Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Re‐evaluation of sodium nitrate (E 251) and potassium nitrate (E 252) as food additives

Abstract The Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) provided a scientific opinion re‐evaluating the safety of sodium nitrate (E 251) and potassium nitrate (E 252) when used as food additives. The current acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) for nitrate of 3.7 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day were established by the SCF (1997) and JECFA (2002). The available data did not indicate genotoxic potential for sodium and potassium nitrate. The carcinogenicity studies in mice and rats were negative. The Panel considered the derivation of an ADI for nitrate based on the formation of methaemoglobin, following the conversion of nitrate, excreted in the saliva, to nitrite. However, there were large variations in the data on the nitrate‐to‐nitrite conversion in the saliva in humans. Therefore, the Panel considered that it was not possible to derive a single value of the ADI from the available data. The Panel noticed that even using the highest nitrate‐to‐nitrite conversion factor the methaemoglobin levels produced due to nitrite obtained from this conversion would not be clinically significant and would result to a theoretically estimated endogenous N‐nitroso compounds (ENOC) production at levels which would be of low concern. Hence, and despite the uncertainty associated with the ADI established by the SCF, the Panel concluded that currently there was insufficient evidence to withdraw this ADI. The exposure to nitrate solely from its use as a food additive was estimated to be less than 5% of the overall exposure to nitrate in food based on a refined estimated exposure scenario. This exposure did not exceed the current ADI (SCF, 1997). However, if all sources of exposure to dietary nitrate are considered (food additive, natural presence and contamination), the ADI would be exceeded for all age groups at the mean and the highest exposure.
Integration of Tissue-engineered Cartilage – An In Vitro Model

The ability of articular cartilage to self-repair after injury is limited due to the nature of the tissue. Biological repair is a promising treatment for cartilage injuries but success is limited by the ability to integrate with native cartilage. An in vitro model can be developed to investigate factors that regulate cartilage repair. A tissue engineered cartilage construct was placed into a host bovine osteochondral explant and cultured for 4 and 8 weeks. This same construct was cultured under stimulated and unstimulated conditions for 2 and 4 weeks. Autologous osteochondral implants served as controls. Integration was evaluated histologically, biochemically, biomechanically and for changes in gene expression. The tissue-engineered implants integrated over time whereas the autologous implants did not. Mechanical stimulation and prolonged incubation improved integration between implant and host tissue. An in vitro model of repair-native cartilage integration has been developed which is
Light Propagation on a Moving Closed Contour and the Role of Simultaneity in Special Relativity

We consider an example of a moving closed contour and the role played by simultaneity in the description of light propagation on the contour's moving sections. We show that, when constrained to propagate along the contour, the local speed of light on a moving section is no longer arbitrary and a consistent description requires conservation of simultaneity.
Methods for quantifying methane emissions using unmanned aerial vehicles: a review

Methane is an important greenhouse gas, emissions of which have vital consequences for global climate change. Understanding and quantifying the sources (and sinks) of atmospheric methane is integral for climate change mitigation and emission reduction strategies, such as those outlined in the 2015 UN Paris Agreement on Climate Change. There are ongoing international efforts to constrain the global methane budget, using a wide variety of measurement platforms across a range of spatial and temporal scales. The advancements in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology over the past decade have opened up a new avenue for methane emission quantification. UAVs can be uniquely equipped to monitor natural and anthropogenic emissions at local scales, displaying clear advantages in versatility and manoeuvrability relative to other platforms. Their use is not without challenge, however: further miniaturization of high-performance methane instrumentation is needed to fully use the benefits UAVs afford. Developments in the models used to simulate atmospheric transport and dispersion across small, local scales are also crucial to improved flux accuracy and precision. This paper aims to provide an overview of currently available UAV-based technologies and sampling methodologies which can be used to quantify methane emission fluxes at local scales. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Rising methane: is warming feeding warming? (part 1)'.
Atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide: challenges alongthe path to Net Zero

