Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Research Progress on the Roles of Cytokinin in Plant Response to Stress

Cytokinins promote plant growth and development under normal plant growth conditions and also play an important role in plant resistance to stress. Understanding the working mechanisms of cytokinins under adverse conditions will help to make full use of cytokinins in agriculture to increase production and efficiency of land use. In this article, we review the progress that has been made in cytokinin research in plant response to stress and propose its future application prospects.
Factors Influencing Rumour Re-Spreading in a Public Health Crisis by the Middle-Aged and Elderly Populations

Due to discrimination and media literacy, middle-aged and elderly individuals have been easily reduced to marginalized groups in the identification of rumours during a public health crisis and can easily spread rumours repeatedly, which has a negative impact on pandemic prevention and social psychology. To further clarify the factors influencing their behaviours, this study used a questionnaire to survey a sample of 556 individuals in China and used multiple linear regression and analysis of variance to explore influencing factors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We found that, first, in the COVID-19 pandemic, middle-aged and elderly adults’ willingness to re-spread rumours is positively related to their degree of believing rumours and to personal anxiety and is negatively related to their rumour-discrimination ability and to their perception of serious consequences to rumour spreading. Second, the degree of believing rumours plays an intermediary role in the willingness to re-spread rumours. It plays a partial mediating role in the path of anxiety’s influence on behaviour, suggesting that an anxious person will spread a rumour even if he or she does not have a strong belief in the rumour. Third, interpersonal communication has a greater credibility and a greater willingness to re-spread than does mass communication. This suggests the importance of increasing public knowledge expertise and of reducing public panic. This also has important implications for the future design of public health policies.
Non-Hematologic Toxicity of Bortezomib in Multiple Myeloma: The Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Adverse Effects

Simple Summary Multiple myeloma (MM) is a still uncurable tumor of mainly elderly patients originating from the terminally differentiated B cells. Introduction to the treatment of MM patients of a new class of drugs called proteasome inhibitors (bortezomib followed by carfilzomib and ixazomib) significantly improved disease control. Proteasome inhibitors interfere with the major mechanism of protein degradation in a cell leading to the severe imbalance in the protein turnover that is deadly to MM cells. Currently, these drugs are the mainstream of MM therapy but are also associated with an increased rate of the injuries to multiple organs and tissues. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of the first-in-class proteasome inhibitor bortezomib-induced disturbances in the function of peripheral nerves and cardiac and skeletal muscle. Abstract The overall approach to the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) has undergone several changes during the past decade. and proteasome inhibitors (PIs) including bortezomib, carfilzomib, and ixazomib have considerably improved the outcomes in affected patients. The first-in-class selective PI bortezomib has been initially approved for the refractory forms of the disease but has now become, in combination with other drugs, the backbone of the frontline therapy for newly diagnosed MM patients, as well as in the maintenance therapy and relapsed/refractory setting. Despite being among the most widely used and highly effective agents for MM, bortezomib can induce adverse events that potentially lead to early discontinuation of the therapy with negative effects on the quality of life and outcome of the patients. Although peripheral neuropathy and myelosuppression have been recognized as the most relevant bortezomib-related adverse effects, cardiac and skeletal muscle toxicities are relatively common in MM treated patients, but they have received much less attention. Here we review the neuromuscular and cardiovascular side effects of bortezomib. focusing on the molecular mechanisms underlying its toxicity. We also discuss our preliminary data on the effects of bortezomib on skeletal muscle tissue in mice receiving the drug.
Printed Electrodes in Microfluidic Arrays for Cancer Biomarker Protein Detection

Medical diagnostics is trending towards a more personalized future approach in which multiple tests can be digitized into patient records. In cancer diagnostics, patients can be tested for individual protein and genomic biomarkers that detect cancers at very early stages and also be used to monitor cancer progression or remission during therapy. These data can then be incorporated into patient records that could be easily accessed on a cell phone by a health care professional or the patients themselves on demand. Data on protein biomarkers have a large potential to be measured in point-of-care devices, particularly diagnostic panels that could provide a continually updated, personalized record of a disease like cancer. Electrochemical immunoassays have been popular among protein detection methods due to their inherent high sensitivity and ease of coupling with screen-printed and inkjet-printed electrodes. Integrated chips featuring these kinds of electrodes can be built at low cost and designed for ease of automation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) features are adopted in most of these ultrasensitive detection systems, with microfluidics allowing easy manipulation and good fluid dynamics to deliver reagents and detect the desired proteins. Several of these ultrasensitive systems have detected biomarker panels ranging from four to eight proteins, which in many cases when a specific cancer is suspected may be sufficient. However, a grand challenge lies in engineering microfluidic-printed electrode devices for the simultaneous detection of larger protein panels (e.g., 50–100) that could be used to test for many types of cancers, as well as other diseases for truly personalized care.
Brain Aromatase and the Regulation of Sexual Activity in Male Mice

