Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the hormonal nature of the stimulatory effect of high incubation temperatures on germination of dormant sorghum (S. bicolor) caryopses.

• High incubation temperatures (i.e. 30°C) stimulate the germination of dormant sorghum grains. To test the hormonal nature of this response, experiments were carried out with two varieties with contrasting dormancy at harvest: Redland B2 (low dormancy, high germination percentages attained under a wide incubation thermal range) and IS 9530 (high dormancy, high germination percentages attained only at 30°C). • Redland B2 grains with reduced GA content (paclobutrazol-treated) reached high germination temperatures (c. 100%) only when incubated at 30°C. By contrast, IS 9530 grains with reduced ABA content (fluridone-treated) reached 100% germination at 30, 25, 20 and 15°C. • Incubation temperatures did not alter embryo responsiveness to ABA, nor did it modify the pattern of changes in embryo ABA content throughout incubation. Low GA3 concentrations (0.1 µm) were required to totally overcome the inhibition imposed by ABA in embryos incubated at 30°C; by contrast, even the highest GA3 concentrations used (1000 µm) were not able to revert ABA inhibition in embryos incubated at 15°C. • These results show the hormonal nature of the stimulatory effect of high incubation temperatures, and suggest that this effect is mediated by an increase in tissue responsiveness to GAs.
Death of the ALARA Radiation Protection Principle as Used in the Medical Sector

ALARA is the acronym for “As Low As Reasonably Achievable. ” It is a radiation protection concept borne from the linear no-threshold (LNT) hypothesis. There are no valid data today supporting the use of LNT in the low-dose range, so dose as a surrogate for risk in radiological imaging is not appropriate, and therefore, the use of the ALARA concept is obsolete. Continued use of an outdated and erroneous principle unnecessarily constrains medical professionals attempting to deliver high-quality care to patients by leading to a reluctance by doctors to order images, a resistance from patients/parents to receive images, subquality images, repeated imaging, increased radiation exposures, the stifling of low-dose radiation research and treatment, and the propagation of radiophobia and continued endorsement of ALARA by regulatory bodies. All these factors result from the fear of radiogenic cancer, many years in the future, that will not occur. It has been established that the dose threshold for leukemia is higher than previously thought. A low-dose radiation exposure from medical imaging will likely upregulate the body’s adaptive protection systems leading to the prevention of future cancers. The ALARA principle, as used as a radiation protection principle throughout medicine, is scientifically defunct and should be abandoned.
Deep Learning in CT Images: Automated Pulmonary Nodule Detection for Subsequent Management Using Convolutional Neural Network

Purpose The purpose of this study is ﻿to compare the detection performance of the 3-dimensional convolutional neural network (3D CNN)-based computer-aided detection (CAD) models with radiologists of different levels of experience in detecting pulmonary nodules on thin-section computed tomography (CT). Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 1109 consecutive patients who underwent follow-up thin-section CT at our institution. The 3D CNN model for nodule detection was re-trained and complemented by expert augmentation. The annotations of a consensus panel consisting of two expert radiologists determined the ground truth. The detection performance of the re-trained CAD model and three other radiologists at different levels of experience were tested using a free-response receiver operating characteristic (FROC) analysis in the test group. Results The detection performance of the re-trained CAD model was significantly better than that of the pre-trained network (sensitivity: 93.09% vs 38.44%). The re-trained CAD model had a significantly better detection performance than radiologists (average sensitivity: 93.09% vs 50.22%), without significantly increasing the number of false positives per scan (1.64 vs 0.68). In the training set, 922 nodules less than 3 mm in size in 211 patients at high risk were recommended for follow-up CT according to the Fleischner Society Guidelines. Fifteen of 101 solid nodules were confirmed to be lung cancer. Conclusion The re-trained 3D CNN-based CAD model, complemented by expert augmentation, was an accurate and efficient tool in identifying incidental pulmonary nodules for subsequent management.
Cardioprotective Effect of (Z)-2-Acetoxy-3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl) Acrylic Acid: Inhibition of Apoptosis in Cardiomyocytes

