Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observational Characterization of the Ecological and Environmental Features Associated with the Presence of Oropouche Virus and the Primary Vector Culicoides paraenesis: Data Synthesis and Systematic Review

Oropouche virus (OROV), a member of the Orthobunyavirus genus, is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) and is the etiologic agent of human and animal disease. The primary vector of OROV is presumed to be the biting midge, Culicoides paraenesis, though Culex quinquefasciatus, Cq. venezuelensis, and Aedes serratus mosquitoes are considered secondary vectors. The objective of this systematic review is to characterize locations where OROV and/or its primary vector have been detected. Synthesis of known data through review of published literature regarding OROV and vectors was carried out through two independent searches: one search targeted to OROV, and another targeted towards the primary vector. A total of 911 records were returned, but only 90 (9.9%) articles satisfied all inclusion criteria. When locations were characterized, some common features were noted more frequently than others, though no one characteristic was significantly associated with presence of OROV using a logistic classification model. In a separate correlation analysis, vector presence was significantly correlated only with the presence of restingas. The lack of significant relationships is likely due to the paucity of data regarding OROV and its eco-epidemiology and highlights the importance of continued focus on characterizing this and other neglected tropical diseases.
Association between the donor to recipient ICG-PDR variation rate and the functional recovery of the graft after orthotopic liver transplantation: A case series

Background Despite current advances in liver transplant surgery, post-operative early allograft dysfunction still complicates the patient prognosis and graft survival. The transition from the donor has not been yet fully understood, and no study quantifies if and how the liver function changes through its transfer to the recipient. The indocyanine green dye plasma disappearance rate (ICG-PDR) is a simple validated tool of liver function assessment. The variation rate between the donor and recipient ICG-PDR still needs to be investigated. Materials and methods Single-center retrospective study. ICG-PDR determinations were performed before graft retrieval (T1) and 24 hours after transplant (T2). The ICG-PDR relative variation rate between T1 and T2 was calculated to assess the graft function and suffering/recovering. Matched data were compared with the MEAF model of graft dysfunction. Objective To investigate whether the variation rate between the donor ICG-PDR value and the recipient ICG-PDR measurement on first postoperative day (POD1) can be associated with the MEAF score. Results 36 ICG-PDR measurements between 18 donors and 18 graft recipients were performed. The mean donor ICG-PDR was 22.64 (SD 6.35), and the mean receiver’s ICG-PDR on 1st POD was 17.68 (SD 6.60), with a mean MEAF value of 4.51 (SD 1.23). Pearson’s test stressed a good, linear inverse correlation between the ICG-PDR relative variation and the MEAF values, correlation coefficient -0.580 (p = 0.012). Conclusion The direct correlation between the donor to recipient ICG-PDR variation rate and MEAF was found. Measurements at T1 and T2 showed an up- or downtrend of the graft performance that reflect the MEAF values.
Characterizing the risk interplay between alcohol intake and body mass index on cirrhosis morbidity

It is thought that alcohol intake and body mass index (BMI) interact supra‐additively to modulate the risk of cirrhosis, but evidence for this phenomenon is limited. We investigated the interrelationship between alcohol and BMI on the incidence of cirrhosis morbidity for participants of the United Kingdom Biobank (UKB) study.
Inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway in Prostate Cancer Chemoprevention and Intervention

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/serine-threonine kinase (Akt)/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR)-signaling pathway has been suggested to have connections with the malignant transformation, growth, proliferation, and metastasis of various cancers and solid tumors. Relevant connections between the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, cell survival, and prostate cancer (PC) provide a great therapeutic target for PC prevention or treatment. Recent studies have focused on small-molecule mTOR inhibitors or their usage in coordination with other therapeutics for PC treatment that are currently undergoing clinical testing. In this study, the function of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, the consequence of its dysregulation, and the development of mTOR inhibitors, either as an individual substance or in combination with other agents, and their clinical implications are discussed. The rationale for targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and specifically the application and potential utility of natural agents involved in PC treatment is described. In addition to the small-molecule mTOR inhibitors, there are evidence that several natural agents are able to target the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in prostatic neoplasms. These natural mTOR inhibitors can interfere with the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway through multiple mechanisms; however, inhibition of Akt and suppression of mTOR 1 activity are two major therapeutic approaches. Combination therapy improves the efficacy of these inhibitors to either suppress the PC progression or circumvent the resistance by cancer cells.
SARS-CoV-2 N Protein Targets TRIM25-Mediated RIG-I Activation to Suppress Innate Immunity

