Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Applanation and Rebound Tonometers in Young Chicks

ABSTRACT Purpose To assess the validity of and compare applanation and rebound tonometry readings of intraocular pressure in alert normal chicks from ages 3 to 45 days. Methods Intraocular pressures (IOPs) were measured weekly in awake White Leghorn chicks, from ages 3–45 days (n = 22–30 per age group), with both applanation Tono-Pen and rebound TonoLab tonometers. Three repeated measurements on individual eyes were used to derive variance data for both instruments at each age. Calibration curves were also derived for each instrument and each age, weekly from ages 10–45 days (n = 3–4 per age group), from in situ manometry data collected over IOP settings of 0 to 100 mmHg in 5 mmHg steps in cannulated eyes. Results The TonoLab showed less within measurement variability, but more variability with age, than the Tono-Pen. The coefficient of variation ranged from 3.8–8.3% for the TonoLab, compared to 11.0–19.7% for the Tono-Pen across all ages. For the youngest, 3 day-old chicks, mean IOPs recorded with the Tono-Pen and TonoLab were not significantly different (17.0 ± 5.6 and 15.2 ± 3.7 mmHg, respectively, P = .27). However, with increasing age, IOP readings significantly increased for the TonoLab (P < .001), whereas Tono-Pen readings did not. Compared to manometry settings, the Tono-Pen tended to underestimate IOPs while the TonoLab overestimated IOPs over the range 20–60 mmHg, saturating thereafter; there were also age-dependent differences for the TonoLab. Conclusions Both the Tono-Pen and TonoLab gave IOP readings that differed from manometry settings in normal young chicks over some or all of the ages tested. These results reinforce the importance of calibrating clinical tonometers in animal studies involving IOP as a key variable.
DNA damage and inflammatory response in workers exposed to fuels and paints

Abstract Workers exposed to fuels and paints may present alterations in several parameters. Thus, we assessed potential biomarkers, with the aim of detecting early changes in gasoline station attendants and painters. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of inflammatory and DNA damage markers, besides biochemical, haematological and oxidative stress parameters. Biochemical and haematological parameters, which are assessed with routine exams, showed few changes. However, these findings could mask the workers’ real health status. Besides, markers of oxidative damage were not modified. Levels of inflammatory parameters (cytokines and nitric oxide levels) and the DNA damage marker 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine were significantly changed in the workers. Our results suggest that inflammatory and DNA damage parameters can be potential biomarkers for the biological monitoring of workers exposed to fuels and paints and may contribute to the development of occupational protection standards.
Brackish-water polychaetes, good descriptors of environmental changes in space and time

1 - The aim of this study is to review the knowledge on the distribution of soft bottoms polychaete assemblage in Mediterranean brackish-waters. 2 - The Polychaete distribution of several biotopes located along the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coast, which has been the object of authors’ past studies, is reported and discussed. 3 -Polychaete species composition was used to identify patterns of distribution inside the same biotope and among different biotopes, as well as changes in time in the same biotope. 4 - Polychaetes was revealed good descriptors of biotope characteristics, reflecting a pattern similar to that arising from the examination of the entire benthic community. 5 - We propose the use of polychaete assemblage fearures in assessing the ecological quality status of brackish-water bodies. For this purpose a general model of species distribution is given.
Predicting Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Roles of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Coping

Research has consistently shown that parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to report chronic stress and symptoms of psychopathology when compared to parents of typically developing children and children with other psychological or physical conditions. Certain individual characteristics might either put parents at risk or allow them to cope more effectively under the strenuous conditions of raising children with neurodevelopmental conditions. Previous research has suggested that higher levels of intolerance of uncertainty and certain coping styles are associated with higher parental levels of anxiety and depression. The aim of this study is to characterize the way in which intolerance of uncertainty and coping (avoidant and problem‐focused coping) predict mental health and psychological wellbeing in parents of children with ASD. Only mothers participated in this study. Fifty mothers (Mage = 44.28 years, SDage = 6.58) of children with ASD completed questionnaires assessing anxiety and depression, psychological wellbeing, intolerance of uncertainty, and avoidant and problem‐focused coping. The results from this study provide preliminary evidence that higher use of problem‐focused coping but not avoidant coping and intolerance of uncertainty predicts psychological wellbeing. Furthermore, our observation of greater intolerance of uncertainty and higher use of avoidant coping predicting anxiety and depression supports previous research. The findings from this study have implications for the development of intervention programs to help improve the mental health and psychological wellbeing of parents.
Effect of Seed Bank Augmentation on Herbicide Efficacy1

