Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alterations in the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Profiles of Rat Hippocampus after Six Months of Morphine Withdrawal: Comparison with the Forebrain Cortex

The knowledge about proteome changes proceeding during protracted opioid withdrawal is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this work was to analyze the spectrum of altered proteins in the rat hippocampus in comparison with the forebrain cortex after 6-month morphine withdrawal. We utilized 2D electrophoretic workflow (Pro-Q® Diamond staining and Colloidal Coomassie Blue staining) which was preceded by label-free quantification (MaxLFQ). The phosphoproteomic analysis revealed six significantly altered hippocampal (Calm1, Ywhaz, Tuba1b, Stip1, Pgk1, and Aldoa) and three cortical proteins (Tubb2a, Tuba1a, and Actb). The impact of 6-month morphine withdrawal on the changes in the proteomic profiles was higher in the hippocampus—14 proteins, only three proteins were detected in the forebrain cortex. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of differentially expressed hippocampal proteins revealed the most enriched terms related to metabolic changes, cytoskeleton organization and response to oxidative stress. There is increasing evidence that energy metabolism plays an important role in opioid addiction. However, the way how morphine treatment and withdrawal alter energy metabolism is not fully understood. Our results indicate that the rat hippocampus is more susceptible to changes in proteome and phosphoproteome profiles induced by 6-month morphine withdrawal than is the forebrain cortex.
Development and validation of analytical method by spectrophotometry UV-Vis for quantification of flavonoids in leaves of Senna occidentalis Link

Senna occidentalis Link (Fabaceae), known as “fedegoso”, is used in folk medicine due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, muscle relaxant and inhibiting lipid peroxidation imputed to flavonoids contained in its composition. The species is also a constituent of processed products are commercialized in various parts of the world including Brazil, although there are few reports in the literature about the development of an analytical method for quantification of flavonoids in it. The main purpose of this research was the evaluation of an analytical methodology to determinate the content of total flavonoids in leaves of S. occidentalis, for quality control. The parameters evaluated were: drug: solvent ratio, concentration of aluminum chloride and reaction time. The quantification of total flavonoids was obtained after reaction with aluminum chloride by UV/Vis spectrophotometry. The results revealed a maximum absorption peak (λ = 392 nm) was the amount of 0.5 g of a plant raw in 100 mL of solvent and there were no significant influences between the concentrations of aluminum chloride or hydroalcoholic solutions analyzed. The evaluation of reaction time allowed to characterize the kinetics as slow, stabilizing from 60 min, choosing this as reading time. The method was specific, linear, precise, accurate and robust, according to the specifications set in RDC n. 166/2017. Finally, the results of the study showed that the measured methodology is simple and accurate and can be applied for quality assessment of the species S. occidentalis.
Incorporating applications to a service oriented architecture

How to adjust the technological expenses and how to adapt systems to business requests aiming at improving operative efficiency have become fundamental questions for many companies. These companies must be able to maximise their technology, processes and services, building a framework where a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) appears as a key element for the change. In this paper, we present a design and implementation that allows to reuse the logic of existing applications in a new execution environment. These applications should be able to communicate according to some standards, based on W3C specifications. To achieve this purpose the architecture developed follows the architectural patterns Model-View-Controller (MVC) and Layers. A modular design based on open structures plays a crucial role to reuse each one of the subsystems needed by the company to incorporate, orchestrate or coordinate new business processes. This way it is possible to share part of the logic already deployed during the design phase of new business processes, avoiding high development costs.
Investigating Potential Dose–Response Relationships between Vitamin D Status and Cognitive Performance: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in Middle- to Older-Aged Adults in the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study

Low vitamin D status has been linked to adverse cognitive outcomes in older adults. However, relationships at higher levels remain uncertain. We aimed to clarify patterns of association between vitamin D status and cognitive performance, using flexible regression methods, in 4872 middle- to older-aged adults (2678 females) from the Busselton Healthy Ageing Study. Cross-sectional associations of serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and performance in cognitive domains were modelled using linear regression and restricted cubic splines, controlling for demographic, lifestyle, and health factors. Mean ± SD serum 25OHD levels were 78 ± 24 nM/L for women and 85 ± 25 nM/L for men. Increasing levels in women were associated with better global cognition (linear trend, p = 0.023) and attention accuracy (continuity of attention), with improvement in the latter plateauing around levels of 80 nM/L (nonlinear trend, p = 0.035). In men, increasing levels of serum 25OHD were associated with better attention accuracy (linear trend, p = 0.022), but poorer semantic verbal fluency (linear trend, p = 0.025) and global cognition (nonlinear trend, p = 0.015). We identified patterns of association between serum 25OHD levels and cognitive performance that may reflect early dose–response relationships, particularly in women. Longitudinal analyses extending through to older ages may help to clarify the nature, strength, and temporality of these relationships.
HIV-1 trans-Infection Mediated by DCs: The Tip of the Iceberg of Cell-to-Cell Viral Transmission

