Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Pilot Study on Efficacy of Lipid Bubbles for Theranostics in Dogs with Tumors

The combined administration of microbubbles and ultrasound (US) is a promising strategy for theranostics, i.e., a combination of therapeutics and diagnostics. Lipid bubbles (LBs), which are experimental theranostic microbubbles, have demonstrated efficacy in vitro and in vivo for both contrast imaging and drug delivery in combination with US irradiation. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of LBs in combination with US in large animals, we performed a series of experiments, including clinical studies in dogs. First, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography using LBs (LB-CEUS) was performed on the livers of six healthy Beagles. The hepatic portal vein and liver tissue were enhanced; no adverse reactions were observed. Second, LB-CEUS was applied clinically to 21 dogs with focal liver lesions. The sensitivity and specificity were 100.0% and 83.3%, respectively. These results suggested that LB-CEUS could be used safely for diagnosis, with high accuracy. Finally, LBs were administered in combination with therapeutic US to three dogs with an anatomically unresectable solid tumor in the perianal and cervical region to determine the enhancement of the chemotherapeutic effect of liposomal doxorubicin; a notable reduction in tumor volume was observed. These findings indicate that LBs have potential for both therapeutic and diagnostic applications in dogs in combination with US irradiation.
Growth and Maturity of the Japanese Rat Snake, Elaphe climacophora (Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae)

During the period 1954 through 1969, studying growth of snakes in the field with a mark and recapture method, I marked 110 Japanese rat snake, Elaphe climacophora (Boie); 34 were recaptured one to six times, with a total of 60 recaptures. However, no hatchlings were recaptured. Growth records of captive snakes from hatchlings up to maturity have been accumulated and growth curves calculated. Growth in total length from 40cm at hatching, to 46 cm at 3 months, at the end of the first growing season before entering the first hibernation; 75cm aat 15 months; 120 cm at 27 months; and 140 cm at 39 months. Both sexes reach maturity in May of the fourth spring at the age of 3 years and 8 months, and the female lays her first eggs in July of the same year at 3 years and 10 months. The snake attains 180 cm in total length at the age of 10 years.
#Coronavirus: Monitoring the Belgian Twitter Discourse on the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic

In this study, a social media analysis is conducted to examine the public discourse about the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on Twitter. In particular, this study aims to examine (a) how the number of tweets varies as a function of the timeline of the pandemic and associated measures and (b) how the content of these tweets, including displayed emotions, changes. Therefore, 373,908 tweets and retweets from Belgium were collected from February 25, 2020 to the March 30. Time series analysis, network bigrams, topic models, and emotional lexica were deployed for analysis. The results showed that significant events related to the virus correlated with an immediate increase in the number of tweets addressing them. Furthermore, the Belgian Twitter discourse was characterized by positively connoted words, which also refer to European solidarity. These findings do not only stress the relevance of Twitter as a medium for public discourse during lockdowns, but also seem to indicate that the Belgian public supports policy measures that respect solidarity in Europe.
Properdin Modulates Complement Component Production in Stressed Human Primary Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) maintains visual function and preserves structural integrity of the retina. Chronic dysfunction of the RPE is associated with retinal degeneration, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The AMD pathogenesis includes both increased oxidative stress and complement dysregulation. Physiological sources of oxidative stress in the retina are well known, while complement sources and regulation are still under debate. Using human primary RPE (hpRPE) cells, we have established a model to investigate complement component expression on transcript and protein level in AMD-risk and non-risk hpRPE cells. We evaluated the effect of properdin, a complement stabilizer, on the hpRPE cell-dependent complement profile exposed to oxidative stress. hpRPE cells expressed complement components, receptors and regulators. Complement proteins were also stored and secreted by hpRPE cells. We associated AMD-risk single nucleotide polymorphisms with an increased secretion of complement factors D (CFD) and I (CFI). Furthermore, we detected hpRPE cell-associated complement activation products (C3a, C5a) independent of any extracellularly added complement system. Exogenous properdin increased the mRNA expression of CFI and CFD, but decreased levels of complement components (C1Q, C3), receptors (C3AR, C5AR1, CD11B) and inflammation-associated transcripts (NLRP3, IL1B) in hpRPE cells exposed to oxidative stress. This properdin effect was time-dependently counter regulated. In conclusion, our data unveiled a local, genotype-associated complement component production in hpRPE cells, regulated by exogenous properdin. The local complement production and activation via blood-independent mechanisms can be a new therapeutic target for AMD.
Sex Determination in Turtles: Diverse Patterns and Some Possible Adaptive Values

