Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Developmental pattern of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) berry cuticular wax: Differentiation between epicuticular crystals and underlying wax

The grapevine berry surface is covered by a cuticle consisting of cutin and various lipophilic wax compounds. The latter build the main barrier for transpirational water loss and protect the fruit against environmental factors e.g. pests, mechanical impacts or radiation. The integrety of the fruit surface is one important key factor for post-harvest quality and storage of fruits. Nonetheless, the developmental pattern of cuticular wax was so far only investigated for a very limited number of fruits. Therefore, we performed comparative investigations on the compositional and morphological nature of epicuticular wax crystals and underlying wax during fruit development in Vitis vinifera. The main compound oleanolic acid belongs to the pentacyclic triterpenoids, which occur very early in the development in high amounts inside the cuticle. The amount increases until veraison and decreases further during ripening. In general, very-long chain aliphatic (VLCA) compounds are present in much smaller amounts and alcohols and aldehydes follow the same trend during development. In contrast, the amount of fatty acids constantly increases from fruit set to ripening while wax esters only occur in significant amount at veraison and increase further. Wax crystals at the fruit surface are solely composed of VLCAs and the morphology changes during development according to the compositional changes of the VLCA wax compounds. The remarkable compositional differences between epicuticular wax crystals and the underlying wax are important to understand in terms of studying grape-pest interactions or the influence of environmental factors, since only wax crystals directly face the environment.
Large scale production and characterization of SARS‐CoV‐2 whole antigen for serological test development

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has generated a pandemic with alarming rates of fatality worldwide. This situation has had a major impact on clinical laboratories that have attempted to answer the urgent need for diagnostic tools, since the identification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Development of a reliable serological diagnostic immunoassay, with high levels of sensitivity and specificity to detect SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies with improved differential diagnosis from other circulating viruses, is mandatory.
Frankliniella occidentalis facilitate Salmonella enterica survival in the phyllosphere

The human enteric bacterial pathogen Salmonella enterica causes approximately 1.35 million cases of food borne illnesses annually in the United States. Of these salmonellosis cases, almost half are derived from the consumption of fresh, raw produce. Although epiphytic S. enterica populations naturally decline in the phyllosphere, a subset of phytophagous insects have recently been identified as biological multipliers, consequently facilitating the growth of bacterial populations. We investigated whether tomato leaves with macroscopic feeding damage, caused by infestation of adult Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), support higher S. enterica populations. To explore this hypothesis, we assessed S. enterica populations in response to thrips feeding by varying insect density, plant age, and the gender of the insect. As a reference control, direct leaf damage analogous to thrips feeding was also evaluated using directed, hydraulic pressure. In a supplementary set series of experiments, groups of F. occidentalis infested tomato plants were later inoculated with S. enterica to determine how prior insect infestation might influence bacterial survival and persistence. Following an infestation period, leaves visibly damaged by adult F. occidentalis supported significantly higher S. enterica populations and resulted in greater amounts of electrolyte leakage (measured as electrical conductivity) than leaves lacking visible feeding damage. Plant age did not significantly influence S. enterica populations or estimates of electrolyte leakage, independent of initial infestation. Additionally, the gender of the insect did not uniquely influence S. enterica population dynamics. Finally, applications of aggressive water bombardment resulted in more electrolyte leakage than leaves damaged by F. occidentalis, yet supported comparable S. enterica populations. Together, this study indicates that F. occidentalis feeding is one of the many potential biological mechanisms creating a more habitable environment for S. enterica.
Dysbiosis of fecal microbiota in cats with naturally occurring and experimentally induced Tritrichomonas foetus infection

