Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chlamydomonas-Methylobacterium oryzae cooperation leads to increased biomass, nitrogen removal and hydrogen production.

In the context of algal wastewater bioremediation, this study has identified a novel consortium formed by the bacterium Methylobacterium oryzae and the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that greatly increase biomass generation (1.22 g·L-1·d-1), inorganic nitrogen removal (>99%), and hydrogen production (33 mL·L-1) when incubated in media containing ethanol and methanol. The key metabolic aspect of this relationship relied on the bacterial oxidation of ethanol to acetate, which supported heterotrophic algal growth. However, in the bacterial monocultures the acetate accumulation inhibited bacterial growth. Moreover, in the absence of methanol, ethanol was an unsuitable carbon source and its incomplete oxidation to acetaldehyde had a toxic effect on both the alga and the bacterium. In cocultures, both alcohols were used as carbon sources by the bacteria, the inhibitory effects were overcome and both microorganisms mutually benefited. Potential biotechnological applications in wastewater treatment, biomass generation and hydrogen production are discussed.
Mapping of the Sensory Innervation of the Mouse Lung by Specific Vagal and Dorsal Root Ganglion Neuronal Subsets

Abstract The airways are densely innervated by sensory afferent nerves, whose activation regulates respiration and triggers defensive reflexes (e.g., cough, bronchospasm). Airway innervation is heterogeneous, and distinct afferent subsets have distinct functional responses. However, little is known of the innervation patterns of subsets within the lung. A neuroanatomical map is critical for understanding afferent activation under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Here, we quantified the innervation of the mouse lung by vagal and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory subsets defined by the expression of Pirt (all afferents), 5HT3 (vagal nodose afferents), Tac1 (tachykinergic afferents), and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channel (TRPV1; defensive/nociceptive afferents) using Cre-mediated reporter expression. We found that vagal afferents innervate almost all conducting airways and project into the alveolar region, whereas DRG afferents only innervate large airways. Of the two vagal ganglia, only nodose afferents project into the alveolar region, but both nodose and jugular afferents innervate conducting airways throughout the lung. Many afferents that project into the alveolar region express TRPV1. Few DRG afferents expressed TRPV1. Approximately 25% of blood vessels were innervated by vagal afferents (many were Tac1+). Approximately 10% of blood vessels had DRG afferents (some were Tac1+), but this was restricted to large vessels. Lastly, innervation of neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs) correlated with the cell number within the bodies. In conclusion, functionally distinct sensory subsets have distinct innervation patterns within the conducting airways, alveoli and blood vessels. Physiologic (e.g., stretch) and pathophysiological (e.g., inflammation, edema) stimuli likely vary throughout these regions. Our data provide a neuroanatomical basis for understanding afferent responses in vivo.
Novel multilocus imprinting disturbances in a child with expressive language delay and intellectual disability

Multilocus imprinting disturbances (MLID) have been associated with up to 12% of patients with Beckwith‐Wiedemann syndrome, Silver‐Russell syndrome, and pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1B (PHP1B). Single‐gene defects affecting components of the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) have been reported in cases with multilocus hypomethylation defects. We present a patient with speech and language impairment with mild Angelman syndrome (AS) features who demonstrates maternal hypomethylation at 15q11.2 (SNRPN) as well as 11p15.5 (KCNQ1OT1) imprinted loci, but normal methylation at 6q24.2 (PLAGL1), 7p12.1 (GRB10), 7q32.2 (MEST), 11p15.5 (H19), 14q32.2 (MEG3), 19q13.43 (PEG3), and 20q13.32 (GNAS and GNAS‐AS1). The proband also has no copy number nor sequence variants within the AS imprinting center or in UBE3A. Maternal targeted next generation sequencing did not identify any pathogenic variants in ZPF57, NLRP2, NLRP5, NLRP7, KHDC3L, PADI6, TLE6, OOEP, UHRF1 or ZAR1. The presence of very delayed, yet functional speech, behavioral difficulties, EEG abnormalities but without clinical seizures, and normocephaly are consistent with the 15q11.2 hypomethylation defect observed in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the first report of MLID in a patient with mild, likely mosaic, Angelman syndrome.
Systematic Endotracheal Aspiration in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Reduces Broad-spectrum Antibiotic Use for Ventilator-associated Pneumonia