New data on the genders of young turtles from eggs incubated at controlled temperatures demonstrate temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in 17 species surveyed for the first time and corroborate TSD in another 11 species. The well-known pattern of males from cool temperatures and females from warm ones (=Pattern Ia) occurs in eight species and may occur in seven more. A pattern of cool females, intermediate males, and warm females (=Pattern II) occurs in ten species. Data on three species surveyed for the first time are compatible with genetic sex determination (GSD). Within Clemmys, C. guttata has TSD; C. insculpta, GSD. Comparisons among phylogenetic sister groups suggest at least four independent losses of TSD in turtles. Large variation in extent of sexual differentiation at hatching among TSD species vs GSD species obscures any evidence that either system provides earlier or more complete differentiation. Pattern Ia occurs mainly in species in which adult females average larger than adult males; Pattern II occurs mainly in species with females smaller than males or in which body size is not dimorphic. Among TSD reptiles generally, the smaller gender typically arises at the coolest incubation temperatures. The new data, together with a literature survey, invite four possible explanations for various aspects of sex determination in reptiles: phylogenetic inertia, temperature-dependent differential fitness, sib-avoidance, and group-structured adaptation in sex ratios. Key demographic features from the literature include a high incidence of unisexuality within clutches and a predominance of female biases in sex ratios of hatchlings but not in those of adults. Each of these explanations remains partly but not fully plausible. Explanations for the patterns of sex determination may ultimately require a combination of hypotheses.
N-Terminus Does Not Govern Protein Turnover of Schizosaccharomyces pombe CENP-A

Centromere integrity underlies an essential framework for precise chromosome segregation and epigenetic inheritance. Although centromeric DNA sequences vary among different organisms, all eukaryotic centromeres comprise a centromere-specific histone H3 variant, centromeric protein A (CENP-A), on which other centromeric proteins assemble into the kinetochore complex. This complex connects chromosomes to mitotic spindle microtubules to ensure accurate partitioning of the genome into daughter cells. Overexpression of CENP-A is associated with many cancers and is correlated with its mistargeting, forming extra-centromeric kinetochore structures. The mislocalization of CENP-A can be counteracted by proteolysis. The amino (N)-terminal domain (NTD) of CENP-A has been implicated in this regulation and shown to be dependent on the proline residues within this domain in Saccharomyces cerevisiae CENP-A, Cse4. We recently identified a proline-rich GRANT motif in the NTD of Schizosaccharomyces pombe CENP-A (SpCENP-A) that regulates the centromeric targeting of CENP-A via binding to the CENP-A chaperone Sim3. Here, we investigated whether the NTD is required to confer SpCENP-A turnover (i.e., counter stability) using various truncation mutants of SpCENP-A. We show that sequential truncation of the NTD did not improve the stability of the protein, indicating that the NTD of SpCENP-A does not drive turnover of the protein. Instead, we reproduced previous observations that heterochromatin integrity is important for SpCENP-A stability, and showed that this occurs in an NTD-independent manner. Cells bearing the null mutant of the histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferase Clr4 (Δclr4), which have compromised constitutive heterochromatin integrity, showed reductions in the proportion of SpCENP-A in the chromatin-containing insoluble fraction of the cell extract, suggesting that heterochromatin may promote SpCENP-A chromatin incorporation. Thus, a disruption in heterochromatin may result in the delocalization of SpCENP-A from chromatin, thus exposing it to protein turnover. Taken together, we show that the NTD is not required to confer SpCENP-A protein turnover.
Dexmedetomidine-induced deep sedation mimics non-rapid eye movement stage 3 sleep: large-scale validation using machine learning

Abstract Study Objectives Dexmedetomidine-induced electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns during deep sedation are comparable with natural sleep patterns. Using large-scale EEG recordings and machine learning techniques, we investigated whether dexmedetomidine-induced deep sedation indeed mimics natural sleep patterns. Methods We used EEG recordings from three sources in this study: 8,707 overnight sleep EEG and 30 dexmedetomidine clinical trial EEG. Dexmedetomidine-induced sedation levels were assessed using the Modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (MOAA/S) score. We extracted 22 spectral features from each EEG recording using a multitaper spectral estimation method. Elastic-net regularization method was used for feature selection. We compared the performance of several machine learning algorithms (logistic regression, support vector machine, and random forest), trained on individual sleep stages, to predict different levels of the MOAA/S sedation state. Results The random forest algorithm trained on non-rapid eye movement stage 3 (N3) predicted dexmedetomidine-induced deep sedation (MOAA/S = 0) with area under the receiver operator characteristics curve >0.8 outperforming other machine learning models. Power in the delta band (0–4 Hz) was selected as an important feature for prediction in addition to power in theta (4–8 Hz) and beta (16–30 Hz) bands. Conclusions Using a large-scale EEG data-driven approach and machine learning framework, we show that dexmedetomidine-induced deep sedation state mimics N3 sleep EEG patterns. Clinical Trials Name—Pharmacodynamic Interaction of REMI and DMED (PIRAD), URL—https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03143972, and registration—NCT03143972.
Beneficial rhizobacteria Pseudomonas simiae WCS417 induces major transcriptional changes in plant sugar transport.

