Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of NHEJ-Based DNA Repair after CRISPR-Mediated DNA Cleavage

Genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases is based on the repair of the DNA double-strand break (DSB). In eukaryotic cells, DSBs are rejoined through homology-directed repair (HDR), non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) pathways. Among these, it is thought that the NHEJ pathway is dominant and occurs throughout a cell cycle. NHEJ-based DSB repair is known to be error-prone; however, there are few studies that delve into it deeply in endogenous genes. Here, we quantify the degree of NHEJ-based DSB repair accuracy (termed NHEJ accuracy) in human-originated cells by incorporating exogenous DNA oligonucleotides. Through an analysis of joined sequences between the exogenous DNA and the endogenous target after DSBs occur, we determined that the average value of NHEJ accuracy is approximately 75% in maximum in HEK 293T cells. In a deep analysis, we found that NHEJ accuracy is sequence-dependent and the value at the DSB end proximal to a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) is relatively lower than that at the DSB end distal to the PAM. In addition, we observed a negative correlation between the insertion mutation ratio and the degree of NHEJ accuracy. Our findings would broaden the understanding of Cas9-mediated genome editing.
Tensiomyographic Neuromuscular Response of the Peroneus Longus and Tibialis Anterior with Chronic Ankle Instability

This study aimed to investigate the muscle contractile response of the peroneus longus (PL) and tibialis anterior (TA) in groups with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI) using tensiomyography. Twenty-three adults, 12 with CAI and 11 healthy participants, participated in this study. All subjects underwent a tensiomyographic assessment of the PL and TA to measure delay time, contraction time and maximal displacement. The ankle evertor and invertor normalized peak torques, maximum work done and muscle thickness of the PL and TA were calculated. The delay time and contraction time of the PL in the CAI side were significantly higher than those in the healthy group (p < 0.05); however, no significant difference could be detected in the TA between groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the normalized peak torques, maximum work done and muscle thickness of the PL and TA between groups. The CAI side demonstrated a delayed muscle contractile response of the PL when compared with the healthy group although there was no difference in muscle strength and muscle size. Clinicians should consider the muscle contractile response of the PL for rehabilitation of the ankle evertor with CAI.
Plant Proteins and Exercise: What Role Can Plant Proteins Have in Promoting Adaptations to Exercise?

Adequate dietary protein is important for many aspects of health with current evidence suggesting that exercising individuals need greater amounts of protein. When assessing protein quality, animal sources of protein routinely rank amongst the highest in quality, largely due to the higher levels of essential amino acids they possess in addition to exhibiting more favorable levels of digestibility and absorption patterns of the amino acids. In recent years, the inclusion of plant protein sources in the diet has grown and evidence continues to accumulate on the comparison of various plant protein sources and animal protein sources in their ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS), heighten exercise training adaptations, and facilitate recovery from exercise. Without question, the most robust changes in MPS come from efficacious doses of a whey protein isolate, but several studies have highlighted the successful ability of different plant sources to significantly elevate resting rates of MPS. In terms of facilitating prolonged adaptations to exercise training, multiple studies have indicated that a dose of plant protein that offers enough essential amino acids, especially leucine, consumed over 8–12 weeks can stimulate similar adaptations as seen with animal protein sources. More research is needed to see if longer supplementation periods maintain equivalence between the protein sources. Several practices exist whereby the anabolic potential of a plant protein source can be improved and generally, more research is needed to best understand which practice (if any) offers notable advantages. In conclusion, as one considers the favorable health implications of increasing plant intake as well as environmental sustainability, the interest in consuming more plant proteins will continue to be present. The evidence base for plant proteins in exercising individuals has seen impressive growth with many of these findings now indicating that consumption of a plant protein source in an efficacious dose (typically larger than an animal protein) can instigate similar and favorable changes in amino acid update, MPS rates, and exercise training adaptations such as strength and body composition as well as recovery.
The Roles of Neuropeptide Y (Npy) and Peptide YY (Pyy) in Teleost Food Intake: A Mini Review