The protozoal pathogen Tritrichomonas foetus infects the colon of domestic cats and is a major cause of chronic colitis and diarrhea. Treatment failure is common, but antibiotics may improve clinical signs in a subset of cats, leading researchers to question involvement of the colonic microbiota in disease pathogenesis. Studies performed in women with venereal Trichomonas vaginalis infections have revealed that dysbiosis of host microbiota contributes to pathogenicity with similar findings also found in mice with intestinal Tritrichomonas musculis The aim of this study was to characterize differences in the fecal microbiota of cats with and without naturally occurring T. foetus infection and in a group of kittens prior to and after experimentally induced infection. Archived fecal DNA from cats undergoing testing for T. foetus infection (n = 89) and experimentally infected kittens (n = 4; at pre-, 2 weeks, and 9 weeks post-infection) were analyzed by sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Amongst the naturally infected population, the genera Megamonas and Helicobacter were significantly increased in prevalence and abundance in cats testing positive for T. foetus infection. In the group of four experimentally infected kittens, fecal samples post-infection had significantly lower abundance of genus Dialister and Megamonas and greater abundance of the class Betaproteobacteria and family Succinivibrionaceae. We hypothesize that T. foetus promotes dysbiosis by competition for fermentable substrates used by these bacteria and that metabolic byproducts may contribute to the pathogenesis of colonic inflammation and diarrhea. Future studies are warranted for the measurement of fecal concentrations of microbial and protozoal metabolites in cats with T. foetus infection for the identification of potential therapeutic targets.
Effects of dietary phosphates from organic and inorganic sources on parameters of phosphorus homeostasis in healthy adult dogs

Background The impact of dietary phosphorus (P) excess, especially on renal and cardiovascular health, has been investigated in several species, but little is known in dogs. Objective The aim of this study was to examine effects of different P sources on concentration and postprandial kinetics of selected parameters of P homeostasis in dogs. Methods Eight beagles received one control diet (P 0.5% dry matter [DM]) and three high P diets (poultry meal, NaH2PO4, and KH2PO4; P 1.7% DM) for 18d. Urine samples were collected pre- and postprandially while faeces were collected quantitatively for 5d and analysed for minerals. On day 18, blood was sampled 1h pre- and 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 5 and 7h postprandially. Results Pi (KH2PO4, NaH2PO4) but not organic P caused an increased apparent P digestibility and significantly influenced kinetics of serum FGF23, parathyroid hormone, P, CrossLaps and bonespecific alkaline phosphatase, demonstrating a disrupted calcium (Ca) and P homeostasis with potential harm for renal, cardiovascular and skeletal health. Conclusions Results of feeding Pi to dogs indicate distinct disturbances of Ca and P metabolism, in contrast to organic sources. The use of Pi in food can therefore not be considered as safe. Further research, especially on dose and long-term effects, is warranted.
Allergic rhinitis and dental-supporting tissue diseases in children

Abstract The etiology of dental-supporting tissue diseases in children is multi factorial and not merely related to oral hygiene. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the relationship between children <18 years old with allergic rhinitis (AR) and the risk of dental-supporting tissue diseases. Data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan were used to conduct a retrospective longitudinal cohort study. The study cohort comprised 378,160 patients with AR (AR group) and 378,160 patients without AR (non-AR group), who were selected through frequency matching based on age, sex, and the index year. The study patients were followed until dental-supporting tissue diseases occurrence, withdrawal from the National Health Insurance program, or December 31, 2013. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted to calculate the risk of dental-supporting tissue diseases in the AR group after adjustment for age, sex, and relative comorbidities. The adjusted HRs of periodontal, pulp, and periapical diseases in AR children were higher than those in the non-AR controls (1.51, 95% CI: 1.50 to 1.53; 1.06, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.07, respectively). The AR to non-AR HRs of these inflammatory dental diseases were particularly higher in children <6 years old and in boys. The HRs of periodontal, pulp, and periapical diseases were greatest in those with >5 AR-related medical visits/year (5.57, 95% CI: 5.50 to 5.56; 4.06, 95% CI: 4.00 to 4.12, respectively). Children with AR had a greater risk of inflammatory dental-supporting tissue diseases, particularly those <6 years old with primary teeth, boys, and those with severe persistent AR.
Scaling laws in natural conversations among elderly people