Background Although many studies have been performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of heart failure, an effective pharmacological therapy to protect cardiac tissues from severe loss of contractile function associated with heart failure after acute myocardial infarction (MI) has yet to be developed. Methods We examined the cardioprotective effects of (Z)-2-acetoxy-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) acrylic acid, a new compound with potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities in a rat model of heart failure. (Z)-2-Acetoxy-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) acrylic acid was systemically delivered to rats 6 weeks after MI at different doses (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg). Cardiac function was assessed by hemodynamic measurements. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines, apoptosis-related molecules, and markers of adverse ventricular remodeling was measured using RT-PCR and Western blot. Results Treatment with (Z)-2-acetoxy-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) acrylic acid significantly improved cardiac function, in particular by increasing dP/dt. Simultaneously, the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β was markedly reduced in the treatment group compared with the MI group. In addition, (Z)-2-acetoxy-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) acrylic acid-treated tissues displayed decreased expression of Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 and increased expression of Bcl-2, which was in part due to the promotion of Akt phosphorylation. Conclusion These data demonstrated that (Z)-2-acetoxy-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) acrylic acid possesses potent cardioprotective effects against cardiac injury in a rat model of heart failure, which is mediated, at least in part, by suppression of the inflammatory and cell apoptosis responses.
Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective Massage is ubiquitous in elite sport and increasingly common at amateur level but the evidence base for this intervention has not been reviewed systematically. We therefore performed a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of massage on measures of sporting performance and recovery. Design and eligibility We searched PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane to identify randomised studies that tested the effect of manual massage on measures of sporting performance and/or recovery. We performed separate meta-analyses on the endpoints of; strength, jump, sprint, endurance, flexibility, fatigue and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Results We identified 29 eligible studies recruiting 1012 participants, representing the largest examination of the effects of massage. We found no evidence that massage improves measures of strength, jump, sprint, endurance or fatigue, but massage was associated with small but statistically significant improvements in flexibility and DOMS. Conclusion Although our study finds no evidence that sports massage improves performance directly, it may somewhat improve flexibility and DOMS. Our findings help guide the coach and athlete about the benefits of massage and inform decisions about incorporating this into training and competition.
The search for an HIV vaccine, the journey continues

Copyright Published 2020. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Journal of the International AIDS Society published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International AIDS Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The effect of group size on vigilance and feeding rate in spice finches (Lonchura punctulata)

We investigated group-size effects on individual vigilance levels and feeding rates in captive groups of spice finches (Lonchura punctulata). The "many-eyes" hypothesis predicts a reduction in vigilance levels in larger groups that can cause higher feeding rates if the time thus saved is used for foraging. We adopted a within-subject procedure whereby in each of six replicates we observed one adult male searching for food in groups varying in size from one to five. As predicted, vigilance levels decreased with group size up to four birds but increased in groups of five. Birds also collected seeds more quickly in larger groups, reflecting (i) a decrease in vigilance levels in larger groups, (ii) a decrease in handling time, and (iii) an increase in search speed. Nearest neighbour distances were smaller in larger groups, a potential confounding factor in the analysis of vigilance time. Although the results are partly consistent with the many-eyes hypothesis, we suggest that the arrow of causation from vigil.
A new species of the seepage midge genus Trichothaumalea Edwards from Japan (Diptera: Thaumaleidae)

The adult and pupa of Trichothaumalea japonica sp. n. are described from Japan. This widespread relict genus also includes three species from western [T. pluvialis (Dyar & Shannon), T. pilosa (Garrett)] and eastern (T. elakalensis Sinclair) North America. T. japonica + T. elakalensis are most closely related and together are the sister-group to the western Nearctic species group. Examples of Diptera with similar biogeographic patterns are listed. In addition, male genitalic homologies in this genus are re-examined.
Stem Rot of Tawny Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Korea

Abstract In July 2002, a destructive stem rot of tawny daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) was occurred sporadically in exhibition farm of Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services located in Hamyang-gun, Korea. The fungus also caused collar and crown rot, and systemic wilt or blight of whole plant. White mycelium spread over stems and petioles of infected plants and sclerotia were formed on the old lesions and near the soil surface. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth and sclerotial formations was 30°C on PDA. The mycelial width ranged 4.2~10.4 μm and the color was white, usually many narrow mycelial strand grew in the aerial mycelium and formed clamp connection. The shape of sclerotia was spherical and 1.0~3.2 mm in diameter. The fungus was isolated repeatedly from the infected tissues and confirmed its pathogenicity to Hemerocallis fulva and identified as Sclerotium rolfsii. This is the first report on the stem rot of H. fulva caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.
Reassessment of the Morphology and Paleobiology of the Therocephalian Tetracynodon Darti (Therapsida), And The Phylogenetic Relationships of Baurioidea

ABSTRACT Several new specimens of the Triassic therocephalian Tetracynodon darti have become available in recent years, allowing substantial corrections and expansions to previous descriptions. We here analyze T. darti in the context of therocephalian relationships and biology, using computed tomographic (CT) scanning to reveal details of the skull. Histological sections, as well as the degree of ossification of individual elements, both suggest that the available specimens are subadults (rather than rapidly growing neonates), and probably yearlings. A maxillary shelf bearing a long suture with the vomer similar to that of Lycideops is present, and T. darti also shares a nasal-lacrimal contact with that taxon. There is no evidence for the presence of maxilloturbinal bones. The postcranial skeleton is slender and similar to that of regisaurids and other small baurioids. The skull bones show clear indentations demarcating the major divisions of the brain, allowing one of the most detailed reconstructions of a non-mammalian therapsid brain published to date. The brain is strikingly plesiomorphic in many features, particularly in the retention of large dorsally positioned optic lobes of the tectum, but generally shows features that are intermediate between gorgonopsians and cynodonts, thus clarifying this stage of the evolution of the synapsid brain. A cladistic analysis of 33 therapsid taxa and 131 morphological characters supports the monophyly of Therocephalia, and there is evidence for a monophyletic Lycideopidae within Baurioidea. Lycideopidae contains species with long snouts, nasal-lacrimal contacts, and incipient secondary palates, including Lycideops, Choerosaurus, T. tenuis, and T. darti.
The ophthalmic health and refractive state of working dogs in South Brazil

