Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential Molecular Responses of Zebrafish Larvae to Fluoxetine and Norfluoxetine

The occurrence of psychopharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems is a growing problem. Fluoxetine (FL) and its metabolite norfluoxetine (NF) are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Although they may be potentially harmful to non-target species, available knowledge on the effects of NF is sparse, relative to FL. This study aimed at contributing to the body of knowledge about the modes-of-action (MoA) of these compounds and their underlying mechanisms eliciting hazardous effects during the early development of the teleost model zebrafish (Danio rerio). One hour post-fertilisation (hpf), embryos were exposed up to 80 hpf to these compounds at levels found in surface waters and higher (FL, 0.0015 and 0.05 µM; NF, 0.00006 and 0.0014 µM). Developmental anomalies were observed at 8, 32 and 80 hpf. Larvae were collected at 80 hpf to assess the expression of 34 genes related to FL and NF MoA and metabolism, using qPCR (quantitative reverse transcription PCR). Results showed that both compounds elicited an increased frequency of embryos exhibiting abnormal pigmentation, relative to controls. Gene expression alterations were more pronounced in FL- than in NF-exposed larvae. Cluster Analysis revealed two groups of genes discriminating between the drugs. for their marked opposing responses. Globally, downregulation of gene expression was typical of FL, whilst upregulation or no alteration was found for NF. These clusters identified were linked to the adrenergic pathway and to the retinoid and peroxisome proliferator-activated nuclear receptors. Overall, our data contradict the prevailing notion that NF is more toxic than FL and unveiled the expression levels of genes drd2b, 5-ht2c and abcc2 as possible markers of exposure to FL.
Electronic and Optical Properties of InAs QDs Grown by MBE on InGaAs Metamorphic Buffer

We present the optical characterization of GaAs-based InAs quantum dots (QDs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a digitally alloyed InGaAs metamorphic buffer layer (MBL) with gradual composition ensuring a redshift of the QD emission up to the second telecom window. Based on the photoluminescence (PL) measurements and numerical calculations, we analyzed the factors influencing the energies of optical transitions in QDs, among which the QD height seems to be dominating. In addition, polarization anisotropy of the QD emission was observed, which is a fingerprint of significant valence states mixing enhanced by the QD confinement potential asymmetry, driven by the decreased strain with increasing In content in the MBL. The barrier-related transitions were probed by photoreflectance, which combined with photoluminescence data and the PL temperature dependence, allowed for the determination of the carrier activation energies and the main channels of carrier loss, identified as the carrier escape to the MBL barrier. Eventually, the zero-dimensional character of the emission was confirmed by detecting the photoluminescence from single QDs with identified features of the confined neutral exciton and biexciton complexes via the excitation power and polarization dependences.
Ultrasound-Mediated Drug Delivery: Sonoporation Mechanisms, Biophysics, and Critical Factors

Sonoporation, or the use of ultrasound in the presence of cavitation nuclei to induce plasma membrane perforation, is well considered as an emerging physical approach to facilitate the delivery of drugs and genes to living cells. Nevertheless, this emerging drug delivery paradigm has not yet reached widespread clinical use, because the efficiency of sonoporation is often deemed to be mediocre due to the lack of detailed understanding of the pertinent scientific mechanisms. Here, we summarize the current observational evidence available on the notion of sonoporation, and we discuss the prevailing understanding of the physical and biological processes related to sonoporation. To facilitate systematic understanding, we also present how the extent of sonoporation is dependent on a multitude of factors related to acoustic excitation parameters (ultrasound frequency, pressure, cavitation dose, exposure time), microbubble parameters (size, concentration, bubble-to-cell distance, shell composition), and cellular properties (cell type, cell cycle, biochemical contents). By adopting a science-backed approach to the realization of sonoporation, ultrasound-mediated drug delivery can be more controllably achieved to viably enhance drug uptake into living cells with high sonoporation efficiency. This drug delivery approach, when coupled with concurrent advances in ultrasound imaging, has potential to become an effective therapeutic paradigm.
Antifungal Preservation of Food by Lactic Acid Bacteria