The causes of methane's renewed rise since 2007, accelerated growth from 2014 and record rise in 2020, concurrent with an isotopic shift to values more depleted in 13C, remain poorly understood. This rise is the dominant departure from greenhouse gas scenarios that limit global heating to less than 2°C. Thus a comprehensive understanding of methane sources and sinks, their trends and inter-annual variations are becoming more urgent. Efforts to quantify both sources and sinks and understand latitudinal and seasonal variations will improve our understanding of the methane cycle and its anthropogenic component. Nationally declared emissions inventories under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and promised contributions to emissions reductions under the UNFCCC Paris Agreement need to be verified independently by top-down observation. Furthermore, indirect effects on natural emissions, such as changes in aquatic ecosystems, also need to be quantified. Nitrous oxide is even more poorly understood. Despite this, options for mitigating methane and nitrous oxide emissions are improving rapidly, both in cutting emissions from gas, oil and coal extraction and use, and also from agricultural and waste sources. Reductions in methane and nitrous oxide emission are arguably among the most attractive immediate options for climate action. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Rising methane: is warming feeding warming? (part 1)'.
Introduction to the Supplement: Advancing the practice of operations management and innovation to drive Africa forward in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)

ABSTRACT The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is paving the way for new and disruptive approaches to managing operations, innovation, and supply chains. Africa cannot ignore this revolution and afford to stand by while the rest of the world moves forward. In this paper, I invite scholars in the broader field of operations management and innovation to take part in the dialogue, undertake research to advance Africa in the 4IR era, publish their work to ensure that what happens in Africa does not remain in Africa, and inspire or be inspired by others around the world. Consequently, I provide an overview of four papers that were presented at the second African Operations Management Conference in 2019. The conference was hosted by the University of South Africa in partnership with the Africa Automation Fair. These papers focus on the readiness of academic institutions to produce graduates that possess 4IR skill sets, the options available to firms to manage their dependency on suppliers’ supply chain innovation, the design dimensions that impact a supply chain network to perform effectively and operate with resilience while facing disruptions, and the individual components of contractor commitment to incorporate into the decision-making process to deliver road infrastructure projects in a sustainable and socially responsible manner.
The focus of virtue: Attention broadening in empirically informed accounts of virtue cultivation

ABSTRACT Important empirically informed proposals of virtue cultivation invoke techniques of goal pursuit. This paper argues that these techniques are effective in changing behavior due to the attention narrowing they bring about, and further show that such attention narrowing can threaten the appropriate exercise of phronetic-related capacities. When these phronetic-related capacities are threatened, two derivative problems arise: (1) One can end up acting in morally inappropriate ways, and (2) Even in cases where one performs the morally appropriate action, one nonetheless can fail to notice and appreciate features of moral value. In light of these concerns, such techniques of goal pursuit – at least, by themselves – serve the most good for those who are merely trying to avoid vice, rather than cultivate virtue. And so, I suggest that such accounts of virtue cultivation are incomplete. I then go on to argue that these undesirable effects of attention narrowing brought about by these goal pursuit techniques may be ameliorated by also engaging in certain indirect modifications of cognition, particularly those which broaden attention. The suggestion, then, is that attention narrowing techniques of goal pursuit, along with attention broadening modifications, might best facilitate virtue cultivation when employed together. While the particulars of how we might best go about this are currently unclear, this paper ends by looking at empirical research on Open Monitoring Meditation as providing a hopeful option that might be further investigated.
Cross-boundary weed management in protected area–centered ecosystems: how can it work and what makes it harder to achieve?

Abstract Invasive species management in natural landscapes is generally executed at the scale of independent jurisdictions, yet the ecological processes and biodiversity to be protected from invasion occur over large spatial scales and across multiple jurisdictions. Jurisdictional land boundaries can influence the flows and dynamics of ecological systems, as well as the social systems that exist in these complex landscapes. Land management entities in large, protected area–centered ecosystems may use different approaches to address cross-boundary management challenges. To understand these differing strategies and their effects on cooperative invasive plant management, we interviewed employees with federal, county, and state agencies, research organizations, nonprofits, and local stakeholder groups in two national parks and their surrounding lands in California, USA. Although all participants stressed the importance of working together, they did so along a continuum of strategies ranging from simple communication to coordination of independent efforts to active collaboration. Barriers to collaboration can be categorized as originating within or externally to the management unit, including limited resources, differing agency priorities, paperwork requirements, and lack of support by higher-level managers. Strategies to reduce barriers depend on where they originate.
Supranutritional selenium suppresses ROS‐induced generation of RANKL‐expressing osteoclastogenic CD4+ T cells and ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis

The benefit of Se supplementation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been tested in clinical trials, but results remain inconclusive. The objective of this study was to specifically investigate the potential benefit of supranutritional Se by examining human samples from an area with supranutritional Se intake and testing a mouse model of RA.
Les plantes médicinales utilisées dans le traitement des diarrhées au Niger. Etude ethnobotanique