A weak production of INF-β along with an exacerbated release of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been reported during infection by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. SARS-CoV-2 encodes several proteins able to counteract the host immune system, which is believed to be one of the most important features contributing to the viral pathogenesis and development of a severe clinical picture. Previous reports have demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 N protein, along with some non-structural and accessory proteins, efficiently suppresses INF-β production by interacting with RIG-I, an important pattern recognition receptor (PRR) involved in the recognition of pathogen-derived molecules. In the present study, we better characterized the mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 N counteracts INF-β secretion and affects RIG-I signaling pathways. In detail, when the N protein was ectopically expressed, we noted a marked decrease in TRIM25-mediated RIG-I activation. The capability of the N protein to bind to, and probably mask, TRIM25 could be the consequence of its antagonistic activity. Furthermore, this interaction occurred at the SPRY domain of TRIM25, harboring the RNA-binding activity necessary for TRIM25 self-activation. Here, we describe new findings regarding the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and the IFN system, filling some gaps for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms affecting the innate immune response in COVID-19.
Phase Noise of SAW Delay Line Magnetic Field Sensors

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors for the detection of magnetic fields are currently being studied scientifically in many ways, especially since both their sensitivity as well as their detectivity could be significantly improved by the utilization of shear horizontal surface acoustic waves, i.e., Love waves, instead of Rayleigh waves. By now, low-frequency limits of detection (LOD) below 100 pT/Hz can be achieved. However, the LOD can only be further improved by gaining a deep understanding of the existing sensor-intrinsic noise sources and their impact on the sensor’s overall performance. This paper reports on a comprehensive study of the inherent noise of SAW delay line magnetic field sensors. In addition to the noise, however, the sensitivity is of importance, since both quantities are equally important for the LOD. Following the necessary explanations of the electrical and magnetic sensor properties, a further focus is on the losses within the sensor, since these are closely linked to the noise. The considered parameters are in particular the ambient magnetic bias field and the input power of the sensor. Depending on the sensor’s operating point, various noise mechanisms contribute to f0 white phase noise, f−1 flicker phase noise, and f−2 random walk of phase. Flicker phase noise due to magnetic hysteresis losses, i.e. random fluctuations of the magnetization, is usually dominant under typical operating conditions. Noise characteristics are related to the overall magnetic and magnetic domain behavior. Both calculations and measurements show that the LOD cannot be further improved by increasing the sensitivity. Instead, the losses occurring in the magnetic material need to be decreased.
Nd3+-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles as Nanothermometer: High Sensitivity in Temperature Evaluation inside Biological Windows

