Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recovery of Metals from Acid Mine Drainage by Bioelectrochemical System Inoculated with a Novel Exoelectrogen, Pseudomonas sp. E8

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a typical source of environmental pollution ascribing to its characteristics of high acidity and heavy metal content. Currently, most strategies for AMD treatment merely focus on metal removal rather than metal recovery. However, bioelectrochemical system (BES) is a promising technology to simultaneously remove and recover metal ions from AMD. In this study, both cupric ion and cadmium ion in simulated AMD were effectively recovered by BES inoculated with a novel exoelectrogen, Pseudomonas sp. E8, that was first isolated from the anodic electroactive biofilm of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) in this study. Pseudomonas sp. E8 is a facultative anaerobic bacterium with a rod shape, 0.43–0.47 μm wide, and 1.10–1.30 μm long. Pseudomonas sp. E8 can agglomerate on the anode surface to form a biofilm in the single-chamber MFC using diluted Luria-Bertani (LB) medium as an energy substrate. A single-chamber MFC containing the electroactive Pseudomonas sp. E8 biofilms has a maximum output voltage of 191 mV and a maximum power density of 70.40 mW/m2, which is much higher than those obtained by most other exoelectrogenic strains in the genus of Pseudomonas. Almost all the Cu2+ (99.95% ± 0.09%) and Cd2+ (99.86% ± 0.04%) in simulated AMD were selectively recovered by a microbial fuel cell (MFC) and a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). After the treatment with BES, the high concentrations of Cu2+(184.78 mg/L), Cd2+(132.25 mg/L), and total iron (49.87 mg/L) in simulated AMD were decreased to 0.02, 0.19, and 0 mg/L, respectively. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDXS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicate that the Cu2+ and Cd2+ in simulated AMD were selectively recovered by microbial electrochemical reduction as Cu0 (together with trace amounts of Cu2O) or Cd0 on the cathode surface. Collectively, data suggest that Pseudomonas sp. E8 has great potential for AMD treatment and metal recovery.
A Study of Bone Mineral Density in Lower Limb Amputees at a National Prosthetics Center

The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of low bone mineral density, based on World Health Organization diagnostic criteria, in patients with lower limb amputation. This is a cross-sectional study of 52 lower limb amputees in a national prosthetics center. All completed a questionnaire and had laboratory investigations and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry assessment of lumbar spine and both hips. Study participants were 24 transtibial amputees (46.2%), 19 (36.5%) transfemoral amputees, 8 (15.4%) bilateral amputees, and 1 (1.9%) with a hip disarticulation. Six (11.5%) were unable to walk at all, 26 (50%) were only indoor walkers, and 20 (38.5%) were outdoor walkers. Thirty-three patients (68.8%) were vitamin D deficient, 25-hydroxyvitamin D level less than 50 nmol/L, and five (10.4%) had insufficiency, level between 50 and 72 nmol/L. Based on T-scores, 26 (50%) had osteopenia and 20 (38.5%) had osteoporosis at either lumbar spine or hip. Z-score ≤−1 but >−2 occurred in 25 (48.1%), and Z-score ≤−2 occurred in 10 (19.2%) at a minimum of one site. Negative correlation was found between duration of disability and bone mineral density (BMD) at the neck of femur (r = −0.447, p = 0.002) and total proximal femur (r = −0.391, p = 0.009) on the amputated side. There was a significant difference between BMD of the sound and amputated sides at the neck of femur (t = 6.17, df = 43, p < 0.001) and total proximal femur (t = 7.79, df = 43, p < 0.001). BMD was not affected by amputation level or ambulatory status. Osteopenia and osteoporosis occur frequently in lower limb amputees. Hip BMD on the amputated side is correlated with duration since amputation. Bone health monitoring should form part of the long-term follow-up in this patient population.
Self-Alignment of Bottom CZTSSe by Patterning of an Al2O3 Intermediate Layer

