Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
To Pool or Not to Pool Samples for Sexually Transmitted Infections Detection in Men Who Have Sex With Men? An Evaluation of a New Pooling Method Using the GeneXpert Instrument in West Africa

The pooling method described here has very well performance characteristics for Chlamydia trachomatis; however, agreement was less for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. African men who have sex with men initiating preexposure prophylaxis have a high prevalence of C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae. Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) using preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Therefore, PrEP services should include regular screening for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) at urethra, anorectum, and pharynx. However, financial and logistic challenges arise in low-resource settings. We assessed a new STI sample pooling method using the GeneXpert instrument among MSM initiating PrEP in West Africa. Methods Urine, anorectal, and pharyngeal samples were pooled per individual for analysis. In case of an invalid result only (strategy 1) or a positive result of the pool (strategy 2), samples were analyzed individually to identify the infection's biological location. The results of 2 different pooling strategies were compared against the individual results obtained by a criterion standard. Results We found a prevalence of 14.5% for chlamydia and 11.5% for gonorrhea, with a predominance of infections being extragenital (77.6%). The majority of infections were asymptomatic (88.2%). The pooling strategy 1, had a sensitivity, specificity and agreement for CT of 95.4%, 98.7%, and 0.93, respectively; and 92.3%, 99.2%, and 0.93 for pooling strategy 2. For NG, these figures were 88.9%, 97.7%, and 0.85 for strategy 1, and 88.9%, 96.7%, and 0.81 for strategy 2. Conclusions West African MSM have a high prevalence of extragenital and asymptomatic STIs. The GeneXpert method provides an opportunity to move from syndromic toward etiological STI diagnosis in low-income countries, as the platform is available in African countries for tuberculosis testing. Pooling will reduce costs of triple site testing.
Limited evidence for common interannual trends in Baltic Sea summer phytoplankton biomass

The Baltic Sea summer phytoplankton community plays an important role in biogeochemical cycling and in the transfer of energy through the food web via zooplankton. We aimed to improve the understanding of the degree to which large-scale versus local environmental dynamics regulate phytoplankton dynamics by analyzing time series at the Baltic Sea scale. We used dynamic factor analysis to study if there are common patterns of interannual variation that are shared (“common trends”) among summer phytoplankton total and class-level biomass time series observed across Baltic Sea latitudinal gradients in salinity and temperature. We evaluated alternative hypotheses regarding common trends among summer phytoplankton biomass: Baltic Sea-wide common trends; common trends by geography (latitude and basin); common trends differing among functional groups (phytoplankton classes); or common trends driven by both geography and functional group. Our results indicated little support for a common trend in total summer phytoplankton biomass. At a finer resolution, classes had common trends that were most closely associated with the cryptophyte and cyanobacteria time series with patterns that differed between northern and southern sampling stations. These common trends were also very sensitive to two anomalous years (1990, 2008) of cryptophyte biomass. The Baltic Sea Index, a regional climate index, was correlated with two common class trends that shifted in mean state around the mid-1990s. The limited coherence in phytoplankton biomass variation over time despite known, large-scale, ecosystem shifts suggests that stochastic dynamics at local scales limits the ability to observe common trends at the scale of monitoring data collection.
Anthocyanins and Human Health—A Focus on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Disease

Consumption of anthocyanins (ACNs), due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, has been proposed for the prevention and treatment of several different diseases and conditions. ACNs are recognized as one of the leading nutraceuticals for prolonging health benefits through the attenuation of oxidative stress, and inflammatory or age-related diseases. Increased consumption of ACNs has the potential to attenuate the damage ensuing from oxidative stress, inflammation, enhance cardiometabolic health, and delay symptoms in predisposed neuropathology. A myriad of evidence supports ACN consumption as complementary or standalone treatment strategies for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), neurodegenerative diseases, as well as, more recently, for the modulation of gut bacteria and bone metabolism. While these findings indicate the beneficial effects of ACN consumption, their food sources differ vastly in ACN composition and thus potentially in their physiological effects. Consumption of foods high in ACNs can be recommended for their potential beneficial health effects due to their relatively easy and accessible addition to the everyday diet.
Recent Developments of Systemic Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a molecularly heterogeneous disease. Its molecular background, epidemiology, and standard of care are quite different between Eastern and Western countries. Many efforts have been made in developing more effective surgeries and adjuvant chemotherapies for resectable GC in each region. Recently, an intensive combination of cytotoxic agents has been established as a new standard of adjuvant treatment. Meanwhile, palliative chemotherapy is a uniform standard treatment for unresectable GC worldwide. Recently, one of the most remarkable advances in therapy for unresectable GC has been the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The use of ICIs as frontline treatment is currently being investigated. In addition, novel combinations of ICIs and targeted drugs are being evaluated in clinical trials. Despite these advances, the complex biology of GC has resulted in the failure of targeted therapies, with the exceptions of HER2-targeted trastuzumab and VEGFR2-targeted ramucirumab. GC harbors many redundant oncogenic pathways, and small subsets of tumors are driven by different specific pathways. Therefore, a combination strategy simultaneously inhibiting several pathways and/or stricter patient selection for better response to targeted drugs are needed to improve clinical outcomes in this field.
Sentiment Classification Using a Single-Layered BiLSTM Model

