Gamification in marketing: Insights on current and future research directions based on a bibliometric and theories, contexts, characteristics and methodologies analysis.

Gamification involves using game design elements in non-game contexts. It is an emerging strategy that, being able to motivate consumer engagement with brands, has been increasingly used by companies in marketing activities. Recently, the application of gamification to marketing has become increasingly popular, with an increasing amount of research outputs.

Getting pastoral systems productivity right.

Beef production in pasture-based systems is increasingly contested due to related biophysical and environmental challenges. Addressing these requires rigorous science-based evidence to inform private decisions and public policies. Increasing yields and simultaneously reducing the negative environmental impacts of agricultural and livestock production are central to sustainable intensification approaches.

Heterogeneous Development of β-Cell Populations in Diabetes-Resistant and -Susceptible Mice.

Progressive dysfunction and failure of insulin-releasing β-cells are a hallmark of type 2 diabetes (T2D). To study mechanisms of β-cell loss in T2D, we performed islet single-cell RNA sequencing of two obese mouse strains differing in their diabetes susceptibility. With mice on a control diet, we identified six β-cell clusters with similar abundance in both strains.

Investigating immune and non-immune cell interactions in head and neck tumors by single-cell RNA sequencing.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is characterized by complex relations between stromal, epithelial, and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). To enable the development of more efficacious therapies, we aim to study the heterogeneity, signatures of unique cell populations, and cell-cell interactions of non-immune and immune cell populations in 6 human papillomavirus (HPV) and 12 HPV HNSCC patient tumor and matched peripheral blood specimens using single-cell RNA sequencing. Using this dataset of 134,606 cells, we show cell type-specific signatures associated with inflammation and HPV status, describe the negative prognostic value of fibroblasts with elastic differentiation specifically in the HPV TME, predict therapeutically targetable checkpoint receptor-ligand interactions, and show that tumor-associated macrophages are dominant contributors of PD-L1 and other immune checkpoint ligands in the TME.

Cloud/edge computing for compliance in the Brazilian livestock supply chain.

Brazil is an important player in the global agribusiness markets, in which grain and beef make up the majority of exports. Barriers to access more valuable sustainable markets emerge from the lack of adequate compliance in supply chains. Here is depicted a mobile application based on cloud/edge computing for the livestock supply chain to circumvent that limitation.

Dysregulated NF-κB-Dependent ICOSL Expression in Human Dendritic Cell Vaccines Impairs T-cell Responses in Patients with Melanoma.

Therapeutic cancer vaccines targeting melanoma-associated antigens are commonly immunogenic but are rarely effective in promoting objective clinical responses. To identify critical molecules for activation of effective antitumor immunity, we have profiled autologous dendritic cell (DC) vaccines used to treat 35 patients with melanoma. We showed that checkpoint molecules induced by maturation correlated with DC vaccine activity.

Climate risk and seasonal forage production of Marandu palisadegrass in Brazil.

This study aimed to characterize Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu seasonal production (seasonality) and its variation (climate risk) yearlong throughout Brazil. Data from weather stations in Brazil (1963-2009), were associated with an empirical herbage accumulation rate (HAR; kg DM ha-1 day-1) model which considers growing degree-days adjusted by a drought attenuation index.

Impact of checkpoint blockade on cancer vaccine-activated CD8+ T cell responses.

Immune and molecular profiling of CD8 T cells of patients receiving DC vaccines expressing three full-length melanoma antigens (MAs) was performed. Antigen expression levels in DCs had no significant impact on T cell or clinical responses. Patients who received checkpoint blockade before DC vaccination had higher baseline MA-specific CD8 T cell responses but no evidence for improved functional responses to the vaccine.

Counting Cattle in UAV Images-Dealing with Clustered Animals and Animal/Background Contrast Changes.

The management of livestock in extensive production systems may be challenging, especially in large areas. Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to collect images from the area of interest is quickly becoming a viable alternative, but suitable algorithms for extraction of relevant information from the images are still rare. This article proposes a method for counting cattle which combines a deep learning model for rough animal location, color space manipulation to increase contrast between animals and background, mathematical morphology to isolate the animals and infer the number of individuals in clustered groups, and image matching to take into account image overlap.

A Study on the Detection of Cattle in UAV Images Using Deep Learning.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being increasingly viewed as valuable tools to aid the management of farms. This kind of technology can be particularly useful in the context of extensive cattle farming, as production areas tend to be expansive and animals tend to be more loosely monitored. With the advent of deep learning, and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in particular, extracting relevant information from aerial images has become more effective.

Multiple antigen-engineered DC vaccines with or without IFNα to promote antitumor immunity in melanoma.

Background: Cancer vaccines are designed to promote systemic antitumor immunity and tumor eradication. Cancer vaccination may be more efficacious in combination with additional interventions that may build on or amplify their effects.

Methods: Based on our previous clinical and in vitro studies, we designed an antigen-engineered DC vaccine trial to promote a polyclonal CD8 and CD4 T cell response against three shared melanoma antigens.

Tumor-Derived α-Fetoprotein Suppresses Fatty Acid Metabolism and Oxidative Phosphorylation in Dendritic Cells.

Cellular metabolism supports immune cell function. Here, we identify a reduction in fatty acid synthesis and mitochondrial metabolism in dendritic cells (DC) due to α-fetoprotein (AFP), a protein secreted by hepatocellular cancer (HCC). DCs cultured in the presence of AFP show reduced expression of the metabolic regulatory molecules SREBP-1 and PGC1-α.

