Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Non-Saccharomyces on Wine Chemistry: A Focus on Aroma-Related Compounds

Wine fermentation processes are driven by complex microbial systems, which comprise eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms that participate in several biochemical interactions with the must and wine chemicals and modulate the organoleptic properties of wine. Among these, yeasts play a fundamental role, since they carry out the alcoholic fermentation (AF), converting sugars to ethanol and CO2 together with a wide range of volatile organic compounds. The contribution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the reference organism associated with AF, has been extensively studied. However, in the last decade, selected non-Saccharomyces strains received considerable commercial and oenological interest due to their specific pro-technological aptitudes and the positive influence on sensory quality. This review aims to highlight the inter-specific variability within the heterogeneous class of non-Saccharomyces in terms of synthesis and release of volatile organic compounds during controlled AF in wine. In particular, we reported findings on the presence of model non-Saccharomyces organisms, including Torulaspora delbrueckii, Hanseniaspora spp, Lachancea thermotolerans, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia spp. and Candida zemplinina, in combination with S. cerevisiae. The evidence is discussed from both basic and applicative scientific perspective. In particular, the oenological significance in different kind of wines has been underlined.
Porosity‐Controlled TiNb2O7 Microspheres with Partial Nitridation as A Practical Negative Electrode for High‐Power Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Titanium niobium oxide (TiNb2O7) has been recognized as a promising anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) in view of its potential to operate at high rates with improved safety and high theoretical capacity of 387 mAh g−1. However, it suffers from poor Li+ ion diffusivity and low electronic conductivity originated from its wide band gap energy (Eg > 2 eV). Here, porous TiNb2O7 microspheres (PTNO MSs) are prepared via a facile solvothermal reaction. PTNO MSs have a particle size of ≈1.2 μm and controllable pore sizes in the range of 5–35 nm. Ammonia gas nitridation treatment is conducted on PTNO MSs to introduce conducting Ti1−xNbxN layer on the surface and form nitridated PTNO (NPTNO) MSs. The porous structure and conducting Ti1−xNbxN layer enhance the transport kinetics associated with Li+ ions and electrons, which leads to significant improvement in electrochemical performance. As a result, the NPTNO electrode shows a high discharge capacity of ≈265 mAh g−1, remarkable rate capability (≈143 mAh g−1 at 100 C) and durable long‐term cyclability (≈91% capacity retention over 1000 cycles at 5 C). These results demonstrate the great potential of TiNb2O7 as a practical high‐rate anode material for LIBs.
miR-100 alleviates the inflammatory damage and apoptosis of H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells via inactivation of Notch signaling by targeting MMP9

Objective Thromboangiitis obliterans is a nonatherosclerotic segmental inflammatory disease, and miR-100 plays an anti-inflammatory role in chronic inflammation. Therefore, we hypothesized that miR-100 might alleviate the inflammatory damage and apoptosis of H2O2-induced ECV304 cells and aimed to investigate the relationship between miR-100 and thromboangiitis obliterans and the related molecular mechanism. Methods Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect cell viability, and the expression of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress was measured by ELISA. TUNEL assay was used to detect the apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells after induction by H2O2. Furthermore, the interaction between miR-100 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 was verified by dual-luciferase assay. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot were used to detect the expression of the adhesion factors, apoptosis-related proteins and Notch pathway-related protein. Results The results revealed that miR-100 was decreased in H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Overexpression of miR-100 attenuated inflammatory response and cell apoptosis in H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The overexpression of miR-100 inhibited matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells. miR-100 inhibited H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis via inactivation of Notch signaling by targeting matrix metalloproteinase. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that miR-100 reduced the inflammatory damage and apoptosis of H2O2-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells via inactivation of Notch signaling by targeting matrix metalloproteinase. These findings suggested that miR-100 might be a novel therapeutic target for the prevention of thromboangiitis obliterans.
Hes1 overexpression leads to expansion of embryonic neural stem cell pool and stem cell reservoir in the postnatal brain

ABSTRACT Neural stem cells (NSCs) gradually alter their characteristics during mammalian neocortical development, resulting in the production of various neurons and glial cells, and remain in the postnatal brain as a source of adult neurogenesis. Notch-Hes signaling is a key regulator of stem cell properties in the developing and postnatal brain, and Hes1 is a major effector that strongly inhibits neuronal differentiation and maintains NSCs. To manipulate Hes1 expression levels in NSCs, we generated transgenic (Tg) mice using the Tet-On system. In Hes1-overexpressing Tg mice, NSCs were maintained in both embryonic and postnatal brains, and generation of later-born neurons was prolonged until later stages in the Tg neocortex. Hes1 overexpression inhibited the production of Tbr2+ intermediate progenitor cells but instead promoted the generation of basal radial glia-like cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) at late embryonic stages. Furthermore, Hes1-overexpressing Tg mice exhibited the expansion of NSCs and enhanced neurogenesis in the SVZ of adult brain. These results indicate that Hes1 overexpression expanded the embryonic NSC pool and led to the expansion of the NSC reservoir in the postnatal and adult brain. Summary: Hes1 overexpression leads to expansion of the embryonic neural stem cell pool, including basal radial glia-like cells, and enhanced neurogenesis in the postnatal brain by expanding the neural stem cell reservoir.
Chemical and size effects of hygroscopic aerosols on light scattering coefficients

