Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sulfide-induced dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia in anaerobic freshwater sediments

Abstract Different reduced sulfur compounds (H 2 S, FeS, S 2 O 3 2− ) were tested as electron donors for dissimilatory nitrate reduction in nitrate-amended sediment slurries. Only in the free sulfide-enriched slurries was nitrate appreciably reduced to ammonia ( 0.30 μmol NH 4 + μmol NO 3 − ), with concomitant oxidation of sulfide to S 0 ( 0.55 μmol S 0 μmol S 2− ). The initial concentration of free sulfide appears as a factor determining the type of nitrate reduction. At extremely low concentrations of free S 2− (metal sulfides) nitrate was reduced via denitrification whereas at higher S 2− concentrations, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA) and incomplete denitrification to gaseous nitrogen oxides took place. Sulfide inhibition of NO- and N 2 O- reductases is proposed as being responsible for the driving part of the electron flow from S 2− to NH 4 + .
Revealing the Unknown: Real-Time Recognition of Galápagos Snake Species Using Deep Learning

Simple Summary The snakes in Galápagos are the least studied group of vertebrates in the archipelago. The conservation status of only four out of nine recognized species has been formally evaluated, and preliminary evidence suggests that some of the species may be entirely extinct on some islands. Moreover, nearly all park ranger reports and citizen/science photographic identifications of Galápagos snakes are spurious, given that the systematics of the snakes in the archipelago have just recently been clarified. Our solution is to provide park rangers and tourists with easily accessible applications for species identification in real time through automatic object recognition. We used deep learning algorithms on collected images of the snake species to develop the artificial intelligence platform, an application software, that is able to recognize a species of a snake using a user’s uploaded image. The application software works in the following way: once a user uploads an image of a snake into the application, the algorithm processes it, classifies it into one of the nine snake species, gives the class of the predicted species, as well as educates users by providing them with information about the distribution, natural history, conservation, and etymology of the snake. Abstract Real-time identification of wildlife is an upcoming and promising tool for the preservation of wildlife. In this research project, we aimed to use object detection and image classification for the racer snakes of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. The final target of this project was to build an artificial intelligence (AI) platform, in terms of a web or mobile application, which would serve as a real-time decision making and supporting mechanism for the visitors and park rangers of the Galápagos Islands, to correctly identify a snake species from the user’s uploaded image. Using the deep learning and machine learning algorithms and libraries, we modified and successfully implemented four region-based convolutional neural network (R-CNN) architectures (models for image classification): Inception V2, ResNet, MobileNet, and VGG16. Inception V2, ResNet and VGG16 reached an overall accuracy of 75%.
Systemic immunobiological, immunosuppressant, and oncologic agents for the treatment of dermatologic diseases during the SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19) pandemic emergency: A quick review for a quick consultation

The precision medicine era has helped to better manage patients with immunological and oncological diseases, improving the quality of life of this class of patients. Regarding the management of these patients and positivity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), currently, limited data are available and information is evolving. In this quick review, we have analyzed the mechanisms of action and related infective risk of drugs used for the treatment of immune‐mediated and oncologic skin conditions during the daily clinical practice. In general, immunosuppressant and antineoplastic agents for dermatologic treatments do not require suspension and do not require special measures, if not those commonly observed. In the case of a coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) patient with complications (such as pneumonia, respiratory failure), treatment suspension should always be considered after taking into account the general condition of the patient, the risk‐benefit ratio, and the pathophysiology of COVID‐19 infection. The COVID‐19 emergency pandemic does not imply undertreatment of existing skin conditions, which together with the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection may jeopardize the patient's life.
Species delimitation and geography

Despite the importance of the geographical arrangement of populations for the inference of species boundaries, only a few approaches that integrate spatial information into species delimitation have thus far been developed. Persistent differentiation of sympatric groups of individuals is the best criterion for species status. Species delimitation becomes more prone to error if allopatric metapopulations are considered because it is often difficult to assess whether observed differences between allopatric metapopulations would be sufficient to prevent the fusion of these metapopulations upon contact. We propose a novel approach for testing the hypothesis that the multilocus genetic distances between individuals or populations belonging to two different candidate species are not larger than expected based on their geographical distances and the relationship of genetic and geographical distances within the candidate species. A rejection of this null hypothesis is an argument for classifying the two studied candidate species as distinct species. Case studies show that the proposed tests are suitable to distinguish between intra‐ and interspecific differentiation. The regression approach proposed here is more appropriate for testing species hypotheses with regard to isolation by distance than (partial) Mantel tests. Our tests assume a linear relationship between genetic and (transformed) geographical distances. This assumption can be compromised by a high genetic variability within populations as found in a case study with microsatellite markers.
Seasonal changes in habitat use and preference by juvenile brown trout, Salmo trutta, in a northern boreal river