Abstract: Seeds of giant foxtail (Setaria faberi, 4,000 seeds/m2) or velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti, 3,000 seeds/m2) were added to the seed bank to determine the effect of increases in weed density on herbicide efficacy in corn (Zea mays). A herbicide program consisting of SAN 582 applied preemergence followed by a postemergence application of dicamba plus atrazine was evaluated at four levels (0.0, 0.3, 0.7 and 1.0 times the label rates). At a site with low initial weed densities, the addition of velvetleaf or giant foxtail seed to the seed bank did not influence herbicide efficacy at the 1.0× rate at 9 wk after planting (WAP). Giant foxtail densities were greater 9 WAP in augmented areas than in the native seed bank plots at both the 0.3× and 0.7× rates, whereas with velvetleaf, higher densities in augmented plots were seen only at the 0.3× rate. In areas with high native weed densities, addition of seed of either species resulted in an increase in final weed densities at all herbicide rates. Nomenclature: Atrazine, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-N′-(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine; dicamba, potassium salt of 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid; SAN 582 (proposed name, dimethenamid), 2-chloro-N-(2,4 dimethyl-3-thienyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide; giant foxtail, Setaria faberi Herm. #3 SETFA; velvetleaf, Abutilon theophrasti Medic. # ABUTH; corn, Zea mays L. Additional index words: Weed seed bank, ABUTH, SETFA. Abbreviations: POST, postemergence; PRE, preemergence; WAP, weeks after planting.
SEROPREVALENCE AND POLYPEPTIDE ANALYSIS OF INFECTIOUS BRONCHITIS VIRUS IN BROILERS

A total of 360 trachea, kidneys and serum samples were collected from 21 broiler poultry farms having no history of vaccination against infectious bronchitis (IB). The agar gel precipitation and trypsin induced haemagglutination inhibition tests revealed 2.22% seroprevalence of IB. Data analysis revealed significantly (P<0.031) higher IB seroprevalence in 1-2 weeks old broilers (5.36%), while the lowest prevalence was found in the older birds. After purification, IB virus was analyzed for polypeptides applying SDS-PAGE. The indigenous IB virus consisted of six major polypeptides with molecular weights of 84, 51, 36, 31, 28 and 23 kDa.
INFLUENCE OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON POPULATION AND REPRODUCTION OF ROOT KNOT NEMATODE, MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA IN EGGPLANTS

The influence of organic amendments on population and reproduction of root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in eggplants were evaluated by amending buffalo, cow, goat, poultry, sheep and mixture of tested manures through pot experiment at 5, 10 and 15% of 1.5 Kg soil pot -1 . The results revealed that the population of larvae (1435.8), females (27.25) and males (3.75), in roots were significantly decreased in poultry manure followed by goat and cow manures. The reduction in reproduction factor was also related with the rate of organic amendments in the soil used per pot. The maximum reduction of root knot nematode was recorded in poultry manure (52.58), followed by goat (49.02) and cow manures (46.60).
Genomic analyses of multidrug-resistant Salmonella Indiana, Typhimurium, and Enteritidis isolates using MinION and MiSeq sequencing technologies

We sequenced 25 isolates of phenotypically multidrug-resistant Salmonella Indiana (n = 11), Typhimurium (n = 8), and Enteritidis (n = 6) using both MinION long-read [SQK-LSK109 and flow cell (R9.4.1)] and MiSeq short-read (Nextera XT and MiSeq Reagent Kit v2) sequencing technologies to determine the advantages of each approach in terms of the characteristics of genome structure, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence potential, whole-genome phylogeny, and pan-genome. The MinION reads were base-called in real-time using MinKnow 3.4. 8 integrated with Guppy 3.0. 7. The long-read-only assembly, Illumina-only assembly, and hybrid assembly pipelines of Unicycler 0.4. 8 were used to generate the MinION, MiSeq, and hybrid assemblies, respectively. The MinION assemblies were highly contiguous compared to the MiSeq assemblies but lacked accuracy, a deficiency that was mitigated by adding the MiSeq short reads through the Unicycler hybrid assembly which corrected erroneous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The MinION assemblies provided similar predictions of AMR and virulence potential compared to the MiSeq and hybrid assemblies, although they produced more total false negatives of AMR genotypes, primarily due to failure in identifying tetracycline resistance genes in 11 of the 19 MinION assemblies of tetracycline-resistant isolates. The MinION assemblies displayed a large genetic distance from their corresponding MiSeq and hybrid assemblies on the whole-genome phylogenetic tree, indicating that the lower read accuracy of MinION sequencing caused incorrect clustering. The pan-genome of the MinION assemblies contained significantly more accessory genes and less core genes compared to the MiSeq and hybrid assemblies, suggesting that although these assemblies were more contiguous, their sequencing errors reduced accurate genome annotations. Our research demonstrates that MinION sequencing by itself provides an efficient assessment of the genome structure, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence potential of Salmonella; however, it is not sufficient for whole-genome phylogenetic and pan-genome analyses. MinION in combination with MiSeq facilitated the most accurate genomic analyses.
Within‐field distribution of Aphis gossypii and aphidophagous lady beetles in chili, Capsicum annuum

