Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Focusing of light by leaf epidermal cells

Leaf epidermal cells from a wide variety of plants focus light to surprisingly high levels. Using image analysis, the concentration and distribution of light was measured after it passed through epidermal cells within peels and epidermal cells attached to palisade cells in partially dissected leaves. In peels taken from Medicago sativa, Zea mays, and Impatiens sp. , light was concentrated 15- to 20-fold by individual epidermal cells. When left attached to the mesophyll, which attenuated focusing by absorption and scattering, light was focused up to 5 times. The position of the focal spot beneath each epidermal cell was affected by the direction at which the light struck the cell. When the light was perpendicular to the leaf surface, individual focal spots fell beneath each epidermal cell. When the incident light was oblique, the focal spot shifted laterally and was positioned closer to the anticlinal cell wall. Focusing was observed when leaves were irradiated with collimated light but not with diffuse light. Focal lengths were relatively independent of wavelength within the visible region of the spectrum and there were only slight differences between focusing of blue vs red light. Epidermal lens properties can affect chlorophyll fluorescence and the photosynthetic performance of leaves. A survey of 47 species collected from a wide variety of habitats indicates that many plants have leaf epidermal cells with lens properties. The ability to measure epidermal focusing makes it possible to examine the adaptive and physiological significance of epidermal lens effects in plants.
Morphological and behavioural characteristics of a gynandromorph of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria

Abstract Morphological and behavioural characteristics are investigated for a gynandromorph of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, appearing under isolated rearing conditions in the laboratory. It has both male and female external reproductive organs bilaterally. The body size and dimensions are similar to a normal male. Morphometric traits (fore wing length/maximum head width ratio and fore wing length/hind femur length ratio) of the gynandromorph are typical for the values of solitarious locusts. When the gynandromorph is placed into an arena holding ten sexually mature gregarious females, it shows a distinct male behaviour: it jumps on a female and tries to mate with her. When kept together with males, males recognize this gynandromorph as a female because some of them try to mount, although no successful copulation is observed. The results suggest that the gynandromorph might have had a female‐specific pheromone. Dissection reveals that the gynandromorph has no testis but abnormal ovaries containing vitellogenic oocytes. These observations indicate that the gynandromorph obtained has a mixture of male and female morphological characteristics and behaves like a male but is recognized as a female by conspecific males.
No Evidence for Reduced Hospital Admissions or Increased Deaths from Stroke or Heart Attack During COVID-19

Claims that hospital admissions for heart attack and stroke have declined over the COVID-19 pandemic have been made in at least 16 newspaper articles in the UK (Table 1). In contrast, data from the West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) have not reported any reduction in call-outs for patients with stroke or ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). 1 However, not all admissions with these diseases arrive via the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department. Furthermore, a study from Italy showed around a 30% reduction in acute coronary syndrome related hospital admission during the COVID-19 crisis.2 We therefore examined admissions to University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which is the UK's largest hospital group and lies within the WMAS footprint.
Determination of Plasmid pSN1216-29 Host Range and the Similarity in Oligonucleotide Composition Between Plasmid and Host Chromosomes

Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA that can be horizontally transferred between different bacterial cells by conjugation. Horizontal gene transfer of plasmids can promote rapid evolution and adaptation of bacteria by imparting various traits involved in antibiotic resistance, virulence, and metabolism to their hosts. The host range of plasmids is an important feature for understanding how they spread in environmental microbial communities. Earlier bioinformatics studies have demonstrated that plasmids are likely to have similar oligonucleotide (k-mer) compositions to their host chromosomes and that evolutionary host ranges of plasmids could be predicted from this similarity. However, there are no complementary studies to assess the consistency between the predicted evolutionary host range and experimentally determined replication/transfer host range of a plasmid. In the present study, the replication/transfer host range of a model plasmid, pSN1216-29, exogenously isolated from cow manure as a newly discovered self-transmissible plasmid, was experimentally determined within microbial communities extracted from soil and cow manure. In silico prediction of evolutionary host range was performed with the pSN1216-29 using its oligonucleotide compositions independently. The results showed that oligonucleotide compositions of the plasmid pSN1216-29 had more similarities to those of hosts (transconjugants genera) than those of non-hosts (other genera). These findings can contribute to the understanding of how plasmids behave in microbial communities, and aid in the designing of appropriate plasmid vectors for different bacteria.
Cathelicidins Modulate TLR-Activation and Inflammation

