Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Notes on the Biology and Social Behavior of the Archaic Ponerine Ants of the Genera Myrmecia and Promyrmecia

Few groups of ants are so potentially interesting to the myrmecologist primarily concerned with phylogeny and social behavior in the Formicidae as the extraordinarily archaic ponerine tribe Myrmecii, composed of the large-eyed, generalized, actively stinging members of the genera Myrmecia and Promyrmecia . Yet despite the fact that the group has been known and recognized scientifically at least since the beginning of the last century, and despite the striking habitus of many species, very few extensive studies have been made on them outside those of Wheeler and of Clark.
Resveratrol synergizes with cisplatin in antineoplastic effects against AGS gastric cancer cells by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common gastrointestinal malignancy, and cisplatin (DDP) is an important component of chemotherapeutic regimens for GC. However, the application of DDP is limited by its dose-dependent systemic toxicity. Resveratrol (RES) is a natural polyphenol compound that has chemopreventive and therapeutic effects against various cancers, including GC. However, whether RES can sensitize GC cells to DDP remains unknown. Following RES/DDP combination treatment, cell viability was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony-forming assays, and cell apoptosis and the cell cycle were detected by FITC-Annexin V/PI staining assay and PI staining assay, respectively, followed by flow cytometry. Moreover, western blotting was performed to evaluate the protein expression levels, and the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration was determined by a Fluo-4 AM probe after cell cotreatment with RES and DDP. The present results demonstrated that RES/DDP combination treatment significantly inhibited cell viability, promoted cell apoptosis and induced G2/M phase arrest in AGS cells. In addition, it was determined that RES combined with DDP significantly increased the levels of Bax, cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), PRKR-like ER kinase (PERK), p-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (p-eIF2α), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and cleaved caspase-12, whereas Bcl-2 expression was downregulated following RES/DDP cotreatment. Moreover, RES/DDP cotreatment significantly upregulated phosphorylated cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (p-CDK1, Tyr15), p21Waf1/Cip1 and p27Kip1 protein levels and downregulated Cdc25C protein levels. In conclusion, RES and DDP synergistically inhibited the growth of the gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest via activation of the PERK/eIF2α/activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)/CHOP signaling pathway and caspase-12 and by inactivating the CDK1-cyclin B1 complex. These results indicated that RES is a promising adjuvant for DDP during GC chemotherapy.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection in Patients With Multiple Comorbidities: Long-Term Safety and Efficacy Results From a Tertiary Care Community Hospital

Background Cure rates of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) with fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) have been promising. However, there is debate regarding success of FMT in patients with comorbidities. Methods Electronic chart review was done to collect data on patients who underwent FMT from January 2015 to August 2017. Charts were analyzed in November 2018 with a median follow-up of 25.4 months (interquartile range 20 - 31 months). Results Twenty patients underwent FMT. The primary success rate at our institution was 90% and overall success rate was 100%. Six patients (43%) had FMT failure (two early and four late). Conclusions This case series is a description of our center’s initial experience with FMT for treatment of recurrent CDI. Our high success rate reiterates the efficacy and safety of FMT in this population including patients with comorbidities.
MicroRNA-137 exerts protective effects on hypoxia-induced cell injury by inhibiting autophagy/mitophagy and maintaining mitochondrial function in breast cancer stem-like cells

Breast cancer stem-like cells (BCSCs) have been identified and proven to play critical roles in tumorigenesis and progression. Hypoxia is a common pathologic feature of breast cancer and potentially, at least in part, regulates the initiation, progression, and recurrence of breast cancer. However, less is known about how hypoxia regulates BCSCs. As several well-known microRNAs respond to hypoxia, we aimed to determine how hypoxia regulates the physiological processes of BCSCs by regulating the corresponding microRNAs. As expected, microRNA-137 (miRNA-137 or miR-137) was downregulated upon hypoxic exposure, indicating that it may play critical roles in BCSCs. Introduction of miR-137 mimics promoted cell cycle entry and inhibited hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis as determined by cell cycle assay and apoptosis assay. By detecting mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), it was found that miR-137 inhibited ROS accumulation induced by hypoxic exposure and thus suppressed cell apoptosis. Introduction of miR-137 mimics under hypoxia inhibited mitophagy/autophagy by targeting FUN14 domain containing 1 (Fundc1) and thus promoted mitochondrial functions, including mitochondrial mass, ATP synthesis and mitochondrial transcriptional activity, which was similar to the effects of Fundc1 knockdown by specific siRNA. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that the survival of BCSCs under hypoxia was mediated by miR-137 by regulating mitochondrial dysfunction. We demonstrated here that the introduction of exogenous miR-137 promoted mitochondrial function, indicating that it may be a potential therapeutic target in BCSCs.
Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in a Patient on Long-term Mycophenolate Mofetil Treatment for Myasthenia Gravis

