Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving Chicken Responses to Glycoconjugate Vaccination Against Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni is a common cause of diarrheal disease worldwide. Human infection typically occurs through the ingestion of contaminated poultry products. We previously demonstrated that an attenuated Escherichia coli live vaccine strain expressing the C. jejuni N-glycan on its surface reduced the Campylobacter load in more than 50% of vaccinated leghorn and broiler birds to undetectable levels (responder birds), whereas the remainder of the animals was still colonized (non-responders). To understand the underlying mechanism, we conducted three vaccination and challenge studies using 135 broiler birds and found a similar responder/non-responder effect. Subsequent genome-wide association studies (GWAS), analyses of bird sex and levels of vaccine-induced IgY responses did not correlate with the responder versus non-responder phenotype. In contrast, antibodies isolated from responder birds displayed a higher Campylobacter-opsonophagocytic activity when compared to antisera from non-responder birds. No differences in the N-glycome of the sera could be detected, although minor changes in IgY glycosylation warrant further investigation. As reported before, the composition of the microbiota, particularly levels of OTU classified as Clostridium spp. , Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae are associated with the response. Transplantation of the cecal microbiota of responder birds into new birds in combination with vaccination resulted in further increases in vaccine-induced antigen-specific IgY responses when compared to birds that did not receive microbiota transplants. Our work suggests that the IgY effector function and microbiota contribute to the efficacy of the E. coli live vaccine, information that could form the basis for the development of improved vaccines targeted at the elimination of C. jejuni from poultry.
Mitochondrial DNA Content May Not Be a Reliable Screening Biomarker for Live Birth After Single Euploid Blastocyst Transfer

An increasing number of studies have related the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content to embryo viability and transfer outcomes. However, previous studies have focused more on the relationship between mtDNA and embryo implantation, few studies have studied the effect of the mtDNA content on live birth. In the study, we investigated whether mtDNA content is a reliable screening biomarker for live birth after single blastocyst transfer. A total of 233 couples with 316 blastocyst stage embryos undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment and pre-implantation genetic testing analysis were included in the study. All embryos were chromosomally normal and had undergone single-embryo transfers. There was no significant difference observed in the blastocyst mtDNA content among the live birth, miscarriage and non-implanted groups (p=0.999), and the mtDNA content in blastocysts from the miscarriage and live birth groups was similar [median (interquartile range), 1.00*108(7.59*107- 1.39*108) vs 1.01*108 (7.37*107- 1.32*108)]. Similarly, no significant association was observed between mtDNA content and embryo implantation potential (p=0.965). After adjusting for multiple confounders in a logistic regression analysis with generalized estimating equations, no associations between mtDNA content and live birth were observed in all blastocysts, Day-5 and Day-6 blastocysts (p=0.567, p=0.673, p=0.165, respectively). The live birth rate was not significantly different between blastocysts with an elevated mtDNA content and blastocysts with a normal mtDNA content (26.7% vs 33.6% p=0.780). Additionally, there was no linear correlation between the mtDNA content and maternal age (p=0.570). In conclusion, the mtDNA content does not seem to be a potential biomarker for embryo transfer outcomes (i.e., implantation and live birth) based on the existing testing tools. Embryos with an elevated mtDNA content also have development potential for successful live birth.
End-to-End Estimation of Hand- and Wrist Forces From Raw Intramuscular EMG Signals Using LSTM Networks