This study presents a computationally efficient deep learning model for binary sentiment classification, which aims to decide the sentiment polarity of people’s opinions, attitudes, and emotions expressed in written text. To achieve this, we exploited three widely practiced datasets based on public opinions about movies. We utilized merely one bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) layer along with a global pooling mechanism and achieved an accuracy of 80.500%, 85.780%, and 90.585% on MR, SST2 and IMDb datasets, respectively. We concluded that the performance metrics of our proposed approach are competitive with the recently published models, having comparatively complex architectures. Also, it is inferred that the proposed single-layered BiLSTM based architecture is computationally efficient and can be recommended for real-time applications in the field of sentiment analysis.
Digestibilidade aparente de alimentos pelo piavucu, Leporinus macrocephalus

This study aimed to evaluate the apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein and digestible energy of feedstuffs (soybean meal, canola meal, fish meal and corn) for piavucu juveniles, Leporinus macrocephalusn (Anostomidae). Sixty fish (60.0g) were fed control diet (purified) marked with 0.10% chromic oxide III. Fish were maintained in aquaria (500L) for feeding, between 0800-1700h. After this period they were transferred for aquaria (250L) appropriate for fecal collection. The apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrient were determined by assessing the difference between the feed and fecal concentrations of the marker. It was concluded that vegetable feedstuffs (soybean meal and corn) showed high apparent digestible coefficients for protein crude and digestible energy.
Convalescent plasma transfusion for the treatment of COVID‐19: Systematic review

Abstract The recent emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has reassessed the usefulness of historic convalescent plasma transfusion (CPT). This review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of CPT therapy in COVID‐19 patients based on the publications reported till date. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review on convalescent plasma on clinically relevant outcomes in individuals with COVID‐19. PubMed, EMBASE, and Medline databases were searched upto 19 April 2020. All records were screened as per the protocol eligibility criteria. We included five studies reporting CPT to COVID‐19 patients. The main findings from available data are as follows: (a) Convalescent plasma may reduce mortality in critically ill patients, (b) Increase in neutralizing antibody titers and disappearance of SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA was observed in almost all the patients after CPT therapy, and (c) Beneficial effect on clinical symptoms after administration of convalescent plasma. Based on the limited scientific data, CPT therapy in COVID‐19 patients appears safe, clinically effective, and reduces mortality. Well‐designed large multicenter clinical trial studies should be conducted urgently to establish the efficacy of CPT to COVID‐19 patients.
Gut microbiota derived metabolites contribute to intestinal barrier maturation at the suckling-to-weaning transition

ABSTRACT In suckling mammals, the onset of solid food ingestion is coincident with the maturation of the gut barrier. This ontogenic process is driven by the colonization of the intestine by the microbiota. However, the mechanisms underlying the microbial regulation of the intestinal development in early life are not fully understood. Here, we studied the co-maturation of the microbiota (composition and metabolic activity) and of the gut barrier at the suckling-to-weaning transition by using a combination of experiments in vivo (suckling rabbit model), ex vivo (Ussing chambers) and in vitro (epithelial cell lines and organoids). The microbiota composition, its metabolic activity, para-cellular epithelial permeability and the gene expression of key components of the gut barrier shifted sharply at the onset of solid food ingestion in vivo, despite milk was still predominant in the diet at that time. We found that cecal content sterile supernatant (i.e. containing a mixture of metabolites) obtained after the onset of solid food ingestion accelerated the formation of the epithelial barrier in Caco-2 cells in vitro and our results suggested that these effects were driven by the bacterial metabolite butyrate. Moreover, the treatment of organoids with cecal content sterile supernatant partially replicated in vitro the effects of solid food ingestion on the epithelial barrier in vivo. Altogether, our results show that the metabolites produced by the microbiota at the onset of solid food ingestion contribute to the maturation of the gut barrier at the suckling-to-weaning transition. Targeting the gut microbiota metabolic activity during this key developmental window might therefore be a promising strategy to promote intestinal homeostasis.
Assembly rules operating along a primary riverbed–grassland successional sequence

