h. During the experimental period, one cow was studied for a total of 420 h. For the registration of rumination behaviour, the RumiWatch system (RWS) was used. It was found that cows with SCK showed lesser average values for the following parameters: rumination time and rumination chews (1.48 and 1.68 times respectively; p < 0.001), drinking time (1.50 times; p < 0.001), chews per minute, bolus and chews per bolus (1.12, 1.45 and 1.51 times; p < 0.001). From the 15th day before the diagnosis of SCK, rumination time in health cows was greater than that in SCK cows from −0.96% (−17 day) to 187.79% (0 days, < 0.001). We estimated the greater average value of drinking time in healthy cows compared with SCK cows from 34.22% on day −17 to −121.67% on day 0 (p < 0.001). Decrease in rumination time was associated with a significant increase in the probability of risk of SCK. Further studies are needed with a larger number of cows with SCK.
Development of the neural processing of vocal emotion during the first year of life

ABSTRACT Human infants are “wired” to respond to social information, an important capacity for survival. The ability to discriminate vocal emotion in others is likely to play a key role in successful social interactions with caregivers, which facilitate the rapid social-communicative development that infants typically undergo in the latter half of their first year. Infants have voice-sensitive brain regions that have been shown previously to be responsive to emotional prosody by 7 months. This study aimed to investigate the developmental trajectory of vocal emotion processing in temporal regions using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure brain sensitivity to angry, happy, and neutral vocalizations in the same infant at 6, 9, and 12 months. We found significant and increasing temporal cortical activation in response to vocal emotional stimuli over the three time points, suggesting consistent enhanced responses for happy compared to angry vocalizations, and vocal anger sensitivity is developing incrementally. The findings suggest that the neural processing of angry and happy prosody may follow distinct developmental pathways and is gradually “tuned” to become specialized between 6 and 12 months. This first longitudinal study of vocal emotion brain processing between 6 and 12 months highlights the need for more research to understand what drives typical and atypical social cognitive development across infancy and for follow-up into the second year.
Identification and Characterization of a Novel Apical Membrane Antigen 3 in Eimeria tenella

Eimeria tenella is an obligate intracellular parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa. As described for other members of Apicomplexa, apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) has been shown to be critical for sporozoite invasion of host cells by E. tenella. Recently, an E. tenella paralogue of AMA1 (EtAMA1), dubbed sporoAMA1 (EtAMA3), was identified in proteomic and transcriptomic analyses of E. tenella, but not further characterized. Here, we show that EtAMA3 is a type I integral membrane protein that has 24% −38% identity with other EtAMAs. EtAMA3 has the same pattern of Cys residues in domains I and II of AMA1 orthologs from apicomplexan parasites, but high variance in domain III, with all six invariant Cys residues absent. EtAMA3 expression was developmentally regulated at the mRNA and protein levels. EtAMA3 protein was detected in sporulated oocysts and sporozoites, but not in the unsporulated oocysts or second‐generation merozoites. EtAMA3 is secreted by micronemes and is primarily localized to the apical end of sporozoites during host‐cell invasion. Additionally, pretreatment of sporozoites with rEtAMA3‐specific antibodies substantially impeded their invasion into host cells. These results suggest EtAMA3 is a sporozoite‐specific protein that is involved in host‐cell sporozoite invasion.
Keratan sulfate proteoglycan as an axonal insulating barrier in the forebrain of fetuses with alobar/semi-lobar holoprosencephaly.

BACKGROUND Keratan sulfate (KS) is an abundant proteoglycan in the developing human CNS where it functions as an extracellular axonal guidance molecule, repelling glutamatergic while facilitating -GABAergic axons. It ensheaths axonal fascicles. In fetal brain maturation, KS acts as a barrier to axonal penetration. Its possible role in the pathogenesis of fetal holoprosencephaly (HPE) was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forebrains of 6 human fetuses with HPE identified by prenatal ultrasound were examined at autopsy with KS immunoreactivity and other markers of cellular maturation and synaptogenesis, with age-matched controls. RESULTS KS was strongly expressed in astrocytes in the thalamus from 13 weeks gestational age (GA) and in globus pallidus but not corpus striatum. Cortical plate reactivity was limited to the molecular zone, where KS was excessive, ensheathing individual transverse molecular zone axons. Axonal envelopment preceding myelination also was seen in the internal capsule and thalamocortical projections, but perifascicular KS was diminished. KS was not expressed in hippocampus in either HPE or controls. Glutamate receptor-2 (GluR2) was evident in hippocampal granular and pyramidal neurons at mid-gestation. KS distribution did not, however, correlate with synaptophysin. CONCLUSION Excessive ensheathment of axons by KS provides additional protection of GABAergic inhibitory axons and synapses that may help suppress epileptogenesis. Though involved in selection of excitatory and inhibitory synaptogenesis, KS does not follow a developmental sequence corresponding to synaptophysin or GluR2 reactivities in either HPE or in normal fetal brain.
Impact of roasting on nut quality.

Abstract: Roasting presents a traditional step in processing tree nuts and oilseeds into a wide range of products. This chapter discusses the basis of roasting as a thermal process and the influence of roasting parameters in hot air and oil roasting on the quality and the safety of roasted nuts. Lipid oxidation, a critical factor in limiting shelf life, may be controlled to a large extent by minimizing changes of nut microstructure. Non-enzymatic browning also forms antioxidants. The formation of acrylamide has been observed only in almonds and only at excessive roasting temperatures. Due to a lower heat transfer rate in hot-air roasting only oil roasting provides sufficient pasteurization of nuts contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Flavoring and seasoning technology, downstream processes and packaging systems meet the requirements of the modern food market.