Processing myoelectrical activity in the forearm has for long been considered a promising framework to allow transradial amputees to control motorized prostheses. In spite of expectations, contemporary muscle–computer interfaces built for this purpose typically fail to satisfy one or more important desiderata, such as accuracy, robustness, and/or naturalness of control, in part due to difficulties in acquiring high-quality signals continuously outside laboratory conditions. In light of such problems, surgically implanted electrodes have been made a viable option that allows for long-term acquisition of intramuscular electromyography (iEMG) measurements of spatially precise origin. As it stands, the question of how information embedded in such signals is best extracted and combined across multiple channels remains open. This study presents and evaluates an approach to this end that uses deep neural networks based on the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTMs) architecture to regress forces exerted by multiple degrees of freedom (DoFs) from multichannel iEMG. Three deep learning models, representing three distinct regression strategies, were evaluated: (I) One-to-One, wherein each DoF is separately estimated by an LSTM model processing a single iEMG channel, (II) All-to-One, wherein each DoF is separately estimated by an LSTM model processing all iEMG channels, and (III) All-to-All, wherein a single LSTM model with access to all iEMG channels estimates all DoFs simultaneously. All models operate on raw iEMG, with no preliminary feature extraction required. When evaluated on a dataset comprising six iEMG channels with concurrent force measurements acquired from 14 subjects, all LSTM strategies were found to significantly outperform a baseline feature-based linear control regression method. This finding indicates that recurrent neural networks can learn to transform raw forearm iEMG signals directly into representations that correlate with forces exerted at the level of the hand to a greater degree than simple features do. Furthermore, the All-to-All and All-to-One strategies were found to exhibit better performance than the One-to-One strategy. This finding suggests that, in spite of the spatially local nature of signals, iEMG from muscles not directly actuating the relevant DoF can provide contextual information that aid in decoding motor intent.
Orexin-A in Patients With Lewy Body Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Abnormal orexin-A levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been identified in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, few studies have focused on Lewy body disease (LBD) and often with debatable outcomes. Thus, we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate orexin-A levels in LBD by incorporating data from different studies. Methods We gathered studies comparing orexin-A levels in patients with LBD and controls (including healthy controls and other dementia subtypes). In the initial search, 117 relevant articles were identified. After a selection process, seven studies, conducted in Japan, USA, Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy, and Netherlands, were chosen. Results In total, 179 patients with LBD and 253 controls were included. Patients with LBD had significantly lower mean orexin-A CSF levels when compared with patients with AD [standard mean difference (SMD): −0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.70 to −0.00, Z = 1.96, P = 0.05], whereas mean orexin-A levels were significantly higher when compared with patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) (SMD: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.23–0.99, Z = 3.12, P = 0.002). Orexin-A CSF levels in LBD patients were approximately equal to levels in healthy elderly individuals, whereas they were significantly decreased in LBD patients with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) (SMD: -0.15, 95% CI: -0.59 to 0.29, Z = 0.67, P = 0.50). Conclusions We showed that orexin-A levels in patients with LBD were not very different from those in normal elderly individuals, whereas they were lower than those in AD patients and higher than those in FTLD patients. The influence of hypersomnia on orexin-A levels should be carefully interpreted. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42021265900.
Long Non-Coding RNA-Mediated Competing Endogenous RNA Networks in Ischemic Stroke: Molecular Mechanisms, Therapeutic Implications, and Challenges

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a disease that is characterized by high mortality and disability. Recent studies have shown that LncRNA-mediated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks play roles in the occurrence and development of cerebral I/R injury by regulating different signaling pathways. However, no systematic analysis of ceRNA mechanisms in IS has been reported. In this review, we discuss molecular mechanisms of LncRNA-mediated ceRNA networks under I/R injury. The expression levels of LncRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and their effects in four major cell types of the neurovascular unit (NVU) are also involved. We further summarize studies of LncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Finally, we analyze the advantages and limitations of using LncRNAs as therapeutics for IS.
The Impostor Phenomenon: Toward a Better Understanding of the Nomological Network and Gender Differences