When CZTSSe is synthesized using a metal precursor, large voids of nonuniform size form at Mo back contact side. Herein, we demonstrate that the voids and CZTSSe in the lower part of the CZTSSe double layer can be controlled by using an Al2O3-patterned Mo substrate. The CZTSSe in the lower part self-aligns on the Mo-exposed area, while the voids self-align on the Al2O3-coated area. The origin of the self-alignment is expected to be the difference in bonding characteristics between liquid Sn and the metal or oxide surface, e.g., Al2O3. Good wettability generally forms between nonreactive liquid metals and metal surfaces due to the strong metallic bonding. By contrast, poor wettability generally forms between nonreactive liquid metals and oxide surfaces due to the weak van der Waals bonding between the liquid metal and the oxide layer. When the patterning was added, the device efficiency tended to decrease from 8.6% to 10.5%.
Expression and Ion Transport Activity of Rice OsHKT1;1 Variants

OsHKT1;1 in rice, belongs to the high-affinity K+ Transporter family, has been found to be involved in salt tolerance. OsHKT1;1 in japonica rice (Nipponbare) produces mRNA variants, but their functions remain elusive. In salt tolerant rice, Pokkali, eight OsHKT1;1 variants (V1-V8) were identified in addition to the full-length OsHKT1;1 (FL) cDNA. Absolute quantification by qPCR revealed that accumulation of OsHKT1;1-FL mRNA is minor in contrast to that of OsHKT1;1-V1, -V2, -V4, and -V7 mRNAs, all of which are predominant in shoots, while only V1 and V7 mRNAs are predominant in roots. Two electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes revealed that oocytes-expressing OsHKT1;1-FL from Pokkali exhibited inward-rectified currents in the presence of 96 mM Na+ as reported previously. Further TEVC analyses indicated that six of eight OsHKT1;1 variants elicited currents in a Na+ or a K+ bath solution. OsHKT1;1-V6 exhibited a similar inward rectification to the FL protein. Contrastingly, however, the rests mediated bidirectional currents in both Na+ and K+ bath solutions. These data suggest possibilities that novel mechanisms regulating the transport activity of OsHKT1;1 might exist, and that OsHKT1;1 variants might also carry out distinct physiological roles either independently or in combination with OsHKT1;1-FL.
The Advances in Management of Food Allergy in Children.

Food allergy is a potentially life-threatening medical condition and a significant public health concern worldwide. The current management consists of strict avoidance of the culprit food and treating any adverse reactions from unintended food ingestion. The increasing prevalence of food allergy encouraged research and clinical trials in the field of specific allergen immunotherapy (AIT) which represent an appealing approach especially in pediatric age. AIT consists in the gradual administration of growing amounts of the offending allergen in order to induce food desensitization, that is an increase in threshold for reactivity while continuing on regular exposure to the allergen. AIT can be administered through oral, sublingual, epicutaneous and subcutaneous routes. Reports on oral immunotherapy (OIT) thus far have been more extensive. The desirable goal is to achieve "post desensitization effectiveness", that is the ability to introduce food without reaction even after a period of discontinuation of the offending food. Other therapeutic approaches are being studied alongside immunotherapy such as modified proteins, probiotics, Chinese herbal supplements, biologic therapies and DNA vaccines.
piR‐39980 promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibits apoptosis via repression of SERPINB1 in human osteosarcoma

Piwi‐interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a novel class of ∼23–36 nts long endogenous small non‐coding RNAs, earlier known to maintain germline genome integrity during development by regulating transposable elements. Recently, piRNAs are known to regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis in different cancer cells. However, piRNAs have not yet been reported in human osteosarcoma (OS), a highly metastatic aggressive bone tumour among adolescents. Therefore, our current study aimed to decrypt the potential role of a piRNA, piR‐39980 in osteosarcoma, which was earlier reported by us in fibrosarcoma, neuroblastoma and epithelial ovarian cancer.
Expression and Function of Host Defense Peptides at Inflammation Sites