Abstract The biologically active estrogen estradiol has important roles in adult brain physiology and sexual behavior. A single gene, Cyp19a1, encodes aromatase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of testosterone to estradiol in the testis and brain of male mice. Estradiol formation was shown to regulate sexual activity in various species, but the relative contributions to sexual behavior of estrogen that arises in the brain versus from the gonads remained unclear. To determine the role of brain aromatase in regulating male sexual activity, we generated a brain-specific aromatase knockout (bArKO) mouse. A newly generated whole-body total aromatase knockout mouse of the same genetic background served as a positive control. Here we demonstrate that local aromatase expression and estrogen production in the brain is partially required for male sexual behavior and sex hormone homeostasis. Male bArKO mice exhibited decreased sexual activity in the presence of strikingly elevated circulating testosterone. In castrated adult bArKO mice, administration of testosterone only partially restored sexual behavior; full sexual behavior, however, was achieved only when both estradiol and testosterone were administered together. Thus, aromatase in the brain is, in part, necessary for testosterone-dependent male sexual activity. We also found that brain aromatase is required for negative feedback regulation of circulating testosterone of testicular origin. Our findings suggest testosterone activates male sexual behavior in part via conversion to estradiol in the brain. These studies provide foundational evidence that sexual behavior may be modified through inhibition or enhancement of brain aromatase enzyme activity and/or utilization of selective estrogen receptor modulators.
Transient Effect at the Onset of Human Running

While training and competing as a runner, athletes often sense an unsteady feeling during the first meters on the road. This sensation, termed as transient effect, disappears after a short period as the runners approach their individual running rhythm. The foundation of this work focuses on the detection and quantification of this phenomenon. Thirty athletes ran two sessions over 60 min on a treadmill at moderate speed. Three-dimensional acceleration data were collected using two MEMS sensors attached to the lower limbs. By using the attractor method and Fourier transforms, the transient effect was isolated from noise and further components of human cyclic motion. A substantial transient effect was detected in 81% of all measured runs. On average, the transient effect lasted 5.25 min with a range of less than one minute to a maximum of 31 min. A link to performance data such as running level, experience and weekly training hours could not be found. The presented work provides the methodological basis to detect and quantify the transient effect at moderate running speeds. The acquisition of further physical or metabolic performance data could provide more detailed information about the impact of the transient effect on athletic performance.
Advances in Optical Biosensors and Sensors Using Nanoporous Anodic Alumina

This review paper focuses on recent progress in optical biosensors using self-ordered nanoporous anodic alumina. We present the fabrication of self-ordered nanoporous anodic alumina, surface functionalization, and optical sensor applications. We show that self-ordered nanoporous anodic alumina has good potential for use in the fabrication of antibody-based (immunosensor), aptamer-based (aptasensor), gene-based (genosensor), peptide-based, and enzyme-based optical biosensors. The fabricated optical biosensors presented high sensitivity and selectivity. In addition, we also showed that the performance of the biosensors and the self-ordered nanoporous anodic alumina can be used for assessing biomolecules, heavy ions, and gas molecules.
Regional, not global, functional connectivity contributes to isolated focal dystonia

Objective To test the hypothesis that there is shared regional or global functional connectivity dysfunction in a large cohort of patients with isolated focal dystonia affecting different body regions compared to control participants. In this case-control study, we obtained resting-state MRI scans (three or four 7.3-minute runs) with eyes closed in participants with focal dystonia (cranial [17], cervical [13], laryngeal [18], or limb [10]) and age- and sex-matched controls. Methods Rigorous preprocessing for all analyses was performed to minimize effect of head motion during scan acquisition (dystonia n = 58, control n = 47 analyzed). We assessed regional functional connectivity by computing a seed-correlation map between putamen, pallidum, and sensorimotor cortex and all brain voxels. We assessed significant group differences on a cluster-wise basis. In a separate analysis, we applied 300 seed regions across the cortex, cerebellum, basal ganglia, and thalamus to comprehensively sample the whole brain. We obtained participant whole-brain correlation matrices by computing the correlation between seed average time courses for each seed pair. Weighted object-oriented data analysis assessed group-level whole-brain differences. Results Participants with focal dystonia had decreased functional connectivity at the regional level, within the striatum and between lateral primary sensorimotor cortex and ventral intraparietal area, whereas whole-brain correlation matrices did not differ between focal dystonia and control groups. Rigorous quality control measures eliminated spurious large-scale functional connectivity differences between groups. Conclusion Regional functional connectivity differences, not global network level dysfunction, contributes to common pathophysiologic mechanisms in isolated focal dystonia. Rigorous quality control eliminated spurious large-scale network differences between patients with focal dystonia and control participants.
Effect of Baker’s Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Inclusion in Feed and in Drinking Water on Performance of Broiler Birds

