Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A systematic review and analysis of determinants impacting adoption and assimilation of e-commerce in small and medium enterprises

This study aspires to conduct a systematic analysis of determinants affecting the adoption and assimilation of e-commerce in small and medium enterprises. For accomplishing the objective of the study, the researcher has identified 126 articles from reputed journals and assorted them into different factors and their relative frequency of occurrence in various studies using TOE architecture. An analysis of these explorations enabled us to investigate a variety of unearthing concerning our research objectives. We observed that there are numerous factors which have been used by researches for conducting studies affiliated to technological innovation adoption and assimilation in a different context. After scrutinising the elements in this study, we discovered that relative advantage, compatibility, cost, security concern/risk, technology readiness, strategic orientation, organisational characteristics, external pressure, technology vendor's support, government support, top management support, owner innovativeness, owner experience, owner characteristics are the factors which has been consistently used by most of the investigator under TOE framework.
The Physiological Cost of Pregnancy in a Tropical Viviparous Snake

Abstract During pregnancy, the metabolic rate of females may increase above basal levels to support metabolically active tissues and developing embryos. In mammals, this energetic cost of supporting the pregnancy (MCP) is an important component of reproductive effort, but less is known about the magnitude of this cost in ectothermic vertebrates. We estimated the metabolic cost of supporting pregnancy in a tropical viviparous snake, the Northern Death Adder, Acanthophis praelongus. We measured the metabolic rates of non-gravid and gravid females throughout gestation and following parturition. We also measured the oxygen consumption of a sample of neonates from each clutch within 24 h of birth. The metabolic rate of gravid females rose slowly during pregnancy, but was significantly elevated during the last three weeks of gestation. Considering the late term metabolism of gravid females as 100%, then the baseline metabolism of female Death Adders represented 36.6%, embryo metabolism accounted for 37.0%, and the cost of supporting the pregnancy was 26.4% of the total metabolic rate. Neonate metabolism during the first 24 h of birth was 2.9 times higher than the estimate for embryo metabolism. Thus, our results do not support the assumption that the metabolism of embryos (prior to birth) and neonates is similar in this species. Although gravid female Death Adders maintain high and constant body temperatures during late gestation, the energetic cost of supporting the pregnancy is only a minor component of the total reproductive effort for females of this species.
Eculizumab for complement mediated thrombotic microangiopathy in sickle cell disease.

Despite being the first genetic disease described, sickle cell disease (SCD) continues to afflict patients with immense pain, significant comorbidities and premature death. SCD has only recently benefited from new interventions with L-glutamine (2017), voxelotor (2019) and crizanlizumab (2019) representing the first Food and Drug Administration approved medications for SCD since hydroxyurea in 1997. These interventions have demonstrated some ability to reduce vaso-occlusive pain crisis episodes, improve hemoglobin (HGB), or reduce markers of hemolysis and have largely been used as preventative care measures. While these and additional approaches, such as hematopoietic stem cell transplant and gene therapy, can improve SCD care, many patients with SCD continue to suffer from severe acute SCD complications that can result in organ damage and early death. Unfortunately, in these situations, supportive care remains the primary approach to alleviate complications. The lack of more targeted approaches in part reflects an incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology and accompanying pharmacological targets that could specifically mitigate acute disease complications. We present a summary of three cases of children with SCD who developed significant acute complications that demonstrate underlying complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (CM-TMA). These cases include a delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction (DHTR), vasoocclusive crisis (VOC) and drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA). Patient #1 is a 14-year-old male with a history of two episodes of DHTR. At the age of 12 years, he received a transfusion pre-operatively for hip core-decompression. He presented 7 days later with severe diffuse body pain, hemoglobinuria, fever, and total HGB of 9.4 g/dL with hemoglobin A (HbA) at 17% (Figure 1A). Further testing revealed a previously detected anti-U alloantibody, negative direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and evidence for intravascular hemolysis. On the night of admission, he became hypertensive with headache and sluggish mentation. A brain magnetic resonance imaging scan was normal. HGB dropped to 5.6 g/dL within 30 hours of admission, and the patient rapidly deteriorated to multiorgan failure (MOF) with thrombocytopenia (Figure 1A). Due to strong suspicion for DHTR with hyperhemolysis and CM-TMA, he was treated with eculizumab 600 mg intravenously (IV) and erythropoietin 150 IU/kg to augment erythropoiesis. Over the next 24 hours, he developed a new consolidation in the left lung consistent with acute chest syndrome (ACS). He received one unit of crossmatch compatible, U-negative red blood cells (RBC) after a dose of 1 g/kg intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on day 9. Over the next few days, he made a gradual improvement in clinical and laboratory status. Eculizumab 600 mg was continued weekly for a total of four doses. Subsequent analysis revealed significant alternative complement pathway (ACP) activation at the peak
Evolutionary Causes and Consequences of Immunopathology