Plants live in close relationships with complex populations of microorganisms, including rhizobacteria species commonly referred to as Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR). PGPR are able to confer to plants an improved productivity but the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remain largely unknown. Using an in vitro experimental system, the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and the well characterized PGPR strain Pseudomonas simiae WCS417, we have carried out a comprehensive set of phenotypic and gene expression analyses. Our results show PsWCS417 induces major transcriptional changes in sugar transport and in other key biological processes linked to plant growth, development and defense. Notably, we identified a set of 13 genes of the SWEET and ERD6-like sugar transporter gene families whose expression is up- or down-regulated in response to the seedling root inoculation with the PGPR or exposure to its volatile compounds. Using a reverse genetic approach, we demonstrate that SWEET11 and SWEET12 are functionally involved in the interaction and its plant growth promoting effects, possibly by controlling the amount of sugar transported from the shoot to the root and to the PGPR. Altogether, our study reveals PGPR-induced benefical effects on plant growth and development are associated with changes in plant sugar transport.
Pharmacologic ciliary body ablation for chronic glaucoma in dogs: A retrospective review of 108 eyes from 2013 to 2018.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the long-term outcome and efficacy of intravitreal injection of gentamicin and dexamethasone sodium phosphate (IVGD) or triamcinolone in end-stage glaucoma patients and determine pre-procedure prognostic indicators of success and post-operative complications. PROCEDURE Medical records were reviewed for 108 dogs (108 eyes) treated with intravitreal gentamicin with or without dexamethasone sodium phosphate or triamcinolone for glaucoma between 2013 and 2018 with 3 months of minimum follow-up. Signalment and clinical findings, including type of glaucoma, pre-procedure intraocular pressure (IOP), chronicity, procedure protocol, and outcome were recorded. Success was defined as an intraocular pressure of ≤25 mm Hg at the time of last re-examination or no ocular hypotensive medications at 3 months or longer post-injection. RESULTS The overall success rate for pharmacologic ablation was 95%. The success rate for dogs receiving no ocular hypotensive medications was 86%. Seventy-six eyes (70.4%) had primary glaucoma, and 32 eyes (29.6%) had secondary glaucoma. Age at the time of injection had no effect on initial success but did in final success (P =-.03) for dogs requiring repeat injections. Cocker Spaniels required the most repeat 2nd and 3rd injections (3/12 dogs) and (2/4 dogs), respectively. No preoperative variable significantly affected the success rate. The most common complications were phthisis bulbi (59.2%), corneal edema (25.9%), and ulcerative keratitis (22.3%). Uncontrolled IOP resulted in enucleation in two dogs (1.8%). CONCLUSIONS Pharmacologic ablation has a high overall success rate in lowering IOP to ≤25 mm Hg short-term in blind, glaucomatous canine eyes. Type of glaucoma, pre-procedure IOP, chronicity, and protocol did not affect success.
Tensile Strength and Moisture Absorption of Sugar Palm-Polyvinyl Butyral Laminated Composites

Natural fiber reinforced composites have had a great impact on the development of eco-friendly industrial products for several engineering applications. Sugar palm fiber (SPF) is one of the newly found natural fibers with limited experimental investigation. In the present work, sugar palm fiber was employed as the natural fiber reinforcement. The composites were hot compressed with polyvinyl butyral (PVB) to form the structure of laminated composites and then were subjected to tensile testing and moisture absorption. The maximum modulus and tensile strength of 0.84 MPa and 1.59 MPa were registered for samples PVB 80-S and PVB 70-S, respectively. Subsequently, the latter exhibited the highest tensile strain at a maximum load of 356.91%. The moisture absorption test revealed that the samples exhibited better water resistance as the proportion of PVB increased relative to the proportion of SPF due to the remarkable hydrophobic property of PVB in comparison with that of SPF.
City lockdown and nationwide intensive community screening are effective in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic: Analysis based on a modified SIR model