Background: Working dogs, such as police dogs and guide dogs, have important roles in the contemporary society by performing specific and demanding jobs. Ocular health and the maintenance of good visual acuity are imperative to strong work performance and thus human safety. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess ophthalmic abnormalities and refractive errors in police and guide dogs in Brazil. Methods: A total of 71 dogs (141 eyes) were evaluated. Ten were guide dogs and 61 were police dogs. The work performance was assessed by a questionnaire to each dog’s handler/owner. All the dogs underwent a complete ocular examination, and abnormalities were classified by condition, if they were active or inactive and if they were located within the visual axis. In addition, 62 dogs were evaluated by streak retinoscopy for refractive errors. Results: Ophthalmic abnormalities were detected in 38 (54%) dogs, of which 23 were considered inherited, 25 were considered active, and 10 were located within the visual axis. Incipient cataracts were the most prevalent abnormality. No guide dog had an abnormality within the visual axis. The most common refractive error was myopia with the median and interquartile range of –0.75 ± 0.75 diopters; among these, police dogs had –1.0 ± 0.5 diopters, whereas guide dogs +0.38 ± 0.75 diopters. Police dogs tended to be slightly myopic and guide dogs were emmetropic. Conclusion: Despite finding a considerable number of ophthalmic abnormalities and refractive error, work performance was good with no signs of visual impairment in any dog. Regular ophthalmic examinations are advised for working dogs, and an exclusion of severely affected dogs from breeding programs is recommended.
Estimation of phylogenetic relationships among some Hypericum (Hypericaceae) species using internal transcribed spacer sequences

Abstract Thirty-four taxa representing 12 sections of the genus Hypericum were analyzed along with two representatives of Thornea using nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences in order to assess the scope of phylogenetic relationships in this species-rich genus. The resulting parsimony analysis corroborates the actual classification and interspecific affinities. The molecular data provide support for the monophyletic assemblage of the sections Androsaemum, Hypericum, Olympia, and Drosocarpium and for the polyphyletic origin of Ascyreia, Taeniocarpium, Myriandra, and Adenosepalum. The earlier evolutionary hypotheses concerning the origin of Hypericum balearicum and Hypericum calycinum, and the relatedness of Adenosepalum representatives, are not supported by our data analysis as well as hybrid origin of Hypericum perforatum. The obtained results encourage the use of ITS sequence analysis in resolving the phylogenetic relationships within the member-rich genus Hypericum.
A brief social-belonging intervention in college improves adult outcomes for black Americans

For black Americans, addressing worries about belonging early in college supported a better trajectory into adult life. Could mitigating persistent worries about belonging in the transition to college improve adult life for black Americans? To examine this question, we conducted a long-term follow-up of a randomized social-belonging intervention delivered in the first year of college. This 1-hour exercise represented social and academic adversity early in college as common and temporary. As previously reported in Science, the exercise improved black students’ grades and well-being in college. The present study assessed the adult outcomes of these same participants. Examining adult life at an average age of 27, black adults who had received the treatment (versus control) exercise 7 to 11 years earlier reported significantly greater career satisfaction and success, psychological well-being, and community involvement and leadership. Gains were statistically mediated by greater college mentorship. The results suggest that addressing persistent social-psychological concerns via psychological intervention can shape the life course, partly by changing people’s social realities.
Sphingosine 1-Phosphate-induced Endothelial Cell Migration Requires the Expression of EDG-1 and EDG-3 Receptors and Rho-dependent Activation of αvβ3- and β1-containing Integrins*