research designed the study, carried out the study, the first the literature KUA and FOA managed the analyses. ABSTRACT Aim: This study was designed to investigate the effect of Baker’s yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) inclusion in feed and in drinking water on the performance of broiler birds. Study Design: Yeast in feed and in drinking water were laid out in Completely Randomized Design while yeast in water/feed was a factorial experiment ( 2 factors: level and route of application) with 5 application levels. Each study was replicated 3 times. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. The study lasted for 8 weeks. Material and Methods: 450 Anak broiler chicks were used for the study. 150 chicks each for yeast in feed, yeast in drinking water and in feed/drinking water. Graded levels (0.5g Statistical Package for Social Sciences [3]. Results: Broiler birds that received yeast supplementation in feed performed better than those with supplementation in water. Supplementation in both feed and water had no additive effect. Best results were in yeast inclusion levels of 1.0g yeast in feed and in drinking water.There was no interaction in yeast fed in water and in feed and therefore has no additive effect. Conclusion: Best results were in yeast inclusion levels of 0.5g and 1.0g. This study recommends 0.5g yeast inclusion in feed.
Intestinal Microbiota in Neonates and Preterm Infants: A Review

The fetal gastrointestinal tract is sterile until birth when microbes colonize the gastrointestinal tract, and a dense, complex microbiota develops. This enormous cell mass performs a variety of activities that affect both the intestinal and systemic physiology. The microbiota provides nutritional, metabolic, immunological, and protective functions. The neonatal gastrointestinal tract is an organ at risk. Increasing awareness that the human flora is a major factor in both health and disease has led to different strategies to manipulate the flora. Manipulation with prebiotics and probiotics has shown promising results although a better understanding of the gut bacterial colonization process is required before attempts to change the flora should be made. In this review, we summarize the data regarding developmental microbial ecology in the neonatal gastrointestinal tract, and the modulation of such microbiota. The discussion focuses on the control and manipulation of bacterial colonization in the neonatal gut for the prevention and treatment of bacterial intestinal disease in both in human infants and on animal models. Since the best available methodologies should be utilized in studies of nutritional sciences, a recapitulation of the latest techniques for the study of the gastrointestinal flora is presented. Future progress is likely to arise from the use of genomic techniques to track of diet- induced changes in microbiota.
Novel mutations of the A mating-type idiomorph in Neurospora crassa

The mating-type idiomorphs of Neurospora crassa, A and a, function in the sexual cycle to initiate mating and meiosis (A x a is fertile) and during vegetative growth to prevent heterokaryosis (A + a is incompatible). The A and a idiomorphs encode putative regulatory polypeptides of 288 amino acids (mt A-1) and 382 amino acids (mt a-1), respectively, that are thought to control the expression of mating-specific genes and determine a self versus non-self mechanism of recognition. The present study is an attempt to isolate new mutants of the A mating-type locus to further delineate the functional domains of the mt A-1 ORF that controls these seemingly unrelated functions. Previously, all A mating-type mutants isolated using UV mutagenesis were sterile and heterokaryon compatible, the result of frameshift mutations within mt A-1. In an attempt to isolate fertile and heterokaryon compatible A mutants, mutational analysis was performed on mating-type A strains using 6-N-hydroxylaminopurine (H.A.P.), a chemical mutagen that produces GC-*AT base pair substitutions, in addition to UV. All of the mutants isolated with UV were heterokaryon compatible and sterile. One mutant isolated with H.A. P., Am99 , was heterokaryon compatible and sterile as the male, but fertile as the female, producing near normal numbers of asci and ascopsores, although reduced numbers of perithecia. The mutant phenotype segregated with the A mating-type in all of the progeny tested. Sequencing analysis of the mt A-1 ORF showed that the mutant phenotype was the result of a base pair substitution that changed Trp-86 to a stop codon that would result in a truncated polypeptide of 85 amino acids. A second mutant isolated with H.A. P., Am 13 , was heterokaryon compatible and sterile as the male, but produced near normal numbers of perithecia, but not ascospores, as the
Inflorescence and floral development of Carnarvonia (Proteaceae)

