Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transmission of Grapevine virus A and Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1 and 3 by Heliococcus bohemicus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Nymphs From Plants With Mixed Infections

Abstract Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) represent a serious threat for viticulture as vectors of phloem-restricted viruses associated with the grapevine rugose wood and leafroll diseases. Heliococcus bohemicus (Šulc) is known to be involved in the spread of these two viral diseases, being a vector of the Grapevine virus A (GVA) and the Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1 and 3 (GLRaV-1 and GLRaV-3). This study investigated the acquisition and transmission efficiency of H. bohemicus fed on mixed-infected plants. Nymphs were field-collected onto GVA, GLRaV-1, and GLRaV-3 multiple-infected grapevines in two vineyards in North-Western Italy, and were used in transmission experiments under controlled conditions. Even if most of the collected nymphs were positive to at least one virus, transmission occurred only to a low number of test grapevines. The transmission frequency of GLRaV-3 was the highest, whereas GVA was transmitted to few test plants. The transmission of multiple viruses occurred at low rates, and nymphs that acquired all the three viruses then failed to transmit them together. Statistical analyses showed that the three viruses were independently acquired and transmitted by H. bohemicus and neither synergistic nor antagonistic interactions occurred among them. GVA and GLRaVs transmission efficiencies by H. bohemicus were lower than those reported for other mealybug vectors. This finding is consistent with the slow spread of leafroll and rugose wood diseases observed in Northern Italy, where H. bohemicus is the predominant vector species.
Platelet concentrate functionality assessed by thromboelastography or rotational thromboelastometry

There is poor correlation between in vivo platelet concentrate (PC) transfusion outcome and in vitro tests, which typically do not test the functional effectiveness of platelets (PLTs), but rather measure PLT characteristics. We hypothesize that the application of thromboelastography (TEG) or rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) to evaluate the procoagulant activity of stored PLTs can predict PLT quality and, ultimately, distinguish among hyper‐ and nonresponsive PCs. Additionally, we hypothesize that due to their procoagulant properties, PLT microvesicles (PMVs) contribute to the clot signature in these methods.
Why psychologists do not want to work with older adults – and why they should. . .

It is well-documented that the population of much of the developed world is aging. On the one hand, this represents a success story in terms of reducing deaths from infectious and a number of systemic diseases, most notably cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, it also presents a challenge to provide adequate health services to a population with rapidly increasing longevity, as well as an opportunity to develop policies that can assist in promoting good physical and mental health. A number of authors have asked whether we are ready to meet the challenges of an aging population (Doyle et al., 2009; Connolly, 2012). Over the years, prominent psychologists have suggested that clinical psychology could play a greater role in the provision of services for older adults, and lamented the apparent lack of enthusiasm on the part of psychologists to work with this group (e.g. Karel et al., 2012). In this paper, we examine a range of questions pertinent to this theme: where are the psychologists in the provision of mental health services to older adults? What contribution can psychologists make to improve the mental health of this growing sector of the population? How can we encourage more psychologists to specialize in working with older adults?
The effect of an isoflavonid-rich liquorice extract on fermentation, methanogenesis and the microbiome in the rumen simulation technique

ABSTRACT Due to the antimicrobial activity of flavonoids, it has been suggested that they may provide a possible alternative to antibiotics to stimulate productivity and reduce the environmental load of ruminant agriculture. We hypothesised that an extract of liquorice, rich in prenylated isoflavonoids and particularly glabridin, might potentially improve the efficiency of nitrogen utilisation and reduce methane production in the rumen. When added to a long‐term rumen simulating fermentor (RUSITEC), liquorice extract at 1 g L−1 decreased ammonia production (−51%; P < 0.001) without affecting the overall fermentation process. When added at 2 g L−1, decreases in not only ammonia production (−77%; P < 0.001), but also methane (−27%; P = 0.039) and total VFA production (−15%; P = 0.003) were observed. These effects in fermentation were probably related to a decrease in protozoa numbers, a less diverse bacteria population as well as changes in the structure of both the bacterial and archaeal communities. The inclusion of an isoflavonoid‐rich extract from liquorice in the diet may potentially improve the efficiency of the feed utilisation by ruminants.
Dynamic Conditional Beta is Alive and Well in the Cross-Section of Daily Stock Returns

This paper investigates the significance of dynamic conditional beta in predicting the cross-sectional variation in expected stock returns. The results indicate that the time-varying conditional beta is alive and well in the cross-section of daily stock returns. Portfolio-level analyses and firm-level cross-sectional regressions indicate a positive and significant relation between dynamic conditional beta and future returns on individual stocks. An investment strategy that goes long stocks in the highest conditional beta decile and shorts stocks in the lowest conditional beta decile produces average returns and alphas of 8% per annum. These results are robust to controls for size, book-tomarket, momentum, short-term reversal, liquidity, co-skewness, idiosyncratic volatility, and preference for lottery-like assets.
Modification of the Release Properties of Lornoxicam Gastroretentive Floating Tablets with the Naturally Occurring Okra Mucilage