HIV-1 cell-to-cell transmission is key for an effective viral replication that evades immunity. This highly infectious mechanism is orchestrated by different cellular targets that utilize a wide variety of processes to efficiently transfer HIV-1 particles. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen presenting cells that initiate antiviral immune responses, but are also the cells with highest capacity to transfer HIV-1. This mechanism, known as trans-infection, relies on the capacity of DCs to capture HIV-1 particles via lectin receptors such as the sialic acid-binding I-type lectin Siglec-1/CD169. The discovery of the molecular interaction of Siglec-1 with sialylated lipids exposed on HIV-1 membranes has enlightened how this receptor can bind to several enveloped viruses. The outcome of these interactions can either mount effective immune responses, boost the productive infection of DCs and favour innate sensing, or fuel viral transmission via trans-infection. Here we review these scenarios focusing on HIV-1 and other enveloped viruses such as Ebola virus or SARS-CoV-2.
Consumption of industrial processed foods and risk of premenopausal breast cancer among Latin American women: the PRECAMA study

Ultra-processed food intake has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in Western populations. No data are available in the Latin American population although the consumption of ultra-processed foods is increasing rapidly in this region. We evaluated the association of ultra-processed food intake to breast cancer risk in a case–control study including 525 cases (women aged 20–45 years) and 525 matched population-based controls from Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico. The degree of processing of foods was classified according to the NOVA classification. Overall, the major contributors to ultra-processed food intake were ready-to-eat/heat foods (18.2%), cakes and desserts (16.7%), carbonated and industrial fruit juice beverages (16.7%), breakfast cereals (12.9%), sausages and reconstituted meat products (12.1%), industrial bread (6.1%), dairy products and derivatives (7.6%) and package savoury snacks (6.1%). Ultra-processed food intake was positively associated with the risk of breast cancer in adjusted models (OR T3-T1=1.93; 95% CI=1.11 to 3.35). Specifically, a higher risk was observed with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer (ORT3-T1=2.44, (95% CI=1.01 to 5.90, P-trend=0.049), while no significant association was observed with oestrogen receptor negative breast cancer (ORT3-T1=1.87, 95% CI=0.43 to 8.13, P-trend=0.36). Our findings suggest that the consumption of ultra-processed foods might increase the risk of breast cancer in young women in Latin America. Further studies should confirm these findings and disentangle specific mechanisms relating ultra-processed food intake and carcinogenic processes in the breast.
Targeted Disruption of E6/p53 Binding Exerts Broad Activity and Synergism with Paclitaxel and Topotecan against HPV-Transformed Cancer Cells

Simple Summary The identification of new specific anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) drugs is highly needed, as HPV-induced cancers still represent a significant medical issue. The aim of this study was to analyze in more detail the therapeutic potential of a compound, Cpd12, that acts by blocking the binding between HPV E6 oncoprotein and cellular tumor suppressor p53. We demonstrated that by blocking such an interaction, driven by highly conserved residues among oncogenic HPVs, Cpd12 exhibits broad activity against cervical cancer cell lines infected by different HPV genotypes and HPV-positive head-and-neck cancer cells. Interestingly, Cpd12 also showed the ability to inhibit cancer cell migration and to increase the activity of chemotherapeutic drugs such as taxanes and topoisomerase inhibitors. These findings improve the knowledge about the in vitro efficacy of Cpd12, paving the way to preclinical studies to develop new therapeutic strategies against HPV-induced tumors. Abstract High-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV) are the etiological agents of almost all cervical cancer cases and a high percentage of head-and-neck malignancies. Although HPV vaccination can reduce cancer incidence, its coverage significantly differs among countries, and, therefore, in the next decades HPV-related tumors will not likely be eradicated worldwide. Thus, the need of specific treatments persists, since no anti-HPV drug is yet available. We recently discovered a small molecule (Cpd12) able to inhibit the E6-mediated degradation of p53 through the disruption of E6/p53 binding in HPV16- and HPV18-positive cervical cancer cells. By employing several biochemical and cellular assays, here we show that Cpd12 is also active against cervical cancer cells transformed by other HR-HPV strains, such as HPV68 and HPV45, and against a HPV16-transformed head-and-neck cancer cell line, suggesting the possibility to employ Cpd12 as a targeted drug against a broad range of HPV-induced cancers. In these cancer cell lines, the antitumoral mechanism of action of Cpd12 involves p53-dependent cell cycle arrest, a senescent response, and inhibition of cancer cell migration. Finally, we show that Cpd12 can strongly synergize with taxanes and topoisomerase inhibitors, encouraging the evaluation of Cpd12 in preclinical studies for the targeted treatment of HPV-related carcinomas.
Efficient microwave power transfer system using retrodirective antenna array