Au Niger, quelques enquetes sur les plantes medicinales ont ete realisees par differents chercheurs au cours des missions ethnobotaniques et ethnographiques. Les donnees concernant l’utilisation des plantes medicinales contre les diarrhees sont extraites a partir des documents publies et ou rapports de recherche concernant les differentes enquetes ethno-medicinales conduites au Niger pour synthese et analyse. Au total, 98 especes de plantes appartenant a 34 familles sont recensees etre utilisees par la population nigerienne pour traiter les diarrhees et dysenteries. Combretacee (14/34), Cesalpiniacee (11/34), Mimosacee (10/34) et Fabacee (9/34) sont les familles botaniques des especes de plante les plus utilisees. 10 especes de plantes identifiees ont un usage tres frequent. En conclusion, cette synthese des plantes medicinales rapportees dans plusieurs revues a travers differentes etudes ethno-medicinales conduites au Niger ont permis d’apporter des precisions supplementaires sur l’usage medicinale de certaines plantes dans le cadre du traitement des diarrhees.
NF90 interacts with components of RISC and modulates association of Ago2 with mRNA

Background Nuclear factor 90 (NF90) is a double-stranded RNA-binding protein involved in a multitude of different cellular mechanisms such as transcription, translation, viral infection, and mRNA stability. Recent data suggest that NF90 might influence the abundance of target mRNAs in the cytoplasm through miRNA- and Argonaute 2 (Ago2)-dependent activity. Results Here, we identified the interactome of NF90 in the cytoplasm, which revealed several components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and associated factors. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed the interaction of NF90 with the RISC-associated RNA helicase, Moloney leukemia virus 10 (MOV10), and other proteins involved in RISC-mediated silencing, including Ago2. Furthermore, NF90 association with MOV10 and Ago2 was found to be RNA-dependent. Glycerol gradient sedimentation of NF90 immune complexes indicates that these proteins occur in the same protein complex. At target RNAs predicted to bind both NF90 and MOV10 in their 3′ UTRs, NF90 association was increased upon loss of MOV10 and vice versa. Interestingly, loss of NF90 led to an increase in association of Ago2 as well as a decrease in the abundance of the target mRNA. Similarly, during hypoxia, the binding of Ago2 to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA increased after loss of NF90, while the level of VEGF mRNA decreased. Conclusions These findings reveal that, in the cytoplasm, NF90 can associate with components of RISC such as Ago2 and MOV10. In addition, the data indicate that NF90 and MOV10 may compete for the binding of common target mRNAs, suggesting a role for NF90 in the regulation of RISC-mediated silencing by stabilizing target mRNAs, such as VEGF, during cancer-induced hypoxia.
The origin and evolution of pollen transport in bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila)

The ability to transport pollen from flowers back to the nest represents a key innovation in the evolution of bees from predatory wasp ancestors. Currently, the origin and evolution of pollen transport remains unsettled. Older hypotheses proposed that crop transport was the original mode of pollen transport, but more recent molecular phylogenies have cast doubt on that view. Instead, more recent hypotheses contend that external transport of dry pollen is ancestral in bees. Here, I propose a new hypothesis to explain the origin and subsequent evolution of pollen transport in bees. I propose that pollen transport arose from adult pollen-feeding behavior and that internal transport of pollen is ancestral in bees. This then led to the evolution of external moist transport, which first required a transition step whereby pollen is temporarily accumulated on the venter on a patch of specialized hairs. Finally, external glazed and dry transport evolved from external moist pollen transport, and the evolution of dry transport led to changes in the location of scopae from the original location on the hind tibia and basitarsus. I illustrate many of these hypothetical evolutionary steps using modern-day bee behavior as an example, with a particular focus on the bee Perdita tortifoliae. Examination of the evolution of pollen transport of pollen wasps (subfamily Masarinae) reveals that they have undergone a parallel evolutionary change. Overall, I lay out a broad hypothetical framework to explain the origin and subsequent evolution of pollen transport in bees. This marks a return to the earlier hypothesis that crop transport is ancestral, and it also represents the first in-depth hypothesis to explain how external transport of moistened pollen could have evolved. The evolutionary history of bees has many implications for the biology of bees in the present day, and I lay out a number of predictions that could help confirm or refute my hypotheses.
Real-Time Audio Processing of Real-Life Soundscapes for EEG Analysis: ERPs Based on Natural Sound Onsets