Cathelicidins are short cationic peptides that are part of the innate immune system. At first, these peptides were studied mostly for their direct antimicrobial killing capacity, but nowadays they are more and more appreciated for their immunomodulatory functions. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the various effects cathelicidins have on the detection of damage- and microbe-associated molecular patterns, with a special focus on their effects on Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation. We review the available literature based on TLR ligand types, which can roughly be divided into lipidic ligands, such as LPS and lipoproteins, and nucleic-acid ligands, such as RNA and DNA. For both ligand types, we describe how direct cathelicidin-ligand interactions influence TLR activation, by for instance altering ligand stability, cellular uptake and receptor interaction. In addition, we will review the more indirect mechanisms by which cathelicidins affect downstream TLR-signaling. To place all this information in a broader context, we discuss how these cathelicidin-mediated effects can have an impact on how the host responds to infectious organisms as well as how these effects play a role in the exacerbation of inflammation in auto-immune diseases. Finally, we discuss how these immunomodulatory activities can be exploited in vaccine development and cancer therapies.
Glycemia and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Exploring the Gap Between Risk Marker and Risk Factor

There is consistent, unequivocal and reproducible epidemiological evidence derived from diverse populations that various indices of glycemia (fasting plasma glucose, post-prandial or post oral glucose challenge plasma glucose, HbA1c) are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), even in the prediabetic state. Furthermore, there is abundant experimental evidence demonstrating that hyperglycemia per se accelerates and aggravates the atherosclerotic process, providing biological plausibility to the concept that hyperglycemia is causally related or a true risk factor for ASCVD. Two studies in particular, DCCT and UKPDS, that enrolled a younger cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes or an older cohort with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, respectively, showed trends toward a reduction in ASCVD. The reductions in ASCVD reached statistical significance only after prolonged follow up, and when differences in HbA1c were no longer maintained (referred to by some as a “legacy effect”). More recent studies in those with established type 2 diabetes, in which glycemic control was improved by a variety of strategies, failed to demonstrate reductions in ASCVD. The gap in evidence supporting hyperglycemia as a true causative risk factor for ASCVD or simply a risk marker for some other confounding causative factor is discussed in this review. We conclude that hyperglycemia does appear to be at least partially causative of ASCVD (i.e., an ASCVD risk factor). We discuss how this evidence can be incorporated into an overall therapeutic strategy to prevent ASCVD in those with prediabetes and established diabetes.
Seasonal and Spatial Variation in Growth and Abundance of Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in a Recently Invaded Artificial Lake: Implications for Management

The control of the highly invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) has been flagged as a priority but success has been variable. A better understanding of the growth and drivers of settlement of zebra mussel is necessary for a more efficient management of this invasive species, but seasonal data are still relatively scant. We monitored the seasonal changes in settlement rates, density, and growth of zebra mussel in artificial substrates over 1 year in Cardiff Bay (United Kingdom), an artificial amenity lake invaded by zebra mussels in 2004, where the species is rapidly expanding. Mean settlement rates varied from 4,200 to 6,200 mussel m–2 over June to September mirroring changes in water temperature, and peaked at 17,960 mussels m–2, the highest density reported in Britain. Density was highest at the deepest panels (3 m). Growth varied significantly among sampling stations, taking place during the summer and ceasing during winter and spring. Mixture analysis reveals the existence of multiple cohorts displaying different growth and settlement rates that follow different density dependent mechanisms, being positive density-dependent at low densities, and negative density-dependent at high densities. We suggest this creates the conditions necessary for source and sink metapopulations to develop which may need to be considered in management. Targeting mussels for removal in deep waters during the summer and early autumn might prove beneficial, but the existence of contrasting density-dependent mechanisms suggests that removal may be beneficial or counterproductive depending on local conditions.
Radiation-Induced Chemistry of Carbon Dioxide: A Pathway to Close the Carbon Loop for a Circular Economy

Recent advances in modular nuclear reactors could facilitate the use of irradiation to produce fuels and chemicals using anthropogenic CO2. One of the challenges in CO2 conversion reactions is the stability or low reactivity of CO2. Chemical activation of CO2 via thermochemical or electrochemical approaches contributes to the high energy intensity of CO2 conversion reactions. Activation of the CO2 molecule via irradiation at significantly lower temperatures may now allow us to use heterogeneous CO2-bearing waste gas streams and low-carbon emitting nuclear energy resources to produce high value chemicals and fuels in a distributed manner. In this paper, we review the radiolytic behavior of CO2 and particularly, irradiation pathways relevant for producing fuels and chemicals using CO2, technological advances and research directions for advancing radiolytic conversion of CO2 to chemicals and fuels.
A Prioritized Inventory of Crop Wild Relatives and Wild Harvested Plants of Italy