By means of electrofishing, we examined seasonal and size-class variation in habitat preference by juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) in a third-order river in northern Finland. Larger trout preferred deeper stream areas than young-of-the-year fish. At the onset of winter, all trout size-classes moved into shallower water, but this mainly reflected seasonal variation in habitat availability. In winter, trout preferred slowly flowing stream areas, whereas in other seasons the mean water velocities used by trout parallelled habitat availability. In summer and autumn, age-0 fish favoured stream areas with large amounts of aquatic vegetation to provide cover. The largest trout (16-22 cm) occupied habitats with little cover throughout the year, and in winter, all trout avoided areas with high instream cover. In summer, all size-classes preferred small substrates, whereas in winter, areas with cobble-boulder substrates were preferred, especially by trout larger than 10 cm. Wintering trout often shelter among t.
STUDY OF GENE ACTION FOR RESTORER LINES IN SUNFLOWER

SUMMARY Five best sunflower restorer (BR) lines and five elite restorer (ER) lines which were crossed in all possible combinations with half diallel fashion to determine the combining ability, mode of gene action and to quantify the magnitude of heterosis at Oilseeds Research Unit, Dr. PDKV, Akola Maharashtra (India). The ratio of σ2GCA/σ2SCA variances was less than unity for plant height, head diameter, filled seeds/head, 100 seed weight, harvest index, oil content and yield/plant indicating non-additive type of gene actions were involved in these traits. The character, days to maturity was governed by preponderance of additive gene action due to variance ratio observed more than unity. The characters days to maturity, head diameter and 100 seed weight showed the predictability ratio nearer to unity indicating greater predictability based on general combining ability alone. Six crosses 270R × Ak-1R, 272R × 273R, 273R × 274R, 586R × 857R, 265R × Ak-1R and 265R × 586R appeared to be worth exploiting. These promising R × R crosses can be used for the development of new R lines in sunflower. It is recommended that in order to get new restorer combinations it is necessary to have at least one elite restorer in combination with best restorer to be incorporated in the breeding programme and vice- versa at least in sunflower.
Characteristic Human Individual Puffing Profiles Can Generate More TNCO than ISO and Health Canada Regimes on Smoking Machine When the Same Brand Is Smoked

Human smoking behavior influences exposure to smoke toxicants and is important for risk assessment. In a prospective observational study, the smoking behavior of Marlboro smokers was measured for 36 h. Puff volume, duration, frequency, flow and inter-puff interval were recorded with the portable CReSSmicro™ device, as has often been done by other scientists. However, the use of the CReSSmicro™ device may lead to some registration pitfalls since the method of insertion of the cigarette may influence the data collection. Participants demonstrated consistent individual characteristic puffing behavior over the course of the day, enabling the creation of a personalized puffing profile. These puffing profiles were subsequently used as settings for smoking machine experiments and tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide (TNCO) emissions were generated. The application of human puffing profiles led to TNCO exposures more in the range of Health Canada Intense (HCI)-TNCO emissions than for those of the International Standardization Organization (ISO). Compared to the ISO regime, which applies a low puff volume relative to human smokers, the generation of TNCO may be at least two times higher than when human puffing profiles were applied on the smoking machine. Human smokers showed a higher puffing intensity than HCI and ISO because of higher puffing frequency, which resulted in more puffs per cigarette, than both HCI and ISO.
Comparison of the Potential Abilities of Three Spectroscopy Methods: Near-Infrared, Mid-Infrared, and Molecular Fluorescence, to Predict Carotenoid, Vitamin and Fatty Acid Contents in Cow Milk

The objective of this work is to compare the ability of three spectroscopy techniques: molecular fluorescence, near-infrared (NIR), and mid-infrared with attenuated total reflectance (MIR-ATR) spectroscopy to predict the concentrations of 8 carotenoids, 6 vitamins and 22 fatty acids (FA) in cow’s milk. A dataset was built through the analysis of 242 frozen milk samples from different experiments. The milk compounds were analysed using reference methods and by NIR, MIR-ATR, and fluorescence to establish different predictive models. NIR spectroscopy allowed for better prediction of cis9-β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and the sum of carotenoids than the other techniques, with a coefficient of cross-validation in calibration (R2CV) > 0.60 and a coefficient of determination in validation (R2V) > 0.50. Their standard errors of prediction (SEP) were equal to 0.01, except for the sum of carotenoids (SEP = 0.15). However, MIR-ATR and fluorescence seem usable for the prediction of lutein and all-trans-β-carotene, respectively. These three spectroscopy methods did not allow us to predict (R2CV < 0.30) vitamin contents except, for vitamin A (the best R²CV = 0.65 with NIR and SEP = 0.15) and α-tocopherol (the best R²CV = 0.56 with MIR-ATR and SEP = 0.41), but all R²V were <0.30. NIR spectroscopy yielded the best prediction of the selected milk FA.
Structural alignment of 18S and 28S rDNA sequences provides insights into phylogeny of Phytophaga (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea)