There is a growing interest in the complex role of host defense peptides (HDPs) in the pathophysiology of several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. The physicochemical properties and selective interaction of HDPs with various receptors define their immunomodulatory effects. However, it is quite challenging to understand their function because some HDPs play opposing pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory roles, depending on their expression level within the site of inflammation. While it is known that HDPs maintain constitutive host protection against invading microorganisms, the inducible nature of HDPs in various cells and tissues is an important aspect of the molecular events of inflammation. This review outlines the biological functions and emerging roles of HDPs in different inflammatory conditions. We further discuss the current data on the clinical relevance of impaired HDPs expression in inflammation and selected diseases.
Effect of trans-Cinnamaldehyde on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation: Metabolic Activity Assessment and Analysis of the Biofilm-Associated Genes Expression

The effects of trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC) on transcriptional profiles of biofilm-associated genes and the metabolic activity of two methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains showing a different degree of adherence to polystyrene, were evaluated. Metabolic activity of S. aureus in biofilm was significantly decreased in the presence of TC at 1/2 minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC). Expression levels of the genes encoding laminin binding protein (eno), elastin binding protein (ebps) and fibrinogen binding protein (fib) in the presence of TC at 1/2 MBIC were lower than in untreated biofilm in both the weakly and strongly adhering strain. The highest decrease of expression level was observed in case of fib in the strongly adhering strain, in which the amount of fib transcript was 10-fold lower compared to biofilm without TC. In the presence of TC at 1/2 MBIC after 3, 6, 8 and 12 h, the expression level of icaA and icaD, that are involved in the biosynthesis of polysaccharide intercellular adhesin, was above half lower in the weakly adhering strain compared to biofilm without TC. In the strongly adhering strain the highest decrease in expression of these genes was observed after 3 and 6 h. This study showed that TC is a promising anti-biofilm agent for use in MRSA biofilm-related infections.
Progress and challenges in engineering cyanobacteria as chassis for light‐driven biotechnology

Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic phototrophs that, in addition to being excellent model organisms for studying photosynthesis, have tremendous potential for light‐driven synthetic biology and biotechnology. These versatile and resilient microorganisms harness the energy of sunlight to oxidise water, generating chemical energy (ATP) and reductant (NADPH) that can be used to drive sustainable synthesis of high‐value natural products in genetically modified strains. In this commentary article for the Synthetic Microbiology Caucus we discuss the great progress that has been made in engineering cyanobacterial hosts as microbial cell factories for solar‐powered biosynthesis. We focus on some of the main areas where the synthetic biology and metabolic engineering tools in cyanobacteria are not as advanced as those in more widely used heterotrophic chassis, and go on to highlight key improvements that we feel are required to unlock the full power of cyanobacteria for future green biotechnology.
Priority Strategy of Intracellular Ca2+ Homeostasis in Skeletal Muscle Fibers during the Multiple Stresses of Hibernation

Intracellular calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis plays a vital role in the preservation of skeletal muscle. In view of the well-maintained skeletal muscle found in Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus) during hibernation, we hypothesized that hibernators possess unique strategies of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Here, cytoplasmic, sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), and mitochondrial Ca2+ levels, as well as the potential Ca2+ regulatory mechanisms, were investigated in skeletal muscle fibers of Daurian ground squirrels at different stages of hibernation. The results showed that cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels increased in the skeletal muscle fibers during late torpor (LT) and inter-bout arousal (IBA), and partially recovered when the animals re-entered torpor (early torpor, ET). Furthermore, compared with levels in the summer active or pre-hibernation state, the activity and protein expression levels of six major Ca2+ channels/proteins were up-regulated during hibernation, including the store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1), leucine zipper-EF-hand containing transmembrane protein 1 (LETM1), SR Ca2+ ATPase 1 (SERCA1), mitochondrial calcium uniporter complex (MCU complex), and calmodulin (CALM). Among these, the increased extracellular Ca2+ influx mediated by SOCE, SR Ca2+ release mediated by RyR1, and mitochondrial Ca2+ extrusion mediated by LETM1 may be triggers for the periodic elevation in cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels observed during hibernation. Furthermore, the increased SR Ca2+ uptake through SERCA1, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake induced by MCU, and elevated free Ca2+ binding capacity mediated by CALM may be vital strategies in hibernating ground squirrels to attenuate cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels and restore Ca2+ homeostasis during hibernation. Compared with that in LT or IBA, the decreased extracellular Ca2+ influx mediated by SOCE and elevated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake induced by MCU may be important mechanisms for the partial cytoplasmic Ca2+ recovery in ET. Overall, under extreme conditions, hibernating ground squirrels still possess the ability to maintain intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis.
Organic Thermoelectric Multilayers with High Stretchiness

