Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dopamine D1 Receptors Regulate Spines in Striatal Direct‐Pathway and Indirect‐Pathway Neurons

Dopamine transmission is involved in the maintenance of the structural plasticity of direct‐pathway and indirect‐pathway striatal projection neurons (d‐SPNs and i‐SPNs, respectively). The lack of dopamine in Parkinson's disease produces synaptic remodeling in both types of SPNs, reducing the length of the dendritic arbor and spine density and increasing the intrinsic excitability. Meanwhile, the elevation of dopamine levels by levodopa recovers these alterations selectively in i‐SPNs. However, little is known about the specific role of the D1 receptor (D1R) in these alterations.
Identification of bioactive molecule from Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) as SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19 and has been declared as pandemic disease by World Health Organization. Lack of targeted therapeutics and vaccines for COVID-2019 have triggered the scientific community to develop new vaccines or drugs against this novel virus. Many synthetic compounds and antimalarial drugs are undergoing clinical trials. The traditional medical practitioners widely use Indian medicinal plant Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) natural constituents, called withanolides for curing various diseases. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a vital role in disease propagation by processing the polyproteins which are required for its replication. Hence, it denotes a significant target for drug discovery. In the present study, we evaluate the potential of 40 natural chemical constituents of Ashwagandha to explore a possible inhibitor against main protease of SARS-CoV-2 by adopting the computational approach. The docking study revealed that four constituents of Ashwagandha; Withanoside II (-11.30 Kcal/mol), Withanoside IV (-11.02 Kcal/mol), Withanoside V (-8.96 Kcal/mol) and Sitoindoside IX (-8.37 Kcal/mol) exhibited the highest docking energy among the selected natural constituents. Further, MD simulation study of 100 ns predicts Withanoside V possess strong binding affinity and hydrogen-bonding interactions with the protein active site and indicates its stability in the active site. The binding free energy score also correlates with the highest score of −87.01 ± 5.01 Kcal/mol as compared to other selected compounds. In conclusion, our study suggests that Withanoside V in Ashwagandha may be serve as a potential inhibitor against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 to combat COVID-19 and may have an antiviral effect on nCoV. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Development of a highly sensitive multiplex reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (m-RT-PCR) method for detection of three potato viruses in a single reaction and nested PCR

Potato virus Y (PVY), potato virus X (PVX) and potato leaf roll virus (PLRV) are the most economically important viruses in commercial potato production in Egypt. The m-RT-PCR assays were used for the detection of these three viruses in one reaction using three specific primer pairs designed to amplify the full-length of the coat protein gene of each virus (810 bp for PVY, 700 bp for PVX, 548 bp for PLRV). Specificity of the three primer pairs was confirmed by the nested PCR (nPCR) assay using three internal specific primer pairs designed to amplify 480, 360, and 420 bp from the internal sequence of the cp gene of PVY, PVX and PLRV, respectively. The amplified products were sequenced and analyzed. This m-RT-PCR method detected all three viruses in a single reaction mixture in naturally infected field grown potatoes and nPCR assay can confirm the presence of virus infection without needing for sequence analysis. The m-RT-PCR assays developed is a reliable, rapid and sensitive method for the detection of these three viruses in one plant sample. The use of the m-RT-PCR and nPCR assays are recommended for applications Since they improved sensitivity over standard RT-PCR and necessary for the early detection of infection and for quarantine and breeding purposes.
Continuation Rate, Safety and Efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine Treatment in a Retrospective Cohort of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Japanese Municipal Hospital

Objective We investigated the continuation rate, safety and efficacy of treatment with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in a retrospective cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Japanese municipal hospital. Methods All of the patients with SLE who started treatment with HCQ were included in this study. A retrospective chart review was performed. Our primary outcomes were the continuation rate of HCQ treatment for 1 year and adverse events (AEs) during the treatment. We also investigated the efficacy of HCQ treatment in cases in which treatment with immunosuppressive therapies remained unchanged for the preceding six months. Results Forty-seven patients with SLE were included in this study. Twenty-five patients (53.2%) had AEs. Eleven (64.7%) of the 17 patients who tried the readministration of HCQ could continue HCQ treatment. The continuation rate of HCQ for a period of 1 year was 78.3% (36 of 46 patients). The development of cutaneous lesions was the most frequent adverse event (25.5%) followed by gastrointestinal symptoms (8.5%). In the 16 cases in which the immunosuppressive therapies remained unchanged for at least six months prior to starting HCQ treatment, the SLE disease activity index, anti-DNA antibody, immune complex, and serum complement activity significantly decreased over a period of 1 year, while the prednisolone dose significantly decreased. Conclusion The continuation rate of HCQ treatment was high in an SLE cohort of a Japanese municipal hospital. Although more than half of the patients experienced AEs, the readministration of HCQ was often successful. HCQ treatment provided benefits regarding the clinical and immunological findings in Japanese patients with SLE, which would likely lead to glucocorticoid tapering.
Interactive Effects of Nitrogen and Water Addition on Competitive Hierarchies Between Early- and Late- Successional Plant Species