1 Assembly rules are broadly defined as any filter imposed on a regional species pool that acts to determine the local community structure and composition. Environmental filtering is thought to result in the formation of groups of species with similar traits that tend to co‐occur more often than expected by chance alone, known as Beta guilds. At a smaller scale, within a single Beta guild, species may be partitioned into Alpha guilds – groups of species that have similar resource use and hence should tend not to co‐occur at small scales due the principle of limiting similarity. 2 This research investigates the effects of successional age and the presence of an invasive exotic species on Alpha and Beta guild structuring within plant communities along two successional river terrace sequences in the Waimakariri braided river system in New Zealand. 3 Fifteen sites were sampled, six with and nine without the Russel lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus), an invasive exotic species. At each site, species presence/absence was recorded in 100 circular quadrats (5 cm in diameter) at 30‐cm intervals along a 30‐m transect. Guild proportionality (Alpha guild structuring) was tested for using two a priori guild classifications each containing three guilds, and cluster analysis was used to test for environmental structuring between sites. 4 Significant assembly rules based on Alpha guild structuring were found, particularly for the monocot and dicot guild. Guild proportionality increased with increasing ecological age, which indicated an increase in the relative importance of competitive structuring at later stages of succession. This provides empirical support for Weiher and Keddy's theoretical model of community assembly. 5 Lupins were associated with altered Alpha and Beta guild structuring at early mid successional sites. Lupin‐containing sites had higher silt content than sites without lupins, and this could have altered the strength and scale of competitive structuring within the communities present. 6 This research adds to the increasing evidence for the existence of assembly rules based on limiting similarity within plant communities, and demonstrates the need to incorporate gradients of environmental and competitive adversity when investigating the rules that govern community assembly.
Appropriate e-government service support and influences on end-users

In the past five years, research has raised concerns regarding the appropriate support citizens experience from e-government services. Their concerns were noted through feedback by citizens regarding their low satisfaction levels and consequently, low levels of adoption of such e-government services. This correlates with factors such as a detailed assimilation process, streamlined services, state-of-the-art technology, agile accessibility, awareness and trust. In response to the raised concerns, the current research was conducted, which systematically and in the form of a mapping review/systematic map, examined various constructs of 22 articles selected from different databases or literature on the appropriate e-government service support and influences on end-users. Based on the analysis of the study findings, five hypotheses have been developed. These include the following:1)The intent to use e-government service is enhanced via the support of a detailed assimilation process;2)Support for citizens by designing streamlined services significantly enhances the support of e-government services;3)Support for citizens by designing state-of-the-art technology greatly enriches e-government services;4)Agile accessibility to the e-services significantly improves the use of e-government services;5)Supporting citizens by developing awareness and trust significantly enhances the intent to use e-government services.From a theoretical perspective, the conclusion is that privacy calculus constructs should play a significant role if citizens need to be supported by government in their use of e-government services.
Development of transgenic rice (Oryza sativa L.) expressing wheat high-and low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit proteins

We isolated transformation-competent artificial chromosome (TAC) clones harboring a high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) gene and a low-molecular-weight GS (LMW-GS) gene from wheat genomic DNA, and developed transgenic rice lines with these genes using a transformation system mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens . We developed two lines of transgenic rice, one expressing the gene coding for HMW-GS and the other expressing the gene coding for LMW-GS. By crossing these transgenic lines, a novel line harboring both genes was developed and the expression of GS proteins was analyzed. This is the first study indicating that the two kinds of wheat GSs, HMW-GS and LMW-GS, accumulated in rice endosperm. In all the transgenic lines, the introduced GS genes were expressed in the rice endosperm, and the expressed proteins were processed at the same site as the mature GS protein in wheat seeds, forming insoluble polymeric proteins similar to those found in wheat. It was suggested that the protein-processing system was conserved between rice and wheat, and that it was possible to produce wheat gluten using the protein-processing system of rice.
Differential Proliferation Effect of the Newly Synthesized Valine, Tyrosine and Tryptophan–Naphthoquinones in Immortal and Tumorigenic Cervical Cell Lines

