Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The antique heroines of Elisabetta Sirani

The painter Elisabetta Sirani (1638‐1665), a pivotal figure in promoting the prominence of women artists in her native city of Bologna, was innovative in her portrayals of heroines from classical antiquity. Avoiding the eroticism generally employed by male contemporaries like Guido Reni, Sirani characterized such figures as Portia, Timoclea, and Cleopatra by virtues more commonly associated with men than women during the early modern period in Italy. Sirani's unusual approaches to antique subjects, grounded in her knowledge of pertinent texts, mark the emergence of women's specialization in history painting in Bologna, a development that must be understood in the context of Bolognese humanism and contemporary advances by Bolognese women in the fields of music and literature.
Electrical Stimulation by an Organic Transistor Architecture Induces Calcium Signaling in Nonexcitable Brain Cells

Organic bioelectronics have a huge potential to generate interfaces and devices for the study of brain functions and for the therapy of brain pathologies. In this context, increasing efforts are needed to develop technologies for monitoring and stimulation of nonexcitable brain cells, called astrocytes. Astroglial calcium signaling plays, indeed, a pivotal role in the physiology and pathophysiology of the brain. Here, the use of transparent organic cell stimulating and sensing transistor (O‐CST) architecture, fabricated with N,N′‐ditridecylperylene‐3,4,9,10‐tetracarboxylic diimide (P13), to elicit and monitor intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in primary rat neocortical astrocytes is demonstrated. The transparency of O‐CST allows performing calcium imaging experiments, showing that extracellular electrical stimulation of astrocytes induces a drastic increase in [Ca2+]i. Pharmacological studies indicate that transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily are critical mediators of the [Ca2+]i increase. Experimental and computational analyses show that [Ca2+]i response is enabled by the O‐CST device architecture. Noteworthy, the extracellular field application induces a slight but significant increase in the cell volume. Collectively, it is shown that the O‐CST is capable of selectively evoking astrocytes [Ca2+]i, paving the way to the development of organic bioelectronic devices as glial interfaces to excite and control physiology of non‐neuronal brain cells.
Impaired cocaine‐induced behavioral plasticity in the male offspring of cocaine‐experienced sires

Our previous work indicated that male, but not female, offspring of cocaine‐experienced sires display blunted cocaine self‐administration. We extended this line of investigation to examine behavioral sensitization, a commonly used model of cocaine‐induced behavioral and neuronal plasticity. Results indicated that male, but not female, offspring of cocaine‐taking sires showed deficits in the ability of repeated systemic cocaine injections to induce augmented locomotor activity. The reduced cocaine sensitization phenotype in male progeny was associated with changes in histone post‐translational modifications, epigenetic processes that regulate gene expression by controlling the accessibility of genes to transcriptional machinery, in the nucleus accumbens of first‐generation male progeny. Thus, five histone post‐translational modifications were significantly altered in the male progeny of cocaine‐exposed sires. In contrast, self‐administration of nicotine was unaltered in male and female offspring suggesting that the intergenerational effects of paternal cocaine taking may be drug‐specific. Interestingly, the reduced sensitivity to cocaine previously observed in the male offspring of cocaine‐taking sires dissipated in the grand‐offspring. Both male and female grand‐progeny of cocaine‐exposed sires showed unaltered cocaine‐induced behavioral sensitization and cocaine self‐administration. Taken together, these findings indicate that paternal cocaine taking produces changes in multiple cocaine addiction‐related behaviors in male progeny, which do not persist beyond the first generation of offspring. Moreover, the altered sensitivity to cocaine in first‐generation male progeny of cocaine‐sired male offspring was associated with epigenetic modifications in the nucleus accumbens, a nucleus that plays a critical role in cocaine‐associated behavioral plasticity.
Coronary Vasculature in Cardiac Development and Regeneration