TiO2 nanoparticles doped with different amounts of Nd3+ (0.5, 1, and 3 wt.%) were synthetized by the sol–gel method, and evaluated as potential temperature nanoprobes using the fluorescence intensity ratio between thermal-sensitive radiative transitions of the Nd3+. XRD characterization identified the anatase phase in all the doped samples. The morphology of the nanoparticles was observed with SEM, TEM and HRTEM microscopies. The relative amount of Nd3+ in TiO2 was obtained by EDXS, and the oxidation state of titanium and neodymium was investigated via XPS and NEXAFS, respectively. Nd3+ was present in all the samples, unlike titanium, where besides Ti4+, a significantly amount of Ti3+ was observed; the relative concentration of Ti3+ increased as the amount of Nd3+ in the TiO2 nanoparticles increased. The photoluminescence of the synthetized nanoparticles was investigated, with excitation wavelengths of 350, 514 and 600 nm. The emission intensity of the broad band that was associated with the presence of defects in the TiO2, increased when the concentration of Nd3+ was increased. Using 600 nm for excitation, the 4F7/2→4I9/2, 4F5/2→4I9/2 and 4F3/2→4I9/2 transitions of Nd3+ ions, centered at 760 nm, 821 nm, and 880 nm, respectively, were observed. Finally, the effect of temperature in the photoluminescence intensity of the synthetized nanoparticles was investigated, with an excitation wavelength of 600 nm. The spectra were collected in the 288–348 K range. For increasing temperatures, the emission intensity of the 4F7/2→4I9/2 and 4F5/2→4I9/2 transitions increased significantly, in contrast to the 4F3/2→4I9/2 transition, in which the intensity emission decreased. The fluorescence intensity ratio between the transitions I821I880=F5/24I49/2F43/2I49/2 and I760I880=F47/2I49/2F43/2I49/2 were used to calculate the relative sensitivity of the sensors. The relative sensitivity was near 3% K−1 for I760I880 and near 1% K−1 for I821I880.
Antitumor Activity of Nanoparticles Loaded with PHT-427, a Novel AKT/PDK1 Inhibitor, for the Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Currently, new treatments are required to supplement the current standard of care for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The phosphatidylinositol3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is commonly altered and activated in HNSCC. PHT-427 is a dual PI3K-mammalian target of the AKT/PDK1 inhibitor; however, to the best of our knowledge, the effect of the PHT-427 inhibitor on HNSCC has not been investigated. This study aims to evaluate the antitumoral effect of PHT-427-loaded polymeric nanoparticles based on α-tocopheryl succinate (α-TOS). The in vitro activity of PHT-427 was tested in hypopharynx carcinoma squamous cells (FaDu) to measure the cell viability, PI3KCA/AKT/PDK1 gene expression, and PI3KCA/AKT/PDK1 levels. Apoptosis, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also measured. The presence of PHT-427 significantly enhances its antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity by inactivating the PI3K/AKT/PDK1 pathway. Nanoparticles (NPs) effectively suppress AKT/PDK1 expression. Additionally, NPs loaded with PHT-427 produce high oxidative stress levels that induce apoptosis. In conclusion, these results are promising in the use of this nanoformulation as a PHT-427 delivery system for effective HNSCC treatment.
Detecting Introgressed Populations in the Iberian Endemic Centaurea podospermifolia through Genome Size

Based on results from previous studies, populations of the Iberian endemic Centaurea podospermifolia north of the Ebro River are considered genetically pure, while those southward are introgressed, with genetic input from C. cephalariifolia. This phenomenon is particularly relevant, especially given both the endangered and protected status for the species, which can have consequences in how to best apply conservation strategies to maintain genetic resources in the species. The main goal of this study was to evaluate whether genome size assessments using flow cytometry can help distinguishing between pure, hybrid and introgressed populations, and hence become a powerful and cost-effective tool to complement comprehensive population genetic surveys. The results indicate that there are significant genome size differences between populations of C. podospermifolia, which are coincident with previous considerations of pure and introgressed populations. Given the simplicity and reproducibility of this technique, flow cytometry could become an effective tool for monitoring pure populations of this species and, indeed, become an integral part of the management plans that are mandatory for listed taxa.
Emulgel Loaded with Flaxseed Extracts as New Therapeutic Approach in Wound Treatment

Dry (D.E.) and liquid (L.E.) extracts were prepared from flaxseeds and their application in health field was evaluated. The chemical analysis showed that D.E. is rich in the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and L.E. in unsaturated triglycerides containing linolenic acid. Mainly, D.E. showed reducing (15.73 μmol Fe2+/g) and radical scavenging capacities (5.25 mg TE/g) and ability to down-regulate the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines NO (IC50 = 0.136 ± 0.009 mg/mL) and IL-6 (IC50 = 0.308 ± 0.103 mg/mL), suggesting its use in wound treatment. D.E. and L.E. were active against S. pyogenes and D.E. also against S. aureus. The two extracts were combined in a novel O/W emulgel in which the water phase was viscosized using a low molecular weight and highly deacetylated chitosan (1% wt./v). The presence of this polymer in the emulgel decreased the MIC values of the extracts. In fact, MIC shifted from 0.59 mg/mL to 0.052 mg/mL for D.E. and from 0.22 mg/mL to 0.036 mg/mL for L.E. , concentrations safe both for keratinocytes and macrophages. Moreover, the emulgel demonstrated to inhibit S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, S. pyogenes, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae growth (inhibition halos 24–36 mm), strains often responsible for diabetic foot ulcer infection.
Design and Implementation of Vector Tracking Loop for High-Dynamic GNSS Receiver