A stretchable organic thermoelectric multilayer is achieved by alternately depositing bilayers (BL) of 0.1 wt% polyethylene oxide (PEO) and 0.03 wt% double walled carbon nanotubes (DWNT), dispersed with 0.1 wt% polyacrylic acid (PAA), by the layer-by-layer assembly technique. A 25 BL thin film (~500 nm thick), composed of a PEO/DWNT-PAA sequence, displays electrical conductivity of 19.6 S/cm and a Seebeck coefficient of 60 µV/K, which results in a power factor of 7.1 µW/m·K2. The resultant nanocomposite exhibits a crack-free surface up to 30% strain and retains its thermoelectric performance, decreasing only 10% relative to the unstretched one. Even after 1000 cycles of bending and twisting, the thermoelectric behavior of this nanocomposite is stable. The synergistic combination of the elastomeric mechanical properties (originated from PEO/PAA systems) and thermoelectric behaviors (resulting from a three-dimensional conjugated network of DWNT) opens up the possibility of achieving various applications such as wearable electronics and sensors that require high mechanical compliance.
An Intricate Connection between Alternative Splicing and Phenotypic Plasticity in Development and Cancer

During tumor progression, hypoxia, nutrient deprivation or changes in the extracellular environment (i.e., induced by anti-cancer drugs) elicit adaptive responses in cancer cells. Cellular plasticity increases the chance that tumor cells may survive in a challenging microenvironment, acquire new mechanisms of resistance to conventional drugs, and spread to distant sites. Re-activation of stem pathways appears as a significant cause of cellular plasticity because it promotes the acquisition of stem-like properties through a profound phenotypic reprogramming of cancer cells. In addition, it is a major contributor to tumor heterogeneity, depending on the coexistence of phenotypically distinct subpopulations in the same tumor bulk. Several cellular mechanisms may drive this fundamental change, in particular, high-throughput sequencing technologies revealed a key role for alternative splicing (AS). Effectively, AS is one of the most important pre-mRNA processes that increases the diversity of transcriptome and proteome in a tissue- and development-dependent manner. Moreover, defective AS has been associated with several human diseases. However, its role in cancer cell plasticity and tumor heterogeneity remains unclear. Therefore, unravelling the intricate relationship between AS and the maintenance of a stem-like phenotype may explain molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cell plasticity and improve cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Effect of the Modifications on the Physicochemical and Biological Properties of β-Glucan—A Critical Review

β-Glucan exhibits many biological activities and functions such as stimulation of the immune system and anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-infective, anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-coagulant, cholesterol-lowering, radio protective, and wound healing effects. It has a wide variety of uses in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical industries as well as in food processing units. However, due to its dense triple helix structure, formed by the interaction of polyhydroxy groups in the β-d-glucan molecule, it features poor solubility, which not only constrains its applications, but also inhibits its physiological function in vivo. One aim is to expand the applications for modified β-glucan with potential to prevent disease, various therapeutic purposes and as health-improving ingredients in functional foods and cosmetics. This review introduces the major modification methods required to understand the bioactivity of β-glucan and critically provides a literature survey on the structural features of this molecule and reported biological activity. We also discuss a new method to create novel opportunities to exploit maximally various properties of β-glucan, namely ultrasound-assisted enzymatic modification.
Neurotherapeutic effects of Ginkgo biloba extract and its terpene trilactone, ginkgolide B, on sciatic crush injury model: A new evidence

