Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with yield-related traits in Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batatas)

Yield-related traits in sweet potato are generally thought to be quantitative inheritance traits significantly affected by variations in environmental factors. The objective of this study was to identify inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers linked to top weight, root weight, root number, root shape, root skin color, and flesh color in the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Two mapping populations of nearly 120 F1 plants were derived from a reciprocal cross between 'Nancy Hall' (NH) and 'Tainung 27' (TN27). In total, 100 ISSR primers were screened, among which 18 were identified with scorable polymorphic bands that were amplified. All of these primers were anchored at the 3'-end with 7 different types of dinucleotide, and 90.7% of them were segregated as simplex markers. Two partial linkage maps in the sweet potato which use simplex and double-simplex ISSR markers were constructed. The length of each linkage group spanned a very wide range of 10.7~149.1 centiMorgans (cM). These maps consist of 37 NH and 47 TN27 markers with map lengths of 479.8 and 853.5 cM, respectively. The ISSR markers were fitted to a 3:1 ratio of simplex and duplex segregation for the parental alleles, as the sweet potato was expected to be autohexaploid. Fourteen and nine quantitative trait loci (QTL) linked to specific ISSR markers were detected for traits in (NH×TN27) and (TN27×NH), respectively. Twenty-two of these QTL-mapped markers were unique to the specific traits, and two were linked to two traits in each linkage map. These markers appear to be applicable to crop improvement.
External Validation of an Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Prediction Model Using Radiology Reports

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Objectives: Acute respiratory distress syndrome is frequently under recognized and associated with increased mortality. Previously, we developed a model that used machine learning and natural language processing of text from radiology reports to identify acute respiratory distress syndrome. The model showed improved performance in diagnosing acute respiratory distress syndrome when compared to a rule-based method. In this study, our objective was to externally validate the natural language processing model in patients from an independent hospital setting. Design: Secondary analysis of data across five prospective clinical studies. Setting: An urban, tertiary care, academic hospital. Patients: Adult patients admitted to the medical ICU and at-risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: The natural language processing model was previously derived and internally validated in burn, trauma, and medical patients at Loyola University Medical Center. Two machine learning models were examined with the following text features from qualifying radiology reports: 1) word representations (n-grams) and 2) standardized clinical named entity mentions mapped from the National Library of Medicine Unified Medical Language System. The models were externally validated in a cohort of 235 patients at the University of Chicago Medicine, among which 110 (47%) were diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome by expert annotation. During external validation, the n-gram model demonstrated good discrimination between acute respiratory distress syndrome and nonacute respiratory distress syndrome patients (C-statistic, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.72–0.84). The n-gram model had a higher discrimination for acute respiratory distress syndrome when compared with the standardized named entity model, although not statistically significant (C-statistic 0.78 vs 0.72; p = 0.09). The most important features in the model had good face validity for acute respiratory distress syndrome characteristics but differences in frequencies did occur between hospital settings. Conclusions: Our computable phenotype for acute respiratory distress syndrome had good discrimination in external validation and may be used by other health systems for case-identification. Discrepancies in feature representation are likely due to differences in characteristics of the patient cohorts.
Exploring the young demographic profile of COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong: Evidence from migration and travel history data

This paper investigates the profile of COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong, highlighting the unique age structure of confirmed cases compared to other territories. While the majority of cases in most territories around the world have fitted an older age profile, our analysis shows that positive cases in Hong Kong have been concentrated among younger age groups, with the largest incidence of cases reported in the 15–24 age group. This is despite the population’s rapidly aging structure and extremely high levels of population density. Using detailed case data from Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Department and Immigration Department, we analyze the sex and age distribution of the confirmed cases along with their recent travel histories and immigration flows for the period January to April 2020. Our analysis highlights Hong Kong’s high proportion of imported cases and large overseas student population in developing COVID-19 hotspot areas such as the United Kingdom. Combined with community action and targeted and aggressive early policy measures taken to contain the virus, these factors may have contributed to the uniquely younger age structure of COVID-19 cases in the city. Consequently, this young profile of confirmed cases may have prevented fatalities in the territory. Recent research has highlighted the importance of a demographic approach to understanding COVID-19 transmission and fatality rates. The experience in Hong Kong shows that while an older population age structure may be important for understanding COVID-19 fatality, it is not a given. From a social science perspective at least, there is ‘no easy answer’ to why one area should experience COVID-19 differently from another.
Smooth Muscle α-Actin Deficiency in Myofibroblasts Leads to Enhanced Renal Tissue Fibrosis*