Understanding the spatial distribution of insect pests and their natural enemies can be very important for a successful integrated pest management approach. In Malaysia, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is the only aphid species colonizing and responsible for significant crop losses in chili, Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae). Several species of aphidophagous lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) occur naturally, of which three species [Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius), Coelophora inaequalis (Fabricius), and Coccinella transversalis (Fabricius)] predominate in chili ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of A. gossypii and associated lady beetle predators during two growing seasons of C. annuum, using Spatial Analysis by Distance Indices (SADIE). Both aphid and lady beetle populations were spatially aggregated, the strength of aggregation being strongest mid‐way through the cropping cycle. We concluded that the aggregated distribution of adult lady beetles is driven by the spatial distribution of A. gossypii.
Machine Learning Applied to Registry Data: Development of a Patient-Specific Prediction Model for Blood Transfusion Requirements During Craniofacial Surgery Using the Pediatric Craniofacial Perioperative Registry Dataset

Background: Craniosynostosis is the premature fusion of ≥1 cranial sutures and often requires surgical intervention. Surgery may involve extensive osteotomies, which can lead to substantial blood loss. Currently, there are no consensus recommendations for guiding blood conservation or transfusion in this patient population. The aim of this study is to develop a machine-learning model to predict blood product transfusion requirements for individual pediatric patients undergoing craniofacial surgery. METHODS: Using data from 2143 patients in the Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery Perioperative Registry, we assessed 6 machine-learning classification and regression models based on random forest, adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), neural network, gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector machine, and elastic net methods with inputs from 22 demographic and preoperative features. We developed classification models to predict an individual’s overall need for transfusion and regression models to predict the number of blood product units to be ordered preoperatively. The study is reported according to the Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) checklist for prediction model development. RESULTS: The GBM performed best in both domains, with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.87 ± 0.03 (95% confidence interval) and F-score of 0.91 ± 0.04 for classification, and a mean squared error of 1.15 ± 0.12, R-squared (R2) of 0.73 ± 0.02, and root mean squared error of 1.05 ± 0.06 for regression. GBM feature ranking determined that the following variables held the most information for prediction: platelet count, weight, preoperative hematocrit, surgical volume per institution, age, and preoperative hemoglobin. We then produced a calculator to show the number of units of blood that should be ordered preoperatively for an individual patient. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesiologists and surgeons can use this continually evolving predictive model to improve clinical care of patients presenting for craniosynostosis surgery.
Isolation and pathogenicity of pathogen causing diseases on dodder (Cuscuta gronovii)

The disease symptoms on Cuscuta vine were observed in severe form in the survey for host range of Cuscuta in different locations of Raigad and Thane districts of Konkan region during 2015-16. The Cuscuta vine was found to be infected by different pathogens; symptoms appeared as discoloration and shrivelling of vine, blighted portion, necrotic lesions and tip necrosis on vine. The infected samples of Cuscuta were collected and brought to the laboratory for further studies. Under microscopic examination there are three mounts were placed. In that different morphological structure were observed. Different pathogens were isolated from diseased Cuscuta samples on PDA medium. After isolation of diseased samples there are three isolates were obtained. There colony and morphological characters are different from each other. Pathogenicity of the test fungi was proved by spraying with the spore suspension of individual fungus (105 spores/ml) on C. gronovii parasitizing on green gram plants (two weeks old) already grown in plastic pots. Symptoms appeared on the artificially inoculated C. gronovii vine within period of 7 to 14 days after inoculation. Three fungi viz., Fusarium incarnatum (Desm.) Sacc, Alternaria dianthicola Neerg and Curvularia pallescens Boedijn were isolated from diseased Cuscuta samples on poatato dextrose agar medium (PDA). Further these three isolated fungi were confirmed as by the chief Mycologist, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune.
Sodium and salt content of Portuguese rolls produced in a city of southern Brazil: a comparison of laboratory analysis, food labelling and nutrition standards