Language is a result of brain function; thus, impairment in cognitive function can result in language disorders. Understanding the aging of brain functions in terms of language processing is crucial for modern aging societies. Previous studies have shown that language characteristics, such as verbal fluency, are associated with cognitive functions. However, the scaling laws in language in elderly people remain poorly understood. In the current study, we recorded large-scale data of one million words from group conversations among healthy elderly people and analyzed the relationship between spoken language and cognitive functions in terms of scaling laws, namely, Zipf’s law and Heaps’ law. We found that word patterns followed these scaling laws irrespective of cognitive function, and that the variations in Heaps’ exponents were associated with cognitive function. Moreover, variations in Heaps’ exponents were associated with the ratio of new words taken from the other participants’ speech. These results indicate that the exponents of scaling laws in language are related to cognitive processes.
Thromboelastography-Guided Management of Anticoagulated COVID-19 Patients to Prevent Hemorrhage

1South Bend Campus, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana 2Department of Quality and Performance Improvement, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, Indiana 3Department of Hematology, Michiana Hematology Oncology, Mishawaka, Indiana 4Department of Infectious Disease, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, Indiana 5Department of Emergency Medicine, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, Indiana 6Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, Indiana 7Division of Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 8Department of Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center and University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado
The effects of exercise training in adult solid organ transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Reduced exercise capacity can predispose solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients to higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular complications, and mortality and impact their quality of life. This systematic review and meta‐analysis investigated the effects of exercise training (versus no training) in adult SOT recipients. We conducted an electronic search of randomized controlled trials reporting on exercise interventions in SOT recipients. Primary outcomes were exercise capacity, quadriceps muscle strength, and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Twenty‐nine articles met the inclusion criteria. In 24 studies, there were either high risk of bias or some concerns about the potential risk of bias. There was an increase in exercise capacity (VO2 peak) (SMD: 0.40; 95%CI 0.22–0.57; P = 0.0) and quadriceps muscle strength (SMD: 0.38; 95%CI 0.16–0.60; P = 0.001) in the exercise vs control groups. There were also improvements in several domains of the SF‐36. Diastolic blood pressure improved in the exercise group compared to controls (SMD: −0.22; 95%CI −0.41–0.03; P = 0.02). Despite the considerable variation in exercise training characteristics and high risk of bias in the included studies, exercise training improved maximal exercise capacity, quadriceps muscle strength, HRQoL, and diastolic blood pressure and should be an essential part of the post‐transplant care.
Coronavirus risk perception and compliance with social distancing measures in a sample of young adults: Evidence from Switzerland

The health risk of the coronavirus pandemic is age-specific. The symptoms of a COVID-19 infection are usually mild in the healthy population below the age of 65; however, the measures laid down to prevent the spread of the virus apply typically to the whole population. Hence, those who have a low risk of severe symptoms face a social dilemma in cooperating and complying with the safety measures: Cooperating in preventing the spread of the disease is good for society but comes with individual costs. These costs provide an incentive not to cooperate with the safety measures. In this paper we analyze via structural equation modelling a sample of young adults (N = 510) who were surveyed right after the end of the first lockdown period in Switzerland. We investigate why and to what extent they cooperated in preventing the epidemic by following the recommendation to stay at home as much as possible. We hypothesize that those respondents who perceive themselves to be personally at risk, or who have relatives belonging to the risk group, complied more often with the safety measures as compared to those without severe risks. Cooperating should also be linked to individuals’ pro-social orientation. Furthermore, we hypothesize that those who believe that the virus is dangerous for society or who have a personal interest in protection show higher support for the general safety measures. Our empirical results show that compliance with the coronavirus social distancing measures was generally very high during the first lockdown. Although young adults perceived themselves to be at low personal risk, they still believed that the virus is dangerous for society. Those who had a personal interest in staying at home because they had relatives belonging to the risk group complied more often with the safety measures. Overall, the results suggest that the support of the preventive measures is the most important promoter of cooperation to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Cohort profile: The Youth and Mental Health Study (YAMHS) – a longitudinal study of the period from adolescence to adulthood