Functional coronary circulation is essential for a healthy heart in warm-blooded vertebrates, and coronary diseases can have a fatal consequence. Despite the growing interest, the knowledge about the coronary vessel development and the roles of new coronary vessel formation during heart regeneration is still limited. It is demonstrated that early revascularization is required for efficient heart regeneration. In this comprehensive review, we first describe the coronary vessel formation from an evolutionary perspective. We further discuss the cell origins of coronary endothelial cells and perivascular cells and summarize the critical signaling pathways regulating coronary vessel development. Lastly, we focus on the current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms regulating heart regeneration in zebrafish, a genetically tractable vertebrate model with a regenerative adult heart and well-developed coronary system.
Etched Fiber Bragg Grating Biosensor Functionalized with Aptamers for Detection of Thrombin

A biosensor based on an etched Fiber Bragg Grating (EFBG) for thrombin detection is reported. The sensing system is based on a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) with a Bragg wavelength of 1550 nm, wet-etched in hydrofluoric acid (HF) for ~27 min, to achieve sensitivity to a refractive index (RI) of 17.4 nm/RIU (refractive index unit). Subsequently, in order to perform a selective detection of thrombin, the EFBG has been functionalized with silane-coupling agent 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and a cross-linker, glutaraldehyde, for the immobilization of thrombin-binding aptamer. The biosensor has been validated for thrombin detection in concentrations ranging from 10 nM to 80 nM. The proposed sensor presents advantages with respect to other sensor configurations, based on plasmonic resonant tilted FBG or Long Period Grating (LPG), for thrombin detection. Firstly, fabricating an EFBG only requires chemical etching. Moreover, the functionalization method used in this study (silanization) allows the avoidance of complicated and expensive fabrications, such as thin film sputtering or chemical vapor deposition. Due to their characteristics, EFBG sensors are easier to multiplex and can be used in vivo. This opens new possibilities for the detection of thrombin in clinical settings.
Prevalence and occupational risk factors of musculoskeletal diseases and pain among dental professionals in Western countries: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Background This review aimed at examining the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases and pain among dental professionals in Western countries. Furthermore, possible occupational risk factors were analyzed. Methods The literature search was conducted from June to July 2016, with an update in December 2017 using the databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, LIVIVO, Science Direct, PubMed, and Web of Science. The quality assessment was performed with a standardized instrument consisting of 10 items. A meta-analysis was carried out to compute pooled prevalence rates for musculoskeletal diseases and pain. Results A total of 41 studies were included in this review; 30 studies met the criteria for the meta-analysis. Prevalence rates of musculoskeletal diseases and pain among dental professionals ranged from 10.8% to 97.9%. The neck was the body region affected most often (58.5%, 95% CI = 46.0–71.0) followed by the lower back (56.4%, 95% CI = 46.1–66.8), the shoulder (43.1%, 95% CI = 30.7–55.5) and the upper back (41.1%, 95% CI = 32.3–49.9). Potential occupational risk factors included an awkward working posture, high number of treated patients, administrative work, vibration, and repetition. Conclusions Musculoskeletal diseases and pain are a significant health burden for dental professionals. This study showed high prevalence rates for several body regions. Therefore, suitable interventions for preventing musculoskeletal diseases and pain among dental professionals are needed.
Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Using the Endophytic Bacterium Pantoea ananatis are Promising Antimicrobial Agents against Multidrug Resistant Bacteria

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most important global problems currently confronting the world. Different biomedical applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have indicated them to be promising antimicrobial agents. In the present study, extracellular extract of an endophytic bacterium, Pantoea ananatis, was used for synthesis of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and Zeta potential. The antimicrobial potential of the AgNPs against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus (ATCC 11632), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876), Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), and multidrug resistant (MDR) Streptococcus pneumoniae (ATCC 700677), Enterococcus faecium (ATCC 700221) Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 33592) Escherichia coli (NCTC 13351) was investigated. The synthesized spherical-shaped AgNPs with a size range of 8.06 nm to 91.32 nm exhibited significant antimicrobial activity at 6 μg/disc concentration against Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) which were found to be resistant to conventional antibiotics. The synthesized AgNPs showed promising antibacterial efficiency at 10 µg/disc concentration against the MDR strains. The present study suggests that AgNPs synthesized by using the endophytic bacterium P. ananatis are promising antimicrobial agent.
Efficacy and safety of crizotinib in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer

Introduction Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, despite advances in management, especially with targeted agents and immunotherapy. Numerous oncogenes have been identified that control the growth of these malignancies. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a tyrosine kinase that develops distorted functioning as a result of chromosomal rearrangement. Crizotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 for the treatment of advanced ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods In this chart review, we compiled data from two cancer hospitals in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia which were collected from patients with advanced NSCLC treated between January 2013 and September 2017 with crizotinib after diagnosed with ALK-positive disease. Crizotinib 250 mg BID was given orally with/without food intake. We assessed overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of the response, and dose reduction/cessation. Results De-identified data from 38 subjects were compiled. Their median age was 53 years, 65.8% were male, the 1-year OS was 88%, and the PFS was 16.5 months. Two cases (5.3%) had a complete response (CR), while 17 (44.7%) had a partial response (PR). Side effects of grade III/IV occurred, including elevated transaminase levels, diarrhea, and prolonged QT intervals, in 8% patients, with dose reduction in six patients (15.8%). Conclusion In NSCLC, crizotinib is a viable treatment option with good response and tolerable toxicity for patients with ALK-positive advanced disease.
A Novel Role for α-Importins and Akirin in Establishment of Meiotic Sister Chromatid Cohesion in Caenorhabditis elegans

During meiotic prophase I, sister chromatid cohesion is established in a way that supports the assembly of the synaptonemal complex (SC). The SC connects homologous chromosomes, directing meiotic recombination to create crossovers. In this paper, we identify two proteins that cooperate to import and load meiotic cohesins, thus indirectly promoting SC assembly. AKIR-1 is a protein with a previously identified meiotic role in SC disassembly. akir-1 mutants have no obvious defects in sister chromatid cohesion. We identified ima-2, a gene encoding for an α-importin nuclear transport protein, as a gene interacting with akir-1. Analysis of akir-1;ima-2 double mutants reveals a decrease in the number of germline nuclei and the formation of polycomplexes (PCs) (an SC protein aggregate). These PCs contain proteins that are part of the two main substructures of the SC: the central region and the lateral element. Unlike typical PCs, they also contain sister chromatid cohesion proteins. In akir-1;ima-2 double mutants, PCs are located in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. This suggests that the defects observed in the double mutants are both in nuclear import and in the assembly of sister chromatid cohesion. PC formation is also associated with recombination defects leading to reduced numbers of crossovers. Similarly to cohesion mutants, the pairing center protein HIM-8 is mislocalized in akir-1;ima-2 double mutants, forming multiple foci. We propose that AKIR-1 and IMA-2 operate in parallel pathways to import and load chromosomally associated cohesin complex proteins in meiotic nuclei, a novel finding for both of these conserved proteins.
Automatically recognizing strategic cooperative behaviors in various situations of a team sport

Understanding multi-agent cooperative behavior is challenging in various scientific and engineering domains. In some cases, such as team sports, many cooperative behaviors can be visually categorized and labeled manually by experts. However, these actions which are manually categorized with the same label based on its function have low spatiotemporal similarity. In other words, it is difficult to find similar and different structures of the motions with the same and different labels, respectively. Here, we propose an automatic recognition system for strategic cooperative plays, which are the minimal, basic, and diverse plays in a ball game. Using player’s moving distance, geometric information, and distances among players, the proposed method accurately discriminated not only the cooperative plays in a primary area, i.e., near the ball, but also those distant from a primary area. We also propose a method to classify more detailed types of cooperative plays in various situations. The proposed framework, which sheds light on inconspicuous players to play important roles, could have a potential to detect well-defined and labeled cooperative behaviors.
Análisis de la imagen y la cortesía intrasubjetiva en un texto autobiográfico