The aim of the present investigation is to study the effect of Okra mucilage on the buoyancy and release properties of lornoxicam floating gastroretentive tablets. Lornoxicam floating tablet formula e were prepared using HPMC K100 M and/or Alginate as floati ng, release controlling polymers at different drug polymer ratios. Okra mucilage was added to the proposed tablet formulae both as dry powder and as granulating aqueous solution. The prepared tablets were evaluated for weight uniformity, hardness, friabili ty, drug content, swelling index, in - vitro buoyancy, and in - vitro drug release. Results showed that incorporation of Okra mucilage into a floating tablet matrix positively affected the swelling and buoyancy where the swelling index increased to reach 221, 193, and 224 % in comparison to 211, 182, and 208 % respectively, the floating lag - time was shortened to be 0.23 minutes while the total floating duration was extended to exceed 12 hours. The drug release was retarded to be 85.3, and 75.7 % in comparison t o 97.7, and 93.4 % respectively after 12 hours without any effect on the drug release kinetics, where the release still follows zero order kinetics. The floating tablet matrix properties and drug release were affected with Okra mucilage ratio and also the incorporation method. Depending on these results, it can be concluded that the naturally occurring Okra mucilage is a promising additive to improve the floating and release properties of gastroretentive floating matrices. ( Ahmed Khames. Modification of the Release Properties of Lornoxicam Gastroretentive Floating Tablets with the Naturally Occurring Okra Mucilage . Life Sci J 2013;10( 3 ): 251 0 - 251 9 ). (ISSN: 1097 - 8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com . 36 4
Learning and Querying Fast Generative Models for Reinforcement Learning

A key challenge in model-based reinforcement learning (RL) is to synthesize computationally efficient and accurate environment models. We show that carefully designed generative models that learn and operate on compact state representations, so-called state-space models, substantially reduce the computational costs for predicting outcomes of sequences of actions. Extensive experiments establish that state-space models accurately capture the dynamics of Atari games from the Arcade Learning Environment from raw pixels. The computational speed-up of state-space models while maintaining high accuracy makes their application in RL feasible: We demonstrate that agents which query these models for decision making outperform strong model-free baselines on the game MSPACMAN, demonstrating the potential of using learned environment models for planning.
Modeling protein loops with knowledge-based prediction of sequence-structure alignment

MOTIVATION As protein structure database expands, protein loop modeling remains an important and yet challenging problem. Knowledge-based protein loop prediction methods have met with two challenges in methodology development: (1) loop boundaries in protein structures are frequently problematic in constructing length-dependent loop databases for protein loop predictions; (2) knowledge-based modeling of loops of unknown structure requires both aligning a query loop sequence to loop templates and ranking the loop sequence-template matches. RESULTS We developed a knowledge-based loop prediction method that circumvents the need of constructing hierarchically clustered length-dependent loop libraries. The method first predicts local structural fragments of a query loop sequence and then structurally aligns the predicted structural fragments to a set of non-redundant loop structural templates regardless of the loop length. The sequence-template alignments are then quantitatively evaluated with an artificial neural network model trained on a set of predictions with known outcomes. Prediction accuracy benchmarks indicated that the novel procedure provided an alternative approach overcoming the challenges of knowledge-based loop prediction. AVAILABILITY http://cmb.genomics. sinica.edu. tw
Mechanical thrombectomy of M1 and M2 middle cerebral artery occlusions

Background Over half of patients who receive intravenous tissue plasminogen activator for middle cerebral artery division (MCA-M2) occlusion do not recanalize, leaving a large percentage of patients who may need mechanical thrombectomy (MT). However, the outcomes of MT for M2 occlusion have not been well characterized. Objective To determine if MT of M2 occlusion is as safe and efficacious as current standard-of-care MT for M1 occlusions. Methods With institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed records of 212 patients undergoing MT for isolated MCA M1 or M2 occlusions during a 36-month period (Sept 2013 to Sept 2016) at two centres. Treatment variables, clinical outcomes, and complications in each group were recorded. Results There were 153 M1 MCA occlusions and 59 M2 MCA occlusions. No statistically significant difference was found in the rate of mortality (20% in M1 vs 13.6% in M2, p=0.32), excellent (34.5% vs 37.3%, p=0.75) or good (51% vs 55.9%, p=0.54) clinical outcomes between the two groups. Infarct volumes (48.4 mL vs 46.2 mL, p=0.62) were comparable between the two groups, as were the rates of hemorrhagic (3.3% vs 3.4%, p=1.0) and procedural complications (3.3% vs 5.1%, p=0.69). Conclusion Our data on MT targeting M2 occlusions demonstrates reasonable safety and functional outcomes. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to clarify which patients may benefit from MT for M2 occlusions.
Speech-Language Pathology in the Assessment and Diagnosis within the Autism Spectrum