Ginkgo biloba leaves extract (GBE) was subjected to neuroprotective-guided fractionation to produce eleven fractions with different polarities and constituents. The intermediate polar fraction was shown to be terpene trilactones-enriched fraction (TEGBE). Out of this fraction, pure ginkgolide B (G-B) was further purified and identified based on its spectral data. The effects of GBE and TEGBE were evaluated in comparison to that of G-B in the crush sciatic nerve injury rat model. To evaluate the neuroprotective effects, sixty Wistar male rats were randomly allocated into 6 groups: naive, sham, crush + normal saline, and three treatment groups; crush + GBE, crush + TEGBE, and crush + G-B. Treatments were given one hour following injury, and once daily for 14 days. Neurobehavioral tests, histomorphological examinations, and immunohistochemical analysis of the sciatic nerve and the spinal cord were performed at weeks 3 and 6 post-injury. GBE, TEGBE and G-B were shown to enhance the functional and sensory behavioral parameters and to protect the histological and the ultrastructural elements in the sciatic nerve. Additionally, all treatments prevented spinal cord neurons from further deterioration. It was shown that G-B has the most significant potential effects among all treatments with values that were nearly comparable to those of sham and naive groups.
Oxygen-Dependent Regulation of Excited-State Deactivation Process of Rational Photosensitizer for Smart Phototherapy.

It remains a considerable challenge to realize complete tumor suppression and avoid tumor regrowth by rational design of photosensitizers to improve their photon utilizations. In this paper, we provide a molecular design (Icy-NBF) based on the oxygen content regulated deactivation process of excited states. In the presence of overexpressed nitroreductase in hypoxic cancer cells, Icy-NBF is reduced and converted into a molecule with the same skeleton (Icy-NH2), in which the deactivation of the photosensitizer under 808 nm light irradiation undergoes a different pathway: the excited states deactivation pathway of Icy-NBF contains radiative transition and energy transfer between Icy-NBF and O2; as for Icy-NH2, the deactivation pathway is attributed to non-radiative relaxation. Following the variation of O2 concentration in tumor cells, the therapeutic mechanism of Icy-NBF under 808 nm light irradiation can be switched between photodynamic and photothermal therapy, which maximizes the advantages of phototherapies with no tumor regrowth. Our study provides help in designing of smart photosensitizers with improvement of photon utilizations for efficient tumor photoablation.
Using Machine Learning for the Calibration of Airborne Particulate Sensors

Airborne particulates are of particular significance for their human health impacts and their roles in both atmospheric radiative transfer and atmospheric chemistry. Observations of airborne particulates are typically made by environmental agencies using rather expensive instruments. Due to the expense of the instruments usually used by environment agencies, the number of sensors that can be deployed is limited. In this study we show that machine learning can be used to effectively calibrate lower cost optical particle counters. For this calibration it is critical that measurements of the atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature are also made.
A Visual and Persuasive Energy Conservation System Based on BIM and IoT Technology

Comfort level in the human body is an index that is always difficult to evaluate in a general and objective manner. Therefore, building owners and managers have been known to adjust environmental physical parameters such as temperature, humidity, and air quality based on people’s subjective sensations to yield satisfactory feelings of comfort. Furthermore, electricity consumption could be reduced by minimizing unnecessary use of heating and cooling equipment based on precise knowledge of comfort levels in interior spaces. To achieve the aforementioned objectives, this study undertook the following four tasks: first, providing visualization and smart suggestion functions to assist building managers and users in analyzing and developing plans based on the demands of space usage and electrical equipment; second, using Internet of Things technology to minimize the difference between real situations and those simulated in building information modeling (BIM); third, accurately evaluating interior environment comfort levels and improving equipment operating efficiency based on quantized comfort levels; and fourth, establishing a persuasive workflow for building energy saving systems. Through developing this system, COZyBIM will help to enhance the satisfactions of comfort level in interior space and operate energy consuming equipment efficiently, to reach the target of energy saving.