CD56 CD16 Natural Killer Cell Profiling in Melanoma Patients Receiving a Cancer Vaccine and Interferon-α.

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate cytotoxic and immunoregulatory lymphocytes that have a central role in anti-tumor immunity and play a critical role in mediating cellular immunity in advanced cancer immunotherapies, such as dendritic cell (DC) vaccines. Our group recently tested a novel recombinant adenovirus-transduced autologous DC-based vaccine that simultaneously induces T cell responses against three melanoma-associated antigens for advanced melanoma patients. Here, we examine the impact of this vaccine as well as the subsequent systemic delivery of high-dose interferon-α2b (HDI) on the circulatory NK cell profile in melanoma patients.

Hepatocellular cancer-derived alpha fetoprotein uptake reduces CD1 molecules on monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is produced by over 50% of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Uptake of tumor-derived AFP (tAFP) can impair activity of human dendritic cells (DC). The expression pattern of the lipid antigen presenting genes from the CD1 family is reduced in AFP-treated monocyte-derived DC.

Liquid-liquid extraction-programmed temperature vaporizer-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in saliva samples. Application to the occupational exposure of firefighters.

We present the development and validation of a sensitive method for the reliable determination of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in saliva samples, which can be used as exposure markers. This method was based on a liquid-liquid extraction and programmed temperature vaporizer-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (LLE-PTV-GC-MS). Since no matrix effect was found, quantification was performed using external calibration.

Dendritic Cell-Based Cancer Vaccines.

Dendritic cells (DC) are specialized immune cells that play a critical role in promoting an immune response against Ags, which can include foreign pathogenic Ags and self-tumor Ags. DC are capable of boosting a memory T cell response but most importantly they are effective initiators of naive T cell responses. Many years of studies have focused on the use of DC vaccines against cancer to initiate and shape an antitumor-specific immune response and/or boost existing spontaneous antitumor T cell responses.

Determination of ketones and ethyl acetate-a preliminary study for the discrimination of patients with lung cancer.

In this work, ten possible volatile biomarkers of lung cancer (acetone, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate, 2-pentanone, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, 2-hexanone, 3-heptanone, 2-heptanone, 3-octanone, and 2-nonanone) have been analyzed to evaluate their different concentration levels in urine samples from lung cancer patients (n = 12) and healthy controls (n = 12). The volatile compounds were generated with a headspace autosampler and analyzed with a gas chromatograph equipped with a programmed temperature vaporizer and mass spectrometry detector (HS-PTV-GC-MS). With the aim of evaluating the aforementioned differences, a Mann-Whitney U test and box-plots were obtained.

Training Intraverbal Naming to Establish Matching-to-Sample Performances.

The current study evaluated whether training intraverbal naming would be sufficient to establish visual-visual matching-to-sample (MTS) performances in college students. In the first experiment, we used a multiple-probe design across stimulus sets to assess whether six participants could match arbitrary visual stimuli (AB) after learning to tact their two experimentally defined classes (A' and B') and then intraverbally relate their names (i.e.

[Health literacy in type 2 diabetics: associated factors and glycemic control].

Diabetes mellitus patients must concentrate on self-care, with complex treatments and adequate health behavior in which such habits are a key factor. Due to the complexity of this issue, the importance of literacy in health arises. The goal of the study was to analyze factors associated with literacy in health and its relation with glycemic control in diabetic patients.

Microextraction by packed sorbent and salting-out-assisted liquid-liquid extraction for the determination of aromatic amines formed from azo dyes in textiles.

EU legislation prohibits the use of certain azo dyes which, on reduction, form any of 22 aromatic amines listed in Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 at concentrations above the threshold limit of 30 mg Kg(-1). Two different extraction techniques for the determination of aromatic amines formed from azo dyes in textiles in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) are described. The first one is based on microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) and the other approach involves salting-out-assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE).

Cell-intrinsic in vivo requirement for the E47-p21 pathway in long-term hematopoietic stem cells.

Major regulators of long-term hematopoietic stem cell (LT-HSC) self-renewal and proliferation have been identified, but knowledge of their in vivo interaction in a linear pathway is lacking. In this study, we show a direct genetic link between the transcription factor E47 and the major cell cycle regulator p21 in controlling LT-HSC integrity in vivo under repopulation stress. Numerous studies have shown that E47 activates p21 transcription in hematopoietic subsets in vitro, and we now reveal the in vivo relevance of the E47-p21 pathway by reducing the gene dose of each factor individually (E47(het) or p21(het)) versus in tandem (E47(het)p21(het)).

Simple agrometeorological models for estimating Guineagrass yield in Southeast Brazil.

The objective of this work was to develop and evaluate agrometeorological models to simulate the production of Guineagrass. For this purpose, we used forage yield from 54 growing periods between December 2004-January 2007 and April 2010-March 2012 in irrigated and non-irrigated pastures in São Carlos, São Paulo state, Brazil (latitude 21°57'42″ S, longitude 47°50'28″ W and altitude 860 m). Initially we performed linear regressions between the agrometeorological variables and the average dry matter accumulation rate for irrigated conditions.

Caloric restriction enhances fear extinction learning in mice.

Fear extinction learning, the ability to reassess a learned cue of danger as safe when it no longer predicts aversive events, is often dysregulated in anxiety disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's) enhance neural plasticity and their ability to enhance fear extinction learning may explain their anxiolytic properties. Caloric restriction (CR) has SSRI-like effects on neural plasticity and anxiety-related behavior.