Neuropeptide Y family (NPY) is a potent orexigenic peptide and pancreatic polypeptide family comprising neuropeptide Y (Npy), peptide YYa (Pyya), and peptide YYb (Pyyb), which was previously known as peptide Y (PY), and tetrapod pancreatic polypeptide (PP), but has not been exhaustively documented in fish. Nonetheless, Npy and Pyy to date have been the key focus of countless research studies categorizing their copious characteristics in the body, which, among other things, include the mechanism of feeding behavior, cortical neural activity, heart activity, and the regulation of emotions in teleost. In this review, we focused on the role of neuropeptide Y gene (Npy) and peptide YY gene (Pyy) in teleost food intake. Feeding is essential in fish to ensure growth and perpetuation, being indispensable in the aquaculture settings where growth is prioritized. Therefore, a better understanding of the roles of these genes in food intake in teleost could help determine their feeding regime, regulation, growth, and development, which will possibly be fundamental in fish culture.
Meta-Analysis of the Accuracy of Abbreviated Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance: Non-Contrast versus Hepatobiliary Phase-Abbreviated Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Simple Summary Ultrasonography is recommended as a standard surveillance modality, but the performance of surveillance ultrasound for detecting early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited. Motivated to provide a more sensitive method, abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AMRI) protocols have been introduced for HCC surveillance. We aimed to systematically determine the diagnostic performance of surveillance AMRI for detecting HCC. This meta-analysis of 10 studies comprising 1547 patients found that the pooled sensitivity and specificity of surveillance AMRI for detecting HCC were 86% and 96%, respectively. Hepatobiliary phase contrast-enhanced AMRI showed significantly higher sensitivities for detecting HCC than non-contrast AMRI (87% vs. 82%), but significantly lower specificities (93% vs. 98%). Therefore, surveillance AMRI had overall good diagnostic performance for detecting HCC and might be clinically useful for HCC surveillance. In addition, AMRI protocol should be selected with consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each protocol. Abstract We aimed to determine the performance of surveillance abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AMRI) for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to compare the performance of surveillance AMRI according to different protocols. Original research studies reporting the performance of surveillance AMRI for the detection of HCC were identified in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of surveillance AMRI were calculated using a hierarchical model. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced hepatobiliary phase (HBP)-AMRI and non-contrast (NC)-AMRI were calculated and compared using bivariate meta-regression. Ten studies, including 1547 patients, reported the accuracy of surveillance AMRI. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of surveillance AMRI for detecting any-stage HCC were 86% (95% confidence interval (CI), 80–90%; I2 = 0%) and 96% (95% CI, 93–98%; I2 = 80.5%), respectively. HBP-AMRI showed a significantly higher sensitivity for detecting HCC than NC-AMRI (87% vs. 82%), but significantly lower specificity (93% vs. 98%) (p = 0.03). Study quality and MRI magnet field strength were factors significantly associated with study heterogeneity (p ≤ 0.01). In conclusion, surveillance AMRI showed good overall diagnostic performance for detecting HCC. HBP-AMRI had significantly higher sensitivity for detecting HCC than NC-AMRI, but lower specificity.
Trends of Human-Robot Collaboration in Industry Contexts: Handover, Learning, and Metrics

Repetitive industrial tasks can be easily performed by traditional robotic systems. However, many other works require cognitive knowledge that only humans can provide. Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) emerges as an ideal concept of co-working between a human operator and a robot, representing one of the most significant subjects for human-life improvement.The ultimate goal is to achieve physical interaction, where handing over an object plays a crucial role for an effective task accomplishment. Considerable research work had been developed in this particular field in recent years, where several solutions were already proposed. Nonetheless, some particular issues regarding Human-Robot Collaboration still hold an open path to truly important research improvements. This paper provides a literature overview, defining the HRC concept, enumerating the distinct human-robot communication channels, and discussing the physical interaction that this collaboration entails. Moreover, future challenges for a natural and intuitive collaboration are exposed: the machine must behave like a human especially in the pre-grasping/grasping phases and the handover procedure should be fluent and bidirectional, for an articulated function development. These are the focus of the near future investigation aiming to shed light on the complex combination of predictive and reactive control mechanisms promoting coordination and understanding. Following recent progress in artificial intelligence, learning exploration stand as the key element to allow the generation of coordinated actions and their shaping by experience.
Impaired Right Ventricular Calcium Cycling Is an Early Risk Factor in R14del-Phospholamban Arrhythmias

The inherited mutation (R14del) in the calcium regulatory protein phospholamban (PLN) is linked to malignant ventricular arrhythmia with poor prognosis starting at adolescence. However, the underlying early mechanisms that may serve as prognostic factors remain elusive. This study generated humanized mice in which the endogenous gene was replaced with either human wild type or R14del-PLN and addressed the early molecular and cellular pathogenic mechanisms. R14del-PLN mice exhibited stress-induced impairment of atrioventricular conduction, and prolongation of both ventricular activation and repolarization times in association with ventricular tachyarrhythmia, originating from the right ventricle (RV). Most of these distinct electrocardiographic features were remarkably similar to those in R14del-PLN patients. Studies in isolated cardiomyocytes revealed RV-specific calcium defects, including prolonged action potential duration, depressed calcium kinetics and contractile parameters, and elevated diastolic Ca-levels. Ca-sparks were also higher although SR Ca-load was reduced. Accordingly, stress conditions induced after contractions, and inclusion of the CaMKII inhibitor KN93 reversed this proarrhythmic parameter. Compensatory responses included altered expression of key genes associated with Ca-cycling. These data suggest that R14del-PLN cardiomyopathy originates with RV-specific impairment of Ca-cycling and point to the urgent need to improve risk stratification in asymptomatic carriers to prevent fatal arrhythmias and delay cardiomyopathy onset.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) toward the COVID-19 Vaccine in Oman: A Pre-Campaign Cross-Sectional Study