▪ Abstract Immune responses can cause severe disease, despite the role immunity plays in defending against parasitism. Indeed, immunopathology is a remarkably common cause of disease and has strong impacts upon both host and parasite fitness. Why has immune-mediated disease not been eliminated by natural selection? What constraints might immunopathology impose upon the evolution of resistance? In this review, we explore two major mechanistic causes of immunopathology in mammals and consider how such disease may have influenced immune system design. We then propose hypotheses that could explain the failure of natural selection to eliminate immunopathology. Finally, we suggest how the evolution of strategies for parasite virulence and host resistance may be shaped by this “double-edged sword” of immunity. Future work may reveal whether immunopathology constrains the evolution of resistance in all host taxa.
Endeavours of RuBisCO Small Subunit Promoter as a Tool of Green Tissue Specific Expression

Transcriptomics has the potential to rapidly increase our knowledge of spatial and temporal gene expression and contributes to the characterization of new promoters for research and development. The successful application of transgenic technology has been further strengthened by the availability of a broad spectrum of promoters having the ability to regulate the temporal and spatial expression patterns of the transgene. A variety of promoters is necessary at all levels of genetic engineering in plants, from basic research discoveries, to development of economically viable crops and plant commodities, to addressing legitimate concerns raised about the safety and containment of transgenic plants in the environment. Compared with the temporal- or spatial-specific expression of the toxin, constitutive expression of foreign proteins in transgenic plants may cause adverse effects. Constitutive overexpression of transgenes that interfere with normal processes in a plant underscores the need for refinement of transgene expression. The development of tissue-specific promoters to drive transgene expression has helped us to fulfil that need. Therefore, in certain circumstances, it is desirable to use expression-specific promoters which express only the foreign gene in specific plant tissues or organs. This review highlights the uses and benefits reaped by researchers by using a green tissue specific promoter, RuBisCO small subunit promoter, in different crops and systems and thus establishing a broad range of tissue specific promoters. Such plant promoters that are activated precisely when and where they are needed would be ideal for genetic engineering strategies.
MicroRNA‐345‐5p regulates depression by targeting suppressor of cytokine signaling 1

MicroRNA(miR)‐345‐5p plays a key role in various cellular functions. However, the function of miR‐345‐5p in resistant depression (TRD) is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role and mechanism of miR‐345‐5p in the treatment of resistance depression (TRD).
Cardiorespiratory and Thermoregulatory Parameters Are Good Surrogates for Measuring Physical Fatigue during a Simulated Construction Task

Cardiorespiratory (e.g., heart rate and breathing rate) and thermoregulatory (e.g., local skin temperature and electrodermal activity) responses are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. To cope with increased physical workload, the sympathetic system upregulates its activity to generate greater sympathetic responses (i.e., increased heart rate and respiratory rate). Therefore, physiological measures may have the potential to evaluate changes in physical condition (including fatigue) during functional tasks. This study aimed to quantify physical fatigue using wearable cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory sensors during a simulated construction task. Twenty-five healthy individuals (mean age, 31.8 ± 1.8 years) were recruited. Participants were instructed to perform 30 min of a simulated manual material handling task in a laboratory. The experimental setup comprised a station A, a 10-metre walking platform, and a station B. Each participant was asked to pick up a 15 kg ergonomically-designed wooden box from station A and then carried it along the platform and dropped it at station B. The task was repeated from B to A and then A to B until the participants perceived a fatigue level > 15 out of 20 on the Borg-20 scale. Heart rate, breathing rate, local skin temperature, and electrodermal activity at the wrist were measured by wearable sensors and the perceived physical fatigue was assessed using the Borg-20 scale at baseline, 15 min, and 30 min from the baseline. There were significant increases in the heart rate (mean changes: 50 ± 13.3 beats/min), breathing rate (mean changes: 9.8 ± 4.1 breaths), local skin temperature (mean changes: 3.4 ± 1.9 °C), electrodermal activity at the right wrist (mean changes: 7.1 ± 3.8 µS/cm), and subjective physical fatigue (mean changes: 8.8 ± 0.6 levels) at the end of the simulated construction task (p < 0.05). Heart rate and breathing rate at 15 and 30 min were significantly correlated with the corresponding subjective Borg scores (p < 0.01). Local skin temperature at 30 min was significantly correlated with the corresponding Borg scores (p < 0.05). However, electrodermal activity at the right wrist was not associated with Borg scores at any time points. The results implied cardiorespiratory parameters and local skin temperature were good surrogates for measuring physical fatigue. Conversely, electrodermal activity at the right wrist was unrelated to physical fatigue. Future field studies should investigate the sensitivity of various cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory parameters for real time physical fatigue monitoring in construction sites.
Identification of asthma phenotypes based on extrapulmonary treatable traits