The impostor phenomenon (IP) refers to the tendency to perceive oneself as intellectually incompetent and to attribute one’s own success to effort-related or external factors, such as fortunate circumstances. The present study (N=209) aimed to contribute to open questions regarding gender differences in the IP and the nomological network of the IP. The results show that the consistently found key correlates of the IP, that is, lower self-esteem and higher neuroticism, could also play a role in explaining why women report higher impostor feelings than men in many studies. Moreover, the results suggest that IP is characterized by the more maladaptive, socially prescribed perfectionism, which is related to the belief that others expect perfection from oneself, whereas self-oriented perfectionism, which is characterized by a critical view on oneself, plays a smaller role in differences in the IP. Finally, a strong association with the sandbagging construct challenges the conceptualization of the IP as a genuine doubt about one’s own competence, because similarly to IP, sandbaggers present themselves negatively to others, but do so for very strategic reasons in order to create a low expectation base in other individuals. Regression analysis was used to assess the incremental value of the personality factors in explaining variance in the IP. It was found that sandbagging and IP are highly related but not interchangeable.
Two-phased Mass Rarity and Extinction in Land Plants During the End-Triassic Climate Crisis

Greenhouse gas emissions from large-scale volcanism in the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province is considered to have caused the end-Triassic mass extinction (201.5 million years ago), but the impact on land plants has been debated. Here, abundance changes in spores and pollen record the devastating effects this volcanic induced climate crisis had on coastal and near-coastal lowland mire vegetation around the European epicontinental sea and the European Tethys margin. Combined stress from rising air temperatures and changing climate at the onset of the crisis was exacerbated by a rapidly rising sea-level resulting in fragmentation and destruction of coastal and near-coastal lowland mire habitats, causing mass rarity and extinctions primarily in gymnosperm trees and shrubs adapted to these environments. The devastation of these habitats was further amplified by a subsequent sea-level fall leaving pioneering opportunists and herbaceous survivors to colonize disturbed areas in an environment stressed by increased wildfire activity and enhanced soil erosion. The pioneering flora was severely decimated in a second mass rarity phase and ultimately extirpated. The second mass rarity phase occurred just prior to and at the onset of a prominent negative excursion in δ13Corg. A subsequent sea-level rise appears to have restored some of the near-coastal mire habitats allowing some of plants to recover. The supraregional mass rarity during the end-Triassic crisis affected both previously dominant as well as rare plants and this resonates with ongoing and future climate change and attests to the vulnerability of coastal and lowland vegetation, especially rare plant species, to climatic and environmental disturbances, where rising sea-level threatens entire ecosystems.
Presence of Three-Dimensional Sound Field Facilitates Listeners’ Mood, Felt Emotion, and Respiration Rate When Listening to Music

Many studies have investigated the effects of music listening from the viewpoint of music features such as tempo or key by measuring psychological or psychophysiological responses. In addition, technologies for three-dimensional sound field (3D-SF) reproduction and binaural recording have been developed to induce a realistic sensation of sound. However, it is still unclear whether music listened to in the presence of 3D-SF is more impressive than in the absence of it. We hypothesized that the presence of a 3D-SF when listening to music facilitates listeners’ moods, emotions for music, and physiological activities such as respiration rate. Here, we examined this hypothesis by evaluating differences between a reproduction condition with headphones (HD condition) and one with a 3D-SF reproduction system (3D-SF condition). We used a 3D-SF reproduction system based on the boundary surface control principle (BoSC system) to reproduce a sound field of music in the 3D-SF condition. Music in the 3D-SF condition was binaurally recorded through a dummy head in the BoSC reproduction room and reproduced with headphones in the HD condition. Therefore, music in the HD condition was auditorily as rich in information as that in the 3D-SF condition, but the 3D-sound field surrounding listeners was absent. We measured the respiration rate and heart rate of participants listening to acousmonium and pipe organ music. The participants rated their felt moods before and after they listened to music, and after they listened, they also rated their felt emotion. We found that the increase in respiration rate, the degree of decrease in well-being, and unpleasantness for both pieces in the 3D-SF condition were greater than in the HD condition. These results suggest that the presence of 3D-SF enhances changes in mood, felt emotion for music, and respiration rate when listening to music.
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the MADS-Box Gene Family in Sweet Potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam]

