Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The associations of blood pressure parameters with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients: a cohort study in China

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Background: It remains controversial to claim blood pressure (BP) as a leading risk factor for high risk of death in peritoneal dialysis patients, and less is known about the relationship between BP and mortality in Chinese peritoneal dialysis patients. Methods: From Zhejiang Renal Data System in China, we collected data on patients treated and followed up at 98 peritoneal dialysis centres from 2008 to 2016. The associations of BP parameters [SBP, DBP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP)] with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were examined. We fitted Cox models for mortality with penalized splines using nonparametric smoothers. Several sensitivity analyses were performed to confirm the robustness of our primary findings. Results: A total of 7335 Chinese peritoneal dialysis patients were included. During a median follow-up of 35.8 months, 1281 (17.5%) patients died. SBP, DBP, MAP follow a U-shaped pattern of both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. PP presents a reverse L-shaped association with all-cause mortality. Either a higher (SBP >141, DBP >85 or MAP >102 mmHg) or lower (SBP <119, DBP <67 or MAP <88 mmHg) BP tends to have a significantly higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk. Higher PP (>60 mmHg) is related to a higher risk of all-cause mortality, but not cardiovascular mortality. These associations remain the same in our competing risk analysis and subgroup analyses. Conclusion: These data indicate U-shaped associations of SBP, DBP and MAP with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, and a reverse L-shaped association of PP with all-cause mortality. Further studies are needed to reliably establish the optimal BP targets for better hypertension control in peritoneal dialysis patients.
Faster and more specific: ESIPT-based dyes for high-fidelity dynamic imaging of lipid droplets within cells and tissues.

Lipid droplets (LDs), a type of dynamic organelles residing at the centre of cellular lipid storage, have been identified to play important roles in multiple biological processes, metabolic disorders, and diseases. The highly dynamic characters of LDs were found to correspond to their physiological and pathological functions. Hence, the fluorescent probes which enable dy-namic tracking of LDs should be very helpful for better understanding the mechanisms of LDs involved biological processes and diseases. Herein we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first class of ESIPT fluorescence dyes (Flp-(11-13, 19)) for dynamic imaging of LDs based on 3-hydroxyflavone (3HF) derivatives. Flp-(11-13, 19) display strong fluorescence from yellow to NIR in lipid but exhibit almost non-fluorescence in aqueous solution. Besides, they also show large Stokes Shifts (>150 nm), narrow absorption and emission peaks and good oil-water separation efficiency, which makes them specifically target and stain LDs with very low background noisy in both living cells and fixed cells. They stain intracellular LDs quite quickly (within 30 seconds) with very low dosage (as low as 500 nM). Benefited from these advantages, Flp-(11-13, 19) are applied successfully in tracking the dynamic nature of LDs and accumulation of LDs in both aqueous solution and living cells, 3D imaging of LDs for visualization of their repartition with-in the cells and visualizing LDs in tissues of diseases mice models including adipose, skeletal muscle and fatty liver tissues, underscoring the potential utility of these dyes in both LDs biology research and medical diagnosis of LDs involved diseases.
Complete Genome Sequence of a 2019 Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Strain Causing a COVID-19 Case in Morocco

Here, we report a complete genome sequence obtained for a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain isolated from a nasopharyngeal swab specimen of a Moroccan patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). ABSTRACT Here, we report a complete genome sequence obtained for a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain isolated from a nasopharyngeal swab specimen of a Moroccan patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Short Communication Iron reduction by psychrotrophic enrichment cultures

Psychrotrophic (6 20‡C) enrichment cultures from deep Pacific marine sediments and Alaskan tundra permafrost reduced ferric iron when using organic acids or H2 as electron donors. The representative culture W3-7 from the Pacific sediments grew fastest at 10‡C, which was 5-fold faster than at 25‡C and more than 40-fold faster than at 4‡C. Fe(III) reduction was also the fastest at 10‡C, which was 2-fold faster than at 25‡C and 12-fold faster than at 4‡C. Overall, about 80% of the enrichment cultures exhibited microbial Fe(III) reduction under psychrotrophic conditions. These results indicated that microbial iron reduction is likely widespread in cold natural environments and may play important roles in cycling of iron and organic matter over geological times. fl 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Protective Immunosurveillance and Therapeutic Antitumor Activity of γδ T Cells Demonstrated in a Mouse Model of Prostate Cancer1