ABSTRACT: Increased nitrogen (N) and water availability, resulting from global changes or ecosystem management, were predicted to promote plant productivity and change community composition through shifts in competition hierarchies. So far, however, it still remains unclear how competitive interactions respond to N and water additions, which will be important to understand how plant community composition changes. To test plant competition ability in different successional stages under N and water addition treatments, a pot experiment under field conditions was performed. Six dominant plant species, three early-successional species, Artemisia lavandulaefolia, Artemisia capillaris, and Pennisetum centrasiaticum versus three late-successional species, Stipa krylovii, Leymus chinensis, and Artemisia frigida, were grown in monocultures and in twospecies mixtures under factorial combinations of N and water addition treatments. We found that (1) there were interactive effects of N addition, water addition and interspecific competition on plant biomass; (2) For a given species, competitive abilities were correlated with biomass difference of neighboring species; (3) N and water additions interactively increased competition intensity and shifted species competitive hierarchies; (4) Late-successional species had stronger competitive abilities in the N addition treatment, whereas early-successional species had stronger competitive abilities after water addition or N + water addition. Our results show that N and water additions increased the intensity and impact of interspecific competition on plant growth, which has great implications for community structures. Since interspecific differences in competitive abilities were not well explained by species biomass, species identity, such as plant functional traits, should be included to predict the impact of increased N and water availability on plant communities and ecosystem functions.
Conservation agriculture towards achieving food security in North East India.

Productivity of rainfed monocropping farming system in North Eastern Region of India is low and it is a high economic risk activity. Intensive natural resources mining, continuous degradation of natural resources (soil, water, vegetation) and practice of monocropping under conventional agricultural practices will not ensure farm productivity and food security in the coming years. In order to keep the production system in different land situations sustainable, conservation agriculture based on no-till system is an alternative to reconcile agriculture with its environment and overcome the imposed constraints of climate change and continuous inputs cost. Studies on conservation tillage and residue management in different land situations were conducted during 2006–2009 and they are highlighted in this article. In terrace upland, growing mustard completely on residual moisture following upland rice/maize was possible when it is practised under conservation tillage (crop residue of all crops, including weed biomass incorporated). Similarly, in valley upland, growing second crop of pea in rice fallow is possible if two-thirds or half of rice residues are retained on the soil surface under zero tillage. A longterm study (2006–2009) revealed that double no-till practice in rice-based system is cost-effective, restored soil organic carbon (70.75%), favoured biological activity (46.7%), conserved water and produced yield (49%) higher than conventional tillage. Therefore, conservation tillage practised in terrace upland, valley upland and low-land situations ensured doublecropping, improved farm income and livelihood in rainfed NE India
Psychosocial Vulnerabilities to Upper Respiratory Infectious Illness: Implications for Susceptibility to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

For 35 years, our laboratory has been involved in identifying psychosocial factors that predict who becomes ill when they are exposed to a virus affecting the upper respiratory tract. To pursue this question, we used a unique viral-challenge design in which we assessed behavioral, social, and psychological factors in healthy adults. We subsequently exposed these adults to a cold or influenza virus and then monitored them in quarantine for 5 to 6 days for onset of respiratory illness. Factors we found to be associated with greater risk of respiratory illnesses after virus exposure included smoking, ingesting an inadequate level of vitamin C, and chronic psychological stress. Those associated with decreased risk included social integration, social support, physical activity, adequate and efficient sleep, and moderate alcohol intake. We cautiously suggest that our findings could have implications for identifying who becomes ill when exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This argument is based on evidence that the associations we report are replicable across multiple respiratory viruses and that the pathways found to link psychosocial factors to colds and influenza may play similar roles in COVID-19.
Public communication by research institutes compared across countries and sciences: Building capacity for engagement or competing for visibility?