MADS-box gene, one of the largest transcription factor families in plants, is a class of transcription factors widely present in eukaryotes. It plays an important role in plant growth and development and participates in the growth and development of flowers and fruits. Sweet potato is the seventh most important food crop in the world. Its tuberous roots, stems, and leaves contain a large number of proteins, lipids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, conjugated phenolic acids, and minerals, which have high edible, forage, and medicinal value, and is also an important energy crop. At present, MADS-box genes in sweet potato have rarely been reported, and there has been no study on the genome-wide identification and classification of MADS-box genes in Ipomoea batatas. This study provided the first comprehensive analysis of sweet potato MADS-box genes. We identified 95 MADS-box genes, analyzed the structure and protein of sweet potato MADS-box genes, and categorized them based on phylogenetic analysis with Arabidopsis MADS-box proteins. Chromosomal localization indicated an unequal number of MADS-box genes in all 14 chromosomes except LG3, with more than 10 MADS-box genes located on chromosomes LG7, LG11, and LG15. The MADS domain and core motifs of the sweet potato MADS-box genes were identified by motif analysis. We identified 19 MADS-box genes with collinear relationships and analyzed duplication events. Cis-acting elements, such as light-responsive, auxin-responsive, drought-inducible, and MeJA-responsive elements, were found in the promoter region of the MADS-box genes in sweet potato, which further indicates the basis of MADS-box gene regulation in response to environmental changes and hormones. RNA-seq suggested that sweet potato MADS-box genes exhibit tissue-specific expression patterns, with 34 genes highly expressed in sweet potato flowers and fruits, and 19 genes highly expressed in the tuberous root, pencil root, or fibrous root. qRT-PCR again validated the expression levels of the 10 genes and found that IbMADS1, IbMADS18, IbMADS19, IbMADS79, and IbMADS90 were highly expressed in the tuberous root or fibrous root, and IbMADS18, IbMADS31, and IbMADS83 were highly expressed in the fruit. In this study, the molecular basis of MADS-box genes of sweet potato was analyzed from various angles. The effects of MADS-box genes on the growth and development of sweet potato were investigated, which may provide a certain theoretical basis for molecular breeding of sweet potato.
Blood Purification in Severe and Critical COVID-19 Patients: A Case Series of 5 Patients

Objective: The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a worldwide pandemic. Currently, supportive care measures remain the standard of care for severe and critical COVID-19 patients, such as ventilation oxygenation, fluid management and blood purification. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of early blood purification therapy upon severe and/or critical COVID-19 patients. Patients and Methods: From January 31, 2020 to March 1, 2020, a total 5 patients with COVID-19 (3 critical type cases and 2 severe type cases) received early blood purification treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University. Clinical indexes, including oxygen concentration, blood gas analysis, oxygenation index, and laboratory test as well as disease scores were recorded and analyzed before and after the treatment with blood purification. Results: Among the 5 patients, 4 were males ranging from 35 to 80 year old (Mean age = 63 ± 17.87). All cases with characteristics of OI <300 mm Hg, decline in lymphocyte (LYMPH)%, boost in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), troponin T (TNT), B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-alpha (IFN-a), three with high flow nasal cannula (HFNC), two with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and acute kidney injury (AKI), and one with shock and IV. Blood purification therapy significantly decreased the serum levels of inflammatory cytokine, ameliorated the concomitant symptoms and complications. Finally, one case was discharged from the hospital, 4 cases were transferred to the general ward, and all the 5 cases survived. Conclusion: Continuous blood purification therapy held promising prospects for alleviating the deteriorative progression of severe and critical types of COVID-19 in the early stage, together with ameliorating the accumulation of inflammatory cytokine and the concomitant symptoms and complications by efficacious immunoadsorption. Trial Registration: www.chictr. org.cn, Identifier (ChiCTR2000031930).
Forging Industrial Policy: The United States, Britain, and France in the Railway Age