In contrast to Ag-specific αβ T cells, γδ T cells can kill malignantly transformed cells in a manner that does not require the recognition of tumor-specific Ags. Although such observations have contributed to the emerging view that γδ T cells provide protective innate immunosurveillance against certain malignancies, particularly those of epithelial origin, they also provide a rationale for developing novel clinical approaches to exploit the innate antitumor properties of γδ T cells for the treatment of cancer. Using TRAMP, a transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer, proof-of-concept studies were performed to first establish that γδ T cells can indeed provide protective immunosurveillance against spontaneously arising mouse prostate cancer. TRAMP mice, which predictably develop prostate adenocarcinoma, were backcrossed with γδ T cell-deficient mice (TCRδ−/− mice) yielding TRAMP × TCRδ−/− mice, a proportion of which developed more extensive disease compared with control TRAMP mice. By extension, these findings were then used as a rationale for developing an adoptive immunotherapy model for treating prostate cancer. Using TRAMP-C2 cells derived from TRAMP mice (C57BL/6 genetic background), disease was first established in otherwise healthy wild-type C57BL/6 mice. In models of localized and disseminated disease, tumor-bearing mice treated i.v. with supraphysiological numbers of syngeneic γδ T cells (C57BL/6-derived) developed measurably less disease compared with untreated mice. Disease-bearing mice treated i.v. with γδ T cells also displayed superior survival compared with untreated mice. These findings provide a biological rationale for clinical trials designed to adoptively transfer ex vivo expanded autologous γδ T cells for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Normal human serum contains high levels of anti‐Galα1‐4GlcNAc antibodies

Abstract: Background: Natural xenoreactive antibodies (Abs) directed against the Bdi‐epitope (Galα1–3Galβ) on the cells of non‐primate mammals take part in hyperacute rejection of xenotransplanted organs. We found that some Abs, which were one‐step affinity purified on Bdi‐Sepharose, cross‐reacted with the disaccharide Galα1–4GlcNAcβ. The epitope Galα1‐4GlcNAc has not been identified on mammals or bacterial polysaccharides yet.
The Prospective Influence of Perceived Social Norms on Bystander Actions Against Sexual Violence and Relationship Abuse: A Multiple Mediation Model

The present study assessed support for an innovative model of the direct and indirect paths through which perceived peer norms regarding the prevalence and acceptability of sexual violence (SV) and relationship abuse (RA) may influence the decisional process leading to bystander intervention. Analyses included baseline and 6-month follow-up data collected from a large sample of high school students (N = 2,303) across 27 schools in the Northeastern United States. Path analyses were conducted to test a multiple mediation model of the direct and indirect associations among the sequential predictors of perceived descriptive and injunctive norms, personal attitudes, abuse perceptions, risk recognition, and dependent measures of bystander behaviors at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Higher perceptions of the prevalence (descriptive norms) and acceptability (injunctive norms) of SV and RA among peers were associated with more accepting personal attitudes toward SV and RA, which were associated with lower abuse perceptions and risk recognition. Furthermore, lower abuse perceptions and risk recognition were associated with decreases in bystander behaviors at both time points. Mediational analyses revealed several significant indirect paths through which higher perceptions of descriptive and injunctive norms contributed to decreases in bystander behavior. Findings provide novel evidence of the prospective influence of perceived norms on bystander intervention behavior in situations of SV and RA.
Sarcasm Detection Using an Ensemble Approach

We present an ensemble approach for the detection of sarcasm in Reddit and Twitter responses in the context of The Second Workshop on Figurative Language Processing held in conjunction with ACL 2020. The ensemble is trained on the predicted sarcasm probabilities of four component models and on additional features, such as the sentiment of the comment, its length, and source (Reddit or Twitter) in order to learn which of the component models is the most reliable for which input. The component models consist of an LSTM with hashtag and emoji representations; a CNN-LSTM with casing, stop word, punctuation, and sentiment representations; an MLP based on Infersent embeddings; and an SVM trained on stylometric and emotion-based features. All component models use the two conversational turns preceding the response as context, except for the SVM, which only uses features extracted from the response. The ensemble itself consists of an adaboost classifier with the decision tree algorithm as base estimator and yields F1-scores of 67% and 74% on the Reddit and Twitter test data, respectively.
Impact of Different Strategies for Delivering Supplemental Zinc on Selected Fecal Markers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction among Young Laotian Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different strategies for delivering supplemental zinc on fecal myeloperoxidase (MPO), neopterin (NEO), and calprotectin (CAL) among young Laotian children. In a double-blind controlled trial, children aged 6–23 months were randomized to receive either daily preventive zinc (PZ) tablets (7 mg/day), daily micronutrient powder (MNP; containing 10 mg zinc and 14 other micronutrients), therapeutic zinc (TZ) supplements for diarrhea treatment (20 mg/day for 10 days), or daily placebo powder and followed for ∼36 weeks. Stool samples were collected at baseline and endline. Fecal MPO, NEO, and CAL concentrations were determined in a randomly selected subsample of 720 children using commercially available ELISA kits. At baseline, the mean age was 14.1 ± 4.9 months and prevalence of stunting was 39%. The endline prevalence of stunting was 43%; there was no overall treatment effect on physical growth in the parent trial. At endline, the mean (95% CI) MPO in the PZ group was 1,590 [1,396; 1,811] ng/mL and did not differ from that in the MNP (1,633 [1,434; 1,859] ng/mL), TZ (1,749 [1,535; 1,992] ng/mL), and control (1,612 [1,415; 1,836] ng/mL) groups (P = 0.749). Similarly, there was no overall treatment effect on NEO and CAL concentrations (P = 0.226 and 0.229, respectively). In this population, the provision of PZ or TZ supplements or MNP had no impact on growth or environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) as assessed by fecal MPO, NEO, and CAL. Additional research is needed to better understand the etiology and proposed mechanisms of EED pathogenesis.
Genetic Relationship among Diabrotica Species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Based on rDNA and mtDNA Sequences