A 64-year-old man with myasthenia gravis (MG) presented with blurry vision in his left eye (OS). His visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/50 OS. His intraocular pressures, pupils, and anterior segment were normal. He had 1+ vitritis and vaso-occlusive appearance of the retina with sclerotic vessels and hemorrhages in the inferonasal quadrant OS (Figure 1), consistent with features of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. He was immunocompromised secondary to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) administered for MG, with 0.6% lymphocytes (normal: 26.0–46.0%), a lymphocyte count of 0.1×103 cells/μL, and a leukocyte count of 11.3×103 cells/μL. He was receiving 1000 mg of MMF BID. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test result was negative, and no further workup for immunosuppression, including cancer, was conducted. The patient was administered with 0.05 mL ganciclovir (4 mg/0.1 mL) and 0.10 mL foscarnet (2.4 mg/0.1 mL) intravitreal injections on diagnosis. Subsequently, his symptoms improved, and
First report of Meloidogyne enterolobii infesting tomato in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

1Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa-Facultad de Agronomia. Carretera Culiacan-Eldorado, km 17.5. Culiacan, Sinaloa. Tel: 01 66 78 46 10 84. C. P. 80000. (jose_angel_13@ hotmail.com; tdiaz10@gmail.com). 2Centro de Investigacion en Alimentacion y Desarrollo, A. C. Carretera Culiacan-Eldorado, km 5.5. Culiacan, Sinaloa. Tel: 01 66 77 60 55 36. C. P. 80110. (rallende@ciad.mx; rsgarcia@ciad.mx; acarrillo@ciad.mx). §Autor para correspondencia: acarrillo@ciad.mx.
Effects of Contrast Therapy Using Infrared and Cryotherapy as Compared with Contrast Bath Therapy on Blood Flow, Muscle Tone, and Pain Threshold in Young Healthy Adults

Background The aim of this research was to compare the effects of contrast bath therapy (CBT) and contrast therapy (CT) using infrared (IR) and cryotherapy (CR) on blood flow, muscle tone, and pain in the forearm. Material/Methods Twenty healthy individuals participated in this study. Each participant received 2 kinds of CT separated by a week. CBT involved immersion in hot water (38–40°C) for 4 minutes, followed by 1 minute of immersion in cold water (12–14°C) for four rotations. CT using IR and CR was performed in the same manner as CBT. Results The variables measured were blood flow, muscle tone, and pain before and after intervention. Both types of CT produced fluctuations in the blood flow (P<0.05). The pain threshold increased on both therapies; a significant increase was noted with IR and CR (P<0.05) therapies. Muscle elasticity was induced and stiffness was reduced with all therapies (P<0.05). IR and CR resulted in significant changes (P<0.05) in blood flow as compared with the CBT. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that CT using IR and CR is more effective in improving blood flow than CBT and has the same effect on muscle tone and pain. Nonetheless, using IR and CR is efficient with regard to mobility and maintaining temperature; therefore, it would be convenient to use these in clinical settings. Further studies involving CT should be carried out to determine whether our findings are clinically relevant.
Indications and outcomes of superselective neck dissection: A review and analysis of the literature

Superselective neck dissection, defined as dissection of two or less contiguous neck levels, has recently been introduced to reduce surgical morbidity of neck dissection while maintaining favorable oncologic outcomes. The purpose of this review is to report the results of superselective neck dissection when applied to specific settings: the management of regional disease after chemoradiation, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with clinical N0 necks, and high risk papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Immune Checkpoint Expression on Immune Cells of HNSCC Patients and Modulation by Chemo- and Immunotherapy

Endogenous control mechanisms, including immune checkpoints and immunosuppressive cells, are exploited in the process of tumorigenesis to weaken the anti-tumor immune response. Cancer treatment by chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibition can lead to changes of checkpoint expression, which influences therapy success. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were isolated from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients (n = 23) and compared to healthy donors (n = 23). Immune checkpoint expression (programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1), tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-related (GITR), CD137, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 4 (TNFRSF4) (OX40), t-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM3), B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG3)) was determined on immune cells by flow cytometry. PD-L1 expression was detected on tumor tissue by immunohistochemistry. Immune cells were treated with immuno- and chemotherapeutics to investigate treatment-specific change in immune checkpoint expression, in vitro. Specific changes of immune checkpoint expression were identified on PBL and TIL of HNSCC patients compared to healthy donors. Various chemotherapeutics acted differently on the expression of immune checkpoints. Changes of checkpoint expression were significantly less pronounced on regulatory T cells compared to other lymphocyte populations. Nivolumab treatment significantly reduced the receptor PD-1 on all analyzed T cell populations, in vitro. The specific immune checkpoint expression patterns in HNSCC patients and the investigated effects of immunomodulatory agents may improve the development and efficacy of targeted immunotherapy.
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of synovial fluid demonstrates high accuracy in prosthetic joint infection diagnostics

Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in detecting pathogens from synovial fluid of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) patients. Methods A group of 75 patients who underwent revision knee or hip arthroplasties were enrolled prospectively. Ten patients with primary arthroplasties were included as negative controls. Synovial fluid was collected for mNGS analysis. Optimal thresholds were determined to distinguish pathogens from background microbes. Synovial fluid, tissue, and sonicate fluid were obtained for culture. Results A total of 49 PJI and 21 noninfection patients were finally included. Of the 39 culture-positive PJI cases, mNGS results were positive in 37 patients (94.9%), and were consistent with culture results at the genus level in 32 patients (86.5%) and at the species level in 27 patients (73.0%). Metagenomic next-generation sequencing additionally identified 15 pathogens from five culture-positive and all ten culture-negative PJI cases, and even one pathogen from one noninfection patient, while yielding no positive findings in any primary arthroplasty. However, seven pathogens identified by culture were missed by mNGS. The sensitivity of mNGS for diagnosing PJI was 95.9%, which was significantly higher than that of comprehensive culture (79.6%; p = 0.014). The specificity is similar between mNGS and comprehensive culture (95.2% and 95.2%, respectively; p = 1.0). Conclusion Metagenomic next-generation sequencing can effectively identify pathogens from synovial fluid of PJI patients, and demonstrates high accuracy in diagnosing PJI. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2020;9(7):440–449.
Does Extended Use of Clopidogrel-Based Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy Increase the Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding?

Background Clopidogrel-based dual anti-platelet therapy (CDAPT) has shown significant benefits in the management of coronary artery disease (CAD), up to 1-year duration. Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is one of the limiting factors for prolonged use of CDAPT. Methods We identified all patients taking CDAPT from our ambulatory clinics. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and pharmacological data were abstracted. American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines were used to determine the duration of CDAPT therapy. The study population was divided into two groups based on the duration of therapy. Individuals who received CDAPT more than 12 months were deemed as extended use. Results A total of 351 patients with CAD were taking CDAPT. Majority of patients (276/351, 79%) were taking CDAPT beyond 1 year. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of GIB between the two groups. However, in subgroup analysis, there was a significant difference in the incidence of GIB in men. Men who were taking CDAPT beyond 12 months had almost three times higher incidence of GIB compared to those who were taking less than 12 months (25% vs. 8%, P = 0.04). The excess GIB in men prevailed despite adjusting for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use. Conclusions We found that a majority of patients were taking CDAPT beyond the recommended duration. We observed that men taking CDAPT for an extended duration had a three times higher incidence of GIB. It would be reasonable for physicians to be aware of the higher risk of GIB in men and carefully assess the risks and benefits of extended use of CDAPT.
Forewing angles of honey bee (Apis mellifera) samples from different regions of Turkey

SUMMARY A stepwise-selection multivariate discriminate analysis was performed using forewing angles to discriminate the honey bee (Apis mellifera) samples that were collected from six different regions in Turkey. Eleven angles of forewing venation, A4, B4, D7, E9, G18, J10, J16, K19, L13, N23 and O23 were measured biometrically. Discriminant analysis showed that A4, O26, B4, D7, L13, N23 and E9 angles sufficiently discriminated the samples from different subspecies of Turkish honey bees. The first three-subset out of five canonical discriminant functions explained 96.1% of total variations. All samples collected from central and north-east Anatolia regions were 100% correctly classified into their original regions. The samples of other regions were overlapped with each other. The overall percentage of cases classified correctly was 88.9% (32 out of 36 cases). In conclusion, there are high biometrical variations between different regions of Turkey in terms of forewing angles of honey bees and forewing angles can be used for discrimination of Turkish honey bees.
The Tissue Distribution of Nesfatin-1/NUCB2 in Mouse

ABSTRACT Nesfatin-1, an anorexic nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2)-derived hypothalamic peptide, controls appetite and energy metabolism. Recent studies show that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 is expressed not only in the brain but also in gastric and adipose tissues. Thus, we investigated the distributions of nesfatin-1/NUCB2 in various tissues of male and female mice by real-time PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining. Real-time PCR analyses showed that NUCB2 mRNA was predominantly expressed in the pituitary and at lower levels in the hypothalamus, spleen, thymus, heart, liver, and muscle of both male and female mice. Expression was much higher in reproductive organs, such as the testis, epididymis, ovary, and uterus, than in the hypothalamus. Western blot analysis of the nesfatin-1 protein level showed similar results to the real-time PCR analyses in both male and female mice. These results suggest that nesfatin-1/NUCB2 have widespread physiological effects in endocrine and non-endocrine organs. In addition, immunohistochemical staining revealed that nesfatin-1 was localized in interstitial cells, including Leydig cells and in the columnar epithelium of the epididymis. Nesfatin-1 was also expressed in theca cells and interstitial cells in the ovary and in epithelial cells of the endometrium and uterine glands in the uterus. These results suggest that nesfatin-1 is a novel potent regulator of steroidogenesis and gonadal function in male and female reproductive organs. Further studies are required to elucidate the functions of nesfatin-1 in various organs of male and female mice.
Induction of mutation in chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum Tzvelev.) cultivar Bindiya through gamma irradiation