The purpose of this article is to analyze self-image image and politeness in an autobiography of Roland Barthes ([1975] 1978). For this, a sample of eighteen intrasubjective-discourse texts were chosen. The theoretical framework is based on Pragmatics (Goff man, 1970; Brown & Levinson, 1987; Haverkate, 1994; Bravo, 1999, 2000, 2004; Alvarez, 2005; Bernal, 2007) and the Theory of Writt en Culture (Amelang, 2003, 2005; Dekker, 1999, 2005; Bardet & Ruggiu, 2005). The fi ndings lead to the conclusion that autobiographers present a deteriorated image of themselves which as result of this self-infl icted damage refl ects self-politeness.
Genome-Wide Identification of microRNAs in Response to Salt/Alkali Stress in Medicago truncatula through High-Throughput Sequencing

Saline-alkaline stress is a universal abiotic stress that adversely affects plant growth and productivity. Saline-alkaline conditions results in plant abnormal transcriptome expression finally manifesting as defective phenotypes. Considerable research has revealed the active role of microRNA in various stress conditions. This study was aimed to identify novel miRNAs and the miRNA expression patterns in the leguminous model plant R108 (Medicago truncatula). The miRNA contained in the total RNA extracted from Medicago truncatula seedlings (72 h) that had been treated with solutions mimicking saline and alkaline soils was subjected to miRNA deep sequencing. The Illumina HiSeq sequencing platform was used to analyze nine small RNA libraries of three treatment groups: distilled water, 20 mM NaCl + Na2SO4 and 5 mM Na2CO3 + NaHCO3. Sequencing revealed that 876 miRNAs including 664 known miRNAs and 212 potential novel miRNAs were present in all the libraries. The miR159 family, miR156 family, miR2086-3p, miR396, miR166, miR319, miR167, miR5213-5p, miR1510 and miR2643 were among the most expressed miRNAs in all libraries. The results of miRNAs expression under treatments were validated by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Target gene prediction through computational analysis and pathway annotation analysis revealed that the primary pathways affected by stress were related to plant development, including metabolic processes, single-organism processes and response to the stimulus. Our results provide valuable information towards elucidating the molecular mechanisms of salt/alkali tolerance in Medicago truncatula and provide insight into the putative role of miRNAs in plant stress resistance.
Dietary Patterns, Bone Mineral Density, and Risk of Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the evidence on the relation between dietary patterns, bone mineral density (BMD), and risk of fracture in different age groups. Medline and Embase were searched for articles that identified dietary patterns and related these to BMD or risk of fracture through May 2018. Multivariable adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) comparing the lowest and highest categories of dietary pattern were combined by using a random effects meta-analysis. In total, 31 studies were selected for review, including 18 cohorts, 1 case-control, and 12 cross-sectional studies, in the meta-analysis of Prudent/healthy and Western/unhealthy dietary pattern, BMD, and risk of fracture. There was evidence of a lower risk of fracture when intakes in the highest categories were compared with the lowest categories of Prudent/healthy dietary pattern (OR = 0.81; 95%CI: 0.69, 0.95; p = 0.01). In contrast, when intakes in the highest categories were compared with the lowest categories of Western/unhealthy dietary pattern, a greater risk of fracture (OR = 1.10; 95%CI: 1.02, 1.19; p = 0.01) was observed among men. The present systematic review and meta-analysis provides evidence of an inverse association between a Prudent/healthy dietary pattern and risk of low BMD and a positive relation between Western/unhealthy dietary pattern and risk of low BMD.
LOCALIZACIÓN DE UN ROBOT MÓVIL TIPO LEGO CON EL FILTRO DE KALMAN

En el proyecto de investigacion Diseno e implementacion de agentes robots, actuando de manera cooperativa, en una zona colapsada simulada, como apoyo a organismos de busqueda y rescate urbano, se planearon diferentes rutas para la busqueda y rescate de las victimas, las cuales eran seguidas por los agentes, presentandose errores de localizacion debidos a las condiciones fisicas de las plataformas. En este articulo se presenta la implementacion del filtro de Kalman en una plataforma movil Lego NXT con el software LabVIEW, para estimar la posicion y corregir los errores de localizacion.
Parental drinking in Australia: Does the age of children in the home matter?