ABSTRACT In this paper, we present a design method for a highly efficient retrodirective array (RDA)-based microwave power transfer (MPT) system for the mMTC scenario, and evaluate its characteristics through experiments. Long-range wireless power transfer is required to effectively support the mMTC situation. RDA-based MPT controls and tracks the power beam towards the device within a certain range and it enables efficient power transfer. The overall link budget analysis is examined first and the required antenna gain is calculated. The required antenna gain can be secured using multiple-antenna modules. So, it is possible to design an RDA-based MPT system. In this paper, we implement a reduced RDA-based MPT system and evaluate its characteristics to confirm the feasibility of this design method. Through experiments, it has been confirmed that additional gain can be secured by using multiple antenna modules, and the RDA function can be effectively operated to effectively make a power beam in the direction of the power receiver. Conclusively, the gain of about 2.2dB increased whenever the number of antennas is doubled. The experimental results also show that the RDA-based MPT system designed in this paper is capable of adaptive power beamforming from −30 degrees to 30 degrees.
Graduate student’s use of social media as a learning space

Abstract This research was a qualitative exploration of seven graduate students’ lived experiences with the use of social media (SM) as a learning space. An integrated thematic analysis based on data provided via interviews, observations, and artifacts yielded 13 main themes, offering a rich description of participants’ experiences with using SM for advanced formal learning. The participants had varying ideas about definitions of SM, indicating that establishing clarity with respect to SM as a concept is important to both research and the practical integration of SM applications in advanced learning contexts. Regardless of conceptual inconsistencies, these graduate students primarily reported positive experiences with using SM for graduate studies: major source of learning and motivating and engaging emerged as main themes. Themes related to cross-cultural aspects also emerged in that SM facilitates cross-cultural adaptation and increases global/cross-cultural communication and interaction skills. Themes for the primary advantages of SM were convenience, collaboration/connection, and transcends geographical boundaries. The primary disadvantages were that SM could be overwhelming/boring, distracting/time consuming, and involve interpersonal challenges. The credibility of resources can also be an issue. Main themes for suggestions included recommendations for educators’ integration of social media (for classwork) and students’ management of social media. The study provides novel insight into the use of SM for learning from graduate students representing different geographic and cultural perspectives. Importantly, the findings provide rich qualitative data that provide convergent support for the generalizability of the findings from quantitative survey studies as well as providing insight into how varying conceptualizations of SM can influence participants’ responses in research and their actual use of various applications.
Etiology of Mastitis and Antimicrobial Resistance in Dairy Cattle Farms in the Western Part of Romania

The present study aimed to determine the bacteria isolated from bovine mastitis and their antimicrobial resistance in the western part of Romania. Clinical mastitis was diagnosed based on local inflammation in the udder, changes in milk, and when present, generalized symptoms. Subclinical mastitis was assessed using a rapid test—the California Mastitis Test. The identification of bacterial strains was performed based on biochemical profiles using API system tests (API 20 E, API Staph, API 20 Strep, API Coryne, API 20 NE (bioMerieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France), and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS). The prevalent isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus spp. (50/116; 43.19%), followed by Streptococcus spp. (26/116; 22.41%), E. coli (16/116; 13.79%), Corynebacterium spp. (9/116; 7.75%), Enterococcus spp. (10/116; 8.62%), and Enterobacter spp. (5/116; 4.31%). Phenotype antimicrobial resistance profiling was performed used the disc diffusion method. Generally, Gram-positive bacteria showed low susceptibility to most of the antimicrobials tested, except cephalothin. Susceptibilities to penicillins and quinolones were fairly high in Gram-negative bacteria, whereas resistance was observed to macrolides, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines. The highest number of isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR), the resistance pathotypes identified including the most frequently antimicrobials used in cow mastitis treatment in Romania.
Impact of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Element to People Knowledge Sharing Behavior at Virtual Communities of Practices in Indonesia