Fungal growth and consequent mycotoxin release in food and feed threatens human health, which might even, in acute cases, lead to death. Control and prevention of foodborne poisoning is a major task of public health that will be faced in the 21st century. Nowadays, consumers increasingly demand healthier and more natural food with minimal use of chemical preservatives, whose negative effects on human health are well known. Biopreservation is among the safest and most reliable methods for inhibiting fungi in food. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are of great interest as biological additives in food owing to their Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) classification and probiotic properties. LAB produce bioactive compounds such as reuterin, cyclic peptides, fatty acids, etc., with antifungal properties. This review highlights the great potential of LAB as biopreservatives by summarizing various reported antifungal activities/metabolites of LAB against fungal growth into foods. In the end, it provides profound insight into the possibilities and different factors to be considered in the application of LAB in different foods as well as enhancing their efficiency in biodetoxification and biopreservative activities.
Poldip2/Nox4 Mediates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Human Lung Epithelial Cells

NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) is an important source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and its expression is increased in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated lung epithelial cells. Polymerase δ-interacting protein 2 (Poldip2) has been proved to bind Nox4 and participates in oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the role of Poldip2/Nox4 in LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in lung epithelial cells remains unclear. Cell viability was measured via MTT assays. The expression of Poldip2, Nox4, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), AKT, and p-AKT was detected by Western blotting and/or immunofluorescence. Poldip2 and Nox4 interaction was analyzed via coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay. NADPH enzymatic activity and production of ROS, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were assessed simultaneously. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) or plasmid targeting Nox4 was used to downregulate or upregulate Nox4, and the lentiviral vector encoding Poldip2 was used to downregulate or upregulate Poldip2. The present study demonstrated that LPS stimulation significantly increased the protein levels of Poldip2 and Nox4 and proved that Poldip2 interacted with Nox4 proved by Co-IP. Importantly, Poldip2 acted as an upstream regulator of Nox4. The increased expression of Nox4 and COX-2; NADPH enzymatic activity; production of ROS, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β; and decreased HO-1 expression were significantly suppressed by lentiviral Poldip2 shRNA downregulation but were increased by lentiviral upregulation of Poldip2. Furthermore, inhibiting of PI3K-AKT signaling notably attenuated LPS-induced Poldip2/Nox4 activation. Our study demonstrated that Poldip2 mediates LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammation via interaction with Nox4 and was regulated by the PI3K-AKT signaling. Targeting Poldip2 could be a beneficial therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ALI.
Translating perception metaphors: Linguistic, cultural and social implications

Explaining the process of translation has become a challenging aim for different research fields. Rather than just relying on the analysis of translated texts, it is vital to analyse the process of translation: what are the reasons behind the translator’s choices and what are the factors that influence the process? This article uses data from three experiments involving a total of 102 participants, who were asked to translate English perception metaphors into Estonian. The empirical results indicate that there are different factors that either hinder or enable translation. Most importantly, context supports the translating of both cross-cultural and culture-specific metaphors. Also, previous translation experience helps participants deal with metaphoric language. Another salient factor was living in an English-speaking country: participants with such experience found it less challenging to translate metaphoric language even if the metaphors were novel. Finally, educational background in translating facilitates the translation of metaphors
Comparative Adsorption of Methylene Blue Dye on Hexane-Washed and Xanthated Spent Grated Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.): Isotherms, Thermodynamics and Mechanisms

A batch system investigated the application of two types of chemically modified biosorbents derived from spent grated coconut (Cocos nucifera) powder to adsorb methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The biosorbents were characterised by spectroscopic and quantitative analyses. The assessment of MB adsorption onto the investigated biosorbents was studied at different experimental conditions with different pHs (2–9) and different initial concentrations of MB (10–400 mg/L) at three different temperatures (298, 308, and 318 K). The maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of xanthated spent grated coconut (XSGC) was higher than that of hexane-washed spent grated coconut (HSGC). The thermodynamic study indicated that the MB adsorption process was spontaneous for both biosorbents. Desorption of MB-loaded biosorbents was carried out using HCl, NaOH, and Na2EDTA solutions. A desorption ratio of more than 90% was obtained over three adsorption/desorption cycles for HSGC. However, XSGC demonstrated poor MB desorption, implying a stronger MB interaction with XSGC, which could be attributed to H-bonding, Yoshida H-bonding, n-π, and π-π bonding. The study showed that HSGC and XSGC could be applied as biosorbents to remove low MB concentrations from aqueous solutions.
Experimental Cross-Species Transmission of Rat Hepatitis E Virus to Rhesus and Cynomolgus Monkeys