Oman is globally acknowledged for its well-structured immunization program with high vaccination coverage. The massive spread of misinformation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the easy access to various media channels, may affect acceptance of a vaccine, despite the inherent trust in the local system. This cross-sectional study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) in Oman toward COVID-19 vaccines. It included 3000 randomly selected adults answering a structured questionnaire via telephone. Participants were 66.7% Omani, 76% male, and 83.7% without comorbidities. Their mean age was 38.27 years (SD ± 10.45). Knowledge of COVID-19′s symptoms, mode of transmission, and attitudes toward the disease was adequate; 88.4% had heard of the vaccine, 59.3% would advise others to take it, 56.8% would take it themselves, and 47.5% would take a second dose. Males (CI = 2.37, OR = (2.00–2.81)) and Omani (CI = 1.956, OR = (4.595–2.397)) were more willing to be vaccinated. The history of chronic disease, source of vaccine knowledge, and education level were factors that affected the willingness to accept the vaccine. The Omani community’s willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine can be enhanced by utilizing social media and community influencers to spread awareness about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy.
Polyphenols and Ischemic Stroke: Insight into One of the Best Strategies for Prevention and Treatment

Ischemic stroke (IS) is still among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The pathogenic mechanisms beyond its development are several and are complex and this is the main reason why a functional therapy is still missed. The beneficial effects of natural compounds against cardiovascular diseases and IS have been investigated for a long time. In this article, we reviewed the association between the most studied polyphenols and stroke protection in terms of prevention, effect on acute phase, and rehabilitation. We described experimental and epidemiological studies reporting the role of flavonols, phenolic acid, and stilbens on ischemic mechanisms leading to stroke. We analyzed the principal animal models used to evaluate the impact of these micronutrients to cerebral blood flow and to molecular pathways involved in oxidative stress and inflammation modulation, such as sirtuins. We reported the most significant clinical trials demonstrated as the persistent use of polyphenols is clinically relevant in terms of the reduction of vascular risk factors for IS, such as Atrial Fibrillation. Interestingly, different kinds of polyphenols provide brain protection by activating different pathways and mechanisms, like inducing antithrombotic effect, such as Honokiol. For this reason, we discussed an appropriate integrative use of them as a possible therapeutic alternative against stroke.
Electrophysiological Evidence of Anticipatory Cognitive Control in the Stroop Task

The Stroop task has been largely used to explore the ability to inhibit the automatic process of reading when reporting the ink color of incongruent color-words. Given the extensive literature regarding the processes involved in task performance, here we aimed at exploring the anticipatory brain activities during the Stroop task using the event-related potential (ERP) method. To accomplish this, eighteen participants performed two different blocks where neutral words were intermixed with congruent and incongruent words, respectively. Results revealed consistent pre-stimulus activity over the frontal, premotor and parietal brain areas. The premotor and the parietal activities were also modulated by the Stroop effect, being more enhanced in the incongruent than in the congruent blocks. Present findings add on the current literature pointing at an unexplored locus of anticipatory cognitive control during task preparation, thus offering a new way to investigate top-down preparatory processes of performance control in the Stroop task.
Proton Low Field NMR Relaxation Time Domain Sensor for Monitoring of Oxidation Stability of PUFA-Rich Oils and Emulsion Products

The nutritional characteristics of fatty acid (FA) containing foods are strongly dependent on the FA’s chemical/morphological arrangements. Paradoxically the nutritional, health enhancing FA polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are highly susceptible to oxidation into harmful toxic side products during food preparation and storage. Current analytical technologies are not effective in the facile characterization of both the morphological and chemical structures of PUFA domains within materials for monitoring the parameters affecting their oxidation and antioxidant efficacy. The present paper is a review of our work on the development and application of a proton low field NMR relaxation sensor (1H LF NMR) and signal to time domain (TD) spectra reconstruction for chemical and morphological characterization of PUFA-rich oils and their oil in water emulsions, for assessing their degree and susceptibility to oxidation and the efficacy of antioxidants. The NMR signals are energy relaxation signals generated by spin–lattice interactions (T1) and spin–spin interactions (T2). These signals are reconstructed into 1D (T1 or T2) and 2D graphics (T1 vs. T2) by an optimal primal-dual interior method using a convex objectives (PDCO) solver. This is a direct measurement on non-modified samples where the individual graph peaks correlate to structural domains within the bulk oil or its emulsions. The emulsions of this review include relatively complex PUFA-rich oleosome-oil bodies based on the aqueous extraction from linseed seeds with and without encapsulation of externally added oils such as fish oil. Potential applications are shown in identifying optimal health enhancing PUFA-rich food formulations with maximal stability against oxidation and the potential for on-line quality control during preparation and storage.
Recent Progress in Cancer Thermal Therapy Using Gold Nanoparticles

