Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A single-cell Raman-based platform to identify developmental stages of human pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons

Significance We developed a label-free and noninvasive single-cell Raman microspectroscopy (SCRM)-based platform to identify neural cell lineages derived from clinically relevant human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Through large-scale Raman spectral analysis, we can distinguish hiPSCs and hiPSC-derived neural cells using their intrinsic biochemical profile. We identified glycogen as a Raman biomarker for neuronal differentiation and validated the results using conventional glycogen detection assays. The parameters obtained from SCRM were processed by a novel machine learning method based on t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE)-enhanced ensemble stacking, enabling highly accurate and robust cell classification. The platform and the proposed biomarker should also be applicable to other cell types and can shed light on developmental biology and glycogen metabolism disorders. Stem cells with the capability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell derivatives provide platforms for drug screening and promising treatment options for a wide variety of neural diseases. Nevertheless, clinical applications of stem cells have been hindered partly owing to a lack of standardized techniques to characterize cell molecular profiles noninvasively and comprehensively. Here, we demonstrate that a label-free and noninvasive single-cell Raman microspectroscopy (SCRM) platform was able to identify neural cell lineages derived from clinically relevant human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). By analyzing the intrinsic biochemical profiles of single cells at a large scale (8,774 Raman spectra in total), iPSCs and iPSC-derived neural cells can be distinguished by their intrinsic phenotypic Raman spectra. We identified a Raman biomarker from glycogen to distinguish iPSCs from their neural derivatives, and the result was verified by the conventional glycogen detection assays. Further analysis with a machine learning classification model, utilizing t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE)-enhanced ensemble stacking, clearly categorized hiPSCs in different developmental stages with 97.5% accuracy. The present study demonstrates the capability of the SCRM-based platform to monitor cell development using high content screening with a noninvasive and label-free approach. This platform as well as our identified biomarker could be extensible to other cell types and can potentially have a high impact on neural stem cell therapy.
Pseudomonas spinosa n. sp.

ABSTRACT A new species of Pseudomonas is described which in its native river-water habitat characteristically has a curved soma with many straight spine-like structures, but no flagella. In pure culture the organism has a very long polar flagellum, a fairly straight soma with several round inclusions. It is psychrophilic and rather halophobic and shows a slight oxidative metabolism of some carbohydrates.
A new species of ghost shrimp (Decapoda, Thalassinidea, Callianassidae) from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Agadir (W Morocco)

We report Neocallichirus agadirensis n. sp. (Decapoda, Thalassinidea, Callianassidae) from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Agadir (W Morocco). This species has been described based upon four specimens that preserve ischium, merus, carpus, propodus, and dactylus of the great cheliped. The new species represents the first report of Neocallichirus in Africa and the oldest species known to date belonging to this genus.
Factors associated to chronic kidney disease in people living with HIV/AIDS

Objective: to analyze the factors associated to chronic kidney disease in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Method: a paired case-control study (4 controls for each case) carried out in a specialized care service in the Southeastern of Brazil, by analyzing PLHIV medical records. The sample consisted of 85 participants, corresponding to 17 cases and 68 controls. Pearson’s chi-square test (Χ2) and Fisher’s exact test, logistic regression, Odds Ratio (OR), 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p<0.05 were used. SPSS version 25.0 and R Core Team, 2018 version 3.5. 1 were used. Results: the factors associated with chronic kidney disease identified in this study were the following: presence of Systemic Arterial Hypertension [OR=5.8, CI (95%)=1.84-18.42, p=0.001] and use of nephrotoxic anti-retrovirals in the previous therapeutic regimen [OR=3.3, CI (95%)=1.105-10.221, p=0.028]. On the other hand, age below 40 years old [OR: 0.122, CI (95%)=0.015-0.981, p=0.022] was identified as a protective factor. Conclusion: the PLHIV under study have multi-factorial exposure associated with chronic kidney disease. However, knowing these factors helps to identify the existing risks and/or renal dysfunction, in addition to supporting the clinical decision of the health professionals who directly assist them.
Climate-induced range contraction of a rare alpine aquatic invertebrate