Myofibroblasts are a major source of proinflammatory cytokines and extracellular matrix in progressive tissue fibrosis leading to chronic organ failure. Myofibroblasts are characterized by de novo expression of smooth muscle α-actin (SMαA), which correlates with the extent of disease progression, although their exact role is unknown. In vitro cultured myofibroblasts from kidney of SMαA knock-out mice demonstrate significantly more prominent cell motility, proliferation, and type-I procollagen expression than those of wild-type myofibroblasts. These pro-fibrotic properties are suppressed by adenovirus-mediated SMαA re-expression, accompanied by down-regulation of focal adhesion proteins. In interstitial fibrosis model, tissue fibrosis area, proliferating interstitial cell number, and type-I procollagen expression are enhanced under SMαA deficiency. In mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis model, cell proliferation in the mesangial area is also enhanced in SMαA knock-out mice. Adenoviral SMαA introduction into renal interstitium obviously ameliorates tissue fibrosis in interstitial fibrosis model. These results indicate that SMαA suppresses the pro-fibrotic properties of myofibroblasts, highlighting the significance of smooth muscle-related proteins in moderating chronic organ fibrosis under pathological conditions.
Reactive oxygen species-related inside-to-outside oxidation of soot particles triggered by visible-light irradiation: physicochemical property changes and oxidative potential enhancement.

Modifications of the physicochemical properties and oxidative potential (OP) of soot due to visible-light irradiation and its underlying mechanisms during atmospheric aging have not been elucidated. In this study, two types of soot obtained using different air/fuel ratios (A/F) were aged under visible light with or without ozone (O3) at an atmospherically relevant level in an environmental chamber. Physicochemical characteristics and OP of aged soot were systematically measured using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay (OPDTT). Regardless of the presence of O3, visible light markedly promoted oxidation of soot, which led to consumption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, formation of oxygen-containing functional groups, and enhancement of OPDTT values. Compared to low A/F soot, high A/F soot contained more elemental carbon but less organic carbon, and was more sensitive to visible light by exhibiting greater changes. It was proposed that elemental carbon in soot under visible-light irradiation initiated an inside-to-outside oxidation pathway, where reactive oxygen species played an important role. This study clarified the solar irradiation-triggered self-oxidation process in soot, which is important to its atmospheric and health effects.
X1OO-insoIubIe, cytoskeletal fraction of 132 integrins, NADPH oxidase components, tyrosine phosphorylated proteins, and the protein tyrosine kinase 58fgr in human neutrophils adherenttofibrinogen

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) triggers cell spreading, release ofgranule constituents, and produc- tion of toxic oxygen derivatives in human neutrophils adherent to fibrinogen. This response requires cy- toskeleton reorganization and is dependent on expres- sion off�2 integrins. We analyzed distribution of distinct proteins in Triton X-100-soluble and insoluble frac- tions in neutrophils adherent to fibrinogen. We found that stimulation of adherent neutrophils with TNF causes the redistribution to a Triton-insoluble fraction of �-actinin, I�2 rntegrins, and the four components whose assembly constitutes an active NADPH oxidase: the gp9J-phox, p22-phox, p47-phox, and p67-phox proteins. Redistribution ofthese different proteins to a Triton-insoluble fraction took relatively long times and was maximal after about 30 min of stimulation with TNF. Prevention ofactin polymerization with cytocha- lasin B hampered the TNF-induced redistribution of these proteins from a Triton-soluble to an insoluble fraction. In addition, tyrosine phosphorylated proteins and the protein tyrosine kinase p58fr" were recovered in this Triton-insoluble fraction. These findings show that stimulated, 1. �2 integrin-dependent adhesion of neutrophils to fIbrinogen is accompanied by redistri- bution to cytoskeletal structures of( 1 ) 1�2 integrins, that is, neutrophil receptors for fibrinogen; (2) proteins involved in neutrophil effector functions, that is, components of NADPH oxidase; and (3) tyrosine phosphorylated proteins and the protein tyrosine kinase p58fr, molecules that are potentially involved in the formation ofa submembranous signaling complex. J. Leukoc. Biol. 58: 595-606; 1995.
Prediction of B cell and T‐helper cell epitopes candidates of bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) by in silico approach