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (SPP), a platelet-derived bioactive lysophospholipid, is a regulator of angiogenesis. However, molecular mechanisms involved in SPP-induced angiogenic responses are not fully defined. Here we report the molecular mechanisms involved in SPP-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion and migration. SPP-induced HUVEC migration is potently inhibited by antisense phosphothioate oligonucleotides against EDG-1 as well as EDG-3 receptors. In addition, C3 exotoxin blocked SPP-induced cell attachment, spreading and migration on fibronectin-, vitronectin- and Matrigel-coated surfaces, suggesting that endothelial differentiation gene receptor signaling via the Rho pathway is critical for SPP-induced cell migration. Indeed, SPP induced Rho activation in an adherence-independent manner, whereas Rac activation was dispensible for cell attachment and focal contact formation. Interestingly, both EDG-1 and -3 receptors were required for Rho activation. Since integrins are critical for cell adhesion, migration, and angiogenesis, we examined the effects of blocking antibodies against αvβ3, β1, or β3 integrins. SPP induced Rho-dependent integrin clustering into focal contact sites, which was essential for cell adhesion, spreading and migration. Blockage of αvβ3- or β1-containing integrins inhibited SPP-induced HUVEC migration. Together our results suggest that endothelial differentiation gene receptor-mediated Rho signaling is required for the activation of integrin αvβ3 as well as β1-containing integrins, leading to the formation of initial focal contacts and endothelial cell migration.
On-farm conservation strategy to ensure crop genetic diversity in changing agro-ecosystems in the Republic of Korea

With the recognition of certain limitations of ex situ methods for conservation of plant genetic resources the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the 'Earth Summit' in 1992 highlighted the importance of traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities that are relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and gave considerable attention to on-farm and other forms of in situ conservation. Unlike semi-Static nature of ex situ conservation the in situ or on-farm conservation (OFC) is a dynamic evolutionary process. In developing countries like Republic of Korea, where there is a continuum between the use of traditional and modern cultivars, integration of OFC with already existing gene-bank activities in the country will be an effective approach for conservation and sustainable use of the country's crop genetic resources. However, very little efforts have been made so far in developing strategies for OFC, therefore, in this paper we describe the importance of OFC and strategies for its development in Republic of Korea. Surveys over the last 20 years have shown that the landraces of major crops have been almost replaced by newly bred varieties in the country. But some vegetatively propagated or minor crop species are still being maintained in the farmers' fields. We have identified crop landraces, which can be classified into four different categories from the OFC point of view. These are vegetatively propagated landraces, sexually reproduced landraces, landraces with improved varieties and landraces cultivated for the reasons of personal preference. The related issues on OFC including implementation methods from the point of national cooperative system in designated specific condition are also discussed to ensure the genetic diversity in the fast changing agro-ecosystem of the country.
Candidate cases of poecilogony in Neogastropoda: implications for the systematics of the genus Raphitoma Bellardi, 1847

Abstract. Poecilogony is the intraspecific variation in developmental mode, with larvae of different types produced by the same individual, population or species. It is very rare among marine invertebrates, and in gastropods has long been described only in a few opisthobranchs. The physiological and regulatory mechanisms underlying larval evolutionary transitions, such as loss of planktotrophy that occurred repeatedly in many caenogastropod lineages, are still largely unknown. We have studied the inter- v. intraspecific variation in larval development in the north-east Atlantic neogastropod genus Raphitoma Bellardi, 1847, starting with an iterative taxonomy approach: 17 morphology-based Preliminary Species Hypotheses were tested against a COI molecular-distance-based method (ABGD), and the retained species hypotheses were eventually inspected for reciprocal monophyly on a multilocus dataset. We subsequently performed an ancestral state reconstruction on an ultrametric tree of the 10 Final Species Hypotheses, time-calibrated by fossils, revealing that the interspecific changes were planktotrophy > lecithotrophy, and all have occurred in the Pleistocene, after 2.5 million years ago. This is suggestive of a major role played by Pleistocene Mediterranean oceanographic conditions – enhanced oligotrophy, unpredictable availability of water column resources – likely to favour loss of planktotrophy. Within this group of species, which has diversified after the Miocene, we identified one pair of sibling species differing in their larval development, Raphitoma cordieri (Payraudeau, 1826) and R. horrida (Monterosato, 1884). However, we also identified two Final Species Hypotheses, each comprising individuals with both larval developmental types. Our working hypothesis is that they correspond to one or two poecilogonous species. If confirmed by other nuclear markers, this would be the first documentation of poecilogony in the Neogastropoda, and the second in the whole Caenogastropoda. Although sibling species with different developmental strategies may offer good models to study some evolutionary aspects, poecilogonous taxa are optimally suited for identifying regulatory and developmental mechanisms underlying evolutionary transitions.
Mechanisms of recognition in birds and social Hymenoptera: from detection to information processing

In this opinion piece, we briefly review our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying auditory individual recognition in birds and chemical nest-mate recognition in social Hymenoptera. We argue that even though detection and perception of recognition cues are well studied in social Hymenoptera, the neural mechanisms remain a black box. We compare our knowledge of these insect systems with that of the well-studied avian ‘song control system’. We suggest that future studies on recognition should focus on the hypothesis of a distributed template instead of trying to locate the seat of the template as recent results do not seem to point in that direction. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Signal detection theory in recognition systems: from evolving models to experimental tests’.