In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in the preparation and application of nanoparticles for cancer therapy. Gold nanoparticles are especially suited to thermal destruction of cancer due to their ease of surface functionalization and photothermal heating ability. Here, we review recent progress in gold nanoparticle-mediated thermal cancer therapies. We begin with an introduction to the properties of gold nanoparticles and heat-generating mechanisms which have been established. The pioneering work in photothermal therapy is discussed along with the effects of photothermal heating on cells in vitro. Additionally, radiofrequency-mediated thermal therapy is reviewed. We focus our discussion on the developments and progress in nanoparticle design for photothermal cancer therapy since 2010. This includes in vitro and in vivo studies and the recent progression of gold nanoparticle photothermal therapy toward clinical cancer treatment.
Experimental and Theoretical Studies on Extract of Date Palm Seed as a Green Anti-Corrosion Agent in Hydrochloric Acid Solution

Extracts from plant materials have great potential as alternatives to inorganic corrosion inhibitors, which typically have harmful consequences. Experimental and theoretical methodologies studied the effectiveness of agricultural waste, namely, date palm seed extract as a green anti-corrosive agent in 0.5 M hydrochloric acid. Experimental results showed that immersion time and temperature are closely related to the effectivity of date palm seed as a corrosion inhibitor. The inhibition efficiency reduced from 95% to 91% at 1400 ppm when the immersion time was increased from 72 h to 168 h. The experimental results also indicated that the inhibition efficiency decreased as the temperature increased. The presence of a protective layer of organic matter was corroborated by scanning electron microscopy. The adsorption studies indicated that date palm seed obeyed Langmuir adsorption isotherm on the carbon steel surface, and Gibbs free energy values were in the range of −33.45 to −38.41 kJ·mol−1. These results suggested that the date palm seed molecules interacted with the carbon steel surface through mixture adsorption. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory showed that the capability to donate and accept electrons between the alloy surface and the date palm seed inhibitor molecules is critical for adsorption effectiveness. The HOMO and LUMO result indicated that the carboxyl (COOH) group and C=C bond were the most active sites for the electron donation-acceptance type of interaction and most auxiliary to the adsorption process over the Fe surface.
Molecular Investigation of Canine Parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) Outbreak in Nevis Island: Analysis of the Nearly Complete Genomes of CPV-2 Strains from the Caribbean Region

To date, there is a dearth of information on canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) from the Caribbean region. During August–October 2020, the veterinary clinic on the Caribbean island of Nevis reported 64 household dogs with CPV-2-like clinical signs (hemorrhagic/non-hemorrhagic diarrhea and vomiting), of which 27 animals died. Rectal swabs/fecal samples were obtained from 43 dogs. A total of 39 of the 43 dogs tested positive for CPV-2 antigen and/or DNA, while 4 samples, negative for CPV-2 antigen, were not available for PCR. Among the 21 untested dogs, 15 had CPV-2 positive littermates. Analysis of the complete VP2 sequences of 32 strains identified new CPV-2a (CPV-2a with Ser297Ala in VP2) as the predominant CPV-2 on Nevis Island. Two nonsynonymous mutations, one rare (Asp373Asn) and the other uncommon (Ala262Thr), were observed in a few VP2 sequences. It was intriguing that new CPV-2a was associated with an outbreak of gastroenteritis on Nevis while found at low frequencies in sporadic cases of diarrhea on the neighboring island of St. Kitts. The nearly complete CPV-2 genomes (4 CPV-2 strains from St. Kitts and Nevis (SKN)) were reported for the first time from the Caribbean region. Eleven substitutions were found among the SKN genomes, which included nine synonymous substitutions, five of which have been rarely reported, and the two nonsynonymous substitutions. Phylogenetically, the SKN CPV-2 sequences formed a distinct cluster, with CPV-2b/USA/1998 strains constituting the nearest cluster. Our findings suggested that new CPV-2a is endemic in the region, with the potential to cause severe outbreaks, warranting further studies across the Caribbean Islands. Analysis of the SKN CPV-2 genomes corroborated the hypothesis that recurrent parallel evolution and reversion might play important roles in the evolution of CPV-2.