Abstract The bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus responsible for enzootic bovine leukaemia (EBL) disease, the most common cattle disease leading to high annual economic losses to the cattle breeding industry. Virus monitoring among the sheep and cattle herds is usually done by vaccination. Inactivated virus vaccines can partially protect the livestock from viral challenge. However, vaccinated animals are likely to be infected. So, there is an essential need for producing vaccine by other methods. Gp60 SU, encoded by Env gene, is the surface glycoprotein of BLV detected to be the major target for the host immunity against the virus. Different stages were performed to predict the potential B and T‐helper cell epitopes. The general framework of the method includes retrieving the amino acid sequence of gp60 SU, conducting the sequence alignment, getting the entropy plot, retrieving the previously found epitopes, predicting the hydropathy parameters, modelling the tertiary structure of the glycoprotein, minimizing the structure energy, validating the model by Ramachandran plot, predicting the linear and discontinuous epitopes by various servers and eventually choosing the consensus immunogenic regions. Ramachandran plot scrutiny has demonstrated that the modelled prediction is accurate and suitable. By surveying overlaps of various results, 4 and 2 immunogenic regions were selected as linear and conformational epitopes respectively. Amino acids 35–53, 67–97, 288–302 and 410–421 and those of numbers 37–58 and 72–100 were the regions selected as linear and conformational epitopes respectively. The tertiary structure of the final epitope was modelled as well. A comparison of the predicted epitopes structure with that of gp60 SU envelope, illustrated that the tertiary structure of these epitopes does not change after being separated from the primary complete one. The present achievements will lead to a better interpretation of the antigen–antibody interactions against gp60 in the designing process of safe and efficient vaccines.
Novel imaging techniques for cystic fibrosis lung disease

With an increasing number of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) receiving highly effective CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator protein) modulator therapy, particularly at a young age, there is an increasing need to identify imaging tools that can detect and regionally visualize mild CF lung disease and subtle changes in disease state. In this review, we discuss the latest developments in imaging modalities for both structural and functional imaging of the lung available to CF clinicians and researchers, from the widely available, clinically utilized imaging methods for assessing CF lung disease—chest radiography and computed tomography—to newer techniques poised to become the next phase of clinical tools—structural/functional proton and hyperpolarized gas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Finally, we provide a brief discussion of several newer lung imaging techniques that are currently available only in selected research settings, including chest tomosynthesis, and fluorinated gas MRI. We provide an update on the clinical and/or research status of each technique, with a focus on sensitivity, early disease detection, and possibilities for monitoring treatment efficacy.
Monitoring Matches and Small-sided Games in Elite Young Soccer Players

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare the distances at various intensity in matches and small-sided games in elite-young soccer players using the metabolic power approach and running speed methods through fixed and individual speed zones. The second aim was to investigate the difference in high intensity external workload (% of total distances covered > 16 km/h or > 20 W/kg) between matches and small-sided games. Global positioning system data from 14 elite-youth players were analyzed during 13 matches and two types of small sided-games. Five intensity zones were used to compare the running distances between the metabolic power approach and the classic performance analysis. Metabolic power recorded more distances covered at high intensity than the running speed methods for every playing situations, except for the zone 5 of fixed speed (> 19 km/h) in matches (P<0.05). Smaller differences of external workload at high intensity were found when using the metabolic power approach compared to the traditional performance analysis. Our results highlight that the traditional analysis underestimates the athlete’s high intensity efforts. The metabolic power approach seems more relevant to monitor matches and training situations but also to compare matches to small-sided games in elite-young soccer players.
Epidemiology of Injuries in Elite Female Futsal Players: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract Injuries are one of the worst case scenarios for an athlete and a team. The aim of this study was to analyze the injury incidence, characteristics and burden among a cohort of elite female futsal players. A prospective cohort study was designed over a season. Eighty-nine players from seven elite female futsal teams were monitored during the whole season. Eight different variables were recorded when an injury happened, as well as exposure time. A total of 90 injuries were recorded so that 54 out of 89 players (60.6%) sustained an injury. The overall injury incidence was 5 injuries per 1000 h of futsal play exposure. Moderate injuries were the most frequent (1.7 injuries per 1000 h of futsal play exposure). The quadriceps and ankle were the regions where most injuries occurred. Contact injuries were more common during matches than training, and usually happened at the end of the season. Elite female futsal players are exposed to a substantial injury risk, especially on ankle and quadriceps with moderate severity, occurring at the end of the sessions, especially during matches. These results highlight the need of new preventive strategies to reduce the high injury incidence in female futsal players.
La pitaya (Hylocereus sp.) en culture de diversification à l'île de la Réunion : stratégie d'accompagnement de son développement