Aim: To determine the impact of a systematic endotracheal aspiration (ETA) sampling program for mechanically ventilated patients on initial antibiotic therapy for ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP). Design: Retrospective cohort study; before-after study design. Setting: Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with 16 medical and surgical beds in a tertiary teaching hospital. Subjects: Patients <16 years of age hospitalized in the PICU who fulfilled VAP criteria. Intervention: Biweekly systematic ETA sampling was conducted in mechanically ventilated patients. Measurements: We retrospectively studied patients who received antibiotic therapy for suspected VAP 12 months before and after the initiation of systematic ETA (periods 1 and 2, respectively), evaluating the initial antibiotic therapy spectrum in both periods. Results: During period 1, 56 patients developed VAP and 47 developed VAP during period 2. The incidence was 17 cases of VAP/1000 days of mechanical ventilation in both periods. Ideal antibiotic therapy was prescribed in 19.6% of cases for period 1 and 55.2% for period 2 (P = 0.001). Initial antibiotic therapy for VAP during period 2 had a significantly lower proportion of broad-spectrum antibiotics than therapy during period 1 (P = 0.01). Conclusion: In our PICU, knowledge of bronchial colonization reduced initial broad-spectrum antibiotic use for VAP.
A high-quality, long-read genome assembly of the endangered ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta)

Abstract Background: The ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) is a charismatic strepsirrhine primate endemic to Madagascar. These lemurs are of particular interest, given their status as a flagship species and widespread publicity in the popular media. Unfortunately, a recent population decline has resulted in the census population decreasing to <2,500 individuals in the wild, and the species's classification as an endangered species by the IUCN. As is the case for most strepsirrhine primates, only a limited amount of genomic research has been conducted on L. catta, in part owing to the lack of genomic resources. Results: We generated a new high-quality reference genome assembly for L. catta (mLemCat1) that conforms to the standards of the Vertebrate Genomes Project. This new long-read assembly is composed of Pacific Biosciences continuous long reads (CLR data), Optical Mapping Bionano reads, Arima HiC data, and 10X linked reads. The contiguity and completeness of the assembly are extremely high, with scaffold and contig N50 values of 90.982 and 10.570 Mb, respectively. Additionally, when compared to other high-quality primate assemblies, L. catta has the lowest reported number of Alu elements, which results predominantly from a lack of AluS and AluY elements. Conclusions: mLemCat1 is an excellent genomic resource not only for the ring-tailed lemur community, but also for other members of the Lemuridae family, and is the first very long read assembly for a strepsirrhine.
Sleep apnea and the risk of dementia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Sleep apnea (SA) is potentially a modifiable risk factor for dementia. However, its associations to specific aetiologies of dementia remain uncertain. A systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies investigating the association between sleep apnea and specific aetiologies of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), vascular dementia (VaD), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) was performed. The use of biomarkers to support clinical diagnoses in eligible studies was collected. Eleven studies were included, comprising 1,333,424 patients. Patients with sleep apnea had an increased risk of developing any type of neurocognitive disorder (HR: 1.43 [95% CI 1.26–1.62]), Alzheimer's disease (HR: 1.28 [95% CI 1.16–1.41]), and Parkinson's disease (HR: 1.54 [95% CI 1.30–1.84]). No statistically significant association was found for vascular dementia. One study reported a two‐fold increased risk for Lewy body dementia (HR: 2.06 [95% CI 1.45–2.91]). No studies investigated the risk for frontotemporal dementia and none of the studies reported results pertaining to biomarkers. Sleep apnea is associated with a significantly increased risk of dementia, particularly for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, but not for vascular dementia. Future studies should look at the impact of sleep apnea on specific dementia biomarkers.
Human dendritic cells in cancer

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells, orchestrating innate and adaptive immunity during infections, autoimmune diseases, and malignancies. Since the discovery of DCs almost 50 years ago, our understanding of their biology in humans has increased substantially. Here, we review both antitumor and tolerogenic DC responses in cancer and discuss lineage-specific contributions by their functionally specialized subsets, including the conventional DC (cDC) subsets cDC1 and cDC2, the newly described DC3, and the plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), focusing on the human setting. In addition, we review the lineage-unrestricted “mature DCs enriched in immunoregulatory molecules” (mregDC) state recently described across different human tumors. Description Recent advances on human dendritic cells have opened new avenues to address their subset-specific and cross-lineage programs in cancer.
Mitral valve repair or replacement. How long is this feud to last?