Leading academic institutions, governments, and funders of research across the world have spent the last few decades fretting publicly about the need for scientists and research organisations to engage more widely with the public and be open about their research. While a global literature asserts that public communication has changed from a virtue to a duty for scientists in many countries and disciplines, our knowledge about what research institutions are doing and what factors drive their ‘going public’ is very limited. Here we present the first cross-national study of N = 2,030 research institutes within universities and large scientific organisations in Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. We find that institutes embrace communication with non-peers and do so through a variety of public events and traditional news media–less so through new media channels–and we find variation across countries and sciences, yet these are less evident than we expected. Country and disciplinary cultures contribute to the level of this communication, as do the resources that institutes make available for the effort; institutes with professionalised staff show higher activity online. Future research should examine whether a real change in the organisational culture is happening or whether this activity and resource allocation is merely a means to increase institutional visibility.
Modeling the printability of photocuring and strength adjustable hydrogel bioink during projection-based 3D bioprinting

As a projection based three-dimensional printing method, digital light processing bioprinting (DLPBP) has higher printing resolution and is suitable for constructing finer structures to mimic tissues when compared to extrusion based bioprinting. However, there is a lack of understanding about printing behavior during DLPBP. Herein, a photo crosslinking theory for ink was established and a specified amount of light absorber was added to control crosslinking depth. Then, a standardized methodology was established to quantitatively evaluate printing resolution using different parameters. Complex biostructures, such as the ear, hand, and heart, were precisely printed after understanding the mechanism. Additionally, the mechanical properties of printed samples were accurately adjusted by changing the hydrogel concentration, as well as the degree of substitution and photocrosslinking time. The tissue types printed were from ultra-soft tissues, such as liver (6–8 kPa) to soft tissue, such as the skin (0.3–0.4 MPa). A branching vessel with cells in a real tensile modulus was printed as a demonstration. After 1 week of culture, proliferation and function of human umbilical vein endothelial cells were characterized. Overall, we made it possible to print a mimic complex tissue with high precision, required physical properties and functionalized living cells.
Psychological Capital Mediates the Association between Job Stress and Burnout of among Korean Psychiatric Nurses

This study examined the mediating effect of psychological capital in the relationship between job stress and burnout of psychiatric nurses. The participants were 108 psychiatric nurses working in three psychiatric hospitals located in South Korea. Data were collected from 10 August to 15 September 2018 using self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression by IBM SPSS 24.0 program. In addition, a bootstrapping test using the SPSS PROCESS macro was conducted to test the statistical significance of the mediating effect. There was significant correlation between job stress, psychological capital, and burnout. Psychological capital showed partial mediating effects in the relationship between job stress and burnout. Job stress explained 29.7% of the variance in burnout, and the model including job stress and psychological capital explained 49.6% of the variance in burnout. The bootstrapping showed that psychological capital was a significant sub-parameter and decreased job stress and burnout (LLCI = −0.1442, ULCI = −0.3548). These findings suggest that psychiatric nurses’ burnout can be reduced by implementing various health care programs designed to increase psychological capital.
Cell-Type Targeted NF-kappaB Inhibition for the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases

Deregulated NF-k activation is not only involved in cancer but also contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Ideally, therapeutic NF-KappaB inhibition should only take place in those cell types that are involved in disease pathogenesis to maintain physiological cell functions in all other cells. In contrast, unselective NF-kappaB inhibition in all cells results in multiple adverse effects, a major hindrance in drug development. Hitherto, various substances exist to inhibit different steps of NF-kappaB signaling. However, powerful tools for cell-type specific NF-kappaB inhibition are not yet established. Here, we review the role of NF-kappaB in inflammatory diseases, current strategies for drug delivery and NF-kappaB inhibition and point out the “sneaking ligand” approach. Sneaking ligand fusion proteins (SLFPs) are recombinant proteins with modular architecture consisting of three domains. The prototype SLC1 binds specifically to the activated endothelium and blocks canonical NF-kappaB activation. In vivo, SLC1 attenuated clinical and histological signs of experimental arthritides. The SLFP architecture allows an easy exchange of binding and effector domains and represents an attractive approach to study disease-relevant biological targets in a broad range of diseases. In vivo, SLFP treatment might increase therapeutic efficacy while minimizing adverse effects.
Correlation and path coefficient analysis in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Yield per plant had significant positive correlation with fruit weight, fruits per plant, number of vines per plant, harvest duration, rind thickness, shelf-life and vine length. Path analysis revealed that fruit weight, fruits per plant, rind thickness, incidence of fruit fly, TSS, days to first fruit harvest, severity of powdery mildew, flesh thickness, severity of downy mildew and shelf-life showed positive direct effect on yield per plant while other characters had negative direct effect. Therefore, it is suggested that fruit weight and number of fruits per plant are the main components of yield and should be given high priority in the selection programme.
Land use and stream ecosystem functioning: nutrient uptake in streams that contrast in agricultural development