We performed a comparative study of partial rDNA sequences from a variety of Coleoptera taxa to construct an annotated alignment based on secondary structure information, which in turn, provides improved rRNA structure models useful for phylogenetic reconstruction. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis was performed to test monophyly and interfamilial relationships of the megadiverse plant feeding beetle group known as ‘Phytophaga’ (Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea), as well as to discover their closest relatives among the Cucujiformia. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses were performed based on the structural alignment of segments of 18S rRNA (variable regions V4‐V5, V7‐V9) and 28S rRNA (expansion segment D2). A total of 104 terminal taxa of Coleoptera were included: 96 species of Cucujiformia beetles, representing the families and most ‘subfamilies’ of weevils and chrysomeloids (Phytophaga), as well as several families of Cleroidea, Tenebrionoidea and Cucujoidea, and eight outgroups from three other polyphagan series: Scarabaeiformia, Elateriformia and Bostrichiformia. The results from the different methods of analysis agree — recovering the monophyly of the ‘Phytophaga’, including Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea as sister groups. The curculionoid and chrysomeloid phylogeny recovered from the aligned 18S and 28S rDNA segments, which is independent of morphological data, is in agreement with recent hypotheses or concepts based on morphological evidence, particularly with respect to familial relationships. Our results provide clues about the evolutionary origin of the phytophagan beetles within the megaclade Cucujiformia, suggesting that the sister group of ‘Curculionoidea + Chrysomeloidea’ is a clade of the ‘Cucujoidea’, represented in this study by species in Boganiidae, Erotylidae, Nitidulidae, Cucujidae and Silvanidae. The Coccinellidae and Endomychidae are not grouped with the latter, and the remaining terminal taxa are nested in Tenebrionoidea and Cleroidea. We propose that the combination of structurally aligned ribosomal RNA gene regions 18S (V4‐V5, V7‐V9) and 28S (D2) are useful in testing monophyly and resolving relationships among beetle superfamilies and families.
The V410L knockdown resistance mutation occurs in island and continental populations of Aedes aegypti in West and Central Africa

The extensive use of insecticides for vector control has led to the development of insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti populations on a global scale, which has significantly compromised control actions. Insecticide resistance, and its underlying mechanisms, has been investigated in several countries, mostly in South American and Asian countries. In Africa, however, studies reporting insecticide resistance are rare and data on resistance mechanisms, notably knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations, is scarce. In this study, the recently described V410L kdr mutation is reported for the first time in old world Ae. aegypti populations, namely from Angola and Madeira island. Two additional kdr mutations, V1016I and F1534C, are also reported for the first time in populations from Angola and Cape Verde. Significant associations with the resistance phenotype were found for both V410L and V1016I individually as well as for tri-locus genotypes in the Angolan population. However, no association was found in Madeira island, probably due to the presence of a complex pattern of multiple insecticide resistance mechanisms in the local Ae. aegypti population. These results suggest that populations carrying the same kdr mutations may respond differently to the same insecticide, stressing the need for complementary studies when assessing the impact of kdr resistance mechanisms in the outcome of insecticide-based control strategies.
The Role of Psychological and Social Well-being on Physical Function Trajectories in Older Adults

Abstract Background Psychological and social well-being are emerging as major determinants in preserving health in old age. We aimed to explore the association between these factors and the rate of decline in physical function over time in older adults. Methods Data were gathered from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K). The study population consisted of 1,153 non-demented, community-dwelling men and women free from multimorbidity or impairments in basic or instrumental activities of daily living at baseline. They were followed over 12 years to capture the rate of decline in physical function, which was measured by combining data on walking speed, balance, and chair stands. The association between baseline psychological and social well-being and decline in physical function was estimated through linear mixed models, after multiple adjustments including personality and depressive symptoms. Results Higher levels of psychological (β = .007; p = .037) and social (β = .008; p = .043) well-being were significantly associated with a decreased rate of decline in physical function over the follow-up. There was a significant three-way interaction between psychological well-being*time*sex (female vs male) (β = .015; p = .047), showing that a slower decline in physical function was observed only among women and not in men. The association was strongest for individuals with high levels of both psychological and social well-being (β = .012; p = .019). Conclusion High levels of psychological and social well-being may slow down the age-related decline in physical function, which confirms the complexity of older adults’ health, but also points towards new preventative strategies.
The Ectodomain of Matriptase-2 Plays an Important Non-Proteolytic Role in Suppressing Hepcidin Expression in Mice.