The aim of this study was to construct a solid basis for developing a crop wild relatives (CWR) and wild harvested plants (WHP) conservation strategy at the European and national levels. To this end we (i) worked out an annotated and synonymized Working Database of the Italian Vascular Plants, (ii) worked out a full CWR-WHP checklist for Italy, (iii) worked out a prioritized CWR and WHP inventory, (iv) identified native taxa with an ascertained utility for breeding, and (v) on the basis of a gap analysis case study on two Brassica taxa, outlined the first steps to be taken immediately to develop their in situ and ex situ conservation strategy. The Working Database of the Italian Vascular Plants includes a total of 11,710 taxa. Of those, 92.0% form the CWR-WHP checklist. On the basis of the importance of the related crops, their status, and their need of protection and/or monitoring, 1118 taxa were prioritized. Of these, 129 taxa deserve the highest priority in planning a conservation strategy, including 16 that currently have a practical use in breeding. The case study showed that little is still known about relic CWR populations and that not all of them are adequately protected in situ and ex situ. Since information on their abundance, location, distribution, ecological conditions, census, and current conservation is lacking, initiatives should be put into action immediately for developing a national and European conservation strategy.
Efficacy of the Whole-Body Cryotherapy as Add-on Therapy to Pharmacological Treatment of Depression—A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction Accumulating evidence indicates the effectiveness of cryogenic temperature interventions in rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and chronic low back pain. The application of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) in psychiatric aspects of medicine was also noted. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms explaining the beneficial effect of WBC on mood disorders remain unclear. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of repetitive short exposure to extremely low temperatures (WBC) on mood, quality of life as well as on biochemical measures among people diagnosed with depressive episode undergoing pharmacological treatment. Materials and Methods Prospective randomized, double-blind sham-controlled protocol was used. The study enrolled 92 medically stable adults (aged 20–73 years) with a diagnosis of a depressive episode. The participants were randomly allocated and exposed to 10 whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) sessions (−110°C till −160°C [the experimental group (EG)] or to low, but not cryogenic temperatures −50°C [the control group (CG)]. Thirty participants in the EG and 26 in CG completed the whole study. The primary outcome measures were depressive symptoms evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) as well as the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D 17). The quality of life, quality of sexual life, acceptance of the disease and self-reported mood, vitality, and sleep quality were assessed as secondary outcome measures. The study was registered at Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619001600134). Results The results show evidence for a statistically significant difference in the clinical assessment of depressive symptoms according to HAM-D 17 scale (T4 by group interaction p=0.02), BDI-II (T2 time by group interaction p=0.01), cognitive-affective BDI dimension (T4 by group interaction p=0.00), and somatic BDI dimension (T4 by group interaction p=0.028). Significant improvement was also noticed in life quality (p < 0.05), self-assessed mood (p=0.035), and disease acceptance (p=0.007). There were no statistically significant changes related to sexual satisfaction, self-assessed vitality, and sleep (p > 0.05). Conclusions Whole-body cryotherapy is a useful method to improve standard pharmacological treatment. The WBC intervention reduces mental health deterioration, especially in mood disorders, such as depression, and can be beneficial for well-being and quality of life.
Using Cellular Automata to Simulate Domain Evolution in Proteins

Proteins play primary roles in important biological processes such as catalysis, physiological functions, and immune system functions. Thus, the research on how proteins evolved has been a nuclear question in the field of evolutionary biology. General models of protein evolution help to determine the baseline expectations for evolution of sequences, and these models have been extensively useful in sequence analysis as well as for the computer simulation of artificial sequence data sets. We have developed a new method of simulating multi-domain protein evolution, including fusions of domains, insertion, and deletion. It has been observed via the simulation test that the success rates achieved by the proposed predictor are remarkably high. For the convenience of the most experimental scientists, a user-friendly web server has been established at http://jci-bioinfo.cn/domainevo, by which users can easily get their desired results without having to go through the detailed mathematics. Through the simulation results of this website, users can predict the evolution trend of the protein domain architecture.
The Changing Disturbance Regime in Eastern Canadian Mixed Forests During the 20th Century