One of critical challenge in knowledge management success is to motivate people share their knowledge to others. Prior’s research reveals that motivation as primary driver for people to perform knowledge sharing. Previous study also indicated people influenced by internal (intrinsic) and external (extrinsic) motivation when perform the knowledge sharing. The aim of this article is to investigate and explores how the elements of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation contribute to people intention in perform knowledge sharing in virtual communities. Moreover this study would confirm and understand how this knowledge sharing behavior occurs in Indonesia Context. Many literatures argue that different culture context would produce different of people belief and behavior. This study conducts a survey in a formal virtual community of practices members in one Indonesia Company. Two hundred and four respondents participated in this study. Data was analysis using SEM with Smart PLS Software. This study found that both of those motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic) are positively influences behavior of people knowledge sharing in formal Virtual Communities of Practices. In advance this studies indicate that extrinsic motivation is major motivation element that influencing people in perform knowledge sharing.
Acupuncture Relieves Stress-Induced Depressive Behavior by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Neuroapoptosis in Rats

Oxidative stress is closely related to the occurrence of depression. Acupuncture has been proved to be an effective method for treating depression. In order to explore the mechanism of the antidepressant effect of acupuncture, this study performed acupuncture prevention on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) depression model rats, and observed the effect of acupuncture on hippocampal oxidative stress and Nrf2 signaling pathway. Male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, CUMS group, acupuncture group, and fluoxetine group (n = 10/group). Fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, was used as a positive control drug in this study. In the fluoxetine group, rats were given fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg) intragastrically once a day for 28 days. The acupoints of Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) were applied in acupuncture group, once every other day for 14 times in total. Behavioral tests and biological detections were used to evaluate the effects of the interventions and the changes of factors related to oxidative stress, Nrf2 pathway, and neuronal apoptosis. The results showed that both acupuncture and fluoxetine could increase sugar preference rate in SPT and decrease immobility time in FST in depression model rats. It also significantly decreased oxidative stress products such as ROS and H2O2, and elevated the protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1. From Nissl’s staining, there were more abundant nerve cells in two intervention groups compared with CUMS group. Plus, acupuncture down-regulated the expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2. Our findings indicate that acupuncture improved depression-like behaviors of CUMS rats. And CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors in rats were related to oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus. Acupuncture showed antidepressant effects in reducing oxidative stress products via regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway so that prevented neuronal apoptosis.
Multi-Physics Modeling and Simulation of a Frequency Doubling Antenna Sensor for Passive Wireless Strain Sensing

This research studies multi-physics simulation of a frequency doubling antenna sensor for wireless strain measurement. The frequency doubling technology allows easy distinguishing of backscattered passive sensor signal (at the doubled frequency 2ƒ) from environmental reflection (at original reader interrogation frequency ƒ). Upon bonding to a base structure, because strain/deformation causes resonance frequency change of the antenna sensor, the passive wireless antenna sensor can be used to measure strain in the underlying base structure. To accurately model the mechanical and electromagnetic behaviors of the frequency doubling antenna sensor, a multiphysics coupled simulation approach is proposed. For simulating both the matching network performance and the antenna behavior under strain/deformation, two commercial software packages, COMSOL and ADS, are combined to leverage the strength of each package. doi: 10.12783/SHM2015/109
Multi-Objective Community-Level Seismic Retrofit Optimization for Resiliency using Engineering and Socioeconomic Variables

A seismic loss estimation model is incorporated into a multi-objective community-level optimization for identifying the optimal retrofit plan for the woodframe building stock with the intention of improving a community's resiliency to earthquakes. The framework of the loss estimation model and multi-objective optimization considers five damage states based on potential morbidity rates, repair costs, relocation costs, and repair times. A community-level case study is conducted for Los Angeles County, California considering a maximum considered earthquake (MCE) seismic hazard using a simplified design space. The framework provides the pareto-optimal set of retrofit solutions for the community allowing for decision makers to apply community preferences in selecting the "optimal" resiliency plan.
Creating and sustaining action learning in physics classroom

The study was conducted to find out the effect of action learning strategy on students’ academic achievement in Nigerian senior secondary school physics. A criterion sampling technique was used to select the sample schools. A total of 280 students took part in the study. A Physics Achievement Test (PAT) with coefficient of internal consistency of 0.82 using Kuder Richardson formula 21was the instrument used to collect the data. The result showed that action learning strategy enhances students’ achievement in physics more than problem-based learning strategy. Also, gender has no significant effect on the achievement of physics students taught with action learning and problem-based learning strategies. When students are allowed to discover problems and work together cooperatively in a small group to find solutions to them through join intellectual effort; resourcefulness, innovation, creativity, student - centeredness, respect for other people's view, problem solving skills, initiative, curiosity and critical thinking can be created, developed and sustained in physics classroom.