Corn rootworms of the genus Diabrotica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) are the most serious pest of corn in midwestern United States. Despite their economic importance, phylogenetic relationships within the genus remain unclear. Phylogenetic analysis of five Diabrotica species and subspecies was undertaken using DNA sequences of the nuclear rDNA first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1) and a portion of the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I and II genes (COI/COII). Parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis indicated that southern corn rootworm is sister to banded cucumber beetle, whereas, northern corn rootworm forms a distinct clade with western and Mexican corn rootworm. ITS1 and COI/COII were found to be useful markers for determining phylogenetic relationships among diabroticites.
Inferring transportation mode from smartphone sensors: Evaluating the potential of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Understanding which transportation modes people use is critical for smart cities and planners to better serve their citizens. We show that using information from pervasive Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth devices can enhance GPS and geographic information to improve transportation detection on smartphones. Wi-Fi information also improves the identification of transportation mode and helps conserve battery since it is already collected by most mobile phones. Our approach uses a machine learning approach to determine the mode from pre-prepocessed data. This approach yields an overall accuracy of 89% and average F1 score of 83% for inferring the three grouped modes of self-powered, car-based, and public transportation. When broken out by individual modes, Wi-Fi features improve detection accuracy of bus trips, train travel, and driving compared to GPS features alone and can substitute for GIS features without decreasing performance. Our results suggest that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth can be useful in urban transportation research, for example by improving mobile travel surveys and urban sensing applications.
Effects of a Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet and a Mediterranean Diet with or without a Sterol-Enriched Yogurt in Individuals with Hypercholesterolemia

Background A growing number of functional foods have been proposed to reduce cholesterol levels and the Portfolio Diet, which includes a combination of plant sterols, fibres, nuts, and soy protein, reduces low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from 20% to 30% in individuals with hyperlipidaemia. In this pilot study, the aim was to investigate whether a Mediterranean Diet incorporating a new and simple combination of cholesterol-lowering foods, excluding soy and nuts (namely the Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet), would reduce LDL-C levels, in the short-term, better than a Mediterranean Diet plus a sterol-enriched yogurt or a Mediterranean Diet alone. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 24 individuals on a Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet and 48 matched individuals on a Mediterranean Diet with or without a sterol-enriched yogurt (24 each groups) as controls. Results At follow-up (after 48±12 days), we observed an LDL reduction of 21±4, 23±4, and 44±4 mg/dL in the Mediterranean Diet alone, Mediterranean Diet plus yogurt and Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet respectively (P<0.001). Conclusion A Portfolio-Mediterranean Diet, incorporating a new combination of functional foods such as oats or barley, plant sterols, chitosan, and green tea but not soy and nuts, may reduce LDL of 25% in the short term in individuals with hypercholesterolemia.
Revision of the Deep-Sea Anglerfish Genus Bufoceratias Whitley (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei: Diceratiidae), with Description of a New Species from the Indo-West Pacific Ocean

Abstract The deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish genus Bufoceratias Whitley is revised on the basis of all known material. Three species are recognized: Bufoceratias wedli (Pietschmann), now represented by 69 specimens collected from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean; Bufoceratias thele (Uwate), 11 specimens from the western Pacific; and a new species, Bufoceratias shaoi, described on the basis of four specimens from the Western Indian and Western Pacific oceans. The new species differs from its congeners by having a short illicium and an unusually large and morphologically complex esca. Diagnoses and descriptions are given for all taxa and a revised key to the species of the genus is provided. Diceratiids are found in all three major oceans of the world, but they are conspicuously absent from the eastern Pacific. In contrast to the midwater life style generally assumed for most ceratioids, at least some diceratiids, especially larger individuals, are associated with the bottom.
Proton flux measurements from tissues in buffered solution