Rat hepatitis E virus (rat HEV) was first identified in wild rats and was classified as the species Orthohepevirus C in the genera Orthohepevirus, which is genetically different from the genotypes HEV-1 to HEV-8, which are classified as the species Orthohepevirus A. Although recent reports suggest that rat HEV transmits to humans and causes hepatitis, the infectivity of rat HEV to non-human primates such as cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys remains controversial. To investigate whether rat HEV infects non-human primates, we inoculated one cynomolgus monkey and five rhesus monkeys with a V-105 strain of rat HEV via an intravenous injection. Although no significant elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was observed, rat HEV RNA was detected in fecal specimens, and seroconversion was observed in all six monkeys. The partial nucleotide sequences of the rat HEV recovered from the rat HEV-infected monkeys were identical to those of the V-105 strain, indicating that the infection was caused by the rat HEV. The rat HEV recovered from the cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys successfully infected both nude and Sprague-Dawley rats. The entire rat HEV genome recovered from nude rats was identical to that of the V-105 strain, suggesting that the rat HEV replicates in monkeys and infectious viruses were released into the fecal specimens. These results demonstrated that cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys are susceptible to rat HEV, and they indicate the possibility of a zoonotic infection of rat HEV. Cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys might be useful as animal models for vaccine development.
Influence of Strategic Marketing Approaches in Business Communication

The global and fast-paced economy requires all types of businesses to cultivate their communication system for the efficient and smooth running of the organization. Various international crises can cause a shift towards a cheaper mode and methods of communication that can harm the overall business strategy and success. This study deals with the influence of strategic marketing approaches that can positively influence the communication quality and methods of a business. Particular emphasis has been put on business-to-customer communication targets along with new possibilities of developing more robust marketing communication tools. The paper aims to propose new approaches and trends in the current business-to-customer communication model that would help in mitigating both current and future challenges. Thereby, the paper incorporates pragmatism as research philosophy, deductive as the research approach, and descriptive as the research design. Apart from that, a secondary method of data collection along with ethical modes of data collection is taken into consideration to present a comprehensive and efficacious paper.
Raman Diagnostics of Cathode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries Using Multi-Wavelength Excitation

Lithium-ion batteries have been commonly employed as power sources in portable devices and are of great interest for large-scale energy storage. To further enhance the fundamental understanding of the electrode structure, we report on the use of multi-wavelength Raman spectroscopy for the detailed characterization of layered cathode materials for Li-ion batteries (LiCoO2, LiNixCo1−xO2, LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2). Varying the laser excitation from the UV to the visible (257, 385, 515, 633 nm) reveals wavelength-dependent changes in the vibrational profile and overtone/combination bands, originating from resonance effects in LiCoO2. In mixed oxides, the influence of resonance effects on the vibrational profile is preserved but mitigated by the presence of Ni and/or Mn, highlighting the influence of resonance Raman spectroscopy on electronic structure changes. The use of UV laser excitation (257, 385 nm) is shown to lead to a higher scattering efficiency towards Ni in LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 compared to visible wavelengths, while deep UV excitation at 257 nm allows for the sensitive detection of surface species and/or precursor species reminiscent of the synthesis. Our results demonstrate the potential of multi-wavelength Raman spectroscopy for the detailed characterization of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, including phase/impurity identification and quantification, as well as electronic structure analysis.
Exploring the Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Employee Sleep Quality at a Healthcare Technology and Services Organization

The COVID-19 pandemic led to global healthcare consequences including insomnia. This survey used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality at two time points (July 2020 and November 2020) among employees at a healthcare technology and services organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 1280 eligible employees, 251 complete responses (response rate, RR = 19.6%) in July and 108 (RR = 8.4%) in November were received and analyzed. The overall mean global PSQI scores were 7.3 ± 3.6 in July and 7.7 ± 3.6 in November 2020 (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in any of the PSQI components or global scores between periods. Our findings indicate poor reported sleep quality among our study participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional studies are needed to assess the longitudinal impact on sleep quality post-COVID-19 pandemic.
Behavioral Factors Affecting the Acclimatization of Newly-Appointed Teachers in Primary Schools: An Empirical Investigation