We previously showed that microwave assisted synthesis is the best method for the synthesis of naphthoquinone amino acid and chloride-naphthoquinone amino acid derivatives by a complete evaluation of reaction conditions such as stoichiometry, bases, and pH influence. Following the same strategy, we synthesized chloride and non-chloride tyrosine, valine, and tryptophan-naphthoquinones achieving 85–95%, 80–92%, and 91–95% yields, respectively. The cyclic voltammetry profiles showed that both series of naphthoquinone amino acid derivatives mainly display one redox reaction process. Overall, chloride naphthoquinone amino acid derivatives exhibited redox potential values (E1/2) more positive than non-chloride compounds. The six newly synthesized compounds were tested in HPV positive and negative as well as in immortal and tumorigenic cell lines to observe the effects in different cellular context simulating precancerous and cancerous status. A dose-response was achieved to determine the IC50 of six newly synthesized compounds in SiHa (Tumorigenic and HPV16 positive), CaLo (Tumorigenic and HPV18 positive), C33-A (Tumorigenic and HPV negative) and HaCaT (Keratinocytes immortal HPV negative) cell lines. Non-chloride tryptophan-naphthoquinone (3c) and chloride tyrosine-naphthoquine (4a) effects were more potent in tumorigenic SiHa, CaLo, and C33-A cells with respect to non-tumorigenic HaCaT cells. Interestingly, there seems to be a differential effect in non-chloride and chloride naphthoquinone amino acid derivatives in tumorigenic versus non tumorigenic cells. Considering all naphthoquinone amino acid derivatives that our group synthesized, it seems that hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids have the greatest effect on cell proliferation inhibition. These results show promising compounds for cervical cancer treatment.
Identity and lineage fate of proteolipid protein 1 gene SPlp1)-expressing cells in the embryonic murine spinal cord.

BACKGROUND The proteolipid protein (PLP) is the most abundant protein in the myelin sheath of the central nervous system (CNS). The gene coding PLP, proteolipid protein 1 (Plp1) is highly expressed in oligodendrocytes, the myelin-forming cells in the CNS. Previous studies demonstrate that Plp1 gene is expressed in the embryonic CNS much earlier before the generation of oligodendrocytes. However, the progenitor identity and the fate of Plp1-expressing cells are still elusive. RESULTS We employed genetic approaches to permanently label Plp1-expressing cells with the reporter enhanced yellow fluorescence protein (EYFP) and used multi-colored immunohistochemistry to characterize their identity and lineage fate. We found that Plp1-expressing cells were initially present without spatial restrictions and later confined to the ventral progenitor domains of the embryonic spinal cord. Our fate-mapping results showed that Plp1-expressing cells during early embryogenesis were multi-potent neural progenitor cells that gave rise to not only neurons but also glial progenitor cells whereas they were bi-potent glial progenitor cells during later neural development stages and generated oligodendroglial and astroglial lineage cells but not neurons. Intriguingly, postnatal astrocytes generated from embryonic Plp1-expressing glial progenitor cells were present only in the ventral spinal cord. CONCLUSION our study reveals that Plp1-expressing cells during embryonic neural development display dynamic cellular identities and have a broader lineage fate than oligodendroglial lineage. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Phenolic composition and inhibitory activity of Mangifera indica and Mucuna urens seeds extracts against key enzymes linked to the pathology and complications of type 2 diabetes

Objective To investigate the phenolic compounds composition and the inhibitory activity of Mangifera indica (M. indica) and Mucuna urens (M. urens) seeds extracts against some key enzymes (α-amylase, α-glucosidase and aldose reductase) implicated in the pathology and complications of type 2 diabetes in vitro. Methods Reverse phase chromatographic quantification of the major flavonoids and phenolic acids in the seeds extracts was carried out using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection. The inhibitory activities of the seeds extracts against α-amylase and α-glucosidase were estimated using soluble starch and ρ-nitrophenylglucopyranoside as their respective substrates. Inhibition of aldose reductase activity by the extracts was assayed using partially purified lens homogenate of normal male rat as source of enzyme; inhibition of Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation by extracts was tested in rat pancreas homogenate. Results The chromatography result revealed that extracts of both seeds had appreciable levels of some major flavonoids and phenolic acids of pharmacological importance, including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, rutin, quercitrin, quercetin and kaempferol. Extracts of both seeds effectively inhibited α-amylase, α-glucosidase and aldose reductase activities in a dose-dependent manner, having inhibitory preference for these enzymes in the order of aldose reductase>α-glucosidase>α-amylase. With lower half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) against α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and aldose reductase, M. indica had stronger inhibitory potency against these enzymes than M. urens. Extracts of both seeds also inhibited Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent pattern, with M. indica being more potent than M. urens. Conclusions The results obtained provide support for a possible use of M. indica and M. urens seeds in managing hyperglycemia and preventing the complications associated with it in type 2 diabetes.