The aim of this article is to provide a detailed description of the Youth and Mental Health Study (YAMHS),a population-based, representative (cluster sampling), prospective cohort study that was conducted to investigate risk and resilience factors for mental health conditions, specifically depressive symptoms and disorders, from adolescence to adulthood. The baseline data were collected in 1998 (T1) in two counties in central Norway from 2464 adolescents (response rate 88.3%, mean age 13.7 years). The first follow-up was conducted in 1999 (T2) (n = 2432, response rate of 87.1%, mean age 14.9 years). A subgroup of individuals was assessed at T2 (n = 345) with clinical interviews, and this subgroup was reassessed in 2005 (T3) (n = 265, 70.1%, 20 years). The last follow-up (of participants assessed at T1 and T2) was conducted in 2012 (T4) (n = 1266, 51.9%, 27.2 years). Demographics, depressive symptoms, general psychopathology, suicidal ideation and attempts and psychological and somatic factors were recorded. Among adolescents of both sexes, psychosocial variables were correlated with and predicted depressive symptom severity. The strongest predictors were sex (female), the levels of depressive symptoms the preceding year, and the total number of stressful events. The association between stressful life events and depressive symptoms was moderated by physical activity, while the relationship between stressful events and coping style was mediated by depressive symptoms. The rate of use of specialised mental health services among the depressed was low. The lifetime prevalence of depressive disorders was 23% at 15 years, and the most common disorder was minor depression. Adolescents who attempted suicide were more often victims of violence and less resilient than were non-suicide attempters. The existing longitudinal data from the cohort will be further analysed. Follow-up data will be obtained from existing national registries by links created with individual identification numbers.
ML-Net: Multi-Channel Lightweight Network for Detecting Myocardial Infarction

Due to the complexity of myocardial infarction (MI) waveform, most traditional automatic diagnosis models rarely detect it, while those able to detect MI often require high computing and storage capacity, rendering them unsuitable for portable devices. Therefore, in order for convenient real-time MI detection, it is essential to design lightweight models suitable for resource-limited portable devices. This paper proposes a novel multi-channel lightweight model (ML-Net), that provides a new solution for portable detection devices with limited resources. In ML-Net, each electrocardiogram (ECG) lead is assigned an independent channel, ensuring data independence and preserve the ECG characteristics of different angles represented by different leads. Moreover, convolution kernels of heterogeneous sizes are utilized to achieve accurate classification with only a small amount of lead data. Extensive experiments over actual ECG data from the PTB diagnostic database are conducted to evaluate ML-Net. The results show that ML-Net outperforms comparable schemes in diagnosing MI, and it requires lower computational cost and less memory, so that portable devices can be more widely used in the field of Internet of Medical Things(IoMT).
Catalytic mechanism of the colistin resistance protein MCR-1†

The mcr-1 gene encodes a membrane-bound Zn2+-metalloenzyme, MCR-1, which catalyses phosphoethanolamine transfer onto bacterial lipid A, making bacteria resistant to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic. Mechanistic understanding of this process remains incomplete. Here, we investigate possible catalytic pathways using DFT and ab initio calculations on cluster models and identify a complete two-step reaction mechanism. The first step, formation of a covalent phosphointermediate via transfer of phosphoethanolamine from a membrane phospholipid donor to the acceptor Thr285, is rate-limiting and proceeds with a single Zn2+ ion. The second step, transfer of the phosphoethanolamine group to lipid A, requires an additional Zn2+. The calculations suggest the involvement of the Zn2+ orbitals directly in the reaction is limited, with the second Zn2+ acting to bind incoming lipid A and direct phosphoethanolamine addition. The new level of mechanistic detail obtained here, which distinguishes these enzymes from other phosphotransferases, will aid in the development of inhibitors specific to MCR-1 and related bacterial phosphoethanolamine transferases.
Mendelian randomization highlights insomnia as a risk factor for pain diagnoses