Abstract Objective: To analyse the Na content of bread by comparing the amount of salt and Na among the label, laboratory analysis and international guidelines. Design: Ten selected bakeries provided 3239 randomly selected samples of bread, which were weighed on-site. Triplicate samples were retrieved from each bakery (thirty samples) for analysis. Bread production was observed, and ingredient labels were queried to determine salt weights, which were used for comparison with the laboratory analysis. Flame photometry and the method for chlorides were utilised for analysing Na. Laboratory findings were compared to nine different international nutritional guidelines for Na consumption. Setting: Florianopolis, south of Brazil. Participants: Ninety independent bakeries locally producing Portuguese rolls were queried; rolls from ten conveniently selected bakeries were retrieved for further analysis. Results: The average weight of the rolls was 50·2 ± 5·3 g. The average amount of salt (g) per roll, by laboratory and label analyses, was 0·69 ± 0·0 and 0·62 ± 0·1 g, respectively. The mean level of Na (mg) reported on nutrient labels (478·2 ± 93·4/100 g) was significantly lower than by laboratory analysis (618·2 ± 73·8/100 g), P < 0·001. There was a difference for Na in rolls produced in the bakeries considering the unit weight of rolls (P ≤ 0·001) per 100 g (P = 0·026) and the mode of production. The consumption of two averaged units of rolls was equivalent to 51·7 % of the Brazilian guideline daily amount for Na for children and 31 % for adults. Conclusions: The nutrient labels underreported Na values. This study strengthens the importance of monitoring Na of breads in Brazil.
Inhibitory Control and Preschoolers’ Use of Irregular Past Tense Verbs

Abstract We investigated whether children's inhibitory control (IC) is associated with their ability to produce irregular past tense verb forms as well as learn from corrective feedback following overregularization errors. Forty-eight 3;6 to 4;5 year old children were tested on the irregular past tense and provided with adult corrective input via models of correct use or recasts of errors following ungrammatical responses. IC was assessed with a three-item battery of tasks that required suppressing a prepotent response in favor of a non-canonical one. Results showed that IC was associated with children's initial production of irregular forms, but not associated with their post-feedback production. Findings are discussed in terms of current theories of past tense use and acquisition.
A role for maternal β‐catenin in early mesoderm induction in Xenopus

Mesoderm formation results from an inducing process that requires maternal and zygotic FGF/MAPK and TGFβ activities, while maternal activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway determines the anterior–dorsal axis. Here, we show a new role of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in mesoderm induction. We find that maternal β‐catenin signaling is not only active dorsally but also all around the equatorial region, coinciding with the prospective mesoderm. Maternal β‐catenin function is required both for expression of dorsal genes and for activation of MAPK and the mesodermal markers Xbra and eomesodermin. β‐catenin acts in a non‐ cell‐autonomous manner upstream of zygotic FGF and nodal signals. The Wnt/β‐catenin activity in the equatorial region of the early embryo is the first example of a maternally provided mesoderm inducer restricted to the prospective mesoderm.
Dietary betaine intake is associated with skeletal muscle mass change over 3 years in middle-aged adults: the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study

Abstract A higher dietary intake or serum concentration of betaine has been associated with greater lean body mass in middle-aged and older adults. However, it remains unknown whether betaine intake is associated with age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM). We assessed the association between dietary betaine intake and relative changes in SMM after 3 years in middle-aged adults. A total of 1242 participants aged 41–60 years from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study 2011–2013 and 2014–2017 with body composition measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were included. A face-to-face questionnaire was used to collect general baseline information. After adjustment for potential confounders, multiple linear regression found that energy-adjusted dietary betaine intake was significantly and positively associated with relative changes (i.e. percentage loss or increase) in SMM of legs, limbs and appendicular skeletal mass index (ASMI) over 3 years of follow-up (β 0·322 (se 0·157), 0·309 (se 0·142) and 0·303 (se 0·145), respectively; P < 0·05). The ANCOVA models revealed that participants in the highest betaine tertile had significantly less loss in SMM of limbs and ASMI and more increase in SMM of legs over 3 years of follow-up, compared with those in the bottom betaine tertile (all Ptrend < 0·05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that elevated higher dietary betaine intake may be associated with less loss of SMM of legs, limbs and ASMI in middle-aged adults.
Acute Kidney Injury in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infected Patients: A Meta-Analytic Study

Introduction: In clinical reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is extremely variable, although AKI is described as an independent risk factor for mortality. A meta-analysis was performed to clarify the incidence and the impact of COVID-19-related AKI on mortality. Methods: All trials reporting the incidence of AKI in COVID-19 patients were searched using MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases (last update April 26, 2020). Results: Ten trials with a sample of 5,166 patients were included. AKI occurred in 947 out of 5,166 (18.3%) patients. AKI incidence was higher in severe cases: 62/305 severe patients developed AKI (20%) versus 27/1,268 nonsevere patients (2%) (p = 0.00001). AKI occurred in 475 out of 915 (52%) deceased patients versus 183 out of 2,678 (7%) survivors (p = 0.00001). Continuous renal replacement therapy was significantly more frequent in severe cases and in dead patients. Conclusion: A significant increase in mortality rate was observed in COVID patients who developed AKI, and AKI incidence was also higher in severe cases. Any supportive strategies to protect kidney could represent valuable intervention to reduce mortality in severe COVID-19 patients.