Rates of nutrient uptake were measured in streams with varying amounts of agricultural development in their catchments. We conducted short-term (1- 3 h) relea- ses of nitrate and phosphate in seven streams in summer and five streams in winter, measuring uptake from downstream changes in nutrient concentrations after correction for dilution. Nitrate (NO3 - ) uptake lengths varied from 45 to 3560 m across sites and seasons, and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) uptake lengths from 80 to 1310 m. In streams monitored in both seasons, uptake lengths were generally longer in winter, when discharge was higher and temperatures were lower. Uptake lengths of both nutri- ents were positively related to discharge. NO3 - uptake velocity was related to nitrate concentration and benthic chlorophyll standing stock, which together explained 55 % of its variation. SRP uptake velocity was related to chlorophyll standing stock, and a multiple regression that included SRP concentration and chlorophyll concentration ac- counted for 34 % of the variation in uptake velocity. There was no clear evidence of saturation of nutrient uptake at high background concentrations in the streams. Nutri- ent uptake in these streams was not closely related to estimates of transient storage of water. Catchment land use influenced streamwater concentrations of nutrients and to a lesser extent chlorophyll standing stocks, and these two stream characteristics affected nutrient uptake in these streams.
Deletion of Calcineurin in Schwann Cells Does Not Affect Developmental Myelination, But Reduces Autophagy and Delays Myelin Clearance after Peripheral Nerve Injury

In the PNS, myelination occurs postnatally when Schwann cells (SCs) contact axons. Axonal factors, such as Neuregulin-1 Type III, trigger promyelinating signals that upregulate myelin genes. Neuregulin-1 Type III has been proposed to activate calcineurin signaling in immature SCs to initiate differentiation and myelination. However, little is known about the role of calcineurin in promyelinating SCs after birth. By creating a SC conditional KO of calcineurin B (CnBscko), we assessed the effects of CnB ablation on peripheral myelination after birth in both male and female mice. Surprisingly, CnBscko mice have minimal myelination defects, no alteration of myelin thickness, and normal KROX20 expression. In contrast, we did find a unique role for calcineurin in SCs after nerve injury. Following nerve crush, CnBscko mice have slower degeneration of myelin compared with WT mice. Furthermore, absence of CnB in primary SCs delays clearance of myelin debris. SCs clear myelin via autophagy and recent literature has demonstrated that calcineurin can regulate autophagy via dephosphorylation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy. We demonstrate that loss of CnB reduces autophagic flux in primary SCs, indicating a possible mechanism for impaired myelin clearance. In addition, ablation of CnB impairs TFEB translocation to the nucleus 3 d after crush, suggesting that calcineurin may regulate autophagy in SCs via TFEB activation. Together, our data indicate that calcineurin is not essential for myelination but has a novel role in myelin clearance after injury. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our data offer a novel mechanism for activation of autophagy after peripheral nerve injury. Efficient clearance of myelin after injury by Schwann cells is important for axonal regrowth and remyelination, which is one reason why the PNS is significantly better at recovery compared with the CNS. Improved understanding of myelin clearance allows for the identification of pathways that are potentially accessible to increase myelin clearance and improve remyelination and recovery. Finally, this paper clarifies the role of calcineurin in Schwann cells and myelination.
Maine

Luisa Deprez and Amy Fried interview Theda Skocpol about the Scholars Strategy Network (SSN). The SSN was founded to serve as a bridging organization to help university-based researchers and teachers to get involved in public debates and make their research and ideas accessible to fellow citizens, legislators, and jour-nalists. The SSN includes scholars from many disciplines who share research about public policy issues, elections and civic life, as well as ideas for improvements in legislation and government practices.
Andragogy Revisited

In the exchange that follows, John Elias resumes the andragogy-pedagogy debate by entering the lists against Malcolm Knowles and Leon McKenzie. McKenzie defends his position and Russell Knudson takes a new tack. Knowles has promised a rebuttal in an upcoming issue and Robert Carlson has also agreed to respond to Elias.
Sclerostin and Vascular Pathophysiology

There is cumulating evidence for a contribution of Wnt signaling pathways in multiple processes involved in atherosclerosis and vascular aging. Wnt signaling plays a role in endothelial dysfunction, in the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and intimal thickening. Moreover, it interferes with inflammation processes, monocyte adhesion and migration, as well as with foam cell formation and vascular calcification progression. Sclerostin is a negative regulator of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway and, accordingly, the consequence of increased sclerostin availability can be disruption of the Wnt signalling cascade. Sclerostin is becoming a marker for clinical and subclinical vascular diseases and several lines of evidence illustrate its role in the pathophysiology of the vascular system. Sclerostin levels increase with aging and persist higher in some diseases (e.g., diabetes, chronic kidney disease) that are known to precipitate atherosclerosis and enhance cardiovascular risk. Current knowledge on the association between sclerostin and vascular diseases is summarized in this review.