The extensive thermodynamic and optical properties recently reported [Tang and Munkelwitz, 1994a] for sulfate and nitrate solution droplets are incorporated into a visibility model for computing light scattering by hygroscopic aerosols. The following aerosol systems are considered : NH 4 HSO 4 , (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , (NH 4 ) 3 H(SO 4 ), NaHSO 4 , Na 2 SO 4 , NH 4 NO 3 , and NaNO 3 . In addition, H 2 SO 4 and NaCl are included to represent freshly formed sulfate and background sea-salt aerosols, respectively. Scattering coefficients, based on 1 μg dry salt per cubic meter of air, are calculated as a function of relative humidity for aerosols of various chemical compositions and lognormal size distributions. For a given size distribution the light scattered by aerosol particles per unit dry-salt mass concentration is only weakly dependent on chemical constituents of the hygroscopic sulfate and nitrate aerosols. Sulfuric acid and sodium chloride aerosols, however, are exceptions and scatter light more efficiently than all other inorganic salt aerosols considered in this study. Both internal and external mixtures exhibit similar light-scattering properties. Thus for common sulfate and nitrate aerosols, since the chemical effect is outweighed by the size effect, it follows that observed light scattering by the ambient aerosol can be approximated, within practical measurement uncertainties, by assuming the aerosol being an external mixture. This has a definite advantage for either visibility degradation or climatic impact modeling calculations, because relevant data are now available for external mixtures but only very scarce for internal mixtures.
L’humeur vitrée en toxicologie médico-légale : revue de la littérature et applications

Introduction : En toxicologie, l’humeur vitree est utilisee depuis longtemps pour le dosage de l’ethanol. Plus recemment, d’autres drogues ou medicaments y ont ete recherches et des tentatives de correlations entre les concentrations dans l’humeur vitree et dans d’autres matrices ont ete faites. Objectif : Cet article a pour but d’etablir, en recensant la litterature existante, quelles sont les drogues ou les medicaments qu’il peut etre utile de rechercher ou de doser dans l’humeur vitree. Les articles de la litterature les plus importants sont evoques et illustres par des cas traites au laboratoire pour lesquels l’analyse de l’humeur vitree s’est averee interessante. Methodes : Differentes analyses ont ete realisees sur l’humeur vitree : dosage de l’ethanol, des cannabinoides, des amphetamines, de la cocaine et des opiaces ainsi qu’un screening large des medicaments. Resultats : Les amphetamines sont facilement detectables dans l’humeur vitree avec relativement peu de variabilite dans le temps. Les opiaces diffusent mal dans l’humeur vitree, mais le temps de presence de la 6-monoacetylmorphine y est plus long que dans le sang. La cocaine et la benzoylecgonine sont aussi detectables dans l’humeur vitree, au contraire des cannabinoides. Conclusion : L’humeur vitree possede certains avantages par rapport a d’autres matrices alternatives en termes de stabilite et de conservation pendant la periode post-mortem . Mais son interet est limite par le peu de donnees disponibles. Les toxicologues devraient etre encourages a analyser l’humeur vitree et a publier leurs resultats afin d’enrichir la litterature sur ce sujet.
Eosinophils attenuate hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice through ST2-dependent IL-13 production

Eosinophils protect against liver injury during orthotopic liver transplantation and other conditions of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice. Engaging eosinophils against liver injury Hepatic ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury after liver transplant can cause allograft dysfunction and rejection. To investigate the pathogenesis of hepatic IR injury and to identify potential therapeutic targets, Wang et al. characterized the immune cells that accumulate in livers within hours after transplantation in humans. The authors found recruitment of eosinophils, a granulocyte population thought to play a role in immune responses to parasites and, more recently, promote wound healing. Through a series of eosinophil transfers and depletions in mice, the authors demonstrated that eosinophils are hepatoprotective and promote healthy liver function after IR injury by producing interleukin-13 (IL-13) in response to IL-33 signaling. Together, these findings suggest that strategies to promote eosinophil recruitment to the liver may be effective in protecting against hepatic IR injury. Eosinophils are a myeloid cell subpopulation that mediates type 2 T helper cell immune responses. Unexpectedly, we identified a rapid accumulation of eosinophils in 22 human liver grafts after hepatic transplantation. In contrast, no eosinophils were detectable in healthy liver tissues before transplantation. Studies with two genetic mouse models of eosinophil deficiency and a mouse model of antibody-mediated eosinophil depletion revealed exacerbated liver injury after hepatic ischemia and reperfusion. Adoptive transfer of bone marrow–derived eosinophils normalized liver injury of eosinophil-deficient mice and reduced hepatic ischemia and reperfusion injury in wild-type mice. Mechanistic studies combining genetic and adoptive transfer approaches identified a critical role of suppression of tumorigenicity (ST2)–dependent production of interleukin-13 by eosinophils in the hepatoprotection against ischemia-reperfusion–induced injury. Together, these data provide insight into a mechanism of eosinophil-mediated liver protection that could serve as a therapeutic target to improve outcomes of patients undergoing liver transplantation.
Morphine acts on spinal dynorphin neurons to cause itch through disinhibition