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS Parental role modelling of alcohol use is known to influence alcohol consumption in adolescence and in later life. This study aimed to assess relationships between parental status, child age and alcohol consumption, which have not been well documented. DESIGN AND METHODS Data were sourced from the 2013 Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey. Analyses were conducted for 25-55 year olds (n = 11 591) by parental status, gender and age of youngest child in the household, controlling for socio-demographic factors. RESULTS Parents were less likely than non-parents to exceed the alcohol guideline for increased lifetime risk (18.2% vs. 24.2%) and short-term risk: at least weekly (14.2% vs. 21.2%); and at least monthly (27.5% vs. 35.9%). Fathers were just as likely to exceed the guidelines for lifetime risk as other men, but those with children aged 0-2, were less likely to exceed the guideline for short-term risk. Women were least likely to exceed the guideline for lifetime risk if they had children aged 0-2, 6-11 or 15 years and over, or the guideline for short-term risk, if they had children aged 0-2, or 15 years and over in the household. Parents were more likely to report drinking in the home. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Parents were less likely to exceed alcohol guidelines than non-parents, especially mothers whose youngest child was an infant or in high school or older. Consistent with population rates in men, fathers were more likely to exceed alcohol guidelines than mothers, and this excess consumption warrants public health attention.
Protein synthesis and quality control in aging

Aging is characterized by the accumulation of damage and other deleterious changes, leading to the loss of functionality and fitness. Age-related changes occur at most levels of organization of a living organism (molecular, organellar, cellular, tissue and organ). However, protein synthesis is a major biological process, and thus understanding how it changes with age is of paramount importance. Here, we discuss the relationships between lifespan, aging, protein synthesis and translational control, and expand this analysis to the various aspects of proteome behavior in organisms with age. Characterizing the consequences of changes in protein synthesis and translation fidelity, and determining whether altered translation is pathological or adaptive is necessary for understanding the aging process, as well as for developing approaches to target dysfunction in translation as a strategy for extending lifespan.
Peripheral Anti-Angiogenic Imbalance during Pregnancy Impairs Myogenic Tone and Increases Cerebral Edema in a Rodent Model of HELLP Syndrome

Using an animal model of hemolysis elevated liver enzymes low platelets (HELLP) that has systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation we wanted to determine if blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability, cerebral edema, vascular tone, and occludin expression were altered in pregnant rats. Anti-angiogenic proteins sFlt-1 and sEng (4.7 and 7 µg/kg/day, respectively) were chronically infused into normal pregnant (NP) rats beginning on gestational day 12 via a mini-osmotic pump. On gestational day 19, blood pressure was measured via a carotid catheter and brains were collected. BBB permeability was assessed in select brain regions from rats infused with 0.5 mg/mL Texas Red Dextran and phenylephrine. Occludin, sFlt-1, and sEng were analyzed via western blot or ELISA. Infusion of sFlt-1 and sEng into NP rats increased hemolysis and liver enzymes, and decreased platelets and led to hypertension. HELLP rats had significant impairment in the myogenic response and increased BBB permeability in the posterior cortex and brainstem. Brain water content in the posterior cortex was increased and sEng protein expression in the brainstem was significantly increased in HELLP rats. The results from this study suggest that a peripheral anti-angiogenic imbalance during pregnancy is associated with decreased myogenic tone, vasogenic edema, and an increase in BBB permeability, but not anti-angiogenic imbalance in the brain.