Background In December 2019, an outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic occurred in Wuhan, China and infection spread rapidly around the world. To limit the rapid spread locally and nationwide, the Chinese government locked down Wuhan city on January 23 and began implementing nationwide intensive community screening on February 16. Method To assess the effectiveness of city lockdown and intensive community screening, we built a modified SIR model by introducing an α value into the classic SIR model. The α value represents the proportion of infected individuals who are not effectively isolated from susceptible individuals at a given time point. Results The accuracy of the modified SIR model was validated using data from Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces. The lockdown of Wuhan city substantially reduced the α value for the rest of China excluding Hubei province, while only slightly reducing the α value for the city itself. Intensive community screening rapidly reduced the α value for Wuhan. Conclusion City lockdown was efficient in controlling the spread of the epidemic from Wuhan to the rest of the country. Nationwide intensive community screening was extremely effective in suppressing the spread locally within Wuhan city. These experiences should urgently be shared with other countries to help halt the progressing worldwide pandemic.
Species Richness Patterns of New World Desert Grasshoppers in Relation to Plant Diversity

The numbers of grasshopper species in North and South American deserts are compared. The Sonoran Desert of Arizona has a significantly richer fauna than the floristically similar Monte Desert of Argentina. Recruitment of species through immigration and colonization may be greater in North America where the deserts have richer source areas. Niche space differentes do not adequately account for the different diversities. South American deserts may also have fewer species because they were more strongly affected by Pleistocene events than their North American counterparts. Evidence that North American deserts are older is also discussed.
Nonlinear Model-Based Inferential Control of Moisture Content of Spray Dried Coconut Milk

The moisture content of a powder is a parameter crucial to be controlled in order to produce stable products with a long shelf life. Inferential control is the best solution to control the moisture content due to difficulty in measuring this variable online. In this study, fundamental and empirical approaches were used in designing the nonlinear model-based inferential control of moisture content of coconut milk powder that was produced from co-current spray dryer. A one-dimensional model with integration of reaction engineering approach (REA) model was used to represent the dynamic of the spray drying process. The empirical approach, i.e., nonlinear autoregressive with exogenous input (NARX) and neural network, was used to allow fast and accurate prediction of output response in inferential control. Minimal offset (<0.0003 kg/kg) of the responses at various set points indicate high accuracy of the neural network estimator. The nonlinear model-based inferential control was able to provide stable control response at wider process operating conditions and acceptable disturbance rejection. Nevertheless, the performance of the controller depends on the tuning rules used.
Composites with Natural Fibers and Conventional Materials Applied in a Hard Armor: A Comparison

Natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites have recently drawn attention as new materials for ballistic armor due to sustainability benefits and lower cost as compared to conventional synthetic fibers, such as aramid and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). In the present work, a comparison was carried out between the ballistic performance of UHMWPE composite, commercially known as Dyneema, and epoxy composite reinforced with 30 vol % natural fibers extracted from pineapple leaves (PALF) in a hard armor system. This hard armor system aims to provide additional protection to conventional level IIIA ballistic armor vests, made with Kevlar, by introducing the PALF composite plate, effectively changing the ballistic armor into level III. This level of protection allows the ballistic armor to be safely subjected to higher impact projectiles, such as 7.62 mm caliber rifle ammunition. The results indicate that a hard armor with a ceramic front followed by the PALF/epoxy composite meets the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) international standard for level III protection and performs comparably to that of the Dyneema plate, commonly used in armor vests.
IL-21 Promotes Intestinal Memory IgA Responses

Key Points Th17 cells promote intestinal memory IgA+ B cell development and IgA response. IL-21 is critical in regulating intestinal memory IgA+ B cell development. The role of IL-21, produced mainly by Th17 cells and T follicular helper cells, has been intensively investigated in B cell differentiation and Ab class switch. However, how IL-21 regulates memory IgA+ B cell development and memory IgA responses in the intestines is still not completely understood. In this study, we found the total IgA+ B cells as well as CD38+CD138−IgA+ memory B cells were significantly increased in intestinal lamina propria (LP) of TCRβxδ−/− mice after transfer of microbiota Ag-specific Th17 cells but not Th1 cells. Although IL-21R−/− mice or IL-17R−/− mice showed decreased Ag-specific memory IgA production in the intestines upon infection with Citrobacter rodentium, the percentage of IgA+CD38+CD138- memory B cells in Peyer’s patches and LP was decreased only in IL-21R−/− mice, but not in IL-17R−/− mice, after reinfection with C. rodentium compared with wild-type mice. Blockade IL-21 in vivo suppressed intestinal C. rodentium–specific IgA production as well as IgA+CD38+CD138− memory B cells in Peyer’s patches and LP. Furthermore, IL-21 significantly induced B cell IgA production in vitro, with the increased expression of genes related with class-switching and memory B cell development, including Aicda, Ski, Bmi1, and Klf2. Consistently, Aicda and Ski expression was decreased in B cells of IL-21R−/− mice after C. rodentium reinfection. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that IL-21 promotes intestinal memory IgA B cell development, possibly through upregulating differentiation-related and class switching–related genes, indicating a potential role of IL-21 in memory IgA+ B cell responses in the intestines.