Climate warming poses a serious threat to alpine-restricted species worldwide, yet few studies have empirically documented climate-induced changes in distributions. The rare stonefly, Zapada glacier (Baumann and Gaufin), endemic to alpine streams of Glacier National Park (GNP), Montana, was recently petitioned for listing under the US Endangered Species Act because of climate-change-induced glacier loss, yet little was known about its current status and distribution. We resampled streams throughout the historical distribution of Z. glacier to investigate trends in occurrence associated with changes in temperature and glacial extent. The current geographic distribution of the species was assessed using morphological characteristics of adults and DNA barcoding of nymphs. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA data revealed 8 distinct clades of the genus corresponding with 7 known species from GNP, and one potentially cryptic species. Climate model simulations indicate that average summer air temperature increased (0.67–1.00°C) during the study period (1960–2012), and glacial surface area decreased by ∼35% from 1966 to 2005. We detected Z. glacier in only 1 of the 6 historically occupied streams and at 2 new locations in GNP. These results suggest that an extremely restricted historical distribution of Z. glacier in GNP has been further reduced over the past several decades by an upstream retreat to higher, cooler sites as water temperatures increased and glacial masses decreased. More research is urgently needed to determine the status, distribution, and vulnerability of Z. glacier and other alpine stream invertebrates threatened by climate change in mountainous ecosystems.
Platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: an expert opinion and proposal for a novel classification and coding system

ABSTRACT Introduction Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is able to modulate the joint environment by reducing the inflammatory distress and promoting tissue anabolism. Therefore, it has gained increasing popularity among clinicians in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), and it is currently proposed beside consolidated options such as viscosupplementation. Areas covered A systematic review of all available meta-analyses evaluating intra-articular PRP injections in patients affected by knee OA was performed, to understand how this biologic treatment approach compares to the traditional injective therapies available in clinical practice. Moreover, a novel coding system and ‘minimum reporting requirements’ are proposed to improve future research in this field and promote a better understanding of the mechanisms of action and indications. Expert opinion The main limitation in the current literature is the extreme variability of PRP products used, with often paucity or even lack of data on the biologic features of PRP, which should not be considered as a simple substance, but rather a ‘procedure’ requiring accurate reporting of the characteristics of the product but also all preparation and application modalities. This approach will aid in matching the optimal PRP product to specific patient factors, leading to improved outcomes and the elucidation of the cost-effectiveness of this treatment.
Ocean-scale connectivity and life cycle reconstruction in a deep-sea fish

As human exploration and harvesting moves to the high seas, ecological understanding of the deep sea has become a priority, especially in those commercially exploited species whose life cycle, habitat use, and demographic structure remain poorly understood. Here we combine otolith trace element and stable isotope analyses with microsatellite data to investigate population structure and connectivity in the migratory deep-sea black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo), sampled along a latitudinal gradient spanning much of the known species range in the Northeast Atlantic. In each sampled life stage, otolith trace element and oxygen isotope compositions are similar among fish from different capture locations, but otolith compositions vary greatly between life stages. Oxygen isotope compositions indicate ontogenetic migrations from relatively warm water conditions during larval growth to cooler waters with increasing age. Analysis of microsatellite DNA also suggests lack of genetic structure among the areas sampled. The multidisciplinary approach employed collectively suggests that A. carbo individuals undergo an ocean-scale ontogenetic migration, beginning with spawning in southern, warm-water Macaronesian areas (potentially dominated by Madeira), followed by a large proportion of immature fish moving to and feeding on the continental slope in northern areas. The results lend the first conclusive evidence for defining the life-history circuit of this species and the perception of its stock structure across the North Atlantic.
Effectiveness of Problem Gambling Brief Telephone Interventions: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background International studies have suggested that very brief treatment can reduce gambling problems, although it is not known how long the improvements might last. The current study compared the effectiveness of three brief telephone-based treatments for problem gambling to the standard Gambling Helpline treatment. Two of the brief treatments had been previously assessed in North American studies using volunteers recruited through media advertising. However, it was not clear whether these treatments could easily be integrated into the day-today operations of an existing New Zealand service, and how effective they would be.
The role of forensic medical evidence in the prosecution of adult sexual assault

Obtaining forensic medical evidence from victim/survivors is often a central part of investigative and case-building efforts in sexual assault prosecution. Developments in the collection, analysis and interpretation of forensic medical evidence have significantly expanded the role and influence of such evidence in the criminal justice system. Despite the expectation that forensic medical evidence will have some role to play in a case progressing through the justice system, it is not clear how this type of evidence results in actual convictions, either via a plea, or finding of guilt at trial.
Healthcare-associated pneumonia: a prospective study in Spain

