Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Skin Incisional Wound Healing With Intracellular ATP Delivery via Macrophage Proliferation and Direct Collagen Production

This study sought to use a newly developed intracellular ATP delivery to enhance incisional wound healing to reduce surgical wound dehiscence and to explore possible mechanism for this effect. Thirty-five adult New Zealand white rabbits were used. Skin incisions were made on the back and closed. ATP-vesicles were mixed with a neutral cream for one side of the wounds while the neutral cream alone was used on the other side of the wounds. Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), biomechanical, histological, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed 7 and 14 days after surgery, and macrophage culture was used to test the enhanced collagen production ability. Among them, 10 were used for wound perfusion study and 25 were used for wound biomechanical and histological/immunohistochemical studies. Wound tissue perfusion was reduced after surgery especially in early days. Wound tissue tensile strength, breaking stress, and elasticity were all much higher in the ATP-vesicle treated group than in the cream treated group at days 7 and 14. The healing was complemented by earlier macrophage accumulation, in situ proliferation, followed by direct collagen production. The results were further confirmed by human macrophage culture. It was concluded that intracellular ATP delivery enhanced healing strength of incisional wounds via multiple mechanisms.
From Learning to Memory: A Comparison Between Verbal and Non-verbal Skills in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

Background: Previous studies on possible memory deficits in 22q11DS often focused on quantifying the information memorized, whereas learning processes have been mostly overlooked. Furthermore, methodological differences in task design have made verbal and non-verbal comparison challenging and mixed results have been observed depending on chosen stimuli. Method: 135 participants (78 with 22q11DS) completed a multi-trial memory task modeled after the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Task, comparing verbal and non-verbal learning as well as retention over time. Performance in the 22q11DS group were compared to controls and learning curves were analyzed. Results: In 22q11DS, slower acquisition of non-verbal material and higher rates of errors in both verbal and non-verbal tasks was observed. After 30 min, free recall performance, when corrected for initial learning rate, was similar between 22q11DS and controls. Conversely, recognition performance was overall weaker for 22q11DS in both modalities (verbal and non-verbal). Conclusion: This study examined how information is acquired, retained in memory over time and how different recall modalities (free recall vs. recognition) could yield different performances. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.
DNA Repair Gene Polymorphisms and Chromosomal Aberrations in Exposed Populations

DNA damage and unrepaired or insufficiently repaired DNA double-strand breaks as well as telomere shortening contribute to the formation of structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs). Non-specific CAs have been used in the monitoring of individuals exposed to potential carcinogenic chemicals and radiation. The frequency of CAs in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) has been associated with cancer risk and the association has also been found in incident cancer patients. CAs include chromosome-type aberrations (CSAs) and chromatid-type aberrations (CTAs) and their sum CAtot. In the present study, we used data from our published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and extracted the results for 153 DNA repair genes for 607 persons who had occupational exposure to diverse harmful substances/radiation and/or personal exposure to tobacco smoking. The analyses were conducted using linear and logistic regression models to study the association of DNA repair gene polymorphisms with CAs. Considering an arbitrary cutoff level of 5 × 10–3, 14 loci passed the threshold, and included 7 repair pathways for CTA, 4 for CSA, and 3 for CAtot; 10 SNPs were eQTLs influencing the expression of the target repair gene. For the base excision repair pathway, the implicated genes PARP1 and PARP2 encode poly(ADP-ribosyl) transferases with multiple regulatory functions. PARP1 and PARP2 have an important role in maintaining genome stability through diverse mechanisms. Other candidate genes with known roles for CSAs included GTF2H (general transcription factor IIH subunits 4 and 5), Fanconi anemia pathway genes, and PMS2, a mismatch repair gene. The present results suggest pathways with mechanistic rationale for the formation of CAs and emphasize the need to further develop techniques for measuring individual sensitivity to genotoxic exposure.
Kinetics of Plasma Cytokines, Angiopoietin-2, and C-Reactive Protein in Dogs With Gastric Dilatation Volvulus