Abstract Study Objective Insomnia has been linked to acute and chronic pain conditions; however, it is unclear whether such relationships are causal. Recently, a large number of genetic variants have been discovered for both insomnia and pain through genome-wide association studies (GWASs) providing a unique opportunity to examine the evidence for causal relationships through the use of the Mendelian randomization paradigm. Methods To elucidate the causality between insomnia and pain, we performed bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis in FinnGen, where clinically diagnosed ICD-10 categories of pain had been evaluated. In addition, we used measures of self-reported insomnia symptoms. We used endpoints for pain in the FinnGen Release 5 (R5) (N = 218,379), and a non-overlapping sample for insomnia (UK Biobank (UKBB) and 23andMe, N = 1,331,010 or UKBB alone N = 453,379). We assessed the robustness of results through conventional Mendelian randomization sensitivity analyses. Results Genetic liability to insomnia symptoms increased the odds of reporting pain (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.47 [1.38–1.58], p = 4.12 × 10−28). Manifested pain had a small effect on increased risk for insomnia (OR [95% CI] = 1.04 [1.01–1.07], p < 0.05). Results were consistent in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Our findings support a bidirectional causal relationship between insomnia and pain. These data support a further clinical investigation into the utility of insomnia treatment as a strategy for pain management and vice versa.
Recommendations for conducting the rodent erythrocyte Pig‐a assay: A report from the HESI GTTC Pig‐a Workgroup

The rodent Pig‐a assay is a flow cytometric, phenotype‐based method used to measure in vivo somatic cell mutation. An Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) test guideline is currently being developed to support routine use of the assay for regulatory purposes (OECD project number 4.93). This article provides advice on best practices for designing and conducting rodent Pig‐a studies in support of evaluating test substance safety, with a focus on the rat model. Various aspects of assay conduct, including laboratory proficiency, minimum number of animals per dose group, preferred treatment and blood sampling schedule, and statistical analysis are described.
Clinical and Radiologic Disease Activity in Pregnancy and Postpartum in MS

Objective To evaluate radiologic and clinical inflammatory activity in women with MS during pregnancy and postpartum. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected clinical and MRI reports for women who became pregnant while followed at the University of California, San Francisco MS Center between 2005 and 2018. Proportion of brain MRIs with new T2-hyperintense or gadolinium enhancing (Gd+) lesions (primary outcome) and annualized relapse rate (ARR; secondary) were compared before and after pregnancy. Results We identified 155 pregnancies in 119 women (median Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] 2.0). For the 146 live birth pregnancies, prepregnancy ARR was 0.33; ARR decreased during pregnancy, particularly the third trimester (ARR 0.10, p = 0.017) and increased in the 3 months postpartum (ARR 0.61, p = 0.012); and 16% of women experienced a clinically meaningful increase in EDSS. Among 70 pregnancies with paired brain MRIs available, 53% had new T2 and/or Gd+ lesions postpartum compared with 32% prepregnancy (p < 0.001). Postpartum clinical relapses were associated with Gd+ lesions (p < 0.001). However, even for patients without postpartum relapses, surveillance brain MRIs revealed new T2 and/or Gd+ lesions in 31%. Protective effects of exclusive breastfeeding for ≥3 months (odds ratio = 0.3, 95% confidence interval 0.1–0.9) were observed for relapses. Conclusions Building on previous reports of increased relapse rate in the first 3 months postpartum, we report a significant association between inflammation on MRI and this clinical activity. We also detected postpartum radiologic activity in the absence of relapses. Both clinical and radiologic reassessment may inform optimal treatment decision-making during the high-risk early postpartum period.