With smartphone-based mobile electroencephalography (EEG), we can investigate sound perception beyond the lab. To understand sound perception in the real world, we need to relate naturally occurring sounds to EEG data. For this, EEG and audio information need to be synchronized precisely, only then it is possible to capture fast and transient evoked neural responses and relate them to individual sounds. We have developed Android applications (AFEx and Record-a) that allow for the concurrent acquisition of EEG data and audio features, i.e., sound onsets, average signal power (RMS) and power spectral density (PSD) on smartphone. In this paper, we evaluate these apps by computing event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by everyday sounds. One participant listened to piano notes (played live by a pianist) and to a home-office soundscape. Timing tests showed that the temporal precision of the system is very good. We calculated ERPs to sound onsets and observed the typical P1-N1-P2 complex of auditory processing. Furthermore, we show how to relate information on loudness (RMS) and spectra (PSD) to brain activity. In future studies, we can use this system to study sound processing in everyday life.
Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Clustered Lesion-Induced Impairment of 8-oxoG Recognition by the Human Glycosylase OGG1

The 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine, referred to as 8-oxoG, is a highly mutagenic DNA lesion that can provoke the appearance of mismatches if it escapes the DNA Damage Response. The specific recognition of its structural signature by the hOGG1 glycosylase is the first step along the Base Excision Repair pathway, that ensures the integrity of the genome by preventing the emergence of mutations. 8-oxoG formation, structural features and repair have been the matter of extensive research and more recently this active field of research expended to the more complicated case of 8-oxoG within clustered lesions. Indeed, the presence of a second lesion within 1 or 2 helix turns can dramatically impact the repair yields of 8-oxoG by glycosylases. In this work, we use μs-range molecular dynamics simulations and machine learning-based post-analysis to explore the molecular mechanisms associated with the recognition of 8-oxoG by hOGG1 when embedded in a multiple lesions site with a mismatch in 5’ or 3’. We delineate the stiffening of the DNA-protein interactions upon the presence of the mismatches, and rationalize the much lower repair yields reported with a 5’ mismatch by describing the perturbation of 8-oxoG structural features upon addition of an adjacent lesion.
CAR T cell therapy drives endogenous locoregional T cell dynamics in a responding patient with glioblastoma

CAR T cell therapy has transformed clinical care and management of patients with certain hematological cancers. However, it remains unclear whether the success of CAR T cell therapy relies solely on CAR T cell engagement with tumor antigen, or if it also requires the stimulation of an individual patient’s endogenous T cell response. Here, we performed combined analysis of longitudinal, single cell RNA and T cell receptor sequencing on glioblastoma tumors, peripheral blood (PB), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a patient with recurrent multifocal glioblastoma that underwent a remarkable response followed by recurrence on IL13RA2-targeted CAR T cell therapy (Brown et al. 2016). Single cell analysis of a tumor resected prior to CAR T cell therapy revealed the existence of an inflamed tumor microenvironment including a CD8+ cytotoxic, clonally expanded and antigen specific T cell population that disappeared in the recurrent setting. Longitudinal tracking of T cell receptors uncovered distinct T cell dynamics classes in the CSF during CAR T cell therapy. These included T cell clones with transient dynamics, representing intraventricular CAR T cell delivery and endogenous T cell recruitment from the PB into the CSF; and a group of T cells in the cerebrospinal fluid, that tracked with clonally expanded tumor resident T cells and whose dynamics contracted concomitantly with tumor volume. Our results suggest the existence of an endogenous T cell population that was invigorated by intraventricular CAR T cell infusions, and combined with the therapy to produce a complete response.
Minimum complexity drives regulatory logic in Boolean models of living systems

The properties of random Boolean networks as models of gene regulation have been investigated extensively by the statistical physics community. In the past two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the reconstruction and analysis of Boolean models of biological networks. In such models, neither network topology nor Boolean functions (or logical update rules) should be expected to be random. In this contribution, we focus on biologically meaningful types of Boolean functions, and perform a systematic study of their preponderance in gene regulatory networks. By applying the k[P] classification based on number of inputs k and bias P of functions, we find that most Boolean functions astonishingly have odd bias in a reference biological dataset of 2687 functions compiled from published models. Subsequently, we are able to explain this observation along with the enrichment of read-once functions (RoFs) and its subset, nested canalyzing functions (NCFs), in the reference dataset in terms of two complexity measures: Boolean complexity based on string lengths in formal logic which is yet unexplored in the biological context, and the average sensitivity. Minimizing the Boolean complexity naturally sifts out a subset of odd-biased Boolean functions which happen to be the RoFs. Finally, we provide an analytical proof that NCFs minimize not only the Boolean complexity, but also the average sensitivity in their k[P] set.