Asthma is a heterogeneous and complex disease, and a description of asthma phenotypes based on extrapulmonary treatable traits has not been previously reported. The objective of this study was to identify and characterise clusters based on clinical, functional, anthropometrical and psychological characteristics in participants with moderate-to-severe asthma. This was a cross-sectional multicentre study involving centres from Brazil and Australia. Participants (n=296) with moderate-to-severe asthma were consecutively recruited. Physical activity and sedentary time, clinical asthma control, anthropometric data, pulmonary function and psychological and health status were evaluated. Participants were classified by hierarchical cluster analysis and the clusters compared using ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis and Chi-squared tests. Multiple logistic and linear regression models were performed to evaluate the association between variables. We identified four clusters: 1) participants with controlled asthma who were physically active; 2) participants with uncontrolled asthma who were physically inactive and more sedentary; 3) participants with uncontrolled asthma and low physical activity, who were also obese and experienced anxiety and/or depression symptoms; and 4) participants with very uncontrolled asthma who were physically inactive, more sedentary, obese and experienced anxiety and/or depression symptoms. Higher levels of sedentary time, female sex and anxiety symptoms were associated with increased odds of exacerbation risk, while being more active showed a protective factor for hospitalisation. Asthma control was associated with sex, the occurrence of exacerbation, physical activity and health status. Physical inactivity, obesity and symptoms of anxiety and/or depression were associated with worse asthma outcomes, and closely and inextricably associated with asthma control. This cluster analysis highlights the importance of assessing extrapulmonary traits to improve personalised management and outcomes for people with moderate and severe asthma. Cluster analysis based on extrapulmonary treatable traits in people with moderate-to-severe asthma indicates that physical inactivity, higher levels of sedentary time, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and obesity are associated with worse outcomes. https://bit.ly/2ATv1Ce
Free Your Mind: Emotional Expressive Flexibility Moderates the Effect of Stress on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Servicemen are exposed to high levels of stress as part of their daily routine, however, studies which tested the relationship between stress and clinical symptoms reached inconsistent results. The present study examines the role of expressive flexibility, which was determined according to the ability to enhance or suppress either negative or positive emotional expression in conflictual situations, as a possible moderator between stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. A total of 82 active-duty firefighters (all men, age range = 25–66, M = 33.59, SD = 9.56, range of years in duty service = 2–41, M = 14.37, SD = 11.79), with different duty-related repeated traumatic exposure, participated in the study. We predicted and found that firefighters with low, but not high, expressive flexibility showed a significant positive correlation between duty-related traumatic exposure and PTSD symptomology (t(81) = 3.85, p < 0.001). Hence, the greater the exposure the higher level of symptoms they exhibited. In addition, we found a difference between the moderating roles of suppressing positive and negative emotional expression, as high but not low, ability to suppress the expression of negative emotions (t(81) = 1.76, p > 0.05), as low but not high, ability to suppress the expression of positive emotions (t(81) = 1.6, p > 0.05), served as a protective factor in buffering the deleterious effect of repeated traumatic exposure. The results provide a pivotal support for the growing body of evidence that a flexible emotional profile is an adaptive one, in dealing with negative life events. However, while there is a need to update behavior, the direction of the adaptive update may differ as a function of valance.
Fabrication of Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Beaded Fibers for Rosmarinic Acid

The present study describes the fabrication of molecularly imprinted (MI) magnetic beaded fibers using electrospinning. Rosmarinic acid was selected as exemplary yet relevant template during molecular imprinting. A “design of experiments” methodology was used for optimizing the electrospinning process. Four factors, i.e., the concentration of the biodegradable polymer (polycaprolactone), the applied voltage, the flow rate, and the collector distance were varied in a central composite design. The production process was then optimized according to the suitability of the beaded fibers during microrobot fabrication, actuation, and drug release. The optimum average fiber diameter of MI beaded fibers was determined at 857 ± 390 nm with an average number of beads at 0.011 ± 0.002 per µm2. In vitro release profiles of the optimized MI beaded fibers revealed a lower burst rate and a more sustained release when compared to control fibers. Magnetic control of the MI beaded fibers was successfully tested by following selected waypoints along a star-shaped predefined trajectory. This study innovatively combines molecular imprinting technology with magnetic microrobots enabling targeted drug delivery systems that offer precise motion control via the magnetic response of microrobots along with selective uptake of a drug into the microrobot using MI beaded fibers in future.
Characterisation of the Interaction among Oil-In-Water Nanocapsules and Mucin