La pitaya ( Hylocereus sp.) en culture de diversification a l'ile de la Reunion : strategie d'accompagnement de son developpement. Resume – Le patrimoine fruitier de l'ile de la Reunion. Parmi les quelques 138 especes fruitieres qui composent le patrimoine fruitier de l'ile de la Reunion, seules quelques-unes d'entre-elles sont veritablement cultivees. Pourtant, certaines autres pourraient seduire les consommateurs avides de nouveaute. Criteres de preselection pour une culture de diversification. Face a ce constat, une preselection a ete realisee afin d'identifier des especes fruitieres nouvelles, candidates a la diversification pour l'ile de la Reunion ; les criteres de choix ont ete : l'attractivite du fruit, sa commodite a etre consomme, son gout, l'aptitude a sa conservation, la rentabilite de l'espece, etc. La pitaya ( Hylocereus sp.) a alors ete retenue. Ce choix a ensuite ete valide par une enquete aupres de consommateurs reunionnais. Developpement de la pitaya a l'ile de la Reunion. Le developpement de cette nouvelle culture a ete realise en trois etapes : identification des contraintes agronomiques liees a l'intensification de cette culture et recherche de solutions ; acquisition des techniques culturales de base et sensibilisation du grand public ; prise en compte des contraintes des agriculteurs et accompagnement commercial du nouveau produit. Conclusions. Les qualites commerciales de la pitaya (couleur et forme attrayantes), l'enthousiasme des consommateurs et la motivation des agriculteurs envers cette nouvelle espece font de H. sp. une veritable opportunite de diversification pour l'ile de la Reunion alors que, il y a 7 ans, le fruit de cette espece etait totalement inconnu sur l'ile.
Dissecting the potential role of hepatitis E virus ORF1 nonstructural gene in cross‐species infection by using intergenotypic chimeric viruses

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infects humans and more than a dozen other animal species. We previously showed that open reading frame 2 (ORF2) and ORF3 are apparently not involved in HEV cross‐species infection, which infers that the ORF1 may contribute to host tropism. In this study, we utilize the genomic backbone of HEV‐1 which only infects humans to construct a panel of intergenotypic chimeras in which the entire ORF1 gene or its functional domains were swapped with the corresponding regions from HEV‐3 that infects both humans and pigs. We demonstrated that the chimeric HEVs were replication competent in human liver cells. Subsequently, we intrahepatically inoculated the RNA transcripts of chimeras into pigs to determine if the swapped ORF1 regions confer the chimeras’ ability to infect pigs. We showed that there was no evidence of infectivity in pigs for any of the chimeras. We also investigated the role of human ribosome protein sequence S17, which expanded host range in cultured cells, in HEV cross‐species infection. We demonstrated that S17 insertion in HEV ORF1 did not abolish HEV replication competency in vitro, but also did not expand HEV host tropism in vivo. The results highlight the complexity of the underlying mechanism of HEV cross‐species infection.
Self-powered plastron preservation and one-step molding of semi-active superhydrophobic surfaces.

Gas-trapping, mostly superhydrophobic (SHPo), surfaces are useful for underwater applications only while their plastron lasts. Because the plastron unfortunately disappears under most practical conditions, various active approaches to supply ample gas have been reported, including the semi-active SHPo surface based on self-regulated electrolysis. Here, we report two major advances: (i) self-powered plastron restoration mechanism that obviates the need for external power; (ii) one-step molding process to mass-manufacture semi-active SHPo surfaces. The advances clear major hurdles for real-world implementation.
Application of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling to Predict Drug Exposure and Support Dosing Recommendations for Potential Drug‐Drug Interactions or in Special Populations: An Example Using Tofacitinib

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. It is eliminated via multiple pathways including oxidative metabolism (∼70%) and renal excretion (29%). This study aimed to predict the impact of drug‐drug interactions and renal or hepatic impairment on tofacitinib pharmacokinetics using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. The model was developed using Simcyp based on the physicochemical properties and in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics data for tofacitinib. The model was verified by comparing the predicted pharmacokinetic profiles with those observed in available clinical studies after single or multiple doses of tofacitinib, as well as with tofacitinib as a victim of drug‐drug interactions (because of inhibition of cytochrome P450 [CYP450] 3A4, CYP450 2C19, or CYP450 induction). In general, good agreement was observed between Simcyp predictions and clinical data. The results from this study provide confidence in using the PBPK modeling and simulation approach to predict the pharmacokinetics of tofacitinib under intrinsic (eg, renal or hepatic impairment) or extrinsic (eg, inhibition of CYP450 enzymes and/or renal transporters) conditions. This approach may also be useful in predicting pharmacokinetics under untested or complex situations (eg, when a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors may impact pharmacokinetics) when conducting clinical studies may be difficult, in response to health authority questions regarding dosing in special populations, or for labeling discussions.