Matriptase-2 (MT2), encoded by TMPRSS6, is a membrane-anchored serine protease, which plays a key role in suppressing hepatic hepcidin expression. MT2 is synthesized as a zymogen and undergoes autocleavage for activation. Previous studies suggest that MT2 suppresses hepcidin by cleaving hemojuvelin (HJV) and other components of the BMP-signaling pathway. However, the underlying mechanism is still debatable. Here we dissected the contributions of the non-proteolytic and proteolytic activities of Mt2 by taking advantage of Mt2 mutants and Tmprss6-/- mice. Studies of the protease-dead full-length Mt2 (Mt2S762A) and the truncated Mt2 that lacks the catalytic domain (Mt2mask) indicate that the catalytic domain, but not its proteolytic activity, was required for Mt2 to suppress hepcidin expression. This process was likely accomplished by the binding of Mt2 ectodomain to Hjv and Hfe. We found that Mt2 specifically cleaved the key components of the hepcidin induction pathway including Hjv, Alk3, ActRIIA, and Hfe when overexpressed in hepatoma cells. Nevertheless, studies of a murine IRIDA-causing mutant (Mt2I286F) in the CUB domain indicate that Mt2I286F can be activated but it displayed a largely compromised ability to suppress hepcidin expression. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that Mt2I286F, but not Mt2S762A, had reduced interactions with Hjv, ActRIIA, and Hfe. Additionally, increased expression of the serine protease inhibitor Hai-2 in the liver failed to alter hepcidin. Together these observations support the idea that the substrate interaction with Mt2 plays a determinant role, and suggest that the proteolytic activity is not an appropriate target to modulate the function of MT2 for clinical applications.
Oxidative Stress and Immune System Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) represent a group of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with social and behavioral impairments. Although dysfunctions in several signaling pathways have been associated with ASDs, very few molecules have been identified as potentially effective drug targets in the clinic. Classically, research in the ASD field has focused on the characterization of pathways involved in neural development and synaptic plasticity, which support the pathogenesis of this group of diseases. More recently, immune system dysfunctions have been observed in ASD. In addition, high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause oxidative stress, are present in ASD patients. In this review, we will describe the major alterations in the expression of genes coding for enzymes involved in the ROS scavenging system, in both ASD patients and ASD mouse models. In addition, we will discuss, in the context of the most recent literature, the possibility that oxidative stress, inflammation and immune system dysfunction may be connected to, and altogether support, the pathogenesis and/or severity of ASD. Finally, we will discuss the possibility of novel treatments aimed at counteracting the interplay between ROS and inflammation in people with ASD.
Limited evidence of benefits of patient operated intelligent primary care triage tools: findings of a literature review

Introduction There is consistent evidence that the workload in general practices is substantially increasing. The digitalisation of healthcare including the use of artificial intelligence has been suggested as a solution to this problem. We wanted to explore the features of intelligent online triage tools in primary care by conducting a literature review. Method A systematic literature search strategy was formulated and conducted in the PubMed database and the Cochrane Library. Articles were selected according to inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results and data were systematically extracted and thematically analysed. 17 articles of that reported large multimethod studies or smaller diagnostic accuracy tests on clinical vignettes were included. Reviews and expert opinions were also considered. Results There was limited evidence on the actual effects and performance of triage tools in primary care. Several aspects can guide further development: concepts of system design, system implementation and diagnostic performance. The most important findings were: a need to formulate evaluation guidelines and regulations; their assumed potential has not yet been met; a risk of increased or redistribution of workloads and the available symptom checker systems seem overly risk averse and should be tested in real-life settings. Conclusion This review identified several features associated with the design and implementation of intelligent online triage tools in a primary care context, although most of the investigated systems seemed underdeveloped and offered limited benefits. Current online triage systems should not be used by individuals who have reasonable access to traditional healthcare. Systems used should be strictly evaluated and regulated like other medical products.
Monocyte–lymphocyte ratio is a valuable predictor for diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is serious threat to human health. Therefore, early prediction of its occurrence is important. This study aimed to assess the predictive significance of monocyte–lymphocyte ratio (MLR) for DN. A total of 301 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), including 212 T2D patients without diabetic-related complications and 99 DN patients, were enrolled. Peripheral white blood cells were measured before treatment to calculate MLR, and the risk factors and predictive significance for T2D and DN were assessed. T2D patients without diabetic-related complications had higher MLR than control patients (P < .01). However, MLR was significantly higher in DN patients than in T2D patients without diabetic-related complications (P < .001). According to MLR quartiles, higher MLR in DN patients was correlated with higher serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) levels (P < .01 or P < .001). Furthermore, MLR was positively correlated with UAE level (R2 = 0.5973; P < .01) and an independent predictor for DN (odds ratio: 7.667; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.689–21.312; P < .001). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for MLR was 0.874 (95%CI: 0.830–0.918, P < .001). When the optimal cutoff value was 0.23, the sensitivity and specificity of MLR for DN prediction were 0.85 and 0.74, respectively. The present findings suggest that MLR is a powerful independent predictor for DN.