Background: The degree of systemic inflammation, reperfusion injury and endothelial activation are potentially important determinants of clinical outcomes in dogs with gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV). Objective: To evaluate plasma concentrations and kinetics of inflammatory markers in dogs with GDV over a time frame of 48 h, and to compare to healthy dogs. Design and Setting: Prospective, observational cohort study in client-owned dogs with GDV. Materials and Methods: Fifteen dogs with GDV and 9 healthy control dogs were enrolled. Plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, IL-18, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), keratinocyte chemotactic-like, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, Angiopoietin (Ang)-2, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at admission (prior any therapeutic intervention, (T0), immediately after surgery (T1), 24 ± 4 h (T24), and 48 ± 4 h (T48) post-surgery. Cytokines were measured using multiplex magnetic bead assay. Plasma Ang-2 was measured with a commercial human ELISA test kit validated for dogs. Results: Dogs with GDV had significantly higher plasma concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-10 compared to healthy control dogs at all time points. Concentrations of IL-6 were significantly higher at T1 and T24, concentrations of MCP-1 at T24, and concentrations of CRP at T24 and T48. A significant increase between T0 and T1 was found for IL-6, IL-10, and CRP, between T1 and T24 for IL-8, IFN-γ, MCP-1, and CRP, and between T24 and T48 for IL-15, Ang-2, and CRP. A significant decrease between T0 and T1 was found for IL-7, IL-8, IL-15, IL-18, and Ang-2; between T1 and T24 for IL-6 and KC-like; and between T24 and T48 for IL-6. Conclusion: In GDV dogs, a mild pro-inflammatory reaction was present at admission, which peaked immediately after and up to 24 h post-surgery, mainly represented by IL-6, IFN-γ, MCP-1, and CRP, and which decreased at T48. In addition, the anti-inflammatory IL-10 was increased in GDV dogs at all time points.
Microbial Communities on Plastic Polymers in the Mediterranean Sea

Plastic particles in the ocean are typically covered with microbial biofilms, but it remains unclear whether distinct microbial communities colonize different polymer types. In this study, we analyzed microbial communities forming biofilms on floating microplastics in a bay of the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the plastic particles mainly comprised polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) of which polyethylene and polypropylene particles were typically brittle and featured cracks. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and imaging by high-resolution microscopy revealed dense microbial biofilms on the polymer surfaces. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that the bacterial communities on all plastic types consisted mainly of the orders Flavobacteriales, Rhodobacterales, Cytophagales, Rickettsiales, Alteromonadales, Chitinophagales, and Oceanospirillales. We found significant differences in the biofilm community composition on PE compared with PP and PS (on OTU and order level), which shows that different microbial communities colonize specific polymer types. Furthermore, the sequencing data also revealed a higher relative abundance of archaeal sequences on PS in comparison with PE or PP. We furthermore found a high occurrence, up to 17% of all sequences, of different hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria on all investigated plastic types. However, their functioning in the plastic-associated biofilm and potential role in plastic degradation needs further assessment.
Identification of Differentially Expressed Non-coding RNA Networks With Potential Immunoregulatory Roles During Salmonella Enteritidis Infection in Ducks

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is a pathogen that can colonize the preovulatory follicles of poultry, thereby causing both reduced egg production and an elevated risk of foodborne salmonellosis in humans. Although a few studies have revealed S. Enteritidis preferentially invades the granulosa cell layer within these follicles, it can readily persist and proliferate through mechanisms that are not well-understood. In this study, we characterized competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks within duck granulosa cells following time-course of S. Enteritidis challenge. The 8108 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), 1545 circular RNAs (circRNAs), 542 microRNAs (miRNAs), and 4137 mRNAs (fold change ≥2; P < 0.01) were differentially expressed during S. Enteritidis challenge. Also, eight mRNAs, eight lncRNAs and five circRNAs were selected and the consistent expression trend was found between qRT-PCR detection and RNA-seq. Moreover, the target genes of these differentially expressed ncRNAs (including lncRNAs, circRNAs and miRNAs) were predicted, and significantly enriched in the innate immune response and steroidogenesis pathways. Then, the colocalization and coexpression analyses were conducted to investigate relationships between ncRNAs and mRNAs. The 16 differentially expressed miRNAs targeting 60 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified in granulosa cells at 3 and 6 h post-infection (hpi) and enriched in the MAPK, GnRH, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Toll-like receptor, endocytosis, and oxidative phosphorylation signaling pathways. Additionally, underlying lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA networks were then constructed to further understand their interaction during S. Enteritidis infection. Lnc_012227 and novel_circ_0004892 were identified as ceRNAs, which could compete with miR-let-7g-5p and thereby indirectly modulating map3k8 expression to control S. Enteritidis infection. Together, our data thus identified promising candidate ncRNAs responsible for regulating S. Enteritidis infection in the preovulatory follicles of ducks, offering new insights regarding the ovarian transmission of this pathogen.
Brief Interventions Influence the Quantity and Quality of Caregiver-Child Conversations in an Everyday Context