Morphine-induced itch is mediated by a specific population of dynorphin-expressing spinal inhibitory neurons in mice. The pain and the itch Spinal and epidural morphine administration is used in the clinic as analgesic for a number of surgical procedures and in women during labor. However, delivery through these routes is associated with the development of itch. The molecular basis of this unwanted side effect is unclear. Now, Nguyen et al. showed that morphine-induced itch did not involve mast cells but was mediated by the activity of spinal dynorphin neurons and subsequent inhibition of kappa-opioid receptor-expressing neurons in mice. Concomitant administration of morphine and nalfurafine, a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist, inhibited itch without affecting morphine’s analgesic properties in mice and monkeys, suggesting that this approach might be effective also in the clinic. Morphine-induced itch is a very common and debilitating side effect that occurs in laboring women who receive epidural analgesia and in patients who receive spinal morphine for relief of perioperative pain. Although antihistamines are still widely prescribed for the treatment of morphine-induced itch, their use is controversial because the cellular basis for morphine-induced itch remains unclear. Here, we used animal models and show that neuraxial morphine causes itch through neurons and not mast cells. In particular, we found that spinal dynorphin (Pdyn) neurons are both necessary and sufficient for morphine-induced itch in mice. Agonism of the kappa-opioid receptor alleviated morphine-induced itch in mice and nonhuman primates. Thus, our findings not only reveal that morphine causes itch through a mechanism of disinhibition but also challenge the long-standing use of antihistamines, thereby informing the treatment of millions worldwide.
Dynamic properties of some β‐chain mutant hemoglobins

The thermal behavior of the Soret band relative to the carbonmonoxy derivatives of some β‐chain mutant hemoglobins is studied in the temperature range 300–10 K and compared to that of wild‐type carbonmonoxy hemoglobin. The band profile at various temperatures is modeled as a Voigt function that accounts for homogeneous broadening and for the coupling with high‐ and low‐frequency vibrational modes, while inhomogeneous broadening is taken into account with a gaussian distribution of purely electronic transition frequencies. The various contributions to the overall bandwidth are singled out With this analysis and their temperature dependence, in turn, gives information on structural and dynamic properties of the system studied. In the wildtype and mutant hemoglobins, the values of homogeneous bandwidth and of the coupling constants to high‐frequency vibrational modes are not modified with respect to natural human hemoglobin, thus indicating that the local electronic and vibrational properties of the heme–CO complex are not altered by the recombinant procedures. On the contrary, differences in the protein dynamic behavior are observed. The most relevant are those relative to the “polar isosteric” βVal‐67(Ell) →Thr substitution, localized in the heme pocket, which results in decreased coupling with low‐frequency modes and increased anharmonic motions. Mutations involving residue βLys‐144(HC1) at the C‐terminal and residue βCys‐112(G14) at the α1β1 interface have a smaller effect consisting in an increased coupling with low‐frequency modes. Mutations at the β‐N‐terminal and at the α1β2 interface have no effect on the dynamic properties of the heme pocket. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ACCEPTED AUTHOR VERSION OF THE MANUSCRIPT: The developmental competence of bovine oocytes matured in vitro using thymosin beta 4

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) during in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes and subsequent embryonic development after in vitro fertilization as well as to assess the quality of obtained blastocysts. COCs were matured in vitro in 4 different media: 1. control medium; 2. control media supplemented with 50 ng/mL Tβ4; 3. control media supplemented with 0.5 mg/mL Tβ4; and 4. control media supplemented with 1 mg/mL Tβ4. The quality of the developed blastocysts was analysed by the TUNEL method. The number of cleaved eggs was significantly higher ( 𝑃 < 0.05) when gametes were matured in the presence of 50 ng/mL Tβ4 than it was using the other types of media. Additionally, the largest number of blastocysts was observed when 0.5 mg Tβ4 was added to the medium ( 𝑃 < 0.05). No significant difference was noted in the mean number of apoptotic nuclei per blastocyst or in the mean number of nuclei per blastocyst in any of the analysed groups. In conclusion, Tβ4 supplementation (50 ng/mL) in maturation medium increased the number of cleaved oocytes, and the number of blastocysts obtained increased when 0.5 mg/mL Tβ4 was used. This positive effect was not observed when higher a higher concentration of Tβ4 (1 mg/mL) was used.
Microfluidic and Organ-on-a-Chip Approaches to Investigate Cellular and Microenvironmental Contributions to Cardiovascular Function and Pathology