The terminal rooted cuttings of chrysanthemum cv. Bindiya were exposed to 0, 10, 20 and 30 Gy doses of γ-rays and planted in earthen pots (8”). Each treatment consists of three replications with 25 treated cuttings each. LD50 dose was determined as 30 Gy dose. Among the irradiated population, the highest plant survival (82.03%), No. of branches (4.18), minimum days to bud initiation (82.36 days) with early opening of lowering (120.36 days) was observed with 10 Gy dose. Morphological abnormalities such as fused leaves, with lower levels of chlorophyll were observed at higher dose (30 Gy). Marked variations were recorded between the mutated and control populations. The original flower colour of Bindiya is red and flower colour mutants were of nearest shades of red group 44 C, 46 C and red group 46 B as per RHS Colour Chart and isolated from plants irradiated with 10 and 20 Gy doses of gamma rays. The ray florets were normal in control whereas, ray florets were spoon shaped, tubular and irregular in induced variants. These mutants were multiplied on a large-scale and evaluated for their stability. This study developed a mutagenesis protocol that could be used to develop novel colour mutants in chrysanthemum.
Influence of Agricultural Training on Youth Farm Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy: A Study of Folk Development Colleges in Tanzania

Providing entrepreneurial competencies to youth is currently the key to employment generation given the declining public sector employment opportunities in Tanzania. However, to generate such employment youth need to develop a strong belief in their capabilities to use the provided knowledge and skills, and the training provided has to reflect such intention. This further means that Folk Development Colleges (FDCs) being among the training institutions need to offer employment goal-oriented education centred equally in all domains of learning. The study aimed to address two specific objectives: First, to assess the influence of agricultural training on youth farm entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Secondly, to assess the relationship between farm entrepreneurial self-efficacy and youth farm entrepreneurial intention. A cross-sectional design was used involving 300 respondents randomly selected from three FDCs offering agricultural courses. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The analyses generally show a significant relationship between agricultural courses studied and youth farm entrepreneurial self-efficacy. A significant relationship was also found between farm entrepreneurial self-efficacy and youth farm entrepreneurial intention. However, resource acquisition and operational competencies self-efficacy constructs seemed to have more influence on youth farm entrepreneurial intention compared to managerial and financial competencies self-efficacy constructs. It is recommended that course contents and the teaching environment be updated regularly according to changes in the demands of the agricultural sector industry. As it stands, the whole FDC curriculum needs a review, and urgent improvements are needed in relation to financial and managerial competencies.
Fundamental Study of Quantitative Evaluation of Radio Wave Output of Wireless Medical Telemetry Transmitters Operable in Medical Field

Wireless medical telemetry systems (WMTSs) are important medical equipment for monitoring of biological information such as the electrocardiogram of a patient in a remote location in real time. However, because WMTSs have characteristically used channels that are unique to the radio wave spectrum, many institutions have not previously managed WMTSs. Therefore, we examined a method for quantitative evaluation of the radio wave output of a wireless medical telemetry transmitter (WMTT) that can even be implemented in the medical field. In the experiments, we demonstrated the possibility of use of the method for quantitative evaluation of WMTT radio wave output in the medical field using two types of radio wave propagation model: a free-space propagation model and a two-ray ground reflection model. To determine the reference threshold value for use of each model, a breakpoint was found to be important to grasp the change point between short distance and long distance. It was indicated that the measured value was lower than the theoretical value below the breakpoint, while the measured value was slightly higher than the theoretical value beyond the breakpoint.
HETEROGENEOUS DESIGN AND EFFICIENT CPU-GPU IMPLEMENTATION OF COLLISION DETECTION

Collison detection is a wide-ranging real-world application. It is one of the key components used in gaming, simulation and animation. Efficient algorithms are required for collision detection as it is repeatedly executed throughout the course of an application. Moreover, due to its computationally intensive nature researchers are investigating ways to reduce its execution time. This paper furthers those research works by devising a parallel CPU-GPU implementation of both broad and narrow phase collision detection with heterogenous workload sharing. An important aspect of co-scheduling is to determine an optimal CPU-GPU partition ratio. We also showcase a successive approximation approach for CPU-GPU implementation of collision detection. The paper demonstrates that the framework is not only applicable to CPU/GPU systems but to other system configuration obtaining a peak performance improvement in the range of 18%.