Mucins are glycoproteins present in all mucosal surfaces and in secretions such as saliva. Mucins are involved in the mucoadhesion of nanodevices carrying bioactive molecules to their target sites in vivo. Oil-in-water nanocapsules (NCs) have been synthesised for carrying N,N′-(di-m-methylphenyl)urea (DMTU), a quorum-sensing inhibitor, to the oral cavity. DMTU-loaded NCs constitute an alternative for the treatment of plaque (bacterial biofilm). In this work, the stability of the NCs after their interaction with mucin is analysed. Mucin type III from Sigma-Aldrich has been used as the mucin model. Mucin and NCs were characterised by the multi-detection asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation technique (AF4). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential analyses were carried out to characterise the interaction between mucin and NCs. According to the results, loading DMTU changes the conformation of the NC. It was also found that the synergistic interaction between mucin and NCs was favoured within a specific range of the mucin:NC ratio within the first 24 h. Studies on the release of DMTU in vitro and the microbial activity of such NCs are ongoing in our lab.
Bioactive Compounds and Quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

(1) Background: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is responsible for a large part of many health benefits associated to Mediterranean diet as it is a fundamental ingredient of this diet. The peculiarities of this golden, highly valued product are in part due to the requirements that must be met to achieve this title, namely, it has to be obtained using exclusively mechanical procedures, its free acidity cannot be greater than 0.8%, it must not show sensory defects, and it has to possess a fruity taste. (2) Methods: All these characteristics are key factors to EVOO quality, thus the chemical composition of these many health-promoting compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids (which are also the major compounds, especially oleic acid), as well as minor components such as tocopherols or phenolic compounds (which behave as natural antioxidants) must be preserved. (3) Results: Due to the presence of all these compounds, the daily consumption of EVOO entails health benefits such as cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor properties or acting as regulator of the intestinal microbiota, among others. (4) Conclusions: Taking all together, conserving EVOO chemical composition is essential to preserve its properties, so it is worth to control certain factors during storage like exposure to light, temperature, oxygen presence or the chosen packaging material, to maintain its quality and extend its shelf-life until its consumption.
Antifungal Effect of A Chimeric Peptide Hn-Mc against Pathogenic Fungal Strains

It is difficult to identify new antifungal agents because of their eukaryotic nature. However, antimicrobial peptides can well differentiate among cell types owing to their variable amino acid content. This study aimed to investigate the antifungal effect of Hn-Mc, a chimeric peptide comprised of the N-terminus of HPA3NT3 and the C-terminus of melittin. We evaluated its potent antifungal activity at low minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 1–16 μM against pathogenic yeast and molds. The cell-type specificity of Hn-Mc was mediated through the formation of a random α-helical structure to mimic the fungal membrane environment. Furthermore, Hn-Mc caused cell death in C. tropicalis and F. oxysporum by inducing apoptosis via the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to mitochondrial damage. The present results indicate that Hn-Mc has a high affinity for the fungal plasma membrane and induces apoptosis in fungal cells, and provide guidance for the development of new antifungal agents.
Reengineering of a Big Data architecture for real-time ingestion and data analysis

The thesis work has the aim to analyze the role covered by Big Data solutions in modern architectures and to provide a solution to a reengineering problem. All the work is focused on: - Reengineering of the Real Time Ingestion Layer, based on Kafka Stream and StreamSets - Realization of an Analytic Layer, CRUD compliant, based on Apache Kudu - Study and comparison of the Hadoop Query Layer: Hive vs Impala vs Kudu
Muscle force interacts with stature to influence functionally related polar second moments of area in the lower limb among adult women

Abstract Objectives We sought to determine the relationships between muscle size, function, and polar second moments of area (J) at the midshaft femur, proximal tibia, and midshaft tibia. Materials and Methods We used peripheral quantitative computed tomography to quantify right femoral and tibial J and soft tissue cross‐sectional areas, and force plate mechanography to quantify peak power output and maximum force of the right limb, among athletic women and control subjects. Results Lower limb bone J exhibited strong relationships with estimated force but not power between both groups. Among controls, the strongest relationships between force and J were found at the midshaft femur. Among athletes, these relationships shifted to the tibia, regardless of body size, likely reflecting functional strain related to the major knee extensors and ankle plantarflexors. Together, muscle force and stature explained as much as 82 and 48% of the variance in lower limb bone J among controls and athletes, respectively. Discussion Results highlight the importance of considering relevant muscle function variables (e.g., force and lever arm lengths) when interpreting behavioral signatures from skeletal remains. Future work to improve the estimation of muscle force from skeletal remains, and incorporate it with lever arm length into analyses, is warranted. Results also suggest that, in doing so, functional relationships between a given section location and musculature should be considered.