749 Douglas, Andrew w: (Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra, Victoria, 3141, Australia) 1996. Inflorescence and floral development of Carnarvonia (Proteaceae). Telopea 6(4): 749-774. Carnarvonia araliifolia is an endemic of north-east Queensland and the sole member of the subfamily Carnarvonioideae in Proteaceae. The inflorescence structure is atypical compared to the relatively simple racemiform architecture found in the other taxa of the family (including Grevilleoideae that has flower pairs). There is variability in numbers of flowers on a given axis, irregular branching of inflorescence axes, positions of flowers within an axillary module, numbers of flowers at a node on the principal axes, and the cauliflorous, axillary andlor terminal location of flowering regions on a branch. Carnarvonia has been hypothesized as having shared a common ancestor either with or within Grevilleoideae. Developmental evidence is examined to better define and elucidate the morphogenetic processes involved in the complex architecture of the inflorescence and flowers including the fundamental units of construction within a metameric conceptual framework. Likewise, the developmental evidence is used to examine the hypotheses of morphological derivation of the inflorescence as inferred from phylogenetic hypotheses. The inflorescence structure is interpreted as a paniculiform-raceme although terminal flowers are present on axillary inflorescence branches. There is variation within the developmental programme of the first three metamers of a subunit or axillary inflorescence branch that differs from the variation present in other Proteaceae and an inflorescence branch can vary in the number of flowers that develop. In the terminal flowers of a module, the first tepal is initiated in a position that follows the phyllotactic continuity of each subunit (2/5), the first tepal being initiated in a predictable position based on the position of the preceding bract primordium. The carpel is initiated in a lateral position, closest to both the first initiated stamen and tepal, thus maintaining the phyllotactic continuity in the flower. The ontogenetic events involved in inflorescence development in Carnarvonia clarify its morphological organization and provide morphological evidence of the derivation of the inflorescence form from a single-flowered, perhaps racemiform, ancestor.
Metallo-β-lactamases of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria

Non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria are primarily environmental species. However, many species are opportunistic pathogens associated with cystic fibrosis and a variety of nosocomial infections; carbapenems including imipenem and meropenem are the most active antibiotics against most of these. However, some species including Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and many Flavobacterium spp. are naturally resistant to carbapenems, partially due to the expression of intrinsic metallo-β-lactamases (MBL). In addition, carbapenem resistance is gradually emerging in some non-fermenters with clinical significance including pseudomonads and Acinetobacter spp, and is increasingly being associated with acquired MBL carried by integrons. MBL are the enzymes with the broadest spectrum substrate profile. Nearly all β-lactams except for monobactams can be hydrolysed by MBL, and commercially available β-lactamase inhibitors cannot inhibit the hydrolysis. In this article, classification schemes, the distribution, biochemical properties, the phylogenies, and heterogeneity of the endogenous and acquired MBL are reviewed. The origin of the MBL and the relationship between expression and carbapenem resistance are also discussed. The endogenous MBL discussed include L1 from S. maltophilia and BlaB, GOB, IND, CGB-1, TUS-1, MUS-1, EBR-1, and JOHN-1 from the Flavobacteriaceae. The acquired enzymes discussed include IMP and VIM variants as well as SPM-1. Some conclusions are drawn from this review, including: (i) in many species of environmental non-fermenters, each species has its specific endogenous MBL except for Chryseobacterium meningosepticum which has two different MBL; (ii) the chromosome-borne intrinsic MBL has not already disseminated in different species; (iii) acquired MBL carried by integrons are emerging and indeed spread widely, though they are still not frequent; (iv) non-fermenters producing acquired MBL are spreading in Europe and the Far East and are associated with some outbreaks of nosocomial infections; (v) the expression of MBL by non-fermenters significantly limits the antimicrobial treatment, though its exact role in carbapenem resistance remained unknown; (vi) heterogeneity exists in both intrinsic and acquired MBL.
Seasonal Activity of Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) at the Northern Limit of Their Range

Seasonal activity of spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata) at the northern limit of their range in central Ontario was studied over two years using radio telemetry. Prior to this study, and a concurrent study in 1996 by J. D. Ltizgus on a northern population in Georgian Bay, most reports were based on spotted turtle populations from southerly populations. In the present study, six spotted turtles were tracked in 1994, and nine were tracked in 1995. Turtles emerged from hibernation early to mid-April and remained active until late October/early November, for 197 days in 1994 and 202 days in 1995. Average daily movement was greatest early in the season and generally declined as the year progressed. Spotted turtles were easier to observe earlier in the season compared to later in the year despite still being active. Droughtlike conditions in 1995 may have stimulated the turtles to aestivate. Results from the two northern studies are complemen- tary. Spotted turtles at the northern portion of their range are active longer than those in southerly popu- lations.