The main purpose of this chapter is to discuss assessment tools that can be used with children and adolescents of the autism spectrum and verify their effectiveness. It will be based on two studies that present the application and comparison of 4 different diagnostic tools. These four instruments are not language-specific and therefore can be used with different groups of children that speak different languages. Certainly cultural variations must be considered but the possibility of using tools that are internationally recognized may contribute to the efforts in improving the amount of information about diagnosis and treatment as proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the World Report on Disabilities (2012).
Model-Based Characterization of Inflammatory Gene Expression Patterns of Activated Macrophages

Macrophages are cells with remarkable plasticity. They integrate signals from their microenvironment leading to context-dependent polarization into classically (M1) or alternatively (M2) activated macrophages, representing two extremes of a broad spectrum of divergent phenotypes. Thereby, macrophages deliver protective and pro-regenerative signals towards injured tissue but, depending on the eliciting damage, may also be responsible for the generation and aggravation of tissue injury. Although incompletely understood, there is emerging evidence that macrophage polarization is critical for these antagonistic roles. To identify activation-specific expression patterns of chemokines and cytokines that may confer these distinct effects a systems biology approach was applied. A comprehensive literature-based Boolean model was developed to describe the M1 (LPS-activated) and M2 (IL-4/13-activated) polarization types. The model was validated using high-throughput transcript expression data from murine bone marrow derived macrophages. By dynamic modeling of gene expression, the chronology of pathway activation and autocrine signaling was estimated. Our results provide a deepened understanding of the physiological balance leading to M1/M2 activation, indicating the relevance of co-regulatory signals at the level of Akt1 or Akt2 that may be important for directing macrophage polarization.
Efficacy of device-guided breathing for hypertension in blinded, randomized, active-controlled trials: a meta-analysis of individual patient data.

IMPORTANCE Device-guided breathing (DGB) is recommended by the American Heart Association for its blood pressure-lowering effects. Most previous studies that showed beneficial effects on blood pressure had low methodological quality and only investigated short-term blood pressure effects. OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of DGB on blood pressure in a meta-analysis of individual patient data from blinded, randomized controlled trials with an active control group. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, EMBASE, clinicaltrials.gov, and the Cochrane Library. STUDY SELECTION Included were randomized studies of at least 4 weeks' duration, with a single- or double-blind design and an active control group. Bias was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and analyses were performed with linear mixed models. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Articles were searched in MEDLINE (using PubMed), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Office blood pressure. RESULTS From the 15 selected abstracts, 5 studies were suitable for inclusion. Individual patient data from 2 of 5 studies were not provided. The effect of DGB on office systolic blood pressure compared with music therapy or a sham device was 2.2 mm Hg (95% CI, -2.7 to 7.0) in favor of the control group; DGB did not significantly lower office diastolic blood pressure (0.2 mm Hg [95% CI, -2.8 to 3.1] in favor of DGB). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE All trials included in the analysis had a short follow-up period; therefore, no recommendations could be made regarding hypertension treatment. Treatment with DGB did not significantly lower office blood pressure compared with a sham procedure or music therapy.
Humanitarianism Transformed

The scale, scope, and significance of humanitarian action have expanded significantly since the late 1980s. This article reflects on two ways in which humanitarianism has been transformed. First, its purpose has been politicized. Whereas once humanitarian actors attempted to insulate themselves from the world of politics, they now work closely with states and attempt to eliminate the root causes of conflict that place individuals at risk. Second, a field of humanitarianism has become institutionalized; during the 1990s the field and its agencies became more professionalized and rationalized. Drawing on various strands of organizational theory, I examine the forces that have contributed to these transformations. I then explore how these transformations have changed the nature of what humanitarian organizations are and what they do. In the conclusion I consider how the transformation of humanitarianism links to the relationship between international nongovernmental organizations and world order, including the purpose of humanitarian action and its distinctive function in global politics.Michael Barnett is Harold Stassen Chair of International Relations at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and professor of political science at the University of Minnesota (mbarnett@hhh.umn.edu). In 2004–5 he was a visiting associate at the Center on International Cooperation at the Center on International Cooperation. The author thanks Bud Duvall, Kevin Hartigan, Martha Finnemore, Abby Stoddard, Ron Kassimir, Craig Calhoun, Jack Snyder, Adele Harmer, the participants of the Minnesota International Relations Colloquium, and three anonymous reviewers for Perspectives on Politics for their comments and corrections. Special thanks to the Social Sciences Research Council and the participants in its series on “The Transformation of Humanitarian Action. ”
Non-bee insects are important contributors to global crop pollination