Despite findings in the literature on its significance, the acclimatization of teachers into school units is not well organized. Hence, many newly appointed teachers fell as a “foreign body” into school, they do not interact with the other members of staff and they are not actively engaged in school life. This study aims to explore the factors involved in social behavior (collegial relations) among members of the educational community. These factors may affect the acclimatization/reception of teachers who, regardless of their teaching experience, are called to teach for the first time in a new school environment. According to the findings, it is essential the attitudes of teaching staff, in matters of cooperation, to be transformed and a collegial climate in schools to be established. To this end, fostering empathy among teachers through educational activities and enhancing opportunities for cooperation and teamwork inside and outside the classroom would be of significant contribution.
Concordance of Alzheimer’s Disease Subtypes Produced from Different Representative Morphological Measures: A Comparative Study

Background: Gray matter (GM) density and cortical thickness (CT) obtained from structural magnetic resonance imaging are representative GM morphological measures that have been commonly used in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) subtype research. However, how the two measures affect the definition of AD subtypes remains unclear. Methods: A total of 180 AD patients from the ADNI database were used to identify AD subgroups. The subtypes were identified via a data-driven strategy based on the density features and CT features, respectively. Then, the similarity between the two features in AD subtype definition was analyzed. Results: Four distinct subtypes were discovered by both density and CT features: diffuse atrophy AD, minimal atrophy AD (MAD), left temporal dominant atrophy AD (LTAD), and occipital sparing AD. The matched subtypes exhibited relatively high similarity in atrophy patterns and neuropsychological and neuropathological characteristics. They differed only in MAD and LTAD regarding the carrying of apolipoprotein E ε2. Conclusions: The results verified that different representative morphological GM measurement methods could produce similar AD subtypes. Meanwhile, the influences of apolipoprotein E genotype, asymmetric disease progression, and their interactions should be considered and included in the AD subtype definition. This study provides a valuable reference for selecting features in future studies of AD subtypes.
The Open Source Revolution as a Badiouian Event

This paper will show how the Free/Libre/Open Source Software movement (FLOSS), or the Open Source revolution, constitutes an event in the Badiouian sense. Surprisingly, this phenomenon has not yet been connected to Alain Badiou in the literature. I will analyze two salient aspects of FLOSS, thereby establishing the latter's correspondence with Badiou's conception of the event. The General Public License (GPL), as one of these aspects, uncovers in copyright law a usage that, while consistent with existing copyright law, nonetheless contains implications that break with the latter in significant ways. The second aspect is the FLOSS governance model, which introduces a break within the existing norms of managerial driven governance in the dominant capitalist world order. These two aspects can be seen as exceptions within the existing situation from which they arise. Badiou's doctrine of the event admits events as being materially tied to their existing situations even while constituting a break from those very situations. FLOSS will be interpreted through both Badiou's mathematical ontology as well as his more recent logical phenomenology. This argument will be used to challenge the critics who deny fundamental change by maintaining that FLOSS is an outgrowth of, or a phenomenon that is merely dependent upon, the capitalist system. If ownership of property and relations between capitalists and workers structure the capitalist scene and by extension contemporary politics, then weighing the consequences of this change can have implications for politics in general. The paper will conclude with reflections upon these implications.
Building a Production-Ready Multi-Label Classifier for Legal Documents with Digital-Twin-Distiller

One of the most time-consuming parts of an attorney’s job is finding similar legal cases. Categorization of legal documents by their subject matter can significantly increase the discoverability of digitalized court decisions. This is a multi-label classification problem, where each relatively long text can fit into more than one legal category. The proposed paper shows a solution where this multi-label classification problem is decomposed into more than a hundred binary classification problems. Several approaches have been tested, including different machine-learning and text-augmentation techniques to produce a practically applicable model. The proposed models and the methodologies were encapsulated and deployed as a digital-twin into a production environment. The performance of the created machine learning-based application reaches and could also improve the human-experts performance on this monotonous and labor-intensive task. It could increase the e-discoverability of the documents by about 50%.