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics and factors related to outcome in Streptococcus pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP). Patients and method A 3-year prospective observational epidemiological case study of HCAP was conducted in seven Spanish hospitals. Microbiological and patient characteristics and outcomes were collected and classified by causative pathogen into 4 categories: “S. pneumoniae”, “MRSA”, “Others” and “Unknown”. Patients were followed up 30 days after discharge. Results A total of 258 (84.6%) patients were enrolled (170 were men [65.9%]). Mean age was 72.4 years ± 15 years (95% CI [70.54-74.25]). The etiology of pneumonia was identified in 73 cases (28.3%):S. pneumoniae in 35 patients (13.6%), MRSA in 8 (3.1%), and other microorganisms in 30 patients (11.6%). Significant differences in rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p < 0.05), previous antibiotic treatment (p < 0.05), other chronic respiratory diseases, inhaled corticosteroids (p < 0.01), and lymphoma (p < 0.05) were observed among the four groups. Patients with MRSA pneumonia had received more previous antibiotic treatment (87.5%). Thirty-three (12.8%) patients died during hospitalisation; death in 27 (81.2%) was related to pneumonia. Conclusions The etiology of HCAP was identified in only one quarter of patients, with S. pneumoniae being the most prevalent microorganism. Patients with chronic respiratory diseases more frequently presented HCAP due to MRSA than to S. pneumoniae. Death at hospital discharge was related in most cases to pneumonia.
Complex Blends of Synthetic Pheromones are Effective Multi-Species Attractants for Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Abstract The wood-boring larvae of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) can be important pests of woody plants, particularly as invasive species introduced by international commerce. Previous research has revealed that cerambycid species native to different parts of the world often share the same aggregation-sex pheromones and that pheromones of different species can be combined to create multi-species attractants that would be advantageous for surveillance monitoring for a number of species simultaneously. To explore the extent to which these chemicals can be combined into single lures, we developed four different blends of six to eight compounds and tested their effects as attractants for a community of longhorned beetle species in Iowa. The blends included known pheromones of species native to the study site, as well as pheromones identified from cerambycid species native to other parts of the world. The experiment confirmed that several cerambycid species were attracted by specific blends, in accordance with their known pheromone chemistry, and despite the presence of pheromone components of heterospecifics. This finding lends further support to developing multi-component blends that can effectively monitor for new incursions of multiple exotic species concurrently.
Employment Preferences and Salary Expectations of Students in Science and Engineering

ABSTRACT What kinds of workplace are current life sciences students, and other students in science and engineering, willing to work in? What kinds of salaries do they expect to earn upon graduation? How well do the salary expectations of life sciences students match the reality of the job market? Do white and minority life sciences students have similar work preferences and salary expectations? This article examines these issues by analyzing data from a national study of college students in science and engineering fields, conducted by the author. Students expressed a willingness to work in a variety of institutional settings upon graduation, and their salary expectations were comparable to what employers are paying new graduates. However, the study also found racial and gender differences in workplace preferences and salary expectations.
SARS CoV-2 infection in children

Limited data suggest that children often have mild and asymptomatic disease, but some do require hospitalization. In a report from China, of the total infections, 2.4% were children. Although most children infected with SARS-CoV-2 have either asymptomatic (4%), mild illness (51%), or moderate illness (39%), severe illness has been reported in 6% of pediatric cases. The incubation period is similar to that of adults. This article briefly outlines SARS CoV-2 Infection in Children.
The Current State of Orthopaedic Educational Leadership.

INTRODUCTION It is important to understand the current characteristics of orthopaedic surgery program leadership, especially in the current climate of modern medicine. The purpose of this report was to describe the demographic, academic, and geographic characteristics of current orthopaedic chairs and program directors (PDs). METHODS Orthopaedic surgery residency programs were obtained from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education website and cross-referenced with the Electronic Residency Application Service, identifying 161 residency programs for the 2018 to 2019 cycle. All data were collected in January 2020 to best control for changes in leadership. Demographic and academic information were collected from public websites. For geographic analysis, the United States was divided into five regions, and training locations were categorized as appropriate. RESULTS A total of 153 chairs and 161 PDs were identified. 98.0% of chairs were men versus 88.8% of PDs (P = 0.001). Chairs had been in practice and in their current position for longer than PDs (26.4 vs 16.8 years [P < 0.005] and 9.1 vs 7.1 years [P = 0.014], respectively). Chairs had more publications and were more likely to be professors than PDs. PDs were more likely to remain at both the same region and institution that they trained in residency. The most common subspecialty was sports among chairs and trauma among PDs, although when compared with national averages orthopaedic trauma and orthopaedic oncology were the most overrepresented subspecialties. CONCLUSION Orthopaedic chairs are more likely to be men, have had longer careers, and have more academic accomplishments than their PD counterparts. Geography appears to have an association with where our leaders end up, especially for PDs. Subspecialization does not notably influence leadership positions, although orthopaedic trauma and orthopaedic oncology surgeons are more commonly represented than expected. This report serves to identify the current state of orthopaedic leadership and may provide guidance for those who seek these leadership positions.
Purification and Characterization of the Recombinant Multifunctional Cellulase from Volvariella volvacea