Significance Many of the world’s crops are pollinated by insects, and bees are often assumed to be the most important pollinators. To our knowledge, our study is the first quantitative evaluation of the relative contribution of non-bee pollinators to global pollinator-dependent crops. Across 39 studies we show that insects other than bees are efficient pollinators providing 39% of visits to crop flowers. A shift in perspective from a bee-only focus is needed for assessments of crop pollinator biodiversity and the economic value of pollination. These studies should also consider the services provided by other types of insects, such as flies, wasps, beetles, and butterflies—important pollinators that are currently overlooked. Wild and managed bees are well documented as effective pollinators of global crops of economic importance. However, the contributions by pollinators other than bees have been little explored despite their potential to contribute to crop production and stability in the face of environmental change. Non-bee pollinators include flies, beetles, moths, butterflies, wasps, ants, birds, and bats, among others. Here we focus on non-bee insects and synthesize 39 field studies from five continents that directly measured the crop pollination services provided by non-bees, honey bees, and other bees to compare the relative contributions of these taxa. Non-bees performed 25–50% of the total number of flower visits. Although non-bees were less effective pollinators than bees per flower visit, they made more visits; thus these two factors compensated for each other, resulting in pollination services rendered by non-bees that were similar to those provided by bees. In the subset of studies that measured fruit set, fruit set increased with non-bee insect visits independently of bee visitation rates, indicating that non-bee insects provide a unique benefit that is not provided by bees. We also show that non-bee insects are not as reliant as bees on the presence of remnant natural or seminatural habitat in the surrounding landscape. These results strongly suggest that non-bee insect pollinators play a significant role in global crop production and respond differently than bees to landscape structure, probably making their crop pollination services more robust to changes in land use. Non-bee insects provide a valuable service and provide potential insurance against bee population declines.
Prevalence of hepatitis E virus infection among blood donors in mainland China: a meta‐analysis

The risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection from blood transfusion has raised increasing concern in many countries. Several transfusion‐transmitted cases have been described in the United Kingdom and Japan. The objective was to investigate the prevalence of HEV infection among Chinese blood donors and analyze the potential risk of HEV infection through blood transfusion in China.
Neuroanatomical Correlates of Familial Risk-for-Depression and Religiosity/Spirituality

The objective of this study was to examine potential neural substrates that underlie the interplay between religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and risk-for-depression. A new wave of data from a longitudinal, 3 generation study of individuals at high risk for depression is presented. In addition to providing new longitudinal data, we extend previous findings by employing additional (surface-based) methods for examining cortical volume. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were collected on 106 second and third generation family members at high or low risk for major depression defined by the presence or absence of depression in the first generation. R/S measures were collected at the same time as the MRI scans and comprised self-report ratings of personal importance and frequency of religious attendance. Analyses were carried out with Freesurfer. Interactive effects of R/S and risk-for-depression were examined on measures of cortical thickness and cortical surface area. A high degree of belief in the importance of R/S was associated with both a thicker cortex and a larger pial surface area in persons at high risk for familial depression. No significant association was found between cortical regions and religious attendance in either risk group. The results support previous findings of an association between R/S importance and cortical thickness in individuals at high risk for depression, and extend the findings to include an association between R/S importance and greater pial surface area. Moreover, the findings suggest these cortical changes may confer protective benefits to R/S individuals at high risk for depression.
Dietary copper in excess of nutritional requirement reduces plasma and breast muscle cholesterol of chickens.

Male commercial broiler strain chickens were fed from hatching to 42 d of age either a control diet (based on corn and soybean meal) or the control diet supplemented with 250 mg copper/kg diet from cupric sulfate pentahydrate (for 35 or 42 d). Hypocholesterolemia (11.8% reduction) and decreased breast muscle cholesterol (20.4% reduction) were observed in copper-supplemented birds. There was a slight increase (P > .05) in breast muscle copper (14.5%), and all levels were very low (< .5 mg/kg). Feeding copper for 42 vs 35 d resulted in lower levels of cholesterol in the plasma (12.9 vs 10.8% reduction) and breast muscle (24.6 vs 16.2% reduction). Very similar results were found in two additional experiments in which hypocholesterolemia and reduced breast muscle cholesterol were associated with reduced plasma triglycerides and blood reduced glutathione. It is well known that hypercholesterolemia is a symptom of dietary copper deficiency. The data presented here indicate that blood and breast muscle cholesterol are inversely related to dietary copper in excess of the dietary requirement for maximal growth. The cholesterol content of the edible muscle tissue of broiler chickens can be reduced by approximately 25% after feeding a supranormal level of copper for 42 d without altering the growth of the chickens or substantially increasing the copper content of the edible meat.