El objetivo principal de Forging Industrial Policy: The United States, Britain and France in the Railway Age es descubrir y explicar los orígenes históricos de las estrategias industriales de distintos países a partir del análisis comparativo de la política ferrocarrilera durante el siglo XIX. El punto de partida de Dobbin es la crítica a los fundamentos teóricos y epistemológicos de los distintos enfoques pluralistas, institucionalistas y de la economía neoclásica. El análisis está informado por dos corrientes metodológicas principales: el "construccionismo social" y la antropología económica. El autor sostiene que, más allá de sus diferencias, estas dos perspectivas concurren al asumir que las políticas públicas son producto ya sea de leyes económicas universales "racionales" o de la búsqueda lógica de ventajas económicas por parte de individuos o grupos de intereses en la arena política. Los economistas que sugieren que en última instancia las políticas gubernamentales estén condicionadas por las necesidades funcionales de la industria no logran explicar por qué no se ha dado una convergencia clara hacia el modelo más eficiente. Los politólogos que argumentan que las políticas reflejan las preferencias de los grupos de interés más poderosos tampoco aportan una explicación cabal al hecho observable de la persistencia de políticas industriales en una misma nación y su influencia en la toma de decisiones en el presente bajo regímenes con distintas orientaciones ideológicas. En su estudio Frank Dobbin rompe con estos supuestos para intentar descubrir los procesos históricos de "construcción sociocultural" de la acción estatal. En especial, busca explicar cómo trayectorias históricas divergentes en distintas naciones llevaron a la conformación de nociones y metapreferencias diferentes acerca del orden y la racionalidad —lo que denomina el autor en inglés "shared cognitive understandings"— tanto en el ámbito político como en el económi-
A Combined Penalty and Recursive Real-Time Formulation for Multibody Dynamics

The continuously improved performance of personal computers enables the real-time motion simulation of complex multibody systems, such as the whole model of an automobile, on a conventional PC, provided the adequate formulation is applied. There exist two big families of dynamic formulations, depending on the type of coordinates they use to model the system: global and topological. The former leads to a simple and systematic programming while the latter is very efficient. In this work, a hybrid formulation is presented, obtained by combination of one of the most efficient global formulations and one of the most systematic topological formulations. It shows, at the same time, easiness of implementation and a high level of efficiency. In order to verify the advantages that the new formulation has over its predecessors, the following four examples are solved using the three formulations and the corresponding results are compared: a planar mechanism which goes through a singular position, a car suspension with stiff behavior, a 6-dof robot with changing configurations, and the full model of a car vehicle. Furthermore, the last example is also analyzed using a commercial tool, so as to provide the readers with a well-known reference for comparison.
Internal Bearing Chamber Wall Heat Transfer as a Function of Operating Conditions and Chamber Geometry

Increasing efficiencies of modern aero-engines are accompanied by rising turbine inlet temperatures, pressure levels and rotational speeds. These operating conditions require a detailed knowledge of two-phase flow phenomena in secondary air and lubrication oil systems in order to predict correctly the heat transfer to the oil. It has been found in earlier investigations that especially at high rotational speeds the heat transfer rate within the bearing chambers is significantly increased with negative effects on the heat to oil management. Furthermore, operating conditions are reached where oil coking and oil fires are more likely to occur. Therefore, besides heat sources like bearing friction and churning, the heat transfer along the housing wall has to be considered in order to meet safety and reliability criteria.Based on our recent publications as well as new measurements of local and mean heat transfer coefficients, which were obtained at our test facility for engine relevant operating conditions, an equation for the internal bearing chamber wall heat transfer is proposed. Nusselt numbers are expressed as a function of non-dimensional parameter groups covering influences of chamber geometry, flow rates and shaft speed.Copyright © 1999 by ASME