The recombinant multifunctional cellulase (MFCase) produced from strain TVM5186 of Volvariella volvacea was purified 270-fold by ultrafiltration, DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow ion-exchange resin chromatography, and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, after which the enzyme was characterized. The SDS-PAGE of the transformants showed a prominent band approximately 46 kDa corresponding to the expected size of MFCase (45.8 kDa). The characteristics of the recombinant MFCase were consistent with that expressed by the original gene, indicating that Volvariella volvacea is a foreign gene expression system with correct posttranslational protein processing. The optimum temperatures and pH of the recombinant MFCase for the hydrolysis of xylan and CMC were 55°C and 50°C, and 5.5 and 6.0, respectively. The stability results showed that recombinant MFCase was sensitive to high temperature. The relatively activities remained at 75.6% and 74.4% after heating for 1 h at 50°C, after which its activity decreased. While the pH stability tests showed that the recombinant MFCase is active over a wide range of pH (between 4.0 and 9.0), especially under alkaline conditions, the effects of various metal ions on the activity of the recombinant MFCase were different. With xylan as the substrate, the effects of most metal ions were positive. Only Mn2+ had a significantly negative effect (74.3% of CK). When the substrate was CMC, the recombinant MFCase was insignificantly inhibited by most metal ions. But Mn2+ also had a significantly negative effect (54.4% of CK). Kinetic studies revealed that MFC has a higher affinity for xylan than CMC.
Comparison of SDS-PAGE profiles of four Belgian cheeses by multivariate statistics

Summary - Most of the classification methods so far published for chee se varieties which are based either on rheological or compositional properties appear to be inadequate. Still, a promising approach in this area of cheese research is the application to proteolytic patterns of multivariate statistics such as principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA). Both techniques were therefore performed on electrophoretic profiles obtained by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SOS-PAGE) of the pH 4.6-insoluble protein fraction of cheese. Cheese sampI es of different Belgian varieties (Passendale, Wijnendale, Nazareth and Oud Brugge) with different grades of maturity were investigated and compared to other international brands. The SOS-PAGE method was performed by means of the PhastâystemfN. The method produces volumograms which allow not only qualitative but also quantitative interpretation. Generally it can be concluded that PCA resulted in a clear separation of Nazareth and Oud Brugge and to a lesser extent of Passendale and Wijnendale; DA allowed correct classification of the four Belgian cheeses, and comparison with international brands determined known similarities between the cheeses. This tool may therefore be of use in the field of authenticity research and classification. To a lesser extent, the method can also help in determining the maturity of a ripening cheese. cheese 1proteolysis 1classification 1SDS-PAGE 1 multivariate analysis
The effect of pyraclostrobin on soybean plant health, yield, and profitability in Ontario

Mahoney, K. J., Vyn, R. J. and Gillard, C. L. 2015. The effect of pyraclostrobin on soybean plant health, yield, and profitability in Ontario. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 285-292. Prophylactic fungicides have been advocated to manage foliar diseases, optimize plant heath, and increase yields. Studies were conducted in 2009, 2010, and 2011 using 20 soybean cultivars to determine if pyraclostrobin, a strobilurin, induced plant health effects to increase yield and profitability under conditions with low levels of foliar disease. Pyraclostrobin applied at the R3 stage significantly reduced leaf defoliation caused by brown spot (Septoria glycines Hemmi) compared with the untreated control with 27 and 45% defoliation, respectively, across all cultivars. Pyraclostrobin delayed maturity, but the response varied among cultivars. For example, cultivars with low levels of leaf defoliation responded with an increase in the number of days to maturity, whereas cultivars with high levels of defoliation generally did not. Pyraclostrobin increased yield by 4.1% compared with the untreated control across all cultivars with 4.49 and 4.31 t ha-1 harvested, respectively. Increased revenue from increased yield was offset by increased fungicide costs, resulting in a negligible effect on profitability; however, effects of pyraclostrobin application on profit margins in individual environments ranged from -$50.02 ha-1 in 2009 to $53.73 ha-1 in 2011. Overall, these results suggest that if environmental conditions are conducive for foliar disease, a pyraclostrobin application could be warranted.
The effect of trehalose, sucrose and maltodextrin addition on physicochemical and sensory aspects of freeze ‐ dried strawberry puree

Summary Use of trehalose as a novel drying aid to produce freeze-dried strawberry puree was studied and compared with conventional drying aids for fruit purees, namely sucrose and maltodextrin (MD). Glass transition temperature (Tg), colour, sensory profile and consumer preference were determined. Purees dried with MD and/or trehalose presented higher Tg values as compared to sucrose. Sensory evaluation indicated that samples dried with trehalose retained fresh strawberry aroma and flavour, keeping a good sweetness/sourness balance, while puree dried with sucrose was mostly sweet. Addition of MD caused an increase in products visual viscosity and sourness, attributes which were negatively correlated to preference. Trehalose presented several advantages for increasing the quality of freeze dried fruit purees. It raised Tg, gave an adequate sweetness/sourness balance, and allowed a better perception of fresh strawberry flavour.