Over the past decade, advances in microfabrication and biomaterials have facilitated the development of microfluidic tissue and organ models to address challenges with conventional animal and cell culture systems. These systems have largely been developed for human disease modeling and preclinical drug development and have been increasingly used to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms, particularly in the cardiovascular system where the characteristic mechanics and architecture are difficult to recapitulate in traditional systems. Here, we review recent microfluidic approaches to model the cardiovascular system and novel insights provided by these systems. Key features of microfluidic approaches include the ability to pattern cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) at cellular length scales and the ability to use patient-derived cells. We focus the review on approaches that have leveraged these features to explore the relationship between genetic mutations and the microenvironment in cardiovascular disease progression. Additionally, we discuss limitations and benefits of the various approaches, and conclude by considering the role further advances in microfabrication technology and biochemistry techniques play in establishing microfluidic cardiovascular disease models as central tools for understanding biological mechanisms and for developing interventional strategies.
Landscape Profiling Analysis of DPP4 in Malignancies: Therapeutic Implication for Tumor Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is characterized by pneumonia, lymphopenia, and cytokine storms. Patients with underlying conditions, and especially cancer patients with impaired immunity, are particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection and complications. Although angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2) has been identified as a cellular binding receptor for SARS-CoV-2, immunopathological changes in severe cancer patients support the investigation of additional potential receptors such as dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), a key immunoregulator. However, a comprehensive profiling analysis of DPP4 in malignancies remains obscure. In this study, using different datasets, we demonstrated the expression of DPP4 in healthy tissues and pan-cancers, showing the risk of different cancer types towards SARS-CoV-2 infection according to DPP4 expression levels. DPP4 expression was positively correlated with infiltrating levels of various immune cells and showed strong correlations with diverse immune marker sets in pan-cancer patients analyzed by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). These findings suggest that increased DPP4 expression in specific cancer patients might account for the high susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the induction of cytokine storms. Due to the critical role of DPP4 in immunometabolism, our results indicate that pharmacological inhibition of DPP4 might provide beneficial therapeutic effects for SARS-CoV-2 treatment together with other strategies in specific tumor patients.
Insights Into the Significance of the Chinense Loess Plateau for Preserving Biodiversity From the Phylogeography of Speranskia tuberculata (Euphorbiaceae)

The significance of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) in maintaining biodiversity for northern China has rarely been shown, as previous phylogeographic studies are mostly woody species and they have revealed that Quaternary refugia are mainly located in mountain regions. We selected a drought-enduring endemic herb, Speranskia tuberculata (Euphorbiaceae), to determine its glacial refugia and postglacial demographic history. To this end, we sampled 423 individuals from 38 populations covering its entire geographic distribution. Three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments, two low-copy nuclear genes, and six nuclear microsatellites (nSSRs) were used and supplemented with ecological niche modeling (ENM) to infer the phylogeographic history of this species. Populations with private haplotypes and high haplotype diversity of cpDNA are mainly located in the CLP or scattered around northeastern China and the coastal region. Spatial expansion, detected using a neutrality test and mismatch distribution, may have resulted in a widely distributed ancestral cpDNA haplotype, especially outside of the CLP. For nuclear DNA, private haplotypes are also distributed mainly in the CLP. In nSSRs, STRUCTURE clustering identified two genetic clusters, which are distributed in the west (western cluster) and east (eastern cluster), respectively. Many populations belonged, with little to no admixture, to the western cluster while (hardly) pure populations of the eastern cluster were barely found. Genetic differentiation is significantly correlated with geographic distance, although genetic diversity is uniformly distributed. ENM suggests that the distribution of S. tuberculata has recently expanded northwards from the southern CLP, whereas it has experienced habitat loss in the south. Thus, S. tuberculata populations probably survived the last glacial maximum (LGM) in the southern CLP and experienced post-glacial expansion. Wind-dispersed pollen could bring the majority of genotypes to the front during spatial expansion, resulting in uniformly distributed genetic diversity. Based on evidence from molecular data and vegetation and climate changes since the LGM, we conclude that drought-enduring species, especially herbaceous species, are likely to have persisted in the CLP during the LGM and to have experienced expansion to other regions in northern China.