For the tracking of high-dynamic satellite navigation signals, the conventional scalar tracking loop (STL) is vulnerable. Frequent signal-tracking interruption affects the continuity of navigation. The vector tracking loop (VTL) can overcome this disadvantage. However, there are some difficulties in implementing existing vector tracking methods on a real-time hardware receiver, such as the synchronization problem and computation load. This paper proposes an implementation framework of VTL based on a partial open-loop numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) control mode that can be implemented with minor modifications on an existing receiver platform. The structure of VTL, the design of the navigation filter, and the key points of hardware implementation are introduced in detail. Lastly, the VTL performance was verified by a GPS simulator test. The results show that the proposed VTL can run in real-time and be significantly improved in the tracking continuity of high-dynamic signals, tracking sensitivity, positioning accuracy, and recovery time for interrupted signals compared with those of STL.
A Pressure-Pad-Embedded Treadmill Yields Time-Dependent Errors in Estimating Ground Reaction Force during Walking

Accurate and reliable vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) measurement is essential in various biomechanical and clinical studies. Recently, pressure–pad-embedded treadmills have been widely used for VGRF measurement as a relatively less expensive option than the force platform-mounted treadmills. Prior studies have shown that the popular Zebris treadmill is reliable when used to measure peak VGRF for short walking sessions. However, comprehensive evaluation of human walking requires information of gait parameters over sufficient gait cycles. In this study, we quantify the long-term temporal changes in VGRF values measured by the Zebris treadmill. Twenty participants walked on the treadmill for 10 min twice, with 10 min rest between trials. We found an evident decline in the measured VGRF and impulse over time for both trials. The Zebris system also consistently yielded the lower VGRF values during the second trials. These results indicate that the Zebris treadmill is unreliable in measuring VGRF during walking, and a 10 min break is not enough for the embedded sensors to recover their sensitivity. We provided a way to resolve these time-dependent errors; using the impulse-momentum theorem and collected kinematics of the participants, we formulated a curve-fitting model encapsulating the growing VGRF estimation error.
Molecular Engineering of Curcumin, an Active Constituent of Curcuma longa L. (Turmeric) of the Family Zingiberaceae with Improved Antiproliferative Activity

Cancer is the world’s second leading cause of death, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths and 19.3 million new cases in 2020. Curcumin analogs are gaining popularity as anticancer agents currently. We reported herein the isolation, molecular engineering, molecular docking, antiproliferative, and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) activities of curcumin analogs. Three curcumin analogs were prepared and docked against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), revealing efficient binding. Antiproliferative activity against 60 NCI cancer cell lines was assessed using National Cancer Institute (NCI US) protocols. The compound 3b,c demonstrated promising antiproliferative activity in single dose (at 10 µM) as well as five dose (0.01, 0.10, 1.00, 10, and 100 µM). Compound 3c inhibited leukemia cancer panel better than other cancer panels with growth inhibition of 50% (GI50) values ranging from 1.48 to 2.73 µM, and the most promising inhibition with GI50 of 1.25 µM was observed against leukemia cell line SR, while the least inhibition was found against non-small lung cancer cell line NCI-H226 with GI50 value of 7.29 µM. Compounds 3b,c demonstrated superior antiproliferative activity than curcumin and gefitinib. In molecular docking, compound 3c had the most significant interaction with four H-bonds and three π–π stacking, and compound 3c was found to moderately inhibit EGFR. The curcumin analogs discovered in this study have the potential to accelerate the anticancer drug discovery program.
Immunogenicity and Antigenicity of Rabbit Hepatitis E Virus-Like Particles Produced by Recombinant Baculoviruses