Reading and arithmetic are difficult cognitive feats for children to master and youth from low-income communities are often less “school ready” in terms of letter and number recognition skills (Lee and Burkam, 2002). One way to prepare children for school is by encouraging caregivers to engage children in conversations about academically-relevant concepts by using numbers, recognizing shapes, and naming colors (Levine et al., 2010; Fisher et al., 2013). Previous research shows that caregiver-child conversations about these topics rarely take place in everyday contexts (Hassinger-Das et al., 2018), but interventions designed to encourage such conversations, like displaying signs in a grocery store, have resulted in significant increases in caregiver-child conversations (Ridge et al., 2015; Hanner et al., 2019). We investigated whether a similar brief intervention could change caregiver-child conversations in an everyday context. We observed 212 families in a volunteer-run facility where people who are food-insecure can select food from available donations. Volunteers greet all the clients as they pass through the aisles, offer food, and restock the shelves as needed. About 25% of the clients have children with them and our data consist of observations of the caregiver-child conversations with 2- to 10-year-old children. Half of the observation days consisted of a baseline condition in which the quantity and quality of caregiver-child conversation was observed as the client went through aisles where no signs were displayed, and volunteers merely greeted the clients. The other half of the observation days consisted of a brief intervention where signs were displayed (signs-up condition), where, volunteers greeted the clients and pointed out that there were signs displayed to entertain the children if they were interested. In addition, there was a within-subject manipulation for the intervention condition where each family interacted with two different categories of signs. Half of the signs had academically-relevant content and the other half had non-academically-relevant content. The results demonstrate that the brief intervention used in the signs-up condition increases the quantity of conversation between a caregiver and child. In addition, signs with academically-relevant content increases the quality of the conversation. These findings provide further evidence that brief interventions in an everyday context can change the caregiver-child conversation. Specifically, signs with academically-relevant content may promote school readiness.
Potential Networks of Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium Channels and Transporters in Arabidopsis Roots at a Single Cell Resolution

Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are three major macronutrients essential for plant life. These nutrients are acquired and transported by several large families of transporters expressed in plant roots. However, it remains largely unknown how these transporters are distributed in different cell-types that work together to transfer the nutrients from the soil to different layers of root cells and eventually reach vasculature for massive flow. Using the single cell transcriptomics data from Arabidopsis roots, we profiled the transcriptional patterns of putative nutrient transporters in different root cell-types. Such analyses identified a number of uncharacterized NPK transporters expressed in the root epidermis to mediate NPK uptake and distribution to the adjacent cells. Some transport genes showed cortex- and endodermis-specific expression to direct the nutrient flow toward the vasculature. For long-distance transport, a variety of transporters were shown to express and potentially function in the xylem and phloem. In the context of subcellular distribution of mineral nutrients, the NPK transporters at subcellular compartments were often found to show ubiquitous expression patterns, which suggests function in house-keeping processes. Overall, these single cell transcriptomic analyses provide working models of nutrient transport from the epidermis across the cortex to the vasculature, which can be further tested experimentally in the future.
Macrophage Related Chronic Inflammation in Non-Healing Wounds

Persistent hyper-inflammation is a distinguishing pathophysiological characteristic of chronic wounds, and macrophage malfunction is considered as a major contributor thereof. In this review, we describe the origin and heterogeneity of macrophages during wound healing, and compare macrophage function in healing and non-healing wounds. We consider extrinsic and intrinsic factors driving wound macrophage dysregulation, and review systemic and topical therapeutic approaches for the restoration of macrophage response. Multidimensional analysis is highlighted through the integration of various high-throughput technologies, used to assess the diversity and activation states as well as cellular communication of macrophages in healing and non-healing wound. This research fills the gaps in current literature and provides the promising therapeutic interventions for chronic wounds.
Attenuating the crisis: the relationship between media use, prosocial political participation, and holding misinformation beliefs during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT In a global crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world are dependent on voluntary support of their citizens. Based on a four-wave panel survey conducted in the Netherlands between April and July 2020 (n = 1742), this study investigates the development of citizens’ engagement in prosocial political activities and what motivates such acts of political participation. With previous research indicating strong relationships between news as well as social media use and political participation, we test whether these types of information consumption drive participation over time. The spread of misinformation during the COVID-19 crisis, however, was described as an “infodemic”. The study therefore explores how holding misinformation beliefs directly and indirectly affects participation in COVID-19 related activities.
In search of Korean Outliars: “a few prolific liars” in South Korea

ABSTRACT Truth-default Theory proposes that the frequency of lying is not normally distributed across the population and that most lies are told by a few prolific liars. A survey with a probability sample examined the frequency of lying among of adults in South Korea. Consistent with theoretical predictions and well-documented prior findings from the United States and Western Europe, South Koreans showed the few prolific liar pattern. Although South Koreans reported lying on average once or twice per day (M = 1.48), the distribution was skewed with a mode of zero and a median of one. Half of the reported lies were told by just 12.4% of the respondents. Distributions for women and men show similar results. Estimates of lies received also exhibited a long-tail distribution. The data add to the pan-cultural support for truth-default theory.
Currency attacks, information externalities and search