Choosing to perform mitral valve (MV) repair or replacement remains a hot and highly debated topic. The current guidelines seem to be conflicting in this specific field and the evidence at our disposal are scarce, only one small randomized trial and few larger retrospective studies. The meta‐analysis by Gamal and coworkers tries to summarize the current evidence, concluding that MV replacement for the treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) is at least as safe as repair and certainly offers a more stable result over time than the latter. Obviously, the implantation of a prosthesis, especially a mechanical one, brings with it a series of problems, such as anticoagulation and, above all, a possible lack of ventricular remodeling, especially if a chordal sparing replacement is not performed. It must be said, on the other hand, that isolated annuloplasty cannot act as a counterpart to replacement, because ischemic MR cannot be considered only an annular disease. Therefore, wanting to mimic the nature that, after an infarction, enacts a series of changes involving also the mitral leaflets and chordae, the surgeons are called to act also on these two entities and not only to downsize the annulus. In a nutshell, a procedure should not be opposed in a fundamentalist way to another one, but we must accept the concept of armamentarium where both procedures are present and tail on the single patient, and also on the surgeon's expertize, the technique guaranteeing the best possible result.
Highly Stable Halide‐Electrolyte‐Based All‐Solid‐State Li–Se Batteries

Solid‐state Li–S and Li–Se batteries are promising devices that can address the safety and electrochemical stability issues that arise from liquid‐based systems. However, solid‐state Li–Se/S batteries usually present poor cycling stability due to the high resistance interfaces and decomposition of solid electrolytes caused by their narrow electrochemical stability windows. Here, an integrated solid‐state Li–Se battery based on a halide Li3HoCl6 solid electrolyte with high ionic conductivity is presented. The intrinsic wide electrochemical stability window of the Li3HoCl6 and its stability toward Se and the lithiated species effectively inhibit degeneration of the electrolyte and the Se cathode by suppressing side reactions. The inherent thermodynamic mechanism of the lithiation/delithiation process of the Se cathode in solid is also revealed and confirmed by theoretical calculations. The battery achieves a reversible capacity of 402 mAh g−1 after 750 cycles. The electrochemical performance, thermodynamic lithiation/delithiation mechanism, and stability of metal‐halide‐based Li–Se batteries confer theoretical study and practical applicability that extends to other energy‐storage systems.
Test–Retest Reliability and Translation of the Musculoskeletal Screening Protocol Questionnaire Used in the Swedish Armed Forces

ABSTRACT Introduction Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in military personnel are common, and it is important to identify those at risk so that appropriate preventive and rehabilitative strategies can be undertaken. The Musculoskeletal Screening Protocol (MSP) questionnaire is part of the implemented prevention strategy to reduce MSDs in the Swedish Armed Forces. The aims of this study were to evaluate the questionnaire’s reliability and to translate it into English. Materials and Methods One-week test–retest reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated in a sample of 35 Swedish military personnel. Reliability was evaluated by calculations of Cohen’s kappa or quadratic-weighted kappa. Percent agreement was used as a parameter for measurement error. Translation into English included forward and backward translations and expert committee discussions. Results Kappa values relating to physical complaints/injuries were excellent (>0.75) except for knee and lower leg MSDs and for the intensity ratings, where Kappa values were mostly interpreted as fair-to-good (0.4-0.75). Kappa values of items pertaining physical performance, physical activity and exercise, eating and tobacco habits, sleep, and perceived health ranged between 0.72 and 1. Kappa values for feeling mentally or physical prepared were 0.47 and 0.65, respectively. Most percentage agreement values ranged between 90% and 100%. The English version was found to be satisfactorily equivalent to the Swedish MSP questionnaire. Conclusion The Swedish MSP questionnaire was found to be highly reliable and was satisfactorily translated into English. This provides support for the questionnaire’s ability to trustworthily capture the prevalence of MSDs and perceived health in military personnel. Future research is warranted on the psychometric properties of the English MSP questionnaire.
Development of Communication Skills Through Virtual Reality on Nursing School Students

Multiple studies demonstrate benefits of virtual simulations as recreation of reality in the development of instrumental skills, but few randomized studies prove its efficacy in the development of communication and interpersonal relationships skills. The objective was to develop a virtual reality simulator to improve communication skills and compare its results with a traditional workshop based on cases and theoretical content explained through video. This is a randomized and controlled clinical trial, with a pretest and a posttest. Participants were first-year students from the Faculty of Nursing, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain (n = 100). The sample was divided into two groups: the intervention group (n = 50) was provided a virtual reality simulation teaching process as a novel resource, whereas the control group was provided with a case-based traditional workshop. Because data followed a normal distribution, it was analyzed with Student t test for independent samples, the group sample comparison, and analysis of variance, to find differences among age subgroups. Significant changes were observed at the time of evaluating the skills for the intervention group (P < .01) in comparison with the control group. Both interventions are effective after the first evaluation; however, virtual reality–based intervention stands above the usual method and showed better results in older students.
Establishment of a Method for Investigating Direct and Indirect Actions of Ionizing Radiation Using Scavenger-free Plasmid DNA