Rabbit hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a novel HEV belonging to genotype 3 (HEV-3) in the Orthohepevirus A species of the genus Hepevirus, family Hepeviridae. Rabbit HEV was originally isolated from rabbits and found to cause zoonotic infection. Although rabbit HEV can be successfully grown in culture with several cell lines, including the human carcinoma cell line PLC/PRF/5, it is difficult to obtain the large amounts of viral antigen required for diagnosis and vaccine development. In this study, we expressed N-terminal 13 and 111 aa-truncated rabbit HEV ORF2 proteins using recombinant baculoviruses and obtained two types of virus-like particles (VLPs), RnVLPs and RsVLPs with ~35 and 24 nm diameter, respectively. Anti-rabbit HEV IgG antibodies were induced in high titer by immunizing rabbits with RnVLPs or RsVLPs. The antibody secretion in the serum persisted more than three years. RsVLPs showed stronger antigenic cross-reactivity against HEV-1, HEV-3 and HEV-4 than rat HEV. Moreover, anti-RsVLPs antibodies neutralized not only the cognate virus but also HEV-1, HEV-3 and HEV-4 ex vivo, indicating that rabbit HEV had the same serotype as human HEVs. In contrast, the antibody did not block rat HEV infection, demonstrating that rat HEV belonged to a different serotype. Animal experiments indicated that immunization with either RnVLPs or RsVLPs completely protected the rabbits from challenge by rabbit HEV, suggesting that the VLPs are candidates for rabbit HEV vaccine development.
Near infrared light activatable PEI-wrapped bismuth selenide nanocomposites for photothermal/photodynamic therapy induced bacterial inactivation and dye degradation

The inactivation of bacteria and the degradation of organic pollutants by engineered nanomaterials (NMs) are very effective approaches for producing safe and clean drinking water. The development of new NMs which can act as NIR light mediated antimicrobial agents as well as photocatalytic agents is highly desired. In this study, a novel Bi2Se3 nanoplates (NPs) NM was prepared by a high-temperature reaction (colloidal synthesis) followed by wrapping of the surface with polyethyleneimine (PEI) through electrostatic interactions. The developed Bi2Se3 NPs/PEI exhibited excellent NIR light activated antimicrobial properties for bacterial eradication and efficient photocatalytic properties for organic dye degradation. The results showed that upon 808 nm laser irradiation the engineered Bi2Se3 NPs/PEI eradicated ∼99% of S. aureus and ∼97% of E. coli bacteria within 10 minutes of irradiation through combined dual-modal photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) via the generation of heat and reactive oxygen species, respectively. The contributions of PTT and PDT were found to be in a ratio of nearly 4 : 1 in the killing of both species of bacteria. In addition, Bi2Se3 NPs/PEI also acted as an excellent photocatalyst under illumination by a halogen lamp equipped with a 700–1100 nm band pass filter to achieve degradation efficiencies of ∼95% for methylene blue and ∼93% for Rhodamine B within 3 and 4 h, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of these NIR light activated antimicrobial properties, photodynamic properties and photocatalytic properties mediated by Bi2Se3 NPs.
The Dynamics of Flower Development in Castanea sativa Mill.

The sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is one of the most significant Mediterranean tree species, being an important natural resource for the wood and fruit industries. It is a monoecious species, presenting unisexual male catkins and bisexual catkins, with the latter having distinct male and female flowers. Despite the importance of the sweet chestnut tree, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the determination of sexual organ identity. Thus, the study of how the different flowers of C. sativa develop is fundamental to understand the reproductive success of this species and the impact of flower phenology on its productivity. In this study, a C. sativa de novo transcriptome was assembled and the homologous genes to those of the ABCDE model for floral organ identity were identified. Expression analysis showed that the C. sativa B- and C-class genes are differentially expressed in the male flowers and female flowers. Yeast two-hybrid analysis also suggested that changes in the canonical ABCDE protein–protein interactions may underlie the mechanisms necessary to the development of separate male and female flowers, as reported for the monoecious Fagaceae Quercus suber. The results here depicted constitute a step towards the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in unisexual flower development in C. sativa, also suggesting that the ABCDE model for flower organ identity may be molecularly conserved in the predominantly monoecious Fagaceae family.