The currency crisis literature now comprises three main schools of thought; first‐generation models consider the depletion of foreign exchange reserves as a consequence of incompatible exchange rate and monetary policies. Second‐generation models are based on speculative theories whereby the belief of investors that monetary policy will be modified as a result of an attack makes the attack possible. Third‐generation models have been designed in an attempt to explain the nature of the Asian crises of 1997/1998. Each school of thought considers the nature of a speculative attack. However, this model uses a search framework to explain the timing of an attack in terms of an information externality in the foreign exchange market. It then assesses the efficacy of a Tobin tax in delaying and thereby possibly preventing such a crisis.
Experimental Study and Modeling of Boundary Lubricant Polyelectrolyte Films

Strongly adsorbed polyelectrolytes are central in the conditioning properties of many personal care products. Whereas the mechanism of polymer adsorption is rather well understood, less is known about the actual mechanism of polyelectrolyte lubrication. We investigated the adsorption on mica and the lubricant properties of a strong polyelectrolyte, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), polyDADMAC, in aqueous solutions of different salt concentrations. We found that the adsorption of the polymer was enhanced and the morphology of the adsorbed layer modified by increasing salt concentration. The lubricant properties of the adsorbed polyelectrolyte layer were good at low compressions but rapidly deteriorated at larger applied pressure. A complex velocity dependence of the friction was observed, with a maximum value at intermediate velocities and hysteresis in an acceleration/deceleration cycle. A progressive increase in separation between the rubbing surfaces with velocity was also observed. We developed a.
A Novel Urine Method for the Diagnosis of Active Tuberculosis by Immunoassay for the Detection of ESAT-6 Using Hydrogel Nanoparticles in HIV Patients

Background: In patients with HIV, conventional tests are of low sensitivity; therefore, a new diagnostic test with hydrogel nanoparticles with reactive blue dye is proposed, which allows the capture, conservation and concentration of ESAT-6 in urine. NIPAs are copolymers that capture low molecular weight proteins and protect against enzymatic degradation. Using an immunoassay, it is possible to detect and quantify ESAT-6 present in urine as a possible marker of active TB. Design/Methods: Study in Lima, Peru, HIV+ participants, ≥18 years with and without tuberculosis (TB). Smear microscopy, culture in solid medium and urine immunoassay were performed. The reference was the diagnosis of TB by radiological or clinical microbiological criteria (indication for TB treatment). There were 2 preanalytical processes: untreated and treated urine (centrifuged, heated), then incubation with NIPAm. After washing, elution, sonication, heat and centrifugation, the final eluate was obtained. This was placed on nitrocellulose membranes, which by means of fixation and incubation processes with anti-ESAT-6 and anti-IgG antibodies, revelation with C-DiGit® Blot Scanner and FluorChem R FR0001. Calibration curves were included in the membranes, density was measured using Image J software. ROC curves, sensitivity and specificity were obtained. Results: The result by groups was HIV+ patient: ROC: 0.75, cut-off point ≥24.06 ng/ml, sensitivity 76.32%, specificity 68.89%, patients ≤200 cells CD4 mm3/ml, ROC: 0.78, cutoff point ≥26.20 ng/ml, sensitivity 75.86%, specificity 71.88%, patients >200 CD4 mm3 cells/ml, ROC: 0.73, cutoff point ≥24.6 CD4 mm3/ml, sensitivity 73.68%, specificity 73.68%. Conclusions: The ESAT-6 detection assay using NIPAm was effective, with higher rates in patients with ≤200 CD4 cells/mm3, the test being more sensitive than smear and culture, but less specific.
Towards Large-Scale Deterministic IP Networks

Deterministic performance is a key enabler for 5G networking. In this context, we present a highly scalable Large-scale Deterministic Network (LDN) architecture providing end-to-end latency and bounded jitter guarantees in IP networks. At the data plane, flows are first shaped at ingress gateways using gate-control queues, achieving a very fine granularity compared to existing state of the art solutions. Inside the network, traffic is scheduled using an asynchronous cyclic queuing mechanism that can be implemented in real devices as it requires only 3 FIFO queues. The data plane relies on standard IP routing and a quasi-static mapping table to deterministically aggregate and forward packets over cycles with a low complexity in $O(1)$. For the control plane, we present an advanced column generation algorithm to quickly take admission control decisions in large-scale networks. For a set of flows, it determines acceptance and selects the best shaping and routing policy. Through a proof-of-concept implementation and simulations, we show that our LDN architecture can guarantee end-to-end latency and bounded jitter. We also demonstrate that our advanced control plane algorithm brings an improvement up to 40% in terms of accepted traffic over classical routing.
Topological Models of Measure-Preserving Systems

4 Topological models 16 4.1 Construction of topological models . 16 4.2 General properties of topological models . 17 4.2. 1 Faithfulness, surjectivity, and minimality . 17 4.2. 2 Existence of metric models . 19 4.3 Stone models and ergodicity . 20 4.3. 1 Example: Stone models . 20 4.3. 2 When does ergodicity carry over to the topological model? 22