In this study, an improved method using scavenger-free plasmid DNA was established to accurately determine yields of DNA damage induced by direct and indirect actions of ionizing radiation. The scavenger-free plasmid DNA was obtained by dialysis over 5–7 days, and the DNA solvent was replaced with phosphate buffer to completely remove impurities, which could be scavengers of radicals produced as a result of water radiolysis. DNA samples of films and dilute aqueous solutions were used to separately evaluate contributions of the direct and indirect actions of X rays (150–160 kVp). The irradiated DNA was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis to quantify strand-break yields. The yields of single-strand breaks (SSBs), n(SSB), were determined to be (6.5 ± 2.0) × 10–10 and (3.1 ± 0.9) × 10–7 SSBs/Gy/Da for the film and solution samples, respectively, showing a significant contribution of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) compared with direct energy depositions from ionizing radiation to DNA. As observed in SSBs, the yields of double-strand breaks (DSBs), n(DSB), were (5.6 ± 1.1) × 10–11 and (1.3 ± 0.2) × 10–8 DSBs/Gy/Da for the film and solution samples, respectively. The yield ratio of DSBs to SSBs, that is, n(DSB)/n(SSB), was 0.091 ± 0.026 for the film samples, while it was much lower for the solution samples (0.045 ± 0.010), indicating that direct actions result in more localized strand breaks relative to indirect actions. Base excision repair enzymes, namely, endonuclease III (Nth) and formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg), were utilized after irradiations to convert base lesions and apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites into strand breaks. The amounts of Nth and Fpg for the conversion were optimized to a few units per µg of DNA, although the optimal concentrations can differ among conditions.
Sperm morphology and testicular histology of the polyandric species Leptodactylus podicipinus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from an urban environment

Anurans have a high reproductive diversity, which is closely associated with testicular dynamics and sperm production. This variety in reproduction is modulated by the sexual characteristics of reproductive strategies, such as polyandry. Leptodactylus podicipinus has high reproductive plasticity, wide geographical distribution, and polyandric behavior. Although aspects of the testes and sperm of this species are known, knowledge about the relationship between these aspects and reproductive investment is scarce. The present study evaluated the morphological characteristics of the testes and sperm in an urban environment. We used 11 sexually mature males from the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The specimens were obtained from night excursions between April and September, the months that constitute the post‐rainy season. The biometric data (snout‐vent length, testes, and body mass) were associated with sperm parameters (length of the spermatozoon head and tail). Stereological analyses of sperm morphology and the testes were performed. The results showed correlations between testis mass and spermatozoon length, which were positively related to head length and negatively related to tail length. The locular area and tail length were also negatively correlated. The percentage of normal spermatozoa was 97%; however, some sperm heads and tails exhibited different morphologies from the pattern described for the species. The germinative structure comprised more than 50% of the locular area composed of spermatozoa. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge of aspects related to the reproductive biology of L. podicipinus obtained from an urban environment.
Treatment for Mild Chronic Hypertension during Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND The benefits and safety of the treatment of mild chronic hypertension (blood pressure, <160/100 mm Hg) during pregnancy are uncertain. Data are needed on whether a strategy of targeting a blood pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg reduces the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes without compromising fetal growth. METHODS In this open-label, multicenter, randomized trial, we assigned pregnant women with mild chronic hypertension and singleton fetuses at a gestational age of less than 23 weeks to receive antihypertensive medications recommended for use in pregnancy (active-treatment group) or to receive no such treatment unless severe hypertension (systolic pressure, ≥160 mm Hg; or diastolic pressure, ≥105 mm Hg) developed (control group). The primary outcome was a composite of preeclampsia with severe features, medically indicated preterm birth at less than 35 weeks' gestation, placental abruption, or fetal or neonatal death. The safety outcome was small-for-gestational-age birth weight below the 10th percentile for gestational age. Secondary outcomes included composites of serious neonatal or maternal complications, preeclampsia, and preterm birth. RESULTS A total of 2408 women were enrolled in the trial. The incidence of a primary-outcome event was lower in the active-treatment group than in the control group (30.2% vs. 37.0%), for an adjusted risk ratio of 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 0.92; P<0.001). The percentage of small-for-gestational-age birth weights below the 10th percentile was 11.2% in the active-treatment group and 10.4% in the control group (adjusted risk ratio, 1.04; 0.82 to 1.31; P = 0.76). The incidence of serious maternal complications was 2.1% and 2.8%, respectively (risk ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.45 to 1.26), and the incidence of severe neonatal complications was 2.0% and 2.6% (risk ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.45 to 1.30). The incidence of any preeclampsia in the two groups was 24.4% and 31.1%, respectively (risk ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.89), and the incidence of preterm birth was 27.5% and 31.4% (risk ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.99). CONCLUSIONS In pregnant women with mild chronic hypertension, a strategy of targeting a blood pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg was associated with better pregnancy outcomes than a strategy of reserving treatment only for severe hypertension, with no increase in the risk of small-for-gestational-age birth weight. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; CHAP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02299414.).