Proton movement across plant cell membranes is part of many important physiological processes. The net proton flux to or from tissues can be determined non-invasively by measuring the proton electrochemical potential gradient in the adjacent solution. In buffered solution, some of the protons crossing the tissue boundary diffuse as proto-nated buffer whose flux is not included in the flux calculated from the proton (hydrogen ion) electrochemical gradient. In this theoretical paper, it is shown how experimenters can calculate the protonated buffer flux from the measured proton flux in solution. The ratio of these two components of total proton flux depends on the pH of the solution and on the concentration and pK of the buffer. For a given concentration of a buffer which has a single pK, the flux ratio rises with pH when the solution pH is lower than the buffer pK. The slope is about 2 on a log10 scale. As the pH increases above the pK, the flux ratio levels off to approach its maximum. With mixed buffers, or one having two or more pK values, the flux ratios are additive: each buffer acts independently based on its concentration and its pK value. Unbuffered solutions always have the buffering effects of water itself and also of carbonates due to carbon dioxide dissolved from the atmosphere. In unbuffered solutions at pH 6, the flux carried by water and carbonate is about 1 % of the measured proton flux. This validates measurements of proton flux from tissues, made by a number of workers, in unbuffered solutions below pH 6.
Drugs interacting with G protein α subunits: selectivity and perspectives

Summary— Extracellular signal molecules as diverse as hormones, neurotransmitters and photons use a signal transduction pathway involving a receptor, a G protein and effectors. Compounds that interact directly with G proteins can mimic the receptor‐G protein interaction or can block the activation of G proteins by receptors. Several binding sites exist on the Gα protein that may be exploited for the design of synthetic stimulatory or inhibitory ligands. The effector binding site is regulated by endogenous proteins and appears to be a target for selective exogenous ligands. The GTP binding site presents a large homology within the G protein families and therefore the nucleotide analogs might not be considered as a tool to discriminate between the G protein subclasses. In contrast, different experimental strategies have substantiated the specificity in the interaction between a receptor and a G protein, the receptor binding site of G proteins should be considered as potential drug targets. Drugs interfering with this site such as mastoparan and related peptides, GPAnt‐2 and suramin, are lead compounds in the design of selective G protein antagonists. Benzalkonium chloride and methoctramine have agonist or antagonist properties, depending on G protein subtypes. Such compounds would be very useful to delineate the functions of G proteins and G protein‐coupled receptors, to understand some side effects of drugs used in therapy and to develop new therapeutic agents.
Single cell heterogeneity in influenza A virus gene expression shapes the innate antiviral response to infection

Viral infection outcomes are governed by the complex and dynamic interplay between the infecting virus population and the host response. It is increasingly clear that both viral and host cell populations are highly heterogeneous, but little is known about how this heterogeneity influences infection dynamics or viral pathogenicity. To dissect the interactions between influenza A virus (IAV) and host cell heterogeneity, we examined the combined host and viral transcriptomes of thousands of individual cells, each infected with a single IAV virion. We observed complex patterns of viral gene expression and the existence of multiple distinct host transcriptional responses to infection at the single cell level. We show that human H1N1 and H3N2 strains differ significantly in patterns of both viral and host anti-viral gene transcriptional heterogeneity at the single cell level. Our analyses also reveal that semi-infectious particles that fail to express the viral NS can play a dominant role in triggering the innate anti-viral response to infection. Altogether, these data reveal how patterns of viral population heterogeneity can serve as a major determinant of antiviral gene activation.
Characteristics and Pedogenesis of Podzolic Forest Soil along a Toposequence Near a Subalpine Lake in Northern Taiwan

Podzolic soils are commonly found under cypress forests in the subalpine region of northern Taiwan where the climatic conditions are cold and humid. Toposequential change from summit to lake shore along a subalpine lake (Lake Jialo) was selected to evaluate the influence of high soil moisture conditions on vegetation and pedogenic processes, and to clarify the mechanism of podzolization. Along this toposequence, the podzolization process occurs at all landscape sites except for the one at the lakeshore. Organicallycomplexed Fe and Al are the dominant forms in the Bs horizons at summit and footslope sites. The fulvic acids complex Fe and Al and translocate the latter downwards into the Bs horizons. The placic horizon in soils at the footslope is dominated by amorphous Fe oxides. Formation of placic horizons is mainly attributed to perched water, which is caused by heavy rainfall and seasonally high lake water level between the AE and Bs horizons. This situation causes Fe reduction and translocation to lower parts of the soil profile, resulting in formation of a placic horizon between E and Bs horizons. The soils towards the lakeshore are characterized by increasing dominance of hydromorphic process over podzolization. However, although the podzolization process occurs, the studied soils cannot be classified as Spodosols. High clay and crystalline Fe oxide contents derived from parent materials retard the mobility of organically-complexed metal cations and thus slow down the podzolization process and formation of spodic horizons in this area.