How strong was the anthropogenic imprint in the disturbance regime of eastern Canadian mixed forests during the 20th century? And how did it alter the tree species composition? To answer these questions, we reconstructed the 20th century anthropogenic disturbance regime and analyzed its impact on modern forest composition using historical and modern forest inventory and map data. Between 1895 and 2005, an equivalent of 144% of the study area has been logged and 19% burned. The logging rotation period has shortened from 152 years in 1895–1935 to 47 years in 1965–2005, due to increased industrial capacity. The fire rotation period decreased from 1668 years in 1895–1925 to 200 years during the peak of human settlement (1925–1955), and then increased to 2925 years in 1955–2005. The geographical progression of anthropogenic disturbances in the landscape has reflected the socio-economic context. During the 20th century, logging moved inland from the margins of the main water courses, reflecting the shift in wood transport from log driving on rivers to the densification of the road network in the second half of the 20th century. Most fires were located at low altitude, close to private lands suggesting ignitions from anthropogenic origins. Fire prone species (poplars) are mostly found within burned areas. Despite these disturbances, forest composition remained relatively stable, suggesting resilience of regional forest ecosystems.
Pro-angiogenic Activity Discriminates Human Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells From Retinal Pericytes: Considerations for Cell-Based Therapy of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a frequent diabetes-associated complication. Pericyte dropout can cause increased vascular permeability and contribute to vascular occlusion. Adipose-derived stromal cells (ASC) have been suggested to replace pericytes and restore microvascular support as potential therapy of DR. In models of DR, ASC not only generated a cytoprotective and reparative environment by the secretion of trophic factors but also engrafted and integrated into the retina in a pericyte-like fashion. The aim of this study was to compare the pro-angiogenic features of human ASC and human retinal microvascular pericytes (HRMVPC) in vitro. The proliferation and the expression of ASC and HRMVPC markers were compared. Adhesion to high glucose-conditioned endothelial extracellular matrix, mimicking the diabetic microenvironment, was measured. The angiogenesis-promoting features of both cell types and their conditioned media on human retinal endothelial cells (EC) were assessed. To identify a molecular basis for the observed differences, gene expression profiling was performed using whole-genome microarrays, and data were validated using PCR arrays and flow cytometry. Based on multiplex cytokine results, functional studies on selected growth factors were performed to assess their role in angiogenic support. Despite a distinct heterogeneity in ASC and HRMVPC cultures with an overlap of expressed markers, ASC differed functionally from HRMVPC. Most importantly, the pro-angiogenic activity was solely featured by ASC, whereas HRMVPC actively suppressed vascular network formation. HRMVPC, in contrast to ASC, showed impaired adhesion and proliferation on the high glucose-conditioned endothelial extracellular matrix. These data were supported by gene expression profiles with differentially expressed genes. The vessel-stabilizing factors were more highly expressed in HRMVPC, and the angiogenesis-promoting factors were more highly expressed in ASC. The vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 inhibition efficiently abolished the ASC angiogenic supportive capacities, whereas the addition of angiopoietin-1 and angiopoietin-2 did not alter these effects. Our results clearly show that ASC are pro-angiogenic, whereas HRMVPC are marked by anti-angiogenic/EC-stabilizing features. These data support ASC as pericyte replacement in DR but also suggest a careful risk-to-benefit analysis to take full advantage of the ASC therapeutic features.
Governance Arrangements for the Scaling Up of Small-Scale Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Systems – Lessons From India

Environmental pollution and increasing water scarcity are key features of the urban landscape of India today. The extension of centralized sewerage networks cannot keep up with city growth, and alternative sanitation systems are needed for citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS). The government of India mandated larger buildings to be equipped with small-scale wastewater treatment plants (SSTP). This resulted in the emergence of a large number of technology and service providers, and in the implementation of thousands of private SSTPs. However, this quick scaling up was not accompanied by the development of appropriate governance arrangements. As a result, a significant proportion of SSTPs underperform and do not meet the effluent standards. Through a systematic analysis of governance arrangements around SSTPs, this contribution analyses the scaling up process of small-scale wastewater management and reuse at building level in India, in particular in the state of Karnataka and the city of Bengaluru. This paper identifies the gaps in this multi-level, polycentric governance framework and investigates which arrangements are needed to enable the performance of SSTPs on the ground and to create the necessary synergies between the relevant governmental agencies, the private sector and civil society. The scaling up of SSTPs in India mainly followed a market governance approach within a governance environment that is traditionally very hierarchical. The authors argue that hybrid governance arrangements, blending hierarchical, market and network governance are needed to foster market regulation and stakeholder coordination, and increase the performance of the sector. They conclude that an efficient governance of SSS requires the creation of dedicated SSS units at state and city level, and the development of an online platform collating all databases, streamlining and supporting processes from establishment to monitoring, and allowing meaningful collaboration between stakeholders. Through the case study of India, this paper contributes to understand the governance arrangements necessary for the successful scaling up of decentralized sanitation systems, and how to fulfill the potential of alternative solutions for sustainable urban water management. It contributes to governance studies by substantiating the concept of hybrid governance approach and proposing concrete measures to make it work for such distributed systems.